vppon his name and yelde him thanks P. That should be sufficiente as towards God. For so much as he knoweth well what is in the heart of man withoute any néede of other testimonie M. Wherefore is it then that he yet requireth that man yelde outwarde testimonie P. He doth it chiefly for two causes M. Which is the firste P. It is to that ende that man deceiue not himselfe making himselfe to beléeue that he hath true faith in God when he hath none at all M. How may he know whether he haue faith or no by that meane whiche thou speakest of P. Euē as the trée is knowne by his frutes and the workeman by hys worke and the cause by his effecte M. It seemeth to me that whiche thou saist is a better meane to cause others to knowe whether he haue faith or no then hymselfe P. If others maye knowe it by this meane there is no doubte but such a testimonie whiche he yeldeth to others may well serue him for a proofe and greater confirmation of his faith when he shall sée these frutes himselfe M. Which is the other reason that thou hast also to thys purpose P. It is to the ende that God be glorified also before men by the confession and testimonie of the faith that is in the heart of the beléeuing man. Of the meanes ordeyned to man by God vvhereby they may make profession of their faith M. WHat meanes hath he ordeyned to make confession and to yelde testimonie P. The chiefe are the assemblies of the faithfull in the whiche he doth precide by his holy spirite and by the ministerie of his worde for whose causes he hath chiefly ordeyned the daye of rest M. What means are there in such asemblies to make there this confession P. There are thrée chiefly M. Which is the first P. The allowing and confession of Lordes doctrine whiche is there set foorth by the preaching of the Gospell M Whiche is the second P. The publique and common prayers of the Churche M. Which is the thirde P. It is the communion of the Sacramēts administred by the ordinance of God in those assemblies M. I would willingly learne of thée whiche be these Sacramentes P. It were better that we deferred this matter to an other time to the ende that we continued the purpose which we haue in hand at this presente touching the matters comprised in these commandementes of the lawe of God. Of the charitie tovvards our neyghboure M. WE haue alredy handled two points touching the frutes of faith tell me now which is the thirde and last P. It is the charitie that God requireth of euery man one to another M. Seing that faith hath his proper regarde to God only and to the commandements of the first table and charitie hath his regarde to our neyboure and to the commaundementes of the second table as thou hast saide heretofore Tell me nowe what agréements there is betwene faith and charitie P. Seing that faith hath regarde to God he can not be without perfecte loue of him neyther the perfect loue towards him maye be but forthwith it extendeth to all hys children and to all those that he recommendeth vnto vs. A diuision of the matters conteyned in the second table M. WHat doth this charitie towards our neyghboure comprehende P. All the commaundements of the second table of the law M. Which be the principal points of this charitie whereof thou speakest P. We maye likewise bring them all into two M. What doth GOD require in the firste P. The honoure and the obedience that he willeth all inferiors to yelde to their superiors whom he hath giuen vnto them for leaders and gouernors in what estate soeuer they be euen as the fifth commaundement of the lawe doth conteyne M. What requireth he in the seconde P. The dutie wherevnto he hath egally and generally bounde al men one to another and the honestie and iustice that all men oughte to kepe in theyr conuersation in this world towards their God. M. What vnderstādest thou by that iustice and honestie P. That man kepe himselfe pure and sounde as well in hys soule as in his body to the ende he be not defiled either by any violence or wrong that he shall do to his neyghboure in any thing that may be nor by any whoredome or filthinesse whatsoeuer Of the points vvherein euery one is bounde to his neyghbour M. DEclare to me more exactly what our dutie towards our neyghboure importeth P. That we haue the same care for all men in generall that we haue for our selues M. But wherein ought we to haue this care for others P. There are two pointes to be considered herein M. Which is the first P. That we take héede that we do them no dishonour nor hurte in any wise be it in the soule body goods or name M. Which is the other P. That we procure their health honoure and profite with all our power in all thinges as the other fiue commaundemēts folowing do declare Of the vveaknesse defaulte of povver that is in man to accomplishe the lavve of God. M. AL that is very iust and very reasonable but is it in the power of mā to yelde to God so sounde and perfect obedience as he requireth of him P. He hath not only not that power but contrarily it is fully impossible for him to yelde vnto God such an obedience For according to his nature he hath no pleasure but to resiste against his holy will. Of the fall and restoring of man The third Dialogue Of mans Freevvill M. HAth man no frée will where by he maye doe the good that God commaundeth him and refuse the euill which he forbyddeth him P. He hath frée will without any power to do good But on the contrarie so prompt to all euill that he desireth not neyther can he any other thing but to do euill for the tyme that he remayneth in his corrupt nature Of sinne and of the nature of it and what originall sinne is properly M. WHat is the cause of this vnhappinesse P. Sinne wherevnto he became subiect thorowe his owne faulte in such sorte that he is as a seruaunt and slaue to sinne M. How is sinne the cause Peter Bycause that it bringeth to him two euilles the greateste that maye be M. Whiche is the first P. It is the wrath and curse of God whereof sinne maketh man guiltie M. Whiche is the seconde P. It is that corruption of nature whereof I haue already spoken whiche maketh man so enclined to euill that he cannot of himselfe thinke speake nor doe anye good but procure dayly more and more the wrath of God vppon him by all that whiche he can thinke speake or doe M. That corruption of nature ought it to be accompted for sin P. It is properly that which is commonly called original sinne whiche is the spring and fountaine from whence all the others do
