felynge after death of good nor euyll what shoulde thys narracion of the Lorde be but a fable and as a tale of the boke of Mellusine Therefore thys tergiuersation of the Anabaptistes is a blasphemye which dishonoreth the Lord Iesus as thoughe he had told vs a vayne tale to no purpose Besides this it is a folyshe imaginacion repugnaunte to humayne sence as lyttell chyldren maye perceyue ☞ And thys is the promes whyche was made vnto the poore theife whan he axed mercy on the crosse For the Lord Iesus answered hym This daye shalt thou be wyth me in paradice By thys word paradice we nede not to imagen that he woulde specifye a certayne place but onely the Ioye and felicitie which they haue that liue with him This is plaine that Iesus Christe doeth not sende thys poer synner to the daye of resurrection but doeth assigne him the selfe same daye to liue eternallye in his companye The Anabaptistes to trifel out thys place do alledge that whiche is sayed in a nother place that a thousande yeres are as one day before the Lorde Whiche thinge we graunt vnto them but thys muste we consider that when God speaketh vnto men he frameth hys speache accordynge vnto their capiacitye In suche wyse that you shall neuer finde in the scripture that God hath at any time sayed I wyll thys daye do thys meanynge that he wyll do it a thousande yeres after In suche maner whan Ionas shewed the Niniuites that after fortye dayes their Citye shoulde perishe it hadde bene greate folye for them to haue vnderstanded fortye thousand yeres Lykewyse whan the Lorde sayde that he woulde ryse agayne the thyrde daye we knowe he speake after the common maner of menne But I wyll sease from thys matter for as muche as all men do see howe muche the Anabaptistes haue bene begyled in vsynge of suche euasions They haue yet a nother cauilation To daye doeth signifye the tyme of the newe testamente And to proue thys they abuse thys sentâ—nce whyche is in the Epâ—stell to the Ebrues that Iesus Christe whyche was yester daye is to daye and shal be for euer But they se not that if we shoulde so expound the word thys day the word yester day shoulde signifye the tyme of the olde Testament and so shoulde it folowe that the Lord Iesus dyd begyn to be whych were a great absurdite for as much as we knowe that he is our eternall God and also touchynge his humanitie he is called the Lambe sacrificed from the begynnyng of the worlde Moreouer after theyr sayinge we myghte conclude that they whole sinnes Iesus Christ hath forgeuen ought to enter into heaueÌ„ before the daye of the resurrection For the Apostle speaketh of thre tymes of the whyche the one as I thynke sygnifieth the daye of the olde testamente and the other signifieth the tyme whyche shal be from the renewynge of the worlde Therefore it resteth that thys word to daye must signifye the tyme in whych we be whych is betwen the death of Iesus Christe hys last commyng And that they may the better knowe theyr beastlynes If Iesus Christ had promised heauen vnto the these for the day of IudgemeÌ„t he ought to haue sayd in the worlde to come and not thys daye For that is the scriptures maner of speakynge Who thinketh them not ouercome by thys cleare reason Yet is theyr impudency suche that they brynge yet an other replycation whyche is that heauen is promised vnto the thefe in lyke sorte as deathe was pronouÌ„ced to Adam and Eua in what daye so euer they shoulde eate of the fruyte whyche was forbydden theym Nowe is it certayne that they dyed not the same day but longe time after I answere that in the same instaunce that Adam traunsgressed the commaundement of God he dyed as touchynge the soule For as muche as he was alienate whyche was hys verye lyfe and was made subiecte to bodily death And thus thoughe we shoulde receyue theyr glose yet spyte of theyr teathe shall we haue wonne this much of them that in the selfe same daye the thiefe was deliuered from the misery in whych Adam was fallen by hys offence In summâ— we conclude that euen as deathe beganne to raygne in Adam froÌ„ the daye of hys traunsgression euen so the thyefe the same daye in whyche the promise was made vnto him beganne to be restored into the beatitude of heauen We se that S Paule liued in this hope wheÌ„ he sayed that he desyered to be losed to lyue wyth Christe Fyrst he vseth an apte speach in sayinge that the fayethfull man thorowe deathe is deliuered frome the bandes of hys bodye as in an other place he doeth more clearlye expresse it Further he addeth that his desyre is to be with the Lord Christ wheÌ„ hys soule shall be seperated from the bodye And in dede if it be not thys these wordes whiche he speaketh in an other place can not be true that there is neyther lyfe nor deathe whyche can seperate vs from the â—oue whyche God hath vnto vs. For if we perishe by death or that oure soule lese hyr lyfe howe canne the loue of God consist towardes vs but thys is more playnelye deduced in an other place where he sayeth We knowe that if our earthly house of the tabernacle of our bodye were destroyed we haue a buildynge in heauen by God whych is not made with handes Therefore beynge in thys tabernacle we morne as beyng greaued not that we desyre to be vnclothed but clothed agayne that our mortalitie myght be swallowed vp of lyfe Notwythstandynge we be alwayes of good courage knowinge that whylse we be in our bodyes we be as straungers frome God bycause we walke by fayeth and not by syghte ¶ But we haue thys confidence and desyre to be seperat from the body and to be present wyth God bycause there is made mention there of the daye of iudgemente The Anabaptistes do theyr indeuoure to wrape vp al there that they myght drawe all the wordes of the Apostle vnto that daye But they can not do so muche but that the trueth wyll be yet more stroÌ„ger to maintain it selfe against theyr false accusations For the Apostle doth saye expresly that the fayethfull man departynge frome hys bodye goeth to God from whom he was absent in thys worlde After that he addeth that as well absente as present we do our indeuour to please God bycause we muâ—â—e al come before hys iudgement seate That man is very obstinate and more then hardened agaynste all reason whyche wyll not consente vnto these wordes Nowe is it so that the Anabaptistes in place where saynte Paule sayeth that by death we approche to God do make vs beleue that wee retule and be further of then in thys presente lyfe ☞ That so it is it is wrytten that he whiche beleueth in the sonne of God shall not come into coÌ„demnation but is already gone from death vnto lyfe If lyfe euerlastyng be alreadye
