necessitie prouoketh his wrath bicause it is a breache of the law vpon whiche the iudgement of God is pronounced without exception and that the sinnes of the holyones are veniall or pardonable not of their owne nature but bicause they obteyne pardon by the mercie of God The. ix Chapter ¶ That Christ although he was knowen to the Iewes vnder the law yet was deliuered only by the Gospell BYcause it pleased God in the olde time not vainely by expiations and sacrifices to declare himself a Father and not in vayne he did consecrate a chosen people to himselff euen then without doubte he was knowen in the same image wherein he now appereth to vs with full brightnesse Therefore Malachie after that he had bidden the Iewes to take hede to the law of Moses to continue in studie thereof bicause after his death there should come a certaine interruption of the office of the Prophetes did forthwith declare that there shuld arise a sonne of righteousnesse In which wordes he teacheth that the lawe auaileth to this purpose to hold the godly in expectation of Christ to come but yet that there was muche more light to be hoped for when he should be come in deede For this reason doth Peter say that the Prophetes did make searche and diligently enquire of the saluation that is now opened by the Gospell and that it was reueled vnto them that they should minister not to themselues nor to their owne age but vnto vs those thinges that are declared by the Gospel Not that their doctrine was vnprofitable to the people in olde time or nothing auailed themselues but bicause thei enioyed not the treasure which God sent vnto vs by their hand For at this day the grace wherof they testified is familiarly set before our eyes And wheras they did but a litle sippe of it there is offred vnto vs a more plentiful enioyeng therof Therefore Christ himself whiche affirmeth that he had witnesse borne him by Moses yet extolleth the mesure of grace wherby we excel the Iewes For speaking to the Disciples he sayd Blessed are the eyes that see that whiche ye see blessed are the eares that here ath at whiche ye heare For many kinges Prophetes haue wished it haue not obteined it This is no smal coÌ„mendation of the reuelyng of the gospel that God preferred vs before the holy fathers that excelled in rare godlinesse With whiche sentence that other place disagreeth not where it is sayd that Abraham saw the daye of Christ and reioysed For though the sight of a thing farre distant was somwhat darke yet he wanted nothyng to the assurance of good hope And thense came that ioye whiche accompanied the holy Prophet euen to his death And that sayeng of Iohn Baptist No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten that is in the bosome of the father hath declared him vnto vs doth not exclude the godly whiche had ben dead before him froÌ„ the â—elowship of the vnderstandyng light that shineth in the persone of Christ. But coÌ„paryng their estate with oures he teacheth that those misteries which thei saw but darkly vnder shadowes are manifest to vs as the author of the episte to yâ— Hebrewes doth wel set out sayeng that God diuersly and many wayes spake in olde time by the Prophetes but now by his beloued Sonne Although therefore that only begotten one which is at this day to vs the brightnesse of the glory the point of the substance of God the father was in olde time knowen to the Iewes as we haue in an other place alleaged out of Paule that he was the guide of the old deliuerance yet is it true whiche the same Paule els where teacheth that God which coÌ„maunded the light to shine out of darknesse hath nowe shined vpon our heartes to set forth the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ bicause when he appered in this his image he did in a maner make himself visible in comparison of the darke and shadowish forme that had ben of him before And so much the more fowle and detestable is their vnthankefulnesse peruersnesse that are here so blinde at midde daye And therefore Paule sayth that their mindes are darkened by Satan that they should not see the glorie of Christ shining in the gospell though there be no veile set betwene them and it Now I take the Gospell for the clere disclosyng of the misterie of Christ. I graunt truely that in that respect that Paul calleth the gospel the doctrine of fayth al the promises that we here and there finde in the law concernyng the free forgeuenesse of sinnes whereby God reconcileth men to himself are accompted partes therof For he coÌ„pareth faith against these terrors wherewith the conscience should be troubled vexed if saluation were to be sought by workes WherupoÌ„ foloweth that in takyng the name of the gospel largely there are coÌ„teined vnder it all the testimonies that God in old time gaue to the fathers of his mercie and fatherly fauour But in the more excellent signification of it I saye it is applied to the publishyng of the grace geuen in Christ. And that meanyng is not only receyued by common vse but also hangeth vpon the authoritie of Christ and the Apostles Whereupon this is proprely ascribed vnto him that he preached the Gospell of the kingdome And Marke maketh his preface in this maner The beginnyng of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. And there is no neede to gather places to proue a thing sufficiently knowen Christ therefore by his coÌ„myng hath made clere the life and immortalitie by the Gospell By whiche wordes Paule meaneth not that the fathers were drowned in darknesse of death vntil the sonne of God did put on flesh but clayming this prerogatiue of honour to the gospell he teacheth that it is a newe and vnwonted kinde of message whereby God performed those thinges that he had promised that the truthe of his promises shuld be fulfilled in the persone of the Sonne For although the faithful haue alway found by experieÌ„ce that same sayeng of Paule to be true that in Christ are all the promises yea and Amen bycause they were sealed in their heartes yet bicause he hath accomplished al partes of our saluation in â—his flesh therefore that selfe liuely deliueryng of the thinges rightfully obteyned a newe and singular title of prayse Whereupon cometh that sayeng of Christ Hereafter ye shall see the heauens open and the Angels of God ascendyng and descendyng vpon the sonne of manne For though he seme to haue relation vnto the ladder shewed in a vision to the Patriarch Iacob yet he setteth out the excelleÌ„cie of his coÌ„ming by this mark that he opened the gate of heauen to all men that the entrie thereof maye be stand familiarly open to all men But yet we must take hede of the deuelish imagination of Seruet
wombe of the Uirgin by the holy Ghost like as the Maniches in olde time did foolishly affyrme that man hath his soule as it were by deriuation from God bycause thei reade that God breathed into Adam the breathe of lyfe For they take so faste holde of the name of Sonne that they leaue no difference betweene the natures but babble disordrely that Christ being man is the Sonne of God bycause accordinge to hys nature of man he is begotten of God So the eternall begettinge of Wysedome that Salomon speaketh of is destroyed and there is noe accompte made of the Godheade in the Mediatore or a fantasyed ghooste is thruste in place of the Manhoode It were in deede profitable to confute the grosser deceytes of Seruettus wherewith he hathe bewitched hymselfe and some other to the ende that the godly readers admonyshed by thys exaumple maye holde them selues within the compasse of sobrenesse and modestie sauinge that I thinke it shoulde bee superfluous bycause I haue already done it in a booke by it selfe The summe of them commeth to this effecte that the Sonne of God was a forme in mynde from the beginning and euen then he was before appointed to be man that shoulde be the essentiall image of God And hee dothe acknowledge no other Woorde of God butte in outewarde shewe This hee expoundeth to bee the begettinge of hym that there was begotten in God from the beginninge a will to begette a Sonne whiche also in acte extended to the nature yt selfe In the meane tyme hee confoundeth the Spirite wyth the Woorde for that God distributed the inuisible Woorde and the Spirite into fleshe and soule Finally the fyguration of Christe hathe with them the place of begettinge but he saithe that hee whiche then was but a shadowyshe sonne in fourme was at lengthe begotten by the woorde to whyche hee assigneth the office of seede Whereby it shall folowe that hoges and doges are as well the chyldren of God bycause they were create of the original sede of the woorde of God For althoughe hee compounde Christe of three vncreate elementes to make him begotten of the essence of God yet he faineth that hee is so the fyrste begotten amonge creatures that the same essentiall Godheade is in stones accordinge to their degree And leaste he shoulde seeme to strippe Christe oute of hys Godheade hee affyrmeth that hys fleshe is consubstantiall wyth God and that the Woorde was made manne by tourninge the fleshe into God So whyle he canne not conceyue Christe to be the Sonne of God vnlesse hys fleshe came from the essence of God and were tourned into Godheade he bryngeth the eternall person of the Woorde to nothinge and taketh from vs the sonne of Dauid that was promised to be the Redeemer He ofte repeteth thys that the Sonne was begotten of God by knoweledge and predestination and that at lengthe he was made manne of that mater whyche at the begynnynge shyned wyth God in the three elementes whiche afterwarde appeared in the fyrste lyghte of the worlde in the cloude and in the pyller of fyre Now howe shame fully hee sometime dysagreeth with himselfe it were to tedious to reherse By thys shorte recitall the readers that haue their sounde witte maye gather that with the circumstances of thys vncleane doge the hope of saluation is vtterly extinguished For yf the fleshe were the Godheade it selfe it shoulde cesse to be the temple thereof And none can be oure redeemer but he that begotten of the seede of Abraham Dauid is accordinge to the fleshe truely made man And he wrongfully standeth vpon the wordes of Ihon that the Word was made flesh for as thei resiste the erroure of Nestorius so thei nothing further this wicked inuention whereof Eutiches was authore forasmuche as the onely purpose of the Euangelist was to defende the vnitie of persons in the twoo natures The .xv Chapter That we maie knowe to what ende Christ was sent of his Father and what he brought vs three thinges are principally to be considered in him hys Propheticall office his Kingdome and his Preesthoode AUgustine saithe rightly that although the Heretikes doe bragge of the name of Christe yet they haue not all one foundation wyth the godly but that it remayneth onely propre to the Churche For yf these thinges be diligently considered that belong to Christe Christe shall be founde among them only in name not in very dede So at this daie the Papistes although the name of the Sonne of God redemer of the world sounde in their mouth yet bicause beinge contented wyth vayne pretense of the name they spoyle him of hys power and dignitie this sayeng of Paule maie be wel spoken of them that thei haue not the head Therfore that faith maie finde sounde mater of saluation in Christ and so rest in him this principle is to bee stablished that the office whiche is committed to hym by hys Father consysteth of three partes For he is geuen bothe a Prophete a King and a Preest Albeit it were but small profite to knowe those names withoute knowledge of the ende and vse of them For thei are also named among the Papistes but coldly and to no greate profite where it is not knowen what eche of these titles conteineth in it We haue saide before how though God sending Prophetes by continuall course one after an other did neuer leaue his people destitute of profitable doctrine and suche as was sufficiente to saluation that yet the myndes of the godly hadde alwaie this perswasion that full lyghte of vnderstandinge was to be hoped for onely at the comminge of Messias yea and the opinion thereof was come euen to the Samaritanes whoe yet neuer knewe the true religion as appeareth by the sayeng of the woman When Messias commeth he shall teache vs all thinges And the Iewes hadde not rashly gathered this vpon presumptions in their mindes But as thei were taught by assured oracles so they beleued Notable among the other is that sayeng of Esaie Beholde I haue made him a witnesse to peoples I haue geuen hym to be a guide and Schoolemayster to peoples euen as in an other place he had called him the Angell or interpreter of the great counsell After this manner the Apostle commending the perfection of the doctrine of the Gospell after that he hadde saide that God in the olde time spake to the Fathers by the Prophetes diuersly and vnder manifolde fygures addeth that laste of all he spake vnto vs by his beloued Sonne But bicause it was the common office of the Prophetes to keepe the Churche in suspense and to vpholde it vntil the comming of the Mediator therefore we reade that in their scattering abroade the faithfull complayned that thei were depriued of that ordinarie benefite sayeng We see not oure tokens there is not a Prophet among vs there is no more any that hathe knoweledge But when Christe was now not farre of there was a time appointed
