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
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
name of water For after that Christ had declared to Nicodemus the corruption of nature and taught hym that men must be borne of newe because Nicodemus dreamed of a bodily newe birth he there shewed the maner how God doth regenerate vs namely by water and the Spirite as though he should say by the Spirite which in cleansing and watering faithfull soules doth the office of water Therefore I take water and the Spirite simply for the Spirite which is water Neither is this a new forme of speche for it altogether agreeth with the same which is in the thirde Chapter of Mathewe He that foloweth me it is he that Baptiseth in the Holy ghost and fier Therfore as to Baptise in the Holy ghost and fier is to geue the Holy ghost which hath the office and nature of fier so to be borne againe of water and the Spirite is nothing ells but to receiue that power of the holy Spirite which doth the same thing in the soule that water doth in the body I knowe that other do otherwise expounde it but I am oute of doute that thys is the naturall meaning because the purpose of Christ is none other but to teache that all they must put of their owne nature which aspire to the heauenly kingdome Howebit if we list to cauil vnsauoryly as they do it were easy for vs when we haue graunted as they woulde haue it to inferre vpon them that Baptisme is before Fayth and repentance forasmuch as in the wordes of Christe it goeth before the Spirite It is certaine that this is vnderstanded of Spirituall giftes which if they come after Baptisme I haue obteined what I require But leauing cauillations we must holde fast the playne exposition which I haue brought that no mā til he haue ben renewed with liuing water that is with the Spirite can enter into the kingdome of God Nowe hereby also it is euident that their fayned inuention is to be hissed out which adiudge al the vnbaptised to eternal death Therfore let vs according to their request imagine Baptisme to be ministred to none but to them that be growen in age what will they saye shall become of a childe whiche is rightly and well instructed with the introductions of godlynesse if when the day of Baptising is at hande he happen to be taken away with soden death beside all mennes hope The Lordes promise is cleare that whosoever hath beleued in the Sonne shall not see death nor shall come into iugemente but is allredy passed from death into life and it is no where founde that he euer damned him that was not yet Baptised Whiche I would not haue so taken of me as though I meant that Baptisme might freely be despised by which despising I affirme that the Lordes couenant is defiled so much lesse can I abide to excuse it onely it is enough for me to proue that it is not so necessarie that he should be immediatly thought to be lost from whome power is taken away to obteine it But if we agree to their fained deuise we shall damne all them without exception whom any chaunce withholdeth from Baptisme with how great Faith soeuer by which Christ himself is possessed otherwise they are endued Moreouer they make all infantes giltye of eternall death to whome they deny Baptisme which by their own confession is necessarie to saluation Now let them loke how trimly they agree with the wordes of Christ by which the kingdome of heauen is adiudged to that age But to graunte them euery thing so much as perteineth to the vnderstanding of thys place yet they shall gather nothing thereof vnlesse they ouerthrowe the former doctrine which we haue stablished concernyng the regeneration of infantes But they glory that they haue the strongest holde of all in the very institutiō of Baptisme which they fetch out of the last Chapter of Mathew where Christ sending fourth hys Apostles to all nations geueth them the first commaundement to teache them and the seconde to Baptise them Then also out of the last of Marke they adioine this He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued What seke we further saye they when the Lordes owne wordes doe openly sounde that we must firste teach ere we Baptise and do assigne to Baptisme the seconde state after Faith Of which order the Lord also shewed an example in himself which would be Baptised not tyll the thirtyth yere But here O good God how many wayes doe they both entangle thēselues and bewraye their owne ignorance For herein they now more than childishly erre that they fetche the firste institution of Baptisme from thense whiche Christ had from the beginning of his preaching geuen in charge to hys Apostles to minister Therfore there is no cause why they shoulde affirme that the law and rule of Baptisme is to be fetched out of these places as though they conteined the first institution therof But to beare with them for thys fault yet how strong is thys manner of reasoning Truly if I listed to dally with them there is not a litle lurking hole but a most wyde felde offreth it selfe open for vs to escape them For when they sticke so fast to the order of wordes that they gather that because it is sayd Goe preach and Baptise Againe he that beleueth and is Baptised therfore they must preach before that they Baptise and beleue before that they require Baptisme why may not we agayn answere them with sayeng that we must Baptise before that we muste teache the keping of those thinges that Christ hath commaunded namely sithe it is sayd Baptise ye teaching them to kepe whatsoeuer thinges I haue commaunded you whiche same thing we haue noted in that sayeng of Christ which hath ben euen now alleged concerning the regeneration of water and the Spirite For if it be so vnderstode as they would haue it verily in that place Baptisme must be before spiritual regeneration because it is named in the first place for Christ doth teach that we must be regenerate not of the Spirite and water but of water and the Spirite Nowe this inuincible reason whereupon they beare themselues so bolde semeth to be somwhat shaken but because truth hath defense enough in simplicitie I wil not escape away with such light argumentes Therfore let them take with them a ful answer Christ in this place geueth the chefe commaundement concerning preaching of the Gospell whereunto he adioyneth the ministerie of Baptisme as an additiō hāging vpon it Againe he speaketh none otherwise of Baptisme but so farr as the ministration of it is vnder the office of teaching For Christ sendeth the Apostles to publishe the Gospel to al the natiōs of the world that they should from eche where with the doctrine of saluation gather together into hys kyngdome men that before were lost But whom or what maner of men It is certaine that there is no mentiō but of them that are able to
loued He hath chosen his seruant Dauid to fede Iacob his people and Israell his inheritance To coÌ„clude it pleased God so to saue his church that the safetie and preseruation thereof should hange vpon that one hed and therefore Dauid crieth out The Lord the strength of his people the strength of the saluations of his Christ. And by by he addeth a prayer Saue thy people and blesse thine inheritaunce meanyng that the state of the church is with vnseparable knot ioyned to the gouernement of Christ. And in the same meaning in an other place Lord saue vs Let the king heare vs in the daye that we shall call vpon him In whiche wordes he plainely teacheth that the faithfull did vpon none other confidence flee to the helpe of God but bycause they were hidden vnder the succour of the king Whiche is gathered by an other Psalme Lord saue vs Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lorde Where it is playne enough that the faithfull are called backe vnto Christe that they maye hope that they shal be saued by the hand of God The same respect hath the other prayer where all the Churche calleth vpon the mercie of God Let thy hand be vpon the man of thy right hande vpoÌ„ the sonne of man whom thou hast preserued or apointed to thy self For though the authour of the Psalme bewaileth the scattring abrode of the whole people yet he prayeth for their restitutioÌ„ in the hed alone Where when the people was led awaye into exile the lande wasted and all thinges to mans seruyng destroyed Hieremie lamenteth the ouerthrowe of the Church he doth principally complaine that by destruction of the kingdome al hope was cut of from the faithful Christ sayth he the spirite of our mouth is taken in our sinnes to whome we sayd In thy shadow we shal liue among the nations Herby now it sufficiently appereth that bicause God can not be mercifull to mankinde without the Mediatour therefore Christe was alwaye set before the holy fathers in time of the lawe to whome they might direct their fayth Now where comfort is promised in affliction specially where the deliueraunce of the Church is described there the banner of affiance and hope is auaunced in Christ alone God went out to the sauyng of his people with his Messiah sayth Habacuc And so ofte as the Prophetes make mention of the restoryng of the Church they call backe the people to the promise made to Dauid concernyng the euerlasting continuaunce of the kyngdome And no maruell For otherwise there had ben no assurance of the couenant For whiche purpose serueth that notable aunswere of Esaye For when he sawe that the vnbeleuyng kyng Achaz refused that whiche he had declared to him of the raysing of the siege of Hierusalem and of present safetie as it were sodenly he passed ouer to Messias Beholde a virgin shall conceyue and brynge forth a Sonne meanyng indirectly that though the king and his people by their frowardenesse refused the promise offred vnto them as though they dyd of purpose bende themselues to discredite the truthe of God yet the couenant should not be voyde but that the Redemer shoulde come at his apoynted tyme. Finally it was the care of all the Prophetes to the ende they might shewe that God would be merciâ—ull alwaye to set out that kingedome of Dauid whereupon hanged the redemption and euerlastyng saluation So Esaie