why do thei draw to them yâ— knoweledge of natural fleshely leprosie This forsoothe is not to mocke with the Scriptures The lawe geueth to the Leuiticall preestes the knowledge of Leprosie therefore let vs take yt vpon vs. Sinne is a spirituall leprosie therefore lette vs also bee examiners of sinne Nowe I aunswere sithe the preestehoode is remoued it is necessarie that the law be remoued also Al presthodes are remoued to Christe and fulfilled and ended in him therefore to him onely al the right and honoure of preesthoode is also remoued It thei loue so wel to folow Allegories let them set Christ before them for the only preest and heape vpon his iudgement seate the free iurisdiction of al things this we can easily be content to suffer Moreouer their allegorie is very vnfitt that setteth among the ceremonies that lawe whiche is mearly politike Why then did Christe send the leprous menne to the preestes That the preestes shoulde not cauill that hee did breake the lawe that commaunded the man healed of the leprosie to bee shewed before the preeste and purged with offering of sacrifice therefore he commaunded the leprous men being cleansed to do that whiche belonged to the law Goe saith he and shewe your selues to the preeste and offer the gifte that Moses hathe commaunded in the lawe that it shoulde be for a witnesse vnto them And truely this miracle shold haue ben a witnes vnto them for thei had pronounced them leprous and nowe they pronounce them healed Are thei not whether thei will or no compelled to become witnesses of Christes miracles Christ leaueth to them his miracle to be examined thei canne not denie it But bicause thei still dallie with it therfore this worke is for a witnesse vnto them So in an other place This Gospell shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnesse to al nations Again ye shal be ledde before kinges and gouernours for a witnesse to them that is that in the iudgemenâ—e of God thei maie be more strongly conuinced But if thei had rather folow Chrysostome he also teacheth that Christe did this for the Iewes sake that he shoulde not be accompted a breaker of the law Albeit in so cleare a matter I am ashamed to alleage the wittnesse of any man wheras Christ pronounceth that he leaueth the righte of the lawe whole to the preestes as to the professed enemies of the Gospell whiche were alway bent to carpe against it if their mouth had not ben stopped Wherfore that the popish sacrificeng preestes maie still keepe this possession let them openly take partes with them which must of necessitie be restrained by force that they speake not ill against Christe For this nothing belongeth to his trewe ministers Thei bring their second argument out of the same fountaine that is from an allegorie as though allegories were of greate force to confyrme any doctrine But lette them be of force if I do not proue that I can make a fairer shewe of them for my syde than thei can for theirs Thei say The Lorde commaunded his Disciples that when Lazarus was raised vp thei shold vnbinde an losse him from hys bondes Here first the lie for it is no wher reade thay the Lorde saide this to the Disciples and it is muche more likely that he saide it to the Iewes that stoode by him that the miracle might be made the more euident without suspition of fraud his power appeare yâ— greater yâ— without any touching with his onely worde he raised vp deade men For thus I expounde it that the Lorde to take awaie all wrongfull opinion from the Iewes willed them to rolle awaie the stone to feâ—le the stinke to beholde assured tokens of death to see him rising by the onely power of his worde and them first to feele him liuing And this is the iudgement of Chrysostome But let vs graunt that this was spoken to the Disciples what wil thei get therby That the Lord gaue his Apostles power to loose But how much more fitly and more handesomely might these thinges be applied by waie of allegorie to saie that by this signe the lord meanie to instruct his faithful to loose them that he had raised vp that is that they sholde not cal into remembrance those sinnes that he had forgotten that thei shold not condemne them for sinners whom he had acquited that thei sholde not reproche men with those thinges that he had forgeuen that thei shoulde not be rigorous to punish and lightly offended wher he is mercifull and easily entreated to spare Truely nothing ought to moue vs more to readinesse to forgeue than the exaumple of the Iudge that threatneth that he wyll be vnappeasable to them that be to rigorous and vngentle Nowe let them goe and boaste of their allegories But nowe thei ioyne more nere hande with vs when thei fight as thei thinke with open sentences Thei that came to Ihons baptisme did confesse their sinnes Iames willeth that we confesse oure sinnes one to an other No maruell if they that wolde be baptised did confesse their sinnes for it was saide before that Ihon preached the baptisme â–ª of repentance and baptised in water vnto repentance Whom shold he then haue baptized but them that had confessed themselues sinners Baptisme is a token of the forgeuenesse of sinnes and who shold be admitted to this token but sinners and thei that acknowledg themselues to be such Therfore thei confessed their sinnes that thei might be baptised And not without a cause doth Iames bidde vs confesse one to an other But if thei did marke what foloweth nexte after thei would vnderstande that this also maketh little for them Confesse saithe he one to an other your sinnes praie one for an other He ioyneth together mutuall confession and mutuall praier If we must confesse to prestes onely then muste wee also praie for prestes onely Yea What and if it might folowe of the wordes of Iames that onely preestes mighte confesse for when he willeth that we shold confesse one to an other he speaketh onely to them that may heare the confessions of other his worde is in greke Allelous mutually enterchangeably by turnes or if thei so like best to terme it by waye of reciprocatioÌ„ one to an other But so enterchaÌ„geably none can coÌ„fesse but thei that are meete to here confessions Whiche prerogatiue syth thei vouchesaue to graunt only to prestes we do also put ouer the office of confessing to theÌ„ only Therefore away with such trifelinges let vs take the very meaning of the Apostle which is simple plaine that is yâ— we sholde laye our weakenesse one in an others bosome to receiue mutuall counsel mutuall compassioÌ„ and mutuall comforte one of an other then that wee be naturally priuie to the weakenesses of our brothren shold praie for them to the Lord. Why do thei then alleage Iames against vs which do so earnestly require the confessioÌ„ of the
Father According to this rule he was rather to be spiritually worshipped in heauēly glorie thā this so perillous a kinde of worshippyng to be deuised full of carnall and grosse opinion of God Wherfore thei that haue inuēted the worshipping of the sacramēt haue not only dreamed it of thēselues beside the Scripture in which no mention of it can be shewed which yet shold not haue ben ouerpassed if it had ben acceptable to God But also al the scripture crieng out against it they haue framed to thēselues a God after the wil of their own lust leauing the liuing God For what is idolatry if this be not to worship the gifts in stede of the geuer of himself Wherin they haue doblely offended For both the honor taken frō God was conueyed to a creature and he himself also dishonored in the defilyng and prophanyng of his benefite when of his holy sacramēt is made a cursed idole But let vs contrarywise least we fall into the same pit throughly settle our eares eies hartes myndes and tonges in the holy doctrine of God For that is the schole of the Holy ghost the best scholemaister in whiche suche profite is atteined that nothing nede more to be gotten from any where ells but we willingly ought to be ignorant of whatsoeuer is not taught in it But nowe as superstition when it hath ones passed the right boundes maketh no end of sinning thei fel a great wai further For thei haue deuised Ceremonies altogether strange frō the institutiō of the Supper to this end only that they might geue diuine honors to the signe We yelde say they this worship to Christ. First if this wer done in the Supper I wold say that that worshipping only is lawfull which resteth not in the signe but is directed to Christ sittyng in heauen But now by what pretense do they bost that they worship Christ in that bread whē thei haue no promise therof They consecrate an host as they call it which they may carie about in pompe which they may shew foorth in a cōmon gazing to be loked vpon worshipped and called vpon I aske by what power they think it to be rightly cōsecrate Uerily they wil bring forth those words This is my body But I will obiect to the cōtrary that it was therwithall said Take eate Neither will I do that of nothing For whē a promise is knit to a cōmaūdement I say that the promise is so conteined vnder the cōmaundement that being seuered it is made no promise at all This shal be made plainer by a like exāple God gaue a cōmaundement when he said Call vpon me He added a promise I wil heare thee If any mā calling vpon Peter Paule do glorie vpon this promise wil not al mē crie out that he doth wrongfully And what other thing I pray you do they which leauing the cōmaūdement concernyng eatyng do catch hold of a maimed promise this is my body to abuse it to strange ceremonies from the institution of Christ Let vs therfore remembre that this promise is geuen to them which kepe the cōmaundement ioined with it but that they be destitute of all the word which remoue the Sacrament to any other way We haue heretofore entreated how the mysterie of the holy supper serueth our Faith before God But forasmuch as the Lord doth here not only bring into our remembrance so great largesse of his boūtie as we haue before shewed but doth as it were from hande to hande bring it foorth stirreth vs to acknowlege it he doth therwithal warne vs that we be not vnthākfull to so plētiful liberalitie but rather that we shold publishe it with such praises as it is mete and aduance it with thankesgeuyng Therfore when he deliuered the institution of the Sacramēt it self to the Apostles he taught them that they should doo it in remembrance of him Which Paul expoūdeth to declare the Lords death That is publikely altogether with one mouth opēly to confesse that al our affiance of life saluatiō is reposed in the death of the Lord that we may glorifie him with our cōfessiō may by our exāple exhorte other to geue glory to him Here againe it appeareth wherunto the marke of thys Sacramēt is directed namely to exercise vs in the remēbrance of the death of Christ. For this that we are commaunded to declare the Lordes death tyll he come to iudge is nothing ells but that we should publishe that with cōfessiō of mouth which our Fayth hath acknowleged in the Sacramēt that is that the death of Christ is our life This is the seconde vse of the Sacrament which perteineth to ourwarde confession Thirdly the Lorde also willed it to be to vs in stede of an exhortatiō than which none other can more vehemētly encourage and enflame vs bothe to purenesse and holinesse of life and also to charitie peace and agreement For the Lord doth therin so communicate his body to vs that he is made throughly one with vs and we with him Now sithe he hath but one body whereof he maketh vs all partakers it is necessarie that al we also be by such partaking made one body Whiche vnitie the bred which is deliuered in the Sacrament representeth which as it is made of many graynes in such sort mingled together that one can not be discerned from an other after the same manner we also oughte to be conioyned and knitt together with so great agreement of myndes that no disagreement or diuision come betwene vs. This I had rather to be expressed with Paules wordes The cup of blessing sayth he which we blesse is the communicating of the blood of Christ and the bred of blessing which we breake is the partaking of the body of Christ. Therefore we al are one body that partake of one bread We shall haue very well profited in the Sacramēt if this thought so shal be emprinted engrauen in our mindes that none of the brethren can be hurt despised refused abused or in any wise be offended of vs but that therewithal we do in so doing hurt despise and abuse Christ with our iniurious dealinges that we can not disagree with our brethren but that we muste therewithall disagree with Christe that Christe can not be loued of vs but that he muste be loued in oure brethren that what care we haue of oure own body such also we ought to haue of our brethren whiche are members of our body as no part of our bodi is touched with ani felīg of grefe whiche is not spred abrode into al the other partes so we must not suffer our brother to be greued with any euill wherof we shoulde not also be touched with cōpassion Therfore Augustine not wtout cause so oft calleth thys Sacramēt the bonde of charitie For what sharper spur could be put to vs to stirre vp mutual charitie amōg vs thā whē Christ geuing himselfe to vs doth not only allure vs with hys
