blasphemers of the Gospell of Christ do sinne more grieuously than the Sodomites did and that God which is a sure reuenger will surely plague them for it either in this life or in the worlde to come or else in both with vnspeakeable miseries and endlesse torments Let vs therefore beléeue the Gospell of the sonne of God firste preached to the worlde by God the father then by the Patriarches after that of the Prophets and lastely of the onely begotten sonne of God Christ Iesus his Apostles whose heauenly voyce doth euen at this daye sounde to vs in the mouthes of the mynisters sincerely preaching the Gospel vnto vs. Secondarily wee haue to consider what it is that the heauenly preaching of the Gospell doeth shewe vnto the worlde to wite the Grace of God our heauenly father For the Apostle Paule in the twentieth Chapter of the Actes saith that hee receiued the ministerie of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God. Nowe therefore I will at this present saye so much of the grace of GOD as is sufficient for this place The woorde grace is diuersly vsed in the holie Scriptures euen as it is in prophane writinges also For in the Bible it signifieth Thankesgiuinge and also a Benefite and almes as 2. Cor. 8. Moreouer it signifieth prayse and recompence as in that place where the Apostle saith If when ye do well ye are afflicted yet do beare it that is praisworthie before God. It doeth also signifie facultie or licence as when wee saye that one hath gotten grace to teache and execute an office For the Apostle saith that he receiued grace and immediately to expounde his owne meaning hee addeth to execute the office of an Apostle Moreouer the gifts of God are called grace because they are giuen gratis and fréely bestowed without looking for of any recompeÌce And yet Paule in the fifte to the Romanes distinguisheth a gifte from grace For Grace doth signifie the fauour and good will of God towarde vs But a gifte is the thinge whiche God doth giue vs of that good wil such as are faith constancie and integritie They are saide to haue founde Grace with God whome God doeth dearely loue and fauour more than other In that sense Noah founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde Ioseph founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde of the prison And the holie virgin is read to haue founde grace with the Lorde because shee was beloued of God and verie deare vnto the Lord as shée whome he had singularly chosen from among all other women But in this place and present argument Grace is the fauour goodnesse of the eternall godhead wherwith he according to his incomprehensible goodnesse doeth gratis fréely for Christe his sake imbrace call iustifie and saue vs mortall men Nowe here mée thinketh before wee go anye further it is not amisse to examine and search out the cause of this Gods loue to vs exhibited For we sée that there is a certein relatioÌ betwixt the fauour of God vs men to whom his fauour is so bent It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to be found out For in vs there is nothing wherewith God can be in loue or wherewithall hee may be moued or stirred vp to imbrace vs yea in so much as wee are all vnpure sinners and that God is holye iuste and a reuenger of iniquities he hath matter ynoughe to finde in vs for which he may be angrie at and with iust reuengement plague vs So then the cause of Gods loue to vs wardes must of necessitie be not in vs nor in any other thing beside God considering that nothinge is more excellent than man but euen in God him self Moreouer the moste true Scripture doth teach vs that God is of his owne inclination naturally good gentle as Paul calleth him Philanthropon a louer of vs men who hath sent his owne sonne of his owne nature into the worlde for our redemption whervppon it doeth consequently followe that God doth fréely of him selfe and for his sonnes sake loue man and not for any other cause Whereby immediately all the preparamentes incitaments and merites of men beeing dissolued by the fire of Gods greate loue doe vade and passe awaye like smoke For the grace of God is altogether free and vnlesse it be so I cannot sée howe it can bee called Grace But it behoueth vs in a thing so weightie to cite some euident testimonies of the holie Scripture to confirme our mindes withall against all sophistical trifles and temptations of the diuell Our Lorde in the Gospell said So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the world that euery one which beleue in him shuld not perish but haue life euerlasting Loe here this goodwill of God which is the fauour and loue wherwith God embraceth vs is the cause of oure saluation For Christ hauing suffered for vs is our saluation Now God of verie loue hath giuen Christ both to vs for vs Neither may we thincke that God was first moued by oure loue to him ward to shewe like mutuall loue to vs againe and to giue his sonne for vs For he had determined before the beginning of the world to woorke our redemption through Christ his sonne And Iohn the Euangeliste in his Canonical Epistle sayth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to be an attonement for our sinnes To these testimonies although sufficiently plaine and stronge enough I will yet add some proofes out of the Apostle Paul y so this argument may be more euident that the great agréement may appeare which is betwixt Euangelists and Apostles in this doctrine of grace Paule therfore sayeth All haue sinned stand in neede of the glorie of God but are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu Againe to the Ephesians he sayeth Ye are saued thorough grace by faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of woorkes least any man should boast Againe to Titus The grace and loue of God our Sauiour towards all men hath appeared not of the woorkes of our owne righteousnesse which he did but according to his mercie hath he saued vs. Likewise in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the first Chapiter he sayeth God hath saued vs and hath called vs with an holie calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus I thinke verilie that if a man had béene sett of purpose to haue feigned any thing for the defence of this matter hee could not haue framed any sentence so fitt and euident as these woordes are So nowe it is manifest that the grace of God is altogether frée as that which excludeth all our woorks and merits And this frée loue of God is the only cause and true beginning of the Gospell For
caught into the ayre there to méete Christ that they may for euer be with the lord For then doe the soules returne out of Heauen euery one to his owne body that the whole perfect ful maÌ may liue for euer both in soule and body For the soule of Christ dying on the Crosse did out of hande departe into Paradise and the thirde day after returned to the body whiche rose againe and ascended into heauen Euen as therefore eternall life came to the heade Christ so shal it also come to all and euery member of Christ Now whereas Paule citing Esai sayth What the eye hath not seene nor the eaâe hearde nor hath at any time come into the heart of man that hath the Lord prepared for them that loue him I suppose verily if all were sayd touching eternall life that might be spoken by all the men of all ages that euer were or shall be yet that scarcely the very leaste part thereof hath or shall be throughly touched For how so euer the Scripture dothe with eloquent and figuratiue speches with allusions and harde Sentences most plainly shew the shadowe of that lyfe and those ioyes yet notwithstanding all that is little or nothing in comparison to speake of vntill that day do come wherein we shall with vnspeakable ioy beholde God him selfe the creator of al things in his glory Christ our sauiour in his Maiestie and finally all the blessed soules Angelles Patriarches Prophetes Apostles Martyrs our Fathers all nations all the hâast of Heauen and lastly the whole diuine and heauenly glorye Moste truely therefore sayde Aurelius Augustine Lib. de Ciuitat Dei. 22. Cap. 29. When it is demaunded of me what the Saintes shall doe in that spirituall bodye I aunswere not that which I nowe see but that that I beleeue I say therefore that they shall see God in that spirituall body And againe If I shoulde say the trueth I knowe not in what sort that action quietnesse and rest shall be For the peace of God doth passe all vnderstanding To be short we shall sée God face to face we shall be filled with the companie of God and yet be neuer wéerie of him And the face of God is not that countenaunce that appeareth in vs but is a most delectable reuealing and inioying of God whiche no mortall tongue can worthily declare Goe to then dearely beloued brethren let vs beléeue and liue that when we shall departe from hence we may in very déede haue tryall of those vnspeakable ioyes of the eternal life to come which nowe we doe beléeue Hytherto haue I throughout the foure laste Articles declared vnto you the fruite and ende of Christian fayth Fayth leaneth vpon one God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste which saÌctifieth the faithful purgeth and halloweth a Churche to him selfe whiche Churche hath a communion with God and all Saintes All the offences of which Church God pardoneth and forgiueth And dothe preserue it both soule and body For as the Saintes Soules can not dye so God rayseth vp their bodies againe and maketh them glorious and euerlasting to the end that the whole man may for euer liue in heauen with the Lorde To whome be prayse and glory world without end AmeÌ Of the loue of God and our Neighbour ¶ The tenth Sermon IT remaineth since I haue in some sermons discoursed of true faythe that I do nowe also adde one Sermon touching loue towards God and our neyghbour For in my fourth Sermon I promised so soone as I should haue done with the exposition of fayth that then I would speake of loue towarde God and our neighbour bycause the exposition of the Scriptures ought not to goe awrye out of faythe and charitie whiche are as it were the right and holy markes for it to drawe vnto Ye as hitherto ye haue done so cease not yet to pray that this wholesome doctrine maye be by me taught as it shoulde be and by you receiued with much increase and profite And first of all I will not curiously put any difference betwene Charitie and loue I will vse them both in one and the same sense S. Augustine De doctrina Christiana saith I cal Chatitie a motion of the minde to delight in God for his owne sake and to delight in himselfe and his neighbour for Gods sake And therfore I cal loue a gifte giuen to man from Heauen wherby with his hart he loueth God before and aboue all thinges and his neighbour as him selfe Loue therfore springeth from Heauen from whence it is powred into our hartes But it is inlarged and augmented partly by the remembrance and consideration of Gods benefits partly by often prayer and also by the hearing frequenting of the worde of Christ Which things them selues also are the giftes of the spirite For the Apostle Paule saith The loue of God is powred out into our hartes by the holy Ghoste which is giuen vs. For verily the loue of God wherwith he loueth vs is the foundation cause of our loue wherewith we loue him and of both these iointly consisteth the loue of our neighbour For the Apostle saith We loue him bicause he first loued vs. And againe Euery one that loueth him which begot loueth him also that is borne of him Hereby we gather againe that this gifte of loue can not be diuided or seuered although it be double For he that loueth God truly hateth not his neighbour and yet neuerthelesse this loue bicause of the double respect that it hath to God and our neighbour staÌdeth of two partes And bicause of this double Charitie the tables of Gods law are diuided into twaine the first wherof conteineth foure commaundeâânts touching the loue of God the seconde comprehendeth sixe precepts touching the loue of our neighbour Of which I will speake in their owne place But at this time bicause the loue of God and of our neighbour are twaine I will first speake of the loue of God and then of the loue of our neighbour In these two commaundements saith the Lord hang the law and the Prophetes With that which wee call the loue of God we loue God entirely wel we cleaue to God as the onely chiefe and eternal goodnesse in him we do delight our selues and are well pleased and frame our selues to his wil and pleasure hauing euermore a regarde and desire of him that we loue With loue wée loue God most hartelie But wee doe hartelie loue the thinges that are deare vnto vs and the things that to vs séeme worthie to be desired and we loue them entirely in deede not so much for our coÌmodity as for because wée do desire to ioyne and as it were for euer to giue and dedicate our selues whoalie to the thing that wée so dearelie loue So verilie wee desyre for euer to be ioyned with God are in charitie fast lincked vnto him as the Apostle sayth God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth
thou and doe the like As if he should haue said like as the Samaritane iudged euen his enimie to be his neighbour and dealt friendly with him when he stood in neede of his friendship so sée that thou take euery one that néedeth thy helpe to be thy neighbour and do him good Aurelius Augustine therfore according to the right sense of the scripture sayde we take him to be our neighbour to whome we shewe mercy when néede requireth or to whome we should shew mercy if at any time he shoulde néede We Suitzers doe most properly expresse it when we cal our neighbour Den nachsten menschen tâat is any man without difference whosoeuer by hap shall light into our company Moreouer in our couÌtrey speache we will call our neyghbour Der abenmensch namlich ein yeder der so wol ein mensch ist al 's wir Meaning thereby any man what soeuer whether he be our friende or enimie Herevnto belongeth that saying of Lactantius in the eleuenthe Chapter of his sixte booke Why makest thou choice of persons why lookest thou so narrowly on the limmes Thou muste take him to be a man whosoeuer beseecheth thee therefore that he may thinke thee to be a man Giue to the blinde to the impotent to the lame to the comfortlesse to whome vnlesse thou be liberall thou shalt dye vndoubtedly Againe he saith If so be we will rightly be called by the name of men then must we in any case keepe the lawe of ciuill humanitie And what else I pray you is it to keepe humanitie but therfore to loue a man bycause he is a man and the very same that we our selues are The Lord in the Gospel verily speaking of the loue of our neighbour saith Loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that hurt you And againe Giue to euery one that asketh of thee And if you loue theÌ that loue you what thanke is that to you For sinners also loue them of whome they are loued So then euery man who so euer standeth in néede of our ayde both is and is to be counted our neighbour And yet all this notwithstanding there is no cause but that there ought to be an order a measure and decent regard in loue and well doing For rightly sayde Saint Augustine in the 27. Chapter of his booke De doctrina Christiana No sinner in that he is a sinner is to be loued And in the. 28. Chapter All men are to be loued alike but since thou canst not do good to all men therfore thou must especially doe good to them to whom thou art as it were by lot more neerely ioyned by opportunitie eyther of time of place or of any other thing what soeuer And this did Paul before Augustine teach where he sayth Who soeuer worketh not let him not eate And againe While we haue time let vs worke good to all men but specially to them of the houshold of fayth And in another place he commandeth vs not to bestowe on others to lacke our selues at home But rather he chargeth euery one to haue a godly care of his owne house The place is knowne in the fift Chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie Nowe since I haue declared who is our neighbor let vs see also in what sort this neighbour of ours ought to be loued Our neighbour must be loued simply without any coloured deceipt with the very selfe same loue wherwith we loue our selues or that wherwith Christe hath loued vs For in al things we must stand our neighbour in stéede and doe him pleasure so farre as the lawe of humanitie shall be founde to require In this declaration there are foure things more fully to be noted Firste that loue of our neighbour that is looked for at our handes ought to be so sincere as that it be without all manner guile deceipt and coloured craft For there are many to be fouÌd that haue the skill to talke to their neighbours with sugred tongues and to make a face as thoughe they loued them when as in déede they do vtterly hate them meaning nothing else but with fauning wordes to beguile them that thereby they may worke the thinges that they desire Paule and Iohn therefore the Apostles of Christe goe about earnestly to seuer hypocrisie from loue For Paul saith Let not your loue be fayned Againe The ende of the commaundement is loue of a pure heart and a good conscience and fayth not fayned On the other side Iohn cryeth out saying My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in deede and in veritie Moreouer in this sinceritie we conteine a frée willing mery chearfulnesse that nothing may séeme to be done vnwillingly or by compulsion For Paule sayth Let euery man doe with a good purpose of mynd not of trouble or necessitie For God requireth a chearefull giuer Secondarily it is to be looked for of vs that we should loue our neighbor as our selues For the Lorde hath sayde Loue thy neighbour as thy selâ that is most intirely and as dearely as by any meanes thou mayst For there is not any affection that is of more force or vehemencie then selfe loue is Neyther was it the Lord his minde that the loue of our neighbour should be any whit lesser theÌ the loue that we beare to our selues but rather by this he gaue vs to vnderstand that we ought to bestowe on others as ardent loue as may be to wit the very same affection that we beare to our selues and our owne estate and that we ought to be readie to do good to other or to kéepe them from harme with the same care fayth and diligence with the same zeale goodwil wherewith we prouide for our selues or our owne safetie Wherevpon the Lorde in another place sayth What soeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another And what so euer thou wouldest not haue done to thy self do not thou the same to another And herein doth the lord require two things at our haÌds not to hurt to do good For it is not inough not to hurt a maÌ but also to do him good so much as lyeth in vs to do For we our selues desire not onely to kéepe our selues from hurt but to do our selues good also But if so it be dearely beloued that ye doe not yet sufficiently understand the manner howe we ought to loue our neighbour then marke I beséeche you the thirde part of my description of this loue where I sayde That we ought to loue our neighbor with that same loue wherwith the Lord Christ loued vs For in the Gospell after S. Iohn the Lord saith This is my commaundement that ye loue one another as I haue loued you So then here ye haue the manner of our loue we must loue our neighbours as Christe hath loued vs But in what sort hath Christe loued vs Here
and to knée to ducke with the heade and bende the body to fall downe to honour to worship and to reuerence The Saintes of olde did vse to bowe downe that is to bende the knée to vncouer the heade and to fall downe to the Magistrates the Prophets the Princes and teachers of the people and vnto all sortes of reuerend men And that they did partly by cause God had so commaunded who vseth their ministerie to common mens commoditie and partly againe by cause men are the liuely Image of God him selfe But deafe dumbe and blinde Idoles are wood and stone wherevnto we are forbidden to bend or bow downe how so euer we are made to beléeue that they doe beare the likenesse of god The latter is Thou shalt not worship them or else Thou shalt not doe any seruice vnto them In this clause is forbidden all the outwarde and vnlawfull honour done to God or to the Gods in the way of Religion nay rather in the way of superstition and diuelishe hallowing of Churches reliques holie dayes and such like trash and trumperie For to serue is to worship to reuerence to attribute some maiestie and diuine authoritie to that whiche we doe worship to haue affiaunce in to burne incense to offer giftes and to shewe our selues dutifully seruiceable to that which we worship There is no man that knoweth not what it is to serue and what is ment by seruice in matters of Religion We are forbidden therefore to runne in Pilgrimage to Idoles yea though they be the Images of God him selfe We are forbidden to do them any seruice in offering giftes or attributing vnto them any one iote of Gods preeminence thereby to binde our selues to mainteine and vpholde their vnlawfull honour in mingling such superstitions with better pointes of true religion This therefore considered since we may not attribute to Images any seruiceable honour I doe not sée how we can ascribe to them the office of teaching admonishing and exhorting which are the offices and benefites of Gods holy spirit and worde For Abacuck the Prophete of whose writings Paul did make no small account hath lefte in writing wordes worth remembring What profiteth sayth he the image for the maker of it hath made it an image and a teâcher of lies thogh he that made it trusteth therein when hee maketh dumbe Idoles ⪠Woe vnto him that sâyth to the wood awake and to the sânâel ãâã stone arise Should that teachâ thâââ Beholde it is couered with golde and siluer there is no breath in it But the Lorde is in his holy temple let all the earth keepe silence before him What coulde be sayde more playnely and agreeable to the trueth Images sayth he are méere and very lyes But howe can that teache the trueth which of it selfe is nought else but a lye There is no mouing there is no life there is no breath in a picture or Image But the Lord sitteth in his holie temple where he reigneth and teacheth by inspiration and the preaching of his worde the summe of godlinesse and where he liueth for euer in the hearts of all his Saintes and seruauntes Let therefore all the tongues in the whole world be stopte of them that goe about to mainteine and vpholde superstitious Idolatrie against the true and liuing God. Nowe againe in the thirde part of this commauncement the Lord doth briefly knit vp the pithy handling of sundry things For first he sheweth that men haue no iust or lawfull cause in turning from God eyther to make them straunge Gods or else to worship God otherwise then they ought to doe I am sayth he the Lord thy God a strong god If I be the Lorde then shouldest thou of duetie serue me honour me obey me and worship me so as thou dost vnderstand that I doe desire to be worshipped and honoured If I be God then am I of sufficient abilitie to minister to all men what so euer they lacke What canst thou want therefore that thou mayst not finde in me why then shouldest thou turne to straunge Gods Thou haste no cause at all vndoubtedly to turne from me I am moreouer a strong God a mightie yea an Allmightie God and Lorde Thou hast no cause to séeke a mightier or welthier prince then me by him to be deliuered out of my handes and by his liberalitie to be farther inriched then thou shalt be by my good giftes and blessings For I am that true and eternall God the inuisible and Allmightie Prince of the worlde the true and only helper and deliuerer the liberall and bountifull giuer of all good giftes or benefites I am also thy Lorde and thy God. Those goods of myne are thyne For I am thine yea I am thy helper and deliuerer out of al aduersities and afflictions Thou art mine I haue created thée I liue in thée I doe preserue thée Why then shouldest thou turne away from me and séeke after any straunge God what so euer What néedest thou any more hereafter to hunte after senselesse Idoles Thou arte the Church and Temple of god Doste thou not féele and perceiue within thy selfe that I doe dwell in thée and haue thine heart in possession And what I praye thée hath the Temple of God to doe with godlesse Images Then also he descendeth and doth very seuerely yet notwithstanding iustly threaten extreme and terrible reuengement I am sayth he a iealous god This may be taken two wayes very well and not amisse For firste the sense may be thus I will not haue thée to séeke any other Gods but me neyther will I haue thée admit or receiue any forreine or vnlawfull worshipping of me The cause is I am a iealous God enuious against my riuall not suffering myne equall nor by any meanes abyding to haue a mate I alone will be loued I alone will be worshipped and that too not after any other fashion than I my selfe haue appointed to be obserued For no man is so ignorant but that he knoweth howe God in the Scripture doth by the parable of wedlocke figuratiuely set downe the assurance and bond wherin by fayth we are bouÌd to God God is our husband bridegrome we are his wife chosen spouse A chaste and faithful wife giueth eare alone to her husbands voice him alone she loueth him alone she doth obey him excepted she loueth no man at al. Again on the other side a shamelesse faithlesse adultresse and whorish strumpet not worthy to be called a wife séemeth outwardly to sticke and cleaue to her husband but priuily she maketh her body common to many men and louâth other more then her husbande and for the most part burneth on theÌ being colde enough to him ward But God is a iealous God and will be loued and worshipped alone without any partener to robbe him thereof That is spirituall adulterie whore-hunting when men doe partly loue and worship God and yet notwithstanding doe therewithall giue reuerence to straunge and other
the people beare your trouble your burden and the stâifes that are among you What may be thought of that moreouer that in the most sure felowship of the auncient and Apostolique Church yea in those very vessells which were regenerate the wrangling disposition of slesh did shew it self For the Gréekes murmured against the Hebrues because their widowes in the daily ministerie were little regarded The Corinthians also go to lawe before Heathen Iudges and therefore doth Paul very sharply rebuke them and chargeth them to appoint honest iudges among themselues to take vppe matters betwixt them that were at variance Let no man therfore make this obiectioÌ and say that the old people of Israell were a carnall people and not regenerate For wée see that eueÌ in the regenerate the roliques of flesh remayne which euer and anon wheÌ occasion is offered do shew forth themselues trouble the quiet state of euery thing For I will not now say that the greater sort of men do rather follow the flesh than the spirite And for that cause God who loueth man who kéepeth and preserueth ciuilitie peace humane societie hath prepared and applied a medicine against those gréeuous diseases of men hée hath appointed the magistrate I say to step betwixt them that striue with the authoritie of law equitie to iudge and discusse matters betwixt them that are at variance to bridle suppresse wrong and affections and lastly to saue the giltlesse innocents Whosoeuer subuerteth this ordinaÌce of God till such time as men do leaue their wayward disposition hée bringeth vtter confusion to euery state and aydeth wrongful dealers and violent robbers to oppresse and roote out the best sort of people By this verilie which hitherto wée haue alledged it is manifestly apparaunt that the magistrate is ordeyned by God for the safegard of the good punishment of the euill I meane for the good and quiet state of mortall men Wherefore wée read that from the beginning there haue béene magistrates in the world Hereunto doe appertayne these testimonies of the holy Scripture Moses in y Law calleth The iudges Gods and this iudgement saith hee is Gods. From whence also Iosaphat borowed that saying which he spake to y Iudges where hée sayth See what ye do For ye iudge not to man but to the Lord which is with you in the causes which ye iudge let the feare of God therefore be in your harts S. Peter sayth That we must obey the magistrats for the Lords sake by whom he is ordeyned to the praise of the good and terrifying of the euill And Paul the teacher of the Gentiles saith There is no power but of God and the powers that are are ordeyned by God and whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God and he that resisteth shall receiue to him selfe damnation For rulers are not feareful to them that do well but to the euill For hee is the minister of God reuenger of wrath on him that doth euill The magistrate therfore is of God his office is good holie pleasing God iust profitable and necessarie for men and the rulers which do rightly execute their office are the friends and worshippers of God they are his elect instruments by whom he worketh mans health and safegard Wée haue examples hereof in Adam all the Patriarches our father Noe Ioseph Moses Iosue Gedeon Samuel Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias Daniel many other after the time of Christ who rightly executed the office of magistrates Now many there are which will haue the magistrate to be of two sorts to wit either good or badde The good magistrate is hée who being lawfully ordeyned doth lawfully execute his office duetie The euill magistrate is he which wheÌ he hath by euil meanes got the authoritie doth tourne dispose it as hée himselfe lusteth And herevpon the question is wont to be demaunded Whether an euill that is a tyrannicall magistrate be of God or no To this I aunsweare that God is the author of good and not of euill For God by nature is good and all his purposes are good being directed to y health and preseruation not to the destruction of vs men Therefore the good and healthfull ordeyning of the magistrate without al doubt is of god himselfe who is the author of all goodnesse But héere it is requisite that wée make a difference betwixt the office which is the good ordinaunce of God the euill person that doth not rightly execute that good âffice If therfore in the magistrate euill be founde and not the good for which he was ordeyned that commeth of other causes and the fault thereof is in the men and persons which neglecte God and corrupt the ordinaunce of God not in God nor in his ordinaunce for either the euill Prince seduced by the diuell corrupteth the wayes of God and by his owne fault and naughtinesse transgresseth Gods ordinaunce so farre that hée doth worthily deserue the name of diuelish power and not diuine authoritie Wée haue an example hereof in the magistrate of Ierusalem For although he were able to referre the beginning of his power by degrées vnto Moses and so vnto God himselfe who did ordeyne it yet for because hée taketh the Sauiour in the Gardeyne and byndeth him to his seruaunts it is sayd Ye are come out as it were to a theefe with swords and staues WheÌ I was daylie with you in the temple ye stretched not forth your hands against mee But this is euen your houre and the power of darcknesse Loe héere he calleth the ordinarie magistrate the power of the diuell when hée abusâth his power What could be more euidently spoken But here ye must marke that the reproch was in the person and not in the office Likewise also the Romane Empire was ordeyned by God as by the visions of Daniel it is clearely euident And yet wheÌ Nero not without Gods ordinaunce bare the sway in the Empire whatsoeuer hée did as king and Emperour contrary to the office of a good king that did hée not of God but of the diuell For whereas he honge vp beheaded the Apostles of Christ mouing a bloudie persecution against the Church that sprang not from elsewhere than from the diuel the father of murder So then verily wée ought not at any time to defend the tyrannicall power and say that it is of god For tyrannie is not a diuine but a diuellish kind of gouernment and tyrauntes themselues are properly the seruauntes of the diuell and not of god Or else otherwise some people do deserue by their wicked deedes to haue not a king but a tyraunt So then the peoples sinne is an other cause that euil magistrates are found in common weales In the meane while the king is of the Lord sometime hée makes an hypocrite reigne Wherefore the euill magistrate is of God euen as also seditions warres plagues hayle frost and other miseries of mankind come from the Lord as
that thing that pleaseth God the loue I meane of true religion and the vtter detesting of idolatrie that they are madde vpon and persecute it with swoorde fire and vnspeakable torments To this therefore doeth that saying of Sainct Peter belong See that none of you be punished as a murtherer or as a theefe or as an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mennes matters but if any man suffer as a Christian man let him not be ashamed but rather glorifie God on this behalfe Yet for all this I would not that heynous offendours should any whit despaire They haue the example of the théefe that was crucified with Christ that let them follow let them I saye confesse their faultes beléeue in Christ commit themselues wholie to his grace mercie and lastly suffer patiently the paine of their punishment and in so doing there is no doubt but they shal be receyued of Christe into Paradise and liue there for euer as the théefe doth with Christ And although the godly be slame amonge transgressours yet is âée no more defiled by suffeâing with them than Christ ouâ Lord was being hanged amonge theeues For though the godly and vngodly be wrapped and coupled together in one kinde of punishment yet are they seuered by their vnlike ending while the wicked after this bodily death is carried to hell there to burne without intermission and the godly taken immediately into heauen to liue with Christe his Lord to whom he committed and commended himselfe Touching this matter and the causes of the afflictions of the holy men of God I wil not be agreeued to recite vnto you dearely beloued a notable place of S. Augustine out of his first booke de ciuitate Dei. Wheresoeuer sayth hée good men doe suffer the same and like punishment that the euil sort do it is to be marked that there is not therefore no difference betwixt them because there is no diuersitie in the thing that they suffer For as in one and that same fire gold doth shine and chaffe doeth smoke and vnder one flayle the huske is broken and the corne purged and as the scummy froath is not mixed with the oyle althoughe one weight of the same presse doth crush both out at once euen so one and the selfe same miserie falling vppon the good and the badd doth trie fine and melt the good and on that otherside condemne wast consume the euill sort Whereupon it commeth to passe that in one and the same affliction the euill doe detest and blaspheme the Lord when contrarily the good doe praye vnto and praise his name for all that he layeth vpon them So much matter maketh it in afflictions to mark not what but with what minde euery man doeth suffer For stirre vp durt and sweete oyntments alike you shall haue the one stincke filthily and the other cast forth a swéete smelling sauour Therfore in that hurlie burlie and irruption made by the barbarous people what did the Christians suffer which was not rather to their profite while they did faithfully coÌsider those troubles especially because they humbly considering the sinnes for which God being wroth did fil the world with so many and great calamities although they be farre from committing heynous gréeuous and outragious offences doe yet neuerthelesse not repute themselues so cleare of all faultes as that they iudge not themselues worthie to suffer temporal calamities for the crimes they commit euery houre and moment For ouer and besides that euery man which liueth peraduenture laudably enoughe doeth in some pointes yéeld a little to carnall concupiscence although not to y outragiousnes of horrible sinnes to the goulfe of heynous offences and abhominable iniquities yet notwithstanding he yéeldeth to some sinnes which eyther he haunteth verie séeldomely or else committeth so much the oftener as they are the lesser Ouer and besides this therefore I say what man is there which when hée séeth and knoweth very well the men for whose pride lasciuious liues couetousnes and damnable iniquitie God as he hath threatened doeth plague the earth doeth so estéeme them as they are to be thought of and liue so with them as he ought to liue wyth such kinde of people For often times many thinges are wickedly dissembled while wicked doers are not taught corrected chidden and admonished of their euil behauiours either because we thinke the paine to much to tell them their faults or while we are afrayd to haue the heauie lookes of them with whom we liue or else auoyde their displeasure least peraduenture they should hinder or hurte vs in temporall matters when as either our gréedinesse desireth to haue somewhat more or oure infirmitie feareth to lose y things which it hath alreadie in hold and possession so that althoughe the life of the wicked displease the good for which cause they fall not into the same damnation which is after this life prepared for the euill yet since they doe therefore beare with and forbeare their damnable sinnes because they feare them in lighter and smaller trisâes they are iustly scourged wyth them in this temporall life albeit they be not punished with them eternallie While they bee punished by God with the wicked they doe iustly féele the bitternesse of this life for the loue of whose swéetenesse they would not be bitter in telling the wicked of their offences This therfore séemeth to me to be no smal cause why the good are whipped wyth the euill when it pleaseth God to punish the naughtie manners of men with the affliction of temporal paynes For they are scourged together not forbecause they lead an euil life together but because they loue this temporall life together I doe not say alike but together when the better sort ought to despise it that the euill being rebuked and corrected might obteyne the eternall life to the getting wherof if they would not be oure fellowes and parteners they should be caried louingly drawne euen while they be oure enimies because so longe as they liue it is alwayes vncertaine whether their minds shal be changed to bee better or no. Wherfore they haue not the like but a farre greater cause to admonishe men of their faultes to whome the Lord sayth by the mouth of the Prophete He verilie shall die in his sinne but his bloud will I require at the hand of the watchman For to this ende are the watchmen that is the guides of the people ordeyned in the Churches that they should not forbeare to rebuke sinne and wickednesse And yet for all this that man is not altogether excusable of this fault which although hée be no guide or ouerseeâ of the people deeth notwithstanding knowe many thinges worthie controllment yet winck at them in those with whome he lyueth and is coÌuersant because he will giue them none offence for feare least hée loose those thinges which in this world hée vseth as hée ought not or is delighted in so as hee should not And so forth For
worke and toyle There are also workemen to whome the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to paye the hire that is their due A woorke also is the thing which is made or expressed by the artificer or workeman For the Prophet Ieremie speaking of a potter saith He made a worke vpon a whéele Moreouer a woorke doth signifie an office or duetie For Paul saith do the worke meaning the office of an Euangelist And the holy Ghoste speaking in the church at Antioche saith Separate me Paule and Barnabas for the woorke whereunto I haue chosen them Furthermore the workes of the Lorde are the mightie déedes of God whereby he doeth declare his power and goodnesse vnto men and in that significatioÌ heauen earth and man him selfe are saide to be the workes of Gods hands Workes also are the benefites of God bestowed vppon vs men For in the Gospel he saith I haue shewed you manye good workes as if he should haue said I haue done you many good turnes There are also euil workes I meane workes of iniquitie Wherevppon some men are called woorkers of iniquitie whose déedes are the woorkes of the fleshe and of darknesse Againe there are good workes I meane sundrie vertues the fruites of faith of which sorte are iustice temperaunce charitie patience hope c. For the Lorde in the Gospell saide Let your light so shine beefore men that they may see your good workes and glorifie the father which is in heauen The Apostle saith that wee are made for good workes to walke in them Those same are called the fruites of repentance and woorkes worthie of repentance They are called the works of light and the fruites of the spirite The same are the workes of humanitie beneuolence and charitie suche are commended in Tabitha which is read to haue beene full of good works Paule saith Let vs woorke good while we haue time to all but especially to them of the houshold of faith Such a like worke of humanitie and charitie did Marie bestowe vppon Christe our Sauiour who saide She hath wrought a good worke on mee This beeing thus declared wee will nowe describe good woorkes in their colours and qualities Good workes are déedes or actions wrought of those which are regenerate by the spirite of God through faith and according to the worde of God to the glorie of God the honestie of life the profite of their neighbour This briefe description I will prosecute by partes and expounde so well as the Lorde shall giue mee grace First of all I will by proofe shewe that there is none other welspringe from whence good workes do flowe than God him selfe which is the author of all good thinges For the Prophet saith All men are lyars God alone doth speake the trueth And the Lorde in the Gospell saith None is good but God alone Good woorkes therefore must haue their beginning not of man who is a lyar and corrupt but of God him selfe the welspring of all goodnesse And God doeth by his spirite and by faith in Christe Iesus renue al men so that they being once regenerate doe no longer their owne that is the workes of the fleshe but the workes of the spirite of grace and of God him selfe For the woorkes of them that are regenerate doe growe vpp by the good spirite of God that is within them which spirite euen as the sappe giueth strength to trees to bring foorth fruite doth in like manner cause sundrie vertues to budde braunch out of vs men as the Lorde him selfe doth in the Gospell testifie saye I am the vine ye are the braunches As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine so cannot ye also vnlesse ye abide in mee Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him hee bringeth foorth much fruite for without mee ye can do nothing To the same cause is that to be referred whereas wee say that a good worke is done by faith For faith is the gift of God whereby wée laye holde on Christe throughe which wée are both iustified and quickened as the Scipture saith The iust shal liue by his faith And in another place saith Paule By faith Christe dwelleth in our heartes And againe I liue yet now not I but Christe liueth in mee And the life which now I liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who loued mee and gaue him selfe for mee Nowe he that liueth doeth the workes of life through him no doubt by whome he is quickened and he that is iustified doeth the woorkes of righteousnesse through him that iustified him that is the righteous do through Christe woorke righteousnesse and righteousenesse conteineth the whole companie of vertues So then God alone remaineth stil the onely welspring and author of good woorkes But let vs nowe see the testimonies of Scripture by which wee may euidently learne that the workes of them that be regenerate are attributed to God him selfe who by his spirite and by faith doeth woorke in the heartes of the regenerate Moses testifieth saying The Lord shall blesse thee and the Lorde thy God shal circumcise thy hearte and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte and with all thy soule that thou maist liue Lo here the cause the godly men doe rightly loue the Lorde doth procéede of the circumcision of the heart Now who I praye you doth circumcise the hearte beside the Lorde The Prophet Esaie doeth more plainly saye Thou Lorde shalt ordeine peace for euen thou haste wrought all our workes in vs. In the Gospell after Sainct Iohn our Sauiour saith He that worketh veritie commeth to the light that his workes may be seene because they are wrought by God. And againe Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him he bringeth foorth much fruite For without mee ye can do nothing Paule also to the Philippians saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him And yet againe more plainly It is God that woorketh in you both to will and to doe accordinge to the good purpose of the minde Likewise also Sainct Iames saith Euerie good giuing and euerie perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth from the father of lightes Moreouer Sainct Peter ascribing all the partes of good woorkes so God deeth saye The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glorie through Christe Iesus restore vpholde strengthen and stablishe you For wée are not able as Paule in an other place saith Of our selues to thinke any thinge as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. Therefore God alone remayneth still the onely welspring of all good workes from whome as from a spring head good works do flowe into the Sainctes as into sundry streames and chanels Yet here by the waye this muste be added that good woorkes although they doe in deede procéede from God and are in verie true and proper phrase of
not perish but haue eternall life Nowe Moses did hang vp the brasen Serpent for the health and recouerie of them that were poysoned by the bytings of the Serpents For they died presently that were stung with the Serpents vnlesse they did immediately looke vp to the brasen Serpent for at the verie sight thereof the poysoned sting did loose all force and the person enuenomed was out of hande restored and cured againe Neither was there in the host of the Israelites any other medicine but that alone which whosoeuer despised he died without remedie For the force of the poyson was not expelled the life of the infected was not preserued either by the power of prayers or the multitude of Sacrifices or medicinable hearbes or any kinde of Physicke or other meanes of mannes inuention If any woulde escape the peril of death it behoued him to beholde the brasen serpent aloft Nowe that brasen Serpent was a type or figure of Christe our Lorde who being lifte vp vppon the Crosse is ordeined of God to be the onely saluation But nowe to whome doeth that sauing health befall To them forsooth that do beholde him beeing so lift vp The Lorde him selfe telleth vs what to beholde doth signifie and in stéede thereof doth put to beleeue Therefore no woorkes none other meanes nor merites of ours do saue vs from eternall death and from the force of sinne that is the poyson wher with we are all infected by the olde Serpent our aduersarie Satan Faith alone whereby wée beléeue in Christ who was lift vp for the remission of our sinnes and in whome alone our life and sure saluation doeth assuredly consist is the onely thinge that quickeneth vs which are alreadie dying by the enuenomed sting of Satan which is sinne Heare moreouer what the Lorde doth adde instructing Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith and making the onely cause of our saluation to be the meere onely grace of God which is receiued by faith in Christ For so saith he GOD loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beeleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life For God sent not his sonne to condemne the world but that the worlde might bee saued by him He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but hee that beleeueth not in him is alreadie condemned be cause he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God. Loe what coulde bee spoken more plainely By faith we are made partakers of Christe By repeatinge faith so often his meaning was so to beate it into our heades that no man shoulde hereafter do once so muche as doubte of so manifest and euident a péece of doctrine But if here nowe thou doest little set by the authoritie of Christ then whose authoritie wilte thou estéeme But thou wilt not I knowe reiect his testimonie Yet albeit that his warrant is sufficient giue eare notwithstandinge to that disciple whome the Lorde loued who in his Epistle expounding as it were the wordes of the Lorde and by the way of exposition repeating and beating them into all mennes mindes doth strongly cry out If wee receiue the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater for this is the witnesse of God which he testified of his sonn he that beleeueth in the sonne hath the testimonie in him selfe Hee that beleeueth not God doth make him a lyar because lie beleeued not the recorde that he gaue of his sonne And this is the recorde that God hath giuen vs eternall life and this life is in his sonne He that hath the sonne hath life and hee that hath not the sonne of God hath not life But what else is it to haue the sonne of god than to beléeue in him For this sense is gathered by that which went before beeing of it selfe so euident that for mée to add any thing vnto it is to do nothing else but as it were to goe about with a tallowe candell to help or adlight the Sunne at his rising Nowe are we come to the place of Sainct Paule which is to be séene in the third and fourth Chapters of his Epistle to the Romanes The rightousenesse of God saith hee without the lawe is made manifest being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the Prophets Paul in this place doth preache the Gospell most euideÌtly For I knowe not any other place wherein he doeth it more plainly Hee teacheth herein howe we are iustified before God what is the true righteousenesse and saluation of mankinde and by what meanes it commeth vnto vs. He saith that the righteousnesse of God that is to saye the righteousenesse which God bestoweth or whiche doth preuaile before God is reuealed without the lawe that is to say doeth come vnto vs without the helpe of the lawe to wite without the ayde merites of the workes of the lawe For touching the testimonie of the laweÌ the Prophets they witnesse both together that they which beleeue are iustified by the righteousnesse of god Now what that righteousenesse is he doth immediately declare saying The righteousenesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue The righteousenesse saith he whereof wee speake is not humane or of mortall man but altogether diuine or of God him selfe For as God alone is onely iust so the righteousenesse of God is the true and onely righteousenesse of God that saueth vs Which righteousenesse God maketh vs to be partakers of by the faith of Iesus Christe to wite if wee beléeue in Christe and hope in him for to bee saued Neither is there here any man excluded from righteousnesse and saluation For Paule doeth plainely say Vnto all and vpon all that doe beleeue Wherefore God doeth repute and estéeme all them to be righteous which do beléeue in Iesus Christe his onely sonne our Lorde and Sauiour Now he doth presently annex the cause why he attributeth saluation vnto the righteousnesse of God and not of man or why the Gospell commendeth to vs the righteousenesse of God saying For there is no difference al haue sinned and haue neede of the glorie of God For because all men of their owne nature are destitute of the glorie of God that is since they are without the true image of God to the likenesse whereof they were created in the beginning therefore all men verily are vnrighteous and sinners wherevppon it followeth that in them there is no righteousnesse and that they haue nothing wherein to boast before the righteous God. For what else I beseech you doe sinners carrie from the iudgement seate of God but confusion and ignominie And for because all men are such and in that case therefore the Apostle doth verie wisely add but they are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption in Christe Iesus whome God hath sett foorth to bee a propitiation or reconciliation through faith in his bloud Whiche is all one as
the vse or effect of the lawe of God and of the fulfilling abrogating of the same Of the likenesse and difference of bothe the Testamentes and people the old and the new 400 9 Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof 440 10 Of sinne and of the kyndes thereof to wit of originall and actuall sinne and of sinne against the Holie Ghoste And lastly of the most sure and iust punishment of sinnes 477 The summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the fourth Decade 1 Of the Gospell of the grace of GOD who hath giuen his Sonne vnto the world and in him all thinges necessarie to saluation that wee beleeuing in him might obteine eternall life 525 2 Of repentaunce and the causes thereof of confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of meÌ the other things perteyning to repentaÌce 561 3 Of God of the true knowledge of God and of the diuers ways how to know him That God is one in substance three in persons 604 4 That God is the creatour of all things and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence where mention is also made of the good wil of God to vsward and of Predestination 635 5 Of adoreing or worshipping Of inuocating or calling vpon And of seruing the onely liuing true and euerlasting god Also of true and false religion 648 6 That the sonne of God is vnspeakably begotten of the father that he is consubstantiall with the father and therefore true god That the selfe same sonne is true man consubstantiall with vs and therefore true God and man abiding in two vnconfounded natures and in one vndiuided person 677 7 Of Christ King Priest of his onely euerlasting kingdome and priesthoode and of the name of a Christian 698 8 Of the holie Ghoste the thirde person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power 714 9 Of good and euil spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirites of their operations 731 10 Of the reasonable soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his body 759 The third last Tome and first the summe or coÌtents of the ten Sermons of the fift and last Decade 1 Of the holy Catholique Churche what it is how far it extendeth by what marks it is knowne from whence it springeth howe it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power studies of the Church 812 2 That there is one Catholique Church that without the Churche there is no light or saluation Against Schismatiques Wherefore we depart from the vp-start Churche of Rome That the Church of God is the house vineyard and kingdome of God and the body sheepefolde and spouse of Christe a mother and a virgine 841 3 Of the ministerie and ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christe vnto the Churche in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the byshop of Rome 870 4 Of calling vnto the ministerie of the word of god What manner of men and after what fashion ministers of the worde must be ordeined in the church Of the keyes of the Churche What the office of them is that be ordeyned Of the manner of teaching the Churche and of the holie life of the Pastours 891 5 Of the fourme and maner how to pray to God that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thankesgiuing and the force of prayer is intreated 914 6 Of signes the manner of signes of Sacramentall signes what a sacrament is of whome for what causes and how many Sacraments were instituted of Christ for the christian church Of what thinges they doe consist howe they are consecrated how the sign and the thing signified in the Sacramentes are eyther ioyned together or distinguished and of the kinde of speaches vsed in the Sacramentes 955 7 That we must reason reuerently of Sacramentes that they doe not giue grace neyther haue grace included in them Again what the vertue and lawful end and vse of Sacraments is That they profite not without fayth that they are not superfluous to the faythfull and that they do not depend vpoÌ the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the minister 995 8 Of holie Baptisme what it is by whome when it was instituted and that there is but one baptisme of water Of the baptisme of fire Of the rite or ceremonie of baptisme howe of whome and to whome it muste be ministred Of Baptisme by Midwiues and of infants dying without baptisme Of the baptisme of infantes againste Anabaptisine or Rebaptising and of the power or efficacie of baptisme 1032 9 Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whom when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated of the ends thereof Of the true meaning of the wordes of the supper This is my body Oâ the presence of Christ in the supper Of the true eating of Christes body Of the worthy vnworthy eaters thereof howâ euerie maÌ ought to prepare him self vnto the lords supper 1063 10 Of certeine institutions of the church of god Of scholes Of Ecclesiasticall goods of the vse abuse of the same Oâ Churches holie instrumentâ of Christians Of the admonition and correction of the ministers of the Church and of the whole Churche Of matrimonie Of widowes Of virgines Of Monkes What the church of Christe determineth concerning the sicke and of funeralls and burials 1112 The second table conteyning such places and testimonies of Scripture both of the old Testament and the Newe as are vsed of the Authour euery where throughout this his whole worke The first number is referred to the Chapter the second to the Page ¶ Out of Genesis 1IN the beginning God created heauen earth c. Pag. 632. 1 Let there be light and there was light c. 977 1 Let vs make man in our Image after our owne likenes c. 490. 633 2 Of the institution of mariage It is not good for man to bee alone c. 222. 2 Thou shalt not eate of the fruite of the trée of knowledge c. 483. 484. 488 3 Ye shall not die the death for God doth know that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened c. 751 3 The Serpent was subtiler than all the beastes of the field c. 749 3 The woman whom thou gauest to be with mée gaue mée of the trée c. 479 3 For dust thou art and into dust thalt thou be turned againe c. 764 3 The séed of the womaÌ shall crush the serpents head c. 687 4 The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth out of the earth c.
