that a man mought finde in all things if the feare of God goodnesse iustice and holynesse be wanting P. Thou concludest very well And therfore Iesus Christ sayd to hys Apostles whiche did glory bycause the deuills were subiect to them by meane of the gifte of miracle which was giuē to them Reioice not saide he in that that the spirites are subiecte to you but reioyce in that that your names are writtē in Heauen M. What meaneth he thereby Pe. That they should much more estéeme the fauoure whiche God had shewed vnto them in that that he had chosen them to bée his children and heires and that hée had made them partakers of the giftes by meane whereof they haue obtayned such a benefite than in that that he gaue them the gifte of miracles yea indéede than in that that he made them Apostles For Iudas was chosen an Apostle and had the gifte of prophecie and of miracles as we haue alredy sayde but for that he was not of the true chosen which were chosen to be the children of God the gifts which he had receiued of him serued him not but only to more greiuous condemnation And therefore Iesus Christe did call hym Deuill bycause he had not those other more excellente giftes of God by whiche he moughte haue béene reformed to hys Image as the other Apostles were M. Thou touchest here thinges whyche doo well deserue to be noted to the ende that we please not our selues nor glory at all but in the grace that God doth shewe vs in Iesus Christe Peter For that cause Saincte Paule dothe also witnesse that if a man had the gifte of tongues in so great perfection that he could speake the very language of Angells and although he coulde by the gyfte of miracle remoue mountaines from one place to an other yet notwithstanding it should be nothing if he had not charitie the which doth testifie that there is true faith in the man that hath it but also maketh the man like vnto God insomuch as Sainct Iohn saith he is charitie it selfe The thirtenth Dialogue is of the Churche and of the ministerie of the same MATHEVV I Do now well vnderstande the difference that thou puttest betwene the giftes of the holye Ghost and how much some are more excellent and more necessarie and more to be desired than others And therefore if thou haue no more to saye at this presente neyther concerning his person ne yet his gyftes it séemeth to me that it shall be good that we speake nowe of the Churche whereof wée haue not yet spoken Peter It is one of the chiefe pointes whiche we haue yet to handle For the Churche is the same wherein God dothe open all the treasures of hys graces and gyftes whereof we haue euen nowe spoken and for whose sake he giueth them to whome he giueth them Mathevv Shewe me then what the Churche is Peter If wée take the name of the Churche in generall it signifieth assemblie or companie but when we speake of the Churche of God we take it not only for an assemblie and companie of all sortes of people but for a companie and assemblie of men the whiche GOD hathe chosen from others and hathe consecrated and sanctifyed them vnto himselfe in his Sonne Iesus Chryste by hys holye Spirite Mathevve Is that the cause why she is called holye Peter Yea and why she is also called the Communyon and Communaltye of Sainctes For there is none other communaltie or companie whiche is holye and is gouerned and guyded by the Hollye Ghoste but onelye thys whyche dothe acknowledge Iesus Chryste for hir onelye Heade King Sauioure and redéemer M. Which be those Sainctes whereof she is called the communion P. They be all the true faithfull whiche by faith are made members of Iesus Christe whiche is the holy one of holy ones the whiche hath giuen his holy spirite to his Churche to sanctifie it And therefore Saincte Paule dothe call all Christians Saincts Of the sanctifieng of the Church and of the members of the same M. BY what meane is it that God dothe sanctifie hys Churche to hymselfe by his holy Spirite P. By faith in hys Sonne Iesus Christ by the whiche she is vnited and ioyned to him as is the body to his head Wherefore she is also a partaker of the same very soule which is in the head the whiche giueth it corporall life For the head liueth not by one soule and the rest of the body by an other but do lyue bothe by one very soule forsomuche as the head and all the members of the body are but one body and not sundrye Mathevve Séeing it is so none maye then bée of that holy companie and assemblie but those which haue true faithe in Iesus Christe and whiche for that cause are called faithfull Peter It is easie to vnderstand M. Séeing that they haue faithe they are all then also made partakers of the giftes of the holie Ghost the whiche thou hast sayd are proper to the only electe of God and without the which men maye not be accompted for gods children and be heires of the heauenly glorie Pe. Thou mayst thereof iudge by that whiche we haue alreadie heretofore sayde to this purpose and by consequent thou mayste also iudge what is the estate of such which by their incredulitie are withoute and shut from that holie assemblie and companie Of the ministerie of the Churche and of the gifts necessarie to the same M ANd which is the meane to attaine to that faithe by whiche the faithful are receiued into that holy companie and be in the same incorporate into the body of Iesus Christ as mēbres of him P. It is by the ministerie of the word of God according to the saying of Saincte Paule that faith is giuen by the hearing of the same M. Is that the cause why the same Apostle sayde that God hath giuen to his Church some Apostles some Prophets others Euangelists and others pastors and Doctors for the establishment of the Saintes to the worke of administration for the buylding vp of the bodie of Chryst vnto the tyme that wée come all into the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God to be a perfect man according to the measure of the full age of Chryste P. Beside that whyche thou sayest thou hast yet to note that S. Paule meaneth not by these words that Chryst giueth only men to his Churche whiche maye haue these offices but also that he giueth them gifts méete for them wherby they may wel exercise them M. Séeing it is so these guiftes of the holie Ghost which thou hast sayd that God did distribute not only to the faithful but also oftentymes to the vnfaithfull are necessarie for his Churche Peter There be of them that are so necessarie vnto it that the Churche can not be a Churche without them and therfore they be euer in hir But there be others without the
Chryste thorough faythe after that GOD by the same hathe iustified vs by his holye Spirite in Iesus Chryste oure Lorde he dothe also sanctifye vs communicating vnto vs his gyftes and Graces whyche are the frutes of Faythe to the ende that we shoulde bée dedicated and consecrated vnto hym all the dayes of our lyfe to serue and honour hym as hys childrē regenerate by his holy spirite into a newe life Ma. Thou doest reporte faith to iustification and charitie to the worke of sanctification whiche are both works of the holy Ghost P. Thou maiest vnderstand it by the discourse whiche we haue already made of iustification and sanctification In vvhat sorte charitie is necessary to saluation M. CHaritie is not then necessarie to saluation nor other like vertues but faith only P. It is necessary there vnto and not necessary M. I do not well vnderstand this speache for it is contrary in it selfe P. I say that faith is necessary therevnto as cause of saluation withoute the whiche we cannot obtayne it for the causes which I haue alredy declared For somuch as it is the instrument the whiche the holy Ghoste giueth vs wherewith to receiue him when he is offered vnto vs by Iesus Christ and the meane whereby he doth communicate him to vs in hym and by him But charitie is not there ioyned as a cause of saluation without the which we cannot be partakers of it but as a thing ioyned vnto it the whiche followeth faith in suche sorte whiche is the true cause of saluation as I haue already sayde that she cannot be separate no more than the heate from the lighte or the mouing or féeling from the life and from the soule But yet notwithstandyng we haue not saluation thereby no more than brightnesse by the heate the whiche we haue of the lighte or else life by the motion and féeling M. Charitie then and good workes may not be taken for causes by the which or by whose meane we obtaine saluation but onely so farre as they cannot be separated frō true faith by the which we ar made partakers of it P. It is euen so M. Thou hast here opened vnto me one point that was very harde to vnderstande the whiche séemeth to me very well worthy to be diligently noted For there bée fewe whiche do well vnderstande it Peter If all men did well vnderstande it there woulde be no more differente betwene the Christians touching iustification and touching faith and workes and grace and merites and the causes of oure saluation for that whiche we haue sayde of charitie is also vnderstoode of all the other vertues and workes of the regenerate man as I haue alredy sayde whiche are the frutes the which Saincte Paule doth call the frutes of the spirite and the which he doth oppone to the frutes of the flesh Of the regeneration of a Christian man. M. SEing that thou arte lighted vppon the pointe of regeneration me thinketh that it should be also comprehended among those giftes of the holy Ghost the which thou sayest do belong but to the elect of God and be so necessarie to saluation that none may attayne vnto it without them P. It must be so vnderstoode for it is of the chiefe of them and in very déede it is the principall pointe whiche maketh vs to vnderstande the cause why we do cal worke of viuification and sanctification that thirde worke of God whereby we say that God hathe declared himselfe vnto men Ma. Expounde the same to me somewhat more plainely P. Thys worde of regeneration as thou mayest well vnderstande emporteth as muche as a man moughte saye newe birth as if after that we are once borne we are borne yet agayne Mathevve I sée well that the worde of regeneration importeth euen so Peter And therefore it importeth foorthwith a reformation of the man whiche is a rising agayne from the deade whiche is wroughte in the Spirite as the last resurrection shall be wroughte in the fleshe Mathevve What meanest thou by that resurrection of the Spirite Peter Séeing that thorough sinne man is deade of spirituall death whiche bringeth afterwarde death of the body he is as it were risen from that deathe when by Iesus Christe he is in suche sorte delyuered from sinne that he is by the vertue of hys holye Spirite made as it were a manne thoroughly newe or as a manne who hauinge béene deade shoulde haue recouered hys lyfe and shoulde bée raysed agayne Mathevve Thou puttest then so great difference betwene the man whiche abideth still in his firste nature corrupted through sinne and hée which is deliuered from the same corruption and is quickened and regenerated by the holy Ghoste as thou puttest betwene a dead and a liuing man. P. There is no difference but in asmuch as the spirituall death is much more worthy to be called death than is the corporall death and that the estate of the man dead thorough sinne is much more perillous and daungerous than is the estate of the man which is dead but bodily Of the life of the regenerate man. M. Séeing that man is as it were risen from death and borne a new when he is regenerate by the holy Ghost it followeth then necessarily that he do other works after that he is regenerate than he did before his regeneration P. Thou mayest wel vnderstand that if there be so greate differēce betwene the mā regenerate the not regenerate as is betweene a dead and a liuing man it must also necessarily come to passe that there bee as great difference betwene the workes of the one and the other M. I do euen so vnderstand it P. And therfore Iesus Chryst hath sayd that what is borne of fleshe is fleshe and what is borne of the spirite is spirit For euen as a dead bodie can bring forth but infection and corruption euen so on the contrary a liuing body doth the works of lyfe bicause of the liuing soule that he hath more than hath the dead bodie M. It foloweth then that the faith wherby man is viuified and regenerate is vnto him as the soule which bringeth to him spiritual life and that the vnfaithful and not regenerate man is as a body without a soule P. S. Paule following the prophet Abacuk giueth thée playnly to vnderstand that it is so by that whiche he sayth The iust man shall liue of his faith Wherefore if the iust man do liue of his faith it followeth then that Faith is to his soule to giue it spirituall lyfe that whiche the naturall soule is to the bodie to giue it corporall lyfe Mathevv There are then two things to be considered in the regenerate spiritual man to wit Faith which is in him as the soule whiche giueth him spiritual lyfe euen as the soule naturall which giueth corporall lyfe to the body then the workes of the spirite are ioyned to it which are the works of faith which is the spiritual soule euen as the works of life