¶ A Christian Instruction conteyning the law and the Gospell Also a Summarie of the Principall poyntes of the Christian fayth and Religion and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same Done in certayne dialogues in french by M. Peter Viret somtime minister of the word of God at Nymes in Prouince Translated by I. S. Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions Imprinted at London by Abraham Veale dwelling in Paules churchyard at the signe of the Lambe ANNO. 1573. To the honorable and vertuous Lady Elizabeth Countesse of Lincolne Iohn Shoute vvisheth encrease of all godly honoure and knowledge WHEN I HAD TVRNED into English this vvorke I cōsidered in my selfe that in aunciente time and also in this our age men haue accustomed to dedicate their trauayles vnto such vertuous personages as they haue honored And I examining my selfe vnto vvhome I moughte addresse this little labour of mine thought good to presume vppon your goodnesse and to addresse the same vnto your honorable Ladyship knovving this vvorke to be a meet subiect for the exercise of noble spirits in the which they may see the great mercies of God tovvards mankinde and learne hovv to be thankfull for the same tovvards his diuine maiestie It may please you therefore good Madame to accepte this present at the hand of him vvho vvisheth vnto you great encrease of spirituall blessings and that after this momentayne life you may be one of those vvhich shall euer vvayte on the Lambe in the heauenly Ierusalem vvhich vvas slayne for the sinnes of man before the foundation of the world was layde to the end he mought make vs acceptable vnto God by vvhome vve haue redemption thorough his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace From London the 4. of Ianuary To the Christian Reader SEeing that the chiefe cause for the whyche God created mā is to be serued and honored by him our duty is thē to seke to vnderstand how to honor and serue him and we cānot know howe to serue honoure nor obey him but by his worde and albeit his worde be suche as it is able to giue instruction both to learned and vnlearned hauing in it milke for children and strong meate for men yet is it necessarie to vse for our better instruction the helpe of the worthy fathers in the study of the same wherby we may the better and more certainely iudge of that whiche we shall reade by the which meane we may the more easily know our good God his benefites vnspekeable presented to vs in his deare Christe and what we are by our Lord Iesus Christ what we are of our selues without which knowledge none can be a true Christian For if we knowe not that our only saluatiō is founded by God in Iesus Christ that oure eternall life proceedeth onely from the free mercies of god withoute any iote of oure deseruings surely we cannot be saued For if we will be accepted at the handes of God for his faithfull and obedient children we may not presente vnto him any workes of ours for satisfaction for our sins either in parte or in al albeit we ought and are bound to do good works For if we haue in vs a liuely faith we cannot but do good works For as faith is a frute of oure election so are good works a frute of our charitie towardes oure neighboure whiche charitie is a frute of oure liuely faith whiche worketh thorough charity as S. Paule saith but if we will be acceptable vnto God we must vtterly cast downe our selues before him acknowledging our selues worthy of eternall damnation a thousand times and embrace Iesus christ wholly with all his merites who hath satisfied the iustice of God for vs fulfilled the lawe paid our debte caried away with him captiues in vnspekeable triumph Sathan sinne deathe and Hell and hath taken possession for vs of the heauenly inheritaunce and there sitteth at the right hand of God the father making intercession for vs cōtinually And to the end we may wel knowe howe we do obtayne these inestimable benefites by Iesus Christe I haue tourned into oure naturall language this worke in the which are sufficiently and excellently handled all the principall pointes of our Christian religion I haue added to the ende of thys worke the exposition of Master Viret vpon the preface of the law which conteyneth sundry excellent doctrines I haue done it to helpe to aduaunce in the way of their saluation al such as are ignoraunt of the tongues wherefore I beseeche God that they whiche shall reade it may so profite thereby that God may in them be glorified and their soules edified THE SVMME OF the principall pointes of the Christian faith and Religion and of the abuses and errors contrary to the same Hovve nedefull it is that all Christians doe vvell knovv vvhat faith is vvherby they are made Christians vvhat things she doth comprehend Chap. 1. WHOSOEVER dothe beléeue the testimonie whiche God in his word doth yelde of his will holdeth alreadie for certaine that the saluation of men by the which God will be glorified in them resteth in the only faith in Iesus Christe and that from the heart men beleue to iustification with the mouthe men make confession wherby they are saued Wherfore séeing it is so it is néedfull not only that euery true Christian do well vnderstand what is the nature of the true faith and which are the principall pointes that she conteineth without the which she cannot be a true and perfecte faithe but also that he be wel resolued in them For faith can not be a true faithe without the true knowledge of the things that she beléeueth so farre as God hath reuealed by his worde and is requisite for euery man to knowe for his saluation Wherefore they which know not nor do vnderstand at all that whiche they say they do beléeue haue no faith at al but by imagination and fantasie whatsoeuer they doe persuade themselues to haue Of the summaries of the faith of the christian Churche named Symboles Chap 2. FOr that cause the ancient Church hath comprehended all the poyntes of the Christian faith in certaine Summaries whiche are called commonly the Nicene Créede the Créede of Athanase and that of the Apostles This name of Symbole was giuen vnto them as well for that they did conteyne in summe the principal pointes and foundations of the Christian doctrine whyche are more at large expounded in the holye Scriptures as also for that they are the true markes and tokens of a Christian man in euery one that beléeueth and confesseth the doctrine conteyned in them Wherefore it is requisite that euery one knowe at the least that same whiche is commonly called the Créede of the Apostles which is the most cōmon and most short of them all according to the which the Church doth daily make publique confession of hir fayth as followeth I beleeue in GOD the Father
if it be a worke whereby thy neyghboure receyueth any comforte or helpe in hys person it is then so muche the more profitable Wherefore albeit that the worke be not such as God requireth yet forsomuch as it serueth somewhat to the glory of God and to the edification of our neyboure God is so good that he will not suffer it to be vnrecompenced T. What recompence will he then giue him D. That whiche the worker requireth he desireth glory among men and his particular cōmoditie which things he doth often times receiue for his hire which extend no further than his life for he hathe no further regard at all T. By this accoumpte then thou wouldest conclude that it were better yet that a man should assist the worde of god and his Church and also the poore and that he should do such like works although that his harte were not throughly such as it ought to be rather thā to do nothing at all or to the contrary so that he do it not in any wise to the intente to dishonor God and of a determinate purpose or else rather to hurte his neyghbor than to profite him D. It is true for we haue in the holy Scriptures many examples whiche declare that God hath often times in this worlde done greate good to many that haue not had suche hartes as they ought to haue had bycause that their workes did serue somewhat to his glory and to the reléefe of his people In vvhat sorte the harte of man maye fulfill the lavve of God or no and may