and man whosoeuer for the vnities sake of natures doth not so farr extend his humanitie as his diuinitie is extended For in the Gospel after S. Matthewe the Lord goeth not with his bodie into the house of the Centurion whereas yet notwithstanding there is no doubt that his Godhead being present not absent the seruaunt of the Centurion was cured of his disease And who will say that therfore the person is diuided by S. Matthewe for that he hath not extended the humanitie of Christe euen vnto his diuinitie The Angels speaking to the women concerning the bodie of Christ risen from the dead and now glorified say He is not heere he is risen But we are not ignorant that his diuinitie is in euery place And yet the Angels diuided not his inseparable person in that they did not make equal in al respects the humane body of Christ with his Godhead The Angels them selues doe not diuide the person of Christ when his body being taken vp from the mount Oliuet into heauen they standing on the earth testifie that he shall come againe after the same māner as they sawe him depart from them But who dare denie that the Lord was then also present with them Therefore our Lord after the manner of his verie body is in heauen not in earth but according to his infinite godhead he is euery where in heauen and in earth Man consisteth of soule and body and these most contrarie in natures betwene them selues make one person not two And who so euer attributeth and defendeth that which is proper to eyther of them doth not diuide the person The body sléepeth the soule sléepeth not these properties of partes make not two persons Herevnto séemeth to belong that whiche Theodoret hath left written in his 3. Dialogue saying We do not diuide the natural vnitie of the soule and the body neyther separate we the soules from their owne proper bodies but consider those thinges which properly belong to their natures Therefore when the scripture sayth And deuout men carried Stephan to his buriall made greate lamentation ouer him wilt thou say that his soule was buried with his body I thincke not And when thou shalt heare Iacob the Patriarch saying Burie ye me with my fathers thou doest vnderstand that to be spoken of his body not of his soule Againe thou doest reade There they buried Abraham and Sara his wife c. In whiche speach the scripture doth not make mention of the body but in al points signifieth the soule and body together But wee rightly diuide and say that the soules are immortall and that the bodies onely of the patriarches are buried in the double caue Euen so we also are wont to say In this or that place this or that mā was buried We do not say This mans bodie or that mans bodie but this man or that man For whosoeuer is wel in his wits knoweth we speake of the bodie So wheras the Euangelistes so oftentimes make mention of Christes bodie buried at the lengthe they sett downe the name of the person and say that Iesus was buried layd in the graue c. Thus farre Theodoret. And since it is without controuersie that this faith and doctrine from Christes time euen vnto our age hath flourished in the holy Church of God and against innumerable assaultes of sathan and heretiques hath remained most stedfast and the selfe same is deliuered and confirmed by testimonies of scripture and consents of holy coūsels I exhorte you dearely beloued that calling on the name of Christe you may perseuere continue in the same doctrine and béeing 〈…〉 by true faith and obedience to Christe verie God and man you may giue continuall thanks worshipping him that reigneth for euer ¶ Of Christe King and Prieste of his onely and euerlasting kingdome and Priesthoode and of the name of a Christian The seuenth Sermon I HAUE declared vnto you déerely beloued y Christ Iesus our Lorde is verye God and man whiche will bring more plentiful profite if we vnderstand what the fruite of that thing is Whiche is chiefely knowen by the offices of Christe our Lorde He is King and Prieste of the people of God therefore he hath a kingdome and a priesthoode Which things if we shall somwhat more diligentlie consider they shall declare vnto vs the excéedinge greate benefite of the diuinitie and humanitie of Christe Christe Iesus is a king therefore hee is Lorde of all ruler and gouernour of all things which are in heauen and in Earth and specially of the catholique Church it selfe whiche is the communion of Sainctes and for so muche as hee is King and Lorde truely by his royall or Kingly office he is the deliuerer or preseruer the reuenger and defendour and finallie the lawgiuer of his electe For he crusshed the Serpentes head that stronge and moste cruell enimie of Gods people whome when hee had conquered he bound and spoyled He deliuered the elect out of the power of darcknesse and sett them into the libertie of the sonnes of God that we might bee his peculiar people sanctified through the bloude of our kinge a purchased people to serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse Hee is humble louing and gentle which the historie of the Gospell also out of Zacharie rehearseth of him Matth. 21. Hee watcheth for vs he defendeth and gardeth vs hee enricheth vs with all manner of good thinges and furnisheth vs against our enimyes with spirituall armour and giueth vs aboundantly power to resist and to ouercome Hee hath purged the Temple of God casting out the Chanaanites he hath cancelled vnrighteous lawes he hath deliuered vs from them and now hee ruleth and gouernethe vs with the scepter of his mouthe exceeding good and most iust lawes being proclamed For he is God and man therefore hee is the onely Monarche the King of kinges and the Lorde of Lordes for he hath all the kings and rulers in the worlde subiect vnto him some verily of their owne accorde through faithe being obedient and other though striuing and rebelling againste him made subiect by his power And therefore saith the Prophet Dauid Be wise O ye kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth serue the Lorde with feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence kisse the sonne least he be angry and so yee perishe from the right way For in an other place the same Prophet saith The Lord said to my Lord sitt thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enimies thy fotestole The Lord wil send foorth the rodd of his power out of Sion be thou ruler euen in the middes among thine enimies Esay also bringing in the Lord speaking saith I wil lift vp my hands vnto the Gentiles and set vp my standarde to the people and they shall bringe thee their sonnes vppon their shoulders for kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shal be thy noursing mothers Whiche thing ecclesiasticall
1053 16 He is not here He is risen c. 697. 1091 16 He appeared vnto them as they saâ—e together and reproued them c. 902 26 And he tooke the cup and when he had giuen thankes he gaue to them c. 984 Out of the Gospell after Saint Luke 1 OF the Conception of Christe c. 62. 63 1 The holie Ghost shall come vpoÌ„ thée and the power of the highest shall ouershadowe thée c. 628 That holie thing which shall bee borne shall bee called the sonne of God c. 692 1 Anna the daughter of Phanuel departed not from the temple but night c. 926 1 He shall goe before the Lorde with the spirite and power of Elias c. 871 1 And therefore God shal giue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid c. 688 1 And whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come vnto me c. 688 1 Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel for he hath redéemed his people c. 717 1 That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enimies might serue him c. 444. 591 1 With God shall no word be impossâ—ble c. 1 2 The manner of Christe his Natiuitie and byrth c. 63 2 Feare not for beholde I bring you good tydinge of great ioye that shall be c. 526 2 Glorie be to God on highe and in earth peâ—ce and among men good will â–ª c. 740 3 The Publicanes also came to Iohn that they might be baptised of him c. 276 4 Christe eâ—â—ring vnto the 〈◊〉 at Nazareth stoode vppe to reade c. 25 5 Go out from me O Lord for I am a sinâ—ull man c. 606 5 The children of the bridechamber do fast when the bridegrome is taken from them c. 243 6 The Lorde called his disciples and of them he chose twelue c. 877 6 Can the blinde leade the blinde shal they not both fal into the dich c. 858 6 If you lende to them of whome you hope to receiue againe c. 275 6. 13 A disputation touching the Sabbaoth betwéene our Sauiour and the Phariseis c. 143 7 When the debters were not able to pay he forgaue theÌ„ both their debtes c. 584. 948 7 Many sinnes bee forgiuen her bycause she loued much c. 584 8 The parable of the sower and the séede sowen c. 20 8 Riches are thornes that choake the séede of the worde of GOD c. 263 9 Christe sayde to his disciples so it is written so it behoued Christe to suffer c. 547 9 Iames and Iohn woulde haue commaunded fire from heauen to fall downe vpon Samaria if they had béene able c. 838 9 He gaue them power and authoritie ouer all diuels c. 836 9 No man that layeth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is fit for the kingdom of God c. 600 9 The sonne of man came not to destroy mens soules but to saue theÌ„ c. 690 10 Woe vnto you interpreters of the lawe for ye haue taken awaye the key c. 901 10 Woe be to thée Chorazin woe be to thée Beth-saida for if the wonders had ben done in Tyre and Sydon c. 597 10 Hee that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth c. 871. 963 10 Of our neighbour and whome we must take for our neighbour c 94. 97 11 If I with the singer of GOD cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you c. 724 11 If thou canst do any thing lord haue compassion vpon vs c. 646 11 This one thing is necessarie Marie hath chosen the good parte which shal not be taken c. 671 21 Through your patience possesse your soules c. 304 12 Whosoeuer speaketh a word against the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen c. 517 12 The seruaunt that knewe his maisters wil and prepared not him selfe c. 508 12 Who is a faythfull and wise Steward whome the Lorde hath made ruler c. 908 12 Who hath appointed me a iudge betwéene you and a diuider of land c. 195 12 Take héede and beware of couetousnesse for no mans life standeth in the aboundance c. 265 14 If any man commeth to me and hateth not his father and mother c. 146 15 The Angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion and turning of meÌ„ that be sinners c. 739 16 Of Abrahams bosome c. 66 16 The parable of the riche glutton and poore sillie Lazarus c. 521 16 I praye thée father Abraham that thou wouldest send Lazarus to my fathers house c. 776 16 And it came to passe that the begger dyed and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome c. 736 16 Betwéene vs and you there is a great gulfe stedfastly set so that they which would go from hence to you can not c. 767 17 When ye haue done all things that are commaunded you then say c. 467 17 As it happened in the dayes of Noe and Lot they did eate c. 240 18 God be mercifull to me a sinner c. 572. 918 19 It is written My house shal be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it c. 587 19 Touching Zacheus and his voluntarie restitution c. 230 20 The children of this worlde marrie wiues and are married but they that shall be counted worthy to enioy that world c. 735 22 With heartie desire haue I desired to care this Passeouer with you before I suffer c. 690 22 The Lorde Iesus when he had taken breade he gaue thankes and c. 969 22 And there arose also a strife among the Apostles whiche of them c. 865 22 Kings of nations haue dominion ouer them but ye c. 218. 887 22 Beholde Sathan hath earnestly desired to sift you as it were wheate c. 751 22 And the Lord turning him self about looked vppon Peter c. 564 22 I haue prayed for thée Peter that thy fayth fayle not c. 819 22 Ye are come out as it were to a theefe â–ª c. Christe calleth the ordinarie 〈…〉 the power of darkenesse c. 172 22 Put vppe thy sworde into thy sheath c. 831 23 Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome c. 699 23 If they do this in a moyste trée what shall be done in the drye c. 296 23 Iesus when he hadde vowed downe his heade gaue vp the ghost c. 715 24 A spirite hath not flesh bones as ye see that I haue c. 87. 689. 1091 24 Then the Lord opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand c. 902 Out of the Gospel after S. Iohn 1 IN the beginning was the worde and the word was with God God was thâ— word c. 678 1 The word was made fleshe and dwelt among vs c. 688. 691 1 I baptise with water but he baptiseth with the
fro and in which the Starres are placed that are called the furniture and hoast of Heauen For sayth Dauid God is cloathed with lighte as with a Garmente hee spreadeth forth the Heauens as it were a Courteyne Hee saieth also I shall see thy Heauens the worke of thy fingers and the Moone and Starres which thou haste layed And againe Which couereth the Heauen with cloudes and prepareth rayne for the earth And againe The Heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmamente sheweth forth the woorkes of his hands Then also Heauen is taken for the throne and habitation of God And lastlie for the place seate and receptacle of them that are saued where God géeueth himselfe to be seene and enioyed of them that be his For Dauid witnessinge agayne sayth The Lorde hath prepared his seate in Heauen Wherevppon the Lord in the Gospel sayth Sweare not by Heauen for it is Gods seate And the Apostle Paule sayth Wee knowe if oure earthly mansion of this tabernacle be destroyed that wee haue a dwellinge place for euer in Heauen builded by God not made by hands And therefore in this signification Heauen is called the Kingdome of God the kingdome of the father Ioy Happines and felicitie Eternall lyfe Peace and Quietnes And although God in deede be not shutte vp in any place For hee sayth Heauen is my Seate and Earth the footestoole of my feete Yet because the glorie of God doth most of all shine in the Heauens and because that in Heauen hée giueth himself to be seene and enioyed of them that are his accordinge to that sayinge Wee shall see him euen as hee is And againe No man shall see mee sayth the Lorde and liue Therefore God is sayde to dwell in Heauen Moreouer Christe our Lorde touchinge his Diuinitie is not shutte vp in any place but accordinge to his humanitie once taken which he drew vp into Heauen hée is in the verie locall place of Heauen neyther is he in the meane time heere in earth and euery where bodilie but being seuered from vs in bodie remayneth in Heauē For hee ascendeth which leauinge that which is belowe doth goe to that aboue Christe therefore leauing the earth hath placed a seate for his bodie aboue all Heauens Not that hee is caried vp beyonde all Heauens but because ascendinge vppe aboue all the Circles into the vtmoste and highest Heauen hee is taken I saye into the place appointed for those that are saued For Paule the Apostle speakinge plainlie enoughe to be vnderstoode sayth Our conuersation is in Heauen from whence wee looke for the Sauiour to come c. In the same manner also Luk the Euangelist sayth And blessing them hee departed from them and was caried into Heauen But whie do I make so much adoe about expounding that which is most euidentlye declared in the verye Creede by that which followeth For the nexte is Hee sitteth at the righte hande of God the father Almightie For by this wee vnderstande what kinde of place Heauen is and what our Lorde doth in Heauen It is not surely for our frailtie ouer narrowlie to seeke out or discusse the secretes of Heauen and yet it is not againste Religion to inquire after that that is taught vs in the Scriptures and so perfectlie to remember it as it is taughte vs Our Lord is simplie sayde to sitte and that too to sitte at the righte hande of the Father Almightie Let vs therefore see what the right hande of the father is and what it is to sitte at the righte hande of the father The righte hande of the Father in the Scripture hath two significations Firste the righte hande of God is the place appointed for them that are saued and the euerlasting felicitie in Heauen This did S. Augustine set downe to be marked long before vs who in the twentie and sixt Chapter of his booke De Agone Christiano wryteth That the righte hande of the Father is the euerlastinge felicitie giuen to the Sainctes euen as also the leaft hande is moste rightlye called the continuall miserie allotted to the vngodlye not so that by this meanes that I haue sayde the righte or leafte hande is to be vnderstoode in respecte of God himselfe but in respecte of his Creatures capacitie And this did S. Augustine speake accordinge to the Scriptures For Dauid sayth The path of Life shalte thou make knowne to mee the fulnes of ioyes is in thy sighte and at thy right hande is gladnesse for euer What else is this than if hee had sayd Thou shalt bring mee into life I saye into the very Heauens where I shal be filled wyth ioyes both by seinge and beholdinge thee and also by enioying thee At thy right hande in eternall blessednesse are ioyes euerlastinge In the Gospell also we reade that the Sheepe are placed by the Iudge at the right hand and the Goates at the left And when the right hand is taken in this sense Then To sitte doth signifie to reste from all labours and to liue quietlie and in happie state For that saying of the Prophet is very well knowen A man shall sit vnder his Vine As if hee should haue sayd all thinges shal be at peace in safetie and at quiet So then this that I haue saide is mente by the righte hande of the father and where wee confesse that the sonne doth sitte at the righte hande of the father Almightie wée do acknowledge that our Lorde beinge deliuered from all trouble and mortall infirmities doth now in his humanitie both reste and reioyce in the verie locall place of Heauen where wee belieue that both our soules and bodies shal bee and liue for euer For the Lorde himselfe in the Gospell witnesseth that in his fathers house there are many māsions which hee goeth to prepare that they mayè haue a place and although hee did depart yet that hee woulde retourne to them againe and take them vnto him selfe that wher hée is they also might be in the same place with him Wherefore wee beleeue that Christe is at rest in Heauen where hee hath prepared a place of reste for vs also to remayne in ioyes euerlastinge And for because oure bodies shall not be euery where in felicitie but in the onely appointed place therefore sayd S. Augustine truly that Christ our Lord accordinge to the measure of his very body is in some one place of Heauen And S. Cyprian sayth To sit at the right hande of the father is the mysterie of his fleshe taken vppe into Heauen Secondarily the right hand of God is put for the vertue kingdome protection deliueraunce and power of god For Dauid sayth The Lords right hande is high the Lords righte hand doth mightie things And Moses saide Thy right hand O Lord is magnified in power thy righte hand O Lord hath broken the enimie And when the righte Hande is put in this sense then To sit doth signifie to reigne to deliuer to vse power and do the office of a