sorte as wée eate the breade and drinke the wine which represent them vnto vs P. If there were none other reason but that which may be gathered of that which I haue euē now spoken it mought suffice vs to discharge our heads of all such imaginations M. I doe not well vnderstand yet what thou meanest herein P. Seing that Iesus Christe hath ordeyned one seuerall signe to signifie his body and an other seuerall signe to signifie his bloud and that it hath pleased him so to discerne them the one from the other the better to represent to vs how his bloud was separated from his body for vs in such sorte as his life and soule was separated likewise it should also followe that his body must be eatē a parte as we there eate the breade and there drink the bloud a parte as we there drinke the wine M. If it were so we shoulde not haue in the Supper the liuing body of Christ but dead and other thā he is raigning in heauen where his bloud is not separated frō his body P. Thou sayest truth But thou hast yet to note that if the body and bloud of Iesus Christ were giuen vs to nourish and mainteyne vs in this corporall life as is bread and wine we shoulde then also eate the body and drinke the bloude of Christe corporally as we doe eate and drinke the corporall breade and wine But forsomuche as they are giuen vs for spirituall nouriture we must eate and drinke them spiritually M. What doest thou call to eate and drinke spiritually Peter To speake properly to eate and drinke is vnderstoode of the body and of the bodily meate and drinke but when we speake of spirituall thinges we take those wordes for a figure by the whiche we declare the spirituall thinges by the bodily thinges bycause of the similitude and agremente that they haue togither M. Why is that done P. To the ende that by the similitude and comparison of corporall thinges we moughte the better vnderstande the spirituall things Of the true spirituall eating and drinking M. DEclare this to me yet somewhat more plainely Peter Thou mayest well vnderstande that the soule and the Spirite do neyther eate nor drinke corporally and materially as dothe the bodye Mathevve I doe well vnderstande at the leaste that they haue neither mouth nor téeth nor stomackes nor bellies corporall whereby they may do the same P. And therefore it must néeds be that if the soule and the spirite do eate and drinke they eate and drinke in an other sorte than doth the body the whiche is proper and agreable to their nature M. There is reason in that whiche thou sayest P. And on the other side thou mayest well knowe also that the flesh of Iesus Christ is neyther eaten nor chawed neyther is swalowed downe into the stomacke and bellie neyther is it digested as is the corporall and materiall meate M. For what cause is it then that Iesus Christ hath vsed that manner of spéeche saying he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life P. It is to giue vs the better to vnderstande the communion and coniunction whiche we haue with him and how that his flesh and his bloud do the very same towarde the soule and also toward the body touching the spirituall life being receiued with a true and liuing faith as do the bread and wine towards the body touching the bodily life whē they are bodily eaten dronken The sixtenth Dialogue is of the transubstātiation cōsubstantiation and of the true presence of Iesus Christ in the Supper Of the error of transubstantiation and hovv the Supper cannot be a Sacramente if the bread and the vvine do not there remayne in their proper substance MATHEVV HOw is it that men do eate the flesh of Iesus Christ and do drinke his bloud as thou hast euen nowe saide It is to bée vnderstoode that the breade and the wine be transubstantiate and conuerted into them or else that they be ioyned and vnited with the bread and the wine P. For the firste there is no reason eyther to thinke or saye that the breade and the wine be conuerted or chaunged into the body and bloud of Iesus Christe M. For what cause P. Bycause that if the bread the wine did not remayne still in the supper bread and wine in their proper substance they shoulde not be the signes of the body of the bloud of Iesus Christe but if they were conuerted into the same they shoulde be the selfe same thing the which they oughte to signifie and represente vnto vs. M. What inconueniente should there be in that P. There shoulde be this inconuenient in it that the supper should be a Sacramente withoute signe and so shoulde it haue no Sacramentall signe without the which the Sacramēts may not be Sacraments Of things vvithout the vvhich the sacraments cannot be sacramēts M. HOwe vnderstandest thou that P. Thou must note that a Sacramente cannot be a Sacramente excepte it haue at the leaste thrée things whiche are of the proper substance of all Sacramens M. Whiche are these thrée things P. The firste is the worde of God which is the foundation of all the Sacraments M. And the seconde P. The visible and materiall signes such as God hath ordeyned by that very word M. And the third P. The thinges signified aswell by that word as by the signes Of things vvhich are to be considered in the vvord of God in all Sacraments and in the signification of the same M. DEclare vnto me that whiche thou sayest by some similitude P. Séeing that we be vppon the matter of the Supper thou hast firste the worde of Iesus Christ in the which thou hast to note two pointes M. Whiche be they P. The first is the commandement which Iesus Christe there giueth to take and to eate the bread to drinke the wine which are giuen in the same M. Which is the secōd P. The promise whereby he declareth what it is that this bread and wine do signifie and for what cause he hath ordeyned and commaunded to receiue them and what frute we must looke for of them Math. Wherevpon takest thou thys promise Pe. Vppon that whiche is saide of the breade This same is my bodye whiche is broken for you and in like sorte vppon that whiche is spoken of the wyne Thys cuppe is my bloude or the newe Testamente in my bloude whiche is shedde for you doe this in remembraunce of mée Math. Muste wée vnderstande the lyke of all the other Sacramentes to witte that they haue commandemēt and promisse from God Peter There is no doubte thereof Ma. What is there more yet to cōsider cōcernyng the worde of GOD P. There is nothing more to be consydered concerning that same exteriour worde whyche is pronounced by the mouth of the mynisters Math. What resteth there yet more Peter That which is signified by the woorde the whiche doth also declare the signification
the glory of God to be preferred to all creatures And if that al the creatures should perish wherefore should we thinke it straunge if god were glorified in their perdition and that it did so please him T. No man ought to finde that straunge excepte he do more estéeme the creature than the Creator D. Therefore it is playne that this offence whiche many giue vnto themselues in the matter of reprobation of the reprobates procedeth not but from a maruellous greate pride and arrogancie of the flesh whiche estemeth itselfe more than it ought to do for if it had so small an estimation of it selfe as the worthynesse therof requireth and did estéeme God his glory so muche as it ought to do he should not onely not finde it straunge to knowe that god hath ordeyned to be glorified in the damnation of some no although it should be done with his owne person he shoulde glorifie God in his iust iudgement he would not murmure against him to wage the lawe with him and to play the lawyer and to pleade againste him to mainteyne the cause of the reprobates accusing hym as though he should do them wrong but rather he would desire himselfe to be damned as Saincte Paule desired for his bretherne the Israelites if it were possible that it moughte be done and that God mought be the more magnified and glorified therein From whēce then come these cōtrary thoughts but only of the horrible pride that is in our corrupted nature for what are we from whence came we what wrong may God do vnto vs wherin are we able to accuse him or attribute vnto him the faulte of our offences and of oure damnation and to set him in the place of the Deuill author of sinne considering that what determination so euer he haue made of vs we cānot complaine that we haue any other force violence constrainte to do euill but onely of oure owne wicked concupiscence vnlesse that happily we would complayne in that that he hath not made vs suche as coulde not sinne or else hauing sinned that he dothe not bestow vppon all like grace and that he dothe not saue all forsomuche as he moughte if that he woulde otherwise he shoulde not be God nor almightie but it hath pleased him that not without good and iust cause the whiche is continually such albeit that we cannot vnderstand it Therefore we must continually say with the Prophete that oure damnation is of our selues and our saluation of God only and say with S. Paule But o thou mā what arte thou that pleadest against god shall the thing that is fashioned say vnto him that fashioned it why hast thou shaped and made me thus The potter hathe he not power of the clay to make of one very lumpe one vessel to honoure and an other to dishonor And what if God wold to shewe his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with great pacience the vessells of wrath prepared to perdition and to shewe the riches of his glory vppon the vessells of his mercie which he hath prepared to glorye and agayne O the déepenesse of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God his iudgementes are not to be searched out and his wayes are impossible to be found For who is he that hath knowne the Lordes intente or who hath bin his counsellor or who is he that gaue to him firste and he