be condemned or absolued by the same vvithout the vvorks which god requireth of him in the same T. SEing that the worke which séemeth to be good cannot please God but so farre foorth as the hart from whence they do procéede doth please him and that the harte doth make the worke to be accepted or refused at his hande I do firste aske thée if GOD can contente him selfe without the worke with the harte alone The other is if the worke which of him selfe is euill may please him or else may be suffered by him when he that doth it doth it not for any euill purpose but doth it of force against his harte or else bicause he thinketh it not to be euill The thirde to know in déede if GOD do condemne the wicked thoughte although it be not put in execution and whether it doe as muche displease him as if the effect were ioyned with it D. As touching the firste it is sure that if God haue the harte of man he hath the whole therefore it cannot be but that the harte doth offer and presente vnto him the worke that he requireth of hym wherefore the worke may not be separated from the harte no more than the frute from the trée for euē so as the good trée neuer fayleth to bring foorthe hys frute in his due time and season so doth the good harte at all times and in all seasons that GOD requireth it if he do it not the cause is for that hée wanteth meane to do it and also power or else that he hath not a will to do it if he haue a will and haue no power and meanes to do it that wyll béeing good God dothe accepte and estéemeth it as well as if the facte were done The lyke dothe hée also if the wyll be wicked albeit that it haue not the power to put his wicked thought in execution Wherfore the wicked worke doth not only displease God but also the wicked will and affection in sorte that if it do procéede so farre that it is not long of hir that she doth not execute hir euill purpose and that there is nothing doth hinder it but want of power there is no doubte but that God accompteth the wickednesse done For that cause our Lord Iesus Christ and Sainte Iohn following his doctrine doth compare to a murtherer him that hateth hys brother and estéemeth him an adulterer that behouldeth an other mans wife coueting hir We must vnderstand the like of all other vices according to the interpretation that oure Lorde Iesus Christe himselfe and after him his Apostles gaue vs of the lawe of God but if the hart had the meane the power to do that whiche was commaunded him to do and hathe not only lefte it vndone but hath also not employed him selfe by al meanes possible to vse those occasions wherby he mought do them it is a certaine testimonie and an assured signe that it is not good and that there is no good will in it for if it were good that the will were such as it ought to be it should not be more desirous of any thing than to yeld vnto God that obedience honoure and seruice which is due vnto him and that he requireth of hym wherefore God cannot be pleased wyth such an hart for it is fayned and vntrue Hovve that men do glory in vayne of their good harte and of their faithe if their vvorkes beare not vvitnesse of it and for vvhat cause the iudgement shal be giuen by God according to theyr vvorks and vvhy the Prophets do so ernestly require them exhorting the people of God to repentaunce T. WE do then in vayne glory of the hart if the worke beare not good witnesse of the same D. Yea as well as of the faithe Wherefore we may well here saye with Saincte Iames shewe me thy harte and thy faith by thy workes for as the faith that is without works is not a true faith but onely a vayne and fayned faith and dead and a false shewe of faith hauing nothing of true faith sauing only the name without the effect no more doth the harte liue to God nor is dedicated vnto him that doth not declare himselfe by good works For the fire how litle soeuer it be cannot be without light without heate and at the least without some litle smoke for this cause in the manner of Gods iudgement which is set foorth to vs by our Lord Iesus Christ there is in manner no mention made but onely of works by the which euery man is iudged forsomuch as they shall beare witnesse of the harte and faith of euery man Likewise when the Prophets exhorte men to true repentaunce they doe euer prayse works and namely suche as do concerne our neyghboure forsomuche as hipocrisie may least be therein cloked and that mā doth declare by that whiche he doth concerning the commaundements of the second table and toward his neyghboure what harte he beareth toward God and in what reuerence he hath the commandements of the first table for it is an easie matter for a man to boast himselfe to haue a sound and perfecte harte towarde God and to make a shew by the obseruation of the outward ceremonies but whē he must in déede lay hande to the worke which is to say to the true charitie which is the ende and fulfilling of the lawe and to the workes
planteth and he that watereth are nothing but God whiche giueth the encrease P. It is true And for that cause in somuche as he is man he hath planted and watered by his outwarde ministerie but in that that he is very God he hath also power to giue the encrease and doth dayly giue it by the ministerie of his seruāts M. In so doing he doth there dayly the office of prophet P. If he did not so all the rest as well Prophetes as Apostles and all the ministers of the worde of God shold trauel in déede in vaine M. Doth he also the like in the administration of the Sacramentes P. Thou maist easily iudge by that which Saincte Iohn Baptiste sayde that as for him he baptised but with water but that there shoulde be an other to witte Iesus Christe whiche should baptise with the holy Ghoste and with fire M. It semeth to me that this passage whiche thou haste euen nowe alledged doth confirme all that whiche thou hast alreadie spoken of the power of the ministerie of Iesus Christ P. It is very certaine For as he giueth vertue and efficacie to the Sacramentes euen so dothe hée to the worde and to the preachyng of the same and in like sorte he doth in the Sacramentes as in the administration of the worde for the reason is lyke Of the office of Kyng of Iesus Chryste M. I Doe nowe well vnderstande this poynt concerning the office of Prophete of Iesus Chryste continue the others whyche also concerne his office Peter The seconde poynte is touchyng hys office royall Math. What dothe it importe Peter That he is the true and eternall King of the people of GOD whiche he hathe boughte with his bloud and deliuered from the captiuitie and tyrannie of the diuell to sette them in full spirituall libertie and to leade and gouerne them as a spirituall king and to make them partaker wyth hym of hys heauenlye kingdome Is thys the cause why he is called our Lorde P. It is certaine that this name and title is proprely giuen vnto him in respecte of the worke of the redēption by the which he hath woon vs to himselfe and for the whiche cause his people is called the woon people Of the office of Sacrificer of Iesus Chryst and of the parts therof M. LEtte vs nowe come to the thirde point of the office of Iesus Christ whiche is touching his office of Sacrificer P. It is an office whiche dothe also comprehende thrée very excellent things the whiche Iesus Christe hath fully