saith I will make a couenant with you the faythfull mercies of Dauid Beholde I haue geuen him for a witnesse vnto nations that is bycause the faythfull when their state is at the worste coulde not otherwise haue any hope but by the meanes of him beyng witnesse that God would be appeasable toward them Likewise Hieremie to raise them vp beyng in despeire sayth Beholde the dayes come wherein I will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous branche and then shall Iuda be saued and Israell shal dwell in safetie And Ezechiel sayth I wil rayse vp one shepeherd ouer my shepe euen Dauid my seruant I the Lorde will be a God to them and my seruaunt Dauid for a shepeherd And I will make a couenaunt of peace with them Also man other place after he had entreated of the incredible reneweyng he sayeth my seruaunt Dauid shal be their Kynge and there shal be one shepeherd ouer all and I will make an euerlastynge couenaunt of peace with them I gather here and there a fewe places out of many bycause I onely meane to haue the reders put in mynde that the hope of all the godly hath alwaye ben reposed no where els but in Christe And all the other Prophetes also speake agreably hereunto as it is sayde in Osee. The children of Iuda and the children of Israell shal be gathered together and shall apoynt to themselues one hed Whiche he afterwarde more plainely expoundeth The children of Israel shall returne and shal seke for the Lord their God and Dauid their king And Michee speaking of the returne of the people expresly sayeth The king shal goe before them and the Lord in their hed So Amos meanyng to prayse the renewyng of the people sayth I will in that daye rayse vp the tabernacle of Dauid that is fallen downe I will hedge vp the gappes and rayse vp the places ouerthrowen euen bicause that was the only standard of saluatioÌ„ to haue the royal glory to rise vp againe on hie in the stock of Dauid whiche is fulfilled in Christ. Therefore Zacharie as his age was nerer to the appering of Christe so dothe he more plainely crie out be glad thou doughter of Sion reioyse thou doughter of HierusaleÌ„ Beholde thy king cometh righteous and saued Which agreeth with the place of the Psalme before alleged The lord the strength of the saluations of his anoynted and saue vs. Where saluation is deriued from the hed to the whole body It was Gods wil to haue the Iewes so instructed with these prophecies that to seke for their deliuerance they should bende their eyes directly to Christ. And though they had shamefully swarued yet could not the remembrance of that general principle be abolished that God by the hand of Christ as he had promised to Dauid would be the deliuerer of his church and so the couenant shoulde be of his owne free graunt wherby God had adopted his chosen Hereby it came to passe that this song sounded in the mouth of the children when Christe a litle before his death entred into Hierusalem Hosianna to the sonne of Dauid For it appereth that it was coÌ„monly knowen and spoken of and accordyng to common vse that they songe that the only pledge of Gods mercie remayned vnto them in the comyng of the Redemer For his cause Christ him self to make his disciples plainely and perfectly beleue in God biddeth them to beleue on him self Beleue ye in God sayth he then beleue also in me
Lorde ys bryghte that geueth lyghte to the eyes c. Agayne A launterne to my feete ys thy woorde and a lyghte vnto my pathes â–ª and innumerable other that hee reherseth in all that Psalme Neyther are these thynges agaynste the sayinges of Paule wherein vs shewed not what vse the lawe mynystreth to the regenerate butte what yt ys able to geue to manne of yt selfe Butte here the Prophete reporteth wyth howe greate profyte the Lorde doothe instructe them by readynge of hys lawe to whome hee inwardely inspyreth a readynesse to obeye And hee taketh holde not of the commaundementes onely butte also the promyse of grace annexed to the thynges whyche onely maketh the bytternesse to ware sweete For what were lesse ameable than the lawe yf yt shoulde onely wyth requyringe and threateninge trouble soules carefully wyth feare and vexe them wyth terroure Butte specially Dauid sheweth that hee in the lawe conceyued the Mediatoure wythoute whome there ys no delyte or sweetenesse Whyche whyle some vnskyllfull menne canne not discerne they boldely shake awaye all Moses and bydde the two tables of the lawe farrewell bycause they thynke yt ys not agreable for Christyans to cleaue to that doctrine that conteyneth the minustration of deathe Lette thys prophane opynyon departe farre oute of oure myndes For Moses taughte excellently well that the same Lawe whyche wyth synners canne engendre nothynge butte deathe oughte in the holly to haue a better and more excellente vse For thus when hee was reddy to dye hee openly sayde to the people Laye youre heartes vpon all the woordes that I doe testyfye to youe thys daye that ye maye commytte them to youre chyldren that ye maye teache them to keepe to doe and to fullfyll all the thynges that are wrytten in the volume of thys lawe bycause they are not vaynely commaunded you butte that euerye one shoulde lyue in them butte yf no manne canne denye that there appeareth in yt an absolute paterne of ryghteousnesse then eyther wee muste haue no rule at all to lyue iustely and vpryghtely or els yt ys not lawefull for vs to departe from yt For there are not manye butte one rule of lyfe whyche ys perpetuall and canne not bee bowed Therefore whereas Dauid maketh the lyfe of a ryghteous manne continually busied in the meditation of the lawe let vs not referre that to one age onely bycause it is moste meete for all ages to the cude of the woorlde and lette vs not therefore be frayed awaye or flee from beynge instructed by it bycause yt appoynteth a muche more exacte holynesse than we shall perfourme whylâ— wee shall carry about the parson of our bodie For nowe yt executeth not against vs the office of a rygorous exacter that wyll not be satysfyed but wyth hys full taske perfourmed butte in thys perfection where vnto it exhorteth vs it sheweth vs a marke towarde whyche in all oure lyfe to endeuoure is no lesse profitable for vs than agreable wyth oure dutie In whyche endeuoure if we faâ—le not it is well For all thys lyfe ys a race the space whereof beynge runne cute the Lorde wyll graunte vs to atteine to that marke towarde whyche our endeuoures do trauaile a farre of Nowe therefore whereas the lawe hathe towarde the faythfull a power to exhorte not suche a power as maye bynde theyr consciences with curse butte suche as wyth often callynge on maye shake of sluggyshnesse and pynche imperfection to awake it many when thei meane to expresse thys delyueraunce from the curse thereof do saye that the lawe is abrogate to the faythfull I speake yet of the lawe moral not that it dothe no more commaunde them that whyche is ryghte butte onely that it be no more vnto them that whych it was before that is that it do no more by makynge afrayde and confoundynge their consciences damne and destroye them And truely suche an abrogation of the lawe Paule dothe plainely teache and also that the Lorde himselfe spake of it appeareth by thys that he woulde not haue confuted that opinion that he shoulde dissolue the lawe vnlesse it hadde been commonly receyued amonge the Iewes Butte forasmuche as it could not ryse causelessly and wythoute any coloure it is lykely that it grewe vpon false vnderstandynge of hys doctryne as in a manner all erroures are wonte to take occasion of truthe but leaste we shoulde also stumble at the same stone let vs dylygently make distinction what is abrogate in the lawe and what remayneth yet in force Where the Lorde protesteth that he came not do destroye the lawe butte to fullfill yt and that till heauen and earthe passe awaie no one iote of the lawe sholde passe awaye butte that all shoulde be fullfylled he sufficiently confyuneth that by hys comminge nothinge shoulde be taken awaye from the out keepinge of the lawe And for good cause sithe he came rather for this ende to heale offences Wherefore the doctrine of the lawe remayneth for all Christians inuiolable which by teachynge admonyshynge rebukynge and correctynge maye frame and prepare vs to euerye good woorke As for those thynges that Paule speaketh of the curse it is euident that they belonge not to the verye instruction butte onely to the force of byndynge the conscience For the lawe not onely teacheth butte also wyth authoritie requyreth that whyche yt commaundeth If yt be not perfourmed yea yf duetye be stacked in any parte it bendeth her thunderboulte of curse For thys cause the Apostle sayth that all they that are of the woorkes of the lawe are subiecte to the curse bycause it is wrytten Cursed is euery one that fullfylleth not all And he sayeth that they be vnder the woorkes of the lawe that do not sette ryghteousnesse in the forgeuenesse of synnes by whyche we are loosed from the rigoure of the lawe He teacheth therefore that we muste bee loosed from the bondes of the lawe vnlesse we wyll miserablye peryshe vnder them But from what bondes the bondes of that rigerous and sharpe exactinge that releaseth nothing of the extremitie of the lawe and suffereth not any offense vnpunished From this curse I saye that Christe mighte redeeme vs he was made a curse for vs. For it is wrytten Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the tree In the capter folowinge in deede he sayth that Christe was made subiecte to the lawe to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe but all in one meanynge for he by and by addeth that by adoption we mighte receiue the righte of children What is that that we shoulde not be oppressed wyth perpetuall bondage that shoulde holde oure conscience fast strained with anguishe of death In the meane tyme thys alwaye remaineth vnshaken that there is nothinge withdrawen of the authoritie of the lawe but that it oughte styll to bee receyued of vs wyth the same reuerence and obedience Of ceremonies it is otherwise whiche were abrogate not in effecte but in vse onely And this that Christe by hys commynge
