doth simply pronounce that all they are to be baptised whom God acknowledgeth for his people giueth sentence that they are partakers of purification or sanctification or remission of sinnes For in all this treatise concerning the sacramentes I haue already do nowe shew that baptisme is a badge or cognizance of the people of God an assured token of our purification by Christ Therefore since the yong babes and infants of the faithfull are in the number or reckoning of Gods people partakers of the promise touching the purification through Christ it foloweth of necessitie that they are as well to be baptised as they that be of perfect age whiche professe the Christian faith But there is a busie disputation begonn Who be the people of God and partakers of remission of sinnes by Christ So that the disputation is touching the secrete election of God and other hard questions depeÌ„ding on this thing But briefly and simply we can rid our handes of this We say that the people of God are acknowledged eyther by mens confession of the Christian faith or else by the bouÌ„tifull promise of god By mens confession for we acknowledge them to be the children of GOD who being now growne to perfect age do openly confesse the true God that God is their â—â—d and that Iesus Christe is their sauiour But that confession is either vnfeignedly or hypocritically made Vnfeignedly as when S. Peter saith Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God when the Eunuche saith I beleue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God but hypocritically as when Simon Magus in the Actes of the Apostles sayth That hee beleeueth in Iesus Christe But whether a man beléeue vnfeinedly or hypocritically when hee maketh open coÌ„fession of his faith in Christ the secretes of the heart God only séeth for he onely is rightly beléeued to be the searcher of mens hearts it belongeth not to vs if he make a right confession to separate or cast him away from the people of god For Philip did not cast off or put backe Simon Magus but vppon his confession receyued him for a faithfull man and baptised him as a faythfull man though he in verie déede and before GOD were an hypocrite In the first Sermon of this Decade we declared that hypocrites also are reckoned in the church til time they be reuealed But concerning remission of sinnes those onely among them that be of perfect age doe obteine it which vnfeinedly beléeue Whiche in an other place is often shewed S. Peter said to SimoÌ„ Magâ—s though he we were baptised Thou hast neither partenor fellowship in this busines bicause thy heart is not right in the sight of god Furthermore by the frée and bountifull promise of God not onely by the confession of men we estéeme and acknowledge the people of god For to whom so euer the lord promiseth that he wil be their God and whoÌ„ so euer he receiueth and acknowledgeth for his those no man without an horrible offence may exclude from thâ— nuÌ„ber of the faithfull And God promiseth that he wil not only be the god of them that confesse him but of infants also he promiseth to theÌ„ his grace remission of sinnes Who therefore gainesaying the Lord of al things will yet denie that infants belong to God are his and that they are made partakers of purification thoroughe Christe And that GOD acknowledgeth infants for his and sanctifieth them by the verie summe of the couenant it is manifest I wil make my couenant betweene me and thee saith the Lorde vnto Abraham and thy seede after thee in their generations by an euerlasting couenant that I may bee God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee There is added circumcision a signe of sanctificatioÌ„ wherof I spake abundantly wheÌ„ according to order I intreated of circumcision Neither is there any cause why any maÌ„ shuld feare that with circumcision and the ceremonies of the lawe the promise is abrogated and that by the coÌ„ming of Christ the couenant is broken and annihilated For we said euen now the Christ came to fulfill the promises of God not to breake them And therfore the Lorde in the gospel speaketh of infants that is to say which haue not as yet confessed the faith and saith Suffer litle childreÌ„ to come vnto me forbid them not for of suche is the kingdome of God. And though it be said Of such and not Of those yet no man is so ignorant but vnderstaÌ„deth there is a likenes betwene those thinges which are compared betwene theÌ„ selues Therefore if the kingdome of God belongeth vnto them that are of perfect age bicause they are become like little children surely it foloweth of necessitie that the inheritance of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ belongeth also to infants or little children For it followeth in the gospel Whosoeuer shall not receiue the kingdome of God as a litle childe he shal in no wise enter therin Therfore it behoueth the heires of the kingdome of God to be first infants or little children And who knoweth not that no man vnlesse he be sanctified purified shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Children enter into the kingdome of GOD therefore they are purified to wit by the grace of god For by their nature and byrth they are vncleane and sinners but for Christes sake they are purified who saide That hee came to seeke and saue that whiche was lost Paul also expresly testifieth That by the sinne of one Adam sinn came on all men vnto condemnation and that by the righteousnesse of one Christ good came vpon all meÌ„ to the righteousnesse of life Therefore it is certein that infants are partakers of purification and remission of sinnes through Christ albeit they do not coÌ„fesse remission of sinnes What doth not the Lorde say in the gospell It is not the will of your father whiche is in heauen that one of these litle ones should perish Againe He that shall receiue suche a young childe in my name receiueth me but he that shall offend one of these litle ones that beleeue in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his necke c. See therfore and take heede that ye despise not one of these little ones For I say vnto you that their angels in heauen do alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heauen Beholde what could be more manifestly spoken It is not the will of my heauenly father that infantes should perish Therfore he receiueth them fréely into grace and fauour though they haue not yet confessed Moreouer he that receiueth such a little one to wit as he him selfe set in the middest of them for Christes sake he is sayde to receiue Christ him selfe Loe he attributeth to the receiuers of infantes that which he promised to the receyuers of the Prophetes He addeth But he which shall offend one of these little ones that beleeue in mee He manifestly calleth the litle ones not
vnto saluation that baptisme is superfluous he hath despised the ordinance of God is condemned for a rebell and an enimie to God. Furthermore that place of Iohn 3. is not to be vnderstood of the ourward signe of holy baptisme but simplie of the inward most spiritual regeneration of the holy spirite which when Nicodemus vnderstoode not perfectely the Lorde figured and made the same manifest vnto him by parables of water of the spirit that is to say of the winde or the ayer by elements verie base and familiar For by and by he addeth That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh c. Again The winde bloweth where it lusteth c. whiche must néedes be ment of the ayer For the other part of the coÌ„parison followeth So is euery one that is borne of the spirite Furthermore he addeth If I tel you of earthly thinges and ye beleeue not how will you beleeue if I tel you of heaueÌ„ly things But the argumeÌ„t which he put forth was not altogether earthly For this is the argument of his whole disputatioÌ„ Except a man be borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God That is to say vnlesse a man be renued as it were borne againe by the spirite of God which is giuen from aboue that is to say powred into him from heauen he caÌ„not be saued The doctrine is altogether heauenly but the meanes wherby he deliuered declared set forthe this heauenly doctrine is earthly For by thinges taken from the earth he shadowed out to man beeing grosse of vnderstanding earthly a spiritual and heauenly thing laid it open as it were euen â—â— the view of his eyes As by water ayre oftentimes the qualities of bodies are changed and as the effecte and woorking of water and the aire in bodies is merueilous in like manner is the working of the holy Ghoste in the soule of man which it changeth purifieth and quickeneth c. For so the Lorde himselfe afterward whiche I tolde you euen now expoundeth an other parable of the spirite And because al olde writers for the moste part by water haue vnderstood sacramentall water that is to say holy baptisme we also receiue this interpretation For we willingly graunte that baptisme is necessarie to saluation as wel in such as are of perfect age as also in babes or infantes so that necessitie constraine not the contrarie For otherwise if we goe forwarde stubbernly with S. August to condemne infantes by this place truely we shal be compelled also to coÌ„demne euen those that are baptised if they departe this life without partaking of the bodie and bloud of Christ For S. Augustine béeing infected with the like errour defendeth that the sacrament of the Lordes supper ought to be put into the infantes mouthe or else they are in daunger of death and damnation because it is written Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud yee haue no life in you Therefore after this same order he placeth these two sentences Except a man be born of water and of the spirite he cannot see the kingdome of God. And Excepte ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man c. So that if thou persist obstinately in S. Augustines sentence verily thou wilt condemne the whole Church at this day which denieth the partaking of the Lordes supper vnto Infantes But if in this thing there be admitted a coÌ„uenient interpretation why are ye so rigorous obstinate in another the like place cause not disagréeable What wil you say if in this opinion Augustine doeth not satisfie no not himselfe in all and euery point To a Lay-man he thinketh it veniall sinne if he baptise in time of necessitie He cannot tell whether it be godlily spoken the baptisme ministred by a lay-man ought to be iterated or done againe But how much better and safer had it béene letting the necessitie of baptisme pas which hath no lawful causes to holde opinion the infantes if they be not preuented by death ought to be baptised of the minister of the church in the church their parents procuring it as opportunitie first serueth that too too spéedie souden death which we cal the pinch of necessitie is no let or hinderance to saluation to them which are not yet broght to be baptised The same Augustine trembleth and is afraide to determine of the punishmente of damned infants for not beeing baptised neither knoweth truly what he might certeinly say In his first booke De anim c. ca. 9. hée saith Let no maÌ„ promise to infantes vnbaptised as it were a middle place of rest or felicity whatsoeuer it be or whersoeuer it be betweene hell and the kingdome of heauen But that sentence is for the most part receiued of all men â–ª whervpon also the infantes are buried in the churchyarde in a certeine middle place betwéene the prophane holy ground And againe the same Aug. contra Iulianum Pelagianum lib. 5. ca. 8. writeth That those infantes of all other shal come in the easiest damnation And immediately bee addeth Which of what maner how great it shal be although I cannot describe yet I dare not say that it were better for them to be as no body thaÌ„ to be there And againe in his Epistle to Sainte Hierome 28. he sayth When I come to determine of the punishments of little infants beleeue me I am driuen into narrowe streightes neyther finde I any thing at all to aunswere Héere also may that be added whiche hee disputeth vppon Lib. 4. contra Donatist cap. 22. 23. touching the théefe whiche was crucified with Christe among other things saying That then baptisme is fulfilled inuisibly when not the contempt of religion but the poynt of necessitie excludeth and shutteth out from visible baptisme Why then should wee not beleeue also that in infantes departing by to to timely death baptisme is inuisibly perfourmed since that not contempt of religion but the extremitie of necessitie whiche can not bee auoyded excludeth and debarreth them from visible baptisme And since verie many at this day doe graunt that any man of perfect age withoute baptisme in the point of necessitie may bee saued so that hee haue a desire of baptisme why then may not the godly desires of the parentes acquite the infantes nowe newly borne from guiltinesse But thus much hitherto Touching this also who are to be baptised both in time past our age there hath bene bitter iarring Pelagius in time past denyed that infants ought to be baptised which we heard euen nowe Before Pelagius time AuxeÌ„tius Arianus with his sectaries denyed that they are to be baptised Some in the time of S. Barnard denied the same as we may gather out of his writings The Anabaptistes at this day a kinde of men raysed vp of sathan to destroy the Gospel denie it likewise But the Catholique trueth whiche is deliuered vnto vs in the holy scriptures
