lampes lightned doo shyne in the edifice of the worlde to shew forth the glory of the creatour which do so euery way display their beames vpon vs that yet of them selues they can not bryng vs into the right way In deede they raise vp certaine sparkles but suche as be choked vp before that they can spreade abrode anye full brightnesse Therfore the apostle in the same place where he calleth the ages of the worlde images of thynges inuisible sayth further that by faithe is perceyued that they were framed by the worde of God meaning therby that the inuisible godhed is in dede represēted by such shewes but that we haue no eies to see the same throughly vnles they be enlightued by the reuelation of God through faith And Paule where he teacheth that by the creation of the world was disclosed that which was to be knowen concerning god doth not meane such a disclosyng as may be comprehended by the witte of men but rather sheweth that the same procedeth no further but to make them vnexcusable The same Paule also although in one place he sayth that God is not to be sought afarre of as one that dwelleth within vs yet in an other place reacheth to what end that nerenesse auayleth In the ages past sayth he God suffred the nations to walke in their own waies yet he lefte not hym selfe without testimonie doyng good from heauen geuyng showres and fruitefull seasons fillyng the hartes of men with foode and gladnesse Howsoeuer therfore the Lorde bee not withoute testimonie whyle with his greate and manyfolde bountyfulnesse he sweetely allureth men to the knowledge of hym yet for all that they cesse not to folowe their owne waies that is to say their damnable errours But although we want naturall power wherby we can not clymbe vp vnto the pure and cleare knowledge of God yet bycause the faulte of our dulnesse is in our selues therfore all colour of excuse is cutte away from vs. For we can not so pretende ignorance but that euen our conscience dothe stil condemne vs of slouthfulnesse vnthankfulnesse It is a defence forsoothe right woorthy to be receyued if man will alledge that he wanted eares to heare the truth for the publishyng wherof the very dombe creatures haue lowde voyces yf man shall say that he can not see those thynges with his eyes whyche the creatures without eyes doo shewe hym yf man shall laye for his excuse the feblenesse of his witte where all creatures without reason doo instructe hym Wherfore sithe all thynges doo shewe vs the right way we are worthily put from all excuse of our wanderyng and strayeng out of the way But howe soeuer it is to be imputed to the fault of men that they dooe by and by corrupt the sede of the knowledge of God sowē in theyr mindes by meruailous workemanshyp of nature so that it groweth not to good and cleane fruite yet it is moste true that we are not sufficiently instructed by that bare and simple testimonie that the creatures do honourably declare of goodes glory For so soone as we haue taken by the beholdyng of the worlde a smalle taste of the godhead we leauyng the true God doo in steade of hym rayse vp dreames and fansies of oure owne brayne and doo conuey hyther and thyther from the true fountayne the prayse of ryghtousnes wysedom goodnes and power Moreouer we doo so either obscure or by yll estemyng them depraue his daily doynges that we take away bothe from them their glorye and from the authour his due praise ¶ The .vi. Chapter That to atteyne to God the Creatour it is nedefull to haue the scripture to be our guyde and maistresse THerefore althoughe that same brightnesse which both in heauen and earth shineth in the eies of al men doth sufficiently take away al defense frō the wickednesse of mē euen so as God to wrappe al mankind in one giltinesse doeth shewe his diuine maiestie to al withoute excepcion as it wer portraied out in his creatures yet is it necessary that we haue also an other and a better helpe that may rightly direct vs to the very creator of the world Therfore not in vayne he hath added the light of his worde that therby he mought be knowen to saluacion And this prerogatiue he hath vouchesaued to geue to vs whom it pleased him more nerely and more familiarly to draw together to himselfe For because he saw the mindes of al men to be carried aboute with wandering and vnstedfast motion after he had chosē the Iewes to his peculiar flocke he compassed them in as it were with barres that they should not wander out in vanitie as other did And not withoute cause he holdeth vs with the same meane in the true knowledge of himselfe For otherwise euen they should quickly swarue away that seme to stand stedfast in comparison of other For as olde men or poore blind or they whose eies ar dimme sighted if you lay a faire boke before them though they perceiue that there is somewhat written therin yet can they not reade two words together but being holpen with spectacles set betwen them and it they begin to reade distinctlye so the Scripture gathering vp together in our mindes the knowledge of God whiche otherwise is but confused doeth remoue the mist and plainly shewe vs the true god This therefore is a singular gifte that to the instruccion of his church God vseth not onely dumme teachers but also openeth his owne holye mouth not onely publisheth that there is some God to bee worshipped but also there withal pronounceth that he himself is the same God whō we oughte to worship and doeth not onely teache the electe to loke vpō God but also presenteth himselfe vnto them to be loked vppon Thys order hath he kept frō the beginning towarde his churche beside these common instruccions to geue them also hys worde Whiche is the righter and certainer marke to knowe him by And it is not to be douted that Adam Noe Abraham and the rest of the fathers by this help attained to that familiar knowledge which made them as it wer seuerally differente from the vnbeleuers I speake not yet of the proper doctrine of faith wherwith they wer enlightened into the hope of eternall life For that they myght passe from death to life it was nedefull for them to knowe God not only to be the creatoure but also the redemer as doutlesse they obteined both by the worde For that kinde of knowledge wherby was geuen to vnderstande who is the God by whō the worlde was made and is gouerned in order came before the other and thē was that other inwarde knowledge adioined which onely quickeneth dead soules wherby God is knowen not onely to be the maker of the worlde and the onely authour and iudge of all thinges that are done but also to be the redemer in the person of that mediatour But because I am not yet come to the fal of the world
humblenes For what is that first estate of oures euen that from whence we are false What is that ende of oure creation euen the same from whiche we are altogether tourned away so that lothinge oure owne miserable estate we may groâ—e for sorrowe in groninge may also sighe for the losse of that dignitie But nowe when we saye that man ought to beholde nothinge in himselfe that may make hym of bolde courage wee meane that there is nothinge in him vpon affiance whereof he oughte to be proude Wherefore if any liste to heare what knoweledge man oughte to haue of himselfe let vs thus diuide it that firste he consider to what ende he is created and endued with giftes that are not to bee despised by whiche thought he may be styrred vp to the meditation of the hearinge of God and of the lyfe to come Then let him weye hys owne strength or rather needy wante of strengthe by perceiuynge whereof hee maye lye in extreeme confusion as one vtterly broughte to naught The fyrste of these considerations tendeth to thys ende that hee maye knowe what is hys duety and the other howe muche he is able to do towarde the perfourminge of yt We wyll entreate of them bothe as the ordre of teachinge shall requyre But bicause it muste nedes be that it was not a lighte negligence but a detestable wicked acte whiche God so seuerally punyshed wee muste consider the verye fourme of the same in the fall of Adam that kyndeled the horryble vengaunce of God vpon all mankynde It ys a childishe opynyon that hathe commonly been receiued concerninge the intemperaunce of glotonye as though the summe and heade of all vertues consysted in the forbearinge of one onely frute when there flowed on euery syde store of all sortes of deyntyes that were to bee desyred and when in that blessed frutefulnesse of the earthe thâ—re was not onely plentye but also varyetye to make for pleasure Therefore we muste looke further bicause the forbiddinge him 〈◊〉 the tree of the knoweledge of good and euell was the tryall of obedience that Adam in obeyinge myghte proue that he was wyllyngely â—â—â—iect to the gouernement of God And the name of the tree it selfe shewâ—â—â— that the coÌ„maundement was geuen for none other ende than for 〈…〉 he contented with his owne estate should not with wicked lust adueuree himselfe higher But the promise wherby he was biddeÌ„ to hope for eternall life so longe as he did not eate of the tree of life and agayne the horrible threatening of death so sone as he should taste of the tree of knowledge of good and euell serued to proue and exercise