thine iniquities in shewing pitie to the poore c. 584 4 Nabuchodonosor sawe in a vision a watchman comming downe from heauen c. 742 7 Thousand thousands and hundred thousandes did minister vnto him c. 609. 737 7 Daniel describeth the rising and falling of all kingdomes and of antichrist c. 703 7 Hee shall thinke that hee may chaunge times and lawes c. 887 9 We haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. 308 9 Thou verily O Lorde art righteous thou arâe true and thy iudgements iust c. 564 9 I turned my face vnto the Lord God and sought him by prayer c. 924 9 We do not present our prayers before thée in oure owne righteousnesse c. 921 9 As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing myne owne sinne c. 736 9 A people vpon whom the name of God is called c. 656 10 His body was like the Turkish or Iasper stone his face to look vpon was like lightening c. 737 10 Angels are brought in as princes and presidentes or gouernours of kingdomes c. 742 12 And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life c. 747 Out of Osee 2 I Will not haue compassion vpon her children bicause they are c. 869 3 Thou shalt be without Ephod and Terâphâm c. 333 6 I desire mercy more than sacrifice and the knowledge of god more than c. 475 14 Take these wordes with you turne ye to the Lorde and say c. 953 Out of Ioel. 1 PRoclayme an holy fast gather the people together c. 238 2 Blowe the Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne c. 927 2 Turne ye to me sayth the Lord with all your heartes with fasting with wéeping c. 595 2 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued c. 645. 657 Out of Abdias 1 HE sayth that Sauiours shall ascend into the monne Sion c. 871 Out of Ionas 3 THE men of Niniuie beleued God and proclaymed a fast and put on sackcloth from c. 595 3 Let neyther man nor beast taste any thing neyther féede nor yet drinke water but let c. 595 3 And God sawe their works that they turned from their euill wayes and he repented of c 596 4 The Lorde sayth that he hath a consideration and respect to such as are not yet come to yeares of discretion namely to infantes c. 1045 Out of Amos. 2 VNder Ietoboam the second of that name Amos the prophet a neatchearde of Tecoa taught and preached c. 855 2 I taysed vp of your sonnes for Prophetes and of your young men for Nazarites 1114 3 There is no euill in a citie but the Lord doth it c. 493 3 They store vp treasures in their palaces by violence and robberie Therefore c. 280 6 I am no Prophete neyther the sonne of a Prophete c. 1114 7 Get thee quickly hence and goe into the land of Iudea and propheete c. 855 8 Heare this Oye that swallowe vp the poore and make the néedie of the land c. 276 9 The temnaune of the men shall séeke after the Lord and at the heathen c. 425 Out of Micheas 4 ALI people walke in the name of their God as for vs we wil walke in the name of our God c. 685. 686 4 And the Lorde shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion c. 699 4 A man shall sit vnder his vine c. 72 5 And thou Beth lehem Ephrata art little to be among the thousands of Iuda c. 678. 692 6 For what cause GOD sendeth waree as a plague vppon people c. 209 6 Threatenings of grieuous punishmentes against them that vse deceites in weightes and c. 271 6 I wil them thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely c. 475. 668 Out of Malachie 1 WHen ye bring the blinde for sacrifice do ye not sinne wheÌ ye bring the lame sick c. 368 1 I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I c. 953 1 The sonne honoureth the father and the seruaunt the maister Therefore if I be a father c. 565 2 My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare c. 904 3 It is but vaine to serue GOD and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandements c. 292 4 The day of the Lord shall come in which the proude and those that worke wickednesse c. 300 Out of Sophonie 1 I Will out off those that worship sweare by the Lord sweare by Malchom c. 133 Out of Haggee 1 COnsider your owne wayes in your heartes ye so we muche but ye bring little in c. 285 2 I will take thée to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel c. 1011 Out of Abacuche 1 O Lorde howe long shall I cry and thou not heare howe long shall I cry out to thée c. 292 2 What profiteth the Image for the maker of it hath made it c. 122 123 Out of Zacharie 1 AN Angel of the Lorde is brought in sorrowfull for the miserie of the captures in Babylon c. 739 3 Behold I bring foorth the braunche my seruaunt For loe the stone c. 375 7 Thus saith the Lord of hoastes execute true iudgment shewe mercie and louing kindnesse c. 475 7. 8 Hypocriticall fastings found fault withall I haue not chosen c. 241 12 Beholde I make Hicrusalem a cup of poyson vnto all the people c. 316 12 Of warres to be made againste all nations by the Apostles c. 831 11 Take to thée yet the instrumeÌts of a foolish shepheard For lo I wil raise vp a shepheard c. 829 13 Arise O thou sword vpon my shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellowe c. 680 Out of Ecclesiasticus or Iesus of Syrache 1 SEeke not out the thinges that are too harde for thee neyther search after c. 642 7 God created man good but they sought out many inuentioÌs of their owne c. 482 11 When the cloudes are full they poure out raine vpon the c. 771 15 Say not thou It is the Lords fault that I haue sinned for thou shalt not doe the thing c 491 15 God made man in the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel c. 483 12 The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came c. 715 Out of the booke of Wisedome 1 GOD hath not made death neither hath he delight in the destruction of the liuing c. 481 482 3 The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and there shall no torment touch them c. 766 Out of the booke of Tobie 4 BE mercifull after thy power if thou haue much giue
of the holy Ghost which is in you c. 717. 861 6 Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord c. 989 7 Sorrow which is to Godward causeth repentaunce vnto saluation c. 565. 593 7 Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in all Churches c. 441 7 He that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise he c. 441 7 To auoyd whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and euery womaÌ her own husband 226. 1132 7 Let the husband giue to the wife due beneâolence likewise also the wife to the husband c. 226 7 The vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeléeuing wife ⪠c. 497 8 Knowledge puffeth vpp but loue edifyeth c. 846 8 There is none other God but one And though there bee that are called Gods whether c. 624 8 Meate commendeth vs not to God For neither if we eate c 244 9 Haue we not power and authoritie to eate and drincke or may wée not carrie about with vs a woman sister c. 1121. 1132 9 Who doeth goe to warre at his owne costes and charges Or who pâanteth a vineâard c. 1121 9 Doe I speake these thinges according to man doeth not the scriptur also say the same c. 1121 9 Doeth GOD care for oâen or doeth he not speake it altogether for our sakes c. 1121 9 If others be partakers of the power towards you why rather are not we c. 1122 9 Knowe ye not that they whiche take paines in the holy thinges doe eate of the holy thinges c. 1122 9 If wee sowe vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great matter if wée reape your carnall things c. 1120. 1122. 10 Flée fornication c. 234 10 I would not brethren that ye should be ignorant that our fathers c. 435. 982 10 The rocke was Christe c. 861 862 10 God is faithfull and will not suffer his to be tempted c. 174. 310 480 10 Though wee be many yet are we one bread and one body for c. 822 10 Are not they whiche eate of the sacrifice ⪠partakers of the altar c. 329 10 Flée from idolatrie I speake as vnto them that haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I say c. 1022 10 God doeth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we are able to beare c. 754 11 When we are iudged wée are chastened of the Lord that we should not c. 308 11 So often as ye shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup declare the Lords death tâl he come c. 1106 11 Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ c. 828 11 I receuied that of the Lord which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. 963. 1061 11 For this cause many are weake and feeble amonge you and many sleepe c. 1109 11 Whoso eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drincketh his owne damnation c. 1026 1108 11 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread drinke of that cup. 1007. 1109. 1030 12 As the bodie is one and hath many members and all the members of the body c. 1021 12 There are diuersities of giftes but it is the selfe same spirite c. 716 12 Through one spirite we are all baptised in one body c. 822. 1062 12 And all these thinges worketh euen one and the selfe same spirite distributing c. 717 13 The grace of oure Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all c. 716 13 Loue suffereth wronge and is curteous Loue enuyeth not c. 98 13 If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mounteines out of their places c. 46â 14 Let the Prophetes speake two or three at once let the other iudge c 839 14 If I pray in a straunge tongue my spirite or voice prayeth but my c. 714. 931 14 I will pray with the spirite and will pray with the vnderstanding c. 925. 933 14 If therefore when the whole church is come together in one and all speake c. 916 15 Loe I tell you a mysterie wée shall not all verily sléepe c. 86 15 S. Paule confesseth that he persecuted the Church or congregation of God c. 812 15 Flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of GOD c. 27. 89 15 If the dead doe not rise neither is Christ risen But Christ is risen being the first frââtes of them that sléepe c. 1091 15 It is sowen in corruption it riseth in incorruption it is sowen c 88 15 Of the resurrection of Christe from the dead c. 68 ¶ Out of the second Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians 1 IT is God which hath annoinâed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our heartes c. 726. 1016 3 Paule calleth the Lawe the letter the ministration of death c. 402 3 Ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with incke c. 874 3 The Lord hath made vs able ministers of the newe testament c. 715 4 Wee which liue are alwayes deliuered to death for Iesus sake c. 86 4 Wée haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power c. 293 4 We preache not oure selues but Iesus Christe the Lord and our selues your c. 874 4 Wée are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift c. 311 5 Thogh we haue knowen Christ after the flesh nowe yet henceforth know we him no more c. 689 6 There is no agreement betwéene Christ and Belial c. 817. 859. 1103. 6 So we as workers together beséech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 646 6 Wherfore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord c. 859 11 But I feare least it come to passe that euen as the serpent c. 868 11 If any other be the ministers of Christe I am more in labours more c. 3â4 11 I haue coupled you to one man to present you a chasâe virgin c. 868 11 I haue robbed other Churches hauing receiued wages of them to the incent I might do you seruice c 1122. 12 Least I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke to the âlesh c. 753 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians 1 PAule though taken vp into the third heauen c. is referred ouer vnto a man c. 871 1 When it pleased GOD that I should preach his sonne amonge the Gentiles c. 427 1 I mâruaile that yee are so some turned froÌ Christ whiche called you by grace c. 423 1 Thoughe wée or an angel from heauen
that séede and branch of life should come Moreouer the holy fathers taught that God by a certaine league hath ioyned him selfe to mankind and that he hath most streightly bounde him selfe to the faythful and the faythfull likewise to him selfe againe Wherevpon they did teache to be faythfull to God ward to honour God to hate false Gods to call vpon the onely God and to worship him deuoutly Furthermore they taught that the worship of God did consist in things spirituall as fayth hope charitie obedience vpright dealing holinesse innocencie patience trueth iudgement and godlinesse And therfore did they reprehend naughtinesse and sinne falshoode lacke of beliefe desperation disobedience vnpatientnesse lying hypocrisie hatred dispitefull tauntes violence wrong vnrightuous dealing vncleannesse riottousnesse surfetting whoredome vnrighteousnesse and vngodlynesse They taught that God was a rewarder of good but a punisher and reuenger of euill They taught that the soules of men were immortall and that the bodyes shoulde rise againe in the daye of iudgement therefore they exhorted vs all so to liue in this temporall life that we doe not lese the life eternall This is the sum of the worde of God reuealed to the fathers and by them deliuered to their posteritie This is the traditioÌ of the holy fathers which coÌprehendeth al religion Finally this is the true auncient vndoubted authenticall catholike faith of the fathers Besides this the holy fathers taught their children childers children the accompt of the yeares from the beginning of the world also the true historicall course as well profitable as necessarie of things from the creation of the worlde euen vnto their owne times leaste peraduenture their children shoulde be ignoraunt of the beginning and succession of worldlye things and also of the iudgementes of God and examples of them whiche liued as well godly as vngodly I coulde declare vnto you all this euidently and in verye good order out of the first booke of Moses called Genesis if it were not that thereby the sermen shoulde be drawne out somewhat longer then the vse is But I suppose that there are few or rather none at al here present whiche doe not perceiue that I haue rehearsed this that I haue said touching the tradition of the auncient fathers as it were worde for worde out of the booke of Genesis so that nowe I maye very well go forwarde in the narration which I haue begonne So then what so euer hitherto was of the fathers deliuered to the world by worde of mouth as it were from hand to hande that was first of all put into writing by the holy man Moses together with those thinges whiche were done in al the time of Moses life by the space of 120. yeares And that his estimation might be the greater throughout all the worlde among all men and in all ages and that none shoulde but knowe that the writings of Moses were the very worde of God it selfe Moses was furnished and as it were consecrated by God with signes and wonders to be meruelled at in déede whiche the almightie by the hande that is by the ministerie of Moses did bring to passe and verily he wrought them not in any corner of the worlde or place vnknowne but in Egypt the moste flourishing and renoumed kingdome of that age Those miracles were greater and farre more by many then that they can be here rehearsed in fewe wordes neyther is it néedful to repeate them bicause you dearely beloued are not vnskilfull or ignorant of them at al. After that also God by other meanes procured authoritie to Moses For many and often times God had communication with Moses and amongst the rest of his talke sayde he Beholde I will come to thee in a thicke cloude that the people may heare me talking with thee may beleue thee for euermore Neyther was the Lord therewith content but commaunded Meles to call together all the people sixe hundreth thousand men I say with their wiues and children They are called out to the mount Sina where God appeareth in a wonderfull and terrible fashion and he him selfe preaching to the congregation doth rehearse vnto them the ten Commaundements But the people being terrified with the maiestie of God doth pray and beséech that God him self would no more afterward preach to the congregatioÌ with his owne mouth saying that it were inoughe if he would vse Moses as an interpreter to them and by him speake to the Church The most high God did like the offer and after that he spake to the people by Moses what soeuer he would haue done And for bycause that the people was a stifnecked people by keping company with Idolaters in Egypt was not a little corrupted Moses nowe began to set downe in writing those things whiche the holy fathers by tradition had taught the things also which the Lorde had reuealed vnto him The cause why he wrote them was least peraduenture by obliuion continuance of time and obstinancie of a people so slowe to beleeue they might either perish or else be corrupted The Lord also set Moses an example to folow For what so euer God had spoken to the Church in Mount Sina that same did he streight way after write with his owne finger in two tables of stone as he had with his finger froÌ the beginning of the world writteÌ the same in the harts of the fathers Afterward also in plain words he commaunded Moses to write what soeuer the Lord had reueled Moses obeyed the Lordes commaundement and writ them The holy Gheste whiche was wholye in the mynde of Moses directed his hand as he writ There was no abilitie wanting in Moses that was necessarie for a most absolute writer He was aboundantly instructed by his auncestours For he was borne of the holiest progenie of those fathers whome God had appointed to be witnesses of his will commaundements and iudgements suppose Amram Kahad Iacob Sem Methusalem and Adam He was able therefore to write a true and certain Hystorie from the beginning of the worlde euen vntill his owne time Wherevnto he added those thinges which were done among the people of God in his owne life time whereof he was a very true witnesse as one that sawe and heard them Yea and that more is whatsoeuer he did set forth in his bookes that did he read to his people and amongst so many thousandes was there not one found which gainsayed that whiche he rehearsed so that the whole consent and witnesse-bearing of the great congregation did bring no small authoritie to the writings of Moses Moses therefore contained in the fiue bookes called the fiue books of Moses an hystorie from the beginning of the world eueÌ vnto his own death by the space of 2488. yeres In which he declared most largely the Reuelation of the worde of God made vnto men whatsoeuer the word of God dothe containe and teach In which as we haue the manyfolde Oracles of God him self
sonnes of God What is he therefore that séeth not that in this treatise of Saint Paule iustification is taken for adoption especially since in the very same fourth Chapter to the Romanes he goeth about to proue that an inheritance is due to fayth wherevnto also he doth attribute iustification By all this it is made manifest that the question of iustification containeth nothing else out the manner and reason of sanctification that is to say wherby and how men haue their sinnes forgiuen and are receiued into the grace and number of the sonnes of God and being iustified are made heires of the kingdome of God. And now let vs trye whether that which we haue sayde be taught in the Scriptures the Christ before the iudgement seate of God when sentence of condemnation was to be pronounced against vs for our offences tooke oure sinnes vpon his owne necke and purged them by the sacrifice of his death vpon the crosse and that God also layd vpon Christ our fault and punishmeÌt so that Christe alone is the only satisfaction purging of the faithful This doth the Apostle Paule teach most expressely where he sayth Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth Who shal condemne It is Christ that dyed yea rather it is he which is raised vp is at the right hand of the father making intercession for vs. And againe he sayth Christ redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe while he was made the curse for vs For it is written cursed be euery one that hangeth on the tree that vpon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham through Iesus Christ c. This did the Apostle teach out of the writings of Moses And Moses in his bookes doth often times make mention the the sinnes are laid vpoÌ the heads of the beastes which were sacrificed But those sacrifices bare the tipe or figure of the death and sacrifice of Christ Esaias also in his 53. chapter saith expresly He verily hath takeÌ on him our infirmities and born our peines He was wounded for our iniquities and smitten for our sinnes For the peine of our punishment was laid vpoÌ him and with his stripes arâ we healed We all went astraye like shepe euery one turned his own way but the Lord hath thrown vpon him all our sinnes And immediatly after He hath taken away the sinnes of the multitude and made intercession for the transgressors Then these wordes I think nothing can be brought more to the matter or more fit for our present purpose To this alludeth Saint Peter when he sayth The Lorde him selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse that we being dead to sinne may liue to righteousnes by the signe of whose stripes we are made whole Herevnto aliuded S. Iohn the forerunner of the Lorde when he sayde Beholde the Lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde Moreouer the Apostle Paule beareth witnesse hereto saying Him that knewe not sinne he made sinne for vs that we throughe him might be made the righteousnesse of God Also in his Epistle to the Colossians he saythe It pleased the father that in Christ all fulnesse should dwell and by him to reconcile all thinges vnto him selfe hauing set at peace through the bloude of his crosse by him both things in earth and things in heauen These I suppose are testimonies sufficiently euident to proue that vpon Christ are layde our sinnes with the curse or condemnation due vnto oure offences and that Christe by his bloud hath cleâsed oure sinnes and by his death hath vanquished death and the deuill the authour of death and taken away the punishment due vnto vs. Yet bycause there be some and those not a fewe whiche denie that Christe by his death hath taken from vs sinners both faulte and punishment and that he became the onely satisfaction of the whole worlde I will therefore nowe alledge certaine other testimonies and repeate somewhat of that that I haue before recited thereby to make it manifest that Christe the only satisfaction of the world hath made satisfaction both for our sault and punishment Esayas verily witnessed that bothe the faulte of our offence and the punishment were taken away when he sayth He bare oure infirmities and was wounded for oure iniquities finallye the discipline of peace that is the discipline or chastising or punishment bringing peace or the penaltie of our correction that is the punishment due to vs for our offences was layde on his necke Marke also what followeth And with the blewnesse of his stripes are we healed This doth euidently teach that by the peine of Christe oure punishment is taken a waye For looke what peine penaltie punishment or correction was due to vs and the same was layde on the Lorde him selfe and for that cause was the Lorde wounded and receiued stripes And with them he healed vs But he had not yet healed vs at all if we should yet looke for woundes stripes stroakes that is to say punishment for our sinnes The death of Christe therfore is a full satisfaction for our sinnes But what I praye you shoulde Christe auayle vs if yet we shoulde be punished for oure offences Therefore when we say that he did beare all our sinnes in his bodye vpon the Crosse what else doe we meane I praye you but that the Lorde by death that was not due vnto him tooke from vs Gods vengeaunce that it might not lighte on vs to our punishment Paule as often as he maketh mention of our redemption made by Christe is wont to name it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã by which worde he vnderstandeth not as the common sort do redemption barely and simply but the very price and satisfaction of redemption Wherefore also he writeth that Christ him selfe did giue him selfe to be the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for vs that is to say the price wherewith captiues are redéemed from their enimies in the warre For that which we do commonly call raunsomes the Gréekes do name ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So then that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when man for man and life for life is redeemed But vpon them that are thus raunsomed and set at libertie there is no punishment afterwarde layd by reason of the translation therof from one to another Furthermore this is the newe Couenaunt that God in his Christ hath made with vs that he will not remember our iniquities But howe could he chose but remember oure iniquities if he ceased not to punishe them So then this remayneth not to be doubted of that Christe our Lord is the full propitiation satisfaction oblation and sacrifice for the sinnes I saye for the punishment and the faulte of all the world yea and by him selfe alone for in none other is any saluation neyther is there any other name giuen vnto men whereby they must be saued I denie not but that bycause of discipline chastisement and exercise diuers sortes
knowne nor lefte in writing of the holye Scriptures Some there are that dâe attribute it to the Apostles them selues and therefore doe call it by the name of the Apostles Créede Saint Cyprian the Martyr in his exposition of the Apostles Créede saythe Our auncestors haue a saying that after the Lordes ascension when by the comming of the holy ghoste the fierie tongues sate vpon euery one of the Apostles so that they spake both diuers and sundrie languages whereby there was no forreine nation nor barbarous tongue to whiche they seemed not sufficiently prepared to passe by the way they had a commandement from the Lorde to goe vnto all nations to preache the worde of god When therefore they were in a readinesse to departe they layde downe among them selues a platform of preaching for them all to followe least peraduenture being seuered one from another they should preach diuers things to them that were conuerted to the fayth of Christe Wherefore being there altogether and replenished with the holy ghoste they gathered one euery ones seuerall sentence and made that Breuiarie as I saide to be a patterne for all their preachings to be framed by appointing it for a rule to be giuen to them that should beleeue This sayth Cyprian But whether they were of the Apostles owne making or no or else that other the Apostles disciples made theÌ yet this is very wel knowne that the very doctrine of the Apostles is purely conteyned and taught in them These twelue Articles are called also a badge bycause by that signe as it were by a badge true Christians are discerned from false Nowe I will declare what order I will vse in expounding them vnto you This whole breuiatie or abridgement of faythe may be diuided into foure partes so that the thrée firste partes may make manifest the misteries of the thrée persons in one godheade and that the fourth may laye forth the fruits of fayth that is to say what good things we looke for by faith what good things God bestoweth on them that put their trust in him And yet this notwithstanding I wil procéed herein euen orderly so as the twelue Articles are placed or set downe The first article of Christian faith is this I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth And this first Article of the Créede containeth two especiall pointes For firste we say generally I beléeue in god Then we descende particularly to the distinction of the persons and adde The father almightie For God is one in substance and thrée in persons Wherefore vnderstanding the vnitie of the substaunce we saye plainly I beléeue in god And againe kéeping not confounding the persons we adde In the father almightie In Iesus Christ his only sonne And in the holy Ghoste Let vs therefore be léeue that God is one not many and pure in substaunce but thrée in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost For in the law it is writteÌ Hearken Israell The Lord our God is one Lord. And againe in the gospell we reade that the Lorde sayde Baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste By the way this is singularly to be marked of vs that when we pray wée say Our father which art in Heauen giue vs this day our daily breade but that wheÌ wée make Confession of our beliefe wee say not we beleeue but I beleeue For faithe is required of euery one of vs for euery particular man to haue wythonte dissimulation in his harte and without double meaninge to professe it wyth his mouth It was not enough for Abraham to haue fayth for all his seede Neyther wil if auayle thee any thing for an other to beleeue if thou thy selfe art without fayth For the Lord requireth fayth of euery particular man for himselfe Wherefore so oft as wee confesse our fayth euery one of vs by himselfe doth saye I beleeue But what it is to brleeue I haue declared alreadye in my fourth Sermon It followeth in the Confession I beleeue in god God is the obiecte and foundation of oure Fayth as hee that is the euerlastinge and chiefe goodnes neuer wearie but alway ready at our neede Wée therfore beléeue in God that is to say wee put our whole hope all our safety and our selues wholy into his handes as vnto him that is able to preserue and bestowe on vs all thinges that are requisite for our behooâe Nowe it followeth that that God in whom we rest and vnto whose tuition wée do all commit oure selues is The Father Almightye Our God is therefore called Father because from before all beginninge hee begatte the sonne like to himselfe For the Scripture calleth God the father of oure Lord Iesus Christe He sayth the Apostle is the brightnesse of the glorie of God and the liuely Image of the substaunce of the father to whom he said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be his father and hee shal be my sonne Also God is called father in respecte of the likenesse that hee hath with oure earthly father to witte because of our Creation the fauour loue good will carefulnesse where with he is affected towards vs For God hath created vs God loueth vs God regardeth our affayres and is careful for vs yea and that more exceedinglye too then any earthly father is For saith Dauid Euen as the father pitieth his childreÌ so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him for hee knoweth our estate remembring that we are but duste Esaias also in his 49. Cap. sayth Can a woman forget her owne infante and not pitie and be fayne ouer the sonne of hir owne wombe But admit she do forget yet will not I forget thee In this is declared Gods good will to vs ward and wée confessing that God is our father do also professe that God to vs is both gentle liberall and merciful who wisheth vs all thinges that are auayleable to our health and purposeth nothinge to vs warde but that which is good and wholesome and last of all that at his hande wée receiue what good soeuer wée haue either bodilye or ghostly God is called Almighty because by his might hée can do al things because he is Lord of all thinges and hath all thinges subiecte to his commaundement For the same cause also is hee called the Lord of Hostes Heauen Earth and whatsoeuer is therein Starres all Elements Men Angells deuils al liuing Creatures all things created are in the power of the moste highe and euerlasting god What soeuer hee commaundeth that they doe nothing is able to withstand his will. What hee wil that must of necessitie be done and also these things he vseth euen as his owne wil and pleasure is and as his iustice and mans saluation do require Firste wée confessed that God doth will vs well and nowe wée acknowledge that whatsoeuer hée wil that he is able to bring
S. Mathew instructinge Ioseph sayth Mary shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus For hee shall saue his people from their sinnes So then this sonne of God Iesus is the sauiour of the worlde who forgiueth sinnes and setteth vs free from al the power of our aduersary the deuil Which verily he could not do vnlesse he were very god Hee is also called Christ which is all one as if you saye Annoynted The Iewes cal him Messias Which word is a title proper to a kingdome or priesthoode For they of olde were wonte to annointe their kinges priestes they were annoynted wyth external or figuratiue oyntment or Oyle But very Christ was annoynted with the very true oyntement that is wyth the fulnes of the holy ghoste as is to be seene in the firste third Chapters after S. Iohn Moste properly therfore is this name Christ attributed to our lord For first he is both kinge and prieste of the people of god Then the holy Ghost is powred fully by all meanes and abundantlye into Iesus from whom as it were by a liuely fountayne it floweth into all the members of Christ For this is that Aaron vppon whose heade the Oyle was powred which ranne downe to his bearde and the nethermost skirts of his garment For of his fulnes we haue all receyued The last thinge that is to be noted now in this secoÌd Article is the we cal the sonne of God our lord The sonne of God verily is for two causes properly called our lord First in respect of the mysterie of our redeÌption For Christ is the Lord of all the electe whom hee hath deliuered from the power and dominion of Satan sinne and death and hath made them a people of his owne getting for himselfe This similitude is taken of Lordes which wyth theyr monye buy slaues for theyr vse or els which in warres reserue captiues whoÌ they myght haue slaine or which deliuer men condemned from present death So then by this Lords are as it were deliuerers redéemers or sauiours Hereunto verily alludeth Paul where he sayth Ye are bought with a price become not therefore the seruauntes of men And S. Peter saith Ye are redeemed not vvith golde and siluer but with the precious bloud of the vnspotted Lambe Moreouer Christe is called Lord in respect of his Diuine power and nature by which all things are in subiectioÌ to the sonne of god And for because this word Lord is of a very ample signification as that which conteyneth both the diuine nature and maiestly wee see that the Apostles in theyr writinges vse it very willingly Paule to the Corinthians sayth Although there be many Lords yet haue we but one Lord Iesus Christ by whom all thinges are wee by him Now the third Article of Christian fayth is this Which vvas conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie In the seconde article wee haue confessed that wee beleeue in Iesus Christe the sonne of God oure Lorde wherein wee haue as it were in a shadow confessed that wée beléeue assuredly that God the father hath for vs our Saluation giuen to the world his sonne to be a Sauiour and redéemer For hitherto beloÌg those names Iesus and Lord. Now therefore in this thirde Article I haue to declare the maner and order how he came into the world to wit by Incarnation This article contayneth two things The Conception of Christe and his Natiuity Of both which I will orderly speake after that I haue brieflye declared vnto you the causes of the Lord his Incarnation Men were in a miserable takinge and all mankinde should vtterly haue perished for sinne which wée haue all drawne from the first maÌ Adam For the reward of sinne is death And for that cause wée that were to be caste into hell could not enter into heauen vnlesse the sonne of God had desceÌded vnto vs and becomming God with vs had with himself drawne vs into heauen Therefore the chiefe cause of his incarnation is to be a mediatour betwixte God and men and by intercession to ioyne or bring into one theÌ that were seuered For where a mediatour is there also must needes bée discord and parties The parties are God and men The cause of this discord is sinne Nowe the office of the Mediatour is to bring to agréemente the parties disagréeing which verilye cannot be done vnlesse that sinne the cause of this variaunce be takeÌ cleane away But sinne is neyther clensed nor taken away except that bloud be shed and death do follow This witnesseth Paule in his 9. Chapter to the Hebrewes The mediatour oughte therefore to take on him our flesh and bloud that hée might both dye shead his bloud Furthermore it is needefull that this Aduocate or mediatour be indifferently common to both the parties whom he hath to reconcile wherfore our Lord Christ ought to be very God and very man If hée had béene God alone then should hée haue béene terrible to men and haue stoode them in litle stéede If hée had béen méere man then could hée not haue had accesse to God which is a consuming fyre wherfore our Lord Iesus Christ being both God and man was a fitte mediatour for both the parties Which thing the Apostle witnessing sayth One God and one mediatour of God and men the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe the price of redemption for all The same Apostle in the 2 and 9. Cap. to the Hebrewes speaketh many things belonging to this place And in the seconde Chapter rehearsinge an other cause of Christ his incarnatioÌ he saith It became him in althings to be made likevnto his bretheren that he might be merciful and a faithful high priest in thinges concerninge God for to purge the peoples sinnes For in that he himselfe was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted An other cause wherfore our Lord was incarnate was that hée mighte instruct vs men in all Godlinesse and righteousnes finally that hée mighte be the light of the world and an ensample of holy lyfe For Paule sayth The grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto vs teaching vs to renounce vngodlines and to liue holilie To conclude hée therfore became one wyth vs by the participation of nature that is to say it pleased him to be incarnate for this cause that hée might ioyne vs againe to God who for sinne were seperated from God receiue vs into the fellowship of himselfe and all other his goodnes beside The nexte is for vs to declare the manner of his incarnation This article of fayth standeth on two meÌbers The first is He was conceiued by the holy ghoste Al wée men Christe excepted ace conceyued by the seede of man which of it selfe is vncleane and therefore wée are borne sinners and as Paule sayth Wee are borne the sonns of wrath But the body of Christ I saye our Lord was not conceiued in
hath felte calamities Hee beareth our infirmities and hath carryed our sorrowes For the Lorde himselfe also in the Gospell said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death But verily hée suffred all this for vs For in him was neyther sinne nor any cause else whye hée shoulde suffer Secondarily in this article is noted the time Pontius Pilate the iudge vnder whom the Lorde dyed and redéemed the world from sinne death the deuil and hell Hée suffred therefore in the Monarchie of the Romanes vnder the Emperour Tiberius when as now according to the Prophecie of Iacob father of Israell the Iewishe people obeyed forreine kings because there were no more kinges or captaynes of the stocke of Iuda to haue the rule ouer them For hée foretold that then the Messias should come What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lord himselfe oftener then once in the Gospell did foreshew that hée should be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and by them be put to death In the thirde point of this article wée do expreslye declare the maner of his death For wée adde Hée was crucifyed and dyed on the Crosse But the death of the Crosse as it was most reprochfull so also was it most bitter or sharpe to be suffred yet tooke hée that kinde of death vppon him that hée might make satisfaction for the worlde and fulfill that which from the beginning was prefigured that he should be haÌged on the tree Isaac was layde on the pile of woode to be offered vp in sacrifice Moses also stuck the Serpent on the stake of woode and lift it vp to be behelde And the Lord himself said I when I shal be lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto mee Finally hée dyed on the Crosse géeuinge vp his Ghoste to god For hée dyed verily and in déede as you shall streightway perceiue Where I haue briefly to declare vnto you what the fruite of Christe his death is First wée were accursed because of sinne hée therfore tooke our curse vppon himselfe beinge lyft vp vppon the Crosse to the end he might take our curse away and that wée might be blessed in him Then also the heritage bequeathed to vs by Will could not come vnto vs vnlesse hee which bequeathed it did dye But God bequeathed it who that hée might die became maÌ and dyed according to his humane nature to the ende that wée might receiue the heritage of life In an other place againe Paule sayth Him that knewe not sinne did God make sinne for vs that wee by him mighte bee made the righteousnes of God. Our Lorde therefore became man by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfaction for vs On whoÌ as it were vppon a Goate for sinne offring when all the sinnes of the whoale worlde were gathered together and layd hée by his death tooke awaye and purged them all so that nowe the onely sacrifice of Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world And this verily is the greatest comoditie of Christ his death taught euery where by the Apostles of Christe Next after that also the death of Christe doth teach vs patience and the mortification of our fleshe yea Christe by the participation of himselfe doth by his Spirite worke in vs that sinne may not reigne in vs Touching which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth many thinges in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes The Lord in the Gospell sayth If any man will follow mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow mee These and a few more are the fruites of the Lord his passion or the death of Christe Fourthly in this Article is added Hee was buried For our Lorde dyed verilie and in deede vppon the Crosse The very truth of his death was proued by the Souldiour which thruste him through the syde After that hée was taken downe from the Crosse and layde in a Sepulcher In the Gospell are expressed the names of them that buryed him Ioseph and Nicodemus There is also shewed the manner how they buried him The fruite of this his buriall the Sauiour himselfe hath taught in these woords Verilie verily I say vnto you vnlesse the seede of corne cast into the earthe doe dye it remayneth alone But if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Whervppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to be buried with Christe in his death that wée may rise againe in the newnesse of life yea that wée maye liue reigne with him for euermore If therefore our bodies also be buried at any time let vs not therefore be troubled in minde For the faithfull are buried that they maye ryse with Christe againe The fift part of this fourth article some do put seuerallie by it self for the fift article of our fayth I for my part do see no cause whie it should be plucked from that that goeth before nor whie it should make by it selfe a peculiar article of our fayth The woords are these Hee descended into hell Touchinge this there are sondrie opinions among the expositors of the holie Scriptures Augustine in his booke De fide symbolo doth neyther place these woordes in the rule of beliefe nor yet expound them Cyprian sayth thus It is to be knowne verilie that in the Creede of the latin Church this is not added Hee descended into hell nor yet is this clause receiued in the Churches of the Easte but yet the sense of that clause seemeth to be all one with that where it is sayd He was buried This sayth hée So then Cyprians opinion seemeth to be that To descende into hell is nothing else but to be layd in the graue accordinge to that sayinge of Iacob Yee will bring my gray heares with sorrow to hell or the graue But there are some that thincke this assertion to be without lawful proofe For it is not lykelie that they would wrappe a thinge once alreadie plainly spoken immediatlie after in a darker kinde of speach Nay rather so often as two sentences are ioyned together that signifie both one thing the latter is alwayes an exposition of the firste But in these two speaches Hee was buried and hee descended into hell the first is the plainer and the latter the more intricate Augustine in his 99. Epistle to Euodius turmoyleth himselfe pitifullie in this matter To Dardanus de Dei praesentia he writeth that the Lord went into hell but that hee felt no torment Wée shall more agreably to the truth seeme to vnderstande this article if wee shal thincke that the vertue of Christe his death did flow euen to them that were dead and profited them too that is to saye that all the Patriarches and holie meÌ that died before the coming of Christ were for the death of Christe preserued from death euerlastinge As S. Peter also maketh mention That the Lord went in the spirite preached vnto the Spirits that were in prison For verilie they by the death of Christ were made to knowe the sentence of
againe and in their owne flesh stande amonge the lyuinge that are chaunged before the Tribunall seate of Christe lookinge for that laste pronounced sentence in iudgemente This doth Paule set downe in these woordes Loe I tell you a mysterie we shall not all verilie sleepe but we shal all be chaunged in a moment of time in the twinckling of an eye at the sounde of the laste trump For it shall sounde and the dead shall ryse againe incorruptibly and we shal be chaunged For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie By this euident testimonie of the Apostle wee maye gather in what facion our bodyes shal bee in that resurrection Verilie oure bodyes shal be none other in the resurrection then now they bee this onely excepted that they shal be cleane without all corruption and corruptible affection For the Apostle sayth The deade shal rise againe And wee shal be chaunged And againe pointing expressly and precisely to these very bodyes which here wée beare aboute hée sayth This corruptible This mortall Yea This body I saye and no other as Iob also witnessed shal rise againe and that shall rise agayne incorruptible which was corruptible that shall rise againe immortall which before the resurrection was mortall So then this body of ours in the resurrection shal be set free from all euill affections and passions from all corruption but the substaunce therof shall not be brought to noughte it shall not be chaunged into a Spirite it shall not loose the owne and proper shape And this body verilie because of that purification and cleansing from those dreggs yea rather because of these heauenlie and diuine giftes is called both a spirituall body and also a glorious and purified bodie For Paule in the thirde to the Philippians sayth Our conuersation is in Heauen from whence wee looke for the Sauiour the Lorde Iesus Christe who shall chaunge oure vile bodie that it maye be made like vnto his glorious bodie See here the Apostle calleth not oure resurrection from the deade a transubstantiation or losse of the substaunce of our body but a chaunging then also shewing what kinde of bodie that chaunged bodie is hee calleth it a glorious bodie not without all shape and voyde of facion but augmented in glorie yea hee setteth before vs the verie bodie of oure Lorde Iesus Christ where in he sheweth vs what facion oure bodies shall haue being in glorie For in plaine woordes hee sayth Hee shall make oure vile bodie like to his glorious bodie Let vs therefore see what kinde of bodie oure Lorde had after his resurrection it was neither tourned into a Ghoste nor broughte to nothinge nor yet not able to be knowne by the shape and figure For shewing them his handes and feete that were easilie knowne by the printe of the nayles wherewith hee was crucifyed hee sayde See for I am euen hee to wit cladde agayne wyth the same bodie wherein I hong vppon the Crosse For speaking yet more plainely and prouing that that bodie of his was not a spirituall substaunce hee sayde A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as yee see that I haue Hee hath therefore a purified bodie fleshe and bones and the verie same members which hee had when as yet his bodie was not purified And for this cause did the same Lorde offer to Thomas his syde and the scarres of his fiue woundes to bee fealt and handled to the ende that wee shoulde not doubte but that his verie bodie was raised vp againe Hee did both eate and drincke wyth his Disciples as Peter in the Actes witnesseth before Cornelius that all men might know that the verie self same bodie that died rose from death againe Now althoughe this bodie be comprehended within a certaine limited place not dispersed all ouer and euerie where although it haue a iust quantitie figure or shape and a iust weight with the owne kinde and nature yet notwithstanding it is free from euerie passion corruption and infirmitie For the bodie of the Lorde once raysed vppe was in the Gardeine and not in the Sepulcher when the women came to annoynt it it meeteth them by the waye as they returne from the Sepulcher and offereth it selfe to be séene of Magdalene in the Gardeine it goeth in company to Emaus with the two Disciples that iourneyed to Emaus in the meane time while hee was wyth them in bodie hée was not among the other disciples when they twayne are returned to the eleuen the Lord himselfe at euening is present wyth them Hée goeth before his Disciples into Galile presently after hée commeth into Iurie againe where his body was taken vp from Mount Oliuet into Heauen All this doth prone the certayne veritie of Christes his body But because this bodie although it be a true and verie bodie of the owne proper kinde place disposition of the owne proper shape and nature is called a glorified and glorious body I will say somewhat of that glorie which verily is incident to the true shape and substance of the body once raysed vppe againe First glorie in this sense is vsed for a lightsomnes and shining brightnes For Paule sayth that the children of Israel for the glorie of Moses countenaunce coulde not beholde with their eyes the face of Moses so then a glorious body is a bright and shining bodie A very good proofe of this did our Lord shewe euen a litle before his resurrection when it pleased him to giue to his Disciples a small taste of the glorie to come and for that cause toke asyde certaine whom he had chosen into the toppe of a certaine hill where he was traÌsfigured before them so that that the facion of his countenauÌce did shine as the Sunne and his clothes were white and glistered as the light The Lord verilie had still the same bodilie substaunce and the same members of the bodie but they were transfigured But it is manifest that that transfiguratioÌ was in the accideÌts For light and brightnesse was added so that the shape substance of the countenance and bodye remayning as it was the countenaunce and body did glister as the Sunne the light And althoughe wée reade not that the body of the Lord did within those 40. dayes wherin he shewed himselfe aliue againe to his Disciples make manifeste and spread abroade the brightnesse which it had and that by reason of the dispensation whereby also hée did eate with his disciples not withstanding that clarified bodies neede not foode or nourishment at all yet neuerthelesse his bodie shineth nowe in Heauen as Iohn in the first of the Apocalipse witnesseth and the sacred Scriptures laye an assured hope before vs that euen oure bodyes also shall in the resurrection be likewise clarified For the Lord himselfe in the Gospell alledginge the woords of Daniell sayth Then shal the righteous shine as the Sonne in his fathers kingdome For this cause the glorious bodies are called also clarifyed of the
tranquilitie doe preserue fellowly societie among men doe defend the good bring inordinate persons into better order and lastly doe not make a little onely to the setting for warde of religion but doe also abrogate euill customes and vtterly bannish vnlawfull mischiefes Hereof we haue examples in the déedes of Nabuchodonosor Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes and other Princes more But touching the Magistrates power his lawes and office I will speake of them in an other place Ecclesiasticall lawes are those which being taken out of the worde of God and applyed to the state of men times and places are receiued haue authoritie in the church among the people of god I call these ecclesiasticall lawes and not traditions of men bycause being takeÌ out of the holy scriptures and not inuented or brought to light by the wit of man they are vsed of that Churche which heareth the voyce of the shéepehearde alone and knoweth not a straungers tong The congregation commeth together to heare the word of God and vnto common prayers at Morning at Euening and at such appointed houres as are moste conuenient for euery place and euerie people and that the church holdeth as a lawe The Church hath solemne prayer times holy dayes and fasting dayes which it doth kéepe by certaine lawes The Church at certaine times in a certaine place and appointed order dothe celebrate the Sacraments according to the lawes and receiued custome of the Church The Churche baptiseth infantes it forbiddeth not women to come to the Lordes Supper and that it holdeth as a lawe The Churche by Iudges conueniently appointed doth iudge in causes of matrimonie and hath certaine lawes to direct them in such cases But it deriueth these and al other like to these out of the Scriptures and doth for edification apply them to the estate of men times and places so that in diuers Churches ye may sée some diuersitie in déede but no discord or repugnancie at all Furthermore Ecclesiasticall lawes haue their measure certain marks beyond which they may not passe to wit that nothing be done or receiued contrarie or differing in any iote from the worde of God sounding againste charitie and comelinesse either in little or muche that lastly this rule of the Apostle may be effectually obserued Let all thinges be done decently according vnto order and to the edification of the Church If therefore any man shall goe about vnder a coloured pretence of ecclesiastical lawes tobring in and pop into the mouthes of the godly any superstitious busie and vnseemely traditions of men whiche withal do differ from the Scriptures their part shall be first to trie that deceipt of theirs by the rule of Gods worde and then to reiect it There remaine nowe the traditions of men whiche haue their beginning are made and inuented of men at their owne choyce of some foolishe intent or some fonde affection of mankinde contrarie or without the holy Scriptures of which sorte you shall finde an infinite number of examples I meane the sectes the dominion and single life of spirituall men the rites and sundry fashioned customes vsed in their Church Touching all which the Lorde in the Gospell citing the Prophet Esaie sayth Why transgresse ye the Lords commaundement for your own traditioÌ ye hypocrites rightly did Esaias prophesie of you where he saith This people commeth nigh vnto me with their mouth and with their lippes they honour me but their heart is farre from me but they worship me in vaine teaching doctrines the precepts of men The blessed Martyr Cyprian alluding to these wordes of Christ Epistolarum lib. 1. epi. 8. saith It is corrupt wicked and robberie to the glory of God what soeuer is ordeyned by the giddie madnesse of mens heads to the violating of Gods disposition Depart as farre as may be from the infectiue contagiousnes of such fellowes and seeke by flight to shunne their talke as warely as an eating cancker or infecting pestilence for the Lorde forewarneth and telleth you that they are blinde leaders of the blinde Paule also in his Epistle to Titus sayth Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men turning from the trueth I doe of purpose here let passe the words of Paul in his second chapter to the Colossians bycause the place is knowne of all men I will not trouble you dearely beued with too large and busie an exposition hereof For I suppose that this little that I haue sayde touching the lawes of nature and of men I meane lawes politique Ecclesiasticall and méere traditions of men are sufficient to the attentiue and faythful hearers who at their comming home do more diligently thinke of euery point by theÌ selues and also reade the places of Scripture often cited by me and deuoutly expounded The Lord for his mercy graunt that we doe neuer despise the admonitions of natures lawe graffed in our heartes nor yet be intangled in mens traditions but that we in walking lawfully in vpright politique lawes and holy Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces maye serue the Lord To whom be all glory honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen Of Gods lawe and of the two first commaundements of the first Table ¶ The second Sermon THE lawe of God openly published proclaimed by the Lord our God him self setteth downe ordinarie rules for vs to knowe what we haue to doe and what to leaue vndone requiring obedience and threatning vtter destruction to disobedient rebels This lawe is diuided into the Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes All whiche partes and euery point whereof Moses hath very exquisitely written and diligently expounded The Morall lawe is that which teacheth men manners and layeth downe before vs the shape of vertue declaring therewithall howe great righteousnesse godlinesse obedience and perfectnesse God looketh for at the handes of vs mortall men The Ceremoniall lawes are they whiche are giuen concerning the order of holy and Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies and also touching the ministers and things assigned to the ministerie and other holy vses Last of all the Iudiciall lawes giue rules concerning matters to be iudged of betwéen man and man for the preseruation of publique peace equitie and ciuil honestie Touching the two latter of these I will speake of them in place conuenient At this time I meane to discourse vpon the Morall lawe First of all therefore let no man thinke that before Moses time there was no lawe and that the lawe was by Moses firste of all published For the selfe same especiall pointes of the Morall lawe whiche Moses setteth down in the ten Commaundements were very well knowne to the Patriarches euen from the beginning of the world For they worshipped the one ârue God alone for their God whome they reuerenced and called vpon him Iacob tooke away with him the Syrian Idolles of Laban out of his house and hid them in Bethel vnder an oke or Terebinth trée which was nigh to
God and the hallowing of his holy name but yet it bendeth somewhat to the outward honour although neuerthelesse it frameth to the inward religion For the Sabboth doth belong both to the inward and outward seruice of god Let vs sée therefore what we haue to thinke that the Sabboth is how farre foorth the vse therof extendeth and after what sort we haue to worship our God in obseruing the sabboth Sabboth doth signifie rest and ceassing from seruile worke And this here I thinke worthy to be noted that the Lord saith not simply Sanctifie the Sabboth but Remember that thou kéepe holy the Sabboth daye meaning thereby that the Sabboth was of olde ordeined and giuen first of all to the auncient fathers and theÌ againe renued by the Lorde and beaten into the memorie of the people of Israell But the summe of the whole Commaundement is Kéepe holy the Sabboth day This summe dothe the Lorde by and by more largely amplifie by reckoning vp the the very dayes and particular rehearsing of the whole houshold to whome the kéeping of the Sabboth is giuen in charge The Sabboth it selfe hath sundry significations For first of all the scripture maketh mention of a certaine spirituall and continuall Sabboth In this Sabboth we rest from seruile worke in absteining from sinne and doing our best not to haue our owne will found in our selues or to worke our owne workes but in ceassing froÌ these to suffer God to work in vs and wholy to submit our bodyes to the gouernment of his good spirit After this Sabboth foloweth that eternall Sabboth and euerlasting rest of which Esaie in his 58. and. 66. Chapters speaketh very much and Paul also in the fourth to the Hebrues But God is truely worshipped when we ceassing from euill and obeying Gods holy spirit do exercise our selues in the studie of good works At this time I haue no leasure neyther do I thinke that it is greatly profitable for me to reason as largely or as exquisitely as I coulde of the allegoricall Sabboth or spirituall rest Let vs rather my brethren in these our mortall bodies do our indeuour with an vnwearied good wil of holinesse to sanctifie the Sabboth that pleaseth the Lord so well Secondarily the Sabboth is the outwarde institution of our religion For it pleased the Lorde in this commandement to teache vs an outward religion and kinde of worship wherein he would haue vs all to be exercised Nowe for bycause the worshipping of God caÌ not be without a time Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certaine time wherein we shoulde absteine from outwarde or bodilye works but so yet that we should haue leasure to atteÌd vpoÌ our spiritual businesse For for that cause is the outward rest commaunded that the spirituall worke should not be hindered by the bodily businesse Moreouer that spirituall labour among our fathers was chiefly spent about foure things to wit about publique reading and expounding of the scriptures and so consequently about the hearing of the same about publique prayers and common petitions about sacrifices or the administration of the sacraments and lastly about the gathering of euery mans beneuolence In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabboth For the people kept holie day and met together in holy assemblies where the Prophetes read to theÌ the word of the Lord expounding it and instructing the hearers in the true religion Then did the faythfull iointly make their common prayers and supplications for all things necessarie for their behoofe They praysed the name of the Lord and gaue him thankes for all his good benefites bestowed vpon them Furthermore they did offer sacrifices as the Lorde commaunded them celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christe their redéemer and keping their faith exercised and in vre they were ioyned in one with these sacraments and also warned of their duetie which is to offer them selues a liuely sacrifice to the Lord their god Lastly they did in the congregation liberally bestow the giftes of their good will to the vse of the Church They gathered euerie mans beneuolence therewith to supply the Churches necessitie to mainteine the ministers and to relieue the poore and néedie These were the holy workes of God which while they hauing their hartes instructed in fayth and loue did fulfill they did therein rightly sanctifie the Sabboth and the name of the Lord that is they did on the sabboth those kinde works which do both sanctifie the name of God become his worshippers and also are the workes in déede that are holy and pleasing in the sight of god If any man require a substanciall and euident example of the Sabboth or holy daye thus holily celebrated he shall finde it in the eight Chapter of the booke of Nehemias For there the Priestes do reade and expounde the worde of God they praise the name of the lord they pray with the people they offer sacrifice they shew their liberalitie and doe in all points behaue them selues holily and deuoutly as they should Now least any peraduenture might make this obiection and say Ease brée deth vice Or else I must labour with my handes to get my liuing least I dy with hunger and my familie perishe he aunswereth The Lorde alloweth thée time sufficient for thy labour for thée to worke in to get a liuing for thy selfe and thy houshold For sixe dayes thou maist worke but the seuenth day doth the Lord chalenge and require to be coÌsecrated to him and his holy rest Euery wéeke hath seuen dayes But of those seuen the Lord requireth but one for him self Who then can rightly complain I beséech you or say that he hath iniurie done vnto him More time is allowed to work in theÌ to kéep holy the Sabboth And he that requireth to haue this sabboth kept is God the maker the father Lord of al maÌkind Furthermore the Lord doth precisely coÌmand and giue a charge to plant and bring in this holy rest this discipline and outward worship into the whole familie of euery seuerall house Whereby we gather what the dutie of a good housholder is to wit to haue a care to sée all his familie kéepe holy the sabboth day that is to doe on the sabboth day those good workes which I haue before rehearsed And for bycause the Lord doth know that mans naturall disposition is where it hath the maistrie there for the most parte to rule and reigne ouer haufily and too too Prince like therfore least peraduenture the fathers or maisters shuld deale too hardly or rigorously with their housholds or hinder them in obseruing of the sabboth he doth in expresse words exquisite steps of enumeration commaund them to allowe their familie and euery one in their familie a resting time to accomplish his holy seruice He doth not exempt or except so much as the straunger He will not suffer nor allow among them the exaÌple of such dulheads as say Let faith and religion be free to all