that he should spare none but that he should acquite altogether taking away their condemnation although they were gilty of offense And we do say that they whiche were loste haue their sinnes buried and so are iustified before God bicause as God hateth sinne so he can loue none but them whome he iustifieth But this is a maruellous manner of iustifieng that they beyng couered with the righteousnesse of Christ stand not in feare of the iudgement which they haue deserued and when they worthily condemne themselues are accompted righteous without themselues But the readers are to be warned that thei take good heede to the misterie whiche he braggeth that he wil not hide from them For after that he hath longe and largely trauailed to proue that we do not obteine fauour with God by the only imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ bicause this should bee impossible for him to compte them for righteous that are not righteous I vse his owne wordes at lengâ—h he concludeth that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse not in respect of his nature of manhod but of his nature of Godhed and that although this righteousnesse can not be found but in the person of the Mediatour yet it is the righteousnesse not of maÌ„ but of God He doth now bynde vp his rope made of two righteousnesses but he plainely taketh away the office of iustifieng from Christes nature of maÌ„hode But it is good to see how he disagreeth It is sayd in the same place that Christ was made vnto wisedome which beloÌ„geth to none but to the eternal word Therfore Christ in that he is man is not wisedom I answer that the only begotten sonne of God was in deede his eternal wisedome but in Paules writinges that name is geuen him in diuerse wise bicause al the treasures of wisedome knowlege are laied vp in him That therfore which he had with his father he disclosed vnto vs so that which Paule sayth is not referred vnto the essence of the sonne of God but to our vse and is rightly applied to Christes nature of manhode bicause although he shined a light in darkenesse before that he did put on fleshe yet it was a hidden light till the same Christ came forth in the nature of man the shinyng sunne of righteousnesse which therefore calleth himself the light of the world Also it is folishly obiected of him that the power of iustifieng is far aboue bothe Angeles men for asmuch as this hangeth not vpon the worthinesse of any creature but vpon the ordinance of God If Angels will take vpon theÌ„ to satisfie God they can nothyng preuaile bicause they are not apointed therunto But this singularly belonged to Christ being man which was made subiect to the lawe to redeme vs froÌ„ the curse of the law Also he doth sclaunderously cauil that they which denie that Christ is our righteousnesse accordyng to his nature of Godhed doe leaue but one part of Christ which is worse do make two gods bicause although thei coÌ„fesse that God dwelleth in vs yet they saye againe that we are not righteous by the righteousnesse of God For although we call Christ the author of life in respect that he suffred death to destroye him that had the power of death we do not by by take awaye that honor from whole Christ as he was openly shewed God in the flesh but we only make a distintioÌ„ how the righteousnesse of God is coÌ„ueyed vnto vs that we may enioy it In which point Osiander hath to fowly erred Neither do we denie that that which is opeÌ„ly geueÌ„ vs in Christ procedeth from the secret grace power of God we striue not agaynst this that the righteousnesse whiche Christ geueth vs is the righteousnesse of God that procedeth from God but we hold this stedfastly that we haue righteousnesse life in the death resurrection of Christ. I ouerpasse that heapyng together of places whereof he maye wel be ashamed wherwith he hath tediously coÌ„bred the readers without choise without coÌ„mon reason to proue that whersoeuer is made mention of righteousnesse there ought to be vnderstanded this essentiall righteousnesse As where Dauid calleth vpon the righteousnesse of God to help him wheras he doth the same aboue a hundred times Osiander sticketh not to corrupt so many senteÌ„ces And nothing stroÌ„ger is the other obiectioÌ„ that that is properly rightly called righteousnesse whereby we be moued to do rightly but that God only worketh in vs both to will to performe For we do also not denie but that God reformeth vs with his Spirit vnto holinesse of life righteousnesse but we must first see whether he do this by himself and immediatly or by the hand of his Sonne with whom he hath lefte al the fulnesse of his holy Spirit that with his abundaÌ„t store he should supplie the neede of his meÌ„bres Moreouer although righteousnesse come vnto vs out of the secret fountayne of the godhed yet it foloweth not that Christ which saÌ„ctified himself in yâ— flesh for our sakes was righteousnesse vnto vs according to his nature of godhed No lesse fond is that which he sayth that Christ himself was righteous by the righteousnesse of God Bicause vnlesse the wil of his father had moued him he could not himself haue satisfied the office coÌ„mitted vnto him For though we haue in an other place sayd that al the deseruings of Christ himself do procede froÌ„ the mere good will of God yet that maketh nothing to that fantastical thing wherwith Osiander bewitcheth both his own and simple mens eyes For whoe would suffer a maÌ„ to gather this coÌ„clusion that bicause God is the fountaine beginning of our righteousnesse therfore we be essentially righteous the essence of Gods righteousnesse dwelleth in vs In redeminge the church sayth Esaye God did put on his righteousnesse as a harnesse but dyd he so to spoyle Christ of his armure which he had geuen him to make him to be no perfect redemer But the Prophet meante nothyng els but that God borowed nothing out of himselfe nor was holpen by any ayde to redâ—me vs. Which thing Paule brefly expressed in other wordes sayeng that he gaue vs saluatioÌ„ to the shewyng of his righteousnesse But this doth not ouerthrowe that which he teacheth in an other place that we are righteous by the obedieÌ„ce of one maÌ„ Finally whosoeuer wrappeth vp a double righteousnesse that poore soules maye not rest in the mere only mercie of God he dothe in a mockerie crowne Christ with thornes But for asmuch as a great part of meÌ„ imagineth righteousnesse to be made of faith workes let vs first shew this also that the righteousnesse of fayth and workes doth so differ that when the one is stablished the other must needes be ouerthrowen The Apostle fayth that he estemed al thinges as dong that he might winne Christ finde in him the
much contrary to order and truthe But they consyder not that true religion ought to be framed according to the wil of God as by a perpetual rule and that God hymselfe abydeth alway like hym selfe and is no imagined Ghost or fantasy that may be diuersly fashioned after euery mans lykyng And truely we may playnly se with how lying deceites superscition mocketh God while she goeth aboute to doo hym pleasure For catchyng holde of those thynges in a maner only whiche God hath testified that he careth not for she either contemptuously vseth or openly refuseth those thinges that he appoynteth and saithe to be pleasant vnto hym Therefore whosoeuer dooe sette vp newe inuented formes of worshippyng God they wourship and honour their owne dotyng deuises bycause they durste not so trifle with God vnlesse they had fyrste fayned a God agreyng with the folies of their triflynge toyes Wherefore the Apostle pronounceth that that vnstayed and wandryng opinion of the maiestie of God is a very ignorance of God When sayth he ye knewe not God ye serued them that in nature were no goddes And in an other place he sayth That the Ephesians were without a God at suche tyme as they strayed from the right knowledge of the one God And at least in this case it differeth not muche whether thou beleue one god or many because in bothe cases thou departest from and forsakest the true God whom when thou hast ones forsaken ther is nothing left with thee but a detestable ydoll It foloweth therfore that we must determyne with Lactantius that there is no lawfully allowable religion but that which is ioyned with truthe There is also a seconde fault that they neyther haue at any tyme any consideration of God but againste their willes nor do approche towarde hym til for all their holdynge backe they be forcibly drawen to hym and euen then also they haue not a willynge feare that procedeth from reuerence of Goddes maiestie but onely a seruile and constrained feare whiche the iudgement of God wringeth out of them which iudgement bycause they can not escape therfore they dread it but yet so as therwithall they abhorre it And so that saying of Statius that feare fyrst made goddes in the worlde may be fittly spoken of vngodlynes and of this kynde of vngodlynes onely They that haue a mynde abhorryng from the iustice of God do hartily wishe to haue his throne of iudgement ouerthrowen whiche they knowe to stande for punishement of offences against his iustice by whiche affection they warre agaynst God whoe can not be without his iudgement But when they vnderstande that his power impossible to bee auoyded hangeth ouer them bycause they can neither by force remoue it nor by flyghte escape it therfore they feare it So least they should in all thynges seme to despise hym whose maiestie still preasseth vpon them they vse a certayne outwarde forme of religion suche as it is but in the meane tyme they ceasse not to defile them selues wiht all kynde of vices to ioyne outragious mischeues to mischeues vntyll they haue in all poyntes violate the holy lawe of the Lorde and destroyed his whole righteousnesse or at least they are not so holden backe with that fained feare of God but that they swetely rest in their sinnes and flatter theimselues and had rather to folowe the intemperance of their flesshe then restraine it with the bridle of the holy ghoste But for as muche as the same is but a voyde and lying shadowe of religion yea scarcely worthy to be called a shadowe hereby agayne is easyly gathered howe muche the true godlynesse whiche is powred only into the hartes of the faithful I meane that out of whiche religion spryngeth doothe differ from this confuse knowledge of God And yet the hypocrites would obteyne by crooked compasses to seeme nye vnto God whome they fle from For where as there ought to haue bene one continued vnbroken course of obedience in their whole lyfe they in a maner in all their doynges carelessely rebellyng agaynst hym labour with a fewe sacrifices to appease hym Where as they oughte to haue serued hym with holynesse of lyfe and syncerenes of hart they inuent triflynges and obseruances of no value to procure his fauour withall yea they doo the more licentiousely lye dull in their own dregges bycause they trust that they may be discharged against him with their own mockeries of propitiatory satisfactions Finally where as their affiaunce ought to haue been fastened in hym they neglectyng hym doo reste in themselues or in creatures At length they entangle theym selues with suche a heape of erroures that the darke myste of malice doothe choke and at laste vtterly quenche those sparkes that glimmeryngly shyned to make them see the glory of god Yet that sede still remaineth whiche can by no meane be plucked vp by the rote to beleue that ther is a certain godhead but the same sede is so corrupted that it bryngeth forth of it none other but very euyl fruites Yea therby is that whiche I trauaile to proue more certainly gathered that there is a felyng of godhead naturally grauen in the hartes of men forasmuche as the very reprobate them selues are of necessitie enforced to confesse it In quiet prosperitie they pleasauntely mocke at god yea they are full of talke and pratynge to diminysshe the greatnesse of his power but yf ones any desperation touche them it stirreth them vp to seke the same God and mynistreth them sodeyn shorte prayers by whiche it may appeare that they were not vtterly ignoraunt of god but that the same whyche ought sooner to haue ben vttered was by obstinacie suppressed The .v. Chapter ¶ That the knowledge of God doeth shiningly appeare in the makyng of the world and in the continual gouernement thereof MOreouer because the furthest ende of blessed life standeth in the knowledge of God that the way to felicite should be stopped to none therefore God hath not onely planted in the mindes of men that sede of religion which we haue spoken of but also hath so disclosed him selfe in the whole workmanship of the world and daily so manifestly presenteth himselfe that men cannot open their eies but they must nedes beholde him His substance in dede is incomprehensible so that his diuine maiestie farre surmounteth all mens senses but he hath in al his workes grauen certain marks of his glory and those so plaine and notably discernable that the excuse of ignorance is taken away from men be they neuer so grosse and dull witted Therfore the Prophete rightfully crieth oute that he is clothed with light as with a garment as if he should haue said that then he first began to come forthe to be seen in visible apparell since the tyme that he first displaied his ensignes in the creacion of the world by which euē now what way soeuer we turne our eies he appereth glorious vnto vs. In the same place also the same prophete aptly compareth the
