also tréene vessels and earthen vessels and some to honour and some to dishonour Let vs geue diligence and labour as muche as it lieth in vs that we maie be a vessell of Golde or of syluer And truely this doctrine is moste necessarie to be marked and also to be folowed For as all the benefites that God doth of his méere mercie and goodnesse graunt vnto his Churche doe parteine vnto all bicause the Communion and felowship that is betwixt the members of Christes bodye So without this Communion and felowship of the sainctes there is no remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes but eternall and euerlasting condemnation For how coulde it be that they shoulde enioy the priuiledge of the true members of Christ that doe by a self willl deuide themselues from his body as the Papistes dooe now in these dayes Shoulde not that braunche deserue to be dried vp and to be caste into the fire that woulde wilfully deuide it selfe from the true vine The .xl. Chapiter ¶ Our offences and synnes are forgeuen vs by faith through Christe and not by our workes and merites ALso my beléefe is that in this church sinnes are freely forgeuen through faithe in the mercie of God obteined and purchased vnto vs by the merites of the death passion bloodsheddyng of our sauiour Iesu Christ wihout any of our owne deseruynges or merites or without any matter of satisfaction that we be able to make though wee were able to liue as long as euer any man did liue vpoÌ„ the earth For if any amendes coulde haue beene made for synnes or if any iustification could haue been gotten by the workes of the lawe Christ needed not to haue dyed And therefore the lorde saide right well I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednesse and that for mine owne sake and thy sinnes wil I remember no more Here haue we a promise that God will put awaie our wickednesse and synnes not for our deseruinges or merites but for his owne sake that is to say of his frée mercie and goodnes as saieth sainct Paule Iustificamur gratis ex gratia ipsius Wee be iustified fréely of his grace Againe we iudge that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And for this cause his only begotten sonne our sauiour was by the angell called Iesus bicause that he should saue his people from their synnes If our good workes merites and deseruinges could saue vs from our synnes why should they not be called by that name For there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto vs whereby we must or can be saued Therefore I doe thinke it moste conuenient and méete that we saie with Barnarde Mèritum meum miserationes domini Non sum ego inops meriti quam diuille non est inops miserationum Si miserationes eius multe multis ego sum in meritis Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem suam ponat in domino That is to saie My merite is the mercie of god So long as god is not poore of mercy so long cannot I be poore of merites If his mercies be great then am I greate in merites This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce and trust in the Lorde I marueile much of the papistes and meritmongers that are so bold to set vp their owne righteousnes and merites But before we seeme to speake any thyng to their obiections I thinke it best to declare in what signification this word to iustifie ought to be taken This worde iustificare to iustifie hath been of S. Paul borowed of the common vse of the lawe for in iudgement to iustifie a man it is to assoyle or quite him of the crime that is laide to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocent and guiltlesse After the same maner when we saie that God doeth iustifie vs our meanyng is that God doeth assoyle and quite vs of all crimes offences and trespasses that can bee layde to our charge or that we can be accused of that he doth pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sight that is to saie that firste he doeth pardone and forgeue vs our synnes he couereth them and doeth in no wise impute them vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not our owne whiche is none at all but the righteousnes of his Sonne our Sauiour and so through his righteousnes doeth both saue vs and make vs blessed so doth the Apostle expounde this our iustification saiyng As Dauid doth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes where he saieth Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couâ—red Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no synne As for the places of sainct Iames where he saith Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter And a little after ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faithe onely It maketh little for their purpose if it be well considered We reade that Abraham beleeued the Lorde it was accompted vnto hym for righteousnesse whiche text is of Paule alledged after this sorte If Abraham were iustified by woorkes he hath wherein to reioyce or glorie but not with God for what saieth the Scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Whereby the Apostle proueth strongly that Abraham was iustified by faith But this that saincte Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offeryng of Isaac was doen thirtie yeres after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham iustified or that his faithe was compted vnto hym for rigteousnesse Uerely sithe that fifteene yeres afore that Isaac was borne Abrahams faith was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he should be iustified by the offryng of his sonne Isaac whiche was as I sayd before thirtie yeres after That that the Apostle goeth aboute here is onely to shewe that the faith which Abraham was iustified by was no idle or deade faithe but suche a faithe as made hym obedient vnto God as it is plainely set foorth to the Hebrewes Therefore if the circumstaunces bee considered there is no repugnaunce or coÌ„trarietie in the doctrine of the Apostles at all For what contrarietie or repugnaunce could there bee in their doctrine sithe that they were bothe led by one spirite Therefore we shall marke that the holie Apostle saincte Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines and to the Galathians did dispute and reason against them which did attribute iustification to workes But saincte Iames did write againste them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therefore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustification Iames sheweth theffectes and fruites of the same Paul declareth how we are iustified Iames declareth how wee are knowen to bee iustified Paule excludeth woorkes as not the cause of
our iustification Iames approueth woorkes as effectes proceedyng of the same Paul denieth that any good workes can be in them that be not iustified Iames affirmeth that they which be iustified caÌ„ in no wise be without good workes But ye shall heare what S. Augustine saith touching this matter Non sunt coÌ„trariae duoruÌ„ apostoloruÌ„ sententiae Pauli Iacobi cum dicit Paulus iustificari homineÌ„ sine operibus Iacobus dicit inaneÌ„ esse fideÌ„ sine operibus Quia Paulus loquitur de operibus quae fideÌ„ praecedunt Iacobus de ijs quae fidem sequntur That is to say in englishe The saiyng of the two Apostles Paul Iames are not contrary whereas Paul saith a man is iustified without workes and Iames saith faith without workes is in vaine For Paul speaketh of the woorkes that goe before faith Iames speaketh of the workes that followe after faithe Thomas of Aquine also saieth I acobus hic loquitur de operibus sequentibus fidem quae dicuntur iustificare non secundum quod iustificare dicitur iustitiae infusio sed secundum quod dicitur iustitie exercitatio vel ostentio vel consummatio Res enim dicitur fieri quando perficitur vel innotescit Iames in this place speaketh of suche woorkes as followe faithe whiche workes are saied to iustifie not as iustification is the procuryng of righteousnesse but in that it is an exercise or a shewyng or a perfectyng of righteousnes For we say a thyng is doen when it is perfected or knowen to bee doen. So that wee maie easily see that the offeryng vp of Isaac is a testimonie of the faithe and righteousnesse of Abraham he could not be iustified by it but rather it was thereby declared that he was iustified alreadie So that this obedience of his to the worde of God did onely manifest and shewe that he was when he beleued Goddes promises made righteous before God through the same faith and beliefe That was the meanyng of Dauid when he saith That thou maiest be iustified in thy wordes and ouercome when thou arte iudged that is to saie that thou maiest bee declared iuste and thy goodnes and truthe appeare in performyng thy promises when man either curiously or arrogauntly would iudge thy workes Therefore this worde iustificare to iustifie is not taken of saincte Paule in that signfication that sainct Iames taketh it in for of Paule it is taken for to deliuer from synne and for to impute rightousnesse But Iames doeth take it for to declare and shewe one iust and righteous Sainct