wrath as Dauid doth signifie whan he sayth Lorde do not rebuke me in thy furye and wrathe And Ieremie also whan he saythe Lorde rebuke or chastise me but yet in iudgement and not in fury lest thou destroye me and brynge me to nothynge Here truelye he speaketh of moste bytter and greuous paynes And oure aduersaries do confesse that contrition maye be so greate that satisfaction is not requisite Ergo coÌ„trition is more truely a punyshemeÌ„t than be the papisticall satisfactions whiche be coÌ„menly enioyned Secundarily sayntes holy men be subiecte to deathe other comen afflictioÌ„s as Peter saythe It is tyme to begyn iudgement at the house of god And if it begynne at vs what maner ende shall the ende of them be whiche do not beleue And thoughe these be for the moste parte punyshementes of synnes yet ne theles in good men they haue a nother ende for they be layde vpon them to mortifie synne present because in holy men they do quenche and mortifie concupiscence For deathe to this entente is lefte in holy men to abolyshe and put away this vnclene nature Therfore Paule saythe The body is deade because of sinne that is to say it is mortified for cause of the preseÌ„t synne whiche is yet lefte remayneth in the flesshe The crosse therfore is not a payne or punyshemeÌ„t but an exercise a preparation vnto renouation For whan the present synne is mortified whan in the myddes of temptations we do lerne to seeke helpe of god and we do proue and fynde the presence and ayde of god we more and more acknowlege or recognise the diffidence of oure owne hartes and do lyfte vp our selfes by faythe So groweth the newnes of spirite as Paule saythe Althoughe oure outwarde man be destroyed yeâ— our inwarde man is renewed from day to day Also Esaie sayth The anguyshe in whiche they do crye is thy discipline to them Besydes this deathe is than a verye punyshement whan the herte throughly troubled and made afrayde doth feele and ê‘ceyue the wrathe of god accordyng to that sayenge of scripture The prycke or stynge of deathe is synne But after that in holy men the terrours of synne be ouercome by faythe death without that felynge of the wrathe of god is proprely no punyshement But so it is that the keyes do neyther laye on neyther remitte these paynes wherfore satisfactions do not apperteyne nor belonge to these paynes For the keyes do not remitte neyther deathe neyther any parte of the comen afflictions More ouer if they do redeme these paynes with satisfactions why do they byd vs make satisfaction in Purgatory They obiecte agaynste vs Adam also Dauid which was punished for hê adultery Of these examples they do make an vniuersal rule that to euery syn is correspondent a propre temporall punyshement in layeng on the power of the keyes Afore it was sayde that holy men do susteyne punyshementes whiche be the workes of god they susteyn coÌ„tritioÌ„ or terrours they susteyne also other comen afflictioÌ„s So some susteyne propre punyshmentes layde on them by god because of example to other And these punyshementes do nothyng belonge to the keyes For the keyes can neyther laye them on neyther remitte theÌ„ but god without the ministerie or seruice of the keyes bothe dothe laye them on and also remitte them Neyther doth this vniuersall rule folowe as to gather in this wyse UpoÌ„ Dauid was layd a propre punyshement for his offence ergo besydes the comen afflictioÌ„s there is a certeine other payne of Purgatory in which to euery synne is correspondent a degree of punyshement Where dothe the scripture teache this that we can not be delyuered from eternall deathe but by that recompence of certeyne paynes besydes the comen afflictions Contrarywyse the scripture dothe often tymes teache that remission of synnes dothe come freelye for Christis sake and that Christe is the ouercomer of deathe and of synne Wherfore we ought not to patche vnto him the merite of satisfactioÌ„ And though there be afflictions left yet not withstaÌ„dyng the scripture dothe iudge them to be mortifications of the synne presente not recompensations of eternall deathe or prices of eternall deathe Iob is excused that he was not punyshed for his offences coÌ„mitted in tymes passed wherfore afflictions be not alwayes punyshementes or tokens of wrathe But rather frearefull consciences be to be taughte that there be other better endes of afflictioÌ„s lest els they myght thynke them selues to be reiected of god if in afflictions they do se nothynge but punyshement the wrathe of god Other better endê I say are to be consydered as this ende that god dothe a nother mannes workes that he maye do his owne worke c. as Esaie dothe teache in a longe sermon And whan the disciples dyd aske Christ coÌ„cernyng the blynde man who had synned Christe answered that synne was not the cause of his blyndnes but that the worke of god myghte be shewed and declared in hym And in Ieremie it is sayde To whom there was no iudgement they drynkyng shall drynke c. As the prophetes were slayne and IohnÌ„ Baptiste other holy men Wherfore afflictions be not always punyshemeÌ„tes for certeyn synnes done in