true confessioÌ„ and to speake all at a worde saithe bringeth forthe al kinde of good Good workes come of â—uth fruites and good woorkes in vs. For we teache that true good workes doe spryng of a liuely faithe by the woorkyng of the holie ghoste and are doen of the faithfull accordyng to the wille or rule of God his woorde For Peter the Apostle faieth geue all diligence i. Peter i. thereunto and ioine vertue with your faithe and with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperauÌ„ce c. We saied before that the Lawe of GOD whiche is the will of God dooeth prescribe vnto vs a paterne of good workes And the Apostle affirmeth this is i. Thes iiii the will of God your sanctificacioÌ„ and that ye should abstaine from vnclennes that no man oppresse or defraude his brother in any matter For God workes that men inuente of their owne braine alloweth not those workes those worshippynges whiche wee chose of our owne hedde whiche Paule calleth volontarie religioÌ„ Whereof the lorde Collos ii also in the gospell saith Thei worship me in vain teachyng the doctrine and preceptes of men Wee reproue therefore suche woorkes but we highly coÌ„mende and earenestly require those woorkes whicheÌ„ be accordyng to the wille and commaundemente of God The ende of good workes We must therfore doe good dedes yet not to merite thereby life euerlastyng for as the Apostle saieth Life euerlastyng is the gifte of God nor to make our boaste or bragge thereof whiche Math. vi Christe reproueth nor yet for gaine whiche also he disaloweth Math. xxiij but to the glory of God to commende our vocacion to shewe our thankfulnesse to God and to profite our neighboure Againe our Lorde faieth in the Gospell Lette your light so shine before Math. v. men that thei maie see your good workes glorifie your father whiche is in heauen And the Apostle Paule Eyh iiij Walke as becommeth your vocacion Also Collo iij. Whatsoeuer ye shall doe saith he in worde or dede doe all in the name of the Lorde Iesus geuyng thankes to GOD the father through hym And Phil. ij Looke not euery man on his owne matters but on other mennes thynges also And Tite iij. Lette our brethren learne to shewe for the good woorkes for necessarie vses that thei be not vnfruitfull Albeit therefore wee teache as the We reiecte not good workes but necessarilie require them Apostle doeth that a man is Iustified freelie by faithe in Christe and not by any good woorkes yet we doe not dispise or condemne good woorkes wée knowing that man was not made nor regenerate by faithe to be idle but rather to dooe without ceassyng those thynges whiche are good and profitable For in the Gospell the lorde faith A good trée bringeth forthe good frute Math. xii And in Ihon. xv He that dwelleth in me bringeth forthe muche fruite To conclude the Apostle saieth wee are Gods creatures made in Christ Iesu to doe good woorkes whiche GOD hath prepared to walke in And again Heresies whoe deliuered hymself for vs to redeme vs from all our iniquitie and to cleÌ„se his owne peculier people which do good woorkes We condeÌ„ne therefore all those that despise good woorkes babblyng that thei are vnprofitable Oure good workes are not the cause of our saluation and not to bee regarded Notwithstandyng we thinke not as was saied before that we are saued by good workes or that thei are so necessarie that without them no manne was euer saued For by grace by Christes onely benefite wee are saued Woorkes come of saithe necessarily but yet saluacion is vnproperlie ascribed to theÌ„ for moste aptlie it is to bee attributed to grace For that saiyng of the Apostle is verie well knowen if it bee of grace it is no more of woorkes or els were grace no grace But if it bee of workes it is no more grace or els wer Rom. xi woorkes no more woorkes Those workes doubtlesse do please God and are allowed of hym whiche Good workes please God we doe with faithe because thei please him by faithe in Christ who doe good workes which also procede of the grace of God through the holie ghoste For saincte Peter saieth In euery nacion Actes x. he that feareth GOD and woorketh rightuousnesse is accepted with hym And we ceasse not to pray for you that ye might walke worthie of the Lorde Col. i. and please hym in all thynges beyng fruitfull in all good woorkes Therefore we instructe men with as muche Note diligeÌ„ce as we can and beate into their eares to embrase true and not false or Philosophicall vertues to doe in dede Hypocrites good workes and to performe the bouÌ„den duetie of a Christian manne We muche discommeÌ„de both the sluggishnesse hipocrisie of all suche as praise and professe the Gospell with their mouthe but with their filthie liuyng defile it And we laye before their yies Gods horrible threatenynges concernyng this matter his large promises liberall rewardes with exhortacions comfortes and rebukynges For wee teache that God geneth a God rewardeth our good deedes large rewarde to theim that doe good accordyng to the Prophettes