still the later coÌmandements haue a relation to those that went before In the secoÌd coÌmaundement we learned that God wold visit the sinnes of the fathers in the children therfore children ought not to obey their parents if they coÌmaund any thing contrarie to god or preiudiciall to his lawe Ionathan obeyed not his father Sauls coÌmandement who charged him to persecute Dauid and therfore is he worthily coÌmended in the holy scriptures The thrée coÌpanions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonosor in al that he sayd they loued him reuerenced him as a most mightie puissaÌt bountifull king but so soone once as he charged them to fall to Idolatrie they set not a button by his coÌmauÌdement And S. Peter who taught vs that honor obedience that we owe to our parents magistrates when he was coÌmauÌded by y princes fathers of the people not to preache Christe crucified to the people any more did answere them that we ought to obey God more theÌ men But what néede I thus to stand reckoning vp this when the Lord him self in one short sentence hath knit vp this al other like to this If any man saith he coÌmeth to me hateth not his father mother his wife his children his brethren and sisters yea and his owne life he can not be my disciple Furthermore thou dost honor thy parents when thou dost not coÌtemptuously ãâã theÌ vnthankfully neglect ãâ¦ã thinke scorne of theÌ if peraduenture they happen to fal into aduersitie Thou honorest thy parents when with thine help couÌsel thou aydest theÌ in their old age vnweildie crookednesie when thou easest theÌ in time of their neede or succourest theÌ otherwise in any case else For that in déed is the true and proper honor due to our parents the Lord him self bearing witnes thervnto in the 15. of Mat. coÌcluding that we ought to prouide haue a care for our parents to saue defend them wholy to giue our selues hazard our liues in their behalf And now that this that I haue said may be more easily euidently vnderstood I wil confer apply this honor to those 7. seueral kinds of meÌ which we do coÌprehend vnder the name of parents that thereby euery one may sée what and how much honor he ought to bestow vpoÌ his pareÌts his cuÌtry the magistrats therin those sorts of people that are afore named Wheras of dutie we ought to honor our pareÌts that dutie is paid if we do so worshipfully estéeme of theÌ as to think that they are giuen to vs of God to y end that we shuld reuerence loue always haue an eye to them although for nothing else yet only for the Lords sake who is and doth thinke him selfe despised so long as we go on to contemne our parents and to thinke vilely of them Neither doth it make any matter to vs whether they be worthy or vnworthy whom the lord coÌmaundeth vs to honor For be they as they may be yet notwithstanding they did not without the prouideÌce of god chaÌce to be our parentes in respect of which parentage the lawgiuer him self will haue theÌ to be honored Whatsoeuer therfore children shal haue occasion to speake to their parents let it alwayes sauour of humble reuerence childely affection and let theÌ with such affection reuerence obey their parents If they séeme to vs to be somwhat bitter vngentle yet let vs wisely winke at it not séeme to knowe it by litle litle stil declining from the euill which by force they séeme to compell vs vnto let vs so discretely handle the matter that we may giue them as smal occasion as may be to be offended at vs We haue Ionathas y sonne of Saul to be an example to vs of a godly obedieÌt child He did with great griefe trouble of mind behold his fathers madnesse vpon Dauid wrongful dealing against him self yet did he for the presit discréetly sustain wisely dissemble it finding occasion at another time and in a place coÌuenient to tel him of it he neuer ayded his father in any conceiued mischief he claue alway to the iust man righteous causes he bewayled his fathers stubbornesse sought not ouer boldly to resist him and striue against him wheÌ he offered to deale by violeÌt extremitie with him but saued him self by fléeing away yet for all this he loued his father neuer the worse but praied still to God for his helth welfare shewing him selfe in al things an obedient sonne to his crabbed father This verily is the duetie of a godly son This ought euery one of vs most diligently to folow in doing our dutie and huÌble obeisance vnto our pareÌts how froward or crooked soeuer they be Let none giue a rough answere stubbornly yea let none so much as muÌble an answere or mutter against his pareÌts Let none curse or speake euil of his father or mother vnlesse he wil perforce séeke the way means to make highe mightie Gods curse hang ouer light vpon his pate If haply our parents be poore if mishapen in limmes or otherwise diseased with any infirmitie let none of vs therfore in mockerie floute at or disdaynefully despise them Let vs not shew our selues vnthankfull to them to whome for their good déedes to vs warde we are of duetie bound for euer Let vs nourish chearishe and ayde them in all their necessities yea let vs wholy bestowe our selues and all that we haue to doe them good withall For all that we possesse vndoubtedly is theirs and all that we haue we inioy by them for if they were not then should not we be Let vs here call to remembrance the charge that the Lorde in Matthe we giueth vs touching this commaundement Let vs consider what is ment by the Gentiles ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is to requite one good turne with another and especially to nourishe and chearishe them by whome thou thée selfe in thy youth wast brought vp and tendered There is among the Gentiles a lawe extant worthy to be called the mistresse of pietie whereby it is enacted that the children should eyther nourishe their parents or else lye faste fettered in pryson This lawe many men doe carelesly neglect which the Storke alone among all lyning creatures doth kéepe most precisely For other creatures doe harde and searcely know or looke vpon their parents if peraduenture they néede their ayde to nourish them whereas the Storke doth mutually nourishe them being strucâen in age and beare them on her shoulders when for feeblenesse they cannot flee There are to be séene among the Gentiles very religious and excellent sentences touching the honour due vnto parents Isocrates sayth Shew thee self such an one to thy parents as thou wouldest wish to haue thy children shewe them selues to thee Anaâimenes sayde He loueth his father exceedingly well which doth his indeuour to make him ioyfull
plague than an vnprofitable citizen But who I pray you may be thought to be a worse citizen than hée that being accustomed to ease and delicatenes and of a soudeine by some mishap or else by prodigall riottousnes being depriued of them both and driuen to extreme pouertie is compelled perforce to séeke out vnlawfull shiftes to get more wealth againe Furthermore they of old had a Prouerbe worthy to be remeÌbred of vs at this time Euerie lande mainteyneth Arte. By this seÌtence they meant that learning and science is the surest preparation for euery iourney For they cannot be taken away by theeues but whether soeuer thou goest they beare thée company and are no burthen for thee to beare If therefore mishappe doe spoyle thy children of the wealth that thou leauest them if thou hast taught them an occupation it is enough for them to liue by Kings are depriued of their princelike dignitie and put besyde their excéeding riches so that it is no meruayle though kinges inferiours be spoyled of their wealth banished their countries Dionysius of Syracuse is reported for his tyraÌnie to haue bene thrust beside his seate But hauing lost his kingdome he departed to Corinth where he set vp a schole taught children their Grammar and Musicke wherby in that necessitie he got his lyuing Hée had béene hard bested verilie in a miserable taking if he had neuer learned any thing but had settled his hope vppon dignitie and riches vaine hope had bene his destruction For hée had died in extreme beggarie Thus much touching the bringing vp of childreÌ in learning or knowledge of some occupation I haue in that which is behinde to speake somewhat touching the correction of those that are coÌteined vnder the name of children This correction consisteth partly in words and partly in stripes In both there must be had a middlemeane and measure that nothing be done outragiously Let not the admonition that is giuen in words be bitterer than the fault deserues Let it nippe for the time present but being past let it bespoken off no more Continuall chiding bréedes contempt Thou shalt finde some children also with whom gentle dealing wil somewhat preuayle And vnlesse thou doe sometime prayse them speake well of that which they doe although peraduenture not so well done as thou wouldest require thou shalt perceiue that ââter desperation wil take away hope and courage cleane from them I thincke it not good with too heuie a burden to ouer awe such children as are willing to beare Stripes must not be bestowed but for some great offence and that too not in the fathers anger but moderately not to marre but to amend them Let the parents alwayes remeÌber that golden saying of S. Paul Fathers prouoke not your children to anger For the best witts are hurt by too much rigorousnes Salomon wher he speaketh of moderate correction sayth The rod and correction giueth wisedom but the childe that runneth at randon bringeth his mother to shame Againe chastise thy sonne and thou shalt be at quiet and he shal bring pleasure vnto thy soule These woords of his do vtterly condemne y fathers cockering the mothers paÌpering which is the marring of very many children For the pareÌts offend God as much in to much cockering their children as they do in ouer much punishing of them Heli in the scriptures is ill reported of for doating ouer his childreÌ he himself dieth miserablie bringeth the shamelesse wicked knaues his sonnes to a shamefull ending What is to be thought of that moreouer that in the 21. of Deut. the parents themselues are comaunded to bring their disobedient children before the iudge there by complaint to sue them to death By this exaÌple which may otherwise séeme to be somewhat to sharpe it pleased God to put other men in remeÌbrance to kepe their children in awe obedience For God is a god of saluation not of destructioÌ so that when disobedient rebels godles people perish through their own default he turneth that destructioÌ of theirs to the safegard of his obedient seruants Let parents therefore alwaies remember this saying in the gospell It is not the wil of your heaueÌly father that one of these litle ones shold perish Whosoeuer offeÌdeth such an one it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the deapth of the sea Now touching the dutie of children I haue spokeÌ of it before in that place wher I taught how after what sort pareÌts ought to be honoured Paul as it were in one word knitteth vp much matter and saith Children obey your parents in the Lord. He telleth the reason whie For that saith he is righteous And againe he addeth the cause saying For God hath comaunded it Let children therefore consider thincke vppon the nightly watchings continual labour that their parents toke in bringing them vp and let them learne to be thankful for it content with their present estate when their parents instruct theÌ let them learne attentiuely and shew themselues like to godly Iacob rather than to godlesse Esau Let them learn to accustome theÌselues to good honest maners Let them willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are set Let them yeld submit theÌselues to their parents correction Let them not stirre vp or prouoke their parents to anger Let them choose to learn wit and obey their parents of their owne mind accord rather than to be driueÌ to it by beating and brawling If parents at their departure leaue litle behind them for their children to inherit let not the good children therfore speake ill by the dead If thy father hath taught thée any art or occupation he leaueth for thée a sufficient inheritance Thriftines also moderate speÌding is a very great reuenue If thy father hath wel and honestly taught thée good maners and trayned thée vp in the true wisedome perfect religion then hath he bequeathed thée a patrimonie sufficient for to mainteyne thée For what else are excéeding great riches left to a foole or irreligious fellow but a sword in a madde mans hand Thou art left wealthie enough by thy fathers legacie if that thou art godly painful heedful honest For goods gotten by the sweat of our own browes do for the most part coÌtinue longer prosper better with vs then those which other leaue vnto vs We haue again derely beloued spent an houre and an half in handling this matter touching the honour due vnto parents I haue stayed you longer thaÌ of right I shold haue done but ye shal impute it to the loue and good will I beare to the matter I am not ignoraÌt how necessarie this argument is almost to all men and therefore stick I the longer vppon it For I indeuour mee self not onely to teach you things profitable and necessarie but also to beate them into your memories so much as I may to
haue the king to preach to baptize and to minister the Lords supper or the priest on the other side to sit in the iudgment seate and giue iudgement against a murderer or by pronouncing senteÌce to take vppe matters in strife The Church of Christ hath and reteyneth seuerall and distinguished offices and God is the God of order and not of coÌfusion Hereunto tendeth our discourse by demonstration to proue to all men that the magistrate of duetie ought to haue care of religion either in ruine to restore it or in soundnesse to preserue it and still to see that it procéede according to the rule of the woord of the lord For to that end was the law of God giuen into the kinges hands by the priestes that hee should not be ignoraunt of Gods will touching matters Ecclesiasticall and politicall by which lawe hée had to gouerne the whole estate of all his realme Iosue the Capitaine of Gods people is set before Eleazar in deede but yet hee hath authoritie to commaunde the priestes and being a politique gouernour is ioyned as it were in one bodie with the ecclesiasticall ministers The politique magistrate is commaunded to giue eare to the ecclesiastical ruler and the ecclesiastical minister must obey the politique gouernour in all thinges which the law commauÌdeth So then the magistrate is not made subiect by God to the priestes as to Lords but as to the ministers of the Lord the subiection duetie which they owe is to the lord himself and to his law to which the priestes themselues also ought to be obedient as well as the Princes If the lipps of the priest erre from the truth and speake not the word of God there is no cause why any of the common sort much lesse the Prince should either hearken vnto or in one title reuerence the priest The lippes of the priest sayth Malachie keepe knowledge they seeke the Lawe at his mouth because he is the messinger of the lord of hoastes To refuse to hear such priestes is to repell God himself Such priestes as these the godly princes of Israell did alwayes ayde and assist false priestes they did disgrade those which neglected their offices they rebuked sharpelie and made decrees for the executing and right administring of euerie office Of Salomon wee read that hée put Abiathar beside the priesthoode of the Lord that hee might fulfil the word of the Lord which he spake of Heli in Silo and made Zadok priest in Abiathars stéede In the second booke of Chronicles it is said And Salomon set the sorts of priestes to their offices as Dauid his father had ordered them and the Leuites in their watches for to praise minister before the priestes day by day as their course did require In the same booke againe Ioiada the priest doth in déede annointe Ioas king but neuerthelesse the king doth cal the priest giue him a coÌmaundement to gather money to repaire the temple Moreouer that religious and excellent Prince Ezechias called the priestes and Leuites and said vnto them Bee ye sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord our God and suffer no vncleannesse to remaine in the sanctuarie My sonnes be not slacke now because the Lord hath chosen you to minister vnto him selfe Hée did also appoint singars in the house of the Lord and those that should play on musicall instruments in the Lords temple Furthermore king Ezechias ordeyned sondrie companies of priestes and Leuites according to their sondrie offices euerie one according to his owne ministerie What may be sayd of that too that euen hee did diuide to the priestes their portions and stipends throughout the priesthoode The same king gaue charge to all the people to âéepe holie that feast of Passeouer writing to them all such letters as priestes are wont to write to put them in mind of religion and hartie repentaunce And after all this there is added And the king wrought that which was good right and iust before the Lord his God. When Princes therefore doe order religion according to the woord of God they do the thing that pleaseth the lord This and the like is spoken againe by the godly Prince Iosias Who therefore will hereafter say that the care of religion belongeth vnto bishops alone The Christian Emperours following the example of the auncient kings as of their fathers did with greate care prouide for the state of true religion in the Church of Christe Arcadius Honorius did determine that so often as matters of religion were called in question the bishopps should be sommoned to assemble a counsell And before them againe the Emperours Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius established a lawe wherin they declared to the world what faith and religion they would haue all men to receiue and reteine to witte the faith and doctrine of S. Peter In which edicte also they proclaimed all them to be heretiques which thought or taught y contrarie allowing them alone to be called catholiques which did perseuere in S. Peters faith By this we gather that the proper office of y priests is to determine of religion by proofes out of the woord of God that the princes dutie is to aâde the priestes in aduauncement and defence of true religioÌ But if it happen at any time that the priests be slack in doing their duetie then is it the princes office by compulsion to inforce the priestes to liue orderlie according to their profession and to determine in religion according to the woord of god The Emperour Iustinian in Nouellis CoÌstitut 3. writing to Epiphanius Archbishop of Constantinople saith Wee haue most reuerend Patriarch assigned to your holinesse the disposition of all things that are honest seemelie and agreeable to the rule of the holie scriptures touching the apointing ordering of sacred bishops reuereÌd clearkes And in the 7. Constitution hée saith Wee giue charge and commauÌdemeÌt that no bishop haue liceÌce to sell or make away any immoueables whether it be in houses or landes belonging to the Churches Againe in the 57. Constitution hée forbiddeth to celebrate the holie mysteries in priuate houses Hée addeth the penaltie and saith For the houses wherein it is done shal be confiscate and sold for money which shal be brought into the Emperours Exchequer In the 67 Constitution hée chargeth all bishops not to be absent from their Churches but if they be absent he willeth that they should receiue no commoditie or stipend of the prouinciall stuards but that their reuenue should be imployed on y Churches necessities In the 123. constitution the lieuetenauntes of euerie prouince are commaunded to assemble a counsell for the vse and defence of ecclesiasticall lawes if the bishops bee slacke to looke thereunto And immediatlie after hee saith Wee do vtterly forbid all bishoppes prelates and cleaâkes of what degree soeuer to play at tables to keepe companie with diceplayers to bee lookers on vpon gamesters or to runne to gaze vppon May games or
coÌmon weale Judgement and punishment therfore are in the magistrate the most excellent offices although peraduenture they séeme to be somewhat hard and cruel But vnlesse this which seemeth to be crueltie bee put in vre all ages states and sexes shal féele the smart of crueller thinges and that which is most cruel in déede For it is not crueltie but rather iust seueritie which as the Lord commaundeth is put in vre for the safegard of the guiltlesse and preseruation of peace within the realme and common weale Put case there were a common weale wel furnished with most absolute lawes for politique manners and matters of religion suppose also that in the same common weale there were no magistrate to execute and as it were to father those lawes by his authoritie to bring and reduce all the déedes and sayinges of men to the triall of those lawes and that therefore euerie man breaketh forth to what kinde of life hée list himselfe and doth what he will tell mée I pray you what good do those written lawes to the men of the countrie Belieue mée forsooth not one halfpenie worth of good The best part therfore of the magistrates duetie consisteth in vpright iudgement punishing reuengement And those two points require a man of courage and Princely stomache whom the Lord in his law deseribeth liuelie and telleth what kind of man hee would haue him to bee and what the office is whereto hée is called which description I will rehearse expound because therein the Iudges person is chieflie touched Moses at the Lords commaundement saith to the Iudges Heare the cause of your bretherne and iudge righteouslie betwixt euerie man and his brother and the straunger that is with him Ye shall haue no respect of any person in iudgement but ye shal heare the small as well as the great ye shall not feare the face of any man for the iudgement is the Lords The holie Prophete in these woords toucheth two thinges chieflie Hée declareth what the Iudges office is and what vices or diseases doe infecte the Iudge that hée cannot fulfill his office as hee ought to doe Now touching the office of a good Iudge the first point thereof is that hée repel no man but heare euery one the small the great the Citizen the stranger the knowen and vnknowen And hée must heare the parties willingly diligentlie and attentiuelie Herein there is admitted no sluggishnes of the iudge nor a mind busied about other matters Iudgement before the matter be decided is vtterly excluded because it carieth away the minde of the Iudge before the matter is knowen The thing it selfe crieth out that the matter must first be heard and wel vnderstoode before the magistrate procéede to iudgement And the common prouerbe saith Let the other partie be heard too Herie wisely said that Iudge which told one that made a complaint That with the one eare hee heard him kept the other eare for him vppon whom the complaint was made Herein wée contâine the perfecte knowledge of the Iudge and say that hée must not make too much haste in cases vnknowen since hée must iudge them by the thing it selfe and not by the parties secrete tales and priuie accusations Secondarilie let him iudge saith hée yea let him iudge vprightly To iudge is to determine and pronounce truelie and iustly according to the lawes what is good what is euill what is right and what is wronge Wée Switzers saye Vrteilen oder ertetlen oder richten As if one should say to distinguishe a thinge throughlie considered and to plaine and make streighte a crooked thinge Parties blinded with affections make streight thinges crocked which the Iudge by applyinge the rule of equitie and lawe doth streighten againe So that to iudge is to streighten and to make plaine Moreouer to iudge is by defending and punishing to kéepe in libertie The magistrate doeth iudge therefore when hée defendeth the innocent and brideleth the hurtfull personne But hée must iudge iustly that is according to iustice and agreablie to the lawes which giue to euerie man that that is his The Iudge doth iudge vniustlie when of a corrupte minde hée pronounceth sentence contrarie to all lawe and equitie Now therefore wée haue to consider the vices which vsuallie are wont to reigne in iudges The vices that are in Iudges bée many and the diseases of their minds are sondrie but two especiall diseases there are and chiefe of all the rest The one of these two vices which so infecteth the mindes of Iudges that they caÌnot execute their office as they should is the accepting of faces or respecte of personnes that is when the Iudge in geuing iudgement hath not his eye set vppon the thinges themselues or vppon the causes or circumstances of the causes as they are in déde but hath a regard either of dignitie excellencie humilitie pouertie kinred men of honours letters or some such like scuffe The Lord excludeth this euill and saith Yee shall iudge iustelie yee shall haue ⪠no respecte of any person in Iudgement Yee shall heare the small aswell as the great The other disease of these twaine is feare a verie vehement affection of the minde which disturbeth the verie best and most excellent counsells and choaketh vppe Vertue before it come to light Vnder feare wée doe conteine hope also I meane of commoditie and so by that meanes by feare wée vnderstande the corruption of bribes The Iudge that standes in feare to loose his life or goods or is afrayde to displease a noble man or is loath to loose the common peoples good will hée also that taketh bribes or is in hope to be rewarded at one of the parties handes doth peruerte equitie and aduaunce iniquitie The Lord saith therefore Yée shall not feare any mortall man yee shall not looke for any reward at any mans hand Hée addeth the reason whie Because the matter is not yours neither were yée called to doe your owne businesse but the iudgemente is the Lords The will and lawe of God therefore must bée respected For God is able to defende iuste Iudges from the vniuste hatred of any whatsoeuer they bée and against all wronge and open violence Moreouer where it is said that the iudgement is the Lords thereby are the Iudges warned that they ought to imitate the example of the moste highe god But what and of what sort that example of God is the same Moâes in the first of Deuteronomie expresseth and saith GOD doth accept neither personne nor giste hee doth Iustice for the fatherlesse and widdowe and loueth the straunger to giue him meate and cloathinge and therefore shal yee loue the strauÌger And so must godlie Iudges doe in the iudgemente which is Gods. Iosasaphat without all doubt a verie godly Prince speakinge to them whom hee had made Iudges did say Take heede what yee doe For yee execute not the Iudgementes of manne but of God which is with you in
Iudgemente Let therefore the feare of the Lord bee vppon you and take heede and bee dilligent For there is no vnrighteousnes with the Lord our God that hee should haue any respecte of persons or take any rewarde To these I will yet adde a fewe places of the holie Scripture more which shall partlie make manifeste those that wente before and partlie expounde and more plainlie expresse the office of the Iudge In Deuteronomie wée reade The Iudges shall iudge the people with equitie and iustice Thou shalte not peruerte Iudgemente nor haue respecte of personnes nor take a rewarde For a rewarde doeth blinde the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the woordes of the righteous Thou shalte doe Iudgemente with iustice that thou mayste liue and possesse the Land. Againe in Exodus wée finde Thou shalte not follow a multitude to doe euill neither shalte thou speake in a matter of Iustice accordinge to the greater number for to peruert Iudgemente Neither shalte thou esteeme a poore man in his cause keepe thee farre from false matters and the innocent and righteous see thou slaye not for I will not iustifie the wicked Thou shalt take no rewardes for rewardes blinde the seeinge and peruerte the woordes of the righteous In Leuiticus also wee haue this Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente thou shalte not fauoure the personne of the poore nor honour the mightie but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour Againe Yee shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgemente in metyarde in weighte or in measure True balaunces true weightes a true Epha and a true Hin shall yee haue I am the Lord your God c. I suppose verilie and am thus persuaded that in these fewe woordes of the Lord our God are comprehended al that which profounde Philosophers and Laweyers of great learning doe scarcelie absolue in infinite bookes and volumes of many leaues Beside all this the most holie Prophete Ieremie crieth to the kinge and saith Keepe equitie and righteousnesse deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent doe not greeue nor oppresse the straunger the fatherlesse or the widowe and shed no innoceÌt bloud Thus much touching the office of Iudges But in the eyes of some men this oure discourse may séeme vaine and fruitelesse vnlesse wée do also refute their obiections whereby they indeuour to proue that pleadinges and lawe matters are at an ende because the Lord in the Gospell saith To him that will sue thee at the lawe and take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also And againe While thou arte yet with thine aduersarie vpon the way agree with him quicklie least hee deliuer thee to the tormentour They adde moreouer the strifes in the lawe which S. Paule the Apostle in the sââte Chapiter of his Epistle to the Corinthians doth flatlie condemne To al which obiections mine aunsweare is this As the doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles doth not abrogate the priuate ordering of particular houses so doeth it not condemne or disanull the publique gouernemente of common weales The Lord in the Gospell after S. Luke chideth with and repelleth the young man who desired him to speake to his brother for an equall diuision of the inheritaunce betwixte them Hée blamed him not for because hee thinketh ill of him that claymeth an equall diuision or that parte of the inheritaunce that is his by righte but because hée thought that it was not his duetie but the Iudges office to deale in such cases The words of our Sauiour in that place are these Whoe hath appointed mee a Iudge betwene you and a diuider of land and inheritaunce And againe as wée reade in the Gospell If any man will sue thee at the lawe and take awaye thy coate giue him thy cloake also So on the other syde againste this doinge of iniurie there is nothinge more busilie handled and required in all the Euangelicall doctrine than charitie and welldoinge But a good deede is done in nothing more than in iudgmente and iustice Since therefore that Iudgemente was inuented for the practisinge and preseruinge of Iustice and vprighte dealinge it is manifeste that to iudge in matters of controuersie is not forbidden in the Gospell The notable Prophets of the Lord Esai and Zacharie crie oute and saye Ceasse to doe euill learne to doe good seeke after Iudgemente helpe the oppressed and pleade the cause of the fatherlesse and widdowe Execute true Iudgemente shewe mercie and louinge kindenesse euerie manne to his brother Doe the widdowe the fatherlesse the straunger and poore no wronge They sinne therefore that goe on to hinder Iudgemente and to thruste Iudges beside their Seates For as they pull awaye from the true God no small parte of his woorshippe so doe they open a wide gate to wronge robberie and oppression of the poore The Lorde I graunte commaunded that which oure aduersaries haue alledged meaninge there by to settle quietnesse amonge his people but because the malice of menne is inuincible and the longe sufferinge of sillie Soules makes wicked knaues more mischiefous therefore the Lord hath not forbidden nor condemned the moderate vse of Iudgements in lawe Moreouer wée reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Paule did oftener than once vse the benefite of Iudgemente not for monie or goodes but for his life which hée endeuoured to saue and defende from them that laye in waite to kill him Neither consented hée to the vniuste iudgemente of Festus the President but appealed to Caesar and yet wée know that Paule did not offend therein against the doctrine of the Gospell of Christe The same Paule in his Epistle to the Corinthians did not absolutely coÌdemne the Corinthians for going to lawe aboute thinges belonginge to their liuing but because they sued and troubled one an other before Heathen Iudges It is good and séemely without doubte to suffer wronge with a patient minde but because it pleaseth the Lord to ordeine iudgement to bée a meane of helpe and succour to them that are oppressed with iniurie hée sinneth not at all that seekes to kéepe himselfe from wronge not by priuate reuengement but by the vprighte sentence of Iudges in lawe And therfore did the Apostle commaunde the Corinthians to choose out to themseluâs amonge the faithfull such Iudges as might take vp temporall matters in coÌtrouersie betwixt them that fell at variaunce Thus haue I declared vnto you the seconde parte of the magistrates office which consisteth in Iudgement I will now therefore descende to the exposition of the third and laste parte which comprehendeth reuengemente and punishment For the magistrate by his office beareth the sworde and therefore is hée commaunded by God to take reuengement for the wronge done to the good and to punish the euill For the Sword is Gods vengeaunce or instrumente wherewith hée strikes the stroake to reuenge himselfe vppon his enimies for the iniurie done vnto him and is in the scripture generallie taken for vengeaunce and punishment The
Christianitie but since they were in authoritie and bare the names of magistrates what let is there I pray you whie a true Christian man may not beare that office of a magistrate in his coÌmon weal What may be thought of this moreouer that in the new Testament certaine notable men are well reported off who when they were in authoritie were not put beside their offices because they were Christians and of a sound religion Touchinge Ioseph of Arimathea thus we read in Luke And behold there was a man named Ioseph a counsellour Marcke saith a noble Senatour who was a good man a iust the same had not consented to the counsel and deede of them which was of Arimathea a citie of the Iewes which waited also for the kingdome of God. Marke here I beséech you how notable a testimonie this man hath here Ioseph is a counsellour or Senatour yea and that more is a noble senatour too he sate in the Senate and amonge those Iudgâs which did coÌdemne our sauiour christ but because hée consented not to their déede and iudgement he is acquited as guiltlesse of that horrible murder The same is said to haue béene a good man and a iuste and of the number of them that looke for the kingdome of God that is of the number of those which of Christ are called Christians and yet neuerthelesse he was a counsellour or senatour and that too in the Citie of Ierusalem A Christian therfore may lawfullie beare the office of a magistrate Hereunto belonge the examples of the AâthiopiaÌ treasurer Actes 8. of Cornelius the Centurion Acts 10. and of Erastus the Chamberleine of Corinth Rom. 16. 2. Tim. 4 But oure desire is to haue the Anabaptistes proue and declare out of the Scriptures that which they obiecte here in saying that these men beinge once conuerted to that faith did streightway put off their roabes of estate and lay aside their magistrats sword For wée haue a litle before by the wordes of S. Augustine vpon Iohn Baptists answere who did himself also preach the Gospel alreadie proued that the souldiers that were baptised were not put beside their office nor coÌmaunded by Iohn to giue ouer armour and ceasse to be souldiers They obiecte againe that the Lord conueyed himself priuilie away when the people were minded to haue made him a king which say they he would not haue done but because by his example hée would commend humilitie to all Christian people and as it were thereby to commaunde them not to suffer the charge to rule any common weale to be laid on their necks They adde moreouer these sayinges of the Lorde My kingdome is not of this world Againe Kings of nations haue dominion ouer them but ye shal not be so But they vnderstande not that the cause whie the Lord conueyed him selfe away was for the fond purpose of the foolish people which went about by making him a kinge not to doe the wil of God but being blinded with affections to séeke to bring those thinges to passe that were for the ease and fillinge of their bellies For in so much as hée had fedde them miraculously a little before therefore they thoughte that he would be a king for their purpose who was able to giue his subiectes meate without any coste or labour at all Furthermore oure Lord came not to reigne on the earth after the maner of this world as that Iewes imagined and as Pilate feared who dreamt that Messias should reigne as Salomon did and for that cause the Lord doth rightly say My kingdome is not of this world For hée is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the righthand of his father hauinge subdued all kinges to himselfe and all the world beside wherein hée reigneth by his word and his spirite and which hée shall come to iudge in the ende of the world And although Christe denieth that his kingdome is of this world yet notwithstanding hée neuer denied that kinges and Princes should come oute of the world into the Church to serue the Lord therein not as men alone but as kinges and men of authoritie But kinges cannot otherwise serue the Lord as kinges but by doing the thinges for which they are called kinges And vnlesse that Christians when they are once made kinges should continue in their office and gouerne kingdoms according to the rule and lawes of Christe how I beséech you should Christe be called kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords Therefore when hée said Kinges of nations haue dominion ouer them but so shal not ye bee hée spake to his Apostles who stroaue amonge themselues for the chiefe and highest dignitie as if hee should haue said Princes which haue dominion in the world are not by my doctrine displaced of their seates nor put beside their throanes for the magistrates authoritie is of force still in the world and in the Church also The kinge or magistrate shall reigne But so shall not yée yée shall not reigne yée shall not be Princes but teachers of the world and ministers of the Churches Thus briefely I haue aunsweared to the Anabaptistes obiections which in other places also I haue many times confuted somewhat more largely By this that héere I haue saide I thincke I haue sufficiently proued that a Christian man cannot onelie but ought of duetie also to take vpon him the office of a magistrate if it be lawfully offered vnto him Now before I make an end of the discourse of this place I will briefly adde what the duetie of subiectes is and what euerie man doth owe to his magistrate First of all the subiectes duetie is to estéeme honestly reuerently and honourably not vilely nor disdainfullie of their magistrates or Princes Let them reuerence and honour them as the deputies and ministers of the eternall god Let them abroade also giue them the honour that is vsuallie accustomed in euerie kingdome and countrie It is a foule thinge for subiectes to behaue themselues vndeceÌtly towards their Lords and men of authoritie But a false a lighte or ill opinion once conceyued bréedeth a contempt of the things and persons touching whom that opinion is once taken vppe Some euidente testimonies of Scripture therefore must bée gathered and graffed in euerie mans heart that thereby a iuste estimation and worthie authoritie of magistrates and officers may bée bred and brought vpp in al peoples minds Here by the way let Princes and magistrates take héede to themselues that by a spotted and vnséemelie life they make not themselues contemptible and laughinge stockes and so by their owne defaulte loose all their authoritie amonge the common people The Lord oure God verilie voucheth safe to attribute his owne name to the Princes and magistrates of the people and to call them gods Exod. 21. Psalm 82. The Apostles called them the deputies and ministers of god â Peter 2. Rom. 13. But who will not thincke wel of godds and them which are the deputies and ministers of god by
fellowshippe let there be betwixte man and wife For to that ende the woman was taken oute of the mannes bodie that the husbande should loue and chéerish his wife his owne bodie And for that cause the Apostle saith So must husbands loue their wiues euen as their owne bodies He that loueth his wife doth loue himself For no man at any time hath hated his owne flesh but loueth and cherisheth it as the Lord doth the Church What may bee said to that moreouer that the Apostle in the verie same place hath made the sonne of God and the holy Church an example for married folkes to follow in kéeping of wedlocke requiring at the husbands hand to loue his wife euen as Christ hath loued the Church and of the wife to reuerence her husbande and to loue him againe as the Church doth Christe Than which example there is none in the worlde more holy and effectuall For there is no loue greater than the loue of Christ toward his Church Neither is there any loue more chaste than that which the Church doth beare to Christe It is required therefore at the handes of wedded mates mutually to beare most ardente and holy loue the one to the other Let them vse all thinges in common let them bee partakers both of the same prosperitie and the same aduersitie Let them both draw vnder one yoake and beare betwixte them one an others burthen Briefly let them twaine bee the members of one and the verie same body I haue more at large set downe these offices of man and wife in my treatise which is called the Institution of Christian matrimonie Lastly let them bringe vppe their children in holy discipline the feare of God to the health of their owne house and the whole common weale Paule saith I would haue the younger women marrie to gette children and to gouerne the house for that is honest and acceptable before God. But touching the bringing vp of children I haue alreadie spoken in the fifte sermon of this Decade Now the very begetting of children alone is very profitable both to euery priuate or particular house and also to the common weale for héere I will not stand to shew that the honour and glorie of God is verie greatly augmented if children be not onely begotten but also brought vp in the feare of God and knowledge of his woord Hierocles saith I confesse that marriage is profitable especially because it bringeth children forth which is in deede a goodly fruite for they being of oure verie bloud doe while wee are in health ayde vs in all our affayres and in olde age when yeares come vppon vs they succour vs well with all that they maye they are familiar companions of our ioy in prosperitie and in aduersitie are our partners in sorowing with vs for our heauie mishapps And so forth Antipater also saith Man which is indued with a ciuil disposition to mainteyne societie must augmente his countrie and common wealth with increase of children for cities could not haue bene preserued by any meanes at all vnlesse the head men of euerie citie and the sonnes of noble gentlemen seing their auncetours wither and fal away like goodly leaues of a faire tree had married in time coÌuenient and left behind them children as woorthie plantes to succeede in their countrie thereby to make it to flourish for euer doinge their beste so farre as they coulde to keepe it from the assaultes and conquestes of enimies and straungers They therefore shooting at nothing more than to defend and assist their countrie both in their life time and when they were dead did thincke it most necessarie and especially conuenient to marrie and be married desiring thereby both to doe all thinges that nature requireth and also those that touche the health and increase of their countrie most of all the worship of god c. Since therefore that lawefull matrimonie is of so great effect and so auayleable to liue well and happilie the faithfull doe not withoute cause beginne their marriages with religion and religious rites The Lord verilie did presently in the beginning blesse the first marriage of oure parentes Adam and Eue and did himselfe couple them in wedlock Whervppon the Church of God hath receyued a custome that they which ioyne in marriage before they dwell together doe come into the temple of the Lord where after prayer made in the middest of the congregation they are ioyned together and blessed by the minister of God in the name of God himselfe Wherefore in wedlocke the first and chiefest thinges that bée required are the earneste and continuall prayers of the married folkes to God that he wil vouchsafe to make the husbandes wyse relligious modest gentle honeste painefull sufferers and louers of their wiues and that it will please him to make the wiues obedient méeke chaste faithful louers of theyr husbands and children housewiues and fruitefull For no one man is able to declare all the euills that come euen of one corrupte naughtie marriage Through it whoale houses are wonderfullie disquieted all wealth and honestie do vtterlie decaye the children are bastards God is offended and prouoaked to anger and an endlesse mischiefe brought to the whoale coÌmon weale God therefore must bée earnestly beséeched to blesse all married people that both the glorie of his holy name and the common weales prosperitie may thereby dailie increase more and more I am now come to speake of adulterie which is a sinne whereby the husband goeth to an other woman or the wyfe tourneth a side after an other man to whom they make common the vse of their bodies which are not their owne bodies nowe but their mates in wedlocke Some there are that flatter themselues and are of opinion that they are not culpable of adulterie if they haue the companie of any vnbetrouthed mayden or one that is vnmarried or if a woman play the harlotte with an vnwedded man They will haue it in Gods name to be fornication and not adulterie But the Scripture teacheth the contrary Thou goest to an other woman thou arte an adulterer Thou breakeste thy faith thou art forsworne Thy bodie is not thine but thy wiues when therefore thou bestowest this bodie on an other thou committest adulterie If thou being wedded doest lye with a married wife thou doubleste the sinne of thine adulterie This offeÌce was plagued with most sharpe punishmente euen in the beginninge almost and as soone as the world was created Pharao the kinge of Aegypt commaunded Sara Abrahams wife to be taken away and carried to his Palace that hée mighte vse her as his wyfe thinckinge verily that shée had bene Abrahams sister But the scripture sayth The Lord vexed Pharao and all his house with great plagues because of Sara Abrahams wife Loe here that king of Aegypt is punished with gréeuous plagues for his adulterie and yet he knew not that Sara was Abrahams wyfe how great plagues therefore are prepared for the
now depart in peace By the helpe and will of God I will within these few dayes adde the rest of the tenne commaundementes The grace of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE ende of the first Tome conteining two DECADES THE THIRDE AND fourth Decade of Sermons VVRITTEN TO THE most renowmed King of England Edward the sixt by Henrie Bullinger The second Tome IESVS This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him Matth. 17. TO THE MOST RENOVMED Prince Edward the sixt King of England and Fraunce Lord of Jreland Prince of Wales and Cornewall defender of the Christian faith Grace and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ YOur maiestie would I knowe righte well most royall king admitt a straunger to talke with your Grace if any newe guest should come and promise that hee would briefly out of the sentences and iudgementes of the wisest men declare the very truest causes of the felicitie and vnhappie state of euery king kingdome and therefore I hope that I shall not be excluded from the speach of your maiestie because I do assuredly promise briefly to lay downe the very causes of the felicity and lamentable calamities of kinges and their kingdomes so clearely and euidently that the hearer shall not neede to trouble himselfe with ouer busie diligence to seeke out my meaning but onely to giue attentiue eare to that which is spoken For by the helpe of God I will make this treatise not to be perceiued only by the wit and deepe iudgement of learned heades but also to be seene as it were with the eyes and handled as it were with the hands of very ideots vnlearned hearers that too not out of the doubtfull decrees and deuises of men but out of the assured word of the most true god Euen the wisest men do very often deceiue vs with their counsels and greatly endamage the followers thereof But God which is the light and eternall wisedome cannot at any time either erre or conceiue any false opinions or repugning counsells much lesse teach others any thing but trueth or seduce any man out of the right way The wisedome of the father doth in the holy Gospell crie out and say I am the light of the world hee that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life This eternall wisedome of God as it doth not disorderedly wrap things vp together and make them intricate but layetb downe in order and teaceth them plainly so it doth not onely minister whoalsome counsells but bringeth them to the effect which they wish that obey her Oftentimes verily men do giue counsells that are not vnwhoalsome but yet in their counsells that is altogether omitted which should haue beene first and especially mencioned All the wise men almost of the world haue beene of opinion that kings and kingdoms should be most happie if the king of the countrie be a wise man if hee haue many wise aged faithfull and skilfull counsellours if his Captaines be valiaunt warlike and fortunate in battaile if he abound with substaunce if his kingdome bee on euery side surely fortified and lastly if his people bee of one minde and obedient All this I confesse is truly rightly and very wisely spoken but yet there is another singular and most excellent thing which is not herâ ãâã âmonge these necessaries without which no true felicitie can bee attayned vnto ãâ¦ã ing once gotten can safely be kept when as contrarily where that one thing is present all those other necessaries do of their owne accord fall vnto meÌ as they themselues can best wish or deuise The Lord our God therfore who is the onely giuer of wyse perfect counselles doth farre more briefly and better knit vpp all shortly and say in the Gospell But seeke ye first rather the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and âll ãâã thinges shall easily be giuen vnto you Againe Blessed are the eyes ãâ¦ã that ye see For I say vnto you that many kings and Prophets haue ãâ¦ã to sâe the thinges that ye see and to heare the thinges that ye heare ãâ¦ã neither heard nor seene them And againe Nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And this one thing aboue allotââr is verâe necessarie Marie hath chosen the good part which sâall not be taken from her Hauing my warrant therefore out of the worde of God I dare bouldly anowe That those kinges shal flourish and be in an happie case which whoalie giue and submit themselues and their kingdomes to Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God being kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords acknowledging him to be the mightiest Prince and Monarch of all and themselues his vassalls subiectes and seruauntes which finally doe not followe in all their affaires their owne minde and iudgement the lawes of men that are contrarie to Gods commaundementes or the good intentes of mortall men but doe both themselues followe the verie lawes of the mightiest king and eternall Monarch and also cause them to be followed throughout all their kingdome reforming both themselues and all theirs at and by the rule of Gods holy word For in so doing the kingdomes shall flourish in peace and tranquillitie and the kinges thereof shall be most wealthie victorious long lyued and happie For thus speaketh the mouth of the Lord which cannot possibly lye When the king sitteth vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall take the booke of the lawe of God that hee may reade in it all dayes of his life that hee may do it and not decline froÌ it either to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong the dayes in his kingdome both of his owne life of his children And againe Let not the booke of this law depart out of thy mouth Iosue or thou whatsoeuer thou art that hast a kingdome but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou mayst obserue doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou be happie It is assuredly true therfore confirmed by the testimonie of the most true God in expresse words pronounced that the prosperitie of kinges and kingdomes consisteth in true faith diligent hearing and faithfull obeying the word or lawe of God whereas their calamitie and vtter ouerthrowe doth followe the contrarie This wil I make as my promise is in this annexed demonstration both euident to the eyes and as it were palpable to the verie handes by the examples of most mightie kinges not taken out of Herodotus or any prophane author but out of the infallible historie of the most sacred Scriptures Saule the first king of Israell was both most fortunate victorious so long as hee did in all things followe the word of God but when hee once gaue place to his owne good intentes and meanings
being vtterly forsaken of the Lord he heareth Samuel say to his face Thou hast refused and cast off the word of the Lord therefore hath God also cast thee away that thou shalt not be king of Israell I will not here stand ouer largely to declare the miseries and calamities wherein he was wrapped from that time forward For as he himselfe was horriblie haunted and vexed with the euill spirite so did he not ceasse to vexe and torment his people and kingdome vntill hee had brought them all into extreeme daunger where hee and some of his were slaine put to the worste by the heathen their enimyes leauing nothing behind him but a perpetuall shame and endlesse ignominie Next after Saule doth Dauid succeede in the seate and kingdome who without all controuersie was the most happiest of all other kinges and Princes But what stoare he did set by the word of the Lord it is euident to bee seene by many notable actes of his and especially in that Alphabeticall Psalme which in order and number is the hundreth and nintenth For therin he setteth forth the praise of Gods word the whoalsom vertue wherof he doth at large wonderfully expound in teaching what great desire zeale we ought to haue thereto For he was scholed had learned before by priuate mishaps and shameful deeds lastly by the vnhappie seditioÌ of his graceles sonne Absalom what an euill it is to decline froÌ the word of the lord SolomoÌ the sonne of Dauid the wisest most coÌmended king of all the world did so long enioy prosperitie praise at the mouth of the Lord as he did not neglect with reuerence to obey his word But when once he had transgressed the Lords commaundement streight way the Lord did say vnto him For as much as this is done of thee and that thou hast not kept mine ordinaunces and my statutes which I commaunded thee I will rent thy kingdome from thee and will giue it to thy seruaunt And nowe marke that according to that saying immediately after Solomons death the kingdome was rent into two partes and that 10. Tribes followed Ieroboam the seruaunt of Solomon Two tribes claue still to Roboam Solomons sonne Hee for neglecting the word of the Lord following after straunge Gods is ouerwhelmed with an infinite number of wofull miseries For the Scripture testifieth that the Aegyptians came vpp against Hierusalem and did destroy the Citie Palace and temple of the lord Abia the sonne of Roboam ouercame the host of Israell and bare away a triumphant victorie when hee had wounded and slaine fiue hundred thousand men of the 10. Tribes of Israell And of this so great a victorie no other cause is mencioned but because hee beleeued the word of the lord Next after Abia did his sonne Asa a renowmed and most puissaunt king reigne in his steede of whom the holy Scripture testifieth that hee abolished all superstition and did restoare sincere religion according to the word of God whereby hee obteyned a most flourishing kingdome in peace and quietnesse by the space of fourtie yeares Againe of Iosaphat Asa his sonne wee read The Lord was with Iosaphat because he walked in the former wayes of his father Dauid sought not Baalim but sought the God of his father and walked in his commaundement And therefore for his princelike wealth and famous victories he was renowmed through all the world But to his sonne Ioram who forsooke the word of God Helias the Prophete said Because thou hast not walked in the wayes of Iosaphat thy father and in the wayes of king Asa but hast walked the wayes of the kings of Israell behold with a great plague wil the Lord smite thy folke thy children thy wiues and all thy goods And thou shalt suffer great paine euen a disease of the bowells vntill thy guttes fall out And whatsoeuer the Lord threatened to bring vppon him by the mouth of the Prophet that did the vnhappie king feele with vnspeakeable tormentes to his great reproche being made an example of wretchâdnesse miserie which doth light on all the pates of them that do forsake the word of god Neither was the happ of Ochosias sonne to king Ioram and Athalia in any point better For at the commaundement of Iehu hee was stabbed in and slaine wretchedly bâcâusâ hee chose rather to followe the lawes and rites of the kinges of Israell than the verie true lawes of the Lord his god Moreouer Ioas a child yet but seuen yeares old being by the labour fayth and diligence of the faithfull priest Ioiada restoared to and settled in the place of his father who was slaine before him reigned after the wicked Athalia was put to death most happilie and in a prosperous state so longe as Ioiada the priest did line But when the high priest was once departed out of this world vnto the Lord the king being immediately seduced by the malice and wilinesse of his wicked counsellours left off to follow the word of the lord And as hee ceassed to followe the lord so did felicitie and glorie forsake to followe him For the Syrians comming on with a verie small power of armed men doe destroy and put to flight an insinite hoast of Iewish people they put to the sword all Ioas his counsellours and make a spoile of all his kingdome And Ioas for reiecting the Lord deserued with excessiue griefe first to behold this miserie than to ãâã away with a long consuming sicknesse and lastly vppon his bedd to haue his throate cruellte cutt of his owne houshold scruaunts Amasias the sonne of Ioas is renoâmed for a âamous victorie which he obteyned vppon the Idumitâs for no other cause but for obeying the word of the lord But afterward when hee began to rebell against God and his Prophets he is in battaile vanquished by Ioas king of Israell by whom when be was spoyled and compelled to see the ouerthrowe of a great part of the walles of Hierusalem he was himselfe at the last by conspiratours entrâpped and miserablie murdered Next after him succeeded his sonne Osias who also as well as his father enioyed a singular felicitie and most happie life so longe as he gainsayed not the mouth of God but when hee would vsurpe and take vppon him that office which God had properly appointed to the Leuits alone directly opposing himselfe against the word of the Lord he was striken with a leprosie and for his vncleannesse was compelled seuerallie to dwell âloofe in banishmeÌt from the companie of men euen vntil his last and dying day Iothan also the sonne of Osias is reported to haue beene wealthie and victorious in his warres the cause of this felicitie the Scripture dâth briefly add and say Iothan became mightie because he directed his wayes before the Lord his God. But contrarily Achaz the some of Iothan as hee was of all the Iewishe kinges almost the wickeddest so was hee in his life