poore phantasticalles do saye For accordyng to their phantasie the holye Gost oughte fyrste to be geuen to hys disciples and than consequentlye the signe But what nede is it to dispute more herof seynge we haue the thynge so clere ¶ Be sydes this they haue nothynge to say agaynst the baptim of infantes but that their is no wher any meÌ„tion made that the Apostles did vse it To this I answere that no more do we rede in anye place that they did at anye tyme mynister the super of our lorde vnto any woman Why than do they make greater difficultie of the one thaÌ„ of the other They dare not say the women be not met to receiue the supper of our lord And yet we rede not that at anye time the Apostles dyd mynister it vnto women Wher nowe shall we take certitude of this matter That shal we do in considering the institution the nature and substaunce of the sacramente For in so doynge we shall se that it is as conuenient for them as for men Nowe haue we shewed the lyke of baptyme that is that it is conueniente and doeth apertayne vnto younge childrene for as muche as our Lorde taketh them into the feloushyp of hys churche What do we axe more It is superfluous to inquiere of the custome wher the ryght is verye manyfest cleare I meane in thys matter wherein onely the pleasure of God oughte to suffice vs. And as touchynge this poynte I truste to God that I haue fullye satisfyed al suche as wyl walke in the truth Howe be it if anye requier a more ample declaracion let him loke what I haue intreted her of in the christen Institution wher al the argumentes abouesayed are handeled more at large ¶ The second Article of excommunicacion and contayneth three other artiles THe vse of excomunicacioÌ„ oughte to be among all those which haue professed theÌ„ selues Christians beyng baptised yet the not wtstandyng thorow frayltie and not of deliberat purposes do fal into some faults These ought to be exhorted and warned twyse secretlye at the thirde tyme openly banished before al the congregacion to the end that we with one zele might breake together the bred and drincke the cup. ☞ Confutacion ☞ We denye not but that the excommunicacion is a good and holye policye and not onelye profitable but also necessarye in the churche Moreouer that whiche this ingrate people do knowe of thys matter they learned of vs and by their ingnoraunce or presumption they haue corrupted the doctrine whiche we on oure behalfe do purelye teache But brieffely to voyde thys article I wyl declare where in we agre and wherein they dyffer â—â—om vs. As I haue alredye sayed we on our behalfe do constauntly teache that excommâ—nication oughte to be in vse accordynge as it was instituted by Iesus Christe and we affyrme that it is a necessarie meane to conserue the churche Furthermore as much as in vs is we do constauntlye procure and solicitate that it may be restored and practised as it ought to be declaryng that it is a great faulte vyce to be reproued wheÌ„ it is not so done In this thing theÌ„ the Anabaptistes do not differ froÌ„ vs it we did coÌ„deÌ„ne excoÌ„municatioÌ„ or woulde make meÌ„ beleue that it were a thing superfluouse vnprofitable or that we were of that mynd that we wold it should haue no place in the church theÌ„ might thei haue an occasioÌ„ to murmure againste vs. But in this thing we agree well Herein nowe lyeth the stryfe that they thynke that in euery place wher thys policie is not in his estate or that it be not duely exercised there is no church that it is not lawefull for a christian manne there to receyue the supper Therfore do they seperate them selues from those churches in the whiche the doctryne of God is purelye preached takyng thys coloure that they wil not be partakers of that polution whiche is done there bycause those whych haue deserued are not banished We on the othersyde do confesse that it is an imperfection shreude spote in the churche when thys order is not there Neuertheles we do not therefore repute it for no churche and forsake the communion of the same and we saye that it is not lawefull for a pryuate man to seperate hym selfe from it ☞ Nowe because it is not sufficient to say let vs se whether we can haue a good approbation of oure doctryne out of the scripture For I do gladlye subiecte my selfe to thys coÌ„dicion that nothynge be beleued of that I shal say excepte it haue the testimonye of the scripture Nowe the fyrste question is whether that companye whych hath not suche an vse of excommunication as the Lorde Iesus ordeyned oughte to be taken for a Christen churche Truelye thys defaute was at Corinthe that same tyme that Sayncte Paulle wrote vnto them as he declareth and complaineth ther of ¶ Thys notwythstandynge he gyueth them this honoure that he calleth their congregacion the christen churche Ther was among them dyuers sectes and parttakynges ambicion and avarice raygned a monge manye of them They wente so to lawe as one woulde eate another An offence whyche among heathen men was execrable was not onely tollerate amonge