saiyng Refraine thy voice from wepyng for Iere. xxxi Esaie iiii Math. v. x. thou shalte haue a rewarde for thy woorke Christe also promiseth in the gospell Be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen And he that will geue to one of these little ones a Cuppe of colde water verelie I saie to you he shall not lose his reward Howbeit wee referre this rewarde whiche the Lorde geueth not to mennes merite Note who receiue the rewarde but to why God rewardeth them that doe good deedes the goodnesse liberalitie and truthe of God promisyng and geuyng it who notwithstandyng he oweth nothyng to any man yet hath promised to giue a rewarde to theim whiche faithfullie worshippe hym but to that ende GOD bestoweth on theim his rewarde that thei should serue hym Furthermore there be many thynges vnmete to bee presented to God and sundrie thynges are founde vnperfite euen in the sainctes deédes or workes But because God receiueth them into his fauour and loueth the workers for Christ his sake he geueth them the rewarde whiche he promised theim For otherwise our rightuousnesse is likened to filthie clothes The Lorde Esaie lxiiii Luke xvii Mennes merites merite nothyng also saieth in the Gospell When you haue doen all that is coÌ„maunded you saie ye are vnprofitable seruantes we haue dooen but that whiche was our bounded duetie to not Albeit then we Note Augu. teache that God rewardeth our good deedes yet we teache there withall as Augustine doeth that God crowneth in vs not our merites but his owne gifte And therefore what reward soeuer we receiue we affirme that it cometh of the grace of God worthelier called grace then a rewarde because that good which we do is doen rather by God his
methode and all other thinges beinge set in their places the natiue expositions maye be knowen And if God His expositiō and the hard wordes cōmune places graunt me that I may hereafter adde hereunto twoo other thinges whiche I am about nowe that is to say a breife exposition of the wordes that offer thē selues in the texte commune places beside euery one noted with a word in their proper places then truly shall I thinke that I haue done some thynge worthie trauell But it may please god once to graūt these In the meane seasō most noble Lords I thought it good to writte and dedicate vnto you chiefly that haue embraced true Religion in Fraunce my natiue countrie all that whiche God hath giuen met bothe that I might shewe forthe some token of a thanckfull minde for what dooe we not allowe vnto you whiche with the bucklers of your own bodies haue defēded the poore miserable shepe againste the rage of the Wolues and also that I maie cōfirme you more and more to perseuer in this heroicall fortitude and stoutenes whiche becometh your noble courage Lo then most noble Prince those holy teachers of that heauēlie doctrine for the defēce wherof thou haste not doubted to offer thy life I saie to so many and so great perilles and daungers Lo vnto you honourable and noble Lordes those holie misteries of that eternal wisedome the whiche the more that you shall knowe the more glad shall you bee though you bee driuen to shedde your blood again for him whiche hath redemed you with his moste precious blood These are the excellēt ensignes of the victorie of your faithe and zele euen before the verie Angelles of heauen in the settyng vp whereof yet would to God O would to God I saie like as your desire was you might onelie haue vsed Spirituall weapons But now when peace is restored you haue greate nede of a spirituall constancie and an inuincible power and force of faithe that this woorke that you haue begonne maie bee finished with your euerlastyng laude and praise And the Lorde will minister this vnto you by the continuall and diligente hearyng of his woorde and meditatyng of the same For that whiche meate is vnto The exercise in gods word necessary our bodies the same do these heauenlie dainties minister to our myndes that is to say not onely that we should liue by the liuelie iuice of theim but also that we should grow and encreace to full age whiles at the length we be made perfite at that last daie And here I dooe desire your honours that you would vouchsafe with quiet myndes to heare certain thinges of me whiche belong to your charge If so bee that Beleue faithfull teachers that bring no thinge but Gods worde you be fullie perswaded that we whō you haue heard and of whom you are begotten in the Lorde doe teache true and holie thynges I beseche you suffer not your selues to be drawen from Beware of crafty hypocrites thēce one iote And I haue great cause thus to admonishe you For though I doe knowe the fortitude of your myndes yet doe I also knowe how greate the craft is of certain that lie in waite to berciue you of your saluacion and what is their impudencie and malice I doe not speake of those opē and knowen enemies of the truthe but I doe meane those Sinons and craftie coūterfaictes Sinon a Greciā vnder the pretence of religiō