verily a substaÌ„ce of an earthly and corruptible element and suffreth no change in it selfe but hath vnder it selfe the body of Christ enclosed If they did so declare their meaning that when the bred is deliuered in the mysterie there is adioyned the deliuering of the body because the trueth is vnseuerable from the signe I would not much striue with them But because they placing the body in the bred do faine to it a beyng euery where contrarie to the nature thereof and in adding vnder the bred they wyll haue it lye there hiddeÌ„ it is necessarie a litle while to draw such suttelties out of their deÌ„nes For my mynde is not yet as of set purpoÌ„se to go through with all this point but only that I may lay the fundations of the disputation which shall by and by folowe in place fit for it They wil therfore haue the body of Christe to be inuisible and immeasurable that it may lie hid vnder the bread because they thinke that they do not otherwise communicate with hym than if he descende into bread but they comprehend not the maner of descending wherby he lifteth vs vpward to himself They lay vpon it all the colors that they can but when they haue said all it sufficiently appereth that they staye vpon the locall presence of Christ. Whense commeth that euen because they can abide to conceiue no other partakyng of the fleshe and blood but whiche consysteth either of ioynyng and touchyng of place or of some grosse enclosyng And that they may obstinately defende the error ones rashly conceiued some of them sticke not to say that the flesh of Christ had neuer any other measurynges but so farr and wide as heauen and earth is brode Whereas he was borne a childe out of the wombe whereas he grewe wheras he was spred abrode on the crosse whereas he was enclosed in the sepulchre the same was doone by a certaine dispensation that he myght be borne and dye and performe the other dueties of man Where as after his resurrection he was seen in his wonted forme of body wheras he was taken vp to heauen wheras last of all also after his ascension he was seen of Stephen and Paule it was doone by the same dispensation that it might appere to the sight of men that he was made a kyng in heauen What is this ells but to raise vp Marcion out of hell For no man can dout that the body of Christ was a fantasy or a fantasticall thyng if he was of suche state Some slip away somewhat more suttelly with sayeng that this body whiche is geuen in the Sacrament is glorious and immortall and that therfore it is no absurditie if it bee conteined in many places if in no place if with no forme vnder the sacrament But I aske what maner of body Christe gaue to the disciples the day before that he suffred doo not the wordes sounde that he gaue the same mortall body whiche was within a little after to be deliuered He had already before say they shewed his glorie to be sene to thre of the disciples That is true in dede but his will was by that brightnesse to geue them a taste of immortalitie for an houre In the meane tyme they shall not there fynd a double body but that one body which Christ did beare garnished with newe glorie But when he distributed his body at his first Supper the tyme was nowe at hande when he beyng striken of God and humbled shold lie without glorie as a leprous man so farre is it of that he then wold shew forth the glorie of his resurrection And howe great a wyndowe is here opened to Marciâ—n if the body of Christ was seene in one place mortall and base and in an other place was holden immortall and glorious Howebeit if their opinion take place the same happeneth daily because they ar compelled to confesse that the body of Christ beyng visible in it selfe lyeth hyd inuisibly vnder the signe of bread And yet they that vomite out such monstruousnesse are so not ashamed of their own shame that they do vnprouoked hainously raile at vs because we do not subscribe to them Nowe if they lyst to fasten the body and blood of the Lorde to bread and wyne the one shall of necessitie be plucked in sunder froÌ„ the other For as the bread is deliuered seuerally from the cup so the body vnited to the bread muste nedes be diuided from the blood enclosed in the cup. For when they affirme that the body is in the bread and the blood in the cup and the bread and wyne are by spaces of place distant the one from the other they can by no shift escape but that the body must be seuered from the blood But wheras they are wonte to allege that by accompainyng as they faine in the body is the blood and likewise in the blood is the body that verily is to triflyng forasmuche as the Signes in whych they are enclosed are so seuered But if we be lifted vp with our eies and myndes to heauen that we seke Christ there in the glorie of his kingdome as the signes doo allure vs to hym whole so vnder the signe of bread we shal be fedde with his bodye vnder the signe of wyne we shall seuerally drynke his blood that at length we may enioye hym whole For although he hath taken awaye his fleshe from vs and in his body is ascended vp into heauen yet he sitteth at the right hande of the Father that is to say he reigneth in the power and maiestie and glorie of the Father This kyngdome is neyther bounded with any spaces of place nor compassed aboute with any measurynges but that Christ may shewe foorth his myght wheresoeuer it pleaseth him both in heauen and in earth but that he may shewe himselfe present with power and strength but that he may alway bee at hande with them that be his breathing his lyfe into them may liue in them strengthen them quicken them preserue them safe euen as if he were present in body finally but that he may fede them with his owne bodye the communion wherof he dothe by the power of his Spirite poure into them After this maner the body and blood of Christe is delyuered to vs in the Sacrament But we must appoint such a presence of Christ in the Supper as may neither fasten hym to the element of bred nor shut hym vp in the bred nor by any meane compasse hym in for it is playne that all these thynges abate his heauenly glorie fynally suche as may neither take from him his owne measure nor diuersly draw hym in many places at ones nor faine to hym suche an vnmeasurable greatnesse as is spred abrode throughout heauen and earth for these thynges are playnely agaynst the truthe of the nature of manhode Let vs I say neuer suffer these two exceptions to be taken away from vs. The one that nothyng bee abated from the glorie
from cursyng our estate what soeuer it be bycause we know that that is to murmure agaynst God at whose will richesse and pouertie basenesse and honors are disposed Brefely he that resteth hymselfe in suche sorte as is aforesayd vpon the blessyng of God neyther will by euell suttelties hunt for those thinges that menne are wont outragiously to couet by whiche crafty meanes he thinketh that he shall nothyng preuayle nor yf any thyng happen prosperously will impute if to hymselfe and to his owne diligence endeuour or to fortune but will assigne it to God the authour But yf while other mens estates doe florish he goe but sclenderly forward yea or slide backeward yet he will beare his ill fortune with greater quietnesse and moderation of mynde than a prophane manne wil beare a meanely good successe whiche is not altogether so good as he desired bycause he hath a comfort wherein he maye more quietly rest than vpon the hiest toppe of wealth and authoritie bycause he accompteth that his thinges are ordered by God as is auailable for his saluation So we see that Dauid was minded and yeldeth himselfe to be ruled by God he declareth himselfe to be like to a weyned childe and that he walketh not in hye thinges or maruellous aboue himself And the godly mindes ought to haue that quietnesse and sufferaÌ„ce not only consistyng in this behalf but also it muste extend to al chaunces wherunto our present life is subiect Therfore no maÌ„ hath rightly forsaken himselfe but he hath so resigned himselfe vp wholly to the Lord that he suffreth all the partes of his lyfe to be gouerned by his will He that is so framed in minde what so euer happen will neyther thinke himselfe miserable nor will with enuiousnesse agaynste God complayne of his fortune Howe necessarie this affection is shall hereby appere yf you consider to howe many chaunces we be subiect â–ª Diuerse kyndes of diseases doe trouble vs sometime the pestilence cruelly reigneth sometime we are sharply vexed with calamities of warre somtime frost or haile deuouring the hope of the yere bringeth barennesse that driueth vs to dearth somtime our wife parentes children or kinsfolkes are taken awaye by death our house is consumed with fier these be the thinges at chauncyng whereof men curse their life derest the day of their birth haue heaueÌ„ and light in execration murmure against God and as thei be eloquent in blasphemies accuse him of vniustice and crueltie But a faythfull manne muste euen in these chaunces beholde the mercyfull kindenesse and fatherly tendernesse of God Therefore whether he see his house destroied his kinsefolke slayne yet he will not therfore cesse to prayse God but rather will turne himselfe to this thought yet the Grace of the Lord that dwelleth in my house will not leaue it desolate Or yf when his corne is blasted or bitten or consumed with frostes or beaten downe with hayle he see famine at hand yet he will not despeyr nor speake hatefully of God but will remayne in this confidence We are yet in the Lordes protection and shepe brought vp in his pastures he therfore will finde vs foode euen in extremest barrennesse Or if he bee troubled with sicknesse eueÌ„ then he will not be discouraged with bitternesse of sorrow to burst out into impatience and quarell thus with God but consideryng the righteousnesse lenitie in gods correctioÌ„ he will call himself back to patience Finally what so euer shall happen bicause he knoweth it ordeined by the hand of God he will take it with a well pleased and thankefull minde least he should stubbornly resist his authoritie into whose power he hath yelded himselfe and all his Therfore let that foolish most miserable comfort of the Heathen be far from a Christian mans heart which to streÌ„gthen their mindes agaynst aduersities did impute the same to fortune with whome they coÌ„pted it â—oolish to be angry bicause she was blinde vnaduised that blindely wounded bothe the deseruing and vndeseruyng For contrarywise this is the rule of godlinesse that the only hand of God is the iudge and gouernesse of bothe fortunes and that it runneth not forward with vnaduised sodeyne rage but with most orderly iustice dealeth among vs bothe good thinges and euell The eight Chapter ¶ Of the bearyng of the crosse whiche is a part of the forsakyng of our selues BUt a Godly minde muste yet climbe vp hier euen to that whereunto Christ calleth his disciples that euery one take vp his crosse For all whome the Lorde hath chosen and vouchesaued to receiue into his companie must prepare theÌ„selues to a hard trauailsome vnquiet life and full of many and diuerse kindes of incoÌ„modities So it is the will of the heauenly father to exercise theÌ„ in such sort that he may haue a true profe of them that be his Beginnyng at Christ his first begotten sonne he procedeth with this order toward al his children For wheras Christ was the best beloued sonne aboue the reste and in whome the fathers minde was fully pleased yet we see how he was not teÌ„derly deintily handeled so that it maye be truely sayd that he was not only exercised with a perpetual crosse so long as he dwelled in earth but that at his life was nothinge els but a kinde of continuall crosse The Apostle sheweth the cause thereof to be that it behoued that he should learne obedience by those thinges that he suffred Why then should we priuilege our selues from that estate whereunto it behoued Christ our hed to be subiect specially sithe he became subiect thereunto for our cause to shew vs an example of patience in himself Therefore the Apostle sayth that this is the apointed end for all the children of God to be fashioned lyke vnto him Whereupon also in harde and sharpe chaunces which are reckened aduersities and euels ariseth a great comfort vnto vs that we coÌ„municate with the suffringes of Christ that as he entred out of a maze of all troubles into the heauenly glorie so we maye by diuerse tribulations be brought into the same glorie For so sayth Paule himself that when we learne the communicating of his afflictions we do also conceyue the power of his resurrection and when we are fashioned like vnto his death we are so prepared to the felowship of his glorious risyng agayne Howe much maye this auayle to aswage all the painefulnesse of the crosse that the more we are afflicted with aduersities so muche the more surely is our felowship with Christ confirmed by communicating whereof our suffringes are not only made blessed vnto vs but also do much help vs to the furtherance of our saluation Byside that our Lord had no neede to take vpon him to beare the crosse but to testifie proue his obedience to his father but we for diuerse causes haue neede to leade our life vnder a coÌ„tinual crosse First as we be naturally bent to attribute all thinges to our flesh