owne of his méere grace and frée promise without their confession So that of the contrary part we doe thus reason They that beléeue are to be baptised whiche the verie aduersaries also do confesse Infantes doe beléeue For God reckoneth them in the number of the faithfull whiche I haue afore manifestly proued Therefore infantes are to be baptised They obiect that infants vnderstande not the mysterie of baptisme and therefore that it is not onely repugnant to religion but to common sense and reason to baptise infants For to baptise an infant is to baptise a logge since neither of theÌ„ hath the vse of reason but these filthy knaues let their tongs run at randon against the verie maiestie of god God commaunded to circumcise the infants and circumcisioÌ„ conteineth high mysteries whiche infants vnderstand not But hath God ordeined any thing against reason coÌ„monsense Go ye falseknaues go with your blasphemies to the place which you deserue It is a most filthy déede yea and more than barbarouâ— in that ye compare infants to logges For what great store God setteth by infants we taught you alredy before out of the Gospell But men which nowe beginne to haue the vse of sound reason are diligently and earnestly to be taught and admonished to remember they are baptised and to indeuour by calling on the name of the Lord in all points to be answerable in life and conuersation to their promise and profession For so Abraham instructed his sonne Isaach and all the holy fathers their children But letting passe these brainsicke frantique and foule-mouthed raylers who as we haue heard neuer want wordes to wrangle though we haue hadde neuer so muche neuer so often and neuer so earnest conference with them Let vs procéede to declare in a sewe but yet manifest arguments that infants are to be baptised and that the Apostles of Christe our Lord haue baptised infants The Lorde commaunded to baptise all nations and therefore infantes For they are comprehended vnder the worde of All nations Againe whom so euer God reckoneth among the faythfull are faythfull For Peter in a vision heareth That whiche God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane God reckoneth infantes among the faythfull therefore they are faythfull except we hadde rather resist God and séem to be stronger than he And now we count it oute of all controuersie that the Apostles of Christe baptised them whome Christ commaunded to baptise but he commaunded to baptise the faythfull therefore the Apostles baptised infants The Gospell is greater than baptisme for Paule sayth The Lorde sent me to preache the Gospell and not to baptise not that he did absolutely denie that he was not sent to baptise but bycause he preferred doctrine For the Lord commended them both to his Apostles Furthermore in the Gospell children are receyued of God and not refused who then vnlesse he be willingly obstinate can debarre them from the lesse In â—acramentes the thing signified and the signe are considered The thing signified is the excellenter from the infants are not debarred Who then will denie them the signe Truly the holy sacraments of God are more estéemed by the worde than the signe By the woorde we gather that women are not excluded from the Supper of the Lorde Although therfore we reade not that they were in the first institution and set at the first table of the Lorde neyther that there is any expresse law which commaundeth vs to admitte them to the Supper yet neuerthelesse withoute feare or doubt by a perfect argument we admit them S. Peter could not deny them the baptisme of water to whome he sawe the holie Ghost to be giuen whiche is an assured tokeÌ„ of Gods people for he saith in the Acts of the Apostles Can anye man forbid water that these should not bee baptised which haue receiued the holie Ghoste as well as wee Wherefore the holie Apostle Peter denyed not baptisme to infants For he knewe assuredly euen by the doctrine of his Lord and maister that I may speake nothing now of the euerlasting couenaunt of God that the kingdome of heauen is of infants No man is receiued into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be the friende of god And these are not destitute of the spirite of god For hee which hath not the spirit of Christe the same is none of his children are Gods therefore they haue the spirite of god Therefore if they haue receyued the holy Ghost as well as we if they be accounted among the people of God as well as we that be growne in age who I praye you can forbid these to be baptised with water in the name of the Lord At the first the Apostls murmured being theÌ„ not sufficiently instructed against them that brought infantes vnto the Lorde But the Lord rebuked them and said Suffer little children to come vnto me Why then do not the rebellious Anabaptistes obey the commaundement of the Lord For what other thing doe they at this day whiche bring children vnto baptisme than that whiche they in times past did which brought infants vnto the Lord And the Lord receyued them layde his handes on them and blessed them and to be shorte by wordes and gestures he notably signified that children are the people of God and most acceptable to god But why then by the same meanes say they did not he baptise them Bycause it is written that Iesus him self did not baptise but his disciples Nowe since of the thing it selfe it is so playnely determined why as yet doe we contend about the signe Hitherto good men are satisfied but contentious persons go on to busie them selues with questions Beside this circumcision among the olde people of God was giuen to infants therefore baptisme ought to be giuen to infants among the newe people For baptisme succéeded in the place of circumcision For S. Paule sayth By Christ ye are circumcised with circumcision made withoute hands by putting off the body of the fleshe subiect to sinne by the circumcision of Christ buryed with him in baptisme Loe Paule calleth baptisme the circumcision of Christians made without hands not that water is not ministred by hands but in that no men hencefoorthe is circumcised with handes the mysterie of circumcision remayning neuerthelesse in the faythful Neither shalt thou reade any of the old interpreters of the church which haue not confessed the baptisme came in stead of circumcision Yea the likenesse and similitude of both of them do shewe a manifest succession To that whiche I haue sayde I ioyne this The seruauntes of God haue alwayes bene carefull to gyue the signes to them for whome they were ordained For that I may passe ouer al other did not Iosua diligently prouide that the people shoulde be circumcised afore they entered into the lande of promise And since the Apostles the preachers to the whole worlde haue bene the faythfull seruaunts of Iesus Christe who hereafter may doubt that they
consist in hearing and following the word of God and that contrarily calamities and miseries doe rise by the coÌ„tempt and neglecting of the same For Ieroboam the first king of the seperated Israelites letting passe the word of God did ordeyne new rites to worship the Lord by and erected new temples but by so doing hee ouerthrew himselfe his house and all his kingdome After him doth Baasa succeede both in the kingdome idolatrous religion which was the cause why he his were vtterly destroyed Then followeth Amri the father of Achab who for augmenting idolatrous impietie is horriblie slaine with all his family so that not one of his escaped the reuenging sword of Gods anger ielousie And for because Iehu was faithfull valliant in killing those tyraunts in dispatching Baals priestes rooting out of idolatrous superstition the Lord doth promise say vnto him Because thou hast zealously done that which thou hast done according to all that is right in my sight therefore shall thy children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel And wee read verily that his sonnes and nephues were notable Princes which succeded in the kingdome euen Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam the second of that name and Zacharias The other kinges as Sellum Manahe Pekaiah Peka and Osee had their kingdome altogether like to the kingdome of the sonne of Iosâ—as to wit in a seditious troublesome a most miserable taking For they despised the mouth of the lord Therfore were they vtterly cutt off and for the most part either slaine or carried away captiue by their enimies the Assyrians From the diuision of tbe people into two seuerall kingdomes after the death of Solomon there were in number 19 kinges of Israell and 18. of Iuda The kings of Israell altogether reigned about 272. yeares and they of Iuda about 393. Now by the space of so many yeares in the most renowmed peculiar people of God which was as it were a glasse set before the eyes of all nations to view and behold themselues in there might the truest causes of felicitie calamities of all kings kingdoms in the whoale world be so liuely represented and perfectly paynted that there should bee no neede to fetch from else where a more plaine and euident demonstration of the same And yet for al that wee are not without other forreigne examples wherby to proue it For the Pharaoes of Aegypt were the destruction both to themselues and also to their kingdome by their stubborne rebellion against Gods word Againe Darius Priscus and the great Nabuchodonosor enioyed no small felicitie because they despised not the counsells of Daniel Balthazar king of Babylon a despightfull contemner of God and his word is in one night destroyed with all his power Babylon the most auncient and famous citie of the world is taken set on fyre sacked and ouerthrowne and the kingdom translated to the Medes and Persians Neither were the kinges of Persia vnfortunate at all I meane Cyrus and Darius otherwise called Artaxerxes because they fauoured the word of God and did promoate his people and true religion But on the other side wee read that Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes was most vnfortunate who as it were making warre with God himselfe did most wickedly burne and make away the bookes of holy Scripture Furthermore wee haue as great stoare of examples also euen out of those Histories which followed immediately the time of Christ his ascension For so many Romane Emperours kinges and Princes as persecuted the preaching of the Gospell and Church of our Lord Iesus Christ aduaunced idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie so many I say did die a foule and shamefull death Of this are Eusebius and Orosius renowmed Historiographers assured witnesses Againe S. Augustine lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei affirmeth that incredible victories verie great glorie and most absolute felicitie hath beene giuen by God vnto those kinges which haue in faith sincerely embraced Christe their Lord and vtterly subuerted idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie It is euident therefore that felicitie commeth by good will and obedience to the word of God that all kings and kingdoms shal be vnhappie which forsake the word of God and turne themselues to mens inuentions And this I haue I trust declared hetherto so plainly that the hearers may seeme not onely to vnderstand but also to see before their eyes and as it were to feele with their hands the pith and materiall substaunce of this whole treatise But wherunto doth all this tend That your Royall maiestie forsooth may vndoubttingly know be assuredly persuaded that true felicitie is gotten and reteyned by faithfull studie in the word of God to witt if you submit your selfe altogether and your whoale kingdome to Christe the chiefe and highest Prince if throughout your whoale realme you dispose and order religion and all matters of iustice according to the rule of Gods holy word if you decline not