sometyme to shake the heauen with noise of thonders to burne vp ech thing with lightenings to set the aire on fier with lightning flames sometime to trouble it with diuerse sortes of tempestes and by and by the same God when he list in one moment to make faire wether to holde in the sea as if it hanged in the aire which with his heighth semeth to threaten cōtinuall destruccion to the earth sometime in horrible wise to raise it vp with outragious violence of windes and sometime to appease the waues and make it calme againe For profe hereof do serue all the prayses of God gathered of the testimonies of nature speciallye in the booke of Iob and in Esaie whiche now of purpose I ouerpasse because they shall els where haue an other place fitter for them where I shall entreate of the creacion of the world accordyng to the Scriptures Only my meanyng was now to touch that both straungers and they of the householde of God haue this way of seking God common to them both that is to folow these first draughtes which both aboue and beneth doe as in a shadow set fourth a liuely image of him And now the same power leadeth vs to consider his eternitye For it must nedes be that he from whom al thinges haue their beginning is of eternal continuaunce and hath his beginning of him self But nowe if any mā enquire the cause wherby he both was once lead to create al these things is now moued to preserue them we shal fynde that his only goodnesse was it that caused him Yea and although this onely be the cause yet ought the same aboundauntly to suffice to allure vs to the loue of him forasmuch as ther is no creature as the Prophete sayeth vpon which his mercy is not poured out Also in the seconde sorte of his woorkes I meane those that come to passe byside the ordinary course of nature there doeth appeare no lesse euident profe of his powers For in gouerning the felowship of men he so ordereth his prouidence that wheras he is by innumerable meanes good and bountifull to al men yet by manifest and dayly tokens he declareth his fauourable kindnes to the godly and his seuerite to the wicked and euill doers For not doutefull are the punishmentes that he layeth vppon hainous offences lyke as he doeth openly shewe hymself a defendoure and reuenger of innocencye while he prospereth the lyfe of good menne wyth hys blessynge helpeth their necessitye asswageth and comforteth their sorowes relieueth their calaunties and by al meanes prouideth for their safety Neyther ought it any thyng to deface the perpetuall rule of his iustice that he oftentymes permitteth wicked men and euill dooers for a tyme to reioyse vnpunished and on the other side suffreth good and innocent to be tossed wyth many aduersities yea and to be oppressed with the malice and vniust dealing of the vngodly But rather a much contrary consideracion ought to enter into our mindes that when by manifest shewe of his wrath he punisheth one sinne we shoulde therefore thinke that he hateth all sinnes and when he suffereth many sinnes to passe vnpunished we should there vpon thinke that ther shal be an other iudgemente to which they are differed to bee then punyshed Likewise how great matter doth it minister vs to cōsider his mercy while he oftentimes cesseth not to shew his vnweried boūtifulnes vpon miserable sinners in calling them home to him with more than fatherly tendernes vntil he haue subdued their frowardnes with doinge them good To this ende where the Prophete particularly rehearseth how God in cases paste hope doeth sodenly and wonderfully and beside all hope succoure men that are in misery and in a maner lost whether he defende them wandering in wildernes from the wild beastes and at length leadeth them into the way againe or ministreth sode to the nedy and hungry or deliuereth prisoners out of horrible dongeons and iron bandes or bringeth men in peril of shipewracke safe into the hauen or healeth the half dead of diseases or scorcheth the earth with heate and drienesse or maketh it frutefull with secrete watering of his grace or aduaunceth the hasest of the rascall people or throweth down the noble peres from the hie degree of dignitie by such examples shewed fourth he gathereth that those thinges which are iudged chaunces happening by fortune are so many testimonies of the heauenly prouidēce and specially of hys fatherly kindnes and that therby is geuen matter of reioysing to the Godlye and the wicked and reprobate haue their mouthes stopped But because the greater part infected with their errors are blinde in so clere a place of beholding therfore he cryeth out that it is a gift of rare singular wisedome wisely to weye these workes of God by syghte whereof they nothing profit that otherwise seme most clere sighted And truly how much soeuer the glory of God doothe apparantly shyne before them yet scarsly the hundreth manne is a trewe beholder of it Likewise his power and wisedome are no more hidde in darkenesse whereof the one his power doth notably appere when the fierce outragiousnesse of the wicked beynge in all mennes opinion vnconquerable is beaten flatte in one momente their arrogancie tamed their strongest holdes rased their weapons and armour broken in pieces their strengthes subdewed their deuises ouerthrowen and theimselues fall with their owne weighte the presumptuous boldenesse that auaunced it selfe aboue the heauens is throwen downe euen to the bottome point of the earth Agayne the lowly are lyfted vp out of the duste and the needy raysed from the donghil the oppressed and afflicted are drawen out of extreme distresse men in despayred state are restored to good hope the vnarmed beare awaye the victorie from the armed fewe frome many the feeble from the strong As for his wysedome it selfe sheweth it selfe manifestly excellent while it disposeth euery thing in fittest oportunitie confoūdeth the wisedom of the worlde be it neuer so pearcyng fyndeth out the subtile in their subtiltie finally gouerneth all thinges by moste conuenient order We see that it needeth no long or laboursom demonstration to fetche out testimonies to serue for the glorious declaration and profe of gods maiestie for by these few that we haue touched it appeareth that which way soeuer a man chance to looke they are so cōmon ready that they may be easily marked with eye pointed out with the fynger And here again is to be noted that we ar called to the knowledge of god not such as contented with vayne speculation doth but flye about in the brayne but suche as shall be sounde and fruitfull yf it be rightly conceyued and take roote in our heartes For the Lorde is declared by his powers the force wherof because we fele within vs and doo enioy the benefites of them it muste nedes be that we be inwardly moued muche more liuely with suche a knowledge then if we shoulde imagine
lampes lightned doo shyne in the edifice of the worlde to shew forth the glory of the creatour which do so euery way display their beames vpon vs that yet of them selues they can not bryng vs into the right way In deede they raise vp certaine sparkles but suche as be choked vp before that they can spreade abrode anye full brightnesse Therfore the apostle in the same place where he calleth the ages of the worlde images of thynges inuisible sayth further that by faithe is perceyued that they were framed by the worde of God meaning therby that the inuisible godhed is in dede represēted by such shewes but that we haue no eies to see the same throughly vnles they be enlightued by the reuelation of God through faith And Paule where he teacheth that by the creation of the world was disclosed that which was to be knowen concerning god doth not meane such a disclosyng as may be comprehended by the witte of men but rather sheweth that the same procedeth no further but to make them vnexcusable The same Paule also although in one place he sayth that God is not to be sought afarre of as one that dwelleth within vs yet in an other place reacheth to what end that nerenesse auayleth In the ages past sayth he God suffred the nations to walke in their own waies yet he lefte not hym selfe without testimonie doyng good from heauen geuyng showres and fruitefull seasons fillyng the hartes of men with foode and gladnesse Howsoeuer therfore the Lorde bee not withoute testimonie whyle with his greate and manyfolde bountyfulnesse he sweetely allureth men to the knowledge of hym yet for all that they cesse not to folowe their owne waies that is to say their damnable errours But although we want naturall power wherby we can not clymbe vp vnto the pure and cleare knowledge of God yet bycause the faulte of our dulnesse is in our selues therfore all colour of excuse is cutte away from vs. For we can not so pretende ignorance but that euen our conscience dothe stil condemne vs of slouthfulnesse vnthankfulnesse It is a defence forsoothe right woorthy to be receyued if man will alledge that he wanted eares to heare the truth for the publishyng wherof the very dombe creatures haue lowde voyces yf man shall say that he can not see those thynges with his eyes whyche the creatures without eyes doo shewe hym yf man shall laye for his excuse the feblenesse of his witte where all creatures without reason doo instructe hym Wherfore sithe all thynges doo shewe vs the right way we are worthily put from all excuse of our wanderyng and strayeng out of the way But howe soeuer it is to be imputed to the fault of men that they dooe by and by corrupt the sede of the knowledge of God sowē in theyr mindes by meruailous workemanshyp of nature so that it groweth not to good and cleane fruite yet it is moste true that we are not sufficiently instructed by that bare and simple testimonie that the creatures do honourably declare of goodes glory For so soone as we haue taken by the beholdyng of the worlde a smalle taste of the godhead we leauyng the true God doo in steade of hym rayse vp dreames and fansies of oure owne brayne and doo conuey hyther and thyther from the true fountayne the prayse of ryghtousnes wysedom goodnes and power Moreouer we doo so either obscure or by yll estemyng them depraue his daily doynges that we take away bothe from them their glorye and from the authour his due praise ¶ The .vi. Chapter That to atteyne to God the Creatour it is nedefull to haue the scripture to be our guyde and maistresse THerefore althoughe that same brightnesse which both in heauen and earth shineth in the eies of al men doth sufficiently take away al defense frō the wickednesse of mē euen so as God to wrappe al mankind in one giltinesse doeth shewe his diuine maiestie to al withoute excepcion as it wer portraied out in his creatures yet is it necessary that we haue also an other and a better helpe that may rightly direct vs to the very creator of the