If we agree vpon the worde keyes and the maner of binding all contention shall by and by cesse For the Pope himselfe wil gladly geue ouer the charge enioined to the Apostles which being ful of trauaile and griefe should shake from hym his pleasures without gaine Forasmuch as the heauens are opened vnto vs by the doctrine of the Gospell it is with a very fit metaphore expressed by the name of keies Now men are bound and loosed in no other wise but when faith reconcileth some to God their own belefe bindeth other some If the Pope did take thys onely vpō him I thinke there wil be no mā that would either enuye it or stryue about it But because this successiō being trauailsome nothing gaineful pleaseth not the Pope hereupō groweth the beginning of the cōtentiō what Christ promised to Peter Therfore I gather by the very mater it selfe that there is nothing meant by the dignitie of the office of an Apostle which can not be seuered from the charge For if that definition whiche I haue rehearsed be receiued which can not but shamelesly be reiected here is nothing geuen to Peter that was not also commō to his other fellowes because otherwise there should not only wrong be done to the persons ▪ but the very maiestie of doctrine should halt They crye out on the other side what auaileth it I pray you to run vpō thys rocke For they shal not proue but as the preaching of one same Gospell was enioyned to al the Apostles so they were also al alike furnished with power to bynde and loose Christ say they appointed Peter Prince of the whole Chirch when he promised that he would geue hym the keyes But that which he then promised to one in an other place he gaue it also to al the rest and deliuered it as it were into their handes If the same power were graunted to al which was promised to one wherin shal he be aboue hys felowes Herein say they he excelleth because he receiued it both in common together wyth them and seuerally by hymselfe which was not geuen to the other but in cōmon What if I answere with Ciprian and Augustine that Christ did it not for this purpose to prefer one mā before other but so to set out the vnitie of the Chirche For thus sayeth Ciprian that God in the person of one gaue the keyes to all to signifie the vnitie of all that the rest were the same thyng that Peter was endued with like partaking both of honor and power but that the beginning is takē at vnitie that the Chirche of Christ may be shewed to be one Augustine saieth If there were not in Peter a misterie of the Chirche the Lorde would not say to hym I wil geue thee the keyes For if this was sayed to Peter the Chirche hath them not but if the Chirche haue them thē Peter when he receiued the keyes betokened the whole Chirch And in an other place When they were al asked only Peter answered thou art Christ it is said to him I wil geue thee the keies as though he alone had receiued the power of binding and loosing wheras both he being one said the one for al and he receiued the other with al as bearing the persō of vnitie Therfore one for al because there is vnitie in all But this Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will bilde my Chirche is no where red spoken to any other As though Christ spake there any other thing of Peter than that which Paule and Peter himselfe speaketh of all Christians For Paule maketh Christ the chiefe and corner stone vpon which they are bilded together that growe into a holy temple to the Lorde And Peter biddeth vs to be liuely stones which being founded vpon that chosen and precious stone doe by this ioynt and coupling together with our God cleaue also together among our selues He say they aboue the rest because he hath the name peculiarly In dede I do willingly graunt this honor to Peter that in the bilding of the Chirch he be placed among the first or if they will haue this also the first of al the faithfull but I will not suffer them to gather therupon that he should haue a Supremicie ouer the reste For what manner of gathering is this He excelleth other in feruentnesse of zele in learning courage therfore he hath power ouer them As thoughe we might not with better color gather that Andrew is in degree before Peter because he went before him in time and brought him to Christ. But I passe ouer this Let Peter truely haue the first place yet there is great difference betwene the honor of degree and power We see that the Apostles cōmonly graūted this to Peter that he should speake in assēblies and after a certaine maner goe before them with propounding exhorting and admonishing but of hys power we rede nothing at all Howbeit we be not yet come to dispute of that pointe only at this presēt I would proue that they do to fondly reasō when by the only name of Peter they would bilde an Empire ouer the whole Chirche For those olde follies wherwith they went aboute to deceiue at the beginning are not worthy to be rehearsed much lesse to be confuted that the Chirche was bilded vpon Peter because it was sayd vpon thys rocke c. But some of the Fathers haue so expounded it But when the whole Scripture cryeth out to the contrary to what purpose is their authoritie alleged agaynst God Yea why do we stryue aboute the meaning of these wordes as though it were darke or doutful whē nothyng can be more plainly nor more certaynly spoken Peter had confessed in his own and hys brethrens name that Christ is the sōne of God Upon thys rocke Christ bildeth his Chirche because it is as Paule sayeth the only fundation beside which there can be layed none other Neyther do I here therfore refuse the authoritie of the Fathers because I wante their testimonies if I listed to allege them but as I haue saied I will not with contending about so cleare a mater trouble the reders in vayne specially sith thys point hath been long agoe diligently enough handeled and declared by men of our side And yet in dede no man can better assoyle this question than the Scripture it selfe if we compare all the places where it teacheth what office and power Peter had among the Apostles howe he behaued hymselfe and howe he was accepted of them Runne ouer all that remaineth written you shall finde nothing ells but that he was one of the .xii. egal with the rest and their felowe but not their Lorde He doeth in dede propounde to the counsell if any thyng be to be done and geueth warning what is mete to be done but therewithall he heareth other and doth not onely graunte them place to speake their minde but leaueth the
declare any thyng at all but frō the Lord. Therfore it is said that the people when thei embraced his doctrine beleued in God and in his seruant Moses Also that the authoritie of the priestes shoulde not growe in contempt it was stablished with most greuous penalties But therwithal the Lord sheweth vpon what cōdition they wer to be heard when he saieth that he hath made his couenant with Leui that the law of truthe shoulde be in his mouth And a little after he addeth The lips of the priest shall kepe knowledge and they shall require the law at his mouth because he is the angell of the God of hostes Therfore if the priest will be heard lette him shewe himself the messinger of God that is let him faithfully report the cōmaundements that he receiued of his author And where it is specially entreated of the hearing of them this is expressely set That they may answer accordyng to the lawe of God What maner of power the Prophetes generally had is very well described in Ezechiell Thou sonne of man saith the Lord I haue geuē thee to be a watcheman to the house of Israell Therefore thou shalte heare the worde out of my mouth and thou shalte declare it to them frō me He that is commaunded to heare out of the mouthe of the Lord is he not forbidden to inuent any thyng of himself But what is to declare from the Lorde but so to speake as he may boldly boast that it is not his owne but the Lordes woorde that he hath broughte The selfe same thyng is in Hieremie in other wordes Let the Prophet saith he with whom is a dreame tell a dreame and let him that hath my woorde speake my worde true Certainly he appointeth a law to them all And that is such that he permitteth not any to teach more than he is cōmanded And after he calleth it chaffe all that is not come from himselfe onely Therfore none of the Prophetes them selues opened his mouth but as the Lord tolde hym the wordes before Wherupon these sayinges are so ofte found among thē the word of the Lord the burden of the Lorde so sayth the Lord the mouth of the Lord hath spoken And worthily For Esaie cryed oute that he had defyled lyppes Ieremie confessed that he coulde not speake because he was a childe What coulde procede from the defiled mouth of the one and the foolishe mouthe of the other but vncleane and vnwise if they had spoken their owne speche But this lyps were holy and pure when they began to be the instruments of the Holy ghost When the Prophetes are boūd with this religion that they deliuer nothyng but that which they haue receiued thē they be garnished with notable power and excellent titles For when the Lorde testifieth that he hath set them ouer nations and kyngdomes to pluck vp and to roote out to destroy and plucke downe to builde and to plant he by and by adioyneth the cause because he hath put his wordes in theyr mouth Nowe if you looke to the Apostles they are in dede commended with many and notable titles that they are the light of the worlde and the salt of the earth that they are to be heard in stede of Christ that whatsoeuer they bynde or lose in earth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen But in their very name they shewe howe muche is permitted theim in their office that is if they be Apostles that they shoulde not prate whatsoeuer they list but shold faithfully report his commaundementes from whom they are sent And the wordes of Christe are playne enough in which he hath determined their embassage when he cōmaūded them to go teach al nations al those thinges that he had cōmaunded Yea he himself also receiued this lawe and laid it vpon himself that it shold be lawful for no man to refuse it My doctrine sayth he is not myne but his that sent me my fathers He that was alway the only and eternall coūseller of the Father he that was appointed by the Father the Lord and scholemaister of all men yet because he executed the ministerie of teaching prescribed by his owne example to all ministers what rule they ought to folow in teaching Therfore the power of the Chirch is not infinite but subiect to the word of the lord and as it were enclosed in it But sith this hath from the beginnyng ben of force in the Chirche at this day ought to be in force that the seruantes of God shold teache nothing whiche they haue not learned of him yet accordyng to the diuersitie