small and contemptible number lyeth hid vnder a huge multitude and a fewe graines of wheate are couered wyth a heape of chaffe to God onely is to be lefte the knowledge of his Churche the fundation whereof is his secrete election But it is not sufficiente to conceiue in thoughte and mynde the multitude of the elect vnlesse we thinke vppon suche an vnitie of the Churche into whiche we be truely perswaded that we our selues be engraffed For vnlesse we be vnder our head Chryste vnited together wyth all the reste of his members there abydeth for vs no hope of the inheritaunce to come It is therefore called Catholike or Uniuersall because we can not fynde two or three Churches but that Christe muste be torne in sonder whyche can not be done But all the electe of God are so knitt together in Christe that as they hang vpon one head so they may growe together as it were into one body cleauing together wyth suche a compacting of ioyntes as the members of one selfe body beeing truely made one whiche with one hope Fayth Charitie with one selfe Spirite of God dooe lyue together beeing called not onely into one inheritaunce of eternall lyfe but also into one partaking of one God and Christe Wherefore althoughe the sorowefull desolation that on eche syde presenteth it selfe in sighte crieth out that there is nothing lefte of the Churche yet lette vs knowe that Christes death is frutefull and that God maruellously as it were in secrete corners preserueth his Church As it was sayed to Elias I haue kept to my selfe seuen thousande men that haue not bowed their knee before Baal Albeit this article of the Crede doeth in some respecte belong to the outwarde Churche that euery one of vs shoulde holde himselfe in brotherly consente with all the children of God shoulde yelde vnto the Churche that authoritie whiche it deserueth finally should so behaue himself as a shepe of the flocke And therefore is adioyned the communion of Saintes Which parcell although commonly the old writers doe leaue it out yet is not to be neglected because it very wel expresseth the qualitie of the Churche as if it had been sayed that the Saintes are gathered together into the felowshyppe of Christ with this condition that whatsoeuer benefites God bestoweth vpon them they shoulde coÌ„tinually communicate them one to an other Wherby yet the diuersitie of graces is not taken away as we know that the gyftes of the Holy ghost are diuersly distributed neyther is the order of ciuile gouernemente disturbed by whiche it is lawfull for euery man priuately to enioye his owne possessions as it is necessarye that for preseruatyon of peace among men they should haue among them selues peculiare and deuyded properties of thynges But there is a communitie affirmed such as Luke descrybeth that of the multitude of the beleuers there was one harte and one soule and Paule when he exhorteth the Ephesians to be one body one Spirite as they be called in one hope For it is not possible if they be truely perswaded that God is the common father and Christ the common head to them all but that being conioyned among themselues with brotherly loue they shoulde continually communicate those thynges that they haue Nowe it muche behoueth vs to knowe what profyte therupon returneth vnto vs. For we beleue the Churche to thys ende that we may be certainly perswaded that we are the members of it For by thys meane our saluation resteth vpon sure and sounde stayes that it although the whole frame of the world be shaken can not come to ruine and fall downe Firste it standeth wyth goddes election neyther can it varye or faile but together wyth hys eternall Prouidence Then it is after a certayne manner ioyned wyth the stedfastnesse of Christe whiche will no more suffer his faithfull to be plucked from hym than hys owne members to be rente and torne in peces Beside that we are assured that trueth shall alwaye abyde wyth vs so long as we are holden in the bosome of the Churche Laste of all that we fele that these promises belong to vs there shal be saluation in Syon God shall for euer abide in Hierusalem that it may not at any time be moued So muche can the partaking of the Churche doe that it holdeth vs in the felowshippe of God Also in the very worde Communion is muche comforte because while it remayneth certayne that what soeuer the Lorde geueth to hys and oure members belongeth to vs oure hope is by all theyr good thynges confirmed But in suche sorte to embrace the vnitie of the Churche it is not nedefull as we haue already sayed to see the Churche it selfe wyth our eies or fele it with our handes but rather by thys that it consisteth in Faith we are admonished that we oughte no lesse to thinke it to be when it passeth our vnderstanding than if it openly appeared Neither is our Fayth therefore the worse because it conceiueth it vnknowen for asmuche as we are not herein commaunded to discerne the reprobate from the electe whiche is the office of God onely and not oures but to determine assuredly in our mindes that all they that by the mercifull kindnesse of God the Father throughe the effectual working of the Holy ghost are come into the partaking of Christ are seuered into the peculiar righte and proper possession of Christe and that for asmuche as we be in the number of those we are partakers of so greate a grace But sithe it is nowe our purpose to entreate of the visible Church lette vs learne euen by thys one title of Mother howe muche â—he knowledge thereof is profitable yea necessarye for vs for asmuche as there is no other entrye into life vnlesse she conceiue vs in hee wombe vnlesse she bryng vs fourth vnlesse she fede vs with her breastes fynallye vnlesse she kepe vs vnder her custodye and gouernaunce vntyll suche tyme as beyng vnclothed of mortall fleshe we shall be lyke vnto Angels For oure weakenesse suffreth vs not to be dismissed from schole tyll we haue been scholars throughout the whole course of our lyfe Beside that oute of her bosome there is no forgeuenesse of synnes and no saluation to be hoped for as wytnesseth Esaye and Ioel with whom agreeth Ezechiel when he declareth that they shall not be in the number of Goddes people whome he putteth awaye from the heauenly lyfe As on the contrarie side they are sayed to wryte their names among the citezens of Hierusalem that turne them selues to the folowyng of true godlynesse After whiche manner it is also sayed in an other Psalme Remember me Lord in the good wyll of thy people visite me in thy saluation that I maye see the benefytes of thy electe that I maye be merry in the myrth of thy people that I maye reioyse wyth thy enherytaunce In whiche woordes the fatherly fauoure of GOD and the peculyar testimonie of the Spirituall lyfe is restrayned to
power they had had experience of in so many miracles but they did not beleue that he was nie vnto them vnlesse they did see with their eies a corporall representaciō of his face to be a witnesse vnto them of the God that gouerned them Their minde was therfore to knowe by the image going before them that God was the guide of their iourney This thing daily experience teacheth that the flesh is alway vnquiet till it hath gotten some counterfaite deuise like it self wherin it may vainly delite as in an image of god In a manner in al ages since the creation of the world men to obey this blinde desire haue erected signes wherin they imagined God to be present before their carnall eies After such inuencion forged by and by foloweth worshipping For when men thought that they beheld God in images they did also worship him in them At lēgth being both with mindes and eies altogether fastened theron they beganne to waxe more and more brutishe and to wonder at them and haue them in admiracion as if there wer some nature of godhed in them So appeareth that men brake not out into the worshipping of images till they were perswaded in some grosse opinion not to thinke the images to be gods but to imagine that there dyd a certaine force of Godhead abide in them Therefore whether thou represent to thy selfe either God or a creature in the image when thou fallest down to worship thou art already bewitched wich some superstition For this reason the Lord hath forbidden not onely images to bee erected that ar made to expresse a likenesse of him but also any titles or stones to be dedicated that should stande to be worshipped And for the same reason also in the commaundemente of the lawe this other point is added concerning worshipping For so sone as thei haue forged a visible forme for God they also tye the power of God vnto it So beastlie folish are men that there they fasten God where they counterfaite him and therfore must they nedes worship it Neither is there any differēce whether they simply worship the idole or God in the idole This is alway idolatry when honoures due to God are geuen to an idole vnder what color soeuer it be And because God wil not be worshipped superstitiously therefore what soeuer is geuen to idols is taken from hym Lette them take hede hereunto that seke for pretenses to defende the abhominable idolatrie wherwith these many ages past true religion hath been drowned and ouerthrowen But saye they the images are not taken for goddes Neither were the Iewes themselues so vnaduised to Forgett that it was God by whole hande they hadde been broughte oute of Egipte before they made they calfe Yea when Aaron saied that those were the Goddes by whom they were deliuered oute of the lande of Egipte they boldly assented shewing a plaine tokē of their meaning that they would still kepe that God that was their deliuerer so that they mighte see him goe before them in the calfe Neither is it to be beleued that the heathen were so grosse as to beleue that God was no other thing but stockes and stones For they changed their images at their pleasure but still they kepte the same Goddes in their mynde and there were many images of one God and yet they dyd not according to the multitude of images faine them many Gods Besyde that they did daily cōsecrate newe images yet did they not thinke that they made newe goddes Lette the excuses be read whiche Augustine saieth were pretended by the Idolaters of his age When they were rebuked the common forte aunswered that they did not worshippe that visible thing but the deitie that did in it inuisibly dwell And they that were of somwhat better religion as he calleth it did saye that they did neither worshippe the image nor the spirite in it but by the corporall image they did beholde the signe of that thing whiche they oughte to worship Nowe then All idolaters whether they were of the Iewes or of the gentiles were none otherwise minded than as I haue saied being not contented with a spirituall vnderstanding of God they thought by the images he should be more sure and nerer imprinted in them After once that suche disordered counterfaiting of God well liked them they neuer ended till daily more and more deluded with newe deceites they imagined that God did shewe foorth hys power in images And neuerthelesse both the Iewes were perswaded that vnder suche images they did worshippe the one true Lorde of heauen and earth and lykewise the gentiles their false goddes whom yet they fayned to dwell in heauen Whosoeuer deny that it hath thus ben done in time past yea within our own remembraunce they impudently lie For why fall they down before thē And when they pray why turne they toward them as to the eares of God For it is true that Augustine saieth that no man praieth or worshippeth when he so beholdeth an image but he is so affected in minde that he thinketh himself to be heard of it or that it will do for him what he desireth Why is there such difference betwene the images of one God that passing by one image with litle reuerence or none done to it they honor an other solemnely Why doe they werry thēselues with vowed pilgremages to visit those images wherof they haue like at home Why do they at this day in defense of them as it were for their religion and countrey fight to slaughter and destruction in suche sorte as they would better suffer to have the one only God than their idols to be takē from them And yet I do not recken vp the grosse errors of the cōmon people which are almost infinite and do in manner possesse the hartes of all men I do only shew what thēselues do confesse when they meane most of al to excuse themselues of idolatry We do not cal them say they oure Goddes No more did the Iewes nor the gentiles cal them theirs in tyme paste and yet the Prophetes eche where cesse not to caste in their teeth their fornicacion with stockes and stones for doing no more but such things as are daily done by them that would be compted Christians that is to say that they carnally worshipped God in stockes and stones Although I am not ignoraunt nor thinke good to passe it ouer as if I knew it not how they seke to escape with a more suttle distinction wherof I shal againe make mention more at large hereafter For they pretend that the worship which they geue to images is Idolodulia which is seruice of images and not Idololatria which is worship of images For so they terme it when they teache that they may lawfully withoute any wrōg done to God geue vnto images and pictures that worship which they cal Doulia or seruice And so they thinke themselues without blame if they be but the seruauntes and not also the worshippers
helpe of Gods grace they do testifie enoughe and more that we are altogether vnfitte muche more insufficient to keepe the lawe Wherefore let thys proportion of oure strengthes wyth the commaundementes of Gods lawe be no more enforced as if the Lord hadde measured the rule of iustice whiche hee purposed to geue in his lawe accordynge to the rate of oure weakenesse Rather by hys promysses wee oughte to consyder howe vnreadye wee are of oure selues whyche in euerye behalfe do so muche neede hys grace But whoe saye they shall be perswaded that it is lyke to be true that the Lorde appointed his lawe to stockes and stones Neyther dothe any manne goe aboute to perswade yt For the wycked are neyther stockes nor stones when beynge taughte by the lawe that theyr lustes do stryue agaynste God they are proued gyltye by theyr owne wytenesse Nor yet the godly when beeynge putte in mynde of theyr weakenesse they flee vnto grace For whyche purpose serue these sayinges of Augustine The Lorde commaundeth those thynges that we can not do that wee maye knowe what wee oughte to aske of hym Greate is the profite of the commaundements yf so muche bee geuen to free wyll that the grace of God bee the more honoured Faythe obtayneth that whyche the lawe commaundeth yea the lawe therefore commaundeth that faythe maye obtayne that whyche was commaunded by the lawe yea God requyreth faythe yt selfe of vs and fyndeth not what to requyre vnlesse hee geue what to fynde Agayne Let God geue what hee commaundeth commaunde what he wyll That shall more plainely bee seen in rehersinge the three sortes of commaundementes which we touched before The Lorde oftentimes commaundeth bothe in the lawe and in the Prophetes that we be cōuerted vnto hym But on the other syde the Prophete aunswereth Conuerte me Lorde and I shall be conuerted for after that thou didst conuerte me I repented c. He commaundeth vs to circumcise the vncircumcised skynne of oure hearte and by Moses he declareth that thys circumcision is done by his owne hande He eche wher requireth newenesse of hearte but in an other place hee testifieth that it is geuen by himselfe That whyche God promiseth saith Augustine we do not by free wil or nature but he himselfe doth it by grace And this is the same note that he himselfe reherseth in the v. place among the rules of Ticonius that we wel make difference betwene the lawe the promises or betwen the commaundementes grace Nowe let them goe that gather by the commaundementes whether man be able to do any thing toward obediences in suche sorte that thei destroye the grace of God by whiche the commaundementes them selues are fullfylled The commaundemēts of the seconde sorte are symple by whyche wee are bydden to honoure God to serue cleaue vnto hys wyll to kepe hys comaundemtes to folowe his doctrine But there are innumerable places that doe testifie that it is his gyft what so euer ryghteousnesse holynesse godlinesse or puritie may bee had Of the thirde sorte was that exhortacion of Paul and Barnabas to the faithfull whiche is rehearsed by Luke that they shoulde abyde in the grace of God But from whence that strengthe of constancie is to be had the same Paul teacheth in an other place That remayneth sayeth he ▪ brethren bee ye stronge throughe the Lorde In an other place he forbyddeth vs that we doe not greue the spirite of God wherewith we are sealed vp vnto the daye of our redemption But because the thynge that he there requireth could not beperfourmed by men therfore he wysheth it to the Thessalonians from God namely that he woulde recken them worthy of his holy callyng and fulfyll all the purpose of his goodnesse and the woorke of faythe in them Lykewyse in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians entreating of almes he oftentymes commaundeth theyr good and godlye wyll yet a litle after he thanketh God that put it in the hearte of Titus to take vpon hym to geue exhortacion If Titus coulde not so muche as vse the office of his mouthe to exhorte other but only so farre as God did put it vnto hym howe shoulde other haue bene wyllynge to doe vnlesse God hym selfe had directed their heartes The craftier sorte of them doe cauyll at all these testimonies because there is no impediment but that wee maye ioyne our owne strengthes and God to helpe our weake endeuours They bryng also places out of the Prophetes where the effect of our conuersion seemeth to bee parted in halfe betwene God and vs. Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne to you What maner of help the Lord bryngeth vs we haue aboue shewed and it is not nedefull here to repete it This one thyng I woulde haue graunted me that it is vainely gathered that there is requyred in vs a power to fulfyll the lawe because God dothe cōmaunde the obedience of it For as much as it is euident that for the fulfillyng of all the commaundementes of God the grace of the lawegeuer is bothe necessary for vs and promysed vnto vs. Thereby then it appeareth that at least there is more required of vs than we are able to paye And that saying of Hieremie can not be wyped away with any cauillatiōs that the couenaunt of God made with the auncient people was voyde because it was only literall and that it coulde no otherwyse bee stablyshed than when the spirite cometh vnto it whiche frameth the heartes to obedience Neither dothe that saying Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne vnto you fauour their errour For there is meant not that tourning of God wherewith he renueth oure heartes to repentaunce but wherewyth hee by prosperitie of thynges dothe declare hym selfe fauourable and merciful as by aduersitie he somtime sheweth his displeasure Where as therfore the people being vexed with many sortes of miseries and calamities dyd complayne that God was turned awaye from them he aunswereth that they shall not be destitute of his fauour if they retourne to vprightnesse of lyfe and to hym selfe that is the paterne of righteousnesse Therefore the place is wrongfully wrested when it is drawen to this pourpose that the woorke of our conuersion shoulde seeme to bee parted betwixte God and men These thynges we haue comprehended so muche the shortelyer bycause the propre place for this matter shall bee where we entreate of the Lawe The seconde sorte of their argumentes is muche like vnto the fyrst They alledge the promises whereby God dothe couenaunt wyth oure will of whiche sorte are Seeke good and not euell and ye shall liue If ye will and do heare ye shall eate the good thynges of the earth but if ye will not the swoarde shal deuoure you bicause the Lordes mouth hathe spoken it Againe If thow put awaie thine abhominations oute of my syghte then shalte thou not be dryuen oute If thou shalte obeye dylygently the voyce of the Lorde
that leaste religion shoulde fall awaie or waxe faint among vs holy meetinges are to be diligently kept and those outwarde helpes are to be vsed that are profitable for to nourishe the worshippinge of God The fifte Commaundement Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maist liue longe vpon the Lande which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee The ende of this commaundement is that bicause the Lorde delyteth in the preseruation of his ordre therfore he willeth that those degrees of preeminence which he hath ordeined be not broken the summe therfore shal be that we reuerence those whome the Lord hath set ouer vs that we yeld to them honore obedience and thankefullnesse Whervpon foloweth that it is forbidden vs to withdrawe any thynge from their dignitie either by contempt or obstinate or vnthankfulnes For so doth the worde Honoure in the Scripture signifieth very largely as when the Apostle sayth that the elders whiche rule well are worthy of doble honore he meaneth not oneli that reuerence ys due vnto them but also such recompense as their ministerie deserueth And bicause this comaundement of subiection doth most of all disagree with the peruersnesse of mans nature which as it swelleth with greedinesse of climbing hie so it hardly abideth to be broughte lowe therefore he hath set that kinde of superioritie for example which by nature is moste amiable and leste enuious bicause he mighte the easelyer meken and reclaime oâ—re mindes to the vse of submission Therfore the Lord doth by little little traine vs to all lawefull subiection by that which is most easy to beare for asmuch as the rule of all is alike For to whome he geueth any preeminence he doth communicate his own name with them so farre as is necessarie to preserue the same preeminence The name of Father God and Lorde do so belong vnto him alone that so ofte as we heare one of them named our minde muste needes be touched with a feeling of his maiestie Therfore whom he maketh partakers of these things he maketh to glister with a certaine sparke of his brightnesse that thei may be honorable euery one accordinge to his degree Therfore in him that is oure father we haue to consider somewhat of the nature of God bicause he beareth not the name of God without cause He that is our Prince or oure Lorde hath some partakinge of honore with God Wherfore it ought not to be doubted that God doth here set a generall rule that as we knowe any man to be by his ordinaunce set ouer vs so we yelde vnto him reuerence obedience thankfulnesse and suche other dueties as it lieth in vs to do And it maketh no difference whether thei be worthy or vnworthy For of what sorte soeuer thei be thei haue not without the prouidence of God atteyned that place by reasoÌ„ whereof the lawemaker woulde haue them to be honored Yet namely he hathe geuen commaundemente of reuerence to parentes that haue brought vs into this life to whiche reuerence very nature ought in a manner to instructe vs. For they are monsters and not men that breake the authorite of parentes with dishonore or stubbornesse Therfore the Lord commaunded all the disobedient to their parentes to be slaine as men vnworthy to enioye the benefite of lighte that doe not reknowledge by whose meanes thei came into it And by many additions of the lawe it appeareth to bee true that wee haue noted that there are three partes of honoure that he here speaketh of Reuerence Obedience and Thankfullnesse The firste of these the Lorde estabelysheth when he commaundeth him to be killed that curseth his Father or his Mother for there he punisheth the contempte and dishonoure of them The seconde he confirmeth when he appointeth the punishment of death for the disobedient and rebellious children To the thirde belongeth that sayinge of Christe in the fyftene of Matthew that it is the commaundement of God that we do good to oure parentes And so oft as Paule maketh mention of a commaundement he expoundeth that therein obedience is required There is annexed a promise for a commendation whyche dothe the rather putte vs in minde howe acceptable vnto God is the submission that is here commaunded For Paule vseth the same pricke to stirre vp oure dulnesse when he saieth that this is the fyrste commaundemente with promise For the promise that went before in the first Table was not speciall and proprely belonginge to one commaundement but extended to the whole lawe Nowe this is thus to be taken The Lorde spake to the Israelites peculiarly of the lande whiche he had promised them for their inheritance If then the possession of lande was a pledge of Gods bountyfullnesse let vs not meruell if it pleased God to declare his fauoure by geuinge lengthe of lyfe by whiche a man might longe enioye hys benefite The meaninge therefore is thus Honoure thy father and thy Mother that by a longe space of life thou maist enioye that possession of that lande that shal be vnto thee for a testimony of my Father But sith all the earthe is blessed to the faithfull we doe not woorthyly recken this present life amonge the blessinges of God Therefore thys promise dothe likewise belonge vnto vs for asmuche as their continuance of hys life is a profe of Gods good will For it neither is promised to vs nor was promised to the Iewes as thoughe it were contained blessednesse in it selfe but bicause it is wonte to bee to the Godlye a token of Gods tender loue Therfore if it chaunce that an obediente child to his parentes be taken out of this life before his ripe age whyche ys oftentimes seen yet doth God no lesse constantly continue in the perfourmance of his promise than if he shoulde rewarde hym wyth a hundreth Acres of lande to whome he promised but one Acre All consysteth in this that we should consider that long life is so farre promysed vs as it is the blessinge of God and that it is his blessinge so farre as it is a proofe of his fauoure whiche he by death doth muche more plentifully and perfectly witnesse and shewe in effect to his seruauntes Moreouer when the Lorde promiseth the blessinge of this presente life to the children that honoure their parentes with such reuerence as they ought he doth wythall secretly saye that most assured curse hangeth ouer the stubborne and disobedient children And that the same shoulde not wante execution hee pronounceth them by hys lawe subiecte to the iudgemente of deathe and commaundeth them to be putte to execution and if they escape that iudgemente hee hymselfe taketh vengeance on them by one meane or other For we see howe greate a numbre of that sorte of menne are slaine in battailes and in fraies and some other tourmented in strange vnaccustomed fashions and they all in a manner are a proofe that thys threatninge is not vayne Butte yf any escape to olde age syth in this lyfe beynge
feare him Like wherevnto is that which is in the hundred and seconde Psalme At the beginning Lorde thou didst lay the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy handes Thei shal perishe but thou abidest thei shal waxe olde like a garment and thou shalt change them as apparell but thou remaine the selfe same and thy yeares shall not faile the sonnes of thy seruantes shall dwell and thy posteritie shal be stablished before thee If the Godly cesse not for the decay of heauen earth to be stablished before the Lorde it foloweth that their saluaciō is ioyned with the eternitie of God But that hope can not stand at all vnlesse it rest vpon the promise that is set forth in Esaic The heauens sayth the Lorde shall vanish away like smoke the earth shal be worne out like a garment the inhabitantes of it shall perish like those thynges But my saluacion shal be for euer and my righteousnesse shall not faile where euerlastingnesse is geuen to righteousnesse and saluacion not in respect that thei remaine with God but in respect that thei are felte of men Neither may we otherwyse take those thynges that he commonly speaketh of the prosperous successe of the faithfull but to applie them to the open shewing of the heauenly glorie As these saienges The Lorde kepeth the soules of the righteous he shal deliuer them from the hand of the sinner Light is arisen to the righteous and ioye to the vpright in hearte The righteousnesse of the Godly man abideth for euer hys horne shal be exalted in glorie the desire of the sinner shal perish Again but the righteous shall confesse vnto thy name the vpright shall dwell with thy countenance Againe the righteous shall be in eternall remembrance Againe The Lorde shall redeeme the soules of hys seruantes For the Lorde oftentimes leaueth his seruantes to the lust of the wycked not onely to be vexed but also to be torne in peeces and destroied he suffereth the good to lye languishing in darkenesse and filth whyle the wicked do in a manner shine among the starres And he doth not so chere them with the brightnesse of his countenance that they enioye long continuing gladnesse Wherefore euen he also hideth not that yf the faithfull fasten their eyes vpon the presente state of thynges they shal be striken with a sore temption as though there wer no fauoure or reward of innocencye with God So much doth wickednesse for the most part prosper florish while the companie of the Godly is oppressed with shame pouertie contempt and all kyndes of crosses It wanted but little saith he that my foote slipped not and my steppes fell not abroade while the fortune of fooles greueth me and while I see the prosperitie of the wicked At length after rehersall of it he concludeth I bente my thought if I coulde vnderstand these thinges But it is tormente to my spirit till I enter into the sanctuarie of the Lorde and vnderstand the last ende of them Let vs therfore learne yet by this confession of Dauid that the holy fathers vnder the old testament were not ignorant how seldome or neuer God doth in this world performe to his seruantes those thinges that he promiseth them and that therefore they dyd lifte vp theyr mindes to Gods sanctuarie wherein thei had that laied vp in store whiche appeareth not in the shadowe of this present life That was the last iudgement of God which when thei coulde not see with eyes they were content to vnderstande by faithe Trustinge vpon which affiance whatsoeuer happened in the worlde yet thei doubted not a time wold ones come when the promises of God shoulde be fulfilled As these sayengs do witnesse I wil behold the face of God in righteousnesse I wil be satisfied with thy countenance Againe I as a greene Oliue tree in the house of the Lorde Againe The righteous shall florish as a Date tree and shal sprede in branches like the Ceder of Libanus being planted in the house of the Lorde thei shall florishe in the Palaces of oure God They shall still beare frute thei shall be fat and grene in their olde age When he had saide a little before Now deepe are thy thoughtes O Lord while the wicked do florish thei budde out like an herbe that thei may perishe for euer Where is that faire shew and beautie of the faithfull but when the face of this worlde shall bee tourned in warde by dysclosing of the kingdome of God When thei tourned their eyes to that eternitie thei despised the hardnesse enduring but a moment of present miseries and boldly burste forth into these woordes Thou shalte not suffer for euer the righteous to dye but thou shalte throwe downe the wicked hedlong into the pit of destruction Where as in this worlde the pitt of eternall destruction that may swallowe vp the wicked Amonge whose felicities this is also reckened in an other place that thei close vp the ende of their life in a moment without long languishing Where is that so greate stedfastnesse of the holly ones whom Dauid himselfe eche where complaineth not onely to be shaken with trouble but also to be oppressed and vtterly broken in peeces Forsoothe he did set before his eyes not what the altering course of the worlde beareth whiche is vnstable more vnstedfast than the ebbing and flowing of tides but what the Lorde will do when he shall one day sitte for the eternall settling of heauen and earth As in an other place hee excellently well describeth it The foolish do stay vpon their welthinesse and are proude bicause of their great riches And yet no man though he florish in neuer so great dignitie can redeeme his brother from death no man can paye to God the price of his raunsome but wheras thei see that bothe the wyse do dye and that the wicked also and fooles do perishe leaue their ryches to strangers yet thei thinke that thier houses shal abide for euer their dwellynges to the ende of ages and thei aduaunce their names vpon the earth but man shall not continue in honore he shal be like to the beastes that die This imaginacion of theires is extremest folly whyche yet their posteritie do gredyly folow Thei shal be placed like a flock in Hell and deathe shall haue rule ouer them When the lyght ariseth the vpright shall haue dominion ouer them the beautie of them shall perishe Hell is their dwelling house First this laughing to scorne of the foolish for that thei rest on the slipperie and rollynge good thinges of the worlde dothe shewe that the wyse must seeke a farre other felicitie But there he more euidently discloseth the misterie of the resurrection where after the destruction extinguishmente of them he erecteth the kingdome of the Godly For what rising of light I pray you shall wee call that but the reueling of the newe life whyche foloweth