one haires breadth from that rule but studie to aduaunce the kingdome of Christ and goe on as hetherto you haue happily begon to subuert tread vnder foote the vsurped power of that tyrannicall Antichrist Not that your maiestie needeth any whit at all mine admonitions or instructions For you haue vndoubtedly that heauenly teachâ—r in your minde I meane the holie Ghoste which inspireth you with the verie true doctrine of sincere and pure religion Your Maiestie hath the sacred Bible the holiest booke of all bookes wherein as in a perfect rule the whoale matter of pâ—etie our true saluation is absolutely conteyned and plainly set downe Your Maiestie hath noble men and many Counsellours belonging to your kingdome faithfull valliaunt and skilfull heads both in the lawe of God and men who for their wisedome loue that they beare to the sincere truâ—th are greatly commended amonge forreigne nations And for that cause all the faithfull doe thinke and call your maiestie most happie But that happie king Ezechias although hee did especially vse the helpe of those excellent men Esâ—â— and Micheas did not yet despise faithfull admonishers euen amonge the 〈◊〉 sort of Leuites neither thought they that in admonishing the king theâ— lâ—st and 〈…〉 labour in vaine I therefore hauing good affiaunce in your 〈◊〉 good aâ—d godlâ—disposition do verily hope that this short discourse of mine touching the true causes of the felicitie and calamities of kinges and kingdoms shall haue a proâ—iting place with you Euen I which 12. yeares since did dedicate vnto your father of famous memorie Henrie viij a booke touching the authoritie of the holie Scripture and the institution and function of Bishopps against the Pontificall chuffes of the Romishe superstition and tyrannie and now by experience know that that labour of mine brought forth no small fruite within the realme of England am now so bold againe as to dedicate these my Sermons vnto your Royall maiestie In these Sermons I handle not the least and lowest points or places of Christian religion the
Ghostes meaning is not to haue such an order of life obserued as these people do deuise but that euery man should gouerne well his owne house and familie relieue the brethrens necessitie according as his abilitie will suffer and beare To this end also do other places belong 1. Timothe 5. Titus 2. 1. Thessal 4. 2. Thessal 3. And when in all his Epistles almost he prescribeth to parents and children to housbands and wiues to maisters and seruauntes their office and dueties what doth he else but teach how to order our houses families thus much thus farre What may be saide of that more ouer that many wealthie men in the Gospell are reported to haue béene worshippers of God Ioseph of Arimathea which buried the Lord after hée was crucified is said to haue bene a wealthie man a disciple of Christ also The women were welthie which folowed the Lord from Galile and ministred to him and his disciples of their goods substance The gelded treasorer of Quéene Candace was a welthie man Tabitha of Ioppa whoÌ„ Peter raysed from death to life was rich and spent her substance fréely vppon poore and néedie people Lydia the seller of purple was wealthie too and innumerable more who were both godly and faithful people Wheras the Lord therefore did say to the younge man If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell that which thou hast and giue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and folowe mee that is no generall lawe or simple doctrine belonging to all men but is a demonstration onely to shew that the yonge man to whom he spake had not yet so perfectly fulfilled the lawe as he thought verily that he had dâ—n for hee thought hée had done all and that nothing was wanting For the younge man sett more by his goods then hée did by God and the voyce of Gods commaundement For he departed sadly and did not as the Lord had bidden him and thereby declared that hée had not yet fulfilled the lawe Moreouer wée may out of other places gather that the Lord did not casâ—e downe his disciples to miserie and beggarie Neither was Paul the Apostle ashamed to make lawes for riche men and to prescribe an order howe they ought to behaue themselues To them that be riche sayth he â–ª in this world giue charge that they bee not highe minded nor trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing God which giueth vs abundantly al thinges to enioy that they do good that they bee riche in good woorkes that they be ready to giue glad to distribute laying vp in stoare for them selues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold vppon eternall life Hereunto belong the admonitions of our Sauiour who sayth Yee cannot serue God mammon at once Againe Riches are thornes that choake the seede of the word of God. And againe Verilie I say vnto you a riche man shal hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen It is easier for a Camel to goe throughe the eye of a needle than for a rich maÌ„ to enter into the kingdome of God. And as the mindes of wealthie men are not vtterly to be discouraged and driuen to desperation as thoughe it were impossible for them to be saued so are they to be admonished of the imminente perills least peraduenture they sléepe securely ouer their riches beeing seduced by Satan to abuse their wealthe when as in déede they ought rather to vse it after the rule of the Apostle which I did euen nowe recite The Gangresian Synode a verie auncient Counsell verily condemned them which taughte That faithfull riche men could haue no hope to bee saued by the Lord vnlesse they did renounce and forsake all the good that they did possesse S. Augustine enrolleth and reckoneth the Apostoliques in his Catologue or beadrowe of heretiques They taking arrogantly this name to themselues did not admitte into their companie any of them which vsed the fellowshipp of their owne wiues or had in 〈◊〉 any proper substaunce â–ª 〈…〉 they therfâ—â—e 〈…〉 because seperating themselues from the Church they thincke that they haue no hope to be saued which vse and enioy the things that they themselues lacke They are like vnto the Encratites and are called also by the name of Apotactites Touching riches they of themselues verily are not euill but the good giftes of God It is the abuse that makes them euil But for the vse of them I wil speake hereafter Here followeth nowe the treatise of the getting of wealth and riches which bée necessarie for the maintenance of our liues and families Touching the getting whereof there is a large discourse among our Lawyers For they say that goods are gotten by the lawe of Nations and by the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie By the lawe of Nations as by Preuention in possession by captiuitie by finding by byrth by casting vp of water by chaunging the kinde by increase in bondage by mixture by building planting sowing tilling in a ground frée from possession and by deliuerie By the peculiar lawe of euery particular countrie as by continuaunce of possession by prescription by giuing by will by legacie by feoffment by succession by challenge by purchase of all which particularly to speake it would bée a labour too tedious and for you to heare dearely beloued litle profitable That therefore which wée are to saye wée will frame to the manners and customes of oure age and wée will vtter that which shall tend to our auaile Principally and before all thinges wee must close and shutt vpp an euill eye least wee bee carried away with too much concupiscence and desire The light of the body saith oure Sauiour Christe in the Gospell is the eye If therefore thine eye be single thine whoale body shal be lightened but if thine eye bee euill thy body shal bee all darcke The minde of man béeing indued with faith and not infected with concupiscences and naughtie lustes doth giue light to all thinges that hée shall take in hand goe about and doe but if his mind bée corrupt and vncleane then shall his déedes sauour also of corruption and vncleannesse Wherfore faith and an vpright conscience must subdue and beate downe too muche concupiscence and couetousnesse which take their originall and roote from distruste making vnholie and vncleane al the counsells of man all his thoughtes all his woordes and déedes And that wée may be able and of force sufficieÌ„t to captiuate bring them into subiection necessarie it is that the Grace of Christe assiste vs which euery godly minded man and woman doeth aske of God with godly and faithfull prayers Béehoofull it is that wée alwayes set before our eyes and haue déepely grauen in our heartes the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ touching these and the instruction also of his holie Apostles which is not so much but it may bée well borne away Wée will therefore rehearse vnto
God and ye shal be my people And yet in an other place we read that the offering of sacrifices that externall action of the people in worshipping god was acceptable and of a sweet smelling sauour in the nose of the lord Now wheruppon riseth this diuersitie I pray you but vppon the difference of the mindes of them that worship the Lord For sacrifices pleased him the honour that was done vnto him in simple obedience faith alone did please him too but that religion hée did vtterly mislike of wherin he was worshipped with outward shewes and not with the fayth and sincere obedience of the inwarde hart in which sort we read that Cain did sinne for God commaunded not to sacrifice in that maner that Cain did Againe he commaunded to sacrifice and to worship him with external ceremonies in faith that Christ shuld come to be the Sauiour of the world not that they should hope to be iustified by the externall action but by him that was prefigured in al their Ceremonies Christe Iesus the sacrifice once to be offered to saue them all who was the life and meaning wherunto all those Ceremonies did leade that are expressed in the lawe But it is not a misse here particularly to examine and looke into not al and euery one but the chiefest Ceremonies and those which are more significant than the rest Let this labour of mine not séeme to any man to bee more curious than needeth or lesse profitable than it sheweth for For it is vndoubtedly very auaileable to the sound vnderstanding of the abrogation of the lawe All thinges whatsoeuer God hath layd downe in the holy scriptures are altogether profitable to our edification and doe carrie with them a diuine authoritie wherby we may coÌ„firme our minds they therfore are very fooles and godlesse people or to vse a more gentle terme they are shuttle witted ignoraÌ„t of all good things whose stomachs doe rise at the Ceremonies that God hath taught and whose eares are offended to heare a sober godly treatise vpon the exposition of those diuine ceremonies Some there are that no smal number who thincke it very profitable and an excellent thing to construe Homer and Virgil allegoricallie in diuine Ceremonies only foolish heads are persuaded that no profite or wisedom lyeth secretly hidden when in déede in all the world againe ther is nothing more profitable more pleasant more fine more excellent or more full of wisedome in allegoricall types than the ceremonies are that God hath ordeyned For in them are the mysteries of Christe his Catholique Church very finely plainely and notably described Now in reckoning vp and touching these seueral ceremonies I wilchiefly follow the very natural order Ceremonies doe apperteyne to the Ecclesiastical worship of god Therfore it is necessarie that there should bee persons appointed in the Church to bee the maisters or rather publique ministers of those Ceremonies to exercise and put them in practise as the Lord ordeyned them It is necessarie also that there be a certaine place and time appointed wherein and when God should be especially worshipped rather than at an other place or season moreouer the holy rites that is the very ceremonies must be appointed and certainly numbered that the worshippers of god may know what and how great y honour is that they are bound to giue vnto him And first of al I meane to say somewhat of the persons that is the priests or Leuits referring stil the hearers to the reading of the holy Bible wherein the whole is fully conteyned and largely described The beginning of priesthood among the old people is deriued or brought from the creatioÌ„ almost For they say that in euery familie the first begotten were alwayes the priestes It is certaine that when the first borne of Aegypt were flaine the Lord did by a lawe consecrate to himselfe the first begotteÌ„ of the