consist in hearing and following the word of God and that contrarily calamities and miseries doe rise by the coÌtempt and neglecting of the same For Ieroboam the first king of the seperated Israelites letting passe the word of God did ordeyne new rites to worship the Lord by and erected new temples but by so doing hee ouerthrew himselfe his house and all his kingdome After him doth Baasa succeede both in the kingdome idolatrous religion which was the cause why he his were vtterly destroyed Then followeth Amri the father of Achab who for augmenting idolatrous impietie is horriblie slaine with all his family so that not one of his escaped the reuenging sword of Gods anger ielousie And for because Iehu was faithfull valliant in killing those tyraunts in dispatching Baals priestes rooting out of idolatrous superstition the Lord doth promise say vnto him Because thou hast zealously done that which thou hast done according to all that is right in my sight therefore shall thy children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel And wee read verily that his sonnes and nephues were notable Princes which succeded in the kingdome euen Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam the second of that name and Zacharias The other kinges as Sellum Manahe Pekaiah Peka and Osee had their kingdome altogether like to the kingdome of the sonne of Iosâas to wit in a seditious troublesome a most miserable taking For they despised the mouth of the lord Therfore were they vtterly cutt off and for the most part either slaine or carried away captiue by their enimies the Assyrians From the diuision of tbe people into two seuerall kingdomes after the death of Solomon there were in number 19 kinges of Israell and 18. of Iuda The kings of Israell altogether reigned about 272. yeares and they of Iuda about 393. Now by the space of so many yeares in the most renowmed peculiar people of God which was as it were a glasse set before the eyes of all nations to view and behold themselues in there might the truest causes of felicitie calamities of all kings kingdoms in the whoale world be so liuely represented and perfectly paynted that there should bee no neede to fetch from else where a more plaine and euident demonstration of the same And yet for al that wee are not without other forreigne examples wherby to proue it For the Pharaoes of Aegypt were the destruction both to themselues and also to their kingdome by their stubborne rebellion against Gods word Againe Darius Priscus and the great Nabuchodonosor enioyed no small felicitie because they despised not the counsells of Daniel Balthazar king of Babylon a despightfull contemner of God and his word is in one night destroyed with all his power Babylon the most auncient and famous citie of the world is taken set on fyre sacked and ouerthrowne and the kingdom translated to the Medes and Persians Neither were the kinges of Persia vnfortunate at all I meane Cyrus and Darius otherwise called Artaxerxes because they fauoured the word of God and did promoate his people and true religion But on the other side wee read that Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes was most vnfortunate who as it were making warre with God himselfe did most wickedly burne and make away the bookes of holy Scripture Furthermore wee haue as great stoare of examples also euen out of those Histories which followed immediately the time of Christ his ascension For so many Romane Emperours kinges and Princes as persecuted the preaching of the Gospell and Church of our Lord Iesus Christ aduaunced idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie so many I say did die a foule and shamefull death Of this are Eusebius and Orosius renowmed Historiographers assured witnesses Againe S. Augustine lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei affirmeth that incredible victories verie great glorie and most absolute felicitie hath beene giuen by God vnto those kinges which haue in faith sincerely embraced Christe their Lord and vtterly subuerted idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie It is euident therefore that felicitie commeth by good will and obedience to the word of God that all kings and kingdoms shal be vnhappie which forsake the word of God and turne themselues to mens inuentions And this I haue I trust declared hetherto so plainly that the hearers may seeme not onely to vnderstand but also to see before their eyes and as it were to feele with their hands the pith and materiall substaunce of this whole treatise But wherunto doth all this tend That your Royall maiestie forsooth may vndoubttingly know be assuredly persuaded that true felicitie is gotten and reteyned by faithfull studie in the word of God to witt if you submit your selfe altogether and your whoale kingdome to Christe the chiefe and highest Prince if throughout your whoale realme you dispose and order religion and all matters of iustice according to the rule of Gods holy word if you decline not one haires breadth from that rule but studie to aduaunce the kingdome of Christ and goe on as hetherto you haue happily begon to subuert tread vnder foote the vsurped power of that tyrannicall Antichrist Not that your maiestie needeth any whit at all mine admonitions or instructions For you haue vndoubtedly that heauenly teachâr in your minde I meane the holie Ghoste which inspireth you with the verie true doctrine of sincere and pure religion Your Maiestie hath the sacred Bible the holiest booke of all bookes wherein as in a perfect rule the whoale matter of pâetie our true saluation is absolutely conteyned and plainly set downe Your Maiestie hath noble men and many Counsellours belonging to your kingdome faithfull valliaunt and skilfull heads both in the lawe of God and men who for their wisedome loue that they beare to the sincere truâth are greatly commended amonge forreigne nations And for that cause all the faithfull doe thinke and call your maiestie most happie But that happie king Ezechias although hee did especially vse the helpe of those excellent men Esââ and Micheas did not yet despise faithfull admonishers euen amonge the ãâã sort of Leuites neither thought they that in admonishing the king theâ lâst and ãâ¦ã labour in vaine I therefore hauing good affiaunce in your ãâã good aâd godlâdisposition do verily hope that this short discourse of mine touching the true causes of the felicitie and calamities of kinges and kingdoms shall haue a proâiting place with you Euen I which 12. yeares since did dedicate vnto your father of famous memorie Henrie viij a booke touching the authoritie of the holie Scripture and the institution and function of Bishopps against the Pontificall chuffes of the Romishe superstition and tyrannie and now by experience know that that labour of mine brought forth no small fruite within the realme of England am now so bold againe as to dedicate these my Sermons vnto your Royall maiestie In these Sermons I handle not the least and lowest points or places of Christian religion the
God and ye shal be my people And yet in an other place we read that the offering of sacrifices that externall action of the people in worshipping god was acceptable and of a sweet smelling sauour in the nose of the lord Now wheruppon riseth this diuersitie I pray you but vppon the difference of the mindes of them that worship the Lord For sacrifices pleased him the honour that was done vnto him in simple obedience faith alone did please him too but that religion hée did vtterly mislike of wherin he was worshipped with outward shewes and not with the fayth and sincere obedience of the inwarde hart in which sort we read that Cain did sinne for God commaunded not to sacrifice in that maner that Cain did Againe he commaunded to sacrifice and to worship him with external ceremonies in faith that Christ shuld come to be the Sauiour of the world not that they should hope to be iustified by the externall action but by him that was prefigured in al their Ceremonies Christe Iesus the sacrifice once to be offered to saue them all who was the life and meaning wherunto all those Ceremonies did leade that are expressed in the lawe But it is not a misse here particularly to examine and looke into not al and euery one but the chiefest Ceremonies and those which are more significant than the rest Let this labour of mine not séeme to any man to bee more curious than needeth or lesse profitable than it sheweth for For it is vndoubtedly very auaileable to the sound vnderstanding of the abrogation of the lawe All thinges whatsoeuer God hath layd downe in the holy scriptures are altogether profitable to our edification and doe carrie with them a diuine authoritie wherby we may coÌfirme our minds they therfore are very fooles and godlesse people or to vse a more gentle terme they are shuttle witted ignoraÌt of all good things whose stomachs doe rise at the Ceremonies that God hath taught and whose eares are offended to heare a sober godly treatise vpon the exposition of those diuine ceremonies Some there are that no smal number who thincke it very profitable and an excellent thing to construe Homer and Virgil allegoricallie in diuine Ceremonies only foolish heads are persuaded that no profite or wisedom lyeth secretly hidden when in déede in all the world againe ther is nothing more profitable more pleasant more fine more excellent or more full of wisedome in allegoricall types than the ceremonies are that God hath ordeyned For in them are the mysteries of Christe his Catholique Church very finely plainely and notably described Now in reckoning vp and touching these seueral ceremonies I wilchiefly follow the very natural order Ceremonies doe apperteyne to the Ecclesiastical worship of god Therfore it is necessarie that there should bee persons appointed in the Church to bee the maisters or rather publique ministers of those Ceremonies to exercise and put them in practise as the Lord ordeyned them It is necessarie also that there be a certaine place and time appointed wherein and when God should be especially worshipped rather than at an other place or season moreouer the holy rites that is the very ceremonies must be appointed and certainly numbered that the worshippers of god may know what and how great y honour is that they are bound to giue vnto him And first of al I meane to say somewhat of the persons that is the priests or Leuits referring stil the hearers to the reading of the holy Bible wherein the whole is fully conteyned and largely described The beginning of priesthood among the old people is deriued or brought from the creatioÌ almost For they say that in euery familie the first begotten were alwayes the priestes It is certaine that when the first borne of Aegypt were flaine the Lord did by a lawe consecrate to himselfe the first begotteÌ of the Israelits And the preeminence or dignitie of the first begotten hath alwayes béene very great by the Ciuil lawe The first begotten did alwayes rule and beare the sway in his fathers house and was as it were a king amonge his brethren to the first begotteÌ the inheritance was due to the other brethren were portions giuen the first begotten did excel the rest in the dignitie of the priesthood Therefore when Cain and Abel did striue about their birthright they coÌtended not about a trifle but about a matter of very great weight Whervpon when the mother virgin is said in Luke to haue borne her first begotten sonne let no man thinke that she was the mother of the second begotten or many sonnes more For in that Luke calleth Christ her first begotten sonne therein is noted his dignitie and excellencie For to Christ our Lord doth belong the kingdome priesthood and inheritance By whose bouÌtiful liberalitie wée are adopted to be his parteners both in the kingdome priesthood and inheritaunce of life euerlasting and all heauenly thinges But to returne to oure purpose againe the dignitie of priesthood amonge the people of Israel did of right belong to Ruben because hee was the first begotten But he by committing detestable inceste did loose his righte Next to him therfore was Leui who also loste that dignitie for the sinne which he coÌmitted in killing the men of Sichem trayterously and prophaning the sacrament of Circumcision But because the tribe of Leui did behaue it selfe manfully not onely in the bringing of the children of Israel out of Aegypt but also in punishing idolaters I meane the men that worshipped the golden calfe therefore did they receiue the office or dignitie of priesthood in reward of their vertue and at that time were the Leuits chosen into the place of the first begotten of all the séed of Israel For thus wée read And Moses said vnto the Leuites Consecrate your handes vnto the Lord this day euery man vppon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may a blessing bee giuen you this day And againe And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Behold I haue taken the Leuites from amonge the children of Israel for all that first openeth the matrice amonge the children of Israell and the Leuites shal be mine Because all the first borne are mine For the same daye that I smoate all the first borne in the land of Aegypt I hallowed to mee selfe all the first borne in Israel And so forth By this it appeareth that the tribe of Leui was appointed to the priesthood in the Church of Israel Moreouer this dignitie or ministerie was singularly confirmed to this Tribe immediately vppon the insurrection of Corah Dathan and Abiron by the wonderfull myracle that the Lord wrought vppon Aarons rodd which budded alone among the other eleuen twigs for a witnesse that god had appointed the tribe of Leui alone to the office and function of holy priest âood And for that cause was the same rodd put into the arcke and kept
séemed to belong to the seruice of God as oyle franckincense and such like things Now before the temple was erected and that the Israelits had obteyned a place where to settle themselues in the land of promise the priests office was to sée the tabernacle pitched downe taken vp againe and caried to and froo For in the third of Numbers thus wée read The Leuites shal keepe all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation and haue the charge of the children of Israel to doe the seruice of the tabernacle For the tabernacle was so appointed that when they iourneyed it might bée taken into many péeces Therefore when the Israelites were readie to remoue their campe Aaron and his sonnes came with the coueringes appointed for the purpose to wrapp vp and carrie the holy vessells in The Cahatites bare the Arke the table the altar and instrumentes belonging thereunto The Gersonites had charge ouer the cordes the couerings the hangings the curtaynes the vayles and roapes belonging to y tabernacle The Merarites did beare the harder stuffe that was made of wood brasse as the pillers barres stakes and planks Al which whosoeuer desireth to vnderstand more néerly let him read the third and fourth Cap. of the booke of Numbers When the temple was builded there were porters and warders of the temple appointed amonge the Leuites The trumpetts also wherewith the congregation was called together were in the Leuites hands as wée read in the 10. of Numbers The priestes also were appointed to be readie serue in the warres as is to be séene in the 20. of Deut. For the Lord would not haue the lawes to be huisht where armour did clatter for victories do auaile greatly to godlines and the studie of religion Beside this also the priests had yet an other office that was to iudge betwixt cause cause betwéene cleane and vncleane Both which are more largly declared in the 17. of Deut. and in the 13. and 14. cha of Leuiticus For as often as any difficult matter happened to rise amonge them the hearing of it was brought to the mother citie Hierusalem if any man were suspected to be a Leper the Leuiticall priestes did iudge of his disease according to the lawes that were prescribed them So hitherto I haue summarily layed downe the offices of priest hood among the old people reckoning vp only the especiall parts belonging to their seruice Now as those priests did serue the Israelitish church so âid they liue of the reuenues of the church For the Lord appointed them certain stipends and dwelling places in the land of promise For hée assigned 48. cities for them to inhabite in the land of Israel sire whereof were cities of refuge for men to slye vnto as vnto Sanctuaries Moreouer he comaunded to lay out and appoint for the sustenance of the priestes cattel and families the suburbs and fermes without the walls of the cities within a thousand cubites compasse on euery side In those cities were scholes so conueniently placed throughout all y land that all men mighte easilie goe with very smal paine from y places there about vnto the synagogues to heare the word of god In those cities there was no sacrifices made for they were commaunded to sacrifice in one place alone and thrice a yeare they went vp to the temple to sacrifice vnto the Lord but euery sabboth day the law was taught in euery town wher the synagogues were Moreouer the rents belonging to the priestes were great ample as is to be seen in the 18. of the booke of Numb in the last of Leuit. The wealth of the priests was enough sufficient to maintein their families and to liue themselues honestly And they with that stipend did not giue themselues to riot and idlenes but liuing moderately did apply themselues to learning teaching of the people Thus much hetherto touching the persons belonging to the ministerie of holy religion And for because by lawe they could not sacrifice but in one place alone there was a certaine place appointed to the people wherin as in an holy shop the priestes should exercise their holy ministerie in sacrificing to the Lord and therfore now the very order and course of this argument doth require that I say somewhat touching that holy place That place in the beginning was the tabernacle builte by Moses afterward the temple which Solomon did make The law which forbadd them to sacrifice any where but in that one place alone vnlesse it were by dispensation is extant in the 12. of Deut. and in the 17. Cap. of Leuit and deeth conteyne the mysterie of Christe who was offered vpp but once and in one place to cicanse the sinnes of all the world Of whome I wil speake somwhat more hereafter Now that tabernacle or tent being called the tabernacle of appointment because the Lord appointed it both to giue aunsweares in and to haue his lawfull worship duelie accomplished in was to the people in stéed of a temple so long as they wandered dwelt in the wildernesse For in so much as they strayed 40. yeres in the desart it was not conuenient for them to haue a settled temple but such an one as in their iourneys they might carrie to and fro so oft as they remoued That tabernacle was erected in this order and was in a maner of this forme and facion First of all there were ââuck into the earth close by the ground siluer sockets to fasten in and set boords vpon to make a wal withall vnder euerie planke or boord were two sockets For euerie boord had two tânons like pikes whereby they were stucke into the socketts The boordes on either side of the tabernacle North and Southe were twentie in number at the vpper end which was toward the Weste were tenne boordes or planckes all layed ouer with gold and ten cubites high a péece These wheÌ they were set vp were stucke or fastened into the sockets vpon the backe sites those bordes had golden ringes throughe whiche were barres of ãâã wood whiche iâ thought to be white Thoarne thruste partly to ioyne the boordes cloase together that they might bee like a wall without chincke or creauise and partly to make them stand stedfast without wagging to and fro The Sanctum on the East side was shut vp with a vaile Moreouer there were made tenne curtaynes or hauginges of brodered woorke which were coupled together with loupes or taches These curtaynes were layed vppon the toppes of the boords that were set vpright as it had béene the rafter or rouffe of an house ouer which curtaynes were thrée coueringes more the vppermost whereof was of Taxus leather well able in rayne to kéepe water out Nowe the tabernacle was in length 30. cubites and in breadth 10. cubites as may be gathered by the measure of the boords It was diuided also into three parts The first was called Sanctum sanctorum
full The place where the temple was afterward builded is reported to haue béen shewed to Dauid by the Angle of the Lord and that Dauid did first of all make sacrifice there vnto the Lord and addeth these words This is the house of the Lord God and this altar is for the sacrifice of Israel As if hée should haue said This plat of ground is appointed for tâe temple in this péece shal be builte the house of the Lord yea here shall be offered that onely and effectual sacrifice for all men the very sonne of God Christ Iesus incarnate For all the interpreters of the holy scriptures agrée that the place was at Ierusalem vppon the mountaine Moria where Abraham once would haue offered his sonne Isaac that in that appointed or fatall plâce the temple âas erected and thât the hill Golgotha or Caluarie was not farre of but in the very topp of the mountaine Moria which was the place and holy hill wherein the holy Gospell doth testifie that Christ was offered for the sinns of al the world which was prefigured in a type of the auncient sacrifices other Ceremonies belonging to the temple The vse and end of the temple was none other than the vse and end of the tabernacle was before Ieroboam therfore and the kings of Israel did sinne most gréeuously when they forsooke the temple to make sacrifices in the high places in their Cathedrall Churches at Bethel and at Dan and in other high pleasaunt places The people of Iuda with their kinges did sinne most gréeuously either for sacrificing to God in the high places or else because they did not vtterly cutt downe those highe places For the Lord would and his wil was to be worshipped in one place which hée had chosen vnto himselfe The plaine lawe touching that matter is extante in the 12. of Deuteronomie is very expressely set downe in the 17 of Leuit. in these woords following Whosoeuer of the house of Israell shall kill an Oxe or a sheepe or a goate within the host or without the host to witt for a sacrifice vnto the lord For otherwise they mighte lawefully kill a beast for their sustenance in any place wheresoeuer and shall not bring it to the doore of the tabernacle of the coÌgregation to offer his Sacrifice before the dwelling place of the Lord bloud shal be imputed to that man as if he had shedd bloud Wherefore when the children of Israell bring their offeringes let them bring them to the Lord before the dore of the tabernacle of appointment vnto the priest that hee may offer them And let them no more offer their offerings to diuels after whoÌ they haue gone a whoring This shal be an ordinaunce to them for euer in their generations And he that doth not this shal be rooted out from amoÌg his people There are in these words thrée thinges to be noted First that it was not lawfull to sacrifice but in that one place onely that was before the altar of burnt offeringes Secondarilie wée haue to marke that that commaundement was giuen to the end that al men should vnderstand that the sacrifice was made to God to whom the tabernacle did belong Thirdly that to offer sacrifice out of y place against Gods comaundement was to make sacrifice vnto the diuel that the offerer was to be iudged as a murderer and that hee was excommunicated by the lord God as he that was excluded froÌ the companie of God his holy saints But wheras Samuel Helias and certaine other Patriarches did by Gods sufferance make sacrifices vpon some especiall causes in other places not before the altar in the tabernacle they did it by dispensation They therefore that sacrificed in highe places not to straunge Gods onely but euen to the very true God did sinne first of all by disobedience For God doth mislike yea he curseth al the worship done vnto him which we our selues do first inuent without the warrantise of his word it is faithfull obedience y pleaseth him best SecoÌdarilie they sinned by making a schisme in the vnitie of the Ecclesiastical body Thirdly for despising the mysterie of Christ that was to be offered in the mount of Golgotha for not referring the meaning of their sacrifices to Christ the onely truth of all their typicall Ceremoines Lastly they sinned by trusting in their sacrifices as in well wrought woorkes to iustification and by neglecting the worship of God chaunging it into trifles of their owne inuentions The teÌple stood from the time that Solomon did first build it vntil the first destruction of it vnder king Zedechias 440. yeares And from the reparatioÌ of it vnto the vtter ouerthrowe vnder Vespasian it stood 582. yeares Other there be that do accompt it otherwise Thus haue I hetherto spoken a litle of a great deale concerning the temple Now it remayneth for me to touch and lightly to passe ouer the holy instruments belonging to the tabernacle and temple of the Lord amonge which the arcke of the couenant was the chiefe which arcke was so called because of the tables of the couenant that were put within it It was also called the arke of the Lord God of hostes which dwelleth vppon it betwixt the Cherubim by that meanes the Lord himself was called by the name of Him that sitteth betwixt the Cherubim because he did from theÌce giue aunsweares vnto his seruauntes and had placed it in the middest of his people to be a signe that his presence was alwayes amonge them Touching the stuffe whereof and the for me how the arcke was made I will say nothing here For the matter fashion are in their colours very liuely painted out in the 25. Chap. of Exod. Of the meaning mysterie vse of the arcke I will speake somewhat now We men lay vp in our coffers and cheasts the treasures y we most sett by And therfore we vnderstand that in the arcke was layed the treasure of the Church and all the substance of which the faithfull made most accompt We must not therfore seek for them in meÌ in Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Dauid S. Marie Iohn Peter or Paule much lesse in the Romish indulgeÌtiarie but in him in whom all fulnesse dwelleth and in whom all the treasures of gods wisedome and knowledge are heaped vp in store who is not séen here on the earth but in the Sanctum Sanctorum in heauen I say aboue and is called Iesus Christ whose diuinitie is figured by the most pure gold and his humanitie by the Sittim wood that is of Cedar or rather white thorne For he tooke vpon him flesh like to our sinnefull flesh euen the very flesh that wée haue in al pointes sauing that it was not sinnefull Out of this arke do the faithfull fetche all good and necessarie things for the vse of their life and eternall saluation For in the arcke wée read that there was layd the tables of the couenaunt the
in God nor his couenaunts Finally circumcision did put the circumcised in mind of their duetie al their life long to wite that euery man should thinke that he had taken vpon him to professe God to beare in his bodie the SacrameÌt of the Lorde For that is the cause why the Israelites were named or had their names giuen them in their circumcision For it is euident in Luke that Iohn Baptist and Iesus our sauiour had their names giuen them at their circumcision euen as also the first circumcised at his circumcision was called Abraham whose name before was said to be Abram It did admonish the circumcised of his duetie for so much as he had giuen his name vnto the Lord his confederate to bee inrolled in the register of God amoÌg the names of them that giue them selues vnto the Lord wherefore he ought by couenaunt duetie to frame his life not after his owne lust and pleasure but according to the will of God to whome he did betake him selfe For the condition of the couenaunt was that the circumcised shoulde not defile them selues with idolatrie and straunge religions that they should not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord but that they perseuearing in true faith should ensue godlynesse shewe the workes of repentance and be obedient to God in all things For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono Circumcise the foreskinne of your hearts and harden not your neckes any longer To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter saying Bee ye circumcised to the Lord and cut away the foreskinne of your hearte And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes sayeth Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearte and eares ye alwayes resist the holie ghost Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes declare that there are two sortes of circumcision the one of the letter in the fleshe the outwarde circumcision that is made with handes the other in the heart of the Spirite the inwarde circumcision which is made by the meanes of the holy Ghost The circumcision of the heart God doth like well of in those y be his but that in the fleash he doeth vtterly mislike of if as the fleashe is the heart be not circumcised The liking and misliking of these two circumcisions is in that which went before so plainly alreadie declared that I néede not to stick any longer vpon it And here I think it not amisse before I make an ende of circumcision to reherse vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the auncient writer Lactantius lib. Instit 4. Chap. 17. where he speaketh of circumcision in this manner The meaning of circumcision was that we should make bare our breastes to wite that wee should liue with a simple and plaine dealing heart because that parte of the bodie which is circumcised is partely like to a heart and is the fore parte of the priuitie and the cause why God commaunded to make it bare was that by that signe he might admonishe vs not to haue a couered heart that is that we should not couer within the secretes of our conscience any crime whereof wee ought to be ashamed And this is the circumcision of the heart whereof the Prophets speake which God hath translated from the mortall fleshe to the immortall soule For the Lorde being whole set and fully minded according to his eternall goodnesse to haue a care for our life and safegard did set repentance before our eyes for vs to followe as a waye to bring vs thereunto so that if wee make bare our heartes that is if by confession of our sinnes we satisfie the Lord we should obteine pardone whiche is denied to the proude and those that conceale their faultes by God who beholdeth not the face as man doeth but searcheth the secrets of the brest Thus much hitherto hath that auncient writer of the churche Lactantiê° Firmianus declared vnto vs touching the mysterie of circumcision Nowe all this whiche hitherto I haue saide touching the meaning and mysterie of circumcisioÌ was set forth as in a picture to be séene of all mens eyes so often as circumcision was solemnized in the church There was the league as it were renued which God did make with men There was the grace of God his sanctification and our corruption declared therein did Christ the rocke of stone appeare who with his spirite doth cutt wash away all spottes of the Churche Moreouer the worshippers of God did learne by that signe and so by all the holie ceremonie that they beeing in one ecclesiasticall bodie ought to do their indeuour by purenesse of liuing to winne the fauour of God their confederate Because by the visible circumcision there was after a sorte an open confession made of the true religion of frée consent to the true religion and of a bynding by promise vnto the same He therefore that did despise or vnaduisedly neglect that holie ceremonie was sharply punished as may be gathered by the 17. of Genesis and the fourth Chapter of Exodus And so muche hetherto touching circumcision There followeth nowe the seconde Sacrament of the auncient churche I meane the Paschal Lamb. It is an Hebrewe word not signifying a passion as it should séeme if it were deriued according to the Gréeke etymologie but it signifieth a skipping a leaping or a passing ouer For the Hebrewe *** signifieth to leape or passe ouer The cause of this worde Moses him selfe sheweth in the lawe where he saith The Lord shall go ouer to strike the Aegyptians when he shall see the bloud vppon the vpper poste and the two side postes of the doore *** the Lord wil passe ouer that doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come within your houses This sacrament is knowen also and called by other names For it is called a signe a remembraunce a solemnitie an holie assemblie the feast of the Lorde a worship an obseruation an oblation and a Sacrifice But whereas that ceremonie is called a passing ouer that is not done without a trope For the passing ouer was the verie benefite wherein the Angel of the Lorde did passe ouer the Iewes leaue their houses vntouched and saue their liues but for because the Paschall Lambe was a memoriall a renuing of that benefite therefore it tooke the name of the benefite Euen as I admonished you before that it is vsuall in Sacramentes for the signes to bee called by the names of the thinges that they signifie béecause of the likenesse and mutual proportion that is betwixt them Let vs sée nowe what the passeouer was and what kinde of ceremonie did belong vnto it The Passeouer was an holy action ordeined by God in the killing and eating of a Lambe partely to the ende that the Churche might kéepe in memorie the benefite which God did for them in the land of Aegypt to be a testimonie of Gods
the space of certaine dayes or monethes These Nazarits did absteine according to the commaundement of the law from certaine things from which they were not barred by any other lawe and which were not vnlawfull for other men to vse whiche were without the necessitie of that vowe First of all they absteyned from wine from all thinges that the vine brought forth and whatsoeuer else did make men drunken But it is manifest that as wine is the good creature of God so no drincke is forbidden by the law Yet forbecause the Nazarits were consecrated to the Lord and sanctified by a certaine peculiar kinde of lyuing and for because wine is the meanes that leadeth to drunken nes which is the gulfe of al sinne and filthinesse therefore did the Nazarits not without a cause absteine from wine They did also take héede of idlenesse the mother of mischiefe and vtterly despised all worldly pleasures Furthermore so longe as the time of their vowe endured they did not clipp their haire but let their lockes growe out a length And thereuppon as some doe thincke they toke their names and were called Nazarits For in so much as Nazer signifieth haire they suppose that they were called Nazarites as who should say longe locked or shagge haired people But the Apostle Paule biddeth the woman to pray or to come into the CoÌgregation to heare a Sermon with her head couered for none other cause but for that shée is not in her owne power but subiecte to an other that is to her husband And therfore the Nazarits did let their haire growe because by the vow which they had made to God they were no longer in their owne power but were wholie yéelded into the power of god And the head which is the tower of the bodie and the most excellent parte thereof being couered with a bush of haire was a token that the whole man was by vowe giuen to the Lord to whome alone he ought to haue an eye vpon whome alone hee ought wholie to depend Moreouer it was required at the hands of the Nazarite that he should not defile himself with the contagious companie of wicked naughtie persons Whereunto also belongeth the commaundement which charged the Nazarite not to be preseÌt at the death or buriall of his parentes or children or wife or brethrene or sisters For he ought to settle the eyes of his minde vppon God alone and in comparison of him to set lighte by and loathe the things which were most déere precious vnto him But if it so fell out that at vnawares hee were defiled by séeing of a dead body hee was not therefore acquited of his vowe as one whose former life had béene sufficient for the performaunce of the same For hee was commaunded to sanctifie himself the seuenth day then to vndertake the kéeping of his vowe againe By all this wee maye plainely perceiue what and howe great the sinne of Samson was who was a Nazarite to the lord For because hee did not onely lurke in the brothell house with the harlot but did also bewray the secrete of GOD vnto her and cast behinde him the couenaunt made with God whereof his haire was a sure testimonie therfore did the Lord forsake him and that wonderfull strengthe which he had from heauen was cleane taken from him For the strength of Samson lay not in his haire so that by the cutting of his haire his strengthe was cutt away also but it laye in the spirite of the Lord which was giuen him from God aboue And therfore do wée finde this sentence so often in the scripture And the spirite of the Lord came vppon Samson Therfore when the spirite of God departed his streÌgth departed also but it departed from him when he being wholie ioyned vnto the harlot was made one soule with her and did preferre her before God his commaundement so that he suffered his haire to be polled and vtterly reuolted from the ordinaunce of the lord For by that meanes did the spirite of God forsake him Whereupon immediately after he was brought into the hands of his enimies the Philistines where when he was miserably vexed and when he heard the name of God euill spoken of and blasphemed because of his captiuitie hée repented hartilie and called vppon the name of the Lord wherby it came to passe that when his haire grew forth againe his strength returned that is the spirite of the Lord came vppon him againe being brought vnto him not by the growing of his haires but by his repentance earnest calling vppon the lord Neither did Samson desire to reuenge his owne priuate iniurie so much as to suppresse the blasphemous mouthes and to deliuer the people of God from feare and slauerie The strength of God therefore returned againe wherwith hée bending the pillers of the Theater was himselfe slaine with the fall of the palace and at his death slue many mo than hée had killed in all his life time before But nowe wée returne againe to the purpose to add the other Ceremonies that do belonge to the full exposition of the vowe of the Nazarites When the time was expired therefore whiche the Nazarite had taken vppon him for to obserue hée came to the tabernacle of the Lord and offered the sacrifices that are prescribed in the Lawe whereby hée testified that hée was a sinner and plainely confessed that al goodnesse and vertue that was to be found in him was giuen and bestowed from God aboue And therefore hée polled his head and caste his haire into the fire wherein the peace offering was a burning At last when all this was in this maner accomplished it was lawfull for the Nazarite as one loosed of his bonds to returne vnto his old life againe Thus much hetherto touching the discipline of the Nazarites Nowe touching the cleane and vncleane there is a longe discourse in the lawe of Moses I in my former treatise did lightly touche and passe ouer some certaine thinges but now at the last for héere I meane to make an ende to speake of Ceremonial lawes I will adde somewhat touching the choice of meates I meane of cleane and vncleane meates God verily in the beginning created all things and he so created them that as the Creator is good euen so all his creatures euen at this day are good also neither doth hee gainesay himselfe now wheÌ he forbiddeth certaine mears as though somewhat of it selfe were vncleane There are other mysteries that lye hidden vnder this doctrine of the choice of meates The lawes whiche are giuen touchinge meates and victuals séeme to be smal and of little valure but it pleased the Lord in a small thing to admonishe vs what wée haue to doe in a greater and that euen in the smallest thinges the authoritie of his Godhead ought to be regarded For the authoritie of the lawe dependeth vppon God God is the lawegiuer and the lawe is his inuention This suppresseth the malapertnesse of
giuen by God touching the magistrate or Iudges with their office and election Of their election thus we reade Bring ye saith Moses to the people men of wisedome and of vnderstanding and expert according to your tribes and I will make them rulers ouer you Againe I will make thee rulers and Iudges to iudge the people according to thy tribes in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee And yet againe more plainly Seeke saith Iethâo being inspired from aboue vnto Moses out of all the people men of courage and suche as feare God true men hating couetousnesse to wite such as hate to take money and bribes ⪠and make of them ouer the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundredes rulers of fifties and rulers of tennes and let them iudge the people at all seasons Which if thou doest thou shalt both keep the ordinances of God and the people in peace and safetie To this doth beloÌg that which we reade in the booke of NuÌbers where Moses prayed saying Let the God of the spirits of al fleashe set a man ouer this congregation which may go out and in before theÌ that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe without a shepehearde Herein Moses hath leaft an example for vs to imitate in making our prayers to God for the election of our Iudges For often times our opinions or iudgements of men do vtterly deceiue vs But the God of spirites doth behold the mindes and heartes kneweth what euery one is in thoughtes and inward meaning He therefore must be besought to giue and shewe to vs not hypocrites to be our Iudges but men of trueth and vertue In the same place doth Moses leaue to vs the description of consecrating newe chosen Iudges For they were set before the Lorde and handes were laide vpon them with making of prayers supplications Moreouer the office of Iudges is verie briefely but yet in moste effectuall and absolute sentences described of the Lord by the mouth of Moses in these wordes Heare the causes of your brethren and iudge righteousely betwixt euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him Ye shal haue no respect of any person in iugement but heare the small and the greate alike and feare not the face of any man for the iudgement is Gods. Againe Iudge the people with iust iudgement Decline not in iudgement haue no respect of persons neither take thou any bribes for rewardes do blinde the eyes of the wise and doeth peruert iust causes Doe iudgement with iustice that thou mayst liue possesse the land which the Lorde thy God shal giue thee And againe Do no vniust thing in iudgement accept not the face of the poore neither feare thou the face of the mightie but iudge thou iustly vnto thy neighbor Againe Thou shalt not haue to doe with a false reporte thou shalt not followe a multitude to doe euil neither shalt thou speake in a matter of iustice according to the greater number for to peruert iudgement that is if thou séest an innocent to be condemned of the multitude do not thou therfore condemne him because the multitude hath condemned him but iudge thou iustly and committ not euil because of the many voices of the multitude Thou shalte not esteeme a poore man in his cause neither shalt thou hinder the poore of his right in his suite Keep thee farre from a false matter and the innocent and righteous see that thou slaye not Thou shalt not oppresse the straunger seeing ye your selues were straungers in the âand of Aegypt And God verily when he had deliuered the people from the tyrannie of the kings of Aegypt did not putt them in subiection to kinges againe nor burden them with the tributes which kings are wont to exact of their subiects for he made them a common weale or an Aristocracie which was the moste excellent kind of regiment wherein the choicest men in all the multitude were piked out to beare that swaye and to rule the rest but yet because hee was not ignorant of his peoples foolishenesse and that they being wearie of their libertie woulde craue a king which thing he did afterward also disuade them from by his seruaunt Samuel he made lawes for a king also that hee might vnderstand that he was to liue vnder the lawes and to giue iudgement according to the lawes The discipline or institution of a king is thus expressed in the 17 Chapter of Deuteronomium WheÌ thou art come into the land which the lord thy God giueth thee and shalte saye I wil set a king ouer mee like as all the nations that are about me then thou shalt make him king ouer thee whome the Lord thy God shall choose One from among the middest of thy brethren shalte thou make king ouer thee and thou mayest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not of thy brethren But he shall not gather many horses vnto him selfe nor bring the people back againe into Aegypt to increase the number of horses that is to get him selfe a strong troope of horse men for as much as the Lorde hath saide ye shall hencefoorth go no more againe that waye Also let him not take many wiues to him selfe least his heart turne awaye neither let him gather too much siluer and golde And when he is sett vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out a copie of this law in a booke according to the copie of the booke which the priestes the Leuites do vse and it shal bee with him he ought to reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and to keepe all the woordes of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to do them And let not his hart arise aboue his brethren neither let him turne from the commandement either to the right hand or to the leaft that hee may prolong his dayes in his kingdome both hee and his sonnes in the middest of Israel Thus much hitherto of the magistrates of Iudges and of kinges Nowe I suppose that in this institution of a kinge all thinges are conteined which are moste largely set out by other authors touching the discipline and education of a Prince And by the waye this is especially to bée noted that Kinges are not set as Lordes and rulers ouer the worde and lawes of God but are as subiectes to bee iudged of God by the worde as they that ought to rule and gouerne all thinges according to the rule of his worde and commaundements And here I haue to rehearsâ vnto you some of the Iudiciall lawes I meane not all and euery seueral one but those alone which are the chiefe choicest to be noted by which ye may consider of the rest and plainly perceiue that the people of Israel were not destitute of anye lawe which was necessarie and profitable for their good state and welfare I will recite them vnto you as briefely as may bee
the first precept thou shalt referre the feare the faith loue of God with assured hope perseuearing patience constancie inuincible in trouble and afflictions To the second belongeth the true and sincere worship wherwith God is pleased with the vtter refusall of all superstition and peruerse religion Vppon the third doeth depende the reuerence of Gods Maiestie the frée confession of his might the holie inuocation of his name and the sanctification of the same In the fourth is comprehended the moderate conseruation of the Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies y preaching of Gods word publique prayers whatsoeuer else doeth belonge to the outward seruice or externall worship due to god To the fifte thou mayest annexe the naturall loue of children toward their parents of men toward their countrie kinese-folkes the due obedience that we owe to the magistrates and all in authoritie and lastly the offices of ciuil humanitie To the sixte thou shalt ioyne iustice and iudgement the protection of widowes orphanes the deliuering of the oppressed and afflicted weldoing to all men and doing hurt to no man To the seuenth thou shalt add the faith of wedded couples the offices of marriage the honest and Godly bringing vp of childreÌ with the studie of chastitie temperance and sobrietie To the eighth is to bee reckoned vpright dealing in coÌtracts liberalitie bountifulnesse and hospitalitie Vnder y ninthe is couched the studie of trueth through al our life time faith in words déeds with deceÌt honest profitable speach In the tenth and last thou mayest remember good affections holie wishes with all holy and honest thoughts And so this is the compendious platforme of good workes Nowe if thou desire to haue it more briefly expressed than this that thou séest then turne thee selfe hearken to the wordes of Christ our Lord who gathereth these 10. into two principall points saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with al thy soul with al thy mind thy neighbour as thy selfe Whatsoeuer therefore yee would that men shuld do to you euen so do ye to theÌ Vppon these precepts of the Lord let all the faithful which desire to doe good works most surely fixe their eyes and minds that too so much the more diligently and constantly as they doe more surely and euidently perceiue see that God in the lawe the prophets doeth require nothing else nor any other works at the hands of his electe chosen seruants Go to now therefore let vs heare out of the holy Prophets some such euideÌt testimonies touching good woorks as do consent wholie agree with the lawe of the lord Moses in Deut. crieth And now Israel what doeth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walk in al his wayes to loue him to serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule That thou keepe the coÌmandements of the Lord and his ordinances which I coÌmaund thee this day And the kinglye Prophete Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh this questioÌ Lord who shal dwel in thy tabernacle And presently answereth it himselfe saying Euen hee that walketh vprightly doeth the thing that is iust right And so forth as is conteined in the 10. coÌmaundemeÌts Esaie also in his 33. cap. moueth the same question and answereth it euen so as Dauid had done before him Ieremie in the 21. chap. doth vrge and reiterate these woords to the Iewes Thus the Lord coÌmaundeth Keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent do not greeue nor oppresse the straÌger the fatherles nor the widow and shedd no innocent bloud in this place And Ezechiel in his 18. cap. knitteth vp a beadrowe of good workes in no point vnlike to these sauing only y it is somewhat more largly amplified In Osée the Lord saith I desire mercie more than sacrifice the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worshipper of God should do to please him with all what workes he should doe to delight the Lord and immediatly by the inspiration of the holy Ghoste he maketh aunswere saying I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee namely to doe iustly to loue mercie and with reuerence to walke before thy God. In like maner the Prophete Zacharie to them that demaunded of him certaine questions touching vertues such good woorkes as please the Lord gaue this answere saying Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes Execute true iudgement shewe mercie and louing kindenesse euerie man to his brother doe the widowe the fatherlesse the straunger and the poore no wronge Let no man imagine euill in his heart against his brother neither bee ye louers of false othes for these are the thinges which I do hate sayeth the Lord. With this doctrine of the Prophets doth the preaching of the Euangelists and Apostles fullie agrée teaching in euerie place that charitie righteousnesse and innocencie are the scoape summe of all good woorkes The Apostle Iames sayeth Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father is this To visite the father lesse and widowes in their aduersitie to kepe himself vnspotted of the world It remayneth now for me to drawe to an end and in the rest that is yet be hind to be spoken touching the descriptioÌ of good works to confer places of the Scripture for the confirmation plaine exposition of the same Now therfore we said y good works in déed are wrought by them that are regenerate to the glorie of God the ornameÌt of our life and the profite of our neighbour For the Lord in the Gospell prescribeth this end to good works where he saith Let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen The Apostle Paul also oftener than once exhorting vs to good woorks doth as a most effectuall cause to sett them forward add That by those workes of ours we may adorne the doctrine of oure Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And euen as a comelie and cleanely garment adorneth a man so doe good workes in déede set foorth the life of Christian people For herevppon it riseth that the Apostles of Christe did so often persuade vs to put off the old man and put on the newe which is created to the similitude and likenesse of god For thereby wee obteine both honour and glorie We both are and are called the seruaunts yea and the sonnes of oure Lord and God whose propertie and vertue shineth in vs to the glorie and praise of his holy name And as hée doth require good works at our hands so if we do them we on the one side do please and delight him and hee on the other doeth honour vs againe as may bee proued by many testimonies of the holy Scripture But the thing it selfe is so plaine
Againe Contra Faustum Manichaeum Lib. 22. Cap. 27. Sinne is a deede a woord or a wishe against the lawe of God. The same Augustine De duabus animabus coÌtra Manichaeos cap. 11. sayeth Sinne is a wil to reteine or obteine that whiche iustice forbiddeth and is not free to absteine And In Retract Lib. 1. Cap. 15. he sayeth That will is a motion of the minde without compulsion either not to loose or else to obteine some one thinge or other All whiche definitions as I doe not vtterly reiecte so doe I wishe this to bée considered and thought off with the reste Sinne is the naturall corruption of manhinde and the action whiche ariseth of it contrarie to the lawe of God whose wrath that is both death and sundrie punishments it bringeth vppon vs. Thou hearest howe well this definition doeth consist vppon his partes Thou hearest in it of our natural corruption in the naming whereof appeareth how this definition doeth not agrée to the sinne of our first parents in whome there was no naturall corruption Of which I meane to speake in place conuenient Thou hearest the action named whiche ariseth of that natural corruption and is repugnaunt to the lawe of god Thou hearest that sinne doeth bring vppon vs the wrath of God that is death and sundrie sorts of punishments appointed by the mouth of God to plague vs for our sinnes Of which I wil speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the Lord shall giue mée grace and abilitie Now therefore it séemeth that this treatise maye most aptly bée begonne at the discussing of the originall cause and beginning of sinne Some there bee that doe deriue the originall cause of euill or sinne from the influence of the Planets saying I sinned because I was borne vnder an vnluckie Planet Other there are which when they sinne and are rebuked for it do make this aunsweare Not I but the diuel is in fault that I haue committed this greeuous crime And sometime laying a side all excuses they doe directlye cast the blame vppon God and saye Why God would that it should bee so For if hee would not haue had it so I had not sinned An other sayeth Since God could haue letted it and would not he is the cause authour of my sinne But it is no newe thinge nowe that men doe whât their blasphemous tongues against God the maker and ruler of all thinges For our first parents when they had sinned were accused of it by God himselfe found a shifte for to translate the sinne whiche they committed from themselues to other would not confesse the trueth as it was in very déede Such is the abhominable wickednesse of man For Adam as it were aunswearing GOD ouerthwartlye casteth the faulte of his offence not onely vppon his wife which God had coupled vnto him but also vppon GOD himselfe The woman sayeth hee whome thou gauest to bee with mee gaue mee of the tree and I did eate As if he should haue said If thou haddest not giuen mee the woman I had not sinned But the Lord coupled him to a wife not to the end that shée should bée an occasion of euill but that the man mighte bée in the better case and condition Againe the woman doeth simplie impute the cause of that euill vnto the diuel saying The Serpent beguiled mee and I did eate Loe these are most corrupt false wicked and detestable opinions touching the originall cause of sinne wherewith the iustice and trueth of God is mightily offended Neither is the nature of man the cause of sinne For God which created all thinges did also create the nature of man and made it good euen as all thinges else whiche hée created were also good Therefore the nature of man was good For it is an accidental qualitie that hapened to man either in or immediatly after his fall and not a substantiall propertie to haue his nature so spotted with corruption as nowe it is Nowe wee being borne in sinne of sinnefull progenitours haue sinne by descent as our naturall propertie For Sainct Augustine writing De Fide contra Manichaeos Cap. 9. sayeth And if wee saye that any men are euill by nature wee meane that they are so because of the originall descent of our first parentes sinne wherein wee mortall men are wholie borne But this nowe requireth a more exacte and ample declaration That the diuel alone is not the authour of sinne so that when we sinne the blame thereof should redound to him and wee that sinned escape without fault this doth greatly argue béecause it is in his power to egge and persuade but not to inforce a maÌ to do euill For God by his power restrayneth the diuel from being able to doe the thing that he would do He can do no more theÌ God permitteth him to do for if he had no power ouer an hierd of filthie swine how much lâsse authoritie hath hee ouer the excellent soules of Gods most excellent creatures Hée hath I confesse great subtilties and more then Khethoricall force wherewith to persuade vs but God is stronger and neuer ceasseth to prompt good and hoalesome counsels vnto the soules of his faithfull seruants Nether doth he permit more to Satan than is for our commoditie as is to be séene in the example of that holy man the patient Iob and also in the example of Paul 2. Cor. 12. and in his words saying God is faithfull whiche will not suffer vs to be teÌpted aboue that wee are able to beare They therefore are vainely seduced whiche caste the faulte of their sinne vppon the diuels shoulders To procéede if thou demaundest of them whiche laye the blame of their sinne vppon their euill destinie what destinie is they will answeare either that it is a course knitt together by eternitie and lincked to it selfe as it were a certaine chaine and continuall roawe of counsels and workes necessarilie following one vppon an others necke according to the disposition and ordinaunce of God or else that it is the euill starres or planets Now if thou demaundest againe who made the starrs they haue none other answere but God it followeth therefore consequently that they inforce the cause of their sinne vppon God himselfe But al the auncient and best Philosophers did neuer pretend or alledge destinie much lesse such Christians as did freely confesse the mightie power of their God and maker And euen amonge our men I meane amonge them that would séeme to bee Christians they which stoode in the opinion of destinie and constellations were such kinde of fellowes as wise men would be ashamed to follow them as authors Bardesanes imputed to destinie the coÌuersations of mortall men And the Priscillianists who were condemned in the first counsell helde at Toledo thought and taught that maÌ is tyed to fatall starres and hath his bodie compact according to the 12. signes in heauen placing Aries in the head Taurus in the necke and so
not what manner of religion and woorship Therefore that they might by proofe sée that they were fooles and vngodly God gaue them vpp vnto filthie lustes In like manner kinge Amazias woulde not giue eare and hearken to the Lorde because God had determined to punishe his iniquities as is to be read in the fourth booke of Kings the fourtéenth Chapter and 2. Paralipo 25. Chapter Likewise did the Lorde putt the spirite of errour into the monthes of the false prophets and they seduced Aegypte Esaye 19. So also did a seducing spirite goe out from the Lorde of iudgement and was a lying spirite in the mouth of all the Prophets as is to be séene in the last Chapter of the thirde booke of Kinges Nowe the Lorde doeth all these thinges with iust and holie iudgement Againe GOD is saide to blinde mennes eyes so often as he doeth reuoke or take awaye the contemned light of his trueth and sinceritie leauing them that delight in darknesse to walke and sticke in their darkenesse still For then the Lorde permitteth his woorde to be preached to the vnthankfull and vngodly receiuers vnto their iudgment or condemnation For so verily doeth the Euangelicall and Apostolique doctrune teache vs to thinke This saith the Lorde is condemnation or this is iudgement that the sonne of God the verie true light came into the world and the world loued darkenesse more then light And Paule saide If yet the Gospell be hidd it is hid in them that perish in whome the God of this worlde hath blinded the senses of the vnbeleeuers c. In the same sense God is saide to harden man For when the Lorde calleth man and hee resisteth making him selfe vnworthie of the kingdome of heauen hee doeth then permitt him vnto him selfe that is hee leaueth man vnto his owne corrupte nature accordinge vnto which the heart of man is stonie which is mollified and made tractable by the onely grace of God therefore the withdrawing of Gods grace is the hardening of mannes hearte and when wee are leafte vnto our selues then are wee hardened Pharao king of Aegypt did by his murthering of the Israelitish infants by his tyrannie and many other vices horribly committed against the lawe of nature offende the eyes of Gods moste iust and heauenly maiestie therefore it is no meruaile that hee hardened his heart But if any man will not admitt or receiue this exposition yet can he not denye that God in the Scriptures doeth vse our kindes of phrases and manner of spéeches Nowe we are wont to saye this father doeth by too much cockering or ouer gentle dealing marre or harden his sonne he maketh him stubborne stiffenâcked yet the father doth not teÌder him to destroy but to saue him the sonne in deede by the abuse of his fathers clemencie doeth both destroye harden him selfe Therfore wheras the sonne is hardened that coÌmeth by his owne not his fathers fault although the father beare the name to haue hardened him or made him past grace And verily if thou doest diligently consider the historie of Pharao thou shalte oftener than once finde this sentence repeated there And God hardened Pharaos heart namely when some benefite or deliuerie from euil was wrought before As though the Scripture shoulde haue saide by this benefite of deliuering him from euil did God harden the heart of Pharao while hee abused the goodnesse of God and supposed that al thinges would be afterwardes out of peril and daunger because God had taken away the present punishment and did beginne to doe him good And yet I confesse that God before he had benefited or layde any punishments vppon Aegypt did immediately vppon the calling of Moses saye I knowe that the king of Aegypt will not let you departe And againe See that thou do all these signes and wonders which I haue put in thy hande before Pharao but I will harden Pharaos heart that he shall not let the people goe But these sayings doe not tende hereunto that we should make God the author of all Pharaos falshood rebellion and stubborn dealing against the Lorde but rather they were spoken to the comfort and confirmation of Moses who is therefore so premonished that when he dealeth earnestly with the king and yet cannot obteine his suite hee shoulde notwithstanding knowe that he had Gods businesse in hande and that God by his long sufferance is the cause of that delaye when as notwithstandinge at the laste hee woulde temper all things to his owne honour and glorie The case by a similitude is al one as if an housholder should sende his seruaunt to his debitours saying Go thy waye and demaunde my debtes but yet I knowe that thou shalte receiue none of them For I by my sufferance and gentle dealing will cause them to bee the slacker to paye it But yet do thou thy duetie And I in the meane while will sée what is néedefull to be done To this may be added that euen in those verie Chapters where it is so so often saide God hardened Pharaoes heart This also is afterwarde annexed which layeth the hardening of Pharaos heart vppon Pharaos owne head saying He hardened his hearte and hearkened not vnto them In the ninthe of Exodus when Pharao was well whipped hee cryeth I haue nowe sinned the Lorde is iust but I and my people are vniust or wicked And immediately after againe But when Pharao sawe that it ceassed rayning hee sinned yet more and hardened his heart and it was hardened So then these and such like places must bee conferred with these woordes I haue hardened Pharaos heart and out of them must be gathered a godly sense such a sense I meane as maketh not God the author of euil Nowe also the Prophet Amos doth verie plainly saye There is no euill in a citie but the Lorde doth it But Augustine Contra Adimantum Ca. 26. did verie religiously write Euil in this place is not to bee taken for sinne but for punishment For the worde euil is vsed in two significatiâs the one is the euil which a man doeth the other euil is y paine which he suffereth Nowe the Prophet in this place speaketh of that euil which is the punishement that men do suffer For by the prouidence of God which ruleth and gouerneth all things man doâh to committ the euil which he will that he may suffer the euil which he would noâ Therefore the euil that God doeth is not euill in respect of God but is euil to them vppon whome his vengeance lighteth So then he in respect of him selfe doth good because euery iust thing is good that vengeance of his is iuste and so consequently it is good The place of Esaie also must bee none otherwise vnderstoode in his 45 Chapter saying I am the Lord and there is else none it is I that created light and darkenesse I make peace and euil yea euen I the Lorde doe all these thinges For here he taketh