accomplished in perfection M. Whiche be they P. To teache to pray and to offer sacrifice Of the office to teache M. THe auncient Préests of the lawe had they all these offices P. It appeareth that they had the office to teach by that which is writen in Malachie The lips of the Sacrificer do kepe knowledge and men shall require the lawe at his mouth For he is the Ambassador and messenger of the Lorde of hosts M. Touching thys pointe Iesus Christe hath very well discharged himselfe for he hath not spared to teach the people yea in his owne person P. No man may doubte thereof Of two most principall partes of the preestly office of Iesus Christ M. BVt it séemeth to me that this point is alredy comprehendid vnder the office of Prophet P. It is true and therefore he is called properly the Eternall préest after the order of Melchisedech bycause of the prayer and of the sacrifice by which he hath bin intercessor for vs and hath made our attonemente with the father M. The auncient préests of the law had they also that charge to praye and to sacrifice P. The holy Ghoste doth tell it vs plainely in the Epistle to the Hebreus not only that this office did appertaine to the anciente préests of the lawe but it doth also declare vnto vs the cause why it was necessarie that this office should be assygned to Iesus Christ M. What is it then that is mente by it P. That euery préest was ordeyned to pray first for hys owne sinnes and then for those of the people and in like sorte to sacrifice to the ende that God should be reconciled vnto him Hovv that none may be a perfecte sacrificer but Iesus Christ only M. ANd if the préests of the lawe were ordeyned by God therevnto what néed was there then that this office should be assigned to Iesus christ P. The passage which I alledged to thée euen now dothe giue plaine matter to the solution of thy question with that whiche we haue alredy handled heretofore to this purpose M. How P. For somuch as the préests of the lawe had néede to pray not onely for the sinnes of the people but also for theyr owne the same maye giue thée to vnderstande that they could make no sacrifice to God which should be sufficiente to appease his wrath towarde his people M. Why so P. I haue alredy shewed thée heretofore that there is no man that may do any worke which may be acceptable to him if first the person whiche doth it be not acceptable to him Now sinne of hys nature deserueth the wrath of God and not his loue and fauour M. Doest thou then meane that bycause al men are sinners there are none which are agreable to him and if their persons be not agréeable to him no more can their workes please him P. No so long as he doth consider them in their owne nature without his grace in Iesus Christ by whome only man is made agreable vnto him For vvhat cause no sacrifice nor any other vvorke of man vvhatsoeuer it be may be able to make satisfaction to God. M. IS there yet any other reason than that which thou sayst P. Euē as God is perfecte so is there no worke that can be plesant vnto him except it be perfect M. Doest thou then meane that there is no worke of man be it neuer so perfecte whiche is not imperfect in his sighte P. I haue sufficiently shewed it them heretofore Wherefore it followeth that there is none that may fully satisfie him M. I haue very well vnderstoode already that thou hast sayde that there was no worke that mighte satisfie him neyther in parte nor in all but I do not yet well vnderstand what reason there is in it P. And yet notwithstanding I haue alredy declared it to thee M. It is true but I am not yet wel satisfied For if a debter cannot pay the whole summe that he oweth and if he pay parte is there not alwayes so much rebated and diminished of the principall summe P. Albeit that that whiche thou saist hath place among men yet notwithstanding he that hath not satisfied the whole summe standeth still bound euen according to the contracts of men for she rest which he oweth is not cléerely discharged vntill he haue paide all vnlesse that of fauour the creditor wil acquite him otherwise if he wil kepe him prisoner vntill he haue
haue ben iustified by the workes of the lawe M. Thou wilte then saye in effecte that there is none other true and perfecte sacrificer which may offer vnto God perfecte sacrifice to make an agréement betwene him mankynde but Iesus Chryst only forsomuch as he is perfect and without sin P. Beside this reason thou haste yet to note that which we haue alreadie heretofore said that euen as the paine due to our sinnes is infinite euen so the sacrifice of Iesus Christe is of merite and vertue infinite Math. And what is the cause therof P. It is not only bicause he is without synne and without spotte as wée haue alreadie hearde but also bycause hee is the true and naturall Sonne of God and that his humane nature is ioyned to his diuine nature which is infinite of the which the humane nature taketh his vertue Ma. If this diuine nature were not ioyned with hys humane nature coulde it not giue lyfe of it self except it tooke it of the diuine nature Peter Thou haste alreadie hearde howe that his diuine nature is the fountaine And therfore Iesus Chryste hath sayde The fleshe profiteth nothyng to wit if it be considered as separate from hys diuyne nature and from hys holye Spirite but it is the Spirite whiche gyueth lyfe M. What meaneth hee by that spirit giuyng life Pe. It is the God dwelling in Iesus Chryste corporally as S. Paule sayeth to witte really and in déede reconciling the worlde to himselfe Of the perfecte obedience of Iesus Christe vvhiche maketh his office so perfecte M. WHiche is the principall cause that maketh thys Sacrifice of Iesus Chryste so perfecte in suche sorte as it hathe power to reconcile vs vnto God and to satisfie fully for vs at his iudgement Pe. The perfect obedience whiche he yelded to God his Father in the same the whiche is muche more greate and infinite than the rebellion and transgression in recompence wherof he hath yelded to GOD so perfecte an obedience Math. When was it that he made this sacrifice whereby hée hathe yelded suche obedience vnto God his father Peter When by the Eternall Spirite he offered himselfe vppon the trée of the Crosse in the whyche hée hathe borne the cursse and iudgement of God which we had deserued by oure sinnes and he hath turned that cursse to vs into a blessing bicause it is the séede of Abraham by whome GOD hathe promised blessing to all the nations of the earth M. Is it then the cause why we confesse that he hath suffered vnder Ponce Pylate and that he was crucified dead and buryed P. It is euen the same Of the office of intercessor and of Aduocate of Iesus Chryst and of the vertue of the same M. ANd when he offered vp this Sacrifice did he also then the office of intercessor praying the father for vs P. The one of the workes is not without the other For he became not pledge and suretie for vs but forthwith he was also oure aduocate and did fully handle our cause to obtaine for vs pardon of our sinnes of his father whereof he had no néede for himselfe And therfore he hathe demaunded that pardon for vs the whiche is not only graunted vs but also his iustice his innocencie his obedience and satisfactiō are accompted ours as though they were ours and as though they procéeded