howe perillous that is I wyll rather poynt vnto than declare least I should draw out my tale into infinite length The Pope say they whiche holdeth the Apostolike see and the Bishops that are annoynted and consecrate by hym so that they be trimmed with fillets and miters doo represent the Chirche and ought to be taken for the Chirche and therfore they can not erre How so because they are pastors of the Chirche and consecrate to the Lorde And were not Aaron and the other rulers of Israel also Pastors But Aaron his sonnes after that they were made prestes dyd yet erre when they made the calfe After this reason why shoulde not the fower hundred Prophetes whiche lyed to Achab haue represented the Chirche But the Chirche was on Micheas syde beyng in dede but one man alone and vnregarded but out of whoe 's mouthe came truthe Did not the false prophetes in resemblance beare bothe the name and face of the Chirch when they did with one violent assaulte rise vp agaynst Ieremie and with threatnyng boasted that it was not possible that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman the woord from the Prophet◠Ieremie alone was sente agaynste the whole companie of the Prophetes to declare from the Lord that it shoulde come to passe that the lawe should perishe from the priest counsell from the wiseman and the worde from the Prophet Did not suche a glistering shewe shyne in that Councell which the Bishops Scribes and Pharisees assembled to take aduises together for the killyng of Christ. Nowe let them go and sticke faste in the outwarde visor that they may make Christ and al the Prophetes of God schismatikes and on the other syde make the ministers of Satan the instrumentes of the holy ghost If they speake as they thynke let them faithfully answere me in what nation place they thinke that the Chirch remained sins the tyme that by the decree of the Councell at Basile Eugenius was thruste downe and depriued from the estate of Pope and Aymee set in his place They can not though they would burst for it denye that the Councell for so much as concerneth outwarde solemnities was lawfull and summoned not onely of one Pope but of two Eugenius was there condemned of schisme rebellion and obstinatie with the whole flocke of Cardinals and bishops whiche had with hym practised the dissolution of the Councell Yet afterward beyng borne vp by the fauor of princes he recouered his papacie safe againe That election of Aymee which had been orderly made by the authoritie of a generall holy Synode vanished away in a smoke sauyng that he hymselfe was appeased with a cardinalls hatte as it were a barking dog with a pece of bread cast vnto hym Out of the bosome of these herelikes rebelles and obstinates are proceded all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops abbotts and Prestes that haue ben sins Here they are taken and can goe no further For to whether side will they geue the name of the Chirche Wyll they denye that the Councell was generall whiche wanted nothyng to the outwarde maiestie namely whiche beyng solemnely summoned by two bulles and well framed in the order of all thynges continued in the same dignitie to the laste ende Will they confesse Eugenius with all his companie a schismatike by whome they are all sanctifeid Therfore eyther let them otherwyse define the forme of the Chirche or they all as many as are of them shal be of vs accompted schismatikes whiche wittyngly and willyngly haue ben ordered of heretikes If it had neuer before ben knowen that the Chirch is not bound to outwarde pompes they themselues may be to vs a large profe which vnder that glorious title of the Chirch haue so long so proudly bosted themselues wheras yet they were the deadly pestilences of the Chirche I speake not of their maners and those tragicall dooynges wherewith theyr whole life swarmeth full because they say that they be the Pharisees whiche are to bee heard not to be folowed But if ye will spare some of your leysure to reade our writinges you shall playnly know that the very doctrine the doctrine it selfe for the whiche they say that they be the Chirche is a deadly butcherie of soules the firebrande ruine and destruction of the Chirche Finally they doo not vprightly enough when they doo spitefully rehearse how great troubles vprores and contentions the preachyng of our doctrine hath drawen with it what fruites it now beareth in many For the blame of these euells is vnworthily layde vpon it which ought rather to haue ben imputed to the malice of Satan This is as it were a certayne naturall propretie of the worde of God that whensoeuer it ryseth vp Satan is neuer quiet or sleapyng This is the moste sure and moste trusty marke wherby it is discerned from lyeng doctrines which doo easyly shew foorthe themselues when they are receiued with fauorable eares of all men and are heard of the world reioysyng at them So in certayn ages past when all thynges were drowned in depe darkenesse the Lorde of this worlde made a sport and a play in manner of all men and lay ydle and toke his pleasure like a certayne Sardanapalus in sounde peace For what should he ells doo but laugh and playe beyng in quiet and peasible possession of his kyngdome But when the lyght shinyng from aboue somwhat scattered abrode his darknesse when that strōg man troubled assailed his kyngdome then he began to shake of his wonted drowsinesse hastily to arme himself And first he stirred vp the force of mē wherby he might violently oppresse the truthe beginnyng to shine By whiche when he nothyng preuailed he turned to suttle entrappynges He stirred vp dissentions and disagreementes of doctrines by his Catabaptistes and other monstruous lewde men wherby he might darken it and at lengthe vtterly quenche it And nowe he continueth to assayle it with bothe engines For he trauaileth bothe by the force and power of men to plucke vp that sede and with his darnell as much as in him lieth to choke it that it may not grow and beare frute But all this he dothe in vayne if we heare the warnyng of God which both hath long before opened his craftes vnto vs that he shold not take vs vnware and hath armed vs with sufficient defences agaynst al his engins But how great maliciousnesse is it to lay vpon the worde of God the hatred either of the seditions which noughty and rebellious men do stirre vp or of the sectes which deceiuers do raise agaynst it Yet it is no new example Elias was asked whether it were not he that troubled Israel Christe was esteemed of the Iewes a seditious man The Apostles were accused of makyng a commotion among the people What other thyng doo they which at this day do father vpon vs all the troubles vprores and contentions that boyle vp agaynst vs But what is to be answered to
disciples â–ª Althoughe they be vexed with extreme madnesse yet I thynke they are not caryed with suche gyddinesse that they dare so boast But what maner of spirite dyd he speake of in his promise euen that spirite whiche shoulde not speake of it selfe but shulde mynister and inspire into their myndes those thynges whyche he the Lorde hymselfe hadde taught by his woorde It is not therfore the office of the spirite whyche is promised vs to fayne newe and vnhearde of reuelations or to coyne a newe kynde of doctrine wherby we shuld be led from the receiued doctrine of the gospell but to seale in our mindes the selfe same doctrine that is commended vnto vs by the gospell Wherby we playnly vnderstand that we ought right studiously to apply the redyng hearyng of the scripture if we list to take any vse and fruite of the spirite of God As also Peter praiseth their diligence that are hedefull to the doctrine of the Prophetes which yet myght seme to haue geuen place after the risyng of the light of the gospell On the other syde yf any spirite leauynge the wysedome of the worde of God doth thrust vnto vs an other doctrine that the same spirite ought rightfully to be suspected of vanitie and lyenge For what when Sathan transformeth hymselfe into â—n aungell of lyght what credite shall the holy ghoste haue among vs if it be not seuerally knowen by some assured marke And truely it hath been playnly poynted oute vnto vs by the woorde of the Lorde but that these miserable men doo wyllyngly couete to erre to their owne destruction while thei seeke a spirite rather from them selues than from him But say they it is dishonorable that the spirite of God whom all thynges ought to obey should be subiect to the scripture As if this were a dishonour to the holy ghost to be euery where egall and lyke to it selfe to agree with it self in all thynges and no where to varye In deede if it were to be tried by the rule either of men or of angels or any others rule whatsoeuer then it myght well be thought that it were brought into obedience or if ye lyst so to terme it into bondage But when it is compared with it selfe when it is consydered in it selfe who canne therfore say that there is any wrong doone vnto it But thus it is brought to tryall I graunte but suche a triall wherewith it was his owne pleasure to haue his maiestie established It ought to content vs so soone as he entreth into vs. But lest vnder his name the spirite of Sathan shoulde creepe in he wylle haue vs to knowe hym by that image of hym selfe whyche he hathe printed in the scriptures He is the authour of the scriptures he can not be dyuers and vnlyke hym selfe Therefore it muste needes bee that he contynually remayne suche as he hathe shewed hym selfe therein This is no dishonor vnto him vnlesse perhappe we count it honorable to swarue and goe out of kinde from himselfe Wheras they cauil that we rest vpon the letter that sleieth herein they suffer punishment for despising of the Scripture For it is plain enough that Paule there contendeth against the false Apostles which commending the law without Christ did cal away the people from the benefite of the new testament wherin the Lord doth couenant that he will graue his law within the bowels of the faithful and write it in their hartes The letter therfore is dead and the law of the Lord killeth the readers of it when it is seuered from the grace of Christ and not touching the heart only soundeth in the eares But if it be effectually printed in our hartes by the holy gost if it present Christ vnto vs then is it the worde of life conuerting soules geuing wisedome to little ones c. Also in the same place the Apostle calleth his preaching the ministerie of the holy ghost meaning that the holy ghost doth so sticke fast in his truth which he hath expressed in the scriptures that then only he putteth forth and displaieth his force when the Scripture hath her due reuerence and dignitie And it disagreeth not here with which I before said that the woorde it selfe is not much assured vnto vs vnlesse it be coÌ„firmed by the witnesse of the holy ghost For with a certain mutuall knot the Lorde hath coupled together the assuraunce of his worde and of his spirite so that perfecte reuerence to the worde doth then settle in our mindes when the holy ghost shineth vpon vs to make vs therin beholde the face of God and on the other side without al feare of being deceiued we do embrace the holy ghost when we reknowledge him in his own image that is in his worde Thus it is vndoutedly God brought not abrode his worde among men for a sodeine shewe meaning at the comming of his spirit by and by to take it away againe but he after sent the same spirite with whose power he had distributed his word to make an end of his worke with effectual confirmacion of his worde In this sorte Christe opened the mindes of the two disciples not that they shold cast away the Scriptures and waxe wise of themselues but that they should vnderstand the Scriptures Likewise Paule when he exhorteth the ThessaloniaÌ„s not to extinguishe the spirite doth not carry them vp on hie to vaine speculations without the worde but by and by saith further that prophecies are not to be despised wherby without dout is meant that the lighte of the spirite is choked vp so sone as prophecies come to be despised What say these proudely swelling meÌ„ rauished with the spirit to these things which recken this onely to be an excellent illumination when carelesly forsaking and saying farewel to the word of God they both boldly and rashly do take holde of al that they haue coÌ„ceiued in their slepe Truely a farre other sobrietie becommeth the children of God whiche as they see that without the spirite of God they are voide of al light of trueth so do they knowe that the worde is the instrumente wherwith the Lorde distributeth to the faithfull the light of his spirite For they know none other spirite but that which dwelte and spake in the Apostles by whose oracles they are continually called to the hearyng of the worde The .x. Chapter That the Scripture to correct all supersticion doth in comparison set the true God against al the Gods of the gentiles reckening hym for none of them BUt because we haue shewed that the knowledge of God which in the frame of the world and al the creatures is somwhat plainly set forth is yet more familiarly and plainly declared in the worde now is it good to consider whether the Lord shew himselfe suche in the Scripture as it pleased him first to be represented in his workes But I shall at this time be contented only to point vnto it wherby the godly mindes
destruction And there was no necessitie to compell God to geue him any other then a meane will and a fraile will that of mans fall he myghte gather matter for his owne glory ¶ The .xvi. Chapter That God by his power dooth monishe and mainteyne the worlde whiche hym selfe hath created and by his prouidence doeth gouerne al the partes therof BUt it were veray fonde and bare to make God a creatour for a moment which doeth nothyng sins he hath ones made an ende of his worke And in this poynte principally ought we to differ from the prophane men that the presence of the power of God may shine vnto vs no lesse in the continuall state of the world than in the first beginnyng of it For thoughe the myndes of the very wicked in only beholdyng of the heauen earth are compelled to rise vp vnto the creatour yet hath faith a certain peculiar maner by it self wherby it geueth to god â—he whole praise of creation And therfore serueth that saying of the Apostle which we before alleged that we do not vnderstand but by fayth that the world was made by the word of God For vnlesse we passe forward euen vnto his prouidence we do not yet rightly conceiue what this meaneth the God is the creator howe soeuer we do seeme to comprehende it in mynde and confesse it with tongue When the sense of the fleshe hath ones sette before it the power of God in the very creation it resteth there and when it procedeth furthest of all it dooeth nothyng but wey and consider the wysedom power and goodnesse of the workeman in making suche a piece of worke which thinges do of them selues offer and thrust them selues in sight of men whether they will or no a certain generall doyng in preseruyng gouerning the same vpon which dependeth the power of mouyng Finally it thinketh that the liuely force at the beginning put into all things by God doth suffise to sustein them But faith ought to perce deper that is to say whom it hath lerned to be the creatour of al things by and by to gather that the same is the perpetual gouernor preseruer of them and that not by stirryng with an vniuersall motion as wel the whole frame of the worlde as all the partes therof but by susteynyng cherishing caring for with singular prouideÌ„ce euery one of those thinges that he hath created eueÌ„ to the least sparow So Dauid after he had fyrst said that the worlde was created by God by by descendeth to the continuall course of his prouidence By the worde of the Lorde saith he the heauens were stablished all the power therof by the spirite of his mouth By and by he addeth The Lord looked down vpon the sonnes of men so the rest that he saith further to the same effect For although they doo not al reason so orderly yet because it were not likely to be beleued that God had care of mens matters vnlesse he were the maker of the worlde nor any man doeth earnestly beleue that God made the worlde vnlesse he be perswaded that God hath also care of hys workes therefore not without cause Dauid doeth by good order conueye vs from the one to the other Generally in dede both the Philosophers doe teach and mens mindes doe conceiue that all partes of the worlde are quickened wyth the secrete inspiration of God But yet they atteine not so farre as Dauid both hymselfe procedeth and carryeth all the godly wyth hym saying all thynges wayte vpon thee that thou mayest geue them fode in due season Thou geuest it to them and they gather it Thou openest thy hand and they are filled with good things But if thou hide thy face they are troubled If thou take awaye theyr breath they dye and returne to theyr dust Againe if thou sende forth thy Spirite they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth Yea although they agree to the saying of Paul that we haue our being and are moued and do lyue in God yet are they farre from that earnest felyng of grace which he commendeth vnto vs because they taste not of gods speciall care wherby alone his fatherly fauor is knowen That thys difference maye the better appeare it is to be knoweÌ„ that the Prouidence of God suche as it is taughte in the Scripture is in comparison set as contrary to fortune and chaunces that happeÌ„ by aduenture Nowe forasmuche as it hath been commonly beleued in al ages and the same opinion is at thys daye also in a manner in al men that all thynges happen by fortune it is certayne that that which ought to haue been beleued concernyng Prouidence is by that wrong opinion not onely darkened but also in manner buried If a man light among theues or wylde beastes if by wynde sodenly rysen he suffer shipwrack on the sea if he be kylled wyth the fall of a house or of a tree if an other wandryng in deserte places fynde remedy for hys pouertie if hauing been tossed with the waues he atteine to the haueÌ„ if miraculously he escape but a fynger bredth from death all these chaunces as well of prosperitie as of aduersitie the reason of the fleshe doeth ascrybe to fortune But whosoeuer is taught by the mouth of Chryst that all the heares of hys hed are numbred will seke for a cause further of and wyll fyrmelye beleue that all chaunces are gouerned by the secrete councell of God And as concerning thinges without lyfe thys is to be thought that although euery one of them haue hys owne propertie naturally put into it yet doe they not put forth their power but only so farre as they be directed by the present hande of God They are therefore nothing els but instrumentes whereby God continually poureth in so much effecte as pleaseth him and at hys will boweth and turneth them to thys or that doyng Of no creature is the power more maruellous or more glorious than of the sunne For besyde that it geueth lyght to the whole worlde wyth hys bryghtnesse howe greate a thyng is thys that he cherysheth and quickeneth all lyuing creatures wyth hys heate that he breatheth frutefulnesse into the earth wyth hys beames that out of sedes warmed in the bosome of the grounde he draweth a budding grenenesse and susteyning the same wyth new nouryshmentes doth encrease and strengthen it tyll it ryse vp in stalkes That he fedeth it with continuall vapoure till it growe to a floure and from a floure to fruite That then also wyth bakyng it he bryngeth it to rypenesse That trees likewise and vines being warned by him do first budde and shote forth braunches and after sende out a flower and of a flower do engeÌ„der frute But the Lord because he would claime the whole glory of all these thinges to himselfe made the lighte first to be and the earth to be furnished with al kindes of herbes and fruites before
the same is in suche forte the gouernour of all thynges that sometyme it woorketh by meanes somtyme without meanes and somtyme agaynst all meanes Last of all that it tendeth to this ende that God maye shewe that he hath care of all mankynde but specially that he doeth watche in rulyng of his churche which he vouchesaueth more nerely to loke vnto And this is also to be added that althoughe eyther the fatherly fauoure and bountyfulnesse of God or oftentymes the seueritie of his iudgemente do brightly appere in the whole course of his Prouidence yet somtyme the causes of those thynges that happen are secrete so that this thought crepeth into our myndes that mens matters are tourned and whirled about with the blynde sway of fortune or so that the fleshe stirreth vs to murmure as if God dydde to make him selfe pastyme to tosse menne like tennise balles True it is that if we were with quiet and still myndes ready to learne the very successe it selfe woulde at length playnely shewe that God hath an assured good reason of his purpose either to traine them that be his to pacience or to correct their euill affections tame their wantonnesse or to bryng theym downe to the renouncyng of theim selues or to awake their drowsynesse on the other syde to ouerthrowe the prowde to disappoint the suttletie of the wicked to confounde their deuises But howsoeuer the causes be secrete and vnknowē to vs we must assuredly hold that they ar layd vp in hiddē store with him therefore we ought to crie out with Dauid God thou hast made thy wonderful works so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towarde vs. I would declare and speake of them but they are more than I am able to expresse For although alwais in our miseries we ought to thinke vpon our sinnes that the verye punishement maye moue vs to repentance yet doo we see how Christe geueth more power to the secrete purpose of his father than to punishe euery one according to his deseruyng For of hym that was borne blynde he sayth neither hath this man synned nor his parentes but that the glory of God may be shewed in hym For here naturall sense murmureth when calamitie commeth euen before birth as if God did vnmercifully so to punish the sely innocente that had not deserued it But Christe dooth testifie that in this lokyng glasse the glory of his father doeth shyne to our syght if we haue cleere eies to beholde it But we must kepe modestie that we drawe not God to yelde cause of his dooynges but lette vs so reuerence his secrete iudgementes that his wyll be vnto vs a moste iuste cause of all thynges When thicke cloudes doo couer the heauen and a violent tempest aryseth then bycause bothe a heauysome mystynesse is caste before oure eyes and the thunder troubleth oure eares and all oure senses are amased with terrour we thynke that all thynges are confounded and tombled togither and yet all the whyle there remaineth in the heauen the same quietenesse and calmenesse that was before So muste we thynke that whyle the troublesome state of thinges in the worlde taketh from vs abilitie to iudge God by the pure lyghte of his ryghteousnesse and wysedome dooth in well framed order gouerne and dispose euen those very troublesome motions themselues to a ryght ende And surely very monstrous is the rage of many in this behalfe whiche dare more boldly call the workes of God to accompte and examyne his secrete meanynges and to geue vnaduised sentence of thynges vnknowen than they wyll dooe of the deedes of mortall men For what is more vnorderly than to vse such modestie towarde our egals that we had rather suspende our iudgement than to incurre the blame of rashenesse and on the other syde proudely to triumph vpon the darke iudgementes of God whiche it became vs to regarde with reuerence Therfore no man shal wel profitably wey the Prouidēce of God but he that considering that he hath to doo with his creatour and the maker of the worlde dooeth with suche humilitie as he ought submitt himself to feare and reuerēce Hereby it cometh to passe that so many dogs at this day doo with venimed bitynges or at leaste barkynge assaile this doctrine because they will haue no more to be lawfull for God than their own reason informeth them And also they raile at vs with al the spitefulnesse that they are able for that not contented with the commaundementes of the lawe wherin the will of God is comprehended We doo further saie that the worlde is ruled by his secrete counsels As though the thyng that we teache were an inuention of our owne brayn and as though it were not true that the Holy ghost doth euery where expressely say the same and repeteth it with innumerable formes of speeche But because some shame restraineth theim that they dare not vomyte out their blasphemies against the heauen they fayn that they contende with vs to the ende they may the more freely play the madmen But if they do not graunt that what soeuer happeneth in the worlde is gouerned by the incomprehensible purpose of God let them answere to what ende the Scripture sayth that his iudgementes are a depe bottomlesse deapth For where as Moses crieth out that the wyll of God is not to be sought afarre of in the cloudes or in the deapthes because it is familiarly sette foorth in the lawe it foloweth that his other hidden will is compared to a bottomlesse deapth Of the whiche Paule also saith O deapth of the richesse and of the wisedom and of the knowlege of God howe vnsearchable are his iudgementes and his waies paste fyndyng out for who hath knowen the mynde of the Lorde or who hath bene his counsellour And it is in dede true that in the gospel and in the law are conteyned mysteries whiche are farre aboue the capacitie of oure sense but for asmuche as God for the comprehendyng of these mysteries whiche he hath vouchesaued to open by his woorde doeth lighten the myndes of them that be his with the Spirite of Understandyng nowe is therin no bottomlesse deapth but a way wherin we muste safe walk a candell to guyde our feete the light of life and the schoole of certayn and plainly discernable trueth But his meruailous order of gouernyng the worlde is worthily called a bottomlesse deapthe bicause while it is hidden from vs we ought reuerently to worshyp it Ryghte well hath Moses expressed theym bothe in fewe woordes The secrete thynges saieth he belong to the Lorde our God but the thyngs reueled belong to vs and to oure children for euer We see howe he byddeth vs not onely to studie in meditation of the lawe but also reuerently to looke vp vnto the secrete Prouidence of God And in the booke of Iob is rehersed one title of this deapth that it humbleth our myndes For after that the author
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
haue desired to see the thinges that ye see and haue not seen them and to heare the thynges that ye heare and haue not hearde them Therefore blessed are your eyes bicause they see and your eares bicause they heare And truely it was meete that the presence of Christ sholde haue this excellencye of prerogatiue that from it shoulde arise the clere reuelinge of the heauenly mysteries And for this purpose also maketh that which euen we nowe alleaged out of the firste epistle of Peter that yt was opened to them that their trauaile was profitable principally for oure age Nowe I come to the thirde dyfference whiche is taken oute of Ieremie whose woordes are these Beholde the dayes shall come saithe the Lorde and I wyll make a newe couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda not accordinge to the couenant that I made wyth your Fathers in the daye when I toke them by the hand to leade them oute of the launde of Egypt the couenant that thei made voyde althoughe I ruled ouer them But thys shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel I wyl put my lawe in theyr bowelles and I wyll wryte it in their heartes and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie And no man shall teache hys neighboure and no man his brother For they shall al knowe me from the leaste vnto the moste Of whyche wordes the Apostle tooke occasion to make thys comparison betweene the lawe and the Gospell that hee called the lawe a literall and Gospel a spiritual doctrine the lawe he sayde was fashioned oute in Tables of stone the Gospell wrytten in heartes that the lawe was the preachinge of deathe the Gospell the preachinge of lyfe the lawe the preachinge of damnation the Gospel the preachinge of righteousnesse that the lawe is made voyde that the Gospell abydeth Sithe the Apostles purpose was butte to declare the meanynge of the Prophete it shall bee suffycient that wee weye the woordes of one of them to atteyne the meanynge of them bothe All bee it there is some vnlyâ—enesse betweene them For the Apostle speaketh more odiouslye of the lawe than the Prophete dothe and that not in symple respecte of the â—â—we but bycause there were certayne naughty menne hauinge a wronge zeale to the lawe whyche did with peruerse loue of the ceremonies obscure the brightnesse of the Gospel He disputeth of the nature of the lawe accordinge to their erroure foolish affection Therefore it shall be good to note that peculiarly in Paule But both of them bycause they do by comparison sette the olde and the newe testament the one against the other do consider nothing in the law but that whiche proprely belongeth vnto it As for example The lawe dothe commonly in euery place containe promises of mercie but bycause they are borowed from ells where therfore they are not reckened as part of the lawe when the mere nature of the lawe is spoken of The onely thing they ascribe vnto it to commaunde thinges that are right to forbidde wicked doynges to promyse reward to the folowers of righteousnesse to threaten punishmente to the transgressors but in the meane time neither to change nor amende the peruersenesse of heart yâ— is naturally in all men Nowe let vs expounde the Apostles comparison one peece after an other The olde testament is literall bicause it was published without the effectuall workinge of the spirit The newe is spiritual whyche the Lorde hathe spiritually grauen in the heartes of men Therefore the seconde diuersitie is as it were a declaration of the fyrste The olde is deadly bicause it can do nothinge but wrappe all mankinde within the curse The newe is the instrumente of lyfe bycause it deliuereth from curse and restoreth into fauoure with God The olde is the ministerie of damnation bycause it condemneth all Adams children of vnrighteousnesse The newe is the ministerie of ryghteousnesse bicause it reueâ—eth the mercie of God by whyche we are made ryghteous The last diuersitie is to be referred to the ceremonies Bycause the olde testament had an â—mage of thynges absent it behoued that it shoulde in tyme deâ—aye and vanyshe away but the Gospell bycause it geueth the true bodye in deede kepeth styll a fyrme and perpetuall stedfastâ—esse Ieremie in dede calleth euen the morall lawes a weake and fraile couenant but that is for an other reason bycause by the sodeine fallynge away of the vnthankfull people it was by and by broken but forasmuche as suche breakynge of it was the faulte of the people it can not proprely be layed vpon the testamente But the ceremonies forasmuche as by theyr owne weakenesse were dissolued by the comminge of Christe had the cause of their weakenesse within them selues Nowe that dyfference of the letter and spirite is not so to be taken as thoughe the Lorde hadde geuen his lawes to the Iewes wythout any frute at all hauyng none of them conuerted vnto hym But it is spoken by waye of comparison to aduaunce the abundance of grace wherewyth the same lawemaker as it were puttinge on a newe personage did honorably sette forth the preachinge of the Gospell For yf wee recken vp the multitude of these whome the Lorde oute of al peoples hath by the preaching of the Gospell regenerate wyth hys spirite and gathered into the communion of his Churche we shall saye that there were very fewe or in a manner none in the olde time in Israell that wyth affection of mynde and entirely from their heart embraced the couenant of the Lorde whoe yet were very many yf they bee reckened in theyr owne numbre wythoute comparison Out of the third difference riseth the fourth For the Scripture calleth the old testament the testament of bondage for that it ingendreth feare in mens myndes but the newe testament the testament of libertie bycause it rayseth them vp to confydence and assurednesse So sayth Paule in the eyght to the Romames Ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare but the spirite of adoption by whiche we crie Abba father â–ª Hervnto serueth that in the epistle to the Hebrues that the faithefull are not nowe come to the bodyly mount and to kind led fyre an whirlewinde darkenesse and tempest where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh menns mindes with terrore in so much that Moses hym selfe quaked for feare when the terryble voyce sounded whyche they all besoughte that they myghte not heare Butte that wee are come to the Mounte Syon and the Cytye of the syâ—ynge God the heauenly Hierusalem Butte that whyche Paule shortly toucheth in the sentence that we haue alleged out of the epistle to the Romaines he setteth out more largely in the Epistle to the Galatians when he maketh an allegoâ—â—e of the twoo sonnes of Abraham after this manner that Agar the bondwoman is a fygure of the mount Sinai where the people of Israel receiued the lawe Sara the
of name where God hath sette the memorye of hys name Whereby he playnly teacheth that without the doctrine of godlinesse there is no vse thereof And it is not douteful but that for the same reason Dauid with greate bitternesse of Spirite complayneth that he is by the tirannous crueltie of hys enemyes kepte from entring into the Tabernacle It semeth commonlye to many a childishe lamentation because it shoulde be but a very small losse and also no greate pleasure shoulde be forgone thereby to wante the entrie of the temple so that there were enoughe of other delytefull thinges But he bewaileth that with this one griefe anguishe and sorowe he is freted and vexed and in a manner wasted for nothyng is of greater estimation wyth the faythfull than thys helpe wherby God by degrees lyfteth vp his on hye For this is also to be noted that God in the mirror of hys doctrine alway so shewed himselfe to the holy Fathers that the knowledge was spiritual Wherfore the tēple is called not onely his face but also to take awaye all superstition hys foote stole And thys is that happy metyng into vnitie of Fayth whyle from the hyest euen to the lowest all doe aspire to the head All the temples that euer the Gentyles vpon any other purpose builded to God were but a mere prophaning of hys worshyp whereunto thoughe not with lyke grossenesse yet somwhat the Iewes fell Whereof Stephen out of the mouth of Esay reprocheth them where he sayeth that God dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes c. Because onely God doeth by hys worde sanctifie to himselfe temples to the lawefull vse And if we rashly attempt any thing wythout his commaundemente by and by to an euill beginning doe cleaue newe deuises by whyche the euill is spreade abrode without measure Yet Xerxes when by the coūsell of the Magitians he burned vp or plucked downe all the temples of Greece vndiscretely sayed that the goddes to whō al thynges ought to be freely open were inclosed within wals and tyles As thoughe it were not in the power of God to the entente he myght be nere vs after a certayne manner to descende vnto vs and yet neyther to chaunge place nor to fasten vs to earthly meanes but rather by certayne chariotes to carry vs vp to his heauenly glory which with the inmeasurable greatnesse thereof fylleth all thynges yea and in heygth surmounteth the heauens Now forasmuche as at this time there hath been greate strife about the effectualnesse of the ministerie while some excessiuely amplyfye the dignitie thereof and some other affirme that that whiche is properly belonging to the Holy ghost is wrongfully geuē away to mortal mā if we thynke that ministers and teachers do pearce to the mindes and hartes to amende as well the blindnesse of the mindes as the hardnesse of hartes it is mere that we geue a ryght determination of thys cōtrouersy All that they contende on both partes shal easily be accorded by expresly noting the places where God the author of preachyng ioyning his Spirite with it promiseth fruite therof or againe when seueryng hymselfe from outwarde helpes he chalengeth to himselfe alone as wel the beginninges of Fayth as the whole course thereof It was the office of the seconde Elias as Malachie witnesseth to enlighten the mindes and to turne the hartes of fathers to the children and vnbeleuers to the wysedome of the righteous Christ pronounceth that he sendeth the Apostles that they shoulde bryng fruite of theyr labor But what that fruite is Peter shortly defineth saying that we be regenerate with incorruptible sede And therefore Paule gloryeth that he by the Gospell begate the Corinthyans and that they were the seale of hys Apostle shyppe yea that he was not a lyterall minister suche as dyd onely beate the eares wyth sounde of voyce but that there was geuen hym an effectualnesse of Spirite that his doctryne shoulde not be vnprofytable In whiche meaning also in an other place he saieth that hys Gospell was not in worde onely but in power He affyrmeth also that the Galathyans by hearyng receiued the Spirite of Fayth Finallye in many places he maketh hymselfe not onely a woorker together wyth GOD but also assygneth hymselfe the offyce of geuynge saluatyon Truelye he neuer broughte fourth all these thinges to this entent to geue vnto himselfe any thing were it neuer so little seuerally from God as in an other place he shortlye declareth saying our laboure was not vnprofitable in the Lord according to his power mightily working in me Againe in an other place he that was mightie in Peter towarde the circumcision was also mightie in me towarde the Gentiles But howe he leaueth nothing seuerally to the ministers appeareth by other places as he that planteth is nothing and he that watereth is nothing but God that geueth the encrease Again I haue laboured more than all not I but the grace of God that was with me And truely we must holde fast those sayinges where God ascrybing to himselfe the enlyghtenyng of the mynde and the renewing of the harte teacheth that it is a robberie of God if man take vpon himselfe any parte of either of them In the meane time if any man offer hymselfe to the ministers whom God ordeyneth willing to learne he shall knowe by the frute that thys manner of teachyng not in vaine pleased God and that this yoke of modestie was not in vaine laied vpon the faithful But as for the Churche visible and whiche is within the compasse of our knowledge what iudgemente is mete to be geuen therof I thinke it already appeare euidently by that which we haue before saied For we haue sayed that the holy Scripture speaketh of the Churche after two sortes Somtime when it nameth the Churche it meaneth that churche which is in dede before God into which none are receiued but they that are both by grace of adoption the children of God and by santification of the Spirite the true members of Chryst. And then truelye it comprehendeth not onely the holy ones that dwell in earth but also all the electe that haue ben sins the beginning of the world But often times vnder the name of the Church it signifieth the vniuersall multitude of men scattered abrode in the worlde whiche professe that they worshyp one God and Christ by Baptisme entre into hys Fayth by partaking of the Supper testifie their vnitie in true doctrine and charitie haue an agremente in the worde of the Lorde and for the preaching thereof doe kepe the ministerie ordeined by Christe In thys Churche there be mingled many hipocrites whiche haue nothyng of Christ but the name and outward shewe there be many ambicious couetous enuious euill speakers some of vncleane life which be suffred for a time either because they can not by lawfull order of iudgemente be cōuinced or because there is not alway in vre that seueritie of discipline that oughte to be Therefore as
aduaunced than it was when he sayde He that heareth you heareth me He that despiseth you despiseth me But there is no place more playne than in Paule in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians where he as it were of purpose entreateth of this matter He affirmeth therefore that there is nothyng in the Chirche more excellent or glorious than the ministerie of the Gospell forasmuche as it is the administration of the Spirite and of righteousnesse and of eternal life These and like sayenges serue to this purpose that that order of gouerning and preseruing the Chirch by ministers which the Lord hath stablished for euer should not growe oute of estimation among vs and so at length by very contempt grow out of vse And howe greate is the necessitie therof he hath declared not onely by wordes but also by examples When his wil was to shine more fully to Cornelius with the light of his trueth he sente an Angell from heauen to sende Peter vnto him When his will was to call Paule to the knowlege of himselfe and to engraffe him into the Chirch he spake not to him with his own voice but sente him to a man of whom he shoulde receiue both the doctrine of saluation and the sanctification of Baptisme If it be not done without cause that an Angell which is the interpreter of God doe himselfe absteine from declaring the wil of God but commaundeth that a man be sente for to declare it and not withoute cause that Christ the onely scholemaister of the faithfull commytteth Paule to the schooling of a man yea euen that same Paule whom he had determined to take vp into the thirde heauen and to vouchsaue to graunt him miraculous reuelation of thinges vnspeakable whoe is there now that dare despise that ministerie or passe it ouer as a thyng superfluous the vse wherof it hath pleased God to make approued by such examples They that haue rule of the gouernement of the Chirche according to the institution of Christ are named of Paule first Apostles then Prophetes thirdly Euangelistes fourthly Pastors laste of all Teachers Of which the twoo last alone haue ordinarie office in the Chirche the other three the Lord raised vp at the beginning of hys kingdome and sometime yet also rayseth vp as the necessitie of times requireth What is the Apostles office appeareth by that commaundemente go preache the Gospell to euery creature There are not certaine boundes appointed vnto them but the whole worlde is assigned them to be brought into the obedience of Christe that in spreading the Gospell among all nations whersoeuer they shall be able they maye eche where raise vp his kingdome Therefore Paule when he wente aboute to proue his Apostleship rehearseth that he hath gotten to Christ not some one citie but hath farre and wide spred abrode the Gospell and that he hath not layed his handes to an other mans fundation but planted Chirches where the name of the Lorde had neuer ben heard of Therfore the Apostles were sente to bring backe the world from falling awaye vnto true obedience of God and eche where to stablish his kingdome by preaching of the Gospell or if you like that better as the first bilders of the Chirche to laye the fundations therof in all the worlde Prophetes he calleth not all expositors of Gods will whatsoeuer they be but those that by singular reuelation excelled suche as at this tyme either be none or are lesse notable By Euangelistes I vnderstande those whiche when in dignitie they were lesse than the Apostles yet in office were nexte vnto them yea and occupied their roomes Suche were Luke Timothee Titus and other lyke and paraduenture also the seuentie Disciples whom Christ appointed in the seconde place after the Apostles According to this exposition which semeth to me agreable both with the woordes and meaning of Paule those three offices were not ordeined in the Chirche to this ende that they should be perpetuall but onely to serue for that tyme wherein Chirches were to be erected where were none before or at least to be remoued from Moses to Chryst. Albeit I denie not but the afterwarde also the Lord hath somtyme raysed vp Apostles or at least in their places Euangelistes as it hath ben done in our time For it was nedefull to haue such to bryng backe the Chirche from the falling away of Antichrist Yet the office it selfe I do neuerthelesse call extraordinarie because it hath no place in the Chirches already well set in order Next after these are Pastors and Teachers whom the Chirche may neuer lacke betwene whom I thynke that there is thys difference that the Teachers are not appoynted to beare rule of discipline nor for the ministration of Sacramentes nor admonishmentes or exhortations but onely to expounde the Scripture that pure and sounde doctrine may be kept among the faithfull But the office of Pastor conteineth al these thynges within it Now we haue which were those ministeries in the Chirch that continued but for a tyme and which were those that were ordeined to endure perpetually If we ioyne the Euangelistes with the Apostles we shall haue remayning two couples after a certayne maner answeryng the one to the other For as oure Teachers are lyke to the olde Prophetes in such sort are our Pastors lyke to the Apostles The office of Prophetes was more excellent by reson of the singular gifte that they had of reuelation but the office of Teachers hath in a manner lyke order and altogether the same ende So those .xii. whom the Lorde dyd choose that they should publish abrode to the world the new preaching of the Gospel in degre and dignitie went before the rest For although by the meanyng and propertie of the worde all the ministers of the Chirche maye be ryghtly called Apostles because they are sente of the Lorde and are hys messengers yet because it was muche behouefull that there should be a certayne knowledge had of the sendyng of them that should bring a thing new and vnheard of it was necessarie that those xii to whoe 's number Paule was afterwarde added should be garnished with some peculiar title aboue the rest Paule hymselfe in dede in â—â—e place geueth thys name to Andronicus and Iunias whom he saieth to haue been notable among the Apostles but when he meaneth to speake properly he referreth it to none other but to that principal degree And this is the common vse of the Scripture Yet the Pastors sauing that eche of them do gouerne seueral Chirches appointed to them haue al one charge with the Apostles Now what maner of thing that is let vs yet heare it more playnly The Lord when he sent the Apostles gaue them commaundemente as we sayd euen now to preache the Gospell and to baptise them that beleue vnto forgeuenesse of synnes He had before commaunded that they should distribute the holy signes of his body and bloud as
than eche one seuerally neither is it my meaning that thys is so spoken in common to the faithful as though they were al alike endued with the Spirite of vnderstanding and doctrine but because it is not to be graunted to the aduersaries of Christ that they should for the defense of an euill cause wrest the Scripture to a wrong sense But omitting this I simply cōfesse that which is true that the lord is perpetually presēt with his ruleth them with his Spirite And that this Spirite is not the Spirite of error ignorance lyeng or darkenesse but of sure reuelation wisedome trueth light of whō they not deceitfully may learne those thinges that are geuē them that is to say what is the hope of their calling what be the richesse of the glory of the inheritaunce of God in the saintes But wheras the faythful euen they that are endued with more excellent giftes aboue the rest do in thys fleshe receiue onely the firste frutes a certaine tast of that Spirite there remaineth nothing leeuer to them thā knowing their own weakenesse to hold themselues carefully within the boundes of the worde of God least if they wander farr after their own sense they by by stray out of the right waie in so much as they be yet voide of that Spirite by whoe 's only teaching truth is discerned from falshode For all men do confesse with Paule that they haue not yet atteined to the marke Therfore they more endeuor to daily profiting than glory of perfection But they wil take exception say that whatsoeuer is particularly attributed to euery one of the holy ones the same doth throughly fully belong to the Chirche it selfe Although this hath some seming of truth yet I deney it to be true God doth in dede so distribute to euery one of the members the giftes of his Spirite by measure that the whole body wanteth nothing necessarie whē the giftes are geuē in cōmon But the richesse of the Chirche are alway such that there euer wāteth much of that hiest perfection which our aduersaries do bost of Yet the Chirche is not therefore so lefte destitute in any behalf but that she alway hath so much as is enough For the Lord knoweth what her necessitie requireth But to holde her vnder humilitie and godly modestie he geueth her no more than he knoweth to be expedient I know what here also they are wont to obiecte that is that the Chirche is clensed with the washing of water in the worde of life that it might be without wrincle and spot and that therfore in an other place it is called the piller and stay of truth But in the first of these two places is rather taught what Christ daily worketh in it than what he hath allredy done For if he daily sanctifieth purgeth polysheth wypeth from spottes all them that be his truely it is certayne that they are yet besprinkled with some spottes and wrincles and that there wanteth somwhat of their sanctificatiō But how vayne and fabulous is it to iudge the Chirch alredy in euery part holy and spottlesse wherof all the members are spotty and very vncleane It is true therefore that the Chirche is sanctified of Christe But onely the beginning of that sanctifieng is here seen but the ende and full accomplishment shall be when Christe the holiest of holy ones shall truely and fully fill it with his holinesse It is true also that the spottes and wrincles of it are wiped awaye but so that they be daily in wiping awaye vntill Christe with his comming dooe vtterlye take awaye all that remaineth For vnlesse we graunt this we must of necessitie affirme with the Pelagians that the righteousnesse of the faithfull is perfect in this life and with the Cathani and Donatistes we muste suffer no infirmitie in the Chirch The other place as we haue ells where seen hath a sense vtterly differing from that which they pretende For when Paule hath instructed Timothee and framed him to the true office of a Bishop he sayeth that he did it to this purpose that he should knowe how he ought to be haue himselfe in the Chirch And that he should with the greater religiousnesse and endeuor bend himselfe thereunto he addeth that the Chirch is the very piller stay of truth For what ells do these wordes meane but that the truth of God is preserued in the Chirch namely by the ministerie of preaching As in an other place he teacheth that Christ gaue Apostles Pastors and Teachers that we should no more be caried about with euery winde of doctrine or be morked of men but that being enlightened with the true knowledge of the Sonne of God we should altogether mete in vnitie of Faith Wheras therfore the truth is not extinguished in the world but remayneth safe that same cōmeth to passe because it hath the Chirche a faithful keper of it by whoe 's helpe ministerie it is susteined But if this keping standeth in the ministerie of the Prophetes and Apostles it foloweth that it hangeth wholy herupō if the word of the Lord be faithfully preserued doe kepe hys puritie But that the reders may better vnderstande vpon what pointe thys question chefely standeth I wil in fewe wordes declare what our aduersaries require and wherin we stande against them Where they say that the Chirche can not erre it tendeth herunto thus they expounde it that forasmuch as it is gouerned by the Spirite of God it may goe safely without the worde that whether soeuer it goeth it can not thinke nor speake any thing but truth that therfore if it determine any thing wtout or beside Gods worde the same is no otherwise to be estemed than as a certaine Oracle of God If we graūt that first point that the Chirche can not erre in thinges necessarie to saluation this is our meaning that this is therfore because forsaking al her own wisdome she suffreth her selfe to be taught of the Holy ghost by the word of God This therfore is the difference They set the authoritie of the Chirch without the worde of God but we wil that it be annexed to the worde and suffer it not to be seuered from it And what maruel is it if the spouse and scholar of Christ be subiect to her husbande scholemaister that the cōtinually and ernestly hāgeth of his mouth For this is the order of a wel gouerned house that the wife should obey the authoritie of the husbande thys is the rule of a wel ordered schoole that the teaching of the scholemaster alone should there be heard Wherfore let the Chirche not be wise of her selfe not thinke any thing of her selfe but determine the ende of her wisdōe where he hath made an ende of speaking After thys maner she shal also distruste all the inuentions of her owne reason but in those thinges wherin it stādeth vpō the word of God she shall wauer
forsothe which while Christ was yet liuyng they coulde not vnderstand after his ascendyng they learned by the reuelation of the Holy ghost Of the exposition of that place we haue els where already seen So much as is sufficient for this present cause truely they make themselues worthy to be laughed at whyle they faine that those greate mysteries which so long tyme were vnknowen to the Apostles were partly obseruations eyther Iewishe or Gentile of whiche all the one sort had ben long before publyshed among the Iewes and all the other sort among the Gentiles and partly foolysh gesturynges and vayne pety Ceremonies whiche foolishe sacrificyng prestes that can neither skill of swimmyng nor of letters vse to doo very trimly yea suche as children and fooles do so aptely counterfaite that it may sente that there be no fitter ministers of suche holy mysteries If there were no histories at all yet men that haue their sound witte myght consider by the thing it self that so great a heape of Ceremonies and obseruations did not sodenly brust into the Chirch but by little little crept in For when those holyer Bishops whiche were next in tyme to the Apostles had ordeyned some thynges that belonged to order and discipline afterwarde there folowed men some after other no discrete enoughe and to curious and gredy of whiche the later that euery one was so he more striued with his predecessoures in foolyshe enuious counterfaytyng not to geue place in inuentyng of newe thynges And because there was peryll least their deuyses woulde shortly growe oute of vse by whiche they coueted to gette prayse among their posteritie they were muche more rygorous in exact callyng vpon the kepyng of them This wrongfull zeale hath bredde vs a great part of these Ceremonies whyche they sette out vnto vs for Apostolike And this also the histories doo testifie Least in makyng a register of them we should be to tedious we will be content with one example In the ministryng of the Lordes supper there was in the Apostles tyme great simplicitie The next successours to garnishe the dignitie of the mysterie added somewhat that was not to be disallowed But afterwarde there came those foolishe counterfaiters which with now and then patchyng of peces together haue made vs this apparel of the prest whiche we se in the Masse those ornamentes of the altar those gesturynges and the whole furniture of vnprofitable thynges But they obiect that this in olde tyme was the persuasion that those thynges which were with one consente doone in the vniuersall Chirch came from the Apostles themselues whereof they cite Augustine for witnesse But I wyll bryng a solution from no other where than out of the words of Augustine hymselfe Those thinges saieth he that are kepte in the whole world we may vnderstand to haue ben ordeined either of the Apostles themselues or of the generall Councells whoe 's authoritie is moste healthfull in the Chirche as that the Lordes passion and resurrection and his ascendyng into heauen and the comming of the Holy ghoste are celebrate with yearely solemnitie and whatsoeuer lyke thyng bee founde that is kepte of the whole Chirch whiche waie soeuer it be spread abroade When he reckneth vp so fewe examples who doeth not se that he meant to impute to authors worthie of credite and reuerence the obseruations that then were vsed euen none but those symple rare and sobre ones with which it was profitable that the order of the Chirch shold be kepte together But howe farre doeth this differ from that whyche the Romishe maisters would enforce men to graunte that there is no pety Ceremonie among them that oughte not to be iudged Apostolike That I be not to long I wyll bryng foorth onely one example If any man aske them whense they haue theyr Holy water they by and by answer from the Apostles As though the histories dooe not attribute this inuention to I wote not what Bishop of Rome which truely if he had called the Apostles to counsell woulde neuer haue defiled Baptisme with a strange and vnfitte signe Albe it I do not thynke it like to be true that the beginnyng of that halowyng is so olde as it is there written For that whyche Augustine sayeth that certayne Chirches in his tyme dyd shunne that solemne folowyng of Christes example in washyng of feete least that vsage shoulde seeme to pertayne to Baptisme secretely sheweth that there was then no kynde of washyng that hadde any lykenesse with Baptisme Whatsoeuer it bee I wyll not graunte that this proceded from an Apostolike Spirite that Baptisme when it is with a dayly signe brought into remembrance should after a certayne maner bee repeted And I passe not vpon this that the selfe same Augustine in an other place ascribeth other thynges also to the Apostles For sithe he hath nothyng but coniectures iudgement oughte not vppon them to bee geuen of so greate a mater Finally admytte that we graunte them also that those thynges whych he rehearseth came from the tyme of the Apostles Yet there is greate difference betweene institutyng somme exercise of Godlynesse which the Faithful with a free conscience may vse or if the vse of it shall not be profitable for them they may forbeare it and making a law that may snare cōsciences with bondage But now from what author soeuer they proceded sithe we see that they are slidden into so greate abuse nothyng withstandeth but that we may without offence of hym abolish them forasmuche as they were neuer so commended that they muste be perpetually immouable Neither doth it much helpe them that to excuse their tyrannie they pretende the example of the Apostles The Apostles saye they and the elders of the first Chirch made a decree besyde the commaundement of Christ wherin they commaūded all the Gentiles to abstein from thinges offred to idols from strangled and from blood If that was lawefull for them why is it not also lawfull for their successours to followe the same so oft as occasion so requireth I wold to God they did bothe in all other thynges and in this thing folow them For I deny that the Apostles did there institute or decree any new thing which is easy to be proued by a strong reson For whereas Peter in that Coūcel pronounceth that God is tempted if a yoke be layed vpon the neckes of the disciples he doth himselfe ouerthrowe his owne sentence if he afterward consent to haue any yoke layed vpon them But there is a yoke layed if the Apostles do decree of their owne authoritie that the Gentiles shold be forbidden that they should not touch thinges offred to idoles blood strangled In dede there yet remaineth a dout for that they do neuerthelesse seme to forbidde But this dout shal easily be dissolued if a man doo more nerely consider the meaning of the decree it selfe in the order and effecte whereof the chiefe point is that to the Gentiles their libertie is to be left and
doutefull and vncertayne they demaunde by what miracles it is confirmed they aske whether it be mete that it should preuayle agaynste the consente of so many holy Fathers and the moste aunciente custome they presse vpon vs to cōfesse it to be schismaticall whiche moueth warr againste the Chirche or that the Chirche hath lyen dead in many ages in whiche no suche thyng hath ben heard of Last of all they saye that there nede no argumentes for say they it may by the frutes be iudged of what sorte it is namely which hath bredde so huge a heape of sectes so many turmoyles of seditions so great licentiousnesse of vices Truely full easy it is for them to triumph vpon a forsaken cause before the lyght beleuing and ignorant multitude But if we might also haue our turne likewise allowed vs to speake verily thys sharpe heate woulde sone be cooled wherewith they doe so with full month and as licentiously as vnpunishedly some agaynst vs. Firste whereas they call it newe they dooe greate wrong to God whoe 's holy worde deserued not to be accused of newenesse To them in dede I nothing dout that it is new to whom Christ is new and hys Gospell is new But they which knewe that preaching of Paule to be olde that Iesus Christ dyed for our synnes and rose agayne for oure iustification shall fynde nothyng newe among vs. Wheras it hath long lyen hidden vnknowen and buried that is the fault of the vngodlynesse of men Nowe sithe it is by the bountifulnesse of God restored to vs it ought at least by ryght of full restitution to receiue agayne the title of auncientie Out of the same fountayne of ignorance springeth thys that they take it for doutful and vncertayne Thys verily is it which the Lorde by hys Prophet complayneth that the oxe knew hys owner and the asse hys masters stall but hys people knewe not hymn But howsoeuer they mocke at the vncertaintie of it if they were dryuen to seale theyr owne doctrine with their owne blood and with losse of their lyfe men mighte see howe much they set by it But farre other is our affiance which dredeth neyther the terrors of death nor yet the very iugement seate of God Wheras they require miracles of vs they deale vnreasonably wyth vs. For we coine no new Gospell but holde fast the selfe same Gospell for confirming of the truth wherof al the miracles do serue that euer Christ and his Apostles haue done But thys thyng they haue speciall aboue vs that they can euen to thys day confirme their faith with cōtinuall miracles Yea but rather they allege miracles which may weakē a minde other wyse wel stablished they are so eyther tryflyng and worthy to be laughed at or vayne and lyeng And yet although they were neuer so monstruous they oughte not to haue ben of any value agaynste the worde of God forasmuche as the name of God oughte both in euery place and euery time to be hallowed whether it be by miracles or by naturall order of thynges Thys false color myght paraduenture haue made the better shew if the Scripture did not informe vs of the lawful ende and vse of miracles For Marke teacheth that the sygnes which folowed the preaching of the Apostles were sett fourth for the confirming of it Likewyse Luke also sayth that the Lord dyd beare wytnesse to the worde of his grace when signes and wonders were shewed by the handes of the Apostles Wherwith wholly agreeth that sayeng of the Apostle that when the Gospell was preached saluation was confirmed by thys that the Lorde did beare witnesse to it with signes and wonders and diuerse powers But those thinges whiche we heare to be the sealinges of the Gospel shal we turne to the destroyeng of the credit of the Gospell those thinges which are appointed onely to stablishe the trueth shal we applye to confirming of lyes Therefore it is mete that the doctrine whiche as the Euangelist sayeth goeth before miracles be firste examined and tryed If that be allowed then it maye lawfully take confirmation of miracles But of a true doctrine as Christe teacheth thys is the marke if it tende not to the seking of the glorie of men but of God Sithe Christe affirmeth thys to be the profe of doctrine miracles are wrongfully estemed whiche are drawen to any other ende than to glorifie the name of God alone And we oughte to remember that Satā hath hys miracles which although they be iuggling deceites rather than true powers yet are suche as may decciue the ignorante and vnskillfull Magicians and enchaunters haue been alwaye famous in miracles wonderfull miracles haue nourished idolatrie whiche yee doe not proue to vs that the superstition of Magicians and idolatrers is lawfull And wyth thys batterynge ramme in olde tyme the Donatistes dyd shake the simplicitie of the common people for that they excelled in miracles Therefore we doe nowe make the same answere to oure aduersaries which Augustine then made to the Donatistes that the Lorde hath made vs ware agaynste suche miracle workers when he foretold that there shold come false Prophetes which with lyeng signes and diuers wonders shold if it were possible bryng the elect into error And Paule hath geuen warning that the kyngdome of Antichrist should be with all power and signes and lyeng wonders But these miracles say they are doon not of idoles not of sorceres not of false prophetes but of the Saintes As though we knewe not that this is the craft of Satan to transfigure himselfe into an Angell of lyght In olde tyme the Egyptians worshipped Ieremie which was buried among them with sacrifices and other diuine honors Did not they abuse the holy Prophet of God to idolatrie And yet by suche worshipping of his tombe they obteined that they thought the healyng of the styngyng of serpentes to be the iust rewarde therof What shall we say but that this hath ben and euer shall be the moste iust vengeance of God to sende strength of illusion to them that haue not receiued the loue of truth that they may beleue lieng Therfore we want not miracles and those certaine and not subiecte to cauillations As for miracles whiche they bring foorth for themselues they are mere illusions of Satan forasmuch as they leade awaye the people from the true worshippyng of their God to vanitie Moreouer they do sclaunderously sett the Fathers agaynst vs I meane the auncient Fathers and the writers of the age as yet more vncorrupted as though they had them for mainteners of their vngodlynesse by whose authoritie if the debate were to be ended the better part of the victorie to speake euen most modestlie wold bend to our side But wheras many thynges haue ben excellentlye well and wisely written of those Fathers and in some thynges that hath happened to them which is wont to happen to mē these good naturall children forsothe accordyng to the rightenesse that they haue bothe
and corrupcion of nature I will omit also to entreate of the remedy therof Therefore let the readers remember that I do not yet speake of the couenaunt whereby God hath adopted to hymselfe the children of Abraham and of that specyal parte of doctrine wherby the faithful haue alway been peculiarly seuered frō the prophane nations because that doctrine was founded vpon Christ but I speake how we ought to learne by the Scripture that god which is the creator of the world is by certaine markes seuerallye discerned from the counterfait multitude of false gods And thē the order it selfe shal conueniently bring vs to the redemer But although we shal allege may testimonies out of the new testamēt some also out of the law and the Prophetes wherin is expresse menciō made of Christ yet they shall al tende to this ende to proue that in the Scripture is disclosed vnto vs God the creator of the world and in the scripture is set foorth what we ought to thinke of him to the end that we should not seke about the busy for an vncertaine godhead But whether God were knowen to the fathers by oracles and visions or whether by the mean and ministraciō of men he informed them of that which they should from hande to hand deliuer to their posterity yet it is vndoutedly true that in their hartes was engrauen a stedfaste certaintie of doctrin so as they might be perswaded and vnderstand that it which they had learned came from God For God alwaies made vndouted assuraunce for credit of his worde which farre exceaded all vncertaine opinion At length that by continual proceding of doctrine the trueth suruiuing in al ages might stil remaine in the world the same oracles which he had left with the fathers his pleasure was to haue as it were enrolled in publike tables For this entent was the law publyshed wherunto after were added the Prophetes for expositors For though there were diuerse vses of the law as hereafter shal better appeare in place conuenient and specially the principall purpose of Moises and al the Prophetes was to teach the maner of reconciliacion beetwene God and men for which cause also Paule calleth Christ the end of the law yet as I say once againe beside the proper doctrine of faith and repētance which sheweth forth Christe the mediatour the Scripture doth by certaine markes and tokens paint out the onelye and true God in that that he hath created and doeth gouerne the worlde to the ende he should be seuerally knowen and not reckened in the false nomber of fained gods Therefore although it behoueth man earnestlye to bend his eies to consider the workes of God forasmuch as he is set as it were in this gorgeous stage to be a beholder of them yet pryncipally ought he to bende his eares to the word that he may better profit therby And therfore it is no maruel that they which ar borne in darkenesse do more and more waxe hard in their amased dulnesse because verye fewe of them do geue themselues pliable to learne of the word of God whereby to kepe them within their boundes but they rather reioyse in their own vanity Thus then ought we to holde that to the ende true religion may shyne among vs we must take our beginning at the heauenly doctrine And that no man can haue any tast be it neuer so little of true and sounde doctrine vnlesse he haue ben scholer to the Scrypture And from hense groweth the original of true vnderstanding that we reuerently embrace whatsoeuer it pleaseth God therin to testifye of himselfe For not onely the perfect and in al pointes absolute faith but also al right knowledge of God springeth from obedience And truelye in thys behalfe God of his singular prouidence hath prouided for men in and for al ages For if we consider how slipperye an inclinacion mans minde hath to slide into forgetfulnes of God how great a redinesse to fal into al kind of errors how great a lust to forge oftentimes new counterfayt religions we may therby perceiue how necessarie it was to haue the heauenly doctrine so put in writing that it should not either perish by forgetfulnes or grow vaine by errour or be corrupted by boldnes of men Sith therfore it is manifest that God hath alway vsed the helpe of hys word toward al those whom it pleased him at any time frutefully to instruct because he foresaw that his image emprinted in the most beautifull forme of the world was not sufficiently effectual Therfore it behoueth vs to trauaile this straight way if we earnestly couet to attayne to the true beholding of God We must I say come to his word wherin God is well and liuely set out by his workes when his workes be weyed not after the peruersuesse of our own iudgemēt but according to the rule of the eternall trueth If we swarue from that worde as I saied euen now although we runne neuer so fast yet we shall neuer attaine to the marke because the course of our running is out of the way For thus we must thinke that the brightnesse of the face of God which the Apostle calleth such as cannot be atteined vnto is vnto vs like a maze out of which we cannot vnwrappe our selues vnlesse we be by the line of the word guided into it so that it is much better for vs to halt in this way than to runne neuer so fast in an other And therfore Dauid oftē times when he teacheth that supersticions are to be taken away out of the world that pure religion maye floryshe bringeth in God reigning meaninge by this worde reigning not the power that he hath but the doctryne wherby he chalengeth to himselfe a lawfull gouernement because errors can neuer be rooted out of the hartes of men till the true knowledge of God be planted Therfore the same Prophete after that he hath recited that the heauens declare the glory of God that the firmament sheweth fourth the woorkes of his handes that the orderly succeding course of daies and nightes preacheth his maiestie then descendeth to make mentiō of his worde The law of the Lord saieth he is vndefiled conuerting soules the witnesse of the Lord is faithful geuing wisedome to little ones the righteousnesses of the Lord are vpryght makyng hartes cherefull the commaundemēt of the Lord is bryght geuing light to the eies For although he comprehendeth also the other vses of the law yet in generalitie he meaneth that forasmuch as God doeth in vaine call vnto hym al nations by the beholdyng of the heauen and earth therfore this is the peculiar schole of the children of God The same meanyng hath the xxix Psalme where the Prophet hauing preached of the terrible voice of God whiche in thunder windes showres whirlewindes stormes shaketh the earth maketh the mountains to tremble and breaketh the cedre trees in the ende at last he goeth further and sayth that his praises are
being admonished may know what is chefely to be searched in the Scriptures coÌ„cerning God â–ª and be directed to one certain marke in their seking I do not yet touch the peculiar couenaunte wherby God seuered the stocke of Abraham from other nations For euen then he appeared the redemer in receyuing to his children by free adopcion those that before were ennemies But we ar yet about that knowledge that resteth in the creation of the world and ascendeth not to Christ the mediatour And although by and by it shal be good to allege certaine places oute of the newe testament forasmuch as euen out of it both the power of God the creator and his prouidence in preseruing of the first nature is approued yet I warne the readers before what is now my purpose to do to the ende that they passe not the appointed boundes So for this present let it suffice vs to learne how God the maker of heauen and earth doth gouerne the world by him created Euery where is renomed both his fatherly bountie and enclined wil to do good and there are also examples rehearsed of hys seueritie which shew him to be a righteous punisher of wicked doinges specially where his sufferaunce nothing preuaileth with the obstinate In certain places are set forth more plaine descriptions wherin his natural face is as in an image represented to be seen For in the place where Moses descrybeth it it semeth that his meanyng was shortly to comprehende al that was lawful for men to vnderstande of God The lord sayeth he the Lord a mercyfull God gracious paciente and of much mercy and true whych kepest mercy vnto thousandes which takest away iniquitie and wycked doinges beefore whom the innocente shal not be innocent which rendrest the wyckednesse of the fathers to the children and childrens children Where let vs marke that his eternitie and being of himselfe is expressed in the twise repeting of that honorable name and that then his vertues are rehearsed in which is described vnto vs not what he is in respect to hymselfe but what a one he is towarde vs that thys knowledge of hym maye rather stande in a liuely feling than in an empty and supernatural speculation And here we do heare recited those vertues of hys which we noted to shine in the heauen and earth that is to say â—lemeÌ„cie bountie mercy iustice iudgement and truth For myght and power are conteyned vnder this name Elohim God Wyth the same names of addition doe the Prophetes set him forth when they meane fully to paint out his holy name But because I would not heape vp to many examples together at this preseÌ„t let one Psalme suffice vs wherin the summe of al his vertues is so exactly reckened vp that nothing can seme to be omitted And yet is nothing there rehearsed but that which we may beholde in his creatures So plainly do we perceiue God by informacion of experyeÌ„ce to be such as he declareth himselfe in hys worde In Ieremy where he pronounceth what a one he would haue vs knowe hym to be he setteth forth a description not altogether so full but yet comming all to one effecte He that gloryeth saieth he let him glory in this that he knoweth me to bee the Lord that do mercy iustice and iudgemente on the earth Surelye these three thinges are very necessary for vs to knowe mercy in which alone consisteth al our saluacion Iudgement which is dayly executed vpon euil doers and more greuous is prepared for them to eternal destruction Iustice wherby the faithful are preserued and most tenderlye cherished Which thinges when thou hast conceiued the prophecy saith thou hast sufficiently enough wherof thou maiest glory in God And yet here are not omitted either his trueth or his power or his holinesse or goodnesse For how should the knowledge stand sure which is here required of his iustice mercy and iudgement vnlesse it did rest vpon hys vnmouable truth And how should we beleue that he doeth gouerne the earth with iustice and iudgement but vnderstandyng hys power And whense commeth his mercy but of his goodnesse If then all his waies be mercy iudgement and iustice in them must holinesse also nedes bee seen And to none other ende is directed that knowledge of God that is set forth vnto vs in the Scriptures than is that knowledge also which appeareth emprinted in his creatures that is to say it first moueth vs to the feare of God and then to put confidence in hym to the ende we may learne first to honor him with perfect innocency of lyfe and vnfained obedience and then to hang altogether vpon hys goodnesse But here I meane to gather a summe of generall doctrine And first let the readers note that the Scripture to the ende to direct vs to the true God doth expresly exclude and cast away al the gods of the gentiles because commonly in a manner in al ages religion hath ben corrupted True it is in dede that the name of one God was euerye where knowen and renomed For euen they that worshipped a great nomber of gods so oft as they did speake according to the proper sense of nature they simply vsed the singular name of God as if they were contented with one God alone And thys was wisely marked by Iustine the Martyr which for thys purpose made a boke of the Monarchie of god wherby many testimonies he sheweth that thys that there is but one god was engrauen in the hartes of al men The same thyng also doth Tertulliane proue by the common phrase of speche But forasmuche as all without exception are by their own vanitie either drawen or fallen to false forged deuises and so their senses are become vayne therefore all that euer they naturally vnderstode of the beeing but one god auayled no further but to make them inxecusable For eueÌ„ the wisest of them do plainly shewe the wandering error of theyr mynde when they wyshe some god to assist them and so in theyr prayers do cal vpon vncertayne gods Moreouer in this that they imagined god to haue many natures although they thought somwhat lesse absurdely than the rude people did of Iupeter Mercury Uenus Minerua and other yet were they not free from the deceites of Satan and as we haue already sayed els where whatsoeuer wayes of escape the Philosophers haue suttelly inuented they cannot purge themselues of rebellioÌ„ but that they all haue corrupted the trueth of god For thys reson Habacuc after he had condeÌ„ned all idols biddeth to seke God in hys own temple that the faythfull should not admyt hym to be any other than such as he had disclosed him selfe by hys worde The .xi. Chapter That it is vnlawfull to attribute vnto God a visible forme and that generally they forsake God so many as do erect to them selues any images BUt as the Scripture prouiding for the rude grosse wit of man vseth to speake after the common maner so when it
Likewise Augustine whiche withoute douting pronounceth that it is vnlawfull not onely to worship images but also to set vp images to God And yet sayeth he none other thyng but the same which many yeares before was decreed by the Elibertine councel wherof this is the .xxxvi. Chapiter It is ordeined that no pictures be had in the church that the thing which is honored and worshipped be not painted on the wals But most notable is that which in another place Augustine allegeth out of Uarro and confirmeth it with his owne assent that they which first brought in the images of gods both toke away the feare of God and brought in erroure If Uarro alone should say this paraduenture it should be but of smal authoritie Yet ought it of right to make vs ashamed that a heathen man groping in darknesse came to this light to se that bodily images are therfore vnmete for the maiestie of God because they diminish the feare of God and encrease error in men The proufe it selfe witnesseth that this was no lesse truly than wisely spoken But Augustine hauing borrowed it of Uarro bringeth it forth as of his own mind And first he admonisheth that the first errors wherwith men were entangled concerning God beganne not of images but as with new matter added encreased by them Secondly he expoundeth that the feare of god is therefore minished or rather taken away therby because his maiestie may easely in the folishnesse and in the fonde and absurde forging of images grow to coÌ„tempt Which seconde thing I would to god we did not by proufe finde to be so true Whosoeuer therefore will couet to be rightly taught let him elles where learne than of images what is mete to be knowen concerning God Wherfore if the papistes haue any shame let them no more vse thys shyft to say that images are lay mens bokes which by many testimonies of Scripture ar so openly confuted And althoughe I grauÌ„t them so much yet should they not muche get thereby for defense of their idoles What monsters they trust in in the place of God is wel knowen The pictures and images that they dedicate to Saynctes what at they but examples of extreme riot vnclennesse wherunto if any would fashion himselfe he were worthy to be beaten with staues Surely the brotheâ—houses can shewe harlots more chastely and soberly attyred than their temples shewe images of these whom they would haue called virgins Euen as vncomly array geue they to the martirs Lette them therfore fashion their idols at least to some honest shewe of shamefastnesse that they may somwhat more colorably lye in saieng that they are the bokes of some holinesse But if it were so yet then would we answere that this is not the ryght way to teache the faythful people in holy places whom God would haue there instructed with farre other doctryne than wyth these trifles God commaunded in the churches a common doctryne to be set forth to al men in preaching of his woorde and in his holy misteryes whereunto they shew themselues to haue a minde not very hedeful that cast their eies about to beholde images But whom do the Papistes cal lay and vnlearned men whose vnskilfulnesse may beare to be taught only by images â–ª forsoth euen those whoÌ„ the Lord knowledgeth for hys disciples to whom he vouche saueth to reuele the heauenly wisedome whom he willeth to be instructed with the holsome misteries of his kingdom I graunt in dede as the matter standeth that there ar at this day many which cannot be without such bokes But wheÌ„se I pray you groweth that dulnesse but that they are defrauded of the doctrine whiche only was mete to instruct them with For it is for no other cause that they which had the cure of churches gaue ouer their office of teachyng to idoles but because themselues were dumme Paule testifieth that Christ is in the true preaching of the gospel painted out and in amaner crucified before our eyes To what purpose then wer it to haue coÌ„monly set vp in churches so many crosses of wood stone siluer and golde if thys were wel and faythfully beaten into the peoples heads that Christ dyed to beare our curse vpon the crosse to cleanse our synnes with the Sacrifice of hys body and to wash them away wyth hys bloud and finally to reconcile vs to God the father Of which one thyng they might learne more than of a thousande crosses of wood or stone For parhaps the couetous do set their mindes and eyes faster vpon the golden and siluer crosses than vpon any wordes of God As concerning the beginning of idols that is by common consente thought to be true which is written in the boke of wysedome that they were the first authoures of them which gaue thys honor to the ded supersticiously to worship their memorie And truly I graunt that thys euil custome was very auncient and I deny not that it was the fierbrand wherwith the rage of men being kindled to idolatry did more and more burne therin Yet do I not graunt that thys was the fyrst orygynall of thys mischiefe For it appeareth by moses that images were vsed before that this curiositie in dedicatiÌ„g the images of dead meÌ„ whereof the prophane wryters make otfen mention were come in vre When he telleth that Rachel had stolen her fathers idols he speaketh it as of a common fault Wherby we may gather that the wit of man is as I may so cal it a continual worship of idols After the generall floud there was as it were a new regeneracion of the world and yet there passed not many yeares but that men according to their own lust fained them gods And it is likely that the holy patriarch yet liuing his childrens children wer geuen to idolatry so that to his bitter griefe he saw the earth defiled with idols whose corruptions the Lord had but late purged with so horribe iudgement For Thare and Nathâ—r euen before the birth of Abraham were worshippers of false Gods as Iosue testifieth Seing the generation of Sem so sone swarued what shal we iudge of the posteritie of Cham who were already cursed in their father The minde of men as it is full of pride and rashe boldenesse presumeth to imagine God according to her own conceit and as it is possessed with dullnesse yea ouerwhelmed with grosse ignoraunce so it conceiueth vanitie and a fende faÌ„tasie in stede of God And to these euils is added a new mischiefe that man attempteth to expresse in workemanshippe suche a God as he inwardly conceiueth Thus the minde begetteth the idole and the hande bringeth it forth The example of the Israelites proueth that this was the beginning of idolatrie that men do not beleue that God is among them vnlesse he shewe himselfe carnally presente We knowe not saied they what is become of this Moses make vs gods that may go before vs. They knew that there was a God whose
of idols as though it were not a litle lighter matter to worship thaÌ„ to serue And yet while they seke a hole to hide theÌ„ in the Greke word they childishly disagre with themselues For seing Latreuein in Greke signifieth nothing but to worship their saying coÌ„meth but to this effect as if they woulde say that they worship in dede their images but without any worshippinge And there is no cause why they shuld say that I seke to catch theÌ„ in words but they theÌ„selues while they seke to cast a mist before the eyes of the simple do bewray their own ignoraunce And yet though they be neuer so eloquent they shal not atteine by their eloquence to proue vnto vs that one selfe same thing is two sondry thinges Let theÌ„ say I shewe me a difference in that thing it selfe wherby they may be thought to differ froÌ„ the old idolaters For as an adulterer or a murderer caÌ„not escape giltinesse of his faulte by geuing his sinne a newe deuised name so is it a verye absurditie to thinke that these men be quitte by newe deuise of a name if in the matter it selfe they nothing differ froÌ„ those idolaters whom they theÌ„selues are coÌ„pelled to condeÌ„ne But so far are they froÌ„ prouing that their case differeth froÌ„ the case of those idolaters that rather the fountaine of al this whole mischiefe is an vnorderly counterfaiting wherin they haue striued with them while both with their own witt they deuise and with their own handes they frame them signifieng formes to expresse them a fashion of God And yet am I not so superstitious that I thinke no images maye be suffred at al. But forasmuch as caruing and painting are the giftes of God I require that they both be purely and lawfully vsed Least these things which god hath geueÌ„ vs for his glory for our own benefite be not only defiled by disordred abuse but also turned to our owne destructioÌ„ We thinke it vnlawful to haue God fashioned oute in visible forme because himselfe hath forbiddeÌ„ it because it cannot be done wythoute some defacemente of hys glory And least they thynke that it is onelye we that are in this opinioÌ„ they that haue ben trauailed in their works shall finde that all sounde writers did alway reproue the same thynge If then it be not lawfull to make any bodily image of God muche lesse shall it be lawfull to worshippe it for God or God in it It remayneth therefore lawfull that onelye those thynges bee painted and grauen whereof our eies are capable but that the maiestie of God which is far aboue the sense of our eies be not abused with vncomly deuised shapes Of this sorte are partly histories and thinges done partly images and fashions of bodies withoute expressing of any thinges done by them The first of these haue some vse in teaching or admonishing a man but what profite the seconde can bring saue only delectacion I see not And yet it is euident that euen such were almost al the images that heretofore haue stande vp in churches Wherby we may iudge that they were there set vp not by discrete iudgemente or choise but by folishe and vnaduised desire I speake not howe muche amisse and vncomely they wer for the moste parte fashione nor howe licentiously paynters and caruers haue in this pointe shewed their wantonnesse whiche thynge I haue alredy touched Only I speake to this end that though there wer no fault in them yet do they nothing auaile to teache But leauing also that difference let vs by the waye consider whether it be expedient in Christian temples to haue any images at al that doe expresse either thinges done or the bodies of men Fyrst if the authoritie of the aunciente churche doe any thyng moue vs let vs remember that for about v. C. yeares together while religion yet better florished and sincere doctrine was in force the Christian churches were vniuersally without images So they were then first brought in for the garnishment of churches when the sinceritie of ministracion was not a lyttle altered I wil not now dispute what reason they had with them that were the first authors therof But if a man compare age with age he shall see that they were muche swarued from that vpryghtnesse of them that were wythoute images What doe we thynke that those holye fathers would haue suffered the church to be so long wythoute the thyng which they iudged profitable and good for them But rather because they saw eyther litle or no profit in it and much daunger to lurke vnderneth it they did rather of purpose and aduisedly reiect it than â—y ignoraunce or negligence omytte it Whyche thyng Augustine doeth also in expresse words testifie When they be set in such places saieth he honorably on hye to be seen of them that pray and doe Sacrifice although they want both sense and lyfe yet with the very likenesse that they haue of liuelye members and senses they so moue the weake mindes that they seeme to liue and breath c. And in an other place For that shape of members doeth worke and in manner enforce thus muche that the minde liuing within a body doeth thynke that body to haue sense whiche he seeth like vnto his own And a litel after Images do more auaile to bow down an vnhappy soule but this that they haue mouth eyes eares and fete than to amend it by this that they neyther speake nor see nor heare nor goe This truely semeth to be the cause why Iohn willed vs to beware not onelye of worshipping of images but also of images themselues And we haue founde it to muche in experience that throughe the horrible madnesse whiche hath heretofore possessed the worlde to the destruccyon in manner of all godlynesse so sone as images be set vp in churches there is as it were a signe sette vp of idolatrie because the folly of men cannot refraine it selfe but it muste foorthwith runne on to supersticious worshippinges But if there were not so muche daunger hanging thereby yet when I consider for what vse temples are ordeined me thinkes it is verie ill beseming the holinesse therof to receiue any other images than these liuely natural images whiche the LORDE by hys woorde hath consecrate I meane Baptisme and the Lordes supper and other ceremonies wherewyth our eies ought both more earnestly to be occupyed and more liuely to be moued than that they should nede any other images framed by the witt of men Loe this is the incomparable commoditie of images whiche can by no value be recompensed if we beleue the papistes I thinke I had spoken enough of this thing alreadye but that the Nicene Synode doeth as it were laye hande on me to enforce me to speake more â–ª I meane not that most famous Synode which CoÌ„staÌ„tine the Great assembled but that which was holden eyght hundred yeares ago by the commaundemente and authoritie of Irene the Empresse For
the worde was alwaye God Why shoulde Paule feare to sette Chryste in the iudgemente throne of God hauing before wyth so open proclamacion declared hys Godhead where he sayed that he was God blessed to the ende of Worldes And to make appeare howe well he agreeth in thys poynte wyth hymselfe in an other place he wryleth that Chryst is God openly shewed in the fleshe If he be God to be praysed to the ende of worldes then he is the same he to whom in an other place he affirmeth all glorye and honoure to be due And thus he hydeth not but playnly cryeth oute that he woulde haue counted it no robbery if he had shewed himselfe egall wyth God but that he wyllyngly abaced hymselfe And that the wycked shoulde not carpe that he is some made GOD Ihon goeth further and saith He is the true God the eternal life Although it oughte aboundantly to satisfie vs that he is called God specially of that witnesse which expresly affirmeth vnto vs that there are no moe gods but one That same witnesse is Paule which saieth thus How many soeuer be called goddes either in heauen or in earth to vs there is but one God from whom are all thinges When we heare of the same mouth that God was openly shewed in the fleshe that God wyth hys owne bloud purchased the churche to himselfe why shoulde we imagine a seconde God whiche he himselfe acknowledgeth not And it is no dout that all the godlye were of the same meaning Likewise Thomas in protesting him to bee his Lorde and his God doeth professe that he is that onely one God whom he had alway worshipped Nowe if we esteme his Godhead by the workes that in the Scripture are ascribed vnto him it shall thereby more euidentlie appeare For when he saied that from the beginning he was thetherto working with his father the Iewes whiche were moste dull in vnderstandyng of all his other sayinges yet then perceiued that he toke vpon him the power of God And theretore as Iohn telleth they soughte the more to kill him because he didde not onely breake the Sabbat but also dyd call God his father making himselfe egall with God Howe dull shall we be then if we doe not perceiue that his godhead is herein playnlye affirmed And truely to order the worlde with prouidence and power and to gouerne all thinges with the authoritie of his owne mighte whiche the Apostle ascribeth vnto him belongeth to none but onely the creatoure And he not onely enterparteneth the gouernemente of the world with his Father but also all other offices which can not be made common to God with his creatures The Lord crieth out by the Prophete I am he I am he that doe awaye thyne offences for myne owne sake According to the meaning of thys sentence whē the Iewes thoughte that wronge was done to god for that Christe did forgeue sinnes Christe not onely affirmed in words but also proued by miracle that this power belonged vnto himselfe We see therefore that he hath not the ministracion but the power of forgeuenesse of synnes whiche the Lorde sayeth he wil not suffer to passe away from hymselfe to any What shall we saye of searching and pearcing the secrete thoughtes of hartes is it not the propretie of god alone But the same had Chryst wherby is gathered that he is God Nowe in his miracles howe plainlye and clerely doeth he appeare And thoughe I graunte that as well the Prophetes as the Apostles did egall and like miracles to these that he did yet thys greate differēce is there that they by their ministracion disposed the giftes of God he shewed forth his owne power He vsed sometime praier to the ende to geue glory vnto hys Father But we see for the moste part his own power shewed vnto vs. And howe coulde it otherwise be but that he was the verye author of miracles that by hys owne authorite gaue power to other to deale miracles abrode For the Euangelist declareth that he gaue power to the Apostles to rayse vp the dead to heale the leprous to cast out deuils c. And the so vsed the ministraciō therof that they sufficientlye shewed that thys power came not from els where but from Christ. In the name of Iesus Christ saieth Peter Rise and walke If is therfore no maruel if Christ alleged his miracles to cōfound the vnbeleuingnesse of the Iewes forasmuch as they wer such as being done by hys own power dyd geue a most playne testymonie of his godhead If els where then in God there is no saluacion no righteousnesse no life and Chryst conteyneth al these thynges in hym surely he is thereby declared to be God And no man can obiect against me and say that lyfe and saluacion is poured into hym by God for it is not saied that he receyued saluacion but that he is saluacion hymselfe And if none be good but onely God howe can he be onely man beyng I wil not say good and iuste but selfe goodnesse and iustyce Yea from the first beginnyng of the creacion as the Euangeliste wytnesseth in hym was lyfe and he euen then beeyng lyfe was the lyghte of men Wherefore beyng supported wyth suche proues we are bolde to repose our fayth and hope in hym when yet we knowe that it is an vngodlynesse that robbeth God for any man to fasten hys confydence in creatures Beleue ye in God sayeth he Beleue then also in me And so doeth Paule expounde those two places of Esay Whosoeuer trusteth in hym shall not be putte to shame Agayne Oute of the roote of Isai shall he come that shall ryse to rule peoples in hym the nations shall truste And why shoulde we seke oute more testimonies of Scripture for thys matter when we so often mete with this sentence He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting lyfe Moreouer the inuoracion whyche hangeth vppon Faythe belongeth also to hym whyche yet is proper to the maiestie of God if he haue any thyng at all proper to hymselfe For one Prophete sayeth whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of Iehoua shal be saued and an other sayeth a moste stronge toure is the name of Iehouah to it the ryghteous shall flee and he shal be saued but the name of Chryst is called vpon for saluacion it foloweth therfore that he is Iehouah As for inuocacion we haue an example of it in Stephen when he sayeth Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Againe in the whole churche as Ananias testifyeth in the same booke Lorde sayeth he thou knowest howe great euylles this man hath done to thy Saintes that call vppon thy name And that it maye bee more playnly vnderstanded that the whole fulnesse of the Godhead doeth corporally dwell in Chryste the Apostle dooeth confesse that he broughte no other doctryne amonge the Corinthians but the knowledge of hym and that he preached no other thyng but that knowledge What