shal be recompenced Hovve that the vvill of man cannot by any meanes be constrayned no not by the deuill himselfe but only of his ovvne vvickednes T. FOr my parte I graunte to all that which thou hast sayde but yet canst thou not denye but that mā is yet oftentimes constrained to sinne by meane of the temptacion and soliciting of the deuill D. This constraint wherof thou speakest is cōstraint without cōstraint for it is not in the power of al the deuils nor of al the creatures that are to constraine the will of one mā Wherfore what temptatiō or solicitatiō so euer happē vnto him if he did not willingly consent therevnto he could not be induced to do any kinde of thyng against his will. But it fareth with hym as it doth with a harlot for if she be solicited by bawdes and whoremasters she will giue ouer hir selfe vnto them which thing an honest woman will not do but will resist all suche temptations and procurements wil ouercome them Therfore albeit that the harlot may impute some parte of the cause of the offēce that she hath committed to those that did entise hir and procure hir therevnto yet notwithstanding she may not say that she hath bin constrayned so to do nor may by that meane excuse hir selfe for if she had not agréed therevnto of hir owne will she had not at all playde the harlot but bycause that she was already naturally thervnto enclyned these procuremēts did serue hir as it were matches oyle wood throwne into the fire which would kindle nor slame neuer the sooner nor the more if it were not naturally enclyned and prompte therevnto In like sorte is man broughte to euill thorough his owne concupiscence the which being wakened and sturred vp by the diuell dothe the more declare it selfe and sheweth more plainely what his nature is wherfore thou séest here howe that man dothe continually sinne of his owne will and if he will saye that he hath bin constrayned to do any kind of worke the which he knoweth manifestly to be against the will of God it must be considered wherein he hath bin enforced and cōstrayned if he haue in any wise bin enforced by the force of others so that he could not be in any wise master of his members although he did resist it by all the meanes that he coulde and dyd declare by his wordes and actes that hys harte and will did in no wise consente thervnto he may be excused as an honest womā may that hath bin takē of force the which notwithstanding hath cried and resisted by all meanes possible against the whoremaster and hath bin as willing to lose hir life as hir chastitie but if thou doest an euill worke either to please men or else for feare that thou shouldest fall into their displeasure or indignation and receyue any dishonor or wordly hindrance thou maist in suche a case alledge none other constrainte but only that of thy wicked wil no more than Pilate might whē he condemned Iesus Christe enforced by the constrainte of the Iewes For if thou didst loue God with al thy harte and better than thy selfe and didst more estéeme his glory than thine owne and thy soule than thy body and the heauen more than thou doest the earth thou moughtest be frée from losing that whiche thou fearest to lose and shouldest not lose it at all but shouldest gaine it double For as Iesus Christ saith he that shall loose his life for my sake the same shall finde it and he that feareth
Almightie maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christe hys onely Sonne oure Lorde Whiche was conceyued by the holie Ghoste borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Ponce Pylate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell The third day he rose from the dead he is gone vp into heauen and sitteth on the ryght hande of God the Father almyghtie From thence shall hée come to iudge bothe the lyuyng and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghoste The holy vniuersall Church The communion of Saintes The forgiuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the bodie The lyfe eternall Sobeit Of the vnderstanding of the matters conteyned in these Summaries and howe necessarie it is Chap. 3. NOwe forsomuche as it is a hard matter to be briefe and playne bothe at once it is certain that the matters conteined in these Summaries are so briefly comprehended in them that euery man can not easily vnderstand and comprehēd what they doo import sauing only such as are wel exercised in the holy Scriptures And beside that that ther are few among the common people that knowe the sayde Symboles vnlesse it be this which is the shortest of the thrée whiche the Christian Church doth hold There is yet this euil that many haue not learned it but in an vnknowne toung wherefore it profiteth them euen as much as if they had not lerned it at al séeing they do no more vnderstand it than if they had neuer heard speking of it And as touching these that haue learned it in their vulgar toung there are also many of them that haue onely learned to pronounce it by mouthe withoute any vnderstanding of it as do little children or birdes that are taught to speake not vnderstanding what they say Therefore it is more than necessarie that that whiche the principall pointes conteyned in the same do import in substance be expounded somewhat more familiarly and playnly to the ende that men may the better know how euery one doth vnderstād them and whether the faith of the heart do agrée with the confession of the mouth For manye whiche make that confession by mouth do oftentymes folow doctrines and religions clean contrarie to that whiche they confesse Wherein they do belye themselues denying by their works that whiche they confesse by worde Of the principall pointes wherevppon the true Christian faythe is buylded and first of the vnitie of god Chap. 4. NOwe the first grounde worke and the first article of the faith of a Christian man is that he beléeue that there is one only true God whiche is a spirite inuisible and eternall without beginning and withoute ende almyghtie all wyse all good all luste all mercyfull and all perfect maker of all creatures Of the Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of the diuine essence and of their proprieties and of the creation of the worlde Chap. 5. FVrther albeit that there is but one only God in one only diuine essence this notwithstanding the Christian faith doth acknowledge in that diuine essence the Father the Son and the holy Ghoste accordingly as God hath declared himselfe in his worde the whiche albeit he be distinguished in thrée persons yet notwithstāding those thrée diuine persons are but one only God in one selfe same essence in the which the faith doth cōsider the father as the fountayn of all diuinitie and the Creator of all things visible and inuisible and the Son as the eternal word and wisedom of him by the whiche all things ar made ordeined and placed as they are and the holy Ghost as his infinite power by the which he doth susteyn and gouerne them accordyng to hys eternall prouidence Of the prouidence of god Chap. 6. NOwe this prouidence of GOD is so conioyned wyth the creation of the worlde that it can not be separated For he may not be Creator but he muste also be the guyder and the directer For euen as none other was able to make suche a woorke but onely hée Euen so none other is able to guyde and gouerne the same but onely hée whiche is the woorker and maker Then this Prouidence importeth that nothing is done at aduenture To wit without the most iust ordinance of god For his prouidence extendeth both in generall and particular to all things that are as well in Heauen as in earthe in suche sorte that he hath a care for man whome hée hathe in speciall recommendation amongest all his creatures euen vntoo one verye haire of his heade euen as Iesus Chryste doth witnesse Of the eternall Predestination of God and of the manifesting of the same and where wee ought to seeke it Chapter 7. THerfore euen as he hath created all to serue to his glorie euen so hath he ordeyned of all men in his eternal counsel that whiche hath bene his pleasure to doo and forthwith the meanes by the whiche he woulde be glorified in them as wel in his mercie as in his iust iudgemente the whiche iudgement can neuer be but iust although it be incomprehensible to man and howe he doth manifest this eternall counsell to his chosen in Iesus Christ his sonne by the preaching of his Gospell which he setteth forth vnto vs as the true booke and register of the eternall election of god Also he giueth them the grace by the very same meanes to vnderstande the same and to receiue it thorowe true and liuely faith Of the author of sinne and of the incomprehensible wisedome of God which is in his eternal ordinance Chap. 8. ANd albéeit that nothing may be done neyther in heauen nor in the earthe without the most iust ordinance and the holie will of God or otherwyse he should not be God almightie yet notwithstanding this ordinance and will carieth with it no constraint to the will of man in sort that they neuer offend but willingly thorough their own malice Wherfore what soeuer maye happen in the worlde God may not be holden for author of sin nor of any euill what so euer but the diuell only and the naughtie wil of man which is alyed with the diuel Then it followeth that whosoeuer maketh God authour of synne and wickednesse in so muche as it is sinne and wickednesse dothe attribute to God that which is propre to the diuell and dothe blaspheme God horriblye not putting any difference betwéene his workes and those of the diuell For God hath so well prouided for the order of the causes ordeined by him the which he would should serue to his glorie that he can not ordeyne nor do but iustly whatsoeuer he ordeyneth or doth howe wickedly or vniustely soeuer the diuell or man doe For he is so excellente a worker that he can very well drawe good out of the euill that the diuell and man doe and that by hys incomprehensible wisedome and by his infinite power and goodnesse to be glorified in the same and in the iuste condemnation of those that shall do the euill whiche he hath forbidden and doe not liue
