office and dutie of Pastours than if they shuld set before the eyes of the world a companie of Idols For who dare denie but that a great part yea the most part of the byshops of Rome since Gregorie the great were suche maner of Idoles suche kinde of woolues and deuourers as are described by the Prophete Zacharie What than I praye you can the continuall succession of such false pastors proue Yea and they which were of the later time did they not fill almost the vniuersall churche with the traditions of men and partly oppressed the word of God and partly persecuted it In the ancient church of the Israelites there was a continuall order of succession of byshops without any interruption thereof euen from Aaron to Vrias who liued vnder Achas and to other wicked byshops also falling from the word of god to the traditions of men yea and also idolatrie But for all that that succession did not proue the idolatrous byshops with the churche that claue vnto them to be the true byshops of God and the true church of god Truely the true Prophetes of God the sounde catholique fathers preaching only the word of God without mens traditions yea cleane against all traditions were not able to reckon vp any continual succession of priests their predecessours to whome they them selues should succéede yet notwithstanding they were most excellent lights worthy members of the church of God they which beleeued their doctrine were neither Scismatiques nor heretiques but eueÌ„ to this day are acknowledged to be the true church of Christ When Christe our Lord the blessed son of God did teach here on earth gathered together his church the succession of byshops was on his aduersaries part But they for that cause were not rulers of the true church of God Christ of the heretical church The apostles of our lord could not alledge for theÌ„ selues their doctrine a succession of bishops not interrupted for they were ordeined of the Lord who was also him selfe created of God the high priest for euer after the new order of Melchisedech without the succession of the order of Leuie yet the church y was gathered by them is acknowledged of al men to be the true holy church The Apostles theÌ„selues wold haue none other to be accounted for their true felowes successors but those who walked vpright in the doctrin way of Christ For notable manifest is the saying of Paule Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ And though he speaketh these wordes to al the faithful not only to the ministers of Gods word yet those wold he chiefly haue such followers of him as the residue of coÌ„mon christians that is to say euery man in his vocation calling The same Apostle speaking at MiletuÌ„ with the bishops of Asia amoÌ„g other things saith I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruers things to draw disciples after theÌ„ Paul y apostle not froÌ„ any other place than out of the apostolique churche it selfe yea out of the companie or assembly of Apostolique Byshops and Pastours fetcheth out of the woolues and deuourers of the Church But could not these thinke you allege the Apostolique successioÌ„ for them selues and their most corrupt cause that is to say that they be descended from Apostolique Pastours But for so much as forsaking the trueth they be falâ—e from the faith and doctrine of the Apostles the ofspring and Apostolicall succession doth nothing at all make for them Therefore we conclude that the continuall succession of Byshops by it selfe proueth nothing yea rather that that is no lawful succession whiche wanteth the puritie of the doctrine of the Scriptures and Apostles And therefore Tertullian greatly estéeming and that worthily the continuall succession of Pastours in the Churche yet requireth the same to be approued by the sinceritie of Apostolique doctrine yea hée acknowledgeth those Churches whiche are instructed with pure doctrine and yet not able to make any reckoning of succession of Byshoppes to be Apostolique Churches If anye man require the words of the author they be these But if there be any churches that dare presume to plant them selues in the very age of the apostles that therfore they may seeme to haue bene planted by the apostles bicause they were vnder the Apostles wee may say thus Let them bring foorth the first beginning of their churches let them turne ouer the order of succession of their Byshops so by succesâ—ions going from the first beginning that that first Byshop of theirs maye be found to haue for his authour and predecessour some one of the Apostles and apostolical sort of men and yet such an one as coÌ„tinued with the Apostles For by this meanes the Apostolique churches giue their iudgment As the church of Smyrna testifieth that they had Polycarpus placed there by S. Iohn And as the churche of Rome sheweth that Clemens was appointed by S. Peter And as in like sort also other do shew for them selues who haue their ofspring of Apostolique seede placed in their Byshopricks by the Apostles Let heretiques faine some such matter For after their blasphemies what is vnlawful for them But albeit they doe faine they shal not preuaile For their owne doctrine being compared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitie contrarietie therof shall shewe that it had neyther Apostle nor Apostolicall man for the author Bicause as the Apostles taught nothing that was contrarie among theÌ„ selues euen so Apostolicall men set forth nothing contrarie to the Apostles but only such as fel away from the Apostles and taught other doctrine In this manner therefore may those Churches appeale who albeit they can bring for their authour none of the Apostles or Apostolique men as those that are of farre later time are but nowe daily erected yet they agréeing in one faith are neuerthelesse counted Apostolicall for the likenesse of the doctrine The selfe same authour speaking of the auncient church of Rome and gathering the summe of that it either taught or learned saith Happie is that Church to which the Apostles haue vttered all their doctrine with their bloud where Peter in suffering is made like to the Lord where Paul is crowned with the like end that Iohn had where the Apostle Iohn after that he was plunged in hote scalding oyle felt no paine was banished into the Isle Let vs see what it lerned and what it taught how it doth agre with the churches of Africa it acknowlegeth one god the maker of all things Iesus Christ the sonne of God the creator borne of the virgine Marie the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh it ioyneth the lawe the Prophets with the doctrine of the EuaÌ„gelists Apostles froÌ„ theÌ„ drinketh that faith baptiseth with water clotheth with the holy ghost feedeth
the vse or effect of the lawe of God and of the fulfilling abrogating of the same Of the likenesse and difference of bothe the Testamentes and people the old and the new 400 9 Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof 440 10 Of sinne and of the kyndes thereof to wit of originall and actuall sinne and of sinne against the Holie Ghoste And lastly of the most sure and iust punishment of sinnes 477 The summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the fourth Decade 1 Of the Gospell of the grace of GOD who hath giuen his Sonne vnto the world and in him all thinges necessarie to saluation that wee beleeuing in him might obteine eternall life 525 2 Of repentaunce and the causes thereof of confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of mē the other things perteyning to repentāce 561 3 Of God of the true knowledge of God and of the diuers ways how to know him That God is one in substance three in persons 604 4 That God is the creatour of all things and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence where mention is also made of the good wil of God to vsward and of Predestination 635 5 Of adoreing or worshipping Of inuocating or calling vpon And of seruing the onely liuing true and euerlasting god Also of true and false religion 648 6 That the sonne of God is vnspeakably begotten of the father that he is consubstantiall with the father and therefore true god That the selfe same sonne is true man consubstantiall with vs and therefore true God and man abiding in two vnconfounded natures and in one vndiuided person 677 7 Of Christ King Priest of his onely euerlasting kingdome and priesthoode and of the name of a Christian 698 8 Of the holie Ghoste the thirde person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power 714 9 Of good and euil spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirites of their operations 731 10 Of the reasonable soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his body 759 The third last Tome and first the summe or cōtents of the ten Sermons of the fift and last Decade 1 Of the holy Catholique Churche what it is how far it extendeth by what marks it is knowne from whence it springeth howe it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power studies of the Church 812 2 That there is one Catholique Church that without the Churche there is no light or saluation Against Schismatiques Wherefore we depart from the vp-start Churche of Rome That the Church of God is the house vineyard and kingdome of God and the body sheepefolde and spouse of Christe a mother and a virgine 841 3 Of the ministerie and ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christe vnto the Churche in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the byshop of Rome 870 4 Of calling vnto the ministerie of the word of god What manner of men and after what fashion ministers of the worde must be ordeined in the church Of the keyes of the Churche What the office of them is that be ordeyned Of the manner of teaching the Churche and of the holie life of the Pastours 891 5 Of the fourme and maner how to pray to God that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thankesgiuing and the force of prayer is intreated 914 6 Of signes the manner of signes of Sacramentall signes what a sacrament is of whome for what causes and how many Sacraments were instituted of Christ for the christian church Of what thinges they doe consist howe they are consecrated how the sign and the thing signified in the Sacramentes are eyther ioyned together or distinguished and of the kinde of speaches vsed in the Sacramentes 955 7 That we must reason reuerently of Sacramentes that they doe not giue grace neyther haue grace included in them Again what the vertue and lawful end and vse of Sacraments is That they profite not without fayth that they are not superfluous to the faythfull and that they do not depend vpō the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the minister 995 8 Of holie Baptisme what it is by whome when it was instituted and that there is but one baptisme of water Of the baptisme of fire Of the rite or ceremonie of baptisme howe of whome and to whome it muste be ministred Of Baptisme by Midwiues and of infants dying without baptisme Of the baptisme of infantes againste Anabaptisine or Rebaptising and of the power or efficacie of baptisme 1032 9 Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whom when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated of the ends thereof Of the true meaning of the wordes of the supper This is my body O◠the presence of Christ in the supper Of the true eating of Christes body Of the worthy vnworthy eaters thereof how◠euerie mā ought to prepare him self vnto the lords supper 1063 10 Of certeine institutions of the church of god Of scholes Of Ecclesiasticall goods of the vse abuse of the same O◠Churches holie instrument◠of Christians Of the admonition and correction of the ministers of the Church and of the whole Churche Of matrimonie Of widowes Of virgines Of Monkes What the church of Christe determineth concerning the sicke and of funeralls and burials 1112 The second table conteyning such places and testimonies of Scripture both of the old Testament and the Newe as are vsed of the Authour euery where throughout this his whole worke The first number is referred to the Chapter the second to the Page ¶ Out of Genesis 1IN the beginning God created heauen earth c. Pag. 632. 1 Let there be light and there was light c. 977 1 Let vs make man in our Image after our owne likenes c. 490. 633 2 Of the institution of mariage It is not good for man to bee alone c. 222. 2 Thou shalt not eate of the fruite of the trée of knowledge c. 483. 484. 488 3 Ye shall not die the death for God doth know that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened c. 751 3 The Serpent was subtiler than all the beastes of the field c. 749 3 The woman whom thou gauest to be with mée gaue mée of the trée c. 479 3 For dust thou art and into dust thalt thou be turned againe c. 764 3 The séed of the womā shall crush the serpents head c. 687 4 The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth out of the earth c.
of the Apostles Créede saith He sayd not in the holy church nor in the remission of sinnes nor in the resurrection of the body For if he had added the preposition In then had the force of those clauses beene all one with the force of that that went before For in those words wherein oure beliefe touching the Godhead is set downe we say in God the Father In Iesus Christ his Son in the holy ghost but in the rest wher the speach is not of the Godhead but touching the creatures or mysteries the preposition In is not added that we may say In the holy Churche but that the holy Church is to be beleued not as we beleue in God but as a congregation gathered together to God and that the forgiunesse of sinnes is to be beleeued not that we ought to beleeue in the forgiunesse of sinnes and that the resurrection of the flesh is to be beleeued not that we ought to beleeue in the resurrection of the fleshe So then by this sillable In the Creator is discerned from the Creatures and that that is Gods frō that that is mans This saith Cyprian S. Augustine in his booke De Fide et Symbolo hath I beleeue the holy Churche not I beleeue in the holy Church There are alledged also his wordes in his epistle Ad Neophytos touching consecration Distinct 4. ca. 1. We saide not that ye had to beleeue in the Church as in God but vnderstād how we said that ye being cōuersant in the holy Catholique Churche should beleeue in God. Much more euidently doth Paschasius in the first Chap. of his first booke De Spiritu Sancto say We beleeue the Church as the mother of regeneration we do not beleeue in the Church as the authour of saluation He that beleeueth in the Churche beleeueth in man For man hath not his being of the Churche but the Churche beganne by man Leaue of therefore this blasphemous persuasion to think that thou haste to beleeue in anye worldly Creature since thou mayst not beleeue neither in Angel nor Archangel The vnskilfulnesse of some haue drawne and taken the preposition In from the sentence that goeth nexte before and put it to that that followeth adding thereto also too too shamelesly somewhat more then needed This hath Paschasius in that booke of his which Saint Gregorie the greate Bishop of Rome liked very well of What say ye to that moreouer that Thomas of Aquine reasoning of faith in the seconde booke Part. 2. Artic. 9. quest 1. sayth If we say I beleeue in the holy Churche we muste vnderstande that oure fayth is referred to the holy Ghoste whiche sanctifieth the Churche and so make the sense to be thus I beleeue in the holy spirite that sanctifieth the Church But it is better and according to the cōmon vse not to adde at all the sillable In but simply to say the holy Catholique Churche euen as also Pope Leo sayth This hath Thomas So nowe ye haue hearde the opinions of the auncient Doctours of the Churche Cyprian Augustine Gregorie Paschasius Pope Leo and also of Thomas of Aquine whiche taught nowe in the later times And dearely beloued ye doe vnderstande by proofes taken out of the Canonicall Scripture that we must acknowledge and confesse the holy Catholike Churche but not beléeue in the holy Catholique Church And nowe we haue to sée what that is that is called the Churche and what is called the Catholique church Ecclesia whiche worde we vse for the Churche is properly an assembly it is I saye where the people are called out or gathered together to heare somewhat touching the affaires of the common weale In this present treatise it is the company communion congregation multitude or fellowship of all that professe the name of Christe Catholique is as muche to say as this fellowship is vniuersal as that that is extended throughe all places and ages For the Churche of Christe is not restrained into any corner among the Donatists in Aphrica it stretcheth out it selfe throughe the compasse of the world and vnto all ages and doth conteine all the faithfull from the first Adam euen vnto the very last Saint that shall be remaining before the end of the world This vniuersall Churche hath hir particular churches I mean the churche of Adam and of the Patriarches the Churche of Moses and of the Prophetes before the byrth of Christe the Christian Churche which is so named of Christe him selfe and the Apostolicall Church gathered together by the Apostles doctrine in the name of Christ And finally it containeth these particular Churches as the Churche of Ierusalem of Antioch of Alexandria of Rome of Asia of Aphrica of Europe of the East of the West c. And yet all these Churches as it were members of one body vnder the onely heade Christe for Christe alone is the heade of his Church not onely triumphant but militant also do make one onely Catholike Churche in whiche there are not to be founde either heresies or schismies and for that cause is it called the true Church to wit of the right and true opinion iudgement fayth and doctrine For in the Church onely is true fayth and without the Church of God is neyther any trueth nor yet saluation So then in this Article we confesse that all the faithfull dispersed through out the whole compasse of the earth and they also that at this time liue in heauen as many I say as are already saued or shall euen vntill the very end of the worlde be borne to be saued are one bodye hauing gotten fellowship and participation with God and a mutuall communion among them selues And for bycause no man can be made one with God vnlesse he also be holy pure euen as God is holy and pure therefore we beléeue that the Church is holy that is that it is sanctified by God the Father in the bloude of the Sonne and the gift of the holy Ghost We haue hearde testimonies inough in the former Sermons Therefore this one of Paule shall be sufficient which he writeth to the Ephesians Christe loued the Churche and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie and to cleanse it in the fountaine of water through the worde to make it vnto him selfe a glorious Churche not hauing spot or wrinckle c. By which words we vnderstand that the church is called vndefiled altogether cleane not in respect of it selfe but bycause of Christe For the Church of Christ is so farre foorth holy as that yet euery day it doth goe forwarde in profiting and is neuer perfect so long as it liueth on the earth And yet notwithstanding the holinesse of it is moste absolutely perfect in Christ Wherevnto veryly belongeth that notable saying of the lord He that is washed hath no need but to washe his feete onely for he is wholy cleane For the faythfull are purely cleansed by Christe who washeth them with his bloud
apparel For as the man is such is his talk such is his cloathing therefore the rayment doeth note of what conuersation the priests ought to be Whereuppon it commeth that in the Scriptures wee are bidden to put on other cloathing whē the meaning of the holy Ghoste is that wee should chaunge our wicked conuersation so that the very garmentes doe partly instruct the priests what they haue to doe and what is seemely for them But nowe the time and course of this treatise inuiteth mée to speake somewhat of the priests office Their office did consist in many thinges but especially in teaching instructing For the chiefe cause whie the priestes were ordeyned of God was to instruct the Church in true pietie and to teach the people the lawe of god For thus wée read that the Lord did say vnto Aaron Thou thy sonnes that are with thee shall drincke neither wine nor stronge drinke when ye enter into the tabernacle of wittnesse least happily ye die Let it be an euerlasting ordinaunce among your posterities that ye may put disferēce both betwixt holie vnholie betwixt cleane and vncleane that ye may teach the sonnes of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken vnto them by the ministerie of Moses Leuit. 10. The same lawe doth Ezechiel in as many wordes almost rehearse in the 44. Chapiter of his Prophecie And Malachie declareth it also as it is to be seeae in the second of his Prophecie They therefore are vtterly deceyued which thincke that the Leuiticall priestes were appointed onely for to kill the sacrifices Moreouer the lord doth euery where in his lawes minister matter for the Leuitical priesies to instruct his people in and that matter was not the heathenish Philosophie the edicts of kinges or decrees of Senatours but the very woord of God deliuered to them by God himselfe And that this doctrine might be the more conunodiously vttered to the people the priestes appointed certaine holy dayes wherein the people should assemble together to heare them preach the word of God. The next point of their duetie after teaching was to blesse the people That blessing was not free for euerie priest to vse as hee listed but was bounde to a certaine forme of words very solemnly vttered which is thus expressed in the 6. of Numbers And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Speake vnto Aaron his sonnes saying On this wise ye shall blesse the children of Israel and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee keepe thee The Lord shewe his face vnto thee and be merciful vnto thee the Lord lift vp his countenance vppon thee and giue thee peace This manner of blessing did they vse vndoubtedly in their holy assemblies esspecially at the breaking vpp of the congregation when the people did depart In an other place it is said that God did blesse but here that Aaron and his sonnes did blesie the people whereuppon wée haue to note that God doth woorke inwardly and performe in the faithful what soeuer the priestes in that forme of blessing did wishe vnto the people so that still to blesse is the onely and proper worke of God alone And therfore verie significantly after that solemne blessing vttered by the mouth of the priest God doth add And they shall call or put my name ouer or vpon the children of Israel and I will blesse them The priestes therefore do lay before the people the name of the Lord they commend vnto them the mightie power of his Godhead and shew them that all goodnesse doeth flowe from God teaching them how they may obteyne it through faith in Christ who is the blessed séed that blesseth al that call vppon his name Nowe in this solemne blessing sixe principal points are chiefly conteyned First the priest sayth The Lord blesse thee That is The Lord bestowe vpon thée whatsoeuer belongeth to the safetie of thy bodie and soule Secondarily he saith The Lord keepe thee For it is not sufficient to receiue good thinges at the hand of the Lord vnlesse they bée preserued by his power and not taken from vs by his wrathfull indignation nor lost againe by oure owne negligence Thirdly hee sayth The Lord shew thee his face or The Lord make his face shine vppon thee The Lord doth thē shew vs his louing face when after his anger hee sheweth vs his fauour and doth become good and gratious to vs And therefore in the fourth clause doeth followe a more plaine exposition where the priest sayth The Lord bee mercifull vnto thee as if hee should haue said The Lord be alwayes gentle and fauourable vnto thée in all that thou goest about either in words or déeds The fift blessing is The Lord liftvpp his countenaunce vppon thee Now the Lord lifteth vpp his countenaunce when he looketh vppon vs when hée watcheth ouer vs and doth direct and guide our wayes The last desire is Peace which is taken for the saluation and chiefe goodnesse that happeneth to mankinde although in an other sense it is put for the contrarie to warre or battel and the peace of the conscience is no smal felicitie to mortall men These were the good things that the priestes did wish to light vppon the people teaching them withal to beséech the Lord for those blessings with ardent prayers carnest supplications Euen till this day there doe remaine the Psalmes that the priestes did make for the peoples sake to singe For after that Dauid had brought musick into the temple then did the playing vppon musical instrumentes with swéete melodie and singing of Psalmes beginne to be taken for an office among the priests Touching this musicke vsed in the temple the first booke of Chronicles speaketh very much where it treateth of Dauid and his dealinges how he distributed the singers into 24. orders and that by course Moreouer the priestes were commaunded to minister the Sacraments and to sacrifice For they did circumcise the infants their office was to see the Passeouer eaten and to offer sacrifices of sundrie sorts vnto the Lord of which I will speake hereafter in place cōuenient And that they might more commodiously offer their sacrifices Dauid by the inspiration of the holy ghost diuided the two families of Eleazar and Ithamar into 24. orders For they did minister by course as is to be séen in the 24. Chapiter of the first of Chronicles All the while that their turne to minister did laste the priestes remayned still within and neuer did set a foote out of the temple For there were houses builded within the temple for the priests to dwell in when their lot did come to serue the Lord they neuer went vnto their owne houses vntill their course were expired and their time to minister were fully finished The priestes also did kéepe the holy vessells and make them cleane they kept the candels burning the holy fire that it should not goe out to be short they had the charge of all thinges which
whiche is exactly painted out in the 30. chap. of Exodus That altar was ordeined for two vses For first there was offered vppon it euery day incense or perfume which it was not lawfull to offer or prepare to any other God or creature That was done twice euery day at morning and at euening Zacharias the father of Iohn Baptist was in that ministerie when he sawe the Angel and for his vnbeliefes sake was made dumbe for a season Secondarilie incense was offered vppon that altar after a certaine solemne manner once in a yeare that was at the feast of Clensing as is declared in the 16. Chap. of Leuitiâ—us Nowe by incense or perfume is to bée vnderstood the prayers of the faithful as Dauid witnesseth where hee saith Let my prayer bee set foorth in thy sight as the incense and let the lifting vp of my handes be an euening sacrifice Nowe there was but one incense altar alone Whosoeuer builded any more hee was condemned of blasphemous wickednesse By that onely altar is figured Christe oure Lord both God and man the mediatour and intercessour betwixte God and man by whome all the Sainctes doe offer all their prayers to God their Lord and heauenly father They therfore build many altars which choose to themselues creatures to bee their intercessours by whose mediation they desire to obteine that which they lacke at y haÌ„ds of god In the end of the 30. cap. it is expressely said Who soeuer shall make like inceÌ„se to that to smell therto shal perish froÌ„ amonge his people Therfore through Christ alone the faith full Church of Christe doeth offer her prayers to God the father This altar whereof we speake was bound about with a crowne of gold For Christ our Lord and altar is a verie king and priest weareth the crowne of glorie Nowe wée must pray at morning and at euening that is continually very earnestly And we must alwayes pray in through the name of Christ And Christ is he alone through whoÌ„ God hath béen pleased with the prayers of them that haue prayed in the morning that is at the beginning of the world and is at this day pleased with them that pray to him at euening that is in the end and these last dayes of the world They therfore sinned moste greuously against the Lord that offered incense in the high places euery where For as they were rebellious and disobedient to God preferring their owne inuentions before the lawes of GOD whiche they neglected so did they despise the mysterie of Christe the onely mediatour in departing from that onlie altar In the Court or Atrium did stand an other altar which was called the brasen altar of the altar of burnt offerings which is finely described in the 27. of Exodus Of this sort also there was but this one For it was not lawfull for any religious man to sacrifice in any other place sauing in the holy place where this altar was vnlesse it were by some singular dispensation Therefore whom the Rubenites with their confederates had builte an altar by the bankes of Iordan and that the fame therof was brought to the eares of the other tribes of Israel they did all agrée with one consent that the crime was to be punished with open warre Whereby wée may againe gather the greatnesse of their fault whiche neglecting that altar did offer sacrifice in the high places Of whiche I also spake before Nowe that onely and Catholique altar of ours is Iesus Christe who offered himselfe a liuing sacrifice for vs to god Neither is there any sacrifice in all the world that can clense sinne but that alone Neither do any sacrifices of the faithfull please the father but those that are by faith offered vppon the altar Iesus Christe For Christ doth sanctifie vs and being sanctified we doe by him offer the sacrifice that hee doth well accept off This haue I taken out of the Apostles doctrine in the 13. to the Hebrues and the twelfth to the Romanes The last of the holy vessells was the brasen lauer which was placed in the Atrium betwixte the vaile of the Sanctum and the altar of burnt offerings It is described in the 30. chap. of Exodus In it was conteyned the water wherewith the priestes that ministred before the Lord did wash themselues By that lauer was Christ signified whiche is the washinge of the faithfull And by it was mente that holy thinges were not to be handled with vnwashed hands and féete They washe themselues that by the holy ghost are purified and by the grace of God are made fitt to the ministerie of religion But hée is in daunger of death that is not a partaker of the grace of life Beside these there are also reckoned other instrumentes belonging to the tabernacle but these in a manner are the chiefe I thought not good by beating out busilie euery particularitie to reherse vnto you euery smal thing least peraduenture by too long a treatise I should be too tedious vnto your patience Now the same holy vessells that were in the tabernacle were in the temple also sauing that in Solomons temple there was a farre more goodly shewe and pompe than in the tabernacle for none other cause vndoubtedly but that the mysteries of Christe and of the Church should increase euery day more and more to the sighte of the world Christe the true Solomon and king of peace and tranquillitie the very eternall felicitie it selfe hath raysed vpp in this world to himselfe a Church which stretcheth to the endes of the world Of which the Prophetes haue spoken very largely Zacharie especially and the famous Prophete Nathan 2. Samuel chap. 7. Thus muche hetherto of the holye place After the holy place in the sacred Ceremonies the next to be handled is the holy time For as to the outward religion a certaine place was giuen so to the same also an appointed time was assigned And holy dayes are to be imployed vppon holy actions For actions are either those which we cal handie works inuented for to get victuals clothing and other thinges necessarie for the vse of oure bodies or else they are holy or religious whiche are done for the exercise of outward religioÌ„ Wée must not consume all oure time in handie woorkes and prophane businesse neither can wée bestowe al times vppon outward religion But those actions are not without time For euery action is coÌ„teyned in time Therefore God hath diuided the time into sundrie parts for sundrie actions so that hee will haue some woorking dayes to serue for handie actions and other holy dayes for the exercise of outward religion Not that the working dayes are not holy dedicated to the Lord for he doth chalenge all dayes and times to himselfe and will at all seasons be worshipped in hart but for because the holy dayes are singularly and as it were more precisely consecrated to the outward worshippe of God than the working dayes are Therfore the
