studye to loue and honor him withall oure harte ¶ The .xv. Chapter What a one man was created wherin there is entreated of the powers of the soule of the image of God of free wyll and of the first integritie of nature NOw must we speake of the creation of mā not only because he is among all the workes of God the moste noble and most excellente example of his iustice wisdome and goodnesse but also because as we said in the beginning we cannot plainly and perfectly know God vnlesse we haue wtall a mutuall knowledge of our selues Although the same knowledge be of two sortes the one to knowe what we were created at the first beginning the other to know what our estate began to be after the fall of Adam for it were but to smal profit for vs to knowe our creation vnlesse we did also in this lamentable fall knowe what is the corruption and deformitie of our nature yet at this time we wil be contente with descriptiō of our nature when it was pure And before we descende to this miserable estate wherunto man is nowe in thraldome it is good to learne what a one he was created at the beginning For we must take hede that in precisely declaring only the natural euils of man we seme not to impute them to the author of nature For vngodlinesse thinketh her self to haue sufficient defense in this color if it may lay for her selfe that whatsoeuer fault she hath the same did after a certaine maner procede from God sticketh not if she be accused to quarell with God and to lay the fault vpō him wherof she is worthely accused And they that would seme to speake somwhat more reuerently of the maiestie of God yet do willingly seke to excuse their own wickednesse by nature not considering that therin though not openly they blame God also to whoe 's reproche it shoulde fall if it were proued that there is any fault in nature Sith then we see that our fleshe gapeth for all the wayes to escape wherby she thynketh the blame of her own euils may any way be put of frō her we muste diligently trauail to mete with this mischiefe Therefore we must so handle the calamitie of mankinde that we cut of all excuse and deliuer the iustice of God from al accusation Afterwarde in place conueniente we shall see howe far men be nowe from that purenesse that was geuen to Adam And first we must remember that in this that man was taken out of earth and claye a bridle was putte vppon his pride for there is no greater absurditie than for them to glory in their excellencye that do not onely dwell in a cotage of clay but also are themselues in parte but earth and ashes But forasmuche as God did not onely vouchesaue to geue life vnto an earthen vessell but also it was his pleasure that it shoulde be the dwelling house of an immortall Spirite Adam might iustly glory in so great liberalitie of his maker Now it is not to be doubted that man consisteth of soule body and by the name of soule I meane an immortall essence and yet created whiche is the nobler parte of him Sometime it is called the Spirite Albeit whē these two names Soule and Spirite are ioyned together they differ one from the other in signification yet when Spirite is sett by it selfe it meaneth as muche as Soule As when Salomon speaking of death sayeth that then the Spirite returneth to him that gaue it And Chryste commending his Spirite to his father and Stephen his Spirite to Chryst doe both meane none other thing but that when the soule is deliuered from the prison of the fleshe God is the perpetual keper of it As for them that imagine that the Soule is therfore called a Spirite because it is a breath or a power by god inspired or poured into bodyes which yet hath no essence both the thing it selfe and all the Scripture sheweth that they do to much grosly erre True it is that while men are fastened to the earth more than they oughte to bee they waxe dull yea because they are estranged from the Father of lightes they are blinded with darkenesse so that they do not thinke vpon thys that they shal remaine aliue after death And yet is not that lighte so quēched in darkenesse but that they be touched with some feling of immortalitie Surely the conscience which discerning betwene good and euil answereth the iudgement of God is an vndouted signe of an immortal Spirite For how could a motion without essēce atteine to come to the iudgement seate of God and throwe it selfe into feare by finding her own giltinesse For the body is not moued with feare of a Spiritual peine but that falleth only vpō the soule Wherby it foloweth that the soule hath an essence Moreouer the very knowledge of God doth proue that the soules which ascende vp aboue the world are immortal for a vanishing liuelinesse wer not able to atteine to the fountaine of lyfe Finalli forasmuch as so many excellent giftes wherwith mans minde is endowed do cry out that there is some diuine thing engrauen it there are euen so many testimonies of an immortal essence For that sense which is in brute beastes goeth not out of the body or at lest extendeth no further than to thyngs presently set before it But the nimblenesse of the minde of man which veweth the heauen and earth secretes of nature and comprehending all ages in vnderstandyng and memory digesteth euery thyng in order and gathereth thynges to come by thinges past doth playnly shewe that there lyeth hydden in man a certayne thing seuerall from the body We conceiue by vnderstanding the inuisible God and Angelles which the body can not doe We know thynges that be right iuste and honest which are hidden from the bodily senses Therefore it muste nedes be that the Spirite is the seate of thys vnderstandyng Yea and our slepe it selfe which astonieth a man and semeth to take life away frō him is a plaine witnesse of immortalitie forasmuch as it doth not only minister vnto vs thoughtes of those thinges that neuer were done but also foreknowinges of things for time to come I touch these thinges shortly which euen prophane writers do excellently sette oute with more gorgeous garnishment of wordes but with the godly reders a simple putting in minde of them shall be sufficient Nowe if the soule were not a certayne thing by it selfe seuerall from the body the Scripture would not teache that we dwell in houses of clay that by death we remoue out of the Tabernacle of the flesh that we do put of that which is corruptible that finally at the last day we may receiue rewarde euery man as he hathe behaued hymselfe in hys bodye For these places and other that we do eche where cōmonly light vpon do not only manifestly destinguish the soule from the body but also in geuing to the soule the name of
is absolutely of it selfe Whereby we graunte that the Sonne in so muche as he is God is of hymselfe withoute respecte of hys Person but in so muche as he is the Sonne we saye that he is of the Father So his essence is wythoute beginning but the beginning of his Person is God hymselfe And the true teaching writers that in olde tyme haue spoken of the Trinitie haue onely applyed thys name to the Persons for somuche as it were not onely an absurde error but also a grosse vngodlinesse to comprehende the essence in the distinction For they that will haue these three to mete the essence the Sonne and the Holy ghoste it is playne that they dooe destroye the essence of the Sonne and the Holy ghoste for ells the partes ioyned together would fall in sonder whiche is a fault in euery distinction Finally if the Father and the Sonne were Synonymes or seuerall names signifying one thyng so the Father shoulde be the Godmaker and nothyng shoulde remayne in the Sonne but a shadowe and the Trinitie should be nothyng ells but the ioyning of one God with two creatures Where as they obiecte that if Chryste bee properly God he is not ryghtfullye called the Sonne to that we haue already answered that because in suche places there is a comparyson made of the one Personne to the other the name of God is not there indefinitelye taken but restrayned to the Father onelye in so muche as he is the beginning of the Godhead not in makynge of essence as the madde menne dooe fondlye imagyne but in respecte of order In this meaning is cōstrued that saying of Christ to the Father this is the eternal life that men beleue in the the one true God and Iesus Chryste whom thou hast sente For speaking in the Person of the Mediator he kepeth the degree that is meane betwene God and men and yet is not his maiestie thereby diminished For thoughe he abaced hymselfe yet he lefte not with the Father his glory that was hidden before the world So the Apostle in the seconde Chapter to the Hebrues though he confesseth that Christ for a short time was abaced beneth the Angels yet he stycketh not to affirme withall that he is the same eternall God that founded the earth We must therfore holde that so oft as Chryste in the Person of the Mediator speaketh to the Father vnder thys name of God is comprehended the Godhead whyche is hys also So when he sayed to the Apostles it is profitable that I go vp to the Father because the Father is greater He geueth not vnto himselfe only the seconde degree of Godhead to be as touchyng hys eternal essence inferior to the Father but because hauyng obteined the heauēly glory he gathereth together the faythfull to the partakyng of it He setteth his Father in the hier degree in so muche as the gloryous perfection of brightnesse that appeareth in heauen differeth from that measure of glory that was seen in him being clothed with fleshe After like maner in an other place Paule sayeth that Chryste shall yelde vp the kyngdome to God and hys Father that God maye be all in all There is nothyng more absurde than to take awaye eternall contynuaunce frō the Godhead of Chryste If he shall neuer cesse to be the Sonne of God but shall alwaye remayne the same that he was from the beginning it foloweth that vnder the name of the Father is comprehended the one essence that is common to them both And surely therefore did Chryste descende vnto vs that lifting vs vp vnto hys Father he might also lift vs vp vnto hymselfe inasmuch as he is all one with his father It is therefore neyther lawfull nor ryghte so exclusiuely to restrayne the name of God to the Father as to take it from the Sonne For Ihon doth for thys cause affirme that he is true God that no man shoulde thynke that he resteth in a seconde degree of Godhead beneth hys Father And I maruell what these framers of new Goddes do meane that whyle they confesse Chryste to be true God yet they forth with exclude hym from the Godhead of hys Father As thoughe there coulde any be a true God but he that is the one God or as thoughe the Godhead poured from one to an other be not a certayne newe forged imaginacion Whereas they heape vp many places out of Ireneus where he affirmeth that the Father of Chryste is the onely and eternall God of Israel that is eyther done of a shamefull ignoraunce or of an extreme wyckednesse For they oughte to haue considered that then the holye manne had to doe in disputacion with those phrentyke menne that denyed that the Father of Chryste was the same God that in olde time spake by Moses and the Prophetes but that he was I wote not what imagined thyng broughte oute of the corrupcion of the worlde Therefore he altogether trauayleth in thys poynte to make it playne that there is no other God preached of in the Scripture but the father of Christe and that it is amisse to deuise any other and therfore it is no maruell if he so ofte conclude that there was no other God of Israel but he that was spoken of by Chryste and the Apostles And in like manner nowe whereas we are to stande agaynste an other sorte of error we maye truely saye that the God whiche in olde time appeared to the Fathers was none other but Christe But if any manne obiecte that it was the Father oure aunswere is in redinesse that when we striue to defende the Godhead of the Sonne we exclude not the Father If the readers take hede to thys purpose of Ireneus all that contention shall cesse And also by the syxte Chapter of the thirde booke this whole strife is ended where the good manne standeth all vppon this pointe to proue that he whiche is in Scripture absolutely and indefinitely called God is verelye the one onely God and that Christ is absolutely called God Lette vs remember that this was the principall pointe whereupon stode all hys disputacion as by the whole processe thereof doeth appeare and specially the .xlvi. Chapter of the seconde booke that he is not called the Father by darke similitude or parable whiche is not very God in dede Moreouer in an other place he sayeth that as well the Sonne as the Father were iointly called God by the Prophetes and Apostles Afterwarde he defineth howe Christe whiche is Lorde of all and king and God and iudge receiued power from him whyche is the God of all that is to saye in respecte of his subiection because he was humbled euen to the death of the crosse And a little after he affirmeth that the Sonne is the maker of heauen and earth whiche gaue the lawe by the hande of Moses and appeared to the Fathers Nowe if any manne doe prate that wyth Ireneus onely the Father is the God of Israel I will turne
of that boke in surueying vp and downe the frame of the worlde had honourably entreated of the woorkes of God at length he addeth Lo these be part of his waies but howe littel a portion heare we of hym Accordyng to whiche reason in an other place he maketh difference betwene the wisedom that remaineth with God and the measure of wisedome that he hath appointed for men For after he hath preached of the secretes of nature he sayth that wisedome is knowen to God onely and is hidden from the eies of all liuyng creatures But by and by after he saieth further that it is published to the ende it should be serched out because it is sayd vnto man beholde the feare of God is wisedom For this purpose maketh the sayeng of Augustine Bycause we knowe not all thynges whiche God doeth concernyng vs in moste good order that therfore in onely good wil we do accordyng to the law because his Prouidence is an vnchaungeable lawe Therefore sithe God dooth claime vnto hym selfe the power to rule the worlde whiche is to vs vnknowen let this be to vs a lawe of sobrenesse and modestie quietly to obey his soueraigne authoritie that his wyll maye be to vs the only rule of iustice and the most iust cause of all thynges I meane not that absolute will of whiche the Sophisters doo babble separatyng by wicked and prophane disagremente his iustice from his power but I meane that Prouidence whyche is the gouernesse of all thynges from whiche procedeth nothyng but right although the causes therof be hidden from vs. Whosoeuer shal be framed to this modestie they neyther for the time paste wil murmure against God for their aduersities nor lay vpon him the blame of wicked dooynges as Agamemnon in Homer dyd saying I am not the cause but Iupiter and Destenie nor yet agayn as caried awaie with Destenies they wil by desperation throwe them selues into destruction as that yong man in Plautus whiche saide Unitable is the chaunce of thynges the Destenies driue men at their pleasure I will get me to some rocke there to make an ende of my goodes and life togither Neither yet as an other did they will pretende the name of God to couer their owne mischeuous dooynges for so saith Lyconides in an other comedie God was the mouer I beleeue it was the will of the gods for if it had not ben their will I knowe it should not so come to passe But rather they will searche and learne out of the Scripture what pleaseth God that by the guiding of the Holy ghost they may trauayle to atteyne thervnto And also beyng ready to folowe God whether soeuer he calleth they shewe in dede that nothyng is more profitable then the knowledge of his doctrine Uery foolishly doo prophane men turmoile with their fondnesses so that thei in maner cōfound heauen earthe together as the saying is If God haue marked the point of our death we can not escape it then it is laboure vainely loste in takyng hede to our selues Therfore where as one man dareth not venture to go the way that he heareth to bee daungerous least he be murthered of theues an other sendeth for Phisitians and werieth himselfe with medicines to succour his life an other forbeareth grosse meates for feare of appeiryng his feble healthe an other dreadeth to dwell in a ruinous house Finally where as men deuise all waies and endeuour with all diligence of mynde wherby they may atteyne that whiche they desire either all these remedies are vaine whiche are sought as to reforme the will of God or ells life and death health and sicknesse peace and warre and other thyngs whiche men as they couete or hate them doo by their trauaile endeuour to obteyne or escape are not determined by his certain decree And further they gather that the praiers of the faithfull are disordered or at the least superfluous wherin petition is made that it will please the Lorde to prouide for those thynges whiche he hath already decreed from eternitie To be short they destroy all coūsels that men doo take for tyme to come as thynges agaynst the Prouiuidence of God whiche hath determined what he woulde haue doone without callyng them to counsell And then what soeuer is alredy hapned they so impute it to the Prouidence of God that they winke at the man whom they knowe to haue done it As hath a ruffian slaine an honest citezen he hath executed the say they the purpose of God Hathe one stollen or committed fornication because he hath doen the thyng that was forseene and ordeined by the Lorde he is a minister of his Prouidence Hath the sonne carelessely neglectyng all remedies wayted for the death of his father he coulde not resist God that had so before appointed from eternitie So all mischeuous dooynges they call vertues because they obey the ordinance of God But as touching things to come Salomon doth well bring in agrement togither the purposes of men with the Prouidence of God For as he laugheth to scorne their follye whiche boldely doo enterprise any thyng without the Lorde as though they were not ruled by his hande so in an other place he speaketh in this maner The harte of man purposeth his waie but the Lorde doeth direct his steppes meanyng that we are not hyndered by the eternall Decrees of God but that vnder his will we may both prouide for our selues and dispose all thynges belongyng to vs. And that is not without a manifest reason For he that hath limitted our life within appointed boundes hath therwithall left with vs the care thereof hath furnished vs with meanes and healpes to preserue it hath made vs to haue knowledge before hande of daungers and that they shoulde not oppresse vs vnware he hath geuen vs prouisions and remedies Nowe it is plaine to see what is our duetie that is to say If God hath committed to vs our owne lyfe to defende our duetie is to defende it If he offer vs helpes our duetie is to vse theim If he shew vs daungers before our duetie is not to runne rashly into theim If he minister vs remedies our duetie is not to neglect them But no daunger shall hurt vnlesse it be fatall which by al remedies can not be ouercome But what if daungers be therefore not fatal because God hath assigned thee remedies to repulse ouercom thē See how thy maner of reasoning agreeth with the order of Gods disposition Thou gatherest that daunger is not to bee taken heede of because forasmuch as it is not fatal we shal escape it without takyng hede at all but the Lorde doeth therfore enioyne thee to take hede of it because he will not haue it fatall vnto thee These madde men do not consyder that whiche is plaine before their eyes that the skil of taking coūsell and hede is enspired into men by God whereby they may serue his Prouidence in preseruing of their owne life as on the other
and as the truth is in dede he wil vnderstande that he is by the wyll of God bounde to theÌ„ by whoe 's hand it was gods wil to be benefitial vnto hym If he suffer any losse by negligence or want of foresight he wil determine in hys mind that the same was done in dede with the wil of God but he wil impute it also to hymselfe If any man be dead by sickenesse whoÌ„ he hath negligently handled wheras of duty he should haue taken good hede vnto him although he be not ignoraunt that the maÌ„ was come to his appoynted tyme beyond whych he could not passe yet will he not therby lessen hys offense but because he had not faythfully discharged hys duty towarde hym he wil so take it as if he had perished by fault of hys neglygence Much lesse when there is vsed any fraude conceiued malice of mynde in committing either murther or theft wil he excuse it vnder preteÌ„ce of gods Prouidence but he wil in one selfe euil act seuerally behold both the righteousnesse of God and the wickednesse of man as both doth manifestly shew theÌ„selues But principally in thynges to come he wil haue coÌ„sideration of such inferior causes For he wyl reckeÌ„ it among the blessinges of God if he be not disappoynted of the helpes of men which he may vse for hys safety And so he neither wil be negligeÌ„t in takyng of counsell nor slouthful in crauyng their helpe whoÌ„ he seeth to haue sufficieÌ„t wherof he may be succoured but thinking that whatsoeuer creatures can any thyng profyt him the same are offred into hys hand by God he wil apply theÌ„ to hys vse as the lawful instrumeÌ„tes of gods Prouidence And because he doth not certaynly know what successe the businesse wil haue that he goeth about sauing that in al thynges he knoweth that the Lord wil prouide for hys benefyte he wil wyth study trauaile to that which he shal thynke expedyent for hym selfe so far as he caÌ„ coÌ„ceiue in mynde vnderstanding And yet in takyng of counsels he wil not be caried on by hys own wyt but wyl coÌ„mit yeld hymselfe to the wisdom of God that by the guiding therof he may be directed to the ryght end But hys confydence shal not so stay vpon outward helpes that if he haue them he wyl carelesly rest vpon them or if he want them he wil be afraied as lefte destitute for he wyl haue hys mynde alway fastened vpoÌ„ the Prouydence of God neyther wyll he suffer hymselfe to be draweÌ„ away froÌ„ the stedfast beholdyng therof by consideration of present thynges So though Ioab acknowledged that the successe of battail is in the wil and hand of God yet he gaue not hymselfe to slouthfulnesse but did diligeÌ„tly execute that whych belonged to hys callyng but he leaueth it vnto the Lord to gouerne the end We wil stand valiant saith he for our natioÌ„ for the cities of our God But the Lord do what is good in his eies This knowledge shal despoyle vs of rashnesse wrongful coÌ„fydeÌ„ce shal dryue vs to coÌ„tinual calling vpoÌ„ God also shal vpholde our mindes wyth good hope so as we may not doute assuredly and boldly to despyse those dangers that compasse vs about In this point doth the inestimable felicitie of a godly minde shew forth it selfe Innumerable are the euils that do besege mans lyfe do threaten hym so many deathes As not to go further thaÌ„ our selues for asmuche as our body is a receptacle of a thousaÌ„de diseases yea haâ—h enclosed and doth nourishe within it the causes of diseases man can not carrye him selfe but he must nedes also cary about wyth hym many formes of hys own destruction draw forth a lyfe as it were entangled with death For what may it els be called where he neyther is cold nor sweateth without peril Now whether soeuer yâ— turne thee al thynges that are about thee are not only vntrusty frendes to thee but do in maner opeÌ„ly threaten seme to shew thee present death Go into a ship there is but a fote thicknesse betwene thee death Sit on horsebacke in the slippyng of one fote thy lyfe is in daunger Go through the stretes of the citie euen how many tyles are vpoÌ„ the houses to so many perils art thou subiect If there be an iron tole in thy hande or thy frendes the harme is ready prepared How many wylde beastes yâ— seest they are al armed to thy destructyon If thou meane to shut vp thy selfe eueÌ„ in a garden well fensed where may appeare nothyng but pleasantnesse of aire grouÌ„d there somtime locketh a SerpeÌ„t The house whych is continually subiect to fyer doeth in the day tyme threaten thee with pouertie in the nyght tyme with falyng vpon thy hed Thy feld forasmuche as it lyeth opeÌ„ to hayle froste drowth other tempestes it warneth thee of barrennesse thereby famyne I speake not of prysonninges treasoÌ„s robberies opeÌ„ violence of which part do besege vs at home part do folow vs abrode In these streightes muste not man nedes be most miserable which euen in lyfe halfe dead doth painfully draw forth a careful faintyng breath as if he hadde a swearde contynually hangyng ouer hys necke But thou wilt say that these thinges chaunce seldome or at least not alwaies nor to all men and neuer all at ones I graunte but seyng we are putte in minde by the examples of other that the same thinges maye happen to our selues and that our lyfe ought of duty no more to be fre thaÌ„ theirs it can not be but that we must dred and feare them as thynges that maye light vpon vs. Now what can a man imagine more miserable thaÌ„ such a fearefulnesse Beside that it is not without dishonorable reproche of God to say that he hath set open man the noblest of al hys creatures to their blinde and vnaduised strokes of fortune But here my purpose is to speake onely of the misery of man which he should fele if he should be brought subiecte vnder fortunes dominion But when that light of Gods Prouidence hath ones shyned vpon a godly maÌ„â—he is now releued deliuered not only from the extreme anguishe and feare wherw t he was before oppressed but also from al care For as iustly he feareth fortune so he dare boldly commit hymselfe to God This is I say his comfort to vnderstande that the heauenly father doth so holde in all thynges wyth hys power so ruleth them with hys authoritie and countenaunce so ordreth them with his wisdome that nothyng befalleth but by hys apointment and that he is receiued into Gods tuitioÌ„ coÌ„mitted to the charge of Angels and can not be touched with any hurt of water nor fyer nor wepoÌ„ but so far as it shall please God the gouernor to geue theÌ„ place For so is it song in the Psalme For he shal deliuer thee from the hunters snare and from the noysom