in the death and passion of Iesus Christe and the true and spirituall cōmunion that we haue by the same with all the giftes and graces of the same The second is to yelde thankes vnto him and to giue testimonie of oure faith towards him of our charitie which we haue towards our brethrē and of the vnion with his Church The third to represente to vs by the breade and wyne whyche are there distributed the whole and perfecte spirituall nouriture whiche wée haue by the meane of the bodie flesh and bloud of Iesus Christ to the end that we maye be spiritually nourished into eternall lyfe according to the benefit whiche we haue already receyued by our regeneration whereof the Baptisme is to vs as a Sacramente in the whiche wée haue in the Supper as it were a guage of oure resurrection the whiche wée doe beleeue and wayte for Wherfore euen as the breade and wyne be there giuen to vs visibly and bodily euen so are the bodie and bloud of Iesus gyuen to vs in déed but inuisibly and spiritually by the mean of faith by the vertue of the holy Ghost for he is the meane by whiche wée haue true Cōmunion and true vnion with Iesus Christ and all hys Church the which is his bodye whereof all true Christians are membres Of the signification of the signes of bread and wyne in the Supper and of the agreemente and difference of them with the things that they signifie and of the error of the popish transubstantiation Chap. 40. WE then take the breade the wyne not for the propre body and bloud of Iesus Christe and the very naturall substance of them as if the breade and wyne were transubstantiate and conuerted into that very bodie and bloud to eate and drinke them bodyly and carnally or to worship them as Idols in steade of Iesus Christ as the Papists doe no more do wée take them only as common breade and wyne but we holde them as very signes of that body and bloud which were giuen for vs to death and of the whiche we are spiritually made partakers in dede according to the testimonie which Iesus Christ yeldeth vnto vs by his word in this holy Sacramēt in the meane while the bread and the wine do no more chaunge substance nor qualitie in the same thā doth the water in baptisme or the waxe wherein the seale of the Prince is imprinted also as the body and bloud of Iesus Christe are not naturally nor bodily conioyned with them but only in manner whiche is proper to sacraments that manner is such that albeit the signe be not the thing it selfe which it doth signifie yet is it not without the same whiche is communicated to the faithful spiritually in this Sacramente euen as the signe is administred vnto thē corporally by the meane which hath bene aboue spoken of Of the commemoration of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ in the Supper Chap. 41. ON the contrary we oughte to be assured that this holy Sacramente was not ordeyned to make a Sacrifice in the which Iesus Christe should be offered againe for the redemption of soules as well liuing as dead but to make commemoration of the sacrifice the which Iesus Christe himselfe hath made once of hys owne body and bloud by the whiche he hath once bought and sanctified for euer all the children of god Wherefore he hath ordeyned this holy sacrament to refresh our memorie and to sturre vs vp by this meane to acknowledge him and to render him immortall thanks in waiting that in his last cōming he may appeare from heauen where he now sitteth at the right hande of God vntill the last day Of the Supper and of the Masse of the Papistes and of the principall pointes wherin it is different and contrary to the true Supper Chap. 42. SEing then that the institution of the holy Supper of the Lorde and the ende for the whiche it was ordeined is wholly ouerthrown in the Masse supper of the Papists it is plain that neither the one nor the other not only can not be accōpted for the Supper of the Lorde nor celebrated to suche an ende But ouer and aboue that who soeuer will be accompted a christian and a partaker of the true table of the Lorde maye in no wyse communicate nor assist neyther at the Masse nor Supper of the Papistes if hée wyll not communicate at the Lordes table and at the diuels table altogether For fyrste where Saincte Paule sayeth playnelye that wee must shewe the Lordes death in his Supper and that nothing be declared nor sayde in the Churche but in suche a toung as all men may vnderstand All is sayde in the Masse and supper of the Papiste in a toung which the poore people vnderstande not And they doe not declare vnto them the Institution of the holye Supper of the Lorde The whyche thyng is euen of as greate effecte as yf there were no worde of God at all séeing it is not vnderstoode Without whyche woorde the Supper can not bée the Supper Moreouer the signes are there so confounded with the things which they signifie that they be all one thing wherefore that is as much as to haue sacramēts without signes Thirdly the bread wine are there worshipped as Idols and as Gods newly made wherein there is not one idoll onely but two as if the bloude were separate from the body Fourthly they be there also offered in steade of Iesus Chryste in suche sorte as the masse is holden for a Sacrifice made for the redemption of soules It is holden also for a meritorious woorke whyche bryngeth Saluation vnto men as doth the Deathe and Passion of Chryste Fyfthely is that albéeit there be a certayne kynde of Communyon in the common Supper of the people yet in their Masses there is none at all For so much as the Préest whiche saith it maketh his supper all alone not admitting any one therevnto Wherefore such a supper may better be called an Excommunication than a communication For there is no communication nor communion where nothing is common and where one man alone taketh all that whiche should be distributed to al men in common Now then if there were none other faulte in the masse but only these fiue so muche lacketh it to be accompted the Supper of the Lorde that not only all the true vse of the same is there wholy ouerthrowen but also Iesus Christe is therein fully renounced by those whiche communicate there or beleue it And by the same meane the vertue efficacie of the death and passion of Christe is there vtterly of none effecte and abolished Of the proofe that euery man oughte to make of him selfe to communicate worthily at the supper and of the things required in the same Chap. 43. FVrder seing that the holy supper is ordeyned to suche an ende as hath bene alredy declared none may communicate in the same but to his condemnation which cōmeth
M. Is that the cause why Saint Paule did write to the Ephesians that the Pagans wer without God P. Ther is no doubte thereof For albeit they had many by name and by fantasie yet notwithstanding they had none in déede seeing they were ignorant of the true God. Of the summarie of the christian faith and for what cause it is called the Symbole of the Apostles M. SEing it is so as thou saist it séemeth to me then to be wel doone very néedfull to consider yet some thing more néere the principall poyntes that thys christian fayth doth comprehende whiche is of so great vertue as thou haste sayde P. They are conteyned in the fourme of the ordinarie confession whiche the christians make dayly the which is cōmonly called The Symbole of the Apostles M. What signifieth this word symbole P. It is taken of the Gréekes of whome the Latines haue borrowed it to signifie an enseigne of acknowledging and the part that is gathered of euery mā in any thing as whē euery man giueth his shot M. Why is this confession of faythe called by that name P. Chéefly for two causes M. Whiche is the first P. It is bycause that it conteyneth as chosen and gathered togither into a summe the chief pointes of the doctrine sette foorth by the Apostles whome Iesus Chryst hath giuen and sent as vniuersall doctours of all the worlde M. Which is the seconde P. It is for that this doctrin is the true mark whereby euery man that voucheth the same yeldeth certain testimonie that he is a membre of the Christian Churche as the men of warre declare by the enseigne whiche they beare what prince they belong vnto and serue The Symbole of the Apostles M. WHich is the summe of thys faith the whiche thou callest Symbole P. I beléeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and of earthe And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lorde whiche was conceyued by the holie Ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffered vnder Ponce Pylate was crucified deade and buryed he went downe into hell the third day he arose from the deade ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hande of God the Father almightie and from thence shall he come to iudge the liuing and the deade I beléeue in the holie Ghoste I beléeue the holie vniuersall Churche the communion of Sainctes the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the bodie and the eternall lyfe Of the generall diuision of the principall pointes conteined in the Symbole of the Apostles M. HOw many articles and principall pointes bée there in this summe P. Men do commonly distinguish them in twelue but me thinketh we may reduce them all into two generally out of the whiche men may drawe the others afterwarde M. Whiche be these two pointes P. The first is touching our faith towards God the seconde concerneth his Churche which is builded vppon the same faith Of the faith that a Christian man oughte to haue in God. M. WHat ought we to beleue of god P. There are first two principal thinges to be considered in this matter M. Which is the first P. That whiche he hath declared vnto vs of his diuine nature by his worde M. Whiche is then the second P. That whiche we oughte to beleeue of his works by the whiche he hath declared vnto man what was his power his wisedome and goodnesse and the other vertues proprieties whiche are in him of the whiche we can haue no knowledge but by his works Of the vnitie and trinitie that is in the essence of God. M. WHat thinges ought we to consider concerning his diuine nature according as he hath declared vnto vs in his worde P. There be two principall M. Which is the firste P. It is the vnitie whiche is in his diuine essence whereby we are taughte that there is but one God in whome we beléeue M. Whiche is the seconde P. It is the trinitie of persons that is in that vnitie of the diuine essence the whiche we do confesse when we saye that we beléeue in the Father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost Of the difficultie that is in this matter M. IT séemeth to me that there is great contrarietie in this matter Peter Wherein M. In that that it séemeth that it is as muche as if one should saye that there is but one only God and that there be three P. We ought not so to take thē séeing that we confesse but one only diuine essence albeit that we acknowledge in the same the father the sonne and the holy Ghost in such sorte distincte in proprieties of persons that yet for all that these thrée persons are but one only and very God. M. Canst thou expounde the same vnto me something more plainely by some similitude P. As there is but one Sunne in the world no more is there but one only God and as the Sunne sheweth himselfe by his beames euen so God as father doth shewe himselfe by his sonne Iesus Christ which is his worde and Eternall wisedome and as the Sunne by his heate doth make vs féele his force euen so God maketh vs to féele his vertue by his holy spirite whiche is his infinite power Of the principall vvorks of God vvhereof mention is made in the Simbole of the Apostles M. SEing that we haue spoken of the things that we ought to consider in the essence of God and in his diuine nature declare vnto me nowe that which thou hast to say concerning his workes by the whiche he hath declared himselfe to man suche as it hathe pleased him to be knowen of him Peter The Simbole of the Apostles doth comprehende chiefly thrée out of the which a man may drawe all the rest M. Which be they P. The first is the works of the creation of al things M. And the second P. The works of the redemption of man. M. And the thirde P. The worke of vinification the which we may also cal the works of sanctification M What dost thou vnderstand by that worke of viuification and sanctification P. I vnderstande the vertue that the holy Ghost hath to make vs wholly partakers of Iesus Christ and of all hys benefites Of the vnion that is betvvene the father the sonne and the holy Ghost in their vvorks M. ACcording to this purpose the father the sonne and the holy Ghost haue they any thing particuler concerning their works or else haue they them all common togither and chiefly those whereof thou hast now spoken P. Seing they are but one only God it is certaine that they can do no worke wherein they may be separated the one from the other M. It séemeth to me notwithstanding that in this summe of the faith men doe attribute as proper to the Father the worke of the creation and to the sonne that of the redemption and to the holy Ghost that which thou callest viuification and sanctification P. That must not be vnderstande as though