them but in maner approuyd And besydes suche a corruption in maners there were also manye faultes in doctryne Not wythstandynge all thys sayncte Paulle spekyng not of hym selfe but as the mouthe and organe of the holye Goste intituleth hys Epystle vnto the Christen churche whiche is at Corinthe Who is that nowe amonge vs whyche wyll take vpon hym to be more sencere in iudgemente than god who soeuer dare do it shall shewe hys folishe boldenes but he shall chaunge nothynge of that whiche God hath onse pronounced What shall we say of the Galathiens We knowe the confusion and disorder whiche was amonge them But that notwythstandyng Sayncte Paule knoweledgeth a church to be ther. We muste ernestely indeuoure our selues to come vnto that perfection whiche ought to be in the bodye of Christe Yet maye we not loke for any other state or condition in the churche than that which hath be shewed vnto vs by the infallible verity Let vs not than abuse our selues to imagin a perfect church in this world seing that our lord Iesus hath shewed vnto vs that she shal be leke vnto a floore where on men thresh in whiche the good corne is so myngled wyth the chaffe that manye tymes it apereth not Also that she shal be lyke vnto a net wherin dyuers sortes of fyshes are gathered together These similitudes do teche vs that though we ought to desier an excellent purenes in the church and also do our indeuour that so it maye be yet shall we neuer se it so pure but that there shall be manye filthynesses ther in ☞ For where it is sayde that the Lorde Iesus hath shedde hys bloud to clense her that she should be wythout wrinkle or spote doth not sygnifye
temporall sworde is deuillyshe Nowe is thys true that perticulerlye the vse of the swerde ought to be permitted vnto no man to resiste euyll But the weapons of christen men be prayers and mekenes to possesse their lyues in patience and to ouercome the euyll in well doynge acccordynge to the doctrine of the Gospel Therfore the dutye of euery one of vs is to suffer pacientelye if any wronge be done vnto vs rather then to vse force and violence But to condemne the commune authoritie whyche God hath ordeined for our protection is a blasphemye agaynste God hym selfe Beholde the spirite of God whiche doeth pronounce by S. Paule that the magistrate is a minister of God for our profitte and in oure fauoure to represse and to lette the violence of wycked people And that for thys cause the swerde is putte into hys handes to punyshe the euyl doers Seynge that God hath ordeyned hym to do thys what are we that wyll let it Lykewyse seynge that God doth offer vnto vs suche a saugarde why shall it not be laweful vnto vs to vse it More ouer it is very euidente that the intente of these poore phantasticals is to condempe all munitions fortresses engynes of warre and such lyke whych are done for the defence of the countrye and for bydde subiectes to obeye theyr prynces and superiours when they woulde haue theyr helpe in suche necessitye Nowe to reproue that thynge whyche the Lorde neuer reproued is to greate an enterpryce for anye mortall man Let vs alwayes kepe fyrme thys thynge that it is to vsurpe ouer the authoritie of God to condemnâ— for euyll that whyche the Lorde hath permitted vnto vs. Nowe it is not founde in all the scripture that euer he forbode princes by force of armoure to maintaine theyr contrye against suche as agaynste ryghte vexed theym It is very true that the Prophetes speakynge of the kyngedome of Iesus Christ do say that the swerdes and speares shall be turned into instrumentes of husbandry to tyle the earth But by suche maner of speaches they do signifye none other thynge Esa ii but that al warre and enmitye shal cease and be taken from the fayethfull And woulde God that the Gospell myghte so take place in the worlde that thys thynge myght be well practised of all menne But seynge that fayeth and the loue of God haue not suche rule in the mooste parte of menne but that ambition and couetuousnes haue often tymes the vpper hande when one vniustly inuadeth an others contrye and by warres doeth moleste it so farre is it of that the prynce whyche is ordeyned of God for the protection and defence of the same doeth euyll in resistyng the iniuste violence that he is bounde by the duty of hys office to do the same It is true that a christian prince ought to searche all meanes for peace and to bye it dere wyth losses of hys owne and so to do that it come not to the swerd vntyll he haue assayed al remedies to auoyde thys necessitie But when he hath done al that it hym lyeth and hath reculed as muche as he myght if he can not otherwyse mayntayne the countrye whyche is committed vnto him the laste refuge is to vse the swerde whyche God hathe put into hys hande For it is all one reason to pull out the swerde to punishe euyll doers whych trouble the publyke order to thruste backe those whyche vniustelye come into a countrye and breake peace In thys case if a christen man after the order of the countrye be called to serue hys prince doeth not only not offende God in goynge to the warres but is in a holye vocation whiche cannot be reproued wythoute blasphemynge of God And in dede we se that when the souldiours came to Iohn Baptiste to be instructed of hym he dyd not commaunde theym to cast away theyr armoure and renounce their estate but onelye dyd admonyshe theim to be contente wyth theyr wages and not to pole or vexe anye man but to abstayne frome all malice Saynte Peter baptised Cornelius the Centurion that is to say captayne of an hundred men and yet he commaunded hym not to leaue hys companye and office as a thynge moste wycked And that more is hauynge receyued the holye Goste visiblye dyd neuertheles remayne styll wyth the souldiours in hys office of the warres To conclude thys matter if