Prince For sayth Dauid The Lorde saide to my Lorde sitte thou at my righte hande till I make thine enimies thy footestoole And the Prophete Zacharie sayth Beholde the man that is called the braunche hee shal budde oute of his place and build the Temple of the Lorde and sitte and rule vppon his Throne and be a prieste vppon his seate In this sense the right hand of God is infinite and conteined in no measure of place wheras wée confesse that our Lorde doth sitte at the righte hande of the father wee doe professe that the sonne is exalted aboue all thinges hauinge all thinges subiecte vnder himselfe as Paule in his first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth and finallye that the sonne being so exalted cā do al thinge doth reigne in the vniuersall Church doth deliuer them that are his doth make intercession to the father in heauē and in the power of his Godheade is present in all places For therfore did the Créede adde almightinesse to this setting of his where it is sayde He sitteth at the right hande of the father almightie And in Saint Mathew the Lorde sayth To me is giuen al might in heauen and in earth goe therefore and bring all nations vnto me So then I suppose that briefly thus I haue well declared what manner of place heauen is to wit a place of quietnesse ioye and euerlasting felicitie wherin the sonne of God doth sit doth dwell and is in his humanitie as we also that are the members of Christe shal be in the very same place without all dolour and griefe in ioye for euermore And although our Lorde be deliuered from all grieuous businesse yet we meane not that he sitteth idlely leaning on his elbowes For he is a King a Prieste and very God in the very temple of God he can not choose therefore of his natural propertie and office but work saluation in the elect and do all things that lye God a king and Prieste in hande to doe So then nowe we all knowe what our Lorde doth as he sitteth in heauen Neither is it any trouble to him at all to do and worke that which he doth for he worketh not of compulsion but naturally and of his owne accord Thus and no otherwise did the ancient interpreters of the holy Scriptures handle this Article of our belief Some of whose testimonies I will here alledge Saint Hierome in his exposition of Paules first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth He hath declared the power of God by the similitude of a man not bycause a seate is placed and God the father sitteth ther on hauing his sonne sitting ther with him but bycause we can not otherwise conceiue howe the sonne dothe iudge and reigne but by such wordes applyed to our capacitie As therfore to be next to God or to depart farre from him is not to be vnderstood according to the distance of places but after mens merites bycause the Saints are heard by him but the sinners of whome the Prophete sayth Beholde they that get them selues from thee shal perish are remoued farre inough for comming neare him at all Euen so likewise to be eyther at the right or lefte hande of God is to be taken so that the Saints are at his right hand sinners at his left As our Sauioure him selfe also in the Gospel affirming the same dothe say that at the right hande are the sheepe and the goates at the left Moreouer this very word to Sit dothe argue the power of a kingdome by which God is beneficiall to them on whom he doth vouchsafe to sit in so much as verily he doth rule them and hath them alwayes in his guiding and dothe turne to his owne becke or gouernment the necks of them that before ranne out of the way at randon and at libertie Saint Augustine in his booke De Fide et Symbolo sayth We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hande of God the Father Yet not so therefore as though we shoulde thinke that God the Father is comprehended within the limites of a mans bodye so that they that thinke of him shoulde imagine that he hath bothe a right and a left side And whereas it is sayde that the Father sitteth we muste not suppose that he doth sitte with bended hammes leaste peraduenture we fall into the same sacrilege for whiche the Apostle accurseth them that haue chaunged the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man For a detestable thing it is to place God in suche a likenesse in a Christian Churche and muche more wicked is it to place it in the heart where the temple of God is verily and in deede if it be cleansed from earthly desires and errour We must therfore vnderstand that at the right hande is as muche to say as in greatest happinesse where righteousnesse and peace and gladnesse is euē as also the Goates are placed at the lefte hande that is in miserie for their iniquities to their peine and torment Whereas God therefore is sayde to sit thereby is not ment the placing of his limms but his iudiciall power whiche his maiestie neuer wanteth in bestowing worthy rewardes on those that are worthy of them And so foorth The blessed Bishop Fulgentius in his seconde Booke to King Trasimundus sayth The Lorde to shewe that his humanitie is locall sayeth to his Disciples I ascende to my father and to your father my God and your god And by and by after declaring the in comprehensibilitie of his Godhead he sayth to his Disciples Behold I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the wold The blessed Martyr and Bishop of Trent Vigilius in his first booke against heresies sayth This was to go to the Father and to depart from vs to take away out of this world the nature whiche he tooke of vs Thou seest therefore that it was proper to the same nature to be taken away and to departe from vs according to the wordes of the Angels whiche sayde This Iesus who is taken vp from you shall come againe euen as ye see him goe into heauen For see the myracle See the mysterie of both his properties The Sonne of God in his humanitie is departed from vs according to his diuinitie he saith to vs Beholde I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world If he be with vs howe sayth he The time shall come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man and ye shal not see it But both he is with vs and not with vs Bycause them whome he hath left and departed from in his Godhead he hath not lefte nor forsaken in his manhoode This sayth he The seuenth Article of our faith is this From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the former Articles there is set foorth and confessed the diuine goodnesse bountifulnesse and grace in Christe nowe also shall be declared the diuine iustice
not what sort of Gods to mans skill and succour to things forbidden to Idols and coniurers which we fall a doing then especially when being wrapped in miserie and calamities eyther for our sinnes or else bycause God will trie vs we doe presently beginne to murntur againste God and to accuse his iudgementes hardly absteining from open blasphemie in grudging to beare the things that for our desertes we do worthily suffer Here vnto belongeth the abuse of beastly knaues whiche doe not sticke to vse the holy name of God in obteining their filthy lustes whiche they call loue and also the naughtinesse of them that therby seeke to finde and recouer the thinges that are lost or else are stolne from them We doe vnhallowe the name of the Lord our God when we giue not to him all honour and glory We shall peraduenture do some good déede there is perhaps in vs somthing worthy to be praysed if we therfore shall challenge the praise thereof to our selues or at the leaste shall pare out a péece of that glory for our owne share and giue the rest to God not referring it al and whole to God the authour of all then doe we therein defile the name of God which ought alone to be praysed for euer and euer Furthermore if we denie the Lorde or blushe at and be ashamed of his holy Gospell bycause of this wicked world and the naughtie men therein if also we doe spot our selues with a filthy and vncleane life which is to the slander of Gods name and the offence of our neighbour then doe we take the Lordes name in vaine yea we abuse it to his dishonour and reproche We do abuse the name of the Lorde if we take a solemne othe in a trifle or matter of no effect or if we do not kéepe performe the othe that we haue sworne In our dayly talke very often and almoste about godlesse matters we minde are wont to call and take to witnesse the dreadfull name of God hauing learned it of an yll continuaunce and custome or else being stirred vp by some euill motion of oure naughtie mynd we haue an innumerable sort of déep and terrible othes as wounds bloud crosse and Passion of the Lorde heauen earth Sacramentes euery Saint in heauen and all the deuilles of hell Beside all this we abuse the name of God also sundry and dyuers wayes in telling of lyes The preacher or teacher of the Churche lyeth whē he cryeth Thus sayth the Lord whereas the Lorde in déede sayth nothing so He maketh the name of God a cloake and a colour to hide his deceit and doth beguile poore simple soules The Magistrate cryeth out All power is of God and so vnder the pretence of Gods name doth his subiects iniurie in playing the tyraunt and not the Magistrate The common people deceiue one another vnder the name of the Lorde in contractes and bargayning And the sturdie roge vnworthy of almes will not sticke to stande and make Gods name an idle occupation for to get a pennie But who can reckon vp all the thinges wherein Gods name is fouly abused we must all therfore haue an eye that we defile not the name of God but rather blesse it and holily worship it For it followeth in the wordes of the Lorde what punishment abideth for them that so disgrace his name Bycause sayth he the Lorde will not let him goe vnpunished that taketh his name in vaine And although this commination of the Lord is very horrible in déede and of it selfe effectuall inough to make the godly sort afrayde to pollute the name of God yet neuerthelesse I will adde one example or twaine of them whome the Lorde hath punished for defiling his name Dauid cryeth out and sayth The vnrighteous shall not stand in thy sight O Lord thou hatest them that worke iniquitie thou shalt destroy all them that speake lies But how much more likely is it that the Lord will destroy all them that speake blasphemie and abuse his holy name Saule verily bycause he called not vpon the Lorde in his extreme necessitie but asked counsell of the Pythonisse was compelled to kill him selfe with his owne hande after he had séene his people downe right slaine by the Phylistines his enimies and his sonnes lye deade in the middes of the people Ananias lyeth to the holy Ghoste and defileth the name of the Lorde and falling downe soudainly dead to the ground downe he goeth with shame inoughe to the deuill of hell Sanherib blasphemeth the name of the eternal God before the walles of Ierusalem but anon after he is for his labour bereaft of his puissant armie and in his owne Gods temple is shot through by his owne sonnes Iehoiachim and Zedechias both Kings of Iuda and blasphemers of Gods name are taken captiues slayne by Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon Achab Iesebel and the Priestes of Baal are vtterly wypte out by king Iehu bycause they vnder the colour of god and godlinesse blasphemed the name of God and persecuted the true religion In the. 24. of Leuiticus he that blasphemed the name of god was ouerwhelmed with stones to death And therefore the Emperour Iustiman In Nouellis cōstitu 77. writing to the citizens of Constantinople sayth Moreouer bycause besides vnspeakable lustes some men lash out cursings and othes of God thereby prouoking him to anger we therfore exhort thē to abstaine from cursings and othes by his haire and head and such other wordes like vnto these For if reproches done vnto men are not left vnreuenged muche more is he worthy to be punished that stirreth God to anger with his villanie And for such offences as these doe so many dearthes erthquakes plagues come vnto mē We therefore admonish them to abstaine from those crimes for who soeuer after this admonition of oures shal be found faultie therin they shal first shewe thē selues vnworthy to be beloued of men after that to suffer such punishment as the lawe shall appoint For we haue giuē in charge to the right honourable the Lieftenant of our royall citie to apprehend the guiltie and to punish them extremely leaste peraduenture at length for such sinners contempt and such haynous offences not only this citie but also the whole common weale be iustly destroyed by Gods iust vengeance Thus much writeth he Now by this we may gather that not the least part of our calamities at these dayes doe happen vnto vs bycause of our detestable cursings and horrible blasphemies which verie fewe magistrates or none almost at al do go about to redresse or punishe as they should doe The name of the liuing God is blasphemed with passing déepe and horrible othes of all sorts of all kindes and all ages so that I thinke verily that from the beginning of the world ther neuer was suche a blasphemous people as are in this cursed age of oures And therefore are we vexed with vnspeakable and endlesse calamities For God is true can
