who declared to vs the meaning of that ceremonie out of the 61. Chapter of the prophecie of Esaie in Sainct Lukes Gospell where hee saith that hee is hee that doth in déede proclaime the Iubilie the true fréedome and acceptable yeare of the Lorde Nowe he hath pronounced remission fréedome to all the faithfull not with a trumpet made of a Rammes horne but with the Gospell For by the mercie of God in the merite of Iesus Christe the sonne of God all debtes or sinnes are forgiuen to all the faithfull that liue vpon the face of all the earth vppon condition that we whose sinnes are forgiuen should likewise forgiue the trespasses of them that offend vs And in Christe verily wee haue the true and euerlasting rest that shall neuer faile vs By Christe wee haue returne graunted vs to our possession or countrie from whence wee were fallen that is to heauen the place of the faithfull Thus much haue I saide of the holie time or holie dayes as briefely as possibly I could The rest is at the full to be séene in the 23. of Exodus Leuiticus 23. Num. 28. 29 Deut. 6. That which is behinde touchinge this argument I meane touching the Iewishe ceremonies I will by Gods leaue make an ende of in my nexte Sermon Nowe let vs make our humble prayers and supplications vnto God c. ¶ Of the Sacraments of the Iewes of their sundrie sortes of sacrifices and certeine other thinges perteining to their ceremoniall lawe The sixte Sermon IN my laste Sermon I spake of the holy persones I meane the ministers of Gods religion the Leuitical priestes and the place and time assigned to Gods seruice there remaineth nowe for vs to consider the holie thinge which those holie persons did exercise in the holy time place I meane the verie worship holie rites so ordeined taught prescribed by God him selfe that all men might easily vnderstande how to do seruice and what honour to giue vnto the Lorde In this treatise wee haue first to consider the Iewish Sacraments and then their sacrifices The auncient church of the saints had two especial sacraments circumcision and the Pascall lambe Of both which I will speake seuerally and agreably to the worde of God according to the grace which the Lord shal vouchsafe to giue vnto mee Nowe circumcision was the holie action whereby the flesh of the foreskinne was cutt awaye for a signe of the couenaunt that God made with men Or to describe it more largely circumcision was a marke in the priuie members of men betokening the eternal couenant of God and was or deined by God him selfe to testifie his goodwill toward them that were circumcised to warne them of regeneration and cleannesse and to make a difference betwixt the confederates of God other people or nations The author therefore of circumcision is God him selfe the beginning of it is of great antiquitie For the Lord him selfe in the Gospel saith Circumcision began not at Moses but at the Patriarches Moses verilye did renue or repaire the lawe or custome of circumcision but Abraham the renowmed friende of God was the first that was circumcised in the ninetieth yere of his age and in the verie same daye that God making a couenaunt with him did first ordeine the vse of circumcision For he added circumcision as a seale to the league which hee made with Abraham and with his séede for euer The place is extant in the 17. Chap. of Genesis It was first ordeined in the 2046. yeare after the creation of the worlde 390. yeres after the deluge when Sem the sonne of Noah was 487 yeares olde So that Moses is founde to haue béene borne 320. yeares after the firste institution of circumcision whereby it appeareth that circumcision was in vse amonge the Patriarches 400. yeares before the law was giuen to the Israelites by the hand of Moses Now for because circumcision is added as a signe or seale to the league that was made betwixt God Abraham I must briefely by a short digression touch the manner or order of that couenaunt God in making of leagues as he doth in all things else applieth him selfe to our capacities imitateth the order which men vse in making confederacies Men do by leagues as by most sure and stedfast bonds bynde themselues to the societie and fellowship of one bodie or people in which societie to the end they may be the safer and liue more quietly from the wronges and iniuries of all other nations they do mutually hazard both liues liuings the one in defence of y others libertie In these leagues they do precisely expresse what they be that make the confederacie vpon what conditions and howe farre the couenant shall extend And therefore when Gods mind was to declare the fauour good will that he bare to mankind and to make vs men partakers wholie of him self and his goodnes by powring him selfe out vpon vs to our great good profite it pleased him to make a league or couenant with mankinde Now hee did not firste beginne the league with Abraham but did renue to him the couenant that he had made a great while before For be did firste of all make it with Adam the first father of vs all immediately vpon his transgression when hee receiued him sillie wretche into his fauour againe and promised his onely begotten sonne in whome he would be reconciled to the world and through whome he would whoaly bestowe him selfe vpon vs by making vs partakers of all his good and heauenly blessinges and by binding vs vnto him self in faith and due obedience This auncient league made firste with Adam hee did afterwarde renue to Noah and after that againe with the blessed Patriarche Abraham And againe after the space of 400. yeres it was renued vnder Moses at the mount Sinai where the conditions of the leagu were at large written in the two tables and many ceremonies added thereunto But most excellently of all most clearely and euidently did our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ him selfe shewe forth that league who wiping away all the ceremonies types figures shadowes brought in in stéed of them the verie trueth and did moste absolutely fulfill and finish the old league bringing all the principles of our saluation and true godlynesse into a briefe summarie which for the reuewing and fulfilling of all thinges for the abrogation of the olde ceremonies hee called the newe league or newe testament In that testament Christe alone is preached the perfectnesse and fullnesse of all thinges in it there is nothing more desired then faith and charitie and in it is graunted holy and wonderfull libertie vnto the Godly Of which I will speake at another time But now I returne to y league which was renued with Abraham We are expressely taught in 〈◊〉 who they were that made the league that is the liuing eternall omnipotent God who is the chiefe maker preseruer
other yeere of Iubilie In the auncient Iewish yeare of Iubilie there is to be considered the meaning of the letter and of the spirite * According to the letter bondmen were set at libertie and lawful heires did receiue againe their patrimonie and possessions which either was chaunged awaye or otherwise gone from them The meaning of that order as it could not be brought againe into all kingdomes in these latter dayes without the trouble of all estates so is it little set by and the care of the oppressed vterly neglected by the holy popes who nowe of late brought in the yeare of Iubilie and preached it vnto the foolish worlde not for any zeale they had to helpe the oppressed but for the desire they had by robbing the world to augment their owne treasures * The spirituall and hidden mysterie of the Iubilie did cōmende vnto them of olde the frée remission of all sinnes through Christe by faith in Christe which frée grace cannot without reproche to Christe bee otherwise preached than it hath béen alreadie taught by the holie Gospell Therefore the church was without the obseruation of any yeare of Iubilie by the space of one thousande three hundreth yeres after Christ his incarnation At laste vp start Bonifacius the eyghth of that name byshop of Rome who firste of all inuented that wicked ordinaunce For Platina in the life of that Bonifacius saith This is he that first brought in the Iubilie in the yeare of Christe 1300. wherin he graunted full remission of all their sinnes to as manie as visited the See apostolicall And the same did he ordeine to be obserued euery hundreth yeare So then the church of Christ was without this Iubilie without peril of saluation by the space of one thousand thrée hundreth yeres And therefore may wee also be without it without all peril and damage yea to our great profite commoditie For if our Romanists go on to obtrude it to the worlde as a thinge necessarie to saluation then shal they condemne the vniuersal church which was before Pope Boniface his time who first brought in this vnacquainted Iubilie Thus we are so farre frō not being able to be without it that we ought by all meanes possible to detest and abhorre it as a verie wicked and blasphemous ordinance considering that wee haue to beléeue that the Iubilie is vtterly abrogated by Christ and also y al sinnes are fréely through Christ forgiuen to all that beléeue in what place of the world so euer they liue and are conuersant in This Pope Boniface doth to his moste false promise and vnpure place annexe the remission of sinnes Nowe I doubte whether this blasphemous antichriste could do any thing more horrible and more against the honour of the Sauiour For therein is defiled the glory of the onely begotten sonne of God who is the onely health of all the world Therein is defiled the saluation of many thousands for which Christ died vpon the crosse And therein also is defiled the glorie of Christian faith by which alone we are made partakers of eternall saluation This vngratious wicked Pope was he of whome that common prouerbe runneth Hee entred like a woolfe he reigned like a Lyon and dyed like a dogge For verily so blasphemous an ordinaunce was worthie of such an author So foolishe a people was worthie of suche a pastour And so diuelishe a Pope was worthie of such an ende Platina writeth that in that yeare of Iubilie there came so greate heapes of people to Rome that although the citie were indifferently large ynough yet one man could not for throng passe by an other For the worlde will needes bée deceiued if it were not so they would giue eare vnto the Lord which cryeth O all ye that thirste come to the waters and ye that haue no money drawe nigh Why spend ye your money vpon a thing of naught c. Esaie 55. and Iohn 4. 7. Now all the while that the world was sett thus on madding the righteous Lord was not a sléepe nor yet did dissemble howe much they displeased him with that diuelishe inuention For the verye same yeare he stirred vpp Otthoman the Patriarche and first founder of the Turkish empire by whose meanes he did notably scourge the churche of Rome and the corrupt manners that were crept into Christendom A fewe yeares after succéeded Clement the sixte Paule the seconde and Sixtus the fourth as wicked men as he as is to be found in the histories of their liues who chaunged the yere of Iubilie frō euery hundreth to euery fiftieth yere and so at last to euery fiue and twentieth yere that so they might suck the more aduauntage out of mennes foolishnesse But nowe to the matter againe The Sacraments also of the aunclent Iewes are flatly abrogated and in their places are substituted newe sacramentes which are giuen to the people of the newe couenaunt In stéede of circumcision is baptisme appointed The Apostles in the Synode helde at Hierusalem did oppose them selues against those which were of opinion that circumcision was necessarie vnto saluation and in that counsell they allowed of Paules doctrine who both thought and taught the contrarie For Paule in one place sayth Loe I Paul saye vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christe shall profite you nothinge For I testifie to euery man which is circumcised that he is a debitour to the whole lawe to doe it Christe is made of none effect to you as many of you as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from grace Neither is it right or conuenient that in the churche of Christe there should remaine so bloudie a Sacrament as Circumcision was when once that bloud was shead vppon the crosse which stauncheth and taketh awaye the bloude of the olde testament In stéede of the Paschall lambe is the Lordes supper ordeined which by another name is called the Euchariste or a thankesgiuing For so the Lord him selfe in Luke expoundeth it saying that hee did then eate the laste passeouer with his disciples at the ende whereof he did immediately ordeine the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud which he biddeth them to celebrate in remembraunce of him vntil hee returne to iudgement againe Therefore the Lorde leaft the supper to be an vnchaungeable Sacrament vntill the ende of the worlde Moreouer that all sortes of sacrifices conteined in the lawe are vtterly abrogated no man I suppose will once denye which doeth but consider that both the Temple and the two altars with all the holye Instrumentes are vtterly ouerthrowen and come to nothing I told you that those sacrifices were remembraunces of sinnes and types or figures of the cleansing and attonement that was to be made by Christe Iesus Therefore when Christ was come and offered vpp for the sinnes of all the worlde then verily did all the sacrifices of the auncient Iewes come to their ending For where there is a full and absolute remission of sinnes there is no
as were religious no not many yeres after For Ezechias the king celebrated the passeouer so likewise did Iosias celebrate the same but not after any other rite or maner than was deliuered from Moses The fathers circūcised their infantes but not after any other maner nor any other rite than was first instituted In times past who so had not sacrificed in the same place according to the same maner which God commaunded by Moses was by the law accused of murther Nadab Abihu are smitten with lightning from heauen for bringing strange fire into the Tabernacle Oza is smitten with souden death for that the Arke of the Lorde of hoastes was not handled in suche sort as was by the law commanded And therefore the maner of celebrating the lords supper as it was by the Lord instituted deliuered to the Church by the Apostles is to be obserued with great religiō vnlesse we wil beléeue that the institutions maners of celebrating our sacraments are more vnperfect than theirs of olde time that God the father doth now a days lesse regard the prophanation or the religious obseruation of his sonnes institutions than these of Moses and the forefathers in olde time But Paule the vessell of election knowing Christes institution to be moste perfect that the same ought to bee kept still in the Churche simplie and without any addition sayth to the Corin. I receiued that of the Lorde which I haue also deliuered vnto you For he thought it an heinous offence to deliuer any other thing to the church than that which he had receiued of the lord Let vs therfore with great religion holde that fast whiche is deliuered vnto vs by the Lord and the Apostles But the Apostle deliuered none other thing to the Corinthians yea many yeares after the Lords ascension into heauen than that which was faithfully set downe vnto vs in writing by the holy Apostles Euaungelistes S. Matthew Marke Luke Certeinly it is well knowen how that certeine hundred yeres after the death of the Apostles this simple maner of celebrating the lords supper was held in the church For the pastour or minister of the church after that he had preached the Gospel giuen publique thanks vnto God in open prayer then came he forth into the mids of the holy assemblie Before the face of the people stoode a table furnished with bread wine behinde the which the minister standing blessed the people saying The Lord be with you The people answered And with thy spirit Thē replied the minister Lift vp your harts admonishing the congregation that the holy mysteries shal be celebrated therefore that they must lift vp their mindes from visible thinges vnto inuisible The people answered We lift thē vp vnto the lord Afterwards exhorting the whole companie to giue thankes he cried aloude Let vs giue thanks vnto the Lord our God. The Congregation aunswered It is meete and right so to do Then procéeded the minister saying It is verie meete and right our bounden duetie and behoful for vs turning himselfe then to the Lord that we giue thanks alwayes and in all places vnto thee Lord holy father almighty and euerlasting god through Christ our lord who the day before that he suffred his passion toke bread gaue thanks brake it gaue it to his discipls with the residue as followeth in the gospel These things being repeated out of the gospell the minister procéeded further saying Let vs pray being admonished by holsome precepts instructed by diuine institution we are imboldened to say Our father which art in heauen c. After the rehearsal of the lords prayer the people receiued the holy mysteries and did communicate together after they had giuē thāks and praised God they were dimissed And of this forme there remaine certeine footsteps in the writings of the auncient fathers to be séen to wit in S. Cyprian S. Augustine others But consequently in later times the prayers blessings the ceremonies grewe to be verie great Moreouer Christes institution was chaunged turned into a strange vse in fine the Masse was patcht together in whiche appeareth but small antiquitie But touching these maters I haue in treted very largely in another place you your selues are verie well séen in this point we which defend hold that the institution of our Lord Christe which is deliuered vnto vs by the Apostles is most pure perfect do nothing regard neither what any man nor at what time any bishop hath added this or that to the holy rite or else hath taken away or changed but rather what he who is before aboue all did first him selfe and cōmanded to be done If the authoritie of him that did institute if learning holines if antiquitie may be of force then the victory is ours who haue Christ on our side with the best chosen cōpanie of the apostles for frō these we haue what we celebrate the which we hold that al godly men ought to celebrate But why the Lord instituted this mysterie vnder the forme of bread wine it is euident For bread comforteth wine maketh glad the harte of man which I also touched wher I intreated of the proportiō agréement of the sacramēts Moreouer our fathers in the figure of Manna did eate bread which rained down frō heauen Also in their sacrifices gratulatorie of thanksgiuing in their drinke offerings they vsed bread and wine But there hath sproung a great contentiō cōcerning the substāce of the lords supper some holding opinion that it ought to be celebrated with vnleuened bread others with such as is leuened But among our fore-fathers of olde there was about these no such cōtentiō for the church vsed both indifferētly as thē pleased It may séeme y at the first supper the lord vsed vnleuened bread at the table acording to the auncient maner of celebrating the Passetouer Whervpon many churches vsed vnleuened bread who notwithstanding cōdemned not them of heresie which vsed leauened bread The Pope his adherents cōceiuing no smal displesure here at hath déepely accursed the gréek church for so trifling a matter But the Artotyrites were vpon some iust cause condemned by the ancient fathers of whō Epiphanius maketh mentiō betwéene the Pepuzianes the Priscillianes setting bread and chéese vpon the table in their celebrating contrary to Christes institutiō It is furthermore disputed vpon whether vnmingled wine or delayed with water is by the faithfull to be vsed at the supper Cyprian the martyr holdeth opinion that in this mystery the wine ought not to be vnmingled but delayed with water so to be offered that is to say drunken by the faithfull For thus he hath written Because Christ hath borne vs al who also bare our sinnes we may perceiue that in the water the people is to bee vnderstoode in the wine the bloud of Christ to be vnderstoode For when water is
he might leaue off from béeing a clerke for that no man could well be bothe a monke and a clerke since the one is an impediment to the other Then liued they not of the common reuenues of the Church but of the trauel of their owne hands as the lay people do S. Hierome disputing of the originall of monkes in the life of Paulus hath thus written Among many it hath oftentimes been called into question who first beganne chiefly to dwell in the wildernes of the monkes Some fetching the matter somewhat farre off beginne to reckon from Helias the holy prophet and S. Iohn of whome Helias seemeth to vs to haue beene more than a monke and that S. Iohn began to prophecie before he was borne But others in which opinion the moste part of all people doe commonly agree affirme that saint Anthonie was the firste beginner of that order which in part is true For he was not onely the first but also the motioner of all others therevnto Amathas Macarius saint Anthonies scholars whereof the first buried his maisters bodie do nowe affirme that one Paulus Thebius was the first beginner of that way whiche thing we also confirme not only in name but also in opinion And anon hee addeth that Paulus forsaking the citie being thereto inforced for feare of torments vnder the persecuters Cecius and Valerianus departed into the wildernesse where he found a â—aue and lay hid therein vntil hee was founde out by S. Anthonie The Emperours Decius Valerianus gouerned the Empyre about the yeare of our Lord 260. but it is saide that S. Anthonie dyed when he was an hundred fiue yeres olde in the yeare of our Lord 360. S. Augustine in the 80. epistle to Hesychius who reporteth of his own time howe that he liued in the yeare of our Lorde foure hundreth and twentie but Eutropius and Beda reporte howe that he died in the yeare of our Lord foure hundreth and thirtie in the thirtie and one chapter of the maners of the catholique church reciting the manners and institutions of the monkes in his time reporteth suche thinges as are verie farre from the orders institutions of our Monkes now a dayes In the time of Iustinian the Emperour who made certeine lawes of Monkes and Monasteries there liued one Benet whom many of the Monkes nowe a dayes do call father whose life I will recite vnto you out of Trittenheymius who died aboue fiftie yeares since to the intent you may vnderstande what power and dignitie they obteyned in processe of time who at the beginning were contemned of none authoritie Benet Abbat of Cassina sayeth he first founder beginner and gouernour of the monkes in the West wroate in eloquent style and with graue iudgement the rule for monkes in one booke whiche beginneth Giue care O my sonneto my precepts c. and it conteineth thrée score and thirtéene Chapters He died in the yeare of our Lord 542. But Marianus Scotus supposeth that hée died in the yeare of our Lord 601. in the last yeare of the Emperour Maurice He writeth also of twentie orders of Monkes that were vnder Benets rule Of S. Benets order there haue béene eighttéene Popes in the Sea of Rome Cardinals aboue two huÌ„dred Archebishops in diuerse Churches to the number of one thousand sixe hundred Bishops almost foure thousand Famous Abbats who excelled in life doctrine and writings fiftéene thousand seuen hundred Of suche as are Canonized fiftéene thousand sixe hundred And that I may not recite many other orders of monkes it is knowne that the mendicant Monkes and Friers beeing the faithful diligent valiaunt Romane champions of the Pope and the spirituall Monarchie were confirmed by Honorius about the yeare of our Lorde one thousand two hundred twentie and two Hereby I would declare nothing else but onely that all men shoulde vnderstande that Monkerie was deuised by mannes inuention not deliuered vnto the Churche of Christe by the Apostles and that at the firste it sémed to be tollerable but afterward became altogether intollerable Howe profitable it is to the common wealth experience it selfe teacheth And who so euer knoweth not that it is quite repugnant to true religion knoweth nothing They feigne that it is meritorius before God and the state of perfection But who séeth not how repugnant it is to Christes merite and to the sincere doctrine of the Gospell What godlinesse or necessitie is it that moueth vs after that we haue wholy betaken our selues to one God in baptisme to betake our selues also and to make our vowes to Sainctes and to binde our selues by religioÌ„ of an othe to the obseruing of their rules True religion forbiddeth vs to vowe our selues to Saintes or by any meanes to depende in way of religion vppon them True religion forbiddeth vs to choose vs any other Fathers or Maisters True religion forbiddeth vs to deuise new maÌ„ners of worshippings or new religions or to receiue them that are deuised by others The example of Ieroboam and his fellows maketh vs affeard True religion forbiddèth vs to sweare by the names of other GODS Religion referreth vs to one GOD by faith and obedience Superstition breaketh this bande and admitteth creatures S. Paul to the Corinthians saith Euerie one of you sayeth I am Paules I am Apollos I am Cephaes and I am Christes Is Christ diuided was Paule crucified for you Or were you baptised in the name of Paule Beholde Christ is our redéemer and our maister The faith of Christe hath made vs one bodie By baptisme we are baptised into one body that we might be called Christians not Petrines or Paulines S. Paule would not suffer that Christians shoulde take their name of the Apostles how much lesse would he abide that at this day some shoulde bee called Benedictines some Franciscanes some Dominicanes We are the Lordes inheritance and possession it is not lawfull for vs to binde our selues to the seruice of men But who so binde themselues they teare in sunder the vnitie of Christes body they prophane the crosse and baptisme of Christ The Apostle sayeth playnly Is Christe diuided was Paule crucified for you or wer you baptised in the name of Paul And therefore although they be commonly called Spirituall persons yet are they nothing lesse than spirituall For the Apostle sayth When one of you sayeth I am Paules and I Apolloes are ye not carnall To what end is it after the receiuing of the gospel of Christe Iesus and the doctrine of the Apostles whiche conteyne and deliuer vnto vs all godlinesse to inuent newe rules For truely when they had once founde out certeine peculiar lawes and meanes of liuing they separated themselues from the common sorte of Christians in all outward maner of liuing in their behauiour and in all their apparell to the intent that by that meanes they might make euident to all men that they woulde liue a-part as it were from that common laye and imperfect Church to liue more holily perfectly and
faith was profitably and godly set against the new corruptions of heretiques Yet were the writings of the Prophets Apostles the Springe the Guide the Rule and Iudge in all these counsels neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be done there according to their owne minds And yet I speake not of euery Constitution and Canon but namely of those auncient Confessions alone to which we doe attribute so much as is permitted by the Canonicall Scripture which we confesse to be the onely rule how to iudge to speake and doe The seconde generall counsell was helde in the royal citie Constantinople vnder Gratian the Emperour in the yeare of our Lorde 384. There were assembled in that Synode as witnesseth Prosperus Aquitanicus 180. fathers or Bishops which condemned Macedonius and Eudoxius denying the holy ghost to be God. And about the yeare of our Lorde 434. in the very same yeare that the blessed father Augustine died when that godly Prince Theodosius the great was Emperour there came together at Ephesus the thirde Synode of 200. Priestes or thereabout against Nestorius which tare the mysterie of the Incarnation and taught that there were two sonnes the one of God the other of man whom this Counsell condemned together with the Pelagians helpers of this doctrine as cousin to their owne The fourth generall counsell was assembled at Calcedon in the yere of our Lorde 454. vnder the Emperour Martian where 630. fathers were gathered together who accordinge to the Scriptures condemned Eutyches which confounded the natures in Christ for the vnitie of the person Beda de ratione temporum and many other writers doe ioyne with these foure vniuersall counsels two generall Synodes more the fifte and the sixte celebrated at Constantinople For the fifte was gathered together when Iustinian was Emperour against Theodorus and all heretiques about the yere of our Lorde 552. The sixte came together vnder Constantine the sonne of Constantius in the yere of our Lorde 682. And there were assembled 289. Bishops against the Monothelites But there was nothing determined in these Synodes but what is to be founde in the foure first counsels wherefore I haue noted nothing out of them ¶ The Nicene Creede taken out of the Ecclesiasticall and tripartite historie WE beleeue in one God the father almightie maker of all thinges visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of the substaunce of the Father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same Essence and substance with the Father by whome all things were made which are in heauen and whiche are in earth Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe was incarnate and manned was made man Hee suffered and rose againe the third day he ascended into Heauen and shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And we beleeue in the holie Ghoste As for those that say it was sometime when he was not and before he was borne he was not and whiche say because he was made of thinges not beeing of nothing or of an other substance that therefore the sonne of God is either created or turned or chaunged them doeth the holie Catholique and Apostolique Church curse or excommunicate The Creede of the counsell held at Constantinople taken out of a certeine copie written in Greeke and Latine I Beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the onelie begotten sonne of God borne of his father before all worldes light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same substance with the father by whome all things were made Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from Heauen and was incarnate by the holie Ghoste and the virgine Marie and was made man He was also crucified for vs vnder Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and he roase the third day according to the Scriptures And he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father and he shall come againe with glorie to iudge the quick and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end And I beleeue in the holie Ghoste the Lord and giuer of life who proceeding from the father is to be worshipped and glorified together with the father and the sonne who spake by the prophets in one Catholique and Apostolique church I confesse one baptisme for the remission of sinnes I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the worlde to come ⧠The confession of faith made by the Synode at Ephesus IN as much as because heere I note all things briefly I could not in writing place with these that large Synodall Epistle written by S. Cyrill to Nestorius wherein is conteined the full consent of the generall Counsell held at Ephesus I haue therefore rather chosen out of the 28. Epistle of the same Cyrill a short confession sent to the Synode and alowed by the whole Counsell Before the confession are set these wordes Euen as in the beginning wee haue heard out of the diuine Scriptures and the tradition of the holie fathers so will we briefely speake not adding any thing at all to the faith set foorth by the holie fathers in Nice For that doeth suffice as well to all knowledge of godlines as also to the vtter forsaking of any hereticall ouerthwartnesse And a litle after this the Confession is sette downe in these wordes We acknowledge our Lorde Iesus Christe the onely begotten Sonne of GOD to be perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and bodie borne of the father according to his Godhead before the worldes and the verie same according to his humanitie borne in the latter times of the virgine Marie for vs and for our saluation For there was made an vniting of the two natures Wherfore we confesse bothe one Christe one Sonne and one Lorde And according to this vnderstanding of the vnconfounded vnitie we acknowledge the holie virgine to be the mother of God because that GOD the word was incarnate and made man and by the verie conception gathered to him selfe a bodie taken of her But for the speaches vttered by the Euangelistes and Apostles touching the Lord we knowe that the Diuines doe by reason of the two natures diuide them so yet as that they belong to one person and that they doe referre them some because they are more agreeable to the diuinitie to the Godhead of Christe and other some because they are base to his Humanitie To this confession Cyrill addeth these wordes When wee had read these holie wordes of youres euen in the Synode to whiche the confession was sent and did perceiue that wee our selues were of the same opinion for there is one Lorde one faithe and one baptisme wee glorified GOD the sauiour of all men reioycing together in our selues
haereticorum THe rule of faith is that we out of hande professe openly what our beleefe is which is that in deed wherby we beleeue that there is one God onlie not any other beside the maker of the worlde whiche by his worde sent out firste of all brought foorth all thinges of nothing That worde beeing called his Sonne beeing seene after sundry sortes of the Patriarches beeing alwayes hearde in the Prophetes and lastly by the spirit and power of God the father beeing brought into the virgin Marie beeing made fleash in her wombe and borne of her became Iesus Christ which afterwarde preached the new law and the new promise of the kingdome of Heauen wrought myracles sate at the right hande of the Father was nayled to the crosse roase againe the thirde day was taken into the heaueÌ„s sitteth at the right hand of the Father sent the power of the holie Ghost to gouerne the beleeuers in his owne steed shall come with glorie to take the saintes into the ioy of eternall life and heauenly promises and to condemne the wicked to euerlasting fier when both the parties are raysed vp and haue their fleash restored againe This rule as it shall be prooued beeing ordeyned by Christ hath among vs no doubtes at all but those which heresies bring in and which make men become heretiques The Creede of the blessed Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria taken out of his bookes WHosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessarie that he holde the Catholique faith Which faith exeept euery one do kepe holy vndefiled without dout he shall perish euerlastingly And the Catholique faith is this that we worship one God in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the holy Ghost But the godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is all one the glory equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the Father is such is the Sonne and such is the holy Ghost The Father vncreate the Sonne vncreate and the holy Ghost vncreate The Father incomprehensible the Sonne incomprehensible and the holy Ghoste incomprehensible The Father eternall the Sonne eternall and the holie Ghost eternall And yet they are not three eternalls but one eternall As also there be not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is almightie the Sonne almightie and the holie Ghoste almightie And yet are they not three almighties but one almightie So the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holie Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods but one God. So likewise the father is Lord the Sonne Lord and the holie Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lordes but one Lord. For like as we be coÌ„pelled by the Christian veritie to acknowledge euerie person by him selfe to be God and Lorde So are we forbidden by the Catholique religion to say there be three Gods or three Lordes The father is made of none neither created nor begotten The sonne is of the father alone not made nor created but begotten The holie Ghost is of the father and of the sonne neyther made nor created nor begotten but proceeding So there is one father not three fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy ghost not three holy ghostes And in this Trinitie none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse than other But the whole three persons be coetâ—rnall together and coequall So that in all things as is aforesaid the vnitie in trinitie and the trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped He therefore that will be saued must thus thinke of the trinitie Furthermore it is necessarie to euerlasting saluation that he also beleeue rightly in the incarnation of our Lorde Iesus Christ For the right faith is that we beleeue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is God and man. God of the substance of the father begotten before the worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the worlde Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall to the father as touching his godhead and inferior to the father touching his manhood Who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by the conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God. One altogether not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ Who suffered for our saluation descended into hell rose againe the thirde day from the deade He ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of the father God almightie from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall giue account for their owne woorkes And they that haue done good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fier This is the Catholique faith which except a man beleeue faithfully he can not be saued The Creede of the blessed Damasus bishop of Rome taken out of the seconde Tome of S. Hierome his woorkes WE beleeue in one God the father almightie and in one Iesus Christ our Lorde the sonne of God and in the holy ghost We worship and confesse God not three Gods but the father the sonne and the holy ghost one God one God not so as though he were alone nor as one which is himselfe father to him selfe and sonne him selfe also but him to be the father which begot him to be the sonne which was begotten but the holy ghost to be neither begotten nor created nor created nor made but proceeding from the father and the sonne coeternall coequal and working together with the father and the sonne because it is written By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were established that is by the sonne of God and by the breath of his mouth all the powers thereof And in another place Sende forth thy breath and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth And therfore vnder the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost we confesse one God which is the name of the power and not of the propertie The proper name of the father is the father and the proper name of the sonne is the sonne and the proper name of the holy ghost is the holy ghost In this trinitie of persons we worship one god in substance because that which is of one father is of one nature with the father of one substance and one power The father begat the sonne not by will or necessitie but by nature The sonne in the last time came downe from the father to saue vs and to fulfill the scriptures who neuerthelesse neuer ceassed to be with the father And