wee wyll kepe a good meane to reprehende that whych is euyl and viciouse in warres Lette vs not condemne simply the goynge to warre when it is done by the authoritie of the prynce for the defeÌ„ce of the contrye when the prynce hath none other respect but the commune profitte of his contry and that the subiectes for their parte haue none other coÌ„sideration but to do their duty but let vs reprehend the wycked desires which are the cause to the raisyng vp of warre lette vs reprehende the cruelties rapines violences extortions and suche other insolencies which are done there To mingle the good wyth the euyll to coÌ„demne altogithers wtout discresion is a thyng without reason The fyfte Article is of pastours in which they haue somewhat aduised them selues For afore tyme they were in that erroure that it was agaynste God that a preacher shoulde be deputed to anye certayne place but woulde that all they whyche shoulde be in that office shoulde runne frome one place to an other counterfaytinge the Apostles as apes and not as true folowers But I thynke verelye that they dyd thys of a good mynde whyche they hadde that the ministers whych dyd fayethfully teache shoulde departe and leaue the place emptye for them when they came to poure oute their poyson euerye where Nowe be it that they reknoweledge their errour or that they geue theÌ„ selues a greater priueledge then they wil graunt vnto other we agree well wyth theym that no churche canne continue in hyr estate wythoute a minister and therefore there muste be ministers ordeyned in euerye congregation Thys also woulde I haue theym graunte consequentlye that euery where where there is a minister dulye constituted and whyche fayethfullâ—e exersiseth hys office who so euer wyll be taken for a christeÌ„ man ought to cleaue to him to vse his ministery with the rest of the flocke Nowe what do they Bycause wee wyll not approue theyr erroure though we beare the word of Iesus purely yet are we to theÌ„ rauishiÌ„g wolfes thei haue vs in such abhominatioÌ„ that they thinke that they should sin deadly against God if they heare one sermoÌ„ of vs. And out of this they do ordaine ministers in hast to make seperatioÌ„ in the church to draw away the people to make a coÌ„trarie asseÌ„ble to the other to the inteÌ„t that the name of God be not inuocate in vnitie and concorde as it ought to be ¶ The sixte Article of Magistrates WE agre that the teÌ„poral swerde is an ordinauÌ„ce of God besides the perfectioÌ„ of Christ so the princes superiours of the world are
wtdrawe him selfe after the exemple of hys maister ¶ The answere I am almoste ashamed to rehearse such vayne things But for asmuch as I do perceyue that the symple and rude are seduced by suche I am cōstrained to aduertise them how they may auoyde them Euery manne knoweth the folyshe fantasye which the Iewes had of Messias That is they thought that he should haue his kyngedome florishing in this world to make them liue in this worlde at theyr case and in good rest and to make thē triumphe In so muche that the very Apostles tyl after hys resurrection had also thys fantasye in theyr heades as S. Luke declareth in the .i. of the Actes This moued the people to make Christ a king perforce that they might therby be made fre frō the subiection of the romayns Therefore it is no wonder if the Lorde hid him selfe for asmuch as this proceaded from an euil and peruerse errour drew with it a very perniciouse cōsequēce It is certen that his kingedome is not carnal nor of the world but spiritual and whiche doeth consiste in thynges that do not appeare vpon the earth Nowe what kyngdome would mē giue him Therfore if he hadde cōsented vnto the foly of the people shoulde he not haue cōfyrmed that erroure whiche was alreadye to muche roted shoulde not he also by that meanes haue buried his grace and his veritie for as muche as men shoulde haue imagined nothynge of hym but carnal Besides this he should haue bene ordeined king by seditiō and by thē by whom it appertayneth not For seynge that Iury was in subiection vnto the Romayne Empyre the people had none authoritie to chose a newe kynge at their pleasure Thus for these causes Iesus Christe refused to be king and not to reproue the estate as wicked or repugnaunte to a christen life But in the meane while it is sayede Prouer. vii that it is by hym that Kinges do raygne that it is he whyche doth giue grace to the ministers of iustice to make lawes and statutes and to gouerne the people in equitie What will we haue more Iesus Christ is not a king in his persō but he is the protectour of al kingdoms euē as he hath foūded instituted thē But these fātasticals do replye that he hath also cōmaūded vs to do the like saying to his apostles The kinges of the natiōs haue dominiō ouer thē but it shal not be so amōg you I graunt vnto thē that the office of the Apostles of the worldely principalities be not both one and that in their office is no dominatiō Now Iesu Christ wold ther none other thīge but decerne betwen the one the other For the occasiō of those words of our sauiour came of that the Apostles had alredy cōtētion amōg thē selues who should be the chieffest as it were gouerner of the rest in the kingdome of Iesu Christ To take away such ambitiō he declareth vnto thē that his kingdome is spirituall therfore that it doth not stāde in worldly dignitie pompe lordship but that all the preheminēce whiche his ministers officers should haue shold be in seruice Seynge then that this place doeth not make mētiō whether kings may be christē mē or no but only sheweth that the Apostles ministers of the churche shal not be as kings to haue dominiō it is a very beastlines to infer out of this the Christ hath forbidē vs al superioriti It is asmuch as one wold say It is not lawful for a king to do the office