of tymes they had diuers orders of learnyng But that order which is nowe muche differeth from those that were before First if it be true whiche Christe saieth that none hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whom it hath pleased the Sonne to shewe him it behoued verily that they should be alway directed by that eternal wisdome of the Father whiche wold come to the knowledge of God For howe should they either haue comprehended in mynd or vttered the misteries of God but by his teachyng to whom alone the secretes of the Father ar open Therfore the holy fathers in old time knew GOD no other wise but beholding him in the Sonne as in a glasse When I say this I meane that God did neuer by any other meane disclose hymselfe to men but by the Son that is his only wisdome light and truthe Out of this fountaine did Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and the other draw all the knowlege that they had of heauenly doctrine Out of the same foūtain haue also al the Prophetes themselues drawē al the heauēly Oracles that they vttered For verily this Wisedome hath alway disclosed 〈◊〉 selfe by moe waies than one To the Patriarches he vsed secrete reuelations but therwithall to confirme their myndes he adioyned suche signes that it coulde not bee doutefull to them that is was God that spake The Patriarches conueied ouer from hand to hand to posteritie that whiche they had receiued For the Lorde left it with them to this entent that they should so sprede it abrode But the children childrens children by God secretely informyng them did knowe that that whiche they heard was from heauen and not from the earth But when it pleased God to raise a more apparāt forme of a Chirche he willed to haue his worde put in writing noted that the prests shold fetch frō thense what thei might deliuer to the people that all the doctrine that shold be taught shold be tried by that rule Therfore after the publishyng of the law when the prestes are comaunded to teach out of the mouth of the Lord the meaning is that they shold teach nothing straūge or differing from that kinde of learning which the Lord cōprehended in the lawe and to adde and diminishe was vnlawful for them Then folowed the Prophets by
of spiritual policie To this ende from the beginning were ordeined iudicial orders in Chirches which might vse examination of maners correcte vices and exercise the office of the keyes This order Paule speaketh of in the Epistle to the Corinthians when he nameth gouernementes Againe to the Romaines wheÌ„ he saith let him that ruleth rule in carefulnesse For he speaketh not to the magistrates for at that time there were no Christian magistrates but to them that were ioyned with the Pastors for the spirituall gouernement of the Chirch Also in the Epistle to Timothee he maketh twoo sortes of Elders some that labor in the worde other some that do not vse the preaching of the worde and yet do rule well By this later sort it is no doute that he meaneth them that were appointed to loke vnto maners and to the whole vse of the keyes For this power of which we now speake hangeth wholly vpon the keyes which Christ gaue to the Chirche in the xviii Chap. of Mathew where he commaundeth that they should be sharply admonished in the name of the whole Chirch that haue despised priuate monitioÌ„s but if they goe forward in their obstinacie he teacheth that they should be put out of the felowship of the faithful But these monitions and corrections can not be without knowlege of the cause therefore there nedeth both some iugement and order Wherefore vnlesse we will make voide the promise of the keyes and take vtterly away excoÌ„municatioÌ„ solemne monitions and all suche thynges whatsoeuer they be we must nedes geue to the Chirch some iurisdiction Let the reders marke that that place entreateth not of the generall authoritie of doctrine as in the .xvi. Chapter of Mathewe and the .xxi. of Iohn but that the power of the Sinagoge is for the time to come transferred to the flocke of Christ. Untill that day the Iewes had their order of gouerning which Christ stablisheth in his Chirch and that with great penaltie so much as concerneth the pure institution of it For so it behoued forasmuch as otherwise the iugemente of an vnnoble and vnregarded congregation might be despised of rash and proude men And that it should not encomber the reders that Christ doth in thesame words expresse thinges somwhat differring one from the other it shal be profitable to dissolue this dout There be therfore â—woo places that speake of bynding and loosing The one is in the xvi Chapter of Mathew where Christ after that he had promised that he would geue to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen immediatly addeth that whatsoeuer he shal bynde or loose in earth shal be confirmed in heauen In which wordes he meaneth none other thing than he doth by other wordes in Iohn when sending his disciples to preache after that he had breathed vpon them he said whose synnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen whoe 's ye reteine they shal be reteined in heauen I will bring an exposition not suttle not enforced not wrested but natural flowyng and offring it selfe This commaundemente of forgeuing and reteining synnes and that promise of bynding and loosing made to Peter oughte to be referred to no other thyng but to the ministerie of the worde which wheÌ„ the Lord committed to the Apostles he did therewith also arme them with this office of bynding and loosing For what is the summe of the Gospell but that we all being the bondseruantes of synne and of death are loosed and made fre by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and that they which do not receiue nor acknowlege Christe theyr deliuerer and redemer are damned adiudged to euerlasting bondes When the Lorde deliuered this message to his Apostles to be carried into al nations to approue that it was his owne and proceding from himself he honored it with this noble testimonie and that to the singular strengthening both of the Apostles themselues and of all those to whom it should come It behoued that the Apostles shoulde haue a stedfast and sounde certaintie of their preaching which they should not onely execute with infinite labors cares troubles and dangers but also at the last seale it with their blood That they might I say knowe thesame to be not vaine nor voide but full of power and force it behoued that in so great carefulnesse in so great hardnesse of thynges and in so great dangers they should be persuaded that they did the businesse of God that when all the worlde withstode them and fought againste them they should knowe that God stode on their side that hauing not Christ the author of their doctrine present by sight in earth they should vnderstande him to be in heauen to confirme the trueth of the doctrine which he had deliuered them It behoued againe that it should also be most certainly proued by testimonie to the hearers that that doctrine of the Gospell was not the worde of the Apostles but of God himselfe not a voice bred in earth but come downe from heauen For these thinges the forgeuenesse of sinnes the promise of euerlasting life the message of saluation can not be in the power of man Therefore Christe hath testified that in the preaching of the Gospell there is nothing of the Apostles but the only ministerie that it was he himselfe that spake and promised all thynges by their mouthes as by instrumentes and therefore that the forgeuenesse of sinnes which they preached was the true promise of God and the damnation which they pronounced was the certaine iudgement of God But this testifieng is geuen to all ages and remaineth in force to certifie and assure all men that the word of the Gospel by what man soeuer it be preached is the very senteÌ„ce of God published at the soueraigne iudgement seate written in the boke of life ratified firme and fixed in heauen Thus we see that in those places the power of the keyes is nothyng but the preachyng of the Gospell and that it is not so muche a power as a ministerie if we haue respect to meÌ„ For Christ hath not geuen this power proprely to men but to his owne worde wherof he hath made men ministers The other place whiche we haue said to be concernyng the power of bynding and loosyng is in the .xviii. chapter of Mathew where Christ sayth If any brother heare not the Chirch let him be to thee as a heathen maÌ„ or a publicane Uerily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bynd vppon earth shal be bound also in heauen whatsoeuer ye loose shal be loosed This place is not altogether like the first but is a little otherwise to bee vnderstanded But I do not so make them diuerse that they haue not great affinitie together This first point is like in both that either of them is a generall senteÌ„ce that in both there is alway all one power of bynding and loosyng namely by the worde of God all one commaundement all one promise But herein they differ that the fyrst place
confession to a preeste thinke that they maie wipe their mouthe and saie I did it not And not onely they are made all the yeare longe the bolder to sinne but all the rest of the yeare bearing themselues bolde vpon confession thei neuer sighe vnto God thei neuer returne to themselues but heape sinnes vpon sinnes til they vomit vp al at ones as they thinke And when they haue ones vomited them vppe they thinke them selues discharged of their burden and that thei haue taken awaie from God the iudgment that thei haue geuen to the preeste and that they haue brought God in forgetfulnesse when they haue made the preeste priuie Moreouer whoe doth meryly see the daie of confession at hande Whoe goeth to confession with a cherefull hearte and commeth not to it rather against his wil as it were drawing backewarde like as if he were taken by the necke and drawen to pryson vnlesse paraduenture it be the very preestes that vse ioyfully to delite themselues with mutuall rehersals of their doinges as weare with mery tales I wil not defile much paper with monstruous abhominations wherof auricular cōfession swarueth ful Onely this I saie If that holy man did not vnwisely that for one rumor of fornication toke awaie confession out of his Church yea out of the remembrance of his flocke then we be therby putt in minde what ys nedefull to be done at this daie vpon infinite whordomes adulteries incestes and bawderies Where the Consessionars allege for thys purpose the power of the keyes and doe therevpon sette the peupe and prore of their kyngedome as the prouerbe is it is to bee seen howe muche they oughte to auayle Then saye they are the keyes geuen wythoute cause Is yt sayde wythoute cause Whatsoeuer you loose vpon earthe shall be also loosed in heauen Do we