plentiously c. 290 4 Who so euer worketh any thing for thee giue him his hire immediately c. 273 Out of the booke of Iudith 8 WHat manner of sentence is this whervnto Ozias hath consented c. 926 Out of the first booke of Machabeis 2 OF prayer for the deade or departed this life c. 774 Out of the second booke of Machabeis 2 The obedience and fayth in the Machabeis in olde Eleazat and certaine other c. pleased the Lord c. 383. 511 Out of the newe Testament and first out of the Gospell after Saint Matthewe 1 THat which is conceiued within her is of the holie Ghoste c. 688 1 Marie shal bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus c. 60 3 All Iurie came out to Iohn the 〈◊〉 of the Lorde and were baptised of him c. 573 3 This is my beloued sonne in whome I am pleased beare him c. 527. 628. 682 3 I baptise you with water but he shall baptise you with the holie Ghost c. 983 3 The Lorde is sayde to haue a vanne is his hande and cleanseth the flowre c. 819 4 All these will I giue thée if thou falling downe wilt worship me c. 653 4 Anoyd sathan For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God c. 653. 671 5 The father sendeth rayne vppon the iust and vnuist c. 641 5 Blessed are you when men shall reuile you and persecute you c. 468. 910. 5 ye are the light of the world a citie that is set on an high hil c. 910 5. 6. 23 Hypocrutes much and often spoken against in the Gospell c. 817 5 ye haue heard what was sayde of olde Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe c. 130 5 Ye are the salt of the earth if the salt become vnsauourie c. 908 5 Ye haue heard that it was sayde to them of olde Thou shalt not coÌ„mit adulterie c. 234 5 To hun that will sue thée at the lawe and take away thy coate c. 195 5 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for c. 307 5 Be ye perfect euen as your father which is in heauen c. 405 5 Who so euer is angrie with his brother shall be in daunger of iudgement c. 326. 508 5 Think not that I am come to destroy the lawe or the c. 409 410 5 Therefore if thou bring thy gift vnto the altar there c. 574. 924 5 Let your light so shine before men that they may sée youre good workes c. 453. 476 6 When ye pray say Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name c. 703. 941 6 Ii ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also to giue you c. 574 6 No man can serue two maisters c. 653 6 Ye can not serue God and Manimon at once c. 263 6 But then what thou pravest enter into thy chamber and when c. 914. 927 6 Hoorde not vppe for your selues treasures in earth where the rust moth c. 264 6 The light or candle of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single c. 264 6 If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father shall also c. 924 6 Fastings must be without superstition and feigned hypocrisie c. 243 7 Aske and it shall be giuen you séeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you c. 647 7 Euery one that asketh receiueth and he that séeketh findeth c. 545 7 What so euer ye would that meÌ„ should doe to you do ye the same to them c. 102 7 Cast not youre pearles before swâ—ne neyther giue that whiche is holie c. 961 7 Striue to enter in at the streight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction c. 712 8 It is no reason that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe c. 36 8 Goe thy way and as thou haste beléeued so be it vnto thée c. 776 8 I say vnto you that many shall come out of the East and out of the West c. 432 9 Beware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in shéepes clothing c. 858 9 I came to séeke that which was lost c. 645 9 They that are whole néede not the Physician but they that are sick c. 568 9 The children of the bride chamber do fast when the bride is taken from them c. 242. 243 9 Beholde a certeine ruler came to Iesus worshipped him c. 649 10 Fréely ye haue receiued c. 1119 10 The sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his soule a redemption for many c. 690 10 Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them shal not light on the ground c. 638 648 10 If they haue called the Lorde of the house Béelzebub howe much more shall they call them of his housholde c. 910 10 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you c. 154 10 It shall be easier for the lande of Sodome in the day of iudgemeÌ„t then for the c. 508 10 For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you c. 719 10 Feare ye not them whiche kill the body but are not able to kill the soule c. 765 10 I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variaunce c. 452 11 It shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement than for you c. 508 11 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loden and I will refreshe you c. 545. 644. 662 12 By thy déedes thou shalt be iustified and by the same thou shalt be condemned c. 470 21 The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men c. 963 12 If I through Béelzebub cast out diuels by whome c. 883 12 A disparation touching the sabbaotâ— betweÌ„en our sauiour Christ and the Phariseis c. 143 12 Eyther make the trée good and the fruite good or else the trée nought c. 817 12 The Prophetes and the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn since the time the kingdome c. 436 12 Euerie sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men but the sinne against c. 517. 568 12 As Ionas was thrée dayes and thrée nightes in the bellie of the whale c. 69 13 To euery one that hath shall be giuen and he shal abound and from him c. 476 646. 722 13 The sonne of man shall sende foorth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome al things that offend c. 740 13 The kingdome of heaueÌ„ is like vnto a net which being cast c. 818 13 The parable of him whiche bought the precious pearle c. 21 13 Cockle
of the holy Ghost which is in you c. 717. 861 6 Ye are washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord c. 989 7 Sorrow which is to Godward causeth repentaunce vnto saluation c. 565. 593 7 Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in all Churches c. 441 7 He that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise he c. 441 7 To auoyd whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and euery womaÌ„ her own husband 226. 1132 7 Let the husband giue to the wife due beneâ—olence likewise also the wife to the husband c. 226 7 The vnbeléeuing husband is sanctified by the wife and the vnbeléeuing wife â–ª c. 497 8 Knowledge puffeth vpp but loue edifyeth c. 846 8 There is none other God but one And though there bee that are called Gods whether c. 624 8 Meate commendeth vs not to God For neither if we eate c 244 9 Haue we not power and authoritie to eate and drincke or may wée not carrie about with vs a woman sister c. 1121. 1132 9 Who doeth goe to warre at his owne costes and charges Or who pâ—anteth a vineâ—ard c. 1121 9 Doe I speake these thinges according to man doeth not the scriptur also say the same c. 1121 9 Doeth GOD care for oâ—en or doeth he not speake it altogether for our sakes c. 1121 9 If others be partakers of the power towards you why rather are not we c. 1122 9 Knowe ye not that they whiche take paines in the holy thinges doe eate of the holy thinges c. 1122 9 If wee sowe vnto you spirituall thinges is it a great matter if wée reape your carnall things c. 1120. 1122. 10 Flée fornication c. 234 10 I would not brethren that ye should be ignorant that our fathers c. 435. 982 10 The rocke was Christe c. 861 862 10 God is faithfull and will not suffer his to be tempted c. 174. 310 480 10 Though wee be many yet are we one bread and one body for c. 822 10 Are not they whiche eate of the sacrifice â–ª partakers of the altar c. 329 10 Flée from idolatrie I speake as vnto them that haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I say c. 1022 10 God doeth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we are able to beare c. 754 11 When we are iudged wée are chastened of the Lord that we should not c. 308 11 So often as ye shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup declare the Lords death tâ—l he come c. 1106 11 Be ye the followers of me euen as I am of Christ c. 828 11 I receuied that of the Lord which I haue also deliuered vnto you c. 963. 1061 11 For this cause many are weake and feeble amonge you and many sleepe c. 1109 11 Whoso eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drincketh his owne damnation c. 1026 1108 11 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread drinke of that cup. 1007. 1109. 1030 12 As the bodie is one and hath many members and all the members of the body c. 1021 12 There are diuersities of giftes but it is the selfe same spirite c. 716 12 Through one spirite we are all baptised in one body c. 822. 1062 12 And all these thinges worketh euen one and the selfe same spirite distributing c. 717 13 The grace of oure Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all c. 716 13 Loue suffereth wronge and is curteous Loue enuyeth not c. 98 13 If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mounteines out of their places c. 46â— 14 Let the Prophetes speake two or three at once let the other iudge c 839 14 If I pray in a straunge tongue my spirite or voice prayeth but my c. 714. 931 14 I will pray with the spirite and will pray with the vnderstanding c. 925. 933 14 If therefore when the whole church is come together in one and all speake c. 916 15 Loe I tell you a mysterie wée shall not all verily sléepe c. 86 15 S. Paule confesseth that he persecuted the Church or congregation of God c. 812 15 Flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of GOD c. 27. 89 15 If the dead doe not rise neither is Christ risen But Christ is risen being the first frâ—â—tes of them that sléepe c. 1091 15 It is sowen in corruption it riseth in incorruption it is sowen c 88 15 Of the resurrection of Christe from the dead c. 68 ¶ Out of the second Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians 1 IT is God which hath annoinâ—ed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our heartes c. 726. 1016 3 Paule calleth the Lawe the letter the ministration of death c. 402 3 Ye are the epistle of Christ ministred by vs written not with incke c. 874 3 The Lord hath made vs able ministers of the newe testament c. 715 4 Wee which liue are alwayes deliuered to death for Iesus sake c. 86 4 Wée haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power c. 293 4 We preache not oure selues but Iesus Christe the Lord and our selues your c. 874 4 Wée are troubled on euery side yet are we not without shift c. 311 5 Thogh we haue knowen Christ after the flesh nowe yet henceforth know we him no more c. 689 6 There is no agreement betwéene Christ and Belial c. 817. 859. 1103. 6 So we as workers together beséech you that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine c. 646 6 Wherfore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord c. 859 11 But I feare least it come to passe that euen as the serpent c. 868 11 If any other be the ministers of Christe I am more in labours more c. 3â—4 11 I haue coupled you to one man to present you a chasâ—e virgin c. 868 11 I haue robbed other Churches hauing receiued wages of them to the incent I might do you seruice c 1122. 12 Least I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke to the â—lesh c. 753 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Galathians 1 PAule though taken vp into the third heauen c. is referred ouer vnto a man c. 871 1 When it pleased GOD that I should preach his sonne amonge the Gentiles c. 427 1 I mâ—ruaile that yee are so some turned froÌ„ Christ whiche called you by grace c. 423 1 Thoughe wée or an angel from heauen
1067. 1068. 1073. 1078. 1079. Symbole 961. Synodes 1130 Synagogue 263. 339. 813 Synaxis 1019. 1063 T Tabernacle 334. 339. 341. 862 Table of the Lord. 1063 Tables of Gods lawes 111. 112 Tale carriers 322 Testament 49. 463. 1064 Testimonies 106. 364. 443. 669. 764. Teaching 909. 910 Temples of Christians 1126 Thanksgiuing 951. 652 653. 1063. Theft and deceipte 106. 270. 395 Thâ—uma and Thnupha 378 Theodosiu Emperour 181 Time holie 417. 349. 1129 Torments nothing dismaye the Apostles 723 Tongue 319. 1071 Toward what part of the world we must pray 1127. Traditions 5. 18. 447 Treasures heauenly all giuen vs of God in Christ 77 Tryall of oureselues by afflictions 294 Trinitie 612. 627. 628. ce True worship and adoration 652 True religion 672 True vnderstanding of the Lordes wordes This is my body 1085 True eating of Christes body 1097 True end of scholes 1117 Tyrannie 169 V. Valentinian Emperour 181 Verbum what it is 1 Vengeance taken of bloudy Rome 319 Vertues of the pastour 911 Vestal virgines 368 Vessells belonging to the Lordes Supper 1070 Vice is to be rebuked sharply and seasonably 894 Vigilius 74 Virgines and Virginitie 1134 Vowes and vowed sacrifices 379 380. 135. 421. 1137 Voluntarie sinne c. 497. 511 Vncleanethings 386 Vnitie ought to be kept 849 Vnderstanding 589 Vncircumcised soule 1048 Vrim Thummim 334 Vsurie and Vsurers 274. 275. 276 W. Warre Warres and Warriours 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. c. 399. Wages of hirelings 396 Water and the Word 971 Wayes of eating the Lordes Supper 110â— Weight and measure 397 Wedlocke 222. 223 c. 227. 1133 1134 Wealth by inheritaunce 266 Who elected to life 643 Who an Heretique who a Schismatique 850 Who to be baptised 1050 Why God created maÌ„ so frayle 487 Whoredome and adulterie 393 Who do not rightly preach Christe 544 Why all men are not saued 546 Widowes and Widowhoode 1134 Wisedome of god 619. 96â— Without the church no light or saluation 843 Wicked are not partakers of the things signified in the Sacraments 98â— Witnesse Witnesse-bearing 39â— Wife the arme of her husband 224 Witches and Sothsayers 397 Worde Wordes and the Worde of god c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. vsque 22. 24. 25. 26. c. vsque 29. 525. 528. 823. 940. 971. 975 978. 1102. Workes 53. 54. 98. 406. 453. 454. 456. 457. 620 Worship Worshipping and Worshippers 6. 652. 658. 744 Women-deacons and their office 875 Wormes take vengeaunce of Gods enimies 890 Worthy and vnworthy eating and drinking of the Lords supper 1106 Writings of the old Testament giuen to Christians 15 Wrath of God vppon kingdomes for vsurie 276 Y. Yeare of Iubilie 354 Z. Zuinglius 502. 1015. 1020. 1204 FINIS The first Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde ¶ The first Sermon ALl the decrees of Christian fayth with euery waye howe to liue rightly well and holyly and finally all true and heauenly wisdome haue alwayes bene fetched out of the testimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God neyther can they by those which are wise men in déede or by the faithfull and those whiche are called by God to the ministerie of the Churches be drawn taught or last of all soundly confirmed from else where then out of the word of god Therefore whosoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God and the meaning of the word of God is he séemeth to be as one blinde deafe and without witte in the Temple of the Lorde in the schole of Christ and lastly in the very reading of the sacred Scriptures But whereas some are nothing zealous but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church that springeth out of no other fountaine than this which is bycause they doe neyther rightly vnderstande nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue and true force of the word of god That nothing therefore may cause the zealous desirers of the trueth and the worde of God to staye on this point but rather that that estimation of Gods word which is due vnto it may be layde vp in all mens hartes I will by Gods helpe lay foorthe vnto you dearly beloued those things which a godly man ought to thinke and holde as concerning the worde of god And praye ye earnestly and continually to our bountifull God that it may please him to giue to me his holy effectuall power to speake and to you the opening of your eares and mynds so that in all that I shall say the Lorde his name may be praysed and your soules be profited abundantly First I haue to declare what the worde of God is Verbum in the scriptures and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuersly taken For it signifieth what thing soeuer a man will euen as among the Germanes the worde Ding is moste largely vsed In S. Luke the Angel of God saythe to the blessed Virgin with God shall no worde be vnpossible whiche is all one as if he had sayde all things are possible to God or to God is nothing vnpossible Verbum also signifieth a word vttered by the mouth of a man Sometime it is vsed for a charge somtime for a whole sentence or speach or prophesie wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei theÌ„ is it not vsed in the same signification For Verbum Dei the worde of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God it is also put for the Sonne of God which iâ— the seconde person in the most reuerend trinitie For the saying of the holy EuaÌ„angelist is euident to al meÌ„ The word was made flesh But in this treatise of ours the word of God doth properly signify the speach of God the reuealing of gods wil first of al vttered in a liuely expressed voyce by the mouth of Christ the Prophets and Apostles and after that againe registred in writings whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures The word doth shew the minde of him out of whom it commeth therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of god But God of him selfe naturally speaketh trueth he is iust good pure immortal eternall therefore it followeth that the word of God also which commeth out of the mouth of God is true iust without deceipt and guile without errour or euill affection holy pure good immortall euerlasting For in the Gospel sayth the Lord Thy word is truth And the Apostle Paule saith The word of God is not tied Againe the Scripture euery where cryeth The word of the Lorde indureth for euer And Solomon saythe Euery word of God is purely cleansed Adde thou nothing to his wordes leaste peraduenture he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Dauid also sayth The sayings of the Lorde are pure
sayinges euen as it were siluer cleansed in the fire and seuen times fined from the earth This you shal more fully perceiue dearely beloued if I speake somewhat more largely of the cause or beginning and certaintie of the worde of god The worde of God is trueth but God is the onely welspring of trueth therefore God is the beginning and cause of the worde of God. And here in déede God since he hath not members like to mortall men wanteth also a bodily mouth yet neuerthelesse bycause the mouthe is the instrument of the voice to God is a mouth atributed For he spake to men in the voice of a man that is in a voice easily vnderstood of men and facioned according to the speach vsually spokeÌ„ among men This is euidentlye to bée séene in the things wherein he dealte with the holy fathers with whome as with oure parents Adam and Eua Noe and the rest of the fathers he is read to haue talked many and often tymes In the mount Sina the Lord him selfe preached to the great congregatioÌ„ of Israel rehearsing so plainly that they might vnderstand those tenne Commaundementes wherein is contained euerye poynt of godlinesse For in the. 5. of Deut. thus we reade These words meaning the. 10. CommauÌ„dements spake the Lorde with a loude voyce from out of the middes of the fire to the whole congregation And in the 4. Chapiter A voice of wordes you hearde but no similitude did you see beside the voice God verily vsed oftentimes the meanes of Angels by whose ministerie he talked with mortall men And it is very well knowne to all men that the sonne of God the father being incarnate walked about on the earth and being very God and man taught the people of Israell almost for the space of 3. yeares But in times past and before that the Sonne of God was borne in the worlde God by litle and litle made him selfe acquainted with the hartes of the holy Fathers after that with the minds of the holy Prophets and last of all by their preaching and writinges he taught the whole worlde So also Christe our Lorde sent the holy ghost which is of the father the sonne into the Apostles by whose mouths words writings he was knowen to all the world And al these seruants of god as it were the elect vessels of God hauing with sincere harts receiued the reuelation of God from God him selfe first of all in a liuely expressed voyce deliuered to the worlde the Oracles and worde of God whiche they before had learned and afterward when the world drewe more to an ende some of them did put them in writing for a memoriall to the posteritie And it is good to know how by whom all this was done For by this narration the true cause certaintie and dignitie of the word of God doth plainly appeare There are not extant to be séene the writings of any man from the beginning of the worlde vntill the time of Moses whiche are come to oure knowledge although it be likely that that same ancient and first world was not altogether without all writings For by S. Iude the Apostle and brother of S. Iames is cited the written prophesie of our holy father Enoch which is read to haue ben the seuenth from our father Adam Furthermore the writing or historie of Iob séemeth to haue bene set foorth a great while before But howe soeuer it is all the Saintes in the Churche of God giue to Moses the faithfull seruant of God the first place amoÌ„g the holy writers From the beginning therefore of the worlde God by his spirit and the ministerie of Angels spake to the holy fathers and they by word of mouth taught their children and childers children and all their posteritie that whiche they had learned at the mouth of God when they verily had hearde it not to the intent to kéepe it close to themselues but also to make their posteritie partakers of the same For God oftentimes witnesseth that He will be the God of the fathers and of their seed for euermore This is most plainly to be séene in the historie of Adam Noe and Abraham the first and great grandfathers In the. 19. of Genesis verily we reade that the angell of God yea and that more is that eueÌ„ the Lorde him selfe did say to Abraham And shall I hide from Abraham what I minde to doe since of Abraham shall come a great and mightie people and al the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him And this I knowe that he will commaunde his children and his posteritie after him to keepe the way of the Lorde and to do iustice iudgement and the rest Abraham therfore a faithfull and zealous worshipper of God did not euen as also those olde fathers of the firste world did not waxe negligent at all herein but did diligently teache men the wil iudgemeÌ„ts of God whervpoÌ„ of Moses yea of God him selfe he is called a prophet That deuout liuely tradition of the fathers from hande to hand was had in vse continually euen from the beginning of the world vntil the time of Moses Moreouer God of his goodnesse did prouide the no age at any time should be without most excellent lightes to be witnesses of the vndoubted faith and fathers of great authoritie For the worlde before the deluge had in it 9. most excellent most holy and wise men Adam Seth Enos Kenam Malaleel Iared Enoch Methusalem and Lamech The chief of these Adam and Methusalem doe beginne and make an end of all the. 1656 yeares of the world before the deluge For Adam liued 930. yeres He dieth therefore the. 726. yeare before the floud And Methusalem liued 969. yeres He dieth in the very same yere that the floud did ouerflowe and he liued together with Adam 243. yeres so that of Adam he might be aboundantly inoughe instructed as concerning the beginning of things as concerning God the fall and restoring againe of mankinde and all things else belonging to religion euen as he was taught of God him selfe These two fathers with the rest aboue named were able sufficiently inoughe to instruct the whole age in the true saluation and right wayes of the Lorde After the deluge God gaue to the world againe excellent men and very great lightes The names of them are Noe Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Palec Reu Saruch Nachor Thaâ—e Abraham Isaac and Iacob Here haue we 13. most excellent Patriarches among whom the first two Noe and Sem are the chiefe nexte to whome Abraham Isaac and Iacob were more notable then the rest Noe liued 950. yeares in all He was 600 yeares olde when the floud drowned the worlde He therefore sawe and hearde all the holy fathers of the firste world before the deluge thrée only excepted Adam Seth and Enos And also he liued manye yeares together with the other whiche had both séene and heard them so that he could be
that séede and branch of life should come Moreouer the holy fathers taught that God by a certaine league hath ioyned him selfe to mankind and that he hath most streightly bounde him selfe to the faythful and the faythfull likewise to him selfe againe Wherevpon they did teache to be faythfull to God ward to honour God to hate false Gods to call vpon the onely God and to worship him deuoutly Furthermore they taught that the worship of God did consist in things spirituall as fayth hope charitie obedience vpright dealing holinesse innocencie patience trueth iudgement and godlinesse And therfore did they reprehend naughtinesse and sinne falshoode lacke of beliefe desperation disobedience vnpatientnesse lying hypocrisie hatred dispitefull tauntes violence wrong vnrightuous dealing vncleannesse riottousnesse surfetting whoredome vnrighteousnesse and vngodlynesse They taught that God was a rewarder of good but a punisher and reuenger of euill They taught that the soules of men were immortall and that the bodyes shoulde rise againe in the daye of iudgement therefore they exhorted vs all so to liue in this temporall life that we doe not lese the life eternall This is the sum of the worde of God reuealed to the fathers and by them deliuered to their posteritie This is the traditiō of the holy fathers which cōprehendeth al religion Finally this is the true auncient vndoubted authenticall catholike faith of the fathers Besides this the holy fathers taught their children childers children the accompt of the yeares from the beginning of the world also the true historicall course as well profitable as necessarie of things from the creation of the worlde euen vnto their owne times leaste peraduenture their children shoulde be ignoraunt of the beginning and succession of worldlye things and also of the iudgementes of God and examples of them whiche liued as well godly as vngodly I coulde declare vnto you all this euidently and in verye good order out of the first booke of Moses called Genesis if it were not that thereby the sermen shoulde be drawne out somewhat longer then the vse is But I suppose that there are few or rather none at al here present whiche doe not perceiue that I haue rehearsed this that I haue said touching the tradition of the auncient fathers as it were worde for worde out of the booke of Genesis so that nowe I maye very well go forwarde in the narration which I haue begonne So then what so euer hitherto was of the fathers deliuered to the world by worde of mouth as it were from hand to hande that was first of all put into writing by the holy man Moses together with those thinges whiche were done in al the time of Moses life by the space of 120. yeares And that his estimation might be the greater throughout all the worlde among all men and in all ages and that none shoulde but knowe that the writings of Moses were the very worde of God it selfe Moses was furnished and as it were consecrated by God with signes and wonders to be meruelled at in déede whiche the almightie by the hande that is by the ministerie of Moses did bring to passe and verily he wrought them not in any corner of the worlde or place vnknowne but in Egypt the moste flourishing and renoumed kingdome of that age Those miracles were greater and farre more by many then that they can be here rehearsed in fewe wordes neyther is it néedful to repeate them bicause you dearely beloued are not vnskilfull or ignorant of them at al. After that also God by other meanes procured authoritie to Moses For many and often times God had communication with Moses and amongst the rest of his talke sayde he Beholde I will come to thee in a thicke cloude that the people may heare me talking with thee may beleue thee for euermore Neyther was the Lord therewith content but commaunded Meles to call together all the people sixe hundreth thousand men I say with their wiues and children They are called out to the mount Sina where God appeareth in a wonderfull and terrible fashion and he him selfe preaching to the congregation doth rehearse vnto them the ten Commaundements But the people being terrified with the maiestie of God doth pray and beséech that God him self would no more afterward preach to the congregatiō with his owne mouth saying that it were inoughe if he would vse Moses as an interpreter to them and by him speake to the Church The most high God did like the offer and after that he spake to the people by Moses what soeuer he would haue done And for bycause that the people was a stifnecked people by keping company with Idolaters in Egypt was not a little corrupted Moses nowe began to set downe in writing those things whiche the holy fathers by tradition had taught the things also which the Lorde had reuealed vnto him The cause why he wrote them was least peraduenture by obliuion continuance of time and obstinancie of a people so slowe to beleeue they might either perish or else be corrupted The Lord also set Moses an example to folow For what so euer God had spoken to the Church in Mount Sina that same did he streight way after write with his owne finger in two tables of stone as he had with his finger frō the beginning of the world writtē the same in the harts of the fathers Afterward also in plain words he commaunded Moses to write what soeuer the Lord had reueled Moses obeyed the Lordes commaundement and writ them The holy Gheste whiche was wholye in the mynde of Moses directed his hand as he writ There was no abilitie wanting in Moses that was necessarie for a most absolute writer He was aboundantly instructed by his auncestours For he was borne of the holiest progenie of those fathers whome God had appointed to be witnesses of his will commaundements and iudgements suppose Amram Kahad Iacob Sem Methusalem and Adam He was able therefore to write a true and certain Hystorie from the beginning of the worlde euen vntill his owne time Wherevnto he added those thinges which were done among the people of God in his owne life time whereof he was a very true witnesse as one that sawe and heard them Yea and that more is whatsoeuer he did set forth in his bookes that did he read to his people and amongst so many thousandes was there not one found which gainsayed that whiche he rehearsed so that the whole consent and witnesse-bearing of the great congregation did bring no small authoritie to the writings of Moses Moses therefore contained in the fiue bookes called the fiue books of Moses an hystorie from the beginning of the world euē vnto his own death by the space of 2488. yeres In which he declared most largely the Reuelation of the worde of God made vnto men whatsoeuer the word of God dothe containe and teach In which as we haue the manyfolde Oracles of God him self