of a minister vnto whiche he is not called ergo the estate of a minister is an yl vnlawful thing I pray you doth the destinctiō differēce of estates make that the one shold be cōdēned bicause the other is praised Let kings therfore cōteine thē selues within their limets likewise let the spiritual shep perdes be contented to exercise there offyce wythout vsurpation of that whiche apertaineth not vnto them and then al shall go wel ▪ And the Lorde Iesus wyll alowe the one and the other Therefore these power phantasticalles do euilly expoūd thys place to say that in place the power of the swerd is forbobdē ☞ To make vp a greate healpe of witnesses they do also alledge that Sainct Paule doeth saye that those whiche God knewe before he hath preordeyned to be made lyke vnto the exemple of hys sonne I graunt vnto them that folowynge the exhortacion which Saincte Paule maketh in that place behoueth vs to beare the mortification of Iesus Christ in our bodyes and indewer those tribulations and miseries by which God wyll trye vs. But doeth it folowe of this that a fayethful man maye not gouerne the people whiche are committed vnto hym They saye ye because that Iesus Christ dyd suffer and not rule As touchynge the fyrste that he dyd suffer I saye so did Dauid in whose person the passions and sufferynges of hym were prefigured And yet that notwythstandynge we cannot saye that he dyd not gouerne Therefore of ther owne hede they do ad this seconde parte vnto the text of Sainct Peter mischeuously falsefyeng it to disceiue the power simple people For in there boke they go aboute to perswade that Saynct Peter speketh after that manner whan it is nothynge so Behold nowe Dauid which was a Kynge administerynge the power of the swerde and yet that hindered hym not to suffer that he myghte be made lyke vnto the Image of Iesus Christe yea euen so muche that he dyd represent hym Saincte Phillip folowyng thys whan he shoulde baptise the Eunuichus whyche was one of the gouernours that of kyngdome of Ethiopia dyd not laye vnto hym thys condicion that he should no more be a ruler but onelye axid of hym if he beleued wyth hys whole herte in Iesus Christe and so lefte hym in hys estate as he was And truelye if to haue dominion be a thyng contraye to a Christen man that same shoulde as well be true ouer one man as ouer a communaltie Nowe is it true that S Paulle doeth permit Christen men to haue superioritie and dominion ouer ther seruauntes which in those dayes were vnto them as bonde men and slaues and doeth not commaunde them to set them at libertie but only to vse them gentelye and frendelye wyth humanitie Moreouer he suffered Philemon whome he calleth hys companion to kepe hys bondman in hys authoritie onely he requireth that he shoulde order hym gentelye We se than that thoughe it were expreslye sayd that Iesus Christ did not gouern how folishe a thynge it is thus to resonne Iesus Christe hath suffered and not ruled therfore al dominion is reproued For it is as muche as who woulde saye That Iesus Christe hadde not aplace to laye hys heade one as hym selfe wytnesseth therefore it is euyll done whan a Christen man doeth posses other housse or garden or heritage Howe much thys argumente goeth from reson euery man seyeth ☞ Last of al lyke as a
so muche as what thys name Marcion is It is good therefore that as well they as other be aduertised that the fyrste author of thys opinion where wyth they do troble the worlde was caste out and accurssed wyth hys opnion not of a fewe but of the whole Christen churche shortly after that is wyth in fortye yerres after the deth of the Apostelles For Eusebyus and Saincte Hierome do wryte that Policarpe disciple and familiar frende of Saincte Iohn the Apostel metynge hym at Rome called hym the eldest sonne of Sathan I wyll not recite the other errours wherwyth he troubled the church For whā thys is wel plucked out men shal wel know I trust that heardly may there be founde anye one more execrable ☞ Fyrst I wyll shewe by manye and very sure testimones of scripture that the Lord Iesus dyd verilye take fleshe and mans nature whan he was reueled vnto vs in thys world by God his father and I wil proue it so playnelye that there shall not be so littell a chylde whyche shall not perceyue that it shall be to greate an impudencie for the Anabaptistes to kycke anye more agaynste it As it shall not be nedefull to gather al the places of scripture whyche myghte serue to thys purpose So to auoyde prolixitie I wyll take those whych seme to be moste couenable We knowe that at the first begynnynge of the worlde the Lorde promised heua that her seede should ouer come the serpente Lette vs se if thys be accomplished in vs or whether it haue euer bene accomplished in anye mortall man but onelye by the meanes of Iesus Christe whiche hath for vs vanquished and ouercome Sathan But because thys promes was yet somewhat obscure it hath bene sence made muche more cleare boeth to Abraham and Iacob whan it was sayde vn them that in there sede all the nacions of the earth shoulde be blessed ☞ Nowe this sede as Sayncte Paulle doeth interprete it and reason sheweth the same is Iesus Christe Therefore the promes cannot otherwyse be verified but that Iesus Christis descended of the stocke of Abraham Lykewyse whan it was saied vnto Dauid I wil set the fruit of thie wombe vpō they seat to raigne euer lastingely And lykewyse whan in the same sence it is confirmed by the prophet Esaias that he shal be as a bud proceding out of the rooett of I saie we know that the same cānot be otherwise vnderstanded thā of the same redemer whych was promised vnto Abrahā Therfore it must neds be that he be of the ligne of Dauyd as touchynge the generacion of the fleshe or els the promes is voyde For thys cause Sayncte Mathew goynge about to recite hys