blasphemers of the Gospell of Christ do sinne more grieuously than the Sodomites did and that God which is a sure reuenger will surely plague them for it either in this life or in the worlde to come or else in both with vnspeakeable miseries and endlesse torments Let vs therefore beléeue the Gospell of the sonne of God firste preached to the worlde by God the father then by the Patriarches after that of the Prophets and lastely of the onely begotten sonne of God Christ Iesus his Apostles whose heauenly voyce doth euen at this daye sounde to vs in the mouthes of the mynisters sincerely preaching the Gospel vnto vs. Secondarily wee haue to consider what it is that the heauenly preaching of the Gospell doeth shewe vnto the worlde to wite the Grace of God our heauenly father For the Apostle Paule in the twentieth Chapter of the Actes saith that hee receiued the ministerie of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God. Nowe therefore I will at this present saye so much of the grace of GOD as is sufficient for this place The woorde grace is diuersly vsed in the holie Scriptures euen as it is in prophane writinges also For in the Bible it signifieth Thankesgiuinge and also a Benefite and almes as 2. Cor. 8. Moreouer it signifieth prayse and recompence as in that place where the Apostle saith If when ye do well ye are afflicted yet do beare it that is praisworthie before God. It doeth also signifie facultie or licence as when wee saye that one hath gotten grace to teache and execute an office For the Apostle saith that he receiued grace and immediately to expounde his owne meaning hee addeth to execute the office of an Apostle Moreouer the gifts of God are called grace because they are giuen gratis and fréely bestowed without looking for of any recompēce And yet Paule in the fifte to the Romanes distinguisheth a gifte from grace For Grace doth signifie the fauour and good will of God towarde vs But a gifte is the thinge whiche God doth giue vs of that good wil such as are faith constancie and integritie They are saide to haue founde Grace with God whome God doeth dearely loue and fauour more than other In that sense Noah founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde Ioseph founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde of the prison And the holie virgin is read to haue founde grace with the Lorde because shee was beloued of God and verie deare vnto the Lord as shée whome he had singularly chosen from among all other women But in this place and present argument Grace is the fauour goodnesse of the eternall godhead wherwith he according to his incomprehensible goodnesse doeth gratis fréely for Christe his sake imbrace call iustifie and saue vs mortall men Nowe here mée thinketh before wee go anye further it is not amisse to examine and search out the cause of this Gods loue to vs exhibited For we sée that there is a certein relatiō betwixt the fauour of God vs men to whom his fauour is so bent It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to be found out For in vs there is nothing wherewith God can be in loue or wherewithall hee may be moued or stirred vp to imbrace vs yea in so much as wee are all vnpure sinners and that God is holye iuste and a reuenger of iniquities he hath matter ynoughe to finde in vs for which he may be angrie at and with iust reuengement plague vs So then the cause of Gods loue to vs wardes must of necessitie be not in vs nor in any other thing beside God considering that nothinge is more excellent than man but euen in God him self Moreouer the moste true Scripture doth teach vs that God is of his owne inclination naturally good gentle as Paul calleth him Philanthropon a louer of vs men who hath sent his owne sonne of his owne nature into the worlde for our redemption whervppon it doeth consequently followe that God doth fréely of him selfe and for his sonnes sake loue man and not for any other cause Whereby immediately all the preparamentes incitaments and merites of men beeing dissolued by the fire of Gods greate loue doe vade and passe awaye like smoke For the grace of God is altogether free and vnlesse it be so I cannot sée howe it can bee called Grace But it behoueth vs in a thing so weightie to cite some euident testimonies of the holie Scripture to confirme our mindes withall against all sophistical trifles and temptations of the diuell Our Lorde in the Gospell said So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the world that euery one which beleue in him shuld not perish but haue life euerlasting Loe here this goodwill of God which is the fauour and loue wherwith God embraceth vs is the cause of oure saluation For Christ hauing suffered for vs is our saluation Now God of verie loue hath giuen Christ both to vs for vs Neither may we thincke that God was first moued by oure loue to him ward to shewe like mutuall loue to vs againe and to giue his sonne for vs For he had determined before the beginning of the world to woorke our redemption through Christ his sonne And Iohn the Euangeliste in his Canonical Epistle sayth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to be an attonement for our sinnes To these testimonies although sufficiently plaine and stronge enough I will yet add some proofes out of the Apostle Paul y so this argument may be more euident that the great agréement may appeare which is betwixt Euangelists and Apostles in this doctrine of grace Paule therfore sayeth All haue sinned stand in neede of the glorie of God but are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu Againe to the Ephesians he sayeth Ye are saued thorough grace by faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of woorkes least any man should boast Againe to Titus The grace and loue of God our Sauiour towards all men hath appeared not of the woorkes of our owne righteousnesse which he did but according to his mercie hath he saued vs. Likewise in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the first Chapiter he sayeth God hath saued vs and hath called vs with an holie calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus I thinke verilie that if a man had béene sett of purpose to haue feigned any thing for the defence of this matter hee could not haue framed any sentence so fitt and euident as these woordes are So nowe it is manifest that the grace of God is altogether frée as that which excludeth all our woorks and merits And this frée loue of God is the only cause and true beginning of the Gospell For
that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods manie and Lords manie yet vnto vs there is but one God euen the father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Nowe I suppose these diuine testimonies are euident enough and do sufficiently proue that GOD in substance is one of Essence incomprehensible eternall and spirituall But vnder the one essence of the Godhed the holie scripture doth shew vs a distinction of the Father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste Now noate héere that I call it a â—istinction not a diuision or a separation For we adore and worshipp no more Gods but one so yet that we doe neither confound nor yet denye or take away the thrée Subsistences or persons of the diuine essence nor the properties of the same Noetus Anoetus in very déed and Sabellius the Libyan a godlesse bolde and verie rude Asse of whome sprang vpp the grosse heresie of the Patrispassians taught that the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste did importe no distinction in GOD but that they were diuerse attributes of god For they said that GOD is none other wise called the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste than when he is named good iuste gentle omnipotent wise c. They saide the Father created the worlde the same in the name of the Sonne tooke fleshe and suffered and againe in chaunginge his name he was the holie Ghoste that came vppon the Disciples But the true Propheticall and Apostolicall faithe dooth expressely teach that the names of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghoste doe shewe to vs what God is in his owne proper nature For naturally and eternally God is the the Father because he did from before beginnings vnspeakeablye begett the Sonne The same GOD is naturally the Sonne because he was from before beginnings begotten of the Father The same GOD is naturally the holie Ghoste because he is the eternall spirit of them bothe procéeding from them bothe béeing one the same God bothe with them and when in the Scriptures he is called a gentle good wise mercifull and iuste God it is not thereby so muche expressed what he is in him selfe as what a one hee doeth exhibite him selfe to vs. The same Scripture doeth openly say that the Father created all thinges by the Sonne and that the Father descended not into the earth nor toke our flesh vpon him nor suffered for vs For the Sonne saith I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and goe vnto the Father The same Sonne fallinge prostrate in the mount of Oliues prayeth saying Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Againe in the Gospel he saith I will pray to the Father and he shall giue you an other comforter Loe here he saith the father shall giue you an other comforter And yet againe least by reason of those persons and properties of those persons we should separate or diuide the diuine nature the Sonne in the gospel saith I and the father are one For when he saith One he ouerthroweth them that separate or rent the diuine substance or nature and when he saith We are and not I am therein he refuteth them that doe confounde the subsistences or persones in the Trinitie Therefore the Apostolique and Catholique doctrine teacheth and doeth confesse that they are thrée distinguished in properties that of those thrée there is but one and the same nature or essence the same omnipotenciâ— maiestie goodnesse and wisedome For although there be an order in the Trinitie yet can there be no inequalitie in it at all None of them is in time before other or in dignity worthier than other but of the thrée there is one godhead and they thrée are one and eternall God. And the primitiue Church verily vnder the Apostles the times that came next after them did beléeue so simply despising reiecting curious questions and néedlesse disputations And euen then too did arise pestilent men in the Church of God speaking peruerse things whoÌ„e the Apostle doeth vppon good cause call greeuous woolues not spareing the flock They first brought in very straunge daungerous questions sharpened their blasphemous tongues against Heauen it selfe For they stoode in it that thrée persons could not be one nature or essence and therefore that by naming the Trinitie the christiaÌ„s worshippe many Gods euen as the Heathen doe And againe since there can be but one GOD they inferre consequently that the same God is father sonne and holie ghoste vnto him selfe For so it was agreeable that they should doate in follie whome the word of God did not leade but the grosse imagination of mortall flesh And God did by these meanes punish the GiaÌ„tlike boldenesse of those meÌ„ whose minds being without all reuerence and feare of God did wickedly striue to fasten the sight of the eyes of the flesh vppon the verie face of god But the faithfull and vigilant ouerséers and pastors of the Churches were coÌ„pelled to driue such woolues from the foldes of Christe his shéepe and valiauntly to fight for the sincere catholique trueth that is for the Vnitie Trinitie for the monarchie and mysterie of the dispensation That strife bred foorth diuerse words with which it was necessarie to holde and binde those slipperie merchants Therefore immediately after the beginning there sprang vp the termes of Vnitie Trinitie Essence Substance and Person The Gréekes for the moste parte vsed Ousia Hypostasis and Prosopon whiche wee call Essence Subsistence and Personne Of these againe there did in the Churches spring vppe newe and freshe contentions They disputed sharply of the Essence and Subsistence whether they are the same or sundrie thinges For Ruffinus Aquileiensis in the 29. Chapter and first booke of his Ecclesiastical historie sayeth There was moued a controuersie about the difference of substaunces subsistences whiche the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For some said that substaunce subsistence seeme to be all one and because wee say not that there are three substaunces in God therefore that wee ought not to saye that there are three subsistences in him But on the other side againe they that tooke substaunce for one thing subsistence for an other did say that substaunce noteth the nature of a thing and the reason wherevpon it standeth but that the subsistence of euerie person doth shewe that very thing which doth subsist Basilius Magnus wrote a learned Epistle to his brother Gregorie about the difference of Essence and subsistence And Hermius Sozomenus in the 12. Cap. of his fift booke of histories sayth The bishops of many cities meeting together at Alexandria do together with Athanasius and Eusebius Vercellensis confirme the decrees of Nice and coÌ„fesse that the holy Ghost is coesseÌ„tiall with the
two speciall and principall markes The sincere preaching of the word of GOD and the lawfull partaking of the sacraments of Christ Wheras some add vnto these the study of godlinesse and vnitie patience in affliction and the calling on the name of God by Christe but we include them in the setwaine that we haue set downe S. Paule writing to the Ephestians saith Christ gaue him selfe for the congregation that he might sanctifie it and clense it in the founteine of water through the worde Ye haue in this testimonie of the Apostle the markes of the Church to witt the Worde and the Sacrament by the which Christe maketh to him selfe a church For with his grace he calleth with the bloud of Christ he purifieth that which he sheweth by his worde to be receiued by faith and sealeth with sacraments that the faithfull shoulde doubt of nothing touching their saluatiō obteined through Christ And these things truly do properly belong vnto the faithfull and the holy members Whereas hypocrits are not purified the faulte lieth in themselues and not in God or his holy ministerie They are surely sanctified visibly wherevppon they are counted holy amongst men and these things doe improperly belonge vnto them S. Peter in this pointe differeth not a whitt from S. Paule who when he preached the worde of God to the people of Ierusalem and they demaunding what they should doe Peter aunswered Repent and be ye euery one baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissiō of sinnes S. Peter therefore ioyned baptisme with doctrine the sacrament with the worde Which thinge he had learned of our sauiour him selfe in the gospel written by S. Matth. saying Teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste So that ye reade in the Acts no other mysteries of the Word and Sacraments of the Church than are recited in these wordes They continued in the doctrine of the Apostles and in doing almes deeds and in breaking of bread and prayer where ye may sée the supper of the Lorde an other sacramente adioyned to the sacramēt of baptisme also the desire and studie of vnitie and loue and the calling vpon the name of God. These things béeing thus sufficient plaine and firme enough yet notwithstanding I will add other testimonies out of the holie Scriptures Concerning the token of Gods worde or the preaching of his Gospel the Lord him self speaketh by Esaie the Prophet saying I will make this couenant with them My spirite that is come vppon thee the church and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall neuer go out of thy mouth nor out of the mouthe of thy childers children saith the Lord from this time foorth for euermore For in the gospel also the Lord Iesus saith He that is of God doeth heare the word of God. Againe My sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me and I giue to them euerlasting life and they shall not perishe for euer And againe He that loueth me will keepe my commaundements he that loueth mee not will not keepe my commaundements Againe Who so is of the truth wil heare my voice Now as touching the markes and tokens of the Sacramentes Saincte Paule speaking of holie Baptisme saith Through one spirite we are all baptised in one body And he also speaking of the Lords supper saieth Though we be many yet are we one bread one body for we are all partakers of the same bread Is not the cup of blessing which we blesse partaking of the bloud of Christe It is moste certeine therefore for that it is approued by testimonies of holie Scriptures that the outwarde markes and tokens of the church are the word and the Sacrament For these bring vs into the societie of one ecclesiasticall bodie and kéepe vs in the same All these testimonies properly as I said a little before doe belong vnto the elect members of GOD beeing endued with faith true obedience but vnto the hypocrites whiche are voide of faith and due obedience they nothing at all béelong notwithstanding because these also doe heare the voice of the shepheard outwardly and insue vertue and opēly or outwardly are annexed to the elect and true beléeuers in the partaking of the sacraments yea vnto the true body of christ for those outwarde signes sake they are accoūted to be in the church so long as they departe not from it In which pointe for perspicuitie sake hauing treated of the markes of the Church we must add this therevnto that by common order these markes doe declare and note the members of the Church For there are certeine speciall members who although they want these markes yet are they not excluded from the societie and communion of the true churche of Christe For it is moste euident that there are many in the world which doe not heare the ordinarie preaching of Gods worde neither doe come into the congregation and companye of them that call vpon God or that receiue the Sacraments not for that they despise them or that it is a delight vnto them to be from Sermons and the preaching of Gods worde but because through necessitie as imprisonmēt sicknes or being let by sōe other vrgent cause they cannot attaine vnto that whiche they earnestly desire and yet for all that they are the true and liuely members of Christe and of the Catholique church In times past the Lord instituted or appointed to the people of Israel a visible Churche whiche he established by a certeine lawe and set it foorth by visible signes If any man had despised this Church or refused when he might to heare the doctrine of the Church and to enter in among the holie companie and to doe sacrifice or else had railed at it or in sted of the order of worshipping GOD that was appointed had embraced any other kinde truly he was not accoūted at al to be of the order number of the people of god And yet it is certeine that there were an innumerable company of men dispearsed throughout the whole world among the Gentiles who neuer did nor could communicate with this visible companie and congregation of Gods people and yet notwithstanding they were holy mēbers of this societie and communion and the friends of the almightie god There were a great many of the children of God with Ioachim and Iechonias taken prisoners by Nabugodonosor and brought captiue into Babylon to whome it was no preiudice neyther did it hurt them that they were separated from the people of God the Church and worshipping of God being then visibly vpholden by Zedechias at Ierusalem euen as in very déede it did little auayle a great manye to be in the visible assemblies and congregations with the people of GOD in Gods temple when their mindes and hearts were not sounde and perfect We may in these dayes finde out a great many of the
is it read that amonge the old fathers there was any other consecrating of pastours As also all other thinges were simple and not sumptuous in the primitiue and Apostolique church In the ages following ceremonies increased but yet so that at the beginning to some they séemed not altogether to haue excéeded measure But to me the séemeth to be ouer much whiche at mans pleasure is added to Gods institution And I pray you what néede is there to patche mennes fancies and customes vnto the institutions of the Apostles Why doeth not the laying on of handes suffice thée since it sufficed the blessed Apostles who were farre holier than thou and more skilfull in heauenly matters There was afterward added oyle there was also added the booke of the Gospels For after this maner the 4. counsell of Carthage decreeth When a bishop is ordeined let two bishops place and hold ouer his head and shoulders the booke of the Gospels and one powring vpon him the blessing let all the other bishops that are present touche his head with their hands They of later time haue added heere vnto a pall But at this daye there is no ende of ceremonies nay rather of follies If any man doe diligently compare their ceremonies with the attyre of Aaron and the Iewishe priestes hee will sweare the whole Aaronisme is brought againe by them into the church yea that this is more sumptuous and burdensome yea and that contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell That at this time I affirme not their cōsecration to be both infamous and fully stuffed with excesse pride and offence and by the meanes to bée intollerable There is another thing to be noted whiche is that albeit amonge the old fathers consecration increased by the multiplying of ceremonies yet was it fréely bestowed neither was there any thinge either in it or in the whole Churche of Christ set to sale But at this day how déere palls are sould by that Romish Chanaanite and with how great costs consecrations are made it is a shame euen to speake Gregorie in the counsell at Rome celebrated in the time of Mauricius and Theodosius amonge other things thus decréeth Following sayeth hee the auncient rule of the fathers I ordeine that there bee nothing at any time taken of ordinations neither for the giuing of the pall nor for the deliuerie of the Bulls For seeing that in ordeyning of a bishop the high bishop layeth his hād vpon him and the minister readeth the lesson of the Gospel the Notarie writeth the epistle of his confirmation As it becōmeth not the bishop to sell the hand he layeth on so neither the minister nor the notarie ought in the ordination either the one to sell his voice or the other his penne But if any man shall presume to take any gaine thereby hee shal be sure before the iudgement seate of Almightie God to vndergo the sharpe sentence due to so horrible an offence Yet forthw t he addeth But if he that is ordeined not required but of his owne freewill only for fauours sake wil offer any thing we graunt he may I haue hetherto declared what manner of men and after whatsort bishops or pastours muste be ordeined in the church of god And albeit out of those things it may easily be gathered why at this day we suffer not oure selues to be ordeined of those who are called and séeme to them selues to be the only lawfull ordinaries that is to saye such as in the Romish church by continuall succession descend from the Apostles I will yet if I can declare the cause somewhat more plainely Of the continuall succession of Byshops or pastours and of the churche I haue spoken elsewhere so that it were superfluous here to repeate and rip vp the same againe I haue also proued that oure churches are the true churches of God though they agrée not with the late vpstart churche of Rome And it is euident that true churches haue power to ordeine pastours whether it be done by the voices of the whole church or by the law full iudgement of suche as are chosen by the church Wherevpon it consequently followeth that they are lawfully ordeined whiche our or rather which the churches of Christe doe ordeine And there are weightie causes why the holy churches of God doe refuse to haue their ministers ordeyned of Popishe ordinaries For S. Paule sayth Though we or an angel from heauen shall preach any other Gospell vnto you than that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed But these men preache an other Gospell beside that which Paule preached whiche thing we will haue to be vnderstood as touching the sense wherin there is more daunger and not as touching the wordes And therefore from heauen these mē are stricken with this cursse or excommunication But who can abide to be ordeined of them that be stricken with a cursse or excommunicate Moreouer the chiefe thing in the ordination is the doctrine of the Gospel Séeing that to this end especially ministers of the church are ordeined that they preach the pure gospell of Christe vnfeignedly vnto the people and without mingling of mans traditions But this very thing they doe not only most streightly forbid them that are ordeined but also they compell them to abiure by a certeine kinde of othe whiche they offer vnto them For they are bounde by that wicked othe not vnto Christ but to the Pope against Christe For among other things thus they whiche are elected bishops take their othe I. N. elected bishop of N. from this time foorth will be faithful and obedient to blessed Peter and to the holy Apostolique church of Rome and to our Lord N. the Pope and to his successours entring canonically The counsel which they shal commit vnto me by them selues or messingers or by their letters to their hinderance I will not willingly disclose to any man I will be a helper vnto thē to reteine and defend against al men the Popedome of Rome and the royalties of S. Peter I will doe my indeuour to keepe defend increase and inlarge the rightes honours priuileges and authoritie of the churche of Rome of our Lorde the Pope and of his foresaide successours Neither wil I be in counsel practise or treatie wherein shall be imagined againste our Lorde the Pope him selfe or the same church of Rome any sinister or preiudiciall matter to their persons right honour state or power And if I shall vnderstand such thinges to be imagined or procured by any I will hinder the same as muche as lyeth in me and with as much speede as conueniently I maye I will signifie the same to oure sayde Lorde or to some other by whom it may come to his knowledge The rules of the holy fathers the decrees ordinaunces sentēces dispositions reseruations prouisions and commaundements Apostolical I wil obserue with my whole might and cause them to bee obserued of other Heretiques Scismatiques and rebels against our
1067. 1068. 1073. 1078. 1079. Symbole 961. Synodes 1130 Synagogue 263. 339. 813 Synaxis 1019. 1063 T Tabernacle 334. 339. 341. 862 Table of the Lord. 1063 Tables of Gods lawes 111. 112 Tale carriers 322 Testament 49. 463. 1064 Testimonies 106. 364. 443. 669. 764. Teaching 909. 910 Temples of Christians 1126 Thanksgiuing 951. 652 653. 1063. Theft and deceipte 106. 270. 395 Thâ—uma and Thnupha 378 Theodosiu Emperour 181 Time holie 417. 349. 1129 Torments nothing dismaye the Apostles 723 Tongue 319. 1071 Toward what part of the world we must pray 1127. Traditions 5. 18. 447 Treasures heauenly all giuen vs of God in Christ 77 Tryall of oureselues by afflictions 294 Trinitie 612. 627. 628. ce True worship and adoration 652 True religion 672 True vnderstanding of the Lordes wordes This is my body 1085 True eating of Christes body 1097 True end of scholes 1117 Tyrannie 169 V. Valentinian Emperour 181 Verbum what it is 1 Vengeance taken of bloudy Rome 319 Vertues of the pastour 911 Vestal virgines 368 Vessells belonging to the Lordes Supper 1070 Vice is to be rebuked sharply and seasonably 894 Vigilius 74 Virgines and Virginitie 1134 Vowes and vowed sacrifices 379 380. 135. 421. 1137 Voluntarie sinne c. 497. 511 Vncleanethings 386 Vnitie ought to be kept 849 Vnderstanding 589 Vncircumcised soule 1048 Vrim Thummim 334 Vsurie and Vsurers 274. 275. 276 W. Warre Warres and Warriours 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. c. 399. Wages of hirelings 396 Water and the Word 971 Wayes of eating the Lordes Supper 110â— Weight and measure 397 Wedlocke 222. 223 c. 227. 1133 1134 Wealth by inheritaunce 266 Who elected to life 643 Who an Heretique who a Schismatique 850 Who to be baptised 1050 Why God created maÌ„ so frayle 487 Whoredome and adulterie 393 Who do not rightly preach Christe 544 Why all men are not saued 546 Widowes and Widowhoode 1134 Wisedome of god 619. 96â— Without the church no light or saluation 843 Wicked are not partakers of the things signified in the Sacraments 98â— Witnesse Witnesse-bearing 39â— Wife the arme of her husband 224 Witches and Sothsayers 397 Worde Wordes and the Worde of god c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. vsque 22. 24. 25. 26. c. vsque 29. 525. 528. 823. 940. 971. 975 978. 1102. Workes 53. 54. 98. 406. 453. 454. 456. 457. 620 Worship Worshipping and Worshippers 6. 652. 658. 744 Women-deacons and their office 875 Wormes take vengeaunce of Gods enimies 890 Worthy and vnworthy eating and drinking of the Lords supper 1106 Writings of the old Testament giuen to Christians 15 Wrath of God vppon kingdomes for vsurie 276 Y. Yeare of Iubilie 354 Z. Zuinglius 502. 1015. 1020. 1204 FINIS The first Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde ¶ The first Sermon ALl the decrees of Christian fayth with euery waye howe to liue rightly well and holyly and finally all true and heauenly wisdome haue alwayes bene fetched out of the testimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God neyther can they by those which are wise men in déede or by the faithfull and those whiche are called by God to the ministerie of the Churches be drawn taught or last of all soundly confirmed from else where then out of the word of god Therefore whosoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God and the meaning of the word of God is he séemeth to be as one blinde deafe and without witte in the Temple of the Lorde in the schole of Christ and lastly in the very reading of the sacred Scriptures But whereas some are nothing zealous but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church that springeth out of no other fountaine than this which is bycause they doe neyther rightly vnderstande nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue and true force of the word of god That nothing therefore may cause the zealous desirers of the trueth and the worde of God to staye on this point but rather that that estimation of Gods word which is due vnto it may be layde vp in all mens hartes I will by Gods helpe lay foorthe vnto you dearly beloued those things which a godly man ought to thinke and holde as concerning the worde of god And praye ye earnestly and continually to our bountifull God that it may please him to giue to me his holy effectuall power to speake and to you the opening of your eares and mynds so that in all that I shall say the Lorde his name may be praysed and your soules be profited abundantly First I haue to declare what the worde of God is Verbum in the scriptures and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuersly taken For it signifieth what thing soeuer a man will euen as among the Germanes the worde Ding is moste largely vsed In S. Luke the Angel of God saythe to the blessed Virgin with God shall no worde be vnpossible whiche is all one as if he had sayde all things are possible to God or to God is nothing vnpossible Verbum also signifieth a word vttered by the mouth of a man Sometime it is vsed for a charge somtime for a whole sentence or speach or prophesie wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei theÌ„ is it not vsed in the same signification For Verbum Dei the worde of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God it is also put for the Sonne of God which iâ— the seconde person in the most reuerend trinitie For the saying of the holy EuaÌ„angelist is euident to al meÌ„ The word was made flesh But in this treatise of ours the word of God doth properly signify the speach of God the reuealing of gods wil first of al vttered in a liuely expressed voyce by the mouth of Christ the Prophets and Apostles and after that againe registred in writings whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures The word doth shew the minde of him out of whom it commeth therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of god But God of him selfe naturally speaketh trueth he is iust good pure immortal eternall therefore it followeth that the word of God also which commeth out of the mouth of God is true iust without deceipt and guile without errour or euill affection holy pure good immortall euerlasting For in the Gospel sayth the Lord Thy word is truth And the Apostle Paule saith The word of God is not tied Againe the Scripture euery where cryeth The word of the Lorde indureth for euer And Solomon saythe Euery word of God is purely cleansed Adde thou nothing to his wordes leaste peraduenture he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Dauid also sayth The sayings of the Lorde are pure
the Father from whence it shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade and let vs thinke that the Lord speaking of the Sacrament woulde haue vs to expounde the words of the Sacrament Sacramentally and not Transubstancially Also in reading that saying of the Apostle Fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God let vs not by and by vppon these wordes take it simply as the words do séeme to signifie but sticking to the Article of our sayth I beleeue the resurrection of the body let vs vnderstand that by fleshe and bloud are ment the affectiōs infirmities not the nature substance of oure bodies Furthermore we reade in the gospell that the Lorde doth gather a sum of the lawe and the Prophets saying Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with al thy mind this is the chief and great commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe In these two commaundemēts hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Math. 22. Vpon these words of the Lorde that holy man Aurelius Augustinus in the. 36. Chapter of his firste booke De doctrina Christi sayth ▪ Whosoeuer doth seeme to himself to vnderstād the holy scriptures or any part thereof so that that vnderstanding he dothe not worke these two points of charitie towardes God his neighbor he yet doth not vnderstande the scriptures perfectly But whosoeuer shall take out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of this charitie and yet shall not say the self samethig which shal be proued that he did meane whome he readeth in that place that mā doth not erre to his own destruction nor doth altogether by lying deceiue other mē Thus much writ Augustin We must therefore by all meanes possible take héede that our interpretations doe not tende to the ouerthrow of charitie but to the furtherance and commendatiō of it to al men The Lord sayth Striue not with the wicked But if we affirme that he spake this to the Magistrates also thē shal charitie towards our neighbours the safetie of them that are in ieopardie defence of the oppressed be broken and cleane taken away For théeues vnruly persons robbers and naughtie fellowes will oppresse the widowes the fatherlesse and the poore to that all iniquitie shall reigne and haue the vpper hande But in a mattter so manifestly knowen I suppose it is not néedefull to vse many examples Moreouer it is requisite in expounding the Scriptures and searching out the true sense of Gods worde that we marke vpon what occasion euery thing is spoken what goeth before what followeth after at what season in what order and of what person any thing is spoken By the occasion and the sentences going before and comming after are examples and parables for the moste parte expounded Also vnlesse a man do alwayes marke the manner of speaking throughout the whole Scriptures and that verie diligently too he can not choose in his expositions but erre very muche out of the right way Sainte Paule obseruing the circumstaunce of the time did thereby conclude that Abraham was iustified neyther by Circumcision nor yet by the Lawe The places are to be séene in the fourth to the Romanes and the thirde to the Galathians Againe when it is sayde to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath He that taketh the sworde shall perishe with the sworde We must consider that Peter bare the personage of an Apostle and not of a Magistrate For of the Magistrate we reade that to him is giuen the sworde to reuengement But it woulde be ouer tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of euery particular place There is also beside these another manner of interpreting the worde of God that is by conferring together the places whiche are like or vnlike and by expounding the darker by the more euident and the fewer by the more in number Wheras therfore the Lorde sayth The father is greater then I we must consider that the same Lorde in another place sayth My father and I are all one And whereas Iames the Apostle sayth That Abraham and we are iustified by workes there are many places in Saint Paul to be set againste that one And this manner of interpreting did Peter the Apostle allowe where he sayth We haue a right sure worde of prophesie wherevnto if ye attend as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre arise in your heartes That auncient writer Tertullian affirmeth that they are heretiques and not men of the right fayth which drawe some odde thinges out of the Scriptures to their owne purpose not hauing any respecte to the rest But doe by that meanes picke oute vnto them selues a certaine fewe testimonies which they woulde haue altogether to be beleeued the whole Scripture in the meane season gaine-saying it bycause in deede the fewer places muste be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the more in number And finally the moste effectuall rule of all whereby to expounde the worde of God is an heart that loueth God and his glorye not puffed vp with pryde not desirous of vayne glorye not corrupted with heresies and euill affections but whiche doth continually praye to God for his holy spirite that as by it the scripture was reuealed and inspired so also by the same spirite it maye be expounded to the glorye of God and safegarde of the faythfull Let the mynde of the interpreter be set on fire with zeale to aduaunce vertue and with hatred of wickednesse euen to the suppressing thereof Let not the heart of suche an expositor call to counsell that subtile Sophister the deuill least peraduenture nowe also he doe corrupt the sense of Gods worde as heretofore he did in Paradise Let him not abide to heare mans wisedome argue directly against the worde of god This if the good and faythfull expositor of Gods worde shal doe then although in some pointes he doe not as the prouerbe sayth hit the very head of the nayle in the darker sense of the Scripture yet notwithstanding that errour ought not to be condemned for an heresie in the authour nor iudged hurtfull vnto the hearer And who so euer shall bring the darker more proper meaning of the Scripture to light he shall not by and by condemne the vnperfect exposition of that other no more then he whiche is authour of the vnperfect exposition shall reiect the more proper sense of the better expositour but by acknowledging it shall receiue it with thankes giuing Thus muche hytherto haue I said touching the sense and exposition of Gods worde which as God reuealed it to men so also he would haue them in any case to vnderstand it Wherefore there is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures The Scripture