world Therfore not in vayne he hath added the light of his worde that therby he mought be knowen to saluacion And this prerogatiue he hath vouchesaued to geue to vs whom it pleased him more nerely and more familiarly to draw together to himselfe For because he saw the mindes of al men to be carried aboute with wandering and vnstedfast motion after he had chosē the Iewes to his peculiar flocke he compassed them in as it were with barres that they should not wander out in vanitie as other did And not withoute cause he holdeth vs with the same meane in the true knowledge of himselfe For otherwise euen they should quickly swarue away that seme to stand stedfast in comparison of other For as olde men or poore blind or they whose eies ar dimme sighted if you lay a faire boke before them though they perceiue that there is somewhat written therin yet can they not reade two words together but being holpen with spectacles set betwen them and it they begin to reade distinctlye so the Scripture gathering vp together in our mindes the knowledge of God whiche otherwise is but confused doeth remoue the mist and plainly shewe vs the true god This therefore is a singular gifte that to the instruccion of his church God vseth not onely dumme teachers but also openeth his owne holye mouth not onely publisheth that there is some God to bee worshipped but also there withal pronounceth that he himself is the same God whō we oughte to worship and doeth not onely teache the electe to loke vpō God but also presenteth himselfe vnto them to be loked vppon Thys order hath he kept frō the beginning towarde his churche beside these common instruccions to geue them also hys worde Whiche is the righter and certainer marke to knowe him by And it is not to be douted that Adam Noe Abraham and the rest of the fathers by this help attained to that familiar knowledge which made them as it wer seuerally differente from the vnbeleuers I speake not yet of the proper doctrine of faith wherwith they wer enlightened into the hope of eternall life For that they myght passe from death to life it was nedefull for them to knowe God not only to be the creatoure but also the redemer as doutlesse they obteined both by the worde For that kinde of knowledge wherby was geuen to vnderstande who is the God by whō the worlde was made and is gouerned in order came before the other and thē was that other inwarde knowledge adioined which onely quickeneth dead soules wherby God is knowen not onely to be the maker of the worlde and the onely authour and iudge of all thinges that are done but also to be the redemer in the person of that mediatour But because I am not yet come to the fal of the world
and corrupcion of nature I will omit also to entreate of the remedy therof Therefore let the readers remember that I do not yet speake of the couenaunt whereby God hath adopted to hymselfe the children of Abraham and of that specyal parte of doctrine wherby the faithful haue alway been peculiarly seuered frō the prophane nations because that doctrine was founded vpon Christ but I speake how we ought to learne by the Scripture that god which is the creator of the world is by certaine markes seuerallye discerned from the counterfait multitude of false gods And thē the order it selfe shal conueniently bring vs to the redemer But although we shal allege may testimonies out of the new testamēt some also out of the law and the Prophetes wherin is expresse menciō made of Christ yet they shall al tende to this ende to proue that in the Scripture is disclosed vnto vs God the creator of the world and in the scripture is set foorth what we ought to thinke of him to the end that we should not seke about the busy for an vncertaine godhead But whether God were knowen to the fathers by oracles and visions or whether by the mean and ministraciō of men he informed them of that which they should from hande to hand deliuer to their posterity yet it is vndoutedly true that in their hartes was engrauen a stedfaste certaintie of doctrin so as they might be perswaded and vnderstand that it which they had learned came from God For God alwaies made vndouted assuraunce for credit of his worde which farre exceaded all vncertaine opinion At length that by continual proceding of doctrine the trueth suruiuing in al ages might stil remaine in the world the same oracles which he had left with the fathers his pleasure was to haue as it were enrolled in publike tables For this entent was the law publyshed wherunto after were added the Prophetes for expositors For though there were diuerse vses of the law as hereafter shal better appeare in place conuenient and specially the principall purpose of Moises and al the Prophetes was to teach the maner of reconciliacion beetwene God and men for which cause also Paule calleth Christ the end of the law yet as I say once againe beside the proper doctrine of faith and repētance which sheweth forth Christe the mediatour the Scripture doth by certaine markes and tokens paint out the onelye and true God in that that he hath created and doeth gouerne the worlde to the ende he should be seuerally knowen and not reckened in the false nomber of fained gods Therefore although it behoueth man earnestlye to bend his eies to consider the workes of God forasmuch as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet pryncipally ought he to bende his eares to the word that he may better profit therby And therfore it is no maruel that they which ar borne in darkenesse do more and more waxe hard in their amased dulnesse because verye fewe of them do geue themselues pliable to learne of the word of God whereby to kepe them within their boundes but they rather reioyse in their own vanity Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true religion may shyne among vs we must take our beginning at the heauenly doctrine And that no man can haue any tast be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue ben scholer to the Scrypture And from hense groweth the original of true vnderstanding that we reuerently embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth God therin to testifye of himselfe For not onely the perfect and in al pointes absolute faith but also al right knowledge of God springeth from obedience And truelye in thys behalfe God of his singular prouidence hath prouided for men in and for al ages For if we consider how slipperye an inclinacion mans minde hath to slide into forgetfulnes of God how great a redinesse to fal into al kind of errors how great a lust to forge oftentimes new counterfayt religions we may therby perceiue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not either perish by forgetfulnes or grow vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnes of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of hys word toward al those whom it pleased him at any time frutefully to instruct because he foresaw that his image emprinted in the most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectual Therfore it behoueth vs to trauaile this straight way if we earnestly couet to attayne to the true beholding of God We must I say come to his word wherin God is well and liuely set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersuesse of our own iudgemēt but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swarue from that worde as I saied euen now although we runne neuer so fast yet we shall neuer attaine to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth such as cannot be atteined vnto is vnto vs like a maze out of which we cannot vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the word guided into it so that it is much better for vs to halt in this way than to runne neuer so fast in an other And therfore Dauid oftē times when he teacheth that supersticions are to be taken away out of the world that pure religion maye floryshe bringeth in God reigning meaninge by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctryne wherby he chalengeth to himselfe a lawfull gouernement because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hartes of men till the true knowledge of God be planted Therfore the same Prophete after that he hath recited that the heauens declare the glory of God that the firmament sheweth fourth the woorkes of his handes that the orderly succeding course of daies and nightes preacheth his maiestie then descendeth to make mentiō of his worde The law of the Lord saieth he is vndefiled conuerting soules the witnesse of the Lord is faithful geuing wisedome to little ones the righteousnesses of the Lord are vpryght makyng hartes cherefull the commaundemēt of the Lord is bryght geuing light to the eies For although he comprehendeth also the other vses of the law yet in generalitie he meaneth that forasmuch as God doeth in vaine call vnto hym al nations by the beholdyng of the heauen and earth therfore this is the peculiar schole of the children of God The same meanyng hath the xxix Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached of the terrible voice of God whiche in thunder windes showres whirlewindes stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountains to tremble and breaketh the cedre trees in the ende at last he goeth further and sayth that his praises are
being admonished may know what is chefely to be searched in the Scriptures coÌ„cerning God â–ª and be directed to one certain marke in their seking I do not yet touch the peculiar couenaunte wherby God seuered the stocke of Abraham from other nations For euen then he appeared the redemer in receyuing to his children by free adopcion those that before were ennemies But we ar yet about that knowledge that resteth in the creation of the world and ascendeth not to Christ the mediatour And although by and by it shal be good to allege certaine places oute of the newe testament forasmuch as euen out of it both the power of God the creator and his prouidence in preseruing of the first nature is approued yet I warne the readers before what is now my purpose to do to the ende that they passe not the appointed boundes So for this present let it suffice vs to learne how God the maker of heauen and earth doth gouerne the world by him created Euery where is renomed both his fatherly bountie and enclined wil to do good and there are also examples rehearsed of hys seueritie which shew him to be a righteous punisher of wicked doinges specially where his sufferaunce nothing preuaileth with the obstinate In certain places are set forth more plaine descriptions wherin his natural face is as in an image represented to be seen For in the place where Moses descrybeth it it semeth that his meanyng was shortly to comprehende al that was lawful for men to vnderstande of God The lord sayeth he the Lord a mercyfull God gracious paciente and of much mercy and true whych kepest mercy vnto thousandes which takest away iniquitie and wycked doinges beefore whom the innocente shal not be innocent which rendrest the wyckednesse of the fathers to the children and childrens children Where let vs marke that his eternitie and being of himselfe is expressed in the twise repeting of that honorable name and that then his vertues are rehearsed in which is described vnto vs not what he is in respect to hymselfe but what a one he is towarde vs that thys knowledge of hym maye rather stande in a liuely feling than in an empty and supernatural speculation And here we do heare recited those vertues of hys which we noted to shine in the heauen and earth that is to say â—lemeÌ„cie bountie mercy iustice iudgement and truth For myght and power are conteyned vnder this name Elohim God Wyth the same names of addition doe the Prophetes set him forth when they meane fully to paint out his holy name But because I would not heape vp to many examples together at this preseÌ„t let one Psalme suffice vs wherin the summe of al his vertues is so exactly reckened vp that nothing can seme to be omitted And yet is nothing there rehearsed but that which we may beholde in his creatures So plainly do we perceiue God by informacion of experyeÌ„ce to be such as he declareth himselfe in hys worde In Ieremy where he pronounceth what a one he would haue vs knowe hym to be he setteth forth a description not altogether so full but yet comming all to one effecte He that gloryeth saieth he let him glory in this that he knoweth me to bee the Lord that do mercy iustice and iudgemente on the earth Surelye these three thinges are very necessary for vs to knowe mercy in which alone consisteth al our saluacion