the inferioure manner of exercising whyche he vsed with the Israelites They that marke not this purpose of God doe not thynke that the olde people clymbed any hyer than to the good thynges promised to the bodye Thei so often heare the lande of Chanaan named as the excellent or rather only reward for the kepers of Gods lawe Thei heare that God threatneth nothing more seuerely to the transgressors of the same law than that they shal be dryuen out of the possession of the same lande and scattered abroad into strange regions Thei see that in a manner to this effect come all the blessinges curses that are pronounced by Moses Herby they do vndoubtedly determine that the Iewes not for their owne sakes but for others were seuered from other nations that is that the Churche of Christ might haue an image in whose outwarde forme shee might see exaumples of spirituall thinges But fith the Scripture dothe sometimes shew that God himselfe directed all the earthly benefites that hee did for them to this ende that so he might leade them by the hande to the hope of heauenly benefites It was to muche vnskilfulnesse I wyll not sate blockishnesse not to consider this ordre of disposition The issue or pointe of oure controuersie with this sorte of men is thys that they teache that the possession of the land of Chanaan was to the Israelites their chefe and last blessednesse and that to vs after the reuelinge of Christ it doth but figuratiuely signifie the heauenly inheritaunce On the other syde we affirme that thei dyd in the earthly possession whiche they enioyed as in a lokinge glasse beholde the inheritance to come whiche they beleued to be prepared for them in heauen That shall better appeare by the similitude that Paule vsed to the Galatians He compareth the nation of the Iewes to an hyer wythin age whiche being not yet able to gouerne hym selfe foloweth the guydinge of the tutor or schoolemaister to whose custodie hee is committed And whereas he applieth that similitude to the ceremonies that nothinge hindereth but that it may also very fittly serue to this purpose The same inheritance was apoynted for them that was apoynted for vs but suche as yet for want of age thei were not of capacitie to enter vpon and vse The same Churche was among them but whereof the age was yet but childyshe Therefore the Lorde kepte them vnder this schooling that hee gaue them not the spirituall promises so naked and openly but as it wer shadowed with earthly promises Therfore wher he called Abraham Isaac and Iacob and their posteritie vnto hope of immortalitie he promised them the lande of Chanaan to be their inheritance not to determine their hopes vpon it but that in beholdynge of it they shoulde exercise and confirme them selues in the hope of that true inheritance that did not yet appeare And that they myghte not be deceiued there was geuen them a hyer promyse to testifie that that lande was not the hyest benefite of God So Abraham was not suffred to fâ—ye slouthefull in the promyse receyued of the lande but hys minde was with a greater promise raised vp vnto that Lorde For Abraham hearde this saide vnto him I am thy protector and thy rewarde exceedinge greate Here we see that Abraham hathe the ende of his reward set fourth in the Lorde that he shoulde not accompte vpon a transitorie and slippery reward in the elementes of this worlde but rather thinke it to be suche as canne not wither away Afterwarde he adioyneth the promise of the lande to no other entent but that it sholde be a token of the good will of God a figure of the heauenly inheritance And that the holy men had this meaning their owne sayenges do declare So Dauid riseth vpwarde from temporall blessinges to that same highest and last blessing My hearte saith he and my fleshe fainte for desire of thee God is my portion for euer Againe The Lorde is the parte of my inheritance and of my cuppe thou art he that sauest mine heritage for me Againe I haue cryed vnto thee O Lorde I have saide Thou art my hope my portion in the lande of the liuing Truly thei that dare so speake do withoute doubt professe that with their hope thei climbe aboue the worlde and all the good thinges here presente But the Prophetes do ofte describe this blessednesse of the worlde to come vnder that figure that thei had receiued of the Lorde And so are these saienges to be vnderstanded That the Godly shal possesse the land by inheritance and the wycked shal be destroied out of it That Hierusalem shal aboud with all kinde of richesse and Syon ouerflowe with plentie of al thinges All whiche we see can not proprely be spoken of the lande of oure wayfaringe or the earthly Ierusalem but of the true contrey of the faithfull and that heauenly citie wherein the Lorde hathe commaunded blessinge and life for euer This is the reason why it is reade that the holy men in time of the olde testament did esteme the mortal life and the blessinges therof more than is nowe meete to do For although thei knewe wel that thei shold not rest in it as in the ende of their race yet when thei called to mynde what markes of his grace the lord had pointed therin to exercise them according to the small rate of their tendernesse thei felte a greater swetnesse of it than if they had considered it by it selfe But as the Lorde in testifyinge his good will toward the faithful by present good thinges did as in shadowe expresse the spirituall felicitie by suche figures and signes so on the other side he did in corporal paines shewe exaumples of hys iudgement againste the reprobate Therefore as the benefytes of God wer to be seen in earthly thinges so wer also his punishmeÌ„tes Whyle the vnskilfull do not weye thys comparison or agreement as I may call it betweene the punishmentes and the rewardes thei marueâ—l at so muche alteration in God that in olde time was so sodeinely ready to take vengeance on euery offence of man with sterue and horrible punishmentes and nowe as if he had layed awaye the affection of his old angrienesse he punisheth bothe muche more gentlie and seldomer yea and for the same cause they doe almoste imagine severall gods of the olde and newe testament whiche the Manichees did in deede Butte we shal easily be delivered from suche doubtes if we laye our mindes to consider this ordrely disposition of God that I haue spoken of whose will was for the tyme to signifie and set forthe in figure both the grace of the eternal felicitie to come by temporall benefites and the greuousnesse of the spirituall deathe by corporall peines Whereby hee deliuered hys Testament to the Israelites as yet after a certaine manner folded vp An other difference of the olde and newe Testament is sayde to bee in the fygures for that
more largely shewed how vnfit men are to beleue Therefore I wil not wery the readers with repeting the same againe Let this be sufficient that the spirit of faith is called of Paule faith it selfe which the spirit geueth vs but not which we haue naturally Therfore he praieth that god fulfil in the Thessalonians al his good pleasure the worke of faith in power Wherin calling faithe the worke of God geuing it that title for a name of additiō calling it by figure of appositiō Gods good pleasure he denieth that it is of mans own motion not contented therwith he addeth further that it is a declaratiō of Gods power writing to the Corynthians where he saith that faithe hangeth not vpon the wisedome of men but is grounded vpon the power of the holy ghoste He speaketh in dede of outewarde miracles but bicause the reprobate are blynde at the beholding of them hee comprehendeth also that inwarde seale wherof he maketh mention in an other place And God the more gloriously to set forthe his liberalitie in so noble a gifte vouchesaueth not to graunt it to al vniuersally without difference but by singular priuilege geueth it to whome he will For proofe whereof we haue alleged testimonies before Of which Augustine being a faithfull expositor crieth out that it woulde please the sauioure to teache him and that the very beleuing it selfe is of gifte and not of deseruing Noman saith he commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him and to whome it is geuen of my father It is maruellous that twoo do heare the one despyseth the other ascendeth vp Let him that despiseth impute it to himselfe let him that ascende not yt arrogantly assigne to himselfe In an other place Why is it geuen to one and not to an other It greueth me not to say it this is the depth of the crosse Out of I wote not what depth of the iudgmentes of God which we mate not searche procedeth all that we can What I can I see whereby I can I see not sauinge that I see thus farre that it is of God But why hym and not hym That is muche to me It is a bottomelesse depth it is the depth of the crosse I maie crie out with woundering but not shewe it in disputing ▪ Finally the summe commeth to this that Christ when he enlightneth vs vnto faith by the power of hys spirite doth there withall graffe vs into his bodie that wee maie be made partakers of all good thynges Nowe remaineth that that whiche the minde hathe receiued may be further conueied into the heart For the word of God is not throughly receiued by faith if it swimme in the toppe of the braine but when it hath taken roote in the bottome of the heart that it may be an inuincible defense to beare and repulse all the engines of tentations Now if it be true that the true vnderstanding of the mynde is the enlightning thereof then in such confyrmation of the hearte his power much more euidently appeareth euen by so muche as the distrustfulnesse of the hearte is greater than the blindnesse of the witte and as it is harder to haue the mynde furnyshed wyth assurednesse than the witte to bee instructed with thinking Therefore the Spirit perfourmeth the office of a seale to seale vp in our heartes those same promyses the assurance whereof it fyrste emprinted in oure wittes and serueth for an earnest to confyrme and stablyshe them Sithe ye beleued saith the Apostle ye are sealed vp with the holy Spirite of promyse whiche is the earnest of oure inheritance See you not how he teacheth that by the spirit the heartes of the fathfull are grauen as with a seale and how for the same reason he calleth him the Spirite of promise bycause he ratifieth the Gospell vnto vs Lykewyse to the Corynthians he saithe God whiche annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and geuen the earnest of hys Spirite in oure heartes And in an other place when he speaketh of confidence and boldnesse of hopigne well hee maketh the pledge of the Spirite the foundation thereof Neither yet haue I forgotten that whyche I sayde before the remembrance whereof experience continually reneweth that is that faithe is tossed wyth dyuerse doubtynges so that the myndes of the godly are seldome quyet or at least doe not alwaie enioye a peafable state but wyth what soeuer engine they be shaken either thei rise vp out of the very gulfe of temptations or do abide faste in their standing Truely thys assurednesse onely nourisheth and defendeth faithe when we holde fast that whiche is saide in the Psalme The Lorde ys oure protection oure helpe in trouble therefore we will not feare whē the earthe shall tremble and the mountaines shal leape into the heart of the sea Also this moste swete quietnesse is spoken of in an other place I laye downe and slepte and rose againe bycause the Lorde hathe susteined me It is not meante thereby that Dauid was alwaie wyth one vndisturbed course framed to a merry cherefulnesse but in respect that hee tasted the grace of God according to his proportion of faith therefore hee gloryeth that hee wythoute feare despiseth all that euer might disquiet the peace of his minde Therfore the Scripture meaning to exhort vs to faith biddeth vs to be quiet In Esaie it is saide In hope and silence shall be your strength In the Psalme Holde thee stil in the Lorde and waite for him Wherwith agreeth that saieng of the Apostle to the Hebrues Patience is needefull c. Hereby we may iudge how pestilent is that doctrine of the Scholemen that we can no otherwise determine of the grace of God towarde vs than by morall coniecture as euery man thinketh himselfe worthy of it Truely if we shall weie by oure workes howe God is minded towarde vs I graunt that we can atteine yt wyth any coniecture be yt neuer so sclender but sith faithe oughte to haue relation to a simple free promise there is lefte no cause of doubtiong For with what confidence I beseache you shall we be armed if we saie that God is fauourable vnto vs vpon this condition so that the purenesse of oure life do deserue it But bycause I haue appoynted one place proprely for the discussing herof therfore I wil speake no more of them at this present specially for asmuche as it is plaine enoughe that there is nothinge more contrarie to faith than either coniecture or any thinge nere vnto doubting And thei do very ill writhe to this purpose that testimonie of the Preacher whiche thei haue ofte in their mouthes Noman knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or loue For to speake nothinge how this place is in the common translation corruply turned yet very children can not be ignorant what Salomon meaneth by such words that is that if any man will iudge by the present state of things whom God hateth or whom God
the other of a father For the iudge when he punisheth an euell doer he hath regard to the offense and punisheth the very fault when the father somwhat rigorously correcteth his childe he doeth it not to be reueÌ„ged on him or to punish him but rather to teache him make him water in time to come Chrysostome in a certayne place vseth a similitude somwhat differyng from this but yet it commeth to the same point The sonne sayth he is beaten and the seruant also is beaten but the one is punished as a bondseruant bycause he hath offended and the other is chastised as a freeman and as a sonne nedyng correction To the one his correction serueth for profe and amendement to the other for scourge and punishment But that we maye haue the whole matter shortly and in a redy summe let this be the first of two distinctions Wheresoeuer punishment is to reuenge there sheweth it self the curse and wrath of God whiche he alwaye withholdeth from the faythfull Contrarywise Chastisement bothe is a blessyng of God and beareth a testimonie of his loue as the Scripture teacheth This difference is commonly euery where sufficiently expressed in the worde of God For what so euer afflictions the wicked â—uffer in this present life therein is painted out vnto vs as it were a certayne entrie of hell from whense they doe alredy see a far of their eternall damnation and they are so far from beyng amended or takyng any profit thereby that rather by such beginnynges they are prepared to the most cruell hell that at length abideth for them But the lord chastisyng chastiseth his seruantes but he doth not put them to death Therfore they confesse that to be beateÌ„ with his rodde was good for them into true instruction But as we rede euery where that the holy ones suffer suche punishmentes with quiet minde so they haue alwaye prayed to escape the first kinde of scourges Chastise me Lord sayth Ieremie but in thy iudgement not in thy wrath least thou destroy me Poure out thy wrath vpoÌ„ the nations that haue not knowen thee vpon the kingdomes that haue not called vpon thy name And David sayth Lord rebuke me not in thy wrath nor correct me in thine anger And it maketh nothyng to the contrarie that ofteÌ„times it is sayd that the Lord is angry with them that be his when he punisheth their sinnes As in Esaie I wil coÌ„fesse to thee O lord bicause thou hast be angry with me thy wrath is turned thou hast comforted me Againe Abacuc Thou that hast ben angry shal remeÌ„ber mercie And Michee I wil beare the wrath of the lord bicause I haue sinned against him Where he putteth vs in minde that not only they that are iustly punished nothing preuaile with murmuryng against him but also that the faithful haue aswagemeÌ„t of their sortoâ— in coÌ„sidering the purpose of God For after the same manner it is sayd that he doth defile his owne inheritaÌ„ce which yet as we know he will neuer defile But that is spoken not in respect of the purpose or meaning of God that punisheth but of the vehement feling of sorrow which they fele that suffer any of his seueritie what so euer it be But he not only pricketh his faithful with no smal rigour but sometimes so woundeth them that thei