saued Laste of all that that shal most assuredly light vpon the vngodly and the godly what so euer the holy Scriptures doe eyther threaten or promise Out of all these definitions there-fore being diligently considered we maye according to the Scriptures make this description of fayth Fayth is a gift of God poured into man froÌ„ heauen whereby he is taught with an vndoubted persuaâ—ioÌ„ wholy to leane to God and his word â–ª in which word God dothe freely promise life and all good things in Christe and wherein all trueth necessarie to be beleeued is plainly declared Whiche description of fayth I will by Gods helpe in this that followeth vnfolde into partes and by assertion of places out of the Scriptures will bothe confirme and make manifest vnto you Ye as hytherto ye haue done so still giue diligent care and in your heartes praye earnestly to God. First of all the cause or beginning of fayth commeth not of any man or any strength of man but of God him selfe who by his holy spirite inspireth fayth into our hearts For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth No man commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him And againe fleshe and bloude sayth the Lorde to Peter confessing Christ in true faith hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heauen Whervnto the Apostle Paul alludeth when he sayth We are not able of ourselues to thinke any thing as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And in another place To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake Fayth therefore is poured into our hearts by God who is the welspring and cause of all goodnesse And yet we haue to consider here that god in giuing and inspiring faith dothe not vse his absolute power or miracles in working but a certaine ordinarie meanes agréeable to mans capacitie although he can in déed giue fayth without those meanes to whom when and howe it pleaseth him But we reade that the Lord hath vsed this ordinarie meanes euen from the first creation of all things Whome he meaneth to bestowe knowledge and faith on to them he sendeth teachers by the worde of God to preache true fayth vnto them Not bycause it lyeth in mans power wil or ministerie to giue fayth nor bicause the outward worde spoken by mans mouth is able of it selfe to bring fayth but the voice of man and the preaching of Gods worde do teache vs what true fayth is or what God dothe will and commaunde vs to beléeue For God him selfe alone by sending his holy spirite into the hearts and myndes of men dothe open our hearts persuade oure myndes and cause vs with all oure heart to beléeue that which we by his worde and teaching haue learned to beleeue The Lorde could by miracle from heauen without any preaching at all haue bestowed fayth in Christe vpon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria but yet by an Aungell he dothe sende him to the preaching of Peter And while Peter preacheth God by his holy spirite worketh in the hearte of Cornelius causing him to beléeue his preaching Verily Sainte Paule sayth Howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard How shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preache if they be not sent So then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In another place also Who is Paule sayth he or what is Apollos but ministers by whome ye haue beleeued according as God hath giuen to euery one I haue planted Apollos watred but God hath giuen increase So then he that planteth is nothing nor he that watreth but God that giueth increase With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agrée which Augustine writeth in the Preface of his booke of Christian doctrine where he sayth That whiche we haue to learne at mans hande let euery one learne at mans hande without disdaine And let vs not goe about to tempte him in whom we beleeue neyther being deceiued let vs thinke scorne to goe to Churche to heare or learne oute of bookes looking still when we shal be rapt vp into the thirde heauen Let vs take héede of such like temptations of pride and let vs rather haue this in oure myndes that euen the Apostle Paul him selfe although he were cast prostrate and instructed by the calling of God from heauen was neuerthelesse sent to a maÌ„ to be taught the will of God and that Cornelius although God had heard his praiers was committed to Peter to be instructed by whome he should not only receiue the Sacramentes but shoulde also heare what he ought to beleue what to hope for and what to loue all which things notwithstaÌ„ding might haue bene done by the Angell c. The same Augustine also in his Epistle to the Circenses saith Euen he worketh conuersion and bringeth it to passe who by his ministers doth warne vs outwardly with the signes of thinges but inwardly doth by himself teach vs with the very things themselues Also in his treatise vpon the 26. of Iohn What doe men saith he when they preach outwardly What doe I now while I speake I driue into your eares a noise of words but vnlesse he which is with in doe reueale it what say I or what speake I He that is without doth husband the tree but he within is the creator of it c. This said he But euen as the Lorde his desire is to haue vs beleue his worde for the Prophet crieth out and saith To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your harts So in like maner he doth require of vs al which heare his word that we be not slacke in praying For in hearing the worde of God we must pray for the gifte of faith that the lord may opeÌ„ our harts coÌ„uert our soules breake and beate downe the hardnes of our mindes and increase the measure of faith bestowed vpon vs Of this order of prayer there are many examples in the holy scriptures WheÌ„ the Lorde in the gospell sayde to one Canst thou beleue to him that beleueth all things are possible He made aunswere saying I beleue lord helpe thou mine vnbeliefe The Apostles also cry to the Lord and say O Lorde increase our faith Moreouer this praier wherin we desire to haue faith powred into vs is of the grace gifte of God and not of our owne righteousnesse which before God is none at all This therefore is lefte vnto vs for a thinge most certaine and vndoubtedly true that true faith is the mere gift of god which is by the holy ghost from Heauen bestowed vpon our mindes and is declared vnto vs in the worde of trueth by teachers sent of God and is obtained by earnest praiers which cannot be tyred Whereby we learne that we ought often and attentiuely to heare the word of God and neuer cease to praye to God for the obtayning of true faith But that
which he doeth beléeue is so sette downe and declared in the worde of God as he doeth beléeue Furthermore where the Lorde in the Gospell sayeth All thinges are possible to him that beleeueth we must not take that sayinge to be absolutely spoken but to be ioyned to the worde will and glorie of God and the safetie of our Soules For all thinges whych God in his worde hath promised all thinges which God will haue and lastely all thinges whiche make to the glorie of God and sauegarde of our Soules are possible to him that beléeueth And for that cause the Apostle both openly and plainly sayd Whatsoeuer God hath promised that same he is able also to perfourme For whatsoeuer he hath not promised and whatsoeuer pleaseth not his diuine maiestie or is contrary to the will and expresse worde of God that cannot God doe not bycause he can not but bycause he will not God could make breade of stones but we must not therefore beléeue that stones are breade neyther are they breade therefore bicause God can doe all things This ye shall vnderstande better and more fully where as a litle hereafter I shall shew vnto you that true fayth strayeth not nor wauereth wandringly to and fro but cleaueth close and sticketh fast to God and his worde In the meane season bicause we haue shewed out of Paules wordes by the example of Abraham that faith is a substance and vndoubted persuasion in the harte And bicause many doe stiffely stande in it that man is not surely certaine of his saluation I will adde a fewe examples out of the gospel wherby they may plainly perceiue that faith is a most sure groūd setled opinion touching God and our saluation And firste verily the Centurion of whom mention is made in the gospell had conceiued a stedfaste hope that his seruaunt should be healed of the Lorde For he vnderstoode howe great and mightie thinges he promised to them that beléeue He gathered also by the workes of Christ that it was an easy matter for him to restore his seruaunt to health againe Therefore he commeth to the Lorde and amonge other talke sayth It is no reason that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe yea doe but say the worde and my seruaunt shal be made whole These wordes doe testifie that in the hart and minde of the Centurion there was a sure persuasion of most assured health which by a certaine comparison he doth make manifest and more fully expresse For I my selfe am a man vnder the authoritie of an other and vnder me I haue souldiours and I say to one goe and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt doe this and he doeth it When the lord perceiued this certificatiō of his mind by his wordes most sull of fayth he crieth out that in al Israel he hath not found so great faith The same again in the gospell speaketh notably of the womans fayth which was sorely plagued with the bloudy fluxe And that that faith was an vndoubted persuasion in her harte once illuminated we may thereby vnderstande because she beinge first in déede stirred vp by the workes wordes of the Lord thought thus within herselfe if I do but touch his garment I shall be whole And therfore preassing through the thickest of the throng commeth to the lord But why heape I together manye examples doth not the onely faith of the Chananitish or Syrophenissian woman declare more plainely then that it can be denied how that faith is a most assured persuasion of thinges beléeued For being ouerpassed and as it were contemned of the Lorde she wauereth not in faith but following him and hearing also that the lord was sent to the lost shéep of the house of Israell she goeth on to worship him Moreouer being put back as it wer touched with the foule reproch of dog she goeth forwarde yet humbly to cast her selfe prostrate before the Lorde requesting to obtaine the thinge that she desired She would not haue perseuered so stiffely if fayth had not ben a certification in her beléeuing minde and harte Wherefore the Lorde moued with that fayth of hirs cryed Woman great is thy fayth be it done to thee euen as thou wilte It is manifest therefore by all these testimonies of the holy Scripture that Faith is a stedfast and vndoubted persuasion in the minde and hart of the beléeuer This being now brought to an end let vs see what it is wherevpon mans fayth doth leane and also how we may clearely perceiue that fayth is not a vayne and vnstable opinion as a little before we were about to saye of any thinge whatsoeuer conceiued in the minde of man but that it is tyed vp and contayned within boundes and as it were certayne conditions In the definition therefore of fayth we sayd that fayth bendeth to Godwarde and leaneth on his worde God therfore and the worde of God is the obiect or foundation of true fayth The thing wheron a man may leane safely surely and without all manner doubting must néedes be stedfast and altogether vnmoueable which doth giue health which doeth preserue and which doeth fill vp or minister all fulnesse vnto vs For this doth fayth séeke and request But this is not else where thē in god On God alone therefore doeth true fayth bende and leane God is euerlasting chiefely good wise iuste mightie and true of worde And that doeth he testifie by his workes and worde Wherefore in the Prophets he is called a strong and vnmoueable Rocke a castle a wall a tower an inuincible fortresse a tresure a wel that neuer wil be drawne drie This euerlasting God can doe all thinges knoweth all things is present in all places loueth mankinde excéedingly doeth prouide for all men and also gouerneth or disposeth all thinges Fayth therfore whiche is a confidence of Gods good will and of his ayde in all necessities and of the true saluation of mankinde bendeth on God alone cannot leane to any other creature in whome the thinges are not that fayth requireth And euen as God is true of word and can not lye so is his word true and deceiueth no man In the worde of God is expressed the will and mynde of God To the worde of God therfore hath faith an eye and layeth hir groūd vppon Gods worde touching which worde the Lorde in the Gospell sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my worde shall not passe The worde of God here is compared with the moste excellent elements Ayre and Water are féeble and vnstable Elements but Heauen although it turne and moue doth kéepe yet a wonderful and moste stedfast course in mouing and stedfast are all thinges therein The Earth is moste stable and vnmoueable Therefore if it be easier for these thinges to be loased which can not be vndone then for the worde of God to passe it followeth that Gods worde in all pointes is moste stable vnmoueable and not possible to be
loased If sayth the Lorde in Ieremie ye can vndoe the league that I haue taken with the day or the couenant that I haue made with the night so that it neyther be day nor night at the appointed time then may my couenant be of none effect which I haue made with Dauid But not the whole worlde laying all their strengthes together is able to make it day when it is once Night nor cause the Daye to breake one howre sooner then the course of Heauen doth commaunde Therefore not all this worlde with all the powre and pompe therof shall be able once to weaken or breake to chaunge or abolish so much as one tittle in the word of God and the trueth of Godds worde Faith therefore which resteth vpon a thing most firme or sure can not choose but be an vndoubted certification And since Gods worde is the foundacion of Fayth Fayth can not wander to and fro and leane to euery worde whatsoeuer For euery opinion conceiued without the worde of God or against Gods word cannot be called true faith And for that cause S. Paule the Apostle of Christ would not ground the true or Christian faith vpon any carnall proppes or opinions of men but vpon the truth and power of god With his wordes will I conclude this place Fayth sayth he commeth of hearing and hearing by the worde of God. By the worde of God he saith and not by the worde of man Againe to the Corinthians My preaching saith he was not in entising wordes of mans wisedome but in the shewing forth of the spirite and of powre that your faith should not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Whereby also we learne that some there are which against all reason require fayth at our handes that is they would haue vs to beléeue that which they are not able to shewe out of Gods worde or that which is cleane contrary to the word of god To the better declaring of this that I haue saide auaileth that short abridgement of Gods word and of fayth which we in the definition of fayth haue closely knitte vp together There are there rehearsed two chiefe â—oints of fayth and of the worde And first of al that God in Christ doth fréely promise life and euery good thinge For God who is the obiect or marke and foundation of fayth beinge of his owne proper nature euerliuing euerlasting good doth of himself from before al beginning beget the son like to himself in al points who bicause he is of the same substance with the father is himselfe also by nature life and all goodnesse And to the ende he might communicate to vs his Sonnes and brethren both life and all goodnesse he became man and being conuersant very God and man among men he testified that God the Father through the Sonne doeth powre himselfe wholly with all good things into the faithfull whom he quickneth and filleth with all goodnesse and last of all doeth take them vppe to himselfe into the blessed place of euerlasting life And that he doth frankly and fréely bestow this benefite to the ende that the glory of his grace may in all thinges be praysed This doth true fayth beleeue and herevnto belonge no small part of the scriptures which testifie that God in Christ doth communicate to the faithful life and al goodnes Iohn the Apostle cryeth out and sayth In the beginning was the word and the word was with God God was the word And the word became flesh dwelt amonge vs And we saw the glorie of God as the glory of the onely begotten sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And of his fulnesse haue all we receiued c. For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell after Saint Iohn sayde Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer things the Father doth the same also doth the Sonne For euen as the Father doth raise the deade to life and quickneth theÌ„ so also doth the sonne quicken whom he will for neyther iudgeth the father any man but hath coÌ„mitted all iudgement to the sonne that all men may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoureth not the father which hath sent him Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sente me hath life euerlasting and shal not come into iudgemente but is escaped from death vnto life With these woordes of the Gospell agreeth that sayinge of S. Paule In Christe are layde vp all the treasures of wysedome and knowledge Because in him dwelleth all fulnesse of the Godheade bodily and yee in him are fullyfilled But that these great benefits of God are freelie bestowed vppon the faithful Paule that Vessell of election declareth in these woords Blessed be God who hath chosen vs in Christe before the foundations of the world were layd and hath predestinated vs into the adoption of children through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe accordinge to the good pleasure of his will to the prayse of the glorie of his grace wherein he hath made vs accepted in the beloued throughe whom wee haue redemption in his bloud c. And againe All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods glorie but are iustifyed freely throughe his grace by the redemption which is in Christe And so forward True fayth therefore doth beleeue that life and euery good thinge doth freely come to it from God through Christe which is the chiefe Article of our fayth as in the Articles of the beliefe is more largly layde forth The second principal point of Gods word and fayth is that in the word of God there is set downe all truth necessary to be beleeued and that true fayth doth beleeue all that is declared in the Scriptures For it telleth vs that God is what maner one hee is what Gods works are what his iudgments his wil his commaundements his promises what his threatnings are finally what soeuer is profitable or necessary to be beleeued that doth Gods worde who lie set downe vnto vs and that doth true fayth receiue beleeuing all thinges that are written in the Lawe and the Prophets in the Gospell and wrytinges of the Apostles But whatsoeuer caÌ„not be fetched or proued out of those writinges or whatsoeuer is contrary vnto them that do the faithful not beleeue at all â–ª For the very nature of true fayth is not to beleue that which squareth froÌ„ the worde of god Whosoeuer therefore beleeueth not the fables and opinions of men he alone beleeueth as he should for he dependeth onely vppon the worde of God and so vppon God himselfe the onely fountayne of all truth The matter the argumente and the whole summe of fayth is brieflye set oute vnto vs in the Articles of the Christian fayth whereof I will speake at another time I haue this houre declared vnto you decrely beloued and reuerende brethren in the Lorde the definition of faith which to the ende that
aboue the heauens But what is he that can portraye a spirite in any Image or substaunce God is an incomprehensible power quickening and preseruing all and euery thing But Dauid describing Images sayth The Idoles of the heathen are siluer and golde the workes of mens handes They haue eares and heare not noses haue they and smell not They haue hands and handle not feete haue they and walke not neyther is there any voyce in the throate of them Wherefore if these be compared to God how like I beseeche you are they vnto him To goe about therefore to expresse God in any visible likenesse is the nexte way to dishonour God and to bring him into contempt Gods eye beholdeth all thinges Idoles sée nothing Gods eares heare all things Idoles heare nothing By God all things liue moue and are preserued the Idoles them selues neyther liue nor moue and vnlesse they be vphelde by the men that make theÌ„ they fall and are dasht in péeces An Idole breatheth not GOD giueth to other a breathing spirite Howe then and wherein are these twaine alike In substance or in shape If ye say in substaunce I aunswere is God then of golde of siluer or of wood If in shape myne aunswere is hath the inuisible power of God then put on visible and mortall members Howe greatly therefore did the Anthropomorphites offende herein If then there be no similitude of God howe commeth it to passe I beséeche you that Images and Idoles be called the likenesse and pictures of God Among vs he that calleth another an Idole or an Image doth séeme to haue spoken it too too despightfully in reproche of the other For we know that Idoles are counterfaites of men and not men in déede and therefore doe we call him an Image that is a sotte a foole a dolte an idiote and one that hath no wit nor knoweth any more then he heareth of other Why then henceforwarde should we any more call Images the likenesses of God God is lyuing Images are monumentes of deade men as Solomon the authour of the booke of Wisdome sayth God is glorious and heauen and earth are full of the glory of his maiestie but Idoles are without all glory and subiect to the scoffes and mockes of men Images are tokens of absent friendes But God is present alwayes and euery where And the signes or tokens which God did of olde ordeine and giue to his people were not simply the signes and Images of God but tokens of Gods presence signifying that God who by nature is a spirite and inuisible incomprehensible and vnmeasurable is present still among them Such a token was the cloude the smoake the fire and finally the very Arke of the couenaunt which also the Cherubim did couer with their winges signifying thereby that no mortall man coulde looke God in the face and that therefore the soule and the minde and spirite ought by contemplation to be lifted vp into heauen there to behold him For to Moses who notwithstanding is sayde to haue séene God face to face it was sayd No man shall see me liue When once we are deceassed then shall we sée him as he is according to the sayings of the blessed Euangelist Iohn So then these I say are the causes why the Lorde will not haue him self represented or portrayed in any mattier or likenesse Herevnto now doe appertaine the places of Scripture and testimonies of the men that are the chiefest pillers of true religion and godlinesse of Moses Esay and Paule Moses in Deut. sayth The Lorde spake vnto you from the middest of the fire and a voyce of wordes ye hearde but likenesse saw ye none but heard the voice only Take good heede therefore vnto yourselues as pertaining vnto your soules for ye sawe no maner of image in that day least ye marre your selues by making you a grauen image the likenesse of any manner of figure whether it be the picture of man or woman the likenesse of any manner of beaste that is on the earth or the lykenesse of any manner of feathered foule that flyeth in the ayre or the likenesse of any manner of worme that creepeth on the earth or the likenesse of any manner of fishe that is in the waters beneath the earth Yea and leaste thou lifte vp thine eies vnto heauen and wheÌ„ thou seest the Sunne the Moone and the Starres with all the hoast of heauen thou shouldest beginne to worship them and reuerence them and shouldest worship and serue the thinges which the Lorde thy God hath made to serue all nations vnder the whole heauen Take heede therefore that ye forget not the appointment of the Lord your God which he hath made with you and that ye make you no grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that the Lorde thy God hath forbidden thee This hath Moses thus farre Esaias also in his fourtie Chapter sayth Beholde all people to wit compared to God are in comparison of him as a droppe of a bucketfull and are counted as a little dust sticking on the balance and weying nothing at all Yea the Isles are to him as a very little thing Libanus is not sufficient to minister fire to his offering and all the beastes thereof are not inoughe for one sacrifice All people in comparison of God are reckoned as nothing in respect of him they are lesse then nothing and as that that is not To whome then wil ye liken God or what similitude will ye set vp to him Shall the Caruer make him an Image and shall the Goldsmyth couer it with golde or caste it into a fourme of siluer plates Moreouer shall the poore man that he may haue somewhat to set vp choose a tree that is not â—otten and seeke out a cunning woorkeman to carue there out an Image that moueth not Know ye not this heard ye neuer of it And again It is he that sitteth vpon the circle of the worlde whose inhabitours are in comparison of him but as Grashoppers It is hee that spreadeth out the heauens like a curtaine hee stretcheth them out as a Tent to dwell in It is he that bringeth princes to nothing and maketh the iudges of the earth as though they were not To whome nowe will yee liken mee and to whome shall I be like sayth the holy one Lift vp your eyes on high and consider who hath made those things whiche come out by so great heapes and he calleth them all by their names And so foorth Thus much out of Esaias Moreouer Paule the Apostle of Christ disputing at Athens of true religioÌ„ saith God that made the world and all that therein is seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth not in Temples made with handes neyther is worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing since he himself giueth life and breath to al and euery where and hath made of one bloud all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath
and to knée to ducke with the heade and bende the body to fall downe to honour to worship and to reuerence The Saintes of olde did vse to bowe downe that is to bende the knée to vncouer the heade and to fall downe to the Magistrates the Prophets the Princes and teachers of the people and vnto all sortes of reuerend men And that they did partly by cause God had so commaunded who vseth their ministerie to common mens commoditie and partly againe by cause men are the liuely Image of God him selfe But deafe dumbe and blinde Idoles are wood and stone wherevnto we are forbidden to bend or bow downe how so euer we are made to beléeue that they doe beare the likenesse of god The latter is Thou shalt not worship them or else Thou shalt not doe any seruice vnto them In this clause is forbidden all the outwarde and vnlawfull honour done to God or to the Gods in the way of Religion nay rather in the way of superstition and diuelishe hallowing of Churches reliques holie dayes and such like trash and trumperie For to serue is to worship to reuerence to attribute some maiestie and diuine authoritie to that whiche we doe worship to haue affiaunce in to burne incense to offer giftes and to shewe our selues dutifully seruiceable to that which we worship There is no man that knoweth not what it is to serue and what is ment by seruice in matters of Religion We are forbidden therefore to runne in Pilgrimage to Idoles yea though they be the Images of God him selfe We are forbidden to do them any seruice in offering giftes or attributing vnto them any one iote of Gods preeminence thereby to binde our selues to mainteine and vpholde their vnlawfull honour in mingling such superstitions with better pointes of true religion This therefore considered since we may not attribute to Images any seruiceable honour I doe not sée how we can ascribe to them the office of teaching admonishing and exhorting which are the offices and benefites of Gods holy spirit and worde For Abacuck the Prophete of whose writings Paul did make no small account hath lefte in writing wordes worth remembring What profiteth sayth he the image for the maker of it hath made it an image and a teâ—cher of lies thogh he that made it trusteth therein when hee maketh dumbe Idoles â–ª Woe vnto him that sâ—yth to the wood awake and to the sâ—nâ—el 〈◊〉 stone arise Should that teachâ— thâ—â—â— Beholde it is couered with golde and siluer there is no breath in it But the Lorde is in his holy temple let all the earth keepe silence before him What coulde be sayde more playnely and agreeable to the trueth Images sayth he are méere and very lyes But howe can that teache the trueth which of it selfe is nought else but a lye There is no mouing there is no life there is no breath in a picture or Image But the Lord sitteth in his holie temple where he reigneth and teacheth by inspiration and the preaching of his worde the summe of godlinesse and where he liueth for euer in the hearts of all his Saintes and seruauntes Let therefore all the tongues in the whole world be stopte of them that goe about to mainteine and vpholde superstitious Idolatrie against the true and liuing God. Nowe againe in the thirde part of this commauncement the Lord doth briefly knit vp the pithy handling of sundry things For first he sheweth that men haue no iust or lawfull cause in turning from God eyther to make them straunge Gods or else to worship God otherwise then they ought to doe I am sayth he the Lord thy God a strong god If I be the Lorde then shouldest thou of duetie serue me honour me obey me and worship me so as thou dost vnderstand that I doe desire to be worshipped and honoured If I be God then am I of sufficient abilitie to minister to all men what so euer they lacke What canst thou want therefore that thou mayst not finde in me why then shouldest thou turne to straunge Gods Thou haste no cause at all vndoubtedly to turne from me I am moreouer a strong God a mightie yea an Allmightie God and Lorde Thou hast no cause to séeke a mightier or welthier prince then me by him to be deliuered out of my handes and by his liberalitie to be farther inriched then thou shalt be by my good giftes and blessings For I am that true and eternall God the inuisible and Allmightie Prince of the worlde the true and only helper and deliuerer the liberall and bountifull giuer of all good giftes or benefites I am also thy Lorde and thy God. Those goods of myne are thyne For I am thine yea I am thy helper and deliuerer out of al aduersities and afflictions Thou art mine I haue created thée I liue in thée I doe preserue thée Why then shouldest thou turne away from me and séeke after any straunge God what so euer What néedest thou any more hereafter to hunte after senselesse Idoles Thou arte the Church and Temple of god Doste thou not féele and perceiue within thy selfe that I doe dwell in thée and haue thine heart in possession And what I praye thée hath the Temple of God to doe with godlesse Images Then also he descendeth and doth very seuerely yet notwithstanding iustly threaten extreme and terrible reuengement I am sayth he a iealous god This may be taken two wayes very well and not amisse For firste the sense may be thus I will not haue thée to séeke any other Gods but me neyther will I haue thée admit or receiue any forreine or vnlawfull worshipping of me The cause is I am a iealous God enuious against my riuall not suffering myne equall nor by any meanes abyding to haue a mate I alone will be loued I alone will be worshipped and that too not after any other fashion than I my selfe haue appointed to be obserued For no man is so ignorant but that he knoweth howe God in the Scripture doth by the parable of wedlocke figuratiuely set downe the assurance and bond wherin by fayth we are bouÌ„d to God God is our husband bridegrome we are his wife chosen spouse A chaste and faithful wife giueth eare alone to her husbands voice him alone she loueth him alone she doth obey him excepted she loueth no man at al. Again on the other side a shamelesse faithlesse adultresse and whorish strumpet not worthy to be called a wife séemeth outwardly to sticke and cleaue to her husband but priuily she maketh her body common to many men and louâ—th other more then her husbande and for the most part burneth on theÌ„ being colde enough to him ward But God is a iealous God and will be loued and worshipped alone without any partener to robbe him thereof That is spirituall adulterie whore-hunting when men doe partly loue and worship God and yet notwithstanding doe therewithall giue reuerence to straunge and other