tymes past but they be workes of god appoynted to oure vtilitie and ê“fite and that the power of god shulde be the more shewed and the better sene knowen in our infirmitie So Paule sayth â–ª The power of god is made perfecte in myn infirmitie and weykenes Therfore our bodies oughte to be sacrifices or oblations bicause of goddes wyll and pleasure to declare oure obedience and not to make recompense for eternall deathe for whiche god hath a nother price I meane the deathe of his sonne And after this sentence meanyng doth Gregorie interprete also that punyshement of Dauid whan he sayth If god for that synne had thretened that he shuld be so huÌ„bled of his sonne why after that the sinne was forgyuen dyd he fulfylle that whiche he had thretened It is answered that that forgyuenes of synne was done lest the man shulde be letted to receyue eternall lyfe And that example of punyshement thretened dyd folowe that the holynes of the man also in that humilitie or affliction myght be exercised ê“ued So also god dyd laye vpon man deathe of the body bicause of synne and after the forgyuenes of synnes he hath not takeÌ„ away death for cause of iustice to be exercised that is to saye that the iustice myghte be exercised proued of them whiche be saÌ„ctified Neyther be the comen calamites and afflictions taken away proprely by those workes of canonicall satisfactions that is to witte by those workes of mennes traditions whiche they do say to be of suche strength by reason of the worke that is wroughte that albeit they be done in deadely synne yet they do redeme paynes And whan that texte of Paule is alledged If we wolde iudge our selues we shulde not be
men Wherfore they in whom Christe dothe nothynge worke be nat membres of Christ. And thys confesse the aduersaries that the euyll persons be deade meÌ„bres of the churche Wherfore we wonder why they rebuked our description which speaketh of the quicke membres Nor it is no newe thiÌ„g that we bryng in Paule defyneth the churche in lyke wyse where as he sayeth that it is purified to the ende it myght be holy And he addeth these outwarde tokyns the worde and the sacramentes For thus he sayeth Christ loued the churche and gaue hym selfe for it to sanctify it purifieng it with the bathe of water by the worde to the ende he myght exhibite it vnto hym selfe a glorious churche nat hauiÌ„g any spotte or wrynkle or any such thynge but that it be holy and inculpate Thys sentence we dyd putte in the confession almoste worde for worde Thus also the article of the Crede dothe defyne the churche whiche hyd vs beleue that there is a catholike churche But the wycked men be nat the holy churche And the article folowyng whiche is Sanctorum communionem the communion of saynctes seme to be added for an exposicion to shewe what the churche is that is to say a congregation of holy persons whiche be felowes and partakers of the same gospell of the same doctrine and of the same holy ghoste whiche reneweth sanctifyeth and gouerneth theyr hartes And thê article is propouned for a necessary cause we se infinite perylles whiche do manasse destruction of the churche Infinite is the multitude of the wycked in the churche whiche oppresse it Wherfore leste we shulde despayre and to the entent we shulde knowe that the churche at leaste wayes shal remayne and because we shulde knowe that be the multitude of the wycked neuer so great yet the churche standeth and Christ perfourmeth his promisses to the churche remitteth sinnes hereth and geueth the holy goste this artycle of the Crede propouneth vnto vs these consolations And it nameth it a catholyk church lest we shulde vnderstaÌ„de the church to be an outwarde congregation of some certayne nation where as it sygnifyeth rather men disparsed through out the worlde which agre in the gospell and haue al one Christe al one holy gost and the same sacramentes whether they haue lyke traditions of man or vnlyke And the glose in the decrees saythe that the Churche largely taken compriseth both good euyll Moreouer that euyll men be of the Churche onely in name and not in dede but the good both in dede and in name In this senteÌ„ce be many thynges red of the fathers For Ierom sayth who therfore is a synner maculate with any spotte can not be sayde of the churche of Christe nor subiecte to Christ. Wherfore although hypocritê and euyll men be felowes of this true churche accordynge to externe rytes yet whan the churche is defined we must nedes define that whiche is the lyuynge bodye of Christe and which is the churche both in name in deâ—e And that for many causes fyrst it is necessary to be knowen what thynge dothe principally make vs membres and lyuishe membres of the Churche But if we shulde onely define the churche to be an externe polecie of good and euyl men shal not vnderstande that the kyngdome of Christ is the iustice of the herte and a gyuynge of the holy ghoste but shall iuge it only to by an outwarde kepiÌ„g of certaine rytê ceremonies Moreouer what diuersitie shall there be betwyxte the people of the lawe the church if the church be an outwarde policie