dealing which he knew to be pleasing to the merciful kindnes of God agaist al euel speaking of meÌ„ whatsoeuer it be For we se what he saith in an other place that he knoweth no euel by himself but the he is not therby iustified namly bicause he knew that the iudgment of god far surmuÌ„teth the bleareyed sight of meÌ„ Howsoeuer therfore the godly do defend their innoceÌ„ce agaist the hypocrisie of the vngodly by the witnessing iudgmeÌ„t of God yet when thei haue to doe wyth God alone they all crye oute wyth one mouthe If thow marke iniquitie Lorde Lorde who shall abide it Entre not into iudgement with thy seruantes bycause euery one that liueth shall not be iustified in thy sight and distrusting their owne workes thei gladly sing Thy goodnesse is better than life There are also other places not vnlyke to these before in which a man may yet tarry Salomon saith that he whiche walketh in his vprightnesse is righteous Againe That in the path of righteousnesse is life and that in the same is not death After whiche manner Ezechiell reporteth that he shal liue life that doth iudgment and righteousnesse None of these do we either denye or darken But let there come forthe one of the sonnes of Adam with such an vprightnesse If ther be none either thei must perishe at the sighte of God or flee to the sanctuarie of mercie Neither do we in the meane time denie but that to the faithfull their vprightnesse though it be but halfe vnperfect is a step towarde immortalitie But whence commeth that but bicause whome the Lord hathe taken into the couenant of grace he searcheth not their works according to their deseruinges but kisseth them with fatherly kindenes Wherby we do not only vnderstand that which the scholemen do teache that works haue their value of the accepting grace For thei meane that workes which are otherwise in sufficient to purchase righteousnesse by the couenant of the law are by the accepting of God auauÌ„ced to the value of equalitie But I saie that thei being defiled bothe with other trespassinges with their owne spottes are of no other value at al than in so muche as the lord tenderly graunteth pardoÌ„ to bothe that is to say geueth free righteousnesse to maÌ„ Neither are here those praiers of the Apostle seasonaly thrust in place wher he wissheth so great perfectioÌ„ to the faithful that thei may be faultlesse vnblamable in the day of the loâ—â— These wordes in deede the Celestines did in olde tune turmoile to affirme a perfectioÌ„ of righteousnes in this life But which we thinke to be sufficient we answer brefely after Augustine that al the godly oughte in dede to endeuoure toward this mark that thei may one day appeare spotlesse faultlesse before the face of God but bicause the best most excellent maÌ„ner of this life is nothing but a going forward we shal then not til then atteine to this mark when being vnclothed of this flesh of sinne we shall fully cleaue to the lord Yet wil I not stiffely striue with him which will geue the title of perfectioÌ„ to the holy ones so that he also limit the same with the words of Augustine himselfe Whan saich he we wil cal the vertue of the holy ones perfect to the same perfectioÌ„ also belongeth the acknowledging of imperfection bothe in trueth and in humilitie The .xviii. Chapter That of the rewarde the righteousnesse of Workes is ill gathered NOw let vs passe ouer to those saiengs which affirme the God wil rendre to euery man according to his workes of whiche sort are these Euery man shal beare away that which he hath done in the body either good or euel Glory honoure to him that worketh good trouble distresse vpoÌ„ euery soule of him that worketh euel And thei whiche haue done good thinges shall goe into the resurrection of life thei which haue done euell into the resurrection of iudgement Come ye blessed of my father I haue hungred ye gaue me meate I haue thirsted ye gaue me drinke c. And with thâ— let vs also ioine these saiengs which cal eternal life the reward of works Of whithe sort ar these The rendring of the handes of a man shal be restored to him He that feareth the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t shal be rewarded Be glad reioise behold your reward is plentiful in heauen Euery man shal receiue reward according to his labore Wher it is said that God shal rendre to euery man according to his works the same is easily assoiled For that manner of speaking doth rather shew the ordre of folowing than the cause But yt is out of dout that the lord doth accoÌ„plish our saluatioÌ„ by these degrees of his mercy wheÌ„ those whom he hath choseÌ„ he calleth to him those whoÌ„e he hath called he iustifieth those whom he hath iustified he glorifieth Although therfore he do by his only mercie receiue them the be his into life yet bicause hee bringeth them into the possession therof by the race of good works that he may fulfil his work in them by such ordre as he hath apointed it is no maruel if it be said that thei be crowned accordig to their works by which wtout doubt they are prepared to receiue the crowne of immortalitie Yea after this manner it is fittly said that thei worke their own saluation when in applieng themselues to good works they practise theÌ„selues toward eternall life namly as in an other place thei are coÌ„maunded to work the meate which perisheth not when bi beleuing in Christ thei get to theÌ„selues life yet it is by by afterwarde added Which that sonne of man shal geue you Wherby appeareth that the word of Working is not set as contrary to grace but is referred to endeuoure therfore it foloweth not that either the faithful artheÌ„selues authors of their own saluatioÌ„ or that the same proceedeth froÌ„ their works How then So sone as thei are taken into the felowship of Christ by the knowledge of the Gospell the enlightning of the holy ghost eternal life is begone in them Now the same good worke which God hath begonne in them must also be made perfect vntil the day of the lord Iesu. And it is made perfect when resembling the heauenly father in righteousnesse holinesse thei proue theÌ„selues to be his children not swarued out of kinde There is no cause why we shold of the name of reward gather an argument that our works ar the cause of saluacioÌ„ First let this be determined in our hearts that the kingdome of heaueÌ„ is not a reward of seruants but an inheritance of childreÌ„ which thei only shal enjoy that ar adopted of the lord to be his children for no other cause but for this adoptioÌ„ For the sonne of the bond womaÌ„ shal not be heir but the soÌ„ne of the sre woman And in the
the Supper the figure of it is set before vs for a pledge and assurance of the spirituall lyfe And verily Christ sayd of his glorified body see and fele for a Spirite hath not fleshe and bones Loe by Christes own mouth the truthe of his fleshe is proued because it can be felt and seen Take away these thinges than it shall cesse to be fleshe They still flee to their denne of dispensation which they haue framed to themselues But it is our part so to embrace that which Christ absolutely pronounceth that that which he meaneth to affirme may be of force with vs without exception He proueth himselfe to be no ghost because he is visible in his fleshe Let that be taken away which he claimeth as propre to the nature of hys body must they not then be faine to coyne a new definition of a body Now whether soeuer they turne themselues about their fained dispensation hath no place in that place of Paule where he sayth that we loke for a Sauior from heauen which shall fashion our base body lyke to his glorious body For we may not hope for a like fashioning in those qualities which they faine to Christ that euery one should haue an inuisible and vnmeasurable body Neither shall there be founde any man so dull witted whom they may make to beleue so great an absurdity Let thē not therfore ascribe this gift to Christes glorified body to be at ones in many places and to be conteined in no space Finally let them either openly deny the resurrection of the flesh or let them graunt that Christe being clothed with heauenly glory did not put of his fleshe who shall make vs in our fleshe fellowes and parteners of the same glory when we shall haue the resurrection common with him For what doth the Scripture teache more plainely thā that as Christe did putt on our true fleshe when he was borne of the Uirgin and suffred in oure true fleshe when he satisfied for vs so he receiued againe also the same true fleshe in rising againe and caried it vp to heauen For this is to vs the hope of oure resurrection and ascending into heauen that Christe is rysen againe and ascended and as Tertullian sayth he carryed the earnest of our resurrection into the heauens with him Nowe how weake and fraile should that hope be vnlesse this our selfe flesh had ben raysed vp with Christ and entred into the kingdome of heauen But this is the propre trueth of a body to be conteined in space to cōsist of his mesured proportions to haue his forme Therfore away with this folish deuise which doth fasten bothe the mindes of men and Christ to the bred For to what purpose serueth the secret presēce vnder bred but that they which couet to haue Christ ioyned with them may rest in that signe But the Lord himselfe willed vs to withdraw not only our eyes but al our senses from the earth forbidding himselfe to be touched of the women vntil he had gone vp to his Father When he seeth Marie with godly zele of reuerēce to make hast to kisse his fete there is no cause why he shold disalow and forbid this touching til he haue ben taken vp into heauen but because he wil be sought no where ells Wheras they obiect that he was afterwarde seen of Stephen the solution is easy For neither was it therfore necessarie that Christ should change place which could geue to the eyes of his seruāt such sharpnesse of sight as might pearce through the heauens The same also is to be said of Paule Wheras they obiecte that Christ came out of the Sepulchre being shut and entred in amōg the disciples the dores being shut that maketh neuer a whit more for maintenance of their error For as the water like a fast pauemēt made a way to Christ walking vpon the lake so it is no maruel if at his comming the hardnesse of the stone yelded it selfe Howbeit it is more prouable that by his commaundement the stone was remoued and by and by after passage geuen hym returned into his place And to enter the dores being shut is not asmuch in effect as to pearce through the whole substance but by diuine power to open an entrie for himselfe that he sodenly stode among the disciples verily after a maruelous maner whē the dores were fast locked That whiche they allege out of Luke that Christ sodenly vanished away from the eyes of the disciples with whō he went to Emaus profiteth them nothing maketh for vs. For that he might take away the sight of himselfe from them he was not made inuisible but only went out of sight As when he went in iourney together with them as the same Luke witnesseth he did not put on a newe face that he might not be knowen but helde their eyes But these fellowes do not only trāsforme Christ that he may be cōuersant in earth but in diuerse places they make hym diuerse and vnlike himself Finally in so trifling they do not by one worde in dede but by a circumstāce make of the fleshe of Christe a Spirite and not contented therewith they put vpon it altogether contrarie qualities Wherupon of necessitie foloweth that it is doble Now although we graunt them that which they prate of the inuisible presēce the vnmesurablenesse shal not be yet proued without which they shal in vayne attempt to enclose Christ vnder bred Unlesse the body of Christ may be euery where at ones without any cōpasse of place it shall not be likely that he lyeth hidden vnder bred in the Supper By which necessitie they brought in the monstruous beyng euery where But it is shewed by strong and plaine witnesses of Scripture that it was limited about by the measure of the body of a man and then that by his ascending he hath made it plaine that he is not in all places but that when he passeth into one place he leaueth the other that he was in before Neither is the promise which they allege to be drawē to the body I am with you euen to the ending of the world First the continuall cōioyning can not stande vnlesse Christ dwel in vs corporally without the vse of the Supper Therfore there is no iust cause why they shoulde so sharply brawle about the wordes of Christ that they may in the Supper enclose Christ vnder bred Againe the text it selfe proueth that Christe speaketh nothing lesse than of his fleshe but promiseth to his disciples inuicible helpe wherby he may defende and susteine them against all the assaultes of Satan and the worlde For when he enioyned them a hard charge least they should dout to take it in hande or should ferefully execute it he strengtheneth them with affiance of his presence as if he had said that his succor shal not faile them which shal be impossible to be ouercome Unlesse they listed to confounde all thinges ought they not
man do shew that it is the principall parte Now wheras Paul doth exhort the faithful to clense thēselues from al defiling of the fleshe and the Spirite he maketh two partes of man wherein abydeth the filthinesse of sinne And Peter where he calleth Christ the shepeherde bishop of soules shold haue spoken fondly if there wer no soules about whom he might execute that office Neyther would that conuenientlye stande together which he saieth of the eternal saluation of soules and where he biddeth to clense our soules and where he sayeth that euil desires do fight against the soule and where the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues sayeth that the Pastors do watch that they may yelde accōpte for our soules vnlesse it were true that soules had a proper essence To the same purpose serueth it that Paule calleth God for witnesse to hys own soule because it could not be called in iudgemente before God vnlesse it were subiect to punishment And this is also more plainly expressed in the words of Christ when he biddeth vs to feare him which after that he hath killed the body can throw the soule into hel fier Now where the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues doth distinguishe the Fathers of our flesh from God which is the only Father of Spirites he woulde not otherwise more plainly affirme the essence of soules Moreouer if the soules remained not aliue being deliuered from the prisons of their bodies Christ should very fondly haue broughte in the soule of Lazarus ioying in the bosome of Abraham and againe the soule of the richman subiect to horrible tormentes The same thing doth Paul confirme whē he teacheth that we wander abrod from God so long as we dwel in the flesh and that we enioy his presence being out of the flesh But because I wil not be long in a matter that is not obscure I wil adde only thys out of Luke that it is reckened amōg the errors of the Sadduces that they did not beleue that there were any Spirites and Angels Also a strong profe herof may be gathered of this where it is sayed that man is create lyke to the image of God For although the glory of God do appeare in the outwarde shape of man yet is it no doubte that the proper seate of the image of God is in the soule I do not deny that as concernyng our outwarde shape in asmuch as the same doeth distinguishe and seuer vs from brute bestes we doe also therein more nerely approche to God than they nether wil I much stand against thē which thinke that thys is to be accōpted of the image of God that where al other lyuynge creatures doo grouellyngwise beholde the grounde to man is geuen an vpright face and he is commaunded to loke vpon the heauē and to aduaunce his countenaunce towarde the starres so that this remayn certain that the image of God whiche is seene appereth in these outward signes is spiritual For Osiander whom his writyngs declare to haue ben in fickle imaginations fondly witty referryng the image of God without difference as well to the body as to the soule mingleth heauen and earth togither For he saith that the Father the Son and the Holy ghost did settle their image in man because though Adam had stande without fallyng yet shuld Christe haue become man And so by their opiniō the body that was appointed for Christ was but an example or figure of that bodily shape whiche then was formed But where shall he fynde that Christe is the image of the Spirite I graunte