breath liuelienesse The vision in dede serued to correct the incredulitie at that present time but in the meane season he did put the Iewes in minde how far the power of the Lord extended beyond the accompt of the people whyche so easyly quyckened with his onely becke bones already rotten and scattered abroade wherefore you shall compare that wyth an other sayeng of Esaie The deade shall rise my carcase thei shall rise againe Awake ye and reioyse that dwell in the dust bicause the deaw of the greene fyelde is thy deaw and thou shalt pluck downe the lande of the Gyantes into ruine So my people enter into thy tentes shutt thy dores vpon thee hide the a little whyle tyll my displeasure passe ouer For beholde the Lorde shall goe out of hys place to visite the iniquitie of the dweller vpon the earthe agaiste hym and the earth shal shewe forth her bloode and shal no longer hide her slaine Albeith a man shoulde do fondly that woulde goe about to drawe all to suche a rule For there be some places that wythout any couering do shewe the immortalitie to come that is prepared for the faithful in the kingedome of God of whyche sorte we haue recited some and of lyke sorte are the moste parte of the reste specially these twoo the one in Esaie As newe heauen and a newe earthe which I make to stande before mee so shal your seede stande and there shal be moneth of moneth and Sabbat of Sabbat all fleshe shall come to worshippe before my face faith the Lorde And they shall goe out and see the deade carcases of the men that haue offended against mee that their worme shall not dye and their fyer shall not be quenched The other of Daniel In that time shal rise vp Michael the great prince that standeth for the sonnes of his people and there shall come a tyme of distresse suche as was not syns nations fyrste began to be and then shall all thy people be saued that shall be founde wrytten in thy boke And of those that slepe in the duste of the earthe there shall awake some to eternall life and some to euerlastinge shame Nowe as for prouinge the other twoo pointes that the fathers had Christe for pledge of their couenant and that they reposed in him all their affiance of bleesing I wyll not trauaile therein at all bicause they haue both lesse controuersie and more plainnesse Let vs therfore boldely determine thys whych by no engines of the deuel may be remoued that the olde Testament or couenant whiche the Lorde made with his people Israel was not limited within the compasse of earthly thinges but also conteyned the promyse of the spirituall and eternall life the expectation whereof must nedes haue ben imprinted in all their mindes that truely consented to the couenant But let vs put farre awaye this madde and pernicious opinion that either God did set forth in hys promise to the Iewes nothinge ells or that the Iewes sought nothynge ells but syllynge of their belly delites of the fleshe floryshinge wealth outwarde power frutefullnesse of chyldren and whatsoeuer a naturall man esteemeth For at this daie Christe promiseth no other kingdome of heauen to his but where thei shall rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob And Peter affirmed that the Iewes of his time were heires of the grace of the Gospel for that thei wer the children of the Prophets comprehended in the couenant which the Lord had in the olde time made wyth his people And that the same shoulde not bee wittenessed wyth wordes onely the Lorde also approued it by deede For in the very moment that he rose againe he vouche saued to haue many of the holy men to rise againe in companie with him and made them to bee seen in the Citie so geuing an assured token that whatsoeuer he did and suffered for the purchacing of eternall saluacion pertemeth no lesse to the faithful of the old testament than vnto vs. For as Peter testifieth thei were also endued with the same spirit of faith wherby we are regenerate into lyfe Nowe when we heare that the same spirit which is in vs a certaine sparcle of immortalitie wherevpon it is also in an other place called The earnest of our inheritance did likewise dwel in them how dare we take from them the inheritance of life Whereby it is so muche the more maruell that in the olde time the Sadduces fell to such grossnes of erroure that they denyed bothe the resurrection also the substance of soules bothe whiche poyntes thei sawe sealed with so clere testimonies of Scriptur And no lesse to be maruelled at eueÌ„ at this day were the â—olly of all that nation in loking for the earthly kingdome of Christ if the Scriptures had not long before declared that they shoulde haue that punishment for refusing the Gospell For so it behoued by the iuste iudgement of God to strike those myndes with blindenesse whiche in refusinge the lighte of heauen being offered them dyd wylfully brynge them selues into darkenâ—â—e Therefore thei reade and continually turne ouer Moses butte they are stopped wyth a veyle sette betweene them and him that thei can not see the light that shineth in his countenance And so shal it remaine couered hidden from them til he be turned to Christe from whome nowe thei trauaile to leade and drawe him away so muche as in them lieth The xi Chapter Of the difference of the one Testament from the other WHat then wilt thou say shall there be no dyfference lefte betweene the olde testament and the newe and to what purpose serue all those places of Scripture wher thei are compared one againste the other as thinges moste contrary I do willingly allowe those differences that are rehersed in the Scripture but so that they nothing hinder the vnitie already stablyshed as it shal be plaine to see when we shall haue entreated of them in ordre Those dyfferences are as farre as euer I coulde marke or can remembre chefely fower in numbre to yâ— which if you lyst to adioyne the v. I am not against it I say and trust to proue that thei are all suche as rather belong to the manner of ministratioÌ„ than to the substance of them And by this meane thei shall nothinge hinder but that the promises of both the olde new testament may remaine al one all one foundatioÌ„ of the same promises Christ. Now the fyrst difference is that although euen in the olde time also the Lordes wyl was to dyrect the myndes of his people and to haue them raysed vp to the heauenly inheritance yet that they myght be the better nourished in hope therof he gaue it to be seen or rather to be tasted of vnder earthly benefytes But nowe hauing reueled the grace of the lyfe to come by the Gospell he more clerely and plainly directeth our mindes the streight way to the meditation thereof leauinge
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
the olde testamente dyd shewe onely an image in abscence of the truthe and a shadowe in steede of the bodye But the newe testament geueth the truthe present and the sounde bodie it self And this difference is mentioned commonli whersoeuer the new testament is in comparison set againste the olde but it is more largely entreated of in the epistle to the Hebrues than any where els There the Apostle disputeth againste them whiche thought that the obseruations of Moses lawe might not be taken awaye but that thei sholde also drawe wyth them the ruine of all religion To confute thys erroure he vseth that whiche had been forespoken by the Prophete concerning the presthoode of Christe For whereas there is geuen hym an eternall presthoode it is certaine that that prestehoode is taken away wherin newe successors were dayly put in one after an other But hee proueth that the institution of this newe prestehoode is to be preferred bicause it is stablished with an othe He after addeth further that in the same change of the preestehoode is also conteined the change of the Testament And that it was necessarie so to be he proueth by this reason for that the weakenesse of the law was such that it coulde helpe nothing to perfection Then he procedeth in declaring what was that weakenesse euen this that it had certaine outwarde righteousnesses of the fleshe whyche could not make the obseruers of them perfect according to conscience that by sacrifices of beastes it coulde neither wipe away synnes nor purchase true holynesse He concludeth therefore that there was in it a shadowe of good thynges to come but not the liuely image of the thinges them selues and that therefore it had not other office but to bee as an introduction into a better hope whiche is delyuered in the Gospell Here is to bee seen in what poynte the couenant of the lawe is compared with the couenant of the Gospell and the ministerie of Christe with the ministerie of Moses For if the comparison concerned the substance of the promisses then were there greate dyfference betweene the twoo testamentes but sithe the poynte of oure case leadeth vs an other waye we muste tende to thys ende to fynde oute the truth Let vs then set forth heere the couenant whiche he hathe stablished to be eternall and neuer to peryshe The accomplyshment therof whereby it atteineth to be stablished and continuing in force is Christe Whyle suche establyshment was in expectation the Lorde did by Moses apointe ceremonies