frō vs. M. Doth he at this present that office of mediator and aduocate P. Thinke not that he hath done it only for one time but thou oughtest to vnderstād that he maketh intercession withoute cease for vs. M. That notwithstanding he was sacrifised but once and can be no more euen as he coulde but once dye P. It followeth not therefore but that the vertue of his sacrifice which he hath once offered for vs and also his prayer which he made in the same be such considering they be infinite that they do extend from the one end euen to the other ende of the worlde and from the beginning euen to the ende of the same For Iesus is before yesterday and to day and for euer M. If Iesus Christ do make incessantly intercession for vs in such sorte as thou sayst it is then requisite that he be perpetually in Heauen before the Father not onely in hys diuine nature but also in his humane nature in the whiche he hath satisfied for vs and for whose cause he is our intercessor mediatoure and aduocate P. If he were not risen againe and ascended into Heauen we mighte not onely not hold him for our mediator and aduocate but also we mought not accompt him for oure lorde and oure king M. For what cause P. For that that he shoulde not haue ben victorious of our enimies whiche are the world the fleshe sinne death the diuell and hell and shoulde not haue deliuered vs but shoulde himselfe haue ben vāquished by them M. We are then assured of this victorie wherof thou speakest by the resurrection and ascention of Iesus Christ P. We ar not only assured but also the victorie is the frute which commeth vnto vs by that resurrection and ascention as also the perpetuall intercession by the whiche wee are assured that we haue the sonne of God in Heauen for our intercessor and aduocate Of the two commings of Iesus Christ M. HAue we yet any other pointes to cōsider vpon the work of redemption done by Iesus Christ Pet. We haue also therin to cōsider the two commings of him M. Which is the firste P. It is this same whereof we nowe speake in the which he toke our flesh to accomplish in the same all the workes whereof wée haue spoken vntill this presente Math. Whyche is the seconde Peter That wherein he shall come not in the basenesse and infirmitie of the fleshe to suffer for vs as he did in his firste comming but in glorie and maiestie to glorifye with him all those whiche thorough saith shal haue receyued him for their sauiour and redemer when he was set forth vnto them by the Gospell condemne as iudge of the liuing and of the deade all these whiche woulde not haue receyued him acknowledge him for such an one and to make al his enimies his footstoole ¶ Of the person of the holie Ghost The tenth Dialogue Of the vvoorke of viuification and of the principall pointes to bee considered concerning the holie Ghoste MATHEVV WHat is there now to be doon in the matters that we haue yet to hādle folowing those whiche wée haue already heretofore hādled P. Seing that we haue alredy sufficiently spoken of the work of redemption we may now speake of the worke of viuification and sanctification whiche is properly attributed to the holy Ghoste M. Whiche be the principall points to consider in the same P. There be chiefly two M. Which is the firste P. It is concerning the person and the nature of the holy Gost M. And the second P. Concerning his gifts and graces and the distribution of
this remission of sinnes whereof we nowe speake but also the victorye against sinne death hell and the Deuill and likewise eternall life the whiche Iesus Christ hath wonne for it bycause that she is the spouse of him and that she entreth into communion of all his goodes with him by meane of this spirituall mariage by the whiche she is conioyned to him as a chast virgin by the vertue of faith in him M. Seing it is so the ministerie of the gospel is then a meane by the which this holy aliance of marriage is made that is betwéen Iesus Christ his church for the which cause there is such cōmunion betwene Iesus Christ the husbande the Church his espouse P. Thou concludest very wel For the Lord vseth the same meanes in this spirituall mariage that men haue accustomed to vse in their ordinarie mariages M. Which be those meanes P. Thou doest firste wel vnderstand that no mariage can be made except the husband and the wife do giue the faith of mariage the one to the other the which emporteth all that which belongeth to true mariage M It must néedes be so For the true foundatiō of mariage lyeth in the faith which the husbād the wife do giue one to the other And therefore men say that they whiche haue so giuen their faith are assured by promesse P. Now thou sayest that the husband the wife cannot so giue their faith the one to the other but that there is promesse on both partes the which cānot be done but by wordes by the whiche the husbande and the wife declare their will and consente Mathevve Albeit that the promesse be sufficiente for the assurāce and confirmation of the marriage notwithstanding the custome is yet that the husbande giueth ordinarilye to his wyfe some gift for more assurance and confirmation of their marriage and also of the mutuall obligation that they haue made the one to the other P. Euen the lyke is done by the ministerie of the Gospell betwéene Iesus Christe and his Churche For there is the promise whyche Iesus Chryst made vnto hir and then that is there also wherby the Churche accepteth that promise of hir husbande and by the which she giueth hir selfe to him euen as he hath giuen himselfe to hir And then the sacraments are as rings and iewels and such other gifts which the husbands are accustomed to giue to their wyues for the more cōfirmation and approuing of their mariage M. Séeing then that it is so the ministers of the Church are in maner like touching the spiritual mariage to those whiche make the assurance betwéene the husbande and the wyfe and do declare vnto them the promises by the which they ought to bynd themselues the one to the other and giuing them to drinke or some other suche like token in the name of mariage P. Thou doest not take it amisse and therefore Sainct Iohn which was sent by God to bring to Iesus Christ by the meane of his ministerie the Churche his espouse is called the friende of the bridegrome And Sainct Paule hath written to the Corinthes to the same effecte I am iealous of you with a godly iealousye for I haue ioyned you to an husband to presente you a chast virgine to Christ By vvhat meane men attayne to eternall life and of the benefites comprehended in the communiō of Saincts M. SEing that the communion of saincts comprehendeth al those good things whereof thou hast euen now made mention is that also the cause why that after the remission of sinnes we confesse in like sorte the resurrection of the fleshe and the life eternall P. It is euen so For to attaine to that felicitie which is our ful cōsolation God doth graunt vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes without the which we cannot attaine to that happie life M. Seing then that this communion of saincts with Iesus Christ the which is his church bringeth with it so greate good thinges whiche are the greatest that man maye wish and obtaine surely they are thē very happie which are comprehended in the same and they very vnhappie