his fayth Herof it is not harde to gather by what meanes Adam prouoked the wrathe of God agaynste him selfe Augustine in deede sayeth not amisse when he sayeth that pryde was the beginnyng of all euels For if ambition had not lifted vp man higher than was laweful and than was permitted him he mighte haue continued in his estate but we must fetch a more ful definition from the maner of the tentation that Moses describeth For sithe the woman was with the deceite of the Serpent led awaye by infidelitie now it appereth that disobedience was the beginning of the fall Whiche thing Paule coÌ„firmeth teaching that all men were loste by one mans disobedience But it is withall to be noted that the first man fell from the subiection of God for that he not only was taken with the entisementes of Satan but also despising the trueth did tourne out of the waye to lying And surely Gods worde beyng ones despised all reuerence of God is shaken of Bicause his maiestie doth no other waies abide in honore among vs nor the worshippe of him remaine inuiolate but while we hange vpoÌ„ his mouth Therfore infidelitie was the roote of that falling awaye But thereupon arose ambition and pride to which was adioyned vnthankefulnesse for that Adam in coueting more than was graunted did vnreuerently despise the so greate liberalitie of God wherewyth he was enriched And this was a monstruous wickednesse that the sonne of the earth thoughte it a small thyng that he was made after the likenesse of God vnlesse he mighte also bee made egall with God If Apostasie be a filthy and detestable offense whereby manne withdraweth him selfe from the allegeance of his creatour yea outrageously shaketh of his yoke then it is but vaine to extenuate the Sinne of Adam Albeit it was no simple Apostasie but ioyned with shamefull reproches agaynst God while they assented to the sclaunders of Satan wherein he accused God of lying enuye and niggardly grudgyng Finally infidelitie opened the gate to ambition ambition was the mother of obstinate rebellion to make men caste awaye the feare of God and throwe themselues whether their lust caried them Therfore Bernarde doeth rightly teache that the gate of saluation is opened vnto vs when at this day we receiue the gospel by our eares eueÌ„ as by the same windowes when they stode opeÌ„ to Satan death was let in For Adam would neuer haue ben so bolde as to do agaynst the coÌ„maundement of God but for this that he did not beleue his worde Truely this was the best bridle for the right keping of all affections in good order to thinke that ther is nothyng better than to kepe righteousnesse in obeyenge the coÌ„maundementes of God then that the chiefe ende of happy life is to be beloued of him He therefore beyng carried away with the blasphemies of the Deuell did asmuch as in him lay extinguishe the whole glory of god As the spirituall life of Adam was to abide ioyned and bounde to his creatour so his alienation from him was the death of his soule Neyther is it maruell yf he by his fallynge awaye destroyed all his owne posteritie whiche peruerted the whole order of nature in Heauen and in Earth All the creatures doe grone sayeth Paule beyng made subiecte to corruption agaynst their will If one shoulde aske the cause no doubte it is for that they beare parte of that punishement that manne deserued for whose vse they were created Sythe then the curse that goeth throughoute all the costes of the world proceded from his faulte bothe vpwarde and downeward it is nothing agaynst reason if it spread abroade into all his issue Therefore after that the heauenly image in him was defaced he did not alone suffer this punishment that in place of wisedome strength holinesse truth and iustice with whiche ornamentes he had ben clothed there came in the moste horrible pestilences blindenesse weakenesse filthinesse falsehod and iniustice but also he entangled and drowned his whole ofspryng in the same miseries This is the corruption that cometh by inheritaunce which the olde writers called Originall sinne meaning by this word Sinne the corruptioÌ„ of nature which before was good and pure About which mater they haue had much contention bicause there is nothyng farther of from coÌ„mon reason than all
men to be made gilty for one mans faulte and so the sinne to become coÌ„mon Whiche semeth to haue ben the cause why the oldest Doctours of the churche did but darkely touche this pointe or at leaste did not set it out so plainely as was conuenient And yet that fearefulnesse coulde not bryng to passe but that Pelagius arose whose prophane inuention was that Adam sinned only to his owne losse and hurted not his posteritie So through this sutteltie Satan wente about by hidyng the disease to make it incurable But when it was proued by manifest testimonie of Scripture that sinne passed froÌ„ the firste man into al his posteritie he brought this cauillation that it passed by imitation but not by propagation Therfore good men trauailed in this pointe and aboue al other Augustine to shewe that we are corrupted not by forein wickednesse but that we bryng with vs from the wombe of our Mother a viciousnesse planted in out begetting whiche to denie was moste greate shamelesnesse But the rashenesse of the Pelagians and Celestians will not seeme marueylous to hym whiche by the writinges of that holy manne shall perceyue howe shamelesse beastes they were in all other thynges Surely it is not doubtfully spoken that Dauid confesseth that he was begotten in iniquities and by hys Mother conceyued in Sinne. He doeth not there accuse the sinnes of his Father or Mother but the better to sette forth the goodnesse of God towarde hym he begynneth the confession of hys owne wickednesse at hys verie begettyng For asmuche it is euident that that was not peculiar to Dauid alone it followeth that the common estate of all mankynde is noted vnder hys example All we therefore that descende of vncleane sede are borne infected wyth the contagion of Sinne yea before that we see the lighte of thys lyfe we bee in the sight of God filthie and spotted For who could geue cleane of the vncleanesse not one as it is in the boke of Iob. We heare that the vncleannesse of the parentes so passeth into the chyldren that all wythoute anye exception at theyr beginnynge are defiled But of this defilynge we shall not finde the beginnyng vnlesse we goe vp to the fyrste parente of all vs to the wellhed Thus is it therefore that Adam was not onely the progenitour but also the roote of mans nature and therefore in his corruption was all mankynde worthelye corrupted whyche the Apostle maketh playne by comparynge of hym and Christe As sayeth he by one manne Sinne entred into the whole worlde and death by Sinne and so death wente ouer all menne for asmuche as all haue sinned so by the grace of Christ righteousnesse and lyfe is restored vnto vs. What will the Pelagians here prate that Adams sinne was spred abroade by imitation Then haue we no other profite by the righteousnesse of Christe but that he is an example sette before vs to followe Whoe canne abide suche robberie of Gods honour If it be out of question that Christes righteousnesse is oures by communication and thereby lyfe it followeth also that they bothe were so loste in Adam as they be recouered in Christe and that Sinne and death so crepte in by Adam as they are abolished by Christ. The wordes are playne that many are made righteous by the obedience of Christe as by the disobedience of Adam they were made sinners and that therefore betwene them two is this relation that Adam wrappyng vs in his destructâ—ion destroyed vs with hym and Christe with his grace restored vs to saluation In so clere light of trueth I thinke we nede not a longer or more laborious profe So also in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians when he goeth aboute to stablishe the godly in the trust of the resurrectioÌ„ he sheweth that the life is recouered in Christ that was loste in Adam He that pronounceth that wee all are dead in Adam doeth also therewithall plainely testifie that we were infected with the filth of sinne For damnation coulde not reache vnto them that were touched with no giltinesse of iniquitie But it canne be no waye playnelier vnderstanded what he meaneth than by relation of the other member of the sentence where he teacheth that hope of life is restored in Christe But it is well enough knowen that the same is done no other waye â–ª than when by meruellous maÌ„ner of communicating Christ poureth into vs the force of his righteousnesse As it is wrytten in an other place that the spirite is life vnto vs for righteousnesse sake Therefore wee maye not otherwyse expounde that whyche is sayde that we are dead in Adam but thus that he in sinnynge dyd not onely purchace mischiefe and ruine to hymselfe but also throwe downe our nature hedlonge into like destructioÌ„ And that not only to the corruption of hym selfe whych perteyneth nothyng to vs but bicause he infected al his sede with the same corruptioÌ„ wherinto he was fallen For otherwise that sayeng of Paule could not staÌ„d true that all are by nature the sonnes of wrath yf they were not already accursed in the