conueyed from the auncesters into the posteritie For the infection hath not her cause in the substaunce of the flesshe or of the soule but bycause it was so ordeyned of God that suche giftes as he had geuen to the fyrste manne manne shoulde bothe haue them and lose them as well for hym selfe as for his As for this that the Pelagians doe cauill that it is not likely that the chyldren doe take corruption from godly parentes sithe they oughte rather to be sanctified by their cleannesse that is easely confuted For they descende not of their spirituall regeneration but of theyr carâ—all generation Therefore as Augustine sayeth whether the vnbeleuer bee condemned as gilty and the beleuer quitte as innocent they both do begette not innocentes but gilty bycause they beget of the corrupted nature Nowe where as they doe in maner partake of the parentes holinesse that is the speciall blessyng of the people of God whyche proueth not but that the firste and vniuersall curse of mankinde wente before For of nature is giltinesse and sanctification is of supernatural grace And to the ende that these thynges be not spoken of a thynge vncertayne and vnknowen lette vs define Originall sinne But yet I meane not to examine all the definitions that are made by wryters but I will brynge forthe one onely whyche I thynke to bee moste agreable wyth trueth Originall sinne therefore semeth to bee the inheritably descendynge peruersnesse and corruption of our nature poured abroade into all the partes of the soule whyche fyrste maketh vs gilty of the wrath of God and then also bryngeth forth these workes in vs whyche the Scripture calleth the workes of the flesh and that is it properly that Paule oftentimes calleth Sinne. And these workes that arise out of it as are adulteries fornications theftes â–ª hatreds murthers â–ª banketinges after the same manner he calleth the fruites of sinne albeit they are likewise called sinnes both commonly in the Scripture and also by the same Paule hym selfe Therefore these twoo thynges are distinctly to be noted that is that beyng so in all partes of our nature corrupted and peruerted we are nowe euen for such corruption only holden worthily damned and coÌ„uicted before God to whome is nothyng acceptable but righteousnesse innocencie and purenesse And yet is not that bonde in respecte of an others faulte For where it is sayde that by the sinne of Adam we are made subiecte to the iudgement of God it is not so to be taken as if we innocent and vndeseruyng did beare the blame of his faulte But bycause by his offendyng we are all clothed wyth the curse therefore it is sayde that he hath bounde vs. Neuerthelesse from him not the punishment only came vpon vs but also the infection distilled from hym abideth in vs to the whiche the punishment is iustly due Wherefore howe so euer Augustine doeth oftentimes call it an others sinne to shewe the more playnely that it is conueyed into vs by propagation yet doeth he also affirme wythall that it is propre to euery one And the Apostle him selfe expressely witnesseth that therefore death came vpon all menne bycause all men haue sinned and are wrapped in Originall sinne and defiled with the spottes thereof And therefore the very infantes themselues whyle they brynge with them their owne damnation from their mothers wombe are bounde not by an others but by their owne faulte For though they haue not as yet brought forth the fruytes of theyr owne iniâ—â—â—â—ie yet they haue the seede thereof enclosed within them yea theâ—r whole nature is a certayne seede of Sinne therefore it can not be but hatefull and abhominable to God Whereupon followeth thâ—◠〈◊〉 proprely accompted sinne before God for there coulde be no giâ—â—inesse wythout sinne The other pointe is that this peruersenesse neuer cesseth in vs but continually bryngeth forth newe frutes euen the same woorkes of the fleshe that we haue before descrybed lyâ—e as a bâ—rnynge fornace bloweth out flame and sparcles or as a sprynge doeth wythout ceassyng caste out water Therefore they whyche haue defyned Origin all sinne to bee a lackyng of Originall ryghteousenesse whyche ought to haue ben in vs although in deede they comprehende all that is in the thynge it selfe yet they haue not fully enough expressed the force and efficacie thereof For our nature is not only bare and empty of goodnesse but also is so plentuous and fruteful of al euilles that it can not be idle Thei that haue saide that it is a concupiscence haue vsed a worde not very farre from the matter if this were added which is not graunted by the most parte that what so euer is in man euen from the vnderstanding to the wil from the soule to the fleshe is corrupted and stuffed full wyth this concupiscence or to ende it shortelyer that whole man is of hym selfe nothing els but concupiscence Wherfore I haue sayde that al the partes of the soule are possessed of sinne sithe Adam fell awaye from the fountaine of righteousnesse For not onely the inferioure appetite allured him but wicked impietie possessed the very castle of hys minde pride pearced to the innermoste parte of hys hearte So that it ys a fonde and foolyshe thyng to restraine the corruption that proceded from thense onely to the sensuall motions as they call them or to call it a certayne nouriture that allureth styrreth and draweth to synne onely that parte whyche amonge them ys called Sensualitie Wherein Peter Lombarde haâ—he disclosed hys grosse ignoraunce whyche seekynge and sâ—archynge for the place of it saythe that it is in the fleshe as Paule witnesseth not proprely in deede but bicause it more appeareth in the fleshe as though Paule did meane onely a parte of the soule and not the whole nature whyche is in comparison set against supernaturall grace And Paule there taketh away all doubte teachinge that corruption resteth not in one parte alone but that nothinge is pure cleane from the deadly infection thereof For entreatynge of corrupted nature he doothe not onely condemne the inordinate motions of appetites that appeare but specially trauayleth to proue that the vnderstandynge mynde is subiecte to blyndenesse and the heart to peruersnesse And the same thyrde chapter to the Romaines is nothinge els but a description of original synne That appeareth more plainely by the renewinge For the spyrite whyche is compared wyth the olde man and the fleshe dothe not onely signifie the grace wherby the inferioure or sensuall parte of the soule is amended but also conteyneth a full reformation of all the partes And therefore Paule dothe commaund not onely that oure grosse appetites be brought to naught but also that we our selues be renewed in the spirite of oure mynde as lykewyse in an other place hee biddeth vs to be transfourmed in newnesse of minde Whervpon foloweth that the same parte wherin moste of all shineth the excellence noblenesse of the soule is not onely wounded but also
required to obedience be denied him Naye rather why doth he excuse him selfe when he canne impute the hardenesse of heart to none but to hymselfe Therefore the wycked that are wyllyngely readye to mocke them oute yf the myght are throwen downe wyth the force of them whether they will or no. But the chefe profite towarde the faithfull is to be considered in whome as the Lorde woorketh all thinges by his spirite so hee leaueth not the instrumentes of his worde vseth the same not without effecte Let this therfore stande whyche is true that all the strength of the godly resteth in the grace of God accordyng to that sayinge of the Prophete I will geue them a newe heart that they maye walke in them But thou wylte saye Why are they nowe admonyshed of their duetye and not rather lefte to the direction of the holy ghoste why are they moued wyth exhortation sythe they canne make no more haste than the styrrynge forwarde of the holy ghooste woorketh why are thei chastised if at any tyme they be gone oute of the waye syth they fell by the necessarye weakenesse of the fleshe O man what arte thou to apoynte a lawe for God If it be his pleasure that we bee prepared by exhortation to receiue the selfe same grace whereby is wroughte that the exhortation is obeied what haste thou in thys ordre to bite or carpe at If exhortations and rebukynges dyd nothynge els profyte wyth the godlye but to reproue them of synne they were euen for that thing onely to be compted not alltogether vnprofitable Nowe for asmuche as by the holy ghooste woorkynge inwardly thei muche auaile to enflame the desire of goodnesse to shake of sluggyshnesse to take awaye the pleasure and venymoâ—â—s swetenesse of wyckednesse and on the other syde to engendre a hatred and irkesomnesse therof whoe dare cauill that thei are superfluus If any manne require a plainer aunswere let him take thys God woorketh after twoo sortes in hys electe inwardly by his spirite outwardely by his worde By his spirite by enlyghtninge theyr myndes by framinge their heartes to the loue and keepinge of iustice hee maketh them a newe creature By his worde he stirreth them to desire to seke and atteine the same renuinge by them bothe hee sheweth fourth the effectuall woorkinge of his hande accordinge to the proportion of his dystributioÌ„ When hee sendeth the same woorde to the reprobate thoughe not for their amendement yet hee maketh it to serue for an other vse that bothe for the present time thei maie bee pressed with witnesse of conscience and maye againste the daie of iudgemente bee made more inexcusable So thoughe Christe pronounce that no manne commeth to hym but whome the Father draweth and that the electe do come when thei haue hearde and learned of the father yet doothe not hee neglecte the office of a teacher but with his voice dylygentlie calleth them whome it necessarily behoueth to bee inwardely taughte by the holly Ghoste that thei maie any thinge profyte And Paule teacheth that teachinge is not in vaine with the reprobate bicause it is to them the sauoure of deathe to deathe butte a swete sauoure to God Thei be verye laborious in heapinge together of testimonies of Scripture and that they dooe of purpose that when thei canne not oppresse vs wyth weyghte thei maie yet with numbre But as in battelles when it commeth to hande strookes the weaker multitude how muche pompe and shewe soeuer it hath is with a fewe strippes discomfyted and putte to flyghte so shall yt bee verye easye for vs to ouerthrowe them wyth all theyr route For bycause the places that they abuse agaynste vs when they are ones dyuyded into theyr ordres do meete vpon a fewe specyall poyntes wee shall wyth one aunswere satysfye many of them therefore yt shall not bee needefull to tarrye vpon dyssoluynge euerye one of them partycularlye Theyr cheefe force they sette in the commaundementes whyche they thynke to bee so tempered to oure strengthes that what soeuer ys proued to bee requyred by the one yt necessarylye foloweth that yt maye bee perfourmed by the other And therefore they runne throughe euerye of the commaundementes and by them doe measure the proportion of oure strengthe For saye they eyther God mocketh vs when hee chargeth vs wyth hollyenesse godlynesse obedyence chastitie loue and mekenesse and when hee forbiddeth vs vncleannesse ydolatrie vnchastenesse wrathe robberye pryde and suche lyke or hee requyreth onely those thynges that are in oure power Nowe we maye dyuyde into three sortes in manner all the commaundementes that they heape together Some requyre oure fyrste conuersion to God some speake symply of the keepynge of the lawe some commaunde vs to contynue in the grace of God that wee haue receyued Fyrste lette vs speake of them all in generalitie and then descende to the specyall sortes To extende the power of manne to the commaundementes of the lawe hathe in deede longe agoe begonne to bee commune and hathe some shewe butte yt proceded from mooste rude ignoraunce of the lawe For they that thynke yt a heynous offence yf yt bee sayde that the keepynge of the lawe ys ympossyble do reste forsoothe vpon thys moste stronge argumente that ells the lawe was geuen in vayne For they speake in suche sorte as yf Paule hadde noe where spoken of the lawe For I beseache them what meane these sayinges that the lawe was sette bycause of transgressions That by the lawe ys the knoweledge of synne That the lawe maketh synne that the lawe entred that synne myght abounde was yt meante that the lawe was to bee lymyted to oure strengthes leaste yt shoulde bee geuen in vayne or rather that yt was sette farre aboue vs to conuince oure weakenesse Truelye by the same mans defynition the ende and fullfyllynge of the lawe ys Charytye Butte when hee wysheth the myndes of the Thessalonians to bee fylled wyth charitie hee dothe sufficientlye confesse that the lawe soundeth in oure eares wythoute profyte vnlesse God inspire the whole summe thereof in oure heartes Truelye yf the Scrypture dyd teache nothynge ells butte that the lawe ys a rule of lyfe where vnto wee oughte to frame oure endeuours I woulde also wythoute delaye agree to theyr opinion but whereas yt dothe dylygently and playnely declare vnto vs the manyfolde vse of the lawe yt ys conueniente rather to consyder by that interpretation what the lawe maye doe in manne For so muche as concerneth thys presente cause yt teacheth that so sone as yt hathe appoynted what wee oughte to dooe the power to obeye commeth of the goodnesse of God and therefore moueth vs to prayer whereby wee maye requyre to haue it giuen vs. If there were onelye the commaundemente and no promise then were oure strengthe to be tryed whether they were sufficient to aunswere the commaundement but syth ther are promyses ioyned wythall whiche crye oute that not onely oure aide but also all oure whole power consysteth in the
our workes vnlesse we do embrace by faith the same goodnesse geueÌ„ vs by the Gospel then want they not their effectualnesse yea with their condition annexed For then he doth so freely geue al things vnto vs that he addeth this also to the heape of his bountifulnesse that not refusing our half ful obedience and remitting so much as it wanteth of ful performance he so maketh vs to enioy the frute of the promises of the law as if we our selues had fulfilled the coÌ„dytion But we wil at this preseÌ„t procede no further in this matter bicause it shal be more largely to be entreated of when we shal speake of the IustificatioÌ„ of faith Wheras we sayd that it is impossible to kepe the law that is in few wordes to be both expounded and proued For it is wont among the people commonly to be accompted an opinion of great absurditie so far that Hierome doubted not to pronouÌ„ce it accursed what Hierome thought I doe nothing staye vpon as for vs let vs searche what is truthe I will not here make longe circumstances of diuerse sortes of possibilities I call that impossible which both neuer had ben also is hindered by the ordinance decree of God that it neuer herafter maye be If we recorde from the farthest time of memorie I saye that there hath none of the holy meÌ„ that beyng clothed with the bodie of death hath euer atteyned to that full perfection of loue to loue God with all his heart with al his minde with al his soule with all his power Againe that there hath ben none that hath not ben troubled with concupiscence Who can saye Naye I see in deede what maner holy men foolish superstition doth imagine vnto vs euen such whose purenesse the heauenly angels do scarcely counteruaile but against bothe the Scripture profe of experience I saye also that there shall none herafter be that shall come to the marke of true perfection vnlesse he be loosed from the burden of his bodye For this point there are open testimonies of Scripture Salomon said there is not a righteous maÌ„ vpon the earth that sinneth not And Dauid sayd euery liuing manne shal not be iustified in thy sight Iob in many places affirmeth the same But Paul most plainly of all that the flesh lusteth agaynste the spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And by no other reson he proueth that all that are vnder the law are subject to the curse But bycause it is written that cursed are al they that doe not abide in al the coÌ„maundementes therof meanyng or rather taking it as a thing confessed that no man can abide in them And what soeuer is forespoke by the Scriptures that must be holden for perpetual yea necessarie With such sutteltie did the Pelagians trouble Augustine sayeng that there is wrong done to God to say that he doth coÌ„maund more thaÌ„ the faithful are able by his grace to performe Augustine to auoide their cauillation coÌ„fessed that the lord might in deede if he wold aduauÌ„ce a mortal man to the purenesse of Angels but that he neither hath done so at any time nor wil do bicause he hath otherwise affirmed in the Scriptures And that do I also not denie But I adde further that it is incoÌ„uenieÌ„t to dispute of his power against his truthe and that therfore this sentence is not subiect to cauillations if a man should saye that that thing is impossible to be wherof the Scriptures do pronounce that it shal not be But if thei dispute of the word when the Disciples asked the lord who may be saued he answered with men in deede it is impossible but with God al things are possible Also Augustine with a most stroÌ„g reason stiffly defendeth that in this flesh we neuer yelde to God the due loue that we owe him Loue saith he so foloweth knowledge that no man can perfectly loue God but he that hath first fully knoweÌ„ his goodnesse We while we waÌ„der in this world see by a glasse and in a darke speach it foloweth therfore that our loue is vnperfect Let this therefore remaine out of controuersie that in this flesh it is impossible to fulfil the law if we behold the weakenesse of our owne nature as it shal yet also in an other place be proued by Paule But that the whole mater may be more plainly set forth let vs in a compendious order gather vp together the office and vse of the lawe which they cal Morall Now as far as I vnderstand it is coÌ„teined in these three partes The first is that while it sheweth to euery man the righteousnesse of God the is the righteousnesse which only is acceptable to God it admonish certifie proue gilty yea condemne euery maÌ„ of his owne vnrightousnesse For so is it nedeful that man blinded dronke with loue of himself be driuen both to the knowledge the confession of his own weakenesse vncleannesse for asmuch as if his vanitie be not euidently conuinced he swelleth with mad affiance of his owne strength can neuer be brought to think of the scleÌ„dernesse therof so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his owne wil. But so sone as he beginneth to coÌ„pare his streÌ„gth to the hardnesse of the lawe there he findeth matter to abate his courage For how so euer he before conceiued a great opinion of it yet by and by he feleth it to pante vnder so great a burden then to shake folter at laste euen to fall downe and faint So being taught by the scholing of the lawe he putteth of that arrogaÌ„cie wherwith before he was blinded Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride wherof we haue said that he is sick So long as he is suffred to stand to his own iudgemeÌ„t he deuiseth Hypoâ—â—iâ—e in stede of rightousnesse wherwith beyng coÌ„teÌ„ted he riseth vp in courage by I whote not what forged rightousnesses against the grace of God But so soue as he is coÌ„pelled to trie his life by the balaunce of the law theÌ„ leauing the presumption of that counterfait righteousnesse he seeth himself to be an infinite space distaÌ„t froÌ„ holinesse againe that he floweth full of infinite vices wherof before he seemed cleane For the euels of luste are hidden in so deepe and crooked priuie corners that they easily deceiue the sighte of man And not withoute cause the Apostle saith that he knew not luste except the lawe had saide Thou shalte not luste bicause except it be by the lawe disclosed out of her lurking holes it destroyeth miserable manne so secretly that he feeleth not the deadly darte thereof So the lawe is like a certaine lookinge glasse wherein we beholde fyrste oure weakenesse by that oure wickednesse laste of all by them boothe oure accursednesse euen as a glasse representeth vnto vs the spottes of our face For when power fayleth man to folowe righteousnesse then
the ende of thys present life From thense did spring vp that consideration whiche the faythfull oftentimes vsed for a comforte of thir miseries and remedie of patience It is but a momente in the Lordes displeasure and life in his mereye Howe did they determine afflictions to ende in a moment that were in affliction in a manner of their life longe where dyd thei espye so longe an eâ—duringe of Godes kindenesse whereof thei scarsely felt any lyttle taste If thei hadde sticked faste vpon the earthe they coulde haue founde no such thing but bicause thei loked vpon heauen thei acknowledged that it is but a moment of time while the Lord exercise his holy ones by the crosse but that his mercies wherein thei are gathered together do last the worldes age Againe they did â—oresee the eternall and neuer endinge destruction of the vngodlye whiche were as in a dreame happy for one daie Wherevpon came these sayinges The remembrance of the righteous shall be in blessing butte the name of the wicked shall rotte Precious is the deathe of the Saintes in the sighte of the Lorde but the deathe of the wicked moste euell Againe in Samuel The Lorde shall keepe the feete of the holy and the wicked shall be put to silence in darkenesse Whiche do declare that thei well knewe that howesoeuer the holy were diuersly carryed aboute yet their laste ende is lyfe and saluation and that the prosperitie of the wycked is a pleasaunt waye whereby thei by little and little slide forwarde into the gulfe of deathe Therefore thei called the deathe of suche the destruction of the vncircumcised as of them from whome the hope of the resurrection was cutte awaie Wherefore Dauid coulde not deuise a more greuous curse than this Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and not be written with the righteous But aboue all other notable is that sayeng of Iob I knowe that my redemer liueth in the last daie I shal rise againe out of the earth and in my fleshe I shall see God my sauioure This hope is layed vp in my bosome Some that haue a mynde to make a shewe of their sharpe witte do cauill that this is not to be vnderstanded of the last resurrection but of the firste daye that Iob loked to haue God more gentle to him whiche although we graunt them in parte yet shall wee enforce them to confesse whether they wyll or noe that Iob coulde not haue come to that largenesse of hope if he had rested his thoughte vpon the earthe Therefore we muste needes confesse that he lifted vp his eyes to the immortalitie to come whiche sawe that his redeemer would be present with him euen lyeng in his graue For to them that thinke only of his present life death is their vttermost desperation whiche very death coulde not cutt of Iobs hope Yea though he kill me said he neuerthelesse I will still hope in him And let no trifler here carpe against me and saie â–ª that these were the sayenges but of a fewe whereby ys not proued that suche doctrine was among the Iewes For I wyll by and by answer him that these fewe dyd not in these sayenges vtter any secret wisedome wherevnto onely certayne excellente wittes were seuerally and priuately suffred to atteine â–ª but that as thei were by the holy Ghoste apointed teachers of the people so they openly published those misteries of God that were to be vniuersally learned and ought to be the principles of the common religion among the people Therefore when we heare the publike oracles of the holy Ghoste wherein he spake of the spirituall lyfe so clerely and plainely in the Churche of the Iewes it were a pointe of vntolerable stubbournesse to sende them away only to the fleshly couenant wherin is mention made of nothing but earth and earthly wealthinesse If I come downe to the latter Prophetes there wee maye freely walke as is oure owne felde For yf it were not harde for vs to gett the vpperhande in Dauid Iob and Samuel here it shall be muche more easye For God kepte this distribution and ordre in disposinge the couenant of hys mercye that howe muche the nearer it drewe on in processe of tyme to the full perfourmance thereof with so muche greater encreasementes of reuelation hee dyd daye by daie more bryghtly shewe it Therefore at the beginning when the firste promise of saluation was made vnto Adam there glystered oute but as it were smale sparkles of it After hauinge more added vnto it a greater largenesse of light began to be put forth whiche from thense fourth brake out more and more and displayed her bryghtnesse farther abroade till at length all the cloudes were dryuen awaye and Christe the sonne of righteousnesse fully lyghtned the whole woorlde We neede not therfore to feare that wee fayle of testimonies of the Prophetes if we seeke them to proue oure cause but bicause I see that there wyll aryse a huge deale of matter wherevpon I shoulde bee constrained of necessytie to tarrye longer than the proportioâ— of my purpose maye beare for it woulde so growe to a worke of a great volume and also bicause I haue already by those thinges that I haue saide before made plaine the waye euen for a reader of meane capacitie so as he maye goe forwarde wythoute stumbling therefore I wyll at this present absteine from long tediousnesse whyche to do ys no lesse necessarie but geuing the readers warning before hande that they remembre to open theyr owne waye with that key that we haue fyrste geuen them in theyr hande That is that so ofte as the Prophetes speake of the blessednesse of the faithfull people whereof scarscely the leaste steppes are seen in this present life thei maye resorte to this distinction that the Prophetes the better to eâ—presse the goodnesse of God did as in a shadow expresse it to the people by temporall benefites as by certaine rough drawing of the portraiture therof but that the perfect image that thei haue painted therof was suche as might rauish mens myndes out of the earh and out of the elements of this worlde and of the age that shal perishe and of necessitie rayse it vp to the considering of the felicitie of the lyfe that ys to come and spirituall We wyll be content with one example When the Israelites being carryed awaye to Babylon sawe their scattering abroade to be like vnto deathe they coulde hardely be remoued from thys opinion that they thought that al was but fables that Ezechiel prophecied of their restitution bicause thei reckened it euen all one as if he had tolde them that rotten carcases shoulde be restored againe to lyfe The Lorde to shewe that euen that same difficultie coulde not stop him from bringing hys benefite to effect shewed to the Prophete in a vision a field full of due bones to the which in a moment with the onely power of hys worde he restored