I praye you and howe greate a thyng is thys that the name of the Sonne only is preached vnto vs whom he willeth to glory in the knowledge of hymselfe alone Who dare saye that he is but a creature of whom the onely knowledge is our whole glorye Beside that the salutacyons sette before the Epystles of Paule wyshe the same benefites from the SoÌ„ne which they do from the Father wherby we are taughte not only that those thyngs whych the Father geueth vs do come vnto vs by his intercessioÌ„ but also by communitie of power he is the author of them Whiche knowledge by practise is wythoute doute more certayne and perfecte than any idle speculacion For there the godly mynde doth beholde God moste present and in maner handle him wher it feleth it selfe to be quickened lightened saued iustified and sanctifâ—â—d Wherefore out of the same fountaines we must fetch our meane of prouing to confirme the Godhead of the Holy ghost Uery plaine is the testimonie of Moses in the history of the creacion that the spirite of God was vppon the depthes or vppon the vnfashioned heape because he sheweth that not onely the beautie of the worlde that is nowe to be seen is preserued by the power of the Spirite but ere this beautie was added the Spirite was then busied in preseruing that confused lumpe of thinges And that saying of Esaie cannot be cauilled against And now Iehouah and his Spirite hath sent me For he communicateth with the Holy ghost his chiefe power in sending of Prophetes Whereby appeareth the diuine maiestie of the Holy ghost But our best proufe as I haue saied shal be by familiar vse For that whiche the Scriptures impute vnto it is farre from the propertie of creatures and suche a thing as we oure selues doe learne by assured experience of godlinesse For he it is that being eche where poured abrode dooeth susteine and geueth growing and life to all thinges in heauen and in earth And by this pointe he is proued to bee none of the number of creatures for that he is not comprehended within any boundes but by pouring his liuely force into all thinges to breath into them life and mocion this is the very worke of God Moreouer if regeneracion into an incorruptible life be better and more excellent than any presente quickening what shall we iudge of him from whose power the same procedeth And that he is the author of regeneracioÌ„ not by a borrowed but by his own force the Scripture in many places teacheth and not of that onely but also of the immortalitie to come Finally as vnto the Sonne so vnto him also are applied al those offices that are most of all properly belonging to the Godhead For he searcheth the depe secretes of God wherwith none of al the creatures is of counsel He geueth wisdome and skill to speake wheras yet the Lord pronounceth to Moses that it is only his worke to do it So by him we come to a partaking of God so that we may fele his power as it were working life in vs. Our iustificacion is his worke From him is power sanctification truethe grace and what good thing soeuer maye be thoughte of because it is the Holie ghoste onely from whom procedeth all kinde of giftes For that sentence of Paule is righte worthy to be noted Although there be diuerse giftes and manifolde and sondry is the distribucion of them yet is there but one holie Spirite because he maketh him not onelye the original or beginning but also the author Whiche a little after is more plainly expressed in these woordes One and the same Spirite distrybuteth all thinges as he will For if he were not some thing subsisting in God he woulde not attribute vnto him choise of minde and wyll Therefore moste euidentlye doth Paule geue to the Holie ghost diuine power and sheweth that he is substantially resident in God And the Scripture it selfe when it speaketh of hym forbeareth not the name of God For Paul hereby gathereth that we are the temple of God because his spirite dwelleth in vs which thing is not lightly to be passed ouer For wheras God so often promiseth that he wil chose vs for a temple to himselfe that promyse is no other way fulfylled but by hys spirite dwelling in vs. Surely as Augustine very well sayeth if we wer commaunded to make vnto the Holy ghost a temple of timber and stone because such worship is due to God onely it were a cleare argument that he is God now therfore how much clearer is this that we ought not to make a temple but our selues to be a temple for him And the Apostle himselfe calleth vs sometime the temple of God sometime the teÌ„ple of the Holy ghoste both in one meaning And Peter repreheÌ„ding Ananias for that he had lied to the Holy ghost said that he lied not vnto men but vnto God And where Esay bringeth in the Lord of hostes speaking Paul teacheth that it is the Holy ghost that speaketh Yea where commonly the Prophetes say that the wordes whiche they vtter are the wordes of the Lord of hostes Christ and the Apostles doe referre them to the Holy ghost Whereby it foloweth that he is the true Iehouah that is the chiefe author of prophecies Again where God complaineth that he was prouoked to wrath by the stubbornesse of his people in steade of that Esay saith that his holy Spirite was greued Last of al if blasphemie against the Holy ghost be not forgeueÌ„ in this world nor in the worlde to come whereas he maye obteine pardon that hath blasphemed against the soÌ„ne his diuine maiesti is here plainly proued the offense or diminishment wherof is an vnpardonable crime I dooe wittingly and of purpose omitt many testimonies that the auÌ„cient writers haue vsed They haue thought it a maruellous mete place to allege out of Dauid with the word of the Lorde the heauens wer stablished and al the power of them with the spirite of his mouth to proue that the world was no lesse the work of the Holy ghost than of the Sonne But forasmuch as it is commonly vsed in the Psalmes to repete one thynge twise in Esay the spirite of his mouth is as much to say as his word that reason is very weake Therfore I thought good to touche a fewe such thinges as godly mindes might soundly rest vpon And as God hath more plainly disclosed himselfe by the comming of Christ so is he also in the thre Persons become more familiarly knowen But of al the testimonies lette this one suffice vs for this present Paule so knitteth these three together God Faith Baptisme that he reasoneth from the one to the other in this maner Because there is but one Faith he therby sheweth that there is but one God And because there is but one god he therby proueth that there is but one Faith Therfore if we be entred into
with hym and that the Holy Spirite is not a thyng diuers from the Father the Son For in eche Hypostasis is vnderstanded the whole substance with this that euery one hath his own propretie The Father is whole in the Sonne the Sonne is whole in the Father as hymselfe affirmeth I am in the Father and the Father is in me And the Ecclesiasticall writers doo not graunt the one to be seuered from the other by any difference of essence By these names that betoken distinction sayth Augustin that is ment wherby they haue relation one to an other and not the very substance whereby they are all one By whiche meanynge are the sayinges of the olde writers to bee made agree whiche otherwise would seeme not a little to disagree For sometyme they saye that the Father is the beginnyng of the Sonne and somtyme that the Sonne hath bothe godhead and essence of hymselfe and is all one begynnynge with the Father The cause of this diuersitie Augustine doothe in an other place well and planelye declare when he sayeth CHRIST hauynge respect to him selfe is called God and to his Father is called the Sonne And agayne ▪ the Father as to hymselfe is called God as to his Sonne is called the Father where hauynge respecte to the Sonne he is called the Father he is not the Sonne where as to the Father he is called the Son he is not the Father and where he is called as to hym self the Father and as to hymselfe the Sonne it is all one God Therfore when we simply speake of the Sonne without hauyng respect to the Father we do well and proprely say that he is of hym selfe and therfore we call hym but one beginnyng but when we make mention of the relation betweene him and his Father then we rightly make the Father the beginning of the Sonne All the whole fifth boke of Augustine concernyng the Trinitie dooth nothyng but sette foorth this matter And muche safer it is to reste in that relation that he speaketh of than into suttletle pearcyng vnto the hye mysterie to wander abroade by many vayne speculations Let them therfore that are pleased with sobrenesse cōtented with measure of Faith shortly learne so muche as is profitable to bee knowen that is when we professe that we beleue in one God vnder the name of God we vnderstande the one onely and single essence in whiche we comprehende thre Persons or hypostases And therfore so oft as we doo indefinitely speake of the name of God we meane no lesse the Sonne and the Holy ghost than the Father But when the Sonne is ioyned to the Father then commeth in a relation and so we make distinction betwene y◠Persons And because the propreties in the Persons bring an order with them so as the beginnyng and orginall is in the Father so ofte as mencion is made of the Father and the Son or the Holy ghost together the name of God is peculiarly geuen to the Father By this meane is reteined the vnitie of the essence and regarde is hadde to the order whiche yet dothe minishe nothyng of the godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy ghoste And where as we haue already seene that the Apostles doo affirme that the Sonne of God is he whom Moses and the prophetes doo testifie to be Iehouah the Lorde we must of necessitie alwaye come to the vnitie of the essences Wherefore it is a detestable sacrilege for vs to call the Sonne a seuerall God from the Father bycause the symple name of God doothe admytte no relation and God in respecte of hym selfe can not bee saide to be this or that Now that the name of Iehouah the Lorde indefinitely taken is applied to Christe appereth by the wordes of Paul wher he sayth Therfore I haue thryse praied the Lorde because that after he hadde receyued the aunswere of Christ. My grace is sufficient for the he sayeth by and by that the power of Christ may dwell in me It is certayne that the name Lorde is there set for Iehouah and therfore to restraine it to the person of the Mediatour were very fonde and childyshe for somuch as it is an absolute sentence that compareth not the Father with the Sonne And we knowe that after the accustomed maner of the Greekes the Apostles doo commonly sette the worde Kyrios Lord in stede of Iehouah And not to fetche an example farre of Paule dydde in no other sense pray to the Lorde than in the same sense that Peter citethe the place of Ioell who soeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued But where this name is peculiarly geuen to the Sonne we shall se that there is an other reason therof when we com to a place fitte for it Nowe it is enough to haue in mynde when Paule had absolutely praied to God he by and by bryngeth in the name of Christ. Euen so is the whole God called by Christ hymselfe the Spirite For there is no cause agaynst it but that the whole essence of God may bee spirituall wherin the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste be comprehended Whiche is very playne by the Scripture For euen as there we heare God to be made a Spirite so we do here the Holy ghost for so muche as it is an Hypostasis of the whole essence to bee called bothe God and procedyng from God But for as muche as Satan to the ende to roote out our Faith hath alway moued great cōtentions partly concernyng the diuine essence of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost and partly cōcernyng their distinction of Persones And as in a maner in all ages he hath stirred vp wicked spirites to trouble the true teachers in this behalfe so at this day he trauaileth out of the olde embres to kyndle a new fyre therfore here it is good to answere the peruerse foolishe errours of some Hitherto it hath ben our purpose to leade as it were by the hande those that ar willyng to learne and not to striue hande to hande with the obstinate and contentious But nowe the truthe which we haue already peasably shewed must be reskued from the cauillations of the wicked All be it my chiefe trauayle shall yet be applied to this ende that they whyche geue gentill and open eares to the woord of God may haue whervpon stedfastly to rest their foote In this poynt if any where at all in the secrete mysteries of Scripture we ought to dispute sobrely and with greate moderation and to take great hede that neyther oure thought nor oure tongue procede any further than the boundes of Goddes woorde dooe extende For howe may the mynde of man by his capacitie define the immeasurable essence of God whiche neuer yet coulde certainly determine howe great is the body of the Son which yet he daily seeth with his eyes yea howe may she by her owne guidyng atteyn to discusse the substaunce of God that can not
stryfe when he sayeth that for a remedy to tame pride the Angel of Satan was geuen to hym by whom he myght be humbled This exercyse therefore is common to all the children of God But because that same promyse of the breakyng of Satans head perteyneth generally to Christ and to all his members therefore I saye that the faithfull can neuer be ouercome nor oppressed by him They are many times stryken down but they are neuer so astonnied withall but that they recouer theÌ„selues They fal down many tymes wyth violence of strokes but they are after raysed vp agayne they are wounded but not deadly Finally they so labor in all course of theyr lyfe that in the ende they obteyne the victorye but I speake not this of euery doing of theyrs For we knowe we that by the iuste vengeaunce of God Dauid was for a time geuen ouer to Satan by his motion to nomber the people and not without cause Paul sayth there is hope of pardon least if any haue been entangled with the snares of the deuil Therfore in an other place the same Paule sayeth that the promise aboue alleged is begon in this lyfe wherin we must wrastle and is performed after our wrastlyng ended when he sayeth the God of peace shall shortly beate downe Satan vnder your fete This victory hath alway fully been in our hed Chryst because the Prince of the world had nothing in him but in vs that are his members it doth now partly appeare and shal be perfited wheÌ„ being vnclothed of our fleshe by whiche we are yet subiecte to weakenesse we shal be ful of the power of the Holy ghoste In thys manner when the kyngdome of Chryst is raysed vp and â—duaunced Satan with his power falleth down as the Lord hymselfe sayeth I saw Satan fall as a lightening down from heauen For by this answere he confirmeth that which the Apostles had reported of the power of his preachyng Agayne When the Prince possesseth his own palace al thinges that he possesseth are in peace but when there coÌ„meth a stronger he is throwen out c. And to this ende Chryst in dying ouercame Satan which had the power of death triuÌ„phed vpoÌ„ al his armies that they shuld not hurt the church for otherwyse they would euery momente a hundred times destroye it For coÌ„sidering what is our weakenesse what is his furious streÌ„gth howe coulde we stande yea neuer so litle time against his manifolde continuall assaultes but being supported by the victory of our captaine Therefore God suffereth not the deuil to reigne ouer the soules of the faythfull but onely deliuereth him the wicked and vnbeleuing to gouerne whom God doth not vouchesaue to haue reckened in hys flocke For it is said that he possesseth thys world without controuersy till he be thrust out by Christ. Againe that he doth blinde all them that beleue not the gospell agayne that he performeth hys worke in the stubborne children and worthily for all the wicked are the vesselles of wrath Therefore to whom should they be rather subiecte than to the minister of Goddes vengeaunce Finally they are saied to be of their Father the deuill because as the faythfull are hereby knowen to be the children of God because they beare his image so they by the image of Satan into which they are gone out of kind ar properly discerned to be his childreÌ„ As we haue before confuted that trifling philosophie concerning the holy Angels which teacheth that they ar nothing els but good inspirations or motioÌ„s which God stirreth vp in the mindes of men so in this place must we confute them that fondly say that deuils ar nothing els but euil affections or perturbations of minde that are thrust into vs by oure fleshe That maye we shortly doe because there be many testimonies of Scripture those playne enough vpon this poynt First where the vncleane Spirites ar called Angels Apostataes which haue swarued out of kind from their beginning the very names do sufficiently expresse that they are not motions or affections of myndes but rather in dede as they be called mindes or Spirites endued with sense and vnderstanding Likewise wheras both Christ and Iohn do compare the children of God with the children of the deuil wer it not an vnfit comparisoÌ„ if the name of the deuil signified nothing els but euil inspirations And Iohn addeth somwhat more plainly that the deuill synneth from the beginning Likewise when Iude bringeth in Michael the archangel fyghtyng with the deuil doutlesse he setteth agaynste the good Angel an euil and rebellious Angel Wherwith agreeth that which is red in the hostory of Iob that Satan appeared with the Holy Angels before God But most plaine of al are those places that make mention of the punishment which they begin to fele by the iudgement of God and specially shal fele at the resurrection Sonne of Dauid why arte thou come before the time to torment vs Againe Go ye cursed into the eternal fyre that is prepared for the deuil his Angels Agayne If he spared not his own Angels that had synned but cast them down into hell and deliuered theÌ„ into cheines of darkenesse to be kept vnto damnacioÌ„ c. How fonde should these speches be that the deuils are ordeined to eternal iudgement that fier is prepared for them that they are now already tormented vexed by the glory of Christ if there were no deuils at all But because this matter nedeth no disputation among them that beleue the word of the Lord. litle good is done with testimonies of Scripture among those vaine studentes of speculation whoÌ„ nothing pleaseth but that which is new I suppose I haue performed the which I purposed that is that the godly mindes should be furnished agaynst such fonde errors wherew t vnquiet men do trouble both theÌ„selues and other that be more simple But it was good to touche this least any entangled with that error while they thinke they haue none to stande againste them should waxe more slowe and vnprouided to resist In the meane time let it not be werisom vnto vs in this so beautiful a stage to take a godly delight of the manifest and ordinary woorkes of God For as I haue els where already said though this be not the chefe yet is it in order the first doctrine of Faith to remember that what way soeuer we turne our eyes al that we see are the workes of God wyth godly consideration to wey for what end God did make theÌ„ Therefore that we may conceiue by Faith so muche as behoueth vs to knowe of God it is good first of al to learne the history of the creation of the world how it is shortly rehearsed by Moses and afterwarde more largely set out by holy men specially by Basile and Ambrose Oute of it we shall learne that God by the power of his worde and Spirite created heaueÌ„ and earth of nothing
the same sort that al the other phrases of speache which do descrybe God vnto vs after the maner of men For because our weakenesse doth not reach to his â—ienesse that description of hym whiche is taughte vs was mete to be framed lowe to our capacitie that we might vnderstande it And this is the manner how to frame it low for vs to paynt out hymselfe not such a one as he is in himselfe but such a one as he is perceiued of vs. Wher as he hymselfe is without all mouing of a troubled minde he yet testifieth that he is angry with synners Like as therfore wheÌ„ we heare that God is angry we ought not to imagine that there is any mouing at all in him but rather to consider that this speche is borrowed of our coÌ„mon sense because God beareth a resemblance of one chafed angry so ofte as he exerciseth iudgemente so oughte we to vnderstande nothing ells by this worde Repentance but a changing of dedes because men by changing of their dedes are wont to declare that they mislike them Because then euery change among men is an amendment of that whiche misliketh them and amendement commeth of repentaunce therfore by the name of repentaunce is meant that that God changeth in his workes In the meane time yet neither is hys purpose nor his will turned nor his affection changed but he foloweth on with one continuall course that which he had from eternitie foreseen allowed and decreed howesoeuer the alteration seme soden in the eyes of men Neyther doeth the holy history shew that gods decrees wer repelled when it sheweth that the destruction was pardoned to the Niniuites which had been before pronounced and that the life of Ezechias was prolonged after warning geuen hym of death They that so construe it are deceiued in vnderstanding of threteninges whiche althoughe they do simply affirme yet by the successe it shal be perceiued that they coÌ„teined a secret condition in theÌ„ For why did God sende Ionas to the Niniuites to â—ell them aforehande of the ruine of their citie Why did he by Esaye geue Ezechias warniÌ„g of death For he might haue brought to nought both him and theÌ„ without sending them any worde of their destruction He meant therfore an other thing than to make them by foreknowing of their death to see it comming a farre of Euen this he meant not to haue them destroied but to haue them amended that they should not be destroied Therfore this that Ionas prophecied that Niniue should fal after .xl. daies was done to this end that it should not fal That hope of longer life was cutte of froÌ„ Ezechias was done for this purpose that he might obteine longer life Now who doth not see that God meante by such threateninges to awake them to repentaunce whom he made afraide to the ende that they might escape the iudgemente whiche they had deserued by their sinnes If that be so agreed the nature of the thinges themselues doth leade vs to thys to vnderstande in the simple threatening a secret emplied condition which is also confirmed by like examples The Lord rebuking the king Abimelech for that he had taken away Abrahams wife from him vseth these wordes Behold thou shalt die for the woman that thou hast taken for she hath a husband But after he had excused himselfe God said thus Restore the wife to her husbande for he is a Prophete and shal pray for the that thou maiest liue If not know that thou shalt die the death and al that thou hast You se how in his first senteÌ„ce he vehemently striketh his minde to bring him to be more hedefully bent to make ameÌ„des and in the other doth plainly declare to him his will Seing the meaning of other places is lyke do not gather of these that there was any thing withdrawen from the first purpose of God by this that he made voide the thing whiche he had before pronounced For God doth prepare the way for hys eternall ordinaunce wheÌ„ in geuing warning of the punishment he moueth those to repentance whome his wil is to spare rather than varieth any thing in his wil no not in his word sauing that he doth not expresse the same thing in sillables which it is yet easy to vnderstand For that sayeng of Esaie must nedes remaine true The Lord of Hostes hath determined and who shal be able to vndoe it His hande is stretched oute and who shall turne it away ¶ The .xviii. Chapter That God doth so vse the seruice of wycked men and so voweth their mindes to put hys iudgementes in execution that yet styll himselfe remayneth pure from all spot THere ariseth a harde question out of other places where it is said that God boweth and draweth at his will Satan himselfe and al the reprobate For the sense of the flesh scarcely conceiueth how he workyng by them should not gather some spot of their fault yea in his common workyng be fre from al fault and iustly condemne his ministers Upon this was deuised the distinctioÌ„ betwene Doing and Suffering because many haue thought this doâ—t vnpossible to be dissolued that both Satan and al the wicked are so vnder the hande and power of God that he directeth their malice vnto what ende it pleaseth hym and vseth their wycked doinges to the executing of his iudgementes And their modestie wer paraduenture excusable whom the shew of absurditie putteth in feare if it were not so that they do wrongfully with a lyeng defense go about to deliuer the iustice of God froÌ„ al vnrightfull blame It semeth to them vnreasonable that man shuld by the will and coÌ„maundement of God be made blynde so by and by be punished for his blindnesse Therfore they seke to scape by this shift that this is done by the sufferance but not by the will of God But he hymselfe plainely pronouncyng that he doeth it doeth reiecte that shifte As for this that men doo nothyng but by the secrete commaundement of God and do trouble them selues in vaine with deliberating vnlesse he do by his secrete direction stablishe that which he hath before determined it is proued by innumerable and plaine testimonies It is certayne that this whiche we before alledged out of the psalme that God doeth all thyngs that he will belongeth to all the doinges of men If God be the certain appointer of warre and peace as it is there saied and that without exception who dare say that men are caried causelessely with blynde motion while God knoweth not of it and sitteth still But in special examples will be more lightsome plainnesse By the first chapiter of Iob we knowe that Satan doeth no lesse appere before God to receiue his coÌ„maundementes than do the Angels which do willyngly obey In dede it is after a diuers maner for a diuers end but yet so that he can not go about any thyng but with the will of God Although there seme afterward to be added
made plaine whether he be altogither depriued of power to do well or whether he haue yet some power althoughe it be but litle weake whyche by it selfe in dede can do nothynge but by helpe of grace dothe also her part While the Master of the Sentences goeth about to make that playne he sayth there are two sortes of grace necessary for vs whereby we may be made mete to do a good worke the one thei call a Working grace wherby we effectually wil to do good the other a Together workinge grace whiche foloweth good will in helpinge it In whiche diuision this I mislike that while he geueth to the grace of God an effectuall desyre of good he secretly sheweth his meaninge that man alredy of his owne nature after a certaine māner desireth good though vneffectually As Bernarde affirminge that good will is in dede the worke of God yet this he graunteth to man that of his own motion hee desireth that good wil. But this is farre frō the meaning of Augustine frō whome yet Lombard wold seeme to haue borowed this divisiō In the seconde part of the divisiō the doubtfulnes of speache offendeth me whiche hathe bredde a wronge exposition For they thought that we do therefore worke togither with the Seconde grace fo God bicause it lieth in our power either to make voide the First grace by refusing it or to confirme it by obedientlye folowinge it Whereas the author of the boke Of the calling of the Gentiles dothe thus expresse it that it is free for them that vse the iudgement of reason to depart frō grace that it may be worthy rewarde not to haue departed that the thing whiche coulde not be done but by the workynge togither of the holly ghoste may be imputed to their merites by whose wyll it was possible to haue not ben done These two things I had will to note by the waye that nowe reader thou maist see how muche I dissent from the soundest forte of the Scholemē For I do much farther differ from the later sophisters euen so muche as they be farther gone from the auncient tyme. But yet somwhat after suche a sorte as it is we perceaue by this diuision after what manner thei haue geuen Free wil to man For at length Lombard sayth that we haue not free will therfore bycause we are alyke able eyther to do or to thynke good and euell but onely that we are free from compulsion whiche freedome is not hindered althoughe we be peruerse and the bondemen of sinne and can doe nothinge but sinne Therfore man shal be saide to haue free will after this sorte not bycause he hath a free choise as well of good as of euell but because he dothe euell by Wyll and not by compulsion That is very well saide but to what purpose was yt to garnyshe so smale a matter wyth so proude a title A goodly libertie forsooth if man be not compelled to serue sinne so is he yet a wyllynge seruaunte that hys wyll is holden fast bounde with the setters of sinne Truely I do abhorre striuinge about woordes wherewith the Churche is vainely wearied but I thinke that suche wordes are with greate religious carefulnes to be taken hede of whiche sounde of any absurditie specially wher the errour is hurtefull How few I praye you are there whyche when they heare that Free wil is assigned to man do not by and by conceaue that he is lorde bothe of his owne mynde and wyll and that he is able of hym selfe to turne hym selfe to whether parte he will But some one wyll saye this perill shal be taken awaye if the people be dylygentlye warned of the meaninge of it But rather forasmuche as the witte of man is naturally bent to falsitie he will soner conceiue an errour out of one little worde than a truth out of a longe tale Of whiche thing we haue a more certaine experience in this very worde than is to be wished For omittinge that exposition of the olde wryters all thei in manner that came after while thei sticke vpon the naturall signification of the woorde haue ben carried into a truste of them selues that bringeth them to distruction But if the authoritie of the fathers do move vs they haue in dede continually the worde in their mouth but thei do withal declare how muche thei esteme y◠vse of it Fyrst of all Augustine whiche sticketh not to call it Bonde wyll In one place he is angry with them that denye free wil but he declareth his chiefe reasō why when he saith onely Let not any man be so bolde to denye the freedome of wyll that he go aboute to excuse sinne But surely in an other place he confesseth that the wyll of manne is not free wythoute the holye ghooste for as muche as yt is subiecte to lustes that doe bynde and conquere yt Agayne that when wyll was ouercome wyth synne whereinto it fell nature begane to wante freedome Agayne that man hauynge yll vsed hys free wyll loste bothe hymselfe and yt Agayne Free wyll is become captiue that it can do nothinge towarde ryghteousnesse Againe that it canne not be free whyche the grace of God hathe not made free Againe that the iustice of God is not fullfylled when the lawe commaundeth and man dothe as of hys owne strength but when the holy ghoste helpeth and mans will not free but made free by God obeyeth And of all these thynges he shortely rendreth a cause when in an other place he writeth that man receiued greate force of free will when he was created but he loste it by sinninge Therfore in an other place after that he had shewed that free will is stablished by grace he sharply inueieth against them that take it vpon them without grace Why therfore sayth he dare wretched men either be proude of freewil before that they be made free or of their owne strength yf they be allready made free And they marke not that in the very name of Freewyll is mention of freedome But where the spirite of the Lorde is there is freedome If then they be the bondemen of sinne why do thei boste them of free wyll For of whome a manne is ouercome to hym hee ys made bonde But yf they bee made free why do they boaste them as of theyr owne woorke Are they so free that they wyll not bee his bondseruauntes whyche sayeth Wythoute me ye canne do nothynge Besyde that also in an other place hee seemeth sportyngly to mocke at the vse of that woorde when hee sayde that wyll was in deede free butte not made free free to righteousnesse but the bondeseruaunt of synne Whyche sayinge in an other place hee repeteth and expoundeth that manne ys not free from ryghteousnesse but by choyse of will and from synne hee ys not free but by grace of the Sauyoure Hee that doothe testifie that the freedome of manne ys nothynge ells but a
them of all abilitie of spirituall vnderstandyng Therefore he affirmeth that the faythful which embrace Christ are borne not of bloud or of the wil of the flesh or of man but of God As if he should saye fleshe is not capable of so hye wisedome to conceiue God and that which is Gods vnlesse it be lightened with the spirite of God As Christ testified that this was a special reuelation of the father that Peter did know him If we were perswaded of this whiche ought to be out of all controuersie that our nature wanteth all that whyche our heauenly father geueth to his electe by the spirite of regeneration then here were no matter to doubte vpon For thus speaketh the faythfull people in the Prophet For with thee is the fountayne of lyfe and in thy light we shal see light The Apostle testifieth the same thing wheÌ„ he saieth that no man can call Iesus the lorde but in the holy ghost And Iohn Baptist seyng the dulnesse of his disciples crieth out that no man can receiue any thyng vnlesse it be geuen him from aboue And that he meaneth by Gifte a speciall illumination and not a common gifte of nature appereth hereby that he complaineth that in so many wordes as he had spoken to tommende Christ to his Disciples he preuayled nothyng I see sayeth he that wordes are nothyng to informe mens mindes concernyng diuine thynges vnlesse the Lorde geue vnderstanding by his spirite Yea and Moses when he reprocheth the people wyth their forgetfulnesse yet noteth this withal that they can by no meanes growe wise in the misteries of God but by the benefite of God Thyne eyes sayeth he haue seene those greate tokens and wonders and the Lorde hath not geuen thee a heart to vnderstande nor eares to heare nor eyes to see What shoulde he expresse more yf he called vs blockes in consideryng the workes of God Whereupon the Lorde by the Prophete promiseth for a greate grace that he wyll geue the Israelites a hearte that they maye knowe hym signifiyng thereby that mans witte is onely so muche spiritually wyse as it is lightened by hym And this Christe plainely confirmed wyth hys owne mouthe when he sayeth that no manne can come to hym but he to whome it shal be geuen from the Father What is not he hym selfe the liuely Image of the Father in whome the whole bryghtnesse of his glorie is expressed vnto vs Therefore he coulde not better shewe what our power is to knowe god than when he sayeth that wee haue no eyes to see his Image where it is so openly sette presente before vs. What Came he not into the earth for this purpose to declare his Fathers wyll vnto menne And dyd he not faythfully dooe hys office Yes surely But yet nothynge is wroughte by hys preachynge vnlesse the inwarde Schoolemaster the holyghost set open the waye to our mindes Therefore none come to hym but they that haue heard and ben taught of the Father What maner waye of learnyng and hearyng is this Euen when the holy ghost by maruellous and singular vertue formeth the eares to heare and the mindes to vnderstande And leaste that should seme sâ—raung he allegeth the prophecie of Elaye where when he promiseth the repairyng of the church that they whych shall be gathered together to saluation shal be taught of the Lord. If god there foresheweth some peculiar thyng concernyng his electes it is euident that he speaketh not of that kinde of learnynge that was also common to the wicked and vngodly It remayneth therefore that we muste vnderstande it thus that the way into the kingdome of God is open to no man but to him to whom the holy ghost by his enlightening shal make a newe minde But Paule speaketh most playnely of all whiche of purpose entryng into discourse of this matter After he had condemned all mens wisedome of follie and vanitie vtterly brought it to naught at the laste concludeth thus that naturall man can not perceiue those thynges that are of the spirit of God they are foolishnesse vnto him and he can not vnderstande them bicause they are spiritually iudged Whome doeth he call naturall euen him that stayeth vpon the light of nature He I saye compreheÌ„deth nothing in the spiritual misteries of God Why so is it bicause by slouthfulnesse he neglecteth it Nay rather although he wold trauaile neuer so much he can do nothing bycause forsoth they are spiritually iudged What meaneth that bicause beyng vtterly hidden from the light of manâ— they are opened by the only reuelation of the spirite so that they are reckened for follie where the spirite of God geueth no light Before he had auaunced those thinges that God hath prepared for them that loue him aboue the capacitie of eyes eares and mindes Yea he testified that mans wisedome was as a certaine veile whereby mans minde was kepte from seyng God What meane we The Apostle pronounceth that the wisedome of this world is made folly by god and shal we forsoth geue vnto it sharpenesse of vnderstanding whereby it maye pearce to the secrete places of the heauenly kingdome Farre be such beastelinesse from vs. And so that whiche here he taketh awaye from menne in an other place in a prayer he geueth it to god alone God sayeth he and the father of glory geue to you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation Nowe thou hearest that all wisedome and reuelation is the gifte of god What followeth and lightene the eyes of your minde Surely yf they neede a newe reuelation then are they blinde of themselues yt foloweth after That ye maye knowe what is the hope of your calling c. Therefore he confesseth that the wittes of men are not capable of so great vnderstandyng to knowe their owne callyng And let not some Pelagian babble here that god doth remedie that dulnesse or vnskilfulnesse when by the doctrine of his worde he directeth maÌ„s vnderstanding whether without a guide he could not haue atteined For Dauid had a lawe wherein was comprehended al the wisedome that maye be desired and yet not contented with that he requireth to haue his eyes opened that he maye consider the misteries of the same lawe By whiche speache truely he secretly sayeth that the sunne ryseth vpon the earth where the worde of God shineth to men but they get not muche thereby vntill he himselfe that is therefore called the father of lightes do geue them or open their eyes bicause where so euer he shineth not with his spirit al things are possessed with darknesse So the Apostles were wel largely taught by the best schoole-master yet if they had not needed the spirite of trueth to instruct their mindes in that same doctrine which they had hearde before he wold not haue bidden them loke for him If the thing that we aske of God we doe thereby confesse that we wante and God in that that he promiseth
or whether it kepeth still any percell vnhurte from whense doo growe good desires They that do attribute to the First grace of God that we wil effectually seme on the other side to saye secretly that there is in the soule a power of it selfe to aspire to good but it is so weake that it can not growe to a perfecte affection or rayse vp any endeuour And there is no doubte that the Schoolemen haue commonly embraced this opinion or which was borowed of Origen and certaine of the olde wryters for so muche as they are wont to consider man in pure naturall thinges as they terme it suche a one as the Apostle describeth hym in these wordes I doe not the good that I would but the euell that I would not that I doe To will is present vnto me but to performe it I finde not But after this maner is the discourse that Paule there followeth altogether wrongfully peruerted For he entreateth of the Christian wrastling whiche he shortly toucheth to the Galatians whiche the faithfull continually fele within them selues in the battel of the flesh and the spirit But the spirit is not of nature but of regeneration And that the Apostle doeth there speake of the regenerate appeareth by this that wheÌ„ he had said that there dwelleth no goodnesse in him he addeth an exposition that he meaneth it of his fleshe And therfore he saith that it is not he that doeth the euill but sinne that dwelleth in him What meaneth this correction in me that is in my flesh Euen as muche as if he had sayd thus God dwelleth not in me of my selfe for there is no good to be founde in my fleshe HereupoÌ„ foloweth that maner of excuse I my self do not the euil â–ª but sinne that dwelleth in me Whiche excuse belongeth only to the regenerate whiche do with the chiefe part of their soule tende vnto good Nowe the conclusion that is adioyned after declareth all this matter euidently I am delited saith he with the lawe according to the inward man But I see an other lawe in my membres fighting against the lawe of my minde Who hath suche a stryuing in him selfe but he that being regenerate by the spirite of God carieth the leauinges of his flesh about with him Therfore Augustine wheras ones he had thought that that had ben spoken of the nature of man reuoked his expositioÌ„ as false and ill agreyng together And truelie if we allowe this that menne without grace haue some motions to good though thei be but small what shall we aunswere to the Apostle whiche sayeth that we are not sufficient so muche as to thinke any thyng What shall wee aunswere to the Lorde that pronounceth by Moses that euery inuention of mans hearte is only euell Wherefore sithe they haue stombled by false takyng of one place there is no cause why we shuld staye vpon their iudgement Let rather this sayeng of Christe preuayle He that doeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne We are all sinners by nature therefore we be all holden vnder the yoke of sinne Nowe yf whole manne be subiect to the dominioÌ„ of sinne then must it needes be that the will it selfe which is the chiefe seate thereof â–ª be bounde faste wyth moste streight bondes For otherwise that sayeng of Paule wold not stande together that it is God whyche worketh will in vs if any will did goe before the grace of the holy ghost Awaye therefore with all that many haue triftingly spoken concernyng preparation For although sometime the faithfull doe praye to haue their heart formed to the obedience of the lawe as Dauid doth in many places yet it is to be noted that euen that desire of prayeng is from God Whiche we may gather of his wordes for when he wisheth to haue a cleane heart created within him surely he taketh not on him selfe the beginnyng of creation Therefore let rather this sayeng of Augustine haue place with vs God will preuent thee in all thinges And sometime preuent thou his wrath Howe Confesse that thou haste all these thinges of God that what so euer good thou haste is of him what soeuer euell it is of thy selfe And a little after Nothing is oures but sinne The third Chapter ¶ That out of the corrupt nature of man procedeth nothing but damnable BUt manne can not be any waye better knowen in eyther parte of his soule than yf he come forth with his titles wherewith the Scripture doth set him out If he bee paynted whole in these woordes of Christe That whiche is borne of fleshe is fleshe as it is easy to proue then is he proued to bee a very miserable creature For the affection of the fleshe as the Apostle witnesseth is death for asmuche as it is enimitie agaynste God and so is not subiecte nor can be subiecte to the lawe of God Is fleshe so peruerse that with al her affection she continually vseth enmitie agaynste God that she can not agree with the rightousnesse of the lawe of God Finally that she can bryng forth nothing but matter of death Nowe graunt that in the nature of manne is nothyâ—yge but fleshe and gather any good out of it yf thou canste But they saye the name of fleshe belongeth onely to the sensuall and not the hyer parâ—e of the soule But that is sufficiently confuted by the woordes of Chryste and of the Apostle It is the Lordes argumente that manne muste bee borne agayne bycause he is fleshe He commaundeth not to bee borne agayne accordynge to the bodye But in mynde he is not borne agayne yf a parte of it bee amended but when it is all renewed And that doth the comparison sette in bothe places confirme For the spirite is so compared agaynste the fleshe that there is lefte no meane thynge betwene them Therefore whatsoeuer is not spirituall in maÌ„ is after the same reason called fleshly But we haue nothynge of the Spirite but by regeneration It is therefore fleshe whatsoeuer we haue of nature But of that matter if otherwise we coulde haue any doubte that is taken awaye from vs by Paule where after we had described the ouldâ—man whom he had saide to be corrupt with concupâ—scences of erroure he biddeth vs to be renewed in the spirite of oure minde you see he doth not place vnlawefull and euell lustes onely in the sensitiue part but also in the very minde and therefore requyreth a renuinge of it And truly a lyttle before he had painted oute suche an image of mans nature as did shewe that there was no part wherein we were not corrupted and peruerted for whereas he writeth that al nations do walke in the vanitie of their minde are darkened in vnderstaÌ„ding estraÌ„ged from the life of God by reason of the ignoraunce that is in them and the blindenesse of their hearte it is no doubt that this is spoken of all them whom the Lorde hathe not reformed
to the vprightnesse both of his wisedome and iustice whiche is also made more plaine by the comparison by and by adioyned where he putteth the faithfull in minde that thei haue not so learned Christ. For of these wordes we gather that the grace of Christ is the onely remedye whereby we be deliuered from that blindenesse the euels that ensue thereof For so had Esay also prophecied of the kingdome of Christ when he promised that the Lorde should be an euerlastynge lighte to his Churche when yet darkenesse couered the earthe and a mâ—ste the peoples Whereas he testifieth that the lyghte of God shall arise onely in the Churche truely without the Church he leaueth nothing but darkenesse and blindenesse I will not reherse perticularly suche thynges as are written euery where specially in the Psalmes and in the Prophetes againste the vanitie of man It is a greate thing that Dauide writeth if he be weyed wyth vanitie that he shall be vayner than vanitie it self His witte is wounded with a greuous weapon when all the thoughtes that come oute of it are scorned as foolyshe â—rifelynge madde and peruerse No easier is the condemnation of the heart when it is called guilfull and peruerse aboue all thinge but bicause I studie to be shorte I wil be contente with one place alone but suche a one as shall be like a most bright loking glasse wherein we may beholde the whole image of our nature For the Apostle when hee goeth aboute to throwe downe the arrogance of mankynde doth it by these testimonies That there is not one ryghteons manne There is not one manne that vnderstandeth or that seâ—keth God All are gone oute of the waye they are made vnprofitable together there is none that dothe good no not one their throte is an open sepulcher with their tongues they worke deceytfully the poyson of Serpentes ys vnder theyr lyppes whose mouthe ys full of cursing and bytternesse whose feete are swyfte to shedde bloude in whose wayes ys sorrowe and vnhappynesse whyche haue not the feare of God before they re eyes Wyth these thunderboltes hee inueyeth not agaynste certayne menne butte agaynste the whole nation of the sonnes of Adam Neyther declyneth hee agaynste the corrupte manners of one or twoo ages butte accuseth the contynuall corruptioÌ„ of nature For his purpose is that place not simply to chide men to make them amende but to teache rather that all menne are oppressed wyth calamitie impossyble to be ouercome from whyche they cannot gette vp agayne vnlesse they bee plucked out by the mercie of God And bycause that coulde not bee proued vnlesse it had ben by the ouerthrowe and destruction of nature he brought forth these testimonies whereby is proued that our nature is more than destroyed Let this therefore remayne agreed that menne are suche as they be here described not only by faulte of euell custome but also by corruptnesse of nature For otherwise the Apostles argument can not stande that there is no saluation for manne but by the mercie of God bycause he is in him selfe vtterly loste and paste hope I wyll not here busie my selfe in prouynge the applyeng of these testimonies that no manne shoulde thinke them vnfitly vsed I wyll so take them as yf they had ben firste spoken by Paule and not taken out of the Prophetes Firste he taketh awaye from manne rightousnesse that is integritie and purenesse and then vnderstandyng The wante of vnderstandynge he proueth by Apostasie or departyng from God whome to seeke is the firste degree of wisedome But that wante muste nedes happen to them that are fallen awaye from God He sayeth further that all are gone out of the waye and become as it were rotten that there is none that doeth good and then he adioyneth the haynous faultes wherewith they defile their members that are ones let lose into wickednesse Laste of all he testifieth that they are voyde of the feare of God after whose rule our steppes shoulde haue ben directed If these bee the inheritable gyftes of mankynde â–ª it is in vayne to seeke for anye good thyng in our nature In deede I graunt that not all these faultes doe appeare euery manne yet can not bee denied that this Hydra lurketh in the heartes of all menne For as the bodye whyle it already fostreth enclosed wythin it the cause and matter of disease although the payne bee not yet vehement canne not bee called healthy no more canne the soule bee reckened sounde whyle it swarmeth full of suche diseases of vices albeit the similitude dothe not agree in all pointes For in the bodye be it neuer so muche diseased there remayneth a quicknesse of lyfe but the soule beyng drowned in this gulfe of destruction is not only trouble wyth vices but also altogether voyde of all goodnesse The same question in a manner whiche hath ben before assoyled nowe riseth vp agayne of newe For in all ages there haue ben some whiche by guidyng of nature haue ben bente to vertue in al their life And I regarde it not though many slippynges maye be noted in their manners yet by the very studie of honestie they haue shewed a profe that there was some purenesse in theyr nature What rewarde suche vertues haue before God although we will more fully declare when we shall speake of the merites of workes yet wee muste somewhat speake in this place so farre as is necessarie for makyng playne of this present argument These examples therefore seeme to put vs in mynde that wee shoulde not thinke mans nature all together corrupt for that by her instruction some meÌ„ haue not only excelled in some noble actes but also in the whole course of their life haue behaued themselues most honestly But here we must thinke how in this corruptioÌ„ of nature there is some place for the grace of God not to cleaÌ„se it but inwardely to restraine it For if the lord wold suffer the mindes of all menne as it were with loose reynes to runne wildly into all sortes of lustes without doubte there would be no maÌ„ but he would in playne experience make vs beleue that all those euels wherewith Paule condemneth all nature are moste truely sayde of hym For what Canst thou exempt thy selfe out of the number of them whole feete are swift to shed bloud their handes defiled with robberies and manslaughters their throtes like vnto open Sepulchres their tungues deceitfull their lippes venymous their workes vnprofitable wicked rotteÌ„ deadly whole minde is without God whose inwardes are peruersenesse whose eyes are bent to entrappinges their heartes lift vp dispiteousely to triumph ouer other and all the partes of them applied to infinite mischeues If euery soule be subiecte to all suche monsters as the Apostle boldly pronounceth truely we see what would come to passe if the Lorde would suffer the luste of manne to wander after his owne inclination There is no mad beaste that is so hedlong caried awaye there is no streame
by the tenor of the text wher it by by after foloweth that we are his people the flocke of his pastures we see now howe he not contended simply to haue geuen to God the praise of our saluation doth expresly exclude vs froÌ„ all felowshipe with him as if he would saye that ther resteth no pece be it neuer so lyttle for man to glorie in bicause it is all of God But ther will be some peraduenture that will graunt that Will beynge of her owne nature turned away from good is conuerted by the only power of the Lord but so that beinge prepared before it hath also her owne parte in doinge as Augustin teacheth that grace goeth before euerye good worke but so that will dothe accompanie it and not leade it as a waytinge maide after it not a forgoer Whiche thynge beinge not euell spoken by the holy man Peter Lombarde doth disordrely wriâ—he to this purpose But I affirme that as wel in the wordes of the Prophete whiche I haue alleged as in the other places these two thinges be plainely signified that the Lorde dothe bothe correcte oure corrupted will or rather destroie it also of himselfe putteth in place thereof of a good will In as muche as it is preuented by grace in that respect I geue you leaue to call it a Wayting maide but for that beinge reformed it is the worke of the Lord this is wrongfully geuen to man that he doth with wil comming after obey grace going before Therfore it is not well written of Chrysostome that neither grace wtout will nor will without grace can worke any thing as if grace did not worke very will it selfe as euen nowe we haue seen by Paule Neither was it Augustines purpose when he called mans will the wayting mayde of grace to assigne vnto her a certaine second office in doing a good worke but bicause this only was his entent to confute the wicked doctrine of Pelagius whiche did set the principal cause of saluation in mans deseruing therfore he stode only vpoÌ„ this point that grace was before al deseruing which was sufficiente for the matter that he then had in hand not medlinge in the meane time with the other question coÌ„cerning the perpetuall effect of grace which yet in an other place be excellently wel handleth For sometimes when he saith that the lord doth preuent the vnwilling that hee maye will and foloweth the wyllynge that he wyll not in vayne he maketh him altogether the whole authour of the good worke Albeit his senteÌ„ces touchyng this matter are to plaine to neede any loÌ„g arguyng vpon them Men sayeth he doe labour to finde in our will something that is our owne not of God but how it may be founde I know not And in his first boke against Pelagius Celestius where he doth expound that saying of Christ â–ª Euery one that hath hearde of my father cometh to me he sayth Freewill is so holpen not only that it maye knowe what is to be done but also maye doe it when it hath knoweÌ„ it And so when God teacheth not by the letter of the law but by the grace of the spirit he so teacheth that he that hath learned doth not only see it in knowyng but also desire it in willing and performe it in doyng And bicause we are now in hand with the chiefe point wherupon the mater hangeth let vs go forward proue the summe therof to the reders only with a fewe the most playne testimonies of the scripture And then leaste any man should accuse vs of wrongfull wresting the Scripture let vs shew that the trueth which we affirme beyng takeÌ„ out of the Scripture wanteth not the testimonie of this holy man I meane Augustine For I thinke it not expedient that all the thinges be rehersed that may be brought out of the Scriptures for coÌ„firmation of our meanyng so that by the moste chosen that shal be brought forth the way may be prepared to vnderstand al the rest that are here and there coÌ„monly red And agayne I thinke it shall not be vnfitly done if I openly shewe that I agree well with that man whom worthyly the consent of godly men doth much esteme Surely it is euideÌ„t by plaine certaine profe that the beginning of goodnesse is from no where els but only from God for there can not be founde a will bent to good but in the elect But the cause of election is to be sought out of man Whereupon foloweth that man hath not right Will of him selfe but it procedeth from the same good pleasure whereby we are electe before the creatioÌ„ of the world There is also an other reason not vnlike vnto yt. For wheras the beginning of willing doyng wel is of faith it is to be seene whense saith it self cometh For asmuch as the whole Scripture crieth out that it is a free gift of God it foloweth that it is of the mere grace of God when we which are with al our minde naturally bent to euell beginne to will that which is good Therefore the lord when he nameth these two thinges in the coÌ„uersioÌ„ of his people to take away from them a stony heart and to geue theÌ„ a heart of flesh plainly testifieth that that which is of our selues must be done away that we may be conuerted to righteousnesse and that what so euer cometh in place therof is from himself And he vttereth not this in one place only For he sayth in Ieremie I wil geue them one heart one way that they maye feare me al their dayes And a litle after I will geue the feare of my name into their heart that they departe not froÌ„ me Agayne in Ezechiel I wil geue them one heart and I wil geue a newe spirite in their bowels I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh and I will geue them a heart of flesh He coulde not more euidently clayme to himselfe and take from vs what so euer is good and right in our will than when he declareth that our conuersion is a creation of a newe spirite and of a newe heart For it followeth alwaye that bothe out of our will proceedeth no goodnesse till it be reformed and that after reformation so muche as it is good is of God and not of vs. And so reade we the prayers of holy meÌ„ne made to that effecte as The Lorde incline our heart to him sayeth Salomon that we maye kepe his commaundementes He sheweth the frowardenesse of our heart whiche naturally reioyseth to rebell agaynste the lawe of God if it be not boowed And the same thyng is in the Psalme Lorde incline my heart to thy testimonies For the comparison of contrarietie is alwaye to be noted whyche is betwene the peruerse motion of the heart whereby it is carried to obstinatie and this correction whereby it is led to obedience When David feelyng him selfe for a tyme
without the directyng grace praieth God to create a newe heart within hym to renewe a righte spirite within his bowelles doeth he not acknowledge that all the partes of his heart are full of vnclennesse and hys spirite writhen wyth croked peruersenesse and in callynge the cleannesse whyche he prayeth for the creature of God doeth he not attribute it wholly to God But yf anye manne take exception and saye that the verye prayer is a token of a godly and holy affection oure aunswere is ready that though Dauid were by that time somewhat come to amendement yet doeth he still compare his firste state with that sorrowefull fall that he had felte Therefore takyng vpon hym the person of a manne enstranged from God he for good cause prayeth to haue geuen hym all these thynges that God geueth to his electe in regeneration And so beyng like a dead manne he wisheth hym selfe to bee created of newe that of the bondeslaue of Satan he maye bee made the instrumente of the holyghoste Maruellous and monstrous surely is the luste of our pryde God requyreth nothyng more earnestly than that wee should moste religiously kepe his Sabbat that is in resting from our owne workes but of vs nothyng is more hardly obteyned than bidding our owne workes farewell to geue due place to the workes of God If sluggishnesse hindered not Christe hath geuen testimonie euident enough of his graces to make them not to bee enuiously suppressed I am sayeth he the Uine you bee the branches My Father is a husbandeman As the branche can not beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Uine no more can you vnlesse you abide in me For without me you can do nothyng If we beare fruite none otherwise than a braunche buddeth beyng plucked out of the grounde and without moysture we neede no more to seke what is the aptnesse of our nature to goodnesse And this is a playne cōclusion Without me ye can do nothing He doeth not saye that we are to weake to be sufficiēt for our selues but in bryngyng vs to nothyng he excludeth all opinion of power be it neuer so little If we beyng graffed in Christe beare fruite lyke a Uine whiche taketh her efficacie of liuelinesse both from the moisture of the earth and from the deaw of heauen and from the cherishyng of the sonne I see nothinge remayne for vs in doyng a good worke yf we kepe whole for God that whyche is his That fonde suttle deuise is alledged in vayne that there is a iuyce already enclosed wythin the branche and a certayne power to bryng forth frute and that therefore it taketh not all from the earth or from the firste roote bycause it bringeth somewhat of her owne For Christe doeth meane nothing els but that we are a drye sticke and nothing worth when we be seuered from him bicause by our selues beyng separate we haue no power to doe well as also in an other place he sayeth Euery tree that my father hath not plāted shal be rooted vp Wherfore the Apostle ascribeth all the whole vnto him in the place alredy alleged It is God sayth he that worketh in vs bothe to will and to performe The firste parte of a good worke is will the seconde is a stronge endeuour in doyng it the authour of bothe is God Therefore we steale it from God if we take to our selues any thinge eyther in will or in effectuall workyng If it were sayde that God doth help our weake will then somewhat were lefte for vs. But when it is sayde that he maketh will nowe all the good that is in it is set out of vs. And bicause the good will is yet still oppressed with weight of our fleshe that it can not rise vp He sayde further that to ouercome the hardenesse of that battell there is ministred vnto vs stedfastnesse of endeuour euen to the effect For otherwise it coulde not stande together whyche he teacheth in an other place that it is God alone that bryngeth to effect all thynges in all wherein we haue before taught that the whole course of spirituall life is comprehended For whyche reason Dauid after he had prayed to haue the wayes of the Lorde opened vnto hym that he mighte walke in his trueth by and by addeth Unite thou my heart to feare thy name In whyche wordes he signifieth that euen they that are well minded are subiecte to so many withdrawynges of minde that they easily vanish or fal awaye if they bee not stablisshed to constantie For whiche reason in an other place after he had prayed to haue his steppes directed to kepe the worde of God he requireth also to haue strength geuen him to fight Lette not any iniquitie sayeth he beare rule ouer me After this sorte therefore doeth the Lorde bothe beginne and ende good worke in vs that it maye all be his worke that wil conceyueth a loue of that whiche is right that it is enclined to the desire thereof that it is stirred vp and moued to endeuour of followyng it And then that our choyse desire ▪ and endeuour fainte not but do procede euen to the effecte laste of all that manne goeth forward constantly in them and continueth to the ende And he moueth the will not in suche sorte as hath in many ages ben taught and beleued that it is afterwarde in our choyse eyther to obeye or withstande the motion but wyth mightyly strengthnyng it Therefore that muste bee reiected whyche Chrysostome so ofte repeteth whome he draweth he draweth beyng willyng Wherby he secretly teacheth that God doeth only reache out his hande to see yf wee will be holpen by his ayde We graunte that suche was the state of manne whyle he yet stoode that he might bowe to eyther parte But sithe he hath taught by his example howe miserable is freewill vnlesse God bothe will and can in vs what shall become of vs yf he geue vs his grace accordyng to that small proportion But rather wee dooe obscure and extenuate it with our vnthankefulnesse For the Apostle doeth not teache that the grace of a good will is offred vs yf we doe accepte it but that he will performe it in vs whiche is nothyng els but that the Lorde by his spirite dothe direct howe and gouerne our heart and reigneth in it as in his owne possession Neyther doeth he promise by Ezechiel that he will geue to the electe a newe spirite onely for this ende that they maye be able to walke in his commaundementes but to make them walke in deede Neyther can Christes sayeng euery one that hath hearde of my Father cometh to me be otherwyse taken than to teache that the grace of God is effectuall of it selfe as Augustine also affirmeth Whyche grace God vouchesaueth not to geue to all menne generally without regarde as that sayeng as I thynke of Occam is commonly spoken among the people that it denieth nothyng to hym that doeth what lieth in him
loued He hath chosen his seruant Dauid to fede Iacob his people and Israell his inheritance To coÌ„clude it pleased God so to saue his church that the safetie and preseruation thereof should hange vpon that one hed and therefore Dauid crieth out The Lord the strength of his people the strength of the saluations of his Christ. And by by he addeth a prayer Saue thy people and blesse thine inheritaunce meanyng that the state of the church is with vnseparable knot ioyned to the gouernement of Christ. And in the same meaning in an other place Lord saue vs Let the king heare vs in the daye that we shall call vpon him In whiche wordes he plainely teacheth that the faithfull did vpon none other confidence flee to the helpe of God but bycause they were hidden vnder the succour of the king Whiche is gathered by an other Psalme Lord saue vs Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lorde Where it is playne enough that the faithfull are called backe vnto Christe that they maye hope that they shal be saued by the hand of God The same respect hath the other prayer where all the Churche calleth vpon the mercie of God Let thy hand be vpon the man of thy right hande vpoÌ„ the sonne of man whom thou hast preserued or apointed to thy self For though the authour of the Psalme bewaileth the scattring abrode of the whole people yet he prayeth for their restitutioÌ„ in the hed alone Where when the people was led awaye into exile the lande wasted and all thinges to mans seruyng destroyed Hieremie lamenteth the ouerthrowe of the Church he doth principally complaine that by destruction of the kingdome al hope was cut of from the faithful Christ sayth he the spirite of our mouth is taken in our sinnes to whome we sayd In thy shadow we shal liue among the nations Herby now it sufficiently appereth that bicause God can not be mercifull to mankinde without the Mediatour therefore Christe was alwaye set before the holy fathers in time of the lawe to whome they might direct their fayth Now where comfort is promised in affliction specially where the deliueraunce of the Church is described there the banner of affiance and hope is auaunced in Christ alone God went out to the sauyng of his people with his Messiah sayth Habacuc And so ofte as the Prophetes make mention of the restoryng of the Church they call backe the people to the promise made to Dauid concernyng the euerlasting continuaunce of the kyngdome And no maruell For otherwise there had ben no assurance of the couenant For whiche purpose serueth that notable aunswere of Esaye For when he sawe that the vnbeleuyng kyng Achaz refused that whiche he had declared to him of the raysing of the siege of Hierusalem and of present safetie as it were sodenly he passed ouer to Messias Beholde a virgin shall conceyue and brynge forth a Sonne meanyng indirectly that though the king and his people by their frowardenesse refused the promise offred vnto them as though they dyd of purpose bende themselues to discredite the truthe of God yet the couenant should not be voyde but that the Redemer shoulde come at his apoynted tyme. Finally it was the care of all the Prophetes to the ende they might shewe that God would be merciâ—ull alwaye to set out that kingedome of Dauid whereupon hanged the redemption and euerlastyng saluation So Esaie saith I will make a couenant with you the faythfull mercies of Dauid Beholde I haue geuen him for a witnesse vnto nations that is bycause the faythfull when their state is at the worste coulde not otherwise haue any hope but by the meanes of him beyng witnesse that God would be appeasable toward them Likewise Hieremie to raise them vp beyng in despeire sayth Beholde the dayes come wherein I will rayse vp vnto Dauid a righteous branche and then shall Iuda be saued and Israell shal dwell in safetie And Ezechiel sayth I wil rayse vp one shepeherd ouer my shepe euen Dauid my seruant I the Lorde will be a God to them and my seruaunt Dauid for a shepeherd And I will make a couenaunt of peace with them Also man other place after he had entreated of the incredible reneweyng he sayeth my seruaunt Dauid shal be their Kynge and there shal be one shepeherd ouer all and I will make an euerlastynge couenaunt of peace with them I gather here and there a fewe places out of many bycause I onely meane to haue the reders put in mynde that the hope of all the godly hath alwaye ben reposed no where els but in Christe And all the other Prophetes also speake agreably hereunto as it is sayde in Osee. The children of Iuda and the children of Israell shal be gathered together and shall apoynt to themselues one hed Whiche he afterwarde more plainely expoundeth The children of Israel shall returne and shal seke for the Lord their God and Dauid their king And Michee speaking of the returne of the people expresly sayeth The king shal goe before them and the Lord in their hed So Amos meanyng to prayse the renewyng of the people sayth I will in that daye rayse vp the tabernacle of Dauid that is fallen downe I will hedge vp the gappes and rayse vp the places ouerthrowen euen bicause that was the only standard of saluatioÌ„ to haue the royal glory to rise vp againe on hie in the stock of Dauid whiche is fulfilled in Christ. Therefore Zacharie as his age was nerer to the appering of Christe so dothe he more plainely crie out be glad thou doughter of Sion reioyse thou doughter of HierusaleÌ„ Beholde thy king cometh righteous and saued Which agreeth with the place of the Psalme before alleged The lord the strength of the saluations of his anoynted and saue vs. Where saluation is deriued from the hed to the whole body It was Gods wil to haue the Iewes so instructed with these prophecies that to seke for their deliuerance they should bende their eyes directly to Christ. And though they had shamefully swarued yet could not the remembrance of that general principle be abolished that God by the hand of Christ as he had promised to Dauid would be the deliuerer of his church and so the couenant shoulde be of his owne free graunt wherby God had adopted his chosen Hereby it came to passe that this song sounded in the mouth of the children when Christe a litle before his death entred into Hierusalem Hosianna to the sonne of Dauid For it appereth that it was coÌ„monly knowen and spoken of and accordyng to common vse that they songe that the only pledge of Gods mercie remayned vnto them in the comyng of the Redemer For his cause Christ him self to make his disciples plainely and perfectly beleue in God biddeth them to beleue on him self Beleue ye in God sayth he then beleue also in me
our workes vnlesse we do embrace by faith the same goodnesse geueÌ„ vs by the Gospel then want they not their effectualnesse yea with their condition annexed For then he doth so freely geue al things vnto vs that he addeth this also to the heape of his bountifulnesse that not refusing our half ful obedience and remitting so much as it wanteth of ful performance he so maketh vs to enioy the frute of the promises of the law as if we our selues had fulfilled the coÌ„dytion But we wil at this preseÌ„t procede no further in this matter bicause it shal be more largely to be entreated of when we shal speake of the IustificatioÌ„ of faith Wheras we sayd that it is impossible to kepe the law that is in few wordes to be both expounded and proued For it is wont among the people commonly to be accompted an opinion of great absurditie so far that Hierome doubted not to pronouÌ„ce it accursed what Hierome thought I doe nothing staye vpon as for vs let vs searche what is truthe I will not here make longe circumstances of diuerse sortes of possibilities I call that impossible which both neuer had ben also is hindered by the ordinance decree of God that it neuer herafter maye be If we recorde from the farthest time of memorie I saye that there hath none of the holy meÌ„ that beyng clothed with the bodie of death hath euer atteyned to that full perfection of loue to loue God with all his heart with al his minde with al his soule with all his power Againe that there hath ben none that hath not ben troubled with concupiscence Who can saye Naye I see in deede what maner holy men foolish superstition doth imagine vnto vs euen such whose purenesse the heauenly angels do scarcely counteruaile but against bothe the Scripture profe of experience I saye also that there shall none herafter be that shall come to the marke of true perfection vnlesse he be loosed from the burden of his bodye For this point there are open testimonies of Scripture Salomon said there is not a righteous maÌ„ vpon the earth that sinneth not And Dauid sayd euery liuing manne shal not be iustified in thy sight Iob in many places affirmeth the same But Paul most plainly of all that the flesh lusteth agaynste the spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And by no other reson he proueth that all that are vnder the law are subject to the curse But bycause it is written that cursed are al they that doe not abide in al the coÌ„maundementes therof meanyng or rather taking it as a thing confessed that no man can abide in them And what soeuer is forespoke by the Scriptures that must be holden for perpetual yea necessarie With such sutteltie did the Pelagians trouble Augustine sayeng that there is wrong done to God to say that he doth coÌ„maund more thaÌ„ the faithful are able by his grace to performe Augustine to auoide their cauillation coÌ„fessed that the lord might in deede if he wold aduauÌ„ce a mortal man to the purenesse of Angels but that he neither hath done so at any time nor wil do bicause he hath otherwise affirmed in the Scriptures And that do I also not denie But I adde further that it is incoÌ„uenieÌ„t to dispute of his power against his truthe and that therfore this sentence is not subiect to cauillations if a man should saye that that thing is impossible to be wherof the Scriptures do pronounce that it shal not be But if thei dispute of the word when the Disciples asked the lord who may be saued he answered with men in deede it is impossible but with God al things are possible Also Augustine with a most stroÌ„g reason stiffly defendeth that in this flesh we neuer yelde to God the due loue that we owe him Loue saith he so foloweth knowledge that no man can perfectly loue God but he that hath first fully knoweÌ„ his goodnesse We while we waÌ„der in this world see by a glasse and in a darke speach it foloweth therfore that our loue is vnperfect Let this therefore remaine out of controuersie that in this flesh it is impossible to fulfil the law if we behold the weakenesse of our owne nature as it shal yet also in an other place be proued by Paule But that the whole mater may be more plainly set forth let vs in a compendious order gather vp together the office and vse of the lawe which they cal Morall Now as far as I vnderstand it is coÌ„teined in these three partes The first is that while it sheweth to euery man the righteousnesse of God the is the righteousnesse which only is acceptable to God it admonish certifie proue gilty yea condemne euery maÌ„ of his owne vnrightousnesse For so is it nedeful that man blinded dronke with loue of himself be driuen both to the knowledge the confession of his own weakenesse vncleannesse for asmuch as if his vanitie be not euidently conuinced he swelleth with mad affiance of his owne strength can neuer be brought to think of the scleÌ„dernesse therof so long as he measureth it by the proportion of his owne wil. But so sone as he beginneth to coÌ„pare his streÌ„gth to the hardnesse of the lawe there he findeth matter to abate his courage For how so euer he before conceiued a great opinion of it yet by and by he feleth it to pante vnder so great a burden then to shake folter at laste euen to fall downe and faint So being taught by the scholing of the lawe he putteth of that arrogaÌ„cie wherwith before he was blinded Likewise he is to be healed of an other disease of pride wherof we haue said that he is sick So long as he is suffred to stand to his own iudgemeÌ„t he deuiseth Hypoâ—â—iâ—e in stede of rightousnesse wherwith beyng coÌ„teÌ„ted he riseth vp in courage by I whote not what forged rightousnesses against the grace of God But so soue as he is coÌ„pelled to trie his life by the balaunce of the law theÌ„ leauing the presumption of that counterfait righteousnesse he seeth himself to be an infinite space distaÌ„t froÌ„ holinesse againe that he floweth full of infinite vices wherof before he seemed cleane For the euels of luste are hidden in so deepe and crooked priuie corners that they easily deceiue the sighte of man And not withoute cause the Apostle saith that he knew not luste except the lawe had saide Thou shalte not luste bicause except it be by the lawe disclosed out of her lurking holes it destroyeth miserable manne so secretly that he feeleth not the deadly darte thereof So the lawe is like a certaine lookinge glasse wherein we beholde fyrste oure weakenesse by that oure wickednesse laste of all by them boothe oure accursednesse euen as a glasse representeth vnto vs the spottes of our face For when power fayleth man to folowe righteousnesse then
place of the first they set the promise without the commaundement As for me bicause vnlesse I be conuinced by euident reason I take the ten wordes in Moses for ten commaundementes me thinkes I see so many diuided in very fit order Therefore leauyng to them their opinion I will follow that which I best alloow that is that the same whiche these later sorte make the first cōmaundement shal be in stede of a preface to the whole law and then shal follow the cōmaundemētes fower of the first table and sixe of the seconde in suche order as they shal be rehearsed Augustine also to Boniface agreeth with vs whiche in rehersyng them kepeth this order that God only be serued with obedience of religion that no idole be worshipped that the name of the Lorde be not taken in vaine when he had before seuerally spokē of the shadowish cōmaundemēt of the Sabbot In an other place in deede that first diuision pleaseth him but for to sclender a cause that is bicause in the number of three if the first table consist of three cōmaundementes the misterie of the trinitie more plainly appereth Albeit in the same place he sticketh not to confesse that otherwise he rather liketh our diuisiō Byside these the authour of the Unperfect worke vpō Matthew is of our side Iosephus vndoutedly according to the cōmon consent of his time assigneth to either table fiue cōmaundementes Whiche is bothe against reason bicause it confoūdeth the distinction of religion charitie and also is confuted by the authoritie of the Lord himself which in Matthew reckeneth the cōmaundement of honoring our parētes in the number of the secōd table Now let vs heare God himself speakyng in his owne wordes The first Commaundement I am the Lord thy God whiche haue brought thee out of the lande of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue no straunge Gods before my face Whether you make the first sentence a part of the first cōmaundement or reade it seuerally it is indifferēt to me so that you do not denie me that it standeth in stede of a preface to the whole law First in making of lawes is heede to be takē that they be not shortly after abrogate by cōtempt Therfore God first of all prouideth that the maiestie of the lawe that he shall make maye neuer at any time come in contempt For stablishing wherof he vseth three maners of argumentes First he chalengeth to him self power and right of dominion whereby he may constraine his chosen people that they must of necessitie obey him then he setteth forth a promise of grace with swetenesse therof to allure thē to studie of holinesse Thirdly he reciteth the benefite that he did for them to reproue the Iewes of vnthankefulnesse if they do not with obedience answer his kindnesse Under the name of Iehouah the Lord is meant his authoritie lawful dominiō And if al thinges be of him and do abide in him it is right that all thinges be referred to him as Paule sayeth Therfore we are with this word alone sufficiently brought vnder the yoke of Gods maiestie bicause it were mōstruous for vs to seke to withdraw our selues frō vnder his gouernement out of whome we can not be After that he hath shewed that it is he that hath power to commaund to whome obedience is due lest he should seme to drawe by only necessitie he also allureth with swetenesse in pronouncyng that he is the God of the Churche For there is hidden in this speache◠mutuall relation whyche is conteyned in the promise I will bee to them a God and they shal be to me a people Whereupon Christ proueth that Abraham Isaac and Iacob haue immortall lyfe by this that God testified that he is their God Wherefore it is as muche in effecte as yf he should saye thus I haue chosen you to be my people not only to doe you good in this present lyfe but also to geue you the blessednesse of the life to come But to what end this tendeth it is noted in diuerse places in the law For whē the Lord doth vouch saue to deale thus mercifully with vs to call vs into the companie of his people he choseth vs sayth Moses that we should be a peculiar people vnto him self a holy people and should kepe his commaundementes From whense also cometh this exhortion Be ye holy for I am holy Now out of these two is deriued that protestation that is in the Prophet The sonne honoreth the father the seruant honoreth his Lord. If I be a lord where is my feare If I be a father where is my loue Now foloweth the rehersal of his benefite whiche ought to be of so much more force to moue vs as the faulte of vnthankefulnesse is more detestable euen among men He then did put Israel in remembrance of a benefit lately done but such a one as for the miraculous greatnesse thereof beyng worthy to be had in remembrance for euer should remaine in force with their posteritie Morouer it is most agreable for this present matter For the Lord semeth to say that they were deliuered out of miserable bondage for this purpose that they should with obediēce and redinesse of seruice honor him the author of their deliuerance He vseth also to the ende to holde vs fast in the true worshippyng of him alone to set out himself with certaine titles whereby he maketh his sacred maiestie to be differently knowen from al idoles forged gods For ▪ as I sayd before suche is our redy inclination to vanitie ioyned with rashe boldnesse that so sone as God is named our minde cā not take hede to it self but that it by and by falleth away to some vaine inuention Therefore when the Lord meaneth to bryng a remedie for this mischief he setteth out his owne godhed with certayne titles and so dothe compasse vs in as it were within certayne grates leaste we should wander hether and thether rashly forge our selues some new God if forsakyng the liuing God we should erect and idole For this cause so oft as the Prophetes meane properly to point out him they clothe him and as it were enclose him within those markes wherby he had opened himself to the people of Israell And yet when he is called the God of Abraham or the God of Israell when he is set in the temple of Hierusalem among the Cherebins these and like formes of speache do not binde him to one place or to one people but are set only for this purpose to staye the thoughtes of the godly in y◠God whiche by his couenant that he hath made with Israell hath so represented himself that it is no waye lawefull to varie from such a paterne But let this remayne stedfastly emprinted that there is mention made of the deliuerance to this ende that the Iewes might the more cherefully geue themselues to the God that doth by right clayme them
Wherfore we must fetche the exposition of it farther of And as I think I haue marked yâ— there are three causes to be coÌ„sidered wherupoÌ„ this coÌ„maundement consisteth For first the heauenly lawmaker meant vnder the rest of the seuenth daye to set out in figure to the people of Israel the spirituall rest whereby the faithfull ought to â—esse from their owne workes that they might suffer God to worke in them Secondarily his wil was to haue one apointed daye wherein they should mere together to heare the lawe and execute the ceremonies or at leest bestowe it peculiarly to the meditation of his workes that by such callyng to remembrance they might be exercised to godlinesse Thirdly he thought good to haue a day of rest graunted to seruants and such as liued vnder the gouernement of other wherin theâ— might haue some cessyng from their labour But we are many wayes taught that the same shadoweng of the spiritual rest was the principal point in the Sabbat For yâ— Lorde required the keping of no coÌ„mauÌ„dement in a maner more seuerely than this when his meaning is in the Prophetes to declare that al religioÌ„ is ouerthrowen then he coÌ„plaineth that his Sabbates are polluted defiled not kept not sanctified as though that pece of seruice beyng omitted there remained no more wherin he might be honored He did set forth the obseruing therof with hie praises For whiche cause the faithful did among other oracles maruelously esteme the reuelyng of the Sabbat For in Nehemiah thus spake the Leuites in a solemne coÌ„uocation Thou hast shewed to our fathers thy holy Sabbat hast geuen them the coÌ„maundementes the ceremonies the law by the hand of Moses You see howe it is had in singular estimation among al the coÌ„maundementes of the law All whiche thinges do serue to set forth the dignitie of the misterie which is very wel expressed by Moses and Ezechiel Thus you haue in Exodus See that ye kepe my Sabbat day bicause it is a token betwene me you in your generations that you maye know that I am the Lord that sanctifie you kepe my Sabbat for it is holy vnto you Let the children of Israell kepe the Sabbat and celebrate it in their generations it is an euerlastyng couenaÌ„t betwene me the children of Israel and a perpetual token Yet Ezechiel speaketh more at large But the summe therof cometh to this effect that it is for a token wherby Israell should knowe that God is their sanctifier If our sanctification be the mortifiyng of our owne will then appereth a most apt relation of the outward signe with the inward thing it self we must altogether rest that God may worke in vs we must depart from our owne wil we must resigne vp our heart we must banish all lustes of the â—â—esh Finally we muste cesse from all the doynges of our owne witte that we maye haue God workyng in vs that we maye reste in him as the Apostle also teacheth This perpetual cessyng was represented to the Iewes by the kepyng of one daye among seuen whiche daye to make it be obserued with greater deuotion the Lord commaunded with his owne exaÌ„ple For it auaileth not a litle to stirre vp mans endeuour that he maye know that he tendeth to the folowyng of his creatour If any man searche for a secret signification in the number of seuen For asmuch as that nomber is in the Scripture the nomber of perfection it was not without cause chosen to signifie euerlastyng continuance Wherwith this also agreeth that Moses in the day that he declared that the Lord did rest from his workes maketh an ende of describyng the succeding of dayes nightes There maye be also brought an other probable note of the number that the Lord thereby meant to shewe that the Sabbat should neuer 〈◊〉 perfectly ended til it came to the last day For in it we beginne our blessed rest in it we doe dayly procede in profityng more and more But bicause we haue still a continuall warre with the flesh it shall not be ended vntill that sayeng of Esaye be fulfilled concernyng the continuyng of newe Moone with newe moone of Sabbat with Sabbat euen theâ— when God shal be all in all It may seme therfore that the Lord hath by the .vij. day set forth to his people the perfection to come of his Sabbat at the laste daye that our whole lite might by coÌ„tinuall meditation of the Sabbat aspire to this perfection If any man mislyke this obseruation of the number as a matter to curious I am not agaynst him â–ª but that he maye more simply take it that the Lorde ordeyned one certaine day wherein his people might vnder the scholyng of the lawe bee exercised to the continuall meditation of the spirituall reste And that he assigned the seuenth daye eyther bycause he thought it sufficient or that by settynge forth the likenâ—â—se of his owne example he might the better moue the people to kepe it or at leaste to put them in mynde that the Sabbat tended to no other ende but that they should become like vnto their Creatour For it maketh small matter so that the misterie remayne whiche is therein principally set forth concernynge the perpetuall reste of ouâ— workes To consideration whereof the Prophetes did nowe and thâ—â— call backe the Iewes that they shoulde not thynke themselues 〈◊〉 charged by carnall takyng of their rest Bysâ—de the places alredy â—â—leged you haue thus in Esaye If thou turne awaye thy â—oote from the Sabbat that thou doe not thine owne will in my holy daye and shalt call the Sabbat delicate and holy of the glorious Lorde and shalt glorifie him while thou doest not thyne owne wayes and sekâ—st not thine owne will to speake the worde then shalt thou be deâ—â—ted in the Lord c. But it is no doubte that by the commyng of our Lord Christ so muche as was ceremoniall herein was abrugate For he is the truthe by whose presence all figures do vanish awaye he is the bodie of sight whereof the shadowes are leite He I sâ—ye is the â—rue fulfillyng of the Sabbat we beyng buryed with hym by â—â—ptiâ—me are grafted into the felowship of his death that we beyng made partakers of the resurrection we maye walke in newnesse oâ— life Therfore in an other place the Apostle writeth that the Sabbat was a shadowe of a thing to come and that the true bodie that is to saye the perfect substance of truthe is in Christ whiche in the same place he hath well declared That is not coÌ„teyned in one day but in the whole course of our life vntill that we beyng vtterly dead to our selues be filled with the life of God Therefore superstitious obseruing of daies ought to be far from Christians But for asmuche as the two later causes ought not to be reckened among the olde shadowes but doe belong a like to all ages sins the Sabbat is abrogate
yet this hath still place with vs that we should mere at apointed dayes to the hearyng of the worde to the breakyng of the misticall bread and to publike prayer then that to seruauÌ„tes and laboreâ—s be graunted their rest from their labour It is out of doubt that in commaundyng the Sabbat the Lord had care of bothe thâ—â—â— thinges The first of them hath sufâ—icâ—ent testimonie by the only vse of the Iewes to proue it The second Moses spake of in Deuteronomie in these wordes that thy man seruant and thy mayde seruaÌ„t maye reste as well as thou remember that thou thy selfe didst serue in Egypt Againe in Exodus that thy Oxe and thy Asse maye rest and the sonne of thy boâ—dâ—woman maye take breath Who can denie that bothe these thinges do serue for vs aswell as for the Iewes Meâ—â—â—ges at the church are commaunded vs by the word of God â–ª and the necessitie of them is susficiently knowen in the very experience of life 〈◊〉 they be certainely appointed and haue their ordinarie daies 〈◊〉 can they be kept All thinges by the sentence of the Apostle are to be done comly and in order among vs. But so farre is it of that coÌ„â—â—â—esse and order can be kepte without this policie and moderation that there is at hand present trouble and ruine of the church if it bee dissolued Now if the same necessitie be among vs for relete whereof the Lord apointed the Sabbat to the Iewes let no man saye that it belongeth nothyng vnto vs. For our moste prouident and tender father willed no lesse to prouide for our necessitie than for the Iewes â—ut thou wilt saye why do we not rather dayly mete together that the difference of dayes maye be taken awaye I would to God that wâ—re graunted and truely spirituall wisedome was a thynge worthy to haue dayly a pece of the time cut out for it But yf it can not be obteined of the weakenesse of many to haue dayly metinges and the rule of charitie doth not suffer vs to exact more of them why should we not 〈◊〉 the order whiche we see layed vpon vs by the will of God I am compelled here to be somwhat long bicause at this day many vnquiet spirites do rayse trouble concernyng the Sondaye They crie out that the Christian people are nourished in Iewishnesse bicause they kepe some obseruation of dayes But I answere that we kepe those dayes without any Iewishnesse bicause we do in this behalfe far differ from the Iewes For we kepe it not with streight religion as a ceremonie wherein we thinke a spirituall misterie to be â—iâ—ured â–ª but we reteine it as a necessarie remedie to the kepyng of order in the church But Paul teacheth that in kepyng thereof they are not to be iudged Christians because it is a shadow of a thing to come Therefore he feared that he had labored in vayne amonge the Galathians bycause they did still obserue dayes And to the Romanes he aâ—â—â—â—meth that it is superstition if any man do make differeÌ„ce betwene daye and daye But whoe saâ—yng these mad men only dothe not see of what obseruyng the Apostle meaneth For they had no regarde to this political ende and the order of the church but wheras they kept them still as shadowes of spirituall thinges they did euen so muche darken the glory of Christ and the light of the Gospell They did not therfore cesse from handy workes bicause they were thinges that dyd call them away from holy studies and meditations but for a certayne religion that in cessinge from worke thei did dreame that thei still kept their misteries of olde time deliuered them The Apostle I saie inueyeth against this disordered difference of daies not againste the lawefull choice of daies that serueth for the quietnesse of Christian feloweship for in the Churches that he himselfe did ordeine the Sabbat was kept to this vse For he appoynteth the Corynthians the same daye wherin thei shoulde gather the collection to releue the brothren at Hierusalem If they feare superstition there was more danger thereof in the feaste dayes of the Iewes than in the Sundayes that the Christians nowe haue For so as was expediente for the ouerthrowinge of superstition the daie that the Iewes religiouslye obserued is taken awaie and so as was necessarie for keepinge of comclinesse ordre and quiet in the Churche an other daye was appoynted for the same vse Albeit the olde fathers haue not without reason of their choise put in place of the Sabbat daie the daie that we call Sundaie For whereas in the Resurrection of the Lorde is the ende and fullfyllinge of that reste whereof the olde Sabbat was a shadowe the Christians are by the very same daye that made an ende of shadowes put in mynde that thei shoulde no longer sticke vnto the shadowishe ceremonie But yet I do not so reste vpon the numbre of seuen that I wolde binde the Churche to the bondage thereof Neither wil I condemne those Churches that haue other solemne dayes for their meetinges so that thei be withoute superstition whiche shall bee if thei be onely applyed to the oseruation of Discipline and well appoynted ordre Let the summe hereof be thys as the trueth was geuen to the Iewes vnder a figure so is it deliuered vs without any shadowes at all Firste that in all oure life longe we sholde be in meditation of a continuall Sabbat or rest from oure owne workes that the Lorde may worke in vs by his spirit then that euery man priuately so ofte as he hath leysure shoulde diligently exercise himselfe in godly calling to minde the workes of God and also that we al sholde keepe the lawefull ordre of the Churche appoynted for the hearinge of the woorde for the ministration of the Sacramentes and for publike prayer thirdely that we shoulde not vngently oppresse them that bee vnder vs. And so do the trifelynges of the false prophetes vanish awaie that in the ages paste haue infected the people wyth a Iewyshe opinion that so muche as was ceremoniall in this commanudement is take away whiche thei in their tongue call the appoyntinge of the seuenth daye but that so muche as is morall remayneth whiche is the keeping of one daie in the weke But that is nothinge ells in effect than for reproche of the Iewes to change the daye and to keepe still the same holinesse in their minde For there still remaineth wyth vs the lyke signification of mysterie in the daies as was amonge the Iewes And truely we see what good thei haue done by such doctrine For thei that cleaue to their constitutions do by theise as muche as exceede the Iewes in grosse and carnall superstition of Sabbat so that the rebukinge that are readde in Isaie do no lesse fittly serue for them at these dayes than for those that the Prophete reproued in hys tyme. Butte this generall doctrine is principally to be kept
