So in Ezechiel he teacheth how muche we glorifie his name by reknowleging of our own wickednesse You shall remember sayeth he the wayes and al the wicked doinges wherewith ye haue been defiled And ye shall be displeased with your selues in your owne syght in all the euels that ye haue coÌmitted And ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde when I shall do good to you for myne owne names sake and not according to your moste wicked offences If these thinges be conteined in the true knowledge of God that we being broosed with knowledge of our owne iniquitie should coÌsider that he doth good to vs where as we be vnworthy therof why then do we to our great hurt attempt to steale awaye from the Lorde any parcell be it neuer so small of the prayse of his free goodnesse Like wise Ieremie when he crieth out Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome or the riche man in his richesse or the strong man in his streÌgth but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lorde doth he not there declare that somwhat is diminished from Gods glorie if maÌ glorie in him self To this purpose truely doth Paule apply those wordes when he teacheth that all the partes of our saluation are reposed in Christ that we should not glory but in the Lord. For his meaning is that he riseth vp against God darkeneth his glorie whosoeuer thinketh that he hathe any thing be it neuer so litle of his owne This is the truthe we neuer truely glorie in him vnlesse we be vtterly put from our own glorie On the other side this is to be holdeÌ for a catholike principle that all they glorie against God that glorie in theÌ selues For Paul iudgeth that only by this meane the worlde is made subiect to God when all matter to glorie vpoÌ is vtterly taken froÌ men Therfore Esaie when he declareth that Israel shall haue their iustification in God sith also that they shall there also haue their praise as though he should say that the Lord to this end iustifieth the elect that they should glorie in him and in nothing els But howe we ought to be praised in the Lorde he had taught in the verse next before that is that we should sweare that our righteousnesses strength are in the Lord. Note that there is not required a bare confession but coÌfirmed with an othe that a maÌ shold not thinke that he shal be discharged with I wote not what fained humilitie And let no man here allege for excuse that he doth not glorie when without arrogance he reknowlegeth his own righteousnesse for there can be no such estimation but it engendreth coÌfidence nor coÌfidence but it bredeth glorie Therfore let vs remeÌber that in all the disputatioÌ of righteousnes we must haue regard to this end that the praise therof remaine with the Lorde whole perfect For as muche as for declaratioÌ of his righteousnesse as the Apostle testifieth he hath poured out his grace vpon vs that he might be iust iustifiyng him that is of the faith of Christe Wherfore in an other place when he had taught that the Lord gaue vs saluation to set out the glorie of his name afterward as it were repeting the same thing he addeth ye ar saued by grace by the gift of God not by workes that none shold glorie And when Peter telleth that we are called vnto hope of saluation that we shold declare the powers of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruelous light without doubt his meaning is so to make the only praises of God to sound in the eares of the faithful that they shold with depe silence oppresse al arrogancie of the fleshe In a summe man can not without robberie of God chaleÌge to him self any one crum of righteousnesse because euen so muche is plucked and taken away from the glorie of Gods righteousnesse Now if we aske by what meane the conscience may be quited before God we shall finde no other meane but if free righteousnesse be geuen vs by the gift of God Let vs alway thinke vpon this saying of Salomon Who shall say I haue cleansed my heart I am made cleane from my sinne Truely there is no man that shall not be ouerwhelmed with infinite filthinesse Therfore let euen the perfectest man descende into his own conscience call his doinges to accoÌpt what end shal he haue Shal he swetely rest as though al things were in good order betwene him God shall he not rather be vexed with terrible tormentes wheÌ he shall fele matter of damnation abiding in him selfe if he be iudged according to his workes The conscience if it loke vpon God must of necessitie either haue assured peace with his iudgement or be beseged with the terrors of hell Therfore we profit nothyng in disputing of righteousnesse vnlesse we stablyshe suche a righteousnesse with the stedfastnesse wherof our soule may bee staied in the iudgement of God When our soule shall haue whereby it may bothe without feare appeare before the face of God receiue his iudgement vnshaken then not till then let vs knowe that we haue found an vnfained righteousnesse Therfore not without cause the Apostle standeth so muche vpon this point with whose wordes I had rather expresse it than with mine owne If saith he the promise of inheritance be of the law faith is made voide the promise is made abolished He first inferreth that faith is disanulled and made voide yf the promisse of righteousnes haue respect to the deseruinges of our workes or do hang vpon the keping of the law For so could neuer any man assuredlye rest in it because it could neuer come to passe that any maÌ might assuredly determine with him self that he had satisfied the law as in dede neuer any man doth by workes fully satisfie it Wherof that we should not nede to seke far for testimonies to proue it euery man may be a witnesse to him selfe that will with a right eye behold himself And hereby appereth in how depe darke corners hypocrisie buried the mindes of meÌ while they so carelesly beare with theÌ selues that they stick not to set their own flatteries against the iudgegement of God as though thei would binde to a stay of his iudicial proceding but the faithfull that do sincerely examine them selues are greued tormented with a far other maÌner of carefulnesse Therfore ther should so entre into all mindes a doubting at length a very despeire where eche man for him selfe should make accompt with howe great a burden of det he is still ouerpressed and how far he is from the conditioÌ wherw t he is charged Loe how faith is by this meane already expressed extinguished For to wauer to varie to be carried vp downe to stick fast in doubting to be holden in suspense to stagger at length to despeire is not to trust
is not superfluous And so by the example of Dauid let it not greue vs to thrust in such things as may refresh fainting heartes with new liuely strength And it is wonderful that with so great swetenesse of promises we are either but coldly or almost not at all moued that a great parte of men wandring about by compasses had rather leauing these fountaine of liuing waters to digge for themselues drie pittes than to embrace the liberalitie of God freely offered theÌ An inuincible tour is the name of the lord saith Salomon to it the righteous man shal flee he shal be saued And Ioel after that he had prophecied of that horrible destructioÌ which was at hand added this notable sentence Whosoeuer calleth vpoÌ the name of the lord shal be safe which sentence we know to perteine proprely to the course of the Gospel Scarcely euery hundreth man is moued to go forward to meet God He himself crieth by Esaie Ye shall cal vpoÌ me I wil heare you yea before that ye crie I wil answer you And this same honor also in an other place he vouchesaueth to geue in coÌmon to the whole Church as it belongeth to al the meÌbres of Christe He hath cried to me I wil heare him I am in trouble with him that I maie deliuer him Neither yet as I haue already saide is it my purpose to recken vp al the places but to choose out the chefe by whiche we may take a taste how kindely God allureth vs vnto him with how streight bonds our vnthankfulnes is bound when among so sharp prickinges our sluggishnesse stil maketh delay Wherfore let these saienges alway sound in our eares The lord is nie to al theÌ that cal vpon him that cal vpon him in trueth also these saiengs which we haue alleaged out of Esaie Ioel by which God affirmeth that he is hedeful to heare praiers yea is delited as with a sacrifice of swete sauoure when we cast our cares vpoÌ him This singular frute we receiue of the promises of God wheÌ we make our praiers not doubtingly ferefulli but trusting vpon his word whose maiestie wold otherwise make vs afraide we dare cal vpon him by the name of Father forasmuch as he vouchesaueth to put this most swete name into our mouthes It remaineth that we hauing such allurementes shold know that we haue thereby matter enoughe to obteine our praiers forasmuch as our praiers stand vpon no merite of our own but al their worthines hope of obteining ar grouÌded vpoÌ the promises of God and hang vpoÌ them so that it nedeth none other vnderproppinge nor loketh vpwarde hither or thether Therefore we must determin in our minds that although we excel not in like holines as is praised in the holy fathers prophtes Apostles yet bicause the coÌmaÌdemeÌt of praier is coÌmoÌ to vs faith is also coÌmon if we rest vpoÌ the word of God in this right we ar fellowes with theÌ For God as we haue before shewed promisiÌg that he wil be geÌtle merciful to al geueth cause of hope to al eueÌ the mosâ miserable that thei shal obtein what thei ask And therfor the general formes ar to be noted froÌ which no maÌ as thei sai froÌ the first to the last is excluded onli let ther be preseÌt a purenes of heart misliking of our selfes humility faith let not our hypocrisy vnholily abuse the name of God with deceitful calliÌg vpon it the most good father wil not put back theÌ whoÌ he not only exhorteth to com to hiÌ but also moueth theÌ by al the meanes that he caÌ HerupoÌ cometh that maÌner of prayiÌg of Dauid which I haue eueÌ now rehersed Lo thou hast promised Lord to thy serââât for this cause thy seruaÌt at this dai gathereth courag hath fouÌd what prayer he might make before the. Now therfore O Lord God the art god thy words shal be tru Thou hast spokeÌ to thi seruaÌt of these benefits begin therfore do theÌ As also in an other place Perform to thy seruaÌt according to thy word And al the Israelits together so oft as thei arme theÌselues with remeÌbrance of the couenaÌt do sufficieÌtly declare that we shold not prai fearfully wheras the lord so apoiteth And herin theâ folowd the exaÌples of the fathers specially of Iacob which after that he had coÌfessed that he was vnworthy of so many mercies which he had receiued at the haÌd of God yet he saith that he is eÌcoraged to require greater things bicause God had promised that he wold do theÌ But whatsoeuer colors that vnbeleuers do preteÌd wheÌ thei flee not to God so oft as necessitie presseth theÌ wheÌ thei seke not him nor craue his helpe thei do as much defraud hiÌ of his due honor as if thei made to theÌselfs new gods idols for by this mean thei deny that he is to them yâ author of al good things On the other side ther is nothing stroÌger to deliuer the godly froÌ al dout thaÌ to be armed with this thought that no stop ought to stay theÌ while they obey the coÌmandmeÌt of God which pronouÌceth yâ nothing is more pleasing to him thaÌ obedieÌce Here again that which I said before more clerelâ appereth that a dredles spirit to pray agreeth wel with fear reuereÌce carefulnes that it is no absurdity to say that God raiseth vp the ouerthroweÌ After this maÌner those formes of speach agree well together which in seming ar contrary Ieremie Daniel say that thei throw down prayers before god In an other place Iereme saith Let our praier fal down in the sight of God that he may haue mercie on the remnant of his people On the other side the faithful are oftentimes said to lift vp praier So speaketh Ezechias requiring the prophete to make intercession for him And Dauid desireth that his praier may ascende as incense For although thei being perswaded of the fatherly loue of God cherefully coÌmitt theÌselues into his faithful keping dout not to craue the helpe whiche he freely promiseth yet doth not an idle carelesnesse lift them vp as though thei had cast away shame but thei ascend so vpward by degrees of promyses that thei stil remaine humble suppliants in the abacemeÌt of theÌselues Here ar questioÌs obiected more thaÌ one For the scripture reporteth that the lord graÌted certain desires which yet brake forth of a minde not quiet nor wel framed Uerili for a iust cause Ioatham had auowed the inhabitaÌts of SicheÌ to the destructioÌ which afterward caÌe vpoÌ theÌ but yet god kindled with ferueÌtnes of anger veÌgeaÌce folowing his execratioÌ semeth to alow ilteÌpered violeÌt passioÌs Such heat also caried SamsoÌ wheÌ he said StrengtheÌ me O god that I may take vengeaÌce of the vncircumcised For though ther were some pece of good zele miÌgled with it yet a hote
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌmunicating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌmunion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌt verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌg it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ maye haue coÌfidence that he hath redeÌption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌmunion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
God Let therfore appere in our head the very fountayne of grace froÌ whome according to the mesure of euery one it floweth abrode into all his members By that grace euery one from the beginnynge of his fayth is made a Christian. by whiche that same man from his beginnyng was made Christ. Agayne in an other place there is no playner example of predestination than the Mediatour himselfe For he that made of the seede of Dauid a man righteous that neuer should be vnrighteous without any deseruynge of his will goynge before euen the same he dothe of vnrighteous make them righteous that are the membres of that hed and so forth as there foloweth Therefore when we speake of Christes deseruyng we doe not say that in him is the beginnyng of deseruyng but we clymbe vp to the ordinance of God whiche is the firste cause thereof bycause God of his owne mere good will apointed him Mediatour to purchace saluation for vs. And so is the deseruyng of Christ vnfitly set agaynst the mercie of God For it is a common rule that thinges orderly one vnder an other doe not disagree And therefore it maye well stande together that mans iustification is free by the mere mercie of God and that there also the deseruyng of Christ come betwene which is conteyned vnder the mercie of God But agaynst our workes are aptly set as directly contrarie both the free fauour of God and the obedience of Christ either of them in their degree For Christ could not deserue any thyng but by the good pleasure of God and but bycause he was apointed to this purpose with his sacrifice to appease the wrath of God and with his obedience to put away our offences Finally in a summe bicause the deseruynge of Christ hangeth vpon the only grace of God whiche apointed vs this meane of saluatioÌ therfore as well the same deseruing as that grace is fitly set against all the workes of men This distinction is gathered out of many places of the Scripture God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that who so euer beleueth him shall not perish We see how the loue of God holdeth the first place as the soueraigne cause or original theÌ foloweth fayth in Christ as the second or nerer cause If any man take exception and saye that Christ is but the formal cause he doth more diminish his power than the wordes may beare For yf we obteine righteousnesse by fayth that resteth vpon him then is the matter of our saluation to be sought in him whiche is in many places playnely proued Not that we first loued him but he firste loued vs and sente his sonne to be the appeasyng for our sinnes In these wordes is clerely shewed that God to the ende that nothing should withstand his loue toward vs apointed vs a meane to be reconciled in Christ. And this worde Appeasyng is of great weight bycause God after a certayne vnspeakeable manner euen the same time that he loued vs was also angry with vs vntil he was reconciled in Christ. And to this purpose serue all those sayenges He is the satisfactioÌ for our sinnes Againe It pleased God by hym to reconcile all thinges to hymself appeasyng himselfe through the bloud of the crosse by him c. Agayne God was in Christ reconcilyng the worlde to himselfe not impuâyng to men their sinnes Agayne He accepted vs in his beloued sonne Agayne That he might reconcile theÌ bothe to God into one man by the crouÌe The reason of this mysterie is to be fetched out of the first chapter to the Ephesians where Paule after that he had taught that we were chosen in Christ addeth therwithal that we haue obteined fauour in him How did God beginne to embrace with his fauour them whoÌ he loued before the making of the world but bicause he vttered his loue when he was reconciled by the bloud of Christ For sithe God is the fountaine of al righteousnesse it must needes be that maÌ so long as he is a sinner haue God his enemie his iudge Wherfore the beginning of his loue is righteousnesse such as is described by Paule He made him that had done no sinne to be sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him For he meaneth that we haue obteyned free righteousnesse by the sacrifice of Christ that we should please God which by nature are the children of wrath by sinne estranged from him But this distinction is also meante so oft as the grace of Christ is ioyned to the loue of God WherupoÌ foloweth that he geueth vs of his owne that which he hath purchaced For otherwise it would not agree with him that this prayse is geuen him seuerally from his father that it is his grace and procedeth from him But it is truely and perfectly gathered by many places of the Scripture that Christ by his obedience hath purchaced vs fauour with his father For this I take for a thyng confessed that if Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes if he hath suffred the punishmeÌt due vnto vs if by his obedieÌce he hath appeased God finally if he beyng righteous hath suffred for the vnrighteous then is saluation purchaced for vs by his righteousnesse whiche is as much in effecte as to deserue it But as Paule witnesseth we are reconciled and haue receiued reconciliation by his death But recoÌciliation hath no place but where there went offence before Therefore the meanyng is that God to whome we were hateful be reasoÌ of sinne is by the death of his sonne appeased so that he might be fauorable vnto vs. And the comparison of contraries that foloweth a litle after is diligently to be noted As by the traÌsgression of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedieÌce of one many are made righteous For the meaning is thus As by the sinne of AdaÌ we were enstranged from God ordeined to destruction so by the obedience of Christ we are receiued into fauour as rigteous And the future time of the verbe doth not exclude present righteousnesse as appereth by the processe of the texte For he had sayd before that the free gift was of many sinnes vnto iustification But when we saye that grace is purchaced vs by the deseruyng of Christ we meane this that we are cleansed by his bloud and that his death was a satisfactioÌ for our sinnes His bloud cleaÌseth vs froÌ sinne This bloud is it that is shed for remission of sinne If this be the effect of his bloud shed that sinnes be not imputed vnto vs it foloweth that with that price the iudgemeÌt of God is satisfied To which purpose serueth that sayeng of Iohn the Baptist Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde For he setteth in comparison Christ agaynst all the sacrifices of the law to teache that in him only was fulfilled that whiche those figures shewed
he saithe in an other place that by the comming of faith the lawe is taken awaie meaning by this word faith yeâewe vnaccustomed manner of teaching wherby Christ sins he appeared our scholemaster hath more plainlâ set forth the mercy of his father more certainly testified of our saluation Albeit it shal be the more easye more conuenient ordre if we descend by degrees from the generaltie to the specialtie First we must be put in minde that there is a general relation of faith to the word that faith can no more be seuered from the word than the sun beames from the sume froÌ whome thei procede Therfore in Esaie God cryeth out Heare me and your soule shall lyue And that the same is the fountaine of faythe Ihon sheweth in these woordes These thinges are written that ye may beleue And the prophete meaninge to exhorte the people to beleefe saythe This daie yiÌ ye shall heare hys voyce And to heare is commmonly taken for to Beleue Moreouer God dothe not wythout cause in Esaie sette thys marke of difference betwene the children of the Churche and straungers that he will instructe them all that thei maie be taught of him For if it were a benefite vniuersall to all why shoulde he direct hys woordes to a fewe Wherewith agreeth thys that the Euangelistes do commonly vse the woordes Faithfull and Disciples as seuerall wordes expressing one thing specially Luke very oft in the Actes of the Apostles Yea and he stretcheth that name euen to a woman in the ninthe chapiter of the Actes Wherefore if faith do swerue neuer so little from this marke to which it ought to be directly leuelled it kepeth not her owne nature butte becometh an vncertaine lightnesse of belefe and wandring erroure of mynde The same Worde is the foundation wherwith faith is vpholden susteined from which if it swarue it falleth downe Therfore take awaie the Worde then there shal remaine no faith We do not here dispute whether the ministerie of man be necessarie to sowe the worde of God that faithe may be conceiued thereby which question we will els where entreate of but we saie that the worde it self howesoeuer it be conueied to vs is like a mirroure when faith may beholde God Whether God dothe therein vse the seruice of man or worke it by his owne onely power yet he doth alwaie shewe him selfe by his worde to those whome his will is to drawe vnto him wherevpon Paule defineth faithe to be an obedience that is geuen to the Gospell Rom. i. And in an other place he praiseth the obedience of faithe in the Philippians For this is not the onely purpose in the vnderstanding of faithe that we knowe that there is a God but this also yea this chefely that we vnderstande what wil he beareth toward vs. For it not so muche behoueth vs to knowe what he is in himself but what a one he will be to vs. Nowe therefore we are come to thys point that faithe is a knoweledge of the will of God perceyued by his worde And the foundation hereof is a foreconceiued persuasion of the truthe of God Of the assurednesse whereof so longe as thy minde shal dispute with it selfe the worde shall be but of doubtful and weake credit yea rather no credit at all But also it sufficeth not to beleue that God is a true speaker whiche can neither deceiue nor lie vnlesse thow further holde this for vndoubtedly determined that whatsoeuer procedeth from him is the sacred and inuiolable truthe But bicause not at euery word of God mans hearte is raised vp to faith we must yet further search what this faith in the word hath proprely respecte vnto It was the saieng of God to Adam Thou shalte die the death It was the saienge of God to Cain The bloode of thy brother crieth to me out of the earth Yet these are suche saiengs as of them selues canne doe nothynge butte shake faythe so muche lesse are they able to stablyshe faythe We denye not in the meane season that yt ys the offyce of faythe to agree to the truthe of God howe ofte soeuer what soeuer and in what sorte soeuer yt speaketh butte nowe oure question is onely what faythe fyndeth in the woorde of the Lorde to leane and rest vpon When oure conscience beholdeth onely indignation and vengeance howe canne it butte tremble and quake for feare And howe shoulde yt butte flee God of whome yt is afraide But faythe oughte to seeke God and not to flee from him It is plaine therefore that we haue not yet a full definition of faythe bycause it is not to be accompted for faithe to knowe the wyll of God of what sorte so euer it be But what yf in the place of wyll whereof many tymes the message is sorrowefull and the declaration dreadful we putte kindenesse or mercie Truely so we shal come nerer to the nature of faithe For wee are then allured to seeke God after that wee haue learned that saluation is laied vp in store with him for vs. Whyche thynge is confyrmed vnto vs when he declareth that he hath care and loue of vs. Therefore there needeth a promise of grace whereby he maie testifie that he is oure mercifull father for that otherwise wee canne not approche vnto hym and vpon that alone the hearte of man maie safely rest For thys reason commonly in the Psalmes these two thinges Mercie and Truth do cleaue together bicause neither should it any thynge profite vs to know that God is true vnlesse he did mercifully allure vs vnto him neither were it in our power to embrace his mercie vnlesse he did with his owne mouthe offer it I haue reported thy truth and thy saluation I haue not hidden thy goodnesse and thy truthe Thy goodnesse and thy trueth keepe me In an other place Thy mercie to the heauens thy trueth euen to the cloudes Againe All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and trueth to them that keepe his couenant Againe His mercie is multiplied vpon vs and the truth of the Lorde abydeth for euer Againe I will singe to thy name vpon thy mercie and trueth I omitte that whiche is in the Prophetes to the same meaninge that God is mercifull and faythfull in hys promyses For wee shall rashly determine that God is merciefull vnto vs vnlesse himselfe do testifie of himselfe and preuent vs wyth his callinge leaste his wil shoulde be doubtful and vnknowen But we haue already seen that Christ is the onely pledge of his loue without whome on euery side appeare the tokens of hatred and wrath Nowe forasmuche as the knoweledge of Gods goodnesse shall not muche preuayle vnlesse he make vs to rest in it therefore suche an vnderstanding is to be banished as is mingled with doubting and doth not soundli agree in it selfe but as it were disputeth with it selfe But mans witte as yt is blinde and darkened is farre from
of pardon and reconciliation hee by and by tourneth to an other thing and wandereth about in longe superfluous circumstances rehersinge howe maruelously the Lorde gouerneth the frame of heauen and earth and the whole ordre of nature yet is there nothinge that serueth not fittly for the circumstance of the matter that he speaketh of For vnlesse the power of God wherby he is able to do all thinges be presently set before our eies our eares wil hardly heare the worde or wil not esteme it so much as it is worth Beside that her is declared his effectual power bicause godlinesse as we haue already shewed in an other place doth alwaie applie the power of God to vse and worke specially it setteth before it selfe those workes of God wherby he hath testified himselfe to be a father Herevpon commeth that in the Scriptures is so often mention made of the redemption wherby the Israelites might haue learned that God whiche was ones the author of saluation will be an euerlastinge preseruer thereof And Dauid putteth vs in mynde by hys owne exaumple that those benefites whiche God hathe particularly bestowed vpon euery man doe afterwarde auaile to the confyrmation of his faithe Yea when God seemeth to haue forsaken vs it behoueth vs to stretche oure wittes further that hys aunciente benefites maie recomforte vs as it is saide in an other Psalme I haue ben mindefull of olde daies I haue studied vpon all thy workes c. Againe I will remembre the workes of the Lorde and his meruelles from the beginning But bicause without the word all quickly vanisheth awaie that we conceiue of the power of God and of his woorkes therefore we do not without cause affyrme that there is no faithe vnlesse God geue lighte vnto it with testimonie of hys grace But here a question myghte bee moued what ys to bee thought of Sara and Rebecca bothe which being moued as it semeth with zele of saith passed beyonde the bondes of the word Sara when she feruently desyred the promysed issue gaue her bondmaide to her housbande It can not be denied but that shee many waies sinned but nowe I touche onely thys faulte that beinge carryed awaye wyth her zele she did not restraine herselfe within the bondes of Gods worde yet it is certaine that that desire proceeded of faith Rebecca being certified by the oracle of God of the electioÌ of her sonne Iacob ⪠procured his blessing by euell crafty meanes she deceued hir husbande the witnesse and minister of the grace of God shee compelled her sonne to lye she by dyuerse guiles and deceites corrupted the trueth of God Fynally in makinge a scorne of hys promise shee dyd as muche as in her laye destroie it And yet thys acte howe muche soeuer it was euell and woorthy of blame was not without faith for it was necessarie that she sholde ouercome many offenses that shee might so earnestly endeuoure to atteine that whiche without hope of earthly profite was ful of greate troubles daungers As wee may not say that the holy Patriarche Isaac was altogether without faithe bicause he beinge by the same oracle of God admonished of the honoure transferred to the yonger sonne yet cessed not to bee more fauourably bente to hys fyrste begotten sonne Esau. Truely these examples do teache that oftetimes erroures are mingled with faithe but yet so that faith if it be a true faith hath alwaie the vpper hande For as the particular erroure of Rebecca did not make void the effect of the blessing so neither did it make voide her faith whyche generally reigned in her mynde and was the beginning and cause of that doynge Neuerthelesse therein Rebecca vttered howe readye mans mynde is to fall so sone as he geueth hym selfe neuer so lyttle lybertie But thoughe mans defaut and weakenesse dothe darken faith yet it doth not quenche it in the meane time it putteth vs in minde how carefully wee oughte to hange vpon the mouthe of God and also confyrmeth that whyche wee haue taughte that faythe vanysheth awaye vnlesse yt bee vpholden by the woorde as the myndes boothe of Sara and Isaac and Rebecca hadde become vaine in theyr croked wanderinges out of the waie vnlesse thei had ben by Gods secret brydle holden in obedience of the worde Againe not without cause we include all the promises in Christ forasmuche as in the knowledge of him the Apostle includeth al the Gospell and in an other place he teacheth that all the promises of God are in him yea and Amen The reason whereof is ready to be shewed For if God promise any thinge he therein sheweth hys good will so that there is no promise of hys that is not a testimonie of his loue Neither maketh it any mater that the wycked when they haue great and continuall benefites of Gods liberalitie heaped vpon them doe thereby wrappe themselues in so much the more greuous iudgement For syth thei do neither thinke nor acknowlege that those things com vnto them froÌ the hande of God for if thei acknowlege it thei do not with themselues consider his goodnesse therefore thei can not thereby be better taught of his mercie than brute beastes which according to the measure of their estate do receiue the same frute of Gods liberalitie yet they perceiue it not Neither doth it any more make againste vs that many times in refusing the promises apointed for them they do by that occasion procure to them selues the greater vengeance For although the effectuall workinge of the promyses do then onely appeare when they haue founde faith with vs yet the force and natural propretie of them is neuer extinguyshed by oure vnbeleefe or vnthankfulnesse Therefore when the Lorde by hys promyses doth prouoke man not onely to receiue but also to thynke vpon the frutes of hys bountifulnesse hee doth therwith all declare vnto him hys loue Wherevpon we muste returne to thys poynte that euery promyse is a testifieng of Gods loue towarde vs. But it is out of question that no man is loued of God but in Christe he is the beloued Sonne in whome the loue of the Father abydeth and resteth and then from hym poureth it selfe abroade vnto vs as Paule teacheth that wee haue obteyned fauoure in the beloued one Therefore it muste needes bee deryued and come vnto vs by meane of hym For thys cause the Apostle in an other place calleth him oure peace in an other place hee setteth hym oute as a bonde whereby God is with fatherli natural kindenes bound vnto vs. It foloweth then that we must caste our eyes vpon hym so oft as any promyse ys offered vs. And that Paule teacheth no absurditie that all Gods promyses whatsoeuer they bee are confyrmed and fulfilled in hym There be certayne exaumples that make for the contrarie For yf ys not lykely that Naaman the Syrian when hee requyred of the Prophete the manner how to worship God arighte was instructed concerning the
if the brightnesse of the sunne can not be seuered from the heate therof shall we therfore saye that the earth is warmed with the light enlightened with the heate There is nothing more fit for this purpose than this similitude The sunne with his heate geueth life and frutefulnesse to the earth with his beames he geueth light brightnesse Here is a mutuall vnseparable coÌioyning yet reason forbiddeth to conuey to the one that whiche is peculiar to the other Like absurditie is in this confusion of two sortes of graces that Osiander thrusteth in For because God dothe in dede renew them to the obseruing of righteousnesse whome he frely accoÌpteth for righteous therfore Osiander confoundeth that gift of regeneratioÌ with this fre acceptation affirmeth that they be al one the selfsame thing But the Scripture ioyning theÌ both together yet doth distinctly reckeÌ them that the manifold grace of God may the better appere vnto vs. For that saying of Paul is not superfluous that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse sanctification And whensoeuer he resoneth to proue by the saluation purchaced for vs by the fatherly loue of God by the grace of Christ that we are called to holinesse cleannesse he plainely declareth that it is one thing to be iustified an other be made newe creatures But when OsiaÌder cometh to the Scripture he corrupteth as many places as he allegeth Where Paul saith that faith is accompted for righteousnesse to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked maÌ he expouÌdeth it to make righteous With like rashnesse he depraueth al the fourth Chapter to the Romains sticketh not with like fals colour to corrupt that place which I euen now alleged Who shal accuse the electes of God it is God that iustifieth where it is plaine that he speaketh simply of gilthinesse acquiting the meaning of the Apostle hangeth vpon a comparing of contraries Therfore Osiander is found to fond a babbler as wel in that reason as in alleging the testimonies of Scripture And no more rightly doth he speake of the name of righteousnesse in saying that fayth was accompted to Abraham for righteousnesse after that embracing Christ whiche is the righteousnesse of God and God him self he excelled in singular vertues whereby appereth that of two whole places he hath wrongfully made one corrupt place For the ryghteousnesse that is there mentioned perteineth not to the whole course of his calling but rather the holy Ghost testifieth that although the vertues of AbrahaÌ were singularly excellent that with long continuance hee at length had encreasced them yet hee did no other waye please God but by this that he receiued by faythe the grace offered in the promyse Whereupon foloweth that in iustification there is no place for workes as Paull very well affirmeth As for this the Osiander obiecteth that the power of iustifiyng is not in faith of it selfe but in respect that it receiueth Christe I wyllynglye graunte it For if fayth did iustifie of it selfe or by inwarde force as they call it and as it is alwaye feble and vnperfect could not worke iustification but in part so should the iustification be maymed that should geue vs but a pece of saluation As for vs we imagine no suche thinge but in proper speakyng doe saye that God only iustifieth and then we geue the same to Christe because he was geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse and faythe we compare as it were to a vessell For except we came emptie with open mouthe of our soule to craue the grace of Christe we can not be able to receyue Christ. Whereupon we gather that we doe not take from Christ the power of iustifying when we teache that he is first receiued by fayth before that his righteousnesse be receyued But yet I doe not admit the crooked figures of this Sophister when he sayth that faith is Christ as if an earthen pot were a treasure because gold is hidden in it For the reson is not vnlike but that faith although it be by it selfe of no worthynesse or price may iustifie vs in bryngynge Christ as a pot full of money maketh a man ryche Therfore I say that fayth whiche is onely the instrument to receyue rightuousnesse is vnfitly mingled with Christe whiche is the materiall cause and bothe author and minister of so great a benefit Nowe is this doubt also dissolued Howe this worde Faith ought to bee understanded when we entreate of iustification In the receiuing of Christ he goeth further for he sayeth that the inward worde is receiued by the ministration of the outwarde worde thereby to drawe vs from the priesthode of Christ and the persone of the Mediatour to his outwarde Godhed As for vs we deuide not Christ but we say that he is the same eternall worde of God whiche reconciling vs to God in his flesh gaue vs righteousnesse and we confesse that otherwyse he could not haue fulfilled the office of Mediatour and purchaced vs righteousnesse vnlesse he had ben eternall God But this is Osianders doctrine where as Christ is both God and maÌ that he was made righteousnesse to vs in respect of his nature of Godhed and not of manhode But if this properly belong to the Godhed theÌ it shal not be peculiar to Christ but common with the father and the holy Ghost for as muche as ther is not one righteousnesse of the one and an other of the other Moreouer that whiche was naturally froÌ eternitie coulde not bee conueniently sayde to bee made to vs. Butte althoughe we graunte this that God was made righteousnesse for vs howe shal it agree that that whiche is set betwene is made of God Truely that properly belongeth to the persone of the Mediatour whiche though he conteine in hym selfe the nature of Godhede yet here he is specially signified by his proper title by whiche he is seuerally discerned froÌ the father and the holy Ghost But the folishly triumpheth in that one worde of Hieremic where he promiseth that the Lorde Iehoua shal be our righteousnesse but out of that he shall gather nothinge but that Christ which is righteousnes is God openly shewed in the flesh In an other place we haue rehearsed out of Paules sermon that God purchased to himselfe the churche with his bloud if any man gather therupon that the bloud wherewith sinnes were purged was diuine and of the nature of Godhed who can abyde so fowle an errour But Osiander thinketh that with this so childishe a cauillation he hath gotten all thinges he swelleth he leapeth for ioye and stuffeth many leaues full with his bigge wordes when yet there is a plaine and redy solutioÌ for it in saying that the worde Iehoua in dede when he is made the issue of Dauid shal be the righteousnesse of the godly But Esaie teacheth in what sense saying My iust seruant shal with knowledge of him selfe iustifie many Let vs note that the
the iugement of God It is in dede to be wished yea and to be earnestly endeuored that we hauing performed all the partes of our dutie may truely reioyse before God that we are cleane from all spott but forasmuch as it pleaseth God by litle and litle to make againe his image in vs that there alwaye remayneth some infection in our fleshe the remedie ought not to haue been despised If Christ by the authoritie geuen to him of hys Father commaundeth vs throughout the whole course of our life to fle to crauing of pardoÌ of our giltinesse who shal be able to suffer these new maisters which goe about with this imagined ghost of perfect innoceÌcie to dasel the eyes of the simple to make them to trust that they may be made free froÌ all faultâ Which as Ihon witnesseth is nothing ells but to make God a lier And withal one worke these lewde men by cancilling one article do feare in sonder and by that meane do weaken from the very fundation the whole couenant of God wherin we haue shewed that our saluatioÌ is coÌteined so as they be not only robbers of God because they seuer those thinges so coÌioyned but also wicked cruel because they ouerwhelme poore soules with despeire and traytors to themselues and other that be like them because they bryng themselues into a slouthfulnesse directly contrary to the mercy of God But wheras some obiect that in wishing the coming of the kyngdome of God we do also aske the putting away of synne that is to childishe because in the firste table of thys prayer is set forth vnto vs most hye perfection but in this part is set fourth our weakenesse So these twoo thinges do fittly agree together that in a spring toward the marke we despise not the remedies which our necessitie requireth Finally we pray that we may be forgeuen as we our selues doe forgeue our dettors that is as we do forgeue and pardon al of whomsoeuer we haue ben in any thing offended either vniustly handled in dede or reprochefully vsed in worde Not that it lyeth in vs to pardoÌ the giltinesse of the fault and offense which perteineth to God alone but thys is our forgeuing of our owne willingnesse to lay away out of our mynde wrath hatred and desire of reuengement and with voluntarie forgetfulnesse to treade vnder fote the remembrance of iâiuries Wherefore we may not aske forgeuenesse of synnes at the hande of God if we doe not also forgeue their offenses towarde vs which either do or haue done vs wrong But if we kepe any hatreds in our hartes and purpose any reuengementes and imagine by what occasion we may hurt yea and if we do not endeuor to come into fauor againe with our enemies and to deserue well of them with all kynde of frendly doinges and to winne them vnto vs we do by thys prayer beseche God that he do not forgeue vs. For we require that he graunt to vs the same forgeuenesse whiche we graunt to other But this is to pray that he graunt it not to vs vnlesse we graunt it to them Whoso therfore be such what doe they obtein by their prayer but a more greuous iugemeÌt Last of al it is to be noted that this condition that he forgeue vs as we forgeue our dettors is not herefore added for that we deserue his forgeuenesse by the forgeuenesse which we graunt to other as if that cause of forgeuenesse to vs were there expressed but by thys worde partly the Lordes will was to comforte the weakenesse of our Fayth for he added this as a signe whereby we may be assured that he hath as surely grauÌted to vs forgeuenesse of our synnes as we surely knowe in our conscience that we haue grauÌted thesame to other if our mynde be voyde and cleansed of al hatred enuye reuengement and partly by thys as it were by a marke he wipeth them out of the number of his children that they may not be bolde to call vpoÌ him as their Father which being hedlong hasty to reuenge and hardily entreated to pardon doe vse stiffly continuing enmites and doe cherishe in themselues the same displeasure towarde other which they pray to be turned from themselues Whiche is also in Luke expresly spoken in the wordes of Christ. The sixt petitioÌ as we haue sayd answereth to the promise of engrauing the lawe of God in our hartes But because we doe not without continual warrfare and hard and great striuinges obey to God we do here pray to be furnished with such wepons and defended with suche succor that we may be able to get the victorie whereby we are warned that we stande in nede not only of the grace of the Spirite whiche may soften how and direct our hartes to the obedience of God but also of hys helpe wherby he may make vs vnuicible against bothe al the trayterous entrappinges and violeÌt conflictes of Satan But now of tentations there are many and diuerse sortes For both the peruerse thoughtes of minde prouoking vs to trespassing against the law which either our owne luste doth minister vnto vs or the deuell stirreth vp are tentations and also those thinges which of their owne nature are not euell yet by the craft of the deuel are made tentations wheÌ they are so set before our eyes that by the occasion of them we be drawen awaye or do swarue from God And these tentations are either on the ryghte hande or on the left On the righte hande as richesse power honors which commonly do with their glistering and shewe of good so dasel the sight of men and catche them with the bayted hoke of their flatterings that beyng entrapped with suche deceites or dronke with suche swetenesse they may forget their God On the left hande as pouertie reproches despisinges trobles and suche other that they being greued with the bitternesse and hardnesse therof may be vtterly discouraged caste away Fayth and hope and finally be altogether estranged from God To these tentations of both sortes which fighte with vs eyther being kindled in vs by our owne luste or being set against vs by the craft of Satan we pray to our heavenly Father that he suffer vs not to yelde But rather that he vpholde vs and rayse vs vp with his hande that being strong by his strength we may stande fast against all the assaultes of the malicious enemie whatsoeuer thoughtes he put into our mynde then that whatsoeuer is sett before vs on either side we maye turne it to good that we neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor throwen downe with aduersitie Neither yet doe we here require that we may fele no tentations at al with which we haue great nede to be stirred vp pricked and pinched least by to muche reste we growe dull For not in vaine did Dauid wishe to be tempted and not without cause the Lord daily tempteth hys electe chastising them by shame pouertie troble and other
maiestie Only my mynde was to teache certaine introductions wherby they that are touched with some zeale of religion myght bee instructed to true godlynesse And this trauayle I tooke principally for my contremen the Frenchemen of whoÌ I vnderstode very many to hunger and thirst for Christe but I sawe very fewe that had rightly receiued so much as any litle knowlege of him And that this was my meanyng the boke it selfe declareth beyng framed after a simple and playne maner of teachyng But when I perceyued that the furious rage of some wycked men hath so farre preuailed in your realme that in it there is no roome for sounde doctrine I thought I should doo a thyng worthe my trauayle all in one worke bothe to geue an instruction for them and to declare a confession to you wherby ye may learne what maner of doctrine that is agaynst which those furious men burne in so great rage who at this day trouble your realme with sweard and fyer For I will not feare to confesse that I haue in this woorke comprehended in maner the summe of that selfe same doctrine agaynst which they crie out that it ought to be punished with prisonment banishement condemnation without iudgement and with fyer that it ought to be chaced away by lande and sea I knowe in dede with how haynous informations they haue fylled your mynde and eares to make our cause most hatefull vnto you but this of your clemencie ought you to weye that there shal be no innocence neither in wordes nor dedes if it may be enough to accuse Truely if any to bryng the same in hatred shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yelde accompt vnto you hath ben long agoe condemned by consente of all degrees and atteynted by many iugementes allready geuen in iudicial courtes al that he sayth shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently throwen downe by the âanding and power of the aduersaries therof and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lyes and suttle practises and sclaunders Herein is violence shewed that without hearyng the cause bloody senteÌces are pronouÌced against it here in is Fraude that it is without deseruyng accused of sedition and euel doyng And that none may thynke that we wrongfully complayne of these thynges you your selfe can beare vs witnesse moste noble Kyng with how lyeng sclaunders it is dayely accused vnto you as that it tendeth to no other ende but to writhe from Kynges their scepters oute of their handes to throwe downe all iudges seates and iudgementes to subuerte all orders and ciuile gouernementes to trouble the peace and quiete of the people to abolish al lawes to vndo all proprieties and possessions finally to turne al thynges vpsyde downe And yet you heare the smallest portion For horrible thynges they spreade abroade among the people whiche if they were true the whole worlde myghte worthily iudge it with the mainteiners therof worthy of a thousande fiers and gallowes Who can now maruell that a common hatred is kindled agaynst it where suche moste wrongfull accusations are beleued Loe thys is the cause that all degrees agree and coÌspire to the condemning of vs and our doctrine They that sit to iudge beeing rauished with this affection pronounce for sentences their freconceiued determinations whyche they brought from home with them and thinke that they haue well enough discharged their duties if they commaunde no man to be drawen to execution but suche as are founde gylty eyther by theyr owne confession or by sufficient witnesse But of what fault of that condeÌned doctrine say they But by what law coÌdemned Herein should haue stande the succor of defense for them not to denie the doctrine it selfe but to mainteine it for true But here is all libertie ones to mutter vtterly cutt of from vs. Wherefore I doe not vniustly require most victorious king that it maye please you to take into your owne hande the whole hearing of the cause whiche hetherto hath ben troblesomly handled or rather carelesly tossed without al order of law more by outragious heate than iudiciall grauitie Neyther yet thynke that I here goe about to make myne owne priuate defense whereby I may procure to my selfe a safe returne into my natiue contree to whiche althoughe I beare such affection of naturall loue as becometh me yet as the case nowe is I not miscontentedly want it But I take vppon me the common cause of all the Godly yea and the cause of Christe himselfe whiche at thys day hauing ben by all meanes torne and troden downe in your kyngdome lyeth as it were in despeired case and that in dede rather by the tyranny of certaine Pharisees than by your owne knowlege But howe that cometh to passe it is not here nedeful to tell truely it lyeth in great distresse For thus farr haue the vngodly preuailed that the truethe of Christ be not destroyed beyng chaced away and scattered abrode yet it lyeth hydden as buried and vnregarded as for the silly poore Chirch it is eyther wasted with cruell slaughters and so dryuen away with banishmentes or dismayed with threatens and terrors that it dare not ones open her mouth And yet stil they continue with such rage and fercenesse as they are wont thruâting strongly against the wall alredy bending and the ruine whiche themselues haue made In the meane tyme no maÌ steppeth fourth to set hymselfe in defense agaynst suche furies And they if there be any suche that will moste of all seme to fauor the truthe say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and vnskilfulnesse of ignorante men For thus the good natured men forsoothe do speake calling that error and vnskilfulnesse whiche they knowe to be the most certaine trueth of God calling them ignorante men whoe 's witt they see that Christe hath not so despised but that he hath vouchesaued to communicate to them the mysteries of hys heauenly wysedome So muche are all ashamed of the Gospell It shal be your office most noble King not to turne away your eares nor youre mynde fâoÌ so iust a defense specially when so great a mater is in question namely how the glorie of God may be mainteined safe in earth how the trueth of God may kepe her honor how Christ may haue hys kyngdome preserued whole among vs. Thys is a mater worthy for your eares worthy for your iugement worthy for your royall throne For euen this thoughte maketh a true King to acknowlege hymselfe in the gouernance of hys kyngdome to be the minister of God Neyther doth he now vse a kyngdome but a robberie which reigneth not to thys ende that he may serue the glorie of God And he is deceiued that loketh for a long prosperitie of that kyngdome whiche is not ruled by the scepter of God that is by hys holy worde forasmuche as the heauenly Oracle can not proue vayne whereby it is proclaymed that the people shal be scattered
of idols as though it were not a litle lighter matter to worship thaÌ to serue And yet while they seke a hole to hide theÌ in the Greke word they childishly disagre with themselues For seing Latreuein in Greke signifieth nothing but to worship their saying coÌmeth but to this effect as if they woulde say that they worship in dede their images but without any worshippinge And there is no cause why they shuld say that I seke to catch theÌ in words but they theÌselues while they seke to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple do bewray their own ignoraunce And yet though they be neuer so eloquent they shal not atteine by their eloquence to proue vnto vs that one selfe same thing is two sondry thinges Let theÌ say I shewe me a difference in that thing it selfe wherby they may be thought to differ froÌ the old idolaters For as an adulterer or a murderer caÌnot escape giltinesse of his faulte by geuing his sinne a newe deuised name so is it a verye absurditie to thinke that these men be quitte by newe deuise of a name if in the matter it selfe they nothing differ froÌ those idolaters whom they theÌselues are coÌpelled to condeÌne But so far are they froÌ prouing that their case differeth froÌ the case of those idolaters that rather the fountaine of al this whole mischiefe is an vnorderly counterfaiting wherin they haue striued with them while both with their own witt they deuise and with their own handes they frame them signifieng formes to expresse them a fashion of God And yet am I not so superstitious that I thinke no images maye be suffred at al. But forasmuch as caruing and painting are the giftes of God I require that they both be purely and lawfully vsed Least these things which god hath geueÌ vs for his glory for our own benefite be not only defiled by disordred abuse but also turned to our owne destructioÌ We thinke it vnlawful to haue God fashioned oute in visible forme because himselfe hath forbiddeÌ it because it cannot be done wythoute some defacemente of hys glory And least they thynke that it is onelye we that are in this opinioÌ they that haue ben trauailed in their works shall finde that all sounde writers did alway reproue the same thynge If then it be not lawfull to make any bodily image of God muche lesse shall it be lawfull to worshippe it for God or God in it It remayneth therefore lawfull that onelye those thynges bee painted and grauen whereof our eies are capable but that the maiestie of God which is far aboue the sense of our eies be not abused with vncomly deuised shapes Of this sorte are partly histories and thinges done partly images and fashions of bodies withoute expressing of any thinges done by them The first of these haue some vse in teaching or admonishing a man but what profite the seconde can bring saue only delectacion I see not And yet it is euident that euen such were almost al the images that heretofore haue stande vp in churches Wherby we may iudge that they were there set vp not by discrete iudgemente or choise but by folishe and vnaduised desire I speake not howe muche amisse and vncomely they wer for the moste parte fashione nor howe licentiously paynters and caruers haue in this pointe shewed their wantonnesse whiche thynge I haue alredy touched Only I speake to this end that though there wer no fault in them yet do they nothing auaile to teache But leauing also that difference let vs by the waye consider whether it be expedient in Christian temples to haue any images at al that doe expresse either thinges done or the bodies of men Fyrst if the authoritie of the aunciente churche doe any thyng moue vs let vs remember that for about v. C. yeares together while religion yet better florished and sincere doctrine was in force the Christian churches were vniuersally without images So they were then first brought in for the garnishment of churches when the sinceritie of ministracion was not a lyttle altered I wil not now dispute what reason they had with them that were the first authors therof But if a man compare age with age he shall see that they were muche swarued from that vpryghtnesse of them that were wythoute images What doe we thynke that those holye fathers would haue suffered the church to be so long wythoute the thyng which they iudged profitable and good for them But rather because they saw eyther litle or no profit in it and much daunger to lurke vnderneth it they did rather of purpose and aduisedly reiect it than ây ignoraunce or negligence omytte it Whyche thyng Augustine doeth also in expresse words testifie When they be set in such places saieth he honorably on hye to be seen of them that pray and doe Sacrifice although they want both sense and lyfe yet with the very likenesse that they haue of liuelye members and senses they so moue the weake mindes that they seeme to liue and breath c. And in an other place For that shape of members doeth worke and in manner enforce thus muche that the minde liuing within a body doeth thynke that body to haue sense whiche he seeth like vnto his own And a litel after Images do more auaile to bow down an vnhappy soule but this that they haue mouth eyes eares and fete than to amend it by this that they neyther speake nor see nor heare nor goe This truely semeth to be the cause why Iohn willed vs to beware not onelye of worshipping of images but also of images themselues And we haue founde it to muche in experience that throughe the horrible madnesse whiche hath heretofore possessed the worlde to the destruccyon in manner of all godlynesse so sone as images be set vp in churches there is as it were a signe sette vp of idolatrie because the folly of men cannot refraine it selfe but it muste foorthwith runne on to supersticious worshippinges But if there were not so muche daunger hanging thereby yet when I consider for what vse temples are ordeined me thinkes it is verie ill beseming the holinesse therof to receiue any other images than these liuely natural images whiche the LORDE by hys woorde hath consecrate I meane Baptisme and the Lordes supper and other ceremonies wherewyth our eies ought both more earnestly to be occupyed and more liuely to be moued than that they should nede any other images framed by the witt of men Loe this is the incomparable commoditie of images whiche can by no value be recompensed if we beleue the papistes I thinke I had spoken enough of this thing alreadye but that the Nicene Synode doeth as it were laye hande on me to enforce me to speake more ⪠I meane not that most famous Synode which CoÌstaÌtine the Great assembled but that which was holden eyght hundred yeares ago by the commaundemente and authoritie of Irene the Empresse For