â–ª But Paule doth so discerne the church from the people of the lawe that he calleth the church a spirituall people that is to say distincte not by cyuyle rytes from the geÌ„tyles but the true people of god regenerate by the holy ghoste But in the people of the lawe besyde the promyse made of Christ also the carnal sede had ê“mises of corporal thingê of a kyngdome c. And for these promyses the Iewes were called the people of god not onely the good but also they whiche amoÌ„ge them were euyll For god seuered this carnall sede from the rest of the gentyles by certayn externe ordinaunces and promyses And yet those euyll persones pleased not god But the euangell bryngeth not a shadowe of eternall thingê but the selue thynges whiche be eternal as the holy ghost and ryghtwysenes by whiche we be rightwyse before god Wherfore they only be the people accordyng to the gospel whiche receyue this promyse of the spirite Besyde this the churche is the kyngdome of Christ distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll But certayne it is that wycked men be in the power of the dyuell and membres of his kyngdome as Paule teacheth sayinge that the deuyll is myghtye in infidelles And Christe sayth to the pharisees whiche without doubte had an externe societe with the churche that is to wyte with the holy persones that were in the people of the lawe for they were rulers they sacrifised and taughte Ye be of your father the deuyll So that the churche which is the true kingdome of Christe is proprely the coÌ„gregation of the godly For the wycked be ruled of the deuyll and be his captiues prisoners they be not ruled by the spirite of Christ. But what nede mo wordê in so manifest a thyng If the churche whiche is truely the kyngdome of Christ is distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll it ensueth necessarily that wycked men which be in the kyngedome of the deuyll be not the churche Althoughe in this lyfe because the kyngdome of Christe is not yet declared and opened they be myxed with the true churche and beare offices in the churche nor the wycked be not therfore of the kiÌ„gdome of Christ bicause the reuelation openiÌ„g of the matter is not yet made For this is alway the kyngedome of Christ whiche he by his spirite viuifieth be it disclosed or hydde by the crosse Lykewyse as Christ is the selfe same whiche is nowe glorified and whiche was before crucified and afflicte And to this agree the similitudes of Christe whiche clerely sayth that the good sede be yâ— chyldren of the kyngdome but the darnell be the chyldren of the deuyll the felde he calleth yâ— worlde not the churche In likewise IohnÌ„ speaketh of the hole nation of the Iewes and saythe that the tyme shall come yâ— the true Churche shal be seuered from that people So that this place makethe rather agaynst the aduersaries than with them for it sheweth that the true and spiritual people be seuerable from the carnall people And Christe speaketh of the ymage and lykenes of the churche whan he saythe The kyngdome of heuen is lyke to a nette or to .10 virgyns c. And he teacheth that the Churche is hydde with the multitude of euyl men lest yâ— this sclauÌ„dre or offendicle myght offende good men also to thentenâ— that we shulde knowe yâ— the
god And neyther Christe nor Paule do prayse virginitie therfore because it dothe iustifie but because it is lesse combred and hathe fewer cares belonging to it and is lesse letted with domesticall occupations and busynesses in prayeng in teaching in doing seruice to god Therfore sayth Paule The virgine carith for those thinges whiche be the lordes Uirginitie then is praysed for the excercise and study So Christe dothe nat absolutely and generally prayse all them whiche do gelde them selues but he addethe for the kyngdome of heuen that is for to say that they may haue leysure to learne or to teache the gospell For he dothe nat say that virginitie dothe merite remission of sinnes or saluation To the examples of the leuitical prestes we haue aunswered that they proue nat that prestes ought to be bounde to abstayne from mariage all theyr lyfe tyme agayne the leuitical vncleÌ„nesses ought not to be applyed to vs. A custome agaynst the lawe was then vnclennes Nowe suche custome is nat vnclennes for Paule sayeth All thynges be cleane to them that be cleane For the gospell deliuereth vs and maketh vs free froÌ„ these leuitical impurities And if any man dothe defende the lawe of abstaynyng from mariage to the ende to charge lade consciences with those leuiticall obseruaunces that man ought to be resisted in lykewyse as the apostles dyd resyste them whiche required circumcision and whiche went aboute to laye the burdon of Moses lawe vpoÌ„ christeÌ„ meÌ„nes neckes In the meane season yet good men knowe howe to moderate the carnall vse and company of theyr wyues namely when they be busyed with publycke ministeries and offices apperteynynge to the comen weale with whiche good men be often tymes so busied troubled that they do caste the thoughtes cares coÌ„cernyng theyr house out of theyr myndê Good men knowe this also