weales or CongregatioÌ„s yea and that more is the most flourishing Kingdomes in all the world vnder their authoritie All the wysemen in the whole worlde I meane â—hose whiche liued in his time did reuerence Solomon a King and so great a Prophet and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde He was moreouer in great estimation with Darius Medus the Sonne of Astyages or Assuerus and also with Cyrus that moste excellent king And here it lyketh me well to speake somewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets and moste assured foreshewing of things which were to come after many yeares passed And now to say nothing of others did not Esaias most truly foretell those things which were afterward fulfilled by the Iewes in our Lord Christ Not in vaine did he séeme to them of olde time to be rather an Euangelist then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréescore yeares at the least before that Cyrus was borne Daniel also was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche knewe muche For he did foretell those things whiche are and haue béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almost and among the people of God from his owne time vntil the time of Christ and further vntill the last day of Iudgement so plainely that hee may séeme to haue compiled an hystorie of those thinges whiche then were already gone and past Al these things I say doe very euidently proue that the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God with whiche name and title they are set fooâ—the in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verily Peter the Apostle saithe The prophecie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghoste And although God did largely clearly plainely and simply reueale his woâ—d to the world by the Patriarchs by Mâ—ses by the Priestes and Prophetes yet did he in the laste times of all by his Sonne set it forth moste clearely simply and aboundantly to al the worlde For the very and onely begotten Sonne of God the father as the Prophetes had foretolde descending from Heauen doth fulfill al what soeuer they foretolde and by the space almoste of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlinesse For saith Iohn No man at any time hath seene God the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hathe declared him The Lord himselfe moreouer saith to his Disciples Al things which I haue herd of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again he saith I am the light of the world whosoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life Our Lord also did teache that to him whiche would enter into Heauen and be saued the heauenly regeneration was néedeful bicause in the first byrth man is borne to death in the second to life But that that regeneration is made perfect in vs by the spirit of God whiche instrueteth our hartes in faith I say in faith in Christ who died for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iustified that out of the same faith doe growe sundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie to the bringing foorthe wherof he did most earnestly exhorte them He taught furthermore that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets and did also approue and expound the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes To doctrine he ioyned diuerse miracles and benefites wherby he declared that he him selfe was that light of the world and the mightie bountifull redéemer of the world And to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde he chose to himselfe witnesses whome he called Apostles bicause he purposed to sende them to Preache throughout the world Those witnesses were simple men innocentes iust tellers of trueth without deceipt or subtilties and in all pointes holy and good whose names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation The names of the Apostles are these Peter and Andrewe Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevve Thomas Mathevv Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe Iudas his brother vvhose surname vvas Thaddaeus Simon and Iudas Iscariot into whose roome because he had betraied the Lord came Saint Matthias These had he by the space almoste of thrée yeares hearers of his heauenly doctrine and beholders of his diuine workes These after his ascension in to the Heauens did he by the holy ghost send downe from Heauen instruct with all kinde of faculties For as they were in the Scriptures passing skilful so were they not vnskilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue And being once after this manner instructed they depart out of the Citie of Ierusalem and passe through the compasse of the earthe preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the sauiour of the world the Lord Iesus Christ And when for certaine yeares they had preached by woord of mouth then did they also set downe in writing that whiche they had preached For some verily writ an hystorie of the words and deeds of Christ and some of the wordes and déedes of the Apostles Other some sent sondrie Epistles to diuers Nations In all which to confirme the trueth they vse the Scripture of the lawe and the Prophetes euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did Moreouer to the twelue Apostles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world Iohn Baptiste then whom there was neuer any more holy borne of women and the chosen vessel Paule the greate teacher of the Gentiles Neither is it to be merueiled at that the forerunner and Apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and authoritie in the Churche For euen as they were the embassadours of the eternall King of all ages and of the whole worlde so being indued with the spirit of God they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes And the Lord by theyr ministerie wrought great myracles thereby to garnishe the ministerie of them and to commend their doctrine vnto vs And what may be thought of that moreouer that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compasse of the world which verely by mans counsell and wordes they had neuer béene able to haue brought to passe To this is further added that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine as a doctrine giuing life did not refuse to die Besides that how many soeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Gospell they were not afraide through water fire swordes to cutte of this life and
to lay hand on the life to come The faithfull Saints could in no wise haue don these things vnlesse the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of god Although therefore that the Apostles were men yet their doctrine first of all taught by a liuely expressed voyce and after that set downe in writing with penne and yncke is the doctrine of God and the very true word of god For therefore the Apostle left this saying in writing When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which effectually worketh in you that beleeue But nowe the matter it selfe and place require that I gather also and plainely reckon vp those bookes wherin is conteined the very word of God first of all declared of the Fathers of Christ himselfe and the Apostles by-word of mouth after that also written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apostles And in the first place verely are set the fiue bookes of Moses Then follow the bookes of Iosua of Iudges of Ruth two bookes of Samuel two of Kinges two of Chronicles of Esdras Nehemias and Hester one a piece After these come Iob Dauid or the booke of Psalmes Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Cantica With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Esaias Ieremias Ezechiel and Daniel then the twelue lesser Prophetes whose names are very well knowne With these bookes the olde Testament ended The Newe Testament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hystorie of Christ the Lord written by foure Authors that is by two Apostles Mathewe and Iohn and by two Disciples Marke and Luke who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apostles Paule to sundrie Churches and persons published 14. Epistles The other Apostles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique And the books of the new Testament are ended with the reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche he opened to the Disciple whome he loued Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle shewing vnto him and so to the whole church the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche euen vntil the day of iudgement Therefore in these fewe and meane not vnmeasurable in these plaine and simple not darke and vnkemmed books is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes whiche is the very word of the true liuing and eternall God. Also the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes through so many ages perils and captiuities came sound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Christ and his Apostles For the Lord Iesus the Apostles vsed those bookes as true copies and authentical which vndoubtedly they neither would nor could haue done if so be that eyther they had béen corrupted or altogether perished The bookes also whiche the Apostles of Christ haue added were throughout all persecutions kept in the Church safe and vncorrupted and are come sound and vncorrupted into our handes vpon whome the endes of the world are falne For by the vigilāt care vnspeakable goodnes of God our Father it is brought to passe that no age at any time either hathe or shal want so great a treasure Thus muche hitherto haue I declared vnto you derely beloued what the word of God is what the beginning of it in the Churche was what procéeding dignitie and certaintie it had The word of God is the speache of God that is to say the reuealing of his good will to mankinde whiche frō the beginning one while by his owne mouthe and an other whyle by the speache of Angels he did open to those first ancient and most holy Fathers who againe by tradition did faithfully deliuer it to their posteritie Here are to be remembred those great lightes of the world Adam Seth Methusalem Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iaacob Amram and his Sonne Moses who at Gods commaundement did in writing comprehend the hystorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers whervnto he ioyned the written lawe and exposition of the lawe togeather with a large and lightsome hystorie of his owne lyfe time After Moses God gaue to his Churche moste excellent men Prophets and Priestes who also by worde of mouthe and wrytings did deliuer to their posterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord After them came the Onely begotten Sonne of God himselfe downe from heauen into the world and fulfilled all whatsoeuer was found to be written of himselfe in the Lawe and the Prophetes The same also taught a moste absolute meane howe to liue well and holily He made the Apostles his witnesses Which witnesses did afterwardes first of all with a liuely expressed voice preach al things which the Lord had taught them and then to the intent that they should not be corrupted or clean taken out of mans remembraunce they did commit it to writing so that nowe we haue from the Fathers the Prophetes and Apostles the word of God as it was preached and written These thinges had their beginning of one the same spirite of God and do tende to one end that is To teach vs men how to liue well and holily He that beléeueth not these men namely the only begotten Sonne of God whom I pray you will he beleeue We haue here the moste holie innocent vpright liuing most praise worthie most iust moste ancient most wise and most diuine men of the whole world and compasse of the earth and briefly suche men as are by all meanes without comparison All the worlde cannot shew vs the like againe although it shuld wholy a thousand times be assembled in Counsels The holy Emperour Constantine gathered a generall counsell out of al the compasse of the earthe thether came there together out of all the worlde thrée hundred and eightéene moste excellent Fathers But they that are of the wisest sorte will say that these are not so muche as shadowes to be compared to them of whome we haue receiued the worde of god Let vs therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Scriptures Let vs thinke that the Lorde him selfe whiche is the very liuing and eternall God dothe speake to vs by the Scriptures Let vs for euermore prayse the name and goodnesse of him who hath vouched safe so faythfully fully and plainely to open to vs miserable mortall men all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly To him be prayse honour and glory for euermore Amen Of the worde of God to whom and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse ¶ The seconde Sermon DEarely beloued in the laste Sermon you learned what the worde of God is from whence it came by whome it was chiefly reuealed what procéedings it had and of what dignitie and certaintie it is Now am I come againe and by Gods fauour and the helpe of your prayers I will declare vnto you beloued to whome and to what ende the worde of
labour and bring it to an ende For whosoeuer hath sayth the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell to him shall be giuen that he may haue the more aboundance And euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Whervpon S. Iames the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God whiche giueth to al men liberally that is willingly not with grudging neyther casteth any man in the teeth and it shall be giuen him Where by the way we sée our dutie which is in reading and hearing the worde of God to pray earnestly and zealously that we may come to that ende for the whiche the worde of God was giuen and reuealed vnto vs But as touching that matter we will say somewhat more when we come to declare in what maner of sorte the worde of God ought to be heard Nowe bycause I haue sayde that the worde of God is reuealed to the intente that it maye fully instructe vs in the wayes of God and our saluation I will in fewe wordes declare vnto you dearely beloued that in the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Prophetes and Apostles is aboundantly contained the whole effect of godlynesse and what thinges soeuer are auaileable to the leading of oure liues rightly well and holyly For verily it must néedes be that that doctrine is full and in all pointes perfect to which nothing ought eyther to be added or else to be taken away But such a doctrine is the doctrine taught in the worde of God as witnesseth Moses Deuter. 4. 12. and Solomon Prouerb 30. What is he therfore that dothe not confesse that all pointes of true pietie are taught vs in the sacred Scriptures Furthermore no man can denie that to be a most absolute doctrine by which a man is so fully made perfect that in this worlde he may be taken for a iust man and in the world to come be called for euer to the companie of god But he that beleeueth the word of God vttered to the world by the Prophetes and Apostles and liueth thereafter is called a iust man and heire of life euerlasting That doctrine therefore is an absolute doctrine For Paule also declaring more largely and fully the same matter sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiratiō of god is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes Ye haue brethren an euident testimonie of the fulnesse of the worde of god Ye haue a doctrine absolutely perfect in al points Ye haue a most perfect effect of the word of God bicause by this doctrine the mā of God that is the godly and deuoute worshipper of God is perfect being instructed not to a certaine fewe good workes but vnto all and euery good worke Wherein therfore caust thou finde any want I do not thinke that any one is suche a sot as to interprete these wordes of Paule to be spoken onely touching the olde Testament séeing it is more manifest then the daye light that Paule applyed them to his scholer Timothie who preached the Gospell and was a minister of the newe Testament If so be then that the doctrine of the olde Testament be of it selfe full by howe much more shal it be the fuller if the volume of the newe Testament be added there vnto I am not so ignoraunt but that I knowe that the Lorde Iesus both did and spake many things whiche were not written by the Apostles But it followeth not therefore that the doctrine of the worde of God taught by the Apostles is not absolutely perfect For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth freely confesse that the Lord did many other things also whiche were not written in his booke But immediately he addeth this and sayth But these are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name He affirmeth by this doctrine whiche he conteined in writing that faythe is fully taught and that through fayth there is graunted by God euerlasting life But the ende of absolute doctrine is to be happie and perfectly blessed Since then that that commeth to man by the written doctrine of the Gospell vndoubtedly that doctrine of the Gospell is most absolutely perfect I knowe that the Lord in the Gospell sayde I haue many things to tell you but at this time you can not beare them But therwithal I know to that he immediatly added this saying But when the spirite of trueth shall come he shall leade you into all trueth I knowe furthermore that the spirite of trueth did come vpon his disciples and therefore I beléeue that they according to the true promise of Christ were led into all trueth so that it is most assuredly certaine that nothing was wanting in them But some there are whiche when they can not deny this do turne them selues and saye that the Apostles in déede knewe all things but yet taught them not but by word of mouth only not setting downe in writing al those things whiche doe appertaine to true godlinesse As though it were likely that Christ his most faithful Apostles would vpon spite haue kept back any thing from their posteritie As though in deede he had lyed which sayd These things are written that in beleeuing ye might haue life euerlasting Iohn therefore did let passe nothing whiche belongeth to oure full instructing in the fayth Luke did omit nothing Neyther did the rest of the Apostles and disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer any thing to ouerslip them Paule also wrote fourtéene sundry Epistles but yet the most of them cōtained one and the selfe same matter Whereby we may very well coniecture that in them is wholy comprehended the absolute doctrine of godlynesse For he would not haue repeated one and the selfe same thing so often to so many sundry men if there had yet bene any thing else necessarie more fully to be taught for the obtaining of saluatiō Those things vndoubtedly woulde he haue taught and not haue rehearsed one and the same thing so many times Verily in the thirde chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians he dothe affirme that in the two firste chapters of the same his Epistle he did declare his knowledge in the Gospel of Christ God saith he by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto me as I wrote before in fewe wordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the misterie of Christe And this spake he touching that one and onely Epistle yea and that too touching the two firste chapters of that one Epistle Whervnto when the moste large and lightsome Letters or Epistles of Sainte Paule him selfe and also of the other Apostles are added who I praye you vnlesse he be altogether without sense will once thinke that the Apostles haue left in writing to vs their posteritie a doctrine
to the two Disciples whiche went to Emaus with whome he talked of sundry matters but at length beginning at Moses and all the Prophetes he expounded to them what so euer was written of him self throughout all the Scriptures The Apostles following this example of the Lorde did them selues also expound the word of God. For Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles dothe expounde the xvj Psalme of Christe his resurrection from the deade And Philip also doth plainely expounde to the noble man of Ethiope the prophesie of Esay wherby he bringeth him to the fayth of Christe and fellowship of the Church Whosoeuer doth say that Paul doth not euery where interpret the holy Scripture he hath neyther read nor séene the déedes nor writings of Paule Thus haue I I hope both plainly substantially shewed that the word of God ought to be expounded As for those whiche cry out against the exposition of the Scriptures and woulde not haue the ministers of the worde and Churches to declare the scriptures in open and solemne audience neyther to apply them to the places times states persons their fetch is to seeke somewhat else then the honour due vnto god They leade their liues farre otherwise then is comely for godly men Their talke is wicked vnséemely dishonest Their déeds are mischieuous and haynous offences And this woulde they to doe without punishment and therefore desire to haue the exposition of the Scriptures to be taken cleane away For if a man doe read the wordes of the Scripture onelye not applyinge it to the states places times and persones it someth that he hath not greatly touched their vngodly and wicked life Therefore when they crie that Sermons and expositions of the scriptures ought to be taken a waye from among men and that the Scriptures ought to be reade simplye without any addition they minde nothing else but to caste behind them the lawe of God to treade vnder foote all discipline and rebuking of sinne and so to offende fréely without punishment whiche sorte of men the rightuous Lorde will in his appointed time punishe so muche the more grieuously as they doe more boldly rebell against their God. In the meane season all the ministers of the Churche muste beware that they followe not héerein their owne affections any whit at all or else corrupt the Scriptures by their wrong interpretations and so by that meanes set foorth to the Church their owne inuentions and not the worde of god Some suche like offence it séemeth that the teachers of the auncient people in olde time did commit bycause the Lorde in Ezechiell accuseth them saying Seemeth it a small thing to you to haue eaten vp the good pasture but that ye must also treade the residue of your pasture vnder your feete and to drinke the clearer water but that ye muste trouble the rest with your feete Thus my sheepe muste be faine to eate the thing that is troden downe with your feete and to drinke that whiche ye with your feete haue defiled A sore offence is this which the Lord according to his iustice punisheth most sharpely We therefore the interpreters of Gods holy worde and faythfull ministers of the Churche of Christe must haue a diligent regarde to keepe the Scriptures sounde and perfect and to teach the people of Christ the worde of God sincerely made plaine I meane not corrupted or darkned by foolish wroÌ„g expositions of oure owne inuention And nowe dearely beloued the place and time require vs to say somwhat vnto you touching the interpretation of the holy Scriptures or the exposition of the word of god Wherin I will not speake any thing particularly of the skilfull knowledge of tongues or the liberall sciences which are thinges requisite in a good interpreter but will briefly touche the generalities alone And first of al ye must vnderstande that some things in the Scriptures or worde of God are so plainly set foorth that they haue neede of no interpretation neyther will admit any exposition Which if any man goe about with his owne expositions to make more manifest he may séeme to do as wittily as he which with faggot light and torches would helpe the sunne at his rising to giue more light vnto the world As for those thinges which are so set down that they séeme to require our helpe to expound them they must not be interpreted after our owne fantasies but according to the minde and meaning of him by whom the Scriptures were reuealed For Saint Peter saythe The prophesie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Therefore the true and proper sense of Gods worde must be taken out of the Scriptures them selues and not be forceably thruste vpon the Scriptures as we our selues lust And therwithal ye must marke a fewe certaine rules which I meane briefly to touch and to shewe vnto you in those fewe wordes which I haue yet to speake First since the Apostle Paul would haue the exposition of the Scriptures to agree fitly and in euery point proportionally with our fayth as it is to be seene in the twelâ—the to the Romanes And bycause againe in the later epistle to the Corinthians he saith Seing then that we haue the same spirite of faith according as it is writen I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore doe we speake Let it therefore be taken for a point of Catholike religion not to bring in or admit any thing in our expositions which others haue alledged against the receiued articles of our fayth conteyned in the Apostles Créede and other coÌ„fessions of the ancient fathers For saytâ— the apostle in defence of the trueth we can saye somewhat but against the trueth we are able to say nothing When therefore in the Gospel after S. Iohn we read the saying of the Lord The father is greater then I we must thinke that it is against the articles of our fayth to make or admit any equalitie in the Godhead betwixt the Father and the Sonne and therefore that the Lorde his meaning was otherwise then the very words at the first blush do séeme to import Againe when we read this saying of the apostle It can not be that they which were once illuminated if they fall away shuld be renued againe into repeÌ„tance Let vs not beléeue that repentance is to be denied to theÌ„ that fall For the Catholike Fayth is this that in euery place at euery season so long as we liue on this earthe a full pardon of all sinnes is promised to all men whiche turne to the Lorde In like manner when we reade that the Lorde tooke breade and sayde of the breade This is my body let vs presently remember that the Articles of our fayth doe attribute to our Lorde the very body of a man which asceÌ„ded into heauen and sitteth at the righte hande of
the Father from whence it shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade and let vs thinke that the Lord speaking of the Sacrament woulde haue vs to expounde the words of the Sacrament Sacramentally and not Transubstancially Also in reading that saying of the Apostle Fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God let vs not by and by vppon these wordes take it simply as the words do séeme to signifie but sticking to the Article of our sayth I beleeue the resurrection of the body let vs vnderstand that by fleshe and bloud are ment the affectiōs infirmities not the nature substance of oure bodies Furthermore we reade in the gospell that the Lorde doth gather a sum of the lawe and the Prophets saying Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with al thy mind this is the chief and great commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe In these two commaundemēts hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Math. 22. Vpon these words of the Lorde that holy man Aurelius Augustinus in the. 36. Chapter of his firste booke De doctrina Christi sayth ▪ Whosoeuer doth seeme to himself to vnderstād the holy scriptures or any part thereof so that that vnderstanding he dothe not worke these two points of charitie towardes God his neighbor he yet doth not vnderstande the scriptures perfectly But whosoeuer shall take out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of this charitie and yet shall not say the self samethig which shal be proued that he did meane whome he readeth in that place that mā doth not erre to his own destruction nor doth altogether by lying deceiue other mē Thus much writ Augustin We must therefore by all meanes possible take héede that our interpretations doe not tende to the ouerthrow of charitie but to the furtherance and commendatiō of it to al men The Lord sayth Striue not with the wicked But if we affirme that he spake this to the Magistrates also thē shal charitie towards our neighbours the safetie of them that are in ieopardie defence of the oppressed be broken and cleane taken away For théeues vnruly persons robbers and naughtie fellowes will oppresse the widowes the fatherlesse and the poore to that all iniquitie shall reigne and haue the vpper hande But in a mattter so manifestly knowen I suppose it is not néedefull to vse many examples Moreouer it is requisite in expounding the Scriptures and searching out the true sense of Gods worde that we marke vpon what occasion euery thing is spoken what goeth before what followeth after at what season in what order and of what person any thing is spoken By the occasion and the sentences going before and comming after are examples and parables for the moste parte expounded Also vnlesse a man do alwayes marke the manner of speaking throughout the whole Scriptures and that verie diligently too he can not choose in his expositions but erre very muche out of the right way Sainte Paule obseruing the circumstaunce of the time did thereby conclude that Abraham was iustified neyther by Circumcision nor yet by the Lawe The places are to be séene in the fourth to the Romanes and the thirde to the Galathians Againe when it is sayde to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath He that taketh the sworde shall perishe with the sworde We must consider that Peter bare the personage of an Apostle and not of a Magistrate For of the Magistrate we reade that to him is giuen the sworde to reuengement But it woulde be ouer tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of euery particular place There is also beside these another manner of interpreting the worde of God that is by conferring together the places whiche are like or vnlike and by expounding the darker by the more euident and the fewer by the more in number Wheras therfore the Lorde sayth The father is greater then I we must consider that the same Lorde in another place sayth My father and I are all one And whereas Iames the Apostle sayth That Abraham and we are iustified by workes there are many places in Saint Paul to be set againste that one And this manner of interpreting did Peter the Apostle allowe where he sayth We haue a right sure worde of prophesie wherevnto if ye attend as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre arise in your heartes That auncient writer Tertullian affirmeth that they are heretiques and not men of the right fayth which drawe some odde thinges out of the Scriptures to their owne purpose not hauing any respecte to the rest But doe by that meanes picke oute vnto them selues a certaine fewe testimonies which they woulde haue altogether to be beleeued the whole Scripture in the meane season gaine-saying it bycause in deede the fewer places muste be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the more in number And finally the moste effectuall rule of all whereby to expounde the worde of God is an heart that loueth God and his glorye not puffed vp with pryde not desirous of vayne glorye not corrupted with heresies and euill affections but whiche doth continually praye to God for his holy spirite that as by it the scripture was reuealed and inspired so also by the same spirite it maye be expounded to the glorye of God and safegarde of the faythfull Let the mynde of the interpreter be set on fire with zeale to aduaunce vertue and with hatred of wickednesse euen to the suppressing thereof Let not the heart of suche an expositor call to counsell that subtile Sophister the deuill least peraduenture nowe also he doe corrupt the sense of Gods worde as heretofore he did in Paradise Let him not abide to heare mans wisedome argue directly against the worde of god This if the good and faythfull expositor of Gods worde shal doe then although in some pointes he doe not as the prouerbe sayth hit the very head of the nayle in the darker sense of the Scripture yet notwithstanding that errour ought not to be condemned for an heresie in the authour nor iudged hurtfull vnto the hearer And who so euer shall bring the darker more proper meaning of the Scripture to light he shall not by and by condemne the vnperfect exposition of that other no more then he whiche is authour of the vnperfect exposition shall reiect the more proper sense of the better expositour but by acknowledging it shall receiue it with thankes giuing Thus muche hytherto haue I said touching the sense and exposition of Gods worde which as God reuealed it to men so also he would haue them in any case to vnderstand it Wherefore there is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures The Scripture
I may surely fasten in euery ones mynde and that all may vnderstand what fayth is I repeate it here againe and therwithall conclude this Sermon Fayth is a gifte of God powred into man from Heaue wherby he is taught with an vndouted persuasioÌ„ wholie to leane to God and his word in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and euery good thing and wherin al truth necessary to be beleued is plainly declared Let vs all pray to God our father through his only begotteÌ„ Sonne our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will vouchsafe from Heauen to bestowe true fayth vppon vs all that wee by it knowinge him a righte may at the laste obtayne life euerlasting Amen That there is one onely true Fayth and what the vertue thereof is ¶ The fifth Sermon BEinge cutte of with the shortnesse of tyme and deteyned by the excellencie of the matter I could not in my last sermon make an end of al that I had determined to speake touching Fayth now therefore by the grace of the holy spirite I will adde the rest of the argument which seemeth yet to be behind Pray to the Lorde that that which by mans voyce is brought to your eares may by the finger of God be written in your hartes True Fayth is ignorant of all diuision for there is sayth the Apostle one Lorde one Fayth one Baptisme one God and Father of all For there remayneth from the beginning of the worlde euen vnto the ende therof one and the same fayth in all the electe of god God is one and the same for euer the onely Well of all goodnesse that can neuer be drawne drie The trueth of God from the beginning of the worlde is one and the same set forth to men in the word of god Therfore the obiect and foundatioÌ„ of faith that is God and the worde of God remaine for euer one and the selfe same In one and the selfe same fayth with vs haue al the elect euer since the first creation of the worlde beléeued that vnto vs through Christ all good things are fréely giuen and that all truth necessary to be beleued is declared in the word of the Lord wherfore the faithful of the olde world haue alwayes set led their faith on God and his worde so that now without all doubte there caÌ„not be any more theÌ„ one true faith I know very well that in the world there are soweb many and sundrye faythes that is to say religions For there is the Indian fayth the Iewish fayth the fayth of the Mahometists the fayth of the Georgians yet not withstaÌ„ding ther is but one true Christian fayth the abridgement whereof is conteyued in the articles of our beleefe and is taught at the full in the sacred Scriptures of both the Testaments I know also that there are sundry beliefes of men resting vpon sundry things and beleuing that which is contrary to true faith but yet neuerthelesse there remaineth but one true beliefe in God and his worde which is an vndoubted persuasion and confidence of things most true and assuredly certaine This confidence doth grow with increase in the mindes of the faithfull contrarily decreaseth againe and vtterly faileth And for that cause the Apostles besought the lord saying Lord increase our faith And Paul the Apostle doth in his writings euery where wish to the faithful the increase of the spirite and faith Dauid also before him prayed saying O God create a cleane harte within me and take not thy holy spirite from me For he had séene how that from Saule whom he succéeded in the kingdom the good spirite of God was departed and that in stéede therof the wicked spirit had entred into his minde which tormented him very pitifully Here vnto belongeth that saying in the gospel To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shal be taken away that which he hath not or that he maketh no accompt of and shal be giuen to him that hath Neither was it in vain that the Lord said to Peter I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not For Paul speketh of some in his time that made shipwracke of their owne â—aith and ouerthrew the faith of other And to what ende I praye you doe we dayly heare the worde of God and make our humble petitions to the Lord but bycause we looke for increase of godlinesse and request his ayde to keepe vs that we fall not from true fayth verily Paul to the Thessalonians sayth We pray earnestly daye and night to see you personally and to supply that which is wanting in your fayth And a little before he sayde For this cause I sent Timotheus that I might be certiâ—â—ed of your fayth least by any meanes the tempter had tempted you and so our labour had ben of no effect The same Apostle also in his epistle to the Ephesians sayth Christe gaue some Apostles some Prophetes some Pastours and teachers to the restoring of the Saintes vnto the building of the body of Christ vntill we all meete together in the vnitie of fayth and the acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of age of the fulnesse of Christ so that now we be no longer children Therfore so long as we liue we learne that our fayth may be perfect and if so be at any time it shall be weakned by temptations that then it may be repayred and againe confirmed And in this diuersitie I meane in this increase and weaknesse of fayth there is no partition or diuision for the selfe same roote and substance of fayth doth alwayes remayne althoughe it be at sometime more and at somtime lesse In like manner fayth is not therefore changed nor cut in sunder â–ª bicause one is called generall fayth and another particular fayth For generall faith is no other then that whiche beleeueth that al the words of God are true and that God hath a good will to mankind Particular fayth beléeueth nothing contrarie to this onely that whiche is coÌ„mon to al the faythful applieth particularly to him selfe beleeuing that God is not well minded towarde others alone but euen vnto him also So then it bringeth the whole into parts and that which is generall into particularities For whereas by generall fayth he beléeueth that all the wordes of God are true in the same sorte by particular fayth he doth beléeue that the soule is immortall that our bodyes rise againe that the faythfull shall be saued the vnbeléeuers destroyed and whatsoeuer else is of this sort taught to be beléeued in the word of god Moreouer the disputation touching faith that is poured into vs and fayth that we our selues get touching formall fayth and fayth without fashion I beléeue to be beaten out of them whiche of them selues do bring these newe disputations into the Churche True faith is obtained by no strength or merite of man but is powred into him of