thinke theÌ„selues not far from the damnation of hell So he testifieth that they haue deserued his wrath and so it behoueth that they should lothe themselues in their euels and be touched with the greater care to appease God and carefully make haste to craue pardon But euen in the very same doynge he sheweth a more euident testimonie of his fauorable kindenesse than of his wrath For the couenant continueth that was made with vs in our true Salomon the truthe whereof he that can not deceyue hath affirmed that it shall neuer bee made voyde If sayth he his children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgementes yf they defile my statutes and kepe not my commaundementes I will visite their sinnes with a rodde and with stripes but I wil not take away my mercie from him Of whiche mercie to make vs assured he sayth that the rodde wherewith he will correct the posteritie of Salomon shal be of menne and stripes of the children of menne by which clauses when he meaneth moderation and lenitie he there withall secretlye declareth that they can not but bee confounded with extreme and deadly horrour that fele the hand of God to be against theÌ„ Now great regard he hath of this lenitie in chastising his Israell he sheweth in the Prophet I haue purged thee sayth he in fyre But not as Siluer for then thou shouldest haue ben all consumed Albeit he teacheth that chastisementes serue him for to cleanse hym but he further sayth that he vseth the same so temperately that he bee not to muche consumed by them And that is needefull For the more that euery man reuereÌ„tly feareth God and geueth himself to follow godlinesse so muche the tendrer he is to beare his wrath For the reprobate although they grone vnder his scourges yet for that they weye not the cause but rather turne their backe bothe to their owne sinnes and to the iudgemeÌ„t of God by that slouthfulnesse they gather a hardnesse or bycause they murmure and kicke agaynst him and do make an vprore agaynst their iudge that furious soden rage astoniâ—eth them with madnesse and furor But the faythfull beyng admonished by his correction by and by descend to consider their sinnes and beyng striken with dread and horrour they flee in huÌ„ble wise to pray to him for pardon vnlesse the Lord dyd aswage these sorrowes wherwith the poore soules torment themselues they would â—ainte a hundred times euen in smal tokens of his wrath Then let this be the second distinction that when the reprobate are stryken with the scourges of God thei do alredy after a certaine manner beginne to suffer peines by his iudgement and though they shall not escape vnpunished for that they haue not taken hede to suche tokens of the wrath of God yet they are not punished to this ende to make them come to a better minde but only that to their great hurr they should proue God to be a iudge and reuenger But children are beaten with roddes not that they should thereby be punished of God for their sinnes but that they should thereby profit to amendement Therefore we take it that thei rather haue respect to the time to come than to the time paste This I had rather expresse in Chrysostomes wordes than mine owne For this sayth he God doth lay peine vpon vs not punishyng our sinnes past but correctyng vs agaynst time to come And so sayth Augustine That which thou suffrest that for whiche thou lamentest is a medicine to thee and no peine a chastisement and no damnatioÌ„ Put not away the scourge if thou
in shame no horrour in death what valiaÌ„tnesse or temperance were it to beare them indifferently But when euery one of these doth with the natural bitternesse therof bitte the heartes of vs all herein doth the valiantnesse of a faythfull man shewe it self if beyng assayed with the felyng of such bitternesse how greuously so euer he be troubled with it yet with valiantly resistyng he ouercommeth it his patience vttereth it selfe herein yf beyng sharply prouoked he is yet so bridled with the feare of God that he bursteth not out into any disteÌ„per His cherefulnesse appereth herein yf beyng wounded with sadnesse and sorrowe he resteth vpon the spirituall comfort of God This conflict whiche the faithfull do susteyne agaynst the natural felyng of sorrow while they studie for patience and temperance Paul hath very wel described in these wordes We are put to distresse in al thinges but we are not made sorrowfull we labour but we are not lefte destitute we suffer persecution but we are not forsaken in it we are throweÌ„ downe but we perish not You see how to beare the crosse patiently is not to be altogether astonished and without al felyng of sorrow As the Stoikes in olde time did foolishly describe a valiant hearted man to be such a one as puttyng of all nature of man was a like moued in prosperitie and in aduersitie in sorrowfull and ioyefull state yea suche a one as like a stone was moâ—ed with nothyng And what haue they profited with this hye wisedome Forsothe they haue painted out such an image of wisedome as neuer was found and neuer can herafter be among meÌ„ But rather while they coueted to haue to exact and precise a patience they haue taken awaye all the vse of patience out of mans life And at this day also amoÌ„g Christians there are newe Stoikes that recken it a fault not only to grone and wâ—pe but also to be sad and carefull But these strange conclusions do commonly procede from idle men whiche busieng themselues rather in speculation than doyng can do nothyng but brede vs such new found doctrines But we haue nothyng to do with that stony Philosophie whiche our maister and Lord hath condemned not only by his worde but also by his example For he mourned and wept both at his owne and other mens aduersities The worlde sayth he shall reioyse but you shall mourne and wepe And bicause no man should finde faulte therewith by his open proclamation he hath pronounced them blessed that mourne And no maruell For if all wepyng be blamed what shal we iudge of the Lord himself out of whose body dropped blouddy teares If euery feare be noted of infidelitie what shall we iudge of that quakyng feare wherewith we reade that he was not sclenderly striken If all sadnesse be mislyked how shal we like this that he confesseth his soule to be sad euen to the death This I thought good to speake to this ende to cal godly mindes from despear that they should not therfore altogether forsake the studie of patience bycause they can not put of the naturall affection of sorrow whiche must needes happen to them that make of patience a senslesse dulnesse and of a valiant and constant man a stocke For the Scripture geueth to the holy ones the prayse of patience when they are so troubled with hardnesse of aduersities that yet thei be not ouercome nor throweÌ„ downe with it when they be so pricked with bitternesse that they be also delited with spirituall ioye when they be so distressed with grefe that yet they receyue courage againe beyng cheared with the comfort of God Yet in the meane time that repugnancie abideth still in their heartes that naturall sense eschueth and dredeth those thinges that it knoweth to be against it but the affection of godlinesse trauaileth euen through all those difficulties to the obeyeng of Gods will This repugnancie the Lord expressed when he sayd thus to Peter WheÌ„ thou waste yong thou didst gird thy self didst walke whether thou woldest But when thou art old an other shall gyrde thee and leade thee whither thou shalt not be willyng Neyther is it likely that Peter when the time came that he must glorifie God by his death was drawen vnwillyngly and resistyng vnto it Els his martyrdome should haue but small prayse But howe so euer he did with great cherefulnesse of heart obeye the ordinance of God yet bicause he had not put of the nature of manne he was doubly strayned with two sortes of willes For when he dyd by himselfe coÌ„sider the bloudly death that he should suffer beyng stryken with horrour thereof he would gladly haue escaped it On the other side when it came in his minde that he was called vnto it by the commauÌ„dement of God then conqueryng and treadyng downe feare he gladly yea and cherefully toke it upon him This therefore we must endeuour yf we will be the Disciples of Christ that our mindes be inwardly filled with so great a reuerence and obedience to God as may tame and subdue to his ordinance all contrarie affections So shall it come to passe that with whatsoeuer kinde of crosse we be vexed eueÌ„ in the greatest anguishes of minde we shall constantly kepe patience For aduersities shal haue their sharpnesse wherwith we shal be bitten so when we are afflicted with sicknesse we shal bothe grone and be disquieted desire health so beyng pressed with pouertie we shal be pricked with the sâ—inges of carefulnesse and sorrowe so shall we be striken with grefe of shame contempt and iniurie so shall we yelde due teares to nature at the burial of our frendes but this alway shal be the conclusion But the lord willed so therefore let vs folow his will Yea euen in the middest of the prickynges of sorrow in the middest of mourning and teares this thought must needes come betwene to incline our heart to take cherefully the very same thinges by reason whereof it is so moued But for asmuche as we haue taken the chefe cause of bearyng the crosse out of the coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of the wil of God we must in few wordes define what difference is betwene Phylosophical Christian patieÌ„ce Truely very fewe of the Phylosophers climbed to so hie a reason to vnderstand that the hand of God doth exercise vs by afflictions and to thinke that God is in this behalf to be obeyed But they bryng no other reason but bicause we must so doe of necessitie What is this els but to say that thou must yeld vnto God bicause thou shalt trauail in vaine to wrastle against him For if we obey God only bicause we so must of necessitie then if we might escape we would cesse to obey But the Scripture biddeth vs to consider a far other thing in the wil of God that is to say first iustice and equitie then the care of our saluatioÌ„ These therfore be the Christian exhortations to patience whether pouertie or banishmeÌ„t or
steppe at al of remēbrance behinde it finally it passeth away as a clapping of hādes vpō a stage at any pleasant sight And we forgetting not only death but also that we be subiect to death as though we had neuer heard any report therof fall to a carelesse assurednesse of earthly immortalitie If any mā in the meane time tel vs of the Prouerbe that man is a creature of a dayes continuance we graunt it in deede but so heedelesly that still the thought of euerlastyng continuance resteth in our minde Whoe therfore can denie that it is a great profit to vs all not only to be admonished in wordes but by all the exāples of experiēce that may be to be cōuinced of the miserable estate of earthly life for asmuche as euen when we are conuinced we scarcely cesse to stand amased with peruerse foolish admiratiō of it as though it cōteined the vttermost end of good thinges But if it be necessarie that God instruct vs it is our dutie likewise on our behalues to harken to him when he calleth awaketh our dulnesse that despisyng the world we may with al our heartes endeuour to the meditatiō of the life to come But let the faithfull accustome themselues to suche a despisyng of present life as maye neither engendre a hatred thereof nor any vnthankfulnesse toward God For this life howsoeuer it is ful of infinite miseries is yet worthily reckened amōg the not sclender blessynges of God Therfore if we acknowlege no benefit of God in it we are gilry of no small vnthankfulnesse toward God himselfe But specially it ought to bee to the faythfull a testimonie of Gods good will for asmuche as it is wholy directed to the furtherance of their saluation For before that he openly deliuer vnto vs the inheritance of eternall glorye hys will is to shewe hymselfe a Father vnto vs by smaller examples and these be the benefites that are dayely bestowed vpon vs. Sithe therefore this life serueth vs to vnderstand the goodnesse of God shal we disdaine it as though it had not a crūme of goodnesse in it We must therefore put on this felyng and affection to recken it among the giftes of goodnesse that are not to be refused For though there wanted testimonies of Scripture of which there are both many and most euident very nature it self doth exhort vs to geue thākes to the Lorde for that he hath brought vs into the light of it that he graunteth vs the vse of it that he geueth vs all necessarie succors for the preseruation of it And this is a muche greater reason yf we consider that we are in it after a certayne manner prepared to the glorie of the heauenly kingdome For so the Lorde hath ordeyned that they whiche in time to come shal be crowned in heauen must fight certaine battels in earth that they should not triumph till they had ouercome the hard aduentures of the battel obteyned the victorie Then an other reason is that we do by diuerse benefites beginne therin to taste the swetenesse of Gods liberalitie that our hope desire should be whetted to long for the reuelyng thereof When this is determined that it is a gift of Gods clemencie that we lyue this earthly lyfe for whiche as we be bound vnto him so we ought to be mindefull and thankfull thē we shal in fit order come to cōsider the most miserable estate therof to this end that we may be deliuered frō to much gredinesse of it wherunto as I haue before sayd we are of our selues naturally enclined Now what so euer is taken from the wrongfull desire of this life ought to be added to the desire of a better life I graūt in deede that thei thought truely that thought it best not to be borne the next to die quickly For what could they beyng destitute of the light of God and true religion see therin but vnhappy and miserable And they dyd not without reason that mourned and wepte at the birthes of their frendes and solemnely reioysed at their burials but they did it without profit bicause beyng without the right doctrine of fayth they did not see how that may turne to good to the godly which is of it self neither blessed nor to be desired and so they ended their iudgement with desperation Let this therfore be the marke of the faithful in iudgyng of mortall life that when they vnderstand it to be of it self nothing but miserie they maye resort wholly the more freshly redily to the eternall life to come When we come to this comparison then this present lyfe maye not only be safely neglected but also vtterly despysed and lothed in comparison of the other For if heauen be our contrey what is the earth els but a place of banishment If the departyng out of the world be an entryng into lyfe what is the world but a graue to abide in it what is it els but to be drowned in death If to be deliuered from the bodie is to be set in perfect libertie what is the bodye els but a pryson If to enioye the presence of God is the hyest summe of felicitie is it not miserable to lacke it But til we be escaped out of the world we wander abrode from the Lord. Therefore if the earthly life be compared with the heauenly life doutlesse it ought to be despised troden vnder foote But it is neuer to be hated but in respect that it holdeth vs in subiection to sinne yet that hatred is not properly to be layed vpon our life But how so euer it be yet we must be so moued either with werinesse or hatred of it that desyrynge the end of it we may be also redy at the will of the Lorde to abide in it so that our werinesse may be far from all grudging and impatience For it is like a place in battell array wherin the Lorde hath placed vs which we ought to kepe tyll he call vs away Paul in dede lamēteth his state that he is holden bond in the bondes of the body longer than he wyshed and sigheth with feruent desire of his redemption neuerthelesse to obey the commaundement of the Lorde he professed him self ready to both because he acknowledgeth himself to owe this vnto God to glorifie his name either by death or life and that it is in God to determine what is moste expedient for his glory Therfore if we must liue and die to the Lorde let vs leaue to his will the tyme of our life and death but so that we be styll feruent in desire of death and be cōtinually occupied in meditation therof and despise this life in comparison of the immortalitie to come and wyshe to forsake it when it shall please the Lorde because of the bondage of sinne But this is monstruous that in stede of that desire of death manye that bost them selues to be Christians are so afrayed of it that they trēble at euery