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
hathe made an ende of them doth so no thing diminish their holynesse that it rather setteth them fourth and maket them glorious For as they shold haue geuen but a vaine shewe to the olde people vnlesse the power of the deathe and resurrection of Christe had beene shewed therein so if they hadde not cessed wee coulde not at this daye discerne to what purpose they were ordeyned Therefore Paule to proue that the keepinge of them nowe is not onely superfluous but also hurtefull teacheeh that they weare shadowes whereof wee haue the bodye in Christe We see therefore howe in the abolishinge of them the trueth shyneth better than if they did still a farre of and as it were with a veile spred before shewe a figure of Christe that hathe already playnelye appeared 〈◊〉 therefore the veile of the Temple at the deathe of Christe was torne in twoo peeces and fell downe bycause nowe the true and expresse image of the heauenly good thynges was come to lyghte whyche before had been but vnperfectly begonne wyth darke rude draughtes as the authore of the Epistle to the Hebrues saythe Herevnto serueth the sayeng of Christe that the lawe and the Prophetes were vnto the tyme of Ihon and that from that tune forwarde the Kyngdome of God beganne to bee ioyefully preached not meaninge that the holy fathers were without the preachynge that conteyneth the hope of saluation and of eternall lyfe but bicause a farre of and vnder shadowes onely they dyd beholde that whiche wee at thys daye see in the full lyghte But why it behoued that the Churche of God shoulde clymbe vp hyer from those firste instructions Ihon the Baptist declareth for that the lawe is geuen by Moses but grace truth beganne by Iesus Chirste For althoughe the purginge of sinnes were truely promised in the olde sacrifices the Arke of the couenant was a sure pledge of the fatherly fauoure of God yet all this had been but a shadowe if it had not ben grounded vpon the grace of Christe wherin is sounde perfect and eternal stedfastnesse Let this then remaine sure that although the ceremonial vsages of the lawe haue cessed to be obserued yet by the ende of them it is that better knowen how great was the profite of them before Christes coÌ„minge wyth in takinge awaye the vse of them hathe sealed the force effecte of them with his deathe Somwhat more harde is the point that Paule noteth And he hath renued you together with him when ye were deade by sinnes and the vncircumcision of your fleshe forgeuinge you of all your offences blotting out the handwriting that remained in the decrees against vs whyche was contrarie vnto vs and he hath taken it awaye fastninge it to the crosse c. For he seemeth to stretche the abolyshinge of the lawe soÌ„what further that nowe we haue nothing to do with the decrees therof For thei erre that expond it onely of the lawe morall whose vnappeassable rigoure rather then doctrine thereof thei thinke to be taken away Some more deepely weying the wordes of Paule do espie that it is proprely spoken of the lawe ceremoniall and doe shewe that this worde Deuill doth more than ones so signifie in Paule For to the Ephesians he saith thus He is our peace that maketh both to be one that maketh voide the law of coÌ„maundementes consistinge in the decrees that he might make two in himselfe into one new man It is no doubt that he speaketh ther of the ceremonies for he calleth it the partition wherwith the Iewes were seuered from the Gentiles wherefore I graunt that those first expositors are rightfully reproued by these but yet mee thinkes that these do not sufficientlye well set fourth the minde of the Apostle For I like not at all to haue these two places compared together in all pointes when his purpose was to aduertise the Ephesians of their adoption into the felowship of Israel he teacheth that the stoppe is taken awaye whereby they were before tyme kepte asunder that was in ceremonies For the vsages of washinges and sacrifices wherewith the Iewes were made holy vnto the Lorde did seuer them from the Gentiles But in the epistle to the Colossians whoe seeth not that 〈◊〉 â—oucheth a hyer misterie In deede the point of the disputation ther is of Mosaicall obseruations whervnto the false Apostles did laboure to driue the Christian people But as in the Epistle to the Galatians he fetcheth that controuersie further of and as it wer bringeth it back to the first heade therof so doth he also in this place For if in the ceremonies you consider nothing els but a necessitie of that vse of them to what purpose was it to call it a handwriting against vs moreouer to set the whole summe in a manner of our redemption in this that it shold be caÌ„celled Wherefore the matter it selfe trieth out that here is some more secret thing to be considered And I truste that I haue atteined the naturall vnderstandinge of it if at leaste this be graunted me to bee true which in one place is most truli written by Augustine yea that he hath taken out of the plaine wordes of the Apostle that in the Iewish ceremonies was rather a confession than a cleansinge of sinnes For what did thei ells by sacrifices but confesse theÌ„ selues in their conscience gylty of death that did put cleansinges in their place What did thei with their cleansinges but testifie them selues to be vncleane And so was the handwriting of their sinne and vncleannesse oft renewed by them but ther was no discharge in that testifying thereof For whyche cause the Apostle writeth that at lengthe by meane of the deathe of Christe was perfourmed the redemption of the offences that remayned vnder the olde Testamente Therefore the Apostle dothe woorthyly call the Handwritinges againste those that obserue them for asmuch as by them ther did openly sâ—ale to their owne damnation vncleannesse And it hindereth not that they were also partakers of the same grace with vs. For this they obteyned in Chryste not in the ceremonies whyche there the Apostle dothe seuer from Christe bicause being at that time vsed they did obscure the glorie of Christe Thus learn we that the ceremonies if they be consydered by them selues are well and fittly called handwrytynges againste the saluation of men bicause they were as solemne instrumentes that testified their beinge bounde When the false Apostles wente aboute to binde the Christian Churche to them againe Paule did not withoute cause admonyshe the Colossâ—aus by fetchinge their signification of them further of to what poynte thei shoulde fall backe agayne if they suffered them selues in such sorte to be yoked by them For there withall was the benefite of Christ wrested awaie from them in as muche as he hauinge ones perfourmed the eternall clensinge hathe vtterly abolyshed these dayly obseruations whiche were onely of force to seale sinnes but coulde do nothing
necessitie prouoketh his wrath bicause it is a breache of the law vpon whiche the iudgement of God is pronounced without exception and that the sinnes of the holyones are veniall or pardonable not of their owne nature but bicause they obteyne pardon by the mercie of God The. ix Chapter ¶ That Christ although he was knowen to the Iewes vnder the law yet was deliuered only by the Gospell BYcause it pleased God in the olde time not vainely by expiations and sacrifices to declare himself a Father and not in vayne he did consecrate a chosen people to himselff euen then without doubte he was knowen in the same image wherein he now appereth to vs with full brightnesse Therefore Malachie after that he had bidden the Iewes to take hede to the law of Moses to continue in studie thereof bicause after his death there should come a certaine interruption of the office of the Prophetes did forthwith declare that there shuld arise a sonne of righteousnesse In which wordes he teacheth that the lawe auaileth to this purpose to hold the godly in expectation of Christ to come but yet that there was muche more light to be hoped for when he should be come in deede For this reason doth Peter say that the Prophetes did make searche and diligently enquire of the saluation that is now opened by the Gospell and that it was reueled vnto them that they should minister not to themselues nor to their owne age but vnto vs those thinges that are declared by the Gospel Not that their doctrine was vnprofitable to the people in olde time or nothing auailed themselues but bicause thei enioyed not the treasure which God sent vnto vs by their hand For at this day the grace wherof they testified is familiarly set before our eyes And wheras they did but a litle sippe of it there is offred vnto vs a more plentiful enioyeng therof Therefore Christ himself whiche affirmeth that he had witnesse borne him by Moses yet extolleth the mesure of grace wherby we excel the Iewes For speaking to the Disciples he sayd Blessed are the eyes that see that whiche ye see blessed are the eares that here ath at whiche ye heare For many kinges Prophetes haue wished it haue not obteined it This is no smal coÌ„mendation of the reuelyng of the gospel that God preferred vs before the holy fathers that excelled in rare godlinesse With whiche sentence that other place disagreeth not where it is sayd that Abraham saw the daye of Christ and reioysed For though the sight of a thing farre distant was somwhat darke yet he wanted nothyng to the assurance of good hope And thense came that ioye whiche accompanied the holy Prophet euen to his death And that sayeng of Iohn Baptist No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten that is in the bosome of the father hath declared him vnto vs doth not exclude the godly whiche had ben dead before him froÌ„ the â—elowship of the vnderstandyng light that shineth in the persone of Christ. But coÌ„paryng their estate with oures he teacheth that those misteries which thei saw but darkly vnder shadowes are manifest to vs as the author of the episte to yâ— Hebrewes doth wel set out sayeng that God diuersly and many wayes spake in olde time by the Prophetes but now by his beloued Sonne Although