vsuall than this wickednesse that the people eche where despising the lawe of God did wholly burne with mad gredinesse to vowe whatsoeuer had pleased them in their dreame I wil not hatefully enforce nor particularly rehearse how hainously how many waies herein men haue offended but I thoughte good to say this by the way that it may the better appeare that we do not moue question of a nedelesse mater when we entreate of vowes Now if we will not erre in iudging which vowes be lawfull and which be wrongfull it behoueth to weye three thinges that is to saye who it is to whom the vowe is made who we be that make the vowe last of all with what minde we vowe The first pointe hath respect to this that we shoulde thynke that we haue to doe with God whome our obedience so muche deliteth that he pronounceth all willworships to be accursed howe gay and glorious soeuer they be in the eyes of mē If all voluntarie worshippes which we our selues deuise without commaundement be abhominable to God it foloweth that no worship can be acceptable to hym but that which is allowed by his worde Therfore let vs not take so great libertie to our selues that we dare vowe to God that which hath no testimonie howe it is estemed of him For whereas that which Paule teacheth that it is sinne whatsoeuer is done without Fayth extendeth to all doinges then verily it chefely hath place when thou directest thy thoughte the streighte waye to God But if we fall and erre euen in the smallest thinges as Paule there disputeth of the difference of meates where certaintie of Faith shineth not before vs howe muche more modestie is to be vsed when we attempte a thyng of greatest weyghte For nothyng oughte to be more earnest vnto vs than the duties of religion Lett thys therefore be the firste consideration in vowes that we neuer come to the vowing of any thing but that conscience haue firste certainly determined that it attempteth nothing rashly But it shall then be free from danger of rashnesse when it shal haue God going before it and as it were enforming it by hys worde what is good or vnprofitable to be done In the other thing which we haue sayd to be here to be cōsidered this is conteyned that we measure our own strengthes that we haue an eie to our vocation that we neglect not the benefite of libertie which God hath geuen vs. For he that voweth that which eyther is not in his power or disagreeth with hys vocation is rash and he that despiseth the boūtifulnesse of God wherby he is appoynted Lord of all thynges is vnthankefull When I say thus I do not meane that any thyng is so sett in our own hande that standing vpon confidence of our own strength we may promise the same to God For it was most truly decreed in the Councell at Arausium that nothyng is ryghtly vowed to God but that which we haue receiued of hys hande forasmuch as all thynges that are offred hym are hys mere gyftes But sith some thynges are by gods goodnesse geuen vs and other some thynges by his equitie denyed vs let euery man as Paule commaundeth haue respect to the measure of grace geuen vnto hym Therefore I do here meane nothyng ells but that vowes must be tempered to the measure which the Lord prescribeth thee in his geuing lest if the attēpt further thā he permitteth thou throw thy selfe down hedlong with takyng to much vpon thee As for example When those murtherers of whom mentiō is made in Luke vowed that they would tast of no meate tyll Paule were slayen although the deuise had not ben wicked yet the rashnesse it selfe was not to be suffered that they made the lyfe and death of a man subiect to their power So Iephthe suffred punishment for hys folly whē with hedlong heate he conceiued an vnaduised vow In which kynde unmaried life hath the chefe place of mad boldnesse For sacrificing Prestes mōkes nonnes forgettyng their own weakenesse thinke themselues able to kepe vnmaryed lyfe But by what Oracle are they taught that they shall haue chastitie throughout al theyr lyfe to the very ende wherof they vowe it They heare the worde of God concernyng the vniuersal state of men It is not good for man to be alone They vnderstande and I would to God that they did not fele that synne remayning in vs is not without moste sharpe prickes Wyth what confidence dare they shake of the general callyng for al their life long wheras the gift of continence is oftener graūted for a certayne time as opportunitie requireth In such stubbornesse let them not loke for God to be their helper but let them rather remember that which is sayd Thou shalt not tēpt the Lord thy God And thys is to tempt God to endeuor agaynst the nature put in vs by hym and to despise his presēt giftes as though they nothyng belonged vnto vs. Which they not only do but also mariage it selfe which God thought it not agaynst his maiestie to institute which he hath pronoūced honorable in al men which Christ our Lord hath sanctified with hys presence which he vouchesaued to honor with his fyrst miracle they dare call defyling only to aduaunce with maruelous commendations a certayne vnmarryed lyfe of what sorte soeuer it be As though they themselues dyd not shewe a clere example in their life that vnmarryed state is one thyng and virginitie an other which their lyfe yet they most shamelesly call Angelyke doyng herein verily to great iniurie to the Angels of God to whom they compare whoremongers adulterers and somwhat ells muche worse and filthier And truely here nede no argumētes when they are openly confuted by the thing it selfe For we playnly se with howe horrible peines the Lord doth commonly take vengeance of suche arrogance and contempt of his giftes by to muche truste in themselues I spare for shame to speake of the more secrete faultes of which euen this that is already perceiued is to much It is out of controuersie that we oughte to vowe nothing that may hinder vs from seruing of our vocation As if a householder should vowe that he will leaue his wife and his children and take other charges in hande or if he that is fi lt to beare office when he is chosen doe vowe that he will be a priuate man But what is meant by this that our libertie shoulde not be despised hath some difficultie if it be not declared Therefore thus in fewe wordes I expounde it Sith God hath made vs Lordes of all things and hath so made them subiect vnto vs that we should vse them all for our commoditie there is no cause why we shoulde hope that it shal be and acceptable worke to God if we yelde our selues into bondage to the outwarde thinges which ought to be a helpe vnto vs. I say thys for this purpose because many
where he bryngeth in Wisedom begotten of God before all worldes and bearyng rule in the creation of thynges and in all the workes of God For to say that it was a certayne commaundement of God seruyng but for a tyme were very foolishe and vayne where as in deede it was Goddes pleasure at that tyme to shewe foorth his stedfast and eternall purpose yea and some thyng more secrete To whyche entente also maketh that sayinge of Christe My Father and I doo woorke euen to this daye For in sayinge That from the begynnyng of the worlde he was contynually woorkynge with his Father he doothe more openly declare that whyche Moses hadde more shortely touched We gather then that the meanynge of Goddes speakynge was this that the Worde hadde his office in the doynge of thynges and so they bothe had a common woorkynge togyther But moste playnely of all doothe Iohn speake when he shewethe that the same Woorde whyche from the begynnyng was God with God was togyther God the Father the cause of all thynges For he both geueth to the Worde a perfecte and abydyng essence and also assygneth vnto it some thyng peculiar to it selfe and plainlye sheweth how God in speakyng was the creatour of the worlde Therefore as all reuelacions proceding from God dooe well beare the name of the worde of God so oughte we yet to sette in the hyeste place that substancyall Worde the well spryng of all Oracles whiche being subiecte to no alteracion abideth alwayes one and the selfe same with God and is God hymselfe Here many dogges dooe barke agaynste vs whiche when they dare not openly take from him his Godhead doe secretly steale from him his Eternitie For they saye that the Worde then beganne firste to be when God in the creation of the world opened his holy mouthe But verie vndiscretelye dooe they to imagine a certaine innouacyon of the substaunce of God For as those names of God that haue relacion to his outwarde worke beganne to be geuen vnto hym after the being of his worke as for example thys that he is called the creatour of heauen and earth so doeth Godlynesse knowe or admitte no name that shoulde signifie any newe thinge in hymselfe to haue chaunced vnto God For if any shoulde come to him from ells where than in hymselfe then thys saying of Iames shoulde fayle that euery good geuing and euery perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lightes with whom is no variablenesse neyther shadowing by turning Therfore nothing is lesse to be suffred thā to faine a beginning of that Worde whiche both alwaye was God and afterwarde was creator of the worlde But full suttelly forsoth they reason that Moses in saying that God then first spake doeth secretlye shewe that there was no Worde in him before Whiche is a moste tryfling argumente For it foloweth not because a thyng at some one certaine time beginneth to be shewed openly that therefore it had neuer anye beyng before But I conclude farre otherwyse and saye seyng that in the same momente that God sayed lette lighte be made the power of the worde appeared and shewed it selfe the same Worde was longe before But if a man aske howe long before he shall fynde no beginnyng For he appointed no certayne space of tyme when hym selfe sayed Father glorifie me with the glory which I had wyth thee before the worlde was And thys thyng Iohn also left not vntouched because he fyrst sheweth that in the beginning the worde was with God before that he commeth to the creation of the worlde We saye therefore agayne that the Worde whyche was conceyued of God before any beginning of tyme was contynuallye remayninge wyth hym Whereby bothe hys eternitie true essence and Godhead is proued Althoughe I dooe not yet touche the person of the Mediator but do deferre it to that place where we shall specially entreate of the Redempcion yet because it oughte to be certaynly holden wythoute controuersie amonge al men that Christ is the same Word clad with flesh in this place will be very fitte to recite all those testimonies that proue Chryst to be God When it is sayed in the .xlv. Psalme thy throne O God is for euer and euer the Iewes doe cauill and saye that the name Elohim is also applied to the Angels and soueraigne powers But in all the Scripture there is not a like place that raiseth an eternall throne to any creature For he is here not simplye called God but also the eternall Lorde Againe this tittle is geuen to none but with an addicion as it is saied that Moses shal be for a God to Pharao Some rede it in the Genitiue case which is verye foolishe I graunte in dede that oftentimes a thing is called Diuine or of God that is notable by any singular excellence but here by the tenoure of the texte it appeareth that suche a meaning were harde and forced and will not agree But if their scubbornesse will not so yelde In Esaie is verie plainly broughte in for all one both Christe and God and he that is adorned with the soueraigne power whiche is properly belonging to God alone This saieth he is the name wherby they shall call him the strong God the Father of the world to come c. Here the Iewes barcke againe and turne the texte thus this is the name whereby the stronge God the father of the worlde to come shall call him so that they leaue this onely to the Sonne to bee called the Prince of peace But to what purpose shoulde so many names of addicion in this place bee heaped vpon God the Father seeyng it is the purpose of the Prophete to adorne Chryste with suche speciall notes as maie builde oure Faith vppon him Wherfore it is oute of doute that he is here in like sorte called the stronge God as he is a little before called Immanuell But nothing can be founde plainer than that place of Hieremie where he sayeth that this shall be the name whereby the sede of Dauid shall be called Iehouah oure righteousnesse For where the Iewes themselues doe teach that all other names of God are but adiectiue names of addicion and that this only name Iehouah whiche they call vnspeakable is a substantiue name to expresse hys essence we gather that the Sonne is the onely and eternall God which saith in an other place that he wil not geue his glory to an other But here also they seke to scape away because that Moses gaue that name to the Altare that he bilded and Ezechiel gaue it to the newe citie Hierusalem But who doth not see that the Altare was builded for a monumente that God was the auauncement of Moses And that Hierusalem is not adorned with the name of God but onely to testifie the presence of God For thus sayeth the Prophete The name of the citie from that day shal be Iehouah there And Moses sayth
a bare sufferance of hym to afflicte the holy man yet because that sayeng is true The Lorde hath geuen the Lord hath taken away as it pleased God so is it com to passe We gather that God was the author of that triall of Iob wherof Sathan and the wicked theues were ministers Sathan goeth about to dryue the holy man by desperation to madnesse The Sabees cruelly wickedly doo inuade and robbe his goodes that were none of theirs Iob knowledgeth that he 〈◊〉 by God stripped of all his goodes and made poore because it so pleased God Therfore whatsoeuer men or Satan hymselfe attempt yet God holdeth the sterne to tourne all their trauayles to the executyng of his iudgements It was Gods wil to haue the false kyng Achab deceiued the deuill offered his seruice therevnto he was sent with a certaine commaundement to be a lying spirite in the mouthe of all the Prophetes If the blyndyng and madnesse of Achab be the iudgement of God then the deuise of bare Sufferance is vaine For it were a fond thyng to say that the iudge doeth onely suffre and not also decree what he will haue doone and commaund the ministers to put it in execution It was the Iewes purpose to destroy Christ Pilate and the souldiors doo folowe their ragyng lust and yet in a solemne praier the disciples doo confesse that all the wicked men dyd nothyng els but that whiche the hande and counsell of God had determined euen as Peter had before preached that Christ was by the decreed purpose and foreknowledge of God deliuered to be slayne As if he shuld say that God from whome nothyng is hidden from the beginnyng did wittyngly and willyngly appoynt that whiche the Iewes did execute as in an other place heâ—â—herseth that God whyche shewed before by all his Prophetes that Christ shuld suffer hath so fulfilled it Absolon defilyng his fathers bed with incestuous adulterie committed detestable wickednesse Yet God pronounceth that this was his owne worke For the wordes are these Thou haste doone it secretely but I will doo it openly and before the sunne Hieremie pronounceth that all the crueltie that the Chaldees vsed in Iury was the woorke of God For which cause Nabucadnezer is called the seruant of God God euery where crieth out that with his hissyng with the souÌ„d of his trumpet with his power coÌ„mandement the wicked ar stirred vp to warre He calleth the Assyrian the rod of his wrath the axe that he moueth with his hande The destruction of the holy citie ruine of the Temple he calleth his worke Dauid not murmuring against God but acknowledging him for a rightuous iudge yet confesseth that the cursings of Semei proceded of the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God The Lord saith he coÌ„maunded him to curse We often finde in the holy historie that what soeuer happeneth it cometh of the Lord as the departing of the ten tribes the death of the sonnes of Hely and very many things of like sort They that be meanly exercised in the Scriptures do see that for shortnesses sake I bring forth of many testimonies but a few by which yet it appereth plainly enough that they do trifle talk fondly that thrust in a bare SufferaÌ„ce in place of the Prouidence of God as though God saie in a watche tower waityng for the chaunces of Fortune and so his iudgementes shoulde hang vppon the will of men Nowe as concerning secrete motions that which SalomoÌ„ speaketh of the hart of a king that it is bowed hether or thether as pleaseth God extendeth surely to all mankind and is as muche in effecte as if he had said what soeuer we conceiue in myndes is by the secret inspiration of God directed to his ende And truly if he did not worke in the myndes of men it were not rightly said that he taketh away the lippe from the true speakers and wisedom from aged men that he taketh the hart froÌ„ the Princes of the earthe that they maye wander where is no beaten waie And hereto belongeth that whyche we ofte reade that men are fearefull so farre foorth as theyr hartes bee taken with his feare So Dauid went out of the campe of Saule and none was ware of it because the slepe of God was come vpon theim all But nothyng can be desyred to be more playnly spoken than where he so oft pronounceth that he blyndeth the eies of men striketh them with giddynesse that he maketh them drunke with the spirite of drowsynesse casteth them into madnesse hardneth their harts These things also many do referre to Sufferance as if in forsaking the reprobate he suffred theÌ„ to be blinded by Satan But that solution is to fonde forasmuch as the Holy ghost in plain words expresseth that they are striken with blindnesse madnesse by the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God It is said that he hardned the hart of Pharao also that he did make dull strengthen it Some do with an vnsauory cauillation mocke out these phrases of speche because where in an other place it is said that Pharao did harden his owne hart there is his owne will set for the cause of his hardenyng As though these thynges did not very well agree together although in diuers maners that man while he is moued in working by God doeth also worke himself And I doo turne back their obiection against them selues For if to harden do signify but a bare Sufferance then the very motion of obstinacie shall not be proprely in Pharao Now how weake and foolishe were it so to expounde as if Pharao did only suffer hym self to be hardened Moreouer the Scripture cutteth of all occasions from suche cauillations For God sayth I will holde his harte So of the inhabitauntes of the land of Canaan Moses saith that thei went forth to bataile because the Lord had hardned their harts Which same thing is repeted by an other Prophet saying He turned their harts that they should hate his people Agayne in Esaie he saieth that he will sende the Assyrians against the deceytfull nation and will commaunde them to cary awaie the spoiles and violently take the praie not meanyng that he will teache wicked and obstinate men to obey willyngly but that he wil bowe them to execute his iudgementes as if they dyd beare his commaundementes grauen in their myndes Wherby appeareth that they were moued by the certaine appointement of God I graunte that God doeth oftentymes worke in the reprobate by Satans seruice as a meane but yet so that Satan doeth his office by Gods mouing procedeth so farre as is geuen hym The euill Spirite troubled Saule but it is sayde that it was of God that wee may knowe that the madnesse of Saule came of the iuste vengeance of God It is also said that the same Satan doth blind the myndes of the vnfaithfull but how so but only because the effectuall workyng of errour cometh
of pardon and reconciliation hee by and by tourneth to an other thing and wandereth about in longe superfluous circumstances rehersinge howe maruelously the Lorde gouerneth the frame of heauen and earth and the whole ordre of nature yet is there nothinge that serueth not fittly for the circumstance of the matter that he speaketh of For vnlesse the power of God wherby he is able to do all thinges be presently set before our eies our eares wil hardly heare the worde or wil not esteme it so much as it is worth Beside that her is declared his effectual power bicause godlinesse as we haue already shewed in an other place doth alwaie applie the power of God to vse and worke specially it setteth before it selfe those workes of God wherby he hath testified himselfe to be a father Herevpon commeth that in the Scriptures is so often mention made of the redemption wherby the Israelites might haue learned that God whiche was ones the author of saluation will be an euerlastinge preseruer thereof And Dauid putteth vs in mynde by hys owne exaumple that those benefites whiche God hathe particularly bestowed vpon euery man doe afterwarde auaile to the confyrmation of his faithe Yea when God seemeth to haue forsaken vs it behoueth vs to stretche oure wittes further that hys aunciente benefites maie recomforte vs as it is saide in an other Psalme I haue ben mindefull of olde daies I haue studied vpon all thy workes c. Againe I will remembre the workes of the Lorde and his meruelles from the beginning But bicause without the word all quickly vanisheth awaie that we conceiue of the power of God and of his woorkes therefore we do not without cause affyrme that there is no faithe vnlesse God geue lighte vnto it with testimonie of hys grace But here a question myghte bee moued what ys to bee thought of Sara and Rebecca bothe which being moued as it semeth with zele of saith passed beyonde the bondes of the word Sara when she feruently desyred the promysed issue gaue her bondmaide to her housbande It can not be denied but that shee many waies sinned but nowe I touche onely thys faulte that beinge carryed awaye wyth her zele she did not restraine herselfe within the bondes of Gods worde yet it is certaine that that desire proceeded of faith Rebecca being certified by the oracle of God of the electiō of her sonne Iacob ▪ procured his blessing by euell crafty meanes she deceued hir husbande the witnesse and minister of the grace of God shee compelled her sonne to lye she by dyuerse guiles and deceites corrupted the trueth of God Fynally in makinge a scorne of hys promise shee dyd as muche as in her laye destroie it And yet thys acte howe muche soeuer it was euell and woorthy of blame was not without faith for it was necessarie that she sholde ouercome many offenses that shee might so earnestly endeuoure to atteine that whiche without hope of earthly profite was ful of greate troubles daungers As wee may not say that the holy Patriarche Isaac was altogether without faithe bicause he beinge by the same oracle of God admonished of the honoure transferred to the yonger sonne yet cessed not to bee more fauourably bente to hys fyrste begotten sonne Esau. Truely these examples do teache that oftetimes erroures are mingled with faithe but yet so that faith if it be a true faith hath alwaie the vpper hande For as the particular erroure of Rebecca did not make void the effect of the blessing so neither did it make voide her faith whyche generally reigned in her mynde and was the beginning and cause of that doynge Neuerthelesse therein Rebecca vttered howe readye mans mynde is to fall so sone as he geueth hym selfe neuer so lyttle lybertie But thoughe mans defaut and weakenesse dothe darken faith yet it doth not quenche it in the meane time it putteth vs in minde how carefully wee oughte to hange vpon the mouthe of God and also confyrmeth that whyche wee haue taughte that faythe vanysheth awaye vnlesse yt bee vpholden by the woorde as the myndes boothe of Sara and Isaac and Rebecca hadde become vaine in theyr croked wanderinges out of the waie vnlesse thei had ben by Gods secret brydle holden in obedience of the worde Againe not without cause we include all the promises in Christ forasmuche as in the knowledge of him the Apostle includeth al the Gospell and in an other place he teacheth that all the promises of God are in him yea and Amen The reason whereof is ready to be shewed For if God promise any thinge he therein sheweth hys good will so that there is no promise of hys that is not a testimonie of his loue Neither maketh it any mater that the wycked when they haue great and continuall benefites of Gods liberalitie heaped vpon them doe thereby wrappe themselues in so much the more greuous iudgement For syth thei do neither thinke nor acknowlege that those things com vnto them frō the hande of God for if thei acknowlege it thei do not with themselues consider his goodnesse therefore thei can not thereby be better taught of his mercie than brute beastes which according to the measure of their estate do receiue the same frute of Gods liberalitie yet they perceiue it not Neither doth it any more make againste vs that many times in refusing the promises apointed for them they do by that occasion procure to them selues the greater vengeance For although the effectuall workinge of the promyses do then onely appeare when they haue founde faith with vs yet the force and natural propretie of them is neuer extinguyshed by oure vnbeleefe or vnthankfulnesse Therefore when the Lorde by hys promyses doth prouoke man not onely to receiue but also to thynke vpon the frutes of hys bountifulnesse hee doth therwith all declare vnto him hys loue Wherevpon we muste returne to thys poynte that euery promyse is a testifieng of Gods loue towarde vs. But it is out of question that no man is loued of God but in Christe he is the beloued Sonne in whome the loue of the Father abydeth and resteth and then from hym poureth it selfe abroade vnto vs as Paule teacheth that wee haue obteyned fauoure in the beloued one Therefore it muste needes bee deryued and come vnto vs by meane of hym For thys cause the Apostle in an other place calleth him oure peace in an other place hee setteth hym oute as a bonde whereby God is with fatherli natural kindenes bound vnto vs. It foloweth then that we must caste our eyes vpon hym so oft as any promyse ys offered vs. And that Paule teacheth no absurditie that all Gods promyses whatsoeuer they bee are confyrmed and fulfilled in hym There be certayne exaumples that make for the contrarie For yf ys not lykely that Naaman the Syrian when hee requyred of the Prophete the manner how to worship God arighte was instructed concerning the
maÌ„ that hath a takyng of profit in a pece of ground by an other mans liberall graunt do also claime to himselfe the title of propretie doth he not by such vnthankfulnesse deserue to lose the very self possession whiche he had Likewise if a bondslaue beyng made free of his Lord do hide the basenesse of the estate of a Libertine boaste himself to be a freeman borne is he not worthy to be brought back into his former bondage For this is the right vse of enioyeng a benefite if we neyther clayme to our selues more thaÌ„ is geueÌ„ nor do defraude the author of the benefite of his praise but rather do so behaue our selues that that which he hath geuen froÌ„ himself to vs may seme after a certaine maÌ„ner to remaine with him If this moderation be to be kept toward men let all men loke and consider what manner of moderation is due to God I know that the Sophisters do abuse certain places to proue therby that the name of Merit toward God is fouÌ„d in the Scriptures They allege a senteÌ„ce out of Ecclesiasticus Mercie shall make place to euery man accordyng to the Merit of his workes And out of the Epistle to the Hebrues Forget not doyng good and communicating for with such sacrifices men merite of God As for my right in resistyng the authoritie of Ecclesiasticus I doe now release it Yet I denye that they faithfully allege that which Ecclesiasticus whatsoeuer writer he were hath written For the Greke copie is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He shal make place to euery mercie and euery man shall finde accordyng to his workes And that this is the true text which is corrupted in the Latine translation appereth both by the framing of these wordes by a loÌ„ger ioyning together of the sentence goyng before In the Epistle to the Hebrues there is no cause why they should snare vs in one litle word when in the Greke wordes of the Apostle is nothing els but that such sacrifices do please are acceptable to God This alone ought largely to suffice to subdue beate downe the outragiousnesse of our pride that we faine not any worthinesse to workes beyoÌ„d the rule of Scripture Now the doctrine of the Scripture is that all our good workes are continually be sprinkled with many filthy spottes wherewith God may be worthily offended and be angry with vs so far is it of that they be able to winne him to vs or to prouoke his liberalitie toward vs Yet bicause he of his teÌ„der kindenesse doth not examine them by extremitie of law he taketh theÌ„ as if they were most pure and therfore though without merite he rewardeth them with infinite benefites bothe of this present life and of the life to come For I do not allow the distinctioÌ„ set by meÌ„ otherwise learned godly that good workes deserue the graces that are geuen vs in this life that eternal life is the reward of faith alone For the Lord doth coÌ„monly alway set in heauen the reward of labors and the crowne of battell Agayne to geue it so to the merit of workes that it be taken away from grace that the Lord heapeth vs with graces vpon graces is against the doctrine of the Scripture For though Christ sayth that to him that hath shal be geuen that the faithful and good seruant which hath shewed himself faithful in few thinges shal be set ouer many yet he also sheweth in an other place that the encreases of the faithful are the giftes of his free goodnesse All ye that thirst sayth he come to the waters ye that haue not monie come and bye milke and honye without monie and without any exchange What so euer therfore is now geuen to the faithfull for help of saluation yea blessedneâ—â—e it selfe is the mere liberalitie of God yet bothe in this and in those he testifieth that he hath consideration of workes bicause to testifie the greatnesse of his loue toward vs he vouchsaueth to graunt such honor not only to vs but also to the giftes which he hath geueÌ„ vs. If these things had in the ages past ben handled disposed in such order as thei ought to haue beÌ„ there had neuer arisen so many trobles dissensions Paul sayth that in the bulding of Christian doctrine we must kepe stil that fundation which he had layed amoÌ„g the CorinthiaÌ„s biside which no other can be layed that the same fundation is Iesus Christ. What maÌ„ner of fundatioÌ„ haue we in Christ is it that he was to vs the beginning of saluatioÌ„ that the fulfillyng therof shold follow of our selues hath he but only opened the way by which we should goe forward of our own streÌ„gth Not so but as he sayd a litle before when we acknowlege him he is geueÌ„ to vs for righteousnesse No maÌ„ therfore is wel founded in Christ but he that hath full righteousnesse in him for asmuch as the Apostle sayth not that he was sent to help vs to obteine righteousnesse but that he himself might be our righteousnesse Namely that we are chosen in him froÌ„ eternitie before the making of the world by no deseruyng of oures but accordyng to the purpose of the good pleasure of God that by his death we are redemed froÌ„ the daÌ„nation of death deliuered froÌ„ destruction that in him we are adopted of the heauenly father into children heires that by his bloud we are recoÌ„ciled to the Father that beyng geuen to him to be kept we are deliuered from peril of perishyng of beyng lost that beyng so engraffed in him we are alredy after a certaine manner partakers of eternall life beyng entred into the kingdome of God by hope and yet more that hauing obteined such partaking of him how so euer we be yet fooles in our selues he is wisdom for vs before God howsoeuer we be sinners he is righteousnesse for vs howsoeuer we be vncleane he is cleannesse for vs howsoeuer we be weake howsoeuer vnarmed lieng open in danger of Satan yet oures is the power which is geueÌ„ him in heaueÌ„ earth whereby he may treade downe SataÌ„ for vs breake the gates of helles howsoeuer we stil cary about with vs the body of death yet he is life for vs brefely that al his things are oures we in him haue all things in our selues nothing vpoÌ„ this foundation I say it behoueth that we be bulded if we wil encrease into a holy temple to the Lord. But the world hath a long time beÌ„ otherwise taught For there haue ben fouÌ„d out I wote not what moral good workes by which meÌ„ may be made acceptable to God before that thei be graffed in christ As though the Scripture lieth wheÌ„ it sayth that they are al in death which haue not possessed the Sonne If they be in death how shold thei bring forth matter of life As