haue desired to see the thinges that ye see and haue not seen them and to heare the thynges that ye heare and haue not hearde them Therefore blessed are your eyes bicause they see and your eares bicause they heare And truely it was meete that the presence of Christ sholde haue this excellencye of prerogatiue that from it shoulde arise the clere reuelinge of the heauenly mysteries And for this purpose also maketh that which euen we nowe alleaged out of the firste epistle of Peter that yt was opened to them that their trauaile was profitable principally for oure age Nowe I come to the thirde dyfference whiche is taken oute of Ieremie whose woordes are these Beholde the dayes shall come saithe the Lorde and I wyll make a newe couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda not accordinge to the couenant that I made wyth your Fathers in the daye when I toke them by the hand to leade them oute of the launde of Egypt the couenant that thei made voyde althoughe I ruled ouer them But thys shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel I wyl put my lawe in theyr bowelles and I wyll wryte it in their heartes and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie And no man shall teache hys neighboure and no man his brother For they shall al knowe me from the leaste vnto the moste Of whyche wordes the Apostle tooke occasion to make thys comparison betweene the lawe and the Gospell that hee called the lawe a literall and Gospel a spiritual doctrine the lawe he sayde was fashioned oute in Tables of stone the Gospell wrytten in heartes that the lawe was the preachinge of deathe the Gospell the preachinge of lyfe the lawe the preachinge of damnation the Gospel the preachinge of righteousnesse that the lawe is made voyde that the Gospell abydeth Sithe the Apostles purpose was butte to declare the meanynge of the Prophete it shall bee suffycient that wee weye the woordes of one of them to atteyne the meanynge of them bothe All bee it there is some vnlyâ—enesse betweene them For the Apostle speaketh more odiouslye of the lawe than the Prophete dothe and that not in symple respecte of the â—â—we but bycause there were certayne naughty menne hauinge a wronge zeale to the lawe whyche did with peruerse loue of the ceremonies obscure the brightnesse of the Gospel He disputeth of the nature of the lawe accordinge to their erroure foolish affection Therefore it shall be good to note that peculiarly in Paule But both of them bycause they do by comparison sette the olde and the newe testament the one against the other do consider nothing in the law but that whiche proprely belongeth vnto it As for example The lawe dothe commonly in euery place containe promises of mercie but bycause they are borowed from ells where therfore they are not reckened as part of the lawe when the mere nature of the lawe is spoken of The onely thing they ascribe vnto it to commaunde thinges that are right to forbidde wicked doynges to promyse reward to the folowers of righteousnesse to threaten punishmente to the transgressors but in the meane time neither to change nor amende the peruersenesse of heart yâ— is naturally in all men Nowe let vs expounde the Apostles comparison one peece after an other The olde testament is literall bicause it was published without the effectuall workinge of the spirit The newe is spiritual whyche the Lorde hathe spiritually grauen in the heartes of men Therefore the seconde diuersitie is as it were a declaration of the fyrste The olde is deadly bicause it can do nothinge but wrappe all mankinde within the curse The newe is the instrumente of lyfe bycause it deliuereth from curse and restoreth into fauoure with God The olde is the ministerie of damnation bycause it condemneth all Adams children of vnrighteousnesse The newe is the ministerie of ryghteousnesse bicause it reueâ—eth the mercie of God by whyche we are made ryghteous The last diuersitie is to be referred to the ceremonies Bycause the olde testament had an â—mage of thynges absent it behoued that it shoulde in tyme deâ—aye and vanyshe away but the Gospell bycause it geueth the true bodye in deede kepeth styll a fyrme and perpetuall stedfastâ—esse Ieremie in dede calleth euen the morall lawes a weake and fraile couenant but that is for an other reason bycause by the sodeine fallynge away of the vnthankfull people it was by and by broken but forasmuche as suche breakynge of it was the faulte of the people it can not proprely be layed vpon the testamente But the ceremonies forasmuche as by theyr owne weakenesse were dissolued by the comminge of Christe had the cause of their weakenesse within them selues Nowe that dyfference of the letter and spirite is not so to be taken as thoughe the Lorde hadde geuen his lawes to the Iewes wythout any frute at all hauyng none of them conuerted vnto hym But it is spoken by waye of comparison to aduaunce the abundance of grace wherewyth the same lawemaker as it were puttinge on a newe personage did honorably sette forth the preachinge of the Gospell For yf wee recken vp the multitude of these whome the Lorde oute of al peoples hath by the preaching of the Gospell regenerate wyth hys spirite and gathered into the communion of his Churche we shall saye that there were very fewe or in a manner none in the olde time in Israell that wyth affection of mynde and entirely from their heart embraced the couenant of the Lorde whoe yet were very many yf they bee reckened in theyr owne numbre wythoute comparison Out of the third difference riseth the fourth For the Scripture calleth the old testament the testament of bondage for that it ingendreth feare in mens myndes but the newe testament the testament of libertie bycause it rayseth them vp to confydence and assurednesse So sayth Paule in the eyght to the Romames Ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare but the spirite of adoption by whiche we crie Abba father â–ª Hervnto serueth that in the epistle to the Hebrues that the faithefull are not nowe come to the bodyly mount and to kind led fyre an whirlewinde darkenesse and tempest where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh menns mindes with terrore in so much that Moses hym selfe quaked for feare when the terryble voyce sounded whyche they all besoughte that they myghte not heare Butte that wee are come to the Mounte Syon and the Cytye of the syâ—ynge God the heauenly Hierusalem Butte that whyche Paule shortly toucheth in the sentence that we haue alleged out of the epistle to the Romaines he setteth out more largely in the Epistle to the Galatians when he maketh an allegoâ—â—e of the twoo sonnes of Abraham after this manner that Agar the bondwoman is a fygure of the mount Sinai where the people of Israel receiued the lawe Sara the
those places of Scripture to accorde very well together where it is saide that God declared his loue towarde vs in this that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne to deathe and yet that he was oure enemie till he was made fauourable againe to vs by the deathe of Christe But that they maie be more strongly proued to them that require the testament of the olde Churche I will allege one place of Augustine where he teacheth the very same that we do The loue of God saith he is incomprehensible and vnchangeable For he beganne not to loue vs sins the time that wee weare reconciled to him by the bloode of his sonne But before the making of the worlde he loued vs euen before that we weare any thynge at all that we myght also be his children wyth hys onely begotten Sonne Therefore whereas wee are reconciled by the deathe of Christe it is not so to be taken as thoughe the Sonne dyd therefore reconcile vs vnto hym that he myghte nowe beginne to loue vs whome he hated before but we are reconciled to him that already loued vs to whome we weare enemies by reason of sinne An whether this be true or no that I saie let the Apostle bâ—are witnesse Hee dothe commende saith he his loue towarde vs bicause when wee were yet sinners Christ died for vs. He therfore had a loue to vs euen theÌ„ when we weare enemies to hym and wroughte wickednesse Therefore after a maruellous and deuine mannner he loued vs euen then when he hated vs. For he hated vs in that we weare suche as he had not made vs and bicause oure wickednesse had on euery syde wasted awaie hys woorke he knewe howe in euery one of vs bothe to hate that whiche we oure selues had made and to loue that whiche he had made These be the wordes of Augustine Nowe where it is demaunded howe Christe hathe done away our sinnes and taken away the strife betwene vs and God and purchased suche righteousnesse as mighte make him fauourable and well willing towarde vs it maie be generally answered that he hathe brought yt to passe by the whole course of hys obedience Whiche is proued by the testimonie of Paule As by one mans offense many wer made synners so by one mans obedience wee are made righteous And in an other place he extendeth the cause of the pardon that deliuereth vs from the curse of the lawe to the whole life of Christe saying When the fulnesse of tyme was come God sente his sonne made of a woman subiecte to the lawe to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe And so affirmed that in his very baptisme was fulfilled one part of righteousnesse that he obediently dyd the coÌ„maundement of his father Finally from the time that he toke vpon him the person of a seruant he beganne to paye the raunsome to redeeme vs. Butte the Scripture to sette oute the manner of oure saluation more certainely doothe ascribe this as peculiar and proprely belonginge to the deathe of Christe Hee hym selfe pronounced that hee gaue hys lyfe to bee a redemption for many Paule teacheth that hee dyed for oure synnes Ihon the Baptiste cryed oute that Christe came to take awaye the synnes of the woorlde bycause hee was the Lambe of God In an other place Paule saith that we are iustified freely by the redemption that is in Christ bycause he is set forth the reconciler in his owne bloode Againe that we are iustified in his bloode and reconciled by his deathe Againe â–ª He that knewe no sinne was made sinne for vs that we might be the ryghteousnesse of God in him I will not recite all the testimonies bicause the mimbre woulde be infinite and many of them muste bee hereafter alleged in their order Therefore in the summe of belefe whiche thei call the Apostles creede it is very ordrely passed immediatly from the byrthe of Christe to his deathe and resurrection wherein consisteth the summe of perfecte saluation And yet is not the reste of his obedience excluded whiche hee perfourmed in his life as Paule comprehendeth it wholye from the beginninge to the ende in sayinge that he abaced him selfe taking vpon him the forme of a seruant was obedient to his father to death euen the death of the crosse And truely euen in the same death his willing submission hath the firste degree bicause the sacrifice vnlesse it had ben willingly offred had nothing profited toward righteousnesse Therfore where the Lord testified that he gaue his soule for his shepe he expressly addeth this no man taketh it awaye from my â—elfe According to that which meaning Esaie saith that he helde his peace like a lambe before the sherer And the historie of the Gospel reherseth that he went forth and met the souldiers and before Pilate he left defending of him selfe and stode still to yelde him selfe to iudgement to be pronounced vpon him But that not without some strife for bothe he had taken our infirmities vpon him and it behoued that his obedience to his father shoulde be this way tried And this was no sclender shew of his incomparable loue towarde vs to wrastle with horrible feare in the middest of these cruell tormentes to cast awaie all care of hymselfe that he might prouide for vs. And this is to be beleued that there could no sacrifice bee well offered to God any otherwise but by this that Christe forsaking all his owne affection did submitte and wholy yelde himself to his fathers will For proofe whereof the Apostle dothe fyttly allege that testimonie of the Psalme In the booke of the lawe it is written of me that I may doe thy will O God I will thy lawe is in the middest of my heate Then I saide Loe I come But bicause trembling consciences finde no reste but in sacrifice and washing whereby sinnes are cleansed therefore for good cause we are directed thither and in the deathe of Christe is a appointed for vs the matter of lyfe Nowe forasmuche as by oure owne gyltinesse curse was due vnto vs before the heauenly iudgement seate of God therefore fyrste of all is recited howe hee was condenmed before Ponce Pilate presidente of Iurie that wee shoulde know that the punishement wherunto we weere subiecte was iustely layde vpon vs. Wee could not escape the dreadfull iudgement of God Christe to deliuer vs from it suffred himselfe to be condemned before a mortall man yea a wicked and heathen man For the name of the president is expressed not onely to procure credit to the historie but that we shoulde learne that whiche Esaie teacheth that yâ— chastisemente of our peace was vpon him and that by his stripes wee weare healed For to take awaie oure damnation euery kinde of deathe sufficed not for him to suffer but to satisfye oure redemption one speciall kynde of deathe was to bee chosen wherein bothe drawinge away oure damnation to himselfe and takyng
accordyng to the fleshe which the Worde toke vpon him accordyng to that that he was borne of the Uirgin accordyng to that that he was taken of the Iewes that he was fastened on the tree that he was takeÌ„ downe from the crosse that he was wrapped in linen clothes that he was layed in the graue that he was openly shewed in his risynge agayne this was fulfilled Ye shal not alway haue me with you Why so bycause he was conuersant accordyng to the presence of his body forty dayes with his disciples and they beyng in his companie seyng him not folowyng him he ascended into heauen and is not here for he sitteth there at the right hande of his father and is here for he is not gone awaye in presence of maiestie Therefore accordyng to the presence of his maiestie we alwaye haue Christ accordyng to the presence of his fleshe it was truely sayd to his Disciples but me ye shall not alwaye haue For the church had him a few dayes accordyng to the presence of his flesh but nowe she holdeth him by fayth but seeth him not with eyes Wherfore it by and by foloweth that he is sitteÌ„ downe at the right hande of his father whiche is spoken by waye of similitude taken of princes that haue theyr sitters by to whome they commit their office to rule and gouerne in their stede So it is sayd that Christ in whom the father will be exalted and reigne by his hand was receyued to sit at his right hand as yf it had ben sayd that he was inuested in the dominion of heauen and earth solemnely entred vpon the possession of the gouernement committed vnto him that he not only entred vpon it but also continueth in it till he come downe to iudgement For so doth the Apostle expounde it when he sayth thus The Father hath set him at his right hand aboue all principalitie and power streÌ„ght and dominion and euery name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come c. He hath put althinges vnder his feete and hath geuen him to be head of the church aboue althynges Nowe you see to what purpose belongeth that sittyng that is that all creatures bothe heauenly and earthly maye with admiration loke vpon his maiestie be gouerned with his hande beholde his countenance and be subiect to his power And the Apostles meane nothyng els when they so oft rehearse it but to teache that all thinges are lefte to his will Therefore they thinke not rightly which thinke that blessednesse is only meant by it And it forceth not that in the Acres Stephen testifieth that he saw him standing bicause we speake not heare of the gesture of his body but of the maiestie of his dominion so that to Sitte is nothyng els but to be chiefe iudge in the heauenly iudgement seate Hereupon doth faith gather manifolde frute For it learneth that the Lord by his ascendyng into heauen hath opened the entrie of the heauenly kingdome whiche before had ben stopped vp by Adam For when he entred into it in our flesh as in our name therupon followeth that whiche the Apostle sayth that we doe alredy in him after a certaine manner sit in heauen For that we doe not with bare hope loke for heauen but alredy in our head we possesse it Moreouer fayth perceyueth that he sitteth with his father to our great benefit For he is entred into a â—anctuarie not made with handes and there appereth before the face of the Father a continuall aduocate and intercessor for vs he so turneth the fathers eyes to his righteousnesse that he turneth them awaye from our sinnes He so reconcileth his minde vnto vs that by his intercession he prepareth vs a waye and passage to his throne fillyng it with grace and mercifulnesse which otherwise wold haue ben full of horrour to wretched sinners Thirdly fayth conceyueth his power wherein consisteth our strength might welth and glorieng agaynst the helles For ascendyng into heauen he led captiuitie captiue and spoilyng his enemies he enriched his people and dayly filleth them with heapes of spirituall richesse He sitteth therefore on hye that from thense pouryng out his power vnto vs he maye quicken vs to a spiritual life sanctifie with his spirit and garnish his church with the diuerse giftes of his grace preserue it safe agaynst all hurtes by his protection restrayne with the strength of his hand the ragyng enemies of his crosse and of our saluation finally holde all power bothe in heauen and in earth till he haue ouerthrowen all his enemies whiche are also our enemies and made perfect the bildyng vp of his Church And this is the true state of his kingdome this is the power that his father hath geuen him till he make an ende of the laste act when he cometh to iudge the quicke and the dead Christ doth in deede here shewe to them that be his plaine proues of his power present amonge them but bicause vnder the basenesse of flesh his kingdome doth in a manner lie hidden in earth therefore for good cause is fayth called to thinke vpon that visible presence which he will openly shew at the laste day For he shal in visible forme come downe from heauen euen such as he was seen to goe vp and he shall appere to all men with vnspeakeable maiestie of his kyngdome with bright glistryng of immortalitie with infinite power of godhed with a garde of Angeles From thense therefore we are bidden to loke for him to come our redemer at that day wheÌ„ he shall seuer the Lambes from the Goaste the chosen from the forsaken and there shal be none of all eyther the quicke or the dead that shall escape his iudgement For from the furthest corners of the world shal be heard the sounde of the trompet wherwith all shal be called to his iudgement seate both they that shal be founde alyue at that daye they whome death hath before taken out of the companie of the quicke Some there be that in this place expouÌ„d the wordes of the Quicke and the dead otherwise and we see that some of the olde wryters dyd stick in doubte vpon the constructioÌ„ of this article But as the aforesayd meanyng is plaine easy to perceyue so doth it better agree with the Crede which is euideÌ„t that it was written accordyng the capacitie of the coÌ„mon people And herewith nothyng disagreeth that whiche the Apostle affirmeth that it is apointed to all men ones to die For although they whiche shall remayne in mortall life at the last iudgement shall not dye after a naturall manner and order yet that change whyche they shall suffer bycause it shal be like a death is not vnproprely called death It is in deede certayne that not all shall slepe but all shal be 〈…〉 meaneth that â–ª In one moment their mortall life shall perish 〈◊〉 be
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