pageants I do not alledge all this as Canonical Scriptures but as proofes to declare that Princes in the primatiue church had power officiall authoritie and a vsuall custome graunted by God as Esai did prophecie and deriued from the examples of auncient kinges to commaund bishops and to determine of Religion in the Church of Christ As for them which obiect the churches priuilege let them knowe that it is not permitted to any prince nor any mortal man to graunt priuileges contrarie to the expresse cōmaundemēts and verie truth of gods word S. Paul affirmed that he had power giuen him to edifie but not to destroy I am the briefer because I wil not stād to proue that they are vnworthie of indifferent priuileges which are not such as priestes and Christ his ministers should be but are souldiers rather and wicked knaues full of all kind of mischiefe Amonge other thinges in the Canon Lawe Distinct 40 wée finde this written See to your selues bretherne how ye sitte vppon the seate for the seat maketh not the priest but the priest the seate the place sanctifieth not the man but the man the place Euerie priest is not a holie man but euery holie man is a priest Hée that sitteth wel vpon the seate receiueth the honour of the seate but he that sitteth ill vppon the seate doth iniurie vnto the seate Therfore an euil priest getteth blame by his priest hoode and not any dignitie And thus much thus farre touching this matter Since now that I haue declared vnto you déerely beloued that the care of religion doth belong to the magistrate too and not to the bishopps alone that the magistrate may make lawes also in cases of religion it is requisite that I inquire what kinde of lawes those are that the magistrates may make in matters of religion There is no cause whie the king or magistrate should suppose that power is giuen to him to make newe lawes touching God the worship of God or his holie mysteries or to appoint a new kind of true iustice and goodnesse For as euery magistrate is ordeyned of God and is Gods minister so must hée be ruled by God and be obedient to Gods holie word and commaundement hauing euermore an eye vnto that and depending stil vppon that alone The scripture which is y word of God doth abundauntly enough set downe al that which is proper to true religion yea the Lord doth flatly forbidde to adde too or take any thing from his holy word The magistrate therefore maketh no newe lawes touching God and the honour to be giuen to God but doth religiously receiue and kéepe doth put in vre and publish those auncient lawes in that kingdome which God hath allotted him vnto For hereunto apperteineth the giuing of the booke of Gods law vnto the kinges of Israell that they might learn therby the way to do the things which they of duetie ought to sée done To Iosue the Lord doth say See that thou doest obserue doe according to all the law that Moses my seruaunt commaunded thee Thou shalt not tourne from it either to the righte hand or to the left Neither shall the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouth but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou maist obserue and doe according to all that is written therein For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt do wiselie Deuout and holie Princes therefore did doe their faithfull diligent indeuour to cause the word of God to be preached to the people to reteine and preserue among the people the lawes ceremonies and statutes of god yea they did their best to spread it to al men as farre as they could and as place and time required to applie it holilie to the states persons on the other side they were not slack to banish driue away false doctrine prophane worshipings of God blasphemies of his name but settled themselues vtterlie to ouerthrow and roote it out for euer In this sort I say godly magistrates did make and ordeine deuoute lawes for the maintenaunce of religion In this sort they bore a godlie and deuout care for matters of religion The cities which the Leuites had to possesse were of old their scholes of Israel Now Iosue did appoint those cities for studies sake and the cause of godlines King Ezechias was no lesse carefull for the sure paiment and reuenue of the ministers stipēds than hee was for the restoring and renuing of euerie office For honour and aduauncemēt maketh learning to flourish when néede and necessitie is driuen to séeke out sondrie shiftes beggarie setteth religion to sale much more the inuented lyes of mens owne mouthes Iosaphat sendeth Senatours and other officers with the priestes and teachers through al his kingdome For his desire was by all meanes possible to haue Gods word preached with authoritie and a certaine maiestie and being preached to haue it defended and put in vre to the bringing forth of good workes King Iosias doth together with idolatrie and prophane worshippinges of God destroy the false priestes that were to be found setting vppe in their stéeds the true teachers of Gods word and restoring againe sincere religion euen as also king Ioas hauing rebuked the Leuites did repaire the decayed buildings of the holie temple I am not able to runne through all the Scriptures and rehearce al the examples in them expressed let the Godly Prince or magistrate learne by these fewe what and how hée ought to determine touching lawes for religion On the other side Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord Thou shalt reigne according to all that thy soule desireth and shalt be king ouer Israel And if thou hearken vnto all that I commaunde thee and wilt walke in my wayes and doe that is right in my sight that thou keepe my statutes and my commaundements as Dauid my seruaunt did then will I be with thee build thee a sure house But the wretch despised those large promises and reiecting Gods word his temple at Ierusalem and his lawfull worship refusing also the Leuites hée made him priestes of the dregges and rascall sort of people hée built himself new temples which hée decked nay rather disgraced with images and idolls ordeyning and offering sacrifices not taught in Gods woord by that meanes inuenting a certain new kind of worshipping god and a new maner of religion And although his desire was to séeme to be willing to worshippe God yet is he by God condemned for a wicked man Hearken I pray the sentence of the Lord which hee denounceth against him Thou hast done euil saith Ahia as the Lord had taught him aboue all that were before thee For thou hast gone and made the other Gods and moultē images to prouoke mee and hast cast mee behinde thy backe Therefore I will bring euill vppon the house of Ieroboam and wil roote out from Ieroboam euen him that pisseth against the wall
Iudgemente Let therefore the feare of the Lord bee vppon you and take heede and bee dilligent For there is no vnrighteousnes with the Lord our God that hee should haue any respecte of persons or take any rewarde To these I will yet adde a fewe places of the holie Scripture more which shall partlie make manifeste those that wente before and partlie expounde and more plainlie expresse the office of the Iudge In Deuteronomie wée reade The Iudges shall iudge the people with equitie and iustice Thou shalte not peruerte Iudgemente nor haue respecte of personnes nor take a rewarde For a rewarde doeth blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the woordes of the righteous Thou shalte doe Iudgemente with iustice that thou mayste liue and possesse the Land. Againe in Exodus wée finde Thou shalte not follow a multitude to doe euill neither shalte thou speake in a matter of Iustice accordinge to the greater number for to peruert Iudgemente Neither shalte thou esteeme a poore man in his cause keepe thee farre from false matters and the innocent and righteous see thou slaye not for I will not iustifie the wicked Thou shalt take no rewardes for rewardes blinde the seeinge and peruerte the woordes of the righteous In Leuiticus also wee haue this Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente thou shalte not fauoure the personne of the poore nor honour the mightie but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour Againe Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente in metyarde in weighte or in measure True balaunces true weightes a true Epha and a true Hin shall yee haue I am the Lord your God c. I suppose verilie and am thus persuaded that in these fewe woordes of the Lord our God are comprehended al that which profounde Philosophers and Laweyers of great learning doe scarcelie absolue in infinite bookes and volumes of many leaues Beside all this the most holie Prophete Ieremie crieth to the kinge and saith Keepe equitie and righteousnesse deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherlesse or the widowe and shed no innoceÌ„t bloud Thus much touching the office of Iudges But in the eyes of some men this oure discourse may séeme vaine and fruitelesse vnlesse wée do also refute their obiections whereby they indeuour to proue that pleadinges and lawe matters are at an ende because the Lord in the Gospell saith To him that will sue thee at the lawe and take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also And againe While thou arte yet with thine aduersarie vpon the way agree with him quicklie least hee deliuer thee to the tormentour They adde moreouer the strifes in the lawe which S. Paule the Apostle in the sâ—â—te Chapiter of his Epistle to the Corinthians doth flatlie condemne To al which obiections mine aunsweare is this As the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles doth not abrogate the priuate ordering of particular houses so doeth it not condemne or disanull the publique gouernemente of common weales The Lord in the Gospell after S. Luke chideth with and repelleth the young man who desired him to speake to his brother for an equall diuision of the inheritaunce betwixte them Hée blamed him not for because hee thinketh ill of him that claymeth an equall diuision or that parte of the inheritaunce that is his by righte but because hée thought that it was not his duetie but the Iudges office to deale in such cases The words of our Sauiour in that place are these Whoe hath appointed mee a Iudge betwene you and a diuider of land and inheritaunce And againe as wée reade in the Gospell If any man will sue thee at the lawe and take awaye thy coate giue him thy cloake also So on the other syde againste this doinge of iniurie there is nothinge more busilie handled and required in all the Euangelicall doctrine than charitie and welldoinge But a good deede is done in nothing more than in iudgmente and iustice Since therefore that Iudgemente was inuented for the practisinge and preseruinge of Iustice and vprighte dealinge it is manifeste that to iudge in matters of controuersie is not forbidden in the Gospell The notable Prophets of the Lord Esai and Zacharie crie oute and saye Ceasse to doe euill learne to doe good seeke after Iudgemente helpe the oppressed and pleade the cause of the fatherlesse and widdowe Execute true Iudgemente shewe mercie and louinge kindenesse euerie manne to his brother Doe the widdowe the fatherlesse the straunger and poore no wronge They sinne therefore that goe on to hinder Iudgemente and to thruste Iudges beside their Seates For as they pull awaye from the true God no small parte of his woorshippe so doe they open a wide gate to wronge robberie and oppression of the poore The Lorde I graunte commaunded that which oure aduersaries haue alledged meaninge there by to settle quietnesse amonge his people but because the malice of menne is inuincible and the longe sufferinge of sillie Soules makes wicked knaues more mischiefous therefore the Lord hath not forbidden nor condemned the moderate vse of Iudgements in lawe Moreouer wée reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Paule did oftener than once vse the benefite of Iudgemente not for monie or goodes but for his life which hée endeuoured to saue and defende from them that laye in waite to kill him Neither consented hée to the vniuste iudgemente of Festus the President but appealed to Caesar and yet wée know that Paule did not offend therein against the doctrine of the Gospell of Christe The same Paule in his Epistle to the Corinthians did not absolutely coÌ„demne the Corinthians for going to lawe aboute thinges belonginge to their liuing but because they sued and troubled one an other before Heathen Iudges It is good and séemely without doubte to suffer wronge with a patient minde but because it pleaseth the Lord to ordeine iudgement to bée a meane of helpe and succour to them that are oppressed with iniurie hée sinneth not at all that seekes to kéepe himselfe from wronge not by priuate reuengement but by the vprighte sentence of Iudges in lawe And therfore did the Apostle commaunde the Corinthians to choose out to themseluâ—s amonge the faithfull such Iudges as might take vp temporall matters in coÌ„trouersie betwixt them that fell at variaunce Thus haue I declared vnto you the seconde parte of the magistrates office which consisteth in Iudgement I will now therefore descende to the exposition of the third and laste parte which comprehendeth reuengemente and punishment For the magistrate by his office beareth the sworde and therefore is hée commaunded by God to take reuengement for the wronge done to the good and to punish the euill For the Sword is Gods vengeaunce or instrumente wherewith hée strikes the stroake to reuenge himselfe vppon his enimies for the iniurie done vnto him and is in the scripture generallie taken for vengeaunce and punishment The
lawe sinne grace the Gospell and repentaunce Neither doe I as I thinke handle them irreligiously For I vse to conferre one Scripture with an other than which there is no way better and safer to follow in the handling of matters touching our religion And forbecause you are the true defender of the Christian fayth it cannot bee but well vndoubtedly to haue Christian Sermons come abroad vnder the defence of your Maiesties name My minde was according to mine abilitie and the measure of fayth which is in mee to further the cause of true religion which now beginneth to budd in England to the great reioysing of all good people I haue therefore written these Sermons at large and handled the matter so that of one many more may bee gotten Wherein the Pastors discretion shall easily discerne what is most auayleable and profitable for euery seuerall Church And the Pastors duetie verily is rightly to moawe the word of truth and aptly to giue the fodder of life vnto the Lords flocke They will not thinke much I hope because in these Sermons I doe vse the same matter the same arguments and the very same words that other before mee both auncient and late writers whom I haue iudged to followe the Scriptures haue vsed yer nowe or which I my selfe haue else wher alledged in other bookes of mine heretofore published For as this doctrine at all times in all pointes agreeable to it selfe is safest to be followed so hath it alwayes beene worthily praised of all good and godly people If the Lord graunt me life leysure strength I will shortly add the other eight Sermons of the fourth Decade which as yet are behinde And all that I say heere I speake it still without all preiudice to the iudgement of the right and true Church Our Lord Iesus the king of kinges and Lord of Lords lead you with his spirite and defend you to the glorie of his name and safetie of all your Realme At Tigure in the moneth of March the yeare of our Lord. 1550. Your Maiesties duetifullie bounden and daily Oratour Henrie Bullinger minister of the Church at Tigure in Swicerland THE THIRD DECADE of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the fourth precept of the second Table which is in order the 8. of the 10. Commaundementes Thou shalt not steale Of the owning and possessing of proper goods and of the right and lawfull getting of the same against sundrie kinds of theft ¶ The first Sermon FOR the susteyning and nourishing of oure liues families wee men haue néede of earthly riches Nexte therefore after the comaundements touching the preseruation of mans life and the holy kéeping of wedlocks knot in this fourth commaundement a lawe is giuen for the true getting possessing vsing and bestowing of wealth and worldly substance to the ende that wée should not get them by theft or euill meanes that we should not possesse them vniustly nor vse or spend them vnlawfully Iustice requireth to vse riches wel and to giue to euery man that which is his now since the lawes of God bee the lawes of Iustice they do verie necessarilie by way of comaundement say Thou shalt not steale These words againe in number are fewe but in sense of ample signification For in this precept theft it self is vtterly forbidden all shifting subtilties are flatly prohibited deceipt and guile is banished al cousening fetches are cleane cutt off couetousnes idlenes prodigalitie or lauishe spending and all vniuste dealing is herein debarred Moreouer charge is here giuen for mainteining of iustice and that especially in contractes and bargaynes Wonderfull turmoyles verily are raysed vpp and begonne amonge men of this world about the getting possessing and spēding of temporall riches it was expedient therefore that God in his lawe which he ordeyneth for the health cōmeditie and peace of vs men should appoint a state and prescribe an order for earthly goods as in this lawe hee hath most excellently done And that yee maye the better vnderstand it I wil at this present by the help of Gods holy spirite discourse vppon the proper owning and vpright gettinge of worldly riches in which treatise the whoale consideration of theft in all his kinds shal be plainly declared For the proper owning and possessing of goods is not by this precept prohibited but wée are forbidden to gett them vniustly to possesse them vnlawfully and to spend them wickedly yea by this commaundement the proper owning of peculiar substance is lawfully ordeined firmely established The Lord forbiddeth theft therefore hee ordeineth confirmeth the proper owning of worldly riches For what canst thou steale if all things be common to all men For thou hast stollen thine owne and not another mans if thou takest from an other that which hée hath But God forbiddeth thefte and therefore by the making of this lawe hée confirmeth the proper possession of peculiar goods But because there is no small number of that furious secte of Anabaptistes which denie this proprietie of seuerall possessions I will by some euident testimonies of Scripture declare that it is both allowed and ratified of old Of Abraham who in the Scripture is called the father of faith Eliezer his seruaunt saith God hath blessed my maister merueylously that hee is become great hath giuen him sheepe and Oxen siluer and gold men seruaunts and mayde seruaunts camels and asses and to his sonne hath he giuen all that he hath Loe then Abraham was wealthie did possesse by the right of proprietie al those things which God had giuen him and he left them all by the title of inheritaunce as peculiar and proper goods vnto his sonne Isaac Isaac therefore and Iacob possessed their owne and proper goods Moreouer God by the hand of Moses brought the Israelites his people into the land of promise the groūds whereof he did by lot diuide vnto the tribes of Iosue his seruaunt appointing to euery one a particular portion to possesse and did by lawes prouide that those inheritaunces should not be mingled and confounded together In Solomon and the Prophets there are very many preceptes and sentences tending to this purpose But I knowe verie well that these troublesome wranglers do make this obiection and say That Christian men are not bound to these proofes that are fetched out of the old Testament And although I could confute that obiection and proue that those places of the old Testament doe in this case binde vs to marke and followe them yet wil I rather for shortnesse sake alledge some proofes out of the Scriptures of the newe testamēt to stop their mouthes withall Our Lord Iesus Christ doth greatly commend in his disciples the woorkes of mercie which doe consiste in feedinge the hungrie in giuing drincke to the thirstie in cloathing the naked in visiting prisoners and those that be sick and in harbouring strangers and banished men Hée therefore graunteth to his disciples a proprietie and possession of peculiar goodes wherewith they may frankly
of the world differ much from the sonnes of god For these I meane the sonnes of God in comforting one an other in their calamities do say Suffer and grudge not at the thing that thou canst not alter It is gods wil that it shal be so and no maÌ„ can resist it suffer therfore the power of the Lord vnlesse thou wouldest rather double the euil that thou canst not escape But the worldlings on the other side being demaunded howe they suffer the hand of the Lord and whether they submit themselues to God or no do make this answere I must whether I will or no since I caÌ„not withstand it If therfore they could withstand it by thie wee may gather that they assuredly would But the children of God do patiently beare the hand of God not because they cannot withstand it nor because they must by coÌ„pulsion suffer it but for because they beleue that God is a iust and merciful father for therfore they acknowledge confesse that God of his iust iudgment doth persecute y sinns of them that haue deserued far more greuous and sharpe punishment than he layeth vpon them they do acknowledge also that god doth as a merciful father chasten them to the amendment of their liues safegard of their souls and therfore do they for his chastning of them yeld him hartie thankes and forsaking vtterly themselues their opinions do wholie coÌ„mit themselues whether they liue or die into the lords haÌ„ds The Apostle going about to settle this in the heartes of the faithfull saith God speaketh to you as to his sonnes my sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the lord loueth he chasteneth scourgeth euery son that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God tendereth you as his sonns For what sonne is he whoÌ„ the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisemeÌ„t whereof al are partakers then are ye bastards not sonnes Since therfore wheÌ„ we had fathers of our flesh they corrected vs we reuerenced them shal wee not much more rather be in subiection to the father of spirites liue Secondarilie let the faithfull beleeuer which is oppressed w calamities consider and weigh the causes for which he is afflicted For either he is troubled persecuted of worldlinges for the desire that hee hath to righteousnes true religion or else he suffereth due punishment for his sinnes offeÌ„ces Let them which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake reioyce and giue God thanks as the Apostâ—es did for that he thinketh them worthy to suffer for the name of Christ For the lord in the gospel said Blessed are they that suffer persecutioÌ„ for rightousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blessed are ye when men shal reuile persecute you and shal say all maner euil saying agaist you â—or my sake reioyce ye be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you But if any man for his sinns doth féele the scourge of God let him acknowledge that Gods iust iudgemeÌ„t is fallen vpon him let him humble himselfe vnder the mightie hand of the Lord let him confesse his sinns to God let him méekely require pardon for them and patiently suffer the plague which he with his sinnes hath worthily deserued Let him followe the examples of Daniel and Dauid Daniel confesseth his sinnes vnto the Lord and saith We haue sinned wee haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly we haue not obeyed thy seruauntes the Prophetes which spake to vs in thy name O Lord vnto thee doeth righteousnes belong and vnto vs open shame Thou haste visited afflicted vs as thou diddest foretell by Moses thy seruaunt And Dauid wheÌ„ through Absaloms treason he was compelled to forsake Hierusalem and goe in exile said to the priestes which bare the Arcke after him Carrie backe the Arcke of God into the citie againe If I shal find fauour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring me backe againe and wil shew mee both himselfe and his Tabernacle But if hee thus say I am not delighted in thee then here am I let him do with me what seemeth good in his eyes And verilie it is much more better and expedient to be punished in this world and after this life to liue for euer than to liue here without afflictions and in an other world to suffer euerlasting paines Paul verilie doth plainly say When we are iudged wee are chastened of the lord that we should not be damned with the world And the verie end of all chastenings and calamities wherewith the Sainâ—ts are exercised tendeth to nothing else but that by despising and treading downe the world they may amende their liues returne to the Lord and so be saued But touching the end of afflictions wée haue spoken of it before Furthermore the men that beare the yoke of afflictions doe lay before themselues the plaine and ample promises of God from which and from the examples of the sainctes they neuer turne their eyes There are innumerable examples of them which haue felt Gods helping hand readie in all needes to ayde and deliuer them Nowe our good God doth promise to helpe and deliuer not them onely which are afflicted for righteousnesse sake but them also whom he doth visite for their faults and offences For Dauid saith The Lord doth heale the contrite of heart The Lord doth loose them that are bouÌ„d in chaynes The lordgiueth sight vnto the blind The lord setteth vp againe them that doe fall Hee is not angrie for euer neither doth he alwayes childe Hee dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs after our iniquities And how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. To this beloÌ„geth the whole thirtieth chapiter of Ieremies Prophecie And Paule doeth beare witnesse to this and saith As the afflictions of Christe are many in vs so is our comfort great through Christ Neither are wee without examples enoughe to proue this same by and to lay before our eyes the present deliuerie of the Sainctes and the repentaunce of sinners in extreme calamities Our auncestours y Patriarchs Noe Lot with their families were by the mightie hand of God deliuered from the deluge that drowned all creatures vnder the heauens and the horrible fire that fell vppon Sodome Iacob and Ioseph being wrapped in sundrie tribulations were by their merciful God wooud out and rid from all Euen as also the children of Israell were brought forth and deliuered from the seruile bondage of Pharao in Aegypt The people of Israel did in the wildernesse vnder their guides and Iudges sinne often and greuously against the lord for which they were punished roundly and sharply scourged but they were quickly deliuered againe by the Lord so oft as they did acknowledge their sinnes and turne themselues to him againe There are also notable
booke saith that the reliques of the Romans were kept by the townsmen of Cęres in y Frēch warre at what time the Frenchmen inuaded Rome By which occasion it is likely that for remembraunce of the benefite all the worshipp due to God and all the holy rites or customes were according to the name of the towne vsuallie called Ceremonies But from whence soeuer the woord is deriued wée in this treatise vse it for the holy déede of worshipping God and the ecclesiasticall rites of sacred religion Now Ceremonies are holy rites belonging to the ministers of religion and also to the place time and holy worship exhibited to God all whiche howe they ought to be kept and obserued according as they should be the lawes called Ceremonial doe exactly teach and precisely describe Ceremonies therfore are the actions or rites which the lawes or rules called Ceremoniall doe frame or appoint Nowe Ceremonies are ordeyned either by God or men As touching those which God hath instituted they are of two sorts The one sort wherof he did ordeine in the old testament to the auncient Israelites and the other at the comming of Christe to vs that are the people of the new testament or couenaunt Of the Ceremonies of the new testament I meane to speake when I come to treate of the Church the Sacraments thereof At this time I wil discourse of the Ceremonies of the old testament which were holy rites and actions ordeyned and deliuered by God himself to the people of Israel vntil the time of amendement partly to represent in a shadowe to shewe the mysteries of God and partly to worship God by them and also with them to kéepe the people of God in a lawfull religion and in the societie of one ecclesiasticall bodie But men also haue brought in very many and sundrie sortes of Ceremonies as amonge the heathen the Archflamines did who were the priestes and ministers of Idols whiche offices and romes both their kinges and princes did sometimes supplie Among the Hebrues Ieroboam king of Israel to the destruction of him and his did chaung the Ceremonies which God had ordeyned into his owne that is into mens inuentions and detestable blasphemies In this latter age of the world wherein we liue there is no ho of Ceremonies that are instituted daily by brainsick people The miserie whereof many learned men both haue and do yet at this day lament and bewaile Angustine complayneth that in his time Ceremonies did increase too faste in the Church of God what would he say thincke you if hee were aliue to sée them now a dayes But of this I wil speake at an other time Now forbecause the word Ceremonies is attributed as a name to any heathenishe rites whatsoeuer I in this treatise would haue you to knowe y I speake not of euery Ceremonie but of those onely which were deliuered of God by Moses to the people of Israell not at the will of Moses but at the wil of God by the meanes or ministerie of Moses according as it was said vnto him See that thou doest all thinges according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the mountaine The originall therefore or beginning of these ceremonies which we treat of are referred to God himselfe y most true and assured author thereof and they did therfore please God because they were godly and might be exhibited in faith Contrarilie the Ceremonies in religion that are deuised and ordeyned of men are vtterly condemned as is to be seene in the 12. of Deuteronomie In the 17. Cap. of the 4. of kinges also we finde I srael walked in the ordinaunces or Ceremonies which they themselues had made to themselues It is knowne to all men what happened to Ieroboam and his houshold and all the kinges of Israel that walked in the wayes of Ieroboam So then these Ceremonies of ours I meane the Ceremonies wherof I speake are actions and rites not in prophane but holy matters which god himselfe did first ordeine which Gods people doth vse and exercise These Ceremonies were not deliuered to al people or nations but to the people of Israel only and that too as the Apostle saith vntill the time of amendment as that which should lye vppon the shoulders of the Iewes till the coming of Messiah at what time they should be taken away and after that appeare no more And in this sense verily the Apostle Paul calleth the lawe the schole mistresse vntill Christe We haue moreouer to note the end wherunto Ceremonies were ordeyned Ceremonies do especially belōg to the doctrine of pietie faith For they were added to the first table as a shoare or propp to vphold or staye it For they teach the outward worship of the true God which godly men do giue vnto him and by them were the Israelits drawen not onely from strange gods but from strange worships also wherewith they were too much and too long inured trayned vp in the land of Aegypt to the end they should not haue any occasion to receiue oradmit any strange kinds of worships when they were furnished and as it were wrapped in so exquisite sorts of curious Ceremonies This doth Moses in the 12. of Deut. make to be the cause why God appointed such busie Ceremonies Therfore Ceremonies and the vse of Ceremonies are in the scripture expressely called the worship of god For with them it pleased God to be worshipped and with them he did retaine his people in the true worshipping of him and in the true religion cōmunion of one ecclesiastical body For the church is seuered and diuided by the admitting or bringing in of new or strange ceremonies as it is euident in the states and dealinges of Solomon Ieroboam Moreouer the Apostle Paul said Are not they which eate of the sacrifice partakers of the altar so consequently of the whole religion Furthermore the chiefe or especial mysteries of Christ and his Church were shadowed in Ceremonies and were the Sacraments of the Iewish people wherwith the Lord would bind them vnto him put them in mind of his benefits and lastly kéepe the pietie obedience and faith of his people in vre exercise And because the Lord did especially require faith and faithfull obedience at the hands of his seruants in the obseruing of Ceremonies therfore those Ceremonies did not please but vtterly displease his Maiestie so oft as the people were ignorant of the meaning of the secret mysteries conteyned in those figuratiue showes so oft I say as they were without faith and obserued onely the outward actions or Ceremonies without inward zeale and touch of conscience For the Lord in Ieremie crieth out and saith Heape vp your burnt offerings with your sacrifices and eate the flesh For when I brought your fathers out of Aegypt I spoke no word vnto them of burnt offeringes or sacrifices but this I cōmaunded them saying Hearken vnto and obey my voyce and I wil be your