maiestie Only my mynde was to teache certaine introductions wherby they that are touched with some zeale of religion myght bee instructed to true godlynesse And this trauayle I tooke principally for my contremen the Frenchemen of whoÌ„ I vnderstode very many to hunger and thirst for Christe but I sawe very fewe that had rightly receiued so much as any litle knowlege of him And that this was my meanyng the boke it selfe declareth beyng framed after a simple and playne maner of teachyng But when I perceyued that the furious rage of some wycked men hath so farre preuailed in your realme that in it there is no roome for sounde doctrine I thought I should doo a thyng worthe my trauayle all in one worke bothe to geue an instruction for them and to declare a confession to you wherby ye may learne what maner of doctrine that is agaynst which those furious men burne in so great rage who at this day trouble your realme with sweard and fyer For I will not feare to confesse that I haue in this woorke comprehended in maner the summe of that selfe same doctrine agaynst which they crie out that it ought to be punished with prisonment banishement condemnation without iudgement and with fyer that it ought to be chaced away by lande and sea I knowe in dede with how haynous informations they haue fylled your mynde and eares to make our cause most hatefull vnto you but this of your clemencie ought you to weye that there shal be no innocence neither in wordes nor dedes if it may be enough to accuse Truely if any to bryng the same in hatred shall allege that this Doctrine whereof I now go about to yelde accompt vnto you hath ben long agoe condemned by consente of all degrees and atteynted by many iugementes allready geuen in iudicial courtes al that he sayth shall amount to no more but that it hath partly ben violently throwen downe by the â—anding and power of the aduersaries therof and partly ben traitorously and fraudulently oppressed with their lyes and suttle practises and sclaunders Herein is violence shewed that without hearyng the cause bloody senteÌ„ces are pronouÌ„ced against it here in is Fraude that it is without deseruyng accused of sedition and euel doyng And that none may thynke that we wrongfully complayne of these thynges you your selfe can beare vs witnesse moste noble Kyng with how lyeng sclaunders it is dayely accused vnto you as that it tendeth to no other ende but to writhe from Kynges their scepters oute of their handes to throwe downe all iudges seates and iudgementes to subuerte all orders and ciuile gouernementes to trouble the peace and quiete of the people to abolish al lawes to vndo all proprieties and possessions finally to turne al thynges vpsyde downe And yet you heare the smallest portion For horrible thynges they spreade abroade among the people whiche if they were true the whole worlde myghte worthily iudge it with the mainteiners therof worthy of a thousande fiers and gallowes Who can now maruell that a common hatred is kindled agaynst it where suche moste wrongfull accusations are beleued Loe thys is the cause that all degrees agree and coÌ„spire to the condemning of vs and our doctrine They that sit to iudge beeing rauished with this affection pronounce for sentences their freconceiued determinations whyche they brought from home with them and thinke that they haue well enough discharged their duties if they commaunde no man to be drawen to execution but suche as are founde gylty eyther by theyr owne confession or by sufficient witnesse But of what fault of that condeÌ„ned doctrine say they But by what law coÌ„demned Herein should haue stande the succor of defense for them not to denie the doctrine it selfe but to mainteine it for true But here is all libertie ones to mutter vtterly cutt of from vs. Wherefore I doe not vniustly require most victorious king that it maye please you to take into your owne hande the whole hearing of the cause whiche hetherto hath ben troblesomly handled or rather carelesly tossed without al order of law more by outragious heate than iudiciall grauitie Neyther yet thynke that I here goe about to make myne owne priuate defense whereby I may procure to my selfe a safe returne into my natiue contree to whiche althoughe I beare such affection of naturall loue as becometh me yet as the case nowe is I not miscontentedly want it But I take vppon me the common cause of all the Godly yea and the cause of Christe himselfe whiche at thys day hauing ben by all meanes torne and troden downe in your kyngdome lyeth as it were in despeired case and that in dede rather by the tyranny of certaine Pharisees than by your owne knowlege But howe that cometh to passe it is not here nedeful to tell truely it lyeth in great distresse For thus farr haue the vngodly preuailed that the truethe of Christ be not destroyed beyng chaced away and scattered abrode yet it lyeth hydden as buried and vnregarded as for the silly poore Chirch it is eyther wasted with cruell slaughters and so dryuen away with banishmentes or dismayed with threatens and terrors that it dare not ones open her mouth And yet stil they continue with such rage and fercenesse as they are wont thruâ—ting strongly against the wall alredy bending and the ruine whiche themselues haue made In the meane tyme no maÌ„ steppeth fourth to set hymselfe in defense agaynst suche furies And they if there be any suche that will moste of all seme to fauor the truthe say no more but that it were good to pardon the error and vnskilfulnesse of ignorante men For thus the good natured men forsoothe do speake calling that error and vnskilfulnesse whiche they knowe to be the most certaine trueth of God calling them ignorante men whoe 's witt they see that Christe hath not so despised but that he hath vouchesaued to communicate to them the mysteries of hys heauenly wysedome So muche are all ashamed of the Gospell It shal be your office most noble King not to turne away your eares nor youre mynde fâ—oÌ„ so iust a defense specially when so great a mater is in question namely how the glorie of God may be mainteined safe in earth how the trueth of God may kepe her honor how Christ may haue hys kyngdome preserued whole among vs. Thys is a mater worthy for your eares worthy for your iugement worthy for your royall throne For euen this thoughte maketh a true King to acknowlege hymselfe in the gouernance of hys kyngdome to be the minister of God Neyther doth he now vse a kyngdome but a robberie which reigneth not to thys ende that he may serue the glorie of God And he is deceiued that loketh for a long prosperitie of that kyngdome whiche is not ruled by the scepter of God that is by hys holy worde forasmuche as the heauenly Oracle can not proue vayne whereby it is proclaymed that the people shal be scattered
fayth of the godly is grounded vpon the authoritie of the church nor meaneth that the certaintie of the gospel doth hang therupon but simplye and onely that there should be no assurednesse of the gospel to the infidels wherby they might be wonne to Chryst vnlesse the consent of the church did driue them vnto it And the same meanyng a litle before he doth plainly confirme in this saying When I shall praise that which I beleue and scorne that which thou beleuest what thiÌ„kest thou mete for vs to iudge or do but that we forsake such men as first call vs to come and knowe certaine truethes and after commaunde vs to beeleue thinges vncertaine and that we folowe theÌ„ that require vs first to beleue that which we are not yet able to see that being made strong by beleuing we may atteine to vnderstande the thing that we beleue not menne nowe but God himselfe inwardly strengthning and geuing lighte to oure minde These are the very words of Augustine wherby euery man may easely gather that the holy man had not this meaning to hang the credite that we haue to the Scriptures vpon the wil and awardemente of the churche but onely to shewe this which we our selues also do confesse to be true that they which are not yet lightened with the spirite of god are brought by the reuerence of the churche vnto a willyngnesse to bee taught so as they can finde in their hartes to learne the faith of Christ by the gospel and that thus by this meane the authoritie of the church is an introduction wherby we are prepared to beleue the gospel For as we see his minde is that the assuraunce of the godly be staied vpon a farre other foundacion Otherwise I do not deny but that he often presseth the Manichees with the consent of the whole churche when he seketh to proue the same Scripture which they refused And from hence it came that he so reproched Faustus for that he did not yelde hymselfe to the trueth of the gospel so grounded â–ª so stablished so gloriously renomed from the very time of the Apostles by certaine successions perpetuallye commended But he neuer trauaileth to this ende to teach that the authoritie which we acknowledge to be in the Scripture hangeth vppon the determinacion or decree of men But onely this which made much for him in the mater that he disputed of he bringeth forth the vniuersal iudgemeÌ„t of the church wherein he had the auauÌ„tage of his aduersaries If any desire a fuller proufe herof let him reade his boke concernynge the profit of beleuing Where he shall finde that there is no other redinesse of beliefe commended vnto vs by him but that which only geueth vs an entrie and is vnto vs a conuenient beginning to enquire as he termeth it and yet not that we ought to rest vpon bare opinion but to leane to the certaine and sounde trueth We ought to holde as I before sayd that the credit of this doctrine is not established in vs vntil such time as we be vndoutedly perswaded that God is the author therof Therfore the principal profe of the Scripture is coÌ„monly taken of the person of God the speaker of it The Prophetes and Apostles bost not of their own sharpe wit or any such thigs as procure credit to mâ—n that speake neither stande they vpon proues by reason but they bring forth the holy name of God therby to compell the whole world to obedience Now we haue to see howe not onely by probable opinion but by apparant truth it is euideÌ„t that in this behalfe the name of God is not without cause nor deceitfully preteÌ„ded If then we wil prouide wel for consciences that they be not continually caryed about with vnstedfast douting nor many wauer nor stay at euery small stop this maner of perswasion must be fetched deper then from either the reasons iudgementes or the coniectures of men euen from the secrete testimony of the holy ghoste True in dede it is that if we lysted to worke by way of argumeÌ„tes many thinges might be alleged that may easily proue if there be any God in heauen that the law the prophecies and the gospell came from hym Yea although men learned and of depe iudgemente would stande vp to to the contrary and would employ and shew forth the whole force of their wittes in this disputacion yet if they be not so hardened as to become desperatly shamelesse they woulde be compelled to confesse that there are seen in the Scripture manifest tokens that it is God that speaketh therin wherby it maye appeare that the doctrine therof is froÌ„ heaueÌ„ And shortly hereafter we shal se that al the bokes of the holy Scripture do farre excel al other writinges what soeuer they be Yea if we bring thether pure eies and vncorrupted senses we shal forthwith finde there the maiestie of God which shall subdue al hardnesse of gainesaying and enforce vs to obey him But yet they do disorderly that by disputacion trauaile to establishe the perfecte credit of the Scripture And truely although I am not furnished with great dexteritie nor eloquence yet if I were to contende with the moste luttle despisers of God that haue a desier to shew themselues wytty and plesaunt in febling the authoritie of Scripture I trust it should not be harde for me to put to silence their bablinges And if it 〈◊〉 profitable to spende labor in confuting their cauillations I would with no great businesse shake in sunder the bragges that they mutter in corners But though a man do deliuer the sounde word of God from the reproches of men yet that sufficeth not fourthwith to fasten in theyr hartes that assurednesse that godlynesse requireth Prophane men because they thynke religion standeth onely in opinion to the ende they woulde beleue nothing fondly or lightly do couet and require to haue it proued to them by reason that Moises and the Prophetes spake from God But I answere that the testimonie of the holy ghost is better thaÌ„ all reason For as onely God is a conueniente witnesse of hymselfe in hys owne worde so shal the same worde neuer finde credit in the hartes of men vntil it be sealed vp with the inwarde witnesse of the holy ghost It behoueth therfore of necessitie that the same holy ghost whiche spake by the mouth of the Prophetes do entre into our hartes to perswade vs that they faythfully vttered that which was by God commaunded them And this order is very aptly set fourth by Esay in these words My spirite which is in thee and the wordes that I haue to put in thy mouth and in the mouth of thy sede shal not faile for euer It greueth some good men that they haue not ready at hande some cleare proufe to allege when the wicked do without punishment murmure against the worde of God As though the holy ghost were not for this cause called both a seale and a
pledge because vntill he do lighten mens minds they do alway wauer among many doutinges Let this therfore stande for a certainly perswaded trueth that they whom the holy ghost hath inwardly taught doe wholy reste vppon the Scripture and that the same Scripture is to be credited for it selfsake ought not to be made subiect to demonstracioÌ„ and reasons but yet that the certaintie which it getteth among vs it atteineth by the witnesse of the holy ghost For though by the only maiestie of it selfe it procureth reuerence to be geuen to it yet then only it throughly perceth our affectioÌ„s when it is sealed in our hartes by the holy gost So being lightened by his vertue we do then beleue not by our own iudgemeÌ„t or other meÌ„s that the Scripture is froÌ„ God but aboue al mans iudgement we holde it most certainly determined euen as if we behelde the maiestie of God himselfe there present that by the ministery of men it came to vs from the very mouth of God We seke not for argumentes and likelhodes to rest our iudgement vpon but as to a thing without al compasse of consideracion we submit our iudgement and wit vnto it And that not in such sort as some are wont sometime hastily to take holde of a thing vnknowen which after being throughly perceiued displeaseth them but because we are in our consciences wel assured that we hold an inuincible truth Neither in such sort as silly men ar wont to yelde their mynde in thraldom to superstitions but because we vndoutedly perceiue therin the strength and breathing of the diuine maiestie wherewith we are drawen and stirred to obey both wittingly and willingly and yet more liuely and effectually than mans wil or wit can attaine And therefore for good cause doth God cry out by Esay that the Prophetes wyth the whole people do beare him witnesse because being taughte by the prophecies they did vndoutedly beleue without guile or vncertaintie that God himselfe had spoken Such therfore is our perswasion as requireth no reasons such is our knowledge as hath a righte good reason to maintaine it euen such a one wherin the minde more assuredly and stedfastly resteth than vpon any reasons suche is oure feling as cannot procede but by reuelacion from heauen I speake nowe of none other thing but that which euery one of the faithful doth by experieÌ„ce find in himselfe sauing that my wordes do much want of a full declaratioÌ„ of it I leaue here many thinges vnspoken because there wil be els where againe a conuenient place to entreate of this matter Onely now let vs know that onely that is the true faith which the spirite of God doth seale in our hartes Yea with this onely reason wil the sobre reder and willing to learne be contented Esay promeseth that al the childreÌ„ of the renewed churche shal be the scholars of God A singular priuilege therin doth God vouchsaue to graunt to his elect onely whom he seuereth from all the rest of mankinde For what is the beginning of true doctrine but a redy cherefulnesse to heare the voice of God But God requireth to be heard by the mouth of Moises as it is written say not in thy harte who shal ascende into heauen or who shal descende into the depe the worde is euen in thine own mouth If it be the pleasure of God that this treasure of vnderstanding be layed vp in store for hys chyldren it is no marueil nor vnlikely that in the common multitude of meÌ„ is seen such ignoraunce and dullnesse The common multitude I call euen the most excellent of them vntil such time as they be graffed into the bodye of the church Moreouer Esay geuing warning that the Prophetes doctrine should seme incredible not onely to straungers but also to the Iewes that woulde be accompted of the householde of God addeth this reason because the arme of God shall not be reueled to al men So oft therfore as the smallnesse of nuÌ„ber of the beleuers doth trouble vs on the other side let vs call to minde that none can comprehende the misteries of God but they to whom it is geuen ¶ The .viii. Chapter That so farre as mans reason may beare there are sufficient proues to stablyshe the credite of Scripture VNlesse we haue this assuraunce whiche is bothe more excellent and of more force than any iudgement of man in vayne shall the authorytie of Scripture eyther bee strengthened with argumentes or stablished with consente of the churche or confyrmed with any other meanes of defence For vnlesse this fundation bee layde it still remayneth hangynge in doubte As on the other syde when exemptynge it from the common state of thynges we haue embraced it deuoutely and accordyng to the worthynesse of it then these thynges become very fitte helpes which before were but of small force to graffe and fasten the assurance therof in our myndes For it is meruaylous howe greate establishemente groweth herof when with earnest studye we consider howe orderly and well framed a disposition of the diuine wisedom appereth therin howe heauenly a doctrine in euery place of it and nothyng sauoryng of earthlynesse howe beautyful an agreement of all the partes amonge theym selues and suche other thynges as auayle to procure a maiestie to writynges But more perfectly are oure hartes confirmed when we consyder howe we are euen violently caried to an admiration of it rather with dignitie of matter than with grace of woords For this also was not done without the singular prouidence of God that the hye misteries of the heauenly kingdome should for the moste part be vttered vnder a contemptible basenesse of words least if it hadde ben beautified with more glorious speache the wicked shoulde cauill that the onely force of eloquence doeth reigne therein But when that roughe and in a maner rude simplicitie dooeth rayse vp a greater reuerence of it selfe than any rhetoricians eloquence what may we iudge but that there is a more myghty strength of truthe in the holye Scripture than that it nedeth any art of wordes Not withoute cause therefore the Apostle maketh his argument to proue that the faythe of the Corinthians was grounded vpon the power of God and not vpon mans wysedom bycauâ—e his preachyng among them was set foorth not with enticyng speche of mans wisedom but in playne euidence of the spirite and of power For the truthe is then sette free from all doubtyng when not vpholden by forayne aides it selfe alone suffiseth to susteyne it self But how this power is proprely alone belongyng to the scripture hereby appereth that of all the writynges of menne be they neuer so connyngly garnyshed no one is so farre able to pearce our affections Reade Demosthenes or Cicero reade Plato Aristotle or any other of all that sorte I graunt they shall meruailously allure delite moue and rauishe thee But if from them thou come to this holy readyng of Scriptures wylte thou or not it shall
of idols as though it were not a litle lighter matter to worship thaÌ„ to serue And yet while they seke a hole to hide theÌ„ in the Greke word they childishly disagre with themselues For seing Latreuein in Greke signifieth nothing but to worship their saying coÌ„meth but to this effect as if they woulde say that they worship in dede their images but without any worshippinge And there is no cause why they shuld say that I seke to catch theÌ„ in words but they theÌ„selues while they seke to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple do bewray their own ignoraunce And yet though they be neuer so eloquent they shal not atteine by their eloquence to proue vnto vs that one selfe same thing is two sondry thinges Let theÌ„ say I shewe me a difference in that thing it selfe wherby they may be thought to differ froÌ„ the old idolaters For as an adulterer or a murderer caÌ„not escape giltinesse of his faulte by geuing his sinne a newe deuised name so is it a verye absurditie to thinke that these men be quitte by newe deuise of a name if in the matter it selfe they nothing differ froÌ„ those idolaters whom they theÌ„selues are coÌ„pelled to condeÌ„ne But so far are they froÌ„ prouing that their case differeth froÌ„ the case of those idolaters that rather the fountaine of al this whole mischiefe is an vnorderly counterfaiting wherin they haue striued with them while both with their own witt they deuise and with their own handes they frame them signifieng formes to expresse them a fashion of God And yet am I not so superstitious that I thinke no images maye be suffred at al. But forasmuch as caruing and painting are the giftes of God I require that they both be purely and lawfully vsed Least these things which god hath geueÌ„ vs for his glory for our own benefite be not only defiled by disordred abuse but also turned to our owne destructioÌ„ We thinke it vnlawful to haue God fashioned oute in visible forme because himselfe hath forbiddeÌ„ it because it cannot be done wythoute some defacemente of hys glory And least they thynke that it is onelye we that are in this opinioÌ„ they that haue ben trauailed in their works shall finde that all sounde writers did alway reproue the same thynge If then it be not lawfull to make any bodily image of God muche lesse shall it be lawfull to worshippe it for God or God in it It remayneth therefore lawfull that onelye those thynges bee painted and grauen whereof our eies are capable but that the maiestie of God which is far aboue the sense of our eies be not abused with vncomly deuised shapes Of this sorte are partly histories and thinges done partly images and fashions of bodies withoute expressing of any thinges done by them The first of these haue some vse in teaching or admonishing a man but what profite the seconde can bring saue only delectacion I see not And yet it is euident that euen such were almost al the images that heretofore haue stande vp in churches Wherby we may iudge that they were there set vp not by discrete iudgemente or choise but by folishe and vnaduised desire I speake not howe muche amisse and vncomely they wer for the moste parte fashione nor howe licentiously paynters and caruers haue in this pointe shewed their wantonnesse whiche thynge I haue alredy touched Only I speake to this end that though there wer no fault in them yet do they nothing auaile to teache But leauing also that difference let vs by the waye consider whether it be expedient in Christian temples to haue any images at al that doe expresse either thinges done or the bodies of men Fyrst if the authoritie of the aunciente churche doe any thyng moue vs let vs remember that for about v. C. yeares together while religion yet better florished and sincere doctrine was in force the Christian churches were vniuersally without images So they were then first brought in for the garnishment of churches when the sinceritie of ministracion was not a lyttle altered I wil not now dispute what reason they had with them that were the first authors therof But if a man compare age with age he shall see that they were muche swarued from that vpryghtnesse of them that were wythoute images What doe we thynke that those holye fathers would haue suffered the church to be so long wythoute the thyng which they iudged profitable and good for them But rather because they saw eyther litle or no profit in it and much daunger to lurke vnderneth it they did rather of purpose and aduisedly reiect it than â—y ignoraunce or negligence omytte it Whyche thyng Augustine doeth also in expresse words testifie When they be set in such places saieth he honorably on hye to be seen of them that pray and doe Sacrifice although they want both sense and lyfe yet with the very likenesse that they haue of liuelye members and senses they so moue the weake mindes that they seeme to liue and breath c. And in an other place For that shape of members doeth worke and in manner enforce thus muche that the minde liuing within a body doeth thynke that body to haue sense whiche he seeth like vnto his own And a litel after Images do more auaile to bow down an vnhappy soule but this that they haue mouth eyes eares and fete than to amend it by this that they neyther speake nor see nor heare nor goe This truely semeth to be the cause why Iohn willed vs to beware not onelye of worshipping of images but also of images themselues And we haue founde it to muche in experience that throughe the horrible madnesse whiche hath heretofore possessed the worlde to the destruccyon in manner of all godlynesse so sone as images be set vp in churches there is as it were a signe sette vp of idolatrie because the folly of men cannot refraine it selfe but it muste foorthwith runne on to supersticious worshippinges But if there were not so muche daunger hanging thereby yet when I consider for what vse temples are ordeined me thinkes it is verie ill beseming the holinesse therof to receiue any other images than these liuely natural images whiche the LORDE by hys woorde hath consecrate I meane Baptisme and the Lordes supper and other ceremonies wherewyth our eies ought both more earnestly to be occupyed and more liuely to be moued than that they should nede any other images framed by the witt of men Loe this is the incomparable commoditie of images whiche can by no value be recompensed if we beleue the papistes I thinke I had spoken enough of this thing alreadye but that the Nicene Synode doeth as it were laye hande on me to enforce me to speake more â–ª I meane not that most famous Synode which CoÌ„staÌ„tine the Great assembled but that which was holden eyght hundred yeares ago by the commaundemente and authoritie of Irene the Empresse For
that he created the sunne A godly man therfore wil not make the sunne to be ether a principal or a necessary cause of those thinges which were before the creation of the sunne but only an instrumeÌ„t which God vseth because it so pleaseth him wheras he might leaue it do al thinges as easily by himselfe Then when we rede that the sunne stode stil two daies in one degree at that praier of Iosua and that the shadowe thereof went backe ten degrees for Ezechias his sake by those fewe miracles God hath declared that the sunne doth not daily so rise and go down by blinde instincte of nature but that he to renew the remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his fatherly fauor toward vs doth gouerne the course therof Nothing is more natural than spryng tyde to come immediatly after wiÌ„ter somer after spryng haruest in course after sommer But in this orderly course is plainly seen so great and so vnegal diuersitie that it may easily appere that euery yere moneth and day is gouerned by a new and speciall Prouidence of God And truely God doth claime and will haue vs geue vnto him an almightinesse not such as the Sophisters do imagine vaine idle and as it were sleping but waking effectual working and busied in continual doing Nor such a one as is only a general beginning of a coÌ„fused motion as if he would commaunde a ryuer to flowe by hys appointed chanels but such a one as is bent and redy at al his particular mouinges For he is therfore called almighty not because he can do and yet sytteth stil and doth nothing or by general instinct only continueth the order of nature that he hath before appointed but because he gouernyng both heauen and earth by his Prouidence so ordreth all thynges that nothyng chaunceth but by hys aduised purpose For whereas it is sayed in the Psalme that he doth whatsoeuer he will therin is meant his certayn determined will For it were very fond to expound the Prophets wordes after the Philosophers maner that God is the first Agent or doer because he is the beginning and cause of al mouing wheras the faithful ought rather in aduersitie to ease themselues with thys comfort that they suffer nothyng but by the ordinaunce and commaundement of God because they are vnder hys hande If then the gouernemente of God do so extende to al his workes it is a very childishe cauillation to enclose it within the influence of nature And yet they doe no more defraude God of his glory than themselues of a most profitable doctrine whosoeuer do restrayn the Prouidence of God within so narrowe boundes as if he suffred al thynges to be carryed wyth an vngouerned course according to a perpetual law of nature For nothyng were more miserable than man if he should be left subiect to euery motion of the heauen the aire the earth and the waters Besyde that by that meane the singular goodnesse of God towarde euery man is to much vnhonorably diminished Dauid cryeth out that babes yet haÌ„gyng on their mothers brestes are eloquent enough to magnify the glory of God because eueÌ„ so sone as they be come out of the wombe they fynde fode prepared for theÌ„ by his heauenly care This is in dede generally true so that yet our eyes senses ouerpasse not that vnmarked which experyence playnly sheweth that some mothers haue ful and plentifull brestes some other almost dry as it pleaseth God to fede one more liberally and an other more scarcelyeâ— But they which geue the due prayse to the almightinesse of God do receiue double profit therby the one that he hath sufficiently large abilitie to do them good in whoe 's possession are both heauen and earth and to whoe 's becke al creatures do attend vpon to yeld themselues to his obedience the other that they may safely reste in his protection to whoe 's wil are subiect al these hurtful thynges that may any way be feared by whoe 's authorite as with a bridle SataÌ„ is restrained with al his furies and al his preparation vpon whoe 's beck doth hang all that euer is against our safetie And no other way but this can the immesurable and superstitious feares be corrected or appeased which we oftentimes conceiue by daungers happening vnto vs. Superstitiously fearfull I saye we be if where creatures do threaten vs or geue vs any cause of feare we be so afrayed therof as if they had of thâ—mselues any force or power to do vs harme or did vnforeseen or by chaunce hurt vs or as if against the hurtes that they do there were not sufficient helpe in God As for example The Prophete forbyddeth the children of God that they shold not feare the sterres and sygnes of the heauen as the vnbeleuers are wont to do He condemneth not euery kynde of feare But wheÌ„ the vnbeleuers to geue away the gouernement of the worlde from God vnto Planets do fayne that their felicitie or misery doth hang on the decrees and foreshewinges of the starres and not on the wil of God so commeth it to passe that their feare is withdrawen away from that onely one whoÌ„ they ought to haue regarded vnto the starres and comets Whoso therfore wil beware of this vnfaythfulnesse lette hym kepe alwayes in remembraunce that there is not in the creatures a waÌ„dryng power working or motioÌ„ but that they are gouerned by the secrete counsel of God so that nothing can chaunce but that which is decreed by hym both witting and willing it so to be First therfore let the readers learne that Prouidence is called that not wherwith God idlely beholdeth from heauen what is done in the world but wherewith as guiding the sterne he sitteth and ordreth al thynges that come to passe So doth it no lesse belong to his handes than to his eies For when Abraham sayed vnto hys sonne God shal prouide he meant not onely that God dyd forknowe the successe then to come but that he did cast the care of a thing to hym vnknowen vpon the will of God which is wont to bring thinges doutful and confused to a certaine end Wherby foloweth that Prouidence consisteth in doing for to much fondely doo many trifle in talkyng of bare forknowledge Their error is not altogyther so grosse whiche geue vnto God a gouernement but disordered and without aduised choise as I haue before sayd that is to saye suche as whirleth and driueth aboute with a generall motion the frame of the worlde with all the partes therof but doeth not peculiarly directe the doyng of euery creature Yet is this error not tollerable For as they teache it may be notwithstanding this Prouidence which they cal vniuersal that al creatures may be moued by chauÌ„ce or man maye turne hymselfe hether or thether by fre choise of his wil. And so doe they part the gouernemeÌ„t betwene God man that God by his power inspireth into maÌ„ a motion wherby he may worke
pestileÌ„ce He wil couer thee vnder hys wynges thou shalt be sure vnder hys fethers His truth shal be thy shield buckler Thou shalt not be afraid of the feare of the night nor of the arrow that flyeth by day nor of the pestileÌ„ce that walketh in the darknesse nor of the plage that destroyeth at none day And from thense procedeth that boldnesse of the Saintes to glorye The Lord is my helper I wil not feare what flesh may doe to me The Lord is my protector why shal I be afrayed If whole campes stande vp agaynst me if I walke in the middest of the shadow of death I will not cease to hope well Whense I pray you haue they this that their assurednesse is neuer shaken away from them but hereby that where the world semeth in shewe to be without order whirled aboute they knowe that God worketh euery whereâ— whoe 's worke they trust shal be for their preseruation Now if their safetie be assailed either by the deuil or by wicked men in that case if they were not strengthened with remembrance and meditation of Prouidence they must nedes by and by be discouraged But when they cal to minde that the deuil and al the route of the wicked are so euery way holden in by the hande of God as with a bridle that they can neyther conceiue any mischiefe agaynste vs nor goe aboute it when they haue conceiued it nor if they goe neuer so muche about it caÌ„ stirre one finger to bring it to passe but so far as he shal suffer yea so far as he shal coÌ„maunde and that they are not onely holden fast bounde with fetters but also coÌ„pelled with bridle to do seruice here haue they abundaÌ„tly wherw t to comfort theÌ„selues For as it is the Lordes worke to arme their furie and to turne and direct it whether it pleaseth him so is it his woorke also to appointe a measure and ende that they dooe not after their own will licentiously triumphe With which perswasion Paule being stablished did by the sufferaunce of God appoint his iourney in an other place which he said was in one place hindred by SataÌ„ If he had onely sayed that he had been stopped by Satan he should haue semed to geue him to much power as if it had ben in Satans hande to ouerthrowe the very purposes of God but when he maketh God the iudge vpon whoe 's sufferaunce all iourneyes doe hang he doeth therewithall shewe that Satan whatsoeuer he goe about can atteine nothing but by gods wil. For the same reason doth Dauid because for the sondrye chaunges wherwith mans life is tossed and as it were whirled aboute he doeth flee to this sanctuary saieth that his times are in the hande of God He might haue said either the course of his life or time in the singular nomber But by the worde Times he meant to expresse that howesoeuer the state of man be vnstedfast whatsoeuer alterations do nowe and then happen they are gouerned by God For whiche cause Rasin and the king of Israel when ioyning their powers to the destruction of Iuda they semed as fierbrandes kindled to wast and coÌ„sume the land are called by the Prophete smoking brandes which can do nothyng but breath out a little smoke So when Pharao was terrible to all men by reason of hys richesse strength and number of men he himselfe is compared to a beast of the Sea and hys army to fishes Therfore God saieth that he will take the Capitaine and the army with his hoke draw them whether he liste Finally because I will not tary long vpon thys point if a man marke it he shal easily see that the extremitie of al miseries is the ignoraunce of gods Prouidence and the chiefe blessednesse standeth in the knowledge therof Concerning the Prouidence of God thys that is saied were enoughe for so much as is profitable both for the perfect learning and comforte of the faithful for to fil the vaine curiositie of men nothing can be sâ—ffycyent neither is it to be wished that they be satisfied were it not for certayne places whiche seme to meane otherwyse than is aboue declared that God hath not a stedfast and stable purpose but changeable accordyng to the disposition of inferior thynges Firste in some places is spoken of the repentaunce of God as that he repented hym of the creatyng of man of the aduauncing of Saul to the kingdome And that he will repent hym of the euil that he had determined to lay vpon his people so sone as he perceiueth any conuersion of them Agayne there are rehearsed diuerse repelles of hys decrees He had declared by Ionas to the Niniuites that after .xl. dayes ones past Niniue should be destroyed but by and by he was turned with their repentaunce to a more geÌ„tle sentence He had by the mouth of Esay pronounced death to Ezechias which he was moued by his teares and prayers to differre Hereupon many do make argument that God hath not appoynted mens matters by eternal decree but yerely daily hourely decreeth this or that as euery mans deseruinges are or as he thynketh it equitie and iustice Concerning his repentaunce thys we ought to holde that the same caÌ„ no more be in God thaÌ„ ignoraunce error and weakenesse For if no man do wittingly and willingly throw hymselfe into the case that he nede to repente we can not say that God doth repeÌ„t but that we must also say that God is ignoraunt what wil come to passe or that he can not auoide it or that he headlong and vnaduisedly runneth into a purpose wherof he by by for thinketh him But that is so far from the meaning of the Holy ghost that in the very meÌ„tion making of repentaunce he denyeth that God had any repenting at all because he is not a man that maye repente And it is to be noted that in the same chapter they are both so ioyned together yâ— the comparison doth very well bryng the shewe of repugnancie to agrement His changing is figuratiuely spoken that God repented that he had made Saul king by and by after it is added The strength of Israel shal not lye nor shal be moued with repenting Because he is not a man that he may repent In which wordes his vnchangeablenesse is affirmed plainly without any figure Therfore it is certayne that the ordinaunce of God in disposyng the matters of men is perpetuall and aboue al repentaÌ„ce And that his constance should not be doutefull his very aduersaries haue been compelled to beare hym witnesse For Balaam whether he would or no could not choose but brust out into this saying that he is not like a man to lye nor as a sonne of man to be changed and that it is not possible that he shoulde not doe that he hath sayed and not fulfill what soeuer he hath spoken What meaneth then this name of Repentaunce euen in