to bee as it were solemne signes of the coufyrmation Nowe this came there in question whether the ceremonies that were ordeyned in the lawe oughte to geue place to Christe or no. Althoughe these ceremonies were in deede onely accidentes or verylye additions and thynges adioyned or as the people call them accessarie thynges to the couenaunte yet bycause they weare instrumentes or meanes of the admynistration thereof they beare the name of the couenaunte yt selfe as the lyke ys wonte to bee attributed to other Sacramentes Therefore in summe the olde Testamente is in thys place called the solemne fourme of confyrmynge the couenaunte conteyned in Ceremonies and Sacrifices The Apostle saythe that bycause in yt ys nothynge perfecte vnlesse wee passe further therefore yt behoued that they shoulde bee dyscoâ—tinued and abrogate that place myght be geuen to Christe the assurer and mediatore of better testament by whome eternall sanctification is ones purchaced to the elect and the transgressions blotted oute that remayned vnder the lawe Or if you like it better thus That the olde testament of the Lorde was that whiche was deliuered wrapped vp in the shadowish and effectual obseruation of ceremonies and that therfore it was but for a time bicause it did but as it wer hang in suspense vntyll it myght staye vpon a more stedfast and substantiall confyrmation and that then onely it was made newe eternall after that it was consecrate and stablyshed by the bloode of Christe Wherevpon Christe calleth the cuppe that he gaue at his supper to his Disciples The cup of the newe testament in his bloode to signifie that then the testameÌ„t of God attemeth his trueth by whiche it be coÌ„meth newe and eternal when it is sealed with his bloode Hereby appeareth in what sense the Apostle saide that in the scholynge of the lawe the Iewes were brought vnto Christ before that he was shewed in the flesh And he confesseth that thei were the children and heires of God but yet suche as for their yonge age were to be kept vnder the custodie of a schoolemaster For it behoued that ere the sonne of righteousnesse was yet rysen their sholde neither be so great brightnesse of reuelation nor so great deepe sight of vnderstandynge Therefore God so gaue them in measure the light of hys worde that thei saw it as yet farre of and darkely Therfore Paule expresseth this sclendernesse of vnderstanding by the terme of yonge age whiche the Lords wil was to haue to be exercised with that elements of this worlde with out warde observations as rules of instruction for children vntyll Christe shoulde shyne a broade by whom it behoued that the knowledge of the faithfull people shoulde growe to full age This distinction Christe him selfe meant of when hee saide that the lawe and the Prophetes were vntyll Ihon and that from thenseforth the kingedome of God is preached What did the lawe and the Prophetes open to men of their time euen this thei gaue a taste of that wisedome which in time to come sholde be plainely disclosed and thei shewed it before as it were twinclingely shyning a farr of But when it came to passe that Christ might be pointed to with the finger then was the kingedome of God set open For in him are laied abroade the treasures of al wisdome and vnderstanding whereby wee atteine euen in a manner into the secret closettes of heauen And it maketh not against vs that ther can scarsely any one be found in the Christian Churche that in excellencye of faith maye be compared with Abraham or that the Prophetes excelled in suche force of spirite that euen at this daye thei lighten the whole worlde withall For oure question is not here what grace the Lord hathe bestowed vpon a few but what ordinarie disposition he vsed in teachinge his people suche as is declared in the Prophetes them selues which were endued with peculiar knoweledge aboue the rest For euen their preaching is dark and enclosed in figures as of thinges a farre of Moreouer howe meruellous knoweledge soeuer appeared in them aboue other yet forasmuche as they wer dryuen of necessitie to submit them to the common childish â—â—struction of the people thei them selues also were reckened in the nuÌ„bre of children Fynallye there neuer chaunged any suche clere sfyght to any at that tyme but that it dede in some parte savoure of the darknesse of the time Whervpon Christ saide Many kinges and Prophetes
that the meane of the men is called vppon ouer the wâ—men when they haue them as their husbandes vnder whoe 's charge and defense they liue Therfore the calling vpon of the name of Abraham vpon the Israelites staÌ„deth in this when they conuey their pedegree from hym and doo with solemne memorie honor him for their author and parent Neither doth Iacob this because he is careful for the enlarging of the renome of hys name but for asmuch as he knew that the whole blessednesse of his posteritie consisted in the enheritance of the couenant which God had made with him he wisheth that which he seeth should be the chefe of al good thinges to them that they be accompted in hys kynred For that is nothing ells but to coÌ„uey to them the succession of the couenant They againe when they bryng suche remembrance into their prayers do not flee to the intercessions of deade meÌ„ but do put the lord in minde of his couenant wherby the most kynde father hath promised that he wil be fauourable beneficial to them for AbrahaÌ„s Isaacs Iacobs sakes How litle the holy ones did otherwise leane vpon the merites of their father the common sayeng of the Chirch in the Prophet testifieth Thou art our Father and Abraham knew vs not Israel was ignorant of vs. Thou Lord art our Father and our redemer And wheÌ„ they thus they adde therwithal Returne O Lord for thy seruaÌ„ts sakes yet thinking vpoÌ„ no intercessioÌ„ but bending their minde to the benefite of the couenant But now sith we haue the Lord Iesus in whoe 's hand the eternal couenant of mercy is not only made but also coÌ„firmed to vs whoe 's name shoulde we rather vse in our praiers And because these good maisters wil haue the Patriarches so â—e by these wordes made intercessors I woulde sayne know of them why in so great a route AbrahaÌ„ the Father of the Chirch hath no place at al amoÌ„g them Out of what sinke they fetch their aduocates it is not vnknoweÌ„ Let them answere me how fit it is the AbrahaÌ„ whoÌ„ God preferred aboue al other and whom he aduanÌ„ced to the hyest degree of honor should be neglected and suppressed Uerily wheÌ„ it was euident that such vse was vnknoweÌ„ to the old Chirch they thought good for hiding of the newnesse to speake nothing of the olde Fathers as though the diuersitie of names excused the new and forged maner But whereas some obiect that God is prayed vnto to haue mercy on the people for Dauids sake it doth so nothing at al make for defÌ„se of their error that it is a most stroÌ„g profe for the confutation therof For if we coÌ„sider what person Dauid did beare he is seuered from al the asseÌ„bly of the Saintes the God should stablish the couenant which he hath made in hys hande So both the couenaÌ„t is rather considered thaÌ„ the man vnder a figure the only intercessioÌ„ of Christ is asfirmed For it is certaine the that which beloÌ„ged only to Dauid in so much as he was the image of Christ accordeth not with any other But this forsothe moueth some that it is oftentimes red that the prayers of Saints haue ben heard Why so Euen because they prayed They trusted in thee sayth the Prophet and they were saued they cried and they were not confounded Therefore let vs also pray as they did that we maye be heard as they were But these men otherwise than they ought doe wrongfully reson that none shal be heard but they that haue ones ben heard How much better doth Iames say Elias sayeth he was a man like to vs and he prayed with prayer that it should not raine and it rained not vppon the earth in three yeares and six monethes Againe he prayed and the heaueÌ„ gaue raine and the earth gaue her frute What doth he gather any singular prerogatiue of Elias to which we oughte to â—â—ee No. But he teacheth what is the continuall strength of godly pure prayer to exhorte vs likewise to pray For we do niggardly costrue the redinesse and gentlenesse of God in hearing them vnlesse we be by such experiences coÌ„firmed into a more sure affiance of his promises in which he promiseth that his eare shal be enclined not to one or two nor yet to a fewe but to al that call vpon hys name And so much lesse excusable is this foolishnesse because they seme as it were of set purpose to despise so many admonitions of Scripture Dauid was oft deliuered by the power of God Was it that he should draw that power to hymselfe that we shoulde be deliuered by hys helpe He himselfe affirmeth farr otherwise The righteous loke for me til thou render to me Agayne The righteous shall see and they shall reioyse and truste in the Lorde Behold thys poore man hath cryed to God and he hath answered him There be in the Psalmes many suche prayers in whiche to craue that whiche he requireth he moueth God by this maner that the righteous be not made ashamed but may by his example be