as feare God speakers of truth and haters of couetousnes make them rulers ouer thousandes rulers of hundreds rulers of fifties and rulers of tennes to iudge the people at all seasons Foure thinges the Lord requireth in a good gouernour First that he be a man of courage of streÌ„gth or force that is which hath abilitie to doe the thing whereunto he is appointed That abilitie consisteth in mind rather than in body For it is required that hée be not a foole but wise skilfull in that which hée hath to doe because the office of a Capitaine is to know how to set his armie in order of battaile rather than to fight himself as also the duetie of a Surueyor of woorkes is to know how buildinges must be erected rather than to worke himselfe or as a Chariot man ought rather to know how to guide his Carte in driuing than to drawe it himselfe And therewithal too there is demaunded a boldnesse of stomach to dare to doe the thing that hée alreadie knoweth For constancie and sufferaunce are very néedefull in euerie Capitaine In the second place that is set downe which in déede is the first Let him feare God let him be religious and not superstitious No idolatrer preserueth the common weale but rather destroyeth it and a wicked man defendeth not truth and true Religion but persecuteth and driueth them oute of his iurisdiction Let this magistrate of ours therefore bée of the right Religion sound in fayth beléeuing the woord of GOD and knowing that God is present amonge men and doth repaye to whom hée liste according to their desartes And for that cause Iustinian the Emperour in Nouellis Constitutionib 109. doth fréely confesse that al his helpe is of God and that therefore it is conuenient that the making of all lawes should depend vppon him alone Immediately after he saith It is knowen verie well to all men that they in whose handes the Empire was before it came to vs and especially that Leo of worthie memorie and the most sacred prince Iustine our father did in their constitutions flatly forbid al heretiques to be admitted souldiers in any warfare or dealers in matters concerniÌ„g the coÌ„mon weale that the lesse occasioÌ„ might be giuen by receiuing them into the fellowship of warre or handling of publique affayres for any to thincke that they corrupt the members of Gods holy Catholique and Apostolique Church And this decree do we establish Thus saith the Emperour And the godly man verilie prayeth to God and receiueth wisedome at the Lords hand And where the Princes are Gods friends and haue often conferrence with God there is hope that those common weales shall prosper and flourish But on the other side there must néeds be feared an vnhappie end of that common weale wher the enimies of God haue the preeminence Thirdly there is required of him which must be chosen and called to be magistrate that he be true in word and déede so that hée be not found to be an hypocrite a lyar a deceiuer a turnecoate nor one which out of one mouth doth blowe both hoat and cold but faithfull simple a plaine dealer and blamelesse Hée must not be more liberal in promising than in performing Hée must not be one that setteth light by an othe not a false swearer nor a periured man Fourthly because many that are in office desyre riches â—éeke to increase their wealth by bribes the Lord remoueth such from the magistracie forbiddeth good magistrates to be couetous Yea he doth expressely charge them to hate and abhorre it As hée doth also in an other place not onely forbid them to take bribes but also commaund them to shake off and rid their hands of all rewards Couetousnes and gréedie desire of bribes are the verie plagues that choake good magistrates By couetous men and takers of bribes law iudgmeÌ„t libertie iustice and the countrie it selfe is set to sale and sould to the diuell for money And now though in this place the Lord hath named onely the most pestilent mischiefe of all other yet there is no doubt but that hée doth inclusiuely debarre all other vices and euils of that sort commaunding them to be straunge and farre off from the good magistrate and godly gouernour Those vices are Pride Enuie Anger Diceing Surfetting Dronkennesse Whoredom Adulterie and whatsoeuer else is like to these This place is made more manifest by conferring it with other places in the lawe of god Moses in Deuteronomie sayth to the people Bring men of wisedome of vnderstanding and of an honest life according to your Tribes Thrée thinges here againe doth the wise man Moses require in them that are to be appointed magistrates in his common weale First sayth hée let them be wise But the beginning of wisedome is the feare of the lord Let them therefore be ordeined magistrates that are friendes to God and true religion let them bée wise and not foolish idiots Secondarilie they must be men of vnderstaÌ„ding that is men of experience who by long and continual exercise in handling of matters are able at the first brunt to deale in all cases according to the law Lastly they must be men of honest report whose lyfe and sound conuersation are by their déedes perfectly tried and sufficiently witnessed off vnto the people and finally they must be such as may beare authoritie and not be despised as rascall and vile knaues In the booke of Numbers also Moses saith Let the God of the spirits of all flesh set a man ouer the congregation which may go in and out before them lead them in and out that the Congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe without a shepheard By these words of the holie Prophet we learne who are to be choseÌ„ how they are to be chosen into the office of magistrates Moses praied to the Lord for a fit and a conuenient man and wée therefore must pray to God who searcheth all mens hearts that he wil vouchsafe to send such men to be our magistrates as are méete for that roome calling The outward shew doth many times deceiue vs and wée iudge him to be a good and godly man who is in déede a notable hypocrite God alone doth know the mind wée must beseech him therefore that he suffer vs not in our choice to erre or chose amisse Let him be thought the best and méetest for that purpose who is instructed with the holie spirite of god Furthermore hée that is appointed to that office must stil be the first the last and alwayes at one end in all matters of weight publique affayres Some vnprofitable and idle droanes there are that driue other forward after the first onset do themselues take their ease And some wicked felowes there are which wil appoint other what to do but will themselues do nothing of that which by right belonges to their office The guide of the people must be a man of choice elected to
the space of certaine dayes or monethes These Nazarits did absteine according to the commaundement of the law from certaine things from which they were not barred by any other lawe and which were not vnlawfull for other men to vse whiche were without the necessitie of that vowe First of all they absteyned from wine from all thinges that the vine brought forth and whatsoeuer else did make men drunken But it is manifest that as wine is the good creature of God so no drincke is forbidden by the law Yet forbecause the Nazarits were consecrated to the Lord and sanctified by a certaine peculiar kinde of lyuing and for because wine is the meanes that leadeth to drunken nes which is the gulfe of al sinne and filthinesse therefore did the Nazarits not without a cause absteine from wine They did also take héede of idlenesse the mother of mischiefe and vtterly despised all worldly pleasures Furthermore so longe as the time of their vowe endured they did not clipp their haire but let their lockes growe out a length And thereuppon as some doe thincke they toke their names and were called Nazarits For in so much as Nazer signifieth haire they suppose that they were called Nazarites as who should say longe locked or shagge haired people But the Apostle Paule biddeth the woman to pray or to come into the Cōgregation to heare a Sermon with her head couered for none other cause but for that shée is not in her owne power but subiecte to an other that is to her husband And therfore the Nazarits did let their haire growe because by the vow which they had made to God they were no longer in their owne power but were wholie yéelded into the power of god And the head which is the tower of the bodie and the most excellent parte thereof being couered with a bush of haire was a token that the whole man was by vowe giuen to the Lord to whome alone he ought to haue an eye vpon whome alone hee ought wholie to depend Moreouer it was required at the hands of the Nazarite that he should not defile himself with the contagious companie of wicked naughtie persons Whereunto also belongeth the commaundement which charged the Nazarite not to be presēt at the death or buriall of his parentes or children or wife or brethrene or sisters For he ought to settle the eyes of his minde vppon God alone and in comparison of him to set lighte by and loathe the things which were most déere precious vnto him But if it so fell out that at vnawares hee were defiled by séeing of a dead body hee was not therefore acquited of his vowe as one whose former life had béene sufficient for the performaunce of the same For hee was commaunded to sanctifie himself the seuenth day then to vndertake the kéeping of his vowe againe By all this wee maye plainely perceiue what and howe great the sinne of Samson was who was a Nazarite to the lord For because hee did not onely lurke in the brothell house with the harlot but did also bewray the secrete of GOD vnto her and cast behinde him the couenaunt made with God whereof his haire was a sure testimonie therfore did the Lord forsake him and that wonderfull strengthe which he had from heauen was cleane taken from him For the strength of Samson lay not in his haire so that by the cutting of his haire his strengthe was cutt away also but it laye in the spirite of the Lord which was giuen him from God aboue And therfore do wée finde this sentence so often in the scripture And the spirite of the Lord came vppon Samson Therfore when the spirite of God departed his strēgth departed also but it departed from him when he being wholie ioyned vnto the harlot was made one soule with her and did preferre her before God his commaundement so that he suffered his haire to be polled and vtterly reuolted from the ordinaunce of the lord For by that meanes did the spirite of God forsake him Whereupon immediately after he was brought into the hands of his enimies the Philistines where when he was miserably vexed and when he heard the name of God euill spoken of and blasphemed because of his captiuitie hée repented hartilie and called vppon the name of the Lord wherby it came to passe that when his haire grew forth againe his strength returned that is the spirite of the Lord came vppon him againe being brought vnto him not by the growing of his haires but by his repentance earnest calling vppon the lord Neither did Samson desire to reuenge his owne priuate iniurie so much as to suppresse the blasphemous mouthes and to deliuer the people of God from feare and slauerie The strength of God therefore returned againe wherwith hée bending the pillers of the Theater was himselfe slaine with the fall of the palace and at his death slue many mo than hée had killed in all his life time before But nowe wée returne againe to the purpose to add the other Ceremonies that do belonge to the full exposition of the vowe of the Nazarites When the time was expired therefore whiche the Nazarite had taken vppon him for to obserue hée came to the tabernacle of the Lord and offered the sacrifices that are prescribed in the Lawe whereby hée testified that hée was a sinner and plainely confessed that al goodnesse and vertue that was to be found in him was giuen and bestowed from God aboue And therefore hée polled his head and caste his haire into the fire wherein the peace offering was a burning At last when all this was in this maner accomplished it was lawfull for the Nazarite as one loosed of his bonds to returne vnto his old life againe Thus much hetherto touching the discipline of the Nazarites Nowe touching the cleane and vncleane there is a longe discourse in the lawe of Moses I in my former treatise did lightly touche and passe ouer some certaine thinges but now at the last for héere I meane to make an ende to speake of Ceremonial lawes I will adde somewhat touching the choice of meates I meane of cleane and vncleane meates God verily in the beginning created all things and he so created them that as the Creator is good euen so all his creatures euen at this day are good also neither doth hee gainesay himselfe now whē he forbiddeth certaine mears as though somewhat of it selfe were vncleane There are other mysteries that lye hidden vnder this doctrine of the choice of meates The lawes whiche are giuen touchinge meates and victuals séeme to be smal and of little valure but it pleased the Lord in a small thing to admonishe vs what wée haue to doe in a greater and that euen in the smallest thinges the authoritie of his Godhead ought to be regarded For the authoritie of the lawe dependeth vppon God God is the lawegiuer and the lawe is his inuention This suppresseth the malapertnesse of
in danger of the lawe and of the curse thereof For we are the bondslaues of sinne wée are made subiâ—â—te to sundrie calamities by reason of our sinne This therefore is called the spirituall bondage not because it is onely in the minde of man but béecause of the opposition whereby it is opposed to the bodilie bondage For otherwise sinne hath made oure bodie also subiecte to the curse Neither doe wée sinne in minde alone but in the bodie also For euery part and al the members of our bodies are subiecte vnto sinne and infected with iniquitie Therefore we serue in most miserable bondage while beeing vnder the diuels dominion wee doe the thinges that please the fleshe by the egging on of euil affections to the bringing forth of fruite or rather to the making of abortion with perill of oure liues to the diuell our cruell and ouer rigorous maister For this verilie is oure hardest and most lameÌ„table seruitude and bondage Nowe on the other side let vs sée what Christian libertie is that is to say from what and howe farre foorth the Lord hath made vs frée In one word wée doe briefly say that Christe oure Lord hath deliuered vs from a gréeuous bondage to wit that hée hath so farre forth made vs frée as wée by sinne were slaues and bondseruants This we maye more largely expound and say The sonne of God came into this world and hauing first oppressed the tyrannie of Sathan and crusshed his head by his death and passion hee hath traÌ„slated vs into his owne kingdome hath made himselfe oure Lord and king Secondarilie hee hath adopted vs to be the sonnes of GOD and with his blessing tooke awaye the bitter curse of the lawe For he toke awaye all sinnes and purged all the faithfull from their iniquities Thirdly hee did most liberally bestow the frée gift of the holy Ghoste to the end that the sonnes of God should willingly and of their owne accorde submit themselues to the will of God and to doe the thinges that the Lord would haue them For the hatred of the lawe doeth not remaine although the weakenesse of the fleshe abideth still Lastly the same our Lord king hath taken from the shoulders of his electe the burthen of the law the types and figures with all the coste belonging to the same and hath forbidden vs being once set at libertie to entangle our selues againe with any lawes and traditions of men Of all this being layed together we make this definition To deliuer is to make frée and to set at libertie from bondage Hée is frée or manumised that beeing deliuered from bondage doeth enioye his libertie Therefore manumission or libertie is nothing else but the state of him that is made frée the commoditie I saye whiche a frée made man hath receiued and doth enioy by reason of his deliueraunce to witt in that hée being deliuered from the tyrannie of Sathan from sinne from the curse of the lawe and from death is made the sonne of God and heire of euerlasting life and also that he hath receiued the spirite of libertie by whiche hee doeth wholie giue himselfe to bée the seruaunte of God to doe him seruice all his life long and lastly that beeing deliuered from the lawe of Moses and from all lawes of mortall men hée doeth altogether depende vppon the Gospell onely hauing at libertie the frée vse of external thinges as of meate of drincke of cloathing and of such like indifferent thinges And in these thrée last rehearsed points doth ChristiaÌ„ libertie chiefly consiste Nowe to this I will add such testimonies of Scripture as shall both better confirme and more plainely declare my exposition And first of all I will alledge those testimonies which are to be found in the bookes of the holie Euangelistes and then those that are extant in the writinges of the Apostles Zacharias the priest father of Iohn Baptiste in his hymne of thanckesgiuing Luke 1 doeth declare the trueth and goodnesse of God in performing that to vs which hee promised to oure forefathers to witt That wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of oure enimies mighte serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life In this testimonie of his wée haue the true libertie that fréedome I meane wherein wée being by the Lord deliuered from all our enimies both visible and inuisible should no longer serue them with feare but serue oure GOD in ioye and gladnesse There is added also the manner and order howe to serue him In holinesse and righteousnesse Holinesse doeth cutt off and caste awaye all vncleannesse and incontinencie Righteousnesse giueth to euery man that whiche is his due to witt the thinges which wee of duetie doe owe to euerie man and doeth conteyne in it bothe fréedome and beneuolence And in this kinde of seruice doe they whiche are made frée serue the Lord their God not for a day or two or a certeine fewe yeares but all the dayes of their life Therefore true Christian libertie is the perpetuall seruice which wée owe and doe to God. In the eighth Chapiter of Saincte Iohns Gospell to the Iewes whiche made great bragges of the vaine and sillie libertie which they receiued of their auncestours Christe our Lord maketh this obiection Verilie verilie I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne hee is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer if the sonne therefore shall make you free then are ye free in deede In these woords hée maketh mention both of bondage and of libertie Hée is a bondman to sinne as to a cruell maister or a neuer contented tyrant whosoeuer doeth committ any sinne For he doth obey as one that is bound to sinne Such bondmen are all the sonnes of men whose punishment is to haue none inheritaunce in their fathers house whiche is the heauenly Hierusalem As for those whiche the Sonne of God restoareth to fréedome they are partakers of the heauenly kingdome and fellowe heires with the Sonne of god But Christe maketh none frée but them that are faithfull therefore the sonnes of God and fellowe heires of Christ are for Christ his sake their onely deliuerer made frée and set at libertie Neither is there any other in heauen or in earth beside Christ Iesu which is able to set vs at fréedome and at libertie Paule in the sixte Chapiter to the Romanes sayth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that ye should therunto obey by the lustes of it neither giue ye your members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto god as they that are aliue from the dead and your members as instrumentes of righteousnesse vnto god For sinne shall not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the Lawe but vnder Grace In these wordes he exhorteth them that are purged and made frée by Christ to liue holilie in their spirituall bondage Now