Apostle setteth the whole perfectioÌ„ of the holy ones in charitie And not inconuenientlye in an other place he calleth the same the fullfillinge of the lawe adding that he hathe perfourmed the lawe that loueth his neighboure Againe That all the lawe is comprehended in one worde Loue thy neighboure as thy selfe For he teacheth no other thing but the same which Christe doth when he saith Whatsoeuer ye will that men do to you do ye the same to them For thys is the law and the Prophetes It is certaine that in the lawe and the Prophetes Faith all that belongeth to the true worship of God holdeth the principal place and that Loue is beneth it in a lower degree but the Lordes meaning is that in the lawe is only prescribed vnto vs an obseruation of right and equitie wherein we be exercised to testifie our Godlye feare of him if there be any in vs. Here therefore let vs sticke faste that then oure lyfe shal be best framed to Gods will and the rule of his lawe when it shall be euery waye most profitable to oure brothren Butte in the whole lawe there is not redde one syllable that apoynteth to man any râ—le of suche thynges as he shall do or leaue vndone to the commoditie of his owne fleshe And surely sith men are so borne of such disposition naturalli that thei be to much carried all hedlong to the loue of them selues how much soeuer thei fall from the truthe yet still thei keepe that selfe loue there needed no lawe any more to enflame that loue that was naturally of it selfe to much beyonde measure Whereby it plainly appeareth that not the loue of oure selues but the loue of God and of oure neighboure is the keping of the commaundements and that he liueth best and moste holyly that so nere as maie be liueth and trauileth leaste for him selfe that no man liueth worse and more wyckedly than hee that liueth and trauileth for himselfe only thinketh vpon seketh for thinges of hys owne And the Lord the more to expresse with howe greate ernestnes we ought to be led to the loue of oure neighboures apointed it to bee measured by the loue of our selues as by a rule bicause he had no other more vehement or stronger affection to measure it by And the force of the manner of speaking is diligently to be weyed For he doth not as certaine Sophisters haue foolishly dreamed geue the first degree to the loue of our selues and the seconde to charitie but rather that affection of loue which we do all naturally drawe to our selues he geueth away vnto other wherevpoÌ„ the Apostle saith that Charitie seketh not her own And their reasoÌ„ is not to be estemed worth a heare that the thing ruled is euer inferiore to his Rule For God doth not make the loue of our selues a rule whervnto charitie toward other shold be subiect but whereas by peruersnesse of nature the affectioÌ„ of loue was wont to rest in our selues he sheweth that now it ought to be els wher spred abroade that we shold with no lesse cherefulnesse feruentnesse and carefulnesse be ready to do good to oure neighboure than to oure selues Now sith Christe hath shewed in the parable of the Samaritane the vnder the name of Neighboure euery man is conteined be he neuer so strange vnto vs ther is no cause whi we shold restraine the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of loue within the bondes of our owne frendshippes acquaintances I deny not that the nerer that any man is vnto vs the more familiarli he is to be holpen with our endeuours to do him good For so the ordie of humaâ—itie reqâ—ireth the so many moe dueties of friendship men shold coÌ„municate togither as they are bounde togither wyth streighter bondes of kyâ—red familiaritie or neighebourehoode and that wythout any offense of God by whose prouidence we are in a manner driuen thervnto But I say that al mankinde without exception is to be embraced with one affection of charitie that in thys behalfe is no dyfference of Barbarous or Grecian of woorthy or vnwoorthy of friende or foe bicause thei are to be considered in God and not in them selues from whyche consideration when we tourne away it is no maruell if we be entangled with many erroures Wherefore if we wyll keepe the true trade of louinge we muste not tourne oure eyes vnto man the sighte of whome woulde ofter enforce vs to hate than to loue but vnto God which commaundeth that the loue which we offer him be poured abroade among all menne that this be a perpetuall foundation that whatsoeuer the man be yet he ought to be loued bicause God is loued Wherefore it was a moste pestilent either ignoraunce or malice that the Schoolemen of these commaundementes touching not desyringe of reuengmente and louinge oure enemies whiche in the olde time bothe were geuen to the Iewes and at the same tyme were commonly geuen to all Christians haue made Councels whiche it is in our libertie to obey or not obey And the necessarie obeyinge of them thei haue posted ouer to Monkes which wer though but in this one poynt forsoothe more righteous than simple Christians that thei willingelye bound them selues to keepe the Councels And thei rendre a reason why thei receiue them not for lawes for that they seeme to burdenous and heauy specially for Christians that are vnder the lawe of grace So dare thei presume to repel the eternall law of God touching the louing of oure neighvoures Is there any suche dyfference in any leafe of the lawe and are not therein rather in it eche where founde commaundementes that do moste seuerely require of vs to loue oure enemies For what manner of sayinge is that where wee are commaunded to feede oure enemie when he is hungry to set into the right way his Oxen or Asses strayinge out of the waye or to ease them when thei faint vnder their burden Shall we do good to his beastes for his sake without any good will to him selfe What is not the worde of the Lorde euerlastinge Leaue vengeance to me and I will requite it Whiche also is spoken more plainely at large in an other place Seke not vengeance neither be mindefull of the iniurie of thy Citizens Either let them blot these thynges oute of the lawe or let them acknoweledge that the Lorde was a lawemaker and not lieingly faine that he was a councell geuer And what I praye you meane these thynges that thei haue presumed to mocke withall in their vnsauorie glose Loue your enemies doe good to them that hate youe praie for them that persecute youe blesse them that curse you that ye may be the chyldren of youre father which is in heauen Who can not heare reason wyth Chrysostome that by so necessarie a cause it plainely appeareth that they are no exhortations but commaundementes What remayneth more when we be blotted out of the numbre of the
euery one after the proportion of their nature yet it doth not deliuer them from necessitie of corruption but I speake of this speciall manner whereby the soules of the godly are bothe lightened vnto the knowledge of God and in a manner coupled to him By this enlightenyng of the worde sithe Adam Abel Noe Abraham and the other fathers cleaued vnto God I saye that it is not doubtfull that they had an entrie into the immortall kingdome of God For it was a sound partakyng of God whiche can not be without the benefit of eternall life But yf this seme somewhat entangled goe to let vs come to the very forme of the couenant which shall not only satisfie sobre wittes but also shall sufficiently conuince their ignorance that bende themselues to speake agaynst it For God did alwaye thus couenant with his seruantes I will be to you a God and ye shal be to me a people In whiche wordes the Prophetes themselues are wont to expound that both life and saluation and the whole summe of blessednesse is cōprehended For Dauid doth not without cause often pronounce that blessed is the people whose God is the lord blessed is the natiō which he hath chosen to be his inheritance and that not for earthly felicities sake but bycause he deliuereth them from death he preserueth them for euer and cōtinually sheweth them eternal mercie whome he hath taken to his people as it is in the other Prophetes Thou art our God we shall not die The Lord is our king our lawmaker he shall saue vs. Blessed art thou O Israel bycause thou art saued in the lord God But not to labour ouermuch in a thynge needelesse this admonition is sound eche where in the Prophetes that we shall wante nothyng toward all abundance of good thinges and assurance of saluatiō so that the Lord be our God And rightfully For if his face so sone as it beginneth to shine is a most present pledge of saluation to what man shall he openly shewe himselfe for his God but that he will also open to him his treasure of saluation For he is our God with this condition to dwell in the middest of vs as he testified by Moses But such presence can not be obteyned but that life must be also together had in possessiō with it And although there were no more expressed yet had thei a promise of spiritual life plaine enough in these wordes I am your God For he did not declare that he would be a God vnto their bodies alone but principally to their soules But soules vnlesse they be ioyned to God by righteousnesse remaine estranged from him in death But on the other side let that ioyning be present it shal bring euerlastyng saluation with it Byside that he did not only testifie that he was to them their God but he also promised that he would be so alway to the ende that their hope not contented with present benefites should be extended to eternitie And many sayenges do shewe that the speakyng in the future time meant so much as where the faithfull not only in present euels but also for the time to come doe comfort themselues with this that God will neuer fayle them Nowe as concernyng the seconde part of the promise he yet more plainely assured them of the blessyng of God to be prolonged vnto them beyond the boundes of this life in sayeng I will be the God of your seede after you For if he minded to declare his good will toward them beyng dead in doyng good to their posteritie much more would his fauour not faile toward themselues For God is not like vnto menne whiche do therefore carry their loue to their frendes children bicause their power is interrupted by death so that they can not employe their frendely doynges vpō them to whom they did beare good will But God whose bountifulnesse is not hyndered by death taketh not awaye from the very dead the frute of his mercie whiche for their sakes he poureth out into a thousand generations Therefore the Lordes will was by a notable profe to set forth vnto them the greatnesse and flowyng plētie of his goodnesse which they should fele after death when he described it to be such as should slowe ouer into all their posteritie And the truthe of this promise the Lord did then seale and as it were brought forth the fulfillyng of it when he named himself the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob long after their death For what had it not ben a fond naming if thei had vtterly perished For then had it ben all one as if he had sayd I am the God of them that are not Wherefore the Euangelistes reherse that with this one argument the Sadduces were so driuen to a streight that they could not denie that Moses did testifie the resurrection of the dead for that they had learned by Moses that all the Saintes were in his hand Wherupon it was easy to gather that they are not destroyed by death whome he that is the iudge of life and death had receyued into his sauegard custodie and protection Now which is the principal point wherupon this cōtrouersie hangeth let vs loke whether the faithfull themselues haue not ben so instructed of the Lord that they perceiued that they shuld haue a better life els where and so neglectyng this life had an eye to the other First the state of life that was enioyned them by God was a continuall exercise whereby they might be put in minde that they were the moste miserable of all men if their happinesse were only in this life Adam most vnhappy euen with only remembrance of the happynesse that he had lost did with painfull labours hardly susteyne his nedynesse and that he shuld not be pressed with the curse of God in the only labours of his handes euen there receyued he extreme sorrow of that whiche remayned for him to be his comfort Of his two sonnes the one was taken awaye by the wicked slaughter of his brother the other he had lefte aliue whose sight he worthily detested abhorred Abel cruelly murthered in the very floure of his age became an example of the wretchednesse of men Noe while the whole world carelesly liued in pleasure spent a good part of his age with great werinesse in bildyng the Arke This that he escaped death came to passe by his greater troubles than yf he should haue died a hundred deathes For byside that the Arke was to him as a graue for x. monethes there is nothing more vnpleasaunt than to be holden so longe in manner drowned in dong of beastes When he had passed ouer so great difficulties he fell into newe matter of grefe he saw him self scorned of his owne sonne and was compelled with his owne mouth to curse him whom by the great benefit of God he had receiued safe from the generall flood Abraham in deede may be one alone
to his sonne waylyng into the graue In the meane time howe great causes of griefe wayting and werinesse were the rauishment and deftourynge of his daughter and the boldenesse of his sonnes in reuenging it whiche not only made him to be abhorred in sight of all the inhabitantes of that countrey but also procured him moste present perill of vtter destruction Then followed that horrible outragious offense of Ruben his first begotten sonne whiche was suche as their coulde not chaunce a more greuous For wheareas the defilyng of a mans wyfe is reckened amonge the hyest yll fortunes what is to be sayde of it when that wickednesse is committed by a mans owne sonne Within a litle whyle after his house is spotted with an other vunaturall adulterie so that so many shames might well breake a heart that otherwise were most constant and vnable to be vanquished with calamities Nere before the ende of his life while he sought to prouide succour for the famine of himself and other he was striken with tidynges of a newe misfortune vnderstandynge that an other of his sonnes was kepte in pryson for recoueryng of whome he was compelled to leaue to the rest Beniamin his only dearling Who caÌ„ think that in suche a heape of mischeues he had any one moment geuen hym safely to take breath in And therefore he himselfe the beste witnesse of himselfe affirmed to Pharao that his dayes were shorte and â—uell vpon the earth Nowe truely he that declareth that he hath passed his lyfe by continuall miseries denieth that he felte that prosperitie whiche the Lorde had promised him Therefore eyther Iacob did vnkindely and vnthankefully weye the grace of God or he truely professed that he had ben miserable vpon the earth If his affirmation were true then it foloweth that he had not his hope fastened vpon earthly thinges If these holy fathers loked for as vndoubtedly they did a blessed lyfe at the hande of God truely they bothe thought and sawe it to bee an other manner of blessednesse than the blessednesse of earthly liâ—e Whiche thynge the Apostle also doth shewe excellently well Abraham sayth he direct by fayth in the lande of promise as in a strange land dwellyng in tentes with Isaac and Iacob parteners with him of the same inheritaunce For they loked for a citie set vpon a good fundation the maker and bilder whereof is God All these are dead in fayth not receyuyng the thinges promised but loking at them a farre of and beleuyng and confessyng that they were gestes and strangers vpon the land Whereby they declare that they sought for a couÌ„tree And yf they had ben moued with desire of that lande from whense they came they had power to returne But they sought for a better that is the heauenly couÌ„tree Wherefore God is not a shamed to be called their God for asmuch as he hath prepared them a citie For they had ben duller than blockes to followe promises to earnestly â–ª wherof there appered no hope in earth vnlesse they had loked for the fulfillynge of them els where But this he chiefely enforceth and that not without good reason that thei called this life a iourney from home euen as Moses reporteth For if they were strangers and foreners in the lande of Chanaan where is the Lordes promise wherby they were made heires of it He sheweth plainely therefore that the Lordes promise coÌ„cernyng the possessioÌ„ therof had a further respect Wherefore they purchaced not one foote in the land of Chanaan but for burial wherby they testified that they did not hope that they shuld receiue the frute of the promise till after death And that is the cause why Iacob so much estemed to be buried there that he compelled his sonne Ioseph to promise it him and to swere to performe it and why Ioseph willed his bones certayne ages after when they were longe before fallen into powder to be remoued thither Finally it appereth plainely that in all the trauailes of this life they had alway set before them the blessednesse of the life to come For to what purpose should Iacob haue so much desired with so great danger sought the preeminence of the first begotten whiche shoulde procure him nothyng but banishment and in a manner to be caste of from beyng his childe but no good at all vnlesse he had respecte to a hyer blessyng And he declared that he had this meanyng by the wordes which he spake among his last breathinges Lord I will loke for thy saluation What saluation could he haue loked for wheÌ„ he sawe that he laye ready to geue vp the ghost vnlesse he had seene in death the beginnyng of a newe life But what dispute we of the holy ones and chrildren of God when euen he was not without a taste of suche vnderstandyng whiche otherwise was enemie to the truthe For what meant Balaam wheÌ„ he sayd Let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my laste times be like vnto theires but that he meante the same thynge that Dauid afterwarde vttered that the death of the Sainctes is precious in the sighte of the Lorde but the death of the wicked is very euell If the furthest bounde and ende were in death there coulde in it be noted no difference betwene the righteous and vnrighteous they differ one from the other by the diuersite of the estates that after death shall befall to them bothe We are not yet come beyonde Moses Whiche as these menne saye had no other office but to perswade the carnall people to worship God by the frutefulnesse of the ground and plentie of all thinges And yet vnlesse a manne will flee the light that willyngly offreth it selfe there is alredy a playne declaration of the spirituall couenant But yf we come downe to the Prophetes there with most full brightnesse bothe the lyfe euerlastyng and the kyngdome of Christ do vtter themselues And first of all Dauid which as he was before the other in time so accordyng to the order of Gods distribution he shewed the heauenly misteries in shadowes more darkely than the rest yet with what plainnesse certaintie directeth he al his sayenges to that end How he estemed the earthly dwelling this senteÌ„ce testifieth I am here a forener straÌ„ger as al my fathers were Euery liuing maÌ„ is vanitie euery one walketh about as a shadow But now what is my exspectatioÌ„ Lord euen to thee is my hope Truely he that coÌ„fessyng that in the earth there is nothinge sounde or stedfast kepeth still a stedfastnesse of hope in God coÌ„sidereth his felicitie layed vp in an other place To such consideration is he wont to call all the faithefull so oft as he meaneth to comforte them truely For in an other place after he had spoken of the shortenesse and the transitorie and vanishing image of mans life he addeth but the mercie of the Lorde is for euer vpon them that
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
freewoman is a figure of the heauenly Hierusalem from whense procedeth the gospell That as the seede of Agar is borne bonde whiche maye neuer come to the inheritance and the seede of Sara is â—orne free to whome the inheritaunce is due so by the lawe we are made subiect to bondage by the Gospell onely we are regenerate into freedome But the summe commeth to this effecte that the olde testamente dyd stricke into consciences feare and tremblinge but by the beneâ—ite of the newe testament it commeth to passe that thei are made ioyefull The olde did holde consciences bounde vnto the yoke of boudage by the lyberalitie of the newe thei are discharged of bondage and brought into freedome But if oute of the people of Israel thei obiect againste vs the holy fathers who sithe it is euident that they were endued wyth the same spirit that we are it foloweth that thei were also partakers both of the selfe same freedome and ioye We answer that neither of bothe came of the lawe But that when thei felte them selues by the lawe to be both oppressed with estate of bondage and weried with vnâ—â—â—eâ—es of conscience they sâ—ed to the succoure of the Gospell and that therefore it was a peculiar frute of the newe testament that beside the common lawe of the olde testament they wer exempted from these euels Moreouer we wyll denye that they were so endewed wyth the spirit of freedome assurednesse that they did not in some part fele both seare and bondage by the lawe For howe soeuer they enioyed that prerogatiue whyche they had obteined by grace of the Gospell yet were they subiect to the same bondes and bâ—rdens of obseruation that the common people were Sithe therefore they were compelled to the carefull keeping of those ceremonies whyche were the signes of a scholing muche like vnto bondage and the handewritinges whereby they confessed them selues gylty of synne did not discarge them from being bonde it maye rightfully be saide that in comparison of vs they were vnder the testament of bondage and feare while wee haue respecte to that common ordre of dystribution that the Lorde then vsed wyth the people of Israel The three laste comparisons that we haue recited are of the lawe and the Gospell Wherfore in them by the name of the Olde testament is meant the Lawe by the name of the Nwe testament is meant the Gospell The fyrste stretched further for it comprehendeth vnder it the promises also that were published before the lawe butte whereas Augustine denyeth that they oughte to be reckened vnder the name of the olde testament therein he thought very well and meant euen the same thynge that we do nowe teache for hee hadde regarde to those saâ—enges of Hieremie and Paule where the olde testament is seuered from the woorde of mercye and grace And thys also hee very aptelye adioyueth in the same place that the chyldren of promise regenerate of God whyche by faythe woorkynge throughe loue haue obeyed the commaundements do from the beginning of the worlde belong to the newe testament and that in hope not of fleshly earthly and temporall â–ª but spiritual heauenly and eternal good thinges principally beleuing in the mediatore by whome thei doubted noâ— that the spirite was not munstred vnto them bothe to do good to haue pardon so oft as they sinned For the same thinge it is that I minded to affirme that all the Sainctes whome the Scripture reherseth to haue been from the beginning of the worlde chosen by God were partakers of the selfe same blessing with vs vnto eternal saluation This difference therfore is betwene oure diuision and Augustines that oures according to that sayeng of Christe The lawe and the Prophetes were vnto Ihon from thenseforthe the kingdome of God is preached dothe make distinction betweene the clerenesse of the Gospell and the darker dystribution of the woorde that wente before and Augustine doothe onely â—ouer the weakenesse of the lawe from the strength of the Gospell And here also is to be noted concerning the holy fathers that they so liued vnder the olde testamente that they steyed not there but allwaye aspired to the newe yea and imbraced the assured partakinge thereof For the Apostle condemneth them of blindenesse and accursednesse whiche beinge contented with present shadowes did not streâ—ch vp their minde vnto Christe For to speake nothinge of the rest what greater blindenesse can be imagined than to hope for the purginge of sinne by the killinge of a beast than to secke for the cleansing of the soule in outward sprinkling of water than to seeke to appease God with colde ceremonies as thoughe he were muche delited therewith For to all these absurdities do thei fall that sticke fast in the obseruations of the lawe without respect of Christe The fifth dyfference that we may adde lyeth in this that vntill the comming of Christe the Lorde had chosen out one nation within why the he woulde keepe seuerall the couenant of his grace When the hyest did dystribute the nations when he deuided the sonnes of Adam saith Moses his people fell to his possession Iacob the corde of his inheritance In an other place he thus speaketh to the people Beholde the heauen and earth and all that is in it are the Lord thy Gods He cleaned onely to thy fathers he loued them to choose their sede after them euen your selues oute of all nations Therefore hee voâ—tchesaued to graunte the knoweledge of hys name to that people onely as yf they onely of all men belonged vnto hym he layed hys couenant as it were in theyr bosome to them he openli shewed the presence of his Godhed them he honored with all prerogatiues Butte to omitte the reste of his beneâ—ites and speake that whiche onely here is to oure purpose he bounde them to hym by the communycatynge of his woorde that hee might be called and coâ—mpted their God In the meane season he suffered other nations to walke in vanitie as though they had not any enter course or any thynge to do wyth hym neither dyd he to helpe their destruction euen them that which was onely the remedie namely the preachinge of hys woorde Therefore Israel was then the Lordes sonne that was hys derlynge other were straungers Israell was knowen to hym and receyued into hys charge and protection other mere leâ—te to their owne darkenesse Israell was sanctified by God other were prophane Israell was honoured wyth the presence of God other were excluded from comming nye vnto him But when the fullnesse of time was come appointed for the restoringe of all men and that same reconciler of God and men was deliuered in deede the particion was plucked downe whiche had so longe holden the mercye of God enclosed within the boundes of Israel and peace was preached to them that were farre of euen as to them that were nere adioyned that being together reconciled to God they might growe into one people Wherefore
to Daniell to seale vp the vision and the Prophete not onely that the prophecye whyche is there spoken of shoulde be stablished in assured credit but also that the faythfull shoulde learne wyth contented mynde to want the Prophetes for a time bicause the fulnesse and closing vp of all reuelations was at hande Now it is to be noted that the title of commendation of Christ belongeth to these three offices For we know that in the tyme of the law as well the Prophetes as Preestes and Kynges were anoynted with holy oyle For whyche cause the renoumed name of Messias was geuen to the promised Mediator But thoughe in deede I confesse as I haue also declared in an other place that he was called Messias by peculiar consideration and respect of his kyngedome yet the annointinges in respecte of the office of prophet of preeste haue their place and are not to neglected of vs. Of the fyrste of these twoo is expresse mention made in Esaie in these woordes The spirite of the Lorde Iehoua vpon me Therefore the Lorde hathe annoynted me that I shoulde preache to the meeke shoulde brynge healthe to the contrite in hearte shoulde declare deliuerance to captiues shoulde publishe the yere of good wyll c. We see that he was anoynted wyth the Spirit to bee the publisher and witnesse of the grace of the Father And that not after the common manner for he is seuered from other teachers that hadde the lyke office And here againe is to be noted that he toke not the anoyntinge for him selfe alone that he myghte execute the office of teachinge but for his whole bodie that in hys continuall preachinge of the Gospell the vertue of the Spirit shoulde ioyne wythal But in the meane tyme thys remayneth certayne that by thys perfection of doctrine whiche he hathe broughte an ende is made of all prophecys so that they doe diminish his authoritie that beinge not content wyth the Gospell doe patche any forain thynge vnto it For that voyce whyche thundered from heauen saienge This is my beloued Sonne heare him hathe auaunced hym by singular priuilege aboue the degrees of all other Then thys oyntement is poured abroade from the heade vnto all the membres as it was forespoken by Ioel your chyldren shall prophecie and youre daughters shall see visions c. But where Paule sayth that he was geuen vs vnto wysedome and in an other place that in him are hidden all the treasures of knowledg and vnderstandin he this hathe somewhat an other meaninge that is that oute of hym there is nothinge profitable to knowe and that they whyche by fayth perceaue what hee is haue comprehended the whole infinitnesse of heauenly good thynges For whyche cause hee writeth in an other place I haue compted it precious to knowe nothinge but Iesus Christe and him crucified whiche is moste true bycause it is not lawfull to passe beyonde the simplicitie of the Gospel And herevnto tendeth the dignitie of a prophetes office in Christ that we might knowe that in the summe of the doctrine whiche hee hathe taught are conteined all poyntes of perfect wisedome Nowe come I to hys kingdome of whyche were vayne to speake if the readers were not firste warned that the nature thereof is spirituall For thereby is gathered bothe to what purpose it serueth and what it auaileth vs and the whole force and eternitie therof and also the eternitie whyche in Daniel the angell dothe attribute to the person of Christe and agayne the Angell in Luke dothe woorthily applie to the saluatiō of the people But that is also double or of two sortes for the one belongeth to the whole bodie of the Churche the other is propre to euery membre To the firste is to bee referred that whyche is saide in the Psalme I haue ones sworne by my holynesse to Dauid I wyll not lye his seede shall abide for euer hys seate shall bee as the Sunne in my syghte yt shal be stablyshed as the Moone for euer and a faythfull wytnesse in heauen Neyther is it doubtfull but that God dothe there promise that he will be by the hande of his sonne an eternal gouerner and defender of his Churche For the true perfourmance of thys prophecie canne be founde noe where els but in Christ for asmuche as immediatly after the deathe of Salomon the greater parte of the dignitie of the kingedome fell awaie and was to the dishonoure of the house of Dauid conueyed ouer to a priuate man and afterwarde by little and lyttle was diminished tyll at length it came to vtter decaie wyth heauy and shamefull destruction And the same meaninge hathe that exclamation of Esaie Whoe shall shewe fourth his generation For he so prnounceth that Christe shall remayne aliue after deathe that he ioyneth hym wyth hys membres Therefore so ofte as we heare that Christe is armed wyth eternall power let vs remembre that the euerlastinge continuance of the Church is vpholden by this support to remayne stil safe among the troublesome tossinges wherewith it is continually vexed and amonge the greuous and terrible motions that threaten innumerable destructions So when Dauid scorneth the boldnesse of hys enemies that goe aboute to breake the yoke of God and of Christe and saith that the kinges and peoples raged in vayne bycause he that dwelleth in heauen is strong enough to breake their violent assaultes he assureth the Godly of the contynuall preseruation of the Church and encourageth them to hope well so ofte as it happeneth to be oppressed So in an other place when he saithe in the person of God fitte on my righte hande till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole he warneth vs that howe many and strong enemies so euer do conspire to besege the Churche yet they haue not strengthe enoughe to preuaile agaynste that vnchangeable decree of God whereby he hathe apointed hys sonne an eternall kinge wherevpon it foloweth that it is impossible that the Deuell with all the preparation of the woorlde maye bee able at any time to destroy the Churche whiche is grounded vpon the eternall seate of Christe Now for so muche as concerneth the speciall vse of euery one the very same eternall continuance ought to raise vs vp to hope of immortalitie For we see that whatsoeuer is earthly and of the worlde endureth but for a time yea and is very fraile Therefore Christe to lifte vp oure hope vnto heauen pronounceth that his kingdome is not of this worlde Finally when any of vs heareth that the kingdome of Christe is spiritual let him be raised vp with this saieng and let him pearce to the hope of a better lyfe and whereas hee is nowe defended by the hande of Christ let hym looke for the ful frute of this grace in the world to come That as we haue sayde the force and profite of the kingedome of Christe can not otherwise be perceiued by vs but when wee knowe it to be spirituall
he saithe in an other place that by the comming of faith the lawe is taken awaie meaning by this word faith yeâ—ewe vnaccustomed manner of teaching wherby Christ sins he appeared our scholemaster hath more plainlâ— set forth the mercy of his father more certainly testified of our saluation Albeit it shal be the more easye more conuenient ordre if we descend by degrees from the generaltie to the specialtie First we must be put in minde that there is a general relation of faith to the word that faith can no more be seuered from the word than the sun beames from the sume froÌ„ whome thei procede Therfore in Esaie God cryeth out Heare me and your soule shall lyue And that the same is the fountaine of faythe Ihon sheweth in these woordes These thinges are written that ye may beleue And the prophete meaninge to exhorte the people to beleefe saythe This daie yiÌ„ ye shall heare hys voyce And to heare is commmonly taken for to Beleue Moreouer God dothe not wythout cause in Esaie sette thys marke of difference betwene the children of the Churche and straungers that he will instructe them all that thei maie be taught of him For if it were a benefite vniuersall to all why shoulde he direct hys woordes to a fewe Wherewith agreeth thys that the Euangelistes do commonly vse the woordes Faithfull and Disciples as seuerall wordes expressing one thing specially Luke very oft in the Actes of the Apostles Yea and he stretcheth that name euen to a woman in the ninthe chapiter of the Actes Wherefore if faith do swerue neuer so little from this marke to which it ought to be directly leuelled it kepeth not her owne nature butte becometh an vncertaine lightnesse of belefe and wandring erroure of mynde The same Worde is the foundation wherwith faith is vpholden susteined from which if it swarue it falleth downe Therfore take awaie the Worde then there shal remaine no faith We do not here dispute whether the ministerie of man be necessarie to sowe the worde of God that faithe may be conceiued thereby which question we will els where entreate of but we saie that the worde it self howesoeuer it be conueied to vs is like a mirroure when faith may beholde God Whether God dothe therein vse the seruice of man or worke it by his owne onely power yet he doth alwaie shewe him selfe by his worde to those whome his will is to drawe vnto him wherevpon Paule defineth faithe to be an obedience that is geuen to the Gospell Rom. i. And in an other place he praiseth the obedience of faithe in the Philippians For this is not the onely purpose in the vnderstanding of faithe that we knowe that there is a God but this also yea this chefely that we vnderstande what wil he beareth toward vs. For it not so muche behoueth vs to knowe what he is in himself but what a one he will be to vs. Nowe therefore we are come to thys point that faithe is a knoweledge of the will of God perceyued by his worde And the foundation hereof is a foreconceiued persuasion of the truthe of God Of the assurednesse whereof so longe as thy minde shal dispute with it selfe the worde shall be but of doubtful and weake credit yea rather no credit at all But also it sufficeth not to beleue that God is a true speaker whiche can neither deceiue nor lie vnlesse thow further holde this for vndoubtedly determined that whatsoeuer procedeth from him is the sacred and inuiolable truthe But bicause not at euery word of God mans hearte is raised vp to faith we must yet further search what this faith in the word hath proprely respecte vnto It was the saieng of God to Adam Thou shalte die the death It was the saienge of God to Cain The bloode of thy brother crieth to me out of the earth Yet these are suche saiengs as of them selues canne doe nothynge butte shake faythe so muche lesse are they able to stablyshe faythe We denye not in the meane season that yt ys the offyce of faythe to agree to the truthe of God howe ofte soeuer what soeuer and in what sorte soeuer yt speaketh butte nowe oure question is onely what faythe fyndeth in the woorde of the Lorde to leane and rest vpon When oure conscience beholdeth onely indignation and vengeance howe canne it butte tremble and quake for feare And howe shoulde yt butte flee God of whome yt is afraide But faythe oughte to seeke God and not to flee from him It is plaine therefore that we haue not yet a full definition of faythe bycause it is not to be accompted for faithe to knowe the wyll of God of what sorte so euer it be But what yf in the place of wyll whereof many tymes the message is sorrowefull and the declaration dreadful we putte kindenesse or mercie Truely so we shal come nerer to the nature of faithe For wee are then allured to seeke God after that wee haue learned that saluation is laied vp in store with him for vs. Whyche thynge is confyrmed vnto vs when he declareth that he hath care and loue of vs. Therefore there needeth a promise of grace whereby he maie testifie that he is oure mercifull father for that otherwise wee canne not approche vnto hym and vpon that alone the hearte of man maie safely rest For thys reason commonly in the Psalmes these two thinges Mercie and Truth do cleaue together bicause neither should it any thynge profite vs to know that God is true vnlesse he did mercifully allure vs vnto him neither were it in our power to embrace his mercie vnlesse he did with his owne mouthe offer it I haue reported thy truth and thy saluation I haue not hidden thy goodnesse and thy truthe Thy goodnesse and thy trueth keepe me In an other place Thy mercie to the heauens thy trueth euen to the cloudes Againe All the wayes of the Lorde are mercie and trueth to them that keepe his couenant Againe His mercie is multiplied vpon vs and the truth of the Lorde abydeth for euer Againe I will singe to thy name vpon thy mercie and trueth I omitte that whiche is in the Prophetes to the same meaninge that God is mercifull and faythfull in hys promyses For wee shall rashly determine that God is merciefull vnto vs vnlesse himselfe do testifie of himselfe and preuent vs wyth his callinge leaste his wil shoulde be doubtful and vnknowen But we haue already seen that Christ is the onely pledge of his loue without whome on euery side appeare the tokens of hatred and wrath Nowe forasmuche as the knoweledge of Gods goodnesse shall not muche preuayle vnlesse he make vs to rest in it therefore suche an vnderstanding is to be banished as is mingled with doubting and doth not soundli agree in it selfe but as it were disputeth with it selfe But mans witte as yt is blinde and darkened is farre from
forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell whiche is as much as to mingle heauen and earth together But now our question is What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father by whyche we passe from death to life and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and â—he dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared Now let vs againe goe through all the partes of it euen from the beginning which beyng diligently examined as I thinke there shal remaine nothing doubtefull When in defining faith we cal it a knowledge we meane not thereby a coÌ„prehendyng such as men vse to haue of those thinges that are subiect to mans vnderstandyng For it is so far aboue it that maÌ„s wit must goe beyond surmount it self to come vnto it yea and when it is come vnto it yet doth it not atteyne that whiche it feleth but while it is persuaded of that whiche it conceiueth not it vnderstandeth more by the very assurednesse of persuasion than yf it did with maÌ„s owne capacitie throughly perceyue any thing familiar to man Therefore Paule sayth very well where he calleth it to comprehende what is the length bredth depth and heighth and to knowe the loue of Christ that farre surmounteth knowledge For his meanynge was to signifie that the thynge whiche our mynde conceyueth by faythe is euery waye infinite and that this kinde of knowledge is farre hyer than all vnderstandynge But yet bycause the Lorde hath disclosed to his Saintes the secret of his will whiche was hidden from ages and generations therefore by good reason fayth is in Scripture sometime called an acknowledging and Iohn calleth it a certayne knowledge where he testifieth that the faithfull doe certainely knowe that they are the children of God And vndoutedly they knowe it assuredly but rather by beyng confirmed by persuasion of Gods truthe than by beyng informed by naturall demonstration And his also the wordes of Paule doe declare sayeng that while we â—well in the body we are wanderyng abrode from the lord bycause we walke by fayth and not by sighte whereby he sheweth that those thynges whiche we vnderstande by fayth are yet absente from vs and are hidden from our sight And hereupon we determine that the knowledge of fayth staÌ„deth rather in certaintie than in comprehendyng We further call it a sure and stedfaste knowledge to expresse thereby a more sound constantie of persuasion For as faith is not contented with a doubtefull and rowling opinion so is it also not coÌ„tented with a darke and entangled vnderstaÌ„ding but requireth a ful and fixed assurednesse â–ª such as men are wont to haue of thinges fouÌ„d by experience and proued For vnbelefe sticketh so faste and is so depe rooted in our heartes and we are so bent vnto it that this which all men confesse with their mouth to be true that God is faithfull no maÌ„ is without great contention persuaded in his heart Specially when it coÌ„meth to the profe then the waueryng of all menne discloseth the fault â—hat â—â—ore was hidden And not without cause the Scripture with so nâ—â—â—ble citâ—es of coÌ„mendacion maineteyneth the authoritie of the worde of God but endeuoreth to geue remedie for the aforesayde disease that God maye obteyne to be fully beleued of vs in his promises The wordes of the Lorde sayth Dauid are pure wordes as the Sâ—â—â—eâ—â—ryed in a fornace of earth fined seuen times Agayne The worde oâ— the Lorde fined is a shielde to all that truste in him And Salomon confirmynge the same and in a manner in the same wordes sayth Euery worde of God is pure But sithe the whole .cxix. Psalme entreateth only in a manner vpon the same it weare superfluous to allege any moe places Truely so oft as God doth so coÌ„mend his word vnto vs he doth therein by the waye reproche vs with our vnbeleuingnesse bycause that commendacioÌ„ tendeth to no other end but to roote vp all peruerse doubtinges out of our heartes There be also many which so coÌ„ceiue the mercie of God that they take litle coÌ„fort thereof For they be euen therewithall pinched with a miserable carefulnesse while they doubte whether he will be mercifull to them or noe bicause they enclose within to narrow boundes the very same mercifulnesse of whiche they thinke themselues moste assuredly perswaded For thus they thinke with themselues that his mercie is in deede greate and plentiefull poured out vpon many offrynge it selfe and ready for all menne but that it is not certayne whether it will extende vnto them or no or rather whether they shal atteyne vnto it or no. This thought when it so stayeth in the midde race is but a halfe Therefore it doth not so confirme the spirite with assured quietnesse as it dothe trouble it with vnquiet doubtefulnesse But there is a far other felyng of full assurednesse whiche in the Scriptures is alwaye assigned to fayth euen suche a one as playnely settynge before vs the goodnesse of God dothe clearely put it out of doubte And that can not be but that we muste needes truely feele and proue in our selues the swetenesse thereof And therefore the Apostle out of fayth deriueth assured confidence and out of it agayne boldenesse For thus he sayeth that by Christe we haue boldenesse and an entrance with confidence whiche is through fayth in him By whiche wordes truely he sheweth that it is no right fayth but when we are bolde with quiet mindes to shewe our selues in the presence of God Which boldnesse procedeth not but of assured confidence of Gods good will and our saluation Whiche is so true that many times this word Faith is vsed for Confidence But herupon hangeth the chiefe staye of our faith that we do not think the promises of mercie which the Lord offreth to be true only in other biside vs not at all in our selues but rather that in inwardly embracing theÌ„ we make them our owne FroÌ„ hense procedeth that coÌ„fidence which the same Paule in an other place calleth peace vnlesse some had rather say that peace is deriued of it It is an assurednesse that maketh the conscieÌ„ce quiet cherefull before God without which the coÌ„science must of necessitie be vexed in a manner torne in peces with troublesome trembling vnlesse parhappes it do forget God it selfe so sloÌ„ber a litle while I may truely say For a litle while for it doth not loÌ„g enioy that miserable forgetfulnesse but is with often recourse of the remembrance of Gods iudgement sharply tormented Briefly there is none truely faithful but he that beyng persuaded with a souÌ„d assurednesse that God is his mercyfull louyng father doth promise himselfe all thinges vpon trust of Gods goodnesse and none but he that trustyng
vpon the promises of Gods good will toward him conceyueth and vndoubted lokynge for of saluation as the Apostle sheweth in these wordes Yf we keepe sure to the ende our confidence and gloriyng of hope For hereby he meaneth that none hopeth well in the Lorde but he that with confidence glorieth that he is heyre of the kyngdome of heauen There is none I saye faythfull but he that leanyng vpon the assurednesse of his owne saluation doth confidently triumph vpon the deuell and death as we are taught by that notable concluding sentence of Paule I am persuaded sayth he that neyther death nor life nor Angeles nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God wherwith he embraceth vs in Christ Iesu. And in like manner the same Apostle thinketh that the eyes of our minde are by no other meane well lightened vnlesse we see what is the hope of the eternall inheritance to whiche we are called And eche where his common manner of teachyng is such that he declareth that no otherwise we do not well comprehend the goodnesse of God vnlesse we gather of it the frute of great assurednesse But some man will say the faithfull doe finde by experience a far other thing within themselues whiche in recordyng the grace of God toward them are not only tempted with vnquietnesse whiche oftentimes chaunceth vnto them but also are sometime shaken with most greuous terrors so great is the vehemencye of temptations to throw downe their mindes which thing semeth not sufficiently wel to agree with that assurednesse of fayth Therefore this doubt must be answered if we will haue our aforesayde doctrine to stande But truely when we teache that fayth ought to be certayne and assured we doe not imagine suche a certaintie as is touched with no doubtynge nor suche an assurednesse as is assayled with no carefulnesse but rather we saye that the faythfull haue a perpetuall stryfe with their owne distrustfulnesse So farre be we from setlynge their consciences in such a peasable quietnesse as maye be interrupted with no troubles at all yet on the other side we saye that in what sorte so euer they bee afflicted they doe neuer fall and departe from that assured confidence whiche they haue conceyued of the mercie of God The Scripture setteth forth no example of fayth more playne or more notable than in Dauid specially if a manne beholde the whole continuall course of his lyfe But yet howe he was not alwaye of quiet minde hymselfe declareth by innumerable complaintes of whiche at this time it shal be sufficient doe choose out a fewe When he reprocheth his owne soule with troublesome motions what is it els but that he is angry with his owne vnbeleuengnesse Why treÌ„blest thou my soule sayth he and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God And truely that same discouragement was a plaine token of destruction euen as if he thought himselfe to be forsaken of God And in an other place we reade a larger confession thereof where he sayth I sayd in my ouerthrow I am cast out from the sight of thy eyes Also in an other place he disputeth with himselfe in carefull and miserable perplexitie yea quareleth of the very nature of God sayeng Hath God forgotten to haue mercie will he caste of for euer And yet harder is that whiche foloweth But I haue sayde To die is mine charges are of the right hande of the hyest For as in despere he condemneth himselfe to destruction and not only confesseth himselfe to be tossed with doutyng but as if he were vaÌ„quished in battel he leaueth nothyng to himself bycause God hath forsaken him and hath turned to destroy him the same hande that was wont to be his helper Wherefore not without cause he exhorteth his soule to returne to her quietnesse bicause he had found by experience that he was tossed amoÌ„g troblesome waues And yet whiche is meruellous in al these assaultes faith vpholdeth the heartes of the godly and is truely like vnto a Date tree to endeuour and rise vpwarde agaynst all burdens howe great soeuer they be as Dauid when he might seme to be vtterly ouerwhelmed yet in rebukyng himselfe cesseth not to rise vp to God And truely he that striuing with his owne weakenesse resorteth to faith in his troubles is alredy in a manner conquerour Whiche maye be gathered by this sentence and other like Waite for the Lord be stronge he shall streÌ„gthen they heart waite for the Lord. He reprocheth himselfe of fearefulnesse and in repetyng the same twise conâ—esseth himself to be somtimes subiect to many troublesome motions And in the meane time he doth not only become displeased with himselfe in these faultes but earnestly endeuoreth to amendement Truely if we will more nerely by good examination compare him with Achaz there shal be founde great difference Esaye was sente to brynge remedie to the carefull griefe of the wicked king and hypocrite and spake vnto him in these wordes Be in sauegarde and be quiet feare not c. But what did Achaz As it was before sayd that his heart was moued as the trees of the woode are shaken with winde though he hearde the promise yet he cessed not to quake for feare This therefore is the propre rewarde punishment of vnbelefe so to tremble for feare that in temptation he turneth himselfe awaye from God that doth not open to himselfe the gate by fayth Contrarywise the faythfull whome the weighty burden of temptations maketh to stoupe and in a maÌ„ner oppresseth do coÌ„stantly rise vp although not without trouble and hardinesse And bicause thei know their owne weakenesse thei pray with the Prophete Take not the worde of truth away from my mouth coÌ„tinually By which wordes we are taught that somtime they become dumme as though their fayth were vtterly ouerthrowen yet they faint not nor turne their backes but procede in their battell with prayer do encourage their slouthfulnesse lest by fauoring themselues they should growe to vnsensible dulnesse For the vnderstaÌ„dyng therof it is needeful to returne to that diuision of the fleshe and the spirit wherof we made mention in an other place which doth in this behalf most clearly appere The godly heart therefore â—eleth a diuisioÌ„ in it self which is partly delited with swetenesse by acknowledging of the goodnesse of God partly greued with bitternesse by felyng of his owne miserie partly resteth vpon the promise of the Gospel and partly trembleth by reason of the testimonie of his owne wickednesse partly reioyseth with conceyuing of life and partly quaketh for feare of death Whyche variation coÌ„meth by imperfection of fayth for as muche as we neuer be in so good case in the course of this present life as beyng healed from all disease of distrustfulnesse to be altogether filled possessed with faith Hereupon procede those battels wheÌ„ the distrustfulnesse
vs. If sayth he I shall walke in the middest of the shadowe of death I will feare no euels bycause thou arte with me And we alway fele that our mindes do wauer vnlesse beyng coÌ„tented with the fauour of God they seke their peace in it and haue this inwardly fixed in them that is sayd in the Psalme Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord and the nation whome he hath chosen to him for his inheritance We make the fundation of fayth to bee the free promise of God bycause fayth proprely stayeth vpon it For though fayth doe beleue God to bee true in all thynges whether he commaunde or forbidde whether he promyse or threaten and also obediently receyueth his coÌ„maundementes and bewareth of thynges that he prohibeteth and hath regard to his threatenynges yet properly it beginneth at the promise and therein continueth and thereupon endeth For fayth seketh for lyfe in God whiche is not founde in commaundementes or declaratioÌ„s of penalties but in promise of mercie and in no other promise but suche as is freely geuen For the conditionall promise by whiche we are sente to our owne workes doth no otherwise promise life but if we perceiue it to stand in our selues Therfore if we wil not haue our faith to treÌ„ble and wauer we must stay it with that promise of saluatioÌ„ which is willingly liberally offred vs of the lord rather in respect of our miserie thaÌ„ of our worthinesse Wherfore the Apostle beareth this witnesse of the gospell that it is the word of faith whiche name he taketh both froÌ„ the coÌ„maundementes and also from the promises of the lawe bicause there is nothyng that can stablish faith but that liberal embassage by which God recoÌ„cileth the world to himself Therfore the same Apostle oftentimes maketh a relation of faith the Gospell together when he teacheth that the ministerie of the gospell was coÌ„mitted to him vnto the obedience of faith that the same is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleueth that in it is reueled the righteousnesse of God froÌ„ faith to faith And no maruell For sithe the gospell is the ministerie of reconciliation there is no other testimonie sure enough of Gods good will toward vs the knowledge whereof faith requireth Therfore when we saye that faith must rest vpon free promise we do not denie but that the faithful do euery way embrace and receiue the worde of God but we apoint the promise of mercie to be the propre marke of faith Euen as the faithfull ought in deede to acknowledge God to be the iudge and punisher of wicked doynges yet they properly haue regard vnto his mercifull kindenesse for asmuch as he is described to them to be considered such a one as is louyng and mercifull far from wrath of much goodnesse gentle vnto all pouryng forth his mercie vpon al his workes Neyther yet do I regarde the barkynges of Pyghius or suche other dogges when they finde faulte with this restraint as though in diuidyng fayth it did take holde but of one peece thereof I graunte as I haue alredy sayd that the general obiect of faith as thei terme it is the truthe of God whether he threaten or put vs in hope of fauour Wherefore the Apostle ascribeth this to fayth that Noe feared the destruction of the worlde when it was not yet seene If the feare of a punishment shortly to come was the worke of fayth then ought not the threatenynges to be excluded out of the definition of fayth This is in deede true But the cauillers do vniustly accuse vs as though we denied that fayth hath respecte to all the partes of the word of god For our meaning is only to shew those two things first that faith neuer stedfastly standeth vntil it come to the free promise then that we are no otherwise by it be recoÌ„ciled to God but bycause it coupleth vs to Christ. Both those pointes are worthy to be noted We seke such a fayth which may make differeÌ„ce betwene yâ— childreÌ„ of God and the reprobate betwene the faithful and the vnbeleuing If a man do beleue that God bothe iustly commaundeth all that he commaundeth and truely threatneth shall he be therefore called faithfull Nothing lesse Therefore there can be no stedfast stay of faith vnlesse it be grounded vpon the mercie of God But nowe to what ende do we dyspute of faith Is it not that we maie learne the way of saluation But how doth faith bring saluation but in respect that it graffeth vs into the body of Christ Therefore there is no inconuenience if in the definition we de enforce the principal effect thereof and do ioyne vnto the gerall name in stede of a difference that marke that seuereth the faitfull from the vnbeleuing Finally the malicious haue nothinge to finde fault withal in this doctrine but thei must wrappe vp Paule with vs in the same blame which calleth the Gospel proprely the word of faith But herevpon againe we gather that which we haue before declared that faith doth no lesse neede the worde than the frute doth neede the liuely roote of the tree bicause none other as Dauid testifieth can trust in the Lorde but they that knowe his name But thys knowledg is not according to euery mans imagination but so farre as God hymselfe is witnesse of hys own goodnesse Whych the same Prophet confyrmeth in an other place sayeng Thy saluation is accordinge to thy worde Againe I haue trusted in thy word saue me Wher is to be noted the relation of faith to the worde then howe saluation foloweth And yet in the meane time we do not exclude the power of God with beholding whereof vnlesse faithe susteine it selfe it can neuer geue vnto God his due honoure Paule seemeth to reherse a certaine sclender common thing of Abraham that he beleued that God which had promised him the blessed seede was able to perfourme it Againe in an other place speaking of himselfe I knowe whome I haue beleued and I am sure that he is able to keept that which I haue left with him vntill that daâ—e But if a man weie with himselfe howe many doubtinges of the power of God do oftentimes creepe into mans mynde hee shall well perceiue that they which do highly esteme it as it is worthy haue not a little profited in faith We all will confesse that God is able to do whatsoeuer he will but when euen the leaste tentation throweth vs downe with feare and amaseth vs with horroure thereby appeareth plainely that we diminish the estimation of Gods power when we preferre aboue it those thynges that Satan threatneth againste Gods promises This is the reasoÌ„ why Esay meaning to print into the hearts of the people the assurednesse of saluation dothe so honorably entreateth of the infinite power of God It seemeth ofte that so sone as hee hathe begonne to speake of the hope
substaÌ„ce for yâ— terme he vseth he meaneth as it wer an vpholding stay wherevpon the godly minde leaneth resteth As if he shold say the faith is a certain assured possession of those things that are promised vs of God vnlesse a man had rather to take Hypostasis for affiance which I mislike not albeit I folowe yâ— which is more coÌ„monly receiued Againe to signifie the euen to the last day when the bokes shal be opened thei are hier than those things that may be perceiued with our senses or seen with our â—ies or handled with our handes that the same are no otherwise possessed by vs but if we go beyond the capacitie of our own witt bend our vnderstanding aboue all things that are in the world yea climbe aboue our selues he hath therfor added that this assurednesse of possessioÌ„ is of things that lie in hope therefore are not seen For plaine appearaÌ„ce as Paule writeth is not hope neither hope we â—or those things yâ— we see And wheÌ„ he calleth it a certaintie or profe or as Augustine hath oft translated it a coÌ„iunction of things not present for in Greke it is Elenchos he saith asmuch as if he did say that it is an euidente shewinge of thinges not appearinge a seeinge of thinges not seen a plainnesse of darke thinges a presence of thynges absente an open shewinge of hidden thinges For the mysteries of God suche as they be that pertaine to oure saluation can not be seen in them selues and in their owne nature as they call yt butte wee beholde them onely in hys worde of whose truthe we oughte to be so fully perswaded that we oughte to holde all that he speaketh as it were already done and fulfylled But howe canne the mynde lyfte vp it selfe to receiue suche a taste of Gods goodnesse but that it must nedes be therewyth wholy kyndled to loue God againe For that flowing plentie of swetenesse whiche God hathe laied vp in store for them that feare him canne not bee truely knowen but that it muste therewythall vehemently moâ—e affection and whose affection it ones moneth it vtterly rauisheth and carrieth hym beyonde himselfe Therefore it is no maruell if into a peruerse crooked hearte neuer entreth this affection by whiche beinge conueyed vp into the very heauen we are suffred to com to thee moste secretly hidden treasures of God and the most sacred priuie places of hys kyngedome whyche maie not be defyled wyth the entrance of an vncleane hearte For that which the Scholemen teache that charitie is before faithe and hope ys a mere madnesse For it is faythe onely that fyrste engendreth charitie in vs. Howe muche more ryghtly dothe Bernarde teache I beleue saythe he that the testimonie of conscience which Paule calleth the glorie of the godly consisteth in three thynges For first of all it is necessarie to beleue that thou canst not haue forgeuenesse of synnes but by the pardon of God then that thow canst haue no good worke at all vnlesse he also geue it last of all that thou canst by noe woorkes deserue eternall life vnlesse it also bee geuen freely A little after he addeth that these thinges suffice not but that ther is a certain beginning of faith bicause in beleuing that sinnes can not be forgeuen but of God we oughte also to beleue that they are not forgeuen vs till also we be perswaded by the testimonie of the holy ghoste that saluation is laied vp in store for vs bicause God forgeueth sinnes he himself geueth merites and he himself also geueth rewards that wee maie not stay styll in this beginninge But these and other thinges shal be to be entreated of in places fit for them Nowe let it onely suffice to knowe what faithe is Now whersoeuer this liuely faith shal be it can not be possible but that it hathe with it that hope of eternal saluation as an vndiuidable coÌ„panioÌ„ or rather the it engendreth or bringeth it forthe out of it self which hope being taken away how eloquently gloriously soeuer we talk of faith yet we are conuicted to haue no faith at all for if faith as is aboue said be an assured persuasioÌ„ of Gods truth that it can not lie vnto vs nor deceiue vs nor become voide then thei that haue conceiued this assurednesse truely do therwithal looke for a tyme to come that God shall performe his promises whiche in their perswasion can not be but true so that brefely hope is nothing els but a loking for those thinges whiche faith hath beleued to be truely promise of God So faith beleueth that God is true hope loketh for the performance of his truth in conueniente time Faithe beleueth that he is oure Father hope looketh for him to shewe himselfe suche a one toward vs. Faith beleueth that eternall life is geuen vs hope looketh that it be one daie reueled Faithe is the foundation wherevpon hope resteth hope nourisheth and susteineth faithe For as no man canne looke for any thynge of Gods hande butte hee that hathe fyrste beleued hys promises so againe the weakenesse of our faythe muste with pacient hope and expectation bee susteined and cherished that it fall not as faintinge for wearines For which reason Paule doth wel place our saluacion in hope For hope while it in silence loketh â—or the lord restraineth faith that it fal not hedlong with to much haste hope strengthneth faithe that it wauer not in Gods promyse nor beginne to doubt of the truth of them hope refresheth faith that yt ware not weary Hope stretcheth faythe to the vttermoste bonde that it fainte not in the midde course or in the very beginning Finally hope by continually renewinge and restoringe it maketh it now and then to ryse vp fressher than it selfe to continuance But howe many wayes the helpes of hope are necessarie to the strengthning of faithe shall better appeare yf we consyder wyth howe many sortes of temptations they are assailed and shaken that haue embraced the worde of God Fyrst the Lorde in differring his promises doth oftentimes hold oure myndes longer in suspense than wee woulde wishe here it is the office of hope to perfourme that whiche the Prophete commaundeth that thoughe hys promises do tarry yet we sholde waite stil for them Sometime he suffereth vs not onely to faint but also seemeth to bee hiely displeased here it is muche more necessarie to haue hope to helpe vs that according to the saieng of an other Prophete we maie stil loke for the Lorde that hath hidden his face from Iacob There rise vppe also scorners as Peter saith that aske where is his promise or hys comming forasmuch as sins the fathers slept all thynges so continew from the beginning of the creation yea the flesh and the world do wisper the same thing in oure eares Here must faith staye with sufferaÌ„ce of hope be holden fast fixed in beholdyng of eternitie that it maye
accompt a thousand yeres like as one daye For thys conioyning and aliance the scripture sometime confoundeth the names of Faythe and Hope For when Peter teacheth that we are by the power of God preserued through faithe vnto the disclosinge of saluation he geueth that vnto faithe whyche dyed more fittely agree with hope and not without cause for asmuche as we haue already taught that hope is nothing els but the nourishment and strength of faithe Sometimes they are ioyned together as in the same epistle That your faithe and hope shoulde be in God But Paule to the Philippians out of faith deriueth expectation bicause in pacientli hoping we holde our desires in suspense till Gods conuenient oportunitie be opened All whiche matter wee maye better vnderstande by the tenth chapiter to the Hebrues whyche I haue already alleaged Paule in an other place although he speake vnproprely yet meaneth the same thing in these wordes We loke in the spirit through faith for hope of righteousnesse euen bicause we embracing the testimonie of the Gospell concerning his free loue do loke for the time when God shall openly shewe that whiche is nowe hidden vnder hope And nowe it is plaine how folishly Peter Lomberd laieth two foundations of hope that is the grace of God the deseruing of works Hope can haue no other mark to be directed vnto but faith we haue already declared that faith hath one only mark the mercie of God to which it ought to loke as I maie so speake with both eyes But it is good to heare what a liuely reasō he bringeth If saith he thou darst hope for any thing without deseruinges y◠shal not be worthy to be called hope but presumption Whoe gentile reader will not worthyly abhorre suche beastes that saie it is a rashe and presumptuous dede if a man haue cōfidence that God is true of his word For where the Lord willeth vs to loke for all thinges at his goodnesse thei saie it is presumption to leane and rest vpon it A master meete for suche scholers as he founde in the madde schole of filthy babblers But as for vs when we se that wee are commaunded by the oracles of God to conceiue a hope of saluation let vs gladly presume so much vpon his truthe as trusting vpon his onely mercie casting away the confydence of workes to be bolde to hope well He will not deceiue that saide Be it vnto you according to your faithe The thyrde Chapter That we ar regenerate by faithe Wherein is entreatch of Repentance ALbeit we haue already partly taught how faith possesseth Christe how by it we eioye hys benefites neuerthelesse thys weare yet darke vnlesse we dyd also make declaratiō of the effectes that we feele thereby Not without cause it is said that the summe of the Gospell standeth in repentance and in forgeuenesse of sinnes Therfore leauing out these two pointes whatsoeuer we shal saie of faith shal be but a hungry vnperfect yea in manner vnprofitable disputation of faith Now forasmuch as Christ doth geue both vnto vs we obteine both by faith that is to saie both newnesse of life fre reconciliation reasō ordre of teaching requireth that in this place I beginne to speake of bothe Oure next passage from faith shal be to Repentance bicause when this article is well perceiued it shall the better appeare howe man is iustified by onely faithe and mere pardon yet how real holinesse of life as I maie so call it is not seuered frō free imputation of righteousnesse Now it ought to be oute of question that Repentance doth not only immediatly folow faith but also spring out of it For wheras pardon forgeuenesse is therfore offred by the preaching of the Gospel the the sinner being deliuered from the tyrānie of Satan from the yoke of sinne frō miserable bondage of vices maie passe into the kingdome of God truly no man can embrace the grace of the Gospell but he muste returne from the erroures of hys former life into the right way and applie all his studie to the meditation of repentance As for them that thinke that repentance dothe rather goe before faithe than flow or spring forth of it as a frute out of a tree thei neuer knew the force therof and are moued with to weake an argument to thinke so Christ saie thei Ihon in their preachinges do first exhorte the people to repentance then thei afterwarde saye that the kyngdome of heauen is at hand Such cōmaundemēt to preach the Apostles receiued such ordre Paule folowed as Luke reporteth But while thei superstitiously stick vpon the ioining together of syllables thei mark not in what meaning the words hang together For whē the lord Christ Ihō do preach in this manner Repent ye for the kingedome of heauen is come neare at hande do they not fetche the cause of repentance frō very grace promise of saluatiō Therfore their words are as much in effecte as if thei had said because the kingdō of heauē is com nere at hand therfore repēt ye For Matthewe when he hathe shewed that Ihon so preatched saith that in him was fulfilled the prophecie of Esaie concerninge the voyce cryeng in the wyldernesse Prepare the waie of the Lorde make streight the pathes of oure God But in the Prophete that voice is cōmaunded to beginne at comfort and glade tydinges Yet when we referre the beginning of repentance to faith we do not dreame a certaine meane space of time wherein it bringeth it out but we meane to shew that a man can not earnestly applie him selfe to repentance vnlesse he know him selfe to be of God But no man is truely perswaded that he is of God but he that hathe firste receiued his grace But these things shal be more plainely dyscussed in the processe folowing Paraduenture this deceiued them that many are firste by terroures of conscience tamed or framed to obedience before that thei haue throughli disgested yea before they haue tasted the knowledge of grace And this is the feare at the beginning whiche some accompte among vertues bicause thei see that it is nere to true and iuste obedience But oure question is not here how diuersly Christ draweth vs vnto him or prepareth vs to the endeuoure of godlinesse only this I say that ther can be no vprightnesse founde where reigneth not that Spirit whiche Christe receyued to communicate the same to his membres Then according to that saieng of the Psalme Wyth thee is mercifulnesse that thou maiest bee feared Noe man shall euer reuerently feare God but he that trusteth that God is mercifull vnto him no man wil willingly prepare himselfe to the kepinge of the lawe but he that is perswaded that his seruices please him which tendernesse in pardoning and bearing with faultes is a signe of fatherly fauoure Whiche is also shewed by that exhortation of Osee Come let vs returne to
Sonne but it is also spoken agaynst the holy ghost They that stumble vnware against the truthe of God not knowyng it which do ignorantly speake euell of Christ hauyng yet this minde that they would not extinguish the truth of God disclosed vnto them or ones with one worde offend him whome they had knowen to be the lordes anoynted these men sinne agaynst the father and the sonne So there are many at this day that do most hatefully detest the doctrine of the Gospell whiche if they did know it to be the doctrine of the Gospell they would be redy to worship with all their heart But thei whose conscience is conuinced that it is the worde of God whiche they forfake and fight agaynst and yet cesse not to fight agaynst it they are sayd to blaspheme the holy ghost for asmuch as they wrastle against the enlightening that is the work of the holy ghost Such were many of the Iewes whiche when they could not resist the Spirit that spake by Stephen yet endeuored to resist It is no doubt but that many of them were carried vnto it with zele of the lawe but it appereth that there were some other that of malicious wickednesse dyd rage agaynst God himselfe that is to saye agaynst the doctrine whiche they were not ignoraunt to be of God And such were those Pharisees against whoÌ„ the Lord inueyeth which to ouerthrow the power of the holy ghost defamed him with the name of Beelzebub This therfore is the Spirit of blasphemie when mans boldnesse of 〈◊〉 purpose leapeth forth to reproche of the name of God Which Paule signifieth wheÌ„ he sayth that he obteined mercie bicause he had igâ—oraÌ„tly coÌ„mitted those thinges through vnbelefe for whiche otherwise he had ben vnworthy of Gods fauour If ignoraÌ„ce ioyned with vnbelefe was yâ— cause that he obteined pardoÌ„ therupoÌ„ foloweth that there is no place for pardon where knowlege is ioyned to vnbelefe But if thou marke it wel thou shalt perceiue that the Apostle speaketh not of one or other particular fal but of the vniuersal departyng whereby the reprobate do forsake saluation And it is no maruel that they whom Iohn in his canonical epistle affirmeth not to haue ben of the elect froÌ„ whom they went out do fele God vnappeasable For he directeth his speache against them that imagined that they might reâ—urue to the Christian religion although they had ones departed froÌ„ it and calling them from this false pestilent opinion he sayth that whiche is most true that there is no way of returne open for them to the coÌ„munion of Christ that wittingly willingly haue cast it awaye But they cast it not away that only in dissolute licentiousnesse of lyfe transgresse the word of the lord but thei that of set purpose cast away his whole doctrine Therfore the deceit is in these wordes of fallyng sinning Bicause the Nouatians expound Falling to be if a man beyng taught by the law of the Lord that he ought not to steale or to coÌ„mit fornication absteineth not from stealing or fornication But coÌ„trarywise I affirme that there is a secret comparison of contraries wherein ought to be repeted althinges coÌ„trarie to that which was first spokeÌ„ so that here is expressed not any particular fault but the whole turning away froÌ„ God and as I may so cal it the Apostasie of the whole maÌ„ Therfore when he sayth they which haue fallen after that they haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted the heaueÌ„ly gift ben made partakers of the holy ghost also tasted the good worde of God and the powers of the world to come it is to be vnderstanded of them that with aduised vngodlinesse haue choked the light of the holy spirit haue spit out agayne the tast of the heauenly gift haue enstraÌ„ged themselues from the sanctificatioÌ„ of the holy ghost haue troden vnder foote the word of God the powers of the world to come And the more to expresse that aduised purpose of wickednesse in an other place afterwarde he addeth this worde by name Wilfully For when he sayth that there is left no sacrifice for them that sinne willingly after knowlege of the truthe receiued he doth not denie yâ— Christ is a continual sacrifice to purge the iniquities of the holy ones which he expresly crieth out almost in the whole epistle where he declareth yâ— priesthode of Christ but he sayth that there remaineth no other wheÌ„ that is ones forsaken it is forsaken when the truth of the gospell is of set purpose renounced But whereas some do thinke it to harde and to far from the tender merciefulnesse of God that any are put awaye that flee to beseching the lords mercie that is easily answered For he doth not say that pardon is denied theÌ„ if they turne to the lord but he vtterly denieth that they can rise vnto repentance bycause they are by the iuste iudgement of God striken with eternall blindnesse for their vnthankefulnesse And it maketh nothyng to the contrarie that afterward he applieth to this purpose the example of Esau whiche in vaine attempted with howling and wepyng to recouer his right of the firste begotten And no more doth that threatenyng of the Prophet When they crie I wil not heare For in such phrases of speache is meante neyther the true conuersion nor callyng vpon God but that carefulnesse of the wicked wherewith beyng bouÌ„d they are compelled in extremitie to loke vnto that which before they carelesly neglected that there is no good thing for them but in the Lordes helpe But this they doe not so muche call vpon as they mourne that it is taken from them Therefore the Prophet meaneth nothing els by Cryeng and the Apostle nothing els by Weping but that horrible torment which by desperation fretteth and vexeth the wicked This it is good to marke diligently for els God should disagree with himself which crieth by the Prophet that he wil be merciefull so sone as the sinner turneth And as I haue alredy sayd it is certayne that the minde of man is not turned to better but by Gods grace preuentyng it Also his promise concernyng callynge vpon him will neuer deceyue But that blinde torment wherwith the reprobate are diuersly drawen when they see that they muste needes seeke God that they may finde remedie for their euels and yet do flee from his presence is vnproperly called Conuersion and prayer But a question is moued whereas the Apostle denieth that God is appeased with fained repentance how Achab obteined pardon and turned awaye the punishment pronounced vpon him whom yet it appereth by the reste of the course of his life to haue ben onely striken amased with sodeine feare He did in deede put on sacke cloth scattered ashes vpon him laye vpon the ground and as it is testified of him he was huÌ„bled before God but it was not enough to cut his garmentes when his heart remayned thicke and swollen
why do thei draw to them yâ— knoweledge of natural fleshely leprosie This forsoothe is not to mocke with the Scriptures The lawe geueth to the Leuiticall preestes the knowledge of Leprosie therefore let vs take yt vpon vs. Sinne is a spirituall leprosie therefore lette vs also bee examiners of sinne Nowe I aunswere sithe the preestehoode is remoued it is necessarie that the law be remoued also Al presthodes are remoued to Christe and fulfilled and ended in him therefore to him onely al the right and honoure of preesthoode is also remoued It thei loue so wel to folow Allegories let them set Christ before them for the only preest and heape vpon his iudgement seate the free iurisdiction of al things this we can easily be content to suffer Moreouer their allegorie is very vnfitt that setteth among the ceremonies that lawe whiche is mearly politike Why then did Christe send the leprous menne to the preestes That the preestes shoulde not cauill that hee did breake the lawe that commaunded the man healed of the leprosie to bee shewed before the preeste and purged with offering of sacrifice therefore he commaunded the leprous men being cleansed to do that whiche belonged to the law Goe saith he and shewe your selues to the preeste and offer the gifte that Moses hathe commaunded in the lawe that it shoulde be for a witnesse vnto them And truely this miracle shold haue ben a witnes vnto them for thei had pronounced them leprous and nowe they pronounce them healed Are thei not whether thei will or no compelled to become witnesses of Christes miracles Christ leaueth to them his miracle to be examined thei canne not denie it But bicause thei still dallie with it therfore this worke is for a witnesse vnto them So in an other place This Gospell shal be preached in all the worlde for a witnesse to al nations Again ye shal be ledde before kinges and gouernours for a witnesse to them that is that in the iudgemenâ—e of God thei maie be more strongly conuinced But if thei had rather folow Chrysostome he also teacheth that Christe did this for the Iewes sake that he shoulde not be accompted a breaker of the law Albeit in so cleare a matter I am ashamed to alleage the wittnesse of any man wheras Christ pronounceth that he leaueth the righte of the lawe whole to the preestes as to the professed enemies of the Gospell whiche were alway bent to carpe against it if their mouth had not ben stopped Wherfore that the popish sacrificeng preestes maie still keepe this possession let them openly take partes with them which must of necessitie be restrained by force that they speake not ill against Christe For this nothing belongeth to his trewe ministers Thei bring their second argument out of the same fountaine that is from an allegorie as though allegories were of greate force to confyrme any doctrine But lette them be of force if I do not proue that I can make a fairer shewe of them for my syde than thei can for theirs Thei say The Lorde commaunded his Disciples that when Lazarus was raised vp thei shold vnbinde an losse him from hys bondes Here first the lie for it is no wher reade thay the Lorde saide this to the Disciples and it is muche more likely that he saide it to the Iewes that stoode by him that the miracle might be made the more euident without suspition of fraud his power appeare yâ— greater yâ— without any touching with his onely worde he raised vp deade men For thus I expounde it that the Lorde to take awaie all wrongfull opinion from the Iewes willed them to rolle awaie the stone to feâ—le the stinke to beholde assured tokens of death to see him rising by the onely power of his worde and them first to feele him liuing And this is the iudgement of Chrysostome But let vs graunt that this was spoken to the Disciples what wil thei get therby That the Lord gaue his Apostles power to loose But how much more fitly and more handesomely might these thinges be applied by waie of allegorie to saie that by this signe the lord meanie to instruct his faithful to loose them that he had raised vp that is that they sholde not cal into remembrance those sinnes that he had forgotten that thei shold not condemne them for sinners whom he had acquited that thei sholde not reproche men with those thinges that he had forgeuen that thei shoulde not be rigorous to punish and lightly offended wher he is mercifull and easily entreated to spare Truely nothing ought to moue vs more to readinesse to forgeue than the exaumple of the Iudge that threatneth that he wyll be vnappeasable to them that be to rigorous and vngentle Nowe let them goe and boaste of their allegories But nowe thei ioyne more nere hande with vs when thei fight as thei thinke with open sentences Thei that came to Ihons baptisme did confesse their sinnes Iames willeth that we confesse oure sinnes one to an other No maruell if they that wolde be baptised did confesse their sinnes for it was saide before that Ihon preached the baptisme â–ª of repentance and baptised in water vnto repentance Whom shold he then haue baptized but them that had confessed themselues sinners Baptisme is a token of the forgeuenesse of sinnes and who shold be admitted to this token but sinners and thei that acknowledg themselues to be such Therfore thei confessed their sinnes that thei might be baptised And not without a cause doth Iames bidde vs confesse one to an other But if thei did marke what foloweth nexte after thei would vnderstande that this also maketh little for them Confesse saithe he one to an other your sinnes praie one for an other He ioyneth together mutuall confession and mutuall praier If we must confesse to prestes onely then muste wee also praie for prestes onely Yea What and if it might folowe of the wordes of Iames that onely preestes mighte confesse for when he willeth that we shold confesse one to an other he speaketh onely to them that may heare the confessions of other his worde is in greke Allelous mutually enterchangeably by turnes or if thei so like best to terme it by waye of reciprocatioÌ„ one to an other But so enterchaÌ„geably none can coÌ„fesse but thei that are meete to here confessions Whiche prerogatiue syth thei vouchesaue to graunt only to prestes we do also put ouer the office of confessing to theÌ„ only Therefore away with such trifelinges let vs take the very meaning of the Apostle which is simple plaine that is yâ— we sholde laye our weakenesse one in an others bosome to receiue mutuall counsel mutuall compassioÌ„ and mutuall comforte one of an other then that wee be naturally priuie to the weakenesses of our brothren shold praie for them to the Lord. Why do thei then alleage Iames against vs which do so earnestly require the confessioÌ„ of the
vnlearned men cōmonly knowe sauing that it is good to haue their presumptuousnesse bewrayed y◠doe geue away that whiche was written of the praises of God to their own tyrannical commaundement To proue that cōfession auaileth to cheare the mindes they thrust in that place of the Psalme In the voice of reioising confession But if suche change may serue then we shall haue what we list proued by what we list But seing thei are so become past shame let the godly reders remember that by the iust vengeaunce of God they haue ben cast into a reprobate minde that their presumption should be the more detestable But if we will rest in the simple doctrine of the Scripture we shal not be in danger of any suche deceites to beguile vs. For therin is apointed one order of confessing that for as much as it is the Lord that forgeueth forgetteth putteth away sinnes therfore we shold confesse our sinnes to him for to obtain pardon he is the Phisician therfore let vs shew our diseases vnto him It is he that is greued offended therfore let vs seke peace at his hand He is the knower of hearts and priuie to al thoughtes therfore let vs make haste to poure out our hartes before him Finally it is he that calleth sinners therfore let vs not delay to come to him I haue saith Dauid made my sinne knowen vnto thee haue not hidden my vnrighteousnesse I haue sayd I wyll confesse against me my vnrighteousnesse to the Lord thou hast forgeuen the wickednesse of my heart Such is the other confessiō of Dauid Then that euen they that vse it for their nede should not be cōpelled by any cōmaundement or trained by any deceite to recken vp all their sinnes but so far as thei shal thinke it behouefull for them that they may receiue sound frute of cōfort Faithfull Pastors ought not only to leaue this libertie to the churches but also to mainteine it stoutly stand in defence of it if they wil haue tyrannie absent from their ministerie superstition from the people Of the other sorte of confession Christ speaketh in Mathew If thou offer thy gift at the altar there remēbrest that thy brother hath any thing against thee leaue thy gift there go first be reconciled to thy brother then come offer thy gift For so charitie that hath bene appeired by our fault is to be repaired by acknowleging crauing pardō of the offence that we haue cōmitted Under this kinde is cōteined their confession that haue sinned euen to the offending of the whole church For if Christ maketh so great a matter of the priuate offence of one mā to forbid from holy misteries all them that haue sinned against their brother till they be with iust amendes reconciled howe muche greater reason is it that he that hath offended the churche with any euill exāple should recouer the fauour of the churche with acknowledging his fault So was the Corinthian receiued again to the cōmunion whē he had yelded him selfe obedient to correction Also this forme of confessiō was vsed in the olde churche as Ciprian maketh mention Thei do penance sayth he in due time then they come to confession and by laying on of the handes of the byshop the Clergie they receiue leaue to come to the cōmunion Any other order or forme of confessing the scripture vtterly knoweth not it is not our dutie to binde cōsciences with new bondes whome Christ moste sharply forbiddeth vs to bring in bondage In the meane time I do so muche not speake against it that the shepe should present them selues to their shepeherd when they meane to be partakers of the holy supper that I wold most gladly haue it euery where obserued For both they that haue an encombred conscience may frō thence receiue singular profit they that are to be admonished do by that meane prepare place for admonishment but so alwaye that tyrannie and supersticion be away In these thre kindes of cōfession the power of the keyes hath place that is either when the whole churche with solemne reknowleging of their faultes craueth pardon or when a priuate man that by any notable fault hath bred cōmon offence doth declare his repētance or when he that for the vnquietnesse of his conscience doth nede help of the minister discloseth his weakenesse vnto him But there are diuerse wayes of taking away offense because although therby also the peace of cōscience is prouided for yet the principal end is that hatred sholde be taken away mens mindes knit together with a bond of peace But this vse that I haue spokē of is not to be despised that we may the more willingly cōfesse our sinnes For when the whole churche standeth as it were before the iudgement seate of God confesseth it self gilty hath one only refuge vnto the mercy of God it is no sclēder or light cōfort to haue ther present Christes embassadour hauing cōmandemēt of recōciliation of whom it may heare absolution pronounced vnto it Here the profitablenesse of the keyes is worthely commended when this embassage is performed rightly with suche order religiousnesse as besemeth it Likewyse when he that had in a manner estranged him selfe from the Churche receiueth pardon is restored into brotherly vnitie howe great a benefite is it that he vnderstādeth him selfe to be forgeuē by them to whom Christ hath said To whom so euer ye forgeue sinnes in earth they shal be forgeuen in heauem And of no lesse effectualnesse profit is priuate absolution when it is asked by them that haue nede of speciall remedy to releue their weakenesse For it happeneth oftentimes that he which heareth the generall promises that are directed to the whole cōgregation of the faithfull remaineth neuerthelesse in some doubte and hath still an vnquiet minde as though he had not yet obteined pardon and the same man if he haue disclosed to his parsone the secret sore of his minde and heareth peculiarly directed to him selfe that saying of the Gospel Thy sinnes are forgeuen thee be of good hope stablisheth hys minde vnto assurednesse is deliuered from that trembling wherwith he was before tormented But when we speake of the keyes we muste take hede that we dreame not of a certaine power seuered frō the preaching of the Gospell In an other place we shal haue occasion more fully to declare this matter againe where we shall entreate of the gouernement of the churche there shall we see that all the power to binde and to lose whiche Christ hath geuen to his churche is bounde to the worde But this is moste true in the ministerie of the keyes the whole force wherof standeth in this that the grace of the Gospel be publikely and priuately sealed vp in the heartes of the faithfull by them whome the Lord hath ordeined which can not be done but by only preaching But what
I speake now of grosse and blockish hypocrites that thinke thei haue done sufficiently if they haue noted three or sower of the greatest sinnes but I speake of the true worshippers of God whiche when thei see themselues oppressed with the examinatiō that they haue made do adde also this saieng of Ihon If oure owne heart do accuse vs God is greater than oure heart and so thei quake for feare at the sight of that iudge whose knowledge farre sourmounteth oure vnderstandinge But whereas a greate parte of the worlde rested them vpon suche flatteries wherewith so deadely a poyson was tempered thys came not so to passe bycause they beleued that God was satisfied or bycause they them selues were fully satisfied but that the anchor caste as y◠were in the midde sea shoulde reste a lyttle from saylinge or as a wayfaringe man weary and fainetynge shoulde lye downe in the waye I laboure not muche in prouinge thys For euery man maie be witnesse to hym selfe I will in a shorte summe shewe what manner of law thys was Fyrst simply it is impossible and therefore it can do nothinge but destroy damne confounde and cast in ruine and desperation And then when it hath ledde sinners from the true feeling of their sinnes it maketh then hypocrites and ignoraunce of God and themselues For whyle they are wholy busyed in reckenynge vppe of theyr synnes in the meane tyme they forgette the secrete sinke of vyces their hydden Iniquities and inwarde fylthynesse by knowledge whereof they shoulde cheefely haue weyed their myserie But thys was a moste certaine rule of confession to acknowledge and confesse the bottomlesse depth of our euell to be so great as passeth our vnderstandyng After thys rule wee see that the Publicanes confession was made Lorde be mercifull to me a synner as if he shoulde saie All that euer I am I am altogether a sinner and I can not atteine with witte or expresse with tongue the greatnesse of my sinnes let the bottomlesse depthe of thy mercie swallow vp the bottomles depth of my sinne But then thou wilt saie what are not all oure sinnes to be confessed is no confession acceptable to God but that whiche is knitte vp in these twoo woordes I am a sinner No but rather we muste endeuoure our selues as much as in vs lieth to poure out oure heart before the Lorde and not onely in one worde confesse oure selues sinners but also truely and heartyly acknowledge oure selues to be suche and with al oure thought record howe greate and diuerse is oure filth of sinnes not onely that wee bee vncleane but what howe great and in howe many partes is oure vncleannesse not onely that we be detters but with howe greate dettes wee bee loden and howe manie waies charged not onely that we bee wounded but also with howe manie deadly strokes we be wounded With this reknowleging when the sinner hath wholy poured out himselfe before God lette him earnestly and syncerely thinke that yet there remaine moe sinnes that the secret corners of their euels are so depe that thei can not be throughly disclosed And he crieth out with Dauid Whoe vnderstandeth his errours Lorde cleanse me from my hidden sinnes Now wher thei affirme that sinnes are not forgeuen but with an intent of confessing firmely conceiued and that the gate of paradise is shutte against him that neglecteth occasion offered when he may be confessed God forbidde that we shoulde graunt them that For there is no other forgeuenesse of sinnes than alwaie hath ben It is not reade that all thei haue confessed their sinnes in the eare of some preste that wee reade to haue obteined forgeuenesse of sinnes at Christes hande And truely thei coulde not confesse where there were neither any prestes confessors nor any confessing at all And in many ages after thys confession was vnhearde of at which time sinnes weare forgeuen with out thys condition But that we may not nede to dispute longer about this as about a doubtfull matter the worde of God is plaine which abideth for euer Whensoeuer the synner repenteth I will no more remembre all his iniquities He that dare adde any thinge to this worde byndeth not sinnes but the mercie of God For whereas thei saie that Iudgement canne not be geuen but when the cause is heard we haue a solution in readinesse that they doe presumptuously take that vpon them selues which haue made themselues iudges And it is a maruell that thei do so boldely frame to themselues suche principles as no man in his right wit wil graunt Thei boaste that the office of Binding and Loosing is committed to them as though it weare a certain iurisdictiō ioyned with Inquisition Moreouer their whole doctrine crieth oute that this authoritie was vnknowen to the Apostles Neither doth it belong to the preeste but to him whiche desireth absolution to knowe certainly whether the synner be loosed or no forasmuche as he that heareth can neuer know whether the reckning be iust perfect So shold ther be no absolution but suche as is restrained to his words that is to be iudged Moreouer the whole ordre of loosing stādeth of faith repētance which two things are hidden from the knowledg of man when sētence must be geuē vpō an other man It foloweth therfore ▪ that the assurāce of binding and loosing is not subiect to the iudgment of an earthly iudge bicause the minister of the worde when he dothe his office can not geue absolution but conditionally but that this is spoken for the sinnes sake Whose sinnes ye forgeue ▪ c. that thei should not doubte that the pardon whiche is promised by the commaundement and worde of God shall be ratified in heauen Therefore it is no maruel if we condemne and desire to haue vtterly taken awaie this Auricular confession a thinge so pestilent and so many waies hurtfull to the Churche but if it were a thinge by it selfe indifferent yet for asmuche as it is to no vse nor profite hathe geuen cause to so many wickednesses sacrileges and erroures whoe will not thinke that it ought to be presently abolished Thei do in deede recken vp some good vses whiche thei boaste vpon as very profitable butte these either false or of no valewe at all Due onely thei commend with a singular prerogatiue that shame is a great punishment of him that cōfesseth wherby the sinner both is for time to com made warer preuenteth the punishment of God in punishing himselfe As thoughe we dyd not humble a man with shamefastnesse enoughe when we call him to that hie iudgement seate of heauen I meane to the hearing of God It is forsoothe very wel profited if for shame of one mans knowledge we cesse to sinne and bee not ashamed to haue God witnesse of oure euell conscience Althoughe the very same is also moste false for it is to bee seen that by nothinge groweth greater confidence or licentiousnesse to sinne than when men hauing made