this remission of sinnes whereof we nowe speake but also the victorye against sinne death hell and the Deuill and likewise eternall life the whiche Iesus Christ hath wonne for it bycause that she is the spouse of him and that she entreth into communion of all his goodes with him by meane of this spirituall mariage by the whiche she is conioyned to him as a chast virgin by the vertue of faith in him M. Seing it is so the ministerie of the gospel is then a meane by the which this holy aliance of marriage is made that is betwéen Iesus Christ his church for the which cause there is such cōmunion betwene Iesus Christ the husbande the Church his espouse P. Thou concludest very wel For the Lord vseth the same meanes in this spirituall mariage that men haue accustomed to vse in their ordinarie mariages M. Which be those meanes P. Thou doest firste wel vnderstand that no mariage can be made except the husband and the wife do giue the faith of mariage the one to the other the which emporteth all that which belongeth to true mariage M It must néedes be so For the true foundatiō of mariage lyeth in the faith which the husbād the wife do giue one to the other And therefore men say that they whiche haue so giuen their faith are assured by promesse P. Now thou sayest that the husband the wife cannot so giue their faith the one to the other but that there is promesse on both partes the which cānot be done but by wordes by the whiche the husbande and the wife declare their will and consente Mathevve Albeit that the promesse be sufficiente for the assurāce and confirmation of the marriage notwithstanding the custome is yet that the husbande giueth ordinarilye to his wyfe some gift for more assurance and confirmation of their marriage and also of the mutuall obligation that they haue made the one to the other P. Euen the lyke is done by the ministerie of the Gospell betwéene Iesus Christe and his Churche For there is the promise whyche Iesus Chryst made vnto hir and then that is there also wherby the Churche accepteth that promise of hir husbande and by the which she giueth hir selfe to him euen as he hath giuen himselfe to hir And then the sacraments are as rings and iewels and such other gifts which the husbands are accustomed to giue to their wyues for the more cōfirmation and approuing of their mariage M. Séeing then that it is so the ministers of the Church are in maner like touching the spiritual mariage to those whiche make the assurance betwéene the husbande and the wyfe and do declare vnto them the promises by the which they ought to bynd themselues the one to the other and giuing them to drinke or some other suche like token in the name of mariage P. Thou doest not take it amisse and therefore Sainct Iohn which was sent by God to bring to Iesus Christ by the meane of his ministerie the Churche his espouse is called the friende of the bridegrome And Sainct Paule hath written to the Corinthes to the same effecte I am iealous of you with a godly iealousye for I haue ioyned you to an husband to presente you a chast virgine to Christ By vvhat meane men attayne to eternall life and of the benefites comprehended in the communiō of Saincts M. SEing that the communion of saincts comprehendeth al those good things whereof thou hast euen now made mention is that also the cause why that after the remission of sinnes we confesse in like sorte the resurrection of the fleshe and the life eternall P. It is euen so For to attaine to that felicitie which is our ful cōsolation God doth graunt vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes without the which we cannot attaine to that happie life M. Seing then that this communion of saincts with Iesus Christ the which is his church bringeth with it so greate good thinges whiche are the greatest that man maye wish and obtaine surely they are thē very happie which are comprehended in the same and they very vnhappie which are shut from it Pet. Euery man maye well knowe that For séeing that the Churche is the kingdome of God whereof Christe is the chiefe king there is no doubte but that all those which are strangers shut out of the Churche be also shut out and banished frō the companie of Iesus Christ whiche is the chiefe and king thereof and so consequently of the happie and eternall life M. Who is the cause thereof P. It is forsomuch as if there be no man that may enter into this communion but by the meane of Iesus Christe euen so Iesus Christ cannot be vnited to any mā which is not a member of his Church no more than a heade maye be vnited to another body than his owne and his members and cannot be separated but all the body dyeth Of the excellencie of the ministerie and of the other two partes of the same M. SEing thē that the ministerie of the word of God is vnto vs as a way to bring vs to true repentaunce and to true faith to the ende that afterward we may come euen to Iesus Christ and the communion of all his riches me thinketh we ought to haue that ministerie in great reuerence and in great price P. Esay dothe very well set it foorth when he saith that the féete of those are faire whiche declare peace and the good things whiche he doth and will bestowe vppon his Church M. Thou hast hithervnto spoken of the administration of the word the which is administred by this ministerie but thou hast yet sayde nothing of the administration of the sacramentes nor yet of the discipline of the Church which are the two other partes of the ministerie whereof thou hast made mention P. Al these two administratiōs depēd of the first For the Sacramēts are as dependances of the preaching of the worde of God. M. And what is the discipline P. It concerneth the order and gouernemente of the Churche which hath respecte to the good prouision for the same according to that worde to the ende that all be done in it by so good order that the word of God and the Sacramentes be so administred receyued and honoured as is méete and that all that which might hinder the true seruice of God and the edificatiō of the Church be there taken away The fiftenth Dialogue is of the sacramēts of baptisme and of the Lords Supper Of the Sacraments and of the number of them MATHEVV SEing that we are come vppon the matter of Sacraments shewe me now for the first what thou meanest by Sacrament P. A visible signe ordeyned of Iesus Christ as a seale to confirme vs the better in the saith of the promises the which god hath made vs of our saluatiō in him M. How many Sacraments hath he ordeyned P. There are but two which may be called properly by that name and
by the vertue of the same and therfore the holy Ghost is often signified in the holy Scriptures by water M. Are there yet any other proprieties P. Wée can not vnderstād our regeneration into a new creature to be made new men except wée vnderstād also the mortificatiō of our old nature which is our old Adam and our old man And therfore S. Paule sayth That by baptisme we ar dead and buried risen agayn with Iesus Chryst M. Is the water propre to signifie the deth burial of the old mā the resurrectiō and renewing of the newe P. The water alone doth not represēt vnto vs only these things but also the maner in the whiche it is administred in baptisme M. Howe may that be P. Thou séest that cōmonly it is poured vpon him that is baptised in token that our old Adam is drowned and dead in Iesus Christ as the olde Pharao and the Egyptians were drowned in the redde sea And therfore Saint Paul compareth baptisme to the passage thorowe the red sea M. And what signifieth thys that they doe but poure this water vpon him that is baptized P. The same signifieth vnto vs howe that of the death of the olde man the newe riseth as if our olde Adam after that he were drowned were risen againe a newe man and that all his olde filthines were drowned by the water of grace in the which he was plunged which is the bloode of Iesus Christe the true washer of regeneration M. I doe nowe vnderstand all this very well but is there any other proprietie to consider touching the water P. If we shuld make comparisō of all the other properties that it hath with the holy Ghost which it doth figure in Baptisme I could giue thée manie others from which I doe abstaine at this present seing that that which I haue said may suffice thée for the vnderstāding of the matter of Baptisme Of the admonition and figure that the faithfull haue of a Christian life in Baptisme M. HAst thou yet any thing to say touching this Sacrament P. I haue nowe to shewe thée what pattern and example wée haue there of a Christian life and of the dutie of a Christian and of true repentance which ought to be in him all the time of his life M. Expound all these to me P. Séeing that baptisme is to vs the Sacrament of regeneration of penaunce and of mortification wée are admonished by the same of the perpetuall penance that ought to be in vs of the mortification where by we ought to mortifie our earthly mēbers to the end that wée being dead to sinne may liue to God in iustice Of the Supper and why Iesus Christe did ordaine two signes for the same M. IT séemeth to mée nowe that I doe sufficiently vnderstand that matter of Baptisme and therfore lette vs procéede to the Supper P. The Supper is a Sacrament in the which Iesus Christ representeth to vs by the signe of breade and wine howe he hath giuen his bodie and his bloud to the deathe that hauyng reconciled vs vnto God he moughte bee our spirituall nouriture and mought cōfirme vs in the faith of the promisse whiche he had made vnto vs. M. For what cause hathe he represented his bodie and bloud by the bread and by the wyne P. To signifie vnto vs that euen as breade and wine are giuen to vs by God for our corporall nouriture euen so the bodye and bloud of Iesus Chryste is giuen vnto vs for spiritual foode M. And for what cause did Iesus Chryste ordeyne two signes in the supper but one in baptism Mought not the bread or the wine onely haue ben sufficient to represent this spirituall life without adding both of them P. As he hath ordeined the signe of the water whiche is very méete to represente that whiche in Baptisme he woulde represent vnto vs euen so he hath chosen for the Supper those signes that were most méet to signifie that which he wold haue signifyed in the same M. I doubte not at all of that P. And therfore albeit that by one onely signe as in Baptisme he coulde haue done all that whiche hath pleased him to do by two yet he woulde giue two for the better expressing of that whiche it pleased him to giue Of that whiche is speciall in the Supper wherein it differeth from baptisme and howe that all that is verye well represented in the bread and the wyne M. DEclare vnto mée then the properties whiche the breade and wine haue agréeable to the things the whiche they represent in the supper P. For the first thou must note and remember that whiche I haue alreadie touched that the supper hathe this proper vnto it that euen as baptisme is to vs a testimonie of our spiritual birth life which we obtayn by Iesus Christe euen so is the supper a sacrament and testimonie howe that God wil continue in vs that benefite whereof baptisme is