bynd theÌ to a certayn rule that euery man should not geue hymselfe leaue to deuise what forme of worshyp he lyst But because it is not expedieÌt to loade the readers with heapyng many matters together I will not touche that poynte yet Onely lette it susâise for this tyme to kepe in mynd that euery cariyng away of the dutyefull behauiours of godlynesse to any other than to God alone is not without robbery of God And fyrste superstition deuysed to geue diuine honours to the Sonne or other starres or idols then folowed ambitious pryde whyche garnyshyng mortall men with spoyles taken from God presumed to prophane all that euer was holy And although this principle remayned among theim to honour the soueraigne deitie yet grewe it in vse indifferently to offer sacrifices to spirites lesser gods or dead meÌ of honor So slippery is the way to slide into this fault to make common to a number that whiche God seuerely chalengeth to hym selfe alone The .xiii. Chapter That there is taught in the scriptures one offence of God from the very creation whiche essence conteineth in it thre persons THat which is taught in the scriptures concernyng the incomprehensible and spirituall essence of God oughte to suffise not onely to ouerthrowe the foolisshe errours of the common people but also to confute the fine suttelties of prophane philosophie One of the olde writers semed to haue said very wel That God is al that we do see and all that we doo not see But by this meane he hathe imagined the godhead to be powred out into all the partes of the world Although God to the intent to kepe men in sobre mynde speaketh but sparely of his owne essence yet by those twoo names of addition that I haue rehersed he doothe bothe take away all grosse imaginations and also represse the presumptuous boldnesse of mans mynde For surely his immeasurable greatnesse ought to make vs afrayde that we attempt not to measure hym with our sense and his spirituall nature forbiddeth vs to imagine any thyng earthly or fleshely of hym For the same cause he often assigneth his dwellyng place to be in heauen For though as he is incomprehensible he tilleth the earthe also yet because he seeth oure myndes by reason of their dullnesse to lie still in the earthe for good cause he lifteth vs vp aboue the worlde to shake of our slouth and sluggishnesse And here falleth to grounde the errour of the Manichees which in appointyng two originall beginnynges haue made the diuell in a maner egall with god Surely this was as muche as to breake the vnitie of God and restrayne his vnmeasurablenesse For where they haue presumed to abuse certain testimonies that sheweth a fowle ignoraunce as their errour it selfe sheweth a detestable madnesse And the Anthropomorphites are also easily confuted which haue imagined God to consist of a bodye because oftentymes the scripture ascribeth vnto hym a mouthe eares eyes handes and feete For what man yea though he be sclenderly witted dooth not vnderstande that God dooth so with vs speake as it were childishly as nurses doo with their babes Therefore suche maners of speeche doo not so playnely expresse what God is as they do apply the vnderstandyng of him to our sclender capacitie Whiche to do it behoued of necessitie that he descended a great way beneath his owne heyght But he also setteth out hymselfe by an other speciall marke wherby he may be more nerely knowen For he so declareth hymselfe to bee but one that he yet geueth himselfe distinctly to be considered in three persons whiche except we learne a bare and empty name of god without any true God flieth in our braine And that no man should thinke that he is a threfolde God or that the one essence of God is diuided in three persons we must here seke a short and easy definition to deliuer vs froÌ all errour But because many doo make muche a doo about this worde Person as a thyng inuented by man howe iustly they doo so it is beste fyrst to see The apostles namyng the sonne the engraued forme of the Hypostasis of his father he vndoubtedly meaneth that the Father hath some beeyng wherin he differeth from the sonne For to take it for Essence as some expositours haue done as if Christ like a piece of waxe printed with a seale didde represent the substaunce of the Father were not onely harde but also an absurditie For sithe the Essence of God is single or one and vndiuisible he that in hym selfe conteineth it all and not by pecemeale or by deriuation but in whole perfection should very vnproprely yea fondly bee called the engraued forme of hym But because the father although he be in his own propretie distinct hath expressed hymselfe wholly in his sonne it is for good cause sayde that he hath geuen his Hypostasis to be seene in hym Wherwith aptely agreeth that which by and by foloweth that he is the brightnesse of his glory Surely by the Apostles wordes we gather ⪠that there is a certayn propre hypostasis in the father that shineth in the sonne whereby also agayne is easily perceiued the Hypostasis of the sonne that distinguisheth him from the Father Like order is in the holy ghost for we shall by and by proue hym to be God and yet he must nedes be other than the father Yet this distinction is not of the essence whiche it is vnlawfull to make manyfolde Therfore if the Apostles testimonie be credited it foloweth that there be in God thre hypostases This terme seyng the Latines haue expressed with the name of Person it were to muche pride and waywardnesse to brawle about so cleere a matter But if we list worde for worde to translate we may call it Subsistence Many in the same sense haue called it substance And the name of Person hath not ben in vse among the Latins onely but also the Grecians perhaps to declare a consente haue taught that there are three prosopa that is to say Persons in God But they whether they be Grekes or Latins that differ one from an other in the worde doo very well agree in the summe of the matter Nowe howesoeuer the heretikes barke at the name of persone or some ouermuch precise men do carpe that thei like not the worde fained by deuise of men sithe they can not get of vs to say that there be three whereof euery one is wholly God nor yet that there be many goddes what vnreasonablenesse is this to myslyke woordes whiche expresse none other thynge but that whiche is testified and approued by the scriptures It were better say they to restraine not only our meanynges but also oure woordes within the boundes of scripture than to deuyse straunge names that may be the begynnynges of disagrement brawlyng so doo we tyer our selues with strife about woordes so the truthe is loste in contending so charitie is broken by odiousely brawlyng together If they call that a straunge
thus He bilded an altare and called the name of it Iehouah my exaltacion But more businesse ariseth by an other place of Hieremie where the same tittle is applyed to Hierusalem in these wordes this is the name whereby they shall call her Iehouah our righteousnesse But thys testimonye is so farre from makyng agaynste the trueth whiche we defende that it rather confirmeth it For wheras he had before testified that Christ is the true Iehouah from whom floweth ryghteousnesse nowe he pronounceth that the churche shall so verely fele the same that she may gloriouslye vse the very name it selfe And so in the firste place is sette the fountayne and cause of ryghteousnesse in the other the effecte Nowe if thys dooe not satisfie the Iewes that Iehouah is so ofte presented in the personne of an Angell I see not wyth what cauillations they canne mocke it oute It is saied that the Angell appeared to the holy fathers and the same Angell chalengeth to hymselfe the name of the eternall God If any take excepcion and say that this is spoken in respecte of the Person that he representeth thys knotte is not thus losed For being a seruaunte he woulde not suffer Sacrifice to be offered to hym and take from God his due honoure But the Angell refusing to eate bread commaundeth Sacrifice to bee offered to Iehouah And then he proueth that hymselfe in dede was the same Iehouah and therefore Manoah and his wife by thys token did gather that they had seen not an only Angel but God And thence came it that he sayed we shall dye because we haue seen God And when hys wyfe answereth if Iehouah woulde haue slayen vs he woulde not haue receaued Sacrifice at oure handes in thys she doeth confesse that he was God whiche before was called the Angell Besyde thys the answere of the Angell hymselfe taketh away all doubte of it saying why doest thou aske me of my name which is maruellous So much the more detestable was the wickednesse of Seruetto when he affirmed that God neuer appeared to Abraham and the other fathers but that an Angell was worshipped in place of him But truely and wisely haue the true teaching doctors of the Churche expounded that the same principall Angell was the worde of God which then as aforehande beganne to execute the office of Mediatoure For thoughe he was not yet clothed with fleshe yet he came down as a meane betwene God and men to come more familiarly to the faithfull Therefore hys nye communicating himselfe made him to be called an Angell yet still in the meane time he reteined that which was his own to be the God of vnspeakable glory Thesame thing meaneth Oseas which after he had recited the wraftlyng of Iacob with the Angell sayeth Iehouah the God of hostes Iehouah worthy of memory is his name Here agayne Seruetto carpeth that God did beare the person of an Angel As thoughe the Prophete did not confirme that whiche Moses had saied why doest thou aske me of my name And the confession of the holye Patriarche doeth sufficiently declare that he was not a created Angell but one in whom the full godhead was residente when he saied I haue seen God face to face And for thys cause Paule sayeth that Chryste was guide of the people in the wyldernesse For thoughe the tyme was not yet come of his abacemente yet that eternall worde shewed a figure of that office to whiche he was appointed Nowe if the seconde Chapter of zacharie be weyed withoute contencion the Angell that sente an other Angell was by and by pronounced to be the God of hostes and to hym is soueraigne power ascribed I omitte innumerable testimonies on the which oure Fayth safelye resteth althoughe they doe not muche moue the Iewes For when it is saied in Esaie Beholde this is our God this is Iehouah we shal waite vpon him and he shall saue vs they that haue eyes may see that herein is meant God which ryseth vp for the saluacion of his people And these vehement demonstracions twise repeted suffer it to be drawen no otherwhere but to Christe And yet plainer and fuller is the place of Malachie where he promyseth that he shall come the Lorde that was the desired to hys owne temple But to none but to the onely soueraigne God was the temple dedicate which temple yet the Prophete doeth claime for Christ. Wher vpon foloweth that Christe is the same God that was euer honored among the Iewes As for the newe testamente it swarueth with innumerable testimonies therfore we must trauayle rather shortly to choose out fewe than largely to heape vp all For thoughe the Apostles speake of him since he was nowe become the Mediatour in fleshe yet all that I shalll bring forth shall aptly serue to proue his godhead Firste this is worthy to be singularly marked that those thinges which were before spoken touching the eternall God the Apostles doe shewe that they are either already performed or hereafter to be performed in Christ. For where Esaie prophecieth that the Lorde of hostes shal be to the Iewes and Israelites a strombling stone and a rocke to fall vpon Paule affirmeth that the same is fulfilled in Christ. Therefore he declareth him to be the Lorde of hostes Likewise in an other place We must al saith he ones be broughte to appeare before the iudgemente throne of Christe For it is written to me shall all knees bowe and to me shall al tonges swere Seing God in Esai speaketh this thing of himselfe and Christe in dede performeth it in himselfe it foloweth that he is the selfe same God whoe 's glory may not be withdrawen to an other And that thing which writing to the Ephesians he allegeth out of the Psalmes is euident that it can be applyed to none but to God alone Ascending on hie he hath caryed captiuitie captiue meaning that such ascending was in shadow shewed when God in notable victory against forein nations did shewe forth his power but he declareth that in Christe it was more fully performed So Ihon testifieth that it was the glory of the SoÌne that was reueled to Esaie by a vision wheras in dede the Prophete himselfe writeth that the maiestie of God appeared vnto hym And it is euidente that those thinges whiche the Apostle wryting to the Hebrues applieth to the Sonne are the plaine titles of God as Thou Lorde in the beginning diddest laye the foundacions of heauen and earth c. Agayne worship him all ye his Angels And yet he abuseth not those tittles when he draweth them to Chryst. For al those thinges that are spoken of in those Psalmes he hymselfe alone hath fulfylled For it was he that rose vp and had mercy on SioÌ It was he that claimed to hymselfe the kingdome of all the nations and ilandes And why shoulde Ihon sticke to apply the maiestie of God to Chryste whiche in hys preface had sayed that
or whether it kepeth still any percell vnhurte from whense doo growe good desires They that do attribute to the First grace of God that we wil effectually seme on the other side to saye secretly that there is in the soule a power of it selfe to aspire to good but it is so weake that it can not growe to a perfecte affection or rayse vp any endeuour And there is no doubte that the Schoolemen haue commonly embraced this opinion or which was borowed of Origen and certaine of the olde wryters for so muche as they are wont to consider man in pure naturall thinges as they terme it suche a one as the Apostle describeth hym in these wordes I doe not the good that I would but the euell that I would not that I doe To will is present vnto me but to performe it I finde not But after this maner is the discourse that Paule there followeth altogether wrongfully peruerted For he entreateth of the Christian wrastling whiche he shortly toucheth to the Galatians whiche the faithfull continually fele within them selues in the battel of the flesh and the spirit But the spirit is not of nature but of regeneration And that the Apostle doeth there speake of the regenerate appeareth by this that wheÌ he had said that there dwelleth no goodnesse in him he addeth an exposition that he meaneth it of his fleshe And therfore he saith that it is not he that doeth the euill but sinne that dwelleth in him What meaneth this correction in me that is in my flesh Euen as muche as if he had sayd thus God dwelleth not in me of my selfe for there is no good to be founde in my fleshe HereupoÌ foloweth that maner of excuse I my self do not the euil ⪠but sinne that dwelleth in me Whiche excuse belongeth only to the regenerate whiche do with the chiefe part of their soule tende vnto good Nowe the conclusion that is adioyned after declareth all this matter euidently I am delited saith he with the lawe according to the inward man But I see an other lawe in my membres fighting against the lawe of my minde Who hath suche a stryuing in him selfe but he that being regenerate by the spirite of God carieth the leauinges of his flesh about with him Therfore Augustine wheras ones he had thought that that had ben spoken of the nature of man reuoked his expositioÌ as false and ill agreyng together And truelie if we allowe this that menne without grace haue some motions to good though thei be but small what shall we aunswere to the Apostle whiche sayeth that we are not sufficient so muche as to thinke any thyng What shall wee aunswere to the Lorde that pronounceth by Moses that euery inuention of mans hearte is only euell Wherefore sithe they haue stombled by false takyng of one place there is no cause why we shuld staye vpon their iudgement Let rather this sayeng of Christe preuayle He that doeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne We are all sinners by nature therefore we be all holden vnder the yoke of sinne Nowe yf whole manne be subiect to the dominioÌ of sinne then must it needes be that the will it selfe which is the chiefe seate thereof ⪠be bounde faste wyth moste streight bondes For otherwise that sayeng of Paule wold not stande together that it is God whyche worketh will in vs if any will did goe before the grace of the holy ghost Awaye therefore with all that many haue triftingly spoken concernyng preparation For although sometime the faithfull doe praye to haue their heart formed to the obedience of the lawe as Dauid doth in many places yet it is to be noted that euen that desire of prayeng is from God Whiche we may gather of his wordes for when he wisheth to haue a cleane heart created within him surely he taketh not on him selfe the beginnyng of creation Therefore let rather this sayeng of Augustine haue place with vs God will preuent thee in all thinges And sometime preuent thou his wrath Howe Confesse that thou haste all these thinges of God that what so euer good thou haste is of him what soeuer euell it is of thy selfe And a little after Nothing is oures but sinne The third Chapter ¶ That out of the corrupt nature of man procedeth nothing but damnable BUt manne can not be any waye better knowen in eyther parte of his soule than yf he come forth with his titles wherewith the Scripture doth set him out If he bee paynted whole in these woordes of Christe That whiche is borne of fleshe is fleshe as it is easy to proue then is he proued to bee a very miserable creature For the affection of the fleshe as the Apostle witnesseth is death for asmuche as it is enimitie agaynste God and so is not subiecte nor can be subiecte to the lawe of God Is fleshe so peruerse that with al her affection she continually vseth enmitie agaynste God that she can not agree with the rightousnesse of the lawe of God Finally that she can bryng forth nothing but matter of death Nowe graunt that in the nature of manne is nothyâyge but fleshe and gather any good out of it yf thou canste But they saye the name of fleshe belongeth onely to the sensuall and not the hyer parâe of the soule But that is sufficiently confuted by the woordes of Chryste and of the Apostle It is the Lordes argumente that manne muste bee borne agayne bycause he is fleshe He commaundeth not to bee borne agayne accordynge to the bodye But in mynde he is not borne agayne yf a parte of it bee amended but when it is all renewed And that doth the comparison sette in bothe places confirme For the spirite is so compared agaynste the fleshe that there is lefte no meane thynge betwene them Therefore whatsoeuer is not spirituall in maÌ is after the same reason called fleshly But we haue nothynge of the Spirite but by regeneration It is therefore fleshe whatsoeuer we haue of nature But of that matter if otherwise we coulde haue any doubte that is taken awaye from vs by Paule where after we had described the ouldâman whom he had saide to be corrupt with concupâscences of erroure he biddeth vs to be renewed in the spirite of oure minde you see he doth not place vnlawefull and euell lustes onely in the sensitiue part but also in the very minde and therefore requyreth a renuinge of it And truly a lyttle before he had painted oute suche an image of mans nature as did shewe that there was no part wherein we were not corrupted and peruerted for whereas he writeth that al nations do walke in the vanitie of their minde are darkened in vnderstaÌding estraÌged from the life of God by reason of the ignoraunce that is in them and the blindenesse of their hearte it is no doubt that this is spoken of all them whom the Lorde hathe not reformed
thy God and obserue and do all hys commaundementes whiche I commaunde thee thys daye then the Lorde thy God wyll set the on hye aboue all the nations of the earth And other lyke Thei do inconueniently as it wer in mockerie thinke that these benefites whiche the Lorde dothe offer in hys promises are assigned to oure owne wyll vnlesse it were in vs to stablyshe them or make them voyde And ryght easye yt is to amplifie thys matter wyth eloquent complaintes that the Lorde dothe cruelly mocke vs when he pronounceth that his fauoure hangeth vpon oure wyll yf the same wyll be not in oure power And that this liberalitie of God should bee a goodly thynge forsoothe yf hee so sette his benefytes before vs that wee haue no power to vse them and a merueylous assurednesse of his promyses whiche hange vpon a thinge impossyble so as they myghte neuer be fulfylled But of suche promises as haue a condition adioined we will speake in an other place so that it shall be plaine that there is no absurditie in the impossyble fullfyllynge of them And for so muche as concerneth this place I denye that God dothe vngently mocke vs. when he moueth vs to deserue hys benefytes whome hee knoweth to be vtterly vnable to do it For whereas the promyses are offered both to the faythefull and to the wycked they haue theyr vse wyth boothe sortes As God wyth hys commaundementes prycketh the consciens of the wycked that they shoulde not to swetely take pleasure in theyr synnes wythout any remembrance of hys iudgementes so in his promyses he dothe in a manner take them to wytnesse howe vnwoorthye they are of hys goodnesse For who canne denye that it is moste ryghtfull and conuenyente that the Lorde do good to them of whome he ys honored and punyshe the despysers of hys Maiestye accordinge to his seueritie Therefore God dothe well and ordrely when in his promyses hee adioyneth thys condytyon to the wicked that are bounde with the fetters of synne that they shall then onely enioye hys benefytes yf they departe from their wyckednesse or for thys purpose onelye that they maye vnderstande that they are woorthylye excluded from these thynges that are due to the true woorshyppers of God Againe bycause hee seeketh by all meanes to styrre vp the faythefull to call vpon hys grace yt shall not bee inconuenyente yf hee attempte the same thynge also by promysses whyche wee haue shewed that hee hathe donne to greate profyte wyth commaundementes towarde them Beynge enfourmed of the wyll of God by hys commaundementes we are put in minde of our miserie whiche do withal our heart so farre dissent froÌ the same we be therwithal pricked forward to call vpon his spirite whereby we may be directed into the ryght waye â But because our sluggishnesse is not sufficientlie sharpened with commaundementes there are added promises whiche with a certayne swetenesse may allure vs to the loue of them And that the more desyre that we haue of rightuousnesse we may bee the more seruent to seeke the fauour of God Loe howe in these requestes If you wyll If you shall heare the Lorde neyther geueth vs power to wyll nor to heare and yet mocketh vs not for our want of power The thyrd sort of their argumentes hath also great affinitie with the twoo fourmer For they bryng fourth the places wherein God reprocheth the vnthankefull people and sayeth that they them selues onlye were the cause that they receyued not of his tender loue all kyndes of good thynges Of whiche sorte are these places Amaleck and the Chananee are before you with whose swerde you shall fal because ye would not obeye the Lorde because I called and ye aunswered not I wyll doe to this house as I did to Silo. Agayne this nation hath not hearde the voyce of the Lorde their God nor hathe receyued discipline therfore it is cast away from the Lorde Agayne because ye haue hardened your hearte and would not obey the Lord all these euilles are happened vnto you Howe saye they could suche reproches be layde agaynst them whiche myght redely aunswere As for vs we loued prosperitie and feared aduersitie But where as for to obteyne the one and auoyde the other we obeyed not the Lorde nor hearkened to his voyce this was the cause therof for that it was not at our lybertie so to doe because we were subiect to the dominion of synne Uaynly therfore are these euylles layde to our charge which it was not in our power to auoyde But leuyng the pretense of necessitie wherein they haue but a weake and sickly defence I aske of them whether they can purge them selues of all fault For if they be founde gylty of any faulte then the Lorde doeth not without cause reproche them that it came to passe by their peruesnesse that they felt not the fruite of his clemencie Let them aunswere therfore whether they can denie that theyr frawarde wyll was the cause of theyr stubbournesse If they fynde the spryng head of the euyll within them selues why gape they to fynde out foreine causes that they myght seme not to haue bene authours of their owne destruction But if it be true that by their owne faulte and none others synners are bothe depriued of the benefites of God and chastised with punishementes then is there great reason why they should heare these reproches at the mouthe of God that if they goe obstinatly forwarde in their faultes they maye learne in their miseries rather to accuse and abhorre their owne wickednesse than to blame God of vniust crueltie that if they haue not cast of all wyllyngnesse to learne they may be wery of theyr synnes by the deseruynges whereof they see them selues miserable and vndone and maye retourne into the waye and acknowledge the same wyth earnest confession whyche the Lorde rehearseth in chydynge them ⪠For whyche purpose it appeareth by the solempne prayer of Daniel whyche is in the ninth Chapter that those chydinges of the Prophetes whiche are alledged did auayle with the Godlye Of the fyrst vse wee see an example in the Iewes to whome Hieremie is commaunded to declare the cause of their miseries wheras yet it shold not haue fallen otherwise than the Lorde had foresaide Thou shalte speake vnto them all these woordes and they shall not heare thee thou shalte call them and they shall not aunswere thee To what ende then did thei singe to deafe men that beinge euen lothe and vnwillynge yet thei sholde vnderstande that it was true that thei hearde that it were wicked sacrilege if thei shold lay vpon God the blame of their euels which rested in them selues By these fewe solutions thou maist easily deliuer thy selfe from the infinite heape of testimonies whiche for to erecte an image of free will the enemies of the grace of God are wont to gather together as well oute of the commaundementes as oute of the protestations againste the professors of the lawe
It is reprochefully spoken in the Psalme concerninge the Iewes A frowarde generation that haue not made theyr hearte streight Also in an other Psalme the Prophete exhorteth the men of hys age not to harden theyr heartes and that bycause all the faulte of obstynacie remayneth in the peruersenesse of men But it is fondely gathered thereof that the hearte is pliable to either side the preparinge whereof is onely of God The Prophet saith I haue enclyned my hearte to keepe thy commaundementes bycause he had willingely and with a cherefull earnest affection of minde addycted himselfe to God and yet he dothe not boaste him selfe to bee the author of his owne inclination which he confesseth in the same Psalme to be the gyfte of God Therefore we muste holde in minde the admonition of Paule where he ââddeth the faithefull to worke their owne saluation with feare and trembling bicause it is the Lorde that worketh bothe the willinge and the perfourminge In deede hee assigneth them offices to be doinge that they shoulde not geue them selues to sluggyshnesse of the fleshe but in that hee commaundeth theÌ to haue feare and carefullnesse he so humbleth them that they may remembre that the same thing whiche thei are commaunded to do is the propre worke of God wherein he plainely expresseth that the faithefull woorke passiuely as I may so call it in so muche as power is ministred them from Heauen that they sholde cleame nothinge at all to them selues Wherefore when Peter exhorteth vs that we shoulde adde power in fayth he graunteth not vnto vs a seconde office as if we shoulde do any thynge seuerally by oure selues but onely he awaketh the slothefullnesse of the fleshe wherewyth commonlye fayth yt selfe is choked To the same purpose seemeth that sayeinge of Paule Extinguyshe not the spirite for slouthefullnesse dothe oftentimes crepe vpon the fayethfull yf it be not corrected Butte yf any manne conclude there vpon that yt ys in theyr owne choyse to cheryshe the lyghte beynge offred them his ignoraunce shall bee easily confuted bycause the selfe same dylygence that Paule requyreth cometh onely from God For we are also oftentimes commaunded to purge oure selues from all fylthynesse whereas the holy ghoste do the claynte to hym selfe alone the offyce of makynge holy Fynally that by waye of grauntynge the same thynge is conueyed to vs that proprely belongeth to God is playne by the woordes of Ihon Whosoeuer ys of God saueth hym selfe The aduauncers of freewyll take holde of thys sayeinge as yf wee were saued partelye by the power of God partely by oure owne as though wee had not from heauen the very same safe keeping wherof the Apostle maketh mention For whiche cause Christ also praieth his Father to saue vs from euill and we knowe that the godly whyle they warre against Satan do get the victory by no other armie and weapons but by the armure and weapons of God Wherfore when Peter commaunded vs to purifie our soules in the obedience of truthe he by and by addeth as by way of correction by the holy ghoste Finally how all mans strength are of no âorce in the spirituall battell Iohn briefly sheweth when he sayth that they whiche are begotteÌ of God can not sinne because the sede of God abideth in them And in an other place he randreth a reason why for that our faith is the victory that ouercometh the worlde Yet there is alleged a testimonie out of the lawe of Moses whiche semeth to be muche against our saluation For after the publishing of the lawe he protesteth vnto the people in this maner The commaundement that I commauÌde thee this day is not hid from thee neither far of It is not in heauen but hard by thee it is in thy mouthe and in thy hearte thou shouldest do it Truely if this be taken to be spoken of the bare coÌmaundementes I grauÌt they be of no smal weight to this present matter For though it were easy to mocke it out with saying that here is spoken not of the easinesse and redinesse of obseruation but of knowledge yet euen so peraduenture it would also leaue some doubte But the Apostle whiche is no doubtfull expositour taketh away all doubte from vs whiche affirmeth that Moses here spake of the doctrine of the Gospell But if any obstinate man wyll say that Paul violently wrested those wordes that they myght be drawen to the Gospell although his boldenesse so to say shall not be without impietie yet is there sufficient matter beside the authoritie of the Apostle to coÌuince him withal For if Moses spake of the commaundementes only then he puffed vp the people with a moste vaine confidence For what should they els haue done but throwen them selues downe hedlonge if they had taken vpoÌ them the keping of the lawe by their owne strengthe as a thing not heard for them Where is theÌ that so ready easinesse to keepe the law where there is no accesse vnto it but by a hedlong fall to destruction Wherfore there is nothing more certaine than that Moses in these wordes did meane the couenant of mercie which he had publyshed together with the streight requiring of the lawe For in a fewe verses before he had taught that our heartes must be circumcised by the haÌd of God that we may loue him Therfore he placed the easinesse wherof he streightway after speaketh not in the strength of man but in the helpe succour of the holy ghost which performeth his worke mightely in our weakenesse Albeit the place is not simply to be vnderstanded of the commaundementes but rather of the promises of the Gospell whiche are so far from stablyshing a power in vs to obteine righteousnesse that they vtterly ouerthrowe it Paule considering that same proueth by this testimonie that saluation is offred vs in the Gospell not vnder that hard and impossible coÌdition wherwith the lawe dealeth with vs that is that they only shall atteyne it whiche haue fulfilled all the commaundementes but vnder a condition that is easy ready and playne to come vnto Therfore this testimony maketh nothyng to chalenge freedome to the will of man There are also certayne other places wonte to be obiected whereby is shewed that God sometime withdrawynge the succour of his grace tryeth menne and wayteth to see to what ende they will applie theyr endeuours as is that place in Osee I will goe to my place till they putte it in their heart and seeke my face It were a fonde thyng saye they yf the Lorde should consider whether Israell would seke his face vnlesse their mindes were pââable that they might after theyr owne will incline themselues to the one side or the other As though this were not a thinge commonly vsed with God in the Prophetes to make a shewe as yf he did despise and caste awaye his people till they haue amended their life But what will the aduersaries gather
hathe made an ende of them doth so no thing diminish their holynesse that it rather setteth them fourth and maket them glorious For as they shold haue geuen but a vaine shewe to the olde people vnlesse the power of the deathe and resurrection of Christe had beene shewed therein so if they hadde not cessed wee coulde not at this daye discerne to what purpose they were ordeyned Therefore Paule to proue that the keepinge of them nowe is not onely superfluous but also hurtefull teacheeh that they weare shadowes whereof wee haue the bodye in Christe We see therefore howe in the abolishinge of them the trueth shyneth better than if they did still a farre of and as it were with a veile spred before shewe a figure of Christe that hathe already playnelye appeared ãâã therefore the veile of the Temple at the deathe of Christe was torne in twoo peeces and fell downe bycause nowe the true and expresse image of the heauenly good thynges was come to lyghte whyche before had been but vnperfectly begonne wyth darke rude draughtes as the authore of the Epistle to the Hebrues saythe Herevnto serueth the sayeng of Christe that the lawe and the Prophetes were vnto the tyme of Ihon and that from that tune forwarde the Kyngdome of God beganne to bee ioyefully preached not meaninge that the holy fathers were without the preachynge that conteyneth the hope of saluation and of eternall lyfe but bicause a farre of and vnder shadowes onely they dyd beholde that whiche wee at thys daye see in the full lyghte But why it behoued that the Churche of God shoulde clymbe vp hyer from those firste instructions Ihon the Baptist declareth for that the lawe is geuen by Moses but grace truth beganne by Iesus Chirste For althoughe the purginge of sinnes were truely promised in the olde sacrifices the Arke of the couenant was a sure pledge of the fatherly fauoure of God yet all this had been but a shadowe if it had not ben grounded vpon the grace of Christe wherin is sounde perfect and eternal stedfastnesse Let this then remaine sure that although the ceremonial vsages of the lawe haue cessed to be obserued yet by the ende of them it is that better knowen how great was the profite of them before Christes coÌminge wyth in takinge awaye the vse of them hathe sealed the force effecte of them with his deathe Somwhat more harde is the point that Paule noteth And he hath renued you together with him when ye were deade by sinnes and the vncircumcision of your fleshe forgeuinge you of all your offences blotting out the handwriting that remained in the decrees against vs whyche was contrarie vnto vs and he hath taken it awaye fastninge it to the crosse c. For he seemeth to stretche the abolyshinge of the lawe soÌwhat further that nowe we haue nothing to do with the decrees therof For thei erre that expond it onely of the lawe morall whose vnappeassable rigoure rather then doctrine thereof thei thinke to be taken away Some more deepely weying the wordes of Paule do espie that it is proprely spoken of the lawe ceremoniall and doe shewe that this worde Deuill doth more than ones so signifie in Paule For to the Ephesians he saith thus He is our peace that maketh both to be one that maketh voide the law of coÌmaundementes consistinge in the decrees that he might make two in himselfe into one new man It is no doubt that he speaketh ther of the ceremonies for he calleth it the partition wherwith the Iewes were seuered from the Gentiles wherefore I graunt that those first expositors are rightfully reproued by these but yet mee thinkes that these do not sufficientlye well set fourth the minde of the Apostle For I like not at all to haue these two places compared together in all pointes when his purpose was to aduertise the Ephesians of their adoption into the felowship of Israel he teacheth that the stoppe is taken awaye whereby they were before tyme kepte asunder that was in ceremonies For the vsages of washinges and sacrifices wherewith the Iewes were made holy vnto the Lorde did seuer them from the Gentiles But in the epistle to the Colossians whoe seeth not that ãâã âoucheth a hyer misterie In deede the point of the disputation ther is of Mosaicall obseruations whervnto the false Apostles did laboure to driue the Christian people But as in the Epistle to the Galatians he fetcheth that controuersie further of and as it wer bringeth it back to the first heade therof so doth he also in this place For if in the ceremonies you consider nothing els but a necessitie of that vse of them to what purpose was it to call it a handwriting against vs moreouer to set the whole summe in a manner of our redemption in this that it shold be caÌcelled Wherefore the matter it selfe trieth out that here is some more secret thing to be considered And I truste that I haue atteined the naturall vnderstandinge of it if at leaste this be graunted me to bee true which in one place is most truli written by Augustine yea that he hath taken out of the plaine wordes of the Apostle that in the Iewish ceremonies was rather a confession than a cleansinge of sinnes For what did thei ells by sacrifices but confesse theÌ selues in their conscience gylty of death that did put cleansinges in their place What did thei with their cleansinges but testifie them selues to be vncleane And so was the handwriting of their sinne and vncleannesse oft renewed by them but ther was no discharge in that testifying thereof For whyche cause the Apostle writeth that at lengthe by meane of the deathe of Christe was perfourmed the redemption of the offences that remayned vnder the olde Testamente Therefore the Apostle dothe woorthyly call the Handwritinges againste those that obserue them for asmuch as by them ther did openly sâale to their owne damnation vncleannesse And it hindereth not that they were also partakers of the same grace with vs. For this they obteyned in Chryste not in the ceremonies whyche there the Apostle dothe seuer from Christe bicause being at that time vsed they did obscure the glorie of Christe Thus learn we that the ceremonies if they be consydered by them selues are well and fittly called handwrytynges againste the saluation of men bicause they were as solemne instrumentes that testified their beinge bounde When the false Apostles wente aboute to binde the Christian Churche to them againe Paule did not withoute cause admonyshe the Colossâaus by fetchinge their signification of them further of to what poynte thei shoulde fall backe agayne if they suffered them selues in such sorte to be yoked by them For there withall was the benefite of Christ wrested awaie from them in as muche as he hauinge ones perfourmed the eternall clensinge hathe vtterly abolyshed these dayly obseruations whiche were onely of force to seale sinnes but coulde do nothing
made of ayre but to the sonne of Dauid and to the frute of his wombe Therefore beyng deliuered in the flesh he is called the sonne of Dauid and AbrahaÌ not bicause he is only borne of the wombe of the Uirgin create in the ayre but bicause as Paule expoundeth it he is accordyng to the flesh made of the seede of Dauid as in an other place the Apostle teacheth that he descended of the Iewes For whiche cause the Lorde himselfe not contented with the bare name of man doth oftentimes call himself the sonne of manne meanyng to expresse more plainely that he was man truely issued of the seede of mankinde Sithe the holy ghoste hath so oft by so many meanes with so great diligence and simplicitie declared a thinge not obscure of it self who would haue thought any men to be so shamelesse as to presume yet to spred mistes to darken it And yet we haue other testimonies at hand if we listed to heape vp more of them As is that sayeng of Paule that God sent his sonne made of womaÌ And innumerable other places whereby appereth that he was subiect to hungre thirst colde and other infirmities of our nature But out of many these are chiefly to be chosen that maye moste auaile to edifie our mindes in true coÌfideÌce As where it is sayd that he gaue not so great honour to the Angels as to take their nature vpon him but toke our nature that in flesh and bloud he might by death destroy him that had the power of death Agayne that by benefite of that communicating we are reckened his brethreÌ Againe that he ought to haue ben made like vnto his brethren that he might be made a merciful and âaithâull intercessour that we haue not a Bishop that can not be compariont of our infirmities And such like And for the same purpose serueth that whiche we touched a litle before that it behoued that the sinnes of the world should be cleansed in our flesh Whiche Paule playnely affirmeth And truely what so euer the âather hath geuen to Christ it doth therefore belong to vs bicause he is the head from whiche the whole body beyng knit together groweth into one Yea otherwise that will not agree together whiche is sayd that the Spirit was geuen him without measure that all we shoulde drawe of the fulnesse thereof For asmuch as there is no greater absurditie than to say that God is enriched in his essence by any accidentall gifte And for this cause Christ sayth in an other place I do sacrifice my self for them As for the places that they bryng forth to confirme their errour they doe to vnaptly wrest them and they nothyng preuayle by their triflyng suttelties when they goe about to wipe away those thinges that I haue alleged for our part Marcion imagineth that Christ did put on a fantasticall body in stede of a true body bicause in some places it is sayd that he was made after the likenesse of man and that he was found in shape as a manne But so he nothing weyeth what is Paules purpose in that place For his meanyng is not to teach what manner of body Christe toke vpon him but that whereas he might haue shewed âorth his godhed he made none other shewe of himself but as of an abiect and vnregarded man For to exhort vs by his example to submission he sheweth that for asmuch as he was God he might haue by and by set forth his glory to be seene to the worlde but yet that he gaue ouer some of his owne right and of his owne accord abaced himself bicause he did put on the ymage of a seruant and contended with that humilitie suffred his godhed to be hidden with the veile of the flesh He doth not here teache what Christ was but how he behaued himselfe And also by the whole processe of the texte it is easily gathered that Christ was abaced in the true nature of manne For what meaneth this that in shape he was founde as manne but that for a time the glorie of his godhed dyd not shyne forth but only the shape of manne appered in base and abiect estate For otherwise that place of Peter coulde not stande together that he was dead in the fleshe but quickened in the spirit yf the sonne of God had not ben weake in the nature of manne whiche Paule expresseth more plainely in sayeng that he suffred by reason of the weakenesse of the fleshe And hereunto serueth the exaltation bycause it is expressely sayd that Christe atteyned a newe glorie after that he abaced himselfe whiche could not well agree to be spoken of any but of a man hauing fleshe and soule Manichees framed Christ a body of ayre bycause Christ is called the seconde Adam heauenly of heauen But neyther in that place doth the Apostle bryng in a heauenly essence of the body but a spirituall force whiche beyng poured abrode by Christ doth quicken vs. Nowe as we haue alredy seene Peter and Paule doe seuer the same from his fleshe But rather that doctrine whiche is receiued among the true teachers concernynge the flesh of Christ is vâry well proued by that place For if Christ had not all one nature of body with vs it were a very vaine argument that Paul with such vehemencie âoloweth that yf Christ be risen agayne we shal also rise agayne and yâ we do not rise then that Christ also is not risen By what cauillatioâs so euer eyther the olde Maâichees or their newe Disciples goe aboute to escape they shall not winde theÌselues away It is a fowle shifte that thei fondly say that Christ is called the sonne of manne in so much as he is promised of menne For it is playne that after the Hebrewe phrase very man in deede is called the Sonne of manne And Christ without doubte kepte the phrase of his owne tonge Also it ought to make no question what ought to be vnderstanded by the children of Adam And not to goe farre of the place of the .viij. Psalme whych the Apostles apply to Christ shal be sufficient enough What is man that thou arte myndefull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him In this figure is expressed the true manhode of Christe For though he were not immediatly begotten of a mortall father yet his race came from Adam For els that place could not stande whiche we haue alredy alleged that Christ is made parâaker of fleshe and bloud that he might gather to him yonge childreÌ to the seruice of God In which wordes it is plainely determined that Christ is made fellow partaker of all one nature with vs. In whych meanyng also he sayth that bothe the authour of holinesse and they that are made holy are all of one For it is proued by the processe of the text that the same is referred to the felowship of nature bicause he by and by addeth Therefore he
forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell whiche is as much as to mingle heauen and earth together But now our question is What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father by whyche we passe from death to life and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and âhe dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared Now let vs againe goe through all the partes of it euen from the beginning which beyng diligently examined as I thinke there shal remaine nothing doubtefull When in defining faith we cal it a knowledge we meane not thereby a coÌprehendyng such as men vse to haue of those thinges that are subiect to mans vnderstandyng For it is so far aboue it that maÌs wit must goe beyond surmount it self to come vnto it yea and when it is come vnto it yet doth it not atteyne that whiche it feleth but while it is persuaded of that whiche it conceiueth not it vnderstandeth more by the very assurednesse of persuasion than yf it did with maÌs owne capacitie throughly perceyue any thing familiar to man Therefore Paule sayth very well where he calleth it to comprehende what is the length bredth depth and heighth and to knowe the loue of Christ that farre surmounteth knowledge For his meanynge was to signifie that the thynge whiche our mynde conceyueth by faythe is euery waye infinite and that this kinde of knowledge is farre hyer than all vnderstandynge But yet bycause the Lorde hath disclosed to his Saintes the secret of his will whiche was hidden from ages and generations therefore by good reason fayth is in Scripture sometime called an acknowledging and Iohn calleth it a certayne knowledge where he testifieth that the faithfull doe certainely knowe that they are the children of God And vndoutedly they knowe it assuredly but rather by beyng confirmed by persuasion of Gods truthe than by beyng informed by naturall demonstration And his also the wordes of Paule doe declare sayeng that while we âwell in the body we are wanderyng abrode from the lord bycause we walke by fayth and not by sighte whereby he sheweth that those thynges whiche we vnderstande by fayth are yet absente from vs and are hidden from our sight And hereupon we determine that the knowledge of fayth staÌdeth rather in certaintie than in comprehendyng We further call it a sure and stedfaste knowledge to expresse thereby a more sound constantie of persuasion For as faith is not contented with a doubtefull and rowling opinion so is it also not coÌtented with a darke and entangled vnderstaÌding but requireth a ful and fixed assurednesse ⪠such as men are wont to haue of thinges fouÌd by experience and proued For vnbelefe sticketh so faste and is so depe rooted in our heartes and we are so bent vnto it that this which all men confesse with their mouth to be true that God is faithfull no maÌ is without great contention persuaded in his heart Specially when it coÌmeth to the profe then the waueryng of all menne discloseth the fault âhat ââore was hidden And not without cause the Scripture with so nâââble citâes of coÌmendacion maineteyneth the authoritie of the worde of God but endeuoreth to geue remedie for the aforesayde disease that God maye obteyne to be fully beleued of vs in his promises The wordes of the Lorde sayth Dauid are pure wordes as the Sâââeââryed in a fornace of earth fined seuen times Agayne The worde oâ the Lorde fined is a shielde to all that truste in him And Salomon confirmynge the same and in a manner in the same wordes sayth Euery worde of God is pure But sithe the whole .cxix. Psalme entreateth only in a manner vpon the same it weare superfluous to allege any moe places Truely so oft as God doth so coÌmend his word vnto vs he doth therein by the waye reproche vs with our vnbeleuingnesse bycause that commendacioÌ tendeth to no other end but to roote vp all peruerse doubtinges out of our heartes There be also many which so coÌceiue the mercie of God that they take litle coÌfort thereof For they be euen therewithall pinched with a miserable carefulnesse while they doubte whether he will be mercifull to them or noe bicause they enclose within to narrow boundes the very same mercifulnesse of whiche they thinke themselues moste assuredly perswaded For thus they thinke with themselues that his mercie is in deede greate and plentiefull poured out vpon many offrynge it selfe and ready for all menne but that it is not certayne whether it will extende vnto them or no or rather whether they shal atteyne vnto it or no. This thought when it so stayeth in the midde race is but a halfe Therefore it doth not so confirme the spirite with assured quietnesse as it dothe trouble it with vnquiet doubtefulnesse But there is a far other felyng of full assurednesse whiche in the Scriptures is alwaye assigned to fayth euen suche a one as playnely settynge before vs the goodnesse of God dothe clearely put it out of doubte And that can not be but that we muste needes truely feele and proue in our selues the swetenesse thereof And therefore the Apostle out of fayth deriueth assured confidence and out of it agayne boldenesse For thus he sayeth that by Christe we haue boldenesse and an entrance with confidence whiche is through fayth in him By whiche wordes truely he sheweth that it is no right fayth but when we are bolde with quiet mindes to shewe our selues in the presence of God Which boldnesse procedeth not but of assured confidence of Gods good will and our saluation Whiche is so true that many times this word Faith is vsed for Confidence But herupon hangeth the chiefe staye of our faith that we do not think the promises of mercie which the Lord offreth to be true only in other biside vs not at all in our selues but rather that in inwardly embracing theÌ we make them our owne FroÌ hense procedeth that coÌfidence which the same Paule in an other place calleth peace vnlesse some had rather say that peace is deriued of it It is an assurednesse that maketh the conscieÌce quiet cherefull before God without which the coÌscience must of necessitie be vexed in a manner torne in peces with troublesome trembling vnlesse parhappes it do forget God it selfe so sloÌber a litle while I may truely say For a litle while for it doth not loÌg enioy that miserable forgetfulnesse but is with often recourse of the remembrance of Gods iudgement sharply tormented Briefly there is none truely faithful but he that beyng persuaded with a souÌd assurednesse that God is his mercyfull louyng father doth promise himselfe all thinges vpon trust of Gods goodnesse and none but he that trustyng