minister himselfe whiche is no competent iudge of their fayth can not be assured of their absolution we haue answer thereunto in redinesse For they saye that no sinnes are forgeuē by the preste but such wherof himselfe hath ben the hearer so by their opinion the forgeuenesse hangeth vpō the iudgement of the prest and yf he do not wisely discerne whoe be worthy of pardon the whole doyng is voyde and of no effect Finally the power whereof they speake is a iurisdiction adioyned to examination wherunto pardon and absolutiō is restrained In this point is found no sure ground but rather it is a bottomlesse depth For where the confession is not found the hope of pardon is also lame and then the prest himselfe muste needes sticke in suspense while he can not tell whether the sinner doe faithfully recken vp all his euell deedes Finally suche is the ignoraunce and rudenesse of prestes the moste parte are no fitter to doe this office than a shoemaker is to plowe the ground and the rest in a manner all ought worthily to suspect themselues Hereupon therefore riseth the perplexitie and doubtfulnesse of the Popes absolution bycause they will haue it grounded vpon the person of the prest and not only that but also vpon knowledge that he may iudge only of thinges informed examined and proued Nowe if a man should aske of these good docters whether a sinner be reconciled to God when some sinnes are forgeuen I see not what they haue to answer but that they shal be compelled to confesse that all is vnprofitable that the prest pronounceth of the forgeuenesse of those sinnes that he hath heard rehearsed so long as the other sinnes are not deliuered from condemnation On the behalf of him that confesseth how hurtfull carefulnesse holdeth his conscience bound appereth hereby that when he resteth vpon the prestes discretion as they call it he can determine nothing certainly by the worde of God The doctrine that we teache is free and cleare frō al these absurdities For the absolution is conditionall that the sinner should trust that God is merciful vnto him so that he sincerely seeke the cleansing of his sinnes in the sacrifice of Christ obeye the grace offred him So he cā not erre which according to the office of a preacher proclaimeth that which is geuē him in instructiōs by the word of God And the sinner may embrace a sure cleare absolution when that simple cōditiō is annexed of the embracing the grace of Christ according to that generall doctrine of the maister himself Be it done to thee accordyng to thy fayth Which hath ben wickedly despised in the Paparie How foolishly thei confound those things that the Scripture teacheth of the power of keyes I haue promised that I wil speake in an other place and there shal be a more conuenient place for it when I come to entreate of the gouernement of the church But let the readers remēber that those things are wrongfully wrested to Auricular and secret confession whiche are spoken by Christ partly of the preachyng of the gospel partly of excōmunication Wherefore when they obiect that the power of loosing is geuē to the Apostles which prestes may vse in forgeuing sinnes acknowleged vnto them it is playne that they take a false fond principle bicause the absolution that serueth fayth is nothing els but a witnesse of pardō takē out of the free promise of the gospell As for the other confession that hangeth vpō the discipline of the Church it pertaineth nothing to secret sinnes but rather to example that cōmon offense of the church may be takē away But wheras they scrape together here and there testimonies to proue that it sufficeth not to confesse sinnes either to God only or to laye mē vnlesse a prest be the hearer of them their trauaile therin is but lewde and such as they may be ashamed of For whē the auncient fathers coūsel sinners to vnburden thēselues to their owne pastour it cā not be expoūded of particular rehearsal which thē was not in vse Then Lumbard such like such was their sinister dealing seme of set purpose to haue geuē thēselues to fayned bokes by pretense wherof they might deceiue the simple They do in deede truely confesse that bicause absolutiō alway accōpanieth repentance therefore there proprely remaineth no bond when a mā is touched with repentance although he haue not yet confessed therfore that then the prest doth not so much forgeue sinnes as pronoūce declare thē forgeuen Albeit in the word of declaring thei slily brīg in a grosse errour thrusting a ceremonie in stede of doctrine But wheras thei patche vnto it that he is absolued in the face of the church that had alredy obteined pardō before God they do incōueniently draw to the peculiar vse of euery particular mā that which we haue already sayd to be apointed for cōmon discipline where the offense of a haynous notorious fault is to be takē away But by by after they depraue corrupt moderatiō addyng an other māner of forgeuyng with an enioyning of penaltie satisfaction wherin thei presumptuously claime to theyr own sacrifices a power to part that in halfes which God hath in all places promised vs whole together For when he simply requireth repentance and faith this partition or exceptiō is a very robberie of God For it is in effect asmuche as yf the prest takyng vpon the persone of a Tribune should become intercessour to God and would not suffer God of his mere liberalitie to receyue him into fauour that hath lyen prostrate before the Tribunes seates and there hath ben punished The whole summe cōmeth to this point that yf they wil make God the authour of this counterfait confession therein is their falshod cōdemned as I haue proued them false forgers in the fewe places that they allege But sithe it is euident that it is a law made by men I say that it is bothe tirannicall and made iniuriously agaynst God whoe bindyng mens consciences to his word will haue them free from the bondage of men Nowe when for the obteynyng of pardon there is a necessitie prescribed of that thyng whiche the Lord wold to be free I say that this is a sacrilege not to be suffred bycause there is nothing more properly belongyng to God than to forgeue sinnes wherein cōsisteth saluation for vs. Moreouer I haue shewed that this tirannie was first brought in when the world was oppressed with filthy barbarousnesse I haue also taught that it is a pestilent lawe that eyther throweth downe hedlong into desperation the poore soules in whom so euer abideth a feare of God or where there reigneth carlesnesse deliteth them with vayne flatteries so maketh them duller Last of all I haue declared that what so euer mitigatiōs they bryng tend to no other ende but to entangle darken and depraue pure doctrine hide vngodlinesses with deceitfull colors The third place in
Repentance they assigne to satisfaction wherof all that euer they babble may be ouerthrowen with one worde They say that it is not enough for him that repenteth to absteyne from his former euels and chaunge his behauior into better vnlesse he make satisfaction to God for those things that he hath done And that there be many helpes by whiche we maye redeme sinnes as wepinges fastinges oblatioÌ„s the workes of charitie With these we must winne the Lord to be fauorable with these we muste paye our dettes to the righteousnesse of God with these we must make amendes for our defaultes with these we must deserue pardoÌ„ For although by the largesse of his mercie he hath forgeuen our faulte yet by the discipline of his iustice he reteineth the peine that this is the peyne that must be redemed with satisfactions But in effect al that they say coÌ„meth to this point that we do in deede obteine pardoÌ„ of our sinnes at the mercifulnesse of God but by meanes of the deseruing of our workes by whiche the offense of our sinnes may be recoÌ„pensed that due satisfaction may be fully made to Gods righteousnesse Against such lies I set the free forgeuenesse of sinnes than whiche there is nothing more euidently spokeÌ„ of in the Scripture First what is forgeuenesse but a gift of mere liberalitie For the creditour is not sayd to forgeue that acknowlegeth by acquitance that the monye is payed but he that without any paymeÌ„t willingly of his owne liberalitie cancelleth the detters bond SecoÌ„dly why is this word Freely added but to take away al opinion of satisfaction With what coÌ„fidence therfore do they yet set vp their satisfactioÌ„s that are strickeÌ„ downe with so mighty a thuÌ„derbolt But what when the lord crieth out by Esaie It is I it is I that do put away iniquities for mine owne sake and will not be mindefull of thy sinnes dothe he not openly declare that he fetcheth the cause and fundation of forgeuenesse only from his owne goodnesse Moreouer whereas the whole Scripture beareth this witnesse of Christe that forgeuenesse of sinnes is to be receyued by his name doth it not thereby exclude all other names Nowe then do they teache that it is receyued by the name of satisfactions Neyther can they denie that they geue this to satisfactions although they saye that the same bee vsed as helpes by waye of meanes For whereas the Scripture sayth By the name of Christ it meaneth that we bryng nothyng we allege nothyng of our owne but reste vpon the only commendation of Christ. As Paule where he affirmeth that God is reconcilyng the world to him selfe in Christ for his sake not imputyng to men their sinnes he immediatly sheweth the meane and manner how bycause he that was without sinne was made sinne for vs. But suche is their peruersnesse they saye that bothe forgeuenesse of sinnes and reconciliation are performed bothe at one time when we are in Baptisme receyued into the fauour of God by Christ that after baptisme we muste rise agayne by satisfactions and that the bloud of Christ profiteth nothyng but so far as it is distributed by the keyes of the Churche Neither doe I speake of a doubtefull matter for asmuche as they haue in moste euident writinges bewrayed their owne filthynesse and not one or two of them but all the Scholemen vniuersally For their Maister after that he had confessed that Christ had payed the penaltie of sinnes vpon the tree accordyng to the doctrine of Peter immediately correcteth his sayeng with adding this exception that in baptisme all temporall penalties of sinnes are released but after baptisme they are minished by the help of penance that so the crosse of Christe and our penaunce maye worke together But Iohn sayth far otherwise yf any sinne we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ whiche is the propitiation for our sinnes I wryte vnto you children bycause your sinnes are forgeuen you for his names sake Truely he speaketh to the faythfull to whome when he setteth foorth Christe to bee the propitiation of sinnes he sheweth that there is no other satisfaction by whiche God beyng displeased maye bee made fauorable and appeased He doth not saye God was ones reconciled vnto you by Christe nowe seâ—ke you other meanes but he maketh hym a perpetuall aduocate alwaye to restore vs by his intercession into the fauour of his father a perpetuall propitiation by whiche our sinnes maye be cleansed awaye For this is euer true that the other Iohn sayd Beholde the Lambe of God beholde him that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde He taketh them awaye sayth he hymself and none other that is to say for asmuch as he alone is the Lambe of God he alone also is the oblation for sinnes he alone the propitiation sacrifice he alone the satisfactioÌ„ For wheras the right power to forgeue belongeth proprely to the father in the respect that he is distinguished from the sonne as we haue alredy sene Christ is here set in an other degree that taking vpoÌ„ himself the peine due vnto vs he hath taken away our giltinesse before the iugemeÌ„t of God WherupoÌ„ foloweth that we shal no otherwise be partakers of the satisfaction made by Christ vnlesse the same honour remayne whole with him whiche they doe wrongfully take to themselues that goe about to appease God with their owne recompensinges And here it is good to consider two thinges that Christ may haue his due honour kepte vnto hym whole and vnminished and that the consciences beyng assured of the forgeuenesse of sinne maye haue peace with God Esaie sayth that the father hath layed the iniquities of vs all vpoÌ„ his sonne that we should be healed by his stripes Which thing Peter rehearsyng in other wordes sayth that Christ did in his body beare our sinnes vpon the tree Paule wryteth that sinne was condemned in his flesh when he was made sinne for vs. That is to saye that the force and curse of sinne was slayne in his fleshe when he was geuen to bee a sacrifice vpon whiche the whole heape of our sinnes with all their malediction and curse with the dredfull iudgement of God and condemnation of death should be caste Here those trislynges are in no case to be heard that after the firste purgyng euery one of vs doth none otherwise fele the effectualnesse of the passion of Christ than after the measure of satisfactorie repentance but so oft as we fall we be called backe to the onely satisfactioÌ„ of Christ. Nowe set before thee their pestilent follies as for example That the grace of God worketh alone in the firste forgeuenesse of sinnes that yf we afterwarde fall to the obteynyng of a seconde forgeuenesse our workes doe worke with it If these thynges maye haue place do these thynges that are here before assigned to Christ remayne safe vnto him It is a maruellous greate difference betwene this that
our iniquities are layed vpon Christ that they should bee cleansed in him and this that they are cleansed by our owne workes betwene this that Christ is the procuryng of mercie and this that God muste be made mercifull by workes But yf we speake of pacifieng the conscience what pacification shal this be for a mans conscience to heare that his sinnes are redemed by satisfactions When shal he certainely knowe the measure of his satisfaction Therefore he shall alway doubte whether he haue God merciefull or no he shall alwaye bee â—exed and alwaye quake for feare For they that rest vpon light peâ— satisfactions doe to contemptuously esteme the iudgement of God â—â—d doe litle consider how great is the greuousnesse of sinne as we â—all declare in an other place But although we graunt them to redeme some sinnes with iust satisfaction yet what will they doe when they are oppressed with so many sinnes for satisfaction wherof a huÌ„red liues although they were wholy applied therunto caÌ„ not suffice Biside that all the places wherin the forgeuenesse of sinnes is affirmed do not belong to yonglinges but to the already regenerate childreÌ„ of God them that haue ben loÌ„g nourished in the bosome of the church That embassage which Paul so honorably extolleth I beseche you in the name of God be ye reconciled vnto God is not directed to strangers but to them that had ben already regenerate But he biddynge satisfactions farewell sendeth them to the crosse of Christ. So when he wryteth to the Colossians that Christ by the bloud of the crosse hath pacified all thynges in heauen or in earth he restrayneth not this to the only moment wherein we are receiued into the church but extendeth it to our whole course Whiche easily appereth by the processe of the text where he sayth that the faithfull haue a redemption by the bloud of Christ that is forgeuenesse of sinnes Albeit it is superâ—luous to heape together moe places that redily offer themselues to be founde Here they â—lie to the sanctuarie of the foolish distinction that some sinnes are veniall and some deadly that for deadly sinnes is greate satisfaction due that veniall sinnes are purged with more easy remedies as with sayeng of the Lordes prayer with sprinklyng of holy water with absolution at the masse So they mocke and trifle with God But whereas they alwaye haue in their mouthe veniall and deadly sinne yet they coulde neuer discerne the one from the other sauyng that they make vngodlinesse and vncleannesse of heart a veniall sinne But we as the Scripture the rule of right and wrong teacheth vs doe pronounce that the rewarde of sinne is death and that the soule that sinneth is worthy of death But that the sinnes of the faythfull ar veniall not for that they doe not deserue death but bycause by the mercie of God there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus bicause they are not imputed bycause they are taken awaye by pardon I know howe vniustly they sclaunder this our doctrine For they saye that it is the Stoikes strange conclusion concernyng the equalitie of sinnes But they shall easily be conuinced by their owne mouth For I demaunde of them whither among the very same sinnes that they confesse to be deadly they doe not acknowlege one to be greater than an other It doth not therfore immediatly follow that sinnes are egall bicause they are al together deadly When the Scripture definitiuely sayth that the reward of sinne is death that the obedieÌ„ce of the law is the way of life that the traÌ„sgreâ—â—â—h of the law is death they can not escape this sentence What end oâ— satisfieng then will they finde in so great a heape of sinnes If the satisfaction of one daye be the satisfaction of one sinne while they are about that one satisfaction they wrappe themselues in many sinnes siche the iustest man passeth no one day wherin he falleth not many times Now when thei shall prepare themselues to make satisfaction for these sinnes they shall heape vp great numbers yea rather innumerable Then the hope of satisfieng beyng cut of what do they staye vpon how dare they still thinke of satisfieng They goe about to winde out theÌ„selues but as the prouerbe is the water stil cleaueth vpon them The forge a distinction of fault penaltie Thei coÌ„fesse that the fault is forgeuen by the mercie of God but that when the fault is forgeuen the penaltie remaineth which the righteousnesse of God requireth to be payed that satisfactions doe properly belong to the release of the penaltie Good God what a skippynâ— lightnesse is this now they confesse that the forgeuenesse of the fault lieth freely open for men which sometime they teache men to deserue with prayers wepinges and al other kindes of preparations But yet still al that is â—aught vs in the scripture coÌ„cerning the forgeuenesse of sinnes doth directly fight against this distinction Whiche although I think that I haue alredy more than sufficieÌ„tly coÌ„firmed yet I wil adde some other testimonies wherwith these winding snakes may be holden so faste that they shall not be able ones to folde in the toppe of their taile This is the new Testament whiche the lord hath couenanted with vs in his Christ that he will not remember our iniquities What he meant by these wordes we learne by an other Prophet where the lord sayth If the righteous turne away froÌ„ his righteousnesse I wil not remeÌ„ber al his righteousnesses If the wicked depart froÌ„ his wickednesse I wil not remeÌ„ber al his iniquities Wheras he sayth that he wil not remeÌ„ber their righteousnesse this is asmuch to say that he wil haue no regard of them in respect to reward them Therfore not to remember sinnes is asmuch as not to cal them to punishmeÌ„t The same thing is called in an other place to cast it behinde his backe to wype it away like a cloude to drowne it in the bottome of the sea not to impute it to hide it By such manners of speche the holy ghost doth plainely expresse his meanyng vnto vs if we would apply vnto him willinge eares to learne Truely if God doe punysh sinnes he imputeth theÌ„ if he taketh vengeance he remeÌ„breth theÌ„ if he cal them to iudgemeÌ„t he doth not hide them if he examine theÌ„ he doth not cast them behinde his backe if he loke vpon them he hath not wiped them away like a cloude if he sift them he hath not cast them into the bottome of the sea And in this manner doth Augustine expouÌ„d it in plaine wordes If God haue couered sinnes then he wold not loke vpoÌ„ them if he wold not loke vpoÌ„ them then he wold not mark them if he wold not marke theÌ„ then he wold not punish them he would not know them he had rather pardon them Why therfore did he say that sinnes were couered that they should not be seen What
was meant by this that God did see sinnes but that he did punish them But let vs heare also out of an other place of the Prophet vpon what conditioÌ„s the lord forgeueth sinnes If sayth he your sinnes be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow if they be red like crimosin they shal be as woll And in Ieremie we rede thus In that day the iniquitie of Iacob shal be sought for and shall not be founde the sinne of Iudah and it shal not be Bicause I will be fauorable to the remnantes that I shall preserue Wilt thou briefely vnderstand what is the meaning of those words Weye on the other side what is meant by these speches that the Lorde doth binde vp iniquities in a sacke doth gather them into a bundell and laye them vp and doth graue them with an iron pointell in an Adamant stone If they signifie as it is out of doubt that vengeance shal be geuen for recompense then is it also not to be doubted but that by contrarie sentences the Lord affirmeth that he remitteth all recompensyng of vengeance Here I muste beseche the readers not to harken to my gloses but only that they will suffer the word of God to take some place What I praye you had Christ done for vs if we would still be coÌ„pelled to suffer peine for sinnes For when we saye that he dyd beare all our sinnes in his bodye vpon the tree we meane nothing els ther by but that he suffred all the peyne and punishment that was due to our sinnes And the same hath Esaye more liuely declared where he sayth yâ— chastisemeÌ„t or correctioÌ„ of our peace was vpoÌ„ him What is the correctioÌ„ of our peace but the peine due to sinne which we shold have suffred before that we could be recoÌ„ciled to God vnless that he had entred into our stede Loe thou seest plainely that Christ suffred the peynes of sinnes to deliuer them that be his from them And so oft as Paule maketh mention of the redemption performed by Christ he vseth to cal it in Greke Apolutrosin whereby he meaneth not only redemption as it is coÌ„monly taken but the very price and satisfaction of redemption After whiche manner he wryteth that Christ gaue him self Anâ—ilutron a price of raunsome for vs. What propitiatioÌ„ is there with the Lord sayth Augustine but sacrifice And what sacrifice is there but that which is offred for vs in the death of Christ But that whiche is apointed in the law of Moses for cleansing the offenses of sinnes ministreth vs a strong battel raÌ„me For the lord doth not there apoint this or that manner of satisfieng but requireth the whole recompense in sacrifices Whereas yet in other thinges he doth moste diligently and in most exact order set out all the ceremonies of expiation Now commeth it to passe that he commaundeth to recompense faultes coÌ„mitted with not workes at all but requireth only sacrifices for satisfaction but bicause his will is so to declare that there is only one kinde of satisfaction wherby his iudgement is appeased For the sacrifices that the Israelites did then offer were not weyed by the worke of men but were estemed by their truthe that is to say by the only sacrifice of Christ. But what manner of recompense the Lord receyueth of vs O see hath very well expressed in fewe wordes Thou shalt sayth he take away iniquitie O God Loe here is forgeuenesse of sinnes And we shal paye thee calues of our lippes Loe here is satisfaction I knowe that they yet do suttelly slippe awaye when they make distinction betwene euerlastyng peyne and temporall peines But when they teache that temporall peyne is any kinde of punishment that God taketh as well of the body as of the soule except only euerlastyng death this restraynyng of it doth litle help them For the places that we haue aboue recited do expresly meane this that God receyueth vs into fauour with this condition that in pardonyng the fault he pardoneth al the peyne what so euer we had thereby deserued And so oft as Dauid or the other Prophetes do craue pardon of sinnes they do also there withal pray to be released of the peyne Yea the very felyng of Gods iudgement doth dryue theÌ„m therunto Againe when they promise mercie at the Lordes hand they do in manner alwaye of purpose preache of the peynes and the forgeuenesse thereof Truely when the lord in Ezechiell pronounceth that he will make an ende of the exile in Babylon and that for his own sake not for the Iewes sake he doth sufficiently shewe that bothe are of free gift Finally if we be deliuered by Christ from giltinesse of fault the peines that come therof must needes cesse But for asmuch as they do also arme themselues with testimonies of Scripture let vs see what manner of argumentes those bee that they allege Dauid say they beyng rebuked by Nathan the Prophet of adulterie and manslaughter receiued pardon of his sinne and yet he was afterward punished by the death of his sonne that he had gotten by that adulterie We are taught to redeme with satisfactions such peynes as were to be extended after forgeuenesse of the faulte for Daniel aduised Nebuchadnezer to redeme his sinnes with almes And Salomon writeth that for equitie and godlinesse iniquities are forgeuen And in an other place that with charitie the multitude of sinnes is couered Which sentence Peter also confirmeth Agayne in Luke the Lorde sayth of the woman that was a sinner that many sinnes are forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much Now peruersly and wrongfully they euer weye the doynges of God But if they had marked as they should not haue ouerpassed it that there are twoo kindes of Gods iudgement they would haue seen in this rebukyng of Dauid a far other manner of punishment than suche as might be though to tende to reuengement But bycause it not a litle behoueth vsal to vnderstand wherunto the chastisementes haue respect wherwith God correcteth vs for our sinnes and howe much they differ froÌ„ those exaÌ„ples wherewith he pursueth the wicked and reprobate with indignation therefore I thinke it shall be not byside the purpose to comprehend it shortly in a summe For the order of playne teachyng let vs cal the one kinde of iudgement the iudgement of Reuenge the other of ChastisemeÌ„t It is to be vnderstanded that God so punisheth his enemies with the iudgement of reuenge that he vseth his wrath against them confoundeth them destroyeth them and bryngeth them to nought Therfore let vs take that to be properly the vengeance of God when his punishyng is ioyned with his indignation with the iudgement of Chastisement he dealeth not so cruelly as to be angry â–ª nor punisheth to destroye nor sendeth downe his lightenyng to kill Therefore it is not properly punishment or vengeance but correctioÌ„ and admonishment The one is the doyng of a iudge
wilt not be put away from the inheritance c. Knowe ye brethren that all this miserie of mankinde when the world groneth is a medicinall sorrow and not a penall sentence c. These sentences I haue therefore thought good to alleage that the manner of speche that I haue aboue writen shuld not seme to any man newe and vnused And hereunto serue all the coÌ„plaintes full of indignation wherein the Lord oftentimes doth expostulate of the vnkindenesse of the people for that thei stiffly despised al punishmentes In Esaye he saith To what purpose should I strike you any more from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the hed there is no whole place But bicause the Prophetes are ful of such sayenges it shal be sufficient to haue briefly shewed that God do the punish his churche for none other intent but that it should be tamed and ameÌ„d Therefore when he did caste Saul out of the kingdome he punished him to reuengement When he toke from Dauid his yonge sonne he corrected him to amendement Accordyng to this meanyng is that to be taken which Paule sayth when we are iudged of the Lord we are corrected that we should not be damned with this worlde That is when we that be the children of God are afflicted with the hande of our heauenly father this is no peyne wherewith we should be confounded but only a chastisement wherwith we should be instructed In whiche pointe Augustine is plainely on our side For he teacheth that the peynes wherwith meÌ„ are a like chastised by God ar diuersly to be considered bycause to the holy ones they are battels and exercises after the forgeuenesse of their sinnes to the reprobate they are without forgeuenesse peynes of wickednesse In whiche place he rehearseth how peynes were layed vpon Dauid and other godly men and sayth that the same tended to this end that their godlinesse shold by such humbling of them be exercised and proued And where Esaie sayth that the Iewishe people had their iniquitie forgeuen them bycause they had receyued full chastisement at the Lordes hande this proueth not that the pardon of sinnes hangeth vpon the full paymeÌ„t of the peyne but it is in effect asmuch as if he had sayd Bycause ye haue alredy suffred peynes enough and by the greuousnesse and multitude thereof haue ben nowe pyned awaye with long mournyng sorrow therefore it is nowe time that receyuing the tidynges of full mercie your heartes should reioyce and fele me to be your father For there God did take vpon him the person of a father whiche repenteth him euen of his iuste seueritie when he was compelled sharply to correct his sonne With these thoughtes it is necessarie that the faithful be furnished in bitternesse of afflictions It is time that the iudgement beganne at the house of the Lord in which his name is called vpon What shuld the children of God do if thei did beleue the seueritie of God that they fele to be his vengeance For he that beyng stryken with the hand of God imagineth God a punishyng iudge can not coÌ„ceyue him but angry and enemie vnto him detest the very scourge of God as a curse and damnation Finally he can neuer be perswaded that God loueth him that shall thinke him so minded toward him that he is still minded to punish him But he only profiteth vnder the rod of God that thinketh him to bee angry with his sinnes but merciefull and louynge to himself For otherwise that muste needes happen whiche the Prophet complayneth that he felt where he sayth Thy wrathes O God haue passed ouer me thy terrors haue oppressed me Also that which Moses writeth bycause we haue faynted in thy wrath and we haue ben troubled in thy indignatioÌ„ thou hast set our iniquities in thy sight and our secretes in the light of thy countenance bicause all our dayes are gone awaye in thy wrath our yeres are consumed as the worde that is passed out of a mouth On the other side Dauid sayth thus of his fatherly chastisementes to teache that the faythfull are rather holpen than oppressed thereby Blessed is the man whome thou haste corrected O Lord hast instructed in thy law to geue him quiet froÌ„ euell dayes while a pit is digged for the sinner Truely it is a harde tentation when God sparyng the vnbeleuers and winkyng at their faultes semeth more rigorous agaynst them that be his Therefore he gaue them a cause of comfort the admonishment of the law wherby they should learne that it is done to prouide for their saluation when they are called agayne into the waye and the wicked are caried hedlong into their errours whose ende is the pit And it is no difference whether the peyne be euerlastyng or duryng for a time For as well warre famine pestilence and sickenesse as the iudgemeÌ„t of eternall death are the curses of God when they are layed vpon menne to this ende to be instrumentes of the Lordes wrath and vengeance agaynst the reprobate Nowe as I thinke all men doe perceyue whereunto tended that chastisement of the Lord vpon Dauid euen to be an instruction that God is greuously displeased with manslaughter adulterie agaynst which he had shewed so great an indignation in his beloued â—aithful seruant that Dauid should be taught to be no more so bolde to do the like deede and not to be a peyne wherby he shuld make a certaine recompense to God And so is to be iudged of the other kinde of correction whereby the Lord punished his people with a sore pestilence for Dauids disobedience whereinto he was fallen in numbryng the people For he did in deede freely forgeue to Dauid the giltinesse of his sinne but bicause it perteined bothe to the publike example of all ages and also to the humbling of Dauid that such a haynous offense should not remayne vnpunished therefore he moste sharply chastised him with his rodde Whiche marke also we ought to haue before our eyes in the vniuersal curse of mankinde For whereas after pardon obteined we do all yet suffer the miseries that weare layed vpon our first parent for peyne of sinne we perceyue our selues by suche exercises to be admonished how greuously God is displeased with the transgression of his law that beyng throwen downe huÌ„bled with knowledge in conscience of our owne miserable estate we may the more â—erueÌ„tly aspire to true blessednesse But he shal be most foolish that shal thinke that the calamities of this present life are layed vpon vs for the giltinesse of sinne And that I thinke was the meanyng of Chrysostome when he wrote thus If God do therfore laye peines vpoÌ„ vs that he should cal vs perseuering in euels to repentance then when repentance is ones shewed the peine shal be superflâ—ous Therefore as he knoweth it to be expedient for euery mans nature so he handleth one man more roughly and an other with
the head and both in Christ and the churche as in the whole body Wherby Paul being one member saith I supplie in my body that whiche wanteth in the suffringes of Christe Therfore if thou whatsoeuer thou be that hearest this art one of the membres of Christ what so euer thou suffrest of them that are not the membres of Christ that same wanted in the suffringes of Christ. But whereunto the suffrings of the Apostles taken for the churche of Christ do tend he expoundeth in an other place where he sayeth Christ is to me the gate vnto you because ye are the shepe of Christ bought with his bloud acknowledging your price whiche is not geuen of me but preached by me Then he addeth As he hath geuen his soule so ought we to geue our soules for our brethren to edifie peace and to confirme faith These are Augustines wordes But God forbidde that Paul should haue thought that any thing wanted in the suffringes of Christ as concerning all fulnesse of righteousnesse saluatiō and life or that he meant to adde any thing therunto whiche so plainely and honorably preacheth that the abundance of grace was so largely poured out by Christ that it far surmounted all the force of sinne By it onely all the saintes haue bene saued and not by the merit of theyr owne lyfe or death as Peter expresly testified so that he should be sclaunderous against God and Christ that shoulde repose the worthinesse of any saint any where els than in the onely mercie of God But why doe I tarrye hereupon any longer as vpon a matter yet doubtful sithe the very bewraying of suche monstruous errours is a sufficient confutation of thē Now to passe ouer suche abhominations who taught the Pope to enclose in lead and parchement the grace of Iesus Christ whiche the Lorde wylled to be distributed by the word of the Gospell Truely either the Gospell of God muste be false or their pardons false For that Christ is offred vs in the Gospell with all abundance of heauenly benefites with all his merites with all his righteousnesse wysdome and grace without any acception Paul witnesseth where he sayth that the worde of reconciliation was deliuered to the ministers whereby they myght vse this forme of message as it were Christ geuing exhortation by them we beseche you be ye so reconciled to God He hath made him that knew no sinne to be made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him And the faithfull know of what value is that cōmune partaking of Christ whiche as the same Apostle witnesseth is offred vs to be enioyed in the Gospel Contrariwyse the pardōs do bring out of the storehouse of the Pope a certaine pitance of grace and fasten it to lead parchement yea and to a certaine place and seuer it from the worde of God If a man should aske whence this abuse toke beginning it semeth to haue proceded hereof that when in time past penitentes were charged with more rigorous satisfactions than all could beare they whiche felt them selues aboue measure oppressed with penance enioyned them required of the churche a release The mitigatiō that was graunted to suche was called an Indulgence or pardon But when they turned Satisfactions from the Churche to God and sayde that they were recompenses whereby menne may redeme them selues from the iudgement of God then they therewithall dyd also drawe these indulgences or pardons to be propitiatorie remedies to delyuer vs from deserued punyshementes As for these blasphemers that we haue recited they haue forged them so shamelessely that they can haue no colour at all Now let them no more trouble vs with their purgation because it is with this axe already broken hewed downe and ouerthrowen from the very fundations For I do not agree to some men that thinke best to dissemble in this point and make no mention at all of Purgatorie whereupon as they say great contentions do arise but small edification is gotten Truely I my selfe would also thynke suche trifles worthy to be negligently passed ouer if they did not accompt them earnest matters But for as muche as purgatorie is bulded of manye blasphemes and is daily vpholden with new blasphemes and raiseth vp many and greuous offences truely it is not to be winked at This peraduenture might after a sort haue ben dissembled for a tyme that it was inuented by curious and bolde rashenesse without the worde of God that men beleued of it by I wote not what reuelations fained by the crafte of Sathan that for the confirmation of it certayne places of Scrypture were fondlye wrested All bee it the Lorde geueth not leaue to mans presumptuousnesse so to breake into the secrete places of his iudgementes and hath seuerely forbydden men to enquyre for truthe at dead men neglecting his worde and permitteth not hys worde to be so vnreuerently defyled But let vs graunte that all those thynges myght for a whyle haue bene borne with as thynges of no great importaunce But when the cleansyng of synnes is soughte els where then in the bloude of Christe when satisfaction is geuen awaye to anye other thynge then it is moste perillous not to speake of it Therfore we must crye out not onlye with vehement stretchynge of our voyce but also of our throte and sydes that Purgatorie is the dampnable deuyse of Sathan that it maketh voyde the Crosse of Christ that it layeth an intolerable sclaunder vpon the mercie of God that it febleth and ouerthroweth our faythe For what els is Purgatorie amonge them but the satisfaction that the soules of men departed doe paye after their death So that ouerthrowyng the opiniō of satisfaction Purgatorie is immediatlye ouerthrowen by the verye rootes But if in our former discourse it is more than euident that the bloud of Christe is the onely satisfaction propitiatorie sacrifice cleansing for the synnes of the faythfull what remayneth but that Purgatorie is a mere and horrible blasphemie against Christe I passe ouer the robberies of God wherewith it is dayly defended the offenses that it bredeth in religion and other thynges innumerable whiche we se to haue come out of the same spryng of vngodlinesse But it is good to wryng out of their handes suche places as they haue falsely wrongfully taken out of the Scripture When say thei the Lorde affirmeth that the synne against the holy Ghost shold not be forgeuen in this worlde nor in the worlde to come thereby he sheweth that there is a forgeuenesse of some sinnes in the worlde to come But who seeth not that the Lord there speaketh of the fault of sinne Now if it be so what is that to their Purgatorie for as muche as by their opinion the peine is there suffred of those sinnes wherof they denie not the fault to be forgeuen in this present life But that they may no more carpe against vs they shall haue yet a plainer solution
shal be proued but the worke of all Neither is this my argument but Augustines which so confuteth that expositioÌ„ And whiche is more absurditie he dothe not saye that they shal passe through the fire for all workes but if they haue faithfully buylded the churche they shall receiue reward whan their worke is examined with fier First we see that the Apostle vsed a Metaphore when he called the doctrines inuented by mans braines woed hey and stubble And the Metaphore hath an apparant rescue that as wood so sone as it is put in the fier consumeth and wasteth so can not those doctrines continue when they come to be examined Now no man is ignoraunt that suche tryall cometh of the holy Ghost Therfore to folowe the true cause of his metaphore and match the partes together with iust relatioÌ„ he called the triall of the holy Ghost fier For euen as the nerer that gold and siluer are put to the fier so muche the surer profe they haue of their goodnesse and finenesse so the Lordes truthe the more exactlye it is weyed with spirituall examination so muche the greater confirmation of credit it receiueth As hey wood stubble put to the fier are brought to sudein consuming so the inuentions of men not stablyshed by the worde of God can not beare the triall of the holy Ghost but they by by fall away and perishe Finally if forged doctrines be compared to wood hey stubble because like wood hey and stubble they are burned with fire and destroied but they are not destroied or driuen awaye but by the spirite of the Lorde it foloweth that the holy Ghoste is the fier wherwith they shal be proued whose profe Paul according to the common vse of the Scripture calleth The day of the Lord. For it is called the day of the Lorde whensoeuer he doth any way shew his presence to men But then his face principally shineth when his truthe shineth vpon vs. Now haue we proued that Paul meaneth no other fier but the triall of the holy Ghost But how are they saued by that fier that suffer losse of their worke That shall not be hard to vnderstande if we consider of what kinde of men he speaketh For he toucheth those buylders of the churche that keping the true fundation doe builde disagreing matter vpon it that is to say they that not swaruing from the cheâ—e and necessarie articles of faithe do erre in pointes that be smaler lesse perilous mingling their owne deuises with the worde of God Suche I say must suffer losse of their worke hauing their deuises destroyed But them selues are saued but as by the fier that is to saye not that their ignorance and errour is alowable before the Lorde but because they are cleansed from it by the grace and power of the holy Ghoste Therfore whosoeuer haue defiled the golden finenesse of Gods worde with this dong of purgatorie they must nedes suffer losse of their work But they wyll say it hath ben an auncient vsage of the churche Paul answered this obiection when hee comprehendeth his owne tyme in that sentence where he saith that all they must suffer losse of theyr worke that in the building of the churche do lay any thing vpon the fundation that ageeth not with it Therfore when the aduersaries obiect against me that it hath bene vsed aboue a thousand and thre hundreth yeres to haue priayes made for the dead I aske them againe by what word of God by what ReuelatioÌ„ by what example it was done For here they do not only want testimonies of Scripture but also all the examples of holy men the ther are red do shew no such thing Of the mourning and order of funeralles there are somtimes founde manye long tales but of prayers you can not see one tittle But of the greater weight that the matter is the more it ought to haue ben expressely spoken But the very old fathers them selues that prayed for the dead did see that herein they wanted both coÌ„maundement of God and lawfull example Why then durst thei so do In this I say thei did suffer somewhat as men and therfore I affirme that that whiche they did ought not to be drawen into example For where as the faithfull ought to enterprise the doing of nothing but vpon assured conscience as Paul reacheth this assurednesse is principally required in prayer But it is likely that they were led by some reason vnto it they sought some comfort to releue their sorrowe it semed vnnatural not to shew before God some testimonie of their loue toward the dead How mans wit is enclined to this affection all meÌ„ know by experience Also the receiued custome was like a burning brand to set many mens mindes on fier We know that with all nations in all ages there were funeralles done for the dead their soules yearely purged For though Satan beguiled foolish men with these deceites yet he toke occasion so to beguile by a true principle that death is not a destruction but a passage out of this life into an other And it is no dout but that euen very superstition condemneth the GeÌ„tiles before the iudgement seate of God for neglecting the care of the life to come whiche they professed them selues to beleue Nowe Christians because they would not be worse than Heathen men were ashamed to do nothing for the dead as though thei were vtterly destroyed Hereupon came that ill aduised diligence because if they were slowe in looking to the funeralles in bankettinges offeringes they thoughte that they had put them selues in dauÌ„ger of a great reproche And that whiche first proceded from a wrongful folowyng of the Heathens exaÌ„ple was so multiplied by often newe encreasces that now it is the principall holinesse of Papistrie to helpe the dead in distresse But the Scriture ministreth an other muche better and perfecter comfort when it testifieth that the dead are blessed that die in the Lorde And it addeth a reason because from thenceforth they reste from their labours And we ought not so muche tenderly to folow our own affection of loue to set vp a wrongful manner of praying in the churche Truely he that hathe but meane wysdome dothe sone perceiue that all that is red hereof in the olde wryters was done to beare with the common vsage and the ignorance of the people They them selues also I graunte were caried away into errour euen as vnaduised lightnesse of belefe is wont to rob mens wittes of iudgement But in the meane tyme the very redynge of them doth shew howe doubtyngly they coÌ„mende prayers for the dead Augustine in his boke of coÌ„fessions reporteth that Monica his mother did earnestly desire that she might be remembred in celebrating the misteries at the Altar An old wyues request whiche the sonne neuer examined by the rule of the Scripture but according to his affectioÌ„ of nature wold haue it allowed of other As for the booke that he
if the brightnesse of the sunne can not be seuered from the heate therof shall we therfore saye that the earth is warmed with the light enlightened with the heate There is nothing more fit for this purpose than this similitude The sunne with his heate geueth life and frutefulnesse to the earth with his beames he geueth light brightnesse Here is a mutuall vnseparable cōioyning yet reason forbiddeth to conuey to the one that whiche is peculiar to the other Like absurditie is in this confusion of two sortes of graces that Osiander thrusteth in For because God dothe in dede renew them to the obseruing of righteousnesse whome he frely accōpteth for righteous therfore Osiander confoundeth that gift of regeneratiō with this fre acceptation affirmeth that they be al one the selfsame thing But the Scripture ioyning thē both together yet doth distinctly reckē them that the manifold grace of God may the better appere vnto vs. For that saying of Paul is not superfluous that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse sanctification And whensoeuer he resoneth to proue by the saluation purchaced for vs by the fatherly loue of God by the grace of Christ that we are called to holinesse cleannesse he plainely declareth that it is one thing to be iustified an other be made newe creatures But when Osiāder cometh to the Scripture he corrupteth as many places as he allegeth Where Paul saith that faith is accompted for righteousnesse to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked mā he expoūdeth it to make righteous With like rashnesse he depraueth al the fourth Chapter to the Romains sticketh not with like fals colour to corrupt that place which I euen now alleged Who shal accuse the electes of God it is God that iustifieth where it is plaine that he speaketh simply of gilthinesse acquiting the meaning of the Apostle hangeth vpon a comparing of contraries Therfore Osiander is found to fond a babbler as wel in that reason as in alleging the testimonies of Scripture And no more rightly doth he speake of the name of righteousnesse in saying that fayth was accompted to Abraham for righteousnesse after that embracing Christ whiche is the righteousnesse of God and God him self he excelled in singular vertues whereby appereth that of two whole places he hath wrongfully made one corrupt place For the ryghteousnesse that is there mentioned perteineth not to the whole course of his calling but rather the holy Ghost testifieth that although the vertues of Abrahā were singularly excellent that with long continuance hee at length had encreasced them yet hee did no other waye please God but by this that he receiued by faythe the grace offered in the promyse Whereupon foloweth that in iustification there is no place for workes as Paull very well affirmeth As for this the Osiander obiecteth that the power of iustifiyng is not in faith of it selfe but in respect that it receiueth Christe I wyllynglye graunte it For if fayth did iustifie of it selfe or by inwarde force as they call it and as it is alwaye feble and vnperfect could not worke iustification but in part so should the iustification be maymed that should geue vs but a pece of saluation As for vs we imagine no suche thinge but in proper speakyng doe saye that God only iustifieth and then we geue the same to Christe because he was geuen vs vnto ryghteousnesse and faythe we compare as it were to a vessell For except we came emptie with open mouthe of our soule to craue the grace of Christe we can not be able to receyue Christ. Whereupon we gather that we doe not take from Christ the power of iustifying when we teache that he is first receiued by fayth before that his righteousnesse be receyued But yet I doe not admit the crooked figures of this Sophister when he sayth that faith is Christ as if an earthen pot were a treasure because gold is hidden in it For the reson is not vnlike but that faith although it be by it selfe of no worthynesse or price may iustifie vs in bryngynge Christ as a pot full of money maketh a man ryche Therfore I say that fayth whiche is onely the instrument to receyue rightuousnesse is vnfitly mingled with Christe whiche is the materiall cause and bothe author and minister of so great a benefit Nowe is this doubt also dissolued Howe this worde Faith ought to bee understanded when we entreate of iustification In the receiuing of Christ he goeth further for he sayeth that the inward worde is receiued by the ministration of the outwarde worde thereby to drawe vs from the priesthode of Christ and the persone of the Mediatour to his outwarde Godhed As for vs we deuide not Christ but we say that he is the same eternall worde of God whiche reconciling vs to God in his flesh gaue vs righteousnesse and we confesse that otherwyse he could not haue fulfilled the office of Mediatour and purchaced vs righteousnesse vnlesse he had ben eternall God But this is Osianders doctrine where as Christ is both God and mā that he was made righteousnesse to vs in respect of his nature of Godhed and not of manhode But if this properly belong to the Godhed thē it shal not be peculiar to Christ but common with the father and the holy Ghost for as muche as ther is not one righteousnesse of the one and an other of the other Moreouer that whiche was naturally frō eternitie coulde not bee conueniently sayde to bee made to vs. Butte althoughe we graunte this that God was made righteousnesse for vs howe shal it agree that that whiche is set betwene is made of God Truely that properly belongeth to the persone of the Mediatour whiche though he conteine in hym selfe the nature of Godhede yet here he is specially signified by his proper title by whiche he is seuerally discerned frō the father and the holy Ghost But the folishly triumpheth in that one worde of Hieremic where he promiseth that the Lorde Iehoua shal be our righteousnesse but out of that he shall gather nothinge but that Christ which is righteousnes is God openly shewed in the flesh In an other place we haue rehearsed out of Paules sermon that God purchased to himselfe the churche with his bloud if any man gather therupon that the bloud wherewith sinnes were purged was diuine and of the nature of Godhed who can abyde so fowle an errour But Osiander thinketh that with this so childishe a cauillation he hath gotten all thinges he swelleth he leapeth for ioye and stuffeth many leaues full with his bigge wordes when yet there is a plaine and redy solutiō for it in saying that the worde Iehoua in dede when he is made the issue of Dauid shal be the righteousnesse of the godly But Esaie teacheth in what sense saying My iust seruant shal with knowledge of him selfe iustifie many Let vs note that the
continuall brawling that they know not the very first rules of Logike Do thei thinke that the Apostle doted when he alleged these places to proue his sayeng The man that shal do these thynges shall liue in them and Cursed is euery one that fulfilleth not all thinges that are written in the volume of the lawe Unlesse they be mad they will not saye that life was promised to the kepers of Ceremonies or curse thretened onely to the breakers of them If these places be to bee vnderstanded of the morall lawe it is no doubte that the morall workes also are excluded from the power of iustifieng To the same purpose serue these argumentes that he vseth bycause the knowledge of sinne was by the lawe therefore righteousnesse is not by the lawe Bycause the lawe worketh wrath therefore it worketh not righteousnesse Bycause the lawe can not make conscience assured therefore also it can not geue righteousnesse Bycause fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse therefore righteousnesse is not a rewarde of worke but is geuen beyng not due Bycause we are iustified by fayth therefore gloryeng is cut of If there had ben a lawe geuen that might geue life then righteousnesse were truely by the lawe but God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that the promise might be geuen to the beleuers Let them nowe fondly saye yf they dare that these thynges are spoken of ceremonies and not of manners but very children would hisse out so great shamelesnesse Therefore let vs hold this for certayne that the whole lawe is spoken of when the power of iustifieng is taken awaye from the lawe But if any manne maruell why the Apostle vsed such an addition not beyng content with only namyng of workes the reason is ready to be shewed for it For although workes be so hiely estemed yet they haue that value by the allowance of God rather than by their owne worthinesse For whoe can booste vnto God of any righteousnesse of workes but that which he hath allowed Whoe dare clayme any reward as due vnto theÌ„ but such as he hath promised They haue therfore this of the bountifulnesse of God that they are compted morthy both of the name and reward of righteousnesse they be of value only for this cause when the purpose of him that doth them is by them to shew his obedience to God Wherfore the Apostle in an other place to proue that Abraham could not be iustified by workes allegeth that the law was geuen almost fower hundred and thirty yeres after the couenant made Unlearned men would laugh at suche an argument bicause there might be righteous workes before the publishyng of the law But bicause he knew that there was no such value in workes but by the testimonie vouchsauing of God therfore he taketh it as a thing coÌ„fessed that before the law thei had no power to iustifie We vnderstaÌ„d why he namely expresseth the worke of the law wheÌ„ he meaneth to take awaye iustification froÌ„ any workes bycause controuersie may be moued of those and none other Albeit sometime he excepteth all workes without any additioÌ„ as when he sayth that by the testimonie of Dauid blessednesse is assigned to that man to whome the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Therfore they can with no cauillatious bryng to passe but that we shall get this generall exclusiue only And they do in vayne seeke that triflyng sutteltie that we are iustified by that only faith whiche worketh by loue so that righteousnesse must stand vpon loue We graunt in deede witn Paule that no other faith iustifieth but that whiche is effectually workyng with chatitie but that faith taketh not her power of iustifiyng from that effectualnesse of charitie Yea it doth by no other meane iustifie but bicause it bryngeth vs into the communicatyng of the righteousnesse of Christ. Or els all that which the Apostle so earnestly presseth should fall to nought To him that worketh sayth he the reward is not teckened accordyng to grace but accordyng to Det. But to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustiâ—ieth the vnrighteous his fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse Could he speake more euidently than in so sayeng that there is no righteousnesse of faith but where there are no workes to whiche any reward is due and that only then fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse when righteousnesse is geuen by grace that is not due Now let vs examine howe true that is whiche is sayd in the definition that the righteousnesse of fayth is the reconciliation with God whiche consisteth vpon the only forgeuenesse of sinnes We muste alwaye returne to this principle that the wrath of God refteth vpon all men so long as they coÌ„tinue to be sinners That hath Esaye excellently well set out in these wordes The haÌ„d of the Lord is not shortened that he is not able to saue nor his eare dulled that he can not heare but your iniquities haue made disagreement betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue hidden his face from you that he heareth you not We heare that sinne is the diuision betwene man and God and the turnyng awaye of Gods face from the sinner Neyther can it otherwise be For it is disagreyng froÌ„ his righteousnesse to haue any felowship with sinne Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that manne is enemie to God till he be restored into fauour by Christ. Whome therfore the Lord receyueth into ioynyng with him him he is sayd to instifie bycause he can neyther receyue him into fauour nor ioyne him with himselfe but he muste of a sinner make him righteous And we further say that this is done by the forgeuenesse of sinnes For if they whome the Lord hath recoÌ„ciled to himself be iudged by their workes they shal be found still sinners in deede whoe yet must be free cleane from sinne It is certayne therefore that they whom God embraceth are no otherwise made righteous but bicause they are cleansed by hauing the spottes of there sinnes wiped awaye by forgeuenesse thaâ— such a righteousnesse maye in one worde be called the forgeuenesse of sinnes Both these are most clerely to be seene by these wordes of Paule whiche I haue already alleged God was in Christ reconcilyng the world to himself not imputyng their sinnes to man and he hath lette with vs the word of reconciliation And then he addeth the summe of his message that him which knew no sinne he made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Here he nameth righteousnesse and reconciliation without difference that we maye perceyue that the one is mutually conteyned vnder the other And he teacheth the manner to atteyne this righteousnesse to be when our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Wherefore doubte thou not hereafter howe God doth iustifie vs when thou hearest that he doth reconcile vs to himself by not imputyng sinnes So to the Romanes he proueth by the testimonie of
minde throwen downe with feling of his owne miserie nedinesse For it is so eche where described in the word of God When the lord sayth thus in Zephanias I wil take away out thee him that outragiously reioyseth I wil leaue in the middes of thee the afflicted man the poore man thei shal trust in the lord doth he not there plainely shewe whoe be humble euen they that lie afflicted with knowledge of their owne pouertie On the other side he calleth the proude outragious reioysers bicause mē ioyeng in prosperitie ar wōt to reioyse without measure But to the hūble whom he purposeth to saue he leaueth nothing but to trust in the Lord. And likewise it is sayd in Esaye Whome shal I looke vnto but to the poore contrite in spirit him that feareth my wordes Againe The hie and excellent that inhabiteth eternitie his name is holy that dwelleth on hye and in the holy place and with the contrite and humble spirit to quicken the spirit of the humble and the heart of contrite When thou so oft hearest the name of contrition vnderstand thereby the wound of the heart that suffreth not a man throwen downe on the ground to ryse agayne With such contrition ought thy heart to be wounded if thou wilt accordyng to the sayeng of God be aduaunced with the humble If that be not done thou shalt be brought lowe with the mighty hāde of God to thy shame and disgracement And our beste Schoolemaister thinking it not enough to shewe it out in wordes hath also set out vnto vs in a parable the image of true humilitie as in a painted table For he bryngeth forth a Publicane that standyng a far of not daryng to lifte vp his eyes to heauē with much knocking his brest prayeth in this wise Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Let vs not thinke these to be tokens of fayned modestie that he dare not loke vp to heauen nor to come nerer that with knockynge his brest he confesseth himselfe a sinner but let vs know that they bee testimonies of inward affection On the other side he setteth the Pharisee whiche thanketh God that he is not of the common sorte of men eyther an oppresser or an vnrighteous man or an adulterer bycause he fasted twyse on the Sabbat and gaue tithes of all that he possessed He do the wyth open confession acknoweledge that the righteousnesse which he hath is the gift of God but bycause he standeth in confidence that he is righteous he departeth from God vnfauored and in hatred The Publicane by acknowledgyng of his owne wickednesse is iustified Hereby we may se how great is the estimatiō of our hūbling vs before God so that the heart can not be open to receiue his mercie vnlesse it be first voide of al opinion of his owne worthinesse When this opinion hath possessed the place it shutteth vp the way for Gods mercie to entre And that no man should doubte herof Christ was sent of his father into the earth with this cōmissiō to bryng glad tidinges to the poore to heale the contrite in heart to preache libertie to the captiue deliuerance to them that were shut vp in pryson and to cōfort them that mourne to geue them glorie for ashes oyle for mournyng the robe of prayse for the spirit of sorrowe According to this cōmission he calleth none but them that labour and are lodē to take part of his liberalitie And in an other place he sayth I came not to call the righteous but sinners Therfore if we will geue place to the callyng of Christ let all arrogancie carelesnesse depart far awaye from vs. Arrogancie groweth of a foolish persuasion of our owne righteousnesse when a man thinketh himself to haue somwhat by the deseruing wherof he may be cōmended before God carelesnesse may be euen without any persuasion of workes For many sinners bicause beyng drōke with swetenesse of vices they think not vpō the iudgement of God lie as it were senslesly amased with a disease of drousinesse that they aspire not to the mercie offred them But we must no lesse shake of such dull sluggishnesse than we must caste away all vaine confidence of our selues that we maye without encombrance hasten to Christ that we beyng empty hungry may be filled with his good thinges For we shal neuer sufficiētly haue trust in him vnlesse we vtterly distrust of our selues we shall neuer sufficiētly raise vp our courages in him vnlesse thei be first throwē downe in our selues We shal neuer sufficiētly haue consolatiō in him vnlesse we be first desolate in our selues Therfore we be then mete to take hold of obteyne the fauour of God casting away al trust of our selues but trusting vpon the only assurednesse of his goodnesse when as Augustine sayth forgettyng our owne deseruinges we embrace the giftes of Christ. Bicause if he sought deseruinges in vs we should not come to his giftes Wherewith Bernard very well accordeth cōparyng proude men to vnfaythful seruantes that arrogantly clayme any thyng be it neuer so litle to their owne deseruinges bicause they do wrongfully kepe to themselues the prayse of grace passyng by thē as if a wall would saye that it bryngeth forth the sunbeame whiche it receyueth through a window But not to tary longer herevpon let vs take a short but a generall and sure rule that he is prepared to take parte of the frutes of Gods mercie that hath vtterly emptied himselfe I will not saye of righteousnesse whiche is none at all but of the vayne and windye image of righteousnesse Bicause euery man so much hindereth his receiuing of the liberalitie of God as he resteth in himself The .xiii. Chapter ¶ That there are two thynges to be marked in free iustification ANd here are alwaye two thinges to be principally loked vnto that is to say that there maye remayne to the Lord his glorie vnminished and as it were wholly and perfectly mainteined and to our cōsciences an vntroubled quietnesse and calme tranquillitie before his iudgement We see how oft and howe earnestly the Scripture exhorteth vs to geue only to God a confession of praise when we entreate of righteousnesse And the Apostle testifieth that this was the Lordes principal purpose of geuing vs righteousnesse in Christe that he might shewe his owne righteousnesse And what a shewyng that should be hee declareth immediatly after that is if he alone be knowen to be righteous and that iustified him that is of the faith of Iesus Christ. Thou seest that the righteousnesse of God is not sufficiently set out vnlesse he alone be accompted righteous and do communicate the grace of righteousnesse to them that deserue it not By this meane he will haue euery mouth to be stopped and the whole World to be made subiect to him For whyle mā hath any thing to speake in his owne defence so longe there is somewhat taken away from the glory of God
So in Ezechiel he teacheth how muche we glorifie his name by reknowleging of our own wickednesse You shall remember sayeth he the wayes and al the wicked doinges wherewith ye haue been defiled And ye shall be displeased with your selues in your owne syght in all the euels that ye haue cōmitted And ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde when I shall do good to you for myne owne names sake and not according to your moste wicked offences If these thinges be conteined in the true knowledge of God that we being broosed with knowledge of our owne iniquitie should cōsider that he doth good to vs where as we be vnworthy therof why then do we to our great hurt attempt to steale awaye from the Lorde any parcell be it neuer so small of the prayse of his free goodnesse Like wise Ieremie when he crieth out Let not the wise man glorie in his wisdome or the riche man in his richesse or the strong man in his strēgth but let him that glorieth glorie in the Lorde doth he not there declare that somwhat is diminished from Gods glorie if mā glorie in him self To this purpose truely doth Paule apply those wordes when he teacheth that all the partes of our saluation are reposed in Christ that we should not glory but in the Lord. For his meaning is that he riseth vp against God darkeneth his glorie whosoeuer thinketh that he hathe any thing be it neuer so litle of his owne This is the truthe we neuer truely glorie in him vnlesse we be vtterly put from our own glorie On the other side this is to be holdē for a catholike principle that all they glorie against God that glorie in thē selues For Paul iudgeth that only by this meane the worlde is made subiect to God when all matter to glorie vpō is vtterly taken frō men Therfore Esaie when he declareth that Israel shall haue their iustification in God sith also that they shall there also haue their praise as though he should say that the Lord to this end iustifieth the elect that they should glorie in him and in nothing els But howe we ought to be praised in the Lorde he had taught in the verse next before that is that we should sweare that our righteousnesses strength are in the Lord. Note that there is not required a bare confession but cōfirmed with an othe that a mā shold not thinke that he shal be discharged with I wote not what fained humilitie And let no man here allege for excuse that he doth not glorie when without arrogance he reknowlegeth his own righteousnesse for there can be no such estimation but it engendreth cōfidence nor cōfidence but it bredeth glorie Therfore let vs remēber that in all the disputatiō of righteousnes we must haue regard to this end that the praise therof remaine with the Lorde whole perfect For as muche as for declaratiō of his righteousnesse as the Apostle testifieth he hath poured out his grace vpon vs that he might be iust iustifiyng him that is of the faith of Christe Wherfore in an other place when he had taught that the Lord gaue vs saluation to set out the glorie of his name afterward as it were repeting the same thing he addeth ye ar saued by grace by the gift of God not by workes that none shold glorie And when Peter telleth that we are called vnto hope of saluation that we shold declare the powers of him that hath called vs out of darkenesse into his maruelous light without doubt his meaning is so to make the only praises of God to sound in the eares of the faithful that they shold with depe silence oppresse al arrogancie of the fleshe In a summe man can not without robberie of God chalēge to him self any one crum of righteousnesse because euen so muche is plucked and taken away from the glorie of Gods righteousnesse Now if we aske by what meane the conscience may be quited before God we shall finde no other meane but if free righteousnesse be geuen vs by the gift of God Let vs alway thinke vpon this saying of Salomon Who shall say I haue cleansed my heart I am made cleane from my sinne Truely there is no man that shall not be ouerwhelmed with infinite filthinesse Therfore let euen the perfectest man descende into his own conscience call his doinges to accōpt what end shal he haue Shal he swetely rest as though al things were in good order betwene him God shall he not rather be vexed with terrible tormentes whē he shall fele matter of damnation abiding in him selfe if he be iudged according to his workes The conscience if it loke vpon God must of necessitie either haue assured peace with his iudgement or be beseged with the terrors of hell Therfore we profit nothyng in disputing of righteousnesse vnlesse we stablyshe suche a righteousnesse with the stedfastnesse wherof our soule may bee staied in the iudgement of God When our soule shall haue whereby it may bothe without feare appeare before the face of God receiue his iudgement vnshaken then not till then let vs knowe that we haue found an vnfained righteousnesse Therfore not without cause the Apostle standeth so muche vpon this point with whose wordes I had rather expresse it than with mine owne If saith he the promise of inheritance be of the law faith is made voide the promise is made abolished He first inferreth that faith is disanulled and made voide yf the promisse of righteousnes haue respect to the deseruinges of our workes or do hang vpon the keping of the law For so could neuer any man assuredlye rest in it because it could neuer come to passe that any mā might assuredly determine with him self that he had satisfied the law as in dede neuer any man doth by workes fully satisfie it Wherof that we should not nede to seke far for testimonies to proue it euery man may be a witnesse to him selfe that will with a right eye behold himself And hereby appereth in how depe darke corners hypocrisie buried the mindes of mē while they so carelesly beare with thē selues that they stick not to set their own flatteries against the iudgegement of God as though thei would binde to a stay of his iudicial proceding but the faithfull that do sincerely examine them selues are greued tormented with a far other māner of carefulnesse Therfore ther should so entre into all mindes a doubting at length a very despeire where eche man for him selfe should make accompt with howe great a burden of det he is still ouerpressed and how far he is from the conditiō wherw t he is charged Loe how faith is by this meane already expressed extinguished For to wauer to varie to be carried vp downe to stick fast in doubting to be holden in suspense to stagger at length to despeire is not to trust
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
vs. When therfore the holy ones do by innoceÌ„cie of coÌ„science coÌ„firme their faith gather matter of reioysing they do nothing but cal to minde by the frutes of their calling that they are adopted of the Lord into the place of children This therfore that is taught by Salomon that in the feaâ—e of the Lord is stedfast assurednesse this that somtime the holy ones vse this protestation to the entent that they may be heard of the Lord that thei haue walked before his face in vprightnes simplicititie haue no place in laying the fundatioÌ„ of stablishing of coÌ„science but are theÌ„ only of value if they be taken of the ensuing effect because both the feare is no where whiche may stablish a full assurednesse the holy ones are priuie in their conscience of such an vprightnes wherwith ar yet mingled many reÌ„naÌ„tes of the flesh But forasmuche as of the frutes of regeneration they gather an argumeâ—t of the holy Ghoste dwellynge in them they do there by not sclenderly strengthen them selues to loke for the helpe of God in all their necessities when they by experience finde hym their father in so great a matter And euen this also they canne not doe vnlesse thei haue first conceyued the goodnesse of God sealed with no other assurednesse than of the promyse For if they beginne to weye yt by good workes nothing shal be more vncertaine nor more weake forasmuche as if workes bee considered by them selues thei shall no lesse by theyr imperfection shewe profe of the wrathe of God than thei do with how soeuer vnperfect purenes testifie his good wil. Fynally thei do so set out the benefites of God that yet they tourne not awaie from the free fauoure of God in which Paul testifieth that ther is the length breadth depth and heigth of them as if he shoulde say Whethersoeuer the senses of the godly do tourne themselues howe hie soeuer thei clyme how farre and wide soeuer thei extend them yet thei ought not to goe oute of the loue of Christe but holde them selues wholy in the meditation therof bicause it comprehendeth al kindes of measures in it And therfore he saithe that it excelleth and surmounteth aboue all knowledge and that when we acknowledge howe muche Christe hathe loued vs we are fulfilled into all the fulnesse of God As in an other place when he glorieth that all the Godly are vanquishers in battell he by and by addeth a reason bycause of him that loued vs. We see now that ther ys not in the holy ones that affiance of works whiche either geueth any thinge to the merite of them forasmuche as thei regarde them none otherwise than as the giftes of God whereby thei reknowledg his goodnesse none otherwise than as signes of their calling whereby maie thinke vpon their election or whiche withdraweth not any thing from the free righteousnesse whiche wee obteine in Christe for asmuche as it hangeth vpon it and standeth not withoute it The same thing doth Augustine in few wordes but very wel set out where he writeth I do not saie to the Lorde despise not the workes of my handes or I haue sought the Lorde with my handes and haue not been deceiued But I do not commned the workes of my handes for I feare least when thou haste loked vpon them thou shalt finde moe sinnes than merites Onli this I say this I ask this I desire despise not the workes of thy hands beholde in me thy worke not mine For if thow beholdest mine thou damnest me if thou beholdest thine thou crownest me For also whatsoeuer good workes I haue they are of thee He setteth two causes why he dare not boaste of his workes to God bycause if he haue any good workes he seeth therin nothing his owne secondly bycause the same is also ouerwhelmed wyth multytude of synnes Whereupon commeth to passe that the conscience feleth thereby more feare and dismaieng than assurednesse Therfore he woulde haue God no otherwise to loke on his well doinges than that reknowledging in them the grace of his calling he maie make an ende of the worke which he hathe begonne But furthermore wheras the scripture sheweth that the good workes of the faithfull are causes why the Lorde doth good to them that is so to be vnderstanded that that which we haue before set may stand vnshaken that the Effect of our saluation consisteth in the loue of God the Father the Mater in the obedience of the Sonne the Instrument in the enlightning of the holy ghooste that is to saie in faithe that the end is the glorie of the so great kindenes of God These thinges withstande not but that the Lorde maye embrace workes as inferiour causes But whense coÌ„meth that Namely whome the Lord of his mercie hath apointed to the inheritaÌ„ce of eternal life them with his ordinarie dispeÌ„sation he doth by good workes bring into the possessioÌ„ therof That which goeth before in order of dispensatioÌ„ he calleth the cause of that which foloweth After this maÌ„ner he somtime deriueth eternal life froÌ„ workes not for that is to be ascribed to theÌ„ but bicause whome he hath chosen them he doth iustifie that he may at leÌ„gth glorifie them he maketh the grace that goeth before which is a step toward that which foloweth after a certaine maÌ„ner the cause of it But so oft as he hath occasioÌ„ to assigne the true cause he biddeth vs not to flee to workes but holdeth vs in the only thinking vpon the mercie of God For what manner of thing is this which he teacheth by the Apostle The reward of sinne is death the grace of the Lord is life euerlasting Why doth he not set righteousnesse in coÌ„parison against sinne as he setteth life agaynst death Why doth he not make righteousnesse the cause of life as he maketh sinne the cause of death For so should the comparison of contraries haue stand well together which is much broken by this turning But the Apostle meant by this coÌ„parison to expresse that which was truth that death is due to the deseruings of men that life is reposed in the only mercie of God Finally in these maÌ„ners of speaking is rather expressed the order than the cause bicause God in heaping graces vpon graces taketh cause of the first to adde the second that he may leaue nothing vndone to the enrichyng of his seruantes and he so continually exteÌ„deth his liberalitie that yet he would haue vs alway to looke vnto the free election which is fountaine beginning of it For although he loueth the giftes which he dayly geueth in so much as thei spring out of that fountaine yet it is our part to holde fast that free acceptation whiche alone is able to vpholde our soules as for such giftes of his Spirit as he afterward geueth vs so to adioyne them to the first cause that they minish nothing of it The .xv. Chapter ¶ That those thinges that are commoÌ„ly
honour not weyeng the worthinesse of them that he accompteth them of some value The third that he receiueth the very same workes with pardon not imputyng the imperfectiō wherwith they al beyng defiled should otherwise be rather reckened amōg sinnes than vertues And hereby appereth how much the Sophisters haue ben deceiued whiche thought that they had gaylye escaped al absurdities when they sayd that workes do not of their owne inwarde goodnesse auayle to deserue saluation but by the forme of the couenant bicause the Lord hath of his liberalitie so much estemed them But in the meane time they considered not howe far those workes whiche they would haue to be meritorious were from the conditiō of the promises vnlesse there went before bothe iustification grounded vpon only fayth and the forgeuenesse of sinnes by which euē the good workes themselues haue neede to be wiped from spottes Therefore of three causes of Gods liberalitie by which it is brought to passe that the workes of the faythfull are acceptable they noted but one suppressed two yea and those the principall They allege the sayeng of Peter whiche Luke rehearseth in the Actes I finde in truthe that God is not an accepter of persones but in euery nation he that doth righteousnesse is acceptable to him And hereupon they gather that which semeth to be vndouted that if man doth by right endeuors get himselfe the fauor of God it is not the beneficiall gift of God alone that he obteyneth saluation yea that God doth so of his mercie help a sinner that he is by workes bowed to mercie But you can in no wise make the Scriptures agree together vnlesse you note a double acceptyng of man with God For such as man is by nature God findeth nothyng in him whereby he maye be enclined to mercie but only miserie If therfore it be certayne that man is naked and needy of all goodnesse and on the other side full stuffed and loden with al kindes of euels when God first receyueth them for what qualitie I pray you shal we say that he is worthy of the heauēly calling ▪ Away therefore with the vaine imaginyng of merites where God so euidētly setteth out his free mercifulnesse For that which in the same place is sayde by the voice of the Angell to Cornelius that his prayers and almes had ascēded into the sight of God is by these men most lewdly wrested that man by endeuor of good workes is prepared to receiue the grace of God For it muste needes be that Cornelius was already enlightened with the Spirit of wisdome sithe he was endued with true wisdome namely with the feare of God that he was sanctified with the same Spirit sith he was a folower of righteousnesse which the Apostle teacheth to be a most certaine frute therof Al those things therefore whiche are sayd to haue pleased God in him he had of his grace so far is it of that he did by his own endeuor prepare himself to receiue it Truely there cā not one syllable of the Scripture be brought forth that agreeth not with this doctrine that there is none other cause for God to accept man vnto him but bicause he seeth that mā should be euery way lost if he be left to himselfe but bicause he will not haue him lost he vseth his own mercie in deliueryng him Now we see how this accepting hath not regard to the righteousnesse of man but is a mere token of the goodnesse of God toward men beyng miserable and moste vnworthy of so great a benefit But after that the Lord hath brought man out of the bottomlesse depth of destruction and seuered him to himselfe by grace of adoption bicause he hath nowe begotten him and newely formed him into a newe life he nowe embraceth him as a newe creature with the giftes of his Spirit This is that acceptyng whereof Peter maketh mention by whiche the faythfull are after their vocation allured of God euen in respecte also of workes for the Lorde can not but loue and kisse those good thinges whiche he worketh in them by his Spirit But this is alwaye to be remembred that they are none otherwise acceptable to God in respect of workes but in as muche as for their cause and for their sakes whatsoeuer good workes he hath geuen them in encreasyng of his liberalitie he also vouchesaueth to accept For whense haue they good workes ▪ but bicause the Lord as he hath chosen them for vessels vnto honor so will garnish thē with true godlinesse Whereby also are they accompted good as though there were nothing wanting in them but bicause the kinde Father tēderly graunteth pardon to those deformities spottes that cleaue to them Summarily he signifieth nothing els in this place but that to God his children are acceptable louely in whom he seeth the markes and features of his owne face For we haue in an other place taught that regeneratiō is a repairyng of the image of God in vs. For asmuch as therfore wheresoeuer the Lord beholdeth his owne face he both worthily loueth it and hath it in honor it is not without cause sayd that the life of the faithful beyng framed to holinesse righteousnesse pleaseth him but bycause the godly beyng clothed with mortall fleshe are yet sinners and their good workes are but begonne and sauoryng of the faultinesse of the fleshe he can not be fauorable neyther to those nor to these vnlesse he more embrace them in Christ than in themselues After this manner are those places to be taken whiche testifie that God is kinde mercifull to the folowers of righteousnesse Moses sayd to the Israelites The Lord thy God kepeth couenant to a thousand generations which sentēce was afteward vsed of the people for a common manner of speache So Salomon in his solemne prayer sayth Lord God of Israell whiche kepest couenant and mercie to thy seruātes which walke before thee in their whole heart The same wordes are also repeted of Nehemias For as in al the couenātes of his mercie the Lord likewise on their behalues requireth of his seruātes vprightnesse holinesse of life that his goodnesse should not be made a mockerie that no man swelling with vaine reioysing by reason therof should blesse his owne soule walking in the meane time in the peruersnesse of his own heart so his wil is by this way to kepe in their dutie them that are admitted into the cōmuniō of the couenāt yet neuerthelesse the couenāt it self is both made at the beginnyng free perpetually remayneth such After this māner Dauid when he glorieth that there was rēdred to him reward of the cleannesse of his hādes yet omitteth not that fountaine which I haue spoken of that he was drawen out of the wombe bicause God loued him where he so setteth out the goodnesse of his cause that he abateth nothyng from the free mercie whiche goeth before all giftes whereof it is
the beginning And here by the way it shal be profitable to touch what these formes of speakyng do differ from the promises of the law I cal promises of the law not those which are eche where coÌ„monly writteÌ„ in the bokes of Moses for as much as in them also are found many promises of the Gospel but those which properly belong to the ministerie of the law Such promises by what name so euer you list to cal them do declare that there is reward redy vpon condition if thou do that which is coÌ„maunded thee But when it is sayd that the Lord kepeth the couenaÌ„t of mercie to theÌ„ which loue him therin is rather shewed what maÌ„ner of men be his seruantes which haue faithfully receiued his couenant than the cause is expressed why the lord should do good to them Now this is the manner of shewyng it As the Lord vouchsaueth to graunt vs the grace of eternal life to this end that he should be loued feared honored of vs so whatsoeuer promises there are of his mercie in the Scriptures they are rightfully directed to this and that we should reuerence and worship the author of the benefites So ofte therefore as we heare that he doth good to them that kepe his law let vs remeÌ„ber that the children of God are there signified by the dutie whiche ought to be continual in them that we are for this cause adopted that we should honor him for our Father Therfore lest we should disherite our selues from the right of adoptioÌ„ we must alway endeuor to this wherunto our calling tendeth But let vs againe kepe this in minde that the accoÌ„plishment of the mercie of God hangeth not vpoÌ„ the workes of the faithfull but that he therfore fulfilleth the promise of saluation to them whiche answer to their callyng in vprightnesse of life bicause in them he acknoweth the natural tokeÌ„s of his children which are ruled with his Spirit vnto good Herunto let that be referred which is in the xv Psalme spoken of the Citezens of the Church Lord whoe shal dwel in thy tabernacle and whoe shal rest in thy holy hill The innocent in haÌ„des of a cleane heart c. Agayne in Esaie Whoe shall dwel with deuouring fire He that doth righteousnesse he that speaketh right thinges c. For there is not described the staye whereupon the faythfull may stand before the Lord but the manner wherewith the most merciful father bringeth theÌ„ into his felowship therein defendeth streÌ„gtheneth them For bicause he abhorreth sinne he loueth righteousnesse whoÌ„ he ioyneth to himself them he cleanseth with his spirit that he may make theÌ„ of like fashion to himself his kingdome Therfore if the question be of the first cause wherby the entrie is made open to the holy ones into the kingdome of God froÌ„ whense they haue that thei may stand fast abide in it we haue this answer ready bicause the Lord by his mercie both hath ones adopted them perpetually defendeth them But if the question be of the manner then we must come downe to regeneration and the frutes therof which are rehersed in that Psalme But there semeth to be much more hardnesse in these places which do both garnish good workes with the titiÌ„e of righteousnesse affirme that man is iustified by them Of the first sort there be very many places where the obseruinges of the coÌ„maundementes are called iustifications or righteousnesses Of the other sort that is an exaÌ„ple which is in Moses This shal be our righteousnesse if we kepe all these commauÌ„dementes And if thou take exception say that this is a promise of the law which being knit to a coÌ„dition impossible proueth nothing There be other of which you caÌ„ not make the same answer as this And that shal be to thee for righteousnesse before the Lord to redeliuer to the poore man his pledge c. Againe that which the Prophet sayth that the zele in reuenging the shame of Israell was imputed to Phinees for righteousnesse Therfore the Pharisees of our time thinke that here they haue a large matter to triuÌ„ph vpon For when we say that when the righteousnesse of faith is set vp the iustificatioÌ„ of workes geueth place by the same right they make this argument If righteousnesse bee of workes then it is false that we are iustified by faith only Though I graunt that the commaundementes of the law are called righteousnesses it is no maruell for they are so in deede Howebeit we muste warne the readers that the Grecians haue not fittly translated the Hebrue word Hucmi Dikaiomata righteousnesses for coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts But for the worde I willingly release my quarell For neyther doe we denie this to the law of God that it conteineth perfect righteousnesse For although bycause we are detters of all the thinges that it commaundeth therfore euen when we haue performed ful obedience therof we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„tes yet bicause the lord hath vouchsaued to graunt it the honor of righteousnesse we take not away that whiche he hath geuen Therefore we willingly confesse that the full obedience of the lawe is righteousnesse that the kepyng of euery coÌ„mauÌ„dement is a part of righteousnesse yf so be that the whole summe of righteousnesse were had in the other partes also But we denie that there is any where any suche forme of righteousnesse And therefore we take away the righteousnesse of the law not for that it is maymed and vnperfect of it felfe but for that by reason of the weakenesse of our flesh it is no where seene But the Scripture not only calleth simply the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the Lord righteousnesses but it also geueth this name to the workes of the holy ones As when it reporteth that Zacharie his wife walked in the righteousnesses of the Lord truely wheÌ„ it so speaketh it weyeth workes rather by the nature of the law thaÌ„ by their owne propre estate Howbeit here againe is that to be noted which I eueÌ„ now sayd that of the negligence of the Greke translator is not a law to be made But for asmuch as Luke wold alter nothing in the receiued traslation I will also not striue about it For God hath commaunded these thinges that are in the lawe to men for righteousnesse but this righteousnes we performe not but in keping the whole lawe for by euery transgression it is broken Wheras therfore the law doth nothing but prescribe righteousnesse if we haue respecte to it all the seueral coÌ„maundementes therof are righteousnes if we haue respect to men of whome thei are done thei do not obteine the praise of righteousnesse by one worke beinge trespassers in many and by that same worke whiche is euer partly faulty by reason of imperfection But now I come to the second kinde in which is the chefe hardnes Paul hath nothing more strong to proue the righteousnesse of faiâ—he than that whiche is written of Abraham that his faithe was
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
do with a free coÌ„science absteine But thei do most hurtfully offend bicause they nothyng regard the weakenesse of their brethren which we ought so to beare with that we rashly coÌ„mit nothing with offense of them But somtime also it behoueth that our libertie be set forth before men And this I graunt But there is a measure most heedefully to be kept that we cast not away the care of the weake of whome the Lord hath so earnestly geuen vs charge I will in this place therefore speake somewhat of offenses in what differeÌ„ce thei are to be takeÌ„ which are to be auoided which to be neglected wherupoÌ„ we may afterward determine what place there is for our libertie among men I like well that coÌ„mon diuision whiche teacheth that there is of offenses one sort geueÌ„ an other takeÌ„ for asmuch as it both hath a plaine testimonie of the Scripture doth not vnfitly expresse that which it meaneth If thou do any thing by vnseasonable lightnesse or wantonnesse or rashnesse not in order nor in fit place whereby the ignoraÌ„t weake are be offended that same may be called an offense geueÌ„ by thee bicause it came to passe by thy fault that such offense was stirred vp And it is alway called an offense geuen in any thing the fault wherof came from the doer of that thing it self It is called an offense taken wheÌ„ a thing which is otherwise not euelly done nor out of time is by euell will or by some wroÌ„gfull maliciousnesse of minde draweÌ„ to occasion of offense For in this case was not offense geuen but these wrongfull construers do without cause take one With the first kinde of offense none are offended but the weake but with this .ii. kinde sowre natures Pharisaical scorneful heads are offeÌ„ded Wherfore we shal cal the one the offense of the weake the other of the Pharisees we shal so teÌ„per the vse of our libertie that it ought to geue place to the ignorance of the weake brethreÌ„ but in no wise to the rigorousnesse of the Pharisees For what is to be yelded to weaknesse Paule sheweth in very many places Beare sayth he the weake in faith Againe Let vs not herafter iudge one an other but this rather let there not be laied before our brother any offense or occasioÌ„ of falling many other sayengs to the same entent which are more fit to be red in the place it self thaÌ„ to be here rehearsed The summe is that we which are stroÌ„g shold beare with the weakenesses of our brethreÌ„ not please our selues but euery one of vs please his neighbor vnto good for edifieng In an other place But see that your libertie be not in any wise an offense to theÌ„ that are weake Againe Eate ye al things that are sold in the shaÌ„bles asking no questioÌ„ for conscience of your conscience I say not an other mans Finally be ye such that ye geue no offense neither to the Iewes nor to the Grekes nor to the Church of God Also in an other place ye are called brethreÌ„ into libertie only geue not your libertie to be an occasion to the flesh but by charitie serue ye one an other Thus it is Our libertie is not geueÌ„ toward our weake neighbours whose seruaÌ„tes charitie maketh vs in al thinges but rather that hauing peace with God in our mindes we may also liue peaceably among men As for the offense of the Pharisees how much it is to be regarded we learne by the wordes of the Lord wherby he biddeth them to be let alone bicause they are blinde guides of the blinde The disciples had warned him that the Pharisees were offended with his sayenges he answered that they were to be neglected and the offendyng of them not to be cared for But yet stil the matter hangeth doutfull vnlesse we know who are to be taken for weake whoe for Pharisees which difference beyng taken away I see not amoÌ„g offenses what vse at al of libertie remaineth which might neuer be vsed without great danger But it semeth to me that Paule hath moste playnely declared both by doctrine by examples how far our libertie is either to be tempered or to be defended though with offenses When he toke Timothee into his coÌ„panie he circumcised him but he could not be brought to circumcise Titus Here were diuerse doynges no change of purpose nor of minde namely in circumcising Timothee when he was free from all men he made himself seruaunt to all men â–ª and he was made to the Iewes as a Iew that he might winne the Iewes to them that were vnder the law as if he himself were vnder the law that he might winne them which were vnder the law al things to al meÌ„ that he might saue many as he writeth in an other place Thus we haue a right moderation of libertie if it may be indiffereÌ„tly restrained with some profit What he had respect vnto when he stoutely refused to circumcise Titus he himself testifieth writing thus But neither was Titus â–ª whiche was with me although he was a Grecian coÌ„pelled to be circuÌ„cised bicause of the false brethren which were com in by the way whiche had priuâ—y crept in to espie our libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus 〈…〉 might bring vs into boÌ„dage to whom we gaue not place by suâ—â—eâ—â—â—oÌ„ so much as for a time that the truth of the gospel might 〈◊〉 with yâ—â— There is also a time when we must of necessitie defend our libertie if the same be in weake consciences endaÌ„gered by the vniust exaâ—â—â—nges of false Apostles We must in euery thing studie to preserue charitie haue regard to the edifieng of our neighbour Al thinâ—â— sayth he are lawful for me but not al things are expediâ—t al things are lawful for me but not al things do edifie Let no maÌ„ seke that which is his own but that which is an others There is nothing now plainer by this rule thaÌ„ that we must vse our libertie if it may turne to the edifieng of our neighbor but if it be not so expedieÌ„t for our neighbor then we must â—oâ—beare it There be some which counterfait the wisedom of Paul in forbearing of libertie while they do nothing lesse thaÌ„ applie same to the duties of charitie For so that they may prouide for their owne quietnesse they wish al meÌ„tion of libertie to be buried wheras it is no lesse behoueful for our neighbors somtime to vse libertie for their benefit edificacioÌ„ than in fit place to restraine it for their coÌ„moditie But it is the parte of a godly man to thinke that free power in outward things is therfore grauÌ„ted him that he may be the freer to all duties of charitie But whatsoeuer I haue spokeÌ„ of auoiding of offenses my meaning is that it be referred to meane indifferent thinges For those things that are necessarie to be done are not to be left