Paule doeth speake of a liuely faithe whiche can no more bee without good workes then the Sunne can bee without lighte or fire without heate But sainct Iames doeth speake of an idell faithe which maie bee in the reprobate yea in the deuill hymself as the Apostle writeth in the same place I might bryng many placâ—s of Scripture wherein the excellencie of faithe is highly sette forthe but one or twoo shall suffice at this tyme. In the actes we haue these wordes out of S. Paules sermon that he made to the Iewes at Antiochia a citie of Pisidia Be it knowen vnto you therefore brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes And that from all thynges from whiche ye could not bee iustified by the lawe of Moises by hym euery one that beleueth is iustified These wordes are plaine and neede no exposition at all for all wee see that he taketh awaie altogether iustification from the lawe of Moises and doeth attribute it vnto faithe in our Sauiour Iesu Christe But to the Romaines he maketh the matter more plaine when he saieth Thei haue all synned and are destitute or voide of the glorie of god But thei are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forthe to be a purchaser of mercie through faith in his bloud Marke here First he saieth thei haue all synned â–ª and that thei are depriued of the glorie of GOD by whiche woordes he sheweth openly before our eyes the miserable estate that mankinde was in Secondlie he sheweth how and by what meanes we are deliuered from it I meane from that damnable estate that we are in by our own nature and first birthe when he saieth thei are iustified freely by his grace Now if we bee iustified freely by the grace of God where are our workes merites or deseruinges become For if any workes deseruynges or merites doe goe before our iustification how can it bee saied that wee are iustified freely by the grace of God our heauenly father Therefore he saieth in an other place By grace are ye saued throughe faithe and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God not of woorkes leaste any man shoulde boast hym selfe S. Ihon saith Blessed are they that haue washed their roabes not in their own merites but in the blood of the Lambe Againe I will giue the thristie to drinke of the well of life not for his deserts but for nothing Sainct Ambrose an holy father saieth As there be no synnes so detestable that can kéepe of the gifte of grace so there can be no workes so excellent that vnto them by the iudgement of retribution or recompence the same shoulde be due whiche is fréely geuen and graunted For the redemption of the blood of Christe should waxe vile and the mercie of God be faine to geue place to the prerogatiue of mens woorkes if iustification which is doen or wrought by grace were due vnto the merites that go before so that it shoulde not be the free gifte of the giuer but the rewarde or hire of the worker What plainer wordes can there be spoken therefore Iob saieth if a man will dispute with God he is not able to aunswere hym one for a thousande and therefore he saide Verebar omnia opera mea I stoode in doubt and was afraide of all my workes Although I were perfect yet my soule shall not know it if I woulde iustifie my selfe myne owne mouth shall condemne me and Esai saieth all our righteousnes is like a menstrous cloth of a woman Therfore al our doctrine is grouÌ„ded vpon the wordes of Christ when ye haue doen all say that ye be vnprofitable seruaunts therfore haue deserued nothing Sainct Origene therefore saieth Say ye that ye be vnprofitable seruauntes For notwithstandyng we haue done all things that are commaunded yet haue we done no good thing For if our doynges were good in deede then were we not vnprofitable But any good déede of ours is called good not rightly or duely but by abuse of speache So Sainct Augustine saieth if God woulde deale with vs accordyng to that we haue deserued he should finde nothyng but that he might condemne Againe he saieth what bee the merites of any men For Christe that came not with his due rewarde but
or Hell. That christes soule should not néede to goe downe thither to fetch them out And also declared that Christ vsed the like woordes vpon the Crosse by whiche is declared that his soule departyng from his bodie wente straight into heauen and not into hell the place of the dampned But that the efficacie vertue and power of his death and passion did pearce through and into the verie hell it self by his diuine power and Godheade that all the damned soules felt their full paine and iuste damnation for their infidelitie And Sathan hym self felt all the power and strength of his tyrannie and darkenesse was weakened vanquished and fallen to ruine and vtter decaie c. And that the soules of all them that died in the faithe of Christe beyng in heauen felte the fulnesse of their redemption how it was now fullie perfected and ended for them c. This beyng by me taught it was noysed abroade in the peoples eares and that by no meane men that I hadde denied an article of the Creede and that I was an open heretique and suche a one as was not worthie of life but cruell death When those reportes and false rumours came vnto mine eares I besought God to strengthen me in his faith and giue me pacience knowyng well that after the waie which they call heresie so worship I and teache the God of my fathers beleuyng all thynges whiche are written in the lawe and the Prophetes I also considered with my self what will this people saie and reporte when as thei shall happen to reade my booke wherein this article of Christes deseension into hell is handeled that thus beginne to condemne and iudge me before they haue knowen or heard the trueth opened vpon the occasion whereof I cleane altered my former preface to the reader that I had made before made this as an apologie or defence thereof against suche as will or shall carpe against it Wherefore I beseche thee frendly reader to lende me thy eares to heare me thy eyes to see me thy tongue to reade me thy mynde and harte to iudge me with an vpright iudgemente accordyng to the truthe of Goddes woorde whiche as Dauid saith is a Lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes that is it that giueth wisedome vnto the simple it is that that giueth lighte vnto the eyes by it the seruaunte of God is made circumspecte our Sauiour Christe willeth vs to searche the scriptures for those are thei that beare witnesse of hym For the mynde muste bee taught and instructed of the will of God by the woorde like as the eyes are taughte and instructed by outwarde thynges For as Augustine saieth Titubat fides si diuinarum scripturarum vacillat authoritas If the aucthoritie of the holie scriptures wauer then dooeth faithe stumble I will nowe accordyng to my small skill saie of this matter somewhat more largely then I haue saied alreadie in my booke whether sufficient or insufficient I shall praie thee to stand an indifferent iudge To thee it is dedicated and for thy sake it is written Here must I saie vnto thée euen as S. Hierome somtime said to his reader in the like case Quaeso lector vt memor Tribunalis domini de iuditio tuo te intelligeÌ„s iudicanduÌ„ nec mihi nec aduersario meo faueas neue personas loquentiuÌ„ sed causam consideres That is I beseche thee good reader that remeÌ„bryng the iudgement seate of the Lorde and vnderstandyng that as thou iudgest so thou shalt bee iudged thou fauour neither me nor myne aduersarie And that thou regarde not the persons but the cause onely Firste thou shalte vnderstande gentle reader that this Article of Christes descendyng into helle is not reade as Rofinus saith in the Romaine Crede nor yet in the Nicen Crede the Easte Churche had it not the Counsaile of Ephesus and Constantinople left it out For wee maie reade by the writynges of the olde Fathers that that parte whiche is reade in the Crede was not in olde tyme so muche vsed in the Churches yet I doe confesse it is a necessarie article meete to haue a place in the Crede as a thyng that conteineth a verie profitable misterie of a waightie matter Sainct Cyprian vnto this saieth Sciendum sane est quod in Ecclesia Romana Symbolo non habetur addituÌ„ descendit ad inferna Sed neque in Orientis ecclesiis habetur hic sermo Knowe ye for certaintie that the Churche of Rome hath not added this in the Crede he descended into hel No neither yet the Easte Churches hath added this kynde of speache in the Crede Unto this Erasmus fullie agreeth saiyng Atque adeo quum Symbolum Nicenae sine Constantinopolitanae Synodi nihil aliud sit quam huius Symboli explanatio ne illic quidem quicquam est quod huic particulae respondeat Ipsa denique inconcintas sermonis arguit ab alio quopiam intertextum emblema That is Moreouer although the Simbole or Crede of the Sinode holden at Nice or the Sinode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng then a declaration of this Simbole or Crede called the Apostles Crede yet there is not so much as any thyng that is correspondent to this particle Finallie the verie incoÌ„cinnitie and