then make the worde of Christe voide I answer there was a weighty cause why the keies shold be geuen as bothe I haue euen now already declared and shal more plainly shew againe when I come to entreat of Excommunication But what if I do with one swerde cutt of the holde of al that thei require that ys with saieng that sacryficeng preestes are not the vicars nor successors of the Apostles But this shall also be to be entreated of in an other place but nowe thei raise vp an engine whereby thei wolde most of all defende themselues and therby may all their buildinges be ouerthrowen For Christe did not geue his Apostles the power to binde loose before that he gaue them the holy ghoste Therefore I saie that none haue the power of the keies that haue not first receiued the holy ghost I denie that any man can vse the keies but hauing the holy ghoste going before teaching him informing him what is to bee done They triflinge saie that thei haue the holy ghoste but in dede thei denie it vnlesse paraduenture thei faine as thei do faine in dede the holy ghoste to be a vaine thing and a thing of nothing but therin thei shall not be beleued And by this engine thei are vtterly ouerthrowē that of what soeuer dore thei boast that thei haue the keie a man may alway aske thē whether thei haue the holy ghoste whiche is the iudge and gouerner of the keies If thei answer that thei haue then thei maie be asked againe whether the holy ghoste may erre This thei wil not be glade to speake expresly althoughe thei crokedly vtter the same by their doctrine It is therefore to be gathered that no preestes haue power of the keies whiche do commonly without consideration loose those thinges that the Lorde wold haue to be bounde and binde those thinges that the Lorde commaunded to be loosed Whereas thei see themselues conuinced by most clere experimentes that thei do without choise loose and binde the worthy and vnworthy thei vsurpe a power without knowledge And although they dare not denie that knoweledge is requisit for a good vse yet thei write that the very power is geuen to euel disposers of it But this is the power whatsoeuer thou bindest or loosest in earthe shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Either the promise of Christ must lie or thei that haue this power do well binde and loose Neither may thei dallye and saie that the saieng of Christe is limited according to the deseruings of him that is bound or loosed And we also confesse that none can be bounde or loosed but thei that are worthy to be bound or loosed But the messingers of the Gospell and the Churche haue the woorde by whyche thei measure this worthinesse in thys woorde the messangers of the Gospell maye promise to all men forgeuenesse of sinnes in Christe by faythe thei maye proclaime damnation into all and vpon all that embrace not Christ. In this word the Church pronounceth that fornicatours adulterers theues mansleiers couetous men vniust men haue no parte in the kingdom of God and bindeth such with most sure bondes With the same worde the Churche looseth them whome yt comforteth being repentant But what power shall this be not to knowe what is to be bounde or loosed and not to be able to binde or loose without knowledge Why then do thei saie that thei loose by authoritie geuen vnto them whē the loosing is vncertain What haue we to do with this imaginatiue power yf there be no vse of it But I haue it already prouch that eyther there is no vse of it or so vncertaine an vse as maye be accompted for none at all For wheras they cōfesse that there is a great parte of prestes that do not rightly vse the keyes and that the power without lawefull vse is of no effect Whoe shall assure me that he of whom I am loosed is a good vser of the keyes if he be an euell vser of it what hath he els but such a voyde disposyng of them as to say what is to be foūd or loosed in thee I know not for asmuch as I lack the right vse of the keyes but yf thou deserue I loose thee But so much might do I wil not say a laye man for they could not beare that with patient eares but a Turke or a Deuell For it is asmuche as to saye I haue not the worde of God the sure rule of loosyng but there is power geuen me to loose thee yf thy deseruynges be so We see therfore what they meant when they defined the keyes to be the authoritie of discernyng and power of executyng and that knowledge is adioyned for a counseller and like a counseller serueth for a good vse vndoubtedly euen they desired to reygne at theyr owne will licentiously without God and his worde If any man take exception and saye that the lawfull ministers of Christ shall be no lesse doubtefull in their office bycause the absolution that hangeth vpon fayth shall alwaye remayne doubtefull and then that sinners shall haue eyther none or a cold comforte bycause the
thus He bilded an altare and called the name of it Iehouah my exaltacion But more businesse ariseth by an other place of Hieremie where the same tittle is applyed to Hierusalem in these wordes this is the name whereby they shall call her Iehouah our righteousnesse But thys testimonye is so farre from makyng agaynste the trueth whiche we defende that it rather confirmeth it For wheras he had before testified that Christ is the true Iehouah from whom floweth ryghteousnesse nowe he pronounceth that the churche shall so verely fele the same that she may gloriouslye vse the very name it selfe And so in the firste place is sette the fountayne and cause of ryghteousnesse in the other the effecte Nowe if thys dooe not satisfie the Iewes that Iehouah is so ofte presented in the personne of an Angell I see not wyth what cauillations they canne mocke it oute It is saied that the Angell appeared to the holy fathers and the same Angell chalengeth to hymselfe the name of the eternall God If any take excepcion and say that this is spoken in respecte of the Person that he representeth thys knotte is not thus losed For being a seruaunte he woulde not suffer Sacrifice to be offered to hym and take from God his due honoure But the Angell refusing to eate bread commaundeth Sacrifice to bee offered to Iehouah And then he proueth that hymselfe in dede was the same Iehouah and therefore Manoah and his wife by thys token did gather that they had seen not an only Angel but God And thence came it that he sayed we shall dye because we haue seen God And when hys wyfe answereth if Iehouah woulde haue slayen vs he woulde not haue receaued Sacrifice at oure handes in thys she doeth confesse that he was God whiche before was called the Angell Besyde thys the answere of the Angell hymselfe taketh away all doubte of it saying why doest thou aske me of my name which is maruellous So much the more detestable was the wickednesse of Seruetto when he affirmed that God neuer appeared to Abraham and the other fathers but that an Angell was worshipped in place of him But truely and wisely haue the true teaching doctors of the Churche expounded that the same principall Angell was the worde of God which then as aforehande beganne to execute the office of Mediatoure For thoughe he was not yet clothed with fleshe yet he came down as a meane betwene God and men to come more familiarly to the faithfull Therefore hys nye communicating himselfe made him to be called an Angell yet still in the meane time he reteined that which was his own to be the God of vnspeakable glory Thesame thing meaneth Oseas which after he had recited the wraftlyng of Iacob with the Angell sayeth Iehouah the God of hostes Iehouah worthy of memory is his name Here agayne Seruetto carpeth that God did beare the person of an Angel As thoughe the Prophete did not confirme that whiche Moses had saied why doest thou aske me of my name And the confession of the holye Patriarche doeth sufficiently declare that he was not a created Angell but one in whom the full godhead was residente when he saied I haue seen God face to face And for thys cause Paule sayeth that Chryste was guide of the people in the wyldernesse For thoughe the tyme was not yet come of his abacemente yet that eternall worde shewed a figure of that office to whiche he was appointed Nowe if the seconde Chapter of zacharie be weyed withoute contencion the Angell that sente an other Angell was by and by pronounced to be the God of hostes and to hym is soueraigne power ascribed I omitte innumerable testimonies on the which oure Fayth safelye resteth althoughe they doe not muche moue the Iewes For when it is saied in Esaie Beholde this is our God this is Iehouah we shal waite vpon him and he shall saue vs they that haue eyes may see that herein is meant God which ryseth vp for the saluacion of his people And these vehement demonstracions twise repeted suffer it to be drawen no otherwhere but to Christe And yet plainer and fuller is the place of Malachie where he promyseth that he shall come the Lorde that was the desired to hys owne temple But to none but to the onely soueraigne God was the temple dedicate which temple yet the Prophete doeth claime for Christ. Wher vpon foloweth that Christe is the same God that was euer honored among the Iewes As for the newe testamente it swarueth with innumerable testimonies therfore we must trauayle rather shortly to choose out fewe than largely to heape vp all For thoughe the Apostles speake of him since he was nowe become the Mediatour in fleshe yet all that I shalll bring forth shall aptly serue to proue his godhead Firste this is worthy to be singularly marked that those thinges which were before spoken touching the eternall God the Apostles doe shewe that they are either already performed or hereafter to be performed in Christ. For where Esaie prophecieth that the Lorde of hostes shal be to the Iewes and Israelites a strombling stone and a rocke to fall vpon Paule affirmeth that the same is fulfilled in Christ. Therefore he declareth him to be the Lorde of hostes Likewise in an other place We must al saith he ones be broughte to appeare before the iudgemente throne of Christe For it is written to me shall all knees bowe and to me shall al tonges swere Seing God in Esai speaketh this thing of himselfe and Christe in dede performeth it in himselfe it foloweth that he is the selfe same God whoe 's glory may not be withdrawen to an other And that thing which writing to the Ephesians he allegeth out of the Psalmes is euident that it can be applyed to none but to God alone Ascending on hie he hath caryed captiuitie captiue meaning that such ascending was in shadow shewed when God in notable victory against forein nations did shewe forth his power but he declareth that in Christe it was more fully performed So Ihon testifieth that it was the glory of the Sōne that was reueled to Esaie by a vision wheras in dede the Prophete himselfe writeth that the maiestie of God appeared vnto hym And it is euidente that those thinges whiche the Apostle wryting to the Hebrues applieth to the Sonne are the plaine titles of God as Thou Lorde in the beginning diddest laye the foundacions of heauen and earth c. Agayne worship him all ye his Angels And yet he abuseth not those tittles when he draweth them to Chryst. For al those thinges that are spoken of in those Psalmes he hymselfe alone hath fulfylled For it was he that rose vp and had mercy on Siō It was he that claimed to hymselfe the kingdome of all the nations and ilandes And why shoulde Ihon sticke to apply the maiestie of God to Chryste whiche in hys preface had sayed that