deriuatiō of the word For as when men do with minde and vnderstandyng conceyue the knowledge of thinges they are thereby sayd Scire to know wherupon also is deriued the name of science knowlege so when thei haue a felyng of the iudgemēt of God as a witnesse ioyned with them whiche doth not suffer them to hide their sinnes but that they be drawen accused to the iudgemēt seate of God that same felyng is called Conscience For it is a certayne meane betwene God and man bicause it suffreth not man to suppresse in himselfe that whiche he knoweth but pursueth him so farre till it bryng him to giltinesse This is it whiche Paule meaneth where he sayth that cōscience doth together witnesse with mē whē their thoughtes do accuse or acquite them in the iudgement of God A simple knowledge might remaine as enclosed within man Therefore this felyng whiche presenteth man to the iudgement of God is as it were a keper ioyned to man to marke and espie al his secretes that nothing may remaine buried in darknesse Whereupon also cōmeth that olde Prouerbe Conscience is a thousand witnesses And for the same reason Peter hath set the examination of a good cōscience for quietnesse of minde when beyng persuaded of the grace of Christ we do without feare present our selues before God And the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues setteth to haue no more conscience of sinne in stede of to be deliuered or acquited that sinne may no more accuse vs. Therefore as workes haue respect to men so cōscience is referred to God so that a good Consciēce is nothing els but the inward purenesse of the heart In whiche sense Paule writeth that charitie is the fulfillyng of the law out of a pure conscience and faith not fained Afterwarde also in the same chapter he sheweth howe muche it differeth from vnderstanding sayeng that some had suffred shipwreck frō the faith bicause thei had forsakē good Consciēce For in these wordes he signifieth that it is a liuely affection to worship God a sincere endeuor to liue holyly and godlyly Somtime in deede it extendeth also to men as in Luke where the same Paule protesteth that he endeuored himselfe to walke with a good conscience toward God and men But this was therfore sayd bicause the frutes of good cōscience do flowe and come euen to men But in speakynge properly it hath respect to God only as I haue already sayd Hereby it cōmeth to passe that the law is sayd to binde the conscience which simply bindeth a mā without respect of men or without hauing any consideration of them As for example God cōmaundeth not only to kepe the minde chaste and pure from al lust but also forbiddeth al māner of filthinesse of wordes outward wantonnesse whatsoeuer it be To the kepyng of this law my cōscience is subiect although there liued not one mā in the world So he that behaueth himself intemperantly not only sinneth in this that he geueth an euel exāple to the brethren but also hath his consciēce bound with giltinesse before God In thinges that are of themselues meane there is an other consideratiō For we ought to absteine from them if they brede any offense but the conscience still beyng free So Paule speaketh of flesh consecrate to Idoles If any sayth he moue any dout touch it not for cōsciēces sake I say for consciēce not thine but the others A faithfull mā should sinne which beyng first warned should neuerthelesse eate such fleshe But howsoeuer in respect of his brother it is necessarie for him to absteine as it is prescribed of God yet he cesseth not to kepe still the libertie of cōscience Thus we see how this law bindyng the outward worke leaueth the cōscience vnbound The .xx. Chapter ¶ Of prayer which is the chiefe exercise of faith and whereby we dayly receiue the benefites of God OF these thinges that haue ben hetherto spoken we plainely perceyue how needy and voyde mā is of al good things and how he wanteth al helpes of saluation Wherfore if he seke for relefes whereby he may succour his needinesse he must goe out of himselfe and get them els where This is afterward declared vnto vs that the Lord doth of his owne free will and liberally geue himself to vs in his Christ in whom he offreth vs in stede of our miserie all felicitie in stede of our neede welthinesse in whome he openeth to vs the heauenly treasures that our whole faith should behold his beloued sonne that vpon him our whole expectatiō should hang in him our whole hope should sticke fast and reste This verily is the secret and hidden Philosophie whiche can not be wrong out with Logiciall argumentes but they learne it whose eyes God hath opened that they may see light in his light But sins that we are taught by fayth to acknowledge that what so euer we haue neede of whatsoeuer wāteth in vs the same is in God and in our Lord Iesus Christ namely in whome the Lorde willed the whole fulnesse of his largesse to rest that from thense we should all drawe as out of a most plentifull fountaine now it remayneth that we seke in him and with praiers craue of him that which we haue learned to be in him Otherwise to know God to be the Lord and geuer of all good things which allureth vs to pray to him and not to goe to him praye to him shold so nothing profit vs that it should be alone as if a man should neglect a treasure shewed him buried and digged in the ground Therfore the Apostle to shewe that true fayth can not be idle from callyng vpon God hath set this order that as of the Gospell spryngeth faith so by it our heartes are framed to cal vpon the name of God And this is the same thyng which he had a litle before sayd that the Spirit of adoption which sealeth in our heartes the witnesse of the Gospell rayseth vp our spirites that they dare shewe forth their desires to God stirre vp vnspeakable gronynges and crie with confidence Abba Father It is mete therefore that this last poynt bycause it was before but only spoken of by the waye and as it were lightly touched should nowe be more largely entreated of This therefore we get by the benefit of prayer that we atteyne to those richesses whiche are layed vp for vs with the heauenly father For there is a certayne communicatyng of men with God whereby they entryng into sanctuarie of heauen do in his owne presence cal to him touchyng his promises that the same thyng whiche they beleued him affirmyng only in word not to be vayne they maye when neede so requireth finde in experience Therefore we see that there is nothing set forth to vs to be loked for at the hande of the Lord whiche we are not also cōmaunded to craue with praiers so true it is that by prayer are digged vp
in cōfidence by the faith of Christ. We must therfore holde fast with bothe handes thys assurednesse to obteine what we ask sith both the lord with his own voice so cōmaūdeth vs al the holy ones teache it by their example if we wil praie with frute For the only praier is pleasing to God whiche springeth oute of such a presumptiō of faith as I may so call it is groūded vpō a dredlesse certaintie of faith He might haue ben cōtent with the bare name of faithe but he not onely added cōfidence but also furnished the same with liberty or boldnesse by this marke to put differēce betwene vs vnbeleuers which do in dede also praie to God as we do but at aduenture For which reasō the whole Church praieth in the psalme Let thi mercy be vpō vs as we put our trust in thee The same cōdition is also spoken of in an other place by the prophet In what day I shal crie this I know that God is with me Again In the morning I wil direct my self to thee I wil watch For of these words we gather that praiers ar in vaine cast into the ayre vnlesse hope be adioyned frō whense as out of a watchtoure wee may quietli waite for the lord Wherw t agreeth the order of Paules exhortatiō For before that he moue the faithful to praie in spirit at al times with wakefulnes diligence he first of al biddeth thē to take the sheld of faith that helmet of saluatiō the swerd of the spirit whiche is the word of God ▪ Now let the readers here cal to remēbrance which that I haue before said that faith is not ouerthrowē where it is ioyned with acknowledging of our miserie nedinesse filthines For with how heauy weight so euer of euell doings the faithful fele thēselues to be ouerloden or greued the thei bee not only voide of al things which may procure fauoure with God but also that thei be burdened with many offenses which may woorthily make him dreadful to thē yet thei cesse not to present thēselues neither doth this feling make thē so afraide but that thei still resort to him forasmuche as ther is no other waie to come to him For praier was not ordeined wherby we shold arrogantli aduance our selues before God or esteme at great value any thing of our own but wherbi cōfessing our giltines we shold bewaile our miseries to him as childrē do familiarli opē their cōplaints to their parēts But rather the vnmeasurable heape of our euels ought to be ful of spurres or prickes to prick vs forward to praie As also the prophet teacheth vs by his exāple saieng Heale my soule bicause I haue sinned against thee I grant in dede that in such saiengs shold be deadli prickings vnlesse god did helpe but the most good father of his incōparable tender kindnes hath brought remedie in fit season wherby appeasing al troble assuaging al cares wiping awaye feares he mighte gently allure vs to hym yea and takinge awaie all doubtes much more all stoppes he might make vs an easy waie And first whē he cōmaundeth vs to pray he doth by the very same commaundement accuse vs of wicked obstinacie vnlesse we obey him Nothing could be more precisely cōmaunded than that which is in the psalme Cal vpō me in the day of troble But forasmuch as amonge all the dueties of godlines the scripture cōmendeth none more often I nede not to tarry longer vpō this point Ask saith our master ye shal receiue knock it shal be opened to you Howbeit here is also with the cōmaundement ioyned a promise as it is necessarie For though all men cōfesse that the commaundement ought to be obeied yet the most part would flee frō God when he calleth vnlesse he promised that he wold be easy to be entreated yea wold offer himself These two thinges being stablished it is certaine that whosoeuer make delaies that thei come not streight to god ar not only rebellious disobedient but also are proued gilty of infidelitie bicause thei distrust the promises Which is so muche more to be noted bycause hypocrites vnder the color of humilitie modesty do as wel proudly despise the cōmandemēt of God as discredit his gentile callinge yea defraud him of the chefe part of his worship For after that he hath refused sacrifices in which at the time al holines semed to stande he declareth that this is the chefe thing most precious to him aboue al other to be called vpō in the day of nede Therfore wher he requireth his owne encourageth vs to cherefulnesse of obeing ther ar none so gay colors of doubtting that may excuse vs. Wherfore how many testimonies ar cōmōly foūd in the scriptures wherby we ar cōmaūded to cal vpō God so many stāddardes ar set vp before our eies to put affiance into vs. It were rushenesse to rushe into the sight of God vnlesse he did preuēt vs with calling vs. Therfore he openeth vs the way with his own voice saieng I will saye to them Ye ar my people thei shal say to me the art our God We se how he preuenteth them the worship him willeth them to follow him and therefore it is not to bee feared that this shoulde not bee a very swete melodie which he tuneth Specially let this notable title of God come in our minde whervpon if we staye wee shall easily passe ouer al stoppes Thou God that hearest prayer euen to thee shall all fleshe come For what ys more louely or more allurynge than that God bee granyshed wyth thys tytle whyche maye ascertayne vs that nothynge ys more propre to hys nature than to graunte the desire of humble suters Hereby the prophet gathereth that the gate standeth open not only to a fewe but to all men bicause he speaketh euen to all in this saieng Cal vpon me in the day of trouble I wil deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me According to this rule Dauid laieth for himself that a promise was geuen him that he may obteine what he asketh Thou lorde hast reueled into the eare of thy seruant therefore thy seruaunt hath found his heart to pray Wherupon we gather that he was feareful sauing in so much as the promise had encouraged him So in an other place he armeth himselfe with this general doctrine He wil do the will of them that feare him Yea this we may note in the psalmes that as it were breaking his course of praieng he passeth ouer sometime to the power of God somtime to his goodnesse somtime to the truth of his promises It might seeme that Dauid by vnseasonable thrusting in of these sentences made mangled praiers but the faithful know by vse experience that feruentnesse fainteth vnlesse thei put new nourishmentes vnto it and therfore in praieng the meditatiō bothe of the nature of God of his word
is not superfluous And so by the example of Dauid let it not greue vs to thrust in such things as may refresh fainting heartes with new liuely strength And it is wonderful that with so great swetenesse of promises we are either but coldly or almost not at all moued that a great parte of men wandring about by compasses had rather leauing these fountaine of liuing waters to digge for themselues drie pittes than to embrace the liberalitie of God freely offered theÌ„ An inuincible tour is the name of the lord saith Salomon to it the righteous man shal flee he shal be saued And Ioel after that he had prophecied of that horrible destructioÌ„ which was at hand added this notable sentence Whosoeuer calleth vpoÌ„ the name of the lord shal be safe which sentence we know to perteine proprely to the course of the Gospel Scarcely euery hundreth man is moued to go forward to meet God He himself crieth by Esaie Ye shall cal vpoÌ„ me I wil heare you yea before that ye crie I wil answer you And this same honor also in an other place he vouchesaueth to geue in coÌ„mon to the whole Church as it belongeth to al the meÌ„bres of Christe He hath cried to me I wil heare him I am in trouble with him that I maie deliuer him Neither yet as I haue already saide is it my purpose to recken vp al the places but to choose out the chefe by whiche we may take a taste how kindely God allureth vs vnto him with how streight bonds our vnthankfulnes is bound when among so sharp prickinges our sluggishnesse stil maketh delay Wherfore let these saienges alway sound in our eares The lord is nie to al theÌ„ that cal vpon him that cal vpon him in trueth also these saiengs which we haue alleaged out of Esaie Ioel by which God affirmeth that he is hedeful to heare praiers yea is delited as with a sacrifice of swete sauoure when we cast our cares vpoÌ„ him This singular frute we receiue of the promises of God wheÌ„ we make our praiers not doubtingly ferefulli but trusting vpon his word whose maiestie wold otherwise make vs afraide we dare cal vpon him by the name of Father forasmuch as he vouchesaueth to put this most swete name into our mouthes It remaineth that we hauing such allurementes shold know that we haue thereby matter enoughe to obteine our praiers forasmuch as our praiers stand vpon no merite of our own but al their worthines hope of obteining ar grouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ the promises of God and hang vpoÌ„ them so that it nedeth none other vnderproppinge nor loketh vpwarde hither or thether Therefore we must determin in our minds that although we excel not in like holines as is praised in the holy fathers prophtes Apostles yet bicause the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of praier is coÌ„moÌ„ to vs faith is also coÌ„mon if we rest vpoÌ„ the word of God in this right we ar fellowes with theÌ„ For God as we haue before shewed promisiÌ„g that he wil be geÌ„tle merciful to al geueth cause of hope to al eueÌ„ the mosâ— miserable that thei shal obtein what thei ask And therfor the general formes ar to be noted froÌ„ which no maÌ„ as thei sai froÌ„ the first to the last is excluded onli let ther be preseÌ„t a purenes of heart misliking of our selfes humility faith let not our hypocrisy vnholily abuse the name of God with deceitful calliÌ„g vpon it the most good father wil not put back theÌ„ whoÌ„ he not only exhorteth to com to hiÌ„ but also moueth theÌ„ by al the meanes that he caÌ„ HerupoÌ„ cometh that maÌ„ner of prayiÌ„g of Dauid which I haue eueÌ„ now rehersed Lo thou hast promised Lord to thy serâ—â—â—t for this cause thy seruaÌ„t at this dai gathereth courag hath fouÌ„d what prayer he might make before the. Now therfore O Lord God the art god thy words shal be tru Thou hast spokeÌ„ to thi seruaÌ„t of these benefits begin therfore do theÌ„ As also in an other place Perform to thy seruaÌ„t according to thy word And al the Israelits together so oft as thei arme theÌ„selues with remeÌ„brance of the couenaÌ„t do sufficieÌ„tly declare that we shold not prai fearfully wheras the lord so apoiteth And herin theâ— folowd the exaÌ„ples of the fathers specially of Iacob which after that he had coÌ„fessed that he was vnworthy of so many mercies which he had receiued at the haÌ„d of God yet he saith that he is eÌ„coraged to require greater things bicause God had promised that he wold do theÌ„ But whatsoeuer colors that vnbeleuers do preteÌ„d wheÌ„ thei flee not to God so oft as necessitie presseth theÌ„ wheÌ„ thei seke not him nor craue his helpe thei do as much defraud hiÌ„ of his due honor as if thei made to theÌ„selfs new gods idols for by this mean thei deny that he is to them yâ— author of al good things On the other side ther is nothing stroÌ„ger to deliuer the godly froÌ„ al dout thaÌ„ to be armed with this thought that no stop ought to stay theÌ„ while they obey the coÌ„mandmeÌ„t of God which pronouÌ„ceth yâ— nothing is more pleasing to him thaÌ„ obedieÌ„ce Here again that which I said before more clerelâ— appereth that a dredles spirit to pray agreeth wel with fear reuereÌ„ce carefulnes that it is no absurdity to say that God raiseth vp the ouerthroweÌ„ After this maÌ„ner those formes of speach agree well together which in seming ar contrary Ieremie Daniel say that thei throw down prayers before god In an other place Iereme saith Let our praier fal down in the sight of God that he may haue mercie on the remnant of his people On the other side the faithful are oftentimes said to lift vp praier So speaketh Ezechias requiring the prophete to make intercession for him And Dauid desireth that his praier may ascende as incense For although thei being perswaded of the fatherly loue of God cherefully coÌ„mitt theÌ„selues into his faithful keping dout not to craue the helpe whiche he freely promiseth yet doth not an idle carelesnesse lift them vp as though thei had cast away shame but thei ascend so vpward by degrees of promyses that thei stil remaine humble suppliants in the abacemeÌ„t of theÌ„selues Here ar questioÌ„s obiected more thaÌ„ one For the scripture reporteth that the lord graÌ„ted certain desires which yet brake forth of a minde not quiet nor wel framed Uerili for a iust cause Ioatham had auowed the inhabitaÌ„ts of SicheÌ„ to the destructioÌ„ which afterward caÌ„e vpoÌ„ theÌ„ but yet god kindled with ferueÌ„tnes of anger veÌ„geaÌ„ce folowing his execratioÌ„ semeth to alow ilteÌ„pered violeÌ„t passioÌ„s Such heat also caried SamsoÌ„ wheÌ„ he said StrengtheÌ„ me O god that I may take vengeaÌ„ce of the vncircumcised For though ther were some pece of good zele miÌ„gled with it yet a hote
he helpeth vs ▪ he sheweth an example and profe of hys goodnesse we nede not to feare that our hope shal be put to shame or disapoint vs. Let thys be the summe Wheras the Scripture setteth out thys vnto vs for the chefe point in the worshipping of God as refusing al sacrifices he requireth of vs thys dutye of godlynesse prayer is not wythout manifeste sacrilege directed to other Wherefore also it is sayed in the Psalme If we stretch fourth our handes to a strange God shall not God require these things Againe wheras God wil not be called vpon but of Fayth and expresly cōmaundeth prayers to be framed according to the rule of hys worde finally whereas Fayth founded vpō the word is the mother of right prayer so sone as we swarue from the worde our prayer must nedes be corrupted But it is alredy shewed that if the whole Scripture be sought thys honor is therin chalenged to God onely As touching the office of intercession we haue also shewed that it is peculiar to Christ and that there is no prayer acceptable to God but whiche that mediator halloweth And though the faythfull do one for an other offer prayers to God for their brethren we haue shewed that thys abaeth nothing from the onely intercession of Christ because they altogether standing vpon it do commende both themselues and other to God Moreouer we haue taught that this is vnfittly drawen to dead men to whom we neuer rede that it hath ben commaunded that they shoulde pray for vs. The Scripture doth oftentimes exhorte vs to mutuall doinges of thys dutie one for an other but of dead mē there is not so much as one syllable yea and Iames ioyning these twoo thinges together that we should confesse our selues among our selues and mutually pray one for an other doth secretly exclude dead men Therfore to condemne thys error thys one reason sufficeth that the beginning of prayeng rightly spryngeth out of Fayth and that Fayth cometh of the hearing of the worde of God where is no mention of the fained intercession because superstition hath rashly gotten to it selfe patrones whiche were not geuen them of God For whereas the Scripture is ful of many formes of prayer there is no example founde of thys patroneshyp ▪ without which in the papacie thei beleue that there is no praier Moreouer it is certaine that this superstition hath growē of distrustfulnesse either because they were not content with Christ to be their intercessor or haue altogether robbed him of this praise And thys later point is easily proued by their shamelessnesse because they haue no other stronger argument to proue that we haue nede of the intercession of Saintes than whē they obiect that we are vnworthy of familiar accesse to God Which we in dede graunt to be most true but therupon we gather that they leaue nothing to Christe whiche esteme his intercession nothing worth vnles there be adioyned George Hyppolite or such other visors But although praier properly signifieth only wishes petitions yet there is so great affinitie betwene petitiō thankesgeuing that they maye be fittly comprehended both vnder one name For the speciall sortes which Paul rehearseth fal vnder the first part of this diuision With asking and crauing we poure fourth our desires before God requiring as wel those thinges that seme to sprede abrode his glorie and set foorth hys name as the benefites that are profitable to our vse With geuing of thankes we do with due prayse magnifie his good doinges towarde vs acknowleging to be receued of his liberalitie whatsoeuer good thinges do come to vs. Therfore Dauid cōprehended these twoo partes together sayeng Cal vpō me in the day of necessitie I wil deliuer thee thou shalte glorifie me The Scripture not in vaine commaundeth vs to vse both For we haue sayd in an other place that our nedinesse is so greate and the experience it selfe cryeth out that we are on euery syde pinched and pressed with so many and so great distresses that all haue cause enough why they shoulde both sighe to God and in humble wyse call vpon hym For though they be free from aduersities yet the gyltynesse of their wicked doinges and their innumerable assaultes of tentations ought to pricke forwarde the most holy to aske remedie But in the sacrifice of prayse and thankesgeuing there can be no interruption without haynous synne forasmuch as God cesseth not to heape vppon diuerse men diuerse benefites to dryue vs though we be slack and slow to thākfulnesse Finally so great and so plentuous largesse of hys benefites doth in a maner ouerwhelme vs there are so many and so greate miracles of hys seen on euery syde which way soeuer thou turne thee that we neuer want grounde and mater of prayse and thankesgeuing And that these things may be somwhat plainlier declared sith al our hopes and wealth stande in God which we haue before sufficiently proued that neither we nor all our things can be in prosperitie but by his blessing we must cōtinually cōmit our selues al our things to him Thē whatsoeuer we purpose speake or do let vs purpose speake doe vnder hys hand wil finally vnder the hope of hys helpe For al are pronoūced accursed of God which deuise or determine any purposes vpō trust of thēselues or of ani other which wtout his wil wtout callig vpō him do enterprise or attēpt to begin any thīg And wheras we haue diuerse times alredy said that he is duely honored when he is acknowleged the author of al good things therupon foloweth that al those things are so to be receiued at his hāde the we yelde cōtinual thāks for them the there is no other right way for vs to vse his benefites which flow and procede frō his liberality to no other end but the we shold be cōtinually busied in cōfessing his prayse geuing of thanks For Paul when he testifieth that they are sanctified by the worde prayer doth therwithal signifie that they are not holy and cleane to vs without the worde and prayer vnderstanding by the worde fayth by figure Therfore Dauid sayth very well when hauing receiued the liberalitie of the Lorde he declareth that there is geuen hym into hys mouth a new song wherby verily he signifieth that it is a malitious silence if we passe ouer any of hys benefites without prayse sithe he so ofte geueth vs mater to say good of hym as he doeth good to vs. As also Esaie setting out the singular grace of God exhorteth the faythfull to a new and vnwonted song In which sense Dauid sayth in an other place Lord opē thou my lippes my mouth shal shew fourth thy prayse Likewise Ezethias and Ionas testifie that thys shal be to them the ende of their deliuerance to celebrate the goodnesse of God with songes in the tēple Thys same Law Dauid prescribeth to al the godly What shal I repay to the
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
the iugement of God It is in dede to be wished yea and to be earnestly endeuored that we hauing performed all the partes of our dutie may truely reioyse before God that we are cleane from all spott but forasmuch as it pleaseth God by litle and litle to make againe his image in vs that there alwaye remayneth some infection in our fleshe the remedie ought not to haue been despised If Christ by the authoritie geuen to him of hys Father commaundeth vs throughout the whole course of our life to fle to crauing of pardoÌ„ of our giltinesse who shal be able to suffer these new maisters which goe about with this imagined ghost of perfect innoceÌ„cie to dasel the eyes of the simple to make them to trust that they may be made free froÌ„ all faultâ— Which as Ihon witnesseth is nothing ells but to make God a lier And withal one worke these lewde men by cancilling one article do feare in sonder and by that meane do weaken from the very fundation the whole couenant of God wherin we haue shewed that our saluatioÌ„ is coÌ„teined so as they be not only robbers of God because they seuer those thinges so coÌ„ioyned but also wicked cruel because they ouerwhelme poore soules with despeire and traytors to themselues and other that be like them because they bryng themselues into a slouthfulnesse directly contrary to the mercy of God But wheras some obiect that in wishing the coming of the kyngdome of God we do also aske the putting away of synne that is to childishe because in the firste table of thys prayer is set forth vnto vs most hye perfection but in this part is set fourth our weakenesse So these twoo thinges do fittly agree together that in a spring toward the marke we despise not the remedies which our necessitie requireth Finally we pray that we may be forgeuen as we our selues doe forgeue our dettors that is as we do forgeue and pardon al of whomsoeuer we haue ben in any thing offended either vniustly handled in dede or reprochefully vsed in worde Not that it lyeth in vs to pardoÌ„ the giltinesse of the fault and offense which perteineth to God alone but thys is our forgeuing of our owne willingnesse to lay away out of our mynde wrath hatred and desire of reuengement and with voluntarie forgetfulnesse to treade vnder fote the remembrance of iâ—iuries Wherefore we may not aske forgeuenesse of synnes at the hande of God if we doe not also forgeue their offenses towarde vs which either do or haue done vs wrong But if we kepe any hatreds in our hartes and purpose any reuengementes and imagine by what occasion we may hurt yea and if we do not endeuor to come into fauor againe with our enemies and to deserue well of them with all kynde of frendly doinges and to winne them vnto vs we do by thys prayer beseche God that he do not forgeue vs. For we require that he graunt to vs the same forgeuenesse whiche we graunt to other But this is to pray that he graunt it not to vs vnlesse we graunt it to them Whoso therfore be such what doe they obtein by their prayer but a more greuous iugemeÌ„t Last of al it is to be noted that this condition that he forgeue vs as we forgeue our dettors is not herefore added for that we deserue his forgeuenesse by the forgeuenesse which we graunt to other as if that cause of forgeuenesse to vs were there expressed but by thys worde partly the Lordes will was to comforte the weakenesse of our Fayth for he added this as a signe whereby we may be assured that he hath as surely grauÌ„ted to vs forgeuenesse of our synnes as we surely knowe in our conscience that we haue grauÌ„ted thesame to other if our mynde be voyde and cleansed of al hatred enuye reuengement and partly by thys as it were by a marke he wipeth them out of the number of his children that they may not be bolde to call vpoÌ„ him as their Father which being hedlong hasty to reuenge and hardily entreated to pardon doe vse stiffly continuing enmites and doe cherishe in themselues the same displeasure towarde other which they pray to be turned from themselues Whiche is also in Luke expresly spoken in the wordes of Christ. The sixt petitioÌ„ as we haue sayd answereth to the promise of engrauing the lawe of God in our hartes But because we doe not without continual warrfare and hard and great striuinges obey to God we do here pray to be furnished with such wepons and defended with suche succor that we may be able to get the victorie whereby we are warned that we stande in nede not only of the grace of the Spirite whiche may soften how and direct our hartes to the obedience of God but also of hys helpe wherby he may make vs vnuicible against bothe al the trayterous entrappinges and violeÌ„t conflictes of Satan But now of tentations there are many and diuerse sortes For both the peruerse thoughtes of minde prouoking vs to trespassing against the law which either our owne luste doth minister vnto vs or the deuell stirreth vp are tentations and also those thinges which of their owne nature are not euell yet by the craft of the deuel are made tentations wheÌ„ they are so set before our eyes that by the occasion of them we be drawen awaye or do swarue from God And these tentations are either on the ryghte hande or on the left On the righte hande as richesse power honors which commonly do with their glistering and shewe of good so dasel the sight of men and catche them with the bayted hoke of their flatterings that beyng entrapped with suche deceites or dronke with suche swetenesse they may forget their God On the left hande as pouertie reproches despisinges trobles and suche other that they being greued with the bitternesse and hardnesse therof may be vtterly discouraged caste away Fayth and hope and finally be altogether estranged from God To these tentations of both sortes which fighte with vs eyther being kindled in vs by our owne luste or being set against vs by the craft of Satan we pray to our heavenly Father that he suffer vs not to yelde But rather that he vpholde vs and rayse vs vp with his hande that being strong by his strength we may stande fast against all the assaultes of the malicious enemie whatsoeuer thoughtes he put into our mynde then that whatsoeuer is sett before vs on either side we maye turne it to good that we neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor throwen downe with aduersitie Neither yet doe we here require that we may fele no tentations at al with which we haue great nede to be stirred vp pricked and pinched least by to muche reste we growe dull For not in vaine did Dauid wishe to be tempted and not without cause the Lord daily tempteth hys electe chastising them by shame pouertie troble and other
take vpon him that he will haue care of our greues after that they haue ben ones laide in his bosome And so he will make vs to possesse abundance in pouertie comfort in affliction For howsoeuer all other thynges do faile vs yet God will neuer faile vs which suffereth the waityng and patience of them that be his to be disappoynted He alone shall suffice vs in steede of all thynges forasmuche as he conteineth in hymself al good thyngs which he shall one day disclose vnto vs at the day of iudgement when he shall plainly shew◠foorth his kyngdome Besyde this although God graunt to vs yet he dothe not alway answer accordyng to the expresse forme of our request but holdyng vs after outwarde semyng in suspense yet by a meane vnknowē he sheweth that our praiers wer not vain This is meant by the words of Iohn If we know that he heareth vs when we aske any thing of him we know that we haue the petitions which we aske of him This is meant by the words of Iohn If we know that he heareth vs whē we aske any thyng of hym This seemeth a weake superfluousnesse of wordes but it is a singularly profitable declaratiō namely that God euen when he doeth not folowe our desires is yet gentle and fauorable to our prayers that the hope which resteth vpon his worde may neuer disappoynt vs. But with this patience the faithfull doo so farre nede to be susteyned that they should not long stand vnlesse they dyd stay vpon it For the Lorde dothe by not light trailles proue them that be his and not tenderly dothe exercise them but oftentymes driueth them into the greatest extremities and when they are driuen thether he suffreth them long to sticke fast in the myre ere he geue them any taste of his swetenesse and as Hanna saith he slayeth and quickneth he leadeth down to the helles and bringeth backe againe What coulde they here dou but be discouraged and fall hedlong into despaire vnlesse when they are in distresse and desolate already halfe dead this thought did rayse them vp that God doth loke vpon them and that there shall be at hande an ende of their euels But howsoeuer they stande fast vppon the assurednesse of that hope they ceasse not in the meane tyme to pray because if there be not in prayer a stedfastnesse of continuance we nothyng preuayle with prayeng ¶ The. xxi Chapiter Of the eternall Election wherby God hath predestinate some to saluation and other some to destruction BUt nowe whereas the couenant of life is not egally preached to al men and with them to whome it is preched it doth not eyther egally or continually finde like place in this diuersitie the wonderous deapth of the iudgement of God appeareth For neyther is it any dout but that this diuersitie also serueth the free choise of Gods eternall election If it be euident that it is wrought by the will of God that saluation is frely offred to some other some are debarred from cōmyng to it here by by arise great and hard questions which can not otherwise be discussed thā if the godly myndes haue that certainly stablished whiche they ought to holde cōcerning election and Predestination This is as many think a combersome question because they thynke nothing to be lesse reasonable than of the cōmon multitude of men some to be fore ordeined to saluation other some to destruction But how they wrongfully encombre themselues shall afterwarde be euident by the framyng of the mater together Beside that in the very same darknesse which maketh men afrayde not onely the profytablenesse of this doctrine but also the moste swete fruite sheweth foorth it selfe We shall neuer be clerely persuaded as we ought to be that our saluation floweth out of the fountain of the free mercie of God till his eternall election be knowen to vs which by this comparison bryghtly setteth foorth the grace of God that he dothe not without difference adopt all into the hope of saluation but geueth to some that which he denieth to other Now muche the ignorance of this principle diminisheth of the glorie of God howe much it withdraweth from true humilitie it is playne to see But Paul denieth that that whiche is so necessarie to be knowen is possible to be knowen vnlesse God leauyng alltogether the respect of workes do chose them whom he hath determined with himselfe In this tyme sayth he the remnantes were saued according to free election If by Grace then not of workes forasmuche as Grace should then not be grace If of woorkes then not of Grace forasmuche as worke should now not be woorke If we must be broughte backe to the begynnyng of election that it maye be certaine that saluation cometh to vs from no otherwhere than from the mere liberalitie of God they whiche will haue this principle quenched do niggardly so much as in them lieth darken that which ought gloriously and with full mouthe to haue ben publyshed and they plucke vp the very roote of humilitie Paule where the saluation of the remnant of the people is ascribed to free election clerely testifieth that onely then it is knowen that God dothe by his mere good pleasure saue whom he will and not render rewarde which can not be done They whiche shutt the gates that none may be bolde to come to the tasting of this doctrine do no lesse wrong to mē than to God because neither shal any other thyng suffice to humble vs as we ought to be neither shall we otherwise feele from our hart how muche we are bounde to God Neither yet is there any otherwhere the vpholdyng stay of sounde affiance as Christe himselfe teacheth which to deliuer vs from all feare to make vs vnuanquishable among so many dangers ambushes and deadly battells promiseth that whatsoeuer he hath receiued of his Father to keepe shall be safe Wherof we gather that they shall with continual tremblyng be miserable whosoeuer they be that knowe not themselues to be the propre possession of God and therfore that they do very yll prouide bothe for themselues and for all the faithfull which in beyng blynde at these thre profites which we haue touched woulde wishe the whole fundation of our saluation to be quite taken from among vs. Moreouer hereby the Chirch appeareth vnto vs whiche otherwise as Bernard rightly teacheth were not possible to be founde nor to be knowen among creatures because bothe waies in meruailous wise it lieth hidden within the bosome of blessed Predestination and within the Masse of miserable damnation But ere I entre into the matter it selfe I must before hand in two sortes speake to two sortes of men That the entrentyng of predestination wheras of it selfe it is somwhat combersome is made very doutfull yea and dangerous the curiousnesse of men is the cause which ran by no stoppes be restrained from wandring into forbidden compasses and climbyng vp an hye which if
it may will leaue to God no secrete which it will not searche and turne ouer Into this boldnesse and importunacie forasmuch as we commonly se many to runne headlong and among those that are otherwise not euell men here is fit occasion to warne them what is in this behalfe the due measure of theyr duetie First therfore let them remembre that when they enquire vpon Predestination they pearce into the secrete closets of the wisedome of God wherinto if any man doo carelesly and boldly breake in he shall bothe not atteyne wherwith to satisfie his curiousnesse and he shal entre into a mase wherof he shall fynde no way to get out again For neither is it mete that man shoulde freely search those thynges which God hath willed to be hidden in himselfe and to turne ouer from very eternitie the height of wisedome which he willed to be honored and not to be conceiued that by it also he mought be meruailous vnto vs. Those secretes of his will whiche he hath determined to be opened vnto vs he hath disclosed in his worde and he hath determined so farre as he forsawe to pertayne to vs and to be profitable for vs. We are come sayth Augustine into the way of Faithe let vs stedfastly holde it It bringeth into the Kynges chamber in whiche all the treasures of knowlege and wisedome are hidden For the Lorde himselfe Christ did not enuie his excellent and moste chosen disciples when he said I haue many thynges to be sayde to you but ye can not beare them nowe We must walke we must profit we must encreasce that our hartes may be able to conceiue those thynges which now we can not coÌ„ceiue If the last day find vs profityng there we shal learne that whiche here we coulde not If this thought be of force with vs that the worde of the Lorde is the onely way that may leade vs to searche whatsoeuer is lawfull to be learned of him that it is the only light which may geue vs light to see whatsoeuer we ought to see of hym it shall easily holde backe and restraine vs from all rashenesse For we shall knowe that so soone as we be gone out of the boundes of the worde we runne oute of the waie and in darkenesse in which race we must needes oftentymes stray slippe and stumble First therfore let this be before our eyes that to couet any other knowlege of Predestination than that whiche is set foorth by the woorde of God is a poynt of no lesse madnesse than if a man haue a will to go by an vnpassable waie or to se in darknesse Neither lett vs be ashamed to be ignorant of somewhat in it wherein there is some learned ignorance But rather lett vs willyngly absteine from the serchyng of that Knowlege wherof the excessyue couetyng is both foolishe and pâ—rillous yea and deadly But if the wantonnesse of witt prouoke vs it shal be profitable alwaye to sett this agaynst it whereby it may be beaten backe that as to much of honey is not good so the serchyng of glorie dothe not turne vnto glorie to the curious For there is good cause why we shoulde be frayed away from that boldnesse whiche can do nothing but throwe vs downe headlong into ruine There be other which when they haue a will to remedy this euell doo commaunde all mention of Predestination to bee in a maner buried at the least they teache men to flee from euery maner of questionyng therof as from a rocke Although the moderation of these men bee herein worthily to be praysed that they iudge that mysteries shoulde be tasted of with suche sobrietie yet because they descende to muche beneath the meane they little preuaile with the witte of manne whiche doothe not lyghtly suffre it selfe to be restrained Therfore that in this behalf also we maie kepe a right ende we must returne to the worde of the Lorde in whiche we haue a sure rule of vnderstanding For the Scripture is the schoole of the Holy ghoste in whiche as nothyng is lefte out which is bothe necessarie profitable to be knowen so nothyng is taught but that whiche is behouefull to learne Whatsoeuer therfore is vttered in the Scripture concernyng Predestination we muste beware that we debarre not the faithfull from it least we should seme either enuiously to defraude them of the benefite of their God or to blame and accuse the Holy ghoste who hath published those thynges whyche it is in any wyse profitable to be suppressed Let vs I say geue leaue to a christian man to open his mynde and his eares to all the sayenges of God whiche are directed to hym so that it be doone with this temperance that so soone as the Lorde hath closed his holy mouth he may also forclose to himselfe all the way to enquire further This shall be the beste bouÌ„de of sobrietie if not only in learnyng we alway follow the Lord goyng before vs but also wheÌ„ he maketh an ende of teaching we ceasse to will to learne Neither is the danger which they feare of so greate importance that we ought therfore to turne awaye our myndes from the oracles of God Notable is the sayeng of Salomon that the glorie of God is to concele a word But sithe bothe godlinesse and common reason teacheth that this is not generally meant of euery thyng we muste seke a difference least brutishe ignorance shoulde please vs vnder color of modestie and sobrietie That difference is in fewe woordes playnly sett out by Moses To the Lord our God sayth he belong his secretes bâ—t to vs and to our children he hath disclosed these thynges For we see how he commendeth to the people the studie of the doctrine of the law onely by reason of the decree of God because it pleased God to publish it â–ª and howe he withholdeth the people within those bouÌ„des by this only reason because it is not lawfull for mortall men to thrust themselues into the secretes of God Prophane men I graunt do in the mater of Predestination sodenly catche hold of somewhat which they may carpe or cauill or barke or scoffe at But if their waywardnesse doo fray vs away from it the chefe articles of the faith must be kept secrete of whiche there is almost none which thei or such as thei be do leaue vntouched with blasphemie A frowarde wytt will no lesse prowdly outrage when he heareth that in the essence of God there are three persones than if he heare that God forsawe what shoulde becomme of man when he created hym Neyther will they absteyne from laughyng when they shall vnderstande that there is lyttell more than fiue thousande yeares passed sins the creation of the worlde for they wyll aske why the power of God was so long idell and asleape Fynally there can be nothyng brought foorthe whych they will not scoffe at For the restrainynge of these sacrileges must we holde our peace of the Godhead of
from thys care for verily these promyses haue respect to the time to come All that my Father geueth mee shall come to me and him that shall come to mee I will not cast him oute of doers Againe This is the will of him that sente me the Father that I lose nothing of al things that he hath geuen me but may raise them vp againe in the last day Againe â–ª My shepe heare my voice and thei folowe me I knowe them and I geue them eternall life and thei shall not perishe for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande The Father which gaue them to me is greater then all and no man can take them out of the hande of my Father Now when he pronouÌ„ceth Euery tree whiche my Father hathe not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote he signifieth on the coÌ„trary side that thei can neuer be plucked from saluation which haue roote in God Wherewith agreeth that saieng of Ihon If thei had ben of vs thei had not at all gone out from vs. Herevpon also commeth that noble glorieng of Paul against Life and Death present thinges and thinges to come which glorieng must nedes be grounded vpon the gift of continuance Neyther is it any doubt that he directeth this saieng to all the faithfull In an other place the same Paul saith He that hath begonne in you a good worke shal ende it euen vntil the day of Christ. As also Dauid when his faith fainted leaned vpon this stay Thou shalt not forsake the worke of thy handes And nowe neither is this doubtfull that Christ when he prayeth for all the faithfull asketh the same thinge for them whiche he asketh for Peter that their faith maye neuer faint Whereby we gather that thei are out of danger of falling awaie bycause the sonne of God askinge stedfaste continuance for their godlinesse suffered no deniall What woulde Christe haue vs to learne hereby but that wee shoulde truste that we shall perpetually be safe bicause we are ones made his But it dayly happeneth that thei whiche semed to be Christes do agayne reuolt from him fal yea in the very same place where he affirmeth that none had perished of them which were geuen him of the Father yet he excepteth the sonne of perditioÌ„ That is true in dede but this is also as certaine that such did neuer cleaâ—e to Christ with that aâ—fiance of heart with whiche I sate that the assurednesse of our election ys stablished Thei went out from vs saith Ihon but thei were not of vs. For if thei had ben of vs thei had still taried with vs. Neither do I deny that thei haue like signes of calling as the elect haue but I do not graunt that thei haue that sure stablishment of election which I bidde the faithfull to fetche out of the worde of the Gospell Wherfore let not suche examples moue vs but that we quietly reste vpon the promise of the Lord where he pronounceth that al thei are geuen to him of the Father which receiue him with true faith of whom sith he is their keper Pastor none shal perishe Of Iudas we shal speake hereafter Paule doth not counsell Christians from assurednesse altogether butte from carelesse and loose assurednesse of the fleshe whiche draweth wyth it pride presumptioÌ„ and disdaine of other and quencheth humilitie and the reuerence of God bringeth forgetfulnes of grace receiued For he speaketh to the Gentiles whome he teacheth that thei ought not proudly vngently to reproche that Iewes for this that the Iewes beinge disherited thei were set in their stede Feare also he requireth not wherew t thei sholde be dismaied stagger but whych framing vs to the humbler receiuing of the grace of God shold abate nothing of the affiance therof as we haue said in an other place Beside that he doth not there speake to euery maÌ„ particularly but to the sectes theÌ„selues generally For when the Churche was diuided into two parts enuie bred dissensioÌ„ Paul putteth the GeÌ„tiles in minde that their beiÌ„g supplied into the place of the peculiar holy people ought to bee to theÌ„ a cause of feare modesty And amoÌ„g theÌ„ ther wer many puffed vp with glory whose vaine bostiÌ„g it was profitable to beat downe But we haue in an other place shewed that our hope is extended to the time to come euen beyonde death that nothing is more contrarye to the nature of it than to doubte what shall become of vs. That saieng of Christ of many being called but few chosen is very il takeÌ„ after that maÌ„ner Ther shal be nothing doubtful if we hold faste that which ought to be clere by the things aboue spokeÌ„ that ther ar two sorts of calling For ther is an vniuersal calling wherby through the outward preaching of the word God calleth al together to him euen them also to whom he setteth it forth vnto that sauour of death vnto matter of more greuous coÌ„demnatioÌ„ The other is a special calling whiche for the most part he vouche saueth to geue only to the faithful wheÌ„ by the inward enlightning of his spirit he maketh that the word preached is setled in their hearts Yet somtime he maketh theÌ„ also partakers of it whoÌ„ he enlightneth but for a time afterward by the deseruiÌ„g of their vnthankefulnes forsaketh theÌ„ striketh theÌ„ with greater blindenes Nowe when the Lorde sawe the Gospel to be published far wide to be despised of many but to be had in due price of fewe he describeth to vs God vnder the persoÌ„ of a Kinge which preparinge a solemne feaste sendeth his messingers rounde about to bidde a greate multitude to be his gestes and yet can get but a fewe bicause euery one allegeth lettes for his excuse so that at length he is compelled vpon their refusal to cal out of the hie waies euery one that he meteth Hetherto euery man seeth that the parable must be vnderstand of the outward callinge He addeth afterward that God doth like a good maker of a feast which goeth aboute the tables to chere his gestes If he finde any not clothed with a weddinge garment he wil not suffer him with his vncleanlines to dishonoure the solemnitie of the feast This part of the parable I grant is to be vnderstand of them which enter into the Church by the profession of faithe but are not clothed with the sanctification of Christ. Suche dishonors and as it were botches of his Churche the Lorde wyll not suffer for euer but as their fylthinesse deserueth he wil caste them out Therfore few ar chosen out of a great numbre of them that are called but yet not with the calling by which we say that the faithfull ought to iudge their election For that general calling is also common to the wicked but this special Calling bringeth with it the spirit of regeneratioÌ„ which is the
but that thei may be made more dul he layeth to theÌ„ a remedie but not that thei may be healed And Iohn alleging this prophecie affirmeth that the Iewes could not beleue the doctrine of Christ bicause this curse of God lay vpoÌ„ them Neither can this also be in coÌ„trouersie that whom God will not haue â—o be enlightened to them he deliuered his doctrine wrapped vp in darke speches that thei may nothing profit thereby but to be thrust into greater dulnesse Christ also testifieth that he doth therefore expound only to the Apostles the parables in whiche he had spoken to the multitude bycause to them it was geuen to know the misteries of the kingdome of God but to the common people not so What meaneth the Lorde wilt thou saye in teachynge them of whome he prouideth that he maye not bee vnderstanded Consider whense is the faulte and thou wilt cesse to aske For in the worde how great darknesse soeuer there be yet there is alwaie light enough to conuince the conscience of the wicked Now remaineth for vs to see why the lord doth the which it is plaine that he doth If it be answered that it is so done bicause men haue so deserued by their vngodlinesse wickednesse vnthankfulnesse the same shall in dede be wel truely saide but bicause there appeareth not yet the reasoÌ„ of this diuersitie why when some are bowed to obedience other some continue hardened in searching it we must nedes go to that which Paule hath noted out of Moses namely that God hath raised them vp from the beginning that he might shew his name in the whole earthe Whereas therfore the reprobate do not obey the word of God opened vnto them that shal be wel imputed to the malice peruersenesse of their heart so that this be therwithal added that thei are therfore geuen into this peruersnesse bicause by the righteous but yet vnsearchable iudgement of God thei are raised vp to set forth his glorie with their damnation Likewise when it is said of the sonnes of Heli that thei harkened not to holsome warninges bicause the lord willed to kil them it is not denied that the stubbornesse proceded of their own naughtinesse but it is therwtal touched why thei were lefte in stubbornesse when the Lord might haue softened their heartes namly bicause his vnchangeable decree hadde ones appointed them to destruction To the same purpose serueth that saieng of Ihon When he had done so great signes no man beleued in him that the word of Esaie might be fulfilled Lorde whoe hath beleued our hearing For though he do not excuse the stifnecked froÌ„ blame yet he is content with that reasoÌ„ that the grace of God is vnsauorie to men till the holy ghost bring taste And Christ alleging the prophecie of Esaie Thei shall al be taught of God lendeth to no other end but to proue that the Iewes ar reprobate straÌ„gers froÌ„ the Church bicause they ar vnapt to learne he bringeth no other cause therof but for that the promise of God dothe not perteine to theÌ„ Which thiÌ„g this saieng of Paul coÌ„firmeth yâ— Christ which to the Iewes is an offense to the gentiles foolishnes is to the called the strength wisedome of God For when he hath tolde what coÌ„monly happeneth so ofte as the Gospel is preached namly yâ— some it maketh more obstinate of some it is despised he saith that it is had in price of the only which at called He had in dede a little before named theÌ„ beleuers but he meant not to take away the due degree froÌ„ the grace of God which goeth before faith but rather he added this seconde saieng by waie of Correction that thei which had embraced the Gospel shold geue the praise of their faith to the calling of God As also a litle after he teacheth that they are chosen of God When the vngodly heare these thinges thei crie oute that god with inordinate power abuseth his poore creatures for a sporte to his crueltie But we which know yâ— al men are so many waies endaÌ„gered to the iudgment seate of God that being asked of a thousand thynges thei can not satisfie in one doe confesse that the reprobate suffer nothing which agreeth not with the most iust iudgment of God Whereas we do not clerely atteine the reasoÌ„ therof let vs not be discoÌ„teÌ„t to be ignoraÌ„t of somwhat wher the wisedoÌ„ of god lifteth vp it self into so great heigth But forasmuch as ther ar a few places of scripture wont to be obiected in which God semeth to denie that it is done by his ordinance that she wicked do perish but by this that he crieng out agaiÌ„st it thei wilfulli â—â—ing death vpon themselues let vs by brefely declaring these places shewe that thei make nothing again the sentence aboue set Ther is brought forth a place of Ezechiel that God wil not the death of a sinner but rather that he may be toucâ—ed liue If thei wil extende this to all mankinde why doth he not moue many to repentance whose mindes are more pliable to obedieÌ„ce than theirs which at his dayly allurements ware harder harder With the Sodomites as Christ witnesseth the preaching of the Gospel miracles wold haue brought forth more frute than in Iurie How commeth it to passe therfore if God wil al to be saued that he openeth not the gate of repentance to those miserable meÌ„ that wold haue been more ready to receiue grace Hereby we see that the place is violently wrested if the will of God whereof the Prophet maketh mention be set against his eternall counsel whereby he hathe seuered the elect from the reprobate Now if we seke for the true natural meaning of the Propet his purpose is to bryng hope of pardon to the penitent And this is the summe that it is to be douted but that God is readie to forgeue so sone as the sinner turneth Therefore he willeth not his death in so much as he willeth his repentaÌ„ce But experience teacheth that he so wylleth them to repent whome he generally calleth to him that yet he toucheth not al their heartes Yet is it therfore to be said that he dealeth deceitfully bicause although that outward voice do but make them vnexcusable which heare do not obey it yet it is truly accoÌ„pted the testimonie of the grace of God by which testimonie he reconcileth meÌ„ to himself Therfore let vs holde this for the meaninge of the Prophet that the death of a sinner pleaseth not god that the godly may haue affiaÌ„ce that so soue as thei shal be touched with repentance there is pardoÌ„ ready for theÌ„ with God the wicked may fele that their fault is doubled because they answer not to so great mercifull kindenesse gentlenesse of God The mercie of God therfore wil alwaie mete repentance but to whome repentance is geuen both al the Prophetes Apostles Ezechiel
himsefe do plainely teach Secondly ther is alleged a place of Paul wher he saith that God willeth al meÌ„ to be saued which although it haue a diuerse meaning from the other yet in somthing thei agre together I answer first that by the rest of the texte it is made plaine howe he willeth For Paul coupleth together that he willeth theÌ„ to be saued to come to the acknowledginge of the trueth If they will haue this to bee determined by the eternal counsel of God that thei receaue the doctrine of saluacioÌ„ what meaneth that sayenge of Moses What nation is so noble that God commeth neare to it as hee dothe to thee Howe came it to passe that God restrained from many people 's the lyghte of the Gospell whiche order enioyed How came it to passe that the pure knowledg of godlynesse neuer came to some and some scarscely tasted so muche as any darke prynciples of it Hereof yt shall nowe be easye to gather whereto Paule tendeth He hadde commaunded Timothee to make solemne prayers in the Churche for kinges and prynces But when it seemed somewhat an absurditie that prayers shoulde bee made to God for a kynde of menne in a manner despeired bycause they were not onely strangers froÌ„ the body of Christe but also endeuored with al theyr forces to expresse his kingdom he added that the same is acceptable to God which willeth al meÌ„ to be saued Wherbi verily he signifieth nothig els but that he hath stopped vp that way vnto saluation to no degree of meÌ„ but rather that he hath so powred out his mercie that he willeth no man to be voide of it The other senteÌ„ces do not declare what God hath by his secret iudgement determined of al men but do shewe that there is pardon redy for al sinners which do only turne themselues to require it For if they more stifly stande vpon this that it is sayd that he will haue mercie vpon all I will on the contrarie side answer them with that whiche is written in an other place That our God is in heauen where he doeth whatsoeuer he wil. This word therfore must so be expounded that it may agree with the other I wil haue mercie vpoÌ„ whom I wil haue mercie and I wil shew mercie to whom I wil shew mercie He that chooseth out them whoÌ„ he will haue mercie on doth not geue it to all But sithe it clearely appereth that in that place is spoken not of all particular men but of degrees of men we will make no longer disputing about it Howbeit it is also to be noted that Paule doth not affirme what God doth alway and euery where in all men but leaueth it to him at his libertie at length to make Kinges magistrates partakers of the heaueÌ„ly doctrine although by reason of their blindenesse they do now rage against it They seme to presse vs more stroÌ„gly with obiecting the place of Peter that God willeth none to perish but receyueth al to repentance But the vndoyng of this knot doth by by offer selfe in the second worde bycause the will to receyue can not be vnderstaÌ„ded to be any other than that which is euery where taught Truely the turning is in the hand of God whether he wil turne all or no let himselfe be asked when he promiseth that he will geue to a certayne fewe men a fleshly heart leauyng to other some a stony heart It is true in deede that vnlesse he were ready to receyue them whiche call vpon his mercie this sayeng should be false Turne to me and I wil turne to you But I saye that none of all mortal men doth come to God but he that is preuented of God And if repentance were in the will of man Paule would not say If paraduenture he geue them repentance Yea vnlesse the same God which with word exhorteth al meÌ„ to repentance did with secret mouyng of his spirit bryng the chosen to it Ieremie would not say Turne me Lorde and I shal be turned for when thou hast turned me I haue repented But thou wilt say yf it be so there shal be smal truthe in the promises of the gospel which when they testifie of the wil of God affirme that he willeth that which is against his inuiolable decree Not so For howesoeuer the promises of saluation be vniuersall yet they nothyng disagree with the predestination of the reprobate so that we direct our myndes to the effect of them We knowe that then and not till then the promises are effectuall to vs when we receyue them by fayth on the other side when fayth is made voyde the promyse is therewithall abolished If this be the nature of them let vs then see whether these thynges disagree together that it is sayde that God hath from eternitie ordeyned whome he will embrace with loue and vpon whome he will exercise wrath and that he promiseth saluation to al without difference Truely I say that they agree very well For in so promisyng he meaneth nothing els than that his mercie is set open for al which do couet craue it which thing none do but they whoÌ„ he hath enlightned And them he enlightueth whom he hath predestinat to saluacioÌ„ Thei I saie haue the truth of the promises sure vnshaken so as it can not be said that there is any disagreement betwene the eternal election of God the testimonie of his grace which he offereth to the 〈◊〉 But why nameth he Al verily that the coÌ„sciences of the godly may the more saâ—ely rest when thei vnderstand that ther is no dyfference of synuers so 〈◊〉 be preseÌ„t that the wicked may not cauil for their excuse that thei 〈◊〉 saÌ„ctuary whervnto thei may wtdrawe themselues from the bondage of sinne when with their owne vnthankfulnesse thei refuse yt being offred theÌ„ Therfore when the mercie of God is by the Gospel offred to both sortes it is faith that is to say the enlightniÌ„g of god which maketh difference betwene the godly vngodly so as the one sort feleth the effectualnesse of the gospel the other sort obteine no frut therof The enlightning it self also hath the eternal electioÌ„ of God for the rule thereof The coÌ„plaint of Christ which thei allege IerusaleÌ„ Ierusalem howe oft haue I willed to gather together thy chickens but the woldest not maketh nothing for theÌ„ I grant the Christ ther speaketh not only in the person of maÌ„ but also reprocheth them that in al ages thei haue refused his grace But we must define the wil of God which is entreated of For neither is it vnknowen how diligently God endeuored to kepe stil that people with how great stifenesse thei euen from the first to the last being geuen to theyr waÌ„dering desires refused to be gathered together but it foloweth not therof that the counsel of God was made voide by the malice of meÌ„ They answer say that
voice of the sonne of God and shall come forth they that haue done good into the resurrection of life but they that haue done euel into the resurrection of iudgement Shal we say that soules rest in the graues that they lieng there may heare Christ and not rather that at his coÌ„maundement the bodies shal returne into the liuelinesse which they had lost Moreouer if we shal haue new bodies geneÌ„ vs where is the likefashioning of the head and the membres Christ rose againe was it with forgyng to himselfe a newe body No but as he had sayd before Destroy this teÌ„ple and in three daies I wil bulde it vp he toke againe the same body which he had before borne mortall For he had not much profited vs if a new body beyng put in place the olde body had ben destroyed which was offred vp for a sacrifice of satisfactorie cleansing We must also holde fast that felowship whiche the Apostle preacheth That we rise againe bicause Christ hath risen againe for nothyng is lesse probable than that our flesh in whiche we beare about the mortifieng of Christ should be depriued of the resurrection of Christ. Whiche verily appered by a notable example when at the risyng agayne of Christ many bodies of the Saintes came out of the graues For it canne not bee denied that this was forshewyng or rather an earnest of the laste resurrection whiche we hope for suche as was before in Enoch and Elias whome Tertullian calleth New possessors of the resurrection bycause they beyng in body and soule deliuered from corruption were receyued into the kepyng of God I am ashamed in so cleare a matter to spende so many wordes but the readers shall contentedly beare this trouble with me that no hole maye be open for frowarde and bolde wittes to deceyue the simple The flyeng spirites wyth whome I nowe dispute bryng forth a fained inueÌ„tion of their owne brayne that at the resurrection there shal be a creation of new bodies What reason moueth them to thinke so but bicause it semeth to them incredible that a carion consumed with so long cotteÌ„nesse shold returne into his auÌ„cient state Therfore only vnbeleâ—e is the mother of this opinion But vs on the other side the Spirit of God eche where in the Scripture exhorteth to hope for the resurrection of our flesh For this reason baptisme as Paule witnesseth is to vs a seale of the resurrection to come and likewise the holy Supper allureth vs to the trust thereof when we receyue with our mouth the Signes of spiritual grace And truely the whole exhortation of Paule that we geue our meÌ„bres to be weapons vnto the obedieÌ„ce of righteousnesse shold be cold vnlesse that were ioyned whiche he addeth afterward He that hath raised vp Christ froÌ„ the dead shall quicken also your mortal bodies For what should it profit to applie our feete handes eyes and tonges vnto the seruice of God vnlesse they were partakers of the frute reward Which thing Paul plainly confirmeth with his owne wordes sayeng The body not to fornication but to the Lord and the lord to the body And he that hath raised vp Christ shall also rayse vp vs by his power More plaine are those wordes which folow that our bodies are the teÌ„ples of the holy ghost the meÌ„bers of Christ. In the meane time we see how he ioyneth the resurrection with chastitie holinesse as a litle after he sayth that the price of redemption perteineth also to the bodies Now it were not resonable that the body of Paul in which he hath borne the prinâ—es of Christ in which he honorably glorified Christ shold lose the reward of the crowne Whereupon also came that glorieng We loke for the redemer from heaueÌ„ which shal make our vile body like fashioned to the body of his brightnesse And if this be true that we must by many afflictions entre into the kingdome of God no reason suffreth to debarre the bodies from this entrie which God both exerciseth vnder the standard of the crosse honoreth with the praise of victorie Therfore of this matter there arose among the Saintes no douting but that they hoped to be coÌ„panioÌ„s of Christ which remoueth into his owne persone al the afflictions wherewith we are proued to teache that they bring life Yea and vnder the law he exercised the holy fathers in this faith with an outward ceremonie For to what purpose serued the vsage of burieng as we haue already shewed but that they should know that there is new life prepared for the bodies that are layed vp Hereunto also tended the spices and other signes of immortalitie wherewith vnder the law the darknesse of faith was holpen eueÌ„ as it was by the sacrifices Neither was that maÌ„ner bredde by superstitioÌ„ for asmuch as we see that the Spirit doth no lesse diligently reherse burialles than the chefe misteries of faith And Christ commendeth that worke as a special worke truely for none other reson but bicause it lifteth vp our eyes froÌ„ beholding of the graue which corrupteth destroyeth all to the sight of the renewyng Moreouer the so diligent obseruing of the ceremonie whiche is praysed in the Fathers sufficiently proueth that it was to them a rare pretious help of faith For neither would AbrahaÌ„ haue so carefully prouided for the burieng place of his wife vnlesse there had ben set before his eyes a religion and a profit hier than the world namely that garnishing the dead body of his wife with the signes of the resurrection he might coÌ„firme both his owne faith the faith of his household But a clerer profe of this thing appereth in the exaÌ„ple of Iacob which to testifie to his posteritie that the hope of the promised land was not euen by death fallen out of his minde coÌ„maunded his bones to be caried thether I besech you if he was to be clothed with a new body shold he not haue geuen a fond coÌ„manÌ„dement coÌ„cerning dust that shold be brought to nothing Wherfore if their authoritie of the Scripture be of any force with vs there caÌ„ be required of no doctrine either a more clere or more certaine profe For this euen children vnderstand by the wordes of ResurrectioÌ„ raysing vp againe For neither can we cal it the Resurrection of that which is now first created neither shold that sayeng of Christ staÌ„d fast Whatsoeuer the Father hath geuen me it shal not perish but I wil rayse it vp in the last day To the same purpose serueth the word of Sleping which perteineth only to the bodies WherupoÌ„ also burieng places were called Coemeteria â–ª Sleping places Now it remaineth that I speake somwhat of that manner of the resurrection I vse this word bicause Paul calling it a misterie exhorteth vs to sobrietie bridleth the libertie to dispute like Philosophers freely suttelly of it First we muste holde as
small and contemptible number lyeth hid vnder a huge multitude and a fewe graines of wheate are couered wyth a heape of chaffe to God onely is to be lefte the knowledge of his Churche the fundation whereof is his secrete election But it is not sufficiente to conceiue in thoughte and mynde the multitude of the elect vnlesse we thinke vppon suche an vnitie of the Churche into whiche we be truely perswaded that we our selues be engraffed For vnlesse we be vnder our head Chryste vnited together wyth all the reste of his members there abydeth for vs no hope of the inheritaunce to come It is therefore called Catholike or Uniuersall because we can not fynde two or three Churches but that Christe muste be torne in sonder whyche can not be done But all the electe of God are so knitt together in Christe that as they hang vpon one head so they may growe together as it were into one body cleauing together wyth suche a compacting of ioyntes as the members of one selfe body beeing truely made one whiche with one hope Fayth Charitie with one selfe Spirite of God dooe lyue together beeing called not onely into one inheritaunce of eternall lyfe but also into one partaking of one God and Christe Wherefore althoughe the sorowefull desolation that on eche syde presenteth it selfe in sighte crieth out that there is nothing lefte of the Churche yet lette vs knowe that Christes death is frutefull and that God maruellously as it were in secrete corners preserueth his Church As it was sayed to Elias I haue kept to my selfe seuen thousande men that haue not bowed their knee before Baal Albeit this article of the Crede doeth in some respecte belong to the outwarde Churche that euery one of vs shoulde holde himselfe in brotherly consente with all the children of God shoulde yelde vnto the Churche that authoritie whiche it deserueth finally should so behaue himself as a shepe of the flocke And therefore is adioyned the communion of Saintes Which parcell although commonly the old writers doe leaue it out yet is not to be neglected because it very wel expresseth the qualitie of the Churche as if it had been sayed that the Saintes are gathered together into the felowshyppe of Christ with this condition that whatsoeuer benefites God bestoweth vpon them they shoulde coÌ„tinually communicate them one to an other Wherby yet the diuersitie of graces is not taken away as we know that the gyftes of the Holy ghost are diuersly distributed neyther is the order of ciuile gouernemente disturbed by whiche it is lawfull for euery man priuately to enioye his owne possessions as it is necessarye that for preseruatyon of peace among men they should haue among them selues peculiare and deuyded properties of thynges But there is a communitie affirmed such as Luke descrybeth that of the multitude of the beleuers there was one harte and one soule and Paule when he exhorteth the Ephesians to be one body one Spirite as they be called in one hope For it is not possible if they be truely perswaded that God is the common father and Christ the common head to them all but that being conioyned among themselues with brotherly loue they shoulde continually communicate those thynges that they haue Nowe it muche behoueth vs to knowe what profyte therupon returneth vnto vs. For we beleue the Churche to thys ende that we may be certainly perswaded that we are the members of it For by thys meane our saluation resteth vpon sure and sounde stayes that it although the whole frame of the world be shaken can not come to ruine and fall downe Firste it standeth wyth goddes election neyther can it varye or faile but together wyth hys eternall Prouidence Then it is after a certayne manner ioyned wyth the stedfastnesse of Christe whiche will no more suffer his faithfull to be plucked from hym than hys owne members to be rente and torne in peces Beside that we are assured that trueth shall alwaye abyde wyth vs so long as we are holden in the bosome of the Churche Laste of all that we fele that these promises belong to vs there shal be saluation in Syon God shall for euer abide in Hierusalem that it may not at any time be moued So muche can the partaking of the Churche doe that it holdeth vs in the felowshippe of God Also in the very worde Communion is muche comforte because while it remayneth certayne that what soeuer the Lorde geueth to hys and oure members belongeth to vs oure hope is by all theyr good thynges confirmed But in suche sorte to embrace the vnitie of the Churche it is not nedefull as we haue already sayed to see the Churche it selfe wyth our eies or fele it with our handes but rather by thys that it consisteth in Faith we are admonished that we oughte no lesse to thinke it to be when it passeth our vnderstanding than if it openly appeared Neither is our Fayth therefore the worse because it conceiueth it vnknowen for asmuche as we are not herein commaunded to discerne the reprobate from the electe whiche is the office of God onely and not oures but to determine assuredly in our mindes that all they that by the mercifull kindnesse of God the Father throughe the effectual working of the Holy ghost are come into the partaking of Christ are seuered into the peculiar righte and proper possession of Christe and that for asmuche as we be in the number of those we are partakers of so greate a grace But sithe it is nowe our purpose to entreate of the visible Church lette vs learne euen by thys one title of Mother howe muche â—he knowledge thereof is profitable yea necessarye for vs for asmuche as there is no other entrye into life vnlesse she conceiue vs in hee wombe vnlesse she bryng vs fourth vnlesse she fede vs with her breastes fynallye vnlesse she kepe vs vnder her custodye and gouernaunce vntyll suche tyme as beyng vnclothed of mortall fleshe we shall be lyke vnto Angels For oure weakenesse suffreth vs not to be dismissed from schole tyll we haue been scholars throughout the whole course of our lyfe Beside that oute of her bosome there is no forgeuenesse of synnes and no saluation to be hoped for as wytnesseth Esaye and Ioel with whom agreeth Ezechiel when he declareth that they shall not be in the number of Goddes people whome he putteth awaye from the heauenly lyfe As on the contrarie side they are sayed to wryte their names among the citezens of Hierusalem that turne them selues to the folowyng of true godlynesse After whiche manner it is also sayed in an other Psalme Remember me Lord in the good wyll of thy people visite me in thy saluation that I maye see the benefytes of thy electe that I maye be merry in the myrth of thy people that I maye reioyse wyth thy enherytaunce In whiche woordes the fatherly fauoure of GOD and the peculyar testimonie of the Spirituall lyfe is restrayned to
mariage that the onely begotten sonne of God hath vouchesaued to contracte with vs. Wherfore let vs diligently kepe these markes emprinted in our myndes and let vs esteme them accordyng to the Lords wil. For there is no thing yâ— Satan more endeuoureth than to take awaye and abolishe the one of these or bothe somtyme that when these markes are raced and blotted out he may take awaye the true and naturall distinction of the Churche sometyme that when they are broughte in contempt he maye with oâ—en fallyng away plucke vs from the Churche By his craft it is brought about that in certayn ages paste the pure preachyng of the worde haâ—h vanished away and nowe he doeth with as greate importunacye trauaile to ouerthrowe the ministerie whiche yet Christ hath so stablished in the Churche that when it is taken away the edification of the Churche perisheth But now howe daungerous yea how deadly a tentation is it when it doeth but come in our mynde to depart from that congregation wherein are seene the signes and tokens by whiche the Lorde thought his Church sufficiently described We se howe great hede is to be taken on bothe sides For that we shoulde not be deceiued vnder the title of the Church euery congregation that pretendeth the name of the Churche must be examined by that maner of triall as by a touchstone If it haue in the word and SacrameÌ„ts the order appointed by the Lorde it wil not deceiue vs let vs boldly yeld vnto it the honor due to Churches But contrary wise if it boaste it selfe without the word Sacraments we must no lesse with fearefull conscieÌ„ce beware of suche deceites than on the other side we must flee rashenesse pride Where as we saie that the pure ministerie of the woord and the pure vsage in celebratyng the Sacramentes is a sufficient pledge and carnest so that we maye safely embrace as the Churche any felowshyppe wherein bothe these shal be this extendeth so farre that it is neuer to be caste of so longe as it shall continue in those althoughe it swarme full of many other faultes Yea and there maye some faultynesse creepe into it in the admynistration eyther of Doctrine or of the Sacramentes whyche oughte not to estraunge vs from the Communyon of it For all the articles of true Doctrine bee not of one sorte Some be so necessarie to bee knowen that they oughte to be certayn and vndouted to all men as the propre principles of Religion of which sort are That there is one God That Christe is God and the sonne of God that oure Saluation consisteth in the mercye of God and suche lyke There bee other that beyng in controuersye betwene Churches yet doo not breake the vnitie of Fayth For those Churches that disagree aboute this one poynt if withoute luste of contention withoute stubburnesse of affyrmyng the one thinke that soules when they departe from the bodyes doo flye vp into heauen and the other Churche dare determyne nothyng of the place but yet certaynely holdeth that they lyue to the Lorde The woordes of the Apostle are Lette all vs that be perfecte thynke all one thynge but yf ye thynke any thyng otherwise thys the Lorde shall also reuele vnto you Doeth he not sufficientlye shewe that diuersitie of opinions about these matters that bee not so necessarye oughte to bee no grounde of dysagreemente amonge Christians It is in deede a principal pointe that we agree in all thynges But for as muche as there is no man that is not wrapped with some lyttell clowde of ignoraunce eyther we muste leaue no Churche at all or we muste pardon a beyng deceyued in suche thynges as maye bee vnknowen withoute violatyng the summe of Religyon and without losse of saluation But I meane not here to defend any errors be they neuer so litle so as I wold think that they shuld be cherished with flattering and winking at them but I say that we ought not rashly for euery light dissention forsake the Church in which at least that Doctrine is reteined safe and vncorrupted wherin standeth the safetie of godlynesse and the vse of SacrameÌ„tes is kept as it was institute by the Lord. In the mean time if we endeuor to ameÌ„d that which displeaseth vs we do therin according to our dutie And herevnto belongeth that sayinge of Paule If any thyng better be reueled to hym that sitteth let the first holde his peace Whereby it is euidente that all the membres of the Churche are euery one charged with endeuour to publike edification accordyng to the measure of his grace so that it be done comely and accordyng to order that is that we neither doo forsake the communion of the Churche nor abiding in it doo trouble the peace and well ordred discipline thereof But in bearyng with the imperfection of life our gentle tendernesse ought to go muche further For herein is a very slipperye easynesse to fall and herein with no small deuises doeth Satan laye wayte for vs. For there haue ben alway some whiche fylled with false perswasion of perfect holynesse as though they were already made certayne ayry spirites despised the company of all men in whom they sawe remainyng any thyng of the nature of man Suche in old tyme were the Cathari and they that were as madde as they the Donatistes Such at this day are some of the Anabaptistes whiche woulde seeme to haue profited aboue the reste Some there be that offende more by an vndiscrete zele of rygteousnesse than by that madde pride For when they see amonge them to whom the Gospell is preached the fruite of lyfe not agreablye aunsweryng to the doctrine therof they by and by iudge that there is no Churche It is in dede a moste iust displeasure and suche a one wherevnto in this moste miserable age of the worlde we geue to muche occasion Nether may we excuse our accursed slouthfulnesse whiche the lord will not suffer vnpunished as euen alredy he beginneth with greuous scourges to chastise it Woe therfore to vs whiche with so dissolute licentiousnesse of wicked dooynges make that weake consciences be wounded by reason of vs. But in this agayne they offende whoÌ„ I haue spoken of because they can not measure theyr beeyng displeased For where the Lorde requireth clemencie they leauyng it doo geue them selues wholly to immeasurable rigorousnesse For because they thynke that there is no Churche where there is not sounde purenesse and vprightnesse of lyfe for hatred of synnes they departe from the lawfull Churche whyle they thynke that they swarue from a company of wicked men They alledge that the Churche of Christe is holye But that they maye also vnderstande that it is myngled of good and euill men lette them heare this parable out of the mouthe of Christe wherin it is compared to a nette in whiche fyshes of all kyndes are gathered together and are not chosen out tyll they bee layde abrode vpon the shoare Let them heare that
traiterous with sclaunders troublesome with seditions least they shuld seme to want the lyght of truth doo pretende a shadowe of rigorous seueritie and those thynges that are in the holy Scriptures commaunded to be done with a gentler kynd of healing sauyng the sinceritie of loue and kepyng the vnitie of peace to correct the faultes of brethren they abuse it to sacrilege of schisme and to occasyon of cuttyng of But to godly and quiet men he geueth this counsell that they mercifully correct that whiche they can and that whiche they can not paciently beare and grone and mourne with loue vntyll God eyther amende and correct them or at the haruest roote vp the tares and fanne out the chaffe Lette the godly trauaile to fortifie theim selues with these armures least while they seme to them selues strong and couragious reuengers of rightuousnesse they departe from the kingdom of heauen which is the only kyngdom of rightuousnesse For sithe it is Gods will to haue the communion of his Churche to be kepte in this outward felowshyp he that for hatred of euill men doth breake the tokeÌ„ of that â—elowship entreth into a waie wherby is a slippery falling froÌ„ the coÌ„munion of saints Let them thinke that in a great multitude there be many truly holy innocent before the eies of the Lord whom they see not Let them think that euen of them that be diseased there be many that doo not please or flatter them selues in their faultes but beyng now and then awakened with earnest feare of God doo aspire to a greater vprightnesse Let them thinke that iudgement ought not to be geuen of a man by one dede forasmuche as the holiest do sometime fall away with a most greuous fal Let them think that to gather a Church there lieth more weight both in the ministerie of the woorde and in the partaking of the holy misteries than that all that force shoulde vanishe away by the fault of some wicked men Last of all lette theim consider that in iudging the Churche the iudgement of God is of greater value than the iudgement of man Where also they pretend that the Churche is not without cause called Holy it is mete to wey with what holinesse it excelleth least if we will admitte no Church but suche a one as is in all pointes perfect we leaue no Churche at all It is true in dede which Paul saith that Christ gaue himself for the Churche to sanctifie it that he clensed it with the lauer of water with the word of life to make her vnto himself a glorious spouse hauyng no spotte or wrinkle c. Yet this is also nothyng lesse true â–ª that the Lord dayly worketh in smoothyng her wrinkles and wipyng away her spottes Whervpon foloweth that her holynesse is not yet fully finished Therfore the Churche is so holy that it dayly profiteth and is not yet perfect daiely procedeth is not yet come to the marke of holinesse as also in an other place shal be more largely declared whereas therfore the Prophetes prophecie that there shal be a holy Hierusalem through whiche straungers shal not passe and a holy temple wherinto vncleane men shall not entre let vs not so take it as if there were no spotte in the membres of the Churche but for that with their whole endeuour they aspire to holinesse souÌ„d purenesse by the goodnesse of God clennesse is ascribed to them whiche they haue not yet fully obteined And although oftentimes there be but rare tokens of such sanctification among men yet we must determine that there hath bene no time sins the creation of the worlde wherin the Lord hath not had his Churche and that there shall also be no tyme to the very ende of the worlde wherin he shall not haue it For albeit immediatly from the beginnyng the whole kynde of men is corrupt and defiled by the sinne of Adam yet out of this as it were a polluted masse God alway sanctifieth som vessels vnto honour that there should be no age without felyng of his mercie Which he hath testified by certayn promises as these I haue ordeined a testament to my elect I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant I will for euer continue thy sede I will builde thy seate in generation and generation Agyan the Lord hath chosen Syon he hath chosen it for a dwelling to himself This is my reste for euer c. Agayne These thynges sayth the Lorde which geueth the Sunne for the lyght of the day the moon and starres for the light of the night If these lawes shall faile before me then the sede of Israell shall also faile Hereof Christ him self the Apostles and in maner all the Prophets haue geuen vs example Horrible are those descriptions wherin Esaie Hieremie Ioel Abacuc and the other doo lament the sicknesses of the Churche of Hierusalem In the common people in the magistrate in the Priestes all things were so corrupt that Esaie douteth not to match Hierusalem with Sodom and Gomorrha Religion was partely despised partly defiled in their maners are coÌ„monly reported theftes extortions breaches of faith murthers and like mischieues Yet therfore the Prophets did neither erect to them selues new Churches nor buyld vp newe altars on whiche they might haue seuerall sacrifices but of what soeuer maner men they were yet because they considered that God had left his word with them ordeined Ceremonies wherby he was there worshipped in the myddest of the assemblie of the wicked they held vp pure handes vnto hym Truely if they had thought that they did gather any infection thereby they would rather haue dyed a hundred tymes than haue suffred them selues to be drawen therevnto Therfore nothing withheld them from departing but desire to the keping of vnitie But if the Prophets thought it against conscience to estrange them selues from the Church for many and great wicked doyngs not of one or two men but in maner of the whole people then we take to muche vpon vs if we dare by and by depart from the coÌ„munion of the Church where not all mens maners doo satisfie eyther our iudgemente yea or the Christian profession Now what maner world was there in the tyme of Christe and the Apostles And yet that desperate vngodlynesse of the Pharisees and yâ— dissolute licenciousnesse of liuing which then eche where reigned could not hynder but that they vsed the same Ceremonies with the people assembled with the rest into one temple to the publike exercises of religion Whereof came that but because they knew that the felowship of euill men did not defile them which with a pure coÌ„science did communicate at the same Ceremonies If any man be litle moued with the Prophets and Apostles let him yet obey the authoritie of Christ. Therfore Cyprian well saieth though there be sene tares or vncleane vessels in the Churche yet there is no cause why we shuld depart from the Churche we must onely labour that we may
be denied before the Angels of God that confessed not the name of Christ before men denied him thrise in one nighte and that not without execration yet he was not put away from pardon They that liued inordinatly among the Thessalonians are so chastised that yet they be gently called to repentaunce Euen Symon the Magician hymselfe is not cast in desperation but he is rather cōmaunded to hope well when Peter counselleth hym to slee to prayers Yea most haynous sinnes haue sometime possessed whole Chirches out of which Paul rather gētly vnwrapped thē thā pronounced thē accursed The faling away of the Galathians was no meane offense The Corinthians wer so much lesse excusable thā they as they abounded in moe those nothyng lighter sinnes yet neyther of thē are excluded frō the mercy of God Yea euē they that had synned aboue the rest in vncleannesse fornication and vnchastitie are namely called to repentance For the couenant of the Lord remaineth shal remaine for euer inuiolable which he solēnely made with Christ the true Salomō his mēbers in these wordes If hys sonnes shal forsake my lawe and shall not walke in my iudgementes if they shall defile my righteousnesses and not kepe my commaundementes I wil visite their iniquities wyth a rod and their sinnes wyth stripes but my mercye I wyll not take away from hym Fynally by the very order of the Crede we be taughte that there remaineth in the Chirch of Christ continual pardon of synnes for that when the Chirche is as it were stablished yet forgeuenesse of sinnes is adioyned Some that be somwhat wiser when they see the doctryne of Nouatus to be confuted with so great plainnesse of Scripture make not euery synne vnpardonable but wilful transgressing of the lawe into whiche a man wittingly and willingly falleth Now they that say so do vouchsaue to graunt pardon to no synne but where a man hath erred by ignorance But wheras the Lord in the law commaundeth one sorte of Sacrifices to be offred for clensing of the wilful synnes of the faythful and other to redeme their ignorances how great lewdenesse shall it be to graunt no clensyng to wilful synne I say that there is nothing plainer than that the only Sacrifice of Christ auaileth to forgeue the wylfull synnes of the holy ones forasmuche as the Lord hath testified thesame by carnal Sacrifices as by signes Againe who can excuse Dauid by ignorance whom it is euident to haue been so wel instructed in the law Dyd Dauid not knowe how great was the faulte of adultrie and māslaughter which dayly punished the same in other Did brotherslaughter seme to the Patriarches a lawfull thyng Had the Corinthyans so ill profyted that they thought that wantonnesse vncleannesse whordome hatreds and contentions pleased God Dyd Peter beyng so diligently admonished not knowe how great a matter it was to forsweare hys maister Therfore let vs not wyth our owne enuyousnesse stoppe vp the way agaynst the mercy of God that so gently vttereth it selfe Truely I am not ignorante that the olde writers expounded those synnes that are dayly forgeuen to the faythfull to be the light offenses that crepe in by weakenesse of the fleshe and that they thought that the soleme repentance whiche was then required for haynous misdedes myght no more be iterate than Baptysme Which sayeng is not so to be taken as though they would eyther throwe thē down hedlong into desperation that after their first repentance had fallen agayne or extenuate those other synnes as though they wer smal in the syght of God For they knew that the holy ones do oftentymes stagger by infidelitie that superfluous othes do somtymes fall from them that they now and then are chafed vnto anger yea that they breake out euē into manifest raylinges and besyde these be troubled wyth other euils which the Lord not sclenderly abhorreth but they so called them to put a difference betwene them and publyke crymes that wyth great offense came to the knowledge of the Chirche But wheras they did so hardly pardō them that had committed any thyng worthy of ecclesiasticall correction they did not this therfore because they thought that such should hardly haue pardon with the Lord but by thys seueritie they meant to make other afraied that they should not rashly runne into wycked doinges by the deseruing wherof they myght be estranged from the Communion of the Chirche howbeit truely the worde of the Lord whych herein ought to be the only rule vnto vs appoynteth a greater moderation For it teacheth that the rigor of discipline is so farre to be extended that he that ought chefely to be prouided for be not swallowed vp wyth heuinesse as we haue before declared more at large The .ii. Chapter A comparison of the false Chirche with the true Chirche OF howe greate value the ministery of the worde and Sacramentes ought to be with vs and howe farre the reuerence of it ought to procede that it be vnto vs a perpetuall token wherby to discerne the Chirche it hath been already declared That is to say whersoeuer that ministery abideth whole and vncorrupted there the faultes or diseases of maners are no impediment but that it may beare the name of a Chirche Thē that the very ministery it selfe is by small errors not so corrupted but that it may be estemed lawfull Moreouer we haue shewed that the errors that ought so to be pardoned are those wherby the pryncipal doctrine of religion is not hurt wherby those chefe poyntes of religion that ought to be agreably holden among the faythful are not destroyed and in the Sacramentes those that do not abolish nor empaire the lawful institution of him that ordeined thē But so sone as lying is broken into the chefe tower of religion so sone as the summe of necessarye doctryne is peruerted and the vse of the Sacramentes falleth truely the destruction of the Chirch foloweth like as a mans lyfe is at an ende when his throte is thrust through or his hart deadly wounded And thys is clearely proued by the wordes of Paul when he teacheth that the fundation of the Chirch is layed vpon the doctrine of the Apostles Prophetes Christ himselfe being the hed corner stone If the fundation of the Chirche be the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles by which the faythfull are commaunded to repose their saluation in only Christ then take awaye that doctrine and how shal the bilding stande any longer Therfore the Chirche muste nedes fall downe where that summe of religion falleth which is only able to vpholde it Againe ▪ if the true Chirche be the piller and slay of the trueth it is certaine that there is no Chirche where lyeng and falshode haue vsurped the dominion Sith it is in such case vnder the Papistrie we may vnderstand how much of the Chirche is there remayning In stede of the ministery of the worde there reigneth a peruerse gouernement made of lyes
mingled together which partly quencheth and partly choketh the pure light In to the place of the Lordes Supper is entred a most filthy Sacrilege the forme of worshipping God is deformed with a manifolde intolerable heape of superstitions the doctryne without which Christianitie can not stande is altogether buried and dryuen out the publike assemblies are the scholes of idolatry and vngodlinesse Therfore there is no peryl lost in departing froÌ„ a daÌ„nable partakyng of so many mischeues we be plucked froÌ„ the Chirche of Christ. The coÌ„munion of the Chirch was not ordeined to thys ende that it should be a bonde wherby we should be entaÌ„gled with idolatrye vngodlynesse ignorance of God other kindes of euils but rather wherby we should be fast holden in the feare of God obedience of truth They do in dede gloriously set out their Chirch vnto vs that there should seme to be no other Chirch in the world afterwarde as though the victory were gotten they decree that all â—e Schismatykes that dare withdrawe themselues from the obedience of that Chirche that they painte out and that all be heretikes that dare ones mutter against the doctrine therof But by what proues do they confirme that they haue the true Chirche They alledge out of the auncient Chronicles what in olde tyme was in Italy in Fraunce in Spayne They say that they fetche their beginnyng from those holy menne that with sounde doctrine founded and raised vp Chirches and stablished the same doctrine and edifieng of the Chirche with their bloud And that so the Chirche hath ben among them so consecrate bothe with spiritual gyftes and with the bloud of martyrs and preserued with continuall succession of bishops that it myght not fall away They rehearse how muche Ireneus Tertullian Origen Augustine and other estemed this succession But howe triflyng these thynges be and howe they be but very mockeries â–ª I will make them very easily to vnderstande that will be content a little to wey them with me Truely I woulde also exhort them selues earnestly to take hede herevnto if I did trust that I might any thyng preuaile with them by teachyng But forasmuche as they leauyng all regarde of truthe doo bende themselues to this onely purpose by all the waies that they can to defende their owne cause I wyll onely speake a fewe thynges whereby good men and those that loue the truthe may wynde them selues out of their suttle cauillations Fyrste I aske of theim why they doo not alledge Aphrike and Egypte and all Asia Euen because in all those countreyes this holye Succession of Byshoppes hath ceassed by meane whereof they boast that they haue preserued Chirches They come therefore to this poynt to saye that they therefore haue a true Chirche because sins it fyrst began to be it hath not ben destitute of bishoppes for in perpetuall course they haue succeded one an other But what if I caste Greece in their waie Therefore I aske agayne of them why they say that the Chirche is loste among the Grecians among whom that succession of Byshops was neuer interrupted whiche in theyr opinion is the onely keeper and preseruer of the Chirche They make the Grecians Schismatikes but by what right because in departing from the Apostolike sea they haue lost their priuilege what Do not they much more deserue to loose it that departe from Christ himselfe It foloweth therfore that the pretence of succession is but vaine vnlesse the posteritie doo kepe faste and abide in the truthe of Christe which they haue receaued of their fathers from hande to hande Therefore the Romanistes at this day doo alledge nothyng els but that whiche it appeareth that the Iewes in olde tyme alledged when they were by the Prophetes of the Lorde reproued of blyndnesse vngodlynesse and idolatrie For they gloriously boasted of the temple Ceremonies and priesthodes by whiche thynges by great reason as they thinke they measured the Chirche So in steede of the Chirche they shewe certayne outwarde visours that oftentymes are farre from the Chirche and without whiche the Chirche maye very well stande Therefore we nede to confute theym with no other argumente then that wherewith Hieremie fought agaynst the foolyshe presumptuousnesse of the Iewes that is that they shoulde not boaste in lying woordes saying The temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lord it is the temple of the Lord. Forasmuch as the Lord doth no where acknowlege any thing for his but where his worde is heard and reuerently obseâ—ued So when the glory of God did sit betwene the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and he had promised them that that should be hys stedfast seate yet when the Priestes ones corrupted the worshipping of hym with peruerse superstitions he remoued els where and left the place wythout any holinesse If the same temple which semed to be holily appointed to the perpetuall dwelling of God mighte be forsaken of God and become vnholy there is no cause why these men should faine to vs that God is so bounde to persons or places and so fast tyed to outwarde obseruations that he must nedes abide with them that haue onely the tittle and shewe of the Churche And this is it about which Paul contendeth in the Epistle to the Romaines from the .ix. Chapter to the .xii. For this did sore trouble weake conscieÌ„ces that the Iewes when they semed to be the people of God did not onely refuse the doctryne of the Gospel but also persecute it Therfore after that he hath sette oute the doctrine he remoueth this dout and denyeth that those Iewes beeyng enemies of the trueth are the Churche howsoeuer they waÌ„ted nothing that otherwise myght be required to the outward forme of the Church And therfore he denieth it bicause they embraced not Christ. But somwhat more expresly in the Epistle to the Galathians â–ª wherin coÌ„paring Ismael with Isaac he sayeth that many holde place in the Churche to whom the inheritaunce belongeth not because they are not begotteÌ„ of the free mother From whence also he descendeth to the comparison of two Hierusalems Because as the law was geuen in the mount Sina but the Gospel came out of Hierusalem So many being seruilely born and brought vp do wythout douting boast themselues to be the childreÌ„ of God and of the Churche yea they proudely despyse the natural chyldren of God when themselues be but bastardes On the other syde also when we heare that it was ones pronounced from heauen Caste out the bonde woman and her sonne lette vs standyng vppon thys inuiolable decree boldely despyse their vnsauerie boastinges For if they be proude by reason of outwarde professyon Ismael was also circumcised if they contende by antiquitie he was the fyrst begotten and yet we see that he is put away If the cause be demaunded Paul assigneth it for that none are accompted chyldren but they that are begotteÌ„ of the pure and lawfull sede of doctryne According to thys reason