which are shut from it Pet. Euery man maye well knowe that For séeing that the Churche is the kingdome of God whereof Christe is the chiefe king there is no doubte but that all those which are strangers shut out of the Churche be also shut out and banished frō the companie of Iesus Christ whiche is the chiefe and king thereof and so consequently of the happie and eternall life M. Who is the cause thereof P. It is forsomuch as if there be no man that may enter into this communion but by the meane of Iesus Christe euen so Iesus Christ cannot be vnited to any mā which is not a member of his Church no more than a heade maye be vnited to another body than his owne and his members and cannot be separated but all the body dyeth Of the excellencie of the ministerie and of the other two partes of the same M. SEing thē that the ministerie of the word of God is vnto vs as a way to bring vs to true repentaunce and to true faith to the ende that afterward we may come euen to Iesus Christ and the communion of all his riches me thinketh we ought to haue that ministerie in great reuerence and in great price P. Esay dothe very well set it foorth when he saith that the féete of those are faire whiche declare peace and the good things whiche he doth and will bestowe vppon his Church M. Thou hast hithervnto spoken of the administration of the word the which is administred by this ministerie but thou hast yet sayde nothing of the administration of the sacramentes nor yet of the discipline of the Church which are the two other partes of the ministerie whereof thou hast made mention P. Al these two administratiōs depēd of the first For the Sacramēts are as dependances of the preaching of the worde of God. M. And what is the discipline P. It concerneth the order and gouernemente of the Churche which hath respecte to the good prouision for the same according to that worde to the ende that all be done in it by so good order that the word of God and the Sacramentes be so administred receyued and honoured as is méete and that all that which might hinder the true seruice of God and the edificatiō of the Church be there taken away The fiftenth Dialogue is of the sacramēts of baptisme and of the Lords Supper Of the Sacraments and of the number of them MATHEVV SEing that we are come vppon the matter of Sacraments shewe me now for the first what thou meanest by Sacrament P. A visible signe ordeyned of Iesus Christ as a seale to confirme vs the better in the saith of the promises the which god hath made vs of our saluatiō in him M. How many Sacraments hath he ordeyned P. There are but two which may be called properly by that name and
of the signes how God doth accomplishe by effect that which is signified as well by the worde as by the signes Of things to consider in the signes and in the signification of them in all Sacramentes M. WHat hast thou yet to saye of the sygnes and of their signification Peter Thou séest how that Iesus Chryst was not contented with the wordes only in the Supper but he added also therevnto the signes of the breade and of the wine as is that of the water in baptisme M. I demaund thée nothing of their signification For thou hast alredy declared it vnto me P. Thou hast only to note that these signes are not true signes without the things signified by them VVhether Hipocrites and Infidells do as vvell communicate in the Supper of the things signified by the signes as they do of the signes M. IF it be so that the signes be not vaine neyther in the supper nor yet in the other Sacraments without hauing with them the things which they signifie it thē followeth that whosoeuer receyueth the signes receyueth also the things signified by them and by that meane the infidells which are hypocrits do no lesse part take of the whole Sacramente than do the faithfull P. Thou concludest not well For when I say that the signes are not in the Sacraments without the thinges by them signified thou must vnderstād that on God his parte for he dothe not sette foorth his worde and sacraments to men without presenting vnto them also the things wherof he doth admonish them by the same Ma. How commeth it then to passe that all do not communicate alyke Pe. Bycause that all they to whome the gyftes of God are offered do not receyue them M. What is the cause that they do not receiue them P. Bicause they bring not fayth with them without the whiche no man can receiue them M. Thou wilt then say that they shut themselues from it by meane of their vnbeléefe and that it is not sufficient that the gifts of God bée presented vnto vs by his worde and hys sacraments if that forthwith they be not receiued and they can not be receiued but by meane of Faith which the infidels and hypocrites haue not P. Thou oughtest here to vnderstād that Iesus Christ may not be separated from his sprite séeing that it is so as none can receyue him but by his spirite euen so can hée not be receyued excepte he forthwith gyue hys holy spirite with him and doe make partakers of all these guiftes and graces all those whiche receiue him Mathevve Thou haste here yelded a greate reason Peter If it were not so there should be no difference betweene the faithfull and the infidell in the communion of GOD his Sacramentes and guyftes M. Yet thou confessest that notwythstandyng they may communicate of the outwarde signes as well as the other albeit they can not communicate of the thyngs signifyed by the signes Peter They maye there communicate well forsomuche as no mā may let them so long as they offer themselues as faithfull and that they be not discouered to the Churche for suche as they bée in sorte that they mought be vanquished of their vnworthinesse to seclude them wholly For if the things signified by the Sacramentes do not belong to them no more also doe belong the signes whiche signifie them Math. If they were then knowne of men to bée suche as they be before GOD they shoulde bée excommunicate to the ende they shoulde not approche Peter It is certayne And bycause that they are not knowne yf they were well aduysed they woulde of them selues forbeare for so much as they can not communicate of the very outward Sacramentes but to their condemnation bycause they are in no respect capable thereof wherfore they do but dishonour God and his Church prouoke daily more and more the wrath of God vpon them VVherfore are the breade and wyne called by the name of the body and bloud of Iesus Christ if they be not that body and bloud M. I Am satisfied touching that poynte but I haue yet some difficultie concerning that which thou hast said that the bread and the wine are not the body and bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper and yet it séemeth that Iesus Christ saieth the contrarie cleane For he calleth them his body and his bloud by his owne wordes which thou hast euē now alledged P. But he meaneth not thereby that the breade wine are his body and bloude in proper substance in suche sort as their substance is cōuerted into the substance of his bodye and bloud M. For what cause then vseth he that maner of speache and hath not rather vsed some other more playne P. There are chiefely two reasons not only for that he vsed it but also why that maner of speache is more proper and more plaine in that matter than any other M. Which is the