colour that Christ is echewhere called the Sonne of God where of they gather that there is none other proprely God but the Father But they mark not that though the name of God be also common to the Sonne yet by reason of preeminence it is sometyme gyuen to the Father onely because he is the fountayn and originall of the Deitie and that for this purpose to make the syngle vnitie of the essence to be therby noted They take exception and saye If he be truly the Sonne of God it is inconuenient to haue hym reckned the Sonne of a Person I answere that bothe are true that is that he is the Sonne of God because he is the Woorde begotten of the Father before all worldes for we come not yet to speake of the Person of the Mediatour and yet for explications sake we oughte to haue regarde of the Person that the name of God simply be not taken but for the Father onely For if we meane none to be God but the Father we plainly throwe downe the Sonne from the degree of God Therfore so ofte as mencion is made of the godhed we must not admitte a comparison betwene the Sonne and the Father as thoughe the name of God dydde belonge onely to the Father For trewely the God that appeared to Esaie was the true and onely God and yet Iohn affirmeth that the same was Christe And he that by the mouth of Esay testified that he should be a stumbling stone to the Iewes was the only God and yet Paule pronounceth that the same was Christe He that trieth out by Esaie I liue and to me all knees shall bowe is the onely God and yet Paule expoūdeth that the same was Christ. For this purpose serue the testimonies that the Apostle reciteth Thou O God haste laide the foundations of heauen and earth Agayne let all the angels of God worship him whiche thynges belong to none but to the onely God And yet he saith that they are the propre titles of Christ. And this cauillation is nothyng worthe that that is geuen to Christe whiche is propre to God because Christe is the shinyng brightnesse of his glory For because in eche of these places is fet the name of Iehouah it foloweth that it is so sayd in respecte that he is God of hymselfe For if he be Iehouah it can not be denied that he is the same God that in an other place crieth out by Esaie I I am and beside me there is no God It is good also to consider that saying of Hieremie The gods that haue not made the heauen and earth let them perishe out of the earth that is vnder the heauen Where as on the other side we must nedes confesse that the Sonne of God is he whose godhead is ofte proued in Esaie by the creation of the worlde And howe can it be that the Creatour whyche geueth beyng to all thynges shall not bee of hymselfe but borowe his beyng of an other For who soeuer saythe that the Sonne was essentiate or made to be of his Father denieth that he is of hym selfe But the Holy ghost saith the contrary namyng hym Iehouah Nowe if we graunt that the whole essence is in the Father onely either it muste be made partable or be taken from the Sonne and so shal the Sonne be spoyled of his essence and be a God only in name and title The essence of God if we beleue these triflers belongeth onely to the Father for as muche as he is onely God and is the essencemaker of the Sonne And so shall the godhed of the Sonne be an abstracte from the essence of God or a deriuation of a parte oute of the whole Nowe muste they nedes graunt by theyr own principle that the holy ghost is the Spirite of the Father only For if he be a deriuation from the fyrst essence whiche is onely propre to the Father of right he can not be accompted the Spirite of the Sonne whiche is confuted by the testimonie of Paul where he maketh the Spirit common to Christ and the Father Moreouer if the Person of the Father be wiped out of the Trinitie wherin shall he differ from the Sonne and the Holy ghoste but in this that he onely is God They confesse Christ to be God and yet they say he differeth from the Father Agayn there muste be some marke of difference to make that the Father be not the Sonne They which say that marke of difference to be in the essence doo manifestly bring the true godhead of Christe to nothynge whiche can not be without essence yea and that the whole essence The Father differeth not from the Sonne vnlesse he haue somethyng propre to hymselfe that is not common to the Sonne What nowe will they fynde wherin to make him different If the difference be in the essence let them answere if he haue not communicated the same to the Sonne But that could not be in part for to say that he made halfe a God were wycked Beside that by this meane they doo fowly teare in sunder the essence of God It remaineth therefore that the essence is whole and perfectly common to the Father and the Sonne And if that bee true then as touchyng the essence there is no difference of the one of them from the other If they say that the Father in geuyng his essence remaineth neuerthelesse the only God with whom the essence abideth then Christ shal be a figuratiue God and a God only in shew in name but not in deede because nothyng is more propre to God than to bee accordyng to this saying He that is hath sent me vnto you It is easy by many places to proue that it is false whiche they holde that so ofte as there is in scripture mencion made absolutely of God none is ment therby but the Father And in those places that they them selues doo alledge they fowly bewray their owne want of consideration because there is also sette the name of the Sonne Wherby appeareth that the name of God is there relatiuely takē and therfore restrained to the Person of the Father And their obiection where they say If the Father were not only the true God he should himselfe be his owne Father is answered with one worde It is not inconuenient for degree and orders sake that he be peculiarly called GOD whiche hath not only of hym selfe begotten his wisedome but also is the God of the Mediatour as in place fitte for it I will more largely declare For sythe Christ was openly shewed in the fleshe he is called the Sonne of God not onely in respect that he was the eternall Worde before all worlde 's begotten of the Father but also because he tooke vpon hym the Person and office of the Mediatour to ioyne vs vnto God And because they do so boldly exclude the Sonne from the honour of God I would fayne knowe whether the Sonne when he pronounceth that none is good but
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
accordyng to the fleshe which the Worde toke vpon him accordyng to that that he was borne of the Uirgin accordyng to that that he was taken of the Iewes that he was fastened on the tree that he was takeÌ„ downe from the crosse that he was wrapped in linen clothes that he was layed in the graue that he was openly shewed in his risynge agayne this was fulfilled Ye shal not alway haue me with you Why so bycause he was conuersant accordyng to the presence of his body forty dayes with his disciples and they beyng in his companie seyng him not folowyng him he ascended into heauen and is not here for he sitteth there at the right hande of his father and is here for he is not gone awaye in presence of maiestie Therefore accordyng to the presence of his maiestie we alwaye haue Christ accordyng to the presence of his fleshe it was truely sayd to his Disciples but me ye shall not alwaye haue For the church had him a few dayes accordyng to the presence of his flesh but nowe she holdeth him by fayth but seeth him not with eyes Wherfore it by and by foloweth that he is sitteÌ„ downe at the right hande of his father whiche is spoken by waye of similitude taken of princes that haue theyr sitters by to whome they commit their office to rule and gouerne in their stede So it is sayd that Christ in whom the father will be exalted and reigne by his hand was receyued to sit at his right hand as yf it had ben sayd that he was inuested in the dominion of heauen and earth solemnely entred vpon the possession of the gouernement committed vnto him that he not only entred vpon it but also continueth in it till he come downe to iudgement For so doth the Apostle expounde it when he sayth thus The Father hath set him at his right hand aboue all principalitie and power streÌ„ght and dominion and euery name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come c. He hath put althinges vnder his feete and hath geuen him to be head of the church aboue althynges Nowe you see to what purpose belongeth that sittyng that is that all creatures bothe heauenly and earthly maye with admiration loke vpon his maiestie be gouerned with his hande beholde his countenance and be subiect to his power And the Apostles meane nothyng els when they so oft rehearse it but to teache that all thinges are lefte to his will Therefore they thinke not rightly which thinke that blessednesse is only meant by it And it forceth not that in the Acres Stephen testifieth that he saw him standing bicause we speake not heare of the gesture of his body but of the maiestie of his dominion so that to Sitte is nothyng els but to be chiefe iudge in the heauenly iudgement seate Hereupon doth faith gather manifolde frute For it learneth that the Lord by his ascendyng into heauen hath opened the entrie of the heauenly kingdome whiche before had ben stopped vp by Adam For when he entred into it in our flesh as in our name therupon followeth that whiche the Apostle sayth that we doe alredy in him after a certaine manner sit in heauen For that we doe not with bare hope loke for heauen but alredy in our head we possesse it Moreouer fayth perceyueth that he sitteth with his father to our great benefit For he is entred into a â—anctuarie not made with handes and there appereth before the face of the Father a continuall aduocate and intercessor for vs he so turneth the fathers eyes to his righteousnesse that he turneth them awaye from our sinnes He so reconcileth his minde vnto vs that by his intercession he prepareth vs a waye and passage to his throne fillyng it with grace and mercifulnesse which otherwise wold haue ben full of horrour to wretched sinners Thirdly