Israelits And the preeminence or dignitie of the first begotten hath alwayes béene very great by the Ciuil lawe The first begotten did alwayes rule and beare the sway in his fathers house and was as it were a king amonge his brethren to the first begotteÌ„ the inheritance was due to the other brethren were portions giuen the first begotten did excel the rest in the dignitie of the priesthood Therefore when Cain and Abel did striue about their birthright they coÌ„tended not about a trifle but about a matter of very great weight Whervpon when the mother virgin is said in Luke to haue borne her first begotten sonne let no man thinke that she was the mother of the second begotten or many sonnes more For in that Luke calleth Christ her first begotten sonne therein is noted his dignitie and excellencie For to Christ our Lord doth belong the kingdome priesthood and inheritance By whose bouÌ„tiful liberalitie wée are adopted to be his parteners both in the kingdome priesthood and inheritaunce of life euerlasting and all heauenly thinges But to returne to oure purpose againe the dignitie of priesthood amonge the people of Israel did of right belong to Ruben because hee was the first begotten But he by committing detestable inceste did loose his righte Next to him therfore was Leui who also loste that dignitie for the sinne which he coÌ„mitted in killing the men of Sichem trayterously and prophaning the sacrament of Circumcision But because the tribe of Leui did behaue it selfe manfully not onely in the bringing of the children of Israel out of Aegypt but also in punishing idolaters I meane the men that worshipped the golden calfe therefore did they receiue the office or dignitie of priesthood in reward of their vertue and at that time were the Leuits chosen into the place of the first begotten of all the séed of Israel For thus wée read And Moses said vnto the Leuites Consecrate your handes vnto the Lord this day euery man vppon his sonne and vpon his brother that there may a blessing bee giuen you this day And againe And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying Behold I haue taken the Leuites from amonge the children of Israel for all that first openeth the matrice amonge the children of Israell and the Leuites shal be mine Because all the first borne are mine For the same daye that I smoate all the first borne in the land of Aegypt I hallowed to mee selfe all the first borne in Israel And so forth By this it appeareth that the tribe of Leui was appointed to the priesthood in the Church of Israel Moreouer this dignitie or ministerie was singularly confirmed to this Tribe immediately vppon the insurrection of Corah Dathan and Abiron by the wonderfull myracle that the Lord wrought vppon Aarons rodd which budded alone among the other eleuen twigs for a witnesse that god had appointed the tribe of Leui alone to the office and function of holy priest â—ood And for that cause was the same rodd put into the arcke and kept
time present Is it not farre better in such extreme times of calamitie to committ such a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen than to doe such a sinne whereby no time is left to repent in This haue I said because of those wilfull men and women whiche to auoyde not others but their owne sinne least perhapps vnder an others luste they should consent to their owne being stirred vpp doe thincke that they ought to ridd themselues from it by shortening their liues But farre bee it from a Christian minde which trusteth in our God and with a settled hope doeth staye on him as on his surestayde Farre bee it I say from such a minde to yeeld to any pleasures of the fleshe vnto the consenting to filthinesse But if the concupiscentiall disobedience whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members is against the lawe of our will stirred vp or moued by a lawe of her owne how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that consenteth not if it be without blame in the bodie of him that sleepeth Thus much out of Augustine Nowe doe wée returne to our purpose againe To proceede therefore they diuide actuall sinnes into hidden or priuate and into manifest or publique sinnes Those hidden sinnes are not such as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone of which sorte is hypocrisiâ— the deprauation of mans disposition but such as are not vtterly without witnesses althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifest to all men For on the other side the manifest and publique sinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church And these verilie are of both the greater those the lighter because they touche the church and pâ—ocure the offence of many men Touching which the Apostle speaketh in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothie But the most vulgar and apte distinction of actuall sinne whiche doeth in a manner conteine in it selfe all the other kinds and parts thereof is that wherein it is called either mortall or veniall sinne They thincke that mortal sinne is euerie sinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull person And that veniall sinne is euerie sinne that is done of a faithfull man I doe simplie and according to the Scriptures suppose that all the sinnes of men are mortall For they are done against the lawe or will of god But death is due to sinnes For the Prophete cryeth The soule that sinneth shal die it selfe And the Apostle sayeth The reward of sinne is death Yea and deadly sinnes doe take the name of death To this nowe doe belong these testimonies of the Apostle This yee knowe that euerie fornicatour or vncleane person or couetous person whiche is a worshipper of Idols hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and God. The same sentence béeing againe rehearsed in the fifâ—e to the Ephesians is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians and the fifte and sixt Chapiters of the first to the Corinthians But the sinnes whiche are of their owne nature mortall are thoroughe grace in the faith of Iesus Christ made veniall béecause they are thoroughe Christ forgiuen by Gods great fauour and mercie And therefore the Apostle in the sixte Chapiter to the Romans did not saye Let not sinne bee in your mortall bodie But Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that yee should obey to it thoroughe the lustes thereof And againe There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to walke after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirite ye shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Therefore there is sinne in our bodie alwayes so long as wee liue but by Grace it is not imputed vnto death and they to whome it is not imputed doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh and yet they do verie often times slip and fall which falles and slippings neuerthelesse together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted sinnes I meane sinnes pardonable and not to be punished eternally Nowe to mortall sinnes is that sinne especially to be referred which is called the sinne against the holie Ghost which some do not without a cause suppose to bee moste properly called mortal sinne Of which I will speake when first I haue somewhat briefly aunswered to certeine questions that do depend vppon this argument Firste of all here is demaunded whether y sinne or disease which after baptisme remaineth in infants be sinne in verie déede Nowe it is manifest that concupiscence remaineth in them that are baptised and that concupiscence is sinne and therfore that sinne remaineth in them that are baptised which sinne notwithstanding is through the Grace of God in the merite of Iesus Christ not imputed vnto them So did Sainct Augustine resolue this knott in the first booke De Peccatorum meritis remissione Cap. 39. where he saith In infants verily it is so wrought by the Grace of God through the baptisme of him that came in the likenesse of sinfull fleshe that the fleshe of sinne should be made voide And yet it is made voide so not that the concupiscence which is spredd and bredd in the fleshe while it liueth shoulde of a soudeine bee consumed vanish awaye and not bee but that it should not hurte him nowe being dead in whome it was euen at his birth For it is not giuen in baptisme to them of more yeres that the lawe of sinne which is in their members contrarie to the lawe of their minde should vtterly be extinguished and not bee at all but that all the euill whatsoeuer is faide done or thought of man when with his captiue mind he serued that concupiscence should be vtterly wiped out and so reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done Thus much hath Augustine Another question is whether those workes that the Gentiles doe which haue a shewe of vertue and goodnesse are sinnes or else good woorkes It is assuredly true that God euen among the Gentiles also had his electe Nowe so many such as were among them were not without the holie Ghoste and faith Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes and not sinnes For in the Actes of the Apostles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before god And the same Cornelius is saide to haue beene a deuout man and fearing God wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull whose faith afterward is made fully perfect and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoste is more plentiously bestowed Moreouer the worthie déedes of the heathens are not to be despised nor vtterly contemned For as they were not altogether done without God so did they much auaile to the preseruing and restoring
hee is not regenerate and is yet without the true light of Gods moste holie Spirite For in another place the Apostle saith We are not able to thinke any good as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And therefore it is that wée do so often in the Scriptures finde mention of Inlightening or I lumination which shoulde without cause be expressed or named if so bee mannes vnderstanding were cleare of it selfe not darke and mistie There is therefore borne togeather with all men a blindenesse of heart mynde a doubting in the promises of God and an vnbeléefe and peruerse iudgement in all heauenly thinges For albeit that man hath at Gods hand receiued vnderstanding yet by reason of his owne corruption ignoraunce is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging vnto him For he is then in his kingdome when he is blynd when he doth erre when he doth doubte when hee doth not beléeue nor vse the gifts that God hath giuen him rightly as hee should that is to his owne saluation and the glorie of his maker Let vs nowe sée what the will of the olde man is able to doe Therefore since this will doeth followe a blynde guide God wote that is to say corrupt affection it is vnknowen to no man what foolishe choyce it maketh and wherevnto it tendeth And although the vnderstanding bee neuer so true and good yet is the will like to a shippe tossed to fro with stormie tempestes that is of affections For it walloweth vpp and downe with hope feare lust sorrowe and anger so that it chooseth and followeth nothing but euil For the holie Apostle speakinge of him selfe doth saye I knowe that in mee that is in my fleash there dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good For the good that I woulde doe I not but the euill which I woulde not that do I. But nowe since the Apostle spake this of him selfe when he was regenerate what I praye you shall wee saye of the will of the olde man The olde man willeth all thinges whiche God willeth not and breakinge into all kinde of wickednesse doeth foulie fulfill his filthie lustes that is to say hee giueth his members seruauntes vnto vncleannesse and wickednesse from one iniquitie vnto another We haue of this verie many examples exhibited vnto vs bothe by the holie Scriptures and daily experience Let vs nowe against this oppose or set the newe man that is the man which is regenerate by the spirite of GOD through the faith of Iesus Christe Nowe regeneration is the renuing of the man by which through the faith of Iesus Christe we whiche were the sonnes of Adam and of wrath are borne againe the sonnes of God and do therefore putt off the olde man and put on the new which bothe in vnderstanding and wil doeth fréely serue the Lorde This regeneration is the renuing of the minde not of the bodie as we hearde in an other place out of the thirde Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospell The author of this regeneration is the holie Ghost which is from heauen giuen vnto man I meane to a faithfull man For the gifte