moderate seueritie The Prophet pronounceth vnto theÌ„ that it is not so bicause they are punished for their owne offenses that it staâ—deth not with the iustice of God that the righteous sonne shuld suffer punishmeÌ„t for the noughtinesse of the wicked father Which thing also is not coÌ„teined in this present ordinance For in the Uisityng whereof mention is now made be â—ulâ—illed when the lord taketh away froÌ„ the house of the wicked his grace the light of his 〈◊〉 other helpes of saluation in this that the children being blinded and forsaken of him do goe on in the steppes of their fathers they susteine curses for their fathers offenses But in asmuch as they are put to teÌ„porall miseries at last to eternall destruction herein they are punished by the iust iudgement of God not for the sinnes of other but for their owne iniquitie On the other side is offred a promise of enlarging the mercie of God into a thousand generations whiche promise is also often founde in the Scriptures is set in the solemne couenant of the churche I will be thy God and of thy seede after thee Whiche thinge Salomon hauing respect vnto writeth that the childreÌ„ of the righteous shal be blessed after their death not only by reason of holy bringing vp which also not a litle auaileth thereunto but also for that blessing promised in the couenaÌ„t that the grace of God shall rest eternally in the houses of the godly Herupon groweth great coÌ„fort to the faithfull great terrour to the wicked For if euen after death the remembrance bothe of righteousnesse wickednesse be of so great force with God that the cursing of the one and the blessyng of the other redoundeth vnto posteritie much more shal it light rest vpoÌ„ the heads of the doers themselues But it maketh nothing agaynste vs that the issue of the wicked many times cometh to good profe and the issue of the faithfull swarueth out of kinde bicause the lawmaker meante not here to stablish such a perpetual rule as should derogate his free election For it sufficeth for the comforte of the righteous and for the terrour of the sinner that the penaltie is not vayne or of no effect although it doe not alwaye take place For as the temporall punishmentes that are layed vpon a fewe wickedmen are testimonies of the wrath of God agaynst sinnes and of the iudgement that shal one day be geuen vpoÌ„ all sinners although many escape vnpunished euen to the ende of their life so when God geueth one example of this blessing to shew mercie and bouÌ„tifulnesse to the sonne for the fathers sake he geueth a profe of his constant and perpetual fauour to them that worship him and when he ones pursueth the wickednesse of the father in the sonne he sheweth what iudgement is prepared for all the reprobate for their owne offences Which assurednesse he had in this place principally respect vnto And by the way he coÌ„mendeth vnto vs the largenesse of his mercie whiche he extendeth vnto a thousand generations whereas he assigned but only fower generations to vengeance The third Commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vayne The end of this coÌ„maundement is that his will is to haue the maiestie of his name to be holy among vs. Therfore the summe shal be that we do not defile it with contemptuously irreuerently vsing it With whiche prohibition the coÌ„maundement hangeth orderly together that we take studie and care godlily to reuerence it Therefore we ought so to order our selues both in our mindes our tonges that we neyther thinke nor speake any thing of God himself or his misteries but reuerently with much sobrietie that in weyeng his workes we conceiue nothing but honorable toward him These three things I say it behoueth vs not negligently to marke that what so euer our minde conceiueth of him what so euer our tong vttereth it may sauour of his excelleÌ„cie maye agree with the holy hyghnesse of his name and finally may serue to aduauÌ„ce his magnificence That we do not rashly or disorderly abuse his holy worde reuereÌ„d misteries either to ambition or to couetousnesse or to our owne triflinges but that as they beare the dignitie of his name emprinted in theÌ„ so thei may kepe their honour estimation among vs. Last of al that we do not carp against or speake euel of his workes as these wretched men are wont to babble reprochefully against them but that what so euer we reherse done by him we report it with wordes of praise of his wisedom righteousnesse and goodnesse That is to sanctifie the name of God Where otherwise is done it is defiled with vaine and peruerse abuse bicause it is violently carried froÌ„ the right vse wherunto only it was apointed and though there be no other hurt done yet it is spoyled of his dignitie and by litle and litle brought to contempt Now if there be so much euel in this rash redinesse to vse the name of God out of season much more mischief is in this if it be employed to euell vses as they do that make it to serue the superstitions of Necromancie cruell execrations vnlawfull coÌ„iurations other wicked enchauntementes But swearyng is chiefly mentioned in the coÌ„maundement as the thing wherin the peruerse abuse of Gods name is most detestable that thereby we may be the better altogether frayed awaye from all defilyng thereof But that here is commaundement geueÌ„ of the worship of God and of the reuerence of his name and not of the truthe and equitie that is to be kept among men appereth by that that he afterward in the second table condemneth periurie and false witnesse wherby hurt is done to the felowship of meÌ„ but it were in vaine to repete it agayne if this coÌ„maundement entreated of the dutie of charitie And also the diuisioÌ„ of the law itself requireth it bicause as it is said God did not in vaine apoint two tables for his law wherby is gathered that in this coÌ„maundement he chalengeth his owne right to himself defendeth the holynesse of his name and teacheth not what men owe to men First is to be learned what is an othe It is a takyng of God to witnesse to confirme the truthe of that whiche we speake For those cursed speaches that coÌ„teine manifest reproches against God are vnworthy to be reckened among othes That suche takyng to witnesse whan it is rightly done is a kinde of worshippyng of God is shewed in diuerse places of the Scripture As wheÌ„ Esaye prophecieth of the calling of the Assyrians and Egyptians into felowship of the couenaÌ„t with Israel They shal speake sayth he in the tong of Chanaan shal swere in the name of the Lord. That is to say in sweryng by the name of the Lord they shall yelde a confession of his religion Againe when he speaketh of the enlargemeÌ„t of his kingdome he sayth Whosoeuer
that leaste religion shoulde fall awaie or waxe faint among vs holy meetinges are to be diligently kept and those outwarde helpes are to be vsed that are profitable for to nourishe the worshippinge of God The fifte Commaundement Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maist liue longe vpon the Lande which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee The ende of this commaundement is that bicause the Lorde delyteth in the preseruation of his ordre therfore he willeth that those degrees of preeminence which he hath ordeined be not broken the summe therfore shal be that we reuerence those whome the Lord hath set ouer vs that we yeld to them honore obedience and thankefullnesse Whervpon foloweth that it is forbidden vs to withdrawe any thynge from their dignitie either by contempt or obstinate or vnthankfulnes For so doth the worde Honoure in the Scripture signifieth very largely as when the Apostle sayth that the elders whiche rule well are worthy of doble honore he meaneth not oneli that reuerence ys due vnto them but also such recompense as their ministerie deserueth And bicause this comaundement of subiection doth most of all disagree with the peruersnesse of mans nature which as it swelleth with greedinesse of climbing hie so it hardly abideth to be broughte lowe therefore he hath set that kinde of superioritie for example which by nature is moste amiable and leste enuious bicause he mighte the easelyer meken and reclaime oâ—re mindes to the vse of submission Therfore the Lord doth by little little traine vs to all lawefull subiection by that which is most easy to beare for asmuch as the rule of all is alike For to whome he geueth any preeminence he doth communicate his own name with them so farre as is necessarie to preserue the same preeminence The name of Father God and Lorde do so belong vnto him alone that so ofte as we heare one of them named our minde muste needes be touched with a feeling of his maiestie Therfore whom he maketh partakers of these things he maketh to glister with a certaine sparke of his brightnesse that thei may be honorable euery one accordinge to his degree Therfore in him that is oure father we haue to consider somewhat of the nature of God bicause he beareth not the name of God without cause He that is our Prince or oure Lorde hath some partakinge of honore with God Wherfore it ought not to be doubted that God doth here set a generall rule that as we knowe any man to be by his ordinaunce set ouer vs so we yelde vnto him reuerence obedience thankfulnesse and suche other dueties as it lieth in vs to do And it maketh no difference whether thei be worthy or vnworthy For of what sorte soeuer thei be thei haue not without the prouidence of God atteyned that place by reasoÌ„ whereof the lawemaker woulde haue them to be honored Yet namely he hathe geuen commaundemente of reuerence to parentes that haue brought vs into this life to whiche reuerence very nature ought in a manner to instructe vs. For they are monsters and not men that breake the authorite of parentes with dishonore or stubbornesse Therfore the Lord commaunded all the disobedient to their parentes to be slaine as men vnworthy to enioye the benefite of lighte that doe not reknowledge by whose meanes thei came into it And by many additions of the lawe it appeareth to