hee is not regenerate and is yet without the true light of Gods moste holie Spirite For in another place the Apostle saith We are not able to thinke any good as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And therefore it is that wée do so often in the Scriptures finde mention of Inlightening or I lumination which shoulde without cause be expressed or named if so bee mannes vnderstanding were cleare of it selfe not darke and mistie There is therefore borne togeather with all men a blindenesse of heart mynde a doubting in the promises of God and an vnbeléefe and peruerse iudgement in all heauenly thinges For albeit that man hath at Gods hand receiued vnderstanding yet by reason of his owne corruption ignoraunce is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging vnto him For he is then in his kingdome when he is blynd when he doth erre when he doth doubte when hee doth not beléeue nor vse the gifts that God hath giuen him rightly as hee should that is to his owne saluation and the glorie of his maker Let vs nowe sée what the will of the olde man is able to doe Therefore since this will doeth followe a blynde guide God wote that is to say corrupt affection it is vnknowen to no man what foolishe choyce it maketh and wherevnto it tendeth And although the vnderstanding bee neuer so true and good yet is the will like to a shippe tossed to fro with stormie tempestes that is of affections For it walloweth vpp and downe with hope feare lust sorrowe and anger so that it chooseth and followeth nothing but euil For the holie Apostle speakinge of him selfe doth saye I knowe that in mee that is in my fleash there dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good For the good that I woulde doe I not but the euill which I woulde not that do I. But nowe since the Apostle spake this of him selfe when he was regenerate what I praye you shall wee saye of the will of the olde man The olde man willeth all thinges whiche God willeth not and breakinge into all kinde of wickednesse doeth foulie fulfill his filthie lustes that is to say hee giueth his members seruauntes vnto vncleannesse and wickednesse from one iniquitie vnto another We haue of this verie many examples exhibited vnto vs bothe by the holie Scriptures and daily experience Let vs nowe against this oppose or set the newe man that is the man which is regenerate by the spirite of GOD through the faith of Iesus Christe Nowe regeneration is the renuing of the man by which through the faith of Iesus Christe we whiche were the sonnes of Adam and of wrath are borne againe the sonnes of God and do therefore putt off the olde man and put on the new which bothe in vnderstanding and wil doeth fréely serue the Lorde This regeneration is the renuing of the minde not of the bodie as we hearde in an other place out of the thirde Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospell The author of this regeneration is the holie Ghost which is from heauen giuen vnto man I meane to a faithfull man For the gifte of the holie Ghoste is giuen for Christe his sake and that too vnto none but those that do beléeue in Christe This spirite of God doeth testifie with our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God and therefore the heires of his kingdome Wee are therefore a newe creature repayred nowe according to the image of GOD and indued with a newe nature or disposition whereby it commeth to passe that wee doe dayly put off that olde man and putt on the newe whiche thinge is done when we walk not in concupiscence after the Carnall inclination of the fleshe but in newenesse of sense according to the woorkinge of the holie Ghoste by whome wee are regenerate The same substaunce forme of the bodie abideth still the minde is chaunged the vnderstanding and wil renued For by the spirite of God the vnderstandinge is illuminated faith and the vnderstanding of God and heauenly thinges is plentiousely bestowed and by it vnbeleefe and ignoraunce that is the darkenesse of the olde man are vtterly expelled according to that saying of the Apostle Through Christe ye are made riche in all thinges in all speeche knowledge Againe Wee haue not receiued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of GOD to knowe what thinges are giuen of Christe to vs. And againe We haue or know the spirite or mynde of Christ And againe ye haue no néede that any man teache you but as the verie annoynting doth instruct you of all thinges and is true abide ye in it And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receiue an heauenly vertue to do the good whiche the vnderstandinge perceiued by the holie Ghoste so that it willeth chooseth and woorketh the good that the Lorde hath shewed it and on the other side nilleth hateth and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it For Paule saith I knowe to be humble and I knowe to exceede I can doe all thinges through Christ who strengtheneth mee And againe to the Philippians he saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him And againe yet he doeth more plainly say It is God that worketh in you bothe to will and to performe according to the good purpose of the minde But now note this that what soeuer they doe whiche are regenerate by the spirit of God they doo it fréely not by compulsion nor against their willes For like as God requireth a cheerefull giuer so where the spirit of the Lord is there is frée libertie and hartie goodwil And Zacharie the Father of Iohn Baptist saide That we beeing deliuered from the handes of our enimyes might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life Yea and our Lorde him selfe in the Gospel saith If ye abide in my sayings ye shal be my Disciples in deede and ye shall know the trueth and the trueth shall make you free And againe If the sonne set you at libertie or make you free then shall ye be free in deede Touching this libertie of the sonnes of GOD I haue alreadie discoursed in the ninthe Sermon of my first Decade This libertie of the sonnes of God wée doe willingly acknowledge and fréely confesse but the arrogant disputations of some blasphemous praters concerning frée will as thoughe it were in our power of our selues to doe any heauenly thing wee doe vtterly reiecte and flatly denye And yet wee doe not make man subiecte to fatall necessitie nor turne vppon GOD the blame of iniquitie As we haue else-where more at large declared And S. Augustine in his controuersie with the Pelagians did so attemper his disputation that hee attributed the good to the Grace of God and the euill vnto our nature so that
immediately vppon Christe his death and ascension For after the same manner that I haue hetherto declared vnto you euen from the beginning of the world did all the holy Patriarchs Prophets and electe people of GOD beléeue and ground their faith Although I denie not but that the mysterie of the Trinitie was more cléerely expounded to the world by Christe yet is it euident by some vndoubted testimonies whiche I will adde anon that the mysterie of the Trinitie was very well knowen vnto the Patriarchs the Prophets but first by the way I will admonishe you that the holy Patriarchs and prophets of GOD did hold themselues content with the bare reuelation and woord of GOD not raysinge curious questions about the Vnitie and Trinitie of God. They did clearely vnderstand that there is one God the father of all the onely sauiour and authour of all goodnesse and that without or beside him there is none other God at all And they againe did euidently sée that the Sonne of GOD that promised séed hath all thinges common with the father for they did most plainely heare that hée is called the Sauiour and is the redéemer from whome all good thinges do procéede and are bestowed vppon the faithfull whereby nowe it was easte for them to gather that the father and the sonne are one God althoughe they differ in properties For in so much as they were assuredly certeine that the damnable doctrine of the pluralitie of Gods did spring from the diuel they did not worship many but one God whome notwithstanding they did beléeue to consist of a Trinitie of persons For Moses the vndoubted seruant of God in the very first verse of his first booke sayeth In the beginning Creauit dij God created heauen and earth Hee ioyneth héere a Verbe of the singular number to a Noune of the plurall number not to make incongruitie of speach but to note the mysterie of the Trinitie For the sense is as if hée should haue said That GOD which doeth consiste of thrée persons created heauen and earth For a litle after God consulting with him selfe about the making of man doeth say Let vs make man in our Image Loe héere he sayth Let vs make and not Let me make or I wil make And againe hee sayeth In our Image and not In my Image But least any man should thinke that this consultation was had with the Angels let him heare what God him selfe doeth say in Esaye I the Lord sayeth he make all thinges and stretch out the heauens alone of my selfe that is of mine owne power without any help or fellowe with mée and set the earth fast Therefore the Father consulted with the Sonne by whome also hee created the world And againe least any man should thincke as the Iewes obiecte that these things were after the order and custome of men spoken of God in the plurall number for honours sake and worshipp thou mayest heare what followeth in the end of the third Chapter Behold this man is become as one of vs in knowing good and euill Now heere by Enallage hee putteth these wordes Is become for Shall become or Shall happen so that his meaning is as if he should haue said Behold the same shall happen to Adam that shall come to one of vs that is to the Sonne to witt that hee should haue triall of good and euill that is that hee should féele sundrie fortunes namely sickenesse calamities and death and as the prouerb is should féele both swéete and sowre For that is the lot or condition of man But the Sonne being incarnate for vs not the Father nor the holy Ghost was found in shape as a man and had triall of sundrie fortunes of death whiche was foretold to Adam as it is manifest for consolations sake and not in the way of mockage For as the good Lord did with a garment strengthen the body of oure first parent against the vnseasonablenesse of the ayre when for his sinne he purposed to banishe him out of Paradise so did he comfort and chéere vpp his sorrowfull minde with a full example of the sonnes incarnation and suffering And when he had so armed him in body and soule he casteth him out of the Garden of felicitie into a carefull and miserable exile There are in euery place many examples of this matter like vnto this For Abraham sawe thrée but with them thrée he talked as with one and worshipped one And The Lord rayned vppon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone fire from the Lord out of heauen and ouerthrew those cities But least any man should interprete it and say The Lord rayned from the Lord that is from heauen he himselfe doth presently ad From heauen For as the father created all thinges by the Sonne so doth he by him preserue al things and doth euē still by him worke all things Nexte after Moses the notablest Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes doeth say By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth So heere thou hearest that there is one Lord in whome is the woord and the spirite both distinguished but not separated For the Lord made the heauens but by the Word the whole furniture of heauen doth stand by the Breath of the mouth of the lord The same Dauid sayeth The Lord sayd to my Lord sitt thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Note that in an other place the same Dauid doth flatly saye that beside the Lord there is none other And yet héere againe he doeth as plainely saye The Lord said to my Lord meaning the father who had placed the sonne whiche was Dauids Lord at his right hand in heauē Out of Esaie may be gathered very many testimonies But the notablest of all the rest is that whiche Matthewe the Apostle citeth in these words Behold my sonne whome I haue chosen my beloued in whome my soule is pleased I will put my spirite vpon him c. With this agréeth that whiche Luke citeth saying The spirite of the Lord vppon me because hee hath annoynted mee to preache the Gospell to the poore hath hee sent mee c. In these testimonies heere thou hast the father the sonne and the holy Ghost A fewe out of many For I do not couet to turne ouer the whole scriptures of the old testament So then this faith wherewith wée doe beléeue in God the father y sonne and the holy Ghoste we haue receiued of God himselfe being deliuered vnto vs by the Prophetes Patriarchs but most euidently of all declared by the sonne of God him selfe oure Lord Iesus Christe and his holy Apostles wherevppon nowe we doe easilie gather wherfore it is that all the sincere bishops or ministers of the Churches together with the whole Church of Christe haue euer since the Apostles time with so firme a cōsent mainteyned and had this faith in honour It were
of his father begotten before all worlds and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world perfect God perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Thus farre in these wordes haue we shewed that Iesus Christe our Lord is very God and verie man consubstantiall or of the same substance with the father according to his Godhead and consubstantial or of the same substance with vs according to his manhood For hée hath a reasonable soule and humane flesh in very déed We wil speake furthermore of the coniunction or vniting of these natures into one person in whiche matter histories declare that certaine auncient writers in old time fowlie erred For Eutiches admitted one nature only in Christ and the same made that is medled or confounded together of a diuine and humane nature from whome the Monothelites were not farre beyond acknowledging only one will in Christ Nestorius willing to auoyd a colâ—pitt fell into a lime kill For he confessing two natures séemeth to affirme that there are so many persons teaching that the woord is not vnited to the flesh into the selfe same person but that it onely dwelleth therein wherevppon also he forbad the holy virgin to be called Gods mother Against whome the common assertion of the whole church holding opinion according to the scripture hath taught that two natures in Christ and the properties of those natures are to be confessed which are so coupled together into one vndiuided person that neither the diuine nature is chaunged into the humane nor the humane into the diuine but either of them reteine or kéepe their owne nature and both of them subsist in the vnitie of person For Christ according to the disposition of his diuine nature is one and the selfe same immortall according to the disposition of his humane nature mortall and the selfe same immortall GOD and mortall man is the only sauiour of the world Of which thing we will speake anon by Gods grace somewhat more largly and plainly Touching the very coÌ„iunction or vniting of the true Godhead and manhoode in Christ the prophets and Apostles haue not crabbedlie nor craftilie disputed For they speaking simplie said God was made man. Or God tooke on him man For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sayeth The woord was made flesh that is God was made man or the word of God became flesh S. Paule sayeth God was made manifest in the flesh And againe The sonne of God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Therefore wée according to the doctrine of the Apostles expounding the mysterie of the coniunction of the diuine and humane nature in Christ say God was incarnate or made man God toke on him man God appeared or was made manifest in humane flesh He that will sift out déeper matters than these it is to cast himselfe into great daungers Some there are who in expounding these pointes more fully vse the woordes of societie or fellowshipp participation and communion or part-taking and that not without authoritie of the scriptures Paule saying Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe like wise toke part with them Neuerthelesse wée must héere first of all take héede that we do not mâ—dle or confound the two natures ioyned together in one person nor that wée robb them of their properties For GOD of his owne nature is euerlasting and vnchaungeable God therefore remayning alwayes one and the selfe same is not chaunged into an humane or into any other nature but ioyneth coupleth taketh yea and vniteth vnto himselfe the humane nature Againe vnlesse in his humane nature he remaine a creature and be the selfesame which he is said to be it is not an humane nature this therefore remaining in it owne substance is taken to the diuine nature Therefore two natures remaine in the one person of Christ the diuine and the humane either of them doeth reteine their owne disposition and their owne propertie Which we will now declare by some places of scripture Isaie in his seuenth chap. sayeth A virgine shall conceiue bring forth a sonne his name shal be called Immanuel Hée acknowledgeth both natures in Christ for according to his diuine nature hee is called Immanuel that is to saye God with vs according to his humane nature hee is conceiued and borne The same prophete sayeth A child is borne vnto vs and a sonne is giuen vnto vs c. For hee is giuen who is from euerlasting and hee is borne whose beginning and béeing is in the world Wherefore one and the selfe same reteineth both the diuine and the humane nature For Micheas also sayeth And thou Bethlehem Ephrata art little in deede among the thousands of Iuda Out of the shall he come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernor in Israel whose out-goings haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting Loe what could be spoken more plaine One and the selfe same hath two ofspringes for insomuch as he is God his generation is from euerlasting and as he is man he is borne in Bethlehem Wherefore one and the selfe same Christ is very God and very man Againe in the Gospel according to S. Matth. the Lord asketh the Phariseis saying What thincke you of Christ whose sonne is he They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid He saith vnto them how then doth Dauid in spirite call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sitt thou on my righte hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole If Dauid call him Lord how is he theÌ„ his sonne As if he said Since Christ without doubt is the sonne of Dauid and hee calleth him Lord not by humane affection but by the holy ghost that is to say verie god of the selfe same power with the father the sequele is the Christ is verie man verie god The angel Gabriel noting no lesse plainlie both these natures saith to the virgin Marie That holy thing which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of god For of the virgin he is borne very man of very man and this is the sonne of god For Elizabeth also calleth the virgin the mother of the Lord to wit of god Moreouer in the Gospel of Iohn thou maist read verie many sayinges of this sort which point out as it were with the finger both natures in the selfe same Christ Ye beleeue sayeth the Lord in God beleeue also in mee And againe The father is greater than I. Also I went out from the father came into the world Againe I leaue the world go to the father And againe in another place The poore shall ye haue alwayes with you but mee alwayes ye shall not haue And againe Behold I am alwayes with you euen vnto the end of the world Wâ—ich sentences truly as it were coÌ„traâ—â—â—â—annot be all true at once vnlesse 〈◊〉 â—nowledge that Christ