of the holie Ghoste is giuen for Christe his sake and that too vnto none but those that do beléeue in Christe This spirite of God doeth testifie with our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God and therefore the heires of his kingdome Wee are therefore a newe creature repayred nowe according to the image of GOD and indued with a newe nature or disposition whereby it commeth to passe that wee doe dayly put off that olde man and putt on the newe whiche thinge is done when we walk not in concupiscence after the Carnall inclination of the fleshe but in newenesse of sense according to the woorkinge of the holie Ghoste by whome wee are regenerate The same substaunce forme of the bodie abideth still the minde is chaunged the vnderstanding and wil renued For by the spirite of God the vnderstandinge is illuminated faith and the vnderstanding of God and heauenly thinges is plentiousely bestowed and by it vnbeleefe and ignoraunce that is the darkenesse of the olde man are vtterly expelled according to that saying of the Apostle Through Christe ye are made riche in all thinges in all speeche knowledge Againe Wee haue not receiued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of GOD to knowe what thinges are giuen of Christe to vs. And againe We haue or know the spirite or mynde of Christ And againe ye haue no néede that any man teache you but as the verie annoynting doth instruct you of all thinges and is true abide ye in it And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receiue an heauenly vertue to do the good whiche the vnderstandinge perceiued by the holie Ghoste so that it willeth chooseth and woorketh the good that the Lorde hath shewed it and on the other side nilleth hateth and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it For Paule saith I knowe to be humble and I knowe to exceede I can doe all thinges through Christ who strengtheneth mee And againe to the Philippians he saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him And againe yet he doeth more plainly say It is God that worketh in you bothe to will and to performe according to the good purpose of the minde But now note this that what soeuer they doe whiche are regenerate by the spirit of God they doo it fréely not by compulsion nor against their willes For like as God requireth a cheerefull giuer so where the spirit of the Lord is there is frée libertie and hartie goodwil And Zacharie the Father of Iohn Baptist saide That we beeing deliuered from the handes of our enimyes might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life Yea and our Lorde him selfe in the Gospel saith If ye abide in my sayings ye shal be my Disciples in deede and ye shall know the trueth and the trueth shall make you free And againe If the sonne set you at libertie or make you free then shall ye be free in deede Touching this libertie of the sonnes of GOD I haue alreadie discoursed in the ninthe Sermon of my first Decade This libertie of the sonnes of God wée doe willingly acknowledge and fréely confesse but the arrogant disputations of some blasphemous praters concerning frée will as thoughe it were in our power of our selues to doe any heauenly thing wee doe vtterly reiecte and flatly denye And yet wee doe not make man subiecte to fatall necessitie nor turne vppon GOD the blame of iniquitie As we haue else-where more at large declared And S. Augustine in his controuersie with the Pelagians did so attemper his disputation that hee attributed the good to the Grace of God and the euill vnto our nature so that
otherwise serue their Lord and king than Kings that is in doing those thinges whiche Kinges ought to doe namely to execute iudgement and iustice For albeit these be in the worlde yet râ—le they not after the worlde because they are now gouerned by the spirite of their king Christe and directe all their doings to the prescripte rule of Gods word and in all things yéelde them selues to be guided by the spirite of God and so farre surely their kingdome is not of this worlde Of these things I haue else where cited much out of S. Augustine acording to the scripture And our king Christe defendeth his Churche and his ministers sometime by the aide of Princes sometimes he preserueth and spreadeth abrâ—ade the same lying open to persecutions through infirmitie and weakenesse For it is pressed downe but not oppressed or kepte vnder still Christe the mightiest Prince alwayes reigning and ouercomming in those that â—ee his Nowe the bounds of this Earthlie kingdome of Christe reache vnto the vtter-moste partes of the Earth For all the kingdomes of the worlde and all nations perteine vnto the kingdome of Christ Héerevnto belong all the testimonies of the Prophets touching the calling of the Gentiles whereof thou maist finde verie manis in Esay and Zacharie who excellentlye describe the kingdome of Christe in Earth Wherevppon the Iewes tooke occasion to feigne I wot not how great glorious things of the maiestie and victeryes of the Messias whiche neuerthelesse long since were aboundantlye fulfilled in Christe but more spiritually than carnally But they while they dreame of and looke for carnall things loathe spirituall and loose bothe But the faithfull through the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Christe their king most aboundauntly obteine those good thinges whiche the Prophetes promised namely plentifull peace bothe with God and men and all kinde of felicitie alwayes to bée blessed alwayes to be safe though they fight continuallie from all enimyes as well visible as also inuisible and to inioy euerlasting saluation Which things the Prophetes in their writings haue set foorthe in a moste large kinde of style yet vnderstandinge nothing else than as euen now we said that the faithfull shall be moste happie and shall possesse in Christe all good gifts bothe of soule and bodie as much indéede as is necessarie and healthfull for the Saincts And this is that kingdome now we vnderstand bothe as well that of grace as this of 〈◊〉 which that Ioseph of Aramathia iust Simeon and Anna y Prophetisse with other Saints awaited and loked for This same kingdome Philippe the Deacon preached to them of Samaria and Sainte Paule the Apostle to them of Rome which thinge Luke doeth testiffe in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 8. and 28. But the seate or throne and palace of our king is Heauen For hee ascended a conquerour into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from theÌ„ce â—â— y Sunne of righteousnesse hee shineth to all which liue in his Churche or in his kingdome yea and he â—hâ—â—sâ—th the harts of the faithfull to him selfe wherein he may dwell Furthermore that we may vnderstande ouâ— King though not corpâ—rally presente in earth but ascended into Heauen not therefore to be absent from his kingdom he verily in his word compareth himselfe to the head and vs to the bodie or the meÌ„bers Now therefore as the bodie is neuer without the head so the kingdome of God is not without Christ the prince And as the vitall spirite from the harte and the power or vertue of féeling and mouing froÌ„ the head is powred into the bodie so are we quickened or made aliue by our Prince Christe he iustifying preseruing comforting confirming and defending vs from all euill As all the members are ruled by the head so all the faithful in the kingdome of Christe are gouerned by their King Christe Paule therefore saithe God raised Christe from the dead set him on his right hand in heauenly places farr aboue all rule and power and might euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to coÌ„e And hath put all things vnder his féete gaue him to be the head ouer all things to the Church which is his bodie y fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Of which kinde there are very many other to be found in the writings of the Apostles first of all that Christ is the head of the church and he it is which giueth saluation to the body for he gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the worde that he might present it vnto him selfe a glorious church c. And thus much hetherto of the kingdoÌ„e of Christ in earth which is bothe called the kingdome of grace and the Church militant Moreouer the kingdome of God is called the kingdome of heauen and of glory for that occasion because those whome our Lord king hath sanctified on earth and guided with his spirit yea and also iustified béeing deliueied from the fleshe and taken out of this world he glorifieth in heaueÌ„ and recâ—iueth thâ— into ioy into the fellowship both of himselfe and of all the saints For the souls of the faithful eueÌ„ as soone as they depart out of their bodies are foorth with receiued into heaueÌ„ to reigne with Christ the euerlasting king for euer to reioice with all the Saincts But in the laste iudgemeÌ„t wherewith we beleue that the quick and dead shall be iudged of Christe our king the bodies of the Sainctes shall be raised vp clarified coupled againe to their soules and how many soeuer haue cleaued vnto Christ their king from the beginning of the world shal liue for euer reigne in glorie together with Christe their king and prince Of this kingdoÌ„e of the Saints the Prophets Apostles haue spoken muche and chiefelye the Apostle Sainte Iohn in his Reuelation Some haue called this kingdome the Church triumphant This kingdome of GOD or of Christe is an euerlasting kingdome For as euen to the worldes end the Church shall be on earth howsoeuer this worlde and the Prince of the worlde doe rage so the faithfull after iudgement shall liue and reigne with Christe happie for euer bothe in bodie and soule For the Lord saith in the Gospell The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church Also the last times shall be as the dayes of Noe were wherein thoughe the wicked did farre in number excéede the Churche of the faithfull yet Noe and his were saued in the Arke but the wicked were destroyed with the floud in such sort surely shal iniquity by all means preuaile in the end of the worlde but in the meane while those that are elected into the kingdome of Christe shall be saued by Christe whome they shall looke for to be their Iudge and shall sée theire redéemer comming in the cloudes of
than with the wordes of GOD him selfe and with the faythfull interpretation of the bookes of the Gospell the lawe the Prophetes and Apostles Where by the way we giue warning that the interpretation of the Scriptures is not a libertie to feine what one lust and to wrest the Scriptures which way one will but a carefull comparing of the Scriptures and a speciall gyfte of the holie Ghoste For Sainte Peter sayth No prophecie in the Scripture is of anye priuate interpretation Wherefore no man hath power to interprete the Scriptures after his owne fantasie Neyther is that the best exposition which hath most fauourers as if that were the best interpretation whiche hath the consent of the greater multitude For Arianisme and Turcisme woulde by manye degrées excell Christianisme That exposition is best whiche is not repugnaunt to fayth and loue neyther is wrested to defend and spread abroad the glory and couetousnesse of men But I haue spoken of interpretation of the scriptures in the second sermon of the firste Decade But vnlesse the Scripture be aptly applied respect being had of place time matter and persons of euerie Churche and to this ende whiche I also taught in the thirde Sermon of this Decade that the Churche maye be edifyed not that the teacher in the Churche may séeme better learned or more eloquent his exposition of the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture shall be fruitlesse to the people The Lorde commendeth vnto vs the wise steward and sayth Who is a faythfull and wise stewarde whome his Lorde hath made ruler ouer his housholde to giue them their portion of meate in due season And as followeth in the twelfth of Luke Saint Paule also writing to Timothie the Byshoppe sayth Studie to shewe thy selfe approued vnto God a woorkeman not to be ashamed rightly diuiding the worde of trueth Meate is vnprofitable vnlesse it be diuided and cutte into partes But heere the housholder knoweth what portions he shoulde gyue to euerie one in his familie not hauing regarde what delighteth euerie one but what is most profitable for euerie one The same Apostle teaching that all the actions of a preacher in the Churche ought to be directed to edification sayth He that prophecieth speaketh vnto men to edifying and to exhortation and to comforte Therefore to the teaching of the perfecter sorte perteyneth not onely the exposition of the holie