bee true that wee haue noted that there are three partes of honoure that he here speaketh of Reuerence Obedience and Thankfullnesse The firste of these the Lorde estabelysheth when he commaundeth him to be killed that curseth his Father or his Mother for there he punisheth the contempte and dishonoure of them The seconde he confirmeth when he appointeth the punishment of death for the disobedient and rebellious children To the thirde belongeth that sayinge of Christe in the fyftene of Matthew that it is the commaundement of God that we do good to oure parentes And so oft as Paule maketh mention of a commaundement he expoundeth that therein obedience is required There is annexed a promise for a commendation whyche dothe the rather putte vs in minde howe acceptable vnto God is the submission that is here commaunded For Paule vseth the same pricke to stirre vp oure dulnesse when he saieth that this is the fyrste commaundemente with promise For the promise that went before in the first Table was not speciall and proprely belonginge to one commaundement but extended to the whole lawe Nowe this is thus to be taken The Lorde spake to the Israelites peculiarly of the lande whiche he had promised them for their inheritance If then the possession of lande was a pledge of Gods bountyfullnesse let vs not meruell if it pleased God to declare his fauoure by geuinge lengthe of lyfe by whiche a man might longe enioye hys benefite The meaninge therefore is thus Honoure thy father and thy Mother that by a longe space of life thou maist enioye that possession of that lande that shal be vnto thee for a testimony of my Father But sith all the earthe is blessed to the faithfull we doe not woorthyly recken this present life amonge the blessinges of God Therefore thys promise dothe likewise belonge vnto vs for asmuche as their continuance of hys life is a profe of Gods good will For it neither is promised to vs nor was promised to the Iewes as thoughe it were contained blessednesse in it selfe but bicause it is wonte to bee to the Godlye a token of Gods tender loue Therfore if it chaunce that an obediente child to his parentes be taken out of this life before his ripe age whyche ys oftentimes seen yet doth God no lesse constantly continue in the perfourmance of his promise than if he shoulde rewarde hym wyth a hundreth Acres of lande to whome he promised but one Acre All consysteth in this that we should consider that long life is so farre promysed vs as it is the blessinge of God and that it is his blessinge so farre as it is a proofe of his fauoure whiche he by death doth muche more plentifully and perfectly witnesse and shewe in effect to his seruauntes Moreouer when the Lorde promiseth the blessinge of this presente life to the children that honoure their parentes with such reuerence as they ought he doth wythall secretly saye that most assured curse hangeth ouer the stubborne and disobedient children And that the same shoulde not wante execution hee pronounceth them by hys lawe subiecte to the iudgemente of deathe and commaundeth them to be putte to execution and if they escape that iudgemente hee hymselfe taketh vengeance on them by one meane or other For we see howe greate a numbre of that sorte of menne are slaine in battailes and in fraies and some other tourmented in strange vnaccustomed fashions and they all in a manner are a proofe that thys threatninge is not vayne Butte yf any escape to olde age syth in this lyfe beynge
euery one after the proportion of their nature yet it doth not deliuer them from necessitie of corruption but I speake of this speciall manner whereby the soules of the godly are bothe lightened vnto the knowledge of God and in a manner coupled to him By this enlightenyng of the worde sithe Adam Abel Noe Abraham and the other fathers cleaued vnto God I saye that it is not doubtfull that they had an entrie into the immortall kingdome of God For it was a sound partakyng of God whiche can not be without the benefit of eternall life But yf this seme somewhat entangled goe to let vs come to the very forme of the couenant which shall not only satisfie sobre wittes but also shall sufficiently conuince their ignorance that bende themselues to speake agaynst it For God did alwaye thus couenant with his seruantes I will be to you a God and ye shal be to me a people In whiche wordes the Prophetes themselues are wont to expound that both life and saluation and the whole summe of blessednesse is cōprehended For Dauid doth not without cause often pronounce that blessed is the people whose God is the lord blessed is the natiō which he hath chosen to be his inheritance and that not for earthly felicities sake but bycause he deliuereth them from death he preserueth them for euer and cōtinually sheweth them eternal mercie whome he hath taken to his people as it is in the other Prophetes Thou art our God we shall not die The Lord is our king our lawmaker he shall saue vs. Blessed art thou O Israel bycause thou art saued in the lord God But not to labour ouermuch in a thynge needelesse this admonition is sound eche where in the Prophetes that we shall wante nothyng toward all abundance of good thinges and assurance of saluatiō so that the Lord be our God And rightfully For if his face so sone as it beginneth to shine is a most present pledge of saluation to what man shall he openly shewe himselfe for his God but that he will also open to him his treasure of saluation For he is our God with this condition to dwell in the middest of vs as he testified by Moses But such presence can not be obteyned but that life must be also together had in possessiō with it And although there were no more expressed yet had thei a promise of spiritual life plaine enough in these wordes I am your God For he did not declare that he would be a God vnto their bodies alone but principally to their soules But soules vnlesse they be ioyned to God by righteousnesse remaine estranged from him in death But on the other side let that ioyning be present it shal bring euerlastyng saluation with it Byside that he did not only testifie that he was to them their God but he also promised that he would be so alway to the ende that their hope not contented with present benefites should be extended to eternitie And many sayenges do shewe that the speakyng in the future time meant so much as where the faithfull not only in present euels but also for the time to come doe comfort themselues with this that God will neuer fayle them Nowe as concernyng the seconde part of the promise he yet more plainely assured them of the blessyng of God to be prolonged vnto them beyond the boundes of this life in sayeng I will be the God of your seede after you For if he minded to declare his good will toward them beyng dead in doyng good to their posteritie much more would his fauour not faile toward themselues For God is not like vnto menne whiche do therefore carry their loue to their frendes children bicause their power is interrupted by death so that they can not employe their frendely doynges vpō them to whom they did beare good will But God whose bountifulnesse is not hyndered by death taketh not awaye from the very dead the frute of his mercie whiche for their sakes he poureth out into a thousand generations Therefore the Lordes will was by a notable profe to set forth vnto them the greatnesse and flowyng plētie of his goodnesse which they should fele after death when he described it to be such as should slowe ouer into all their posteritie And the truthe of this promise the Lord did then seale and as it were brought forth the fulfillyng of it when he named himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob long after their death For what had it not ben a fond naming if thei had vtterly perished For then had it ben all one as if he had sayd I am the God of them that are not Wherefore the Euangelistes reherse that with this one argument the Sadduces were so driuen to a streight that they could not denie that Moses did testifie the resurrection of the dead for that they had learned by Moses that all the Saintes were in his hand Wherupon it was easy to gather that they are not destroyed by death whome he that is the iudge of life and death had receyued into his sauegard custodie and protection Now which is the principal point wherupon this cōtrouersie hangeth let vs loke whether the faithfull themselues haue not ben so instructed of the Lord that they perceiued that they shuld haue a better life els where and so neglectyng this life had an eye to the other First the state of life that was enioyned them by God was a continuall exercise whereby they might be put in minde that they were the moste miserable of all men if their happinesse were only in this life Adam most vnhappy euen with only remembrance of the happynesse that he had lost did with painfull labours hardly susteyne his nedynesse and that he shuld not be pressed with the curse of God in the only labours of his handes euen there receyued he extreme sorrow of that whiche remayned for him to be his comfort Of his two sonnes the one was taken awaye by the wicked slaughter of his brother the other he had lefte aliue whose sight he worthily detested abhorred Abel cruelly murthered in the very floure of his age became an example of the wretchednesse of men Noe while the whole world carelesly liued in pleasure spent a good part of his age with great werinesse in bildyng the Arke This that he escaped death came to passe by his greater troubles than yf he should haue died a hundred deathes For byside that the Arke was to him as a graue for x. monethes there is nothing more vnpleasaunt than to be holden so longe in manner drowned in dong of beastes When he had passed ouer so great difficulties he fell into newe matter of grefe he saw him self scorned of his owne sonne and was compelled with his owne mouth to curse him whom by the great benefit of God he had receiued safe from the generall flood Abraham in deede may be one alone
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