the definition of it and the propreties that it hathe are declared BUt al these thinges shal be easy to vnderstand when there is shewed a plaine definitioÌ„ of fayth that the readers may knowe the force and nature thereof But fyrste it is conuenient to call to minde againe these thynges that haue ben already spoken that syth God doth appoint vs by his law what we ought to do if we fall in any point thereof the same terrible iudgement of eternall death that he pronounceth doth rest vpon vs. Againe that forasmuch as it is not only hearde but altogether aboue oure strength and beyond all oure power to fulfill the lawe if we only beholde our selues wâ—ie what estate is worthy for our deseruinges there is no good hope left but we lie cast away from God vnder eternall destruction Thirdly this hath ben declared that there is but one meane of deliuerance to drawe vs out of so wretched calamitie wherin appeareth Christ the Redeemer by whose hand it pleased the heauenly father hauing mercie vpon vs of his infinite goodnesse clemencie to succoure vs so that we wyth sounde faith embrace thys mercie and with constant hope rest vpon it But now it is conuenient for vs to weie this what manner of faith this ought to be by which al thei that are adopted by God to be hys chyldren do enter vpon the possession of the heauenly kingdome forasmuch as it is certaine that not euery opinion nor yet euery perswasion is sufficient to bring to passe so great a thing And with so much the more care study must we loke about for and searche out the natural propretie of faith by how muche the more hurtfull at thys day is the erroure of many in this behalf For a great part of the world hearing the name of faith conceiueth no hier thing but a certaine common assent to the historie of the Gospel Yea when thei dispute of faith in the scholes in barely callynge God the obiecte of faithe thei do nothinge but as we haue saide in an other place by vaine speculation rather draw wretched soules out of the right way thaÌ„ direct them to the true mark For wheras God dwelleth in a light that none can atteine to it behoueth of necessitie that Christe become meane betweene vs and yt For whyche cause he calleth hym selfe the light of the world in an other place The way the Truth the Life bicause no man commeth to the father which is the fountaine of life but by him bicause he onely knoweth the Father by him the faithful to whome it pleaseth him to disclose him According to this reason Paule affirmeth that he accompteth nothing excellent to be knowen but Christ and in the .xx. chapiter of the Actes he saith that he preached faith in Christ c. And in an other place he bringeth in Christ speakeinge after this manner I wil send thee amonge the Gentiles that thei maye receiue forgeuenes of sinnes porâ—ion among holy ones by the faith which is in me And Paule testifieth that the glorie of God is in his person visible vnto vs or whiche is all one in effect that the enlightning of the knowledge of Gods glorie shineth in his face It is true in dede that faith hath respect only to the one God but this also is to be added that it acknowledge him whome he hath sent euen Iesus Chrste Bicause God himselfe shoulde haue lyen secret and hydden farre from vs vnlesse the brightnesse of Christe did cast his beames vpon vs. For this entent the father left al that he had with his onely begotten sonne euen by the coÌ„municatinge of good thynges wyth him to expresse the true image of his glorie For as it is saide that we must be drawen by the spirit that we maie be stirred to seeke Christ so againe we ought to be admonished that the inuisible father is no where els to be sought but in this image Of whiche mater Augustine speaketh excellently well whiche entreating of the marke that faith should shoote at saith that we must know whether we must goe and which waie and then by by after he gathereth that the safest waye against all erroures is he that is both God and man For it is God to whome we go and man by whom we go and bothe these are founde no where but in Christe Neyther dothe Paule when he speaketh of faith in God meane to ouerthrowe that whiche he so ofte repeteth of faith that hath her whole stay vpon Christe And Peter dothe most fittly ioyne them bothe together saieng that by him we beleue in God Therefore thys euell euen as innumerable other is to be imputed to the Scholemen whiche haue hidden Christe as it were with a veile drawen before hym to the beholdyng of whome vnlesse we be dyrectly bent we shall alwaie wander in many vncertaine mazes But bysyde thys that with theyr darke definition they doe deface and in a manner bring to naught the whole force of faithe they haue forged a deuyse of vnexpressed faith wyth which name thei garnyshing theyr most grosse ignorance doe with greate hurte deceyue the silly people yea to saye truely and plainely as the thinge is in deede thys deuyse doth not only burie but vtterly destroye the true faithe Is this to beleue to vnderstand nothing so that thou obediently submitte thy sense to the Churche Faythe standeth not in ignorance but in knoweledge and that not onely of God but of the wyll of God For neither do we obteine saluation by thys that wee eyther are ready to embrace for true whatsoeuer the Churche appoynteth or that we do committe to it all the office of searchyng and knowing but when we acknowledge God to be a mercifull father to vs by the reconciliation made by Christ and that Christe is geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse sanctification and lyfe By thys knoweledge I saye not by submitting of oure sense we atteine an entrie into the kyngedome of heauen For when the Apostle saith that with the hearte we beleue to righteousnesse and wyth the mouthe confession is made to saluation hee sheweth that it is not enoughe if a man vnexpressedly beleue that whiche he vnderstandeth not nor seeketh to learne but he requyreth an expressed acknowleging of Gods goodnesse in whyche consysteth oure ryghteousnesse In dede I denie not such is the ignorance wherwith we are coÌ„passed that ther now be herafter shal be many thinges wrapped hidden from vs till hauing put of the burden of our flesh we come nerer to the presence of God in which very thinges that be hidden from vs nothing is more profitable than to suspend our iudgment but to stay our mind in determined purpofe to kepe vnitie with the Churche But vnder thys coloure to entitle ignoraunce tempered with humilitie by the name of faith is a great absurditie For faith lieth in knoledg of God of Christ not in reuerence of the
forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell whiche is as much as to mingle heauen and earth together But now our question is What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father by whyche we passe from death to life and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and â—he dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared Now let vs againe goe through all the partes of it euen from the beginning which beyng diligently examined as I thinke there shal remaine nothing doubtefull When in defining faith we cal it a knowledge we meane not thereby a coÌ„prehendyng such as men vse to haue of those thinges that are subiect to mans vnderstandyng For it is so far aboue it that maÌ„s wit must goe beyond surmount it self to come vnto it yea and when it is come vnto it yet doth it not atteyne that whiche it feleth but while it is persuaded of that whiche it conceiueth not it vnderstandeth more by the very assurednesse of persuasion than yf it did with maÌ„s owne capacitie throughly perceyue any thing familiar to man Therefore Paule sayth very well where he calleth it to comprehende what is the length bredth depth and heighth and to knowe the loue of Christ that farre surmounteth knowledge For his meanynge was to signifie that the thynge whiche our mynde conceyueth by faythe is euery waye infinite and that this kinde of knowledge is farre hyer than all vnderstandynge But yet bycause the Lorde hath disclosed to his Saintes the secret of his will whiche was hidden from ages and generations therefore by good reason fayth is in Scripture sometime called an acknowledging and Iohn calleth it a certayne knowledge where he testifieth that the faithfull doe certainely knowe that they are the children of God And vndoutedly they knowe it assuredly but rather by beyng confirmed by persuasion of Gods truthe than by beyng informed by naturall demonstration And his also the wordes of Paule doe declare sayeng that while we â—well in the body we are wanderyng abrode from the lord bycause we walke by fayth and not by sighte whereby he sheweth that those thynges whiche we vnderstande by fayth are yet absente from vs and are hidden from our sight And hereupon we determine that the knowledge of fayth staÌ„deth rather in certaintie than in comprehendyng We further call it a sure and stedfaste knowledge to expresse thereby a more sound constantie of persuasion For as faith is not contented with a doubtefull and rowling opinion so is it also not coÌ„tented with a darke and entangled vnderstaÌ„ding but requireth a ful and fixed assurednesse â–ª such as men are wont to haue of thinges fouÌ„d by experience and proued For vnbelefe sticketh so faste and is so depe rooted in our heartes and we are so bent vnto it that this which all men confesse with their mouth to be true that God is faithfull no maÌ„ is without great contention persuaded in his heart Specially when it coÌ„meth to the profe then the waueryng of all menne discloseth the fault â—hat â—â—ore was hidden And not without cause the Scripture with so nâ—â—â—ble citâ—es of coÌ„mendacion maineteyneth the authoritie of the worde of God but endeuoreth to geue remedie for the aforesayde disease that God maye obteyne to be fully beleued of vs in his promises The wordes of the Lorde sayth Dauid are pure wordes as the Sâ—â—â—eâ—â—ryed in a fornace of earth fined seuen times Agayne The worde oâ— the Lorde fined is a shielde to all that truste in him And Salomon confirmynge the same and in a manner in the same wordes sayth Euery worde of God is pure But sithe the whole .cxix. Psalme entreateth only in a manner vpon the same it weare superfluous to allege any moe places Truely so oft as God doth so coÌ„mend his word vnto vs he doth therein by the waye reproche vs with our vnbeleuingnesse bycause that commendacioÌ„ tendeth to no other end but to roote vp all peruerse doubtinges out of our heartes There be also many which so coÌ„ceiue the mercie of God that they take litle coÌ„fort thereof For they be euen therewithall pinched with a miserable carefulnesse while they doubte whether he will be mercifull to them or noe bicause they enclose within to narrow boundes the very same mercifulnesse of whiche they thinke themselues moste assuredly perswaded For thus they thinke with themselues that his mercie is in deede greate and plentiefull poured out vpon many offrynge it selfe and ready for all menne but that it is not certayne whether it will extende vnto them or no or rather whether they shal atteyne vnto it or no. This thought when it so stayeth in the midde race is but a halfe Therefore it doth not so confirme the spirite with assured quietnesse as it dothe trouble it with vnquiet doubtefulnesse But there is a far other felyng of full assurednesse whiche in the Scriptures is alwaye assigned to fayth euen suche a one as playnely settynge before vs the goodnesse of God dothe clearely put it out of doubte And that can not be but that we muste needes truely feele and proue in our selues the swetenesse thereof And therefore the Apostle out of fayth deriueth assured confidence and out of it agayne boldenesse For thus he sayeth that by Christe we haue boldenesse and an entrance with confidence whiche is through fayth in him By whiche wordes truely he sheweth that it is no right fayth but when we are bolde with quiet mindes to shewe our selues in the presence of God Which boldnesse procedeth not but of assured confidence of Gods good will and our saluation Whiche is so true that many times this word Faith is vsed for Confidence But herupon hangeth the chiefe staye of our faith that we do not think the promises of mercie which the Lord offreth to be true only in other biside vs not at all in our selues but rather that in inwardly embracing theÌ„ we make them our owne FroÌ„ hense procedeth that coÌ„fidence which the same Paule in an other place calleth peace vnlesse some had rather say that peace is deriued of it It is an assurednesse that maketh the conscieÌ„ce quiet cherefull before God without which the coÌ„science must of necessitie be vexed in a manner torne in peces with troublesome trembling vnlesse parhappes it do forget God it selfe so sloÌ„ber a litle while I may truely say For a litle while for it doth not loÌ„g enioy that miserable forgetfulnesse but is with often recourse of the remembrance of Gods iudgement sharply tormented Briefly there is none truely faithful but he that beyng persuaded with a souÌ„d assurednesse that God is his mercyfull louyng father doth promise himselfe all thinges vpon trust of Gods goodnesse and none but he that trustyng
be turned or returne vnto the lord To repente or do penaunce are amonge them vsed wythoute difference in all one signification And therefore also the holy historie saith that men repēt after the Lorde when they that liued wantonely in their owne lustes not regardinge him do begynne to folowe hys worde and are ready at their captaines commaundement to goe whether he calleth them And Ihon and Paule vsed these wordes to bringe forthe frutes worthy of repentance for to leade suche a lyfe as maye represent and testifie suche an amendement in all their doinges But before we go any further it shall be profitable that we do more playnely sette out at large the definition that we haue made Wherein there be cheefely three pointes to be considered Fyrste when wee call it a tourning of life vnto God we require a transfourming not onely in outwarde woorkes but also in the soule it selfe whiche when it hathe put of her oldnesse then beginneth to bring forth the frutes of workes agreable to her renewing Which when the prophet goeth about to expresse he commaundeth them whom he calleth to repentance to make them a newe heart Therefore Moses oftentimes meaning to shewe how the Israelites might repent so be rightly turned vnto the Lord teacheth that it be done with al their heart with al their soule which māner of speaking we see often repeted of the Prophets naming it the circumcising of the heart he shaketh away all inward affections But there is no place whereby a man maye better perceiue what is the naturall propretie of repentance than the fourthe Chapter of Iereme If thou returne to me O Israell saith the Lorde returne to me plowe vppe your arable lande and sowe not vpon thornes Be circumcised to the Lorde and take away the vncircumcised skinnes of your heartes Se how he pronounceth that they shall nothinge preuaile in taking vpon them the folowing of righteousnesse vnlesse wickednesse be first plucked out of the bottome of their heartes And to moue them throughly he warneth them that thei haue to doe wyth God with whome there is nothing gotten by dalying bicause he hateth a double heart Therfore Esaie laugheth to scorne the foolishe endeuoures of hypocrites whiche did in dede busily go about an outward repentance in ceremonies but in the meane tyme they hadde no care to loose the bundles of wickednesse wherewith they helde poore men fast tyed Where also he very well sheweth in what dueties vnfained repentance proprely standeth The second point was that we taught that repentance proceedeth of an earnest feare of God For before that the minde of a sinner be inclined to repentance it must be stirred vp with thinking vpō the iudgment of God But when this thought is ones throughly settled that God wyll one daye goe vp into hys iudgement seate to require an accompt of all saienges doinges it will not suffer the silly man to rest nor to take breathe one minute of time but continually stirreth him vp to thinke vpon a newe trade of life whereby he may safely appeare at that iudgement Therefore oftentimes the Scripture when it exhorteth to repentance maketh mention of the iudgement as in Iereme least peraduenture my wrath go out as fyre there be none to quench it bycause of the naughtinesse of your workes In Paules sermon to the Athenians And wheras hetherto God hath borne with the times of thys ignorance nowe he geueth warning to men that al men euery where may repent them bycause he hathe apointed the daie wherein he will iudge the worlde in equitie And in many other places Sometime it declareth by the punishmentes already extended that God is a iudge that sinners shoulde thynke wyth them selues that worse thinges hang ouer them if they do not repent in time You haue an example thereof in the xxix of Exodus But bycause the turning beginneth at the abhorring and hatred of synne therefore the Apostle maketh sorrowfulnesse suche as is accordinge to God the cause of repentance And he calleth sorrowfulnesse accordinge to God when wee are not onely afraide of punishment but do hate and abhorre sinne it self for asmuche as we vnderstand that it displeaseth God And no maruel For vnlesse we be sharply pricked the slouthfulnesse of oure flesh could not be corrected yea prickinges woulde not suffice for the dulnesse and slouthfulnesse therof vnlesse God in stretching out his roddes should pearce more depely This is also an obstinatie whiche muste be beaten downe as it were with beetles Therefore the peruersenesse of our nature enforceth God to the seueritie that he vseth in threatning bicause he shoulde in vaine call vs alluringly with faire speache while wee lye a slepe I recite not the testimonies that commonly offer them selues to be founde The feare of God is in an other manner also the beginnyng of repentance For though mans life were absolutely furnished with all pointes of vertues if it be not applied to the worshipping of God it may in deede be praysed of the world but in heauen it shal be mere abhomination for asmuche as the chiefe parte of our righteousnesse is to geue God his due right and honour wherof he is wickedly robbed when we bende not our selues to yeld vs subiect to his gouernement Thirdly it remaineth that we declare what is meant by this that we say that Repētance consisteth in two partes that is to say mortifiyng of the flesh quickenyng of the spirit The Prophetes do plainly expresse it although somwhat simply grosly accordyng to the capacitie of the carnal people when they say Cesse from euel do goodnesse Againe Be washed be cleane take away the euel of your workes from mine eyes Cesse to doe peruersly learne to do well seke iudgement help the oppressed c. For when they call men away frō wickednesse they require the death of the whole flesh which is stuffed full of wickednesse peruersnesse It is in deede an vneasy and hard thing to put of our selues to depart frō our natural dispositiō Neyther cā it be thought that the flesh is throughly dead vnlesse al that we haue of our selues be abolished But for asmuch as al the affectiō of the flesh is enemie against God the first entree to the obeying of his lawe is the forsaking of our owne nature Afterward thei expresse the renewyng by the frutes that folow therof as righteousnesse iudgemēt mercie For it were not enough to do those dueties rightly vnlesse the minde it self and the heart haue first put on the affection of righteousnesse iudgement mercie That is done whē the spirit of God hath so soked in new thoughtes affections our soules first washed with his holynesse that they may rightly be compted newe And truely as we are naturally turned away frō God so vnlesse the forsaking of our selues do goe before we can neuer go toward that which is right Therfore we are so oft cōmaunded to put of
bicause the Lord hath determined to haue mercie vpoÌ„ men to this ende that they shuld repeÌ„t he teacheth men whether they shall trauaile if they will obteine grace Therfore so long as we shall dwell in the pryson of our body we must continually wrastle with the vices of our corrupt flesh yea with our own naturall soule Plato sayth in certayne places that the life of a Phylosopher is a meditation of death but we may more truely say that the life of a Christian maÌ„ is a perpetuall studie and exercise of mortifieng the fleshe till it beyng vtterly slayue the Spirit of God get the dominion in vs. Therefore I thinke that he hath much profited that hath learned much to mislyke himself not that he should sticke faste in â—hat myre and goe no further but rather that he should haste and long toward God that being graffed into the death life of Christ he should studie vpon a continuall repentance as truely they can not otherwise do that haue a naturall hatred of sinne for no man euer hated sinne vnlesse he were first in loue with righteousnesse This doctrine as it was most simple of all other so I thought it beste to agree with thâ— truthe of the Scripture Nowe that Repentance is a singular gift of God I thinke it be so wel knowen by the doctrine aboue taught that I neede not to repete a long discourse to proue it agayne Therfore the church prayseth and hath in admiratioÌ„ the benefit of God that he hath geuen the Gentiles repentance vnto saluation And Paule commaundyng Timothee to be patieÌ„t and milde toward the vnbeleuers sayth If at any time God geue them repentance that they maye repent from the snares of the Deuel God in deede affirmeth that he willeth the conuersion of al meÌ„ and directeth his exhortations generally to all men but the effectual workyng therof hangeth vpon the Spirit of regeneration Bicause it were more easy to create vs men than of our owne power to put on a better nature Therfore in the whole course of regeneration we are not without cause called the worke of God created to good workes which he hath prepared that we should walke in them Whom soeuer the lordes will is to deliuer from death those he quickeneth with the Spirit of regeneration not that repentance is properly the cause of saluation but bycause it is alredy seen that it is vnseparable froÌ„ fayth and from the mercie of God sithe as Esaye testifieth there is a redemer come to him and to those that in Iacob are returned from their wickednesse This truely standeth stedfastly determined that were so euer liueth the feare of God there the Spirite hath wrought vnto the saluation of man Therfore in Esaie when the faithful complaine and lament that they are forsaken of God they recken this as a token of beyng reprobates that their heartes were hardened by God The Apostle also meanyng to exclude apostataes from hope of saluation apointeth this reason that it is impossible for them to be renewed vnto repentance bicause God in renewyng them whom he wil not haue perish sheweth a tokeÌ„ of his fatherly fauour and in a maÌ„ner draweth them vnto him with the beames of his cherefull and mery contenaÌ„ce on the other side with hardenyng them he thundereth agaynst the reprobate whose wickednesse is vnpardonable Whiche kinde of vengeance the Apostle threateneth to wilfull apostataes whiche when they depart from the faith of the Gospell do make a scorne of God reprochefully despise his grace and defile treade vnder feete the bloud of Christ yea as much as in them is they crucifie him agayne For he doth not as some fondly rigorous men would haue it cut of hope of pardon from all wilfull sinnes but teacheth that apostasie is vnworthy of all excuse so that it is no maruell that God doth punish a contempt of himself so full of sacrilege with vnappeasable rigour For he sayth that it is impossible that they which haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift haue ben made partakers of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of God the powers of the world to come yf they fall shuld be renewed to repeÌ„tance crucifiyng againe of newe and makyng a scorne of the sonne of God Againe in an other place If sayth he we willingly sinne after knowledge of the truth receyued there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certayne dreadfull expectation of iudgement c. These also be the places out of the wroÌ„g vnderstandyng wherof the Nouatians in old time haue gathered matter to play the mad men with whose rigorousnesse certaine good meÌ„ beyng offended beleued this to be a counterfait Epistle in the Apostles name whiche yet in all partes doth truely fauour of an Apostolike spirite But bycause we contend with none but with theÌ„ that allowe it it is easy to shewe how these sentences do nothing mainteine their errour Firste it is necessarie that the Apostle agree with his maister whiche affirmeth that all sinne and blasphemie shal be forgeueÌ„ except the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is not forgeuen neyther in this world nor in the world to come It is certaine I saye that the Apostle was contented with this exception vnlesse we will make him an aduersarie to the grace of Christ. Whereupon foloweth that pardon is denied to no special offenses but only to one whiche procedyng of a desperate rage can not be ascribed to weakenesse and openly sheweth that a man is possessed of the Deuell But to discusse this it behoueth to enquire what is that same so horrible offense that shall haue no forgeuenesse Whereas Augustine in one place defineth it an obstinate stifnesse euen vnto death with despeire of pardon that doth not well agree with the very wordes of Christ thaâ— it shall not be forgeuen in this world For eyther that is spoken in vaine or it maye be coÌ„mitted in this life But if Augustines definition be true then it is not committed vnlesse it continue euen vnto death Wheras some other saye that he sinneth against the holy ghost that enuieth the grace bestowed vpon his brother I see not froÌ„ whense that is fetched But let vs bring a true definitioÌ„ which beyng ones proued with sure testimonies shall easily by it selâ—e ouerthrowe all the reste I saye therefore that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost which of set purpose resist the truthe of God with brightnesse wherof they are so daseled that they can not pretend ignorance whiche they do only to this ende to resâ—st For Christe meanynge to expounde that whiche he had sayd immediatly addeth He that speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeueÌ„ him but he that blasphemeth agaynst the holy ghost shal not be forgeuen And Matthew for the blasphemie against the holy Spirit putteth the spirit of blasphemie But how can a maÌ„ speake a reproche against the