grefe that no feare of God might trouble theÌ yet the iudgement of God so presseth them that they can not atteyne that whiche they desire So there is nothyng to withstande but that God maye exercise them that be his to humilitiâ that in fightyng valiantly they maye restrayne themselues vnder the bridle of modestie And by the processe of the texte it appereth that this was the entent of the Apostle where he assigneth the cause of feare and tremblyng to be the good pleasure of God whereby he geueth to them that be his bothe to will wel and valiantly to goe through with it According to this meaning ought we to take that sayeng of the Prophete The children of Israel shal feare God and his godnesse bicause not only godlinesse engeÌdreth the reuerence of God but the very swetenesse and pleasant taste of grace filleth man beyng discouraged in himself with feare and admiratioÌ to make him hange vpon God and humbly yeld himselfe subiect to his power Yet we do not herby make roome to that most pestileÌt Philosophie whiche many halfe papistes at this daye beginne to coyne in corners For bicause they caÌ not defende that grosse doubtfulnesse which hath ben taught in Scholes thei flie to an other deuise to make a confideÌce mingled with distrustfulnesse Thei confesse that so oft as we loke vnto Christ ⪠we finde in him full mater to hope well but bicause we are alwayes vnworthy of those good things that are offred vs in Christ they would haue vs to wauer stagger in beholding of our owne vnworthinesse Briefely they place conscience to betwene hope feare that it altereth from the one to the other by enterchangeable times courses and they so compare fayth hope together that when the one springeth vp the other is pressed downe wheÌ the one ariseth the othre againe falleth So wheÌ Satan seeth that those open engines wherwith before time he was wont to destroy the assurednesse of faith do now nothing preuaile he endeuoreth by croked vndermininges to ouerthrow it But what manner of coÌfidence shal that be which shal now then yeld to desperatioÌ If say they thou coÌsider Christ there is assured saluatioÌ but if thou returne to thy self there is assured daÌnation Therefore of necessitie distrust and good hope must by enterchaÌgeable courses reigne in thy minde As though we ought to imagine Christ standyng a far of and not rather dwellyng within vs. For therefore we loke for saluation at his hande not bycause he appereth a far of vnto vs but bicause he hath graffed vs into his bodye and so maketh vs partakers not only of all his good thinges but also of himself Therefore I thus turne this their argument against themselues If thou consider thy self there is certaine damnation But bicause Christ with all his good thinges is by way of coÌmunicatyng so geuen vnto thee that all his thinges are made thine and thou arte made a member of him yea all one with him his righteousnesse drowneth thy sinnes his saluation taketh awaye thy damnation he by his worthynesse coÌmeth betwene thee and God that thy vnworthynesse come not in the sight of God Briefely this is the truthe we ought neyther to separate Christ from vs nor vs from him but with bothe handes to holde fast that felowshippe whereby he hath coupled himselfe vnto vs. So the Apostle teacheth vs The body in deede sayth he is dead by reason of sinne but the Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in you is life for righteousnesse According to these mens trifeling deuise he should haue said Christ in deede hath life with himself but you as you be sinners remayne subiect to death and damnation But he sayth far otherwise For he teacheth that that damnatioÌ which we deserue of our ãâã ⪠is swalowed vp by the saluation of Christ and ãâ¦ã the same reason that I haue alleged bicause Christ is not ãâã vs but dwelleth within vs and cleaueth vnto vs not only with ââdiuidable knot of felowshippe but with a certaine maruellous communion dayly more and more groweth with vs into one body till he be made altogether one with vs. And yet I denie not as I haue sayd a litle before that sometime there happen certaine iââerruptions of fayth as the weakenesse thereof is amonge violent sodeine motions bowed hether or thether So in the thicke miste of teÌtations the ligââ thereof is choked but what so euer happeneth it cesseth not from endeuour to seke God And no otherwise doth Bernarde argue when he purposely entreateth of this question in his .v. Homelie in the Dedication of the temple Oftentimes I say by the benefite of God studieng vpon the soule me thinkes I finde in it two thinges as it were contrarie If I behold the soule it selfe as it is in it selfe and of it selfe I can saye nothyng more truely of it than that it is vtterly brought to nought What neede I nowe to recken vp particularly all the miseries of the soule how it is loaden with sinnes couered with darknesse entangled with deceitfull enticementes itchyng with lustes subiect to passions filled with illusions alwaye enclined to euell bent to all kindes of vice finally full of shame and confusion Now if al the very righteousnesses of it beynge loked vpon by the light of truthe be founde like a clothe stayned with floures then what shall the vnrighteounesses thereof be accompted If the light that is in vs be darkenesse how great shal the very darkenesse be What then without doubte man is made like vnto vanitie man is brought to nought man is nothing But how theÌ is he vtterly nothing whome God doth magnifie How then is he nothyng toward whome Gods heart is set Brethren let vs take heart againe Though we be nothing in our owne heartes peraduenture there maye somewhat of vs lie hidden in the heart of God O father of mercies O father of the miserable howe doest thou set thy heart toward vs For thy heart is where thy treasure is But howââe we thy treasure if we be nothyng All nations are so before thee as yf they were not they shal be reputed as nothyng Euen before thee not within thee so in the iudgement of thy truth but not in the affection of thy pitie Thou callest those thinges that are not as though they were Therefore bothe they are not bicause thou callest those things that are not and also they are bycause thou callest them For though they are not in respect of theÌselues yet with thee they are according to that sayeng of Paule not of the workes of righteousnesse but of him that calleth And then he sayth that this couplyng together of bothe consideracions is maruellous Truely those thinges that are knit together do not the one destroye the other Which also in the coÌclusion he more plainely declareth in these wordes Now if with both these consideracioÌs we diligently loke vpon our selues what we be yea in the one consideracioÌ
accompt a thousand yeres like as one daye For thys conioyning and aliance the scripture sometime confoundeth the names of Faythe and Hope For when Peter teacheth that we are by the power of God preserued through faithe vnto the disclosinge of saluation he geueth that vnto faithe whyche dyed more fittely agree with hope and not without cause for asmuche as we haue already taught that hope is nothing els but the nourishment and strength of faithe Sometimes they are ioyned together as in the same epistle That your faithe and hope shoulde be in God But Paule to the Philippians out of faith deriueth expectation bicause in pacientli hoping we holde our desires in suspense till Gods conuenient oportunitie be opened All whiche matter wee maye better vnderstande by the tenth chapiter to the Hebrues whyche I haue already alleaged Paule in an other place although he speake vnproprely yet meaneth the same thing in these wordes We loke in the spirit through faith for hope of righteousnesse euen bicause we embracing the testimonie of the Gospell concerning his free loue do loke for the time when God shall openly shewe that whiche is nowe hidden vnder hope And nowe it is plaine how folishly Peter Lomberd laieth two foundations of hope that is the grace of God the deseruing of works Hope can haue no other mark to be directed vnto but faith we haue already declared that faith hath one only mark the mercie of God to which it ought to loke as I maie so speake with both eyes But it is good to heare what a liuely reasoÌ he bringeth If saith he thou darst hope for any thing without deseruinges yâ shal not be worthy to be called hope but presumption Whoe gentile reader will not worthyly abhorre suche beastes that saie it is a rashe and presumptuous dede if a man haue coÌfidence that God is true of his word For where the Lord willeth vs to loke for all thinges at his goodnesse thei saie it is presumption to leane and rest vpon it A master meete for suche scholers as he founde in the madde schole of filthy babblers But as for vs when we se that wee are commaunded by the oracles of God to conceiue a hope of saluation let vs gladly presume so much vpon his truthe as trusting vpon his onely mercie casting away the confydence of workes to be bolde to hope well He will not deceiue that saide Be it vnto you according to your faithe The thyrde Chapter That we ar regenerate by faithe Wherein is entreatch of Repentance ALbeit we haue already partly taught how faith possesseth Christe how by it we eioye hys benefites neuerthelesse thys weare yet darke vnlesse we dyd also make declaratioÌ of the effectes that we feele thereby Not without cause it is said that the summe of the Gospell standeth in repentance and in forgeuenesse of sinnes Therfore leauing out these two pointes whatsoeuer we shal saie of faith shal be but a hungry vnperfect yea in manner vnprofitable disputation of faith Now forasmuch as Christ doth geue both vnto vs we obteine both by faith that is to saie both newnesse of life fre reconciliation reasoÌ ordre of teaching requireth that in this place I beginne to speake of bothe Oure next passage from faith shal be to Repentance bicause when this article is well perceiued it shall the better appeare howe man is iustified by onely faithe and mere pardon yet how real holinesse of life as I maie so call it is not seuered froÌ free imputation of righteousnesse Now it ought to be oute of question that Repentance doth not only immediatly folow faith but also spring out of it For wheras pardon forgeuenesse is therfore offred by the preaching of the Gospel the the sinner being deliuered from the tyraÌnie of Satan from the yoke of sinne froÌ miserable bondage of vices maie passe into the kingdome of God truly no man can embrace the grace of the Gospell but he muste returne from the erroures of hys former life into the right way and applie all his studie to the meditation of repentance As for them that thinke that repentance dothe rather goe before faithe than flow or spring forth of it as a frute out of a tree thei neuer knew the force therof and are moued with to weake an argument to thinke so Christ saie thei Ihon in their preachinges do first exhorte the people to repentance then thei afterwarde saye that the kyngdome of heauen is at hand Such coÌmaundemeÌt to preach the Apostles receiued such ordre Paule folowed as Luke reporteth But while thei superstitiously stick vpon the ioining together of syllables thei mark not in what meaning the words hang together For wheÌ the lord Christ IhoÌ do preach in this manner Repent ye for the kingedome of heauen is come neare at hande do they not fetche the cause of repentance froÌ very grace promise of saluatioÌ Therfore their words are as much in effecte as if thei had said because the kingdoÌ of heaueÌ is com nere at hand therfore repeÌt ye For Matthewe when he hathe shewed that Ihon so preatched saith that in him was fulfilled the prophecie of Esaie concerninge the voyce cryeng in the wyldernesse Prepare the waie of the Lorde make streight the pathes of oure God But in the Prophete that voice is coÌmaunded to beginne at comfort and glade tydinges Yet when we referre the beginning of repentance to faith we do not dreame a certaine meane space of time wherein it bringeth it out but we meane to shew that a man can not earnestly applie him selfe to repentance vnlesse he know him selfe to be of God But no man is truely perswaded that he is of God but he that hathe firste receiued his grace But these things shal be more plainely dyscussed in the processe folowing Paraduenture this deceiued them that many are firste by terroures of conscience tamed or framed to obedience before that thei haue throughli disgested yea before they haue tasted the knowledge of grace And this is the feare at the beginning whiche some accompte among vertues bicause thei see that it is nere to true and iuste obedience But oure question is not here how diuersly Christ draweth vs vnto him or prepareth vs to the endeuoure of godlinesse only this I say that ther can be no vprightnesse founde where reigneth not that Spirit whiche Christe receyued to communicate the same to his membres Then according to that saieng of the Psalme Wyth thee is mercifulnesse that thou maiest bee feared Noe man shall euer reuerently feare God but he that trusteth that God is mercifull vnto him no man wil willingly prepare himselfe to the kepinge of the lawe but he that is perswaded that his seruices please him which tendernesse in pardoning and bearing with faultes is a signe of fatherly fauoure Whiche is also shewed by that exhortation of Osee Come let vs returne to
be turned or returne vnto the lord To repente or do penaunce are amonge them vsed wythoute difference in all one signification And therefore also the holy historie saith that men repeÌt after the Lorde when they that liued wantonely in their owne lustes not regardinge him do begynne to folowe hys worde and are ready at their captaines commaundement to goe whether he calleth them And Ihon and Paule vsed these wordes to bringe forthe frutes worthy of repentance for to leade suche a lyfe as maye represent and testifie suche an amendement in all their doinges But before we go any further it shall be profitable that we do more playnely sette out at large the definition that we haue made Wherein there be cheefely three pointes to be considered Fyrste when wee call it a tourning of life vnto God we require a transfourming not onely in outwarde woorkes but also in the soule it selfe whiche when it hathe put of her oldnesse then beginneth to bring forth the frutes of workes agreable to her renewing Which when the prophet goeth about to expresse he commaundeth them whom he calleth to repentance to make them a newe heart Therefore Moses oftentimes meaning to shewe how the Israelites might repent so be rightly turned vnto the Lord teacheth that it be done with al their heart with al their soule which maÌner of speaking we see often repeted of the Prophets naming it the circumcising of the heart he shaketh away all inward affections But there is no place whereby a man maye better perceiue what is the naturall propretie of repentance than the fourthe Chapter of Iereme If thou returne to me O Israell saith the Lorde returne to me plowe vppe your arable lande and sowe not vpon thornes Be circumcised to the Lorde and take away the vncircumcised skinnes of your heartes Se how he pronounceth that they shall nothinge preuaile in taking vpon them the folowing of righteousnesse vnlesse wickednesse be first plucked out of the bottome of their heartes And to moue them throughly he warneth them that thei haue to doe wyth God with whome there is nothing gotten by dalying bicause he hateth a double heart Therfore Esaie laugheth to scorne the foolishe endeuoures of hypocrites whiche did in dede busily go about an outward repentance in ceremonies but in the meane tyme they hadde no care to loose the bundles of wickednesse wherewith they helde poore men fast tyed Where also he very well sheweth in what dueties vnfained repentance proprely standeth The second point was that we taught that repentance proceedeth of an earnest feare of God For before that the minde of a sinner be inclined to repentance it must be stirred vp with thinking vpoÌ the iudgment of God But when this thought is ones throughly settled that God wyll one daye goe vp into hys iudgement seate to require an accompt of all saienges doinges it will not suffer the silly man to rest nor to take breathe one minute of time but continually stirreth him vp to thinke vpon a newe trade of life whereby he may safely appeare at that iudgement Therefore oftentimes the Scripture when it exhorteth to repentance maketh mention of the iudgement as in Iereme least peraduenture my wrath go out as fyre there be none to quench it bycause of the naughtinesse of your workes In Paules sermon to the Athenians And wheras hetherto God hath borne with the times of thys ignorance nowe he geueth warning to men that al men euery where may repent them bycause he hathe apointed the daie wherein he will iudge the worlde in equitie And in many other places Sometime it declareth by the punishmentes already extended that God is a iudge that sinners shoulde thynke wyth them selues that worse thinges hang ouer them if they do not repent in time You haue an example thereof in the xxix of Exodus But bycause the turning beginneth at the abhorring and hatred of synne therefore the Apostle maketh sorrowfulnesse suche as is accordinge to God the cause of repentance And he calleth sorrowfulnesse accordinge to God when wee are not onely afraide of punishment but do hate and abhorre sinne it self for asmuche as we vnderstand that it displeaseth God And no maruel For vnlesse we be sharply pricked the slouthfulnesse of oure flesh could not be corrected yea prickinges woulde not suffice for the dulnesse and slouthfulnesse therof vnlesse God in stretching out his roddes should pearce more depely This is also an obstinatie whiche muste be beaten downe as it were with beetles Therefore the peruersenesse of our nature enforceth God to the seueritie that he vseth in threatning bicause he shoulde in vaine call vs alluringly with faire speache while wee lye a slepe I recite not the testimonies that commonly offer them selues to be founde The feare of God is in an other manner also the beginnyng of repentance For though mans life were absolutely furnished with all pointes of vertues if it be not applied to the worshipping of God it may in deede be praysed of the world but in heauen it shal be mere abhomination for asmuche as the chiefe parte of our righteousnesse is to geue God his due right and honour wherof he is wickedly robbed when we bende not our selues to yeld vs subiect to his gouernement Thirdly it remaineth that we declare what is meant by this that we say that RepeÌtance consisteth in two partes that is to say mortifiyng of the flesh quickenyng of the spirit The Prophetes do plainly expresse it although somwhat simply grosly accordyng to the capacitie of the carnal people when they say Cesse from euel do goodnesse Againe Be washed be cleane take away the euel of your workes from mine eyes Cesse to doe peruersly learne to do well seke iudgement help the oppressed c. For when they call men away froÌ wickednesse they require the death of the whole flesh which is stuffed full of wickednesse peruersnesse It is in deede an vneasy and hard thing to put of our selues to depart froÌ our natural dispositioÌ Neyther caÌ it be thought that the flesh is throughly dead vnlesse al that we haue of our selues be abolished But for asmuch as al the affectioÌ of the flesh is enemie against God the first entree to the obeying of his lawe is the forsaking of our owne nature Afterward thei expresse the renewyng by the frutes that folow therof as righteousnesse iudgemeÌt mercie For it were not enough to do those dueties rightly vnlesse the minde it self and the heart haue first put on the affection of righteousnesse iudgement mercie That is done wheÌ the spirit of God hath so soked in new thoughtes affections our soules first washed with his holynesse that they may rightly be compted newe And truely as we are naturally turned away froÌ God so vnlesse the forsaking of our selues do goe before we can neuer go toward that which is right Therfore we are so oft coÌmaunded to put of
the guidynge thereof Whoe can choose but be astonished at these monstruous thinges Yet it is a common learnyng amonge them whiche blynded wyth madnesse of lustes haue put of all common reason but what Christ I beseche you doe they frame vnto vs and what spirite doe they belche out For we reknowledge one Christ and his only Spirit whome the Prophetes haue commended whom the Gospell geuen vs doth preache of whome we there heare no such thyng That Spirit is no patrone of manslaughter whoredom droÌkennesse pride coÌtentioÌ couetousnesse gutle but the author of loue chastitie sobrietie modestie peace teÌperaÌce truth It is not a giddy spirit and runneth hedlong without consideration through right and wrong but is ful of wisedome vnderstanding that discerneth rightly betwene iust and vniust It stirreth not vnto dissolute and vnbridled licentiousnesse but maketh difference betwene lawefull and vnlawfull and teacheth to kepe measure and temperance but why doe we labour any longer in confutynge this beastly rage To Christians the Spirit of the Lord is not a troublesome phantasie whiche eyther themselues haue brought forth in a dreame or haue receyued beyng forged of other but they reuerently seeke the knoweledge of him at the Scriptures where these two thynges be taught of hym First that he is geuen vs vnto sanctificatioÌ that he might bryng vs into the obedience of Gods wil beyng purged from vncleannesse defilinges whiche obedience can not stand vnlesse lustes be tamed and subdued wherunto these men would geue the bridle at libertie Secondly we are taught that we are so cleansed by his sanctification that we are still besieged with many vices and much weakenesse so longe as we are enclosed in the burden of our bodye whereby it coÌmeth to passe that beyng farre distant from perfection we haue neede alwaye to encrease somewhat and beyng entaÌgled in vices we haue neede dayly to wrastle with them Whereupon also foloweth that shakynge of slouth and carelesnesse we muste watche with heedeful mindes that we be not compassed vnware with the snares of our fleshe Unlesse paraduenture we thinke that we haue proceded further than the Apostle which yet was weried of the Angel of Satan that his strength might be made perfecte with weakenesse and whiche did vnfaynedlye represent in his fleshe that diuision of the flesh and of the spirit But whereas the Apostle in describynge of repentance reckeneth seuen eyther causes or effectes or partes thereof he doth that of a very good cause and these they be endeuour or carefullnesse excusyng indignation feare desire zele punishement Neyther ought it to seme any absurditie that I dare not certainely determine whether they ought to be compted causes or effectes For both may be defended in disputation They maye bee also called affections ioyned wyth repentance but bicause leauynge out those questions we maye vnderstande what Paule meaneth we shal be content with a simple declaration of them He sayth therefore that of the heauinesse whiche is accordynge to God ariseth carefulnesse For he that is touched with an earnest felynge of displeasure bycause he hath sinned agaynst his God is therewithall stirred vp to diligence and heedefulnesse to winde himselfe clerely out of the snares of the Deuell to take better heede of his snares to fall no more from the gouernance of the holy ghost not to be oppressed wyth securitie Nexte is Excusyng whiche in this place signifieth not the defense whereby a sinner to escape the iudgement of God eyther dothe denye that he hath offended or diminisheth the hainousnesse of his faulte but a purgation whiche standeth rather in crauyng of pardon than in defense of his cause Lyke as the children that are not reprobate when they acknowledge and confesse their faultes doe yet vse entreatynge and that it maye take place they protest by all meanes that they can that they haue not cast awaye the reuerence that they owe to their parentes Finally they so excuse them as they goe not about to proue themselues righteous and innocent but only that they maye obteyne pardon Then foloweth Indignation wherby the sinner fretteth inwardly with hymselfe quareleth with hymselfe is angry with hymselfe when he recordeth his owne peruersnesse and his owne vnthankfulnesse to God By the name of feare he meaneth that tremblynge that is stryken into our mindes so ofte as we thynke bothe what we haue deserued and howe horrible is the seueritie of Gods wrathe agaynste sinners For we muste needes then be vexed wyth a maruellous vnquietnesse whiche bothe instructeth vs to humilitie and maketh vs more ware agaynst the time to come Nowe yf out of feare doe sprynge that carefulnesse whereof he had spoken before then we see with what lynkyng they hange together It semeth to me that he hath vsed this worde Desire âor diligence in our dutie and redy cherefulnesse to obeye whereunto the acknowledgynge of our owne faultes ought chiefely to prouoke vs. And thereunto also belongeth zele which he ioyneth immediatly next vnto it For it signifieth a feruentnesse wherwith we be kindled when we be spurred forwarde with these pryckyng thoughtes what haue I done whether had I throwen my selfe hedlonge yf the mercie of God did not help me The last of all is punishment for the more rigorous that we be to our selues and the streightlier that we examine our owne sinnes so much the more we ought to trust that God is fauorable and merciful vnto vs. And truely it is not possible but that the soule beyng striken with horrour of the iudgement of God muste needes do some execution in the punishyng of it self Truely the godly hoââe what punishmeÌtes are shame confusion mourning lothyng of theÌselues other affections that spring out of earnest acknowleging of sinnes But let vs remeÌber that there is a measure to be kepte that sorrow do not swallow vs vp bicause nothing more redily happeneth to fearefull consciences than fallyng to despeire And also by that crafty meane whom so euer SataÌ findeth ouerthroweÌ with dreade of God he more and more drowneth them in the gulfe of sorrowe that they maye neuer rise vp againe Truely the feare can not be to great which endeth with humilitie and departeth not from hope of pardon But alwaye as the Apostle teacheth the sinner must beware that while he moue himselfe to the lothyng of himselfe he despeire not oppressed with to great feare for so doe we flee awaye from God whyche calleth vs in him by repentance Upon whiche point this lesson of Bernarde is very profitable Sorrowe for sinnes is necessarie yf it bee noâ contânuall I counsell you sometime to returne your faute from gâânous and paynefull remembrance of your owne wayes and to ãâã vp to the playne grounde of cherefull remembrance of benefites of God Let vs mingle honye with wormâ wood that the holsome ââtternesse may bring vs health when it shal be dronke tempered wâââ swetenesse And if ye thinke of your selues in humilitie thinke also of the
confession to a preeste thinke that they maie wipe their mouthe and saie I did it not And not onely they are made all the yeare longe the bolder to sinne but all the rest of the yeare bearing themselues bolde vpon confession thei neuer sighe vnto God thei neuer returne to themselues but heape sinnes vpon sinnes til they vomit vp al at ones as they thinke And when they haue ones vomited them vppe they thinke them selues discharged of their burden and that thei haue taken awaie from God the iudgment that thei haue geuen to the preeste and that they haue brought God in forgetfulnesse when they haue made the preeste priuie Moreouer whoe doth meryly see the daie of confession at hande Whoe goeth to confession with a cherefull hearte and commeth not to it rather against his wil as it were drawing backewarde like as if he were taken by the necke and drawen to pryson vnlesse paraduenture it be the very preestes that vse ioyfully to delite themselues with mutuall rehersals of their doinges as weare with mery tales I wil not defile much paper with monstruous abhominations wherof auricular coÌfession swarueth ful Onely this I saie If that holy man did not vnwisely that for one rumor of fornication toke awaie confession out of his Church yea out of the remembrance of his flocke then we be therby putt in minde what ys nedefull to be done at this daie vpon infinite whordomes adulteries incestes and bawderies Where the Consessionars allege for thys purpose the power of the keyes and doe therevpon sette the peupe and prore of their kyngedome as the prouerbe is it is to bee seen howe muche they oughte to auayle Then saye they are the keyes geuen wythoute cause Is yt sayde wythoute cause Whatsoeuer you loose vpon earthe shall be also loosed in heauen Do we then make the worde of Christe voide I answer there was a weighty cause why the keies shold be geuen as bothe I haue euen now already declared and shal more plainly shew againe when I come to entreat of Excommunication But what if I do with one swerde cutt of the holde of al that thei require that ys with saieng that sacryficeng preestes are not the vicars nor successors of the Apostles But this shall also be to be entreated of in an other place but nowe thei raise vp an engine whereby thei wolde most of all defende themselues and therby may all their buildinges be ouerthrowen For Christe did not geue his Apostles the power to binde loose before that he gaue them the holy ghoste Therefore I saie that none haue the power of the keies that haue not first receiued the holy ghost I denie that any man can vse the keies but hauing the holy ghoste going before teaching him informing him what is to bee done They triflinge saie that thei haue the holy ghoste but in dede thei denie it vnlesse paraduenture thei faine as thei do faine in dede the holy ghoste to be a vaine thing and a thing of nothing but therin thei shall not be beleued And by this engine thei are vtterly ouerthroweÌ that of what soeuer dore thei boast that thei haue the keie a man may alway aske theÌ whether thei haue the holy ghoste whiche is the iudge and gouerner of the keies If thei answer that thei haue then thei maie be asked againe whether the holy ghoste may erre This thei wil not be glade to speake expresly althoughe thei crokedly vtter the same by their doctrine It is therefore to be gathered that no preestes haue power of the keies whiche do commonly without consideration loose those thinges that the Lorde wold haue to be bounde and binde those thinges that the Lorde commaunded to be loosed Whereas thei see themselues conuinced by most clere experimentes that thei do without choise loose and binde the worthy and vnworthy thei vsurpe a power without knowledge And although they dare not denie that knoweledge is requisit for a good vse yet thei write that the very power is geuen to euel disposers of it But this is the power whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earthe shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Either the promise of Christ must lie or thei that haue this power do well binde and loose Neither may thei dallye and saie that the saieng of Christe is limited according to the deseruings of him that is bound or loosed And we also confesse that none can be bounde or loosed but thei that are worthy to be bound or loosed But the messingers of the Gospell and the Churche haue the woorde by whyche thei measure this worthinesse in thys woorde the messangers of the Gospell maye promise to all men forgeuenesse of sinnes in Christe by faythe thei maye proclaime damnation into all and vpon all that embrace not Christ. In this word the Church pronounceth that fornicatours adulterers theues mansleiers couetous men vniust men haue no parte in the kingdom of God and bindeth such with most sure bondes With the same worde the Churche looseth them whome yt comforteth being repentant But what power shall this be not to knowe what is to be bounde or loosed and not to be able to binde or loose without knowledge Why then do thei saie that thei loose by authoritie geuen vnto them wheÌ the loosing is vncertain What haue we to do with this imaginatiue power yf there be no vse of it But I haue it already prouch that eyther there is no vse of it or so vncertaine an vse as maye be accompted for none at all For wheras they coÌfesse that there is a great parte of prestes that do not rightly vse the keyes and that the power without lawefull vse is of no effect Whoe shall assure me that he of whom I am loosed is a good vser of the keyes if he be an euell vser of it what hath he els but such a voyde disposyng of them as to say what is to be fouÌd or loosed in thee I know not for asmuch as I lack the right vse of the keyes but yf thou deserue I loose thee But so much might do I wil not say a laye man for they could not beare that with patient eares but a Turke or a Deuell For it is asmuche as to saye I haue not the worde of God the sure rule of loosyng but there is power geuen me to loose thee yf thy deseruynges be so We see therfore what they meant when they defined the keyes to be the authoritie of discernyng and power of executyng and that knowledge is adioyned for a counseller and like a counseller serueth for a good vse vndoubtedly euen they desired to reygne at theyr owne will licentiously without God and his worde If any man take exception and saye that the lawfull ministers of Christ shall be no lesse doubtefull in their office bycause the absolution that hangeth vpon fayth shall alwaye remayne doubtefull and then that sinners shall haue eyther none or a cold comforte bycause the
from cursyng our estate what soeuer it be bycause we know that that is to murmure agaynst God at whose will richesse and pouertie basenesse and honors are disposed Brefely he that resteth hymselfe in suche sorte as is aforesayd vpon the blessyng of God neyther will by euell suttelties hunt for those thinges that menne are wont outragiously to couet by whiche crafty meanes he thinketh that he shall nothyng preuayle nor yf any thyng happen prosperously will impute if to hymselfe and to his owne diligence endeuour or to fortune but will assigne it to God the authour But yf while other mens estates doe florish he goe but sclenderly forward yea or slide backeward yet he will beare his ill fortune with greater quietnesse and moderation of mynde than a prophane manne wil beare a meanely good successe whiche is not altogether so good as he desired bycause he hath a comfort wherein he maye more quietly rest than vpon the hiest toppe of wealth and authoritie bycause he accompteth that his thinges are ordered by God as is auailable for his saluation So we see that Dauid was minded and yeldeth himselfe to be ruled by God he declareth himselfe to be like to a weyned childe and that he walketh not in hye thinges or maruellous aboue himself And the godly mindes ought to haue that quietnesse and sufferaÌce not only consistyng in this behalf but also it muste extend to al chaunces wherunto our present life is subiect Therfore no maÌ hath rightly forsaken himselfe but he hath so resigned himselfe vp wholly to the Lord that he suffreth all the partes of his lyfe to be gouerned by his will He that is so framed in minde what so euer happen will neyther thinke himselfe miserable nor will with enuiousnesse agaynste God complayne of his fortune Howe necessarie this affection is shall hereby appere yf you consider to howe many chaunces we be subiect ⪠Diuerse kyndes of diseases doe trouble vs sometime the pestilence cruelly reigneth sometime we are sharply vexed with calamities of warre somtime frost or haile deuouring the hope of the yere bringeth barennesse that driueth vs to dearth somtime our wife parentes children or kinsfolkes are taken awaye by death our house is consumed with fier these be the thinges at chauncyng whereof men curse their life derest the day of their birth haue heaueÌ and light in execration murmure against God and as thei be eloquent in blasphemies accuse him of vniustice and crueltie But a faythfull manne muste euen in these chaunces beholde the mercyfull kindenesse and fatherly tendernesse of God Therefore whether he see his house destroied his kinsefolke slayne yet he will not therfore cesse to prayse God but rather will turne himselfe to this thought yet the Grace of the Lord that dwelleth in my house will not leaue it desolate Or yf when his corne is blasted or bitten or consumed with frostes or beaten downe with hayle he see famine at hand yet he will not despeyr nor speake hatefully of God but will remayne in this confidence We are yet in the Lordes protection and shepe brought vp in his pastures he therfore will finde vs foode euen in extremest barrennesse Or if he bee troubled with sicknesse eueÌ then he will not be discouraged with bitternesse of sorrow to burst out into impatience and quarell thus with God but consideryng the righteousnesse lenitie in gods correctioÌ he will call himself back to patience Finally what so euer shall happen bicause he knoweth it ordeined by the hand of God he will take it with a well pleased and thankefull minde least he should stubbornly resist his authoritie into whose power he hath yelded himselfe and all his Therfore let that foolish most miserable comfort of the Heathen be far from a Christian mans heart which to streÌgthen their mindes agaynst aduersities did impute the same to fortune with whome they coÌpted it âoolish to be angry bicause she was blinde vnaduised that blindely wounded bothe the deseruing and vndeseruyng For contrarywise this is the rule of godlinesse that the only hand of God is the iudge and gouernesse of bothe fortunes and that it runneth not forward with vnaduised sodeyne rage but with most orderly iustice dealeth among vs bothe good thinges and euell The eight Chapter ¶ Of the bearyng of the crosse whiche is a part of the forsakyng of our selues BUt a Godly minde muste yet climbe vp hier euen to that whereunto Christ calleth his disciples that euery one take vp his crosse For all whome the Lorde hath chosen and vouchesaued to receiue into his companie must prepare theÌselues to a hard trauailsome vnquiet life and full of many and diuerse kindes of incoÌmodities So it is the will of the heauenly father to exercise theÌ in such sort that he may haue a true profe of them that be his Beginnyng at Christ his first begotten sonne he procedeth with this order toward al his children For wheras Christ was the best beloued sonne aboue the reste and in whome the fathers minde was fully pleased yet we see how he was not teÌderly deintily handeled so that it maye be truely sayd that he was not only exercised with a perpetual crosse so long as he dwelled in earth but that at his life was nothinge els but a kinde of continuall crosse The Apostle sheweth the cause thereof to be that it behoued that he should learne obedience by those thinges that he suffred Why then should we priuilege our selues from that estate whereunto it behoued Christ our hed to be subiect specially sithe he became subiect thereunto for our cause to shew vs an example of patience in himself Therefore the Apostle sayth that this is the apointed end for all the children of God to be fashioned lyke vnto him Whereupon also in harde and sharpe chaunces which are reckened aduersities and euels ariseth a great comfort vnto vs that we coÌmunicate with the suffringes of Christ that as he entred out of a maze of all troubles into the heauenly glorie so we maye by diuerse tribulations be brought into the same glorie For so sayth Paule himself that when we learne the communicating of his afflictions we do also conceyue the power of his resurrection and when we are fashioned like vnto his death we are so prepared to the felowship of his glorious risyng agayne Howe much maye this auayle to aswage all the painefulnesse of the crosse that the more we are afflicted with aduersities so muche the more surely is our felowship with Christ confirmed by communicating whereof our suffringes are not only made blessed vnto vs but also do much help vs to the furtherance of our saluation Byside that our Lord had no neede to take vpon him to beare the crosse but to testifie proue his obedience to his father but we for diuerse causes haue neede to leade our life vnder a coÌtinual crosse First as we be naturally bent to attribute all thinges to our flesh
in shame no horrour in death what valiaÌtnesse or temperance were it to beare them indifferently But when euery one of these doth with the natural bitternesse therof bitte the heartes of vs all herein doth the valiantnesse of a faythfull man shewe it self if beyng assayed with the felyng of such bitternesse how greuously so euer he be troubled with it yet with valiantly resistyng he ouercommeth it his patience vttereth it selfe herein yf beyng sharply prouoked he is yet so bridled with the feare of God that he bursteth not out into any disteÌper His cherefulnesse appereth herein yf beyng wounded with sadnesse and sorrowe he resteth vpon the spirituall comfort of God This conflict whiche the faithfull do susteyne agaynst the natural felyng of sorrow while they studie for patience and temperance Paul hath very wel described in these wordes We are put to distresse in al thinges but we are not made sorrowfull we labour but we are not lefte destitute we suffer persecution but we are not forsaken in it we are throweÌ downe but we perish not You see how to beare the crosse patiently is not to be altogether astonished and without al felyng of sorrow As the Stoikes in olde time did foolishly describe a valiant hearted man to be such a one as puttyng of all nature of man was a like moued in prosperitie and in aduersitie in sorrowfull and ioyefull state yea suche a one as like a stone was moâed with nothyng And what haue they profited with this hye wisedome Forsothe they haue painted out such an image of wisedome as neuer was found and neuer can herafter be among meÌ But rather while they coueted to haue to exact and precise a patience they haue taken awaye all the vse of patience out of mans life And at this day also amoÌg Christians there are newe Stoikes that recken it a fault not only to grone and wâpe but also to be sad and carefull But these strange conclusions do commonly procede from idle men whiche busieng themselues rather in speculation than doyng can do nothyng but brede vs such new found doctrines But we haue nothyng to do with that stony Philosophie whiche our maister and Lord hath condemned not only by his worde but also by his example For he mourned and wept both at his owne and other mens aduersities The worlde sayth he shall reioyse but you shall mourne and wepe And bicause no man should finde faulte therewith by his open proclamation he hath pronounced them blessed that mourne And no maruell For if all wepyng be blamed what shal we iudge of the Lord himself out of whose body dropped blouddy teares If euery feare be noted of infidelitie what shall we iudge of that quakyng feare wherewith we reade that he was not sclenderly striken If all sadnesse be mislyked how shal we like this that he confesseth his soule to be sad euen to the death This I thought good to speake to this ende to cal godly mindes from despear that they should not therfore altogether forsake the studie of patience bycause they can not put of the naturall affection of sorrow whiche must needes happen to them that make of patience a senslesse dulnesse and of a valiant and constant man a stocke For the Scripture geueth to the holy ones the prayse of patience when they are so troubled with hardnesse of aduersities that yet thei be not ouercome nor throweÌ downe with it when they be so pricked with bitternesse that they be also delited with spirituall ioye when they be so distressed with grefe that yet they receyue courage againe beyng cheared with the comfort of God Yet in the meane time that repugnancie abideth still in their heartes that naturall sense eschueth and dredeth those thinges that it knoweth to be against it but the affection of godlinesse trauaileth euen through all those difficulties to the obeyeng of Gods will This repugnancie the Lord expressed when he sayd thus to Peter WheÌ thou waste yong thou didst gird thy self didst walke whether thou woldest But when thou art old an other shall gyrde thee and leade thee whither thou shalt not be willyng Neyther is it likely that Peter when the time came that he must glorifie God by his death was drawen vnwillyngly and resistyng vnto it Els his martyrdome should haue but small prayse But howe so euer he did with great cherefulnesse of heart obeye the ordinance of God yet bicause he had not put of the nature of manne he was doubly strayned with two sortes of willes For when he dyd by himselfe coÌsider the bloudly death that he should suffer beyng stryken with horrour thereof he would gladly haue escaped it On the other side when it came in his minde that he was called vnto it by the commauÌdement of God then conqueryng and treadyng downe feare he gladly yea and cherefully toke it upon him This therefore we must endeuour yf we will be the Disciples of Christ that our mindes be inwardly filled with so great a reuerence and obedience to God as may tame and subdue to his ordinance all contrarie affections So shall it come to passe that with whatsoeuer kinde of crosse we be vexed eueÌ in the greatest anguishes of minde we shall constantly kepe patience For aduersities shal haue their sharpnesse wherwith we shal be bitten so when we are afflicted with sicknesse we shal bothe grone and be disquieted desire health so beyng pressed with pouertie we shal be pricked with the sâinges of carefulnesse and sorrowe so shall we be striken with grefe of shame contempt and iniurie so shall we yelde due teares to nature at the burial of our frendes but this alway shal be the conclusion But the lord willed so therefore let vs folow his will Yea euen in the middest of the prickynges of sorrow in the middest of mourning and teares this thought must needes come betwene to incline our heart to take cherefully the very same thinges by reason whereof it is so moued But for asmuche as we haue taken the chefe cause of bearyng the crosse out of the coÌsideratioÌ of the wil of God we must in few wordes define what difference is betwene Phylosophical Christian patieÌce Truely very fewe of the Phylosophers climbed to so hie a reason to vnderstand that the hand of God doth exercise vs by afflictions and to thinke that God is in this behalf to be obeyed But they bryng no other reason but bicause we must so doe of necessitie What is this els but to say that thou must yeld vnto God bicause thou shalt trauail in vaine to wrastle against him For if we obey God only bicause we so must of necessitie then if we might escape we would cesse to obey But the Scripture biddeth vs to consider a far other thing in the wil of God that is to say first iustice and equitie then the care of our saluatioÌ These therfore be the Christian exhortations to patience whether pouertie or banishmeÌt or
father speaketh that he geueth to the sonne the office of iustifiyng he addeth a cause for that he is iust setteth the manner or meane as they call it in the doctrine wherby Christe is knowen For it is a more coÌmodious exposition to take this worde Daah knowledge passiuely Hereupon I gather first that Christe was made righteousnesse when he did putte on the fourme of a seruaunt secondely that hee dyd iustifie vs in respect that hee shewed hym selfe obedient to his father and that therefore hee dothe not this for vs according to his nature of Godhed but according to the office of dispensation coÌmitted vnto him For although God alone is the fountaine of righteousnesse and we be made righteous by no other meane but by the partaking of him yet because we are by vnhappy disagremeÌt estranged froÌ his righteousnesse we must nedes come down to this lower remedy that Christ may iustifie vs with the force of his death resurrectioÌ If he obiect that this is a worke of such excellency that it is aboue the nature of man therefore can not be ascribed but to the nature of God the first I graunt but in the secoÌd I say that he is vnwisely deceiued For although Christ could neither cleÌse our soules with his bloud nor appease his father with his sacrifice nor acquite vs from gyltinesse nor doe the office of prest vnlesse he had ben true God because the strength of the fleshe had ben to weake for so great a burden yet it is certain that he performed all these thinges according to his nature of maÌhod For if it be demaunded how we be iustified Paul answereth by the obedieÌce of Christ. But did he any otherwise obey than by taking vpon him the shape of a seruant wherupon we gather that righteousnesse was geueÌ vs in his fleshe Likewyse in the other wordes whiche I maruell that Osiander is not ashamed to allege so often he apoynteth the fountayne of ryghteousnesse no where els but in the fleshe of Christe Hym that knewe no sinne he made synne for vs that we myght be the ryghteousnesse of God in hym Osiander with full mouth aduaunceth the righteousnesse of God and triumpheth as though he had proued that it is his imaginatiue ghost of essentiall righteousnesse when the wordes souÌd far otherwise that we by righteous by the cleansing made by Christ. Uery yong beginners shold not haue bene ignorant that the righteousnesse of God is taken for the righteousnesse that God alloweth as in Iohn where the glorie of God is compared with the glorie of men I knowe that sometime it is called the righteousnesse of God wherof God is the author which God geueth vs but though I say nothing the reders that haue their sound wit doe perceiue that nothing els is meant in this place but that we stande vpright before the iudgement seate of God beinge vpholden by the cleansing sacrifice of Christes death And there is not so great importance in the word so that Osiander do agree with vs in this point that we are iustified in Christ in this respect that he was made a propiciatorie sacrifice for vs whiche can not agree with his nature of Godhed After whiche sort when Christe meaneth to seale the righteousnesse and saluatioÌ that he hath brought vs he setteth before vs an assured pledge therof in his fleshe He doth in dede call him selfe the lyuely bred but expressing the manner here he addeth that his fleshe is veryly meate his bloud is veryly drinke Whiche manner of teaching is sene in the Sacramentes whiche although they direct our faithe to whole Christ and not to halfe Christ yet they do there withall teache that the matter of righteousnesse and saluation remaineth in his flesh Not that in that that he is only man he either iustifieth or quickeneth of him selfe but because it pleased God to shewe openly in the mediatour that whiche was hidden and incomprehensible in him selfe wherupon I am wont to saye that Christ is as it were a fountaine set open for vs out of whiche we may drawe that whiche otherwyse shold without fruite lye hiddeÌ in that close and depe spring that riseth vp vnto vs in the persone of the Mediatour In this manner and meaning I doe not denye that Christe as he is God and man doth iustifie vs and that this is also the worke of the father and the holy Ghost as well as his Finally that the righteousnesse wherof Christ maketh vs partakers is the eternall righteousnesse of the eternall God so that he yelde to the sure and playne reasons that I haue alleaged Nowe that he should not with his cauillations deceiue the vnskilfull I graunt that we want this incomparable benefit tyll Christe be made ours Therfore we set that conioyning of the head and the membres the dwellyng of Christ in our heartes and that misticall vnion in the hiest degree that Christ being made ours may make vs partakers of the giftes wherwith he is endued Therfore we do not beholde hym a far of out of our selues that righteousnesse may be imputed vnto vs but because we haue put on him are graffed into his body finally because he hath vouchsaued to make vs one with him therfore we glorye that we haue a felowship of righteousnesse with him So is Osianders sclaunderous cauillation coÌfuted where he saith that we compt faith righteousnesse as though we spoiled Christ of his right wheÌ we saye that we come by faith empty to him to geue roume to his grace that he only maye fil vs. But OsiaÌder refusing this spiritual coÌioyning enforceth a grosse mingling with the faithful therfore he odiously calleth all theÌ Zuinglians that subscribe not to his fantastical errour concerning essential righteousnesse because they do not thinke that Christ is substaÌcially eaten in the Lordes supper As for me I compt it a great glorie to bee so reproched of a proude maÌ geuen to his own errors Albeit he toucheth not me only but also other wryters wel knowen to the worlde whome he ought to haue modestly reuerenced It moueth me nothing whiche meddle not with mine owne priuate cause and so muche the more sincerely I handle this cause being free from all corrupt affection Where as therefore he so importunatelye requyreth essentiall ryghteousnesse and thee essentiall dwellynge of Christe in vs it tendeth to thys ende First that God should with a grosse mixture poure him selfe into vs as he fayneth a fleshely eatynge of Christ in the supper secondlye that God should breathe his ryghteousnesse into vs wherby we maye be really righteous with him for by his opinion this righteousnesse is as well God hym selfe as the goodnesse or holinesse or purenesse of God I wyll not spende muche labour in wyping away the testimonies that he bryngeth whiche he wrongfully wresteth from the heauenlye lyfe to this present state Through Christ sayeth Peter are geuen vs the precious and moste great promyses that we
but to strengthen thy minde with constant certaintie perfect assurednes to haue whervpoÌ to rest fasteÌ thy fooâe He adioyneth also an other thing that is that the promise shal therby be made of no effect voide For if the fulfilling therof do hang vpon oure deseruing when shal we come thus farre as to deserue the bountifulnes of God Also this second point hangeth vpon the former For the promise shal not be fulfilled but to them that beleue it Therfore if faithe be fallen ther shall remaine no force of the promisse Therfore the inheritance is of faith that it may be according to grace to stablishe the promise For it is abundantly wel stablished when it resteth vpon the only mercy of God bicause his mercy truth are with a perpetual knot ioyned together that is to sai whatsoeuer God mercifulli promiseth he also faithfulli performeth So Dauid before that he required saluation by the word of God first determineth the cause therof to be in his mercye Let thy mercies saith he come vnto me thy saluation according to thy word And rightfully bycause God is by no other meane perswaded to make the promise but of his own mere mercie Therfore we must herin stay deepely fasten all our hope not to loke to our own works to seke any helpe of theÌ And that you shold not think that I herin speake any new thing Augustine doth also teache that we ought so to do Christ saith he shal reigne for euer in his seruantes God hath promised it God hath said it and if that be not enough God hath sworne it Therefore for asmuch as the promise is stablished not according to our deseruinges but according to his mercie no man ought to speake fearefully of that of whych he can not doubte Bernarde also saythe The disciples of Christe saye Whoe canne bee saued Butte hee aunswered thys ys impossible with menne butte yt is not impossible wyth God This is all our confidence this is our only comforte this is the whole grounde of oure hope but beyng assured of the possibilitie what saye we of hys wyll Whoe knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Who hath knowen the Lords meaning ⪠Or who hath ben his counseller Here now faith must of necessitie help vs here must his truthe succoure vs that that which is hidden from vs in yâ heart of the father may be reueled by the Spirit his Spirit testifieng it may perswade our heartes that we are the sonnes of God And it may perswade vs by calling iustifyeng vs freely by fayth in which things ther is as it were a certaine meane passage from the eternall predestination to the glorie that is to come Brefely let vs thus conclude The Scripture declareth that the promises of God are not stablished vnlesse they be taken hold of with assured affiance of conscience whersoeuer there is any doubting or vncertaintie it pronounceth that thei be voide Againe yt pronounceth that they do nothing but stagger wauer if thei rest vpoÌ our own workes Therfore we must nedes either lose righteousnesse or we must not coÌsider our own workes but only faith must take place whose nature is this to lift vp her eares shut her eies that is to say to be hedefully bent to the promise only and to turne away her thought from all mans worthinesse or deseruing So is yâ notable prophecie of Zacharie fulfilled that when the wickednes of the land shal be done away a man shal call his frend vnder his vine vnder his figge tree where the Prophet declareth that the faithful do no otherwise enioy true peace but after obteining of the forgeuenesse of sinnes For this cauelatioÌ is to be remeÌbred in the Prophetes that wheÌ thei speake of the kingdome of Christ they set out the outward blessinges of God as figures of the spirituall thinges Wherupon Christ is called both the king of peace our peace because he appeaseth al the troublesom motioÌs of coÌscience If we seke by what meane he doth it we must nedes come to the sacrifice by which God is appeased For he shal neuer cesse to tremble for feare that shall not determine that God is appeased by the only satisfactorie cleansing wherin Christ hath susteined his wrath Finally peace is no where els to be sought for but in the terrors of Christ our redemer But why do I vse so darke a testimonie Paul euery where denieth that there is peace or quiet ioy left to consciences vnlesse it be determined that we be iustified by faith And he therwithall declareth whense that assurednes cometh namely when the loue of God is poured into our heartes by the holy Ghost as if he had said that our coÌsciences can not otherwise be quieted vnlesse we be certeinly persuaded that we please god WherupoÌ also in an other place he crieth out in the persone of al the godly Who shall seuer vs froÌ the loue of God whiche is in Christ because we shall âreÌble euen at euery litle breath till we be arriued into that haueÌ but we shal be without care euen in the darkenes of death so long as the lord shal shew him selfe a pastor to vs. Therfore whosoeuer prate that we are iustified by faith because being regenerate we ar iust by liuing spiritually they neuer tasted the swetenesse of grace to coÌsider that God will be merciful vnto theÌ WherupoÌ also foloweth that they do no more know the manner of praiyng rightly than Turkes whatsoeuer other profane Nations For as Paul witnesseth it is no true faith vnlesse it teache put vs in minde of the most swete name of Father yea vnlesse it opeÌ our mouth freely to crie out Abba father Whiche in an other place he more plainely expresseth where he saith that in Christ we haue boldnesse entrie in coÌfidence by the faith of him Truly this cometh not to passe by the gift of regeneration which as it is alway vnperfect in this flesh so it conteineth in it self manifold mater of douting Wherfore we must of necessitie come to this remedy that the faithful shold determine that they may by no other right hope for the inheritaÌce of the heaueÌly kingdome but because being graffed into the body of Chist they are frely accoÌpted righteous For as touching iustificatioÌ faith is a thing merely passiue bringing nothing of our own to the recouering of the fauour of God but receiuing of Christ that whiche we want The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ What is the beginning of iustification and the continuall procedinges therof THat the mater may bee made more plaine let vs searche what may be the righteousnesse of maÌ in the whole course of his life let vs make fower degrees therof For meÌ either being endued with no knowledge of God are drowned in idolatrie or being entred into profession by sacrameÌtes denyeng God with vncleannes of life whom thei