vnhandsome ioyning or hanging together of the speache and oration is an euident argumente that this parcell or particle he descended into hell was put in among the other Articles by some other man As is supposed by Thomas of Aquine and immediately after he sheweth the cause why the auncient fathers put not this Article into the Crede he descended into hel Quia vetustissimi patres magna Religionâ— cauebant ne quid asseuerarent duntaxat in Symbolo quod non esset euidenter expressum in sacris literis vtriusque testimenti Talâ—â— sunt articuli omnes hoc vno excepto That is because the fathers of auncientest tyme with great Religion toke heede were warâ— that thei would not affirme any thyng namely in the Crede whiche was not expressed in the Scriptures of bothe Testamentes Suche maner Articles are all the other onely this one he descended into hell excepted Thus farre Erasmus Sainct Augustine in his booke de Fide Symbolo expoundyng the Crede of the Apostles comming to the Article of Christes sufferynges declareth of his pacience and humilitie in sufferyng death euen the death of the Crosse to take awaie the horror of death from vs and that he was crucified and buried vnder Pontius Pilate addyng Pilates name for the certaintie of the tyme and that he laie in a graue and before that in the wombe of his mother in whiche graue and bellie neuer none laie before nor after c. But of this article of Christes descention into hell he neuer speaketh worde of it nor yet reciteth it for if it had been an Article putte in the Crede at the
of them howbeit I thinke that he did vnderstande Origene Ierome and Tertullian But nowe we will sée howe well this doth agree with the person of Christe our Sauiour Firste and formoste if they will haue the punishmentes paines and tormentes that Christe suffered to be in all pointes corespondent vnto those synners for whom Christ died had deserued it had not been onely necessarie that he shoulde haue suffered here in the body vppon the earth And that the soule should also haue suffered in hell for a while but that hee shoulde haue suffered both in body and soule euerlastyng punishmentes with the damned But God his father did content hymself with the paines and tormentes that he was in for a while hauyng a respecte not onely vnto the paines that he did suffer but vnto his righteousnes innocencie and obedience whiche caused hym to take and allowe the paines whiche our Sauiour Christe did suffer for a tyme as sufficient for to obtaine and purchase vnto the faithfull beléeuers a full deliueraunce from euerlastyng paines and tormentes which thei had deserued through their synnes Moreouer it was no néede at all that the soule of our Sauiour Christe shoulde goe downe into hell for to suffer there for it hath suffered punishment enough here vpon earth sithe that in it I meane in his soule he did beare the same iudgement and condempnation that we had deserued for the bodie did not suffer without the soule yea if the sorowes and paynes of the one could bee separated from the sorowes and paynes of the other whiles the body and soule be ioyned together by life we should haue a iuste occation to saie that the soule did suffer afore the body and that the sorowes and griefes of the body did proceede and come firste of the soule For els what did these wordes meane my soule is heauie vnto the verie death whereof came this wofull sweate that did runne downe to the grounde as droppes of bloud and the complainte that he made to GOD his father in the Garden Wherof did also come that greate feare trouble and horror that he was possessed withall as the Euangelistes doe testifie vnto vs If he had not bene in an extreame agonie and much greater then mans wisdome can comprehende What neede should he haue of the Angels for to comfort hym Againe who would not wonder and marueile to sée christ our sauiour so sore affraide and troubled as the Euangelistes doe set hym foorth vnto vs for the death that he should suffer if he should haue had respect to none other thing but onely vnto the death Doe we thinke that there was lesse hearte lesse corage constancie and manfulnes in our sauiour christe then in many thousande of Martyres that haue gone so ioyfully and merely vnto their death for his sake But what doe I speake of Martyres howe many wicked doers doe we sée daiely goe to their death whiche they haue deserued with their wicked and abhominable doynges moste manfully and with suche a face and countenaunce that ye would thinke that they did goe to a feaste or banquet Shall we saie that the sonne of god had lesse corage then these haue in so good a cause as he did die in It must needes be then that there was some greater thing then death of the Crosse which was at hande somewhat there was I saie that was of more weight and importaunce then that whichâ— did appeare outwardly His body was not yet in the handes of the tormentours he had onely the death before his eyes and as it were an imagination of it whiche troubled hym nothyng so muche as the dreadfull iudgement of God which he knewe he must needes beare When he did then enter into this agonie then did heâ— begynne already to descende and go downe into this horrible hell where he was deteined and kepte a while for our sakes for what greater hell can one imagine to be vnto man than to féele gods wrath throughly kindled against hym to be faine to beare his terrible iudgement and furie and to bee in the same estate that our sauiour Christe was in when he did crie out saiyng My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée Although he was true and naturall God and also true and naturall man so that his godhead could not be separated from his manhoode yet the humanitie was then as if it had been vtterly forsaken of the diuinitie and left succourlesse and as if it had been both in body and soule driuen downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell and geuen ouer of God. Therefore it was no neede that the soule of christ should goe downe after any other sorte for to suffer the paines and tormentes that we had deserued For the places doo not agrauate the paines or make them more heauie and greeuous but the heauie and intollerable burden of Gods wrath and iudgement wheresoeuer it is felte or whersoeuer men are faine to beare it Therefore they that doe affirme that the soule of our sauiour Christ must néedes of necessitie suffer in hell do plainelie declare that they knowe not what hell is nor what our sauiour christ did suffer for them nor yet what the vertue and efficacie of his death and passion is I allowe better the opinion of them whiche saie that this is to be vnderstanded of a spirituall descendyng or goyng downe whereby it was declared and preached through the efficacie vertue and power of christes holy spirite vnto the soules of the reprobate that were in the vnquenchable fire of hell that their vnbeléefe and stubburnnesse was the cause of their eternall and euerlasting damnation and that they should haue no deliueraunce from it by the death and passion of the onely begotten sonne of god our sauiour Iesu Christe where vnto the wordes of sainct Peter seemeth well to agree saiyng Christ hath once suffered for synnes the iuste for the vniust for to bryng vs to God and was killed as pertainyng to the fleshe but was quickened in â—he spirite in whiche spirite he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prisone whiche were in tymes past disobedient So we perceiue by these wordes of the Apostle that both the damned and saued had alone maner of féeling of the death and passion of Christ but yet to diuers endes for the one that is to the godly that were in Abrahams bosome was certified by the diuine power and godhead of Christe that nowe was the fulnes of tyme come to fill vp the measure of their ioye and euerlastyng saluation that they long looked hoped and thirsted for And to the damned was preached christ crucified but to the encreasing and augmentyng of their owne damnation for that they had no parte or portion by his death of gods fauour But rather an heauie iudgement bicause as S. Paule saieth Christe is Odor mortis ad mortem his c. That is the sauour of death