persecutours of Christ and his Church Such in these dayes are the heathen Turkes Iewes heretiques scismatikes and generally all such as are professed enimies to Christian religion And to these also wée may add hypocrites For it is no smal offence that the Lord him selfe in euery part of the Gospell doth so earnestly persecute and blame Amonge other thinges hee sayeth The Lord of that seruaunt shall come in the daye wherein he loketh not for him and in an houre that he shall not knowe off and shall diuide him and shall giue him his portion with hypocrites where shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Out of all doubt he signified the greatnesse of the offence by the sharpenesse of the punishment This Church doeth followe the motions of the diuel and the deuises or imaginations of her owne heart and is busied and exercised in all kinde of blasphemie and wickednesse wherein shée excelleth her selfe and at last sincketh downe to hell that shee be not in any place separated from that head whervnto she hath so diligently or rather obstinately ioyned her selfe I knowe right-well that ye will obiecte against mée for that I haue reckoned the hypocrites to bee in the outward communion and fellowship of the Militant Church and nowe againe to accompte them of the companie of the diuels Church Moreouer you will saye That it is impossible that the same hypocrites maye take part of both Churches differing betwixte themselues for that the Lord sayeth Either make the tree good and the fruite good or else the tree nought and the fruite nought And Sainct Paule also sayeth that there is no fellowship betwixt Christ and Belial twixt lighte and darckenesse twixt trueth and lying and that hypocrisie is lying and darckenesse Héere therefore I perceiue a fitt place to shewe by what meanes and howe farre I may accompt hypocrites to be of the congregation of the Churche First wee make a distinction or difference of hypocrites For there are certeine hypocrites that put their confidence in their humane iustice and equitie doeing all their woorkes openlye that they maye bee séene of men firmely trusting and stiffely standing to mens traditions To these it is a custome and propertie not onely to flie from the Church whiche teacheth the righteousnesse of Christ but also to curse detest and to persecute it with all crueltie Such kinde of people were the Iewes and Iewishe Phariseis with whome oure Lord Iesus Christe had much contention and with whom euen at this day the Church contendeth and maketh warres These be the plaine and visible members of the diuels Church and they are not to be counted of the outward Church yea they are not once worthie to be named in the Church of Christ Againe there are some kinde of hypocrites that are dissemblers whiche neither giue any confidence to their owne righteousnes and iustice neither yet doe greatly regarde the traditions of men These kindes of people neither hate the Church nor flye from it nor persecute it but outwardly they agrée with it professing the same faith and participating the selfe same Sacramentes but inwardly and in minde they neither beléeue vnfeignedly sincerely neither doe they liue holilie Of this sorte some of them for a season will cleaue to the fellowship and company of the Church and hauing any occasion giuen they wil fall from it as heretikes and scismatikes are wont to doe and such as of fréendes are become enimies Other there be againe that neuer fall from the Churche but kéepe them selues in the fellowship of the Church all their life time outwardly pretending and feigning Religion but inwardly giuing them selues vp to their owne errors faults and wickednes vnto whome without doubt the outwarde behauiour and fellowship profiteth nothing at all For we ought to liue for euer and to participate all heaueÌ„ly gifts with them that desire them to ioyne in fellowshippe with the Church of God not onely by outwarde and visible societie but by inwarde communion and felowship wherein consisteth life and saluation Of which matter we will speake in conuenient place Such Hypocrites or dissemblers hanging on the ecclesiasticall bodie are called members of the body and are said to be of the church Which matter that it may the better be vnderstoode of you all we wil set it foorth by certeine parables We say that the wicked or hypocrites be in like sorte in the Church as chaffe is in the corne which indéed is of an other nature and is no corne Like as therfore oft times their hang members vnto mens bodyes either drye or rotten or féeble which members although they haue no societie nor take parte with the liuely members in the vitall spirite yet by coupling together and certeine stringes they cleane fast vnto the liuely members by meanes whereof they are also called by men members and partes of the body whoe lest they should inâ—ect the other they cut them off oft times they let them alone lest by cutting them off the whole bodie shuld be in danger of life Euen so in like sort we saye that hypocrites are in the church of Christe though they be not vnited to the Church either by the bond of the spirit or offaith and loue neither are they to be taken for liuely members yet are they suffered lest some worse mischiefe happen to the whole bodie of the church and oft-times they are cut off wherby the better health may come to the ecclesiasticall body But let vs heare what the Euangelicall and Apostolicall testimonie saith The Lord saith plainly in the Gospel that in the lords field cockell groweth vpp béeing soawen by a wicked man whiche he forbiddeth to be plucked vpp least that therewith the corne be plucked vp also Beholde cockel soawen by an euil man I say by the Diuell him selfe which is no corne yet doeth it increase and is in the Lords fielde Againe the lord saith in the Gospel The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a nett which beeing cast into the sea draweth al maner of things vp with it and when it is filled it is brought to the shoare and there men sitting reserue that which is good in a vessell and that which is euil they cast away Againe beholde how ye may sée bothe good and bad to be drawen in the selfe same nett and therefore in the selfesame kingdome bothe good and euil to be reckoned Also in an other parable there entereth one in among the guestes which hath not on his wedding garment who is suffered for a season but yet at last is cast out of doores by the Lord of the feast In an other place it is said that he hath a fanne in his hand and clenseth the flower and burneth the chaffe with vnquencheable fire S. Paule in his Epistle to the Corinthes putteth a difference betwixt the professed and open enimies of Christes Church and the impure sorte of men who as yet are not quite repugnaunte and aduersaries to
the nature vertue and efficacie of sacramentes of those thinges which are ioyned and of affinitie with them for so the order which I vsed in my diuisiō requireth Touching the vertue and nature of sacramēts that is to say what they worke in man writers haue disputed diuersly plentifully It séemeth vnto me that reuerēce must be vsed in this disputation and that héede must be taken that I do not incline either to the right hand or to the left that is that I do not attribute to much vnto them to the derogating from the doctrine of the Euangelistes Apostles neither that I should diminishe or take from them to mine owne damnation that whiche the scripture the word of God doth attribute vnto them But we shal plentifully giue great praise and glorie to the ordinances of God if we shall say that of them which the spirite of God hath set downe in the holy scriptures to bée willing to attribute more vnto them is not onely an errour in man but a great fault whiche bringeth death and horrible destruction This is declared vnto vs in the holy scripture by examples most worthie of remembrance The arcke of the couenant giuen by Moses to the people of Israel was a wittnesse of Gods presence amonge the people and of the league friendshipp betwene God man For in these words God made a league w the people I will make my dwelling place amonge them walke among them and I will be their God they shal be my people Of that ordinance agréement the arke it selfe was called The Lord God of hostes sittinge betweene the Cherubims as we may sée 2. Sam. 6. and in the booke of the Chronicles It was also called The arke of the couenant of the Lord. For when the prophets of God did attribute these thinges to the sacrament of God they both thought and spake plentifully reuerently enoughe of the sacrament of God but when the ignorant malicious priests and the people corrupted by them did attribute far greater thinges to the arke or Sacrament of God what I pray you came to passe Giue eare first what they attributed to the arke The elders of Israel said wherfore hath the Lord cast vs down this day before the Philistines Let vs fetch the arke of the couenant of the Lord out of Silo vnto vs that when it commeth amonge vs it maye saue vs out of the hands of our enimies You haue heard what they attributed to the ark Now giue eare what they did So the people sent into Silo brought from thence the arke of the couenant of the Lord of hoastes whiche sitteth betweene the Cherubims And it came to passe that when the arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoast all Israel showted out a mightie showt so that the earth rang againe And when the Philistines hard the noise of the shout they said what meaneth the soūd of this mightie showt And they vnderstood that the arke of the Lord was come into the hoast And the Philistines cried woe be vnto vs God is come into the hoast Who shal deliuer vs out of the handes of those mightie Gods that smote the Aegyptians But hearken now what happened howe God did declare that the arke was not God as it was called counted of the vnskilful in holy things how he punished the sinnes of his people because they attributed too much to the sacrament It followeth therefore And the Philistines fought and Israel was smitten downe and fledd euerie man into his tent and there was an exceding great slaughter for there were ouerthrown of Israel thirtie thousand footemen Beside that also the arke of God was taken the two sonns of Helie were slaine All these thinges are read in the 1. booke of Sam. 4. ca. Againe when the sacrament of God was vnreuerētly handled of the swinish Philistines they were smitten with a lothsome deadly plague They did boast that their Gods and the religion of the Philistines had ouercome the God and the religion of the Israelits but the gods of the Philistines fel downe are broken in péeces their heathenish religion is confounded What and did not the Israelites perish with a more gréeuous plague thā before when they lightly handled and contrarie to the Lawe of God Num. 4. looked into the Sacrament brought backe by the Philistines into Bethsames For the Lord smote fiftie thousand threescore tenne men 1. Sam. 6. When Moses did negligently deferre the circumcising of his children he fell into great daunger The Sichimites for receiuing circumcision rashly are destroyed And Simeon and Leui For prophaning the sacrament are cursed of their father Genesis 49. To this that agréeth which the Apostle sayth of them which celebrate the supper vnworthilie For this cause many are weake sicke amonge you many sleepe Hetherto also belongeth the example of Oza a man not altogether euill whiche touched this same sacrament that was not lawfull for him to doe Wherefore the Lord stroke him with a soudaine death and that not priuately in the tabernacle but in the fight of all the people Of the whiche déede of God Dauid also speaking in the cōgregation church of the Israelites saith to the Leuits The Lord hath chosen the Leuites to beare the Arcke of the Lord and not that kyne shall draw it in a new cart therefore see that ye be holie that yee maye bring in the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel vnto the place which I haue prepared for it For beecause ye did not this at the first our lord God hath made a rent amonge vs for that wee sought him not as the fashion ought to be And it followeth immediatly The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetche the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel And the children of the Leuites bare the Arcke of God vpon their shoulders with staues as Moses commaunded according to the word of the Lord. All these thinges are to be séene in the first of the Chronicles Cap. 15. Whereby we gather that the Lord will none of our good meanings or intentes pompous celebrations in celebrating the Sacramentes but that hee onely requireth that wee should so iudge and speake of the Sacraments as he iudgeth and speaketh by his word and that we should so vse and celebrate them as hee himselfe hath instituted and celebrated them Therefore he sufficiently setteth forth the dignitie of sacraments who attributeth that vnto them which GOD himselfe in the holy Scriptures vouchsafeth to giue them Let vs therefore first of all searche out of what dignitie Sacramentes haue béene for the most part in oure time that thereby we may the better vnderstand what is to be attributed and what is not to bée attributed vnto them The common sort of priestes and monkes haue taught that the sacramentes of the newe lawe are not only signes of Grace but together also causes of