therefore that only begotten one which is at this day to vs the brightnesse of the glory the point of the substance of God the father was in olde time knowen to the Iewes as we haue in an other place alleaged out of Paule that he was the guide of the old deliuerance yet is it true whiche the same Paule els where teacheth that God which coÌ„maunded the light to shine out of darknesse hath nowe shined vpon our heartes to set forth the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ bicause when he appered in this his image he did in a maner make himself visible in comparison of the darke and shadowish forme that had ben of him before And so much the more fowle and detestable is their vnthankefulnesse peruersnesse that are here so blinde at midde daye And therefore Paule sayth that their mindes are darkened by Satan that they should not see the glorie of Christ shining in the gospell though there be no veile set betwene them and it Now I take the Gospell for the clere disclosyng of the misterie of Christ. I graunt truely that in that respect that Paul calleth the gospel the doctrine of fayth al the promises that we here and there finde in the law concernyng the free forgeuenesse of sinnes whereby God reconcileth men to himself are accompted partes therof For he coÌ„pareth faith against these terrors wherewith the conscience should be troubled vexed if saluation were to be sought by workes WherupoÌ„ foloweth that in takyng the name of the gospel largely there are coÌ„teined vnder it all the testimonies that God in old time gaue to the fathers of his mercie and fatherly fauour But in the more excellent signification of it I saye it is applied to the publishyng of the grace geuen in Christ. And that meanyng is not only receyued by common vse but also hangeth vpon the authoritie of Christ and the Apostles Whereupon this is proprely ascribed vnto him that he preached the Gospell of the kingdome And Marke maketh his preface in this maner The beginnyng of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. And there is no neede to gather places to proue a thing sufficiently knowen Christ therefore by his coÌ„myng hath made clere the life and immortalitie by the Gospell By whiche wordes Paule meaneth not that the fathers were drowned in darknesse of death vntil the sonne of God did put on flesh but clayming this prerogatiue of honour to the gospell he teacheth that it is a newe and vnwonted kinde of message whereby God performed those thinges that he had promised that the truthe of his promises shuld be fulfilled in the persone of the Sonne For although the faithful haue alway found by experieÌ„ce that same sayeng of Paule to be true that in Christ are all the promises yea and Amen bycause they were sealed in their heartes yet bicause he hath accomplished al partes of our saluation in â—his flesh therefore that selfe liuely deliueryng of the thinges rightfully obteyned a newe and singular title of prayse Whereupon cometh that sayeng of Christ Hereafter ye shall see the heauens open and the Angels of God ascendyng and descendyng vpon the sonne of manne For though he seme to haue relation vnto the ladder shewed in a vision to the Patriarch Iacob yet he setteth out the excelleÌ„cie of his coÌ„ming by this mark that he opened the gate of heauen to all men that the entrie thereof maye be stand familiarly open to all men But yet we must take hede of the deuelish imagination of Seruet
hym oure saluation by lyttle and lyttle vanisheth awaie whiche wholly resteth in hym so that all they wilfully spoile them selues of all grace that reste not in him And that admonition of Bernarde is worthy to be rehersed that the name of Iesus is not onely lyght but also meate yea and oile also without which al the meate of the soule is drye and that it is also salte without the seasoning wherof al that is set before vs is vnsauorie Fynally that it is hony in the mouth melodie in the eare and ioyfulnesse in the hearte and also medicine and that whatsoeuer is spoken in disputation is vnsauorie but where thys name soundeth But here it behoueth to weie diligently howe saluation is purchased by him for vs that we may not onely be perswaded that he is the author of it but also embracing such thinges as are sufficient to the stedfast vphold in of our faithe wee maye refuse all suche thinges as myghte drawe vs awaye hether or thether For sithe no man can descende into him selfe and earnestly consider what he is but feelinge God angry and bent agaynste hym he hathe neede carefully to seeke a meane and waye to appease him whiche demaundeth satisfaction there is no common assurednesse required bicause the wrathe curse of God lyeth alwaie vpon sinners tyll they be loose from their gyltenesse who as he is a righteous iuge suffereth not his lawe to be broken without punishment but is ready armed to reuenge it But before we goe any further it is to be seen by the waye howe it agreeth together that God whiche preuented vs wyth his mercie was oure enemie vntyll he was reconciled to vs by Christe For howe could hee haue geuen vs in hys onely begotten Sonne a syngular pledge of his loue vnlesse he had already before that embraced vs wyth hys free fauoure Bycause therefore here ariseth some seminge of contrarietie I will firste vndo this knotte The holy ghoste commonly speaketh after this manner in the Scriptures that God was enemye to men tyll they were restored into fauoure by the deathe of Christ that thei were accursed till theyr iniquitie was purged by his sacrifice that thei were seuered from God tyll they were receyued into a conioyninge by hys bodie Suche manner of phrases are applied to oure capacitie that we maie the better vnderstande howe miserable and wreatched our estate is beinge oute of Christe For if it were not spoken in expresse woordes that the wrathe and vengeance of God and euerlastinge death did rest vpon vs we woulde lesse acknowledge howe miserable we shoulde bee without Gods mercie and woulde lesse regarde the benefite of deliuerance As for example If a man heare this spoken to him If God at suche time as thou wast yet a sinner had hated thee and cast thee away as thou hadst deserued thou shouldest haue suffered horrible destruction but bicause he hath willingly of his owne free kindenesse kept the in fauoure and not suffered thee to be estranged from hym he hathe so deliuered thee from that perill truely he will bee moued with and in some parte feele howe muche he oweth to the mercie of God Butte yf hee heare on the other syde that whyche the Scripture teacheth that hee was by synne estraunged from God the heyr of wrathe subiect to the curse of eternall deathe excluded from all hope of saluation a stranger from all blessing of God the bondslaue of Satan captiue vnder the yoke of synne Fynally ordeined vnto and already entangled wyth horrible destruction that in this case Christe became an intercessor to entreate for him that Christ toke vpon him suffered the punyshment whiche by the iuste iudgement of God did hange ouer al sinners that he hathe purged with his bloode those euels that made them hatefull to God that by this expiation is sufficient satisfaction and sacrifice made to God the father that by this intercessor his wrath was appeased that within thys foundation resteth the peace betweene God and men that vpon this bonde is conteined his good wyll towarde them shall not he be so muche the more moued with these as it is more liuely represented out of howe greate miserie he hathe been deliuered In a summe bicause oure minde can neither desirously enoughe take holde of life in the mercie of God nor receiue it with suche thankefulnesse as we ought but when it is before striken and throwne downe wyth the feare of the wrath of God and dreade of eternal death we are so taught by holy Scripture that wythout Christe wee maye see God in manner wrathfully bent againste vs and his hande armed to our destruction that wee maye embrace hys goodwyll and fatherly kindnesse no otherwhere but in Christe And althoughe this bee spoken according to the weakenesse of oure capacitie yet is it not falsly saide For God whyche is the hyghest ryghteousnesse can not loue wickednesse whiche he seeth in vs all Therfore we al haue in vs that which is worthy of the hatred of God Therfore in respect of oure corrupted nature and then of euell life added vnto it truely we are all in displeasure of God gylty in his sight and borne to damnation of hell But bicause the Lorde wyll not lose that whiche ys his in vs he fyndeth yet somwhat that he of hys goodnesse maye loue For howesoeuer we be sinners by our owne faulte yet we remaine hys creatures Howesoeuer we haue purchaced death to oure selues yet he made vs vnto lyfe So is he moued by meere and free louinge of vs to receiue vs into fauoure But sith there is a perpetuall and vnappeasable disagreement betweene righteousnesse and iniquitie so longe as we remayne sinners hee canne not receiue vs wholy Therefore that taking a waie all matter of disagreement he might wholy reconcile vs vnto him he doth by expiation sette forth in the deathe of Christe take away whatsoeuer euel is in vs that wee which before weare vncleane and vnpure may nowe appeare righteous and holy in hys sight Therfore God the Father dothe wyth hys loue preuent and goe before oure reconciliation in Christe yea bycause he fyrste loued vs therefore hee afterwarde doothe reconcile vs vnto hymselfe But bycause vntyll Christe wyth hys deathe come to succoure vs there remaineth wickednesse in vs whiche deserueth Gods indignation and is accursed damned in his sight therefore wee are not fully and fyrmely ioyned to God vntill Christe do ioyne vs. Therefore if wee will assure oure selues to haue God made well pleased and fauourable vnto vs we muste fasten oure eyes and myndes vpon Christe onely as in deede we obteyne by him onely that oure synnes be not imputed to vs the imputing whereof draweth with it the wrathe of God And for this reason Paule saith that the same loue wherwith God embraced vs before the creation of the worlde was staied grounded vpō Christ. These things are plaine agreable with the scripture do make