notable curse agaiÌst all theÌ that continue not in al things Wherby the deuise of righteousnesse in part is largely confuted sithe no other righteousnes is admitted into heaueÌ but a whole obseruing of the law And no whit souÌder is that which they are woÌt to babble of supplieng of recoÌpense by works of Superero gatioÌ For why Do thei not still returne to the same place froÌ wheÌse thei ar alredy shut out that he which kepeth the law in part is by workes so far righteous That which no man of sound iugement wil graunt theÌ thei do to shamelesly take for coÌfessed So oft the Lord testifieth that he acknowlegeth no righteousnesse of works but in the perfect obseruing of his law What obstinatie is it that we wheÌ we are destitute of that obseruing leaste we shold seme spoiled of al glorie that is to haue altogether geueÌ place to God do boste our selues of I wote not what small peces of a few workes go about by satisfactions to redeme that which wanteth SatisfactioÌs haue already before been sufficieÌtly ouerthroweÌ that we ought not now so much as to dreame of theÌ Only this I say that thei which so play the fooles do not wey how detestable a thing sin is before God for truly thei shold vnderstaÌd that the whole righteousnes of men being laid vpoÌ a heap is not sufficient to make recoÌpence for one sinne For we se that maÌ was by one offence so cast awai abaÌdoned of God that he therwithal lost al mean to recouer saluatioÌ Therfore the power of Satisfaction is taken away wherw t they flatter theÌ selues but surely shal neuer satisfy God to whoÌ nothiÌg is pleasant or acceptable that procedeth froÌ his enemies And his enemies are al they to whoÌ he purposeth to impute sinnes Therfore our sinnes must be couered forgiueÌ before that the lord haue respect to any worke of ours Whervpon foloweth that the forgiuenesse of sinnes is of fre grace which they do wickedly blaspheme that thrust in any satisfactioÌs Let vs therfore after the exaÌple of the Apostle forgettiÌg those things that ar behind vs and hasting forward to those thinges that are before vs run in our race endeuouring to the price of the highe calling c. But how doth the bosting of the works of supererogation agre with that rule which is taught vs that wheÌ we haue done all things that ar coÌmaunded vs we should say that we are vnprofitable seruantes that we haue done no more then we ought To say before God is not to fain or to lye but to determine with thy self that which thou arte assured of The lord therfore coÌmandeth vs vnfainedly to think consider with our selues that we do not any fre beneficiall doings to hiÌ but to render due seruice And worthily For we ar seruantes endetted in so many seruices as we ar no able to discharge although al our thoughts all our membres wer turned into dutieful deeds of the law And therfore that which he saithe WheÌ ye haue done all things that are coÌmaÌded you c. is as much in effect as if the righteousnesse of one man were more thaÌ al the righteousnes of men How therfore may we of whom there is none that is not moste farre distant froÌ this marke bee so bolde as to boste that we haue added a heap to the ful measure Neither is ther any cause why any maÌ may take exceptioÌ say that nothing withstaÌdeth but that his endeuour mai procede beyoÌd necessary duties which in som behalf ceasseth those that be froÌ necessary For this we must altogither hold that we caÌ imagin nothing that auaileth either to the worship or the loue of God which is not comprehedeÌd vnder the law of God If it be a part of the law let vs not boaste of voluntary liberalitie where we are bound to neccessitie And for this purpose that glorieng of Paul is out of season alledged That among the Corinthians he did of his owne wil yeld of his right which otherwise he might haue vsed if he had wold that he hath employed vpon theÌ not only so muche as he ought of dutie but also hath geuen them his free trauail beyond the boundes of duties But they shold haue marked the reason there expressed that he did this least he shold be an offense to the weake For false deceitful workemen did boste theÌ selues with this alluring shew of liberalitie wherby they might bothe procure fauour to their poisonous doctrines raise vp hatred to yâ Gospel so that Paul was driueÌ of necessitie either to bring the doctrine of Christ into danger or to mere with suche craftes Go to if it be to a christian man an indifferent thing to runne into offense when he may refraine it then I graunt that the Apostle did somthing of Supererogation for the Lord. But if this were by right required or a wise distributer of the Gospel then I say that he did that whiche was his dutie to doe Finally although there appere no suche cause yet this saying of Chrysostome is alway true that al our thinges are in the same case wherin are the propre possessions of bondmen whiche it is certaine by the law to be due to their Lord. And Christ bath vttered the same in the parable For he asked what thanke we wil geue to a bondseruant when hauing ben all the day trauailed with sondry labours he returneth home to vs in the euening But it is possible that he hath labored with greater diligence than we durst haue required Be it so yet he hath done no thing but that which by his estate of boÌdage he ought for he with his whole abilitie is ours I speake not of what sort their SupererogatioÌs are whiche these men wil boste of to God for they be trifles suche as he neither hath at any tyme coÌmanded nor doth approue theÌ nor wyl allowe theÌ when accoÌpt shal be to be made before him In this significatioÌ only we will graunt that they are workes of Supererogation namely of whiche it is spoken in the Prophet who hath required these things at your handes But let theÌ remeÌber what is in an other place also spoken of these thinges Wherfore do ye wey your siluer not in bread Ye spend in labour not in being satisfied It is in dede not very hard for these idle Rabbines to dispute vnder the shadowe in a soft chaire but when the soueraigne iudge shal sit in his iudgement seate suche windy decrees shall of necessitie vanishe away This this was to be sought what affiaÌce of defense we may bring to his iudgemeÌt seate not what we may talke of in scholes and corners In this behalf there are chefely two pestilences to be driuen out of our myndes that we put no affiance in the righteousnesse of workes And that we ascribe no part of glorie to theÌ The Scriptures do euery where thrust vs
from all manner of affiance when they teache that our righteousnesses do stinke in the sight of God vnlesse they receiue a good sauor from the innocence of Christ that they can do nothing but prouoke the vengeance of God vnlesse they be susteined by the tendernes of his mercie Moreouer they so leaue nothing to vs but that we shold traue the mercie of our iudge with that confessioÌ of Dauid that none shall be iustified before him if he require accoÌpt of his seruantes But where Iob saythe If I haue done wickedly wo to me but if I doe righteously yet I wyll not so lyfte vp my head though he meane of that most hie righteousnes of God wherunto the very Angels answer not yet he therwithal sheweth that wheÌ thei come to the iudgement of God there remaineth nothing for al mortal men but to holde their peace as duÌme For it teÌdeth not only to this purpose that he had rather willingly yeld thaÌ daÌgerously striue with the rigorousnes of God but he meaneth that he felt no other righteousnes in him self thaÌ such as at the first moment shold fall before the sight of God When affiance is driuen away al glorieng must also necessarely depart For who can geue the praise of righteousnes to these workes the affiaÌce wherof treÌbleth before the sight of God We must therfore come whether Esaie calleth vs that al the seede of Israel may be praised glorie in God because it is most true whiche he saith in an other place that we ar the planting of the glorie of God Our mynde therfore shall then be rightly purged wheÌ it shal neither in any behalf rest vpon the coÌfidence of workes nor reioise in the glory of theÌ But this errour encouraged folish men to the puffing vp of this false a lying affiance that they alway set the cause of their saluatioÌ in workes But if we loke to the fower kindes of causes which the phylosophers âeache vs to coÌsider in the effect of thinges we shal find that none of them doth accord with workes in the stablishing of our saluatioÌ For the Scripture doth euery where report that the cause of procuring the eternall life to vs is the mercie of the heauenly father his free loue towarde vs that the Material cause is Christ with his obedience by which he purchaced righteousnesse for vs. What also shal we say to be the formal or instrumeÌtal cause but faith And these thre causes Iohn coÌprehendeth together in one senteÌce when he saith God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery one which beleueth in him may not perish but may haue euerlastiÌg life Now the final cause the Apostle testifieth to be both the shewing of the righteousnesse of God the praise of his goodnes wher he reherseth also the other thre in expresse wordes For he satih thus to the Romains al haue sined do nede the glory of god but they are iustified frely by his grace Here thou hast the head first fountain namely that God embraced vs with his free mercie Then foloweth By the redeÌptioÌ which is in Christ Iesu. Here thou hast as it were the matter wherof righteousnesse is made for vs through faith in his bloude Here is shewed the instrumeÌtall cause wherby the righteousnes of Christ is applied to vs. Last of al he ioyneth the end when he saithe vnto the shewyng of his righteousnesse that he may be righteous the righteousmaker of him that is of the faithe of Christe And to touche by the way that this righteousnes standeth of reconciliatioÌ he setteth expressely by name the Christ was geuen to vs for reconciliatioÌ So in the first chap. also to the Ephesians he teacheth the we are receiued of God into fauour by mear mercie that the same is wrought by the intercession of Christ receiued by faithe all to this ende that the glorie of the goodnesse of God may fully shyne When we see that all the partes of our saluation are so without vs what cause is there that wee shoulde now either haue affiance or glorie in workes Neither can euen the most sworne ennemies of the grace of God moue any controuersie with vs about the efficient or fynall cause vnlesse they wyll denye the whole Scripture In the Materiall and Formall cause the caste a false colour as though our workes haue a half place with faithe and the righteousnesse of Christ. But this also they teache the Scripture criynge out against them whiche simply affirmeth both that Christ is to vs for righteousnesse and life and that this benefit of righteousnesse is possesed by only faith But where as the holy men do oftentimes strengthen and comforte them selues with remembrance of their owne innocencie and vprightnesse and somtime also forbeare not to report of it with prayse that is done twoo wayes either that in comparing their good cause with the euell cause of the wicked they conceiue thereby assured trust of victory not so muche for commending of their own righteousnes as for the iust deserued condemning of their aduersaries or that euen without comparison of other while thei recorde theÌselues before God the purenesse of their own conscience bringeth to them both some comfort affiance Of the first of these two wayes we shall se hereafter now let vs brefely declare of the latter how it agreeth with that whiche we haue aboue said that in the iudgemeÌt of God we must rest vpoÌ no affiance of workes and glorie vpon no opinion of them This is the agrement that the holy ones when it concerneth the founding and stablishinge of their saluation do without respect of workes bend their eies to the only goodnesse of God And they do not only bend them selues to it afore al thinges as to the beginning of blessednesse but do rest therin as in the fulfilling of it A conscience so founded raised stablished is also stablished with consideration of workes namely so far as they are the witnessings of God dwelling reigning in vs. Sithe therfore this affiance of workes hath no place vnlesse thou haue first cast the whole affiance of thy mynde vpon the mercie of God it ought not to seme coÌtrary to the wherupon it hangeth Wherfore wheÌ we exclude the affiance of workes we meane only this that a Christian mind may not bowe to the merit of workes as to the succour of saluation but should throughly rest in the free promise of righteousnesse But we forbid it not to vnderprop strengthen this faith with the signes of the good will of God toward it selfe For if al the good giftes whiche God hath bestowed vpon vs wheÌ theâ be recorded in remeÌbrance are to vs after a certaine manner as it were beames of the face of God by whiche we ar enlightened to behold that soueraigne light of goodnesse much more is the grace of good workes whiche sheweth that the Spirite of adoption is geuen
vs. When therfore the holy ones do by innoceÌcie of coÌscience coÌfirme their faith gather matter of reioysing they do nothing but cal to minde by the frutes of their calling that they are adopted of the Lord into the place of children This therfore that is taught by Salomon that in the feaâe of the Lord is stedfast assurednesse this that somtime the holy ones vse this protestation to the entent that they may be heard of the Lord that thei haue walked before his face in vprightnes simplicititie haue no place in laying the fundatioÌ of stablishing of coÌscience but are theÌ only of value if they be taken of the ensuing effect because both the feare is no where whiche may stablish a full assurednesse the holy ones are priuie in their conscience of such an vprightnes wherwith ar yet mingled many reÌnaÌtes of the flesh But forasmuche as of the frutes of regeneration they gather an argumeât of the holy Ghoste dwellynge in them they do there by not sclenderly strengthen them selues to loke for the helpe of God in all their necessities when they by experience finde hym their father in so great a matter And euen this also they canne not doe vnlesse thei haue first conceyued the goodnesse of God sealed with no other assurednesse than of the promyse For if they beginne to weye yt by good workes nothing shal be more vncertaine nor more weake forasmuche as if workes bee considered by them selues thei shall no lesse by theyr imperfection shewe profe of the wrathe of God than thei do with how soeuer vnperfect purenes testifie his good wil. Fynally thei do so set out the benefites of God that yet they tourne not awaie from the free fauoure of God in which Paul testifieth that ther is the length breadth depth and heigth of them as if he shoulde say Whethersoeuer the senses of the godly do tourne themselues howe hie soeuer thei clyme how farre and wide soeuer thei extend them yet thei ought not to goe oute of the loue of Christe but holde them selues wholy in the meditation therof bicause it comprehendeth al kindes of measures in it And therfore he saithe that it excelleth and surmounteth aboue all knowledge and that when we acknowledge howe muche Christe hathe loued vs we are fulfilled into all the fulnesse of God As in an other place when he glorieth that all the Godly are vanquishers in battell he by and by addeth a reason bycause of him that loued vs. We see now that ther ys not in the holy ones that affiance of works whiche either geueth any thinge to the merite of them forasmuche as thei regarde them none otherwise than as the giftes of God whereby thei reknowledg his goodnesse none otherwise than as signes of their calling whereby maie thinke vpon their election or whiche withdraweth not any thing from the free righteousnesse whiche wee obteine in Christe for asmuche as it hangeth vpon it and standeth not withoute it The same thing doth Augustine in few wordes but very wel set out where he writeth I do not saie to the Lorde despise not the workes of my handes or I haue sought the Lorde with my handes and haue not been deceiued But I do not commned the workes of my handes for I feare least when thou haste loked vpon them thou shalt finde moe sinnes than merites Onli this I say this I ask this I desire despise not the workes of thy hands beholde in me thy worke not mine For if thow beholdest mine thou damnest me if thou beholdest thine thou crownest me For also whatsoeuer good workes I haue they are of thee He setteth two causes why he dare not boaste of his workes to God bycause if he haue any good workes he seeth therin nothing his owne secondly bycause the same is also ouerwhelmed wyth multytude of synnes Whereupon commeth to passe that the conscience feleth thereby more feare and dismaieng than assurednesse Therfore he woulde haue God no otherwise to loke on his well doinges than that reknowledging in them the grace of his calling he maie make an ende of the worke which he hathe begonne But furthermore wheras the scripture sheweth that the good workes of the faithfull are causes why the Lorde doth good to them that is so to be vnderstanded that that which we haue before set may stand vnshaken that the Effect of our saluation consisteth in the loue of God the Father the Mater in the obedience of the Sonne the Instrument in the enlightning of the holy ghooste that is to saie in faithe that the end is the glorie of the so great kindenes of God These thinges withstande not but that the Lorde maye embrace workes as inferiour causes But whense coÌmeth that Namely whome the Lord of his mercie hath apointed to the inheritaÌce of eternal life them with his ordinarie dispeÌsation he doth by good workes bring into the possessioÌ therof That which goeth before in order of dispensatioÌ he calleth the cause of that which foloweth After this maÌner he somtime deriueth eternal life froÌ workes not for that is to be ascribed to theÌ but bicause whome he hath chosen them he doth iustifie that he may at leÌgth glorifie them he maketh the grace that goeth before which is a step toward that which foloweth after a certaine maÌner the cause of it But so oft as he hath occasioÌ to assigne the true cause he biddeth vs not to flee to workes but holdeth vs in the only thinking vpon the mercie of God For what manner of thing is this which he teacheth by the Apostle The reward of sinne is death the grace of the Lord is life euerlasting Why doth he not set righteousnesse in coÌparison against sinne as he setteth life agaynst death Why doth he not make righteousnesse the cause of life as he maketh sinne the cause of death For so should the comparison of contraries haue stand well together which is much broken by this turning But the Apostle meant by this coÌparison to expresse that which was truth that death is due to the deseruings of men that life is reposed in the only mercie of God Finally in these maÌners of speaking is rather expressed the order than the cause bicause God in heaping graces vpon graces taketh cause of the first to adde the second that he may leaue nothing vndone to the enrichyng of his seruantes and he so continually exteÌdeth his liberalitie that yet he would haue vs alway to looke vnto the free election which is fountaine beginning of it For although he loueth the giftes which he dayly geueth in so much as thei spring out of that fountaine yet it is our part to holde fast that free acceptation whiche alone is able to vpholde our soules as for such giftes of his Spirit as he afterward geueth vs so to adioyne them to the first cause that they minish nothing of it The .xv. Chapter ¶ That those thinges that are commoÌly
maÌ that hath a takyng of profit in a pece of ground by an other mans liberall graunt do also claime to himselfe the title of propretie doth he not by such vnthankfulnesse deserue to lose the very self possession whiche he had Likewise if a bondslaue beyng made free of his Lord do hide the basenesse of the estate of a Libertine boaste himself to be a freeman borne is he not worthy to be brought back into his former bondage For this is the right vse of enioyeng a benefite if we neyther clayme to our selues more thaÌ is geueÌ nor do defraude the author of the benefite of his praise but rather do so behaue our selues that that which he hath geuen froÌ himself to vs may seme after a certaine maÌner to remaine with him If this moderation be to be kept toward men let all men loke and consider what manner of moderation is due to God I know that the Sophisters do abuse certain places to proue therby that the name of Merit toward God is fouÌd in the Scriptures They allege a senteÌce out of Ecclesiasticus Mercie shall make place to euery man accordyng to the Merit of his workes And out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Forget not doyng good and communicating for with such sacrifices men merite of God As for my right in resistyng the authoritie of Ecclesiasticus I doe now release it Yet I denye that they faithfully allege that which Ecclesiasticus whatsoeuer writer he were hath written For the Greke copie is thus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã He shal make place to euery mercie and euery man shall finde accordyng to his workes And that this is the true text which is corrupted in the Latine translation appereth both by the framing of these wordes by a loÌger ioyning together of the sentence goyng before In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is no cause why they should snare vs in one litle word when in the Greke wordes of the Apostle is nothing els but that such sacrifices do please are acceptable to God This alone ought largely to suffice to subdue beate downe the outragiousnesse of our pride that we faine not any worthinesse to workes beyoÌd the rule of Scripture Now the doctrine of the Scripture is that all our good workes are continually be sprinkled with many filthy spottes wherewith God may be worthily offended and be angry with vs so far is it of that they be able to winne him to vs or to prouoke his liberalitie toward vs Yet bicause he of his teÌder kindenesse doth not examine them by extremitie of law he taketh theÌ as if they were most pure and therfore though without merite he rewardeth them with infinite benefites bothe of this present life and of the life to come For I do not allow the distinctioÌ set by meÌ otherwise learned godly that good workes deserue the graces that are geuen vs in this life that eternal life is the reward of faith alone For the Lord doth coÌmonly alway set in heauen the reward of labors and the crowne of battell Agayne to geue it so to the merit of workes that it be taken away from grace that the Lord heapeth vs with graces vpon graces is against the doctrine of the Scripture For though Christ sayth that to him that hath shal be geuen that the faithful and good seruant which hath shewed himself faithful in few thinges shal be set ouer many yet he also sheweth in an other place that the encreases of the faithful are the giftes of his free goodnesse All ye that thirst sayth he come to the waters ye that haue not monie come and bye milke and honye without monie and without any exchange What so euer therfore is now geuen to the faithfull for help of saluation yea blessedneââe it selfe is the mere liberalitie of God yet bothe in this and in those he testifieth that he hath consideration of workes bicause to testifie the greatnesse of his loue toward vs he vouchsaueth to graunt such honor not only to vs but also to the giftes which he hath geueÌ vs. If these things had in the ages past ben handled disposed in such order as thei ought to haue beÌ there had neuer arisen so many trobles dissensions Paul sayth that in the bulding of Christian doctrine we must kepe stil that fundation which he had layed amoÌg the CorinthiaÌs biside which no other can be layed that the same fundation is Iesus Christ. What maÌner of fundatioÌ haue we in Christ is it that he was to vs the beginning of saluatioÌ that the fulfillyng therof shold follow of our selues hath he but only opened the way by which we should goe forward of our own streÌgth Not so but as he sayd a litle before when we acknowlege him he is geueÌ to vs for righteousnesse No maÌ therfore is wel founded in Christ but he that hath full righteousnesse in him for asmuch as the Apostle sayth not that he was sent to help vs to obteine righteousnesse but that he himself might be our righteousnesse Namely that we are chosen in him froÌ eternitie before the making of the world by no deseruyng of oures but accordyng to the purpose of the good pleasure of God that by his death we are redemed froÌ the daÌnation of death deliuered froÌ destruction that in him we are adopted of the heauenly father into children heires that by his bloud we are recoÌciled to the Father that beyng geuen to him to be kept we are deliuered from peril of perishyng of beyng lost that beyng so engraffed in him we are alredy after a certaine manner partakers of eternall life beyng entred into the kingdome of God by hope and yet more that hauing obteined such partaking of him how so euer we be yet fooles in our selues he is wisdom for vs before God howsoeuer we be sinners he is righteousnesse for vs howsoeuer we be vncleane he is cleannesse for vs howsoeuer we be weake howsoeuer vnarmed lieng open in danger of Satan yet oures is the power which is geueÌ him in heaueÌ earth whereby he may treade downe SataÌ for vs breake the gates of helles howsoeuer we stil cary about with vs the body of death yet he is life for vs brefely that al his things are oures we in him haue all things in our selues nothing vpoÌ this foundation I say it behoueth that we be bulded if we wil encrease into a holy temple to the Lord. But the world hath a long time beÌ otherwise taught For there haue ben fouÌd out I wote not what moral good workes by which meÌ may be made acceptable to God before that thei be graffed in christ As though the Scripture lieth wheÌ it sayth that they are al in death which haue not possessed the Sonne If they be in death how shold thei bring forth matter of life As
therfore faulti gredines of vengeaÌce did beare rule therin God graÌted it WherupoÌ it semeth that it mai be gathered that although the praiers be not framed accordiÌg to the prescribed rule of the word yet thei obteine their effect I answer first that a general law is not takeÌ away by singular examples again that soÌtime special motioÌs haue ben put into a few meÌ wherby it came to passe that ther was an other coÌsideratioÌ of theÌ thaÌ of the coÌmoÌ people For the answer of Christ is to be noted wheÌ the disciples did vndiscretly desire to couÌterfait the exaÌple of Elias that thei knew not with what spirit thei were endued But we must go yet further say that the praiers do not alwai please god which he graÌteth but that so much as serueth for exaÌple that is by clere praise made plaine which the scripture teaceth namely yâ he succoureth the miserable heareth the gronings of theÌ which being vniustli trobled do craue his help that therfor he executeth his iudgmeÌts wheÌ the coÌplaints of the poore rise vp to hiÌ although thei be vnworthy to obtein anithiÌg be it neuer so litle For how oft hath he taking veÌgeance of the cruelties robberies violeÌce silthi lustes other wicked doings of the vngodly subduiÌg their boldnes rage also ouerthrowiÌg their tyraÌnous power testified that he helpeth the vnworthili oppressed which yet did beat the aire with praieng to an vncertaine godhed And one psalme plainly teacheth that the praiers want not effect which yet do not pearce into heauen by faith For he gathereth together those praiers which necessitie wringeth no lesse out of the vnbeleuers thaÌ out of the godly by the very feliÌg of nature to which yet he proueth by the effect that god is fauourable Is it bicause he dothe with such gentlenes testifie that that thei be pleasing to him No. but to enlarge or to set out his mercie by this circumstance for yâ euen to vnbeleuers their praiers ar not denied then the more to pricke forward his true worshipers to pray when thei see that profaine wailiÌgs somtime waÌt not their effect Yet ther is no cause why the faith ful shold swarue froÌ the law laid vpoÌ theÌ by God or shold enuie the vnbeleuers as though thei had gotten som great gaine wheÌ thei haue obteined their desire After this maÌner we haue said that the lord was bowed with the repeÌtance of Achab that he might shew by this exaÌple how easy he is to entreat toward his elect when true turning is brought to appease him Therfore in the psalme he blameth the Iewes that thei hauing bi experieÌce proued him so easy to grant their praiers yet wtin a litle after returned to the stubbornes of their nature Which also plainely appeareth by the historie of the Iudges namely that so oft as thei wept although their teares were deceitful ⪠yet thei were deliuered out of the hands or their enemies As therfore the lord indifferently bringeth forth his sunne vpoÌ the good the euel so doth he also not despise their weepinges whose cause is righteous their miseries woorthy of helpe In the meane time he no more heareth these to saluation thaÌ herein ministreth foode to the despisers of his goodnes The questioÌ semeth to be somwhat harder of AbrahaÌ Samuel of whom the one being warraÌted by no word of god praied for the Sodomites the other agaiÌst a manifest forbiddiÌg praied for Saul Likewise is iâ of Ieremie which praied that the citie might not be destroied For though their requestes were denied yet it semeth harde to take faith from them Butte this solution shall as I truste satisfie sober readers that tâei being instructed with the general principles whereby God coÌmauÌdeth theÌ to be merciful eueÌ also to the vnworthy wer not altogether wtout faith although in a speciall case their opinion deceyued theÌ Augustine writeth wisely in a certaine place How sayth he do the holy ones praie by faith to ask of God contrarie to that which he hath decreed Euen bicause thei pray according to his wil not that hidden an vncheaÌgeable wil but the wil which he inspireth into them that he mai heare them after an other maÌner as he wisely maketh differeÌce This is wel said bicause after his incoÌprehensible couÌsel he so teÌpereth the successes of things that the praiers of the holy ones be not voide which ar wrapped both with faith errore together Neither yet ought this more to auayle to be an exaÌple to folow thaÌ it excuseth the holy ones theÌselues whome I denie not to haue passed measure Wherfore wher appeareth no certaine promise we must ask of God with a coÌditioÌ adioined To which purpose serueth the saieng of Dauid Watch to the iudgment which that hast coÌmaunded bicause he telleth that he was warranted by a special oracle to aske a temporall benefite This also it is profitable to note that those things which I haue spokeÌ of the fower rules of right praier are not so exactly required with extreeme rigor that God refuseth the praiers in which he shal not finde either perfect faith or perfect repentaÌce together with a feruentnesse of zele wel ordered requestes We haue said that although praier be a familiar talke of the godly with God yet we must kepe a reuerence modestie that we geue not loose reines to all requestes whatsoeuer thei be that we desire no more thaÌ God geueth leaue theÌ least the maiestie of God shold growe in contempt with vs that we must lift our mindes vpward to a pure and vndefiled worshiping of him This no maÌ hath euer performed with such purenesse as it ought to be For to speak nothing of the coÌmon sort how many coÌplaintes of Dauid do sauore of vnteÌperance not that he meant of purpose to quarel with God or carpe against his iudgments but bicause he fainting for weakenesse found no other better comfort than to cast his sorrowes into his bosome Yea God beareth with our childish speache and pardoneth our ignoraÌce so oft as any thing vnaduisedly escapeth vs as truely wtout this teÌder bearing ther shold be no libertie of praieng But although Dauids mind was to submit himself wholly to the wil of God he praied with no lesse patieÌce thaÌ desire to obteine yet there arise yea boile out somtimes troublous affections which are much disagreing from the first rule that we haue set Specially we maye perceaue by the conclusion of the xxxix psalme with how great vehemence of sorrow that holy man was carried away that he cold not kepe measure Cesse saith he froÌ me til I go away be not A man wold saye that he like a desperate man desireth nothing els but that the hand of God cessing he might rot in his euels He saith it not for that he with an auowed minde runneth into such outrage or as the reprobate ar wont wold haue God
Lord sayth he for all the thynges that he hath bestowed vpon me I wil take the cup of saluations and wil cal vpon the name of the Lord. And the same law the Chirch foloweth in an other Psalme Saue vs our God that we may coÌfesse to thy name and glory in thy prayse Againe He hath loked vnto the prayer of the solitarie and he hath not despised their prayers Thys shal be wrytten to the generation that shal folow the people created shal prayse the Lord that they may declare hys name in hym and his prayse in Hierusalem Yea so oft as the faithful beseche God to do for hys names sake as they professe themselues vnworthy to obteine any thing in their own name so they binde themselues to geue thankes they promise that this shal be to them the right vse of the bountifulnesse of God that they shal be publishers of it So Osee speaking of the redemptioÌ to come of the Chirch sayth Take away iniquitie O God and lift vp good and we will paye the calues of lyppes And the benefites of God doe not onely clayme to themselues the prayse of the tong but also do naturally procure loue I haue loued sayth Dauid because the Lord hath heard the voice of my praier Againe in an other place rehearsing that helpes which he had felt he sayth I wil loue thee O God my strength Neither shall the prayses euer please God which shal not flow out of thys swetenesse of loue Yea and also we muste holde fast thys sayeng of Paule that all prayers are wrongful faulty to which is not adioyned geuing of thaÌkes For thus he sayth in al prayer beseching with thankesgeuing let your petetions be knowen with God For sithe testinesse tediousnesse impatieÌce bitternesse of grefe and feare do moue many in prayeng to murmure he commaundeth that our affections be so tempered that the faythfull âre they haue obteyned the which they desire should neuerthelesse cherefully blesse God If thys knot ought to haue place in things in a maner coÌtrary with so much more holy baÌd doth God bind vs to sing his praises so oft as he maketh vs to enioy our requestes But as we haue taughte that our prayers are hallowed by the intercessioÌ of Christ which otherwise should be vncleane so the Apostle where he coÌmaundeth vs to offer a sacrifice of praise bi Christ putteth in mind that we haue not a mouth cleane enough to praise the name of God vnlesse the presthode of Christ become the meane WherupoÌ we gather that meÌ haue ben moÌstruously bewitched in the papacie where the greater part marueleth that Christ is called an aduocate This is the cause why Paule commaundeth bothe to praye and to geue thankes without cessing namely for that he willeth that with so great continuing as may be at euery tyme in euery place in all maters and businesses the prayers of all men shoulde be lifted vp to God whiche may bothe loke for all thinges at hys hande and yelde to him the praise of all thinges as he offreth vs continuall matter to prayse and praye But this coÌtinual diligeÌce of prayeng although it specially coÌcerne to the propre priuate praiers of euery man yet somwhat also perteineth to the publike prayers of the Chirch But those can neither be continuall nor ought otherwise to be done thaÌ according to the politike order that shall by commoÌ consente be agreed vpon among all I graunt the same in dede For therefore certayne houres are set and appointed as indifferent with God so necessarie for the vses of men that the commoditie of all men may be prouided for and all thinges according to the sayeng of Paul may be comlyly and orderly done in the Chirch But this maketh nothing to the contrarie but that euery Chirch ought bothe from tyme to tyme to stirre vp it selfe to often vse of prayers and when it is admonished by any greater necessitie to be feruent with more earneste endeuor As for perseruerance which hath a great affinitie with continuall diligence there shal be a fitt place to speake of it aboute the ende Nowe these make nothing for the much babbling whiche Christe willed that we shold be forbidden For he forbiddeth not to continue long nor oft nor with much affection in prayers but that we should not trust that we maye wryng any thing oute of God by dulling his eares with much babbling talke as if he were to be persuaded after the maner of men For we knowe that Hypocrites because they do not consider that they haue to do with God do no lesse make a pompous shewe in their prayers than in a triumph For the Pharisee which thanked God that he was not like to other men without dout reioysed at hymselfe in the eyes of men as if he would by prayer seke to get a fame of holynesse Hereupon came that much babbling ⪠which at this day vpon a like cause is vsed in the papacie while some do vainly spende the tyme in repeting the same prayers and other some doe set out themselues among the people with a long heape of words Sith thys babbling childishly mocketh God it is no maruell that it is forbidden out of the Chirche to the ende that nothing should there be vsed but earnest and proceding from the bottome of the hart Of a nere kinde and lyke to this corruption is there an other which Christ coÌdeÌneth with thys namely the Hypocrites for bosting sake do seke to haue many witnesses do rather occupy the market place to pray in than their prayers should want the prayse of the world But wheras we haue alredy shewed that thys is the marke that prayer shooteth at that our myndes may be caryed vpwarde to God bothe to coÌfessioÌ of prayse to crauing of helpe therby we may vnderstand that the chefe duties therof do stand in the minde the hart or rather the prayer it self is properly an affectioÌ of the inward hart which is poured fourth and layed opeÌ before God the searcher of harts Wherfore as it is alredy said the heauenly scholemaister when he minded to set out the best rule of prayeng commaunded vs to goe into our chamber and there the dore beyng shutt to pray to our Father whiche is in secrete that our Father which is in secret may heare vs. For wheÌ he hath draweÌ them away froÌ the example of hipocrites which with ambicious bosting shewe of praiers sought the fauor of meÌ he therwithall addeth what is better namely to entre into our chamber and there to pray the dore being shut In which words as I expounde them he willed vs to seke solitarie being whiche may helpe vs to descende and to entre throughely wyth our whole thoughte into our hart promising to the affections of our harte that God shal be nere vs whoe 's temples our bodyes ought to be For he meant not to deny but that it is
testifieth which reporteth that in the time of Ambrose the Chirch of Millain first began to sing when while Iustina the mother of Valentinâan cruelly raged against the true Faith the people more vsed watchinges than they were wont and that afterwarde the other westerne Chirches folowed For he had a litle before sayed that this maner came from the Easterne Chirches He telleth also in his seconde boke of Retractations that it was in his time receiued in Africa One Hilarie sayth he a ruler did in euery place wheresoeuer he could with malicious blaming raile at the maner which then began to be at Carthage that the hymnes at the altar should be pronounced out of the boke of Psalmes either before the oblation or wheÌ that which had ben offred was distributed to the people Him I answered at the commaundement of my brethren And truely if song be tempered to that grauitie which becommeth the preseÌce of God and Angels it both procureth dignitie and grace to the holy actions and muche auaileth to stirre vp the myndes to true affection and feruentnesse of prayeng But we muste diligently beware that our eares be not more hedefully bente to the note than our myndes to the spiritual sense of the wordes Wyth which peril Augustine in a certaine place sayth that he was so moued that he sometime wished that the maner which Athanasius kept shold be stablished which commaunded that the reder shoulde sounde hys wordes with so small a boowing of hys voice that it should be liker to one that readeth than to one that singeth But when he remembred howe muche profite he hymselfe had receyued by syngyng he inclined to the other side Therfore vsyng this moderation there is no dout that it is a most holye and profitable ordinance As on the other side what songes so euer are framed only to swetenesse and delite of the eares they both become not the maiestie of the Chirch and can not but hyely displease God Whereby it also playnly appereth that common praiers are to be spoken not in Greke among Latine men nor in Latine among Frenchemen or Englishemen as it hath heretofore ben eche where commonly done but in the peoples mother tongue which coÌmonly may be vnderstoode of the whole assembly forasmuche as it ought to be done to the edifiyng of the whole Chirch whiche receiue no fruite at all of a sound not vnderstanded But they which haue no regarde neither of charitie nor of humanitie shold at least haue ben somwhat moued with the authoritie of Paule whoe 's wordes are nothyng doutfull If thou blesse saieth he in Spirite howe shall he that filleth the place of an vnlerned man answer Amen to thy blessing sith he knoweth not what thou saiest For thou in dede geuest thankes but the other is not edified Who therfore can sufficiently wonder at the vnbridled licentiousnesse of the Papistes which the Apostle so openly crying out againste it feare not to roare out in a strange tongue moste babblyng prayers in whiche they themselues sometyme vnderstand not one syllable nor wold haue other folkes to vnderstand it But Paule teacheth that we ought to do otherwise How then I will pray sayth he with spirit I will praye also with mynde I will syng with spirite I will sing also with mynde signifieng by the name of Spirite the singular gifte of tonges which many being endued with abused it when they seuered it from the mynde that is froÌ vnderstaÌding But this we must altogether thiÌk that it is by no meane possible neither in publike nor in priuate praier but that the tong without the hart must hyely displease God Moreouer we muste thinke that the mynde ought to be kyndled with feruentnesse of thoughte that it maye farre surmounte all that the tong maye expresse with vtterance Fynally that the tong is not necessarie at all for priuate prayer but so farre as the inwarde felyng either is not able to suffice to enkindle it selfe or the vehemence of enkindlyng violently carieth the woorke of the tong with it For though very good prayers sometyme be without voyce yet it oftentymes betydeth that when the affection of the mynde is feruent bothe the tong breaketh foorthe into voice and the other membres into gesturyng without excessiue shew Hereupon came the mutteryng of Hanna and such a like thing all the holy ones alway fele in themselues when they burst out into broken and vnperfect voices As for the gestures of the body which are wont to be vsed in praier as knelyng and vncoueryng of the hed they are exercises by which we endeuor to ryse vp to a greater reuerencing of God Now we must learne not onely a more certaine rule but also the very forme of prayeng namely the same which the heauenly Father hath taught vs by his beloued Sonne wherin we may acknowe his vnmesurable goodnesse and kyndenesse For besyde this he warneth and exhorteth vs to seke hym in al our necessitie as children are wont to flee to their fathers defence so oft as they be troubled with any distresse because he saw that we did not sufficiently perceiue this how sclender our pouertie was what were mete to be asked what were for our profite he prouided also for this our ignoraÌce what our capacitie waÌted he supplied furnished of his own For he hath prescribed to vs a form wherin he hath as in a Table set our whatsoeuer we may desire of him what soeuer auaileth for our profit whatsoeuer is necessary to ask Of whiche his gentlenesse we receaue a great fruit of comfort that we vnderstand that we aske no inconuenient thyng no vnsemyng or vnfit thyng finally nothyng that is not acceptable to hym sith we aske in a maner after his owne mouthe When Plato sawe the folly of men in making requestes to God whiche beyng grauÌted it many tymes befell much to their owne hurt he pronounced that this is the best maner of prayeng taken out of the olde Poete Kyng Iupiter geue vnto vs the beste thynges bothe when we aske them and when we doo not aske them but commaunde euell thynges to be away from vs euen when we aske them And verily the heathen man is wyse in this that he iudgeth howe perillous it is to aske of the Lorde that whiche our owne desire moueth vs and therwithal he bewrayeth our vnhappy case that we can not ones open our mouthes before God without danger vnlesse the Spirite do instructe vs to a right rule of praying And in so muche greater estimation this priuilege is worthy to be had of vs sithe the onely begotten Sonne of God ministreth wordes into our mouthe which may deliuer our mynde from all doutyng This whether you call it forme or rule of praying is made of six petitions For the cause why I agree not to them that diuide it into seuen partes is this that by puttyng in this aduersatiue word But it semeth that the Euangelist men to
to be propre to his Father that our Faith may be stayed in hym then that we may be certainly persuaded that he is not carelesse of our safetie because he vouchesaueth euen to vs to extende his prouidence With whiche introductions Paule prepareth vs to pray rightely For before that he hiddeth our petitions to be opened before God he sayth thus Be ye carefull for nothyng the Lorde is at hande Wherby appeareth that they doutefully and with perplexitie tosse theyr prayers in their mynde whiche haue not this well settled in them that the eie of God is vpon the righteous The firste Petition is That the name of God be hallowed the neede wherof is ioyned with our greate shame For what is more shamefull than that the glorie of God should be partly by our vnthankefulnesse partly by our maliciousnesse darkened and so muche as in it lyeth by our boldenesse and furious stubbornesse vtterly blotted out Though all the wicked wolde burst themselues with their wylfulnesse full of sacrilege yet the holynesse of the name of God gloriously shineth And not without cause the Prophet crieth out As thy name O God so is âhy praise into al the endes of the earth For wheresoeuer the name of God is knowen it can not be but that his strengthes power goodnesse wisdome righteousnesse mercie and truthe must shewe foorth themselues whiche may drawe vs into admiration of him and stirre vs vp to publyshe his praise Sithe therfore the holynesse of God is to shamefully taken from hym in earth if we be not able to reskue it we be at the least commaunded to take care of it in our prayers The summe is that we wishe the honor to be geuen to God whiche he is worthye to haue that men neuer speake or thinke of hym without moste hye reuerence wherunto is contrarie the vnholy abusyng whiche hath alway been to common in the worlde as at this day also it rangeth abroade And hereuppon commeth the necessitie of this petition whiche if there liued in vs any godlynesse though it were but little oughte to haue ben superfluous But if the name of God haue his holynesse safe when being seuered from all other it breatheth out nothyng but glorie here we are commaunded not only to pray that God wil deliuer that holy name from al contempt dishonor but also that he wil subdue al mankind to the reuereÌce of it Now wheras God discloseth hymself to vs partly by doctrine partly by workes he is no otherwise sanctified of vs than if we geue to him in both behalfes that which is his so embrace whatsoeuer shal come from hym and that his seueritie haue no lesse praise among vs than his mercifulnesse forasmuche as he hath in the manifolde diuersitie of his workes emprinted markes of his glorie which may worthily drawe out of all tonges a confession of his praise So shall it comme to passe that the Scripture shall haue full authoritie with vs and that no successe shall hynder the blessyng whiche God deserueth in the whole course of the gouernyng of the worlde Agayne the petition also tendeth to this purpose that all vngodlynesse whiche defyleth this holy name may be destroyed and taken away that whatsoeuer thynges doo darken and diminishe this sanctifieng as well sclaunders as mockynges may be driuen away and when God subdueth al sacrileges his glorie may therby more and more shine abroade The seconde petition is that The Kyngdome of God may come which although it conteyne no newe thyng is yet not withoute cause seuered from the fyrst because if we consyder our owne drewsynesse in a thyng greatest of all other it is profitable that the thyng whiche oughte of it selfe to haue ben most well knowen be with many wordes ofte beaten into vs. Therfore after that we haue ben commaunded to pray to God to bryng into subiection and at length vtterly to destroye whatsoeuer spotteth his holye name nowe is added a like and in a maner the same request that his kingdome come But although we haue alredy sett fourth the definition of this kingdome yet I now brefely rehearse that God reigneth when men as wel with forsaking of themselues as with despising of the world and of the earthly life do so yelde themselues to his righteousnesse that they aspire to the heauenly lyfe Therfore there are twoo partes of this kyngdome the one that God correcte with the power of his Spirite all corrupt desires of the fleshe which do by multitudes make warre against hym the other that he frame all our senses to the obedience of hys gouernement Therfore none do kepe right order in thys prayer but they which beginne at themselues that is to say that they be cleansed from all corruptions which troble the quiet state of the kingdome of God and infect the purenesse therof Now because the worde of God is lyke a kyngly scepter we are here commaunded to pray that he wil subdue the myndes and hartes of al men to willing obedience of it Which is done when with the secret instinct of hys Spirite he vttereth the effectuall force of hys worde that it may be auaunced in such degree as it is worthi Afterward we must come down to the wicked which do obstinatly and with desperate rage resist his authoritie God therfore setteth vp hys kyngdome by humbling the whole world but that in diuerse maners because he tameth the wantonnesses of some and of other some he breaketh the vntamed pride Thys is daily to be wished that it be done that it may please God to gather to hymselfe Chirches out of all the coastes of the worlde to enlarge and encreasce them in number to enriche them with his giftes to stablishe right order in them on the other side to ouerthrowe all the enemies of pure doctrine and religion to scatter abrode their counsels to cast down their enterprises Wherby appeareth that the endeuor of daili proceding is not in vaine commaunded vs because the maters of men are neuer in so good case that filthinesse bring shaken away and cleansed full purenesse florisheth and is in liuely force But the fulnesse of it is differred vnto the last comming of Christ when Paule teacheth that God shal be al in al. And so thys prayer ought to withdrawe vs from all the corruptions of the world which do seuer vs from God that hys kyngdome should not florishe in vs and also to kindle our endeuor to mortifie the flesh finally to instruct vs to the bearing of the crosse forasmuch as God will in this wise haue hys kyngdome spred abrode Neither ought we to take it miscontentedly that the outward man be destroyed so that the inwarde man be renewed For thys is the nature of the kingdome of God when we submitt our selues to the righteousnesse therof to make vs partakers of his glorie Thys is done wheÌ brightly setting fourth his light and truth with alway new encreasces wherby the darkenesse and
because in the whole sede of Adam the heaueÌly father founde nothing worthy of his election he turned hys eyes vnto hys Christ to thoose as it were members out of hys body them whome he would take into the felowship of lyfe Lett thys reson then be of force among the faythfull that we were therefore adopted in Christe into the heauenly inheritance because in our selues we were not able to receiue so greate excellence Whiche also he toucheth in an other place wheÌ he exhorteth the Colossians to geuing of thankes for thys that they were by God made fytt to be partakers of the estate of the holy If electioÌ goe before thys grace of God that we be made fitt to obteyne the glorie of the life to come what shall God hymselfe nowe fynde in vs wherby he maye be moued to elect vs My meaning shal yet be more openly expressed by an other sayeng of hys He hath chosen vs sayeth he ere the fundacioÌs of the world were layed according to the good pleasure of his will that we might be holy and vnspotted and vnreprouable in his sight where he setteth the good pleasure of God against al our deseruinges whatsoeuer they be That the profe may be more strong it is worth the labor to note al the partes of that place which being coupled together doe leaue no doute Where he nameth the elect it is no dout that he speaketh to the faithful as he also by and by afterwarde affirmeth Wherefore they doe with to fowle a glose abuse that name whiche wrest it to the age where in the Gospel was first published Where he sayth that they were elect before the beginning of the world he taketh away all respect of worthinesse For what reason of difference is there betwene them whiche yet were not and those which afterwarde should in Adam be egall Now if they be elect in Christ it foloweth that not only euery man is seuered without hymselfe but also one of them from an other forasmuch as we see that not al are the members of Christ. That which is added that they were elect that they might be holy plainly coÌfuteth the error which deriueth election from foreknowlege forasmuch as Paule cryeth out against it and sayth that whatsoeuer vertue appeareth in men it is the effecte of electioÌ Now if a hyer cause be sought Paul answereth that God hath so predestinate yea and that according to the good pleasure of his will In which wordes he ouerthroweth whatsoeuer meanes of their electioÌ men do imagine in themselues For he also teacheth that whatsoeuer thinges God geueth towarde spirituall lyfe they flowe out of thys one fountaine because God hath chosen whom he would and ere they wer borne he had seuerally layed vp for them the grace which he vouchesaued to geue them But whersoeuer this pleasure of God reigneth there no works come to be considered He doth not here in dede pursue the comparison of coÌtraries but it is to be vnderstanded such as he himselfe declareth He hath called vs sayth he with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to hys purpose and the grace which is geuen vs of Christ before the tymes of the world And we haue alredy shewed that al dout is takeÌ away in this which foloweth that we might be holy and vnspotted For if thou say because he foresawe that we should be holy therefore he chose vs thou shalt peruert the order of Paule Thus therefore thou mayest safely gather If he chose vs that we might be holy then he chose vs not because he foresawe that we would be such For these two thinges are contrarie the one to the other that the godly haue it of election that they be holy and that they come to it by meane of woorkes Neyther is their cauillation here any thing worth to which they commonly flee that the Lord doth not render the grace of election to any workes going before but yet graunteth it to workes to come For wheÌ it is sayd that the faythfull were chosen that they might be holy therewithall is signified that the holinesse which was to come in them toke beginning at election And how shall thys sayeng agree together that those thinges which are deriued from election gaue cause to election The same thing which he sayd he semeth afterwarde to confirme more strongly where he sayth According to the purpose of his wil whiche he had purposed in himselfe For to say that God purposed in hymselfe is as much in effect as if it had ben said that without himselfe he considered nothing wherof he had any regarde in decreing Therfore he by by addeth that the whole summe of our election tendeth to this ende that we shoulde be to the prayse of the grace of God Truely the grace of God deserueth not to be praysed alone in our electioÌ vnlesse our election be free But free it shal not be if God in electing his doe consider what shal be the workes of euery one Therfore we fynde that the whiche Christ sayd to hys disciples hath place vniuersally among al the faythful Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Where he not onely excludeth deseruinges past but also signifieth that they had nothing in themselues why they should be chosen if he had not preuented them then with hys mercie Lyke as thys sayeng of Paul is also to be vnderstode Who first gaue to him and shal receiue recompense For he meaneth to shewe that the goodnesse of God so preuenteth men that it fyndeth nothing in them neither past nor to come wherby he may be wonne to be fauourable to them Now to the Romaines where he fetcheth thys questioÌ further of and foloweth it more largely he denyeth that al they are Israelites which are issued of Israel because although by ryght of inheritance they were all blessed yet the succession did not egally passe to them al. The beginning of thys disputation proceded of the pryde and deceitful glorieng of the Iewishe people For wheÌ they claimed to themselues the name of the Chirch they would haue the credit of the Gospell to hang vpoÌ their wil as the Papistes at thys day would gladly wyth thys fained color thrust themselues into the place of God Paul although he graunt that the ofspryng of Abraham is holy by reson of the couenauÌt yet affirmeth that the most parte of them are strangers in it and that not onely because they âwarue out of kynde so that of lawful children they become bastardes but because the speciall election of God standeth aboue and reigneth in the hyest top which alone maketh the adoption therof sure If their owne godlinesse stablished some in the hope of saluation and their owne fallyng away alone disherited other some Paul verely should both fondly and vnconueniently lift vp the reders euen to the secrete election Now if the wil of of God the cause wherof neither appeareth nor is to be