Scripture but also a playne demonstration and manifest as may be of the principles and groundes of Christianitie and chieflye an euident doctrine of repentaunce and remission of sinnes in the name of Christe and also a sharpe rebuking to be vsed in due time or a graue but yet a wise reprouing of their faultes For the Lorde speaking to his Apostles sayth Ye are the salte of the earth if the salte become vnsauorie wherewith shall it be salted Herevnto also perteyneth the confuting of errours and repressing of heresies and the defence of sounde doctrine Paule sayth That the mouthes of vayne talkers and seducers of myndes must be stopped and sharply rebuked Neyther is it enough simply to teache true religion vnlesse the teacher in the Churche by often teaching constantly vrge defende and maynteine the same Herevnto chieflye belong these wordes of Paule I charge or adiure thee therefore before GOD and before the Lorde Iesus Christe which shall iudge the quicke and deade at his appearing and in his kingdome preach the woorde be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhorte with long suffering and doctrine For the time will come when they will not suffer wholesome doctrine but hauing their eares ytching shall after their owne lustes get them an heape of teachers and shall turne their eares from the trueth and shall bee giuen vnto fables But watche thou in all thinges suffer aduersitie doe the woorke of an Eâ—angeliste make thy ministerie fully knowne Therefore there néede verie often exhortations that what the church by ofteÌ„ plaine teaching vnderstandeth eyther to be followed or to be anoyded the same she may being stirred vp coÌ„pelled by a feruent exhortatioÌ„ eyther constantly followe or refuse And here it shal be néedfull for a preacher to vse long sufferaunce leaste foorthwith he cast away all hope if he sée not by and by such happie successe as he wisheth for and that some mightie and impudent aduersaries obstinately striue againste him For Paule sayth The seruauntes of the Lorde must not striue but be gentle vnto all men apt to teache suffering euill with meekenesse instructing them that are contrarie minded if God at any time will giue them repentaunce to the knowledge of the trueth and that they may come vnto them selues againe out of the snares of the diuell which are taken captiue of him at his will. There néedeth moreouer milde and quickening comforte For many are troubled being tried with diuers temptations whome vnlesse you faythfully comforte they are ouercome of Sathan These and suche other like doe perteine to the teaching of the perfecter sorte Here I may also make mention of the care of the poore For this especially perteineth to a minister and to their publique preaching whereby he maye continually prouoke the richer sorte to mercie that they may be ready to distribute The apostle Paul hath left vs notable examples of this matter almost in all his Epistles but specially in the sixtenth chapter to the Romanes and in the first to the Corinthians and also in the eight and ninth chapter of the latter Epistle to the Corinthians Sainte Peter Iames and Iohn commended verie diligently to saint Paule the care of the poore as Paule him selfe rehearseth in the seconde chapter to the Galathians And albeit Peter in some place refuse the office of distribution yet herein he is altogether carefull that godly and faythfull disposers may be appoynted for the poore Therefore the care of the poore perteyneth chiefly to the Pastours that they be not neglected but tenderly cherished as the members of Christ The priuate kynde of teaching differeth nothing in the thing it selfe from that publique kynde but it is called priuate in respect of the learners For some one commeth to the Pastour after the manner of Nicodemus and desireth verie familiarly to be instructed of him in things properly concerning him selfe Besides that this shepehearde goeth priuately and instructeth those whome by euident tokens he hath learned by priuate conference may be more easily wonne vnto Christe than by publique preachings Moreouer he priuately admonisheth and taketh heede in time leaste they that are more vnaduised be déepelyer plunged in euill Hetherto perteyneth the visitation both of sicke persons and prisoners none of whome a faythfull Pastour neglecteth but visiteth them so muche the more diligently as he perceyueth theÌ„ more grieuously tempted For a good Pastour is alwayes watchfull ouer the whole flocke of Christe for whome sathan layeth snares raungeing aboute séeking whome he maye deuoure Him the Pastoure resisteth by prayer admonitions teaching
bee able to doe all Therefore to his goodwill to vs ward which in these woords Our father wée haue expressed wee do now ioyne knowledge of all thinges and power to do althings adding Which art in heauen By these wordes the faith of them that pray is stirred vpp and confirmed Nowe there doe followe in order sixe petitions The first is Hallowed be thy name Wée haue called God our father and our selues his sonnes But it is the part of sonnes to honour or glorifie their father and therefore immediatly vppon the beginning we desire that the name of the Lord God and our father might be sanctified or hallowed That truely is holy and vndefiled alwayes in it selfe neither is it made any whitt the better or the worse by vs Wherevppon we pray that that which is and remaineth holy in it selfe should be acknowledged of vs to bee such and alwayes sanctified of vs. A name is the definition of any thing whatsoeuer and names are inuented to make a difference of one thinge from another whereby they mighte bée knowen amonge themselues But GOD is infinite and vnmeasurable moreouer hee is one therefore hée hath not a name whereby to bee defined hee néedeth not a name whereby to be discerned from other Gods. Therefore those names that are attributed vnto him in the Scriptures are attributed for our infirmitie to the end that by some reason and comparison wee mighte vnderstand somethinges that are spoken of him that is vnmeasurable and infinite Therefore the name of GOD in verye deede is GOD him selfe with all his Maiestie and glorie To Sanctifie or Hallowe otherwhiles signifieth to separate thinges from a prophane vnto an holy vse In this place it signifieth to magnifie to praise and to glorifie Wée desire therefore that GOD himselfe who of his owne nature is a good holie and for euer blessed gentle bountifull and a mercifull father might as hée is in himselfe bee acknowledged and magnified of all vs that all nations leauing their errour and heresies mighte consecrate them selues in trueth to this one onely father and God that all thinges which defile the name of the Lord of whiche sort are wicked deceiptes or practises vngodlinesse Epicurisme an vncleane life and especially corrupte and antichristian doctrine may bee taken awaye that béeing inlightened wee mighte sanctifie or hallowe the name of the Lord. Wherefore in this petition we desire the holy ghost the verie onely authour it selfe of all true sanctification Wée pray for true faith in GOD by Christ thoroughout the whole world Wée pray for holy thoughtes and a pure life wherewith wée might glorifie the name of the Lord whiche is done while euerie one doeth his owne duetie while Sathan the authour of al vncleannesse is cast out while corrupt doctrine is taken awaye and deceipt ceasseth while the filthinesse of the world is banished This petition the most excellent king and Prophete Dauid setteth forth in these wordes GOD be mercifull vnto vs blesse vs shewe vs the light of his countenaunce and bee mercifull vnto vs that thy way may be knowen vppon earth thy sauing health amonge all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee And as followeth in the thréescore and seuenth Psal. To this belongeth the whole prayer of oure Sauiour described by S. Iohn in the 17. Chapiter of his Gospel The second petition is Thy kingdome come For the name of God and our father cannot bee sanctified or hallowed vnlesse hee reigne in vs There is one kingdome of GOD another of the diuel Furthermore one kingdome of God is said to bee of glorie and another rightly of grace The kingdome of glorie is not of this world but of another world The kingdome of Grace is the kingdome of Christe in this world wherein Christ reigneth by the holy spirite in his faithfull ones whiche of their owne accord submit themselues vnto him to bee gouerned saying and doeing those thinges which beautifie and beséeme christians The diuell also reigneth in the children of vnbeléefe which yeeld themselues vnto him to be gouerned according to his vngodlinesse and wickednesse doeinge those thinges which are not onely delightfull to the flesh but whiche turne to the reproch of Gods maiestie whom after this life by the iust iudgement of God the diuel the king of the vngodly catcheth vnto hell into the kingdome of death and iudgement there continually to burne Moreouer the earthly kingdome which princes of this world gouerne is called either the kingdome of God or the kingdome of the diuell euen as it shall fashion frame it selfe to one of the twaine All these things wée do knit vpp in fewe words because wée haue more plentifully entreated of them in another place Wherefore we pray in this second petition that Christe might reigne and liue in vs and wée in him that the kingdome of Christ might be spread abroad and inlarged and preuaile thoroughe the whole world that Doctours or teachers and ecclesiasticall magistrates finally that princes also yea and scholes too and whosoeuer may further the kingdome of Christe béeing annoynted and watered with his graces may flourish ouercome and triumphe furthermore we pray that the kingdome of the diuel and antichriste maye bée broken and vanquished least it hurte and annoye the Sainctes that with with the kingdome of the diuell all vngodlinesse may be dasht and troden vnder foote to be short that all the weapons and armour of Antichristianisme may be broken into shiuers and come to naught Lastly we pray in this second petition that after we haue sayled out of the tempestuous gulfe of this worlde we might be receiued and gathered vnto Christ and all the Saintes into the euerlasting kingdome of glory For as we desire the kingdome of God to come vnto vs and God to reigne in vs so we praye to come or to be receiued into his kingdome and to liue for euer with him most holily The thirde petition is Thy will be done as wel in earth as it is in heauen God reigneth not in vs vnlesse we be obedient vnto him therefore after his kingdome we desire the grace of perfect obedience For we desire not that God do what he will. For continually Gods will is done albeit we neuer pray for it and though we wrestle and striue against it with all our might For the Prophet sayth Our God is in heauen he hath done whatsoeuer pleased him in heauen and in earth We aske therefore that what he will the same he maye make vs both to will and to do For his wil is alwayes good but our wil through the corruption of sinne is euill Therefore we pray him to be present with vs with his grace that our will may be regenerated and framed to the good wil of God that of it own accorde it yealde it selfe to the holie Ghoste to be framed that his grace will that which he inspireth that he finish in vs that which