in smal reputation And therfore that hee might the better shewe and put before our eyes the nature of originall synne and so moue men to haue the Sacramentes in better estimation and reuerence he doth declare that though the litle children haue yet no actuall sinne of their owne notwithstandyng they be not without synne that deserueth death euerlastyng damnation bicause of their corrupted nature whiche thei haue as it were by right of inheritaunce drawen of their fathers and mothers in their conception and birth Wherefore it was well sayde of one Gulielmus that a man is in suche maner conceaued in the wombe as if a man should fall into a mierie déepe and stony place and so shoulde both be drowned be arayed with myre and also be hurte So saieth he by originall synne we are drowned into the darkenesse of ignoraunce we are defiled with lustes and concupiscence and we are wounded in our powers and faculties of the mynde to doe any good For they haue both been conceaued and borne in synne and can be none other but such as the sinfull ofspryng originall is For that is borne of flesh is flesh What can be cleane that commeth of an vncleane seede A woolfe can engender none other then a woolfe nor yet a Serpent any other then a Serpent And as we doe not let to hate yong whelpes of a Woolfe though they haue yet killed no shéepe or the yong ones of a Serpent though they haue not yet cast out their poyson bicause of their wooluishe and poysoned natures So we must iudge that God hath no lesse occasion to hate and condemne vs euen from our mothers wōbe bicause of our peruerse and malitious nature that is engendered within vs. And that we might the better vnderstande that suche corrupted and peruerse nature is in the children and yong infantes euen from their mothers wombe the holy ghost doeth testifie vnto vs by the mouth of the blessed Apostle Saint Paul that they are also subiect vnto death whiche is the first fruicte and rewarde of synne Whosoeuer was then aucthour of this booke he had a good cause to aggrauate or set foorth to the vttermost this naturall corruption and to saie that not onely they that be of age but also the very infantes and children are euen from their mothers wombe guiltie of euerlasting damnation when thei die without Baptisme if he doe vnderstande by it the grace and mercie of God and the pourgyng that we haue in the blood of our sauiour Iesu Christe whiche by baptisme is signified and represented vnto vs and also communicated vnto the chosen and elect of God. And verely I thinke that he did so vnderstande it For if he will after the rigour of the letter take there baptisme for the visible signe and outwarde ceremonie I would in no wise hold with hym sith that he alledgeth no sufficient auctorities of the scriptures for to proue and confirme this saiyng of his which is both so rigorous and so repugnaunt vnto the goodnesse and grace of God as it hath been already sufficiently proued But I doe rather iudge that he doeth vnderstande by baptisme the vertue and efficacie of the blood of Christe whiche is signified and represented vnto vs by the visible signe and outwarde ceremony wherby neuerthelesse is signified and comprehended all the whole vertue of the true baptisme of Christe after the phrase and maner of speaking that the Scripture is wont to vse For in it the signe and the figure are many tymes taken for the thynges that are signified and represented bicause that the scripture doeth moste chiefly speake vnto the faithfull which do not receiue the sacramentes in vaine without the spirituall thyng that is represented by them And therefore the Apostle saieth all ye that are baptized are apparelled or clothed with Christe Simon Magus was baptized outwardly by Philip and yet I doe not beleeue that euer he had put on our sauiour Christe and that he was apparelled with him Neuerthelesse S. Luke who hath written the historie saieth that he did beléeue vsing the common phrase and maner that men doe vse commonly speakyng of thinges as they doe appeare outwardely and leauyng the iudgement of the hearte vnto god Whiche phrase and maner of speakyng is also customably vsed in the Scriptures And therefore Sainct Augustine and other auncient writers doe expounde this place of Sainct Luke after this sort and maner he did beléeue that is to say he did fayne him selfe to beléeue Now these thinges being diligently considered and weighed all men may easily perceyue what ought to be the right vse of the Sacramentes what ought to be the true baptisme and the true regeneration or newe birth of man Whiche if they do once vnderstande perfectly and well they shall be no more in doubt nor yet in any perplexitie touching the litle infantes and children that dye without baptisme but will leaue them in the handes of God and commit them to his bounteous goodnesse and mercis and so endeuour them selues that they them selues may be of the number of the faithfull the children of the euerlasting Testament wherein god hath promised that he will be our God the God of our séede after vs. If they do so they may be sure that God wyll according to his promise saue them and their children though he taketh them away in the very mothers belly or before that they can receiue the outward and visible baptisme which is but a signe of the spirituall and inwarde washing wherewith God is able him selfe to baptize the young infantes children of his faithfull seruauntes assoone as they begin to liue in the mothers wombe Againe they shall if they be once brought to this poynt espie out the deuillishe and abhominable errour of them that did cary their styll borne children vnto idols for to obteyne life vnto them as to our Ladye of Ipswiche and to our Ladye of Walsingham to Ioseph of Aramathia to Saint Rocke and to such other It ought to suffice nowe at this tyme that the soule of our sauiour Iesus Christ is deliuered from the paynes of the vnquencheable fire of hell and the poore séely soules of the christians that dye in the Lorde put out of pickpurse Purgatorie and brought into the heauenly rest and that the wofull prison that the papistes did builde for the poore children and infantes of the faithfull that be styll borne or dye without baptisme is quite ouerthrowen to their owne shame that deuised the place and to the comfort of the séely infantes in the euerlasting habitation so that in despite of all popishe heartes there shall remayne no more but heauen and hell as it is sufficiently declared vnto vs by the wordes and example of our Sauiour Iesu Christ. All these good benefites haue we gotten by Christes precious death bloodshedding and buryall such comfort I say that tongue can not expresse such
bread is referred to the fleshe and the kinde or forme of wine to the soule Againe it is taken or receaued vnder both kindes for to signifie that Christ did take vpon hym both an humaine body and an humaine soule and also for to signifie that the receauyng of this sacrament is auaileable both to the fleshe and also to the soule For if it were only receiued vnder one kind it shoulde be signified that it is auaileable onely for the tuition and safegarde of the one Hearken what Gerardus Lorichius one that is a great defendour of Transubstantiation a papist for his life saieth to this matter They be false Catholiques saieth this man that are not ashamed by all meanes to hinder the reformatiō of the Churche Thei to the intent the other kynde of the sacrament maie not be restored vnto the laie people spare no kynde of blasphemies For they saie that Christe saide onely vnto his apostles drinke ye all of this but the wordes of the Canon be these take and eate ye al of this Here I beseche them let them tell mee whether they will haue these wordes also onely to pertaine vnto the apostles Thā must the laie people abstaine from the other kinde the bread also Whiche thyng to saie is an herisie a pestilent and a detestable blasphemie Wherfore it foloweth that eche of these words was spoken vnto the whole church Thus far Lorichius the papistes owne doctour Let them make what shift soeuer they will or can they shall neuer be able to cleare them selues but that they be most abominable prophanatours of the Lordes Sacramentes and misteries and also most detestable and accursed sacriledgers sith that they do not only robbe the christian people for whom our Sauiour Christ did shed his most precious blood of the cheefe and most principall part of his Sacrament but also doe abstayne them selues from it whensoeuer they list hauyng no commaundement of the Lorde for to doe any suche thyng Therefore we may turne the saying of S. Basill against them who saieth these wordes Who so forbiddeth the thing that God commaundeth and who so commaundeth the thing that God forbiddeth is taken as accursed of all them that loue the Lorde Where you haue done the like against the commaundement of the Lorde and commaunded what he hath flatly forbidden your whole religion declareth for through your owne cōmaundementes ye make Gods commaundementes of litle force yea you haue done contrary to your owne lawes and decrées which do excommunicate all those that dare presume to take halfe of this sacrament and leaue the other halfe vnreceaued The blessed martyr Saint Ciprian doeth say Howe shall we teache exhort and prouoke them saieth he to shed their blood for the confession of the name of Christ if we do deny or wyll not geue vnto them the blood of Christ when they should fight and stande manfully in the quarell of their maister and Lorde Christe Or howe shall we make them apt to drinke the cup of martyrdome if we do not permit nor suffer them to drinke the cup of the Lorde in the Church by the right tha◠they haue to communicate with vs May not all men see and perceiue by these fewe words of this holy and blessed martyr what wrong and iniurie these antichristes do vnto vs Haymo saith Appellatur calix communicatio propter