Iudgement which is dayly executed vpon euil doers and more greuous is prepared for them to eternal destruction Iustice wherby the faithful are preserued and most tenderlye cherished Which thinges when thou hast conceiued the prophecy saith thou hast sufficiently enough wherof thou maiest glory in God And yet here are not omitted either his trueth or his power or his holinesse or goodnesse For how should the knowledge stand sure which is here required of his iustice mercy and iudgement vnlesse it did rest vpon hys vnmouable truth And how should we beleue that he doeth gouerne the earth with iustice and iudgement but vnderstandyng hys power And whense commeth his mercy but of his goodnesse If then all his waies be mercy iudgement and iustice in them must holinesse also nedes bee seen And to none other ende is directed that knowledge of God that is set forth vnto vs in the Scriptures than is that knowledge also which appeareth emprinted in his creatures that is to say it first moueth vs to the feare of God and then to put confidence in hym to the ende we may learne first to honor him with perfect innocency of lyfe and vnfained obedience and then to hang altogether vpon hys goodnesse But here I meane to gather a summe of generall doctrine And first let the readers note that the Scripture to the ende to direct vs to the true God doth expresly exclude and cast away al the gods of the gentiles because commonly in a manner in al ages religion hath ben corrupted True it is in dede that the name of one God was euerye where knowen and renomed For euen they that worshipped a great nomber of gods so oft as they did speake according to the proper sense of nature they simply vsed the singular name of God as if they were contented with one God alone And thys was wisely marked by Iustine the Martyr which for thys purpose made a boke of the Monarchie of god wherby many testimonies he sheweth that thys that there is but one god was engrauen in the hartes of al men The same thyng also doth Tertulliane proue by the common phrase of speche But forasmuche as all without exception are by their own vanitie either drawen or fallen to false forged deuises and so their senses are become vayne therefore all that euer they naturally vnderstode of the beeing but one god auayled no further but to make them inxecusable For eueÌ„ the wisest of them do plainly shewe the wandering error of theyr mynde when they wyshe some god to assist them and so in theyr prayers do cal vpon vncertayne gods Moreouer in this that they imagined god to haue many natures although they thought somwhat lesse absurdely than the rude people did of Iupeter Mercury Uenus Minerua and other yet were they not free from the deceites of Satan and as we haue already sayed els where whatsoeuer wayes of escape the Philosophers haue suttelly inuented they cannot purge themselues of rebellioÌ„ but that they all haue corrupted the trueth of god For thys reson Habacuc after he had condeÌ„ned all idols biddeth to seke God in hys own temple that the faythfull should not admyt hym to be any other than such as he had disclosed him selfe by hys worde The .xi. Chapter That it is vnlawfull to attribute vnto God a visible forme and that generally they forsake God so many as do erect to them selues any images BUt as the Scripture prouiding for the rude grosse wit of man vseth to speake after the common maner so when it
the gētils it was necessary to haue god more expresly painted out vnto thē For wheras that saying that God is the minde of the world which is cōpted the most tolerable descripcion that is founde among the Philosophers is but vaine it behoueth vs more familiarly to know hym least we alway wauer in doutfulnesse Therfore it was his pleasure to haue an history of the creaciō remaining wherupō the Fayth of the church might rest seke for no other God but hym whō Moses hath declared to be the maker bilder of the world There is first set forth the tyme that by continual proceding of yeres the faithfull myghte come to the first original of mankinde and of al thinges Which knowledge is very necessary not only to confute those monstrous fables that somtyme were spred in Egipte and other partes of the worlde but also that the beginning of the worlde ones beyng knowen the eternitie of God may more clerely shine forth and rauishe vs in admiracion of it Neyther oughte we to be any thyng moued wyth that vngodly mocke that it is maruel why it came no soner in the mind of God to make the heauen the earth why he syttīg idle did suffer so immesurable a space to passe away sith he mought haue made it many thousande ages before wheras the whole continuaunce of the world that now draweth to an end is not yet come to sixe thousande yeres For why God so long differred it is nether lawful nor expediēt for vs to enquire Because if mans mynd wil trauaile to attaine thereunto it shal faile a hundred tymes by the way nether wer it profitable for vs to know that thing which God hymselfe to proue the modestie of our Fayth hath of purpose wylled to be hydden And wel did that godly olde man speake whiche when a wanton felowe did in scorne demaunde of hym what God had done before the creacion of the worlde aunswered that he builded hell for curious fooles let this graue and seuere warning represse the wantonnesse that tickleth many yea and dryueth them to euill and hurtfull speculacions Finally lette vs remember that the same inuisible God whoe 's wisedome power and iustice is incomprehensyble doth sette before vs the historye of Moses as a lokyng glasse wherein hys liuely image appeareth For as the eyes that eyther are growen dimme with age or dulled wyth any disease doe not discerne any thyng playnly vnlesse they be holpen with spectacles so suche is oure weakenesse that vnlesse the Scripture directe vs in sekyng of God we do forthwith runne out into vanitie And they that folowe their owne wantonnesse because they be nowe warned in vaine shall all to late fele with horrible destruccion howe muche it had ben better for them reuerently to receiue the secrete counsels of God than to vomite oute blasphemies to obscure the heauen with all And ryghtly doeth Augustyne complayne that wrong is done to God whē further cause of thinges is sought for than his onely will The same mā in an other place doth wisely warne vs that it is no lesse euel to moue question of immeasurable spaces of tymes than of places For howe brode soeuer the circuit of the heauen is yet is there some measure of it Nowe if one shoulde quarell wyth God for that the emptynesse wherein nothyng is conteyned is a hundred tymes more shall not all the godly abhore suche wantonnesse Into lyke madnesse runne they that busy them selues aboute Gods sitting stil because at their apointment he made not the world innumerable ages soner To satisfie their own gredinesse of minde they couer to passe wtout the cōpasse of the world as though in so large a circuite of heauen earth they could not finde things enough that with their inestimable brightnesse may ouerwhelme al our senses as though in six thousād yeres God hath not shewed examples in cōtinual cōsideracion wherof our myndes may be exercised Let vs therfore willingly abide enclosed within those boundes wherw t it pleased God to enuirō vs as it were to pen vp our mindes that they shold not stray abrod with liberty of wādrīg For like resō is it that Moses declareth y◠the work of God was not ended in a momēt but in .vi. dayes For by this circūstāce we ar wtdrawen frō forged inuencions to the one onely God that deuyded hys worke into vi dayes that it should not greue vs to be occupyed all the tyme of our lyfe in considering of it For thoughe oure eyes what waye soeuer we turne them are compelled to loke vpon the workes of God yet see we howe fyckle oure hede is and if any godly thoughtes doe touche vs. howe sone they passe away Here againe mans reason murmureth as though suche procedinges were disagreing from the power of God vntil suche time as being made subiecte to the obedience of Fayth she learne to kepe that rest wherunto the hollowing of the .vii. day calleth vs. But in the very order of thinges is diligently to bee considered the Fatherly loue of God towarde mankinde in this that he did not create Adam vntill he had stored the worlde with al plenty of good thinges For if he had placed him in the earth while it was yet barren and emptie if he had geuen him life before that there was any lighte he should haue semed not so wel to prouide for his commoditie But nowe where he first disposed the motions of the Sunne and the Planets for the vse of man and furnished the earth the waters and the aire wyth liuing creatures and brought forth aboundaunce of fruites to suffyce for fode taking vpon him the care of a diligent prouidēt householder he shewed his maruellous bountie towarde vs. If a man do more hedefully weye with himselfe those thinges that I doe but shortly touche it shall appeare that Moses was the sure witnesse and publisher of the one God the creator I omitt here that which I haue already declared that he speaketh not there onely of the bare essence of God but also setteth forth vnto vs his eternall Wisedome and Spirite to the ende we should not dreame that God is any other than such as he wil be knowē by the image that he hath there expressed But before that I begin to speake more at large of the nature of mā I must say somwhat of Angels Because though Moses applying himselfe to the rudenesse of the common people reciteth in his history of the creacion no other workes of God but such as are seen with oure eyes yet wheras afterwarde he bryngeth in Angels for ministers of God we may easily gather that he was the creator of them in whoe 's seruyce they employ their trauaile and offices Though therefore Moses speaking after the capacitie of the people doth not at the very beginning rehearse the Angels among the creatures of God yet that is no cause to the contrary but that we may plainly and expresly speake those thinges of
not desire of mynde at all For a naturall manne suffereth not him self to be brought to this to acknowledge the diseases of his desires The lighte of nature is choked vp before that it come to the firste entrie of this bottomlesse depth For wheÌ„ the Philosophers note immoderate motioÌ„s of minde for faults they meane those motions that appeare and shewe forth themselues by grosse tokeÌ„s but they make no accompt of those euell desires that do gently tickle the minde Wherefore as Plato was worthyly founde faulte withall before for that he imputed all sinnes to ignoraunce so is their opinion to be reiected whiche teach that purposed maliced and frowardnesse is vsed in all sinnes For we finde it to muche by experience how oft we fall with our good intent Our reason is ouerwhelmed wyth so many sortes of beyng deceyued is subiecte to so many errours stombleth at so many stayes is entangled with so many streightes that it is farre from sure directyng But howe little it is estemed before the Lord in all partes of our life Paule sheweth when he sayeth that we are not sufficient to thynke any thyng of our selues as of our selues He speaketh not of will or affection but he taketh also this awaye from vs that we shuld not thinke that it can come in our mindes how any thynge is to be done well Is our diligence insighte vnderstandyng and heade so corrupted that it canne deuise or thinke vpon nothyng that is right before the Lorde That semeth to hard to vs that doe vnwillingly suffer our selues to bee spoyled of the sharpenesse of reason whyche we accompt a moste precious gifte But to the holy ghoste it semeth moste full of equitie whiche knoweth that all the thoughtes of wisemen are vayne and whyche pronounceth playnly that all the inuention of mans heart is onely euell If all that oure witte conceiued deuiseth vpon purposeth and goeth about is alwaye euell howe canne it come in our minde to purpose that whyche pleaseth God to whome onely holynesse and righteousnesse is acceptable So is it to bee seene that the reason of our mynde whyche waye so euer it turne it self is miserably subiecte to vanitie Dauid knewe this weakenesse in hym selfe when he prayed to haue vnderstandyng geuen hym to learne the Lordes commaundementes a righte For hee secâ—eâ—ly sayeth therein that his owne witte sufficeth hym not whyche desireth to haue a newe geuen hym And that hee doeth not onely ones but almoste ten tymes in one Psalme he repeteth the same prayer By whyche repetyng he priuely declareth wyth howe greate neede he is