punishment of sinne and wickednesse which the Lord hath appointed to be executed as hée himselfe sayth I will giue them children to bee their kings and infants shall rule them because their toÌ„gue and hart hath bene against the Lord. Likewyse the Lord stirred vp the cruell kinges of Assyria and Babylon against his Citie and owne peculiar people whose liuing was not agréeable to their profession But now how and after what sort subiects ought to be affected toward such hard cruel and tyrannical Princes wée learne partly by the example of Dauid and partly by the doctrine of Ieremie and the Apostles Dauid was not ignorant what kind of man Saul was a wicked mercilesse fellowe yet notwithstanding he fledd to escape his hands and when he had occasion giuen him once or twice to kill him he slue him not but spared the tyraunt and reuerenced him as though hee had béene his father Ieremias prayed for Ioachim Zedechias wicked kinges both and obeyed them vntill they came to matters flatly contrary to Gods religion For where I spake touching the honour due to parents there did I by the scriptures proue that wée ought not to obey the wicked commaundements of godlesse magistrates Because it is not permitted to magistrates to ordeine or appoint any thing contrary to Gods lawe or the lawe of Nature Now the Actes of the Apostles teach vs in what sort the Apostles did behaue themselues in dealing with tyrannical magistrates Let them therfore that are vexed with tyrantes and oppressed with wicked magistrates take this aduice to follow in that perplexitie First let them call to remembraunce and consider what and how great their sinnes of idolatrie and vncleannesse are which haue alreadie deserued the reuenging anger of their iealous God and then let them thinck that God wil not withdraw his scourge vnlesse hée sée that they redresse their corrupt maners and euill religion So then first they must goe about and bring to passe a full reformation of matters in religion perfect amendment of maners amisse Then must they pray continually that God will vouchsafe to pul and draw his oppressed people out of the myre of mischiefe wherein they sticke fast For that counsell did the Lord himselfe in the 18. after Luke giue to those that are oppressed promising therewithall assured ayde and present delyuerie But what how the oppressed must pray there are examples extant in the 9. of Daniel and in the 18. Chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles Let them also whose minds are vexed call to remembrance the sayings of Peter and Paule the chiefe of the Apostles The Lord saith Peter knoweth how to deliuer his from temptation as he deliuered Lot. Paul saith God is faithfull wil not suffer his to be tempted aboue their strength yea hee will turne their temptatioÌ„s vnto the best Let them cal to mind the captiuitie of Israel wherin Gods people were deteined at Babylon by the space of 70. yeares and therewithal let them thincke vppon the goodly comfort of the captiues which Esaie hath expressed from his 40. chapiter vnto his 49. Let vs persuade our selues that God is good merciful and omnipotent so that hée can when he will at ease deliuer vs Hee hath many wayes and meanes to set vs at libertie Let vs haue a regard onely that our impenitent filthie and wicked life do not pronoke the Lord to augment and prolong the tyrauntes crueltie The Lord is able vppon the sodeyne to chaung the harts of Princes for the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord as the riuers of water to tourne them which way hee will and to make them which haue béene hitherto most cruellie set against vs to bee our friends and fauourable to vs and them which haue heretofore most blouddilie persecuted the true religion to imbrace the same most ardently and with a burning zeale to promote it so farre as they may Wée haue euident examples hereof in the bookes of the kings of Esdras and Nehemias and in the volume of Daniels Prophecie Nabuchodonosor whose purpose was to toast with fire and vtterly to destroy the martyres of God for true religion was immediately after compelled to praise God because hée sawe the martyres preserued and hée himself doth by Edictes giuen out publickly proclaime and set forth the onely true God and his true religion Darius the sonne of Assuerus suffereth Daniel to be cast into the Lyons denne but straightway hée draweth him cut againe and shutteth vp Daniels enimies in the same dâ—nne to be torne in péeces by the famished beastes Cyrus the puissaunt king of Persia aduaunceth true religion Darius sonne of Hystaspes whose surname was Artaxerxes did by all meanes possible ayde and set forward the godly intent of Gods people in building vp againe their citie temple Let vs not doubt therfore of Gods ayde helping hand For God sometime doth vtterly destroy and sometime he chasteneth vntoward tyraunts with some horrible and sodeine disease as it is euident that it happened to Antiochus Herod the great to his nephue Herod Agrippa to Maxentius also and other enimies of God and tyraunts ouer men Sometime hée stirreth vp noble capitaines and valiaunt men to displace tyraunts set Gods people at libertie as wee sée many examples thereof in the bookes of Iudges kings But least any man doe fall to abuse those examples let him consider their calling by god Which calling if hée haue not or else do preuent hée is so farre froÌ„ doing good in killing the tyraunt that it is to be feared least hée doe make the euill double so much as it was before Thus much hetherto Now I returne to that which by my digression remayneth yet vnspoken of Here I haue to speake somewhat touching the election of magistrates and first to whom the choice and ordering of the magistrate doth belong Secondarilie whom and what kind of men it is best to choose to be magistrates and lastly the maner and order of consecrating those which once are chosen Touching the election of magistrats to whom that office shold béelong no one certaine rule can be prescribed For in som places that whole communaltie doth choose their péeres In other places the Péeres do choose the magistrates And in other places Princes come to it by succession and birth In discussing which of these orders shold be the best it were but follie to make much adoe For to euery kingdome euerie citie is worthilie left their countrie facion vnlesse it be altogether too too corrupt not to be borne withall But where Princes come to it by birth there earnest prayer must bée made to the Lord that hee wil graunt them to be good Now for the good election of magistrates the Lord himselfe declareth whom and what kind of men hée will haue to be choseÌ„ in these verie words Looke ouer all the people consider them diligently and choose from amonge them men of courage such
Lord in Ieremie crieth out and saith I call a sworde vppon all the dwellers vppon earth Againe in Ezechiel The sword is sharpe and readie trimmed to kill the sacrifice And againe I will giue my sword into the handes of the king of Babell The kings of Aegypte were of their people called Pharaos as who should saye Reuengers But the swoord in the magistrates hand is to bée put vnto two vses For either hée punisheth offenders therewith for doinge other men iniurie and for other ill déeds Or else hée doth in warre therwith repell the violence of forreine enimies abroade or represse the rebellions of seditious and contentious Citizens at hoame But here againe an other obiection is cast in oure way by them which say that according to the doctrine of the Gospell no man ought either to kill or to be killed ▪ because the Lord hath said Resiste not the euill And againe to Peter Put vppe thy sword into thy sheath Euerie one that taketh the sworde doth perishe by the sworde Mine aunsweare to this is that throughout all the Scripture priuate reuengement is vtterlie forbidden but that that is done openlie by authoritie of the publique magistrate is neuer founde fault withall But that was priuate and extraordinarie vengeaunce that the Apostle Peter was about to haue taken considering that hee was called to bée a Preacher of the woord of God not to bée a Iudge a Capitaine or a man of warre And against priuate and extraordinarie reuengment is that sentence rightlie pronounced Euerie one that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword But that publique vengeaunce and the ordinarie vse of the sword is not prohibited by God in the Church of Christe I proue by this testimonie of the holie Apostle Paule in the 12. to the Romanes hath taught what and how much the perfectnesse of the Gospell requireth of vs and among the rest thus hée saith Deerelie beloued reuenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath For it is written vengeaunce is mine and I wil repay But because this might be argued against and this obiection caste in his way Than by this meanes the long suffering of Christians shall minister matter enough to murder and manslaughter hée doth therefore immediately after in the next Chapiter adde The magistrate is the minister of God to thy wealth to terrifie the euill doers For hee beareth not the sword in vaine For hee is Gods minister reuenger of wrath to him that doth euill Wée gather therefore by this doctrine of the Apostle that euerie one of vs must let God alone with taking of vengeaunce that no man is allowed to reuenge himself by his owne priuate authoritie But publique reuengemēt wrought by the ordinarie magistrate is no where forbidden For that God which said to vs Vengeaunce is mine I will repay doth graunt to the magistrate authoritie to exercise and put that vengeaunce in vre which hee doth claime as due to himselfe So that the magistrates duetie is to punish with the sword the wrongfull dealings of wicked men in the name and at the commaundement of God himselfe Therefore when the magistrate punisheth then doth God himselfe to whom all vengeaunce belongeth punish by the magistrate who for that cause is called by the name of god Moreouer it is written Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Againe A wise king will scatter the wicked and turne the wheele vppon them And againe He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust they are both abhominable in the sight of the Lord. Neither doe wée lacke examples to proue that some haue incurred y heauie wrath and displeasure of the Lord for their foolish pittie in sparing them whom the Lord cōmaunded to strike with the sword I speake of Saul and Achab. Againe on the other side there are innumerable examples of most excellent Princes which testifie beare witnesse of the praise that they deserued for punishing of lewde wicked offenders For the Prince sinneth not nor is blameworthie any whit at all which killeth or otherwise punisheth the guiltie and vngratious man and for that cause we finde in the law so often repeated His bloud be vppon him selfe But if the bloud of the guiltie be not shedde then that is imputed as a fault and layde to the magistrates charge because hée neglecting his office hath pardoned them that were not worthie to bée forgieuen and by letting them goe hath left the innocent vnreuenged For hée is made partaker of the iniurie done shedding of the innocents bloud which he leaueth vnreuenged by letting the murderer goe vntouched on whose necke the Lord gaue charge to let the sword fall The iust seueritie of the vprighte magistrate in punishinge naughtie men is not as it is falselie iudged extreme crueltie But ouerthwart and péeuish pitie that spareth offenders which are not worthie to liue amonge men is vtter and méere crueltie in déede For when the magistrate letteth them goe vnpunished and at ease which with their naughtie déeds haue deserued death he doth thereby first of all giue occasion and courage to like offenders to go on and increase in their mischiefous wickednes For they sée their owne faultes borne with al in other men Secondarilie the men that are not as yet altogether drowned in the myre of wickednesse but are euerie hour◠tempted and prouoked to naughtinesse wil at the last leaue to haue scruple of cōscience and giue their consent to yéeld to mischiefe For they sée that mischiefous marchaunts are gentellie dealt withall Lastly offenders set frée without any punishment doe for the most parte become little better yea they become twice worse than they were before and the increase of his sinne shal at length compell thée to kil him for many murders whom thou wouldest not kill for the murder of one wherby thou mightest haue saued many guiltlesse men whō that cutthroate since his first pardon hath villaynously slaine They therefore send wolues and beares amonge the common people that let such rakehells escape vnpunished Since now that I haue declared the right vse of the sword proued that the magistrate hath power to reueng mens iniuries and to kill haynous offenders let vs goe on to consider what the causes bée for which God cōmaundeth to punish transgressors let vs sée also when they ought to be punished and lastlie what kinds of punishment or penalties the magistrate must vse The especiall causes for which the Lord doth openly commaunde to punish offenders are for the most part these that follow The Lord resisteth force with force worketh the safegard and saluation of men he reuengeth them that suffer wronge and restoreth againe whatsoeuer may be restored Hée declareth his iustice also which rewardeth euerie one according to his déedes And therefore hée wipeth out reprochfull déedes with a reprochfull death Hée putteth offenders in minde of their crime and therwithall for the most part doth giue them sense of repentaunce
morrowe therefore to adde the rest that is yet behinde Make ye your humble prayers vnto the Lord vppon your knées and then depart in peace ⸪ ¶ Of warre whether it be lawfull for a magistrate to make warre What the Scripture teacheth touching warre Whether a Christian man may beare the office of a magistrate And of the duetie of subiectes ¶ The ninth Sermon TO the right of the swoord which God hath giuen to the Magistrate doth warre belong For in my last Sermon I taught you that the vse of the sword in the magistrates hand is two fold or of two sortes For either hée punisheth offenders there with Or else repelleth the enimie that spoyleth or would spoile his people or cutteth off the rebellious purposes of his owne seditious citizens But many make a doubt whether it be lawful for a magistrate to make warre or no. And it is meruaile to sée them as blinde as bitells in a matter of it selfe as plaine as may bée For if the magistrate doth by Gods lawe punish offenders théeues and harmefull persons and that it maketh no matter whether they be few or many in number as I declared in my yesterdayes sermon euen by the same law may hée persecute repell and kill rebellious people seditious citizens and barbarous souldiers who vnder the pretence of warre do attempt that openly which théeues and robbers are wont to doe priuilie The Prophete I confesse did amonge other thinges prophecie of vs Christians and say They shall turne their swordes into spades and their iauelyns into sythes For Christians haue peace with all men and do altogether absteine from armour For euerie one doth that to an other which he would wish to haue done to himselfe But forbecause all are not so minded but that many vnrulie persons wicked théeues and oppressours of the poore do liue and dwel among honest and good meaning men as wilde beastes amonge harmelesse creatures therefore God from heanen hath giuen the sword into the magistrates hande to bée a defence for harmelesse people against vnrulie cut throates But wée reade not in any place that wée are forbidden to suppresse and kill wolues wilde boares beares and such other beastes that do annoy and pray vppon men or cattell What lett then should there bée whie wée should not by lawfull warre begunne in a good quarell repell the vniuste iniurie of violent robbers since theeues robbers barbarous souldiers and seditious citizens doe differ little or nothing from wilde beastes The Scripture verilie doth not vouchsafe to cal them by any other names than by the names of beastes Hereunto coÌ„senteth the common fense of nature and herewithall agréeth the doctrine of faith and religion If it be possible saith the Apostle as much as lyeth in you liue quietly with all men not reueÌ„ging your selues Sée here as much as lyeth in you saith â—ée and if it be possible Otherwise hée addeth immediatelie after The magistrate beareth not the sword in vaine Hée meaneth for them that trouble all thinges do annoy the men which doe desire to liue at peace And this is confirmed by the examples of the most holie and excellente men that haue beene in the world which haue taken warre in hand for the defence of their countrie and harmelesse countriemen as I haue alreadie declared out of S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues when as in the exposition of the fift precept I shewed what honour euerie man doth owe to his countrie I will adde to these some reasons of S. Augustine vttered contra Faustum Manichaeum lib. 22. cap. 75. Neither let him saith hee meruaile or be astonied at the warres made by Moses for because euen in them too hee followed Gods commaundement not like a tyraunt but like an obedient seruauÌ„t Neither did God rage with crueltie when hee commaunded those warres but iustlie payde home them that deserued it and terrified those that were worthie of it For what is blame worthie in warre Is it to be blamed that they do die which once must die that they which liue maye rule in peace To finde faulte with that is rather a cowardly touch than the part of a religious Christian Desire to hurt crueltie in reuenging an vnappeased stomach brutenesse in rebelling greedines to rule and whatsoeuer else is like to these are the thinges that in warre are worthie to be blamed by right of lawe to be sharpely punished Against the violence of iniurious enimies at the commaundement either of God himselfe or any other lawfull power euen good men are wont to take warre in hand since their state in the world is such that politique order doth iustlie binde the magistrate in such a case to commaunde it and the subiectes to obey it Otherwise Iohn when the souldiers came to him to bee baptized saying And what shall wee doe would haue aunsweared them and said Caste off your armour forsake your souldiours life strike wounde or kill no bodie But because he knew that while they did so as souldiers in the warre they were not manquellers but ministers of the lawe not reuengers of their owne iniuries but defenders of the common weale hee said vnto them Strike no man doe no man iniurie be content with your wages But because the Maniches haue of vse blasphemed or spoken against Iohn let them heare the Lord Iesus Christe himselfe commaunding to giue to Caesar that stipend which Iohn did say the souldier should be content withall Giue saith hee to Caesar that which is Caesars and to God the thinges that doe belong to god For to this ende is tribute paide that the souldier in the warre may haue his pay out of hand for his paine Verie well therefore when the Centurion said And I am a man set vnder power hauing souldiers vnder mee and I say to one goe and hee goeth and to an other come and hee commeth and to my seruaunt doe this and he doth it did the Lord commend his faith and not coÌ„maund him to forsake his souldiershippe Hetherto also apperteyneth that which followeth in the same 75. chapiter and 76. next after But I do of purpose willinglie beare somewhat with you not meaning by ouerlong rehearsing of too many sentences to bee tedious vnto you Thus hetherto I haue shewed you that it is lawful for the magistrate for to make warre Where by the way also wée gather that the subiectes doe lawfullie without any offence to God take armour to batteile when they take it in hand at the magistrates bidding But if the magistrates purpose bée to kill the guiltlesse I declared in my former sermoÌ„s that then his people ought not to obey his wicked commaundements Let the magistrate therefore haue an eye to himselfe that hée abuse not his lawfull authoritie And although the magistrate bée licensed to make warre for iuste and necessarie causes yet notwithstanding warre is a thing most full of perill and draweth with it selfe an endlesse troupe of mischiefous euills By warre the iust