raised vp to hope wel Lett vs nowe be contented with thys one example Therefore euery holy one shall praye to thee in fitt tyme. Whiche place I haue so much the more willingly rehearsed because the lewde babblers whiche doe lett out to hire the seruice of their waged tong haue not ben ashamed to allege it to proue the intercession of the dead As thoughe Dauid meant any thing ells than to shewe the frute that shall come of the mercifulnesse and gentlenesse of GOD when he shall be heard And in thys kynde we muste learne that the experience of the grace of God as wel towarde our selues as other is no sclender helpe to confirme the credit of hys promises I leaue vnrehearsed many places where Dauid setteth before hymselfe the benefites of God for mater of confidence because the reders of the Psalmes shal commonly fynde them without seking This selfe same thing had Iacob before taught by hys own exaÌ„ple I am vnworthy of al thy mercies and of the truthe which the hast performed to thy seruante I wyth my staffe haue passed ouer thys Iordan now I come fourth with twoo â—andes He allegeth in dede the promise but not alone but he also ioineth the effect that he may the more couragiously in tyme to come trust that God will be the same towarde hym For he is not like to mortall men whiche are wery of their liberality or whoe 's abilitie is wasted but he is to be weyed by hys own nature as Dauid wisely doth where he sayth Thou hast redemed me O God that speakest truth After that he hath geueÌ„ to God the prayses of his saluation he addeth that he is a true speaker because vnlesse he were coÌ„tinually like himselfe there could not be gathered of his benefites a sufficiently strong reason of affiance and callyng vpon hym But when we knowe that so oft as
glory of God For this cause also they are called Thrones thoughe of this last name I wil not certainly say because an other exposition doeth either as wel or better agree with it But speakyng nothing of that name the Holy ghost often vseth those other former names to auaunce the dignitie of the ministerie of angels For it were not reason that those instruments should be let passe without honor by whom God dooth specially shewe the presence of his maiestie Yea for that reason they are many tymes called Gods because in their ministery as in a loking glasse they partly represent vnto vs the godhead Although in dede I myslike not this that the olde writers doo expound that Christ was the Angel wher the Scripture saith that the angel of God appered to AbrahaÌ„ Iacob Moses other yet ofteÌ„times where meÌ„tion is made of al the Angels in dede this name is geueÌ„ vnto them And the ought to seme no meruaile For if this honour be geueÌ„ to princes gouernors that in their office they staÌ„d in the stede of God that is soueraigne kynge iudge muche greater cause there is why it shuld be geueÌ„ to the Angels in whom the brightnes of the glory of God much more abundaÌ„tly shineth But the Scripture standeth moste vpon reachyng vs that whyche myght moste make to our comforte and confirmacion of Faithe that is to wete that the Angels are the distributers and administratours of Goddes bountie towarde vs. And therfore the Scripture reciteth that they watche for our safetie they take vpon them the defence of vs they direct our waies they take care that no hurtfull thyng beâ—ide vnto vs. The sentences are vniuersall which principally pertayne to Christ the head of the churche and then to all the faithful He hath geuen his angels charge of thee to kepe thee in all thy waies They shall beare thee vp in their handes least thou chaunce to hitte thy feete agaynst a stone Agayne The angell of the Lorde standeth rounde about them that feare hym and he doothe delyuer them Wherby God sheweth that he apoynteth to his angels the defence of them whom he hath taken in hand to kepe After this order the angel of the Lord doth comfort Agar when she fled away coÌ„mandeth her to be reconciled to her maistresse God promiseth to Abraham his seruant an Angel to be the guide of his iourneye Iacob in blessynge of Ephraim and Manasses praieth that the Angell of the Lorde by whom he himselfe had bene deliuered from all euell may make them prosper So the Angell was set to defende the tentes of the people of Israell And so ofte as it pleased God to reskue Israell out of the handes of their enemies he raised vp reuengers by the ministerie of Angels So finally to the ende I nede not to reherse many mo the Angels mynistred to Christ and were ready assistent to hym in all necessities They brought tydynges to the women of his resurrection and to the disciples of his glorious commyng And so to fulfill their office of defendyng vs they fyght agaynste the deuill and all enemies and doo execute the vengeaunce of God vpon them that are bent against vs. As we reade that the angell of God to deliuer Hierusalem from siege slewe in one nyghte a hundred fowerscore and fiue thousande in the campe of the kyng of Assyria But whether to euery of the faithfull bee a seuerall Angell assigned for their defence I dare not certainely affirme Surely when Daniell bryngeth in the angel of the Persians and the Angel of the Grecians he sheweth that he mente that there are to kyngdomes and prouinces certayn angels appointed as gouernours And when Christ saith that the angels of children doo alway beholde the face of the Father he seemeth to meane that there are certaine angels to whom the preseruation of them is geuen in charge But I can not tell whether we oughte therby to gather that euery one hath his Angell set ouer him But this is to be holden for certaintie that not one angell onely hath care of euery one of vs but that they all by one consent doo watche for oure safetie For it is spoken of all the angels togither that they more reioyce of one sinner conuerted to repentance than of nyntie and nyne iust that haue stande styll in their ryghtuousnesse And it is sayd of mo angels than one that they conueyed the soule of Lazarus into the bosome of Abraham And not without cause did Elizeus shewe to his seruant so many fyery chariots that were peculiarly appointed for hym But one place there is that seemeth more playne than the rest to proue this poynt For when Peter being brought out of prison knocked at the doores of the house where the brethren were assembled when they coulde not imagine that it was he they said it was Angel It shuld seme that this came in their mynde by the common opinion that to euery of the faithfull are assigned their angels for gouernours Albeit yet here it maye be answered that it may wel be not withstandyng any thyng that there appeareth that we may thinke it was any one Angell to whome God had geuen charge of Peter for that time and yet not to be his continuall keeper as the common people do imagin that there are appointed to euery one two Angels as it were diuers ghostes a good Angell and a badde But it is not worthe trauaile curiously to searche for that which dooth not muche importe vs to knowe For if this doo not contente a man that all degrees of the army of heauen do watche for his safetie â–ª I doo not see what he can be the better if he vnderstande that there is one Angell peculiarly appointed to kepe hym And they which restrain vnto one Angell the care that God hath to euery one of vs doo greate wronge to them selues and to all the membres of the church as if that power to succour vs had ben vainely promised vs wherwith beyng enuironed and defended we should fight the more boldly They that dare take vpon theim to define of the multitude and degrees of Angels let them looke well what fundation they haue I graunt Michael is called in Daniel the Great prince and with Iude the Archangell And Paule sayth it shall be an Archangell that shall with sounde of trumpet call men to the Iudgement But who can therby appoynt the degrees of honours betweene Angels or discerne one from an other by speciall markes and appoynt euery one his place and standyng For the two names that are in Scripture Michaell and Gabriell and if you list to adde the thirde out of the hystorie of Thobie may by their signification seme to be geuen to the Angels accordyng to the capacitie of our weakenesse although I had rather leaue that exposition at large As for the numbre of theym wee heare by Christes mouthe of many Legions by Daniell many companies of