in deede that in the Person of the Mediatour shyneth the glorye of the whole Godheade But howe shall the eternall woorde be called the image of the Spirite whom he goeth before in order Finally it ouerthroweth the distinction betwene the Sonne and the Holy ghost if he doo here call him his image Moreouer I would fayne learne of hym how Christe dooth resemble the Holy ghoste in the fleshe that he tooke vppon him and by what markes and features he doth expresse the likenesse of hym And where as this saying Let vs make man after our image dooth also belong to the Person of the Sonne it foloweth that he must be the image of himselfe whiche is against all reason Beside that if Osianders inuention be beleued man was fashioned onely after the figure paterne of Christ in that he was man and so that forme out of whiche Adam was taken was Christ in that that he was to bee clothed with fleshe where as the Scripture in a farre other meanyng teacheth that he was create in the image of God But their suttle inuētion is more colourable whiche doo thus expounde it that Adam was create in the image of God because he was fashioned like vnto Christe whiche is the only image of God But that exposition also is not soūd Also som interpreters make a great disputation about Image Likenesse whyle they seke a difference betwene those two wordes where is no difference at al saying that this worde Likenesse is added to expoūd the other First we knowe that amonge the Hebrues suche repetitions are common wherin they expresse one thyng twise and in the thyng it selfe there is no doubt but that man is therfore caled the image of God because he is like to God Wherby appereth that they are to be laughed at which doo so subtilly argue about the wordes whether they appoint Zelem that is to say Image in the substaunce of the soule or Demuth that is to say Likenesse in the qualities or what other thyng soeuer it be that they teache For where as God determined to create man after his own image this being somwhat darkly spoken he doth as by way of explication repete it in this saying After his likenesse as if he wolde haue said that he woulde make man in whom he would represent hym selfe as in an image because of the markes of likenesse grauen in him And therfore Moses a little after recityng the same thyng dooth repete the Image of God twise leauyng out the name of Likenesse And it is a triflyng obiection that Oseander maketh that not a parte of man or the soule onely with the giftes thereof is called the Image of God but the whole Adam whiche hadde his name geuen him of the earth from whense he was taken Triflyng I say will all readers that haue theyr sounde witte iudge this obiection For where whole man is called mortall yet is not the soule thereby made subiect to mortalitie Again where he is called a liuyng creature endued with reason it is not therby meant that the body hath reason and vnderstandyng Although therfore the soule is not the whole man yet is it not inconuenient that man in respecte of the soule be called the image of God albeit I holde still that principle whiche I haue before stablished that the Image of God extendeth to the whole excellence wherby
the nature of man hath preeminence among all kyndes of liuyng creatures Therefore in that worde is noted the integritie that man had when he was endued with ryght vnderstandyng when he had his affection framed accordynge to reason and all his senses gouerned in right order and when in excelleÌ„t giftes he did truly resemble the excellence of his Creatour And though the principall seate of the image of God were in the mynde and hart or in the soule and the powers therof yet was there no parte of man not so muche as the body wherin dyd not some sparkes therof appere Certaine it is that also in all the partes of the worlde there doo shyne some resemblances of the glory of God wherby we may gather that where it is said that his Image is in man there is in so saying a certain secret comparison that auaunceth man aboue all other creatures and doth as it were seuer him from the common sort Neither is it to be denied that the Angels were create after the likenesse of God sithe as Christ him selfe testifieth our chiefe perfection shall be to become like vnto theim But not without cause doeth Moses by that peculiar title sette forth the grace of God towarde vs specially where he compareth onely visible creatures with man But yet it semeth that there is not geuen a ful definition of the image of God vnlesse it plainlier appere in what qualities man excelleth and wherby he ought to be compted a glasse resemblyng the glorye of God But that can be by no other thyng better knowen than by the repayryng of mans corrupted nature First it is doubtlesse that when Adam felle from his estate he was by that departure estranged from God Wherefore althoughe we graunte that the Image of God was not altogyther defaced and blotted oute in hym yet was it so corrupted that all that remaineth is but vggly deformitie Therefore the begynnyng of recouerie of safetie for vs is in that restoryng whyche we obteyne by Christe whoe is also for the same cause called the seconde Adam because he restored vs vnto trewe and perfecte integritie For althoughe where Paule dooeth in comparyson set the quicknyng Spirite that Christe geueth to the faithfull against the liuyng soule wherin Adam was created he setteth foorth the more abundaunte measure of grace in the regeneration yet doothe he not take awaye this other principall poynte that this is the ende of our regeneration that Chrste shulde newe fashion vs to the image of God Therfore in an other place he teacheth that the newe man is renewed accordynge to the image of hym that created hym Wherwith agreeth this saying put on the new maÌ„ which is create according to God Now it is to be sene what Paul doth principally coÌ„preheÌ„d vnder this renuyng First he speaketh of knowlege and after of pure rightuousnesse and holynesse Wherby we gather that the image of God was first of al to be sene in the light of the mynde in the vprightnesse of hart and soundnesse of all the partes For although I graunt that this is a figuratiue phrase of speeche to set the part for the whole yet can not this principle be ouerthrowen that that thyng whiche is the chief in the renewyng of the image of God was also the principall in the creation of hym And for the same purpose maketh it that in an other place he teacheth that we beholdyng the glory of God with open face are transformed into the same image Nowe doo we see howe Christe is the moste perfect image of God accordyng to the whiche we beyng fashioned are so restored that in true godlynesse rightuousnesse purenesse and vnderstaÌ„dyng we beare the image of God Whiche principle beyng established Osianders imagination of the shape of our body dooth easily vanishe away of it selfe Where as the man alone is in Paule called the Image and glory of God and the woman is excluded from that degree of honour it appereth by the reste of the text that the same is to be applied only to ciuile order of policie But that vnder the name of image wherof we speake is comprehended all that belongeth to the spirituall and eternall lyfe I thinke it be alredy sufficiently proued And the same thyng doeth Iohn confirme in other wordes saying that the lyghte whiche was from the beginnyng in the eternall worde of God was the light of men For where his purpose was to praise the singular grace of God whereby man excelleth all other liuyng creatures to seuer him from the common â—orte because he hath atteined no common life but ioyned with the light of vnderstandyng he therwithall sheweth howe he was made after the image of God Therfore sithe the image of God is the vncorrupted excellence of the nature of man whiche shyned in Adam before his fall and afterwarde was so corrupted and almoste defaced that nothyng remaineth sins that ruine but disordred mangled and filthily spotted yet the same dooth in some part appere in the electe insomuche as they are regenerate and shall obtein her full brightnesse in heauen But that we may knowe on what partes it consisteth it shall be good to entreate of the powers of the soule For that speculatiue deuise of Augustine is not sounde where he saith that the soule is a glasse of the Trinitie because that there are in it vnderstandyng will and memorie Neither is their opinion to bee approued whiche sette the Image of God in the power of dominion geuen vnto hym as if he resembled God onely in this marke that he is appointed lorde and possessor of all thynges where as in dede the Image of God is proprely to be sought within hym and not without hym and is an inwarde good gifte of the soule But before I go any further it is nedefull that I meete with the dotyng errour of the Manichees whyche Seruetto hath attempted to brynge in agayne in this age Where it is saide that God breathed the breath of life into the face of man they thought that the soule dyd conuey into man the substance of God as if some porcion of the immeasurable God were come into man But it is easye euen shortely to shewe howe many grosse and fowle absurdities this deuillish errour draweth with it For if the soule be by deriuation part of the essence of God it shall folowe that the nature of God is subiect not only to chaunge and passions but also to ignorance euill lustes weaknesse and all kindes of vices Nothing is more inconstant than man because contrary motions do tosse and diuersely drawe his soule oftentimes he is blynde by ignorance ofte he yeldeth as vanquished euen to small tentations and we knowe that the soule it self is the sinke and receiuer of al filthinesse all which thynges we must ascribe to the nature of God if we graunte that the soule is of the essence of God or a secrete inflowyng of godhed Who would not abhorte this
tus which wheÌ„ he goeth about or at least faineth that he goeth about to extoll the greatnesse of the grace of Christ vtterly abolissheth the promises as if they were ended together with the lawe He layeth for him that by the fayth of the Gospell there is brought vnto vs the accomplishment of all the promises as though there were no difference betwene vs and Christ. I did in deede euen nowe declare that Christ left nothyng vnperformed of the whole summe of our saluatioÌ„ but it is wrongfully gathered thereupon that we do alredy enioye the benefites purchaced by him as though that sayeng of Paule were false that our saluation is hidde in hope I graunt in deede that we by beleuyng in Christ do also passe froÌ„ death to life But in the meane season we muste holde this sayeng of Iohn that although we knowe we be the children of God yet it hath not as yet appered till we shal be like vnto him that is till we shall see him suche as he is Therefore although Christ offer vnto vs in his Gospell present fulnesse of spirituall good thinges yet the enioyeng thereof lieth still hidde vnder the kepyng of hope till beyng vnclothed of the corruptible fleshe we be transfigured into the glorie of him that goeth before vs. In the meane time the holy ghoste biddeth vs to reste vpon the promises whose authoritie ought with vs to put to sileÌ„ce all the barkinges of that filthy dogge For as Paule witnesseth godlynesse hath a promise as well of the life to come as of the life present For which reason he boasteth that he is an Apostle of Christ accordynge to the promise of life that is in him And in an other place he putteth vs in minde that we haue the same promises whiche in the olde time were geuen to the holy men Finally he setteth this for the summe of felicitie that we are sealed vp with the holy spirit of promise but yet we do no otherwise enioye Christe but so farre as we embrace him clothed with his promises Whereby it cometh to passe that he in dede dwelleth in our heartes and yet we wander in yourney abrode from him bicause we walke by fayth and not by sight And these two thinges do not ill agree together that we possesse in Christ all that perteineth to the perfection of the heauenly life and yet that faith is a beholdyng of good thinges that are not seene Only there is a difference to be noted in the nature or qualitie of the promises bicause the Gospell sheweth with her finger that thing which the lawe did shadow vnder figures And hereby also is their errour conuinced whiche do neuer otherwise compare the lawe with the Gospell but as they compare the merites of workes with the free imputation of righteousnesse Although in deede this comparison of contraries be not to be reiected bycause Paule doth oftentimes vnderstand by the name of the lawe a rule to liue righteously wherin God requireth of vs that whiche is his not geuing vs any hope of life vnlesse we in al pointes obeye it on the other side adding a curse if we do neuer so litle swarme froÌ„ it that is in such places as he disputeth that we do freely please God are by pardon reckened righteous bicause the obseruation of the law wherunto the reward is promised is no where found Therfore Paule doth fitly make the righteousnesse of the law of the gospel contrarie the one to the other But the gospell did not so succede in place of that whole lawe that it shoulde brynge any diuerse meane of saluation but rather to confirme and proue to be of force what so euer the law had promised and to ioyne the body to the shadowes For when Christ sayth that the lawe and the Prophetes were vntill Iohn he maketh not the fathers subiect to the curse whiche the bound seruantes of the lawe can not escape but rather only that they were instructed with certayne â—udimentes so as they stayed a great way beneath the heygheth of the doctrine of the Gospell Therefore Paule callyng the Gospell the power of God to saluation to euery beleuer by and by addeth that it hath witnesse of the lawe and the Prophetes But in the ende of the same Epistle although he shew that the litle of praise of Iesus Christ is the reuelation of the misterie kepte secret in euerlastyng times yet he doth qualifye that sayeng with adding an expositioÌ„ teachyng that he is openly shewed by the writynges of the Prophetes Wherupon we gather that when we are to entreate of the whole lawe the Gospell differeth from the lawe only in respecte of the playne disclosyng thereof But yet for the inestimable flowyng store of grace whiche hath ben layed open for vs in Christ it is not without cause sayde that at his commyng the heauenly kingdome of God was erected in earth Nowe betwene the lawe and the Gospell came Iohn whiche had an osfice that was meane and of affinitie to them bothe For though when he called Christ the lambe of God and the sacrifice for the cleansyng of sinnes he shewed forth the summe of the Gospell yet bicause he dyd not expresse that same incomparable streÌ„gth and glorie which at length appered in his resurrection therefore Christ sayeth that he was not egal to the Apostles For so do those wordes of his meane yâ— though Iohn excell amonge the sonnes of womeÌ„ yet he that is least in the kingdome of heauen is greater than he Bicause he doeth not there commend the persones of men but after he had preferred Iohn before all the Prophetes he auaunceth the preachyng of the Gospell to the hiest degree whiche preachyng we see in an other place signified by the kyngdome of heauen But whereas Iohn himselfe dothe answere that he is but a voice as though he were inferiour to the prophetes he dothe not that for fayned humilities sake but meaneth to teache that the propre office of the Embassadour was not committed to him but that he only executeth the office of an apparitor as it was forespoken by Malachie Beholde I sende Elias the prophet before that the great and terrible daye of the Lorde doe come And truely he dyd nothing els in the whole course of his ministerie but endeuour to get disciples to Christ as also Esaye proueth that this was enioyned hym from God And in this sense Christ is called a candell burnyng and shinyng bycause the broade daye had not yet appered And yet this is no let but that he maye be reckened among the publishers of the Gospell like as he vsed the same Baptisme whiche was afterwarde deliuered to the Apostles But that whyche he beganne was not fulfilled but by the Apostles with free procedynge after that Christ was taken vp from them into the heauenly glorie The. x. Chapter ¶ Of the likenesse of the olde and newe Testamenâ— BY the thinges aforesaide it may now appere euideÌ„tly that all