genealogy beginneth the callinge hym the son Dauid the sonne of Abrahā that he myght the more expresly specifye that he was the selfe same that was promysed And in dede it was a manner of speche very commonlye vsed amonge the people of the Iewes so to name him as we may se by the Euangelistes ¶ Vnto al this the Anabaptistes make one soluacion the whiche a lone doeth sufficientlye declare what beastes they be and howe desperate ther impudencie is He is say thei called Dauiddes sonne not because that he toke anye thyng of the virgen marye or that he was made man of hir substaunce but onlye because she bere hym in her bodye as water passeth by a pype Thys myght be sayd if thys worde sede were not expressed How be it touchynge the truth all men of good Iudgemente myghte se that it were but a craftye euacion Notwythstandynge there myghte be a littell more colour or shadowe But seynge this is so often repeted that he is of the sede of Abraham what cauilacion can be made to denye hym to be verye man And in deade whan Esaias promised hys commynge he sayeth not symplye that he shall be the chylde of a vyrgin but he sayeth fyrst that he shal be conceyued This conception imparteth that he shoulde be formed of hir sede as they whyche do knowe the significacion of the word can wel Iudg. ☞ Moreouer Saynte Paule doth expresse thys thynge more playnelye when he sayeth that he was made of the seede of Dauid touchynge the fleshe and was notwithstandynge declared the sonne of God by his power Beholde Iesus Christe on the one parte is called the sonne of God and againe he addeth that as touching his humaine nature he is of the stocke of Dauid Is not that mā very madde whyche doth close his eyes and stoppe hys eares agaynst all thys to persiste mayntayne the contrary that Iesus Christ hathe no parte of the nature of man as touchyng the substaunce of hys body Likewise in an other place the same Apostle speaking of the dignitie and noblenes of the Iewes among other thinges sayeth that they be the successours and progenye of the fathers of whom Christe is assended as touchynge the fleshe I passe ouer manye other places as where he sayeth that God was manifested in fleshe also he that suffered in humilitie of the fleshe Lykewyse where saynte Iohn sayeth that the word was made flesh and besides al thys where he so often tymes doth attribute vnto hym selfe the title of the sonne of man and other lyke places bycause it shoulde be superfluouse after these two notable places which I haue aledged I thynke it therefore sufficiente to brynge forthe these places the which do at the fyrste syghte boeth proue myne intention and also declare howe necessarie it is for vs to beleue that the Lord Iesus hath put on and verilie taken our nature when he was made man The Apostle in the epistle vnto the Hebrues taketh a goodly argumente to amplyfye the loue whyche he beareth vnto vs bycause he toke not the nature of Angels but of vs. If we do receiue the fātasy of these vnhappy mē Thys grace and inestimable goodnes of the Lorde Iesus shall be cleane put oute of oure memorye for wee shall not perceyue that he hath any more honoured vs then he hath the Aungels He sayeth further that by the meanes of the communication whyche he hathe w̄ vs in hys fleshe and hys bloude he calleth him selfe oure brother and is verely oure brother By thys we maye conclude that the greatest benefite whyche we may haue should be taken from vs if Iesus Christ do not communicate with vs in fleshe and bloude For howe shoulde we be the chyldren of God wythout beynge hys brethren Nowe the Apostle sayeth that we obtayne thys bycause he is ioyned vnto vs in one nature by none other meanes He addeth further that it was necessary that he shoulde be like vnto hys brethren that he myght be a faythfull intercessoure and pittyfull Wheroute he deduceth a singuler consolation that we haue an aduocate whiche wyll haue compassion on oure infirmities seynge that he him selfe was tempted beyng in all thynges like vnto vs excepte synne Moreouer for as muche as in the similitude whyche he putteth betwene vs and Iesus
the tyraÌ„ny of men that when we shoulde dye euerye one of vs shoulde commende hys soule vnto hym Lykewyse when saynte Peter sayeth that the Lorde Iesus came in hys spirite to the spirites that were in pryson he doeth clearly testifye by hys wordes that the Soules haue sence and vnderstandynge ofter death For otherwyse they shoulde not perceyue the preachynge of Christe whyche as he sayeth dyd preache vnto them I confesse that thys place hath bene taken for a darke place and that it hath bene diuersly expounded but yet wâ—ll I aledge nothing for my purpose whiche is not certayne The Apostle therfore hauynge before spoken howe Christe was humilied and hauynge also shewed howe that all fayethfull men muste be made lyke vnto â–ª hym for consolation he addeth that Iesus Christ was not ouercome by death but that he ouercame death After this to certifie vs that thys vertue of hys resurrection doeth pertayne vnto vs he sayeth that not onelye the lyuynge haue felte it but also the deade and not onely the fayethful but also the vnbeleuyng and rebels It is true that wheÌ„ the matter requireth that we muste distinguyshe we se that he speaketh but of the secoÌ„d kind but that hindereth not but that he speaketh fyâ—ste of all in generall Touchyng that he putteth as wel the soules of the good as of the euyll in pryson that doeth he to signifye the vehemente desyre whyche the fayethfull had for the commyng of Iesus Christ which hild them as it were in anguyshe ¶ Therfore the sence is thys the vertue of Christes redemption hathe appeared vnto the soules of theym that be deade as well to the beleuynge as vnto the vnbeleuyng But when he muste speake in speciall he leaueth the fyrste ☞ Notwythstandynge to the ende that we do not dispute touchynge the sence wheÌ„ there is no nead concernyng the present matter onely I aske thys question of these good people whether the spirites of whom the Apostle doeth speake be lyuynge soules or no Moreouer he addeth an other sentence whiche to yet more cleare that is that the gospel was preached vnto the dead that they shold be condempned in the fleshe as touchynge to men but shoulde lyue to God in the spirite We se that he doeth subiect the bodye onely vnto death reseruyng the soule alyue ☞ The lyke was shewed before by Salomon where in discouerynge mannes death he sayeth He doeth seperate the fault far froÌ„ the bodye vntyll the earth do returne to hyâ— earth wheÌ„ce it was taken and that the soule go to God whyche gaue hyr If they glose and saye that thys worde spirite doeth signifye but lyfe there is not so lyttle a chylde whyche serth not that that is a corruptinge of the texte If there were none other testimonye but thys sentence of Moyses where he sayeth that God is the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob aboute three hundred yeares after theyr death it shoulde be sufficiente to suche as woulde not be contentious But if there be any opiniatoure whiche wyl agayne say it then wyll the exposition whyche oure Sauiour Iesus Christe maketh vpon these wordes take awaye all doubtes That is that hys father is not the God of the deade but of the lyuyng ¶ I knowe theyr answere is that the dead be called lyuynge bycause of the hope of the resurrection But that is nothynge For seynge that the Patriarckes were deade at that tyme when Moyses spake it foloweth that they lyued in a better lyfe And therefore Saynte Luke addeth that they do all lyue vnto God signifiynge that the Lorde doeth mayntayne hys in lyfe by hys grace and vertue Vnto which agreeth this saying of the Apostle If so be that we liue let vs liue to the lord if we dye let vs dye to the Lorde And whether we lyue or dye we be the Lordes and Iesus Christe is dead and risen agayne that he myghte haue rulle ouer the lyuynge and the deade For thys is sure that Iesus Christ tolde haue no dominioÌ„ ouer vs if we were not therefore if hys empeyre be extendyd vnto the deade it moste nedes be that the fayethfull after death haue an essentiall beinge ☞ And in dede the vision whiche Sainct Iohn rehereseth in the Apocalipse cannot other wyse be true Whiche is that he sawe the soules of the Martiers vnder the heauenlye â—â—iter criyng wyth a loude voyce Lorde howe longe doest thou differ to auenge oure bloude And that God commaunded to geue them white garmentes and commaunded them to haue pacience for a littell whyle vntyll the number of theyr fellowes were fulfylled There is no doubte but that these white garmentes do signifie begynnyng of glorye whiche God doeth geue vnto the martiers whyle thy tarrye for the daye of iudgement For that is no newe thynge in the scripture as whan Daniell sayde that he sawe the Lorde clothed in a longe white robe And Iesus Christe was so in hys transfiguration in the mount of Tabor The Aungel also whiche apered to the women by the sepulcher was clothed in a white robe So were the aungelles whiche appered to the disciples after the ascencion of the Lorde Iesus as much is sayed of the Aungel whiche apered vnto the Cornelius the Cneturien Final lye in the parable of the prodigall sonne it is sayde that whan he was retourned hys father commaunded to brynge hym hys best robe in sygne of Ioye and fastynge We se therefore howe much thys doeth repugne agaynste the erroure of the Anabaptistes whyche in the place of whyte robes woulde geue pyllowes to the soules to make them slepe Moreouer in that it is sayed that the soules crye axynge vengaunce of God it is declared that they slepe not For thys crye cannot be expounded as the crye of Abelles bloud bycause the desire whych the holy soules haue is ther expressed Thys is sufficientelye comfirmed vnto vs by the historye of Lazarus where it is sayed that hys soule was borne by the aungelles of God in to the bosome of Abraham And the soule of the riche man wente in to hell They thynke that they haue a fayre solucion and wel coloured whan they do answere that it is a parable that is to saye an exemple and not a storye But I axe them where they haue sene it in holye scripture that in a simple parable or similitude the proper name of a manne hath bene expressed as it is here And euen thus haue all the doctours of the churche vnderstande that a place as reson woulde But be it that I do graunte vnto them that it is â—â—parable yet must it nedes be that it be taken of the veryte Oure Lorde sayth that the soule of Lazarus was borne by hys aungelles in to the bosome of Abraham and that ther it receyued Ioye coÌ„solacion ☞ On the othersyde he sayeth that the soule of the rich infidle did suffer maruelous tormentes in hell He sayeth that there is a greate distaunce betwene the one and the other If the soulles haue no