knowne nor lefte in writing of the holye Scriptures Some there are that dâ—e attribute it to the Apostles them selues and therefore doe call it by the name of the Apostles Créede Saint Cyprian the Martyr in his exposition of the Apostles Créede saythe Our auncestors haue a saying that after the Lordes ascension when by the comming of the holy ghoste the fierie tongues sate vpon euery one of the Apostles so that they spake both diuers and sundrie languages whereby there was no forreine nation nor barbarous tongue to whiche they seemed not sufficiently prepared to passe by the way they had a commandement from the Lorde to goe vnto all nations to preache the worde of god When therefore they were in a readinesse to departe they layde downe among them selues a platform of preaching for them all to followe least peraduenture being seuered one from another they should preach diuers things to them that were conuerted to the fayth of Christe Wherefore being there altogether and replenished with the holy ghoste they gathered one euery ones seuerall sentence and made that Breuiarie as I saide to be a patterne for all their preachings to be framed by appointing it for a rule to be giuen to them that should beleeue This sayth Cyprian But whether they were of the Apostles owne making or no or else that other the Apostles disciples made theÌ„ yet this is very wel knowne that the very doctrine of the Apostles is purely conteyned and taught in them These twelue Articles are called also a badge bycause by that signe as it were by a badge true Christians are discerned from false Nowe I will declare what order I will vse in expounding them vnto you This whole breuiatie or abridgement of faythe may be diuided into foure partes so that the thrée firste partes may make manifest the misteries of the thrée persons in one godheade and that the fourth may laye forth the fruits of fayth that is to say what good things we looke for by faith what good things God bestoweth on them that put their trust in him And yet this notwithstanding I wil procéed herein euen orderly so as the twelue Articles are placed or set downe The first article of Christian faith is this I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth And this first Article of the Créede containeth two especiall pointes For firste we say generally I beléeue in god Then we descende particularly to the distinction of the persons and adde The father almightie For God is one in substance and thrée in persons Wherefore vnderstanding the vnitie of the substaunce we saye plainly I beléeue in god And againe kéeping not confounding the persons we adde In the father almightie In Iesus Christ his only sonne And in the holy Ghoste Let vs therefore be léeue that God is one not many and pure in substaunce but thrée in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost For in the law it is writteÌ„ Hearken Israell The Lord our God is one Lord. And againe in the gospell we reade that the Lorde sayde Baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste By the way this is singularly to be marked of vs that when we pray wée say Our father which art in Heauen giue vs this day our daily breade but that wheÌ„ wée make Confession of our beliefe wee say not we beleeue but I beleeue For faithe is required of euery one of vs for euery particular man to haue wythonte dissimulation in his harte and without double meaninge to professe it wyth his mouth It was not enough for Abraham to haue fayth for all his seede Neyther wil if auayle thee any thing for an other to beleeue if thou thy selfe art without fayth For the Lord requireth fayth of euery particular man for himselfe Wherefore so oft as wee confesse our fayth euery one of vs by himselfe doth saye I beleeue But what it is to brleeue I haue declared alreadye in my fourth Sermon It followeth in the Confession I beleeue in god God is the obiecte and foundation of oure Fayth as hee that is the euerlastinge and chiefe goodnes neuer wearie but alway ready at our neede Wée therfore beléeue in God that is to say wee put our whole hope all our safety and our selues wholy into his handes as vnto him that is able to preserue and bestowe on vs all thinges that are requisite for our behooâ—e Nowe it followeth that that God in whom we rest and vnto whose tuition wée do all commit oure selues is The Father Almightye Our God is therefore called Father because from before all beginninge hee begatte the sonne like to himselfe For the Scripture calleth God the father of oure Lord Iesus Christe He sayth the Apostle is the brightnesse of the glorie of God and the liuely Image of the substaunce of the father to whom he said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be his father and hee shal be my sonne Also God is called father in respecte of the likenesse that hee hath with oure earthly father to witte because of our Creation the fauour loue good will carefulnesse where with he is affected towards vs For God hath created vs God loueth vs God regardeth our affayres and is careful for vs yea and that more exceedinglye too then any earthly father is For saith Dauid Euen as the father pitieth his childreÌ„ so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him for hee knoweth our estate remembring that we are but duste Esaias also in his 49. Cap. sayth Can a woman forget her owne infante and not pitie and be fayne ouer the sonne of hir owne wombe But admit she do forget yet will not I forget thee In this is declared Gods good will to vs ward and wée confessing that God is our father do also professe that God to vs is both gentle liberall and merciful who wisheth vs all thinges that are auayleable to our health and purposeth nothinge to vs warde but that which is good and wholesome and last of all that at his hande wée receiue what good soeuer wée haue either bodilye or ghostly God is called Almighty because by his might hée can do al things because he is Lord of all thinges and hath all thinges subiecte to his commaundement For the same cause also is hee called the Lord of Hostes Heauen Earth and whatsoeuer is therein Starres all Elements Men Angells deuils al liuing Creatures all things created are in the power of the moste highe and euerlasting god What soeuer hee commaundeth that they doe nothing is able to withstand his will. What hee wil that must of necessitie be done and also these things he vseth euen as his owne wil and pleasure is and as his iustice and mans saluation do require Firste wée confessed that God doth will vs well and nowe wée acknowledge that whatsoeuer hée wil that he is able to bring
hath felte calamities Hee beareth our infirmities and hath carryed our sorrowes For the Lorde himselfe also in the Gospell said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death But verily hée suffred all this for vs For in him was neyther sinne nor any cause else whye hée shoulde suffer Secondarily in this article is noted the time Pontius Pilate the iudge vnder whom the Lorde dyed and redéemed the world from sinne death the deuil and hell Hée suffred therefore in the Monarchie of the Romanes vnder the Emperour Tiberius when as now according to the Prophecie of Iacob father of Israell the Iewishe people obeyed forreine kings because there were no more kinges or captaynes of the stocke of Iuda to haue the rule ouer them For hée foretold that then the Messias should come What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lord himselfe oftener then once in the Gospell did foreshew that hée should be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and by them be put to death In the thirde point of this article wée do expreslye declare the maner of his death For wée adde Hée was crucifyed and dyed on the Crosse But the death of the Crosse as it was most reprochfull so also was it most bitter or sharpe to be suffred yet tooke hée that kinde of death vppon him that hée might make satisfaction for the worlde and fulfill that which from the beginning was prefigured that he should be hāged on the tree Isaac was layde on the pile of woode to be offered vp in sacrifice Moses also stuck the Serpent on the stake of woode and lift it vp to be behelde And the Lord himself said I when I shal be lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto mee Finally hée dyed on the Crosse géeuinge vp his Ghoste to god For hée dyed verily and in déede as you shall streightway perceiue Where I haue briefly to declare vnto you what the fruite of Christe his death is First wée were accursed because of sinne hée therfore tooke our curse vppon himselfe beinge lyft vp vppon the Crosse to the end he might take our curse away and that wée might be blessed in him Then also the heritage bequeathed to vs by Will could not come vnto vs vnlesse hee which bequeathed it did dye But God bequeathed it who that hée might die became mā and dyed according to his humane nature to the ende that wée might receiue the heritage of life In an other place againe Paule sayth Him that knewe not sinne did God make sinne for vs that wee by him mighte bee made the righteousnes of God. Our Lorde therefore became man by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfaction for vs On whō as it were vppon a Goate for sinne offring when all the sinnes of the whoale worlde were gathered together and layd hée by his death tooke awaye and purged them all so that nowe the onely sacrifice of Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world And this verily is the greatest comoditie of Christ his death taught euery where by the Apostles of Christe Next after that also the death of Christe doth teach vs patience and the mortification of our fleshe yea Christe by the participation of himselfe doth by his Spirite worke in vs that sinne may not reigne in vs Touching which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth many thinges in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes The Lord in the Gospell sayth If any man will follow mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow mee These and a few more are the fruites of the Lord his passion or the death of Christe Fourthly in this Article is added Hee was buried For our Lorde dyed verilie and in deede vppon the Crosse The very truth of his death was proued by the Souldiour which thruste him through the syde After that hée was taken downe from the Crosse and layde in a Sepulcher In the Gospell are expressed the names of them that buryed him Ioseph and Nicodemus There is also shewed the manner how they buried him The fruite of this his buriall the Sauiour himselfe hath taught in these woords Verilie verily I say vnto you vnlesse the seede of corne cast into the earthe doe dye it remayneth alone But if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Whervppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to be buried with Christe in his death that wée may rise againe in the newnesse of life yea that wée maye liue reigne with him for euermore If therefore our bodies also be buried at any time let vs not therefore be troubled in minde For the faithfull are buried that they maye ryse with Christe againe The fift part of this fourth article some do put seuerallie by it self for the fift article of our fayth I for my part do see no cause whie it should be plucked from that that goeth before nor whie it should make by it selfe a peculiar article of our fayth The woords are these Hee descended into hell Touchinge this there are sondrie opinions among the expositors of the holie Scriptures Augustine in his booke De fide symbolo doth neyther place these woordes in the rule of beliefe nor yet expound them Cyprian sayth thus It is to be knowne verilie that in the Creede of the latin Church this is not added Hee descended into hell nor yet is this clause receiued in the Churches of the Easte but yet the sense of that clause seemeth to be all one with that where it is sayd He was buried This sayth hée So then Cyprians opinion seemeth to be that To descende into hell is nothing else but to be layd in the graue accordinge to that sayinge of Iacob Yee will bring my gray heares with sorrow to hell or the graue But there are some that thincke this assertion to be without lawful proofe For it is not lykelie that they would wrappe a thinge once alreadie plainly spoken immediatlie after in a darker kinde of speach Nay rather so often as two sentences are ioyned together that signifie both one thing the latter is alwayes an exposition of the firste But in these two speaches Hee was buried and hee descended into hell the first is the plainer and the latter the more intricate Augustine in his 99. Epistle to Euodius turmoyleth himselfe pitifullie in this matter To Dardanus de Dei praesentia he writeth that the Lord went into hell but that hee felt no torment Wée shall more agreably to the truth seeme to vnderstande this article if wee shal thincke that the vertue of Christe his death did flow euen to them that were dead and profited them too that is to saye that all the Patriarches and holie mē that died before the coming of Christ were for the death of Christe preserued from death euerlastinge As S. Peter also maketh mention That the Lord went in the spirite preached vnto the Spirits that were in prison For verilie they by the death of Christ were made to knowe the sentence of
is bestowed on vs and deriued from him to vs by the holy Ghoste For the Apostle sayth God which anoynted vs is he also which hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts And againe Ye were in deede defiled with naughtinesse but nowe ye are cleansed and sanctified and lastely iustified throughe the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God. The Father in déede doth sanctifie too but by the bloud of Iesus Christe and poureth the same sanctification out of him into vs by the holy Ghost so that it is as it were the propertie of the holy Ghoste to sanctifie wherevpon he is called Holy or the sanctifier Therefore so often as we heare the holy Ghost named we must by and by think of the power in working which the Scripture attributeth to him and we must looke after the benefites that from him doe flowe to vs For the power operation or action of the spirite is that what so euer the grace of God doth work in vs through the Sonne so that of necessitie we must beléeue in the holy Ghost And in this eight Article we doe professe that we doe verily beléeue that all the faithfull are cleansed washed regenerated sanctified inlightned and inriched of God with diuers gifts of grace for Christ his sake but yet through the holy Ghost For without him there is no true sanctification wherefore we ought not to attribute these giftes of grace to any other meanes this glory belongeth to the holy Ghost onely Of whome I will more largely and fully discourse in my other Sermons The houre is spent which warneth me to wrappe vp briefly and make an ende therefore I exhort you al to haue your faithe religiously bent vpon the Lorde Iesus for him hath the heauēly father sente to vs in him hath he wholy expressed and shewed him selfe to vs and him doth the holy Ghoste printe in our heartes and kéepe in our mindes And in Christ is all mans saluation and euery part thereof contained wherefore we must beware that we deriue it not from any thing else It pleased the father saith the Apostle that all fulnesse shoulde dwell in the Sonne and in him to recapitulate and as it were to bring into a summe all points of saluation that in him all the faithfull may be fulfilled For if saluation be sought then euen by his very name are we taught that saluation is in his power For he is called Iesus that is a sauiour If we desire the holy spirit of God and his sundry gifts we shal finde them also in the annointing of Christ For he is called Christ the annoynted I saye the holye of holies and the sanctifier or else the annoynter of vs with his spirite If any man haue néede of strength and might of power and deliueraunce well he hath to looke for it in Christe his dominion For Christe is Lorde of all In the same Christ we finde redemption For he hath redéemed vs that were solde vnder Sathans yoake In his conception we haue puritie in his natiuitie we haue sufferance For he became like to vs that he might suffer griefe as well as we For in his passion we haue forgiunesse of sinnes in his condemnation we haue absolution satisfaction in his offering or cleansing sacrifice cleansing in his bloude and an vniuersall reconciliation in his descending into hell In his buriall we haue the mortificatiō of our flesh the newnesse of life yea rather the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of our bodyes in his glorious resurrection We haue also the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome with the assured sealing thereof in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the father And there is he our mediatour priest and king our safegarde and our heade oure defender and moste sure rest From thence he poureth into vs his holye spirite the fulnesse of all good thinges and dothe communicate him selfe wholy to vs ioyning vs vnto him selfe with an indissoluble knot From thence we doe with confidence and ioy looke for him to be our iudge to be I say our patrone and deliuerer whiche shall condemne and sende downe hedlong into hell all our enimies with sathan but shal take vs and al the faith full of euery age vp into heauen with him self there to sing a newe song and to reioyce in him for euer and euer To him be glory for euer Amen Of the latter Articles of Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The nynth Sermon LEt vs call to oure Father in heauen through our Lord Iesus Christe that he wil vouchsafe to poure his grace into vs that we may to our no smal profit dispatch and expound the last part of the Articles of Christian beliefe The nynth Article of fayth is this The holy Catholique Churche the communion of Saintes After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinitie and in the mysterie of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe and lastly in the holy Ghost the sanctifier and restoarer of al now in the fourth part is reckoned vp the fruite and power the effect and ende of fayth and what doth come to and is bestowed on the faithfull There commeth to them communion of God and all Saintes sanctification remission of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and life euerlastinge Of which I will speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the bountifull Lord shal giue me abilitie Nowe then here we haue to rehearse out of the eight Article this worde I beléeue we must I meane say I beléeue the holy Catholique Churche Some vnlearned there are which hold opinion that in this point of our confession we should say I beléeue in the holy Church The reason that leades them so to thinke is this bycause they finde written in the Constantinopolitane Créede And in the holy Ghost the Lorde that giueth life who procéedeth from the father and the sonne who together with the father the sonne is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For these wordes they doe so distinguishe that as they doe repeate out of the premisses these wordes I beléeue and make this the sense I beleeue in the holye Ghoste the Lorde euen so here againe they doe repeate these wordes I beléeue making this to be the sense I beléeue in one Catholique and Apostolique Church But this is more then néedeth yea and against all godlynesse doe they wrest these wordes of the Créede For this In one Catholique and Apostolique Church is not referred to the Verbe I beléeue but to the holye Ghoste bycause he spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For our meaning is and we confesse that one and the same spirite did all thinges in both Testamentes contrarie to the opinion of them whiche imagined that there were two spirites contrarie one to the other Moreouer Sainte Cyprian in his exposition
and comfort imprisoned captiues Herevnto Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 12. hath an eye where he sayth The chiefest vertue is to keepe hospitalitie and to feede the poore To redeeme captiues also is a greate and excellent worke of righteousnes And as great a work of iustice is it to saue and defend the fatherlesse widowes the desolate helplesse whiche the law of God doth euery where coÌ„maund It is also a part of the chiefest humanitie and a great good deed to take in hand to heale and chearish the sicke that haue no body to helpe them Finally that last and greatest duetie of pietie is the buriall of strangers and of the poore Thus muche hitherto touching the duetie of ciuil humanitie which true loue sheweth to his neighbour in necessitie But it is not inough my brethren to vnderstande how we ought to loue our neighbour though we ought often to repeate it but rather we must loue him excéedingly and aboue that that I am able to say Let vs heare the Apostle who with a wonderful goodly grace of spéech with a most excelleÌ„t exquisite holy example of Christe doth exhort vs all to the shewing of charitie to our neighbour and sayth If therefore there bee any consolation in Christe if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirite if any compassion mercie fulfill ye my ioye that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde and minde let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in meekenesse let euery man esteeme one the other better then him selfe looke ye not euery man on his owne thinges but euery man also on the thinges of others For let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the fourme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and found in figure as a man he humbled him selfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath lightly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that in the name of Iesus euery knee shoulde bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue shoulde confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christe is the glory of God the father To him alone be honor power for euer euer Amen The end of the first Decade of Sermons The Second Decade of Sermons writen by Henrie Bullinger Of lawes and first of the lawe of Nature then of the lawes of men ¶ The first Sermon THE summe of all lawes is the loue of GOD and our neighbour of which and euery parte whereof bycause I haue already spokeÌ„ in my last Sermon the next is that nowe also I make a particular discourse of lawes and euery part and kinde thereof Let vs therefore call to God who is the cause and beginning of lawes that he through our Lorde Iesus Christe will vouchsafe with his spirite alwayes to direct vs in the waye of trueth and righteousnesse A heathen writer no base authour ywis made this definition of lawe that it is an especiall reason placed in nature coÌ„mauÌ„ding what is to be done and fordidding the contrarie And verily the lawe is nothing but a declaration of Gods will appointing what thou hast to do and what thou oughtest to leaue vndone The beginning and cause of lawes is God him selfe who is the fountaine of all goodnesse equitie trueth and righteousnesse Therefore all good and iust lawes come from God him selfe althoughe they be for the most parte published and brought to light by men Touching the lawes of men we muste haue a peculiar consideratioÌ„ of theÌ„ by theÌ„ selues For of lawes some are of God some of Nature some of Men. As concerning Gods law I wil speak of it in my seconde Sermon at this present I will touch first the lawe of Nature and then the lawe of Men. The law of Nature is an instruction of the conscience and as it were a certaine direction placed by God him self in the mindes and hearts of men to teach them what they haue to doe and what to eschue And the conscience verily is the knowledge iudgement and reason of a man whereby euery man in him selfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euery thing that he eyther hath committed or not committed doth eyther condemne or else acquite him self And this reason procéedeth from God who both prompteth and writeth his iudgementes in the hearts and mindes of men Moreouer that which we call Nature is the proper disposition or inclination of euery thing But the disposition of mankind being flatly corrupted by sinne as it is blinde so also is it in all pointes euill and naughtie It knoweth not God it worshippeth not God neyther doth it loue the neighbour but rather is affected with selfe loue towarde it selfe and séeketh still for the owne aduauntage For whiche cause the Apostle sayde That we by nature are the children of wrath Wherefore the lawe of nature is not called the lawe of nature bicause in the nature disposition of maÌ„ there is of or by it selfe that reason of light exhorting to the best things and that holy working but for bycause God hath imprinted or ingrauen in our myndes some knowledge and certaine generall principles of religion iustice and goodnesse which bycause they be grafted in vs and borne together with vs do therefore séeme to be naturally in vs. Let vs heare the Apostle Paule who beareth witnesse to this saith When the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe do of nature the things conteined in the law they hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the workes of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience bearing theÌ„ witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing in that same day when the Lorde shall iudge the secrets of meÌ„ by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel By two arguments here doth the apostle very euidently proue that the gentiles are sinners For first of all least peraduenture they might make this excuse and say that they haue no law he sheweth that they haue a law and that bicause they transgresse this law they are become sinners For although they had not the written law of Moses yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things coÌ„teined in the law The office of the law is to disclose the wil of God and to teache thée what thou haste to do and what to leaue vndone This haue thei by nature that is this know they by the lawe of nature For that whiche followeth maketh this more plaine They when they haue no law are to them selues a law That is they haue in theÌ„ selues that which is written in the law But in what sort haue they it in them selues This againe is maâ—e manifest by that which followeth For they
Sichem Abraham in taking an othe vsed alwayes a reuerend feare and a spiced conscience whereby it followeth that to him the name of the Lorde was holy and not lightly taken All the holy fathers did both diligently and deuoutly solemnize and obserue holy rites and sacrifices Chā hath his fathers curse bycause he did vnreuerently behaue him self toward his father Cain is reproued for murdering his brother Noe giueth commaundement not to shead bloud Ioseph is highly commended for refusing to lye with another mans wife I meane the wife of his maister Ruben is rebuked bycause he did with incest defile his fathers bed Iacob was not angrie without a cause with Laban his father in Law when he suspected him of theft All the Patriarchs haue vtterly condemned lyars false witnesses as wel as euil lusts concupiscence Wherfore the patriarchs euer from the beginning of the world euen vntill Moses time were not without the preceptes of the ten commaundements although they had them not grauen in tables or written in parchments For the Lord with his finger writ them in their hearts whiche the liuely tradition of the fathers did exquisitely garnish reuerently teach The lawe is euerie where the same and the will of God is alwayes one bycause God is but one and is neuer chaunged Neuerthelesse the commaundements were firste of all set downe in tables by God who was the beginner and writer of them and after that againe were written into bookes by Moses Likewise also the olde and holy Patriarches that were before Moses did not want the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes For they had their Priestes I say their fathers of euery kindred or houshold they had their ceremonies their altars and sacrifices they had their solemne assemblies and purifications They had their lawes for succession in heritage for the diuision and possession of goods for bargayning and contractes and for the punishing of euill doers All which Moses gathered together into a certaine number of decréed lawes setting downe many thinges more plainely then they were before and ordeining many thinges which the Patriarches were eyther altogether without or else had vsed in another order Of which sorte were the Tabernacle the holy vessels the Arke of the couenaunt the table the Candlesticke the Altar for burnt offerings and for incense the Leuiticall Priesthoode the holy vestments with the feastes and holy dayes and what so euer else is like to this all which verily are abrogated by Christe as in place conuenient I meane to declare But for bycause manners can not consist if the tenne Commaundements be broken therefore the Morall lawe although it haue properly the name of a lawe is notwithstanding not abrogated or broken For the tenne Commaundementes are the very absolute and euerlasting rule of true righteousnesse and all vertues set downe for al places men and ages to frame themselues by For the summe of the ten Commaundements is this To shewe our loue to God and one loue another and this doth the Lorde require at all times and euery where of all kynde of men Moreouer this is to be noted touching the dignitie of the Morall lawe conteined in the tenne Commaundements that whereas all the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes were reuealed of God to Moses by the Angels and by Moses to the people and that againe by Moses at Gods commaundement they were inserted into written bookes yet notwithstanding the Morall lawe of the tonne Commaundements was not reuealed by man or any meanes of man but by God him selfe at the Mount Sina who there among other mightie and maruellous wonders did openly in a publique and innumerable assembly of men and Angels rehearse them word for word as they are now to be séene Furthermore they were written not by the hande of Moses but with the finger of God in tables not made of matter easie to be dissolued but made of stone to indure for euer Those tables also were kept as the most precious treasure in that Arke which of the tables of the couenant conteining in thē the chiefe articles of the eternal league was named the Arke of the couenant Which Arke againe was layde vp in the holy of holiest All which circumstances tend to nothing else but to cōmend vnto vs the excellencie of the. 10 Cōmaundements and to warne vs to reuerence that God which published this Moral law as him that is the Lord of heauen and earth and which at his owne wil and pleasure doth order the disposition of all the elements against disobedient rebels these circūstances also do admonish vs that euen now in our time also we haue to estéeme of the ten Commaundements as of the déerest iuels to be found in al the world For the holy reliques the are remaining in the church of Christ are the 10. Commandements the Apostles Créed the Lordes prayer lastly the whole contents of the sacred Bible Touching the proclamation or first edition of the. 10 Cōmandements we haue a wonderful large discourse of Moses Exo. 19 Deut. 4. 5. chap. Now the tables wherinto the. 10. Cōmaundements of Gods law be disposed are in number two Whereof the first conteineth 4. Cōmaundements the latter 6. For the last commaundement which some diuide into twaine is in very déed but one alone and vndiuided For first the Lord doth generally commaund say Thou shalt not couet thē he descendeth particularly doth by enumeration reckon vp that things that we must not couet to wit our neighbours wife his house his landes his cattell his substance Beside that too this doth argue that it is so bicause according to that Hebrue diposition this commaundement is altogether one whole verse not diuided into twaine With this diuision of ours agrée Ioseph Antiqui li. 6. ca. 3. Origenes in Exod. Homelia 8. Ambros in 6. cap. Epist ad Ephe. But the maister of sentences hauing diuided this last comaundement into twaine doth therefore place in that first table 3. comaundements no more He did peraduēture folow Augustine herein who Questio in Exo. 71. Epistola ad Ianuarium 119 dothe also reckon vp but thrée Commaundements of the first table alone which he did in respect of the mystical Trinitie And yet this notwithstanding he dothe not ouerslippe the commaundement for abandoning and not worshipping of images for vndoutedly he had alwayes in his mynde those wordes of the Lorde in the Gospell where he saith Verily I say vnto you though heauen and earth doe passe one iote or title of the lawe shall not passe till all be fulfilled Whosoeuer therefore shall breake one of the least of these commaundements and shall teach men so hee shall bee called the least in the kingdome of heauen The same Augustine againe in Questionibus veteris et noui testamenti lib. 1. cap. 7. maketh foure cōmaundements of the first table and sixe of the second And againe he differeth not much from the same order in his thirde
carie no burthen vpon you on the Sabboth day to bring it through the gates of Ierusalem and that ye beare no burthen out of your houses on the Sabboth day looke that ye do no labour therin but keepe holy the Sabboth day as I cōmanded your fathers Howbeit they obeied me not neither hearkned they vnto me but were obstinate and stubborne and would not receiue my correction Neuerthelesse if ye wil heare me saith the Lord and beare no burthen through this gate vpō the Sabboth but hallow the sabboth so that ye doe no worke therin then shall there go through the gates of this citie Kings and Princes that shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid they shall be carried vpon chariots ride vpon horses both they and their Princes there shall come men from the cities of Iuda and the land of Beniamin which shal bring sacrifices and shall offer incense and thanksgiuing in the house of the lord But if ye wil not be obedient vnto me to hallowe the sabboth so that ye wil beare your burthens through the gates vpō the sabboth day thē wil I set fire vpō the gates of Ierusalē which shal burne vp the great houses therof shal not be quenched Verie iustly therfore did the deuout Princes Leo and Anthemius writing to Arsemius their Lieftenant in these words giue charge That the holy dayes ordeined in honour of the high Gods maiestie shuld not be spent in any voluptuous pleasures nor be vnhallowed wyth troublesome exactions We therefore do decree and ordein that the Lords day or sunday as it hath always ben accoūted wel of so it shall stil be had in estimation so that vpon that day no office of the lawe shal be executed no man shal be summoned no man arested for suretiship no man attached no pleading shal be heard nor any iudgement pronounced c. And by by after again Neyther doe we in giuing this rest of the holy day suffer any mā to wallow in any kind of wanton pleasures at al. For on that day stage playes are not admitted nor fencers prises nor beare baitings yea to if it happē that the solemnising of our byrth day fal vpō the Sunday then shal it be diferred til the next day after And we haue determined that he shal sustein the losse of his dignitie and haue his patrimonie confiscate whosoeuer shall on the Sabboth day be present at any sight or playe or what sommoner soeuer of any iudge whatsoeuer shal vnder the pretence of any businesse either publique or priuate do any thing to infringe the statutes in this law enacted And yet neuerthelesse they that are Christians do not forget the words of Christ in the Gospell where he saith The sabboth was made for man and not man for the sabboth and that the sonne of man too is Lorde of the sabboth The godly do very well knowe that God ordeined the sabboth for the preseruation and not for the destruction of mankind and that therfore he doth dispence with vs for the sabboth as often as any vrgent necessitie or sauing of a man shall séeme to require it Touching which matter our Sauiour Christ him selfe hath fully satisfied the faithful in the 12. of Matthew the 6. 13. chap. after S. Luke In such things verily Christians may vse their libertie to occupy them selues in on the sabboth day Since the priestes Leuites are held excused which do in the temple openly both kill fley burne boil beasts in making their sacrifices so that they are not thought to breake that Sabboth day bycause they may without offence to God euen on the sabbothes dresse make ready the thinges seruing to that outward worship of the Lord so likewise may we on the sabboth dresse make ready meate other necessaries which our bodies cānot lack We may also minister physicke to the sick visite the weak help the néedy that so we maye preserue y creature of god Herein did our sauiour giue vs an example to follow who did on that sabboth worke y déeds of charitie mercy we haue more then one example of his to be séene in the Gospell but especially in Luke 6. 13. Iohn the. 5. chap. If thē on the sabboth day it be lawful to draw out of a pit a shéep or an oxe in danger of drowning why shuld it not be lawfull likewise on that sabboth to vnderset with props a ruinous house that is redy to fal why should it not be lawful on the sabboth day to gather in kéep from spoyling y hay or corne which by reason of vnseasonable wether hath lain too long abroad likely to be worse if it stay any longer The holy Emperor Cōstantine writing to Elpidius saith Let all iudges in courts of law citizens of all occupations rest vpon the Sunday kepe it holy with reuerēce and deuotion But they that inhabite the contrie may freely and at libertie attend on their tillage vpon the sabboth day For often times it falleth out that they can not vpon an other day so commodiously sow their seed or plant their vines and so by letting passe the opportunitie of a litletime they may hap to loose the profite giuen of GOD for oure prouision Thus sayth the Emperour Now we must consider that he doth not licence husbandmen by al kinde of toyle continually to defile the sabboth day For of the countrimen as well as of the townesmen are looked for due honour done to GOD and the kéeping of the fourth commaundement onely this must be remembred that libertie is graunted in causes of necessitie But a godly mynde and charitie shall be excellent dispensors and mistresses to leade vs in such cases as these leaste vnder the coloured pretence of libertie and necessitie we doo déedes not to be borne withall on the sabboth day exercise the works of gréedie couetousnesse and not of sincere holynesse And thus much had I to say touching the second vse of the sabboth day Thirdly the sabboth hath a verie ample or large signification For it is a perpetual signe that god alone is he that sanctifieth those that worship his name For thus saith the Lord to Moses Ye shall keepe my sabbothes bicause it is a signe betwixt me and you to thē that come after you to knowe that I am the Lorde which sanctifie you And so foorth as it is to be seene in the. 31. of Exodus and is againe repeated in the. 20. of Ezechiel And to this end doth the Lord mutually apply him selfe as is before sayde in the declaration of the sabbothes second vse and signification For God doth by his holy spirite sanctifie his faithful folke and constant beléeuers which he declareth vnto the Church by the preaching of the Gospell bearing witnesse thervnto and sealing it with his Sacraments so that he commaundeth vs with continuall prayers incessantly to craue of him that glorious sanctification All whiche things verily