the olde man to forsake the world flesh to bidde our lustes farewel to be renewed in the spirit of our minde Morouer the very name of mortificatioÌ„ doth put vs in minde how hard it is to forget our former nature bicause we therby gather that we are not otherwise framed to the feare of God nor do learne the principles of godlinesse but when we are violently slaine with the worde of the Spirit and so brought to nought euen as though God should pronounce that to haue vs to be accompted amonge his children there needeth a death of all our commune nature Both these thinges do happen vnto vs by the partaking of Christ For yf we doe truely communicate of his death by the power there of our old man is crucified the body of sinne dieth that the corruption of our former nature maye liue no more If we be partakers of his resurrection by it we are raised vp into a newnesse of life that maye agree with the righteousnesse of God In one worde I expouÌ„d repentance to be regeneration which hath no other marke wherunto it is directed but that the image of God which was by Adams offence fowly defaced in a maÌ„ner vitterly blotted out may be renewed in vs So the Apostle teacheth wheÌ„ he sayth but we representyng the glory of God with vncouered face are transâ—ormed into the same image out of glorie into glorie as by the spirit of the Lord. Againe Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man whiche is created accordyng to God in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth Agayne in an other place puttyng on the new man whiche is renewed after the knowledge and image of hym that created him Therefore by this regeneration we be by the benefit of Christ restored into the righteousnesse of God from which we were fallen by Adam After which manner it pleaseth the lord wholly to restore all those whome he adopteth into the inheritance of life And this restoryng is fulfilled not in one moment or one day or one yere but by continuall yea and sometimes slowe procedynges God taketh awaye the corruptions of the fleshe in his elect cleanseth them from filthinesse and consecrateth them for temples to himself renewyng all their senses to true purenesse that they maye exercise themselues all their life in repentance and knowe that this warre hath no ende but in death And so much the greater is the lewdenesse of that filthy rayler apostata Staphylus whiche foolishly sayth that I confound the state of this present life with the heauenly glorie when I expounde by Paule the image of God to be holinesse and true righteousnesse As though when any thing is defined we should not seke the whole fulnesse perfection of it And yet we denie not place for encreasces but I saye that howe nere any man approcheth to the likenesse of God so much the image of God shineth in him That the faithful may atteyne hereunto God assigneth them the race of repentance wherin to runne all their life long The children of God therfore are so deliuered by regeneratioÌ„ from the bondage of sinne not that hauing now obteined the ful possessioÌ„ of libertie thei should fele no more trouble by their flesh but that thei shold haue remayning a continual matter of stryfe wherwith they maye be exercised and not only be exercised but also maye better learne their owne weakenesse And in this point all wryters of sound iudgement agre together that ther remaineth in maÌ„ regenerate a feding of euel from whense continually spryng desires that allure and stirre him to sinne They coÌ„fesse also that the holy ones are still so holden entangled with that disease of lusting that they can not withstand but that somtime they are tickled and stirred either to lust or to couetousnesse or to ambition or to other vices Neither is it needefull to labour muche in searchyng what the old writers haue thought herein for asmuche as only Augustine may be sufficient for it whiche hath faithfully with great diligence gathered al their iudgemeÌ„tes Therfore let yâ— readers gather out of him such certaintie as they shall desire to learne of the opinion of antiquitie But there may seme to be this differeÌ„ce betwene him vs that he when he graunteth that the faithfull so long as they dwell in a mortal body are so holden bound with lustes that they can not but lust yet dareth not call that disease sinne but beyng coÌ„tent to expresse it by the name of weakenesse he teacheth that then only it becoÌ„meth sinne when either worke or consent is added to conceite or receiuyng that is when will yeldeth to the first desire but we accompt the very same for sinne that maÌ„ is tickled with any desire at al against the law of God Yea we affirme that the very corruption that engendreth such desires in vs is sinne We teach therfore that there is alway sinne in the holy ones vntil they be vnclothed of the mortall body bycause there remaineth in their fleshe that peruersnesse of lustyng that fighteth against vprightnesse And yet he doth not alway forbeare to vse the name of Sinne as when he sayth This Paule calleth by the name of sinne from whense spryng all sinnes vnto a fleshly concupiscence This asmuch as perteyneth to the holy ones loseth the kingdome in earth and perisheth in heauen By which wordes he confesseth that the faithfull are gilty of sinne in so much as they are subiect to the lustes of the fleshe But this that it is sayd that God purgeth his church froÌ„ al sinne that he promiseth that grace of deliuerance by Baptisme fulfilleth it in his elect we referre rather to the giltinesse of sinne thaÌ„ to the very matter of sinne God truely performeth this by regeneratyng them that be his that in them the kingdome of sinne is abolished for the holy ghost ministreth theÌ„ strength whereby they get the vpper hand and are conquerors in the battell but it cesseth only to reigne not so to â—well in them Therfore we so say that the olde man is crucified the law of sinne abolished in the children of God that yet there remayne some leauynges not to haue dominion in them but to humble them by knowledge in conscience of their owne weakenesse And we confesse that the same are not imputed as if they weare not but we affirme that this coÌ„meth to passe by the mercie of God that the holy ones are deliuered from this giltinesse whiche otherwise should iustly be reckened sinners and gilty before God And this sentence it shall not be hard for vs to coÌ„firme for asmuch as there are euident testimonies of the scripture vpoÌ„ their matter For what wold we haue more plaine than that which Paul crieth out to the Romanes chap. vii First both we haue in an other place shewed and Augustine proueth by strong reasons that Paule
from cursyng our estate what soeuer it be bycause we know that that is to murmure agaynst God at whose will richesse and pouertie basenesse and honors are disposed Brefely he that resteth hymselfe in suche sorte as is aforesayd vpon the blessyng of God neyther will by euell suttelties hunt for those thinges that menne are wont outragiously to couet by whiche crafty meanes he thinketh that he shall nothyng preuayle nor yf any thyng happen prosperously will impute if to hymselfe and to his owne diligence endeuour or to fortune but will assigne it to God the authour But yf while other mens estates doe florish he goe but sclenderly forward yea or slide backeward yet he will beare his ill fortune with greater quietnesse and moderation of mynde than a prophane manne wil beare a meanely good successe whiche is not altogether so good as he desired bycause he hath a comfort wherein he maye more quietly rest than vpon the hiest toppe of wealth and authoritie bycause he accompteth that his thinges are ordered by God as is auailable for his saluation So we see that Dauid was minded and yeldeth himselfe to be ruled by God he declareth himselfe to be like to a weyned childe and that he walketh not in hye thinges or maruellous aboue himself And the godly mindes ought to haue that quietnesse and sufferaÌ„ce not only consistyng in this behalf but also it muste extend to al chaunces wherunto our present life is subiect Therfore no maÌ„ hath rightly forsaken himselfe but he hath so resigned himselfe vp wholly to the Lord that he suffreth all the partes of his lyfe to be gouerned by his will He that is so framed in minde what so euer happen will neyther thinke himselfe miserable nor will with enuiousnesse agaynste God complayne of his fortune Howe necessarie this affection is shall hereby appere yf you consider to howe many chaunces we be subiect â–ª Diuerse kyndes of diseases doe trouble vs sometime the pestilence cruelly reigneth sometime we are sharply vexed with calamities of warre somtime frost or haile deuouring the hope of the yere bringeth barennesse that driueth vs to dearth somtime our wife parentes children or kinsfolkes are taken awaye by death our house is consumed with fier these be the thinges at chauncyng whereof men curse their life derest the day of their birth haue heaueÌ„ and light in execration murmure against God and as thei be eloquent in blasphemies accuse him of vniustice and crueltie But a faythfull manne muste euen in these chaunces beholde the mercyfull kindenesse and fatherly tendernesse of God Therefore whether he see his house destroied his kinsefolke slayne yet he will not therfore cesse to prayse God but rather will turne himselfe to this thought yet the Grace of the Lord that dwelleth in my house will not leaue it desolate Or yf when his corne is blasted or bitten or consumed with frostes or beaten downe with hayle he see famine at hand yet he will not despeyr nor speake hatefully of God but will remayne in this confidence We are yet in the Lordes protection and shepe brought vp in his pastures he therfore will finde vs foode euen in extremest barrennesse Or if he bee troubled with sicknesse eueÌ„ then he will not be discouraged with bitternesse of sorrow to burst out into impatience and quarell thus with God but consideryng the righteousnesse lenitie in gods correctioÌ„ he will call himself back to patience Finally what so euer shall happen bicause he knoweth it ordeined by the hand of God