he wryteth that he tasted of death for all men For he by dyeng brought to passe that we shoulde not dye or whiche is all one by his death he dyd redeme lyfe for vs. But in this he differed froÌ„ vs that he gaue hymselfe to death as it were to be deuoured not that he shoulde be swallowed vp with the gulfes of it but rather that he shoulde swallowe vp it of whyche we shoulde haue benne presently swallowed that he gaue hymselfe to death to be subdued not that he shoulde be oppressed wyth the power thereof but rather that he shoulde ouerthrowe death whyche approched nere vs yea and had already beaten vs downe and triumphed vpon vs. Finally that by death he mighte destroye hym that had the power of death that is the Deuell and might deliuer them that by feare of death were all their lyfe longe subiecte to bondage This is the fyrste fruite that his death dyd brynge vs. An other is that by enterpartenyng of hymselfe with vs he mortifieth our earthly membres that they should no more hereafter vse their owne workes and killeth our olde manne that it shoulde no more liue and beare frute And to the same purpose perteyneth his buriall that we beyng partakers thereof should also be buried to sinne For when the Apostle teacheth that we are graffed into the lykenesse of the death of Christe and buried with hym to the death of sinne that by his crosse the worlde was crucified to vs and we to the worlde that we are dead together with him he dothe not onely exhorte vs to expresse the example of Christes death but he declareth that there is suche effectualnesse in it as ought to appere in all Christians vnlesse they will make his death vnprofitable and frutelesse Therefore in the death and buriall of Christe there is offred vs a double benefite to be enioyed that is deliuerance from death whereunto we weare become bonde and the mortifieng of our fleshe But it is not meete to ouerpasse his goynge downe to the helles wherein is no small importaunce to the effecte of redemption For although it appeareth by the wrytynges of the olde fathers that that parte whiche is read in the Crede was not in olde time so much vsed in the Churches yet in entreatynge of the summe of our doctrine it is necessarie that it haue a place allowed it as a thyng that conteyneth a very profitable and not to be despised misterie of a right weyghty matter And there are also some of the olde wryters that doe not leaue it out Whereby we maye gesse that it was after a certayne time added and dyd not presently but by little and little growe in vse in the Churches But this certaynely is out of question that it proceded of the common iudgement of all the godly For as muche as there is none of the Fathers that dothe not in his wrytynges make mention of Christes goyng downe to the helles although after dyuerse manner of exposition But by whome or at what tyme it was firste added maketh litle to the purpose But rather in the Crede this is to be takeÌ„ heede vnto that we therein certainely haue a full and in all poyntes perfect summe of our fayth whereinto nothing maye be thrust but that whiche is taken out of the most pure worde of God Nowe yf any will not for precise curiositie admit it into the Crede yet shall it streight waye bee made to appere playnely that it is of so great importaunce to the summe of our redemption that yf it be lefte out there is loste a great parte of the fruite of the death of Christ. There are agayne some that thynke that there is no newe thyng spoken in this article but that in other wordes the same thing is repeted whyche was spoken before of his buriall for asmuche as the worde Infernum hell is in the Scripture oftentimes vsed for the graue I graunt that to be true whyche they allege of the signification of the worde that Hell is oftentymes taken for the graue but there are agaynste their opinion two reasons by whyche I am easilye persuaded to dissent from them For what an idlenesse were it when a thynge not harde to vnderstande hath ones ben set out in playne and easye wordes afterwarde wyth darker implication of wordes rather to pointe toward it than to declare it For when â—wo maners of speakyng that expresse one thynge be ioyned together it behoueth that the later be an exposition of the former But what an exposition were this yf a manne should saye thus Whereas it is sayde that Christ was buried thereby is meante that he went downe to hell Agayne it is not likely that such a superfluous vayne repetitioÌ„ could haue crepte into this abrigemeÌ„t where in the chefe pointes of our faith are summarily noted in as fewe wordes as was possible And I doubte not that so many as shall haue somewhat diligently weyed the matter it selfe will easily agree with me Some expounde it otherwyse and saye that Christ went downe to the soules of the fathers that dyed in the time of the lawe to carry them tidynges that the redemption was performed and to deliuer them out of the pryson wherein they were kepte enclosed and to the profe herof they do wrongfully draw testimonies out of the Psalme that he brake the brasen gates and yron barres Agayne out of Zacharie that he redeemed them that were bounde out of the pit wherin was no water But whereas the Psalme speaketh of theyr deliuerances that in farre countrees are caste captiue into bondes and Zacharie compareth the Babylonicall ouerthrowe wherein the people was oppressed to a drye pit or bottomlesse depth and there withall teacheth that the saluation of the whole Churche is as it were a commynge out of the depe helles I wote not howe it is come to passe that they whiche came after thought that there was a certaine place vnder the earth whereunto they haue fayned the name of Limbus But this fable although they were great authours at this day many do earnestly defende it for a truthe is yet nothing els but a fable For to enclose the soules of dead men as in a pryson is very childish And what neede was it that Christes soule shuld go downe the ther to set theÌ„ at libertie I do in deede willingly coÌ„fesse that Christ shined to them by the power of his spirit that they might know that the grace which thei had only tasted of by hope was then deliuered to the world And to this purpose may the place of Peter be probably applied where he sayeth that Christ came preached to the spirites that were in a doÌ„geon or pryson as it is commonly translated For the very processe of the text leadeth vs to this that the faithfull which were dead before that time were partakers of the same grace that we were bicause he dothe thereby amplifie the force of Christes death for
that it pearced euen to the dead when the godly soules enioyed the presente sight of that visitation whiche they had carefully loked for on the other side it did more plainely appere to the reprobrate that they were excluded frō all saluation But whereas Peter in his sayeng maketh no distinction betwene them that is not so to be taken as though he mingled together the godly and vngodly without difference but only he meante to teache that generally they bothe had one common felyng of the death of Christ. But concernyng Christes goyng downe to the helles byside the consideracion of the Crede we muste seke for a more certayne exposition and we assuredly haue suche a one out of the worde of God as is not only holy and godly but also full of singular comforte Christes death had ben to no effect yf he had suffred only a corporall death but it behoued also that he shoulde feele the rigour of Gods vengeance that he might bothe appease his wrathe and satisfie his iuste iudgement For which cause also it behoued that he should as it were hand to hande wrastle with the armies of the helles and the horrour of eternall death We haue euen nowe alleged out of the Prophet that the chastisement of our peace was layed vpon him that he was striken of his father for our sinnes and broused for our infirmities Whereby is meante that he was put in the stede of wicked doers as suretie and pledge yea and as the very gilty persone himselfe to able and suffer all the punishmentes that shoulde haue ben layed vpon them this one thyng excepted that he could not be holden still of the sorrowes of death Therefore it is no maruell yf it be sayde that he wente downe to the helles sithe he suffred that death wherewith God in his wrathe stryketh wicked doers And their exception is very fonde yea and to be scorned whyche saye that by this exposition the order is peruerted bycause it were an absurditie to set that after his buriall whyche wente before it For after the settyng forth of those thynges that Christe suffred in the sighte of menne in very good order foloweth that inuisible and incomprehensible iudgement whiche he suffred in the sight of God that we shoulde knowe that not only the body of Christ was geuen to be the price of our redemptiō but that there was an other greater and more excellent price payed in this that in his soule he suffred the terrible tormentes of a dāned and forsaken manne According to this meaning doth Peter say that Christ rose againe hauyng loosed the sorrowes of death of whiche it was impossible that he should be holden or ouercomme He doth not name it simply death but he expresseth that the sonne of God was wrapped in the sorrowes of death whiche procede from the curse and wrath of God whiche is the originall of death For howe small a matte◠had it ben carelesly and as it were in sporte to come forthe to suffer death ▪ But this was a true profe of his infinite mercye not to shunne that death whyche he so sore trembled at And it is no doubte that the same is the Apostles meanyng to teache in the Epistle to the Hebrewes where he wryteth that Christ was heard of his owne Feare some translate it Reuerence or pietie but how vnfitly bothe the matter it selfe and the very manner of speakynge proueth Christ therefore prayeng with teares and mightye crye is hearde of his owne feare not to be free from death but not to be swallowed vp of death as a sinner bicause in that place he had but oure persone vpon him And truely there can be imagined no more dredfull bottomlesse depth than for a manne to fele himselfe forsaken and enstranged from God and not to be heard when he calleth vpon hym euen as yf God himselfe had conspired to his destruction Euen thether we see that Christ was throwen downe so farre that by enforcement of distresse he was compelled to crye out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For whereas some woulde haue it taken that he so spake rather accordynge to the opinion of other than as he felte in himselfe that in no case probable for asmuche as it is euident that this sayeng proceded out of the very anguishe of the bottome of his heart Yet doe we not meane thereby that God was at any tyme his enemie or angry with him For how coulde he be angry with his beloued sonne vpon whome his mynde rested Or howe coulde Christ by his intercession appease his fathers wrath towarde other hauynge him hatefully bente agaynst himselfe But this is our meanyng that he suffred the greuousnesse of Gods rigor for that he beyng striken and tormented with the hande of God did fele all the tokens of God when he is angry and punisheth Whereupon Hylarie argueth thus that by this goyng downe we haue obteyned this that death is slaine And in other places he agreeth with our iudgement as where he sayth The crosse death and helles are our lyfe Agayne in an other place The sonne of God is in the helles but manne is carried vp to heauen But why doe I alledge the testimonie of a priuate manne when the Apostle affirmeth the same rehersing this for a frute of his victorie that they were deliuered whiche weare by feare of death al their life long subiect to bondage It behoued therefore that he shal ouercōme that feare that naturally dothe continually torment and oppresse all mortall men whiche coulde not be done but by fightyng with it Moreouer that his feare was no common feare or conceiued vpon a sclender cause shall by and by more playnely appere So by fightynge hand to hand with the power of the Deuel with the horrour of death with the peines of the helles it came to passe that he both had the victorie of them and triumphed ouer them that we nowe in death shoulde no more feare those thynges whiche our Prince hath swallowed vp Here some lewde menne although vnlearned yet rather moued by malice than by ignoraunce crye out that I do a haynous wrong to Christ bycause it was agaynste conueniencie of reason that he should be fearefull for the saluation of his soule And then they more hardly enforce this cauillation with sayeng that I ascribe to the sonne of God desperation whiche is contrarie to fayth First they doe but maliciously moue controuersie of Christes feare and trembling whiche the Euangelistes do so playnely report For a little before that the time of his death approched he was troubled in spirit and passioneth wyth heauynesse and at his very metyng with it he began more vehemently to tremble for feare If they say that he did but counterfait that is to foule a shift We must therefore as Ambrose trulie teacheth boldly confesse the sorrowfulnesse of Christ vnlesse we be a shamed of his crosse And truely yf his soule had not ben partaker