abyde the day of the last redemption ☞ If anye man wyll that thys thynge be declared vnto hym by similitude the time in whyche we dwell in thys mortall bodye is lyke vnto the tyme of warre whan we be vnclothed of oure fleshe the battell seaceth and taketh ende and we haue the victorye But the daye of triumphe shall be whan Iesus Christe shall apere in hys maiestye that we maye raygne eternallye wyth hym But bycause suche similitudes are onelye to make the thynge playne and be not of authoritye we wyll take one out of the scripture which shall not onelye serue to teache but also to proue oure doctrine true We knowe howe saynte Paulle doeth allegoricallye treate the issue of the people of Israell out of Egypte and their passyng thorowe the read sea Folowyng thys let vs vnderstand that in baptyme oure pharao is plunged in the sea that is to saye oure olde man is mortified and we are buried wyth Christe by that meanes made fre from the bondage of syn But from thens we go in to the deserte in whyche we haue oure conuersation durynge thys mortall lyfe For we are poore and indigente but for that the Lorde geueth vnto vs dayelye hys graces as he dyd cause manna to raygne from heauen vnto the people of Israell whan death commyth we do enter in to the lande of promyssion whyche thynge is not done wythout greate difficultye For it is then that we moste suffer the greateste and perilous assautes Nowe after that the chyldren of Israell were entered into the lande of promyssion it was a greate whyle after er Hierusalem were buyldyd and that the Kyngedome of the howse of Dauyd was ordayned after thys maner the fayethfull soules haue immediatelye after deth a certayne reioysyng of the heritage whyche is promysed vnto them but because the glory of Iesus Christ their kynge doeth not yet apere and that the heauenly citye of God is not yet establyshed in her estate they abide vnto the day in which the same shal be ☞ All these thynges are euidente in holye scripture vnto al suche as wyl not be rebelles vnto God and thys doctrine hath not onely good approbation of the scripture but also of the aunciente doctours amongeste whom Tertulian fayth aswel the reward of the good as the ponishmēt of the euyl be in suspence vnto the resurrection Neuertheles in diuers places he affirmeth that the soules of the fayethfull do there whilles lyue in God And therefore in another place he sayeth Wherefore shall we not take the bofome of Abraham for a receptacle of soules for a tyme the which doeth represent vnto vs that there is a double rewarde the one immediatlye after death and the other at the daye of the last iudgemente And Ireneus sayeth Seynge that the Lord Iesus is entred into the shadow of death wher the soules of the dead were and afterwarde rose agayne corporally assended into heauē it is very true that the soules of his disciples for whom he did this thyng shal go after death into an inuisible place whiche is by God ordeyned for them and shall abyde there waytynge in patience the day of the resurrection Then shal they be ioyned to their bodyes to come before the face of the Lorde For no Disciple is aboue hys Master Sayncte Chrisostome vnderstode what goodnes and priuiledge thys is to vs that Abraham and Sayncte Paule be set downe abydynge the perfection of the churche that they maye receyue there rewarde For the father shewed vnto them that he would not geue them there reward vntyl we be come thether to as a father of an how-shoulde woulde saye at anye tyme vnto hys chyldren commynge from their laboure that they shoulde abyde from eatynge vntyll their other brethren were come Thou arte not contented that thou haste not alredy receyued thy rewarde what shall Abell than do whyche hath won thys price long tyme before the and hath not yet hys crowne What shall Noe and the other Patriarches do for they haue taried for vs vnto thys daye and shall yet abyde the other that shall come after They wente before vs in the batayle but they shal not be crowned before vs. For ther is one daye apoynted wherein all the children of God shall be crowned to gether Sayncte Augustyne wryteth that the soules of the Saynctes be in secrete receptacles vntyll they shall receyue the crowne of glorye in the day of iudgement And contrarywyse the soules of the wycked in abydyng there punyshement And in an Epystel whych he wrote to Sayncte Hierom. The soule sayeth he after bodelye death shall haue reste and than after that shal take agayne her bodye that she maye haue glory S Barnard the swetne◠whiche the soules of the sainctes haue at this present is great but it is not yet perfecte for it shal be made perfecte whan thei shal fit on seates as iudges whā thei haue put of ther bodies thei be forth wyth broughte into reste but not into the glorye of the kyngedome And in hys sermon folowynge he prosecuteth styll the same argumente sayinge that there be three estates of the soule The fyrste in the bodye as in a tabernacle The seconde after death as in the porche of the temple The thyrd in heauen wyth hys glorified body Who that woulde knowe more Lette hym read the seconde and thyrd sermon vpon Alhallon day Bryefely thys is the perpetuall doctryne whych hathe alwayes continued in Christes churche wythout any contradiction that as we lyue in God thorowe fayeth whylse we are in thys mortall lyfe Euen so after death we haue Ioye and consolation in knowing more clearlye and seynge as it were at the eye the heauenly beatitude whyche he hathe promised vnto vs the whyche we do contēplate here as it were in a glasse by a darke vnderstandynge Thys blynde opinion of the Anabaptistes touchynge she slepynge of soules was neuer herd of but by a sort of heritikes called Arabiques by Ihō pope of Rome which was not paste an hūdred thirti yeres agone But bycause it is a thynge so contrarye boeth to mans sence and vnto oure christian fayeth thus to caste the soules into a slumber in the tyme when they are more neare to God to haue more perfyte vnderstandynge of hys goodnes al christendome hath had thys fantasy in horror Therefore all they whych wyl yelde theym selues conformable vnto God hys word do abide in that which I haue already shewed by the scripturs and do meditate thys goodly promise that the Iuste shal blossome as the Date tre and shall be multiplied as the Cedar of Libanus that they whyche are planted in the house of the Lord shal blossome and brynge forthe theyr fruite that they shall be fatte and stronge in theyr age Therefore seynge that we knowe that our age is renued in vs thorow the grace of god by miraculous strength let vs not feare whē we se whole nature fayle But rather let vs