participationem quiae omnes communicant ex illo The cup is called the communication because of the participation for that euery man receaueth of it This saith he and yet no Protestant nor Caluenist If any warre doth chaunce for the name of Christ as is at this day in Fraunce and Flaunders or if any persecution for his religon sake doth happen they wyll geue vs good leaue to stande in the forefront of the battayle yea they wyll thrust vs forwardes and be ready them selues to shed our blood and yet they will not as much as suffer vs once to receaue the mysticall cup of the Lordes blood whereby we shoulde be animated and encouraged to shed our heart blood in the quarell of his trueth Besides this any childe may easely perceaue by these fewe aucthorities by me alledged that they were woont in the Primatiue Churche to minister indifferently vnto all men of what condition or estate soeuer they were the Communion in both kindes and that it was counted a playne sacriledge that is to say a playne robbing of Gods glorie to do otherwise For they did alwayes sticke to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde tyll at the length in the abominable and sacrilegious counsell of Constance a most wicked and vngodly decree was made to the contrary Many other reasons are they wont to bring for the defence of their accursed and detestable sacriledge If the mysticall Cup say they were indifferently ministred vnto al men and women that come to the Lordes boorde it might chaunce that it shoulde be at one tyme or other spylled whiche thing coulde not happen without a great slaunder in the Churche And therefore for auoyding of this offence that might happen by reason many hath the paulsie and fallyng sicknesse it hath bene appointed by the fathers that the Sacrament shoulde be only ministred vnder one kinde Belike our Sauiour Christe the wisedome of the father when he did first institute his Sacrament coulde not by his eternall spirite foresée such thinges nor yet the blessed Apostle Saint Paul when he did aboue .xxvj. yeres after his maisters ascention write vnto the Churche of the Corinthians Might not wée by as good a reason bicause that many offences do dayly arise by the preaching of Gods worde put downe the Scriptures altogether as antechrist is wont to do where soeuer he beareth any rule Might we not with as iust cause sith that many do surfet by meate and drinke and in their drunkennesse do worke mischéefe take awaye cleane from them the vse of meate and drinke Shall we because that good thinges may through the naughtinesse and negligence of men be misused take away the right vse of them or abolishe therefore the institution and ordinaunce of GOD who hath ordeyned and appointed such thinges for the comfort health of men Let them geue a straite charge to their ministers that they be sober and discrete when that thei go about such holy mysteries and that they take good heede to them selues that no such offences do arise through their negligence or rashe behauiour If they would do so and suffer the holy institution of the Lord to stande whole then shoulde they do well and please God highly who requireth nothing else but a true obedience towardes his statutes and lawes whereas in doing as they do they declare them selues to be voyde of the spirite of God and of all due obedience that ought to be in all faithfull christians and true seruauntes of God. For we must be subiect to God in obedience ioyned
the onely foundation of the Christian faithe and of all godly doctrine and yet in an other place he saieth Ye are citizens with the Sainctes and of the housholde of God and are builte vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles And in the Apocalipse of Iohn we reade that the wall of the newe citie hath twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles Here doe we see saie thei that Christ is called the light of the worlde and yet notwithstandyng the Apostles are called the light of the worlde also Likewise we see that christ is called the foundation yet notwithstanding the Apostles are called foundations also why should not then the virgine Marie and the sainctes be called Aduocates Mediatours and intercessours as well as our Sauiour Christe though it be not after one sorte and maner Why ought men to bee offended if folowyng the phrase of the scriptures wee doe attribute vnto the blessed virgine Marie and vnto the other Sainctes the office of mediation and intercession As for the first it is to bee vnderstanded that our heauenly father and his sonne Christe Iesus our Lorde haue many tymes of their speciall grace communicated or giuen that name vnto men that did not properly pertaine vnto them not for to saie that thei were so in very deede and of their owne nature but by reason of some office and dignitie that God did putte theim in also to the ende that thei should haue their office in greater estimation as it dooeth manifestely appeare by the example of Christe and of his Apostles whiche thei do commonly alledge For our sauiour Christ is the true and natural light of the worlde but the Apostles are the light of the worlde onely by the denomination or communication that is to saie the Apostles were not called the light but onely because that thei were lightened and deliuered from darknesse by the light of our sauiour Christ. And for this cause the holy Apostle doeth call the Christians light when he saieth Ye were in tymes paste darkenes but now ye are light in the Lorde Now our sauiour Christ lighteneth no man but onely to this ende that he should shine vnto other with good workes as he him self sufficiently declareth saiyng Let your light so shine before men that thei maie see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Also Christe doeth geue this name to his Apostles because of the office that he called them vnto whiche was the preachyng of his holy Gospell and of the worde of God which in the scriptures is called light After the same maner Magistrates Kynges and rulers are in the Scriptures called gods not bicause they are so in deede or that suche a name doeth properlye pertaine vnto them but bicause of the dignitie that GOD hath placed them in and also to the ende that the subictes shoulde haue their princes in greater reuerence beyng obedient vnto them as vnto god But when god doth take awaie this office from them he doth also take awaie the name In like maner now the apostles are no more light For they be no more in place where thei can shine vnto men by good workes they be no more in the office of preachyng I would faine that these greate learned doctours shoulde shewe mee a place in all the scriptures wherein the wisdome of the Father our sauiour Christe or the angelles and apostles dyd euer geue either vnto the virgine Marye or vnto anye of the sainctes the name or office of mediatour intercessour ▪ and aduocate then would I saie that their distinction might take place but no suche place can they shewe though they shoulde breake their heartes As for the place that they doe aleadge out of the Epistle to the Ephesians it is plaine enough and néedeth no exposition at all For if we looke narowly vpon the wordes of Sainct Paul we shall finde that he doth not saie Ye are built vppon the Prophetes and Apostles but are builte vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles The Apostles then and Prophetes were not the foundation but they had all one foundation whiche is our Sauiour Iesus Christ vpon whom as vppon a sure and strong rocke they both builded the Churche of God. And in the Reuelation of Iohn by the twelue foundations wherein the names of the Apostles are written are all the Sermons that the twelue Apostles did make vnto the twelue tribes of Israell to be vnderstanded And they be called foundations bicause that by them Christ our sauiour who is the onely foundation of the Churche of GOD was preached vnto them bicause I saie that by them the true and only foundation whiche is our sauiour Christe was layde Saint Iohn doth not saie that the Apostles are foundations but that their names be written in the foundations Whereby it appeareth plainely enough that al that our Louanian papistes go aboute is to paruerte the true saiynges and meanyng of the sacred scriptures and worde of god Yea though it were so that they could prone by the places by them alledged that the Apostles were called foundations yet it woulde helpe them nothyng For as it hath been saide alreadie before we doe not finde in all the whole body of the Scriptures that either God our sauiour Christe or his Apostles did euer call the Sainctes intercessours aduocates or mediatours betwene God and men Therefore I saie againe that we neede no suche distinctions as they doe make to the vtter blasphemyng of the onely begotten Sonne of God our sauiour Iesus Christ whom I do stedfastly beléeue to bee the onely mediatour betweene God and vs as the Scriptures doe plainely testifie vnto vs in euerie place Some there be among them whiche beyng compelled by the Scriptures to confesse that our Sauiour Christ is the only mediatour betweene God and men are woont to replye on this maner and to saie that although christ our sauiour is an omnisufficient mediatour betwéene God and man yet wee must haue some intercessours aduocates and mediatours betweene hym and vs For howe durste we els beyng synners come before his presence or direct our praiers vnto hym Is it not written that God heareth not synners Moreouer when we haue a matter before any earthly Prince muste wee not haue mediatours for to bryng vs vnto his person And also to speake and intreate for vs Who of vs all durst be so bolde to come vnto an earthly kyng without suche meanes that is to saie not beyng brought to him either by some of his Counsell or by some of his Chaumber or else by some of his Lordes or Gentlemen How dare we then to bee so bolde to come without intercessours aduocates and mediatours vnto him that is Kyng of all Kynges Prince of all Princes and Lorde of all Lordes In comparison of whom all the Princes of the world are nothyng But who can be more meete for to bryng vs