wombe And it is easelye gathered that nature is there meante not suche as it was create by God but suche as it was corrupted in Adam For it were not conuenient that God shold bee made the authour of Death Adam therefore so corrupted hym selfe that the infection passed from hym into all hys ofsprynge And the heauenly Iudge hym selfe Christe doeth also playnely enough pronounce that all are borne euell and corrupted where he teacheth that what soeuer is borne of fleshe is fleshe and that therefore the gate of lyfe is closed agaynste all menne vntill they be begotten agayne Neyther for the vnderstandynge thereof is any curiouse disputation nedefull whyche not a little combred the olde wryters whether the soule of the sonne do procede by deriuation from the soule of the father bycause in it the infection principally resteth We must be coÌ„tent wyth this that suche giftes as it pleased the Lorde to haue bestowed vpon the nature of man he lefte them wyth Adam and therefore when Adam loste them after he had receyued them he lost them not only from himselfe but also from vs all Whoe shall be carefull of a conueyance from soule to soule when he shall heare that Adam receyued these ornamentes whyche he loste no lesse for vs than for hymselfe that they were not geuen to one manne alone but assigned to the whole nature of manne Therefore it is not agaynste reason yf he beynge spoyled nature bee lefte naked and poore yf he beyng infected wyth Sinne the infection crepeth into nature Therefore from a rotten roote arose vp rotten branches whiche sent their rottennesse into the other twigges that spronge out of them For so were the chyldren corrupted in the father that they also were infectiue to theyr chyldren that is to saye so was the beginnynge of corruption in Adam that by continuall flowynge from one to an other it is
Wherfore this honor was to be geuen them ▪ vntill they refused it beyng offred them and by their owne vnthankfulnesse brought to passe that it was caried away to the Gētiles Neither yet with howe great obstinatie soeuer they continue to make warre against the Gospell ought they to be despised of vs if we consider that for the promises sake the blessing of God doth yet stil remain among them as verely the Apostle testifieth that it shall neuer vtterly departe from thence because the giftes and callyng of God are without repentance Beholde of what force is the promise geuen to the posteritie of Abraham and with what balance it is to be weyed Wherefore althoughe in discernyng the heires of the kyngdome from bastardes and strangers we nothyng doute that the only election of God ruleth with free right of gouernement yet we also therwithall perceiue that it pleased hym peculiarly to embrace the sede of Abraham with his mercie and that the same mercie might be the more surely witnessed to seale it with circumcision Nowe altogether like state is there of the christian Chirche For as Paule there reasoneth that the Iewes are sanctified of their parentes so in an other place he teacheth that the children of christians receiue the same sanctification of their parentes Wherupon is gathered that they are worthily seuered from the rest which on the other syde are condemned of vncleannesse Nowe who can doute but that it is moste false which they do therupon conclude that say that the infantes which in olde tyme were circumcised dyd only figure spiritual infantie which ariseth of the regeneration of the worde of God For Paule dothe not so suttelly play the Philosopher where he writeth that Christ is the minister of Circumcision to fulfill the promises which had bene made to the Fathers as if he saide thus Forasmuche as the couenant made with Abraham hath respecte to his sede Christe to performe and discharge the promise ones made by his Father came to saluatiō to the nation of the Iewes Se you not how also after the resurrectiō of Christe he iudgeth that the promise of the couenant is to be fulfilled not onely by way of allegorie but as the very wordes do sounde to the carnal seede of Abraham To the same entent serueth that which Peter in the second Chapter of the Actes declareth to the Iewes that the benefite of the Gospell is due to them and their sede by right of the couenant and in the Chapter next folowyng he calleth them the children of the testamente that is to say heires From which also not muche disaccordeth the other place of the Apostle aboue alleged where he accompteth and setteth Circūcision emprinted in infants for a testimonie of that cōmunion which thei haue with Christ. But if we harken to their trifles what shal be wroughte by that promise wherby the Lorde in the seconde article of his law vndertaketh to his seruantes that he wil be fauourable to their sede euen to the thousandth generation Shall we here flee to allegories But that were to triflyng a shift Or shal we say that this is abolished But so the law should be destroyed which Christ came rather to stablish so farre as it turneth vs to good vnto lyfe Lett it therfore bee out of controuersie that God is so good and liberall to his that for their sakes he wil haue also their children whome they shall begett to be adnumbred among his people Moreouer the differences which they go about to put betwene Baptisme and circumcision ar not only worthy to be laughed at and void of all color of reson but also disagreeyng with them selues For when they haue affirmed that Baptisme hath relation to the first day of the spiritual battell but circumcision to the eighth when mortification is already ended by and by forgetting the same they turne their song and call circumcisiō a figure of the flesh to be mortified but Baptisme they call buriall into which none ar to be put til they be alredy dead What dotages of phrentike men can with so great lightnesse leape into sondry diuersities For in the fyrst sentence Baptisme must go before circumcisiō by the other it is thrust backe into the later place Yet is it no newe exāple that the wittes of men be so tossed vp and downe when in stede of the most certain word of God they worship whatsoeuer they haue dreamed We therfore say that that former difference is a mere dreame If they listed to expounde by way of allegorie vpon the eyghth day yet it agreed not in that maner It were muche fitter accordyng to the opinion of the old writers to referre the numbre of eighth to the resurrection whiche was done on the eighth day wherupon we knowe that the newnesse of life hangeth or to the whole course of this presente lyfe wherein mortification oughte alwaye to goe forward till when life is ended mortification it selfe may also be ended Howbeit God may seme to haue mynded to prouide for the tendernesse of age in differryng circumcision the viii day because the wound shold haue ben more dangerous to the children newe borne and yet red from their mother Howe muche stronger is that that we beyng deade before are buried by Baptisme when the scripture expressely cryeth to the cōtrarye that we are buried into death to this entente that we should dye and from thenseforth shoulde endeuor to this mortification Nowe a likewise handlyng it is that they cauill that women ought not to be baptised if Baptisme must bee framed like to Circumcision For if it be most certaine that the sanctifieng of the sede of Israel was testified by the signe of Circumcision thereby also it is vndouted that it was geuen to sanctifie bothe males females But the onely bodyes of male children were marked with it which myght by nature be marked yet so that the women were by them after a certaine maner cōpanions and parteners of circumcision Therefore sending farre away suche follies of theirs lette vs sticke faste in the lykenesse of Baptisme circumcision whiche we most largely see to agree in the inward mysterie in the promises in vse in effectualnesse They thynke also that they bring forth a most strong reason why childrē are to be debarred from Baptisme when they allege that they ar not yet for age able to vnderstand the mysterie there signified That is spiritual regeneration which can not be in the first infātie Therfore they gather that they are to be taken for none other than the childrē of Adam till they be growen to age mete for a second birth But the truth of God echewhere speaketh against all these thynges For if they be to be lefte among the children of Adam then they are left in death forasmuch as in Adam we can do nothyng but dye But contrarywise Christ cōmaūdeth them to be brought vnto hym Why so because he is life Therfore that he may geue life to