name of IESVS CHRISTE for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghoste Therefore in baptisme water or sprinckling of water in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost and al that which is done of the church is a signe rite ceremonie outwarde thing earthly sensible lying opē made plaine to the senses but remission of sinnes partaking of euerlasting life fellowshippe with Christ and his members and gifts of the holy ghoste which are giuen vnto vs by the grace of God through fayth in Christ Iesus is the thing signified the inward and heauenly thing and that intelligible thing whiche is not perceiued but by a faythfull mynde After the same manner the Scripture bearing witnesse also of the Supper of the Lord which is the other sacrament of the Church sayth The Lord Iesus when hee had taken breade hee gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to his disciples and sayde take ye eate ye this is my body whiche is giuen for you Likewise he tooke the cuppe and gaue it to them saying drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud of the newe Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes doe this in remembraunce of me Nowe therefore all that action which is done of the Church after the example of Christ our high Prieste I meane breaking of bread the distribution thereof yea and the banquet or receyuing of breade and wine is the signe rite ceremonie and the outwarde or earthly thing and also that selfe same sensible thing which lyeth open before the senses but the intelligible thing thing signified the inward and heauenly thing is the verie body of Christ giuen for vs and his bloud shed for the remission of sinnes and oure redemption and fellowship which we haue with Christe and all the Saintes yea whiche he chiefly hath with vs. By these things it shall be easie to determine certeinely of the names or termes nowe giuen to the sacramēts For they are called external or outward signes bicause they are corporall or bodily entring outwardly into those senses whereby they be perceyued Contrariwise we call the thing signified inwarde thinges not that the thinges lye hidde included in the signes but bycause they are perceiued by the inwarde faculties or motions of the mynde wrought in mē by the spirit of god So also those signes are termed both earthly and visible bycause they consist of thinges taken from the earth that is to wit of water breade and wine and bycause they are manifestly séene in these likenesses To be short the thinges signified are called heauenly and inuisible bycause the frute of them is heauenly bicause they are discerned with the eyes of the mynd or of faith not of the body For otherwise the same body and bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christ which in the supper are represented to the faythfull by the fourme of breade and wine are not of their owne proper nature heauenly or inuisible For the body of our Lord touching his substaunce and nature is consubstantiall or of the same substaunce that our bodyes are of Now the same is called heauenly for his deliueraunce from corruption and infirmitie or else bycause it is clarified not by reason of the bringing to nought or laying aside of his owne nature The same body of his owne nature is visible not inuisible resident in heauen howbeit it is séene of the godly celebrating the supper not with the eyes of the body but with the eyes of the mynde or soule therefore in respect of vs it is called inuisible which of it selfe is not inuisible Now the worde in the sacraments is called and is indéede a witnessing of Gods will and a remembraunce and renuing of the benefits and promises of God yea and it is the institution and commaundement of God which sheweth the author of the sacrament with the manner ende of the same For the word in baptisme is the verie same that euen now we haue recited Goe ye into all the worlde c. In the supper of the Lord this is the word of God Iesus tooke breade c. And the rite custome and manner howe to celebrate the supper is to be sought out of the example of the lord going before in the holy action wherein we comprehend bothe prayers and those things which are recited out of the worde of Christ For as he brake breade and diuided it and in like maner the cuppe so likewise with holy imitation and sacramentall rite we follow the same in this holy action As he gaue thankes so also wee doe giue thankes wee by certeine prayers in baptisme doe request the assistaunce and grace of the Lorde we recite certeine places out of the gospell which we know to be requisite in the administration of baptisme and we are woont to doe the same also in the celebration of the Lordes supper But it is not my intent at this presente to speake largely and exactly of the rites of the Sacrament which notwithstanding we holde to bee beste that are taken out of the holie scripture and doe not excéede of whiche shall be spoken in theire place Some in stead of the word doe put promise and in stead of rite ceremonie And truely in the word ceremonie I sée no daunger at all if by ceremonie be vnderstood the outwarde comelines and rite which the Lorde him selfe hath commended to vs by his example and left to be vsed in the celebration And in verie deede Sacramentall signes are not simple or bare signes but ceremonies or religious actions so also there séemeth to bee no daunger in the worde promise so that by promise wee vnderstand the preaching of the gospel the commemoration or remembrance of Gods promises which we often vse in the preching of the gospell and celebration of the sacraments that is to say that God doeth receiue vs into his fellowship for Christe his sake through faith doeth wash away our sinnes endeweth vs with diuerse graces that Christe was giuen for our sinnes shed his bloud to take away the sinnes of all faithfull For in celebrating of Baptisme we vse these wordes of the Lord Suffer little children to come vnto mee for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen c. In the celebration of the banquet of Gods holie children we vse these holie wordes of our Lord And after supper Iesus tooe bread and after he had giuen thanks he brake it gaue it to them saying take ye eate ye this is my bodie whiche is giuen for you This is my bloud which is shed for you for the remission of sinnes this do in the remembrance of me c. For those remembrances and rehersalls are promisses of the Gospel promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to the beléeuers shewing that the Lords bodie is giuen for them and his bloud shed for them whiche faith verilie is the onely and vndoubted meane to
worthinesse or vnworthinesse so that they are not perfect I answere That among the wicked and vnbeléeuers sacraments verily of them selues are sufficiently ratified and confirmed by the institution of God neither dependeth their perfectnesse vpon the condition and state of the partakers that they are eyther better among the good or worsse among the bad For that remaineth perfect and sound which the Lord hath instituted and reteyneth his institution alwayes good howsoeuer men varie and are faithles For the Apostle sayth Shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect God forbid Yea let GOD be true and euerie man a lyar But I haue touched this matter also somewhat before Yet bycause it is one thing to offer and an other thing to receiue GOD verily offereth of his goodnesse his bountifull giftes vnto mē to this end to profite to saue thē and to make them whole as the physician doth by ministring physicke to his patient but bicause that foolish madd man doth not acknowledge the benefite as the sick patient which refuseth physicke being ministred the benefite which is offred doth no more profite the one than physicke not receiued doth good to the other not through the default of him the offereth the benefite or of him which ministreth physicke but through y follie of him which refuseth wil none of it After this maner disputed s Aug. also of this matter For Li. 3. de Baptismo cont Donat ca. 14. he sayth It skilleth not when the perfectnesse holinesse of the sacramente is in handling what he beléeueth what maner of faith he hath y receiueth the sacrament Verily it auaileth very much to y way of saluation but for the question of the sacrament it maketh no matter Also contra literas Petiliani lib. 2. cap. 47. he saith Remember that the lewd life corrupt maners of euill men do nothing hinder the sacraments of God to make them not holy at all or lesse holy but that to the vngodly they are a testimonie of their damnatiō not a furtheraunce of their saluation He also Tract in Ioan. 26. saith If thou receiue the sacramēt carnally it ceaseth not to be spirituall but to thée it is not so As easily is that obiection confuted that baptisme profiteth not infants if we still say that sacramēts without faith profite not for infantes haue no faith thus they babble We answere first that the baptisme of infants is grounded vpon the frée mercy and grace of God who saith I will be thy God and the God of thy seed And againe Suffer children to come vnto me for of such is the kingdome of God c. Infantes therefore are nūbered and counted of the Lord him selfe among the faythfull so that baptisme is due vnto them as farre forth as it is due vnto the faithfull For by the imputation of God infantes are faythfull wherevnto perteyneth this saying of our Sauiour He that shall offende one of these little ones that beleeue in me c. For he manifestly calleth Little ones beleeuing for imputations sake doubtlesse not for confession whiche by no meanes as yet is in little ones To this also may be added that the father of the infant doth therfore desire to haue his childe signed with the marke of the people of God to witte baptisme bycause he beléeueth the promises of God that is that his infante is of the housholde of God therefore there is faith in the baptisme of infantes But the father doth not beléeue Be it so Yet that is no hinderaunce to the infante For in the fayth of the Churche he is brought to be baptised The Churche verilye beléeueth that infantes oughte to be brought to the Lorde the Churche beléeueth that they are of the housholde and people of God therefore she commaundeth them to be partakers of the mysteries so that againe in the baptisme of infantes a man may finde fayth Herevnto doth S. Aug. adde this saying Lib. 1. de peccatorū meritis remissione cap. 19. Wherfore infants are rightly called faythfull bycause they after a sorte doe confesse their faythe by the woordes of them that beare them Hee reasoneth more touching this matter in his Epistle to Boniface which is in order the thrée and twentith where he that desireth may finde more But all these thinges say they proue not that infantes haue fayth of their owne For the fayth of their parentes of their bearers or the faythe of the Churche is an others fayth and not theirs Be it so Yet most certeine is that saying that the Lorde counteth infantes among his that is among the faythfull so that nowe they are not onely baptised in an others fayth but in their owne that is to say whiche it pleaseth the Lorde to impute vnto them Furthermore that is not an others which is common to the selfe same body But infantes are in the verie same bodye of the Churche whereby that whiche is the Churches is their owne and not an others Neyther can any man easily tell what motions of the holy spirite infants haue beside c. For in so much as they are of God they haue the spirite of God And who so haue not they are not of God. Rom. 8. As they decline too muche to the left hande whiche are persuaded that Sacramentes yea without fayth doe profite the receyuers so they goe too farre wyde on the right hande who thinke that the Sacramentes are superfluous to them that haue faythe Faith say they doth fully acquite vs so that after we haue faythe Sacramentes can increase nothing in vs therefore it must néedes be that they are vnprofitable Suche in times past are the Heretiques Messaliani read to haue bene who were bothe called Euchitae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Diuine men forsooth and inspired of god For they did contende that the faythfull after they hadde receyued the holie Ghoste had néede of no Sacraments But these mē are very iniurious euē to God him selfe who instituted not his sacraments for the faythful without great cause neither vnprofitably And Verily Abraham beleued God and it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse and he was counted the friende of God iust and holie not being voyde doubtlesse of the holie Ghost but he also Receiued circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which was before he was circumcised It is sayde to the same Abraham Euery manchild whose foreskinne shall not be circumcised shall bee cut off from my people bycause he hath broken my couenaunt Truly the angel of the Lord is ready to kill Moses bicause he delaid circumcision in his childrē longer thā was lawful eyther by his own negligēce or through the fault of his Madianitish wife What shall there be found any more righteous and holie than the sonne of God as he which hauing receiued the fulnesse of the spirite poureth plentifully of the same into his members he him selfe being the heade yet he came to