dryuen to praye it And that whiche he prayeth for himself alone Paule coÌ„monly vseth to praye for the churches We cease not sayeth he to praye for you and to desire that ye may be filled wyth the knowledge of God in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstandyng that ye maye walke worthely of God c. But so ofte as he maketh that thing the good gift of God let vs remember that he doth withall testifie that it lieth not in mans power And Augustine so farre acknoweleged this defaut of reson to vnderstande those thinges that are of God that he thinketh the grace of illumination to be no lesse necessarie for our mindes than the light of the sunne is for our eyes And not coÌ„tent with that he addeth a correction of that saying that we lifte vp our eyes to see the light but the eyes of our minde lie shutte vnlesse the Lorde open them And the Scripture teacheth that our mindes are not enlightened one daye alone that they maye afterwarde see by themselues for that which I euen now alleged out of Paule belongeth to continuall procedinges and encresinges And this doeth Dauid expresly set out in these wordes With my whole heart I haue sought thee make me not to straye from thy commaundementes For when he had ben regenerated and had not sclenderly profited in true godlinesse yet he confesseth that for euery moment he nedeth continuall direction leaste he should swarue from the knowledge wherewith he is endued Therefore in an other place he prayeth to haue the right spirite renewed which he had lost by his owne faulte bicause it belongeth to the same God to restore vnto vs the same thing beyng loste for a time whyche himselfe gaue at the beginnyng Nowe is Will to be examined wherein standeth the chiefe libertie of free choise for it hath ben already seene that choyse doth rather belong to Will than to vnderstandyng First that this thyng whiche the Philosophers haue taught and is receyued with coÌ„mon consent that is that all thynges by naturall instinction desire that whiche is good maye not seme to belong to the vprightnesse of mans will Let vs marke that the force of free will is not to be considered in such appetite as rather procedeth of the inclination of the essence than of the aduisement of the vnderstandyng minde For euen the Schoolemen do confesse that freewill hath no action but when reason turneth it selfe to obiectes whereby they meane that the obiect of appetite must be suche â–ª as maye be subiecte to choyse and goe before deliberation which prepareth the waye for choise And truely if a manne consider what is that naturall desire of good in manne he shall finde that it is coÌ„mon to him with beastes For they also desire to be well and when any shewe of good appereth that moueth their sense they followe it But man doeth neyther choyse by reason that he maye followe with diligence that thing which is in deede good for him according to the excellence of his immortall nature nor taketh reason to counsell nor bendeth his minde but without reason without counsel like a beast foloweth the inclination of nature This therefore maketh nothynge for the freedome of will if a manne by sense of nature be carried to desire that which is good but this is requisite that he discerne good by right reason and when he hath knowen it that he choose it and when he hath chosen it that he followe it But leaste any man shoulde doubte there is to be noted a double Sophisticall argument For Appetite is not here called the proper maÌ„ner of will but a naturall inclination and Good is called not as of vertue or iustice but of estate as we saye This man is wel or in good case Finally although a man â—o neuer so much desire to attain that is good yet he foloweth it not As there is no man to whome eternall blessednesse is not pleasant yet is there none that aspireth vnto it but by the mouing of the holy ghost Wherfore sithe the naturall desire in men to be well maketh nothing to proue the fredome of wyll no more than in metalles and stones doth the affection inclinyng to the perfection of their substaÌ„ce lette vs consider in other thinges whether Will be so infected and corrupted in all partes that it engendreth nothing but euell
the definition of it and the propreties that it hathe are declared BUt al these thinges shal be easy to vnderstand when there is shewed a plaine definitioÌ„ of fayth that the readers may knowe the force and nature thereof But fyrste it is conuenient to call to minde againe these thynges that haue ben already spoken that syth God doth appoint vs by his law what we ought to do if we fall in any point thereof the same terrible iudgement of eternall death that he pronounceth doth rest vpon vs. Againe that forasmuch as it is not only hearde but altogether aboue oure strength and beyond all oure power to fulfill the lawe if we only beholde our selues wâ—ie what estate is worthy for our deseruinges there is no good hope left but we lie cast away from God vnder eternall destruction Thirdly this hath ben declared that there is but one meane of deliuerance to drawe vs out of so wretched calamitie wherin appeareth Christ the Redeemer by whose hand it pleased the heauenly father hauing mercie vpon vs of his infinite goodnesse clemencie to succoure vs so that we wyth sounde faith embrace thys mercie and with constant hope rest vpon it But now it is conuenient for vs to weie this what manner of faith this ought to be by which al thei that are adopted by God to be hys chyldren do enter vpon the possession of the heauenly kingdome forasmuch as it is certaine that not euery opinion nor yet euery perswasion is sufficient to bring to passe so great a thing And with so much the more care study must we loke about for and searche out the natural propretie of faith by how muche the more hurtfull at thys day is the erroure of many in this behalf For a great part of the world hearing the name of faith conceiueth no hier thing but a certaine common assent to the historie of the Gospel Yea when thei dispute of faith in the scholes in barely callynge God the obiecte of faithe thei do nothinge but as we haue saide in an other place by vaine speculation rather draw wretched soules out of the right way thaÌ„ direct them to the true mark For wheras God dwelleth in a light that none can atteine to it behoueth of necessitie that Christe become meane betweene vs and yt For whyche cause he calleth hym selfe the light of the world in an other place The way the Truth the Life bicause no man commeth to the father which is the fountaine of life but by him bicause he onely knoweth the Father by him the faithful to whome it pleaseth him to disclose him According to this reason Paule affirmeth that he accompteth nothing excellent to be knowen but Christ and in the .xx. chapiter of the Actes he saith that he preached faith in Christ c. And in an other place he bringeth in Christ speakeinge after this manner I wil send thee amonge the Gentiles that thei maye receiue forgeuenes of sinnes porâ—ion among holy ones by the faith which is in me And Paule testifieth that the glorie of God is in his person visible vnto vs or whiche is all one in effect that the enlightning of the knowledge of Gods glorie shineth in his face It is true in dede that faith hath respect only to the one God but this also is to be added that it acknowledge him whome he hath sent euen Iesus Chrste Bicause God himselfe shoulde haue lyen secret and hydden farre from vs vnlesse the brightnesse of Christe did cast his beames vpon vs. For this entent the father left al that he had with his onely begotten sonne euen by the coÌ„municatinge of good thynges wyth him to expresse the true image of his glorie For as it is saide that we must be drawen by the spirit that we maie be stirred to seeke Christ so againe we ought to be admonished that the inuisible father is no where els to be sought but in this image Of whiche mater Augustine speaketh excellently well whiche entreating of the marke that faith should shoote at saith that we must know whether we must goe and which waie and then by by after he gathereth that the safest waye against all erroures is he that is both God and man For it is God to whome we go and man by whom we go and bothe these are founde no where but in Christe Neyther dothe Paule when he speaketh of faith in God meane to ouerthrowe that whiche he so ofte repeteth of faith that hath her whole stay vpon Christe And Peter dothe most fittly ioyne them bothe together saieng that by him we beleue in God Therefore thys euell euen as innumerable other is to be imputed to the Scholemen whiche haue hidden Christe as it were with a veile drawen before hym to the beholdyng of whome vnlesse we be dyrectly bent we shall alwaie wander in many vncertaine mazes But bysyde thys that with theyr darke definition they doe deface and in a manner bring to naught the whole force of faithe they haue forged a deuyse of vnexpressed faith wyth which name thei garnyshing theyr most grosse ignorance doe with greate hurte deceyue the silly people yea to saye truely and plainely as the thinge is in deede thys deuyse doth not only burie but vtterly destroye the true faithe Is this to beleue to vnderstand nothing so that thou obediently submitte thy sense to the Churche Faythe standeth not in ignorance but in knoweledge and that not onely of God but of the wyll of God For neither do we obteine saluation by thys that wee eyther are ready to embrace for true whatsoeuer the Churche appoynteth or that we do committe to it all the office of searchyng and knowing but when we acknowledge God to be a mercifull father to vs by the reconciliation made by Christ and that Christe is geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse sanctification and lyfe By thys knoweledge I saye not by submitting of oure sense we atteine an entrie into the kyngedome of heauen For when the Apostle saith that with the hearte we beleue to righteousnesse and wyth the mouthe confession is made to saluation hee sheweth that it is not enoughe if a man vnexpressedly beleue that whiche he vnderstandeth not nor seeketh to learne but he requyreth an expressed acknowleging of Gods goodnesse in whyche consysteth oure ryghteousnesse In dede I denie not such is the ignorance wherwith we are coÌ„passed that ther now be herafter shal be many thinges wrapped hidden from vs till hauing put of the burden of our flesh we come nerer to the presence of God in which very thinges that be hidden from vs nothing is more profitable than to suspend our iudgment but to stay our mind in determined purpofe to kepe vnitie with the Churche But vnder thys coloure to entitle ignoraunce tempered with humilitie by the name of faith is a great absurditie For faith lieth in knoledg of God of Christ not in reuerence of the