God denyeth that he is bounde to wycked Pryestes by thys that he couenanted with their Father Leui that he should be his Angel or interpreter yea he turneth agaynst themselues their false bostyng wherewyth they were wonte to rise vp against the Prophetes that the dignitie of Priesthode was to be had in singular estimation Thys he wyllyngly admitteth and wyth the same condition he debateth wyth thē because he is ready to keepe hys couenaunt but when they doe not mutually performe their parte to hym they deserue to be reiected Loe what succession auayleth vnlesse therewithal be also ioyned an inuitation and euenly continuing course euen to thys effect that the successors so sone as they be proued to haue swarued from theyr originall be depryued of all honor Unlesse parhappes because Caiphas succeded many Godlye byshops yea there was euen from Aaron to hym a continuall vnbrokē course of succession therefore that same mischeuous assemblie was worthy the name of the Churche But this were not tolerable euen in earthly dominions that the tyranny of Caligula Nero Heliogabalus and suche other should be called a true state of Common weale for that they succeded the Brutes Scipions and Camilles But specially in the gouernement of the Churche there is nothyng more fonde than leauyng the Doctrine to sette the succession in the Persons only but neyther did the holy doctours whom they falsely thruste in vnto vs meane any thyng lesse then to praie that precisely as it were by ryght of inheritance Churches be there where byshops are successiuely placed one after an other But where as it was then out of controuersie that from the very begynnyng to that age nothyng was chaunged in Doctrine they alledged that whiche myght suffise to make an ende of all newe errours that is that by those was that doctrine oppugned which had ben euen from the Apostles constantly and with one agreing consent reteined There is therfore no cause why they shold any longer go forward to deceiue by pretending a false colour vnder the name of the Churche which we do reuerently esteme as becometh vs but when they come to the definition of it not only water as the common sayeng is cleaueth vnto them but they stick fast in their own myre because they put a stinkyng harlo◠in place of the holy spouse of Christe That this puttyng in of a changelyng should not deceiue vs beside other admonitions let vs remēbre this also of Augustin For speaking of the Church he saith It is it that is sometime darkned and couered with multitude of offences as with a cloude sometime caulmnesse of time appeareth quiete and free sometime is hidden and troubled with waue of tribulations and temptations He bringeth forth examples that oftētimes the strongest pillers either valiantly suffred banishment for the faith or were hidden in the whole worlde In like maner the Romanistes do vexe vs and make afraide the ignoraunt wyth the name of the Church whereas they be the deadly enemies of Christe Therfore althoug they pretende the temple the priesthode and the other suche outward shewes this vayne glistring wherwyth the eyes of the simple bee daseled oughte nothyng to moue vs to graunt that ther is a Church where the Word of God doth not appere For this is the perpetual marke wherewith God hath marked thē that be his He that is of the truth saith he heareth my voyce Agayne I am that good shepeherd and I knowe my shepe and am knowen of them My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me And a little before he had sayd that the shepe follow their shepherde because they know his voyce but they follow not a straunger but runne away from him because they know not the voyce of straungers Why are we therfore wilfully madde in iudgyng the Churche wheras Christ hath marked it with an vndoutefull signe which wheresoeuer it is seene can not deceiue but that it certainly sheweth the Churche to bee there but where it is not there remayneth nothing that can geue a true signification of the Church For Paule rehearseth that the church was builded not vpon the iudgementes of men not vpon priesthodes but vpon the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophetes But rather Hierusalem is to be seuerally knowen from Babylon and the Church of Christ from the conspiracie of Satan by that difference wherewyth Chryste hath made them differēt one from the other He that is of God saith he heareth the Words of God Ye therfore heare not because ye ar not of God In a summe forasmuche as the Chirche is the kingdom of Christ and he reigneth not but by his word can it be now doutfull to any man but that those be the wordes of lyeng by whiche Christes kyngdom is fayned to be without his scepter that is to say without his holy worde But now where as they accuse vs of Schisme and heresie because we bothe preach a contrary doctrine to them and obey not their lawes and haue our assemblies to Praiers to Baptisme to the ministration of the Supper and other holy doinges seuerally from them it is in dede a very sore accusation but suche as needeth not a long or laboursome defence They are called heretikes and schismatikes which makyng a diuision doo breake in sunder the communion of the Chirche And this cōmunion is holden together with true bondes that is to say the agrement of true Doctrine and brotherly charitie Whervppon Augustine putteth this difference betwene heretikes and schismatikes that heretikes in dede do with false doctrines corrupt the purenesse of Faith but the Schismatikes somtime euē where there is like Faith do breake the bond of felowship But this is also to be noted that this conioinyng of charitie so hangeth vpon the vnitie of Faith that Faith ought to be the beginnyng therof the ende and finally the onely rule Let vs therfore remembre that so oft as the vnitie of the Chirch is commended vnto vs this is required that while our myndes agree in Christ our willes also may be ioyned together with mutual well willing in Christ. Therefore Paule when he exhorteth vs to that wel willing taketh for his foundation that there is one God one Faith and one Baptisme Yea where so euer he teacheth vs to be of one mynde of one wil he by by addeth in Christ or according to Christ meanyng that it is a factious cōpanie of the wicked and not agreement of the faithfull whiche is wythout the woorde of the Lorde Cyprian also folowyng Paule deriueth the whole fountaine of the agreement of the Chirch from the onely bishoprike of Christ. He afterward addeth the Chirch is but one which spredeth abrode more largely into a multitude with encrease of frutefulnesse like as there bee many sunne beames but one light and many braūches of a tree but one body grounded vpon a fast roote And when many streames doo flowe from one fountayne althoughe the nomber
seme to be scattered abrode by largenesse of ouerflowing pleÌ„tie yet the vnitie abideth in the original Take away a beame of the sunne from the body the vnitie can suffer no diuision Breake a brauÌ„che from the tree the broken braunche can not spring Cutte of the streame from the spring hed beyng cut of it dryeth vp So also the Chirch being ouerspred with the light of the Lord is extended ouer the whole worlde yet there is but one light that is spred euery where Nothing could be said more fitly to expresse that vndiuidable knitting togither which all the meÌ„bers of Christ haue one with an other We see how he continually calleth vs backe to the veray hedde Wherupon he pronounceth that heresies and schismes doo arise herof that men do not returne to the originall of truth nor do seke the hedde nor kepe the doctrin of the heuenly maister Now let them go cry that we be heretikes that haue departed from their Chirch sithe there hathe ben no cause of our estrangyng from theim but this one that they can in no wise abide the pure professyng of the truthe but I tell not howe they haue driuen vs out with cursynges and cruell execrations Whiche very selfe doyng doeth abundantly enough acquite vs vnlesse they will also condemne the Apostles for Schismatikes with whom we haue all one cause Christ I say dyd forsay to his Apostles that the tyme shuld com when they shuld be cast out of the Synagoges for his names sake And those Synagoges of which he speaketh wer then accompted lawfull Chirches Sithe therfore it is euident that we be caste out and we be ready to shewe that the same is doone for the names sake of Christ â–ª truely the cause ought fyrst to be enquired of before that any thyng be determined vpon vs either one way or other Howbeit if they will I am content to discharge of this poynt For it is enough for me â–ª that it behoued that we shuld depart froÌ„ them that we might com to Christ But it shall appeare yet more certainly in what estimation we ought to haue all the Chirches whom the tyranny of that Româ— she idâ—ll hath possessed if it be compared with the olde Chirche of the Israâ—â—ies as it is described in the Prophetes There was then a true Chirch among the Iewes and Israelites when they continued in 〈◊〉 of the couenant for they obteyned those thynges by the benefite of God whervpon the Chirch consisteth They had the truthe of doctrine in the lawe the ministerie therof was among the Priestes and the Prophets with the signe of circumcision they entred into religion by other SacrameÌ„tes they were exercised to the confirmation of Faith It is no dout that those titles wherwith the Lorde hath honoured his Chirche fittly perteyned to their felowship After that forsakyng the lawe of the Lorde they went out of kinde to idolatrie and superstition they partly lost that prerogatiue For who dare take a waye the name of the Chirche from them with whom God hath left the preachyng of his worde and obseruation of his mysteries Agayne who dare call that the Chirche without any exception where the word of the Lord is openly and freely troden vnder foote where the ministerie therof the chief sinew yea the very soule of the Chirch is destroied What then will some man saye was there therfore no parcell of â— Chirch remaining among the Iewes after that they fel away to idolatrie The answer is easy Fyrst I say that in the very fallyng away there were certayn degrees For we will not say that there was all one falle of Iuda and Israell at suche tyme as they both first swarued from the pure worshyppyng of God When Iaro beam fyrst made calues against the opeÌ„ prohibition of God and did dedicate an vnlawful place for worshipping he did vtterly corrupt religioÌ„ The Iewes did first defile them selues with wicked superstitious maners before that they wrongfully changed the order in the outward forme of religion For although vnder Rechabeam they had alredy gotten them many peruerse Ceremonies yet because there taried at Hierusalem bothe the Doctrine of the Lawe and the Priesthode and the Ceremonious vsages in suche sorte as God hadde ordeyned theim the Godly hadde there a tolerable state of Chirche Among the Israelites vnto the reigne of Achab there was no amendement of thynges and from thense foorthe they fell from worse to worse They that succeded afterwarde to the very destruction of the kyngdome partly were like vnto hym and partlye when they minded to be somwhat better than he they folowed the example of Iarobeam but they all euery one were wycked and ydolaters In Iewrye there were nowe and then diuerse changes whyle somme kynges peruerted the worshippyng of God wyth false and forged superstitions some other restored religion that was decaied vntill the very priestes them selues defiled the temple of God with prophane and abhominable vsages Now let the Papistes if they can how much soeuer they extenuate their owne faultes denye that among them the state of religion is as corrupt and defiled as it was in the kyngdome of Israell vnder Iarobeam But they haue a grosser ydolatrye and in doctrine they are not one droppe purer vnlesse peraduenture euen in it also the be more vnpure God yea all men that are endued but wyth a meane iudgement shal be witnesses with me and the thing it self also declareth how herein I tell nothyng more then trueth Now when they wyll dryue vs to the coÌ„munion of their Chirch they require two thyngs of vs first that we shuld coÌ„municate wyth al their praiers sacramentes and Ceremonies then that whatsoeuer honor power iurisdictioÌ„ Christ geueth to hys Chirch we shuld geue the same to their Chirch As to the first point I graunt that all the Prophets that were at Hierusalem wheÌ„ thinges were there very much corrupted dyd neither seuerally sacrifice nor had assemblies to pray seuerall from other men For they had a commaundement of God whereby they were coÌ„maunded to come together into Salomons temple they knew that the Leuiticall priestes howsoeuer they were vnworthy of that honour yet because they were ordeined by the Lord ministers of the holy Ceremonies and wer not as then deposed dyd yet still rightfully possesse that place But whyche is the chiefe poynte of thys question they were compelled so no superstitious worshippyng yea they toke in hande to doo nothyng but that whiche was ordeined by God But among these men I meane the Papistes what like thing is there For we can scarcely haue any meting together with them wherin we shall not defile our selues with open ydolatrie Truly the principal bond of their coÌ„munion is in the masse which we abhorre as the greatest sacrilege And whether we do this rightfully or wrongfully shal be sene in an other place At this present it is enough to shew that in this behalf we are in other case than the Prophetes were whiche
hymselfe for a Byshop that had not also in very dede shewed himselfe a true Bishop Therfore suche was the seueritie of those tymes that all ministers were dryuen to the fulfillyng of suche office as the Lorde requireth of them Neither doo I reherse the maner of one age alone For euen in Gregories tyme when the Chirche was now almoste decaied certainly it was muche degenerate from the auncient purenesse it had not ben tolerable the any Byshop should absteine from preachyng The Priest saith he in one place dieth if there be no sound hearde of him because he asketh against himselfe the wrathe of the secrete iudge if he goe without sounde of preachyng And in an other place When Paule testifieth that he is cleane from the bloud of all in this saying we be conuinced we be bounde we be shewed to be giltie which are called Priestes whiche beside the euils that we haue of our owne adde also the deathes of other because we kyl so many as we beyng luke warme and silent doo daily see to goe to death He calleth himselfe and other silent because they were lesse diligent in their worke than they ought to be When he spareth not them that did halfe performe theyr dueti what thinke you he would haue done if a man had altogither sit idle Therefore this was a greate while holden in the Chirche that the chiefe duetie of the Byshop was to fede Gods people with the worde or both publikely and priuately to edifie the Chirche with sounde doctrine But wheras euery prouince had among their Bishops one Archebishop also where in the Nicene Synode there were ordeined Patriarches whiche shoulde in degree and dignitie be aboue the Archbishops that perteined to the preseruyng of discipline Howbeit in this discourse that whiche was moste rarely vsed may not be omitted For this cause therfore chiefly these degrees were ordeined that if any thyng hapned in any Chirche that coulde not well be ended by a fewe might be referred to a prouinciall Synode If the greatnesse or difficultie of the matter required a greater discussyng the Patriarches were also called to it with the Synodes from whom there might be no appelle but to a Generall Counsel The gouernement so ordered many called a Hierarchie by a name as I thinke vnpropre and truly vnused in the Scriptures For the Holy ghost willed to prouide that no man shoulde dreame of a principalitie or Dominion when the gouernement of the Chirche is spoken of But if leauyng the woorde we looke vpon the thyng we shall find that the olde Bishops ment to forge no forme of ruling the Chirch differyng from that which the Lorde appointed by his worde Neither was the order of the Deacons at that tyme any other then it was vnder the Apostles For they receiued the daiely offrynges of the faithfull and the yerely reuenues of the Chirch to bestow them vpon true vses that is to say to distribute them to fede partely the ministers and partly the poore but by the appointment of the Bishop to whom also they yearely rendred accomptes of their distribution For where as the Canons doo euery where make the Byshop the distributer of al the goodes of the Chirch it is not so to be vnderstanded as though he did by hym selfe discharge that care but because it was his part to appoynt to the Deacon who should be receiued into the common almes of the Chirche and of that whiche remained to whom it should be geuen and howe muche to euery one because he had an ouerseeyng whether the Deacō did faithfully execute that which belōged to his office For thus it is red in the canons which they ascribe to the Apostles We cōmaūde that the Bishop haue the goodes of the Chirche in his owne power For if he be put in trust with the soules of men which are more precious muche more it is mete that he haue charge of moneye so that by his power all thyngs may be distributed to the poore by the Elders and Deacons that they may be ministred with all feare and carefulnesse And in the Counsell of Antioche it is decreed that the Bishops should be restrained that meddle with the goodes of the Chirche without the knowledge of the Elders and Deacons But of that poynt we nede to make no longer disputation sithe it is euident by many epistles of Gregorie that euen at that tyme when otherwyse the ordinances of the Chirch were muche corrupted yet this obseruation continued that the Deacons shoulde vnder the Bishop be the stewardes of the poore As for Subdeacons it is likely that at the beginnyng they were ioyned to the Deacons that they should vse their seruice about the poore but that difference was by litle and litle confounded But Archedeacons began then to be created when the plentie of the goodes required a new and more exacte maner of disposyng them Albeit Hierome doeth say that it was euen in his age In their charge was the summe of their reuenues possessions and store and the collection of the daily offrynges Wherupon Gregorie declareth to the Archedeacon of Salon that he should be holden gilty if any of the goodes of the Chirch perished either by his fraude or negligence But wheras it was geuen to them to rede the Gospell to the people and to exhort theim to praier and where as they were admytted to delyuer the Cuppe in the holy Supper that was rather doone to garnyshe their office that they shoulde execute it with the more reuerence when by suche signes they were admonished that it was no prophane baylywike that they exercised but a spirituall function and dedicate to God Hereby also we may iudge what vse there was what maner of distribution of the Chirch goods Ech where both in the decrees of the Synodes amōg the old writers it is to be foūd that whatsoeuer the Chirch possesseth ether in lāds or in money is the patrimonie of the poore Therfore oftētimes there this song is soong to the Bishops Deacons that they shuld remembre that they meddle not with their owne goodes but the goodes appointed to the necessitie of the poore which if they vnfaithfully suppresse or wast they shal be giltie of bloud Wherby they are admonished with great feare and reuerence as in the sight of God without respect of persons to distribute them to whom they be due Hereuppon also come those graue protestations in Chrysostome Ambrose Augustine and other like Byshopes whereby they affirme their owne vprightnesse to the people But sithe it is equitie and establyshed by the lawe of the Lord that they whiche employ theyr seruice to the Chirch should be fedde with the common charges of the Chirch and also many priestes in that age consecratyng their patrimonies to God were willingly made poore the distributyng was suche that neyther the ministers wanted sustenance nor the poore were neglected But yet in the mean time it was prouided that the ministers themselues which
Chirch is by that magnificēce not vncomlily vpholden And they haue of their secte some so shamelesse that they dare openly boaste that so only are fulfylled those prophecies wherby the old Prophets describe the gloriousnesse of the kyngdome of Christ when that kingly gorgeousnesse is seen in the priestly order Not in vaine say they God hath promised these thynges to his Chirche Kinges shall come they shall worshyp in thy sight they shal bryng thee giftes Arise arise clothe thee with thy strength O Syon clothe thee with the garmentes of thy glorie O Hierusalem All shall come from Saba bryngyng golde and incense and speakyng praise to the Lorde All the cattell of Cedar shal be gathered together to thee If I should tarie long vpon confutyng this lewdnesse I seare least I should seme fonde Therfore I will not lose woordes in vaine But I aske if any Iew would abuse these testimonies what solution would they geue Uerily they woulde reprehende his dullnesse for that he transferred those thinges to the fleshe and the worlde that are spiritually spoken of the spirituall kingdome of Christ. For we know that the Prophetes vnder the image of earthly thyngs did paint out vnto vs the heauenly glorie of God that ought to shine in the Chirche For the Chirch had neuer lesse abundance of these blessings whiche their wordes expresse than in the time of the Apostles yet al confesse that the force of the kingdom of Christ then chiefly florished abroade What then mean these sayings Whatsoeuer is any where precious hye excellent it ought to be made subiect to the Lord. Where as it is namely spoken of Kynges that they shall submit their scepters to Christ that they shall throwe downe their crownes before his feete that they shall dedicate their goodes to the Chirch when wil they say was it better and more fully performed thā when Theodosius casting away his purple roabe leauyng the ornamentes of the empire as some one of the cōmon people submitted himself before God and the Chirch to solemne penance then when he other lyke godly princes bestowed their endeuors and their cares to preserue pure doctrine in the Chirche and to cherishe and defende sounde teachers But howe priestes at that tyme exceded not in superfluous richesse that only sentence of the Synode at Aquileia where Ambrose was chief sufficiently declareth Glorious is pouertie in the priestes of the Lorde Truely the Bishops had at that time some richesse wherwith they myght haue set out the Chirches honor if they had thought those to be the true ornamentes of the Chirche But when they knewe that there was nothyng more against the office of Pastors than to glister and shew them selues proudly with deintynesse of fare with gorgeousnesse of garments with great train of seruantes with stately palaces they folowed and kept the humblenesse and modestie yea the very pouertie which Christ holily apointed among his ministers But that we may not be to long in this point let vs again gather into a short summe how farre that dispēsation or dissipasion of the goods of the Chirch that is now vsed differeth from the true deaconrie whiche bothe the worde of God cōmendeth vnto vs and the auncient Chirche obserued As for that whiche is bestowed vpon the garnishyng of temples I say it is ill bestowed if that measure be not vsed whiche bothe the very nature of holy thyngs appointeth and the Apostles and other holy fathers haue prescribed both by doctrine and examples But what like thing is there seen at this day in the temples whatsoeuer is framed I wil not say after that auncient sparyng but to any honest meane it is reiected Nothing at all pleaseth but that which sauoureth of riot the corruption of tymes In the mean tyme they are so farre from hauyng due care of the liuely temples that they would rather suffer many thousands of the poore to perish for hunger than they would breake the least chalice or cruet to releue their nede And that I may not pronounce of my selfe any thyng more greuously against them this only I would haue the godly readers to thinke vpon if it should happen that same Exuperius Bishop of Tholosa whom we euen nowe rehearsed or Acatius or Ambrose or any suche to be raised from deathe what they would say Truly they would not allow that in so great necessitie of the poore richesse in a maner superfluous should be tourned an other way Admit I speake nothyng how these vses vpon which they be bestowed although there were no poore are many ways hurtfull but in no behalfe profitable But I leaue to speake of men These goodes are dedicate to Christ therfore they are to be disposed after his will But they shall in vaine say that this part is bestowed vpon Christ whiche they haue wasted otherwise than he commaunded Howbeit to confesse the truthe there is not muche of the ordinarie reuenue of the Chirche abated for these expenses For there ar no bishopriks so welthy no abbaties so fatte finally neither so many nor so large benefices that may serue to fill the gluttonie of priests But while they seke to spare them selues they persuade the people by superstition to turne that which shoulde be bestowed vpon the poore to builde temples to sette vp images to bye iewels to gette costly garmentes So with this gulfe are the dayly almes consumed Of the reuenue that they receiue of their landes and possessiō what els shall I say but that which I haue already said which is before all mens eyes We see with what faithfulnesse they whiche are called Bishops and Abbots do dispose the greatest parte What madnesse is it to seeke here for an ecclesiasticall order Was it mete that they whose lyfe ought to haue ben a singular exāple of frugalitie modestie continence and humilitie should contende with the royaltie of princes in number of goodes in gorgiousnesse of houses in deintynesse of apparell and fare And howe much was this contrary to their office that they whom the eternall and inviolable commaūdement of God forbiddeth to be desirous of filthy gaine and biddeth to bee contente with simple liuyng should not onely lay handes vpon townes and castels but also violently entre vpon the greatest lordships finally possesse forceably very empires If they despise the worde of God what will they answere to those auncient decrees of the Synodes wherby it is decreed that the Bishop should haue a small lodgyng not farre from the Chirche meane fare and householde stuffe what will they say to that praise of the Synode at Aquileia where pouertie is reported glorious in the Priestes of the Lorde For perhappes they will vtterly refuse as to muche rigorous that whiche Hierome aduiseth Nepotianus that poore men and strangers and among them Christ as a guest may knowe his table But that which he by and by addeth they will be ashamed to denie that it is the glory of a Bishop to prouide
most which must now be deuided betwene twoo Bishoprykes If he taried long at Antioche he coulde not sitte at Rome but a very little while Whiche thyng we maye yet also more plainely proue Paule wrote to the Romaines when he was in his iourney going to Hierusalem where he was taken and from thense broughte to Rome It is likely that this Epistle was written fower yeres before that he came to Rome Therein is yet no mention of Peter which should not haue been left out if Peter had ruled that Chirche Yea and in the ende also when he rehearseth a greate number of the Godly whom he biddeth to be saluted where verily he gathereth together all those that he knewe he yet sayth vtterly nothing of Peter Neither is it nedefull here to make a long or curious demonstration to men of sounde iudgement for the mater it selfe and the whole argument of the Epistle crieth out that he should not haue ouerpassed Peter if he had been at Rome Then Paule was brought prisoner to Rome Luke reporteth that he was receiued of the brethren of Peter he saieth nothing He wrote from thense to many Chirches and in some places also he writeth salutatiōs in the names of certaine but he doth not in one worde shewe that Peter was there at that tyme. Who I praye you shal thinke it likely that he could haue passed him ouer with silence if he had been present Yea to the Philippians where he sayed that he had none that so faythfully loked vnto the worke of the Lord as Timothee he complayned that they did all seke their owne And to the same Timothee he maketh a more greuous complaynte that none was with him at hys fyrst defense but all forsoke hym where therefore was Peter then For if they saye that he was then at Rome how greate a shame doeth Paule charge him with that he was a forsaker of the Gospell For he speaketh of the beleuers because he addeth God impute it not vnto them Howe long therefore and in what tyme dyd Peter kepe that seate But it is a constant opinion of writers that he gouerned that Chirche euen to his death But among the writers themselues it is not certayne who was hys successor because some saye Linus and other some saye Clement And they tell many fonde fables of the disputation had betwene him and Simon the magician And Augustine sticketh not to confesse when he entreateth of Superstitions that by reason of an opinion rashly conceiued there was a custome growen in vse at Rome that they shoulde not faste that daye that Peter gott the victory of Simon the magician Finally the doinges of that tyme are so entangled with diuersitie of opinions that we ought not rashly to beleue where we finde any thyng wrytten And yet by reason of thys consente of writers I stryue not agaynst thys that he dyed there but yet that he was Bishop there and specially a long tyme I can not be perswaded neither do I muche passe vpon that also forasmuche as Paule testifieth that Peters Apostleshyp did peculiarly belong to the Iewes and hys owne to vs. Therefore that that felowship which they couenanted betwene themselues maye be confirmed with vs or rather that the ordinance of the Holy ghost may stande in force among vs we oughte to haue respecte rather to the Apostleship of Paule than of Peter For the Holy ghost so diuided the prouinces betwene them that he appointed Peter to the Iewes and Paule to vs. Now therefore let the Romanistes goe and seke their supremicie ells where than in the worde of God where it is founde not to be grounded Now let vs come to the olde Chirche that it may also be made to appeare plainly that our aduersaries doe no lesse causelesly falsly boast of the consent therof than they doe of the witnesse of the word of God When therefore they bragg of that principle of theirs that the vnitie of the Chirche can not otherwise be kept together but if there be one supreme hed in earth to whom all the members may obey and that therfore the Lorde gaue the supremicie to Peter and from thense forth to the see of Rome by right of succession that the same should remaine in it to the ende they affirme that thys hath been alwaye obserued from the beginning But forasmuch as they wrōgfully wrest many testimonies I wil first say this aforehande that I deny not but that the olde writers do eche where geue great honor to the Chirche of Rome and dooe speake reuerētly of it Which I thinke to be done specially for thre causes For that same opinion which I wote not how was growen in force that it was founded ordeined by the ministerie of Peter much auailed to procure fauor estimation vnto it Therfore in the Easte partes it was for honors sake called the see Apostolike Secondlye when the hed of the Empire was there and that therefore it was likely that in that place were men more excellente both in learning and wisedome and skill and experience of many thynges than any where ells there was worthily consideration had therof that both the honor of the citie and also the other more excellent giftes of God should not seme to be despised There was beside these also a thirde thing that when the Chirches of the Easte and of Grecia yea and of Africa were in tumultes among themselues with disagrementes of opinions y◠Chirch of Rome was quieter and lesse full of troubles than the rest So came it to passe that the godly and holy Byshops being driuē out of their seates did oftentimes flee thether as into a Sanctuarie or certaine hauen For as the Westerne men are of lesse sharpenesse swiftnesse of witt than the Asians or Africans be so much are they lesse desirous of alteratiōs Thys therfore added much authoritie to the Chirch of Rome that in those doutefull times it was not so troubled as the reste and did holde the doctrine ones deliuered them faster than al the rest as we shal by and by better declare For these three causes I say it was had in no small honor and commended with many notable testimonies of the olde writers But when oure aduersaries will thereupon gather that it hath a supremicie and soueraigne power ouer other Chirches they do to much amisse as I haue already said And that the same maye the better appeare I will firste brefely shewe what the olde fathers thought of this vnitie which they enforce so earnestly Hierome writīg to Nepotianus after that he had recited many examples of vnitie at the laste descended to the Hierarchie of the Chirch Eche Bishop of euery seueral Chirch eche Archepriest eche Archedeacon and al the ecclesiastical order do rest vpon their own rulers Here a Romaine Priest speaketh he cōmendeth vnitie in the ecclesiastical order why doeth he not rehearse that al Chirches are knit together with one hed as with one bonde
Cardinals with the whole flocke of their clergie are so geuen foorth to all wickednesse filthinesse vncleannesse to all kynds of lewde and mischeuous doings that they resemble rather monsters than men therin truely they bewray them selues to be nothing lesse than bishops And yet they nede not to feare least I shold further disclose their filthinesse For bothe I am wery to haue to doo in so stinkyng myre and I must fauour chast eares and I thinke that I haue already enough and more proued that which I went about that is that although Rome had in olde tyme ben the head of Chirches yet at this day she is not worthy to be iudged one of the smallest toes of the Chirches feete As concerning the Cardinals as they cal them I can not tell how it is come to passe that they be so sodeinly risen vp to so great dignitie This name in Gregories time belonged to bishops only For so oft as he maketh mention of Cardinals he meaneth it not of them of the Chirche of Rome but of any other so that brefely a Cardinal Priest is nothing els but a bishop In the writers before that age I finde not this name at all But I se that they were then lesse than bishops whom they bee nowe farre aboue This saying of Augustine is wel knowen Although according to the names of honor which the vse of the Chirch hath alredy obteined bishopricke is greater than priesthode yet in many thinges Augustine is lesse than Hierom. Here in dede he maketh difference betwene a priest of the Chirch of Rome other but he indifferently setteth them al behind the bishops And that was so long obeserued that in the Coūcel at Carthage whē there wer present two legates of the see of Rome the one a bishop the other a priest the priest was thrust back into the last place But not to folow to old exāples there remaineth a Coūcel holdē vnder Gregorie at Rome at which the priestes sat in the lowest place subscribed seuerally by themselues as for the Deacōs thei had no place at al in subscribing And truly they had then no office but to be presēt vnder the bishop at ministring of doctrine and of the sacramēts Nowe the case is so changed that they are become the cousins of kinges and Emperours And it is no doute but that they grewe vp by littell and littell together with their head till they were aduaunced to this hie toppe of dignitie But this also I thought good to touche shortly by the waie that he reders might the better vnderstande that the See of Rome suche as it is at this day doeth muche differ from that auncient one vnder pretense wherof it doeth nowe maynteine and defende it selfe But of what sort soeuer they wer in old tyme forasmuch as they haue now nothyng of the true and lawfull office in the Chirche they reteine onely a deceitfull colour and vaine visour yea forasmuche as they haue all thinges vtterly contrary it was necessarie that that should happen to them which Gregorie writeth so oft I saie it sayth he wepyng I geue warnyng of it groning that sith the order of priesthode is fallen within it shall also not be able to stand long without But rather it behoued that this shold be fulfilled in them whiche Malachie saith of suche Ye haue gon backe out of the waie and haue made many to stumble in the lawe Therfore ye haue made voide the couenant of Leui saith the Lord. Therfore beholde I haue geuen you out of estimation and vile to all the people Nowe I leaue it to all the godly to thynke of what sort is that supreme height of the Hierarchie of Rome wherunto the Papistes with abhominable shamlessenesse stick not to make subiect the very word of God whiche ought to haue ben honorable and holy bothe to heauen earth men and Angels The .viii. Chapter Of the power of the Chirche as touchyng the articles of Faith and with howe vnbridled licētiousnesse it hath in the Papacie ben wrested to corrupt all purenesse of Doctrine NOwe foloweth the thirde place of the power of the Chirche whiche partely consisteth in all the bishops and partly in the Counsels and those either prouinciall or generall I speake onely of the spirituall power whiche is propre to the Chirch That consisteth either in doctrine or in iurisdiction or in makyng of lawes Doctrine hath two partes the authoritie to teache articles of Doctrine and the expoundyng of them Before that we beginne to discourse of euery one of these in specialtie we will that the godlye readers bee warned that whatsoeuer is taughte concerning the power of the Chirche they muste remember to applye to that ende wherunto as Paule testifieth it was geuen that is to edification and not to destruction whiche who so lawfully vse they thinke them selues no more than the ministers of Christ and therwithall the ministers of the people in Christ. Now of the edifyeng of the Chirch this is the only waie if the ministers themselues endeuour to preserue to Christ his authoritie whiche can not otherwise bee safe vnlesse that be lefte vnto hym which he receiued of his Father that is that he be the only schole-maister of the Chirche For it is written not of any other but of hym alone Heare hym The power of the Chirche therfore is not to be sparingly set foorth but yet to be enclosed within certain boundes that it be not drawen hether thether after the lust of men Herunto it shal be muche profitable to note how it is described of the Prophets and Apostles For if we simply graunt vnto men such power as they list to take vpon theim it is plaine to all men what a slippery redinesse there is to fall into tyrannie whiche ought to be farre from the Chirch of Christ. Therfore here it must be remembred that whatsoeuer authoritie or dignitie the holy ghost in the scripture geueth either to the prestes or to the Prophetes or to the Apostles or to the successours of the Apostles all that same is geuen not proprely to the men themselues but to the ministerie ouer which they are appointed or to speake it more plainely in one worde wherof the ministerie is committed to them For if wee goe through them all in order we shall not fynde that they had any authoritie to teache or to answer but i◠the name and worde of the Lord. For when they are called to the office it is also enioined them that they shold bring nothing of thē selues but speke out of the mouth of the Lord. And he himself doeth not bryng them foorth to be hearde of the people before that he haue geuē them instructions what they ought to speake to the entent that they should speake nothyng beside his woord Moses himselfe the prince of all the Prophetes was to be hearde aboue the reste but he was first instructed with his commaundementes that he might not
declare any thyng at all but frō the Lord. Therfore it is said that the people when thei embraced his doctrine beleued in God and in his seruant Moses Also that the authoritie of the priestes shoulde not growe in contempt it was stablished with most greuous penalties But therwithal the Lord sheweth vpon what cōdition they wer to be heard when he saieth that he hath made his couenant with Leui that the law of truthe shoulde be in his mouth And a little after he addeth The lips of the priest shall kepe knowledge and they shall require the law at his mouth because he is the angell of the God of hostes Therfore if the priest will be heard lette him shewe himself the messinger of God that is let him faithfully report the cōmaundements that he receiued of his author And where it is specially entreated of the hearing of them this is expressely set That they may answer accordyng to the lawe of God What maner of power the Prophetes generally had is very well described in Ezechiell Thou sonne of man saith the Lord I haue geuē thee to be a watcheman to the house of Israell Therefore thou shalte heare the worde out of my mouth and thou shalte declare it to them frō me He that is commaunded to heare out of the mouthe of the Lord is he not forbidden to inuent any thyng of himself But what is to declare from the Lorde but so to speake as he may boldly boast that it is not his owne but the Lordes woorde that he hath broughte The selfe same thyng is in Hieremie in other wordes Let the Prophet saith he with whom is a dreame tell a dreame and let him that hath my woorde speake my worde true Certainly he appointeth a law to them all And that is such that he permitteth not any to teach more than he is cōmanded And after he calleth it chaffe all that is not come from himselfe onely Therfore none of the Prophetes them selues opened his mouth but as the Lord tolde hym the wordes before Wherupon these sayinges are so ofte found among thē the word of the Lord the burden of the Lorde so sayth the Lord the mouth of the Lord hath spoken And worthily For Esaie cryed oute that he had defyled lyppes Ieremie confessed that he coulde not speake because he was a childe What coulde procede from the defiled mouth of the one and the foolishe mouthe of the other but vncleane and vnwise if they had spoken their owne speche But this lyps were holy and pure when they began to be the instruments of the Holy ghost When the Prophetes are boūd with this religion that they deliuer nothyng but that which they haue receiued thē they be garnished with notable power and excellent titles For when the Lorde testifieth that he hath set them ouer nations and kyngdomes to pluck vp and to roote out to destroy and plucke downe to builde and to plant he by and by adioyneth the cause because he hath put his wordes in theyr mouth Nowe if you looke to the Apostles they are in dede commended with many and notable titles that they are the light of the worlde and the salt of the earth that they are to be heard in stede of Christ that whatsoeuer they bynde or lose in earth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen But in their very name they shewe howe muche is permitted theim in their office that is if they be Apostles that they shoulde not prate whatsoeuer they list but shold faithfully report his commaundementes from whom they are sent And the wordes of Christe are playne enough in which he hath determined their embassage when he cōmaūded them to go teach al nations al those thinges that he had cōmaunded Yea he himself also receiued this lawe and laid it vpon himself that it shold be lawful for no man to refuse it My doctrine sayth he is not myne but his that sent me my fathers He that was alway the only and eternall coūseller of the Father he that was appointed by the Father the Lord and scholemaister of all men yet because he executed the ministerie of teaching prescribed by his owne example to all ministers what rule they ought to folow in teaching Therfore the power of the Chirch is not infinite but subiect to the word of the lord and as it were enclosed in it But sith this hath from the beginnyng ben of force in the Chirche at this day ought to be in force that the seruantes of God shold teache nothing whiche they haue not learned of him yet accordyng to the diuersitie of tymes they had diuers orders of learnyng But that order which is nowe muche differeth from those that were before First if it be true whiche Christe saieth that none hath seene the Father but the Sonne and he to whom it hath pleased the Sonne to shewe him it behoued verily that they should be alway directed by that eternal wisdome of the Father whiche wold come to the knowledge of God For howe should they either haue comprehended in mynd or vttered the misteries of God but by his teachyng to whom alone the secretes of the Father ar open Therfore the holy fathers in old time knew GOD no other wise but beholding him in the Sonne as in a glasse When I say this I meane that God did neuer by any other meane disclose hymselfe to men but by the Son that is his only wisdome light and truthe Out of this fountaine did Adam Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and the other draw all the knowlege that they had of heauenly doctrine Out of the same foūtain haue also al the Prophetes themselues drawē al the heauēly Oracles that they vttered For verily this Wisedome hath alway disclosed 〈◊〉 selfe by moe waies than one To the Patriarches he vsed secrete reuelations but therwithall to confirme their myndes he adioyned suche signes that it coulde not bee doutefull to them that is was God that spake The Patriarches conueied ouer from hand to hand to posteritie that whiche they had receiued For the Lorde left it with them to this entent that they should so sprede it abrode But the children childrens children by God secretely informyng them did knowe that that whiche they heard was from heauen and not from the earth But when it pleased God to raise a more apparāt forme of a Chirche he willed to haue his worde put in writing noted that the prests shold fetch frō thense what thei might deliuer to the people that all the doctrine that shold be taught shold be tried by that rule Therfore after the publishyng of the law when the prestes are comaunded to teach out of the mouth of the Lord the meaning is that they shold teach nothing straūge or differing from that kinde of learning which the Lord cōprehended in the lawe and to adde and diminishe was vnlawful for them Then folowed the Prophets by
whom in dede the Lord published new oracles to be added to the law but yet not so new but that they cam out of the law and had respect vnto it For as touchyng doctrine they were only expositors of the law and added nothyng vnto it but prophecies of thyngs to come Those excepted they vttered nothyng els but a pure exposition of the lawe But because it pleased the Lord that there shold be a plainer and larger doctrine that weake consciences might be the better satisfied he cōmaunded that the Prophecies also shold be put in writyng and accompted parte of his worde And hereunto were added the histories whiche are also the workes of the Prophetes but made by the endityng of the Holy ghost I recken the Psalmes among the Prophecies because that which we attribute to the prophecies is also cōmon to the psalmes Therfore that whole body cōpacted of the law prophecies psalmes histories was the word of the Lord to the olde people by the rule whereof the prestes and teachers euen vnto Christes tyme were bounde to examine their doctrine neither was it lawfull for them to swarue either to the right hand or to the left because all their office was enclosed within these boundes that they should answer the people out of the mouth of God Which is gathered of a notable place of Malachie where he biddeth them to be mindful of the law to geue hede to it euē to the preaching of the Gospell For therby he forbiddeth them all new found doctrines and graunteth them no leaue to swarue neuer so little out of the way which Moses had faithfully shewed them And this is the reason why Dauid so honorably setteth out the excellence of the law reherseth so many praises of it that is that the Iewes should couete no forein thyng without it sith within it was all perfection enclosed But when at last the Wisdome of God was openly shewed in the flesh that same Wisdome with ful mouth declared vnto vs al that euer can with mans wit be cōprehēded or ought to be thought cōcerning the heuēly Father Now therefore sins Christ the fōne of rightousnesse hath shined we haue a perfect brightnesse of the truth of God such as the clerenesse is wōt to be a mid day when the light was before but dimme For verily the Prophet meant not to speake of any meane thing whē he wrote the God in old time spake diuersly many waies to the fathers by the prophets but that in these last daies he began to speake to vs by his beloued Sonne For he signifieth yea he openly declareth that God wil not hereafter as he did before speake somtime by some and sometime by other nor wil adde Prophecies to Prophecies or reuelations to reuelations but that he hath so fulfilled al the partes of teaching in the Sonne that they must haue thys of him for the last and eternal testimonie After whiche sort al this time of the new Testament wherein Christe hath appeared to vs with the preaching of his Gospell euen to the daie of iugement is expressed by the last houre the last times the last dayes to the ende verely that contented with the perfection of the doctrine of Christe we should learne neither to fayne vs any new beside it or receiue it fained of other Therfore not without cause the Father hath by singular prerogatiue ordeined the Sonne to be our Teacher commaunding hym not any man to be heard He did in dede in fewe wordes sette oute hys scholemaistership vnto vs when he said heare him but in whiche there is more weight force than men commonly thynke For it is as muche in effect as if leading vs away frō al doctrines of men he should bring vs to him only and commaūde vs to loke for al the doctrine of saluation at him alone to hang vpon him alone to cleaue to hym alone finally as the very wordes do sounde to harkē to the voice of hym alone And truely what ought there now to be either loked for or desyred at the hand of man when the very worde of lyfe hath familiarly and openly disclosed himselfe vnto vs Yea but it is mete that the mouthes of al mē be shut after that he in whom the heauēly Father willed to haue al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome to be hidden hath ones spoken and so spokē as became both the wisdome of God which is in no part vnperfect and Messias at whoe 's hand the reuelation of al thinges is hoped for that is to say that he left nothing afterwarde for other to be spoken Let this therefore be a stedfast principle that there is to be had no other worde of God wherunto place should be geuen in the Chirche than that which is conteined first in the law and the Prophetes and then in the writinges of the Apostles that there is no other manner of teaching rightly but according to the prescription and rule of the word Hereupon also we gather that ther was no other thing graūted to the Apostles but that which the Prophetes had had in olde tyme that is that they should expounde the olde Scripture and shewe that those thinges that are therein taught are fulfilled in Christ and yet that they should not do the same but of the Lorde that is to saye the Spirite of Christe going before them and after a certaine maner enditing wordes vnto them For Christ limited their embassage with this condition when he commaunded them to goe and teache not such thinges as they themselues had rashly forged but al those thynges that he had cōmaunded them And nothing could be more playnly spokē thā that which he saieth in an other place but be not ye called maisters for onely one is your maister Christe Then to emprint this more depely in their minde he repeteth it twise in thesame place And because their rudenesse was such that they could not cōceiue those thynges that they had heard and learned of the mouth of their maister therfore the Spirite of trueth is promised them by whō they should be directed to the true vnderstanding of al thinges For the same restrayning is to be diligētly noted where this office is assigned to the Holy ghost to put them in minde of al those thinges that he before taught them by mouth Therfore Peter who was very wel taught how much he might lawfully do leaueth nothing either to himselfe or other but to distribute the doctrine deliuered of God Let him that speaketh saieth he speake as the wordes of God that is to say not doutingly as they are wont to tremble whoe 's own cōscience misgeueth them but with sure cōfidēce which becōmeth the seruāt of God furnished with assured instructiōs What other thing is this but to forbidde al inuentions of mans minde frō what hed soeuer they haue proceded that the pure word of God may be heard learned in the Chirch
with no distrustfulnesse or doutyng but shall reste with great assurednesse and stedfast constancie So also trusting vpon the largenesse of those promises that she hath she shal haue whereupon aboūdantly to susteine her fayth that she maye nothyng doute that the best guide of the righte way the holy Spirite is alwaye presente with her but therewithall she shall kepe in memorie what vse the Lord would haue vs to receiue of his holy Spirite The Spirite sayth he which I wil send frō my Father shal leade you into al truth But how◠because sayeth he he shal put you in minde of al those thinges that I haue tolde you Therfore he geueth warning that there is nothing more to be loked for of his Spirite but that he should enlightē our mindes to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome saieth excellently well Many sayeth he do boste of the holy Spirite but they which speake their own do falsly pretēde that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the law the Prophetes so if any thing beside the Gospel be thrust in vnder the title of the Spirite let vs not beleue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite of the Gospel These be his words Now it is esy to gather how wrōgfully our aduersaries do which bost of the Holy ghost to no other ende but to set fourth vnder his name strāge and foreine doctrines from the word of God wheras he wil with vnspeakable knott be conioined with the worde of God thesame doth Christe professe of him when he promiseth him to his Chirch So is it truly What sobrietie the Lord hath ones prescribed to his Chirch the same he wil haue to be perpetually kept But he hath forbidden her that she should not adde any thing to his worde nor take any thing frō it This is the inuiolable decree of God and of the Holy ghost whiche our aduersaries goe about to abrogate when they faine that the Chirche is ruled of the Spirite without the worde Here againe they murmure against vs say that it behoued that the Chirch shold adde some things to the writinges of the Apostles or that they thēselues should afterwarde with liuely voice supply many thinges which they had not clearly enough taught namely sith Christ said vnto them I haue many thinges to be said to you which you can not now beare and that these be the ordinances which wtout the Scripture haue ben receiued only in vse maners But what shamelessenesse is this I graūt the disciples were yet rude in a maner vnapt to learne whē the Lord said this vnto them But wer they then also holdē with such dulnesse whē they did put their doctrine in writing that they afterward neded to supply with liuely voice that which they had by fault of ignorāce omitted in their writinges But if they were already led by the Spirite of trueth into al trueth whē they did set fourth their writinges what hindred that thei haue not therin conteined left written a perfect knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell But goe to let vs graunt them that which they require Only let them point out what be those thinges that it behoued to be reueled without writing If they dare enterprise that I wil assaile them with Augustines wordes that is When the Lord hath saied nothing of them which of vs dare say these they be or those they be or if any dare say so wherby doeth he proue it But why do I striue about a superfluous mater For a very childe doeth knowe that in the writinges of the Apostles which these men do make in a maner lame and but half perfecte there is the frute of that reuelation which the Lorde did then promise them What say they did not Christ put out of controuersy what soeuer the Chirche teacheth decreeth when the cōmaundeth him to be taken for a heathen man and a Publicane that dare saye against her Firste in that place is no mentiō made of doctrine but only the authoritie of the censures is established for correcting of vices that they which haue ben admonished or rebuked should not resist her iudgement But omitting this it is muche maruell that these losels haue so litle shame that they dare be proude of that place For what shal they get therby but that the consent of the Chirche is neuer to be despised whiche neuer consenteth but vnto the trueth of the worde of God The Chirch is to be heard say they Who denieth it forasmuch as it pronounceth nothing but out of the worde of the Lorde If they require any more let them know that these wordes of Christ do nothing take their part therin Neither oughte I to be thought to muche contentious because I stande so earnestly vpō this point That it is not lawful for the Chirche to make any new doctrine that is to teach and deliuer for an Oracle any more than that which the Lorde hath reueled by hys worde For men of sounde witt doe se how great daūger there is if so great authoritie be ones graūted to mē They se also howe wyde a wyndowe is opened to the mockynges and cauillations of the wicked if we saye that that whiche men haue iudged is to be takē for an Oracle among Christians Beside that Christ speaking according to the cōsideratiō of his own time geueth thys name to the Sinagoge that his disciples should afterwarde learne to reuerence holy assemblies of the Chirche So shoulde it come to passe that euery citie and village should haue egall authoritie in coyning of doctrines The examples which they vse do nothing helpe them They say that the Baptising of infantes proceded not so much from the expresse commaundement of the Scripture as from the decree of the Chirche But it were a very miserable succor if we were compelled to flee to the bare authoritie of the Chirche for defense of the Baptisme of infantes but it shal in an other place sufficiently appeare that it is farre otherwise Likewise whereas they obiecte that that is no where founde in the Scripture which was pronounced in the Nicene Synode that the Sōne is cōsubstantial with the Father therin they do great wrong to the fathers as though they had rashly cōdemned Arrius because he would not sweare to their wordes when he professed al that doctrine which is cōprehended in the writinges of the Prophetes Apostles This word I graūt is not in the scripture but whē therin is so oft affirmed that there is but one God againe Christ is so oft called the true eternall God one with the Father what other thyng do the fathers of the Nicene councell whē they declare that he is of one substance but simply set out the naturall sense of the Scripture But Theodorite reporteth that Constantine vsed this preface in their assemblie
In disputations sayeth he of diuine maters there is a prescribed doctrine of the Holy ghost the bokes of the Gospels and of the Apostles with the Oracles of the Prophetes do fully shewe vs the meanyng of God Therefore layeng away discorde let vs take the discussinges of questions out of the wordes of the Spirite There was at that tyme no man that spake agaynst these holy monitions No man toke exception that the Chirche might adde somwhat of her own that the Spirite reueled not all thynges to the Apostles or at least vttered them not to those that came after or any suche thyng If it be true whiche oure aduersaries would haue fyrste Constantine did euil that toke from the Chirche her authoritie then whereas none of the Bishops at that time rose vp to defend it this was not without breach of their faith for so they were betraiers of the right of the Chirche But sith Theodorite reherseth that they willingly embraced that which the Emperor saied it is certaine that this newe doctrine was then vtterly vnknowen The .ix. Chapter Of Councels and of their authoritie NOw although I graunt them al thinges concerning the Chirch yet they shal therby not much preuaile for their intent For whatsoeuer is said of the Chirch the same they by and by geue to the Councels forasmuche as in their opiniō those represent the Chirch Yea where they so stiffly contend for the power of the Chirche they doe it of no other purpose but to geue all that they can gett to the Bishop of Rome and his gard But ere I begin to discusse this question I must nedes here make protestation of twoo thinges aforehande First that where I shall in thys point be somwhat roughe it is not because I lesse esteme the olde Councels than I ought to doe For I reuerence them from my hart and wishe them to be had in their due honor with all men But herein is some meane that is that there bee nothing withdrawen from Christ. Now this is the right of Christe to be the hed in all Councells and to haue no man felow with him in this dignitie But I say that then only he is the hed when he gouerneth the whole assemblie with his worde and Spirite Secondly whereas I geue lesse to Councells thā the aduersaries require I do it not for this cause that I am afrayed of the Councells as though they dyd make for their side and wer against ours For as we are aboundantly furnished with the worde of the Lord to the full profe of our owne doctrine fully and to the ouerthrowe of the whole Papistrie that we nede not muche to desire any other thing beside it so if the mater require the old Councells do for a great part minister vnto vs so much as may suffice for both Now let vs speake of the thing it selfe If it be soughte of the Scriptures what is the authoritie of Councells there is no playner promise thā in this saying of Christ Where twoo or three shal be gathered together in my name there I am in the middest of them But that doeth no lesse belong to euery particular assemblie than to a generall Councell But the dout of the question standeth not therin but because there is a condition added that God wil so only be in the middest of the Councel if it be gathered together in hys name Therfore although oure aduersaries doe a thousande tymes name Councells of Bishops they shal litle preuail neither shal they make vs to beleue that which they affirme that is that they be gouerned of the Holy ghost vntil they haue proued that they are gathered together in the name of Christ. For it is as possible that wicked and euil Bishops may conspire against Christ as good and honest Bishops may come together in hys name For a very clere profe herof are many decrees that haue proceded from suche Councells But this shal be sene hereafter Nowe I do but aunswer in one worde that Christe promiseth nothing but to them that are gathered to gether in his name Let vs therfore define what that is I denye that they be gathered together in the name of Christ which casting awaye the commaundement of God wherein he forbiddeth any thing to bee added to his worde or taken from it do decree euery thyng after their owne wil which beyng not contented with the Oracles of the Scripture that is to saye the onely rule of perfecte wisedome do imagine some new thing of their owned hed Surelye sithe Christ hath not promised that he wyll be present at all Councels but hath adioyned a peculiar marke wherby to make true and lawfull Councells differente from other it is mete that we should not neglect this difference This is the couenant which in old tyme God made with the Leuitical Priests that they shold teach out of his mouth This he alway required of the Prophetes this lawe also we see to haue ben laid vpon the Apostles Who so breake this couenāt God doeth not vouchsafe to let them haue the honor of Presthode nor any authoritie Lette the aduersaries vndoe me this knotte if they wyl make my fayth bonde to the decrees of men beside the worde of God For wheras they think not that truth remaineth in the Chirch vnlesse it be among the Pastors and that the Chirch it self standeth not vnlesse it appere in generall Councells that is farre from hauyng ben alwaye true if the Prophetes haue left vnto vs true testimonies of their owne tymes There was in the tyme of Esaie a Chirch at Hierusalem which God had not yet forsaken But of the pastors he saith thus The watchmen are all blynde neither knowe they any thyng They are all dumme dogges neither are they able to barke They lye along and slepe and loue sleping and the Pastors themselues knowe nothyng nor do vnderstande and they do altogether loke backe vnto their owne waies After the same maner Osee saieth The watcheman of Ephraim with God the snare of the fouler hatred in the house of God Where ioyning them with God by waye of mockage he teacheth that their pretense of the presthod is vaine The Chirche also endured vnto the tyme of Hieremie Let vs heare what he saieth of the Pastors From the Prophet euen to the preste euery one foloweth lying Agayne The Prophetes doo prophecie a lye in my name when I haue not sent theim nor commaunded them And least we should be to long in recityng his wordes let those thynges be red that he hath written in the whole .xxiii. and .xl. chapiters At that time on the other side Ezechiel did no more gently inueye against the same men The conspiracie saieth he of the Prophetes in the middes of her as a roaryng lyon and that violentlye taketh his praie Her prestes haue broken my lawe and haue defiled my holy thynges and haue made no difference betwene holy and prophane and the
decree of any Councel is brought foorth I would haue it first to be diligently weyed at what tyme it was holden for what cause it was holden what maner of men were present and then the very thyng that is entreated of to be examined by the rule of the Scripture and that in suche sorte as the determination of the Councell may haue his force and be as a foreiudged sentence and yet not hinder the aforesaid examination I wold to God all men did kepe that moderation which Augustine prescribeth in the third boke against Maximinus For when he mynded brefely to put to silence this heretike contendyng about the Decrees of Councels Neither sayeth he ought I to obiect against thee the Synod of Nice nor thou against me the Synode of Ariminum as to the entent to conclude one an other by foreiudged sentēce neither am I bound by the authoritie of the one nor thou of the other By authorities of Scriptures not such as are propre to either one but suche as are common to both let there striue mater with mater cause with cause reason with reason So should it come to passe that Coūcels should haue the maiestie that they ought but in the meane season the Scripture should be alone in the hier place that there might be nothing that shold not be subiect to the rule therof So these old Synods as of Nice of Constantinople the first of Ephesus of Chalcedon and such other which were holdē for confutyng of errors we willyngly embrace and reuerēce as holy so much as belongeth to the doctrines of faith for they conteine nothyng but the pure and naturall exposition of Scripture whiche the holy fathers with spirituall wisdome applied to the subduyng of the enemies of religion that then rose vp In some of the later Councels also we se to appere a true zele of godlinesse and plaine tokens of witt learning and wisdom But as thinges ar wonte commonly to growe to worse we maye se by the later Councells howe muche the Chirch hath nowe and then degenerate from the purenesse of that golden age And I doute not but that in these corrupter ages also Councells haue had some Bishoppes of the better sorte But in these the same happened which the Senators themselues complained to be not well doone in makyng of ordinances of the senate at Rome For while the sentences are numbred not weyed it is of necessitie that oftētimes the better part is ouercom of the greater Truly they brought foorth many wicked sentences Neither is it here nedefull to gather the speciall examples either because it should be to long or because other haue doon it so diligently that there can not muche be added Now what nede I to reherse Councels disagreyng with Councels And it is no cause that any should murmure against me and say that of those Councels that disagree the one is not lawfull For howe shall we iudge that By this if I be not deceiued that we shall iudge by the Scriptures that the decrees thereof are not agreable with true doctrine For this is the onely certaine law to discerne them by It is now about nine hundred yeares agoe sins the Synode of Constantinople gathered together vnder Leo the Emperour iudged that images sette vp in Chirches should be ouerthrowen and broken in pieces A lyttell afterward the Councell of Nice which Irene the Empresse assembled in spite of him decreed that they shoulde bee restored Whether of these two shall we acknowledge for a lawful Counsell The later which gaue images a place in Chirches hath preuailed among the people But Augustine saith that that can not be doone without moste present perill of idolatrie Epiphanius whiche was before in tyme speaketh much more sharply for he saith that it is wickednesse abhomination to haue images seen in a Chirche of Christians Wold they that so speake allowe that Councell if they were aliue at this day But if bothe the hystorians tell truth and the very actes be beleued not only images them selues but also the worshipping of them was there receiued But it is euident that suche a decree came from Satan How say you to this that in deprauing and tearing the Scripture they shew that they made a mocking stocke of it Whiche thyng I haue before sufficiently made open Howsoeuer it be we shall no otherwise be able to discerne betwene contrarye and disagreyng Synodes whiche were many vnlesse we trie them all by that balance of all men and angels that is by the worde of the Lord. So we embrace the Synode of Chalcedon refusyng the seconde Synode of Ephesus because in this latter one the wickednesse of Eutyches was confirmed which the other former condemned This thing holy mē haue iudged none otherwise but by the Scripture whom we so folowe in iudgyng that the woorde of God which gaue light to them doeth also nowe geue light to vs. Nowe let the Romanistes goe and boast as they are wont that the Holy ghost is fastned and bound to their Councells Howbeit there is also somwhat which a man may well thinke to bee wantyng in those auncient and purer Councels either because thei that then were at them beyng otherwise learned and wise men wholly bent to the businesse then in hande did not foresee many other thyngs or for that many thynges of lighter importance escaped them beeyng busied with weightier and more earnest maters or for that simply as beeyng menne they myghte bee deceiued with vnskilfulnesse or for that they were sometyme caried headlong with to muche affection Of this laste point whiche semeth the hardest of all there was a plaine example in the Nicene Synode the dignitie whereof hath by consent of all men as it was worthy ben receiued with most hye reuerence For when the principall article of our faith was there in daunger Arrius the enemie was present in redinesse with whom they must fyght hande to hande and the chief emportance lay in the agrement of them that came prepared to fight againste the error of Arrius this not withstandyng they carelesse of so great daūgers yea as it were hauyng forgotten grauitie modestie all humanitie leauyng the battel that they had in hand as if they had com thether of purpose to do Arrius a pleasure began to woūd themselues with inward dissentions and to tourne against themselues the stile that should haue ben bent against Arrius There were hearde fowle obiectyngs of crimes there were scattered bokes of accusations and there would haue ben no ende made of contentions vntill they had with mutuall woundes one destroied an other vnlesse the Emperor Constantine had preuēted it which professyng that the examinyng of their life was a mater aboue his knowledge and chastised suche intemperance rather with praise than with rebukyng How many waies is it credible that the other Councels also failed whiche folowed afterward Neither doeth this mater nede long profe For if a man reade ouer the actes of the Councels he shall note
therin many infirmities though I speake of nothyng more greuous And Leo bishop of Rome sticketh not to charge with ambition and vnaduised rashnesse the Synode of Chalcedon which yet he confesseth to be sounde in doctrines He doeth in dede not denie that it was a lawfull Synode but he openly affirmeth that it might erre Some man peraduenture will thinke me fonde for that I busy my selfe in shewyng suche errors forasmuche as our aduersaries do confesse that Councels may erre in those thyngs that ar not necessary to saluation But this labor is not yet superfluous For althoughe because they are compelled they do in dede confesse it in worde yet when they thrust vnto vs the determination of al councels in euery mater whatsoeuer it be for an oracle of the Holy ghost they do therein require more than they toke at the beginnyng In so doing what do they affirme but that Coūcels can not erre or if they erre yet it is not lawfull for vs to see the truthe or not to soothe their errors And I intend nothyng ells but that it may therby be gathered that the Holy ghost so gouerned the godly and holy Synodes that in the mean tyme he suffred somwhat to happen to them by the nature of men lest we shold to muche trust to men This is a muche better sentence than that of Gregorie Nazianzene that he neuer sawe a good end of any Councel For he that affirmeth that al without exception ended ill doth not leaue them much authoritie It is now nothyng nedefull to make mention seuerally of prouinciall Councells forasmuche as it is easy to iudge by the general how much authoritie they ought to haue to make newe articles of Faithe and to receiue what kynde of doctrine soeuer it pleaseth them But our Romanistes when they see that in defence of their cause all helpe of reason doth faile them do resort to that extreme and miserable shift that although the men themselues be blockishe in wit and coūsell and moste wicked in mynde and will yet the word of God remaineth whiche cōmaundeth to obey Rulers Is it so what if I denie that they be rulers that ar such For they ought to take vpon themselues no more than Iosua had which was bothe a Prophet of the Lord an excellent pastor But let vs heare with what wordes he is set by the Lorde into his office Let not saieth he the volume of this lawe depart from thy mouth but thou shalt studie vpon it daies nights Thou shalt neither bow to the right hand nor to the left then shalt thou direct thy way vnderstād it They therfore shal be to vs spiritual rulers which shal not bowe frō the law of the Lord neither to the one side nor to the other But if the doctrine of al pastors whatsoeuer they be is to be receiued wtout any douting to what purpose was it that we shold so oft so earnestly be admonished not to harken to the speche of false prophets Heare not saith he by Hieremie the words of the prophets that prophecie to you For they teach you vanitie not out of the mouth of the Lord. Again Beware you of false prophets that come vnto you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues And Iohn should in vaine exhort vs that we should proue the Spirits whether they be of God From which iudgement the very Angels are not exēpted much lesse Satan with all his lyes What is to be said of this saying if the blind lead the blind they shal both fall into the diche Doth it not sufficiently declare that it is of great importance what maner of prophets be heard and that not all are rashely to be heard Wherfore there is no reason that they should make vs afraid with their titles therby to draw vs into partakyng of their blyndnesse forasmuche as we see on the other side that the Lorde hadde a singular care to fray vs away from suffring our selues to be led with other mens error vnder what visor of name soeuer it lurketh For if the answer of Christ be true then al blynd guides whether they be called fathers of the Chirch or prelates or bishops can do nothing but draw their partners into the same headlong downfall Wherfore let no names of Councels Pastors Bishops which may as well be falsely pretended as truely vsed hinder vs but that beyng taught by lessons both of words and examples we may examine all spirites of all men by the rule of the word of God that we may proue whether they be of God or no. Forasmuche as we haue proued that there is not geuen to the Chirch a power to set vp a newe doctrine now let vs speake of the power whiche they attribute vnto it in expoundyng of Scripture Truely we doo willingly graunt that if there happen debate about any doctrine there is no better nor surer remedy than if a Synode of true bishops assemble together where the doctrine in controuersie maie be discussed For suche a determination wherunto the Pastors of Chirches shall agree in common together calling vpon the Spirite of Christ shall haue muche greater force than if euery one seuerally should conceiue it at home so teach it to the people or if a few priuate men shold make it Again when bishops are gathered together in one they doo the more cōmodiously take aduise in cōmon what in what forme they ought to teach least diuersitie shold brede offence Thirdely Paule prescribeth this order in discerning of doctrines For wheras he geueth to euery seuerall Chirche a power to discerne he sheweth what is the order of doyng in weightier causes that is that the Chirches shold take vpon them a cōmon tryall of the mater together And so doth the very feeling of godlinesse instructe vs that if any man trouble the Chirch with an vnwonted doctrine the mater procede so farre that there be peril of greater dissention the Chirches shold first mete together and examine the question propounded at last after iuste discussing had bryng foorthe a determination taken out of the Scripture suche as may both take away doutyng out of the people and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and gredy men that they may not bee so hardy to procede any further So when Arrius was risen the Nicene Synode was gathered together whiche with the authoritie therof bothe did breake the wicked endeuors of the vngodly man and restored peace to the Chirches whiche he had vexed and defended the eternall godhead of Christ againste his blasphemous doctrine When afterward Eunonius and Macedonius stirred vp new troubles their madnesse was resisted with like remedie by the Synode of Constantinople In the Coūsel at Ephesus the wickednesse of Nestorius was banished Finally this hath ben from the beginning the ordinarie meane in the Chirch to preserue vnitie so ofte as Satan began to worke any thyng But let vs remembre that not in all ages or in all places
Paule For if we must obeye Princes not onely for penalties sake but also for cōsciēce it semeth thereupō to folowe that Princes lawes haue also dominiō ouer cōscīce If this be true thē thesame also ought to be said of the lawes of the Chirch I answere that first here we must put a differēce betwene the generaltie the specialtie For though al special lawes do not touch the cōsciēce yet we are boūde by the general cōmaundemēt of god which cōmēdeth vnto vs the authoritie of magistrates And vpō this point stādeth the disputatiō of Paul that magistrates are to be honored because they ar ordeined of god In the meane time he teacheth not that those lawes that are prescribed by thē do belōg to the inward gouernemēt of the soule wheras he eche where extolleth both the worshipping of God the spiritual rule of liuīg righteously aboue al the ordināces of mē whatsoeuer they be In other thīg also is worthy to be noted which yet hāgeth vpon the former that the lawes of men whether they be made by the magistrate or by the Chirch although they be necessarie to be kepte I speake of the good and righteous lawes yet therefore do not by themselues binde conscience because the whole necessitie of keping them is referred to the general ende but cōsisteth not in the things commaūded Frō this sort do far differ both those that prescribe a new forme of the worshipping of God those that appoint necessitie in things that be at libertie But such are those that at this day be called Ecclesiastical cōstitutiōs in the Papacie which are thrust in in stede of the true and necessarie worshipping of God And as they be innumerable so are there infinite bondes to catch and snare soules But although in the declaration of the law we haue somwhat touched them yet because this place was fitter to entreate fully of them I will nowe trauaile to gather together the whole summe in the best order that I can And because we haue already discoursed so much as semed to be sufficient concerning the tyranny which the false Bishops do take vpon themselues in libertie to teache whatsoeuer they list I wil now omitt al that parte I wil here tarry only vpō declaring the power which they say they haue to make lawes Our false Bishops therfore do burden consciences with newe lawes vnder this pretense that they are ordeined of the Lord spiritual lawmakers sins the gouernement of the Chirch is committed vnto them Therefore they affirme that whatsoeuer they commaunde prescribe oughte necessarily to be obserued of the Christian people and that he that breaketh it is giltie of double disobediēce for that he is rebellious both to God to the Chirch Certainly if they were true Bishops I would in this behalfe graunt to them some authoritie not so much as they require but so much as is requisite to the wel ordering of the police of the Chirche Now sith they are nothing lesse than that which they woulde be accompted they can not take any thing to them be it neuer so little but that they shall take to much But because this hath ben ells where considered let vs graunt them at this present that whatsoeuer power true Bishops haue the same rightly belongeth to them also yet I deny that they be therfore appointed lawmakers ouer the faythfull that may of themselues prescribe a rule to liue by or compell to their ordināces that people committed vnto them When I say this I meane that it is not lawfull for them to deliuer to the Chirch to be obserued of necessitie that which they haue deuised of themselues without the word of God Forasmuch as that authoritie both was vnknowen to the Apostles and so oft taken away from the ministers of the Chirch by the Lordes owne mouth I maruel who haue ben so bolde to take it vpon them at this daye are so bolde to defende it beside the example of the Apostles and against the manifest prohibition of God As touchīg that that perteined to the perfect rule of wel liuing the lord hath so conteined al that in his law that he hath left nothing for men that they might adde to that summe And this he did first for this purpose that because the whole vprightnesse of liuing stādeth in this point if all workes be gouerned by his wil as by a rule he should be holden of vs the only maister and directer of lyfe thē to declare that he requireth of vs nothing more than obedience For this reason Iames sayth he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the law he that iudgeth the law is not an obseruer of the law but a iudge But there is one onely lawmaker that can both saue and destroy We heare that God doth claime this one thing as proper to himselfe to rule vs with the gouernement and lawes of his word And the same thing was spoken before of Esay although somwhat more darkly the Lord is our king the lord is our lawmaker the Lord is our iudge he shal saue vs. Truly in both these places is shewed that he that hath power ouer the soule hath the iugement of life and death Yea Iames pronounceth this plainly Now no man can take that vpō him Therfore God must be acknowleged to be the only king of soules to whom alone belongeth the power to saue and destroy as those words of Esaye expresse and to be the king and iudge and lawmaker Sauior Therfore Peter when he admonisheth the Pastors of their dutie exhorteth them so to fede the flocke not as vsing a Lordship ouer the Clergie by whiche worde Clergie he signifieth the inheritance of God that is to saye the faithfull people This if we rightly weye that it is not lawfull that that should be transferred to man which God maketh his owne onely we shal vnderstande that so al the power is cut of whatsoeuer it be that they chalenge which aduaunce themselues to commaunde any thing in the Chirche without the worde of God Now forasmuch as the whole cause hangeth therupon that if God be the only lawmaker it is not lawful for men to take that honor to themselues it is mete also therewithall to kepe in minde those twoo reasons which we haue spoken why the Lord claimeth that to himselfe alone The first is that his wil may be to vs a perfect rule of al righteousnesse and holinesse and that so in the knowing of him may be the perfecte knowlege to liue wel The other is that when the manner is soughte how to worship him rightly and wel he only may haue authoritie ouer our soules whom we ought to obeye and vpon whoe 's beck we oughte to hang. These twoo reasōs being wel marked it shal be easye to iudge what ordinances of men are contrary to the word of God Of that sort be al those which are fained to belong to the true worshipping of God and to the obseruing
brightnesse of the Gospell that they nothyng edifie but be rather vnprofitable and trifling occupations than true exercises of godlinessâ— that they be laied abrode to filthinesse and vnhonest game that they be to hard to be kept that they be defiled with euel superstitions these shall be helyes that we may the more easily finde how much euell is in them I heare what they aunswer for them selues that their traditions are not of theÌ„ selues but of God For they say that the Chirch is gouerned of the Holy gost that it can not erre and that the authoritie therof remaineth with them WheÌ„ this is obteined it therwithal foloweth that their traditions are the reuelations of the Holy ghost which can not be despised but wickedly and with the contempt of God And that they shoulde not seme to haue attempted any thing without greate authoritie they wyll haue it beleued that a greate parte of their obseruations came from the Apostles and they affirme that by one example is sufficiently declared what the Apostles did in other thinges when beyng assembled in one Councell they dyd by the decree of the Councell commaunde the Gentiles to absteine from thyngs offred to idols from blood and strangled We haue already in an other place declared howe falsly for boastyng of themselues they lyingly vsurpe the title of the Chirche So muche as concernyng this present cause if pluckyng awaye all visors and deceitfull colors we truely loke vpon that which we ought principally to care for and whiche chefely is for our behofe that is what maner of Chirch Christ will haue that we maye fashion and frame our selues to the rule therof it shal easily be euident vnto vs that it is not the Chirch which passyng the boundes of the worde of God doeth outrage and runne as riot in makyng of newe lawes For doeth not that lawe whiche was ones prescribed to the Chirche remayne eternall What I commaunde thee that thou shalte kepe that thou mayste doo it Thou shalte not adde any thyng nor take any thyng from it And in an other place Adde not to the word of the Lord nor minishe any thing least he peraduenture reproue thee and thou be founde a lyer Sithe they can not denie that this was spoken to the Chirch what do they els but reporte the stubbornesse of that Chirche which they boast to haue ben so bold as after suche prohibitions neuerthelesse to adde myngle of her owne with the doctrine of God But God forbidde that we should assent to their lyes wherby they burden the Chirch with so greate a sclaunder but let vs vnderstande that the name of the Chirch is falsly pretended so ofte as this lust of mens rashnesse is spoken of which can not hold it self within the prescribed boundes of God but that it wyldly rangeth and runneth out into her owne inuentions There is nothyng entangled nothing darke nothing doutefull in these woordes in whiche the whole Chirche is forbidden to adde to the worde of God or to take any thyng from it when the worshippyng of God and preceptes concernyng saluation are entreated of But this say they was spoken of the law only after which folowed the prophecies and the whole ministratioÌ„ of the Gospell I graunt in deede and I adde also whiche are rather fulfillyngs of the law than additions or diminyshynges But if the Lorde suffred nothyng to be added to or taken from the ministerie of Moses whych was as I may so terme it darke by reason of many doutefull enwrappyngs tyll by hys seruantes the Prophetes and at length by his beloued Sonne he ministred a cleerer doctrine why should we not thynke it muche more seuerely forbydden vs that we shoulde adde nothyng to the lawe the Prophetes the Psalmes and the Gospell The Lorde is not gone out of kynde from hymselfe whych hath long agoe declared that he is with nothyng so hyely offended as when he is worshipped with the inuentions of men Wherof cam those notable sayings in the Prophetes which ought to haue continually sounded in our eares I spake no wordes to your fathers in the day that I brought them out of Egypt concernyng sacrifice and burnt offryng But this worde I commaunded them sayeng With hearyng heare my voyce and I wyll be your God and you shal be my people and ye shall walke in all the way that I shall commaunde you Agayne I haue with protesting protested vnto your fathers Heare my voyce And other lyke sayengs but this is notable aboue the reste Wyll God haue burnt offrynges and sacrifices and not rather that his voyce be obeyed For obedience is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than to offer the satte of rammes For to resyst is as the synne of soothsayeng and not to obey is as the wyckednesse of Idolatrie Therfore whatsoeuer inuentions of menne are in this behalfe defended with the authoritie of the Chirche forasmuche as the same can not be excused from the crime of vngodlynesse it is easy to proue that it is falsly imputed to the Chirch After this sort we freely inuey agaynst this tyrannie of mens traditions which is proudly thrust in among vs vnder the title of the Chirche For neither do we scorne the Chirche as our aduersaries to bryng vs in hatred do vniusâ—ly lye vpon vs but we geue vnto her the prayse of obedience than whych she knoweth no greater prayse They rather are very sore wrongdoers to the Chirche whiche make her obstinate against her Lorde whyle they fayne that she hath proceded further thaÌ„ she lawfully myght do by the word of God though I speake nothyng howe it is a notable shamelessnesse ioyned with as great malice continually to crie oute of the authoritie of the Chirche and in the meane tyme dissemblyngly to hyde bothe what is commaunded her by the Lorde and what obedience she oweth to the commaundement of the Lorde But if we haue a mynde as it is mete we should haue to agree with the Chirch this perteyneth rather to the purpose to haue an eye vnto and remember what is commaunded by the Lord bothe to vs and the Chirch that we should with one agreement obey hym For there is no doute but we shall very well agree with the Chirch if we doe in all thynges shewe our selues obedient to the Lord. But now to father vppon the Apostles the originall of the traditions wherwith the Chirch hath ben hetherto oppressed was a point of mere deceite forasmuche as the doctrine of the Apostles trauaileth wholly to this ende that consciences shold not be butdened with newe obseruations nor the woorshippyng of God bee defiled with oure inuentions Moreouer if there be any faithfulnesse in histories and auncient monumentes the Apostles not only neuer knew but also neuer heard of this that they attribute vnto them Neither let them prate that the most part of their decrees were receiued in vse and in mens behauiours which neuer were put in writyng euen those thyngs
that they ought not to be troubled nor accombred about the obseruations of the law Hetherto it very wel maketh of our syde But the exception that immediatly foloweth neither is any newe law made by the Apostles but the diuine and eternall commaundemeÌ„t of God that charitie ought not to be broken nor doth diminishe one title of that libertie but onely admonisheth the Gentiles how they shold temper themselues to their brethreÌ„ that they abuse not their libertie to the offence of them Let this therfore be the second poynt that the Gentiles should vse a harmelesse libertie and without offence of theyr brethren But yet they prescribe some certain thyng that is they teach and appoint so farre as was expedient for the tyme by what thynges they might runne into the offence of their brethren that they myght beware of those thynges but they adde no newe thyng of their own to the eternall lawe of God whiche forbiddeth the offendyng of brethren Lyke as if the faithfull Pastors which gouerne Chirches not yet wel reformed shoulde coÌ„maunde all their people that tyll the weake with whome they lyue doo growe stronger they should not openly eate fleshe on Friday or openly labor vppon holy dayes or any suche thyng For although these thynges settyng superstition asyde are by themselues indifferent yet when there is added offence of brethren they can not be doone without a faulte But the tymes are suche that the faithfull can not shewe suche a sight to the weake brethren but that they shall sore wounde their consciences Who but a cauiller wil say that so they make a newe lawe wheras it is certayn that they do onely preuent offences whiche are expressely enough forbidden of the Lord And no more can it be sayd of the Apostles whoe 's purpose was nothyng ells but in taâ—yng away the mater of offences to call vpon the lawe of God coucernyng the auoydyng of offence as if they had sayd It is the Lords coÌ„maundement that ye offend not a weake brother Ye can not eate thinges offred to images strangled and blood but that the weake brethren shall be offended Therfore we commaunde you in the woorde of the Lorde that ye eate not with offence And that the Apostles had respect to the same thyng Paule hymselfe is a very good witnesse which writeth thus verily none otherwise than accordyng to the meanyng of the Councell Concernyng meates that are offred to Idols we know that the Idole is nothyng But some with conscience of the Idole do eate it as offred to Idols and their conscience forasmuche as it is weake is defiled See that your libertie be not made an offence to the weake He that shall haue well weyed these thynges shall not afterwarde be deceiued with such a false color as they make that pretende the Apostles for defence on their tyrannie as though the Apostles had begon with their decree to breake the libertie of the Chirche But that they may not be able to escape but be dryuen euen with their owne confession to allowe this solution let them answer me by what right they were so bolde to abrogate the same decree Because there was no more perill of those offences and dissencions which the Apostles meant to prouide for and they knowe that the lawe was to be weyed by the ende therof Forasmuch as therfore this lawe was made in respect of charitie there is nothyng prescribed in it but so muche as perteineth to charitie When they confesse that the transgressyng of this law is nothyng but a breakyng of charitie do they not therwithall acknowlege that it is not a forged addition to the law of God but a naturall and simple appliance to the tymes and maners wherunto it was directed But although such lawes be a hundred times vniuste and iniurious vnto vs yet they affirme that they must be heard without exception for they say that this is not here intended that we shold consent to errors but onely that beyng subiectes we shold beare the hard coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of our gouernors whiche it is not our partes to refuse But here also the Lorde very well resisteth them with the truth of his word and deliuereth vs out of such bondage into the libertie which he hath purchased for vs with his holy blood the benefit wherof he hath more thaÌ„ ones confirmed with his word For that is not here onely intended as they maliciously fain that we shold suffer some greuous oppressioÌ„ in our body but that our coÌ„scieÌ„ces being spoiled of their libertie that is of the benefit of the blood of Christ shold be seruilely tormented Howbeit let vs passe ouer this also as though it made litle to the mater But of howe great importance do we thinke it is that the Lordes kingdome is takeÌ„ away froÌ„ him which he claimeth to himself with so great seueritie But it is takeÌ„ away so oft as he is worshipped with the lawes of mens inueÌ„tions wheras he wil be holden for the only lawmaker of his own worship And least any man shold thinke it to be a mater of nothing let vs heare how much yâ— Lord estemeth it Because saith he this people hath feared me with the coÌ„mauÌ„dement doctrine of men behold I wil astonish them with a great woÌ„derous miracle For wisdome shal perish froÌ„ the wise men therof vnderstaÌ„ding shal depart from the elders In an other place They worship me in vaine teachyng doctrines the coÌ„mauÌ„dements of meÌ„ And truly wheras the childreÌ„ of Israel defiled theÌ„selues with many idolatries the cause of al that euil is ascribed to this vnclean mixture that transgressing the commaundementes of God they haue forged new worshippinges And therfore the holy Historie rehearseth that the new strangers that had ben transplaÌ„ted by the king of BabiloÌ„ to inhabite Samaria wer torne in peces and coÌ„sumed of wilde beastes because they knew not the iudgementes or statutes of the God of that lande Although they had nothing offeÌ„ded in the Ceremonies yet God would not haue allowed a vaine pompe but in the meane time he cessed not to take vengeaÌ„ce of the defyling of hys worship for that meÌ„ did thrust in deuises strange from his worde Wherupon it is afterwarde sayd that they beyng made afrayd with that punishmente receiued the Ceremonies prescribed in the law but because they did not yet purely worship the true God it is twise repeted that they did feare him and did not feare him Wherupon we gather that the part of reuereÌ„ce which is geuen to him coÌ„sisteth in this while in worshipping him we simply folow what he commaundeth with mingling none of our own inuentions And therfore the godly kynges are oftentimes praised because they did according to al the commaundementes and declined not to the ryghte hande nor to the left I go yet further although in some fayned worshipping there do not opeÌ„ly appeare vngodlinesse yet it is seuerely coÌ„demned of the Holy ghost so soâ—e as men depart from the