defende that infantes vpon the pinche of necessitie not béeing guiltie of the contempte of God or wicked negligence are not damned though they die vnbaptised For so saluation should be tyed to the signe and the promise of god shuld be made voide as though that alone without the signe vpon the point of necessitie were vaine could worke nothing and as if the hand of God were shortened boūd as it were to the signe For otherwise I teache by al means that infantes are to be baptised and the baptisme is not to be delaied negligētly or to be put off maliciously but in the meane time if by too too spéedy death they departe vnbaptised I exhort charge that a good hope confidence be had in the trueth mercie of the Lorde who promiseth in the law and the gospel that he is the God of young infantes and that his will is that not so muche as one of his little ones should perishe With Pelagius and Pelagians we haue nothing to doe neither are we ignorant what S. Augustine hath writen vnto Hierome epist. 28. in this behalfe Who so euer shal say sayth he that infants which leaue this life not hauing ben partakers of Christ his sacramente of baptisme are quickened and made aliue in him this man doubtlesse doth sette himselfe both against the preaching of the Apostles condēneth the whole Churche where for this cause they make hast and runne with their children to haue them baptised for that without doubt they beleeue that by no meanes otherwise they coulde be made aliue in Christe And againste the Pelagians epistle 106. The Apostolicall seate dealing against Pelagius accurseth them whiche saide that Infantes vnbaptised haue life euerlasting The same Aug. Lib. 1. de an◠c. ca. 9. to Renatus disputeth against Vincentius Victor who graunted that infants are inthralled to original sinn yet neuerthelesse are saued though they be not baptised against whō he bringeth forth this saying of our sauiour Except a mā be borne of water of the spirit he can not enter into the kingedome of God. But we which cōdemne both Pelagius Pelagiās do affirme both those things which they denie to wit that infantes are borne in originall sinne therfore that the sanctification of Christ is necessary vnto them without which they are not saued Again we defend and maintein that the same infants ought to be baptised if it be possible though by the right of the couenaunt they belong to the bodie of Christ are sanctified by the bloud of Christ Pelagius taught that infants ought not to be baptised for that he helde opinion they are without all fault or any sinne blame offence That wicked vngodly man therfore did not acknowledge either our owne corruptiō or the benefit which God hath performed by in through Christ Yet canst thou find neither of these in our assertion doctrine wherfore we take no part with the Pelagians S. Aug. in that selfe same epistle vnto S. Hierome expressly saith Thou art none of them which say that there is no guilt drawne frō Adam frō which the infant should bee washed by baptisme And against Iulian also Li. 1. ca. 2. he proueth by the sentences of the holy fathers that infants haue original sinne ther-vpon gathereth that therfore infantes ought to be baptised because they haue sinne For the Pelagians gathered cleane contrarie They haue no sinne therefore they are not to be baptised For the counsel of Carthage writeth thus to Innocent The Pelagians denie that infantes are to be baptised For these say they perished not neither is there any thing to be◠saued because there is nothing in them that is corrupt or wicked c. But we in so much as we beleeue that infantes are borne in sinne yea and that they are both borne the children of wrath and are corrupt and wicked moreouer because wee beleeue that the sonne of God was borne without sinne of a pure virgin to fulfill and confirme Gods promises which doe not shut out infantes from saluation but let them in as ioyncte-parteners in the league therefore we holde defende that they are to be baptised And therefore this reason gathered of Augustine we cannot simplie allowe Out of the felowshippe of Christ no man commeth vnto life But by baptisme wee are ioyned as members into the bodie of Christ haue fellowship with him therefore infantes which are not to be baptised are without the fellowship of Christ and therefore are condemned For as we denie not that we are graffed into the bodie of Christe by partaking of the sacramentes as we declared in our last sermon of Sacramentes nexte and immediately going before this so we haue elsewhere shewed and that too oftentimes alreadie verie largely that the firste beginning of our vniting or fellowship with Christe is not wought by the sacramentes but that the same vniting or fellowshipp whiche was founded and grounded vpon the promise and by the grace of God thoroughe the holy Ghost was communicated vnto vs and ours yea before the vse of the sacramentes is continued and sealed vnto vs by the participation or receiuing of the sacraments Although therfore an infant die without baptisme and being shut out by necessitie from hauing felowship with Christ so that he be neither partaker nor yet sealed by the visible signe of the couenant yet he is not altogether an aliant or stranger frō Christ to whom he is fastened with the spiritual knot of the couenant by the vertue whereof he is saued The place of Gen. 17. alledged of cutting off the vncircumcised frō the people of God in consideration of the time it fitly agréeth to those that are of perfect age wel grown in yeres not to babes or infantes which thing is séen in Moses whō the angel of the lord for neglecting circumcisiō or for delaying it longer than was lawfull would haue slaine as he testifieth of himselfe neither am I ignorant that certeine olde interpetours referre y not to Moses but to Eleazar the sonne of Moses But the verie course of the hystorie the circumstances of the same doe sufficiently proue that the danger lay on the fathers not on the sonns necke What if a reason be added in the wordes of the law whiche by no meanes agréeth to infantes Therfore shal the vncircumcised perish saith he because he hath broken my couenant So that if we consider that circumcision in the verie same place was commaunded not only to infantes but to such as were of perfect age as to Abraham Ismael and others desiring visibly to be ioyned into the felowship of god we are not to maruell the destruction is threatened to the disobediēt For if any mā at this day vnderstande knowe the Lords ordinaunce comprehended in these his wordes He which shall beleeue and bee baptised shal be saued wil yet neuertheles not be baptised but boasteth the faith is sufficient for him
many peculiar things done in the scripture out of which if any man shal go about to draw general things coÌ„moÌ„ laws he shal bring in absurdities innumerable What if Moses in the same place doeth only describe the déed of his wife moued there vnto by anger and displeasure not for religions sake to performe the ministerie vnto God For she grudging against her husbaÌ„d yea against God tooke the foreskin of her sonne which was cut away caste it at his Father her husbandes féete not without reproche saying A bloudy husband art thou vnto me As if you should say Ich habb woll ein bluotigmann an dirr And though the Angel was appeased with Moses because he séemed to allow the déed of the woman as wel pleasing God yet that is more to bee imputed to the mercie of god rather thaÌ„ to the righteousnes of the womans déede It did grieuously displease God that Dauid had staine Vrias moreouer had taken Béersabe to him selfe to wife yet of his goodnesse and singular mercie hee vouchsafed to call Solomon who was born of Beersabe by this name Iedidia because the Lord loued him so the gratious Lord is also reconciled with Moses who either by his owne negligence or through the fault of his Madianitish wife lingered circumcisioÌ„ in the bodie â—f their sonne against the law longer than was méet is coÌ„tent with taketh in good part the circumcision which the womaÌ„ performed rather of indignatioÌ„ thaÌ„ for religion yet he wil not that after her as a perfect example other women shuld circuÌ„cise But you say by baptisme ministred by a woman the perill of death or eternal daÌ„nation was to be preuented into which the infant falleth if he depart this world without babtisme My answer is When thâ— infant being newly deliuered out of his mothers wombe departeth with too too spéedie deathe so that the Parentes can not thoughe they would neuer so feigne bring him to bee baptised of the minister of the Churche this pinche of necessitie truely is not to the damnation or death of the Infante because hee being receiued into the couenant by the grace of God is deliuered from death through the bloud of the sonne of god We are not destitute of testimonies of scripture duly seruing in this behalfe In the lawe it was not lawfull to circumcise an Infante before the eighth day but it is certeine that verie many departed out of this worlde before the eighth day yet in the meane while if any manchilde had departed the thirde or fourth day after his birthe no condemnation was imputed vnto him For otherwise Dauid a verie sound man in religion and one that loued his children déerely and one verie desirous of the saluation of his housholde when his childe was dead whiche was begotten and borne vnto him of Beersabe coulde not haue shewed himselfe so cherefull to his courtiers to whome among other thinges he said that he shoulde goe vnto the dead childe to witte into the land of the liuing If it were no danger vnto women children to die vncircumcised for they without circumcision were saued neither verily shall it be damnable for men children being not baptised to die at the point of necessitie For we haue otentimes saide the holy baptisme entred tooke the place of circumcision Hitherto perteine the testimonies out of the law the prophetes In the law the Lord protesteth more than once that he hath a moste certeine care regarde of infants In Ionas he expressely professeth that he hath a consideration and a respect of those that are not yet come to the yeares of discretion For the Lorde spared the most famous citie of Niniue partely for their sakes Thou saist These testimonies of the olde testament perteine nothing to vs which liue vnder the new testament I aunswer That God after the comming of Christe in the fleash is not more rigorous vnto vs than he was before Christes comming For if it were so what should we say else but that Christe came not to fulfill but to weaken and abolishe the promises of GOD since that in times past amonge them of olde the grace and the promise were effectuall in necessitie withoute the signe but now among vs béeing without the signe they begin to be voide of no force Wherefore I trusting to Gods mercie and his true and vndoubted promise beléeue that infants departing out of this world by too tâ—â— timely death before they can be baâ—â—â—sed are saued by the méere mercie of God in the power of his trueth and promise through Christe who saieth in the Gospel Suffer little ones to come vnto me for of suche is the kingdome of God. Againe It is not the will of my father whiche is in Heauen that one of these little ones should perish For verily GOD who cannot lye hath said I am thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Wherevpon Sainte Paule also affirmeth that they are borne holy which are begotten of holie parents not that of flesh and bloud any holie thing is borne For that which is borne of the fleash is fleashe but because that holinesse and separation from the coÌ„mon seed of men is of promise and by the right of the couenaunt For we are all by nature and naturall birth borne the sonnes of wrathe death and damnation But Paul attributeth a speciall priuiledge to the children of the faithfull wherewith by the grace of God they which by nature were vncleane are purified So the same Apostle in an other place doeth gather holy braunches of an holy roote And againe elsewhere sayeth If by the sinne of one many be deade much more the grace of God and the gyft of Grace whiche is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And therefore Augustine doubted not to say As all which die die no otherwise but in Adam euen so all that are made aliue are not made aliue but in Christe And vpon this whosoeuer shal say vnto vs that any in the resurrection of the dead can be made aliue otherwise than in christ he is to be abhorred detested as a coÌ„mon plague of Christian faith Ad Hiero. epi. 28. They obiecte By this meanes the vse of baptisme is made void quite taken away Yea Pelagianisme is sprung vp againe which with so greate trauell S. Aug. with many other learned and holie men beate downe kept vnder He falsely spake that said The soule whose fore-skin is not circumcised shal be cut off froÌ„ his people because he hath brokeÌ„ my couenant He falsely spake that said Verily verily I say vnto you Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. For if these sayinges be true children not baptised truly the sequele is that they dying without baptisme are not saued I aunswere that I weaken holy baptisme by no meanes muche lesse take it quite away when I