we ought bothe to wil and to runne but bicause God worketh bothe in vs. No lesse vnaptly doe some wreste that sayeng of Paule We are the workers with God whiche out of doubt ought to be restrayned only to the ministers and that they are called workers with him not that they bryng any thing of themselues but bycause God vseth their seruice after that he hath made them mete and furnished with necessarie giftes They bring forth Ecclesiasticus whoe as it is not vnknowen is a writer of whose authoritie is doubted But although we refuse it not whiche yet we maye lawfully doe what doth he testifie for freewill He sayeth that man so sone as he was created was lefte in the hande of his owne counsell that commaundementes were geuen him which if he obserued he should agayne be preserued by them that before manne was set life and death good and euell that what so euer he would should be geuen hym Be it that manne receyued from his creation power to obteine eyther life or death What if on the other side we aunswere that he loste it Truely my minde is not to speake agaynst Salomon whiche affirmeth that man at the beginnyng was create vpright and he forged vnto himselfe many inuentions But bycause manne in swaruyng loste as it were by shipwrecke bothe him selfe and all his good thinges it foloweth not by and by that all that is geuen to his firste creation belongeth to his nature beyng corrupted and degenerate Therefore I answere not to them onely but also to Ecclesiasticus him selfe what so euer he be If thou meane to instruct man to seke within him selfe power to atteine saluation thy authoritie is not of so great force with vs that it maye be any preiudice be it neuer so small against the vndoubted worde of God But if thou only studie to restraine the malice of the flesh whiche in layeng the blame of her owne euels vpon God vseth to seke a vayne defense for it selfe and therefore thou answerest that vprightnesse was geuen vnto men whereby it maye appere that him selfe was cause of his owne destruction I willingly agree vnto it so that againe thou agree in this with me that nowe by his owne faulte he is spoyled of those ornamentes wherewith God had clothed him at the beginnyng and that so we confesse together that now he more needeth a Physician than a defender Yet they haue nothing oftener in their mouth than the parable of Christ of the way faryng man whome theues layde abrode half dead in the waye I know that it is common almost with all writers that the calamitie of mankynde is represented vnder the figure of that wayfaryng man ThereupoÌ„ do our aduersaries gather an argumeÌ„t that man is not so maymed with the robberie of sinne and the Deuell but that he kepeth still remayning the leauinges of his former good thinges for asmuch as it is said that he was leâ—t half aliue For where is that half life vnlesse some portion both of right reason and will remayned Firste if I would not geue place to their allegorie I beseche you what wold they do For there is no doubt that it was deuised by the fathers biside the natural sense of the Lordes wordes Allegories ought to goe no further than they haue the rule of Scripture goyng before them so far is it of that they be by theÌ„selues sufficient to ground any doctrines And there want not resons whereby I can if I liste ouerthrow this deuise for the worde of God leaueth not â—o man halfe a life but teacheth that he is vtterly dead for so much as concerneth blessed life And Paule when he speaketh of our redemption doth not say that we were healed when we were half dead and half aliue but that we were raysed vp agayne when we were dead He calleth not vpon them that are halfe aliue to receiue the light of Christ but them that slepe and are buried And in like maner speaketh the Lord him selfe when he sayth that the houre is come when the dead shal rise againe at his voice With what face would they set this light allusioÌ„ against so many playne sentences But let this allegorie haue the force of a certayne testimonie yet what shall they wrynge out of vs thereby Manne is halfe aliue therefore he hath somewhat left safe I graunt he hath a witte capable of vnderstandyng although it pearce not to the heauenly and spirituall wisedome he hath true iudgement of honestie he hath some felyng of the godhed howebeit that he atteine not the true knoweledge of God But to what purpose come all these thinges Truely they bryng not to passe that the same sayeng of Augustine be taken from vs whiche is also approued by coÌ„mon consent of the Scholes that after mans fall the freely geuen good thinges whereupon saluation hangeth are takeÌ„ awaye from him and that his naturall giftes are corrupted and defiled Let therefore this truthe remayne with vs vndoubted which can be shaken by no engines that the minde of man is so estranged from the righteousnesse of God that it conceiueth coueteth and enterpriseth all wickednesse filthinesse vncleanesse and mischiefe that his heart is so throughly soked in poison of sinne that it can breath out nothing but corrupt stinke But if at any time they doe vtter any goodnessâ— in showe yet still the minde remayneth alwaye wrapped in hypocrisie and deceitefull crokednesse and the heart entangled with inwarde peruersnesse The sixte Chapter ¶ That manne beyng loste must seke for redemption in Christ. SIthe all mankinde hath perisshed in the persone of Adam that excellence and nobilitie of beginnyng which we haue spokeÌ„ of would so litle profit vs that it wold rather turne to our greater shame till God appere the redemer in the person of his only begotten Sonne which acknowlegeth not men defiled and corrupted with sinne to be his worke Therefore sithe we are fallen from life into death al that knowledge of God the creatour wherof we haue entreated were vnprofitable vnlesse there folowed also faith setting forth God a father vnto vs in Christ. Truely this was the natural order that the frame of the world should be a Schoole vnto vs to learne godlinesse from whense might be made a passage for vs to eternall life perfect felicite but sins our falling away whether so euer we turne our eyes vpward downeward the curse of God still presenteth it self vnto our sight whiche while it possesseth enwrappeth innocent creatures by our fault muste needes ouerwhelme our owne soules with desperation For although Gods wil is that his fatherly fauor toward vs do stil many wayes appere yet by beholding of the world we caÌ„not gather that he is our Father when our conscience inwardly pricketh vs and sheweth that there is in sinne iuste cause of forsaking why God should not accoÌ„pt or recken vs for his children Byside that there is in vs both slouthfulnesse and
vnto him And we least we should thinke that the same nothyng belongeth to vs ought to consider that the bondage of Egypt is a figure of the spiritual captiuitie wherin we are al holden bound vntil our heueÌ„ly deliuerer do make vs free by the power of his arme conuey vs into the kingdome of libertie As therfore when in the olde time he minded to gather together the Israelites that were scattered abrode to the worshipping of his name he deliuered them out of the intolerable dominion of Pharao wherewith thei were oppressed so al those to whoÌ„ at this daye he professeth him self a God he doth nowe deliuer from the deadly power of the Deuell whyche was in a shadowe signified by that corpâ—ral bondage Wherefore there is no man but his minde ought to be inflamed to harken to the lawe whyche he heareth to haue proceded from the soueraigne king From whome as al thinges take their beginnynge so is it mete that they haue also their ende appointed and directed to him There is no manne I saye but he ought to bee rauished to embrace the lawemaker to the kepynge of whose commaundementes he is taught that he is peculiarly chosen from whose bountie he loketh bothe for flowynge store of all good thinges and also the glory of immortall life by whose maruellous power and mercie he knoweth himself to be deliuered out of the iawes of death After that he hath grounded and stablished the authoritie of his lawe he setteth forth that first coÌ„maundement That we haue no strauÌ„g Gods before him The end of this commaundement is that God wil only haue preeminencie wholly enioy his owne authoritie amoÌ„g his people And that it maye so be he coÌ„maundeth that there be farre froÌ„ vs all vngodlinesse superstitioÌ„ wherby the glory of his godhed is either diminished or obscured and by the same reason he coÌ„maundeth that we worship and honour him with true endeuour of godlinesse And the very simplicitie of the wordes themselues do in a manner expresse the same For we can not haue God but we muste also comprehended therein al thinges that properly belong to him Whereas therfore he forbiddeth vs to haue other Gods he meaneth thereby that we should not geue awaye els where that whiche is propre to him For although the thinges that we owe vnto God be innumerable yet not vnfitly they may be brought vnto fower principall pointes AdoratioÌ„ wherunto as a thing hanging vpon it is adioyned spiritual obedience of coÌ„science Affiance Inuocation Thankesgeuing Adoration I cal the reuerence worship whiche euery one of vs yeldeth vnto him when he submitteth himself vnto his greatnesse wherfore I do not without cause make this a part therof that we yeld our consciences in subiection to his lawe Affiance is an assurednesse of restyng in him by reknowleging of his powers wheÌ„ reposing al wisedome righteousnesse power truthe goodnesse in him we thinke our selues blessed with only partakyng of him InuocatioÌ„ is a resortyng of our minde to his faith and help as to our only succour so oft as any necessitie presseth vs. Thankesgeuyng is a certayne thankefulnesse whereby the prayse of all good thinges is geuen vnto him Of these as God suffreth nothyng to be conueyed awaye els where so he commaunded all to be wholly geuen to him self Neither shall if be enough to absteyme from hauyng any straunge God vnlesse thou restrayne thy self in this that many wicked contemners ar wonte which thinke the rediest way to scorne all religions but true religion muste goe before whereby our mindes may be directed to the liuyng God with knowledge whereof they beyng endued maye aspire to reuerence feare and worshyp his maiestie to embrace the communicatyng of all his good thinges euery where to seke for his helpe to reknowledge and aduaunce with coÌ„fession of prayse the magnificence of his workes as to the only marke in al the doynges of our life Then that we beware of peruerse superstition whereby our mindes swaruyng from the true God are draweÌ„ hether and thether as it were vnto diuerse gods Wherefore if we be contented with one God let vs call to remembrance that whiche is beforesayd that all forged gods are to be dryuen farre awaye and that the worship is not to be torne in sonder whiche he alone claymeth to himself For it is not lawfull to take awaye any thing froÌ„ his glorie be it neuer so litle but that all thinges that belong to him may wholly remayne with him The percell of sentence that foloweth Before my face encreaseth the hainousnesse for that God is prouoked to ialousie so oft as we thrust our owne inueÌ„tions in his place as if an vnchaste wonlan by bringyng in an adulterer openly before her husbaÌ„des eyes should the more vexe his minde Therefore when God testified that with his present power and grace he loked vpoÌ„ the people that he had chosen the more to fray them from the wicked act of falling from him he geueth them warnyng that there can be no new gods brought in but that he is witnesse and beholder of their sacrilege For this boldenesse is encreased with much wickednesse that man thinketh that in his fleynges away he can begile the eyes of God On the other side God cryeth out that what so euer we purpose what so euer we goe about what so euer we practise it cometh in his sight Let therefore our conscience be cleane euen from the most secret thoughtes of swaruyng from him if we will haue our religion to please the Lord. For he requireth to haue the glory of his godhed whole and vncorrupted not only in outward confession but also in his eyes whiche do behold the most secret corners of heartes The Second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thee any grauen image nor any similitude of those thinges that are in heaueÌ„ aboue or in earth beneth or in the waters vnder the earth Thou shalt not worship them nor serue them As in the first coÌ„maundement he pronouÌ„ced that he is the one God byside whom there are no others gods to be deuised or had â–ª so now he more openly declareth what maner of God he is with what kinde of worship he is to be honored that we maye not presume to forge any carnal thing for him The ende therefore of this commaundement is that he will not haue the lawefull worship of him to be prophaned with superstitious vsages Wherfore in summe he calleth and draweth vs away from the carnal obseruations which our foolish minde is wont to inuent when it conceiueth God accordyng to her owne grosnesse And therefore he frameth vs to the lawful worship of him that is the spirituall worship and which is apointed by him He speaketh of the grossest faulte that is in this offense namely outward idolatrie And there be two partes of this commauÌ„dement The first restrayneth our libertie that we doe not presume to make subiect to our senses or by any forme to represent God
that leaste religion shoulde fall awaie or waxe faint among vs holy meetinges are to be diligently kept and those outwarde helpes are to be vsed that are profitable for to nourishe the worshippinge of God The fifte Commaundement Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maist liue longe vpon the Lande which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee The ende of this commaundement is that bicause the Lorde delyteth in the preseruation of his ordre therfore he willeth that those degrees of preeminence which he hath ordeined be not broken the summe therfore shal be that we reuerence those whome the Lord hath set ouer vs that we yeld to them honore obedience and thankefullnesse Whervpon foloweth that it is forbidden vs to withdrawe any thynge from their dignitie either by contempt or obstinate or vnthankfulnes For so doth the worde Honoure in the Scripture signifieth very largely as when the Apostle sayth that the elders whiche rule well are worthy of doble honore he meaneth not oneli that reuerence ys due vnto them but also such recompense as their ministerie deserueth And bicause this comaundement of subiection doth most of all disagree with the peruersnesse of mans nature which as it swelleth with greedinesse of climbing hie so it hardly abideth to be broughte lowe therefore he hath set that kinde of superioritie for example which by nature is moste amiable and leste enuious bicause he mighte the easelyer meken and reclaime oâ—re mindes to the vse of submission Therfore the Lord doth by little little traine vs to all lawefull subiection by that which is most easy to beare for asmuch as the rule of all is alike For to whome he geueth any preeminence he doth communicate his own name with them so farre as is necessarie to preserue the same preeminence The name of Father God and Lorde do so belong vnto him alone that so ofte as we heare one of them named our minde muste needes be touched with a feeling of his maiestie Therfore whom he maketh partakers of these things he maketh to glister with a certaine sparke of his brightnesse that thei may be honorable euery one accordinge to his degree Therfore in him that is oure father we haue to consider somewhat of the nature of God bicause he beareth not the name of God without cause He that is our Prince or oure Lorde hath some partakinge of honore with God Wherfore it ought not to be doubted that God doth here set a generall rule that as we knowe any man to be by his ordinaunce set ouer vs so we yelde vnto him reuerence obedience thankfulnesse and suche other dueties as it lieth in vs to do And it maketh no difference whether thei be worthy or vnworthy For of what sorte soeuer thei be thei haue not without the prouidence of God atteyned that place by reasoÌ„ whereof the lawemaker woulde haue them to be honored Yet namely he hathe geuen commaundemente of reuerence to parentes that haue brought vs into this life to whiche reuerence very nature ought in a manner to instructe vs. For they are monsters and not men that breake the authorite of parentes with dishonore or stubbornesse Therfore the Lord commaunded all the disobedient to their parentes to be slaine as men vnworthy to enioye the benefite of lighte that doe not reknowledge by whose meanes thei came into it And by many additions of the lawe it appeareth to bee true that wee haue noted that there are three partes of honoure that he here speaketh of Reuerence Obedience and Thankfullnesse The firste of these the Lorde estabelysheth when he commaundeth him to be killed that curseth his Father or his Mother for there he punisheth the contempte and dishonoure of them The seconde he confirmeth when he appointeth the punishment of death for the disobedient and rebellious children To the thirde belongeth that sayinge of Christe in the fyftene of Matthew that it is the commaundement of God that we do good to oure parentes And so oft as Paule maketh mention of a commaundement he expoundeth that therein obedience is required There is annexed a promise for a commendation whyche dothe the rather putte vs in minde howe acceptable vnto God is the submission that is here commaunded For Paule vseth the same pricke to stirre vp oure dulnesse when he saieth that this is the fyrste commaundemente with promise For the promise that went before in the first Table was not speciall and proprely belonginge to one commaundement but extended to the whole lawe Nowe this is thus to be taken The Lorde spake to the Israelites peculiarly of the lande whiche he had promised them for their inheritance If then the possession of lande was a pledge of Gods bountyfullnesse let vs not meruell if it pleased God to declare his fauoure by geuinge lengthe of lyfe by whiche a man might longe enioye hys benefite The meaninge therefore is thus Honoure thy father and thy Mother that by a longe space of life thou maist enioye that possession of that lande that shal be vnto thee for a testimony of my Father But sith all the earthe is blessed to the faithfull we doe not woorthyly recken this present life amonge the blessinges of God Therefore thys promise dothe likewise belonge vnto vs for asmuche as their continuance of hys life is a profe of Gods good will For it neither is promised to vs nor was promised to the Iewes as thoughe it were contained blessednesse in it selfe but bicause it is wonte to bee to the Godlye a token of Gods tender loue Therfore if it chaunce that an obediente child to his parentes be taken out of this life before his ripe age whyche ys oftentimes seen yet doth God no lesse constantly continue in the perfourmance of his promise than if he shoulde rewarde hym wyth a hundreth Acres of lande to whome he promised but one Acre All consysteth in this that we should consider that long life is so farre promysed vs as it is the blessinge of God and that it is his blessinge so farre as it is a proofe of his fauoure whiche he by death doth muche more plentifully and perfectly witnesse and shewe in effect to his seruauntes Moreouer when the Lorde promiseth the blessinge of this presente life to the children that honoure their parentes with such reuerence as they ought he doth wythall secretly saye that most assured curse hangeth ouer the stubborne and disobedient children And that the same shoulde not wante execution hee pronounceth them by hys lawe subiecte to the iudgemente of deathe and commaundeth them to be putte to execution and if they escape that iudgemente hee hymselfe taketh vengeance on them by one meane or other For we see howe greate a numbre of that sorte of menne are slaine in battailes and in fraies and some other tourmented in strange vnaccustomed fashions and they all in a manner are a proofe that thys threatninge is not vayne Butte yf any escape to olde age syth in this lyfe beynge
is vsed in priuate talkes For wee muste alway haue recourse to thys prynciple that of all the generall kyndes of vices one speciall sorte is sette for an exaumple wherevnto the reste maie bee referred and that that is cheefely chosen wherein the fylthynesse of the faulte is moste apparant All be it it were conuenient to extende it more generally to slaunders and sinister backebytinges where with oure neighboures are wrongefully greeued for that falshoode of witnessing whiche is vsed in iudiciall courtes is neuer withoute periurie But periuries in so muche as thei do prophaine and defile the name of God are already sufficiently mette withall in the thirde commaundement Wherefore the righte vse of this commaundement is that our tonge in affirminge the trueth to serue bothe the good name and profite of our neighboures The equitie therof is more than manifest For if a good name be more precious than any treasures what so euer they bee then is it no lesse hurte to a man to bee spoiled of the goodnesse of his name than of hys goodes And in learninge hys substaunce sometime false wytnesse dothe as muche as vyolence of handes And yet yt is marueylous wyth howe neglygent carelessnesse menne do commonly offende in thys poynte so that there are founde verye fewe that are not notably sycke of thys desease we are so muche delyted wyth a certaine poysoned sweetnesse bothe in searchynge oute and in dyscolynge the euells of other And lette vs not thinke that it is a sufficient excuse yf oftentymes wee lye not For hee that forbyddeth thy brothers name to bee defyled wyth lyenge wylleth also that it bee preâ—erued vntouched so farre as the truthe will suffer For howesoeuer hee taketh hede to hym selfe onely so that hee tell no lye yet in the same he secretly confesseth that hee hathe some charge of hym Butte thys ought to suffice vs to kepe safe our neighboures good name that God hathe care of yt Wherefore wythoute doubte all euell speakinge is vtterly condemned Butte wee meane not by euell speakynge that rebukynge whyche ys vsed for chastismente nor accusation or iudiciall processe whereby remedye is soughte for an euell nor publyke reprehension whyche tendeth to putte other synners in feare nor bewrayinge of faultes to them for whose safetie it behoued that they shoulde bee forewarened leaste they shoulde been in daunger by ignoraunce butte we meane only hatefull accusynge whyche aryseth of malyciousnesse and of a wanton wyll to backebyte Also thys commaundement is extended to this poynte that we couet not to vse a scoffinge kinde of plesauntnesse but myngeled wyth bytter tauntes thereby bytyngely to touche other mennes faultes vnder pretense of pastime as manye doe that seeke prayse of merry conceytes wyth other menes shame yea and greefe also when by suche wanton raylynge many tymes oure neyghboures are not a lyttle reproched Nowe yf wee bende oure eyes to the lawemaker whyche muste accordynge to hys ryghtefull authoritie beare rule no lesse ouer the eares and mynde than ouer the tongue truelye we shal finde that greedynesse to heare backebytynges and a hasty readynesse to euell iudgementes are no lesse forbydden For it were very fond if a manne shoulde thynke that God hateth the faulte of euell speaking in the tongue and doth not disalowe the faulte of euell maliciousnesse in the hearte Wherefore yf there be in vs a true feare and loue of God let vs endeuoure so farre as we may and as is expedient and as charitie beareth that we geue neyther oure tongue nor oure eares to euell speakinges and bitter iestynges leaste we rashely without cause yelde oure mindes to indirecte suspicions But beinge indifferent expositors of all mens sayinges and doinges let vs bothe in iudgemente eares tongue gently preserue their honoure safe The tenthe Commaundement Thou shalte not couet thy neighboures house c. The end of this coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t is that bicause the lords wil is the our soule be wholi possessed with the affectioÌ„ of loue al lust is to be shakeÌ„ out of our mind that is contrarie to charitie The summe therefore shall bee that noe thoughte creepe into vs whyche maye moue oure myndes wyth a concupiscens hurtefull and tourninge towarde an others losse wherewyth on the other side agreeth the commaundement that whatsoeuer we conceiue purpose will or study vpon bee ioyned wyth the benifite and commoditie of oure neighboures But here as it seemeth ariseth a harde and combersome dyfficultie For if it bee truely sayde of vs before that vnder the names of fornication and thefte are conteyned the luste of fornication and the purpose to hurte and deceyue it maye seeme superfluously spoken that the couetynge of other mennes goods shoulde afterwarde bee seuerally forbydden vs. Butte the distinction betweene purpose and couetynge wyll easylye loose vs thys knotte For purpose as wee haue meante in speakinge of yt in the other commaundementes before ys delyberate consent of wyll when luste hathe subdued the mynde butte couetynge maye bee wythoute any suche eyther aduisment or assent when the mynde is onely prycked and tyckled with vaine and peruerse obiectes As therefore the Lorde hathe heretofore commaunded that the rule of charitie sholde gouerne oure wylles studyes and woorkes so hee nowe commaundeth the coÌ„ceptions of oure maynde to bee directed to the same rule that there bee none of them crooked and wrythen that maye prouoke oure mynde an other waye As hee hathe forbydden oure mynde to bee bowed and ledde into wrathe hatred fornication robberie and lyinge so hee dothe nowe forbidde vs to be moued therevnto And not withoute cause doothe he requyre so greate vprightenesse For whoe canne denye that it is ryghteous that all the powers of the soule bee possessed with charitie Butte if any of them do swarue from the marke of charitie whoe canne denye that it is dyseased Nowe whense commeth yt that so manye desires hurtefull to thy neighboure do enter into thy hearte butte of thys that neglectynge hym thou carest onely for thy selfe For yf thy mynde were altogether throughlye soked wyth charitie no percell thereof shoulde bee open to suche imaginacions Therefore it muste needes bee voyde of charitie so farre as it receyueth concupiscens Butte some manne will obiecte that yet yt is not meete that phantasies that are wythoute ordre tossed in mannes wytte and at lengthe doe vanyshe awaye shoulde bee condemned for concupiscence whose place is in the hearte I aunswere that here oure question is of that kynde of phantasies whyche whyle they are present before oure myndes do together byte and strike oure heart with desire for asmuche as it neuer commeth in oure mynde to wyshe for any thyng butte that oure hearte is styrred vp and leapeth wythâ— all Therefore God commaundeth a marueylous feruentnesse of loue whyche he wylleth not to bee entangled wyth neuer so small snares of concupiscence Hee requyreth a marueylouslye framed mynde whyche che hee suffereth not so muche as wyth slyghte prouociatons to bee any thynge styrred agaynste the lawe of
euery one after the proportion of their nature yet it doth not deliuer them from necessitie of corruption but I speake of this speciall manner whereby the soules of the godly are bothe lightened vnto the knowledge of God and in a manner coupled to him By this enlightenyng of the worde sithe Adam Abel Noe Abraham and the other fathers cleaued vnto God I saye that it is not doubtfull that they had an entrie into the immortall kingdome of God For it was a sound partakyng of God whiche can not be without the benefit of eternall life But yf this seme somewhat entangled goe to let vs come to the very forme of the couenant which shall not only satisfie sobre wittes but also shall sufficiently conuince their ignorance that bende themselues to speake agaynst it For God did alwaye thus couenant with his seruantes I will be to you a God and ye shal be to me a people In whiche wordes the Prophetes themselues are wont to expound that both life and saluation and the whole summe of blessednesse is cōprehended For Dauid doth not without cause often pronounce that blessed is the people whose God is the lord blessed is the natiō which he hath chosen to be his inheritance and that not for earthly felicities sake but bycause he deliuereth them from death he preserueth them for euer and cōtinually sheweth them eternal mercie whome he hath taken to his people as it is in the other Prophetes Thou art our God we shall not die The Lord is our king our lawmaker he shall saue vs. Blessed art thou O Israel bycause thou art saued in the lord God But not to labour ouermuch in a thynge needelesse this admonition is sound eche where in the Prophetes that we shall wante nothyng toward all abundance of good thinges and assurance of saluatiō so that the Lord be our God And rightfully For if his face so sone as it beginneth to shine is a most present pledge of saluation to what man shall he openly shewe himselfe for his God but that he will also open to him his treasure of saluation For he is our God with this condition to dwell in the middest of vs as he testified by Moses But such presence can not be obteyned but that life must be also together had in possessiō with it And although there were no more expressed yet had thei a promise of spiritual life plaine enough in these wordes I am your God For he did not declare that he would be a God vnto their bodies alone but principally to their soules But soules vnlesse they be ioyned to God by righteousnesse remaine estranged from him in death But on the other side let that ioyning be present it shal bring euerlastyng saluation with it Byside that he did not only testifie that he was to them their God but he also promised that he would be so alway to the ende that their hope not contented with present benefites should be extended to eternitie And many sayenges do shewe that the speakyng in the future time meant so much as where the faithfull not only in present euels but also for the time to come doe comfort themselues with this that God will neuer fayle them Nowe as concernyng the seconde part of the promise he yet more plainely assured them of the blessyng of God to be prolonged vnto them beyond the boundes of this life in sayeng I will be the God of your seede after you For if he minded to declare his good will toward them beyng dead in doyng good to their posteritie much more would his fauour not faile toward themselues For God is not like vnto menne whiche do therefore carry their loue to their frendes children bicause their power is interrupted by death so that they can not employe their frendely doynges vpō them to whom they did beare good will But God whose bountifulnesse is not hyndered by death taketh not awaye from the very dead the frute of his mercie whiche for their sakes he poureth out into a thousand generations Therefore the Lordes will was by a notable profe to set forth vnto them the greatnesse and flowyng plētie of his goodnesse which they should fele after death when he described it to be such as should slowe ouer into all their posteritie And the truthe of this promise the Lord did then seale and as it were brought forth the fulfillyng of it when he named himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob long after their death For what had it not ben a fond naming if thei had vtterly perished For then had it ben all one as if he had sayd I am the God of them that are not Wherefore the Euangelistes reherse that with this one argument the Sadduces were so driuen to a streight that they could not denie that Moses did testifie the resurrection of the dead for that they had learned by Moses that all the Saintes were in his hand Wherupon it was easy to gather that they are not destroyed by death whome he that is the iudge of life and death had receyued into his sauegard custodie and protection Now which is the principal point wherupon this cōtrouersie hangeth let vs loke whether the faithfull themselues haue not ben so instructed of the Lord that they perceiued that they shuld haue a better life els where and so neglectyng this life had an eye to the other First the state of life that was enioyned them by God was a continuall exercise whereby they might be put in minde that they were the moste miserable of all men if their happinesse were only in this life Adam most vnhappy euen with only remembrance of the happynesse that he had lost did with painfull labours hardly susteyne his nedynesse and that he shuld not be pressed with the curse of God in the only labours of his handes euen there receyued he extreme sorrow of that whiche remayned for him to be his comfort Of his two sonnes the one was taken awaye by the wicked slaughter of his brother the other he had lefte aliue whose sight he worthily detested abhorred Abel cruelly murthered in the very floure of his age became an example of the wretchednesse of men Noe while the whole world carelesly liued in pleasure spent a good part of his age with great werinesse in bildyng the Arke This that he escaped death came to passe by his greater troubles than yf he should haue died a hundred deathes For byside that the Arke was to him as a graue for x. monethes there is nothing more vnpleasaunt than to be holden so longe in manner drowned in dong of beastes When he had passed ouer so great difficulties he fell into newe matter of grefe he saw him self scorned of his owne sonne and was compelled with his owne mouth to curse him whom by the great benefit of God he had receiued safe from the generall flood Abraham in deede may be one alone