be magistrate whose care is day and night to haue an eye that the flock of the Lord be not scattered indaungered nor vtterly destroyed And thus haue I hetherto told you what kinde of men they ought to bée to whom the charge is to be committed ouer the Lords people Last of all touching the maner of consecrating magistrates sondrie citties and countries haue sondrie customes Let euery countrie fréelie reteine their owne vsual order I for my part thinke best of that maner of consecrating wherein sumptuous pompe is little or none but what reason and decencie séeme to allow The best and most profitable way is in coÌ„secrating them that are once chosen to vse a certaine moderate ceremonie and that too in the face of al the people that euerie one may know who they bee that are the fathers of the people to whom they owe honour whom they ought to obey and for whose health and welfare they ought to pray The people of God had a certaine prescribed ceremonie which wée read that they vsed in consecrating their kings and magistrates and it is certeine that it was profitablie and for good causes first inuented and then commaunded by God himselfe The rest that is yet behind to bee spoken touching the magistrate I meane to deferre vntill tomorrow And now to end with thanckisgeuing let vs praise the lord c. ¶ Of the office of the Magistrate whether the care of religion apperteine to him or no and whether hee may make lawes and ordinaunces in cases of Religion ¶ The seuenth Sermon THE first and greatest thing that chieflie ought to be in a magistrate is easilie perceiued by the declaration of his office and duetie In my yesterdayes sermon I shewed you what the magistrate is how many kindes of magistrates there are of whom the magistrate had his beginning for what causes hée was ordeined the maner and order how to choose péeres and what kinde of men should be called to be magistrates To this let vs now adde what the office and duetie â—â— a magistrate properlie is The whole office of a magistrate séemeth to consist in these 3. points To Order to Iudge and to Punish Of euerie one wherof I meane to speake seuerallie in order as they lye The ordinaunce of the magistrate is a decrée made by him for mainteyning of religion honestie iustice publique peace and it consisteth on ij points in ordering rightly matters of religion and making good lawes for the preseruation of honestie iustice common peace But before I come to the determining and ordering of religion I will brieflie and in few words handle their question which demaunde whether the care of religion do apperteine to the magistrate as part of his office or no For I see many that are of opinion that the care and ordering of religion doth belong to Bishops alone and that kings princes senatours ought not to medle therewith But the catholique veritie teacheth that the care of religion doth especiallie belong to the magistrate and that it is not in his power onely but his office duetie also to dispose and aduaunce religion For among them of old their kinges were priestes I meane maisters and ouerséers of religion Melchisedech that holie wise Prince of the Chananitish people who bare the type or figure of Christe our Lord is wenderfullie commended in the holie Scriptures Now hée was both king and priest together Moreouer in the booke of Numbers to Iosue newlie ordeined and lately consecrated are the lawes belonging to religion giuen vp deliuered The kings of Iuda also and the electe people of God haue for the wel ordering of religion as I will by examples anon declare vnto you obteyned verie great praise and againe as many as were slacke in looking to religion are noted with the mark of perpetuall reproch Who is ignoraunt the the magistrates especiall care ought to bée to kéepe the common weale in safegard prosperitie which vndoubtedlie he cannot do vnlesse he prouide to haue the word of God preached to his people and cause them to be taught the true worship of God by that meanes making himself as it were the minister of true religion In Leuiticus and Deuteronomie the Lord doth largelie set downe the good prepared for men that are religious and zealous in déede reckoneth vppe on the other side the euil appointed for the contemners of true religion But the good magistrate is commaunded to reteine and kéepe prosperitie among his people and to repel al kinde of aduersitie Let vs heare also what the wise man Salomon saith in his Prouerbes Godlines and trueth preserue the king and in godlines his seate is holden vp When the iust are multiplied the people reioyce and when the wicked ruleth the people lamenteth The king by iudgemeÌ„t stablisheth his dominioÌ„ but a tyrant ouerthroweth it When the wicked increase iniquitie is multiplied the iust shall see their decay Where the word of God is not preached the people decay but happie is hee that keepeth the lawe Whereby we gather that they which would not haue the care of religion to apperteine to princes doe séeke and bring in the confusion of al things the dissolution of princes and their people lastlie the neglecting oppression of the poore Furthermore the Lord commaundeth the magistrate to make triall of doctrines and to kill those that do stubbornelie teach against the scriptures draw the people from the true god The place is to be séene in the 13 of Deut. God also forbad the magistrate to plant groaues or erect images as is to be séene in the 17. of Deut. And by those particularities he did insinuate things general forbiding to ordeine to nourish set forth superstitioÌ„ or idolatrie wherfore he commaunded to aduauÌ„ce true religion so consequently it foloweth that the care of religion belongeth to the magistrate What may be thought of that moreouer that the most excellent princes and friends of God amoÌ„g Gods people did challeng to themselues the care of religioÌ„ as belonging to themselues in so much that they exercised toke the charge therof eueÌ„ as if they had béene ministers of the holie things Iosue in the mount Hebal caused an altar to be builded and fulfilled all the worship of God as it was commaunded of God by the mouth of Moses Dauid in bringing in and bestowing the arke of God in his place in ordâ—â—â—ng the worship of God was so diligent that it is wonder to tel So likewise was Salomon Dauids sonne Neither doe I thinke that any man knoweth not how much Abia Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias laboured in the reformation of religion which in their times was corrupted and vtterlie defaced The verie heathen kings and princes are praised because when they knew the trueth they gaue out edicts for the confirmation of true religion against blasphemous mouthes Nabuchodonosor the Chaldean the most mightie Monarch of all the world than who I
haue the king to preach to baptize and to minister the Lords supper or the priest on the other side to sit in the iudgment seate and giue iudgement against a murderer or by pronouncing senteÌ„ce to take vppe matters in strife The Church of Christ hath and reteyneth seuerall and distinguished offices and God is the God of order and not of coÌ„fusion Hereunto tendeth our discourse by demonstration to proue to all men that the magistrate of duetie ought to haue care of religion either in ruine to restore it or in soundnesse to preserue it and still to see that it procéede according to the rule of the woord of the lord For to that end was the law of God giuen into the kinges hands by the priestes that hee should not be ignoraunt of Gods will touching matters Ecclesiasticall and politicall by which lawe hée had to gouerne the whole estate of all his realme Iosue the Capitaine of Gods people is set before Eleazar in deede but yet hee hath authoritie to commaunde the priestes and being a politique gouernour is ioyned as it were in one bodie with the ecclesiasticall ministers The politique magistrate is commaunded to giue eare to the ecclesiastical ruler and the ecclesiastical minister must obey the politique gouernour in all thinges which the law commauÌ„deth So then the magistrate is not made subiect by God to the priestes as to Lords but as to the ministers of the Lord the subiection duetie which they owe is to the lord himself and to his law to which the priestes themselues also ought to be obedient as well as the Princes If the lipps of the priest erre from the truth and speake not the word of God there is no cause why any of the common sort much lesse the Prince should either hearken vnto or in one title reuerence the priest The lippes of the priest sayth Malachie keepe knowledge they seeke the Lawe at his mouth because he is the messinger of the lord of hoastes To refuse to hear such priestes is to repell God himself Such priestes as these the godly princes of Israell did alwayes ayde and assist false priestes they did disgrade those which neglected their offices they rebuked sharpelie and made decrees for the executing and right administring of euerie office Of Salomon wee read that hée put Abiathar beside the priesthoode of the Lord that hee might fulfil the word of the Lord which he spake of Heli in Silo and made Zadok priest in Abiathars stéede In the second booke of Chronicles it is said And Salomon set the sorts of priestes to their offices as Dauid his father had ordered them and the Leuites in their watches for to praise minister before the priestes day by day as their course did require In the same booke againe Ioiada the priest doth in déede annointe Ioas king but neuerthelesse the king doth cal the priest giue him a coÌ„maundement to gather money to repaire the temple Moreouer that religious and excellent Prince Ezechias called the priestes and Leuites and said vnto them Bee ye sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord our God and suffer no vncleannesse to remaine in the sanctuarie My sonnes be not slacke now because the Lord hath chosen you to minister vnto him selfe Hée did also appoint singars in the house of the Lord and those that should play on musicall instruments in the Lords temple Furthermore king Ezechias ordeyned sondrie companies of priestes and Leuites according to their sondrie offices euerie one according to his owne ministerie What may be sayd of that too that euen hee did diuide to the priestes their portions and stipends throughout the priesthoode The same king gaue charge to all the people to â—éepe holie that feast of Passeouer writing to them all such letters as priestes are wont to write to put them in mind of religion and hartie repentaunce And after all this there is added And the king wrought that which was good right and iust before the Lord his God. When Princes therefore doe order religion according to the woord of God they do the thing that pleaseth the lord This and the like is spoken againe by the godly Prince Iosias Who therefore will hereafter say that the care of religion belongeth vnto bishops alone The Christian Emperours following the example of the auncient kings as of their fathers did with greate care prouide for the state of true religion in the Church of Christe Arcadius Honorius did determine that so often as matters of religion were called in question the bishopps should be sommoned to assemble a counsell And before them againe the Emperours Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius established a lawe wherin they declared to the world what faith and religion they would haue all men to receiue and reteine to witte the faith and doctrine of S. Peter In which edicte also they proclaimed all them to be heretiques which thought or taught y contrarie allowing them alone to be called catholiques which did perseuere in S. Peters faith By this we gather that the proper office of y priests is to determine of religion by proofes out of the woord of God that the princes dutie is to aâ—de the priestes in aduauncement and defence of true religioÌ„ But if it happen at any time that the priests be slack in doing their duetie then is it the princes office by compulsion to inforce the priestes to liue orderlie according to their profession and to determine in religion according to the woord of god The Emperour Iustinian in Nouellis CoÌ„stitut 3. writing to Epiphanius Archbishop of Constantinople saith Wee haue most reuerend Patriarch assigned to your holinesse the disposition of all things that are honest seemelie and agreeable to the rule of the holie scriptures touching the apointing ordering of sacred bishops reuereÌ„d clearkes And in the 7. Constitution hée saith Wee giue charge and commauÌ„demeÌ„t that no bishop haue liceÌ„ce to sell or make away any immoueables whether it be in houses or landes belonging to the Churches Againe in the 57. Constitution hée forbiddeth to celebrate the holie mysteries in priuate houses Hée addeth the penaltie and saith For the houses wherein it is done shal be confiscate and sold for money which shal be brought into the Emperours Exchequer In the 67 Constitution hée chargeth all bishops not to be absent from their Churches but if they be absent he willeth that they should receiue no commoditie or stipend of the prouinciall stuards but that their reuenue should be imployed on y Churches necessities In the 123. constitution the lieuetenauntes of euerie prouince are commaunded to assemble a counsell for the vse and defence of ecclesiasticall lawes if the bishops bee slacke to looke thereunto And immediatlie after hee saith Wee do vtterly forbid all bishoppes prelates and cleaâ—kes of what degree soeuer to play at tables to keepe companie with diceplayers to bee lookers on vpon gamesters or to runne to gaze vppon May games or
Lord in Ieremie crieth out and saith I call a sworde vppon all the dwellers vppon earth Againe in Ezechiel The sword is sharpe and readie trimmed to kill the sacrifice And againe I will giue my sword into the handes of the king of Babell The kings of Aegypte were of their people called Pharaos as who should saye Reuengers But the swoord in the magistrates hand is to bée put vnto two vses For either hée punisheth offenders therewith for doinge other men iniurie and for other ill déeds Or else hée doth in warre therwith repell the violence of forreine enimies abroade or represse the rebellions of seditious and contentious Citizens at hoame But here againe an other obiection is cast in oure way by them which say that according to the doctrine of the Gospell no man ought either to kill or to be killed ▪ because the Lord hath said Resiste not the euill And againe to Peter Put vppe thy sword into thy sheath Euerie one that taketh the sworde doth perishe by the sworde Mine aunsweare to this is that throughout all the Scripture priuate reuengement is vtterlie forbidden but that that is done openlie by authoritie of the publique magistrate is neuer founde fault withall But that was priuate and extraordinarie vengeaunce that the Apostle Peter was about to haue taken considering that hee was called to bée a Preacher of the woord of God not to bée a Iudge a Capitaine or a man of warre And against priuate and extraordinarie reuengment is that sentence rightlie pronounced Euerie one that taketh the sword shall perish by the sword But that publique vengeaunce and the ordinarie vse of the sword is not prohibited by God in the Church of Christe I proue by this testimonie of the holie Apostle Paule in the 12. to the Romanes hath taught what and how much the perfectnesse of the Gospell requireth of vs and among the rest thus hée saith Deerelie beloued reuenge not your selues but rather giue place vnto wrath For it is written vengeaunce is mine and I wil repay But because this might be argued against and this obiection caste in his way Than by this meanes the long suffering of Christians shall minister matter enough to murder and manslaughter hée doth therefore immediately after in the next Chapiter adde The magistrate is the minister of God to thy wealth to terrifie the euill doers For hee beareth not the sword in vaine For hee is Gods minister reuenger of wrath to him that doth euill Wée gather therefore by this doctrine of the Apostle that euerie one of vs must let God alone with taking of vengeaunce that no man is allowed to reuenge himself by his owne priuate authoritie But publique reuengemēt wrought by the ordinarie magistrate is no where forbidden For that God which said to vs Vengeaunce is mine I will repay doth graunt to the magistrate authoritie to exercise and put that vengeaunce in vre which hee doth claime as due to himselfe So that the magistrates duetie is to punish with the sword the wrongfull dealings of wicked men in the name and at the commaundement of God himselfe Therefore when the magistrate punisheth then doth God himselfe to whom all vengeaunce belongeth punish by the magistrate who for that cause is called by the name of god Moreouer it is written Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Againe A wise king will scatter the wicked and turne the wheele vppon them And againe He that iustifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the iust they are both abhominable in the sight of the Lord. Neither doe wée lacke examples to proue that some haue incurred y heauie wrath and displeasure of the Lord for their foolish pittie in sparing them whom the Lord cōmaunded to strike with the sword I speake of Saul and Achab. Againe on the other side there are innumerable examples of most excellent Princes which testifie beare witnesse of the praise that they deserued for punishing of lewde wicked offenders For the Prince sinneth not nor is blameworthie any whit at all which killeth or otherwise punisheth the guiltie and vngratious man and for that cause we finde in the law so often repeated His bloud be vppon him selfe But if the bloud of the guiltie be not shedde then that is imputed as a fault and layde to the magistrates charge because hée neglecting his office hath pardoned them that were not worthie to bée forgieuen and by letting them goe hath left the innocent vnreuenged For hée is made partaker of the iniurie done shedding of the innocents bloud which he leaueth vnreuenged by letting the murderer goe vntouched on whose necke the Lord gaue charge to let the sword fall The iust seueritie of the vprighte magistrate in punishinge naughtie men is not as it is falselie iudged extreme crueltie But ouerthwart and péeuish pitie that spareth offenders which are not worthie to liue amonge men is vtter and méere crueltie in déede For when the magistrate letteth them goe vnpunished and at ease which with their naughtie déeds haue deserued death he doth thereby first of all giue occasion and courage to like offenders to go on and increase in their mischiefous wickednes For they sée their owne faultes borne with al in other men Secondarilie the men that are not as yet altogether drowned in the myre of wickednesse but are euerie hour◠tempted and prouoked to naughtinesse wil at the last leaue to haue scruple of cōscience and giue their consent to yéeld to mischiefe For they sée that mischiefous marchaunts are gentellie dealt withall Lastly offenders set frée without any punishment doe for the most parte become little better yea they become twice worse than they were before and the increase of his sinne shal at length compell thée to kil him for many murders whom thou wouldest not kill for the murder of one wherby thou mightest haue saued many guiltlesse men whō that cutthroate since his first pardon hath villaynously slaine They therefore send wolues and beares amonge the common people that let such rakehells escape vnpunished Since now that I haue declared the right vse of the sword proued that the magistrate hath power to reueng mens iniuries and to kill haynous offenders let vs goe on to consider what the causes bée for which God cōmaundeth to punish transgressors let vs sée also when they ought to be punished and lastlie what kinds of punishment or penalties the magistrate must vse The especiall causes for which the Lord doth openly commaunde to punish offenders are for the most part these that follow The Lord resisteth force with force worketh the safegard and saluation of men he reuengeth them that suffer wronge and restoreth againe whatsoeuer may be restored Hée declareth his iustice also which rewardeth euerie one according to his déedes And therefore hée wipeth out reprochfull déedes with a reprochfull death Hée putteth offenders in minde of their crime and therwithall for the most part doth giue them sense of repentaunce
words of my gainsayers but with the examples of those which shewed the contrarie For first mine owne citie Hippone was obiected against mee which wheÌ„ as sometime it held wholie with Donatus was by the feare of the imperiall lawes conuerted to the Catholique vnitie and at this day we see it so greatly to detest the naughtinesse of your herâ—ticall stomaches that it is thought verilie that your heresie was neuer within it And many more places by name were reckoned vppe vnto mee that by the effect of the thing it selfe I might confesse that in such a case as this that may be rightly vnderstoode where it is written Giue a wise man occasion and he wil be the wiser And againe not euerie one that spareth is a friend nor euerie one that striketh is an enimie Better are the stripes of a friend than the voluntarie kisses of an enimie It is better to loue with seueritie than to deceiue with lenitie Hee that byndeth a phrensie man and waketh him that is sick of the lethargie doth trouble them both yet hee loueth them both Who can loue vs more than God himselfe doth and yet as he teacheth vs mildely so hee ceaseth not to terrifie vs to our health Thinckest thou that no man ought to bee compelled to righteousnesse when thou readest that the goodmaÌ„ of the house said to his seruauntes Whomsoeuer yee finde compell them to come in When thou readest that hee that was first called Saul and afterward Paule was constrayned by the violent force of Christe which compelled him to know and keepe fast the trueth of the Gospell And the same Augustine againe In Epist ad Bonifacium comitem 59. saith Where is that now that they were wont to crie and say that it is at euerie ones free choice to belieue or not to belieue Whom did Christ constreine whom did hee compell Loe here they haue the Apostle Paul for an example let them confesse in him that Christ first compelled him than taught him first struck him and afterward comforted him And it is wonderfull how he which by the punishment of his bodie was compelled to the Gospel did after his entring in labour more in the Gospell than all they that were called by word alone and whom the greater feare compelled to charitie his charitie once perfect did caste out al feare Whie then should not the Church therfore compell her lost children to returne since the lost children haue compelled other to their destruction Againe in the same epistle the same Augustine saith Wheras some which would not haue vpright lawes ordeined against their vngodlines do say that the Apostles did neuer require any such thinges of the kinges of the earth they doe not consider that that was an other time not like to this that all thinges are done in their due time and season For what Emperour did at that time belieue in Christe to serue him by making lawes in defeÌ„ce of religion against vngodlines WheÌ„ as yet that Prophecie was in fulfilling Whie did the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing The kinges of the earth stoode vppe and the rulers toke counsell against God and against his Christ For as yet that was not begunne which followeth in the Psalme where it is said And now vnderstand ye kinges and be ye learned ye that iudge the earth serue him in feare and reioyce in trembling But how doe kinges serue God in feare but by forbidding punishing with deuout seueritie those thinges which are done against Gods commaundements For in that hee is a man hee serueth him one way but in that he is a king he serueth him an other way Because in that hee is a man hee serueth him by liuing faithfullie but in that hee is a kinge hee serueth him by establishing conuenient lawes to coÌ„maund that which is iust and to forbid the contrarie As Ezechias serued him by destroying the groaues and temples of idols and those highe places that were erected against the Lords commaundement As Iosias serued him by doing the like As the king of Niniuie serued him by compelling the whoale citie to please and appease the anger of the lord As Darius serued him by geuinge the idole into Daniells power to bee broken in peeces and by casting his enimies in amonge the Lyons As Nabuch odonosor serued him by a terrible proclamation which forbadde all men within his Dominion to blaspheme the true and verie god In this therefore should kinges serue God in that that they are kinges by doinge those things which none can doe but kinges Wherefore when as in the Apostles times the kings did not as yet serue the Lord but imagined a vaine thinge against the Lord and against his Christe that the Prophets sayings might bee fulfilled there could not as then I say any lawes bee made to forbid vngodlines but counsell be rather taken to put vngodlines in practise For so the course of times did turne that both the Iewes should kil the Preachers of Christe thinckinge that thereby they did God good seruice that the Gentiles also should freat and rage against the Christians and make the Martyrs constancie ouercome the flames of fyre But afterward when that beganne to be fulfilled which is written And all the kinges of the earth shall worshippe him all nations shall serue him what maÌ„ that were wel in his wittes would say to kinges Tush take yee no care how or by whom the Church of your Lord is defended or defaced within your kingdom let it not trouble you to marke who will be honest who dishonest within your Dominion For since God hath giuen man free will whie should adulterie bee punished and sacrilege left vntouched Is it a lighter matter for the Soule to breake promise with God than a woman with a man Or forbecause those thinges which are not committed by contempte but by ignoraunce of religion are to bee more mildely punished are they therefore to be vtterly neglected It is better who doubteth for men to bee brought to the worshipping of God by teaching rather than for to be compelled to it by feare or griefe of punishmente But because these are the better they which are not such are not therefore to bee neglected For it hath profited many men as wee see by experience first to haue beene compelled with feare and griefe that afterwarde they might either bee taughte or followe that in deede which they had learned in woordes Hetherto I haue rehearsed the words of S. Augustines aunswere to the obiections of them which are of opinion that by no lawe disobedient rebells seduced people and deceiuers ought to be punished in cases of religion I sée my hope doth faile mée wherin I thought that I could haue béene able in this Sermon to haue made an ende of all that I had to say touchinge the magistrate But I perceiue that héere I must staye vnlesse I shoulde goe on déerely beloued and bée too tedious vnto you all I meane to
now depart in peace By the helpe and will of God I will within these few dayes adde the rest of the tenne commaundementes The grace of our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ be with you all Amen THE ende of the first Tome conteining two DECADES THE THIRDE AND fourth Decade of Sermons VVRITTEN TO THE most renowmed King of England Edward the sixt by Henrie Bullinger The second Tome IESVS This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him Matth. 17. TO THE MOST RENOVMED Prince Edward the sixt King of England and Fraunce Lord of Jreland Prince of Wales and Cornewall defender of the Christian faith Grace and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ YOur maiestie would I knowe righte well most royall king admitt a straunger to talke with your Grace if any newe guest should come and promise that hee would briefly out of the sentences and iudgementes of the wisest men declare the very truest causes of the felicitie and vnhappie state of euery king kingdome and therefore I hope that I shall not be excluded from the speach of your maiestie because I do assuredly promise briefly to lay downe the very causes of the felicity and lamentable calamities of kinges and their kingdomes so clearely and euidently that the hearer shall not neede to trouble himselfe with ouer busie diligence to seeke out my meaning but onely to giue attentiue eare to that which is spoken For by the helpe of God I will make this treatise not to be perceiued only by the wit and deepe iudgement of learned heades but also to be seene as it were with the eyes and handled as it were with the hands of very ideots vnlearned hearers that too not out of the doubtfull decrees and deuises of men but out of the assured word of the most true god Euen the wisest men do very often deceiue vs with their counsels and greatly endamage the followers thereof But God which is the light and eternall wisedome cannot at any time either erre or conceiue any false opinions or repugning counsells much lesse teach others any thing but trueth or seduce any man out of the right way The wisedome of the father doth in the holy Gospell crie out and say I am the light of the world hee that followeth mee shall not walke in darkenesse but shall haue the light of life This eternall wisedome of God as it doth not disorderedly wrap things vp together and make them intricate but layetb downe in order and teaceth them plainly so it doth not onely minister whoalsome counsells but bringeth them to the effect which they wish that obey her Oftentimes verily men do giue counsells that are not vnwhoalsome but yet in their counsells that is altogether omitted which should haue beene first and especially mencioned All the wise men almost of the world haue beene of opinion that kings and kingdoms should be most happie if the king of the countrie be a wise man if hee haue many wise aged faithfull and skilfull counsellours if his Captaines be valiaunt warlike and fortunate in battaile if he abound with substaunce if his kingdome bee on euery side surely fortified and lastly if his people bee of one minde and obedient All this I confesse is truly rightly and very wisely spoken but yet there is another singular and most excellent thing which is not her◠〈◊〉 â—monge these necessaries without which no true felicitie can bee attayned vnto 〈…〉 ing once gotten can safely be kept when as contrarily where that one thing is present all those other necessaries do of their owne accord fall vnto meÌ„ as they themselues can best wish or deuise The Lord our God therfore who is the onely giuer of wyse perfect counselles doth farre more briefly and better knit vpp all shortly and say in the Gospell But seeke ye first rather the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and â—ll 〈◊〉 thinges shall easily be giuen vnto you Againe Blessed are the eyes 〈…〉 that ye see For I say vnto you that many kings and Prophets haue 〈…〉 to sâ—e the thinges that ye see and to heare the thinges that ye heare 〈…〉 neither heard nor seene them And againe Nay rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And this one thing aboue allotâ—â—r is verâ—e necessarie Marie hath chosen the good part which sâ—all not be taken from her Hauing my warrant therefore out of the worde of God I dare bouldly anowe That those kinges shal flourish and be in an happie case which whoalie giue and submit themselues and their kingdomes to Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God being kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords acknowledging him to be the mightiest Prince and Monarch of all and themselues his vassalls subiectes and seruauntes which finally doe not followe in all their affaires their owne minde and iudgement the lawes of men that are contrarie to Gods commaundementes or the good intentes of mortall men but doe both themselues followe the verie lawes of the mightiest king and eternall Monarch and also cause them to be followed throughout all their kingdome reforming both themselues and all theirs at and by the rule of Gods holy word For in so doing the kingdomes shall flourish in peace and tranquillitie and the kinges thereof shall be most wealthie victorious long lyued and happie For thus speaketh the mouth of the Lord which cannot possibly lye When the king sitteth vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall take the booke of the lawe of God that hee may reade in it all dayes of his life that hee may do it and not decline froÌ„ it either to the right hand or to the left but that he may prolong the dayes in his kingdome both of his owne life of his children And againe Let not the booke of this law depart out of thy mouth Iosue or thou whatsoeuer thou art that hast a kingdome but occupie thy minde therein day and night that thou mayst obserue doe according to all that is written therin for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then shalt thou be happie It is assuredly true therfore confirmed by the testimonie of the most true God in expresse words pronounced that the prosperitie of kinges and kingdomes consisteth in true faith diligent hearing and faithfull obeying the word or lawe of God whereas their calamitie and vtter ouerthrowe doth followe the contrarie This wil I make as my promise is in this annexed demonstration both euident to the eyes and as it were palpable to the verie handes by the examples of most mightie kinges not taken out of Herodotus or any prophane author but out of the infallible historie of the most sacred Scriptures Saule the first king of Israell was both most fortunate victorious so long as hee did in all things followe the word of God but when hee once gaue place to his owne good intentes and meanings