full The place where the temple was afterward builded is reported to haue béen shewed to Dauid by the Angle of the Lord and that Dauid did first of all make sacrifice there vnto the Lord and addeth these words This is the house of the Lord God and this altar is for the sacrifice of Israel As if hée should haue said This plat of ground is appointed for tâ—e temple in this péece shal be builte the house of the Lord yea here shall be offered that onely and effectual sacrifice for all men the very sonne of God Christ Iesus incarnate For all the interpreters of the holy scriptures agrée that the place was at Ierusalem vppon the mountaine Moria where Abraham once would haue offered his sonne Isaac that in that appointed or fatall plâ—ce the temple â—as erected and thâ—t the hill Golgotha or Caluarie was not farre of but in the very topp of the mountaine Moria which was the place and holy hill wherein the holy Gospell doth testifie that Christ was offered for the sinns of al the world which was prefigured in a type of the auncient sacrifices other Ceremonies belonging to the temple The vse and end of the temple was none other than the vse and end of the tabernacle was before Ieroboam therfore and the kings of Israel did sinne most gréeuously when they forsooke the temple to make sacrifices in the high places in their Cathedrall Churches at Bethel and at Dan and in other high pleasaunt places The people of Iuda with their kinges did sinne most gréeuously either for sacrificing to God in the high places or else because they did not vtterly cutt downe those highe places For the Lord would and his wil was to be worshipped in one place which hée had chosen vnto himselfe The plaine lawe touching that matter is extante in the 12. of Deuteronomie is very expressely set downe in the 17 of Leuit. in these woords following Whosoeuer of the house of Israell shall kill an Oxe or a sheepe or a goate within the host or without the host to witt for a sacrifice vnto the lord For otherwise they mighte lawefully kill a beast for their sustenance in any place wheresoeuer and shall not bring it to the doore of the tabernacle of the coÌ„gregation to offer his Sacrifice before the dwelling place of the Lord bloud shal be imputed to that man as if he had shedd bloud Wherefore when the children of Israell bring their offeringes let them bring them to the Lord before the dore of the tabernacle of appointment vnto the priest that hee may offer them And let them no more offer their offerings to diuels after whoÌ„ they haue gone a whoring This shal be an ordinaunce to them for euer in their generations And he that doth not this shal be rooted out from amoÌ„g his people There are in these words thrée thinges to be noted First that it was not lawfull to sacrifice but in that one place onely that was before the altar of burnt offeringes Secondarilie wée haue to marke that that commaundement was giuen to the end that al men should vnderstand that the sacrifice was made to God to whom the tabernacle did belong Thirdly that to offer sacrifice out of y place against Gods comaundement was to make sacrifice vnto the diuel that the offerer was to be iudged as a murderer and that hee was excommunicated by the lord God as he that was excluded froÌ„ the companie of God his holy saints But wheras Samuel Helias and certaine other Patriarches did by Gods sufferance make sacrifices vpon some especiall causes in other places not before the altar in the tabernacle they did it by dispensation They therefore that sacrificed in highe places not to straunge Gods onely but euen to the very true God did sinne first of all by disobedience For God doth mislike yea he curseth al the worship done vnto him which we our selues do first inuent without the warrantise of his word it is faithfull obedience y pleaseth him best SecoÌ„darilie they sinned by making a schisme in the vnitie of the Ecclesiastical body Thirdly for despising the mysterie of Christ that was to be offered in the mount of Golgotha for not referring the meaning of their sacrifices to Christ the onely truth of all their typicall Ceremoines Lastly they sinned by trusting in their sacrifices as in well wrought woorkes to iustification and by neglecting the worship of God chaunging it into trifles of their owne inuentions The teÌ„ple stood from the time that Solomon did first build it vntil the first destruction of it vnder king Zedechias 440. yeares And from the reparatioÌ„ of it vnto the vtter ouerthrowe vnder Vespasian it stood 582. yeares Other there be that do accompt it otherwise Thus haue I hetherto spoken a litle of a great deale concerning the temple Now it remayneth for me to touch and lightly to passe ouer the holy instruments belonging to the tabernacle and temple of the Lord amonge which the arcke of the couenant was the chiefe which arcke was so called because of the tables of the couenant that were put within it It was also called the arke of the Lord God of hostes which dwelleth vppon it betwixt the Cherubim by that meanes the Lord himself was called by the name of Him that sitteth betwixt the Cherubim because he did from theÌ„ce giue aunsweares vnto his seruauntes and had placed it in the middest of his people to be a signe that his presence was alwayes amonge them Touching the stuffe whereof and the for me how the arcke was made I will say nothing here For the matter fashion are in their colours very liuely painted out in the 25. Chap. of Exod. Of the meaning mysterie vse of the arcke I will speake somewhat now We men lay vp in our coffers and cheasts the treasures y we most sett by And therfore we vnderstand that in the arcke was layed the treasure of the Church and all the substance of which the faithfull made most accompt We must not therfore seek for them in meÌ„ in Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid S. Marie Iohn Peter or Paule much lesse in the Romish indulgeÌ„tiarie but in him in whom all fulnesse dwelleth and in whom all the treasures of gods wisedome and knowledge are heaped vp in store who is not séen here on the earth but in the Sanctum Sanctorum in heauen I say aboue and is called Iesus Christ whose diuinitie is figured by the most pure gold and his humanitie by the Sittim wood that is of Cedar or rather white thorne For he tooke vpon him flesh like to our sinnefull flesh euen the very flesh that wée haue in al pointes sauing that it was not sinnefull Out of this arke do the faithfull fetche all good and necessarie things for the vse of their life and eternall saluation For in the arcke wée read that there was layd the tables of the couenaunt the
firste begotten or auncient of euery housholde did circumcise before the lawe which office was turned to the priestes when once the lawe was giuen It is a singular example and no more to be found like vnto it that Zippora the wife of Moses did circumcise her sonne Exod. 4. Chap. Nowe also the time of circumcision is set downe to wite the eighth day when the newe borne childe beganne to be of a little more strength And we gather out of the fifte Chapter of the booke of Iosue that they did circumcise them not with kniues of yron but of stone for in that Chapter the Lorde doth in expresse wordes commaund to circumcise the sonnes of Israel with kniues of stone But it is manifest by the rites of the sacraments that God doth alter nothinge in the ceremonies of the sacraments and therefore we coniecture and gather that Abraham vsed none other but kniues of stone especially since we read that Zippora Moses his wife did circumcise her sonne with a stone The rest of the Iewishe trifles which they sowe abrode touching the ceremonies of cicumcision I do of purpose here let passe For they are vtterly vnworthie to be heard and haue no mysteries conteined in them But the knife of stone is of force in the exposition of the mysterie of circūcision For circumcision had a mysterie and a moste certeine meaning hidden within it For firste circumcision did signifie that the whole nature of man is vncleane and corrupt and therfore that all men haue neede of cutting and regeneration And for that cause that cuttinge was made in the member wherewith man is begotten For we are all begotten and borne the sonnes of wrath in originall sinne Neither doth any man deliuer vs from that damnation but he alone that is without sinne to wite the blessed séede Iesus Christ our Lord who was conceiued by the holy Ghost and borne of the virgin Marie who with the shedding of his bloud which was prefigured in the bloud shed in circumcision doth cleanse vs from sinne and make vs heires of life euerlasting And now this circumcision maketh sorely against them that denye original sinne and putteth them to their shiftes that attribute iustification and saluation to our owne strength and vertue For if we were cleane if we by our owne power could get saluation what néeded our fathers to bee cutt in that sorte The things that are cutt off are either vnpure or else superfluous But God made nothing vnpure or superfluous Nowe hee made the flesh of the foreskinne If the fleshe of the foreskinne had béene euill God had not made man with the fleshe of the foreskinne The skinne therefore is not euill of it selfe nor yet superfluous but the cuttinge of the foreskinne doth rather serue to teache vs to vnderstande that by our birth and nature wée are corrupt and that wée cannot be cleansed of that corruption but by the knife of stone And for that cause verily was circumcision giuen in that member and in none other I will anon adde another cause out of Lactantius why it was giuen in the priuities and in none other parte of all the bodye Moreouer circumcision did signifie testifie that God almightie of his méere grace and goodnesse is ioyned with an indissoluble bond of couenant vnto vs men whome his will is first to sanctifie then to iustifie and lastly to inriche with all heauenly treasures through Christe our Lorde and reconciler For that was the meaninge of the stoanie knife Because Christ the blessed séede is the rocke of stone out of which doe flowe moste pure and cleansing waters and he by his spirite doth cutt from vs whatsoeuer thinges doe hinder the mutuall league and amitie betwixt God and vs he also doth giue and increase in vs both hope and charitie in faith so that wee may be knitt and ioyned to God in life euerlasting which is the blessed and happie life in déede Nowe here it is expedient to heare the testimonies of the lawe and the Apostles In the 30. of Deuteron Moses saith The Lord thy God shall circumcise thy harte and the harte of thy seede that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God. Now the outward visible cutting was a signe of this inwarde circumcision And Paule also speakinge of Abraham saith And he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had being yet vncircūcised that he should be the father of all them that beleeue though they were not circūcised that righteousnesse might bee imputed to them also c. Lo here Abrahams circumcision was a signe y God by his grace had iustified Abraham which iustificatiō he receiued by faith before his circumcision which is an argument that they which beléeue though they be not circumcised are neuerthelesse iustified with faithfull Abraham and againe that the Iewes which are circumcised are iustified of God by faith And for that cause was circumcision giuen in the verie bodie of man that he might beare in his bodie the league of God and be thereby admonished that hee is iustified by grace through faith Whereby wee gather also that the grace of God and the iustification of the godly is not tyed to the signe For if it had then had not Abraham béene iustified before his circumcision but euen in his circumcision Furthermore if it had béene so then the Lord whose wil is to haue mankind saued would not haue giuen commaundement to haue them circumcised vpon the eighth day For many children died before the eighth daye and neuer came to circumcision and yet they were not damned To which wee may adde that Sara Rebecca Rahel Iochabeth and Marie Moses sister with innumerable mo matrones and holie virgines could not be circumcised and yet they were saued by the grace of God through faith in the Messiah that was to come The grace of God therefore was not tyed to the sacrament of circumcision but yet it was not despised and neglected of the holy sainctes of the olde church but vsed to the end for which it was ordeined that is to be a testimonie and a seale of frée iustification in Christ who circumciseth vs spiritually without handes by the working of the holie Ghoste Furthermore God by the outwarde and visible signe did gather into one church them which were circumcised in which number those which he had chosen before hee did ioyne to him selfe with the bonde of his spirite For sainct Paule for the verie same cause did call the people of one religiō the circumcision as is euident by the 15. Chapter to the Romanes and the third to the Philippians Therefore by circumcision God did separate his people from the vnbeléeuing nations Whereupon it came that to be called vncircumcised was as great reproache among them as to be called dogge is nowe adayes among vs For an vncircumcised person was reputed for an vncleane prophane man and for such an one as had no parte
he offered a sacrifice to the lord There are also other auncient benefits common to all men as that God hath made the world and all that is therein and that thorough Christ he hath redeemed all the faithfull there are daily benefits yea uÌ„nally all things are full of Gods good benefits For all which benefits we must offer our sacrifice to God alone and not to any creatures whiche he hath made yea wee must offer to him with all our hearts al our affections must be halowed to the lord For out of the beastes which were sacrificed to the Lord for thankesgiuing those partes were chosen and giuen to the Lord in which the especiall power of life consisteth For in the kidneys is the power of generation in the bloud the vital spirite in the liuer the springe of all the bloud c. Nowe we must giue thankes by a sacrifice that is by Christ For we are saued for Christ his sake and all good thinges are bestowed on vs by God not for oure owne sakes nor for any creatures sakes but for Christe his sake our only Sauiour and redéemer To them which offered was allowed a sober and merrie banquet because the felicitie of those that are not vnthanckfull is for the most parte augmeÌ„ted twofold double And the knowledge of Christ is a delicate banquet a continuall feast With the sacrifices of thanckesgiuing those offeringes doe much agrée whiche are called vowes and fréewill offerings The fréewill offering was that which procéeded of méere good wil and deuotion of the mind without necessitie or compulsion of any lawe or ordinance As when a seruant giueth to his maister the thing that he oweth him not for a declaration onely of the goodwill that hée beareth vnto him But herein the frée will offeringes do differ from the sacrifice of thankesgiuing because in the sacrifice of thankesgiuing charge was giuen that whatsoeuer was left which was not spent the first day should not be eaten on the morrowe but be burnte wyth fire on the other side in the free will offeringes it was lawfull for them to eate the remnaunt vppon the second day and to burne their leauings vpon the third day Nowe the vowed sacrifices were those which were offered by couenant to the Lord as for example a man being in perill doth vowe to make a sacrifice to God if hee be deliuered out of that imminent daunger it falleth out that hee is deliuered and hee for his deliuerie doeth offer vpp the sacrifice the thing that is so offered is called a vowed sacrifice The Ceremonies of these twaine did wholie agree with the Sacrifice of thanckesgiuing More of them is to be seene in the seuenth Chapiter of Leuiticus The meaning of these Sacrifices were that all good benefites are bestowed vppon vs for Christe his sake and with those benefites wee receiue the very good will whiche wee haue to serue the Lord. Thus much haue I hetherto saide touching the Sacrifices of the people of God not that I haue touched euery point but so many onely as are of most importaunce In these Sacrifices as in a liuely action were set foorthe CHRIST oure Lord his Passion and the effectuall merite of his death so that wee may call the holy actions of the Sacrifices Sermons vpon the Passion of Christ and instructions of our redemption by our Lord and Sauiour Now forbecause we haue already spoken hetherto of vowed sacrifices we must heere consequently borrowe leaue for a digression to say somewhat of their vsuall vowes For vowes belonge to the Iewishe Ceremonies Of the making performing and redéeming of vowes there is a large discourse in the lawe of God but especially in the 27. of Leuiticus To vowe is to promise any thing with an othe solemnly either for our owne or an others welfare And therefore a vowe was an action referred to God alone and that too in an holy and a lawfull thing But in vowes there was a difference because vowed thinges were diuided into foure kindes For some times they vowed men sometimes they vowed other liuing things sometunes houses and somtimes lands or other immoueable substance Againe there was a difference in men according to their ages and after their ages they mighte bee redéemed for cleane liuing creatures there was no redemption permitted at all It was frée either to leaue their houses to the vse of the ministerie or else to redéeme them with such a summe as the priest should value them at In landes redemption was sometimes admitted sometimes not admitted And in the 30. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers there is a precise commandement giuen touching the votories when their vowes are of force and when of smal effecte Where it is diligently beaten into their heads that vowes lawfully made to God are not to be called back againe but streightly kept throughle performed Rashe or vnlawfull vowes the Lord did neuer like off nor receiue Of the lawfull vowes and such as are made to the true and onely God the Prophete speaketh where he saith Make vowes pay them Wée read not that any of y Godly sort did make any vowes to any Saincts or any other creatures neither that they vowed any thing that was not in their power to vow nor that which was coÌ„trary to the will of God to whom they vowed it nor that which was to their neighbours hinderance nor the thing that had not in it some euideÌ„t coÌ„moditie And verilie these kinde of vowes were for none other cause permitted to the Israelits till the time of amendment but that they should remaine in the worship of one true God and not make their vowes to any other strauÌ„g God. To the treatise of vowes belongeth the discipline and order of the Nazarites Of whiche there is alarge discourse in the 6. Chapiter of the booke of Numbers The Nazarits were those who because they would the more freely without let attend vpon Gods seruice or else because they had heretofore liued â—oo licentiously did of their owne accord and wil take vpon them a more stricte and seuere trade of life than the common people vsed kept it for a discipline to make other men to follow their example of vertue and honest liuing Whereuppon it commeth that some do take the Nazarits to haue their name of separation because Nazir amonge the Hobrues signifieth a separation that the Nazarites separating themselues from the common trade of life that other men did lead did giue themselues to a certaine peculiar forme of liuing for God and Godlynesses sake That seuere and strict discipline did continue in some by the lengthe of all their life time as in Samson and Samuel Moreouer such as did wholie giue themselues to the studie of the Scriptures were by the Prophets Amos Ieremie because of their most temperate life which is required of studeÌ„ts and because they were wholie dedicated to the ministerie of God called Nazarites Sometimes also it did endure but for
the law and the Prophets Moreouer oure Lord fulfilled the lawe in that he did most absolutely in all poinctes satisfie the will of God being himselfe the holiest of all in whome there is no spot no euill concupiscence nor any sinne in him is the loue of God most perfecte righteousnesse altogether absolute which righteousnesse he doth fréely coÌ„municate to vs that are most vnperfect if wee beléeue and haue oure hope fast settled in him For hée forgiueth vs our sinnes being made a cleansing Sacrifice for vs and maketh vs partakers of his owne righteousnesse which is for that cause called Imputed righteousnesse Whereunto the testimonies of the Apostle do apperteine God saith Paul was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them For him which knew not sinne he made sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse without workes So also if wee beleeue in God throughe Christ our faith shal be imputed to vs for righteousnesse For by faith we lay hold on Christ whom we beleue to haue made most absolute satisfaction to God for vs and so consequently that God for Christ his sake is pleased with vs and that the righteousnesse is imputed to vs as our owne and is in déed by gift our owne because wee are nowe the sonnes of God. These things being diligently weyyed it shal be easie for vs to aunswere them whiche make this question and doe demaunde since no mortall man doth of himself exactly satisfie the law Howe then is righteousnesse life and saluatioÌ„ promised to them that do obserue the lawe Our aunswere is forsoothe that that promise hath a respect to the perfect righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed vnto vs Otherwise it is assuredly certaine that the holy Scripture doth not so much as in one iote disagrée or square in any pointe from it selfe The Apostle doth plainly say If there had a lawe beene giuen which could haue giuen life then had righteousnesse beene of the lawe but now the Scripture hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that the promise might be giuen by faith to them that do beleeue Wherefore he kéepeth or doeth fulfil the lawe euen of the tenne commaundements who doth the thing for which the lawe was chiefly ordeyned But the lawe was chiefly ordeyned as I did declare a little before to the ende that it might conuince vs all of sinne and damnation and so by that meanes send vs from our selues and lead vs by the hand to Christe who is the fulfilling of the lawe vnto iustification to euery one that doeth beléeue And therefore hée doth fulfil and kéepe the lawe who hath no confidence in himselfe and his owne woorkes but committing himselfe to the very grace of God doth séeke all righteousnesse in the faith of Christ Whereuppon now it is euident that these two sentences of Christ oure Lord are of one sense meaning Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee he hath life euerlasting And If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements For Paule also in the 13. Chapiter of the Actes saith Be it knowen vnto you brethren that thorough Christe is preached to you the forgiuenesse of sinnes by him all that beleeue are iustified from all the thinges from which he could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses And to this place nowe belongeth all the woorke of iustification of whiche I haue at large disputed in an other place Now that faith wherewith we beleeue that Christ hath satisfied the law and that he is oure righteousnesse and our perfection is neither of our owne nature nor of our owne merits but is by the grace of God powred into vs through the holy spirit which is giuen into our hearts This spirite abiding in our heartes doth inflame our breastes with the loue and desire of Gods lawe to doe oure endeuoure to the expressing and shewing of the lawe in al our workes and conuersation Which desire and endeuour although they be neuer fully accomplished by reason of the sâ—eashes frailetie or weakenesse of mans nature which remayneth in vs euen till the last gaspe and end of our life is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace for Christe his sake alone neither doeth anye Godly man put any confidence in this other but in the first fulfilling of the lawe as that which is onely absolute and perfecte For Paule in his Epistle to the Romans crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And yet immediatly after he answereth I thanke God. to wit because he hath redéemed me from death through Iesus Christ our lord So then I me selfe with the minde serue the law of God but with the fleshe the lawe of sinne There is then no damnation to them whiche are graffed in Christ Iesu which walk not after the fleshe but after the spirite c. Wherfore since we are in Christ we are in grace and therefore is God pleased with oure woorkes which being giuen to vs by faith and by the liberal spirite do procéede from an hart that loueth God the giuer of them all For Iohn saide This is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundementes And his commaundementes are not greeuous Hée addeth also the reason thereof and saith For al that is borne of God ouercoÌ„meth the world nowe euerie one is borne of God that doth beléeue as is declared in the first of Iohn By whiche it is easie to reconcile these 2. places which séeme at a blushe to iarre one with an other The lawes of God are heauie which neither we nor oure fathers were able to beare And The lawes of God are not greeuous or heauie to be borne For they are not heauie to the faithfull whiche are in Christ and to those which haue the gift of Gods spirite that is to those that are reconciled to God by Christe their Lord and Sauiour Without Christ faith in Christe they are most gréeuous and heauie to be borne of euery vnbeléeuer So the faithfull béeing stirred vpp by the spirite of God doth voluntarilie and of his owne accord do good to all men so farre as his abilitie doeth suffer him will not in any case do hurt to any man not forbecause hee feareth the punishment that in the law is appointed for the disobedient vniuste and wrongfull dealers but forbecause he loueth god And so also he fulfilleth the Iudicial lawe Here I know full well the thou wilt make this obiection and say if the law be fulfilled that the fulfilling thereof hath a place in the Sainctes faithful ones what néeded then I pray you the abrogating of the lawe What néeded Paule and all the best diuines to dispute so largely of the abrogation of the same I wil therefore say somewhat of the abrogation of the law first generallie then by partes peculiarly But first of all
without all controuersie that it needeth no businesse to proue it at all Hée verilie doeth euery minute augment in vs his giftes while wée are intentiue to doe good workes For in the Gospell hee saith To euery one that hath shal be giuen and hee shall abounde And from him that hath not shal be taken euen that which he hath not and shal be giuen to him that hath To this also may be added that God is fauourable to them that worke righteousnesse and doth enrich them euen with many temporal gifts and at the last bring them to life euerlasting For the Apostle Paul doth expressely say God shall reward euerie man according to his deedes to them whiche by continuing in welldoing seeke for glorie and honour and immortalitie eternall life And againe Glorie and honour and peace to euerie one that worketh well Although the Godly in all their good workes do not as I told you before respecte so much the recompence and reward at Gods hand as the aduauncement of Gods glorie the fulfilling of his will and profite of their neighbour For Paule sayeth Doe all thinges to the glorie of God. And againe Let no man seeke his owne but euery one an others profite euen as I doe in all thinges please all men not seeking mine owne commoditie but the profite of many that they may be saued Therefore all the Godly doe so directe and temper their woorkes that they maye please delight or honour God and profite many men For in so doing they expresse or represent the nature of God whose sonnes they both are and are also called For hee doeth liberallie powre out his benefits vppon all creatures and therefore his sonnes are beneficiall and bent to doe good to all men Thus much had I hetherto to say touching the nature or propertie cause end and effecte that is the very true and right meaning of good workes by whiche I hope it is euident to bee perceiued howe in what sense the Lord in the Scriptures is sayd to attribute the name of righteousnesse and iustification vnto the good woorkes of the Sainctes his seruauntes and that that true principle of oure rereligiō remayneth firme vnreproueable wherein wée confesse and hold That wee are iustified by the Grace of God for Christ his sake thorough faith and not for workes Now therfore there is nothing more behind but this onely for vs to make our humble petition to God for true faith in Christ our Lord and that by his grace hée will so guide vs that we may 〈◊〉 in workes put that in practise 〈◊〉 hetherto wée haue béene taught in 〈◊〉 wordes of this treatise that is to saye that wée may in good workes in déede expresse the faith which wée in words professe that wée haue in Iesus Christ our lord Amen ¶ Of sinne and of the kindes thereof to witt of originall and actuall sinne and of sinne against the holy Ghost And lastly of the most sure and iust punishment of sinnes ¶ The tenth Sermon WEe Haue lastlye now to discourse of sinne which as I told you is to be referred to the treatise of the law Of whiche that I may lawfully religiously rightly and profitablie speake to the edifying of you all I shal desire you to make your humble prayers with mée to God the father in the name of Christ his sonne our gratious Lord and mediatour Sinne is of most men taken for errour for that I meane whereby we do not only erre from the thing which is true right iust and good but do also followe and decline to that whiche is naughte The Latines deriue their word peccatum sinne of pellicatus whorehunting whiche is a faulte of wedded people that are corrupted with the spirite of fornication as when mē preferre harlotts before their lawfull wiues And this definition verilie doth wōderfully agrée to this present treatise For all wée that do beléeue are by faith handfasted to oure God as to our spouse and husband if therefore wée prefer other Gods before him or choose rather to serue them If I say we let passe the true Gods in déede to follow the shadow of Gods vaine hopes and the pernicious pleasures of this world then do we sinne in déed and commit fornication against oure spouse husband But the learned sort doe for the most parte put a difference betwixte peccatum and delictum which both in effect doe signifie sinnes But they call that delictum when the thing is not done that should be done and that they call peccatum when that is done that should be left vndone S. Hierome séemeth to haue taken delictum for the first fall to sinne S. Augustine sayeth that peccatum is committed of him y sinneth wittingly delictum of him that sinneth of ignoraunce I sée that those woordes are in some places confounded and that the one is vsed for the other In some places the errour or delictum is vsed as the mylder terme peccatum in a more gréeuous sense an heynous crime a mischiefe a reuolting or wickednesse for the greatest of all For S. Augustine sayth Neither is euery peccatum crimen beecause euery crimen is peccatum Therefore wee saye that the life of a man liuing in this transitorie world maye be found to bee without that heynous offence crimen for which al the world doth crie out vpon and accuse him but if wée say we haue nullum peccatum no sinne as the Apostle sayth wee deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs Amonge the Hebrues sinne is called by sundrie names which do import signifie ouerthwartnesse peruersenesse a fault an errour a reuolting infirmitie vice ignoraunce and transgression For to transgresse doth signifie to depart from the truth from oure duetie or office not to kéepe the right path but to turne awrie from the prescript rule of the law of god Now that rule or lawe of God is of the Hebrues called Thora that is to say a direction or a leading by the hand For it doeth directe a man in the wayes that are acceptable to the lord And therefore the Gréekes call sinne by the names of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Againe in the Hebrue tongue sinne is as much to say as a turning awaye from good to euill also a reuolting as when thou drawest thy neck from out of the yoke of his power to whome thou art a seruant finally it signifieth the crime or guilte whereby wee indaunger oure selues to the rodd of punishment Verilie S. Augustine taketh much paines to finde out a proper definition of sinne In his second booke De cōsensu Euangelistarum he sayeth Sinne is the transgression of the Lawe Ad Simplicianum lib. 1. Sinne is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent Creatour and a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeos Cap. 8. hée sayeth What is it else to sinne but to erre in the preceptes of truth or in the truth it selfe