betraied Troye who partely would haue a certaine meane and mingled religion I knowe not how and partely waite for the occasion to sowe discorde emōges you by those infortunate discordes and controuersies about the Lordes Supper What saie thei is it all one to transforme the Churche and to reforme it Wer our fathers al blind Are these felowe that come we knowe not whence onely wise Are not these the' that all the beste learned dooe call Sacramētaries and vtterly abhorre All true gospellers are ready to geue accomptes Now what we haue to aunswer herevnto you are not ignoraunt and wée will neuer refuse to shewe the causes before the whole worlde of this that thei cal a trasformacion But it is wōder if al menne doe not see what these menne goe about seyng some of them dooe seruice to those that are openly the moste deadly enemies of the Gospell Beware of crafty tourne cotes of Christ others are notorious by plaiyng so oftē the Apostatates others of them haue vttered al their life long vnto the whole worlde their inconstancie and their babblyng and that thei haue no iudgemente at all seyng in thirtie yeres space thei haue not yet learned that menne maie not halt nor wauer in religion These are thei that I admonish you chiesly to take heede of and you shal be safe from them if you stedfastlie continewyng in that faithe that you haue receiued of your faithefull Pastours whiche is sealed with the bloode of so many martyres whereof a plaine and euidente confession is published will either presently chase awaie these poisoned plagues or if that you haue determined ones to heare theim then that you dooe heare theim before suche Pastours by whom their craftes may bee opened and their lyes conuinced and confuted Neither is there any cause why Ther muste nedes be controuersies contrarieties alwayes these cōtrouersies should trouble you For the Lorde hym self our maister hath diligentlie admonished vs that this is the condicion of this Churche and the continuall experience of al tymes doeth confirme the same Thus in our tymes did the Anabaptistes arise beyng deuided into many sectes Thus at this daie dooeth the stubbernnesse of certaine in defendynge moste manifest errours so boile forthe that thei openlie dare dissolue the twoo natures of Christ with Nestorius and confounde the properties with Eutyches whose pestilente bookes I dooe forewarne you are alreadie translated into Frenche In other places as in Polonia the cursed Tritheits that imagine three Gods are risen vp and haue almoste destroyed the countrie and Sathan styll forgeth other secrete misteries againste the whiche it is necessarie that you doe resiste and stande stedfaste by the sinceritie and pure simplicitie of Christian doctrine But nowe because that neither the Ecclesiastical Discipline necessary offences wherewith the wrathe of GOD is many tymes prouoked nor the heresies whereby the true doctrine is oppressed can bee taken awaie in due tyme excepte a true and lawfull order of Ecclesiasticall discipline bee appointed therefore I dooe require this of you by the name of the soonne of GOD I craue this thing I saie of you that you dooe not reiecte this discipline as any inuencion of man but that you would establishe it with al diligéce and earnest affection and kepe and retaine it being ones established The redressinge of maners is the one halfe of the scriptures as the ordinaunce of GOD without the whiche the whole buildyng muste come to ruine of necessitie For what Is not this the
naturall corruption of maner stickinge faste in vs to our liues ende Howbeit seinge that the streÌ„gth of the fleshe reliques of the olde man be not so stronge of such puisance as vtterly to suppresse conquere the woorking of the spirit therfore the faithful are said Note to be frée yet so that they acknowledge their infirmitie weakenesse without boostinge bragginge of their frée will For 〈◊〉 faithfull ought alwaies to kéepe in minde that saying which so ofteÌ„ S. Augustine repeteth out of the Apostle what haste thou that thou diddest not receaue if thou hast receaued it why hastest thou as though thou receauedst it not Moreouer that thing commeth not straight waye to passe whiche he appointed The successe of thinges is in Gods hande Rom. 1. In outvvard thinges all men haue freevvill For that successe of thinges is in Gods hands Whereupon Paule desireth the Lorde to prosper his iourney euen for this cause then our frewill is but a weake frewill Howbeit no man denieth but that men regenerate and not regenerate haue fréewill in outwarde things for man hath his constitution as other liuing creatures haue that he will doo one thing and will not doo an other thinge so he may speake or holde his peace goe out of the house or tarie within doores Yet here the power of God is alway to be marked whiche brought to passe that Balaam Num. â—4 coulde not goe thether whether he woulde neither Zacharie returninge Luc. 1. out of the Temple could speake as he had a good will to doo We