that Paule dothe bydde vs to possesse our vessels in saÌ„ctification They knowe also that somtime they ought to go a sondre to the entente that they may the better gyue theyr mynde to prayer but Paule wyl nat that they shulde kepe in sondre coÌ„tinually Nowe suche maner continencie is easy to them that be good men and occupied But that greate multitude of ydle prestes whiche be in Collegies can nat fulfill so muche as thys leuiticall continencie they lyue in so greate welthe and pleasures as experieÌ„ce sheweth dayly And these verses of the Poete be knowen wel ynough Desidiam puer ille sequi solet odit agentes that is to saye That luste and desyre of bodyly pleasure is wonte to folowe slouthfulnes but it hateth those that he busy and doyng Many heretikê throughe the mysunderstandynge of the forsayd lawe of Moyses haue had contumelious and shamefull opinions of wedlocke And suche were the Encratites of whom we haue spoken before And it is vndoubted and euidently knowen that monkes and freers haue ben wonte to sowe and sprede abrode euerywhere many superstitious sentences concernyng single lyfe whiche sentences haue troubled many godly consciences euen because of the laufull vse of matrimony And it shulde be no harde thynge for vs to reherse and tell examples For albeit they dyd nat vtterly condempne matrimony because of procreation yet they dyd dysprayse it as a kynde of lyuiÌ„g whiche scarcely at any tyme dothe please god or at the leaste wyse shulde nat please god but only because of procreation But single lyfe they dyd extolle and magnifie as an angelical kynde of liuing This they preached to be the moste pleasaunte sacrifice vnto god to merite remission of synnes to merite garlondes or crownes to brynge forthe the hundreth folde frute and other thinges out of nombre These religions of aungelles Paule dothe greately improue wryting to the Collossians For they do oppresse the knoweledge of Christe when men do thiÌ„ke that they be reputed ryghtuous for suche maner obseruaunces and nat for Christê sake they oppresse also the knowlege of the coÌ„mauddementes of god whan besides the preceptê of god newe ceremonies and seruices be deuised and preferred before the coÌ„maundementes of god Wherfore these superstitious opinions concernynge single lyfe be diligently to be resisted to th entent that both godlye consciences maye knowe what maner honours and seruice god dothe approue But in dede oure aduersaries do not require single lyfe through any suê‘stition For they know that chastitie is not wonte to be kepte But they cloke theyr busynes with superstitious opinions to the entent that they maye begyle the simple and vnlerned ê‘sones They be therfore more worthye of hatered than the Encratites whiche seme to haue fallen in to errour thrughe a certeyne apparaunce of holynes But these voluptuous felowes do purposely abuse the pretence of religion Sixtely though we haue so many causes of disprouynge the lawe of perpetuall abstinence from maryage yet besydê these causes there be many ieopardies of soules and open sâ—launders and occasions of hurte whiche althoughe the lawe were not vnryghtuous yet it ought to feare away good men from the approuynge of suche maner of burden whiche hath destroyed innumerable soules All good men haue complayned longe of this burden as wel for theyr owne cause as for other mennes cause whom they dyd se to be in ieoê‘die But these complaintes no byshops do heare And it is not vnknowen howe greatelye this lawe dothe hurte the comen and publyke maners what vices what vngratious kyndes of lecherye it hath engendred and broughte vp There be yet remayniÌ„g the Romayn satyres In these satyres Rome euen these dayes also dothe knowe and espie her maners touched Thus god auengeth and ponysheth the contempte and despisinge of his gyfte and of his ordenaunce in those persones whiche forbyd wedlocke And sythe in other lawes the custome hath ben to chaunge them if euidente vtilitie haue so required why do they not the same in this lawe in whiche there be so many weyghtye causes rennynge together namely these last dayes why it ought to be chauÌ„ged Nature waxeth olde is made daylye weyker and weyker and vices do encrease wherfore the remedies taughte and gyuen by god were the more to be vsed We see what vice god dothe accuse before the floode what vice he dothe accuse before the brennyng of the fyue Cities Lyke vices haue gone before the destructions of many other cities as of Sybaris of Rome And in these is set forthe an ymage or similitude of the tymes whiche shal be nexte to the worldes ende Therfore principally at this tyme they ought to strengthen to fortifie wedlocke with most sharpe lawes and ensamples to prouoke men to weâ—lock This apperteyneth to the heade officers and rulers whiche oughte to maynteyne good ordre in a comen â—eale In the meane season the preachers and teachers of the gospell let them do both two thynges I meane let them exhorte those that be vncoÌ„tineÌ„t to wedlocke and agayne let them exhorte other that they do not despise the gyfte of continence The byshops of Rome do