fayth conceyueth his power wherein consisteth our strength might welth and glorieng agaynst the helles For ascendyng into heauen he led captiuitie captiue and spoilyng his enemies he enriched his people and dayly filleth them with heapes of spirituall richesse He sitteth therefore on hye that from thense pouryng out his power vnto vs he maye quicken vs to a spiritual life sanctifie with his spirit and garnish his church with the diuerse giftes of his grace preserue it safe agaynst all hurtes by his protection restrayne with the strength of his hand the ragyng enemies of his crosse and of our saluation finally holde all power bothe in heauen and in earth till he haue ouerthrowen all his enemies whiche are also our enemies and made perfect the bildyng vp of his Church And this is the true state of his kingdome this is the power that his father hath geuen him till he make an ende of the laste act when he cometh to iudge the quicke and the dead Christ doth in deede here shewe to them that be his plaine proues of his power present amonge them but bicause vnder the basenesse of flesh his kingdome doth in a manner lie hidden in earth therefore for good cause is fayth called to thinke vpon that visible presence which he will openly shew at the laste day For he shal in visible forme come downe from heauen euen such as he was seen to goe vp and he shall appere to all men with vnspeakeable maiestie of his kyngdome with bright glistryng of immortalitie with infinite power of godhed with a garde of Angeles From thense therefore we are bidden to loke for him to come our redemer at that day wheÌ„ he shall seuer the Lambes from the Goaste the chosen from the forsaken and there shal be none of all eyther the quicke or the dead that shall escape his iudgement For from the furthest corners of the world shal be heard the sounde of the trompet wherwith all shal be called to his iudgement seate both they that shal be founde alyue at that daye they whome death hath before taken out of the companie of the quicke Some there be that in this place expouÌ„d the wordes of the Quicke and the dead otherwise and we see that some of the olde wryters dyd stick in doubte vpon the constructioÌ„ of this article But as the aforesayd meanyng is plaine easy to perceyue so doth it better agree with the Crede which is euideÌ„t that it was written accordyng the capacitie of the coÌ„mon people And herewith nothyng disagreeth that whiche the Apostle affirmeth that it is apointed to all men ones to die For although they whiche shall remayne in mortall life at the last iudgement shall not dye after a naturall manner and order yet that change whyche they shall suffer bycause it shal be like a death is not vnproprely called death It is in deede certayne that not all shall slepe but all shal be 〈…〉 meaneth that â–ª In one moment their mortall life shall perish 〈◊〉 be
vpon the promises of Gods good will toward him conceyueth and vndoubted lokynge for of saluation as the Apostle sheweth in these wordes Yf we keepe sure to the ende our confidence and gloriyng of hope For hereby he meaneth that none hopeth well in the Lorde but he that with confidence glorieth that he is heyre of the kyngdome of heauen There is none I saye faythfull but he that leanyng vpon the assurednesse of his owne saluation doth confidently triumph vpon the deuell and death as we are taught by that notable concluding sentence of Paule I am persuaded sayth he that neyther death nor life nor Angeles nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God wherwith he embraceth vs in Christ Iesu. And in like manner the same Apostle thinketh that the eyes of our minde are by no other meane well lightened vnlesse we see what is the hope of the eternall inheritance to whiche we are called And eche where his common manner of teachyng is such that he declareth that no otherwise we do not well comprehend the goodnesse of God vnlesse we gather of it the frute of great assurednesse But some man will say the faithfull doe finde by experience a far other thing within themselues whiche in recordyng the grace of God toward them are not only tempted with vnquietnesse whiche oftentimes chaunceth vnto them but also are sometime shaken with most greuous terrors so great is the vehemencye of temptations to throw downe their mindes which thing semeth not sufficiently wel to agree with that assurednesse of fayth Therefore this doubt must be answered if we will haue our aforesayde doctrine to stande But truely when we teache that fayth ought to be certayne and assured we doe not imagine suche a certaintie as is touched with no doubtynge nor suche an assurednesse as is assayled with no carefulnesse but rather we saye that the faythfull haue a perpetuall stryfe with their owne distrustfulnesse So farre be we from setlynge their consciences in such a peasable quietnesse as maye be interrupted with no troubles at all yet on the other side we saye that in what sorte so euer they bee afflicted they doe neuer fall and departe from that assured confidence whiche they haue conceyued of the mercie of God The Scripture setteth forth no example of fayth more playne or more notable than in Dauid specially if a manne beholde the whole continuall course of his lyfe But yet howe he was not alwaye of quiet minde hymselfe declareth by innumerable complaintes of whiche at this time it shal be sufficient doe choose out a fewe When he reprocheth his owne soule with troublesome motions what is it els but that he is angry with his owne vnbeleuengnesse Why treÌ„blest thou my soule sayth he and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God And truely that same discouragement was a plaine token of destruction euen as if he thought himselfe to be forsaken of God And in an other place we reade a larger confession thereof where he sayth I sayd in my ouerthrow I am cast out from the sight of thy eyes Also in an other place he disputeth with himselfe in carefull and miserable perplexitie yea quareleth of the very nature of God sayeng Hath God forgotten to haue mercie will he caste of for euer And yet harder is that whiche foloweth But I haue sayde To die is mine charges are of the right hande of the hyest For as in despere he condemneth himselfe to destruction and not only confesseth himselfe to be tossed with doutyng but as if he were vaÌ„quished in battel he leaueth nothyng to himself bycause God hath forsaken him and hath turned to destroy him the same hande that was wont to be his helper Wherefore not without cause he exhorteth his soule to returne to her quietnesse bicause he had found by experience that he was tossed amoÌ„g troblesome waues And yet whiche is meruellous in al these assaultes faith vpholdeth the heartes of the godly and is truely like vnto a Date tree to endeuour and rise vpwarde agaynst all burdens howe great soeuer they be as Dauid when he might seme to be vtterly ouerwhelmed yet in rebukyng himselfe cesseth not to rise vp to God And truely he that striuing with his owne weakenesse resorteth to faith in his troubles is alredy in a manner conquerour Whiche maye be gathered by this sentence and other like Waite for the Lord be stronge he shall streÌ„gthen they heart waite for the Lord. He reprocheth himselfe of fearefulnesse and in repetyng the same twise conâ—esseth himself to be somtimes subiect to many troublesome motions And in the meane time he doth not only become displeased with himselfe in these faultes but earnestly endeuoreth to amendement Truely if we will more nerely by good examination compare him with Achaz there shal be founde great difference Esaye was sente to brynge remedie to the carefull griefe of the wicked king and hypocrite and spake vnto him in these wordes Be in sauegarde and be quiet feare not c. But what did Achaz As it was before sayd that his heart was moued as the trees of the woode are shaken with winde though he hearde the promise yet he cessed not to quake for feare This therefore is the propre rewarde punishment of vnbelefe so to tremble for feare that in temptation he turneth himselfe awaye from God that doth not open to himselfe the gate by fayth Contrarywise the faythfull whome the weighty burden of temptations maketh to stoupe and in a maÌ„ner oppresseth do coÌ„stantly rise vp although not without trouble and hardinesse And bicause thei know their owne weakenesse thei pray with the Prophete Take not the worde of truth away from my mouth coÌ„tinually By which wordes we are taught that somtime they become dumme as though their fayth were vtterly ouerthrowen yet they faint not nor turne their backes but procede in their battell with prayer do encourage their slouthfulnesse lest by fauoring themselues they should growe to vnsensible dulnesse For the vnderstaÌ„dyng therof it is needeful to returne to that diuision of the fleshe and the spirit wherof we made mention in an other place which doth in this behalf most clearly appere The godly heart therefore â—eleth a diuisioÌ„ in it self which is partly delited with swetenesse by acknowledging of the goodnesse of God partly greued with bitternesse by felyng of his owne miserie partly resteth vpon the promise of the Gospel and partly trembleth by reason of the testimonie of his owne wickednesse partly reioyseth with conceyuing of life and partly quaketh for feare of death Whyche variation coÌ„meth by imperfection of fayth for as muche as we neuer be in so good case in the course of this present life as beyng healed from all disease of distrustfulnesse to be altogether filled possessed with faith Hereupon procede those battels wheÌ„ the distrustfulnesse