condemne Heresies in this behalfe the Manicheis who denied that frewill was to a good maÌ„ the beginninge of euill We condeÌ„ne also the Pelagians who affirme that an euill man hath frewill inough to kéepe a good commaundement both of them are reproued by the holy Scripture whiche saieth againste the Manicheis God made man righteous and good against the Pelagians If the Sonne of God shal make you frée you shal be frée in déede ¶ Of Gods predestination and election of his Sainctes Cap. 10. GOd hath froÌ„ the beginninge predestinated God choseth freely of his grace or chosen fréely and of his mere grace for no respecte that is in men the Sainctes whom he will haue saued for Christes sake accordinge to the Apostles sayinge God Ephes 1. hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde And againe who 2. Tim. 1. hath saued vs called vs with an holy callyng not according to our woorkes but according to his owne determinate councell and grace whiche was geuen to vs thorow Christ Iesus before the worlde was created but is now made manifest by the appearinge of our sauiour Iesu Christe Wherefore not without a meanes although not for VVe are chosen or predestinated for Christe his sake our merites but in Christe for Christ God hath choosen vs so that they whiche are nowe ingraffed in Christe by faithe be also elected and they be reprobrate or caste awaies whiche are without Christe Agreable to the sayinge of the Apostle Proue your selues whether ye are in the faithe knowe 2. Cor. 13. you not your ownselues how that Iesus Christe is in you excepte ye be reprobates To conclude the Sainctes are choosen in Christe by God to a certaine To vvhat ende vve are chosen Ephes 1. ende whiche the Apostle declareth sayinge He hath choosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted thorow Iesus Christe vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace And albeit God knoweth who be his and in a certaine place mencion be made of the VVe should hope the best of euery man small number of the elect yet we must hope well of all not rashely iudgynge any maÌ„ to be a reprobrate Paule saith I thanke my God for you all he speaketh Philip. 1. of the whole Churche of the Philippians because of the felowshippe whiche ye haue in the Gospell beinge perswaded that he whiche hath begon this good woorke in you wil perfourme it vntill the day of Iesus Christe as it becommeth me so to Iudge of you all And when the Lord was demaunded whether there were fewe in number VVhether fevve be chosen that shoulde be saued he aunswered not that a fewe or many shoulde be saued or damned but rather exhorted euery manne to labour that he mighte enter in throughe the strayte Luc. 13. gate as though he had saide it is not your parte so curiously to enquire of these thinges but rather to endeuer that by the right way ye may enter into Heauen Wherefore we allow not their wicked ObiectioÌ„ talke which prattle that a few are chosen and séeinge I am not certaine whether I be any of that smal nuÌ„ber or not I will take my pleasure Neither those that saye If I be predestinate or electe of God nothyng shall hinder me from the SaluatioÌ„ alreadie certainely appointed for me whatsoeuer I doo for if I be one of the reprobrate no faith no repentaunce shall helpe me seyng that Gods determinate sentence can not be chaunged and therfore all teachinges Solution and admonitioÌ„s are vnprofitable that sayinge of the Apostle maketh against 2. Tim. 2. Admonitions are not in vaine them The seruaunt of the Lorde must be apt to teache instructing them with méekenes that are contrary minded prouinge if God at any time will geue them repentauÌ„ce that they may know the trueth and that they may come to ameÌ„dment out of the snare of the Deuill which are taken of him at his wil. But Augustine in his booke intituled De bono perseuerantiae Cap. 14. and the residue folowyng doth shew that both must be preached not onely the grace of frée election and predestination but also holsome admonitioÌ„s We disalow therfore those which demaunde without Christe whether they be elected from the beginninge and what God determined of them before the worlde was made for thou muste heare the preaching of the Gospell and beleue it VVhether vve be elect and muste vndoubtedly thinke if thou beleue and be in Christ that thou arte one of the electe For the father hath opened to vs by Christ as euen now I declared out of the Apostle ij Tim. j. the eternall sentence of his predestinacion Wee ought therefore to teache and to consider aboue all other thynges how muche loue our heauenly father hath reueled to vs thorow Christ We must heare what the lord hymself daiely saieth to vs in his Gospell and marcke howe he calleth vs saiyng Come vnto me all ye that labour and Math. xj are heauie laden and I will refreshe you So God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for the worlde to the ende that all whiche beleue Ihon. iij. in hym should not perishe but haue life