sought without hymselfe maketh the one sorte differing from the other so that not al the children of Israel be true Israelites it is vainly fayned that euery mans estate hath beginning in hymselfe Then he further foloweth the mater vnder the example of Iacob and Eâau For when they bothe were the sonnes of Abraham bothe together enclosed in one mothers wombe it was a monsterlyke change that the honor of firste birth was remoued to Iacob by whiche change Paul affirmeth that there was testified the election of the one and the reprobation of the other The originall and cause of it is enquired whiche the Teachers of foreknowlege wyll haue to be sett out in the vertues and vices of men For thys is an easy shorte way wyth them that God shewed in the persone of Iacob that he chooseth the worthy of hys grace and in the persone of Esau he refuseth them whom he foreseeth to be vnworthy Thus they saye boldly But what sayeth Paule when they were not yet borne and had not done any good or euell that according to election the purpose of GOD mighte abyde not of workes but of hym that calleth it is sayed The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated If foreknowlege were of any force in this difference of the brethren then verily mention were vnfittly made of the tyme. Let vs graunt that Iacob was chosen because he had worthinesse gotteÌ by workes to come to what purpose should Paul say that he was not yet borne And this now should be vnaduisedly added that he had yet done no good because this shal be a redy answer that nothiÌg is hidden from God and that so the godlinesse of Iacob was presente before hym If workes do win grace they shold then worthily haue had their price before that Iacob was borne as if he had ben growen to full age But the Apostle goeth forwarde in vndoing this knot and teacheth that the adoption of Iacob was not made of workes but of the calling of God In works he enterlaceth not the time to come or time past then he directly setteth them against the calling of God meaning by stablishiÌg of the one expresly to ouerthrow the other as if he had sayd that it is to be considered what hath pleased God not what men haue brought of themselues Last of al it is certayne that by the wordes of Election and Purpose al causes whatsoeuer men are wont to faine ellswhere than in the secret counsel of God are quite remoued from thys mater What color wil they bring to darkeÌ these things who in electioÌ assigne some place to workes either past or to come For this is vtterly to mocke out that which the Apostle affirmeth that the difference of the brethreÌ hangeth not vpon any consideration of works but vpon the mere calling of God because it was put betwene them wheÌ they wer not yet borne Neither had he ben ignorant of this their sutteltie if it had had any soundnesse in it but because he very wel knewe that God can foresee no goodnesse in man but that which he hath first determined by the benefit of his election to geue him he fleeth not to that vnorderly order to set good workes before the cause of theÌselues Thus haue we by the words of the Apostle that the saluation of the faythful is founded vpon the wil of the only electioÌ of God and that the same fauor is not gotten by workes but cometh of free calling We haue also as it were an image of that thing sett before vs. Esau and Iacob are brethreÌ issuing bothe of one the same pareÌtes enclosed yet bothe in one wombe not yet brought out into the world In them al thinges are egal yet of them the iugement of God is diuerse For he taketh the one and forsaketh the other There was nothing but the only first birth by right wherof the one excelled the other But this also being passed ouer that thyng is geuen to the yonger which is denied to the elder Yea and in other also God semeth alway as of set purpose to haue despised first birth to cutt of from the fleshe al mater of gloryeng Refusing Ismaell he cast hys mynde to Isaac Plucking backe Manasse he more honored Ephraim If any maÌ interrupt me with sayeng that we must not by these inferior smal benefites determine of the summe of the lyfe to come that he which hath ben aduaunced to the honor of first birth should therefore be reckned to be adopted into the inheritance of heauen for there be some which spare not Paul himselfe as though in alleging these testimonies he had wrested the Scripture to a strange sense I answere as I haue done herebefore that the Apostle nether slipped by vnaduisednesse nor wilfully abused the testimonies of the Scripture But he sawe whiche they can not abide to consider that God minded by an earthly signe to declare the spiritual election of Iacob which otherwise was hidden in his inaccessible throne For vnlesse we refer the first birth graunted to him vnto the worlde to come it shoulde be a vaine and fonde forme of blessyng wherby he obteined nothyng but manyfolde miseries discommoties grefefull banishement and many bitternesse of sorow and cares Therefore when Paule sawe without douting that God by outwarde blessyng testified the blessing whiche he had in his kyngdome prepared spirituall and neuer decayeng for his seruant he douted not for profe of this spirituall blessyng to fetche an argument from that outward blessyng This also we must remembre that to the land of Canaan was adioyned the pledge of the heauenly dwellyng so that it ought not at al to be douted that Iacob was graffed with the Angels into the body of Christ that he might be partaker of the same lyfe Iacob therefore is chosen when Esau is reiected and by the Predestination of God is made different from hym from whom he differed not in any deseruyngs If you aske a cause the Apostle rendreth this because it is sayde to Moses I wyll haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie and I wil vouchsaue to graunt mercie to whome soeuer I will vouchsaue to graunt mercie And what I beseche you meaneth this Uerily the Lord himself most plainly pronouÌceth that men haue in themselues no cause why he shold do good to them but he fetcheth the cause from his owne mercie onely and therfore that the saluation of his is his own worke When God setteth thy saluation in himselfe alone why wilt thou descende to thy self When he appointeth to thee his mercie alone why wilte thou runne to thyne owne deseruinges When he holdeth thy thoughte wholly in his merciefulnesse alone why wilt thou turne part to the beholding of thyne owne works Therfore we must nedes come to that lesser people which Paule in an other place saith to haue ben foreknowen to God not in suche sort as these men imagine to
it as euidently false but also strongly confuted it yea after his reuokyng of it in reprouyng the Pelagians for that they continued in the same error sayeth Who can not meruayl that the Apostle knew not this moste suttle sense For when he hadde sette out a thyng to be wondred at of these brethren while they were not yet borne and afterwarde obiected a question agaynste hymselfe sayeng what then Is there vniustice with God Here was fytte place for hym to answere that God foresawe the merites of them bothe yet he sayeth not this but fleeth to the iudgements and mercie of God And in an other place when he had taken awaye all merites before election Here sayth he is confuted their vayne reasonyng whyche defende the foreknowlege of God agaynste the grace of GOD and therefore saye that we are chosen before the makyng of the worlde because God foreknewe that wee woulde bee good not that he hymselfe woulde make vs good He sayeth not this whyche saythe Ye haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you For if he hadde therefore chosen vs because he forknewe that we woulde be good he shoulde therwithall also haue forknowen that we we woulde choose hym and so foorthe as foloweth to that effecte Let the testimonie of Augustine bee of force among them that wyllyngly reste in the authoritie of the Fathers Howe be it Augustine suffreth not hymselfe to be seuered from the reste but by cleere testimonies sheweth that this disagreemente is false with the maylyce whereof the Pelagians burdened hym For in the .xix. chapiter of his booke of the Predestination of Sainctes he allegeth out of Ambrose Christe calleth whome he hathe mercie on Agayne If he had willed of the vndeuoute he myghte haue made devoute But God calleth whome he vouchesaueth and whome he wylle he maketh religious If I lysted to knytte together a whole volume out of Augustine I coulde readily shewe to the readers that I neede no other woordes but his but I wyll not loade them with tediousnesse But goe to lett vs imagine that they speake not at all but lett vs geue hede to the mater it selfe A harde question was moued whether God dydde ryghteously in this that he vouchesaued to graunte his grace but to some Of whyche question Paule myght haue vncombred hymselfe with one woorde if he had alleged the respecte of woorkes Why therefore dothe he it not but rather continueth on a discourse whyche abydeth in the same hardenesse Why but because he oughte not For the Holye ghoste whyche spake by his mouthe had not the disease of forgetfullnesse Therefore withoute any circumstances he answereth that God therefore fauoreth his electe because he will therefore hath mercie because he will For this Oracle of God I wyll haue mercie vppon whome I wyll haue mercie and I wyll shewe mercie to whome I will shewe mercie is as muche in effect as if it had been sayd that God is moued to mercie by no other reason but because he wyll haue mercie Therefore this sayeng of Augustine remaineth true that the grace of God doth not find men fitt to be chosen but maketh them Neyther do we any thyng passe vpoÌ that sutteltie of Thomas that the foreknowyng of deseruyngs is not in dede the cause of predestination on the behalfe of the act of hym that doth predestinate but on our behalfe it maye after a certayne maner be so called that is accordyng to the particular weyeng of Predestination as when it is sayd that God predestinateth glorie to man by deseruynges because he hath decreed to geue to hym grace by which he may deserue glorie For sythe the Lorde will in election haue vs to loke vnto nothyng but his mere goodnesse if any man shall couete here to see any more it shal be a wrongfull gredinesse If we lusted to striue in sutteltie we want not wherwith to beat backe this silly suttletie of Thomas He affirmeth that to the electe glorie is after a certayne maner predestinate to them the grace by whithe they may deserue glorie What if I answer on the contrary syde and say that predestination vnto grace serueth election vnto lyfe and is as it were a waityng maide after it that grace is predestinate to them to whome the possession of glorie hath ben long agoe apoynted because it pleaseth the Lord to bryng his children from election into iustification For therupon it shall folowe that the predestination of glorie was rather the cause of the Predestination of grace than contrariwise But away with these striuynges as thynges superfluous for suche as shall thynke that there is wysedome enough for them in the worde of God For this was in olde tyme truely written of an Ecclesiasticall writer that they whiche assigne the election of God to merites are more wyse than they ought to bee Som do obiect that god shold be coÌtrari to hiself if he shold vniuersally cal al meÌ to hi receue but a few elect So by their opinioÌ that vniuersalues of the promise taketh awaye the difference of speciall grace And thus certayne sobre men speake not so muche to oppresse the truthe as to debarre exabhed questions and to brydle the curiositie of many Their wyll is prayse woorthye but theyr counsell is not to be allowed because dallyeng by shiftes is neuer excusable But theyr obiectyng of it whiche doo more raylyngly inuep agaynst it is verily to fonde a cauillation or to shamefull an error Howe the Scripture maketh these two to agree together that by outward preachyng al men are called to Repentance and Faithe and yet not to al men is geuen the Spirite of Repentance and Faith I haue in an other place already declared and by and by somewhat of it muste bee repeted agayne Nowe that whyche they require I denye to them sythe it is two wayes false For he that thretneth that whyle it rayneth vppon one citie there shall be droughte vppon an other He that pronounceth that there shal in an other place be famine of doctrine byndeth not hymselfe with a certayne lawe to call all men egally And he whiche forbyddyng Paule to speake in Asia and turnyng hym from Bythinia draweth hym into Macedonia sheweth that it is in his owne power to distribute this treasure to whomesoeuer it shall please hym Yet more playnely he sheweth by Esaie how he peculiarly directeth to the electe the promyses of saluation for he sayeth of them onely and not of all mankynde indifferently that they shall be his disciples Whereby it is certayne that the doctrine of saluation is wrongfully sette open in common to all men to profite effectually whyche is sayde to be seuerally layde vp onely for the chyldren of the Chirche Lette this suffice at this presente that althoughe the voyce of the Gospell speake generally to all yet the gifte of Faithe is rare Esaie assigneth a cause for that the arme of the Lorde is not open to all men If
it selfe coulde not stande vnlesse it were set contrary to reprobation God is said to seuer them whome he adopteth vnto saluation it should be more than foolishly said that other doo either by chaunce or by their owne endeuor obteyne that whiche onely election geueth to a few Therefore whom God passeth ouer he reiecteth and for none other cause but for that he will exclude them from the inheritance which he dothe predestinate to his children Neither is the waiwardnesse of the men tolerable if it suffre not it selfe to be bridled with the word of God where the incomprehensible counsell of God is entreated of whiche the Angels themselues do worship But we haue already heard that hardening is no lesse in the hand and will of God than mercie Neither dothe Paule as these men doo that I haue spokeÌ of busily labor to excuse God with a lyeng defence but only he teacheth that it is not lawfull for the thing formed to quarell with him that formed it Nowe who so do not admitt that any are reiected of God how wil they vncombre themselues from that sayeng of Christe Euery tree which my father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the roote They plainly heare that all they are adiudged auowed to destruction whom the heauenly Father hath not vouchsaued to plant as holy trees in his ground If they denie this to be a signe of reprobatioÌ then is there nothing so clere the it may be proued to theÌ But if they cesse not to wraÌgle let the sobrietie of Faith be contented with this admonition of Paule that there is no cause to quarel with God if he willyng on the one syde to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowen doo with dumme sufferance and lenitie beare wyth the vessels of wrathe prepared to destruction and on the other side he make knoweÌ the richesse of his glorie toward the vessels of mercye which he hath prepared to glorie Let the Reders marke how Paule to cutte of occasion from whisperinges and backbitinges geueth the chiefe rule to the wrath and power of God bicause it is vniust that those depe iudgementes which swallow vp all our senses should be made subiect to our determination Our aduersaries aunswer is very triflyng that God doth not vtterly reiect them whome he suffreth in lenitie but abideth with a mynde hanging in suspence towarde them if peraduenture they may repente As thoughe Paule geueth to God a patience to loke for their turning whome he sayeth to be made to destruction For Augustine sayth rightly where he expoundeth this place where power is ioyned to sufferaÌce God doth not suffer but gouerne with his power They further say also that it is not for nothing said that the vessels of wrath are prepared to destruction but that God hathe prepared the vessels of mercie bicause by this meane he ascribeth and chalengeth the prayse of saluation to God but the blame of destruction he casteth vpon them which by their owne will doo bring it vpon themselues But although I graunt to them that Paul by the diuerse maner of speaking didde soften the rowghnesse of the first part of the sentence yet it is not mete to assigne the preparing vnto destruction to any other thing than to the secret counsel of God which also is affirmed a little before in the rest of the texte That God stirred vp Pharao Then that he hardneth whome he will WherupoÌ foloweth that the hidden couÌsel of god is the cause of hardning This at the lest I get which Augustine saith that wheÌ God of wolues maketh shepe he doth with a mightier grace reforme theÌ that their hardnes may be tamed therefore god for this cause doth not coÌuert the obstinate bicause he doth not shew forth in the theÌ the mightier grace which he waÌteth not if he wold shew it forth These sayenges in dede shoulde be sufficient for the godly and sobre and them which remembre themselues to be men But forasmuche as these venemous dogges do cast vp not only one sort of venime against God we will as the mater shal serue answer to euery one particularly Foolishe men doo diuers waies quarell with God as though they had hym subiect to their accusations First therfore they aske by what right the Lorde is angry with his creatures of whome he hath not been first prouoked by any offence for to condemne to destruction whom he will agreeth rather with the wilfulnesse of a tyrant than the lawful senteÌce of a iudge Therfore they say that there is cause why meÌ shold charge God if by his bare will without their owne deseruyng they be predestinate to eternal death If such thoughts do at any time com into the mynd of the godly to breake their violent assaultes they shal be sufficiently armed with this although they had no more if they consider howe greate wickednesse it is euen so muche as to enquire of the causes of the wil of God sith of all thinges that are it is the cause worthily so ought to be For if it haue any cause then somwhat must go before it wherto it must be as it were bouÌd which it is vnlawful ones to imagine For the will of God is so the highest rule of righteousnesse that whatsoeuer he willeth eueÌ for this that he willeth it it ought to be takeÌ for righteous When therfore it is asked why the Lord did it it is to be answered bicause he willed it But if thou goe further in asking why he willed it thou askest some greater hier thing than the will of God which caÌnot be fouÌd Let therefore the rashnesse of man restrayne it self not seke which is not least paraduenture it may not finde that whiche is With this bridle I say he shal be wel withholden whosoeuer he be that wil dispute of the secretes of God with reuerence As for the boldenesse of the wicked which drede not openly to speake euel of God against it the lord with his owne righteousnesse without any our defense shal sufficieÌtly defend himself when he shal take al shiftyng froÌ their coÌsciences hold them fast conuinced and condemne them Neither do we yet thrust in the fained deuise of absolute power which as it is prophane so worthily ought to be abhorted of vs. We faine not God lawlesse who is a law to himself bicause as Plato sayth men stand in neede of lawes whoe are troubled with vnlawful lustes but the wil of God is not only pure from al fault but also is the hiest rule of perfectioÌ yea the law of all lawes But we denie that he is subiect to yelde accompt We denie also that we are mete iudges which wold pronouÌce of this cause after our owne sense Wherfore if we atteÌpt further than we lawfully may let that threatenyng of the Psalme bryng vs in feare that God shal ouercome so oft as he is iudged of any mortall man So can God in
traiterous with sclaunders troublesome with seditions least they shuld seme to want the lyght of truth doo pretende a shadowe of rigorous seueritie and those thynges that are in the holy Scriptures commaunded to be done with a gentler kynd of healing sauyng the sinceritie of loue and kepyng the vnitie of peace to correct the faultes of brethren they abuse it to sacrilege of schisme and to occasyon of cuttyng of But to godly and quiet men he geueth this counsell that they mercifully correct that whiche they can and that whiche they can not paciently beare and grone and mourne with loue vntyll God eyther amende and correct them or at the haruest roote vp the tares and fanne out the chaffe Lette the godly trauaile to fortifie theim selues with these armures least while they seme to them selues strong and couragious reuengers of rightuousnesse they departe from the kingdom of heauen which is the only kyngdom of rightuousnesse For sithe it is Gods will to haue the communion of his Churche to be kepte in this outward felowshyp he that for hatred of euill men doth breake the tokeÌ of that âelowship entreth into a waie wherby is a slippery falling froÌ the coÌmunion of saints Let them thinke that in a great multitude there be many truly holy innocent before the eies of the Lord whom they see not Let them think that euen of them that be diseased there be many that doo not please or flatter them selues in their faultes but beyng now and then awakened with earnest feare of God doo aspire to a greater vprightnesse Let them thinke that iudgement ought not to be geuen of a man by one dede forasmuche as the holiest do sometime fall away with a most greuous fal Let them think that to gather a Church there lieth more weight both in the ministerie of the woorde and in the partaking of the holy misteries than that all that force shoulde vanishe away by the fault of some wicked men Last of all lette theim consider that in iudging the Churche the iudgement of God is of greater value than the iudgement of man Where also they pretend that the Churche is not without cause called Holy it is mete to wey with what holinesse it excelleth least if we will admitte no Church but suche a one as is in all pointes perfect we leaue no Churche at all It is true in dede which Paul saith that Christ gaue himself for the Churche to sanctifie it that he clensed it with the lauer of water with the word of life to make her vnto himself a glorious spouse hauyng no spotte or wrinkle c. Yet this is also nothyng lesse true ⪠that the Lord dayly worketh in smoothyng her wrinkles and wipyng away her spottes Whervpon foloweth that her holynesse is not yet fully finished Therfore the Churche is so holy that it dayly profiteth and is not yet perfect daiely procedeth is not yet come to the marke of holinesse as also in an other place shal be more largely declared whereas therfore the Prophetes prophecie that there shal be a holy Hierusalem through whiche straungers shal not passe and a holy temple wherinto vncleane men shall not entre let vs not so take it as if there were no spotte in the membres of the Churche but for that with their whole endeuour they aspire to holinesse souÌd purenesse by the goodnesse of God clennesse is ascribed to them whiche they haue not yet fully obteined And although oftentimes there be but rare tokens of such sanctification among men yet we must determine that there hath bene no time sins the creation of the worlde wherin the Lord hath not had his Churche and that there shall also be no tyme to the very ende of the worlde wherin he shall not haue it For albeit immediatly from the beginnyng the whole kynde of men is corrupt and defiled by the sinne of Adam yet out of this as it were a polluted masse God alway sanctifieth som vessels vnto honour that there should be no age without felyng of his mercie Which he hath testified by certayn promises as these I haue ordeined a testament to my elect I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant I will for euer continue thy sede I will builde thy seate in generation and generation Agyan the Lord hath chosen Syon he hath chosen it for a dwelling to himself This is my reste for euer c. Agayne These thynges sayth the Lorde which geueth the Sunne for the lyght of the day the moon and starres for the light of the night If these lawes shall faile before me then the sede of Israell shall also faile Hereof Christ him self the Apostles and in maner all the Prophets haue geuen vs example Horrible are those descriptions wherin Esaie Hieremie Ioel Abacuc and the other doo lament the sicknesses of the Churche of Hierusalem In the common people in the magistrate in the Priestes all things were so corrupt that Esaie douteth not to match Hierusalem with Sodom and Gomorrha Religion was partely despised partly defiled in their maners are coÌmonly reported theftes extortions breaches of faith murthers and like mischieues Yet therfore the Prophets did neither erect to them selues new Churches nor buyld vp newe altars on whiche they might haue seuerall sacrifices but of what soeuer maner men they were yet because they considered that God had left his word with them ordeined Ceremonies wherby he was there worshipped in the myddest of the assemblie of the wicked they held vp pure handes vnto hym Truely if they had thought that they did gather any infection thereby they would rather haue dyed a hundred tymes than haue suffred them selues to be drawen therevnto Therfore nothing withheld them from departing but desire to the keping of vnitie But if the Prophets thought it against conscience to estrange them selues from the Church for many and great wicked doyngs not of one or two men but in maner of the whole people then we take to muche vpon vs if we dare by and by depart from the coÌmunion of the Church where not all mens maners doo satisfie eyther our iudgemente yea or the Christian profession Now what maner world was there in the tyme of Christe and the Apostles And yet that desperate vngodlynesse of the Pharisees and yâ dissolute licenciousnesse of liuing which then eche where reigned could not hynder but that they vsed the same Ceremonies with the people assembled with the rest into one temple to the publike exercises of religion Whereof came that but because they knew that the felowship of euill men did not defile them which with a pure coÌscience did communicate at the same Ceremonies If any man be litle moued with the Prophets and Apostles let him yet obey the authoritie of Christ. Therfore Cyprian well saieth though there be sene tares or vncleane vessels in the Churche yet there is no cause why we shuld depart from the Churche we must onely labour that we may
God denyeth that he is bounde to wycked Pryestes by thys that he couenanted with their Father Leui that he should be his Angel or interpreter yea he turneth agaynst themselues their false bostyng wherewyth they were wonte to rise vp against the Prophetes that the dignitie of Priesthode was to be had in singular estimation Thys he wyllyngly admitteth and wyth the same condition he debateth wyth theÌ because he is ready to keepe hys couenaunt but when they doe not mutually performe their parte to hym they deserue to be reiected Loe what succession auayleth vnlesse therewithal be also ioyned an inuitation and euenly continuing course euen to thys effect that the successors so sone as they be proued to haue swarued from theyr originall be depryued of all honor Unlesse parhappes because Caiphas succeded many Godlye byshops yea there was euen from Aaron to hym a continuall vnbrokeÌ course of succession therefore that same mischeuous assemblie was worthy the name of the Churche But this were not tolerable euen in earthly dominions that the tyranny of Caligula Nero Heliogabalus and suche other should be called a true state of Common weale for that they succeded the Brutes Scipions and Camilles But specially in the gouernement of the Churche there is nothyng more fonde than leauyng the Doctrine to sette the succession in the Persons only but neyther did the holy doctours whom they falsely thruste in vnto vs meane any thyng lesse then to praie that precisely as it were by ryght of inheritance Churches be there where byshops are successiuely placed one after an other But where as it was then out of controuersie that from the very begynnyng to that age nothyng was chaunged in Doctrine they alledged that whiche myght suffise to make an ende of all newe errours that is that by those was that doctrine oppugned which had ben euen from the Apostles constantly and with one agreing consent reteined There is therfore no cause why they shold any longer go forward to deceiue by pretending a false colour vnder the name of the Churche which we do reuerently esteme as becometh vs but when they come to the definition of it not only water as the common sayeng is cleaueth vnto them but they stick fast in their own myre because they put a stinkyng harloâ in place of the holy spouse of Christe That this puttyng in of a changelyng should not deceiue vs beside other admonitions let vs remeÌbre this also of Augustin For speaking of the Church he saith It is it that is sometime darkned and couered with multitude of offences as with a cloude sometime caulmnesse of time appeareth quiete and free sometime is hidden and troubled with waue of tribulations and temptations He bringeth forth examples that ofteÌtimes the strongest pillers either valiantly suffred banishment for the faith or were hidden in the whole worlde In like maner the Romanistes do vexe vs and make afraide the ignoraunt wyth the name of the Church whereas they be the deadly enemies of Christe Therfore althoug they pretende the temple the priesthode and the other suche outward shewes this vayne glistring wherwyth the eyes of the simple bee daseled oughte nothyng to moue vs to graunt that ther is a Church where the Word of God doth not appere For this is the perpetual marke wherewith God hath marked theÌ that be his He that is of the truth saith he heareth my voyce Agayne I am that good shepeherd and I knowe my shepe and am knowen of them My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me And a little before he had sayd that the shepe follow their shepherde because they know his voyce but they follow not a straunger but runne away from him because they know not the voyce of straungers Why are we therfore wilfully madde in iudgyng the Churche wheras Christ hath marked it with an vndoutefull signe which wheresoeuer it is seene can not deceiue but that it certainly sheweth the Churche to bee there but where it is not there remayneth nothing that can geue a true signification of the Church For Paule rehearseth that the church was builded not vpon the iudgementes of men not vpon priesthodes but vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes But rather Hierusalem is to be seuerally knowen from Babylon and the Church of Christ from the conspiracie of Satan by that difference wherewyth Chryste hath made them differeÌt one from the other He that is of God saith he heareth the Words of God Ye therfore heare not because ye ar not of God In a summe forasmuche as the Chirche is the kingdom of Christ and he reigneth not but by his word can it be now doutfull to any man but that those be the wordes of lyeng by whiche Christes kyngdom is fayned to be without his scepter that is to say without his holy worde But now where as they accuse vs of Schisme and heresie because we bothe preach a contrary doctrine to them and obey not their lawes and haue our assemblies to Praiers to Baptisme to the ministration of the Supper and other holy doinges seuerally from them it is in dede a very sore accusation but suche as needeth not a long or laboursome defence They are called heretikes and schismatikes which makyng a diuision doo breake in sunder the communion of the Chirche And this coÌmunion is holden together with true bondes that is to say the agrement of true Doctrine and brotherly charitie Whervppon Augustine putteth this difference betwene heretikes and schismatikes that heretikes in dede do with false doctrines corrupt the purenesse of Faith but the Schismatikes somtime eueÌ where there is like Faith do breake the bond of felowship But this is also to be noted that this conioinyng of charitie so hangeth vpon the vnitie of Faith that Faith ought to be the beginnyng therof the ende and finally the onely rule Let vs therfore remembre that so oft as the vnitie of the Chirch is commended vnto vs this is required that while our myndes agree in Christ our willes also may be ioyned together with mutual well willing in Christ. Therefore Paule when he exhorteth vs to that wel willing taketh for his foundation that there is one God one Faith and one Baptisme Yea where so euer he teacheth vs to be of one mynde of one wil he by by addeth in Christ or according to Christ meanyng that it is a factious coÌpanie of the wicked and not agreement of the faithfull whiche is wythout the woorde of the Lorde Cyprian also folowyng Paule deriueth the whole fountaine of the agreement of the Chirch from the onely bishoprike of Christ. He afterward addeth the Chirch is but one which spredeth abrode more largely into a multitude with encrease of frutefulnesse like as there bee many sunne beames but one light and many brauÌches of a tree but one body grounded vpon a fast roote And when many streames doo flowe from one fountayne althoughe the nomber
seme to be scattered abrode by largenesse of ouerflowing pleÌtie yet the vnitie abideth in the original Take away a beame of the sunne from the body the vnitie can suffer no diuision Breake a brauÌche from the tree the broken braunche can not spring Cutte of the streame from the spring hed beyng cut of it dryeth vp So also the Chirch being ouerspred with the light of the Lord is extended ouer the whole worlde yet there is but one light that is spred euery where Nothing could be said more fitly to expresse that vndiuidable knitting togither which all the meÌbers of Christ haue one with an other We see how he continually calleth vs backe to the veray hedde Wherupon he pronounceth that heresies and schismes doo arise herof that men do not returne to the originall of truth nor do seke the hedde nor kepe the doctrin of the heuenly maister Now let them go cry that we be heretikes that haue departed from their Chirch sithe there hathe ben no cause of our estrangyng from theim but this one that they can in no wise abide the pure professyng of the truthe but I tell not howe they haue driuen vs out with cursynges and cruell execrations Whiche very selfe doyng doeth abundantly enough acquite vs vnlesse they will also condemne the Apostles for Schismatikes with whom we haue all one cause Christ I say dyd forsay to his Apostles that the tyme shuld com when they shuld be cast out of the Synagoges for his names sake And those Synagoges of which he speaketh wer then accompted lawfull Chirches Sithe therfore it is euident that we be caste out and we be ready to shewe that the same is doone for the names sake of Christ ⪠truely the cause ought fyrst to be enquired of before that any thyng be determined vpon vs either one way or other Howbeit if they will I am content to discharge of this poynt For it is enough for me ⪠that it behoued that we shuld depart froÌ them that we might com to Christ But it shall appeare yet more certainly in what estimation we ought to haue all the Chirches whom the tyranny of that Româ she idâll hath possessed if it be compared with the olde Chirche of the Israââies as it is described in the Prophetes There was then a true Chirch among the Iewes and Israelites when they continued in ãâã of the couenant for they obteyned those thynges by the benefite of God whervpon the Chirch consisteth They had the truthe of doctrine in the lawe the ministerie therof was among the Priestes and the Prophets with the signe of circumcision they entred into religion by other SacrameÌtes they were exercised to the confirmation of Faith It is no dout that those titles wherwith the Lorde hath honoured his Chirche fittly perteyned to their felowship After that forsakyng the lawe of the Lorde they went out of kinde to idolatrie and superstition they partly lost that prerogatiue For who dare take a waye the name of the Chirche from them with whom God hath left the preachyng of his worde and obseruation of his mysteries Agayne who dare call that the Chirche without any exception where the word of the Lord is openly and freely troden vnder foote where the ministerie therof the chief sinew yea the very soule of the Chirch is destroied What then will some man saye was there therfore no parcell of â Chirch remaining among the Iewes after that they fel away to idolatrie The answer is easy Fyrst I say that in the very fallyng away there were certayn degrees For we will not say that there was all one falle of Iuda and Israell at suche tyme as they both first swarued from the pure worshyppyng of God When Iaro beam fyrst made calues against the opeÌ prohibition of God and did dedicate an vnlawful place for worshipping he did vtterly corrupt religioÌ The Iewes did first defile them selues with wicked superstitious maners before that they wrongfully changed the order in the outward forme of religion For although vnder Rechabeam they had alredy gotten them many peruerse Ceremonies yet because there taried at Hierusalem bothe the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Priesthode and the Ceremonious vsages in suche sorte as God hadde ordeyned theim the Godly hadde there a tolerable state of Chirche Among the Israelites vnto the reigne of Achab there was no amendement of thynges and from thense foorthe they fell from worse to worse They that succeded afterwarde to the very destruction of the kyngdome partly were like vnto hym and partlye when they minded to be somwhat better than he they folowed the example of Iarobeam but they all euery one were wycked and ydolaters In Iewrye there were nowe and then diuerse changes whyle somme kynges peruerted the worshippyng of God wyth false and forged superstitions some other restored religion that was decaied vntill the very priestes them selues defiled the temple of God with prophane and abhominable vsages Now let the Papistes if they can how much soeuer they extenuate their owne faultes denye that among them the state of religion is as corrupt and defiled as it was in the kyngdome of Israell vnder Iarobeam But they haue a grosser ydolatrye and in doctrine they are not one droppe purer vnlesse peraduenture euen in it also the be more vnpure God yea all men that are endued but wyth a meane iudgement shal be witnesses with me and the thing it self also declareth how herein I tell nothyng more then trueth Now when they wyll dryue vs to the coÌmunion of their Chirch they require two thyngs of vs first that we shuld coÌmunicate wyth al their praiers sacramentes and Ceremonies then that whatsoeuer honor power iurisdictioÌ Christ geueth to hys Chirch we shuld geue the same to their Chirch As to the first point I graunt that all the Prophets that were at Hierusalem wheÌ thinges were there very much corrupted dyd neither seuerally sacrifice nor had assemblies to pray seuerall from other men For they had a commaundement of God whereby they were coÌmaunded to come together into Salomons temple they knew that the Leuiticall priestes howsoeuer they were vnworthy of that honour yet because they were ordeined by the Lord ministers of the holy Ceremonies and wer not as then deposed dyd yet still rightfully possesse that place But whyche is the chiefe poynte of thys question they were compelled so no superstitious worshippyng yea they toke in hande to doo nothyng but that whiche was ordeined by God But among these men I meane the Papistes what like thing is there For we can scarcely haue any meting together with them wherin we shall not defile our selues with open ydolatrie Truly the principal bond of their coÌmunion is in the masse which we abhorre as the greatest sacrilege And whether we do this rightfully or wrongfully shal be sene in an other place At this present it is enough to shew that in this behalf we are in other case than the Prophetes were whiche
iudgement to them when they had determined he folowed and obeyed When he writeth to the Pastors he doth not commaunde them by authoritie as Superior but he maketh them his companions and gently exhorteth them as egalles are wont to doe When he was accused for that he had gone in to the Gentiles although it were without cause yet he answered and purged hym selfe When he was commaunded by hys felowes to goe with Iohn into Samaria he refused not Wheras the Apostles did send hym they did therby declare that they helde hym not for their superior Wheras he obeyed and toke vpon hym the embassage committed to him he did therby confesse that he had a felowship with them and not an authoritie ouer them If none of these thynges were yet the onely Epistle to the Galathians may easily take al doutyng from vs where almost in twoo whole Chapters together Paul trauayleth to proue nothyng ells but that he hymselfe was egall to Peter in honor of Apostleship Then he rehearseth that he came to Peter not to professe subiection but onely to make their consent of doctrine approued by testimonie to all men and that Peter himselfe required no such thyng but gaue hym hys ryghte hande of felowship to worke in common together in the Lordes vineyarde and that there was no lesser grace geuen to hym among the Gentiles than to Peter among the Iewes Finally that when Peter dealt not very faithfully he was corrected by him and obeyed his reprouing All these thynges doe make playne either that there was an equalitie betwene Paule and Peter or at least that Peter had no more power ouer the rest than they had ouer hym And as I haue already sayed Paule of purpose laboureth about this that none shoulde preferre before him in the Apostleship either Peter or Iohn which wer fellowes not Lordes But to graunte them that whiche they require concerning Peter that is that he was the Prince of the Apostles and excelled the reste in dignitie yet there is no cause why they shoulde of a singular example make an vniuersal rule and draw to perpetuitie that which hath been ones done sith there is a farre differing reasoÌ One was chiefe among the Apostles forsoth because they were fewe in number If one were the chiefe of .xii. men shall it therfore folow that one oughte to be made ruler of a hundred thousande men It is no maruell that .xii. had one among them that should rule them al For nature beareth thys the wit of men requireth this that in euery assembly although they be all egall in power yet there be one as a gouernour whom the rest may haue regard vnto There is no court wythout a Consul no session of iudges wtout a pretor or propouÌder no company wtout a ruler no felowship wtout a master So should it be no absurditie if we coÌfessed that the Apostles gaue to Peter such a Supremicie But the which is of force among fewe is not by by to be draweÌ to the whole worlde to the ruling wherof no one maÌ is sufficieÌt But sai thei this hath place no lesse in the whole vniuersalitie of nature thaÌ in al the partes that there be one soueraigne hed of al. And herof and God wil they fetch a profe froÌ cranes and bees which alway choose to themselues one guide not many I allowe in dede the examples which they bryng forth but do bees resort together out of all the world to choose theÌ one kyng euery seueral kyng is content with hys own hyue So among cranes euery heard hath their own king What ells shall they proue hereby but that euery Chirche ought to haue their own seueral Bishop appoynted them Then they cal vs to ciuile examples They allege that saying of Homere It is not good to haue many gouernours such thynges as in like sense are red in prophane wryters to the coÌmeÌdation of Monarchie The answer is easy For Monarchie is not praysed of Ulysses in Homere or of any other in this meanyng as though one ought to be Emperor of the whole world but they meane to shewe that one kingdome can not holde twoo kynges and that power as he calleth it can abide no companion But let it be as they wil that it is good profitable that the whole worlde be holdeÌ vnder Monarchie which yet is a very great absurditie but let it be so yet I wil not therfore grauÌt that the same should take place in the gouernement of the Chirch For the Chirche hath Christ her onely head vnder whoe 's dominioÌ we al cleaue together acording to that order and the forme of policie which he hath prescribed Therefore they doe a great wrong to Christ when by the pretense they wil haue one maÌ to be ruler of the vniuersal Christ because it caÌ not be wtout a hed For Christ is the hed of whom the whole body coupled knit together in euery ioint wher with one ministreth to an other according to the working of euery member in the measure therof maketh encrease of the body Se you not how he setteth all men wythout exception in the body leaueth the honor name of hed to Christ alone Se you not how he geueth to euery member a certayne measure a determined and limited function whereby both the perfection of the grace the soueraigne power of gouernance may remayne wyth Christ onely Neyther am I ignorante what they are wont to cauill when this is obiected against them they say that Christ is properly called the only hed because he alone reigneth by hys owne authoritie in hys own name but that thys nothyng wtstandeth but that there may be vnder hym an other ministerial hed as they terme it that may be his vicegerent in earth But by this cauillatioÌ they preuaile nothing vnlesse they first shew that this ministerie was ordeined by Christe For the Apostle teacheth that the whole ministratioÌ is dispersed through the members that the power floweth froÌ that one heaueÌly hed Or if they will haue it any plainlier spokeÌ sith the Scripture testifieth the Christ is the hed and claimeth that honor to him alone it ought not to be transferred to any other but whoÌ Christ himselfe hath made his vicar But that is not onely no where redde but also may be largely confuted by many places Paule somtimes depainteth vnto vs a liuely image of the Chirche of one head he maketh there no mention But rather by hys description we maye gather that it is disagreing from the institution of Christe Christe at his ascending toke from vs the visible presence of hymselfe yet he went vp to fulfill all thynges Now therefore the Chirche hath hym yet presente and alway shall haue When Paule goeth aboute to shewe the meane wherby he presenteth hymselfe he calleth vs backe to the ministeries which he vseth The Lorde sayeth he is in vs al according to the
Bishop which may beare these priuileges of dignitie Admit therfore al those things to be true which yet we haue already wroong from them that Peter was by the mouth of Christe appointed hed of the vniuersal Chirche and that he left the honor that was geuen hym in the see of Rome that the same was stablished by the authoritie of the auncient Chirch and confirmed with long continuaunce that the Supreme power hath been alway by one consent geuen of all men to the Bishop of Rome that he hath ben the iudge of al both causes and men and himselfe subiect to the iudgement of none let them haue also more if they wil yet I answere in one word that none of these things auaile vnlesse there be at Rome a Chirch a Bishop This they must nedes grauÌt me that it can not be the mother of Chirches which is not it selfe a Chirche that he can not be chiefe of Bishops which is not himselfe a Bishop Will they therfore haue the see Apostolike at Rome Then let them shewe me a true and lawfull Apostleship Will they haue the chief Bishop Then let them shewe me a Bishop But what where will they shewe vs any face of a Chirch They name one in dede and haue it oft in their mouth Truly the Chirche is knowen by her certaine markes and Bishoprike is a name of office I speake not here of the people but of the gouernemente it selfe which ought continually to shine in the Chirche Where is the ministerie in their Chirche such as Christes institution requireth Let vs cal to remembrance that which hath before ben spoken of the office of Priestes and of a Bishop If we shall bryng the office of Cardinals to be tried by that rule we shal confesse that they are nothyng lesse than Priests As for the chief bishop himself I would faine know what one thing at all he hath bishoplike First it is the principal point in the office of a Bishop to teach the people with the word of God an other and the next point to that is to minister the sacraments the third is to admonish and exhort yea and to correct them that offend and to hold the people together in holy discipline What of these thyngs doeth he yea what doeth he faine himselfe to doo Let theim tell therfore by what meane they would haue him to be compted a Bishop that doeth not with his little fynger no not ones so muche as in outewarde shewe touche any part of a bishops office It is not so of a Bishop as it is of a king For a king although he do not execute that which beloÌgeth to a king doth neuerthelesse retein the honor and title But in iudging of a bishop respect is had to Christes comauÌdement which alway ought to be of force in the Chirche Therfore let the Romanistes lose me this knot I denye that their hye Bishop is the chiefe of Bishops forasmuche as he is no Bishop They must nedes proue this last point to be false if they will haue the victorie in the first But howe say they to this that he not onely hath no propertie of a Bishop but rather all thinges contrarie But here O God where at shall I begynne at his learning or at his maners What shal I say or what shall I leaue vnsayde where shall I make an ende This I saye that whereas the worlde is at this daye stuffed with so many peruerse and wicked doctrines full of so many kyndes of superstitions blynded with so many errors drowned in so great idolatry there is none of these any where that hathe not either flowed from thense or at least bene there confirmed Neither is there any other cause why the Bishops are caried with so greate rage against the doctrine of the Gospell newly springing vp agayne why they bend all their strengthes to oppresse it why they kindle vp kings and princes to crueltie but bicause they see yâ their whole kingdom decaieth falleth down so sone as the Gospel of Christ cometh in place Leo was cruell Clement was bloudie Paul is a fierce murtherer But nature hath not so much moued them to fight against the truthe as for that this was their only meane to mayntain their power Therfore sithe they can not be safe till they haue driuen awaye Christ they trauaile in this cause as if they dyd syght for their religion and contrees and for their owne lyues What then Shall that bee to vs the see Apostolike where we see nothyng but horrible Apostasie Shall he be Christes vicar which by persecuting the Gospell with furious enterprises doth openly professe him self to be Antichrist Shal he be Peters successour that rangeth with swerd and fyre to destroy all that euer Peter hath builded Shall he bee hed of the Chirch that cutting of and dismembryng the Chirche from Christe the onely true head therof doeth in it selfe plucke and teare it in pieces Admitte verily that in the olde time Rome was the mother of all Chirches yet sins it hath begon to be the seate of Antichriste it hath cessed to be that which it was We seme to be to muche euill speakers and railers when we call the bishop of Rome Antichrist But they that so thinke doo not vnderstand that they accuse Paule of immodestie after whom we so speake yea out of whoe 's mouth we so speake And least any man obiecte that we doo wrongfully wrest against the bishop of Rome these words of Paul that are spoken to an other intent I will brefely shew that they can not be otherwise vnderstanded but of the Papacie Paule writeth that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God In an other place also the Holy ghost describyng his image in the person of Antiochus sheweth that his kingdome shall consist in hautinesse of speche and blasphemyngs of God Hereupon we gather that it is rather a tyrannie ouer soules than ouer bodies that is raised vp against the spiritual kingdome of Christ. Then that it is suche as doeth not abolish the name of Christ and the Chirch but rather should abuse the preâence of Christ and lurke vnder the title of the Chirche as vnder a disguised visour But although all the heresies and sectes that haue ben from the beginnyng belong to the kingdome of Antichrist yet where as Paule prophecieth that there shal com a departing by this description he signifieth that that seate of abhomination shal then be raised vp when a certain vniuersall departyng shal possesse the Chirche howsoeuer many membres of the Chirch here and there continue in the true vnitie of Faith But where he addeth that in his time he began in a misterie to set vp the worke of iniquitie which he would afterward shew openly therby we vnderstand that this calamitie was neither to be brought in by one maÌ nor to be ended in one man Now wher as he doeth set out Antichrist by this marke that he should plucke awaye from God his
declare any thyng at all but froÌ the Lord. Therfore it is said that the people when thei embraced his doctrine beleued in God and in his seruant Moses Also that the authoritie of the priestes shoulde not growe in contempt it was stablished with most greuous penalties But therwithal the Lord sheweth vpon what coÌdition they wer to be heard when he saieth that he hath made his couenant with Leui that the law of truthe shoulde be in his mouth And a little after he addeth The lips of the priest shall kepe knowledge and they shall require the law at his mouth because he is the angell of the God of hostes Therfore if the priest will be heard lette him shewe himself the messinger of God that is let him faithfully report the coÌmaundements that he receiued of his author And where it is specially entreated of the hearing of them this is expressely set That they may answer accordyng to the lawe of God What maner of power the Prophetes generally had is very well described in Ezechiell Thou sonne of man saith the Lord I haue geueÌ thee to be a watcheman to the house of Israell Therefore thou shalte heare the worde out of my mouth and thou shalte declare it to them froÌ me He that is commaunded to heare out of the mouthe of the Lord is he not forbidden to inuent any thyng of himself But what is to declare from the Lorde but so to speake as he may boldly boast that it is not his owne but the Lordes woorde that he hath broughte The selfe same thyng is in Hieremie in other wordes Let the Prophet saith he with whom is a dreame tell a dreame and let him that hath my woorde speake my worde true Certainly he appointeth a law to them all And that is such that he permitteth not any to teach more than he is coÌmanded And after he calleth it chaffe all that is not come from himselfe onely Therfore none of the Prophetes them selues opened his mouth but as the Lord tolde hym the wordes before Wherupon these sayinges are so ofte found among theÌ the word of the Lord the burden of the Lorde so sayth the Lord the mouth of the Lord hath spoken And worthily For Esaie cryed oute that he had defyled lyppes Ieremie confessed that he coulde not speake because he was a childe What coulde procede from the defiled mouth of the one and the foolishe mouthe of the other but vncleane and vnwise if they had spoken their owne speche But this lyps were holy and pure when they began to be the instruments of the Holy ghost When the Prophetes are bouÌd with this religion that they deliuer nothyng but that which they haue receiued theÌ they be garnished with notable power and excellent titles For when the Lorde testifieth that he hath set them ouer nations and kyngdomes to pluck vp and to roote out to destroy and plucke downe to builde and to plant he by and by adioyneth the cause because he hath put his wordes in theyr mouth Nowe if you looke to the Apostles they are in dede commended with many and notable titles that they are the light of the worlde and the salt of the earth that they are to be heard in stede of Christ that whatsoeuer they bynde or lose in earth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen But in their very name they shewe howe muche is permitted theim in their office that is if they be Apostles that they shoulde not prate whatsoeuer they list but shold faithfully report his commaundementes from whom they are sent And the wordes of Christe are playne enough in which he hath determined their embassage when he coÌmauÌded them to go teach al nations al those thinges that he had coÌmaunded Yea he himself also receiued this lawe and laid it vpon himself that it shold be lawful for no man to refuse it My doctrine sayth he is not myne but his that sent me my fathers He that was alway the only and eternall couÌseller of the Father he that was appointed by the Father the Lord and scholemaister of all men yet because he executed the ministerie of teaching prescribed by his owne example to all ministers what rule they ought to folow in teaching Therfore the power of the Chirch is not infinite but subiect to the word of the lord and as it were enclosed in it But sith this hath from the beginnyng ben of force in the Chirche at this day ought to be in force that the seruantes of God shold teache nothing whiche they haue not learned of him yet accordyng to the diuersitie of tymes they had diuers orders of learnyng But that order which is nowe muche differeth from those that were before First if it be true whiche Christe saieth that none hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whom it hath pleased the Sonne to shewe him it behoued verily that they should be alway directed by that eternal wisdome of the Father whiche wold come to the knowledge of God For howe should they either haue comprehended in mynd or vttered the misteries of God but by his teachyng to whom alone the secretes of the Father ar open Therfore the holy fathers in old time knew GOD no other wise but beholding him in the Sonne as in a glasse When I say this I meane that God did neuer by any other meane disclose hymselfe to men but by the Son that is his only wisdome light and truthe Out of this fountaine did Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and the other draw all the knowlege that they had of heauenly doctrine Out of the same fouÌtain haue also al the Prophetes themselues draweÌ al the heaueÌly Oracles that they vttered For verily this Wisedome hath alway disclosed ãâã selfe by moe waies than one To the Patriarches he vsed secrete reuelations but therwithall to confirme their myndes he adioyned suche signes that it coulde not bee doutefull to them that is was God that spake The Patriarches conueied ouer from hand to hand to posteritie that whiche they had receiued For the Lorde left it with them to this entent that they should so sprede it abrode But the children childrens children by God secretely informyng them did knowe that that whiche they heard was from heauen and not from the earth But when it pleased God to raise a more apparaÌt forme of a Chirche he willed to haue his worde put in writing noted that the prests shold fetch froÌ thense what thei might deliuer to the people that all the doctrine that shold be taught shold be tried by that rule Therfore after the publishyng of the law when the prestes are comaunded to teach out of the mouth of the Lord the meaning is that they shold teach nothing strauÌge or differing from that kinde of learning which the Lord coÌprehended in the lawe and to adde and diminishe was vnlawful for them Then folowed the Prophets by