appeareth sufficiently though it were but by this that while we muste liue in warfare vnder the crosse during the whole course of oure life our estate is harde and miserable what then sholde it profite vs to be gathered together vnder the dominion of a heauenly kinge vnlesse we wer certaine to enuy the frute therof out of the state of this earthly life And therefore it is to be knowen that whatsoeuer felicitie is promised vs in Christ it consisteth not in outward coÌ„modities that we shold leade a merry and quiet life florish in wealth be assured from al harmes flowe full of those deliteful thinges that the flesh is wont to desire but that it wholy belongeth to the heauenly lyfe But as in the worlde the prosperous desired state of the people is partly mainteyned by plentie of good thinges and peace at home and partely by strong forceable defenses wherby it maie be safe against outward violence so Christe also dothe enriche his with all thynges necessarie to eternall saluation of soules and fortifieth them with strength by whiche thei mai stande inuincible against al assaultes of spiritual enemies Whereby we gather that he reigneth more for vs than for himself and that both within without that being furnished so farr as God knoweth to be expedient for vs with the gyftes of the spirite wherof we are naturally empty we maie by these fyrste frutes perceaue that we are truely ioyned to God vnto perfect blesednesse And then that bearinge vs bolde vpon the power of the same spirit we may not doubt that we shall alwaie haue the victorie against the Deuell the worlde and euery kinde of hurtfull thinge To thys purpose tendeth the a unswer of Christe to the Pharises that bicause the kingedome of God is with in vs it shal not come with obseruation For it is likely that bicause he professed that hee was the same kinge vnder whome the souereigne blessinge of God was to be hoped for they in scorne requyred hym to shewe fourth his signes But hee bycause thei who otherwise are to muche bent to the earth shoulde not foolishly rest vpon worldly pompes byddeth them to enter into their owne consciences bycause the kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holy ghosâ—e Hereby we are breefely taughte what the kingedome of Christ auayleth vs. For bycause it is not earthly or fleshly subiecte to corruption but spirituall he lifteth vs vp euen to eternall lyfe that we maie patienth passe ouer this life in miseries hunger cold coÌ„tempt reproches and other greues contented with this one thinge that oure king will neuer leaue vs destitute but succoure vs in oure necessities till hauing ended oure warre we be called to triumph For suche is his manner of reigning to communicate with vs all that he hathe recâ—iued of his father Nowe whereas he armeth and furnisheth vs wyth power and garnisheth vs with beautie magnificens enricheth vs with wealth hereby is ministred vnto vs moste plentyfull matter to glorie vpon also bold courage to fight without feare against the Deuell sinne and death Finally that clothed with hys righteousnes wee may valiantly ouercome al the reproches of the world and as he liberally filleth vs with his giftes so we againe for oure parte may bring forth frute to his glorye Therfore his kingly anointing is set forth vnto vs not done with oyle or ointmeÌ„tes made with spices but he is called the anointed of god bicause vpoÌ„ him hath rested the spirit of wisdome vnderstaÌ„ding couÌ„sel strength and feare of God Thys is the oyle of gladnesse wherewpth the Psalme reporteth that he was annoynted aboue his fellowes bicause if there were not suche excellencie in hym we shoulde be all needy and hungry For as it is already saide hee is not priuately enriched for hym selfe but â—o poure his plentie vpon vs being hungry and drie For as it is sayde that the father gaue the spirite to his sonne not by measure so there is expressed a reason why that all we shoulde receiue of his fulnesse and grace for grace Oute of which fountaine floweth that liberall geuinge whereof Paule maketh mention whereby grace is diuersly distributed to the faithful according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Hereby is that whiche I saide sufficiently confyrmed that the kyngedome of Christ consisteth in the spirite not in earthly delytes or pompes and therefore we muste forsake the woorlde that we maye be partakers of it A visible signe of this holy anoyntinge was shewed in the baptisme of Christe when the holy ghooste rested vpon him in the lykenesse of a doue That the holy ghooste and hys gyftes are meante by the woorde Anoyntinge oughte to seeme neither noueltie nor absurditie For we are none other waie quickened specially for so muche as concerneth the heauenly lyfe there is no droppe of lyuely force in vs but that whiche the holy ghoste poureth into vs whyche hathe chosen his seate in Christe that from thense the heauenly rychesse mighte largely flowe oute vnto vs whereof wee are so neady And whereas bothe the faythfull stande inuincible by the strengthe of their king also his spiritual richesse plenteously flow out vnto them thei are not vnwoorthyly called Christians But this eternitie wherof we haue spoken is nothynge derogate by that sayeng of Paule Then he shall yelde vp the kyngdome to God and the Father Againe â–ª the sonne hym selfe shall be made subiecte that God maye be all in all thynges for hys meaninge is nothynge els but that in that same perfect glorie the administration of the kyngedome shall not bee suche as it is nowe For the father hathe geuen all power to the sonne that by the sonnes hande he maye gouerne cherishe and susteine vs defende vs vnder hys sauegarde and helpe vs. So whyle for a lyttle time we are waueringe abroade from God Christ is the meane betweene God and vs by lyttle and lyttle to brynge vs to perfect conioyning wyth God And truely whereas he sytteth on the right hande of the father that is as muche in effecte as yf hee were called the fathers deputee vnder whome is the whole power of his dominion bycause it is Gods will to rule and defende hys Churche by a meane as I maie so call it in the person of hys Sonne As also Paule dothe expounde it in the fyrste chapiter to the Ephesians that he was sette at the ryght hande of the father to be the heade of the Churche whyche is his body And to no other meanynge tendeth that whyche hee teacheth in an other place that there is geuen hym a name aboue all names that in the name of Iesus all knees shoulde bowe and all tongues confesse that it is to the glorie of God the Father For euen in the same woordes also hee setteth oute in the kingedome of Christe an ordre necessarye for oure presente weakenesse So Paule gathereth ryghtely that God shall then bee by
of peyne he had ben only a redemer for bodies But it behoued that he should wrastle to rayse vp them that laye throwen downe And his heauenly glorie is so nothyng appeired thereby that euen herein gloriously shineth his goodnesse whyche is neuer sufficiently praysed that he refused not to take our weakenesses vpon him From whense is also that comforte of oure anguishes and sorrowes whiche the Apostle setteth before vs that this Mediatour dyd feele our infirmities that he might bee the more earnestly bente to succour vs in miserie They saye that that thynge whiche is euell of it selfe is vnworthily ascribed to Christ. As though they were wiser than the spirit of God whiche ioyneth these two thinges together that Christe was in all thynges tempted as we are and yet that he was without sinne Therfore there is no cause that the weakenesse of Christ should make vs afrayde whereunto he was not by violence or necessitie cōpelled but by mere loue of vs and by mercie was led to submit himselfe And what so euer he of his owne will suffred for vs diminisheth nothyng of his power But in this one poynte are these backebiters deceyued that they do not perceyue in Christ an infirmitie cleane and free from all faulte and spot bycause he kepte himselfe within the boundes of obedience For whereas there can be founde no moderation in our corrput nature where al our affections do with troublesome violence excede all measure they doe wronge to measure the forme of God by that standard But when man was in his vncorrupted state then there was a moderation hauyng force in all his affections to restrayne excesse Wherby he might well be that he was like vnto vs in sorrowe dread and fearefulnesse yet that by this marke he differed from vs. Beyng so confuted thei leape to an other cauillation that though Christ feared death yet he feared not the curse and wrath of God frō which he knew himself to be safe But let the godly readers weye how honorable this is for Christ that he was more tēder and more fearefull than the most part of the very rascall sort of men Theues other euell doers do obstinately hast to death many do with haute courage despise it some other do midly suffer it But what constācie or stoute courage were it for the sonne of God to be astonished in a maner striken dead with feare of it For euen that whiche among the common sort might be accompted miraculous is reported of him that for vehemencie of griefe very droppes of bloud did fal from his face Neither did he this to make a shew to the eyes of other but whē in a secret corner whether he was gone out of companie he groned vnto his father And this putteth it out of all dout the it was needeful that he should haue Angels to come downe frō heauen to relieue him with an vnwonted maner of cōforting How shameful a tēdernesse as I sayd should this haue ben to be so far tormented for feare of cōmon death as to melt in bloudy sweate and not to be able to be comforted but by sight of Angels What doth not that prayer thryse repeted Father if it be possible let this cuppe departe from me proceding frō an incredible bitternesse of heart shewe that Christ had a more cruell and harder battell than with common death Whereby appereth that those triflers agaynst whome I nowe dispute doe boldly babble vpon thynges that they knowe not bicause they neuer earnestly considered what it is or of howe great importance it is that we be redemed from the iudgement of God But this is our wisedome well to vnderstand how deere our saluation dyd cost the sonne of God Now yf a man should aske me if Christ went then downe to hell when he prayed to escape that death I answere that then was the beginnyng of it whereby may be gathered how greuous and terrible tormentes he suffred whē he knew himself to stand to be arrayned for our cause before the iudgement seate of God But although for a moment of time the diuine power of the spirit did hide it selfe to geue place to the weakenesse of the fleshe yet muste we know that the tentation by felyng of sorrowe and feare was suche as was not agaynst fayth And so was that fulfilled whiche is in the Sermon of Peter that he could not be holden of the sorrowes of death bycause when he felt himselfe as it were forsaken of God yet he did nothyng at all swarue from the trust of his goodnesse Whiche is proued by that his notable callyng vpon God when for extremitie of peyne he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For though he was aboue measure greued yet he cesseth not to call him his God of whome he cryeth out that he was forsaken Moreouer hereby is confuted as well the errour of Apollinaris as theirs that were called Monothelites Apollinaris fayned that Christ had an eternall spirit in stede of a soule so that he was only but half a mā As though he could cleanse our sinnes any other way but by obeyeng his father But where is the affectiō or will of obedience but in the soule whiche soule of his we knowe was troubled for this purpose to driue awaye feare and bryng peace and quietnesse to our soule Agayne for confusion of the Monothelites we see how nowe he willed not that thinge accordyng to his nature of manhode whiche he willed according to his nature of godhed I omit to speake howe he did subdue the aforesayd feare with a contrarie affection For herein is a playne shewe of contrarietie Father deliuer me from this houre But euen herefore I came euen into this houre Father glorifie my name In whiche perplexitie yet was there no such outrage in him as is seen in vs euen then when we must of al endeuour to subdue our selues Nowe foloweth his resurrection from the dead without which al that we haue hetherto were but vnperfect For sithe there appereth in the crosse death buriall of Christ nothyng but weakenesse faith must passe beyond all those thinges that it maye be furnished with ful strength Therfore although we haue in his death a full accomplishment of saluation bicause by it bothe we are reconciled to God and his iust iudgement is satisfied and the curse taken awaye and the penaltie fully payed yet we are sayd to be regenerate into a liuing hope not by his death but by his risyng agayne For as he in risyng againe rose vp the vanquisher of death so the victorie of our fayth consisteth in the very resurrection but howe this is is better expressed in the wordes of Paule For he sayth that Christ died for our sinnes and was raysed vp agayne for our iustification as if he should haue sayd that by his death sinne was taken awaye and by his risyng agayne righteousnesse was renewed and restored For how