of peyne he had ben only a redemer for bodies But it behoued that he should wrastle to rayse vp them that laye throwen downe And his heauenly glorie is so nothyng appeired thereby that euen herein gloriously shineth his goodnesse whyche is neuer sufficiently praysed that he refused not to take our weakenesses vpon him From whense is also that comforte of oure anguishes and sorrowes whiche the Apostle setteth before vs that this Mediatour dyd feele our infirmities that he might bee the more earnestly bente to succour vs in miserie They saye that that thynge whiche is euell of it selfe is vnworthily ascribed to Christ. As though they were wiser than the spirit of God whiche ioyneth these two thinges together that Christe was in all thynges tempted as we are and yet that he was without sinne Therfore there is no cause that the weakenesse of Christ should make vs afrayde whereunto he was not by violence or necessitie cōpelled but by mere loue of vs and by mercie was led to submit himselfe And what so euer he of his owne will suffred for vs diminisheth nothyng of his power But in this one poynte are these backebiters deceyued that they do not perceyue in Christ an infirmitie cleane and free from all faulte and spot bycause he kepte himselfe within the boundes of obedience For whereas there can be founde no moderation in our corrput nature where al our affections do with troublesome violence excede all measure they doe wronge to measure the forme of God by that standard But when man was in his vncorrupted state then there was a moderation hauyng force in all his affections to restrayne excesse Wherby he might well be that he was like vnto vs in sorrowe dread and fearefulnesse yet that by this marke he differed from vs. Beyng so confuted thei leape to an other cauillation that though Christ feared death yet he feared not the curse and wrath of God frō which he knew himself to be safe But let the godly readers weye how honorable this is for Christ that he was more tēder and more fearefull than the most part of the very rascall sort of men Theues other euell doers do obstinately hast to death many do with haute courage despise it some other do midly suffer it But what constācie or stoute courage were it for the sonne of God to be astonished in a maner striken dead with feare of it For euen that whiche among the common sort might be accompted miraculous is reported of him that for vehemencie of griefe very droppes of bloud did fal from his face Neither did he this to make a shew to the eyes of other but whē in a secret corner whether he was gone out of companie he groned vnto his father And this putteth it out of all dout the it was needeful that he should haue Angels to come downe frō heauen to relieue him with an vnwonted maner of cōforting How shameful a tēdernesse as I sayd should this haue ben to be so far tormented for feare of cōmon death as to melt in bloudy sweate and not to be able to be comforted but by sight of Angels What doth not that prayer thryse repeted Father if it be possible let this cuppe departe from me proceding frō an incredible bitternesse of heart shewe that Christ had a more cruell and harder battell than with common death Whereby appereth that those triflers agaynst whome I nowe dispute doe boldly babble vpon thynges that they knowe not bicause they neuer earnestly considered what it is or of howe great importance it is that we be redemed from the iudgement of God But this is our wisedome well to vnderstand how deere our saluation dyd cost the sonne of God Now yf a man should aske me if Christ went then downe to hell when he prayed to escape that death I answere that then was the beginnyng of it whereby may be gathered how greuous and terrible tormentes he suffred whē he knew himself to stand to be arrayned for our cause before the iudgement seate of God But although for a moment of time the diuine power of the spirit did hide it selfe to geue place to the weakenesse of the fleshe yet muste we know that the tentation by felyng of sorrowe and feare was suche as was not agaynst fayth And so was that fulfilled whiche is in the Sermon of Peter that he could not be holden of the sorrowes of death bycause when he felt himselfe as it were forsaken of God yet he did nothyng at all swarue from the trust of his goodnesse Whiche is proued by that his notable callyng vpon God when for extremitie of peyne he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For though he was aboue measure greued yet he cesseth not to call him his God of whome he cryeth out that he was forsaken Moreouer hereby is confuted as well the errour of Apollinaris as theirs that were called Monothelites Apollinaris fayned that Christ had an eternall spirit in stede of a soule so that he was only but half a mā As though he could cleanse our sinnes any other way but by obeyeng his father But where is the affectiō or will of obedience but in the soule whiche soule of his we knowe was troubled for this purpose to driue awaye feare and bryng peace and quietnesse to our soule Agayne for confusion of the Monothelites we see how nowe he willed not that thinge accordyng to his nature of manhode whiche he willed according to his nature of godhed I omit to speake howe he did subdue the aforesayd feare with a contrarie affection For herein is a playne shewe of contrarietie Father deliuer me from this houre But euen herefore I came euen into this houre Father glorifie my name In whiche perplexitie yet was there no such outrage in him as is seen in vs euen then when we must of al endeuour to subdue our selues Nowe foloweth his resurrection from the dead without which al that we haue hetherto were but vnperfect For sithe there appereth in the crosse death buriall of Christ nothyng but weakenesse faith must passe beyond all those thinges that it maye be furnished with ful strength Therfore although we haue in his death a full accomplishment of saluation bicause by it bothe we are reconciled to God and his iust iudgement is satisfied and the curse taken awaye and the penaltie fully payed yet we are sayd to be regenerate into a liuing hope not by his death but by his risyng agayne For as he in risyng againe rose vp the vanquisher of death so the victorie of our fayth consisteth in the very resurrection but howe this is is better expressed in the wordes of Paule For he sayth that Christ died for our sinnes and was raysed vp agayne for our iustification as if he should haue sayd that by his death sinne was taken awaye and by his risyng agayne righteousnesse was renewed and restored For how
God Let therfore appere in our head the very fountayne of grace froÌ„ whome according to the mesure of euery one it floweth abrode into all his members By that grace euery one from the beginnynge of his fayth is made a Christian. by whiche that same man from his beginnyng was made Christ. Agayne in an other place there is no playner example of predestination than the Mediatour himselfe For he that made of the seede of Dauid a man righteous that neuer should be vnrighteous without any deseruynge of his will goynge before euen the same he dothe of vnrighteous make them righteous that are the membres of that hed and so forth as there foloweth Therefore when we speake of Christes deseruyng we doe not say that in him is the beginnyng of deseruyng but we clymbe vp to the ordinance of God whiche is the firste cause thereof bycause God of his owne mere good will apointed him Mediatour to purchace saluation for vs. And so is the deseruyng of Christ vnfitly set agaynst the mercie of God For it is a common rule that thinges orderly one vnder an other doe not disagree And therefore it maye well stande together that mans iustification is free by the mere mercie of God and that there also the deseruyng of Christ come betwene which is conteyned vnder the mercie of God But agaynst our workes are aptly set as directly contrarie both the free fauour of God and the obedience of Christ either of them in their degree For Christ could not deserue any thyng but by the good pleasure of God and but bycause he was apointed to this purpose with his sacrifice to appease the wrath of God and with his obedience to put away our offences Finally in a summe bicause the deseruynge of Christ hangeth vpon the only grace of God whiche apointed vs this meane of saluatioÌ„ therfore as well the same deseruing as that grace is fitly set against all the workes of men This distinction is gathered out of many places of the Scripture God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that who so euer beleueth him shall not perish We see how the loue of God holdeth the first place as the soueraigne cause or original theÌ„ foloweth fayth in Christ as the second or nerer cause If any man take exception and saye that Christ is but the formal cause he doth more diminish his power than the wordes may beare For yf we obteine righteousnesse by fayth that resteth vpon him then is the matter of our saluation to be sought in him whiche is in many places playnely proued Not that we first loued him but he firste loued vs and sente his sonne to be the appeasyng for our sinnes In these wordes is clerely shewed that God to the ende that nothing should withstand his loue toward vs apointed vs a meane to be reconciled in Christ. And this worde Appeasyng is of great weight bycause God after a certayne vnspeakeable manner euen the same time that he loued vs was also angry with vs vntil he was reconciled in Christ. And to this purpose serue all those sayenges He is the satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes Againe It pleased God by hym to reconcile all thinges to hymself appeasyng himselfe through the bloud of the crosse by him c. Agayne God was in Christ reconcilyng the worlde to himselfe not impuâ—yng to men their sinnes Agayne He accepted vs in his beloued sonne Agayne That he might reconcile theÌ„ bothe to God into one man by the crouÌ„e The reason of this mysterie is to be fetched out of the first chapter to the Ephesians where Paule after that he had taught that we were chosen in Christ addeth therwithal that we haue obteined fauour in him How did God beginne to embrace with his fauour them whoÌ„ he loued before the making of the world but bicause he vttered his loue when he was reconciled by the bloud of Christ For sithe God is the fountaine of al righteousnesse it must needes be that maÌ„ so long as he is a sinner haue God his enemie his iudge Wherfore the beginning of his loue is righteousnesse such as is described by Paule He made him that had done no sinne to be sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him For he meaneth that we haue obteyned free righteousnesse by the sacrifice of Christ that we should please God which by nature are the children of wrath by sinne estranged from him But this distinction is also meante so oft as the grace of Christ is ioyned to the loue of God WherupoÌ„ foloweth that he geueth vs of his owne that which he hath purchaced For otherwise it would not agree with him that this prayse is geuen him seuerally from his father that it is his grace and procedeth from him But it is truely and perfectly gathered by many places of the Scripture that Christ by his obedience hath purchaced vs fauour with his father For this I take for a thyng confessed that if Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes if he hath suffred the punishmeÌ„t due vnto vs if by his obedieÌ„ce he hath appeased God finally if he beyng righteous hath suffred for the vnrighteous then is saluation purchaced for vs by his righteousnesse whiche is as much in effecte as to deserue it But as Paule witnesseth we are reconciled and haue receiued reconciliation by his death But recoÌ„ciliation hath no place but where there went offence before Therefore the meanyng is that God to whome we were hateful be reasoÌ„ of sinne is by the death of his sonne appeased so that he might be fauorable vnto vs. And the comparison of contraries that foloweth a litle after is diligently to be noted As by the traÌ„sgression of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedieÌ„ce of one many are made righteous For the meaning is thus As by the sinne of AdaÌ„ we were enstranged from God ordeined to destruction so by the obedience of Christ we are receiued into fauour as rigteous And the future time of the verbe doth not exclude present righteousnesse as appereth by the processe of the texte For he had sayd before that the free gift was of many sinnes vnto iustification But when we saye that grace is purchaced vs by the deseruyng of Christ we meane this that we are cleansed by his bloud and that his death was a satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes His bloud cleaÌ„seth vs froÌ„ sinne This bloud is it that is shed for remission of sinne If this be the effect of his bloud shed that sinnes be not imputed vnto vs it foloweth that with that price the iudgemeÌ„t of God is satisfied To which purpose serueth that sayeng of Iohn the Baptist Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde For he setteth in comparison Christ agaynst all the sacrifices of the law to teache that in him only was fulfilled that whiche those figures shewed