Neither is it to bee doubted but that wée interteyne the verie Angels of God and Christe himselfe as often as wée shewe courtesie and hospitalitie to good and godly mortall men Lastly let the goodes of wealthie men serue not to the interteynment of men of credite onely but to the reliefe also of poore and néedie creaâ—â—res For that whoalsome saying of Paule must be beaten into their heads Charge them that are riche that they doe good that they be rich in good woorkes that they be readie to giue glad to distribute laying vp in stoare for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold vppon eternall life Wyth this doctrine of the Apostle doeth the Prophete Esaie very well agrée where hee sayth touching Tyre Their occupying also their wares shal be holie vnto the Lord their gaynes shall not bee layed vpp nor kept in stoare but it shal be theirs that dwell before the Lord that they may eate enough and haue cloathing sufficient Loe héere Esaias teacheth vs the meanes to lay vpp treasure that euer shal indure Moreouer in the sixt Chapiter of Matthewe the verie same is repeated that was spoken of before Let euerie one also call to his memorie the other wholsome sentences of the lord his God to stirr him vp to the giuing of almes In Deuteronomie Moses sayth Beware that thou harden not thine heart nor shutt too thine hand from thy needie brother but open thine haÌ„d liberallie vnto him Thou shalt giue him and let it not greeue thine heart to giue vnto him because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall inrich and blesse thee in all thy workes and in all thou puttest thine hand vnto The Lord shall neuer be without poore and therefore I commauÌ„de thee saying Open thine hand liberallie vnto thy brother that is poore and needie in the land In the Psalmes wee finde A good man is mercifull and leâ—deth and guideth his wordes with discretion Hee dispearseth abroad and giueth to the poore his righteousnes remayneth for euer his horne shal be exalted with honour Solomon also saith Let mercie or weldoing and faithfulnes neuer part from thee binde them about thy necke and write them in the tables of thine hart so shalt thou finde fauour and good estimation in the sight of God men Againe Honour the Lord with thy substaÌ„ce and of the firstlinges of all thine increase giue to the poore So shal thy barnes be filled with pleÌ„nteousnes and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine And againe Whosoeuer stoppeth his eare at the crie of the poore hee shall crie himselfe and not bee heard With these in all pointes doe the sayinges of the Apostles and Enangelistes plainly agrée Giue to euerie one that asketh of thee Againe Verilie I say vnto you in as much as ye haue shewed mercie to the least of these my bretherne ye haue shewed it to mee Which sentence surely is woorthie to bee noted and déepely printed in the heartes of all Christians For if the Lord Iesus reputeth that to be bestowed on himselfe whiche thou bestowest on the poore then vndoubtedly hee thincketh himselfe neglected and despised of thée so often as thou neglectest or despisest the néedie This is vndoubtedly true most surely certeine For the Lord and iudge of all people assureth vs by promise that at the end of the world in that last iudgement hée wil giue sentence in this maner and order Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome c. For I was hungrie and ye gaue mee meate I was thirstie and ye gaue mee drincke And so forwarde as is to be seene in the 25. Chapiter of Sainct Matthewes Gospell Hereunto also belongeth the woordes of Sainct Iohn the Apostle where hée saith Whoso hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vpp his coÌ„passion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And from hence vndoubtedly did first arise the common voyce of them of old which were woÌ„t to say If thou seest a needie bodie die with hunger and doest not helpe him while thou mayest thou hast killed him and giuen consent vnto his death Let him therefore which hath stoare of earthly goodes knowe for a suretie and in his heart be thoroughly persuaded that hée is bounde especiallie to doe good to the néedie Moreouer let him that is wealthie doe good to all men so néere as he canne For the Lord sayth Giue to euerie one that asketh of thee And Tobias giueth his sonne this lesson saying Turne not thy face from any poore man. But if thou canste not thoroughe lacke of abilitie doe good to all men then succour them chieslye whome thou perceyueste to bée godly disposed and yet pinched with penurie For S. Paul saith Let vs doe good to all men but to them especiallie that are of the household of faith Let vs therefore ayde succour and relieue fatherlesse children and poore widowes old men and impotent people those that are afflicted and persecuted for the profession of the trueth and such as are oppressed with any miserie and calamitie Let vs further and helpe forwarde good and holie learning and all the woorshippers and true ministers of God that liue in want and scarsitie Finally let vs relieue straungers and whome so euer else wee maye Nowe our duetie is to aide and stand them in stéede with counsell comfort helpe monie meate drinke lodging rayment commendations and with all thinges else wherin wée perceiue that they lacke our helping hand Touching which I spake somewhat in the tenth sermon of the firste Decade We must also succour them readily with a willing hart a chéerfull mind For God requireth a cheerfull giuer And in helping them let vs do liberally For Tobias saith Bee mercifull after thy power if thou haue much giue plenteousely if thou haue little do thy diligence gladly to giue of that little For in so doing the Lorde shall blesse both thee and thine Thus much my brethren haue I hetherto saide touching the lawfull vse of earthly goods God graunt that euery one of you may print these sayings in his hearte and put in practise this holy worke let vs praye to the Lorde that he will vouchesafe so to direct vs in his wayes that for y getting of those transitorie goods wée loose not the euerlasting treasure of his heauenly kingdome ¶ Of the patient bearing and abyding of sundrie calamities and miseries and also of the hoape and manifolde consolation of the faithfull The thirde Sermon I Shall not doe amisse I think my reuerend brethreÌ„ if to the treatise which I haue alreadie made of earthly richesse of the vse and abuse of the same I do here also adde a discourse of the diuers calamities wherewith man so long as he liueth in this fraile flesh is continually vexed and daily afflicted For since that many men do eyther loose their temporall goodes or else can by no
peculiar exāples of Gods deliueraunce of his people in Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Manasses and many other There are to be séene in the Gospell innumerable places where Christe deliuered his professours from sinne from diseases from euils from perils and from the diuel In the Acts of the Apostles there are found most excellent patterns of present deliuerie by the mightie hand of god The Apostles are imprisoned and faste bound in fetters but they are loosed and brought foorth by the Angell of God and placed in the temple to preach the Gospel openly Peter likewise is deliuered out of prison when Agrippa had determined the next day following to make an end of and dispatch him The Apostle Paul being oppressed with an infinite sorte of calamities did alwayes feele the present hand of God at all times readie to rid him out of miserie And setting this tribulation and deliuerie of his for an example to all the faithful he saith to Timothie Thou knowest my persecution afflictions which came to me at Antioche at Iconium at Lystra which persecutions I suffered patiently But from them all the Lord deliuered mee yea and all that will liue godly in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution Many more examples doth the same Apostle recken vp together in the 11. Chapiter to the Hebrues All this I say do the saincts consider and in time of temptation and affliction do comfort and strengthen themselues therewith For so doth Paule teach vs where he saith Whatsoeuer is written for our learning is it written that through patience and comforte of the Scriptures wee might haue hope Beside this also the faithfull sorte call to their mindes the commaundements of Christ our Lord wherwith he commēding patience vnto vs hath layd the crosse vpon vs all For in the Gospel he sayth If any man wil goe after me let him forsake himselfē and take vpp his crosse and followe mee For whosoeuer will saue his life shal loose it and whosoeuer shall loose his life for my sake shall saue it For what doeth it aduauntage a man to winne the whoale world and loose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue for a raunsome of his soule For the sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his father with his Angels and then shall hee reward euery man according to his workes And againe in an other place he sayth If any man come to mee and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse and come after me he cannot bee my disciple After which words the Lord bringeth in certaine parables by which hée teacheth vs to make triall of our abilitie before we receiue the profession of the Gospell To the preceptes of their maister Christ the faithfull Apostles Peter and Paul had an especial eye exhorting vs to the patient bearing of the crosse of Christ For Christ saith Peter was afflicted for vs leauing to vs an example that wee should followe his steppes And Paul said Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God. An other comforte that the faithfull haue in their afflictions is this that the time of affliction is shorte that the ioy and reward in the world to come is vnspeakeablie farre more large and excellent than the tribulation of this life is troublesome so that there can be no comparison betwixt the ioy of the one and griefe of the other and lastly that our good God doth not lay such burthēs on vs as we are not able possiblie to beare Touching all which points I thinke it conuenient here to rehearse proofes out of that scrip tures to proue them true S. Peter calleth the time of affliction short or momentanie And the Prophet Esate or the Lord rather in Esates prophecie long before Peters time did say Goe my people enter into thy chambers and shutt the doores after thee hide thee selfe a little while vntill mine indignation be ouerpast Paul also sayth The fathers of your fleshe did for a fewe dayes chasten you after their owne pleasure but the father of spirits doth for a short time correct you to your profite that ye might bee partakers of his holinesse But no chastising for the present seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous Neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes to them that are exercised thereby Againe he saith Wee suffer with Christe that with him we may be glorified For I am certainly persuaded that the afflictions of this time are not comparable to the glorie that shal be shewed vppon vs For the momentanie lightnesse of our affliction doth wōderfully aboue all measure bring forth to vs an euerlasting weight of glorie while wee looke not for the thinges that are seene but the things that are not seene For the thinges that are seene are temporall but the thinges that are not seene are eternal Againe in his first epistle to the Corinth the same Apostle sayth God is faithfull which shal not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but shall with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it But if it so happen that the Lord doth séeme to vs to extend our tribulation longer than iustice would séeme to require then must wee by and by remember that we may not prescribe to God any end of his wil but must permit him fréely to afflicte vs without all controllment so much so longe and by such meanes as shal séeme to be best to his godly wisedome He who is himselfe the eternall wisedome and loueth vs men entyrely well doth know well enough his time and season when to make an end of our miseries and rid vs from afflictions There are in the Scriptures sundry examples to comfort the men whose afflictions endure for any long time The woman in the Gospell was troubled with an issue of bloud by the space of twelue yeres which had almost driuen her to vtter desperation of her healthes recouerie An other lay beddred whole eightene yeares By the poole Bethesda lay the sillie creature who had béene diseased eight thirtie yeares This space surely was very troublesome But yet at last they were restoared to health againe by God who knoweth best at what time and season his help is most expedient and profitable for mankind Let vs therfore wholie submit our selues to his good iust most wise will to be deliuered when and how he shal thincke best But the chiefest comfort and greatest hope in tribulation is that not any force or miserie can possiblie seperate the faithful and elect seruaunts of God from God himselfe For the Lord in the Gospell crieth out and sayth My sheepe heare my voyce I know them and they followe mee I giue to them eternal life they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My father which
thereof is made to be this that when the highe priest went into the holy of holies the sound might be heard because he should by and by die the death vnlesse he did so Nowe solloweth the Ephod of the high priest which differeth much frō that whereof I spake before For it was not of lynnen but woauen with weauers worke of diuers colours of gold purple and silke being vnlike to the other in shape and making For it belonged to the highe priestes alone and was a brestlap comming ouer the bulke from the necke to the hippes for like a curet it couered the breste it came ouer the hinder parte of the shoulders and about both the sides vnder the armehooles bearing the same facion that at this day womens stomachers doe which wée Switeers call Libli This Ephod hée ware vppon the topp of his Megil that came downe to his ancles Vppon eche shoulder hée bare on Onyx stone called Schoham wherein were grauen the names of the children of Israell against the breast there was nothing woauen in it but a place was lefte voyd for the breastlap of Iudgment For the breastlap of Iudgemēt whiche is called Hosen was the eighth ornament of their attyre and it was a woauen cloath made of gold purple and silke about an handbreadth quare and double and hemmed about on euery side because it should not rauell out In that there was woauen precious stoanes of a wonderfull greatnesse for the kinde and of a meruaylous price which were placed so in foure sundry rowes that euery rancke conteyned thrée stones in which as in the Onyx stones were grauen the names of the children of Israel They glistered wyth a wonderfull brightnesse for no stones were set in the brestlap but such as shoane excéedingly Whereby it seemeth that Vrim and Thummim was nothing else but these rowes of precious stones For Vrim Thummim signifie lighte and perfectnesse For as these stones did giue great light so were they pure without all manner of spotts And they thought that the highe priest did neuer saye right in a matter of weight nor when hée was asked did vtter truely the aunswears and Oracles of God but when the breastlapp of Iudgemente did hange on his breast Nowe this breastlap of Iudgement was tyed to the Ephod or the other breastlap by golden rings beneath and aboue it hounge downe the shoulders by golden chaynes that were fastened vnder the Onyx stones This was the most precious and excellent parte of the high priestes apparel For it was the coffer of wisedome and treasure of all lawe and knowledge of equitie and iustice from whence the Israelites did fetch as it were the determinate aunsweares to such doubtes as at any time they stucke vppon which is the cause as it séemeth that some haue translated Vrim and Thummim into the Greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is say they doctrine truth is in the priestes breast The last of all is the golden Plate For vpon the high priests head there was a blew silke lace where vppon this plate was put which was broad beneath and sharpe aboue in facion somewhat like to the labell of a bishops Miter wherein was written Holie to the Lord or The holines of the Lord. For Christ our Lord alone is holiest of all and he that sanctifieth vs all Hée is an Antichrist that doth vsurpe the name or title Some thinke that in that plate was written that name of GOD that was not lawfull for any man to vtter This plate was tyed to the capp full vppon the forehead with a blew silke lace and was as it were a crowne vppon his head Thus I say were the high priest and vnderpriests arayed at the first These sundrie Ceremonies haue sundrie and goodly significations The vse and end of these ordinaunces the Lord declared by Moses to be for glorie and comelinesse sake for they were inuented partly for the winning of credite and authoritie to the ministers of religion and partly for the commendation or aduancement of religion it selfe because the things are most regarded that are set forthe with so great solemnitie Moreouer it was profitable and especiallie necessarie with these busie Ceremonies to set a woorke the people which if they had béene without such Ceremonies of their owne was very proane and ready to haue embraced the idolatrous rites of heathen nations Furthermore those Ceremoniall clothes vsed by the Priestes Aarons successors do offer to vs the beholding of Christ the true and highest priest He was apparelled with the garment of righteousnes temperance vertue which garmēt is cōmon vnto vs also For al Christians must put on and be cladd with Christe And yet Christe hath the preeminence as the high and chiefest priest among vs all not onely because he doth sanctifie vs and indue vs with vertue but also because hée hath certaine properties peculiar to himselfe as hée that is both very God and the Sauiour of the world Hée beareth vs vppon his breast and shoulders as Aaron did the precious stones for wée are not vile but very déere in the sight of god Out of the breast of oure high priest Christ doth glister and shine the light of eternall wisedome For in him as it were in the treasurie of gods eternal wisedome are all the riches of knowledge and wisedome layed vpp and locked Hée is the light of the world hée is both trueth and perfectnesse so that all the world should of right require and séeke at Christe alone for lawes ordinances aunsweares and whatsoeuer else is néedeful to perfectnesse and true happinesse Hée is the holy of holies the verie maiestie holines of God vpon his head is the crowne of glorie very rightly placed as hée that sanctifieth onely reigneth in glorie and liueth for euermore Besides al this the priestes were by these Ceremonies taught to vnderstand by their very apparell what was required at their hands and what kinde of men they ought to be Let the priests be alwayes readie to the executing of their office let them walke honestly before God and men let them be temperate and farre from luste and sensualitie let their loynes bée girded with the belt of iustice and veritie let their breast their sides and backe bée furnished with the woord of God let their head bée couered with the helmett of Saluation vppon that let Christe Iesus the Sauiour bee placed and let him be the chiefe of the ministers and of the ministerie but chiefly let the priest bee heard in the Church For if he be dumb he shal die the death but if hee ring out the name of the Lord and preach his law then doth hee stirr vp in the Church a sauour farre passing the smell of swéet Pomgranates in the nose of god Therfore vnder these cloathes is hidden the signification of the priestes manners of their vertues and vices Next after a mans talke there is nothing that doth commend him sooner than his
giuen by God touching the magistrate or Iudges with their office and election Of their election thus we reade Bring ye saith Moses to the people men of wisedome and of vnderstanding and expert according to your tribes and I will make them rulers ouer you Againe I will make thee rulers and Iudges to iudge the people according to thy tribes in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God giueth thee And yet againe more plainly Seeke saith Iethâ—o being inspired from aboue vnto Moses out of all the people men of courage and suche as feare God true men hating couetousnesse to wite such as hate to take money and bribes â–ª and make of them ouer the people rulers of thousands rulers of hundredes rulers of fifties and rulers of tennes and let them iudge the people at all seasons Which if thou doest thou shalt both keep the ordinances of God and the people in peace and safetie To this doth beloÌ„g that which we reade in the booke of NuÌ„bers where Moses prayed saying Let the God of the spirits of al fleashe set a man ouer this congregation which may go out and in before theÌ„ that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheepe without a shepehearde Herein Moses hath leaft an example for vs to imitate in making our prayers to God for the election of our Iudges For often times our opinions or iudgements of men do vtterly deceiue vs But the God of spirites doth behold the mindes and heartes kneweth what euery one is in thoughtes and inward meaning He therefore must be besought to giue and shewe to vs not hypocrites to be our Iudges but men of trueth and vertue In the same place doth Moses leaue to vs the description of consecrating newe chosen Iudges For they were set before the Lorde and handes were laide vpon them with making of prayers supplications Moreouer the office of Iudges is verie briefely but yet in moste effectuall and absolute sentences described of the Lord by the mouth of Moses in these wordes Heare the causes of your brethren and iudge righteousely betwixt euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him Ye shal haue no respect of any person in iugement but heare the small and the greate alike and feare not the face of any man for the iudgement is Gods. Againe Iudge the people with iust iudgement Decline not in iudgement haue no respect of persons neither take thou any bribes for rewardes do blinde the eyes of the wise and doeth peruert iust causes Doe iudgement with iustice that thou mayst liue possesse the land which the Lorde thy God shal giue thee And againe Do no vniust thing in iudgement accept not the face of the poore neither feare thou the face of the mightie but iudge thou iustly vnto thy neighbor Againe Thou shalt not haue to doe with a false reporte thou shalt not followe a multitude to doe euil neither shalt thou speake in a matter of iustice according to the greater number for to peruert iudgement that is if thou séest an innocent to be condemned of the multitude do not thou therfore condemne him because the multitude hath condemned him but iudge thou iustly and committ not euil because of the many voices of the multitude Thou shalte not esteeme a poore man in his cause neither shalt thou hinder the poore of his right in his suite Keep thee farre from a false matter and the innocent and righteous see that thou slaye not Thou shalt not oppresse the straunger seeing ye your selues were straungers in the â—and of Aegypt And God verily when he had deliuered the people from the tyrannie of the kings of Aegypt did not putt them in subiection to kinges againe nor burden them with the tributes which kings are wont to exact of their subiects for he made them a common weale or an Aristocracie which was the moste excellent kind of regiment wherein the choicest men in all the multitude were piked out to beare that swaye and to rule the rest but yet because hee was not ignorant of his peoples foolishenesse and that they being wearie of their libertie woulde craue a king which thing he did afterward also disuade them from by his seruaunt Samuel he made lawes for a king also that hee might vnderstand that he was to liue vnder the lawes and to giue iudgement according to the lawes The discipline or institution of a king is thus expressed in the 17 Chapter of Deuteronomium WheÌ„ thou art come into the land which the lord thy God giueth thee and shalte saye I wil set a king ouer mee like as all the nations that are about me then thou shalt make him king ouer thee whome the Lord thy God shall choose One from among the middest of thy brethren shalte thou make king ouer thee and thou mayest not set a straunger ouer thee which is not of thy brethren But he shall not gather many horses vnto him selfe nor bring the people back againe into Aegypt to increase the number of horses that is to get him selfe a strong troope of horse men for as much as the Lorde hath saide ye shall hencefoorth go no more againe that waye Also let him not take many wiues to him selfe least his heart turne awaye neither let him gather too much siluer and golde And when he is sett vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out a copie of this law in a booke according to the copie of the booke which the priestes the Leuites do vse and it shal bee with him he ought to reade therein all the dayes of his life that hee may learne to feare the Lorde his God and to keepe all the woordes of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to do them And let not his hart arise aboue his brethren neither let him turne from the commandement either to the right hand or to the leaft that hee may prolong his dayes in his kingdome both hee and his sonnes in the middest of Israel Thus much hitherto of the magistrates of Iudges and of kinges Nowe I suppose that in this institution of a kinge all thinges are conteined which are moste largely set out by other authors touching the discipline and education of a Prince And by the waye this is especially to bée noted that Kinges are not set as Lordes and rulers ouer the worde and lawes of God but are as subiectes to bee iudged of God by the worde as they that ought to rule and gouerne all thinges according to the rule of his worde and commaundements And here I haue to rehearsâ— vnto you some of the Iudiciall lawes I meane not all and euery seueral one but those alone which are the chiefe choicest to be noted by which ye may consider of the rest and plainly perceiue that the people of Israel were not destitute of anye lawe which was necessarie and profitable for their good state and welfare I will recite them vnto you as briefely as may bee
doe notwithstanding behold him but in a myste in comparison of the brightnesse wherein hée shall appeare For wée shall hereafter sée him face to face in the glorie of his maiestie yet notwithstanding euen this sighte of him which now we haue is sufficient to saluation Therefore it is a very fine similitude preatily said of them which say Althoughe at day breake the brightnesse of the Sunne is not so great as it is at noone day yet wayfarers or trauellers doe not stay till the Sunne be at the highest but take the morning before them to goe their iourney in and haue light enough to see the way For in like manner they thincke that to oure forefathers euen that little portion of light which was in the morning was sufficient by the leading of saith to bring them through all impâ—dimentes to eternall felicitie In the meane time we haue great cause to reioyce that Christ the very Sunne and light of righteousnes doth after the maystie light of the daye starre of the lawe shine forth to vs in the newe testament Moreouer the forefathers in the old testament had types shadowes and figures of things to come but we haue nowe receiued the very thinge it selfe which was to them prefigured Therfore the thinge which God did promise to them he hath performed and giuen to vs They verilie did beleeue that Christ should come and deliuer all the faithfull from their sinnes and we beléene that he is alreadie come that hée hath redéemed vs and hath fulfilled all that the prophets foretold of him Therfore the Lord in the Gospell said The Prophets the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn since that time the kingdom of God is preached suffereth violence of euerie man. Whereuppon it is gathered when the thinge prefigured is come and present that then the figures and shadowes which did foreshewe the thinges to come do come to an end and vanishe away Therefore the yoke and burthen whiche our fathers did beare is thereby taken from our neckes The worshipping of God which they did vse externally was very busie and burthensome as the Aaronicall priesthoode the tabernacle or temple that was to be throughly furnished with most exquisite things and instruments their sundrie sorts of sacrifices many moe Ceremonies like vnto these Nowe from all this coste and businesse wée which be the people of the newe couenaunte are fréely disburthened and set at libertie And hée by whom wée are disburthened is Iesus Christ in whom alone we haue all things necessarie to life and saluation For it pleased God the father to recapitulate in him and as S. Paul saith to bring into a summe all thinges requisite to life and saluation that the thinges which séemed before to be dispersed here and there should in Christ alone be fullie exhibited and broughte vnto vs For Christ is the fulfilling of all the types Ceremonies by whose spirite since wée doe nowe possesse the thing prefigured wée haue no longer néede of the representing types and shadowes The external thinges that Christe hath ordeined are very fewe and of very small coste Therefore the people of the newe testament doth enioye a passing great ample libertie To this I suppose doeth belonge that excellent place of S. Paul which is to be séene in the 4. to the Galathians where in handling this matter diligently hée fayneth that there are two mothers the one whereof doth gender to bondage the other vnto libertie and that he doeth vnder the type of Agar and Sara By whiche hée noteth the two doctrines that of the law and that of the Gospell That of the lawe gendreth to bondage but that of the Gospell doth gender vnto libertie Therefore the lawe did gender the holie fathers and the prophets vnto bondage not that they should abide bondslaues for euer but that it might keepe them vnder discipline yea that it mighte lead them vnto Christ the full perfection of the lawe The libertie of the fathers was by the weight and heape of Ceremonies so oppressed and couered that althoughe they were frée in spirite before the Lord yet notwithstanding they did in outward shewe differ little or nothing from very boÌ„dslaues by reason of the burthen of the lawe that laye vppon their shoulders For in so much as the lawe was not as yet abrogated they were compelled precisely to obserue it But when Christe was come and had fulfilled all thinges then did the shadowes vanish away and that heauie yoke was taken from the necke of vs Christians So by this meanes our mother Sara gendreth vs vnto libertie She is the mother of vs all Of y mother whiche is also called the holy mother Church wée haue the séede of life shée hath fashioned vs and brought vs forth into the light shée colleth vs in her bosome wherein shée carrieth both milke and meate I meane the word of God to nourish saue and bring vs vpp Nowe the bonds being caucelled and y middle wal which was a stopp being broken downe God doeth more liberally rule his Church and not reteine it any longer vnder so streite a custodie For neither is the people of God conteined within the boundes of the land of promise For they are dispersed to y ends of the world neither are the circumcised those that kéepe the lawe his people now although it is not to be doubted but that eueÌ„ then when Circumcision was of force hee had some that were his people amoÌ„ge the GeÌ„tiles as Iob other mo which he himselfe did knowe but those are his people whiche doe acknowledge Christ although they be neither circuÌ„cised nor busied with the lawe This is a new people gathered together out of all the world by faith and the holie Ghoste To this new testament hath Christ giuen his owne name wherin the Iewes haue none inheritance vnlesse they forsake their stubborne opinion of the lawe and cleane to Christ alone without affiaunce in the lawe All the bookes of the Prophets are fullie fraughted with testimonies touching the calling of the Gentiles vnto the communion fellowship of God and also touching the reprobation of the Iewes who for their vnreclaymeable affiaunce in the lawe are vtterly reiected Furthermore the Apostle Paule putteth an other difference betwixte the two testamentes alluding to the Prophecie of Ieremie as is to be sene in the eighth Chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrues For he attributeth to the people of the new testament certaine excellent gifts to witt absolute full remission of their sinnes For he saith Because I wil be merciful to their vnrighteousnesses I will no more remember their sinnes and iniquities Hée doeth also attribute to the people of the newe testament a most exquisite reformation and absolute illumination of their minds For he saith I wil plant my lawes in their mindes and write them in their heartes and then shall no maÌ„ teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lord for
he saith not Let not sinne be in you or in your mortall body but he saith Let not sinne reigne in you or in your mortall bodie But when reigneth sinne Forsoothe sinne reigneth then when wée obey it thorough the lusts thereof that is when we resiste not but doe fulfill the lustes of the fleshe Sinne therefore doth not reigne in our mortall bodie so longe as it is but fealt in the bodie and not obeyed or permitted to rule but rather resisted and trode vnder foote This same sentence doth he expound by an other somwhat more easie to be vnderstood I would not haue you to permit your members to sinne as to a tyraunt to vse them as instrumentes to woorke all vnrighteousnesse I rather require you to giue your selues to bée ruled and gouerned by god For since hée hath set you frée from death brought you to life againe it is requisite that ye should giue your members to God as liuely instrumentes to woorke all righteousnesse And that shall ye bée easilie able to doe because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Vppon this doth all the rest of that Chapiter depend vnto the end What then saith hée shall we sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace God forbidde Knowe ye not how that to whomsoeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whome ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse But God be thanked that ye were the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed with heart the fourme of doctrine into the which ye are brought vnto Being then made free from sinne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnesse And yet he sheweth that the fréemen of Christ do not abuse their libertie and giue themselues againe to be gouerned by their old tyrannous maister Sinne. For he maketh Sinne and Righteousnesse to bée as it were two maisters and addeth to eche of them the hire or reward that they giue to their seruauntes the one Life the other Death Lastly he saith generallie that we are his seruaunts to whome wée giue our selues to obey Vppon which hée inferreth Being redeemed by the grace of God from the bondage of sinne and from death whiche is the rewarde of sinne we are translated into the bondage of righteousnesse whose reward is life that thereby we may liue For he doth more significantly expresse his meaning in that which followeth saying I speake after the manner of men because of the infirmitie of your flesh As ye haue giuen your mēbers seruaunts to vncleannesse and iniquitie vnto iniquitie euen so now giue your members seruauntes to righteousnesse vnto holinesse For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free from righteousnesse What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are nowe ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But nowe ye being made free from sinne made the seruants of God haue your fruit vnto holinesse and the ende euerlasting life For the reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life thoroughe Iesus Christe oure lord All this is so plaine and euident that it néedeth no larger exposition of mine And yet in the seuenth Chapiter next following hee doeth by comparison in a parable more fullie expounde all that hée said before The woman saith hée whiche is in subiection to the man is by the lawe bound to the man as longe as hée liueth If while the man liueth shée goe a side to an other she is counted an adultresse But if the man be dead shée may couple her selfe with an other man Euen so I saye wée are dead to the lawe For Christ died for vs and was in his bodie offered vpp to be a sacrifice or oblation to cleanse and purge oure sinnes that we might thenceforth bée vnited and coupled to him and that wée being conceiued and made with childe with his holy spirite maye trauaile bring foorth and be deliuered of an excellent issue holie fruite of good works euen as while we serued sinne were subiecte vnto it as to oure maister wee brought foorth an ill fauoured babe of death I meane iniquitie and wickednesse for the punishing whereof death is appointed and ordeined But let vs now heare the verie woords of the holie and blessed Apostle saying Euen so my brethren wee also are deade concerning the Lawe by the bodie of Christe that wee should bee coupled to an other who is raysed from the dead that wee should bring forth fruite vnto god For when we were in the flesh the lustes of sinne which were by the lawe wrought in oure members to bring forth fruite vnto death But no we are wee deliuered from the law and dead vnto it wherunto wee were in bondage that wee may serue in newenesse of spirite and not in the oldnesse of the letter That place in the eighth Chapiter to the Romanes is vnknowen to no man where he saith The lawe of the spirite of life thorough Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the lawe of sinne and death The manner of this deliueraunce hée doeth immediately after add saying For what the lawe could not doe that GOD did by sending his owne sonne And so forth as followeth For the woordes are sufficiently plaine and vnderstoode of all men In the seuenth Chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Yee are bought with a price doe not ye become the seruauntes of men In these woordes the holy Apostle exhorteth seruauntes vnder the colour or pretence of worldly bondage not to committ anye thinge for their earthly maisters pleasure whiche soundeth against sinceritie and is repugnant to pure religion to witt althoughe they bee called by the name of seruauntes yet that they should not obey the wicked lawes and vngodly ordinaunces of mortall men The cause that oughte to pull and draw vs from it is Because we are redeemed and set at libertie by the price of Christes his bloud It would therefore be to to bad and vnwoorthie a thinge if wée contrarie to the effecte of oure libertie should obey the naughtie lawes and ordinaunces of man. This also is extended stretcheth oute to the lawes of men whiche are made in matters of religion For in the fiftéenth Chapiter of the holy Gospell written by the Euāgelist S. Matthewe the Lord and Sauiour sayeth In vaine doe they worship mee teaching doctrines the precepts of men And Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blinde And the Apostle S. Paul saith If ye be dead with Christe from the rudimentes of the world why as yet liuing in the world are ye ledd with traditions Touche not Taste not Handle not Which all doe perishe in abusing after the commaundementes and doctrines of men which thinges haue a shewe of wisedome in superstition and humblenesse of minde and in neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh First of all hee sheweth that the faithfull ones