could he by dyâ—ng deliuer vs from death yf he himself had lyen still ouercoÌ„me by death Now could he haue gotten victorie for vs if himself had ben vanquished in fight Wherefore we doe so parte the matter of our saluation betwene the death and resurrection of Christ that by his death we saye sinne was taken awaye and death destroied and by his resurrection righteousnesse was repaired and lyfe raysed vp agayne but so that by meane of his resurrectoiÌ„ his death doth shewe forth her force and effect vnto vs. Therefore Paule affirmeth that in his very resurrection he was declared the sonne of God bycause then at last he vttered his heauenly power whiche is bothe a cleare glasse of his godhed a stedfast staye of our fayth As also in an other place he teacheth that Christ suffred after the weakenesse of the flew rose againe by the power of the spirit And in the same meaning in an other place where he entreateth of perfection he sayth that I maye knowe him and the power of his resurrection Yet by and by after he adioyneth the fellowship with death Wherw th most aptly agreeth that sayeng of Peter that God raysed him vp from the dead and gaue him glorie that our faith and hope might be in God not that our faith beyng vpholden by his death should wauer but that the power of God whiche kepeth vs vnder fayth doth principally shewe it selfe in the resurrection Therefore let vs remember that so oft as mention is made of his death only there is also comprehended that whiche properly belongeth to his resurrection and like figure of comprehension is there in the word ResurrectioÌ„ as oft as it is vsed seuerally without speaking of his death so that it draweth with it that whiche peculiarly peâ—teineth to his death But for as much as by risyng agayne he obteyned the crowne of conquest so that there should be both resurrection and life therefore Paule doth for good cause affirme that fayth is destroyed and the Gospell is become vayne and deceitefull if the resuâ—â—â—â—tion of Christ be not fastened in our heartes Therfore in another place after he had gloried in the death of Christ agaynste all the errors of damnation to amplifie the same he sayth further Yea the same He whiche died is risen vp agayne and nowe standeth a Mediatour for vs in the presence of God Furthermore as we haue before declared that vpon the partakyng of his crosse hangeth the mortificatioÌ„ of our flesh so is it to be vnderstanded that by his resurrection we obteyne an other commoditie whiche answereth that mortificatioÌ„ For sayth the Apostle we are therefore graffed into the likenesse of his death that beyng partakers of his resurrection we may walke in newnesse of life Therefore in an other place as he gathereth an argument of this that we are dead together with Christ to proue that we ought to mortifie our members vpon earth likewise also bicause we are risen vp with Christ he gathereth thereupon that we ought to seke for those thinges that are aboue and not those that are vpon the earth By which wordes we are not only exhorted to be raysed vp after the exaÌ„ple of Christ to follow a newnesse of life But we are taught that it is wrought by his power that we are regenerate into righteousnesse We obteyne also a third frute of his resurrection that we are as by an earnest deliuered vs assured of our owne resurrection of whiche we knowe that his resurrection is a most certaine argument Whereof he disputeth more at large in the .xv. chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians But by the waye this is to be noted that it is sayd that he rose agayne from the dead in which sayeng is expressed the truthe bothe of his death and of his resurrection as yf it had ben sayd that he did bothe die the same death that other menne naturally doe dye and receyued immortalitie in the same fleshe whiche he had put on mortall To his resurrection is not vnfittly adioyned his ascendynge into heauen For although Christ beganne more fully to set forth his glorie and power by risyng agayne for that he had nowe layed awaye that base and vnnoble estate of mortal life and the shame of the crosse yet by his ascendynge vp into heauen only he truely beganne his kyngedome Whiche the Apostle sheweth where he teacheth that Christ ascended to fulfil al thinges Where in semyng of repugnancie he sheweth that there is a goodly agreement bycause he so departed from vs that yet his presence might be more profitable to vs whiche had ben penned in a base lodgyng of the flesh while he was conuersant in earth And therefore Iohn after that he had rehearsed that notable callyng If any thirst let him come to me c. By and by sayth that the holy ghost was not yet geuen to the faythfull bycause Iesus was not yet glorified Whiche the Lord himselfe also did testifie to the Disciples sayeng It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I doe not goe away the holy ghost shall not come But he geueth them a comfort for his corporall absence that he will not leaue them as parentlesse but will come agayne to them after a certayne manner in deede inuisible but yet more to be desired bycause they were then taught by more assured experience that the authoritie whyche he enioyeth and the power whiche he vseth is sufficient for the faithfull not only to make them liue blessedly but also to die happyly And truely we see howe muche greater abundance of his spirite he then poured out how much more royally he then aduauÌ„ced his kingdome howe much greater power he then shewed bothe in helpyng his and in ouerthrowyng his enemies Beyng therefore taken vp into heaueÌ„ he toke away the presence of his body out of our sight not to cesse to be present with the faythfull that yet wandred in the earth but with more present power to gouerne both heauen and earth But rather the same that he had promised that he would be with vs to the ende of the worlde he performed by this his ascendyng by whiche as his bodye was lifted vp aboue all heauens so his power and effectuall workynge was poured and spred abrode beyonde all the baundes of heauen and earth But this I had rather to declare in Augustines wordes than mine owne Christ sayth he was to goe by death to the right hande of the father from whense he is to come to iudge the quicke and the dead and that lykewyse in bodyly presence accordyng to the â—ounde doctrine and rule of fayth For in spirituall presence with them he was to come after his ascension And in an other place more largely and plainely Accordyng to an vnspeakeable and vnuisible grace is that fulfilled whiche he had spoken beholde I am with you all the dayes euen to the ende of the worlde But
mention of it as of a thing betokening vnluckely and vnhappy Truely it is no maruell if naturall sease in vs do quake for fear when we heare of the dissoluing of vs. But this is in no wyse tolerable that there be not in a Christian mans brest the light of godlinesse that should with greater comfort ouercome and suppresse that feare howe great soeuer it be For if we consider that this vnstedfast faulty corruptible fraile withering and rotten tabernacle of our body is therfore dissolued that it may afterward be restored againe into a stedfast perfect vncorruptible and heauenly glorie shall not faith compell vs feruently to desire that whiche nature feareth If we consider that by death we are called home out of banishmeÌ„t to inhabite our contry yea a heauenly contrey shall we obteine no comfort there by But there is nothinge that desireth not to abide continualli I graunt therefore I affirme that we ought to loke vnto the immortalitie to come wher we may atteine a stedfast state that no where appeareth in earth For Paul dothe very well teache that the faithfull ought to goe cherefully to death not because they would be vnclothed but because they desyre to be newly clothed Shall brute beastes yea and lifeles creatures euen stockes and stones knowing their present vanitie be earnestly bent to loking for the last day of the resurrection that they may with the children of God be deliuered from vanitie and shall we that are endued with the light of wyt and aboue wyt enlightened with the spirite of God when it standeth vpon our being not lift vp our myndes beyond this rottennesse of earth But it perteineth not to my present purpose nor to this place to speake against this peruersnesse And in the beginning I haue alredie professed that I would not here take vpon me the large handlinge of common places I would counsel suche fearfull myndes to rede Cyprians boke of Mortalitie vnlesse thei were mete to be sent to the Phylosophers that they may beginne to be ashamed when they se the contempt of death that those do shewe But this let vs hold for certainly determined that no man hath well profited in Christes schole but he that doth ioyfully loke for the daye both of death and of the last resurrection For both Paule describeth all the faithfull by this marke also it is common in the Scripture to call vs thither as oft as it will set forthe a ground of perfect gladnesse Reioyce saithe the Lorde and lift vp â—our heads for your redemption commeth nere at hande Is it reasonable I praie you that the thing which he willed to be of so great force to raise vp ioye cherefulnesse in vs sholde brede nothing but sorrowe and discouragement If it be so why do we still boast of hym as oure Scholemaster Let vs therfore gette a sounder minde and howsoeuer the blinde and senslesse desire of the flesh do striue against it let vs not doubt to wishe for the comming of the Lorde not onely with wishinge but also with groning and sighing as a thing most happy of all other For he shal come a redemer to vs to drawe vs out of this infinite gulfe of euels and miseries and to leade vs into that blessed inheritance of his life and glorie This is certainely true all the nation of the faithfull so longe as they dwel in earth must be as shepe appointed to slaughter that they mate be fashioned like Christ their heade Therfore thei were in moste lamentable case vnlesse thei had their minde raised vp into heauen surmounted all that is in the worlde and passed ouer the present face of things Contrariwise wheÌ„ thei haue ones lifâ—ed their heades aboue all earthly thinges although thei see the wealth and honoures of the wicked storyshing if thei see them enioying quiet peace if thei see them proude in gorgiousnesse and sumptuousnesse of all thinges if they see them to stowe in plentiful store of al delites by side that if thei be spoyled by their wickednesse yf they susteine reprochfull dealinges at theyr pride if thei be robbed by their couetousnesse if thei be vexed by any other outrage of theirs thei will easily vpholde themselues in such aduersyties For that daie shal be before their eies when the Lorde shall receiue his faithfull into the quiet of his kingdome when he shal wipe all teares from theyr eyes when he shall clothe them with the robe of glorie gladnesse when he shall feede them with the vnspeable swetnesse of his deinties when he shall aduaunce them to the felowshippe of his hie estate ynally when he shall vouchesaue to enterparten hys felicitie wyth them But these wycked ones that haue floryshed in the earâ—he he shall throwe into extreeme shame he shall change their delites into tormentes their laughing and mirth into weping and gnasshing of tethe he shall disquiet their peace with terrible torment of coÌ„science he shall punish their deintinesse with vnquenchable fier shall put their heades in subiection to those godly men whose patience thei haue abused For this is righteousnes as Paule testifieth to geue release to the miserable to them that are vniustly afflicted and to render affliction to the wycked that do afflict the godly when the Lorde Iesus shall be reueled from heauen This truely is our onely comfort whiche if it be taken awaie we must of necessitie either despeir or flatteringly delite oure selues wyth the vayne comfortes of the worlde to oure owne destruction For euen the Prophete confesseth that his fete stagged when he taried to longe vpon considering the present prosperitie of the wicked and that he coulde not otherwise stande stedfaste but when he entred into the sanctuarie of God and bended his eyes to the last ende of the godly and the wicked To conclude in one word then only the crosse of Christ triumpheth in the heartes of the faythfull vpon the Deuil fleshe synne the wicked when our eyes are turned to the power of the resurrection The tenth Chapter ¶ Howe we ought to vse this present lyfe and the helpes thereof BY suche introductions the Scripture doth also wel informe vs what is the right vse of earthely benefites whiche is a thyng not to be neglected in framyng an order of lyfe For if we must lyue we must also vse the necessary helpes of life neyther can we eschue euen those thynges that seme rather to serue for delite than for necessity Therfore we must kepe a measure that we may vse them with a pure conscience either for necessitie or for delight That measure the Lorde apointeth by his worde when he teacheth that this lyfe is to them that bee his a certaine iorney through a strange countrey by whiche they trauayle towarde the kingdome of heauen If we must but passe through the earth doubtlesse we ought so far to vse the good thynges of the earth as they may rather further than