mention of it as of a thing betokening vnluckely and vnhappy Truely it is no maruell if naturall sease in vs do quake for fear when we heare of the dissoluing of vs. But this is in no wyse tolerable that there be not in a Christian mans brest the light of godlinesse that should with greater comfort ouercome and suppresse that feare howe great soeuer it be For if we consider that this vnstedfast faulty corruptible fraile withering and rotten tabernacle of our body is therfore dissolued that it may afterward be restored againe into a stedfast perfect vncorruptible and heauenly glorie shall not faith compell vs feruently to desire that whiche nature feareth If we consider that by death we are called home out of banishmeÌ„t to inhabite our contry yea a heauenly contrey shall we obteine no comfort there by But there is nothinge that desireth not to abide continualli I graunt therefore I affirme that we ought to loke vnto the immortalitie to come wher we may atteine a stedfast state that no where appeareth in earth For Paul dothe very well teache that the faithfull ought to goe cherefully to death not because they would be vnclothed but because they desyre to be newly clothed Shall brute beastes yea and lifeles creatures euen stockes and stones knowing their present vanitie be earnestly bent to loking for the last day of the resurrection that they may with the children of God be deliuered from vanitie and shall we that are endued with the light of wyt and aboue wyt enlightened with the spirite of God when it standeth vpon our being not lift vp our myndes beyond this rottennesse of earth But it perteineth not to my present purpose nor to this place to speake against this peruersnesse And in the beginning I haue alredie professed that I would not here take vpon me the large handlinge of common places I would counsel suche fearfull myndes to rede Cyprians boke of Mortalitie vnlesse thei were mete to be sent to the Phylosophers that they may beginne to be ashamed when they se the contempt of death that those do shewe But this let vs hold for certainly determined that no man hath well profited in Christes schole but he that doth ioyfully loke for the daye both of death and of the last resurrection For both Paule describeth all the faithfull by this marke also it is common in the Scripture to call vs thither as oft as it will set forthe a ground of perfect gladnesse Reioyce saithe the Lorde and lift vp â—our heads for your redemption commeth nere at hande Is it reasonable I praie you that the thing which he willed to be of so great force to raise vp ioye cherefulnesse in vs sholde brede nothing but sorrowe and discouragement If it be so why do we still boast of hym as oure Scholemaster Let vs therfore gette a sounder minde and howsoeuer the blinde and senslesse desire of the flesh do striue against it let vs not doubt to wishe for the comming of the Lorde not onely with wishinge but also with groning and sighing as a thing most happy of all other For he shal come a redemer to vs to drawe vs out of this infinite gulfe of euels and miseries and to leade vs into that blessed inheritance of his life and glorie This is certainely true all the nation of the faithfull so longe as they dwel in earth must be as shepe appointed to slaughter that they mate be fashioned like Christ their heade Therfore thei were in moste lamentable case vnlesse thei had their minde raised vp into heauen surmounted all that is in the worlde and passed ouer the present face of things Contrariwise wheÌ„ thei haue ones lifâ—ed their heades aboue all earthly thinges although thei see the wealth and honoures of the wicked storyshing if thei see them enioying quiet peace if thei see them proude in gorgiousnesse and sumptuousnesse of all thinges if they see them to stowe in plentiful store of al delites by side that if thei be spoyled by their wickednesse yf they susteine reprochfull dealinges at theyr pride if thei be robbed by their couetousnesse if thei be vexed by any other outrage of theirs thei will easily vpholde themselues in such aduersyties For that daie shal be before their eies when the Lorde shall receiue his faithfull into the quiet of his kingdome when he shal wipe all teares from theyr eyes when he shall clothe them with the robe of glorie gladnesse when he shall feede them with the vnspeable swetnesse of his deinties when he shall aduaunce them to the felowshippe of his hie estate ynally when he shall vouchesaue to enterparten hys felicitie wyth them But these wycked ones that haue floryshed in the earâ—he he shall throwe into extreeme shame he shall change their delites into tormentes their laughing and mirth into weping and gnasshing of tethe he shall disquiet their peace with terrible torment of coÌ„science he shall punish their deintinesse with vnquenchable fier shall put their heades in subiection to those godly men whose patience thei haue abused For this is righteousnes as Paule testifieth to geue release to the miserable to them that are vniustly afflicted and to render affliction to the wycked that do afflict the godly when the Lorde Iesus shall be reueled from heauen This truely is our onely comfort whiche if it be taken awaie we must of necessitie either despeir or flatteringly delite oure selues wyth the vayne comfortes of the worlde to oure owne destruction For euen the Prophete confesseth that his fete stagged when he taried to longe vpon considering the present prosperitie of the wicked and that he coulde not otherwise stande stedfaste but when he entred into the sanctuarie of God and bended his eyes to the last ende of the godly and the wicked To conclude in one word then only the crosse of Christ triumpheth in the heartes of the faythfull vpon the Deuil fleshe synne the wicked when our eyes are turned to the power of the resurrection The tenth Chapter ¶ Howe we ought to vse this present lyfe and the helpes thereof BY suche introductions the Scripture doth also wel informe vs what is the right vse of earthely benefites whiche is a thyng not to be neglected in framyng an order of lyfe For if we must lyue we must also vse the necessary helpes of life neyther can we eschue euen those thynges that seme rather to serue for delite than for necessity Therfore we must kepe a measure that we may vse them with a pure conscience either for necessitie or for delight That measure the Lorde apointeth by his worde when he teacheth that this lyfe is to them that bee his a certaine iorney through a strange countrey by whiche they trauayle towarde the kingdome of heauen If we must but passe through the earth doubtlesse we ought so far to vse the good thynges of the earth as they may rather further than
mark to leade vs to the knowlege of God And we know God in this life none otherwise but by hope faith Therfore when I name faithe and hope I comprehend al these things together And so ther remain these three Hope Faith Charitie that is to say how great diuersitie of gifts so euer ther be thei ar al referred to these Among these the chefe is charitie â–ª c. Out of the third place thei gather If Charitie be the bond of perfection then it is also the bond of righteousnesse which is nothing els but perfection First to speake nothing howe Paul ther calleth perfection when the membres of the Churche wel set in ordre do cleaue together to graunt that we are by charitie made perfecte before God yet what newe thing bring thei forth For I will alwaie on the contrarie side take exceptioÌ„ sai that we neuer come to this perfectioÌ„ vnlesse we fulfil al the parts of charity therupoÌ„ I wil gather that sith all meÌ„ ar most farr froÌ„ the fulfilling of charitie therfore al hope of perfection is cutt of from them I wil not go through al the testimonies which at this day the folish Sorbonistes rashly snatch out of the scriptures as thei first come to hande do throw them against vs. For some of theÌ„ are so worthi to be laughed at that I my selfe also can not rehearse them vnlesse I wold worthily be compted fond Therfore I wil make an end when I shal haue declared the saieng of Christ wherw t thei maruelously please theÌ„selues For to the lawyer which asked him what was necessarie to saluatioÌ„ he answered if that wilt entre into life kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts What wold we more sai thei when we are coÌ„maunded by the author of grace himself to get the kingdom of God by the keping of his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts As though forsoth it were not certain that Christe teÌ„pered his answeres to theÌ„ with whom he saw that he had to do Here a doctor of the law asketh of the meane to obteine blessednes not the onely but with doing of what thing men maye atteine vnto it Bothe the person of him that spake the question it self led the Lord so to answer The lawyer being filled with the persuasioÌ„ of the righteousnes of the law was blinde in conscience of works Againe he sought nothing els but what wer that works of righteousnes by which saluatioÌ„ is gotteÌ„ Therfore he is worthily seÌ„t to the law in which ther is a perfect mirrore of righteousnes We also do with a loude voice pronounce that the commauÌ„demeÌ„ts must be kept if life be sought in works And this doctrin is necessary to be knoweÌ„ of ChristiaÌ„s For how shold thei flee to Christ if thei did not acknowledg yâ— thei ar falleÌ„ froÌ„ the way of life into the hedloÌ„ge downefal of death But how shold thei vnderstand how far they haue straied froÌ„ the way of life vnlesse thei first vnderstande what is that way of life For theÌ„ thei are taughte that the sanctuarie to recouer saluacion is in Christ wheÌ„ thei see how great difference there is betwene their life yâ— righteousnesse of God whiche is conteined in the keping of the law The summe is this that if saluation be sought in workes we muste kepe the coÌ„maundements by whiche we are instructed to perfect righteousnes But we must not stick fast her vnlesse we wil faint in our midde course for none of vs is