merits while he crowneth he crowneth his owne giftes In all this therefore the Ecclesiasticall Apostolique doctrine remayneth still immutable and vnreproueable That we are iustified and saued by the grace of God through faith and not throughe our owne good woorkes or merits Wee doe nowe againe returne to good workes and are come to expound the description or definition of good woorks which we did set downe in the beginning of this treatise Now therfore vnlesse oure workes doe spring in vs from God throughe faith they cannot haue the name of Good Workes But contrarilie if they doe procéede from God through faith then are they also framed according to the rule of the word of god And for that cause did I in the definition of good workes significantly saye That they are done of them which are regenerate by the good spirite of God through faith according to the word of god For God is not pleased with the workes which we of our selues doe of our owne braines authoritie without warrantize of his word imagine deuise For the thing that he doeth most of all like and looke for in vs is faith and obedience which is most euident to be séene in the verie example of our graundfather Adam and coÌ„trarilie he doth mislike and vtterly reiecte the woorkes of our owne choice our good intents which spring in and rise vpon our owne minds and iudgementes as I will by these testimonies of scripture declare vnto you In the 12. of Deuteronomie we read Euerie man shall not doe that which is righteous in his owne eyes Whatsoeuer I commaund you that shall ye obserue to doe it neither shalt thou ad any thing to it nor take any thing from it Moreouer in the historie of Samuel there is a notable example of this matter to be séene For Saule the king of Israel receiued a commaundement to kill all the Amalechites with all their beasts and cattell but he contrarie to the precept throughe a good intent as he thought of his owne and for a religious zeales sake of his owne chosing reserued the fattest Oxen for to be sacrificed for that cause the Prophete came and said vnto him Is a sacrifice so pleasant acceptable to the Lord as obedieÌ„ce is Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fatt of ramms For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornnesse is as the vanitie of Idolatrie Lo here in these few words thou hast the goodly praise and commendation of the religion of our owne inuenting and of our owne good workes which doe arise of oure owne good intents and purposes They whiche doe neglecte the preceptes of the Lord to follow their owne good intents and forecastings are flatly called witches Apostataes wicked idolaters They seeme in their owne eyes verilie to be â—ellie fellowes and true worshippers of God and zealous followers of the traditions of the holy fathers bishops kinges and princes but God whiche cannot lye doeth flatly pronounce that their woorkes doe differ nothing from witchcraft Apostacie blasphemous idolatrie than which there can bée nothing more heynous by any meanes deuised Therefore the Lord in the Gospell citing that place out of Esaies Prophecie doth plainly condemne reiecte and treade vnder foote all those workes which we choose to our selues hauing their beginning of oure owne good inteates and purposes where hee sayeth In vaine doe they worshippe mee teaching doctrines the precepts of men Euerie planting which my father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes Let them alone they be blinde leaders of the blinde And therevppon it is that S. Paule did so boldly affirme that the precepts of men are contrarie to the truth and are meere lyes The same Paule in one place sayeth Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And in another place Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Wherevppon we may gather that the woorkes whiche are not framed by the expresse word of God or by a sure consequence deriued from it are so farre from béeing good workes that they are plainly called sinnes Inforce thou I pray thée neuer so great a good turne vpon a man against his will sée what fauour thou shalt winne at his hand and howe thou shalt please him with that inforced benefite Therefore good woorkes do first of all require the precise expresse obseruing of Gods wil to which alone they ought to tend In his Epistle to the Colossians the same Apostle doeth openly condemne the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the voluntarie religion which they of their owne choyce and minde brought in to bee obserued And what néede haue wée I pray you to inuent to our selues other newe kindes of good woorkes considering that we haue not yet done those woorkes whiche God himselfe prescribeth and doth in expresse words require at our handes By this now oure aduersaries maye perceiue that wée doe not altogether simplie condemne good woorkes but those alone whiche wée by reiecting the woord of GOD doe first set abroache by oure owne imaginations and phantasticall inuentions of which sort are many vpstart woorkes of our holy Monkes and sacrificing shauelinges But to conclude the workes that are repugnaunt to the word of God are by no meanes worthie of any place or honour And that wée maye more rightly perceiue the sense or meaning of good woorkes wée must in mine opinion diligently obserue these wordes of the Apostle We are created in Christ Iesus vnto good woorkes which God hath before ordeined that we should walke in them Hee maketh here two notes concerning those that are good woorkes in deede The first is Wee are sayeth hée created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes It doth therefore necessarilie followe that good workes are wrought of him whiche is by true faith graffed in Christ Iesu For vnlesse the braunche abide in the vine it cannot bring forth fruite All the workes therefore of the faithfull howsoeuer they shine with the title of righteousnesse are notwithstaÌ„ding not good woorkes in verie déede The latter is Whiche God hath before ordeyned that wee should walke in them We must not therfore make accompt that all the workes which men maye doe are to be counted good woorkes in déed but those onely which God hath ordeyned of old that wée should walke in them Now what workes those be the Lord in his lawe whiche is the eternall will of God hath verie plainely expressed And therevppon it is that the Lord in the Gospel being demanded questions concerning eternal life and the very true vertues sendeth the demaunder vnto the lawe and sayth What is written in the lawe And againe If thou wilt enter into life kepe the commaundements Therefore the tenne commaundementes are a most sure and absolute platforme of good woorkes Which that ye may the better vnderstand I will briefly recapitulate and as it were in a picture laye it before your eyes To
vnseparable ioyning or knitttng vnto him For Dauid sayeth There is fulnesse of ioyes in thy sight and at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore And Sainct Iohn sayeth Nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it appeareth not what wee shal be But we knowe that when he shall appeare wee shal be like him for we shal see him as hee is Moreouer the Lord in the Gospell sayeth Blessed are the pure in heart for they shal sée god But all men are indued with vnpure hearts therefore no man shall sée god Because no vncleannesse abideth in consuming fire And God is a consuming fire therefore wee cannot bee partakers of saluation vnlesse we be purely cleansed But without the shedding of bloud there is no cleansing or remission of sinnes I doe not meane the bloud of Rammes or Goates but of the onely begotten sonne of GOD oure Lord Christ Iesus Hée therefore toke our fleshe and bloud hée came into the world died willingly for vs and shed his bloud for the remission of oure sinnes and so by that meanes purged the faithfull so that now being cleane they maye be able to stand before the most holye God who is a consuming fire To this may be annexed the coÌ„sideration of the incarnation of oure Lord Iesu Christ his death resurrection and ascension into heauen wherof I did aboue make mention in the definition of the Gospell For in those pointes doeth consist the whole mysterie of our reconciliation Touching whiche I doe in this place speake so much the more brieflye because in the eâ—position of the Apostles Créede I haue handled so much as séemeth to concerne these points of doctrine whiche whosoeuer will knowe may looke and finde them there Now that Christ alone is our most absolute life and saluation it may bée gathered by that whiche is alreadie spoken and yet not withstanding I will héere alledge some testimonies more to the ende that the veritie and sinceritie of the Euangelicall trueth may be the more firme and euident to all men That in Christ alone our life and saluation doth coÌ„sist so that without Christ there is no life and saluation in any other creature y Lord himselfe doth testifie saying Verilie verilie I say vnto you hee that entereth not by the doore into the sheepefold but goeth in some other way hee is a theefe and a robber Verilie verilie I say vnto you I am the doore of the sheepe as many as came before mee are theeues robbers Loe here there is but one doore onely through whiche the way doeth lye vnto eternal life And Christ is that doore They therefore which doe by other meanes than through Christ striue to come to life saluation are theeues robbers For they steale from Christ his honour and glorie considering that hée both is and abideth the onely Sauiour and in so doing they kill their owne soules The same Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth I am the waye the trueth and the life No man commeth to the father but by mee Hath hee not in these fewe wordes reiected and vtterly excluded al other meanes of saluation making himselfe alone our life and saluation This phrase of speach No man commeth to the father but by mee is the same that this is Through Christ alone we come vnto the father Moreouer the Lords Apostles haue so layde Christe alone before oure eyes that no man can choose but vnderstand that without Christ Iesus there is no life to bée founde in any other creature The holy Apostle Sainct Peter in the Actes sayeth There is in none other any Saluation For there is none other name vnder heauen giuen amonge men wherein wee must bee saued And Sainct Paule in the fift Chapiter to the Romanes doeth often times repeate That by the righteousnesse of one man Iesus Christe all the faithfull are iustified Againe the same Paule sayeth Thoroughe him is preached to you the remission of sinnes and throughe him is euerie one that beleeueth iustified from al the thinges from whiche ye could not be iustified by Moses lawe Like to this also hee hath other testimonies in the second Chapiter of his Epistle written to the Galathians It is manifest therefore that thoroughe Christe alone the forgiuenesse of sinnes life euerlasting are fréely bestowed vpon all the faithfull whiche giftes as they are not without Christe at all so are they not bestowed by any other meanes than thorough Christ alone Concerning the remission of sinnes whiche is the chiefe tydinges of the Gospell I haue at large alreadie discoursed in the ninthe Sermon of the first Decade other places more Nowe for the proofe that our Lord doeth fully absolue from sinnes fully remitte sinnes and fully saue repentaunt sinners so that nothing more can be desired or wished for and consequently that the Lord himselfe is the most absolute fulnesse of all the faithfull without whome they that beléeue neither doe nor can wishe for any thinge else to life saluation and absolute felicitie hee doeth himselfe in the Gospell say Euerie one that drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer shall drincke of the water whiche I shal giue him he shal liue eternallie And againe I am the bread of life Hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger and he that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirste The Apostles therefore after they had eaten this celestiall bread that is after they had once beléeued in Christe when many departed and did forsake Christe being demaunded whether they also would leaue him did aunswere Lord to whome shal wee goe Thou hast the wordes of eternal life and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuinge God. Loe heere they neither wil nor can forsake Christ Because there is none other to whome they may ioyne themselues For hee alone is the life and saluation of them that beléeue and that too so absolute and perfecte that in him alone they maye contente and stay themselues With the writinges of the Euangelists doth the doctrine of the Apostles fully agrée For Paul to the Colossians sayth It pleased the father that in the sonne shuld dwell all fulnesse And againe In the Sonne doeth dwell all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodilie and ye are fulfilled in him And in the Epistle to the Hebrues he affirmeth that the faithfull haue ful remission of sinnes because sacrifices for sinne doe ceasse to be offered and that God doeth by the Prophete Ieremie promise so absolute remission of sinnes that hee will not so much as once remember or thincke on them hereafter To this place belongeth the whole Epistle written to the Hebrues and the conclusion of the eighth Sermon in the first Decade wherein I reckoned vnto you the treasures that God the father doth giue to vs in Christ his sonne our Lord and Sauiour Vppon this nowe doth follow consequently that they haue not yet rightly vnderstoode the Gospell of Christe nor syncerely preached it whosoeuer doe attribute to
repent Else-where Repentaunce is figuratiuely attributed to God like to the affection of mortall men as when hee sayeth It repenteth mee that I haue made man. For God of his owne nature doeth not repent as men doe so that hée should be touched with griefe and that the thing should now mislike him which hee before did like off but he doeth barely alter that whiche hee hath done Amonge Ecclesiasticall writers they are said to repent which after a prescribed manner of punishment doe penaunce for their sinnes which they haue coÌ„mitted The scripture in an other place doth vse it for the whole effect and matter of the Gospel For in the Actes wee read that God gaue to the Gentiles repentaunce vnto life But we in this disputation of ours will vse Repentaunce for a conuerting or turning to the Lord for the acknowledging of sinns for the griefe conceiued for sinnes committed for mortification and the beginning to leade a newe life and finally for the chaunge correction and amendement of the life from euil to better that which we Germanes call Bekeerung Enderung oder Besserung And as diuersly too is Repentance defined of the Ecclesiasticall writers howbeit all agrée that it is a conuersion or turning to the Lord and an alteration of the former life and opinion We therefore do say that Repentaunce is an vnfeigned turning to God whereby wee being of a sincere feare of God once humbled doe acknowledge our sinnes so by mortifying our old man are afresh renued by the spirite of God. This definition doeth consist vppon her partes whiche being somewhat more largely opened and diligently expounded wil declare vnto vs and laye before oure eyes the whole nature of Repentaunce First we say that Repentaunce is an vnfeigned turning vnto god For I will hereafter shewe you that there are two sorts of Repentaunce to wit feigned and vnfeigned And the Apostle Peter sayeth Repent and turne that your sinnes may be blotted out expounding as it were the first by the last to witt Repentaunce by Returning he meaneth to him from whom they had turned themselues away For there is a certeine relation béetwixt turning to and turning fro If thou hadst neuer turned away then hadst thou had no néed to haue turned to againe But we haue all turned away from the true iust and good God and from his holy will vnto the diuel and our owne corrupt affections And therfore must we againe turne vs froÌ„ the diuel and from oure old naughtie life and will vnto the liuing God and his most holy will and pleasure Wee do here significantly say To God and not To creatures or any help of man For the Lord in Ieremie doeth say If Israel thou wilt returne returne to me Whosoeuer therfore do not turne to God nor make themselues conformable to his holy wil how soeuer they do turne to creatures other meanes of mans inuention yet are they not to be estéemed or counted penitents Nowe there is none so blinde but séeth that for the stirring of vs vpp to repentaunce the preaching or doctrine of the trueth is néedeful and requisite to teache vs what God is to whome wée must bee turned what the goodnesse holinesse is to which wee must bee turned whoe the diuel is what the euill wickednesse is from which wee must be turned and lastly what the thing is that must be amended in oure minde and life and also howe it must be altered and amended Truely the Prophetes and Apostles of the Lord in exhorting men vnto repentaunce doe traueile much and sticke verie long in describing of Gods nature goodnesse righteousnesse trueth and mercie in painting out the lawes and offices of the life of man and in accusing and heaping vp the sinns of men wherevnto they add the gréeuous and horrible tokens of Gods iuste iudgements as is in euery place of the Prophets writings to be found very rifely And therefore some there are whiche bidd vs euen nowe to preache the lawe to those men whome we would drawe vnto repentaunce which thing as I doe not gainesay but very well like it so do I with-al admonish them that the preaching of the Gospell also doeth obiecte to men their sinnes and gréeuously accuse them For the Lord in the Gospel sayeth When the holy Ghoste commeth it shall argue the world of sinne because they beleeued not in mee Whervppon S. Peter in the Actes of the Apostles vpbrayding to the Iewes their sinnes committed and preaching vnto them Christe and faith in Christ exhorteth them vnto repentaunce The places are very well knowen Actes 2. and 3. S. Paule going about to drawe the Athenieâ—s vnto Repentaunce doth say God who hath hetherto winked at the times of this ignoraunce doth now preach to al men euery where that they should repent because hee hath appointed a day in which he wil iudge the world with righteousnesse through Christ Let them therefore to whome charge is giuen to drawe men vnto repentaunce learne heere to vse much libertie and wisedome that all men maye acknowledge their sinne and the greatnesse of their iniquitie Moreouer God doeth stirre vpp men to repentaunce not by his woord onely but also by diuers afflictions and sundrie sortes of punishments Yea all the calamities that happen in the world are certeine Sermons as it were persuading and drawing vs vnto repentaunce For that I maye in silence ouerpasse that which is written in the Prophets did not our Lord himselfe in the Gospell when he heard tidings of the slaughter which Pontius Pilate had made vpon the GalilÄ™ans and the death of the 18. men vpon whom the tower in Siloc fel presently say Thincke ye that they were greater sinners than the rest No verilie but vnlesse ye repent ye shall all likewise perish It is assuredly certeine therefore that warre famine plagues doe alwayes inuite vs vnto repentaunce that is they premonishe vs by laying sinne aside to be conuerted vnto God and wholie to giue our selues to sincere integritie But in vaine is repentaunce preached vnto vs vnlesse by feare trembling conceiued in our minds we doe reuerendly dread the wrath iudgement of Almightie God conceiued against vs because of oure sinnes and wickednesses Now this feare is outwardly stirred in vs by the externall preaching or discipline of the minister as I told you before but that external doctrine auaileth nothing alone vnlesse inwardly that is in our hearts we be moued by the holy spirit of our heauenly father And therefore Ieremie in his Lamentations cryeth Turne vs O Lord and we shal be turned And in the 31. Chap. Turne thou me O Lord and I shal be turned beecause thou art the lord my god And after I was turned it repented mee of euill Wée read that S. Peter being prouoked by the wordes of the damsel that kept the doore and of the souldiers did foulie denie his master Christ but being reuoked at the cockes crowing he repented his fault or folly from
satisfie him if so bée that thou canst Yea if he demaundeth not and thou doest sée thy brother to be in danger charitie againe commaundeth thée to admonishe him that is so in daunger and to handle him as a brother For Paule to the Galathians sayeth Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restore such an one in the spirite of meckenesse considering thee selfe least thou also be tempted Beare ye one an others burthen and so fulfill the lawe of Christ But this belongeth nothing to confession therefore wee returne to our purpose againe Thus muche haue wée hetherto said touching the confession of sinnes which God hath instituted Now wee will annexe somewhat touching the confession of sinnes that men haue ordeyned That confession also is of two sortes the one is publique rituall or ceremoniall whiche for the most part they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other is priuate or secrete is called Auricular I call the publique confession Rituall not so much because it is the acknowledging or confession of sinne as for that it is the penitentiall action for the sinne committed For Isidore the bishoppe Libro Etymol 6. Cap. 18. sayeth Exhomologesis is the discipline of prostrating and humbling men in habite in huing to lye in sacke and ashes to deface the bodie with filthe to mourne lament with a sorrowfull minde and thorough sorrowe to amende that wherein they sinned before These woordes of bishop Isidore I would not haue recited vnto you déerely beloued who is an authour not very famous vnlesse I had séene the same woordes in a manner to bée read in the booke whiche Tertullian wrote of Repentaunce and vnlesse I had found an example thereof in Eusebius who in the fifte booke and last Chapiter of his Ecclesiasticall historie sayeth Natalis the martyre being seduced by heretiques and at leng the vnderstanding his errour riseth vpp in the morninge and putting on a sackecloth sprinckling himselfe with ashes and with many teares bewayling his errour casting himselfe prostrate at the feete of Zephyrinus the bishoppe and all other not Clearks onely but Laye-men also with great lamentation and exceeding sorrowe prouoked all the congregation with earnest and continuall prayers to request of Christe Iesus to pardon his offence Touching the rites of repentaunce I will hereafter speake Nowe this rituall or ceromoniall Repentaunce as it was vsed amonge them of old appeareth not to haue béene cōmaunded of God that whosoeuer at this day committeth any sinne should be compelled presently to confesse it openly in such sorte as they were wont to doe it For where is it read that such penaunce was inioyned to the sinnefull or adulterous woman that is mentioned in the Gospell Many other sinners are receiued by Christe into the grace of GOD without such outward penaunce For it is very well knowen howe Christ dealt with Matthew with Zacheus with Peter that denied him and with many other Therefore wée doe not amisse beléeue that the old bishoppes and priestes did inuent that publique kind of penance for disciplines sake and that they of their times might haue lesse libertie to sinne Truely Hermius Sozomenus Salaminius that notable writer of the Ecclesiasticall historie in his seuenth booke and sixtéenth Chapiter sayeth In the beginning it pleased the priestes that as it were in a theatre where all the congregation might beare record of the same the sinnes of offenders should bee openly published Loe héere hee sayeth It pleased the priestes Hée addeth also that there was a Priest appointed to whome they that sinned should come and confesse their sinnes and should heare of him the penaunce to wit what they should doe or how they should abye for their transgression Immediately after he describeth the manner of penaunce in the Romane Church vsed And to that againe hee addeth that in the Church at Constantinople there was a priest appointed to heare penitents whiche office remayned still till at the length a certaine Gentlewoman whiche for the sinnes that she had confessed was inioyned by such a penitentiarie to fast and to pray to God and thereby haning occasion to be long in the church was at last bewrayed to haue played the whore with a deacon For which cause the priestes were euil spoken of But Nectareus the bishop deuising how it were best to deale with such a gréenous crime depriued the deacon that had done the sinne of his deaconshipp And for-because some persuaded him to leaue it free to euery one according to his owne conscience and confidence to come to the communion of the mysteries hée did quite take away the office of that penitentiarie priesthoode and euer since that time hath that coūsel giuen to Nectareus preuailed and doth euen to this day indure And so foorth The same in the beginning of the Chapiter sayeth Nectareus the bishopp of Constantinople did first take out of the church the priest that was appointed to heare the confession of penitents whome all the other bishoppes did in a manner followe Thus farre hée But the bishop Nectareus would not haue abrogated that Exhomologesis being so holy a man as in déede hee was if hee had vnderstoode that it had béene instituted by God himselfe neither had it béene lawefull for him to haue abrogated it Therefore hee knewe euen as Sozome doeth also confesse that by the counsell of the bishoppes that order of penaunce was vsurped in the Church Neither doe wée read that Iohn Chrysostome who succéeded Nectareus and was a very diligent and seuere bishopp did euer restore that rituall penaunce whiche his predecessour had abrogated before him For in the 31. Homilie vppon S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues hee writeth I bidd thee not to bewraye thee selfe openly nor yet to accuse thee selfe to others but I will haue thee to obey the holy Prophete who sayeth Open thy waye vnto the lord Therefore confesse thy sinnes before GOD the true and vprighte Iudge with prayers for the imurie committed not with thy tongue but with the memorie of thy conscience And then at lengthe beleeue that thou mayest obteine mercie if thou hast it in thy mind continually And so forth Againe vppon the 56. Psalme If thou art ashamed to tell thy sinnes to any man because thou hast sinned yet saye them daily in thine owne heart I bid thee not confesse them to thy fellowe that hee should vpbraid thee tell them to thy God who doth regard them If thou tellest them not God is not ignoraunt of them for he was at hand when thou didst them And againe in an other place hee sayeth I bring thee not forth into the theatre of thy companions I compell thee not to discouer thy sinnes vnto mortall men Rehearse thy conscience before God and declare it vnto him Shewe thy woundes vnto the Lord thy best Physician and aske of him a salue for the same Againe Take heed that thou tell not a man of thy sinnes least he
phrases an occasion is onely giuen by whiche wee are to bee brought to greater thinges throughe the illumination of the spirite and that wée should in this disputation haue stil before the eyes of our minde that true and assured sentence of the eternall GOD vnto his seruaunte Moses saying Thou canst not see my face For no man shall see mee and liue For when wee are once departed out of this life and are vnburthened of this mortalitie and mortall frailetie then shal wee sée the Maiestie of god For the Apostle S. Iohn sayd Wee knowe that when hee appeareth wee shall bee like vnto him for wee shall see him as hee is And to these let vs annexe the woordes of the Apostle Paule where he sayeth Nowe wee see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then wee shall see face to face Therefore let no man goe beyonde the limited boundes or preuent the time appointed nor yet presume by wicked boldenesse and curiositie in this life to behold the face that is the very Essence or being of god Let that reuelation of God suffice euery one whiche GOD him selfe voucheth safe in his woorde to open vnto vs namely so much as hée of his goodnesse thincketh necessarie and profitable for vs to knowe And I doe heere with warraunt saye that that wisedome is the true wisedome which will not in this matter go about to knowe or sauour more thā the eternall wisedome doth teach to knowe The first and chiefeste waye to knowe God is deriued out of the very names of God attributed vnto him in the holy Scripture Those names are many and of sundrie sortes beecause his vertue his wisedome I meane his goodnesse iustice and power are altogether infinite I will reckon vpp and expound vnto you accordinge to my skill the most excellent and vsuall amonge the rest Amonge all the names of GOD that is the most excellent whiche they call Tetragrammaton that is if wee may so saye the foure lettered name for it is compounded of the foure spirituall letters and is called IEHOVAH It is deriued of the Verbe substantiue Houah before whiche they put Iod and make it IEHOVAH that is to saye Beeing or I am as hée that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Béeing of him selfe hauing his life and Being not of any other but of him selfe lacking no-bodies ayde to make him to Bée but giuing To Bée vnto all maner of thinges to witt eternall God without beginning and ending in whome wée liue wée moue and haue our Béeing To this doe those woords especiallie belonge whiche wée finde to haue passed betwixte God and Moses in the thirde Chapiter of Exodus And Moses said to GOD Beholde when I come vnto the children of Israel to whome thou doest now send mee and shall saye vnto them The God of your fathers hath sente mee vnto you and they shal aske mee saying What is his name What aunswere shall I make them And God said to Moses I am that I am or I wil bee that I wil bee And he said Thus shalt thou saye to the children of Israel I am or Beeing or I wil be hath sent mee vnto you That is I am God that wil be and he hath sent mée who is him selfe Beeing or Essence and God euerlasting For their future tense conteineth thrée sundrie times Hée that is Hée that was and Hée that will be hath sent mée Truely the Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn séemeth in his Reuelation to haue had an eye to these woordes of the Lord whiche also hée wente about to interprete saying in the person of GOD I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende or the first and the laste sayeth the Almightie Lord whiche is and whiche was and which shall be Some there are which obserue this for a note that in all tongues almost euen of the barbarous sort the name of God is written with foure letters Concerning his name in Hebrue it is assuredly so And in the Gréeke Latine and Germane tongues it is so also For God in Gréeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Deus and with vs Germanes he is called Gott They add moreouer that the Persians call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Aegyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by contraction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the foure letters the Cabalists saye that there are wonderfull mysteries conteyned Of whiche as other haue written very diligently so I haue leifer héere not to stand vppon them or trouble your patience with them Like to this also are these names of GOD Iah and Hu. Whereof the first is oftener found in the Psalmes than once For Dauid sayeth Hallelu-Iah that is Praise ye the Lord. The later is also mentioned by Dauid saying Hu that is hee I say God the Being and creatour of al thinges spake the worde and it was done Hu he cōmaunded and it was In Esaie the Lord sayeth I am the Lord Hu is my name and my glorie will I giue vnto none other Now those words also are deriued of Being and do teach vs that God is alwayes like himselfe an Essence which is of it selfe eternally and whiche giueth To be vnto all things that are as he by whome in whome and to whome all thinges are being himselfe a perpetuall and most absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perfect hauingnesse But the Hebrues doe not read or expresse the fourelettered name of God by calling it Iehouah but in stéede of it they vse the word Adonai For they say that Iehouah must not be vttered Now al interpreters in their translations where they turne it into Latine doe call it Dominus that is lord For GOD is the Lord of all things both visible and inuisible Neither is there in all the world any other Lord but this one and hee alone to whome all thinges in the world are subiecte and do obey For he hath a most méere dominion and absolute Monarchie ouer all his creatures And therefore for plainnesse sake sometime the word Sabbaoth is annexed to the name of God whiche some translate the Lord of Powers and some the Lord of hostes For God being Almightie doth by his power or strength shewe forth and in his hoste declare what mightie thinges he is able to doe and of howe greate power and might hée is For since that he is the GOD of all creatures and that he doth dispose and vse them as a Capiteine doeth his souldiers to worke mightie and meruelous thinges he doth euen by small things declare how great he himselfe is and how great his power is In the hoste of God are all the Angels of whome Daniel said Thousande thousandes and hundred thousands did minister vnto him One of which Angels did in one night kill in the Assyrians campe vnder the banner of the most puissaunt king Senacherib one hundreth foure-score fiue thousand souldiers In the hoste of God