wilt not be put away from the inheritance c. Knowe ye brethren that all this miserie of mankinde when the world groneth is a medicinall sorrow and not a penall sentence c. These sentences I haue therefore thought good to alleage that the manner of speche that I haue aboue writen shuld not seme to any man newe and vnused And hereunto serue all the coÌ„plaintes full of indignation wherein the Lord oftentimes doth expostulate of the vnkindenesse of the people for that thei stiffly despised al punishmentes In Esaye he saith To what purpose should I strike you any more from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the hed there is no whole place But bicause the Prophetes are ful of such sayenges it shal be sufficient to haue briefly shewed that God do the punish his churche for none other intent but that it should be tamed and ameÌ„d Therefore when he did caste Saul out of the kingdome he punished him to reuengement When he toke from Dauid his yonge sonne he corrected him to amendement Accordyng to this meanyng is that to be taken which Paule sayth when we are iudged of the Lord we are corrected that we should not be damned with this worlde That is when we that be the children of God are afflicted with the hande of our heauenly father this is no peyne wherewith we should be confounded but only a chastisement wherwith we should be instructed In whiche pointe Augustine is plainely on our side For he teacheth that the peynes wherwith meÌ„ are a like chastised by God ar diuersly to be considered bycause to the holy ones they are battels and exercises after the forgeuenesse of their sinnes to the reprobate they are without forgeuenesse peynes of wickednesse In whiche place he rehearseth how peynes were layed vpon Dauid and other godly men and sayth that the same tended to this end that their godlinesse shold by such humbling of them be exercised and proued And where Esaie sayth that the Iewishe people had their iniquitie forgeuen them bycause they had receyued full chastisement at the Lordes hande this proueth not that the pardon of sinnes hangeth vpon the full paymeÌ„t of the peyne but it is in effect asmuch as if he had sayd Bycause ye haue alredy suffred peynes enough and by the greuousnesse and multitude thereof haue ben nowe pyned awaye with long mournyng sorrow therefore it is nowe time that receyuing the tidynges of full mercie your heartes should reioyce and fele me to be your father For there God did take vpon him the person of a father whiche repenteth him euen of his iuste seueritie when he was compelled sharply to correct his sonne With these thoughtes it is necessarie that the faithful be furnished in bitternesse of afflictions It is time that the iudgement beganne at the house of the Lord in which his name is called vpon What shuld the children of God do if thei did beleue the seueritie of God that they fele to be his vengeance For he that beyng stryken with the hand of God imagineth God a punishyng iudge can not coÌ„ceyue him but angry and enemie vnto him detest the very scourge of God as a curse and damnation Finally he can neuer be perswaded that God loueth him that shall thinke him so minded toward him that he is still minded to punish him But he only profiteth vnder the rod of God that thinketh him to bee angry with his sinnes but merciefull and louynge to himself For otherwise that muste needes happen whiche the Prophet complayneth that he felt where he sayth Thy wrathes O God haue passed ouer me thy terrors haue oppressed me Also that which Moses writeth bycause we haue faynted in thy wrath and we haue ben troubled in thy indignatioÌ„ thou hast set our iniquities in thy sight and our secretes in the light of thy countenance bicause all our dayes are gone awaye in thy wrath our yeres are consumed as the worde that is passed out of a mouth On the other side Dauid sayth thus of his fatherly chastisementes to teache that the faythfull are rather holpen than oppressed thereby Blessed is the man whome thou haste corrected O Lord hast instructed in thy law to geue him quiet froÌ„ euell dayes while a pit is digged for the sinner Truely it is a harde tentation when God sparyng the vnbeleuers and winkyng at their faultes semeth more rigorous agaynst them that be his Therefore he gaue them a cause of comfort the admonishment of the law wherby they should learne that it is done to prouide for their saluation when they are called agayne into the waye and the wicked are caried hedlong into their errours whose ende is the pit And it is no difference whether the peyne be euerlastyng or duryng for a time For as well warre famine pestilence and sickenesse as the iudgemeÌ„t of eternall death are the curses of God when they are layed vpon menne to this ende to be instrumentes of the Lordes wrath and vengeance agaynst the reprobate Nowe as I thinke all men doe perceyue whereunto tended that chastisement of the Lord vpon Dauid euen to be an instruction that God is greuously displeased with manslaughter adulterie agaynst which he had shewed so great an indignation in his beloued â—aithful seruant that Dauid should be taught to be no more so bolde to do the like deede and not to be a peyne wherby he shuld make a certaine recompense to God And so is to be iudged of the other kinde of correction whereby the Lord punished his people with a sore pestilence for Dauids disobedience whereinto he was fallen in numbryng the people For he did in deede freely forgeue to Dauid the giltinesse of his sinne but bicause it perteined bothe to the publike example of all ages and also to the humbling of Dauid that such a haynous offense should not remayne vnpunished therefore he moste sharply chastised him with his rodde Whiche marke also we ought to haue before our eyes in the vniuersal curse of mankinde For whereas after pardon obteined we do all yet suffer the miseries that weare layed vpon our first parent for peyne of sinne we perceyue our selues by suche exercises to be admonished how greuously God is displeased with the transgression of his law that beyng throwen downe huÌ„bled with knowledge in conscience of our owne miserable estate we may the more â—erueÌ„tly aspire to true blessednesse But he shal be most foolish that shal thinke that the calamities of this present life are layed vpon vs for the giltinesse of sinne And that I thinke was the meanyng of Chrysostome when he wrote thus If God do therfore laye peines vpoÌ„ vs that he should cal vs perseuering in euels to repentance then when repentance is ones shewed the peine shal be superflâ—ous Therefore as he knoweth it to be expedient for euery mans nature so he handleth one man more roughly and an other with
shoulde be made partakers of the nature of God As though we weare nowe suche as the Gospell promysed that we shal be at the last comming of Christe yea Iohn telleth vs that we shall then see God as he is because we shal be lyke vnto hym Only I thought good to geue a small taste to the readers that I doe of purpose passe ouer these trifles not for that it is harde to confute them but because I wyll not be tedious in a superfluous worke But in the seconde point lurketh more poyson where he teacheth that we are righteous together with God I thynke I haue alredy sufficiently proued that although this doctrine were not so pestilent yet because it is colde and frutelesse and of it selfe so vayne that it melteth away it ought worthely to be vnsauorie to sounde and godly Reders But this is an intolerable wickednesse vnder pretense of double rightuousnesse to enfeble the earnest assuraunce of saluatioÌ„ and to cary vs aboue the cloudes that we shold not embrace by faith the grace of propitiation cal vpon God with quiet myndes Osiander scorneth them that teache that this worde Iustifying is a lawe terme because we must be ryghteous in dede And he abhorreth nothing more thaÌ„ to say that we be iustified by free imputation But if God do not iustifie vs by acquiting and pardoning what meaneth that saying of Paul God was in Christe reconciling the worlde to hym selfe not impuâ—ynge to men their synnes For hym that had done no synne he made synne for vs that we might be the rightuousnesse of God in him First I wynne thus muche that they be iudged righteous that be reconciled to God The manner howe is declared for that God iustifieth by forgeuyng as in an other place iustification is set as contrary to accusatioÌ„ which comparing of them as contraries doth clerely shewe that it is a phrase borrowed from the vse of the lawe And there is no man beyng but meanely practised in the Hebrewe tongue if he haue a sober brayne that is ignoraunt that this phrase came from thence and whereunto it tendeth and what it meaneth Nowe where Paul sayeth that Dauid described the ryghteousnesse without workes in these wordes Blessed are they whose synnes are forgeuen Let Osiander aunswere me whether this be a full definition or but halfe a one Truely Paul bryngeth not in the Prophet for a witnesse as though he taught that forgeuenesse of sinnes is but a part of righteousnes or a thing that ioyneth with other to the iustifiyng of man But he includeth whole ryghtuousnesse in free forgeuenesse pronouÌ„cing the man blessed whose sinnes are couered to whom God hath forgeuen iniquities to whom he imputeteh no traÌ„sgressions He doth measure iudge suche a mans felicitie thereby because he is not this way righteous in dede but by imputatioÌ„ Osiander taketh exception and saieth that this should be sclaunderous to God and contrary to his nature if he should iustifie them that in deede remayne styll wicked But we must remember as I haue already sayde that the grace of iustifying is not seuered from regeneration although they be seuerall thynges But because it is more than sufficiently knowen by experience that there abide alwayes in the righteous some reÌ„nantes of sinne it must nedes be that they be farre otherwyse iustified than they be reformed into newnesse of lyfe For this later point of reformation God so beginneth in his elect and throughout the whole course of their life by litle and litle and sometime slowly procedeth in it that thei be alway before his seate in danger of the iudgemeÌ„t of death But he iustifieth them not by partmeale but so that thei may freely as clothed with the purenesse of Christ appere in heauen For no portion of righteousnesse could appease our consciences tyll they be satisfied the God is fully pleased with vs because we be righteous in his sight with out exception Whereupon foloweth that the Doctrine of iustification is misturned yea ouerturned from the very foundation when doubtinge is cast into mens myndes when the affiance of saluatioÌ„ is shaken wheÌ„ thee free and dredlesse inuocation is hindred yea when quiet and tranquillitie with spirituall ioye is not staâ—lyshed Wherupon Paul gathereth an argument by contraries to proue that the inheritance is not by the lawe For by this meane faith should be made voide whiche if it haue respect to workes is ouerthrowen because none of the moste holy shall therin finde wherupon to trust This differeÌ„ce of iustifiyng and regeneratyng whiche two thinges Osyander confoundinge together calleth two sortes of righteousnesse is very wel expressed by Paul For speaking of his reall righteousnesse in dede or of the vprightnesse wher with he was endued whiche Osiander nameth essentiall righteousnes he lamentably crieth out Wretche that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death But fleing to the righteousnesse whiche is grounded vpon the only mercie of God he gloriously triumpheth ouer both life death reproches hunger sworde and all aduersities Whoe shall accuse the electes of God whome he iustifieth For I am surely persuaded that nothing shall seuer vs from his loue in Christ. He plainely publisheth that he hath the righteousnesse whiche alone fully sufficeth to saluation before God so that the wretched bondage whiche he knowyng to be in him selfe did a litle before beuayle his estate may not mouish nor any way hinder his boldnesse to glorie This diuersitie is sufficiently knowen and so familiar to al the holy ones that grone vnder the burden of iniquities yet with victorious confidence do mount vp aboue all feares As for this that Osiander obiecteth that it disagreeth with the nature of God it falleth vpon him selfe For although he clotheth the holy ones with a double rightuousnesse as it were with a furred garment yet he is compelled to confesse that without forgeuenesse of synnes they neuer pleased God If that be true then at least let him graunt that thei which are not righteous in dede are accompted righteous according to the apointed proportion of imputation as they call it But howe far shall a sinner extend this free acceptation that is put in place of ryghteousnesse shall he measure it by the pounde or by the ounce Truely he shall hang doubtefull and waueryng to this side and that side bicause he may not take vnto him so much righteousnesse as shal be necessarie to stablish confidence It is happy that he that wold binde God to a law is not iudge of this cause But this shal staÌ„de stedfast that thou mayest be iustified in thy sayenges and ouercoÌ„me when thou art iudged But howe great presumption is it to condemne the chefe iudge when he freely acquiteth that this answer maye not be in force I will haue mercie vpon whom I wil haue mercie And yet the intercession of Moses which God did put to silence with this sayeng tended not to this ende
that he should spare none but that he should acquite altogether taking away their condemnation although they were gilty of offense And we do say that they whiche were loste haue their sinnes buried and so are iustified before God bicause as God hateth sinne so he can loue none but them whome he iustifieth But this is a maruellous manner of iustifieng that they beyng couered with the righteousnesse of Christ stand not in feare of the iudgement which they haue deserued and when they worthily condemne themselues are accompted righteous without themselues But the readers are to be warned that thei take good heede to the misterie whiche he braggeth that he wil not hide from them For after that he hath longe and largely trauailed to proue that we do not obteine fauour with God by the only imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ bicause this should bee impossible for him to compte them for righteous that are not righteous I vse his owne wordes at lengâ—h he concludeth that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse not in respect of his nature of manhod but of his nature of Godhed and that although this righteousnesse can not be found but in the person of the Mediatour yet it is the righteousnesse not of maÌ„ but of God He doth now bynde vp his rope made of two righteousnesses but he plainely taketh away the office of iustifieng from Christes nature of maÌ„hode But it is good to see how he disagreeth It is sayd in the same place that Christ was made vnto wisedome which beloÌ„geth to none but to the eternal word Therfore Christ in that he is man is not wisedom I answer that the only begotten sonne of God was in deede his eternal wisedome but in Paules writinges that name is geuen him in diuerse wise bicause al the treasures of wisedome knowlege are laied vp in him That therfore which he had with his father he disclosed vnto vs so that which Paule sayth is not referred vnto the essence of the sonne of God but to our vse and is rightly applied to Christes nature of manhode bicause although he shined a light in darkenesse before that he did put on fleshe yet it was a hidden light till the same Christ came forth in the nature of man the shinyng sunne of righteousnesse which therefore calleth himself the light of the world Also it is folishly obiected of him that the power of iustifieng is far aboue bothe Angeles men for asmuch as this hangeth not vpon the worthinesse of any creature but vpon the ordinance of God If Angels will take vpon theÌ„ to satisfie God they can nothyng preuaile bicause they are not apointed therunto But this singularly belonged to Christ being man which was made subiect to the lawe to redeme vs froÌ„ the curse of the law Also he doth sclaunderously cauil that they which denie that Christ is our righteousnesse accordyng to his nature of Godhed doe leaue but one part of Christ which is worse do make two gods bicause although thei coÌ„fesse that God dwelleth in vs yet they saye againe that we are not righteous by the righteousnesse of God For although we call Christ the author of life in respect that he suffred death to destroye him that had the power of death we do not by by take awaye that honor from whole Christ as he was openly shewed God in the flesh but we only make a distintioÌ„ how the righteousnesse of God is coÌ„ueyed vnto vs that we may enioy it In which point Osiander hath to fowly erred Neither do we denie that that which is opeÌ„ly geueÌ„ vs in Christ procedeth from the secret grace power of God we striue not agaynst this that the righteousnesse whiche Christ geueth vs is the righteousnesse of God that procedeth from God but we hold this stedfastly that we haue righteousnesse life in the death resurrection of Christ. I ouerpasse that heapyng together of places whereof he maye wel be ashamed wherwith he hath tediously coÌ„bred the readers without choise without coÌ„mon reason to proue that whersoeuer is made mention of righteousnesse there ought to be vnderstanded this essentiall righteousnesse As where Dauid calleth vpon the righteousnesse of God to help him wheras he doth the same aboue a hundred times Osiander sticketh not to corrupt so many senteÌ„ces And nothing stroÌ„ger is the other obiectioÌ„ that that is properly rightly called righteousnesse whereby we be moued to do rightly but that God only worketh in vs both to will to performe For we do also not denie but that God reformeth vs with his Spirit vnto holinesse of life righteousnesse but we must first see whether he do this by himself and immediatly or by the hand of his Sonne with whom he hath lefte al the fulnesse of his holy Spirit that with his abundaÌ„t store he should supplie the neede of his meÌ„bres Moreouer although righteousnesse come vnto vs out of the secret fountayne of the godhed yet it foloweth not that Christ which saÌ„ctified himself in yâ— flesh for our sakes was righteousnesse vnto vs according to his nature of godhed No lesse fond is that which he sayth that Christ himself was righteous by the righteousnesse of God Bicause vnlesse the wil of his father had moued him he could not himself haue satisfied the office coÌ„mitted vnto him For though we haue in an other place sayd that al the deseruings of Christ himself do procede froÌ„ the mere good will of God yet that maketh nothing to that fantastical thing wherwith Osiander bewitcheth both his own and simple mens eyes For whoe would suffer a maÌ„ to gather this coÌ„clusion that bicause God is the fountaine beginning of our righteousnesse therfore we be essentially righteous the essence of Gods righteousnesse dwelleth in vs In redeminge the church sayth Esaye God did put on his righteousnesse as a harnesse but dyd he so to spoyle Christ of his armure which he had geuen him to make him to be no perfect redemer But the Prophet meante nothyng els but that God borowed nothing out of himselfe nor was holpen by any ayde to redâ—me vs. Which thing Paule brefly expressed in other wordes sayeng that he gaue vs saluatioÌ„ to the shewyng of his righteousnesse But this doth not ouerthrowe that which he teacheth in an other place that we are righteous by the obedieÌ„ce of one maÌ„ Finally whosoeuer wrappeth vp a double righteousnesse that poore soules maye not rest in the mere only mercie of God he dothe in a mockerie crowne Christ with thornes But for asmuch as a great part of meÌ„ imagineth righteousnesse to be made of faith workes let vs first shew this also that the righteousnesse of fayth and workes doth so differ that when the one is stablished the other must needes be ouerthrowen The Apostle fayth that he estemed al thinges as dong that he might winne Christ finde in him the
very same places in which the holy ghoste promiseth to works eternal glorie for reward in expressing the inheritance bi name he sheweth the it coÌ„meth froÌ„ els where So Christ rehearseth works which he recompenseth with the rewarding of heaueÌ„ when he calleth the elect to the possessioÌ„ therof but he therwtal adioyneth that it must be possessed by right of inheritance So Paul biddeth seruantes which do their duetie faithefully to hope for reward of the lord but he addeth of inheritance We see how thei do as it were by expresse wordes proued that we impute not eternall blessednes to works but â—o the adoptioÌ„ of god Why therfore do thei therwtal together make mentioÌ„ of works This questioÌ„ shal be made plaine with one exaÌ„ple of scripture Before the birth of Isaac ther was promised to Abraham a seede in which al the nations of the earth shold be blessed a multiplieng of his sede which shold match the starres of the skie and the sandes of the sea other like In many yeares afterwarde Abraham as he was coÌ„maunded bi the oracle prepared himself to offer vp his soÌ„ne in sacrifice When he had performed this obedience he receyued a promise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the lorde bicause yâ— hast done thys thing hast not spared thine own only begotteÌ„ sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thy sede as the starres of the skie the sandes of the sea thy sede shal possesse the gates of their enemies al the nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede bicause yâ— hast obeied my voice What heare we Hathe AbrahaÌ„ by his obedience deserued the blessing the promise wherof he had receiued before that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was geuen Here verily we haue it wtout circuÌ„stances shewed that the lord rewardeth the workes of the faithful with those benefites which he had already geuen theÌ„ before that the works were thought of hauing yet no cause why he shoulde do good to them but his owne mercie Yet doth the Lord not deceiue nor mocke vs when he saith that he rendreth for rewarde to workes the same thing which he hadde before workes freely geuen For bicause he will haue vs to be exercised wyth good workes to thinke vpoÌ„ the deliuerie or enioyeng as I may so call it of these things which he hath promised and to runne through them to the blessed hope set before vs in heauen the frute of the promises is also rightly assigned to theÌ„ to the ripenesse wherof thei do not bring vs. The Apostle very fittly expressed both these points when he said that the Colossians applie themselues to the duties of charitie for the pope which is laied vp for them in heauen of which thei had before heard by the word of the true speaking Gospel For wheÌ„ he saith that thei knew by the Gospel that there was hope layed vp for them in heauen he declareth that the same is by Christ only not vnderpropped with any works Wherew t accordeth that saieng of Peter that the godly are kept by the power of God through faith vnto the saluatioÌ„ which is ready to be manifestli shewed at the time appointed for it When he sayth that thei labor for it he signifieth that the faithfull must runne all the time of their life that thei may atteine to it But least we shoulde thinke that the rewarde whiche the lorde promiseth vs is not reduced to the measure of merit he did putte forth a parable in which he made himselfe a householder whiche sent al them that he met to the trimming of his vineyarde some at the first houre of the daye some at the second some at the thirde yea some aâ—o at the xi At euening he payed to euery one egall wages The expositioÌ„ of whiche parable that same olde writer what soeuer he was whose booke is carried abroade vnder the name of Ambrose of the callinge of the Gentiles hathe breefely and truely sette oute I wyll vse rather his woordes than myne owne The Lorde saithe hee by the rule of thys comparison hath stablished the dyuersitie of manifolde calling belonging to one grace where without doubt thei whiche beinge lette in into the vineyard at the xi houre are made egal with them that had wrought the whole day do represeÌ„t the estate of theÌ„ whom for the aduanciÌ„g of the excellency of grace the tender kindenes of the lord hath rewarded at the wauing of the day and at the ending of their life not paieng wages for their labore but pouring out the richesse of his goodnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hath chosen wtout works that euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure haue receiued no more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued a gift of grace not a reward of works Last of al this also is worthy to be noted in these places wher eternal life is called the rewarde of works that it is not simply takeÌ„ for the communicating which we haue with God to blessed immortalitie wheÌ„ hee embraceth vs with fatherly good wil in Christe but for the possessing or enioying as thei cal it of blessednesse as also that very words of Christ do sound In time to come life euerlasting And in an other place Come possesse the kingdome c. After this manner Paul calleth adoptioÌ„ the reueling of the adoptioÌ„ which shal be made in the resurrectioÌ„ afterward expouÌ„deth it the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of our body Otherwise as estranging froÌ„ God is eternal death so when man is receiued of God into fauour that he may enioye the coÌ„municating of him be made one with him hee is receiued froÌ„ death to life which is done by the beneficiall meane of adoption onely And if as thei are wonte thei stiffely enforce the reward of works we maie tourne against them that saieng of Peter that eternall life is the rewarde of faith Therfore let vs not think that the holy ghoste doth with such promise set forth the worthinesse of our works as if thei deserued such rewarde For the scripture leaueth nothing to vs wherof we may be aduauÌ„ced in the sight of God But rather it wholy endeuoreth to beate down oure arrogance to humble vs to throwe vs downe altogether to breake vs in peces But our weaknes is so succoured which otherwyse wold by by slippe fal down vnlesse it did susteine it self with this expectation mitigate her tedious greues with coÌ„fort First how harde it is for a man to forsake deny not only al his things but also himselfe let euery man consider for himself And yet with this introduction Christ traineth his schollers that is all the godly Then throughout all their life he so instructeth theÌ„ vnder the discipline of the crosse that thei may not set their hearte eyther to the desire or coÌ„fideÌ„ce of present good things Brefely he so handleth them for the most part that which way so euer they tourne their