vnder the lawe and twoo thousande yere after the Lawe the worlde shall endure and no longer let vs not thinke that any mortall and synfull man is able to tell precisely the daie or tyme that he shall come or at howe many yeres ende he shall come to iudgement The Apostles themselues beyng tickeled with vaine curiositie would faine haue knowen it But saieth our Sauiour Christ vnto them it is not for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power If it had béen necessarie that we should haue knowen it our heauenly teacher maister would not haue hidden it from vs But sith that he hath hidden it nor woulde in any wise reueale it vnto vs it is a plaine token that it is not necessarie for vs to know it Leauyng then suche vaine and curious enquiryng of things that pertaine nothyng vnto vs let vs endeuour our selues to knowe those thynges that God will haue vs to knowe that we maie in all thynges frame our liuyng and conuersation accordyng to the blessed will of our heauenly father and so bee founde acceptable nor be ashamed when he shall render vnto euerie man accordyng to his workes Uerely there is no time of sluggardenesse left vnto vs. We see that the same departyng that the blessed Apostle Sainct Paule doeth speake of is come to passe alreadie For howe many nations and people be fallen away from the Empire of Rome or rather is there any Empire of Rome at all Againe howe many kingdomes Landes and Countries haue vtterly forsaken the highest Emperour of all I meane Iesus Christe our onely sauiour with his Gospell The .xxxij. Chapiter ¶ The Pope is Antichriste and that man of synne whiche shal be 〈…〉 before Christes commyng to iudgement MOreouer is not the man of sinne the sonne of perdition opened alreadie and exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped sittyng as GOD in the temple of God and shewyng hymselfe as God For 〈◊〉 the doynges of the fleshely Idoll of Rome and ye shall finde that he is the same man of synne the same sonne of perdition and aduersarie For why In his decrees and lawes in his beggerly statutes and traditions he doeth exalte hymselfe aboue all the holy Lawes and ordinaunces of almightie god and aboue the Testament of the holy one of Israell whiche is confirmed and sealed vp with the moste precious blood of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Sauiour Iesu Christe but hym shall the Lorde consume with the breath of his Nosethrilles that is the spirite of his mouth and also destroye with the appearyng of his commyng For a taste you shall sée out of their owne bookes whether the Pope of Rome be that sonne of perdition that doeth exalte hymselfe aboue God or no. Franciscus Zarabella saieth the Pope doeth what hym listeth yea though it be vnlawfull and is more then a god Pope Nicolas saieth It is well knowen that the Pope of the godly prince Constantine was called God to beléeue that our Lorde God the Pope might not decrée as he decreed it were a mattter of heresie Againe their late Chapiter at Trident one Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto in an oration openly pronounced these wordes Papa lux venit in mundum The Pope is the light that is come into the worlde but men haue loued darkenesse more then light Againe Panormitane saieth these wordes Christe and the Pope make one Consistorie and kéepe one Courte and synne onely excepted the Pope can doe whatsoeuer God hymselfe can doe Againe in their Councell holden at Laterane in Rome one Symon Begnius the Bishop of Modrusia saieth thus vnto Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda radix Dauid c. Te Leobeatissime Saluatorem expectauimus c. Beholde the Lion is come of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid c. O most blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Againe the Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lye prostrate on the grounde thus to crie vnto him as if it had been vnto christ Qui tollis peccata mundi misereri nostri Qui tâ—llis peecata mundi dona nobis pacem O thou holy Pope that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs Thou that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde geue vs peace Wherefore we maie saie of hym as Sainct Gregorie writeth of antichriste Cum sit damnatus homo nequaquam spiritus Deum se esse mentitur Where as he is a damned man and not a spirite by liyng he faineth himselfe to be God Anselmus also saieth Simulabit se religiosum vt sub specie decipiat pietatis I mò se deum esse dicet se adorari faciet atque regna caelorum promitet That is Antichriste shall faine hymselfe to be holy that he maie deceiue men vnder the colour of holinesse Yea and hee shall call hym selfe God and shall cause hymselfe to be worshipped shall promise the kingdome of heauen Therfore to ende Eusebius saieth Hoc est argumentum eos odisse Deum quod velint seipsos appellari deos This is a token that they hate God For that thei will haue themselues called by the name of god In the meane season lest we doe perishe among them that receiue not the loue of the trueth vnto whom God of his righteous iudgement sendeth strong delusion that they shoulde beléeue lyes and so be damned bicause they beléeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes Let vs sticke fast vnto the Gospel of our sauiour Christ and vnto the wholsome doctrine of the holy Ghost whiche is the power of God to saluation to all them that beléeue The .xxxiij. Chapiter ¶ The strength and operation of the holy Ghoste workyng in vs. WHom I do also beléeue to be the Lorde and geuer of life to procéede from the Father and the Sonne and to be of one substaunce with them both beyng true and naturall God without beginnyng and without endyng by whom the Father woorketh all thynges in the Sonne by whom he doeth create moue mainteine viuifie and quicken all creatures by whom he doeth call and drawe vnto hym his elect and chosen renueth them into a newe life iustifieth and sanctifieth them enricheth them with many and sundrie giftes also strengthneth them til thei come to their perfect saluatioÌ„ who dwelling in vs doth with his light illuminate our mindes that we may learne and knowe perfectly what treasour of gods bounteous mercifulnesse we doe possesse and enioye in Christe So that we maie by good right call hym the keye wherewith all the riches of the heauenly kyngdome is opened vnto vs and the eye wherwith we doe see and beholde them And for this cause he is called now the earnest penye and Scale bicause that he doeth seale vp in our mindes and consciences the certitude or certaintie of
Gods promises Now the maister and teacher of trueth the aucthour of light the well and fountaine of wisedome knowledge and vnderstandyng This is he that doeth pourge and cleanse vs from all filthines and ouersprinckleth vs with his sanctitude and holines that we may be made the worthy temples of almightie god This is he that with his effectuall wateryng doeth make vs fruictfull vnto righteousnes for to bryng foorth aboundauntly the fruictes of our faith that our heauenly father may be glorified through our good workes conuersation and outwarde liuyng For the whiche cause he is many tymes called water as in these places of the prophete All ye that are a thirst come vnto the waters Againe I will powre water vpon hym that is a thirste and Riuers vpon the drie lande Wherunto the saiyng of Christe doeth agree where he biddeth them that bee a thirste to come vnto hym and to drinke of the waters of life Although he be other whiles so called for the efficacie streÌ„gth power and vertue that he hath to pourge and make cleane where the Lorde promiseth in Ezechiell to washe his people with cleane waters The same is he that consumeth and burneth awaie the inordinate lustes concupiscenses of our flesh kyndelyng our heartes with the diuine loue of GOD and of heauenly thynges wherefore he is called by God right fyre Finally this is he that by his inspiration doeth make vs wholie to liue vnto God so that we be no more ledde