whom in dede the Lord published new oracles to be added to the law but yet not so new but that they cam out of the law and had respect vnto it For as touchyng doctrine they were only expositors of the law and added nothyng vnto it but prophecies of thyngs to come Those excepted they vttered nothyng els but a pure exposition of the lawe But because it pleased the Lord that there shold be a plainer and larger doctrine that weake consciences might be the better satisfied he coÌmaunded that the Prophecies also shold be put in writyng and accompted parte of his worde And hereunto were added the histories whiche are also the workes of the Prophetes but made by the endityng of the Holy ghost I recken the Psalmes among the Prophecies because that which we attribute to the prophecies is also coÌmon to the psalmes Therfore that whole body coÌpacted of the law prophecies psalmes histories was the word of the Lord to the olde people by the rule whereof the prestes and teachers euen vnto Christes tyme were bounde to examine their doctrine neither was it lawfull for them to swarue either to the right hand or to the left because all their office was enclosed within these boundes that they should answer the people out of the mouth of God Which is gathered of a notable place of Malachie where he biddeth them to be mindful of the law to geue hede to it eueÌ to the preaching of the Gospell For therby he forbiddeth them all new found doctrines and graunteth them no leaue to swarue neuer so little out of the way which Moses had faithfully shewed them And this is the reason why Dauid so honorably setteth out the excellence of the law reherseth so many praises of it that is that the Iewes should couete no forein thyng without it sith within it was all perfection enclosed But when at last the Wisdome of God was openly shewed in the flesh that same Wisdome with ful mouth declared vnto vs al that euer can with mans wit be coÌpreheÌded or ought to be thought coÌcerning the heueÌly Father Now therefore sins Christ the foÌne of rightousnesse hath shined we haue a perfect brightnesse of the truth of God such as the clerenesse is woÌt to be a mid day when the light was before but dimme For verily the Prophet meant not to speake of any meane thing wheÌ he wrote the God in old time spake diuersly many waies to the fathers by the prophets but that in these last daies he began to speake to vs by his beloued Sonne For he signifieth yea he openly declareth that God wil not hereafter as he did before speake somtime by some and sometime by other nor wil adde Prophecies to Prophecies or reuelations to reuelations but that he hath so fulfilled al the partes of teaching in the Sonne that they must haue thys of him for the last and eternal testimonie After whiche sort al this time of the new Testament wherein Christe hath appeared to vs with the preaching of his Gospell euen to the daie of iugement is expressed by the last houre the last times the last dayes to the ende verely that contented with the perfection of the doctrine of Christe we should learne neither to fayne vs any new beside it or receiue it fained of other Therfore not without cause the Father hath by singular prerogatiue ordeined the Sonne to be our Teacher commaunding hym not any man to be heard He did in dede in fewe wordes sette oute hys scholemaistership vnto vs when he said heare him but in whiche there is more weight force than men commonly thynke For it is as muche in effect as if leading vs away froÌ al doctrines of men he should bring vs to him only and commauÌde vs to loke for al the doctrine of saluation at him alone to hang vpon him alone to cleaue to hym alone finally as the very wordes do sounde to harkeÌ to the voice of hym alone And truely what ought there now to be either loked for or desyred at the hand of man when the very worde of lyfe hath familiarly and openly disclosed himselfe vnto vs Yea but it is mete that the mouthes of al meÌ be shut after that he in whom the heaueÌly Father willed to haue al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome to be hidden hath ones spoken and so spokeÌ as became both the wisdome of God which is in no part vnperfect and Messias at whoe 's hand the reuelation of al thinges is hoped for that is to say that he left nothing afterwarde for other to be spoken Let this therefore be a stedfast principle that there is to be had no other worde of God wherunto place should be geuen in the Chirche than that which is conteined first in the law and the Prophetes and then in the writinges of the Apostles that there is no other manner of teaching rightly but according to the prescription and rule of the word Hereupon also we gather that ther was no other thing grauÌted to the Apostles but that which the Prophetes had had in olde tyme that is that they should expounde the olde Scripture and shewe that those thinges that are therein taught are fulfilled in Christ and yet that they should not do the same but of the Lorde that is to saye the Spirite of Christe going before them and after a certaine maner enditing wordes vnto them For Christ limited their embassage with this condition when he commaunded them to goe and teache not such thinges as they themselues had rashly forged but al those thynges that he had coÌmaunded them And nothing could be more playnly spokeÌ thaÌ that which he saieth in an other place but be not ye called maisters for onely one is your maister Christe Then to emprint this more depely in their minde he repeteth it twise in thesame place And because their rudenesse was such that they could not coÌceiue those thynges that they had heard and learned of the mouth of their maister therfore the Spirite of trueth is promised them by whoÌ they should be directed to the true vnderstanding of al thinges For the same restrayning is to be diligeÌtly noted where this office is assigned to the Holy ghost to put them in minde of al those thinges that he before taught them by mouth Therfore Peter who was very wel taught how much he might lawfully do leaueth nothing either to himselfe or other but to distribute the doctrine deliuered of God Let him that speaketh saieth he speake as the wordes of God that is to say not doutingly as they are wont to tremble whoe 's own coÌscience misgeueth them but with sure coÌfideÌce which becoÌmeth the seruaÌt of God furnished with assured instructioÌs What other thing is this but to forbidde al inuentions of mans minde froÌ what hed soeuer they haue proceded that the pure word of God may be heard learned in the Chirch
In disputations sayeth he of diuine maters there is a prescribed doctrine of the Holy ghost the bokes of the Gospels and of the Apostles with the Oracles of the Prophetes do fully shewe vs the meanyng of God Therefore layeng away discorde let vs take the discussinges of questions out of the wordes of the Spirite There was at that tyme no man that spake agaynst these holy monitions No man toke exception that the Chirche might adde somwhat of her own that the Spirite reueled not all thynges to the Apostles or at least vttered them not to those that came after or any suche thyng If it be true whiche oure aduersaries would haue fyrste Constantine did euil that toke from the Chirche her authoritie then whereas none of the Bishops at that time rose vp to defend it this was not without breach of their faith for so they were betraiers of the right of the Chirche But sith Theodorite reherseth that they willingly embraced that which the Emperor saied it is certaine that this newe doctrine was then vtterly vnknowen The .ix. Chapter Of Councels and of their authoritie NOw although I graunt them al thinges concerning the Chirch yet they shal therby not much preuaile for their intent For whatsoeuer is said of the Chirch the same they by and by geue to the Councels forasmuche as in their opinioÌ those represent the Chirch Yea where they so stiffly contend for the power of the Chirche they doe it of no other purpose but to geue all that they can gett to the Bishop of Rome and his gard But ere I begin to discusse this question I must nedes here make protestation of twoo thinges aforehande First that where I shall in thys point be somwhat roughe it is not because I lesse esteme the olde Councels than I ought to doe For I reuerence them from my hart and wishe them to be had in their due honor with all men But herein is some meane that is that there bee nothing withdrawen from Christ. Now this is the right of Christe to be the hed in all Councells and to haue no man felow with him in this dignitie But I say that then only he is the hed when he gouerneth the whole assemblie with his worde and Spirite Secondly whereas I geue lesse to Councells thaÌ the aduersaries require I do it not for this cause that I am afrayed of the Councells as though they dyd make for their side and wer against ours For as we are aboundantly furnished with the worde of the Lord to the full profe of our owne doctrine fully and to the ouerthrowe of the whole Papistrie that we nede not muche to desire any other thing beside it so if the mater require the old Councells do for a great part minister vnto vs so much as may suffice for both Now let vs speake of the thing it selfe If it be soughte of the Scriptures what is the authoritie of Councells there is no playner promise thaÌ in this saying of Christ Where twoo or three shal be gathered together in my name there I am in the middest of them But that doeth no lesse belong to euery particular assemblie than to a generall Councell But the dout of the question standeth not therin but because there is a condition added that God wil so only be in the middest of the Councel if it be gathered together in hys name Therfore although oure aduersaries doe a thousande tymes name Councells of Bishops they shal litle preuail neither shal they make vs to beleue that which they affirme that is that they be gouerned of the Holy ghost vntil they haue proued that they are gathered together in the name of Christ. For it is as possible that wicked and euil Bishops may conspire against Christ as good and honest Bishops may come together in hys name For a very clere profe herof are many decrees that haue proceded from suche Councells But this shal be sene hereafter Nowe I do but aunswer in one worde that Christe promiseth nothing but to them that are gathered to gether in his name Let vs therfore define what that is I denye that they be gathered together in the name of Christ which casting awaye the commaundement of God wherein he forbiddeth any thing to bee added to his worde or taken from it do decree euery thyng after their owne wil which beyng not contented with the Oracles of the Scripture that is to saye the onely rule of perfecte wisedome do imagine some new thing of their owned hed Surelye sithe Christ hath not promised that he wyll be present at all Councels but hath adioyned a peculiar marke wherby to make true and lawfull Councells differente from other it is mete that we should not neglect this difference This is the couenant which in old tyme God made with the Leuitical Priests that they shold teach out of his mouth This he alway required of the Prophetes this lawe also we see to haue ben laid vpon the Apostles Who so breake this couenaÌt God doeth not vouchsafe to let them haue the honor of Presthode nor any authoritie Lette the aduersaries vndoe me this knotte if they wyl make my fayth bonde to the decrees of men beside the worde of God For wheras they think not that truth remaineth in the Chirch vnlesse it be among the Pastors and that the Chirch it self standeth not vnlesse it appere in generall Councells that is farre from hauyng ben alwaye true if the Prophetes haue left vnto vs true testimonies of their owne tymes There was in the tyme of Esaie a Chirch at Hierusalem which God had not yet forsaken But of the pastors he saith thus The watchmen are all blynde neither knowe they any thyng They are all dumme dogges neither are they able to barke They lye along and slepe and loue sleping and the Pastors themselues knowe nothyng nor do vnderstande and they do altogether loke backe vnto their owne waies After the same maner Osee saieth The watcheman of Ephraim with God the snare of the fouler hatred in the house of God Where ioyning them with God by waye of mockage he teacheth that their pretense of the presthod is vaine The Chirche also endured vnto the tyme of Hieremie Let vs heare what he saieth of the Pastors From the Prophet euen to the preste euery one foloweth lying Agayne The Prophetes doo prophecie a lye in my name when I haue not sent theim nor commaunded them And least we should be to long in recityng his wordes let those thynges be red that he hath written in the whole .xxiii. and .xl. chapiters At that time on the other side Ezechiel did no more gently inueye against the same men The conspiracie saieth he of the Prophetes in the middes of her as a roaryng lyon and that violentlye taketh his praie Her prestes haue broken my lawe and haue defiled my holy thynges and haue made no difference betwene holy and prophane and the
therin many infirmities though I speake of nothyng more greuous And Leo bishop of Rome sticketh not to charge with ambition and vnaduised rashnesse the Synode of Chalcedon which yet he confesseth to be sounde in doctrines He doeth in dede not denie that it was a lawfull Synode but he openly affirmeth that it might erre Some man peraduenture will thinke me fonde for that I busy my selfe in shewyng suche errors forasmuche as our aduersaries do confesse that Councels may erre in those thyngs that ar not necessary to saluation But this labor is not yet superfluous For althoughe because they are compelled they do in dede confesse it in worde yet when they thrust vnto vs the determination of al councels in euery mater whatsoeuer it be for an oracle of the Holy ghost they do therein require more than they toke at the beginnyng In so doing what do they affirme but that CouÌcels can not erre or if they erre yet it is not lawfull for vs to see the truthe or not to soothe their errors And I intend nothyng ells but that it may therby be gathered that the Holy ghost so gouerned the godly and holy Synodes that in the mean tyme he suffred somwhat to happen to them by the nature of men lest we shold to muche trust to men This is a muche better sentence than that of Gregorie Nazianzene that he neuer sawe a good end of any Councel For he that affirmeth that al without exception ended ill doth not leaue them much authoritie It is now nothyng nedefull to make mention seuerally of prouinciall Councells forasmuche as it is easy to iudge by the general how much authoritie they ought to haue to make newe articles of Faithe and to receiue what kynde of doctrine soeuer it pleaseth them But our Romanistes when they see that in defence of their cause all helpe of reason doth faile them do resort to that extreme and miserable shift that although the men themselues be blockishe in wit and couÌsell and moste wicked in mynde and will yet the word of God remaineth whiche coÌmaundeth to obey Rulers Is it so what if I denie that they be rulers that ar such For they ought to take vpon themselues no more than Iosua had which was bothe a Prophet of the Lord an excellent pastor But let vs heare with what wordes he is set by the Lorde into his office Let not saieth he the volume of this lawe depart from thy mouth but thou shalt studie vpon it daies nights Thou shalt neither bow to the right hand nor to the left then shalt thou direct thy way vnderstaÌd it They therfore shal be to vs spiritual rulers which shal not bowe froÌ the law of the Lord neither to the one side nor to the other But if the doctrine of al pastors whatsoeuer they be is to be receiued wtout any douting to what purpose was it that we shold so oft so earnestly be admonished not to harken to the speche of false prophets Heare not saith he by Hieremie the words of the prophets that prophecie to you For they teach you vanitie not out of the mouth of the Lord. Again Beware you of false prophets that come vnto you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues And Iohn should in vaine exhort vs that we should proue the Spirits whether they be of God From which iudgement the very Angels are not exeÌpted much lesse Satan with all his lyes What is to be said of this saying if the blind lead the blind they shal both fall into the diche Doth it not sufficiently declare that it is of great importance what maner of prophets be heard and that not all are rashely to be heard Wherfore there is no reason that they should make vs afraid with their titles therby to draw vs into partakyng of their blyndnesse forasmuche as we see on the other side that the Lorde hadde a singular care to fray vs away from suffring our selues to be led with other mens error vnder what visor of name soeuer it lurketh For if the answer of Christ be true then al blynd guides whether they be called fathers of the Chirch or prelates or bishops can do nothing but draw their partners into the same headlong downfall Wherfore let no names of Councels Pastors Bishops which may as well be falsely pretended as truely vsed hinder vs but that beyng taught by lessons both of words and examples we may examine all spirites of all men by the rule of the word of God that we may proue whether they be of God or no. Forasmuche as we haue proued that there is not geuen to the Chirch a power to set vp a newe doctrine now let vs speake of the power whiche they attribute vnto it in expoundyng of Scripture Truely we doo willingly graunt that if there happen debate about any doctrine there is no better nor surer remedy than if a Synode of true bishops assemble together where the doctrine in controuersie maie be discussed For suche a determination wherunto the Pastors of Chirches shall agree in common together calling vpon the Spirite of Christ shall haue muche greater force than if euery one seuerally should conceiue it at home so teach it to the people or if a few priuate men shold make it Again when bishops are gathered together in one they doo the more coÌmodiously take aduise in coÌmon what in what forme they ought to teach least diuersitie shold brede offence Thirdely Paule prescribeth this order in discerning of doctrines For wheras he geueth to euery seuerall Chirche a power to discerne he sheweth what is the order of doyng in weightier causes that is that the Chirches shold take vpon them a coÌmon tryall of the mater together And so doth the very feeling of godlinesse instructe vs that if any man trouble the Chirch with an vnwonted doctrine the mater procede so farre that there be peril of greater dissention the Chirches shold first mete together and examine the question propounded at last after iuste discussing had bryng foorthe a determination taken out of the Scripture suche as may both take away doutyng out of the people and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and gredy men that they may not bee so hardy to procede any further So when Arrius was risen the Nicene Synode was gathered together whiche with the authoritie therof bothe did breake the wicked endeuors of the vngodly man and restored peace to the Chirches whiche he had vexed and defended the eternall godhead of Christ againste his blasphemous doctrine When afterward Eunonius and Macedonius stirred vp new troubles their madnesse was resisted with like remedie by the Synode of Constantinople In the CouÌsel at Ephesus the wickednesse of Nestorius was banished Finally this hath ben from the beginning the ordinarie meane in the Chirch to preserue vnitie so ofte as Satan began to worke any thyng But let vs remembre that not in all ages or in all places
is not possible but that all this kynd of dominion must immediatly be ouerthrowen and fall down As for the power of the swerd whiche they also geue to themselues because it is not exercised vppon conscieÌces it pertaineth not to our present purpose to entreate of it In which behalf yet it is also to note that they be alwaye like themselues verily nothyng lesse than that which they would be taken for that is to say Pastors of the Chirch Neither do I blame the peculiar faultes of men but the common wickednesse of the whole order yea the verye pestilence of the order forasmuch as it is thought that the same should be maymed vnlesse it be gloriously set forth with welth and proude titles If we require the authoritie of Christ concernyng this mater it is no dout but that his mynd was to debarre the ministers of his word from ciuile dominion and earthly gouernement when he said The kyngs of the Gentiles beare rule ouer them but you shall not so For he signifieth not onely that the office of Pastor is distinct from the office of a Prince but that they be thynges so seuered that they can not mete together in one man For wheras Moses did beare both the offices together First that was done by a rare myracle agayne it was but for a time tyl thinges were better set in order But when a certaine forme was ones prescribed of God the ciuile gouernement was left vnto him and he was coÌmaunded to resigne the priesthode to his brother And worthily For it is aboue nature that one maÌ shold suffise to beare both burdens And this hath in all ages beene diligently obserued in the Chirche And there was neuer any of the Bishoppes so long as the true forme of the Chirch endured that ones thought of vsurping the power of the swerd so that this was a common prouerbe in the tyme of Ambrose that Emperors rather coueted the prestehode than prestes the empire For this which he afterwarde sayth was emprinted in the myndes of all men that palaces perteined to the Emperor and Chirches to the prest But sins that a way hath ben deuised wherby Bishops myght holde the title honor and richesse of their office withoute burden or care least they should be lefâe altogether idle the power of the swerde was geuen them or rather they dyd by vsurpation take it vpon theÌ selues By what color wil they defend this shamelesnesse Was this the dutie of Bishops to wrappe themselues with iudiciall hearyng of causes wyth the gouernementes of cities prouinces through large circuites to meddle in businesses so vnperteining to them which haue so much worke businesse in their owne office that if they were wholly and continually occupied in it and were withdrawen with no callinges away from it yet they were scarcely able to satisfie it But suche is their waywardnesse they sticke not to bost that by this meane the Chirch doth florishe accordyng to her worthinesse and that they them selues in the meane tyme are not to muche drawen away from the dueties of their vocation As touchyng the first point if this be a comely ornament of the holy office that they be aduaunced to suche heighth that the hyest monarches may stand in feare of them then they haue cause to quarel with Christ which hath in such sort greuously pinched their honor For at lest in their opinion what could haue ben spoken more dishonorably than these words The kinges of the Gentiles and princes beare rule ouer them but you shall not so And yet he layd no harder lawe vppon his seruantes than he first layde and receiued vpon himselfe Who sayth he hath made me a iudge or diuider among you We see that he plainly putteth away froÌ hymselfe the office of iudgyng whych he wolde not do if it were a thing agreyng with his office will not the seruantes suffer themselues to be brought into that order wherunto the Lorde hath yelded hymselfe subiecte As for the other pointe I woulde to God they coulde so proue it in experience as it is easy to speake it But forasmuche as the Apostles thoughte it not good to leaue the woorde of God and minister at tables therby because they will not be taught they are conuinced that it is not all one mans woorke to be bothe a good Bishoppe and a good Prince For if they whyche accordyng to the largenesse of the giftes wherwith they were endued were able to satisfie moe and greater cares than any men that haue ben borne since them haue yet confessed that they can not at ones applie the ministerie both of the worde and of tables but that they shold faint vnder the burden how could these that be meÌ of no valor in coÌparison of the Apostles a hundred folde excell the industrie of the Apostles Truely to attempt it was a point of most shamlesse to presumptuous boldnesse yet we se that it hath ben atteÌpted but with what successe it is euidence For it could not otherwise come to passe but that forsaking their owne office they shold remoue into other mens charge And it is no dout but that of smal beginnyng they haue by litle litle groweÌ to so great encreases For it was not possible that they shold at the first step clime vp so hie But somtime with suttletie and crooked crafty meanes they priuily auaunced them selues so as no man coulde foresee that it would come to passe tyll it was done somtime when occasion serued they did by terror and thretenings wryng from princes some augmentation of theyr power sometime when they sawe Princes not hard laced to geue they abused theyr fonde and vnaduised gentlenesse In olde tyme if any controuersie happened the godly to escape the necessitie of goyng to lawe committed the arbitrement to the Bishop because they douted not his vprightnesse With such arbitrementes the olde Bishops were ofteÌtimes encoÌbred which in dede greatly displeased theÌ as Augustine in one place testifieth but least the parties should runne to contentious lawyng they did though against their willes take that encumbrance vpon them These men haue of voluntarie arbitrementes whiche were altogether differyng from the noyse of iudiciall courtes made an ordinarie iurisdiction In a litle whyle after when cities and contrees were troubled with diuerse harde distresses they resorted to the protection of Bishops to be sauegarded by their faithful succour the Bishoppes by marueilous sutteltie of protectors made them selues Lordes Yea and it can not be denyed that they haue gotten the possession of a greate parte by violente seditious partakinges As for the Princes that willingly gaue iurisdiction to Bishops they were by diuerse affections moued thereunto But admitting that their gentlenesse had some shew of godlinesse yet with this their wrongfull liberalitie they dyd not very well prouide for the profite of the Chirch whoe 's auÌcient and true discipline they haue so corrupted yea to say truthe haue vtterly
that Baptisme is nothing ells but a marke and token wherby we professe our religion before men as soldiars beare the conufance of their capitaine for a marke of their profession wey not that which was the chefe thing in Baptisme That is this that we shoulde receiue it with this promise that whosoeuer beleue and are Baptised shal be saued In this sense is that to be vnderstode which Paule writeth that the Chirch is sanctified of Christ her spouse and cleansed with washing of water in the worde of lyfe And in an other place that we are saued according to his mercy by the washing of regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy ghost And that which Peter writeth that Baptisme saueth vs. For Paules will was not to signifie that our washing and saluation is perfectly made by water or that water conteyneth in it self the power of cleanse regenerate and renew Neither did Peter meane the cause of saluation but only the knowlege certaintie of such giftes to be receiued in this Sacrament which is euidently enough expressed in the wordes themselues For Paul knitteth together the word of lyfe Baptisme of water as if he had sayd that by the Gospel the message of washing sanctifieng is brought vs that by Baptisme such message is sealed And Peter immediatly adioyneth that that Baptisme is not the putting away of the filthinesse of the flesh but a good coÌscience before God which is of Fayth Yea Baptisme promiseth vs no other cleansing but by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ which is figured by water for the lykenesse of cleansing washing Who therefore can say that we be cleansed by thys water which certainly testifieth that the blood of Christ is oure true onely washing So that froÌ no where ells can be fetched a surer reason to confute their blinde error which referr al thinges to the power of the water thaÌ from the signification of Baptisme it selfe which doth withdraw vs as wel from that visible element which is set before oure eies as from all other meanes that it may bynde our mindes to Christ alone Neither is it to be thought that Baptisme is applied only to the time past that for new fallinges into whiche we fall backe after Baptisme we must seke new remedies of clensing in I wote not what other Sacramentes as thoughe the force of Baptisme were worne out of vse By this error it came to passe in old time that some would not be Baptised but in the vttermost peril of life and at their laste gaspinges that so they might obteine pardon of their whole life Against whiche waywarde suttle prouision the olde Bishops so oft inuey in their writinges But thus we ought to thinke that at what time soeuer we be Baptised we are at ones washed and cleansed for al our life Therfore so ofte as we fal we must goe backe to the remembrance of Baptisme and therewith we must arme our minde that it may be alway certaine and assured of the forgeuenesse of sinnes For though when it is ones ministred it semeth to be past yet by later sinnes it is not abolished For the cleannesse of Christ is therin offred vs that alway florisheth is oppressed with no spottes but ouerwhelmeth wypeth away al our filthinesse yet oughte we not to take therof a libertie to sinne in tyme to come as verily we be not hereby armed to such boldnesse but this doctrine is geuen onely to them which when they haue sinned doe grone weryed and oppressed vnder their sinnes that they may haue wherwith thei may raise vp and comfort themselues least they should fal into confusion and desperatioÌ So Paule sayth that Christ was made to vs a propitiator vnto the forgeuenesse of faultes going before Wherin he denieth not that therin is obteined perpetual continual forgeuenesse of sinnes eueÌ vnto death but he meaneth that it was geueÌ of the Father onely to poore synners which wounded with the searing iron of conscience to sighe to the Phisitian To these the mercy of God is offred They whiche by escaping of punishment do hunt for mater and libertie to sinne dooe nothing but prouoke to themselues the wrath and iugement of God I knowe in dede that it is commonly thought otherwise that by the benefite of repentance and of the keyes we do after Baptisme obteine forgeuenesse which at our first regeneration is geuen vs by only Baptisme But they which deuise this do erre herin that they do not remember that the power of the keyes wherof they speake doth so hang vpon Baptisme that it ought in no wise to be seuered The sinner receiueth forgeuenesse by the ministerie of the Chirch namely not without the preaching of the Gospell But what maner of preaching is that That we be cleansed from sinnes by the blood of Christ. But what signe and testimonie is there of that washing but Baptisme We se therfore how that absolution is referred to Baptisme And this error hath bredde vs the fayned Sacrament of Penance of which I haue touched somwhat before and the residue I wil make an ende of in place fit for it But it is no maruell if men which according to the grossenesse of their witt were immeasurably fast tyed to outwarde thynges haue in this behalfe also bewrayed that faulte that not contented with the pure institution of God they did thrust in newe helpes fayned of themselues As thoughe Baptisme it selfe were not a Sacrament of repentance But if repentance be commended to vs for our whole life the force also of Baptisme ought to be extended to the same boundes Wherfore it is also no doute but that all the godly throughout all their life long so oft as they be vexed with knowlege in conscience of their owne sinnes dare calle backe themselues to the remeÌbrance of Baptisme that therby they may confirme themselues in the affiance of that onely and continuall washing which we haue in the blood of Christ. It bringeth also an other fruit because it sheweth vs our mortificatioÌ in Christ and new life in hym For as the Apostle saith we are baptised into his death beyng buried together with hym into death that we may walke in newnesse of life By whiche wordes he doth not only exhort vs to the folowyng of hym as though he did saye that we are by Baptisme put in mynde that after a certaine example of the deathe of Christ we should die to our lustes and after the example of his resurrection we shold be raised vp to righteousnesse but he fetcheth the mater muche deper that is to say that by Baptisme Christ hath made vs partakers of his death that we may be graffed into it And as the graffe receiueth substaÌce and nourishmeÌt of the roote into which it is graffed so they that receiue Baptisme with such faith as thei ought do truly fele the effectualnesse of the death of Christ in the mortifiyng of their flesh and therwithall
also they fele the effect of his resurrection in the quicknyng of the Spirite Herupon he gathereth mater of exhortation that if we be Christians we ought to be dead to sinne and to lyue to righteousnesse This selfe same argument he vseth in an other place that we be circumcised and haue put of the olde man sins that we bee buried in Christ by Baptisme And in this sense in the same place which we haue before alleged he called it the washyng of regeneration of renewing Therfore first free forgeuenesse of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse is promised vs and then the grace of the Holy ghoste whiche may reforme vs into newnesse of life Last of all our Faith receiueth also this profite of Baptisme that it certainly testifieth vnto vs that we are not only graffed into the death and life of Christ but that we are so vnited to Christ hymselfe that we are partakers of all his good thynges For therfore he hath dedicated and halowed Baptisme in his owne body that he might haue it coÌmon with vs as a most strong bonde of the vnitie and felowshyp which he vouchsaued to entre into with vs so that Paul proueth therby that we be the children of God because we haue put on Christ in Baptisme So we see that the fulfillyng of Baptisme is in Christ whome also for this reason we call the propre obiect of Baptisme Therfore it is no meruaile if it be reported that the Apostles baptised into his name which yet wer commaunded to baptise into the name of the Father also and of the Holy ghost For whatsoeuer giftes of God are set foorth in Baptisme are founde in Christ alone And yet it can not be but that he whiche baptiseth into Christ do therwithall call vppon the name of the Father and of the Holy ghost For we are therfore cleansed with his blood because the merciful Father accordyng to his incomparable kyndnesse willing to receiue vs into fauor hath set him a mediator in the middest to procure to vs fauor with him But regeneration we so only obteyne by his death and resurrection if beyng sanctified by the Spirite we be endued with a new and spirituall nature Wherfore both of our cleansyng regeneration we obteine after a certaine maner distinctly perceiue the cause in the Father the mater in the Sonne and the effect in the Holy ghost So Iohn first baptised so afterwarde the Apostles with the baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes meanyng by this worde repentance suche regeneration and by forgeuenesse of sinnes washyng Whereby also it is made moste certaine that the ministerie of Iohn was altogether the same which was afterwarde committed to the Apostles For the diuers handes wherewith it is ministred make not the Baptisme diuers but the same doctrine sheweth it to be the same Baptisme Iohn and the Apostles agreed into one doctrine bothe baptised into repentance bothe into the forgeuenesse of sinnes bothe into the name of Christe from whome was bothe repentance and forgeuenesse of sinnes Iohn saied that he was the lambe of God by whome the sinnes of the worlde shoulde be taken away where he made him the Sacrifice acceptable to the Father the propitiator of righteousnesse the author of saluation What coulde the Apostles adde to this confession Wherfore let it trouble no man that the olde writers labor to seuer the one from the other whoe 's voice we oughte not so muche to esteme that it may shake the certaintie of the Scripture For who will rather harkeÌ to Chrysostome denyeng that forgeuenesse of sinnes was comprehended in the Baptisme of Iohn than to Luke contrarywyse affirming that Iohn preached the Baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Neither is that suttletie of Augustine to be receyued that in the Baptisme of Iohn sinnes were forgeuen in hope but in the Baptisme of Christ they are forgeuen in dede For where as the Euangelist plainly testifieth that Iohn in his Baptisme promised the forgeuenesse of sinnes what nede we to abate this title of commendation when no necessitie compelleth vs vnto it But if any man seke for a difference out of the worde of God he shall fynd none other but this that Iohn baptised into hym that was to come the Apostles into hym that had already presented himselfe As for this that more abundant graces of the Spirite were poured out sins the resurrection of Christ it maketh nothyng to stablishe a diuersitie of Baptismes For the Baptisme which the Apostles ministred while he was yet conuersant in earth was called his yet it had no larger plentifulnesse of the Spirite than the Baptisme of Iohn Yea eueÌ after his asceÌsion the Spirit was not geuen to the Samaritans aboue the common measure of the Faithfull before the ascension althoughe they were baptised into the name of Iesus till Peter Iohn wer sent vnto them to lay theyr hands vpon them This only thyng as I think deceiued the old writers that they said that the Baptisme of Iohn was but a preparation to the baptisme of Christ because they red that they were baptised againe of Paul which had ones receiued the baptisme of Iohn But howe muche they were herein deceiued shall ells where be plainely declared in place fitte for it What is it therfore that Iohn said that he baptised in dede with water but that Christ should come whiche should baptise with the Holy ghoste and with fyre This maye in fewe wordes be assoiled For he meant not to put difference betwene the one Baptisme and the other but he compared his own person with the person of Christ saiyng that himselfe was a minister of water but that Christ was the geuer of the Holy ghost and should declare this power by visible miracle the same day that he should sende the Holy ghost to the Apostles vnder fyry tonges What coulde the Apostles boast of more than this What more could they also that baptise at this day For they be onely ministers of the outwarde signe and Christ is the author of the inward grace as the same olde writers theÌselues do euery where teach and specially Augustine whose principal stay agaynst the Donatistes is this that what a one soeuer he be that baptizeth yet only Christ is ruler of it These thynges which we haue spoken bothe of mortification and of washyng are shadowed out in the people of Israell whom for the same cause the Apostle sayth to haue ben baptised in the cloude and in the sea Mortifiyng was figured when the Lorde deliueryng them oute of the hande of Pharao and from cruell bondage made for them a waye thorough the redde sea and drowned Pharao hymselfe and the EgyptiaÌs their enemies that folowed them hard at their backes and were euen in their neckes to ouertake them For after the same maner also he promiseth to vs in Baptisme and by a signe geuen sheweth vs that we
comming diminished or cut short the grace of his Father Which sayeng is not wtout abhominable blasphemie Wherfore as euen the children of the Iewes wer called a holy sede because beyng made heires of the same couenant they were made differing from the children of the vngodly for the same reson euen yet also the children of Christians are accompted holy yea although they be the issue but of one parent faythfull and as the Apostle witnesseth they differ from the vncleane sede of idolatrers Now when the Lord immediatly after the couenant made with Abraham commaunded the same to be sealed in infantes with an outwarde Sacrament what cause will Christians allege why they should not at this day testifie and seale thesame in their children Neither let any maÌ obiecte against me that the Lorde commaunded hys couenante to be confirmed with no other signe than of circumcision which is long agoe taken away For we haue in redinesse to answere that for the tyme of the olde testamente he ordeined circumcision to confirme his couenant but circumcision being taken away yet alway remaineth the same maner of confirming whiche we haue common with the Iewes Wherfore we must alway diligently consider what is common to bothe and what they haue seuerall from vs. The couenant is common the cause of confirming it is common Onely the manner of confirming is diuerse because circumcision was that to them in place whereof Baptisme hath succeded among vs. Otherwise if the testimonie whereby the Iewes were assured of the saluation of their sede be taken away from vs it shoulde be broughte to passe by the comming of Christ that the grace of God should be darker and lesse approued by testimonies to vs than it was before to the Iewes If that can not be sayd wtout extreme sclaunder of Christ by whom the infinite goodnesse of the Father hath more clerely and liberally than euer heretofore ben poured fourth vpon the earth and declared to men we must nedes graunt that it is at the least not more pinchingly to be suppressed nor to be sett fourth with lesse testimonie than it was vnder the darke shadowes of the lawe Wherefore the Lorde Iesus mynding to shewe a token whereby the worlde mighte vnderstande that he was come rather to enlarge than to limit the mercy of God gently embraced children offred vnto hym rebuking the disciples which went about to forbid them to come to hym forasmuche as they did leade those to whome the kingdome of heauen belongeth away from him by whome alone the entrie is open into heauen But will some man say what like thing hath Baptisme with this embracing of Christ. For neither is it reported that he Baptized them but that he receiued them embraced them and wished them well Therefore if we lift to folowe his example let vs helpe infantes with prayer but not Baptise them But let vs weye the doinges of Christe somwhat more hedefully than suche kinde of men doe For neither is this to be lightly passed ouer that Christ commaundeth infantes to be brought vnto him adding a reasoÌ why because of such is the kingdome of heauen And afterwarde he witnesseth hys wil with dede when embracing them he commendeth them to his Father with his praier and blessing If it be mete that infantes be brought to Christ why is it not also mete that they be receiued to Baptisme the signe of our communion and felowship with Christ If the kingdome of heaueÌ be theirs why shall the signe be denied them wherby there is as it were an entrie opened into the Chirch that being admitted into it they may be adnoÌbred among the hetres of the heauenly kingdome Howe vninst shall we be if we dryue away them whome Christ calleth vnto hym if we spoyle them whome he garnisheth with his gyftes if we shutt out them whoÌ he willingly receiueth But if we will examine howe muche that which Christe there did differeth from Baptisme yet of howe muche greater pryce shall we haue Baptisme whereby we testifie that infantes are conteined in the couenant of God than receiuing embracing layeng on of handes and prayer whereby Christe himselfe being presente declareth that they bothe are hys and are sanctified of hym By the other cauillations whereby they labor to mocke out thys place they doe nothing but bewraye their owne ignorance For they gather an argument of this which Christ sayth Let litle ones come to me that they were in age good bigg ones whiche were allredy able to goe But they are called of the Euangelistes brephe and paidia by which wordes the Grekes doe signifie babes yet hanging on the brestes Therefore thys woorde to come is simply sette for to haue accesse Loe what snares they are compelled to make which are growen hard againste the truthe Nowe where they saye that the kingdome of heauen is not geuen to them but to suche as be lyke them because it is saied to be of suche not of them that is no sounder than the rest For if that be graunted what maner of reason shal the reason of Christ be wherby he meaneth to shewe that infantes in age are not strangers from hym When he commaundeth that infantes be suffered to haue accesse vnto him nothyng is plainer than that very infancie in dede is there spoken of And that this should not seme an absurditie he by and by addeth of suche is the kingdome of heauen But if it muste nedes be that infantes be comprehended herein it muste be plaine that by this worde Suche are meant very infantes themselues and suche as be like them Now there is no man that seeth not that Baptisme of infantes was not framed by man which is vpholden by so great approuyng of Scripture Neither doo they colorably enough play the fooles which obiect that it is no where found that any one infant was baptised by the handes of the Apostles For although it be not expressly by name rehearsed of the Euangelistes yet because agayne they are not excluded so ofte as mention happeneth to be made of the baptisyng of any householde who vnlesse he be madde can reason therupon that they were not baptised If such argumentes were of any force women should be forbidden to partake of the Lordes supper whome we reade not to haue ben receiued vnto it in the tyme of the Apostles But here we bee contente with the rule of faith For when we consider what the institution of the Sâpper requireth therby also we maye easily iudge to whom the vse therof ought to be communicated Which we obserue also in Baptisme For when we marke to what ende it was ordeined we euidently espye that it belongeth no lesse to infants than to elder folkes Therefore they can not be depriued of it but that the will of the author muste be manifestly defrauded But wheras they spred abrode among the simple people that there passed a long roawe of yeares after the resurrection of Christ in which the Baptisme of
As when he promised euerlastyng blessednesse to his seruant Abraham that he myght sett before his eies a manifest token of his fauor he addeth an other promise concernyng the possession of the lande of Chanaan After this maner we ought to vnderstande al the earthly promises that are geuen to the Iewiche nation that the spirituall promise as the hed wherunto they are directed shold alway haue the chefe place But sithe I haue more largely entreated of these thynges in the difference of the newe and olde testament therfore nowe I do the more slightly knitte it vp In the namyng of the children they finde this diuersitie that in the olde testament they were called the children of Abraham whiche issued of his sede but that nowe they are called by that name whiche follow his faith And that therfore that carnall infantie which was by circuÌcision graffed into the felowship of the couenant figured the infantes of the newe testament whyche are regenerate by the worde of God to immortall lyfe In whych woordes we beholde in dede a smalle sparcle of truthe but herin these lyghte spirites greuously offende that when they catche holde of that whyche fyrste commeth to theyr hande when they should go further and compare many thynges together they stand slytly vpon one worde Wherby it can not otherwyse bee but that they must somtyme be deceiued whych rest vpon the sounde knowlege of nothyng We graunt in dede that the carnall seede of Abraham did for a tyme holde the place of the spirituall sede whiche is by faith graffed into hym For we be called his children howsoever there is no naturall kinred betwene hym and vs. But if they meane as they playnly shew that they doo that there was neuer spirituall blessing promised to the carnal sede of Abraham herein they are muche deceiued Wherfore we muste leuell to a better marke whereunto we are directed by the moste certaine guidyng of the Scripture The Lorde therefore promised to Abraham that he shoulde haue a seede wherein all nations of the earthe shall be blessed and therwithall assureth hym that he would be a God to hym and his sede Whosoeuer do by Faith receiue Christe the author of blessyng are heires of this promise and therefore are called the children of Abraham But althoughe sins the resurrection of Christe the boundes of the kingdome of God haue begonne to be farre and wide enlarged into all nations without difference that according to the saying of Christ faithfull ones should be gathered from euery part to sit downe in the heaueÌly glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob yet he had many ages before extended that same so great mercie to the Iewes And because passing ouer all other he had chosen out that only nation in which he wold restraine his grace for a tyme called them his peculiar possessioÌ his purchased people For testifiyng of suche liberalitie Circumcision was geuen by the signe wherof the Iewes might be taught that God is to them the author of saluation by which knowledge their myndes were raised into hope of eternal life For what shal he want whoÌ God hath ons receiued into his charge Wherfore the Apostle meaning to proue that the Gentiles were the children of Abraham as well as the Iewes speaketh in this maner Abraham saith he was iustified by faith in vncircuÌcision Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that he should be the father of all the faithfull both of vncircumcision and of circumcision not of them that glorie of only circumcision but of them that folow the fââth which our father Abraham had in vncircumcision Do not we see that both sortes are made egall in dignitie ⪠For during the tyme appointed by the decree of God he was the father of circumcision When the wall being plucked downe as the Apostle writeth in an other place by which the Iewes wer seuered from the Gentiles the entrie was made open to them also into the kingdome of God he was made their father and that without the signe of circumcision because they haue Baptisme in stede of circumcision But wher he expresly by name denyeth that Abraham is father to them which are of circumcision only that same was spoken to abate the pride of certaine which omittyng the care of godlynesse did bost themselues of only Ceremonies After which maner at this day also their vanitie may be confuted which seke in Baptisme nothyng but water But an other place of the Apostle out of the .ix. Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romaines shal be alleged to the contrary where he teacheth that they whiche are of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but they onely are compted his sede whiche are the children of promise For he seemeth to signifie that the carnall kynred of Abraham is nothyng which yet we do set in some degre But it is more diligeÌtly to be marked what mater the Apostle there entreateth of For meaning to shew to the Iewes how much the goodnesse of god was not bouÌd to the sede of AbrahaÌ yea howe it nothyng auayleth of it selfe he bringeth forth Ismael and Esau for example proue it whome beeyng refused as if they were strangers although they were accordyng to the fleshe the naturall ofspryng of Abraham the blessing rested in Isaac and Iacob Wherupon is gathered that which he afterwarde affirmeth that saluation hangeth of the mercie of God whiche he extendeth to whome it pleaseth hym and that there is no cause why the Iewes shold stand in their own conceite or boast vpon the name of the couenaÌt vnlesse they kepe the law of the couenant that is to say do obey the worde Agayne when he hath throwen them downe from vaine confidence of their kinred yet because on the other side he sawe that the couenant which was ones made of God with the posteritie of Abraham coulde in no wyse be made voyd in the xi chapiter he argueth that the carnall kinred is not to be spoyled of his due dignitie by the beneficiall meane wherof he teacheth that the Iewes are the first and naturall heires of the Gospell but in respecte that by their vnthankfulnesse they were forsaken as vnworthy yet so that the heuenly blessyng is not vtterly remoued from their nation For whiche reason howe muche soeuer they were stubborne and couenant breakers neuerthelesse he calleth them holye so muche honor he geueth to the holy generation with whom God had vouchsaued to make his holy couenant but calleth vs if we be compared with them as it were after borne yea or the vntimely borne children of Abraham and that by adoption not by nature as if a twigg broken of from his naturall tree should be graffed into a strange stocke Therefore that they should not be defrauded of their prerogatiue it behoued that the Gospel should be first preached to them for they be in the household of God as it were the first begotten children
name of water For after that Christ had declared to Nicodemus the corruption of nature and taught hym that men must be borne of newe because Nicodemus dreamed of a bodily newe birth he there shewed the maner how God doth regenerate vs namely by water and the Spirite as though he should say by the Spirite which in cleansing and watering faithfull soules doth the office of water Therefore I take water and the Spirite simply for the Spirite which is water Neither is this a new forme of speche for it altogether agreeth with the same which is in the thirde Chapter of Mathewe He that foloweth me it is he that Baptiseth in the Holy ghost and fier Therfore as to Baptise in the Holy ghost and fier is to geue the Holy ghost which hath the office and nature of fier so to be borne againe of water and the Spirite is nothing ells but to receiue that power of the holy Spirite which doth the same thing in the soule that water doth in the body I knowe that other do otherwise expounde it but I am oute of doute that thys is the naturall meaning because the purpose of Christ is none other but to teache that all they must put of their owne nature which aspire to the heauenly kingdome Howebit if we list to cauil vnsauoryly as they do it were easy for vs when we haue graunted as they woulde haue it to inferre vpon them that Baptisme is before Fayth and repentance forasmuch as in the wordes of Christe it goeth before the Spirite It is certaine that this is vnderstanded of Spirituall giftes which if they come after Baptisme I haue obteined what I require But leauing cauillations we must holde fast the playne exposition which I haue brought that no maÌ til he haue ben renewed with liuing water that is with the Spirite can enter into the kingdome of God Nowe hereby also it is euident that their fayned inuention is to be hissed out which adiudge al the vnbaptised to eternal death Therfore let vs according to their request imagine Baptisme to be ministred to none but to them that be growen in age what will they saye shall become of a childe whiche is rightly and well instructed with the introductions of godlynesse if when the day of Baptising is at hande he happen to be taken away with soden death beside all mennes hope The Lordes promise is cleare that whosoever hath beleued in the Sonne shall not see death nor shall come into iugemente but is allredy passed from death into life and it is no where founde that he euer damned him that was not yet Baptised Whiche I would not haue so taken of me as though I meant that Baptisme might freely be despised by which despising I affirme that the Lordes couenant is defiled so much lesse can I abide to excuse it onely it is enough for me to proue that it is not so necessarie that he should be immediatly thought to be lost from whome power is taken away to obteine it But if we agree to their fained deuise we shall damne all them without exception whom any chaunce withholdeth from Baptisme with how great Faith soeuer by which Christ himself is possessed otherwise they are endued Moreouer they make all infantes giltye of eternall death to whome they deny Baptisme which by their own confession is necessarie to saluation Now let them loke how trimly they agree with the wordes of Christ by which the kingdome of heauen is adiudged to that age But to graunte them euery thing so much as perteineth to the vnderstanding of thys place yet they shall gather nothing thereof vnlesse they ouerthrowe the former doctrine which we haue stablished concernyng the regeneration of infantes But they glory that they haue the strongest holde of all in the very institutioÌ of Baptisme which they fetch out of the last Chapter of Mathew where Christ sending fourth hys Apostles to all nations geueth them the first commaundement to teache them and the seconde to Baptise them Then also out of the last of Marke they adioine this He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued What seke we further saye they when the Lordes owne wordes doe openly sounde that we must firste teach ere we Baptise and do assigne to Baptisme the seconde state after Faith Of which order the Lord also shewed an example in himself which would be Baptised not tyll the thirtyth yere But here O good God how many wayes doe they both entangle theÌselues and bewraye their owne ignorance For herein they now more than childishly erre that they fetche the firste institution of Baptisme from thense whiche Christ had from the beginning of his preaching geuen in charge to hys Apostles to minister Therfore there is no cause why they shoulde affirme that the law and rule of Baptisme is to be fetched out of these places as though they conteined the first institution therof But to beare with them for thys fault yet how strong is thys manner of reasoning Truly if I listed to dally with them there is not a litle lurking hole but a most wyde felde offreth it selfe open for vs to escape them For when they sticke so fast to the order of wordes that they gather that because it is sayd Goe preach and Baptise Againe he that beleueth and is Baptised therfore they must preach before that they Baptise and beleue before that they require Baptisme why may not we agayn answere them with sayeng that we must Baptise before that we muste teache the keping of those thinges that Christ hath commaunded namely sithe it is sayd Baptise ye teaching them to kepe whatsoeuer thinges I haue commaunded you whiche same thing we haue noted in that sayeng of Christ which hath ben euen now alleged concerning the regeneration of water and the Spirite For if it be so vnderstode as they would haue it verily in that place Baptisme must be before spiritual regeneration because it is named in the first place for Christ doth teach that we must be regenerate not of the Spirite and water but of water and the Spirite Nowe this inuincible reason whereupon they beare themselues so bolde semeth to be somwhat shaken but because truth hath defense enough in simplicitie I wil not escape away with such light argumentes Therfore let them take with them a ful answer Christ in this place geueth the chefe commaundement concerning preaching of the Gospell whereunto he adioyneth the ministerie of Baptisme as an additioÌ haÌging vpon it Againe he speaketh none otherwise of Baptisme but so farr as the ministration of it is vnder the office of teaching For Christ sendeth the Apostles to publishe the Gospel to al the natioÌs of the world that they should from eche where with the doctrine of saluation gather together into hys kyngdome men that before were lost But whom or what maner of men It is certaine that there is no mentioÌ but of them that are able to