able to kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes Sith therfore we are excluded froÌ„ the righteousnesse of the law we must of necessity resort to an other helpe namly to the faith of Christ. Wherfore as here the lord calleth back the doctor of the law whom he knew to swel with vaine confidence of works to the lawe wherby he may learne that he is a sinner subiect to the dreadful iudgement of eternal death so in other places wtout making mention of the law he coÌ„forteth other that are already humbled with suche knowledge with promise of grace as Come to mee all ye that laboure are loden I wil refresh you ye shal finde rest for your soules At the laste when thei are weary with wresting the Scripture thei fal to suttleties sophisticall argumentes Thei cauil vpon this that faith is in some places called a worke therupon thei gather that we do wronfully set faith as contrarie to workes As thoughe forsothe faithe in that it is an obeying of the will of God dothe with her own deseruing procure vnto vs ryghteousnesse and not rather bycause by embracing the mercie of God it sealeth in oure heartes the righteousnesse of Christe offred to vs of it in the preaching of the Gospell The readers shal pardoÌ„ me if I do not tarry vpon confuting of suche follies for thei themselues withoâ—t any assaulte of other are sufficiently ouerthrowen with theyr owne feeblenesse But I will by the way confute one obiection whyche seemeth to haue some shewe of reason least it shold troble some that ar not so well practised Sith coÌ„mon reason teacheth that of contraries is all one rule and all particular sinnes are imputed to vs for vnrighteousnesse thei say it is meete that to al particular good workes be geueÌ„ the praise of righteousnesse Thei do not satisfie me which answer that the damnation of men proprely proceedeth from only vnbelefe not froÌ„ particular sinnes I do in dede agree to them that vnbelefe is the fouÌ„taine roote of all euels For it is the firste departinge from God after which do folow the particular trespassinges against the law But wheras they seeme to set one selfe same reason of good and euell workes in weieng of righteousnesse or vnrighteousnesse therein I am compelled to disagree from them For the righteousnes of workes is the perfecte obedience of the lawe Therfore thou canst not be righteous vi works vnlesse thou do folow it as a streight line in the whole coÌ„tinuall course of thy life From it so sone as thou haste swarued thou arte fallen into vnrighteousnesse Hereby appeareth that righteousnesse commeth not of one or a fewe works but of an vnswaruing and vnweried obseruing of the wil of god But the rule of iudging vnrighteousnesse is most coÌ„trarâ— For he that hath coÌ„mitted fornicatioÌ„ or hath stolen is by one offence gylty of death bicause he hath offended against the maiestie of God Therefore these our suttle arguers do stumble for that thei mark not this saieng of Iames that he which sinneth in one is made gylty of al bicause he that hath forbidden to kil hath also forbidden to steale c. Therfore it ought to seeme no absurditie when we saie that death is the iuste rewarde of euery sinne bicause thei are euery one worthy of the iuste dyspleasure and vengeance of God But thou shalt reason foolishly if on the contrarie side thou gather that by one good worke man may be reconciled to God whiche with many sinnes deserueth his
earth died for thee Yet do we not dreame that he falleth downe at the fathers knees in humble wise entreateth for vs but we vnderstand with the Apostle that he so appeareth before the face of God that the vertue of hys deathe auayleth to be a perpetuall intercession for vs yet so that beinge entred into the sanctuarie of heauen vnto the ende of the ages of the world he alone carrieth to God the prayers of the people abiding a farre of in the porche As touchinge the Saintes whiche being deade in the fleshe do liue in Christ if we geue any praier at all to them lette vs not dreame that they themselues haue any other waye of askynge than Christe whyche onli is the way or that their praiers be acceptable to God in any other name Therefore sithe the Scripture calleth vs backe from all to Christ only sith the heauenly fathers wil is to gather together al in him it was a point of to much dulnesse I wyll not say madnesse so to desire to make for oure selues an entrie by them that wee shoulde bee ledde a waie from hym wythoute whome euen they them selues haue no entrie open But that this hath been usually done in certaine ages past that it is at this day done whersoeuer Papistrie reigneth who can denie Their merites ar froÌ„ time to time thrust in to obteine the good wil of God for the moste part Christ being passed ouer God is praied to by their names Is not this I beseche you to coÌ„uey away to theÌ„ the office of that only intercession which we haue affirmed to belong to Christe alone Againe what Angel or Deuel euer reueled to any maÌ„ any one syllable of this their intercession whiche these men fame For in the Scripture is nothinge of it What is the reason therefore of inuentinge it Trueli when the witte of man so seketh for it selfe succoures wherwith we are not sertified by the word of God it plainli bewraieth his own distrustfulnesse If we appeale to al their coÌ„sciences that are delited with the intercession of saintes we shal finde that the same coÌ„meth froÌ„ no other ground but bicause thei ar greued with carefulnes as though Christ wer in this behalf either to weake or to rigorous By whiche doubtfulnesse firste thei dyshonoure Christe and robbe him of the title of onely Mediatoure whiche as it is geueÌ„ him of the Father for a singular prerogatiue so oughte not also to be conueied away to any other And in this very doinge thei darken the glorie of hys byrth thei make voide hys crosse finally what soeuer hee hathe done or suffered they spoyle and defraude of the due praise thereof for all tende to thys ende that he maie bee in deede and be accompted the onely Mediatoure And therewith they caste awaye the goodnesse of God whiche gaue hymselfe to be their Father For he is not their father vnlesse thei acknowledge Christ to be their brother Which thei vtterly denye vnlesse thei thinke that he beareth a brotherly affection towarde them than which ther can nothing be more kinde or tender Wherfore the Scripture offereth only him to vs sendeth vs to him and stayeth vs in hym He saythe Ambrose ys oure mouthe by whyche wee speake to the Father oure eye by whyche we see the Father oure ryghte hande by whyche we offer vs to the Father otherwise than by whole intercession neyther we nor all the Saintes haue any thing with God If thei aunswer that the common praiers which thei make in churches ar ended with this conclusion adioyned Through Christ our Lord this is a trifeling shifte bicause the intercessioÌ„ of Christ is no lesse profained when it is mingled with the praiers merites of dead men than if it were vtterly omitted only dead meÌ„ were in our mouth Again in al their Letanies Hymnes Proses wher no honor is lefte vngeuen to deade saintes there is no mention of Christ. But their folysh dulnesse proceded so far that here we haue the nature of SuperstitioÌ„ expressed whiche when it hath ones shaken of the bridle is wont to make no end of running a stray For after that men ones begone to loke to the intercessioÌ„ of Saintes by litle litle ther was geueÌ„ to euery one his special doing that according to the diuersitie of busines somtime one a somtime an other shold be called vpon to be intercessor then they to them selues euery one hys peculiar Sainte into whose faythe they coÌ„mitted theÌ„selues as it wer to the keping of safgarding Gods And not only wherew t the prophet in the olde time reproched Israell Gods were set vp according to the nuÌ„bre of cities but eueÌ„ to the numbre of persons But sith the Saintes referre their desires to the only wil of God behold it rest vpon it he thinketh foolishly fleshly yea sclauÌ„derously of them which assigneth to them any other praier then whereby they praie for the coÌ„ming of the kingdome of God from which that is moste far distant whiche thei faine to them the euery one is with priuate affection more partially bent to his owne worshipers At length many absteined not froÌ„ horrible sacrilege in calling now vpoÌ„ theÌ„ not as helpers but as principal rulers of their saluatioÌ„ Lo wherunto foolish men do fal wheÌ„ thei wander out of their true staÌ„ding that is the word of God I speake not of the grosser mounstruousnesses of vngodlines wherin although thei be abhominable to God Angels men thei are not yet ashamed nor wery of theÌ„ Thei falling down before the image or picture of Barbara Catharine such other do muÌ„ble Pater noster Our father This madnes the Pastors do so not care to heale or restraine that beinge allured with the sweâ—e sauour of game thei allow it with reioising at it But although thei turne froÌ„ themselues the blame of so haynous an offense yet by what colore wil thei defende this the Loy or Medard are praied vnto to looke down vpoÌ„ helpe their seruants froÌ„ heaueÌ„ that the holy Uirgin is praied vnto to coÌ„mauÌ„d her sonne to do that which thei ask In yâ— old time it was forbidden in the Councell at Carthage that at the alter no directe prayer shold be made to Saintes And it is likely that wheÌ„ the holy men could not altogether suppresse the force of the naughty custome yet the added at least this restraiÌ„t that the publike praiers shold not be corrupted with this forme Saint Peter praie for vs. But how much further hath their deuellish importunacie ranged whiche stick not to geue away to deade men that which proprely belonged only to God and Christ But wheras thei trauaile to bring to passe the such intercessioÌ„ may seme to be grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of scripture therin thei labor in vaine We reade ofteÌ„times saye they of the praiers of Angels and not the only but it is said that the praiers of the faithfull are by their hands