to vs a Sacrament and will nourishe and entertayne vs in the same spirituall lyfe the which he signifieth vnto vs therin vnto the tyme that we haue the full enioying in heauen with Iesus Chryst M. I thinke than that to be the cause why Iesus Chryste would signifie those things to vs by the eating and drinking and by those things which are propre to nouriture P. It is euen so and for somuche as man can not lyue by meate only or drinke only except he haue them bothe togither no more is Iesus Chryst contented to ordeyne only the breade or only the wine for signes of the spirituall nouriture whiche wée haue in his Supper but would ordeine those two to giue vs to vnderstande that euen as he which hathe meate and drinke hath his whole nouriture euen so the faithefull haue in Iesus Chryst fully all that whiche is necessarie for the spiritual lyfe M. Is there yet none other reason why Iesus Chryst did ordeyn those two signes M. Yes for Iesus Christe hathe also by these two signes better expressed howe that he hath giuen his bodie and his lyfe to the deathe for vs thā if he had ordeined but one only in so much as he hath giuen one particuler signe to signifie his body and an other to signifye his bloude M. What further signification hath it P. To set the better before our eyes howe that he is in déede dead for vs in so much as his bloude was separated from his body and consequentlye his life and that he hath so loued vs that he hath not spared it for vs. How we must eate the body and fleshe of Iesus Christ and drinke his bloud in the Supper M. BVt séeing that the breade representeth vnto vs in the Supper the fleshe and bodie of Iesus Christ which is there gyuen vs for meate and that the wine representeth the bloude which is there gyuen vs for drink must wée there also eate the body of Iesus Christ and drinke hys bloude in the same
by the whiche we haue bene sometyme taught that the very substāce of the bread and of the wine was chaunged into the very substance of the body of the bloud of Iesus Chryst which ar of the opinion that thou now settest forth M. And why do they rather folow that opinion than the other P. Bicause that they know well that opinion to be too grosse And therfore they haue recourse to that other maner of presence of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Chryste in the Supper whereof thou haste now made mention M. And what inconueniente fyndest thou in that opinion Peter I fynde not muche lesse therein than in that of Transubstantiation Math. Thou canste not saye at the leaste but that they whiche followe it doe take from the Supper the signes of the breade and of the wyne for so much as they ioyne them wyth the bodie and the bloud of Iesus Chryste the whiche they signifie Peter No more are they also so greatlye different in other matters to them that mayntain transubstantiation And therfore may we lawfully call the opiniō of such men cōsubstantiation M. What vnderstandest thou by this word of Consubstantiation P. As they which haue forged the transubstātiation do vnderstand by the same a changing of substance into an other euen so by the name of consubstantiation a man may vnderstande the coniunction of diuers substances togither Of the agreement that is betwene this opinion that of transubstantiation M. DEclare vnto me then wherin they do agrée and wherin they doe differ Peter For the first if they doe vnderstande that the bodie and the bloud of Iesus Christe bée wyth the breade and the wine in their own nature and substance and by a naturall corporall and materiall maner as the bread and the wyne are there they agrée therin with the erroure of transubstantiation M. It séemeth to mée that they drawe well to one poynte sauing that they make no transubstantiation nor chaunge of the breade and of the wine into the body and bloude of Iesus Christ P. Thou séest it plainely by that whiche we haue alredy sayde thou mayest well vnderstand that such a naturall and corporall presence of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ in the Supper should be cleane contrary to the nature of a spirituall nouriture the whiche is there set foorth vnto vs and likewise to the māner of eating of the body and the flesh and the drinking of the bloud of Iesus Christ according to the whiche they may be eatē and dronkē for spirituall meate drinke The seauententh Dialogue is of the communication of Iesus Christ as wel in Baptisme as in the Supper VVherevnto baptisme and the signification thereof may serue to giue vs to vnderstand in vvhat sorte it behoueth vs to be nourished by the body and bloud of Iesus Christ MATHEVV I Haue well vnderstoode that thou hast sayde that we must be nourished with spirituall meate and nouriture into eternall life and that by a spirituall maner agreable to the spirituall birth and life into the which we are regenerate by baptisme and according to the testimonie of God which is set foorth vnto vs in the same concerning our regeneration P. That whiche thou sayest maye serue vs very much to the vnderstanding of the matter which we now hādle For thou doest wel know that we are not regenerate in baptisme by any corporall or material séede of the body and of the bloude of Iesus Christe nor by any naturall manner as we are naturally begotten by our fathers mothers M. I know well also that we may not enter againe into our mothers womb as Nicodeme said to Iesus christ to be borne a new once more as we are already once borne P. And therefore I doubt not but that thou doest well vnderstande that that regeneration and newe birth is wrought by a séede incorruptible spiritual and diuine by the which we are begotten into the Churche by the vertue of the holy Ghoste by whome we are regenerate into a new life In vvhat sorte vve do communicate of the body bloud of Iesus christ in baptism M. IT is not also said that Iesus Christ doth giue his body and his bloud in Baptisme as he doth in the supper like wise the water is not called therein the body and the bloud of Iesus Christe as Iesus Christ doth in the Supper call the bread the wine by the name of them P. Albeit the the water be not there called in baptisme by that name dost thou thinke for all that that the body and bloude of Iesus Christ be not there distributed and communicated vnto thée in the same as well as in the Supper M. I do not so vnderstand it P. Thou wilte then ordeyne a Baptisme withoute Iesus Christe M. Wherfore P. Bycause thou cāst not haue Iesus Christ except thou haue him wholy and very God and very man and that thou haue true communion with his body with his bloud not only in the supper but also in baptisme M. Shewe me the cause thereof P. It is bycause that the Baptisme doth no lesse sende vs to the deathe and passion and to the body and bloud of Iesus Christe than doth the Supper for somuch as that is proper to al sacramēts VVhat difference there is betvvene the baptisme and the Supper touching the communion of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ M. IT séemeth to me that thou speakest against that whiche thou hast sayde heretofore touching the difference which thou hast put betwene baptisme and the Supper for it séemeth that thou speakest now as though baptisme the supper were one very Sacramente and that there were no difference betwene them P. Thou makest an euill conclusion For albeit that we doe as well participate of the body and of the bloud of Iesus Christ in baptisme as in the Supper yet notwithstanding there is difference in the participation and in the manner thereof in respect of the benefites of Iesus Christ whiche are signified and communicated vnto vs as wel in the one of the sacramēts as in the other M. I haue not thē wel vnderstoode thée yet heretofore and therfore declare vnto me more easily that whiche thou now speakest of P. Although the body of Iesus Christe be not giuen vnto vs in baptisme as for spirituall foode as it is in the Supper that notwithstanding it is there giuen vnto vs in very déede as a garment of innocencie of Iustice and of holynesse to couer all our sinnes before god And therefore S. Paule saith that all those which are baptised haue put on them Iesus Christ M. And of the bloud what sayest thou P. Albeit that it be not giuen vnto vs in Baptisme as for drinke as it is in the supper yet notwithstāding it is there giuen vnto vs for a spirituall washing of our soules and consciences whereby Iesus Christe dothe purifie and clense his Church in this lauer of
both in heauē and in earth S. Paule in like fort hath written that he is ascended aboue all the heauens to the ende he mought fill al things that he mought fulfill all in the same M. Doest thou vnderstand that he doth accomplishe and fill all things not by his corporall presence but by his spirituall diuine presēce and vertue P. We may not otherwise vnderstand it if we do beleue that Iesus christ hath a very natural body that he be in déede gone vp into the heauens For as we haue alredy said as ther is no reason to giue him many bodies to be in manye places at a time euē so is it ouer strange to giue hym a bodye which may fill the heauen and the earth Hovve that the corporall presence of the body and of the bloude of Iesus Christ is contrary to the true communion of them in the Supper M. I Doe now remember that thou hast alredy said that the body the bloud of Iesus Christ could not be separated frō his spirit frō whence I do conclude that the body and bloud of christ Iesus cānot be receiued but to the saluation of them which doe receiue it P. None may doubt thereof M. It followeth then further that infidells cannot receiue them forsomuch as they cannot receiue them except they receiue their saluation the whyche they cannot obtaine without faith wherof they are void P. This which thou sayest dothe yet confirme more and more all that whiche we haue handled heretofore concerning the corporall presence of Iesus Christ in the Supper M. It is also the cause why I did againe set foorth thys matter For if the body and the bloude of Iesus Christ be corporally in the supper in suche sorte that whosoeuer receiueth bodily the bread and the wine therein receiueth also the body and the bloud of Iesus Christ corporally there shall follow thereof many things which séeme to me very contrary as well to the office of Iesus christ as to the nature of this Sacrament of the Supper P. Thou sayest very truthe and I am very glad to here of thée that which thou thinkest M. For the firste we shall be constrayned to confesse that a man maye in the Supper receiue the body and the bloude of Iesus Christe without faith and without his spirite for the vnfaithfull whiche shall receiue the bread and the wine shall no lesse receiue the body and the bloud of Iesus Christe than the faithfull P. Beholde there a very straunge consequencie M. Moreouer if a man may receyue them without faithe they whiche shall receiue them in such sorte shal receiue thē either to their saluation or condemnation if they receiue thē to their saluation it must néedes followe that a man maye obtaine saluation without faith if they do receiue thē to their condemnation it must then followe that the body and the bloude of Iesus Christe do bring in this Sacramente against their nature deathe in stéede of life whiche is also against the nature of the Sacramente for it was not ordeyned to bring death to man but life VVhether a man maye conclude of the vvords of Sainct Paule that a man may receyue the body and the bloud