he saithe in an other place that by the comming of faith the lawe is taken awaie meaning by this word faith yeâ—ewe vnaccustomed manner of teaching wherby Christ sins he appeared our scholemaster hath more plainlâ— set forth the mercy of his father more certainly testified of our saluation Albeit it shal be the more easye more conuenient ordre if we descend by degrees from the generaltie to the specialtie First we must be put in minde that there is a general relation of faith to the word that faith can no more be seuered from the word than the sun beames from the sume froÌ„ whome thei procede Therfore in Esaie God cryeth out Heare me and your soule shall lyue And that the same is the fountaine of faythe Ihon sheweth in these woordes These thinges are written that ye may beleue And the prophete meaninge to exhorte the people to beleefe saythe This daie yiÌ„ ye shall heare hys voyce And to heare is commmonly taken for to Beleue Moreouer God dothe not wythout cause in Esaie sette thys marke of difference betwene the children of the Churche and straungers that he will instructe them all that thei maie be taught of him For if it were a benefite vniuersall to all why shoulde he direct hys woordes to a fewe Wherewith agreeth thys that the Euangelistes do commonly vse the woordes Faithfull and Disciples as seuerall wordes expressing one thing specially Luke very oft in the Actes of the Apostles Yea and he stretcheth that name euen to a woman in the ninthe chapiter of the Actes Wherefore if faith do swerue neuer so little from this marke to which it ought to be directly leuelled it kepeth not her owne nature butte becometh an vncertaine lightnesse of belefe and wandring erroure of mynde The same Worde is the foundation wherwith faith is vpholden susteined from which if it swarue it falleth downe Therfore take awaie the Worde then there shal remaine no faith We do not here dispute whether the ministerie of man be necessarie to sowe the worde of God that faithe may be conceiued thereby which question we will els where entreate of but we saie that the worde it self howesoeuer it be conueied to vs is like a mirroure when faith may beholde God Whether God dothe therein vse the seruice of man or worke it by his owne onely power yet he doth alwaie shewe him selfe by his worde to those whome his will is to drawe vnto him wherevpon Paule defineth faithe to be an obedience that is geuen to the Gospell Rom. i. And in an other place he praiseth the obedience of faithe in the Philippians For this is not the onely purpose in the vnderstanding of faithe that we knowe that there is a God but this also yea this chefely that we vnderstande what wil he beareth toward vs. For it not so muche behoueth vs to knowe what he is in himself but what a one he will be to vs. Nowe therefore we are come to thys point that faithe is a knoweledge of the will of God perceyued by his worde And the foundation hereof is a foreconceiued persuasion of the truthe of God Of the assurednesse whereof so longe as thy minde shal dispute with it selfe the worde shall be but of doubtful and weake credit yea rather no credit at all But also it sufficeth not to beleue that God is a true speaker whiche can neither deceiue nor lie vnlesse thow further holde this for vndoubtedly determined that whatsoeuer procedeth from him is the sacred and inuiolable truthe But bicause not at euery word of God mans hearte is raised vp to faith we must yet further search what this faith in the word hath proprely respecte vnto It was the saieng of God to Adam Thou shalte die the death It was the saienge of God to Cain The bloode of thy brother crieth to me out of the earth Yet these are suche saiengs as of them selues canne doe nothynge butte shake faythe so muche lesse are they able to stablyshe faythe We denye not in the meane season that yt ys the offyce of faythe to agree to the truthe of God howe ofte soeuer what soeuer and in what sorte soeuer yt speaketh butte nowe oure question is onely what faythe fyndeth in the woorde of the Lorde to leane and rest vpon When oure conscience beholdeth onely indignation and vengeance howe canne it butte tremble and quake for feare And howe shoulde yt butte flee God of whome yt is afraide But faythe oughte to seeke God and not to flee from him It is plaine therefore that we haue not yet a full definition of faythe bycause it is not to be accompted for faithe to knowe the wyll of God of what sorte so euer it be But what yf in the place of wyll whereof many tymes the message is sorrowefull and the declaration dreadful we putte kindenesse or mercie Truely so we shal come nerer to the nature of faithe For wee are then allured to seeke God after that wee haue learned that saluation is laied vp in store with him for vs. Whyche thynge is confyrmed vnto vs when he declareth that he hath care and loue of vs. Therefore there needeth a promise of grace whereby he maie testifie that he is oure mercifull father for that otherwise wee canne not approche vnto hym and vpon that alone the hearte of man maie safely rest For thys reason commonly in the Psalmes these two thinges Mercie and Truth do cleaue together bicause neither should it any thynge profite vs to know that God is true vnlesse he did mercifully allure vs vnto him neither were it in our power to embrace his mercie vnlesse he did with his owne mouthe offer it I haue reported thy truth and thy saluation I haue not hidden thy goodnesse and thy truthe Thy goodnesse and thy trueth keepe me In an other place Thy mercie to the heauens thy trueth euen to the cloudes Againe All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and trueth to them that keepe his couenant Againe His mercie is multiplied vpon vs and the truth of the Lorde abydeth for euer Againe I will singe to thy name vpon thy mercie and trueth I omitte that whiche is in the Prophetes to the same meaninge that God is mercifull and faythfull in hys promyses For wee shall rashly determine that God is merciefull vnto vs vnlesse himselfe do testifie of himselfe and preuent vs wyth his callinge leaste his wil shoulde be doubtful and vnknowen But we haue already seen that Christ is the onely pledge of his loue without whome on euery side appeare the tokens of hatred and wrath Nowe forasmuche as the knoweledge of Gods goodnesse shall not muche preuayle vnlesse he make vs to rest in it therefore suche an vnderstanding is to be banished as is mingled with doubting and doth not soundli agree in it selfe but as it were disputeth with it selfe But mans witte as yt is blinde and darkened is farre from
bee quenched And there is no cause to the contrarie but that he maye lightly ouer washe some and throughly soke other some wyth the knoweledge of hys Gospell This is in the meane tyme to bee holden for truthe that howe small and weake so euer sayth hee in the electe yet bycause it is to them a sure pleadge of the Spyrite of God and a seale of their adoption the prynte thereof canne neuer bee blotted out of theyr heartes as for the reprobate that they are ouer spred wyth such a lyght as afterwarde commeth to nought And yet the Spyrite is not deceyptefull bycause he geueth not lyfe to the seede that he casteth in theyr heartes to make it abyde alwayes incorruptible as he dothe in the elect I goe yet further for whereas it is euident by the teachyng of the Scripture and by dayely experience that the reprobate are sometime touched with the felyng of Gods grace it muste needes be that there is raysed in their heartes a certayne desire of mutuall loue So for a time there lyued in Saul a godly affection to loue God by whome he knew himself to be fatherly handeled and therefore was delited with a certayne swetenesse of his goodnesse But as the persuasion of the fatherly loue of God is not faste rooted in the reprobate so doe they not soundely loue him agayne as his chyldren but are led wyth a certayne affection like hired seruauntes For to Christ only was that Spirite of loue geuen to this ende that he shoulde poure it into his membres And truely that sayeng of Paule extendeth no further but to the elect only The loue of God is poured abrode into our heartes by the holy Spirite that is geuen vs euen the same loue that engendreth the same confidence of callyng vpon him whyche I haue before touched As on the contrarie side we see God to bee maruelously angry with his chyldren whome yet he cesseth not to loue not that in hymselfe he hateth them but bycause his will is to make them afrayde wyth the felynge of his wrath but to the entent to abate theyr pride of fleshe to shake of their drowesinesse and to moue them to repentance And therefore all at one tyme they conceyue hym to bee bothe angry with them or with their sinnes and also mercyfull vnto them bycause they not fainedly doe praye to appease his wrathe to whome yet they flee wyth quiet assured trust Hereby it appereth that it is not true that some doe counterfayte a shewe of fayth whyche yet doe lacke the true faith but while they are caried wyth a sodeyne violent motion of Zele they deceyue themselues wyth false opinion And it is no doubte that sluggishnesse so possesseth them that they doe not well examine their heart as they ought to haue done It is likely that they were suche to whome as Iohn witnesseth Christ dyd not commit himselfe when yet they beleued in hym bycause he knewe them all and knewe what was in manne If many dyd not fall from the common fayth I call it common bicause the fayth that lasteth but a time hath a greate lykenesse and affinitie with the liuely and continuynge fayth Christe woulde not haue sayde to his Disciples If ye abide in my worde then are ye truely my Disciples and ye shall know the truthe and the truthe shall make you free For he speaketh to them that had embraced his doctrine and exhorteth them to the encrease of fayth that they shoulde not by their owne sloughtfulnesse quench the lighte that is geuen them Therefore dothe Paule affirme that fayth peculiarly belongeth to the electe declaryng that many vanish away bycause they haue not taken liuely roote Like as Christ also sayth in Matthew euery tree that my father hath not planted shal be rooted vp In other there is a grosser kinde of lyeng that are not ashamed to mocke bothe God and menne Iames inueyeth agaynst that kinde of menne that wyth deceiptfull pretense doe wickedly abuse fayth Neyther woulde Paule require of the children of God a fayth vnfayned but in respect that many do presumptuously chalenge vnto themselues that whyche they haue not with vayne colored deceyte do beguile other or sometime themselues Therefore he compareth a good conscience to a cheste wherein fayth is kepte bycause many in fallynge from good conscience haue suffred shipwreck of their fayth We must also remember the doutefull signification of the woord fayth For oftentimes fayth signifieth the sounde doctrine of religion as in the place that we nowe alleaged and in the same Epistle where Paule wryteth Deacons to holde faste the misterie of fayth in a pure conscience Againe where he publisheth the fallynge awaye of certayne from the faith But on the other side he sayth that Timothee was nourished vp with the woordes of fayth where he sayth that prophane vanities and oppositions falsly named sciences are the cause that many depart from the faith whome in an other place he calleth reprobate touchyng fayth As agayne he chargeth Titâ—s Agayne sayeng Warne them that they be sounde in the fayth By soundenesse he meaneth nothing els but purenesse of doctrine which is easily corrupted and brought out of kynde by the lightnesse of men Euen bicause in Christ whome faith possesseth are hiddeÌ„ all the treasures of wisedome and knoweledge therefore fayth is worthyly extended to signifie the whole summe of heauenly doctrine from which it can not be seuered Contrariewise sometime it is restrayned to signifie some particular obiect as when Matthew sayth that Christ saw the fayth of them that did let downe the manne sicke of the palsey through the tyles and Chryst himselfe cryeth out that he founde not in Israell so great fayth as the Centurion brought But it is likely that the Centurion was earnestly bente to the healyng of his doughter the care whereof occupied all his minde yet bycause beyng contented with the onely assent and answere of Christ he required not Christes bodyly presence therefore in respecte of this circumstance his fayth was so muche commended And a litle here before we haue shewed that Paule taketh fayth for the gifte of workynge miracles whyche gifte they haue that neyther are regenerate by the Spirite of God nor doe hartyly worshippe him Also in an other place he setteth fayth for the doctrine whereby we are instructed in fayth For where he wryteth that fayth shall bee abolished it is out of question that that is meante by the ministerie of the Church whiche at this 〈◊〉 is profitable for oure weaknesse In these formes of speach standeth a proportionall relation But when the name of fayth is vnproperly remoued to signifie a false profession or a lyeng title of fayth that shoulde seeme to be as harde a figuratiue abuse as when the feare of God is set for a corrupte and wrongefull manner of worshyppynge as when it is oftentymes sayde in the holy Historie that the
accompt a thousand yeres like as one daye For thys conioyning and aliance the scripture sometime confoundeth the names of Faythe and Hope For when Peter teacheth that we are by the power of God preserued through faithe vnto the disclosinge of saluation he geueth that vnto faithe whyche dyed more fittely agree with hope and not without cause for asmuche as we haue already taught that hope is nothing els but the nourishment and strength of faithe Sometimes they are ioyned together as in the same epistle That your faithe and hope shoulde be in God But Paule to the Philippians out of faith deriueth expectation bicause in pacientli hoping we holde our desires in suspense till Gods conuenient oportunitie be opened All whiche matter wee maye better vnderstande by the tenth chapiter to the Hebrues whyche I haue already alleaged Paule in an other place although he speake vnproprely yet meaneth the same thing in these wordes We loke in the spirit through faith for hope of righteousnesse euen bicause we embracing the testimonie of the Gospell concerning his free loue do loke for the time when God shall openly shewe that whiche is nowe hidden vnder hope And nowe it is plaine how folishly Peter Lomberd laieth two foundations of hope that is the grace of God the deseruing of works Hope can haue no other mark to be directed vnto but faith we haue already declared that faith hath one only mark the mercie of God to which it ought to loke as I maie so speake with both eyes But it is good to heare what a liuely reasō he bringeth If saith he thou darst hope for any thing without deseruinges y◠shal not be worthy to be called hope but presumption Whoe gentile reader will not worthyly abhorre suche beastes that saie it is a rashe and presumptuous dede if a man haue cōfidence that God is true of his word For where the Lord willeth vs to loke for all thinges at his goodnesse thei saie it is presumption to leane and rest vpon it A master meete for suche scholers as he founde in the madde schole of filthy babblers But as for vs when we se that wee are commaunded by the oracles of God to conceiue a hope of saluation let vs gladly presume so much vpon his truthe as trusting vpon his onely mercie casting away the confydence of workes to be bolde to hope well He will not deceiue that saide Be it vnto you according to your faithe The thyrde Chapter That we ar regenerate by faithe Wherein is entreatch of Repentance ALbeit we haue already partly taught how faith possesseth Christe how by it we eioye hys benefites neuerthelesse thys weare yet darke vnlesse we dyd also make declaratiō of the effectes that we feele thereby Not without cause it is said that the summe of the Gospell standeth in repentance and in forgeuenesse of sinnes Therfore leauing out these two pointes whatsoeuer we shal saie of faith shal be but a hungry vnperfect yea in manner vnprofitable disputation of faith Now forasmuch as Christ doth geue both vnto vs we obteine both by faith that is to saie both newnesse of life fre reconciliation reasō ordre of teaching requireth that in this place I beginne to speake of bothe Oure next passage from faith shal be to Repentance bicause when this article is well perceiued it shall the better appeare howe man is iustified by onely faithe and mere pardon yet how real holinesse of life as I maie so call it is not seuered frō free imputation of righteousnesse Now it ought to be oute of question that Repentance doth not only immediatly folow faith but also spring out of it For wheras pardon forgeuenesse is therfore offred by the preaching of the Gospel the the sinner being deliuered from the tyrānie of Satan from the yoke of sinne frō miserable bondage of vices maie passe into the kingdome of God truly no man can embrace the grace of the Gospell but he muste returne from the erroures of hys former life into the right way and applie all his studie to the meditation of repentance As for them that thinke that repentance dothe rather goe before faithe than flow or spring forth of it as a frute out of a tree thei neuer knew the force therof and are moued with to weake an argument to thinke so Christ saie thei Ihon in their preachinges do first exhorte the people to repentance then thei afterwarde saye that the kyngdome of heauen is at hand Such cōmaundemēt to preach the Apostles receiued such ordre Paule folowed as Luke reporteth But while thei superstitiously stick vpon the ioining together of syllables thei mark not in what meaning the words hang together For whē the lord Christ Ihō do preach in this manner Repent ye for the kingedome of heauen is come neare at hande do they not fetche the cause of repentance frō very grace promise of saluatiō Therfore their words are as much in effecte as if thei had said because the kingdō of heauē is com nere at hand therfore repēt ye For Matthewe when he hathe shewed that Ihon so preatched saith that in him was fulfilled the prophecie of Esaie concerninge the voyce cryeng in the wyldernesse Prepare the waie of the Lorde make streight the pathes of oure God But in the Prophete that voice is cōmaunded to beginne at comfort and glade tydinges Yet when we referre the beginning of repentance to faith we do not dreame a certaine meane space of time wherein it bringeth it out but we meane to shew that a man can not earnestly applie him selfe to repentance vnlesse he know him selfe to be of God But no man is truely perswaded that he is of God but he that hathe firste receiued his grace But these things shal be more plainely dyscussed in the processe folowing Paraduenture this deceiued them that many are firste by terroures of conscience tamed or framed to obedience before that thei haue throughli disgested yea before they haue tasted the knowledge of grace And this is the feare at the beginning whiche some accompte among vertues bicause thei see that it is nere to true and iuste obedience But oure question is not here how diuersly Christ draweth vs vnto him or prepareth vs to the endeuoure of godlinesse only this I say that ther can be no vprightnesse founde where reigneth not that Spirit whiche Christe receyued to communicate the same to his membres Then according to that saieng of the Psalme Wyth thee is mercifulnesse that thou maiest bee feared Noe man shall euer reuerently feare God but he that trusteth that God is mercifull vnto him no man wil willingly prepare himselfe to the kepinge of the lawe but he that is perswaded that his seruices please him which tendernesse in pardoning and bearing with faultes is a signe of fatherly fauoure Whiche is also shewed by that exhortation of Osee Come let vs returne to
I speake now of grosse and blockish hypocrites that thinke thei haue done sufficiently if they haue noted three or sower of the greatest sinnes but I speake of the true worshippers of God whiche when thei see themselues oppressed with the examinatiō that they haue made do adde also this saieng of Ihon If oure owne heart do accuse vs God is greater than oure heart and so thei quake for feare at the sight of that iudge whose knowledge farre sourmounteth oure vnderstandinge But whereas a greate parte of the worlde rested them vpon suche flatteries wherewith so deadely a poyson was tempered thys came not so to passe bycause they beleued that God was satisfied or bycause they them selues were fully satisfied but that the anchor caste as y◠were in the midde sea shoulde reste a lyttle from saylinge or as a wayfaringe man weary and fainetynge shoulde lye downe in the waye I laboure not muche in prouinge thys For euery man maie be witnesse to hym selfe I will in a shorte summe shewe what manner of law thys was Fyrst simply it is impossible and therefore it can do nothinge but destroy damne confounde and cast in ruine and desperation And then when it hath ledde sinners from the true feeling of their sinnes it maketh then hypocrites and ignoraunce of God and themselues For whyle they are wholy busyed in reckenynge vppe of theyr synnes in the meane tyme they forgette the secrete sinke of vyces their hydden Iniquities and inwarde fylthynesse by knowledge whereof they shoulde cheefely haue weyed their myserie But thys was a moste certaine rule of confession to acknowledge and confesse the bottomlesse depth of our euell to be so great as passeth our vnderstandyng After thys rule wee see that the Publicanes confession was made Lorde be mercifull to me a synner as if he shoulde saie All that euer I am I am altogether a sinner and I can not atteine with witte or expresse with tongue the greatnesse of my sinnes let the bottomlesse depthe of thy mercie swallow vp the bottomles depth of my sinne But then thou wilt saie what are not all oure sinnes to be confessed is no confession acceptable to God but that whiche is knitte vp in these twoo woordes I am a sinner No but rather we muste endeuoure our selues as much as in vs lieth to poure out oure heart before the Lorde and not onely in one worde confesse oure selues sinners but also truely and heartyly acknowledge oure selues to be suche and with al oure thought record howe greate and diuerse is oure filth of sinnes not onely that wee bee vncleane but what howe great and in howe many partes is oure vncleannesse not onely that we be detters but with howe greate dettes wee bee loden and howe manie waies charged not onely that we bee wounded but also with howe manie deadly strokes we be wounded With this reknowleging when the sinner hath wholy poured out himselfe before God lette him earnestly and syncerely thinke that yet there remaine moe sinnes that the secret corners of their euels are so depe that thei can not be throughly disclosed And he crieth out with Dauid Whoe vnderstandeth his errours Lorde cleanse me from my hidden sinnes Now wher thei affirme that sinnes are not forgeuen but with an intent of confessing firmely conceiued and that the gate of paradise is shutte against him that neglecteth occasion offered when he may be confessed God forbidde that we shoulde graunt them that For there is no other forgeuenesse of sinnes than alwaie hath ben It is not reade that all thei haue confessed their sinnes in the eare of some preste that wee reade to haue obteined forgeuenesse of sinnes at Christes hande And truely thei coulde not confesse where there were neither any prestes confessors nor any confessing at all And in many ages after thys confession was vnhearde of at which time sinnes weare forgeuen with out thys condition But that we may not nede to dispute longer about this as about a doubtfull matter the worde of God is plaine which abideth for euer Whensoeuer the synner repenteth I will no more remembre all his iniquities He that dare adde any thinge to this worde byndeth not sinnes but the mercie of God For whereas thei saie that Iudgement canne not be geuen but when the cause is heard we haue a solution in readinesse that they doe presumptuously take that vpon them selues which haue made themselues iudges And it is a maruell that thei do so boldely frame to themselues suche principles as no man in his right wit wil graunt Thei boaste that the office of Binding and Loosing is committed to them as though it weare a certain iurisdictiō ioyned with Inquisition Moreouer their whole doctrine crieth oute that this authoritie was vnknowen to the Apostles Neither doth it belong to the preeste but to him whiche desireth absolution to knowe certainly whether the synner be loosed or no forasmuche as he that heareth can neuer know whether the reckning be iust perfect So shold ther be no absolution but suche as is restrained to his words that is to be iudged Moreouer the whole ordre of loosing stādeth of faith repētance which two things are hidden from the knowledg of man when sētence must be geuē vpō an other man It foloweth therfore ▪ that the assurāce of binding and loosing is not subiect to the iudgment of an earthly iudge bicause the minister of the worde when he dothe his office can not geue absolution but conditionally but that this is spoken for the sinnes sake Whose sinnes ye forgeue ▪ c. that thei should not doubte that the pardon whiche is promised by the commaundement and worde of God shall be ratified in heauen Therefore it is no maruel if we condemne and desire to haue vtterly taken awaie this Auricular confession a thinge so pestilent and so many waies hurtfull to the Churche but if it were a thinge by it selfe indifferent yet for asmuche as it is to no vse nor profite hathe geuen cause to so many wickednesses sacrileges and erroures whoe will not thinke that it ought to be presently abolished Thei do in deede recken vp some good vses whiche thei boaste vpon as very profitable butte these either false or of no valewe at all Due onely thei commend with a singular prerogatiue that shame is a great punishment of him that cōfesseth wherby the sinner both is for time to com made warer preuenteth the punishment of God in punishing himselfe As thoughe we dyd not humble a man with shamefastnesse enoughe when we call him to that hie iudgement seate of heauen I meane to the hearing of God It is forsoothe very wel profited if for shame of one mans knowledge we cesse to sinne and bee not ashamed to haue God witnesse of oure euell conscience Althoughe the very same is also moste false for it is to bee seen that by nothinge groweth greater confidence or licentiousnesse to sinne than when men hauing made
confession to a preeste thinke that they maie wipe their mouthe and saie I did it not And not onely they are made all the yeare longe the bolder to sinne but all the rest of the yeare bearing themselues bolde vpon confession thei neuer sighe vnto God thei neuer returne to themselues but heape sinnes vpon sinnes til they vomit vp al at ones as they thinke And when they haue ones vomited them vppe they thinke them selues discharged of their burden and that thei haue taken awaie from God the iudgment that thei haue geuen to the preeste and that they haue brought God in forgetfulnesse when they haue made the preeste priuie Moreouer whoe doth meryly see the daie of confession at hande Whoe goeth to confession with a cherefull hearte and commeth not to it rather against his wil as it were drawing backewarde like as if he were taken by the necke and drawen to pryson vnlesse paraduenture it be the very preestes that vse ioyfully to delite themselues with mutuall rehersals of their doinges as weare with mery tales I wil not defile much paper with monstruous abhominations wherof auricular cōfession swarueth ful Onely this I saie If that holy man did not vnwisely that for one rumor of fornication toke awaie confession out of his Church yea out of the remembrance of his flocke then we be therby putt in minde what ys nedefull to be done at this daie vpon infinite whordomes adulteries incestes and bawderies Where the Consessionars allege for thys purpose the power of the keyes and doe therevpon sette the peupe and prore of their kyngedome as the prouerbe is it is to bee seen howe muche they oughte to auayle Then saye they are the keyes geuen wythoute cause Is yt sayde wythoute cause Whatsoeuer you loose vpon earthe shall be also loosed in heauen Do we then make the worde of Christe voide I answer there was a weighty cause why the keies shold be geuen as bothe I haue euen now already declared and shal more plainly shew againe when I come to entreat of Excommunication But what if I do with one swerde cutt of the holde of al that thei require that ys with saieng that sacryficeng preestes are not the vicars nor successors of the Apostles But this shall also be to be entreated of in an other place but nowe thei raise vp an engine whereby thei wolde most of all defende themselues and therby may all their buildinges be ouerthrowen For Christe did not geue his Apostles the power to binde loose before that he gaue them the holy ghoste Therefore I saie that none haue the power of the keies that haue not first receiued the holy ghost I denie that any man can vse the keies but hauing the holy ghoste going before teaching him informing him what is to bee done They triflinge saie that thei haue the holy ghoste but in dede thei denie it vnlesse paraduenture thei faine as thei do faine in dede the holy ghoste to be a vaine thing and a thing of nothing but therin thei shall not be beleued And by this engine thei are vtterly ouerthrowē that of what soeuer dore thei boast that thei haue the keie a man may alway aske thē whether thei haue the holy ghoste whiche is the iudge and gouerner of the keies If thei answer that thei haue then thei maie be asked againe whether the holy ghoste may erre This thei wil not be glade to speake expresly althoughe thei crokedly vtter the same by their doctrine It is therefore to be gathered that no preestes haue power of the keies whiche do commonly without consideration loose those thinges that the Lorde wold haue to be bounde and binde those thinges that the Lorde commaunded to be loosed Whereas thei see themselues conuinced by most clere experimentes that thei do without choise loose and binde the worthy and vnworthy thei vsurpe a power without knowledge And although they dare not denie that knoweledge is requisit for a good vse yet thei write that the very power is geuen to euel disposers of it But this is the power whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earthe shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Either the promise of Christ must lie or thei that haue this power do well binde and loose Neither may thei dallye and saie that the saieng of Christe is limited according to the deseruings of him that is bound or loosed And we also confesse that none can be bounde or loosed but thei that are worthy to be bound or loosed But the messingers of the Gospell and the Churche haue the woorde by whyche thei measure this worthinesse in thys woorde the messangers of the Gospell maye promise to all men forgeuenesse of sinnes in Christe by faythe thei maye proclaime damnation into all and vpon all that embrace not Christ. In this word the Church pronounceth that fornicatours adulterers theues mansleiers couetous men vniust men haue no parte in the kingdom of God and bindeth such with most sure bondes With the same worde the Churche looseth them whome yt comforteth being repentant But what power shall this be not to knowe what is to be bounde or loosed and not to be able to binde or loose without knowledge Why then do thei saie that thei loose by authoritie geuen vnto them whē the loosing is vncertain What haue we to do with this imaginatiue power yf there be no vse of it But I haue it already prouch that eyther there is no vse of it or so vncertaine an vse as maye be accompted for none at all For wheras they cōfesse that there is a great parte of prestes that do not rightly vse the keyes and that the power without lawefull vse is of no effect Whoe shall assure me that he of whom I am loosed is a good vser of the keyes if he be an euell vser of it what hath he els but such a voyde disposyng of them as to say what is to be foūd or loosed in thee I know not for asmuch as I lack the right vse of the keyes but yf thou deserue I loose thee But so much might do I wil not say a laye man for they could not beare that with patient eares but a Turke or a Deuell For it is asmuche as to saye I haue not the worde of God the sure rule of loosyng but there is power geuen me to loose thee yf thy deseruynges be so We see therfore what they meant when they defined the keyes to be the authoritie of discernyng and power of executyng and that knowledge is adioyned for a counseller and like a counseller serueth for a good vse vndoubtedly euen they desired to reygne at theyr owne will licentiously without God and his worde If any man take exception and saye that the lawfull ministers of Christ shall be no lesse doubtefull in their office bycause the absolution that hangeth vpon fayth shall alwaye remayne doubtefull and then that sinners shall haue eyther none or a cold comforte bycause the