atteining and climbing vp to perceiue the very will of God and also the hearte of man as it wauereth with perpetuall doubting is farre from resting assured in that persuasion Therefore it behoueth bothe that our witt be lightned and oure heart strengthened by some other meane that the worde of God may be of ful credit with vs. Now we shal haue a perfect definition of fayth if we saie that it is a stedfast assured knowledge of Gods kindnes toward vs which being grounded vpō the trueth of the free promise in Christ is both reueled to our mindes and sealed in our heartes by the holy ghoste But before I procede any further it shal be necessary that I make some preambles to dissolue certain doubts that otherwise might make some stoppe to the readers And first I must confute the distinctiō that flieth about in the scholes betwene faith fourmed and vnformed For thei imagine that such as are touched with no feare of God with no feling of godlinesse do beleue all that is necessarie to saluation As though the holy ghooste in lyghtenyng oure heartes vnto faythe were not a witnesse to vs of oure adoption And yet presumptuously when all the Scripture crieth out againste it they geue the name of faith to suche perswasion voide of the feare of God Wee neede to striue no further with theyr definition but simply to reherse the nature of faith such as it is declared by the worde of God Whereby shall plainely appeare how vnskilfully foolishly thei rather make a noise than speake of it I haue alreadie touched parte the rest I wyll adde hereafter as place shall serue At this present I saie that there can not bee imagined a greater absurditie than this inuention of theires They wyll haue faith to be an assent whereby euery despyser of God maie receiue that whiche is vttered out of the Scripture But fyrste thei should haue seen whether euery manne of hys owne power do brynge faithe to hymselfe or whether the holy ghooste be by it a witnesse of adoption Therefore they do chyldyshly plaie the fooles in demaundinge whether faithe whiche qualitie addeth dothe fourme be the same faithe or an other and a newe faithe Whereby appeareth certainely that in so bablinge they neuer thought of the syngular gyfte of the holy ghooste For the begynning of beleuinge dothe already conteine in it the reconciliation whereby manne approcheth to God But if they dyd weye that sayeng of Paule With the hearte is beleued to righteousnesse thei wold cesse to fayne that same colde qualitie If we hadde but thys one reason it shoulde be sufficient to ende thys contention that the very same assent as I haue already touched and wyll againe more largely repete is rather of the hearte than of the brayne rather of affection than of vnderstandynge For whyche cause it is called the obeydience of faythe whyche is suche as the Lorde preferreth no kynde of obeydience aboue it and that woorthyly forasmuche as nothynge is more precious to hym than hys truthe whyche as Ihon the Baptist wytnesseth the beleuers doe as yt were subscribe and seale vnto Sythe the matter ys not doubtefull we doe in one woorde determinately saie that they speake fondly when they saie that faithe is fourmed by addynge of godly affection vnto assent whereas assent it selfe at least suche assent as ys declared in the Scriptures consisteth of godly affection Butte yet there ys an other playner argument that offereth yt selfe to be alleged For whereas faythe embraceth Christe as hee ys offered vs of the Father and Christe ys offered not onely for ryghteousnesse forgeuenesse of synnes and peace butte also for sanctification and a fountayne of lyuynge water wythoute doubte noe mann ecanne euer truely knowe hym vnlesse he doe therewythall receyue the sanctification of the Spirite Or if any manne desyre to haue it more plainely spoken Faythe consysteth in the knowledge of Christe And Christe canne not bee knowen butte wyth sanctification of hys Spirite therefore it foloweth that fayth can by no meane be seuered from godly affection Whereas they are wonte to laye thys agaynste vs that Paule sayeth If a manne haue all faythe so that hee remoue mountaynes yf he haue not charitie hee ys nothynge whereby they woulde deforme faythe in spoylinge it of charitie they consyder not what the Apostle in that place meaneth by faithe For when in the chapiter next before it he hadde spoken of the diuerse gyftes of the holy ghoste amonge the whyche he had reckened the diuerse kindes of languages power and prophecie and hadde exhorted the Corynthians to folowe the beste of these giftes that is to saie suche gyftes whereby more profit and commoditie myghte come to the whole body of the Churche he streyght waie saide further that he woulde shewe them yet a more excellent waie That all suche gyftes howe excellent soeuer they bee of them selues yet are nothinge to be esteemed vnlesse thei serue charitie For they were geuen to the edyfyeng of the Churche and vnlesse they bee applyed therevnto they loose theyr grace For proofe of thys he particularly reherseth them repetynge the selfe same gyftes that hee hadde spoken of before butte in other names And hee vseth the woordes Powers and Faythe for all one thynge that is for the power to do miracles Sythe therefore thys whether ye call it power or faithe is a particular gyfte of God whyche euery vngodly manne maye boothe haue and abuse as the gyfte of tongnes as prophecie and other gyftes of grace yt ys no maruell yf yt bee seuered from charitie Butte all the erroure of these menne standeth in thys that where thys woorde Faythe hathe dyuerse sygnifcations they not consyderinge the dyuersitie of the thinge sygnifyed dispute as though it were taken for one thynge in all places a lyke The place of Iames whyche they allege for mayntaynance of the same erroure shall bee els where dyscussed Butte althoughe for teachynges sake when wee meane to shewe what manner of knoweledge of God there ys in the wycked wee graunte that there are dyuerse sortes of faythe yet wee acknoweledge and speake of butte one faythe of the godly as the Scripture teacheth Many in deede doe beleue that there ys a God they thynke that the Hystorie of the Gospell and other partes of the Scripture are true as commonly wee are wonte to iudge of suche thynges as eyther are reported beynge done longe agoe or suche as wee oure selues haue beene presente at and seen There bee also some that goe further for bothe they beleue the woorde of God to be a moste assured oracle they do not altogether despyse hys commaundementes and they somewhat after a sorte are moued with hys threatenynges and promyses It is in deede testified that suche haue faythe butte that ys spoken oute by abuse bycause they do not wyth open vngodlynesse fyghte agaynste the woorde of God or refuse or despyse it butte rather pretende a certayne shewe
that abideth in the remnaÌ„tes of the fleshe riseth vp to assaile the faith that is inwardly conceiued But if in a faythfull minde assurednesse be mixed with doubtfulnesse come we not then alwaye to this pointe that faith staÌ„deth not in a certaine and clere knowledge but in a darke doubtefully entangled knowledge of Gods will toward vs No not so For though we be diuersly drawen with sondry thoughtes yet are we not therefore by and by seuered from fayth though we be vexed with tossyng vp and downe of distrustfulnesse yet are we not therefore drowned in the bottoÌ„lesse depth thereof and though we be shaken yet be we not thrust â–ª downe out of our place For this is alwaye the ende of this battell that faith doth at length with wrastling ouercome those hard troubles wherwith when she is so besieged she semeth to be in danger Let this be the sunnne of all So sone as any droppe of fayth be it neuer so small is poured into our heartes we by and by beginne to beholde the face of God milde and pleasant and louyng towarde vs yet the same we see from a farre of and far distant from vs but with so sure sight that we know we are not deceiued FroÌ„ thense forward howe muche we profit as we ought continually to profit as it were by procedyng further we come vnto so much the nerer and therfore certainer beholdyng of him and by very continuance he is made more familiar vnto vs. So we see that the minde enlightened with the knowledge of God is first holden wrapped in much ignorance which by litle and litle is wyped awaye Yet the same minde is not so hindered by beyng ignoraÌ„t of some thinges or by darkly seyng that which she seeth but that she enioyeth a clere knowledge of gods wil toward her which is the first and principal point in fayth For as if a man beyng shut vp in pryson haue beames of the sunne shinyng in sidelong at a narrowe windowe or as it were but half glummeryng he wanteth in deede the free beholdynge of the sunne yet he seeth with his eyes an vndoubted brightnesse thereof and receyueth the vse of it so we beyng â—ounde with the fetters of an earthly body howe so euer we be on eche side shadowed with muche darkenesse yet we are sufficiently enlighâ—ened vnto perfect assurednesse by the light of God extendyng his beames of light vpon vs though it be but a litle to shew forth his mercie Both these pointes the Apostle very wel teacheth in diuerse places For when he sayth that we know vnperfectly and prophecie vnperfectly and see by a darke speakynge as by a glasse he sheweth howe sclender a litle portion of the true godly wisedome is geuen vs in this present life For though those wordes do not expresly shewe that our faith is vnperfect so long as we grone vnder this burden of the flesh but that it happeneth vnto vs by our owne imperfectioÌ„ that we haue neede to be continually exercised in learning yet he secretly declareth that that thinge whiche is infinite can not be comprehended by our small capacitie and narrowe compasse And this Paule reporteth of the whole church but vnto euery owne of vs his owne dulnesse is a hinderance staye that he can not come so nere as were to be wished But how sure and vndeceuiable a taste of it self euen a small droppe of faith doth make vs fele the same Apostle sheweth in an other place where he affirmeth that by the Gospell we beholde the glory of God with vncouered face hauing no veile betwene vs and it so effectually that we be transformed into the same image In such entanglemeÌ„tes of ignorance there muste needes be wrapped together bothe muche doubtyng and feareful tremblyng specially for asmuch as our heart by a certaine natural instinct of it self is enclined to vnbeleuingnesse Byside that there be tentations which bothe infinite in number and diuerse in kinde do ofteÌ„times with great sodeine violence assayle vs. But specially our owne conscience oppressed with heauy burden of sinnes lyeng vpon it dothe sometime lament and grone with it selfe and sometime accuseth it selfe sometime secretely murmureth and sometime is openly troubled Whether therfore aduersities do shew an apparance of the wrath of God or the conscience doth finde in it selfe any profe or matter of his wrath from thense vnbelefe doth take weapons and engines to vanquish fayth withall whiche are alway directed to this ende that we thinkyng God to be our aduersarie and hatefully bent agaynst vs should bothe not hope for any helpe at his hande and also be afrayde of him as of our deadly enemie To beare these assaultes faith doth armie and fortifie her self with the worde of God And when such a tentation assayleth that God is our enemie bicause he is sharpe against vs faith in the other side answereth that euen when he punisheth he is also mercifull bicause his chastisement cometh rather of loue than of wrath When faith is striken with this thought that God is a reuenger of iniquities â–ª agaynst that stroke he setteth his pardon redy for al offenses so oft as the sinner resorteth to the mercifulnesse of the Lord. So a godly minde how so euer it be in maruelous wise tossed and vexed yet at length riseth vp aboue all daÌ„gers and neuer suffreth the confideÌ„ce of Gods mercie to be plucked awaye from it But rather what so euer contentions do trouble and wery it in the ende they turne to the assurednesse of this coÌ„fidence And herof this is a profe that the holy ones wheÌ„ they thinke themselues moste of al pressed with the vengeance of God yet euen then do make their complayntes to the same God and when it semeth that they shal not be heard at all euen then neuerthelesse they call vpon him For to what purpose were it to make their moane to him from whome thei hoped for no comfort truely they would neuer finde in their heartes to cal vpon him vnlesse they beleued that there were some helpe at his hande prepared for them So the Disciples in whome Christ blameth their smalnesse of fayth coÌ„playned in deede that they perished but yet they called to him for helpe And when he rebuketh them for their small fayth yet he doth not reiect them from the nuÌ„ber of his nor maketh them of the number of the vnbeleuers but stirreth them to shake of that fault Therefore we affirme againe that whiche we haue aboue spoken that the roote of fayth is neuer plucked out of a godly heart but sticketh so faste in the bottome that howe so euer it be shaken and seme to bende this waye or that waye the light thereof is so neuer quenched or choked vp but that it lyeth at leaste hidden vnder some embers and by this token is playnely shewed that the word which is an vncorruptible sede bringeth forth frute like to it selfe the spryng whereof doth neuer whither and vtterly perish â–ª