euil for warre and maketh it the contrarie to peace Againe Sainct Augustine De natura boni contra Manichaeos Chap. 28. saith When we heare that all things are of him and by him and in him we must vnderstande it to be spoken of all the natures that are naturally For sinnes are not of him beecause they do not keepe but defile nature which sinnes the holie Scriptures doe diuersly testifie to bee of the will of them which committ them Thus much Augustine Neither is it a matter of any great difficultie to answere to that sentence of Solomons where hee saith God created all thinges for his owne sake yea the vngodly against the euill daye Prouerb 16. For wee beleeue that the moste iust God hath appointed a day of affliction iudgement or punishement which shal come vppon them in due time and season But whereas the Apostle saith Hee hath mercie on whome he wil and whom he wil he âardeneth wee must not so wrâst it to say that God doeth of necessitie driue any man to sinne and that therefore he is the cause of sinne For the will of God is good and iuste and willeth nothing but what is expedient and not repugnant to nature and the word of god And therefore it is that the Prophet cryeth The Lorde is iuste in all his wayes and holie in all his woorks Psalme 145. Thus haue I out of much that may be saide picked out a little and layed it before your eyes dearely beloued for you to consider of the cause of sinne Wee are nowe come to demonstrate the first partes which were set downe in the description of sinne immediately vppon the beginning of this sermon They are in number two the first is Sinne is the natural corruption of mankinde The latter is and the action that riseth of it contrarie to the lawe of God. Some verily in setting downe the kindes or differences of sinnes doe verie well aduisedly saye Of sinnes one is originall and another actuall I meane in order to speake of both so farre as God shal giue mée grace and firste of the same naturall corruption in mankinde that is of originall sinne Nowe therefore it is called originall sinne because it commeth from the firste beginning being deriued from our firste parents into vs all by lineall descent and continual course from one to another For wee bring it wiâh vs in oure nature from our mothârs wombe into this life Of this sinne there are many definitions made which as they doe not disagrée among them selues so yet is one of them more full and euident than another of them is Some say Originall sinne is the corruption of nature from the first perfectnesse Other some saye it is the corruption of mannes nature which maketh that wee doe not truely obey the lawe of God and are not without sinne Againe some call it a want or defect other call it concupiscence whiche might better séeme to be the fruite of originall sinne that is of oure corruption Other call it an inordinatenesse of appetites which is leaft in nature Anshelmus a late writer saith Originall sinne is the want of originall righteousnesse But this is thought to haue beene spoken somewhat too briefely For the force of sinne seemeth to bee not sufficiently expressed For our nature is not onely voyde and baren of goodnesse but also most aboundant and fruitefull of all euils and naughtinesse Therefore the definition of Hugo is taken for the better who saith Originall sinne is ignoraunce in the mynde and concupiscence in the fleashe But yet this séemeth to bée a farr fuller and better definition Originall sinne is the vice or deprauation of the whole man whereby hee cannot vnderstande GOD and his will but of a peruerse iudgement of thinges doeth ouerthwartly and peruerteth all thinges And nowe among all these definitions I wishe you dearely beloued to consider of this also Originall sinne is the inheritablie descending naughtinesse or corruption of oure nature whiche doeth firste make vs indaungered to the wrath of God and then bringeth foorth in vs those woorkes which the Scripture calleth the woorkes of the fleashe Therefore this originall sinne is neither a déede nor a woorde nor a thought but a disease a vice a deprauation I saye of iudgement and concupiscence or a corruption of the whole man that is of the vnderstanding will and all the power of man out of which at last doe flowe all euil thoughtes naughtie wordes and wicked déedes This sinne taketh beginning at and of Adam and for that cause it is called the inheritablie descendinge naughtinesse and corruption of oure nature Concerning the corruption and sinne of Adam out of whome we are all borne sinners I haue allreadie sufficientlye spoken where I treated of the cause of sinne and by and by hereafter shall followe somewhat more of the same argument so that I haue no néede to repeate any thing here I will therfore now passe forth to the rest The Pelagians denyed that this euill of Originall sinne was hereditarie For these are the verie woordes of Pelagius him selfe As without vertue so are we also borne without vice And before the action of our own wil that alone is in man which God created These woordes of his are somewhat obscure but Caelestius the partener of Pelagius did more openly spue out this poyson and saye Wee did not therefore saye that infants are to bee baptised into the remission of sinnes to the ende that we should seeme thereby to affirme that sinne is Ex traduce or hereditarie which is vtterly contrary to the Catholique sense Because sinne is not borne with man but is afterwarde put in vre by man because it is declared to bee not the fault of the nature but of the will. Againe Pelagius saide that that first sinne did not hurte the first man onely but all mankinde also his issue and ofspring but he doth immediately adde not by propagation but by example that is to saye not that they which came of him drewe any vice of him but because they that sinned afterwarde did in sinning imitate him that sinned first and before them This is to be seene in Aurelius Augustinus De peccato originali contra Pelagium Caelestium Lib. 2. Cap. 6. 13. et 15. Wee therefore must proue by the testimonies of holie Scripture that the euil is hereditarie in man and that originall is borne together with vs that is that all men are borne sinners into the worlde The Prophet therefore doth plainly crye Psalme 51. Beholde I was borne in wickednesse and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Or as another translation out of the Hebrue saith Beeholde I was shapen in iniquitie and in sinne my mother cherished or warmed mee That is to saye sinne did then immediately cleaue vnto mée when I was once conceiued and nourished in my mothers wombe Nowe that happened vndoubtedly not by any vice of matrimonie for the wedlock bedde is holie and vndefiled
the blasphemie against the holie Ghoste shal not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come The same sentence of our Sauiour is thus expressed in the thirde Chapter of sainct Markes Gospell All sinnes shal be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith soeuer they shal blaspheme but he that speaketh blasphemie against the holie Ghoste hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke these woordes in a manner are vttered thus Who soeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that blasphemeth the holie Ghoste it shal not be forgiuen In these woordes of the Lorde we haue here mention made of blasphemie against the sonne of man and of blasphemie against the holie Ghoste of which that against the holie Ghoste is vtterly vnpardonable but that against the sone of man is altogether veniall Blasphemie against the sonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt which are not yet inlightened doeth tend against Christ whome the blasphemer doth thinke to bee a seducer because he knoweth him not Suche blasphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifestly testifie that Paul him selfe before his conuersion a greate parte of the Iewes were For vppon the crosse the Lorde prayed crying Father for giue them for they wott not what they doe And the Apostle Paule sayth If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not haue crucified him Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes speakinge to the Iewes saith I knowe that ye did it through ignorance nowe therefore turne you and repent that your sinnes may be wiped out Act. 3. But the blasphemie against the holie Ghost is saide to be a continual faultfinding or reproche against the holie spirite of God that is against the inspiration illumination and woorkes of the spirite For when he doth so euidently worke in the minds of men that they can neither gainesaye it nor yet pretend ignorance and that for all this they do resist mocke despise and continually snapp at the trueth whiche they in their consciences do knowe to be moste hoalsome and true in so doing they do blaspheme the holie Spirite and power of god As for example the Phariseis being by moste euident reasons and vnreproueable miracles coÌuinced in their owne minds could not denie but that the doctrine woorkes of our Lorde Iesus Christe were the trueth and miracles of the verie God and yet against the testimonie of their owne consciences they did of méere enuie rebellious doggednesse and false apostacie continually cauil that Christ did al by the means inspiration of Beelsebub the diuel And little or nothing better than the Phariseis are those which when they haue in these dayes once vnderstoode that the verie trueth and assured saluation are moste simplie and purely set forth in Christe doe notwithstanding forsake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the sounde and manifest trueth yea and that more is they ceasse not to clappe their handes and hisse at it as a damnable heresie As this sinne is of all other the filthiest so is it not veniall but vtterly vnpardonable For in the Gospell the Lorde hath expresly saide it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the worlde to come Whiche sentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced He hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation The cause is manifest For it is vnpossible without faith to please god Without faith there is no remission of sinnes Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of god But the sinne against the holie Ghoste is méere apostacie flatt rebellion against the true faith which the holie Ghoste by his illumination doth powre into our heartes Whiche illumination these vntoward Apost ataes doe incessantly call darkenesse they name it a meere seduction and do with tauntes blaspheme it openly Therfore the sinne is neuer forgiuen them For they tread vnder foote the Grace of God and do despise make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to saluation Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues saith If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour the aduersaries Nowe I pray you what is it to sinne wilingly Forsooth to sinne willingly is not to sinne through infirmitie or ofteÌ times to fall into one the same sinne but to sinne willingly is with a moste stubborn coÌteÌpt to sinne as they are wont to do which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and spurne at the Grace of God not ceassing to make a mocke of the crosse death of Christ as thoughe it were foolishe and not sufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure sinnes For to such there is prepared none other sacrifice for sinnes And suche the Apostle calleth the aduersaries that is the contemners and enimies of god And therefore the same Apostle in the sixte Chapter of the same Epistle saith It cannot be that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte were become partakers of the holie ghost and haue tasted of the good woorde of God and the powers of the world to come and they fall away should be renued againe into repentaunce crucifying to them selues the sonne of God afreshe and making a mock of him He speaketh not here of euery fall of the faithfull but of wilfull stubborne apostacie For Peter fell and was restored againe throughe repentance which happeneth to more than Peter alone For all sinners are through repentaunce daily restored But vnrepentant Iudas is not restored because he was a wilfull apostatae Mockers and blasphemârs are not restored through repentance because they do obstinately stande against the knowen veritie and ceasse not to blaspheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vnto eternall life Therefore those places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians but do expound to vs the nature and enuenomed force of the sinne against the holie Ghost Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist disputing of this sinne in his Canonicall Epistle saith If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shal aske he shal giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praye for it All vnrighteousnesse is sinne and there is a sinne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him selfe and that euil toucheth him not Sainct Iohn here maketh mentioÌ of two sortes of sinnes The one vnto death that is mortall
ioye and alwayes bringeth gladnesse with it The tydings are that there is borne the Sauiour of the worlde euen the Lorde Iesus Christ he is borne and that too vnto and for vs that is to the health and saluation of vs mortall men Sainct Paule saith That the Gospel was promised afore of GOD by the prophets in the holie Scripture of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleshe who hath been declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirite that sanctifieth by his resurrection from the dead And againe The Gospell is the preaching of Iesus Christe according to the reuelatioÌ which hath beene kept cloase from before beginninges but is nowe made manifeste and by the writinges of the prophâts opened to all nations vnto the obedience of faith according to the apointment of the eternall God. And yet againe more briefely he saith The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all that do beleeue that is to saye the Gospell is the preaching of Gods power by whiche all they are saued that do beléeue But Christe is the power of god For he is saide to be the arme the glorie the vertue brightnesse of the father Now Christ bringeth saluation to euery one that doth beléeue For hee is the Sauiour of all Of all this wee doe nowe gather this definition of the holie Gospell the Gospell is the heauenly preaching of Gods grace to vs warde wherein it is declared to all the worlde being set in the wrath and indignation of God that God the father of heauen is pleased in his onely begotten sonne oure Lord Christ Iesus whome as he promised of olde to the holy fathers hee hath nowe in these latter times exhibited to vs and in him hath giuen vs all things belonging to a blessed life and eternal saluation as hee that for vs men was incarnate dead raysed from the dead againe was taken vp into heauen and is made our onely Lorde and Sauiour vppon condition y we acknowledging our sinnes do soundly and surely beléeue in him This definition I confesse is somewhat with the longest but yet withall I woulde haue you thinke that the matter which is in this definition described is it selfe verie large and ample which I haue therefore in this long definition or description with as greate light as I coulde endeuoured my selfe to make manifest to all men Wherefore I neither could nor shoulde haue expressed it more briefely This definition consisteth of iust partes which being once seuerally expounded and throughly opened euery man I hope shal euidently perceiue the nature causes effects and whatsoeuer else is good to bee knowen concerning the Gospell First of all that the Gospell is tydinges come from heauen and not begonne on earth that doeth moste of all argue because God our heauenly father did him selfe firste preach that tydings to our miserable parentes after their fall in Paradise promising his sonne who being incarnate should crushe the Serpents head Then againe the Apostle Paule doth in expresse wordes saye God in time past at sundrie times and in diuerse manners spake vnto the fathers by the Prophets and hath in these laste dayes spoken to vs by his sonne And Iohn before him is read to haue testified saying No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him And againe He that commeth from an high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that commeth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth To this belongeth that the Prophets were beléeued to haue prophecied by the inspiration of the holie spirite Nowe they did in the holie Scriptures foreshewe the Gospell the especiall or chiefe poyntes whereof were by Angels descending from heauen declared vnto men For the incarnation of the sonne of God is by the Archangel Gabriel tolde first to the holie virgine and after that againe to Ioseph the supposed father of Christ and tutour of the vnspotted virgin The same Angel did preache to the shéepeheardes the birth of the sonne of god Moreouer to the women that came to the graue mynding after their countrie manner to annoynct the bodie of the Lord the Angels declared that hee was risen from the dead againe The same Angels at the Lordes ascension did testifie to the Apostles whose eyes were turned and surely fixed into the clouds that he was taken vpp into heauen that from thence hee shoulde come againe to iudge the quick and the dead And to all these testimonies may bee added the voice of the eternall father him selfe vttered from heauen vppon our Lorde and Sauiour saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am pleased heare him Which testimonie of the father the blessed Apostle Peter doth in the zeale of the Spirite repeate in the firste Chapter of his seconde Epistle Therefore the preaching of the Gospell is a diuine spéech vnreproueable and brought downe from heauen which whosoeuer beleeue they do beléeue the worde of the eternall God and they that beléeue it not do despise and reiecte the woorde of god For it ceasseth not to bee the worde of God because it is preached by the ministerie of men For of the Apostles we do read that the Lord did saye It is not ye that speake but the spirite of my father which is within you And therefore we read that they departed not from Hierusalem vntill they were first instructed from aboue and had receiued the holie Ghost Neither is there any cause why the worde of God should be tyed to the Apostles onely as though after the Apostles no man did preache the word of god For our Lorde in Saincte Iohns Gospell doth plainly saye Verily I saye vnto you hee that receiueth whome soeuer I sende receiueth mee and he that receiueth mee receiueth him that sent mee Nowe our Lorde the highe priest and chiefe byshop of his catholique church doeth sende not Apostles only but al them also that are lawfully called and doe bring the worde of Christ Therefore we vnderstand it to be spoken concerning all the lawfull ministers of the churche where the Lorde doeth saye Whose sinnes soeuer ye forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes soeuer ye reteine they are reteined And againe whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be loosed in heauen whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth shal be bound in heauen For in an other place the Lorde saith Verily I saye vnto you it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement than for that citie that receiueth you not heareth not your sayings Nowe who knoweth not with howe filthie horrible sinne the men of Sodome did defile them selues and that the Lorde rayned fire brimstone and pitche froÌ heauen wherewith he burnt vp both the citie and her inhabitants Who therefore cannot gather therevppon that rebels
Christ Iesu our Lord the true Messiah either not onely or else not fully all thinges requisite to life and saluation It is a wicked and blasphemous thinge to ascribe either to men or to things inferiour and worse thaÌ men the glorie and honour due vnto Christ The principall exercises of Christian religion cannot by derogating from the glorie of Christe challenge any thing vnto themselues For syncere doctrine doth directly lead vs vnto Christ Prayer doeth inuocate praise and giue thanckes in the name of Christ The Sacramentes doe serue to seale and represent to vs the mysteries of Christ And the workes of faith are done of duetie althoughe also of frée accord because wee are created vnto good works Yea through Christ alone they do please and are acceptable to God the father For hee is the Vine we are the branches So all glorie is reserued vntouched to Christ alone which is the surest note to know the true Gospel by Thus hetherto wee haue heard That God the father of mercies according to his frée mercie taking pittie vppon mankinde when it stucke fast and was drowned in the myre of hell did as hée promised by the Prophets send his onely begotten sonne into the world that he might draw vs out of the mudd and fully giue vs all thinges requisite to life and saluation For God the father was in Christ reconciled vnto vs who for vs and our saluation was incarnate dead raysed from death to life and taken vpp into heauen againe And although it may by all this be indifferently well gathered to whom that saluation doeth belonge and to whome that grace is rightly preached yet the matter it selfe doeth séeme to require in flatt woordes expressely to shewe that Christ and the preaching of Christ his grace declared in the Gospell doeth belonge vnto all For wée must not imagine that in heauen there are layed two books in the one wherof the names of them are written that are to be saued and so to be saued as it were of necessitie that do what they will against the woord of Christ and commit they neuer so heynous offences they cannot possiblie choose but be saued and that in the other are conteyned the names of them which doe what they can and liue they neuer so holilie yet cannot auoyde euerlasting damnation Let vs rather hold that the holy Gospel of Christ doeth generally preach to the whole world the grace of God the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting And in this beliefe wee must confirme oure mindes with the word of God by gathering together some euident places of the holy Scriptures which doe manifestly proue that it is euen so Of whiche sort are these sayinges following In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Genesis 22. Euerie one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shal be saued Ioel. 2. Wee haue all gone astray like sheepe and God hath layed vppon him the iniquitie of vs all Esaie 53. Come to the waters all ye that thirst Esaie 55. There are of this sorte innumerable places in the old testament Nowe in the Gospel the Lord sayeth Euerie one that asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth c. Matth. 7. Come to mee all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you of your burthen Matthewe 11. Teach all nations baptisinge them in the name of the father c. Matth. 28 Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised he shal be saued Marc. 16. So God loued the worlde that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3. In the Actes of the Apostles Sainct Peter saith Of a trueth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is acceptable vnto him Actes 10. Paule in the thirde to the Romanes saith The righteousnesse of God by faith in Iesus Christ commeth vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue And in the tenth Chapter he saith The same Lorde ouer all is riche to all them that call vppon him In his Epistle to Titus hee saith There hath appearrd the grace of God that is healthful to all men And in the firste to Timothie the seconde Chapter he saith God wil haue all men to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth These and suche like are the manifest testimonies wherevppon all the faithfull do firmely staye them selues But now if thou demaundest how it happeneth that all men are not saued since the Lorde would that all should be saued come to the knowledge of the trueth The Lorde in the Gospell doth him selfe answere thee saying Many in deede are called but fewe are chosen Which sentence hee doeth in the fourtéenth of S. Lukes Gospell more plainly expound where he doth in a parable shewe the causes why a great part of mortall men doth not obteine eternal saluation while they preferre earthly thinges transitorie beefore celestiall or heauenly matters For euery one had a seuerall excuse to cloake his disobedience withall one had bought a farme an other had fiue yokes of Oxen to trye the thirde had newly married a wife And in the Gospell after Sainct Iohn the Lorde saith This is condemnation because the light came into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more than the light With this doctrine of the Euangelistes doeth that saying of the Apostle agrée 2. Corin. 4. Chapter And in the first to Timothie the fourth Chapter he saith God is the Sauiour of all men especially of those that beleeue Wherevppon we gather that God in the preachinge of the Gospell requireth faith of euery one of vs and by faith it is manifest that we are made partakers of all the goodnesse and giftes of Christe And verily there is a relatioÌ betwixt faith and the Gospell For in the Gospell after Sainct Marke the Lorde annexeth faith to the preaching of the Gospell And Paule saith that To him was committed the preaching of the Gospell vnto the obedience of faith Againe he saith The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all them that doe beleeue And in the tenth Chapter to the Romans he doth by Gradation shewe that the Gospell is receiued by faith But that faith may be rightly planted in the heartes of men it is needefull that the preaching of repentaunce do firste goe before For which cause I in the latter ende of the definition of the Gospell added So that wee acknowledginge our sinnes may beleeue in Christe that is to saye the Lorde wil be oure Sauiour and giue vs life euerlasting if we acknowledge our sinnes and do beléeue in him And therefore here nowe may be annexed the treatises of faith and repentaunce Touchinge faith I haue alreadie largely spoken in the 4. 5. and 6. Sermons of the first Decade Concerning repentaunce I wil
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌdize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
excommunication the secular power hath nowe by the space of 30. yeares and more beene called on and persecution hath beene euery where raysed vpp against guiltlesse Christians not for committing heynous crimes and defending naughtinesse but for inueighing against mischiefes and mischiefous men and for requiring the reformation of the Church and yet euen at this day most cruell edicts are out and crueltie is exercised euery day more more against them that confesse the name of Christ yea such is their impudencie brasen-faced boldnesse they dissemble not that the counsell if any must be celebrated shall be called for the rooting out of heresies yea they doe openly professe that the counsell once held at Trent was to this end assembled Nowe since these things more clearely than the sunne are perceiued to be most true thou shalt most holy kinge doe wisely and religiously if without looking for the determination of a generall counsell thou shalt proceed to reforme the Churches in thy kingdome according to the rule of the bookes of both testaments which we do rightly beleeue being written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost to be the very word of God. But nowe that it is lawfull for euery Christian Church much more for euery notable Christian kingdome without the aduise of the Church of Rome and the members therof in matters of religion depraued by them wholie to make are formation according to the rule of Gods most holy word it is therby manifest because Christians are the congregation the Church or subiects of their king Christ to whome they owe by all meanes most absolute and perfect obedience Now the Lord gaue his Church a charge of reformation he commended vnto it the sound doctrine of the Gospell together with the lawfull vse of his holy Sacraments he also condemned all false doctrine that I meane that is contrarie to the Gospell he damned the abuse and prophanation of the Sacraments and deliuered to vs the true worship of God proscribed the false therefore Christians obeying the Lawes commaundements of their Prince do vtterly remoue or take away all superstition and do restore establish and preserue the true religion according to the manner that Christ their Prince appointed them He verilie is a foole or a mad man which sayeth that the Church of Christ hath none authoritie to correcte such errours vicces and abuses as do daily creepe into it And yet the Romish tyrannie hath so bewitched the eyes of many men that they thincke that they cannot lawfully doe any thinge but what it pleaseth Rome to giue them leaue to doe The Ecclesiasticall histories make mention of prouinciall Synods held in sondrie prouinces wherein there were handled matters of faith and the reformation of the Churches and yet no mention once made of the bishop of Rome What may be thought of that moreouer that in certeine Synodes not heretical but orthodoxasticall and Catholique thou mayest finde some that were excommunicated for appealing from their owne Churches vnto the Church of Rome Sainct Cyprian writing to Cornelius the bishop of Rome doth say Since that it is ordeined by vs all that it is iust and right that euery mans cause should be heard there where the crime is committed that to euery seueral pastour is appointed a portion of the flocke which euery one must gouerne make accompt of his doings before the Lord it is expedient verilie that those ouer whome we haue the charge should not gad to and fro by that meanes with their subtile and deceiptfull petulancie to make the concord of bishops to be at iarre but to pleade their causes there where they maye haue their accusers present and witnesses of their crime committed But letting passe the testimonies of men we do now come to the testimonies in the booke of god The most holy king Iosias most godly Prince may alone in this case teach you what to do and how to do with the warrant authoritie of God himselfe He by the diligent reading of the holy booke of God and by the contemplation of things present and the manner of worshipping God that then was vsed did vnderstand that his auncestours did greatly very farre erre from the plaine and simple truth for which cause he calleth together the princes and other estates of his kingdome together with all the priestes to hold and celebrate a counsell with them In that counsell he standeth not long disputing whether the examples of the elders ought rather to be followed or Gods commuandement simplie receiued whether he ought rather to beleeue the Church or the Scripture and whether all the iudgement of religion ought to be referred to the high priest For laying abroade the booke of the Lawe he submitteth both himselfe and all his vnto the Sacred Scripture Out of the booke of the Lawe both he him selfe doth learne biddeth all his to learne what thinge it is that pleaseth God namely that which was commuanded and learned in the reading of the Lawe of god And presently hee gaue charge that all men should doe and execute that not hauing any regard to the auncient custome or to the Church that was at that time he made all subiecte to the word of god Which deede of his is so commended that next after Dauid hee is preferred before all the kinges of Iuda and Israel Nowe your royall Maiestie cannot followe any better or safer counsell than this coÌsidering that it proceedeth from God and that it is most fit for the cause which is euen nowe in hand The disputation is of the Reformation of Religion and the true fayth of Christ You know that that doth spring from heauen namely that it is taught by the word of God and powred into our hartes by the holy Ghost For Paul sayth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Therefore as true fayth is not grounded vppon the word of man so is it not taught or planted by the same For in an other place the same Apostle sayth My preaching was not in the enticing words of mans wisedome but in the shewing of the spirite and of power that your faith might not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Not without good cause therefore doe we refuse the traditions of men and turne onely to the doctrine of the word of the Lord without which it is assuredly certeine that there is no doctrine nor any foundation of true fayth Neither are they worthie to be heard who thincke that the Canonicall Scriptures are not plaine enough full enoughe or sufficient enough to minister a perfect platforme of reformation They blaspheme the spirite of God imputing vnto it obscurenesse imperfection which faultes no prophane writer can well abide to heare off Sainct Paule in defence of the trueth sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that
shewed to Iohn the Apostle sayeth The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whooremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shal haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the second death These thinges haue wée hetherto spoken of worshipping GOD wée will nowe speake in the second place of inuocating or calling vpon God of which poinct wée promised to speake To call vppon and calling vppon is diuerslye taken in the Scriptures For it signifieth to bring foorthe as a wittnesse or a calling to wittnesse So Moses calleth heauen and earth to wittnesse against the children of Israel by the figure Prosopopoâie Againe the name of any one to bee called vppon ouer an other is to bee called by or after his name Let my name sayeth Iacob be called vppon them that is vppon Ephraim and Manasseh that is let them bée named by my name as if they were my children and let them be called not the sonnes of Iosephe but the sonnes of Iacob Israel So saye the wiues to their husband Let thy name bee called vppon vs that is suffer or giue leaue that wée maye bée named by thy name and that wée may be made thy wiues For these women thoroughe the knott of wedlocke take vnto them their husbands names After the same manner doe wee oftentimes read in the Prophets and holy historie of the Bible The house vppon whiche thy name is called That is the house whiche is called after thy name and is named the Lords house Likewise Ioab General of the kings armie sayth vnto Dauid Take thou the citie Rabbah the chiefe citie or seate royall of the Ammonites least I take it and my name be called vppon it That is least I bee called the conquerour of Rabbah Most ignoraunt therefore and vnskilfull are they of the Scriptures and the phrases of speache vsed in the Scripture whiche cite that saying of Iacob whiche euen nowe wée declared in defence and maintenaunce of the inuocation of Sainctes As thoughe Iacob would haue his name to be called vppon of his posteritie and ofspringe In Daniel thou doest read A people vppon whome the name of God is called Whiche signifieth nothing else thaÌ A people that is called Gods people Héere is no mention of inuocation whereby wée aske or desire any thing Furthermore inuocation or calling vppon is taken for religion For Luke sayeth in the Actes Saule had power or authoritie to binde all those that called vppon the name of the Lord. And Paule sayeth Let euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Also Seeke after peace with all them that call vpon the name of the Lord That is whiche are of the true Christian religion Lastly to inuocate or call vppon signifyeth to crie or call for help and with continuall outcries to craue somewhat That inuocation therefore or calling vppon GOD whereof at this time wée intreate is a lifting vppe of mans minde to GOD in great necessitie or in some desire and a most ardent craueing of counsell and assistaunce by faith and also a beequeathing or committing of oure selues into the protection of God and as it were a béetaking of oure selues to his Sanctuarie and onelye safeguard In inuocation therefore true inuocation I meane a faithfull minde is first of all required whiche doeth acknowledge GOD to bée the authour and only giuer of all good gifts who is willing to heare them that call vppon him and is able to graunt vs all our requests and desires whatsoeuer An vncessaunt and ardent petition or beséeching is also required But of these poinctes more shalbée said when GOD shall giue vs leaue in our Sermon of the prayer of the faithful For inuocation is a kinde of prayer Nowe verily I will shewe that in all oure desires GOD is to bée called vppon yea onely and alone to bée called vppon Surely there are expresse commaundementes of GOD chargeing vs to call vppon the name of the Lord who promiseth that for the good will and loue whiche hée beareth vs hee will heare our requestes and suites and largelye giue vnto vs thinges tending to our healthe and benefite Of many I will cite one or two testimonies Solomon the wysest of all men doeth teache vs to call vppon GOD in all and euerie one of our necessities making a particular rehearsall of mens speciall desires The same argument doeth Solomons father that most holy kinge Dauid handle throughout the whole hundreth and seuenth Psalme Hee reckoneth vpp therefore the diuerse casualties chaunces and miseries of men their affliction or oppression their wanderinges and daungers in their iourneye their bondes and imprisonmentes their diseases and the feare of death whiche sometimes is more terrible and hideous than death it selfe their ieopardies on the sea and roughe waters barrennesse scarcitie calamities contempt shame and ignominie c. Those crosses sayeth hée if they light on any man let him not ascribe them either to his God to whose defence hee hath committed himselfe or to Fortune or to his constellation destinie but to that god that knoweth all things can do all things vppon y God let him call earnestly by fayth For often doeth the prophete repeate these wordes And when they cryed vnto the Lord in their tribulation he deliuered them out of their distresse And for that cause doeth hee so often reiterate those words to the end that we hauing conceiued a perfect trust in our heartes and sure beliefe mighte learne in all chaunces to call vppon the name of the lord For Solomon in his Prouerbes yet againe sayeth The name of the Lord is a most stroÌg tower vnto it doeth the righteous man runne and he shal be aduaunced or he shal be set frée from daunger Asaph also in his holy songes sayth Sacrifice vnto the Lord a sacrifice of praise and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And he bringeth in the Lord himselfe speaking and requiring sacrifices not of beastes not of gold or siluer but of praise and inuocation Therewithall hee promiseth helpe and witnesseth that by inuocating and praising hee is honoured or glorified wherevppon Dauid said In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord and I will crie vnto my God and he shall heare my voice out of his holy temple and my crie shall enter into his eares Ioel also said Euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be safe And the Lord by the prophete Ieremie sayeth Ye shall call vppon mee and ye shall liue ye shall pray vnto mee and I wil heare you ye shall seeke mee and ye shall finde mee if with your whole heart ye seeke mee Furthermore we do not read that oure holy and blessed fathers in their petitions or requests were they smal or were they great called
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heaueÌly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a maÌ can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokeÌ more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whoÌ also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse coÌmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned theÌ with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
in the beginning what minde may be able at any time to clime beyond that WAS Or when shall wee so comprehend in our minde that WAS that it goe not before or outreache our thoughtes Vppon good reason therefore worthily the Prophete Isaie béeing astonnished cryeth out And who shal declare his generation For he passing all capacitie of minds and being farre aboue and beyond all reason of man is vnspeakeable And anon after hée sayeth Beecause the sonne is before all worldes he cannot bée begotten in time but hée is euermore in the father as in a founteine as he sayeth of him self I went out and came from the father For we do vnderstaÌd the father as a founteine in whome the word is his wisedome his power the ingrauen forme of his person his brightnesse and his image Wherefore if there neuer were any time wherin the father was without his wisedome his power the ingrauen forme of his person his brightnesse and finally his image wée must of necessitie force confesse that the sonne also is coeternall and euerlasting with him since hee is the wisedome power c. of the father euerlasting For how is he the ingraueÌ fourme of his fathers person or how is he the most perfect image of his father vnles he haue perfectly obteined and possesse the beautie of him whose image he is And it is not absurd that we said the sonne is to bée vnderstood in the father as in a founteine For the name of founteine doth signifie nothing else than as from whome And the sonne is in the father from the father not flowing abroad but either as brightnes from the Sunne or as heate from the fire wherewith it is indued For in these examples we sée one from one to be brought forth and both to be so coeuerlasting that the one can neither bee without the other nor yet kéep and reteine the qualitie of their nature For how shall it be the sunne if it bee depriued of his brightnesse or how shal brightnesse bée vnlesse there be a Sunne from wheÌce it doth come And howe shall that be fire that wanteth heate Or from whence should heate come but from the fire or else from somewhat else peraduenture not farre distant from the substantiall qualitie of fier As therefore the qualities which procéed from these bodies are together with them from whence they do procéed and euermore declare from whence they doe come so is it to bee vnderstood in the onely begotten For he is vnderstood to be of the father but he is beléeued to be likewise in the father not differing from the nature of his father neither yet next his father second in nature but alwayes in the father himselfe and with him and from him according to the manner of his vnspeakeable begetting Thus farre Cyrill And these poinctes surely concerning the father and the vnspeakable beegetting of the sonne of God are stedfastly to be beléeued according to the scriptures Furthermore touching the sonne of God let vs firmely hold vndoubtedly beléeue that he is consubstantiall or of the same substance with his father and therefore true God that the selfe same sonne beeing iucarnate for vs and made man subsisteth in either nature as well of God as also of man howbeit so that these natures are neither confouÌded betwéene themselues nor yet diuided For we do beléeue one and the selfe same our Lord Iesus Christ to be true God and true man All euerie one of which points throughout their parts we wil plainly and according to the measure of grace that God shall giue vs declare vnto you About the word Homoousius which the Latinists agréeably haue translated Consubstantiale consubstantiall the Ecclesiasticall historie doeth testifie that there hath béene longe much altercation among the auncient writers What it signifieth and howe it was taken of that most famous and solemne Synode of Nice the most learned and godly Eusebius Pamphili bishop of CÄsarea briefly and pithily expounded in this sort In that the sonne is said to be consubstantiall with the father it hath an expresse signification for because the sonne of God hath no similitude or likenesse with creatures that were made but is reseÌbled and likened to the father alone who begat him neither is he of any other substance essence or beeing than of the father And the same Eusebius anon after sayth Vnto which sentence and opinion in this manner expounded it appeareth wee maye well subscribe seeing wee doe knowe that the best learned and famous bishops and interpretours among those that were auncient reasoning of the Godhead of the father and the sonne vsed this word Homoousius These bee Socrates his woordes in the first booke of histories and the eighth Cap. Surely the godly gouernours of churches being constrained by the hypocrisie craftinesse malice of heretiques did themselues vse and caused others also to vse woords most pithie and as little doubtful as might be whereby partly they might manifestly expresse the sound truth partly discouer and reproue yea and also thrust out the deceipts and malicious practises of heretiques Arius confessed that the sonne of God was God but in the meane while he denied that the sonne was coÌsubstantial with his father wherefore hee declared that hee did not sincerely coÌfesse the true Godhead of the sonne Neither makes it any great matter thoughe there be not expressed in the holy Scripture some apt and fit word to set out and declare the thinge in so many letters as it is written in another tongue so that that be read to bee manifestly expressed in the scriptures whiche by the word is signified Wherefore if wée shew that the sonne is of the same substance or nature with the father and so equal with and like vnto God and one with him we haue then made sufficient and plentifull demonstration that the sonne iâ Homoousius or consubstantiall with the father The prophete Zacharie bringing in the person of God speaking sayth Arise O thou sword vppon my sheepeheard vppon the man that is my fellow or my coequall Smite the sheepeheard and the sheepe of the flock shal be scattered abroad Loe God calleth the shéepheard that is smitten his fellow or coequal And who is that shéepeheard y was smitten the historie of the Gospell doeth declare poincting out vnto vs the very sonne of God himselfe oure Lord Iesus Christ Neither doth it hinder but further oure cause that Hierome readeth not The man that is coequall with mee but The maÌ cleauing vnto mee For as hée denieth not that Amith doeth signifie coequall so hée setteth downe another woord no lesse effectuall For when hee translateth it The man cleauing vnto mee hee would expresse the inward and very substantiall that I maye so terme it inherence or coequalitie of the father and the sonne For he addeth in his Commentaries And the man which cleaueth vnto God who is it but euen he that sayeth I am in the father and
bare witnes that this is the sonne of God. Herevnto belongeth that which Peter beeing asked of the Lorde But whome do ye say that I am answered in the name of all the Disciples Thou art that Christe the sonne of the liuing God. And againe the Lorde obiecting this Will you also be gone Peter againe made answere in the name of them all Lorde vnto whome shall we goe Thou haste the wordes of euerlasting life and wee beleeue and haue knowne that thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God. We also verily are called the sonnes of god howbeit by adoption But Christe not by adoption neyther by imputation but by nature For in the 14. chapter of Marke the high Prieste saith vnto our Lord Art thou Christ the sonne of the blessed In Matthe we also the same high priest saith I adiure or charge thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs whether thou be the sonne of the liuing God Iesus answered I am For ye shal see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of power and comming in the cloudes of heauen Which appeareth to be repeted out of the seuenth chapter of Daniel Furthermore they bring this confession of the Lorde before Pilate as blasphemous and not to be satisfied but with death crying Wee haue a lawe and according to our lawe hee ought to dye by cause he made him selfe the sonne of God. But they them selues in the historie of the gospel thunder out these words against the Lord We are not borne of fornication we haue one father euen God. It is certeyne therefore that the Iewes accused our Sauiour for none other cause of high treason committed against Gods maiestie than for that he named him selfe the naturall not the adopted sonne of god For the firste did not deserue death but the last was worthie of death For we read also in the first of Iohn Therfore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely bycause he had broken the Sabboth day but also for that he sayd that God was his father making him selfe equall with God or Gods fellowe Loe thou haste the manner howe he called him selfe the sonne of God not by adoption or reputatioÌ but by nature substance For yet againe the Lord himselfe obiecteth this to them that would haue stoned him Many good works haue I shewed you froÌ my father for which of these good works do ye stone me The Iewes answered againe saying for thy good woorkes or wel going wee doe not stone thee but for blasphemie namely bycause thou being a man makest thy selfe God. Loe what could be spoken more plainely Thou makest thy selfe God. And what I praye you had he spoken whereof they gathered these thinges I giue vnto my sheepe euerlasting life neyther shall they perishe for euer neyther shall any plucke theÌ out of my hande My father whiche gaue them mee is greater than all and none can pull them out of my fathers hande I and the father are one To giue life euerlasting doth belong to the power of God to preserue and so to preserue that none may be able to plucke them out of his handes belongeth to the same power Nowe the Lorde proueth his saying with this argument or reason None is able to pull the shéepe out of my fathers hands therefore none can pul them out of my handes The proofe of his antecedent bycause the father is greater than all that is to say is the greatest of all whose diuine power is aboue all The proofe of his consequent bycause I and my father are one to wit not in will and agréement onely but in maiestie also and power whereof we doe at this present entreate not of concorde or agréement but of power to make aliue and to preserue Touching whiche the Lorde him selfe most plentifully discourseth throughoute the whole fifte chapter of Sainte Iohns Gospell shewing that he forgiueth sinnes that by his power he maketh aliue and rayseth vp from the deade euen as his father doeth therefore that he is of one and the same diuine power and maiestie with God the father These thinges are so euident playne and manifest that albeit we had none other testimonies yet these may aboundantly suffice to proue the assertion of the true Diuinitie or verie Godheade of the sonne of God that the sonne indéede is true and verie God. Againe the selfe same our Lorde and Sauiour with greate libertie of speache and playnenesse of wordes without all manner of riddle darke sentence and obscuritie of wordes openly and expressely sayth to his disciples Let not your hearte be troubled or vexed You beleeue in God beleeue also in mee I am the way the trueth and the life Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the father Doe ye not beleeue that I am in the father and the father in mee And certeine it is that Christe our Lorde is the heauenly doctour or teacher the moste constant defender of the truth who neyther hath seduced neyther yet coulde seduce and leade out of the way no not so muche as one But biddeth vs beleue in him as true and verie god Therefore our Lorde and Sauiour is true and verie god For in another place he sayth moste plainely I am the liuely breade or the breade of life that came downe from heauen Hee that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting He againe in the Gospell playnely pronounceth and saythe Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne may also glorifie thee As thou haste giuen him power of al fleshe that so many as thou haste giuen him hee might giue them lyfe euerlasting And this is euerlasting life that they should knowe thee only true GOD and whome thou haste sent Iesus Christe By whiche wordes hée hath expressely proued both the vnitie of GOD that is to say that there is but one GOD againste the Ethnickes who worshipped many GODS and notably touched the distinction of the persons in the meane while likewise declaring him selfe to be verie GOD with the father For by and by he addeth Glorifie thou me O Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I had with thee before this worlde was Héere I thinke must not be ouerslipped of me the argument of Tertullian whiche I will recite vnto you Dearely beloued out of his booke De Trinitate wherein he doth gather together verie many most sound and strong reasons of Christe his diuinitie or Godheade If sayth he Christ be only man why hath he appointed set vs downe suche a rule to beléeue wherin he should say And this is life euerlasting y they might know thée y onely true or very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christe If also he would not be knowne to be God why doth he adde And whome thou haste sent Iesus Christe but for that he woulde be taken also for GOD Bycause if he would not be knowne to be GOD he would haue added And whome thou haste
histories declare more largelie Of this King Christ the Prophets prophecying said And in mercie shal the seate be prepared and he shall sitt vpon it in trueth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and seeking iudgement and making haste vnto righteousnes And againe Beholde the time commeth saith the Lorde that I will raise vp the righteous brauÌche of Dauid which King shall beare rule he shall prosper with wisdome and shall set vp equitie and righteousnes againe in the earth In his time shall Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name that they shall call him The Lorde our righteousnesse And because our Lord is a king therefore be must néeds haue a kingdome As well the realme dominion subiecte to a kinge is called a kingdoÌe as principalitie empire power maÌner of gouernment it selfe Therefore the church the communion or fellowship of saints béeing obedient subiect to their king Christe is called the kingdoÌe of god For Micheas saith And the Lord shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion therfore Sion which signifieth the church is the kingdome of god And god is said to reigne when in the church he ruleth gouerneth kéepeth defendeth those that be his and indueth and maketh theÌ fruitful with diuerse graces For Paule saith The kingdome of God is not meate and drink but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Moreouer the kingdome of god is that eternall glorie felicitie which God dâeth communicate to his elect For the Lord saith in the gospel Comeye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome which is prepared for you froÌ the beginning of the world And the théefe euen at point of death making his praâer to the Lord who was redy to dye on the crosse desiring to bee âartaker of this kingdoÌe saith Lord remember me when thou coÌmest into thy kingdome ⪠Againe since y gospel teacheth vs how God reigneth in vs in this world in time to translate vs vnto him self into that other that is since the gospell is that thing by which the Lord reareth vp his dominion it is not vnaduisedly called of Matthew in his 13. cap. the kingdome of god In another place for the same cause it is called the word of the kingdome To be short we at this preseÌt by the kingdome of God vnderstand the coÌgregation of saints it self the catholique church I meane and the power or administratioÌ of God reigning therein that is preseruing gouerning glorifying the same And this kingdome of god is verily but only one for ther is but one God only one king Christ only one church â life âuerlasting But his one kingdome of god according to he dispensation ãâ¦ã two wayes First acording to y omâipotencie of god For he ãâã he iâ the highest omnipotent hath executeth ouer all creatures visible inuisible âoste iust rule and equall powerâ nill they or will they be obedient Secondly according to his spirits whereby he reigneth in his elect And so y kingdoÌe of God is againe two waies coÌsidered For either it is earthly is called the kingdome of grace or else it is heauenlye and is called the kingdome of glorie The earthly kingdome of grace is not therefore called earthly as though it were carnall earthly like the kingdome of Babylon Persia Alexander or Rome but because it is on earth For a good parte of the holie churche of God is conuersant on this earth beeing partaker of flesh bloud while it ââeth on the earth though it liue not an earthly life according to the ââesh For acording to the spirit whereby it is ruled it liueth a heauenly life Not that the partakers of the kingdome of God sinne not For the iust man falleth riseth seuen times in a day Whervpon it is also called the kingdome of grace For as long as we liue in this world our King Lord neuer denyeth his grace mercie to vs that craue pardon And the faithfull doe wholie hange vppon the grace of their king they embrace continuall repentance and endeuor theÌ selues to things of more perfectnesse For they frame all that they do according to the lawes of their king prince For he reigneth in his elect by the worde of truth and by the holie ghost By the word of truethe hee teacheth what the Saintes should doe and what they should auoide By his holie spirit he moueth their hartes and giueth strength to ãâã euill and followe that is good For truely our king reigneth not so much for him self as for vs For he maketh vs also kinges that we béeing deliuered from the diuell damnation sinne and the curse may be Lords ouer the diuel damnation sinne and the cursse yea ouer all thinges and ioynât-heires with the sonne of God him self For these causes the kingdoÌe of God is called a spirituall kingdoÌe For the partakers of the kingdome of God indued with the spirite of God doe bring foorth the fruites of the spirit not the works of the flesh and to be short are gouerned with the spirit of god Neither truelie doeth our Lorde reigne after the manner of the kinges of this worlde sayinge to Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Which sentence some abuse gathering y there is no ouâward gouernemeÌt in the church of God vnder whiche name they also take away the office of a Magistrate and speake so subtilely of the kingdome of God that a man cannot tell where the kingdome of God is or who be partakers of this kingdome They vnderstand nât that the meaning must bee gathered vppon the occasion of that saying The Iewes accusing the Lorde before Pilate laide to his charge that he ambition flye sought after a kingdome The lord clering him self of this crime sheweth Pilate that his kingdome shal not be such a one whiche after hee had cast out Tiberius Caesar should be gotten and kepte with armes and be gouerned after the manner of this worlde declaring that he addeth If my kingdome were of this world then would my seruaunts surely fighte that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes Therefore he inferreth But now is my kingdome not from hence therefore they fight not for me to place main the throne of the kingdome Tiberius béeing cast out And anon he saith For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare witnesse vnto the truethe and all that are of the truethe heare mye voice As therefore Christ by trueth not by lyinge deceipts and craftie practises like the Princes of this worlde prepareth him selfe a kingdome so by trueth he doeth bothe reteine gouerne his kingdome and whosoeuer imbrace trueth are partakers of Christes kingdome whether they be princes or of the coÌmonaltie all these obey the voice of their king and serue their highest prince Héere neuerthelesse we expresly add y Kings can no