iudgement of God doth plague the men whom his fatherly warning could neuer moue but amonge them many times too the guiltlesse féele the whip In warre for the most part souldiers misuse themselues and thereby incurre Gods heauie displeasure there is no euil in all the world that warre vpholdeth not By warre both scarcitie of euerie thinge and dearth doe arise For highe wayes are stopped corne vppon the grounde is troden downe and marrde whoale villages burnte prouision goeth to wracke handicrafts are vnoccupied merchandice doe ceasse and all doe perish both rich and poore The valiaunt stronge men are flame in the batteile the cowardly sorte runne away for their lyues to hide their heads reseruinge themselues to be tormeÌ„ted with more exquisite and terrible kindes of cruell punishmentes For wicked knaues are promoted to dignitie and beare the sway which abuse mankinde like sauage beastes Hands are wrouÌ„ge on euery side widowes and children crie out and lament the wealth that hath beene carefullie gathered to helpe in want to come is spoyled and stolne away cities are raced virgins and vnmariageable maydeÌ„s are shamefully deflowred all honestie is vtterlie violated old men are handled vnreuereÌ„tly lawes are not exercised religion and learning are nothing set by godlesse knaues and cut threats haue the dominion and therefore in the scriptures warre is called the scourge of god For with warre he plagueth incurable idolatrers and those which stubbornely contemne his word for that was the cause why the citie of Ieâ—usalem with the whole nation of the Iewes was vtterly destroyed Because they knew not the day of their visitation as the Lord in the Gospel saith but wente on to kill the Lords Apostles bringing on vppon their owne neckes the shedding of all the bloud from the righteous Abell vnto Zacharias For murder idolatrie incest and detestable riot wée read that the Chananites were raced out and cutte off The Moabites as Esai witnesseth were quite ouerthrowen for crueltie inhumanitie and coÌ„tempt of the poore The men of Niniuie did by warre vniustly vexe other nations making hauocke of all to fil their gréedie desire and therefore saith the Prophete Nahum other men measured to them with the same measure that they had measured to other before Micheas in his sixt chapiter affirmeth flatly that God sendeth warre vpon vniuste men for their couetousnes false deceipt In Ieremie arrogancie and pride in Esaie riot and dronkeÌ„nesse are said to be the causes of warre but the euill and miserie that warre bringeth with it sticketh so faste to common weales and kingdoms wher it once hath hold that it cannot be remoued taken away or shaken off at our wil and pleasure by any worldly wisedome by any league makinges with any wealth by any fortifications by any power or manhoode as it is to be seene in the Prophet Abdias Our sincere tourning to God alone is the onely waye to remedie it as Ieremie testifieth in his fifte Chapiter Nowe this turning to the Lord consisteth in frée acknowledginge and francke confession of our sinnes in true fayth for remission of sinnes through the grace of God and merite of Christ Iesus SecoÌ„darilie it consisteth in hatred and renouÌ„cing of al vnrighteousnesse in loue of iustice innoceÌ„cie charitie al other vertues and laste of all in earneste prayers and continuall supplications Againe thou mayste see perhappes that some by warre haue no smal commoditie profite and vnestimable riches with verie little losse or no dammage at all Such was the warre which the Israelites had with the Chanaanites vnder their Capitaine Iosue But I would not that gaping after gayne should drawe any man from right and equitie And many times the magistrates suppose that their quarell is good and that of right they oughte to make warre on others and punish offenders when as notwithstandinge the righteous God by that occasion draweth them on into perill that their sinnes may bée punished by the men in whom they did purpose to haue punished some gréeuous crime Wée haue euidente examples hereof in the Scriptures The eleuen tribes of Israel in a good quarel made warre on the Beniamites purposing to reuenge the detestable crime that a few wicked knaues had horriblie committed wherein the whoale tribe bare them oute and vphelde them beinge parteners thereby of their heynous offence But twice the Israelites were put to the woorse and the wicked Beniamites had the vpper hand in the battaile In the time of Heli the Israelites minded to driue the tyrannous rule of the idolatrous Philistines out of their countrie but they are slaine the Arcke of God is taken and caried into the cities of their idolatrous enimies Likewise that excellente Prince Iosias is ouerthrowne and slaine by the Chaldeis because the Lord had purposed to punish bring euil vppon the whoale people of Israell which hée would not haue so holie a Prince his seruaunt to see with his eyes to his sorrow and griefe Wherby wée haue to gather that the trueth of religion is not to be estéemed by the victorie or ouerthrowe of any people so that that religion should bee true and right whose fauourers haue the vpper hand and that againe be false and vntrue whose professours and mainteyners are put to the worse For wée must distinguish betwixt religion and the men or personnes that keepe that religion which do for other causes suffer the Lords visitation But all this admonisheth vs that the magistrate hath néede of the great feare of God before his eyes both in making and repelling warres leaste while hée goeth aboute to auoyde the smoulthering coasepitte hée happ to fall into the scalding lyme kill or least while hée supposeth to ease his shoulders of one euill hée doth by the way whereby hée soughte ease heape vppe either more or farre greater euills Princes therefore must precisely looke into and throughly examine the causes of warres before they beginne or take them in hand The causes are many and of many sortes but the chiefe are these that followe For either the magistrate is compelled to sende ayde and rayse the siege of his enimie which doth enuironne the garrisons that hée hath appointed for the defence of some of his cities because it were an offence and parte of parricide to forsake and giue ouer against oathe and honestie his cities and garrisons that are in extremitie Or else the magistrate of duetie is compelled to make warre vppon men which are incurable whom the verie iudgemente of the Lord condemneth and biddeth to kill without pittie or mercie Such were the warres as Moses had with the Madianites and Iosue with the Amalechites Of that sorte are the warres wherein such men are oppressed as of inuincible malice will both perish themselues and drawe other to destruction as well as themselues with those also which reiecting all iustice and equitie doe stubbornly go on to persist in their naughtinesse Such were the Beniamites which were destroyed by sword and fire of the other eleuen
tribes Such are at this day those arrogant and seditious rebells as trouble common weales and kingdomes as of old Absalom was in Israell and Seba the sonne of Bochri of whom mention is made in the second booke of Samuell Hereunto appertoyne the warres that are taken in hand for the defence of true religioÌ„ against idolatrers and enimies of the true and Catholique faith They erre that are of opinion that no warres may bee made in defence of religion The Lord in déede blamed Peter for strikinge with the sword because he was an Apostle but therby notwithstanding hée badde not the magistrate to be negligent in looking to religion neither forbad he him to defend and mainteyne the purenesse of faith For if it bée lawfull for the magistrate to defend with the sword the thinges of accompt of which sorte are libertie wealth chastitie and his subiects bodies whie should he not defend and reuenge the thinges of greater accompt and those which are of greatest weight But there is nothing of more and greater weight than sincere true religion is There is moreouer a manifest and flat commaundement of God touching this matter to be séene in Deuteronomium For the Lord commaundeth that euerie citie within the iurisdiction of euerie magistrate which departeth froÌ„ God and the worshippe of God should be set on with warriours and vtterlie raced if it reuolted not froÌ„ idolatrie betimes The place is extant in the 13. of Deut. But if the magistrate be coÌ„maunded to punish Apostataes by warre then is it lawful for him by warr to defend the Church in daunger to be drawne by anye barbarous Prince from true religion vnto false idolatrie Iosue would by warre haue suppressed the Rubenits with their confederates for building an altar against Gods commaundemente Iudas Machabeus fought for the people of God against the people souldiers of king Autiochus who purposed to tread downe the Iewish religion which at that time was the true worship of God and perforce to make all men receiue and professe his heathenish superstition Likewise also Paul coÌ„mended greatly those Iewish capitaynes or Iudges which by faith withstoode and turnd away forreine enimies inuasions And Paule himselfe did warre in Cyprus against Elymas the false prophet and stroake him with blindnes he addeth the reason why hée stroak him blinde which he fetcheth froÌ„ the kéeping of religion and saith Ceassest thou not to peruert the right wayes of the Lord c. Act. 13. For the same Paul againe 40. meÌ„ do lye in waite supposinge if hee were once made away that a good parte of the preachinge of the Gospell would then come to an ende and that thereby the Iewishe religion which notwithstaÌ„ding was vtterly false should haue béene set vp and mainteyned for truth But Paul was not negligeÌ„t to remedie this case neither turned hée the other chéeke to haue that stricken too but earnestlie and humblie requireth deliuerie and defence which hee requested not of a Christian magistrate when as yet there was none but of a Romane Centurion neither did hée once gainsay him when hee sawe that hée choase out 400. footemen and 70. horsemen whom hée placed in order of battell ray to conduct him safely from Hierusalâ—m to Antipatridis and by that meanes was Paule the vessell of election preserued by an armed band of Italian souldiers Of the Armenians whom Mariminus the Emperour did tyrannously oppresse Eusebius in the 9. booke and S. cap of his ecclesiasticall historie saith The people of Armenia hauing beene long time both profitable and frends to the people of Rome being at length compelled by Maximinus Caesar to chaung the vse of Christian religion whereunto the whoale nation was most holilie bent into the worship of idolls and to honour diuels in steede of God of frieÌ„ds became enimies and of fellowes aduersaries and preparing by force of armes to defende them selues against his wicked edictes doe of their owne accord make warre vppon him and put him often to much trouble and busynes Thus saith hee It is lawful therefore for the magistrate to defend 〈◊〉 people and suâ—iectâ—s aâ—â—inst idolaâ—â—ra and by 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to this there is an other cause why the magistrate may take warre in hand For either some barbarous enimie inuadeth the people coÌ„mitted to thy charge tearing and spoyling them most cruellie like a wolfe in a flocke of shéepe when as notwithstaÌ„ding thou diddest not first prouoake him thereunto by iniurie but also after his causelesse beginning thou hast offered equal conditions of peace to be made In such a case as this the magistrate is coÌ„maunded to stand forth like a Lyon and to defende his subiectes against the open wronge of mercilesse â—utthroates So did Moses when hée fought against Arad Sehon and Og kinges of the Amorites So did Iosaphat when hée foughte against the Ammonites and inhabitauntes of mount Sâ—ir So did Dauid when he withstoode the warre made on him by the Syrians Or else the magistrate doth ayde his confederates for the magistrate may make league with the nations about him so that thereby nothinge be done against the word of God when by tyrauntes they be wrongfully oppressed For so did Iosue deliuer the Cabaonites froÌ„ the siege of their enimies and Saule the men of Iabes Galaad fighting for them against Nahas a Prince full of tyrannie In such cases as these magistrats and Princes do lawfully make warre and their souldiers and subiects doe rightlie obey them yea they doe with greate glorie die a happie death that die in so iuste a quarell as for the defence of religioÌ„ of the lawes of God of his countrie wife and children They therefore that enter into warrfare to susteine the troublesome toile of batteile must not set their minds vppon gaine or pleasure wherin they looke when perill is paste to lye â—â—ill and wallowe but iustice publique peace defence of trueth and innocencie must be the mark for them all to shoote at to the intent when the wicked are vaÌ„quished the victorie obteined and the enimies put to flight slaine out of hand or brought to better order that then religion may flourish iudgement iustice may be exercised the Church vpheld the ceremonies rites ordinances and discipline thereof mainteyned studie and learning cherished the poore prouided for widowes and children defended and cared for the all sortes may liue in quiet peace that old men in reuerence maydens in chastitie and matrones in honestie may serue God prayse God and worship God without feare or daunger This was the marke whereto our fathers Abraham Moses Iosue Dauid and other valiaunt men of famous memorie did directe the eyes of their bodies and mindes vppon this onelie their heartes were settled so often as they warred and wente to batteile against vngodly tyrauntes in defence of the Church and coÌ„mon weale To whom and to all other valiaunte and godlie souldiers eternal praise is duelie giueÌ„ of all the Church and faithful saintes But to fearefull and cowardly