more louynge tendernesse Therfore where he mindeth to teache that he is not inmeasurable in takyng punishmentes he reprocheth to the hard hearted obstinate people that beyng striken yet they make not an ende of sinning In this meaning he complaineth that Ephraim was as a â—ake scorched on the one side and rawe on the other bycause the corrections did not pearce into their mindes that the people hauynge their vices boyled out might be made mete to receyue pardon Truely he that so speaketh sheweth that so sone as a man hath repented he wil by and by become appeasable and that by our stifnesse he is enforced to that rigour in chastisyng of faultes which should haue ben preuented with willyng amendement Yet forasmuch as we all are of suche hardnesse and rudenesse as vniuersally needeth chastisemeÌ„t it semed good to him beyng a most wise father to exercise al without exception with a coÌ„mon scourge al their life long But it is maruelous why thei so cast their eyes vpon the only example of Dauid and are noâ— moued with so many examples in which they might haue beholden free forgeuenesse of sinnes It is read that the Publicane weÌ„t out of the temple iustified Their folowed no peyne Peter obteyned pardon of his offence his teares we reade sayth Ambrose his satisâ—actioÌ„ we reade not And the man sicke of the Palsey heard it spoken to him Rise thy sinnes are forgeuen thee There was no peyne layed vpon him Al the absolutions that are rehearsed in the Scripture are set out as geuen freely Out of this great number oâ— examples a rule shoulde rather haue ben gathered than of that only example that conteyneth in it a certaine speciall matter Daniel in his exhortation wherin he counselleth Nebuchadnezer to redeme his sinnes with righteousnesse and his iniquities with pitieng of the poore his meanyng was not to saye that righteousnesse mercie are satisfactorie appeasementes of God redemption of peines for God forbidde that there were euer any redemption sauinge only the bloud of Christ but to referre this word Redeming rather to men than to God as if he had sayd O king thou hast vsed an vnrighteous and violent gouernement thou hast oppressed the humble thou haste spoyled the poore thou haste hardly and vniustly handled thy people for thy vniust exactions for thy violence and oppression nowe render to them mercie and righteousnesse Likewise Salomon sayth that with charitie the multitude of sinnes is couered not before God but among men theÌ„selues For thus is the whole verse Hatred raiseth vp contentions but charitie couereth all iniquities In whiche verse as his manner is he doth by waye of comparison of contraries compare the euels that growe of hatreds with the frutes of charitie in this meanyng they that haâ—e together do one byte barke at reproche and rayle at an other and turne all thinges to the worst but they that loue together doe dissemble many thynges amonge themselues doe wynke at many thinges and pardon many thinges one to the other not that the one alloweth the others faultes but beareth with them and helpeth them with admonishyng rather than galleth them with reprochyng them And it is not to bee doubted that Peter allegeth this place in the same sense vnlesse we will accuse him of deprauyng and wrongfully wrestynge the Scripture But whereas he teacheth that sinne is purged with mercifulnesse and liberalitie he doth not meane that recompense is therewith made for sinne before the face of the Lord so that God beyng appeased by suche satisfaction dothe release the peyne that otherwise he would haue layed vpon them but after the accustomed manner of the Scripture he declareth that they shall finde him merciefull vnto them that leauyng their former vices iniquities do turne to him by godlinesse and truthe as if he should say that the wrath of God doth cesse and his iudgement rest when we cesse from our euell doynges Neither doth he there describe the cause of pardon but rather the manner of true conuersion As many times the Prophetes doe declare that Hypocrites doe in vayne pester God with forged ceremonious vsages in stede of repentaÌ„ce whereas it is vprightnesse of life with the duties of charitie that deliteth him As also the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes coÌ„mending liberalitie gentlenesse teacheth that such sacrifices please God And when Christ tauÌ„ting the Pharisees that geuing hede only to cleansyng of dishes they neglected the cleannesse of the heart coÌ„maunded them to geue almes that all might be cleane he dyd not thereby exhorte them to make satisfaction but only teacheth what manner of cleannesse pleaseth God Of whiche kinde of speach we haue entreated in an other place As touching the place of Luke no maÌ„ that hath with sound iudgement read the parable that the Lord did there recite will make vs any controuersie therupon The Pharisee thought with himselfe that the lord did not know the woman which he had so easily receiued into his presence For he thought that Christ wold not haue receiued her if he had knowen her such a sinner as she was And thereby he gathered that Christ was not a Prophet that might in suche sorte be deceyued The lord to shewe that she was no sinner to whom her sinnes were alredy forgeuen dyd put out this parable There were two dettours to one creditour vpoÌ„ vsurie the one ought fifty the other ought fyue hundred bothe had theyr dettes forgeuen them Whether oweth more thanke the Pharisee answered he to whome moste is forgeuen The Lorde replyed learne hereby that this womaÌ„s sinnes are forgeuen her bycause she hath loued muche In whiche wordes as you see he maketh not her loue the cause but the profe of the forgeuenesse of her sinnes For they are deriued vpoÌ„ a similitude of that â—ettour to whome fyue hundred was forgeuen to whome he dyd not saye that therefore it was forgeuen bycause he had loued muche but therefore loued muche bycause it was forgeuen And hereunto muste that similitude bee applyed in this sorte Thou thynkest this woman to be a sinner but thou oughtest to knowe that she is none suche for asmuch as her sinnes be forgeuen her And that her sinnes be forgeuen her her loue ought to proue vnto thee whereby she rendreth thanke for his benefite It is an argument gathered of the folowyng effect whereby any thinge is proued by signes ensuyng By what meane she obteyned forgeuenesse of sinnes the Lord openly restifieth Thy fayth sayth he hath saued thee Therefore we obteyne forgeuenesse by fayth By charitie we geue thankes and testifie the bountiefulnesse of the Lord. As for those thinges that are commonly founde in the bookes of olde wryters concerning satisfactioÌ„ they litle moue me I see in deede that many of theÌ„ I wil speake plainely in a manner al whose bokes remayne haue eyther erred in this point or spoken to crabbedly and hardely but I will not graunt that
they were so rude and vnskilfull as to haue wrytten those thynges in that sense that the newe Satisfactionars do reade thē Chrysostome in one place writeth thus wher mercie is required examination cesseth where mercie is asked iudgement is not rigorous where mercie is craued there is no place for peine where is mercie there is no inquisition Where is mercie the answer is pardoned Whiche wordes howsoeuer they be wrested yet thei cā neuer be made to agree with the Scholemens doctrines In the boke of Ecclesiastical doctrines whiche is fathered vpō Augustine is red thus Satisfactiō of repentance is to cut of the causes of sinnes not to graunt an entrie to their suggestions Whereby appereth that the doctrine of satisfaction that was sayd to be geuen in recompense for sinnes committed was euen in those times laughed to scorne for asmuch as they referre all satisfactiō to a heedefulnesse in absteining from sinnes in time to come I will not allege that whiche the same Chrysostome sayth that he requireth of vs no more but that we shold confesse our sinnes vnto him with teares sithe suche sentences are many times founde in his wrytinges and others Augustine in deede in some places calleth the workes of mercie remedies to obteine forgeuenesse of sinnes but bicause no mā shuld stūble at that litle word he himself preuenteth it in an other place The flesh of Christ sayth he the true only sacrifice for sinnes not only these sinnes y◠are wholly put away in baptisme but also these that afterward crepe in by weaknesse for whiche the whole church crieth out at this day Forgeue vs our trespasses And they are forgeuen by that singular sacrifice They haue for the most part called satiffaction not a recompense to be rendred to God but an open declaratiō wherby they that had ben excōmunicate when they would be receiued agayne to the cōmunion did assertayne the church of their repentance For there weare enioyned vnto them when they did repēt certayne fastings other things whereby they might perswade men that they weare truely hartily wery of their former life or rather blot out the remembrance of their former doynges so they were sayd to make satiffaction not to God but to the Church Which is also expressed of Augustine in these words in his Enchirrdion to Laurēce Out of that auncient custome the cōfessions and satisfactions that are at this day vsed toke their beginning Truely very viperous birthes by whiche is brought to palle that there remayneth not so much as a shadowe of the better forme I know that the old writers doe sometime speake somewhat hardly and as I sayd euen now I do not denie that paraduenture they erred herein But those things that weare besprinkled with a few spots when thei are ones handled with these mens vnwashed handes are altogether defiled And if we must contend with authoritie of old wryters good God what olde writers do they thrust vnto vs A good part of those wherwith Peter Lombard their chāpion hath botched vp his patched Sentēces is gathered out of the vnsauorie dotages of certaine mōkes that are caried about vnder the name of Ambrose Hierome Augustine and Chrysostome As about this present questiō he taketh in a manner all out of Augustines boke of Repentāce which is foolishly botched of good and bad by some scraper together It beareth in deede the name of Augustine but such a boke as no man beyng but meanely learned would vouchesaue to acknowlege for his But wheras I do not so narrowly examine their follies let the readers pardon me whom I wold ease of that tediousnesse For to me it shuld not be very laboursome yet very plausible to bewray to their great shame those thinges that they haue heretofore bosted vpon as misteries but bycause my purpose is to teache frutefully therefore I passe them ouer The fifte Chapter ¶ Of the suppliynges whiche they adde to satisfactions as pardons and purgatory OUt of this doctrine of satisfactions do flowe indulgēces or pardons For they say that that which our power wāteth to make satisfaction is supplied by these pardōs And thei runne so far forth into madnesse that they define thē to be the distributiō of the merites of Christ of the martirs which Pope dealeth abrode by his bulles But although they haue more neede of Helleborus to purge their frētike braine thā argumētes to answer thē so that it is not much worthy that trauaile to stand vpō confuting such triflyng errors which are already shakē with many battelrammes and of them selues growe into decaied age and bende toward falling yet because a short confutation of them shal be profitable for some that be ignoraunt I will not altogether omitte it As for this that pardons haue so long stand safe and haue so long ben vnpunished hauing ben vsed with so outragious and furious licētiousnesse this may serue to teache vs in how darke a night of errors men in certaine ages past haue ben drowned They sawe them selues to be openly vncoloredly scorned of the Pope and his Bulbearers gainful markettes to be made of the saluation of their soules the price of saluatiō to be valued at a few pence and nothing set out to be frely geuen that by this colour they be wyped of offringes to be filthely spent vpon brothels bawdes and bankettinges that the greatest blowers abrode of pardons are the greatest despisers of them that this mōstre doth dayly more and more with greater licentiousnesse ouerrunne the worlde grow into outrage and that there is no ende newe lead dailye brought and new mony gotten Yet with hye reuerence they receiued they worshipped and bought pardons and suche as among the rest sawe somewhat farther yet though thē to be godly deceiptes wherby mē might be beguiled with some profit At the length sins the world suffred it selfe to be somwhat wiser pardons waxe colde and by litle and litle become frosen till they vtterly vanishe awaye But for as muche as many that se the filthy gaming 's the deceiptes theftes and robberies wherwith the pardoners haue heretofore mocked and begiled vs yet se not the very fountaine of ungodlynesse from whence they spring it is good to shewe not only of what sort pardons be but also what they be when they are wyped from all spottes They call the treasure of the churche the merites of Christe and of the holye Apostles and Martyrs The principal custody of this barne as I haue already touched thei fame to be deliuered to the byshop of Rome that he should haue the distribution of so great giftes that he might bothe geue them by him selfe and also graunte iurisdiction to other to geue them Hereupon procede frō the Pope somtime plenarie pardons some pardons for certain yeares from the Cardinalles pardons for a hundred dayes from Byshoppes pardons for forty daies But they be as I may naturally describe them the profaning of the bloude of Christe Sathans
but to strengthen thy minde with constant certaintie perfect assurednes to haue whervpoÌ„ to rest fasteÌ„ thy fooâ—e He adioyneth also an other thing that is that the promise shal therby be made of no effect voide For if the fulfilling therof do hang vpon oure deseruing when shal we come thus farre as to deserue the bountifulnes of God Also this second point hangeth vpon the former For the promise shal not be fulfilled but to them that beleue it Therfore if faithe be fallen ther shall remaine no force of the promisse Therfore the inheritance is of faith that it may be according to grace to stablishe the promise For it is abundantly wel stablished when it resteth vpon the only mercy of God bicause his mercy truth are with a perpetual knot ioyned together that is to sai whatsoeuer God mercifulli promiseth he also faithfulli performeth So Dauid before that he required saluation by the word of God first determineth the cause therof to be in his mercye Let thy mercies saith he come vnto me thy saluation according to thy word And rightfully bycause God is by no other meane perswaded to make the promise but of his own mere mercie Therfore we must herin stay deepely fasten all our hope not to loke to our own works to seke any helpe of theÌ„ And that you shold not think that I herin speake any new thing Augustine doth also teache that we ought so to do Christ saith he shal reigne for euer in his seruantes God hath promised it God hath said it and if that be not enough God hath sworne it Therefore for asmuch as the promise is stablished not according to our deseruinges but according to his mercie no man ought to speake fearefully of that of whych he can not doubte Bernarde also saythe The disciples of Christe saye Whoe canne bee saued Butte hee aunswered thys ys impossible with menne butte yt is not impossible wyth God This is all our confidence this is our only comforte this is the whole grounde of oure hope but beyng assured of the possibilitie what saye we of hys wyll Whoe knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Who hath knowen the Lords meaning â–ª Or who hath ben his counseller Here now faith must of necessitie help vs here must his truthe succoure vs that that which is hidden from vs in yâ— heart of the father may be reueled by the Spirit his Spirit testifieng it may perswade our heartes that we are the sonnes of God And it may perswade vs by calling iustifyeng vs freely by fayth in which things ther is as it were a certaine meane passage from the eternall predestination to the glorie that is to come Brefely let vs thus conclude The Scripture declareth that the promises of God are not stablished vnlesse they be taken hold of with assured affiance of conscience whersoeuer there is any doubting or vncertaintie it pronounceth that thei be voide Againe yt pronounceth that they do nothing but stagger wauer if thei rest vpoÌ„ our own workes Therfore we must nedes either lose righteousnesse or we must not coÌ„sider our own workes but only faith must take place whose nature is this to lift vp her eares shut her eies that is to say to be hedefully bent to the promise only and to turne away her thought from all mans worthinesse or deseruing So is yâ— notable prophecie of Zacharie fulfilled that when the wickednes of the land shal be done away a man shal call his frend vnder his vine vnder his figge tree where the Prophet declareth that the faithful do no otherwise enioy true peace but after obteining of the forgeuenesse of sinnes For this cauelatioÌ„ is to be remeÌ„bred in the Prophetes that wheÌ„ thei speake of the kingdome of Christ they set out the outward blessinges of God as figures of the spirituall thinges Wherupon Christ is called both the king of peace our peace because he appeaseth al the troublesom motioÌ„s of coÌ„science If we seke by what meane he doth it we must nedes come to the sacrifice by which God is appeased For he shal neuer cesse to tremble for feare that shall not determine that God is appeased by the only satisfactorie cleansing wherin Christ hath susteined his wrath Finally peace is no where els to be sought for but in the terrors of Christ our redemer But why do I vse so darke a testimonie Paul euery where denieth that there is peace or quiet ioy left to consciences vnlesse it be determined that we be iustified by faith And he therwithall declareth whense that assurednes cometh namely when the loue of God is poured into our heartes by the holy Ghost as if he had said that our coÌ„sciences can not otherwise be quieted vnlesse we be certeinly persuaded that we please god WherupoÌ„ also in an other place he crieth out in the persone of al the godly Who shall seuer vs froÌ„ the loue of God whiche is in Christ because we shall â—reÌ„ble euen at euery litle breath till we be arriued into that haueÌ„ but we shal be without care euen in the darkenes of death so long as the lord shal shew him selfe a pastor to vs. Therfore whosoeuer prate that we are iustified by faith because being regenerate we ar iust by liuing spiritually they neuer tasted the swetenesse of grace to coÌ„sider that God will be merciful vnto theÌ„ WherupoÌ„ also foloweth that they do no more know the manner of praiyng rightly than Turkes whatsoeuer other profane Nations For as Paul witnesseth it is no true faith vnlesse it teache put vs in minde of the most swete name of Father yea vnlesse it opeÌ„ our mouth freely to crie out Abba father Whiche in an other place he more plainely expresseth where he saith that in Christ we haue boldnesse entrie in coÌ„fidence by the faith of him Truly this cometh not to passe by the gift of regeneration which as it is alway vnperfect in this flesh so it conteineth in it self manifold mater of douting Wherfore we must of necessitie come to this remedy that the faithful shold determine that they may by no other right hope for the inheritaÌ„ce of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome but because being graffed into the body of Chist they are frely accoÌ„pted righteous For as touching iustificatioÌ„ faith is a thing merely passiue bringing nothing of our own to the recouering of the fauour of God but receiuing of Christ that whiche we want The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ What is the beginning of iustification and the continuall procedinges therof THat the mater may bee made more plaine let vs searche what may be the righteousnesse of maÌ„ in the whole course of his life let vs make fower degrees therof For meÌ„ either being endued with no knowledge of God are drowned in idolatrie or being entred into profession by sacrameÌ„tes denyeng God with vncleannes of life whom thei
the treasures which our fayth hath loked vpon beyng shewed to it by the gospell of the Lord. Now how necessarie and how many wayes profitable this exercise of prayer is it can by no wordes be sufficiently declared Undoutedly it is not without cause that the heauenly father testifieth that the only fortresse of saluation is in the callyng vpon his name namely whereby we call to vs the presence bothe of his prouidence by whiche he watcheth to take care of our matters and of his power by which he susteineth vs beyng weake in a manner fayntyng and of his goodnesse by which he receiueth vs into fauor beyng miserably loden with sinnes finally whereby we cal him al whole to geue himself present to vs. Hereby groweth singular rest and quietnesse to our consciences For when we haue disclosed to the Lord the necessitie whiche distressed vs we largely rest though it were but in this onely that none of our euels is hidden from him whoÌ„ we are persuaded bothe to be most well willyng toward vs and most able to prouide well for vs. But will some man saye did not he know without any to put in minde of it bothe in what part we be distressed and what is expedient for vs so that it maye seme after a certayne manner superfluous that he should be troubled with our prayers as though he winked or slept vntill he were awaked with our voice But they which so reason marke not to what ende the lord hath instructed them that be his to pray for he ordeined it not so much for his owne cause as rather for oures He willeth in deede as right it is that his due be rendred to him when they acknowledge to come from him whatsoeuer men require or doe perceiue to make for their profit and doe testifie the same with wishynges But the profit also of this sacrifice wherewith he is worshipped commeth to vs. Therefore how much more boldly the holy fathers gloriously talked bothe to theÌ„selues and other of the benefites of God so much the more sharply they were pricked forward to pray The only example of Elias shal be enough for vs whiche beyng sure of the counsell of God after that he not rashely had promised raine to Achab yet busily prayeth betwene his knees and sendeth his seruant seuen times to espie it not for that he dyd discredit the oracle of God but bycause he knew that it was his dutie least his faith should waxe drowsy and sluggish to laye vp his desires with God Wherefore although while we lye senslesse so dull that we perceiue not our owne miseries he waketh and watcheth for vs and somtime also helpeth vs vndesired yet it much behoueth vs that he be continually called vpon of vs that our heart maye be enflamed with earnest and feruent desire to seke loue and worship him while we accustome our selues in euery necessitie to sâ—ee to him as to our shoote anchare Againe that no desire and no wishe at all maye entre into our minde whereof we should be ashamed to make him witnesse while we learne to present our wishes yea to poure out our whole heart before his eyes Then yâ— we may be framed to receiue al his benefites with true thaÌ„kfulnesse of minde yea with outward thankesgeuyng of which we are put in minde by our prayer that thei come to vs froÌ„ his haÌ„d Moreouer that when we haue obteined that whiche we desired beyng persuaded that he hath answered to our prayers we may be therby the more ferueÌ„tly caried to thinke vpoÌ„ his kindenesse therewithal embrace with greater pleasure those thinges which we acknowledge to haue ben obteined by prayer Laste of all that very vse and experience maye accordyng to the measure of our weakenesse assure our mindes of his prouidence when we vnderstand that he not only promiseth that he will neuer faile vs and that he doth of his owne accord open vs the entrie to cal to him in the very point of necessitie but also hath his hand alway stretched out to help them that be his and that he doth not feade them with wordes but defendeth them with present help For these causes the most kinde Father although he neuer slepeth or is sluggishe yet oftentimes maketh a shew as though he slept were sluggish that so he maye exercise vs which are otherwise sloughtfull sluggish to come to him to aske of him to require him to our owne great benefit Therfore they do to foolishly which to cal away the mindes of men froÌ„ prayer babble that the prouidence of God which maketh for the safekeping of al thinges is in vaine weried with our callinges vpon him Whereas the lord coÌ„trariwise not in vaine testifieth that he is â—â—e to al theÌ„ that call vpoÌ„ his name in truth And of none other sort is that which other do triffingly say that it is superfluous to aske those thinges whiche the Lord is of his owne will ready to geue whereas euen the very same thinges which flowe to vs from his owne free liberalitie he wil haue vs acknowlege to be graunted to our prayers Whiche thing that notable senteÌ„ce of the Psalm doth testifie wherwith many like sayenges do accord The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous his eares vnto their prayers Which sayeng so setteth out the prouidence of God bent of his own accord to prouide sor the safetie of the godly that yet he omitteth not the exercise of faith wherby sloughtfulnesse is wiped froÌ„ the mindes of men The eyes of God therfore do wake that he may succour the necessitie of the blinde but he will againe on our behalues heare our groninges that he maye the better proue his loue toward vs. And so bothe are true that the watcheman of Israell slepeth not nor slombreth and yet that he sitteth still as hauynge forgotten vs when he seeth vs dull and dumme Now to frame prayer rightly well let this be the first rule that we be no otherwise framed in minde and heart than becoÌ„meth them that entre into talke with God Whiche verily we shall atteyne as touchyng the minde of the same beyng free from fleshely cares and thoughtes wherwith it may be called away or withdrawe froÌ„ the right pure beholding of God do not only bend it self wholly to prayer but also so much as is possible be lifted vp caried aboue it self Neither do I here require a minde so at libertie that it be pricked nipped with no â—are wheras coÌ„trariwise the ferueÌ„tnesse of praier must by much carefulnesse be kindled in vs as we see that the holy seruaÌ„ts of God do somâ—â—â—e declare great tormentes much more carefulnesses when they 〈◊〉 â—hat thei vtter to the lord a bewayling voice out of the depe depth 〈◊〉 out of the middest of the iawes of death But I say that al straÌ„ge â—â—d foreyne cares must be driuen away wherwith the minde it selfe wandring hether and thether is caried
is not superfluous And so by the example of Dauid let it not greue vs to thrust in such things as may refresh fainting heartes with new liuely strength And it is wonderful that with so great swetenesse of promises we are either but coldly or almost not at all moued that a great parte of men wandring about by compasses had rather leauing these fountaine of liuing waters to digge for themselues drie pittes than to embrace the liberalitie of God freely offered theÌ„ An inuincible tour is the name of the lord saith Salomon to it the righteous man shal flee he shal be saued And Ioel after that he had prophecied of that horrible destructioÌ„ which was at hand added this notable sentence Whosoeuer calleth vpoÌ„ the name of the lord shal be safe which sentence we know to perteine proprely to the course of the Gospel Scarcely euery hundreth man is moued to go forward to meet God He himself crieth by Esaie Ye shall cal vpoÌ„ me I wil heare you yea before that ye crie I wil answer you And this same honor also in an other place he vouchesaueth to geue in coÌ„mon to the whole Church as it belongeth to al the meÌ„bres of Christe He hath cried to me I wil heare him I am in trouble with him that I maie deliuer him Neither yet as I haue already saide is it my purpose to recken vp al the places but to choose out the chefe by whiche we may take a taste how kindely God allureth vs vnto him with how streight bonds our vnthankfulnes is bound when among so sharp prickinges our sluggishnesse stil maketh delay Wherfore let these saienges alway sound in our eares The lord is nie to al theÌ„ that cal vpon him that cal vpon him in trueth also these saiengs which we haue alleaged out of Esaie Ioel by which God affirmeth that he is hedeful to heare praiers yea is delited as with a sacrifice of swete sauoure when we cast our cares vpoÌ„ him This singular frute we receiue of the promises of God wheÌ„ we make our praiers not doubtingly ferefulli but trusting vpon his word whose maiestie wold otherwise make vs afraide we dare cal vpon him by the name of Father forasmuch as he vouchesaueth to put this most swete name into our mouthes It remaineth that we hauing such allurementes shold know that we haue thereby matter enoughe to obteine our praiers forasmuch as our praiers stand vpon no merite of our own but al their worthines hope of obteining ar grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the promises of God and hang vpoÌ„ them so that it nedeth none other vnderproppinge nor loketh vpwarde hither or thether Therefore we must determin in our minds that although we excel not in like holines as is praised in the holy fathers prophtes Apostles yet bicause the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of praier is coÌ„moÌ„ to vs faith is also coÌ„mon if we rest vpoÌ„ the word of God in this right we ar fellowes with theÌ„ For God as we haue before shewed promisiÌ„g that he wil be geÌ„tle merciful to al geueth cause of hope to al eueÌ„ the mosâ— miserable that thei shal obtein what thei ask And therfor the general formes ar to be noted froÌ„ which no maÌ„ as thei sai froÌ„ the first to the last is excluded onli let ther be preseÌ„t a purenes of heart misliking of our selfes humility faith let not our hypocrisy vnholily abuse the name of God with deceitful calliÌ„g vpon it the most good father wil not put back theÌ„ whoÌ„ he not only exhorteth to com to hiÌ„ but also moueth theÌ„ by al the meanes that he caÌ„ HerupoÌ„ cometh that maÌ„ner of prayiÌ„g of Dauid which I haue eueÌ„ now rehersed Lo thou hast promised Lord to thy serâ—â—â—t for this cause thy seruaÌ„t at this dai gathereth courag hath fouÌ„d what prayer he might make before the. Now therfore O Lord God the art god thy words shal be tru Thou hast spokeÌ„ to thi seruaÌ„t of these benefits begin therfore do theÌ„ As also in an other place Perform to thy seruaÌ„t according to thy word And al the Israelits together so oft as thei arme theÌ„selues with remeÌ„brance of the couenaÌ„t do sufficieÌ„tly declare that we shold not prai fearfully wheras the lord so apoiteth And herin theâ— folowd the exaÌ„ples of the fathers specially of Iacob which after that he had coÌ„fessed that he was vnworthy of so many mercies which he had receiued at the haÌ„d of God yet he saith that he is eÌ„coraged to require greater things bicause God had promised that he wold do theÌ„ But whatsoeuer colors that vnbeleuers do preteÌ„d wheÌ„ thei flee not to God so oft as necessitie presseth theÌ„ wheÌ„ thei seke not him nor craue his helpe thei do as much defraud hiÌ„ of his due honor as if thei made to theÌ„selfs new gods idols for by this mean thei deny that he is to them yâ— author of al good things On the other side ther is nothing stroÌ„ger to deliuer the godly froÌ„ al dout thaÌ„ to be armed with this thought that no stop ought to stay theÌ„ while they obey the coÌ„mandmeÌ„t of God which pronouÌ„ceth yâ— nothing is more pleasing to him thaÌ„ obedieÌ„ce Here again that which I said before more clerelâ— appereth that a dredles spirit to pray agreeth wel with fear reuereÌ„ce carefulnes that it is no absurdity to say that God raiseth vp the ouerthroweÌ„ After this maÌ„ner those formes of speach agree well together which in seming ar contrary Ieremie Daniel say that thei throw down prayers before god In an other place Iereme saith Let our praier fal down in the sight of God that he may haue mercie on the remnant of his people On the other side the faithful are oftentimes said to lift vp praier So speaketh Ezechias requiring the prophete to make intercession for him And Dauid desireth that his praier may ascende as incense For although thei being perswaded of the fatherly loue of God cherefully coÌ„mitt theÌ„selues into his faithful keping dout not to craue the helpe whiche he freely promiseth yet doth not an idle carelesnesse lift them vp as though thei had cast away shame but thei ascend so vpward by degrees of promyses that thei stil remaine humble suppliants in the abacemeÌ„t of theÌ„selues Here ar questioÌ„s obiected more thaÌ„ one For the scripture reporteth that the lord graÌ„ted certain desires which yet brake forth of a minde not quiet nor wel framed Uerili for a iust cause Ioatham had auowed the inhabitaÌ„ts of SicheÌ„ to the destructioÌ„ which afterward caÌ„e vpoÌ„ theÌ„ but yet god kindled with ferueÌ„tnes of anger veÌ„geaÌ„ce folowing his execratioÌ„ semeth to alow ilteÌ„pered violeÌ„t passioÌ„s Such heat also caried SamsoÌ„ wheÌ„ he said StrengtheÌ„ me O god that I may take vengeaÌ„ce of the vncircumcised For though ther were some pece of good zele miÌ„gled with it yet a hote
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