by witnesse to vs. Fine nosed men will laugh at the hystorie which the Euangelistes rehearse as at a childish mockerie For of what importance shall the message be which feareful silly womeÌ„ bring afterward the disciples coÌ„firme beiÌ„g iÌ„ a maÌ„ner astonished Whi did not Christ rather set vp the triumphinge ensignes of his victore in the middest of the temple the market place Why came he not forth terrible into the sight of Pilate Why doth he not also proue himselfe to the preestes to whole Hierusalem that hee is risen vp aliue againe As for the witnesses which he chose prophane men wil scarscely grant them to be sufficient I answer that although in these beginnings the weakenesse therof was conteÌ„ptible yet al this was gouerned by the wonderful prouidence of God the partly the loue of Christe and zele of godlinesse parâ—ly their owne hardnesse of belefe should carry them in hast to the sepulchre which had lately ben dismayed for feare the thei might not only be seing witnesses of the thing but also sholde heare of the Angels that whiche they saw with their eies How shal we suspect their credit whoe thought it to be a fable whiche thei had heard of the womeÌ„ til they were brought to the present sight of the thyng it self As for al the people and the Ruler himself after that they had beÌ„ largely coÌ„uinced it is no maruel if as wel the sight of Christ as other signes was not grauÌ„ted theÌ„ The sepulchre was sealed vp the watchemen watched it the third day the body was not found The soldiours corrupted with monie scattered a rumor the his Disciples had stoleÌ„ him away As though thei had had power to gather a band together or had armure or were practised men to enterprise any such seate Iâ— the soldiars had not courage enough to driue theÌ„ away why did they not pursue them that with the help of the people thei might haue takeÌ„ some of them Pilate therfore with his ring truely sealed the resurrectioÌ„ of Christ the watchemen which were set at the sepulchre both in their holding their peace in their lieng were made publishers of the same resurrection In the meane time the voice of Angels sounded He is risen he is not here The heauenly glisteryng plainely shewed that they were not men but Angels Afterward if there remained any douting Christ himselfe toke it away The disciples saw him ofter than ones and also felt his feete and his haÌ„des and their hardnesse of beleuing not a litle profited to the strengthenyng of our faithe He disputeth among them of the misteries of the kingdome of God and at the laste in their sightes beholding him he ascended into heauen And not only this sight was shewed to the xi Apostles but also he was seen at ones of moe than fiue hundred brethren Now when he sent the holy ghost he shewed a sure proofe not only of life but also of the souereigne power as he had said before It is profitable for you that I goe otherwise the holy ghost shall not come But nowe Paule was ouerthrowen by the waye not by the strength of a deade man but he felt him whome he persecuted to haue most hie power To Stephan he appeared for an other ende namely that with assurednes of life he might ouercome the feare of death To discredit so many authentike witnesses is not onely a parte of distrustfulnesse but also of frawarde and furious stubbournesse This which we haue said that in prouing the resurrectioÌ„ our senses must be directed to the infinite power of God Paule brefely teacheth that he may make saith he our vile body like fashioned to the bodye of hys brightnes accordiÌ„g to the working of his power by which he may subdue al things to himself Wherfore nothing is more vnmete than here to haue respect what may naturally be done wher an inestimable myracle is set before vs which with the greatnes therof swalloweth vp our senses Yet Paul by setting forthe an exaÌ„ple of nature reproueth theyr dulnes which deny the resurrectioÌ„ Thou foole saith he that which thou sowest is not quickened vnlesse it first die c. He saith that in sede is sen a forme of the resurrection bicause out of rottennes groweth corne Neither were it so harde a thinge to beleue if we were as heedeful as we ought to be to the miracles which throughout al the costes of the world doe offer themselues to oure eies Butte lette vs remembre that none is truely perswaded of the resurrectioÌ„ to come but he which being rauished into admiratioÌ„ geueth to the power of God his glorie Esaie lifted vp with this affiance crieth oute Thy deade shall liue my carcase shal rise again Awake ye praise ye dwellers of the dust In despeired case he lifteth vp himself to God the author of lyfe in whose hande are the ends of death as it is said in the psal Iob also being liker to a carrion thaÌ„ to a maÌ„ trusting vpoÌ„ the power of god sticketh not as though he were whole and sounde to lifte vp himselfe to that daye saienge I knowe that my redeemer liueth and in the laste daye he shall rise vpon the duste namely to shewe forthe his power therein and I shall againe be compassed with my skinne and in my flesh I shal see God I shall see him and none other For albeit that some doe suttlely wreste these places as thoughe they oughte not to bee vnderstande of the resurrection yet they strengthen that whiche they couet to ouerthrowe bycause the holy menne in theyr euels seeke comforte from no where els than from the lykenesse of the resurrection Whyche better appeareth by the place of Ezechiel For when the Iewes beleued not the promise of their retourne and obiected that it was no more lykely that a waye shoulde bee made open for them than that deade menne should come out of theyr graue there was a vision shewed to the Prophet a fyelde ful of drye bones those the Lorde coÌ„maunded to take againe flesh and sinewes Although vnder that figure he raiseth vp the people to hope of returne yet the mater of hoping he gathereth of the resurrection as it is to vs an examplar of the deliuerances which the faithful do fele in this world So Christ when he had taught that the voyce of the Gospell geueth life bicause the Iewes receiued not this he by and by saide further Maruell not at this bicause the houre coÌ„meth in whyche all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and shall come forthe Therefore after thys example of Paule let vs already cherefully triumph in the middest of battels bycause he whiche hathe promised life to come is mighty to kepe that which is lefte with him and so lette vs glorie that a crowne of righteousnesse is laide vp for vs whiche the iust iudge shall deliuer vs. So shal
voice of the sonne of God and shall come forth they that haue done good into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euel into the resurrection of iudgement Shal we say that soules rest in the graues that they lieng there may heare Christ and not rather that at his coÌ„maundement the bodies shal returne into the liuelinesse which they had lost Moreouer if we shal haue new bodies geneÌ„ vs where is the likefashioning of the head and the membres Christ rose againe was it with forgyng to himselfe a newe body No but as he had sayd before Destroy this teÌ„ple and in three daies I wil bulde it vp he toke againe the same body which he had before borne mortall For he had not much profited vs if a new body beyng put in place the olde body had ben destroyed which was offred vp for a sacrifice of satisfactorie cleansing We must also holde fast that felowship whiche the Apostle preacheth That we rise againe bicause Christ hath risen againe for nothyng is lesse probable than that our flesh in whiche we beare about the mortifieng of Christ should be depriued of the resurrection of Christ. Whiche verily appered by a notable example when at the risyng agayne of Christ many bodies of the Saintes came out of the graues For it canne not bee denied that this was forshewyng or rather an earnest of the laste resurrection whiche we hope for suche as was before in Enoch and Elias whome Tertullian calleth New possessors of the resurrection bycause they beyng in body and soule deliuered from corruption were receyued into the kepyng of God I am ashamed in so cleare a matter to spende so many wordes but the readers shall contentedly beare this trouble with me that no hole maye be open for frowarde and bolde wittes to deceyue the simple The flyeng spirites wyth whome I nowe dispute bryng forth a fained inueÌ„tion of their owne brayne that at the resurrection there shal be a creation of new bodies What reason moueth them to thinke so but bicause it semeth to them incredible that a carion consumed with so long cotteÌ„nesse shold returne into his auÌ„cient state Therfore only vnbeleâ—e is the mother of this opinion But vs on the other side the Spirit of God eche where in the Scripture exhorteth to hope for the resurrection of our flesh For this reason baptisme as Paule witnesseth is to vs a seale of the resurrection to come and likewise the holy Supper allureth vs to the trust thereof when we receyue with our mouth the Signes of spiritual grace And truely the whole exhortation of Paule that we geue our meÌ„bres to be weapons vnto the obedieÌ„ce of righteousnesse shold be cold vnlesse that were ioyned whiche he addeth afterward He that hath raised vp Christ froÌ„ the dead shall quicken also your mortal bodies For what should it profit to applie our feete handes eyes and tonges vnto the seruice of God vnlesse they were partakers of the frute reward Which thing Paul plainly confirmeth with his owne wordes sayeng The body not to fornication but to the Lord and the lord to the body And he that hath raised vp Christ shall also rayse vp vs by his power More plaine are those wordes which folow that our bodies are the teÌ„ples of the holy ghost the meÌ„bers of Christ. In the meane time we see how he ioyneth the resurrection with chastitie holinesse as a litle after he sayth that the price of redemption perteineth also to the bodies Now it were not resonable that the body of Paul in which he hath borne the prinâ—es of Christ in which he honorably glorified Christ shold lose the reward of the crowne Whereupon also came that glorieng We loke for the redemer from heaueÌ„ which shal make our vile body like fashioned to the body of his brightnesse And if this be true that we must by many afflictions entre into the kingdome of God no reason suffreth to debarre the bodies from this entrie which God both exerciseth vnder the standard of the crosse honoreth with the praise of victorie Therfore of this matter there arose among the Saintes no douting but that they hoped to be coÌ„panioÌ„s of Christ which remoueth into his owne persone al the afflictions wherewith we are proued to teache that they bring life Yea and vnder the law he exercised the holy fathers in this faith with an outward ceremonie For to what purpose serued the vsage of burieng as we haue already shewed but that they should know that there is new life prepared for the bodies that are layed vp Hereunto also tended the spices and other signes of immortalitie wherewith vnder the law the darknesse of faith was holpen eueÌ„ as it was by the sacrifices Neither was that maÌ„ner bredde by superstitioÌ„ for asmuch as we see that the Spirit doth no lesse diligently reherse burialles than the chefe misteries of faith And Christ commendeth that worke as a special worke truely for none other reson but bicause it lifteth vp our eyes froÌ„ beholding of the graue which corrupteth destroyeth all to the sight of the renewyng Moreouer the so diligent obseruing of the ceremonie whiche is praysed in the Fathers sufficiently proueth that it was to them a rare pretious help of faith For neither would AbrahaÌ„ haue so carefully prouided for the burieng place of his wife vnlesse there had ben set before his eyes a religion and a profit hier than the world namely that garnishing the dead body of his wife with the signes of the resurrection he might coÌ„firme both his owne faith the faith of his household But a clerer profe of this thing appereth in the exaÌ„ple of Iacob which to testifie to his posteritie that the hope of the promised land was not euen by death fallen out of his minde coÌ„maunded his bones to be caried thether I besech you if he was to be clothed with a new body shold he not haue geuen a fond coÌ„manÌ„dement coÌ„cerning dust that shold be brought to nothing Wherfore if their authoritie of the Scripture be of any force with vs there caÌ„ be required of no doctrine either a more clere or more certaine profe For this euen children vnderstand by the wordes of ResurrectioÌ„ raysing vp againe For neither can we cal it the Resurrection of that which is now first created neither shold that sayeng of Christ staÌ„d fast Whatsoeuer the Father hath geuen me it shal not perish but I wil rayse it vp in the last day To the same purpose serueth the word of Sleping which perteineth only to the bodies WherupoÌ„ also burieng places were called Coemeteria â–ª Sleping places Now it remaineth that I speake somwhat of that manner of the resurrection I vse this word bicause Paul calling it a misterie exhorteth vs to sobrietie bridleth the libertie to dispute like Philosophers freely suttelly of it First we muste holde as
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