them he maketh them partakers of hymselfe when in the meane tyme these fellowes driuing them farre away do adiudge them to death For if they say for a shift that infantes do not therfore perishe if they be accompted the children of Adam their error is abundantly confuted by witnesse of the Scripture For where as it pronounceth that all do dye in Adam it foloweth that there remaineth no hope of life but in Christe Therefore that we maye be made heires of lyfe we must communicate with him Agayne when it is written in an other place that by nature we are all subiecte to the wrath of God and conceiued in sinne wherunto DamnatioÌ„ perpetually cleaueth we must departe oute of oure owne nature before that the entrie be open to vs into the kingdome of God And what can be more playnely spoken than that fleshe and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God Therfore let al be doone away what soeuer is ours which shall not be done withoute regeneration then we shall see this possession of the kyngdome Finally if Christ say truely when he reporteth that he is life it is necessarie that we be graffed into hym that we may be deliuered out of the bondage of death But saye they how are infantes regenerate which are not endued with knowlege neither of good nor of euyl But we answer that the worke of God is not yet no worke at all althoughe it be not subiect to our capacitie Moreouer it is nothyng doutefull that the infantes whiche are to be saued as verily of that age some are saued are before regenerate of the Lorde For if they bryng with them from their mothers wombe the corruption naturally planted in them they must be purged therof before that they be admitted into the kyngdome of God whereinto nothyng entreth that is defiled or spotted If they be borne synners as bothe Dauid and Paule affirme eyther they remaine out of fauor and hatefull to God or they must nedes be iustified And what seke we more when the iudge himself openly affirmeth that the entrie into heauenly life is open to none but to them that bee borne agayne And to put suche carpers to silence he shewed an example in Iohn the Baptist whome he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he was able to doo in the rest Neither dooe they any thyng preuaile by the shifte wherewith they here mocke that that was but ones done wherupon it dothe not by and by folow that the Lorde is wonte commonly to doe so with infantes For neither do we reason after that maner onely our purpose is to shew that the power of God is by them vniustly and enuiously limitted within those narrowe boundes within which it suffreth not it selfe to be bounde Their other by shift is euen of as great weight They allege that by the vsuall maner of the Scripture this worde from the wombe is as muche in effecte as if it were sayd from childhode But we may clerely see that the Angell when he declared the same to zacharie meant an other thyng that is that it whiche was not yet borne shoulde be filled with the Holy ghoste Lette vs not therfore attempt to appoynt a law to God but that he may sanctifie whom it pleased him as he sanctified this childe forasmuche as his power is nothyng minyshed And truely Christ was therfore sanctified from his first infantie that he might sanctifie in himself his elect out of euery age without differeÌ„ce For as to do away the fault of disobedience which had ben committed in our fleshe he hath put on the same fleshe vpon himselfe that he might in it for vs and in our stede performe perfect obedience so he was conceiued of the Holy ghost that hauyng the holynesse therof fully poured into hym in the fleshe which he had taken vpon hym he myght poure foorth the same into vs. If we haue in Christ a most perfect paterne of all the graces which God continually sheweth to his children verily in this behalfe also he shall be a profe vnto vs that the age of infantie is not so farre vnfitt for sanctification But howsoeuer it be yet this we holde out of controuersie that none of the electe is called out of this present life which is not fyrst made holy and regenerate by the Spirit of God Wheras they obiect to the contrary that in the Scriptures the Spirite acknowlegeth no other regeneration but of incorruptible sede that is of the worde of God they do wrongfully expounde that sayeng of Peter wherin he comprehendeth onely the faithfull which had ben taught by preaching of the Gospell To suche in dede we graunt that the word of the Lorde is the onely sede of spirituall regeneration but we denye that it ought therupon to be gathered that infantes can not be regenerate by the power of God which is to him as easy and ready as to vs it is incomprehensible and wonderfull Moreouer it shoulde not bee safe enough for vs to take this awaye from the Lorde that he maye not be able to shewe hymselfe to bee knowen to them by whatsoeuer waye he will But Faith say they is by hearyng wherof they haue not yet gotten the vse neither can they be able to knowe God whom Moses teacheth to be destiâ—ute of the knowlege bothe of good and euill But they consider not that the Apostle wheÌ„ he maketh hearyng the beginnyng of faith describeth onely the ordinarie distribution of the Lorde and disposition whiche he vseth to kepe in calling them that be his but appointeth not to him a perpetuall rule that he may not vse any other way Which way verily he hath vsed in the calling of many to whome he hath geuen the true knowlege of himselfe by an inwarde maner by the enlightening of the Spirite wtout any preaching vsed for meane thereof But whereas they thinke it shal be a great absurditie if any knowlege of God be geueÌ„ to infantes from whom Moses taketh away the vnderstaÌ„ding of good and euil I beseche them to answere me what danger is there if they be sayd to receiue some part of that grace wherof a litle after they shal enioye the ful plentifulnesse For if the fulnesse of lyfe standeth in the perfect knowlege of God when many of them whom in their very first infantie death by and by taketh away doe passe into eternall life truely they are receiued to beholde the most present face of God WhoÌ„ therfore the Lord wil enlighteÌ„ with the ful bryghtnesse of hys lyghte why maye he not presently also if it so please hym sende out to shyne vppon them some small sparcle therof specially if he do not first vncloth them of ignorance before the he take them out of the prison of the flesh Not that I meane rashly to affirme that they be endued with the same Faith which we fele in our selues or that they haue altogether lyke knowlege of faith which I had
of generatioÌ„ from the common maner for that by her Christ was begotten of the seede of Dauid For euen in the same sort that Isaac was begotten of Abraham â–ª Salomon of Dauid and Ioseph of Iacob likewise it is sayd that Christ was begotteÌ„ of his mother For the Euangelist so frameth the order of his speache and willyng to proue that Christ came of Dauid is contented with this one reason that he was begotten of Marie Whereby it foloweth that he toke if for a matter confessed that Marie was of kinne to Ioseph The absurdities wherewith they would charge vs are stuffed ful of childish cauillations Thei thinke it a shame dishonour to Christ if he should haue taken his original of men bicause so he could not be exempt from the vniuersall lawe that encloseth all the ofspryng of Adam without exceptioÌ„ vnder sinne But the comparison that we reade in Paul doth easily assoyle this doubte that as by one maÌ„ came sinne and by sinne death so by the righteousnesse of one man grace hath abounded Wherewith also agreeth an other comparison of his the first Adam of earth earthly and natural the second of heauen heaueÌ„ly Therefore in an other place the same Apostle where he teacheth that Christ was sent in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to satifâ—ie the law doth so expresly seuer him from the common estate of men that he be very man without fault and corruptioÌ„ But very childishly they trifle in reasonyng thus If Christ be free from all spot and was by the secret workyng of the holy ghost begotten of the seede of Marie then is not the womans seede but only the mans seede vncleane For we doe not make Christ free from all spot for this cause that he is only engeÌ„dred of his mother without copulatioÌ„ of man but bicause he is sanctified by the holy ghost that the generation might be pure and vncorrupted such as should haue ben before the fall of Adam And this alway remayned stedfastly determined with vs that so oft as the scripture putteth vs in minde of the clennesse of Christ it is meant of his true nature of manhode bicause it were superfluous to say that God is cleane Also the sanctificatioÌ„ that he speaketh of in the .xvii. of Iohn could haue no place in the nature of God Neyther are their fayned two sedes of AdaÌ„ although there came no infection to Christ bicause the generatioÌ„ of man is not vncleane or vicious of it self but accidentall by his faâ—lyng Therefore it is no maruel if Christ by whome the estate of innocencie was to be restored were exempt from common corruption And whereas also they thrust this vpon vs for an absurditie â–ª that yf the Worde of God did put on flesh then was it enclosed in a narrow pryson of an earthly bodie this is but mere waywardenesse bycause although the infinite essence of the Worde did growe together into one person with the nature of man yet do we fayne no enclosyng of it For the Sonne of God descended maruellously from heauen so as yet he left not heauen it was his will to bee maruelously borne in the Uirgins wombe to be conuersant in earth hange vpon the crosse yet that he alway filled the world euen as at the beginnyng The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Howe the â—wo natures of the Mediatour do make one persone NOw where it