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
kepyng silence put his enemies to silence But that we may not suffer them freely to scorne his holy name he deliuereth to vs out of his word weapons agaynst them Wherefore if any man assayle vs with such wordes why God hath from the beginning predestinate some to death which wheÌ„ thei were not could not yet deserue the iudgemeÌ„t of death we in steede of answer may againe on our side aske of them what they thinke that God oweth to maÌ„ if he wil iudge him bi his owne nature In such sort as we be al corrupted with sinne we can not but be hatefull to God that not by tirannous crueltie but by most vpright reason of iustice If all they whom the Lord doâ—h predestinate to death are by the estate of nature subiect to the iudgemeÌ„t of death of what vniustice against theÌ„selues I beseche you may they complaine Let al the sonnes of AdaÌ„ come Let them striue dispute with their creator for that by his eternall prouideÌ„ce they were before their generation condemned to euerlastyng miserie What shall they be able ones to mutter agaynst this defense when God on the other side shal call them to reknowlegyng of themselues If they be all takeÌ„ out of a corrupt masse it is no maruell if they be subiect to damnation Let them not therefore accuse God of vniustice if by his eternall iudgement they be apointed to death to which thei themselues do â—ele whether they will or no that they are willingly led of their owne nature Whereby appereth how wroÌ„gfull is the desire of their murmuryng bicause they do of set purpose hide the cause of damnatioÌ„ which they are coÌ„pelled to acknowlege in theÌ„selues the layeng of the blame vpon God may acquite them But though I do a hundred times confesse as it is most true that God is the author of it yet they do not by and by wipe away the giltinesse whiche beyng engrauen in their coÌ„sciences from time with oft recourse presenteth it self to their eyes Agayne they except and saye were they not before predestinate by the ordinance of God to the same corruption whiche is now alledged for the cause of daÌ„nation WheÌ„ therfore thei perish in their corruptioÌ„ thei do nothing but suffer the punishmeÌ„t of that miserie into which by his predestinatioÌ„ Adam sel drew his posteritie hedloÌ„g with him Is not he therefore uniust whiche doth so cruelly mocke his creatures I graunt in deede that al the children of AdaÌ„ fel by the wil of God into that miserie of state wherin they be now bouÌ„d this is it that I sayd at the beginning that at length we must alway returne to the determination of the wil of God the cause wherof is hiddeÌ„ in himself But it foloweth not by by that God is subiect to this sclauÌ„der For we wil with Paul answer theÌ„ in this maÌ„ner O man what art thou that coÌ„tendest with God doth the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou formed me so Hath not the potter power to make of the same luÌ„pe one vessel to honor an other to dishonor They will say that the righteousnesse of God is so not truely defended but that we seke a shift such as thei are wont to haue that want a iust eâ—euse For what els semeth here to be sayd thaÌ„ that God hath a power which can not be hindered from doyng any thing whatsoeuer it be as he will himselfe But it is far otherwise For what stronger reason can be brought than wheÌ„ we are coÌ„maunded to think what a one God is For how should be coÌ„mit any vniustice which is iudge of the world If it properly perteine to the nature of God to do iudgemeÌ„t then he naturally loueth righteousnesse abhorreth vnrighteousnesse Wherefore the Apostle did not as though he were ouertakeÌ„ loke about for holes to hide him but shewed that the reason of the righteousnesse of God is hier than that it either is to be measured by the measure of man or may be comprehended by the sclender capacitie of the wit of man The Apostle in deede confesseth that there is such depth in the iudgemeÌ„tes of God wherwith the mindes of men shold be swalowed if ther endeuored to pearce into it But he teacheth also how haynous wroÌ„g it is to binde the workes of God to such a law that so sone as we vnderstaÌ„d not the reason of them we may be bold to disalow them It is a knowen sayeng of SalonioÌ„ which yet fem do rightly vnderstand The great creator of al reÌ„dreth reward to the foole and reward to transgressors For he crieth out concerning the greatnesse of God in whose will it is to punish fooles transgressors although he do not vouchesaue to let them haue his Spirit And moÌ„struous is the madnesse of men when they so couet to make that whiche is vnmeasurable subiect to the smal measure of their reason The Angels which stoode still in their vprightnesse Paul calleth elect If their stedfastnesse was grouÌ„ded vpon the good pleasure of God the falling away of the other proueth that they were forsaken Of which thing there can no other cause be alleged than reprobatioÌ„ which is hidden in the secret counsell of God Goe to let there now be present some Manichee or Celestine a sclauÌ„derer of the prouidence of God I say with Paule that there ought no reason to be rendred therof bicause with the greatnesse of it it far surmounteth our vnderstanding What maruel or what absurditie is it Wold he haue the power of God so limited that it may be able to work no more than his minde is able to conceyue I saye with Augustine that they are created of the Lorde whome he without douâ—yng foreknew that they should goe into destruction and that it was so done bicause he so willed but why he willed it is not our pâ—rt to ask a reason of it who can not comprehend iâ— â—either is it mete that the â—nd of God should come downe into coÌ„trouersie amoÌ„g vs of whiche so ofâ— aâ— mention is made vnder the name of it is named the hiest rule of righteousnesse Why therefore is any question moued of vnrighteousnesse where righteousnesse clerely appereth Neither let vs be ashamed after the exaÌ„ple of Paule so to stoppe the mouthes of the wicked â—roÌ„ time to time so oft as thei shal be bold to barke against it to repete this Whoe be ye miserable men that lay an accusation to Gods charge â–ª do therfore lay it to his charge bicause he doth not teÌ„per the greatnesse of his workes to your dulnesse As though thei were therfore wroÌ„gful bicause they are hidden froÌ„ flesh The vnmeasurablenesse of the iudgementes of God is by cleare experiences knowen vnto you Ye know that they are called the depe bottomlesse depth Nowe aske of the narrow capacities of your wit whether they coÌ„prehend that whiche God hath decreed with himself What good doth it you
from thys care for verily these promyses haue respect to the time to come All that my Father geueth mee shall come to me and him that shall come to mee I will not cast him oute of doers Againe This is the will of him that sente me the Father that I lose nothing of al things that he hath geuen me but may raise them vp againe in the last day Againe â–ª My shepe heare my voice and thei folowe me I knowe them and I geue them eternall life and thei shall not perishe for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande The Father which gaue them to me is greater then all and no man can take them out of the hande of my Father Now when he pronouÌ„ceth Euery tree whiche my Father hathe not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote he signifieth on the coÌ„trary side that thei can neuer be plucked from saluation which haue roote in God Wherewith agreeth that saieng of Ihon If thei had ben of vs thei had not at all gone out from vs. Herevpon also commeth that noble glorieng of Paul against Life and Death present thinges and thinges to come which glorieng must nedes be grounded vpon the gift of continuance Neyther is it any doubt that he directeth this saieng to all the faithfull In an other place the same Paul saith He that hath begonne in you a good worke shal ende it euen vntil the day of Christ. As also Dauid when his faith fainted leaned vpon this stay Thou shalt not forsake the worke of thy handes And nowe neither is this doubtfull that Christ when he prayeth for all the faithfull asketh the same thinge for them whiche he asketh for Peter that their faith maye neuer faint Whereby we gather that thei are out of danger of falling awaie bycause the sonne of God askinge stedfaste continuance for their godlinesse suffered no deniall What woulde Christe haue vs to learne hereby but that wee shoulde truste that we shall perpetually be safe bicause we are ones made his But it dayly happeneth that thei whiche semed to be Christes do agayne reuolt from him fal yea in the very same place where he affirmeth that none had perished of them which were geuen him of the Father yet he excepteth the sonne of perditioÌ„ That is true in dede but this is also as certaine that such did neuer cleaâ—e to Christ with that aâ—fiance of heart with whiche I sate that the assurednesse of our election ys stablished Thei went out from vs saith Ihon but thei were not of vs. For if thei had ben of vs thei had still taried with vs. Neither do I deny that thei haue like signes of calling as the elect haue but I do not graunt that thei haue that sure stablishment of election which I bidde the faithfull to fetche out of the worde of the Gospell Wherfore let not suche examples moue vs but that we quietly reste vpon the promise of the Lord where he pronounceth that al thei are geuen to him of the Father which receiue him with true faith of whom sith he is their keper Pastor none shal perishe Of Iudas we shal speake hereafter Paule doth not counsell Christians from assurednesse altogether butte from carelesse and loose assurednesse of the fleshe whiche draweth wyth it pride presumptioÌ„ and disdaine of other and quencheth humilitie and the reuerence of God bringeth forgetfulnes of grace receiued For he speaketh to the Gentiles whome he teacheth that thei ought not proudly vngently to reproche that Iewes for this that the Iewes beinge disherited thei were set in their stede Feare also he requireth not wherew t thei sholde be dismaied stagger but whych framing vs to the humbler receiuing of the grace of God shold abate nothing of the affiance therof as we haue said in an other place Beside that he doth not there speake to euery maÌ„ particularly but to the sectes theÌ„selues generally For when the Churche was diuided into two parts enuie bred dissensioÌ„ Paul putteth the GeÌ„tiles in minde that their beiÌ„g supplied into the place of the peculiar holy people ought to bee to theÌ„ a cause of feare modesty And amoÌ„g theÌ„ ther wer many puffed vp with glory whose vaine bostiÌ„g it was profitable to beat downe But we haue in an other place shewed that our hope is extended to the time to come euen beyonde death that nothing is more contrarye to the nature of it than to doubte what shall become of vs. That saieng of Christ of many being called but few chosen is very il takeÌ„ after that maÌ„ner Ther shal be nothing doubtful if we hold faste that which ought to be clere by the things aboue spokeÌ„ that ther ar two sorts of calling For ther is an vniuersal calling wherby through the outward preaching of the word God calleth al together to him euen them also to whom he setteth it forth vnto that sauour of death vnto matter of more greuous coÌ„demnatioÌ„ The other is a special calling whiche for the most part he vouche saueth to geue only to the faithful wheÌ„ by the inward enlightning of his spirit he maketh that the word preached is setled in their hearts Yet somtime he maketh theÌ„ also partakers of it whoÌ„ he enlightneth but for a time afterward by the deseruiÌ„g of their vnthankefulnes forsaketh theÌ„ striketh theÌ„ with greater blindenes Nowe when the Lorde sawe the Gospel to be published far wide to be despised of many but to be had in due price of fewe he describeth to vs God vnder the persoÌ„ of a Kinge which preparinge a solemne feaste sendeth his messingers rounde about to bidde a greate multitude to be his gestes and yet can get but a fewe bicause euery one allegeth lettes for his excuse so that at length he is compelled vpon their refusal to cal out of the hie waies euery one that he meteth Hetherto euery man seeth that the parable must be vnderstand of the outward callinge He addeth afterward that God doth like a good maker of a feast which goeth aboute the tables to chere his gestes If he finde any not clothed with a weddinge garment he wil not suffer him with his vncleanlines to dishonoure the solemnitie of the feast This part of the parable I grant is to be vnderstand of them which enter into the Church by the profession of faithe but are not clothed with the sanctification of Christ. Suche dishonors and as it were botches of his Churche the Lorde wyll not suffer for euer but as their fylthinesse deserueth he wil caste them out Therfore few ar chosen out of a great numbre of them that are called but yet not with the calling by which we say that the faithfull ought to iudge their election For that general calling is also common to the wicked but this special Calling bringeth with it the spirit of regeneratioÌ„ which is the
it com to passe that whatsoeuer greues we suffer thei shal be to vs a shewing of the life to come bicause it agreeth with the nature of God to render affliction to the wicked whiche afflict vs but to vs which are vniustly afflicted rest at the appearing of Christ with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire But that is to be holden whiche he addeth by and by afterwarde that he shall come that he may be glorified in his saintes be made wonderfull in al them that haue beleued bicause the Gospel hath ben beleued But althoughe the mindes of men ought to haue ben continnually occupied in this studie yet as though thei would of set purpose destroy all remembrance of the resurrection they haue called death the vtâ—ermost bounde of all thinges and the destruction of man For verily Salomon speaketh of the common and receiued opinion when hee saithe that a liuing dogge is better then a deade Lion And in an other place Whoe knoweth whether the soule of a man go vpward the soule of a beaste goe downewarde But in al ages this brutishe senslesse errore hath ben coÌ„mon in the worlde yea hath broken into the Church it self for the Sadduces haue presumed to professe openly that there is no resurrection yea and that soules are mortal But that this grosse ignorance sholde not helpe to excuse any man the infideles euen by very instinct of nature haue alwaye had an image of the resurrection before theyr eies For to what purpose serued that holy and inuiolable manner of burieng but to be an earnest of newe life Neither may it be answered that this spring of erroure bicause the religiousnesse of buriall was alway in vre amonge the holy Fathers and God willed the same manner to remaine amonge the Gentiles that an image of the rusurrection set before them might awake their drowsinesse But althoughe that ceremonie wanted his vse of profitinge yet it is profitable for vs if we wisely marke the ende of it bicause it is no sclender confutation of vnbelefe that al together professed that which no man beleued But Satan hath not only astonished the senses of men so that thei haue buried with the bodies the remembrance of the resurrection but also hath practised to corrupt this parte of doctrine with diuerse fained inuentions that at length it mighte vtterly die I passe ouer howe in Paules time Satan beganne to pinche at it but in a little after there folowed the Millenaries whiche limited the reigne of Christe to a thousande yeares Their erroure is so childishe that it nedeth not or is not worthy of any confutatioÌ„ Neither doth the ReuelatioÌ„ make on their side by whiche it is certaine that thei colored their erroure forasmuche as in the place where he mentioneth the numbre of a thousande hee entreateth not of the eternall blessednesse of the Church but only of the diuers trobles which were to come vpon the Churche while it yet trauailed in earth But the whole Scripture crieth out that there shal be no end of the blessednesse of the elect nor of the punishment of the reprobate Now of all thinges whiche bothe are hidden from our sight and do far passe the capacitie of our minde eyther we muste fetch the credite out of the certaine oracles of God or we muste vtterly caste it away They whiche assigne to the chyldren of God a thousand yeres to enioye the inheritance of the life to come do not marke how great a dishonor they do bothe to Christ and his kingdome For yf they shal not be clothed with immortalitie then neyther is Christ hymselfe to whose glorie they shal be newly fashioned receiued into the immortall glorie If their blessednesse shal haue any end then the kingdome of Christ â–ª vpon the stedfastnesse whereof it standeth endureth but for a time Finally eyther they are most vnskilfull of all matters concernyng God or they go about with croked maliciousnesse to ouerthrow the whole grace of God and power of Christ the fulfillyng wherof is no otherwise perfect but when sinne beyng blotted out death swallowed vp eternall life is fully restored But very blinde men may see how fondly they playe the fooles which feare that thei should ascribe to God to great crueltie if the reprobate be condemned to euerlasting peynes The Lord forsothe shall do wrong if he denie his kingdome to them whiche haue by their vnthankfulnesse made themselues vnworthy of it But say thei their sinnes endure but for a time I grauÌ„t but the maiestie yea and the righteousnesse of God whiche they haue offended by sinnyng is eternall Worthily therfore the remembrance of iniquitie dyeth not But so the peyne excedeth the measure of the faulte This is a blasphemie not to be suffred when the maiestie of God is so litle set by when the despising therof is estemed at no greater value than the destruction of one soule But let vs leaue these trifles least contrarie to that which we haue before sayd we may seme to iudge their dotages worthy of confutation Byside these there haue ben two other doting errors brought in by men peruersly curious The one sort thought as though the whole man died that the soules shall rise agayne with the bodies The other for asmuch as they graunt that the soules be immortall spirites say that they shal be clothed with new bodies whereby they denie the resurrection of the flesh Of the first sort bycause I haue touched somwhat in speakyng of the creation of man it shal be enough for me to warne the reders againe how beastly an errour it is to make of a spirit fashioned after the image of God a vanishyng blast whiche doth nothing but quicke the body in this frayle life and to bryng the teÌ„ple of the holy ghost to nothyng Finally to spoyle that part of vs wherein dimnesse chefely shineth and markes of immortalitie appere to spoyle it I say of this gift so that the estate of the body should be better and more excellent than the estate of the soule The Scripture teacheth far otherwise which compareth the body to a cotage out of whiche it sayth that we remoue when we die bicause it estemeth vs by that part whiche maketh vs differing from brute beastes So Peter beyng me to death sayth that the time is come when he muste saye awaye his tent And Paul speaking of the faithful after that he hath sayd That when our earthly house shal be dissolued there is a bildyng for vs in heauen adioyneth that we are wayferyng from the Lord so long as we abide in the body but do desire the presence of God in the absence of the body If the soules do not ouerliue the bodies what is it that hath God present when it is seuered from the body But the Apostle taketh away all doutyng when he teacheth that we are ioyned in felowship to the spirites of the righteous By whiche wordes he sheweth that
we haue sayd that we shall rise againe in the same fleshe whiche we beare as touchyng the substance but the qualitie shal be other As when the same flesh of Christ whiche had ben offred for sacrifice was raysed vp againe yet it excelled in other qualities as yf it had ben altogether an other flesh Which thing Paule declareth by familiar examples For as there is all one substance of the fleshe of a man and of a beast but not al one qualitie as all starres haue like matter but not like brightnesse so he teacheth that though we shal kepe stil the substance of our body yet there shal be a change that the state of it may be muche more excellent The body therefore that we maye be raysed vp agayne shal not perish nor vanish awaye but puttyng of corruption it shal put on vncorruption But for asmuch as God hath al the elementes ready at his becke no hardinesse shall hinder him but that he may commaund both the earth waters fier to rēder that which semeth to be cōsumed by them Which also Esay testifieth though not without a figure where he sayth Beholde the Lord shal goe forth of his place that he maye visit the iniquitie of the earth and the earth shall discouer her bloud and shal no more hide her dead But there is to be noted a difference betwene them that haue ben dead long before and those whō that daye shall finde aliue For we shall not all slepe as Paul sayth but we shall all be changed that is to saye it shall not be of necessitie that there be a distance of time betwene death and the beginnyng of the seconde life bycause in a moment of time and in the twyncling of an eye the sound of the trompet shall pearce to rayse vp the dead vncorruptible and with a sodeyne change to fashion agayne the liuing into the same glorie So in an other place he comforteth the faythful whiche muste die bycause they whiche shall then remayne aliue shal not goe before the dead but rather they shall first rise agayne whiche haue slept in Christ. If any obiect that sayeng of the Apostle that it is apointed to all mortalll menne ones to dye it is easy to answere it with sayeng that when the state of nature is changed it is a kinde of death and is fittly so called And therefore these thinges agree wel together that all shal be renewed by death when they shall put of their mortall bodie and yet that it is not necessarie that there be a seueryng of the bodie and the soule where there shal be a sodeyne changyng But here ariseth a harder question by what right the resurrection whyche is the singular benefit of Christe is common also to the wicked and the accursed of God We knowe that all were in Adam condemned to death Christ came the resurrection and lyfe Came he to geue life to all mankinde vniuersally without choyse But what is more agaynst reason than that they should by their obstinate blindenesse obteyne that which the godly worshippers of God do obteine by onely faith Yet this remaineth certaine that there shal be one resurrection of iudgement and an other resurrectiō of life and that Christ shall come to seuer the Lambes from the Goates I answer that this ought not to seme strange the likenesse whereof we see in dayly experience We see that in Adam we were depryued of the inheritance of the whole worlde and that we are by no lesse iuste reason debarred from common foode than from the eatyng of the tree of lyfe Whense then commeth it to passe that God doth not onely make his sunne to ryse vpon the good and euell but also as touchyng the vses of this present lyfe his inestimable liberalitie continually floweth forth to them with large plentuousnesse Hereby verily we knowe that those thinges whiche properly belong to Christ and his members doe also ouerflowe to the wicked not that it is their rightfull possession but that they maye be made the more inexcusable So the wicked do oftentimes finde God beneficiall by more than meane proues yea suche as somtime do darken all the blessinges of the Godly but yet do turne to their greater damnation If any man obiect that the resurrection is not fitly compared to fadynge and earthly benefites here also I answere that so sone as they were estranged from God the fountayne of life they deserued the death of the Deuell whereby they should be vtterly destroyed Yet by the maruelous counsell of God there was founde a meane state that out of lyfe they mighte liue in death No more absurditie ought it to seme yf the resurrection happen to the wicked whiche draweth them agaynst their willes to the iudgement seate of Christ whome nowe they refuse to heare for their mayster and teacher For it were a small peyne to be consumed awaye with death yf they were not to suffer punishment for their obstinacie broughte before the iudge whose vengeance they haue without ende and measure prouoked agaynst themselues But although we muste holde that whiche we haue sayd and whiche that notable confession Paule before Felix conteyneth that he loketh for the resurrection of the righteous and wicked yet the Scripture oftentimes setteth forth election together with the heauenly glorie to the only children of God Bicause Christ proprely came not to the destruction but to the saluation of the worlde Therefore in the Crede there is made mention of the blessed life only But for as much as the Prophecie of death swallowed vp by victorie shall then and not till then be fulfilled let vs alwaye haue in mynde the eternall felicitie the ende of the resurrection of the excellencie whereof yf all thinges were spoken whiche the tonges of men where able to speake yet scarcely the smallest parcell thereof should bee expressed For howe so euer we truely heare that the kyngdome of God shal be stuffed full with bryghtnesse ioye felicitie and glorie yet those thynges that are spoken of are moste farre remoued from our sense and remayne as it were wrapped in darke speaches vntill that daye come when he himselfe shall geue to vs his glorie to be seene face to face We know sayth Iohn that we are the chyldren of God but it hath not yet appered But when we shal be lyke to him then we shal see him such as he is Wherfore the Prophets bicause thei could by no wordes expresse the spiritual blessednesse in it self did in a manner grosly portray it out vnder bodily thinges But for as much as the feruentnesse of desire must with some tast of the swetenesse be kindled in vs let vs chefely cōtinue in this thought that if god do as a certaine fountaine which can not be drawen drie cōteyne in him the fulnesse of al good things nothing is beyōd him to be coueted of them that tend toward the soueraigne good and the