doo amisse that after this simple promise of the protection of God alone we still looke about from whense other helpe maye come vnto vs. But for as muche as it pleaseth the Lorde of his infinite clemencie and gentilnesse to helpe this our fault there is no reason why we shoulde neglect his so great benefite An example therof we haue in the seruant of Elizeus whiche when he sawe the hill besieged with the army of the Syrians that there was no way open to escape was striken downe with feare as if his maister and he were then vtterly destroied Then Elizeus praied God to open his seruantes eies and by and by he sawe the hill furnished with horses and fiery chariots that is with a multitude of angels to kepe hym and the prophet safe Encouraged with this vision he gathered vp his hart again was able with a dredelesse mynde to loke down vpon his enemies with sight of whom he was before in a maner driuen out of his witte Wherfore what soeuer is saide of the ministerie of Angels let vs applie it to this ende that ouercommyng all distrust oure hope may bee the more strongely stablished in God For these succours are herefore prouided vs of God that we should not be made afrayde with multitude of enemies as though they coulde preuayle against his helpe but shuld flie vnto that saying of Elizeus that there be mo on our side than be against vs. Howe muche then is it against order of reason that we should be ledde away from God by Angels whiche are ordeined for this purpose to rectifie that his helpe is more present amonge vs But they doo leade vs away in dede if they doo not streight leade vs as it were by the hande to hym that we may haue eie vnto call vpon and publishe hym for our onely helper if we consider not theim to be as his handes that moue them selues vnto worke but by his direction if they do not holde vs faste in the one Mediatoure Christe so that we maye hang wholly of hym leane all vpon hym be caried to hym and reste in him For that whiche is described in the vision of Iacob ought to sticke and be fastened in our myndes howe Angels descende downe to the earth vnto men and from men doo go vp to heauen by a ladder whervppon standeth the Lorde of hostes Wherby is meant that by the only intercession of Christe it cometh to passe that the ministeries of the Angels doo come vnto vs as he hym selfe affirmeth saying Hereafter ye shall see the heauens open and the Angelles descendynge to the Sonne of man Ioh. i.li. Therfore the seruant of Abraham beyng cōmitted to the custody of the Angell dooth not therfore call vpon the Angell to helpe hym but holpen with that commendation he praieth to the Lord and besecheth hym to shewe his mercy to Abraham For as God doeth not therfore make them ministers of his power and goodnesse to the intēt to parte his glory with them so dooth he not therefore promise vs his helpe in their ministration that we shoulde diuide our confidence betwene hym and them Let vs therfore forsake that Platonical◠philosophie to seeke the way to God by Angels and to honour them for this purpose that they may make God more gentill vnto vs whiche superstitious and curious men haue from the beginnyng gone about and to this day doo continue to bryng into our religion As for suche thynges as the Scripture teacheth concernyng deuilles they tende in a maner al to this ende that we may be careful to beware aforehande of their awaites and preparations and furnishe our selues with suche weapons as ar stronge and sure enough to driue away euen the strongest enemies For where as Sathan is called the God and prince of this worlde where as he is named the strong armed man the Spirite that hath power of the ayre and a roaryng lyon these descriptions serue to no other purpose but to make vs more ware and watchefull and readier to entre in battayle with hym Whiche is also somtyme set out in expresse woordes For Peter after he had sayd that the diuell goeth about like a roaryng lyon sekyng whom he may deuoure by and by addeth this exhortation that we strongly resiste hym by Faith And Paul after he had geuen warnyng that we wrastle not with fleshe and bloud but with the princes of the ayre the powers of darkenesse and spirituall wickednesses by and by biddeth vs put on suche armoure as may serue for so greate and daungerous a battayle Wherfore lette vs also applie all to this ende that beyng warned howe there dooth continually approche vpon vs an enemie yea an ennemy that is in courage most hardy in strength most mighty in policies most suttle in diligence celeritie vnweriable with all sortes of engins plentuously furnished in skill of warre most ready we suffer not our selues by slouthe and cowardise to be surprised but on the other syde with bolde and hardy mindes set our foote to resist him and because this warre is only ended by Death encourage our selues to continue But specially knowyng oure owne weaknesse and vnskilfulnesse let vs call vppon the helpe of God and enterprise nothyng but vpon trust of hym for as muche as it is in hym onely to geue vs policie strengthe courage and armour And that we shoulde be the more stirred vp and enforced so to do the Scripture warneth vs that ther are not one or two or a fewe enemies but great armies that make warre with vs. For it is sayde that Mary Magdalene was deliuered from seuen deuyls wherwith she was possessed And Christe sayth that it is the ordinary custome that if after a deuill bee ones caste out a man make the place open agayne he bryngeth seuen spirites worse than him self retourneth into his possession fynding it empty Yea it is saide that a whole legion besieged one man Hereby therefore we are taught that we muste fight with an infinite multitude of enemies least despisyng the fewenesse of them we shulde be more slacke to enter in bataile or thinkyng that we haue som respite in the meane tyme graunted we shoulde geue our selues to idelnesse Where as many tymes Sathan or the diuell is named in the singular numbre thereby is meant that power of wickednesse whiche standeth agaynste the kyngdome of Iustice. For as the Churche and the felowship of saintes haue Christe to their head so the faction of the wycked is paynted out vnto vs with their prince that hath the chiefe authoritie among them After which maner this is spoken Go ye cursed into eternall fyre that is prepared for the deuill and his angels Here also this oughte to stirre vs vp to a pepetuall warre with the diuell for that he is euery where called the enemy of God and of vs. For if we haue regarde of Goddes glory as it is mete we shoulde then ought we with all
deseruyng and the whole summe thereof is fulfilled in Christ. Whoe then dare make the Iewes without Christ with whome we heare that the couenant of the gospell was made whereof Christ is the only fundation Whoe dare make them strangers from the benefite of free saluatioÌ„ to whom we heare that the doctrine of the righteousnesse of fayth was ministred But that we dispute not longe of an euident matter we haue a notable sentence of the Lord. Abraham reioysed that he might see my daye he sawe it was glad And the same thing which Christ there testifieth of Abraham the Apostle sheweth that it was vniuersal in the faithful people wheÌ„ he sayth that Christ abideth yesterday this daye and for euer For he speaketh not there only of the eternall godhed of Christe but also of his power whiche was continually opened to the faythfull Wherefore bothe the blessed Uirgin and Zacharie in their songes do say that the saluation reueled in Christ is the performance of the promises whiche God in olde time had made to Abraham and the Patriarches If the Lord in geuyng his Christ discharged his olde othe it can not be sayd but that the ende therof was alway in Christ and euerlasting life Yea and the Apostle doth make the Israelites egall with vs not only in the grace of the couenant but also in signification of Sacramentes For meanyng by examples of punishmentes wherewith the Scripture reciteth that they were corrected in the olde time to make the Corinthians afrayde that they should not runne into the like offenses he beginneth with this preface that there is no cause why we should chalenge any prerogatiue vnto our selues to deliuer vs from the vengeance of God which they susteined for asmuch as the Lord did not only graunt vnto them the same benefites but he hath gloriously set forth his grace among them with the same tokens As yf he should haue sayd If ye trust that ye be out of peril bicause both Baptisme wherewith ye be marked and the Supper which ye dayly receyue haue excellent promises and in the meane time despisyng the goodnesse of God ye are liceÌ„tiously wanton Know ye that the Iewes also were not without such sacramentes against whom yet the Lord did most seuerely put his iudgementes in execution They were Baptized in passyng ouer the Sea and in the cloude wherewith they were defended from the burnyng heate of the sonne They saye that that same passage was a carnall Baptisme whiche after a certayne proportion answereth to our spirituall Baptisme But yf that were allowed true the Apostles argument could not procede which meaneth here to haue this taken away from the Christians that they thinke that they excell the Iewes by the prerogatiue of Baptisme Neyther is that whiche by and by after foloweth subiect to this cauillation that they did eate the same spirituall meate that we eate and dronke the same spiritual drinke whiche he expoundeth to be Christ. To ouerthrowe this sentence of Paule they obiecte that whiche Christ sayth Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are dead he that eateth my fleshe shall not dye for euer Whiche two places are very easily made to agree together The Lorde bycause he then talked to hearers that sought only to bee filled with foode of their belly but cared not for the meate of the soule tempered his talke somewhat to their capacitie but specially he frameth the comparison of Manna and of his bodye