our owne vnderstandinges do of themselues imagine but such a one as he is painted out in the Scripture with whose brightnesse the starres shal be darkened by whose strength the hilles do melt away by whose wrath the earth is shakeÌ„ by whose wisedome the wise are takeÌ„ in their sutteltie by whose purenesse all thinges are proued vnpure whose righteousnesse the Angels are not able to beare whiche maketh the innocent not innocent whole vengeance when it is ones kindled pearceth to the bottome of hel If he I saye sit to examine mens doynges whoe shall appere assured before his throne whoe shall dwell with a deuouryng fâ—er sayth the Prophet Whoe shall abide with continuall burninges he that walketh in righteousnesses speaketh truth c. But let suche a one come forth what so euer he be But that answer maketh that none coÌ„meth forth For this terrible sayeng soundeth to the coÌ„trarie Lord if thou marke iniquities Lord who shal abide it truely all must needes immediatly perish as it is writteÌ„ in an other place Shall man be iustified if he be compared with God or shall he be purer than his maker Beholde they that serue him are not faythfull and he hath found peruersnesse in his Angels How much more shall they that dwell in houses of â—â—aye that haue an earthly fundation be consumed with mothes thâ—y shal be cut downe from the mornyng to the euenyng Beholde among his Saintes there is none faythfull and the heauens are not â—â—ane in his sight how much more is man abhominable and vnproâ—â—table whiche drinketh iniquitie as water I graunt in deede that in the booke of Iob is mention made of a righteousnesse that is hyer than the kepyng of the lawe And it is good to vnderstande this distinction bicause although a manne did satisfie the lawe yet he could not so stand to the triall of that righteousnesse that passeth all senses Therefore although Iob be cleare in his owne conscience yet he is amased and not able to speake bicause he seeth that very angelike holinesse can not appease God if he exactly weye their workes But I therfore wil at this time ouerpasse that righteousnesse which I haue spoken of bicause it is incomprehensible but only this I saye that yf our life be examined by the rule of the written lawe we are more than senslesse if so many curses wherewith the Lorde hath willed vs to be awaked do not torment vs with horrible feare and among other this general curse Cursed is euery one that doth not abide in al the thinges that are written in this boke Finally al this discourse shal be but vnsauorie and colde vnlesse euery maÌ„ yelde himself gilty before the heauenly iudge and willingly throwe downe and abace himselfe beyng carefull how he may be acquited To this to this I say we should haue lifted vp our eyes to learne rather to tremble for feare thaÌ„ vainely to reioyse It is in deede easy so long as the coÌ„parison extendeth no further than men for euery maÌ„ to thinke himself to haue somwhat which other ought not to despise But when we rise vp to haue respect vnto God then sodenly that coÌ„fidence falleth to the ground and commeth to nought And in the same case altogether is our soule in respect of God as mans body is in respect of the heauen For the sight of the eye so long as it coÌ„tinueth in vewyng things that lie nere vnto it doth shew of what pearcing force it is but if it be ones directed vp to the sunne then bryng daseled and dulled with the to great brightnesse therof it feleth no lesse feblenesse of it self in beholding of the sunne than it perceiued strength in beholdyng inferiour thinges Therfore let vs not deceyue our selues with vayne confidence although we compt our selues eyther egal or superiour to other menne but that is nothyng to God by whose will this knowlege is to be tried But if our wildenesse can not be tamed with these admonitions he will answer to vs as he sayd to the Pharisees you be they that iustifie your selues before men but that which is hie to men is abhominable to God Now goe thy way and proudely boste of thy righteousnesse among men while God from heauen abhorreth it But what say the seruantes of God that are truely instructed with his Spirit Entre not into iudgement with thy seruant because euery liuing maÌ„ shal not be iustified in thy sight An other sayth although in somwhat diuerse meanyng Man can not be righteous with God if he will comende with him he shall not be able to answer one for a thousand Here we nowe playnely heare what is the righteousnesse of God euen such as can be satisfied with no workes of men to whom when it examineth vs of a thousand offenses we can not purge our selues of one Such a righteousnesse had that same chosen instrumeÌ„t of God Paule conceyued when he professed that he knewe himselfe gilty in nothyng but that he was not thereby iustified And not only such examples are in the holy Scriptures but also all godly writers do shewe that they were alwaye of this minde So Augustine sayth All the godly that grone vnder this burden of corruptible flesh and in this weakenesse of life haue this only hope that we haue one mediatour Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the appeasement for our sinnes What sayth he If this be their only hope where is the confidence of workes For wheÌ„ he calleth it only he leaueth none other And Bernard sayth And in deede where is safe and stedfast rest and assurednesse for the weake but in the woundes of the Sauiour and so much the surer I dwell therein as he is mightier to saue The world rageth the body burdeneth the deuel lieth in waite I fall not bicause I am bulded vpon the sure rocke I haue sinned a greuous sinne my conscience is troubled but it shall not be ouertrobled bicause I shall remember the woundes of the Lord. And hereupon afterward he concludeth Therefore my merite is the Lordes takyng of mercie I am not vtterly without merite so longe as he is not without mercies But if the mercies of the Lord be many then I also haue as many merites Shal I sing mine owne righteousnesses Lord I will remember only thy righteousnesse For that is also my righteousnesse for he is made vnto me righteousnesse of God Againe in an other place This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole hope in him that saueth whole man Likewise where reteyning peace to him self he leaueth the glorie to God To thee sayth he let glorie remaine vnminished it shal be well with me if I haue peace I forswere glorie altogether least if I wrongfully take vpon me that whiche is not mine owne I lose also that whiche is offred me And more plainely in an other place he sayth Why should the church be careful of merites
things ar not atteined to but by faith What can sinners being estranged froÌ„ God bring â—orth but that which is accursed in his iudgemeÌ„t With this folish boldnesse in dede both al wicked men are puffed vp specially hypocrites bicause howesoeuer thei knowe that their whole hearte swarmeth ful of fylthinesse yet if thei do any works that haue a shew of goodnes thei think them worthy that God shold not despise theÌ„ Herof groweth that pernicious errour that being proued gilty of a wicked mischeuous minde yet thei can not be driueÌ„ to coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues void of righteousnes but eueÌ„ wheÌ„ thei acknowledg theÌ„selues vnrighteous bicause thei caÌ„ not deny it yet thei arrogaÌ„tly claime som righteousnes vnto theÌ„ This vanitie the lord excellentli wel coÌ„futeth bi the prophet Ask saith he the prestes saieng if a man carrie sanctified flesh in the heÌ„me of his garmeÌ„t putteth to it bread or other meate shal it be saÌ„ctified The prestes answered No. And Haggee said If a defiled maÌ„ in soule touche any of such these thinges shal it be defiled The prestes answered it shal be defiled Haggee said So is this people befor my face saith the lord so al the work of their hands al thinges that thei offer to me shal be defiled I wold to god that this saieng might either get ful credit with vs or wel be settled in our remeÌ„braÌ„ce For ther is no maÌ„ though he be otherwise in his whole life neuer so hainous a wicked doer that caâ—e abide to be perswaded that which the Lord here plainely pronounceth The naughtiest maÌ„ so sone as he hath performed one or two doubtful dedes of the law doubteth nor yâ— it shal be accoÌ„pted to him for righteousnes But the Lord crieth to the contrarie that ther is no sanctificatioÌ„ gotten therby vnlesse the heart be first wel cleansed And not conteÌ„ted therew t he affirmeth that al the works whatsoeuer thei be that proceede froÌ„ sinners are defiled with vncleannes of the heart Therfore let the name of righteousnes depart froÌ„ these works which are by the Lords own mouth condemned of filthines And with howe fit a similitude doth he shew the same For it might haue ben obiected that whatsoeuer the Lord had commaunded was inuiolably holly But he on the contrarie side setteth against them that it is no maruell if those thinges that are hallowed by the lawe of the Lorde are deâ—â—ied with the filthinesse of naughty men whereas an vncleane hand prophaneth a holy thing with touching it The same matter he excelleÌ„tly wel handleth in Esai Offer not saith hee sacrifice in vaine incense is abhomination to me my soule hateth your Calendes and solemnities Thei are become tedious to me and I haue been werie with bearing them when you shal hold vp your hands I wil tourne away mine eyes from you when you shall multiply prayer I will not heare for your handes are full of bloud Be washed be cleane take away the euell of your thoughts What meaneth this that the lord so lotheth the obeying of his owne lawe Yea but he heere refuseth nothing that is of the naturall obseruing of the law the begining wherof he euery where teacheth to be the vnfained feare of his name Whâ— that is taken away what so euer thinges ar offered him are not only trifles but stinking and abhominable filthinesse Now let the hypocrites go keping peruersnes wrapped vp in their heart endeuour to deserued the fauour of God with works But bi this mean thei shal more more prouoke him to wrath For to him the sacrifices of wicked are abhominable the only prayer of vpright men pleaseth him Therfore we hold that out of dout which ought to be most commonly knowen to him that is eueÌ„ but meanly excercised in the Scriptures that euen those works that glister most gloriously in men not yet truly sanctified ar so far froÌ„ righteousnes in the sight of the lord that thei be iudged sins And therfore thei haue said most truly that haue taught that fauour with God is not procured to anye person by workes but contrary wise that works do then please neuer til theÌ„ wheÌ„ the person hath firste fouÌ„d grace in the sight of God And this ordre is religiously to be kept to which the scripture leadeth vs by the hand Moses writeth that the lord had respect to Abell to his works See you not howe hee declareth that God is fauorable to the menne before that he hath respect to their works Wherfore the cleÌ„sing of the heart must go before that the works which come froÌ„ vs may be louingly receiued of God biâ—â—â—se this sayiÌ„g of Ieremy is alway in force that the works of God haue respect vnto truth And that it is only faith by which the heartes of men ar clensed the holy ghost hath affirmed by the mouth of Peter whereby it is certen that the first foundation is in true and truely faith Now let vs looke what righteousnesse thei haue whom we haue set in the fowerth degree Wee graunt that when God by the meane of the righteousnesse of Christ reconcileth vs to him selfe and giuing vs tree forgiuenesse of sinnes accompteth vs for righteous with such mercie is also conioyned this his beneficiall doing that by his holy spirit he dwelleth in vs by the power wherof the lustes of our flesh are dayiye more and more mortified but we are sanctified that is to say hallowed to the Lord vnto true purenesse of life when our hearts ar framed to the obedience of the law that this may be our chief will to serue his will and by an meanes to aduaunce only his glorie But euen whyle by the guyding of the holy ghoste we walke in the waies of the Lorde leastâ— yet wee forgettyng our selues should ware proude there are lefte certayne remnants of imperfection which may minister vs matter of humilitie â–ª Ther is none righteous saith the scripture that doth good and sinneth noâ— What maÌ„ner of righteousnes therfore wil thei yet get by their workes First I saie that the best worke that can be brought forth of theÌ„ is yet alwaye sprikled corrupted with some vncleannes of the flesh hath as it were som dregges mingled with it I sai let a holy seruant of God chose out of al his life the most excelleÌ„t thing that he shal think that he hath done in the whol course therof let him wel coÌ„sider al the parts of it wtout dout he shall find somwher somwhat sauoring of the rottennes of the flesh forasmuch as to doing wel our chereful quicknes is neuer such as it ought to be but in slacking our course our weaknes is much Although we se that ther ar euideÌ„t fowle blottes wherw t the works of the holy are be spredde yet grant that thei be nothing but most little spottes shal thei nothing offende the eies of God before whom euen the sterres are not cleane Thus
the beginning And here by the way it shal be profitable to touch what these formes of speakyng do differ from the promises of the law I cal promises of the law not those which are eche where coÌ„monly writteÌ„ in the bokes of Moses for as much as in them also are found many promises of the Gospel but those which properly belong to the ministerie of the law Such promises by what name so euer you list to cal them do declare that there is reward redy vpon condition if thou do that which is coÌ„maunded thee But when it is sayd that the Lord kepeth the couenaÌ„t of mercie to theÌ„ which loue him therin is rather shewed what maÌ„ner of men be his seruantes which haue faithfully receiued his couenant than the cause is expressed why the lord should do good to them Now this is the manner of shewyng it As the Lord vouchsaueth to graunt vs the grace of eternal life to this end that he should be loued feared honored of vs so whatsoeuer promises there are of his mercie in the Scriptures they are rightfully directed to this and that we should reuerence and worship the author of the benefites So ofte therefore as we heare that he doth good to them that kepe his law let vs remeÌ„ber that the children of God are there signified by the dutie whiche ought to be continual in them that we are for this cause adopted that we should honor him for our Father Therfore lest we should disherite our selues from the right of adoptioÌ„ we must alway endeuor to this wherunto our calling tendeth But let vs againe kepe this in minde that the accoÌ„plishment of the mercie of God hangeth not vpoÌ„ the workes of the faithfull but that he therfore fulfilleth the promise of saluation to them whiche answer to their callyng in vprightnesse of life bicause in them he acknoweth the natural tokeÌ„s of his children which are ruled with his Spirit vnto good Herunto let that be referred which is in the xv Psalme spoken of the Citezens of the Church Lord whoe shal dwel in thy tabernacle and whoe shal rest in thy holy hill The innocent in haÌ„des of a cleane heart c. Agayne in Esaie Whoe shall dwel with deuouring fire He that doth righteousnesse he that speaketh right thinges c. For there is not described the staye whereupon the faythfull may stand before the Lord but the manner wherewith the most merciful father bringeth theÌ„ into his felowship therein defendeth streÌ„gtheneth them For bicause he abhorreth sinne he loueth righteousnesse whoÌ„ he ioyneth to himself them he cleanseth with his spirit that he may make theÌ„ of like fashion to himself his kingdome Therfore if the question be of the first cause wherby the entrie is made open to the holy ones into the kingdome of God froÌ„ whense they haue that thei may stand fast abide in it we haue this answer ready bicause the Lord by his mercie both hath ones adopted them perpetually defendeth them But if the question be of the manner then we must come downe to regeneration and the frutes therof which are rehersed in that Psalme But there semeth to be much more hardnesse in these places which do both garnish good workes with the titiÌ„e of righteousnesse affirme that man is iustified by them Of the first sort there be very many places where the obseruinges of the coÌ„maundementes are called iustifications or righteousnesses Of the other sort that is an exaÌ„ple which is in Moses This shal be our righteousnesse if we kepe all these commauÌ„dementes And if thou take exception say that this is a promise of the law which being knit to a coÌ„dition impossible proueth