the blasphemie against the holie Ghoste shal not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come The same sentence of our Sauiour is thus expressed in the thirde Chapter of sainct Markes Gospell All sinnes shal be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith soeuer they shal blaspheme but he that speaketh blasphemie against the holie Ghoste hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke these woordes in a manner are vttered thus Who soeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that blasphemeth the holie Ghoste it shal not be forgiuen In these woordes of the Lorde we haue here mention made of blasphemie against the sonne of man and of blasphemie against the holie Ghoste of which that against the holie Ghoste is vtterly vnpardonable but that against the sone of man is altogether veniall Blasphemie against the sonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt which are not yet inlightened doeth tend against Christ whome the blasphemer doth thinke to bee a seducer because he knoweth him not Suche blasphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifestly testifie that Paul him selfe before his conuersion a greate parte of the Iewes were For vppon the crosse the Lorde prayed crying Father for giue them for they wott not what they doe And the Apostle Paule sayth If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not haue crucified him Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes speakinge to the Iewes saith I knowe that ye did it through ignorance nowe therefore turne you and repent that your sinnes may be wiped out Act. 3. But the blasphemie against the holie Ghost is saide to be a continual faultfinding or reproche against the holie spirite of God that is against the inspiration illumination and woorkes of the spirite For when he doth so euidently worke in the minds of men that they can neither gainesaye it nor yet pretend ignorance and that for all this they do resist mocke despise and continually snapp at the trueth whiche they in their consciences do knowe to be moste hoalsome and true in so doing they do blaspheme the holie Spirite and power of god As for example the Phariseis being by moste euident reasons and vnreproueable miracles coÌ„uinced in their owne minds could not denie but that the doctrine woorkes of our Lorde Iesus Christe were the trueth and miracles of the verie God and yet against the testimonie of their owne consciences they did of méere enuie rebellious doggednesse and false apostacie continually cauil that Christ did al by the means inspiration of Beelsebub the diuel And little or nothing better than the Phariseis are those which when they haue in these dayes once vnderstoode that the verie trueth and assured saluation are moste simplie and purely set forth in Christe doe notwithstanding forsake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the sounde and manifest trueth yea and that more is they ceasse not to clappe their handes and hisse at it as a damnable heresie As this sinne is of all other the filthiest so is it not veniall but vtterly vnpardonable For in the Gospell the Lorde hath expresly saide it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the worlde to come Whiche sentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced He hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation The cause is manifest For it is vnpossible without faith to please god Without faith there is no remission of sinnes Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of god But the sinne against the holie Ghoste is méere apostacie flatt rebellion against the true faith which the holie Ghoste by his illumination doth powre into our heartes Whiche illumination these vntoward Apost ataes doe incessantly call darkenesse they name it a meere seduction and do with tauntes blaspheme it openly Therfore the sinne is neuer forgiuen them For they tread vnder foote the Grace of God and do despise make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to saluation Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues saith If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour the aduersaries Nowe I pray you what is it to sinne wilingly Forsooth to sinne willingly is not to sinne through infirmitie or ofteÌ„ times to fall into one the same sinne but to sinne willingly is with a moste stubborn coÌ„teÌ„pt to sinne as they are wont to do which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and spurne at the Grace of God not ceassing to make a mocke of the crosse death of Christ as thoughe it were foolishe and not sufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure sinnes For to such there is prepared none other sacrifice for sinnes And suche the Apostle calleth the aduersaries that is the contemners and enimies of god And therefore the same Apostle in the sixte Chapter of the same Epistle saith It cannot be that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte were become partakers of the holie ghost and haue tasted of the good woorde of God and the powers of the world to come and they fall away should be renued againe into repentaunce crucifying to them selues the sonne of God afreshe and making a mock of him He speaketh not here of euery fall of the faithfull but of wilfull stubborne apostacie For Peter fell and was restored againe throughe repentance which happeneth to more than Peter alone For all sinners are through repentaunce daily restored But vnrepentant Iudas is not restored because he was a wilfull apostatae Mockers and blasphemâ—rs are not restored through repentance because they do obstinately stande against the knowen veritie and ceasse not to blaspheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vnto eternall life Therefore those places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians but do expound to vs the nature and enuenomed force of the sinne against the holie Ghost Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist disputing of this sinne in his Canonicall Epistle saith If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shal aske he shal giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praye for it All vnrighteousnesse is sinne and there is a sinne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him selfe and that euil toucheth him not Sainct Iohn here maketh mentioÌ„ of two sortes of sinnes The one vnto death that is mortall
the second parte where wee haue to shewe you that GOD the father hath faithfully perfourmed to vs that which he promised to our forefathers in giuing to vs his onely begotten Sonne who is that true and looked-for Messiah that is to bee blessed world without ende In making this matter manifest the Euangelistes and Apostles of oure Lord haue taken great paines and set it forth so well and faithfully that it cannot be bettered They shewe that Christ doth come of the stocke of Dauid descending lineally of the séede of Abrraham they tell that his mother was the Virgin which did conceiue by the holie Ghost and being a Virgin still brought him into the world They note the time wherein Christ was reuealed in all points correspondent to the Prophets prophecies They add that the place of his natiuitie was aunswerable to that whiche Micheas foretolde In the Easte there appeareth a starre whiche moueth the Princes or wisemen to goe and salute the newe borne Kinge They come therefore and euen in Hierusalem doe openly professe that the Messiah is borne and that they are come out of the Easte to worship and honour him According to their woordes so were their déedes For when by the leading of the starre they had once found him they fall downe before him and doe by offering to Christ the giftes that they brought not obscurely declare howe ioyfull they were and how much they set by their Lord and Sauiour In the verie citie of Hierusalem the most iust man Simeon with great ioye of heart and godly gratulation doeth in the temple openly testifie that God according to his eternall goodnesse and constancie had giuen to the world his onely begotten sonne whome hee had promised vnto the fathers therewithall protesting that hee was willing to die He addeth the cause For that saith hee mine eyes haue seene thy saluation to witt that Schilo the Sauiour whome thou O God hast determined to set before al people a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glorie of thy people Israel that is that hee shaking off al darckenes should bring the light of trueth life vnto the Gentiles to lighten them withall and that hee should bée the glorie and life of the people of Israel Herevnto also belongeth the testimonie of that notable man Zacharie the holie priest of God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people hath raised vp a horne of saluation for vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid As hee spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets whiche haue beene since the world began And so forth as is to be séen in the first of Lukes Gospel Moreouer Iohn the sonne of this Zacharie syrnamed the Baptist than who we read not that any one more holie was euer borne of women did with his finger pointe at Christ Iesus and openly declare that hee is that looked for Messiah whome all the Prophetes promised and that God by giuing him vnto the woorld hath done that hee promised and wholie powred himselfe with all his benefites into and vppon all faithful beléeuers And as the people wayted saith Luke and thought in their heartes of Iohn whether hee were verie Christ Iohn aunswered saying to them all In deed I baptise you with water but one stronger than I commeth after me whose shoes latchet I am not worthie to vnloâ—se hee shall baptise you with the holie Ghost and with fire And in the Gospel after S. Iohn wee read The next day Iohn seeth Iesus comming vnto him and sayeth Beehold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whome I said After mee commeth a man which is preferred before mee because he was before mee and I knewe him not but that hee should be declared vnto Israel therfore am I come baptising with water And immediatly after hee sayeth I sawe the spirite descending from heauen like vnto a doue and it aboad vpon him And I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptise with water the same said vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the spirite descending tarying still on him the same is hee whiche baptiseth with the holie Ghost And I sawe and bare record that this is the sonne of God. Againe when the disciples of Iohn did enuie the happie successe of Christ that it gréeued them to sée their maister Iohn as it were neglected in coÌ„parison of Christ Iohn said to his disciples Ye your selues are witnesses that I said I am not Christ but I am sent before him Hee that hath the bride is the bridegrome but the friend of the bridegrome whiche standeth and heareth him reioyceth because of the bridegrome Therfore this my ioy is fulfilled hee must increase but I must decrease The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hand He that beleeueth in the sonn hath life euerlasting hee that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth vppon him These testimonies are firme cleare and euident enough and might suffice for the confirmation of this cause But let vs yet of a many moe picke out and add a fewe whiche may declare that Christ is alreadie exhibited vnto vs Therefore our Lord himselfe whome wee beléeue to bee Messiah when hee had a great while béene verie greatly commended by the testimonie of Iohn doeth at length come abroad preach the woord of life But it is not read that in any age before or since there was euer any y taughte with so great grace And therewithall hee shewed almost incredible and wonderfull miracles which do easilie argue who hée was and were sufficient to winne such a man with whome no woordes might possiblie preuaile Hee was louing and gentle to sinners repeating still and beating into their heads that hee was come to saue them and call them to repentance Therefore when the disciples of Iohn did once come vnto him saying Art thou hee that should come or shall we looke for an other Hée aunsweared Goe ye and tell those thinges to Iohn whiche ye see and heare The blinde receiue their sighte and the lame walke the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised to life and to the poore is preached the glad tydinges of the Gospell Nowe by these his doctrine I meane and his woorkes or miracles his minde was to shewe that hee was exhibited the true Messiah vnto the world and that none other is to be loked-for Moreouer in the Synagogue at Nazareth where hee read and expounded Esaies prophecie of the comming of Messiah he declared there that that Scripture was in himselfe fulfilled And to the historie is immediatly annexed And all bare record vnto him and wondered at the gratious sayings that proceded froÌ„ his mouth Againe in the tenth Chapiter of S. Iohn his Gospell The Iewes came round about the Lord and said How longe doest thou make vs to doubt If thou
Christ Iesu our Lord the true Messiah either not onely or else not fully all thinges requisite to life and saluation It is a wicked and blasphemous thinge to ascribe either to men or to things inferiour and worse thā men the glorie and honour due vnto Christ The principall exercises of Christian religion cannot by derogating from the glorie of Christe challenge any thing vnto themselues For syncere doctrine doth directly lead vs vnto Christ Prayer doeth inuocate praise and giue thanckes in the name of Christ The Sacramentes doe serue to seale and represent to vs the mysteries of Christ And the workes of faith are done of duetie althoughe also of frée accord because wee are created vnto good works Yea through Christ alone they do please and are acceptable to God the father For hee is the Vine we are the branches So all glorie is reserued vntouched to Christ alone which is the surest note to know the true Gospel by Thus hetherto wee haue heard That God the father of mercies according to his frée mercie taking pittie vppon mankinde when it stucke fast and was drowned in the myre of hell did as hée promised by the Prophets send his onely begotten sonne into the world that he might draw vs out of the mudd and fully giue vs all thinges requisite to life and saluation For God the father was in Christ reconciled vnto vs who for vs and our saluation was incarnate dead raysed from death to life and taken vpp into heauen againe And although it may by all this be indifferently well gathered to whom that saluation doeth belonge and to whome that grace is rightly preached yet the matter it selfe doeth séeme to require in flatt woordes expressely to shewe that Christ and the preaching of Christ his grace declared in the Gospell doeth belonge vnto all For wée must not imagine that in heauen there are layed two books in the one wherof the names of them are written that are to be saued and so to be saued as it were of necessitie that do what they will against the woord of Christ and commit they neuer so heynous offences they cannot possiblie choose but be saued and that in the other are conteyned the names of them which doe what they can and liue they neuer so holilie yet cannot auoyde euerlasting damnation Let vs rather hold that the holy Gospel of Christ doeth generally preach to the whole world the grace of God the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting And in this beliefe wee must confirme oure mindes with the word of God by gathering together some euident places of the holy Scriptures which doe manifestly proue that it is euen so Of whiche sort are these sayinges following In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Genesis 22. Euerie one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shal be saued Ioel. 2. Wee haue all gone astray like sheepe and God hath layed vppon him the iniquitie of vs all Esaie 53. Come to the waters all ye that thirst Esaie 55. There are of this sorte innumerable places in the old testament Nowe in the Gospel the Lord sayeth Euerie one that asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth c. Matth. 7. Come to mee all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you of your burthen Matthewe 11. Teach all nations baptisinge them in the name of the father c. Matth. 28 Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised he shal be saued Marc. 16. So God loued the worlde that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3. In the Actes of the Apostles Sainct Peter saith Of a trueth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is acceptable vnto him Actes 10. Paule in the thirde to the Romanes saith The righteousnesse of God by faith in Iesus Christ commeth vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue And in the tenth Chapter he saith The same Lorde ouer all is riche to all them that call vppon him In his Epistle to Titus hee saith There hath appearrd the grace of God that is healthful to all men And in the firste to Timothie the seconde Chapter he saith God wil haue all men to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth These and suche like are the manifest testimonies wherevppon all the faithfull do firmely staye them selues But now if thou demaundest how it happeneth that all men are not saued since the Lorde would that all should be saued come to the knowledge of the trueth The Lorde in the Gospell doth him selfe answere thee saying Many in deede are called but fewe are chosen Which sentence hee doeth in the fourtéenth of S. Lukes Gospell more plainly expound where he doth in a parable shewe the causes why a great part of mortall men doth not obteine eternal saluation while they preferre earthly thinges transitorie beefore celestiall or heauenly matters For euery one had a seuerall excuse to cloake his disobedience withall one had bought a farme an other had fiue yokes of Oxen to trye the thirde had newly married a wife And in the Gospell after Sainct Iohn the Lorde saith This is condemnation because the light came into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more than the light With this doctrine of the Euangelistes doeth that saying of the Apostle agrée 2. Corin. 4. Chapter And in the first to Timothie the fourth Chapter he saith God is the Sauiour of all men especially of those that beleeue Wherevppon we gather that God in the preachinge of the Gospell requireth faith of euery one of vs and by faith it is manifest that we are made partakers of all the goodnesse and giftes of Christe And verily there is a relatiō betwixt faith and the Gospell For in the Gospell after Sainct Marke the Lorde annexeth faith to the preaching of the Gospell And Paule saith that To him was committed the preaching of the Gospell vnto the obedience of faith Againe he saith The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all them that doe beleeue And in the tenth Chapter to the Romans he doth by Gradation shewe that the Gospell is receiued by faith But that faith may be rightly planted in the heartes of men it is needefull that the preaching of repentaunce do firste goe before For which cause I in the latter ende of the definition of the Gospell added So that wee acknowledginge our sinnes may beleeue in Christe that is to saye the Lorde wil be oure Sauiour and giue vs life euerlasting if we acknowledge our sinnes and do beléeue in him And therefore here nowe may be annexed the treatises of faith and repentaunce Touchinge faith I haue alreadie largely spoken in the 4. 5. and 6. Sermons of the first Decade Concerning repentaunce I wil
not perish but haue eternall life Nowe Moses did hang vp the brasen Serpent for the health and recouerie of them that were poysoned by the bytings of the Serpents For they died presently that were stung with the Serpents vnlesse they did immediately looke vp to the brasen Serpent for at the verie sight thereof the poysoned sting did loose all force and the person enuenomed was out of hande restored and cured againe Neither was there in the host of the Israelites any other medicine but that alone which whosoeuer despised he died without remedie For the force of the poyson was not expelled the life of the infected was not preserued either by the power of prayers or the multitude of Sacrifices or medicinable hearbes or any kinde of Physicke or other meanes of mannes inuention If any woulde escape the peril of death it behoued him to beholde the brasen serpent aloft Nowe that brasen Serpent was a type or figure of Christe our Lorde who being lifte vp vppon the Crosse is ordeined of God to be the onely saluation But nowe to whome doeth that sauing health befall To them forsooth that do beholde him beeing so lift vp The Lorde him selfe telleth vs what to beholde doth signifie and in stéede thereof doth put to beleeue Therefore no woorkes none other meanes nor merites of ours do saue vs from eternall death and from the force of sinne that is the poyson wher with we are all infected by the olde Serpent our aduersarie Satan Faith alone whereby wée beléeue in Christ who was lift vp for the remission of our sinnes and in whome alone our life and sure saluation doeth assuredly consist is the onely thinge that quickeneth vs which are alreadie dying by the enuenomed sting of Satan which is sinne Heare moreouer what the Lorde doth adde instructing Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith and making the onely cause of our saluation to be the meere onely grace of God which is receiued by faith in Christ For so saith he GOD loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beeleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life For God sent not his sonne to condemne the world but that the worlde might bee saued by him He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but hee that beleeueth not in him is alreadie condemned be cause he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God. Loe what coulde bee spoken more plainely By faith we are made partakers of Christe By repeatinge faith so often his meaning was so to beate it into our heades that no man shoulde hereafter do once so muche as doubte of so manifest and euident a péece of doctrine But if here nowe thou doest little set by the authoritie of Christ then whose authoritie wilte thou estéeme But thou wilt not I knowe reiect his testimonie Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient giue eare notwithstandinge to that disciple whome the Lorde loued who in his Epistle expounding as it were the wordes of the Lorde and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them into all mennes mindes doth strongly cry out If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the witnesse of God which he testified of his sonn he that beleeueth in the sonne hath the testimonie in him selfe Hee that beleeueth not God doth make him a lyar because lie beleeued not the recorde that he gaue of his sonne And this is the recorde that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and hee that hath not the sonne of God hath not life But what else is it to haue the sonne of god than to beléeue in him For this sense is gathered by that which went before beeing of it selfe so euident that for mée to add any thing vnto it is to do nothing else but as it were to goe about with a tallowe candell to help or adlight the Sunne at his rising Nowe are we come to the place of Sainct Paule which is to be séene in the third and fourth Chapters of his Epistle to the Romanes The rightousenesse of God saith hee without the lawe is made manifest being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the Prophets Paul in this place doth preache the Gospell most euidētly For I knowe not any other place wherein he doeth it more plainly Hee teacheth herein howe we are iustified before God what is the true righteousenesse and saluation of mankinde and by what meanes it commeth vnto vs. He saith that the righteousnesse of God that is to saye the righteousenesse which God bestoweth or whiche doth preuaile before God is reuealed without the lawe that is to say doeth come vnto vs without the helpe of the lawe to wite without the ayde merites of the workes of the lawe For touching the testimonie of the lawē the Prophets they witnesse both together that they which beleeue are iustified by the righteousnesse of god Now what that righteousenesse is he doth immediately declare saying The righteousenesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue The righteousenesse saith he whereof wee speake is not humane or of mortall man but altogether diuine or of God him selfe For as God alone is onely iust so the righteousenesse of God is the true and onely righteousenesse of God that saueth vs Which righteousenesse God maketh vs to be partakers of by the faith of Iesus Christe to wite if wee beléeue in Christe and hope in him for to bee saued Neither is there here any man excluded from righteousnesse and saluation For Paule doeth plainely say Vnto all and vpon all that doe beleeue Wherefore God doeth repute and estéeme all them to be righteous which do beléeue in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Now he doth presently annex the cause why he attributeth saluation vnto the righteousnesse of God and not of man or why the Gospell commendeth to vs the righteousenesse of God saying For there is no difference al haue sinned and haue neede of the glorie of God For because all men of their owne nature are destitute of the glorie of God that is since they are without the true image of God to the likenesse whereof they were created in the beginning therefore all men verily are vnrighteous and sinners wherevppon it followeth that in them there is no righteousnesse and that they haue nothing wherein to boast before the righteous God. For what else I beseech you doe sinners carrie from the iudgement seate of God but confusion and ignominie And for because all men are such and in that case therefore the Apostle doth verie wisely add but they are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption in Christe Iesus whome God hath sett foorth to bee a propitiation or reconciliation through faith in his bloud Whiche is all one as
excommunication the secular power hath nowe by the space of 30. yeares and more beene called on and persecution hath beene euery where raysed vpp against guiltlesse Christians not for committing heynous crimes and defending naughtinesse but for inueighing against mischiefes and mischiefous men and for requiring the reformation of the Church and yet euen at this day most cruell edicts are out and crueltie is exercised euery day more more against them that confesse the name of Christ yea such is their impudencie brasen-faced boldnesse they dissemble not that the counsell if any must be celebrated shall be called for the rooting out of heresies yea they doe openly professe that the counsell once held at Trent was to this end assembled Nowe since these things more clearely than the sunne are perceiued to be most true thou shalt most holy kinge doe wisely and religiously if without looking for the determination of a generall counsell thou shalt proceed to reforme the Churches in thy kingdome according to the rule of the bookes of both testaments which we do rightly beleeue being written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost to be the very word of God. But nowe that it is lawfull for euery Christian Church much more for euery notable Christian kingdome without the aduise of the Church of Rome and the members therof in matters of religion depraued by them wholie to make are formation according to the rule of Gods most holy word it is therby manifest because Christians are the congregation the Church or subiects of their king Christ to whome they owe by all meanes most absolute and perfect obedience Now the Lord gaue his Church a charge of reformation he commended vnto it the sound doctrine of the Gospell together with the lawfull vse of his holy Sacraments he also condemned all false doctrine that I meane that is contrarie to the Gospell he damned the abuse and prophanation of the Sacraments and deliuered to vs the true worship of God proscribed the false therefore Christians obeying the Lawes commaundements of their Prince do vtterly remoue or take away all superstition and do restore establish and preserue the true religion according to the manner that Christ their Prince appointed them He verilie is a foole or a mad man which sayeth that the Church of Christ hath none authoritie to correcte such errours vicces and abuses as do daily creepe into it And yet the Romish tyrannie hath so bewitched the eyes of many men that they thincke that they cannot lawfully doe any thinge but what it pleaseth Rome to giue them leaue to doe The Ecclesiasticall histories make mention of prouinciall Synods held in sondrie prouinces wherein there were handled matters of faith and the reformation of the Churches and yet no mention once made of the bishop of Rome What may be thought of that moreouer that in certeine Synodes not heretical but orthodoxasticall and Catholique thou mayest finde some that were excommunicated for appealing from their owne Churches vnto the Church of Rome Sainct Cyprian writing to Cornelius the bishop of Rome doth say Since that it is ordeined by vs all that it is iust and right that euery mans cause should be heard there where the crime is committed that to euery seueral pastour is appointed a portion of the flocke which euery one must gouerne make accompt of his doings before the Lord it is expedient verilie that those ouer whome we haue the charge should not gad to and fro by that meanes with their subtile and deceiptfull petulancie to make the concord of bishops to be at iarre but to pleade their causes there where they maye haue their accusers present and witnesses of their crime committed But letting passe the testimonies of men we do now come to the testimonies in the booke of god The most holy king Iosias most godly Prince may alone in this case teach you what to do and how to do with the warrant authoritie of God himselfe He by the diligent reading of the holy booke of God and by the contemplation of things present and the manner of worshipping God that then was vsed did vnderstand that his auncestours did greatly very farre erre from the plaine and simple truth for which cause he calleth together the princes and other estates of his kingdome together with all the priestes to hold and celebrate a counsell with them In that counsell he standeth not long disputing whether the examples of the elders ought rather to be followed or Gods commuandement simplie receiued whether he ought rather to beleeue the Church or the Scripture and whether all the iudgement of religion ought to be referred to the high priest For laying abroade the booke of the Lawe he submitteth both himselfe and all his vnto the Sacred Scripture Out of the booke of the Lawe both he him selfe doth learne biddeth all his to learne what thinge it is that pleaseth God namely that which was commuanded and learned in the reading of the Lawe of god And presently hee gaue charge that all men should doe and execute that not hauing any regard to the auncient custome or to the Church that was at that time he made all subiecte to the word of god Which deede of his is so commended that next after Dauid hee is preferred before all the kinges of Iuda and Israel Nowe your royall Maiestie cannot followe any better or safer counsell than this cōsidering that it proceedeth from God and that it is most fit for the cause which is euen nowe in hand The disputation is of the Reformation of Religion and the true fayth of Christ You know that that doth spring from heauen namely that it is taught by the word of God and powred into our hartes by the holy Ghost For Paul sayth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Therefore as true fayth is not grounded vppon the word of man so is it not taught or planted by the same For in an other place the same Apostle sayth My preaching was not in the enticing words of mans wisedome but in the shewing of the spirite and of power that your faith might not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Not without good cause therefore doe we refuse the traditions of men and turne onely to the doctrine of the word of the Lord without which it is assuredly certeine that there is no doctrine nor any foundation of true fayth Neither are they worthie to be heard who thincke that the Canonicall Scriptures are not plaine enough full enoughe or sufficient enough to minister a perfect platforme of reformation They blaspheme the spirite of God imputing vnto it obscurenesse imperfection which faultes no prophane writer can well abide to heare off Sainct Paule in defence of the trueth sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that
Not that the Patriarches had not hearde or knowen the name Iehouah For that name beganne to be called vpon in the time of Seth immediatelye after the beginning of the worlde Therefore it seemeth that the Lorde meant thus in effect I opened my self vnto the Patriarches as God Schaddai who am able in all things sufficiently to fill them with all goodnesse and therefore I promised them a land that floweth with milke and honie But in my name Iehouah I was not yet knowen vnto them that is I did not performe vnto them that which I promised For we haue heard all ready that he is called Iehouah of that which he maketh to be and therefore he bringeth his promise to perfourmaunce Now therefore sayeth he I will in déede fulfill my promise and shewe my selfe to be not onely Deum Schaddai an all-sufficient or Almightie GOD but also to be Iehouah an essence or béeing eternall immutable true and in all things like my selfe or standing to my promise Last of all we reade in the thirde of Exodus that God saide to Moses Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israell The Lord GOD of our fathers the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you This is my name for euer and this is my memoriall from one generation vnto an other So then héere now we haue an other name of god For he will be called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob This saith he shall be my memoriall from one generation vnto an other to wit wherein I will kéepe in memorie my benefites bestowed vpon those Patriarches that by them the posteritie may know me and remember me For when we heare the names of those Patriarches they doe put vs in minde of all the excellent and innumerable benefites which God bestowed on our forefathers which are not in vaine with so great diligence peculiarely reckoned vp of Moses in his first Booke called Genesis For he will be our GOD euen as he was theirs if so be we doe beleeue in him as they did beléeue For to vs that beléeue he will be bothe Schaddai and Iehouah eternall and immutable trueth Béeing life and heaped-vp store of all maner good thinges And now by the way it is not without a mysterie that when he is the God also of other Patriarches as of Adam Seth Enos and especiallie of Enoch and Noah yet out of all the number of them he picked those thrée Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to euerye one of theire names prefired seuerally his owne name saying I am the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For so he did euidently teache the mysterie of the Trinitie in the vnitie of the diuine substance and that euery one of the persons is of the same diuinitie maiestie and glorye that is that the father is very God the Sonne verye God and the holie Ghoste verye God and that these thrée are one god For he saith I am God c. Of which I will speake in place conuenient Thus muche hetherto concerning the names of God out of which an indifferent knowledge of God may easily be gathered I knowe that one Dionysius hath made a busie commentarie vpon the names of God but I knowe too that the godly sorte and those that are studious of the Apostles doctrine doe vnderstand that the disciples of the Apostles did farre more simplye handle matters belonging vnto Religion I knowe that other doe make accounte of 72. names of God out of the Scriptures and books of the Cabalists whiche as I haue in an other place rehearsed so will I hereafter out of Exodus repeate to you the chiefest of them Secondarilie God is in the word of God exhibited to be séene to be beheld and to be known by visions diuine mirrors as it were in a certaine parable while by Prosopographie Prosopopeie or mortall shapes he is set before our eyes And yet we are warned not to stick vpon those visible things but to lift vp our mindes from visible things to things inuisible and spirituall For neither is God bodilie in his owne substaunce because he is in visions exhibited to vs in a bodilye shape like to a manne Neither did any of the olde saincts before the birth of Christe expresse God in the shape and picture of a mortall man because God had in that shape exhibited him selfe to be séene of the Patriarches and Prophets It is the doating errour of the Anthropomorphites to say that God is bodilie and that he hath members like to a mortall manne And that no man doe in this case deceiue him selfe by attributing falsely to GOD the thing that is against his honour I will here in sted of a remedie against that poyson recite vnto you dearely beloued the words of S. Augustine which he out of the pure vnderstanding of the holie Scriptures and assured testimonies of Catholique true Doctours writte to Fortunatius De Videndo Deo againste the Anthropomorphites Concerning the members of God saith he whiche the Scripture doeth in euery place make mention of knowe this that least any man should beléeue that according to the facion and figure of this fleshe we are like to God the same scripture did also say that God hath wings whiche it is manifest that we men haue not Therefore euen as when we heare wings named we vnderstand Gods protection and defence so when we heare of hands we must vnderstand his operation when we heare mention made of féete we must vnderstand his present redinesse when we heare the name of eyes we muste vnderstand his sight whereby he séeth and knoweth all things And when we heare of his face we must vnderstand his iustice whereby he is knowen to all the world and what soeuer else like vnto this the same scripture doth make mention of I beléeue verilie that it must be vnderstood spiritually Neither doe I alone or am I the first that think thus but euen all they also which euen with a meane vnderstanding of the scriptures doe withstand the opinion of them that are for that cause called Anthropomorphites Out of whose writing because I will not cite ouer muche to cause to long a stay I doe héere meane to alledge one testimonie out of S. Hierome For when that man moste excellently learned in the holie scriptures expounded the Psalme where it is said Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise He that planted the care shal he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see did among other things say This place doeth most of all make against the Anthropomorphites which say that God hath members euen as we haue As for example he is said to haue eyes The eyes of the Lord beholde all things the hand of the Lord maketh all things And Adam heard saith he the sound of the féet of the Lord