accordynge to their sense They required that he to gette himselfe some credite woulde approue his power with doynge some suche miracle as Moses dyd in the wildernesse when he obâ—eyned Manna from Heauen But in Manna they conceyued nothynge but the remedie of carnall hunger wherewith the people was then vexed but they pearced not to that hyer misterie whiche Paule hath respect vnto Christ therefore to shewe howe muche greater a benefite they ought to loke for at his hande than that which they reported that Moses dyd bestow vpon their fathers frameth this comparison If it were a great miracle in your opinion and worthye to be remembred that the Lorde by Moses ministred fonde from Heauen to his people to susteine them for a smal time that they should not perishe for hunger in the wildernesse gather hereby howe muche more excellente is the meate that geueth immortalitie We see why the Lord passed ouer that thyng whiche was principall in Manna and spake onely of the bacest profit of it euen bycause the Iewes as it were of purpose to reproche hym dyd caste Moses in his teeth whiche succored the necessitie of the people with remedie of Manna he answered that he is the minister of a muche hyer grace in comparison whereof the carnall fedynge of the people whiche alone they so muche estemed ought of righte to be nothyng regarded But Paule bycause he knewe that the Lord when he rayned Manna from heauen dyd not only poure it downe for the seding of their belly but also dyd distribute it for a spirituall misterie to be a figure of the spiâ—ituall quickenynge that is had in Christ dyd not neglecte that parte that was most worthy of consideration Wherfore it certainely and clerely foloweth that the same promises of eternall and heueÌ„ly life whiche nowe the Lord vouchesaueth to graunt vnto vs were not only communicated vnto the Iewes but also sealed with very spiritual SacrameÌ„tes Of whiche mater Augustine disputeth largely agaynst Faustus the Manichee But yf the readers had rather to haue testimonies alledged vnto them out of the lawe and the Prophetes whereby they may perceyue that the spirituall couenant was common also to the fathers as we heare by Christ and the Apostles I will also follow that desire and so muche the more willingly bycause by that meane the aduersaries shal be more surely conuinced so that they shall haue afterwarde no waye to dallye And I will beginne at that profe whiche although I knowe that the Anabaptistes pride will thinke verye fonde and in a manner to bee laughed at yet shall muche auayle with suche reders as are willyng to learne and haue their sounde wit And I take it as a principle confessed that there is suche effectuall force of lyfe in the worde of God that whome so euer God vouchesaueth to be partakers therof it quickeneth their soules For this sayeng Peter hath alwaye ben of force that it is the incorruptible seede whiche abideth for euer as he also gathereth out of the wordes of Esaye Now sithe God in the old time bound the Iewes vnto him with this holy bouÌ„d it is no doubt that he did also seuer them into the hope of eternal life For when I saye they embraced the worde whiche should ioyne them â—â—yer to God I take it for the maner of coÌ„municatyng it not that generall manner whiche is poured abrode throughout the heauen and earth and all the creatures of the world whiche although it do quickeÌ„ all thinges
death to make vs a new creature For we se that oftentimes specially of the Apostle the goodnes of god is set foorth vnto vs by this title God saith he which is riche in mercy for the great loue wherw t he loued vs euen whē we were dead by sinnes hath made vs aliue together in Christ. c. In an other place wher vnder the figure of Abrahā he entreateth of the general calling of the faithful he saith it is God that geueth life to the dead calleth those thinges that are not as though they were If we be nothyng what I beseche you can we do Wherfore the lord strongly beateth downe this arrogancie in the historie of Iob in these wordes who preuenteth me I shal rendre it him for al thinges ar mine Which sentēce Paul expoūding applieth it to this that we shold not think that we bring ani thīg to the lord but mere shame of needines emptines Wherfore in the place aboue cited to proue that we ar come into the hope of saluatiō by his grace alone not by works he allegeth that we ar his creatures bicause we ar new begottē in Christ Iesus to the good works which he hath prepared that we shuld walk in thē As if he had said which of vs may boaste that he hathe with his righteousnes prouoked God sith our first power to do good procedeth out of regeneratiō For as we ar made by nature oyle shal soner be wrong out of a stone thā a good work out of vs. Truly it is wonderful if mā being condēned of so great a shame dare yet say that ther remaineth ani thing with him Therefore let vs confesse with this noble instrumēt of God that we ar called of God with a holy callīg no◠accordīg to our works but accordīg to his purpose grace that the kindnes loue of God our sauior toward vs hath appeared bicause he hath saued vs not by the works of righteousnes which we haue don but according to his own mercie that being iustified by his grace we might be made the heires of eternal life Bi this confessiō we dispoil mā of al righteousnes euē to the least litle pece therof til he be bi only merci regenerate into hope of eternal life forasmuch as if the righteousnes of works do brīg any thīg toward the iustifyīg of vs it is falsly said that we ar iustified by grace Truly thapostle had not forgottē hīself whē he affirmed iustificatiō to be of fre gift which in an other place resoneth that grace is now not grace if works do any thing auail And what other thīg doth the lord mean whē he saith that he came not to cal righteous mē but sinners If only sinners ar receaued why seeke we an entry by fained righteousnesses Stil this same thought hath now thē recourse to my mind that it is peril least I shold do wrong to the mercies of God which do so carefully trauail in prouīg of this thīg as though it wer doutful or darke But bycause our enuiousnes is such as vnlesse it be most straightli thrust out of place it neuer yeldeth to God that which is his I ā cōpelled to tary sōwhat the lōger vpō it Yet for asmuche as the scripture is clere inough in this matter I wil in fighting rather vse the words therof thē mine own Esai whē he hath described the vniuersal destructiō of mākind doth īmediatly after veri fitly adioyn the ordre of restoring The lord hath seen it semed 〈◊〉 in his eyes And he saw that ther is no mā he maruailed that there is none that offereth himself he hath set saluatiō in his own arm hath strēgthned hīself with his own righteousnes Where are our righteousnesses if it be true which the prophet saith that ther is no mā that helpeth the lord in recouerīg his saluatiō So an other prophet wher he bringeth in the lord discoursīg of the recōciling of sīners to hīself saith I wil espouse the to me for euer in righteousnes iudgmēt grace mercie I wil sai to hir that hath not obteined merci thou hast obtained merci If such couenāt which it is certain to be the first cōioyning that we haue with God stādeth vpō the mercy of god ther is left no foūdatiō of our own righteousnes And I wold fain learn of those mē which fame that mā meteth God with sō righteousnes of works whether thei think that ther is ani righteousnes at al but that which is acceptable to God If it be madnes to thīk so what acceptable thīg to god cā procede frō his enemies whō he wholli abhorreth with al their doings That al we I sai ar the dedli professed enemies of our god the truth it self testifieth til being iustified we ar receiued into frēdship If iustified 〈◊〉 the beginnīg of loue what righteousnes of works shal go before 〈…〉 Ihon to turne away that pestilent arrogance dothe diligently put vs in mind how we did not first loue him And the self same thing the lord had long before taught bi his prophet I wil loue thē saih he with a fre loue bicause mine anger is turned Certainly his loue is not prouoked by workes if it hath of his owne accorde inclined it self vnto vs. But the rude cōmon sorte of men think it to be nothing els but that no mā hathe deserued that Christ shoulde performe oure redēption yet that to the entring into the possession of redemptiō we be holpen by our owne works Yea but hosoeuer we be redemed of Christ yet till we be by the calling of the Father graffed into the communion of him we are bothe heires of darkenesse and death and the enemies of God For Paul teacheth that we are not cleansed wasshed from our vncleannesses by the blood of Christ vntill the holy ghoste worketh y◠cleansing in vs. Whiche same thing Peter minding to teache declareth that the sancrifinge of the Spirite auaileth vnto obedience the sprinkling of the bloode of Christ. If we be by the Spirite sprinkled with the bloode of Christ vnto cleansing lette vs not thinke that before such watering we be any other than a sinner is without Christ. Let this therfore remaine certaine that the beginning of oure saluatiō is as yt were a certain resurrectiō frō death to life bicause when for Christes sake it is geuē to vs to beleue in him thē we first begin to passe frō death into life Under this sort are comprehended they whyche haue in the diuision aboue set ben noted for the second third sort of men For the vncleannesse of conscience proueth that both of them ar not yet regenerate by the Spirit of God And againe wheras there is no regeneration in them this proueth the want of faith Wherby appeareth that thei are not yet reconciled to God nor yet iustified in his sight forasmuch as these good