euerlasting Also Math. xviij It is not my fathers will that any of these little ones should perishe Lette Christ therefore be our glasse wherein wee maie beholde our predestinacion wée shall haue a testimonie plaine and sure inough that wée are writtē in the booke of life if wee take parte with Christe and if he be ours and we his knit together with the bondes of true faith when we be tempted about predestinacion Temptatiōs about Predestination then the whiche temptacion there is scase any more daungerous let it be our comforte that Gods promises are generall to the faithfull saiyng Aske and ye shal receiue euery man that asketh receiueth And to cōclude Luke xi lette vs reioyce that with the whole churche of God wee praie Our father whiche art in heauen c. That we are also by Baptisme ingraffed in Christes bodie and fedde in the church oftimes with his flesh and blood to the obtainyng of life euerlastyng With these comfortes we being strēgthened are willed by Paule to worke our saluacion with feare and tremblyng ¶ Of Iesus Christ true God and perfecte man the onely sauiour of the worlde Chap. 11. WE beleue and teache that the sonne of God our lorde Iesus Christ is true God Christe from the beginnyng was predestinate of his father to bee the sauiour of the worlde and that he was begotte not onely when he tooke fleshe of the virgine Marie and before the foundaciō of the worlde was laied but euen before all eternitie and that of his Father after an vnspeakeable sort For Esay saith xxxv What man shall declare his generaciō And Mich. v. His goyng forthe hath been frō the beginnyng and frō euerlastyng And Ihon in the Gospell Cha. j. In the beginnyng was the worde the worde was with God and that woorde was GOD. c. Therefore the Sonne touchyng his diuinitie is coequall and of one substaunce with the Father true God not by name or adoption or any dignitie onely but in substaunce and nature as Ihon the Apostle saieth 1. Ioh. 5. This is the true God and life euerlasting and Paule Heb. j. He hath made his sonne heire of all thynges by whō he made the worlde beyng the brightnesse of the glorie and the ingraued forme of his persone and bearyng vp all thynges by his mightie worde for in the Gospell the Lorde hymself hath said Glorifie thou me O father with thine owne self with the glorie which Ihon. xvii I had with thee before the world was It is written Ihō v. That the Iewes sought to kill Christ bicause he called God his father making himself equal with God we deteste therefore the impious doctrine of Arrius and al the Arians Heresies againste the soonne of God but chieflie the blasphemies of Michaell Seruetus a Spaniarde and all that take his parte whiche blasphemies against the sonne of God Satan by thē hath as it were brought from helle and moste impudentlie and impiously doeth sowe abrode in the worlde Wee beleue also teache that the self same Christ being true man had fleshe also eternall soonne of the eternall God was made the soonne of manne also of the sede of Abraham and Dauid not by carnall copulation as Hebion said but conceiued moste purely of the holy ghoste and borne of Marie who notwithstandyng continued a virgine as The virgin Marie Math. i. Ihon. i. Hebre ii the storie of the Gospell diligently setteth out vnto vs and Paule saieth he chose not Angels but the seede of Abraham Ihon the Apostle likewise saith He that beleueth not that Iesus Christ came in the flesh is not of God The fleshe therfore of Christ was neither fantasticall nor broughte downe from heauen as Valentine and Martion dreamed Furthermore our lorde Iesus Christe had a soule not voide of sēce reasō as Appollinaris thought Iesus Christ had a soule indued with reason neither had he fleshe without a soule as Eunomius taughte but a soule indeed with reason and fleshe with all her senses by the whiche senses he felt and suffered true vnfained tormentes griefes at the time of his passion Mat. xxvi as he hymself saied My soule is verie heauie euen to the death and in Ihon the .xij. Now my soule is troubled c. Wee acknowledge therefore twoo Twoo natures in Christ natures a diuine and humane in our one Lorde Iesus Christe and further saie that thei bee ioyned or knitte together not confounded or mixte but rather that the propertie of their natures remain safe in one persone vnited or ioyned together for that wee worshippe one Christe our Lorde and not twoo I saie one true GOD and true man as touchyng his diuine nature of like substaunce with his father as Heb. 4. touchyng his humanitie of like substaunce with vs menne and like in all poinctes exceptyng synne For as wée doe abhorre from the Nestorians opinion Heresies makyng twoo of one Christ and breakyng the vnitie of his persone so we willynglie deteste the madnesse of Eutiches and Molothelites or Monophistices who deny the propertie of his humain nature Neither doe we teach that Christe his diuine nature did suffer Christ his diuine nature suffred not neither is his humaine nature euery where