small and contemptible number lyeth hid vnder a huge multitude and a fewe graines of wheate are couered wyth a heape of chaffe to God onely is to be lefte the knowledge of his Churche the fundation whereof is his secrete election But it is not sufficiente to conceiue in thoughte and mynde the multitude of the elect vnlesse we thinke vppon suche an vnitie of the Churche into whiche we be truely perswaded that we our selues be engraffed For vnlesse we be vnder our head Chryste vnited together wyth all the reste of his members there abydeth for vs no hope of the inheritaunce to come It is therefore called Catholike or Uniuersall because we can not fynde two or three Churches but that Christe muste be torne in sonder whyche can not be done But all the electe of God are so knitt together in Christe that as they hang vpon one head so they may growe together as it were into one body cleauing together wyth suche a compacting of ioyntes as the members of one selfe body beeing truely made one whiche with one hope Fayth Charitie with one selfe Spirite of God dooe lyue together beeing called not onely into one inheritaunce of eternall lyfe but also into one partaking of one God and Christe Wherefore althoughe the sorowefull desolation that on eche syde presenteth it selfe in sighte crieth out that there is nothing lefte of the Churche yet lette vs knowe that Christes death is frutefull and that God maruellously as it were in secrete corners preserueth his Church As it was sayed to Elias I haue kept to my selfe seuen thousande men that haue not bowed their knee before Baal Albeit this article of the Crede doeth in some respecte belong to the outwarde Churche that euery one of vs shoulde holde himselfe in brotherly consente with all the children of God shoulde yelde vnto the Churche that authoritie whiche it deserueth finally should so behaue himself as a shepe of the flocke And therefore is adioyned the communion of Saintes Which parcell although commonly the old writers doe leaue it out yet is not to be neglected because it very wel expresseth the qualitie of the Churche as if it had been sayed that the Saintes are gathered together into the felowshyppe of Christ with this condition that whatsoeuer benefites God bestoweth vpon them they shoulde coÌ„tinually communicate them one to an other Wherby yet the diuersitie of graces is not taken away as we know that the gyftes of the Holy ghost are diuersly distributed neyther is the order of ciuile gouernemente disturbed by whiche it is lawfull for euery man priuately to enioye his owne possessions as it is necessarye that for preseruatyon of peace among men they should haue among them selues peculiare and deuyded properties of thynges But there is a communitie affirmed such as Luke descrybeth that of the multitude of the beleuers there was one harte and one soule and Paule when he exhorteth the Ephesians to be one body one Spirite as they be called in one hope For it is not possible if they be truely perswaded that God is the common father and Christ the common head to them all but that being conioyned among themselues with brotherly loue they shoulde continually communicate those thynges that they haue Nowe it muche behoueth vs to knowe what profyte therupon returneth vnto vs. For we beleue the Churche to thys ende that we may be certainly perswaded that we are the members of it For by thys meane our saluation resteth vpon sure and sounde stayes that it although the whole frame of the world be shaken can not come to ruine and fall downe Firste it standeth wyth goddes election neyther can it varye or faile but together wyth hys eternall Prouidence Then it is after a certayne manner ioyned wyth the stedfastnesse of Christe whiche will no more suffer his faithfull to be plucked from hym than hys owne members to be rente and torne in peces Beside that we are assured that trueth shall alwaye abyde wyth vs so long as we are holden in the bosome of the Churche Laste of all that we fele that these promises belong to vs there shal be saluation in Syon God shall for euer abide in Hierusalem that it may not at any time be moued So muche can the partaking of the Churche doe that it holdeth vs in the felowshippe of God Also in the very worde Communion is muche comforte because while it remayneth certayne that what soeuer the Lorde geueth to hys and oure members belongeth to vs oure hope is by all theyr good thynges confirmed But in suche sorte to embrace the vnitie of the Churche it is not nedefull as we haue already sayed to see the Churche it selfe wyth our eies or fele it with our handes but rather by thys that it consisteth in Faith we are admonished that we oughte no lesse to thinke it to be when it passeth our vnderstanding than if it openly appeared Neither is our Fayth therefore the worse because it conceiueth it vnknowen for asmuche as we are not herein commaunded to discerne the reprobate from the electe whiche is the office of God onely and not oures but to determine assuredly in our mindes that all they that by the mercifull kindnesse of God the Father throughe the effectual working of the Holy ghost are come into the partaking of Christ are seuered into the peculiar righte and proper possession of Christe and that for asmuche as we be in the number of those we are partakers of so greate a grace But sithe it is nowe our purpose to entreate of the visible Church lette vs learne euen by thys one title of Mother howe muche â—he knowledge thereof is profitable yea necessarye for vs for asmuche as there is no other entrye into life vnlesse she conceiue vs in hee wombe vnlesse she bryng vs fourth vnlesse she fede vs with her breastes fynallye vnlesse she kepe vs vnder her custodye and gouernaunce vntyll suche tyme as beyng vnclothed of mortall fleshe we shall be lyke vnto Angels For oure weakenesse suffreth vs not to be dismissed from schole tyll we haue been scholars throughout the whole course of our lyfe Beside that oute of her bosome there is no forgeuenesse of synnes and no saluation to be hoped for as wytnesseth Esaye and Ioel with whom agreeth Ezechiel when he declareth that they shall not be in the number of Goddes people whome he putteth awaye from the heauenly lyfe As on the contrarie side they are sayed to wryte their names among the citezens of Hierusalem that turne them selues to the folowyng of true godlynesse After whiche manner it is also sayed in an other Psalme Remember me Lord in the good wyll of thy people visite me in thy saluation that I maye see the benefytes of thy electe that I maye be merry in the myrth of thy people that I maye reioyse wyth thy enherytaunce In whiche woordes the fatherly fauoure of GOD and the peculyar testimonie of the Spirituall lyfe is restrayned to
hymselfe for a Byshop that had not also in very dede shewed himselfe a true Bishop Therfore suche was the seueritie of those tymes that all ministers were dryuen to the fulfillyng of suche office as the Lorde requireth of them Neither doo I reherse the maner of one age alone For euen in Gregories tyme when the Chirche was now almoste decaied certainly it was muche degenerate from the auncient purenesse it had not ben tolerable the any Byshop should absteine from preachyng The Priest saith he in one place dieth if there be no sound hearde of him because he asketh against himselfe the wrathe of the secrete iudge if he goe without sounde of preachyng And in an other place When Paule testifieth that he is cleane from the bloud of all in this saying we be conuinced we be bounde we be shewed to be giltie which are called Priestes whiche beside the euils that we haue of our owne adde also the deathes of other because we kyl so many as we beyng luke warme and silent doo daily see to goe to death He calleth himselfe and other silent because they were lesse diligent in their worke than they ought to be When he spareth not them that did halfe performe theyr dueti what thinke you he would haue done if a man had altogither sit idle Therefore this was a greate while holden in the Chirche that the chiefe duetie of the Byshop was to fede Gods people with the worde or both publikely and priuately to edifie the Chirche with sounde doctrine But wheras euery prouince had among their Bishops one Archebishop also where in the Nicene Synode there were ordeined Patriarches whiche shoulde in degree and dignitie be aboue the Archbishops that perteined to the preseruyng of discipline Howbeit in this discourse that whiche was moste rarely vsed may not be omitted For this cause therfore chiefly these degrees were ordeined that if any thyng hapned in any Chirche that coulde not well be ended by a fewe might be referred to a prouinciall Synode If the greatnesse or difficultie of the matter required a greater discussyng the Patriarches were also called to it with the Synodes from whom there might be no appelle but to a Generall Counsel The gouernement so ordered many called a Hierarchie by a name as I thinke vnpropre and truly vnused in the Scriptures For the Holy ghost willed to prouide that no man shoulde dreame of a principalitie or Dominion when the gouernement of the Chirche is spoken of But if leauyng the woorde we looke vpon the thyng we shall find that the olde Bishops ment to forge no forme of ruling the Chirch differyng from that which the Lorde appointed by his worde Neither was the order of the Deacons at that tyme any other then it was vnder the Apostles For they receiued the daiely offrynges of the faithfull and the yerely reuenues of the Chirch to bestow them vpon true vses that is to say to distribute them to fede partely the ministers and partly the poore but by the appointment of the Bishop to whom also they yearely rendred accomptes of their distribution For where as the Canons doo euery where make the Byshop the distributer of al the goodes of the Chirch it is not so to be vnderstanded as though he did by hym selfe discharge that care but because it was his part to appoynt to the Deacon who should be receiued into the common almes of the Chirche and of that whiche remained to whom it should be geuen and howe muche to euery one because he had an ouerseeyng whether the Deacō did faithfully execute that which belōged to his office For thus it is red in the canons which they ascribe to the Apostles We cōmaūde that the Bishop haue the goodes of the Chirche in his owne power For if he be put in trust with the soules of men which are more precious muche more it is mete that he haue charge of moneye so that by his power all thyngs may be distributed to the poore by the Elders and Deacons that they may be ministred with all feare and carefulnesse And in the Counsell of Antioche it is decreed that the Bishops should be restrained that meddle with the goodes of the Chirche without the knowledge of the Elders and Deacons But of that poynt we nede to make no longer disputation sithe it is euident by many epistles of Gregorie that euen at that tyme when otherwyse the ordinances of the Chirch were muche corrupted yet this obseruation continued that the Deacons shoulde vnder the Bishop be the stewardes of the poore As for Subdeacons it is likely that at the beginnyng they were ioyned to the Deacons that they should vse their seruice about the poore but that difference was by litle and litle confounded But Archedeacons began then to be created when the plentie of the goodes required a new and more exacte maner of disposyng them Albeit Hierome doeth say that it was euen in his age In their charge was the summe of their reuenues possessions and store and the collection of the daily offrynges Wherupon Gregorie declareth to the Archedeacon of Salon that he should be holden gilty if any of the goodes of the Chirch perished either by his fraude or negligence But wheras it was geuen to them to rede the Gospell to the people and to exhort theim to praier and where as they were admytted to delyuer the Cuppe in the holy Supper that was rather doone to garnyshe their office that they shoulde execute it with the more reuerence when by suche signes they were admonished that it was no prophane baylywike that they exercised but a spirituall function and dedicate to God Hereby also we may iudge what vse there was what maner of distribution of the Chirch goods Ech where both in the decrees of the Synodes amōg the old writers it is to be foūd that whatsoeuer the Chirch possesseth ether in lāds or in money is the patrimonie of the poore Therfore oftētimes there this song is soong to the Bishops Deacons that they shuld remembre that they meddle not with their owne goodes but the goodes appointed to the necessitie of the poore which if they vnfaithfully suppresse or wast they shal be giltie of bloud Wherby they are admonished with great feare and reuerence as in the sight of God without respect of persons to distribute them to whom they be due Hereuppon also come those graue protestations in Chrysostome Ambrose Augustine and other like Byshopes whereby they affirme their owne vprightnesse to the people But sithe it is equitie and establyshed by the lawe of the Lord that they whiche employ theyr seruice to the Chirch should be fedde with the common charges of the Chirch and also many priestes in that age consecratyng their patrimonies to God were willingly made poore the distributyng was suche that neyther the ministers wanted sustenance nor the poore were neglected But yet in the mean time it was prouided that the ministers themselues which
that infants which can not beleue lie in their damnation I answer that Christe there speaketh not of the generall gyltinesse wherwith all the posteritie of Adam are enwrapped but only thretneth the despisers of the Gospell which do proudely and stubbornely refuse the grace offred them But this nothing perteineth to infantes Also I set a coÌ„trarie reason against them that whomesoeuer Christ blesseth he is discharged from the curse of Adam and the wrathe of God Sithe therfore it is knowen that infantes are blessed of him it foloweth that they are discharged from death Then he falsly citeth that whiche is no where red that whosoeuer is borne of the Spirite heareth the voyce of the Spirit Which although we graunt to be written yet shal proue nothyng ells but that the faithfull are framed to obedience accordyng as the Spirite woorketh in them But that whiche is spoken of a certaine number it is faultie to drawe indifferently to all Fowerthly he obiecteth because that goeth before which is naturall we muste tarry type tyme for Baptisme whiche is spirituall But althoughe I graunte that all the posteritie of Adam begotten of the fleshe doo from the very wombe beare their owne damnation yet I denye that that withstandeth but that God may presently bryng remedy For neither shall Seruettus proue that there were many yeares appoynted by God that the spirituall newnesse of lyfe many beginne As Paul testifieth although they whiche are borne of the faithfull are by nature damned yet by supernatural grace they are saued Then he bryngeth forth an allegorie that Dauid going vp into the toure of Sion did leade neither blinde men nor lame men with him but strong souldiors But what if I set a parable against it wherin God calleth to the heauenly banket blinde men and lame men howe will Seruettus vnwynde himselfe out of this knott I aske also whether lame and maimed men had not fyrst ben souldiors with Dauid But it is superfluous to tary longer vpoÌ„ this reasoÌ„ which the readers shall fynde by the holy hystorie to be made of mere falsehod There foloweth an other allegorie that the Apostles were fishers of men not of litle children But I aske what that sayeing of Christ meaneth that into the nette of the Gospel are gathered al kyndes of fishes But because I lyke not to play with allegories I answer that wheÌ„ the office of teaching was enioyned to the Apostles yet they were not forbidden from baptisyng of infantes Howbeit I wold yet knowe when the Euangelist nameth them Anthropous men in whche woorde is comprehended all mankynde without exception why they should deny infantes to be men Seuenthly he allegeth that sithe spirituall thyngs agree with spirituall infantes which are not spiritual are also not mete for baptisme But first it is plainly euideÌ„t howe wrongfully they wrest the place of Paule There is entreated of doctrine when the Corinthians did to muche stande in their owne conceite for vayne sharpnesse of witte Paule rebuketh their sluggishnesse for that they wer yet to be instructed in the first introductions of heauenly wisdome Who can therof gather that Baptisme is to be denied to infants whom being begotten of the fleshe God doth by free adoption make holy to himself Where as he sayth that they must be fed with spirituall meate if they be newe men the solution is easy that by Baptisme they are admitted into the flocke of Christ and that the signe of adoption suffiseth them til being growen to age they be able to beare strong meate that therfore the time of examination which God expresly requiâ—eth in the holy Supper must be taried for Afterward he obiecteth that Christ calleth all his to the holy Supper But it is certaine enough that he admitteth none but them that be already prepared to celebrate the remembrance of his deathe Wherupon foloweth that infantes whome he vouchesaued to embrace do stay in a seuerall and proper degree by themselues till they grow to age and yet are not strangers Whereas he saieth that it is monstrous that a man after that he is borne should not eate I answere that soules are otherwise fed than by the outward eatyng of the Supper and that therfore Christ is neuerthelesse meate to infantes althoughe they absteine from the signe But of Baptisme the case is otherwise by which onely the gate into the Chirch is opened to them Agayne he obiecteth that a good Stewarde distributeth meate to the household in due time Which although I willyngly graunt yet by what right wil he appoint vnto vs the certaine tyme of Baptisme that he may proue that it is not geuen to infantes out of tyme. Moreouer he bryngeth in that coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Christ to the Apostles that they shold make hast into the haruest whyle the fieldes waxe white Uerily Christe meaneth this onely that the Apostles seeyng the fruite of their labor present shoulde the more cherefully prepare themselues to teache Who shall thereof gather that the onely tyme of Haruest is the ripe time for Baptisme His eleuenth reason is that in the first Chirch christians and disciples were all one but we see nowe that he fondely reasoneth from the parte to the whole Disciples are called men of full age whiche had ben already throughly taught and had professed Christ as it behoued that the Iewes vnder the law should be the disciples of Moses yet no man shall therof rightly gather that infantes were strangers whome the Lord hath testified to be of his householde Besyde these he allegeth that all Christians are brethren in which number infantes are not vnto vs so long as we debarre them from the Supper But I returne to that principle that none are heires of the kingdome of heauen but they that are the membres of Christ then that the embracyng of Christ was a true token of the adoption wherby infantes are ioyned in common with full growen men and that the absteining for a time from the Supper withstandeth not but that they perteyne to the body of the Chirche Neither did the these that was conuerted on the Crosse cesse to be brother of the godly although he neuer cam to the Supper Afterward he addeth that none is made our brother but by the Spirite of adoption which is geuen only by the bearing of Faith I answer that he still falleth backe into the same deceitefull argument because he ouerthwartly draweth that to infantes which was spoken only of growen men Paule teacheth there that this is Gods ordinarie maner of callyng to bryng his electe to the faith when he stirreth vp to them faithful teachers by whoe 's ministerie and trauaile he reacheth his hande to them Who dare therby appoint a lawe to him but that he may by some other secrete way graffe infantes into Christ Where he obiecteth that Cornelius was baptised after that he had receiued the Holy ghost howe wrongfully he doothe out of one example gather a generall rule appereth