is sayd that the Worde was made flesh that is not so to be vnderstanded as though it were eâ—her turned into flesh â–ª or confusely mingled with flesh but bicause he chose him a temple of the Uirgins wombe to dwell in he that was the Sonne of God became also the sonne of man not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of persone For we so affirme the godhed ioyned vnited to the manhode that eyther of theÌ„ haue their whole propretie remayning and yet of them bothe is made one Christ. If any thyng in all worldly thinges maye be found like to so great a misterie the similitude of man is moste fit whome we see to consist of two substances whereof yet neyther is so myngled with other but that eyther kepeth the propertie of his owne nature For neyther is the soule the body nor the body the soule Wherefore both that thyng maye be seuerally spoken of the soule whiche can no waye agree with the body and likewise of the body that thynge maye be sayd whiche can by no meane agree with the soule and that maye be sayd of the whole man whiche can be but vnfitly taken neyther of the soule nor of the body seuerally Finally the propreties of the soule are sometime attributed to the body and the properties of the body sometime to the soule â–ª and yet he that consisteth of them is but one man and not many But such formes of speache do signiâ—ie bothe that there is one persone in man compounded of two natures knit together and that there are two diuerse natures which do make the same persone And so doe the Scriptures speake of Christ Sometime they geue vnto him those thinges that ought singularly to be referred to his manhode and sometime those thinges that do peculiarly belong to his godhed and sometime those thinges that do comprehend both natures and doe agree with neyther of them seuerally And this conioynynge of the two natures that are in Christ they doe with suche religiousnesse expresse that sometime they do put them in common together which figure is among the olde authors called Communicatyng of propreties These things were but weake vnlesse many phrases of Scripture and such as be eche where redy to finde dyd proue that nothing hereof hath ben deuised by man That same thing whiche Christ spake of himself sayeng Before that AbrahaÌ„ was I am was far disagreyng from his maÌ„hode Neither am I ignorant with what cauillation the erronious spirites do depraue this place for they say that he was before all ages bicause he was alredy foreknowen the Redemer as well in the counsell of the father as in the mindes of the godly But where as he openly distinguissheth the daye of his manifestation from his eternall essence oâ— purpose pronunceâ—h vnto himselfe an authoritie by antiquitie wherin he excelleth aboue AbrahaÌ„ he doth vndoutedly chalenge to himself the which is propre to the godhed Wheras Paule affirmeth that he is the first begotteÌ„ of al creatures which was before al thinges by whom al thinges kepe their beyng wheras he himself reporteth that he was in glorie with the father before the creation of the world that he worketh together with the father these things do nothing more agree with the nature of men It is therfore certaine that these such like are peculiarly ascribed to the godhed But wheras he is called the seruant of the father wheras it is sayd that he grew in age wisedome and fauour with God and men that he seketh not his owne glorie
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
therfore with mad searchyng to plunge your selues into the bottoÌ„lesse depth which reason it self teacheth you that it shal be to your destruction Why are ye not at the least restrained with some feare of that whiche both the historie of Iob and the bookes of the Prophetes do report of the iâ—comprehensible wisedome terrible power of God If thy minde be vnquieted let it not greue thee to embrace the counsell of Augustine Thou beyng a man lokest for an answer at my hand and I also am a maÌ„ Therfore let vs both heare him that sayth O maÌ„ what art thou â–ª Better is a faithfull ignorance than rash knowledge Seke merites thou shalt finde nothing but peine O depth Peter denieth the theâ—e beleueth O depth Sekest thou a reason I wil treÌ„ble at the depth Reason thou I will wonder dispute thou I will beleue I see depth but I reache not the bottome Paule rested bicause he found wondering He calleth the iudgementes of God vnsearchable art thou come to search them He sayth that his wayes are impossible to be traced ouâ— and doest thou trace them with procedyng further we shall nothyng profit For neyther we shall satisfie their waye wanton curiousnesse neyther doth the Lord neede any other defense than whiche he hath vsed by his Spirit whiche spake by the mouth of Paule we forget to speake well when we cesse to speake with God Their other obiection also ariseth out of vngodlinesse which yet â—oÌ„deth not so directly to the accusing of God as to the excusing of the sinner Howebeit the sinner which is condeÌ„ned of God can not be iustified without dishonor of the iudge Thus therefore prophane tonges do bark agaynst God sayeng why shold God impute those things for sinne to men wherof he hath by his predestinatioÌ„ layed necessitie vpoÌ„ men For what should thei do Should thei wrastle with his decrees â–ª But so should thei do it in vaine sithe they caÌ„ not do it at al. Therfore they are not rightfully punished for those things whereof ytâ—heâ—e cause is in Gods predestinatioÌ„ Here I will absteine froÌ„ that defense wherunto the Ecclesiastical writers do coÌ„monly flee namely that the fore knowlege of God withstaÌ„deth not but the maÌ„ may be accoÌ„pted the sinner bicause God foreseeth the euels of man not his owne For so yâ— cauillatioÌ„ wold not stay here but will rather presse vs further with sayeng that God might if he had would haue prouided remedie for those euels which he foresaw and that sithe he hath not so done he hath of determined purpose created men to that end that he should so behaue himself in earth and if by the prouidence of God man was created to this condition that he should do al those thinges that he doeth theÌ„ he is not to be blamed for that which he can not auoyde which he enterprised by the wil of God Therfore let vs see how this knot ought to be well loosed First of all this ought to be holdeÌ„ certaine among al men whiche SalomoÌ„ sayth yâ— God hath created all thinges for himself the wicked maÌ„ to an euel day Behold when the dispising of al things is in the haÌ„d of God wheÌ„ in his power remaineth the rule of safetie death he so ordereth theÌ„ by his couÌ„sel beck that among men there are borne some adiudged eueÌ„ from their mothers woÌ„be to death which with their destructioÌ„ may glorifie his name If any man answer that there is no necessitie layed vpon them by the prouidence of God but rather that he created them in suche estate bicause he foresaw their peruersnesse to come he neither sayth nothing at al nor altogether The old writers are wont in deede somtimes to vse this solutioÌ„ but as it were doubtingly But the Scholemen rest vpon it as though nothing could be obiected agaynst it In deede I wil willingly graunt that foreknowlege alone bryngeth no necessitie to creatures although al men do not so agree for there be some that wil haue it also to be the cause of things But it semeth to me that Ualla a maÌ„ otherwise not much practised in holy writings saw both more depely and more wisely which shewed that this coÌ„tention is superfluous bicause bothe life death are rather the doynges of Gods will that of his foreknowlege If God did but foresee the successes of meÌ„ did not also dispose order them by his wil theÌ„ this questioÌ„ shold not wtout cause be moued whether his foreseyng any thing auailed to the necessitie of them But sith he doth none otherwise fortee the things that shal come to passe than bicause he hath decreed that they shold so come to passe it is vaine to moue coÌ„trouersie about foreknowlege where it is certaine that al things do happeÌ„ rather by ordinaÌ„ce comaÌ„demeÌ„t Thei say that this is not writteÌ„ in expresse wordes that it was decreed of God that Adam shold perish by his falling away As though the same God whoÌ„ the Scripture reporteth to do whatsoeuer he wil created the noblest of all his creatures to an vncertaine end Thei say he had freewill that he might shape to himself his owne fortune that God decreed nothing but to haÌ„dle him according to his deseruing If so cold a deuise be receyued where shal be that almightinesse of God whereby he gouerneth al thinges according to his secret couÌ„sel which hangeth vpon none other thing than it self But predestination whether they wil or no sheweth himself in Adams posteritie For it came not to passe naturally that all men should lose saluation by the fault of one parent What hindereth them to coÌ„fesse of one man that which agaynst their willes they coÌ„fesse of all maÌ„kinde For why should they lose their labour with dallyeng shiftes The Scripture crieth out yâ— all meÌ„ were in the persone of one man made bonde to eternall death Sithe this can not be imputed to nature it is playne that it proceded from the wonderous couÌ„sell of God But it is to much absurditie that these good Patrones of the righteousnesse of God doe so stumble at a strawe and leape ouer great beames Againe I aske how came it to passe that the fall of Adam did wrappe vp in eternall death so many nations with their children beyng infantes without remedie but bicause it so pleased God Here their tonges whiche are otherwise so pratlyng must of necessitie be duÌ„me It is a terrible decree I graunt yet no man shal be able to denie but that God foreknew what end maÌ„ should haue ere he created him and therefore foreknew it bycause he had so ordeyned by his decree If any man here inuey agaynste the foreknowledge of God he rashly and vndiscretely stuÌ„bleth For what matter is there I beseche you why the heauenly iudge should be accused for that he was not ignorant of that which was to come Therfore if there be any eyther iuste or colorable complaynt it toucheth predestination Neyther ought