very same places in which the holy ghoste promiseth to works eternal glorie for reward in expressing the inheritance bi name he sheweth the it coÌ„meth froÌ„ els where So Christ rehearseth works which he recompenseth with the rewarding of heaueÌ„ when he calleth the elect to the possessioÌ„ therof but he therwtal adioyneth that it must be possessed by right of inheritance So Paul biddeth seruantes which do their duetie faithefully to hope for reward of the lord but he addeth of inheritance We see how thei do as it were by expresse wordes proued that we impute not eternall blessednes to works but â—o the adoptioÌ„ of god Why therfore do thei therwtal together make mentioÌ„ of works This questioÌ„ shal be made plaine with one exaÌ„ple of scripture Before the birth of Isaac ther was promised to Abraham a seede in which al the nations of the earth shold be blessed a multiplieng of his sede which shold match the starres of the skie and the sandes of the sea other like In many yeares afterwarde Abraham as he was coÌ„maunded bi the oracle prepared himself to offer vp his soÌ„ne in sacrifice When he had performed this obedience he receyued a promise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the lorde bicause yâ— hast done thys thing hast not spared thine own only begotteÌ„ sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thy sede as the starres of the skie the sandes of the sea thy sede shal possesse the gates of their enemies al the nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede bicause yâ— hast obeied my voice What heare we Hathe AbrahaÌ„ by his obedience deserued the blessing the promise wherof he had receiued before that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was geuen Here verily we haue it wtout circuÌ„stances shewed that the lord rewardeth the workes of the faithful with those benefites which he had already geuen theÌ„ before that the works were thought of hauing yet no cause why he shoulde do good to them but his owne mercie Yet doth the Lord not deceiue nor mocke vs when he saith that he rendreth for rewarde to workes the same thing which he hadde before workes freely geuen For bicause he will haue vs to be exercised wyth good workes to thinke vpoÌ„ the deliuerie or enioyeng as I may so call it of these things which he hath promised and to runne through them to the blessed hope set before vs in heauen the frute of the promises is also rightly assigned to theÌ„ to the ripenesse wherof thei do not bring vs. The Apostle very fittly expressed both these points when he said that the Colossians applie themselues to the duties of charitie for the pope which is laied vp for them in heauen of which thei had before heard by the word of the true speaking Gospel For wheÌ„ he saith that thei knew by the Gospel that there was hope layed vp for them in heauen he declareth that the same is by Christ only not vnderpropped with any works Wherew t accordeth that saieng of Peter that the godly are kept by the power of God through faith vnto the saluatioÌ„ which is ready to be manifestli shewed at the time appointed for it When he sayth that thei labor for it he signifieth that the faithfull must runne all the time of their life that thei may atteine to it But least we shoulde thinke that the rewarde whiche the lorde promiseth vs is not reduced to the measure of merit he did putte forth a parable in which he made himselfe a householder whiche sent al them that he met to the trimming of his vineyarde some at the first houre of the daye some at the second some at the thirde yea some aâ—o at the xi At euening he payed to euery one egall wages The expositioÌ„ of whiche parable that same olde writer what soeuer he was whose booke is carried abroade vnder the name of Ambrose of the callinge of the Gentiles hathe breefely and truely sette oute I wyll vse rather his woordes than myne owne The Lorde saithe hee by the rule of thys comparison hath stablished the dyuersitie of manifolde calling belonging to one grace where without doubt thei whiche beinge lette in into the vineyard at the xi houre are made egal with them that had wrought the whole day do represeÌ„t the estate of theÌ„ whom for the aduanciÌ„g of the excellency of grace the tender kindenes of the lord hath rewarded at the wauing of the day and at the ending of their life not paieng wages for their labore but pouring out the richesse of his goodnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hath chosen wtout works that euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure haue receiued no more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued a gift of grace not a reward of works Last of al this also is worthy to be noted in these places wher eternal life is called the rewarde of works that it is not simply takeÌ„ for the communicating which we haue with God to blessed immortalitie wheÌ„ hee embraceth vs with fatherly good wil in Christe but for the possessing or enioying as thei cal it of blessednesse as also that very words of Christ do sound In time to come life euerlasting And in an other place Come possesse the kingdome c. After this manner Paul calleth adoptioÌ„ the reueling of the adoptioÌ„ which shal be made in the resurrectioÌ„ afterward expouÌ„deth it the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of our body Otherwise as estranging froÌ„ God is eternal death so when man is receiued of God into fauour that he may enioye the coÌ„municating of him be made one with him hee is receiued froÌ„ death to life which is done by the beneficiall meane of adoption onely And if as thei are wonte thei stiffely enforce the reward of works we maie tourne against them that saieng of Peter that eternall life is the rewarde of faith Therfore let vs not think that the holy ghoste doth with such promise set forth the worthinesse of our works as if thei deserued such rewarde For the scripture leaueth nothing to vs wherof we may be aduauÌ„ced in the sight of God But rather it wholy endeuoreth to beate down oure arrogance to humble vs to throwe vs downe altogether to breake vs in peces But our weaknes is so succoured which otherwyse wold by by slippe fal down vnlesse it did susteine it self with this expectation mitigate her tedious greues with coÌ„fort First how harde it is for a man to forsake deny not only al his things but also himselfe let euery man consider for himself And yet with this introduction Christ traineth his schollers that is all the godly Then throughout all their life he so instructeth theÌ„ vnder the discipline of the crosse that thei may not set their hearte eyther to the desire or coÌ„fideÌ„ce of present good things Brefely he so handleth them for the most part that which way so euer they tourne their
earth died for thee Yet do we not dreame that he falleth downe at the fathers knees in humble wise entreateth for vs but we vnderstand with the Apostle that he so appeareth before the face of God that the vertue of hys deathe auayleth to be a perpetuall intercession for vs yet so that beinge entred into the sanctuarie of heauen vnto the ende of the ages of the world he alone carrieth to God the prayers of the people abiding a farre of in the porche As touchinge the Saintes whiche being deade in the fleshe do liue in Christ if we geue any praier at all to them lette vs not dreame that they themselues haue any other waye of askynge than Christe whyche onli is the way or that their praiers be acceptable to God in any other name Therefore sithe the Scripture calleth vs backe from all to Christ only sith the heauenly fathers wil is to gather together al in him it was a point of to much dulnesse I wyll not say madnesse so to desire to make for oure selues an entrie by them that wee shoulde bee ledde a waie from hym wythoute whome euen they them selues haue no entrie open But that this hath been usually done in certaine ages past that it is at this day done whersoeuer Papistrie reigneth who can denie Their merites ar froÌ„ time to time thrust in to obteine the good wil of God for the moste part Christ being passed ouer God is praied to by their names Is not this I beseche you to coÌ„uey away to theÌ„ the office of that only intercession which we haue affirmed to belong to Christe alone Againe what Angel or Deuel euer reueled to any maÌ„ any one syllable of this their intercession whiche these men fame For in the Scripture is nothinge of it What is the reason therefore of inuentinge it Trueli when the witte of man so seketh for it selfe succoures wherwith we are not sertified by the word of God it plainli bewraieth his own distrustfulnesse If we appeale to al their coÌ„sciences that are delited with the intercession of saintes we shal finde that the same coÌ„meth froÌ„ no other ground but bicause thei ar greued with carefulnes as though Christ wer in this behalf either to weake or to rigorous By whiche doubtfulnesse firste thei dyshonoure Christe and robbe him of the title of onely Mediatoure whiche as it is geueÌ„ him of the Father for a singular prerogatiue so oughte not also to be conueied away to any other And in this very doinge thei darken the glorie of hys byrth thei make voide hys crosse finally what soeuer hee hathe done or suffered they spoyle and defraude of the due praise thereof for all tende to thys ende that he maie bee in deede and be accompted the onely Mediatoure And therewith they caste awaye the goodnesse of God whiche gaue hymselfe to be their Father For he is not their father vnlesse thei acknowledge Christ to be their brother Which thei vtterly denye vnlesse thei thinke that he beareth a brotherly affection towarde them than which ther can nothing be more kinde or tender Wherfore the Scripture offereth only him to vs sendeth vs to him and stayeth vs in hym He saythe Ambrose ys oure mouthe by whyche wee speake to the Father oure eye by whyche we see the Father oure ryghte hande by whyche we offer vs to the Father otherwise than by whole intercession neyther we nor all the Saintes haue any thing with God If thei aunswer that the common praiers which thei make in churches ar ended with this conclusion adioyned Through Christ our Lord this is a trifeling shifte bicause the intercessioÌ„ of Christ is no lesse profained when it is mingled with the praiers merites of dead men than if it were vtterly omitted only dead meÌ„ were in our mouth Again in al their Letanies Hymnes Proses wher no honor is lefte vngeuen to deade saintes there is no mention of Christ. But their folysh dulnesse proceded so far that here we haue the nature of SuperstitioÌ„ expressed whiche when it hath ones shaken of the bridle is wont to make no end of running a stray For after that men ones begone to loke to the intercessioÌ„ of Saintes by litle litle ther was geueÌ„ to euery one his special doing that according to the diuersitie of busines somtime one a somtime an other shold be called vpon to be intercessor then they to them selues euery one hys peculiar Sainte into whose faythe they coÌ„mitted theÌ„selues as it wer to the keping of safgarding Gods And not only wherew t the prophet in the olde time reproched Israell Gods were set vp according to the nuÌ„bre of cities but eueÌ„ to the numbre of persons But sith the Saintes referre their desires to the only wil of God behold it rest vpon it he thinketh foolishly fleshly yea sclauÌ„derously of them which assigneth to them any other praier then whereby they praie for the coÌ„ming of the kingdome of God from which that is moste far distant whiche thei faine to them the euery one is with priuate affection more partially bent to his owne worshipers At length many absteined not froÌ„ horrible sacrilege in calling now vpoÌ„ theÌ„ not as helpers but as principal rulers of their saluatioÌ„ Lo wherunto foolish men do fal wheÌ„ thei wander out of their true staÌ„ding that is the word of God I speake not of the grosser mounstruousnesses of vngodlines wherin although thei be abhominable to God Angels men thei are not yet ashamed nor wery of theÌ„ Thei falling down before the image or picture of Barbara Catharine such other do muÌ„ble Pater noster Our father This madnes the Pastors do so not care to heale or restraine that beinge allured with the sweâ—e sauour of game thei allow it with reioising at it But although thei turne froÌ„ themselues the blame of so haynous an offense yet by what colore wil thei defende this the Loy or Medard are praied vnto to looke down vpoÌ„ helpe their seruants froÌ„ heaueÌ„ that the holy Uirgin is praied vnto to coÌ„mauÌ„d her sonne to do that which thei ask In yâ— old time it was forbidden in the Councell at Carthage that at the alter no directe prayer shold be made to Saintes And it is likely that wheÌ„ the holy men could not altogether suppresse the force of the naughty custome yet the added at least this restraiÌ„t that the publike praiers shold not be corrupted with this forme Saint Peter praie for vs. But how much further hath their deuellish importunacie ranged whiche stick not to geue away to deade men that which proprely belonged only to God and Christ But wheras thei trauaile to bring to passe the such intercessioÌ„ may seme to be grouÌ„ded vpon the authoritie of scripture therin thei labor in vaine We reade ofteÌ„times saye they of the praiers of Angels and not the only but it is said that the praiers of the faithfull are by their hands