Mediator yet his godlynesse is praised Cornelius a Gentile a Romaine could scarcely vnderstand that which was knowen not to al the Iewes yea that very darkely yet his almes praiers were acceptable to God And the sacrifice of Naaman by the Prophets answer allowed Whych thing neither of them coulde obteine but by faythe Lykewise yt maie be sayde of the Ennuche to whome Philppe was carried why the yf he hadde not had some faythe woulde not haue taken vpon him the trauayle and exspenses of so longe a iourney to worshippe Yet we see when Philippe examined him how he bewrayed his ignorance of the Mediator And truely I graunte that theyr faythe was 〈◊〉 vnexpressed not only concerning Christes person but also concerninge his power and the office committed vnto him of the Father Yet in the meane time it is certaine that thei were instructed in suche principles as gaue them some taste of Christe althoughe but very small Neyther ought this to seeme strange For neither wold the Eunuche haue come in haste to Ierusalem from a farre countrie to worship an vnknowen God neither did Cornelius when he had ones embraced the Iewish religion spende so much time without being acquainted with the first groundes of true doctrine As for Naaman it had ben to fonde an absurditie for Elyzeus when he taught him of small thynges to haue saide nothinge of the principal pointe Therefore although there were among them a darke knoweledge of Christ yet it is not likely that ther was no knowledge bicause thei did vse them selues in the sacrifices of the lawe whiche must haue been discerned by the very ende of them that is Christe from the false sacrifices of the Gentiles But this bare and outward declaration of the word of God ought to haue largely sufficed to make it be beleued if our owne blyndenesse and stubbournesse did not withstande it But oure minde hath suche an inclination to vanitie that it can neuer cleaue faste vnto the trueth of God and hathe suche a dulnesse that it is alwaie blinde and can not see the light thereof Therefore there is nothynge auailably done by the worde without the enlightninge of the holy ghoste Whereby also appeareth that faithe is farre aboue mans vnderstanding Neither shal it be sufficient that the minde be lightned with the spirit of God vnlesse the hearte be also strengthened and stablished with his power Wherein the Schoolemen do altogether erre whiche in considerynge of faithe do onely take holde of a bare and simple assent by knowledg leauinge out the confidence and assurednesse of the heart Therefore faith is both waies a syngular gyfte of God bothe that the mynde of man is cleansed to taste the trueth of God and that his hearte is stablished therein For the holy ghoste not onely is the beginner of faythe but also by degrees encreaseth it vntil by it he bring vs to the heauenly kingdome That good thinge saith Paule whiche was committed to thy keping kepe in the holy ghoste which dwelleth in vs. But howe Paule saithe that the holy ghoste is geuen by the hearing of faythe we may easily dissolue it If there hadde ben but one onely gyfte of the holy ghoste then it had ben an absurditie for him to call the holy ghost the effect of faith whyche is the author and cause of faithe But when he maketh report of the gyftes wherewyth God garnysheth his Churche and by encreasinges of faithe bryngeth it to perfection it is no meruell if he ascribe those thynges to faithe whiche maketh vs fitt to receiue them This is reckened a moste strange conclusion when it is saide that no man but he to whome it is geuen can beleue in Christ. But that is partely bycause they do not consyder either howe secrete and hye the heauenly wysedome is or howe greate mans dulnesse is in conceiuinge the misteries of God and partly bycause they looke not vnto that assured and stedfast constantnesse of hearte that is to saye the cheefe parte of faith But if as Paule preacheth no manne is wytnesse of the wyll of manne but the spirite of manne that is within him then howe shoulde man be sure of the will of God And if the truth of God be vncertaine among vs in those thinges that we presently beholde with our eye how shold it be assured stedfast among vs ther wher the lord promiseth such thinge as neither eye seeth nor witt comprehendeth But herein mans sharpnesse of vnderstanding is so ouerthrowen faileth that the fyrste degrees of profitinge in Gods schoole is to forsake his owne wit For by it as by a veile cast before vs we are hyndred that we can not atteine the misteries of God whiche are not disclosed but to little ones For neither dothe flesh blood disclose nor natural man perceiue those things that are of the Spirit but rather to him the learning of God is foolishnesse bicause it is spiritually to be iudged Therfore herin the helpe of the holy ghost is necessarie or rather herein his force onely reigneth Ther is noman that knoweth the minde of God or hath ben his counseller but the holy Spirit searcheth out all thinges euen the depe secretes of God by whome it is brought to passe that we know the minde of Christ No man saith he can come to me vnlesse my father that sent me drawe hym Euery one therfore that hath heard learned of my father commeth Not that any man hath seen the father but he that is sent to God Euen as therfore we can not come vnto Christ but being drawen by the Spirit of God so when we be drawen we are lifted vp in witt minde aboue our owne vnderstanding For the soule enlightned by hym taketh as it wer a new sharpnes of vnderstanding wherwith it maye beholde heauenly misteries with brightnes wherof it was before daseled in it selfe And so mans vnderstanding receiuing brightnesse by the lighte of the holy ghost doth neuer till then truely beginne to taste of those thinges that belong to the kingdome of God being before altogether vnfauourie and without iudgment of tast to take assay of them Therfore when Christ did notably set out vnto two of hys Disciples the misteries of his kingdome yet he nothing preuailed vntill he opened their senses that they might vnderstand the Scriptures When the Apostles weare so taughte by his Godly mouth yet the Spirit of truth must be sent vnto them to poure into their mindes that same doctrine whiche they had hearde with their eares The worde of God is like vnto the sunne that shineth vnto all them to whome it is preached but to no profit amonge blinde men But we are al in this behalfe blind by nature therfore it can not pearce into our minde but by the inward master the holy ghoste making by his enlightning an entrie for it In an other place when we had to entreat of the corruption of natur we haue
I speake now of grosse and blockish hypocrites that thinke thei haue done sufficiently if they haue noted three or sower of the greatest sinnes but I speake of the true worshippers of God whiche when thei see themselues oppressed with the examinatiō that they haue made do adde also this saieng of Ihon If oure owne heart do accuse vs God is greater than oure heart and so thei quake for feare at the sight of that iudge whose knowledge farre sourmounteth oure vnderstandinge But whereas a greate parte of the worlde rested them vpon suche flatteries wherewith so deadely a poyson was tempered thys came not so to passe bycause they beleued that God was satisfied or bycause they them selues were fully satisfied but that the anchor caste as y◠were in the midde sea shoulde reste a lyttle from saylinge or as a wayfaringe man weary and fainetynge shoulde lye downe in the waye I laboure not muche in prouinge thys For euery man maie be witnesse to hym selfe I will in a shorte summe shewe what manner of law thys was Fyrst simply it is impossible and therefore it can do nothinge but destroy damne confounde and cast in ruine and desperation And then when it hath ledde sinners from the true feeling of their sinnes it maketh then hypocrites and ignoraunce of God and themselues For whyle they are wholy busyed in reckenynge vppe of theyr synnes in the meane tyme they forgette the secrete sinke of vyces their hydden Iniquities and inwarde fylthynesse by knowledge whereof they shoulde cheefely haue weyed their myserie But thys was a moste certaine rule of confession to acknowledge and confesse the bottomlesse depth of our euell to be so great as passeth our vnderstandyng After thys rule wee see that the Publicanes confession was made Lorde be mercifull to me a synner as if he shoulde saie All that euer I am I am altogether a sinner and I can not atteine with witte or expresse with tongue the greatnesse of my sinnes let the bottomlesse depthe of thy mercie swallow vp the bottomles depth of my sinne But then thou wilt saie what are not all oure sinnes to be confessed is no confession acceptable to God but that whiche is knitte vp in these twoo woordes I am a sinner No but rather we muste endeuoure our selues as much as in vs lieth to poure out oure heart before the Lorde and not onely in one worde confesse oure selues sinners but also truely and heartyly acknowledge oure selues to be suche and with al oure thought record howe greate and diuerse is oure filth of sinnes not onely that wee bee vncleane but what howe great and in howe many partes is oure vncleannesse not onely that we be detters but with howe greate dettes wee bee loden and howe manie waies charged not onely that we bee wounded but also with howe manie deadly strokes we be wounded With this reknowleging when the sinner hath wholy poured out himselfe before God lette him earnestly and syncerely thinke that yet there remaine moe sinnes that the secret corners of their euels are so depe that thei can not be throughly disclosed And he crieth out with Dauid Whoe vnderstandeth his errours Lorde cleanse me from my hidden sinnes Now wher thei affirme that sinnes are not forgeuen but with an intent of confessing firmely conceiued and that the gate of paradise is shutte against him that neglecteth occasion offered when he may be confessed God forbidde that we shoulde graunt them that For there is no other forgeuenesse of sinnes than alwaie hath ben It is not reade that all thei haue confessed their sinnes in the eare of some preste that wee reade to haue obteined forgeuenesse of sinnes at Christes hande And truely thei coulde not confesse where there were neither any prestes confessors nor any confessing at all And in many ages after thys confession was vnhearde of at which time sinnes weare forgeuen with out thys condition But that we may not nede to dispute longer about this as about a doubtfull matter the worde of God is plaine which abideth for euer Whensoeuer the synner repenteth I will no more remembre all his iniquities He that dare adde any thinge to this worde byndeth not sinnes but the mercie of God For whereas thei saie that Iudgement canne not be geuen but when the cause is heard we haue a solution in readinesse that they doe presumptuously take that vpon them selues which haue made themselues iudges And it is a maruell that thei do so boldely frame to themselues suche principles as no man in his right wit wil graunt Thei boaste that the office of Binding and Loosing is committed to them as though it weare a certain iurisdictiō ioyned with Inquisition Moreouer their whole doctrine crieth oute that this authoritie was vnknowen to the Apostles Neither doth it belong to the preeste but to him whiche desireth absolution to knowe certainly whether the synner be loosed or no forasmuche as he that heareth can neuer know whether the reckning be iust perfect So shold ther be no absolution but suche as is restrained to his words that is to be iudged Moreouer the whole ordre of loosing stādeth of faith repētance which two things are hidden from the knowledg of man when sētence must be geuē vpō an other man It foloweth therfore ▪ that the assurāce of binding and loosing is not subiect to the iudgment of an earthly iudge bicause the minister of the worde when he dothe his office can not geue absolution but conditionally but that this is spoken for the sinnes sake Whose sinnes ye forgeue ▪ c. that thei should not doubte that the pardon whiche is promised by the commaundement and worde of God shall be ratified in heauen Therefore it is no maruel if we condemne and desire to haue vtterly taken awaie this Auricular confession a thinge so pestilent and so many waies hurtfull to the Churche but if it were a thinge by it selfe indifferent yet for asmuche as it is to no vse nor profite hathe geuen cause to so many wickednesses sacrileges and erroures whoe will not thinke that it ought to be presently abolished Thei do in deede recken vp some good vses whiche thei boaste vpon as very profitable butte these either false or of no valewe at all Due onely thei commend with a singular prerogatiue that shame is a great punishment of him that cōfesseth wherby the sinner both is for time to com made warer preuenteth the punishment of God in punishing himselfe As thoughe we dyd not humble a man with shamefastnesse enoughe when we call him to that hie iudgement seate of heauen I meane to the hearing of God It is forsoothe very wel profited if for shame of one mans knowledge we cesse to sinne and bee not ashamed to haue God witnesse of oure euell conscience Althoughe the very same is also moste false for it is to bee seen that by nothinge groweth greater confidence or licentiousnesse to sinne than when men hauing made