very same places in which the holy ghoste promiseth to works eternal glorie for reward in expressing the inheritance bi name he sheweth the it coÌ„meth froÌ„ els where So Christ rehearseth works which he recompenseth with the rewarding of heaueÌ„ when he calleth the elect to the possessioÌ„ therof but he therwtal adioyneth that it must be possessed by right of inheritance So Paul biddeth seruantes which do their duetie faithefully to hope for reward of the lord but he addeth of inheritance We see how thei do as it were by expresse wordes proued that we impute not eternall blessednes to works but â—o the adoptioÌ„ of god Why therfore do thei therwtal together make mentioÌ„ of works This questioÌ„ shal be made plaine with one exaÌ„ple of scripture Before the birth of Isaac ther was promised to Abraham a seede in which al the nations of the earth shold be blessed a multiplieng of his sede which shold match the starres of the skie and the sandes of the sea other like In many yeares afterwarde Abraham as he was coÌ„maunded bi the oracle prepared himself to offer vp his soÌ„ne in sacrifice When he had performed this obedience he receyued a promise I haue sworne by my selfe saith the lorde bicause yâ— hast done thys thing hast not spared thine own only begotteÌ„ sonne I wil blesse thee and multiplie thy sede as the starres of the skie the sandes of the sea thy sede shal possesse the gates of their enemies al the nations of the earth shal be blessed in thy seede bicause yâ— hast obeied my voice What heare we Hathe AbrahaÌ„ by his obedience deserued the blessing the promise wherof he had receiued before that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t was geuen Here verily we haue it wtout circuÌ„stances shewed that the lord rewardeth the workes of the faithful with those benefites which he had already geuen theÌ„ before that the works were thought of hauing yet no cause why he shoulde do good to them but his owne mercie Yet doth the Lord not deceiue nor mocke vs when he saith that he rendreth for rewarde to workes the same thing which he hadde before workes freely geuen For bicause he will haue vs to be exercised wyth good workes to thinke vpoÌ„ the deliuerie or enioyeng as I may so call it of these things which he hath promised and to runne through them to the blessed hope set before vs in heauen the frute of the promises is also rightly assigned to theÌ„ to the ripenesse wherof thei do not bring vs. The Apostle very fittly expressed both these points when he said that the Colossians applie themselues to the duties of charitie for the pope which is laied vp for them in heauen of which thei had before heard by the word of the true speaking Gospel For wheÌ„ he saith that thei knew by the Gospel that there was hope layed vp for them in heauen he declareth that the same is by Christ only not vnderpropped with any works Wherew t accordeth that saieng of Peter that the godly are kept by the power of God through faith vnto the saluatioÌ„ which is ready to be manifestli shewed at the time appointed for it When he sayth that thei labor for it he signifieth that the faithfull must runne all the time of their life that thei may atteine to it But least we shoulde thinke that the rewarde whiche the lorde promiseth vs is not reduced to the measure of merit he did putte forth a parable in which he made himselfe a householder whiche sent al them that he met to the trimming of his vineyarde some at the first houre of the daye some at the second some at the thirde yea some aâ—o at the xi At euening he payed to euery one egall wages The expositioÌ„ of whiche parable that same olde writer what soeuer he was whose booke is carried abroade vnder the name of Ambrose of the callinge of the Gentiles hathe breefely and truely sette oute I wyll vse rather his woordes than myne owne The Lorde saithe hee by the rule of thys comparison hath stablished the dyuersitie of manifolde calling belonging to one grace where without doubt thei whiche beinge lette in into the vineyard at the xi houre are made egal with them that had wrought the whole day do represeÌ„t the estate of theÌ„ whom for the aduanciÌ„g of the excellency of grace the tender kindenes of the lord hath rewarded at the wauing of the day and at the ending of their life not paieng wages for their labore but pouring out the richesse of his goodnes vpoÌ„ theÌ„ whome he hath chosen wtout works that euen thei also which haue swet in great laboure haue receiued no more than the last may vnderstand that they haue receiued a gift of grace not a reward of works Last of al this also is worthy to be noted in these places wher eternal life is called the rewarde of works that it is not simply takeÌ„ for the communicating which we haue with God to blessed immortalitie wheÌ„ hee embraceth vs with fatherly good wil in Christe but for the possessing or enioying as thei cal it of blessednesse as also that very words of Christ do sound In time to come life euerlasting And in an other place Come possesse the kingdome c. After this manner Paul calleth adoptioÌ„ the reueling of the adoptioÌ„ which shal be made in the resurrectioÌ„ afterward expouÌ„deth it the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of our body Otherwise as estranging froÌ„ God is eternal death so when man is receiued of God into fauour that he may enioye the coÌ„municating of him be made one with him hee is receiued froÌ„ death to life which is done by the beneficiall meane of adoption onely And if as thei are wonte thei stiffely enforce the reward of works we maie tourne against them that saieng of Peter that eternall life is the rewarde of faith Therfore let vs not think that the holy ghoste doth with such promise set forth the worthinesse of our works as if thei deserued such rewarde For the scripture leaueth nothing to vs wherof we may be aduauÌ„ced in the sight of God But rather it wholy endeuoreth to beate down oure arrogance to humble vs to throwe vs downe altogether to breake vs in peces But our weaknes is so succoured which otherwyse wold by by slippe fal down vnlesse it did susteine it self with this expectation mitigate her tedious greues with coÌ„fort First how harde it is for a man to forsake deny not only al his things but also himselfe let euery man consider for himself And yet with this introduction Christ traineth his schollers that is all the godly Then throughout all their life he so instructeth theÌ„ vnder the discipline of the crosse that thei may not set their hearte eyther to the desire or coÌ„fideÌ„ce of present good things Brefely he so handleth them for the most part that which way so euer they tourne their
ful perfection of felicitie as we are taught in many places Abraham I am thy reward excedyng great With which sayeng accordeth Dauid The Lord is my portioÌ„ the lot hath very wel fallen to me Againe in an other place I shal be satisfied with thy countenance But Peter pronounceth that the faithfull are called to this end that they may be made partakers of the nature of God How sâ—â— bicause he shal be glorified in all his saintes and shal be made wonderfull in them that haue beleued If the Lord will enterparten his glorie power and righteousnesse with his elect yea and will geue himself to them to be enioyed and which is better will after a certayne manner growe into one with them let vs remeÌ„ber that vnder this benefit is conteyned all kinde of felicitie And when we haue much profited in this meditation let vs reknowledge that we yet staye beneth at the bottome of the rootes if the conceiuyng of our minde be compared with the highnesse of this misterie Wherfore in this behalfe we muste kepe sobrietie least with howe muche greater boldinesse we shal flie vp on hye beyng vnmindefull of our owne smal measure so muche more the brightnesse of the heauenly glorie ouerwhelme vs. We fele also how the vnmeasurable gredinesse to knowe more than is lawfull tickleth vs from whense bothe triflynge and hurtfull questions do spryng from time to time triflyng I call those of whiche there can no profit be gathered But this seconde kinde is worse bycause they whiche geue themselues to them doe entangle themselues with pernicious speculations and therefore I call them hurtfull That whiche the Scriptures do teache ought to be out of all dout with vs namely that as God diuersly distributyng his giftes to the Saintes in this world doth vnequally enlighten them so the measure of glorie shal not be equal in heaueÌ„ where God shall crowne his giftes For neyther doth this belong indifferently to all whiche Paule sayth Ye are my glorie and crowne in the daye of Christ nor