waste my richesse that all at length is spent and I my selfe drawne drie For I kéepe good turnes in stoare for a thousand generations so that although the former age did liue neuer so wealthily with my richesse yet they that come are borne euen vntill the very end of the world shall neuerthelesse finde in me so much as shal suffice satisfie their desire For I am the wel-springe of good that cannot be drawne drie And if any man sinne against me afterwarde repent him of the same I am not vnappeaseable For euen of mine owne frée will I doe forgiue errours sinnes and heinous crimes And yet let no man therefore thinke that I am delighted with sinnes or that I am a Patrone of wicked doers For euen I the same doe punish wicked and impenitent men and chasten euen those that are mine owne that therby I may kéepe them in order office But let no man thinke that he shall sinne and escape vnpunished because he séeth that his auncestours did sinne and were not punished that is did sinne and were not vtterly cutte off and wiped out For I reserue reuengement till iuste and full time and do so be haue my selfe that all are compelled to confesse me to be a God of iudgement Now when Moses the seruaunt of God had hearde and séene these thinges he made haste and fell downe prostrate to the earth worshipped Let vs also doe the same beinge surely certified that the Lorde will not vouchsafe so long as we liue in this transitorie worlde to reueale himselfe and his glory any whit more fully and brimly than in Christe his Sonne exhibited vnto vs Let therefore the thinges that sufficed Moses suffice vs also let the knowledge of Christ suffice and content vs. For the moste euident and excellent way and meane to know God is layde forth before vs in Iesu Christe the sonne of God incarnate and made man For therefore we did euen now heare that before Moses was set the shadowe of Christe when it pleased God most familiarly to reueale himselfe vnto him And the Apostle Paule placeth the illumination or appearinge of the knowledge of the glorie of God to be in the face of Iesus Christ And in an other place the same Paule calleth Christe the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the liuely image of his substaunce Truely he himselfe in the Gospell doeth most plainely say No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him For he is the way vnto the father the father is séene beheld in him For we doe againe in the gospel reade No man hath euer seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. But againe the Apostle saith After that in the wisdom of god the world through their wisedome knewe not God it pleased god through foolishnes of preaching to saue theÌ„ that beleeue That which he in this place calleth the wisedome of God is the verie creation workmaÌ„ship of the world and the woonderful works of God in which God would be knowen to the world and in the beating out considering whereof all the wisedome of all the wisemen till then did altogeather lye But for because the consideration of those thinges did no good by reason of mans wisedome for the most part referring the causes of things to somewhat else than to God the true and onely mark whereto they should be referred and while men thought them selues wise as the same Apostle teacheth vs euen in their owne reasonings they became fooles it pleased God by an other way to be knoweÌ„ to the world to witt by the foolish preaching of the Gospell which is in verie déed moste absolute and perfect wisedome but to the worldly wisdome of mortall men it séemeth foolishnesse For it séemeth a foolishe thing to the men of this world that the true and verie God béeing incarnate or made man was conuersant with vs men héere in the Earth was in pouertie was hungry did suffer and die And yet euen this is the way whereby God is moste euidently knowen to the world together with his wisdome goodnesse trueth righteousnesse and power For the wisdome of God which no tongue can vtter doeth in the whole ministerie woonderful dispensation of Christ shine out very brightly but far more brimly if we discusse beate out the causes of which I speake else where throughly weigh the doctrine of Christ In the incarnatioÌ„ of the sonne of God it appeareth how wel god wisheth to the world being sunk drownd in sinne as y to which he is bound by an indissoluble league doth through Christe adopt the sonnes of death and of the diuell into the sonnes and heyres of life euerlasting Now whereas Christe doeth moste exactly fullfill all those things which the Prophetes by the reuelation of god did foretel of him and whereas he doeth moste liberally performe the things which GOD the father did promise of him that doeth declare how vnchaungeable and true the eternall God is In the déedes or miracles of Christe our Lorde in his resurrection in his glorious ascension into Heauen moste plentifull powring out of his holie spirite vppon his disciples but especially in conuerting the whole worlde from Paganisme and Iudaisme to the Euangelicall trueth doe appeare the power longe suffering maiestie and vnspeakeable goodnesse of GOD the father In the death of Christe the Sonne of GOD doth shine the great iustice of God the father as that which béeing once offended with our sinnes could not bée pacified but with such and so great a sacrifice Finally because he spared not his only begotten sonne but gaue him for vs that are his enimies and wicked rebelles euen therein is that mercie of his made knowen to the world which is verie rightly coÌ„mended aboue all the woorkes of god Therefore in the sonne and by the sonne God doeth moste manifestlye make himselfe manifest to the world so that what so euer is néedefull to be knowen of God or of his wil what soeuer is belonging to heauenly and healthful wisdome that is wholy opened and throughly perceiued séene in the sonne Therefore when Philipp said to Christe Lord shew vs the father and it sufficeth vs we reade that the Lord aunswered Haue I beene so long with you do ye not yet know me Philipp he that hath seene me hath seene the father And how sayest thou shew vs the father doest not thou beleeue that I am in the father and the father in me Now hée rein he â—alleth back all the faithful from ouer curious seaching after God laying before them the mysterie of the dispensation wherein he would haue vs to rest and to content our selues namely in that that God was made man Therefore whosoeuer desire to sée and knowe God truely let them cast the
do serue Thou mayest saye that iniurie is done to the Maiestie of God if it be compared with mortall things But for because the holy scripture doeth not a little condescend and attemper it selfe to oure infirmitie I will put a similitude although in very déed much vnlike which is vsually taken and commonly vsed Behold the Sunne the beames that come from it then the heate that procéedeth frō them both As the Sunne is the head-spring of the light and the heate so is the Father the headspring of the Sonne who is light of light And as of the Sunne and the beames together the heate doth come so of the Father and the Sonne together the holy Ghoste proceedeth But nowe put case or imagine that the Sunne were such as neuer had beginning nor euer shall haue ending and should not then I pray you the beames of this euerlasting Sunne be euerlasting too and should not the heat which procéedeth of them both bee euerlasting as well as they finally should not the Sonne be one still in Essence or sustaunce and thrée by reason of the thrée subsistences or persons This parable of the Sunne did Tertullian vse whose words whiche do also conteine other similitudes I will not be gréeued to recite vnto you I wil not doubt sayeth he to call both the stalke of a roote the brooke of a springhead a beame of the Sunne by the name of a Sunne for euery originall is a parent and euery thinge that issueth of that original is a sonne much more then the word of God may be called a Sonne whiche euē properly hath the name of Sonne yet neither is the stalke separated from the roote nor the brooke from the spring-head nor the beame from the Sunne no more is the woord separated from god Therefore according to the fashion of these examples I professe that I say there are two God his Word the Father and his Sonne For the roote the stalke are two thinges but ioyned in one And the spring-head the brooke are two kindes but vndiuided And the Sunne and the beames are two formes but both cleauing the one to the other Euery thing that cōmeth of any thinge must néedes bée seconde to that out of which it commeth and yet it is not separated from that from which it procéedeth But where a second is there are two and where a third is there are thrée For the third is the spirite of God and the Sonne euen as the third from the roote is the fruite of the stalke the third from the spring-head is the riuer of the brooke and the third from the Sunne is the heate of the beame yet none of these is alienated from the matrix of which they take the properties that they haue So the Trinitie descending by annexed and lincked degrées from the father doeth not make against the Monarchie and doth defend the Oiconomical state that is the mysterie of the dispēsation Vnderstand euery where that I professe this rule wherein I testifie that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost are vnseparated one from an other and so thou shalt know how euery thinge is spoken And so forth For all these are the woordes of Tertullian who flourished in Africa not long after the age of the Apostles But letting passe the parables similituds or comparisons of mans inuention let vs stedfastly beléeue the euident word of god What mans capacitie cannot atteine vnto that let faith hold fast What the sacred scriptures declare vnto vs what Christ in his flesh did teache vs what was by so many miracles confirmed for oure sakes what the spirite of God in the true Church doth tell vs that must be thought more true and certeine than that whiche is proued by a thousand demonstrations or that whiche all thy senses are able to conceiue Paule denieth that hee would heare an Angel if hée should speake any thinge cōtrarie to the Gospell of Christ Yea surely it is a prancke of arrogant foolishnesse to doubt of the thinges that are in the Scriptures with so great authoritie layde forth and taught vs But it is a greater madnesse if a man wil not beléeue the oracles of God for none other cause but for that oure vnderstanding cānot atteine to the knowledge of all things when as neuerthelesse wée know that our vnderstāding is naturally blinde and hateth god Amonge Philosophers hee is counted an impudent fellowe which relecteth the authoritie of any notable and approued writer It was enough to persuade the scholers of Pythagoras for a man to say to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee said it And then dareth a Christian séeke starting holes and iangle about asking of curious questions when it is said vnto him GOD said it and taught thee to beleeue it No man doubteth of the kings letters patents if so bee the seale be acknowledged therefore what a follie is it to doubt of the diuine testimonies whiche are so euident and firmely sealed with the spirite of God Wherefore that I may héere recapitulate briefely expresse the principall summe of this oure exposition I will recite vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the holy father Cyril which are to be found Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 30. in this sense following True faith is in God the father and in the Sonne not simplie but incarnate in the holy Ghoste For the holy and consubstantiall Trinitie is distinguished by the differences of names that is by the properties of the persons For the father is the father and not the sonne and the sonne is the sonne and not the father and the holy Ghost is the holy spirite proper to the father the sonne For the substaunce of the Deitie is all one or the same wherefore we preach not thrée but one god Therefore wée must beléeue in God but distinctly and more fully expounding oure faith wée must so beléeue that wée maye referre the same glorification to euery person For there is no difference of faith For we ought not to haue a greater faith in the father than in the sonne and in the holy Ghost but the measure and maner of it must bée one and the same equallie consisting in eache of the thrée persons so that by this meanes wée may confesse the vnitie of nature in the Trinitie of persons This faith must firmely bee grounded in our mindes whiche is in the father and in the sonne the sonne I say euen after that hee was made man in the holy Ghost Thus much out of Cyril Nowe all these pointes shal be thoroughly confirmed with more full testimonies when wee come once to proue the diuinitie of the sonne of GOD and of the holy Ghoste Whiche I meane to reserue till time conuenient But let a man thincke that this beliefe of the Vnitie and Trinitie of the God-head was either inuented by the fathers or bishops of the churches or first of all preached by the Apostles
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heauēly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a mā can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokē more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whō also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse cōmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned thē with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
god Now also hee eggeth false prophets inchaÌ„ters against vs Whervnto beloÌ„g deceitful inglings and all kinds of sorcerie witchcraft which the workes of the sorcerers of Egypt and of SimoÌ„ the place of Moses in Deut. 13. testifie to be moste effectuall Herevnto chiefly belong false miracles corrupt answers or Oracles By these truely in times past he did very much hurt to that church of god as histories testifie nether ceaseth he at this day to do hurt which thing experieÌ„ce it self doth teach verifie For though it be certeine y sathan is not cast out by that power of sathan yet one giueth place to another for a time to this end that they may that more dsilie deceiue men and obteine a kingdome Christe truelie and the Apostle Paule foretoulde that euen the last times should bee wonderfully bewitched with deceiptful signes and powers Moste euident places touching y thing are extant in Mat. 24. 2. thess. 2. cha More might be spoken déerely beloued that at large concerning the operations or workings of the diuell But I trust these things béeing gathered together in breuitie are sufficient and giue occasion to muse of higher thinges But let no man so vnderstand these thinges as if the diuel were able to doe all things and that what he will he can also doe by and by For his power is definite or limitted restrained so y he cannot doe so much as he would Otherwise all things had béene ouer throweÌ„ and perished long agoe Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing of the diuel y he is subiect to god for he can do nothing with out Gods permission Now God permitteth him either to exercise trye the patience of those that are his and to hasten their saluation as it is manifest in the historie of Iob and in the words of Paule to the Corin saying Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of the reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a prick to the flesh the messenger of sathan to buffet me Neither is it doubful that in most gréeuous tormentes of persecutions he exalteth many notable martyrs yea and at this day doeth and in times past hath exalted such vnto glorie and euerlasting rest Or els hee giueth the diuell leaue to execute violence and crueltie vppon men by that meanes to chastice their wickednesse or to punish their vnbelief For verily the diuels are the instruments of Gods wrath to execute his vengeauÌ„ce For Paule saith The comming of Antichriste is after the working of sathan in all power signes and wonders of lying and in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might be saued And therefore GOD shall send them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this in a manner is the strength and power of sorcerie or inchaunting whiche is féeble in the faithfull Wherefore there is no cause why any man should miserably feare the Diuell But rather sanctifie yee saith Esaie the Lorde of hostes let him be your feare your reuerence Some say that certaine nations of the Easte worshipped the diuell for this cause that he should not hurte them But these are starke staring madde For if it bee not Gods will which euen now I began to tel you or if hee giue no leaue Sathan cannot touch so much as a haire of thine For he could not enter into the heard of swine whiche were féeding nighe the lake Genezaret at Gadara and destroy them but by the Lords permission Saincte Augustine also expounding the 32. psalme alledgeth in these wordes the historie of Iob What could the diuell himselfe doe durste he take away one seely shepe from the holie man Iob before he said Lay thy hand on him that is to say giue mee power Hee was willing but GOD did not suffer him When God gaue him leaue then hee was able therefore the diuell was not able but GOD whiche gaue him leaue Therefore Iob being well instructed did not say as we nowe are wonte to say The Lord gaue and the diuell hath taken away but The Lord gaue and the Lorde hathe taken away And these thinges do excéedingly comfort the godly in temptations who vnderstand that nothing can happen to theÌ„ without Gods permission that he permitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment and saluation and therefore that we are alwayes preserued by the prouidence and bountifulnesse of god For whatsoeuer hath hitherto béene spoken concerning the power and workinges of the diuelles perteined not hitherto to dashe vs out of courage and caste vs downe but to make vs more vigilant or watchfull The Lorde that ouercame the diuell and sheweth vs the way to ouercome him commaundeth vs to watch For therefore he encountered with sathan the first second and thirde time to instructe vs howe we shoulde fight againste the enimie of mankinde He ouercame him for vs that we shoulde not despaire of ability and nower easilie to ouercome him since he is alreadie weakened and wounded By faith doubtlesse we shal ouercome him For by faith we are knit vnto Christ and by faith we drawe the spirite of Christe by the force and vertue whereof we shall triumphe Truely for that cause Saint Peter willeth vs To resist by faith Saint Paule exborting vs vnto this conflict furnishing vs with excellente complete armour sayth Take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stande fast Stande therefore hauing your loynes gyrt aboute with the trueth and hauing on the breaste plate of righteousnesse and your feete shodde that you may be prepared to the gospel of peace Aboue all thinges taking the shield of faith wherewith you may quenche all the firie dartes of that wicked And take the helmet of â—aluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of God praying always in al prayers and supplication in the spirite c. Wherevnto that also beelongeth whiche the same Apostle witnesseth God doth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare but shall with the temptation make away to escape Let vs therefore reuerence this God let vs béeséech him that throughe his power might we may ouercome Amen Of the reasonable Soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his bodie The tenth Sermon ALl men doe confesse that the reasonable soule of man hathe affinitie or likenesse with spirites neither is there any wiseman as I thinke which doth denie that the knowledge of the reasonable soule of man wherof the Scripture teacheth so many thinges and that too so diligently is moste wholesome and necessarie to all the godly the order therfore the profite and the verie necessitie also of
and yet gathereth not that sense that it may probably seeme he whome hee readeth ment in that place he is not perniciously deceiued neyther lyeth he at all The same anon after Hee is notwithstanding to bee corrected and must haue it shewed him howe muche more profitable it were for him not to leaue the highway lest by accustomable straying hee be forced eyther to goe crosse or croked Thus farre he Therefore where an Ecclesiasticall interpreter doth erre grossely it is lawfull to a better learned brotherly to admonishe him but to make a Scisme it is not lawfull The authours of Scisme lightly are somewhat proude and arrogant and swell with enuie and therefore are voyde of al charitie and modestie they allowe nothing but what they them selues bring foorth neither will they haue any thing common with others they are alwayes musing some high matter nothing that is coÌ„mon or simple Vnto these men very well agréeth that saying of the Apostle Paul Knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth Therfore godly teachers in the church and also godly hearers for doctrine which is not altogether foolish though it be somewhat grosse yet being godly and tending to edification they neither leaue or forsake the fellowship of the churche neither striue they or contend but rather vse charitie in all things And if the ministers liues be attached with grieuous vices and yet in the meane season they be faithful in teaching admonishing exhorting rebuking and comforting if they lawfully distribute the lawful sacraments no man hath iust occasion to forsake the church The Lorde expresly saith in the gospel The Scribes the Phariseis sit in Moses seate Al therefore what so euer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but after their workes do not for they say and do not Behold the Lorde saith they say and do not therefore the teachers liues were not agreable to their doctrine yet for that they stoode in Moses seat that is to say bicause they taught the word of God lawfully and sincerely he biddeth to receiue their sincere doctrine but their life not being agréeable to their doctrine that he biddeth to refuse and therefore to make a scisme for the preachers euill liues sake the Lorde doth forbid Surely he commaundes to â—â—ée from false Propetes But not an euil life but false doctrine maketh a false prophet A great conâ—lict about this matter had the holy father S. Augustine with the Donatiâ—tes who contended that the ministerie was of smaller power through the imperfection of the ministers Which case is to be considered in an other sort But now what cause haue they to leaue and forsake our churches for the vnlikelinesse or varietie of ceremonies In the baptisme of childreÌ„ say they you obserue not one order and so also in the celebration of the supper Some take the breade of the Lorde in their handes sitting some do come and take it at the handes of the minister who also put it in the mouthes of the receiuers Some celebrate the Communion often some sildome and that but vpon set dayes And you vse not one forme of prayer Neither haue all your assemblies one manner neyther méete they at one time But howe shall we beléeue that the spirite of vnitie and peace is in you in whome is founde so great diuersitie For iust causes therefore we doe not communicate with you But of these customes we shall speake more fitly in their proper place But it is maruell that men not altogether rude and ignoraunt of Ecclesiasticall matters bring no other argumentes for defence of their wicked scisme Are the poore wretches ignoraunt how great diuersitie there hath bene alwayes in ceremonies vnitie notwithstanding alwayes remayning vndiuided in the catholique Church Socrates the famous writer of the ecclesiasticall historie in the fift booke of his histories the 22. chapter setteth out at large the diuersitie of ceremonies in the church of god Amongst other things he sayth No religion saith he keepeth all one kynde of ceremonies albeit it agree in doctrine about them For they which agree in faith differ in ceremonies And againe It shall be both laboursome and troublesome yea and impossible to describe al the ceremonies of all the churches in each citie regioÌ„ The blessed martyr Irenaeus writing to Victor bishop of Rome reherseth a great diuersity of the churches in their fastings and kéeping the feast of Easter and then addeth And yet not withstanding all these euen when they varied in their obseruations were both peaceable among themselues and with vs and yet are neyther doth the disagreement about fasting breake the agreement of faith And againe Blessed Polycarpus saith hee wheÌ„ he came to Rome vnder Anicete hauing some small controuersie about certeine other matters were by and by reconciled But of this kinde of matter they coÌ„tended not awhit For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarpus that he should not obserue those thinges which with Iohn the disciple of our Lord the rest of the Apostles with whom he had ben conuersant he had always obserued Neither did Polycarpus persuade Anicetus not to keepe that custome which by the traditioÌ„ of those elders to whom he succeeded he said he was to kepe And these maters thus standing they had felowship one with an other Thus far he Moreouer the auncient church vsed great libertie in obseruatioÌ„ of ceremonies yet so always as it brake not the bond of vnitie Yea S. Austine prescribing vnto Ianuarius what in this diuersitie of ceremonies he shuld either do or followe biddeth not him to make ascisme but iudging moderately wisely No rule saith he in these things is better thaÌ„ a graue wise christian who wil do in such sort as he shal se euery church do vnto which by chauÌ„ce he coÌ„meth For that whiche neither contrarie to faith nor good maners is coÌ„mauÌ„ded is to be counted indifferent according to their society amongst whom we liue to be obserued Againe least vnder pretence of this rule counsel any might force vpon euery maÌ„ what ceremonies they wold he addeth The church of God placed amidst muche chaffe cockle suffereth many thinges yet whatsoeuer is either coÌ„trarie to faith or good life she alloweth not neither holds she her peace neither doth she it Last of al whereas these men thinke that there is no true church where as yet faultie manners are to be séen in men conuersant in the churche by whose conuersation they feare to be polluted vnles either they come not at the churche or else quickly forsake it they fall into the madnes of the heretikes called Catharoi who deceiued with the false imagination of exact holinesse vsing sharpe crueltie fled from those churches in which the fruits of the doctrine of the gospel plainly appeared not Against these we set both the prophetical apostolicall to wit the most holy churches For Esaie Ieremie rebuking the maners of their time do greatly inueigh against corruption
was there any other cause why y the people being kept in bondage by the space of lxx yeres in the captiuitie of Babylō offered no sacrifices yet most certaine it is notwithstanding y both the prophets of God the holy true worshippers of God separated themselues both frō the worship and sacrifices which were vsed being contrarie to the word of god Surely we read in all the sermons of the prophets that both those sacrifices and also that Churche are condemned For whiche cause they thēselues also were condemned of the highe priest and other priestes of Baal as most abhominable heretiques and scismatiques euen as now a dayes also we are thrust through with the dartes of your curses for that we will not communicate with the Popishe church and her holy seruice and doe reiecte their holy seruice itselfe To this may be added that the sacrifices of the lawe beeing nowe fulfilled and abrogated by the lord the Apostles with manifest defection departed not only from the high priests and church of Hierusalem but moreouer gathered vnto Christe a newe church by the preaching of the Gospel and badge of the sacraments whiche church in the Actes of the Apostles we haue described according to whose patterne all churches ought of righte to bee refourmed euen as many as would be called Apostolique churches What haue wee therefore offended now adayes refourming churches after the likenesse of the Apostolique church whiche churches were of old prophaned by that sea of Rome and the members therof We read that the church of God before the comming of Christin the flesh was oftentimes defiled with filthie pollutions of corrupt men and that the same was purged againe and renued after the likenesse of the old church according to the word of god And why should not we take the same course in our age in the very same cause There remaine moreouer prophecies of our sauiour Christe and of the holye Apostles and Prophets liuely painting out this greuous oppression of the church of Christ vnder the furie of Antichristes tyrannie in this oure last age there remaine most weighty commaundements commaunding to flie from Antichriste from idolatrie false prophets For the Lord sayeth in S. Matthewes Gospel There shal arise false Christes false Prophets and shal shew great signes and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the verie electe Beehold I haue told you before Wherefore if they shal say vnto you Behold he is in the desart Go not forth Behold he is in the secret places beleeue it not And againe Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues Also Can the blind lead the blind shal they not both fall into the ditch S. Peter also sayeth very grauely Saue your selues from this froward generation And also in his second and third chapiters of his second epistle he entreates very largly of this matter And also S. Paule agréeing in all thinges with the holy Gospel and with S. Peter and painting forth Antichrist and those last times of Antichrist corrupt men not lightes but firebrandes of the church commaundeth the sainctes to departe from them and togather themselues together vnto Christe and his sincere trueth If any man aske for the places he shal find them 2. Thes 2. 1. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 3. and 4. The same Apostle in another place euen the Apostle Iohn doth also say Flie from idolatrie And in the 6. cap. of the 2. epist. to the Cor. by expresse words and most manifest opposition he sheweth That there can be no agreement betweene Christe Belial light and darckenesse and betweene idols and the temple of God. And therefore he addeth by and by after Wherfore come out from among them and separate your selues sayeth the Lord and touche none vncleane thinge and I will receiue you To this apperteyneth that whiche the blessed Apostle Iohn in his reuelation shewed him by the lord Christ séeing the workes of Babylon heareth also therew t a voice cōming frō heauen cōmanding after this manner Go out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinns that ye receiue not of her plagues The same Apostle very often threateneth euerlasting destructiō to those y worship the beast but life glory to those that forsake and flée from the beast so as they cleaue only to the only sauiour of the world Iesus Christ Therefore that departure of oures from the sea or church of Rome is not onely lawfull but also necessarie as that which is commaunded vs of the Lord himselfe and by his holy Apostles vnto whome vnlesse we◠obey wee cannot be saued Otherwise we are not ignoraunt that fallings away are altogether abhominable and to be blamed amongst the which notwithstanding except we distinguishe it will not plainly appeare what wee either allowe or disproue either else what wee followe or flée from There is a defection of apostacie in the which thorough hatred of faith or religion Atheistes or godlesse men of méere vngodlines contempt of God with their wicked ringleaders Lucian and Iulian the Apostata fall away from the scunde and catholique faith and finally from the fellowshipp of the faithfull and moreouer do blaspheme rayle vpon the Christian veritie and either laugh to scorne or persecute the very Church of god There is also an heretical defection that is to saye wherein with Valentine Marcion Arrius Manicheus Artemones other such monsters certeine proude arrogant malapert wicked persons either refusing the verie Scripture or wresting the same despise and treade it vnder their féete or else do denie ouerthrowe and resist certeine articles of faith and the sound and auncient opinions of the churche of God and affirme the contrarie and so frame to themselues heretical churches and depart from the true auncient and catholique church There is moreouer a scismaticall defection such as was the Donatists who separated themselues from the true church of God vnder the pretēce of obteyning a more absolute kind of holinesse Wherof I haue spokē verie largly but a little before And the aboue remembred two kinds of defection are altogether abhominable wicked euen as also the third kind can by no meanes be defended But none of all these kinds can be imputed vnto vs nowe a dayes departing from the churche of Rome For y departure is voyd of all crime whiche is made not from the true but from the false church not from the people of God but from the persecuters of gods people not from the articles of faith and sounde opinions of the churche but from errours which obscure the articles of faith and from the wicked traditions and corruptions of men whiche moreouer is made not throughe any lightnesse but of necessitie not for inuocation but for true religions sake that leauinge the fellowshipp of darckenesse we maye bée gathered together againe with Christ the true light