of Iesus Christ in the supper to condemnation P. THou concludest very well but they which houlde the opinion againste the whiche we dispute at this presente make no difference to affirme that the infidels receiue in the supper the body the blud of Iesus Christ that they receyue thē to their condēpnation For they build themselues vpō that which s Paule hath saide That who so eateth in the supper the bread drincketh the wine of the lorde vnworthily doth eate and drinke his condempnation M. I know well that those mē affirme that which thou saist But I cannot well agrée their opinion with the matters the which we haue alredy handled And as touching that which they alledge of S. Paule he sayth not who so shall eate the body and drincke the bloud vnworthily shal receiue his condempnation but he saith he that shall eate of this bread shall drinke of this cup. P. Thou hast also to note beside this that there is difference betwene receiuing the supper vnworthily to receiue it without faith and as touching the word of condempnation it may be also taken in diuers maners but wée will now no longer dwell vpon these two pointes It is sufficient for vs to knowe that the bodye and the bloud of Iesus Christ cannot bée truely receyued but by the faythfull Of the principall difference that maye be betvveene the transsubstanciation of the bread and of the vvine into the bodie and the bloud of Iesus christ and the bodily coniunction of them together M. I Do well vnderstand by all the reasons testimonies which thou hast brought out of the holy scriptures that we may seke no corporal nor carnall presēce of Iesus christ neither in the supper nor yet in all thys visible worlde but only a spirituall and diuine presence Wherfore whē I haue well considered the whole I finde no great difference betwene them that affirme that the bread and the wine be conuerted transubstanciated into the bodie blud of Iesus christ in the supper by the vertue of the sacramentall wordes those which affirme that albeit that the bread the wine remayne still in their owne substāce yet notwithstāding the body blud of Iesus christ be there also present with thē in their proper and natural substāce not only spiritually but also corporally substancially as are the bread the wine P. There is no great difference but in that that the one sort thinking to auoid the absurdities which follow the opinion of the others do fall into other absurdities which are nothing lesse of the which we will no more speake here bycause the matter woulde be to long whereof we haue alredy sufficiently spoken Of the vnion that is betvvene Iesus Christ and his members signified by the breade and the vvine in the Supper M. I Am very well contented for thys time with that which thou hast said and therefore shewe me now what properties the bread and the wine haue yet which are agreable to this Sacramente of the Supper beside that whiche thou hast already said P. I haue already sayd that those signs were agreable to this sacrament bycause they be apte to represent the spirituall nouriture by the bodily M. I doe very well remember thys pointe P. Thou hast also to note vppon the same that as one lofe and one vessell of wine are made of many graines gathered togither euen so doe they in the Supper represente vnto vs how that al the children of God which are dispersed are gathered broughte togither in one and vnited with Iesus Christ their head by his deathe as Saincte Iohn doth witnesse M. Thou wilte then saye that that vniō which is made of many graines in one lofe or in one wine
Shewe mée what this praier cōteineth in sūme P. It doth conteine first a briefe preface then sixe requestes in the which Iesus Christ hath comprehended all the things which men maye iustlye demaunde of God as well for his honour as for their saluation and all their necessaryes aswell corporall as spirituall Of the pointes of the doctrine conteined in the preface of the Lordes prayer M. WHat dothe hée teache vs in the preface P. Fyue things euery one well woorthy to be noted and so requisite in the prayer that without them it coulde not be a true prayer M. Which is the firste P. By that which he teacheth vs to call God father he teacheth vs also that wée maye haue no accesse to hym which trust to be heard of him if fyrst he be not agréed with vs in suche forte as he accompte vs for his children and that we also accompte him for our father M. Which is the thirde P. It foloweth after thereof that wée maye haue no accesse to him nor yet our prayers if wée take not his sonne Iesus Christ for our mediator and aduocate towards him M. How doth it folow of that which thou hast saide P. For so muche as God cannot be our Father but by the meane of Iesus Christe by whom he hath adopted vs for his childrē as we haue also expoūded heretofore M. What haste thou yet to saye for the fourth poynt P. That wée shoulde not feare at all to direct our prayers to God and not to mistrust but that they shal be heard for so much as he is our Father and that wee haue Iesus Christ for our aduocate towards him M. Whych is the fyfte P. That euen as wée shoulde not doubte at all to be heard on the contrary wée may be well assured that wée shall not bée hearde if wée doubt and that wée haue not assured trust that euen as God is become our Father by Iesus Chryst euen so doth he receyue vs for hys chyldren in all oure prayers and requestes that wée make vnto hym in the name of hys Sonne as he hath promysed vnto vs. M. That preface contayneth great doctryne P. Thou mayst also adde vnto it that Iesus Christ teacheth vs in the same that euen as wée shoulde not doubt of the good wyll of GOD towardes vs séeing he is become our Father no more may wée doubt that he is wise and mightie ynough to graunt vs all thinges that wée shall require of him For séeing that he is in heauen wée are therby assured that as he is aboue all creatures euen so be they all in hys power and knoweth and vnderstandeth al things both in heauen and in the earth and hath also in his hande all the meanes to prouide for the same as it pleaseth him Of the content of the three first requests of the Lordes prayer M. IT is maruellous that Iesus Christ did comprehend so many thinges in so fewe woords let vs nowe come to the requests conteined in this forme of prayer P. The first thrée of the sixe do teache vs to demaūd of God those things which belong onelie to his glory and maiesty to the honour which we owe vnto him doe teache vs forthwith not onely to demaunde these things first but also to direct and frame to that end all the others which we shal demaunde for vs. M. The same séemeth to mée to agrée verye well with that which Iesus Christ hath saide séeke firste the kingdome of God and the iustice therof and all the other thynges shall be added vnto you Of the content of the three last demaūds and what things we ought to demaund of God and to what ende P. IN the other thrée requests folowing Iesus Christ hath comprehended all the things that we may demaund of god for our selues M. Is it not lawfull to demaunde him any other thing but onely that which is conteyned in that forme of praier P. No. For albe it that it be short yet Iesus Christ hath made it wyth so great wisdome so perfect arte that there is no good thing which a man maye aske of god which is not comprehended in the same M. It foloweth then on the contrary that no mā may iustly pray for any thing which is not conteined in the same P. The one foloweth of the other whervpō thou hast yet to note that it is not sufficient not to demaund of god any thing that is not good of it selfe but also it is required that wée aske it him hauing euer regarde to his glory that all that which we aske of him may serue to the same M. Thou wilt then say that wée may offende him in demaunding those same things the which Iesus Christ hath taught vs to demaund of him for our wealth if wée haue no regarde but to our selues to witte to the ende that wée maye liue the more at our owne pleasure and not to the ende that wée may the better serue to his honour P. It is euen that whych I woulde haue saide Of the deuision of the things vvich we aske of God and first of things corporall M. TEll me now whiche be the things that we shoulde demaunde of him for vs. P. There be of two sorts For the one sorte are corporall and temporall and do belong but to the course of this life and the others are spirituall and haue also regarde to the eternall life Ma. What doest thou vnderstande by these corporall and temporall thynges Pet. All those whyche are necessarie for this poore earthly bodie and for the entertainement of this lyfe to accomplishe in the seruice of God the course whiche we haue to runne in thys worlde euen to the tyme that we be come to the estate in the whiche we shal sée all that accomplished whiche wée firstly demaunde to witte the sanctification of his name the accomplishemente of his kingdome and perfect obedience towards his holie will as the heauenly Angels do yelde it vnto him M. In whiche request dothe Iesus Chryst comprehend all those things Pe. It is vnder the name of the dayly bread the which we aske of God our Father as his children to employ our selues in his seruice forsomuch as it is he that nourisheth vs. Of spirituall thinges which we aske of God for vs. M. ANd the other requests which are for spirituall things what do they conteyn P. A confession of our offences and sinnes by the which as we confesse our selues to be poore and wretched sinners euen so do we daylye demaunde and obtaine by Iesus Christe our Lorde forgiuenesse M. Is there yet any thing else P. Finally wée require the ayde and assistance of God our father against the malice of the deuill and again all the assaultes whiche he may giue vnto vs and all the tentations which maye come vnto vs to the ende we may obteyne a ful victorie to triumph once in the kingdome of God with our true king captain and our very