father speaketh that he geueth to the sonne the office of iustifiyng he addeth a cause for that he is iust setteth the manner or meane as they call it in the doctrine wherby Christe is knowen For it is a more cōmodious exposition to take this worde Daah knowledge passiuely Hereupon I gather first that Christe was made righteousnesse when he did putte on the fourme of a seruaunt secondely that hee dyd iustifie vs in respect that hee shewed hym selfe obedient to his father and that therefore hee dothe not this for vs according to his nature of Godhed but according to the office of dispensation cōmitted vnto him For although God alone is the fountaine of righteousnesse and we be made righteous by no other meane but by the partaking of him yet because we are by vnhappy disagremēt estranged frō his righteousnesse we must nedes come down to this lower remedy that Christ may iustifie vs with the force of his death resurrectiō If he obiect that this is a worke of such excellency that it is aboue the nature of man therefore can not be ascribed but to the nature of God the first I graunt but in the secōd I say that he is vnwisely deceiued For although Christ could neither clēse our soules with his bloud nor appease his father with his sacrifice nor acquite vs from gyltinesse nor doe the office of prest vnlesse he had ben true God because the strength of the fleshe had ben to weake for so great a burden yet it is certain that he performed all these thinges according to his nature of māhod For if it be demaunded how we be iustified Paul answereth by the obediēce of Christ. But did he any otherwise obey than by taking vpon him the shape of a seruant wherupon we gather that righteousnesse was geuē vs in his fleshe Likewyse in the other wordes whiche I maruell that Osiander is not ashamed to allege so often he apoynteth the fountayne of ryghteousnesse no where els but in the fleshe of Christe Hym that knewe no sinne he made synne for vs that we myght be the ryghteousnesse of God in hym Osiander with full mouth aduaunceth the righteousnesse of God and triumpheth as though he had proued that it is his imaginatiue ghost of essentiall righteousnesse when the wordes soūd far otherwise that we by righteous by the cleansing made by Christ. Uery yong beginners shold not haue bene ignorant that the righteousnesse of God is taken for the righteousnesse that God alloweth as in Iohn where the glorie of God is compared with the glorie of men I knowe that sometime it is called the righteousnesse of God wherof God is the author which God geueth vs but though I say nothing the reders that haue their sound wit doe perceiue that nothing els is meant in this place but that we stande vpright before the iudgement seate of God beinge vpholden by the cleansing sacrifice of Christes death And there is not so great importance in the word so that Osiander do agree with vs in this point that we are iustified in Christ in this respect that he was made a propiciatorie sacrifice for vs whiche can not agree with his nature of Godhed After whiche sort when Christe meaneth to seale the righteousnesse and saluatiō that he hath brought vs he setteth before vs an assured pledge therof in his fleshe He doth in dede call him selfe the lyuely bred but expressing the manner here he addeth that his fleshe is veryly meate his bloud is veryly drinke Whiche manner of teaching is sene in the Sacramentes whiche although they direct our faithe to whole Christ and not to halfe Christ yet they do there withall teache that the matter of righteousnesse and saluation remaineth in his flesh Not that in that that he is only man he either iustifieth or quickeneth of him selfe but because it pleased God to shewe openly in the mediatour that whiche was hidden and incomprehensible in him selfe wherupon I am wont to saye that Christ is as it were a fountaine set open for vs out of whiche we may drawe that whiche otherwyse shold without fruite lye hiddē in that close and depe spring that riseth vp vnto vs in the persone of the Mediatour In this manner and meaning I doe not denye that Christe as he is God and man doth iustifie vs and that this is also the worke of the father and the holy Ghost as well as his Finally that the righteousnesse wherof Christ maketh vs partakers is the eternall righteousnesse of the eternall God so that he yelde to the sure and playne reasons that I haue alleaged Nowe that he should not with his cauillations deceiue the vnskilfull I graunt that we want this incomparable benefit tyll Christe be made ours Therfore we set that conioyning of the head and the membres the dwellyng of Christ in our heartes and that misticall vnion in the hiest degree that Christ being made ours may make vs partakers of the giftes wherwith he is endued Therfore we do not beholde hym a far of out of our selues that righteousnesse may be imputed vnto vs but because we haue put on him are graffed into his body finally because he hath vouchsaued to make vs one with him therfore we glorye that we haue a felowship of righteousnesse with him So is Osianders sclaunderous cauillation cōfuted where he saith that we compt faith righteousnesse as though we spoiled Christ of his right whē we saye that we come by faith empty to him to geue roume to his grace that he only maye fil vs. But Osiāder refusing this spiritual cōioyning enforceth a grosse mingling with the faithful therfore he odiously calleth all thē Zuinglians that subscribe not to his fantastical errour concerning essential righteousnesse because they do not thinke that Christ is substācially eaten in the Lordes supper As for me I compt it a great glorie to bee so reproched of a proude mā geuen to his own errors Albeit he toucheth not me only but also other wryters wel knowen to the worlde whome he ought to haue modestly reuerenced It moueth me nothing whiche meddle not with mine owne priuate cause and so muche the more sincerely I handle this cause being free from all corrupt affection Where as therefore he so importunatelye requyreth essentiall ryghteousnesse and thee essentiall dwellynge of Christe in vs it tendeth to thys ende First that God should with a grosse mixture poure him selfe into vs as he fayneth a fleshely eatynge of Christ in the supper secondlye that God should breathe his ryghteousnesse into vs wherby we maye be really righteous with him for by his opinion this righteousnesse is as well God hym selfe as the goodnesse or holinesse or purenesse of God I wyll not spende muche labour in wyping away the testimonies that he bryngeth whiche he wrongfully wresteth from the heauenlye lyfe to this present state Through Christ sayeth Peter are geuen vs the precious and moste great promyses that we
haue we shewed that there commeth not so muche as one good woorke out of holy men whiche if it be iudged in it selfe deserueth not iuste rewarde of shame SecoÌ„dly I say that if it wer possible that we shold haue som throughly pure perfect works yet one sinne is enough to blot our quench al the remeÌ„brance of the former righteousnes as the prophet saithe With whome also Iames agreeth He that offeÌ„deth saith he in one is made gilty of al. Now fith this mortal life is neuer pure or void froÌ„ siÌ„ne whatsoeuer righteousnes we shold purchace being froÌ„ time to time with sinnes folowing corrupted oppressed lost it shold not com into the sight of God nor be accoÌ„pted to vs for righteousnes Finalli wheÌ„ the righteousnes of works is entreted of we must not haue respect to the work of the law but to the coÌ„maundement Therfore if we â—eke righteousnes by the law we shal in vain bring forth one or two works but a perpetual obedience of the law is there necessarie Wherfore the Lord doth not but ones as many foolishlythinke impute to vs righteousnesse that same forgeuenes of sinnes wherof we haue spoken that hauing ones obteined pardon of oure life past we should afterwarde seeke righteousnesse in the lawe bicause he shoulde so do nothing els butte bringe vs into a false hope and mocke and laughe vs to scorne For sith no perfectioÌ„ cold com to vs so loÌ„g as we are clothed with this flesh sith the law thretneth death iudgmeÌ„t to al theÌ„ that performe not ful rightousnes in work it shal alway haue wherof it mai accuse coÌ„deÌ„ne vs vnlesse the mercie of God on the other side did wtstand it to acquite vs froÌ„ time to time with coÌ„tinual forgeuenes of sinnes Wherfore this staÌ„deth alwaye certain which we said at the beginning that if we be weied by our own worthines whatsoeuer we purpose or go about yet we with al our trauailes endeuours are worthy of death and destruction UpoÌ„ these two points we must strongly staÌ„d fast that ther was neuer any work of a godli maÌ„ which if it wer examined by the seuere iudgmeÌ„t of god was not daÌ„nable Again if ther be any such shewed which is not possible for maÌ„ yet being corrupted defiled with the sinnes wherw t it is certaine that the doer of it is loden it looseth the grace And this is the cheefe point of our disputatioÌ„ For about the beginning of iustification there is no striâ—e betwene vs the souÌ„der sort of Scholmen but that a sinner being freely deliuered froÌ„ damnation obteineth righteousnes that by the forgeuenes of sinnes sauing that thei vnder the worde of Iustification comprehende the renewing wherw t we are newly formed by the Spirite of God vnto the obedience of the law thei thus describe the righteousnes of a maÌ„ regenerate that man being ones recoÌ„ciled to God by the faith of Christ is by good workes iudged righteous before God and by theyr deseruynge vs accepted But the lord contrariwise pronouÌ„ceth that he imputed to AbrahaÌ„ faithe for righteousnes not at the time wheÌ„ he yet serued idols but wheÌ„ he had al ready mani years excelled in holines of life Therfore AbrahaÌ„ had long worshiped God froÌ„ a pure hart had performed that obedieÌ„ce of the law whiche mai be performed of a mortal maÌ„ yet he hath righteousnes reposed in faithe WherevpoÌ„ we gather accordiÌ„g to the argumeÌ„t of Paul that it was not of works Likewise wheÌ„ it is said in the prophet The righteous maÌ„ shal liue by faith it is not spokeÌ„ of wicked prophane men whoÌ„ the lorde iustifieth by coÌ„uerting theÌ„ to faith but the speach is directed to the faithfull to them is promised life by faith Paul also taketh away all Doubt wheÌ„ for coÌ„firming of that senteÌ„ce he taketh this verse of Dauid Blessed ar they whose iniquities are forgeueÌ„ But it is certein that Dauid speaketh not of the wicked but of the faithful such as him self was bicause he spake out of the feliÌ„g of his own coÌ„science Therefore this blessednes we must not haue ones in our life but hold it throughout al our life Last of all he testifieth that the embassage coÌ„cerning the fre reconciliatioÌ„ with God is not published for one or two daies but is perpetual in the church Therfore the faithfull haue euen to the end of their life no other rigteousnesse than that which is there set foorth For Christ euerlastyngly remaineth the mediatour to reconcile the father to vs the effectualnesse of his death is euerlasting namely washing satistactioÌ„ expiation finally perfect obedience wherw t al our iniquities are couered Neither doth Paul to the Ephesians say that we haue the beginning of saluation out of grace but that we are saued by grace not of workes that no man should glorie The starting holes whiche the scholemen do here seke to escape by do not deliuer theÌ„ They say the good workes are not by inward worthinesse in theÌ„selues of so great ualue that they be sufficieÌ„t to purchace righteousnesse but this that thei be of so great value is of grace accepting theÌ„ TheÌ„ because they be driuen to coÌ„fesse that the righteousnesse of workes is in this life alway vnperfect they grauÌ„t that we so long as we liue do nede forgenesse of sinnes wherby the way of workes may be supplied but that the defautes which are coÌ„mitted are recoÌ„pensed with workes of supererogation For I answere that the accepting grace as they cal it is none other thaÌ„ his fre goodnes wherwith the father embraceth vs in Christ wheÌ„ he clotheth vs with the innoceÌ„cie of Christ accompteth the same ours that by the beneficial meane therof he may take vs for holy pure innocent For the righteousnesse of Christ which as it only is perfect so only can abide the sight of God must be set in our stede and be presented at the barre as a suretic Herewith we beyng furnished to obteine coÌ„tinual forgeuenesse of sinnes in faith With the purnesse herof our filthinesses vnclenesses of imperfections being couered are not imputed but are hidden as if they were buried that they may not come into the iugement of god vntil the houre come wheÌ„ the olde maÌ„ being slain vtterly destroied in vs the goodnesse of god shal receiue vs into blessed peace with the new Adam where let vs loke for the day of the Lorde in whiche receiuing vncorrupt bodies we shal be remoued into the glorie of the heauenly kingdome If these thinges be true verily no workes of ours can of them selues make vs acceptable pleasing to god neither can the workes theÌ„selues please but in respect that maÌ„ being couered with the righteousnes of Christe pleaseth god obteineth forgeuenes of his siÌ„nes For god hath not promised the rewarde of eternal life to some certaine workes but only promiseth that he which doth these things shal liue settiÌ„g the
none receiue frute of the benifites of Christ but thei that lift vp theyr mindes to the resurrectioÌ„ For Paul setteth vp this marke to the faithful toward which he saith that he endeuoreth forgetteth al things til he coÌ„ to it And so much the more cherfulli ought we to trauail toward it least if this world wthold vs we suffer greuous punishmeÌ„t for our slothfulnesse Wherfore in an other place he marketh the faithful with this mark that their conuersatioÌ„ is in heaueÌ„ froÌ„ wheÌ„se also thei loke for their sauiour And that their courages shoulde not faint in this race he ioyneth al creatures companions with them For bicause euery where ar seen deformed ruines he saith that al things in heauen earth doe endeuour the renewing For sith Adam by his fal dissolued the perfect ordre of nature to the creatures their bondage is peineful greuous whervnto they are subiect by reasoÌ„ of the sinne of maÌ„ not for that thei are endued with any feling but for that they naturally couet the perfect estate froÌ„ which they are fallen Therfore Paul saith that thei grone are as in peine of childe bearing that we to whom are geuen the first frutes of the Spirit may be ashamed to pyne awaie in our corruption not at the least to folow the dead elements which beare peine of an others sinne And the more to pricke vs forward he calleth the last coÌ„ming of Christ our redemption It is true in dede that al the partes of our redemption are already fulfilled but bicause Christ hath ones ben offered for sinnes he shall be seen againe without sinne vnto saluacion With what miseries soeuer we be pressed let this redeÌ„ptioÌ„ susteine vs eueÌ„ vntill the performaÌ„ce of it The very weight of the thing it self shal whet our endeuor For neither doth Paul wtout cause affirme that the whole gospel is void deceitful vnlesse the dead do rise again bicause our state shold be more miserable thaÌ„ the state of al men namly sith we lieng open to the hatredes reproches of many are euery houre in danger yea are as shepe appointed to the slaughter therfore the authoritie therof shold fal away not only in one part but also in the whole suÌ„me whiche bothe our adoptioÌ„ the effect of our saluacioÌ„ coÌ„teineth And so let vs be hedefully bent to this most earnest thing of al that no coÌ„tinuance of time may make vs wery For which purpose I haue differred to this place that whiche I had breefely to entreate of it that the readers may learne when thei haue receiued Christe the author of their saluatioÌ„ to rise vp hier may knowe that he is clothed with heauenly immortalitie glorie that the whole body may be made lyke fashioned to the heade as also the holy ghost oftentimes setteth forthe in his persoÌ„ an exaÌ„ple of the resurrectioÌ„ It is a thing harde to be beleued the bodies when thei haue been coÌ„sumed with rottennesse shal at their appointed time rise vp againe Therfore where many of the Philosophers haue affirmed soules to be iÌ„mortal the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh hath ben allowed of few wherin although ther was no excuse yet we ar thereby put in minde that it is to harde