had a liuely image in the outwarde signe Christes wil was by the outward signe to testifie that hys fleshe is meate If he did set before vs only an empty imaginatiue forme of bred not true bread where were the correlation or similitude which should leade vs froÌ the visible thing to the inuisible For that al thinges may agree together the signification shall extende no further but that we be fed with the forme of the fleshe of Christ. As if in Baptisme the forme of water should deceiue our eyes it should not be to vs a certayne pledge of our washing yea by that deceitfull shewe there should be geuen vs an occasion of wauering Therfore the nature of the Sacrament is ouerthrowen vnlesse in the maner of signifieng the earthly signe answer to the heauenly thing And therefore we lose the truth of thys mysterie vnlesse true bred represent to vs the true body of Christ. I repete it againe Sith the Supper is nothing ells than a visible testifieng of that promise which is in the vi chapter of Iohn namely that Christ is the bred of lyfe which came downe from heauen there must be visible bred vsed for a meane wherby that same spirituall bred may be figured vnlesse we will that we lose all the frute whiche in this behalfe God tenderly graunteth to susteine our weakenesse Now by what reason should Paule gather that all we are one body and one bred whiche doe together partake of one bred if there remayned onely an imaginatiue forme and not rather a naturall truth of bred But they could neuer haue ben so fowly begyled with the deceites of Satan but because they wer alredy bewitched with this error that the body of Christ enclosed vnder bred was by the bodily mouth sent down into the belly The cause of so brutishe imagination was that consecration signified as much among them as a magical enchauntment But thys principle was vnknowen to them that bread is a Sacramente to none but to men to whom the worde is directed lyke as the water of Baptisme is not changed in it selfe but so sone as the promise is adioyned it beginneth to be that to vs which it before was not Thys shall better appeare by example of a lyke Sacrament The water springing out of the rocke in the desert was to the fathers a token and signe of the same thing which the wyne doth figure to vs in the Supper For Paul teacheth that they dronke the same spirituall drinke But it was a common watering for the beastes and cattell of the people Wherupon it is easily gathered that in earthly elementes when they are applyed to a spirituall vse there is made no other turning but in respect of men in so much as they are to them seales of the promises Moreouer sithe Gods purpose is as I often repete as it were by handsome chariots to lift vs vp to himselfe they doe by their waywardenesse wickedly disapoint the same which do in dede cal vs to Christ but lurkig inuisibly vnder bred For it is not possible that the mynde of men vncombryng it selfe from the immesurablenesse of places should atteine to Christ euen aboue the heauens That which nature denyed them they attempted to amende with a more hurtfull remedie that abiding in earth we should nede no heauenly nerenesse of Christ. Lâe this is the necessitie that compelled them to transfigure the body of Christ. In Bernardes time althoughe a harder maner of speaking was growen in vse yet transubstantiation was not then knowen And in all ages before that this similitude dyd flye aboute in every mans mouth that there is with bred and wyne a spiritual thing ioyned in thys mysterie Of the wordes they answer as they thinke wittily but bringing nothing fit for thys preseÌt cause The rod of Moses say they being turned into a Serpent although it dyd get the name of a Serpent yet kepeth stil the olde name and is called a rod. So in their opinion it is as probable that although the bred passe into a new substance it may be abusively and yet not vnaptly called that which it appeareth to the eies But what likelhode or nerenesse fynde they betwene a cleare miracle and their fained illusion of whiche no eye in earth is witnesse The Magicians had mocked with deceites so that the Egiptians were persuaded that they excelled in diuine power to change creatures aboue the order of nature Moses came fourth dryuing away all their deceites shewed that the inuincible power of God was on his side because his owne rod consumed al the rest But forasmuch as that was a turning discernable with eyes therfore as we haue sayd it perteyneth nothing to thys preseÌt cause and in a litle time after the rod visibly returned into his own forme Beside that it is not knowen whether that soden turning was of substance or no. Also the alluding to the rods of the Magicians is to be coÌsidered which the Prophet therfore would not call Serpentes least he should seme to signifie a turning where none was because those deceiuers had done nothing but cast a myst before the eies of the beholders What likenesse herewith haue these formes of speche The bred which we breake So ofte as ye shal eate this bred They coÌmmunicated in breaking of bred and suche other It is certaine that their eyes were only deceiued with the enchantmeÌt of the Magicians As concerning Moses the mater is more douteful by whose hande it was no more hard for God to make of a rod a Serpent and againe of a Serpent to make a rod thaÌ to cloth Angels with fleshly bodies by and by after to vncloth them If the nature of thys mysterie were the same or like there were some color for their solution Let this therfore remaine certaine that it is not truly nor fittly promised vs that in the Supper the flesh of Christ is truely to vs for meate vnlesse the true substance of the outwarde Signe agree with it And as one error groweth of an other the place of Ieremie is so foolishlye wrested to proue transubstantiation that it irketh me to reherse it The Prophet complaineth that wood is put in his bred meaning that by the crueltie of his enemies his bred was infected with bitternesse As Dauid with a like figure bewayleth that his meate was corrupted with gall and hys drynke with vineger These men will haue it that the body of Christ was by way of allegorie fastened to the crosse But some of the olde fathers thought so As though we ought not rather to pardoÌ their ignorance and to bury their shame than to adde shamelessnesse to compell them yet still to fight like enemies with the natural meaning of the Prophet Other which see that the proportionall relation of the signe and the thing signified can not be ouerthrowen but that the truth of the mysterie must fal do confesse that the bred of the Supper is
of Christ which is done when he is broughte vnder the corruptible elements of this world or is bound to any earthly creatures The other that nothyng be by fainyng applied to his body that agreeth not with the nature of man whiche is done when it is either saide to bee infinite or is sett in many places at ones But these absurdities being taken away I willyngly receiue what soeuer may auaile to expresse the true and substantiall communicatyng of the Body and Blood of the Lord which coÌmunicatyng is deliuered to the faithfull vnder the holy signes of the Supper so that they may be thought not to receyue it by imagination onely or vnderstandyng of mynde but to enioy it in dede to the foode of eternall lyfe Why this sentence is so hatefull to the worlde and all defence taken away from it by the vniust iudgementes of many there is no cause at all but for that the deuell hath with horrible bewitchyng madded their myndes Truely that which we teache dothe in all pointes very well agree with the Scriptures it conteineth neither any absurditie nor darknesse nor doutfulnesse it is not agaynst true godlynesse and sounde edification finally it hath nothing in it that may offend sauyng that in certaine ages past when that ignorance and barbarousnesse of Sophisters reigned in the Chirche so clere light and open truthe hath ben vnworthily oppressed Yet because SataÌ at this day also trauayleth by troublesome Spirites to spot it with all the sclanders and reproches that he can and bendeth himselfe to no other thyng with greater endeuor it is profitable the more diligently to defende and rescue it Nowe before that we goe any further we must entreate of the selfe institution of Christe specially because this is the most glorious obiection that our aduersaries haue that we departe from the woordes of Christe Therfore that we may be discharged of the false cause of malice wherwith they burden vs our fittest beginnyng shall be at the exposition of the woordes Three Euangelistes and Paule rehearse that Christe tooke bread when he had geuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples and sayde Take eate this is my Body whiche is delyuered or broken for you Of the cuppe Mathew and Marke saye thus This cuppe is the blood of the newe testament whiche shal be shedde for many vnto forgeuenesse of synnes But Paule and Luke say thus This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood The patrones of transubstantiation will haue by the pronoune this the forme of bread to be signified because the consecration is made in the whole contente of the sentence and there is no substance that can be shewed But if they be holden with religious care of the woordes because Christ testified that that whiche he reached into the disciples handes was his bodye truely this their deuise that that whiche was bread is nowe the bodie is moste farre from the propre meanyng of them That which Christe tooke into his handes and gaue the Apostles he affirmeth to be his body but he toke bread who therfore can not vnderstande that bread is yet shewed and therfore there is no greater absurditie than to remoue that to the forme whiche is spoken of the bread Other when they expounde this woorde is for to be transubstantiate doo flee to a more enforced and violently wrasted glose Therefore there is no cause why they should pretende that they be moued with reuerence of wordes For this was vnheard of among all nations and languages that the word is should be taken in this sense namely for to be tourned into an other thyng As for them that leaue breade in the Supper and affirme that there is the body of Christ they muche differ among themselues They whiche speake more modestly althoughe they precisely exact the letter This is my body yet afterwarde swarue from theyr precisenesse and say that it is as muche in effect as that the body of Christ is with bread in bread and vnder bread Of the mater it selfe which they affirme we haue already touched somwhat and we shal by and by haue occasion yet to speake more Nowe I dispute only of the wordes by which they say they are restrained that they can not admitte bred to be called the body because it is a signe of the body But if they shunne all figures why do they leape away from the plaine shewing of Christ to their owne maners of speaking farr differing from it For there is great difference betwene this that bread is the body and this that the body is with bread But because they sawe it to bee impossible that this simple proposition might stande that bread is the body they haue attempted to scape away by those formes of speche as it were by croked turnyngs Some more bolde sticke not to affirme that euen in propre speakyng bread is the body and by this meane they truely proue themselues to be litteral meÌ If it be obiected that therfore the bread is Christ and is God this verily they will denie because it is not expressed in the wordes of Christ. But they shall nothyng preuayle by denyeng it forasmuche as all doo agree that whole Christ is offred vs in the Supper But it is an intolerable blasphemie that it be without figure spoken of a fraile and corruptible element that it is Christ. Now I aske of them whether these twoo propositions be bothe of one effect Christe is the Sonne of God and bread is the body of Christe If they graunt that they are diuers which we will enforce them to graunte whether they will or no then lett them answere whens commeth the difference I thynke they wyll bryng none other but that the bread is after the sacramentall maner called the body Wherupon foloweth that Christes wordes are not subiecte to the common rule nor oughte to bee tried by Grammer Also I aske of all the precise and stiffe requirers of the letter where Luke and Paule do call the cuppe the testament in the blood whether they do not expresse the same thyng which they dyd in the first parte where they call bread the bodye Truely the same religion was in the one parte of the mysterie that was in the other and because shortnesse is darke longer speche dothe better open the meanyng So oft therfore as they shall affirme by one word that the bread is the body I will out of mo wordes bryng a fitt exposition that it is the Testament in the bodye For why Shall we nede to seke a more faithfull or surer expositor than Paule Luke Neither yet doo I tende herunto to diminishe any thing of that communicating of the body of Christ which I haue confessed onely my purpose is to confute that folish waiwardnesse wherby they do so hatefully brawle about words I vnderstand by the authoritie of Paul and Luke that the bread is the body of Christ because it is the couenant in the body If they fight against
lesse obediently embrace than they and do wey them with more godly reuerence Yea their negligent carelesnesse sheweth that they doo not greatly care what Christe ment so that it geue them a buckler to defende their obstinatie like as oure earnest searchyng ought to be a wytnesse howe muche we esteeme the authoritie of Christ. They odiously spread abrode that naturall sense of man withholdeth vs from beleuyng that which Christ hath vttered with his owne holy mouth but howe maliciously they burden vs with this sclander I haue a great part already made playne and hereafter it shall more clerely appere Therfore nothing withholdeth vs from beleuing Christ when he speaketh nor from obeying so soone as he dothe but with becke will this or that Only this is the question whether it be vnlawful to enquire of the naturall meanyng These good maisters that they may seme wel lettred do forbid men to departe be it neuer so litle from the letter But I on the other syde when the scripture nameth God a warlike man because I see that with out figuratiue translation it is to rough a maner of speakyng doo not dout that it is a comparison taken from men And truely vpon none other pretence in the olde tyme the Anthropomorphites troubled the true teaching Fathers but that catching fast hold of these sayings The eies of God do see It went vp to his eares His hand stretched out The earth his footestole they cried out that God had his bodye taken from hym whiche the Scripture assigneth vnto hym If this law be receiued outragious barbarousnesse shal ouerwhelme the whole light of faith For what monsters of absurdities may not phrentike men picke out if it be graunted them to allege euery small tittle to stablishe their opinions That whiche they obiect that it is not likely that when Christ prepared for his Apostles a singular comfort it aduersities he did then speake in a riddle or darkly maketh of our side For if it had not come in the myndes of the Apostles that bread was figuratiuely called the body because it was the signe of the body they had without doute ben troubled with so monstrous a thyng Almost at the same moment Iohn reporteth that they did sticke in perplexitie at euery of the least difficulties They whiche striue among themselues howe Christ will go to the Father and do moue question howe he wyll goe out of the worlde they which vnderstande nothyng of those thynges that are spoken concernyng the heauenly Father till they see hym how wold they haue ben so easy to beleue that whiche all resoÌ refuseth that Christ sitteth at the boorde in their sight and is enclosed inuisible vnder bread Whereas therfore they in eatyng the bread without doutyng testified their consent hereby appeareth that they toke Christes wordes in the same sense that we do because they remeÌbred that which ought not to seme strange in mysteries that the name of the thing signified is transferred to the signe Therfore it was to the disciples as it is to vs a certaine and clere comfort entangled with no riddle Neither is ther any other cause why some should depart from our exposition but because the enchauntment of the deuyll hath blynded them namely that they shoulde faine darkenesse to themselues where the exposition of an apt figure offreth it self Moreouer if we precisely stande vpon the words Christ shold wrongfully haue spoken in one place seuerally an other thyng concernyng the bread than he speaketh of the cup. He calleth the bread his body he calleth the wyne his blood either it shal be a confused vaine repetition or it shal be such a partition as shall diuide the body from the blood Yea it shall as truely be sayd of the cuppe This is my body as of the bread it selfe and it may likewyse enterchangeably be sayd that the bread is the blood If they answer that we muste consider to what ende or vse the signes were ordeined I graunt it in dede but in the meane tyme they shall not vnwynde themselues but that their error must drawe this absurditie with it that the bread is the blood and the wyne is the bodye Nowe I wote not what this meaneth when they graunt the bread and the body to be diuers things yet to affirme that the one is spoken of the other proprely and without any figure as if a man shold say that a garment is in dede a thyng differyng from a man and yet that it is proprely called a man In the meane while as though their victorie consisted in obstinatie railing they say that Christ is accused of lieÌg if an exposition be sought of the wordes Now it shal be easy for vs to shew to the reders how vniust wrong these catchers of syllables do to vs when thei fill the simple with this opinion that we withdraw credit from the wordes of Christ which we haue proued to be furiously peruerted and confounded by them but to be faithfully and rightly expounded by vs. But the sclaunder of this lye can not be vtterly purged till an other crime be wiped away For they spread abroade that we be so addicted to naturall reason that we geue no more to the power of God than the order of nature suffreth and common sense teacheth From so malicious sclauÌders I appelle to the very doctrine it selfe which I haue declared whiche dothe clerely enough shewe that I do not measure this mysterie by the proportion of mans reason nor doo make it subiect to the lawes of nature I beseche you haue we learned out of naturall philosophie that Christe dothe so from heauen feede our soules and bodies with his fleshe as our bodies ar norished with bread and wyne Whens cometh this power to fleshe that it may geue lyfe All men will say that it is not doone naturally It will no more please mans reason that the fleshe of Christe reacheth to vs that it maye be foode vnto vs. Finally whosoeuer hath tasted of our doctrine shal be rauished into admiration of the secrete power of God But these good men that be so zelous of it forge to themselues a miracle which beyng taken away God hymselfe vanisheth with his power I desire to haue the readers ones agayne warned that they diligently wey what our doctrine bringeth whether it hang vpon common sense or with the winges of Faith surmounting the worlde climbeth vp beyond it into the heauens We say that Christ as well with the outwarde signe as with his Spirite descendeth to vs that he may truely quicken our soules with the substance of his fleshe of his blood In these fewe wordes he that perceyueth not to be conteined many miracles is more than senslesse forasmuche as there is nothyng more beside nature than that soules should borrow spiritual and heauenly life of the fleshe which toke her beginnyng of the earth and which was subiect to death Nothing is more incredible than that thinges distant and asunder by the
the Supper the figure of it is set before vs for a pledge and assurance of the spirituall lyfe And verily Christ sayd of his glorified body see and fele for a Spirite hath not fleshe and bones Loe by Christes own mouth the truthe of his fleshe is proued because it can be felt and seen Take away these thinges than it shall cesse to be fleshe They still flee to their denne of dispensation which they haue framed to themselues But it is our part so to embrace that which Christ absolutely pronounceth that that which he meaneth to affirme may be of force with vs without exception He proueth himselfe to be no ghost because he is visible in his fleshe Let that be taken away which he claimeth as propre to the nature of hys body must they not then be faine to coyne a new definition of a body Now whether soeuer they turne themselues about their fained dispensation hath no place in that place of Paule where he sayth that we loke for a Sauior from heauen which shall fashion our base body lyke to his glorious body For we may not hope for a like fashioning in those qualities which they faine to Christ that euery one should haue an inuisible and vnmeasurable body Neither shall there be founde any man so dull witted whom they may make to beleue so great an absurdity Let theÌ not therfore ascribe this gift to Christes glorified body to be at ones in many places and to be conteined in no space Finally let them either openly deny the resurrection of the flesh or let them graunt that Christe being clothed with heauenly glory did not put of his fleshe who shall make vs in our fleshe fellowes and parteners of the same glory when we shall haue the resurrection common with him For what doth the Scripture teache more plainely thaÌ that as Christe did putt on our true fleshe when he was borne of the Uirgin and suffred in oure true fleshe when he satisfied for vs so he receiued againe also the same true fleshe in rising againe and caried it vp to heauen For this is to vs the hope of oure resurrection and ascending into heauen that Christe is rysen againe and ascended and as Tertullian sayth he carryed the earnest of our resurrection into the heauens with him Nowe how weake and fraile should that hope be vnlesse this our selfe flesh had ben raysed vp with Christ and entred into the kingdome of heauen But this is the propre trueth of a body to be conteined in space to coÌsist of his mesured proportions to haue his forme Therfore away with this folish deuise which doth fasten bothe the mindes of men and Christ to the bred For to what purpose serueth the secret preseÌce vnder bred but that they which couet to haue Christ ioyned with them may rest in that signe But the Lord himselfe willed vs to withdraw not only our eyes but al our senses from the earth forbidding himselfe to be touched of the women vntil he had gone vp to his Father When he seeth Marie with godly zele of reuereÌce to make hast to kisse his fete there is no cause why he shold disalow and forbid this touching til he haue ben taken vp into heauen but because he wil be sought no where ells Wheras they obiect that he was afterwarde seen of Stephen the solution is easy For neither was it therfore necessarie that Christ should change place which could geue to the eyes of his seruaÌt such sharpnesse of sight as might pearce through the heauens The same also is to be said of Paule Wheras they obiecte that Christ came out of the Sepulchre being shut and entred in amoÌg the disciples the dores being shut that maketh neuer a whit more for maintenance of their error For as the water like a fast pauemeÌt made a way to Christ walking vpon the lake so it is no maruel if at his comming the hardnesse of the stone yelded it selfe Howbeit it is more prouable that by his commaundement the stone was remoued and by and by after passage geuen hym returned into his place And to enter the dores being shut is not asmuch in effect as to pearce through the whole substance but by diuine power to open an entrie for himselfe that he sodenly stode among the disciples verily after a maruelous maner wheÌ the dores were fast locked That whiche they allege out of Luke that Christ sodenly vanished away from the eyes of the disciples with whoÌ he went to Emaus profiteth them nothing maketh for vs. For that he might take away the sight of himselfe from them he was not made inuisible but only went out of sight As when he went in iourney together with them as the same Luke witnesseth he did not put on a newe face that he might not be knowen but helde their eyes But these fellowes do not only traÌsforme Christ that he may be coÌuersant in earth but in diuerse places they make hym diuerse and vnlike himself Finally in so trifling they do not by one worde in dede but by a circumstaÌce make of the fleshe of Christe a Spirite and not contented therewith they put vpon it altogether contrarie qualities Wherupon of necessitie foloweth that it is doble Now although we graunt them that which they prate of the inuisible preseÌce the vnmesurablenesse shal not be yet proued without which they shal in vayne attempt to enclose Christ vnder bred Unlesse the body of Christ may be euery where at ones without any coÌpasse of place it shall not be likely that he lyeth hidden vnder bred in the Supper By which necessitie they brought in the monstruous beyng euery where But it is shewed by strong and plaine witnesses of Scripture that it was limited about by the measure of the body of a man and then that by his ascending he hath made it plaine that he is not in all places but that when he passeth into one place he leaueth the other that he was in before Neither is the promise which they allege to be draweÌ to the body I am with you euen to the ending of the world First the continuall coÌioyning can not stande vnlesse Christ dwel in vs corporally without the vse of the Supper Therfore there is no iust cause why they shoulde so sharply brawle about the wordes of Christ that they may in the Supper enclose Christ vnder bred Againe the text it selfe proueth that Christe speaketh nothing lesse than of his fleshe but promiseth to his disciples inuicible helpe wherby he may defende and susteine them against all the assaultes of Satan and the worlde For when he enioyned them a hard charge least they should dout to take it in hande or should ferefully execute it he strengtheneth them with affiance of his presence as if he had said that his succor shal not faile them which shal be impossible to be ouercome Unlesse they listed to confounde all thinges ought they not
and afterwarde beyng choked is marred because he there entreateth of what value the faith is whiche endureth but for a tyme which they do not think to be necessary to the eatyng of Christes flesh and drinkyng of his blood that in this behalfe do make Iudas egally felow with Peter But rather by the same parable their error is coÌfuted where Christ saith that some sede falleth in the hie waie other some vpon stones neither of them taketh roote WherupoÌ foloweth that to the vnbeleuers their owne hardnesse is a let the Christ atteineth not to them Whosoeuer desireth to haue our saluation holpen by this mysterie shall fynde nothyng fitter than that the faithfull being led to the very fountaine shold draw life out of the SoÌne of God But the dignitie of it is honorably enough set out when we keepe in mynde that it is a helpe wherby we be graffed into the body of Christ or beyng graffed do more and more growe together till he do fully make hymself one with vs in the heauenly lyfe They obiect that Paule ought not to haue made them giltie of the body and blood of Christ vnlesse they wer partakers of them But I answer that they ar not therfore condemned because they haue eaten them but only because they haue prophaned the mysterie in treadyng vnder feete the pledge of the holye conioynyng with God which they ought reuerently to receiue Now because Augustine among the old writers chiefly hath affirmed that article of doctrine that nothyng is abated from the Sacraments nor the grace which they figure is made void by the infidelite or noughtinesse of men it shal be profitable to proue clerely by his owne wordes how vnfittly peruersly they do draw that to this present cause which cast the body of Christ to dogges to eate The sacramentall eating after their opinion is wherby the wicked receiue the body blood of Christ without the power of the Spirit or any effect of grace Augustine coÌtrariwise weyeng wisely those words He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood shal not die for euer saieth Namely the power of the sacrament not only the visible sacrament verily within not without he that eateth it with harte not he that presseth it with tooth Whereupon at length he concludeth that the sacrameÌt of this thing that is to say of the vnitie of the body blood of Christ is set before men in the Supper of the Lorde to some vnto life to some vnto destruction but the thing it selfe wherof it is a sacrament to al men vnto life to none vnto destruction whosoeuer be partaker of it That none shold here cauill that the thing is called not the body but the grace of the Spirit which may be seuered froÌ the body the coÌtrarie comparison betwene these two wordes of addition Uisible Inuisible driueth away al these mystes for vnder the first of them can not be coÌprehended the body of Christ. Wherupon foloweth that the vnbeleuers do communicate only of the visible signe And that al douting may be better taken away after that he had said that this bread requireth the hunger of the inward man he addeth Moses Aaron and Phinees many other that dyd eate Manna pleased God Why so because the spirituall meate they spiritually vnderstoode spiritually hungred spirituallye tasted that they myghte bee spiritually fylled For we also at this daye haue receiued spiritual meat but the Sacrament is one thyng and the power of the sacrament is an other A litle after And by this he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without doute neither eateth spiritually his fleshe nor drinketh his blood though carnally and visibly he presseth with teeth the signe of the body and blood We heare agayne that the visible signe is set in coÌparison as contrary to spiritual eating Wherby the error is coÌfuted that the body of Christ inuisible is in dede eaten sacrameÌtally though not spiritually We heare also that nothing is grauÌted to prophane vncleane meÌ beside the visible receiuyng of the signe Hereupon cometh his famous sayeng that the other disciples did eate the bred the Lord but Iudas did eate the bread of the Lord wherin he plainly excludeth the vnbeleuers froÌ the partakyng of the body blood Neither tendeth it to any other end which he sayth in an other place What meruailest thou if to Iudas was geueÌ the bread of Christ by which he might be made bond to the deuel when thou seest on the coÌtrary side that to Paul was geuen the angel of the deuell by whome he might be made perfect in Christ He saith verily in an other place that the bread of the Supper was the body of Christ to them to whom Paule said He that eateth vnworthily eateth and drinketh iugement to himselfe and that they haue not therfore nothyng because they haue receiued noughtily But in what sense he declareth more fully in an other place For takyng in hand purposely to define howe the wicked euell doers which professe the christian faith with mouth but with dedes do deny it do eate the body of Christ and that against the opinion of some which thought that thei did not eate in sacrameÌt only but in very dede But neither saith he ought it to be said that they eate the body of Christ because thei ar not to be reckned among the membres of Christ. For to speake nothing of the rest they can not together be the meÌbers of Christ and the membres of a harlot Finally where himselfe saith He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in hym he sheweth what it is not sacramentally but in very dede to eate the bodye of Christ. For this is to abide in Christ that Christ may abyde in him For he so sayd this as though he had sayde he that abydeth not in me and in whom I abide not let hym not say or thinke that he dothe eate my body or drynke my blood Let the readers weye the thynges sett as contraries in the comparison to eate SacrameÌtally and in Uery dede and there shall remaine no dout He confirmeth the same no lesse plainly in these wordes Prepare not your iawes but your hart Herupon is this Supper commended Loe we beleue in Christ when we receiue by faith in receiuyng we know what to thinke We receiue a little and are fatted in hart Therfore not that which is sene but that which is beleued dothe fede Here also that whiche the wicked receiue he restraineth to the visible signe and teacheth that Christ is none otherwise receiued than by Faith So also in an other place pronouÌcyng expressly that the good and the euell do communicate together in the signes he excludeth the euell from the true eatyng of the fleshe of Christ. For if they receyued the thing it self he wold not vtterly haue left that vnspoken which was more fitt for his
and wheras it was necessarie that they which were mingled with prophane men and idolatrers should by some outwarde signe testifie their Fayth the holy man for order and policies sake appoynted that day wherin the whole people of Christians should by partaking of the Lordes Supper vtter a confession of their faith The ordinance of zepherinus being otherwise good hath ben euel wrested of them that came after when a certaine law was made of one communicating yerely wherby it is come to passe that almost al men when they haue ones communicate as though they had gaily discharged themselues for al the rest of the yere slepe soundly on bothe eares It ought to haue ben farr otherwise done Euery weke at the least the Lordes table shoulde be sett before the assemblie of the Christians the promises should be declared which might fede vs spiritually at it none should in dede be compelled by necessitie but all should be exhorted and prycked forwarde the sluggishnesse also of the slouthfull should be rebuked All should by heapes as hungry men come together to such deynties Not without rightfull cause therefore at the beginning I complayned that by the craft of the deuil this custome was thrust in which wheÌ it apointeth one certaine day of the yere maketh men slouthfull for all the reste of the yere We se in dede that this peruerse abuse was crept in euen in the tyme of Chrysostome but we may also therewithall see how muche it displeased hym For he complaineth with greuous wordes in thesame place whiche I euen nowe alleged that there is so great inequalitie of this mater that often in sometimes of the yere they came not euen wheÌ they were cleane but at Easter they came eueÌ wheÌ they were vncleane Then he cryeth out O custome O presumption Then in vaine is the daily offring vsed in vaine we stande at the altar there is none that partaketh together with vs. So farr is it of that he alowed it by his authoritie adioyned to it Out of the same shop proceded also an other ordinance whiche hath stolen away or violently taken away the halfe of the Supper from the better nuÌber of the people of God namely the signe of the blood which beyng denyed to lay and profane men for with such titles forsothe they set out Gods inheritance became a peculiar possession to shauen anoynted men It is the commaundement of the eternall God that al should drynke which commaundement man dare discontinue and repelle with a new and contrarie law commaunding that not all shoulde drynke And that these law makers should not seme to fight wtout reson against their God they pretende perils that myght happen if this holy cup were commonly geuen to all as though those dangers had not ben foreseen and marked of the eternal wisdome of God And then suttelly forsothe they reson that the one is enough for both For if say they it be the body it is whole Christ which can not now be seuered froÌ hys body Therfore by Accompanieng the body conteineth the blood Loe how our wit agreeth with God when it hath neuer so litle begon with loose reines to be wanton and wilde The Lord shewing bred saith that it is his body when he sheweth the cup he calleth it his blood The boldnesse of mans reason crieth out contrariwise that the bred is the blood and the wine is the body as though the Lord had for no cause seuered his body from his blood bothe in wordes and in signes or as though it had euer ben heard spoken that the body or blood of Christ is called God man Uerily if he had ment to signifie whole himselfe he might haue sayed it is I as he is wont to speake in the Scriptures and not thys is my body thys is my blood But he willing to helpe our weaknesse did set the cup seuerally from the bred to teache that he sufficeth no lesse for drinke than for meate Nowe let one part be taken away then we shall finde but the one halfe of the nourishmentes in him Therfore although it be true which they pretende that the blood is in the bred by way of Accompanieng and againe the body in the cup yet they defraude godly soules of the confirmation of Fayth whiche Christe deliuereth as necessarie Therefore bidding their suttelties farewell we muste holde faste the profit whiche is by the ordinance of Christe in the twoo earnestes I knowe in dede that the ministers of Satan doe here cauil as it is an ordinarie thing with them to make mockerie of the Scriptures First thei allege that of one bare doing ought not to be gathered a rule wherby the Chirch should be bounde to perpetual obseruing But they lye when they say that it was but a bare doyng for Christ did not only deliuer the cuppe but also did institute that his Apostles should in tyme to come doo the same For they are the wordes of a commaunder drinke ye all of this cuppe And Paule so reherseth that it was a dede that he also commendeth it for a certain rule An other starting hole is that the Apostles alone were receiued of Christ to the partaking of this Supper whome he had already chosen and taken into the order of the sacrificyng prestes But I would haue them answere me to fiue questions from which they shall not be able to escape but that they shall be easily conuinced with their lies Fyrst by what oracle haue they this solution reueled beyng so strange from the worde of God The Scripture reckeneth .xii. that sate with Iesus but it dothe not so obscure the dignitie of Christ that it calleth them sacrificing prestes of which name we will speake hereafter in place fit for it Though he gaue it then to the .xii. yet he commaunded that they should do the same namely that they shold so distribute it among them Secondely why in that better age from the Apostles almost a thousand yeres were al without exception made partakers of bothe the signes was the old Chirche ignorant what gestes Christ had receiued to his Supper It were a point of moste desperate shamelesnesse here to sticke and dally in grauÌtyng it to bee true There remayne the ecclesiasticall hystories there remayne the bokes of the old writers which minister euident testimonies of this matter The fleshe sayth Tertullian is fed with the body blood of Christ that the soule may be fatted with fedyng vpon God How sayd Ambrose to Theodosius wilt thou receiue with suche handes the holy body of the Lorde With what boldnesse wilte thou with thy mouthe partake of the cup of the precious blood And Hierome sayth The prestes whiche make the Thankesgeuing and do distribute the blood of the Lorde to the people Chrysostome Not as in the olde lawe the prest did eate parte and the people part but one body is set before all and one cuppe Those thynges that perteine to the Thankesgeuing are all coÌmon betwene the
beloued SoÌne which only can manifestly shew the Father and in dede he hath manifestly shewed hym to the full so much as behoueth vs whyle we nowe beholde hym by a glasse As therefore thys is now taken awaye from men that they can not make newe Sacramentes in the Chirch of God so it were to be wished that as litle as were possible of mans inueÌtion might be myngled with those Sacramentes that are of God For lyke as when water is poured in the wyne departeth and is delayed as with leauen scattered among it the whole lumpe of done waxeth sower so the purenesse of the mysteries of God is nothyng ells but defyled when man addeth any thyng of hys owne And yet we see how farr the Sacramentes are swarued out of kynde from their naturall purenesse as they be handled at thys day There is echewhere to muche of pompes ceremonies and gesturinges but of the woorde of God in the meane tyme there is neither any consideration nor mention withoute which euen the Sacramentes themselues are not Sacramentes Yea and the very ceremonies that are ordeined of God in so greate a route can not ones lift vp their hed but lye as it were oppressed How litle is that seen in Baptisme which only ought there to haue shyned and been loked vpon as we haue in an other place rightfully complained euen Baptisme it selfe As for the Supper it is vtterly buried sins that it hath ben turned into the Masse sauing that it is seen ones euery yere but in a mangled and halfe torne fashion The .xix. Chapter Of the fiue falsly named Sacramentes where is declared that the other fyue which haue ben hetherto commonly taken for Sacramentes are not Sacramentes and then is shewed what manner of thinges they be OUr former discourse concerning Sacramentes myghte haue obteined thys with the sobre and willing to learne that they should not ouer curiously procede any further nor shold without the word of God embrace any other Sacraments beside those twoo which they knewe to be ordeined of the Lord. But forasmuch as that opinion of the seuen Sacramentes being commonly vsed in al mens take hauing waÌdered through all scholes and preachinges hath by very auncientie gathered rootes and is yet styll settled in the myndes of men I thought that I should do a thing worth the trauail if I should seuerally and more nerely searche those other fyue that are commonly adnumbred among the true and naturall Sacramentes of the Lorde and wyping away al deceitfull color shoulde set them fourth to be seen of the simple suche as they be and how falsly they haue ben hetherto taken for Sacramentes First I here protest to al the godly that I doe not take in hande this contention aboute the name for any desire of striuing but that I am by weighty causes led to fight againste the abuse of it I am not ignorante that Christians are Lordes as of wordes so of al thinges also therfore may at their wil apply wordes to thinges so that a godly sense be kept although there be some vnproprenesse in the speaking Al thys I graunt although it were better that the woordes shoulde be made subiect to thinges than thinges to the wordes But in the name of Sacrament there is an other consideratioÌ For they which make seuen Sacramentes do therewithal geue to them al this definition that they be visible formes of inuisible grace they make them altogether vessells of the Holy ghost instrumentes of geuing of righteousnesse causes of the obteining of grace Yea and the Maister of the sentences himselfe denyeth that the Sacramentes of the lawe of Moses are properly called by this name because they did not deliuer in dede the thing that they figured Is it I beseche you to be suffred that those signes which the Lord hath hallowed with his own mouth which he hath garnished with excellent promises should not be accompted for Sacramentes and in the meane time this honor shoulde be conueyed away to those vsages which men either haue deuised of themselues or at least do obserue without expresse commaundement of God Therefore either let them change the definition or let them absteine from the wrongfull vsing of this worde which doth afterwarde engender false opinions and ful os absurditie Extreme anointing say they is a figure and cause of inuisible grace because it is a Sacrament If we ought in no wise to graunt that which they gather vpon it then truely we must resist them in the name it selfe least therby we admitt that it maye geue occasion to such an error Againe when they would proue it to be a Sacrament they adde thys cause for that it consisteth of the outwarde signe and the worde If we finde neither commaundement nor promise of it what can we do ells but crye out against them Now appeareth that we brawle not about the worde but do moue a coÌtrouersie not superfluous coÌcerning the thing it selfe Therfore this we must strongly hold fast which we haue with inuincible reson before coÌfirmed that the power to institute a Sacrament is in the hande of none but of God only For a Sacrament ought with a certaine promise to raise vp coÌfort the coÌscieÌces of the faythful which could neuer receiue this certaintie from man A Sacrament ought to be to vs a witnessing of the good wil of God towarde vs wherof none of all men or Angels can be witnesse forasmuch as none hath ben of Gods counsell Therefore it is he alone which doth with right authoritie testifie of himself to vs by his worde A SacrameÌt is a seale wherw t the testament or promise of God is sealed But it could not be sealed with bodily thinges and elementes of thys worlde vnlesse they be by the power of God framed and appoynted therunto Therfore maÌ can not ordeine a Sacrament because this is not in the power of man to make that so great mysteries of God should lye hidden vnder so base thynges The worde of God muste goe before which maye make a Sacrament to be a Sacrament as Augustine very well teacheth Moreouer it is profitable that there be kepte some difference betwene the Sacramentes and other ceremonies vnlesse we will fall into many absurdities The Apostles prayed kneling therfore men shall not kneele without a Sacrament It is sayd that the disciples prayed toward the East therfore the loking into the East shal be a Sacrament Paule willeth men in euery place to lift vp pure handes and it is rehearsed that holy meÌ oftentimes prayed with their handes lifted vp then let the lifting vp of hands also be made a SacrameÌt Finally let all the gestures of the holy ones turne into Sacramentes Howbeit I would not also muche passe vppon these thinges if so that they were not ioyned with those other greater discommodities If they will presse vs with the authoritie of the olde Chirche I saye that they pretende a false color For this number of
Sacrament is extreme vnctioÌ which is not done but of the Prest that in extremes so thei terme it with oile coÌsecrate of the Bishop with this forme By thys holy anointing by his most kind mercy God pardoÌ thee whatsoeuer yâ hast offeÌded by seing by hearing by smelling feling tasting They faine that there be twoo vertues of it the forgeuenesse of sinnes ease of bodily sicknesse if it be so expedieÌt if not the saluation of the soule They say that the institution of it is set of Iames whose wordes are these Is any sicke among you Let hym bryng in the Elders of the Chirch and let them pray ouer hym anointing him with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayer of Fayth shal saue the sicke man and the Lord shal rayse hym by and if he be in synnes they shal be forgeuen hym Of the same sorte is thys anointing of which we haue aboue shewed that the other layeng on of handes is namely a playerlike hypocrisie whereby without reason and without frute they woulde resemble the Apostles Marc rehearseth that the Apostles at their first sending according to the commaundement whiche they haue receiued of the Lord raised vp dead meÌ cast out deuils cleansed leprous meÌ healed the sicke and that in healing of the sicke they vsed oyle They anointed sayth he many sicke meÌ with oyle and they were healed Hereunto Iames had respect when he commauÌded the Elders to be called together to anoint the sicke man That vnder such Ceremonies is conteined no hyer mysterie they shall easily iudge which marke how great libertie the Lorde and his Apostles vsed in these outwarde thinges The Lord going about to restore sight to the blinde maÌ made cley of dust spittle some he healed with touching other some with his word After the same maner the Apostles healed some diseases with the word only some with touching other some with anointing But it is likely that this anointing was not as al other things also wer not causelesly put in vre I graunt yet not that it shold be a meane of healing but only a signe that the dulnesse of the vnskilful myght be put in mynde from whense so great power proceded to thys ende that they should not geue the prayse therof to the Apostles And that the Holy ghost and hys gyftes are signified by oyle it is a common and vsual thing But that same grace of healinges is vanished awaye like as also the other miracles which the Lord willed to be shewed for a tyme wherby he might make the new preaching of the Gospel maruelous for euer Therefore though we grauÌt neuer so much that anoynting was a Sacramente of those powers which wer theÌ ministred by the hands of the Apostles it now nothing perteineth to vs to whom the ministratioÌ of such powers is not coÌmitted And by what greater reasoÌ do they make a SacrameÌt of this anointing than of al other signes that are rehearsed to vs in the Scripture ⪠Why do they not appoint some Siloah to swymme in wherinto at certaine ordinarie recourses of tymes sicke men may plunge themselues That say they should be done in vaine Truely no more in vayne than anoyntyng Why do they not lye along vpon dead men because Paule raysed vp a dead childe with lyeng vpon hym Why is not cley made of spittle dust a Sacrament But the other wer but singular examples but this is geueÌ of Iames for a commaundemeÌt Uerily Iames spake for the same time when the Chirch yet stil enioied such blessing of God They affirme in dede that there is yet stil the same force in their anointingâ but we finde it otherwise by experieÌce Let no maÌ now maruel how thei haue with such boldnesse mocked soules which they know to be senslesse blinde when they are spoyled of the word of God that is of their life light sith they are nothing ashamed to go about to mocke the liuing and feling senses of the body Therfore they make themselues worthy to be scorned whyle they bost that they are endued with the grace of healinges The Lord verily is present with his in al ages and so oft as nede is he helpeth their sicknesses no lesse thaÌ in olde tyme but he doth not so vtter those manifest powers nor distributeth miracles by the handes of the Apostles because this gift both was but for a tyme and also is partly falleÌ away by the vnthankfulnesse of men Therfore as not wtout cause the Apostles haue by the signe of oile opeÌly testified that the grace of healinges coÌmitted to them was not their owne power but the power of the Holy ghost so on the other side they are wroÌgdoers to the Holy ghost which make a stinking oile of no force to be hys power This is altogether like as if one would say that al oyle is the power of the Holy ghost because it is called by the name in Scripture that euerye doue is the Holy ghost because he appered in that forme But these thiÌgs let them loke to So much as for this preseÌt is enough for vs we do most cârtainly perceiue that their annointing is no Sacrament whiche is neyther a Ceremonie ordeined of God nor hath any promise For when we require these twoo thinges in a Sacrament that it be a ceremonie ordeined of God that it haue a promise of Godâ we do there wtal require that the same Ceremonie be geuen to vs and that the promise belong vnto vs. For no man doth affirme the Circumcision is nowe a Sacrament of the Christian Chirch althoughe it both was an ordinance of God and had a promise knitt vnto it because it was neither commaunded to vs nor the promise which was adioyned to it was geueÌ to vs wiâh the same conditioÌ That the promise which they proudely bost of in their annointing is not geuen to vs we haue euidently shewed and they theÌselues declare by experience The Ceremonie ought not to haue ben vsed but of them that were endued with the grace of healinges not of these butchers that can more skill of slayeng and murthering than of healing Howbeit althoughe they obteyne thys that that which Iames commaundeth concerning annointing agreeth with thys age which they are most farr from yet eueÌ so they shal not haue much preuailed in prouing of their vnction wherwith they haue hetherto annointed vs. Iames wylleth that all sicke men be annointed these men infecte with their fatt liquor not sicke men but corpses half dead when the lyfe lieth alredy laboryng at the toppe of their lippes or as they themselues terme it in extremes If they haue in their Sacramente a present medicine wherby they may either ease the sharpenesse of diseases or at the least may bryng some comfort to the soule they ar to cruel that do neuer heale in time Iames willeth that the sicke maÌ be annointed of the Elders of the