he will take it with a well pleased and thankefull minde least he should stubbornly resist his authoritie into whose power he hath yelded himselfe and all his Therfore let that foolish most miserable comfort of the Heathen be far from a Christian mans heart which to streÌ„gthen their mindes agaynst aduersities did impute the same to fortune with whome they coÌ„pted it â—oolish to be angry bicause she was blinde vnaduised that blindely wounded bothe the deseruing and vndeseruyng For contrarywise this is the rule of godlinesse that the only hand of God is the iudge and gouernesse of bothe fortunes and that it runneth not forward with vnaduised sodeyne rage but with most orderly iustice dealeth among vs bothe good thinges and euell The eight Chapter ¶ Of the bearyng of the crosse whiche is a part of the forsakyng of our selues BUt a Godly minde muste yet climbe vp hier euen to that whereunto Christ calleth his disciples that euery one take vp his crosse For all whome the Lorde hath chosen and vouchesaued to receiue into his companie must prepare theÌ„selues to a hard trauailsome vnquiet life and full of many and diuerse kindes of incoÌ„modities So it is the will of the heauenly father to exercise theÌ„ in such sort that he may haue a true profe of them that be his Beginnyng at Christ his first begotten sonne he procedeth with this order toward al his children For wheras Christ was the best beloued sonne aboue the reste and in whome the fathers minde was fully pleased yet we see how he was not teÌ„derly deintily handeled so that it maye be truely sayd that he was not only exercised with a perpetual crosse so long as he dwelled in earth but that at his life was nothinge els but a kinde of continuall crosse The Apostle sheweth the cause thereof to be that it behoued that he should learne obedience by those thinges that he suffred Why then should we priuilege our selues from that estate whereunto it behoued Christ our hed to be subiect specially sithe he became subiect thereunto for our cause to shew vs an example of patience in himself Therefore the Apostle sayth that this is the apointed end for all the children of God to be fashioned lyke vnto him Whereupon also in harde and sharpe chaunces which are reckened aduersities and euels ariseth a great comfort vnto vs that we coÌ„municate with the suffringes of Christ that as he entred out of a maze of all troubles into the heauenly glorie so we maye by diuerse tribulations be brought into the same glorie For so sayth Paule himself that when we learne the communicating of his afflictions we do also conceyue the power of his resurrection and when we are fashioned like vnto his death we are so prepared to the felowship of his glorious risyng agayne Howe much maye this auayle to aswage all the painefulnesse of the crosse that the more we are afflicted with aduersities so muche the more surely is our felowship with Christ confirmed by communicating whereof our suffringes are not only made blessed vnto vs but also do much help vs to the furtherance of our saluation Byside that our Lord had no neede to take vpon him to beare the crosse but to testifie proue his obedience to his father but we for diuerse causes haue neede to leade our life vnder a coÌ„tinual crosse First as we be naturally bent to attribute all thinges to our flesh
might be of force to holde them in is a certayne meane thyng betwene the forsaking of whole mankinde and the election of a small nomber of the godly The whole people of Israell was called the inheritance of GOD of whome yet there were many strangers But because GOD had not for nothing made couenant with them that he woulde bee their Father and redemer he rather hath respecte to hys owne free fauor than to the vnfaythfull falling away of many by whom also hys truthe was not abolished because where he reserued any remnante it appeared that hys calling was without repentance For whereas GOD did from tyme to tyme choose vnto hymselfe a Chirche rather out of the children of Abraham than out of the prophane nations he had regarde to hys couenante which beyng broken of the whole multitude he restrayned to a fewe that it shoulde not vtterly fall awaye Fynally the common adoption of the sede of Abraham was a certayne visible image of a greater benefite whiche God hath vouchesaued to graunt to fewe out of many Thys is the reason why Paule so diligently putteth difference betwene the children of Abraham according to the fleshe and hys spirituall children which were called after the example of Isaac Not that it was a vayne and vnfrutefull thing simply to be the chylde of Abraham whiche mighte not be sayd without dishonor of the couenante but because the vnchangeable counsell of GOD wherby he hath predestinate whom he would is by it selfe effectual only to this later sort vnto saluatiō But I warne the reders y◠they bring not a foreconceiued iugement on either side til it appeare by the places of Scripture broughte fourth what is to be thoughte That therefore which the Scripture clerely sheweth we saye that God by eternall and vnchangeable counsel hath ones appointed whom in tyme to come he would take to saluatiō and on the other syde whō he would condemne to destruction Thys counsel as touching the elect we say to be groūded vpon his free mercie without any respect of the worthinesse of man but whom he appointeth to damnatiō to them by hys iugement which is in dede iust and irreprehensible but also incōprehensible y◠entrie of lyfe is forclosed Now in the elect we set vocation to be the testimonie of Election then iustification to be an other signe of the manifest shewing of it til they come to glorie wherin is the fulfilling of it But as by vocatiō and election God maketh his elect so by shutting out y◠reprobate eyther from the knowlege of hys name or from the sanctification of his Spirite he doth as it were by these markes open what iugemēt abideth for them I wil here passe ouer many fayned inuentions which foolish mē haue forged to ouerthrowe predestination For they nede no confutation which so sone as they are brought fourth doe largely bewraye their owne falsnesse I wil tarry only vpon those which either are in controuersie amōg the learned or which may bryng any hardinesse to the simple or which vngodlinesse with faire seming showe pretendeth to scoffe at the righteousnesse of God ¶ The .xxii. Chapiter A confirmation of this doctrine by testimonies of the Scripture AL these things which we haue set are not without controuersie among many specially the free election of the faithfull which yet can not be weakened For the common sort do thinke that God as he foreseeth that euery mans deseruinges shal be so maketh difference betwene men that therefore whō he foreknoweth that they shal be not vnworthy of hys grace them he adopteth into place of children and whoe 's natures he espyeth that they wil be bent to wickednesse and vngodlinesse them he appointeth to the damnation of death So by cloking it with the veile of foreknowlege they do not only darken election but faine that it hath beginning from ells where And this opinion receiued of the commō sort is not the opinion of the common sorte alone for in al ages it hath had greate mainteiners Whiche I doe plainly confesse to the entent that no mā should trust that it shall muche hurte our cause if their names be obiected against vs. For the truthe of God herein is more certaine than that it may be shaken more clere than that it maye be darkened with y◠authoritie of men But some other neyther exercised in the Scripture nor worthy of any voyce doo rayle at thys doctrine wyth greater maliciousnesse than that their frowarde pryde oughte to be suffered Because God choosing some after hys owne wyl leaueth other some they picke a quarel against hym But if the thing it selfe be knowē for true what shal they preuaile with brawling against God We teach nothing but that which is approued by experience that it was alway at libertie for God to bestowe hys grace to whome he will I will not enquire wherby the posteritie of Abraham excelled other but by that vouchesauing wherof there is foūde no cause ellswhere than in God Let them answere why they be men rather than oxen or asses Whē it was in the hande of God to make them dogges he fashioned them after hys own image Wyll they geue leaue to brute beastes to quarell wyth God for their estate as thoughe the difference were vnrighteous Truely it is no more righteous that they should enioy the prerogatiue whiche they haue obteined by no deseruinges thā for God diuersly to deale abrode his benefites according to the measure of hys own iugement If they skippe ouer to persones where the inequalitie is more hateful to them at the least at the example of Christe they oughte to be afrayed to prate so boldly of so hye a mysterie He is conceiued of the sede of Dauid a mortall man by what vertues wyll they say that he deserued to be in the very wombe made the hed of Angels the onely begotten sonne of GOD the image and glorie of the Father the lyghte righteousnesse and saluation of the worlde Thys thing Augustine wisely noted that in the very hed of the Chirche is a moste clere mirror of free election lest it should troble vs in the members and that he was not by ryghteously liuing made the sonne of God but that he had so great honor freely geuen hym that he myght afterwarde make other partakers of hys gyftes Here if any man aske why other were not the same that he was or why all we are so farr distante from hym why all we be corrupte and he purenesse suche a man shall bewraye not onely hys madnesse but therewithall also hys shamelessnesse But if they goe forward to labor to take from GOD the free power to choose and refuse let them also take away that whiche is geuen to Christe Nowe it is worth the trauayle to consider what the Scripture pronounceth of euery one Paule verily when he teacheth that we were chosen in Christe taketh away all respecte of our owne worthinesse For it is al one as if he had sayd
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