or that he as touchyng his humain nature remaineth to this daie on the yearth or that his humanitie is euery where neither do we thinke or teach that Christe had no true bodie after it was glorified or that then it was deified and so deified that it kept not the properties of a bodie and soule or that it was chaunged all together into a diuine nature and begā to be onely one substaunce Wherefore we allowe not the fonde foolishe quirkes of Schuenkfeldius Heresies and suche like subtile disputers nor their intricate obscure reasonyng of this matter wherein thei agree not emong them selues Further more we beleue that our Lorde Iesus Christe suffered and died in deede for vs in the fleshe as Peter saieth Wee 1. Pet. 4. Christe touching his humanitie suffred in deede deteste therefore the Iacobits and the Turkes moste impious madnes who abhorre the passion of Christe In the meane while wee denye not but that the Lorde of glorie according to Paules woordes was crucified for vs. For 1. Cor. 2. deuoutlie and reuerentlie wee reade and vse the cōmon propertie of speach drawen out of the scriptures and vsed of all the olde writers in expoundyng and recōcilyng the places of the scriptures whiche seme to disagree Wee beleue and teache that the same our Lorde Iesus Christe did rise from the dedde in the self same true fleshe in the whiche he was crucified and died and Christe his resurrection that he raised not vp an other bodie in steede of that whiche was buried nor that he became a spirite whereas before he was fleshe but that he kept stil his true bodie Therfore when his disciples thought that thei sawe the spirite of the
our owne merites For what can be more plaine then that whiche Paule saieth All Roma iii. haue synned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freelie by his grace and through the redempcion that is in Christe Iesus For Christe hath taken vpon hym and borne the sinnes of the worlde he hath satisfied the iustice of God God therefore for his onely Christes sake Iustice imputed to vs. who suffred death and rose againe is mercifull to our sinnes not imputing them to vs but accepting Christes iustice as our rightuousnes so that now we are not onely purged and clensed frō synne but also clothed with Christ his iustice and deliuered from synne death and condemnacion to be short we are made rightuous and heires of life euerlastyng To speake properlie therefore God alone doeth iustifie vs and that onely for Christe his sake not laiyng our synnes to our charge but imputyng his rightuousnes to vs. Because wee receiue this iustificacion not for any of our workes sake we are iustified by faith only but by faithe in God his mercie and through Christe therefore we teache and beleue with the Apostle that man is iustified by faithe onely in Christe not by the Lawe or by any woorkes For Paule saieth Wee thinke that a man is iustified by faithe without the workes of the lawe And again Rom. iiij Roma iii. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saieth the scripture Abrahā beleued God and it was cōpted to hym as rightuousnes Now to hym that woorketh the wages is not compted by fauour but by debte and to hym that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the faithe of the vngodly is compted for rightuousnes And again Ephe. ij by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selues it is the gifte of God and not of woorkes leaste any man should boaste hymself Then because faithe ketcheth holde faste on Christe who is our rightuousnes and attributeth all thynges to the grace we receaue Christe by fayth of God in hym therefore iustificacion is ascribed to faithe chiefly for Christ and not because it is our woorke for it is the gifte of God That wee receiue Christe by faithe the Lorde declareth at large wher he vseth this woorde Ihon. vi Eate for beleue and beleue for eate For as by eatyng wee receiue meate Eat vsed for beleue so by beleuyng wee are made partakers of Christ Wherefore we deuide not the benefite of Iustificacion attributyng Iustification is not to be attributed partly to vs. and partly to Christ it partely to the grace of God or to Christe and partly to our selues our loue to our woorkes to our merites But wee ascribe it wholie to the grace of God in Christe by faithe And whiche is more out loue and our workes cannot please God if thei be doen of vs that are vniuste Wherefore we muste firste be made iuste before wee can loue or doe iuste workes We are made iuste in deéde as we haue declared by faithe in Christe by the mere grace of God who dooeth not impute our sinnes but Christe his rightuousnes to vs and compteth our faithe in Christe as rightuousnesse Furthermore the Apostle plainly sheweth that i. Timo. i. loue cometh of faithe The ende of the Lawe is Loue issuyng out of a pure harte a good consctence and an vnfained faithe Here we speake not of a counterfet vaine idle or dedde faithe but of a liuely and quickenyng faithe whiche through Christe who is