testifieth which reporteth that in the time of Ambrose the Chirch of Millain first began to sing when while Iustina the mother of Valentinâ—an cruelly raged against the true Faith the people more vsed watchinges than they were wont and that afterwarde the other westerne Chirches folowed For he had a litle before sayed that this maner came from the Easterne Chirches He telleth also in his seconde boke of Retractations that it was in his time receiued in Africa One Hilarie sayth he a ruler did in euery place wheresoeuer he could with malicious blaming raile at the maner which then began to be at Carthage that the hymnes at the altar should be pronounced out of the boke of Psalmes either before the oblation or wheÌ„ that which had ben offred was distributed to the people Him I answered at the commaundement of my brethren And truely if song be tempered to that grauitie which becommeth the preseÌ„ce of God and Angels it both procureth dignitie and grace to the holy actions and muche auaileth to stirre vp the myndes to true affection and feruentnesse of prayeng But we muste diligently beware that our eares be not more hedefully bente to the note than our myndes to the spiritual sense of the wordes Wyth which peril Augustine in a certaine place sayth that he was so moued that he sometime wished that the maner which Athanasius kept shold be stablished which commaunded that the reder shoulde sounde hys wordes with so small a boowing of hys voice that it should be liker to one that readeth than to one that singeth But when he remembred howe muche profite he hymselfe had receyued by syngyng he inclined to the other side Therfore vsyng this moderation there is no dout that it is a most holye and profitable ordinance As on the other side what songes so euer are framed only to swetenesse and delite of the eares they both become not the maiestie of the Chirch and can not but hyely displease God Whereby it also playnly appereth that common praiers are to be spoken not in Greke among Latine men nor in Latine among Frenchemen or Englishemen as it hath heretofore ben eche where commonly done but in the peoples mother tongue which coÌ„monly may be vnderstoode of the whole assembly forasmuche as it ought to be done to the edifiyng of the whole Chirch whiche receiue no fruite at all of a sound not vnderstanded But they which haue no regarde neither of charitie nor of humanitie shold at least haue ben somwhat moued with the authoritie of Paule whoe 's wordes are nothyng doutfull If thou blesse saieth he in Spirite howe shall he that filleth the place of an vnlerned man answer Amen to thy blessing sith he knoweth not what thou saiest For thou in dede geuest thankes but the other is not edified Who therfore can sufficiently wonder at the vnbridled licentiousnesse of the Papistes which the Apostle so openly crying out againste it feare not to roare out in a strange tongue moste babblyng prayers in whiche they themselues sometyme vnderstand not one syllable nor wold haue other folkes to vnderstand it But Paule teacheth that we ought to do otherwise How then I will pray sayth he with spirit I will praye also with mynde I will syng with spirite I will sing also with mynde signifieng by the name of Spirite the singular gifte of tonges which many being endued with abused it when they seuered it from the mynde that is froÌ„ vnderstaÌ„ding But this we must altogether thiÌ„k that it is by no meane possible neither in publike nor in priuate praier but that the tong without the hart must hyely displease God Moreouer we muste thinke that the mynde ought to be kyndled with feruentnesse of thoughte that it maye farre surmounte all that the tong maye expresse with vtterance Fynally that the tong is not necessarie at all for priuate prayer but so farre as the inwarde felyng either is not able to suffice to enkindle it selfe or the vehemence of enkindlyng violently carieth the woorke of the tong with it For though very good prayers sometyme be without voyce yet it oftentymes betydeth that when the affection of the mynde is feruent bothe the tong breaketh foorthe into voice and the other membres into gesturyng without excessiue shew Hereupon came the mutteryng of Hanna and such a like thing all the holy ones alway fele in themselues when they burst out into broken and vnperfect voices As for the gestures of the body which are wont to be vsed in praier as knelyng and vncoueryng of the hed they are exercises by which we endeuor to ryse vp to a greater reuerencing of God Now we must learne not onely a more certaine rule but also the very forme of prayeng namely the same which the heauenly Father hath taught vs by his beloued Sonne wherin we may acknowe his vnmesurable goodnesse and kyndenesse For besyde this he warneth and exhorteth vs to seke hym in al our necessitie as children are wont to flee to their fathers defence so oft as they be troubled with any distresse because he saw that we did not sufficiently perceiue this how sclender our pouertie was what were mete to be asked what were for our profite he prouided also for this our ignoraÌ„ce what our capacitie waÌ„ted he supplied furnished of his own For he hath prescribed to vs a form wherin he hath as in a Table set our whatsoeuer we may desire of him what soeuer auaileth for our profit whatsoeuer is necessary to ask Of whiche his gentlenesse we receaue a great fruit of comfort that we vnderstand that we aske no inconuenient thyng no vnsemyng or vnfit thyng finally nothyng that is not acceptable to hym sith we aske in a maner after his owne mouthe When Plato sawe the folly of men in making requestes to God whiche beyng grauÌ„ted it many tymes befell much to their owne hurt he pronounced that this is the best maner of prayeng taken out of the olde Poete Kyng Iupiter geue vnto vs the beste thynges bothe when we aske them and when we doo not aske them but commaunde euell thynges to be away from vs euen when we aske them And verily the heathen man is wyse in this that he iudgeth howe perillous it is to aske of the Lorde that whiche our owne desire moueth vs and therwithal he bewrayeth our vnhappy case that we can not ones open our mouthes before God without danger vnlesse the Spirite do instructe vs to a right rule of praying And in so muche greater estimation this priuilege is worthy to be had of vs sithe the onely begotten Sonne of God ministreth wordes into our mouthe which may deliuer our mynde from all doutyng This whether you call it forme or rule of praying is made of six petitions For the cause why I agree not to them that diuide it into seuen partes is this that by puttyng in this aduersatiue word But it semeth that the Euangelist men to
sought without hymselfe maketh the one sorte differing from the other so that not al the children of Israel be true Israelites it is vainly fayned that euery mans estate hath beginning in hymselfe Then he further foloweth the mater vnder the example of Iacob and Eâ—au For when they bothe were the sonnes of Abraham bothe together enclosed in one mothers wombe it was a monsterlyke change that the honor of firste birth was remoued to Iacob by whiche change Paul affirmeth that there was testified the election of the one and the reprobation of the other The originall and cause of it is enquired whiche the Teachers of foreknowlege wyll haue to be sett out in the vertues and vices of men For thys is an easy shorte way wyth them that God shewed in the persone of Iacob that he chooseth the worthy of hys grace and in the persone of Esau he refuseth them whom he foreseeth to be vnworthy Thus they saye boldly But what sayeth Paule when they were not yet borne and had not done any good or euell that according to election the purpose of GOD mighte abyde not of workes but of hym that calleth it is sayed The elder shall serue the yonger as it is written Iacob I haue loued but Esau I haue hated If foreknowlege were of any force in this difference of the brethren then verily mention were vnfittly made of the tyme. Let vs graunt that Iacob was chosen because he had worthinesse gotteÌ„ by workes to come to what purpose should Paul say that he was not yet borne And this now should be vnaduisedly added that he had yet done no good because this shal be a redy answer that nothiÌ„g is hidden from God and that so the godlinesse of Iacob was presente before hym If workes do win grace they shold then worthily haue had their price before that Iacob was borne as if he had ben growen to full age But the Apostle goeth forwarde in vndoing this knot and teacheth that the adoption of Iacob was not made of workes but of the calling of God In works he enterlaceth not the time to come or time past then he directly setteth them against the calling of God meaning by stablishiÌ„g of the one expresly to ouerthrow the other as if he had sayd that it is to be considered what hath pleased God not what men haue brought of themselues Last of al it is certayne that by the wordes of Election and Purpose al causes whatsoeuer men are wont to faine ellswhere than in the secret counsel of God are quite remoued from thys mater What color wil they bring to darkeÌ„ these things who in electioÌ„ assigne some place to workes either past or to come For this is vtterly to mocke out that which the Apostle affirmeth that the difference of the brethreÌ„ hangeth not vpon any consideration of works but vpon the mere calling of God because it was put betwene them wheÌ„ they wer not yet borne Neither had he ben ignorant of this their sutteltie if it had had any soundnesse in it but because he very wel knewe that God can foresee no goodnesse in man but that which he hath first determined by the benefit of his election to geue him he fleeth not to that vnorderly order to set good workes before the cause of theÌ„selues Thus haue we by the words of the Apostle that the saluation of the faythful is founded vpon the wil of the only electioÌ„ of God and that the same fauor is not gotten by workes but cometh of free calling We haue also as it were an image of that thing sett before vs. Esau and Iacob are brethreÌ„ issuing bothe of one the same pareÌ„tes enclosed yet bothe in one wombe not yet brought out into the world In them al thinges are egal yet of them the iugement of God is diuerse For he taketh the one and forsaketh the other There was nothing but the only first birth by right wherof the one excelled the other But this also being passed ouer that thyng is geuen to the yonger which is denied to the elder Yea and in other also God semeth alway as of set purpose to haue despised first birth to cutt of from the fleshe al mater of gloryeng Refusing Ismaell he cast hys mynde to Isaac Plucking backe Manasse he more honored Ephraim If any maÌ„ interrupt me with sayeng that we must not by these inferior smal benefites determine of the summe of the lyfe to come that he which hath ben aduaunced to the honor of first birth should therefore be reckned to be adopted into the inheritance of heauen for there be some which spare not Paul himselfe as though in alleging these testimonies he had wrested the Scripture to a strange sense I answere as I haue done herebefore that the Apostle nether slipped by vnaduisednesse nor wilfully abused the testimonies of the Scripture But he sawe whiche they can not abide to consider that God minded by an earthly signe to declare the spiritual election of Iacob which otherwise was hidden in his inaccessible throne For vnlesse we refer the first birth graunted to him vnto the worlde to come it shoulde be a vaine and fonde forme of blessyng wherby he obteined nothyng but manyfolde miseries discommoties grefefull banishement and many bitternesse of sorow and cares Therefore when Paule sawe without douting that God by outwarde blessyng testified the blessing whiche he had in his kyngdome prepared spirituall and neuer decayeng for his seruant he douted not for profe of this spirituall blessyng to fetche an argument from that outward blessyng This also we must remembre that to the land of Canaan was adioyned the pledge of the heauenly dwellyng so that it ought not at al to be douted that Iacob was graffed with the Angels into the body of Christ that he might be partaker of the same lyfe Iacob therefore is chosen when Esau is reiected and by the Predestination of God is made different from hym from whom he differed not in any deseruyngs If you aske a cause the Apostle rendreth this because it is sayde to Moses I wyll haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie and I wil vouchsaue to graunt mercie to whome soeuer I will vouchsaue to graunt mercie And what I beseche you meaneth this Uerily the Lord himself most plainly pronouÌ„ceth that men haue in themselues no cause why he shold do good to them but he fetcheth the cause from his owne mercie onely and therfore that the saluation of his is his own worke When God setteth thy saluation in himselfe alone why wilt thou descende to thy self When he appointeth to thee his mercie alone why wilte thou runne to thyne owne deseruinges When he holdeth thy thoughte wholly in his merciefulnesse alone why wilt thou turne part to the beholding of thyne owne works Therfore we must nedes come to that lesser people which Paule in an other place saith to haue ben foreknowen to God not in suche sort as these men imagine to
it to serue an absurditie whiche I say that God foresaw not onely the fall of the first man in him the ruine of his posteritie but also disposed it after his owne will For as it belongeth to his wisedome to foreknow all thinges that shal be so it belongeth to his power to rule and gouerne all thinges with his hand And this question Augustine very well discusseth as he doth other sayeng We most holsomly confesse that which we most rightly beleue that the God and Lord of all thinges which created all thinges very good and foreknew that euell thinges should spring out of good and knewe that it more perteyned to his almighty goodnesse euen of euell thinges do well than not to suffer them to be euell that he so ordered the life of Angels and men that in it he might firste shewe what free will could do and then what the benefit of his grace and iudgement of iustice could do Here they runne to the distinction of will and permission by which they will haue it graunted that the wycked doe perish God only permittyng but not willyng it But why should we saye that he permitteth it but bycause he so willeth Howebeit it is not likely that man by himself by the onely permission of God without any his ordinaÌ„ce brought destruction to himself as though God apointed not of what condition he would haue the chiefe of his creatures to be I therefore wil not dout to coÌ„fesse simply with Augustine that the will of God is a necessitie of things that what he willeth it must of necessitie come to passe as those things shal truely come to passe which he hath foreseen Now if for excuse of themselues and of the vngodly eyther the Pelagians or Manichees or Anabaptistes or Epicureans for with these â—ower seâ—tes we haue to do in this question shall obiect against vs necessitie wherewith they be bound by the predestination of God they bryng nothing fit to the purpose For if predestination be nothing els but a dispensation of righteousnesse of God which is hidden in deede but yet without faulte For asmuch as it is certayne yâ— they were not vnworthy to be predestinate to that estate it is also as certayne that the destruction is moste righteous whiche they entre into by predestination Moreouer their destruction so hangeth vpon the predestination of God that bothe cause and matter thereof is founde in themselues For the first man fell bicause the Lord so iudged it to be expedieÌ„t why he so iudged is vnknowen to vs yet it is certaine that he so iudged for no other reason but bicause he saw that therby the glorie of his name should be worthily set forth When thou hearest mentioÌ„ of the glorie of God there thinke of his righteousnesse For it must be righteous that deserueth prayse Man therefore falleth the prouidence of God so ordeyning it but he falleth by his owne fault The Lord had a litle before pronounced that all the thinges whiche he had made were very good Whense therfore coÌ„meth that peruersnesse to man to fall away from his God Least it should be thought to be of creation the Lord with his coÌ„mendation allowed that which came from himself Therfore by his owne euelnesse he corrupted the nature whiche he had receiued pure of the Lord and by his fall he drewe his whole posteritie with him into destruction Wherefore let vs rather beholde an euident cause of damnation in the corrupted nature of mankinde whiche is nerer to vs than searche for a hidden vtterly incoÌ„preheÌ„sible cause thereof in the predestination of God Neyther let it greue vs so far to submit our wit to the vnmeasurable wisdome of God that it may yeld in many secretes of his For of those things which it is neyther grauÌ„ted nor lawfull to know the ignorance is well learned the couetyng of knowlege is a kinde of madnesse Some maÌ„ paâ—happes wil say that I haue not yet brought enough to subdue that wicked excuse But I verily confesse that it can neuer be brought to passe but that vngodlinesse will alway grudge murmure against it yet I think that I haue spoken so much as might suffice to take away not only all reason but also all color of gainesayeng The reprobate wold be thought excusable in sinning bicause they can not escape the necessitie of sinnyng specially sithe such necessitie is cast vpon them by the ordinaÌ„ce of God But we denie that they are therby wel excused bicause the ordinaÌ„ce of God by whiche they coÌ„plaine that thei are destinate to destruction hath his righteousnesse vnknoweÌ„ in deede to vs but yet most certaine WherupoÌ„ we coÌ„clude that they â—eare no euel which is not layed vpon them by the most righteous iugemeÌ„t of God Then we teache that they do ouerthwartly which to seke out the beginning of their daÌ„natioÌ„ do bend their eyes to the secret closets to the counsel of God and wink at the corruptioÌ„ of nature froÌ„ whense their daÌ„nation springeth And this withstandeth the thei caÌ„ not impute it to God for yâ— he witnesseth of his owne creation For although man is create by the eternal prouideÌ„ce of God to that calamitie wherunto he is subiect yet the mater therof he toke of himself not of God for asmuch as he is by no other meane so loste but bicause he wente out of kinde from the pure creation of God into a corrupt vnpure peruersness Now the aduersaries of Gods predestination do sclander it also with a third absurditie For wheÌ„ we impute it to nothing els but to the choise of the wil of God that thei are made free froÌ„ the vniuersal destructioÌ„ whoÌ„ he maketh heires of his kingdome therby thei gather that there is with him accepting of persones whiche the Scripture euery where denieth therefore that either the Scripture disagreeth with it self or that in the electioÌ„ of God there is respect of deseruinges First the scripture in an other sense denieth that God is an accepter of persones thaÌ„ as they iudge it For by the name of Persone it signifieth not a man but those things which beyng seen with eyes in man are wont to procure either â—auor grace dignitie or hatred coÌ„tempt shame as richesse wealth power nobilitie office contree excellencie of beautie such other on the other side pouertie neede basenesse vilenesse conteÌ„pt and such other So Peter and Paule do teache that the Lord is not an accepter of persones bicause he putteth not differeÌ„ce betwene the Iewe the Grecian to refuse the one embrace the other for only respecte of nation So Iames vseth the same wordes wheÌ„ he mindeth to affirme that God in his iudgement nothing regardeth richesse But Paule in an other place speaketh thus of God that in iudgyng he hath no consideration of freedome or bondage Wherefore there shal be no coÌ„trarietie if we shal say that God accordyng to the will of his good pleasure without
our thought vpon this howe wretched a thing it is to be estranged from the felowship of God and not that only but also to fele the maiestie of God so bent against thee that thou canst not escape but be fast strayned of it For first his displeasure is like a most violent fier with touchyng whereof all thinges are deuoured and swallowed vp Then all creatures so serue him to execute his iudgement that they to whome the Lord shall so shewe his wrath shal fele the heauen earth sea and beastes as it were with cruell indignation enflamed against them and armed to their destruction Wherefore it is no small thyng that the Apostle pronounceth when he sayth that the vnbeleuyng shal suffer eternal punishmēt by dyeng from the face of the Lord and from the glorie of his power And so oft as the Prophetes do caste vs in feare with bodily figures although they speake nothing excessiuely for our dulnesse yet they adde fore shewynges of that iudgement to come in the sunne and the moone and the whole frame of the world Wherfore the vnhappy consciēces do finde no rest from beyng vexed and tossed with a terrible whirlewinde frō felyng themselues to be torne in peces by God beyng angirly bent agaynst them from beyng pearced and launced with deadly stinges from trēbling at the lightening of God and beyng broosed with the weight of his hand so that it is much more ease to entre into al bottomlesse depthes and deuouryng pittes than to stande one moment in those terrors What and how great then is this to be pressed with euerlastyng and neuer cessing siege of him Of whiche thyng the .xc. Psalme conteyneth a notable sentence that although with onely sight he scatter abrode all mortall men and bryng them to nought yet his worshippers howe muche more ferefull they are in the world so much more he enforceth them and pricketh them forward loden with the crosse vntill he be all in all The ende of the third Boke THE FOVRTH BOKE OF THE INSTItution of Christen religion which entreateth of the outvvard meanes or helpes vvherby God allureth vs into the felovvshyp of Christ and holdeth vs therein ¶ The first Chapter Of the true Churche with which we ought to kepe vnitie because it is the mother of al the godly THat by Faith of the Gospel Christ is become ours and we be made partakers of the saluation broughte by him and of eternal blessednesse is already declared in the last booke But because our rudenesse and slouthfulnesse yea and vanitie of witte doe nede outwarde helpes whereby Fayth in vs maye both be engendred and growe and encrease in proceding towarde the marke wherunto it tendeth God hath also added them therby to prouyde for our weakenesse And that the Preaching of the Gospell might floryshe he hath left this treasure with the Churche He hath appointed Pastors and teachers by whoe 's mouth he myght teache them that be his he hath furnyshed them with authoritie finally he hath left nothyng vndoone that might auaile to the holy consent of faith and right order First of all he hath ordeined Sacramentes which we fele by experience to be more than profitable helpes to nourishe and confirme Faith For because beeyng enclosed in the prison of our fleshe we do not yet attaine to the degree of Angels God applying hymselfe to our capacitie accordyng to hys wonderful Prouidence hath appointed a meane wherby we being far distant frō him might come vnto hym Wherfore the order of teaching requireth that now we entreate of the Church and of the gouernemēt orders and power of it and then of the Sacramentes and lastely also of ciuile order and therewithall that we call away the godly readers from those corruptions wherewyth Satan in the Papane hath depraued all thynges that God had appointed for our saluation I will begin at the Churche into whoe 's bosome God wil haue hys children to be gathered together not onely that they should by her helpe and ministerie be nouryshed whyle they are infantes and yong chyldren but also be ruled by her motherly care tyll they growe to ryper age and at length come to the marke of Fayth For it is not lawfull that those thynges be seuered which God hath conioyned that to whom he is a Father the Churche be also their mother and that not onely vnder the lawe but also sins the commyng of Christe as Paule wytnesseth which teacheth that we are the children of the newe and heauenly Hierusalem In the Crede where we professe that we beleeue the Churche that is not spoken onelye of the visible Churche whereof we now entreate but of all the electe of God in whose number they are also comprehended that are departed by death And therefore thys worde Beleue is there set because oftentimes there can no other difference be noted betwene the children of God and the vngodly betwene his peculiar flocke and sauage beastes For wheras many doe enterlace this worde in that is without probable reason I graunt in dede that it is the more commonly vsed and also wanteth nor the consenting testimonie of antiquitie forasmuch as euen the Nicen Crede as it is reported in the Ecclesiasticall historie addeth the preposition in But there withall we maie marke by the writinges of the auncient Fathers that it was in old time receiued without controuersie to say that they beleued the Churche and not in the Churche For Augustine and that aunciēt writer whatsoeuer he was whoe 's work remaineth vnder the name of Cyprian concerning the exposition of the Crede do not onely so speake themselues but also do expresly note that it should be an vnproper maner of speaking if the preposition were adioyned and they confirme their opinion with no trifling reason For we therefore testifie that we beleue in God because vpon him as a true speaker our minde reposeth it selfe and in him our confidence resteth which could not so cōueniently be spoken to say in the Churche no more than it could be sayed I beleue in the forgeuenesse of sinnes or in the resurrection of the fleshe Therefore although I would not striue about woordes yet I had rather folowe the proprietie of speakyng that shoulde be fittest to expresse the matter thā curiously to seke for formes of speche wherby the matter may without cause be darkened But the ende is that we should know that although the deuill attempt all meanes to ouerthrowe the grace of Christe and though the ennemies of God be carried with violente rage to the same entente yet it can not be extinguished nor the bloude of Christ be made barren but that it will bryng forth some fruite And so is both the secrete election of God and his inward callyng to be cōsidered because he alone knoweth whoe be hys and holdeth thē enclosed vnder a seale as Paule termeth it saying that they beare hys tokens whereby they maye be seuerally knowen from the reprobate But because a
In disputations sayeth he of diuine maters there is a prescribed doctrine of the Holy ghost the bokes of the Gospels and of the Apostles with the Oracles of the Prophetes do fully shewe vs the meanyng of God Therefore layeng away discorde let vs take the discussinges of questions out of the wordes of the Spirite There was at that tyme no man that spake agaynst these holy monitions No man toke exception that the Chirche might adde somwhat of her own that the Spirite reueled not all thynges to the Apostles or at least vttered them not to those that came after or any suche thyng If it be true whiche oure aduersaries would haue fyrste Constantine did euil that toke from the Chirche her authoritie then whereas none of the Bishops at that time rose vp to defend it this was not without breach of their faith for so they were betraiers of the right of the Chirche But sith Theodorite reherseth that they willingly embraced that which the Emperor saied it is certaine that this newe doctrine was then vtterly vnknowen The .ix. Chapter Of Councels and of their authoritie NOw although I graunt them al thinges concerning the Chirch yet they shal therby not much preuaile for their intent For whatsoeuer is said of the Chirch the same they by and by geue to the Councels forasmuche as in their opiniō those represent the Chirch Yea where they so stiffly contend for the power of the Chirche they doe it of no other purpose but to geue all that they can gett to the Bishop of Rome and his gard But ere I begin to discusse this question I must nedes here make protestation of twoo thinges aforehande First that where I shall in thys point be somwhat roughe it is not because I lesse esteme the olde Councels than I ought to doe For I reuerence them from my hart and wishe them to be had in their due honor with all men But herein is some meane that is that there bee nothing withdrawen from Christ. Now this is the right of Christe to be the hed in all Councells and to haue no man felow with him in this dignitie But I say that then only he is the hed when he gouerneth the whole assemblie with his worde and Spirite Secondly whereas I geue lesse to Councells thā the aduersaries require I do it not for this cause that I am afrayed of the Councells as though they dyd make for their side and wer against ours For as we are aboundantly furnished with the worde of the Lord to the full profe of our owne doctrine fully and to the ouerthrowe of the whole Papistrie that we nede not muche to desire any other thing beside it so if the mater require the old Councells do for a great part minister vnto vs so much as may suffice for both Now let vs speake of the thing it selfe If it be soughte of the Scriptures what is the authoritie of Councells there is no playner promise thā in this saying of Christ Where twoo or three shal be gathered together in my name there I am in the middest of them But that doeth no lesse belong to euery particular assemblie than to a generall Councell But the dout of the question standeth not therin but because there is a condition added that God wil so only be in the middest of the Councel if it be gathered together in hys name Therfore although oure aduersaries doe a thousande tymes name Councells of Bishops they shal litle preuail neither shal they make vs to beleue that which they affirme that is that they be gouerned of the Holy ghost vntil they haue proued that they are gathered together in the name of Christ. For it is as possible that wicked and euil Bishops may conspire against Christ as good and honest Bishops may come together in hys name For a very clere profe herof are many decrees that haue proceded from suche Councells But this shal be sene hereafter Nowe I do but aunswer in one worde that Christe promiseth nothing but to them that are gathered to gether in his name Let vs therfore define what that is I denye that they be gathered together in the name of Christ which casting awaye the commaundement of God wherein he forbiddeth any thing to bee added to his worde or taken from it do decree euery thyng after their owne wil which beyng not contented with the Oracles of the Scripture that is to saye the onely rule of perfecte wisedome do imagine some new thing of their owned hed Surelye sithe Christ hath not promised that he wyll be present at all Councels but hath adioyned a peculiar marke wherby to make true and lawfull Councells differente from other it is mete that we should not neglect this difference This is the couenant which in old tyme God made with the Leuitical Priests that they shold teach out of his mouth This he alway required of the Prophetes this lawe also we see to haue ben laid vpon the Apostles Who so breake this couenāt God doeth not vouchsafe to let them haue the honor of Presthode nor any authoritie Lette the aduersaries vndoe me this knotte if they wyl make my fayth bonde to the decrees of men beside the worde of God For wheras they think not that truth remaineth in the Chirch vnlesse it be among the Pastors and that the Chirch it self standeth not vnlesse it appere in generall Councells that is farre from hauyng ben alwaye true if the Prophetes haue left vnto vs true testimonies of their owne tymes There was in the tyme of Esaie a Chirch at Hierusalem which God had not yet forsaken But of the pastors he saith thus The watchmen are all blynde neither knowe they any thyng They are all dumme dogges neither are they able to barke They lye along and slepe and loue sleping and the Pastors themselues knowe nothyng nor do vnderstande and they do altogether loke backe vnto their owne waies After the same maner Osee saieth The watcheman of Ephraim with God the snare of the fouler hatred in the house of God Where ioyning them with God by waye of mockage he teacheth that their pretense of the presthod is vaine The Chirche also endured vnto the tyme of Hieremie Let vs heare what he saieth of the Pastors From the Prophet euen to the preste euery one foloweth lying Agayne The Prophetes doo prophecie a lye in my name when I haue not sent theim nor commaunded them And least we should be to long in recityng his wordes let those thynges be red that he hath written in the whole .xxiii. and .xl. chapiters At that time on the other side Ezechiel did no more gently inueye against the same men The conspiracie saieth he of the Prophetes in the middes of her as a roaryng lyon and that violentlye taketh his praie Her prestes haue broken my lawe and haue defiled my holy thynges and haue made no difference betwene holy and prophane and the