nothing There be other of which you caÌ„ not make the same answer as this And that shal be to thee for righteousnesse before the Lord to redeliuer to the poore man his pledge c. Againe that which the Prophet sayth that the zele in reuenging the shame of Israell was imputed to Phinees for righteousnesse Therfore the Pharisees of our time thinke that here they haue a large matter to triuÌ„ph vpon For when we say that when the righteousnesse of faith is set vp the iustificatioÌ„ of workes geueth place by the same right they make this argument If righteousnesse bee of workes then it is false that we are iustified by faith only Though I graunt that the commaundementes of the law are called righteousnesses it is no maruell for they are so in deede Howebeit we muste warne the readers that the Grecians haue not fittly translated the Hebrue word Hucmi Dikaiomata righteousnesses for coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts But for the worde I willingly release my quarell For neyther doe we denie this to the law of God that it conteineth perfect righteousnesse For although bycause we are detters of all the thinges that it commaundeth therfore euen when we haue performed ful obedience therof we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„tes yet bicause the lord hath vouchsaued to graunt it the honor of righteousnesse we take not away that whiche he hath geuen Therefore we willingly confesse that the full obedience of the lawe is righteousnesse that the kepyng of euery coÌ„mauÌ„dement is a part of righteousnesse yf so be that the whole summe of righteousnesse were had in the other partes also But we denie that there is any where any suche forme of righteousnesse And therefore we take away the righteousnesse of the law not for that it is maymed and vnperfect of it felfe but for that by reason of the weakenesse of our flesh it is no where seene But the Scripture not only calleth simply the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the Lord righteousnesses but it also geueth this name to the workes of the holy ones As when it reporteth that Zacharie his wife walked in the righteousnesses of the Lord truely wheÌ„ it so speaketh it weyeth workes rather by the nature of the law thaÌ„ by their owne propre estate Howbeit here againe is that to be noted which I eueÌ„ now sayd that of the negligence of the Greke translator is not a law to be made But for asmuch as Luke wold alter nothing in the receiued traslation I will also not striue about it For God hath commaunded these thinges that are in the lawe to men for righteousnesse but this righteousnes we performe not but in keping the whole lawe for by euery transgression it is broken Wheras therfore the law doth nothing but prescribe righteousnesse if we haue respecte to it all the seueral coÌ„maundementes therof are righteousnes if we haue respect to men of whome thei are done thei do not obteine the praise of righteousnesse by one worke beinge trespassers in many and by that same worke whiche is euer partly faulty by reason of imperfection But now I come to the second kinde in which is the chefe hardnes Paul hath nothing more strong to proue the righteousnesse of faiâ—he than that whiche is written of Abraham that his faithe was
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
vnto iniquitie now yeld them in bondage to righteousnesse For what frute had you of those thinges in whiche ye are nowe worthily ashamed c. What manner of seede of election I praie you dyd then budde in them whiche bring manifoldly defiled in all their life as it were wyth desperate wickednesse wallowed in the most abhominable and accursed sinne of all If he woulde haue spoken after their opinion he shold haue shewed how much thei were bound to the bountifulnesse of God by which thei had ben preserued from slyding into so great filthinesse So Peter also shoulde haue exhorted his to thankefulnesse for the perpetual sede of election But hee contrary wise putteth them in mynde that the time past sufficed to make an ende of the lustes of the Gentiles What ende of the lustes of the Gentiles What if we come to examples What budde of righteousnesse was there in Rahab the harlot before faith in Manasse when Hierusalem was dipped and in a manner drowned in the bloode of the Prophetes in the Thefe which amonge his laste gaspinges beganne to thinke of repentance Away therfore with these argumentes whiche silly curious men do rashely deuise to themselues without the Scripture But let that abide certaine with vs which the Scripture hathe that all haue straied like loste shepe euery one hathe swarued into his owne waye that is perdition Out of this goulfe of perdition whome the Lorde hath determined ones to plucke forthe them he differreth tyl hys fyt time onely he preserueth them that they fall not vnto vnpardonable blaspheme As the Lorde by the effectualnesse of hys callinge towarde the electe maketh perfecte the saluation wherevnto he hadde by eternall counsell appoynted them so he hathe hys iudgementes againste the reprobate whereby he executeth his counsel of them Whome therefore he hath created vnto the shame of life and destruction of deathe that thei shoulde be instrumentes of his wrathe examples of his seâ—eritie froÌ„ theÌ„ that they may com to their end somtime he taketh awaie the power to heare his word somtime by the preachinge of it hee more blyndeth amaseth theÌ„ Of the fyrst maÌ„ner wheras there be innumerable examples lette vs choose out one more cleare and notable than all the reste There passed awaye about fower thousande yeares afore Christe in whyche hee hydde from all the Gentiles the lyghte of hys healthe bringing doctrine If any maÌ„ aunswer that he therefore made them not to enioye so greate a benefit bycause he iudged them vnworthy they whiche come after shall not be proued any more woorthy Of whiche thynge byside the experience Malachie is a substantiall wytnesse wich reprouinge infidelitie mingled with grosse blasphemies yet declareth that there shall come a redeemer Why therefore is hee rather geuen to these than to those He shal trouble hymselfe in vaine that shal here search for a cause hyer than the secret vnsearchable counsell of God Neither is it to bee feared least any scholer of Porphirie shoulde freely gnaw at the righteousnesse of God while we answer nothing in defense of it For when we say that none perishe vndeseruing and that it is of the free bountyfulnesse of God that some be deliuered ther is largely enoughe saide for the setting forth of his glorie so that it needeth not our shyftinge The soueraigne iudge therefore maketh awaie for his predestination when whom he hath ones reiected them beinge depriued of the communicatinge of his lyghte hee leaueth in blindenesse Of the other manner there are bothe dayly examples and also many conteined in the Scripture One selfe same preachinge is commonly made to a hundred twenty receiue it with ready obedience of faith the rest do either set naught by it or scorne it or hisse it out or abhorre it If any man aunswer that this diuersitie proceedeth of theyr malice and peruersnesse he shall not yet satisfie vs bycause the others witte also shoulde be possessed with the same malice vnlesse God dyd amende it with his goodnesse Therfore we shal still be encombred vnlesse we call to mynde that whiche Paule saith Who maketh thee to differ Wherby he signifieth that some excell other some not by theyr owne vertue but by the onely grace of God Why therfore dothe he in graunting grace to those passe ouer these Of those Luke sheweth a cause Bycause they are ordeined to life Of these what shal we think but bicause thei are the vessels of wrath vnto dishonor Wherfore let it not greue vs to saye with Augustine God sayth he might turne the will of the euell into good bicause he is almighty He mighte in dede Why therefore doth he it not bicause he wold not Why he wold not is in himself For we ought to be no more wise than we ought to be And that is much better than to shift with Chrysostome and say that he draweth him that is willing reacheth his hand that the difference may not seme to stand in the iudgemeÌ„t of God but in the only wil of men Truely it so standeth not in the propre motion of man that euen the godly they that feare God haue neede of a singular instruction of that Spirit Lydia the purple seller feared God and yet it behoued that her heart shold be opened that she might harken to the doctrine of Paul profit in it This is not spokeÌ„ of one woman alone but that we shold know that the profiting of euery man in godlinesse is the secret worke of the Spirit This verily can not be brought in questioÌ„ that the lord sendeth his word to many whose blindnesse he will haue to be more enforced For to what purpose doth he hidde so many coÌ„mauÌ„dements to be carried to Pharao was it bicause he hoped that with often repeted messages he wold be appeased No but before he beganne he foreknew foretolde the end Goe sayd he to Moses declare to him my wil but I wil harden his heart that he obey not So when he stirreth vp Ezechiel he warneth him aforehand that he sendeth him to a rebellious and stubborne people to the end that he should not be afrayde if he perceiue himself to singe to defmen So he foretelleth to Ieremie that his doctrine shold become a fier to destroye wast the people like stuble But the prophecie of Esaye yet more enforceth it For he is thus sent of the Lord Goe and saye to the children of Israell With hearyng heare ye and vnderstande not With seyng see ye and know not Make obstinate the heart of this people make heauy their eares and ouer playster their eyes least paraduenture they maye see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heart that beyng turned they may be healed Behold he directeth his voice to them but that they maye waxe more deff he lighteth a light but that they maye be made more blinde he sheweth forth doctrine
traiterous with sclaunders troublesome with seditions least they shuld seme to want the lyght of truth doo pretende a shadowe of rigorous seueritie and those thynges that are in the holy Scriptures commaunded to be done with a gentler kynd of healing sauyng the sinceritie of loue and kepyng the vnitie of peace to correct the faultes of brethren they abuse it to sacrilege of schisme and to occasyon of cuttyng of But to godly and quiet men he geueth this counsell that they mercifully correct that whiche they can and that whiche they can not paciently beare and grone and mourne with loue vntyll God eyther amende and correct them or at the haruest roote vp the tares and fanne out the chaffe Lette the godly trauaile to fortifie theim selues with these armures least while they seme to them selues strong and couragious reuengers of rightuousnesse they departe from the kingdom of heauen which is the only kyngdom of rightuousnesse For sithe it is Gods will to haue the communion of his Churche to be kepte in this outward felowshyp he that for hatred of euill men doth breake the tokeÌ„ of that â—elowship entreth into a waie wherby is a slippery falling froÌ„ the coÌ„munion of saints Let them thinke that in a great multitude there be many truly holy innocent before the eies of the Lord whom they see not Let them think that euen of them that be diseased there be many that doo not please or flatter them selues in their faultes but beyng now and then awakened with earnest feare of God doo aspire to a greater vprightnesse Let them thinke that iudgement ought not to be geuen of a man by one dede forasmuche as the holiest do sometime fall away with a most greuous fal Let them think that to gather a Church there lieth more weight both in the ministerie of the woorde and in the partaking of the holy misteries than that all that force shoulde vanishe away by the fault of some wicked men Last of all lette theim consider that in iudging the Churche the iudgement of God is of greater value than the iudgement of man Where also they pretend that the Churche is not without cause called Holy it is mete to wey with what holinesse it excelleth least if we will admitte no Church but suche a one as is in all pointes perfect we leaue no Churche at all It is true in dede which Paul saith that Christ gaue himself for the Churche to sanctifie it that he clensed it with the lauer of water with the word of life to make her vnto himself a glorious spouse hauyng no spotte or wrinkle c. Yet this is also nothyng lesse true â–ª that the Lord dayly worketh in smoothyng her wrinkles and wipyng away her spottes Whervpon foloweth that her holynesse is not yet fully finished Therfore the Churche is so holy that it dayly profiteth and is not yet perfect daiely procedeth is not yet come to the marke of holinesse as also in an other place shal be more largely declared whereas therfore the Prophetes prophecie that there shal be a holy Hierusalem through whiche straungers shal not passe and a holy temple wherinto vncleane men shall not entre let vs not so take it as if there were no spotte in the membres of the Churche but for that with their whole endeuour they aspire to holinesse souÌ„d purenesse by the goodnesse of God clennesse is ascribed to them whiche they haue not yet fully obteined And although oftentimes there be but rare tokens of such sanctification among men yet we must determine that there hath bene no time sins the creation of the worlde wherin the Lord hath not had his Churche and that there shall also be no tyme to the very ende of the worlde wherin he shall not haue it For albeit immediatly from the beginnyng the whole kynde of men is corrupt and defiled by the sinne of Adam yet out of this as it were a polluted masse God alway sanctifieth som vessels vnto honour that there should be no age without felyng of his mercie Which he hath testified by certayn promises as these I haue ordeined a testament to my elect I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant I will for euer continue thy sede I will builde thy seate in generation and generation Agyan the Lord hath chosen Syon he hath chosen it for a dwelling to himself This is my reste for euer c. Agayne These thynges sayth the Lorde which geueth the Sunne for the lyght of the day the moon and starres for the light of the night If these lawes shall faile before me then the sede of Israell shall also faile Hereof Christ him self the Apostles and in maner all the Prophets haue geuen vs example Horrible are those descriptions wherin Esaie Hieremie Ioel Abacuc and the other doo lament the sicknesses of the Churche of Hierusalem In the common people in the magistrate in the Priestes all things were so corrupt that Esaie douteth not to match Hierusalem with Sodom and Gomorrha Religion was partely despised partly defiled in their maners are coÌ„monly reported theftes extortions breaches of faith murthers and like mischieues Yet therfore the Prophets did neither erect to them selues new Churches nor buyld vp newe altars on whiche they might haue seuerall sacrifices but of what soeuer maner men they were yet because they considered that God had left his word with them ordeined Ceremonies wherby he was there worshipped in the myddest of the assemblie of the wicked they held vp pure handes vnto hym Truely if they had thought that they did gather any infection thereby they would rather haue dyed a hundred tymes than haue suffred them selues to be drawen therevnto Therfore nothing withheld them from departing but desire to the keping of vnitie But if the Prophets thought it against conscience to estrange them selues from the Church for many and great wicked doyngs not of one or two men but in maner of the whole people then we take to muche vpon vs if we dare by and by depart from the coÌ„munion of the Church where not all mens maners doo satisfie eyther our iudgemente yea or the Christian profession Now what maner world was there in the tyme of Christe and the Apostles And yet that desperate vngodlynesse of the Pharisees and yâ— dissolute licenciousnesse of liuing which then eche where reigned could not hynder but that they vsed the same Ceremonies with the people assembled with the rest into one temple to the publike exercises of religion Whereof came that but because they knew that the felowship of euill men did not defile them which with a pure coÌ„science did communicate at the same Ceremonies If any man be litle moued with the Prophets and Apostles let him yet obey the authoritie of Christ. Therfore Cyprian well saieth though there be sene tares or vncleane vessels in the Churche yet there is no cause why we shuld depart from the Churche we must onely labour that we may