a thing to draw mans senses to beleue it That faith may ouercome so great a stoppe the scriptur ministreth two helpes the one is in the likenes of Christ the other is the almightines of god Nowe so oft as the resurrectioÌ„ is thought of let the image of Christ come into our mindes which in the nature that he toke of vs so ranne out the race of mortal life that now hauing obteined immortalitie he is to vs a pledge of the resurrectioÌ„ to coÌ„ For in the miseries wherw t we ar beseged we carie about his mortifieng in our flesh that his life may be openli shewed in vs. And we may not seuer him froÌ„ vs neither can we possibly but that he must be torne in sunder WhervpoÌ„ coÌ„meth that argument of Paul If the deade do not rise againe then neither is Christ risen again bicause verily he taketh that principle for coÌ„fessed the Christ was not made subiect to death nor obteined victorie of death by rising againe priuately for him self but that that was begone in the heade which must nedes be fulfilled in al the membres accordinge to the degree ordre of euery one For it were not right that thei shold in al pointes be made egal with him It is said in the Psalm Thou shalt not suffer thy meke one to see corruptioÌ„ Although a portioÌ„ of this trust perteine to vs according to the measure of gift yet the ful effect hath not appeared but in Christ whiche being free froÌ„ all rotting hath receiued againe his body whole Now least the felowship of blessed resurrectioÌ„ with Christ shold be doutful to vs that we may be contented with this pledge Paul expresly affirmeth that he therfore sitteth in heauen shal come at the last day a iudge that he may make oure base and vile body like fashioned to his glorious body In an other place also he teacheth that God raysed not vp his sonne froÌ„ death to the entent to shew a token of his power but to stretche out the same effectual force of the Spirit toward vs which are faithful whome he therefore calleth life while he liueth in vs bycause he was geuen to this ende that he sholde make aliue that which is mortall in vs. I knit vp in a brefe abridgement those things which might both be more largely handled ar worthâ— to be more gorgeously set out yet I trust that the godli readers shal in few words fiÌ„de matter enough which mai suffice to edifie their faith Christ therfore is risen again that he might haue vs coÌ„panions of the life to come He was raised vp of the father in so much as he was the head of the church froÌ„ which he doth in no wise suffer himself to be plucked away He was raised vp by the power of the Spirit which is common to vs vnto the office of quickening Finally he was raised vp that he shold be resurrection liâ—e But as we haue saide that in this miroure there is to be seen of vs a liuely image of the resurrection so let it be to vs a sure substance to stay our minde so that yet we be not lotheful or wery of longe tarieng bycause it is not our part to measure the seasons of times by our will but patiently to rest til God at his owne fit time repaire his kingdome To which purpose semeth the exhortatioÌ„ of Paul The first frutes is Christ then thei that are Christes euery one in his ordre But yâ— no questioÌ„ shold be moued of the resurrection of Christ vpoÌ„ which the resurrection of vs all is founded we se by how many how diuerse meanes he hath made it approued
we are ioyned in felowship to the holy fathers whiche euen beyng dead doe kepe the same godlinesse with vs so that we can not be the members of Christ vnlesse we growe together with them Unlesse also the soules beyng vnclothed of the bodies did kepe still their substance were able to receyue blessed glorie Christ wold not haue sayd to the thefe This day thou shalt be with me in paradise Hauing so clere testimonies let vs not dout after the example of Christ when we are dyeng to commend our soules to God or after the example of Stephen to commit them to Christ to kepe which not vnworthily is called a faithfull shepeherd and bishop of them To enquire of their meane state is neyther lawfull nor expedient Many do much combeâ— themselues with disputing what place they kepe and whether thei do now enioye the heauenly glorie or no. But it is follie and rashnesse to searche depelier of vnknowen thinges than God doth geue vs leaue to know When the Scripture hath sayd that Christ is present with them and receiueth them into paradise that they maye enioy comfort on the other side that the soules of the reprobate do suffer suche peines as they haue deserued it goeth no further What teacher or maister shall nowe open to vs that whiche God hath hidden Of the place the questioÌ„ is no lesse fond and vayne for asmuch as we know that there is not the same dimension of the soule which is of the body Whereas the blessed gatheryng together of holy spirites is called the bosome of Abraham it is enough for vs after this wayfaryng to be receyued of the common father of the faithfull that he may communicate with vs the frute of his fayth In the meane time â—iâ—he the Scripture euery where biddeth vs to hang vpon the expectation of Christes coÌ„ming and differreth the crowne of glorie till then let vs be content with these bondes apointed vs of God namely that the soules of the godly hauyng ended the labor of their warfare doe goe into a blessed reste where with happy ioyfulnesse they loke for the enioyeng of the promised glorie and that so all thinges are holden in suspense till Christ the redemer appere As for the Reprobate it is no dout that they haue the same estate which Iude assigneth to the Deuels to be holden bound with cheynes till they be drawen to the punishment whereunto they are condemned No lesse monstruous is their error whiche imagine that soules shall not receyue againe the same bodies wherwith they are now clothed but shal haue new and other bodies And the reason of the Manichees was very triflyng that is that it is not mete that flesh which is vncleane shold rise againe As though there were no vncleaÌ„nesse of soules which yet they debarred not from the hope of euerlasting life It was therefore all one as if they shold say that that which is infected with the filth of sinne can not be cleansed by God For I now passe ouer that dotage that fleshe was naturally vncleane bicause it was create of the Deuel Only I shew that what so euer is now in vs vnworthy of heauen it hindereth not the resurrection And first wheras Paule biddeth the faithfull to cleanse themselues from all deâ—ilyng of the fleshe and of the Spirit therupoÌ„ foloweth the iudgement which he in an other place pronounceth that euery man shal receiue by his body eyther good or euel Wherewith agreeth that which he writeth to the CorinthiaÌ„s That the life of Iesus Christ may be openly shewed in our mortal flesh For which reason in an other place he doth no lesse pray that God preserue the bodies whole vnto the day of Christ than the soules and spirites And no maruell bicause it were a most great absurditie that the bodies which God hath dedicate to be temples to himselfe should fall away into rottennesse without hope of risyng againe What say we to this that thei are also the members of Christ that God commaundeth all the partes of them to be sanctified to himself that he willeth his name to be praysed with tonges pure handes to be lifted vp to him sacrifices to be offred What madnesse is it therfore that that part to whiche the heauenly iudge hath vouchesaued to graunt so great honor should be brought from a mortal man into dust without any hope of restoring Likewise when Paule exhorteth vs to suffer the Lord as well in body as in soule bycause both belong to God verily he suffreth not that whiche he chalengeth to God as holy to be adiudged to eternall rottennesse Neyther is there a plainer determinatioÌ„ of the Scripture for any thing thaÌ„ for the risyng againe of this flesh which we beare This corruptible sayth Paule must put on vncorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie If God did make new bodies where is this changyng of qualitie If it had ben sayd that we must be renewed the doutful speache paraduenture mought haue geuen occasion to their cauillatioÌ„ But now when pointyng with his â—ingar to the bodies wherewith we are clothed he promiseth to them vncorruption he plainely enough denieth any new bodies to be made Yea he could not sayth TertulliaÌ„ speake more plainly vnlesse he had holden his owne skinne in his hand And they can by no cauillation escape froÌ„ this that where in an other place he sayth that Christ shal be the iudge of the world he allegeth this testimonie of Esaye I liue sayth the Lord euery knee shal bowe to me for as much as he plainly pronounceth that they to whoÌ„ he speaketh shal be subiect to yeld an accompt of their life which could not agree if newe bodies should be brought before the iudgement seate Nowe in the wordes of Daniel there is no doutfulnesse And many of them that slepe in the earth of dust shall awake some to eternall life and some to reproches to euerlastyng contempt sithe he fetcheth not new matter out of the fower elementes to make men but calleth dead men out of their graues And this very plaine reason teacheth For if mortalitie whiche toke beginnyng at the fall of man be accidental then the repayring which Christ brought perteineth to the same body which began to be mortall And truely wheras the Athenians laughed when Paule affirmed the resurrection therupon we may gather what manner of resurrection he preached and that same laughyng not smally anayleth to strengthen our faith The sayeng of Christ also is worthy to be noted Feare not them which kil the body can not kil the soule but feare him which can throwe both the soule and the body into hell of fire For there is no cause to feare vnlesse the body whiche we now beare be subiect to punishmeÌ„t And no lesse plaine is an other sayeng of the same Christ The houre coÌ„meth when all they that are in graues shal heare the
wholly to the obedience of the lawe of God Therfore he is compelled with gronyng to crie out Unhappie am I. Who shall delyuer me out of this body subiect to death If the children of God be holden captiue in prison so long as they lyue they must nede be muche carefully greued with thinkyng vpon their owne perill vnlesse this feare be mette withall Therefore he adioyneth to this vse a comfort that there is no more damnation to them that are in Christ Iesu. Where he teacheth that they whome the Lorde hath ones receiued into fauor engraffed into the communion of his Christ hath by Baptisme admitted into the felowship of his Chirch while they continue in the faith of Christ although they be besieged of sinne yea and carry sinne about within them yet are acquited from giltinesse and condemnation If this be the simple and natural exposition of Paule there is no cause why we should seme to teache any ▪ new vnwonted thyng But baptisme so serueth our confession before men For it is a marke whereby we openly professe that we wold be accompted among the people of God wherby we testifie that we agree with all Christians into the worshippyng of one God and into one religion finally wherby we openly affirme our faith that not onely our hartes shoulde breathe out the praise of God but also our tong and all the membres of our bodye should sound it out with suche vtterances as they be able For so as we ought all our thyngs are emploied to the seruice of the glorie of God wherof nothyng ought to be voyde and other may by our example be stirred vp to the same endeuors Hereunto Paule had respect when he asked the Corinthians whether they had not ben baptized into the name of Christ meaning verily that euen in this that they wer baptised into his name they auowed themselues vnto hym swore to his name and boūd their faith to him before men that they coulde no more confesse any other but Christ alone vnlesse they would forsake the confession whiche they had made in Baptisme Now sithe it is declared what our Lord had regard vnto in the institution of Baptisme it is plaine to iudge what is the waye for vs to vse and receiue it For so farr as it is geuen to the raisyng nourishyng and confirmyng of our faith it is to be takē as from the hande of the author himselfe we ought to holde it certaine and fully persuaded that it is he which speaketh to vs by the signe that it is he which clēseth vs washeth vs and putteth away the remēbrance of our sinnes that it is he whiche maketh vs partakers of his death which taketh away from Satan his kingdome which febleth the forces of our lust yea which groweth into one with vs that being clothed with him we may be reckened the children of God that these thynges I say he doth inwardly so truely and certainly performe to our soule as we certainly see our body outwardly to be washed dipped and clothed For this either relation or similitude is the most sure rule of Sacramentes that in bodily thynges we should beholde spirituall thynges as if they were presently set before our eies forasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord to represēt them by such figures not for that suche graces are bounde and enclosed in the Sacramente that they should be geuen vs by the force therof but onely because the Lorde dothe by this token testifie his will vnto vs that is that he will geue vs all these thynges Neyther dothe he onely fede our eyes with a naked syght but he bryngeth vs to the thyng present and together fulfilleth that which it figureth Hereof let Cornelius the capitayne be an example which was baptised ▪ hauyng before receiued forgeuenesse of sinnes and visible graces of the Holy ghost seking not by baptisme a larger forgeuenesse but a more certaine exercising of Faith yea an encreasce of confidence by a pledge Paraduenture some man will obiect why therfore did Ananias say to Paule that he shoulde washe away his sinnes by Baptisme if sinnes be not washed away by the power of Baptisme it selfe I answere We are sayd to receiue to obteyne to gette that whiche so farre as concerneth the felyng of our faith is geuen vs of the Lorde whether he doo then fyrst testifie it or beyng testified dothe more and certainlier confirme it This therfore onely was the meanyng of Ananias that thou mayest be assured Paule that thy sinnes are forgeuen thee be baptised For the Lorde dothe in Baptisme promise forgeuenesse of synnes receiue this and be out of care Howbeit I mean not to diminishe the force of baptisme but that the thyng and the truthe is present with the signe so farre as God worketh by outwarde meanes But of this sacrament as of all other we obteyne nothyng but so muche as we receiue by Faith If we want faith it shal be for a witnesse of our vnthākfulnesse wherby we may be declared giltie before God because we haue not beleued the promise there geuen But so farre as it is a sygne of our confession we ought by it to testifie that our affiance is in the mercy of God and our cleannesse is in the forgeuenesse of sinnes which is gotten vs by Iesus Christe and that by it we entre into the Chirche of Christe that we may with one consent of Faith and charitie liue of one mynde with all the faithfull This laste poynte dydde Paule meane when he sayeth that we are all baptised in one Spirite that we may be one bodye Nowe if this be true which we determine that a Sacrament is not to be weyed accordyng to his hande of whome it is ministred but as of the very hands of God from whome without dout it proceded herupon we may gather that nothing is added to it nor takē from it by the worthinesse of hym by whoe 's hande it is deliuered And euen as among men if a letter be sent so that the hand and the seale be well knowen it maketh no matter who or what maner of man be the carrier so it ought to suffice to acknowe the hande and seale of our Lord in his Sacramentes by what carrier soeuer they be brought Hereby the error of the Donatistes is very well confuted whiche measured the force and value of the Sacrament by the worthinesse of the minister Such at this day are our Catabaptistes whiche deny that we be rightly baptised because we were baptised by wicked men idolatrers in the popishe kingdome therfore they furiously cal vpon vs to be baptised again Against whoe 's follies we shal be armed with a reason strong enough if we thinke that we were professed by baptisme not into the name of any man but into the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghost and that therfore it is not the Baptisme of man but of God of whomsoeuer it be ministred Althoughe they