ful perfection of felicitie as we are taught in many places Abraham I am thy reward excedyng great With which sayeng accordeth Dauid The Lord is my portioÌ„ the lot hath very wel fallen to me Againe in an other place I shal be satisfied with thy countenance But Peter pronounceth that the faithfull are called to this end that they may be made partakers of the nature of God How sâ—â— bicause he shal be glorified in all his saintes and shal be made wonderfull in them that haue beleued If the Lord will enterparten his glorie power and righteousnesse with his elect yea and will geue himself to them to be enioyed and which is better will after a certayne manner growe into one with them let vs remeÌ„ber that vnder this benefit is conteyned all kinde of felicitie And when we haue much profited in this meditation let vs reknowledge that we yet staye beneth at the bottome of the rootes if the conceiuyng of our minde be compared with the highnesse of this misterie Wherfore in this behalfe we muste kepe sobrietie least with howe muche greater boldinesse we shal flie vp on hye beyng vnmindefull of our owne smal measure so muche more the brightnesse of the heauenly glorie ouerwhelme vs. We fele also how the vnmeasurable gredinesse to knowe more than is lawfull tickleth vs from whense bothe triflynge and hurtfull questions do spryng from time to time triflyng I call those of whiche there can no profit be gathered But this seconde kinde is worse bycause they whiche geue themselues to them doe entangle themselues with pernicious speculations and therefore I call them hurtfull That whiche the Scriptures do teache ought to be out of all dout with vs namely that as God diuersly distributyng his giftes to the Saintes in this world doth vnequally enlighten them so the measure of glorie shal not be equal in heaueÌ„ where God shall crowne his giftes For neyther doth this belong indifferently to all whiche Paule sayth Ye are my glorie and crowne in the daye of Christ nor also that sayeng of Christ to the Apostles Ye shall sit iudgyng the twelue tribes of Israell But Paule whiche knowe that as God enricheth the holy ones with spirituall giftes in earth so he beautifieth them with glorie in heauen douteth not that there is a peculiar crowne layed vp for him accordynge to the rate of his labors And Christ to set forth to the Apostles the dignitie of the office which they dyd beare telleth them that the frute thereof is layed vp for them in heauen So Daniel also sayth But the wise shal shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they whiche iustifie many as Sterres to the worldes ende and for euer And yf a man heedefully consider the Scriptures they doe not only promise eternall lyfe to the faythfull but also speciall rewarde to euery one Whereupon commeth that sayeng of Paule The Lord render to him in that daye Whiche the promise of Christ confirmeth Ye shall receyue a hundred folde in the eternall life Finally as Christ beginneth in this worlde the glory of his bodye with manifolde diuersitie of giftes and encreaseth it by degrees so he shall also make it perfect in heauen But as al the Godly will receyue this with one consent bycause it is sufficiently testified by the worde of God so on the other side leauyng crabbed questions whiche they shall know to be a hinderance to them they will not passe their apoynted bondes As for my part I doe not onely priuately forbeare superfluous searchyng of vnprofitable thinges but I also thynke that I ought to beware that I do not whithe answeryng nourishe the lightnesse of other Men hungry of vayne knowledge doe aske howe greate shal be the distance betwene the Prophetes and the Apostles and agayne betwene the Apostles and the Martyrs how many degrees Uirgins differ from maried folkes finally they leaue no corner of heauen vnsearched Then it commeth in their mindes to enquire to what purpose serueth the repairing of the worlde sith the children of God shal nede nothing of all this so greate and incomparable plentie but shall be lyke to the Angels whose not eatinge is a Signe of the eternall blessednesse But I aunswere that in the very syghte there shal be so great pleasantnesse so greate swetenesse in the onely knoweledge withoute any vse that this felicitie shall farre passe all the helpes wherwith we be now holpen Let vs imagine oure selues to bee sette in the moste wealthy coaste of the worlde and where we shall wante no pleâ—sure yet whoâ— is there whome his sickenesse do not somtime hinder and not suffer to vse the benefites of God Who is there whose course his owne intemperance doth not ofte breake in sunder Wherevpon foloweth that a cleare enioying and pure from al faulte although there be no vse of corruptible life is the perfection of felicitie Some goe further and aske whether drosse and other corruptions in metalles bee not far from restoring and are contrarie to it Whiche though in some respect I graunt them yet I loke with Paule for the repairing of these faults which toke their beginning at sinne towarde whiche repairing they grone and are in trauaile Yet they procede further and aske what better estate is prepared for man sithe the blessing of issue shall them be at an ende This knot is also easy to be loosed Whereas the Scripture so honorably setteth out that kinde of blessyng that is referred to the encreasces wherewith God continually draweth forward the ordre of nature her marke but in the perfectioÌ„ it is knowen that there is an other manner But sithe the vnware are easily taken with allurementes and then the maze draweth them in depelier and at length when euery mans deuises please himselfe there is no ende of stryuyng therefore let this be a shorte waye for vs to be contented with the glasse darke speach vntil we shal see face to face For fewe of a greate multitude care whiche waye they may go to heauen but all do before their time couet to knowe what is done there All being commonly sluggish slow to enter into battells do already paint out to themselues imagined triumphes Now bycause noe description canne matche the greuousnesse of the vengeance of God vpon the reprobate theyr tormentes and peines ar fygured to vs by bodyly things namely by darkenesse weping gnasshinge of teethe vnquencheable fyer and a worme endlessly gnawinge the hearte For by suche manners of speache it is certaine that the Holy ghooste meante to trouble all oure senses wyth horror as when yt ys sayde that there ys prepared from eternitie a deepe Hell that the nouryshmentes thereof are fyre and much wood that the blast of the Lord as a streame of bremstone doth set it on fier As by such thinges we muste by holpen after a certaine manner to conceyue the miserable state of the wicked so we ought chiefely to fasten
for the goodes of the poore that it is the shame of al priestes to study for their owne richesse But they can not receiue this but they must all condemne themselues of shame But it is not nedefull in this place to speake more hardly against them sithe my meanyng was nothyng els but to shew that among them the lawfull order of deaconry is long ago taken away that they may no more glorie of this title to the coÌ„mendation of their Chirche which I thinke I haue already sufficiently shewed The .vi. Chapter ¶ Of the Supremicie of the See of Rome HItherto we haue rehersed those orders of the Chirch whiche were in the gouernement of the olde Chirch but afterwarde corrupted in tymes and from thensefoorthe more and more abused doo nowe in the Popishe Chirche reteyne onely their name and in dede are nothyng els but visours that by comparison the godly reader might iudge what manner of Chirch the Romanists haue for whoe 's sake they make vs schismatikes because we haue departed froÌ„ it But as for the hed and top of the whole order that is to say the supremicie of the see of Rome wherby they trauaile to proue that they only haue the catholike Chirch we haue not yet touched it because it toke beginning neither froÌ„ the institution of Christ nor from the vse of the old Chirch as those former partes did whiche we haue shewed to haue so proceded from antiquitie that by wickednesse of tymes they are vtterly degenerate and haue put on alltogether a newe forme And yet they go about to persuade the worlde that this is the chiefe and in a maner onely bonde of the vnitie of the Chirch if we cleaue to the see of Rome and continue in the obedience therof They rest I say principally vppon this stay when they will take away the Chirche from vs and claime it to themselues for that they kepe the head vpon whiche the vnitie of the Chirch hangeth and withoute whiche the Chirche muste needes fall asunder and bee broken in pieces For thus they thynke that the Chirche is as it were a maimed and headlesse body vnlesse it be subiect to the see of Rome as to her head Therfore when they talke of their Hierarchie they aâ—way take their beginnyng at this principle that the Bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christe whyche is the head of the Chirche is in his steede President of the vniuersall Chirche and that otherwyse the Chirche is not well ordred vnlesse that See doo holde the Supremicie aboue all other Therfore this also is to bee examined of what sort it is that we may omitt nothyng that perteineth to a iust gouernement of the Chirche Let this therfore be the principall point of the question Whether it