Paule For if we must obeye Princes not onely for penalties sake but also for cōsciēce it semeth thereupō to folowe that Princes lawes haue also dominiō ouer cōscīce If this be true thē thesame also ought to be said of the lawes of the Chirch I answere that first here we must put a differēce betwene the generaltie the specialtie For though al special lawes do not touch the cōsciēce yet we are boūde by the general cōmaundemēt of god which cōmēdeth vnto vs the authoritie of magistrates And vpō this point stādeth the disputatiō of Paul that magistrates are to be honored because they ar ordeined of god In the meane time he teacheth not that those lawes that are prescribed by thē do belōg to the inward gouernemēt of the soule wheras he eche where extolleth both the worshipping of God the spiritual rule of liuīg righteously aboue al the ordināces of mē whatsoeuer they be In other thīg also is worthy to be noted which yet hāgeth vpon the former that the lawes of men whether they be made by the magistrate or by the Chirch although they be necessarie to be kepte I speake of the good and righteous lawes yet therefore do not by themselues binde conscience because the whole necessitie of keping them is referred to the general ende but cōsisteth not in the things commaūded Frō this sort do far differ both those that prescribe a new forme of the worshipping of God those that appoint necessitie in things that be at libertie But such are those that at this day be called Ecclesiastical cōstitutiōs in the Papacie which are thrust in in stede of the true and necessarie worshipping of God And as they be innumerable so are there infinite bondes to catch and snare soules But although in the declaration of the law we haue somwhat touched them yet because this place was fitter to entreate fully of them I will nowe trauaile to gather together the whole summe in the best order that I can And because we haue already discoursed so much as semed to be sufficient concerning the tyranny which the false Bishops do take vpon themselues in libertie to teache whatsoeuer they list I wil now omitt al that parte I wil here tarry only vpō declaring the power which they say they haue to make lawes Our false Bishops therfore do burden consciences with newe lawes vnder this pretense that they are ordeined of the Lord spiritual lawmakers sins the gouernement of the Chirch is committed vnto them Therefore they affirme that whatsoeuer they commaunde prescribe oughte necessarily to be obserued of the Christian people and that he that breaketh it is giltie of double disobediēce for that he is rebellious both to God to the Chirch Certainly if they were true Bishops I would in this behalfe graunt to them some authoritie not so much as they require but so much as is requisite to the wel ordering of the police of the Chirche Now sith they are nothing lesse than that which they woulde be accompted they can not take any thing to them be it neuer so little but that they shall take to much But because this hath ben ells where considered let vs graunt them at this present that whatsoeuer power true Bishops haue the same rightly belongeth to them also yet I deny that they be therfore appointed lawmakers ouer the faythfull that may of themselues prescribe a rule to liue by or compell to their ordināces that people committed vnto them When I say this I meane that it is not lawfull for them to deliuer to the Chirch to be obserued of necessitie that which they haue deuised of themselues without the word of God Forasmuch as that authoritie both was vnknowen to the Apostles and so oft taken away from the ministers of the Chirch by the Lordes owne mouth I maruel who haue ben so bolde to take it vpon them at this daye are so bolde to defende it beside the example of the Apostles and against the manifest prohibition of God As touchīg that that perteined to the perfect rule of wel liuing the lord hath so conteined al that in his law that he hath left nothing for men that they might adde to that summe And this he did first for this purpose that because the whole vprightnesse of liuing stādeth in this point if all workes be gouerned by his wil as by a rule he should be holden of vs the only maister and directer of lyfe thē to declare that he requireth of vs nothing more than obedience For this reason Iames sayth he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the law he that iudgeth the law is not an obseruer of the law but a iudge But there is one onely lawmaker that can both saue and destroy We heare that God doth claime this one thing as proper to himselfe to rule vs with the gouernement and lawes of his word And the same thing was spoken before of Esay although somwhat more darkly the Lord is our king the lord is our lawmaker the Lord is our iudge he shal saue vs. Truly in both these places is shewed that he that hath power ouer the soule hath the iugement of life and death Yea Iames pronounceth this plainly Now no man can take that vpō him Therfore God must be acknowleged to be the only king of soules to whom alone belongeth the power to saue and destroy as those words of Esaye expresse and to be the king and iudge and lawmaker Sauior Therfore Peter when he admonisheth the Pastors of their dutie exhorteth them so to fede the flocke not as vsing a Lordship ouer the Clergie by whiche worde Clergie he signifieth the inheritance of God that is to saye the faithfull people This if we rightly weye that it is not lawfull that that should be transferred to man which God maketh his owne onely we shal vnderstande that so al the power is cut of whatsoeuer it be that they chalenge which aduaunce themselues to commaunde any thing in the Chirche without the worde of God Now forasmuch as the whole cause hangeth therupon that if God be the only lawmaker it is not lawful for men to take that honor to themselues it is mete also therewithall to kepe in minde those twoo reasons which we haue spoken why the Lord claimeth that to himselfe alone The first is that his wil may be to vs a perfect rule of al righteousnesse and holinesse and that so in the knowing of him may be the perfecte knowlege to liue wel The other is that when the manner is soughte how to worship him rightly and wel he only may haue authoritie ouer our soules whom we ought to obeye and vpon whoe 's beck we oughte to hang. These twoo reasōs being wel marked it shal be easye to iudge what ordinances of men are contrary to the word of God Of that sort be al those which are fained to belong to the true worshipping of God and to the obseruing
or emprisonmentes or other ciuile punishementes but they vsed the only word of the Lorde as they ought to do For the seuerest reuenge and as it were the vttermost thunderbolt of the Chirch is Excōmunication whiche is not vsed but in necessitie But this requireth neyther force nor strong hande but is content with the power of the worde of God Finally the iurisdiction of the olde Chirch was nothyng ells but a declaration in practise as I may so call it of that which Paul teacheth concernyng the spirituall power of Pastors There is sayth he power geuen to vs wherby we may throwe down strōg holdes wherby we may make low all heighth that lifteth vp it selfe againste the knowlege of God whereby we may subdue all thought and may leade it captiue into the obedience of Christ and we haue in readinesse a reuenge against all disobedience As this is doone by the preachyng of the doctrine of Christ so least the doctrine should be scorned accordyng to that whiche is taught ought they to be iuged which professe themselues of the houshold of faith But that can not be done vnlesse there be ioyned with the ministerie a power to call them that are to be priuately admonished or to be more sharply corrected and also a power to exclude them from the Communion of the Supper whiche can not be receiued without prophaning of so great a mysterie Therfore whē in an other place he saith ▪ that it belongeth not to vs to iudge strangers he maketh the children subiect to the Censures of the Chirch which may chastise their faultes and he secretely signifieth that there were then iudiciall orders in force from which none of the faithfull was free But suche authoritie as we haue declared was not in the power of one man to do euery thyng accordyng to his owne wyll but in the power of the assemblie of the Elders whyche was the same thing in the Chirche that a Senate is in a Citie Cyprian when he maketh mentiō by whom it was exercised in his tyme vseth to ioyne the whole Clergie with the Bishop But in an other place also he sheweth that the very clergy so gouerned that in the meane tyme the people was not excluded from the hearyng of maters For thus he writeth Sins the beginnyng of my bishoprike I haue determined to do nothyng without the counsel of the clergie and consent of the people But this was the common and vsuall maner that the iurisdiction of the Chirch should be exercised by a Senate of Elders of whom as I haue saied there were two sortes For some were ordeined to teachyng other some were only iudges of maners By little and little this institution grewe out of kynd from the first beginning of it so that euen in the time of Ambrose onely clerkes were iudges in ecclesiastical iudgementes Which thing he himself complaineth of in these wordes The old Synagoge saith he and sins that time the Chirche hath had Elders without whoe 's counsell nothyng was done Which by what negligence it is growen out of vse I know not vnlesse peraduenture by the slouthfulnesse or rather the pride of the teachers while they alone wold be thought to be somwhat We see how much the holy man is displeased that any thyng of the better state is decaied when notwithstandyng they had yet continuyng an order that was at the least tolerable What then would he do if he saw these deformed ruines that shewe almoste no signe of the olde byldyng What bewaylyng would he vse Fyrst agaynst lawe and right the Bishop hath claimed to hymselfe alone that whiche was geuen to the whole Chirch For it is like as if the Consul driuyng out the Senate should take the empire vpon himselfe alone But as he is aboue the rest in honor so in the whole assemblie is more authoritie than in one man Therefore it was to wicked a dede that one man remouyng the common power to himselfe hath bothe opened an entrie to tyrannous lust and hath taken from the Chirch that which belonged vnto her and hath suppressed and put away the assemblie ordeined by the Spirite of Christ. But as of one euil alway groweth an other Bishops disdaining it as a thing vnworthie of their care haue cōmitted it ouer to other Hereupō are created Officials to serue that roome I do not yet speake what kind of men they be but onely this I say that they nothyng differ from prophan Iudges And yet they stil cal it a spiritual iurisdiction where men contende about nothyng but earthly maters Although there were no more euell with what face dare they call a brawlyng courte the iudgement of the Chirche But there are monitions there is excommunication So verily they mocke with God Doeth a poore man owe a little money he is cited if he appeare he is condemned When he is condemned if he do not satisfie it he is monished after the seconde monition they procede one steppe toward excōmunication if he appeare not he is monished to come and yeld hymself to iudgement if he then make delay he is monished and by by excōmunicate I beseche you what is there any thyng like either to the institution of Christe or to the auncient maner or to an Ecclesiasticall order But there is also correction of vices But how verily they not onely suffer but with secrete allowance do after a certaine maner cherishe and confirme adulteries wantonnesse dronkennesse and suche kynde of mischeuous doynges and that not onely in the common people but also in the clergie themselues Of many they call a fewe before them either that they shoulde not seeme slouthfull in winkyng at them or that they may milke out some money I speake not of the pillages robberies briberies and sacrileges that are gathered thereby I speake not what maner of men are for the moste part chosen to this office This is enough and to muche that whē the Romanists do boast that their iurisdiction is spirituall it is easy to shew that there is nothing more cōtrary to the order institute of Christ and that it hath no more likenesse to the auncient custome than darkenesse hath to light Although we haue not spoken all thynges that might be alleged for this purpose and those thynges that we haue spoken of are knyt vp in fewe words yet I trust that we haue so fought it out that there is nowe no more cause why any man shold dout that the spiritual power wherof the Pope with all his kingdome proudely glorieth is wicked againste God and an vniust tyrannie ouer his people Under the name of spirituall power I comprehend both boldenesse in framyng new doctrines wherwith they haue turned away the sily people from the natural purenesse of the word of God the wicked traditions wherewith they haue snared them also the false ecclesiastical iurisdiction which they execute by Suffraganes Officials For if we graunt vnto Christ a kingdome among vs it
power which they haue at this day and for the obteining or encreasing wherof they haue so troubled Christendome by the space of twoo hundred yeres for they began before that they toke to them the dominion of the citie that they haue almost destroyed it In the olde tyme whē vnder Gregorie the kepers of the goods of the Chirch did take possessiō of the landes which they reckened to belong to the Chirch and after the maner of seising to the vse of the Prince did sett tittles vpon them for token of claime Gregorie assembling a Councell of Bishops inueying sore against that prophane maner asked whether they did not iudge the Clerke accursed which did of his own will by wryting of any title attempt to entre vpon any possession They al pronoūced accursed If to claime a pece to groūde by wryting of a title be in a Clerke an offense worthy of accursing when whole twoo hundred yeres together Popes do practise nothing ells but battells sheding of blood destructions of armies sackinges of some cities racing of other ouerthrowes of natiōs wastinges of kingdomes only they that might catch hold of other mens possessions what cursinges can be enough to punish such examples Truly it is very plaine that they seke nothing lesse that the glory of Christ. For if they of their own wil do wholy resigne al the secular power that they haue therin is no danger to the glory of God no danger to sounde doctrine no danger to the safetie of the Chirch but they are carryed blinde and hedlong with only gredinesse of dominion because they thinke nothing safe vnlesse they may beare rule with rigorousnesse as the Prophete sayth and with power To iurisdictiō is annexed immunitie which the Romish Clergie toke to themselues For they thinke it against their dignitie if they answere in personal causes before a tēporal iudge therin they think both the libertie dignitie of the Chirch to consist if they be exēpt frō cōmō iugemētes and lawes But the old Bishops which otherwise were most rigorous in defēding the right of the Chirch iudged themselues their order to be nothing hurt if they were subiect to them And the godly Emperours wtout gaine saying of any man did alway call Clerkes to their iugemēt seates so oft as nede required For thus saith Constantine in hys Epistle to the Nicomedians If any of the Bishops shall vndiscretly disorder hymselfe his boldnesse shal be restrained by the execution of the minister of God that is by my execution And Valentinian saith good Bishops do not speake againste the power of the Emperor but doe sincerely both kepe the cōmaundemētes of God the great king also obey our lawes At that tyme all men were persuaded of thys without controuersy But ecclesiasticall causes were referred to the iugemente of the Bishop As if any Clerke had offended nothing against the lawes but onely was accused by the Canons he was not cited to the commō iugement seate but in that cause had the Bishop for hys iudge Lykewyse if there were a question of Fayth in controuersie or such a mater as properly perteined to the Chirch the iugement therof was committed to the Chirch So is that to be vnderstanded which Ambrose wryteth to Ualentinian Your father of honorable memory not only answered in worde but also decreed by lawes that in a cause of Fayth he ought to be iudge that is neither vnfit in office nor vnlike in ryght Agayne If we haue regarde to the Scriptures or olde examples who is there that can denye that in a cause of Faith in a cause I say of Fayth Bishops are wonte to iudge of Christian Emperours and not Emperours of Bishops Agayne I would haue come O Emperor to your consistorie if either the Bishops or the people would haue suffred me to goe saying that the cause of Fayth ought to be debated in the Chirch before the people He affirmeth verily that a spiritual cause that is to say the cause of religiō ought not to be drawen into the temporal court where prophane causes are pleaded Worthily do all men prayse hys constance in thys behalfe And yet in a good cause he procedeth but thus farr that if it come to violence and strong hande he sayeth that he wyll geue place Willingly sayth he I will not forsake the place committed vnto me but when I am enforced I knowe not howe to resist for our armure are prayers and teares Let vs note the singular modestie and wisdome of the holy man ioyned with stoutenesse of courage and boldnesse Iustina the Emperours mother because she could not drawe hym to the Arrians side practised to dryue hym from the gouernement of the Chirche And so should it haue come to passe if he had come when he was called to the palace to pleade hys cause Therefore he denyeth the Emperor to be a competent iudge of so great a controuersie Which maner of doing both the necessitie of that tyme and the continual nature of the mater required For he iudged that he ought rather to dye than that suche an example should by his consent be geuen to posteritie and yet if violence be offered he thynketh not of resistance For he denyeth it to be Bishiplike to defende the Fayth and ryght of the Chirch with armes But in other causes he sheweth hymselfe redy to do whatsoeuer the Emperor shall commaunde hym If he demaunde tribute sayth he we denye it not the landes of the Chirch do pay tribute If he aske landes he hath power to claime them none of vs resisteth After the same manner also speaketh Gregorie I am not ignorant sayeth he of the mynde of our most noble soueraigne Lorde that he vseth not to entermeddle in causes perteining to prestes least he should in any thyng be burdened with our synnes He doth not generally exclude the Emperor from iudgyng of Prestes but he sayth that there be certayne causes which he oughte to leaue to the iugement of the Chirch And by thys very exception the holy men soughte nothing ells but that Prynces lesse zelous of religion should not wyth tyrannous violence and wilfulnesse interrupte the Chirch in doyng her offyce For neither did they disallowe if Prynces somtyme dyd vse their authoritie in ecclesiastical maters so that it were done to preserue the order of the Chirch not to trouble it to stablishe discipline not to dissolue it For sith the Chirch hath not the power of compelling nor oughte to require it I speake of ciuile constrayning it is the office of Godly kynges and Princes to mainteine religion with lawes proclemations and iudicial procedinges After thys maner when the Emperor Maurice had commaunded certaine Bishops that they should receiue their fellowe Bishops that were their neighbors and driuen oute by the barbarous nations Gregorie confirmeth that commaundemente and exhorteth them to obeye it And when he himselfe is admonished by the same Emperor to come to atonement with
they should haste to sacke cloth and ashes to wepyng and fasting that is that they should also with outwarde testifiengs throwe themselues downe before the Lorde Sacke cloth and ashes paraduenture did more agree with those tymes but there is no dout that the calling together and weping and fastyng and suche lyke do likewise perteyne also to our age so oft as the state of our thynges doeth so require For sithe it is a holy exercise bothe to humble men and to confesse humilitie why should we lesse vse it than the olde people dyd in like necessitie We reade that not only the people of Israell which were informed and instructed by the word of God but also the Niniuites which had no doctrine but the preaching of Ionas fasted in token of sorowe What cause is there therfore why we should not do the same But it is an outward ceremonie which was with the rest ended in Christ. Yea rather euen at this daye it is as it alway hath ben a very good helpe to the faithfull and a profitable admonition to stirre vp them selues that they should not with to great carelesnesse and sluggyshnesse more and more prouoke God when they are chastised with his scourges Therfore Christ when he excuseth his apostles for that they fast not doth not say that fastyng is abrogate but he appointeth it to times of calamitie and ioyneth it with mournyng The tyme shall come sayth he when the bridegrome shall be taken awaye from them But that there should be no error in the name let vs define what fastyng is For we do not here vnderstand by it only abstinēce and sparyng in meate drinke but a certaine other thing The life of the godly ought in dede to be tempered with honest sparyng and sobrietie that so nere as is possible it may in the whole course therof beare a certaine resemblance of fasting But beside this there is an other fasting for a time when we withdrawe any thing of our wonted diet either for one daye or for a certaine time and do charge our selues with a streighter seuerer abstinence in diet than ordinarie This consisteth in thre thyngs in tyme in qualitie of meates and in smallnesse of quantitie I meane by tyme that we should vse those doyngs fastyng for which fasting is ordeined As for example if a man fast for common praier that he come emptie vnto it Qualitie standeth in this that all deyntinesse should be absent and beyng content with common and baser meates we shoulde not stirre vp appetite with delicates The rule of quantitie is in this that we eate more sparingly and lesse than we be wont onely for necessitie and not also for pleasure But we must alway principally beware that no superstition crepe vpon vs as it hath heretofore happened to the great hurt of the Chirch For it were muche better that there were no vse at all of fastyng than that it shold be diligently kepte and in the meane tyme bee corrupted with false and hurtfull opinions wherunto the worlde sometyme falleth vnlesse the Pastors do with great faithefulnesse and wisdome preuent it The fyrst point therfore is that they should alway enforce that which Ioel teacheth that they should cutt their hartes and not theyr garmentes that is that they shold admonish the people that God doth not greatly esteme fastyng of it selfe vnlesse there be an inwarde affection of the harte a true myslykyng of sinne and of hymselfe true humblyng and true sorowe through the feare of God yea that fastyng is profitable for no other cause but for that it is ioyned to these as an inferior helpe For God abhorreth nothing more than when men in settyng signes and an outward shew in stede of innocence of hart do labor with false color to deceiue themselues Therfore Esaie most sharply inueyeth against this hypocrisie that the Iewes thought that they had satisfied God when they had only fasted howsoeuer they did norish vngodlynesse and vncleane thoughts in their hart Is it saith he such a fastyng which the Lord requireth and so foorth as foloweth Therefore the hypocriticall fastyng is not only an vnprofitable and superfluous werying but also a great abhomination An other euell nere vnto this is chiefly to be taken hede of that it be not taken for a meritorious worke or a forme of worshippyng God For sithe it is a thyng of it selfe indifferent and hath no value but by reson of those ends which it ought to haue respect vnto it is a moste hurtfull superstition to confounde it with the works cōmaunded of God and necessarie of themselues without other respect Such was in old tyme the dotage of the Manichees whom when Augustine confuteth he dothe plainly enough teache that fastyng is to be iudged by no other endes than those which I haue spoken of and is no otherwyse allowed of God vnlesse it be referred to the same The thirde error is in dede not so vngodly yet it is perillous to require the kepyng of it more precisely and rigorously as it were one of the chiefe dueties and so to aduaunce it with immeasurable praises that men shold thinke they haue done some excellent thyng when they haue fasted In which behalfe I dare not altogether excuse the olde fathers but that they haue sowed some sedes of superstition and geuen occasion to the tyranny whiche hathe risen sins There are founde in dede sometymes in them sounde and wise sentences of fastyng but afterwarde we now and then mete with immeasurable praises of fastyng which aduaunce it among the chief vertues And at that tyme the superstitious obseruyng of lent was eche where growen in vse because both the common people thought that they did therin some notable seruice to God and the pastors dyd commend it for a holy folowyng of Christ wheras it is plaine that Christ dyd not fast to prescribe an example to other but that in so beginnyng the preaching of the Gospel he myght in very dede proue that it was not a doctrine of men but descended from heauē And it is meruailous that so grosse an error which is cōfuted with so many so euidēt resons could crepe into men of so sharpe iudgement For Christ did not fast oft which he must nedes haue done if he wold haue set foorth a law of yerely fastyng but only ones when he prepared himselfe to the publishyng of the Gospell And he fasted not after the manner of menne as it was mete that he should haue done if he would haue prouoked men to folow him but rather he sheweth an example whereby he may rather draw men to wōder at him than stirre them vp to folow him Finally there is none other cause of this fasting than of that which Moses fasted when he receiued the law at the hand of the Lord. For sith the miracle was shewed in Moses to stablishe the authoritie of the law it ought not to haue ben omitted in Christ least the
sinne It can not be expressed howe pernicious and pestilent this opinion is and so muche the more because in many ages heretofore to the great losse of the Chirch it hath preuailed in a great part of the world Truely it is vtterly deuelishe For when it promiseth righteousnesse without Faith it driueth soules hedlong into destruction then because it fetcheth the cause of righteousnesse from the Sacramentes it byndeth the miserable myndes of men already of their owne accorde to muche bendyng to the earth with this superstition that they rather reste in the sighte of a bodily thyng than of God himselfe Which two thyngs I wold to God we had not so proued in experience so little nede they any long proofe But what is a Sacrament taken without Faith but the moste certaine destruction of the Chirch For wheras nothyng is to be loked for therof without the promise and the promise dothe no lesse threaten wrathe to the vnfaithfull than it offreth grace to the faithfull he is deceyued that thinketh that there is any more geuen to him by the Sacraments than that which beyng offred by the word of God he receiueth by Faith Wherupon an other thyng also is gathered that the affiance of saluation hangeth not vpon the partakyng of the Sacrament as though Iustification consisted therin which we knowe to be reposed in Christ onely and to be coÌ„municated vnto vs no lesse by the preachyng of the Gospell than by the sealyng of the Sacramente and that withoute that it can not wholly stande So true is that which Augustine also writeth that inuisible sanctification may be without a visible signe and agaynâ— that a visible signe may be without true sanctification For as he also writeth in an other place men do put on Christ somtyme vntill the receyuyng of a sacrament sometyme euen vntil the sanctification of life And that firste poynt may be coÌ„mon both to good and to euill but this other is propre to the good and godly Herupon cometh that distinction if it be well vnderstanded whiche the same Augustine hath often noted betwene a Sacrament and the thyng of the Sacrament For it not only signifieth that the figure and truthe are there conteined but that they doo not so hang together but that they may be seuered and that eueÌ„ in the very conioyning the thyng muste alwaye be discerned from the signe that we geue not to the one that which belongeth to the other He speaketh of the seperation when he writeth that the Sacramentes do worke in the only elect that which they figure Agayne when he writeth thus of the Iewes When the sacramentes were common to all the graâ—â—â—as not common which is the power of the Sacramentes So noâ—â—â— also the washing of regeneration is common to all but the grace it selfe whereby the membres of Christ are regenerate with their hed is not common to all Agayne in an other place of the Supper of the Lord We also at this daye receyue visible meate But the Sacrament is one thyng and the power of the Sacramente an other thyng What is this that many receiue of the altar and dye and in receyuyng do die For the Lordes morsell was poyson to Iudas not because he receiued an euell thing but because he beyng euell receiued a good thyng euelly A little after The sacrameÌ„t of this thyng that is of the vnitie of the body and blood of Christe is somewhere prepared on the Lordes table dayly somewhere by certaine distances of dayes and therof is receyued vnto life to some and vnto destruction to some But the thyng it selfe wherof it is a Sacrament is receiued vnto life to all meÌ„ but vnto destruction tomo maÌ„ whosoeuer is partaker of it And a little before he had sayd He shall not dye whych eateth but he which perteineth to the power of the sacrament not to the visible SacrameÌ„t which eateth within not without whiche eateth with hart not he which presseth with toothe Thus you heare euery where that a Sacrament is so seuered from his owne truthe by the vnworthinesse of the receiuer that there remaineth nothing but a vaine and vnprofitable figure But that thou mayst haue not a signe voide of truth but the thyng with the signe thou muste conceyue by Faith the woorde which is there enclosed So how muche thou shalt by the Sacraments profite in communicatyng of Christ so muche profyte shalte thou take of them If this be somewhat darke because of the shortenesse I will sette it out in mo wordes I say that Christ is the mater or if thou wilte the substance of all sacramentes forasmuche as in hym they haue all their perfectnesse and do promise nothyng without hym So muche lesse tolerable is the error of Peter Lombard which doth expresly make them causes of righteousnesse and saluation wherof they be parts Therfore biddyng all causes farwell whiche mans witt dothe faine to it selfe we ought to stay in this one cause Therfore how muche we be by their ministerie holpen to the nourishyng confirmyng and encreasyng of the true knowlege of Christ in vs and to the possessyng of hym more fully and to the enioyeng of his richesse so muche effectualnesse they haue with vs. But that is don when we do with true faith receiue that which is there offred Do the wicked then wilte thou saye bryng to passe by their vnthankfulnesse that the ordinance of God be voide and turne to nothyng I answer that that which I haue said is not so to be takeÌ„ as though to force and truthe of the Sacrament dyd hang vppon the state or will of hym that receiueth it For that whiche God hath ordeyned remaineth stedfast and kepeth still his nature howsoeuer men doo varie But sith it is one thyng to offre an other to receiue nothyng withstandeth but that the signe halowed by the worde of God may be in dede that which it is called and kepe his owne force and yet that there come thereby no profite to an euell doer and wicked man But Augustine dothe in fewe woordes well assoyle this question If saythe he thou receauest carnally it ceasseth not to be spirituall but it is not to thee But as Augustine hath in the aforesayde places shewed that a SacrameÌ„t is a thyng nothyng worth if it be seuered froÌ„ the truth therof so in an other place he geueth warnyng that euen in the very conioynyng nedeth a distinction least we sticke to much in the outward signe As sayth he to folowe the letter and to take the signes in stede of the thinges is a point of a seruile weakenesse so to expounde the signes vnprofitably is a poynte of euell wandryng error He nameth twoo faultes whyche are here to be auoyded The one when we so take the signes as thoughe they were geuen in vayne and when with abacyng or diminyshyng theyr secrete significations by oure enuiousnesse we bryng to passe that they bryng vs no profite at all The other
when in not raisyng our myndes beyonde the visible signe we geue awaye to the Sacramente the praise of all those good thynges whiche are not geuen vs but of Christe onely and that by the Holy ghoste whyche maketh vs partakers of Christe hymselfe and in dede by the helpe of the outwarde Signes whiche if they allure vs to Christe when they bee wrested an other waye the whole profyte of them is vnworthyly ouerthrowen Wherfore let this remaine certaine that there is no other office of the Sacramentes that of the worde of God whiche is to offer and set foorth Christ vnto vs and in hym the treasures of heauenly grace but they auayle or profite nothyng but beeyng receiued by Faith euen as wyne or oyle or any other liquor though you poure it on largely yet it will runne beside and perishe vnlesse the vessels mouth be open to receiue it and the vessell though it be wette rounde about on the outsyde shall neuerthelesse remayne emptie and voide within Beside this we must beware least those thynges whiche haue ben written by the olde writers somewhat to gloriously to amplifie the dignitie of Sacramentes shold leade vs away into an error nere to this namely that we shold thinke that there is some secret power knitt and fastened to the Sacramentes that they maye of themselues geue vs the graces of the Holye ghost like as wyne is geuen in a cup wheras only this office is appointed to them by God to testifie and stablish to vs the good wil of God towarde vs and do profite no further vnlesse the Holy ghost ioyne himselfe to them which may open our myndes and hartes make vs partakers of this testimonie wherin also do clerely appere diuers seueral graces of God For the sacraments as we haue aboue touched are that thing to vs of God which to mē are messangers of ioyfull thynges or earnestes in stablishyng of bargaines which do not of themselues geue any grace but do tell and shewe vs and as they be earnestes and tokens doo ratifie vnto vs those thynges that are geuen vs by the liberalitie of God The Holy ghost whom the Sacramentes do not in common without difference bring to al men but whom the Lord peculiarly geueth to them that be his is he that bringeth the graces of God with him which geueth to the Sacramentes place in vs whiche maketh them to bryng forth fruite But although we do not denie that God hymselfe with the most present power of his Spirite is present with his owne institution least the ministration which he hath ordeined of the Sacraments shold be fruitlesse and vaine yet we affirme that the inward grace of the Spirite as it is seuered from the outwarde ministerie so ought to be seuerally weyed considered God therfore truely performeth in dede what soeuer he promiseth and figureth in signes neither do the signes want their effect that the author of them may be proued true and faithfull The question here is only whether God worketh by his own and by inwarde power as they call it or do resigne his office to outward signes But we affirme that whatsoeuer instruments he vse his original workyng is nothyng hindered therby When this is taught concernyng the Sacramentes bothe their dignitie is honorably sett out and their vse is plainely shewed and their profitablenesse is abundantly reported the best meane in all these thynges is reteined that neither any thyng be geuen to them which ought not nor agayn any thyng be taken from them which is not conuenient to be taken from them In the mean time that fained deuise is taken away wherby the cause of iustification and power of the Holy ghost is enclosed in elementes as in vessels or waggons and that principall force whiche hath ben omitted of other is expresly sett out Here also it is to be noted that God inwardly worketh that which the minister figureth and testifieth by outwarde doyng least that be drawen to a mortall man which God claimeth to himself alone The same thyng also doth Augustine wisely touche How saith he doth bothe Moses sanctifie and God Not Moses for God but Moses with visible Sacramentes by his ministerie but God with inuisible grace by his holy Spirite where also is the whole frute of visible Sacraments For without this sanctification of inuisible grace what do those visible Sacramentes profite The name of Sacramente as we haue hetherto entreated of the nature of it doth generally conteyne all the signes that euer God gaue to men to certifie and assure them of the truthe of his promises Those he somtime willed to remaine in naturall thyngs sometyme he deliuered them in miracles Of the first kynd these be examples as when he gaue to Adam and Eue the tree of life for an earneste of immortalitie that they myght assure themselues of it so long as they dyd eate of the frute therof And when he did set the heauenly boaw for a monument to Noe and his posteritie that he wold no more from thensefoorth destroye the earth with ouerflowyng of water These Adam and Noe had for Sacramentes Not that the tree did geue them immortalitie which it could not geue to it selfe nor that the Boaw which is but a strikyng back of a sunbeame vpon the cloudes against it was of force to hold in the waters but because they had a marke grauen in them by the word of God that they should be examples and seales of his testaments And the tree was a tree before and the boaw a boawe When they were written vppon with the word of God then a newe forme was put into them that they should begyn to be that which they were not before That no man should thinke these thynges spoken without cause the boawe it self is at this day also a witnesse of that couenant which God made with Noe whiche boaw so ofte as we beholde we reade this promise of God written in it that the earthe shall neuer be destroyed with ouerflowyng of waters Therfore if any fonde Philosopher to scorne the simplicitie of our Faith do affirme that suche varietie of colors doth naturally arise of reflected beames and a cloude set against them let vs graunte it in dede but let vs laugh to scorne his senslesse follie which doeth not acknowlege God the Lorde and gouernor of nature whiche at hys ewne will vseth all the elementes to the seruice of his owne glory If he had emprinted such tokens in the sunne the sterres the earth stones and suche like they should all haue been Sacramentes to vs. Why are not vncoyned and coyned siluer both of one value sith they are both one metall euen because the one hath nothing but nature when it is stryken with a common marke it is made money and receiueth a newe valuation And shall not God be able to marke his creatures with hys worde that they may be made Sacramentes whiche before were naked elementes Of the second kynde these were