by our owne sensualitie but folowe onely his motion and guidyng Therefore is it saide of Barnarde verie well Quid bonus in nobis spiritus operatur monet mouet docet monet memoriam mouet voluntatem docet rationem That is to saie what good doth the spirite or holy Ghost in vs he doth warne moue and teache he doth warne our remembraunce he doeth moue our willes and teache our reason Therefore if there be any goodnesse in vs it is the fruicte of his grace and vertue But all our giftes without hym are méere darkenesse of the mynde and wicked peruersenesse of the hearte And as I doe beléeue that all the giftes and benefites that we doe receaue of God through his onely begotten sonne our sauiour Iesu Christ are by this holy spirite printed grauen and sealed vp in our heartes and myndes so do I beléeue that all the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament were written and sette forthe vnto vs onely by his diuine inspiration and that the doctrine that is conteined in them without all other is sufficiente vnto Saluation as the blessed Apostle doeth testifie saiyng Continue in the thinges that thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto thée seyng thou knowest of whom thou hast learned them and for as muche also as thou haste knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe whiche bee able to make thee wise vnto Saluation through the faithe whiche is in Christ iesu For all scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maie be perfecte and readie vnto all good workes Wherevnto Chrisostome doth agree saiyng what soeuer is required vnto saluation all the same shall ye finde in the holy scriptures And in an other place He hath at his tyme saieth he reueiled and opened his woorde by the preachyng that is committed vnto me And this is the preachyng the Gospell doeth conteine all thynges bothe present and to come honor godlinesse faithe to be shorte he hath comprehended all thynges in the woorde of his preachyng Againe he saieth what so euer is required for our saluation is alreadie conteined in the holy scriptures he that is ignoraunte shall finde there what he maie learne he that is stubborne and a synner maie finde there scourges of the iudgemente to come he that is troubled maie finde there ioyes and promises of euerlastyng life thorowe the beholdyng of whiche he maie be stirred to good workes Sainct Augustine saieth reade the holy scriptures wherin ye shall finde fullie what is to bée folowed and what to bee auoided Athanasius also saieth the holy scriptures saieth he beyng inspired from God are sufficiente to all instruction of the truthe Lyra one of the Popes owne doctours hath these wordes Like as in a merchauntes shippe are carried diuerse thinges necessarie for mans life So in the holy scriptures are conteined all thynges needefull to our saluation Who so euer then doeth affirme and saie that the doctrine of the holie ghoste whiche is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testamente is not sufficiente vnto saluation and that besides it wee haue neede of mens traditions and doctrines as though without them we could not haue in the sacred booke of God a sufficient instruction in thynges that pertaine to life euerlastyng Or who soeuer saieth affirmeth that this holy spirite doeth teache and set for the any other worde or doctrine then is conteined in the sacred bookes of God I dare boldely affirme that the same man is not lead with the same holie spirite who is the lorde and giuer of life and who procéeding from the father the sonne should leade vs into all truthe and bryng into our remembraunces whatsoeuer Christ our Sauiour the heauenly wisedome of the father hath taught and set forthe for the saluation of mankind but with the spirite of errour I meane with the spirite of sathan the deuill who to the vttermoste of his power causeth men to contemne despise and sette at naught the holie commaundementes of almightie God that thei maie set vp their owne traditions and dreames and all vnder the title name and colour of the holie ghoste Wherefore it is moste needefull and necessarie that wee haue alwaies before our eyes the saiyng of the blessed Euangeliste saincte Ihon where he saieth Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether thei bee of God or not Also S. Chrisost. saith agréeyng with the same Many saith he do boast of the holy ghost but they that do vtter and set out their owne phancies and dreames do pretende him in vaine for as Christ doth witnesse that he speaketh not of him selfe but out of the lawe the Prophetes Si quid praeâ—er Euangelium sub titulo spiritus obtrudatur ne credamus Quia sicut Christus legis Prophetarum impletio est ita est spiritus Euangelij If any thyng be brought vnto vs vnder the name of the holie ghost saieth he besides the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe and the prophetes so is the holie ghost the fulfillyng of the Gospell For without that spirite we haue neither eares to heare nor eyes to see it is that spirite that openeth and no man shutteth The same shutteth and no man openeth The same spirite opened the sicke womans hearte that she should
these good workes and deedes shall bee rewarded or crowned because that GOD of his méere mercie hath bounde hym selfe thereto by his promises wherevnto doeth sainct Augustine agree saiyng Fidelis dominus qui se nobis debitorem fecit non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendo That is to saie The Lorde is faithfull who hath made hym self a debter vnto vs not by receauyng any thyng of vs but by promisyng vnto vs all thynges Againe he saith Non dicimus deo Domine redde quod accepisti sed redde quod promisisti We doe not saie to God saieth he O Lorde giue thou that thou hast receaued of me but geue thou me that thou hast promised Here wee learne how God is become debter vnto vs and hath bounde hymself to crowne or rewarde our good workes not by receiuyng any thyng of vs for what haue we that we haue not receiued and if we haue receiued why doe we boast and glorie as though wee had not receiued Againe who gaue hym firste and he shal bee recompensed But by his faithfull promises whiche he hath made vnto his electe and chosen people And againe saincte Augustine saieth Da veniam Apostole propria tua non noui nisi mala Da veniam Apostole dicimus quia tu docuisti cum ergo deus coronat merita tua nihil coronat nisi dona sua That is pardon vs oh Apostle saith he I knowe nothing of thyne owne but euill Pardone vs oh Apostle wee saie so because thou haste taught vs Therefore when he crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne giftes And in another place he hath these wordes Coronaturus est in nobis non merita nostra sed dona sua God doeth crowne in vs not our merites but his giftes Againe he saieth Hoo solùm dico hoc rogâ— â–ª hoc cupio opera manuum â—uarum nâ— daspicias Opus 〈…〉 vide â–ª non meum Nam si meum videris damnas Si tâ—â—m videri◠〈◊〉 Nam quecunque mihi sunt opera bona abs te sunt This onely I saie this I praie this I couet despise not the workes of thine handes Sée thyne owne woorke in me and not myne For if thou seeste myne thou doest condempne If thou seeste thyne owne thou crowneste For all the good workes that I haue thei are of thee And therefore it was not without a cause that Barnarde saied that his merite is the mercie of the Lorde which place we haue before alledged Here wee maie see that God doeth onely rewarde or crowne in vs that which is his owne so he doth condemne all that he findeth to be our owne Therefore I would that men puttyng a side all wilfulnes would once consider with them selues that the maiestie of GOD hath neede of none of vs nor of any thyng we haue but rather doeth giue vs all thynges aboundauntly to enioye them What good worke then can we doe whereby wee maie profite hym in any thyng or doe hym any good Bonorum meorum non eges Thou haste no neede of my gooddes saieth Dauid what merite I praie you can bee in that woorke whereof no profite commeth to God Or rather whereof the whole profite if there bee any doeth redounde vpon our selues He that is righteous and doeth good woorkes he doeth it not for any commoditie that God shall haue thereby for what commoditie can God haue by any thing that we can doe But for his owne commoditie as he whiche is wicked and doeth wickedly hurteth hymself and not god He that hath the health of his body and doeth by good diet kepe and preserue it doeth he therefore deserue any rewarde at the Phisitions handes I thinke not For he dooeth it not for the Phisitions profite but for his owne After the same sorte he that by the gifte of God hath obteined the health of his soule and by his grace doeth the thynges that belong to the preseruation of the same shall we saie that he doeth deserue any rewarde at Goddes handes because that he is made suche by his gifte and doeth now through his helpe aide and assistaunce keepe the same grace for his onely profite and commoditie either by earnest beliefe or by vnfeined loue or by assured hope or by well