punishment if there were no other thing in man we may wel thinke what it is that the other sortes do deserue which do daily aggrauate the euill and encrease it more continually Wherfore this originall sinne ought not to be estéemed a smal sin no more ought these buddes of concupiscence and the wicked affections as many do accompt them and chéefly the Papistes For the maiestie of God is so great that there is no rebellion what soeuer it be nor roote of rebellion wickednesse but it is a crime of treason agaynst the maiestie of god For God hath not only forbidden the act consent to euill but also the very concupiscence it self although that it do not procéede so far as to the consent as it appeareth by that which he sayd thou shalt not couet which shal be more plainly declared in his place Now it is méete that the punishmēt be giuē according to the nature of the sinne wherfore seing that God against whose maiestie the fault is cōmitted is eternal it is certē that there is no pain whatsoeuer it be that is sufficient for the punishmēt of an offēce cōmitted against the maiestie of suche a prince nor may satisfie for the dishonoring of the same for the case stādeth not with god as it doth with mā for so much as mā is mortal how gret a prince soeuer he be he may stretch extend his auctoritie no further thā vpō the earthly goods or body of the offender and according to the faulte by him cōmitted he taketh either his goods or his body if the worst fal he can take frō him but his body temporall life for so muche as his power extendeth no further but to this life and that the fault touching either his person or his office is but temporall as he is but God hath a reigne power which stretcheth further for it is eternall as he is And therfore the faults which are cōmitted against him are worthy of eternall punishment And therfore our sauiour Iesus Christ sayth that God hath not only power to sley the body as men haue but he is able also to sley both body and soule and then to cast bothe the one and the other into euerlasting fire which is ordeyned for eternall punishments Of the opinion of those which say that none shall be damned and of the abuse of the mercy of god and of the greatnesse of sinne and of the paine due to the same and of the wrath of God against it declared in the death of Iesus Christe and of the meane whereby to be deiluered from it and in what meaning we ought to vnderstand that God hath made no man to destroy or damne him T. THat which thou sayest is farre off from the opinion of suche as say that none shal be dāned and that in very déed the diuels shal once be saued D. The worde of God shall then be false whiche speaketh the cleane contrary T. They do ground them selues vpon the mercies of God saying that God hath created no man to destruction and that it shall be a great crueltie in him and contrary to his mercifull nature to punish so gréeuously a temporall sinne to witte with euerlasting payne D. Suche men doe greatly abuse them selues and doe declare plainly that they knowe neither the nature of sinne nor yet the maiestie of him against whome it is cōmitted For do they thinke the contempte of such a maiesty ro be nothing according to the which the greatnesse of the sinne must be measured not only according to the thing wherin it hath bin committed wherfore if that god shuld punish with eternall death all the men that euer were are shal be he shuld do them no wrong but should do them iustice and right Therefore in that that he saueth those which haue recourse to his mercie the same commeth of his méere grace wherein in déed he declareth vnto vs what punishmēt we haue deserued For seing that it was expediēt that his owne sonne shuld beare the payne which was due to the sinnes of them vnto whome he would shew mercie in him by him he hath right wel declared by the same that there was no payne whatsoeuer it was that was able to satisfie his iudgemente but that of his sonne who by reason of his great innocencie perfect obedience was only sufficient for such a satisfaction For if man could suffer any paine whereby he mought satisfie the eternall iustice of God there should then be no hell nor eternall damnation for the paines should once haue ende But forsomuche as they do neuer ende they do declare thereby that they are not sufficiente for such satisfaction and on the other side that it must néedes be bycause that they may in no wise be sufficient that they be eternall sauing only to suche as haue rereyued Iesus Christe by faith who hathe borne the wrath of God and the paynes due to their sinnes to deliuer them as it is written he that beloueth in the sonne of God the same hathe eternall lyfe He that beléeueth not in the Sonne of God the wrathe of God abideth still vpon him And as concerning that which thou hast said that God hath made no man to be damned I do cōfesse it if it be well vnderstood but not in that sense that they do take it which aledge that texte or passage of the scripture to abuse the grace goodnesse of God. It is very true that God hath made no creature to that only ende that he should be damned for he hath created all thinges for his glory hath minde all for him selfe yea the wicked for the euill day That is the principall ende of all his works notwithstāding he leaueth not to punishe and to damne with eternall death those which contemne his law and his holy word forsomuch as their damnation doth serue to his glory for the which they were created For his glory doth not only consist in that that he sheweth mercie to his but also in that that he executeth iugemēt and doth declare his iustice vppon his enimies Let vs therefore take héede that we mocke not with him nor seduce oure selues for albeit that by hys great power and wisedome he can drawe goodnesse out of the euil which the wicked committe and can tourne it and make it to serue to his honoure and glory and to the health of his chosen people whereas the wicked ones do tourne his good creatures and his good works into euil he leaueth not for al that to hate still that which is euill in somuche as it is euill and the abuse of his creatures and of his giftes and graces and to condemne and punish those whiche committe suche offences if they haue not forgiuenesse by his grace mercie in Iesus Christ Hovve that euery sinne is of his ovvne nature damnable and hovv that notvvithstanding it is not able to damne the faythfull T. SO farre forthe as I maye iudge
procéeding from the soule are in the liuing man. Peter Thou mayst well iudge that as the liuing man hath not onely lyfe but also mouing and féeling by the power of the soule that is in him euen so the mā regenerate by the spirite of God is disposed by the same to doe spirituall works which are the workes of lyfe where as he did the works of death whilest he was dead thorow sinne not being regenerate by the spirite of God. The twelfth Dialogue is of the giftes of the holie Ghost whiche are common to the elect and to the reprobates Of the gifts of the holie Ghost which mē may haue not be chosen of god and without the which the elect may be saued touching themselues MATHEVV I Doe nowe better vnderstande than before why thou doest call the thirde worke of God the whiche thou attributest to the holy Ghoste worke of viuification and for what cause the holie Ghost is called the quickning spirite There resteth nowe that we speake of other of his giftes whiche thou haste sayde maye serue to the Saluation of them whyche haue them not withoute seruing at all them whiche haue them to their saluation P. I will shewe thee by example that whiche thou askest we maye place in this ranke the gift of toungs the gifte of prophecie or preachyng the gifte of miracles and suche other lyke Math. Dothe GOD sometyme communicate these guifts vnto the reprobates and vnfaythefull Peter Thou doest not doubte but that hée dothe distrybute them to the electe and the faythfull when it pleaseth him Math. I may not doubt thereof séeing I haue the examples of the prophets and of the Apostles whiche witnesse it vnto me P. But albeit that these gifts be communicate to diuers of the elect and faithfull yet they are not giuen generally to all neither to euery one specially and as the others wherof we haue alreadie spoken and on the other syde they be not giuen in equall and one measure to all those to whome they be giuen For the one sorte haue them in greater number and greater abundance than the others M. Giue me example of that whiche thou sayst P. Saint Iohn Baptist was so excellente a Prophet that he was by Iesus Chryste preferred to all the other Prophets whiche were before him and yet wee reade not that he had the gift of tongues as the Apostles had M. It séemeth also to mée that it was not necessarie forsomuche as he was not sent but to those of his owne nation P. And therfore I say with Saint Paule that the holy Ghoste distributeth his giftes to euery man as is expediente for him But to come againe to S. Iohn Baptist no more had he the gifte of miracles For it is written of him playnly that he did none at all M. I thinke also that there were many of the Prophetes which had but the gift of prophecie without the gift of eyther miracles or toungs forsomuche as they did prophecie but in the Churche of Israel and among people which vnderstod their natural speach M. We fynd not many prophets that haue had the gift of miracles as had Moyses Elie and Elizee But the Apostles hadde bothe the gifte of prophecie miracles toungs and suche lyke Of the giftes of the holy Ghoste giuen to the wicked M. I I knowe nowe well by these examples in what sorte these giftes hée distributed to the faithfull albéeit they be not distributed to euery one in verye number and portion euen of those which are made partakers of them but thou haste not yet proued how these giftes are also somtyme bestowed vpon the reprobates and vnfaithfull P. I wil shew thée first the testimonie of Iesus Christ which sayth that many shal say vnto him at the later day Lorde Lorde we haue prophecied and driuen out diuels and wrought great effects in thy name vnto whom he shall saye I know you not depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie M. Peraduenture they shall boast them selues falsly of that whiche they neuer did Pet. To resolue this difficultie thou hast beside it the examples not onely of Balaam of Saule and of Cayphe whyche haue prophecied but also of Iudas vntoo whome not onely the gifte of prophecie and office of Apostle was giuen as it was to his other fellowes but also the gifte of miracles M. Howe mayst thou knowe for certayne if that Iudas hadde the gift of miracles Peter Bicause that when Iesus Chryste did giue it to hys Apostles Iudas was not put out of the number but was comprised in the number of twelue vnto whiche the Euangelistes witnesse that this gifte was giuen by Iesus Christe Math. That whiche thou sayest hath some apparance Peter And on the other side thou mayst not fynd it strange that the gift of miracles was giuen vnto him whiche is far lesse necessarie to the Churche than the gift of prophecie and office of Apostle For vvhat cause God sometime dothe cōmunicate to the wicked of the giftes of the holie Ghost the which he doth not cōmunicate to the electe M. SEing that these gifts be so noble so excellēt it abasheth me that God somtime distributeth them to the vnfaithful reprobate rather than to the faithfull elect For albeit that in the time of Balaam Saule Cayphe Iudas many of the faithfull and chosen were endowed with these gifts yet notwithstanding the greatest nūber of thē had thē not at al but had only those gifts which are proper and cōmon to al the elect and faithful P. It is true but thou muste note that God will haue it so chiefly for two causes M. whiche is the first P. It is that he will giue vs to know what difference we ought to put betwene these gifts to the ende that his elect mought know which ar the most excellent and what fauour he hathe shewed to them more than to the others in communicating them vnto them Math. Whiche is the other reason P. It is that God will shewe howe passyng excellent a woorker he is whiche can vse al instrumentes bothe good and bad yea the very diuels to make them serue to his glorie and to the edification and saluation of his Churche when it pleaseth him But seeing that he may well do by his elect that whiche he dothe by these wicked instruments why dothe he not rather this honour to his children than to his enimies P. He dothe no dishonour to his children but doth them great honor when he constrayneth the very wicked to serue them will they nill they M. There is a point wel worth the note P. On the other side he honoureth the enimies the more but putteth them to greater confusion and maketh them more inexcusable in so muche as thorough their owne fault they haue abused his giftes Of the giftes of God which are moste excellent and most to be desired M. FOr so muche as I can vnderstande by thée thou estéemest the first giftes whereof thou