our thought vpon this howe wretched a thing it is to be estranged from the felowship of God and not that only but also to fele the maiestie of God so bent against thee that thou canst not escape but be fast strayned of it For first his displeasure is like a most violent fier with touchyng whereof all thinges are deuoured and swallowed vp Then all creatures so serue him to execute his iudgement that they to whome the Lord shall so shewe his wrath shal fele the heauen earth sea and beastes as it were with cruell indignation enflamed against them and armed to their destruction Wherefore it is no small thyng that the Apostle pronounceth when he sayth that the vnbeleuyng shal suffer eternal punishmēt by dyeng from the face of the Lord and from the glorie of his power And so oft as the Prophetes do caste vs in feare with bodily figures although they speake nothing excessiuely for our dulnesse yet they adde fore shewynges of that iudgement to come in the sunne and the moone and the whole frame of the world Wherfore the vnhappy consciēces do finde no rest from beyng vexed and tossed with a terrible whirlewinde frō felyng themselues to be torne in peces by God beyng angirly bent agaynst them from beyng pearced and launced with deadly stinges from trēbling at the lightening of God and beyng broosed with the weight of his hand so that it is much more ease to entre into al bottomlesse depthes and deuouryng pittes than to stande one moment in those terrors What and how great then is this to be pressed with euerlastyng and neuer cessing siege of him Of whiche thyng the .xc. Psalme conteyneth a notable sentence that although with onely sight he scatter abrode all mortall men and bryng them to nought yet his worshippers howe muche more ferefull they are in the world so much more he enforceth them and pricketh them forward loden with the crosse vntill he be all in all The ende of the third Boke THE FOVRTH BOKE OF THE INSTItution of Christen religion which entreateth of the outvvard meanes or helpes vvherby God allureth vs into the felovvshyp of Christ and holdeth vs therein ¶ The first Chapter Of the true Churche with which we ought to kepe vnitie because it is the mother of al the godly THat by Faith of the Gospel Christ is become ours and we be made partakers of the saluation broughte by him and of eternal blessednesse is already declared in the last booke But because our rudenesse and slouthfulnesse yea and vanitie of witte doe nede outwarde helpes whereby Fayth in vs maye both be engendred and growe and encrease in proceding towarde the marke wherunto it tendeth God hath also added them therby to prouyde for our weakenesse And that the Preaching of the Gospell might floryshe he hath left this treasure with the Churche He hath appointed Pastors and teachers by whoe 's mouth he myght teache them that be his he hath furnyshed them with authoritie finally he hath left nothyng vndoone that might auaile to the holy consent of faith and right order First of all he hath ordeined Sacramentes which we fele by experience to be more than profitable helpes to nourishe and confirme Faith For because beeyng enclosed in the prison of our fleshe we do not yet attaine to the degree of Angels God applying hymselfe to our capacitie accordyng to hys wonderful Prouidence hath appointed a meane wherby we being far distant frō him might come vnto hym Wherfore the order of teaching requireth that now we entreate of the Church and of the gouernemēt orders and power of it and then of the Sacramentes and lastely also of ciuile order and therewithall that we call away the godly readers from those corruptions wherewyth Satan in the Papane hath depraued all thynges that God had appointed for our saluation I will begin at the Churche into whoe 's bosome God wil haue hys children to be gathered together not onely that they should by her helpe and ministerie be nouryshed whyle they are infantes and yong chyldren but also be ruled by her motherly care tyll they growe to ryper age and at length come to the marke of Fayth For it is not lawfull that those thynges be seuered which God hath conioyned that to whom he is a Father the Churche be also their mother and that not onely vnder the lawe but also sins the commyng of Christe as Paule wytnesseth which teacheth that we are the children of the newe and heauenly Hierusalem In the Crede where we professe that we beleeue the Churche that is not spoken onelye of the visible Churche whereof we now entreate but of all the electe of God in whose number they are also comprehended that are departed by death And therefore thys worde Beleue is there set because oftentimes there can no other difference be noted betwene the children of God and the vngodly betwene his peculiar flocke and sauage beastes For wheras many doe enterlace this worde in that is without probable reason I graunt in dede that it is the more commonly vsed and also wanteth nor the consenting testimonie of antiquitie forasmuch as euen the Nicen Crede as it is reported in the Ecclesiasticall historie addeth the preposition in But there withall we maie marke by the writinges of the auncient Fathers that it was in old time receiued without controuersie to say that they beleued the Churche and not in the Churche For Augustine and that aunciēt writer whatsoeuer he was whoe 's work remaineth vnder the name of Cyprian concerning the exposition of the Crede do not onely so speake themselues but also do expresly note that it should be an vnproper maner of speaking if the preposition were adioyned and they confirme their opinion with no trifling reason For we therefore testifie that we beleue in God because vpon him as a true speaker our minde reposeth it selfe and in him our confidence resteth which could not so cōueniently be spoken to say in the Churche no more than it could be sayed I beleue in the forgeuenesse of sinnes or in the resurrection of the fleshe Therefore although I would not striue about woordes yet I had rather folowe the proprietie of speakyng that shoulde be fittest to expresse the matter thā curiously to seke for formes of speche wherby the matter may without cause be darkened But the ende is that we should know that although the deuill attempt all meanes to ouerthrowe the grace of Christe and though the ennemies of God be carried with violente rage to the same entente yet it can not be extinguished nor the bloude of Christ be made barren but that it will bryng forth some fruite And so is both the secrete election of God and his inward callyng to be cōsidered because he alone knoweth whoe be hys and holdeth thē enclosed vnder a seale as Paule termeth it saying that they beare hys tokens whereby they maye be seuerally knowen from the reprobate But because a
Wherfore this honor was to be geuen them ▪ vntill they refused it beyng offred them and by their owne vnthankfulnesse brought to passe that it was caried away to the Gētiles Neither yet with howe great obstinatie soeuer they continue to make warre against the Gospell ought they to be despised of vs if we consider that for the promises sake the blessing of God doth yet stil remain among them as verely the Apostle testifieth that it shall neuer vtterly departe from thence because the giftes and callyng of God are without repentance Beholde of what force is the promise geuen to the posteritie of Abraham and with what balance it is to be weyed Wherefore althoughe in discernyng the heires of the kyngdome from bastardes and strangers we nothyng doute that the only election of God ruleth with free right of gouernement yet we also therwithall perceiue that it pleased hym peculiarly to embrace the sede of Abraham with his mercie and that the same mercie might be the more surely witnessed to seale it with circumcision Nowe altogether like state is there of the christian Chirche For as Paule there reasoneth that the Iewes are sanctified of their parentes so in an other place he teacheth that the children of christians receiue the same sanctification of their parentes Wherupon is gathered that they are worthily seuered from the rest which on the other syde are condemned of vncleannesse Nowe who can doute but that it is moste false which they do therupon conclude that say that the infantes which in olde tyme were circumcised dyd only figure spiritual infantie which ariseth of the regeneration of the worde of God For Paule dothe not so suttelly play the Philosopher where he writeth that Christ is the minister of Circumcision to fulfill the promises which had bene made to the Fathers as if he saide thus Forasmuche as the couenant made with Abraham hath respecte to his sede Christe to performe and discharge the promise ones made by his Father came to saluatiō to the nation of the Iewes Se you not how also after the resurrectiō of Christe he iudgeth that the promise of the couenant is to be fulfilled not onely by way of allegorie but as the very wordes do sounde to the carnal seede of Abraham To the same entent serueth that which Peter in the second Chapter of the Actes declareth to the Iewes that the benefite of the Gospell is due to them and their sede by right of the couenant and in the Chapter next folowyng he calleth them the children of the testamente that is to say heires From which also not muche disaccordeth the other place of the Apostle aboue alleged where he accompteth and setteth Circūcision emprinted in infants for a testimonie of that cōmunion which thei haue with Christ. But if we harken to their trifles what shal be wroughte by that promise wherby the Lorde in the seconde article of his law vndertaketh to his seruantes that he wil be fauourable to their sede euen to the thousandth generation Shall we here flee to allegories But that were to triflyng a shift Or shal we say that this is abolished But so the law should be destroyed which Christ came rather to stablish so farre as it turneth vs to good vnto lyfe Lett it therfore bee out of controuersie that God is so good and liberall to his that for their sakes he wil haue also their children whome they shall begett to be adnumbred among his