also that sayeng of Christ to the Apostles Ye shall sit iudgyng the twelue tribes of Israell But Paule whiche knowe that as God enricheth the holy ones with spirituall giftes in earth so he beautifieth them with glorie in heauen douteth not that there is a peculiar crowne layed vp for him accordynge to the rate of his labors And Christ to set forth to the Apostles the dignitie of the office which they dyd beare telleth them that the frute thereof is layed vp for them in heauen So Daniel also sayth But the wise shal shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they whiche iustifie many as Sterres to the worldes ende and for euer And yf a man heedefully consider the Scriptures they doe not only promise eternall lyfe to the faythfull but also speciall rewarde to euery one Whereupon commeth that sayeng of Paule The Lord render to him in that daye Whiche the promise of Christ confirmeth Ye shall receyue a hundred folde in the eternall life Finally as Christ beginneth in this worlde the glory of his bodye with manifolde diuersitie of giftes and encreaseth it by degrees so he shall also make it perfect in heauen But as al the Godly will receyue this with one consent bycause it is sufficiently testified by the worde of God so on the other side leauyng crabbed questions whiche they shall know to be a hinderance to them they will not passe their apoynted bondes As for my part I doe not onely priuately forbeare superfluous searchyng of vnprofitable thinges but I also thynke that I ought to beware that I do not whithe answeryng nourishe the lightnesse of other Men hungry of vayne knowledge doe aske howe greate shal be the distance betwene the Prophetes and the Apostles and agayne betwene the Apostles and the Martyrs how many degrees Uirgins differ from maried folkes finally they leaue no corner of heauen vnsearched Then it commeth in their mindes to enquire to what purpose serueth the repairing of the worlde sith the children of God shal nede nothing of all this so greate and incomparable plentie but shall be lyke to the Angels whose not eatinge is a Signe of the eternall blessednesse But I aunswere that in the very syghte there shal be so great pleasantnesse so greate swetenesse in the onely knoweledge withoute any vse that this felicitie shall farre passe all the helpes wherwith we be now holpen Let vs imagine oure selues to bee sette in the moste wealthy coaste of the worlde and where we shall wante no pleâ—sure yet whoâ— is there whome his sickenesse do not somtime hinder and not suffer to vse the benefites of God Who is there whose course his owne intemperance doth not ofte breake in sunder Wherevpon foloweth that a cleare enioying and pure from al faulte although there be no vse of corruptible life is the perfection of felicitie Some goe further and aske whether drosse and other corruptions in metalles bee not far from restoring and are contrarie to it Whiche though in some respect I graunt them yet I loke with Paule for the repairing of these faults which toke their beginning at sinne towarde whiche repairing they grone and are in trauaile Yet they procede further and aske what better estate is prepared for man sithe the blessing of issue shall them be at an ende This knot is also easy to be loosed Whereas the Scripture so honorably setteth out that kinde of blessyng that is referred to the encreasces wherewith God continually draweth forward the ordre of nature her marke but in the perfectioÌ„ it is knowen that there is an other manner But sithe the vnware are easily taken with allurementes and then the maze draweth them in depelier and at length when euery mans deuises please himselfe there is no ende of stryuyng therefore let this be a shorte waye for vs to be contented with the glasse darke speach vntil we shal see face to face For fewe of a greate multitude care whiche waye they may go to heauen but all do before their time couet to knowe what is done there All being commonly sluggish slow to enter into battells do already paint out to themselues imagined triumphes Now bycause noe description canne matche the greuousnesse of the vengeance of God vpon the reprobate theyr tormentes and peines ar fygured to vs by bodyly things namely by darkenesse weping gnasshinge of teethe vnquencheable fyer and a worme endlessly gnawinge the hearte For by suche manners of speache it is certaine that the Holy ghooste meante to trouble all oure senses wyth horror as when yt ys sayde that there ys prepared from eternitie a deepe Hell that the nouryshmentes thereof are fyre and much wood that the blast of the Lord as a streame of bremstone doth set it on fier As by such thinges we muste by holpen after a certaine manner to conceyue the miserable state of the wicked so we ought chiefely to fasten
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
comming diminished or cut short the grace of his Father Which sayeng is not wtout abhominable blasphemie Wherfore as euen the children of the Iewes wer called a holy sede because beyng made heires of the same couenant they were made differing from the children of the vngodly for the same reson euen yet also the children of Christians are accompted holy yea although they be the issue but of one parent faythfull and as the Apostle witnesseth they differ from the vncleane sede of idolatrers Now when the Lord immediatly after the couenant made with Abraham commaunded the same to be sealed in infantes with an outwarde Sacrament what cause will Christians allege why they should not at this day testifie and seale thesame in their children Neither let any maÌ„ obiecte against me that the Lorde commaunded hys couenante to be confirmed with no other signe than of circumcision which is long agoe taken away For we haue in redinesse to answere that for the tyme of the olde testamente he ordeined circumcision to confirme his couenant but circumcision being taken away yet alway remaineth the same maner of confirming whiche we haue common with the Iewes Wherfore we must alway diligently consider what is common to bothe and what they haue seuerall from vs. The couenant is common the cause of confirming it is common Onely the manner of confirming is diuerse because circumcision was that to them in place whereof Baptisme hath succeded among vs. Otherwise if the testimonie whereby the Iewes were assured of the saluation of their sede be taken away from vs it shoulde be broughte to passe by the comming of Christ that the grace of God should be darker and lesse approued by testimonies to vs than it was before to the Iewes If that can not be sayd wtout extreme sclaunder of Christ by whom the infinite goodnesse of the Father hath more clerely and liberally than euer heretofore ben poured fourth vpon the earth and declared to men we must nedes graunt that it is at the least not more pinchingly to be suppressed nor to be sett fourth with lesse testimonie than it was vnder the darke shadowes of the lawe Wherefore the Lorde Iesus mynding to shewe a token whereby the worlde mighte vnderstande that he was come rather to enlarge than to limit the mercy of God gently embraced children offred vnto hym rebuking the disciples which went about to forbid them to come to hym forasmuche as they did leade those to whome the kingdome of heauen belongeth away from him by whome alone the entrie is open into heauen But will some man say what like thing hath Baptisme with this embracing of Christ. For neither is it reported that he Baptized them but that he receiued them embraced them and wished them well Therefore if we lift to folowe his example let vs helpe infantes with prayer but not Baptise them But let vs weye the doinges of Christe somwhat more hedefully than suche kinde of men doe For neither is this to be lightly passed ouer that Christ commaundeth infantes to be brought vnto him adding a reasoÌ„ why because of such is the kingdome of heauen And afterwarde he witnesseth hys wil with dede when embracing them he commendeth them to his Father with his praier and blessing If it be mete that infantes be brought to Christ why is it not also mete that they be receiued to Baptisme the signe of our communion and felowship with Christ If the kingdome of heaueÌ„ be theirs why shall the signe be denied them wherby there is as it were an entrie opened into the Chirch that being admitted into it they may be adnoÌ„bred among the hetres of the heauenly kingdome Howe vninst shall we be if we dryue away them whome Christ calleth vnto hym if we spoyle them whome he garnisheth with his gyftes if we shutt out them whoÌ„ he willingly receiueth But if we will examine howe muche that which Christe there did differeth from Baptisme yet of howe muche greater pryce shall we haue Baptisme whereby we testifie that infantes are conteined in the couenant of God than receiuing embracing layeng on of handes and prayer whereby Christe himselfe being presente declareth that they bothe are hys and are sanctified of hym By the other cauillations whereby they labor to mocke out thys place they doe nothing but bewraye their owne ignorance For they gather an argument of this which Christ sayth Let litle ones come to me that they were