life and quickeneth hym whō faithe ketcheth hold on is a liue and so is saied to bee because Sainct Paules saiyng is cōferred with sainct Iames. Iames. ii she declareth her self to line by her liuely woorkes Saincte Iames then maketh nothing against this dostrine who speaketh of a vaine and dedde faithe whereof some boasted albéeit thei had not Christ liuyng in thē by faithe He saieth also that woorkes Iustifie not therein disagreyng from the Apostle for then he were to bée reiected but shewing that Abraham declared his liuely and iustifiyng faithe by his woorkes The whiche thing all the godlie doe who notwithstandyng putte their truste in Christe onely and in no workes of their owne For in an other place the Apostle saith Thus I Gala. ii liue yet not I now but Christe liueth in me and in that that I now line in the fleshe I liue by faithe in the sonne of God who hath loued me and geuē himself for me I doe not abrogate the grace of God For if rightuousnes bée by the lawe then Christe died in vain ¶ Of faithe and good woorkes of their reward and mannes merite Cha. 16. CHristian faithe is not a bare opinion what faith is or perswasion of men but a moste sure confidēce an euidente and constaunte assente of the mynde to bee shorte a moste certaine comprehendyng of God his truthe set forthe in the Scriptures conteined in the Apostles Crede yea and cōmaunded of God himself who surmounteth al goodnes But chieflie faith is a cōfidence in God and his soonne Christ his promises whiche Christe is thence of all promises This faithe is the free gifte of God whiche onely he geueth Faith is the gifte of God of his grace to his electe accordyng to measure when to whō and as muche as he liste and that by his holie spirits by the meane of preachyng the Gospel and faithfull praier This faithe is increased and that by God his mercie For els the Apostle would not haue The increese of fayth Luke xi saied Lorde increase our faithe Al that hetherto we haue saied concernyng faith thapostles haue taught before vs For Paule saieth Faith is the ground of thynges whiche are hoped for and the euidence of those thynges Hebre. xi that are not seen And againe he saith Al the promises of god in Christ ii Cor. i. are yea and are in hym Amen To the Philippians he writeth that it was Phi. i. geuen to them that thei should beleue in Christe And againe Christe hath Rom. xii ii Thes iii. Rom. xi distributed to euery man a measure of faithe And again All menne haue not faithe neither dooe all men obeye the Gospell Luke also witnesseth Act. xiij As many as were ordained vnto eternall life beleued Wherefore he calleth faithe the faithe of Gods elect And againe Roma x. Faithe cometh by hearyng and hearing by the worde of God In other places he often biddeth men praie for faithe The saied Apostle affirmeth faithe The force of faith to bee of greate efficacie declaryng it self by Loue Faithe quieteth the conscience openeth to vs a frée entrie vnto GOD that wee maie come to hym with bolones and obtain of hym profitable and necessarie thynges It kepeth vs in doyng our duetie that wee owe to God and our neighboure In aduersitie it strengthneth vs with paciēte facioneth and formeth in vs
minister by the name of priest For our Lorde hymself ordained not Christ made no priestes but Ministers any priestes of the news Testamente in his Churche who beyng aucthorized of the Suffragane might offer daielie Sacrifice I meane the verie fleshe and bloud of the Lorde for the quicke and the dedde But he ordained suche as should teache the people and minister his Sacramētes For Paule simplie and brieflie declaryng what wee ought to thinke of the ministers of the newe Testamente or of the Christian churche and how we ought to esteme theim saieth Let men so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of God Therefore i. Cor. iiii the Apostle would that we iudge of ministers none otherwise then as of ministers He verely hath called ministers vnderrowers who haue yte onely to the shipmaister men not liuyng to pleace them selues and to doe what them liste but apoincted to pleasure others that is to saie their maisters at whose commaundement only thei be For a minister of the churche in all thinges belongyng to his office is bidde not to please his owne fantasie but to doe that onely whiche his maister cōmaundeth him And in the saied Chapiter it is expressed Who i. Cor. iiii is the Lord or maister euen Christ to whom ministers are bounde as seruauntes to do all businesse belonging to the ministerie be addeth further to declare more plainlie what the ministerie is that thei are bailifes or disposers of gods misteries Whiche misteries are called in many places chefly Ephe. iij the gospel of Christ as in olde tyme. Christe his Sacramentes why they are called ministers were called misteries wherefore thei are named ministers of the Churche bicause thei should preache the Gospel of Christ to the faithfull and minister the Sacramentes In an other place Luke xii