we haue sayd that we shall rise againe in the same fleshe whiche we beare as touchyng the substance but the qualitie shal be other As when the same flesh of Christ whiche had ben offred for sacrifice was raysed vp againe yet it excelled in other qualities as yf it had ben altogether an other flesh Which thing Paule declareth by familiar examples For as there is all one substance of the fleshe of a man and of a beast but not al one qualitie as all starres haue like matter but not like brightnesse so he teacheth that though we shal kepe stil the substance of our body yet there shal be a change that the state of it may be muche more excellent The body therefore that we maye be raysed vp agayne shal not perish nor vanish awaye but puttyng of corruption it shal put on vncorruption But for asmuch as God hath al the elementes ready at his becke no hardinesse shall hinder him but that he may commaund both the earth waters fier to rēder that which semeth to be cōsumed by them Which also Esay testifieth though not without a figure where he sayth Beholde the Lord shal goe forth of his place that he maye visit the iniquitie of the earth and the earth shall discouer her bloud and shal no more hide her dead But there is to be noted a difference betwene them that haue ben dead long before and those whō that daye shall finde aliue For we shall not all slepe as Paul sayth but we shall all be changed that is to saye it shall not be of necessitie that there be a distance of time betwene death and the beginnyng of the seconde life bycause in a moment of time and in the twyncling of an eye the sound of the trompet shall pearce to rayse vp the dead vncorruptible and with a sodeyne change to fashion agayne the liuing into the same glorie So in an other place he comforteth the faythful whiche muste die bycause they whiche shall then remayne aliue shal not goe before the dead but rather they shall first rise agayne whiche haue slept in Christ. If any obiect that sayeng of the Apostle that it is apointed to all mortalll menne ones to dye it is easy to answere it with sayeng that when the state of nature is changed it is a kinde of death and is fittly so called And therefore these thinges agree wel together that all shal be renewed by death when they shall put of their mortall bodie and yet that it is not necessarie that there be a seueryng of the bodie and the soule where there shal be a sodeyne changyng But here ariseth a harder question by what right the resurrection whyche is the singular benefit of Christe is common also to the wicked and the accursed of God We knowe that all were in Adam condemned to death Christ came the resurrection and lyfe Came he to geue life to all mankinde vniuersally without choyse But what is more agaynst reason than that they should by their obstinate blindenesse obteyne that which the godly worshippers of God do obteine by onely faith Yet this remaineth certaine that there shal be one resurrection of iudgement and an other resurrectiō of life and that Christ shall come to seuer the Lambes from the Goates I answer that this ought not to seme strange the likenesse whereof we see in dayly experience We see that in Adam we were depryued of the inheritance of the whole worlde and that we are by no lesse iuste reason debarred from common foode than from the eatyng of the tree of lyfe Whense then commeth it to passe that God doth not onely make his sunne to ryse vpon the good and euell but also as touchyng the vses of this present lyfe his inestimable liberalitie continually floweth forth to them with large plentuousnesse Hereby verily we knowe that those thinges whiche properly belong to Christ and his members doe also ouerflowe to the wicked not that it is their rightfull possession but that they maye be made the more inexcusable So the wicked do oftentimes finde God beneficiall by more than meane proues yea suche as somtime do darken all the blessinges of the Godly but yet do turne to their greater damnation If any man obiect that the resurrection is not fitly compared to fadynge and earthly benefites here also I answere that so sone as they were estranged from God the fountayne of life they deserued the death of the Deuell whereby they should be vtterly destroyed Yet by the maruelous counsell of God there was founde a meane state that out of lyfe they mighte liue in death No more absurditie ought it to seme yf the resurrection happen to the wicked whiche draweth them agaynst their willes to the iudgement seate of Christ whome nowe they refuse to heare for their mayster and teacher For it were a small peyne to be consumed awaye with death yf they were not to suffer punishment for their obstinacie broughte before the iudge whose vengeance they haue without ende and measure prouoked agaynst themselues But although we muste holde that whiche we haue sayd and whiche that notable confession Paule before Felix conteyneth that he loketh for the resurrection of the righteous and wicked yet the Scripture oftentimes setteth forth election together with the heauenly glorie to the only children of God Bicause Christ proprely came not to the destruction but to the saluation of the worlde Therefore in the Crede there is made mention of the blessed life only But for as much as the Prophecie of death swallowed vp by victorie shall then and not till then be fulfilled let vs alwaye haue in mynde the eternall felicitie the ende of the resurrection of the excellencie whereof yf all thinges were spoken whiche the tonges of men where able to speake yet scarcely the smallest parcell thereof should bee expressed For howe so euer we truely heare that the kyngdome of God shal be stuffed full with bryghtnesse ioye felicitie and glorie yet those thynges that are spoken of are moste farre remoued from our sense and remayne as it were wrapped in darke speaches vntill that daye come when he himselfe shall geue to vs his glorie to be seene face to face We know sayth Iohn that we are the chyldren of God but it hath not yet appered But when we shal be lyke to him then we shal see him such as he is Wherfore the Prophets bicause thei could by no wordes expresse the spiritual blessednesse in it self did in a manner grosly portray it out vnder bodily thinges But for as much as the feruentnesse of desire must with some tast of the swetenesse be kindled in vs let vs chefely cōtinue in this thought that if god do as a certaine fountaine which can not be drawen drie cōteyne in him the fulnesse of al good things nothing is beyōd him to be coueted of them that tend toward the soueraigne good and the
that infants which can not beleue lie in their damnation I answer that Christe there speaketh not of the generall gyltinesse wherwith all the posteritie of Adam are enwrapped but only thretneth the despisers of the Gospell which do proudely and stubbornely refuse the grace offred them But this nothing perteineth to infantes Also I set a coÌ„trarie reason against them that whomesoeuer Christ blesseth he is discharged from the curse of Adam and the wrathe of God Sithe therfore it is knowen that infantes are blessed of him it foloweth that they are discharged from death Then he falsly citeth that whiche is no where red that whosoeuer is borne of the Spirite heareth the voyce of the Spirit Which although we graunt to be written yet shal proue nothyng ells but that the faithfull are framed to obedience accordyng as the Spirite woorketh in them But that whiche is spoken of a certaine number it is faultie to drawe indifferently to all Fowerthly he obiecteth because that goeth before which is naturall we muste tarry type tyme for Baptisme whiche is spirituall But althoughe I graunte that all the posteritie of Adam begotten of the fleshe doo from the very wombe beare their owne damnation yet I denye that that withstandeth but that God may presently bryng remedy For neither shall Seruettus proue that there were many yeares appoynted by God that the spirituall newnesse of lyfe many beginne As Paul testifieth although they whiche are borne of the faithfull are by nature damned yet by supernatural grace they are saued Then he bryngeth forth an allegorie that Dauid going vp into the toure of Sion did leade neither blinde men nor lame men with him but strong souldiors