more set out their own holinesse with notable and seueral attire from other men did let their heare growe long But afterwarde when the fashion turned to wearing of heare certain nations were added to ChristiaÌdome which alway vsed to weare loÌg heare as Fraunce Germany England it is likely the clerkes did euerywhere sheare their heds least they should seme to couet the gaynesse of heare At the last in a corrupter age wheÌ al old ordinances wer either peruerted or gone out of kinde into superstition because they saw no cause in the shearing of the clergie for they had reteined nothing but a folishe couÌterfaiting they fled to a mysterie which now they superstitiously thrust in vnto vs for the approuing of their Sacrament The dore kepers at their coÌsecratioÌ receiue the keies of the Chirch wherby they may vnderstaÌd that the keping of it is coÌmitted to theÌ The reders receiue the holy Bible The exorcistes receiue the formes of exorcismes which they should vse ouer mad and them that are to be catechised The Acolythes receiue the tapers cruet Lo these ar the ceremonies wherin if God will there is so much secret power that they may be not only signes and tokens but also causes of inuisible grace For this they require by their definition when they will haue them taken among the Sacramentes But to make an ende in fewe wordes I say it is an absurditie that in their scholes and canons they make these lesser orders Sacramentes whereas euen by their owne confession that teache this they were vnknowen to the primitiue Chirch and deuised many yeares after For Sacramentes sith they conteyne the promise of God can not be ordeyned of Angels nor of men but of God alone whoe 's office alone it is to geue promise There remayne three orders whiche they calle the greater Of the whiche Subdeaconrie as they call it was remoued into that number sins that the route of the smaller ones beganne to growe But because they seme to haue a testimonie for these out of the word of God they do peculiarly for honors sake call them holye orders But nowe it is to be sene howe crokedly they abuse the ordinances of God to their pretence We will begyn at the order of Presthode or the sacrificers office For by these two names they signifie one thyng and so they call them to whom they say that it perteineth to offer vpon the altar the sacrifice of the bodye and blood of Christe to pronounce prayers and to blesse the giftes of God Therfore at their consecration they receiue the patine with the hostes for tokens of power geuen to them to offer acceptable sacrifices to God And their handes are anointed by which signe they ar taught that they haue power geuen them to consecrate But of the Ceremonies we shall speake hereafter Of the thyng it selfe I say it so hath no title of the worde of God which they pretende that they could not more wickedly corrupt the order set by God Fyrst verily this ought to stande for a thyng confessed which we haue affirmed in entreating of the Popishe masse that they are all wrong doers to Christ which cal them selues sacrificyng prestes to offer a sacrifice of appeasement He was appointed and consecrate of the Father a prest with an othe accordyng to the order of Melchisedech without any ende without any successor He ones offred a sacrifice of eternall satisfactorie cleansyng and reconciliation and nowe also beyng entred into the Sanctuarie of heauen he maketh intercession for vs. In hym we are all sacrificyng prestes but to praises and geuyngs of thanks finally to offer vs and ours to God It was his singular office alone with his offryng to appease God and to purge sinnes When these men take that vpon them what remaineth but that their sacrificyng Presthoode is vngodly and full of sacrilege Truely they are to wicked when they dare garnish it with the name of a Sacrament As touchyng the true office of Presthode which is commended to vs by the mouth of Christe I willyngly accompt it in that degree For therin is a ceremonie fyrst taken oute of the Scriptures then suche a one as Paul testifieth not to be vaine nor superfluous but a faithfull Signe of spirituall grace But wheras I haue not set it for a thirde in the number of Sacramentes I did it because it is not ordinarie and common among all the faithfull but a speciall rite for one certaine office But sith this honor is geuen to the Christian ministerie there is no cause therfore why the Popish sacrificérs should bee proude For Christ commaunded distributers of his Gospell and mysteries to be ordeined not sacrificers to bee consecrated He gaue them commaundement to preache the Gospel and to feede the flock not to offer sacrifices He promised them the grace of the Holy ghost not to make satisfactorye purging of sinnes but rightly to execute and to mainteine the gouernement of the Chirch The ceremonies agree very well with the thing it selfe Our Lorde when he sent forth the Apostles to preache the Gospell did blow vppon them By which Signe he represented the power of the Holy ghost whiche he gaue vnto them This blowyng these good meÌ haue reteined and as though they did put forth the Holy ghost out at their throte thei whisper ouer their silly prestes that they make Receiue the Holy ghost So leaue they nothing which they do not ouerthwartly counterfait I wyl not say like players which vse their gesturinges neither withoute arte nor withoute signification but like apes which counterfait euery thing wantonly and without any choise We kepe say they the example of the Lord. But the Lorde did many thinges which he willed not to be examples to vs. The Lord said to the disciples Receiue the Holye ghoste He sayd also to Lazarus Lazarus come forthe He said to the man sicke of the palsey Rise and walke Why do not they say the same to al dead men and sicke of the palsey He shewed a profe of hys diuine power when in blowing vpoÌ the Apostles he filled them with the grace of the Holy ghost If they go about to do the same thing they enuiously counterfait God and do in a maner chaleÌge him to striue with them but they are farr froÌ the effect and do nothing with thys foolish gesturing but mocke Christ. Uerily they bee so shamelesse that they dare affirme that they geue the Holy ghost But how true that is experience teacheth which cryeth oute that so many as be consecrated prestes are of horses made asses of fooles made madmen Neither yet doo I stryue with them for that only I condemne the ceremonye it selfe which oughte not to haue ben drawen to bee an example for asmuche as it was vsed of Christe for a singular signe of one miracle so farre is it of that the excuse of folowing hys example ought to defend them But of whoÌ receiued they the
indicial punishmentes but also to defende with warre the dominions committed to their charge if at any tyme they be enuielike assailed And suche warres the Holy ghost by many testimonies of Scripture declareth to be lawful If it be obiected against me that in the new TestameÌt is neither witnesse nor exaÌple which teacheth that warre is a thyng lawful for ChristiaÌs first I answer that the same rule of makyng warre whiche was in old time remaineth also at this daye and that on the contrary syde there is no cause that may debarre magistrates from defendyng of their subiectes Secondly that an expresse declaration of these maters is not to bee sought in the writynges of the Apostles where their purpose is not to frame a ciuile state but to stablishe the spirituall kingdome of Christe Last of all I say that in them also is shewed by the waye that Christe hath by his commyng chaunged nothyng in this behalf For if christian doctrine that I may speake in Augustines owne wordes condemned all warres he would rather haue said this to soldiars when they asked counsell of saluation that they shold cast away their weapons vtterly withdraw themselues from the warre But it was said to them strike no man do no man wrong let your wages suffise you Whome he taughte that their wages ought to suffise them he did veryly not forbidde them to be warriers But all magistrates ought here to take great hede that they nothing at all folowe their owne desyres but rather if they muste punish let them not be born away with a hedlong angrinesse let theÌ not be violeÌtly caried with hatred let them not broile with vnappeasable rigor yea let them as Augustin saith pity coÌmon nature in him in whom they punishe his priuate fault Or if they must put on armure against the enemie that is the armed robber let them not lightly seke occasioÌ therof nor take it beyng offred vnlesse they be driuen to it by extreme necessitie For if we ought to performe much more than that heathen man required which would haue warre to seme a seking of peace truely we oughte firste to attempte all thinges ere we ought to trye the matter by warre Finally in both kindes let them not suffer themselues to be caried with any priuate affection but be led only with coÌmoÌ feling Otherwise they doe very ill abuse their power which is geuen them not for their own commodity but for others benefit and ministerie Moreouer of the same rightful rule of making warre hangeth the order bothe of garrisons and leagues and other ciuile fortifications Garrisons I cal those that are placed in townes to defende the borders of the comree Leagues which are made with Princes adioyning for this couenante that if any troble happen in their laÌdes they may mutually helpe them and ioyne their forces in common together to suppresse the common enemies of mankinde Ciuile fortifications whoe 's vse is in the arte of warre Thys also I wil last of al adde that tributes and taxes are the lawfull reuenues of princes which they may chefely employ to susteine the coÌmon charges of their office whiche yet they maye likewise vse to their priuate royaltie which is after a certayne manner conioyned with honor of the princely state that they beare As we se that Dauid Ezechias Iosias Iosaphat and other holy Kynges and Ioseph also and Daniel according to the state of the person that they did beare were without offense of godlinesse sumptuous of the common charge and we rede in Ezechiel that there was a very large portion of lande assigned to the kinges Where although he paint out the spiritual kingdome of Christ yet he fetcheth the exaÌplar of hys similitude from the lawful kingdome of men But yet so that Princes agayne on their behalues should remember that their treasure chambers are not so muche their owne priuate cofers as the treasuries of the whole people for so Paul testifieth which they may not without manifest wrong prodigally wast or spoile or rather that it is the very blood of the people whiche not to spare is most cruel vnnaturalnesse and let them thinke that their impositions and subsidies and other kindes of tributes ar nothyng but the supportes of publike necessitie wherewyth to wery the poore communaltie wythout cause is tyrannicall extortion These thynges doe not encourage Princes to wasteful expense and ryot as verily there is no nede to adde a fyerbrand to theyr lustes that are of themselues to much alredy kyndled but sythe it much behoueth that they shoulde with pure conscience before God be bolde to do al that they are bolde to do least with wycked boldnesse come into despising of God they must be taught how much is lawful for them Neyther is thys doctrine superfluous for priuate men that they shoulde not rashly and stubbornly geue themselues leaue to grudge at any expenses of Princes although they excede common and ciuile measure Nexte to the magistrate in ciuile states are lawes the moste strong sinewes of common weales or as Cicero calleth them accordyng to Plato the soules without which the Magistrate can not stand as they agayn without the Magistrate haue no liuely force Therfore nothing coulde be more truely said than that the lawe is a dumme Magistrate and that the Magistrate is a lyuyng lawe But whereas I promised to speake with what lawes a Christian ciuile state ought to bee ordered there is no cause why any man shold loke for a long discourse of the best kynde of lawes which bothe shold be infinite and perteined not to this present purpose and place yet in a fewe wordes and as it were by the way I will touche what lawes it may vse godlily before God and bee rightly gouerned by them among men Which selfe thyng I had rather to haue vtterly passed ouer with silence if I dyd not vnderstande that many do herein verillously erre For there be some that denye that a coÌmon weale is well ordered whiche neglectyng the ciuile lawes of Moses is gouerned by the common lawes of nations Howe dangerous troublesome this sentence is let other men consider it shall be enough for me to haue shewed that it is false and foolish That common diuision is to be kept which diuideth the whole lawe of God published into morall ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes and all the partes are to be seuerally considered that we maye knowe what of them perteyneth to vs and what not Neither in the meane time let any man be combred with this dout that iudicials and ceremonials also perteyne to the moral lawes For although the olde writers whiche haue taught this diuision were not ignorant that these two later partes had their vse about maners yet because they myght be changed and abrogate the morals remaining safe they did not call them morals They called that fyrst part peculiarly by that name withoute whiche can not stande the true holynesse of maners and the vnchangeable
Wherfore we must fetche the exposition of it farther of And as I think I haue marked yâ there are three causes to be coÌsidered wherupoÌ this coÌmaundement consisteth For first the heauenly lawmaker meant vnder the rest of the seuenth daye to set out in figure to the people of Israel the spirituall rest whereby the faithfull ought to âesse from their owne workes that they might suffer God to worke in them Secondarily his wil was to haue one apointed daye wherein they should mere together to heare the lawe and execute the ceremonies or at leest bestowe it peculiarly to the meditation of his workes that by such callyng to remembrance they might be exercised to godlinesse Thirdly he thought good to haue a day of rest graunted to seruants and such as liued vnder the gouernement of other wherin theâ might haue some cessyng from their labour But we are many wayes taught that the same shadoweng of the spiritual rest was the principal point in the Sabbat For yâ Lorde required the keping of no coÌmauÌdement in a maner more seuerely than this when his meaning is in the Prophetes to declare that al religioÌ is ouerthrowen then he coÌplaineth that his Sabbates are polluted defiled not kept not sanctified as though that pece of seruice beyng omitted there remained no more wherin he might be honored He did set forth the obseruing therof with hie praises For whiche cause the faithful did among other oracles maruelously esteme the reuelyng of the Sabbat For in Nehemiah thus spake the Leuites in a solemne coÌuocation Thou hast shewed to our fathers thy holy Sabbat hast geuen them the coÌmaundementes the ceremonies the law by the hand of Moses You see howe it is had in singular estimation among al the coÌmaundementes of the law All whiche thinges do serue to set forth the dignitie of the misterie which is very wel expressed by Moses and Ezechiel Thus you haue in Exodus See that ye kepe my Sabbat day bicause it is a token betwene me you in your generations that you maye know that I am the Lord that sanctifie you kepe my Sabbat for it is holy vnto you Let the children of Israell kepe the Sabbat and celebrate it in their generations it is an euerlastyng couenaÌt betwene me the children of Israel and a perpetual token Yet Ezechiel speaketh more at large But the summe therof cometh to this effect that it is for a token wherby Israell should knowe that God is their sanctifier If our sanctification be the mortifiyng of our owne will then appereth a most apt relation of the outward signe with the inward thing it self we must altogether rest that God may worke in vs we must depart from our owne wil we must resigne vp our heart we must banish all lustes of the ââesh Finally we muste cesse from all the doynges of our owne witte that we maye haue God workyng in vs that we maye reste in him as the Apostle also teacheth This perpetual cessyng was represented to the Iewes by the kepyng of one daye among seuen whiche daye to make it be obserued with greater deuotion the Lord commaunded with his owne exaÌple For it auaileth not a litle to stirre vp mans endeuour that he maye know that he tendeth to the folowyng of his creatour If any man searche for a secret signification in the number of seuen For asmuch as that nomber is in the Scripture the nomber of perfection it was not without cause chosen to signifie euerlastyng continuance Wherwith this also agreeth that Moses in the day that he declared that the Lord did rest from his workes maketh an ende of describyng the succeding of dayes nightes There maye be also brought an other probable note of the number that the Lord thereby meant to shewe that the Sabbat should neuer ãâã perfectly ended til it came to the last day For in it we beginne our blessed rest in it we doe dayly procede in profityng more and more But bicause we haue still a continuall warre with the flesh it shall not be ended vntill that sayeng of Esaye be fulfilled concernyng the continuyng of newe Moone with newe moone of Sabbat with Sabbat euen theâ when God shal be all in all It may seme therfore that the Lord hath by the .vij. day set forth to his people the perfection to come of his Sabbat at the laste daye that our whole lite might by coÌtinuall meditation of the Sabbat aspire to this perfection If any man mislyke this obseruation of the number as a matter to curious I am not agaynst him ⪠but that he maye more simply take it that the Lorde ordeyned one certaine day wherein his people might vnder the scholyng of the lawe bee exercised to the continuall meditation of the spirituall reste And that he assigned the seuenth daye eyther bycause he thought it sufficient or that by settynge forth the likenââse of his owne example he might the better moue the people to kepe it or at leaste to put them in mynde that the Sabbat tended to no other ende but that they should become like vnto their Creatour For it maketh small matter so that the misterie remayne whiche is therein principally set forth concernynge the perpetuall reste of ouâ workes To consideration whereof the Prophetes did nowe and thââ call backe the Iewes that they shoulde not thynke themselues ãâã charged by carnall takyng of their rest Bysâde the places alredy ââleged you haue thus in Esaye If thou turne awaye thy âoote from the Sabbat that thou doe not thine owne will in my holy daye and shalt call the Sabbat delicate and holy of the glorious Lorde and shalt glorifie him while thou doest not thyne owne wayes and sekâst not thine owne will to speake the worde then shalt thou be deââted in the Lord c. But it is no doubte that by the commyng of our Lord Christ so muche as was ceremoniall herein was abrugate For he is the truthe by whose presence all figures do vanish awaye he is the bodie of sight whereof the shadowes are leite He I sâye is the ârue fulfillyng of the Sabbat we beyng buryed with hym by ââptiâme are grafted into the felowship of his death that we beyng made partakers of the resurrection we maye walke in newnesse oâ life Therfore in an other place the Apostle writeth that the Sabbat was a shadowe of a thing to come and that the true bodie that is to saye the perfect substance of truthe is in Christ whiche in the same place he hath well declared That is not coÌteyned in one day but in the whole course of our life vntill that we beyng vtterly dead to our selues be filled with the life of God Therefore superstitious obseruing of daies ought to be far from Christians But for asmuche as the two later causes ought not to be reckened among the olde shadowes but doe belong a like to all ages sins the Sabbat is abrogate
yet this hath still place with vs that we should mere at apointed dayes to the hearyng of the worde to the breakyng of the misticall bread and to publike prayer then that to seruauÌtes and laboreâs be graunted their rest from their labour It is out of doubt that in commaundyng the Sabbat the Lord had care of bothe thâââ thinges The first of them hath sufâicâent testimonie by the only vse of the Iewes to proue it The second Moses spake of in Deuteronomie in these wordes that thy man seruant and thy mayde seruaÌt maye reste as well as thou remember that thou thy selfe didst serue in Egypt Againe in Exodus that thy Oxe and thy Asse maye rest and the sonne of thy boâdâwoman maye take breath Who can denie that bothe these thinges do serue for vs aswell as for the Iewes Meâââges at the church are commaunded vs by the word of God ⪠and the necessitie of them is susficiently knowen in the very experience of life ãâã they be certainely appointed and haue their ordinarie daies ãâã can they be kept All thinges by the sentence of the Apostle are to be done comly and in order among vs. But so farre is it of that coÌâââesse and order can be kepte without this policie and moderation that there is at hand present trouble and ruine of the church if it bee dissolued Now if the same necessitie be among vs for relete whereof the Lord apointed the Sabbat to the Iewes let no man saye that it belongeth nothyng vnto vs. For our moste prouident and tender father willed no lesse to prouide for our necessitie than for the Iewes âut thou wilt saye why do we not rather dayly mete together that the difference of dayes maye be taken awaye I would to God that wâre graunted and truely spirituall wisedome was a thynge worthy to haue dayly a pece of the time cut out for it But yf it can not be obteined of the weakenesse of many to haue dayly metinges and the rule of charitie doth not suffer vs to exact more of them why should we not ãâã the order whiche we see layed vpon vs by the will of God I am compelled here to be somwhat long bicause at this day many vnquiet spirites do rayse trouble concernyng the Sondaye They crie out that the Christian people are nourished in Iewishnesse bicause they kepe some obseruation of dayes But I answere that we kepe those dayes without any Iewishnesse bicause we do in this behalfe far differ from the Iewes For we kepe it not with streight religion as a ceremonie wherein we thinke a spirituall misterie to be âiâured ⪠but we reteine it as a necessarie remedie to the kepyng of order in the church But Paul teacheth that in kepyng thereof they are not to be iudged Christians because it is a shadow of a thing to come Therefore he feared that he had labored in vayne amonge the Galathians bycause they did still obserue dayes And to the Romanes he aââââmeth that it is superstition if any man do make differeÌce betwene daye and daye But whoe saâyng these mad men only dothe not see of what obseruyng the Apostle meaneth For they had no regarde to this political ende and the order of the church but wheras they kept them still as shadowes of spirituall thinges they did euen so muche darken the glory of Christ and the light of the Gospell They did not therfore cesse from handy workes bicause they were thinges that dyd call them away from holy studies and meditations but for a certayne religion that in cessinge from worke thei did dreame that thei still kept their misteries of olde time deliuered them The Apostle I saie inueyeth against this disordered difference of daies not againste the lawefull choice of daies that serueth for the quietnesse of Christian feloweship for in the Churches that he himselfe did ordeine the Sabbat was kept to this vse For he appoynteth the Corynthians the same daye wherin thei shoulde gather the collection to releue the brothren at Hierusalem If they feare superstition there was more danger thereof in the feaste dayes of the Iewes than in the Sundayes that the Christians nowe haue For so as was expediente for the ouerthrowinge of superstition the daie that the Iewes religiouslye obserued is taken awaie and so as was necessarie for keepinge of comclinesse ordre and quiet in the Churche an other daye was appoynted for the same vse Albeit the olde fathers haue not without reason of their choise put in place of the Sabbat daie the daie that we call Sundaie For whereas in the Resurrection of the Lorde is the ende and fullfyllinge of that reste whereof the olde Sabbat was a shadowe the Christians are by the very same daye that made an ende of shadowes put in mynde that thei shoulde no longer sticke vnto the shadowishe ceremonie But yet I do not so reste vpon the numbre of seuen that I wolde binde the Churche to the bondage thereof Neither wil I condemne those Churches that haue other solemne dayes for their meetinges so that thei be withoute superstition whiche shall bee if thei be onely applyed to the oseruation of Discipline and well appoynted ordre Let the summe hereof be thys as the trueth was geuen to the Iewes vnder a figure so is it deliuered vs without any shadowes at all Firste that in all oure life longe we sholde be in meditation of a continuall Sabbat or rest from oure owne workes that the Lorde may worke in vs by his spirit then that euery man priuately so ofte as he hath leysure shoulde diligently exercise himselfe in godly calling to minde the workes of God and also that we al sholde keepe the lawefull ordre of the Churche appoynted for the hearinge of the woorde for the ministration of the Sacramentes and for publike prayer thirdely that we shoulde not vngently oppresse them that bee vnder vs. And so do the trifelynges of the false prophetes vanish awaie that in the ages paste haue infected the people wyth a Iewyshe opinion that so muche as was ceremoniall in this commanudement is take away whiche thei in their tongue call the appoyntinge of the seuenth daye but that so muche as is morall remayneth whiche is the keeping of one daie in the weke But that is nothinge ells in effect than for reproche of the Iewes to change the daye and to keepe still the same holinesse in their minde For there still remaineth wyth vs the lyke signification of mysterie in the daies as was amonge the Iewes And truely we see what good thei haue done by such doctrine For thei that cleaue to their constitutions do by theise as muche as exceede the Iewes in grosse and carnall superstition of Sabbat so that the rebukinge that are readde in Isaie do no lesse fittly serue for them at these dayes than for those that the Prophete reproued in hys tyme. Butte this generall doctrine is principally to be kept
loue To thys exposition Augustine dyd fyrste open mee the waye bycause thou shouldest not thinke that it is without consent of some graue authoritie And though that Lordes purpose was to forbid vs all wrongfull coueting yet in rehersing that same he hath brought forth for example those things that most commonly doe deceyue vs wyth a false image of delyghte bycause hee woulde learne nothynge to concupiscence when he draweth yt from these thinges vpon the whyche yt moste of all rageth and triumpheth Loe here is the seconde Table of the lawe wherein we are taught sufficiently what we owe to men for Gods sake vpon consideration wherof hangeth the whole rule of charitie Wherefore you shall but vaynely call vpon those duetyes that are conteined in thys Table vnlesse your doctrine doe staye vpon the feare and reuerence of God as vpon her foundation As for them whyche seeke for twoo commaundementes in the prohibition of couetinge the wyse reader thoughe I saye nothing wyll iudge that by wronge diuision they teare in sunder that whyche was butte one And it maketh nothinge againste vs that this worde Thou shalt not couet is the seconde time repeted for after that he had fyrste sette the house then hee renteth the partes thereof beginninge at the wyfe whereby it playnely appeareth that as the Hebrues doe very well it ought to bee reade in one whole sentence and that God in effecte commaundeth that all that euery man possesseth shoulde remaine safe and vntouched not onely from wronge and lust to defraude them but also from the very leaste desyre that may moue oure myndes But now to what ende the whole lawe tendeth it shall not be hard to iudge that is to the fulfillinge of ryghteousnesse that yt myghte frame the lyfe of manne after the example of the purenesse of God For God hathe therein so painted oute hys owne nature as if a manne do perfourme in deedes that whiche is there commaunded hee shall in a manner expresse an image of God in hys lyfe Therefore when Moses meante to bring the summe thereof into the myndes of the Israelites hee saide And nowe Israel what dothe the Lorde thy God aske of thee butte that thou feare the Lorde and walke in hys wayes loue hym and serue hym in all thy hearte and in all thy soule and keepe his commaundementes And hee cessed not styll to synge the same songe againe vnto them so ofte as he purposed to shewe the ende of the lawe The doctrine of the lawe hathe suche respect herevnto that it ioyneth man or as Moses in an other place termeth it maketh manne to sticke faste to his God in holynesse of lyfe Nowe the perfection of that holynesse consisteth in the twoo principall pointes allready rehersed That we loue the Lorde God withall oure hearte all oure soule and all oure strengthe and oure neighboure as oure selues And the firste in deede is that oure soule bee in all partes fylled with the loue of God From that by and by of it selfe fourth floweth the loue of oure neighboure Whiche thinge the Apostle sheweth when he wryteth that the ende of the lawe is Loue out of a pure conscience and a farthe not fained You see howe as it were in the heade is set conscience and faith vnfained that is to saye in one worde true Godlynesse and that from thense ys charitie deceyued Therefore hee is deceyued whosoeuer thynketh that in the lawe are taughte onely certayne rudimentes and fyrste Introductions of ryghteousnesse wherewyth menne became to bee taughte theyr fyrste schoolynge butte not yet dyrected to the true marke of good woorkes whereas beyonde that sentence of Moses and thys of Paule youe canne desyre nothynge as wantynge of the hygheste perfection For howe farre I praye youe wyll hee proceede that wyll not bee contented wyth thys institution whereby manne ys instructed to the feare of God to spirituall worshypynge to obeinge of the commaundementes to folowe the vprightnesse of the waye of the Lorde finally to purenesse of conscience syncere faithe and loue Whereby is confirmed that exposition of the lawe whiche searcheth for and findeth out in the commaundementes therof all the dueties of Godlynesse and loue For thei that folow onely the drie and bare principles as if it taught but the one halfe of Gods will know not the ende thereof as the Apostle witnesseth But wheras in rehersing the summe of the law Christ the Apostle do somtime leaue out the first Table many are deceiued therin while thei wold faine draw their wordes to bothe the Tables Christ in Mathew calleth the chiefe pointes of the lawe Mercy Iudgement Faith vnder the worde Faith it is not doubtfull to mee but that he meaneth truth or faithfulnesse towarde men But some that the sentence might be extended to the whole lawe take it for religiousnesse towarde God But thei laboure in vaine For Christe speaketh of those workes wherwith man ought to proue him selfe righteous This reâson if we note we will also cesse to maruell why when a yonge man asked hym what be the commaundementes by kepinge wherof we enter into life he answered these thinges onely Thou shalte not kill Thou shalt not committe adulterie Thou shalte not steale Thou shalte beare no false witnesse Honoure thy Father and thy Mother Loue thy neighboure as thy selfe For the obeying of the firste Table consisted in manner all eyther in the affection of the hearte or in ceremonies the affection of the hearte appeared not and as for the ceremonies the hypocrites did continually vse But the workes of charitie are suche as by them we maye declare a perfect righteousnesse But this commeth eche where so ofte in the prophetes that it muste nedes be familiar to a reader but meanly exercised in them For in a manner alwaye when they echorte to repentaunce they leaue oute the firste Table and onely call vpon Faith Iudgment Mercie Equitie And thus thei do not ouerskippe the feare of God but thei require the earnest proofe thereof by the tokens of yt This is wel knowen that when thei speake of the keepinge of the law thei do for the moste parte rest vpon the seconde Table bicause therein the studie of righteousnesse and vprightnesse is most openly seen It ys needlesse to reherse the places bicause euery man will of himselfe easyly marke that whiche I saye But thou wilt say is it then more auailable to the perfection of righteousnesse to liue innocently among men than with true godlynesse to honore God No but bicause a man doth not easilye kepe charitie in all pointes vnlesse he earnestli feare God therfore it is therby proued that he hathe Godlinesse also Biside that for asmuch as the Lord well knoweth that no benifite can come from vs vnto him which thing he doth also testifie by the Prophet therfore he requireth not our dueties to him self but doth exercise vs in good workes toward our neighbour Therfore not wtout cause the
Apostle setteth the whole perfectioÌ of the holy ones in charitie And not inconuenientlye in an other place he calleth the same the fullfillinge of the lawe adding that he hathe perfourmed the lawe that loueth his neighboure Againe That all the lawe is comprehended in one worde Loue thy neighboure as thy selfe For he teacheth no other thing but the same which Christe doth when he saith Whatsoeuer ye will that men do to you do ye the same to them For thys is the law and the Prophetes It is certaine that in the lawe and the Prophetes Faith all that belongeth to the true worship of God holdeth the principal place and that Loue is beneth it in a lower degree but the Lordes meaning is that in the lawe is only prescribed vnto vs an obseruation of right and equitie wherein we be exercised to testifie our Godlye feare of him if there be any in vs. Here therefore let vs sticke faste that then oure lyfe shal be best framed to Gods will and the rule of his lawe when it shall be euery waye most profitable to oure brothren Butte in the whole lawe there is not redde one syllable that apoynteth to man any râle of suche thynges as he shall do or leaue vndone to the commoditie of his owne fleshe And surely sith men are so borne of such disposition naturalli that thei be to much carried all hedlong to the loue of them selues how much soeuer thei fall from the truthe yet still thei keepe that selfe loue there needed no lawe any more to enflame that loue that was naturally of it selfe to much beyonde measure Whereby it plainly appeareth that not the loue of oure selues but the loue of God and of oure neighboure is the keping of the commaundements and that he liueth best and moste holyly that so nere as maie be liueth and trauileth leaste for him selfe that no man liueth worse and more wyckedly than hee that liueth and trauileth for himselfe only thinketh vpon seketh for thinges of hys owne And the Lord the more to expresse with howe greate ernestnes we ought to be led to the loue of oure neighboures apointed it to bee measured by the loue of our selues as by a rule bicause he had no other more vehement or stronger affection to measure it by And the force of the manner of speaking is diligently to be weyed For he doth not as certaine Sophisters haue foolishly dreamed geue the first degree to the loue of our selues and the seconde to charitie but rather that affection of loue which we do all naturally drawe to our selues he geueth away vnto other wherevpoÌ the Apostle saith that Charitie seketh not her own And their reasoÌ is not to be estemed worth a heare that the thing ruled is euer inferiore to his Rule For God doth not make the loue of our selues a rule whervnto charitie toward other shold be subiect but whereas by peruersnesse of nature the affectioÌ of loue was wont to rest in our selues he sheweth that now it ought to be els wher spred abroade that we shold with no lesse cherefulnesse feruentnesse and carefulnesse be ready to do good to oure neighboure than to oure selues Now sith Christe hath shewed in the parable of the Samaritane the vnder the name of Neighboure euery man is conteined be he neuer so strange vnto vs ther is no cause whi we shold restraine the coÌmauÌdemeÌt of loue within the bondes of our owne frendshippes acquaintances I deny not that the nerer that any man is vnto vs the more familiarli he is to be holpen with our endeuours to do him good For so the ordie of humaâitie reqâireth the so many moe dueties of friendship men shold coÌmunicate togither as they are bounde togither wyth streighter bondes of kyâred familiaritie or neighebourehoode and that wythout any offense of God by whose prouidence we are in a manner driuen thervnto But I say that al mankinde without exception is to be embraced with one affection of charitie that in thys behalfe is no dyfference of Barbarous or Grecian of woorthy or vnwoorthy of friende or foe bicause thei are to be considered in God and not in them selues from whyche consideration when we tourne away it is no maruell if we be entangled with many erroures Wherefore if we wyll keepe the true trade of louinge we muste not tourne oure eyes vnto man the sighte of whome woulde ofter enforce vs to hate than to loue but vnto God which commaundeth that the loue which we offer him be poured abroade among all menne that this be a perpetuall foundation that whatsoeuer the man be yet he ought to be loued bicause God is loued Wherefore it was a moste pestilent either ignoraunce or malice that the Schoolemen of these commaundementes touching not desyringe of reuengmente and louinge oure enemies whiche in the olde time bothe were geuen to the Iewes and at the same tyme were commonly geuen to all Christians haue made Councels whiche it is in our libertie to obey or not obey And the necessarie obeyinge of them thei haue posted ouer to Monkes which wer though but in this one poynt forsoothe more righteous than simple Christians that thei willingelye bound them selues to keepe the Councels And thei rendre a reason why thei receiue them not for lawes for that they seeme to burdenous and heauy specially for Christians that are vnder the lawe of grace So dare thei presume to repel the eternall law of God touching the louing of oure neighvoures Is there any suche dyfference in any leafe of the lawe and are not therein rather in it eche where founde commaundementes that do moste seuerely require of vs to loue oure enemies For what manner of sayinge is that where wee are commaunded to feede oure enemie when he is hungry to set into the right way his Oxen or Asses strayinge out of the waye or to ease them when thei faint vnder their burden Shall we do good to his beastes for his sake without any good will to him selfe What is not the worde of the Lorde euerlastinge Leaue vengeance to me and I will requite it Whiche also is spoken more plainely at large in an other place Seke not vengeance neither be mindefull of the iniurie of thy Citizens Either let them blot these thynges oute of the lawe or let them acknoweledge that the Lorde was a lawemaker and not lieingly faine that he was a councell geuer And what I praye you meane these thynges that thei haue presumed to mocke withall in their vnsauorie glose Loue your enemies doe good to them that hate youe praie for them that persecute youe blesse them that curse you that ye may be the chyldren of youre father which is in heauen Who can not heare reason wyth Chrysostome that by so necessarie a cause it plainely appeareth that they are no exhortations but commaundementes What remayneth more when we be blotted out of the numbre of the
church And we se what a maze thei haue framed with this their hidden implication that any thinge whatsoeuer it be wythoute any choise so that it bee thrust in vnder title of the Church is gredy receiued of the ignorant as it wer an oracle ye sometime also most monsterous erroures Whyche vnaduysed lyghtnesse of beleefe wheras yt is a mooste certayne downefall to ruyne is yet excused by them for that yt beleueth nothynge determynately but wyth this coÌdition adioyned yf the faith of the Church be suche So do they faine that truth is holden in erroure light in blindnes true knowledg in ignorance But bicause we wil not tarry long in confuting them we doe only warne the readers to coÌpare their doctrine wyth oures For the very pleanesse of the trueth it sefe wil of it selfe minister a confutation ready enough For this ys not the question among them whether fayth be yet wrapped wyth many remnauntes of ignoraunce but they definitiuely say that thei beleue aryght which stande amased in their ignorance yea and doe ââatter them selues therein so that they doe agree to the authoritie iudgement of the Churche concerning things vnknowen As though the Scripture did not euerywhere teache that with fayth is ioyned knoweledge But we do graunt that so longe as we wander from home in thys worlde oure faith is not fully expressed not onely bicause many things are yet hidden from vs but bicause being compassed with many mistes of erroures wee atteine not all thinges For the hyghest wysedome of the moste perfect is thys to profite more and proceede on further forwarde with gentill willingnesse to learne Therfore Paule exhorteth the faithfull if vpon any thinge thei differ one from an other to abide for reuelation And truely experience teaceth that till we be vnclothed of oure fleshe we atteine to knowe lesse than were to be wisshed and dayly in reading we light vpon many darke places whiche do conuince vs of ignorance And with this brydle God holdeth vs in modestie assigning to euery one a measure of faith that euen the very best teacher may be ready to learne And notable exaumples of thys vnexpressed faithe we may marke in the Disciples of Christ before that thei hadde obteined to be fully enlightned We see how thei hardly tasted the very fyrste introductions how thei did sticke euen in the smallest pointes howe they hanginge at the mouthe of their maister did not yet muche proceede yea when at the womens information they ranne to the graue the Resurrection of their master was lyke a dreame vnto them Sithe Christe dyd before beare wytnesse of theyr faythe we may not saie that they were vtterly without faith but rather if they dad not been perswaded that Christe shoulde ryse agayne all care of him wold haue perished in them For it was not superstition that dyd drawe the women to embalme with spices the corpes of a deade man of whome ther was no hope of life but although thei beleued his words whome thei knewe to be a speaker of trueth yet the grosnesse that styll possessed their myndes so wrapped theyr faithe in darkenesse that thei were in a manner amased at it Wherevpon it is saide that thei then at the last beleued when thei hadde by tryall of the thinge it selfe proued the truethe of the wordes of Christ not that they then beganne to beleue but bycause the seede of hidden fayth whiche was as it were deade in their heartes then receiuing liuelynesse dyd sprynge vp There was therefore a true fayth in them but an vnexpressed faythe bicause they reuerently embraced Christe for their onely teacher and then beynge taught of him they determined that he was the author of their saluation fynally they beleued that he came from heauen by the grace of his father to gather his Disciples to heauen And we neede not to seke any more familiar poofe hereof than this that in al thinges alway vnbelefe is mingled with faith We may also call it an vnexpressed faithe whiche yet in deede is nothinge but a preparation of faithe The Euangelistes do reherse that many beleued whiche onely beinge rauished to admiration wyth myracles proceded no further but that Christe was the Messias whyche had ben promysed albeit thei tasted not so much as any sclender learning of the Gospell Such obedience which brought them in subiectioÌ willingly to submitt them selues to Christe beareth the name of faith where it was in deede but the beginning of faithe So the courtieâ that beleued Christes promise concerninge the healinge of his sonne when he came home as the Euangelist testifieth beleued againe bycause he receiued as an oracle that whiche he hearde of the mouthe of Christe and then submitted hym selfe to his authoritie to receiue hys doctrine Albeit it is to be knowen that he was so tractable and ready to learne that yet in the fyrste place the woorde of beleninge signifieth a particular beleefe and in the seconde place maketh hym of the numbre of the Disciples that professed to bee the scholers of Christe Alyke exaumple dothe Ihon sette forthe in the Samaritanes whiche so beleued the womans reporte that they ranne earnestly to Christe whiche yet when they hadde hearde hym saide thus Now we beleue not bycause of thy report but we haue hearde him and we know that he is the sauioure of the worlde Hereby appeareth that they whyche are not yet instructed in the fyrste introductions so that they be disposed to obedyence are called faithfull in deede not proprely but in thys respect that God of hys tender kyndenesse voutchesaueth to graunte so greate honoure to that godly affection but this willingnesse to learne with a desire to procede further differeth farr from that grosse ignorââce wherein they lye dull that are content wyth the vnexpressed saith suche as the Papistes haue imagined For if Paule seuerely condemneth them whiche alwaie learning yet neuer come to the knowledge of trueth howe muche more greuous reproche do they deserue that of purpose stadie to know nothing This therfore is the true knowledge of Christ if we receiue him such as he is offered of his Father that is to saye clothed with his Gospel For as he is appoynted to be the marke of oure faith so we can not go the right waie to him but by the Gospell going before to guide vs. And truely ther are opened to vs the treasures of grace which being shut vp Christ should litle proâite vs. So Paule ioyneth faithe an vnseparable companion to doctrine wher he saithe Ye haue not so learned Christ for ye haue been taught what is the trueth in Christe Yet do I not so restraine faith to the Gospell but that I confesse that there hath been so much taught by Moses and the Prophetes as suffised to the edification of faith but bicause ther hath ben deliuered in the Gospel a fuller opening of faith therefore it is woorthyly called of Paule the doctrine of saith For which cause also
the Sonne and of the Holy ghost or must we passe ouer in silence the creation of the worlde Yea but the truthe of God is bothe in this behalfe and euery where mightiâr than that it neede to feare the euell speakyng of the wicked as Augustine strongly maynteineth in his worke of the good of Perseuerance For we see that the false Apostles coulde not by defamyng and sclanderyng the true Doctrine of Paule make hym to bee ashamed of it But whereas they say that this whole disputation is perillous also for godly myndes because it maketh against exhortatioÌs because it shaketh faith because it troubleth the hart it self this is vaine Augustine sticketh not to confesse that for these causes he was wonte to be blamed for that he did to freely preache Predestination but as he had in readinesse wherwithall he largely confuteth them But we because many and diuers absurdities are thrust into this place had rather to reserue euery one to be wyped away in place fitt for it Onely this I desire generally to obteyne of them that those thynges which the Lorde hath layed vp in secrete we may not searche those thynges which he hath brought openly abroade me may not neglect least either on the one part we be condemned of vayne curiositie or on the other parte of vnthankfulnesse For this also is very wel sayd of Augustine that we may safely folow the Scripture whiche as with a motherly pace goeth stoupyngly least it shoulde forsake our weakenesse But who so are so ware and so fearfull that they would haue Predestination to be buried least it shoulde trouble weake soules with what color I beseche you wyll they couer theyr arrogance when they indirectlye accuse God of foolishe vnaduisednesse as though he foresaw not the danger which thei think themselues to haue wisely mett with Who soeuer therfore trauaileth to bryng the doctrine of Predestination into mislikyng he openly saith euyl of God as though somwhat had vnaduisedly slipped from him which is hurtful to the Chirche Predestination wherby God adopteth some into the hope of life iudgeth some to eternall death no man that would be accompted godly dare simply denie But they wrappe it vp with many cauillations specially they which make foreknowlege the cause of it We in dede doo say that they be bothe in God but we say that the one is wrongfullye made subiecte to the other When we geue foreknowlege to God we meane that all thynges alway haue ben and perpetually dooe remayne vnder his eies so that to his knowlege there is nothyng to come or pasâe but all thynges are present and so present that he dothe not imagine onely by conceyued formes as those thynges are presente to vs whereof our mynde holdeth fast the remembrance but he truely beholdeth and seeth them as sett before hym And this foreknowlege extendeth to the whole compasse of the worlde and to all creatures Predestination we call the eternall decree of God whereby he hadde it determyned with hymselfe what he willed to become of euery man For all are not created to like estate but to some eternall life and to some eternall damnation is foreappointed Therfore as euery man is created to the one or other ende so we say that he is predestinate either to lyfe or to death But this predestination God hath not onely testified in euery seuerall persone but hath shewed an example therof in the whole issue of Abraham wherby myght playnly appeare that it lyeth in his will what shall be the estate of euery nation When the Hyest diuided the nations and seuered the children of Adam his parte was the people of Israell the corde of his inheritance The separation is before the eyes of all men in the persone of Abraham as in a drye stocke one people is peculiarly chosen all other beyng refused but the cause appereth not sauyng that Moses to cutte of all occasion of gloryeng from posteritie teacheth that they excell onely by the free loue of God For he assigneth this to be the cause of their deliuerance for that God loued the Fathers and chose their seede after them More playnely in an other chapiter He was pleased in you to choose you not because you passed other nations in number but because he loued you The same admonition is often repeted with hym Beholde to the Lorde thy God belongeth the heauen the earth and whatsoeuer thyngs are in it and he hath pleased hymselfe onely in your Fathers and hath loued them and hath chosen you their sede Agayne in an other place sanctificatioÌ is comaunded them because they are chosen to be a peculiar people And agayne in an other place Loue is affirmed to be the cause of protection Whych also the faithfull doo declare with one voyce sayeng He hath chosen for vs our inheritaunce the glorie of Iacob whome he hath loued For they do all impute to free loue all the gyftes wherewith they were garnished of God not onely because they knewe that they themselues had obteined them by no deseruynges but also that euen the holy Patriarch was not endued with suche vertue that he coulde purchase to hymselfe and his posteritie so greate a prerogatiue of honor And the more stronglye to treade downe all pride he vpbrayded them that they haue deserued no And the more strongly to treade downe all pride he vpbrayded them that they haue deserued no such thing forasmuch as they are a stubborne hard necked people And oftentimes the Prophetes do hatefully and as by way of reproche cast the Iewes in the teethe with this election because they had fowly departed from it Whatsoeuer it be nowe lett them come fourth which wil binde the election of God either to the worthinesse of men or to the merites of works When they see one nation to be preferred before al other and when they heare that God was led with no respect to be more fauourably bent to a fewe and vnnoble yea and ârowarde and disobedient men wil they quarel with hym because hys will was to shewe suche an example of mercie But they shall neither with their pratling voices hinder his worke nor with throwing stones of tauntes into heaueÌ shall hitt or hurt his righteounesse but rather they shall fall backe vpon their owne heds Moreouer the Israelites are called backe to thys principle of the free couenant when either thankes are to be geuen to God or their hope to be raised vp against the time to come He made vs and not we our selues saith the Prophet his people and the shepe of his pastures The negatiue is not superfluous which is added to exclude vs that they may knowe that of all the good thinges wherwith they excell God is not onely the author but fetched the cause therof from himselfe because there was nothing in them worthie of so greate honor Also he biddeth them to be contented with the mere good pleasure of God in
these words The sede of Abraham are his seruantes the children of Iacob his elect And after that he hath rehearsed the continuall benefites of God as frutes of the election at length he concludeth that he dealt so liberally because he remembred hys couenant With which doctrine agreeth the song of the whole Chirche Thy right hande and the light of thy countenance gaue the lande to our Fathers because thou wast pleased in them But it is to be noted that where meÌtion is made of the land it is a visible signe of the secret seuering wherin the adoption is conteined To the same thankefulnesse Dauid in an other place exhorteth the people sayeng Blessed is the nation whoe 's God the Lorde is the people whiche he hath chosen for an inheritance to himselfe And Samuell encourageth them to good hope sayeng The Lorde wyll not forsake you for hys owne great names sake because it pleased him to create you for a people to himselfe Likewise Dauid when his faith is assailed armeth himselfe to fight sayeng Blessed is he whome thou haste chosen he shal dwel in thy courtes But forasmuche as the election hidden in GOD was stablished as well by the first deliuerance as by the seconde and other meane benefites in Esaie the worde of Electing is transferred to this God shal haue mercie on Iacob and he shall yet choose out of Israell because he signifieng the tyme to come sayeth that the gathering together of the remnante of the people which he semed to haue forsaken shal be a signe of the stable and stedfaste election whiche ones semed to haue ben fallen awaye When also it is sayed in an other place I haue chosen thee and haue not caste thee awaye he setteth oute the continuall course of the notable liberalitie of hys fatherly good wyll And yet more playnly the Aungell sayeth in zacharie GOD shall yet choose Ierusalem as though in hardly chasting it he had reiected it or aâ though the exile were an interrupting of the election which yet remaineth inuiolable although the signes therof do not alway appeare There is to be added a seconde degree more narowly restrained or in which was seen a more special grace of God when of the same kinred of Abraham God refused some and other some by nourishing them in the Chirche he shewed that he reteined among his childreÌ Ismael had at the beginning obteined egall degree with his brother Isaac because the spirituall couenante had ben no lesse sealed in hym by the signe of Circumcision He is cutt of and then Esay at the last an innumerable multitude and almost Israell In Isaac was the sede called the same calling endured in Iacob A lyke example God shewed in reiecting Saule whiche thing is also gloriously sett fourth in the Psalme He hath putt backe the tribe of Ioseph and the tribe of Ephraim he hath not chosen but he hath chosen the tribe of Iuda Which the holy historie diuerse times repeteth that the wonderfull secret of the grace maye the better appeare in this change Ismaell Esau and suche other I graunt fell from the adoption by their owne faulte and gyltynesse because there was a condition adioyned that they should faythfully kepe the couenant of God whiche they falsly brake But this was yet a singular benefit of God that he vouchesaued to preferre them aboue the other GeÌtiles as it is sayd in the Psalme He hath not so done to other nations nor hath opened hys iugementes to them But here I haue not without cause sayd that there be twoo degrees to be noted because nowe in the choosing of the whole nation GOD shewed that he is in his owne mere liberalitie bounde to no lawes but he is free so that egall portion of grace is not to be required at hys hande the vnequalitie wherof sheweth that it is truely of free gifte Therefore Malachie amplifieth the vnthankfulnesse of Israell because they being not onely chosen out of all mankinde but also seuered out of a holy house to be a peculiar people doo vnfaythfully and wickedly despise GOD so beneficiall a Father Was not Esau the brother of Iacob sayth he and yet Iacob I loued but Esau I hated For GOD taketh it for confessed that when eyther of them was borne of a holy Father and successor of the couenant finally a braunch of the holy roote nowe the childreÌ of Iacob were more than commonly bonde which were taken into that dignitie But wheÌ Esau the first begotten being refused their Father which was by nature inferior was made the heyre he proueth them doblely vnthankfull and complayneth that they were not holden wyth that doble bonde Althoughe it be allredy sufficiently euidente that GOD doth by hys secrete counsell freely chose whome he wyll reiecting other yet hys free election is hetherto but halfe shewed tyll we come to all particular persones to whome GOD not onely offereth saluation but so assigneth it that the certaintie of the effect thereof is not in suspense or doutefull For these are accompted in that onely sede whereof Paule maketh mention For althoughe the adoption was left in the hande of Abraham yet because many of his posteritie were cutt of as rotten members that the election maye be effectuall and truely stedfast we must nedes ascende to the hed in whoÌ the heauenly Father hath bounde together his electe one with one other and hath knit them to hymselfe with a knott impossible to be loosed So in the adoption of yâ kinred of Abraham shined the liberall fauor of God which he denied to other men yet in the members of Christe appeareth a muche more excellente strength of grace because they being graffed into their hed doe neuer fall awaye from saluation Therefore Paule doth fittly reason out of the place of Malachie which I euen nowe alleged that where God with making a couenant of eternal life calleth any people to hymselfe there is in parte a speciall manner of election that he doth not choose all effectually with common grace Whereas it is sayed I haue loued Iacob this perteineth to the whole issue of the Patriarch which the Prophete there setteth in comparisoÌ against the posteritie of Esau. Yet this withstandeth not but that in the persone of one man was sete fourth to vs an example of the election whiche can not slippe away but muste come to the marke that it tendeth to These Paule doth not vainely note to be called remnantes because experience teacheth that of a greate multitude many slide and vanishe away so that oftentimes there remaineth but a small portion But why the generall election of a people is not alway fyrme and stedfast there is a reason offring it selfe in redinesse because with whome GOD couenanteth he doeth not by and by geue to them the Spirite of regeneration by the power whereof they maye continue in the couenante to the ende but the outwarde changing without the inwarde effectualnesse of grace which