of the Gospell we reade of a faithfull and wise seruaunte whom his Lorde appoincted ouerseer of his household to geue meate to theim in due season Againe wée reade that a man takyng his iourney into a farre countrey cōmitted the gouermente of his house to his seruauntes and gaue them auctoritie to ouersee his gooddes and appoincted euery man his woorke Here haue wée occasion ministered to speake somewhat of the aucthoritie and office of churche ministers wherin The auctoritie of ministers some haue with muche labour disputed and haue made subiecte vnto their power all the chiefest thinges in the yearth cleane contrary to the commaundemente of the Lorde whiche forbad his disciples to striue for chiefe rule and highlie commended humilitie Luke xxii Mat. 18. 20. In déede there is an absolute aucthoritie whiche is called Iuris aucthoritie by right of prescripcion whereby The true auctoritie and powre God kepeth to him selfe Math. 28. Apoc. ii iii. all thynges are subiecte to Christe the Lorde of all as he testifieth saiyng Power is geuen to me in heauen and in yearth And againe I am the firste and the laste beholde I liue worlde without ende and haue the Keyes of hell and of death Also he hath the keis of Dauid whiche openeth and no mā shutteth shutteth and no manne openeth This power the Lorde kepeth to himself and geueth to none other that he might stande idley beholdyng his ministers while thei doe woorke For Esaie writeth I will laye vpon his Esa 9. 22. shoulder the keye of the house of Dauid And againe whose rule shall remaine vpon his shoulders but he reserueth and still vseth his power rulyng all Moreouer there is an other power belongyng to the office or ministerie what powre god geueth to ministers limited of hym who hath full and absolute aucthoritie that power is rather to be likened to seruice then to rule For some lorde geueth to his steward power ouer his house and therwithal A pretie similitude he geueth his keies also wherwith he maie let in or shutte out of the house whom the Lorde will either to be lette in or shutte out Accordyng to this power the minister dooeth by his office that whiche he is commaunded to doe of his Lorde who ratifieth and alloweth his dooynges and will haue his ministers deede to be estemed and acknowledged as his owne And this is the meanyng of those sentences in the Gospell I will geue thée the keies Math. xvi of the kyngdome of heauen what soeuer thou shalt binde or lose in yearth shal be bounde or loosed in heauen Ihon. xx Also whose synnes ye remitte thei are remitted vnto theim and whose synnes ye retaine thei are retained But excepte the minister shall doe all thynges as he is commaunded of his Lorde if he passe the limites of faithe truely God disaloweth his dooynges Therefore the Ecclesiastical power of Churche ministers is that function whereby ministers dooe in deede rule the Churche of God but yet dooe all thinges therein as the Lorde hath appoincted in his woorde And beyng so dooen the faithefull accompte then as doen of the lorde hymself As touching the keyes we haue spoken muche before One equall power or functiō is geuen to all ministers of the Churche Equall power is gyuen to the ministers Doubtles in the beginnyng Bisshops or Elders ruled the churche alike one helping an other none preferring him self before other or vsurpyng greater aucthoritie or dominion ouer their felowe Bisshops For thei were myndfull of their maister his woordes He that will emong you be chief let hym be your seruaunte Thei kepte theim selues in humilitie and helped one an Luke xxii other in gouernyng and preseruyng the Churche Howbeit for order sake Howe whē one minister is preferred before other ▪ some one appoincted of the ministers sommoned their conuocacions and in their assemblies proposed thynges to bee deliberated vpon gathered also other mennes myndes and to be short did what in hym laye to prouide that matters should not be handled confusely and without order So wee reade that sainct Peter did in the Actes of the Apostles who notwithstandyng was not extolled aboue other nor of greater aucthoritie then the residewe For right well Cyprian the martyre affirmeth Cyprian in his booke of the simplicitie of the Clergie Such wer the other Apostles as Peter was of like felowship of like honour and power But the beginnyng betwene theim procedeth of one vnitie to the ende that wee maie knowe that there is but one Churche S. Ierome also writeth not muche vnlike Ierome wordes in his commentarie vpō the Epistle of Paule to Titus saiyng Before that by the Deuils intisemēt there was strief in religion Churches were gouerned by the common counsaile of thelders but after eche maner thought those whom he baptised to bée his owne and not Christes it was decréed that one of the Elders should bée chosen and preferred aboue the other to whom all the care of the Churche should appertain and by whose wisedome all occasions of schismes might bée taken awaie Yet Ierome boasteth not of