commaundement of God The Altar of Achaz the paterne whereof was broughte out of Samaria might haue semed to encrease the garnishment of the tēple wheras his deuise was to offre Sacrifices therupō to God only which he should do more honorably than vpon the first olde Altar yet we see how the Spirite detesteth the boldnesse for none other cause but for that the inuentions of mē in the worshipping of God are vnclene corruptions And how much more clerely the will of God is opened vnto vs so much the lesse excusable is our frowardnesse to attempt any thīg And therfore worthily with this circumstance the crime of Manasses is enforced for that he bilded a new altar in Ierusalem of which God had pronounced I wil there set my name because the authoritie of God is now as it were of set purpose refused Many do maruel why God so sharply threteneth y◠he wil do thinges to be wondred at to the people of whō he was worshipped with the cōmaundemētes of men pronounceth that he is worshipped in vaine with the preceptes of mē But if they cōsidered what it is in the cause of religion that is to say of heauēly wisdome to hāg vpō the only mouth of God they would therewtal se that it is no sclēder resō why God so abhorreth such peruerse seruices that are done to him accordīg to the lust of mās wit For althoughe they that obey such lawes for the worshipping of God haue a certaine shewe of humilitie in this their obedience yet they are not hūble before God to whō they prescribe the same lawes which they thēselues do kepe This is the reson why Paul willeth vs so diligently to beware that we be not deceiued by the traditions of mē that which he calleth ethelothreskian that is Wilworship inuēted of mē beside the doctrine of God This is verily true both our own wisdom al mens wisdom must be foolish vnto vs that we may suffer him alone to be wise Which way they kepe not which do studie with pety obseruations fayned by the wil of men to cōmend themselues vnto hym do thrust vnto hym as it were against his will a transgressing obedience towarde hym whiche is in dede geuen to mē As it hath ben done both in many ages heretofore and in the tyme within our owne remembrance and is also at thys daye done in those places where the authoritie of the creature is more estemed thā of the creator where religion if yet the same be worthy to be called religion 〈◊〉 defiled with moe and more vnsauorie superstitions than euer was any Paynime wickednesse For what could the witt of men brede but al thynges carnal and foolishe and such as truely resemble theyr authors Whereas also the Patrones of superstitions allege that Samuell Sacrificed in Ramatha and although the same was done beside the law yet it pleased God the solution is easy that it was not a certayne seconde altar to set against the one onely altar but because the place was not yet appointed for the arke of couenant he appointed the towne where he dwelled for Sacrifices as the most conuenient place Truely the minde of the holy Prophete was not to make any innouation in holy thinges whereas God had so streightly forbidden any thing to be added or minished As for the example of Menoha I say that it was an extraordinarie and singular case He being a priuate man offered sacrifice to God not without the allowāce of God verily because he enterprised it not of a rash motion of his own minde but by a heauenlye instinction But how much the Lord abhorreth those thinges that men deuise of themselues to worship hym withall an other not inferior to Gedeon is a notable example whoe 's Ephod turned to destruction not only to hym and hys familie but to the whole people Finally euery new founde inuention wherewith mē couet to worship God is nothing ells but a defiling of true holinesse Why then saye they did Christ will that those intollerable burdens should be borne which the Scribes and Pharisees bounde vpon men But why in an other place did the same Christ wil that men should beware of the leuen of the Pharisees calling leuen as Mathew the Euangelist expoundeth it all their own doctrine that they mingled with the purenesse of the worde of God What would we haue more playne thā that we be commaunded to flee and beware of al their doctrine Whereby it is made most certaine vnto vs that in the other place also the Lorde willed not that the cōsciences of his shoulde be vexed with the Pharisees own traditiōs And the very wordes if they be not wrested soūde of no such thing For the Lord purposing there to enuey sharply againste the maners of the Pharisees did first simply instruct them that heard hym that although they saw nothing in their life mete for them to folow yet they should not cesse to do those thyngs which they taught in wordes whyle they sate in the chaire of Moses that is to declare the law Therefore he meant nothing ells but to prouide that the cōmon people should not with the euil exāples of the teachers be brought to despise the doctrine But forasmuch as many are nothing at al moued with resons but alwaye require authoritie I wil allege Augustines wordes in whiche the very same thing is spoken The Lordes shepefolde hath gouernoures some faithfull and some hirelinges The gouernours that are faithfull are true Pastors but heare ye that the hireliges also are necessarie for many in the Chirch folowing earthly profites do preach Christe and by them the voice of Christ is heard and the shepe do folowe not a hireling but the Pastor by the meanes of a hireling Heare ye that hirelinges are shewed by the Lord himselfe The Scribes saith he the Pharisees sitt in the chaire of Moses Doe ye those thinges that they saye but do not those thinges that they do What other thing said he but heare the voice of the Pastor by the hirelinges For in sitting in the chaire they teache the law of God therfore God teacheth by thē But if they wil teache their owne heare it not do it not This saith Augustine But wheras many vnskilfull men when they heare that consciences are wickedly boūde and God worshipped in vaine with the traditions of men do at ones blott out altogether al lawes whereby the order of the Chirch is set in Frame therefore it is conuenient also to mete with their error Uerily in this point it is easy to be deceiued because at the first sight it doeth not by and by appeare what differēce is betwene the one sort and the other But I will so plainly in few wordes sett out the whole mater that the likenesse may deceiue no man First let vs holde this that if we see in euery felowship of men some policie to be necessarie that may
of spiritual policie To this ende from the beginning were ordeined iudicial orders in Chirches which might vse examination of maners correcte vices and exercise the office of the keyes This order Paule speaketh of in the Epistle to the Corinthians when he nameth gouernementes Againe to the Romaines wheÌ„ he saith let him that ruleth rule in carefulnesse For he speaketh not to the magistrates for at that time there were no Christian magistrates but to them that were ioyned with the Pastors for the spirituall gouernement of the Chirch Also in the Epistle to Timothee he maketh twoo sortes of Elders some that labor in the worde other some that do not vse the preaching of the worde and yet do rule well By this later sort it is no doute that he meaneth them that were appointed to loke vnto maners and to the whole vse of the keyes For this power of which we now speake hangeth wholly vpon the keyes which Christ gaue to the Chirche in the xviii Chap. of Mathew where he commaundeth that they should be sharply admonished in the name of the whole Chirch that haue despised priuate monitioÌ„s but if they goe forward in their obstinacie he teacheth that they should be put out of the felowship of the faithful But these monitions and corrections can not be without knowlege of the cause therefore there nedeth both some iugement and order Wherefore vnlesse we will make voide the promise of the keyes and take vtterly away excoÌ„municatioÌ„ solemne monitions and all suche thynges whatsoeuer they be we must nedes geue to the Chirch some iurisdiction Let the reders marke that that place entreateth not of the generall authoritie of doctrine as in the .xvi. Chapter of Mathewe and the .xxi. of Iohn but that the power of the Sinagoge is for the time to come transferred to the flocke of Christ. Untill that day the Iewes had their order of gouerning which Christ stablisheth in his Chirch and that with great penaltie so much as concerneth the pure institution of it For so it behoued forasmuch as otherwise the iugemente of an vnnoble and vnregarded congregation might be despised of rash and proude men And that it should not encomber the reders that Christ doth in thesame words expresse thinges somwhat differring one from the other it shal be profitable to dissolue this dout There be therfore â—woo places that speake of bynding and loosing The one is in the xvi Chapter of Mathew where Christ after that he had promised that he would geue to Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauen immediatly addeth that whatsoeuer he shal bynde or loose in earth shal be confirmed in heauen In which wordes he meaneth none other thing than he doth by other wordes in Iohn when sending his disciples to preache after that he had breathed vpon them he said whose synnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuen whoe 's ye reteine they shal be reteined in heauen I will bring an exposition not suttle not enforced not wrested but natural flowyng and offring it selfe This commaundemente of forgeuing and reteining synnes and that promise of bynding and loosing made to Peter oughte to be referred to no other thyng but to the ministerie of the worde which wheÌ„ the Lord committed to the Apostles he did therewith also arme them with this office of bynding and loosing For what is the summe of the Gospell but that we all being the bondseruantes of synne and of death are loosed and made fre by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus and that they which do not receiue nor acknowlege Christe theyr deliuerer and redemer are damned adiudged to euerlasting bondes When the Lorde deliuered this message to his Apostles to be carried into al nations to approue that it was his owne and proceding from himself he honored it with this noble testimonie and that to the singular strengthening both of the Apostles themselues and of all those to whom it should come It behoued that the Apostles shoulde haue a stedfast and sounde certaintie of their preaching which they should not onely execute with infinite labors cares troubles and dangers but also at the last seale it with their blood That they might I say knowe thesame to be not vaine nor voide but full of power and force it behoued that in so great carefulnesse in so great hardnesse of thynges and in so great dangers they should be persuaded that they did the businesse of God that when all the worlde withstode them and fought againste them they should knowe that God stode on their side that hauing not Christ the author of their doctrine present by sight in earth they should vnderstande him to be in heauen to confirme the trueth of the doctrine which he had deliuered them It behoued againe that it should also be most certainly proued by testimonie to the hearers that that doctrine of the Gospell was not the worde of the Apostles but of God himselfe not a voice bred in earth but come downe from heauen For these thinges the forgeuenesse of sinnes the promise of euerlasting life the message of saluation can not be in the power of man Therefore Christe hath testified that in the preaching of the Gospell there is nothing of the Apostles but the only ministerie that it was he himselfe that spake and promised all thynges by their mouthes as by instrumentes and therefore that the forgeuenesse of sinnes which they preached was the true promise of God and the damnation which they pronounced was the certaine iudgement of God But this testifieng is geuen to all ages and remaineth in force to certifie and assure all men that the word of the Gospel by what man soeuer it be preached is the very senteÌ„ce of God published at the soueraigne iudgement seate written in the boke of life ratified firme and fixed in heauen Thus we see that in those places the power of the keyes is nothyng but the preachyng of the Gospell and that it is not so muche a power as a ministerie if we haue respect to meÌ„ For Christ hath not geuen this power proprely to men but to his owne worde wherof he hath made men ministers The other place whiche we haue said to be concernyng the power of bynding and loosyng is in the .xviii. chapter of Mathew where Christ sayth If any brother heare not the Chirch let him be to thee as a heathen maÌ„ or a publicane Uerily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye bynd vppon earth shal be bound also in heauen whatsoeuer ye loose shal be loosed This place is not altogether like the first but is a little otherwise to bee vnderstanded But I do not so make them diuerse that they haue not great affinitie together This first point is like in both that either of them is a generall senteÌ„ce that in both there is alway all one power of bynding and loosyng namely by the worde of God all one commaundement all one promise But herein they differ that the fyrst place
or emprisonmentes or other ciuile punishementes but they vsed the only word of the Lorde as they ought to do For the seuerest reuenge and as it were the vttermost thunderbolt of the Chirch is Excōmunication whiche is not vsed but in necessitie But this requireth neyther force nor strong hande but is content with the power of the worde of God Finally the iurisdiction of the olde Chirch was nothyng ells but a declaration in practise as I may so call it of that which Paul teacheth concernyng the spirituall power of Pastors There is sayth he power geuen to vs wherby we may throwe down strōg holdes wherby we may make low all heighth that lifteth vp it selfe againste the knowlege of God whereby we may subdue all thought and may leade it captiue into the obedience of Christ and we haue in readinesse a reuenge against all disobedience As this is doone by the preachyng of the doctrine of Christ so least the doctrine should be scorned accordyng to that whiche is taught ought they to be iuged which professe themselues of the houshold of faith But that can not be done vnlesse there be ioyned with the ministerie a power to call them that are to be priuately admonished or to be more sharply corrected and also a power to exclude them from the Communion of the Supper whiche can not be receiued without prophaning of so great a mysterie Therfore whē in an other place he saith ▪ that it belongeth not to vs to iudge strangers he maketh the children subiect to the Censures of the Chirch which may chastise their faultes and he secretely signifieth that there were then iudiciall orders in force from which none of the faithfull was free But suche authoritie as we haue declared was not in the power of one man to do euery thyng accordyng to his owne wyll but in the power of the assemblie of the Elders whyche was the same thing in the Chirche that a Senate is in a Citie Cyprian when he maketh mentiō by whom it was exercised in his tyme vseth to ioyne the whole Clergie with the Bishop But in an other place also he sheweth that the very clergy so gouerned that in the meane tyme the people was not excluded from the hearyng of maters For thus he writeth Sins the beginnyng of my bishoprike I haue determined to do nothyng without the counsel of the clergie and consent of the people But this was the common and vsuall maner that the iurisdiction of the Chirch should be exercised by a Senate of Elders of whom as I haue saied there were two sortes For some were ordeined to teachyng other some were only iudges of maners By little and little this institution grewe out of kynd from the first beginning of it so that euen in the time of Ambrose onely clerkes were iudges in ecclesiastical iudgementes Which thing he himself complaineth of in these wordes The old Synagoge saith he and sins that time the Chirche hath had Elders without whoe 's counsell nothyng was done Which by what negligence it is growen out of vse I know not vnlesse peraduenture by the slouthfulnesse or rather the pride of the teachers while they alone wold be thought to be somwhat We see how much the holy man is displeased that any thyng of the better state is decaied when notwithstandyng they had yet continuyng an order that was at the least tolerable What then would he do if he saw these deformed ruines that shewe almoste no signe of the olde byldyng What bewaylyng would he vse Fyrst agaynst lawe and right the Bishop hath claimed to hymselfe alone that whiche was geuen to the whole Chirch For it is like as if the Consul driuyng out the Senate should take the empire vpon himselfe alone But as he is aboue the rest in honor so in the whole assemblie is more authoritie than in one man Therefore it was to wicked a dede that one man remouyng the common power to himselfe hath bothe opened an entrie to tyrannous lust and hath taken from the Chirch that which belonged vnto her and hath suppressed and put away the assemblie ordeined by the Spirite of Christ. But as of one euil alway groweth an other Bishops disdaining it as a thing vnworthie of their care haue cōmitted it ouer to other Hereupō are created Officials to serue that roome I do not yet speake what kind of men they be but onely this I say that they nothyng differ from prophan Iudges And yet they stil cal it a spiritual iurisdiction where men contende about nothyng but earthly maters Although there were no more euell with what face dare they call a brawlyng courte the iudgement of the Chirche But there are monitions there is excommunication So verily they mocke with God Doeth a poore man owe a little money he is cited if he appeare he is condemned When he is condemned if he do not satisfie it he is monished after the seconde monition they procede one steppe toward excōmunication if he appeare not he is monished to come and yeld hymself to iudgement if he then make delay he is monished and by by excōmunicate I beseche you what is there any thyng like either to the institution of Christe or to the auncient maner or to an Ecclesiasticall order But there is also correction of vices But how verily they not onely suffer but with secrete allowance do after a certaine maner cherishe and confirme adulteries wantonnesse dronkennesse and suche kynde of mischeuous doynges and that not onely in the common people but also in the clergie themselues Of many they call a fewe before them either that they shoulde not seeme slouthfull in winkyng at them or that they may milke out some money I speake not of the pillages robberies briberies and sacrileges that are gathered thereby I speake not what maner of men are for the moste part chosen to this office This is enough and to muche that whē the Romanists do boast that their iurisdiction is spirituall it is easy to shew that there is nothing more cōtrary to the order institute of Christ and that it hath no more likenesse to the auncient custome than darkenesse hath to light Although we haue not spoken all thynges that might be alleged for this purpose and those thynges that we haue spoken of are knyt vp in fewe words yet I trust that we haue so fought it out that there is nowe no more cause why any man shold dout that the spiritual power wherof the Pope with all his kingdome proudely glorieth is wicked againste God and an vniust tyrannie ouer his people Under the name of spirituall power I comprehend both boldenesse in framyng new doctrines wherwith they haue turned away the sily people from the natural purenesse of the word of God the wicked traditions wherewith they haue snared them also the false ecclesiastical iurisdiction which they execute by Suffraganes Officials For if we graunt vnto Christ a kingdome among vs it
Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople he doth in dede render a reason why he ought not to be blamed yet he doth not bost of immunitie from the secular court but rather promiseth that he wil be obedient so farr as his conscience wil geue hym leaue and therewithal he saith this that Maurice did as became a Godly Prince when he gaue such commaundementes to the Prestes ¶ The .xii. Chapter Of the discipline of the Chirch wherof the chefe vse is in the censures and excommunication THe discipline of the Chirch the entreating wherof we haue differred vnto this place is brefely to be declared that we may at length passe ouer to the rest But that same for the most part hangeth vpon the power of the keyes and spiritual iurisdiction That this may be the more easily vnderstode let vs diuide the Chirch into twoo principal degrees that is to say the Clergie and the people Clerkes I call by the vsual name those that execute publike ministerie in the Chirch Firste we wil speake of common discipline to which al ought to be subiect then we will come to the Clergie which beside that common discipline haue a seuerall discipline by themselues But because many for hatred of discipline do abhorre the very name therof let them heare this If no felowship yea no house though it haue but a small householde can be kept in righte state without discipline the same is muche more necessarie in the Chirch whoe 's state ought to be most orderly of al. Therefore as the doctrine of Christ which bringeth saluation is the soule of the Chirch so discipline is in stede of sinewes therein wherby it is broughte to passe that the members of the body hang together euery one in hys fyt place Wherfore whosoeuer do either desire to haue discipline taken awaye or hinder the restoryng therof whether they do it of set purpose or by vnaduisednesse verily they seke the extreme dissipation of the Chirch For what shall betide if what is lustfull to be lawfull to euery man But so would it be if there were not with the preaching of doctrine adioâ—ned priuate admonishmentes corrections and suche other helpes whiche susteyne doctrine and suffer it not to bee idle Discipline therfore is as it were a bridle wherwith they may be holden backe and tamed which coltishly resist against Christ or as it were a pricke wherwith they that are not willing enough may be stirred vp and somtyme as a fatherly rod wherwith they which haue more greuously falleÌ„ may be chastised mercifully and according to the mildenesse of the Spirite of Christ. Sith therfore we do now se at hande certaine beginninges of a horrible wastenesse in the Chirch because there is no care nor order to kepe the people in awe very necessitie cryeth out that there is nede of remedy But thys is the onely remedy which both Christ hath commaunded and hath alway ben vsed among the godly The first fundation of discipline is that priuate monitions shoulde haue place that is to say that if any man of hys own accorde doe not hys duty if he behaue himselfe licentiously or liue not honestly or haue committed any thyng worthy of blame he should suffer himselfe to be admonished and that euery man should study to admonish his brother when occasion shall require But specially let the Pastors and Prestes be watchefull to doe thys whoe 's office is not only to preach to the people but in euery house to admonish and exhort if at any tyme they doe not sufficiently preuayle by generall doctrine as Paule teacheth when he reherseth that he taughte priuately and in houses and protesteth that he is cleane from the blood of all men because he hath not cessed with teares day and night to admonish euery one For doctrine doeth then obteyne force and authoritie when the minister not onely doth declare to altogether what their duty is to Christ but also hath power and order to require the keping therof of them whom he marketh to be either not obediente to doctrine or slouthfull If any man doe either stubbornely refuse or in going forwarde in hys faultes do despise such admonishmentes when he hath ben the seconde tyme admonished with witnesses called to it Christe commaundeth them to be called to the iugement of the Chirch which is yâ— assemblie of Elders and that there they should be more greuously admonished as it were by publike authoritie that if he reuerence the Chirch he may submitt himselfe and obey But if he be not hereby subdued but do continue in hys wickednesse then he commaundeth hym as a despiser of the Chirch to be putt away from the felowship of the faythfull But because he speaketh here onely of secrete Faultes we must make this diuision that some synnes be priuate and some publike or openly manifest Of the first sort Christ sayth to euery priuate man Reproue hym betwene thee and hym alone Of manifest synnes Paule sayth in Timothee Reproue hym before all men that the rest may haue feare For Christ had sayd before If thy brother haue offended agaynst thee Which wordes against thee vnlesse thou wilte be contentious thou canneste not otherwyse vnderstande than vnder thyne owne secret knowlege so that there be no moe priuie to it But the same thyng whiche the Apostle teacheth Timothee concernyng the rebukyng of them openly that sinne openly he hymselfe folowed in Peter For wheÌ„ Peter synned euen to publyke offence he did not admonyshe hym apart by hymself but brought him fourth into the sight of the Chirch Therfore this shal be the right order of doing if in secret faultes we goe forward according to those degrees that Christ hath set but in manifest faultes we immediatly procede to the Chirches solemne rebuking if the offense be publike Let this also be an other distinctioÌ„ that of sinnes some be defaultes other some be wicked doinges or haynous offences To the correcting of thys later sort not only admonishment or rebuking is to be vsed but also a seuere remedie as Paule sheweth which not only chastised wyth wordes the Corynthian that had committed incest but also punished him with excommunication so sone as he was certified of his wicked dede Now therefore we beginne better to se how the spiritual iurisdiction of the Chirch which punisheth sinnes according to the word of the Lorde is the best maintenance of health and fundation of order and bonde of vnitie Therefore when the Chirch doth banish out of her coÌ„pany manifest adulterers whoremongers theues robbers seditious persons periured men false witnesses and such other againe obstinate men which being orderly admonished euen of small faultes doe scorne God and his iugement she taketh nothing vpon her selfe without reason but executeth the iurisdiction geuen her of the Lorde Moreouer that none should despise such iugement of the Chirch or lightly regarde that he is condemned by the consenting voices of the faithful the Lord hath testified that
the same is nothing ells but a pronouncing of hys own sentence and that whatsoeuer they do in erth is confirmed in heauen For they haue the worde of the Lord wherby they may condemne the frowarde they haue the worde wherby they may receiue the repentant into fauor They I say that trust that without thys bonde of discipline Chirches may long stande are deceiued in opinion vnlesse perhappes we may want that helpe which the Lord foresaw that it should be necessarie for vs. And truely how great is the necessitie therof shal be better perceiued by the manifolde vse of it There be three endes whiche the Chirch hath respect vnto in suche corrections and excommunication The first is that they should not to the dishonor of God be named among Christians that leade a filthy and sinfull lyfe as though his holy Chirch were a coÌ„spiracie of noughtie and wicked men For sith the Chirch is the body of Christ it can not be defiled with suche filthy and rotten members but that some shame muste come to the hed Therefore that there should not be any suche thyng in the Chirch wherby hys holy name may be spotted wyth any repâ—oche they are to be driuen out of her householde by whoe 's dishonâ—â—e any sclauÌ„der myght redounde to the name of Christians And herein also is consideration to be had of the Supper of the Lord that it be not profaned with geuing it to alwithout choise For it is most true that he to whom the distribution of it is committed if he wittingly and willingly admitt an vnworthy man whom he might lawfully put back is as giltie of Sacrilege as if he did geue abrode the Lordes body to dogges Wherfore Chrysostome greuously inueyeth against the Prestes whiche while they feare the power of great men dare debarre no man The blood sayth he shal be required at your handes If ye feare man he shall laugh you to scorne but if ye feare God ye shal be reuerenced also among men Let vs not feare maces nor purple nor crownes we haue here a greater power I verily will rather deliuer mine own body to death and suffer my blood to be shed than I will be made partaker of this defiling Therfore least this most holy mystery be spotted with sclander in the distributing thereof choise is greatly requisite â–ª which yet can not be had but by the iurisdictioÌ„ of the Chirch The secoÌ„d ende is least as it is wont to come to passe with the continuall company of the euil the good shold be corrupted For such is our redy inclination to go out of the way there is nothing easier than for vs to be ledde by euill examples froÌ„ the right course of lyfe This vse the Apostle touched when he commauÌ„ded the Corinthians to put the incestuous man out of their company A litle leuen sayth he corrupteth the whole lomp of doae And he foresaw herein so great danger that he forbade hym euen from all felowship If any brother sayeth he among you be named either a whoremonger or a couetous man or a worshipper of Idoles or a dronkarde or an euill speaker with suche a one I graunte you not leaue so much as to eate The thirde ende is that they themselues confounded with shame may beginne to repente of their filthinesse So it is profitable for them also to haue their owne wickednesse chastised that with feling of the rod they may be awaked which otherwyse by tender bearing with them would haue become more obstinate The same thing doth the Apostle meane when he sayth thus If any do not obey our doctrine marke hym and kepe no companye wyth hym that he may be ashamed Againe in an other place when he wryteth that he hath deliuered the Corinthian to Satan that hys Spirite might be saued in the day of the Lord that is as I expounde it that he went into a damnation for a tyme that he might be saued for euer But he therefore sayth that he deliuereth hym to Satan because the deuil is out of the Chirch as Christ is in the Chirch For wheras some do referr it to a certaine vexing of the fleshe I thynke that to be very vncertaine When these endes be set fourth nowe it remaineth to se howe the Chirch executeth this part of discipline which consisteth in iurisdiction First let vs kepe the diuision aboue set that of synnes some be publike and other some be priuate or more secrete Publike are those that haue not onely one or twoo witnesses but are committed openly and wyth the offense of the whole Chirch Secrete I call those not which are altogether hidden from men as are the sinnes of Hipocrites for those come not into the iugement of the Chirch but those of the meane kynde which are not without witnesses yet are not publike The firste kynd requireth not those degrees which Christ rehearseth but wheÌ„ any such thing appeareth the Chirch ought to do her dutie in callyng the sinner and correcting him according to the proportion of the offense In the second kind according to the rule of Christ they come not to yâ— Chirch til there be also obstinacie added WheÌ„ it is ons come to knowlege then is the other diuision to be noted betwene wycked doinges defaultes For in lighter synnes there is not to be vsed so great seueritie but chastisemeÌ„t of wordes sufficeth the same gentle and fatherly which may not hardeÌ„ nor confounde the synner but bryng hym home to hymselfe that he may more reioyse than be sory that he was corrected But it is mete that haynous offenses be chastised with sharper remedie For it is not enough if he that by doing wycked dede of euill example hath greuously offended the Chirch shoulde be chastised onely with wordes but he oughte for a time to be depriued of the communion of the Supper til he haue geuen assurance of his repentance For against the Corinthian Paule vseth not only rebuking of wordes but driueth him out of the Chirche and blameth the Corinthians that it had so long borne him The olde and better Chirch kepte this order when rightfull gouernement florished for if any man had done any wicked dede wherupon was growen offense first he was commaunded to absteine from partaking of the holy Supper then both to humble himselfe before God and to testifie hys repentaÌ„ce before the Chirch There were also certaine solemne vsages which were enioyned to them that had falleÌ„ to be tokens of their repeÌ„tance When they had so done that the Chirch was satisfied theÌ„ by layeng of handes he was receiued into fauor Which receiuing is oftentimes called of Cipriane peace who also briefely describeth this vsage They do penance saieth he in a certaine ful time then they come to coÌ„fession and by the laying on of handes of the Bishop and the Clergie they receiue power to come to the communion Howbeit the Bishop and his Clergie had so the ruling
of reconciliation that they did therewithall require the consent of the people as he sheweth in an other place From this discipline there was no man exempted that euen the Princes together with the common people did submit themselues to beare it And rightfully sithe it was euident that it was the discipline of Christ to whom it is mete that all scepters and crownes of kinges be submitted So when Theodosius was depriued by Ambrose of power to come to the communion because of the slaughter committed at Thessalonica he threwe down all the royall ornamente wherewith he was clothed he openly in the Chirch bewayled his sinne whiche had crept vpon him by fraude of other men he craued pardon with groning and teares For great kinges ought not to thinke this to be any dishonor to them if they humbly throwe down themselues before Christ the king of kinges neither ought it to displease them that they be iudged by the Chirch For sith in their court they heare nothing ells but mâ—re flatteries it is more than necessarie for them to be rebuked of the Lord by the mouth of the Prestes But rather they ought to wishe that the Prestes should not spare them that the Lord may spare them In this place I omitt to speake by whom this iurisdiction is to be exercised because it is spoken of in an other place This onely I adde that that is the lawfull maner of proceding in excommunicating a man whiche Paule sheweth if the Elders doe it not alone by themselues but with the Chirch knowing and allowing it that is in such sort that the multitude of the people may not gouerne the doing but may marke it as a witnesse and a keper that nothing should be done of a fewe by wilfull affection But the whole maner of doing beside the calling vpon the name of God ought to haue such grauitie as may resemble the preseÌ„ce of Christ that it maye be vndouted that he there sitteth for ruler of his owne iugement But this ought not to be passed ouer that such seueritie becometh the Chirch as is ioined with the Spirite of mildenesse For we must alway diligently beware as Paule teacheth that he whiche is punished be not swallowed vp of sorrow for so should of a remedy be made a destructioÌ„ But out of the ende may better be gathered a rule of moderation For wheras this is required in excommunication that the sinner should be brought to repentance and euill examples taken away least either the name of Christ should be euil spoken of or other meÌ„ be prouoked to followe them if we shal haue an eye to these thinges we shal be able easily to iudge how farr seueritie ought to procede and where it ought to end Therfore when the sinner geueth a testimonie of his repentance and doth by this testimonie as much as in him lyeth blott out the offense he is not to be enforced any further but if he be enforced rigorousnesse doth then excede measure In which behalfe the immesurable seueritie of the olde fathers can not be excused which both disagreed from the prescribed order of the Lord and also was maruelously dangerous For when they charged a sinner with solemne penance and depriuation froÌ„ the holy communion somtime for seuen yeres sometime fower yeres somtime three yeres somtime for their whole life what other thyng could follow therof but either great hipocrisie or most great desperatioÌ„ Likewise wheras no man that had fallen the seconde time was admitted to seconde penance but was cast out of the Chirch euen to the ende of his life that was neyther profitable nor agreing to reson Therefore whosoeuer shal wey the mater with sound iugemeÌ„t shal here in perceiue want of their discretion Howbeit I do here rather disallow the publike maner thaÌ„ accuse al them that vsed it wheras it is certaine that many of them misliked it but they did therfore suffer it because they could not amende it Truely Cipriane declareth how much beside his own wil he was so rigorous Our pacience saith he and easinesse gentlenesse is redy to them that come I wish al to returne into the Chirch I wish al our fellow soldiars to be enclosed within the tentes of Christ and in the houses of God thâ— father I forgeue al thinges I dissemble many thinges for zele desire to gather brotherhode together I examine not with full iugement euen those thinges that are coÌ„mitted against God in pardoning defaultes more than I ought I am my selfe almoste in defaulte I doe with redy and full loue embrace them that returne with repentance coÌ„fessing their sinnes with humble and plaine satisfaction Chrysostome is somwhat harder and yet he sayth thus If God be so kinde why will his Prest seme so rigorous Moreouer we know what gentlenesse Augustine vsed towarde the Donatistes in so much that he sticked not to receiue into Bishoprike those that had returned from schisme euen immediatly after their repeÌ„tance But because a contrary order had growen in force they were compelled to leaue their own iugement to folow it But as this mildenesse is required in the whole body of the Chirch that it should punish them yâ— are fallen mercifully and not to the extremitie of rigor but rather according to the precepte of Paule shoulde confirme charitie towarde them so euery priuate maÌ„ for himselfe ought to temper himselfe to this mercifulnesse and gentlenesse Therfore it is not our part of wype out of the number of the elect suche as are dryuen oute of the Chirche or to despeire of them as thoughe they were allredy loste We maye in dede iudge them strangers from the Chirch and therefore strangers from CHRIST but that is onely duryng the tyme that they abide in diuorce But if then also they shewe a greater resemblance of stubbornnesse than of gentlenesse yet lette vs committ them to the iugemente of the Lorde hoping better of them in time to come than we see in time present and let vs not therfore cesse to pray to God for them to comprehend al in one word let vs not condemne to death the person it selfe whiche is in the hande and iudgement of God alone but let vs rather weye by the law of the Lorde of what sort euery mans works be Which rule while we folow we rather stande to the iudgement of God than pronounce our owne Let vs not take to our selues more libertie in iudgyng vnlesse we will bynde the power of God within bouÌ„des and appoint a law to his mercie at whoe 's pleasure when he thinketh it good very euell men are turned into very good strangers are graffed and foreins are chosen into the Chirch And this the Lord doeth therby to mocke out the opinion of men and rebate theyr rashenesse which if it be not restrained presumeth to take to it selfe power of iudgyng more than it ought For where as Christ promiseth that that shal be bounde in heauen whiche they that
wine that they nede to be caried away dronken is tolerable It was ordeined to eate but ones in a day thys these good successors haue not abrogate but they gaue leaue to continue their surfettinges from midde day to midde nighte The custome was that men should make an ende of their dayes iourney fasting But it was at libertie and vsedly the custome for auoyding of werinesse to shorten their iourney to twoo houres Whensoeuer the Papistes shall pretende their bastarde rules to shewe themselues to be like to the holy fathers this example shall sufficiently reproue their fonde counterfaiting that no painter can more liuely expresse it In one thing they be to rigorous and vnentreatable that they geue not leaue to Prestes to mary But howe greate libertie there is among them to vse whordome vnpunished is not nedefull to be spoken and bearing them bolde vpon their stinking vnmaried life they haue hardened themselues to all wicked doinges But this forbidding doeth plainly shewe howe pestilente all their traditions are forasmuch as it hath not onely spoiled the Chirch of good and fit Pastors but also hath broughte in a horrible sinke of mischeues and throwen many soules into the gulfe of desperation Truely whereas mariage hath ben forbidden to Prestes that same hath been done by wicked tyrannie not onely againste the woorde of God but also against all equitie Firste to forbidde that whiche the Lorde had lefte at libertie was by no meanes lawfull for men Againe that God hath expressely prouided by hys woorde that this libertie should not be broken is so euidente that it nedeth no long demonstration I speake not how Paule in many places willeth a Bishop to be the husbande of one wyfe But what coulde be more vehemently spoken than where he pronounceth by the Holy ghost that there shal be in the last tymes wicked men that shall forbidde mariage and he calleth them not onely deceiuers but deuells This therefore is a Prophecie thys is a holy Oracle of the Holy ghost wherewith he willed to arme the Chirche aforehande againste dangers that the forbidding of mariage is the doctrine of deuells But they thinke that they haue gaily escaped when they wrest thys sentence to Montanus the Tatrans Eucratites and other olde heretikes They onely saye they condemned mariage but we dooe not condemne it but debarre the Clergie from it for whom we thynke it not to be conuenient As though albeit this prophecy was first fulfilled in those aforesaid meÌ„ it might not also be applied to these or as though this childish fond sutteltie were worth the hearing that they saye that they forbidde it not because they forbid it not to all For it is al one as if a tyrant woâ—ld affirme that it is not an vniust law with vniustice wherof one part 〈◊〉 of the citie is oppressed They obiect that the Prest doth by some marke differ from the people As though the Lorde did not also foresee this with what ornameÌ„ts Prestes oughte to excell So they accuse the Apostle of troubling the order and confounding the comlinesse of the Chirch which when he portrayed out the absolute forme of a good Bishop durste set mariage among the other giftes which he required in hym I knowe howe they expounde this namely that none is to be chosen that hath had a seconde wife And I graunt that this is not a new exposition but that it is a false exposition appeareth by the texte it selfe because he by and by after setteth out of what qualities the wiues of Bishops and Deacons ought to be Paule reckeneth mariage among the vertues of a Bishop these men teache that it is an intollerable faulte in the order of the Clergie And on Gods name not contented with this generall disprayse they call it in their canons vnclennesse and defiling of the fleshe Let euery man thynke with himselfe out of what workshop these things be come Christ vouchesaueth so to honor mariage that he willeth it to be an image of his holy conioyning with the Chirch What coulde be spoken more honorably to set out the dignitie of mariage With what face therefore shall that be called vncleane or defiled wherein shineth a lykenesse of the spirituall grace of Christ But nowe when their forbidding so euidently fighteth with the word of God yet they fynde in the Scriptures wherewith to defende it The Leuiticall Prestes were bounde to lie a sonder from their wiues so oft as it came to their turnes to minister that they might handle the holye thinges pure and vndefiled Therefore it were very vncomly that our holy thinges sithe they be bothe much more noble and daily shoulde be handled of maryed men As though there were all one person of the minister of the Gospell as was of the Leuiticall Presthode For they as figures represented Christ which being the mediator of God and men should with most absolute purenesse reconcile the Father vnto vs. But when sinners could not in euery behalfe expresse the figure of his holinesse yet that they might with certaine grosse draughtes yeld a shadowe of hym they were commaunded to purifie themselues beyond the maner of men wheÌ„ they came to the Sanctuarie namely because they then properly figured Christ for that as pacifiers to recoÌ„cile the people to God they appeared at the tabernacle the image of the heaueÌ„ly iugement seate Forasmuch as the Pastors of the Chirch do not beare this persone at thys day therfore they are vainly coÌ„pared with them Wherfore the Apostle doth without exception boldly pronouÌ„ce that mariage is honorable among all men but that for whoremongers adulterers abideth the iugement of God And the Apostles theÌ„selues did with their own example approue that mariage is not vnmete for the holinesse of any office be it neuer so excellent For Paul witnesseth that they did not only kepe wynes but also carryed them about with them Againe it was a maruelous shamelesnesse that they durst set out this comlinesse of chastitie for a necessarie thing to the great reproche of the old Chirch which when it abouÌ„ded with singular learning of God yet excelled more in holinesse For if they passe not vpoÌ„ the Apostles as they are wont somtime stoutely to despise them what I beseche you wil they do to all the old fathers whome it is certaine to haue not only suffered but also allowed mariage in the order of Bishops They forsooth did nourish a filthy profaning of holy things forasmuch as so the mysteries of the Lord were not rightly reuerenced among them It was moued in dede in the Nicene Sinode to haue vnmaried life commaunded as there alway want not some superstitious men whiche doe euer inuente some new thing to bring themselues in admiration But what was decreed The sentence of Paphuntius was assented to which pronounced that a mans lyeng with his owne wife is chastitie Therefore mariage remained holy among them neither did it turne them to any shame nor was thought
vsuall than this wickednesse that the people eche where despising the lawe of God did wholly burne with mad gredinesse to vowe whatsoeuer had pleased them in their dreame I wil not hatefully enforce nor particularly rehearse how hainously how many waies herein men haue offended but I thoughte good to say this by the way that it may the better appeare that we do not moue question of a nedelesse mater when we entreate of vowes Now if we will not erre in iudging which vowes be lawfull and which be wrongfull it behoueth to weye three thinges that is to saye who it is to whom the vowe is made who we be that make the vowe last of all with what minde we vowe The first pointe hath respect to this that we shoulde thynke that we haue to doe with God whome our obedience so muche deliteth that he pronounceth all willworships to be accursed howe gay and glorious soeuer they be in the eyes of mē If all voluntarie worshippes which we our selues deuise without commaundement be abhominable to God it foloweth that no worship can be acceptable to hym but that which is allowed by his worde Therfore let vs not take so great libertie to our selues that we dare vowe to God that which hath no testimonie howe it is estemed of him For whereas that which Paule teacheth that it is sinne whatsoeuer is done without Fayth extendeth to all doinges then verily it chefely hath place when thou directest thy thoughte the streighte waye to God But if we fall and erre euen in the smallest thinges as Paule there disputeth of the difference of meates where certaintie of Faith shineth not before vs howe muche more modestie is to be vsed when we attempte a thyng of greatest weyghte For nothyng oughte to be more earnest vnto vs than the duties of religion Lett thys therefore be the firste consideration in vowes that we neuer come to the vowing of any thing but that conscience haue firste certainly determined that it attempteth nothing rashly But it shall then be free from danger of rashnesse when it shal haue God going before it and as it were enforming it by hys worde what is good or vnprofitable to be done In the other thing which we haue sayd to be here to be cōsidered this is conteyned that we measure our own strengthes that we haue an eie to our vocation that we neglect not the benefite of libertie which God hath geuen vs. For he that voweth that which eyther is not in his power or disagreeth with hys vocation is rash and he that despiseth the boūtifulnesse of God wherby he is appoynted Lord of all thynges is vnthankefull When I say thus I do not meane that any thyng is so sett in our own hande that standing vpon confidence of our own strength we may promise the same to God For it was most truly decreed in the Councell at Arausium that nothyng is ryghtly vowed to God but that which we haue receiued of hys hande forasmuch as all thynges that are offred hym are hys mere gyftes But sith some thynges are by gods goodnesse geuen vs and other some thynges by his equitie denyed vs let euery man as Paule commaundeth haue respect to the measure of grace geuen vnto hym Therefore I do here meane nothyng ells but that vowes must be tempered to the measure which the Lord prescribeth thee in his geuing lest if the attēpt further thā he permitteth thou throw thy selfe down hedlong with takyng to much vpon thee As for example When those murtherers of whom mentiō is made in Luke vowed that they would tast of no meate tyll Paule were slayen although the deuise had not ben wicked yet the rashnesse it selfe was not to be suffered that they made the lyfe and death of a man subiect to their power So Iephthe suffred punishment for hys folly whē with hedlong heate he conceiued an vnaduised vow In which kynde unmaried life hath the chefe place of mad boldnesse For sacrificing Prestes mōkes nonnes forgettyng their own weakenesse thinke themselues able to kepe vnmaryed lyfe But by what Oracle are they taught that they shall haue chastitie throughout al theyr lyfe to the very ende wherof they vowe it They heare the worde of God concernyng the vniuersal state of men It is not good for man to be alone They vnderstande and I would to God that they did not fele that synne remayning in vs is not without moste sharpe prickes Wyth what confidence dare they shake of the general callyng for al their life long wheras the gift of continence is oftener graūted for a certayne time as opportunitie requireth In such stubbornesse let them not loke for God to be their helper but let them rather remember that which is sayd Thou shalt not tēpt the Lord thy God And thys is to tempt God to endeuor agaynst the nature put in vs by hym and to despise his presēt giftes as though they nothyng belonged vnto vs. Which they not only do but also mariage it selfe which God thought it not agaynst his maiestie to institute which he hath pronoūced honorable in al men which Christ our Lord hath sanctified with hys presence which he vouchesaued to honor with his fyrst miracle they dare call defyling only to aduaunce with maruelous commendations a certayne vnmarryed lyfe of what sorte soeuer it be As though they themselues dyd not shewe a clere example in their life that vnmarryed state is one thyng and virginitie an other which their lyfe yet they most shamelesly call Angelyke doyng herein verily to great iniurie to the Angels of God to whom they compare whoremongers adulterers and somwhat ells muche worse and filthier And truely here nede no argumētes when they are openly confuted by the thing it selfe For we playnly se with howe horrible peines the Lord doth commonly take vengeance of suche arrogance and contempt of his giftes by to muche truste in themselues I spare for shame to speake of the more secrete faultes of which euen this that is already perceiued is to much It is out of controuersie that we oughte to vowe nothing that may hinder vs from seruing of our vocation As if a householder should vowe that he will leaue his wife and his children and take other charges in hande or if he that is fi lt to beare office when he is chosen doe vowe that he will be a priuate man But what is meant by this that our libertie shoulde not be despised hath some difficultie if it be not declared Therefore thus in fewe wordes I expounde it Sith God hath made vs Lordes of all things and hath so made them subiect vnto vs that we should vse them all for our commoditie there is no cause why we shoulde hope that it shal be and acceptable worke to God if we yelde our selues into bondage to the outwarde thinges which ought to be a helpe vnto vs. I say thys for this purpose because many
not remayne with them Afterward when he hath rehersed the hardnesse wherof he himselfe had sene examples both at Millain and ells where among these thynges sayth he no man is enforced to harde thynges which he can not beare no man is charged with that whiche he refuseth neither is he therfore condemned of the rest because he confesseth himself to want strength in folowyng of them for they remembre howe muche charitie is commended they remembre that all thynges are cleane to the clean Therfore all their diligence watcheth not to the refusyng of kyndes of meate as vncleane but to tame lust and to reteine the loue of brethren They remembre meate for the belly and the belly for meats c. Yet many strong do absteine for the weakes sake Many of them haue no nede to do thus but because it pleaseth them to susteine themselues with baser diet and nothyng sumptuous Therfore they themselues which beyng in health do forbeare if consideration of their helth compell when they are sicke do take without any feare Many drinke no wyne and yet they thynk not themselues defiled with it for they most gently cause it to be geuen to the fainter and to them that can not get the healthe of their body without it and som which foolishly refuse it they do brotherly admonish that they be not with vaine superstition sooner made weaker than holier So they diligently exercise godlinesse but they know that the exercisyng of the body perteineth but to a shorte tyme. Charitie is chefesly kepte to charitie the diet to charitie the speeche to charitie the apparell to charitie the countenance is fitted They mete and conspire into one charitie To offende it is accompted as haynous as to offend God If any resiste charitie he is caste oute and shunned If any offend charitie he is not suffred to abide one daye Forasmuche as in these wordes as in a painted table that holy man semeth to haue set out what maner of lyfe monkerie was in olde tyme although they were somewhat long yet I was content to enterlace them here because I saw that I shold haue ben somwhat longer if I had gathered the same thynges out of diuers howe muche soeuer I studied for brefenesse But my purpose here is not to go through this whole mater but only by the way to poynt out not onely what maner of monkes the Olde Chirche had but what maner of thyng the profession of monkes was at that time so as the soundwitted reders may iudge by the comparison what face they haue whiche allege antiquitie to maynteyne the present monkrie Augustine when he depaynteth vnto vs a holye and true monkrie would haue to be absent all rigorous exactyng of those thynges which by the worde of the Lorde are left vs at libertie But there is nothyng that is at this day more seuerely required For they compt it a mischief that can neuer be purged if any do neuer so litle swarue from the prescribed rule in color or fashion of garment in kynde of meate or in other triflyng and colde ceremonies Augustine stoutly mainteineth that it is not lawful for monkes to liue idle vpon other mennes He denieth that there was euer in his tyme any such example of a well ordered monasterie Our men set the chiefe parte of their holinesse in idlenesse For if you take idlenesse from them where shal be that contemplatiue life wherby they bost that they excell all other men and approch nere vnto Angels Finally Augustine requireth suche a monkrie as should be nothyng but an exercise and helpe to the dueties of godlinesse whiche are commended to all Christians What when he maketh charitie the chefe yea and almost only rule therof do we think that he praiseth a conspiryng wherby a fewe men beyng bounde together are seuered from the whole bodye of the Chirche But rather he willeth them with their example to geue light to other to kepe the vnitie of the Chirche In bothe these pointes there is so muche difference of the monkrie at this present that a man can scarcely fynde any thyng more vnlyke I will not say contrary For our monkes not contented with that godlynesse to the studie of which alone Christ commaundeth them that are his continually to applie do imagine I wote not what new godlinesse by meditation wherof they may be perfecter than other If they denie this I would knowe of them why they vouchsaue to geue to their owne order alone the title of perfection and take away the same from al the callings of God Neither am I ignorant of that sophistiâ—all solution that it is not therfore so called because it dothe conteyne perfection in it but because it is the best of all other to atteyne perfection When they are disposed to boste themselues before the people when to snare vnskilfull and vnware yong men when to mainteine their priuileges when to aduaunce their owne dignitie to the reproche of other then they bost that they are in the state of perfection When they are so nye driuen that they can not defend this vaine arrogance then they flee to this startyng hole that they haue not yet atteined perfection but that they are in the same state wherein they aspire vnto it aboue other In the meane tyme that admiration among the people remayneth as though the only monkishe life were angelike perfecte and clensed from all fault By this pretence they make moste gainefull markets but that same moderation lieth buried in a fewe bookes Who doth not see that this is an intollerable mockerie But let vs so reason with them as though they gaue no more to their profession than to call it a state of atteinyng perfection Uerily in geuyng it this name they do as by a speciall marke make it differyng from other kyndes of lyfe And who can abyde this that so great honor should be geuen awaye to an ordinance that is no where by any one syllable allowed and that by the same all other callynges of God whiche are by his owne holy mouth not onely commaunded but also commended with notable titles of praise are by the same accompted vnworthy And how great wrong I beseche you is done to God when I wote not what new founde thyng is preferred aboue all the kyndes of lyfe ordeyned by hymselfe and praysed by his owne testimonie But goe to let them say that it is a sclauÌ„der which I haue before said that they are not contented with the rule prescribed of God Yet though I holde my peace they themselues doo more than enough accuse themselues For they openly teache that they take vpon them more burden than Christ laide vpon his because forsoothe they promyse to keepe the counsels of the Gospel concernyng louyng their enemies not coueting of reuenge not swearyng c. to whiche thyngs Christians are not generally bounde Herin what antiquitie will they shewe foorth agaynst vs This neuer came in any of the olde fathers myndes
nothyng of spirituall thynges But for one benefite of God which they set foorth we consider three For fyrst the Lord teacheth and instructeth vs with his worde then he strengtheneth vs with sacrameÌ„tes last of all he shineth into our myndes with the lyghte of his holye Spirite and openeth an entrie for the woorde and Sacramentes into our hartes whiche otherwyse should but strike our eares and bee present before our eies and nothyng moue the inward partes Wherfore as touchyng the confirmation and encrease of Faith I wold haue the reader warned which I thinke I haue already in plaine wordes expressed that I do so assigne that ministerie to the sacramentes not as though I thought that there is perpetually in them I wote not what secrete force by which they may of themselues be able to further or confirme Faith but because they are ordeined of the Lorde to this ende that they shoulde serue to the stablishyng and encreasyng of Faith But then onely they do truely performe their office when that inwarde schoolemaister the Spirite is come to them with whoe 's onely power bothe the hartes are pearced and affections are moued and the entrie is sette open for the Sacramentes into oure soules If he be absente Sacramentes can do no more to our myndes than if either the brightnesse of the sunne shoulde shine vppon blynde eies or a voice sounde to deafe eares Therfore I so make diuision betwene the Spirite and sacramentes that the power of working remaine with the Spirite and to the Sacramentes be left only the ministration yea and the same voide and triflyng without the workyng of the Spirite but of muche effectualnesse when he inwardly woorketh and putteth foorth his force Nowe it is plaine in what sorte accordyng to this sentence a godly mynde is confirmed in the faith by Sacramentes that is to say euen as the eies see by the brightnesse of the sunne and the eares heare by the sounde of a voice of whiche neither the eies should any whitte perceiue any light vnlesse they had a sight in them selues that might naturally be enlightened and the eares should in vaine be knocked at with any crieng whatsoeuer it were vnlesse they wer naturally made and fitt to heare But if it be true whiche ought at ones to be determined among vs that what the sight worketh in our eies to seyng of the light what the hearyng worketh in our eares to the perceiuyng of a voice the same is the worke of the Holy ghost in our hartes bothe to the conceiuyng and susteinyng and cherishing and stablishing of faith then bothe these thynges do likewise folowe that the Sacramentes do nothyng at all profite without the power of the Holy ghoste that nothyng withstandeth but that in hartes alredy taught of that scholemaister they may make faith bothe stronger and more encreased Only this difference there is that the power of hearyng and seyng is naturally set in our eares and eyes but Christ beside the measure of nature doth by speciall grace worke the same in our myndes Wherby those obiections also which comber some men are dissolued That if we ascribe to creatures either the encrease or confirmation of Faith there is wrong done to the Spirite of God whom we ought to acknowlege the onely author therof For neither doo we in the meane tyme take from hym the praise either of confirming or encreasyng it but rather we affirme that euen this that he encreseth confirmeth faith is nothing els but with his inward enlightning to prepare our myndes to receiue that confirming which is set foorth by the Sacraments But if it be yet to darkly spokeÌ„ it shal be made very clereby a similitude which I will bryng If thou purpose with woordes to persuade a man to do any thyng thou wilt search out all the reasons wherby he may be drawen to thy opinion and may be in a maner subdued to obey thy counsel But thou haste hetherto nothyng preuailed vnlesse he likewise haue a pearcyng and sharpe iudgement whereby he may wey what pitth is in thy reasons vnlesse also he haue a tractable witt ready to harken to teachyng finally vnlesse he haue conceiued such an opinion of thy faithfulnesse and wisedome as may be to him like a certaine foreiudgemeÌ„t to cause him to subscribe For both there are many stubborne heads which a man can neuer bowe with any reasons and also where credite is suspected where authoritie is despised little good is done euen with the willyng to learne On the other syde lett all those thynges be present they wyll truely bryng to passe that the hearer to whome thou geuest counsel will obey the selfe same counsels which otherwise he wold haue laughed to scorne The same woorke also the Spirite woorketh in vs. For least the worde should beate our eares in vayne least the Sacramentes shoulde stryke oure eyes in vayne he sheweth vs that it is God which speaketh therin he softeneth the stubbornesse of oure harte and frameth it to the obedience which is due to the word of the Lorde Finally he conueyeth those outward woordes and Sacramentes from the eares into the soule Therfore bothâ— the worde and the Sacraments do confirme our Faith when they set before our eies the good wil of the heuenly Father toward vs by knowlege of whom both the whole stedfastnesse of our Faith standeth fast and the strengthe of it encreaseth the Spirite confirmeth it when in engrauing the same confirmation in in our myndes he maketh it effectual In the meane tyme the Father of lightes can not be forbidden but as he enlightneth the bodily eiâ—s with the beames of the sunne so he may enlighten our myndes with sacramentes as with as brightnesse set meane betwene Whiche propretie the Lorde taught that there was in his outewarde worde when in the parable he called it sede For as sede if it fall vpon a desert and vntilled pece of grounde will do nothyng but die but if it be throwen vpon arable lande well manured and tylled it wyll bryng foorth her fruite with very good encrease so the word of God if it light vpon a stiffe necke it will growe barrein as that whiche is sowen vpon sande but if it light vpon a soule manured with the hande of the heauenly Spirite it will be moste fruitefull But if there be like reason of sede and of the worde as we say that out of sede corne bothe springeth and encreaseth and groweth vp to ripenesse why may we not say that Faith taketh out of the worde of God bothe begynnyng encrease and perfection Paule very well expresseth both these thyngs in sundry places For when he goeth about to put the Corynthians in remembrance howe effectually God vsed his trauaile he glorieth that he hath the ministerie of the Spirite as though the power of the Holy ghost wer with an vnseperable knot ioyned with his preachyng to enlighten and thoroughly moue the mynde But in an other place when he myndeth
were neuer so muche ignorant or despisers of God and all godlinesse whiche baptised vs yet they dyd not baptise vs into the felowshippe of their owne ignorance or sacrilege but into the faith of Iesus Christe because they called not vpon their owne name but the name of God nor baptised vs into any other name Nowe if it were the Baptisme of God it hath verily enclosed in it a promise of the forgeuenesse of sinnes the mortifiyng of the fleshe the spirituall quickning and the partaking of Christ. So it nothing hindered the Iewes to haue ben circumcised of vncleane prestes and apostataes neither was the signe therfore voide that it neded to be done of new but it was sufficient to returne to the naturall beginnyng Where they obiecte that Baptisme ought to be celebrate in the assemblie of the godly that proueth not that that whiche is faultie in parte should destroy the whole force therof For when we teache what oughte to bee doone that Baptisme may be pure and voyde of all defilyng we do not abolyshe the ordinance of God although idolatrers corrupt it For when in olde tyme Circumcision was corrupted with many superstitions yet it ceassed not to be taken for a signe of grace neither did Iosias and Ezechias whē they gathered out of all Israel them that had departed from God calle them to a seconde Circumcision Nowe where as they aske vs what faith of ours hath yet folowed Baptisme in certayne yeares paste that they myghte thereby proue that the Baptisme is voyde whyche is not sanctified vnto vs but by the woorde of promyse receyued by faith to this question we answer that we in dede beyng blynde and vnbeleuyng dyd in a long tyme not holde faste the promise geuen vs in Baptisme yet the promise it selfe for as muche as it was of God continued alway stayed stedfast and true Although all menne bee lyers and faithbreakers yet God cesseth not to bee true although all menne be loste yet Christe remayneth saluation We confesse therefore that Baptisme for that tyme profited vs nothyng at all forasmuche as in it the promyse offered vs without whiche Baptisme is nothyng laye nothyng regarded Nowe sithe by the grace of God we haue begonne to waxe wyser we accuse our owne blyndnesse and hardnesse of hart which haue so long ben vnthankfull to his so great goodnesse But we beleue that the promise it selfe is not vanished away but rather thus we consider God by Baptisme promiseth the forgeuenesse of sinnes and sithe he hath promised it will vndoutedly performe it to all that beleue it That promise was offred vs in Baptisme by faith therfore lett vs embrace it It hath in dede long ben buried from vs because of infidelitie nowe therefore let vs receiue it by faith Wherfore where the Lord calleth the Iewishe people to repentance he geueth them no commaundement of a seconde circumcision whyche beyng as we haue sayd circumcised with a wicked and vngodly hande lyued a certaine tyme entangled with the same wickednesse But he earnestly calleth vppon the onely turnyng of the harte Because howe soeuer the couenant was broken of them yet the signe of the couenant by the ordinance of the Lorde remayned alway stedfast and inuiolable Therefore with the onely condition of repentance they were restored into the couenante whyche the Lord had ones made with them in Circumcision whyche yet beeyng receyued by the hande of a leaguebreaker preste so muche as in them laye they had defiled agayne and the effecte wherof they had quenched But they thynke that they shake a fyery darte at vs when they allege that Paule rebaptised them whiche were ones baptised with the Baptisme of Iohn For if by our owne confession the Baptisme of Iohn was alltogether the same that oures is nowe euen as they hauyng been before peruersely instructed when they were taughte the true Faith they were agayne baptised into it so that Baptisme whiche was without true Doctrine is to be taken for nothyng and we ought to be newely baptised agayne into the true religion wherewith we are nowe firste instructed Some thynke that there was somme wrongfully affectioned manne to Iohn whyche hadde entred them with theyr firste Baptisme rather to a vayne superstition Of whyche thyng they seeme to gather a coniecture hereupon because they confessed themselues to be vtterly ignorant of the Holy ghost wheras Iohn verily woulde neuer haue sente awaie from hymselfe scholars so vntaught But neither is it lykely that the Iewes althoughe they had not ben baptised at all were destitute of all knowlege of the Holy ghost whiche is famouslye spoken of by so many testimonies of the Scripture Where as therefore they answere that they knowe not whether there be a Holy ghoste it is to be vnderstanded as if they had sayde that they haue not yet hearde whether the graces of the Spirite of whiche Paule asked them were geuen to the Disciples of Christe But I graunt that that was the true Baptisme of Iohn and all one and the selfe same with the Baptisme of Christ but I deny that they wer baptised agayne What then meane these woordes they were baptised in the name of Iesus Some doo expound it that they were but instructed of Paule with true Doctrine But I hadde rather vnderstande it more symply to be the Baptisme of the Holy ghoste that is to saye that the visible graces of the Spirite were geuen them by the layeng on of handes whyche to be expressed by the name of Baptisme is no newe thyng As on the daye of Pentecoste it is sayde that the Apostles remembred the wordes of the Lorde concernyng the Baptisme of fyer and of the Spirite And Peter sayth that the same came to his remembrance when he saw those graces poured out vpon Cornelius and his household and kinred Neither is that cōtrarie which is after adioyned When he had layd his handes on them the Holy ghost came down vpō them For Luke doth not tell of twoo diuerse thinges but foloweth the maner of telling commonly vsed among the Hebrues which doe fyrste propounde the summe of the mater and then do set it out more at large Whiche euery man may perceiue by the very framing together of the woordes For he sayth When they had heard these thinges they were Baptised in the name of Iesus And when Paul had layed his handes vpon them the Holy ghoste came down vpon them In this later sentence is described what maner of Baptisme that was If ignorance do so corrupt a former Baptisme that it must be amended with a seconde Baptisme the Apostles should haue ben rebaptised first of al whiche in whole three yeres after their Baptisme had scarcely tasted any small parcel of purer doctrine And now among vs what riuers might suffice to renew so many washinges as there be ignorances by the mercy of the Lord daily amended in vs The force dignitie profit and ende of the mysterie if I be not deceiued ought
publishers of the Gospell and ministers of Baptisme and none as the Apostle witnesseth doth take honor vpon himselfe in the Chirch but he that is called as Aaron whosoeuer without lawfull calling Baptiseth he rusheth into an other mans office Euen in the smallest thinges as in meate and drinke whatsoeuer we enterprise with a doutefull consience Paule openly cryeth out to be synne Therefore in womens Baptising is much more greuously synne where it is euident that they breake the rule appointed by Christ forasmuche as we know that it is vnlawfull to plucke in sonder those thinges that God conioyneth But al thys I passe ouer Only I would haue the reders to note that Sephoraes purpose was nothing lesse than to doe any seruice to God Seing her sonne to be in danger she grudged and murmured and not withoute stomachyng threwe the foreskinne vppon the grounde she so taunted her husbande that she was also angrye with God Fynally it is plaine that all this came of a furiousnesse of mynde because she murmured against God and her husbande for that she was compelled to shed the blood of her sonne Moreouer if she had in all other thinges behaued her selfe well yet herein is an vnexcusable rashe presumption that she circumcised her sonne her husbande being presente not any priuate manne but Moses the principall Prophete of God than whome there neuer rose any greater in Israell which was no more lawfull for her to doe than at thys day it is for women in the syghte of the Bishoppe But this controuersie shal by and by be easily taken away by this principle that infantes are not debarred from the kingdome of heauen whome it happeneth to departe out of this present life before that it be graunted them to be dipped in water But it is already proued that no small wrong is done to the couenant of God if we doe not rest in it as though it were weake of it selfe wheras the effect therof hangeth neither vpon Baptisme nor vpō any additiōs There is afterward added to it a Sacrament like a seale not that it bringeth effectualnesse to the promise of God as to a thing weake of it self but only cōfirmeth it to vs. Wherupon foloweth that the children of the faithfull are not therefore Baptised that they may then first be made the children of God which before were strangers from the Chirch but rather that they be therfore receiued by a solemne signe into the Chirch because by the benefite of the promise they did already belong to the body of Christ. Therefore if in omitting the signe there be neither slouthfulnesse nor contempte nor negligence we are free from all danger It is therefore muche more holy to geue this reuerence to the ordinance of God that we seke Sacramentes from no where ells than where the Lorde hath lefte them When we may not haue them of the Chirch the grace of God is not so bounde to them but that we may obteine them by Faith out of the worde of the Lorde ¶ The .xvi. Chapter That the Baptisme of infantes doth very well agree with the institution of Christ and the nature of the signe BUt forasmuch as in this age certaine phrentike Spirites haue raised vp sore troubles in the Chirch for the Baptisme of infantes and doe not yet cesse to turmoyle I can not choose but I must ioyne here an addition to restrain their furiousnesse If paraduenture it shal seme to some man to be very much to long let him I beseche him weye with himselfe that we oughte so much to esteme the purenesse of doctrine in a most great mater together with the peace of the Chirch that nothing ought to be lothesomly receiued which may auaile to procure them bothe Beside that I so study to frame thys discourse that it shall be of no smal importance to the clerer declaration of the mysterie of Baptisme They assaile the Baptisme of infantes with an argument in dede fauourable in shewe sayeng that it is grounded vpon no institution of Christ but that it was brought in onely by the boldnesse of men and peruerse curiousnesse and then afterwarde with fonde easinesse rashly receyued in vse For a Sacrament vnlesse it rest vpon a certaine fundation of the worde of God hangeth but by a thred But what if when the mater is well considered it shall appeare that the Lordes holy ordinance is falsely and vniustly charged with such a sclaunder Lett vs therefore searche out the first beginning of it And if it shall appeare that it was deuised by the only rashnesse of men then bydding it farewell lett vs measure the true obseruation of Baptisme by the onely will of God But if it shal be proued that it is not destitute of his certaine authoritie we must beware least in pinching the holy ordinances of God we be also sclaunderous against the author himselfe First it is a doctrine well enough knowen and confessed among all the godly that the right consideration of the signes consisteth not onely in the outward Ceremonies but principally hangeth vpon the promise and vppon the spirituall mysteries for figuring where of the Lorde ordeineth the Ceremonies themselues Therefore he that will perfectly learne of what value Baptisme is to what end it tendeth finally what it is let him not stay his thought vpon the elemente and bodily syghte but rather let him raise it vp to the promises of God which are therein offred vs and to the inwarde secretes whiche are therein represented vnto vs. He that knoweth these thinges hath atteined the sound truth of Baptisme and the whole substance therof as I may so call it and thereby also he shal be taught what is the reson and what is the vse of the outwarde sprinkling Againe he that contemptuously passing ouer these shall haue his minde wholly fastened and bounde to the visible Ceremonie shall vnderstande neither the force nor propertie of Baptisme nor yet so much as thys what the water meaneth or what vse it hath Which sentence is proued with so many and so cleare testimonies of Scripture that we nede not at thys present to tarry long aboute it Therefore it remaineth now that we seke out of the promises geuen in Baptisme what is the force and nature of it The Scripture sheweth that the clensing of synnes which we obteyne of the blood of Christ is here first shewed then the mortifieng of the flesh which standeth vpon the partaking of hys death by which the faithfull are regenerate into newnesse of life yea and into the felowship of Christ. To this summe may be referred whatsoeuer is taughte in the Scriptures concernyng Baptisme sauing that beside thys it is a sygne to testifie religion before men But forasmuche as before the institution of Baptisme the people of God had circumcision in stede therof let vs se what these twoo sygnes differ the one from the other and with what lykenesse they agree together Whereupon may appeare what is the relation of the one
them he maketh them partakers of hymselfe when in the meane tyme these fellowes driuing them farre away do adiudge them to death For if they say for a shift that infantes do not therfore perishe if they be accompted the children of Adam their error is abundantly confuted by witnesse of the Scripture For where as it pronounceth that all do dye in Adam it foloweth that there remaineth no hope of life but in Christe Therefore that we maye be made heires of lyfe we must communicate with him Agayne when it is written in an other place that by nature we are all subiecte to the wrath of God and conceiued in sinne wherunto DamnatioÌ„ perpetually cleaueth we must departe oute of oure owne nature before that the entrie be open to vs into the kingdome of God And what can be more playnely spoken than that fleshe and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God Therfore let al be doone away what soeuer is ours which shall not be done withoute regeneration then we shall see this possession of the kyngdome Finally if Christ say truely when he reporteth that he is life it is necessarie that we be graffed into hym that we may be deliuered out of the bondage of death But saye they how are infantes regenerate which are not endued with knowlege neither of good nor of euyl But we answer that the worke of God is not yet no worke at all althoughe it be not subiect to our capacitie Moreouer it is nothyng doutefull that the infantes whiche are to be saued as verily of that age some are saued are before regenerate of the Lorde For if they bryng with them from their mothers wombe the corruption naturally planted in them they must be purged therof before that they be admitted into the kyngdome of God whereinto nothyng entreth that is defiled or spotted If they be borne synners as bothe Dauid and Paule affirme eyther they remaine out of fauor and hatefull to God or they must nedes be iustified And what seke we more when the iudge himself openly affirmeth that the entrie into heauenly life is open to none but to them that bee borne agayne And to put suche carpers to silence he shewed an example in Iohn the Baptist whome he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he was able to doo in the rest Neither dooe they any thyng preuaile by the shifte wherewith they here mocke that that was but ones done wherupon it dothe not by and by folow that the Lorde is wonte commonly to doe so with infantes For neither do we reason after that maner onely our purpose is to shew that the power of God is by them vniustly and enuiously limitted within those narrowe boundes within which it suffreth not it selfe to be bounde Their other by shift is euen of as great weight They allege that by the vsuall maner of the Scripture this worde from the wombe is as muche in effecte as if it were sayd from childhode But we may clerely see that the Angell when he declared the same to zacharie meant an other thyng that is that it whiche was not yet borne shoulde be filled with the Holy ghoste Lette vs not therfore attempt to appoynt a law to God but that he may sanctifie whom it pleased him as he sanctified this childe forasmuche as his power is nothyng minyshed And truely Christ was therfore sanctified from his first infantie that he might sanctifie in himself his elect out of euery age without differeÌ„ce For as to do away the fault of disobedience which had ben committed in our fleshe he hath put on the same fleshe vpon himselfe that he might in it for vs and in our stede performe perfect obedience so he was conceiued of the Holy ghost that hauyng the holynesse therof fully poured into hym in the fleshe which he had taken vpon hym he myght poure foorth the same into vs. If we haue in Christ a most perfect paterne of all the graces which God continually sheweth to his children verily in this behalfe also he shall be a profe vnto vs that the age of infantie is not so farre vnfitt for sanctification But howsoeuer it be yet this we holde out of controuersie that none of the electe is called out of this present life which is not fyrst made holy and regenerate by the Spirit of God Wheras they obiect to the contrary that in the Scriptures the Spirite acknowlegeth no other regeneration but of incorruptible sede that is of the worde of God they do wrongfully expounde that sayeng of Peter wherin he comprehendeth onely the faithfull which had ben taught by preaching of the Gospell To suche in dede we graunt that the word of the Lorde is the onely sede of spirituall regeneration but we denye that it ought therupon to be gathered that infantes can not be regenerate by the power of God which is to him as easy and ready as to vs it is incomprehensible and wonderfull Moreouer it shoulde not bee safe enough for vs to take this awaye from the Lorde that he maye not be able to shewe hymselfe to bee knowen to them by whatsoeuer waye he will But Faith say they is by hearyng wherof they haue not yet gotten the vse neither can they be able to knowe God whom Moses teacheth to be destiâ—ute of the knowlege bothe of good and euill But they consider not that the Apostle wheÌ„ he maketh hearyng the beginnyng of faith describeth onely the ordinarie distribution of the Lorde and disposition whiche he vseth to kepe in calling them that be his but appointeth not to him a perpetuall rule that he may not vse any other way Which way verily he hath vsed in the calling of many to whome he hath geuen the true knowlege of himselfe by an inwarde maner by the enlightening of the Spirite wtout any preaching vsed for meane thereof But whereas they thinke it shal be a great absurditie if any knowlege of God be geueÌ„ to infantes from whom Moses taketh away the vnderstaÌ„ding of good and euil I beseche them to answere me what danger is there if they be sayd to receiue some part of that grace wherof a litle after they shal enioye the ful plentifulnesse For if the fulnesse of lyfe standeth in the perfect knowlege of God when many of them whom in their very first infantie death by and by taketh away doe passe into eternall life truely they are receiued to beholde the most present face of God WhoÌ„ therfore the Lord wil enlighteÌ„ with the ful bryghtnesse of hys lyghte why maye he not presently also if it so please hym sende out to shyne vppon them some small sparcle therof specially if he do not first vncloth them of ignorance before the he take them out of the prison of the flesh Not that I meane rashly to affirme that they be endued with the same Faith which we fele in our selues or that they haue altogether lyke knowlege of faith which I had
vnto the forgeuenesse of synnes â–ª which when it is graunted wil largely make for defense of our sentence For sith we be borne sinners we do euen from our mothers wombe nede forgeuenesse and pardon Now seing the Lord doth not cut of but rather assure to that age the hope of mercy why should we take froÌ„ them the signe which is much inferior than the thing it selfe Wherfore that which they go about to throwe against vs we thus throwe backe against themselues infantes haue remission of synnes geueÌ„ them therfore they ought not to haue the signe taken froÌ„ them They allege also thys out of the Epistle to the Ephesians that the Chirch is clensed of the Lord with the washing of water in the worde of lyfe ThaÌ„ which there could nothing be alleged more fit to ouerthrow their error for the rupoÌ„ groweth an easy profe of our syde If the Lorde will haue the washyng wherewith he clenseth his Chirch to be testified by Baptisme it semeth not rightful that it should want the testimonie of it in infantes â–ª whiche are rightfully accompted part of the Chirch forasmuch as they be called heires of the heauenly kingdome For Paule speaketh of the whole Chirch where he sayth that it was cleansed with the Baptisme of water Likewise of this that in an other place he sayth that we be by Baptisme graffed into the body of Christ we gather that infantes whom he reckeneth among hys members oughte to be Baptised least they be plucked away from hys body Beholde with what violence with so many engines they assault the fortresses of our fayth TheÌ„ they come down to the practise custome of yâ— time of the Apostles wherin none is fouÌ„d to haue ben admitted to Baptisme but he whiche hath before professed Faith repentance For where Peter was asked of them that were mynded to repent what was nedeful to be done he couÌ„selled them first to repent then to be Baptised into the forgeuenesse of synnes Likewise Philip wheÌ„ the Eunuche required to be Baptised answered that he might be Baptised if he beleued with al his hart Hereby they thinke that they may winne that it is not lawfull that Baptisme be grauÌ„ted to any but where Fayth and repentance goe before Truely if we yelde to thys reson the first of these twoo places where is no mention made of Faith wil proue that repeÌ„taÌ„ce alone sufficeth and the other place wherin repentance is not required will proue that Fayth onely is enough I thinke they will answer that the one place is holpen with the other and therfore must be ioyned together I say also likewise that other places must be layed together which make somwhat to the vndoing of thys knot for asmuch as there be many seÌ„tences in Scripture the vnderstanding wherof hangeth vpon the circuÌ„stance of the place As this presently is an example For they to whoÌ„ Peter and Philip spake these thynges were of age sufficient to haue practise of repentance and to coÌ„ceiue Faith We earnestly deny that such ought to be Baptised vntil after perceiuing of their conuersion and Fayth at least so farr as it maye be searched out by the iugement of men But that infantes ought to be accompted in an other nomber it is more than euident enough For in olde tyme if any man did ioyne himselfe into communion of religion with Israel it behoued that he should first be taught the couenant of the lord and instructed in the law before that he wer marked with circumcision because in birth he was a stranger from the people of Israel with whome the couenante had ben made whiche circumcision stablished As also the lord â–ª when he adopteth Abraham to himselfe doth not begin at circumcision hyding in the meane time what he meaneth by that signe but first he declareth what couenante he entendeth to make with him and then after Fayth geuen to the promise he maketh hym partaker of the Sacrament Why doth in Abraham the Sacrament follow Fayth and in Isaac his sonne it goeth before all vnderstanding Because it is mete that he which beyng in full growen age is receiued into felowship of the couenant from which he had ben hetherto a stranger should first learne the conditions therof but an infante begotten of him neded not so which by right of inheritance according to the forme of the promise is euen from his mothers wombe conteined in the couenant Or that the mater may be more clerely and brefely shewed if the children of the faithful without the helpe of vnderstanding are partakers of the couenante there is no cause why they shoulde be debarâ—ed from the signe for thys that they can not sweare to the forme of the couenant This verily is the reason why in some places God affirmeth that the infantes whiche are issued of the Israelites are begotten borne to hym For without dout he estemeth as hys children the children of them to whoe 's sede he promiseth that he wil be a Father But he which is vnfaithfull issued of vngodly parentes till he be by Fayth vnited to God is iudged a stranger from the communion of the couenant Therfore it is no maruell if he be not partaker of the signe the signification whereof shoulde be deceitfull and voyde in hym To this effecte Paule also wryteth that the Gentiles so long as they were drowned in theyr idolatrie were oute of the testamente With this shorte summe as I thynke the whole mater may be clerely opened that they whiche in growen age embrace the Fayth of Christ forasmuche as they were hetherto strangers from the couenante are not to be marked with Baptisme but wheras Fayth and repentance come betwene which onely can open them the entrie into felowship of the couenant but the infantes that are issued of Christians as they are receiued of God into the inheritance of the couenant so sone as they be borne so oughte to be receiued to Baptisme Hereunto muste that be applyed whiche the Evangelist speaketh of that they were Baptised of Ihon whiche confessed their sinnes Whiche example at this day also we thinke mete to be kept For if a Turke offer himselfe to Baptisme he shoulde not bee rashly Baptised of vs namely not til after confession wherby he maye satisfie the Chirch Moreouer they bring fourth the wordes of Christ which are rehearsed in the thirde Chapter of Iohn wherby they thinke that a presente regeneration is required in Baptisme Unlesse a man be borne againe of water and the Spirite he can not enter into the kingdome of God Loe say they howe Baptisme is by the Lordes own mouth called regeneration Them therefore whome it is more than enough knowen to be vnable to receiue regeneratioÌ„ by what color do we admit to Baptisme which can not be without regeneration First they are deceiued in thys that they thinke that in thys place mention is made of Baptisme because they heare the
name of water For after that Christ had declared to Nicodemus the corruption of nature and taught hym that men must be borne of newe because Nicodemus dreamed of a bodily newe birth he there shewed the maner how God doth regenerate vs namely by water and the Spirite as though he should say by the Spirite which in cleansing and watering faithfull soules doth the office of water Therefore I take water and the Spirite simply for the Spirite which is water Neither is this a new forme of speche for it altogether agreeth with the same which is in the thirde Chapter of Mathewe He that foloweth me it is he that Baptiseth in the Holy ghost and fier Therfore as to Baptise in the Holy ghost and fier is to geue the Holy ghost which hath the office and nature of fier so to be borne againe of water and the Spirite is nothing ells but to receiue that power of the holy Spirite which doth the same thing in the soule that water doth in the body I knowe that other do otherwise expounde it but I am oute of doute that thys is the naturall meaning because the purpose of Christ is none other but to teache that all they must put of their owne nature which aspire to the heauenly kingdome Howebit if we list to cauil vnsauoryly as they do it were easy for vs when we haue graunted as they woulde haue it to inferre vpon them that Baptisme is before Fayth and repentance forasmuch as in the wordes of Christe it goeth before the Spirite It is certaine that this is vnderstanded of Spirituall giftes which if they come after Baptisme I haue obteined what I require But leauing cauillations we must holde fast the playne exposition which I haue brought that no mā til he haue ben renewed with liuing water that is with the Spirite can enter into the kingdome of God Nowe hereby also it is euident that their fayned inuention is to be hissed out which adiudge al the vnbaptised to eternal death Therfore let vs according to their request imagine Baptisme to be ministred to none but to them that be growen in age what will they saye shall become of a childe whiche is rightly and well instructed with the introductions of godlynesse if when the day of Baptising is at hande he happen to be taken away with soden death beside all mennes hope The Lordes promise is cleare that whosoever hath beleued in the Sonne shall not see death nor shall come into iugemente but is allredy passed from death into life and it is no where founde that he euer damned him that was not yet Baptised Whiche I would not haue so taken of me as though I meant that Baptisme might freely be despised by which despising I affirme that the Lordes couenant is defiled so much lesse can I abide to excuse it onely it is enough for me to proue that it is not so necessarie that he should be immediatly thought to be lost from whome power is taken away to obteine it But if we agree to their fained deuise we shall damne all them without exception whom any chaunce withholdeth from Baptisme with how great Faith soeuer by which Christ himself is possessed otherwise they are endued Moreouer they make all infantes giltye of eternall death to whome they deny Baptisme which by their own confession is necessarie to saluation Now let them loke how trimly they agree with the wordes of Christ by which the kingdome of heauen is adiudged to that age But to graunte them euery thing so much as perteineth to the vnderstanding of thys place yet they shall gather nothing thereof vnlesse they ouerthrowe the former doctrine which we haue stablished concernyng the regeneration of infantes But they glory that they haue the strongest holde of all in the very institutiō of Baptisme which they fetch out of the last Chapter of Mathew where Christ sending fourth hys Apostles to all nations geueth them the first commaundement to teache them and the seconde to Baptise them Then also out of the last of Marke they adioine this He that beleueth and is Baptised shal be saued What seke we further saye they when the Lordes owne wordes doe openly sounde that we must firste teach ere we Baptise and do assigne to Baptisme the seconde state after Faith Of which order the Lord also shewed an example in himself which would be Baptised not tyll the thirtyth yere But here O good God how many wayes doe they both entangle thēselues and bewraye their owne ignorance For herein they now more than childishly erre that they fetche the firste institution of Baptisme from thense whiche Christ had from the beginning of his preaching geuen in charge to hys Apostles to minister Therfore there is no cause why they shoulde affirme that the law and rule of Baptisme is to be fetched out of these places as though they conteined the first institution therof But to beare with them for thys fault yet how strong is thys manner of reasoning Truly if I listed to dally with them there is not a litle lurking hole but a most wyde felde offreth it selfe open for vs to escape them For when they sticke so fast to the order of wordes that they gather that because it is sayd Goe preach and Baptise Againe he that beleueth and is Baptised therfore they must preach before that they Baptise and beleue before that they require Baptisme why may not we agayn answere them with sayeng that we must Baptise before that we muste teache the keping of those thinges that Christ hath commaunded namely sithe it is sayd Baptise ye teaching them to kepe whatsoeuer thinges I haue commaunded you whiche same thing we haue noted in that sayeng of Christ which hath ben euen now alleged concerning the regeneration of water and the Spirite For if it be so vnderstode as they would haue it verily in that place Baptisme must be before spiritual regeneration because it is named in the first place for Christ doth teach that we must be regenerate not of the Spirite and water but of water and the Spirite Nowe this inuincible reason whereupon they beare themselues so bolde semeth to be somwhat shaken but because truth hath defense enough in simplicitie I wil not escape away with such light argumentes Therfore let them take with them a ful answer Christ in this place geueth the chefe commaundement concerning preaching of the Gospell whereunto he adioyneth the ministerie of Baptisme as an additiō hāging vpon it Againe he speaketh none otherwise of Baptisme but so farr as the ministration of it is vnder the office of teaching For Christ sendeth the Apostles to publishe the Gospel to al the natiōs of the world that they should from eche where with the doctrine of saluation gather together into hys kyngdome men that before were lost But whom or what maner of men It is certaine that there is no mentiō but of them that are able to