god Now also hee eggeth false prophets inchaÌters against vs Whervnto beloÌg deceitful inglings and all kinds of sorcerie witchcraft which the workes of the sorcerers of Egypt and of SimoÌ the place of Moses in Deut. 13. testifie to be moste effectuall Herevnto chiefly belong false miracles corrupt answers or Oracles By these truely in times past he did very much hurt to that church of god as histories testifie nether ceaseth he at this day to do hurt which thing experieÌce it self doth teach verifie For though it be certeine y sathan is not cast out by that power of sathan yet one giueth place to another for a time to this end that they may that more dsilie deceiue men and obteine a kingdome Christe truelie and the Apostle Paule foretoulde that euen the last times should bee wonderfully bewitched with deceiptful signes and powers Moste euident places touching y thing are extant in Mat. 24. 2. thess. 2. cha More might be spoken déerely beloued that at large concerning the operations or workings of the diuell But I trust these things béeing gathered together in breuitie are sufficient and giue occasion to muse of higher thinges But let no man so vnderstand these thinges as if the diuel were able to doe all things and that what he will he can also doe by and by For his power is definite or limitted restrained so y he cannot doe so much as he would Otherwise all things had béene ouer throweÌ and perished long agoe Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing of the diuel y he is subiect to god for he can do nothing with out Gods permission Now God permitteth him either to exercise trye the patience of those that are his and to hasten their saluation as it is manifest in the historie of Iob and in the words of Paule to the Corin saying Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of the reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a prick to the flesh the messenger of sathan to buffet me Neither is it doubful that in most gréeuous tormentes of persecutions he exalteth many notable martyrs yea and at this day doeth and in times past hath exalted such vnto glorie and euerlasting rest Or els hee giueth the diuell leaue to execute violence and crueltie vppon men by that meanes to chastice their wickednesse or to punish their vnbelief For verily the diuels are the instruments of Gods wrath to execute his vengeauÌce For Paule saith The comming of Antichriste is after the working of sathan in all power signes and wonders of lying and in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might be saued And therefore GOD shall send them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this in a manner is the strength and power of sorcerie or inchaunting whiche is féeble in the faithfull Wherefore there is no cause why any man should miserably feare the Diuell But rather sanctifie yee saith Esaie the Lorde of hostes let him be your feare your reuerence Some say that certaine nations of the Easte worshipped the diuell for this cause that he should not hurte them But these are starke staring madde For if it bee not Gods will which euen now I began to tel you or if hee giue no leaue Sathan cannot touch so much as a haire of thine For he could not enter into the heard of swine whiche were féeding nighe the lake Genezaret at Gadara and destroy them but by the Lords permission Saincte Augustine also expounding the 32. psalme alledgeth in these wordes the historie of Iob What could the diuell himselfe doe durste he take away one seely shepe from the holie man Iob before he said Lay thy hand on him that is to say giue mee power Hee was willing but GOD did not suffer him When God gaue him leaue then hee was able therefore the diuell was not able but GOD whiche gaue him leaue Therefore Iob being well instructed did not say as we nowe are wonte to say The Lord gaue and the diuell hath taken away but The Lord gaue and the Lorde hathe taken away And these thinges do excéedingly comfort the godly in temptations who vnderstand that nothing can happen to theÌ without Gods permission that he permitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment and saluation and therefore that we are alwayes preserued by the prouidence and bountifulnesse of god For whatsoeuer hath hitherto béene spoken concerning the power and workinges of the diuelles perteined not hitherto to dashe vs out of courage and caste vs downe but to make vs more vigilant or watchfull The Lorde that ouercame the diuell and sheweth vs the way to ouercome him commaundeth vs to watch For therefore he encountered with sathan the first second and thirde time to instructe vs howe we shoulde fight againste the enimie of mankinde He ouercame him for vs that we shoulde not despaire of ability and nower easilie to ouercome him since he is alreadie weakened and wounded By faith doubtlesse we shal ouercome him For by faith we are knit vnto Christ and by faith we drawe the spirite of Christe by the force and vertue whereof we shall triumphe Truely for that cause Saint Peter willeth vs To resist by faith Saint Paule exborting vs vnto this conflict furnishing vs with excellente complete armour sayth Take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stande fast Stande therefore hauing your loynes gyrt aboute with the trueth and hauing on the breaste plate of righteousnesse and your feete shodde that you may be prepared to the gospel of peace Aboue all thinges taking the shield of faith wherewith you may quenche all the firie dartes of that wicked And take the helmet of âaluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of God praying always in al prayers and supplication in the spirite c. Wherevnto that also beelongeth whiche the same Apostle witnesseth God doth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare but shall with the temptation make away to escape Let vs therefore reuerence this God let vs béeséech him that throughe his power might we may ouercome Amen Of the reasonable Soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his bodie The tenth Sermon ALl men doe confesse that the reasonable soule of man hathe affinitie or likenesse with spirites neither is there any wiseman as I thinke which doth denie that the knowledge of the reasonable soule of man wherof the Scripture teacheth so many thinges and that too so diligently is moste wholesome and necessarie to all the godly the order therfore the profite and the verie necessitie also of
slept neither could sléepe so being deliuered from the burden of the bodie they are muche lesse to bee thought to sléepe To the bodie therefore is sléepe to bee referred For whosoeuer dieth in a true faith hee sléepeth in the lord And as they that sléepe when their ãâ¦ã the body is not altogether eâtinguished by deathe that it should not liue againe any more but nowe verily ãâ¦ã into rest and at the day of iudgemeÌt it riseth againe liueth and for this cause holy meÌ are sayd in the scriptures to sléepe not to die that therby the mysterie of the resurrection of our flesh may be signified Which thing these grosse headed men vnderstand not wherevpon they attribute that to the soule which is proper to the body Other arguments which they bring to confirme their madnesse are vnworthy to be rehearsed For eyther they violently wrest the scripture from the natural sense or else by their corrupt reasoning they gather falshoode out of those things that are false But they doe erre and are no lesse deâeiued than these sléeping doctours which thinke that soules departing from their bodies go not by by the right ready way into heauen but are âaâght in the middest of their iourney and carried into that purgatorie firâ wherin they maye be purged from the filthy spots of sinnes whiche they haue gotten in the flesh and that after they be purged they are carried by Angels into the presence of the most holy god For eyther the souls are purged with that purgatorie fire from the filthe of their sinnes or else they are washed and cleansed through the paine and griefe of torments whiche there they do suffer If sinnes be purged by vertue of that fire then it followeth that sinners are not sanctified by the only bloude of the sonne of god But by what scriptures haue they proued vn to vs that this power of purging is giuen to the fire Hath God altered ãâ¦ã and purpose and sât ãâã fire instead of Christe to workâ our sanctifiâation ãâã for shame But if for oure sufferings and tormentes sake sinnes are forgiuen then it followeth that we are not purged by the crosse and passion of Christ only Let them teache vs out of the scripture that suche worthinesse is attributed by God to our sufferings But by the onely bloud and passion of Christ all those are sanctified that be sanctified whosoeuer they be therefore purgatoriâ is a wicked deuise of the diuell whiche darkeneth yea and maketh voyd the crosse and merites of Christ For what other thing do they account purgatorie but a satisfaction for sinnes made by the soules separated froÌ their bodies In the Gospell of Iohn there is a question moued by the disciples of Iohn the Baptist touching the purifying of soules And Iohn Baptist declareth that the faythfull are through Christe purified by fayth which thing he is beléeued to haue testified also by holy baptisme Moreouer the most excellent apostles do expresly witnosse that all the faithfull are cleansed by the onely bloude of Christe and by his onely passion and most sufficient merites For Peter who sayeth in the Actes Neyther is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen no other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued He I say hath written in his firste canonicall Epistle Ye knowe that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as with siluer and golde but with the precious bloude of the immaculate lambe Iohn the Apostle also sayeth The bloude of Christ Iesus the sonne of God cleanseth vs from all sinne And he againe Christ loued vs and washed vs from our âinnes by his owne bloud And Paule âath to the Ephesians ãâã to Titus sheweth that we are purified by the only bloud of the sonne of god Vnto the He brues he sayth By him selfe hath hee purged our sinnes and sâttââh on the right hande of God in the highest places It was not without signification that he said By him self that he might thereby exclude all other meanes For elswhere he sayth thus If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christe dyed in vaine For after the same manner we also doe reason If we be cleansed by purgatorie fire then in vaine did Christe shed his bloude to purgâ vs For what néeded he to haue suffered most grieuous punishment if we could haue ben cleansed by Purgatorie fire Moreouer the whole scripture teacheth vs that Christe is our onely satisfaction and propitiation Which thing we haue at large shewed in other places And therefore soules make no satisfaction in purgatorie vnlesse we wil confesse that men haue no néede of Christe These men doe further feine that the power to purge is giuen to the fire of purgatorie by grace or by the bloude and merites of Christe that this fire purgeth not by his own vertue but by the power of the sonne of god But they haue also forged this most wickedly For the scripture in euerie place as we also said euen nowe sendeth vs back to the sonne of God and the price of his bloude and cleansing wherof it teacheth that we are made partakers while we liue in this world by faith and the holy ghost but of Purgatorie it speaketh not a word in any place neyther saith it in any place that we by the grace of god are purged in an other worlde Therefore they steale away the glorie ãâ¦ã proper vnto the ãâ¦ã God and giue it to a fire which is altogether forged and ãâ¦ã Furthermore then appoint an other time of grace out of this world which is altogether straunge vnto the scriptures For our Lorde cryeth in the Gospel I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke And Saint Paule sayth Let vs doe good that is to âay let vs âe bountifull and liberall towarde the poore while we haue time Whiche saying he séemeth to haue taken out of Solomons booke of the Preacher saying When the cloudes are full they poure out raine vpon the earth and when the tree falleth whether it be towarde the South or North in what place so euer it fall there it remaineth He vseth two Allegories or darke speaches by the which he teacheth the rich to be liberal The first is taken from the cloudes The cloudes from the earth do gather vp vapours which being thickned are immediatly as out of a sponge pressed out and pâââed vppon the earth to water it Let rich men do the like distributing againe among men suche riches as they haue gotten among men The seconde is taken of trées which being feld lye in the same places in the whithey fall The wise man therefore warneth vs to doe that in due season whiche we oughte to doe for when we are departed from hence there is no place of repentaunce And in the Gospell a trée is oftentimes put for a man where also the right hand is put
haue for the deade for the dead haue their sinnes forgiuen them therefore al lets delayes vnto life are taken away so they liue with god But they which haue not beleeued haue reteined kept their sinnes stil being east down into the bottomlesse lake sticke fast in the myâe of hell Which thinges since they are ãâã certântie truly theâ is a ãâã of praying for y dead ãâã before goââ nor among the faithful Herevnto are annexed so many examples of the âaintes in both the Testaments which are to be preferred both before vs ãâ¦ã condeÌnations of men Which I pray you of the holy fathers euer prayed ãâã their dead Did Adam pray for his Abel did the sonnes pray for their father Adam What prayers did Abraham offer to God for the soule of his father Thare or for the soul of his most deare wife Sara What prayers poured Esau and Iacob forth for their father Isaac when he died the ââ sonnes of Israel for Iacob Solomon for Dauid In the new Testament Iohn baptist is beheaded of Herode Stephan stoned of the Iewes Iames his head is cut off by the shoulders at the coÌmandemeÌt of Agrippa their disciples burie their bodies do all things religiously belonging to their burials but in somany ãâ¦ã made of prayâr for the soules of the deaââ For they beléeued they forthwith after death were carried into euerlasting life Who theÌ after so many notable examples after so cleare profession of the catholique and sinnere fayth ãâã ye vs to the necessitie of praying for the soules of the dead Who can say hereafter that we are hereâiques who fulfill that in worke whiche we professe in profession of fayth or confession of the mouth yea which do no other thing thaÌ the most excellent worshippers of God of both Testaments haue done before vs. The last pâst wherewith they vnderprop their purgatorie least it should fall is the appearing of spirites For Rabanus a byshop sheweth out of the testimonies of Pope Gregorie and reuerând Beda that the soules of dead men haue very often appeared and taught that oblations and praiers do profite them verie much But I wonder that men of learning wold grouÌd their worke vpon so rotten ruinous foundations For the Lorde in the lawe forbiddeth to aske the truthe of the spirites or soules of the deade In the Prophetes we are sent from such ãâã to the law the testimonie In Luke the rich glutton cryeth in torments saith I pray the father Abraham that thou wouldest sende Lazarus to my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren that he may witnesse vnto them least they also come into this place of torment But he heareth They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them But when the riche glutton hadde answered No father Abraham but if one come vnto theÌ from the dead they will beleeue and repent He heareth againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther will they beleeue if one rise from death Therefore it is most certeine and confirmed by the authoritie of the gospel that blessed soules are not sent of God vnto vs to teache vs any thing Who I pray your woulde giue eare to wicked and condemned soules The Gospell of Christe sendeth vs all to the canonicall scripture Wherevpon it followeth that the testimonies which are fetched from Oracles or appearings of the spirites of the dead are of no weight but most deceiuable and full of lying Mans testimonies are agreeable with Gods which also teache vs that souls being separated from their bodies can not wander or stray in these regions The wordes are too long to rehearse which Tertullian learnedly disputeth of this matter in the ende almoste of his booke De Anima yet they are all leuelled to this ãâã to shew that souls separated from their bodies and appointed to their places do not returne again into this world To the obiection of some that boast of arte Magicke and also that by the power of God many haue returned froÌ the deade into this life he answereth But although the power of God hath called backe againe some soules into their bodies to giue vs instruction of his might and right yet therfore that shall not be communicated with the credite and boldnesse of Magicians and the deceitfulnesse of dreams and licentiousnesse of Poets but in the examples of the resurrection when Gods power eyther by Prophetes or by Christe or by Apostles bringeth soules into bodies it is manifestly declared by sound euident and ful truth that it is the shape of a true body that thou mightest iudge all appearings of ãâã men ãâ¦ã Therefore ãâã in his 29. Homelie vpon MââdemauÌding What then shall wee answere to those speaches I am such a soule Hee answereth It is not the soule of that dead body which speaketh these things but the diuell who deuiseth these things to deceiue theÌ that heare him And anon he sayth Wherefore these are to be counted the wordes of olde wiues and of dotards and childrens toyes and phantasies And againe A soule separated from the body can not wander in these regions For the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and the soules of infants likewise for they haue not sinned And the souls of the wicked after this life are by and by carried away Which is made apparant by ãâã and the rich glutton But in an ãâã place the Lorde also sayeth Thââ ãâã they shall require thy soule againe from thee Therfore the soule when it departeth from the body can not wander here with vs and that not without cause For if they which go a iournie chauncing into vnknown countries know not whether they are like to goe except they haue a guide howe much more shal the soule bee ignoraunt whether it shall goe after it hath left the body and entereth altogether into a newe life and straunge way vnlesse it haue a guide Out of many places of the scripture it may bee proued that the souls of iust righteous men do not go astray after death For Stephan sayth Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite And Paul desired to be losed to be with Christe Of the Patriarch the scripture also sayth He dyed in a quied or good age and was gathered vnto or layd by his fathers And that the soules of the wicked can not târrie or haue their abiding heere giue eare what the rich glutton sayth and consider what he craueth and obteyneth not For if the souls of meÌ might be conuersant here he had come him selfe as hee desired and had certified his brethreÌ of the tormeÌts of hel Out of whiche place of scripture this also plainely appeareth that foules after their going out of the body are carried into som certein appointed place froÌ wheÌce they caÌ not return of their owne accord when they wil returne but waite and looke for that terrible day of iudgement Thus much hitherto out of
office and dutie of Pastours than if they shuld set before the eyes of the world a companie of Idols For who dare denie but that a great part yea the most part of the byshops of Rome since Gregorie the great were suche maner of Idoles suche kinde of woolues and deuourers as are described by the Prophete Zacharie What than I praye you can the continuall succession of such false pastors proue Yea and they which were of the later time did they not fill almost the vniuersall churche with the traditions of men and partly oppressed the word of God and partly persecuted it In the ancient church of the Israelites there was a continuall order of succession of byshops without any interruption thereof euen from Aaron to Vrias who liued vnder Achas and to other wicked byshops also falling from the word of god to the traditions of men yea and also idolatrie But for all that that succession did not proue the idolatrous byshops with the churche that claue vnto them to be the true byshops of God and the true church of god Truely the true Prophetes of God the sounde catholique fathers preaching only the word of God without mens traditions yea cleane against all traditions were not able to reckon vp any continual succession of priests their predecessours to whome they them selues should succéede yet notwithstanding they were most excellent lights worthy members of the church of God they which beleeued their doctrine were neither Scismatiques nor heretiques but eueÌ to this day are acknowledged to be the true church of Christ When Christe our Lord the blessed son of God did teach here on earth gathered together his church the succession of byshops was on his aduersaries part But they for that cause were not rulers of the true church of God Christ of the heretical church The apostles of our lord could not alledge for theÌ selues their doctrine a succession of bishops not interrupted for they were ordeined of the Lord who was also him selfe created of God the high priest for euer after the new order of Melchisedech without the succession of the order of Leuie yet the church y was gathered by them is acknowledged of al men to be the true holy church The Apostles theÌselues wold haue none other to be accounted for their true felowes successors but those who walked vpright in the doctrin way of Christ For notable manifest is the saying of Paule Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ And though he speaketh these wordes to al the faithful not only to the ministers of Gods word yet those wold he chiefly haue such followers of him as the residue of coÌmon christians that is to say euery man in his vocation calling The same Apostle speaking at MiletuÌ with the bishops of Asia amoÌg other things saith I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in among you not sparing the flocke Moreouer of your owne selues shall men arise speaking peruers things to draw disciples after theÌ Paul y apostle not froÌ any other place than out of the apostolique churche it selfe yea out of the companie or assembly of Apostolique Byshops and Pastours fetcheth out of the woolues and deuourers of the Church But could not these thinke you allege the Apostolique successioÌ for them selues and their most corrupt cause that is to say that they be descended from Apostolique Pastours But for so much as forsaking the trueth they be falâe from the faith and doctrine of the Apostles the ofspring and Apostolicall succession doth nothing at all make for them Therefore we conclude that the continuall succession of Byshops by it selfe proueth nothing yea rather that that is no lawful succession whiche wanteth the puritie of the doctrine of the Scriptures and Apostles And therefore Tertullian greatly estéeming and that worthily the continuall succession of Pastours in the Churche yet requireth the same to be approued by the sinceritie of Apostolique doctrine yea hée acknowledgeth those Churches whiche are instructed with pure doctrine and yet not able to make any reckoning of succession of Byshoppes to be Apostolique Churches If anye man require the words of the author they be these But if there be any churches that dare presume to plant them selues in the very age of the apostles that therfore they may seeme to haue bene planted by the apostles bicause they were vnder the Apostles wee may say thus Let them bring foorth the first beginning of their churches let them turne ouer the order of succession of their Byshops so by succesâions going from the first beginning that that first Byshop of theirs maye be found to haue for his authour and predecessour some one of the Apostles and apostolical sort of men and yet such an one as coÌtinued with the Apostles For by this meanes the Apostolique churches giue their iudgment As the church of Smyrna testifieth that they had Polycarpus placed there by S. Iohn And as the churche of Rome sheweth that Clemens was appointed by S. Peter And as in like sort also other do shew for them selues who haue their ofspring of Apostolique seede placed in their Byshopricks by the Apostles Let heretiques faine some such matter For after their blasphemies what is vnlawful for them But albeit they doe faine they shal not preuaile For their owne doctrine being compared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitie contrarietie therof shall shewe that it had neyther Apostle nor Apostolicall man for the author Bicause as the Apostles taught nothing that was contrarie among theÌ selues euen so Apostolicall men set forth nothing contrarie to the Apostles but only such as fel away from the Apostles and taught other doctrine In this manner therefore may those Churches appeale who albeit they can bring for their authour none of the Apostles or Apostolique men as those that are of farre later time are but nowe daily erected yet they agréeing in one faith are neuerthelesse counted Apostolicall for the likenesse of the doctrine The selfe same authour speaking of the auncient church of Rome and gathering the summe of that it either taught or learned saith Happie is that Church to which the Apostles haue vttered all their doctrine with their bloud where Peter in suffering is made like to the Lord where Paul is crowned with the like end that Iohn had where the Apostle Iohn after that he was plunged in hote scalding oyle felt no paine was banished into the Isle Let vs see what it lerned and what it taught how it doth agre with the churches of Africa it acknowlegeth one god the maker of all things Iesus Christ the sonne of God the creator borne of the virgine Marie the resurrectioÌ of the flesh it ioyneth the lawe the Prophets with the doctrine of the EuaÌgelists Apostles froÌ theÌ drinketh that faith baptiseth with water clotheth with the holy ghost feedeth
of doctrine maners Neither charge they them with light coÌmon faults but heynous Esaie crieth That from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot there is no whole place and yet he departed not froÌ the churche nor planted him selfe a newe albeit froÌ al vngodlinesse corruptioÌ he kept him self very diligeÌtly How many faults nay howe many errours I pray you were there amongest the Apostles of Christ them selues what did our lord depart from them The church of Corynth was corrupted not only in maners but also in doctrine There was in it conteÌtions factioÌs brawlings Whordome breaking of wedlocke vndoutedly was coÌmon among them What thinke you of that the many of them were present at prophane sacrifices Surely it was no small error that they estéemed baptisme according to the worthinesse of the minister They had defiled the Lords Supper with their priuate prodigal banquets yea of the resurrection of the dead they thought not aright But did the apostle for the cause either depart from them him selfe or commaund others to depart yea rather he calleth theÌ a holy church greatly rebuking their coÌtentions he exhorteth al meÌ to obserue the vnitie of the church in the sinceritie of truth It is not to be douted therfore the they greatly sinne which abstein from the fellowship of our or rather the catholique churche in which albeit there be great corruption of life yet the doctrine is sincere the sacrameÌts are purely ministred But these men obiect ye admit al men without exception to the receiuing of the Lordes supper wicked men drunkards couetous men souldiers such like kindes of men with whome the holy apostle forbids vs to eate coÌmon breade so far off is it that he graunteth vs to be partakers at thâ lords table with such Except therfore we like to be defiled with the fellowship of the wicked it is néedful either not to ioyne with this societie or else altogether to flee from it But of the Lords supper the receiuing therof if I liue I wil speak in an other place apt for it At this time this onely we bring against them that Paule the most faithfull seruant of Iesu Christe was not sharper than his maister But it is manifest that he admitted Iudas to the holy table whoÌ he knew as it is wont to be saide Intus in cute that is to say throughly within without yet he did not put him by But he wold haue reiected him if he had knowne the rest of his disciples wold haue ben polluted with his coÌpanie Iudas him selfe was polluted for his minde conscience were corrupt but the rest of the apostls whose minds were pure through perfect faith could not be defiled by another mans trecherie Therfore saith Paule the apostle Let a maÌ proue him selfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. He biddeth euery man to proue him self not to iudge an other mans seruant who standeth to his Lorde or falleth If thou béest indued with faith dost lawfully participate at the Lords table thou art not defiled with an other mans wickednesse Therefore to auoyd pollution there is no cause why thou shouldest be separated from the church in which thou séest the bad mingled with the good to be partakers of the Lords supper But if so be thou béest separated thou plainly declarest thy selfe being hardned with arrogancie to be partaker with those whome S. Aug. in his 3. booke against Parmenian the first chapter painteth forth with these proper liuely colours They are âuil childreÌ who not for the hatred of other mens iniquities but throughe the studie of their owne contentions go about eyther wholy to alure or at lest to diuide the simple people prouoked with the bragging titles of their names puft vp with pride folish with frowardnes subtile with slaunders troublesome with seditions who least they shuld be detected to want the lighte of trueth pretend the shadowe of sharpe seueritie and those things which in the holy scriptures the sinceritie of loue beeing saued and the vnitie of peace beeing kept are commaunded for the correction of the faults of their brethren wherein moderation also should be vsed they vsurpe to the sacriledge of scisme and occasion of cutting off The same authour amongst other things godlily and wisely disputed in the two chapters following giues this counsel to modest wits That quietly they should correct what they may and what they can not mende they should patiently suffer and louingly mourne till God him selfe either amend it or in the day of iudgement fan away the chaffe Furthermore concluding this place I wil recite vnto you the words of the blessed martir CypriaÌ He in his 3. booke 3. epistle hath thus left it written If cockle appeare to be in the churche yet ought neither our faith nor our charitie be letted that bicause wee see cockle in the church we our selues depart froÌ the church we must rather labour to bee good corne that when the corne shal be laid vp in the lords barne we may receiue the fruite of our labour and trauell The Apostle saith in his Epistle but in a great house are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earth some vessels of honor some of dishonor Let vs indeuour and labor what we may that we may be a vessel either of gold or of siluer But the Lorde only hath libertie to break in peeces the eartheÌ vessels to whoÌ also is giuen an yron rod. The seruaÌt can not be greater thaÌ his lord Neither let any man think it lawful for him to challenge that to him selfe which the father hath giueÌ only to his sonne that he might now be able to purge the ââowre or fanne the chaffe or by al the wit man hath to separate al the chaff froÌ the corne This is a proud obstinacie and wicked presumption which lewde furie taketh to him selfe And whiles some men alwayes take to theÌ selues a further dominion thaÌ peaceable iustice requireth they perish froÌ the church and whiles they proudly lift vp theÌ selues blinded with their owne presumption they are bereft of the light of truth The Lord Iesus reduce the wandering shepe into the vnitie of the catholique churche liuing in vnitie kéepe vphold them Amen These aduersaries of ours being ouercome there arise vp new cruel enimes that is to say the defenders of the Romane Monarchie of the apostolique sea as they cal it the most auncient church for they cry eueÌ while they be whorse that we are guiltie of the same cryme whereof we condemned the Anabaptistes certeine other fantastical fellowes For they say that we with a wicked scisme forced by no necessitie haue forsaken the olde Romishe church and haue set vp for our selues newâ hereticall Synagogues And they alledge that the holy scripture hath as yet her authoritie in the
their goods and as it were a certeine knitting together into one body not to be dissolued Therefore when Christ tooke vpon him our flesh both he became oures in all thinges and we also are members of the same body of his fleshe and of his bones In vs there is infirmitie sinne and death the same thinges hath our husband also taken vnto himselfe that he might make them hurtlesse vnto vs In Christe our husbande is iustification sanctification and life the same thinges dothe he communicate vnto vs his spouse that in him we might be iust and holy and might liue through him Of that lawfull ioyning together of the Lord and the Church are borne lawfull children vnto god Wherevpon the Churche is called a mother and a frée womaÌ that is to say a matrone and a mistresse For the Apostle Paule sayth Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all For euen as through the ioyning of man and woman together by propagation of séede are borne children so Christe hath coupled the Churche vnto him selfe wherein he hath left the séede of his worde By the word our mother the Churche begetteth children whereof before I admonished you when I spake of the originall of the Churche that is to say whiles she reteyning the séede of the worde by the preaching of the worde doth fashion and nourishe vs in her wombe and after bringeth vs foorth into lighte whome afterwardes she nourisheth with mylke and bringeth vp with stronger meate vntill wée growe vp into a perfect man But euen as without a husbande without true fayth plighted and without séede there is no other euen so the Church without Christ without true faith and the séede of Gods worde is not that our mother that is a frée woman and our mistresse We haue by these things by the way learned why the Church of God is called a mother The same notwithstanding is also called a virgine For of this holie mother the Church the Lorde before all things requireth faith and integritie For the Apostle Paule saith I haue coupled you to one man to present you a chaste virgine vnto Christe Therefore it is the part of the spouse to bring vnto her husband for her dowrie her virginitie and to kéepe the same vndefiled But what manner of virginitie is that sincere faith in Christe whiche wholy or with all her mynde cleaueth for euer vnto one whiche commeth to passe when we giue eare only to our spouse and loue none but him alone to be short when we perseuere in the simplicitie of the Gospell For it followeth in the wordes of the Apostle But I feare lest it come to passe that euen as the serpent deceiued Eue with his subtiltie so your mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christe That simplicitie acknowledgeth Christe to be the meanes of saluation the recouerie of life and all heauenly treasures without whom there is no saluation nor no good thing But who wil call her a chaste matrone who gyueth eare to bawdes and setteth her hearte also vppon the loue of otheÌrs neyther contenteth her selfe with her husbande onely will not all men cry out that she is a naughtipack and an adultresse lying with others and bringing foorth children of straunge séede And in the holy Scriptures spiritual adulterie and fornication is muche spoken of All the sermons of the Prophetes are ful of suche Allegories They call those men or Churches adulterers whoremongers and fornicatours which receiue straunge seede that is to say doctrine differing from the word of god For suche as they going a whoreing from God cleaue not vnto God only they loue not alone him with all their hart they do not worship serue call vpon him only yea rather they choose vnto them selues others whome they may worship and call vpon eyther instead of God or together with god Herevnto perteyneth a good parte of the fift chapter of Ieremie and all the second chapter of Osée Amongest other thinges the Lorde sayth I will not haue compassion vpon her children bycause they are children of fornications for their mother hath played the harlot for she hath sayde I will go after my louers c. Since these thinges are thus brethren there is no cause why any man shuld reuerence the Churche of Rome decking her selfe with the title and beautie of the holie mother the church For she is not the holie mother churche she is not an vncorrupted matrone and virgine For where is the husband who is the onely husbande of this chaste matrone where is the faith and integritie kept with her husband hath she not defiled her selfe with straunge séede hath not she receiued taught a newe and straunge doctrine from the word of God and by that means begetteth many childreÌ not to Christ but to antichrist Saint Iohn beautifying this churche with her apt title calleth her Great BabyloÌ the mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth and a woman drunken with the bloude of the Saintes and with the bloud of the martyrs of Iesu Christe Our holie mother the church is an vndefiled virgine hearing only the voyce or doctrine of her only welbeloued husband placing all the meanes of life and saluatioÌ in him alone and depending onely vpon him in all things With many other Allegories doth the Scripture paint out the mysterie of Christe and the Church but thereof it sufficeth to haue spokeÌ thus muche The Lord Iesu the true and onely shepheard of his Church bring hoame againe louingly the wandering shéepe into his fould and being gathered together in his Churche preserue theÌ for euer Amen Of the ministerie and the ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christ vnto the church in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome ¶ The third Sermon THE expositioÌ touching the Churche of God shal be trulyer vnderstoode brethreÌ by those things whiche remayne to be spokeÌ out of the worde of the Lorde concerning the ministerie and ministers of the Church For I sayde the Church of God is builded and preserued by the worde of God and that through ministers appointed for that purpose by the Lorde so that nowe it followeth to speake of the ministers of the Churche and of their ministerie that is of that order wherwith God gouerneth his church And truely the Ecclesiasticall ministerie is extended both to stirre vp and also to mainteine publique prayers and the administration of the sacraments and especially it is occupied in preaching of the worde of god Of the two former I will speake in place and time conuenient Of the ministerie of the worde I will entreate at this present In consideration whereof first it is expedient to viewe wherefore God in instructing men vseth the ayde or ministerie of men and what men perfect or worke
hath giuen vnto none neyther doth any minister vnles he be blinded with diuelish pryde take that vnto him selfe as though he did worke those workes that are proper vnto Christe eyther for Christe or in Christes stead or together with Christ The Apostles being Christ his most faithful ministers and most chosen instruments of God did not giue the holy ghoste did not drawe mens harts did not inwardly anoynt mens mindes did not regenerate soules they them selues did not deliuer from sinne death the diuell and hell For all these things be the works of God whiche he hath not communicated to any Wherfore the most holy Baptist in plaine wordes denied that he was Christ he denied that he him selfe baptised with the holy Ghoste I saithe he baptise with water but hee baptiseth with the holy Ghost I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lorde And Paule pleading his cause before Agrippa wisheth of God that king Agrippa were such a one as Paule him selfe was except his bonds But such a wishe had not néeded if he him selfe could drawe sanctifie and absolue There are infinite other of this kinde to be séene in the scriptures Yet neuerthelesse the ministerie of the church is not néedles The kings counsellers and officers haue not equall power with the king neither are they kinges with the king or for the king but for all that their seruice is not in vaine Therefore that thing which Christ the sonne of God who is the greatest the best and the chiefe high priest of his Church worketh in his catholique church inwardly and in their mindes as the onely searcher of of the hearts the very same outwardly he declareth and testifieth by his ministers whome the Scripture for that cause calleth witnesses embassadours or messingers You sayth the Lord to his Apostles shall beare witnesse bycause ye haue beene with me froÌ the beginning And Paul saith I am ordeined a precher an apostle a teacher of the gentiles Therfore the same apostle in another place calleth the same Gospell both a testimonie and preaching of our Lord Iesus Christe And Ihon the Apostle affirmeth that he was banished into the Isle of Pathmos For the worde of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christe And therefore when ministers beare witnesse of the Sonne of God and out of his word promise life euerlasting their worde is not called mans word but the word of God and they are saide to saue and to release from sinn For they are the true messingers and harroldes of the king who is the deliuerer who hath sent them to publishe remission of sinnes wherevpon also they attribute all the meanes of life saluation and deliuerie to the onely deliuerer Christe Paule in an other place calleth ministers Fellowe labourers with God and afterward againe Disopsers of the secrets of God. For the saluation whiche the sonne of God hath onely wrought and whiche he also onely giueth the ministers preache or dispose and so they are fellowe labourers The same Apostle out of the doctrine of the Gospell which resembleth the teacher in the Church to one that soweth séede compareth the ministers to gardeners and planters of trées to whom he committeth the outward manuring reseruing the inwarde working to Christe our Lord saying Who is Paule then and who is Apollos but ministers by whome ye beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So then neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God that giueth the increase With whiche testimonie of the Scripture Augustine being instructed learned so to speake and write of the ministerie of the Church as nothing shoulde be diminished from the glorie of God which inwardly moueth and teacheth vs and yet in the meane time the office of the ministerie should not be taken away or despised as vnprofitable For in his Epistle Ad Circenses which in order is accounted the 130. speaking of the secrete drawing of God and the outwarde ministerie of men These are not sayth he oure workes but Gods I would not at al attribute these thinges vnto mans working no not if when wee were with you so greate a conuersion of the multitude through our speaking and exhortations should happen That thing hee worketh and bringeth to passe who by his ministers outwardly warneth by tokens or signes of things but by the things them selues he inwardly teacheth by him selfe Thus farre he But least it might séem to any man that he spake too briefly and sparingly and not worthily enoughe of the ministerie of the Church euen he him selfe immediately addeth and sayth Neyther therfore ought we to be more flowe to come vnto you bycause whatsoeuer is done prayse woorthy among you commeth not of vs but of him which alone doth wonderfull thinges For we ought more carefully to runne to behold the workes of God than our owne workes Bycause euen we our selues if we haue any goodnesse in vs we are his worke and not mans Therefore the Apostle said Neither is he that plaÌteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase The same writer speaking of the verie same thing in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn Al the men of that kingdome sayth he shall be suche as are taught of God they shall not heare by men and though they heare by men yet that which they vnderstand is inwardly giuen it shineth inwardly it is inwardly reuealed What doe men in preaching outwardly what do I nowe when I speake make you to heare a noyse of wordes with your eares But vnlesse he reueale it which it within what say I or what speake I The outward workman is the plaÌter of the tree and the inwarde is the creatour Hee that planteth and hee that watereth worketh outwardly that doe we But neyther is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase This is the meaning of They shall be all taught of God. Thus far Augustine Wherfore when in another place S. Paule sayth Ye are the Epistle of Christe ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in stonie tables but in fleshie tables of the heart we must diligently put a difference betwéene the worke of the spirit and the work of man or of the minister The minister doth not take on him the honor of God and the worke of the spirite but his owne worke that is to say the ministerie Paule preacheth and writeth with ynke but the spirite of God moueth the heart and with his grace or annoynting he writeth in the very heart so he worketh together with GOD Paule working his proper woorke and the spirite working his worke The Apostles are preachers and ministers of the Gospell not of the letter but of the spirite not that they giue the holie Ghoste but bycause they are preachers of the
Gospell that is of that whiche giueth the spirite of Christ yea which poureth it into the beléeuers but they are not preachers of the letter of the lawe which doth not giue grace and remission of sinnes but worketh wrath and bringeth sinne to light Touching the keyes and the power of the keyes there will be elsewhere a more fit place to speake And moreouer it séemeth that here is a méete place for those things which I haue disputed of in the first sermon of this Decade touching the power and ministerie of the Church Againe whereas the Lorde vseth in teaching his Church mans helpe and vs as labourers together in finishing the saluation of mankinde he sheweth most euidently howe greatly he loueth vs and howe muche he estéemeth of vs who hath layde vp so greate a treasure in earthen vessels and euen in vs our selues worketh what so euer is most excellent and ouercommeth all the highe excellencie of the world Whereby we learne againe to attribute all the glorie vnto Christ Paul againe teaching vs and saying We preache not our selues but Iesus Christe the Lorde and our selues your seruaunts for Iesus sake For it is God that commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse who hath shined in our hearts for to giue the light of knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christe But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may bee of God and not of vs Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse c. Moreouer all the members of the Ecclesiasticall body are wonderfully glued together by the Ecclesiasticall ministerie For this chiefly helpeth to make concorde and continue vnitie bicause we want mutuall instruction and vnto euerie Churche is one peculiar pastour appointed as a gouernour as it were some faythfull housholder gouerning and kéeping in order his whole familie Truely it can not be denyed that in time past that moste exquisite order of the tabernacle and temple and the tribe of Leuie consecrated to the priesthoode were to this ende ordeyned of God whiche as soone as that vngodly king Ieroboam throughe wicked presumption forsooke hee rent the kingdome in péeces and at the length vtterly ouerthrewe both his owne house and the whole kingdome S. Paule also speaking of the endes of the holy ministerie instituted of God doth not forget the vnitie of the Ecclesiasticall body wherevnto also he ioyneth other notable good things If any man desire his wordes they are these He instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Saintes for the woorke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe till we all meete together in the vnitie of faithe and knowledge of the sonne of god vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with eraftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue But let vs followe the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the heade that is Christe c. These endes of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie are manifest in the preaching of the worde of god GOD hathe instituted a ministerie in the Church that all the members may be brought into the vnitie of the bodye and that they maye be subiect and cleaue to Christe their heade that thereby we may growe to be of full age and become perfect men that we be not alwayes children and that we lye not open to the deceites and bewitchings of all heretiques but being ioyned together in true faith and charitie let vs holde fast the pure and simple truth of Christe and seruing Christe vnfeignedly in this worlde we may after death reigne with him in heauen Out of these things let vs also deriue this that the Ecclesiasticall ministerie thoughe it be executed by men yet is it not of man that is to say inuented by man For the beginning thereof is from heauen and the authour or institutour thereof is God him selfe and therefore the worthinesse of it doth greatly excell The first preacher in paradise was God him selfe yea the sonne of God him selfe who by the ministerie of the holy ghoste alwayes spake to the Fathers euen as afterwardes being incarnate he was giuen of the father to be a maister and teacher to the whole worlde He preached vnto our parentes Adam and Eue remission of sinnes and repentance He ordeyued and reuealed a sacrifice insteade of a sacrament wherein might be represented ratified vnto them y price of the redemptioÌ promised by the séed in time couenient to be paide c. There succéeded in the ministerie AdaÌ with his sonnes nephues Seth Enos Enoch Noâ Sem AbrahaÌ with their sonnes and nephues euen vnto Moses in whose time while he gouerned the Church and after him there are giuen Prophetes and Priestes euen vnto the time of Iohn Baptist and Iesus the promised séed I meane Christe our king and highe Prieste He in likewise sent into the worlde his disciples that is to saye the Apostles who ordeyned for their successours Byshops and Doctours Of whiche thing I haue spoken more largely in an other place God him selfe therefore is hearde in the voyce or doctrine of his ministers So that we are commaunded to giue eare to the ministers preaching the Gospell as to the verie Angels of God yea as to the Lord him selfe For this cause Paule prayseth the Galathians saying Ye despised not neyther abhorred my triall which was in the flesh but receiued me as an angel of God yea as Christe Iesus Wherevpon S. Augustine also in his third treatise vpon Iohn Let vs heare sayth he the Gospell as if the Lord were present and let vs not say Oh happie are they who could heare him bycause there were many of them which saw him and yet consented to kill him and many among vs who haue not seene and yet beleued For that also whiche sounded precious out of the mouth of the Lorde is both written for our sakes and kept for vs and is also read for our sakes and for our posterities sake shall bee read vnto the end of the world The Lord is aboue yea and the Lord whiche is the trueth is here also For the body of the Lord wherewith he rose may be in one place but his trueth is spread abroade euery where Let vs therefore heare the Lord and that also which he shal giue vs of his words Thus much he The Lord our highe prieste speaketh vnto vs euen at this day by the ministers preaching his word And we haue all things what so euer the Lorde spake by the patriarches prophets and apostles set out in the scriptures which the ministers of the churche doe reade and declare before vs Who therefore hereafter can despise the ministerie and the faithfull ministers of Christe especially since our Lord and
and exhortations If so be that euerie church had such a pastour which wold not easily forsake the flocke howe great fruite I pray you shoulde we hope for Wherefore not without cause are we commanded incessantly and earnestly to praye vnto God that he woulde giue faythfull wise godly and diligent Pastours vnto his Churche Thus haue I hitherto spoken of the doctrine of byshops in the church of god And vnlesse a byshop teach after this manner and do those thinges which are ioyned to teaching he is vnworthy eyther of the name of a Byshop Pastour or Doctour howe so euer he pretend an Apostolique title For certeine thinges are ioyned to the doctrine of the Churche which also are required of a preacher of the Gospell and belong to his office as are these to gather together an holie assembly wherein he may preache conceiue prayer and minister the sacraments But of these things shall be spoken in their place Nowe there resteth to be considered howe byshops may gouerne the Churche of Christe with holy example of their life The Lorde in the Gospell sayth to his Apostles Ye are the light of the world A citie that is set on an highe hill can not be hid neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men that they maye âee your good woorkes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Wherefore Pastours not onely in doctrine but in holie life do giue light vnto the Churche whiche beholding their life agréeable to their doctrine is her selfe also moued to practise innocencie of life For the exaÌple of a good man much preuaileth to the furthering of the loue of vertues And coÌtrariwise the Scripture witnesseth that the corrupt example of the sonnes of Helie the chiefe rulers in religion was verie analyeable to corrupt the people For the Scripture sayth And the sinne of the children of Helie was to abhominable before the face of the Lorde so that the people beganne to abhorre the sacrifices of the Lorde For men séeing the corrupt life of the ministers of the church begin somwhat to dout of the whole doctrine crying If the pastor thought those things true whiche he teacheth vnto vs he him selfe would not liue so dissolutely Therefore such teachers are sayde to ouerthrowe that with their naughtie life whiche they haue builded with wholesome doctrine Wherefore Paul requireth a byshop or pastor of the people which shuld be blamelesse that is to say whiche can not rightly and worthily be reprehended of the âaythfull For otherwise by howe muche euerie Bishop shall be more sincere and vpright by so much more shall he be subiect to slaunders and reproches of the wicked the Lord him selfe foretelling the same in the Gospell If they haue called saythe he the Lorde of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his housholde And If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you And againe Blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and lying shall say all manner of euill saying againste you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Therfore a pastor ought verie carefully and as muche as in him is to take héede that both at home and abroad he liue a life worthy of him selfe and his calling Let him liue chastely as well being single as married Let temperaunce sobernesse thriftinesse or good husbandry hospitalitie and other vertues which I haue before rehersed out of the Apostle flourish in a bishop Let him gouerne his owne houshold wisely and godlily instruct theÌ and so bridle them that he giue not occasion of offence to the Church through riotousnesse or other misdéedes For so also the Apostle Paule hath commaunded who frameing againe the exercises of a byshop sayeth Till I come giue attendaunce to reading to exhortation and doctrine He requireth of Timothie a diligent reading that is to say a continuall studie whereby he may more perfectly exhort and teach But Paule requireth of him that hath bene brought vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a childe as elswhere he writeth a continuall studie of the Scriptures Howe great diligence then doth the Apostle require of them who as they haue not obtained so plentifull gifts of the spirit as Timothie had so they are not exercised in the Scriptures from their infancie Let a sorte of them therefore be ashamed of their vnskilfulnesse let them be ashamed of leasure not bestowed in studie and of their trauelsome idlenesse For as manye reade not any thing at all but continually liue idlely and as it were rot away in idlenesse so a number of innumerable others are busied in those thinges which nothing become Byshoppes Therefore the Apostle saythe No man which goeth a warrefare intangleth him selfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please him which hath chosen him to be a souldier Here were a fitte place to speake of stipendes due vnto Pastours but we will deferre it to an other place But if Byshoppes come abroade among the people at any time for businesse sake and be present in assemblies of honest men with no lesse care ought they to indeuoure leaste eyther by déede or worde or by apparell or companie kéeping or finally in the whole course of their life they giue any iust occasion of offence to the Churche Let there appeare in Pastoures in all places and at all times holy vprightnesse méete ripenesse of iudgement honest behauiour wisedome modestie humanitie humilitie and authoritie worthy of Gods ministers But let the contrarie vices and wicked misdéedes be farre from them In these fewe wordes I thinke are conteyned those thinges whiche other haue handled at large intreating of the discipline and behauiour of the Clergie For all ages vnderstoode that a dissolute and loose life was euill in all degrées and kyndes of men but in the ministers of the Churche worsse and moste intollerable For what can a minister of the Churche doe in the Churche whose authoritie is altogether lost Authoritie therfore is requisite in Pastors Of the want hereof manye doe complayne and séeing it vnder foote goe about to reare it vppe agayne with I can not tell what kynde of proppes of titles and ceremonies But authoritie is not gotten with suche light and vayne thinges It is rather obteyned by the Grace of God through the loue of trueth and vprightnesse of life if happily God touche mens heartes so as they vnderstande that GOD worketh his worke in the Churche by his ministers as by his instruments if they perceiue that ministers do the worke of the Lorde with feruentnesse of spirite and not coldly not fearing any thing in a good cause no not the wicked and mightie men of this world but doe resist them and yet that they doe nothing of hatred or malice but doe all
the Gospell Hee which is of God heareth Gods word it followeth that they whiche loue the congregation wherin the word of God is preached haue the naturall mark of the sonnes of God. But because many doe not onelye loathe holy assemblies but also saye that prayers are altogether superfluous vaine and vnprofitable Before we procéed any further we will shew that the godly must pray and that the prayers of the faithfull are both effectuall profitable and necessarie They say all thinges are done by the prouidence of God and therefore prayers are vnprofitable For that which God hath fore-knowen that verily will hée bring to passe after the manner of his fore knowledge neither can it be hindered by prayers But these men abuse the prouidence of God for that cut of it they gather that thing which the holy Scriptures do not teach them to gather For in Deut. in expresse woords Moses hath left written The Lord had determined to destroy you therefore I made intercession vnto the Lord and I found fauour Ionas threatneth so certeine destruction vnto the Niniuites from the Lord that he euen foretold the number of dayes But when the men of Niniue beléeued the Lord and repented the Lord beecame fauourable to them againe neither did hée destroye them when they repented Moreouer Esaie had spoken to Ezechias out of the mouth of the Lord Thou shalt die and not liue But when the king powred foorth his prayers euen from the bottome of his haât vnto the Lord God chaunged his sentence that he had pronounced For the Lord himselfe sayeth in Ieremie I will speake soudeinly against a nation or a kingdome for to plucke it vp and to roote it out and to destroy it But if this nation against whome I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them c. Wherefore the prayers of the faithfull are effectuall stayinge the wrathfull iudgementes of God yea and taking them cleane away For wheras they obiect againe That prayer is a declaration of thinges which wée require of the Lord and that God fore-knoweth all thinges therefore that those thinges are vnprofitably and supersâuouslie declared vnto him which he alreadie knoweth and so for that cause that prayer is vnprofitable it is confuted of Christ our Lord himselfe who when hee had plainely said Your heauenly father knoweth what thinges ye haue neede of before ye aske of him Yet neuerthelesse adding a fourme of prayer hée teacheth vs to praye In an other place hee commaundeth vs and stirreth vs vpp to pray often Watch and pray sayth hée least you enter into temptation And Paule sayeth Reioyce alwayes pray coÌtinually In euery place there are many preceptes of this kinde Neither doe we declare our matters to him as to one that knoweth them not but wée vtter them to him that vnderstandeth the desires of our heart and do humble our selues at the féete of his maiestie Wée aske that of him whiche wée knowe wée want but yet of him certeinely to be receiued who is the author of all goodnesse For wée beleeue his sure and infallible promises In y meane time prayers are not superââuons for that the Lord would assuredly giue that whiche wée asked The Lord promised the deliuerie of his people whereof the godly doubted nothing at all yet with vncessant supplications they prayed vnto the Lord crying Deliuer vs O Lord our God neither did they thincke they laboured in vaine To the Anabaptistes pretending absolute purenesse and therefore being pure neither can nor ought to pray Forgiue vs oure debtes since there remaine no debtes the most holy Euangelist and Apostle Iohn aunswereth and saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our sâlues and the trueth is not in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithful and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes If we say that we haue not sinned we make him a lier and his woord is not in vs. For as long as wee liue in this world there remaine remnaunts of sinne to bee washed away euery moment by the grace of Christ Moreouer where as they obiect It is written Wee knowe that GOD doth not heare sinners But wee are all sinners therefore God dâeth heare none of vs and so mens prayers are found to be vnprofitable Wée aunswere that of sinners some are altogether vngodly and despisers of GOD those God heareth not There are againe repentaunt men and such as feare God whiche neuerthelesse are sinners and rightly so called because of the remnaunts of sinne those God heareth Whiche might he shewed by the examples of Dauid Manasses Peter the théefe erucified with Christe many other which were both sinners and when they prayâd were heard Therefore we say that the prayers of the faithfull are not onely profitable and effectuall but also necessarie vnto men For wée are men defiled with sinne destitute and void of all goodnesse Euerie good giuing and euery perfecte gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes He commaundeth vs to pray and offereth to them that pray verie large promises Wherefore oure fathers were both verie often exercised and verie âeruent in prayer by their example teaching vs that prayers are necessarie The Scripture also diligently and at large rehearseth howe great thinges by their prayers in verie weightie affaires and daungers yea in matters most necessarie they obteined of our most true and most bountifull Lord and god The Apostles pray for the holy Ghost faith and the increase of faith and they receiue their requests not spareingly but liberally beeing made partakers of all manner graces of Christ In the Gospel the Publican prayeth in the temple and sayeth God bee mercifull to mee a sinner and he foorthwith found the Lord mercifull vnto him What and howe great thinges Helias by his prayers obteined of the Lord the holy historie recordeth And the blessed Apostle Iames applieth his example vnto vs also that wée also in faith should call vppon god Whiche I rehearse least any man should thincke that that perteineth nothing vnto vs Againe how much the faithfull prayers of Moses Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and other valiaunt men preuailed in warres in famines in sickenesses and in other excéeding great dangers it were long to recite These examples proue that prayer is both alwayes necessarie vnto men and verie effectuall For wée plainely sée that God is moued with the prayers of his faithfull For hée is good and mercifull he loueth vs he toke flesh that he might be touched with féeling of our infirmities least we should bée dismayed at him hée is true and faithfull perfourming those thinges faithfully which he promiseth What doth he not fréely liberally and bountifully call all men vnto him offering himselfe wholie to them that call vppon him in faith But in that they which pray do not alwaies receiue