But what if I set a parable against it wherin God calleth to the heauenly banket blinde men and lame men howe will Seruettus vnwynde himselfe out of this knott I aske also whether lame and maimed men had not fyrst ben souldiors with Dauid But it is superfluous to tary longer vpoÌ„ this reasoÌ„ which the readers shall fynde by the holy hystorie to be made of mere falsehod There foloweth an other allegorie that the Apostles were fishers of men not of litle children But I aske what that sayeing of Christ meaneth that into the nette of the Gospel are gathered al kyndes of fishes But because I lyke not to play with allegories I answer that wheÌ„ the office of teaching was enioyned to the Apostles yet they were not forbidden from baptisyng of infantes Howbeit I wold yet knowe when the Euangelist nameth them Anthropous men in whche woorde is comprehended all mankynde without exception why they should deny infantes to be men Seuenthly he allegeth that sithe spirituall thyngs agree with spirituall infantes which are not spiritual are also not mete for baptisme But first it is plainly euideÌ„t howe wrongfully they wrest the place of Paule There is entreated of doctrine when the Corinthians did to muche stande in their owne conceite for vayne sharpnesse of witte Paule rebuketh their sluggishnesse for that they wer yet to be instructed in the first introductions of heauenly wisdome Who can therof gather that Baptisme is to be denied to infants whom being begotten of the fleshe God doth by free adoption make holy to himself Where as he sayth that they must be fed with spirituall meate if they be newe men the solution is easy that by Baptisme they are admitted into the flocke of Christ and that the signe of adoption suffiseth them til being growen to age they be able to beare strong meate that therfore the time of examination which God expresly requiâ—eth in the holy Supper must be taried for Afterward he obiecteth that Christ calleth all his to the holy Supper But it is certaine enough that he admitteth none but them that be already prepared to celebrate the remembrance of his deathe Wherupon foloweth that infantes whome he vouchesaued to embrace do stay in a seuerall and proper degree by themselues till they grow to age and yet are not strangers Whereas he saieth that it is monstrous that a man after that he is borne should not eate I answere that soules are otherwise fed than by the outward eatyng of the Supper and that therfore Christ is neuerthelesse meate to infantes althoughe they absteine from the signe But of Baptisme the case is otherwise by which onely the gate into the Chirch is opened to them Agayne he obiecteth that a good Stewarde distributeth meate to the household in due time Which although I willyngly graunt yet by what right wil he appoint vnto vs the certaine tyme of Baptisme that he may proue that it is not geuen to infantes out of tyme. Moreouer he bryngeth in that coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Christ to the Apostles that they shold make hast into the haruest whyle the fieldes waxe white Uerily Christe meaneth this onely that the Apostles seeyng the fruite of their labor present shoulde the more cherefully prepare themselues to teache Who shall thereof gather that the onely tyme of Haruest is the ripe time for Baptisme His eleuenth reason is that in the first Chirch christians and disciples were all one but we see nowe that he fondely reasoneth from the parte to the whole Disciples are called men of full age whiche had ben already throughly taught and had professed Christ as it behoued that the Iewes vnder the law should be the disciples of Moses yet no man shall therof rightly gather that infantes were strangers whome the Lord hath testified to be of his householde Besyde these he allegeth that all Christians are brethren in which number infantes are not vnto vs so long as we debarre them from the Supper But I returne to that principle that none are heires of the kingdome of heauen but they that are the membres of Christ then that the embracyng of Christ was a true token of the adoption wherby infantes are ioyned in common with full growen men and that the absteining for a time from the Supper withstandeth not but that they perteyne to the body of the Chirche Neither did the these that was conuerted on the Crosse cesse to be brother of the godly although he neuer cam to the Supper Afterward he addeth that none is made our brother but by the Spirite of adoption which is geuen only by the bearing of Faith I answer that he still falleth backe into the same deceitefull argument because he ouerthwartly draweth that to infantes which was spoken only of growen men Paule teacheth there that this is Gods ordinarie maner of callyng to bryng his electe to the faith when he stirreth vp to them faithful teachers by whoe 's ministerie and trauaile he reacheth his hande to them Who dare therby appoint a lawe to him but that he may by some other secrete way graffe infantes into Christ Where he obiecteth that Cornelius was baptised after that he had receiued the Holy ghost howe wrongfully he doothe out of one example gather a generall rule appereth
And we knowe what Moses eche where saith Iniquitie shal be cleansed sinne shal be putte awaie forgeuen Finally we are very well taught in the olde figures what is the force and effect of the death of Christe And this point the Apostle setteth out in the epistle to the Hebrues very fytly taking this principle that remission is not wrought withoute shedynge of bloode Whervpon he gathereth that Christ for the abolishing of sinne appeared ones for all by his sacrifice Againe that he was offred vp to take awaie the sinnes of manie And he hadde saide before that not by the bloode of goates or of calues butte by his owne bloode hee ones entred into the holy place finding eternall redemption Nowe when he thus reasoneth If the bloode of a calfe do sanctifie accordinge to the cleannesse of the flesh that muche more consciences are cleansed by the bloode of Christ from deade workes it easily appeareth that the grace of Christe is to muche diminished vnlesse we graunt vnto his sacrifice the power of cleansinge appeasing and satisfieng As a little after hee addeth This is the mediator of the new testament that the◠whiche are called maie receiue the promise of eternall inheritance by meane of death for the redemption of sinnes goinge before which remained vnder the lawe But specially it is conuenient to weye the relation which Paule describeth that he became curse for vs. c. For it were superfluous yea and an absurditie that Christ shoulde be charged with curse but for this entent that he payinge that which other did owe shoulde purchace righteousnes for them Also the testimonie of Esaie is playne that the chastisement of our peace was laied vpon Christ and that we obteined healthe by his stripes For if Christe had not satisfied for oure sinnes it coulde not haue been saide that he appeased God by takinge vpon him the peine wherevnto we were subiect Wherewith agreeth that whyche foloweth in the same place For the sinne of my people I haue striken him Let vs also recite the exposition of Peter which shall leaue nothing doubtful that he did beare our sinne vpon the tree For he saithe that the burthen of damnation from whiche we were deliuered was laide vpon Christe And the Apostles do plainely pronounce that he payed the pryce of raunsome to redeeme vs from the gyltinesse of deathe Being iustified by his grace through the redemption whiche is in Christ whome God hathe set to be the propiciatorie by faith which is in his bloode Paule commendeth the grace of God in this point bicause he hath geuen the price of redemption in the deathe of Christ and then he biddeth vs to flee vnto hys bloode that hauinge obteined righteousnesse we maye stande boldly before the iudgement of God And to the same effecte is that saieng of Peter that we are redeemed not by golde and siluer but by the precious bloode of the vnspotted Lambe For the comparison also woulde not agree vnlesse with that price satisfaction had ben made for sinnes for whiche reason Paule saith that we are preciously bought Also that other saieng of his wold not stande together Ther is one mediator that gaue hymselfe to bee a redemption vnlesse the peine hadde ben caste vpon him whiche wee had deserued Therefore the same Apostle defyneth that the redemptino in the bloode of Christ is the forgeuenesse of synnes as if he shoulde haue saide that wee are iustified or acquyted before God bycause that bloode aunswereth for satisfaction for vs. Wherewyth also agreeth the other place that the hande writinge which was against vs was cancelled vpon the crosse For therein is meant the payment or recompense that acquyteth vs from gyltinesse There is also great weight in these wordes of Paule If we be iustified by the workes of the lawe then Christe dyed for nothynge For hereby we gather that we muste fetche from Christe that whyche the lawe woulde geue yf any man can fulfyll it or whyche is all one that wee obteyne by the grace of Christe that whyche God promysed to oure woorkes in the lawe when he sayde He that dothe these thynges shall lyue