capacitie of the vnlearned I wyll vndo those knottes wherwith Satan hath endeuored to snare the worlde Fyrst bread and wyne are signes whiche represent vnto vs the inuisible foode whiche we receyne of the fleshe and blood of Christ. For as in Baptisme God againe begettyng vs doothe graffe vs into the felowshippe of his Chirche and by adoption dothe make vs his owne so we haue sayde that he performeth the office of a prouident Father of householde in this that he continually ministreth vs meate that he susteineth and preserueth vs in that lyfe wherinto he hath by his worde begotten vs. Now the only meate of our soule is Christ and therfore the heauenly Father calleth vs to hym that beyng refreshed with common partakyng of hym we maye from tyme to tyme gather liuely force vntill we atteine to heauenlye immortalitie But forasmuche as this mysterie of the secrete vnityng of Christe with the godly is by nature impossible to be comprehended he geueth the figure and image therof in visible signes moste fit for our small capacitie yea as it were by earnestes and tokens geuen he maketh it so assured vnto vs as if it were seen with our eies because this so familiar a similitude entreth euen into the grossest myndes that soules are so fed with Christ as bread and wine do susteine the bodily life Now therfore we haue it declared to what ende this mysticall blessyng tendeth ▪ namely to assure vs that the body of the Lord was so ones offred for vs that we nowe eate it and in eatyng it doo fele in vs the effectual working of that only sacrifice that his blood was so ones shed for vs that it is vnto vs continuall drinke And so sounde the words of the promise there adioyned Take this is my body whiche is deliuered for you The body therfore which was ones offred vp for our saluation we are commaunded to take and eate that when we see our selues to be made partakers of this we may certainly determine that the power of his death which bringeth life shal be effectuall in vs. Wherupon also he calleth the cuppe the couenant in his blood For after a certaine maner it reneweth or rather continueth the couenant whiche he hath ones stablished with his blood so muche as pertaineth to the confirmyng of our faith so ofte as he reacheth vnto vs that holy blood to be tasted of A great fruite verily of affiance and swetenesse may godly soules gather of this Sacrament because they haue a witnesse that we are growen together into one body with Christe so that whatsoeuer is his we may call ours Herupon foloweth that we may boldly promise vnto our selues that euerlastyng life is ours whereof he is heire and that the kingdome of heauen wherinto he is now entred can no more fal away from vs than from him agayne that we can not nowe be condemned by our sinnes from the gyltinesse wherof he hath acquired vs when he willed them to be imputed to himself as if they were his owne This is the maruailous exchange whiche of his immeasurable bountifulnesse he hath made with vs that he beeyng made with vs the sonne of man hath made vs with hym the sonnes of God that by his cōming downe into earth he hath made vs a waie to goe vp into heauen that putting vpon him our mortalitie he hath geuen vs his immortalitie that takyng on hym our weakenesse he hath strengthened vs with his power that takyng our pouertie to himselfe he hath conueyed his riches to vs that taking to hym the weyght of our vnrighteousnesse wherewith we were oppressed he hath clothed vs with his righteousnesse Of all these thynges we haue so full a witnessyng in this sacrament that we must certainly determine that Christ is truely geuen vs as if Christ hymselfe were sett present before our eies and handled with our handes For this woorde can neither lye to vs nor mocke vs Take eate drinke this is my bodye whiche is deliuered for you this is the blood whiche is shed into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Whereas he commaundeth to take he signifieth that it is ours Whereas he commaundeth to eate he signifieth that that is made one subslance with vs. Whereas he sayth of the body that it is deliuered for vs of the blood that it is shed for vs therin he teacheth that bothe are not so muche his as ours because he toke and laide away both not for his commoditie but to our saluation And truely it is to be diligently marked that the chefe and in a maner whole pith of the Sacrament standeth in these words Which is deliuered for you Which is shed for you For otherwise it should not much profit vs that the body and blood of the Lord ar now distributed vnlesse they had ben ones geuen foorth for our redemption saluation Therfore they are represented vnder bread wine that we shold learne that they are not only ours but also ordeined for the nourishment of spirituall life This is it that we before saied that from the corporall thynges whych are shewed foorth in the Sacrament we are by a certayne proportionall relation guyded to spirituall thynges So when bread is geuen vs for a signe of the body of Christ we ought by by to conceiue this similitude As bread nourisheth susteineth and mainteineth the life of our body so the body of Christ is the onely meate to quicken geue lyfe to oure soule When we see wyne set foorth for a signe of his blood we must call to mynde what vses wyne bryngeth to the bodye that we may consider that the same are brought to vs spiritually by the blood of Christe those vses bee to cherishe to refreshe to strengthen to make mery For if we sufficiently weye what the deliueryng of this holy body what the shedyng of this holy blood hath profited vs we shal plainly perceiue that these thynges whiche are spoken of bread and wine according to such proportionall relation doo very well accorde with them toward vs when they are communicated vnto vs. Therfore the chefe partes of the Sacrament are not simply without hier consideration to reach to vs the body of Christ but rather the same promise wherby he testifieth that his fleshe is verily meate and his blood is drink with which we are fed into eternall life wherby he affirmeth himselfe to be the breade of lyfe of whiche who so eateth he shall liue for euer to seale I saye and confirme that promyse and for bryngyng the same to passe to sende vs to the crosse of Christ where that promise hath ben truely performed and in all pointes fulfilled For we doo not well and healthfully eate Christ but crucified when we doo with liuely feelyng conceiue the effectualnesse of his death For wheras he called himselfe the breade of life he did not borrow that name of the sacrament as some do wrongfully expounde it but because he was geuē vs suche of the Father and performed
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
mater Also in an other place entreating of the eatyng and the frute therof he concludeth thus Then shall the body and blood of Christ be life to euery man if that which in the Sacrament is visibly receiued be in the truth it selfe spiritually eaten spiritually drōk Therfore whoso make vnbeleuers partakers of the fleshe and blood of Christ that they may agree with Augustine let them shewe vs the visible body of Christ forasmuche as by his iudgement the whole truthe is spirituall And it is certainly gathered out of his wordes that the Sacramentall eatyng when vnbelefe closeth vp the entrie to truthe is as much in effect as visible or outward eatyng If the body of Christ might be eaten truely and yet not spiritually what shold that meane whiche he sayth in an other place Ye shall not eate this body which ye see drinke the blood which they shall shedde that shall crucifie me I haue commēded a certaine sacrament vnto you beeyng spiritually vnderstanded it shall quicken you Uerily he woulde not denie but that the same body which Christ offred for sacrifice is deliuered in the Supper but he dyd set out the maner of eatyng namely that being receiued into heauenly glorie by the secrete power of the Spirite it breatheth lyfe into vs. I graunt in dede that there is oftentymes founde in hym this maner of speakyng that the body of Christ is eaten of the vnbeleuers but he expoundeth himselfe addyng In Sacramente And in an other place he describeth spirituall eating in whiche out biringes consume not grace And least myne aduersaries should saye that I fighte with them with a heape of places I wold know of them how they can vnwynde themselues from one saieng of his where he saith that Sacraments do worke in the only elect that which they figure Truely they dare not denye but that the bred in the Supper figureth the body of Christ. Wherupon foloweth that the reprobate are debarred from the partakyng of it That Cyrill also thought none otherwise these wordes doo declare As if a man vpon molten waxe do poure other waxe he wholly tempereth the one waxe with the other so is it necessary if any man receiue the fleshe and blood of the Lorde that he be ioyned with hym that Christe may be founde in hym and he in Christ. By these wordes I thinke it is euident that they ar bereued of the true and real eatyng that do but sacramentally eate the body of Christ which can not be seuered from his power and that therfore faileth not the faith of the promises of god which cesseth not to rayne from heauen although the stones and rockes conceiue not the liquor of the raine This knowledge shall also easily drawe vs away from the carnal worshipping whiche some haue with peruerse rashnesse erected in the Sacrament because they made accompt with themselues in this maner If it be the body then bothe the soule and the godhead are together with the body which now can not be seuered therfore Christe is there to be worshipped First if their accompanieng whiche thei pretende be denied them what will they do For how much soeuer they crie out vpon an absurditie if the body be seuered from the soule and the godhed yet what soūdwitted and sobre man can persuade himself that the body of Christ is Christ They thinke themselues in dede gaily to proue it with their logicall argumentes But sith Christ speaketh distinctly of his body and blood but describeth not the maner of presence how will they of a doutfull thing gather certainly that which they would What then If their consciences chance to be exercised with any more greuous felyng shal not they by and by with their logicall arguments be dissolued melt namely when they shall see themselues destitute of the certaine word of God vpon which alone our soules do stand fast when they are called to accompt without which they faint at euery first moment when thei shal call to mynde that the doctrine and exāples of the Apostles are against them and that themselues alone ar to themselues the authors of it To suche motions shal be added other not small prickynges What Shall it be a mater of no importance to worship God in this forme where nothyng was prescribed vnto vs When it concerned the true worshyp of God ought they with so great lightnesse to haue attēpted that of which there is no where red any one word But if they had with such humblenesse as they ought holden all their thoughtes vnder the word of God they wold truly haue harkened to that which he said Take eate drinke and wold haue obeyed this cōmaundement wherin he biddeth the Sacrament to be receiued not to be worshipped But they which as it is cōmaunded of God do receiue it without worshippyng are assured that they do not swarue from Gods cōmaūdement than which assurednesse there is nothing better when we take any worke in hande They haue the example of the Apostles whom we reade not to haue fallen downe flatt worshipped it but euen as they were sitting to haue receiued it eaten it They haue the vse of the Apostolike Chirch wherin Luke reporteth that the faithfull did communicate not in woorshyppyng but in breakyng of bread They haue the Apostles doctrine wherwith Paule instructed the Chirch of the Corynthians professyng that he had receiued of the Lorde that whiche he deliuered And these thyngs verily tend to this end that the godly readers shold wey how perillous it is in so hye matters to wander frō the simple worde of God to the dreames of our owne braine But those thyngs that are aboue said ought to deliuer vs from all doute in this behalfe For that godly soules may therin rightly take hold of Christ they must nedes be lifted vp to heauen If this be the office of a sacrament to help the mynd of man whiche otherwise is weake that it may rise vpwarde to reache the height of spirituall mysteries then they which are holden downe in the outwarde signe do stray from the right way of sekyng Christ. What then Shall we denie that it is a superstitious worshippyng when men do throwe themselues downe before bread to worship Christe therein Doutlesse the Nicene Synode meant to mete with this mischiefe whē it forbade vs to be hūbly intentiue to the signes set before vs. And for none other cause was it in olde tyme ordeined that before the consecration the people shold with a loude voice be put in mynde to haue their hartes lifted vpward The Scripture it selfe also beside that it diligently declareth vnto vs the ascension of Christ wherby he conueyed away the presence of his body from our sight conuersation to shake away from vs all carnal thinkyng of hym so oft as it maketh mention of him cōmaūdeth vs to be in myndes raised vpward to seke him in heauen sittyng at the right hand of the
Father According to this rule he was rather to be spiritually worshipped in heauēly glorie thā this so perillous a kinde of worshippyng to be deuised full of carnall and grosse opinion of God Wherfore thei that haue inuēted the worshipping of the sacramēt haue not only dreamed it of thēselues beside the Scripture in which no mention of it can be shewed which yet shold not haue ben ouerpassed if it had ben acceptable to God But also al the scripture crieng out against it they haue framed to thēselues a God after the wil of their own lust leauing the liuing God For what is idolatry if this be not to worship the gifts in stede of the geuer of himself Wherin they haue doblely offended For both the honor taken frō God was conueyed to a creature and he himself also dishonored in the defilyng and prophanyng of his benefite when of his holy sacramēt is made a cursed idole But let vs contrarywise least we fall into the same pit throughly settle our eares eies hartes myndes and tonges in the holy doctrine of God For that is the schole of the Holy ghost the best scholemaister in whiche suche profite is atteined that nothing nede more to be gotten from any where ells but we willingly ought to be ignorant of whatsoeuer is not taught in it But nowe as superstition when it hath ones passed the right boundes maketh no end of sinning thei fel a great wai further For thei haue deuised Ceremonies altogether strange frō the institutiō of the Supper to this end only that they might geue diuine honors to the signe We yelde say they this worship to Christ. First if this wer done in the Supper I wold say that that worshipping only is lawfull which resteth not in the signe but is directed to Christ sittyng in heauen But now by what pretense do they bost that they worship Christ in that bread whē thei haue no promise therof They consecrate an host as they call it which they may carie about in pompe which they may shew foorth in a cōmon gazing to be loked vpon worshipped and called vpon I aske by what power they think it to be rightly cōsecrate Uerily they wil bring forth those words This is my body But I will obiect to the cōtrary that it was therwithall said Take eate Neither will I do that of nothing For whē a promise is knit to a cōmaūdement I say that the promise is so conteined vnder the cōmaundement that being seuered it is made no promise at all This shal be made plainer by a like exāple God gaue a cōmaundement when he said Call vpon me He added a promise I wil heare thee If any mā calling vpon Peter Paule do glorie vpon this promise wil not al mē crie out that he doth wrongfully And what other thing I pray you do they which leauing the cōmaūdement concernyng eatyng do catch hold of a maimed promise this is my body to abuse it to strange ceremonies from the institution of Christ Let vs therfore remembre that this promise is geuen to them which kepe the cōmaundement ioined with it but that they be destitute of all the word which remoue the Sacrament to any other way We haue heretofore entreated how the mysterie of the holy supper serueth our Faith before God But forasmuch as the Lord doth here not only bring into our remembrance so great largesse of his boūtie as we haue before shewed but doth as it were from hande to hande bring it foorth stirreth vs to acknowlege it he doth therwithal warne vs that we be not vnthākfull to so plētiful liberalitie but rather that we shold publishe it with such praises as it is mete and aduance it with thankesgeuyng Therfore when he deliuered the institution of the Sacramēt it self to the Apostles he taught them that they should doo it in remembrance of him Which Paul expoūdeth to declare the Lords death That is publikely altogether with one mouth opēly to confesse that al our affiance of life saluatiō is reposed in the death of the Lord that we may glorifie him with our cōfessiō may by our exāple exhorte other to geue glory to him Here againe it appeareth wherunto the marke of thys Sacramēt is directed namely to exercise vs in the remēbrance of the death of Christ. For this that we are commaunded to declare the Lordes death tyll he come to iudge is nothing ells but that we should publishe that with cōfessiō of mouth which our Fayth hath acknowleged in the Sacramēt that is that the death of Christ is our life This is the seconde vse of the Sacrament which perteineth to ourwarde confession Thirdly the Lorde also willed it to be to vs in stede of an exhortatiō than which none other can more vehemētly encourage and enflame vs bothe to purenesse and holinesse of life and also to charitie peace and agreement For the Lord doth therin so communicate his body to vs that he is made throughly one with vs and we with him Now sithe he hath but one body whereof he maketh vs all partakers it is necessarie that al we also be by such partaking made one body Whiche vnitie the bred which is deliuered in the Sacrament representeth which as it is made of many graynes in such sort mingled together that one can not be discerned from an other after the same manner we also oughte to be conioyned and knitt together with so great agreement of myndes that no disagreement or diuision come betwene vs. This I had rather to be expressed with Paules wordes The cup of blessing sayth he which we blesse is the communicating of the blood of Christ and the bred of blessing which we breake is the partaking of the body of Christ. Therefore we al are one body that partake of one bread We shall haue very well profited in the Sacramēt if this thought so shal be emprinted engrauen in our mindes that none of the brethren can be hurt despised refused abused or in any wise be offended of vs but that therewithal we do in so doing hurt despise and abuse Christ with our iniurious dealinges that we can not disagree with our brethren but that we muste therewithall disagree with Christe that Christe can not be loued of vs but that he muste be loued in oure brethren that what care we haue of oure own body such also we ought to haue of our brethren whiche are members of our body as no part of our bodi is touched with ani felīg of grefe whiche is not spred abrode into al the other partes so we must not suffer our brother to be greued with any euill wherof we shoulde not also be touched with cōpassion Therfore Augustine not wtout cause so oft calleth thys Sacramēt the bonde of charitie For what sharper spur could be put to vs to stirre vp mutual charitie amōg vs thā whē Christ geuing himselfe to vs doth not only allure vs with hys
be dayly sacrificed that he may somewhat profit vs. The Supper shoulde haue bene distributed in the coÌ„mon assemblie of the Chirch that it might enforme vs of the communion whereby we all cleaue together in Christ Iesus The sacrifice of the Masse dissolueth and plucketh in sonder this coÌ„munitie For after that the error grew in force that there must be sacrificers that shold sacrifice for the people the Supper of the Lord as though it were posted ouer to them cessed to be coÌ„municated to the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of the faithful according to the commaundement of the Lord. An entrie was made open to priuate Masses which might rather resemble a certaine excommunication than that same communitie ordeined of the Lorde when â—â—pety sacrificer wylling seuerally by hym selfe to deuoure his sacrifice doothe seuer hymselfe from the whole people of the faithfull I call priuate Masse least any man be deceiued wheresoeuer there is no partaking of the Lordes Supper among the faithful although otherwise a great multitude of men be present And whense the very name of Masse first sprong I could neuer certainly iudge sauyng that it semeth to me likely that it was taken of the offringes that were geuen Whereupon the olde writers vse it commonly in the plural number But to leaue stryuyng about the name I saye that priuate Masses are directly against the ordinance of Christe and therfore they are a wicked prophanyng of the holy Supper For what hath the Lorde commaunded vs not to take and diuide it among vs What maner of obseruyng of the commaundement doth Paule teache not the breaking of bread which is the communion of the body blood Therfore wheÌ„ one taketh it without distributing what liknesse is there But that same one maÌ„ doth it in the name of the whole Chirch By what coÌ„maundement Is not this openly to mocke God when one maÌ„ priuatly taketh to hym selfe that which ought not to haue ben done but amoÌ„g many But bicause the wordes of Christ Paul ar plain enough we may brefely coÌ„clude that whersoeuer is not breaking of bread to the coÌ„munion of the faithful there is not the Supper of the Lord but a false and wrongfull counterfaiting of the Supper But a false counterfaityng is a corrupting Now the corrupting of so great a mysterie is not without wickednesse Therfore in priuate Masses is a wicked abuse And as one fault in religion from time to tyme bredeth an other after that that maner of offring without communion was ones crept in by litle and litle they beganne in euery corner of Chirches to make innumerable Masses diuersly to draw the people hether and thether which should haue come together into one assemblie that they might reknowlege the mysterie of their owne vnitie Now let them goe and deny it to be ydolatrie that in their Masses they shew forth bread to be worshipped in stede of Christ. For in vaine they bost of those promises of the presence of Christ which howsoeuer they be vnderstode verily wer not geueÌ„ to this purpose that wicked and prophane men so oft as they will and to whatsoeuer abuse they list may make the body of Christ but that the faithfull when wyth religious obseruation they do in Celebrating of the Supper follow the commaundement of Christ may enioy the true partaking of him Beside that this peruersnesse was vnknoweÌ„ to the purer Chirch For howsoeuer the more shamelesse sort among our aduersaries do here goe about to disguise the mater with false colors yet it is moste sure that all antiquitie is against them as we haue afore proued in other things it may more certeinly be iudged by the coÌ„tinual reding of old writers But ere I make an ende of speaking of it I aske our Massing doctors sithe they knowe that obedience is more estemed of God than oblations and that he more requireth that his voice be harkened to thaÌ„ that sacrifices be offred how they beleue that this maner of sacrificing is acceptable to God whereof they haue no certaine commaundement and which they see not to be allowed by any one syllable of the Scripture Moreouer when they heare the Apostle say that no maÌ„ taketh to himself the name honor of sacrificing presthode but he that is called as AaroÌ„ was yea that Christ himself did not thrust in himself but obeyd the calling of his father either they must bring forth God the author ordeiner of their sacrificing presthod or they must coÌ„fesse that the honor is not of God into which they have with wicked rashnes brokeÌ„ in vncalled But they caÌ„ not shew one tittle of a letter that mainteineth their sacrificing presthod Why therfore shal not their sacrifices vanish away which caÌ„ not be offred without a prest If any maÌ„ do thrust in short senteÌ„ces of the old writers gathered here there and do by their authoritie trauail to proue that the sacrifice which is done in the Supper is far otherwise to be vnderstaÌ„ded thaÌ„ we do expound it let him be brefly answered thus if the question be of allowyng the forged deuise of sacrifice suche as the Papistes haue fayned in the Masse the old writers do neuer speake in defeÌ„se of such sacrilege They do in dede vse the worde Sacrifice but therwithal they expounde that they meane nothing ells but the remembrance of that true and onely sacrifice which Christ our only sacrificing preste as they eche where report of him made on the crosse The Hebrues sayeth Augustine in the sacrifices of beastes which they offred to God did celebrate a prophecie of the sacrifice to come which Christ offred the Christians doe with the holy oblation and partaking of the body of Christe celebrate a remembrance of the sacrifice alredy made Here verily he teacheth altogether the same thing which is written in moe wordes in the boke of Fayth to Peter the Deacon whosoeuer be the author of it The words be these Beleue most stedfastly and dout not at al that the only begotteÌ„ himself being made fleshe for vs offred himselfe for vs a sacrifice and oblation to God into a sauor of swetenesse to whoÌ„ with the Father and the Holy ghoste in the tyme of the olde testamente beastes were sacrificed and to whom now with the Father and the Holy ghost with whoÌ„ he hath one Godhed the holy Chirch throughout the whole world cesseth not to offer the sacrifice of bred and wyne For in those fleshly sacrifices was a figuring of the fleshe of Christ which he should offer for our sinnes and of hys blood which he should shed to the forgeuenesse of synnes But in this sacrifice is thankesgeuing rehearsal of the fleshe of Christ whiche he offered for vs and of his blood whiche the same he hath shed for vs. Wherupon Augustine himselfe in many places expoundeth it to be nothing ells but a sacrifice of prayse Finally you shal commonly fynde in him that the Supper of the Lord is for no other
reson called a sacrifice but because it is the remēbrance image and witnesse of that singular true and only sacrifice wherwith Christ hath cleansed vs. Also there is a notable place in hys fourth boke of the Trinitie the xxiiii Chapter where after that he hath discoursed of the only sacrifice he thus concludeth because in a sacrifice fower things ar cōsidered to whō it is offred and of whō what is offred for whō The same he himselfe the one and true mediator recōciling vs to God by the sacrifice of peace remaineth one wyth hym to whō he offred maketh them one in hym for whom he offred is one himselfe which offred the thing which he offred To the same effect also speaketh Chrysostome But they so chalenge the honor of sacrificing presthode to Christ that Augustine testifieth it to be the voice of Antichrist if any man make a Bishop intercessor betwene God men Yet do we not deny but that the offring vp of Christ is there so shewed in vs that the spectacle of the crosse is in a maner set before our eyes as the Apostle sayth that Christ was crucified in the eyes of the Galathians whē the preaching of the crosse was set before them But forasmuch as I se that those olde Fathers also wrested thys remembrāce an other waye thā was agreable with the institutiō of the Lord because their Supper cōteined I wote not what repeted or at least renewed forme of sacrificīg the safest way for godly hartes shal be to rest in the pure simple ordināce of God whoe 's also the Supper is therfore called because in it his authoritie alone oughte to be in force Truely sithe I fynde that they haue kepte a Godly and true sense of thys whole mysterie and I doe not perceiue that they meante to abate any thyng were it neuer so litle from the only sacrifice of the Lord I can not condemne them of vngodlinesse yet I thynke that they can not be excused but that they haue offended somwhat in the maner of the celebration For they counterfaited the Iewishe manner of sacrificing more nerely than either Christ had ordeined or the nature of the Gospel did beare Therefore that same ouerthwart appliance to heauenly thynges is the only thing wherin a man may worthily blame them for that beyng not contented with the simple and natural institution of Christe they swarued to the shadowes of the law If a man do diligently wey that this differēce is put by the worde of the Lord betwene the sacrifices of Moses our Thankesgeuing that wheras those did represent to that Iewishe people the same effectualnesse of the death of Christe which is at thys day deliuered to vs in the Supper yet the maner of represēting was diuerse For in those the Leuiticall Prestes were commaunded to figure y◠which Christ should performe there was brought a sacrifice which should be in the stede of Christ himselfe there was an altar wherupon it should be offred Finally al thinges were so done that there was set before their eyes an image of the sacrifice which was to be offred to God for a satisfactorie cleansing But sins the tyme that the sacrifice is ended the Lord hath apointed to vs an other order namely that it should conuey to the faithful people the frute of the sacrifice offred to hym by the Sōne Therfore he hath geuen vs a table wherat we should eate not an altar wherupon sacrifice should be offred he hath not cōsecrated prestes to sacrifice but ministers to distribute the holy bāket How much more hye holy the mysterie is so much more religiously and with greater reuerence it is mete to be handled Therfore there is no way safer than putting away al boldnesse of mans vnderstāding to sticke fast in that alone which the Scripture teacheth And truely if we consider that it is the Supper of the Lord not of men there is no cause why we should suffer our selues to be remoued one heare bredth from it by any authoritie of men or prescription of yeres Therefore when the Apostle mynded to cleanse it from al faultes which had alredy crept into the Chirch of the Corinthiās he vseth the rediest way therunto that is he calleth it backe to the only institution of it frō whense he sheweth that a perpetuall rule ought be fetched Nowe least any wrangler shoulde stirre vs vp strife by reason of the names of sacrifice and sacrificing prest I wil also declare but yet brefely what in the whole discourse I haue meant by a sacrifice and what by a Sacrificing Prest Whoso stretche the woorde sacrifice to all holy Ceremonies and doinges of religion I se not by what reason they doe it We do knowe that by the continuall vse of the Scripture a sacrifice is called that which the Grekes cal somtyme Thusia somtime Prosphora somtyme Telete Which being generally takē cōprehendeth whatsoeuer is in any wise offred to God Wherefore we muste make distinction but yet so that thys distinction may haue a supernall appliance of similitude from the sacrifices of the lawe of Moses vnder the shadowes wherof the Lord willed to represēt to his people the whole truthe of sacrifices Of those although there wer diuerse formes yet they may al be referred to twoo sortes For either there was oblation made for sinne after a certaine maner of satisfaction wherby gyltinesse was redemed before God or it was a signe of the worshipping of God a testifyeng of religiō somtime in stede of supplicatiō to craue the fauor of God sometime in stede of thākesgeuing to testifie thākfulnesse of mynde for benefites receiued somtime only for an exercise of Godlinesse to renewe the stablishing of the couenāt to which later sort perteined burnt offryngs drynke offrynges oblations first frutes peace offringes Wherefore let vs also diuide ours into twoo kyndes and for teachinges sake lette vs cal the one the sacrifice of worship of Godly deuotiō because it consisteth in the honoring worshipping of God which the faythfull bothe owe yelde vnto hym or if you wyl the sacrifice of Thākesgeuing forasmuch as it is geuen to God of none but of them y◠beyng loden with immeasurable benefites do rēder to him them selues with all their doinges The other may be called propitiatorie or of expiation The sacrifice of expiration is that which tendeth to appease the wrath of God to satisfie his iugement so to wash wype away sinnes whereby the siner cleansed from the filthy spottes of them restored into puritie of ryghteousnesse may returne into fauor with God hymselfe So in the lawe those were called sacrifices that were offred for the purging of synnes not for that they were sufficiente to recouer the fauor of God or to put away iniquitie but for that they shadowed out such a true sacrifice which at lēgth was fully done by Christ alone by hym alone because it could be done by none
seuen is no where founde among the Ecclesiasticall writers neither is it certaine at what time it first crept in I graūt in dede that somtime thei be very free in vsing the name of a sacramēt but what meane they therby euē al ceremonies outward rites al exercises of godlinesse But whē they speake of those signes that ought to be witnesses of the grace of God towarde vs they are contented with these twoo Baptisme and the Supper Least anye man should thinke that I falsely boste of this I will here reherse a few testimonies of Augustine To Ianuarius he sayth First I would haue thee to holde fast that whiche is the chiefe poynt of this disputation that our Lorde Christ as he hymselfe saith in the gospell hath made vs subiect to a light yoke and a light burden Wherfore he hath bounde together the felowship of the newe people with Sacramentes very fewe in numbre very easy in obseruyng very excellent in signification As are Baptisme halowed in the name of the Trinitie and the Cōmunicating of the body and blood of the Lorde and whatsoeuer els is sett foorth in the cononicall Scriptures Agayne in his boke of Christian doctrine Sins the Lordes resurrection the Lord himself and the doctrine of the Apostles hathe deliuered certaine fewe signes in stede of many and those most easy to be done most reuerend in vnderstanding most pure in obseruing as is Baptism and the Celebrating of the body and blood of the Lorde Why dothe he here make no mention of the holy number that is of the number of seuen Is it likely that he would haue passed it ouer if it had ben at that tyme ordeyned in the Chirch specially sithe he is otherwyse in obseruyng of numbres more curious than nede were Yea when he nameth Baptisme and the Supper speaketh nothyng of the rest doth he not sufficiently signifie that these two mysteries do excell in singular dignitie and that the other ceremonies doo reste benethe in a lower degree Wherfore I say that these Sacramentarie doctors are destitute not onely of the worde of the Lorde but also of the consent of the old Chirch how much soeuer they glory of this pretence But now let vs come downe to the speciall thynges themselues ¶ Of Confirmation This was the maner in olde tyme that the children of Christians when they were growen to age of discretion should be brought before the Bishop that they shoulde fulfyll that duetie whiche was required of those that being growen in yeres did offer them selues to Baptisme For these sate among those that were to bee catechized till being fully instructed in the mysteries of the faith they coulde make a confession of their faith before the bishoppe and the people Therfore they that were baptised being infantes bicause they hadde not then made confession of their faith before the Chirch were aboute the ende of their childehod or in the beginning of their yeares of discretion presented againe by their parentes and were examined of the Bishop accordyng to the forme of the Catechisme whiche they had then certaine and common And that this doyng which otherwise ought worthily to be graue holy myght haue the more reuerence and dignitie there was added also the Ceremonie of layeng on of handes So that same childe his faith beyng allowed was let goe with solemne blessyng The old writers do oft make mention of this maner Leo the Pope writeth If any returne from heretikes let hym not be baptised agayn but which he wanted among the Heretikes let the vertue of the Spirite be geuen hym by the Bishops layeng on of his handes Here our aduersaries will crie out that it is rightfully called a Sacrament in which the holy ghost is geuē but Leo himselfe dothe in an other place declare what he meaneth by those wordes Whoso saith he is baptized among heretikes let him not be rebaptized but with callyng vpon the Holy ghoste lett him be confirmed with laieng on of hands because he receiued only the form of Baptisme without sanctifieng Hierome also maketh mētion of it writing against the Luciferians But although I do not denye that Hierome somwhat erreth therin for that he saith that it is an obseruation of the Apostles yet he is most far from these mennes follies And the very same also he qualifieth when he addeth that this blessing is geuē to the bishops onlye rather in honor of their presthode than by the necessitie of lawe Therfore suche laying on of handes whiche is done simply in stede of blessing I prayse and woulde that it were at thys daye restored to the pure vse thereof But the later age hauyng in a maner blotted out the thyng it selfe hath set I wot not what fained confirmation for a Sacrament of God They haue fained that the vertue of Confirmation is to geue the Holy ghost to the encrease of Grace which in Baptisme was geuen to innocentie to strengthen them to battaile which in Baptisme wer new begotten to lyfe This Confirmation is celebrate with annoyntyng and with this forme of wordes I signe thee with the signe of the holy crosse and confirme thee with the chresme of saluation in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost All this is gayely and trimly done But where is the woorde of God that maye promise here the presence of the Holy ghost They can not bring forth one tittle Wherby then will they certifie vs that their chresme is the vessell of the Holy ghoste We see oyle that is a thicke and fatt liquor and nothyng ells Let the worde sayth Augustine be added to the element there shal be made a Sacrament Let them I say bryng foorth this worde if they will haue vs in the oyle to loke vpon any thyng but the oyle If they dyd acknowlege themselues ministers of the Sacramentes as they ought we neded to striue no longer This is the first lawe of a minister that he do nothing without cōmaūdemēt Go to let them bring forth any cōmaūdemēt of this point ministerie I will not speake one word more If they haue no cōmaūdemēt they can not excuse their boldnesse full of sacrilege After this maner the Lord asked the Pharisees whether the Baptisme of Iohn were from heauen or from men if they had answered from men thē he had made them confesse that it was trifling and vayne if from heauen then were they compelled to acknowlege the doctrine of Iohn Therfore least they shoulde to much sclander Iohn thei durst not confesse that it was from men If therfore Confirmation be from men it is proued to be vaine and trifling if they will persuade vs that it is from heauen let them proue it They do in dede defend themselues with the example of the Apostles whom they think to haue done nothing rashly That is wel in dede neither woulde we blame them if they shewed themselues folowers of the Apostles
in Gratian betwene publike and priuate reconciliation I iudge that same olde vsage of which Cypriane maketh mention to haue ben holy and healthfull for the Chirch and I would that it were at this day restored As for thys later although I dare not disallow it or at least speake more sharpelye against it yet I thinke it to be lesse necessarie Howsoeuer it be yet we se that the layeng on of hādes in penāce is a ceremonie ordeined of men not of God which is to be set amōg meane things outward exercises and those verily which are not to be despised but which ought to be in a lower degree than those that are cōmēded vnto vs by the word of the Lord. But the Romanistes the scholemē which haue an ordinarie custome to corrupt al things with wrōg expoūding them do here very carefully trauail in fynding out a Sacramēt Neither ought it to seme any maruel for they seke a knot in a rush But where they haue it best they leaue a thing entāgled in suspēse vncertaine cōfounded trobled with diuersity of opiniōs Thei say therfore either that the outward penāce is a Sacramēt and if it be so that it ought to be takē for a signe of the inwarde penance that is of the contrition of hart which shal be the thing of the Sacramēt or that they both together are a Sacrament not twoo Sacramentes but one ful one But that the outwarde penance is only the Sacramēt the inwarde is both the thing the Sacramēt and that the forgeuenesse of synnes is the thing not the Sacrament Let them which kepe in remēbrance the definitiō of a Sacrament which we haue aboue set examine therby that which these mē cal a Sacrament they shal fynd that it is not an outward ceremonie ordeined of the Lord for the cōfirming of our faith If they cauil that my definitiō is not a law which they nede to obey let thē heare Augustine whō they faine that thei esteme as most holy visible Sacraments sayth he were ordeined for carnal mens sakes that by degrees of Sacramētes they may be conueyed frō those things that are seen with eyes to those thinges that are vnderstāded What like thing do either they thēselues see or can they shewe to other in that which they call the Sacramente of Penance The same Augustine sayth in an other place It is therfore called a Sacramēt because in it one thing is seen an other thing is vnderstāded That which is seen hath a bodily forme that which is vnderstanded hath a spiritual frute Neither doe these things in any wise agree with the Sacrament of penance such as they faine it where there is no bodily forme that may represent a spirituall frute And to kil these beasts vpō their own fightīg place if ther be any Sacramēt here to be sought may it not be much more colerably said that the absolutiō of the prest is a Sacramēt thā penāce either inward or outwarde For it might redily be said that it is a ceremony to assure our faith of the forgeuenesse of sines hath a promise of the keyes as thei cal it Whatsoeuer ye shal bide or lose vpō earth shal be boūd or losed in heauen But some mā wold haue obiected that the most part of thē that are absolued of the prestes obteine no such thing by such absolution wheras by their doctrine the Sacramentes of the newe law ought to worke in dede that which they figure This were but to be laughed at For as in the Supper they make a doble eating a Sacramental eating which is egally common to good and to euil a spiritual eating which is only propre to the good why might they not also faine the absolutiō is receiued twoo wayes Yet could I not hetherto vnderstād what thei meant with this their doctrine which we haue alredy taught how farr it disagreeth frō the truth of God whē we purposely entreated of that argument Here my mynde is only to shew the this dout withslādeth not but that they may cal the absolutiō of the Prest a Sacramēt For they might answere by the mouth of Augustine that sanctificatiō is without the visible Sacrament the visible Sacrament without inwarde sanctification Againe that the Sacramentes doe worke in the only elect that which they figure Againe that some do putt on Christ so farr as to the partaking of the Sacramēt other some to sanctificatiō the one the good and euil egally do this other the good only Truly they haue more than childishly erred and be blinde in the clere sunne which trauailing with great hardnesse yet espyed not a thing so playne and open to euery man Yet least they should waxe to proude in what part soeuer they set the Sacrament I deny that it ought rightfully to be taken for a Sacramēt First because there is no special promise to it which is the only substāce of a Sacramēt Againe because whatsoeuer ceremonie is here shewed fourth it is the mere inuention of men wheras we haue alredy proued that the ceremonies of Sacramentes can not be ordeined but of God Therfore it was a lye and a deceite which they haue inuented of the Sacrament of penance Thys fayned Sacrament they haue garnished with a mete commendation calling it a seconde borde after shipwrecke because if a man haue by sinning marred the garmēt of innocence whiche he receiued in Baptisme he may by penance repaire it But it is the sayeng of Hierome Whoe 's soeuer it be it can not be excused but that it is vtterly wicked if it be expoūded after their meaning As though Baptisme be blotted out by sinne and is not rather to be called to remembrāce of euery sinner so oft as he thinketh of the forgeuenesse of sinne that he may therby gather vp himselfe and recouer courage and strengthen hys Fayth that he shal obteine the forgeuenesse of synnes which is promised him in Baptisme But that which Hierome hath spoken hardly vnproperly that by penance Baptisme is repaired frō which they fal away that deserue to be excōmunicate from the Chirch these good expositors drawe to their wickednesse Therefore you shall moste fittly speake if you cal Baptisme the Sacrament of penance sithe it is geuen for a confirmation of grace and seale of confidēce to them that purpose repentance And least you should thinke thys to be our deuise beside this that it agreeth with the words of the Scripture it appeareth that it was in the olde Chirch commonly spoken like a most certaine principle For in the boke of Fayth to Peter which is sayd to be Augustines it is called the Sacrament of Fayth and of penāce And why flee we to vncertaine sayenges As though we could require any thing more plaine thā that which the Euāgelist reciteth that Ihon preached the Baptisme of repentance vnto forgeuenesse of synnes Of extreme vnction as they cal it The thirde fained
Sacrament is extreme vnctioÌ„ which is not done but of the Prest that in extremes so thei terme it with oile coÌ„secrate of the Bishop with this forme By thys holy anointing by his most kind mercy God pardoÌ„ thee whatsoeuer yâ— hast offeÌ„ded by seing by hearing by smelling feling tasting They faine that there be twoo vertues of it the forgeuenesse of sinnes ease of bodily sicknesse if it be so expedieÌ„t if not the saluation of the soule They say that the institution of it is set of Iames whose wordes are these Is any sicke among you Let hym bryng in the Elders of the Chirch and let them pray ouer hym anointing him with oyle in the name of the Lorde and the prayer of Fayth shal saue the sicke man and the Lord shal rayse hym by and if he be in synnes they shal be forgeuen hym Of the same sorte is thys anointing of which we haue aboue shewed that the other layeng on of handes is namely a playerlike hypocrisie whereby without reason and without frute they woulde resemble the Apostles Marc rehearseth that the Apostles at their first sending according to the commaundement whiche they haue receiued of the Lord raised vp dead meÌ„ cast out deuils cleansed leprous meÌ„ healed the sicke and that in healing of the sicke they vsed oyle They anointed sayth he many sicke meÌ„ with oyle and they were healed Hereunto Iames had respect when he commauÌ„ded the Elders to be called together to anoint the sicke man That vnder such Ceremonies is conteined no hyer mysterie they shall easily iudge which marke how great libertie the Lorde and his Apostles vsed in these outwarde thinges The Lord going about to restore sight to the blinde maÌ„ made cley of dust spittle some he healed with touching other some with his word After the same maner the Apostles healed some diseases with the word only some with touching other some with anointing But it is likely that this anointing was not as al other things also wer not causelesly put in vre I graunt yet not that it shold be a meane of healing but only a signe that the dulnesse of the vnskilful myght be put in mynde from whense so great power proceded to thys ende that they should not geue the prayse therof to the Apostles And that the Holy ghost and hys gyftes are signified by oyle it is a common and vsual thing But that same grace of healinges is vanished awaye like as also the other miracles which the Lord willed to be shewed for a tyme wherby he might make the new preaching of the Gospel maruelous for euer Therefore though we grauÌ„t neuer so much that anoynting was a Sacramente of those powers which wer theÌ„ ministred by the hands of the Apostles it now nothing perteineth to vs to whom the ministratioÌ„ of such powers is not coÌ„mitted And by what greater reasoÌ„ do they make a SacrameÌ„t of this anointing than of al other signes that are rehearsed to vs in the Scripture â–ª Why do they not appoint some Siloah to swymme in wherinto at certaine ordinarie recourses of tymes sicke men may plunge themselues That say they should be done in vaine Truely no more in vayne than anoyntyng Why do they not lye along vpon dead men because Paule raysed vp a dead childe with lyeng vpon hym Why is not cley made of spittle dust a Sacrament But the other wer but singular examples but this is geueÌ„ of Iames for a commaundemeÌ„t Uerily Iames spake for the same time when the Chirch yet stil enioied such blessing of God They affirme in dede that there is yet stil the same force in their anointingâ— but we finde it otherwise by experieÌ„ce Let no maÌ„ now maruel how thei haue with such boldnesse mocked soules which they know to be senslesse blinde when they are spoyled of the word of God that is of their life light sith they are nothing ashamed to go about to mocke the liuing and feling senses of the body Therfore they make themselues worthy to be scorned whyle they bost that they are endued with the grace of healinges The Lord verily is present with his in al ages and so oft as nede is he helpeth their sicknesses no lesse thaÌ„ in olde tyme but he doth not so vtter those manifest powers nor distributeth miracles by the handes of the Apostles because this gift both was but for a tyme and also is partly falleÌ„ away by the vnthankfulnesse of men Therfore as not wtout cause the Apostles haue by the signe of oile opeÌ„ly testified that the grace of healinges coÌ„mitted to them was not their owne power but the power of the Holy ghost so on the other side they are wroÌ„gdoers to the Holy ghost which make a stinking oile of no force to be hys power This is altogether like as if one would say that al oyle is the power of the Holy ghost because it is called by the name in Scripture that euerye doue is the Holy ghost because he appered in that forme But these thiÌ„gs let them loke to So much as for this preseÌ„t is enough for vs we do most câ—rtainly perceiue that their annointing is no Sacrament whiche is neyther a Ceremonie ordeined of God nor hath any promise For when we require these twoo thinges in a Sacrament that it be a ceremonie ordeined of God that it haue a promise of Godâ— we do there wtal require that the same Ceremonie be geuen to vs and that the promise belong vnto vs. For no man doth affirme the Circumcision is nowe a Sacrament of the Christian Chirch althoughe it both was an ordinance of God and had a promise knitt vnto it because it was neither commaunded to vs nor the promise which was adioyned to it was geueÌ„ to vs wiâ—h the same conditioÌ„ That the promise which they proudely bost of in their annointing is not geuen to vs we haue euidently shewed and they theÌ„selues declare by experience The Ceremonie ought not to haue ben vsed but of them that were endued with the grace of healinges not of these butchers that can more skill of slayeng and murthering than of healing Howbeit althoughe they obteyne thys that that which Iames commaundeth concerning annointing agreeth with thys age which they are most farr from yet eueÌ„ so they shal not haue much preuailed in prouing of their vnction wherwith they haue hetherto annointed vs. Iames wylleth that all sicke men be annointed these men infecte with their fatt liquor not sicke men but corpses half dead when the lyfe lieth alredy laboryng at the toppe of their lippes or as they themselues terme it in extremes If they haue in their Sacramente a present medicine wherby they may either ease the sharpenesse of diseases or at the least may bryng some comfort to the soule they ar to cruel that do neuer heale in time Iames willeth that the sicke maÌ„ be annointed of the Elders of the
annointing They answer that they receiued it of the soÌ„nes of Aaron froÌ„ whoÌ„ their order also toke beginning Therfore they had rather alway to defend them selues with wrongfull examples than to confesse that themselues haue deuised that which thei vse without cause But in the meane tyme they consyder not that while they professe them selues the successors of the sonnes of Aaron they are wrongdoers to the presthode of Christ which alone was shadowed and figured by all the olde sacrificing presthodes In him therfore they were all conteyned and fulfilled in him they cessed as we haue somtimes already repeted and the Epistle to the Hebrues without helpe of any gloses testifieth But if they be so much delited with the ceremonies of Moses why do they not hastily take oxen calues and lambes to make facrifices They haue in deede a good part of the olde tabernacle and of the whole Iewish maner of worshippiÌ„g but yet this waÌ„teth in their religioÌ„ that they do not sacrifice calues and oxen Who can not see that this obseruation of annoynting is much more hurtfull than Circumcision specially when there is adioyned superstition and Pharisaicall opinion of the worthinesse of the worke For the Iewes did sette in Circumcision trust of righteousnesse these men doo set in anoynting spiritual graces Therfore while they couet to be counterfaiters of the Leuites they are made Apostataes from Christe and do putt them selues from the office of Pastors This is if God will the holy oyle the printeth the marke that can not be raced out As though oyle coulde not be wyped awaye with dust and salt or if it stick faster with sope But this marke is spiritual What hath oyle to do with the soule Haue they forgotten that which they oft chauÌ„t to vs out of Augustine that if the word be taken from the water it shal be nothing but water that it hath this from the word that it is a Sacrament What worde will they shew in their fat liquor Will they shew the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t that was geuen to Moses concerning the anointing of the sonnes of AaroÌ„ But ther is also coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t geueÌ„ of the coaâ—e the ephod the hatt the crown of holinesse with which Aaron was to be garnished and of the coates girdles and miters wherewith the sonnes of Aaron were to be clothed There is commaundement geuen to kill a calfe and burne the fatte of him for incense to cutt rammes and burne them to sanctifie their eares and garmentes with the blood of an other ramme and innumerable other obseruations which being passed ouer I marnell why the onely anoynting of oyle pleaseth them But if they loue to be sprinkled why are they rather sprinkled with oyle than with blood Forsoth they goe about a witty thing to make one religion of Christianitie Iewishnesse and Paganisme as it were of patches sowed together Therfore their annointing stinketh which is without the salt that is the word of God There remaineth layeng on of handes which as I graunt in true and lawfull Orderings to be a Sacrament so I deny that it hath any part in this play where they neither obey the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of Christ nor haue respect to the ende wherunto the promise oughte to leade vs. If they wil not haue the signe denied them they must apply it to the thing it selfe whereunto it is apointed About the order also of Deaconrie I woulde not striue with them if that same ministerie which was in the Apostles tyme and in the purer Chirche were restored to the vncorrupted state thereof But what like thing haue they whome those men faine to be deacons I speake not of the men least they shoulde complaine that the doctrine is wrongfullye weyed by the faultes of the menne but I affirme that for those whome they deliuer vs by their doctrine they vnworthily feiche testimonie from the example of them whome the Apostolike Chirch ordeined DeacoÌ„s They say that it perteineth to their deacons to stand by the prestes to minister in all thinges that are done in the Sacramentes namelye in Baptisme in the chresine in the patine in the chalice to bryng in the offrynges and lay them vpon the altar to make ready the Lordes table and to couer it to carry the Crosse to pronounce and sing the Gospell and Epistle to the people Is here any one worde of the true ministerie of Deacons Nowe lett vs heare the institutyng of them Uppon the Deacon that is ordered the Bishop alone layeth his hande He laieth a prayer boke and a Stoale vpon his lefte shoulder that he may vnderstande that he hath receyued the lyght yoke of the Lord wherby he may subdue to the feare of God those thyngs that perteine to the left side He geueth him the texte of the Gospell that he maye perceiue himselfe to be a publisher of it And what belong these thinges to Deacons They doo euen like as if a man wold say that he ordeined them Apostles whom he appointed only to burne frankincense to trimme the Images to swepe the Chirches to catche mise to driue away dogs Who could suffer such kinde of men to be called Apostles and to be compared with the very Apostles of Christ Therfore let them not hereafter lyengly say that those be DeacoÌ„s whom they institute only for their enterludelike plaies Yea by the very name it self they sufficiently declare what maner of office they haue For they call them Leuites will haue their order beginning referred to the childreÌ„ of Leui. Which I geue theÌ„ leaue to do so that thei do not afterward garnish them with the fethers of other Of Subdeacons to what purpose is to speake For wheras in dede they were in olde tyme appointed for care of the poore they assigne to them I wote not what triflyng busynesse as to bring the chalice the patine the litle cruet with water and the towel to the altar to powre water to washe handes c. Now wheras they speake of receyuyng bringing in of offrings they meane those which they deuoure as abandoned to their holy vse With this office very well agreeth the forme of theyr consecratyng That he receiue of the Bishop the patine the chalice of the ArchdeacoÌ„ the cruet with water the manuale such other baggage Within these trifles they require to haue vs confesse that the Holy ghost is enclosed What godly maÌ„ can abide to grauÌ„t this But to make ones an ende we may determine the same of them that we do of the rest Neither nede we to repete further those thynges that are aboue declared This may be enough to teache the sober and willyng to learne whome I haue taken in hand to instruct that there is no Sacrament of God but where is shewed a Ceremonie ioyned with a promise or rather veryly but where is a promise sene in a Ceremonie Here is not fouÌ„d one syllable of any certain promise therfore it were in vaine to seke a Ceremonie to confirme
harkē to their worde But chefely there is in Ieremie a notable place and worthy to be remēbred which although it be somwhat long yet I wil be contēt to rehearse because it most plainly determineth this whole question I haue made the earth and men sayth the Lorde and the liuing creatures that are on the ouerface of the earth in my great strength and stretched out arme and I wil deliuer it to hym whom it pleaseth in myne eyes And now therfore I haue geuen all these landes into the hand of Nabuchadnezar my seruante and all nations and great Kinges shal serue hym tyll the tyme shall come of that lande And it shal be as a nation and a kingdome that hath not serued the Kyng of Babell I wil visit that nation in swerde famine and pestilence Wherefore serue ye the Kyng of Babell and lyue We se with how greate obedience the Lorde wylled that cruell and proude tyrant to be honored for no other reason but because he possessed the kingdome And thesame was by the heauenly decree that he was set in the throne of the kyngdome and taken vp into kingly maiestie which it was vnlawful to violate If we haue thys cōtinually before our myndes and eyes that euen the worst Kynges are ordeyned by the same decree by which the authoritie of Kynges is stablyshed these seditious thoughtes shal neuer come into our mynde that a Kyng is to be handeled according to his deseruinges and that it is not mete that we shoulde shewe our selues subiectes to hym that doeth not on hys behalfe shewe hymselfe a Kyng to vs. In vayne shall any man obiect that thys was a peculiar commaundemente to the Israelites For it is to be noted with what reason the Lorde confirmeth it I haue geuen sayeth he the kyngdome to Nabuchadnezar Wherefore serue ye hym and lyue To whome soeuer therfore it shal be certayne that the kyngdome is geuen let vs not dout that he is to be obeyed And so sone as the Lord aduaunceth any man to the royall estate he therein declareth hys will to vs that he will haue hym reigne For therof are generall testimonies of the Scripture Salomō in the xxviii Chapter Many Princes are because of the wickednesse of the people Againe Iob in the xii chapter He taketh away subiectiō frō Kinges and girdeth them againe with the girdle But thys being confessed there remayneth nothing but that we must serue and liue There is also in Ieremie the Prophet an other commaundement of the Lord wherin he commaundeth hys people to seke the peace of Babylō whether they had ben led away captiue and to pray to hym for it because in the peace of it shoulde be their peace Beholde the Israelites beyng spoiled of al their goods plucked out of their houses led away into exile and cast into miserable bondage are commaunded to pray for the safetie of the Conqueror not as in other places we are commaunded to pray for our persecuters but that the kingdome may be preserued to himselfe and quiet that they themselues may also liue prosperously vnder hym So Dauid being already appointed Kyng by the ordinance of God and annointed with his holy oyle when he was without any hys deseruing vnworthyly persecuted of Saul yet the hed of him that layed waite for hys lyfe he estemed holy which the Lord had hallowed wyth the honor of kingdome Farre be it from me sayd he that I shoulde before the Lord do thys thyng to my Lorde the annointed of the Lorde that I should laye my hande vpon hym because he is the annointed of the Lord. Againe My soule hath spared thee and I haue sayd I wyll not laye my hande vpon my Lorde because he is the annointed of the Lord. Againe Who shal lay his hande vpon the anointed of the Lord and shal be innocēt So sure as the Lord liueth vnlesse the Lord strike hym or his day be come that he dye or he goe down into battell farr be it from me that I should lay my hande vpon the annointed of the Lorde Finally we owe this affection of reuerence yea and deuotion to all our rulers of what sort soeuer they be Which I do therfore the oftener repete that we may learne not to searche what the men themselues be but take this for sufficiente that by the will of the Lord they beare that personage in which the Lord himself hath emprinted and engraued an inuiolable maiestie But thou wilt say Rulers owe mutuall duties to their subiectes That I haue alredy confessed But if thou therupon cōclude that obediences are to be rendred to none but to iuste gouernementes thou art a foolish reasoner For husbandes also are bounde to their wiues and parentes to their children with mutuall duties Lett parentes and husbandes depart frō their dutie let parentes shew themselues so hard and vnpleasable to their children whom they are forbidden to prouoke to anger that with their peuishnesse they do vnmeasurably wery them let the husbandes most despitefully vse their wyues whom they are commaunded to loue and to spare them as weake vessels shall yet therefore either children be lesse obediēt to their parentes or wyues to their husbandes But they are subiect both to euil parentes and husbandes and suche as do not their dutie Yea wheras all oughte rather to endeuor themselues not to looke behynde them to the bagge banging at their backe that is not to enquire one of an others duties but euery man set before hym that which is his own dutie this oughte chefely to haue place among those that are vnder the power of other Wherfore if we be vnmercifully tormēted of a cruel Prince if we be rauenously spoiled of a couetous or ryotous Prince if we be neglected of a slouthfull Prince finally if we be vexed for godlinesses sake of a wicked and vngodly Prince let vs first cal to minde the remembrance of our sinnes which vndoutedly are chastised with suche scourges of the Lord. Therby humilitie shal bridle our impatience Let vs thē also call to minde this thought that it perteineth not to vs to remedy suche euells ▪ but this only is left for vs that we craue the helpe of the Lord in whoe 's hand are the hartes of Kinges the bowinges of kingdomes He is the God that shal stande in the assemblie of gods and shall in the middest iudge the gods from whoe 's face al Kinges shal fal and be broken and al the iudges of the earth that shal haue not kissed his annointed that haue written vniust lawes to oppresse the poore in iugemēt and do violence to the cause of the humble to make widowes a pray and robbe the fatherlesse And here both his maruelous goodnesse power and prouidence sheweth it selfe for somtyme of hys seruantes he raiseth vp opē reuēgers and furnisheth them with hys commaundement to take vengeance of their vniust gouernement and to deliuer hys people many wayes oppressed out
shall blesse himself shall blesse in the God of the faythfull and he that shal swere in the land shal swere in the true God Hieremie sayth Yf they shal teach the people to swere in my name as thei haue taught theÌ„ to swere by Baal they shal be buylded vp in the middes of my house And for good cause it is sayde that when we call vpon the name of the Lorde to witnesse we doe witnesse our religion towarde him For so wee confesse that he is the eternall and vnchaungeable truthe whome we call vpon not onely as a moste substantiall witnesse of truthe aboue all other but also as the only defense thereof whiche is able to bryng forth hidden thynges into light then as the knowet of heartes For where testimonies of menne doe â—ayle there we fâ—ee to God for witnesse specially where any thynge is to be proued that lieth secrete in conscience For whyche cause the Lorde is bitterly angry with them that sweare by strange gods and he iudgeth that manner of swearyng to be a manifest of manifest fallyng from his allegeance Thy sonnes haue forsaken me and do swere by them that are no gods And he declareth the haynousnesse of this offense by threatenyng of punishment I will destroye them that sweare by the name of the Lord and swere by Melchan Nowe when we vnderstande that it is the Lordes will that there be in our othes a worshippe of his name so muche the more diligent hede is to be taken that in stede of worshippyng they doe not conteine dishonour contempt or abacement of it For it is no small dishonour when periurie is committed in swearyng by him wherefore it is called in the lawe Profanation For what is lefte to the Lorde when he is spoyled of his truthe he shall then ceasse to be God But truely he is spoyled thereof when he is made an affirmer and approuer of falshod Wherefore when Iosua minded to dryue Alchan to confesse the truthe he sayd My Sonne geue glorie to the Lord of Israell meanyng thereby that the Lorde is greuously dishonored yf a manne sweare falsly by hym And no maruell For we doe as much as in vs lieth in a manner to stayne his holy name with a lye And that this manner of speache was vsed amonge the Iewes so ofte as any was called to take an othe appereth by the like protestation that the Pharisees vse in the Gospell of Iohn To this heedefulnesse the formes of othes that are vsed in the Scriptures doe instructe vs The Lorde lyueth The Lorde doe these thinges vnto me and adde these thynges The Lorde be witnesse vpon my soule Whyche doe proue that we can not call God for witnesse of our sayenges but that we also wishe him to take vengeance of our periurie if we speake deceyptfully The name of the Lorde is made vile and common when it is vsed in superfluous othes although they bee true For in suche case it is also taken in vayne Wherefore it shall not be sufficient to absteyne from 〈◊〉 caring falsly vnlesse we do also remember that swearing was suffred and ordeined not for luste or pleasure but for necessities sake and therfore they goe beyond the lawfull vse thereof that applye it to thinges not necessarie And there can no other necessitie be pretended but where it is to serue eyther religion or charitie wherein at this daye menne doe to muche licentiously offende and so muche the more intolerably for that by very custome it hath cessed to be reckened for any offense af all whiche yet before the iudgement seaâ—e of God is not sâ—lenderly weyed For euery where wythout regarde the name of God ys defiled in triflynge talkes and yt ys not thought that they do euel bicause by long suffred and vnpunished boldenesse they are come to rest as it were in possession of so great wickedneâ—â—e But the coÌ„manndement of the Lord remayneth in â—orce the penaltie abideth in strength and shall one daye haue his effect whereby there is a certayne speciall reuenge proclaymed agaynst them that vse his name in vayne This commaundement is also transgressed in an other poynt that in our othes we put the holy seruantes of God in the place of God with manifest vngodlynesse for so we traÌ„sferre the glorie of his godhed to them Neyther is it without cause that the Lorde hath geuen speciall commaundement to swere by his name and by speciall prohibition forbidden that we should not be heard swere by any strange gods And the Apostle euidently testifieth the same when he writeth that men in swearyng do call vpon a hier than themselues and that God whiche had none greater than his owne glory to swere by did swere by himselfe The Anabaptistes not contented wyth this moderation of swearyng do detest all othes without exceptioÌ„ bycause the prohibition of Christ is generall I saye vnto ye swere not at all but let your tale be yea yea and nay nay what so euer is more than this is of euell But by this meane they do without consideration stumble agaynst Christ while they make him aduersarye to his father and as if he had come downe from heauen to repeale his fathers decrees For the eternall God doth in the lawe not only permit swearyng as a thyng lawfull whiche were enough but also in necessitie doth commaunde it But Christ affirmeth that he is all one with his father that he bringeth no other thyng but that whiche his father commaunded him that his doctrine is not of himself c. What then wil they make God contrarie to himself whiche shal afterwarde forbidde and condemne the same thing â—n mens behauiours whiche he hath before allowed by coÌ„maunding it But bycause there is some difficultie in the wordes of Christ let vs a litle weye them But herein we shall neuer atteyne the truthe vnlesse we bende our eyes vnto the entent of Christ and take heede vnto the purpose that he there goeth about His purpose is not eyther to release or restreyne the lawe but to reduce it to the true and naturall vnderstandyng whiche had ben very muche depraued by the false gloses of the Scribes and Pharisees This â—â— we holde in minde we shall not thinke that Christ dyd vtterly condemne othes but onely those othes whiche doe transgresse the rule of the lawe Thereby it appereth that the people at that time did forbeare no manner of swearyng but periuries whereas the lawe dothe not only forbidde periuries but also all idle and superstitous othes The Lorde therefore the most sure expositour of the lawe doth admonish them that it is not only euell to forswere but also to sweare But howe to sweare in vaine But as for these othes that are commended in the lawe he leaueth them safe and at libertie They seme to fight somewhat more strongly when they take earnest holde of this worde At all whiche yet is not referred to the worde Sweare but to
the formes of swearyng that are after rehersed For this was also parte of their errour that when they did sweare by heaueÌ„ and earth they thought that they did not touch the name of God Therfore after the principall kinde of offense against this commaundement the lord doth also cut of from them all bye shiftes that they should not thinke that they haue escaped if not speakyng of the name of God they call heauen and earth to witnesse For here by the way it is also to be noted that although the name of God be not expressed yet men by indirect formes do sweare by him as if they sweare by the liuely light by the bread that they eate by their Baptisme or other tokens of gods liberalitie toward them Neither doth Christ in that place where he forbiddeth them to sweare by heauen and earth Hierusalem speake it to correct superstition as some men falsly thinke but he rather confuteth their sophisticall suttâ—ltie whiche thought it no faulte babblingly to throwe our indirect othes as though they spared the holy name of God whiche is engrauen in all his benefites But otherwise it is where either a mortal man or a dead man or an Angel is put in the place of God as amonge the prophane nations flatterie deuised that stinkyng forme of sweryng by the life or soule of the Kyng for then the false making of gods doth obscure and minish yâ— glory of the one only God But when we meane only to procure credit to our sayenges by the holy name of God although the same be indirectly done yet in al such triflyng othes his maiestie is offended Christ taketh froÌ„ this licentiousnesse all pretense of excuse in this that he forbiddeth to sweare at al. And Iames tendeth to the same purpose recityng the same wordes of Christ whiche I haue before alleged bycause that same rash boldenesse hath alwaye ben in the world whiche is a prophane misuse of the name of God For if ye referre this worde At all to the substance as it without any exceptioÌ„ it were altogether vnlawfull to sweare wherefore serueth that exposition whiche is added afterward Neyther by heauen nor by earth c Whereby it sufficiently appereth that those cauillatioÌ„s are met withall by which the Iewes thought their fault to be excused Therefore it can not nowe be doubtefull to sounde iudgementes that the Lorde in that place did onely reproue those othes that were forbidden by the lawe For he himselfe whiche shewed in his life an examplar of the perfection that he taught did not sticke to sweare when occasion required And his disciples whoe we doubte not did obeye theyr maister in all thinges folowed the same example whoe dare saye that Paule wold haue sworne yf swearing had ben vtterly forbidden but when matter so required he sware without any sticking at it yea somtime adding an execration But this question is not yet ended bicause some do think that only publike othes are excepted out of this prohibitioÌ„ as those othes that we take when the Magistrate doth offer them to vs require them of vs. And such as Princes vse to take in stablishing of leagues or yâ— people when thei sweare allegeaÌ„ce to their Prince or the Soldiar wheÌ„ he is put to an othe for his true seruice in that warre such like And to this sort thei adioyne that rightfully such othes as are in Paule to coÌ„firme the dignitie of yâ— gospell for asmuch as yâ— Apostles in their office ar not priuate meÌ„ but publike ministers of god And truely I denie not that those are yâ— safest othes bicause thei ar defended with souÌ„dest testimonies of scripture The magistrate is coÌ„maunded in a doubtful case to driue the witnesse to an othe he otâ— the other side to answer by othe the Apostle sayth that meÌ„s controuersies are by this meane ended In this coÌ„maundement bothe these haue a perfect allowance of their offices Yea we maye note that among the old heathen men the publike and solemne othe was had in great reuereÌ„ce but coÌ„mon othes that were vsually spoken without consideration were either nothing or very litle regarded bicause they thought that in these they had not to do with the maiestie of God at al. But yet it were to much dangerous to condemne priuate othes that are in necessarie cases soberly holyly reuerently taken whiche are mainteined both by reason examples For if it be lawfull for priuate men in a weighty earnest matter to appele to God as iudge betwene them much more is it lawefull to call hym to witnesse Put the case thy brother will accuse thee of false breache of faith thou endeuorest to purge thy self accordyng to the dutie of charitie he by no meanes will suffer himself to be satisfied If thy good name come in perill by his obstinate maliciousnesse thou shalt without offense appele to the iudgement of God that it will please him in time to make thine innocency knowen Now if the weight of the wordes be considered it is a lesse matter to call him to witnesse Therefore I see not why in this case we should affirme that the callyng hym to witnesse is vnlawful And we are not without many examples therof For though the othe of Abraham and Isaac with Abimelech be sayde not to serue for our purpose bycause it was made in the name of a publike companie yet Iacob and Laban were priuate meÌ„ which stablished a couenant with mutuall othe betwene themselues Booz was a priuate man whiche by the same meane coÌ„firmed his promise of mariage to Ruth Abdias was a priuate man a iuste manne and fearyng God whiche affirmed vnto Elias by othe the thing that he meant to persuade him Therefore I haue no better rule but that othes be so tempered that they be not vnaduised that they be not common without regard that they be not vsed of ragyng lust nor triflyng but that they serue iuste necessitie as where the Lordes glorie is to be mainteyned or the edification of our brother furthered to whiche ende the commaundement of the lawe tendeth The fourth Commaundement Remember that thou kepe holy the Sabbat day Sixe dayes shalt thou worke and do all thy workes But on the seuenth day is the Sabbat of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt do no worke c. The end of this coÌ„maundement is that we beyng dead to our owne affections workes should be busied in meditation of the kingdome of God to the same meditation should be exercised by such meanes as he hath ordeyned But bicause this coÌ„maundement hath a peculiar seueral consideration froÌ„ the rest therfore it must haue also a seuerall manner of exposition The old writers vse to call it a shadowish commaundement for that it conteyneth the outward obseruation of the day whiche by the comming of Christ was taken away with the other figures Wherin I graunt they say truely but they touche but half the matter
the ende of thys present life From thense did spring vp that consideration whiche the faythfull oftentimes vsed for a comforte of thir miseries and remedie of patience It is but a momente in the Lordes displeasure and life in his mereye Howe did they determine afflictions to ende in a moment that were in affliction in a manner of their life longe where dyd thei espye so longe an eâ—duringe of Godes kindenesse whereof thei scarsely felt any lyttle taste If thei hadde sticked faste vpon the earthe they coulde haue founde no such thing but bicause thei loked vpon heauen thei acknowledged that it is but a moment of time while the Lord exercise his holy ones by the crosse but that his mercies wherein thei are gathered together do last the worldes age Againe they did â—oresee the eternall and neuer endinge destruction of the vngodlye whiche were as in a dreame happy for one daie Wherevpon came these sayinges The remembrance of the righteous shall be in blessing butte the name of the wicked shall rotte Precious is the deathe of the Saintes in the sighte of the Lorde but the deathe of the wicked moste euell Againe in Samuel The Lorde shall keepe the feete of the holy and the wicked shall be put to silence in darkenesse Whiche do declare that thei well knewe that howesoeuer the holy were diuersly carryed aboute yet their laste ende is lyfe and saluation and that the prosperitie of the wycked is a pleasaunt waye whereby thei by little and little slide forwarde into the gulfe of deathe Therefore thei called the deathe of suche the destruction of the vncircumcised as of them from whome the hope of the resurrection was cutte awaie Wherefore Dauid coulde not deuise a more greuous curse than this Let them be blotted out of the boke of life and not be written with the righteous But aboue all other notable is that sayeng of Iob I knowe that my redemer liueth in the last daie I shal rise againe out of the earth and in my fleshe I shall see God my sauioure This hope is layed vp in my bosome Some that haue a mynde to make a shewe of their sharpe witte do cauill that this is not to be vnderstanded of the last resurrection but of the firste daye that Iob loked to haue God more gentle to him whiche although we graunt them in parte yet shall wee enforce them to confesse whether they wyll or noe that Iob coulde not haue come to that largenesse of hope if he had rested his thoughte vpon the earthe Therefore we muste needes confesse that he lifted vp his eyes to the immortalitie to come whiche sawe that his redeemer would be present with him euen lyeng in his graue For to them that thinke only of his present life death is their vttermost desperation whiche very death coulde not cutt of Iobs hope Yea though he kill me said he neuerthelesse I will still hope in him And let no trifler here carpe against me and saie â–ª that these were the sayenges but of a fewe whereby ys not proued that suche doctrine was among the Iewes For I wyll by and by answer him that these fewe dyd not in these sayenges vtter any secret wisedome wherevnto onely certayne excellente wittes were seuerally and priuately suffred to atteine â–ª but that as thei were by the holy Ghoste apointed teachers of the people so they openly published those misteries of God that were to be vniuersally learned and ought to be the principles of the common religion among the people Therefore when we heare the publike oracles of the holy Ghoste wherein he spake of the spirituall lyfe so clerely and plainely in the Churche of the Iewes it were a pointe of vntolerable stubbournesse to sende them away only to the fleshly couenant wherin is mention made of nothing but earth and earthly wealthinesse If I come downe to the latter Prophetes there wee maye freely walke as is oure owne felde For yf it were not harde for vs to gett the vpperhande in Dauid Iob and Samuel here it shall be muche more easye For God kepte this distribution and ordre in disposinge the couenant of hys mercye that howe muche the nearer it drewe on in processe of tyme to the full perfourmance thereof with so muche greater encreasementes of reuelation hee dyd daye by daie more bryghtly shewe it Therefore at the beginning when the firste promise of saluation was made vnto Adam there glystered oute but as it were smale sparkles of it After hauinge more added vnto it a greater largenesse of light began to be put forth whiche from thense fourth brake out more and more and displayed her bryghtnesse farther abroade till at length all the cloudes were dryuen awaye and Christe the sonne of righteousnesse fully lyghtned the whole woorlde We neede not therfore to feare that wee fayle of testimonies of the Prophetes if we seeke them to proue oure cause but bicause I see that there wyll aryse a huge deale of matter wherevpon I shoulde bee constrained of necessytie to tarrye longer than the proportioâ— of my purpose maye beare for it woulde so growe to a worke of a great volume and also bicause I haue already by those thinges that I haue saide before made plaine the waye euen for a reader of meane capacitie so as he maye goe forwarde wythoute stumbling therefore I wyll at this present absteine from long tediousnesse whyche to do ys no lesse necessarie but geuing the readers warning before hande that they remembre to open theyr owne waye with that key that we haue fyrste geuen them in theyr hande That is that so ofte as the Prophetes speake of the blessednesse of the faithfull people whereof scarscely the leaste steppes are seen in this present life thei maye resorte to this distinction that the Prophetes the better to eâ—presse the goodnesse of God did as in a shadow expresse it to the people by temporall benefites as by certaine rough drawing of the portraiture therof but that the perfect image that thei haue painted therof was suche as might rauish mens myndes out of the earh and out of the elements of this worlde and of the age that shal perishe and of necessitie rayse it vp to the considering of the felicitie of the lyfe that ys to come and spirituall We wyll be content with one example When the Israelites being carryed awaye to Babylon sawe their scattering abroade to be like vnto deathe they coulde hardely be remoued from thys opinion that they thought that al was but fables that Ezechiel prophecied of their restitution bicause thei reckened it euen all one as if he had tolde them that rotten carcases shoulde be restored againe to lyfe The Lorde to shewe that euen that same difficultie coulde not stop him from bringing hys benefite to effect shewed to the Prophete in a vision a field full of due bones to the which in a moment with the onely power of hys worde he restored
the lord bicause he hath plucked vs and he will heale vs he hath striken vs and he wil cure vs ▪ bicause the hope of pardō is vsed as a pricke to make thē not to lie dull in their sinnes But their doting erroure is without all coloure of reason whiche to beginne at repentance do apoint certaine daies to their new cōuertes during the which thei must exercise themselues in penance and when those daies are ones past they admit them to the communion of the grace of the Gospell I speake of many of the Anabaptistes specially those that maruelously reioyce to be compted spirituall their cōpanions the Iesuites such other dregges Suche frutes forsoothe the spirit of giddinesse bringeth forth to determine repentance within cōpasse of a fewe daies which a Christian man ought to extende in continuance throughout his whole life But certaine learned men euen long before these times meaning to speake simply syncerely of repentance according to the truth of Scripture haue said that it consisteth of two parts mortification vinificatiō Mortification thei expounde to be a sorrowe of the soule feare cōceiued of the acknowledging of sinne of the feling of the iudgement of God For when a man is ones broughte into true knowledge of synne then he truely begynneth to hate and abhorre synne then he heartyly misliketh hymselfe confesseth himselfe to be miserable and loste and wyssheth himselfe to be an other man Further when he is touched wyth some feelinge of the iudgemente of God for the one immediatly foloweth vpon the other then hee lyeth stryken and ouerthrowen then he trembleth humbled and cast down then he is discouraged and despeireth This is the fyrst parte of repentance whiche thei haue cōmonly called Contrition Uiuification thei expounde to be the comfort that groweth of faithe when a man ouerthrowen with conscience of sinne and striken with feare of God loking afterwarde vnto the goodnesse of God vnto the mercie fauoure in saluation that is throughe Christe raiseth vp himselfe takethe breath againe recouereth courage and returneth as it were from death to life And these woordes if they haue a right exposition do aptly enough expresse the nature of repentance But wher thei take Uiuification for the cherefulnesse whiche the minde receiueth beinge brought into quietnesse from trouble feare therein I agree not with them forasmuche it rather signifieth a desire to liue holyly and godly whiche groweth of regeneration as if it were saide that man dyeth to himselfe to beginne to liue to God Some other bicause thei sawe this word diuersly taken in Scripture haue made twoo sortes of Repentance and bycause they woulde make them differently knowen by some mark the haue called the one Repentance of the Law by which the sinner woūded with the searing iron of sinne and worne awaie with feare of the wrath of God sticketh fast in that trouble can not winde himselfe out of it The other Repentance thei call of the Gospell by whyche the synner is in dede greuously vexed with himselfe but he ryseth vp higher taketh holde of Christ the salue of his sore the comforte of his feare the hauen of his miserie Of the repentance of the law thei putt those examples Cain Saul Iudas Whose repentance when the Scripture reherseth vnto vs it meaneth that they acknowleginge the greuousnesse of theyr sinne were afraide of the wrath of God but in thinking vpon God onely as a reuenger iudge thei fainted in that feeling Therefore their repentance was nothing els but a certain entrie of hel wherinto thei being entred in this present life beganne already to suffer punishment from the face of the wrath of Gods maiestie The repentance of the Gospel we see in al them that being galled with the spurre of sinne in themselues but recōforted refreshed with confidence of the mercie of God are turned vnto the lord Ezechias was striken with feare when he receiued the message of death but he praied weping and loking vnto the goodnesse of God he toke againe good confidence vnto him The Niniuites wer troubled with the horrible threatning of destruction But thei clothed them selues in sakcloth and ashes praied hoping that the Lord might be turned to them turned from the furor of his wrathe Dauid confessed that he had to much sinned in nombring the people but he said further Lord take awaie the wickednesse of thy seruant He acknowledged his offense of adulterie when Nathan rebuked him did cast himselfe downe before the Lorde but therwithal he also loked for pardon Suche was the repentance of them that at the preachinge of Peter were pricked in their heart but trustinge vpon the goodnesse of God thei saide furthermore Ye men or brothren what shall we doe And such was the repentance of Peter himselfe whiche wept in dede bitterly but he cessed not to hope well Although al these thinges be true yet the very name of repentance so farre as I can learne by the Scriptures is other wyse to be taken For wher they comprehend faith vnder repentance it disagreeth with that whiche Paule saith in the Actes that he testified to the Iewes and Gentiles repentance vnto God and faith in Iesus Christe Where he reckeneth repentance and faithe as twoo dyuerse thinges What then Can true repentance stande without faithe No. But thoughe they can not bee seuered yet they muste be distinguished As faithe is not wythout hope and yet faithe and hope are dyuerse thynges so repentance and faith although they hange together with one perpetuall bonde yet thei rather would be conioyned than confounded And truly I am not ignorant that vnder the name of repentance is comprehended the whole tourning vnto God whereof faithe is not the leaste part but in what meaninge it is so comprehended shall moste easyly appeare when the force and nature thereof shal be declared The name of repentance in Hebrue is deriued of cōuerting or returning in Greke of chaunging of the mynde or purpose and the thinge it selfe dothe not ill agree wyth either deriuations whereof the summe is that we departing from oure selues shoulde turne vnto God and puttinge of our olde mynde shoulde putte in a newe Wherefore in my iudgmente repentance maie thus not amysse be defined that it is a true turninge of oure lyfe vnto God proceedinge from a pure and earnest feare of God whiche consisteth in the mortifyeng of the fleshe and of the olde man in the quyckening of the spirite In thys sense are to be taken all the preachinges wherin either the Prophetes in olde time or the Apostles afterwarde exhorted the men of their time to repentance For this only thinge thei trauailed to perswade that confounded with theyr own synnes and pricked wyth feare of the Lordes iudgement they shoulde fall downe and be humbled before hym agaynste whome they had offended and with true amendement returne into his right waie Therfore these wordes To
be turned or returne vnto the lord To repente or do penaunce are amonge them vsed wythoute difference in all one signification And therefore also the holy historie saith that men repēt after the Lorde when they that liued wantonely in their owne lustes not regardinge him do begynne to folowe hys worde and are ready at their captaines commaundement to goe whether he calleth them And Ihon and Paule vsed these wordes to bringe forthe frutes worthy of repentance for to leade suche a lyfe as maye represent and testifie suche an amendement in all their doinges But before we go any further it shall be profitable that we do more playnely sette out at large the definition that we haue made Wherein there be cheefely three pointes to be considered Fyrste when wee call it a tourning of life vnto God we require a transfourming not onely in outwarde woorkes but also in the soule it selfe whiche when it hathe put of her oldnesse then beginneth to bring forth the frutes of workes agreable to her renewing Which when the prophet goeth about to expresse he commaundeth them whom he calleth to repentance to make them a newe heart Therefore Moses oftentimes meaning to shewe how the Israelites might repent so be rightly turned vnto the Lord teacheth that it be done with al their heart with al their soule which māner of speaking we see often repeted of the Prophets naming it the circumcising of the heart he shaketh away all inward affections But there is no place whereby a man maye better perceiue what is the naturall propretie of repentance than the fourthe Chapter of Iereme If thou returne to me O Israell saith the Lorde returne to me plowe vppe your arable lande and sowe not vpon thornes Be circumcised to the Lorde and take away the vncircumcised skinnes of your heartes Se how he pronounceth that they shall nothinge preuaile in taking vpon them the folowing of righteousnesse vnlesse wickednesse be first plucked out of the bottome of their heartes And to moue them throughly he warneth them that thei haue to doe wyth God with whome there is nothing gotten by dalying bicause he hateth a double heart Therfore Esaie laugheth to scorne the foolishe endeuoures of hypocrites whiche did in dede busily go about an outward repentance in ceremonies but in the meane tyme they hadde no care to loose the bundles of wickednesse wherewith they helde poore men fast tyed Where also he very well sheweth in what dueties vnfained repentance proprely standeth The second point was that we taught that repentance proceedeth of an earnest feare of God For before that the minde of a sinner be inclined to repentance it must be stirred vp with thinking vpō the iudgment of God But when this thought is ones throughly settled that God wyll one daye goe vp into hys iudgement seate to require an accompt of all saienges doinges it will not suffer the silly man to rest nor to take breathe one minute of time but continually stirreth him vp to thinke vpon a newe trade of life whereby he may safely appeare at that iudgement Therefore oftentimes the Scripture when it exhorteth to repentance maketh mention of the iudgement as in Iereme least peraduenture my wrath go out as fyre there be none to quench it bycause of the naughtinesse of your workes In Paules sermon to the Athenians And wheras hetherto God hath borne with the times of thys ignorance nowe he geueth warning to men that al men euery where may repent them bycause he hathe apointed the daie wherein he will iudge the worlde in equitie And in many other places Sometime it declareth by the punishmentes already extended that God is a iudge that sinners shoulde thynke wyth them selues that worse thinges hang ouer them if they do not repent in time You haue an example thereof in the xxix of Exodus But bycause the turning beginneth at the abhorring and hatred of synne therefore the Apostle maketh sorrowfulnesse suche as is accordinge to God the cause of repentance And he calleth sorrowfulnesse accordinge to God when wee are not onely afraide of punishment but do hate and abhorre sinne it self for asmuche as we vnderstand that it displeaseth God And no maruel For vnlesse we be sharply pricked the slouthfulnesse of oure flesh could not be corrected yea prickinges woulde not suffice for the dulnesse and slouthfulnesse therof vnlesse God in stretching out his roddes should pearce more depely This is also an obstinatie whiche muste be beaten downe as it were with beetles Therefore the peruersenesse of our nature enforceth God to the seueritie that he vseth in threatning bicause he shoulde in vaine call vs alluringly with faire speache while wee lye a slepe I recite not the testimonies that commonly offer them selues to be founde The feare of God is in an other manner also the beginnyng of repentance For though mans life were absolutely furnished with all pointes of vertues if it be not applied to the worshipping of God it may in deede be praysed of the world but in heauen it shal be mere abhomination for asmuche as the chiefe parte of our righteousnesse is to geue God his due right and honour wherof he is wickedly robbed when we bende not our selues to yeld vs subiect to his gouernement Thirdly it remaineth that we declare what is meant by this that we say that Repētance consisteth in two partes that is to say mortifiyng of the flesh quickenyng of the spirit The Prophetes do plainly expresse it although somwhat simply grosly accordyng to the capacitie of the carnal people when they say Cesse from euel do goodnesse Againe Be washed be cleane take away the euel of your workes from mine eyes Cesse to doe peruersly learne to do well seke iudgement help the oppressed c. For when they call men away frō wickednesse they require the death of the whole flesh which is stuffed full of wickednesse peruersnesse It is in deede an vneasy and hard thing to put of our selues to depart frō our natural dispositiō Neyther cā it be thought that the flesh is throughly dead vnlesse al that we haue of our selues be abolished But for asmuch as al the affectiō of the flesh is enemie against God the first entree to the obeying of his lawe is the forsaking of our owne nature Afterward thei expresse the renewyng by the frutes that folow therof as righteousnesse iudgemēt mercie For it were not enough to do those dueties rightly vnlesse the minde it self and the heart haue first put on the affection of righteousnesse iudgement mercie That is done whē the spirit of God hath so soked in new thoughtes affections our soules first washed with his holynesse that they may rightly be compted newe And truely as we are naturally turned away frō God so vnlesse the forsaking of our selues do goe before we can neuer go toward that which is right Therfore we are so oft cōmaunded to put of