first of these reasons P. It is that when the holy scripture speaketh of Sacramentes it doth willingly name the signes with the names of the thinges whiche are signified by them And therfore Iesus Christ would accōmodate himselfe to that speache which the holy Ghost hath alwaye accustomed to vse in the Church bycause that it is familiar and easye to vnderstand to God his people with whō he hath to doe and vnto whom he doth addresse his doctrine M. And why is it that the holy Ghost speaketh rather this lāguage than otherwise P. Bycause it is more agréeable to this matter than any other M. For what cause P. For so muche as the Lorde will giue vs to vnderstand by suche phrases of speache that albeit that the signes of the Sacramentes be not the very same thinges which are signified by them yet notwithstanding they are not without them Of the manner in the vvhiche the bodie and the bloud of Iesus Christe are present in the supper and are communicate to the faithfull as vvell as the signes vvhich represent them M. IN what sorte then are they there if the signes remayn stil in their own substance P. Albeit they be not there by a naturall corporall materiall presence as the visible signes whiche are there giuen to vs that notwithstanding they be thereby a diuine spirituall vertue and maner wherby God by the vertue of his holy spirite doth make partaker of them all suche as by true and liuely faithe doe receiue his word and his sacraments by which he cōfirmeth the same in our harts Of the substantiall and naturall coniunction of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ with the bread and vvith the vvine of the Supper M. BVt if the breade and the wine doe not chaunge their substaunce and neyther be transubstantiated conuerted nor changed into the bodie and the bloud of Iesus Chryste may not then the bodie and bloud of Iesus Chryste be well ioyned to them in their owne proper substāce nature P. Ther are among those which reiect the false doctrine of transubstantiation
to the children or people of Israel as though he gaue his lawe but to them onely the whiche notwithstanding euen as it hath bene sayde heretofore doth no lesse belōg to vs than to that people Wherfore I would gladly vnderstād the meaning of it and the causes and reasons for the which God did so set it forth wherein it belongeth to vs. D. You doe know well that when Kinges Princes make any Lawes and doe cause any statutes or ordinaunces to be published in their name they doe accustome to put some preface to it cōtayning their name and the titles wherby they declare what their Maiestie Lordship power is Seing then that God whiche is the chiefe King Prince of al creatures would publishe his Lawe was it not then méete that he shoulde declare that he was the Lawmaker and what was his maiestie power And therefore did he say I am the lorde thy God whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Egipte from the house of bondage Then is it requisite before all other things to knowe in this lawe who is the true God and by what meanes he may be knowen and discerned and seperated from false Goddes that this knowledge goe before all the cōmandements folowing For who shall call vpon God who shall feare him who shall loue him who shal put his truste in him if that first he do not know him and not in such sorte as the heathen doe who although they had a certayne opinion that there was a God vpon whome it behoued them to call to feare to loue and to honour yet for all that they did not know who he was nor where to finde him And for so much as wée can not sée him nor discerne him with eyes nor with any other corporal sense yet notwithstanding wée must beholde him embrase him and speake vnto him from the harte and frō the spirite Of the name Eternal vvhich is Jehoua in Hebrevve giuen to God. T. WHerefore dothe he first call him selfe the Eternal D. He dothe declare in the Hebrewe tongue in the which Moyses hath writtē these things by the woorde of Iehoua the which we do so translate what is his beyng his nature that he is the Creatour of al creatures the first the last without beginning and without end and hath his being of none other but of him self of him all things haue their beyng are come from him and doe returne into him It is he by whom we liue moue are Thē may he lawfully say I am the whiche none els may iustly say Wherefore seyng that he is our Creatour so by consequent our guide gouerner that we haue of him our soule body and goodes is it not méete that we doe acknowledge him to be our King Prince Lord render to him the homage of soule of body goodes of all things els that we haue receyued of him to yelde vnto him perfect obedience For this cause the holy Scripture putteth vs in minde oftētimes of these things giueth to God the title of maker of heauen and earth Wherfore it must néedes be graūted that none other be our God but onely he vnto whom this name and title belongeth which is that Eternall essence that can doe all things and is the beginning the conseruation the end of all things In vvhat sorte God is generally called the God of all men and chiefely the God of his chosen people T. WHerefore doth he also say beside that Thy God D. Bicause that this first benefite is cōmon to all men to al creatures according to their nature in as much as he is creatour of thē all he addeth vnto it also this title to make him more amiable and fauourable vnto vs to the end that by that meane he may make his doctrine more acceptable vnto vs that he may make vs the more willing to receyue it as the doctrine of our father who by the same procureth nothing but onely our cōmoditie and saluation And therefore he doth not onely say God but thy God which is a maner of speach that according to the phrase of the holy Scripture carieth with it fauour grace For first the name of God the which Moyses here doth vse doth signifie in Hebrewe force forces to declare vnto vs that he hath the power to aide and helpe vs and that he is not onely God for him selfe to witte that he will kéepe in him selfe the good things that in him are and not to bestow distribute them but that his very office is to bestow thē vpō men to shewe him self gratious fauourable towardes thē When he doth the contrary being prouoked thereunto by their frowardnesse wickednesse he doth by his prophets call that worke a straūge worke Wherefore when he calleth him selfe the God of any people he declareth therby that he is not only their God as he is generally the God of all creatures as Creatour of them but that he is their God not seuere rigorous as a iudge toward euill doers but curteous louing fauourable merciful as a good father to his childrē When then he sayeth Thy God he doth then put thē in minde of that which he spake before that he had chosen this people as his own enheritance as a precious Iewell among all the rest And therefore it is not without cause sayd by the Prophete he hath done so to none other nation And therefore he sayth by Esaie And now saith the Lord thus which hath created thée Iacob who hath fashioned thée Israell feare not for I haue bought thée I haue named thy name Thou art mine When thou shalt passe by water I will be with thee the floudes shall not swallow thée vp When thou shalt passe through the fire thou shalt not be burnt For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israell thy Sauiour c. T. There is a goodly declaration of that which thou hast now spoken and a very apparant testimonie D. It is euen so For thou séest that after that he calleth him self the God the maker fashioner of Israell the Eternall he addeth vnto it immediatly Thy Sauiour whiche haue redéemed thée For vvhat cause God doth make expresse mention in the preface of his Lavve of the deliuerance of Israell out of Egipte T. ANd why doeth he adde yet which haue brought thée out of the lande of Egipt D. To put thē in minde of the great benefite the which not long before they had receiued of him and whereby he had plainely declared vnto them that he was their God and that he esteemed them for his people in an other sorte than he did the Egiptians wherefore they had good occasion to thinke that so good a God and so louing a father would not set forth vnto thē any doctrine but such as should be greatly for