in them Whyche he no lesse playnely confyrmeth in hys sermon made at Antioche affyrmeth that by beleuynge in Christe we are iustified from all those thynges from whiche we coulde not be iustified in the lawe of Moses For if the kepinge of the lawe be righteousnesse who can denie that Christe deserued fauoure for vs when takynge that burden vpon hym he so reconciled vs to God as yf we our selue had kept the law To the same purpose serueth that whiche he afterward writeth to the Galatians God sent his Sonne subiecte to the lawe that he mighte redeeme those that were vnder the lawe For to what ende serued that submission of his but that he purchaced to vs righteousnesse taking vpon hym to make good that whyche we wer not able to pay Hereof cōmeth that imputation of righteousnesse without woorkes wherof Paule speaketh bycause the righteousnesse is reckened to vs which was founde in Christ only And truely for no other cause is the fleshe of Christ called our meate but bicause we finde in him the substance of life And that power proceedeth from nothinge els but bicause the Sonne of God was crucified to be the price of our righteousnesse As Paule sayth that he gaue vp hymselfe a sacrifice of swete sauoure And in an other place He died for our sinnes he rose againe for our iustification Hervpon is gathered that not only saluatiō is geuen vs by Christe but also that for his sake hys father is now fauourable vnto vs. For there is no doubt that that is perfectli fulfilled in him which God vnder a figure pronounceth by Esaie saieng I wil do it for mine owne sake for Dauid my seruantes sake Whereof the Apostle is a right good witnesse where he saith Your sinnes are forgeuen you for his names sake For though the name of Christ be not expressed yet Ihon after his accustomed manner signifieth hym by thys pronoune He. In whiche sense also the Lorde pronounceth As I liue bicause of my father so shall ye also liue bycause of me Wherewith agreeth that whiche Paule saith It is geuen you bicause of Christe not onely to beleue in him but also to suffer for him But to demaūd whether Christ deserued for himself as Lombard the other scholemen do is no lesse foolish curiositie thā it is a rash determination when thei affirme it For what neded the sonne of God to come down to purchace any new thing for himselfe And the Lord declaring his own counsel doth put it wholy out of doubt For it is not said that the father prouided for the cōmoditie of his sonne in his deseruinges but that he deliuered him to death spared him not bicause he loued the worlde And the
prophetes manners of speaking are to be noted as A child is borne to vs. Again Reioce the daughter of Siō behold thy king cōmeth to thee Also that confyrmation of loue shoulde be very colde whyche Paule setteth oute that Christe suffered deathe for his enemies For therevpon we gather that he had no respect of himselfe that same he plainely affirmeth in saieng I sanctifie my selfe for them For he that geueth awaie the frute of his holynesse vnto other doth thereby testifie that he purchaceth nothing for hymselfe And truely this is moste worthyly to be noted that Christe to geue him selfe wholy to saue vs did after a certaine manner forget himselfe But to thys purpose thei doe wrongfully drawe this testimonie of Paule Therefore the father hath exalted him geuē him a name c. For by what deseruinges coulde man obteine to be iudge of the worlde and the heade of the Angeles and to enioye the soueraigne dominion of God and that in hym shoulde rest that same maiestie the thousandth parte whereof all the powers of men and Angeles can not reache vnto But the solution thereof is easy and playne that Paule doth not ther entreate of the cause of exalting of Christe but onely to shewe the effect ensuing thereof that it might be for an example to vs. And no other thing is meant by that whiche is spoken in an other place that it behoued that Christe shold suffer and so enter into the glorie of his Father The thirde booke of the Institution of Christian Religion Whiche entreateth of the manner howe to receiue the grace of Christ and what profites do growe vnto vs and what effectes ensue thereof The fyrste Chapter That those thinges which are spoken of Christ do profite vs by secret working of the holy Ghoste NOwe it is to be seen howe those good thinges doe come vnto vs whiche the Father hathe geuen to his only begotten Sonne not for his own priuate vse but to enriche them that were without them needed them And fyrste this is to be learned that so longe as Christe is oute of vs and we be seuered from him whatsoeuer he suffered or dyd for the saluation of mankinde is vnprofitable and nothinge auayleth for vs. Therefore that he maye enterparten wyth vs those thinges that he hathe receiued of hys Father it behoueth that he become oures and dwell in vs. And for that cause he is called our heade and the fyrste begotten amonge many brethren and on the other side it is saide that we are graffed into him and did putte on hym For as I haue before saide all that euer he possesseth belongeth nothinge to vs vntyll we growe together into one with hym But although it be true that wee obteyne thys by faythe yet forasmuche as we see that not al without dyfference do embrace this enterpartening of Christe whyche is offered by the Gospel therefore very reason teacheth vs to clymbe vp hyer and to enquire of the secret effectuall workinge of the Spirite by whyche it is brought to passe that we enioye Christe and all his good thynges I haue before entreated of the eternall godhede and essence of the Spirit at thys present let vs be content wyth thys one speciall article that Christe so came in water and bloode that the Spirite shoulde testifie of hym leaste the saluation that he hathe purchaced shold slippe awaie from vs. For as there are alleged three witnesses in heauen the Father the Worde and the Spirit so are there also three in earth Water Bloode the Spirit And not without cause is the testimonie of the Spirite twise repeted whiche we feele to bee engrauen in oure heartes in steede of a seale whereby commeth to passe that it sealeth the washinge and sacrifice of Christ. After whiche meaninge Peter also saith that the faythfull are chosen in santification of the spirit vnto obedience and sprynkling of the blood of Christ. By whiche woordes he telleth vs that to the entent the shedinge of that holy bloode shoulde not become voyde oure soules are cleansed wyth it by the secrete wateringe of the holy Spirite According whervnto Paule also speakinge of cleansinge and iustification saieth that we are made partakers of them bothe in the name of Iesus Christe and in the Spirite of oure God Finally thys is the summe that the holy Spyrite is the bonde wherewyth Christe effectually byndeth vs vnto hym For proofe whereof also do serue all that wee haue taughte in the laste booke before thys concernynge hys anoyntynge But that this being a matter specially worthy to be knowen may be made more certainly euident we must holde this in minde that Christ came furnished with the holy Spirit after a certaine peculiar manner to the ende that he might seuer vs from the worlde and gather vs together into the hope of an eternal inheritance For this cause he is called the Spirit of sanctification bicause he doth not onely quicken and nourish vs with that general power which appeareth as wel in mankinde as in all other liuinge creatures but also is in vs the roote and feede of heauenly life Therefore the Prophetes do principally cōmend the kingdome of Christe by this title of prerogatiue that then shoulde florishe more plentifull aboundance of the Spirit And notable aboue all the rest is that place of Ioel In that day I will poure of my Spirit vpon al fleshe For though the Prophet there seeme to restraine the giftes of the Spirit to the office of prophecieng yet vnder a figure he meaneth that God by the enlightning of his Spirite will make those his scholers whyche before were vnskilfull and voyde of all heauenly doctrine Nowe forasmuche as God the Father dothe for his Sonnes sake geue vs his holy Spirit yet hathe left with him the whole fulnesse thereof to the ende that he shoulde be a minister and distributer of his liberalitie he is sometime called the Spirite of the Father and sometime the Spirite of the Sonne Ye are not saith Paule in the fleshe but in the Spirit for the Spirit of God dwelleth in you But if any haue not the spirit of Christe he is not his And herevpon he putteth vs in hope of ful renuing for that he which raised vp Christ from the deade shall quicken our mortall bodies bicause of his Spirit dwelling in vs. For it is not absurditie that to the Father bee ascribed the praise of his owne giftes whereof he is the author yet that the same be ascribed to Christe with whome the giftes of the Spirite are lefte that he maie geue them to those that be his Therefore he calleth all them that thirste to come to him to drynke And Paule teacheth that the Spirit is distributed to euery one according to the measure of the gifte of Christ. And it is to be knowen that he is called the Spirite of Christ not onely in respect that the eternall Worde of God is