bands wherewith they are tyed that wishe loke to be set at libertie But throughout all ages there is none such to bée found in all the world nor yet in heauen but Iesus Christ alone the sonne of God who for that cause did in the Gospell say If the Sonne set you at libertie then are ye free in deede Nowe they whome the Lord deliuereth are bondslanes wherefore hée doeth deliuer them from bondage and doth incorporate them in the libertie of the sonnes of god Hée doth set all bondseruauntes at libertie excluding none but such as do by their owne default their owne vnbeléefe and disobedience exclude themselues For the comming of the sonne of God was to set all such at libertie as were entangled in bondage Therefore he doth so farre forth deliuer vs as we are bondseruaunts For bondage and libertie are one opposed and contrarie to the other so that without the consideration of the one wée cannot conceiue the meaning of the other Wherefore I thincke it best héere to speake so much of bondage as this present argument shall séeme to require First bondage is nothing else but the state or condition wherein bondseruauntes bée Nowe those that are in boÌ„dage are either bondmen borne or else made bondseruauntes The children that issue of bondseruaunts are bondslaues borne The other that are made bondseruantes are so made either by captiuitie wherevppon they take their names and are called captiues For Pomponius saith Slaues were therevppon so called because the Capitaines commaunded to sell them for monie when they were in warres taken captiues by their souldiours and so by that means to spare their liues and saue them these bondmen are in latine also called Mancipia eo quod ab hostibus manu caperentur because they were taken prisoners by the hande of their enimies Or else they are made bondslaues by the ciuil law as when a frée man aboue twentie yeares of age doeth for lucre sake suffer himselfe to bée sould for monie Bondmen therefore haue loste all libertie and doe whoalie hange vppon their maisters gouernment in whose power it lyeth to kill them if they list Nowe of bondage there are two sortes the Politique and the Spirituall The politique bondage is not by grace the preaching of the Gospell taken out of the Churche of the faithfull so that there should bee no bondmen at all or that they should not doe their duetie or not doe the seruice that of right they doe owe. For the Apostle Paule saith Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in al Churches Art thou called being a seruaunt Care not for it But yet if thou mayest be free vse it rather And againe Seruauntes obey them that are your bodilie maisters with feare and trembling and singlenesse of hearte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christe doinge the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men knowing that what soeuer good thinge any man doeth that shall hee receiue againe of the Lord whether hee be bond or free And in his Epistle to Timothie hée saith Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte their maisters worthie of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not blasphemed And they which haue beleeuing masters despise them not because they are brethren but rather doe seruice for as much as they are beleeuing beloued and such as are partakers of the benefite And yet in this bondage the faithfull haue this comfort by the preaching of the Gospel that howsoeuer they bée bond in body yet they are frée in mind and soule For the Apostle againe doth say Hee that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise hee that is called free is bond to Christ This is a comfort to the faithful in all their afflictions which knowe that their spirite is safe and frée howsoeuer their bodie is streightly imprisoned or sharpely tormented Therefore the Saincts are at their libertie although they be neuer so narrowely looked to and shutt vpp in custodie they are victorers and vanquishers howsoeuer they are bound and oppressed Finally they enioy most exquisite pleasures euen then when they are vexed with most infinite euils I knowe that the children of this world doe mocke and scoffe at these pleasures and libertie of the faithfull beléeuers as though they were méere dreames and fantasiâ—s of very fooles and asses But God doth soundly pay them home for their scoffes and mockerie not in the world to come onely but also in this preseÌ„t life while they themselues like miserable caytifes beeing in extreme captiuitie doe notwithstanding euen in that slauerie thincke themselues at libertie and in most absolute felicitie For they serue a filthie seruice in detestable slauerie making themselues bondmeÌ„ to abhominable whoredome to beastly madd drunkennesse to the wicked Mammon and to other most vile pleasures wherein they die and rott with endlesse shame and infamie But of the seruice afflictions of the Sainctes who doe euen in their afflictions enioye their libertie and reioyce in the Lord the Apostle Paule speaketh where he saith We are troubled on euery side yet are wee not made pensiue wee are in pouertie but not in extreme pouertie wee suffer persecution but are not vtterly forsaken therein wee are caste downe but wee perish not bearing about alwayes in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also appeare in our bodie And againe In all things wee doe our endeuour to shewe oure selues as doth become the ministers of Christ in much suffering in afflictions in necessities in sorrowes in stripes in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watchinges in fastinges in glorie and ignominie in reproches and prayses as deceiuers yet speakers of trueth as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and loe wee liue as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alwayes reioycing as poore and yet making many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges Loe héere ye sée howe the Saincces in extreme seruitude haue a chéerefull consolation and are alwayes at their libertie as is to be séene by infinite examples in the Actes of the Apostles other Ecclesiasticall histories Nowe wee come to the second part of bondage The spirituall bondage hath a certaine likenesse to the bodily seruitude For Adam by his owne fault became a bondman and wée of him are all borne bondmen Hée was once at libertie and had the Lord to bee his friend and fauourer but hée did disâ—oyallie reuolte from GOD and gost himselfe an other maister the diuell a tyraunt as cruell as maye bée who for his sinne hauing gotten power ouer him did like a mercilesse Lord miserablie handle him like a bond seruaunte Nowe wée of oure corrupte graundsire are borne corrupt and sinners and for our sinne are also vnder the diuels dominion wée are
right hand of the father in heauen doeth not so oftentimes humbly fal downe on his knées and make intercession for vs as we doe sinne In the dayes of his flesh when he did offer vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares hee was once heard in that which he feared For nowe he alwayes appeareth for vs in the presence of god Al our matters are manifest in his sight the father beeholdeth the face of his Christe for whose sake he is pleased with all his members hearing them and giuing them whatsoeuer healthful things they require according to that saying of our sauiour Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he shal giue it you Therfore here wee must imagine no turmoyles no molestation no labour wherwith he shuld be wearied which is the intercessour aduocate priest of al before God the father in heaueÌ„ Whereof also I put you in minde in my last sermoÌ„ where I entreated of inuocation and intercession Wherfore our priest executing his office before God in heauen hathe néede of no altar of inceÌ„se no censer no holy vesselles or garments muche lesse hath he néede of the altar of burnt offerings For on the crosse which was his altar he offered vp him selfe but once for al. Neither was there any mortal man worthie to offer to the liuing god the liuing sonne of god And that only sacrifice is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of all men in the whole world And though in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes I haue alleadged many testimonies touching these things yet I caÌ„ not stay my self here but must cite vnto you some that be notable For this matter wherin the fruite of Christes diuinitie humanitie to be short al our saluation consisteth cannot worthily and diligently ynough be printed in mens harts Paule vnto the Hebrues speaking of the priestes of the olde Testamente and comparing Christ our high priest with them yea by all meanes preferring him sayth And among them many were made priests because they were not suffered to indure by reason of death But Christ because he indureth for euer hathe an euerlasting or vnchangeable priesthod for that it doth not palle ouer to another by succession Wherfore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them For such an high prieste it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinnes made higher than the Heauens which needed not daily as those high priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes then for the peoples for that did hee once when he offred vp himself And againe he sayth Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands whiche are the similitudes of the true sanctuarie but into heauen it selfe to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs Not that he should offer himselfe often as the highe priestes entred into the holie places euerie yere in strange or with other bloud For theÌ„ muâ—t he haue often suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the worlde hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die and after that coÌ„meth the iudgement Euen so Christ once offered to take away the sins of many the second time shal be seene without sinne of them whiche waite for him vnto saluation And againe the same Paule saith Euerie priest appeareth daily ministring and oftentimes offereth one manner of offering which can neuer take away sinnes but this ma after he had offered one sacrifice foâ— sinns sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and from hencefoorth tarrieth til his enimies be made his footstoole For with one offering hath he made perfect or consecrated for euer theÌ„ that are sanctified All these sayinges hitherto are the Apostle Paules And I think that these testimonies are not to be made manifest and agréeable to our purpose by a larger interpretation For they are all euen without any exposition of ours most euident and verie aptly agrée to the matter which we haue in hand For they doe plainely set forth and lay before our eyes to beholde the whole priesthood of Christ specially that which belongeth to the intercession and the onely and euerlasting sacrifice or satisfaction for sinnes It belongeth also to the same priesthoode to consecrate priestes vnto God all the faithfull not that we should offer for the satisfaction of sinnes but that we shoulde offer our prayers thankesgiuinges and our selues and the dueties of Godlinesse as it were euerie momente For Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste sayeth Iesus Christe prince of the Kinges of the earth loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud made vs kinges and priestes vnto God and his father We may finde the same sentence also in the Epistle of Saint Peter So that in these we may sée what fruite riseth and floweth vnto vs from the diuinitie and humanitie of Christe oure king and highe priest For he coulde not be prince of kings highe priest vnlesse he were God and man. Here this place requireth to speak somewhat of the name of a Christian and of the dueties of a Christian man We haue the name of Christians of Christ to whome being vnseparably knitte we are the members of that bodye whereof he is head And Christe is not his proper name for he is called Iesus but a name of office deriued from the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifieth annoynting so Christ signifieth asmuch as annointed Therfore Tertullian saith it is not a proper name but a name attributed And hee addeth Annointed is no more a name than cloathed or apparelled a thing accident to the name But the kinges high priestes were annointed with oyle therefore Christ signifieth vnto vs him that is king high priest or Bishop And because we are named Christians of Christe who hath annointed vs with the holy ghost truely we also are kings priestes Where you may sée how great a benefite we haue receiued of Christe God man for he hath made vs kings priestes We sée what the dutie of christians is namely to mainteine this dignitie euen to the last gaspe lest it be taken from vs againe by sathan Furthermore if we be kings we are Lordes ouer thinges and are frée ruling not ruled or in subiection Frée I say froÌ„ sinne and euerlasting death and from all vncleannesse Lords ouer sathan prince of this worlde and ouer the world it selfe For we rule the world and the fleshe wee are not ruled by them Herevnto belong those wordes of the Apostle Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that ye shoulde therunto obey by the lustes of it Neither giue ye your members as instruments or weapons of
not of the bread Eate yee all of this But when he tooke the cup he added Drinke yee all of this Saint Marke also adioyneth herevnto not without déepe iudgement And they drank all thereof Herevnto also apperteineth that which the Lord speaketh in S. Luke Take this and diuide it among you S. Paul the Apostle hauing a special regard vnto this excelleÌ„t plaine institutioÌ„ of Christ thrée or foure times ioyneth the cup to the bread saying As often as you shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup you shall expresse the Lords death Againe Whosoeuer eateth of this bread or drinketh of the Lords cup vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And againe he saith Let a man examine himselfe and then let him eate of the bread and drinke of the cup Againe Who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily c. These testimonies are manifolde and worthie absolutely to be beléeued vnto which al traditions of all men whatsoeuer should giue place The Lord hath instituted the cup of the supper vnto all the faithfull wherfore the Apostles exhibited the same vnto all the faithfull For if the sacrament of the bloud of Christ were giueÌ„ to the Apostles only surely then the thing it selfe to wit the remission of sinnes which is obteined through Christes bloud belongeth only vnto the Apostles Howbeit the Lord saith plainly This is the bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes It is also in other places of the scripture manifestly set downe the Christs bloud was shed for the remission of the sinns of al the faithful Wherfore if the Laitie be capeable of the thing how muche more of the signe Now if our aduersaries procéede further and say that the Apostles only sate at the supper who represented the figure of the priestes and that the vse of the cuppe was graunted vnto them only and not to be graunted vnto other but to such only as were present at the first supper then doe we demaunde of them by what authoritie they giue the Lordes bread to the Laitie or by what right they do admitte simple women vnto the Lordes supper since it is manifest that neither the one nor the other according vnto their speaking in this matter sate at the Lords table And in this point they being taken tarde can goe no further But they obiect the daunger of the cup which if it be giuen vnto all without exception it would come to passe through the follie negligence of men there might some great offence be committed in letting it fall or powring it on the floore As who shuld say the eternal prouidence hath not foreséen so great an offence which these wisemen doe well perceiue nowe at length in the end of the world and do amend that wherein the Sonne of God did amisse For they crie out that one kinde is enough for the lay people for asmuch as by a necessarie coherence it foloweth that where the bodie of Christ is there is his bloud also and thus must it then followe that the one kinde is instituted in vaine But the lord distinctly first offered the bread and afterward the cup the Lord instituted nothing in vaine therefore both kinds since the Lord hath so coÌ„manded ought to be parted among all the faithful which as many as haue read the writings of the ancient fathers wil report was obserued euer before euen almost vnto the time of the counsell of Constance Of whom many haue not beene afraide to say that the diuiding of this sacrament after this maÌ„ner could not be done without sacrilege The matter substaÌ„ce of the supper being declared there is lightly some question moued concerning the forme or of the consecration of the breade and wine But for asmuch as I haue intreated hereof in the generall consideration of the sacraments there is no cause why I should with lothesomnesse to the bearers repeate the selfe same thing againe We do not acknowledge any transubstantiâ—tion to be made by force of wordes or characters but we affirme that the bread and wine remaine as they are in their owne substances but that there is added vnto them the institution will and worde of Christ and so become a sacramente and so differ muche from common bread and wine as we haue saide in place conuenient Consequently insueth the question touching this point Who should administer the Supper that is to say Whether any one of the congregation ought to be chiefe in the celebrating of the supper then Who the same should be Surely the thing it selfe requireth and nature also commaundeth that euery thing bee done decently and in good order and religion requireth that all thinges apperteining to the supper bee done according to Christs example But he was the chiefe dealer in the supper And he likewise hathe appointed ministers of the Churche by whom he will haue the sacraments to be administred Wherefore like as euerie man doth not baptise but the lawfull minister of the church so apperteyneth it not vnto euerie man to prepare minister the holy supper but to the minister which is ordeyned by god Herein now we disproue the Papistical doctrine which alloweth of priuate Masses teacheth that the prieste offreth vp the bodie and bloud of our Lord for the standers by and that by the Masse he applteth the merite of redemption vnto them that with deuotion come to that sacristce For as there is no one worde of the Lord extent that commaundeth the priestes to sacrifice or priuately to apply the supper for others or that promiseth any thinge vnto them that stande by and looke on it for he sayth Doe this eate yee and drinke ye all in the remembraunce of me he sayeth not Looke vppon the priests onely while they be eating and drinking for you so Christ is not bodily present in the breade and wine he is ioyned vnto our heartes and mindes by his spirit For it were to none effect that he remained in the breade And if he were present there in déede yet coulde he not be sacrificed both for that he hath offered vp him selfe once vppon the crosse neither can the moste worthy and onely begotten sonne of God be offered vp againe to God the father by a sinnefull man as also for that there is no néede for him to offer againe For S. Paule saith Christ beeing one onely sacrifice offered vp for sinne sitteth for euer at the righte hand of God looking for that which is yet to come vntill his enimies bee made his footestoole For by one oblation hee hath made them for euer perfect that are sanctified And againe he sayeth Whereas is full remission of sinnes there is no more oblation for sinne But we haue full remissioÌ„ of sinne by the death which Christ once suffered Therfore there is no sacrifice in the church for sinne In déede the Churche doth celebrate the memoriall of the sacrifice which