mater Also in an other place entreating of the eatyng and the frute therof he concludeth thus Then shall the body and blood of Christ be life to euery man if that which in the Sacrament is visibly receiued be in the truth it selfe spiritually eaten spiritually drōk Therfore whoso make vnbeleuers partakers of the fleshe and blood of Christ that they may agree with Augustine let them shewe vs the visible body of Christ forasmuche as by his iudgement the whole truthe is spirituall And it is certainly gathered out of his wordes that the Sacramentall eatyng when vnbelefe closeth vp the entrie to truthe is as much in effect as visible or outward eatyng If the body of Christ might be eaten truely and yet not spiritually what shold that meane whiche he sayth in an other place Ye shall not eate this body which ye see drinke the blood which they shall shedde that shall crucifie me I haue commēded a certaine sacrament vnto you beeyng spiritually vnderstanded it shall quicken you Uerily he woulde not denie but that the same body which Christ offred for sacrifice is deliuered in the Supper but he dyd set out the maner of eatyng namely that being receiued into heauenly glorie by the secrete power of the Spirite it breatheth lyfe into vs. I graunt in dede that there is oftentymes founde in hym this maner of speakyng that the body of Christ is eaten of the vnbeleuers but he expoundeth himselfe addyng In Sacramente And in an other place he describeth spirituall eating in whiche out biringes consume not grace And least myne aduersaries should saye that I fighte with them with a heape of places I wold know of them how they can vnwynde themselues from one saieng of his where he saith that Sacraments do worke in the only elect that which they figure Truely they dare not denye but that the bred in the Supper figureth the body of Christ. Wherupon foloweth that the reprobate are debarred from the partakyng of it That Cyrill also thought none otherwise these wordes doo declare As if a man vpon molten waxe do poure other waxe he wholly tempereth the one waxe with the other so is it necessary if any man receiue the fleshe and blood of the Lorde that he be ioyned with hym that Christe may be founde in hym and he in Christ. By these wordes I thinke it is euident that they ar bereued of the true and real eatyng that do but sacramentally eate the body of Christ which can not be seuered from his power and that therfore faileth not the faith of the promises of god which cesseth not to rayne from heauen although the stones and rockes conceiue not the liquor of the raine This knowledge shall also easily drawe vs away from the carnal worshipping whiche some haue with peruerse rashnesse erected in the Sacrament because they made accompt with themselues in this maner If it be the body then bothe the soule and the godhead are together with the body which now can not be seuered therfore Christe is there to be worshipped First if their accompanieng whiche thei pretende be denied them what will they do For how much soeuer they crie out vpon an absurditie if the body be seuered from the soule and the godhed yet what soūdwitted and sobre man can persuade himself that the body of Christ is Christ They thinke themselues in dede gaily to proue it with their logicall argumentes But sith Christ speaketh distinctly of his body and blood but describeth not the maner of presence how will they of a doutfull thing gather certainly that which they would What then If their consciences chance to be exercised with any more greuous felyng shal not they by and by with their logicall arguments be dissolued melt namely when they shall see themselues destitute of the certaine word of God vpon which alone our soules do stand fast when they are called to accompt without which they faint at euery first moment when thei shal call to mynde that the doctrine and exāples of the Apostles are against them and that themselues alone ar to themselues the authors of it To suche motions shal be added other not small prickynges What Shall it be a mater of no importance to worship God in this forme where nothyng was prescribed vnto vs When it concerned the true worshyp of God ought they with so great lightnesse to haue attēpted that of which there is no where red any one word But if they had with such humblenesse as they ought holden all their thoughtes vnder the word of God they wold truly haue harkened to that which he said Take eate drinke and wold haue obeyed this cōmaundement wherin he biddeth the Sacrament to be receiued not to be worshipped But they which as it is cōmaunded of God do receiue it without worshippyng are assured that they do not swarue from Gods cōmaūdement than which assurednesse there is nothing better when we take any worke in hande They haue the example of the Apostles whom we reade not to haue fallen downe flatt worshipped it but euen as they were sitting to haue receiued it eaten it They haue the vse of the Apostolike Chirch wherin Luke reporteth that the faithfull did communicate not in woorshyppyng but in breakyng of bread They haue the Apostles doctrine wherwith Paule instructed the Chirch of the Corynthians professyng that he had receiued of the Lorde that whiche he deliuered And these thyngs verily tend to this end that the godly readers shold wey how perillous it is in so hye matters to wander frō the simple worde of God to the dreames of our owne braine But those thyngs that are aboue said ought to deliuer vs from all doute in this behalfe For that godly soules may therin rightly take hold of Christ they must nedes be lifted vp to heauen If this be the office of a sacrament to help the mynd of man whiche otherwise is weake that it may rise vpwarde to reache the height of spirituall mysteries then they which are holden downe in the outwarde signe do stray from the right way of sekyng Christ. What then Shall we denie that it is a superstitious worshippyng when men do throwe themselues downe before bread to worship Christe therein Doutlesse the Nicene Synode meant to mete with this mischiefe whē it forbade vs to be hūbly intentiue to the signes set before vs. And for none other cause was it in olde tyme ordeined that before the consecration the people shold with a loude voice be put in mynde to haue their hartes lifted vpward The Scripture it selfe also beside that it diligently declareth vnto vs the ascension of Christ wherby he conueyed away the presence of his body from our sight conuersation to shake away from vs all carnal thinkyng of hym so oft as it maketh mention of him cōmaūdeth vs to be in myndes raised vpward to seke him in heauen sittyng at the right hand of the
other ones because the effectualnesse and force of that one sacrifice which Christ hath fully done is eternal as he himselfe hath testified with hys own mouth whē he sayd y◠it was ended fulfylled that is to saye that whatsoeuer was necessarie to the recōciling of the Fathers fauour to the obteyning of the forgeuenesse of sinnes to righteousnesse to saluatiō al the same was performed fulfilled with that hys only oblation and there so nothyng wanted therof that there was afterward no place left to any other sacrifice Wherfore I determine that it is a most wicked reproch blasphemy not to be suffred as wel against Christ as agaynst the sacrifice which he hath fully done by hys death vpō the crosse for vs if any man by renewyng an oblation thynke to purchace the pardon of synnes to appease God and to obteyne ryghteousnesse But what is ells done by Massing but that by deseruing of new oblatiō we may be made partakers of the passiō of Christe And that there myght be no measure of madding they thought it but a smal thyng to say that there is made indifferently a cōmō sacrifice for the whole Chirch vnlesse they further sayd that it is in theyr choise to apply it peculiarly to thys man or that man to whō they would or rather to euery one whosoeuer he were that would bye for hymselfe suche ware with redy money Now because they could not reache to the pryce that Iudas had yet that they might in some marke resemble their author they kepte the lykenesse of number Iudas solde him for thirty siluer pens these fellowes sell hym after the French accompt for xxx brasen pens but Iudas solde hym ones these fellowes sel hym as oft as they can find a bier In this sence also we deny that they be sacrificing prestes that is to say they that with such an oblation are meanes to God for the people they that appeasing God may purchace the satisfactorie purging of synnes For Christ is the only Bishop sacrificing prest of the new Testamente into whom all Presthodes are remoued and in whome they be shut vp and ended And if the Scripture had made no mētion of the eternal Presthode of Christe yet forasmuche as God sins that he hath taken away those old Presthodes hath ordeined none the Apostles argument remayneth inuincible that no man taketh honor to hymselfe but he that is called of God By what affiance therfore dare these robbers of God that bost themselues for the butchers of Christ call themselues the sacrificing Prestes of the liuing God Plato hath an excellent place in his seconde boke of Cōmon weale Where when he entreateth of the olde maners of expiation and laugheth to scorne the foolishe confidence of euil mē and wicked doers which thought that their wicked doinges were by these as by coueringes hidden that the Gods could not se them and did as if they had gotten warrant of the Gods by couenant more carelesly folow their own Iustes he semeth throughly to touche the maner of satisfactorie purging of the Masse suche as is at thys day in the world To beguile and vndermine an other man al men know to be vnlawfull To greue widowes with wrongful dealinges to robbe the fatherlesse to troble the poore by euil crafty meanes to catch other mens goods to themselues with forsweringes and deceites to enter forceably into any mans possessiōs to oppresse any man with violence and tyrannous feare al men cōfesse to be wicked How therfore dare so many commonly do al these thinges as though they shoulde freely be bolde to doe them Truely if we ryghtly wey it no other cause doth so much encourage them but because they haue confidence that by the sacrifice of a Masse as by paymente of full price for recōpense they shal satisfie God or at the least that thys is an easy way to cōpounde with him Thē Plato procedeth further to scorne their grosse blockishnesse which thinke that by such satisfactorie cleāsinges those peynes are redemed that otherwise they should suffer in hell And wherto serue at this day the yereli obites the greater part of Masses but that thei which throughout al their life haue ben most cruel tyrātes or most rauenous robbers or geuen fourth to al mischeuous doinges should as though they wer redemed by thys pryce escape the fier of purgatorie Under the other kinde of sacrifice which we haue called the sacrifice of Thākesgeuing are cōteined al the dutieful workes of charitie which when we extende to our brethrē we honor the Lord himselfe in his mēbers then al our prayers praysinges geuinges of thankes whatsoeuer we do to the worshipping of God Al which thinges finally do hāg vpon the greater sacrifice wherby we are in soule and body hallowed to be a holy tēple to the Lord. For neither is it enough if our outward doinges be applyed to the obeying of hym but first our selues and then al that is ours ought to be consecrate and dedicate to hym that whatsoeuer is in vs may serue hys glory may sauor of zelous endeuor to aduāce it This kynde of sacrifice tendeth nothing at al to appease the wrath of God nothing at al to obteine forgeuenesse of synnes nothing at all to deserue righteousnesse but is occupied only in magnifyeng extolling of God For it can not be pleasāt acceptable to God but at their hāds whō by forgeuenesse of sinnes alredy receiued he hath by other meanes reconciled to himselfe and therfore acquited them from gyltinesse But it is so necessary for the Chirch that it can not be away from it Therefore it shal be euerlasting so long as the people of God shal cōtinue as we haue before alredy shewed out of the Prophet for in that meaning I will take this prophecie For frō the rising of the sunne to the going down therof great is my name amōg the Gentiles and in euery place incēse shal be offred to my name and a cleane offring because my name is terrible among the Gentiles sayth the Lord so farr is it of that we would put it away So Paul biddeth vs to offer our bodyes a sacrifice liuing holy acceptable to God a reasonable worship Where he spake very pithily when he added that thys is our reasonable worshipping for he meant the spiritual maner of worshipping of God whiche he did secretely set in cōparisō against the carnal sacrifices of the law of Moses So liberall doing of good and communicating are called sacrifices by which God is pleased So the liberalitie of the Philippians wherby they had releued the pouertie of Paul is called a sacrifice of swete smellyng So al the good workes of the faithful are called spiritual sacrifices And why do I seke out many exāples For commonly this maner of speakyng is often foūde in the Scriptures Yea while the people of God was yet holdē vnder the outwarde schooling of the lawe yet