be wheate we must vse diligeÌ„ce and endeuour as muche as we may that we may be a golden or syluer vessell But to breake the earthen vessels is the only work of the Lord to whom also is geuen an iron rodde And let no man chalenge to hym selfe that whiche is proprely belongyng to the Sonne onely to be able alone to fanne the floore and clense the chaffe and seuer all the tares by mans iudgement This is a prowde obstinacie and a presumption full of sacrilege which a peruerse furour taketh to it selfe c. Therfore let bothe these thynges remayn certainly fixed First that he hath no excuse that of his owne will forsaketh the outward coÌ„munion of the Church â–ª where the word of God is preached the sacraments ministred then that the faultes of a few or of many are no hindraÌ„ce but that we may therin rightly professe our faith by the Ceremonies institute by God bicause a godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthines of any other ether pastor or priuate man and the misteries are to a holy vpright maÌ„ neuerthelesse pure holsome because they are together handled of vncleane meÌ„ Their precisenesse and disdainfulnesse procedeth yet further because they acknowledge no Chirche but such a one as is pure from al spottes be they neuer so smal yea they are angry with good teachers for that in exhorting the faithful to goe forwarde they teache them al their life long to grone vnder the burden of vices and to flee vnto pardon For they prate that by this meane meÌ„ be led froÌ„ perfection I graunte in dede that in earnest calling vpon perfection we ought not slowly or coldely to trauail much lesse to be idle but to fil our mindes with confidence therof while we be yet in our course I say it is a deuelish inuention Therefore in the Crede the forgeuenesse of synnes is aptly ioyned next after the Chirche For none do atteine it but only they that are citezens and of the household of the Chirch as it is red in the Prophete Therfore the bilding of the heaueÌ„ly HierusaleÌ„ ought to go before wherin afterward this mercifulnesse of God maye haue place that whosoeuer come vnto it their iniquitie may be takeÌ„ away I say that it ought first to be bilded not for that there caÌ„ be any Chirch wtout the forgeuenesse of synnes but because the lord hath not promised his mercy but in the CoÌ„munion of Sainctes Therfore the fyrst entry for vs into the Chirch kingdome of God is the forgeuenesse of synnes wtout which we haue no couenauÌ„t or coÌ„ioyning wyth God For thus he sayeth by the Prophete In the day I wil strike you a couenant with the beast of the feld with the fowle of the aire with the vermin of the earth I wil breake the sword war from out of the earth I wil make men to slepe wtout feare I wil espouse you vnto me for euer I wil espouse you I say in righteousnesse in iudgement in mercy and in coÌ„passions We see how by his mercy the lord recoÌ„cileth vs to himselfe And so in an other place when he foresayth that the people shal be gathered together agayne whoÌ„ he had scattered abrode in his wrath he saieth I wil cleanse theÌ„ froÌ„ al wyckednesse wherewith they haue synned agaynst me Wherfore by the signe of washing we enter into the felowshyp of the Chirch wherby we may be taught that there is no entrie open for vs into the householde of God vnlesse our fylthynesse be fyrst wiped away with hys goodnesse But by the forgeuenesse of sinnes the Lord doth not only receiue and adopt vs ones into the Chirch but by the same he also preserueth maynteineth vs stil in it For to what purpose wer it to haue suche a pardon grauÌ„ted vs as should serue for no vse But euery one of the godly is a wytnesse to himselfe that the mercy of God should be vain and mocking if it should be grauÌ„ted only but ones because there is none that is not in his own coÌ„scieÌ„ce priuie throughout his whole life of many weakenesses which nede the mercy of God And truly not in vain God promiseth thys grace peculiarly to theÌ„ of his own household not in vain he coÌ„maundeth the same message of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ to be daily offred vnto theÌ„ Therefore as throughout al our life we carry about vs the râ—nantes of sine vnlesse we be susteined with the coÌ„tinual grace of the lord in forgeuing oure synnes we shal scarcely abide one momeÌ„t in the Chirch But the lord hath called his vnto eternal saluatioÌ„ Therfore they ought to thike that there is pardon alway ready for their sinnes Wherfore we ought to holde assuredly that by the liberalitie of God by meane of Christes deseruing through the Sanctification of the Spirite sinnes haue been and are daily pardoned to vs which be called graffed into the body of the Chirch To deale this benefite vnto vs the keyes were geuen to the Chirch For when Christ gaue the Apostles commaundemeÌ„t deliuered them power to forgeue sinnes he meante not this onely that they shoulde loose them froÌ„ sinnes that wer froÌ„ vngodlinesse coÌ„uerted to the faith of Christ but rather that they should continually execute this office among the faythful Which thing Paule teacheth when he writeth that the embassage of reconciliation was left with the ministers of the Chirche wherby they should oftentimes in Christes name exhort the people to reconcile themselues to God Therfore in the CoÌ„munion of Sainctes by the ministery of the Chirch it self sinnes are coÌ„tinually forgeueÌ„ vs when the Priestes or Bishops to whom the office is committed doe with the promyses of the Gospel coÌ„firme godly consciences in hope of pardoÌ„ forgeuenesse and that as wel publikely as priuately according as necessitie requireth For there be very many which for their weakenesse do nede a singular atonemeÌ„t And Paul reporteth that not only in commoÌ„ preaching but also in houses he had testified the Fayth in Christ and seuerally admonyshed euery one of the doctryne of saluation Therfore we haue here three thyngs to be noted First that with how great holynesse soeuer the children of God do excel yet they be alway in this estate so long as they dwel in a mortal body that without forgeuenesse of sinnes they can not staÌ„de before God Secondly that this benefite is so proper to the Chirche that we can not otherwise enioy it but if we abide in the CoÌ„munion therof Thirdly that it is distributed vnto vs by the ministers Pastors eyther by preaching of the Gospel or by ministryng of the Sacramentes that in thys behalfe principally appeareth the power of the keyes which the Lord hath geuen to the felowship of the faythful Wherfore let euery one of vs thinke this to be his duty no where els to seke forgeuenesse of sines than where the Lord hath set it Of publyke recoÌ„ciliation
mingled together which partly quencheth and partly choketh the pure light In to the place of the Lordes Supper is entred a most filthy Sacrilege the forme of worshipping God is deformed with a manifolde intolerable heape of superstitions the doctryne without which Christianitie can not stande is altogether buried and dryuen out the publike assemblies are the scholes of idolatry and vngodlinesse Therfore there is no peryl lost in departing froÌ„ a daÌ„nable partakyng of so many mischeues we be plucked froÌ„ the Chirche of Christ. The coÌ„munion of the Chirch was not ordeined to thys ende that it should be a bonde wherby we should be entaÌ„gled with idolatrye vngodlynesse ignorance of God other kindes of euils but rather wherby we should be fast holden in the feare of God obedience of truth They do in dede gloriously set out their Chirch vnto vs that there should seme to be no other Chirch in the world afterwarde as though the victory were gotten they decree that all â—e Schismatykes that dare withdrawe themselues from the obedience of that Chirche that they painte out and that all be heretikes that dare ones mutter against the doctrine therof But by what proues do they confirme that they haue the true Chirche They alledge out of the auncient Chronicles what in olde tyme was in Italy in Fraunce in Spayne They say that they fetche their beginnyng from those holy menne that with sounde doctrine founded and raised vp Chirches and stablished the same doctrine and edifieng of the Chirche with their bloud And that so the Chirche hath ben among them so consecrate bothe with spiritual gyftes and with the bloud of martyrs and preserued with continuall succession of bishops that it myght not fall away They rehearse how muche Ireneus Tertullian Origen Augustine and other estemed this succession But howe triflyng these thynges be and howe they be but very mockeries â–ª I will make them very easily to vnderstande that will be content a little to wey them with me Truely I woulde also exhort them selues earnestly to take hede herevnto if I did trust that I might any thyng preuaile with them by teachyng But forasmuche as they leauyng all regarde of truthe doo bende themselues to this onely purpose by all the waies that they can to defende their owne cause I wyll onely speake a fewe thynges whereby good men and those that loue the truthe may wynde them selues out of their suttle cauillations Fyrste I aske of theim why they doo not alledge Aphrike and Egypte and all Asia Euen because in all those countreyes this holye Succession of Byshoppes hath ceassed by meane whereof they boast that they haue preserued Chirches They come therefore to this poynt to saye that they therefore haue a true Chirche because sins it fyrst began to be it hath not ben destitute of bishoppes for in perpetuall course they haue succeded one an other But what if I caste Greece in their waie Therefore I aske agayne of them why they say that the Chirche is loste among the Grecians among whom that succession of Byshops was neuer interrupted whiche in theyr opinion is the onely keeper and preseruer of the Chirche They make the Grecians Schismatikes but by what right because in departing from the Apostolike sea they haue lost their priuilege what Do not they much more deserue to loose it that departe from Christ himselfe It foloweth therfore that the pretence of succession is but vaine vnlesse the posteritie doo kepe faste and abide in the truthe of Christe which they haue receaued of their fathers from hande to hande Therefore the Romanistes at this day doo alledge nothyng els but that whiche it appeareth that the Iewes in olde tyme alledged when they were by the Prophetes of the Lorde reproued of blyndnesse vngodlynesse and idolatrie For they gloriously boasted of the temple Ceremonies and priesthodes by whiche thynges by great reason as they thinke they measured the Chirche So in steede of the Chirche they shewe certayne outwarde visours that oftentymes are farre from the Chirche and without whiche the Chirche maye very well stande Therefore we nede to confute theym with no other argumente then that wherewith Hieremie fought agaynst the foolyshe presumptuousnesse of the Iewes that is that they shoulde not boaste in lying woordes saying The temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lord it is the temple of the Lord. Forasmuch as the Lord doth no where acknowlege any thing for his but where his worde is heard and reuerently obseâ—ued So when the glory of God did sit betwene the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and he had promised them that that should be hys stedfast seate yet when the Priestes ones corrupted the worshipping of hym with peruerse superstitions he remoued els where and left the place wythout any holinesse If the same temple which semed to be holily appointed to the perpetuall dwelling of God mighte be forsaken of God and become vnholy there is no cause why these men should faine to vs that God is so bounde to persons or places and so fast tyed to outwarde obseruations that he must nedes abide with them that haue onely the tittle and shewe of the Churche And this is it about which Paul contendeth in the Epistle to the Romaines from the .ix. Chapter to the .xii. For this did sore trouble weake conscieÌ„ces that the Iewes when they semed to be the people of God did not onely refuse the doctryne of the Gospel but also persecute it Therfore after that he hath sette oute the doctrine he remoueth this dout and denyeth that those Iewes beeyng enemies of the trueth are the Churche howsoeuer they waÌ„ted nothing that otherwise myght be required to the outward forme of the Church And therfore he denieth it bicause they embraced not Christ. But somwhat more expresly in the Epistle to the Galathians â–ª wherin coÌ„paring Ismael with Isaac he sayeth that many holde place in the Churche to whom the inheritaunce belongeth not because they are not begotteÌ„ of the free mother From whence also he descendeth to the comparison of two Hierusalems Because as the law was geuen in the mount Sina but the Gospel came out of Hierusalem So many being seruilely born and brought vp do wythout douting boast themselues to be the childreÌ„ of God and of the Churche yea they proudely despyse the natural chyldren of God when themselues be but bastardes On the other syde also when we heare that it was ones pronounced from heauen Caste out the bonde woman and her sonne lette vs standyng vppon thys inuiolable decree boldely despyse their vnsauerie boastinges For if they be proude by reason of outwarde professyon Ismael was also circumcised if they contende by antiquitie he was the fyrst begotten and yet we see that he is put away If the cause be demaunded Paul assigneth it for that none are accompted chyldren but they that are begotteÌ„ of the pure and lawfull sede of doctryne According to thys reason
rest that he adioyneth to the same effect Like complaintes are euery where in the Prophetes so that nothyng is ofter found in them But perhappes it might be that that was so among the Iewes but our age is free from so great an euill I would to God in deed it wer so but the Holy ghost hath geuen warnyng that it shal be farre otherwise The wordes of Peter are plaine As saieth he there were in the olde people false Prophets so shall there also bee among you false teachers slyly bryngyng in sectes of perdition See you not how he saieth that there is daunger to come not by men of the cōmon people but by them that shal boste themselues with the title of Teachers Pastors Moreouer how oft hath it ben forespoken by Christ his Apostles that there should very great daungers hang ouer the Chirch by the Pastors Yea Paule plainly sheweth that Antichrist shal sit in no other place than in the temple of God Wherby he signifieth that the horrible calamitie of whiche he there speaketh shall come from no where els but from them that shall sitte in stede of Pastors in the Chirch And in an other place he sheweth that the beginnyngs of so great a mischief are euen alredy nere at hand For when he speaketh to the bishops of Ephesus I know saieth he that after my departure there shall enter in to you rauenyng wolues not sparing the flocke And they shal be of your own selues that shall speake peruerse thynges to leade away disciples after them How muche corruption might a long course of yeares bryng amōg Pastors when they coulde so farre goe out of kynde in so small a space of tyme And not to fyll muche paper with rehersyng them by name we are admonished by the examples in a maner of al ages that neither the truth is alway nourished in the bosome of the pastors nor the safetie of the Chirch doeth hang vpon their state They ought in dede to haue bene the gouernours and kepers of the peace and safetie of the Chirche for preseruation wherof they are ordeined but it is one thyng for a man to performe that whiche he ought and an other thyng to owe that whiche he performeth not Yet lette no man take these our wordes in suche part as thoughe I woulde euery where and rashely without any choise diminishe the authoritie of Pastors I do but onely admonishe that euen among Pastors them selues there is a choise to bee had that we should not immediatly thinke them to be pastors that are so called But the Pope with all his flocke of Bishops vpon none other reason but because they are called pastors shaking away the obedience of the word of God do tumble and tosse all things after their owne lust and in the meane tyme thei trauaile to persuade that they can not be destitute of the light of truth that the spirite of God perpetually abideth in them that the Chirche cōsisteth in them dieth with them As though there be now no iugementes of the Lorde wherby he may punishe the worlde at this daye with the same kynde of punishement wherwith somtyme he toke vengeance of the vnthankfulnesse of the olde people that is to strike the Pastors with blindnesse and amased dullnesse Neither do they most foolish mē vnderstande that they syng the same song whiche those in old time did syng that warred against the worde of God For the enemies of