to wit that she should remember she is no Ladie or mistresse ouer the sacraments but a seruant or minister and that she hath no more power or authoritie to institute anye fourme of a sacrament than she hath to abrogate any law of god Aquinas also Part. 3. quaest 46. ariculo 2. saith He instituteth or is the authour of a thing which giueth it force and vertue but the vertue and power of the sacraments commeth from God alone therefore God alone is of power to institute or make sacraments And in déede God alone is of power to institute the true seruice and worship but sacraments belong to his seruice and worship therefore God alone doth institute sacraments If any one in the olde testament had offered sacrifice whiche God commaunded not or offered it not after that manner that God willed it to be offered it was not only nothing auailable vnto him but also his offence in so doing was rewarded with moste terrible and fearefull punishment Who knoweth not that the sonnes of Aaron for offering strange fire were horribly burnt and scortcht vp with fire which fell downe from heauen Suche sacrifices therefore displease God as prophane or vnholy neyther deserue they to be called lawfull sacraments whiche haue not God him selfe for their authour Herevnto is added that sacraments are testimonies and as it were seales of Gods good will and fauour toward vs And who I pray you can better more vprightly or more assuredly beare witnesse of Gods good will to vs-warde than God him selfe In no wise deserueth that to be called or counted the seale of God whereto he neyther set his hand nor printed it with his owne marke yea it is a counterfet seale bycause it coÌ„meth not froÌ„ God and yet in the meane time beareth a shew outwardly of the name of god In this behalfe is reade that saying of S. Augustine whiche is in euerie mans mouth The worde is added to the element and there is made a sacrament Whereby we gather that in the institution of sacraments the worde of God obteyneth principall place and hath most adoe The word I say of God not the worde of men nor yet of the Church Wherevpon it followeth that the signe ought to haue his procéeding euen from God him selfe and not from any manner of meÌ„ be they neuer so many be they neuer so clearklike or lerned be they neuer so harmlesse and holy of life of that nowe there can be no other authour of Sacraments than God him selfe alone As we doe receiue the worde of saluation and grace so it is néedefull also that we receiue the signes of grace Although the worde of God be preached vnto vs by men yet we receiue it not as the worde of man but as the worde of God according to that saying of the Apostle When ye had receiued the worde of God whiche ye hearde of vs ye receyued it not as the worde of men but as it is in deede the woorde of GOD. It is behoneful for vs to haue respect to the first authour thereof who when he sent abroade his disciples sayde Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures teaching them to obserue what so euer I haue commaunded you and baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste He that heareth you heareth mee and he which despiseth you despiseth me And therefore albeit by the handes of men the Sacramentes are ministred yet are they not receyued of the godly and religious as procéeding from men but as it were from the hande of GOD him selfe the first and principall authour of the same To this belongeth the question which Christe our Lorde asked in the Gospell saying The Baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men Truely Iohn who did baptise was a man but in that he baptised he baptised according to Gods institution and ordinaunce and therefore the baptisme of Iohn was from heauen though the water wherewith he baptised flowed out of the bottomelesse depthe into the riuer Iordan and Iohn him selfe conuersaunt on the earth To this also notably agréeth that which Paule sayth That whiche I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the Lorde Therefore although Sainte Paule were a man yea and a sinner too yet that whiche he deliuered to the Churche he did not deliuer it as from him selfe or as any inuention of man but as Christ had deliuered the same so that it is not his or mans but Christes tradition a diuine and heauenly tradition Besides this oure highe Prieste and euerlasting Byshoppe woorketh euen at this daye in his Churche whose ministerie they execute that is at whose commaundement they baptise and according to whose institution they which are the stewardes or disposers of the mysteries of GOD minister the holie Sacramentes of the Lordes Supper The institution therefore of the Sacramentes must be acknowledged of vs to be the verie worke of god And thus farre touching the authour of Sacramentes Peter Lombard in his sentences reckoneth vp thrée causes why Sacramentes were instituted that is to say why spirituall and heauenly thinges were deliuered and committed vnto vs vnder visible signes fourmes and ceremonies the first of whiche is so colde and weake that I am loathe to moue it to memorie He placeth merite in that that by Gods gouernement and direction as he affirmeth man séeketh saluation in thinges baser and inferioure to him selfe Vnto the whiche he addeth this afterward Although not in them yet in GOD through them he séeketh saluation which also vnaduisedly enoughe he hath vttered and not sufficiently considered The other two causes to wit that Sacramentes were inuented and ordeined vnder visible signes for oure instruction and exercise séeme not altogether absurde or disagréeing from reason The truest and most proper cause why Sacramentes be instituted vnder visible signes séemeth partly to be Gods goodnesse and partly also mans weakenesse For verie hardly doe we reache vnto the knowledge of heauenly thinges if without any visible â—ourme as they bee in their owne nature pure and excellent they be layde before oure eyes but they are better and more easily vnderstoode if they be represented vnto vs vnder the figure of earthly thinges that is to say vnder signes familiarly knowne vnto vs As therefore our bountifull and gratious Lorde did couertly and darkely nay rather euidently and notably set before vs to viewe the kingdome of GOD in parables or darke speaches euen so by signes it pleased him to lay before our eies after a sort the very same thing and to pointe out the same vnto vs as it were painted in a table to renue it a freshe and by liuely representation to mainteine the remembraunce of the same among vs This cause doth Iohn Chrysostome allowe as a chiefe and proper cause who in his eightie and thrée Homilie vppon Matthewe sayeth The Lorde hath deliuered vnto vs nothing that is sensible The
that by a certeine heauenly couenant it is so appointed by GOD that sacramentes shoulde haue grace in themselues and should from themselues as by pypes conuey abroade the water of grace vnto those that are thirstie that is alledged without warrant of the Scripture and is repugnaunt vnto true religion As by those thinges whiche haue hitherto béene handeled and disputed of doeth as wee thinke sufficiently appeare wherevnto also we adde this The holy and elect people of God are not then firste of all partakers of the first grace of God and Heauenly gyftes when they receiue the Sacramentes For they enioy the thinges before they be partakers of the signes For it is plainely declared vnto vs that Abraham our father was iustified before he was circumcised And who gathereth thereby that iustification was not exhibited and giuen vnto him by the sacrament of circumcision but rather that that righteousnesse whiche he by faith before possessed was by the Sacrament sealed and confirmed vnto him And moreouer who wil not thereof gather that we whiche are the sonnes of Abraham are after no other manner iustified than it appeareth that our father was iustified and that our sacramentes worke no further in vs than they did in him especially since the nature of the sacramentes of the people of the olde Testamente and ours is all one Whereof I will speake a little afterwarde more at large when I expound the place of the Apostle in the fourth to the Romanes The Eunuche of whome I spake euen now out of the Actes as he iournyed and sawe water he said to Philip See here is water what letteth me to be baptised Philip sayde vnto him If thou beleeuest with all thy hart thou maist And he answered and saide I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God. Afterward immediately it followeth And they weÌ„t down both into the water he baptised him The Eunuche sayeth the Euangelist beléeued with al his hart that is to to say truly without dissimulation Nowe let vs sée what the Scripture saith concerning suche a faith S. Iohn the Apostle Euangelist saith Who so euer beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God. He againe saith Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and he in GOD Also Paule that elect vessel and doctour of the Gentiles sayth If thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine hart that God raysed him from the dead thou shalt bee saued And againe Saint Iohn sayth in his Epistle He that beleeueth on the sonne of God hath the witnesse in him self And this is the record how that God hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne He that hathe the Sonne hathe life and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life Briefely of all these thinges this wee gather The Eunuche beléeued before he receiued baptisme therefore before he receiued baptisme he was borne of God in whome he dwelled and God in him hee was iust and acceptable in the sight of God and moreouer he had also life in himselfe and therefore the baptisme whiche followed did not giue that to the Eunuch which he had before but it became vnto him a testimonie of the trueth a seale of the righteousnesse whiche came by faith and there withal to assure vnto him the continuance and increase of God his gyftes After the same maner we reade of Cornelius the Centurion in the same Actes of the Apostles that he beléeuing the preaching of the Apostle Peter receiued the holie Ghost also in a visible shape as the Apostles did at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecoste And that Peter when he knewe that thing sayde Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised whiche haue receiued the holy Ghost as wel as we For asmuche therefore as Cornelius with his housholde receiued the holy Ghoste before they were baptised it is manifest that he did not obteine the holie Ghoste as giuen firste by baptisme or with baptisme Againe we reade in the Actes of the Apostles They that gladly receiued the woorde of Peter were baptised Therefore before they were baptised of Peter they had obteined the grace of God through faith For why I pray you doe we baptise our Infantes Is it because they beléeue with their hart and confesse with their mouthe I thinke not Do we not therefore baptise them because God hathe commaunded them to bée brought vnto him because he hath promised that he will be our GOD and the GOD of our séede after vs To be short because we beléeue that GOD of his méere grace and mercie in the bloud of Iesus Christ hathe cleansed and adopted them and appointed them to bee heires of eternall life We therefore baptising Infantes for these causes doe aboundantly testifie that there is not first giuen vnto theÌ„ in baptisme but that there is sealed and confirmed whiche they had before Let vs also ioyne vnto these thinges a testimonie of the Supper of the Lord. The Apostle teaching how the Godly shoulde prepare them selues to come to the Lordes Table sayth Let a man proue him selfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this Cuppe But to examine or proue signifieth to search as muche as lyeth in man the harte or minde and thoroughe diligent inquisition to sifte ones conscience And GOD is sayde â—o proue our nartes And the same Apostle willeth vs To proue what is the good acceptable wil of God. But this proofe cannot be without knowledge iudgement y knowledg iudgement of Christians is faith therfore whosoeuer proueth himselfe before hee come to the Supper hath faith If he haue faith then he wanteth not those thinges that are coupled with faithe and therefore in the Supper those heauenly benefites are not firste receiued but thankes are giuen for those that are receiued I haue hereby shewed and proued I suppose that Sacramentes doe not conferre grace They obiect I know well enoughe against these thinges who are persuaded that sacraments giue grace and conteine included within them the thinges signified that wee doe euacuate and make of none effect the Sacramentes and that wee teache that the faithfull receiue in them or by them nothing but bare water and bare bread and wine and that by that meanes GOD by vs is accused of falshode and lying Wee briefely answere If they set voyde or emptie thinges as I may so say againste full thinges so as they bee voide or emptie whiche haue not the thinges themselues included in them truely I had rather confesse them to be voide than full But if they call them voide or emptie and meane prophane or vnholy thinges that is to say whiche differ nothing from prophane signes if by bare they vnderstande thinges of no force we openly professe that we haue sacramentes whiche are holy and not prophane effectuall and not without force
sacraments Of the gestures which the ministers doe vse in celebrating the Lords supper we can say none other thinge out of the gospel than what we haue learned The Lord toke the bread blessed it brake it distributed it c. If the minister do follow these things he néed not to be carefull of other gestures Those which at this day are by the inuention of men receiued into the celebration of the masse are so farre off from giuing any maiestie to the mysteries that they bring theÌ„ rather the more into coÌ„tempt I wil say nothing elso that may séeme more greuous The matter is indifferent whether the Churche take the supper sitting downe or going to the table whether a man take the holie mysteries in his owne hand or receiue it into his mouth at the hands of him that ministreth It is moste agréeable with the first simplicitie and institution of the supper to sit and to receiue the sacraments in a mans owne handes of him that ministreth and afterwards to breake it eate it and to dinide it vnto others For as the Lord sat at table with his disciples so he reached foorth that mysteries saying Take and diuide it among you Moreouer as there is more quietnes and lesse stur in sitting at the supper while the ministers carrie the holie mysteries about the congregation so is it well knowen by histories of antiquitie that the sacrament hath béene deliuered into the hands of the communicantes It is méere superstition repugnant to the doctrine of the Apostles to scrape the hands of that lay people that haue touched the holie sacrament of the supper Why do they not also by the same lawe scrape the lips tonge iawes of the communicants Of these things before handled springeth an other question What is to be thought of the remnaunts leauings of the Lords supper whether there ought any parte of it to be reserued and whether that whiche is reserued or shut vp ought to be adored This question séemeth to haue no godlines at al in it but to be altogether superstitions and very hurtfull For who knoweth not that bread wine out of the holie and lawfull vse appointed are not a sacrament Shall we pracéede to demaund with these Sophisters what that is which the mouse gnaweth when hee gnaweth the Lords bread These questions are most vnworthy to bee demanded and to be raked vp in holie obliuion Touching the shutting vp of the sacrament the lord teacheth vs not one word in the gospel much lesse of worshipping it Take saith hee eate and diuide it among you He saith not Lay it vp worshipp it For the true worshippers worship the father in spirit and trueth Moreouer wee read how the Lord hath plainly said in the gospel If they say vnto you beholde where he is in the desert go not foorth beholde where hee is in the innermoste partes of the house doe not beleeue He setteth downe the cause of this his commaundement For like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the sonne of man be The comming againe of the sonne of man saith he shall be glorious and not obscure neither shall he come againe but to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead And therefore S. Paule the Apostle teaching vs true religion willeth vs to worshipp Christe not vppon the earth but with our mindes lifted vnto Heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of his father And who will he so frantique I beséeche you to worshipp the holie signe for the holie thing it selfe it appeareth by the decrées made of late that these thinges were inuented by mans deuise For it is certeine that the feaste of Christes bodie commonly called Corpus Christi was instituted but of late yéeres vnder Pope Vrbane in the yéere of our Lorde 1264. as it may appeare in Clement the 3 booke title 16. the Chapter beginning Si Dominum It remaineth that we discusse the question concerning the time of celebrating the Lordes Supper and what season is méetest for the same the morning or euening whether we ought to sup together whether we must receiue it fasting or when wee haue dyned also how often we must celebrate the supper once or often or seldome It is euidently enough knowen that Christe sat downe at the table with his disciples in the euening but it followeth not héereof that the supper cannot be rightly celebrated at any other time but at euening The Lorde vppon occasion of the feast of the Passeouer and because he should bee betrayed that night did bothe eate the supper that euening with his disciples and instituted also the supper for vs Notwithstanding hee leâ—te the libertie to remoue this mysterie vnto the morning for that when we be sober then are we most méete to deale in all matters specialy in religion for which we be then fitter then when our bellyes be full of good cheere Wherefore this banquet requireth fasting and emptie guests but yet not so fastinge that a man maye not taste of somewhat a-fore-hand for his healthes sake For S. Paule sayeth If any man bee hungry let him eate at home The same Apostle also wil not haue any other feast to bee receuied together with the Lordes mysticall Supper And therefore we say that wee ought not to receiue that with other meate Tertullian writeth that Christians haue vsed oftentimes to eate other meate with it which kinde of Supper as hee writeth was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say mutuall loue or charitie borrowing the name froÌ„ loue for that there the poore were refreshed with the feastinge of the richer sorte Howbeit prouision of meate drink and other necessaryes might wel enough be made for them without the Churche Paule will not permit that in one place both publique feastes should be made and also the mysticall supper of the Lorde celebrated Furthermore how many times in a yéere the faithfull ought to receiue this Sacrament of the Lords supper the apostles haue giuen forth no commaundement but haue lefte it indifferent vnto euery Churches discretion For what is more plaine than that which S. Paule hath said As often as you shall eate of this bread and drink of this cup you shall declare the Lords death vntill he come For the Lord as the same Apostle setteth it downe first commaunding said Doe this as oft as you shal drink it in remeÌ„brance of me Howbeit let no no maÌ„ think that the celebration of the Lords supper is left so fréely vnto him that hee néed neuer to receiue it For that were no lawful libertie but most vnlawful licentiousnes They that celbrate the supper of y Lord vpoÌ„ certeine ordinary times of the yere would not haue it brought into contempt or loathed by reason of the daily frequenting For they haue some consideratioÌ„ of their owne people they would haue the supper to be celebrated worthily
with christian charitie for the Lords sake to beware that we defile not our bodies with the filthe of the world since we be cleansed with the bloude of Christe Paule the Apostle sayth So often as ye shall eate of this breade and drinke of the Lords cup declare the Lordes death vntill he come But to declare the Lords death is to praise the goodnes of God to giue thanks for our redemption obteined through his death For the Apostle Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthod an holy nation a people set at liberty that ye shuld shew forth vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into his meruelous light But hereof we haue spokeÌ„ also in another place Thus much I thought good in fewe words to repeate touching the ends of the supper which euery godly man being instructed by the holy ghost doth diligeÌ„tly coÌ„sider I wold now let you go déerely beloued brethren but that I sée it wil be a coÌ„moÌ„ coÌ„moditie to teach in few words flow euerie one should prepare himselfe to the lordes supper that he come not to it vnworthily But it were not loste labour first of all to search 〈◊〉 who do worthily or vnworthily eate and drinks of the Lords bread and cup. There is no man that can denie that there are degrées in our worthinesse and vnworthines if he rightly examine the iudgements of God and looking narrowly into the nature of our religioÌ„ is able to giue iudgement thereof The chiefest degrée of vnworthines is to come to the holy mysteries of faith without faith He coÌ„meth worthily that commeth with faith vnworthily he that commeth without faith Such are said to be workes worthie of repentaÌ„ce in that gospel as are penitent works or séemly for such as professe repeÌ„taunce But what is more beséeming more méete and iust than that he who is to celebrate the Lords Supper doe beléeue that he is redéemed by Christes death who was offered vp as a price for the whole world and that for that cause is desirous to giue thanks to Christ his redéemer Contrariwise what is more vnséemly vniust thaÌ„ to receiue that pledge of Christes bodie and in the meane while to haue no communion or felowship with Christ To come to thankesgiuing yet not to giue thanks from the bottome of his hart For what vniteth vs to Christe or what maketh vs partakers of all his benefites therwith also to be thankfull but faith What doth separate vs froÌ„ Christe and spoyleth vs of all his gyftes and maketh vs moste loathesome but vnbeliefe Therfore faith or vnbeléefe maketh vs partakers of the Lords table woorthily or vnworthily Paule the Apostle in the Actes sayth to the Iewes who through vnbeléefe did reiect or set at nought the preaching of the Gospell The word of God ought first to bee preached vnto you But bicause you reiect it and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life beholde we turne vnto the Gentiles How did the Iewes pronounce against theÌ„selues that they were vnworthie of euerlasting life and like Iudges gaue sentence against themselues In setting them selues againste Gods worde through vnbeléefe neither apprehendinge Christ by faith who is the life and righteousnesse of the world Wherefore the chiefe and greatest portion of our worthinesse vnworthinesse is and consisteth in â—aith or vnbeléefe S. Peter witnesseth that our hartes are purified by faith true faith therfore is the cleannes of christians Wherevpon S. Augustine sayth The vnbeleeuer eateth not the flesh of Christ spiritually but rather eateth and drinketh the sacrament of so great a thing to his owne condemnation Because beeing vncleane he hathe presumed to come to Christes sacraments which no man receiueth worthily but he that is cleane Of whom it is said Blessed be the cleane in hart for they shal see God c. Moreouer they eate and drink of the Lords supper vnworthily who although they be not destitute of faith yet by their abusing of it do peruert the right institution of the Lord such séemeth to haue béene the errour of the Churche of Corinth which mingled the priuate and prophane with the Ecclestastical and mystical banquet did put no difference betwéene the Lords bread which is called Christs bodie common meate For Paule saith Who so eateth drinketh vnwoorthily he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation making no difference of the Lordes bodie Therefore to make no difference of the lords bodie is vnworthily to eate the lords bread and to drinke of his cup. For this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to iudge or to make a difference is to weigh and consider of a mater exactly with iudgment to the vttermost of a mans power to iudge of it make a difference betwéene that and al other things Furthermore the Lords bodie is not only that spiritual body of the Lord to wit the church of the faithfull but that verie bodie which the Lord tooke of the virgin offred vp for our redemptioÌ„ that now sitteth at the right hand of the father To be short the bread of the sacrament in the supper is the Lords bodie it is I say the sacrament of the true bodie which was giuen for vs Whosoeuer therfore putteth no difference betwéene this the Lords mystical bread prophane meate but commeth to Christes table as he would to a table of common and grosse meate and acknowledgeth not that this heauenly meats differeth farre from other humane meate neither commeth after that sort as the Lord hath instituted but foloweth his owne reason surely he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie but eateth and drinketh his own damnation Paul againe expoundeth himselfe saying Therefore my brethren when you come together to eate tarrie one for another that yee meete not to condemnation Who so therfore preuenteth the publique supper by eating his own priuate supper that is to say who so suppeth not as the Lord hath appointed the same eateth drinketh vnworthily For before vn worthie eaters drinkers are said to eate and drinke their own damnatioÌ„ here they are said to méete togither to their condemnation the make hast to the supper not tarying for their brethren and they make no difference of the Lords bodie S. Augustine in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn sayth The Apostle speketh of those which receiued the Lords bodie without difference carelesly as if it had bin any other kind of meate whatsoeuer Heretherefore if he be reproued which maketh no difference of the lords bodie that is to say doth not discerne the lords body froÌ„ other meates how then shuld not Iudas be daÌ„ned who came to the lords table feigning that he was a friend but was an enimie c. How much more grieuously doe they séeme to sinne at this day who peruerting the lawfull and first vse the was instituted by the Lord do stablish their own abuse with great contentioÌ„ yea grieuously persecute them that cry out against it
exâ—â—sition of the scripture 〈◊〉 not be câ—â—trary to the artiâ—â—â— of our beliefe The expositioÌ„ must not be repugnant to the loue of God and our neighbour 〈◊〉 expounâ—â—â—g the â—â—â—â—ptures â—e must â—â—rk that â—â—at goeth â—â—fore and â—â—lloweth â—â—â—er and 〈◊〉 the circumstaÌ„â—es The exposition of gâ—ds word â—â—st be maâ—â— by 〈◊〉 layinâ—â—â—geâ—her of â—iuers places 2. Pet. 1. The scriâ—tures mâ—â— be expoâ—â—ded wiâ—â— zealous â— hertafâ—â— earnest prayer The deâ—nitions 〈◊〉 faith The description of true fayth The begiâ—ning and cause of faith Faith is planted by the worde of God. We muste â—raye for â—rue fayth That faith is an vndoubted persuasion of the minde Faith beleueth not euerithing what soeuer Examples â—f vndoubâ—ed saith â—herunto â—aith leaâ—eth and what the â—biect or â—oundation of faith 〈◊〉 Two chief â—â—inâ—s of â—aith True faiâ—â— seeketh aâ—â— good thiâ—ges in 〈◊〉 through Christ â—rue faith â—eleeueth 〈◊〉 holy â—â—riptures Fayth is â—ue alone 〈…〉 religions but no more theâ— one true fayth Faith doâ—â— encrease and decrease Generall and particular faith Faith inspâ—red and Faith gotten 〈…〉 mall 〈…〉 The power and efâ—ecte of faith Faith is the true knowledge that maketh men wise How man may attaine to â—he chiefe goodnesse Faith maketh happy Faith quickneth Faith ioyneth to god Faith iâ—stifieth Iustification What it is â—o iustifie â—hriâ—t hath 〈◊〉 on â—im self 〈…〉 sinnes The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of since â—re takeâ— away by Chriâ—â— The death â—f Christ a â—â—ll satisâ—â—ction for â—ur sinnes Howe punishment is laide on vs. God hath â—ppointed â—â—at he â—hat beleeâ—eth shuld â—aue eternall life and be iustified Men are â—ustified â—y faith â—lone Christ coÌ„pared with Adam Gods Testament We are not iustified by the workes oâ— the Lawâ— but by Faith Christ died not in vaine All men are sinnerâ— God iuâ—â—â—fieth as 〈◊〉 the Gentiles as 〈◊〉 Iewes by faith By what meanes â—ur father â—braham was iustiâ—â—ed Neither is â—aith nor the promis of none effect â—ustification of free gift Faith sheweth foorth and expresseth it selfe by good workes Faith onely iustifieth Of good workes Faith the â—oore of al good â—oâ—kes Faith the victorie 〈◊〉 al Christians The Apoâ—tles 〈◊〉 The partition of the Apostles Creede God is one in suâ—stance anâ— three in persons I beleeue in God God is called a father God is called Almighty â—od is the mâ—ker of heauen â—nd earth The secoÌ„d article of our belief To belieue in the Sonnâ— of God. Who the Sonne of God is Consubstantial â—oesseÌ„tiall The onely Sonne Iesus Christe Christe is our Lord. The 3. Article of our bâ—lieâ— The causes of the Lord his incarnatioÌ„ Immanuel A mediatour Tâ—e manner of 〈◊〉 his â—â—nceptioÌ„ The causes why Christ hiâ— conceptioÌ„ is pure Of the birth of Christ The fourth Article of our belief â—â—â—ist did 〈◊〉 Christ sufered vnâ—er Pâ—ntiâ—s Pilate Our Lord was buried He descended into Hell. The fift article of ouâ— belief The glorious resurrection of Christe What a resurrection â—s Out of from the dead He was â—rucified dead tokeÌ„ downe and laid â—â— his granâ— vpon 〈◊〉 Friday where his body â—ay â–ª Saturday that is Eâ—â—er eueâ— and one Sunday which is Easter day in the morning he rose againe froÌ„ death to life The sixte article of our belief The glorious ascension of Christ The forâ— of Christ his ascension into heauen He ascenâ—ed into â—eauen He sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty The definition of gods right hand take here for the places name To sit is to be at rest and enioy felicitie Gods right hand the name of his power and in this signification to sit is to reign Saint Hierom of the â—ight haÌ„d of the faâ—her Saint Augustine of the right hand of 〈◊〉 father â—â—int Fulgentius His humanitie iâ— lâ—cal that is â—â—â—teined iâ— space of â—lace but â—â—s Godhead incoÌ„preheÌ„sible as that that is euery where 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 in any place Saint vigilius The seuenth Article Christ a Iudge To Iudgâ— what it 〈◊〉 The picâ—ure of â—he laste â—â—dgemeÌ„t The quick and dead are iudged The reward and punishment is moste certaine the eighth article of our faith The father in Christ hath fully giuen vs all heauenly treasures The ninth â—rticle of â—ur belief â—ee must â—ot in our â—onfession â—y I beâ—â—eue in â—he church Cyprian Augustine Paschasius â—â—int Greâ—orie â—homas â—quine Pope Leo. The Catholike Church The true Churche Wee beleeue the Church to be holy How the Church 〈◊〉 holy The coâ—munion of 〈◊〉 The tenth â—rticle of our belief The acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes Oâ—r sins arâ— forgiâ—eÌ„ of god 〈◊〉 for â—ur owne merits but for Christ his sake All sinnes are forgeuen God alone and not man forgeueth sinns Howe sins are forgeuen We make not satisfaction for punishmeÌ„t The eleâ—enth artiâ—le of our â—aith The resurrection of the flesh Whether the same bodies that do â—utâ—ifie rise again Testimoniâ—s of the true resurrection In what sort our bodies shal rise again Of what facion our bodies shal be in the resurrection A glorious body What a glorious â—â—dy is Glorious bodies rest free from vilenesse The natural and spiâ—â—tuall body Fleshe and â—â—oud â—hal not be 〈◊〉 heauen Sâ—â—su aniâ—â—li Animalis The bodies of thâ— wicked shall also rise agaâ—n The tâ—elfth article of our belief Lyfe eueâ—lasting The face of God. Loue and câ—antie Loue froÌ„ whence it is Double charitie The leâ— of God â–ª By the loue of God all euilles are ouercome The loue â—f God faâ—oneth vs 〈◊〉 the will 〈◊〉 pleaâ—â—re of â—od The manner how to loue God. Gâ—d alone to be loued Who is our neighbour The 〈…〉 â—ny one â—hat is a â—â—an as wel 〈◊〉 we An order â—nd meaâ—â—re in 〈◊〉 Howe our neighbour must be loued The loue of our neighbour must bee sincere We must loue our neighbour as our self We must loue ouâ— neighboâ—â— as Chrisâ—â— hath loue vs. Howe we ought to stand our nâ—ighbour in steede The pith of Charity Loue the fulfilling of the laâ— Workes of mercie An exhortation to Loue What law is The diuision of â—awes The laâ— of natuâ—â— ConscieÌ„câ— Nature Two especial points of the law of nature The Genâ—â—lâ—s knew God. Friendship societâ—â— of men tâ— be preseâ—ued The Lawe of nature answerable to the written Lawe 1 Of God. The Ethnickes sentâ—nces are in some plâ—ces maâ—â—â—ed 2 The Gentiles against idoles 3 The name â—f God â—ighly esâ—eemed 4 The Genâ—â—les keeâ—ers of reâ—â—gion 5 The honoâ—ring of parentes 6 Murder adulterie 8 Theft 9 Lies False witnesses A hill in Rome Cataâ—a a Towne in Sicilie 10 Concupiscence Nature without grace of none effect â—awes of â—en â—awes of â—licie Ecclesiasâ—â—cal Laâ—â— Superstitious lawâ—â— Mens â—â—â—ditions What the Lawe of God is The moâ—all lawe The Ceremoniall Lawe The Iudiciall Lawe The Law was euen before Moses time The Patriarches before Moses had the Ceremoniall and iudiciall Lawes The Moâ—al Lawe endureâ— still The maâ—estie and â—ignitie of â—he moral â—awe 〈…〉 the â—â—st holy 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 Two Tables