be necessary for the true forme of Hierarchie as they call it or ecclesiasticall order that one See should be aboue the other bothe in dignitie and in power that it may be the heade of the whole bodye But we make the Chirche subiect to to vniust lawes if we laye this necessitie vppon it without the worde of God Therfore if the aduersaries will proue that whiche they require they must first shew that this disposition was ordeined by Christ. For this purpose they alledge out of the lawe the hye priesthode also the hye iudgement which God did institute at Hierusalem But it is easy to geue a solution and that many wayes if one way doo not satisfie them First no reason compelleth to extende that to the whole worlde which was profitable in one nation yea rather the order of one nation and of the whole worlde shall be farre different Because the Iewes were on ech side compassed with idolatrers that they should not be diuersely drawen with varietie of religions God appointed the place of worshippyng him in the middest part of the lande there he ordeined ouer them one head Bishop whom they should all haue regard vnto that they might be the better kepte together in vnitie Now when religion is spred abroade into the whole worlde who doeth not see that it is altogether an absurditie that the gouernemeÌ„t of the East and west be geueÌ„ to one man For it is in effect as much as if a maÌ„ should affirme that the whole worlde ought to be gouerned by one ruler because one piece of lande hath no mo rulers but one But there is yet an other reason why that ought not to be made an example to be folowed No man is ignorant that that hie Bishop was a figure of Christ. Now sins the priesthode is remoued that right must also be remoued But to whom is it remoued Truely not to the Pope as he himself is so bold shamelessely to boast when he draweth this title to himselfe but to Christe whiche as he alone susteineth this office without any vicar or successor so he resigneth the honor to none other For the priesthode consisteth not in doctrine onely but in the appeasyng of God which Christe hath fully wrought by his death and in that intercession whiche he nowe vseth with his Father There is therfore no cause why they should bynd vs by this example as by a perpetuall rule whiche wee haue seen to be enduryng but for a tyme. Out of the new testament they haue nothing to bryng foorth for proofe of their opinion but that it was saied to one Thou art Peter and vpon this stone I will builde my Chirche Agayne Peter Louest thou me Fede my shepe But admittyng that these be strong proues they must first shewe that he whiche is commaunded to fede the flocke of Christ hath power coÌ„mitted to him ouer all Chirches that to bynd and to lose is nothing els but to be ruler of all the world But as Peter had receiued the commauÌ„dement of the Lord so he exhorteth all other priestes to fede the Chirch Hereby we may gather that by this sayeng of Christ there was either nothyng geuen to Peter more then to the rest or that Peter did egally coÌ„municate with other the power that he had receiued But that we striue not vainly we haue in an other place a cleare exposition out of the mouthe of Christ what is to bynd and to lose that is to say to reteine and to forgeue sinnes But the maner of binding and loosing both the whole Scripture ech where sheweth and Paule very wel declareth when he saith that the ministers of the Gospel haue coÌ„maundement to reconcile men to God and also haue power to punishe them that refuse this benefite How shamefully they wrest those places that make mention of binding and loosing I both haue already shortly touched and a litle hereafter I shal haue occasion to declare more at large Now it is good to se onely what they gather of that famous answere of Christ to Peter He promised hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen he sayed that whatsoeuer he bounde in earth shoulde be bounde in heauen
forsothe which while Christ was yet liuyng they coulde not vnderstand after his ascendyng they learned by the reuelation of the Holy ghost Of the exposition of that place we haue els where already seen So much as is sufficient for this present cause truely they make themselues worthy to be laughed at whyle they faine that those greate mysteries which so long tyme were vnknowen to the Apostles were partly obseruations eyther Iewishe or Gentile of whiche all the one sort had ben long before publyshed among the Iewes and all the other sort among the Gentiles and partly foolysh gesturynges and vayne pety Ceremonies whiche foolishe sacrificyng prestes that can neither skill of swimmyng nor of letters vse to doo very trimly yea suche as children and fooles do so aptely counterfaite that it may sente that there be no fitter ministers of suche holy mysteries If there were no histories at all yet men that haue their sound witte myght consider by the thing it self that so great a heape of Ceremonies and obseruations did not sodenly brust into the Chirch but by little little crept in For when those holyer Bishops whiche were next in tyme to the Apostles had ordeyned some thynges that belonged to order and discipline afterwarde there folowed men some after other no discrete enoughe and to curious and gredy of whiche the later that euery one was so he more striued with his predecessoures in foolyshe enuious counterfaytyng not to geue place in inuentyng of newe thynges And because there was peryll least their deuyses woulde shortly growe oute of vse by whiche they coueted to gette prayse among their posteritie they were muche more rygorous in exact callyng vpon the kepyng of them This wrongfull zeale hath bredde vs a great part of these Ceremonies whyche they sette out vnto vs for Apostolike And this also the histories doo testifie Least in makyng a register of them we should be to tedious we will be content with one example In the ministryng of the Lordes supper there was in the Apostles tyme great simplicitie The next successours to garnishe the dignitie of the mysterie added somewhat that was not to be disallowed But afterwarde there came those foolishe counterfaiters which with now and then patchyng of peces together haue made vs this apparel of the prest whiche we se in the Masse those ornamentes of the altar those gesturynges and the whole furniture of vnprofitable thynges But they obiect that this in olde tyme was the persuasion that those thynges which were with one consente doone in the vniuersall Chirch came from the Apostles themselues whereof they cite Augustine for witnesse But I wyll bryng a solution from no other where than out of the words of Augustine hymselfe Those thinges saieth he that are kepte in the whole world we may vnderstand to haue ben ordeined either of the Apostles themselues or of the generall Councells whoe 's authoritie is moste healthfull in the Chirche as that the Lordes passion and resurrection and his ascendyng into heauen and the comming of the Holy ghoste are celebrate with yearely solemnitie and whatsoeuer lyke thyng bee founde that is kepte of the whole Chirch whiche waie soeuer it be spread abroade When he reckneth vp so fewe examples who doeth not se that he meant to impute to authors worthie of credite and reuerence the obseruations that then were vsed euen none but those symple rare and sobre ones with which it was profitable that the order of the Chirch shold be kepte together But howe farre doeth this differ from that whyche the Romishe maisters would enforce men to graunte that there is no pety Ceremonie among them that oughte not to be iudged Apostolike That I be not to long I wyll bryng foorth onely one example If any man aske them whense they haue theyr Holy water they by and by answer from the Apostles As though the histories dooe not attribute this inuention to I wote not what Bishop of Rome which truely if he had called the Apostles to counsell woulde neuer haue defiled Baptisme with a strange and vnfitte signe Albe it I do not thynke it like to be true that the beginnyng of that halowyng is so olde as it is there written For that whyche Augustine sayeth that certayne Chirches in his tyme dyd shunne that solemne folowyng of Christes example in washyng of feete least that vsage shoulde seeme to pertayne to Baptisme secretely sheweth that there was then no kynde of washyng that hadde any lykenesse with Baptisme Whatsoeuer it bee I wyll not graunte that this proceded from an Apostolike Spirite that Baptisme when it is with a dayly signe brought into remembrance should after a certayne maner bee repeted And I passe not vpon this that the selfe same Augustine in an other place ascribeth other thynges also to the Apostles For sithe he hath nothyng but coniectures iudgement oughte not vppon them to bee geuen of so greate a mater Finally admytte that we graunte them also that those thynges whych he rehearseth came from the tyme of the Apostles Yet there is greate difference betweene institutyng somme exercise of Godlynesse which the Faithful with a free conscience may vse or if the vse of it shall not be profitable for them they may forbeare it and making a law that may snare cōsciences with bondage But now from what author soeuer they proceded sithe we see that they are slidden into so greate abuse nothyng withstandeth but that we may without offence of hym abolish them forasmuche as they were neuer so commended that they muste be perpetually immouable Neither doth it much helpe them that to excuse their tyrannie they pretende the example of the Apostles The Apostles saye they and the elders of the first Chirch made a decree besyde the commaundement of Christ wherin they commaūded all the Gentiles to abstein from thinges offred to idols from strangled and from blood If that was lawefull for them why is it not also lawfull for their successours to followe the same so oft as occasion so requireth I wold to God they did bothe in all other thynges and in this thing folow them For I deny that the Apostles did there institute or decree any new thing which is easy to be proued by a strong reson For whereas Peter in that Coūcel pronounceth that God is tempted if a yoke be layed vpon the neckes of the disciples he doth himselfe ouerthrowe his owne sentence if he afterward consent to haue any yoke layed vpon them But there is a yoke layed if the Apostles do decree of their owne authoritie that the Gentiles shold be forbidden that they should not touch thinges offred to idoles blood strangled In dede there yet remaineth a dout for that they do neuerthelesse seme to forbidde But this dout shal easily be dissolued if a man doo more nerely consider the meaning of the decree it selfe in the order and effecte whereof the chiefe point is that to the Gentiles their libertie is to be left and