kept of him in euil sinne and in our owne destruction For now wée add the contrarie clause which also expoundeth the former which as other say is the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from euill ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã I say from that euil to wit from sathan who elswhere is called a tempter Deliuer vs from sathan and from all euils which he sendeth deliuer vs from snares craftie practises deceyuings from warre famine captiuitie plague from all those things which are euill hurtfull and daungerous Those things that are such our heauenly father knoweth verie well to whome we say here Giue vs healthfull and good things take away from vs those things whiche thou knowest to be hurtfull and euill And so briefly we conclude the Lordes prayer adding moreouer Amen That confirmation and giuing of assent is read to haue bene common and vsuall of olde as it is to sée in Deut. 27. Nehem. 8. 1. Cor. 14. The same in the beginning doth expresse our desire For we confesse that we desire those things heartily which we pray for Besides that it declareth the certeintie of our fayth As if we shoulde say I beléeue assuredly that these things are graunted vnto me of god For Amen is as muche as if one should say So be it And the lord in the Gospell oftentimes sayth Amen Amen I say vnto you that is of a certeintie I tell you the trueth Or I vtter and pronounce vnto you the vndoubted truth And so the faithfull after they haue offered prayers vnto God hauing their mindes pacified doe nowe ioyfully waite for the giftes of the Lorde Furthermore some doe place before the worde Amen immediately after the rehearsall of these wordes But deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen But Erasmus Roterod in his Annotations vpon the new Testament witnesseth that those wordes are not found in any old latine copie but are found added in al Gréeke copies how be it not expouÌded of any of the interpreters but of Chrysostome only and his follower Theophilacte And that therefore they séemed vnto him to be added vnto the Lordes prayer as some haue added these vnto the Psalmes Glorie bee to the father to the sonne c. The same Erasmus immediately adioyneth Wherefore there is no cause why Laurentius Valla should stomache the matter that a good part of the Lordes prayer was curtayled Their rashnesse was rather to be reproued who feared not to so heauenly a prayer to patch their owne toyes For I maye call them toyes in comparison of that whiche God hath taught what so euer hath procéeded from men especially if that which men haue added and put to be compared with Christ the authour of prayer Neyther did Erasmus onely doubt of this addition For the Spanishe copie which they call Codex CoÌplutensis hath That it seemeth more credible that these wordes are not a part of the Lords praier as a member of the whole but put in through the faulte of some certeine Writers or Printers In the same booke is by and by added And albeit S. Chrysostome in his commentaries vppon Matth. homil 20. do expounde these words as if they were of the text yet it is coniectured to be more true that euen in his time the first originals in this treatise were corrupted wherevpon none of the Latines no not of the auncient interpreters or entreaters thereof is read to haue made any mention of these woordes And surely this is truely said For the most diligent interpreters which haue taken in hand singularly word for word to expound the Lords prayer as were S. Cyprian Hierome Augustine of this addition haue not spoken so much as one word Thus much haue I spoken hetherto of the lords prayer and of calling vppon Gods name of whiche Solomon the wisest that euer was most truely pronounceth The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted that is he standeth and is preserued in a safe or in a high place out of the reach of any weapon Wée wil say somewhat as wee haue done of this of thankes giuing an other kinde of prayer And thoughe the same also be comprehended in the Lords prayer for it comprehendeth all thinges belonging to true prayer therefore it conteineth thanksgiuing also yet after the expouÌding of that I also would intreate of this by it selfe least by mingling of things there rise a confusion or disorder in our mindes And truely the Lord requireth thankesgiuing of vs of whiche thinge there are extant in the holy Scriptures arguments not a fewe For howe many praises reioycings thanksgiuings are read in the Psalmes written and left both of Dauid and of other Prophets And in the lawe also the Lord instituted a peculiar kinde of oblation and sacrifice whiche wee haue said is called the Eucharist or the sacrifice of thankesgiuing What thing else was the supper of the Passeouer but a thankesgiuing for the deliueraunce out of the Aegyptian captiuitie Surely oure Lord Iesus Christe both instituting a remembraunce of all his benefits and especially of the redemption purchased by his death and knitting vpp all sacrifices in breuitie deliuered the Eucharist or sacramente of thankesgiuinge to his church As wee will declare in place conuenient and haue partly shewed in our former sermons Mankinde in prosperitie is all vppon lustinesse and iollitie and séeldome times thinketh with himselfe froÌ whence prosperitie coÌmeth so he doth not set by those spirituall mysteries and benefites so much as otherwise hee ought But they séeme to be swine and not men which doe not onely not set by the benefites of God as they ought but doe moreouer contemne them and tread them vnder féete The heauie iudgement of God doth tarrie for them Furthermore the sacrifice of praise thankesgiuing is due to God onely For he is the onely giuer and authour of all good things though in the meane while he vse the meanes and ministerie of men and other creatures Some prince sendeth vnto thée a most royall gift and that by a courtier not of the lowest degrée but a most chosen man yet to him neuerthelesse though he bée a noble man thou giuest not thankes but to the prince from whome the gift came howbeit in the meane while thou doest honestly confesse that the Courtier herein bestowed his labour for thy sake But he had not bestowed it vnlesse his prince had so commaunded and so the whole benefite at the length redoundeth vnto the prince him selfe euen vnto him alone And as all our inuocation or calling vppon God is acceptable vnto GOD the father thorough Iesus Christe oure Lord so no thankesgiuing of ours is acceptable vnto God vnlesse it bee offered through Iesus Christe For hetherto perteyneth the mysterie of the altar of incense whereof mention is made in the ceremonies of the lawe But the Apostle also sayth Giue thankes alwayes for
all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods ⪠goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ vs also vpoÌ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie âo giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌtion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌsent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌs which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
to wit that she should remember she is no Ladie or mistresse ouer the sacraments but a seruant or minister and that she hath no more power or authoritie to institute anye fourme of a sacrament than she hath to abrogate any law of god Aquinas also Part. 3. quaest 46. ariculo 2. saith He instituteth or is the authour of a thing which giueth it force and vertue but the vertue and power of the sacraments commeth from God alone therefore God alone is of power to institute or make sacraments And in déede God alone is of power to institute the true seruice and worship but sacraments belong to his seruice and worship therefore God alone doth institute sacraments If any one in the olde testament had offered sacrifice whiche God commaunded not or offered it not after that manner that God willed it to be offered it was not only nothing auailable vnto him but also his offence in so doing was rewarded with moste terrible and fearefull punishment Who knoweth not that the sonnes of Aaron for offering strange fire were horribly burnt and scortcht vp with fire which fell downe from heauen Suche sacrifices therefore displease God as prophane or vnholy neyther deserue they to be called lawfull sacraments whiche haue not God him selfe for their authour Herevnto is added that sacraments are testimonies and as it were seales of Gods good will and fauour toward vs And who I pray you can better more vprightly or more assuredly beare witnesse of Gods good will to vs-warde than God him selfe In no wise deserueth that to be called or counted the seale of God whereto he neyther set his hand nor printed it with his owne marke yea it is a counterfet seale bycause it coÌmeth not froÌ God and yet in the meane time beareth a shew outwardly of the name of god In this behalfe is reade that saying of S. Augustine whiche is in euerie mans mouth The worde is added to the element and there is made a sacrament Whereby we gather that in the institution of sacraments the worde of God obteyneth principall place and hath most adoe The word I say of God not the worde of men nor yet of the Church Wherevpon it followeth that the signe ought to haue his procéeding euen from God him selfe and not from any manner of meÌ be they neuer so many be they neuer so clearklike or lerned be they neuer so harmlesse and holy of life of that nowe there can be no other authour of Sacraments than God him selfe alone As we doe receiue the worde of saluation and grace so it is néedefull also that we receiue the signes of grace Although the worde of God be preached vnto vs by men yet we receiue it not as the worde of man but as the worde of God according to that saying of the Apostle When ye had receiued the worde of God whiche ye hearde of vs ye receyued it not as the worde of men but as it is in deede the woorde of GOD. It is behoneful for vs to haue respect to the first authour thereof who when he sent abroade his disciples sayde Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures teaching them to obserue what so euer I haue commaunded you and baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste He that heareth you heareth mee and he which despiseth you despiseth me And therefore albeit by the handes of men the Sacramentes are ministred yet are they not receyued of the godly and religious as procéeding from men but as it were from the hande of GOD him selfe the first and principall authour of the same To this belongeth the question which Christe our Lorde asked in the Gospell saying The Baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men Truely Iohn who did baptise was a man but in that he baptised he baptised according to Gods institution and ordinaunce and therefore the baptisme of Iohn was from heauen though the water wherewith he baptised flowed out of the bottomelesse depthe into the riuer Iordan and Iohn him selfe conuersaunt on the earth To this also notably agréeth that which Paule sayth That whiche I deliuered vnto you I receyued of the Lorde Therefore although Sainte Paule were a man yea and a sinner too yet that whiche he deliuered to the Churche he did not deliuer it as from him selfe or as any inuention of man but as Christ had deliuered the same so that it is not his or mans but Christes tradition a diuine and heauenly tradition Besides this oure highe Prieste and euerlasting Byshoppe woorketh euen at this daye in his Churche whose ministerie they execute that is at whose commaundement they baptise and according to whose institution they which are the stewardes or disposers of the mysteries of GOD minister the holie Sacramentes of the Lordes Supper The institution therefore of the Sacramentes must be acknowledged of vs to be the verie worke of god And thus farre touching the authour of Sacramentes Peter Lombard in his sentences reckoneth vp thrée causes why Sacramentes were instituted that is to say why spirituall and heauenly thinges were deliuered and committed vnto vs vnder visible signes fourmes and ceremonies the first of whiche is so colde and weake that I am loathe to moue it to memorie He placeth merite in that that by Gods gouernement and direction as he affirmeth man séeketh saluation in thinges baser and inferioure to him selfe Vnto the whiche he addeth this afterward Although not in them yet in GOD through them he séeketh saluation which also vnaduisedly enoughe he hath vttered and not sufficiently considered The other two causes to wit that Sacramentes were inuented and ordeined vnder visible signes for oure instruction and exercise séeme not altogether absurde or disagréeing from reason The truest and most proper cause why Sacramentes be instituted vnder visible signes séemeth partly to be Gods goodnesse and partly also mans weakenesse For verie hardly doe we reache vnto the knowledge of heauenly thinges if without any visible âourme as they bee in their owne nature pure and excellent they be layde before oure eyes but they are better and more easily vnderstoode if they be represented vnto vs vnder the figure of earthly thinges that is to say vnder signes familiarly knowne vnto vs As therefore our bountifull and gratious Lorde did couertly and darkely nay rather euidently and notably set before vs to viewe the kingdome of GOD in parables or darke speaches euen so by signes it pleased him to lay before our eies after a sort the very same thing and to pointe out the same vnto vs as it were painted in a table to renue it a freshe and by liuely representation to mainteine the remembraunce of the same among vs This cause doth Iohn Chrysostome allowe as a chiefe and proper cause who in his eightie and thrée Homilie vppon Matthewe sayeth The Lorde hath deliuered vnto vs nothing that is sensible The
the same manner hath hee heere lefte with vs a memorie of the mysteries stopping bridling hereby the mouths of heretiques For wheÌ they say Whereby appeareth it that Christe was offered and many other mysteries Then we alleadging these things doe thereby stop their mouthes For if Iesus be not deade whose representation or signe is this sacrifice Thus farre he You perceiue I suppose how this writer doeth bring against heretiques the Sacrament of the super for the testimonie of truth that is to say of the lords true death Wherefore as the Gospel is called a witnesse and the Preachers of the Gospel witnesses euen so we call sacramentes witnesses of the same trueth whiche though they be dumb yet neuerthelesse are visible after which name S. August calleth them Visible words For the preaching of the Gospell consisting of wordes heard with the eares is a speaking witnesse but sacraments which consist of signes and are séene with the eyes are spéechlesse witnesses and as it were remnauntes and remembraunces of the preaching of the gospel Yea sacraments were instituted by God to that end that they might visiblie confirme vnto vs the ready good-will of GOD towarde vs and also the preaching of the Gospel and all the promises of life and saluation and that they should be as it were seales sett and fixed to the Gospell and promises made by God whiche might testifie and confirme that faith in Christ is true righteousnesse That whiche I haue saide I will confirme by the writinges of the Apostles But I taught a little before that there is allone ground of the sacraments of the olde Testament and of the new a few things onely excepted so that now by very good right by the comparing of both together wee may estimate and vtter what the force and vse of our Sacraments is Paule therefore to the Rom. 4. chap. saith We say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes howe was it then imputed When hee was circumcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised after hee receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the father of all theÌ that beleeue not beeing circumcised that righteousnes might de imputed vnto them also and the father of circumcision not vnto them onelie whiche are of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised All these are Pauls words AmoÌg which first of all some words are méete to be expounded then we must séeke after the sense and meaning of the Apostles wordes and last of all we must apply them to our purpose touching the sacrament The Apostle héere vseth two wordes that is to say The Signe The seale Signum the word signe is more generall stretcheth very far but a seale is a word that properly belongeth vnto sacrameÌts which are seales and confirmatioÌs For al signes seale not For some by fignificatioÌ onely do accoÌplish their duetie But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã properly is to seale for assurance and confirmation sake of faith or credite wherefore ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a seale whiche is set to to kéepe confirme our faith and promise and to be without all daunger of deceipte And héere as else where very often the Lord doth imitate the manner of men For we men are wonte by setting to our seales to confirme our writings couenauntes and faithfull promises which we before had made by word And that this hath alwayes béene the cause of the instituting vse of seales appeareth plainely by these testimonies of the Scriptures When the children of Israel vnder Ezra made a couenaunt with the Lord by and by they set downe their couenaunt in writinge and seale the writing to be a testimonie of the trueth as in Nehem. the 9. chap. and Hag. the 2. chapter thou mayst read I will take thee to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel saieth the Lord and wil make thee as a signe or sealing ring for I haue choseÌ thee As if he had said All meÌ shal certeinlie learne that in the sonne of Salathiel y continuaunce of the posteritie of the Messias doeth consiste and remaine Thus writeth Ieremie chap. 22. As truely as I liue saith the Lorde if Chonenias the sonne of Iohoakim king of Iuda weare the signet or seale on my righte hande yet will I pluck thee thence whiche is as much as if he had saide Though thou were hee in whome I wil kéepe my promisses yet shalt thou bee ledd captiue into Babylon To this agréeth that of Matth written of the Iewes So they went and made the Sepulchre sure and sealed the stone without doubt against deceiptfull practises they appointed a watch It appeareth therefore by these testimonyes where to the vse of seales serueth These thinges béeing thus declared let vs nowe diligently searche out the counsell and meaning of the Apostles wordes Paule sheweth that iustification happeneth vnto men by the power and vertue of no woorkes of no ceremonies or sacramentes but by the onely merite of Christe through faith To proue this he bringeth the example of Abraham of whome the Scripture hath pronounced Abraham beleeued God it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Thence he gathereth that Abraham was iustified by faith yea that that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Where bothe by the worde or force of imputation and by the whole sentence of Moses he doeth moste strongly reason shewing that through grace righteousnesse is imputed by faithe Where-vnto hee ioyneth also a testimonie out of Dauid touching righteousnesse by imputatioÌ I handled that place in the first Sermon of the fourth Decade Then hee returneth againe to the example of Abraham and applyeth to his purpose that place alleadged out of Genesis waying the circumstaunces of the manner and time of his iustification and sayeth How was it theÌ imputed WheÌ he was circuÌcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised Whiche thinges verilie are playner than that they require any exposition But because the Iewe might obiect Why then the institution and vse of circumcision was of no force but voide vnprofitable and vaine For if Abraham were iustifyed before he was circumcised what could circumcision profit him further And if it brought nothing surely it was superfluous and vnprofitable Paule preuenting that obiection maketh aunswere And he receiued saith he the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith c. Circumcision saith hee was neither voide nor vnprofitable For albeit it iustifie not neither cleanse nor apply the giftes of GOD yet it followeth not therefore that there is no further vse of it For it hath an other end For he receiued the signe of circumcision for a certeine seale of the righteousnesse of
déede is holie not in respecte of the wordes rehearsed or by crosses and other signes made but because God hath instituted it and in respecte of the holie vse and prayers of the godly Of whiche matter I spake not long agoe when I intreated of the sanctification or consecration of the Sacramentes And Christe commaunded his disciples to baptise with water for diuerse causes For types or figures wente before Baptisme in water as the âloud as the redd sea through which the people of Israel passed as diuerse cleansinges and set washings mentioned in the lawe Neither doe the Apostles of Christe dissemble those thinges For Peter sayth that Noe was saued in the water of the floud but the wicked drowned in the water Paule affirmeth that all our fathers were baptised by Moses in the Cloude and in the Sea. Therefore mortification and viuificatioÌ is prefigured And truely the principall badge of the newe testament is Baptisme witnessinge that full remisâion of sinnes is brought vnto vs by Christe And the holye Prophetes of God by the mouth of the Lorde foreshewinge and promisinge this haue willingly shadowed out this inestimable benefite by water therefore Baptisme must be ministred in water This also serued notably to represent the mysterie Of which matter I haue spoken in my last sermon when I intreated of the analogie or likenesse of signes And for these causes chiefly baptisme ought to be ministred in this and not in any other element There is contention also aboute this Whether once or thrise hee that is baptised oughte to bee dipped or sprinckled with water Truely the Apostles haue not curiously commaunded any thing in this behalfe So that it is frée either to sprinckle or to dip Sprincklinge séemeth to haue béene vsed of the olde Fathers For honestie and shamefastnesse forbiddeth to vncouer the body And also the weake state of infants for the moste parte cannot away with dipping since sprinckling also doeth as much as dippinge And it standeth in the choyce of him that minstreth baptisme to sprincle him either once or thrise after the custome of the Church wherof he is minister Tertullian contra Praxeam sayeth The Lorde commaunded to baptise into the father and into the sonne and into the holie Ghoste Not into one For wee are baptised not once but thrise at eache name into eache person And Gregorie aunswering Leonarde the byshop saith A diuerse custome hindereth nothing the holye church so that it be done in one faith Wee by thrise dipping doe signifie the mysterie of Christes lying in the graue three dayes Againe the reuerend fathers in the fourth counsel helde at Toledo doe allowe but one dipping in baptisme and then ad immediatly this reason And lest any should doubt of the mysterie of this Sacrament why wee allowe but one dippinge he may se therein our death and resurrection For the dipping into the water is as it were the goinge downe into the graue and the comming vpp againe out of the water is the rysing againe out of the graue Also hee may perceiue that therein is shewed the vnitie of the Godhead and the trinitie of the persons The vnitie is figured when we dipp once the trinitie when we baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste This I doe not alleadge to stay my selfe vppon mans testimonyes but by mans testimonie to shewe that it is frée to followe that whiche serueth moste to the edifying of the Church Also there is a question moued touching the place of baptisme Whether it be not lawfull to baptise in any other place than in the Churche I say that the Churche is consecrated to ministeries and to the worshipp of God and therefore that comelynesse it selfe requireth to baptise openlie in the Churche But if necessitie will not permit this the baptisme of Christe is tyed to no place For we heare that Philipp baptised out of the founteine in the broade fielde Yet let vs take héede that wee make not necessitie a pretence for our lewde affections But let all thinges in the Churche bee cleane which perteine vnto Baptisme let all superfluitie be laide aside let all filth and vncleannesse bee banished let all thinges as saith the Apostle be done honestly and in order Touching the time there is no lawe prescribed of the Lord that is left frée to the iudgement of the godly They that beléeued the preaching of S. Peter at Hierusalem in the day of Pentecoste the Eunuch also whome Philip baptised Cornelius the Centurion likewise finally Paule the Apostle at Damascus yea and Lydia the purple-seller a religious or deuout woman and the kéeper of the prison they of Philippos also and other faithfull men and women as soone as they had tasted of the gyftes and graces of Christe and beléeued his worde foorthwith they dersired to be baptised they did not foade it off till another next time Wherfore they do verie wel whiche neither in themselues neither in their families do linger in receiuing baptisme The delaying of circumcision in his children fel not out wel vnto Moses As therfore we graunt that the time of baptisme is frée so it ought to bee our duetie to take héede that we abuse not our libertie being always mindefull of these wordes spoken by God The vncircumcised manchilde in whose fleshe the fore-skinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people because he hathe brokeÌ my couenant But we are not ignorante that baptisme came into the place of circumcision Therefore the omitting of baptisme is not free There were some in the time of Cyprian which helde opinion that baptisme ought to bee receiued on the eighth day after the manner of circumcision But Cyprian and the 66. Bishops and Elders that were with him in the Counsell ordeyned the contrarie to wit that euery one without any delay shoulde receiue baptisme and procure the same spéedily in their familie That place is extant epist. li. 3. Epist. 8. Furthermore Socrates the hystoriographer Lib. 5. Ca. 22. saith I knowe also another custome in Thessalie according to the whiche they baptise onely on the dayes of Easter Whereby it commeth to passe that sauing a verie small number they dye vnbaptised But after a certeine time there was a lawe made that the Infantes of the faithfull should not bee baptised but at the feastes of Easter and Whitsuntide They excepted the time of necessitie We may read this in Decret Syricij Pont. in Isidore in the Epistles of Pope Leo vnto the Bishopp of Campania and Sicylia which in order are reckoned to be 57. and 62. But the thinges that moued them herevnto are suche as may bee easily disproued and ouerthrowne Truely from the beginning the time of baptisme was not so limited Neuerthelesse that Lawe of baptising the faithfull at the feast of Easter Pentecoste was renued by Pipine Charles Lodouick Lothar French kinges and was spread farre as their dominions
vnto saluation that baptisme is superfluous he hath despised the ordinance of God is condemned for a rebell and an enimie to God. Furthermore that place of Iohn 3. is not to be vnderstood of the ourward signe of holy baptisme but simplie of the inward most spiritual regeneration of the holy spirite which when Nicodemus vnderstoode not perfectely the Lorde figured and made the same manifest vnto him by parables of water of the spirit that is to say of the winde or the ayer by elements verie base and familiar For by and by he addeth That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh c. Again The winde bloweth where it lusteth c. whiche must néedes be ment of the ayer For the other part of the coÌparison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Furthermore he addeth If I tel you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not how will you beleeue if I tel you of heaueÌly things But the argumeÌt which he put forth was not altogether earthly For this is the argument of his whole disputatioÌ Except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God That is to say vnlesse a man be renued as it were borne againe by the spirite of God which is giuen from aboue that is to say powred into him from heauen he caÌnot be saued The doctrine is altogether heauenly but the meanes wherby he deliuered declared set forthe this heauenly doctrine is earthly For by thinges taken from the earth he shadowed out to man beeing grosse of vnderstanding earthly a spiritual and heauenly thing laid it open as it were euen ââ the view of his eyes As by water ayre oftentimes the qualities of bodies are changed and as the effecte and woorking of water and the aire in bodies is merueilous in like manner is the working of the holy Ghoste in the soule of man which it changeth purifieth and quickeneth c. For so the Lorde himselfe afterward whiche I tolde you euen now expoundeth an other parable of the spirite And because al olde writers for the moste part by water haue vnderstood sacramentall water that is to say holy baptisme we also receiue this interpretation For we willingly graunte that baptisme is necessarie to saluation as wel in such as are of perfect age as also in babes or infantes so that necessitie constraine not the contrarie For otherwise if we goe forwarde stubbernly with S. August to condemne infantes by this place truely we shal be compelled also to coÌdemne euen those that are baptised if they departe this life without partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ For S. Augustine béeing infected with the like errour defendeth that the sacrament of the Lordes supper ought to be put into the infantes mouthe or else they are in daunger of death and damnation because it is written Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud yee haue no life in you Therefore after this same order he placeth these two sentences Except a man be born of water and of the spirite he cannot see the kingdome of God. And Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. So that if thou persist obstinately in S. Augustines sentence verily thou wilt condemne the whole Church at this day which denieth the partaking of the Lordes supper vnto Infantes But if in this thing there be admitted a coÌuenient interpretation why are ye so rigorous obstinate in another the like place cause not disagréeable What wil you say if in this opinion Augustine doeth not satisfie no not himselfe in all and euery point To a Lay-man he thinketh it veniall sinne if he baptise in time of necessitie He cannot tell whether it be godlily spoken the baptisme ministred by a lay-man ought to be iterated or done againe But how much better and safer had it béene letting the necessitie of baptisme pas which hath no lawful causes to holde opinion the infantes if they be not preuented by death ought to be baptised of the minister of the church in the church their parents procuring it as opportunitie first serueth that too too spéedie souden death which we cal the pinch of necessitie is no let or hinderance to saluation to them which are not yet broght to be baptised The same Augustine trembleth and is afraide to determine of the punishmente of damned infants for not beeing baptised neither knoweth truly what he might certeinly say In his first booke De anim c. ca. 9. hée saith Let no maÌ promise to infantes vnbaptised as it were a middle place of rest or felicity whatsoeuer it be or whersoeuer it be betweene hell and the kingdome of heauen But that sentence is for the most part receiued of all men ⪠whervpon also the infantes are buried in the churchyarde in a certeine middle place betwéene the prophane holy ground And againe the same Aug. contra Iulianum Pelagianum lib. 5. ca. 8. writeth That those infantes of all other shal come in the easiest damnation And immediately bee addeth Which of what maner how great it shal be although I cannot describe yet I dare not say that it were better for them to be as no body thaÌ to be there And againe in his Epistle to Sainte Hierome 28. he sayth When I come to determine of the punishments of little infants beleeue me I am driuen into narrowe streightes neyther finde I any thing at all to aunswere Héere also may that be added whiche hee disputeth vppon Lib. 4. contra Donatist cap. 22. 23. touching the théefe whiche was crucified with Christe among other things saying That then baptisme is fulfilled inuisibly when not the contempt of religion but the poynt of necessitie excludeth and shutteth out from visible baptisme Why then should wee not beleeue also that in infantes departing by to to timely death baptisme is inuisibly perfourmed since that not contempt of religion but the extremitie of necessitie whiche can not bee auoyded excludeth and debarreth them from visible baptisme And since verie many at this day doe graunt that any man of perfect age withoute baptisme in the point of necessitie may bee saued so that hee haue a desire of baptisme why then may not the godly desires of the parentes acquite the infantes nowe newly borne from guiltinesse But thus much hitherto Touching this also who are to be baptised both in time past our age there hath bene bitter iarring Pelagius in time past denyed that infants ought to be baptised which we heard euen nowe Before Pelagius time AuxeÌtius Arianus with his sectaries denyed that they are to be baptised Some in the time of S. Barnard denied the same as we may gather out of his writings The Anabaptistes at this day a kinde of men raysed vp of sathan to destroy the Gospel denie it likewise But the Catholique trueth whiche is deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures
doth simply pronounce that all they are to be baptised whom God acknowledgeth for his people giueth sentence that they are partakers of purification or sanctification or remission of sinnes For in all this treatise concerning the sacramentes I haue already do nowe shew that baptisme is a badge or cognizance of the people of God an assured token of our purification by Christ Therefore since the yong babes and infants of the faithfull are in the number or reckoning of Gods people partakers of the promise touching the purification through Christ it foloweth of necessitie that they are as well to be baptised as they that be of perfect age whiche professe the Christian faith But there is a busie disputation begonn Who be the people of God and partakers of remission of sinnes by Christ So that the disputation is touching the secrete election of God and other hard questions depeÌding on this thing But briefly and simply we can rid our handes of this We say that the people of God are acknowledged eyther by mens confession of the Christian faith or else by the bouÌtifull promise of god By mens confession for we acknowledge them to be the children of GOD who being now growne to perfect age do openly confesse the true God that God is their ââd and that Iesus Christe is their sauiour But that confession is either vnfeignedly or hypocritically made Vnfeignedly as when S. Peter saith Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God when the Eunuche saith I beleue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God but hypocritically as when Simon Magus in the Actes of the Apostles sayth That hee beleeueth in Iesus Christe But whether a man beléeue vnfeinedly or hypocritically when hee maketh open coÌfession of his faith in Christ the secretes of the heart God only séeth for he onely is rightly beléeued to be the searcher of mens hearts it belongeth not to vs if he make a right confession to separate or cast him away from the people of god For Philip did not cast off or put backe Simon Magus but vppon his confession receyued him for a faithfull man and baptised him as a faythfull man though he in verie déede and before GOD were an hypocrite In the first Sermon of this Decade we declared that hypocrites also are reckoned in the church til time they be reuealed But concerning remission of sinnes those onely among them that be of perfect age doe obteine it which vnfeinedly beléeue Whiche in an other place is often shewed S. Peter said to SimoÌ Magâs though he we were baptised Thou hast neither partenor fellowship in this busines bicause thy heart is not right in the sight of god Furthermore by the frée and bountifull promise of God not onely by the confession of men we estéeme and acknowledge the people of god For to whom so euer the lord promiseth that he wil be their God and whoÌ so euer he receiueth and acknowledgeth for his those no man without an horrible offence may exclude from thâ nuÌber of the faithfull And God promiseth that he wil not only be the god of them that confesse him but of infants also he promiseth to theÌ his grace remission of sinnes Who therefore gainesaying the Lord of al things will yet denie that infants belong to God are his and that they are made partakers of purification thoroughe Christe And that GOD acknowledgeth infants for his and sanctifieth them by the verie summe of the couenant it is manifest I wil make my couenant betweene me and thee saith the Lorde vnto Abraham and thy seede after thee in their generations by an euerlasting couenant that I may bee God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee There is added circumcision a signe of sanctificatioÌ wherof I spake abundantly wheÌ according to order I intreated of circumcision Neither is there any cause why any maÌ shuld feare that with circumcision and the ceremonies of the lawe the promise is abrogated and that by the coÌming of Christ the couenant is broken and annihilated For we said euen now the Christ came to fulfill the promises of God not to breake them And therfore the Lorde in the gospel speaketh of infants that is to say which haue not as yet confessed the faith and saith Suffer litle childreÌ to come vnto me forbid them not for of suche is the kingdome of God. And though it be said Of such and not Of those yet no man is so ignorant but vnderstaÌdeth there is a likenes betwene those thinges which are compared betwene theÌ selues Therefore if the kingdome of God belongeth vnto them that are of perfect age bicause they are become like little children surely it foloweth of necessitie that the inheritance of the kingdome of heaueÌ belongeth also to infants or little children For it followeth in the gospel Whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a litle childe he shal in no wise enter therin Therfore it behoueth the heires of the kingdome of God to be first infants or little children And who knoweth not that no man vnlesse he be sanctified purified shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Children enter into the kingdome of GOD therefore they are purified to wit by the grace of god For by their nature and byrth they are vncleane and sinners but for Christes sake they are purified who saide That hee came to seeke and saue that whiche was lost Paul also expresly testifieth That by the sinne of one Adam sinn came on all men vnto condemnation and that by the righteousnesse of one Christ good came vpon all meÌ to the righteousnesse of life Therefore it is certein that infants are partakers of purification and remission of sinnes through Christ albeit they do not coÌfesse remission of sinnes What doth not the Lorde say in the gospell It is not the will of your father whiche is in heauen that one of these litle ones should perish Againe He that shall receiue suche a young childe in my name receiueth me but he that shall offend one of these litle ones that beleeue in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke c. See therfore and take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones For I say vnto you that their angels in heauen do alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauen Beholde what could be more manifestly spoken It is not the will of my heauenly father that infantes should perish Therfore he receiueth them fréely into grace and fauour though they haue not yet confessed Moreouer he that receiueth such a little one to wit as he him selfe set in the middest of them for Christes sake he is sayde to receiue Christ him selfe Loe he attributeth to the receiuers of infantes that which he promised to the receyuers of the Prophetes He addeth But he which shall offend one of these little ones that beleeue in mee He manifestly calleth the litle ones not
of the endes thereof Of the true meaning of the woordes of the Supper This is my body Of the presence of Christ in the Supper Of the true eating of Christes bodie Of the worthie vnworthie eaters therof and howe euerie man ought to prepare himselfe vnto the Lords Supper ¶ The ninthe Sermon VNto the holy baptisme of our Lord Christ is coupled the Sacrament of the bodie bloud of our lord which we call the Lords Supper For those whome the Lord hath regenerated with the lauer of regeneration those doeth hee also féede with his spirituall foode and nourisheth them vnto eternall life wherefore it followeth necessarily that wée intreate nexte of the holy Supper of the Lord. This hath many names euen as hath the feast of Passeouer and is instituted in the place thereof in old time it was called The Passing ouer or the Lords Passeouer whiche was in déede a memorial of the Passeouer also a Remembrance Signe Solemnitie a festiual or holie day a méeting together or an holy assemblie an obseruation of worshipping a ceremonie and sacrifice of Passeouer a sacrifice or offering of which we haue spoken in place conuenient This is called by S. Paule the Apostle The Lords supper because this Ceremonie was instituted by the Lord in his last supper and because therein is offered vnto vs the spirituall banquet The same Paul termeth it and that doubtlesse for none other causes By the same Paule it is also called the Communion not so much for that wee haue communion or fellowship with Christe and hee with vs as that wee being many are one bread one bodie which do partake of the same bread Luke calleth it Breaking of bread naming the whole by a parte And it is euident that our forefathers of old gaue not vnto the receiuers of the Lords supper a morsell but that they brake the bread amongest themselues In time past firme leagues were perfourmed by breaking of bread It is called also a memoriall and remembrance of the Lords passion For the Lord said Doe this in the remembrance of mee It is named a thankesgiuing because when wee celebrate the Lords supper wee thanke him for all his benefites and especially for his death by the whiche wee are redéemed It is called also a Token and a mysterie and a sacrament of the bodie and bloud of the lord Our forefathers did terme it by this word Synaxis Synaxis is a ioyning together a knitting a closing or an agréement For the Church is ioyned and vnited vnto Christe in the holy Supper by a most streight league and to conclude the members themselues are therewith ioyned very fast together Furthermore it is called an assembly of Saincts an holy company and a gathering together For in the old time it was neuer customablye celebrated but in the common assembly of the Church Whiche is plainely to be proued by the words of the Apostle 1. Corinth 2. To conclude we shall offend nothing at all if we call the supper of our Lord The Testament and will of God and of oure lord For herein shalt thou finde all thinges belonging to a full and perfecte Testament For Christe is the Testatour All faithful Christians are appointed heires The Legacie is the forgiuenes of sinnes and life euerlasting obteined by the body of Christ which was giuen his bloud which was shedd The letters or table of this testament or wil be the words of the Lords supper wittnessing as it were by a publique writing that Christ is the foode and life of the faithful The order and doing thereof is as it were the seale Wherefore euen as we do call that a testament whiche hath letters sealed conteyning a testament both by writing and sealing so the Lord himselfe did call his supper a testament For This cupp said hee is the newe testament in my bloud For otherwise the newe testament is not the remission of sinnes Whiche thing Ieremie the prophete doeth plainely testifie in the 31. Chapiter and Paule to the Hebrues in the eighth Chapiter This holy mysterie hath diuerse other names but these for the most part are chiefest and most coÌmonly vsed Of the other names wee will speake else-where They doe define for the most part the Lordes supper to bee a spirituall banquet wherewith the Lord doeth both kepe his death in remembrance and also féedeth his people vnto life euerlasting But let me set downe a more large description thereof vnto you The supper of the Lord is an holy action instituted vnto the Churche from God wherein the Lord by the setting of bread and wine before vs at the banquet doeth certifie vnto vs his promise and communion and sheweth vnto vs his giftes and layeth them before oure senses gathereth them together into one body visibly and to be short will haue his death kept of the faithfull in remembrance and admonisheth vs of our duetie and especially of praise and thaÌkesgining First we say that the supper of the Lord is an action or déed For the Lord when hee made his supper did giue thanks vnto God he brake bread and gaue the cupp and said Doe this in the remembraunce of mee Againe it cannot be euery action For at the table where we eate meat we also giue thankes vnto God wée breake bread and giue the cup but it is an holy action because it is from God and instituted vnto the Church Wherefore it farr differeth froÌ our ordinarie meate suppers as wel for that it is specially instituted by the sonne of God vnto the Church as also because it hath the word of God and the peculiar example of Christ Therefore S. Paul making a difference betwene this and common eating sayeth If any man hunger let him eate at home least that yee come together to your condemnation And againe Haue ye not houses to eate drincke in As though hée might say This supper is mystical Again what maner of action it is it doth forthwith appeare by that whiche felloweth where the Lord by the setting of bread and wine before vs at the banquet doeth assure vs of his promise and communion c. This supper therefore hath his peculiar limites of the whiche although I spake when I entreated generally of the vertue of the Sacraments yet will I repeate certeine of them that make most for this purpose when I shall drawe toward an end of this Sermon But concerning the description of this supper these thinges are chiefly to be consider and declared First who did institute it who is the true authour and maker of the Lords supper not any man but the very sonne of God himselfe the wisedome of the father verie God and man So that wee come not to the table of men althoughe a man being the minister bée the chiefest there neither do wée receiue holy signes at the handes of the minister onely but also at the hand of oure Lord himselfe
mingled with the wine in the cuppe the people is vnited vnto Christe and the multitude of the beleeuers is coupled and ioyned vnto him in whoÌ they beleeued And thus in blessing the Lords cup only water may not be offred neither in like sort may wine only For if any man offer onely wine the bloud of Christe beginneth to be without vs but if it be water only then doeth the multitude beginne to be without Christe But when they are both mingled together and are ioyned with a confused mixture betwixt them theÌ is there an heauenly spiritual sacrameÌt wrought By these words truly doth S. CypriaÌ shewe vnto vs a good mysterie but why doe we seeke to bee wiser than Christ and to mingle together moe mysteries than wee haue receiued of him The holy scripture maketh mention of no water but rather reporteth that the Lorde vsed nought else but meere wine For the Lord sayth Verily I say vnto you that henceforth I will drinke no more of the fruite of the vine For he plainely sayde not the wine but the fruite of the vine that herein wee shoulde make no manner of mingling But what if that the holy martyr of God himselfe Saint Cyprian hath laboured by all the meanes hee might to shewe that the only is to be followed of the faithfull in celebrating of the Lordes supper which they haue receiued of our Lord Christe himselfe And forasmuche as that testimonie doth make much to all this our treatise concerning Christes supper to be celebrated according to the words of the gospel I will recite it worde for worde out of the second epistle of the 3. book of his epistles We must not sayth he depart in any respect from the doctrine of the Gospel and those things that our maister taught did himself the scholers also ought to obserue and do The blessed Apostle in another place speaketh more coÌstantly and stoutly saying I meruell that you are so soone chaunged from him that called you to grace vnto another gospel which is nothing else but there besome that trouble you go about to ouerthrowe the Gospell of Christ Howbeit if we our selues or an angel from heauen do preach vnto you any other thing than that wee haue taught let him be accursed As I haue said before so say I now againe if any man preache any other thing vnto you than that whiche you haue receiued let him be accursed Since therefore neither the Apostle himselfe neither an angel from heauen can preache or teache otherwise than Christe him selfe once hathe taught and his Apostles haue preached I muche maruell from whence this custome hath growen that contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell and the Apostles in some places water is offered in the Lords Cup whiche being taken alone caÌnot expresse the Lords bloud And againe there is no cause déerely beloued brother that any man should thinke that the custome of certeine men is to be followed if there be any that heretofore haue supposed that water alone is to bée offered in the Lordes âup For it must be demaunded of them whom they haue followed herein For if in the sacrifice which is christ none is to be followed but Christe doubtlesse then ought wée to hearken vnto to do after that which Christ hathe done and commaunded to bee done since he him selfe sayeth in his Gospel If you do that which I commaunde you to do I will call you no longer seruaunts but friendes And the Christ alone should be heard the Father him selfe also witnesseth from heauen saying This is my welbeloued sonne in whââe I haue delight heare him Wherefore if onely Christe is to be heard wee ought not to regard what any other before vs hath thought meete for vs to doe but what Christ did first who is before all other Neither ought we in any case to follow the custome of men but the trueth of God considering what the Lord speaketh by the prophet Isaie saying They worship me in vaine teaching the commandements doctrine of men And againe the Lord repeating the selfe same words in the gospel sayth Ye set Gods commandementes aside to establish your owne traditions And in another place he sayth He that shall breake any one of the least of these commaundementes and shal on this sort teache men shal be accounted least in the kingdome of heauen But if it be not lawful to breake the least of the commaundementes of God howe muche more heinous is it to breake thinges so greate so weightie and so muche belonging to the Lordes passion the sacrament of our redemption or else to change it into any other order by mans traditions than is instituted by God And so forth as followeth There is no man can denie but that these thinges are of authoritie euen against the authour himselfe For neither by the scriptures nor by the example of Christe can it bee proued that water was mingled with the wine at the supper As for the authorities and testimonies which the author alledgeth euery man may perceiue how litle they make to the purpose yea that they be wrested froÌ their naturall meaning The gospel plainly pronounceth that the Lord dranke of the fruite of the vine vnto his disciples And as often as Paule maketh mention of the cup yet teacheth hee in no place that water was mingled with the wine or that it ought to be mingled with it Wherefore these watermen that is to say they that vse water only in celebrating the Lords supper are iustly condeÌned such as the Martionites and Tââtianes were Howbeit it is an indifferent matter whether you vse râd wine or white in the supper Againe why did not the Lord deliuer the Sacrament of the Supper vnto vs vnder one fourme of bread or wine only but rather vnder both kindes the doctours of the church by one coÌsent suppose this to be the cause for that he would signifie or rather testifie vnto vs that he tooke both soule flesh vpon him and gaue the same for vs and also hath deliuered our soules flesh froÌ euerlasting destruction For although there be 2. kinds yet do they make but one sacrament and they may not be separated Neither is their opinion of iudgemente to be allowed of who of their owne priuat or rather sacrilegious authoritie do corrupte the institution of Christ offering to the Lay people whiche do coÌmunicate the one kind only of bread graunting to priests both kinds so challenging both kinds to themselues only But Paul the Apostle receiued the authoritie from the lord himself to admit all the faithful people of Christ vnto the Lords cup and therefore let these bold fellowes consider from whome they haue receiued commaundement to put back the Layitie and to forbid them the cup whiche by the Lorde our God is graunted vnto them For Christ in plaine wordes and as it were by the spirite of prophecie foreséeing what shoulde come to passe in the Church saide
sacraments Of the gestures which the ministers doe vse in celebrating the Lords supper we can say none other thinge out of the gospel than what we haue learned The Lord toke the bread blessed it brake it distributed it c. If the minister do follow these things he néed not to be carefull of other gestures Those which at this day are by the inuention of men receiued into the celebration of the masse are so farre off from giuing any maiestie to the mysteries that they bring theÌ rather the more into coÌtempt I wil say nothing elso that may séeme more greuous The matter is indifferent whether the Churche take the supper sitting downe or going to the table whether a man take the holie mysteries in his owne hand or receiue it into his mouth at the hands of him that ministreth It is moste agréeable with the first simplicitie and institution of the supper to sit and to receiue the sacraments in a mans owne handes of him that ministreth and afterwards to breake it eate it and to dinide it vnto others For as the Lord sat at table with his disciples so he reached foorth that mysteries saying Take and diuide it among you Moreouer as there is more quietnes and lesse stur in sitting at the supper while the ministers carrie the holie mysteries about the congregation so is it well knowen by histories of antiquitie that the sacrament hath béene deliuered into the hands of the communicantes It is méere superstition repugnant to the doctrine of the Apostles to scrape the hands of that lay people that haue touched the holie sacrament of the supper Why do they not also by the same lawe scrape the lips tonge iawes of the communicants Of these things before handled springeth an other question What is to be thought of the remnaunts leauings of the Lords supper whether there ought any parte of it to be reserued and whether that whiche is reserued or shut vp ought to be adored This question séemeth to haue no godlines at al in it but to be altogether superstitions and very hurtfull For who knoweth not that bread wine out of the holie and lawfull vse appointed are not a sacrament Shall we pracéede to demaund with these Sophisters what that is which the mouse gnaweth when hee gnaweth the Lords bread These questions are most vnworthy to bee demanded and to be raked vp in holie obliuion Touching the shutting vp of the sacrament the lord teacheth vs not one word in the gospel much lesse of worshipping it Take saith hee eate and diuide it among you He saith not Lay it vp worshipp it For the true worshippers worship the father in spirit and trueth Moreouer wee read how the Lord hath plainly said in the gospel If they say vnto you beholde where he is in the desert go not foorth beholde where hee is in the innermoste partes of the house doe not beleeue He setteth downe the cause of this his commaundement For like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the sonne of man be The comming againe of the sonne of man saith he shall be glorious and not obscure neither shall he come againe but to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead And therefore S. Paule the Apostle teaching vs true religion willeth vs to worshipp Christe not vppon the earth but with our mindes lifted vnto Heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of his father And who will he so frantique I beséeche you to worshipp the holie signe for the holie thing it selfe it appeareth by the decrées made of late that these thinges were inuented by mans deuise For it is certeine that the feaste of Christes bodie commonly called Corpus Christi was instituted but of late yéeres vnder Pope Vrbane in the yéere of our Lorde 1264. as it may appeare in Clement the 3 booke title 16. the Chapter beginning Si Dominum It remaineth that we discusse the question concerning the time of celebrating the Lordes Supper and what season is méetest for the same the morning or euening whether we ought to sup together whether we must receiue it fasting or when wee haue dyned also how often we must celebrate the supper once or often or seldome It is euidently enough knowen that Christe sat downe at the table with his disciples in the euening but it followeth not héereof that the supper cannot be rightly celebrated at any other time but at euening The Lorde vppon occasion of the feast of the Passeouer and because he should bee betrayed that night did bothe eate the supper that euening with his disciples and instituted also the supper for vs Notwithstanding hee leâte the libertie to remoue this mysterie vnto the morning for that when we be sober then are we most méete to deale in all matters specialy in religion for which we be then fitter then when our bellyes be full of good cheere Wherefore this banquet requireth fasting and emptie guests but yet not so fastinge that a man maye not taste of somewhat a-fore-hand for his healthes sake For S. Paule sayeth If any man bee hungry let him eate at home The same Apostle also wil not haue any other feast to bee receuied together with the Lordes mysticall Supper And therefore we say that wee ought not to receiue that with other meate Tertullian writeth that Christians haue vsed oftentimes to eate other meate with it which kinde of Supper as hee writeth was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say mutuall loue or charitie borrowing the name froÌ loue for that there the poore were refreshed with the feastinge of the richer sorte Howbeit prouision of meate drink and other necessaryes might wel enough be made for them without the Churche Paule will not permit that in one place both publique feastes should be made and also the mysticall supper of the Lorde celebrated Furthermore how many times in a yéere the faithfull ought to receiue this Sacrament of the Lords supper the apostles haue giuen forth no commaundement but haue lefte it indifferent vnto euery Churches discretion For what is more plaine than that which S. Paule hath said As often as you shall eate of this bread and drink of this cup you shall declare the Lords death vntill he come For the Lord as the same Apostle setteth it downe first commaunding said Doe this as oft as you shal drink it in remeÌbrance of me Howbeit let no no maÌ think that the celebration of the Lords supper is left so fréely vnto him that hee néed neuer to receiue it For that were no lawful libertie but most vnlawful licentiousnes They that celbrate the supper of y Lord vpoÌ certeine ordinary times of the yere would not haue it brought into contempt or loathed by reason of the daily frequenting For they haue some consideratioÌ of their owne people they would haue the supper to be celebrated worthily