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
had a liuely image in the outwarde signe Christes wil was by the outward signe to testifie that hys fleshe is meate If he did set before vs only an empty imaginatiue forme of bred not true bread where were the correlation or similitude which should leade vs froÌ„ the visible thing to the inuisible For that al thinges may agree together the signification shall extende no further but that we be fed with the forme of the fleshe of Christ. As if in Baptisme the forme of water should deceiue our eyes it should not be to vs a certayne pledge of our washing yea by that deceitfull shewe there should be geuen vs an occasion of wauering Therfore the nature of the Sacrament is ouerthrowen vnlesse in the maner of signifieng the earthly signe answer to the heauenly thing And therefore we lose the truth of thys mysterie vnlesse true bred represent to vs the true body of Christ. I repete it againe Sith the Supper is nothing ells than a visible testifieng of that promise which is in the vi chapter of Iohn namely that Christ is the bred of lyfe which came downe from heauen there must be visible bred vsed for a meane wherby that same spirituall bred may be figured vnlesse we will that we lose all the frute whiche in this behalfe God tenderly graunteth to susteine our weakenesse Now by what reason should Paule gather that all we are one body and one bred whiche doe together partake of one bred if there remayned onely an imaginatiue forme and not rather a naturall truth of bred But they could neuer haue ben so fowly begyled with the deceites of Satan but because they wer alredy bewitched with this error that the body of Christ enclosed vnder bred was by the bodily mouth sent down into the belly The cause of so brutishe imagination was that consecration signified as much among them as a magical enchauntment But thys principle was vnknowen to them that bread is a Sacramente to none but to men to whom the worde is directed lyke as the water of Baptisme is not changed in it selfe but so sone as the promise is adioyned it beginneth to be that to vs which it before was not Thys shall better appeare by example of a lyke Sacrament The water springing out of the rocke in the desert was to the fathers a token and signe of the same thing which the wyne doth figure to vs in the Supper For Paul teacheth that they dronke the same spirituall drinke But it was a common watering for the beastes and cattell of the people Wherupon it is easily gathered that in earthly elementes when they are applyed to a spirituall vse there is made no other turning but in respect of men in so much as they are to them seales of the promises Moreouer sithe Gods purpose is as I often repete as it were by handsome chariots to lift vs vp to himselfe they doe by their waywardenesse wickedly disapoint the same which do in dede cal vs to Christ but lurkig inuisibly vnder bred For it is not possible that the mynde of men vncombryng it selfe from the immesurablenesse of places should atteine to Christ euen aboue the heauens That which nature denyed them they attempted to amende with a more hurtfull remedie that abiding in earth we should nede no heauenly nerenesse of Christ. Lâ—e this is the necessitie that compelled them to transfigure the body of Christ. In Bernardes time althoughe a harder maner of speaking was growen in vse yet transubstantiation was not then knowen And in all ages before that this similitude dyd flye aboute in every mans mouth that there is with bred and wyne a spiritual thing ioyned in thys mysterie Of the wordes they answer as they thinke wittily but bringing nothing fit for thys preseÌ„t cause The rod of Moses say they being turned into a Serpent although it dyd get the name of a Serpent yet kepeth stil the olde name and is called a rod. So in their opinion it is as probable that although the bred passe into a new substance it may be abusively and yet not vnaptly called that which it appeareth to the eies But what likelhode or nerenesse fynde they betwene a cleare miracle and their fained illusion of whiche no eye in earth is witnesse The Magicians had mocked with deceites so that the Egiptians were persuaded that they excelled in diuine power to change creatures aboue the order of nature Moses came fourth dryuing away all their deceites shewed that the inuincible power of God was on his side because his owne rod consumed al the rest But forasmuch as that was a turning discernable with eyes therfore as we haue sayd it perteyneth nothing to thys preseÌ„t cause and in a litle time after the rod visibly returned into his own forme Beside that it is not knowen whether that soden turning was of substance or no. Also the alluding to the rods of the Magicians is to be coÌ„sidered which the Prophet therfore would not call Serpentes least he should seme to signifie a turning where none was because those deceiuers had done nothing but cast a myst before the eies of the beholders What likenesse herewith haue these formes of speche The bred which we breake So ofte as ye shal eate this bred They coÌ„mmunicated in breaking of bred and suche other It is certaine that their eyes were only deceiued with the enchantmeÌ„t of the Magicians As concerning Moses the mater is more douteful by whose hande it was no more hard for God to make of a rod a Serpent and againe of a Serpent to make a rod thaÌ„ to cloth Angels with fleshly bodies by and by after to vncloth them If the nature of thys mysterie were the same or like there were some color for their solution Let this therfore remaine certaine that it is not truly nor fittly promised vs that in the Supper the flesh of Christ is truely to vs for meate vnlesse the true substance of the outwarde Signe agree with it And as one error groweth of an other the place of Ieremie is so foolishlye wrested to proue transubstantiation that it irketh me to reherse it The Prophet complaineth that wood is put in his bred meaning that by the crueltie of his enemies his bred was infected with bitternesse As Dauid with a like figure bewayleth that his meate was corrupted with gall and hys drynke with vineger These men will haue it that the body of Christ was by way of allegorie fastened to the crosse But some of the olde fathers thought so As though we ought not rather to pardoÌ„ their ignorance and to bury their shame than to adde shamelessnesse to compell them yet still to fight like enemies with the natural meaning of the Prophet Other which see that the proportionall relation of the signe and the thing signified can not be ouerthrowen but that the truth of the mysterie must fal do confesse that the bred of the Supper is
of Christ which is done when he is broughte vnder the corruptible elements of this world or is bound to any earthly creatures The other that nothyng be by fainyng applied to his body that agreeth not with the nature of man whiche is done when it is either saide to bee infinite or is sett in many places at ones But these absurdities being taken away I willyngly receiue what soeuer may auaile to expresse the true and substantiall communicatyng of the Body and Blood of the Lord which cōmunicatyng is deliuered to the faithfull vnder the holy signes of the Supper so that they may be thought not to receyue it by imagination onely or vnderstandyng of mynde but to enioy it in dede to the foode of eternall lyfe Why this sentence is so hatefull to the worlde and all defence taken away from it by the vniust iudgementes of many there is no cause at all but for that the deuell hath with horrible bewitchyng madded their myndes Truely that which we teache dothe in all pointes very well agree with the Scriptures it conteineth neither any absurditie nor darknesse nor doutfulnesse it is not agaynst true godlynesse and sounde edification finally it hath nothing in it that may offend sauyng that in certaine ages past when that ignorance and barbarousnesse of Sophisters reigned in the Chirche so clere light and open truthe hath ben vnworthily oppressed Yet because Satā at this day also trauayleth by troublesome Spirites to spot it with all the sclanders and reproches that he can and bendeth himselfe to no other thyng with greater endeuor it is profitable the more diligently to defende and rescue it Nowe before that we goe any further we must entreate of the selfe institution of Christe specially because this is the most glorious obiection that our aduersaries haue that we departe from the woordes of Christe Therfore that we may be discharged of the false cause of malice wherwith they burden vs our fittest beginnyng shall be at the exposition of the woordes Three Euangelistes and Paule rehearse that Christe tooke bread when he had geuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples and sayde Take eate this is my Body whiche is delyuered or broken for you Of the cuppe Mathew and Marke saye thus This cuppe is the blood of the newe testament whiche shal be shedde for many vnto forgeuenesse of synnes But Paule and Luke say thus This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood The patrones of transubstantiation will haue by the pronoune this the forme of bread to be signified because the consecration is made in the whole contente of the sentence and there is no substance that can be shewed But if they be holden with religious care of the woordes because Christ testified that that whiche he reached into the disciples handes was his bodye truely this their deuise that that whiche was bread is nowe the bodie is moste farre from the propre meanyng of them That which Christe tooke into his handes and gaue the Apostles he affirmeth to be his body but he toke bread who therfore can not vnderstande that bread is yet shewed and therfore there is no greater absurditie than to remoue that to the forme whiche is spoken of the bread Other when they expounde this woorde is for to be transubstantiate doo flee to a more enforced and violently wrasted glose Therefore there is no cause why they should pretende that they be moued with reuerence of wordes For this was vnheard of among all nations and languages that the word is should be taken in this sense namely for to be tourned into an other thyng As for them that leaue breade in the Supper and affirme that there is the body of Christ they muche differ among themselues They whiche speake more modestly althoughe they precisely exact the letter This is my body yet afterwarde swarue from theyr precisenesse and say that it is as muche in effect as that the body of Christ is with bread in bread and vnder bread Of the mater it selfe which they affirme we haue already touched somwhat and we shal by and by haue occasion yet to speake more Nowe I dispute only of the wordes by which they say they are restrained that they can not admitte bred to be called the body because it is a signe of the body But if they shunne all figures why do they leape away from the plaine shewing of Christ to their owne maners of speaking farr differing from it For there is great difference betwene this that bread is the body and this that the body is with bread But because they sawe it to bee impossible that this simple proposition might stande that bread is the body they haue attempted to scape away by those formes of speche as it were by croked turnyngs Some more bolde sticke not to affirme that euen in propre speakyng bread is the body and by this meane they truely proue themselues to be litteral mē If it be obiected that therfore the bread is Christ and is God this verily they will denie because it is not expressed in the wordes of Christ. But they shall nothyng preuayle by denyeng it forasmuche as all doo agree that whole Christ is offred vs in the Supper But it is an intolerable blasphemie that it be without figure spoken of a fraile and corruptible element that it is Christ. Now I aske of them whether these twoo propositions be bothe of one effect Christe is the Sonne of God and bread is the body of Christe If they graunt that they are diuers which we will enforce them to graunte whether they will or no then lett them answere whens commeth the difference I thynke they wyll bryng none other but that the bread is after the sacramentall maner called the body Wherupon foloweth that Christes wordes are not subiecte to the common rule nor oughte to bee tried by Grammer Also I aske of all the precise and stiffe requirers of the letter where Luke and Paule do call the cuppe the testament in the blood whether they do not expresse the same thyng which they dyd in the first parte where they call bread the bodye Truely the same religion was in the one parte of the mysterie that was in the other and because shortnesse is darke longer speche dothe better open the meanyng So oft therfore as they shall affirme by one word that the bread is the body I will out of mo wordes bryng a fitt exposition that it is the Testament in the bodye For why Shall we nede to seke a more faithfull or surer expositor than Paule Luke Neither yet doo I tende herunto to diminishe any thing of that communicating of the body of Christ which I haue confessed onely my purpose is to confute that folish waiwardnesse wherby they do so hatefully brawle about words I vnderstand by the authoritie of Paul and Luke that the bread is the body of Christ because it is the couenant in the body If they fight against
and afterwarde beyng choked is marred because he there entreateth of what value the faith is whiche endureth but for a tyme which they do not think to be necessary to the eatyng of Christes flesh and drinkyng of his blood that in this behalfe do make Iudas egally felow with Peter But rather by the same parable their error is cōfuted where Christ saith that some sede falleth in the hie waie other some vpon stones neither of them taketh roote Wherupō foloweth that to the vnbeleuers their owne hardnesse is a let the Christ atteineth not to them Whosoeuer desireth to haue our saluation holpen by this mysterie shall fynde nothyng fitter than that the faithfull being led to the very fountaine shold draw life out of the Sōne of God But the dignitie of it is honorably enough set out when we keepe in mynde that it is a helpe wherby we be graffed into the body of Christ or beyng graffed do more and more growe together till he do fully make hymself one with vs in the heauenly lyfe They obiect that Paule ought not to haue made them giltie of the body and blood of Christ vnlesse they wer partakers of them But I answer that they ar not therfore condemned because they haue eaten them but only because they haue prophaned the mysterie in treadyng vnder feete the pledge of the holye conioynyng with God which they ought reuerently to receiue Now because Augustine among the old writers chiefly hath affirmed that article of doctrine that nothyng is abated from the Sacraments nor the grace which they figure is made void by the infidelite or noughtinesse of men it shal be profitable to proue clerely by his owne wordes how vnfittly peruersly they do draw that to this present cause which cast the body of Christ to dogges to eate The sacramentall eating after their opinion is wherby the wicked receiue the body blood of Christ without the power of the Spirit or any effect of grace Augustine cōtrariwise weyeng wisely those words He that eateth my flesh drinketh my blood shal not die for euer saieth Namely the power of the sacrament not only the visible sacrament verily within not without he that eateth it with harte not he that presseth it with tooth Whereupon at length he concludeth that the sacramēt of this thing that is to say of the vnitie of the body blood of Christ is set before men in the Supper of the Lorde to some vnto life to some vnto destruction but the thing it selfe wherof it is a sacrament to al men vnto life to none vnto destruction whosoeuer be partaker of it That none shold here cauill that the thing is called not the body but the grace of the Spirit which may be seuered frō the body the cōtrarie comparison betwene these two wordes of addition Uisible Inuisible driueth away al these mystes for vnder the first of them can not be cōprehended the body of Christ. Wherupon foloweth that the vnbeleuers do communicate only of the visible signe And that al douting may be better taken away after that he had said that this bread requireth the hunger of the inward man he addeth Moses Aaron and Phinees many other that dyd eate Manna pleased God Why so because the spirituall meate they spiritually vnderstoode spiritually hungred spirituallye tasted that they myghte bee spiritually fylled For we also at this daye haue receiued spiritual meat but the Sacrament is one thyng and the power of the sacrament is an other A litle after And by this he that abideth not in Christ and in whom Christ abideth not without doute neither eateth spiritually his fleshe nor drinketh his blood though carnally and visibly he presseth with teeth the signe of the body and blood We heare agayne that the visible signe is set in cōparison as contrary to spiritual eating Wherby the error is cōfuted that the body of Christ inuisible is in dede eaten sacramētally though not spiritually We heare also that nothing is graūted to prophane vncleane mē beside the visible receiuyng of the signe Hereupon cometh his famous sayeng that the other disciples did eate the bred the Lord but Iudas did eate the bread of the Lord wherin he plainly excludeth the vnbeleuers frō the partakyng of the body blood Neither tendeth it to any other end which he sayth in an other place What meruailest thou if to Iudas was geuē the bread of Christ by which he might be made bond to the deuel when thou seest on the cōtrary side that to Paul was geuen the angel of the deuell by whome he might be made perfect in Christ He saith verily in an other place that the bread of the Supper was the body of Christ to them to whom Paule said He that eateth vnworthily eateth and drinketh iugement to himselfe and that they haue not therfore nothyng because they haue receiued noughtily But in what sense he declareth more fully in an other place For takyng in hand purposely to define howe the wicked euell doers which professe the christian faith with mouth but with dedes do deny it do eate the body of Christ and that against the opinion of some which thought that thei did not eate in sacramēt only but in very dede But neither saith he ought it to be said that they eate the body of Christ because thei ar not to be reckned among the membres of Christ. For to speake nothing of the rest they can not together be the mēbers of Christ and the membres of a harlot Finally where himselfe saith He that eateth my fleshe and drinketh my blood abideth in me and I in hym he sheweth what it is not sacramentally but in very dede to eate the bodye of Christ. For this is to abide in Christ that Christ may abyde in him For he so sayd this as though he had sayde he that abydeth not in me and in whom I abide not let hym not say or thinke that he dothe eate my body or drynke my blood Let the readers weye the thynges sett as contraries in the comparison to eate Sacramētally and in Uery dede and there shall remaine no dout He confirmeth the same no lesse plainly in these wordes Prepare not your iawes but your hart Herupon is this Supper commended Loe we beleue in Christ when we receiue by faith in receiuyng we know what to thinke We receiue a little and are fatted in hart Therfore not that which is sene but that which is beleued dothe fede Here also that whiche the wicked receiue he restraineth to the visible signe and teacheth that Christ is none otherwise receiued than by Faith So also in an other place pronoūcyng expressly that the good and the euell do communicate together in the signes he excludeth the euell from the true eatyng of the fleshe of Christ. For if they receyued the thing it self he wold not vtterly haue left that vnspoken which was more fitt for his
beloued Sōne which only can manifestly shew the Father and in dede he hath manifestly shewed hym to the full so much as behoueth vs whyle we nowe beholde hym by a glasse As therefore thys is now taken awaye from men that they can not make newe Sacramentes in the Chirch of God so it were to be wished that as litle as were possible of mans inuētion might be myngled with those Sacramentes that are of God For lyke as when water is poured in the wyne departeth and is delayed as with leauen scattered among it the whole lumpe of done waxeth sower so the purenesse of the mysteries of God is nothyng ells but defyled when man addeth any thyng of hys owne And yet we see how farr the Sacramentes are swarued out of kynde from their naturall purenesse as they be handled at thys day There is echewhere to muche of pompes ceremonies and gesturinges but of the woorde of God in the meane tyme there is neither any consideration nor mention withoute which euen the Sacramentes themselues are not Sacramentes Yea and the very ceremonies that are ordeined of God in so greate a route can not ones lift vp their hed but lye as it were oppressed How litle is that seen in Baptisme which only ought there to haue shyned and been loked vpon as we haue in an other place rightfully complained euen Baptisme it selfe As for the Supper it is vtterly buried sins that it hath ben turned into the Masse sauing that it is seen ones euery yere but in a mangled and halfe torne fashion The .xix. Chapter Of the fiue falsly named Sacramentes where is declared that the other fyue which haue ben hetherto commonly taken for Sacramentes are not Sacramentes and then is shewed what manner of thinges they be OUr former discourse concerning Sacramentes myghte haue obteined thys with the sobre and willing to learne that they should not ouer curiously procede any further nor shold without the word of God embrace any other Sacraments beside those twoo which they knewe to be ordeined of the Lord. But forasmuch as that opinion of the seuen Sacramentes being commonly vsed in al mens take hauing wādered through all scholes and preachinges hath by very auncientie gathered rootes and is yet styll settled in the myndes of men I thought that I should do a thing worth the trauail if I should seuerally and more nerely searche those other fyue that are commonly adnumbred among the true and naturall Sacramentes of the Lorde and wyping away al deceitfull color shoulde set them fourth to be seen of the simple suche as they be and how falsly they haue ben hetherto taken for Sacramentes First I here protest to al the godly that I doe not take in hande this contention aboute the name for any desire of striuing but that I am by weighty causes led to fight againste the abuse of it I am not ignorante that Christians are Lordes as of wordes so of al thinges also therfore may at their wil apply wordes to thinges so that a godly sense be kept although there be some vnproprenesse in the speaking Al thys I graunt although it were better that the woordes shoulde be made subiect to thinges than thinges to the wordes But in the name of Sacrament there is an other consideratiō For they which make seuen Sacramentes do therewithal geue to them al this definition that they be visible formes of inuisible grace they make them altogether vessells of the Holy ghost instrumentes of geuing of righteousnesse causes of the obteining of grace Yea and the Maister of the sentences himselfe denyeth that the Sacramentes of the lawe of Moses are properly called by this name because they did not deliuer in dede the thing that they figured Is it I beseche you to be suffred that those signes which the Lord hath hallowed with his own mouth which he hath garnished with excellent promises should not be accompted for Sacramentes and in the meane time this honor shoulde be conueyed away to those vsages which men either haue deuised of themselues or at least do obserue without expresse commaundement of God Therefore either let them change the definition or let them absteine from the wrongfull vsing of this worde which doth afterwarde engender false opinions and ful os absurditie Extreme anointing say they is a figure and cause of inuisible grace because it is a Sacrament If we ought in no wise to graunt that which they gather vpon it then truely we must resist them in the name it selfe least therby we admitt that it maye geue occasion to such an error Againe when they would proue it to be a Sacrament they adde thys cause for that it consisteth of the outwarde signe and the worde If we finde neither commaundement nor promise of it what can we do ells but crye out against them Now appeareth that we brawle not about the worde but do moue a cōtrouersie not superfluous cōcerning the thing it selfe Therfore this we must strongly hold fast which we haue with inuincible reson before cōfirmed that the power to institute a Sacrament is in the hande of none but of God only For a Sacrament ought with a certaine promise to raise vp cōfort the cōsciēces of the faythful which could neuer receiue this certaintie from man A Sacrament ought to be to vs a witnessing of the good wil of God towarde vs wherof none of all men or Angels can be witnesse forasmuch as none hath ben of Gods counsell Therefore it is he alone which doth with right authoritie testifie of himself to vs by his worde A Sacramēt is a seale wherw t the testament or promise of God is sealed But it could not be sealed with bodily thinges and elementes of thys worlde vnlesse they be by the power of God framed and appoynted therunto Therfore mā can not ordeine a Sacrament because this is not in the power of man to make that so great mysteries of God should lye hidden vnder so base thynges The worde of God muste goe before which maye make a Sacrament to be a Sacrament as Augustine very well teacheth Moreouer it is profitable that there be kepte some difference betwene the Sacramentes and other ceremonies vnlesse we will fall into many absurdities The Apostles prayed kneling therfore men shall not kneele without a Sacrament It is sayd that the disciples prayed toward the East therfore the loking into the East shal be a Sacrament Paule willeth men in euery place to lift vp pure handes and it is rehearsed that holy mē oftentimes prayed with their handes lifted vp then let the lifting vp of hands also be made a Sacramēt Finally let all the gestures of the holy ones turne into Sacramentes Howbeit I would not also muche passe vppon these thinges if so that they were not ioyned with those other greater discommodities If they will presse vs with the authoritie of the olde Chirche I saye that they pretende a false color For this number of
Augustine truely expoundeth that all these commaundementes tend to this ende that a righteous and godly man should be ready to beare patiently the malice of them whome he seeketh to haue made good men that rather the number of the good maye encrease not that he shoulde with like malice adde himselfe also to the numbre of the euell then that they more perteyne to the preparation of the hart which is inwardely than to the worke which is done openly that in secrete may be kept patience of mynde with goood will but openly that may be doone whiche we see may be profitable to them to whom we ought to beare good will But this whiche is wonte to be obiected that contendynges in lawe are altogether condemned of Paule is also false It may easily be perceiued by his wordes that there was an immeasurable rage of striuing at lawe in the Chirch of the Corynthians so farre foorth that they did make the gospell of Christ and the whole religion which they professed open to the cauillations and euell speakyng of the wycked This is the fyrst thyng that Paule blameth in them that by their intemperance of contentiōs they brought the Gospel in sclander among the vnbeleuers And then this point also that in suche sort they striued among themselues brethren with brethren For they were so farre from bearyng of wronges that they gredily gaped one for an others goodes prouoked one an other and beyng vnprouoked did hurte Therfore he inueyeth agaynst that rage of contendyng and not simply agaynste all controuersies But he pronoūceth that it is a fault or a weakenesse that they dyd not rather suffer losse of their goodes than to trauayle euen to contentions for the preseruyng of them namely when they were so easily moued with euery damage and for moste small causes did runne to the court of lawe and to controuersies he sayth that this is a profe that they were of a mynde to ready to anger and not well framed to patiēce Christians verily ought to do this that they had alway rather to yelde of their owne right than to go to lawe from whens they can scarcely get out agayne but with a mynd to muche moued and kindled to hatred of their brother But when a man seeth that without losse of charitie he may defend his owne the losse whereof shoulde be a sore hindrance vnto him if he do so he offendeth nothing against this sayeng of Paul Finally as we haue taught in the beginnyng charitie shall geue euery man best counsell without whiche whatsoeuer controuersies are taken in hande and beyonde which whatsoeuer do procede we holde it out of controuersie that they be vniust and wicked The fyrst duetie of subiectes toward their magistrates is to thynke moste honorably of their office namely which they acknowlege to be a iurisdiction committed of God and therefore to esteme them and reuerence them as the ministers and deputies of God For a man may fynd some whiche yelde themselues very obedient to their magistrates and would not that there were not some whome they should obeye because they so know it to be expedient for the common benefite but of the magistrates themselues they thinke no otherwise than of certaine necessarie euills But Peter requireth somewhat more of vs when he commaūdeth that the kyng be honored Salomon when he commaūdeth God and the kyng to be feared For Peter vnder the worde of Honoryng conteineth a sincere and well demyng estimation and Salomon ioynyng the kyng with God sheweth that he is full of a certaine holye reuerence and dignitie This is also a notable commendation in Paul that we obey not onely for wrathe but for conscience Wherby he meaneth that subiectes ought to be ledde not onely with feare of princes and rulers to be holden in their subiection as they are wont to yeld to their armed enemie which see that vengeance shal redily be taken vpon them if they resist but because the obediences that are shewed to them are shewed to God himselfe forasmuch as their power is of God I speake not of the men as if the visor of dignitie dyd couer foolishenesse or sluggishnesse or cruelties or wicked maners and full of mischeuous doyng but I say that the degree it self is worthy of honor and reuerence that whosoeuer be rulers may be estemed with vs and haue reuerence in respecte of their beyng rulers Of this then also foloweth an other thyng that with myndes bente to the honoring of them declare their obedience in profe to them whether it be to obey their proclamations or to paye tribute or to take in hande publike offices and charges that serue for common defence or to doo any other of their commaūdementes Let euery soule saith Paul be subiect to the hyer powers For he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordināce of God The same Paule writeth to Titus Warne them that they be subiecte to rulers and powers that they obey the Magistrates that they be redy to euery good worke And Peter saith Be ye subiect to euery humaine creature or rather as I translate it Ordinance for the Lordes sake either to the kyng as moste excellent or to the rulers that are sent by hym to the punishement in dede of euell dooers but to the praise of well doers Moreouer that they shoulde testifie that they doo not fayne subiection but are sincerely and hartily subiect Paule addeth that they should commende to God the safetie and prosperitie of them vnder whom they lyue I exhorte sayth he that there be made praiers besechynges intercessions thankesgeuynges for all men for Kynges and for all that be set in superioritie that we may liue a peasable quiet life with all godlynesse and honestie Neither let any man here deceiue himselfe For sithe the magistrate can not be resisted but that God himselfe must also be resisted although it may be thought that an vnarmed magistrate may frely be despised yet God is armed whiche will strongly take vengeance on the dispisyng of hymselfe Moreouer vnder this obedience I contemne moderation which priuate men ought to bynde themselues to kepe in cases touchyng the publike state that they do not of their owne head entermedle in publike businesses or rashely breake into the office of the Magistrate and enterprise nothyng publikely If any thyng shall in a publike ordinance be behouefull to be amended let not themselues rayse vprores nor put their handes to the doyng of it whiche they all ought to haue fast bounde in this behalfe but let them cōmit it to the iudgement of the magistrate whose hand alone is here in at libertie I meane that they presume to do nothing vncōmaunded For when the commaundement of the ruler is adioyned then are they also furnished with publike authoritie For as they are wont to call the coūsellers of a king his eares and eies so not vnfittly a man may cal them the handes of the prince whome by his