fallen into an other necessitie wholy cōtrary to the first For in the stead that before he did necessarily good was wholy giuen to God for that of his nature he coulde not then will nor do otherwise through constraint hauing changed both nature will he can not but folow his nature wherefore this necessitie of wel doing did not procéede of any wāt that was in him as it séemeth vnto vs that the woorde doth signifie for when wée speake of good things we doe not in that behalfe take necessitie for néede or lacks but for a dispositiō of things which cā not be other but such as she is hir self according to the declaration that hath bene already made if wée speake of euill wée may well then say that the necessitie whereof wée speake is ioyned with lacke of goodnesse contrarie to this euill For the euill which man doth is not done but for wante of goodnesse which ought to be in him in the steade of the euill into the which the good was chaunged the which euill of his nature engēdreth euill where as the good engendreth good Wée sée the like againe of this in some other thing as in the darkenesses whiche the night doth bring vnto vs in that which foloweth for what is the cause of the night but only the shadow of the earth whiche taketh from vs the light of the sunne bringeth vnto vs darknesses cōtrary to that light by meanes whereof we haue the day turned into night and then when we are couered all ouer with the night we can not doe that which we doe in the day nor go forth right but clean contrarie and that bicause that wée haue darknesse in the steade of light without the which we can not walke directly yet all this while is the necessitie without constraint For albeit that the lacke which may be in a mā the which we cal necessitie be by chaūce an occasion to make him to steale yet notwithstāding he cannot iustly say that he was constrained to steale for if he had bene an honest man and not a théefe he would rather haue endured all kinde of miseries necessities than to haue stolen but for so much as he had rather liue at his ease than he would endure paine misery according to the will of God he had rather steale than to obey God. Hovv that the necessitie that is here spoken of is free and commendable in good things and hovv it ought to be othervvise considered in God than in Creatures T. THen by as much as I can vnderstand of such matters if this necessitie be sound in a good thing it is cōmendable ioined with great libertie D. We doe sée it in the nature of God as it hath bene already touched For that which God can not bée necessarily but all mighty all wise all iust all good al perfect infinite eternal immortall doth not carrie with it a necessitie of lacke nor constraint nor yet doth in any respect diminish the power the glory maiestie of him but on the cōtrary it doth magnifie declare the great excellencie perfection of his nature For it is not a true libertie cōmendation to be able to sinne to doe euill but it is a token of an excellent nature to be so perfect in goodnesse that it doth holde in it cōtinually that goodnesse which it naturally hath in such sorte that it cā not by any accident whatsoeuer it be be chaunged diminished or abolished it is as if we shold say that it is impossible that God should not be God good and iuste Who would not cōclude thē by that same that God is not all mighty that there is something impossible to him Are we more stronge than he bicause we may be wicked vntrue vniust liers the which he cā not be For goodnes is in him a thing which hath subiect substāce the accidēts agreable to the same as we do sée in the sunne in his light which doth light all the world for the euil is nothing els but a priuatiō lacke want of the good which ought to be euen as the darkenesses are nothing els than priuation lacke of light Or if thou haddest rather to haue it spoken in other termes it is nothing but a corrupted qualitie a vicious accident which are come vpō a good substance creature of God haue corrupted it the faute whereof may not be sought in God albeit that nothing cā come to passe without his prouidence his eternal counsell but it must be sought in causes more neare vnto vs leauing a parte the secrete counselles iudgments of God which is in such sorte the cause of causes that no fault may be imputed vnto him or that he cā do any thing other than iustly For he hath in such sort disposed the secōd causes that when the euil is a doing the wicked will either of the Deuill or man cōmeth betwéene in such sorte that that fault resteth in thē albeit that God doth cause their wicked worke and will to serue him and make the worker good in so much as God is serued therewith As touching the reste thou oughtest to note that there is none which of his own nature is of such an vnchaungeable and infinite goodnesse but God only which is onely vnchangeable and the most frée of all others and doth giue a law to al creatures is aboue all lawes himselfe being a lawe to all creatures For the same cause our Lorde Iesus Christe hath saide that none is good but the onely God bicause that goodnesse is to him naturall essentiall and substantiall and it is inseparable with him and not accidentall and separable which may be ioyned vnto him or taken away from him by any manner of meanes But the like is not of creatures how excellent so euer they be as we may sée first in the Angels and afterwarde in man. T. I shall also very gladly vnderstand this point Of the creation and fall of the Angels and hovv that God in the same hath declared the difference that is betvveene the Creator and the Creature and hovv it is onely he that is perfect and vnchaungeable D. WHen he did create the Angells he created them all good for he could make them none other for somuch as he is in suche sorte good that he can do nothing but well otherwyse he shoulde not be god Wherfore we may not imagine two Gods with the Manichees the one good and the author and Creator of good things and the other euill and the author and creator of euill For the euill can not bée God nor any other than the deuill himselfe which is a creature and not a Creator although he be the author of all euill who notwithstandyng was not created suche an one of God but is become suche of his owne malice when he turned away from God and renounced the goodnesse that he receyued of him