himselfe suche when being made partaker of our humane martalitie he made vs parteners of his diuine immortalitie when offring himselfe for sacrifice he toke our accursednesse vpon himself that he might fil vs with blessing when with his death he deuoured swalowed vp death when in his resurrection he raised vp this our corruptible flesh which he had put on to glory vncorruption It remaineth that by appliance all the same maye come to vs. That is done bothe by the Gospell and more cleerely by the holy Supper where bothe he offreth himselfe to vs with all his good thynges we receiue him by faith Wherfore the sacramēt maketh not that Christ first beginneth to be the bread of life but when it bringeth into remembrance that he was made the bread of life whiche we continually eate and when it geueth vnto vs the taste and sauor of that breade then it maketh vs to fele the strength of that bread For it promiseth vs that whatsoeuer Christ did or suffred the same was done to geue life to vs. Then that this geuing of life is euerlasting by which we may without ende be nourished susteined and preserued in life For as Christ should not haue bene to vs the bread of life vnlesse he had bene borne and had dyed for vs vnlesse he had risen agayne for vs so now he should not bee the same vnlesse the effectualnesse and fruite of his birth death and resurrection were an euerlasting and immortall thing All which Christe hath very well expressed in these wordes The bread which I wil geue is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world By which wordes without dout he signifieth that his body shoulde therfore bee to vs for bread to the spirituall life of the soule because it shold be geuen forth to death for our saluatiō and that it is deliuered to vs to eate of it when by faith he maketh vs partakers of it Ones therfore he gaue it that he might be made bread when he gaue foorth himselfe to be crucified for the redemption of the world daily he geueth it when by the word of the Gospell he offreth it vnto vs to be receiued so far as it was crucified where he sealeth that deliuerance with the holy mysterie of the Supper where he inwardly fulfilleth that which he outwardly betokeneth Now herein we must beware of twoo faultes that neither doing to muche in abaring the signes we seme to pluck them frō their mysteries to which they are in a maner knitte fast nor that being immeasurable in aduancing the same we seme in the meane tyme somwhat to darken the mysteries themselues That Christ is the bread of life wherewith the faithful are nourished into eternal saluation ther is no man but he graunteth vnlesse he be altogether without religiō But this point is not likewise agreed vpon among al men what is the maner of partaking of him For there be that in one worde define that to eate the fleshe of Christe and to drinke his blood is nothing els but to beleue in Christ himlsefe But I thinke that Christ meant some certainer and hyer thyng in that notable sermon where he cōmendeth to vs the eatyng of his fleshe namely that we are quickned by the true partaking of hym whiche also he therfore expressed by the woordes of eatyng and drynkyng least any man should thynke that the life whiche we receiue of hym is conceyued by bare knowlege only For as not the syghte but the eatyng of bread suffiseth the body for nourishment so it behoueth that the soule be truly and throughly made partaker of Christ that by the power of hym it may be quickened into a spirituall lyfe But in the meane tyme we confesse that there is no other eatyng but of faith as there can no other be imagined But this is the difference betwene my wordes and theirs that with them to eate is only to beleue but I say that the flesh of Christ is eaten with beleuing because by faith he is made ours and I say that eatyng is the fruite and effect of faith Or if you wil haue it plainer with them eatyng is faithe and I thynke it rather to followe of faith In wordes verily the difference is but smalle but in the thyng it selfe not small For though the Apostle teacheth that Christe dwelleth in oure hartes by Faithe yet no manne will expounde this dwelling to be Faith but all men doo perceyue that there is expressed a singular effect of faith for that by it the faithful do obteyne to haue Christ dwellyng in them After this maner the Lorde meant in callyng hymselfe the bread of lyfe not only to teache that in the faith of his death and resurrection saluation is reposed for vs but also that by true partakyng of himselfe it is brought to passe that his life passeth into vs and becometh oures like as bread when it is taken for foode ministreth lyuelinesse to the body Neither dyd Augustine whom they bryng in for their patron in any other meanyng write that we eate by beleuyng than to shewe that this eatyng is of faith not of the mouthe Which I also denye not but yet therwithall I adde that we do by faith embrace Christe not apperyng afarre of but makyng hymselfe one with vs that he may be oure head and we his membres Yet do not I vtterly disalow that maner of speakyng but only I deny it to be a full declaration if they meane to define what it is to eate the fleshe of Christ. Otherwyse I see that Augustine hath ofte vsed this forme of speche as when he saith in the thirde boke Of Christian doctrine Unlesse ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man this is a figure teachyng that we must communicate with the passion of the Lorde and muste sweetely and profitably laye vp in remembrance that for vs his fleshe was crucified and wounded Agayne when he sayeth that the three thousande menne whyche were conuerted at Peters sermon dyd drynke the bloode of Christe by beleuyng whyche they had shedde by cruell dealyng But in manye other places he honorably setteth out that benefyte of Faith that by it oure soules are no lesse refreshed with the communicatyng of the fleshe of Christe than oure bodies are with the breade whiche they eate And the same is it whyche in a certayne place Chrysostome wryteth that Christe doeth not onely by Faith but also in dede make vs his body For he meaneth not that we doo from any other where than from Faithe obteyne suche a benefite but this onely he meaneth to exclude that none when he heareth faithe to be named shoulde conceyue a naked imagination As for them that will haue the Supper to be onely a marke of outwarde profession I do now passe them ouer because I thinke that I haue sufficiently confuted their error whē I entreated of Sacramentes generally Only thys thing let the reders marke that when the
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
they exhort theÌ„ that they might the more familiarly declare to the men of their age that the Gentiles should be called into the true felowshippe of religion Like as also they are wont altogether to describe by figures of theyr law the truth that was deliuered by the Gospell So they set for turning to the Lord asceÌ„ding into Ierusalem for the worshipping of God the offring of al kindes of giftes for larger knowlege of him which was to be geuen to the faithfull in the kyngdome of Christe dreames and visions That therfore whiche they allege is like vnto an other prophecie of Esaye where the Prophet foretelleth of three altars to be set vppe in Assiria Egipte and Iurye For first I aske whether they do not graunt that the fulfillyng of this prophecie is in the kingdome of Christ. Secondly wher be these altars or when they were euer set vp Thirdly whether they think that to euery seuerall kyngdome is apointed a seuerall temple such as was that at Ierusalem These things if thei wey I think they wil confesse that the Prophet vnder fygures agreeable with his tyme prophecieth of the spiritual worship of God to be spred abrode into the whole world Which we geue to them for a solution But of this thing sithe there do euery where examples commonly offre them selues I wil not busie my selfe in longer rehearsall of them Howbeit herein also they are miserably deceiued that they acknowlege no sacrifice but of the Masse wheras in dede the faithfull do nowe sacrifice to the Lord do offer a cleane offring of which shal be spoken by and by Nowe I come downe to the third office of the Masse where I must declare howe it blotteth oute the true and onely deathe of Christe and shaketh it oute of the remembrance of menne For as among men the strength of a testament hangeth vppon the death of the testator so also our lord hath with his death confirmed the testament whereby he hath geuen vs forgeuenesse of synnes and eternal righteousnesse They that dare varie or make newe any thing in this testamente doo denye hys death and holde it as it were of no force But what is the Masse but a new and altogether diuerse testameÌ„t For why Doth not euery seueral Masse promise new forgeuenesse of sinnes new purchasing of righteousnesse so that now there be so many testaments as there be Masses Let Christ therfore come again and with an other death confirme this testament or rather with infinite deathes confirme innumerable testamentes of Masses Haue I not therfore said true at the beginning that the only and true death of Christ is blotted oute by Masses Yea what shall we say of this that the Masse directly tendeth to this ende that if it be possible Christ should bee slayne agayne For where is a testamente sayeth the Apostle there of necessitie must be the death of the testator The Masse sheweth it selfe to be a new testament of Christ therfore it requireth his death Moreouer the hoste which is offred must necessarily be slayne and sacrificed If Christ in euery seuerall Masse be sacrificed then he muste at euery moment bee in a thousande places cruelly slayen This is not myne but the Apostles argument If he had neded to offer him selfe ofte he muste ofte haue dyed sins the beginning of the worlde I knowe that they haue an answere in redinesse whereby also they charge vs with sclander For they say that that is obiected agaynst them which they neuer thought nor yet canne And we knowe that the death and life of Christ is not in their hande We loke not whether they goe aboute to kill hym onely our purpose is to shew what maner of absurdity foloweth of their vngodly and wicked doctrine Which self thing I proue by the Apostles owne mouth Though they crye out to the contrarye a hundred tymes that this sacrifice is vnbloody I wil deny that it hangeth vpon the wyll of men that sacrifices should change their nature for by this meane the holy and inuiolable ordinance of God shold faile WherupoÌ„ foloweth that this is a sure principle of the Apostle thâ—â— there is required sheding of blood that washing may not be wanting Now is the fourth office of the Masse to be entreated of namely to take awaye from vs the fruite that came to vs of the deathe of Christe while it maketh vs not to acknowlege it and thinke vpon it For who caÌ„ call to mynde that he is redemed by the death of Christ when he seeth a new redemption in the Masse Who can truste that sinnes are forgeueÌ„ him when he seeth a newe forgeuenesse Neither shall he escape that shall say that we do for no other cause obteyn forgeuenesse of sinnes in the Masse but because it is alredy purchased by the death of Christ. For he bringeth nothyng els than as if he would boste that Christ hathe redemed vs with this condition that we shoulde redeme our selues For such doctrine hath ben spred by the ministers of Satan and such at this day they mainteyn with cryenges out with swerd and fier that we wheÌ„ in the Masse we offer vp Christ to his Father by this work of offring do obteine forgeuenesse of sinnes and are made partakers of the passion of Christ. What now remaineth to the passion of Christ but to be an example of redemption whereby we may learne to be our owne redemers Christe him selfe when in the Supper he sealeth the confidence of pardon doth not bidde his disciples to sticke in that doing but sendeth theÌ„ awaye to the sacrifice of his deathe signifieng that the Supper is a moniment or memorial as the common spech is whereby they may learne that the satisfactorie clensing sacrifice by which the Father was to be appeased must haue ben offred but ones For neither is it enough to know that Christ is the onely sacrifice vnlesse the onely sacrificing be ioyned with it that our faith may be fastened to his crosse Nowe I come to the conclusion namely that the holye Supper in which the Lord had left the remembrance of his passion grauen and expressed is by the settyng vp of the Masse taken away defaced and destroyed For the Supper it selfe is the gift of God whiche was to be receiued with thankesgeuing The sacrifice of the Masse is famed to pay a price to God which he may receiue for satisfaction Howe muche difference there is betwene to geue and to receiue so much doth the sacrifice differ from the Sacrament of the Supper And this truely is the moste wretched vnthankfulnesse of man that where the largesse of Gods bouÌ„tie ought to haue beÌ„ acknowleged thanks to be geuen therin he maketh God his dettor The Sacrament promised that by the death of Christe we are not onely ones restored into life but are continually quickned because then all the partes of our saluation were fulfilled The sacrifice of the Masse singeth a farre other song that Christ must
the Prophetes did sufficiētly expresse y◠vnder those carnal sacrifices was the truthe which the Christiā Chirch hath cōmon with the nation of the Iewes After which maner Dauid prayed that his prayer might as incēse ascende into the sight of God And Osee called geuinges of thanks the calues of lippes which in an other place Dauid calleth the sacrifices of prayse Whom the Apostle himselfe folowing calleth them also the sacrifices of prayse and expoundeth them the frutes of lippes confessing to his name Thys kinde of sacrifice the Supper of the Lord can not want wherein when we declare his death and render thankesgeuing we doe nothing but offer the sacrifice of prayse Of thys office of sacrificing al we Christians are called a kingly Presthode because by Christ we offer to God that sacrifice of praise of which the Apostle speaketh the frute of lippes that confesse to his name For neither do we with our giftes appeare in the sight of God without an intercessor Christe is he whiche being the mediator coming betwene we offer vs and ours to the Father He is our Bishop which being entred into the sanctuary of heauen hath opened the entry to vs. He is the altar vpon which we lay our giftes that in him we may be bolde all that we are bolde It is he I say that hath made vs a kyngdome and Prestes to the Father What remaineth but y◠the blinde may se the deff maye heare children themselues may vnderstande this abhominatiō of the Masse whiche being offred in a goldē cup hath made dronke the kynges peoples of the earth frō the hyest to the lowest hath so stryken them with drowsinesse and giddinesse that being become more senslesse than brute beastes they haue set the whole ship of their safetie only in this deadly deuouring gulf Truely Satā neuer did bende himselfe with a stronger engine thā this to assaile vāquish the kyngdome of Christ. This is the Helene for whome the enemies of the truth fyght at thys daye with so great rage so great furiousnesse so great crueltie a Helene in dede with whome they so defile themselues with spiritual whordōe whiche is the most cursed of al. I do not here so much as ones touch with my litle fynger those grosse abuses wherw t they might color the vnholi purenesse of their holi Masse how filthy markettinges they vse how vnhonest gaines they make with their massinges with how great rauening they fill their couetousnesse Only I do point vnto and that with few plaine words what maner of thing is euē the very holiest holinesse of the Masse for which it hath deserued in certain ages past to be so honorable to be had in so great reuerence For to haue these so great mysteries set out according to their worthinesse requireth a greater worke and I am vnwilling to mingle herewith those filthy vncleannesses that cōmonly shew themselues before the eyes faces of al mē that al mē may vnderstād that the Masse taken in her most piked purenesse wherwith it may be set out to the best shew without her appendances from the roote to the topp swarmeth full of all kinde of wickednesse blasphemie idolatrie and sacrilege The Reders now haue in a maner almost al those thinges gathered into an abridgement which we haue thought behoueful to be knowen cōcerning these twoo Sacramentes the vse of which hath ben deliuered to the Christian Chirch frō the beginning of the new testamēt to continue to the very ende of the world namely that Baptisme should be as it wer a certaine entry into it an admissiō into Fayth the Supper should be as it were a cōtinual foode wherew t Christ spiritually fedeth the familie of hys faythful Wherfore as there is but one God one Fayth one Christ one Chirch his body so there is but one Baptisme is not ofte ministred againe But the Supper is frō tyme to tyme distributed that they which haue ben ones receiued into the Chirch may vnderstand that they be cōtinually fed with Christ. Beside these twoo as there is no other Sacramēt ordeined of God so neither oughte the Chirch of the faythfull to acknowlege any other For that it is not a thing that lyeth in the choise of mā to rayse set vp new Sacramētes he shal easily vnderstand the remembreth that which hath ben here before plainly enough declared y◠is that Sacramentes are appointed of God to this end y◠they should instruct vs of some promise of his testifie to vs his good wil towarde vs and he also that calleth to minde that none hath ben Gods coūseller that might promise vs any certaintie of his wil or assure vs and bring vs oute of care what affectiō he beareth towarde vs what he wil geue or what he will deny vs. For therew t is also determined that no mā can set fourth a signe to be a testimonie of any wil or promise of his it is he himselfe alone that can by a signe geuē testifie to vs of himselfe I wil speake it more brefely and paraduenture more grosly but more plainly A Sacrament cā neuer be without promise of saluation Al men gathered on a heape together can of themselues promise nothing of our saluation Therefore neither can they of themselues set fourth or set vp a Sacramente Therefore let the Christian Chirch be contented with these twoo and let her not only not admitt or acknowlege any third for the presēt time but also not desire or loke for any to the ende of the world For whereas certaine diuerse Sacramentes beside those their ordinarie ones were geuen to the Iewes according to the diuerse course of tymes as Māna Water sprynging oute of the rocke the Brasen serpente and suche other they were by thys change put in mynde that they should not stay vpon such figures whoe 's state was not very stedfast but that they should loke for some better thing from God which should cōtinue without any decayeng and without any end But we are in a farr other case to whō Christe is openly shewed in whome all the treasures of knowlege and wisdome are hidden with so great abundance and plentie that either to hope for or loke for any newe encrease to these treasures is verily to moue God to wrath and to prouoke him against vs. We muste hunger for seke loke vpon learne and throughly learne Christ alone vntill that great day shal appeare wherin the Lord shall openly shewe to the full of glory of his kyngdome and hymselfe suche as he is to be beholden of vs. And for this reson this our age is in the Scriptures signified by the last houre the last dayes the last tymes that no man shoulde deceiue himselfe with vaine loking for any new doctrine or reuelation For many tymes and in many sortes he spake before by his Prophets in these laste dayes the heauenly Father hath spoken in hys
all ye that are of God the malicious and poysonous deceite of Satan That thyng which was truely geuen in Baptisme he lyengly saith to be geuen in his confirmation that he may by stealth leade you vnware from Baptisme Who now can doute that this is the doctrine of Satan which cuttyng away from Baptisme the promises proprely belongyng to Baptisme doth conuey away and remoue them to an other thyng It is founde I say vpon what maner of fundation this godly annoyntyng standeth The worde of God is that al they whiche are baptised in Christ haue put on Christe with his giftes The worde of the anoynters is that they receiued in Baptisme no promise by which they may be armed in batails That is the voice of the truth therfore this must be the voice of lying Therfore I can more truly define this CoÌ„firmation than they haue hetherto defined it namely that it is a notable sclander of Baptisme whiche darkeneth yea abolysheth the vse therof that it is a false promise of the deuell which draweth vs away from the truthe of God Or if you will it is oyle defiled with the lyeng of the deuill whiche as it were by ouerspreadyng of darkenesse deceiueth the eies of the simple They adde furthermore that al the faithfull ought after Baptisme to receiue the Holy ghost by layeng on of handes that they may be founde full Christians because he shall neuer be a Christian that is not chresmed with the Bishopps Confirmation These be their owne sayinges worde for worde But I had thought that whatsoeuer thyngs perteined to Christianitie were all set forth in writyng and comprehended in Scriptures Nowe as I perceyue the trewe forme of religion is to be soughte and learned from ells where than oute of the the Scriptures Therfore the whole wisedome of God the heauenly truthe the whole doctrine of Christ doth but beginne Christians and oyle maketh them perfect By this sentence ar damned al the Apostles and so many Martyrs whome it is moste certaine to haue neuer ben â—hresmed forasmuche as the oyle was not yet made which beyng poured vpon them they myght fulfill all the partes of christianitie or rather myght be made christians whiche yet were none But thoughe I holde my peace they doo largely confute themselues For howe many of the numbre of their owne people doo they annoynt after Baptisme why therfore do they suffer suche halfe christians in their flocke whoe 's imperfection might easily be holpen Why do they with so carelesse negligence suffer them to omitte that whiche was not lawfull to be omitted without greuous offense Why do they not more seuerely cal vpoÌ„ the keping of a thing so necessarie and without which saluation caÌ„ not be obteined vnlesse peraduenture some be preuented by death Uerily when they so freely suffer it to bee despised they secretly confesse that it is not of so greate value as they boste it Last of all they determine that this holy annoynting is to be had in greater reuerence than Baptisme because this anoynting is peculiarly ministred by the handes of the chefe Bishops but Baptisme is coÌ„monlye distributed by euery prest What maye a man here say but that they are vtterly mad which so flatter their owne inuentions that in comparison of them they carelesly despise the holy ordinaÌ„ces of God O mouth that robbest God darest thou set a fat liquor onely defiled with the stink of thine owne breath and enchaunted with murmuring sounde of wordes against the SacrameÌ„t of Christ and to compare it with water hallowed with the word of God But thy wickednesse accompted this but a smal matter vnlesse thou didst also preferre it aboue the same These be the answers of the Holy see these be the Oracles of the Apostolike trestle But some of them euen in their owne opinion begonne somewhat to qualifie this vnbridled madnesse It is say they to be worshipped with greater reuerence peraduenture not for the greater vertue and profitte that it geueth but bicause it is geuen of the worthier men and is made in the worthier part of the body that is in the forehed or bicause it bringeth a greater encrease of vertues although Baptisme auaile more to forgeuenesse But in the first reason do they not bewraye themselues to be Donatistes whiche measure the force of the Sacramente by the worthinesse of the minister But I will admitte that Confirmation bee called the worthier by reason of the worthinesse of the Bishops hand But if a man aske of them from whense so great prerogatiue hath ben geueÌ„ to Bishops what reason will they bring beside their owne lust The Apostles alone vsed that power which alone distributed the Holye ghost Are the Bishops alone Apostles Yea are they Apostles at all But lette vs also graunt them that why do thei not by the same argumeÌ„t affirme that Bishoppes alone ought to touche the Sacrament of the blood in the Supper of the Lorde which they therfore denye to lay men because the lord gaue it to the Apostles alone If to the Apostles alone why do they not conclude therfore to the Bishops alone But in that place they make the Apostles simple prestes but now the gyddynesse of their hed carrieth them an other way sodeinly to create them Bishops Finallye Ananias was no Apostle to whom yet Paule was sent that he shoulde receiue his sight be baptised and be filled with the Holy ghoste I will adde this also to the heape If by the law of God this was the proper office of Bishops why haue they ben so bolde to geue it away to common prestes as we rede in a certaine epistle of Gregorie As for their other reason howe triflyng fond and foolishe is it to cal their Confirmation worthier than the Baptisme of God because in it the forhead is anoynted with oyle and in Baptisme the hynder part of the hed as though Baptisme were done with the oyle and not with the water I call all the godly to witnesse whether these loselles do not endeuor them selues to this only end to corrupt the purenesse of the Sacraments with their leauen I haue alredy spoken this in an other place that in the SacrameÌ„tes that which is of God scarcely glimmereth through at holes among the rout of the inuentions of men If any man did not beleue me therein let him now at least beleue his owne maisters Loc passing ouer the water and making no accompt of it they hyely esteme the onely oyle in Baptisme We therfore on the contrarye syde doo saye that in Baptisme the forehed also is dipped in water In comparison of this we esteeme not your oyle worth one piece of dong whether it be in Baptisme or in confirmation If any allege that it is sold for more by this adding of price the goodnesse if anye were in it is corrupted so muche lesse may they commend a most filthy deceite by theft In the third reason they bewray their owne vngodlynesse while they
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