that the people may haue a desire vnto it But they that celebrate it verie oft they suppose it an vnméete thing that good thinges by often frequenting them shuld be despised for the better the thing is the oftener say they it is to be vsed Both these sortes desire to serue the Lorde and would haue that to be done to great and good effecte which the Lord hath left frée Betwéene these if S. Augustine bee made vmpier and Iudge doubtlesse he would pronounce none other iudgment than that which he hath alreadie pronounced of the same cause writing vnto Ianuarius and saying Hee shall best decide this strife beetweene them who so aduised them especially to abide in the peace of christ and that euerie man doe that whiche according to his faithe hee is persuaded to bee good and godly For neither of them dishonoreth the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Onely that meate must not be contemned Now for whome this holy supper is iustituted and to whome it is to be ministred we haue also to consider It séemeth that it is instituted and to bée giuen vnto all faythfull Christian people of what sexe soeuer men and women high lowe Wherfore so great a mysterie is not to be cast vnto swine and dogs to be contemned and troden vnder foote Before it bee ministred all men are earnestly effectually to bee admonished vnto whom this meat apperteineth namely to theÌ the acknowledg their sins that are sorie for their faults and beléeue in Christe All are to be admonished that euery man descending into him selfe doe proue him selfe and afterwarde so eate of this holie bread and drinke of this holie drink that he eate not and drinke not thereof vnworthily vnto his condemnation But after this seuere admonition if any approch vnto the table and sit down by their sitting down do as it were opeÌly professe both that they are also desire to remaine true worshippers of Christ by whoÌe they truste to haue remission of their sinnes surely such are not to be put back by the ministers neither are the holy mysteries to be denied theÌ For the Lord himselfe who is the searcher of harts seuerely diligently plainly in many words in his last Supper before he distributed the mysteries admonished Iudas being an hypocrit a théef a traitour a murtherer yea a parricide a blasphemer and a forsaker of his maister but béeing admonished when notwithstaÌdinghe departed not from the table but tarried among the Saints the Lord did not violeÌtly put him away nor bad him openly to depart neither withheld he the Lords bread froÌ him but gaue it vnto him as he did vnto others although he knewe assuredly what he was Which thing the ministers of the church do not alwayes so certeinly know of theÌ that sit down at the table Neither did the Lord offend any whit at all in so doing neither did he cast that whiche was holie to the dogs For the Lord warned him diligently of all matters whereof he was to be warned he hearing and vnderstanding theÌ all remaineth notwithsteÌding among the Saints daunteth himself for one of the faithful not for an hogg and as one of the fathfull taketh parte of the bread of the cup. By which hypocrisie notwithstaÌding he prouoked the heuy iudgment of god agaiÌst him eueÌ as also at this day this holy meat this holy drink turneth to the destruction bothe of body soule of all hypocrits Neither did the presence of the hypocrite at the Lords supper defile the other faithfull disciples of Christe which sat at the table like as neither at this day are the faithfull polluted although they sée many hypocrites sit downe at the table with theÌ For they sup not with them as with hypocrites but as it were with the faithful In the mean while the hypocrite hurteth himselfe not others he falleth and perisheth to his owne destruction he eateth and drinketh his owne damnation but the faithful liueth be his owne faith of which thing we haue intreated in other sermons And although the infants are reputed to be of the church in the number of the faithful yet are they not capable of the supper In this point the auncient fathers shamefully erred which I haue also noted in the sermoÌ of Baptisme Infants are not depriued of euerlasting life although they depart out of this world without receiuing this mysticall meate This was instituted for them that are of lawfull yéeres and not for Infants Let a man examine him selfe sayth the Apostle and let him so eate of the bread and drinke of the Cuppe And the Lorde sayth Doe this in the remembraunce of mee And againe Shewe foorth the Lordes death vntill he come All which sayings take place in people of lawful yéeres not in Infantes Our Children must be diligently instructed from their infancie that they may rightly vnderstand those mysteries and frequente them whiche thinge the Lorde commaunded the children of Israel saying If your children shall say vnto you What manner of worshiping is this you shall aunswere It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer who passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel when he stroke the Aegyptians and deliuered our houses Surely we must not shew our selues to be more slacke in informing our children than they were since we haue receiued a more noble benefite than they haue Of like nature vnto this question are these other Whether the supper be to be celebrated priuatly for euery cause or necessitie Whether it be to bee carryed vnto the sicke and those that keepe their beddes Whether it be to be applyed to the dead that is to saye to bee offered for the dead to obtaine rest for them Touching these matters I knowe what is commonly said and done There hapeneth some pestilence famine warre or tempest and by and by the supper is commaunded to bee celebrated that as it were by this sacrifice the present calamitie may be taken away Againe there is one sick another perisheth with hunger and afflicted for wante of all manner necessaryes the same requireth of the priest to haue the Lords supper ministred vnto him that thereby the disease may be cured as by a most present and approued remedie and his hunger and pouertie released But this is not the due celebration of the supper but a filthye prophanation thereof For the Lord hath not instituted it to bee a cleansing sacrifice against all calamities whereby hee would be pleased but to be a memoriall of his death a dutiful thanksgiuing For wheÌ we be at the supper we offer nothing vnto him for which he should be fauourable vnto vs and turne away such an euil from vs and giue vs such a good thing as we desire of him but we giue thanks for the benefits which we haue receiued It is lawfull otherwise for them that are oppressed with troubles to offer vpp their vowes that is to say their praiers to the Lord but
the in respect therof wee were acceptable vnto God and when wée departe out of this life wée should flye straight wayes vpp into Heauen but without receiuing the Sacramente bée throwen directly downe to hell There muste also néedes arise sundrye other errours Neither is there any necessitie to constraine vs to minister the sacrament to the sick For as prisoners are absent from receiuing the Lords supper without danger of saluation so likewise are the sick those that are ready to dye For béeing neuertheles by perfect faith gathered to the body of Christe although they be absent in body yet being in minde present with the congregatioÌ they are also made partakers of all spirituall good things And it is sufficient for theÌ that as loÌg as they haue bene in helth they haue bene alwayes preseÌt at the holy mysteries The feast of Passeouer was not celebrated euery where but at Hierusalem onely in one place But howe many were there thincke wée the by reason of their bodily health impaired with sicknes for old-age could not trauell to Hierusalem from so large and wide a kingdome And although no man brought them home a péece of the Paschal lambe in their pockets notwithstanding they did coÌmunicate with the whole church of Israel And who doubteth but that by the comming of Christ the condition of the Christians is made better Our Lord Christ did not institute his mysticall supper for the dead but for the liuing onely wherefore it is not to be celebrated for the dead and to bee applied to their redeÌption They that die without faith immediatly fall vnder the iudgment of damnation But they that are dead in Christ are alreadie ioyned vnto the companie of the elders and stand before the Lambe singing Halleluiah for euermore For I haue declared in my sermon of the Soule that the saluation of the faithful soules which are departed by corporal death is most vndoubted And where some obiect that the auncient sathers haue made meÌtion of offering for the dead we suppose that it apperteineth not vnto vs We beléeue the Canonicall scriptures without contradiction we beléeue not the fathers further than they can proue their owne sayings by the Canonicall scriptures Neither would they haue theÌ-selues otherwise beléeued And therfore if the fathers thincke that the supper is a sacrifice that it is to be offred to procure rest to the souls departed we do not receiue that opinion as not agréeing with the Canonicall scriptures whiche teache that the Lord instituted not his supper for that purpose and therefore by such abuse of the supper God is rather displeased than pleased yea that there is no work of man be it neuer so good much lesse if it be against Gods word that can sanctifie since that prerogatiue belongeth onely to the merite of the sonne of God and moreouer that the souls departed are not in any such state in the other world that they can or ought to be holpen by any woorkes in this world But if the auncient fathers by oblation or offering doe vnderstand the sacrifice of praise or thanckesgiuing we will not striue against them but that there may be made oblations for the dead that is to say that thanks be giuen to God his goodnes praised who hath called out of this miserable world such as were indued with true faith and hath ioyned them vnto the companies of angels and all the blessed sainctes in the euerlasting kingdome of all ioye and felicitie But surely there is no truth nor godlines that willeth vs to celebrate the supper for the dead And we make a distinction in sacrifice or oblatioÌ For there is a sacrifice of expiation and there is a sacrifice of confession or praise The sacrifice of expiation is offered to cleanse or purge sinns and also for satisfaction for sinnes This caÌnot be accomplished without death and bloud as S. Paule the Apostle sheweth plainely in the 9. Cap. to the Hebrues The sacrifice of Christ was such a one the figures of whiche were all the sacrifices of all the holy fathers of the old testament who beeing both priest and sacrifice offered vp himself once to God the father while he suffered vpon the crosse and shedding his most innocent bloud there gaue vpp the Ghost The supper at this day is no such sacrifice but a commemoration of the death or of the sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse For nether ought or can Christe bee sacrificed againe who being once offered is sufficient to cleanse all the sinnes of all ages Why then should hee be sacrificed againe Neither can the sonne of God be sacrificed by any man since that for the same cause he offered vp himselfe once to God as being a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Therefore the minister of the Churche doeth not in the Churche sacrifice the body and bloud of Christe in the supper for the liuing but together with the whole Church doeth celebrate the remembraunce of the sacrifice which was once offered vpon the Crosse Of which as I haue said elsewhere the supper may also be called a sacrifice because it is a sacrament or signe of the sacrifice whiche was once offered by Christe as Augustine also hath lefte written The sacrifice of coÌfession is of praise thankesgiuing which wée offer to God for the redemption and benefits of god fréely bestowed vpon his Church And since we offer the same alwayes vnto GOD in prayer but chiefly when wée are ioyned in the sacrameÌt of the Eucharist or celebrating the supper therefore the auncient fathers called it a sacrifice because in the same we giue thanckes vnto God for oure deliuerance from death and for the inheritaunce of euerlasting life which is giuen vnto vs And that this sacrifice is generally offered by the vniuersall Churche in celebrating the supper not by the minister of the church alone for those the liue in the Church we tould you before Now forasmuch as wee haue hetherto discussed certaine circuÌstances or questions whiche are wont to be moued about the Lords supper so farr forth as the necessitie of the matter séemed to require as muche as our smal abilitie was able to performe it remayneth that we descend further to declare for what cause the Lords supper was by the Lord instituted which place truely is not rashly reckoned among the chiefest For we made mention of the same immediatly vpon the beginning of this sermon For the lord by setting bread wine before vs in the holy banquet would haue his promise and communion testified vnto vs and his gifts represented vnto vs made manifest to our senses would also gather vs visibly into one bodie and reteine the memorie of his death in the hearts of the faithfull and finally put vs in minde of our duetie chiefly of praise thankesgiuing All these thinges haue we seuerally expounded hauing discoursed vpon them at large in the generall coÌsideration
after the supper did beate vpon nothing so muche as the very same thing against which they set shoulder to wit that Christe would be absent in body but present in spirit that this presence wold be more profitable to the church than his bodily presence Do they not also vnderstande wherefore he tooke fleshe and was nayled on the Crosse that is to say what the effect and vse is of Christes body to wit that the sacrifice of his body being once offered for vs vppon earth he might carrie the same vppe into heauen in token that both oure bodies and soules after oure death shall through his merite be also carried thither Therefore after that the Lordes body had fulfilled on earth that whiche it came to fulfill there is no cause why it should doe any thing else vpon earth He nowe sitteth and ought to sit at the right hande of the father that he may drawe all vs thither vnto him If there be any that doth not yet fully beléeue that which we say let him reade the doctrine of Sainte Paule the Apostle in the ninthe and tenthe Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrues Let him also reade the fourtéenth and sixtéenth chapters of Saint Iohns Gospell But if it be a pleasure to them to hale at the gable of contention and to sticke precisely as well to these wordes of the Lorde I am with you vnto the worldes ende as to these This is my body This is my bloud let them then expound to me these holy testimonies of the holy Scripture Paule sayth that Christe dwelleth in our harts and that Christ liueth in him and he in Christe The Lorde saythe to the théefe This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And the Euangelist saith of the Lord being dead They layde him into the sepulchre The Scripture sayth not They layde fleshe and bones into the sepulchre but They layde him into the sepulchre The Lorde sayde not to the théefe Thy soule shall be with my spirite or soule in Paradise But Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Neyther dothe Sainte Paule say that Christes spirite and life doth liue in him or dwell in our heartes But he sayth simply That Christ doth dwell in our heartes But who is so foolishe and giuen to contention that for these wordes and places of the Scripture will contend that Christes diuinitie was buryed with his body that Christes body was with his soule that same daye in Paradise in which either of theÌ departed this life that Christes body together with his spirit dwelleth in the harts of the faithful liueth in Paul that Paule liueth in Christes flesh Al men doe willingly admit the catholique sense of the catholique Churche gathered out of the word of god namely that Christ in his spirite is present in his Churche euen to the worldes ende but absent in body and that the théefes soule was that day present in Paradise with Christes soule not with his bodye So iudgeth it also of the residue But if any man mistrust myne interpretation let him heare S. August in his treatise vpon Iohn saying thus He speketh of the presence of his body when hee sayth the poore you shal always haue with you but mee shall you not haue alwayes For in respect of his maiestie of his prouidence of his vnspeakable grace is that fulfilled which hee spake Behold I am with you always euen to the worldes end But in respect of the fleshe which the woorde tooke vpon it in respect that he was borne of the virgine that he was takeÌ by the Iewes that hee was nayled to the Crosse that hee was taken downe from the Crosse that hee was woond in a sheete that he was layde into the sepulchre that hee was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me with you alwayes And why so Bycause hee was conuersant as touching his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and they accompanying him but not following him hee ascended into heauen And is not here For there he sitteth at the right hand of the father And hée is héere For hee is not gone hence in respect of the presence of his maiestie Thus farre Sainte Augustine But if they yet procéede not regarding all this that we haue sayd to vrge that saying of the Lorde out of Matthewe Behold I euen I I say am ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã with you we will also obiect againste them this saying of the Lord and the same out of the Gospel It is expedieÌt for you that I we here they haue also this worde I doe depart we obiect also against them this testimonie of the angels out of Luke This Iesus which is takeÌ vp ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã from you into heauen c. They shal be at lengthe constreyned whether they will or no to reconcile such places as séeme to be repugnant and to admitte the generall vnderstanding whiche we haue alledged and defended hitherto Neyther is there here any daunger of diuiding Christe neyther diuide we Christes person with Nestorius since we defend the proprietie of bothe natures in Christe against the Eutychians While Christ our Lorde in body was yet conuersant vpon the earth hee him selfe witnesseth in the Gospell that neuerthelesse he was also in the heauens And in déed Christ who was bothe God and man all at one time was then in heauen when he was crucified and conuersant vpon earth although his body was not crucified in the heauens But as Christ diuided not him selfe although being in heauen he was notwithstaÌding conuersant and crucified in body vpon earth not in heauen so neyther do we diuide Christe who is both God and man although we say he is present with vs when we celebrate the supper and that we communicat with him yet neuerthelesse we affirme that in his body he remayneth in heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of the father and so let vs keepe our selues within the compasse of the Scripture Of this matter I haue reasoned at large where I haue intreated of one person and of bothe natures in Christ vnpermixed Hitherto haue I spoken of the naturall meaning of the wordes of the Lordes Supper as briefly and plainly as possibly I could Touching the place of Paule in the first to the Corinthians chap. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse c. with suche other textes which are alledged to proue bodily presence I shal not néed to vse many wordes for wee haue handled that place already once or twise It remayneth therefore that wee examine and weyghe what they deliuer vnto vs touching the eating of Christes body and also what the Canonicall scriptures doe teache to be thought of that eating What say they the lord hath promised the same most surely and fully he performeth They adde But he promised that he would giue vs his true body and very bloude to be eaten and brunken in the fourme of breade and wine
but spirituall not that the fleash is conuerted into the spirit but for that it oughte to be receiued spiritually not bodily But it is eate ⪠spiritually by faith not with the bodily mouth For as chewing or eating maketh vs partakers of the meate so are we made partakers of the body and the bloude of Christe through faith But thou wilt say Howe commeth it to passe that séeing breade whereof mention is made in the 6. chapter of Iohn doeth not signifie the bread of the supper that allmoste all the doctours interpretours and ministers of the Churches do apply these wordes to the Lordes supper I answere that these wordes of the Lorde may be applyed to the matter of the Lordes supper for other causes although the breade signifie not the breade of the sacrament Yea I confesse that these words of the Lord of the eating his fleashe and drinking his bloude do bring great light to the matter of the Lordes supper S. Augustine Lib. De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capite primo sayeth Iohn saide nothinge in this place Iohn the. 13. of the bodie and bloud of the lord but plainly witnesseth that the lord hath spokeÌ more at large therof in another place This much sayth hée speaking vndoutedly of the 6. of Ihon. Since therefore it is one the selfe same flesh the same bodie of our Lorde whereof hée speaketh in bothe places in the 6. of S. Iohn and the 26. of Matthewe and the selfe same is sayed in both places to haue béene deliuered to the death for vs or for our life and like-wise because there is but one meanes to be partaker of Christe whiche is by faith in his body whiche was deliuered and his bloude shed and finally bicause it is the catholique or vniuersall and vndoubted doctrine that Christes fleashe beeing bodily eaten auaileth nothing surely the thinges before written in the 6. Chapter of Iohn are agréeable and doe fully open the matter of the Lords supper And to the intente that this yet may be the better vnderstoode I will recite what testimonyes haue béene alwayes alleadged in the Churche out of the holie Scriptures concerninge the two kindes of eatinge of Christe Christes body is eaten and his bloud dronken spiritually it is also eaten dronken sacramentally The spirituall manner accomplished by faith whereby béeing vnited to Christe we be made partakers of all his goodnesse The sacramentall manner is only perfourmed in celebrating the Lords supper The spirituall eating is perpetuall vnto the godlie because faith is to them perpetuall They communicate with Christe bothe without the supper and in the supper and by it they doe more increase and continue their newe beginnings as wee haue also shewed before and now by adioyning of the holie action althings are done more manifestly and plainely As for the vnbeléeuers and hypocrites with their captein Iudas they neuer communicate with Christe neither before the supper nor in the supper nor after the supper in asmuche as they continue in their vnbeliefe but they of the Lordes Sacraments to their owne iudgement and condemnation I knowe héere what some doe teach and how they deuise a certeine third kinde of eating Christe whiche is neither spirituall nor yet sacramentall but altogether compounded of sacramentall and corporall For they holde opinion also that the true and naturall bodie of Christe is receiued bodily by the vnbeléeuers in the formes of the sacrament How be it it shall easily appeare by certein sound argumentes of the Scripture that this is but a deuise of maÌ which arguments we wil apply to the traitour Iudas that by this one example all the godly may learne what they eate and drink at the Lords supper For that the iudgement whiche is made of the head béeing reuealed vnto vs it shal be easier for vs to pronounce of the members Some truly do make a doubt whether Iudas were present at the supper when the Lorde distributed the holie mysteries among whome is S. Hilarie Howbeit the Euangelicall historie sayeth plainly that the Lord sat downe to meate with the twelue yea Luke so handleth his narration that we cannot dout but that Iudas did communicate of the mysteries with the rest of the Apostles which Saint Augustine also auoucheth Libro De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capitulo primo And likewise in the 62. treatise vpon Iohn and vpon the 10 Psalme and in his 163. Epistle Yea moreouer Aquinas also aunswering in this pointe to S. Hilarie approueth the same with vs Parte tertia Quaesti 81. Art. 2. Now therefore béeing manifest that Iudas was at supper with the rest of the Apostles it séemeth néedeful that it were knowen what he receiued of the Lorde He receiued the sacrameÌt of Christes body as the other disciples did but because hee had not faithe as the other had he partaked not of Christe neither did he eate and drink the Lords bodie and bloud For as many as eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud doe not hunger nor thirst for they dwel in Christe and Christe in them they are Christes members and they neuer dye The contrarie altogether appéereth in Iudas and all his fellowes wherefore the vnbeléeuers doe neither eate the Lords body nor drink his bloud Moreouer it is out of all doubt that there is no agréement betwéene Christ Belial For this hath the Apostle pronounced out of that general consent of the scriptures But Iudas is by Christe him selfe called sathan therefore Iudas did not communicate with Christe Now if we will contend absolutely that Iudas did eate the Lords body truly we shal be constrained wickedly to affirme that it is not onely an vnprofitable but also an hurtfull meate howbeit godlinesse teacheth vs that Christe is an holsome meate all wayes to all them that eate him truely S. Augustine also denyeth that Iudas did eate the Lords body or drink his bloud In the 59. treatise vpon S. Iohn The Apostles saith he did eate the bread which was the lord but Iudas did eate the Lords breade againste the lord They did eate life but hee punishment Againe in the 26. treatise Whoso dwelleth not in Christe nor Christe in him doutlesse he neither eateth his fleash spiritually nor drinketh his bloud although carnally and visibly hee breake in his teeth the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ but he rather eateth drinketh the sacrament of so greate a matter to his condemnation c. The like also and almoste playner doeth he write in the 21. booke and 25. chapter De Ciuitate Dei. Against these they obiecte the authoritie of Paule saying That they whiche eate vnworthily are not guiltie of the bread and cupp whiche they haue eaten and drunken of but of the Lords body and bloud and also that they doe eate and drink their owne damnation for that they make no differente of the Lordes bodye wherby it followeth necessarily that they haue eaten drunken the Lords body vnworthily
wil not receiue it Furthermore since by experience we finde euerie day the there are many thinges wanting vnto our faithe by meanes whereof diuerse vices spring vppe among vs whereof our vnworthines is the hightest or lest of all which the Lord of his grace may easily washe away almost wipeth away by sending his crosse vpon vs not imputing such infirmities to vs to our condemnation For the Apostle in another place âaith that there is no condemnation for them whiche are graffed into Christ Iesus walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Neither with equall punishment doth our most iust lord punish these sundry sortes of vnworthinesse Let vs therefore sée what the blessed Apostle teacheth vs concerning the punishmente of those y eate vnworthily Therefore he sayth Who so eateth this bread or drinketh of the lords cup vnworthily the same shal be gyltie of the Lords bodie and bloud By whiche wordes verily he meaneth that chiefe and moste âowle vnworthines of al other to wit vnbeléefe For he is guiltie of the lords body bloud to whom the fault of the lords death is imputed that is to say to whome Christes death becommeth death and not life as it also happened vnto them who through vnbeléefe wickednes did crucifie Christ For vnto them Christes bloud séemed prophane as it had béen the bloud of some beast murtherer or wicked person as being worthily ãâã for his offences And I pray you what else doeth he thinke than the Christes bloud is prophane who beléeueth not that the same was shed for the sinnes of the worlde And yet he dareth take part of the lords supper the he may worthily be saide to be guiltie of the Lords bodie bloud It is a verie great offence to eate the Lords bread and to drinke of his cup vnworthily through vnbeléefe which thing by the example of Iudas is laid before our eyes He beléeued not in the Lord Iesus yea he inuented howe to deliuer him into the hands of théeues and murtherers yet neuerthelesse he sate down to meate tooke part of the Lords supper therfore in the end the diuel worthily chalenged him wholy vnto him For S. Iohn witnesseth that about the end of the supper the diuell entred into Iudas not the he was not in him before that he came to the supper for he had begonne before to dwell in him to stir him forward but for that after so many admonitioÌs of our lord Christ after that he had prophaned the mysteries of Christ as it were troden them vnder foote he wholy entred into him and fully possessed him The same Apostle Paule threateneth damnation to them that make no difference of the Lords bodie who are placed as it were in another degree of vnworthinesse saying For who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation The reason hereof he setteth down in this sentence to wit why we wee oughte not rashly and carelesly to come to the Lords table for that we approche then to our condemnation But condeÌnation or iudgment is the paine or punishment which the Lord laieth vpon his faithfull people when they sin not in another world truly as he doth vpon the vnbeléeuers but in this world For it followeth in the words of the Apostle which ministreth vnto vs the same sense For this cause many are weake and feeble among you and many slepe For if we had iudged our selues we should not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged we are corrected by the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world The Apostle plainelie distinguisheth betwéene the vnworthie eaters that are subiecte to Gods correction worldly men that is to say vnbéeléeuers whose punishment the Lord deferreth to that other world but vpon his faithful people who yet offende through the negligence come to the supper not sufficiently instructed he layeth diuers sundrie afflictions as pestilence famine sicknes such like to shake off their drousinesse For it foloweth If we had iudged our selues that is if we our selues had restrained our vices separated our selues from euil we had not bene iudged that is to say punished and corrected For immediatly he addeth But when we are iudged we are chastised of the Lord. To bee iudged therefore is to be chastised But hereby we learne from whence there do flow so many mischiefes into the Church to wit by the vnworthie vse of the Lords supper But some man wil answer here if the matter be so it were better wholy to absteine from the lords supper But if any absteine wholie he also therby sinneth againste the Lorde and that grieuously For hee setteth at nought the Lordes commandement who saieth Do this yea he setteth at nought both the Lords death and all the gyfts of god Wherefore he hath not escaped daÌger who hath omitted to celebrate the supper which thing also we haue said before Thou must go an other way to worke if thou desire to auoide both danger sin Heare the counsel of Paule very coÌpendiously saying Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. And wee muste mark that in this examination he sendeth no man to another but euerie man to him selfe The Papistes bidd thée Goe to an auricular confessour there to confesse thy selfe to receiue absolution and to make satisfaction for thy sinnes accordinge to the fourme that is coÌmaunded thée And so they bid thée as sufficiently clensed to go to the Lordes table But Paule the doctour of the gentiles and the vessell of election speaketh not a word of those things but saith simply Let a man examine himselfe so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For like as God is the searcher of the hartes requireth the affection of the minde hateth hypocrisie so none knoweth what is in the hart of man or what affections wee beare to godward but we our selues do therfore he willeth vs our selues to examine euery thing in ourselues that is to say he willeth euerie man to descend into himselfe and to examine him selfe This examination cannot bee made without faith and the light of gods word But the faithfull man haueing the light of Gods worde shining before him and faith extendinge her force and power inquireth of himselfe whether hee doth acknowledge al his sinnes whiche he hath manifoldly committed against God and whether he be sorte for them being committed and whether with sincere fayth of hart he beleeue that Christ hath washed away and forgiuen al his sinnes and whether he confesse fréely with his mouth as he beléeueth in his hart that life saluation consisteth in Iesus Christ onely and in none other whether he haue determined with himselfe to die in this confession and whether he meane diligently and earnestly to applie himselfe to innocencie and holines of life and whether he be readie to loue helpe all the
exââsition of the scripture ãâã not be cââtrary to the artiâââ of our beliefe The expositioÌ must not be repugnant to the loue of God and our neighbour ãâã expounâââg the ââââptures âe must âârk that ââat goeth ââfore and ââlloweth âââer and ãâã the circumstaÌâes The exposition of gâds word ââst be maââ by ãâã layinâââgeâher of âiuers places 2. Pet. 1. The scriâtures mââ be expoââded wiââ zealous â hertafââ earnest prayer The deânitions ãâã faith The description of true fayth The begiâning and cause of faith Faith is planted by the worde of God. We muste âraye for ârue fayth That faith is an vndoubted persuasion of the minde Faith beleueth not euerithing what soeuer Examples âf vndoubâed saith âherunto âaith leaâeth and what the âbiect or âoundation of faith ãâã Two chief ââinâs of âaith True faiââ seeketh aââ good thiâges in ãâã through Christ ârue faith âeleeueth ãâã holy ââriptures Fayth is âue alone ãâ¦ã religions but no more theâ one true fayth Faith doââ encrease and decrease Generall and particular faith Faith inspâred and Faith gotten ãâ¦ã mall ãâ¦ã The power and efâecte of faith Faith is the true knowledge that maketh men wise How man may attaine to âhe chiefe goodnesse Faith maketh happy Faith quickneth Faith ioyneth to god Faith iâstifieth Iustification What it is âo iustifie âhriât hath ãâã on âim self ãâ¦ã sinnes The ãâã ãâã of since âre takeâ away by Chriââ The death âf Christ a ââll satisââction for âur sinnes Howe punishment is laide on vs. God hath âppointed ââat he âhat beleeâeth shuld âaue eternall life and be iustified Men are âustified ây faith âlone Christ coÌpared with Adam Gods Testament We are not iustified by the workes oâ the Lawâ but by Faith Christ died not in vaine All men are sinnerâ God iuâââfieth as ãâã the Gentiles as ãâã Iewes by faith By what meanes âur father âbraham was iustiââed Neither is âaith nor the promis of none effect âustification of free gift Faith sheweth foorth and expresseth it selfe by good workes Faith onely iustifieth Of good workes Faith the âoore of al good âoâkes Faith the victorie ãâã al Christians The Apoâtles ãâã The partition of the Apostles Creede God is one in suâstance anâ three in persons I beleeue in God God is called a father God is called Almighty âod is the mâker of heauen ând earth The secoÌd article of our belief To belieue in the Sonnâ of God. Who the Sonne of God is Consubstantial âoesseÌtiall The onely Sonne Iesus Christe Christe is our Lord. The 3. Article of our bâlieâ The causes of the Lord his incarnatioÌ Immanuel A mediatour Tâe manner of ãâã his âânceptioÌ The causes why Christ hiâ conceptioÌ is pure Of the birth of Christ The fourth Article of our belief âââist did ãâã Christ sufered vnâer Pântiâs Pilate Our Lord was buried He descended into Hell. The fift article of ouâ belief The glorious resurrection of Christe What a resurrection âs Out of from the dead He was ârucified dead tokeÌ downe and laid ââ his granâ vpon ãâã Friday where his body âay ⪠Saturday that is Eââer eueâ and one Sunday which is Easter day in the morning he rose againe froÌ death to life The sixte article of our belief The glorious ascension of Christ The forâ of Christ his ascension into heauen He ascenâed into âeauen He sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty The definition of gods right hand take here for the places name To sit is to be at rest and enioy felicitie Gods right hand the name of his power and in this signification to sit is to reign Saint Hierom of the âight haÌd of the faâher Saint Augustine of the right hand of ãâã father ââint Fulgentius His humanitie iâ lâcal that is âââteined iâ space of âlace but ââs Godhead incoÌpreheÌsible as that that is euery where ãâ¦ã not ãâã in any place Saint vigilius The seuenth Article Christ a Iudge To Iudgâ what it ãâã The picâure of âhe laste ââdgemeÌt The quick and dead are iudged The reward and punishment is moste certaine the eighth article of our faith The father in Christ hath fully giuen vs all heauenly treasures The ninth ârticle of âur belief âee must âot in our âonfession ây I beââeue in âhe church Cyprian Augustine Paschasius ââint Greâorie âhomas âquine Pope Leo. The Catholike Church The true Churche Wee beleeue the Church to be holy How the Church ãâã holy The coâmunion of ãâã The tenth ârticle of our belief The acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes Oâr sins arâ forgiâeÌ of god ãâã for âur owne merits but for Christ his sake All sinnes are forgeuen God alone and not man forgeueth sinns Howe sins are forgeuen We make not satisfaction for punishmeÌt The eleâenth artiâle of our âaith The resurrection of the flesh Whether the same bodies that do âutâifie rise again Testimoniâs of the true resurrection In what sort our bodies shal rise again Of what facion our bodies shal be in the resurrection A glorious body What a glorious ââdy is Glorious bodies rest free from vilenesse The natural and spiââtuall body Fleshe and ââoud âhal not be ãâã heauen Sââsu aniââli Animalis The bodies of thâ wicked shall also rise agaân The tâelfth article of our belief Lyfe eueâlasting The face of God. Loue and câantie Loue froÌ whence it is Double charitie The leâ of God ⪠By the loue of God all euilles are ouercome The loue âf God faâoneth vs ãâã the will ãâã pleaââre of âod The manner how to loue God. Gâd alone to be loued Who is our neighbour The ãâ¦ã âny one âhat is a ââan as wel ãâã we An order ând meaââre in ãâã Howe our neighbour must be loued The loue of our neighbour must bee sincere We must loue our neighbour as our self We must loue ouâ neighboââ as Chrisââ hath loue vs. Howe we ought to stand our nâighbour in steede The pith of Charity Loue the fulfilling of the laâ Workes of mercie An exhortation to Loue What law is The diuision of âawes The laâ of natuââ ConscieÌcâ Nature Two especial points of the law of nature The Genââlâs knew God. Friendship societââ of men tâ be preseâued The Lawe of nature answerable to the written Lawe 1 Of God. The Ethnickes sentânces are in some plâces maâââed 2 The Gentiles against idoles 3 The name âf God âighly esâeemed 4 The Genââles keeâers of reââgion 5 The honoâring of parentes 6 Murder adulterie 8 Theft 9 Lies False witnesses A hill in Rome Cataâa a Towne in Sicilie 10 Concupiscence Nature without grace of none effect âawes of âen âawes of âlicie Ecclesiasââcal Laââ Superstitious lawââ Mens âââditions What the Lawe of God is The moâall lawe The Ceremoniall Lawe The Iudiciall Lawe The Law was euen before Moses time The Patriarches before Moses had the Ceremoniall and iudiciall Lawes The Moâal Lawe endureâ still The maâestie and âignitie of âhe moral âawe ãâ¦ã the ââst holy ãâã in ãâ¦ã of ãâã Two Tables
of Gods law He putteth 3. in the first table and 7. in the last whicâ added to gether dâ make vp tenne What the two tables ââ the laâ doe conâeine The first commaundement The ãâã is this I am a ãâã God ãâã the ãâã of all things âhat this commaundemânt requireth ofvs The true God is our God. The mysterie of our redâtion by Christ conteined in the first commauâdement Straunge Gods are forbidden Straunge gods whaâ they are Coniuâârs and witches The second commaundement of God. The ende of the coÌmaundement is to drawe vs froÌ strauÌg and forreigne worshippinges God forbiddeth a grauen Image That is the Sunne Moone starres The cause why God wil not be likened to any thing They were hââtiques ââfirming that Goâ hath mââbers ãâã to moââ men ⪠All otheâ images ãâã for biddââ to be woâshipped No imagâ must be made for Christ How farre ãâã it ãâã law ãâã to ââke Images To Bow ââwne what it is To serue what it ãâã Ideles teach noâ Wee haue no cause to choose haunge Gods. God sufââreth not mate How ãâã the fathers sinnes ãâã the ãâã A moste large promise is made to the godly worshippers of the Lord. The third commaundement of God. ãâã the ãâ¦ã How the name of God is abused The punishment of them that abuse Gods âame A pain ãâ¦ã by ãâ¦ã Of an oath Whether it be lawfull to sweare For what causes we ought to sweare What an ââthe is Circââstances ceremonies is swearâââ How ãâã ought ãâã sweare An oath is âhe special âonour âone to God. The conditions of an holy oathe Whether wicked oâthes must be perfouâmed It is beât to ãâã an ill ãâã Monastial vowes âow reliâiously we âught to âepe our âathes A large rewarde promised to such as keepe ther Othes The 4. precept The order of the Lord his commaundements The Sabboth The Sabboth is spirituall The Sabâoth is the âutward ââstitutiân of reââgion ââere is ãâ¦ã to abouâ in âhe maisâââ of the ãâã must teach ãâã his faââlie the ãâ¦ã the Sabââth day Ease or rest The Loââ did keâp the Sabboth day The Lord blessed the Sabboth day ãâ¦ã The Sunâây Christâââ day New-yeares ãâã Good Friday Eastââ day Asâââsion day ãâã day The sancââfication of the christian Sabboth ãâã office of euery housholder Nume 15. the abuââs âf the âââââth day Promises and threâânings added to the Sabboth day The Emperourââaw for âhe keeâing of âhe Sabâoth ââe Sabââââ made ãâã ãâã man ãâã âhe âââboth To plow land on the Sabâoth day ⪠ââd doth âââctifie âr make âoly The fifth ââecept âhat is ãâã by ãâã name parents Our natiue Countrie Magisrates or Rulers Gardians or ouerseers of fatherlesse children Ministers pastourâââ the Câurch Cousins ãâã Aged perââns or olde folks To honor what it is The honour of God ãâ¦ã before The honour due to parents Math. 15. The Stork he ensign of natural loue The Genâiles senâences touching hoââur due âo parents The pains ãâã trauails âf Moâhers in âhildbirth For the honoring of our Countrie Fighting in defence of our Countrie Heb. 11 â Cor. 4 1. Iohn â Louers of their CouÌtrie We must pray for our Countrie For the honour due to Magistrates Against seditious rebels The hoâour due ãâã Gardiââans and maisters âf occupations ââe office ãâã duetie âasters ãâã scholâââ The hoâour due âo Ministers of the Churches 1. Cor. 5. Math. ââ Act. 23. ââ 25. The ãâã tempââ the ãâ¦ã God 's ãâã The honour due to our kinsfolkes For the honour due to old men Churche goods The pââmis ãâã to those that worship ãâã parents ãâã threatninges ãâ¦ã their parents Exod. 22 âphes 5 The dâtie of pârents to theâ ãâã ChildreÌ to be iâstructed religâââ Counsel aduise giuen to housholders in captiuitie Precepts on the inâtructiââ of ãâ¦ã ãâã The chiââ must be taught manners Childrââ must ãâã an occupation Of correction Cockering of children The dutie of childreÌ The sixt âââcept What is âââbidden ãâã this coÌâaundeâânt Of Anger Of ãâã Al hurting is forbidden The Lawe of like for like The manâârs of killing The âaâses of mââder Sancâââries Howe great an offence murder is The magistrate may kill âhat the ãâã is ââgistraâââ what ãâã Three kindes of Magistracies Monarchie Tyrannie Aristocracie Oligarchie Democracie A prouerb ãâ¦ã it is ãâã âor a subââcte to speake aââânst his ãâ¦ã In ãâ¦ã it ãâ¦ã witâ Saints The ãâ¦ã must ãâ¦ã Titus The ãâ¦ã thâ begââning The Magistrate ordeined by God for the good of of men A good Magistrate and a badde Whethââ an ãâ¦ã be of ãâ¦ã How the oppâessed must behaue themselues vnder tyrannical princes â Cor. 10. â Pet. 2. ãâã of ââantes The elecâion of ãâã Who ââght to chuse theÌ What âinde of ãâã ââght to ââ chosen ââ be Maââstrates ââ the deââiption ãâã a good ãâã The Magistrate must be sound in religion Deut. â Num. 27. The manner of consecrating Magistrates The Magistrates ãâã Whether âe care of religiân belong âo the Magistrate Leuiâââ Deut. 2â An answer to an obiection 1. Iohn 2 Esai 4â Constââtine the great Gratian Valentinian Theodose Osias the Leper The seuerall offices of the Magistrates of the ministers must not be coÌfounded Princes haue done and dealt in religion 2. Parali 8. Priâces haue ãâ¦ã religâââ Ecclesiasticall priuileges What lawes the magistrate ought to appoint concerning religion ãâã âââisers of new fan ãâã worââippes are ââarsed of God. ãâ¦ã The Magistrate ãâã a lawe iâdued witâ life To put too and take from âawes Whââ mannââ lawes mag ãâ¦ã ought vse Written ââwes are âeedfull The lawe of Moses is not to be in forced vpon kingdom countries A prouerb vsed when one will make them blinde that were before him disanull that which wise men haue allowed Ciuill lawes what manner of lawes they bee Lawes of honestie ãâ¦ã âawes of ãâã and âânimitie What âââgement IudgemeÌt punishment pertaine to the Magistrate as depending vpon his office The ãâã Iudgeâââfice is ââscribeâ ãâ¦ã ãâã Iudge ãâã iudgâ ãâã The faultes of Iudges Respect of Persons Vehement affection The good iudg oght to haue God beâore him for a patârne to âolowe 2. Pââal 9. Exodââ Leuiâââ ãâã Iudgeâents are âot abroâated aâoÌg chriâtians Esai 1. Zach. 7. Of reuengemeât tâken by the Magistrate The sworde whetâââ ãâã be ãâã to kilâ ãâã puniââââfendeâ Foolishe pitie Seueritie is not crueltie For what âauses God commaunded to kill offenders Lukeâ ⪠Whâââ magâââ ougââ ãâã puâââââ endââ ⪠The âindes of âunishâente Diminâtio ââpitis â kinde of ââdgemeÌt âhereby ââe is put âât of the ââings proââction or âondemâed to âondage ââcretion ãâã cleââncie of ââe iudge What is to be punished in offenders Whether ââe Magiâârate may ãâã for âhe breach ãâã religioÌ What moderation must be had in punishing Admonition before punishmâââ Obiections answeâed Faith is the gift of God. Whether it be lawful to compel one to faith The Apostles required no âide of the magistrat for the maintenance of religion against the
aduersaries of the same âhether ãâã lawââl for a Magistrat âo make ãâã ãâ¦ã Warre a thing full of peâil daunger Warre is the scourg of God. Warre for profite They that haue the iuster quaâell are ouercome of the vniust The ãâã of ãâã ãâ¦ã in haÌd ãâã the ãâã of ãâã Since he asked ãâã of heathens he woulde a great deal soner haue ãâ¦ã ât at the handâs of Cârisâian Mâgistrates âf aâ then there had beenâ any The ãâ¦ã of ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã The word of God hath made lawes of warâe The description ãâã a christian souldiour ãâ¦ã Christians âere in âimes past The Laâine copie âath Et ãâã solus ââtens by âhiche I ââinke hee âââant the âmperour Legio Fulmiuca ExaÌples of warre and Capitaines out of the Scripture A ãâ¦ã may ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Honestus Senator The Lord conueieth himself away whilâ the people wold haue made him a King. My kingdome ãâã not of ãâã worlde ãâ¦ã Of the ãâã of ââbiects ObedieÌcâ to Magistrates Lawes ãâ¦ã or âââsure The 7. precept What wedâocke is ãâ¦ã The cauââs of marâââge The ãâã is the ãâã of ãâ¦ã The begetting and bringing vp of children The bedd ââ wedâocke vnâefiled Actes 10 Tit. 1. 1. Cor. 7. ãâã No man âorbidden âo marrie The knot âf wedââck is inââssoluble How matrimonie must be contracted Against Polygamie or the hauing of many wiues The secoÌd and third marriages after the first wife The ãâã beââuiour ãâã is ââquired ãâã the ãâã of Maââage Married ââlks must ãâã faithful They must dwel together with knowledge Ephe. 5. Let them beget anâ bring vpâ children Marriages must be âegonne âith religion Against adulterie Gene. 12. Gene. 20. Gene. 39. Iob. 31. Prou. 5. Dauids adulterie The Lord ââsolueth ââulterie What other things are forbidâen vnder âhe title of adulterie ãâ¦ã Actes â 1. Pââ â 1. Coâ â ⪠1. Coâ â ⪠Ephe. 5 ãâã forââdden Asturia a Countrie in Spaine betwixt Galacia Portugall âncest Sodomââ ãâã forââdden âsal 50. Of Continencie The continencie or the bââdeling of the tounge Graunted pleasures ãâ¦ã 1. Peter 3. 1. Timo. 2 Titus 2. Continentie in builâinges ContineÌcy in meate drinke Christe against druÌâânnesse ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Of fasting ãâ¦ã Of what qualitie kinde our fastinges must bee The end of fastings The trueast Of ãâ¦ã ãâã of ãâã of ãâã choice ãâ¦ã Differenceâ an fastings The Latin copie hath Caulis whiche I turne Hearbes it maie also bee taken for Rootes Fastinges must be free not bound to lawes The summe of this 7. precept or commaundement Matth. 6. Luke â0 Luke 11. FroÌ wheÌce âssuââth thâ felicitie oâ calamitie of âinges Kingdomes Deut. 17. Iosue 1. Saul 1. Samuel 13. 14. 15. c. Solomon 1. Reg. 4. 11. Roboam 2 Para. 12. Abia. 2. Para 13. Asa 2. Para 14. Iosaphat 2. Para. 17. Ioram 2. Para. 12. Ochosias 4. Kings 9 Ioas. 2. Par. 23. 24 Amasias 2 Para. 25 Osias 2. Para. 26. Iothan 2. Para. 27. Achaz 2. âara 28. Ezechias 4. Reg. 18. Manasses 4. Reg. 21. Ammon 4 Reg. 21. Iosias 4. Reg. 22. Ioachas Ioachim Iâchonias and Zedechias 4. Kings 23. 24. 25. The kings of Israell Forreigne kings Kings which fauoured gods word and kings which persecuted the same The. 8. âoÌmaundâent Of the proper ownning of substance How in âhe Apoââles age ãâã thinges âere common Gangresis Synodus False doctrine concerning riches and rich men condemned Of the lawful getting of riches Matt. 6. Labour is commended and idlenesse coÌdemned ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Whether âargayniÌg ãâã buying ââd selling âe lawfull ãâã no. Sundrie kindes oâ occupatiânâ ãâ¦ã 1. ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã vse Beware of prodigalitie Theaft Sundâââ sortes ãâã done withââding Thinges found Pledges pawnes The withholding of labourers hire Damage that is don by taking away Robberie deceipt Dicing carding ãâ¦ã That is the meâsure small and the price great Agaââ suâââ Sacriledge Simoniaks Ambition ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã âhis is ãâã in no âace so âuch as in ââllingers âân counââe where âe ãâã who ârue all ââen for âoney do âactise it ââily âbigei Nothing âf another mans must âe possesâed RestitutioÌ is necessarie Exod. 62. Esai 3. ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã to be ãâã To whom âestitution ââ to bee âade âowe ââch ãâã one ââght to ãâã Good couÌsell or aduise Ample or large discourses haue bene made touching restitution Wee must not set ouâ mindes on riches ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã âiches are ââe gift of âod for âhich he âust be ââanked Goods serue to supply our necessitie Necessitie excludeth not allowed plesure The common english translation hath they were made merâie riches must serue to do honour shewe curteous behauiour betweene maÌ man. ãâ¦ã âe say in ânglish ãâã ãâã peckes Goods must serue to reliefe the poore To whom we must do good Howe we ought to do good How farre we must do good The kinds of calamities The good and euill are afflicted with calamities The godly are afflicted when the wicked liue in pleasures Abac. 1. M ãâ¦ã Psal. ãâ¦ã The cauââs of calaâities The causes why the Saints âre afflicâed We are deliuered by the goodnesse of the Lorde not bi our owne mea or abilitie AfflictioÌs are testimonies of the doctrin of faith We are tried by afflictions 1. Pet. 4. ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Psal. â Certaine punishments appointed as plagues to certaine sinnes Apoc. 3. Prouerb 3 Sinne is the cause of the chur ches persecutions what kind of sinnes the Saints sinnes re Why God âoth puâishe the âood with he euill ãâ¦ã Luke 23 The causes of afflictitions in the wicked sorte The infelicitie of the vngodly Iames. 5. âere 12. Psal. 72. Psal. 37. ãâã godly ãâã haue ãâ¦ã their ãâ¦ã The Stoikes were of opinion that a valiant man ought not to be greeâed for aây misery ââ calamitiâ Against the Stoiks ââdolentia Ferrea Philosophia Iohn â Of the Saints patience The Image of patience The force ãâ¦ã patiânce Luke 12. Heb. 10. âamâ ⪠The ãâã of ãâ¦ã Hope is of thinges abâent Hope is of âhings ãâã not ãâã Hope is of âhings âhat ãâã most ãâã Hope the gyfte of God. Though the Lord put off the perfourmance of his promises vnto vs for a seasoÌ yet he doeth not deceiue vs because he is faithfull and iust ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã The causes of our afflictions Math. 5. Dani. 9. 2. Reg. 15. 1. Cor. 11. ãâ¦ã the ãâã Examples of Gods deliuerance The Lords commaundements of bearing the crosse The time of afflictiân is short but the rewarde very ample and eternall No afflictions do seperate the godly froÌ their Lord and God. Rom. â ãâã that the saintes suffer are recompenced with other commodities To deny the truth is not the way to keepe our Goodes ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Afâliction in warres by deflouâing of women The saintâ in suffering the crosse doâ feele no new or vnwoonted miseries Examples of afflictions in the patriarchs Christ and Paule examples vnto vs. ãâ¦ã The ãâ¦ã Anno Domini 306. Their afflictions were foretolde ãâ¦ã ãâã ãâã VengeaÌce taken of âloudie Rome âopes dye of the âocks which doth
1067. 1068. 1073. 1078. 1079. Symbole 961. Synodes 1130 Synagogue 263. 339. 813 Synaxis 1019. 1063 T Tabernacle 334. 339. 341. 862 Table of the Lord. 1063 Tables of Gods lawes 111. 112 Tale carriers 322 Testament 49. 463. 1064 Testimonies 106. 364. 443. 669. 764. Teaching 909. 910 Temples of Christians 1126 Thanksgiuing 951. 652 653. 1063. Theft and deceipte 106. 270. 395 Thâuma and Thnupha 378 Theodosiu Emperour 181 Time holie 417. 349. 1129 Torments nothing dismaye the Apostles 723 Tongue 319. 1071 Toward what part of the world we must pray 1127. Traditions 5. 18. 447 Treasures heauenly all giuen vs of God in Christ 77 Tryall of oureselues by afflictions 294 Trinitie 612. 627. 628. ce True worship and adoration 652 True religion 672 True vnderstanding of the Lordes wordes This is my body 1085 True eating of Christes body 1097 True end of scholes 1117 Tyrannie 169 V. Valentinian Emperour 181 Verbum what it is 1 Vengeance taken of bloudy Rome 319 Vertues of the pastour 911 Vestal virgines 368 Vessells belonging to the Lordes Supper 1070 Vice is to be rebuked sharply and seasonably 894 Vigilius 74 Virgines and Virginitie 1134 Vowes and vowed sacrifices 379 380. 135. 421. 1137 Voluntarie sinne c. 497. 511 Vncleanethings 386 Vnitie ought to be kept 849 Vnderstanding 589 Vncircumcised soule 1048 Vrim Thummim 334 Vsurie and Vsurers 274. 275. 276 W. Warre Warres and Warriours 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. c. 399. Wages of hirelings 396 Water and the Word 971 Wayes of eating the Lordes Supper 110â Weight and measure 397 Wedlocke 222. 223 c. 227. 1133 1134 Wealth by inheritaunce 266 Who elected to life 643 Who an Heretique who a Schismatique 850 Who to be baptised 1050 Why God created maÌ so frayle 487 Whoredome and adulterie 393 Who do not rightly preach Christe 544 Why all men are not saued 546 Widowes and Widowhoode 1134 Wisedome of god 619. 96â Without the church no light or saluation 843 Wicked are not partakers of the things signified in the Sacraments 98â Witnesse Witnesse-bearing 39â Wife the arme of her husband 224 Witches and Sothsayers 397 Worde Wordes and the Worde of god c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. vsque 22. 24. 25. 26. c. vsque 29. 525. 528. 823. 940. 971. 975 978. 1102. Workes 53. 54. 98. 406. 453. 454. 456. 457. 620 Worship Worshipping and Worshippers 6. 652. 658. 744 Women-deacons and their office 875 Wormes take vengeaunce of Gods enimies 890 Worthy and vnworthy eating and drinking of the Lords supper 1106 Writings of the old Testament giuen to Christians 15 Wrath of God vppon kingdomes for vsurie 276 Y. Yeare of Iubilie 354 Z. Zuinglius 502. 1015. 1020. 1204 FINIS The first Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde ¶ The first Sermon ALl the decrees of Christian fayth with euery waye howe to liue rightly well and holyly and finally all true and heauenly wisdome haue alwayes bene fetched out of the testimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God neyther can they by those which are wise men in déede or by the faithfull and those whiche are called by God to the ministerie of the Churches be drawn taught or last of all soundly confirmed from else where then out of the word of god Therefore whosoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God and the meaning of the word of God is he séemeth to be as one blinde deafe and without witte in the Temple of the Lorde in the schole of Christ and lastly in the very reading of the sacred Scriptures But whereas some are nothing zealous but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church that springeth out of no other fountaine than this which is bycause they doe neyther rightly vnderstande nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue and true force of the word of god That nothing therefore may cause the zealous desirers of the trueth and the worde of God to staye on this point but rather that that estimation of Gods word which is due vnto it may be layde vp in all mens hartes I will by Gods helpe lay foorthe vnto you dearly beloued those things which a godly man ought to thinke and holde as concerning the worde of god And praye ye earnestly and continually to our bountifull God that it may please him to giue to me his holy effectuall power to speake and to you the opening of your eares and mynds so that in all that I shall say the Lorde his name may be praysed and your soules be profited abundantly First I haue to declare what the worde of God is Verbum in the scriptures and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuersly taken For it signifieth what thing soeuer a man will euen as among the Germanes the worde Ding is moste largely vsed In S. Luke the Angel of God saythe to the blessed Virgin with God shall no worde be vnpossible whiche is all one as if he had sayde all things are possible to God or to God is nothing vnpossible Verbum also signifieth a word vttered by the mouth of a man Sometime it is vsed for a charge somtime for a whole sentence or speach or prophesie wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei theÌ is it not vsed in the same signification For Verbum Dei the worde of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God it is also put for the Sonne of God which iâ the seconde person in the most reuerend trinitie For the saying of the holy EuaÌangelist is euident to al meÌ The word was made flesh But in this treatise of ours the word of God doth properly signify the speach of God the reuealing of gods wil first of al vttered in a liuely expressed voyce by the mouth of Christ the Prophets and Apostles and after that againe registred in writings whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures The word doth shew the minde of him out of whom it commeth therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of god But God of him selfe naturally speaketh trueth he is iust good pure immortal eternall therefore it followeth that the word of God also which commeth out of the mouth of God is true iust without deceipt and guile without errour or euill affection holy pure good immortall euerlasting For in the Gospel sayth the Lord Thy word is truth And the Apostle Paule saith The word of God is not tied Againe the Scripture euery where cryeth The word of the Lorde indureth for euer And Solomon saythe Euery word of God is purely cleansed Adde thou nothing to his wordes leaste peraduenture he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Dauid also sayth The sayings of the Lorde are pure
sayinges euen as it were siluer cleansed in the fire and seuen times fined from the earth This you shal more fully perceiue dearely beloued if I speake somewhat more largely of the cause or beginning and certaintie of the worde of god The worde of God is trueth but God is the onely welspring of trueth therefore God is the beginning and cause of the worde of God. And here in déede God since he hath not members like to mortall men wanteth also a bodily mouth yet neuerthelesse bycause the mouthe is the instrument of the voice to God is a mouth atributed For he spake to men in the voice of a man that is in a voice easily vnderstood of men and facioned according to the speach vsually spokeÌ among men This is euidentlye to bée séene in the things wherein he dealte with the holy fathers with whome as with oure parents Adam and Eua Noe and the rest of the fathers he is read to haue talked many and often tymes In the mount Sina the Lord him selfe preached to the great congregatioÌ of Israel rehearsing so plainly that they might vnderstand those tenne Commaundementes wherein is contained euerye poynt of godlinesse For in the. 5. of Deut. thus we reade These words meaning the. 10. CommauÌdements spake the Lorde with a loude voyce from out of the middes of the fire to the whole congregation And in the 4. Chapiter A voice of wordes you hearde but no similitude did you see beside the voice God verily vsed oftentimes the meanes of Angels by whose ministerie he talked with mortall men And it is very well knowne to all men that the sonne of God the father being incarnate walked about on the earth and being very God and man taught the people of Israell almost for the space of 3. yeares But in times past and before that the Sonne of God was borne in the worlde God by litle and litle made him selfe acquainted with the hartes of the holy Fathers after that with the minds of the holy Prophets and last of all by their preaching and writinges he taught the whole worlde So also Christe our Lorde sent the holy ghost which is of the father the sonne into the Apostles by whose mouths words writings he was knowen to all the world And al these seruants of god as it were the elect vessels of God hauing with sincere harts receiued the reuelation of God from God him selfe first of all in a liuely expressed voyce deliuered to the worlde the Oracles and worde of God whiche they before had learned and afterward when the world drewe more to an ende some of them did put them in writing for a memoriall to the posteritie And it is good to know how by whom all this was done For by this narration the true cause certaintie and dignitie of the word of God doth plainly appeare There are not extant to be séene the writings of any man from the beginning of the worlde vntill the time of Moses whiche are come to oure knowledge although it be likely that that same ancient and first world was not altogether without all writings For by S. Iude the Apostle and brother of S. Iames is cited the written prophesie of our holy father Enoch which is read to haue ben the seuenth from our father Adam Furthermore the writing or historie of Iob séemeth to haue bene set foorth a great while before But howe soeuer it is all the Saintes in the Churche of God giue to Moses the faithfull seruant of God the first place amoÌg the holy writers From the beginning therefore of the worlde God by his spirit and the ministerie of Angels spake to the holy fathers and they by word of mouth taught their children and childers children and all their posteritie that whiche they had learned at the mouth of God when they verily had hearde it not to the intent to kéepe it close to themselues but also to make their posteritie partakers of the same For God oftentimes witnesseth that He will be the God of the fathers and of their seed for euermore This is most plainly to be séene in the historie of Adam Noe and Abraham the first and great grandfathers In the. 19. of Genesis verily we reade that the angell of God yea and that more is that eueÌ the Lorde him selfe did say to Abraham And shall I hide from Abraham what I minde to doe since of Abraham shall come a great and mightie people and al the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him And this I knowe that he will commaunde his children and his posteritie after him to keepe the way of the Lorde and to do iustice iudgement and the rest Abraham therfore a faithfull and zealous worshipper of God did not euen as also those olde fathers of the firste world did not waxe negligent at all herein but did diligently teache men the wil iudgemeÌts of God whervpoÌ of Moses yea of God him selfe he is called a prophet That deuout liuely tradition of the fathers from hande to hand was had in vse continually euen from the beginning of the world vntil the time of Moses Moreouer God of his goodnesse did prouide the no age at any time should be without most excellent lightes to be witnesses of the vndoubted faith and fathers of great authoritie For the worlde before the deluge had in it 9. most excellent most holy and wise men Adam Seth Enos Kenam Malaleel Iared Enoch Methusalem and Lamech The chief of these Adam and Methusalem doe beginne and make an end of all the. 1656 yeares of the world before the deluge For Adam liued 930. yeres He dieth therefore the. 726. yeare before the floud And Methusalem liued 969. yeres He dieth in the very same yere that the floud did ouerflowe and he liued together with Adam 243. yeres so that of Adam he might be aboundantly inoughe instructed as concerning the beginning of things as concerning God the fall and restoring againe of mankinde and all things else belonging to religion euen as he was taught of God him selfe These two fathers with the rest aboue named were able sufficiently inoughe to instruct the whole age in the true saluation and right wayes of the Lorde After the deluge God gaue to the world againe excellent men and very great lightes The names of them are Noe Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Palec Reu Saruch Nachor Thaâe Abraham Isaac and Iacob Here haue we 13. most excellent Patriarches among whom the first two Noe and Sem are the chiefe nexte to whome Abraham Isaac and Iacob were more notable then the rest Noe liued 950. yeares in all He was 600 yeares olde when the floud drowned the worlde He therefore sawe and hearde all the holy fathers of the firste world before the deluge thrée only excepted Adam Seth and Enos And also he liued manye yeares together with the other whiche had both séene and heard them so that he could be