in age good bigg ones whiche were allredy able to goe But they are called of the Euangelistes brephe and paidia by which wordes the Grekes doe signifie babes yet hanging on the brestes Therefore thys woorde to come is simply sette for to haue accesse Loe what snares they are compelled to make which are growen hard againste the truthe Nowe where they saye that the kingdome of heauen is not geuen to them but to suche as be lyke them because it is saied to be of suche not of them that is no sounder than the rest For if that be graunted what maner of reason shal the reason of Christ be wherby he meaneth to shewe that infantes in age are not strangers from hym When he commaundeth that infantes be suffered to haue accesse vnto him nothyng is plainer than that very infancie in dede is there spoken of And that this should not seme an absurditie he by and by addeth of suche is the kingdome of heauen But if it muste nedes be that infantes be comprehended herein it muste be plaine that by this worde Suche are meant very infantes themselues and suche as be like them Now there is no man that seeth not that Baptisme of infantes was not framed by man which is vpholden by so great approuyng of Scripture Neither doo they colorably enough play the fooles which obiect that it is no where found that any one infant was baptised by the handes of the Apostles For although it be not expressly by name rehearsed of the Euangelistes yet because agayne they are not excluded so ofte as mention happeneth to be made of the baptisyng of any householde who vnlesse he be madde can reason therupon that they were not baptised If such argumentes were of any force women should be forbidden to partake of the Lordes supper whome we reade not to haue ben receiued vnto it in the tyme of the Apostles But here we bee contente with the rule of faith For when we consider what the institution of the Sâ—pper requireth therby also we maye easily iudge to whom the vse therof ought to be communicated Which we obserue also in Baptisme For when we marke to what ende it was ordeined we euidently espye that it belongeth no lesse to infants than to elder folkes Therefore they can not be depriued of it but that the will of the author muste be manifestly defrauded But wheras they spred abrode among the simple people that there passed a long roawe of yeares after the resurrection of Christ in which the Baptisme of
As when he promised euerlastyng blessednesse to his seruant Abraham that he myght sett before his eies a manifest token of his fauor he addeth an other promise concernyng the possession of the lande of Chanaan After this maner we ought to vnderstande al the earthly promises that are geuen to the Iewiche nation that the spirituall promise as the hed wherunto they are directed shold alway haue the chefe place But sithe I haue more largely entreated of these thynges in the difference of the newe and olde testament therfore nowe I do the more slightly knitte it vp In the namyng of the children they finde this diuersitie that in the olde testament they were called the children of Abraham whiche issued of his sede but that nowe they are called by that name whiche follow his faith And that therfore that carnall infantie which was by circuÌ„cision graffed into the felowship of the couenant figured the infantes of the newe testament whyche are regenerate by the worde of God to immortall lyfe In whych woordes we beholde in dede a smalle sparcle of truthe but herin these lyghte spirites greuously offende that when they catche holde of that whyche fyrste commeth to theyr hande when they should go further and compare many thynges together they stand slytly vpon one worde Wherby it can not otherwyse bee but that they must somtyme be deceiued whych rest vpon the sounde knowlege of nothyng We graunt in dede that the carnall seede of Abraham did for a tyme holde the place of the spirituall sede whiche is by faith graffed into hym For we be called his children howsoever there is no naturall kinred betwene hym and vs. But if they meane as they playnly shew that they doo that there was neuer spirituall blessing promised to the carnal sede of Abraham herein they are muche deceiued Wherfore we muste leuell to a better marke whereunto we are directed by the moste certaine guidyng of the Scripture The Lorde therefore promised to Abraham that he shoulde haue a seede wherein all nations of the earthe shall be blessed and therwithall assureth hym that he would be a God to hym and his sede Whosoeuer do by Faith receiue Christe the author of blessyng are heires of this promise and therefore are called the children of Abraham But althoughe sins the resurrection of Christe the boundes of the kingdome of God haue begonne to be farre and wide enlarged into all nations without difference that according to the saying of Christ faithfull ones should be gathered from euery part to sit downe in the heaueÌ„ly glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob yet he had many ages before extended that same so great mercie to the Iewes And because passing ouer all other he had chosen out that only nation in which he wold restraine his grace for a tyme called them his peculiar possessioÌ„ his purchased people For testifiyng of suche liberalitie Circumcision was geuen by the signe wherof the Iewes might be taught that God is to them the author of saluation by which knowledge their myndes were raised into hope of eternal life For what shal he want whoÌ„ God hath ons receiued into his charge Wherfore the Apostle meaning to proue that the Gentiles were the children of Abraham as well as the Iewes speaketh in this maner Abraham saith he was iustified by faith in vncircuÌ„cision Afterward he receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that he should be the father of all the faithfull both of vncircumcision and of circumcision not of them that glorie of only circumcision but of them that folow the fâ—â—th which our father Abraham had in vncircumcision Do not we see that both sortes are made egall in dignitie â–ª For during the tyme appointed by the decree of God he was the father of circumcision When the wall being plucked downe as the Apostle writeth in an other place by which the Iewes wer seuered from the Gentiles the entrie was made open to them also into the kingdome of God he was made their father and that without the signe of circumcision because they haue Baptisme in stede of circumcision But wher he expresly by name denyeth that Abraham is father to them which are of circumcision only that same was spoken to abate the pride of certaine which omittyng the care of godlynesse did bost themselues of only Ceremonies After which maner at this day also their vanitie may be confuted which seke in Baptisme nothyng but water But an other place of the Apostle out of the .ix. Chapiter of the Epistle to the Romaines shal be alleged to the contrary where he teacheth that they whiche are of the fleshe are not the children of Abraham but they onely are compted his sede whiche are the children of promise For he seemeth to signifie that the carnall kynred of Abraham is nothyng which yet we do set in some degre But it is more diligeÌ„tly to be marked what mater the Apostle there entreateth of For meaning to shew to the Iewes how much the goodnesse of god was not bouÌ„d to the sede of AbrahaÌ„ yea howe it nothyng auayleth of it selfe he bringeth forth Ismael and Esau for example proue it whome beeyng refused as if they were strangers although they were accordyng to the fleshe the naturall ofspryng of Abraham the blessing rested in Isaac and Iacob Wherupon is gathered that which he afterwarde affirmeth that saluation hangeth of the mercie of God whiche he extendeth to whome it pleaseth hym and that there is no cause why the Iewes shold stand in their own conceite or boast vpon the name of the couenaÌ„t vnlesse they kepe the law of the couenant that is to say do obey the worde Agayne when he hath throwen them downe from vaine confidence of their kinred yet because on the other side he sawe that the couenant which was ones made of God with the posteritie of Abraham coulde in no wyse be made voyd in the xi chapiter he argueth that the carnall kinred is not to be spoyled of his due dignitie by the beneficiall meane wherof he teacheth that the Iewes are the first and naturall heires of the Gospell but in respecte that by their vnthankfulnesse they were forsaken as vnworthy yet so that the heuenly blessyng is not vtterly remoued from their nation For whiche reason howe muche soeuer they were stubborne and couenant breakers neuerthelesse he calleth them holye so muche honor he geueth to the holy generation with whom God had vouchsaued to make his holy couenant but calleth vs if we be compared with them as it were after borne yea or the vntimely borne children of Abraham and that by adoption not by nature as if a twigg broken of from his naturall tree should be graffed into a strange stocke Therefore that they should not be defrauded of their prerogatiue it behoued that the Gospel should be first preached to them for they be in the household of God as it were the first begotten children