people Moreouer the differences which they go about to put betwene Baptisme and circumcision ar not only worthy to be laughed at and void of all color of reson but also disagreeyng with them selues For when they haue affirmed that Baptisme hath relation to the first day of the spiritual battell but circumcision to the eighth when mortification is already ended by and by forgetting the same they turne their song and call circumcisiō a figure of the flesh to be mortified but Baptisme they call buriall into which none ar to be put til they be alredy dead What dotages of phrentike men can with so great lightnesse leape into sondry diuersities For in the fyrst sentence Baptisme must go before circumcisiō by the other it is thrust backe into the later place Yet is it no newe exāple that the wittes of men be so tossed vp and downe when in stede of the most certain word of God they worship whatsoeuer they haue dreamed We therfore say that that former difference is a mere dreame If they listed to expounde by way of allegorie vpon the eyghth day yet it agreed not in that maner It were muche fitter accordyng to the opinion of the old writers to referre the numbre of eighth to the resurrection whiche was done on the eighth day wherupon we knowe that the newnesse of life hangeth or to the whole course of this presente lyfe wherein mortification oughte alwaye to goe forward till when life is ended mortification it selfe may also be ended Howbeit God may seme to haue mynded to prouide for the tendernesse of age in differryng circumcision the viii day because the wound shold haue ben more dangerous to the children newe borne and yet red from their mother Howe muche stronger is that that we beyng deade before are buried by Baptisme when the scripture expressely cryeth to the cōtrarye that we are buried into death to this entente that we should dye and from thenseforth shoulde endeuor to this mortification Nowe a likewise handlyng it is that they cauill that women ought not to be baptised if Baptisme must bee framed like to Circumcision For if it be most certaine that the sanctifieng of the sede of Israel was testified by the signe of Circumcision thereby also it is vndouted that it was geuen to sanctifie bothe males females But the onely bodyes of male children were marked with it which myght by nature be marked yet so that the women were by them after a certaine maner cōpanions and parteners of circumcision Therefore sending farre away suche follies of theirs lette vs sticke faste in the lykenesse of Baptisme circumcision whiche we most largely see to agree in the inward mysterie in the promises in vse in effectualnesse They thynke also that they bring forth a most strong reason why childrē are to be debarred from Baptisme when they allege that they ar not yet for age able to vnderstand the mysterie there signified That is spiritual regeneration which can not be in the first infātie Therfore they gather that they are to be taken for none other than the childrē of Adam till they be growen to age mete for a second birth But the truth of God echewhere speaketh against all these thynges For if they be to be lefte among the children of Adam then they are left in death forasmuch as in Adam we can do nothyng but dye But contrarywise Christ cōmaūdeth them to be brought vnto hym Why so because he is life Therfore that he may geue life to
receiue teaching Afterwarde he addeth that such when they are instructed ought to be Baptised adioyning a promise that they which beleue and are baptised shal be saued Is there in al that sayeng so much as one syllable of infantes What forme therefore of reasoning shal thys be wherewith they assaile vs they which are of growen age must first be instructed that they may beleue ere they be baptised therfore it is vnlawful to make Baptisme common to infantes Althoughe they would burst themselues they shall proue nothing ells by this place but that the Gospell must be preached to them that are of capacitie able to heare it before that they be Baptised forasmuch as he there speaketh of such only Let them herof if they can make a stopp to debarre infantes from Baptisme But that euen blynde men also may with gropyng fynde out their deceites I wil poynt them out with a very cleare similitude If any mā cauil that infantes ought to haue meate taken from them vppon thys pretense that the Apostle suffreth none to eate but them that labor shal he not be worthy that al men should spit at hym Why so Because he without differēce draweth that to al men which was spoken of one kinde and one certayne age of men No whit handsomer is their handeling in thys present cause For that which euery man seeth to belong to one age alone they draw to infantes that thys age also may be subiect to the rule which was made for none but them that were more growen in yeres As for the example of Christ it nothing vpholdeth their side He was not baptised before that he was thirty yeres olde That is in dede true but there is a reason therof redy to be shewed because he thē purposed by hys preaching to lay a sounde fundatiō of Baptisme or rather to stablish the fundation which had ben before laied of Iohn Therfore when he mynded with hys doctrine to institute Baptisme to procure the greater authoritie to his institution he Sanctified it with his owne body and that in such fitnesse of tyme as was most conuenient namely when he began his preaching Finally they shall gather nothing ells herof but that Baptisme toke hys original and beginning at the preaching of the Gospell If they list to appoint the thirtith yere why doe they not kepe it but doe receiue euery one to Baptisme as he hath in their iugemente sufficiently profited yea and Seruettus one of their maisters when he stiffly required thys tyme yet began at the .xxi. yere of his age to boste himselfe to be a Prophet As though he were to bee suffred that taketh vpon himselfe the place of a teacher in the Chirch before that he be a member of the Chirch At the last they obiect that there is no greater cause why Baptisme should be geuen to infantes than the Lordes Supper which yet is not graunted them As though the Scripture did not euery way expresse a large differēce The same was in dede vsually done in the olde Chirch as it appeareth by Cypriane and Augustine but that maner is worthily growen out of vse For if we consider the nature and propertie of Baptisme it is truely an entrie into the Chirch and as it were a forme of admission wherby we are adnūbred into the people of God a signe of our spirituall regeneration by which we are borne agayne into the children of God wheras on the other syde the Supper is geuē to them that be more growen in age which hauing passed tender infantie are now able to beare strong meate Which difference is very euidently shewed in the Scripture For there the Lorde so muche as perteineth to Baptisme maketh no choise of ages But he doth not likewise geue the Supper to al to take part of it but only to them which are fit to discerne the body and blood of the Lord to examine their own conscience to declare the Lordes death to weye the power therof Would we haue any thing plainer than that which the Apostle teacheth when he exhorteth that euery man should proue and examine hymselfe and then eate of thys bred and drynke of thys cup Therfore examination must goe before which should in vaine be loked for of infantes Agayne he that eateth vnworthily eateth and drynketh damnation to hymselfe not discerning the Lordes body If none can partake worthily but they that can well discerne the holinesse of the Lordes body why should we geue to our tender children poison in stede of liuely foode What is that commaundement of the Lord ye shal do it in remembrance of me what is that other which the Apostle deriueth from the same So oft as ye shall eate of this bread ye shal declare the Lordes death til he come What remembrance I beseche you shal we require at our infantes of the thyng which they neuer atteined with vnderstanding what preaching of the crosse of Christ ▪ the force and benefite whereof they do not yet comprehende in mind None of these things is prescribed in Baptisme Therfore betwene these twoo signes is great difference whiche we note also in like signes in the olde testament Circumcision which is knowen to answere to our Baptisme was appointed for infantes But the passeouer into whoe 's place the Supper hath now succeded did not receiue al maner of gestes without difference but was rightly eaten of them only that myght by age enquire of the signification of it If these men had remayning one crumme of sounde brayne woulde they be blynde at a thing so clere and offring it selfe to sight Although it greueth me to lode the reders with a heape of trifles yet it shal be worth the trauail brefely to wype away suche gay reasons as Seruettus not the least of the Anabaptistes yea the great glory of that company thought himselfe to bring when he prepared himselfe to conflict He allegeth that Christes signes as they be perfect so doe require them that be perfect or able to conceiue perfection But the solution is easy that the perfection of Baptisme which extendeth euen to death is wrongfully restrayned to one point of time I say yet further that perfection is foolyshly required in man at the first day wherunto Baptisme allureth vs al our life long by continuall degrees He obiecteth that Christes signes wer ordeined for remembrance that euery man should remember that he was buried together with Christ. I answer that that which he hath fained of his owne head nedeth no confutation yea tha◠which he draweth to Baptisme Paules wordes shew to be propre to the holy Supper that euery man should examine himself but of Baptisme there is no where any such thing Wherupon we gather that they be rightly baptised which for their smalnesse of age ar not yet able to receiue examination Wheras he thirdly allegeth that all they abide in death whiche beleue not the Sonne of God that the wrath of God abideth vppon them therfore
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