Hieremie did thus prepare them selues against the truthe Come and we will imagine imaginations against Ieremie forasmuche as the lawe shall not perishe from the Preste nor counsell from the wyse man nor the worde from the Prophete Hereby it is easy to answer to that other obiectiō concerning general Councells It can not be denied but that the Iewes had a true Chirch in the time of the Prophetes But if ther had then ben a general Coūcell gathered together of the Prestes what maner face of the Chirche had there appered We heare what God saith not to one or two of them but to the whole order The prestes shal be astonied and the prophetes shal be made afraide Againe The law shall perishe from the prest and counsell from the Elders Againe Night shal be to you in steede of a vision and darknesse in stede of prophecieng the sunne shall fall downe vpon the Prophetes and be darkened vpon these daies c. Well if all suche had then ben gathered together in one what Spirit should haue gouerned in that assemblie of that thyng we haue a notable example in that Councel which Achab called together Ther were present fower hundred Prophetes But because they were come togither of no other mynde but to flatter the wicked kyng therfore Satan was sent of the Lorde to be a lying spirite in the mouth of them all There by all their voices the truthe was condemned Micha was condemned for an heretike striken and cast in prison So was done to Hieremie so to the other Prophetes But let one example suffice for all whiche is more notable then the rest In that Councell which the Bishops and Pharisees gathered at Hierusalem against Christ what can a man say that there wanted in so muche as pertained to the outwarde shewe For if there had not then ben a Chirch at Hierusalem Christ would neuer haue cōmunicate with their sacrifices and other ceremonies There was made a solemne summoning of them together the hie Bishop sat as chief ▪ the whole order of prestes sate by hym yet Christ was there condemned and his doctrine driuen away This doyng is a profe that the Chirche was not enclosed in that Councell But there is no perill that any such thyng should happen to vs. Who hath geuē vs assurāce therof For it is not without fault of sluggishnesse to be to carelesse in so great a mater But wher the Holy ghost doeth with expresse wordes prophecie by the mouth of Paule that there shall come a departyng which can not come but that the Pastors must be the first that shall forsake God why are we herin wilfully blynde to our owne destruction Wherfore it is in no wise to be graunted that the Chirch consisteth in the companie of Pastors for whom the Lord hath no where vndertaken that they shall perpetually bee good but he hath pronounced that they shall sometime be euill But when he warneth vs of the daunger he doeth it to this entente to make vs the warer What then wilt thou saye Shall the Councells haue no authoritie in determinyng Yes forsoothe For neither doo I here argue that all Councels are to be condemned or all their actes to be repelled or as the saying is to be defaced with one blotte But thou wilte say to me thou bryngest them all into subiection that it maye bee free for euery man to receiue or refuse that whiche the Councells haue determined Not so But so oft as the
of reconciliation that they did therewithall require the consent of the people as he sheweth in an other place From this discipline there was no man exempted that euen the Princes together with the common people did submit themselues to beare it And rightfully sithe it was euident that it was the discipline of Christ to whom it is mete that all scepters and crownes of kinges be submitted So when Theodosius was depriued by Ambrose of power to come to the communion because of the slaughter committed at Thessalonica he threwe down all the royall ornamente wherewith he was clothed he openly in the Chirch bewayled his sinne whiche had crept vpon him by fraude of other men he craued pardon with groning and teares For great kinges ought not to thinke this to be any dishonor to them if they humbly throwe down themselues before Christ the king of kinges neither ought it to displease them that they be iudged by the Chirch For sith in their court they heare nothing ells but mâ—re flatteries it is more than necessarie for them to be rebuked of the Lord by the mouth of the Prestes But rather they ought to wishe that the Prestes should not spare them that the Lord may spare them In this place I omitt to speake by whom this iurisdiction is to be exercised because it is spoken of in an other place This onely I adde that that is the lawfull maner of proceding in excommunicating a man whiche Paule sheweth if the Elders doe it not alone by themselues but with the Chirch knowing and allowing it that is in such sort that the multitude of the people may not gouerne the doing but may marke it as a witnesse and a keper that nothing should be done of a fewe by wilfull affection But the whole maner of doing beside the calling vpon the name of God ought to haue such grauitie as may resemble the preseÌ„ce of Christ that it maye be vndouted that he there sitteth for ruler of his owne iugement But this ought not to be passed ouer that such seueritie becometh the Chirch as is ioined with the Spirite of mildenesse For we must alway diligently beware as Paule teacheth that he whiche is punished be not swallowed vp of sorrow for so should of a remedy be made a destructioÌ„ But out of the ende may better be gathered a rule of moderation For wheras this is required in excommunication that the sinner should be brought to repentance and euill examples taken away least either the name of Christ should be euil spoken of or other meÌ„ be prouoked to followe them if we shal haue an eye to these thinges we shal be able easily to iudge how farr seueritie ought to procede and where it ought to end Therfore when the sinner geueth a testimonie of his repentance and doth by this testimonie as much as in him lyeth blott out the offense he is not to be enforced any further but if he be enforced rigorousnesse doth then excede measure In which behalfe the immesurable seueritie of the olde fathers can not be excused which both disagreed from the prescribed order of the Lord and also was maruelously dangerous For when they charged a sinner with solemne penance and depriuation froÌ„ the holy communion somtime for seuen yeres sometime fower yeres somtime three yeres somtime for their whole life what other thyng could follow therof but either great hipocrisie or most great desperatioÌ„ Likewise wheras no man that had fallen the seconde time was admitted to seconde penance but was cast out of the Chirch euen to the ende of his life that was neyther profitable nor agreing to reson Therefore whosoeuer shal wey the mater with sound iugemeÌ„t shal here in perceiue want of their discretion Howbeit I do here rather disallow the publike maner thaÌ„ accuse al them that vsed it wheras it is certaine that many of them misliked it but they did therfore suffer it because they could not amende it Truely Cipriane declareth how much beside his own wil he was so rigorous Our pacience saith he and easinesse gentlenesse is redy to them that come I wish al to returne into the Chirch I wish al our fellow soldiars to be enclosed within the tentes of Christ and in the houses of God thâ— father I forgeue al thinges I dissemble many thinges for zele desire to gather brotherhode together I examine not with full iugement euen those thinges that are coÌ„mitted against God in pardoning defaultes more than I ought I am my selfe almoste in defaulte I doe with redy and full loue embrace them that returne with repentance coÌ„fessing their sinnes with humble and plaine satisfaction Chrysostome is somwhat harder and yet he sayth thus If God be so kinde why will his Prest seme so rigorous Moreouer we know what gentlenesse Augustine vsed towarde the Donatistes in so much that he sticked not to receiue into Bishoprike those that had returned from schisme euen immediatly after their repeÌ„tance But because a contrary order had growen in force they were compelled to leaue their own iugement to folow it But as this mildenesse is required in the whole body of the Chirch that it should punish them yâ— are fallen mercifully and not to the extremitie of rigor but rather according to the precepte of Paule shoulde confirme charitie towarde them so euery priuate maÌ„ for himselfe ought to temper himselfe to this mercifulnesse and gentlenesse Therfore it is not our part of wype out of the number of the elect suche as are dryuen oute of the Chirche or to despeire of them as thoughe they were allredy loste We maye in dede iudge them strangers from the Chirch and therefore strangers from CHRIST but that is onely duryng the tyme that they abide in diuorce But if then also they shewe a greater resemblance of stubbornnesse than of gentlenesse yet lette vs committ them to the iugemente of the Lorde hoping better of them in time to come than we see in time present and let vs not therfore cesse to pray to God for them to comprehend al in one word let vs not condemne to death the person it selfe whiche is in the hande and iudgement of God alone but let vs rather weye by the law of the Lorde of what sort euery mans works be Which rule while we folow we rather stande to the iudgement of God than pronounce our owne Let vs not take to our selues more libertie in iudgyng vnlesse we will bynde the power of God within bouÌ„des and appoint a law to his mercie at whoe 's pleasure when he thinketh it good very euell men are turned into very good strangers are graffed and foreins are chosen into the Chirch And this the Lord doeth therby to mocke out the opinion of men and rebate theyr rashenesse which if it be not restrained presumeth to take to it selfe power of iudgyng more than it ought For where as Christ promiseth that that shal be bounde in heauen whiche they that
to the other Where the Lorde gaue circumcision to Abraham to be kept he telleth hym before that he would be God to hym and to hys sede adding that with hym is the flowyng store and suffisance of all thinges that Abraham should accompt that hys hande shoulde be to hym a spryng of all good thinges In which wordes the promise of eternall life is conteined as Christ expoundeth it bringing an argumente from hense to proue the immortalitie of the faithfull and the resurrection For God sayth he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Wherfore Paule also shewing to the Ephesians from what destruction the Lord had deliuered them gathereth by thys that they had not ben admitted into the couenante of circumcision that they were without Christ without God without hope strangers from the testamentes of the promise all whiche thinges the couenante it selfe conteined But the firste accesse to God the firste entrie to immortall life is the forgeuenesse of sinnes Wherupon is gathered that this forgeuenesse answereth to the promise of Baptisme concerning our clensing Afterwarde the Lorde taketh couenante of Abraham that he should walke before him in purenesse and innocence of hart which belongeth to mortifieng or regeneration And that no man shoulde doute that circumcision is a signe of mortifieng Moses in an other place doeth more plainly declare it when he exhorteth the people of Israell to circumcise the vncircumcised skinne of the harte because they were seuerally chosen to be the people of GOD oute of all the nations of the earth As God where he adopteth the posteritie of Abraham to his people commaundeth them to be circumcised so Moses pronounceth that the hartes ought to be circumcised declaring verily what is the trueth of this circumcision Then that no man should endeuor towarde it by his owne strength he teacheth that they nede the grace of God Al these thynges are so often repeted of the Prophetes that I nede not to heape into this place many testimonies which do eche where offer themselues We have proued therfore that in circumcision a spirituall promise was vttered to the Fathers such as in Baptisme is geuen forasmuch as it figured to them the forgeuenesse of sinnes and the mortifieng of the fleshe Moreouer as we haue taught that Christ is the fundation of Baptisme in whom bothe these thinges remayne so it is euidēt that he is also of circumcision For he is promised to Abraham and in hym the blessing of all nations To the sealing of which grace the signe of circumcision is added Nowe we may easily se what there is lyke in these twoo signes or what there is differing The promises wherupō we haue declared that the power of the signes consisteth is al one in bothe namely of the fatherly fauor of God of the forgeuenesse of sinnes of life euerlasting Thē the thing figured also is al one and the same namely regeneration The fundation wherupon the fulfilling of these thinges standeth is al one in bothe Wherfore there is no difference in the inwarde mysterie wherby the whole force and propertie of the Sacramentes is to be weyed The vnlikenesse that remaineth lyeth in the outwarde Ceremonie which is the smallest portion wheras the chefest part hangeth vpon the promise and the thing signified Therfore we may determine that whatsoeuer agreeth with circumcision doth also belong to Baptisme except the difference of the visible Ceremonie To this relation and comparison the Apostles rule leadeth vs by the hande wherby we are commaunded to examine all exposition of Scripture by the proportion of Faith And truely the trueth doth in this behalfe almost offer it selfe to be felte For as circumcision because it was a certaine token to the Iewes wherby they were certified that they were chosen to be the people and householde of God and they againe on their behalues professed that they yelded thēselues to God was their first entrie into the Chirch so now also we by Baptisme enter into profession of God that we may be reckned among his people and mutually sweare to his name Wherby it appeareth out of controuersie that Baptisme is come into the place of circumcision that it may haue the same office with vs. Now if we list to search out whether Baptisme be lawfully communicate to infantes shall we not say that he doth to much play the foole yea dote which will rest onely vpon the element of water and the outwarde obseruation but can not abide to bende his minde to the spiritual mysterie Wherof if there be any consideratiō had it shal without dout certainly appeare that Baptisme is rightfully geuen to infantes as the thing that is due vnto them For the Lord in olde tyme did not vouchesaue to admit them to circumcision but that he made them partakers of all those thinges which were then signified by circumcision Otherwise he should with mere deceites haue mocked his people if he had fed them with deceitfull signes which is horrible euen to be heard of For he pronounceth expresly that the circumcision of a litle infante shoulde be instede of a seale to seale the promise of the couenant But if the couenant remaine vnbroken and stedfast it doth at this day no lesse belong to the children of Christians than vnder the olde testament it perteined to the infantes of the Iewes But if they be partakers of the thing signified why shall they be debarred from the signe if they haue the trueth why shall they be put backe from the figure Althoughe the outwarde signe cleaue fast together with the worde in the Sacrament so that they can not be plucked in sonder yet if they be seuerally considered whether of them I pray you shal we esteme of more value Truely sithe we se that the signe serueth the worde we must say that it is vnder it and must set it in the inferior place Sith therefore the worde of Baptisme is extended to infantes why shall the signe that is to say the addition in hanging to the worde be debarred from them This one reason if there were no moe were abundantly enough to confute all them that will speake to the contrary That which is obiected that there was a day certainly set for circumcision is altogether but a shift We graunte that we be not nowe bounde to certaine dayes like the Iewes but when the Lorde howsoeuer he certainly appointeth no day yet declareth that he is pleased that infantes should with a solemne formal vsage be receiued into hys couenant what seke we more Howbeit the Scripture openeth vnto vs yet a certainer knowlege of the truthe For it is most euident that the couenant which the Lord ones made with Abraham is at this day no lesse in force to Christians than it was in olde time to the Iewish people yea and that this woorde hath no lesse respecte to Christians than it then had respect to the Iewes Unlesse parhappes we thinke that Christ hath by his