doyng and patience in aduersitie and trouble Who needeth with a rewarde to bee stirred vp to drinke when he is thirstie or to eate when he is hungerie Neither neede men if they hungred and thristed for righteousnesse as thei ought to doe a rewarde to stirre them vp to it A mother vseth not to bee entised with rewardes to giue sucke to feede and care for her owne childe that it perishe not Wherefore Goddes promises are necessarie to men because by reason of synne they haue waxen colde from a vehement affection and zeale towarde godly and holie woorkes Therefore God doeth crowne his giftes in vs so all thinges remaine safe and sounde to the glorie God. Now where all thynges ought to bee attributed vnto the grace of God what is left for the merites of men For where grace is there is no place lefte for merite if we doe consider a right the nature and propertie of merite for the name of merite ought to be abolished the nature of merite is that thereby a iuste proportion and equall consideration ought to be betweene that which is giuen and that which is taken But betweene the good thynges which wée looke for and those thynges whiche we either suffer or dooe there is no proportion or equalitie For so saith S. Paul the passions and afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie to come c. Merite hath ioyned vnto it debt as Paul saith Unto him that worketh rewarde is rendered accordyng to debte and is not imputed accordyng to grace whiche he saieth is eternall life Unto the nature of merite there is required that that which is geuen perteine vnto the giuer and be not due vnto hym whiche receiueth it but workes are not of our selues for they are the gifte of God whiche worketh in vs Augustine affirmyng this saieth Ab illo habemus quicquid illi offerimus ex illo fit quicquid boni sumus Whatsoeuer we offer to God weâ— haue it from hym and whensoeuer we be good it is made and doen of hym But let our good workes be examined after the straightnes of Gods iudgement Who is so ignoraunt of mans imperfection that wyll not acknowledge that we ought rather to feare punishement for the defaultes that be in them then looke for any rewarde or boast I can not tell of what merites Is it for naught thinke ye that the holy prophete doeth liken our righteousnes to so filthy a thing that any man wil abhorre to looke on it Therefore sainct Augustine saieth Ve vniuersae iustitie nostre si remota misericordia indicetur That is wo bee to all our righteousnes
if it be iudged mercie being taken away or set a side Barnarde also saieth what can al our righteousnes be before God shall it not accordyng to the prophete be counted as a filthy blooddy cloute And if it bee straightly iudged shall not all our righteousnes be founde vnrighteous and hauyng lesse then it ought to haue What shall then become of our synnes if our righteousnes can not aunswere by it selfe Therfore criyng earnestly with the prophete Enter not into iudgment O lorde with thy seruaunt for in thy sight no man liuyng shal be iustified let vs with all humilitie haue our recourse vnto mercie whiche alone is able to saue our soules What maner of merite is this whiche cannot abyde the censure of Gods iudgement nor be deliuered from condemnation but through mercie onlie Wherefore learne this what soeuer is attributed to workes that same is dooen by reason of faithe which is annexed vnto them Wherefore as in a wall we haue a consideration vnto the foundation and in the fruites of trees to the rootes so whatsoeuer séemeth at the first sight to be adscribed to woorkes is to be assigned to faithe as vnto the mother of al good workes For whensoeuer the scripture séemeth to attribute iustification either vnto hope or vnto charitie or vnto woorkes those places are so to bee vnderstanded that iustification is there taught not by the causes but by the effectes So saieth Augustine vpon the Psalmes Laudo super edificationem operis sed video fidei fundamentum Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide agnosco radicem vbi fides non erat bonum opus non erat bonum opus enim intentio facit intentionem fides dirigit That is I praise the buildyng of good workes but I sée the foundation is of faith I praise the fruict of good workes but I acknowledge the roote in faithe Where faith is not good workes are not the intention maketh a good worke but yet faithe directeth that intention Let vs therfore rather to confesse our sinnes with the Publicane then to glory and boaste of our merites with the Pharisee Suche are our merites that the confession and acknowledgyng of our synnes ought to bee preferred before the numbryng of them to obtaine life For all our workes must be vtterly excluded and stande a parte that Grace maie appeare frée the Promise simple and that Faith maie stande alone For the lawe condemneth vs wordes doe not auaile vs but faith in Christe onely iustifieth vs For a man may make this argument which is inuincible All that we can doe with god is onely by Christe our workes and merites be not Christe Ergo our workes and merites can doe nothyng with god Therfore sith it is so cleare let vs acknowledge our sickenes which is synne let vs open it by repentaunce and flée by faith to Christe whiche is our onely phisicion and health of our soules let vs all by faith only make our profite of hym and not of our workes and merites For as Augustine speaketh of the woman that was taken in aduoutrie brought to him when her accusers were all gone he saieth Relicti sunt duo misera misericordia There are two left saith he mercie and miserie And therefore God pardoned her in his christ For Christ saieth to her Go synne no more as though Christ woulde saie saieth Augustine in the same place Deleui quod commisisti obserua quod precipi vt inuenias quod promisi That is I haue taken awaie thy synnes that thou hast committed doe and obserue that I commaunde thee that thou maiest finde that I haue promised thee Therefore I beléeue that Christe onely is the lambe of God that taketh awaie all our synnes Here maie one obiect and saie If God only forgeueth synnes what meaneth this that we reade Whose synnes soeuer ye forgeue they bee forgeuen them and whose synnes soeuer ye doe withholde they shal be withholden is it not plaine that not God onely but the Apostles also doe forgeue sinne I aunswere There bee thrée maner of powers to forgeue synnes The first is the same which belongeth vnto God onely for it is proued by the prophetes wordes I am he I am he my selfe whiche dâ—e wipe awaie thy wickednes for myne owne sake The seconde is the ministers when they declare gods grace to the penitent and that all their synnes are doen awaie only by Christe and contrariwise to preache and pronounce malediction and wrath vpon the vnrepentaunt therefore sainct Hierome saieth The Bishops or Priestes neither bindeth the innocente nor looseth the guiltie but accordyng to his office wheÌ„ he hath heard the diuersitie of synnes as in publique offences he knoweth who ought to bee bounde who ought to bee loosed Also Peter Lumbard saith God hath giueÌ„ to priestes power to bind to loose that is to say to declare vnto men that the penitents bee either bounde or loosed Sainct Augustine hath these wordes Wee speake in your eares but how knowe wee what is wrought in your hartes Howbeit what soeuer is wrought in you it is wrought not by vs but by god Hierome saieth It is not the sentence or absolution of the Prieste but the life of the penitente that is accepted before god So you see how the Churche forgiueth synners that is it pronounceth mercie vnto the repentaunt and wrath vnto the reprobate and vngodly as wee haue sufficiently declared before when wee intreated of the aucthoritie of the Churche And as for their auriculer confession it is a méere deuise and a Popishe lawe good for nothyng but to heape Goddes wrathe and displeasure vppon all the dooers thereof for their owne lawes condempneth their doctrine whiche they teache that we can not be forgiuen of our synnes vnlesse wee number them in a priestes eare for these are the woordes in their owne distinctions Saene dici potest quod sine confessione oris solutione poenae exterioris peccata delentur per contritionem humilitatem cordis That is we may safely say that without confession of the mouthe and absolution of the outwarde paine synnes bee forgiuen by the contrition and humilitie of the harte Againe Gratian saieth one of their owne champions Antequam sacerdoti ora nostra ostendamus id est peccatâ— nostra conâ—iteamur a lepta peccati mundamur â–ª Before we open our mouthe vnto the Priest that is to saie before we make confession of our synnes the leprosie of our synne is made cleane Sainct Chrisostome saieth Non dico vt confitearis conseruo tuo peccata tua dicito deo qui curet ea I will thee not to confesse thy synnes vnto the Prieste that is thy fellowe seruaunt Confesse them vnto God that maie heale them Againe Examine thy synnes in thy heart within thee lette this iudgement bee without witnesse let God onely see thee makyng thy confession The