this saying so often cited and beaten vppon in the Lawe and the Prophets Thou shalt worship the Lord thy GOD and a strange God thou shalt not worship Now a straunge God is whatsoeuer without and beside the onely liuing true and euerlasting God thou choosest vnto thée selfe to bee worshipped the onely and alone true liuing and euerlasting GOD therefore is to bée worshipped In the historie of the Gospell wée read that the diuel tempted our Lord Christe and hauing ledd him vpp into an high mounteine shewed him from thence all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them and said All these will I giue thee if thou falling downe wilt worship mee and that the Lord made aunswere Auoyd Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And surely worshipping and seruing are lincked mutually the one with the other that they cannot bee seuered or put a sunder Wherevppon it followeth that séeing the Lord requireth onely and alone to bee serued hée will doubtlesse in like maner only and alone be worshipped And Helie the great prophete of God teaching that God can in no case abide to haue one ioyned vnto him in worship cryeth out vnto the people worshipping God and with him their God Baal How long sayth hée do you halt on both partes If the Lord be God follow him If Baal bee God goe after him As if he should haue said You cannot worship God and Baal at once No man can â—erue two maisters For the Lord our God requireth not a péece but our whole heart our whole minde and soule Hée leaueth nothing therfore for vs to bestowe vppon any other In the Epistle to the Hebrues Paule sheweth that Christ is more excellent than Angels because the Angels adore or worship Christe but they againe are not worshipped If then the Angels are not worshipped whome shall wee graunt beside the liuing true and euerlasting God that deserueth to bée worshipped God therefore onely and alone is to be worshipped For in the Reuelation of Iesus Christ made vnto the blessed Apostle and Euangeliste Iohn thus we reade written And I sawe another Angel fleeing throughe the middest of heauen haueing the euerlasting Gospel to preache vnto them that dwell vppoÌ„ the earth to all nations kinreds and tongues people saying with a lowde voyce Feare God and giue him honour beecause the houre of his iudgement iâ— come and worship him that hath made heauen and earth the sea and founteynes of waters And againe in the same booke we read And I fell downe before the feete of the Angel to worshipp him And he said vnto mee See thou doest it not I am thy fellow seruant and of thy brethren hauing the testimonie of Iesu worship God. Againe in the ende of the same booke thou dost read And after I had heard and seene I fel downe to worshippe before the feete of the Angel whiche shewed mee these thinges And hee said vnto mee See thou doest it not for I am thy fellowe seruaunt and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them that keepe the wordes of this booke With this thing the saying and doing of S. Peter doth not greatly disagrée at whose féete when Cornelius the Centurion fell downe and worshipped Peter said Arise I also mee selfe am a man and therewithall laying his hand on him which lay a long did lift him vpp and set him on his féete Right religiously therefore wrote Augustine touching True religion saying Let not religion be vnto vs the worshipping of mans handie woorke For better are the workemen themselues which make such whome notwithstanding we ought not to worship Let not religion be to vs the worshipping of mortall men beecause if they haue liued godlily they are not to be estéemed as those that would séeke such honours but their will it is that hee should bee worshipped of vs who inlightening them they reioyce that wee are made fellow partakers of his merite They are to be honoured therefore for imitation or following sake not to bee worshipped for religions sake And if they haue liued ill they are not to bée worshipped wheresoeuer they bee The same Augustine in his first booke De consensu Euangelistarum of the consent of the Euangelistes and eightéenth chap. reasoning why the Romanes neuer receiued both the God the worship of the God of the Hebrues considering that they receiued y gods almost of all the Gentiles to bee worshipped And hee aunswereth That that came to passe by none other occasion than because the God of the Hebrues would onely and alone be worshipped without a mate or partener If any require his words they are these There resteth nothing for them to say why they haue not receiued the holy rites and worshipp of this God saue onely because hee would be worshipped alone and hath forbidden them to worshipp the Gods of the Gentiles whome neuerthelesse these people did worship For the sentence or opinion of Socrates who as by Oracle it was ratified was the wisest of all men is that euery God ought in such sort to be worshipped as he himselfe hath giuen coÌ„mandement he would be worshipped Therfore were the Romans of very necessitie forced not to worship the God of the Hebrues Because if they would worship him after another fashion than he himselfe said hee would bee worshipped they should not then worshipp him but that whiche they themselues had deuised made And if they would in that maner worship him as hee himselfe prescribed than they sawe that they were debarred from worshipping other Gods whom hée forbad to be worshipped And vppon this they refused the worshipp of the onely true God to the intent they might not offend many counterfecte false Gods thincking that the anger of them would rather be more to their disprofite than the goodwill of him to their benefite Thus saith Augustine And althoughe these thinges are written concerning the worship and seruice of God and that we dispute of adoring Gods Maiestie yet notwithstanding they are not impertinent or beside our purpose For the worshipping and seruing of GOD are inseparably lincked and knitt together Of this seruing of God we will speake more hereafter But by the woordes cited before wée doe gather that onely and alone the true liuing and euerlasting God is to bée worshipped according to that commonly-knowne sentence of the lawe Thou shalt worship the Lord thy GOD him shalt thou feare and him onely shalt thou serue To him shalt thou cleaue and in his name shalt thou sweare Furthermore God from the beginning hath promised and perfourmed yea and will performe whiles this world standeth great rewards to his true woorshippers Contrarywise wée beléeue that great mischiefes or punishments are prepared for those which either doe not at all worshippe God or else in stéed of the true GOD doe worshippe straunge Gods. The Lord in his Reuelation
arise Which sauours sweete by vertues force compelles It doth ascend and pearce the azure skies The sent of Baulme and Safron it excelles Yea Franckincense and Persian spices smelles From earth to heauen it mounteth vp aloft And pleaseth God therewith delighted oft And so foorth as followeth to this purpose These things I thinke sufficient concerning the inward seruice of God wherein I confesse in the mean while to be somwhat which may be referred also to the outwarde seruice of God. The outwarde seruice of GOD springeth from the inwarde neyther is it knowne to God alone as this other but is open to the iudgement of man and it is a kéeping or executing of the rites instituted of God himself whereby we doe both testifie vnto men the inward seruice and practise them to the glory of God and our profite Of this kynde were among the ancient people the temple the priesthoode and all the ceremonies instituted of God which are very often called the seruice of god And this seruice had his appointed limits For it was not lawfull for euery one to feigne a seruice of God after their owne pleasure as is shewed at large in the lawe and in the holy historie Nowe that outwarde seruice serued to the glory of God and the profite of the faithfull Which thing I haue declared when I was in hand with the Iewish ceremonies Furthermore as Christe abrogated those olde rites so in their stead he placed againe a very fewe For he instituted an holy assembly wherein his will is that his worde should be preached and expounded out of the holy scripture to his owne glory and to oure profite common prayer to be made and the sacraments to be ministred and receiued To which things a conuenient place is necessarie fit time due order and holy instruments Where again the godly do in nothing followe their owne wils For from the worde of that God whom they serue they fetch the whole manner and order of seruing him Whereof somewhat is spoken in the fourth commaundement of the first table and shall be spoken more at large in due place and order To be short they serue god with outward seruice who by faith and obedience gather themselues into the holy assemblie at limitted times who kéepe the Ecclesiasticall discipline deriued out of the worde of God who heare the word of God or the holy exposition of the sacred scriptures who praye publiquely with the Churche who religiously participate the sacraments and obserue other lawful and wholesome rites or ceremonies By this their seruice they glorifie God among men and receiue of God no small rewarde namely his blessing and increase of heauenlye giftes There is no néede I thinke in this place of testimonies of the Scriptures to confirme these thinges that we haue hetherto spoken touching the outwarde seruice of god For euery where in the historie of the Gospell in the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles very many are to be found For the Lord Iesus doth euery where gather together holie assemblies to whome he preacheth the Gospell and commendeth prayer Of Marie sitting at his féete and hearing his preaching he sayth This one thing is necessarie Marie hath chosen the good parte whiche shall not be taken from her And in an other place Blessed are they saith he which heare the word of GOD and keepe it Surely the Lorde him selfe instituted and put in vse the sacraments For to Iohn not consenting to baptise him at his asking and saying I haue neede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to me he answered Let it be so nowe For so it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse Wherevppon the Apostle Paule likewise diligently commending Ecclesiasticall discipline to the Churches ordeyned most decently holy assemblies The places are very well knowne vnto all 1. Cor. 11. 14. 16. Likewise 1. Tim. 2. and elsewhere But before I conclude this place I will shewe that onely God is to be serued And surely the seruice it selfe whereof we haue hetherto intreated can not be bestowed vppon any creature neyther Angels nor celestiall Saintes to GOD alone it agréeth Wherefore there is none so blinde but may sée that God alone must be serued with these And when God requireth of vs his seruice or dutie he requireth our whole hearte nothing therefore is left vs to bestowe vppon other Moses full of the spirit of God sayth in his lawe Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him his commaundements shall ye keepe and ye shall hearken vnto his voyce and ye shall serue him and cleaue vnto him Neither makes it any matter that here the word Alone is not added séeing that the words are vttered with an Emphasis or force For when he saythe Him shall ye serue and to him ye shal cleaue what other thing do we vnderstand than to him and not to any other therfore to him alone Furthermore in the sixt chapter of Deuteronomie thou doest not read Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name But Thou shalte feare the Lorde thy God and him Emphatically shalte thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name Furthermore the Lord in the Gospell bringing these wordes of the lawe against the tempter and making the emphaphasis playne It is written saith he Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Which testimonie doubtlesse béeing most effectuall and pithie is only sufficient for oure demonstration that God alone is to be serued I will moreouer adde herevnto the testimonie of a man howbeit established by diuine authoritie which we also elsewhere set downe in our bookes S. Augustine De quantitate animae doth shewe that GOD alone is to be serued in this sort Whatsoeuer the soule doth serue as God needefull it is that she think the same better than her selfe But wee must beleeue that neyther the earth nor the sea nor the starres nor the moone nor the sunne nor any thing at all that may be felt or seene with these eyes to be short not heauen it selfe whiche can not be seene of vs is better than the nature of the soule yea rather that all these are farre worsse than is any soule assured reason doth conuince And anon If therefore there be any otherthing of those that god hath created something is worsse something is as good worsse as the soule of a beast equall as the Angels but nothing is better And if happily something of these be better this cōmeth to passe by sinne and not by nature By which sinne notwithstanding it becommeth not so yl that the soule of a beast is eyther to be preferred before it or to be compared with it God therefore alone is to be worshipped of it who alone is the author of it And as for any other man though hee bee most wise and most perfect or any soule indued with reason and most blessed they are only
to be loued and followed and according to desert and order that is to bee exhibited vnto them whiche agreeth and is fit for them For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue These be Saint Augustines words And thus farre haue we intreated of one only liuing true and euerlasting God to be serued Moreouer whosoeuer cleaue vnto God with a sincere fayth and worship call vpon and serue one GOD lawfully they are rightly named religious their studie and action is true religion Some will haue Religion to be deriued a Relinquendo bicause therby we leaue or forsake false gods all errours and earthly desires and séeke after the true God after truth and heauenly things Massurius Sabinus sayth That is religious which for some holinesse sake wee put by and seuerally set aside The worde Religion hath his name a Relinquendo as Ceremoniae a Carendo But M. Cicero supposeth that Religio is so called a Relegendo of selecting or putting apart bicause they that be religious do carefully choose all thing◠which seeme to belong to the seruice of the Gods. But he is confuted in many wordes of Lactantius Firmianus an ancient writer of the church Lib. Instit 4. cap. 28. where among other things he sayth On this condition we are borne that being borne wee might doe to God iust and due seruice that wee should knowe him alone and that him wee shoulde followe With this bond of godlinesse we are streightly bound and tied vnto God whervppon religion it selfe tooke her name And anon after Wee sayde that the name of religion was deriued from the bonde of godlinesse bycause GOD hath tyed and bounde man vnto him selfe in godlinesse for that is needefull that wee serue him as a Lorde and obey him as a father Other Ecclesiasticall writers also following him as Hierome and Augustine deriued Religion a Religando of tying or binding For Hierome in his Commentarie vpon the ninth chapter of Amos sayth This bundle tyed vp with the religion of the lord which is one Religion therfore tooke her name a Religando of tying together and binding into the lords bundle And Augustine in his booke De quantitate animae chapter 36. sayth True religion is whereby the soule tyeth her selfe through reconciliatiō to one God from whome through sinne she had as it were brokē away The same Augustine in his booke De vera religione and last chapter sayth Let religion tye vs vnto one God almightie whereof it is beleeued to bee named religion We say therefore y true religion is none other thing thā a friendship a knitting a vnitie or league with the true liuing and euerlasting God vnto whome we being lincked by a true faith doe worship call vppon and serue him alone vpon whome we do wholy depend liuing in all thinges according to his will or according to the prescript rule lawe of his word Therefore most rightly is the whole matter of saluatiō and faith comprised in this one word Religion which elsewhere is called in scripture a league and couenaunt and elsewhere againe marriage or wedlocke For as they which be confederate are vnited and made one by a league so God and man are knit together by religion And as by marriage the husbande and the wife are made one body so by religion we are knit into a spirituall body with God as with our husbande and with the very sonne of God as with our bridegrome and our heade Hetherto therfore doth belong what so euer things are vttered in the scriptures touching the kéeping of the league or couenaunt and the faith of marriage Truce-breakers are they disloyall and infamous through their adulterie who so euer being not knit to one God by fayth worship him alone call vpon him through Christe and serue him also as he him selfe hath sayde in his worde he woulde be serued The very same are also called superstitious For superstition is false religion which doth not serue God but somewhat else for God or not God alone or not rightly or lawfully This worde superstition stretcheth it selfe euen to olde wiues tales and doting errors For in Dutche we call superstition Aberglouben mis glouben vnd mis brijth But Lactantius reasoning most exactly of this worde in his fourth booke of Institutions and 28. chapter writeth in this sort Religion is the seruice of the true God superstition of the false They are said to be superstitious not that wish their children to out-liue them for that we doe al wish but eyther they that reuerence the memorie remayning of the deade or else they that whiles their parents were aliue worshipped their images within their houses like housholde Gods. For those whiche did take vnto them selues newe rites to the intent they might in stead of Gods honour the deade whome they thought were taken from among men and receiued into heauen those I say they called superstitious but those that worshipped and serued publique and ancient Gods they named religious Wherevpon sayth Virgil. Vaine superstition ignorante Of th' olde and auncient Gods. But seeing wee doe finde that our auncients haue beene in semblable manner consecrated Gods after their death they therfore which serue many and false Gods are superstitious but we are religious which pray and make our supplications to one God being the true God c. Superstition consisteth chiefly in these pointes Eyther when the Lord is not serued but other Gods in his steade the onely one true and liuing God being left and forsaken Or else when the Lorde is serued but not alone but other together with him or else when he is serued but not with his lawfull seruice In the first kynde of superstition did the Gentiles in a manner offende who knewe not the true God in so muche that they in stead of the true God worshipped false feigned or straunge Gods. And that the Israelites also Gods people were sicke of the same madnesse the holy prophet Ieremie is a witnesse who expostulating and reasoning the matter with the people sayeth Heare ye the word of the Lord O house of Iacob and all the families of the house of Israel Thus sayeth the Lord What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee that they are gon farre from me haue walked after vanitie and are beecome vaine For they sayed not Where is the Lord that brought vs vpp out of the land of Aegypt that led vs thorough the wildernesse thorough a desort wast land throughe a drie land and by the shadowe of death by a land that no man passed thorough and where no man dwelt And I brought you into a plentifull countrie to eate the fruite therof and the cōmodities of the same but when ye entred ye defiled my land made mine heritage an abhomination The priestes said not Where is the Lord they that should minister the law knewe mee not the pastours also offended against mee and the prophets prophecied in Baal
of Christe are of the diuell and therefore that they by al meanes together with all their disciples sectaries are to be auoyded This treatise of the true flesh of Christ we knit vp with these most plaine wordes of Paul WheÌ„ Christ was in the forme of God he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men found in figure as a man He huÌ„bled him selfe made obedient vndeath euen the death of the crosse Wherefore it is without doubt that the sonne of God tooke true and humane flesh and in the same is consubstantiall or of the selfe same substance with vs in all points sinne excepted Neither did oure Lorde after he was risen againe from the dead though he were glorified put off or lay aside his true body which he had once taken and put on And his glorification doth not take away the trueth of his nature For he saith vnto his disciples A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue Wherefore he carried that his true verie fleshe into heaueÌ„ with him in his true flesh he appeareth alwayes for vs in the sight of good the father in his true flesh he will come to iudge the quick the dead in his true flesh they shal sée him which crucified him Christ according to this nature who in respecte of his Godheade is no creature but a creatour is a creature For the fleshe of Christ hath beginning lineally descended from Adam who is the creature of the liuing god And albeit these thinges be sufficiently fenced with the force of the scriptures yet it shall not séeme yrckesome vnto you dearely beloued to rehearse the opinion of the blessed father Cyril which concerning the same matter he hath left written in his Epistle vnto Successus Byshop of Isauria Diocesse in these wordes Bycause I founde in your aduertisement such a kind of thing as though the holie flesh of Christe the sauiour of vs all were turned into the nature of his deitie after his resurrection so that now he shuld seme to be wholy solie god we thought good also to make answere vnto this And a fewe wordes after After the resurrection certeinely it was the selfe same body whiche suffered but yet not hauing now in it self mans infirmities For we affirme not that it abideth hunger labour or any such like thing but we confesse that now it is incorruptible and not this only but also that quickneth and giueth life For it is a body that both hath and giueth life that is to say of the onely begotten sonne of God and it is glorified with the most worthy brightnesse of God and it is knowne and taken to be the bodie of god Therefore if any man say that that is Gods body as the body of a man is mans body he swarueth net from allowable reason Wherevpon I thinke that most â—lessed Paule also sayde Though wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh now yet hencefoorth knowe we him no more For being as I sayde the proper body of God it farre passeth all humane bodies But a body made of earth could not abide to be turned into the nature of the Deitie or Godhead For this is impossible Otherwise we abase the Godhead as if it were made and as if it had taken somewhat into it selfe whiche according to nature doth not properly belong to it Hereby it is proued to be as much follie to say that the body is turned into the nature of the Godhead as that which is the worde to be chaunged into the substance of flesh For as this is impossible bycause it is proued to be a bodye not able to be turned and chaunged so also it is not possible that any creature can be turned into the essence or nature of the Godhead but fleshe is also created And therefore we say that the body of Christ is diuine bycause it is the body of God and beautified with vnspeakable glorie and nowe let vs confesse that it is vncorruptible holy and giuing life but that it is chaunged into the nature of the Godhead neyther haue any of the holy fathers so thought or taught neyther doe we so thinke Thus farre Cyrill And Theodoretus Byshop of Cyrus Dialog 2. Eranist sayth I will shewe that the body of the Lorde yea after the ascension was called a bodie Heare Paule therefore saying Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee looke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall chauÌ„ge our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye Therefore it is not chaunged into an other nature but remaineth indéede a true very body replenished with diuine glorie casting foorth beames of light But if it be chaunged into an other nature their bodies also shall likewise be chaunged For they shall be fashioned like vnto him But if the bodies of Saints kéepe the substance of their nature the body of the Lord likewise hath his substance vnchangable Thus farre Theodoret. Furthermore when we professe that Christ hath true and verie flesh we doe not meane fleshe withoute soule For we must confesse that Christe hath a reasonable or humane soule not voyde of a mynde Arius taught that the sonne of GOD tooke fleshe onely without a soule and that the worde was in place of the soule And Apollinarius did attribute vnto Christe a soule but hée toke away the minde denying that it was reasonable The scripture doth both attribute vnto Christe a soule and taketh not away the minde from the soule The Lord himselfe sayeth in the Gospell The sonne of man came not to bee ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his soule a redemptioÌ„ for many The same Matth. hath left written of him He began to be sorowfull and heauie And Iesus said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death And in another place the Lord himselfe saith Now my soule is troubled And if so bee that this soule of Christe lacke the minde which is the chiefest part of the soule how hath he a soule how could he be sorrowfull and vnderstand desire and remember With hartie desire sayth the Lord haue I desired to eate this passeouer with you before I suffer But this desire came not from his godhead neither from his flesh only nor from his soule waÌ„ting a mind but from his perfecte manhood of body and minde Moreouer we read in the Gospell that the Lord said The sonne of man came not to destroy mens soules but to saue them Therefore hee toke not flesh onely but a reasonable soule also For man had perished both soule and body therefore that he might bée saued both body and soule oure sauiour Christ toke a very mans body a reasonable soule that is to saye a most perfecte man Therefore blessed Athanasius teaching vs according to the scriptures the coÌ„fession of true faith said Christ is God of the substance
holy Ghost had y comforter present in their mindes went reioycing from the presence of the counsel bicause they were counted worthy to suffer reproch for the name of Christe So we read in the Ecclesiasticall historie that the martyrs of Christ being full of the holy Ghost euen in extreme torments and moste bitter deaths were most patient and sange prayses and gaue thanks vnto GOD. Furthermore we haue heard that the holy Ghoste is called of the Lorde the spirite of trueth For in an other place also hee beautifieth him with that name for he saith When the cōforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth which proceedeth from the father hee shall beare witnesse of me And he is called the spirite of trueth bycause there is an other hypocriticall spirite an erronious and lying spirite in the mouth of all false Prophetes This our spirite worketh in his worshippers sinceritie gentlenesse of mynde and integritie Those he teacheth all trueth For our Lorde elsewhere in the gospel sayth That comforter whiche is the holy Ghoste whome the father will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to your remembraunce what so euer I haue sayde vnto you Therefore the spirite of trueth hath taught the Apostles all trueth that is to be beléeued and all godlinesse and they haue deliuered the same fully to the Church For the holie Ghost driueth away all errours destroyeth all heresies confoundeth all Idolatrie and vngodlinesse and poureth true faith into our heartes and establisheth true religiō in the Church The Actes of the Apostles affoorde vs verie many of examples By this spirite of God the Apostles foretolde things to come shadowing out amōg other things Antichrist and the corruption of this oure last age and admonishing the Church least the elect shoulde be intangled in errours and blasphemous wickednesses Now he is called the spirit of promise for that he was promised of god by the Prophetes through Christ to the Fathers to the apostles and to al that beleue the apostles doctrine and was at length also through the same Christe fully giuen and perfourmed This worde putteth the godly in mynde that they shoulde not ascribe the hauing of this so great and healthfull a gift to their merites but to the méere grace of god And the holie Ghoste is graunted yea giuen vnto vs by the promise of god Wherevpon it followeth that all the giftes of God are fréely giuen which thing the Apostle Paule principally proueth and earnestly beateth into our heades in his epistles specially to the Romanes and the Galathians In Luke the Lord sayth If I with the finger of God cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you Saint Matthewe rehearsing the same wordes sayth If I by the spirite of God cast out diuels thē is the kingdome of God come vpon you Therefore the holie Ghost is called the finger of god to wit the might and power of god Men of occupations worke with their fingers God worketh his workes by his diuine power I meane by his spirite whose power is so greate that euen his little finger giue me leaue so to speake surpasseth all the power and strength in the worlde That appeared in those Sorcerers of Egypt Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the vnitie of the diuine substaunce and admonisheth diligently and conueniently that we should not for corporall things forge and feigne vnto our selues a corporall meaning of spirituall things For he sayth But beware lest thou being cast downe vnto base things doest imagine in thy mynd diuersities of corporall actions and begin to forge to thy selfe magnitudes and inequalities and other members of the body greater and lesser saying that the finger from the hand and the hand from him whose hand it is doth differ by many inequalities bycause the scripture doth now speak of bodylesse thinges purposing to shewe the vnitie onely and not the measure of substance also For as the hand is not diuided from the body by the whiche it worketh and bringeth all things to an end and is in him whose hand it is so also the finger is not separated frō the hand whose finger it is Therefore away with inequalities and mesurings when thou thinkest of God and vnderstande the vnitie of the finger of the hande and of the whole substaunce by which finger the lawe was written in tables of stone Thus farre he Now the holie Ghost is read as wel in the writings of the Prophets as also of the apostles to be shadowed out by water and a liuely or continuall running founteine I will poure out sayth the Lord by Esaie waters vppon the thirstie and riuers vpon the dry ground And anon by interpretation he addeth I will poure my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy stocke And in the Gospell the Lord sayth If any mā thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth in me as sayth the scripture out of his bellye shall flowe riuers of water of life To which in way of exposition the holie Euangeliste addeth But this he spake of the spirite whiche they that beleeue in him should receiue Surely water maketh barren groundes fruitfull cleanseth things defiled giueth drinke to them that be thirstie and cooleth them that are in a heate so the grace of the holy spirit maketh barren myndes fruitfull to bring foorth fruite to the liuing god By the selfe same grace our harts are cleansed from all vncleannesse the same quencheth the thirst of the soule and comforteth it when it is afflicted and fulfilleth all the desires thereof Fire is simple and pure and some bodies it consumeth and othersome it purgeth making them more fine and cleane It warmeth also and hath many profitable and necessarie operations in man Therefore the holy Ghoste is rightly shadowed out vnto vs by fire For he is pure and simple he consumeth the vngodly cleanseth the faythfull from the filthinesse of sinnes and maketh them to burne with the loue of God and their neighbour setting them on fire doubt lesse with the fire of his loue When he was giuen to the Apostles in the day of Pentecoste there was heard a sound as it had bene with the force of a mightie winde comming by which thing was signified that the doctrine of godlinesse shoulde be spread throughout the whole worlde by the power of GOD and wonderfull successe maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder against the same all in vaine For the wind no man staying it bloweth through the whole world pearceth all places and no mā can keepe it out it hath also wonderfull effectes in bodies to chaunge thē And the holie Ghost pearceth al thinges softneth mens hearts and of froward stubborne and rebellious he maketh most lowly modest and obedient men Fierie toungs appeare vpon the heades of the Apostles and disciples indued
with the holy ghost signifying doubtlesse the operation or working of the holy ghost of whiche they were signes and assuraunces For he instructeth exhorteth and cōforteth the faithfull neither doeth he arme his faithful Apostles with colde tongues but fierie tongues The Apostles when they preached the gospel séemed not to speake but to lighten and to thunder wherevpon also certeine of them were called of our Sauiour the sonnes of thunder Furthermore the holy ghoste appeareth in the likenesse of a Doue vpon the sonne of God euen then whē he was baptised of Iohn Baptiste For a Doue is milde gentle without malice or harme Wherof sprong the prouerbe Manners like a Doue Doue-like simplicitie And More gentle than a Doue For a Doue is among birdes as a shéepe among foure footed beastes which thinketh no hurt to any liuing creature Wherevpon Christe is also called a Shéepe or a Lambe Of the spirite of God therefore the wise man saieth verie well The spirite of wisedome is holie one onely manifolde subtile quicke mouing cleare vndefiled plaine sweete louing the thing that is good sharp which cannot be letted doing good kinde to man stedfast sure free from care hauing all power circumspecte in all things and passing through al vnderstanding and cleane yea most subtile spirites Againe they that are indued with the holy ghost are called the annoynted of the Lorde For the holy Ghoste is called both oyle and annoynting for vnlesse we be watered of the holie Ghost we waxe barren and waste away For we are voyde of liuely and heauenly moysture and of our owne nature alwayes wyther and waxe drie And of this annoynting there went a notable figure before in the ceremoniall annoynting of Kinges and priestes S. Iohn sayth And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you ye neede not that any mā teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it taught you abide in it For the Lord also sayth in Ieremie This shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and will be their God and they shall bee my people And from henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lorde for they shall all knowe me from the lowest vnto the highest saith the lord For I wil forgiue their misdeedes and will neuer remember their sinnes any more But we shewed a little before that the holy Ghoste is the vniuersall teacher of all trueth Hitherto that séemeth to belong which S. Paule saith It is God which hath annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our heartes For nowe the holy Ghost is not onely called annoynting but also the sealing vp or earnest of our saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a part of payment which maketh assurance of the whole summe to be payde to wit a pledge And surely the holie Ghost doth nowe testifie yea it dothe seale and assure vs that we are the sonnes of god and that when time is we shall be receiued into the euerlasting inheritaunce Paule againe sayth Ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Ephes 1. That assuraunce doth maruellously confirme and comforte the mindes of the faythfull in temptations encourageth them besides that to patience in aduersitie and to holinesse of life For herevpon sayde S. Iohn Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world And againe Nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what he shall be but we know that when wee shall appeare we shall bee like vnto him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth him selfe euen as he also is pure And as the holy ghost is an vnspeakable knitting together wherby the three persons are inseparably coupled one with an other in euerlasting loue concord euen so the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with his spouse with a knot y can not be loosed and ioyneth together betwéene them selues all the members of his mystical body in an euerlasting couenaunt For as the members of oure body are ioyned together whole and sound by the benefite and enioying of life so the mysticall body of Christe is vnited together by the holy Ghoste Therefore it is no maruell that he is called or noted with the name of loue which poureth loue into our heartes And albeit by these names of the holie Ghost his operation may be vnderstoode yet will I adde certeine testimonies of Scripture out of whiche his power or effect especially in vs maye be more fully vnderstoode Esaie almost in the beginning of his prophecie describing the person of the King our Messias among other things sayth The spirite of the Lord shal rest vpon him the spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel and strength the spirite of knowledge and of the feare of the Lorde and shall make him of deepe iudgement in the feare of GOD. Though he declared manye yet hath he not reckoned vp all the powers of the spirite Therefore it is not for vs to bring into a streight and with the common sorte to comprise in a narrowe number of seuen the powers of the spirite For we haue heard hetherto that there is the spirite of promise of doctrine of humilitie and gentlenesse c. To whiche beside these there are reckoned vp very many together For he is the spirite of wisedome But howe great this is and howe farre it reacheth it is manifest euen in the words of Solomon To wisedome is ioyned vnderstanding which is sayde to be the action and applying of wisedome ordered or framed to things places times and persons Counsel is required and giuen in doutfull matters and sheweth what we may most conueniently doe Strength ministreth sufficient force and constancie to execute and perfourme yea and patiently to beare what so euer by counsel we haue learned eyther to be done or to be suffered And nowe knowledge is an experience obteined and gotten by long time and vse Vnto these is feare added that is to say godlinesse and true religion wherevnto vnlesse we referre all oure sayings and doings wisedome vnderstanding coūsel strength and knowledge shal nothing profite vs. To be short who so euer is indued with the spirit of God whatsoeuer he shal either do or say wil sauour of the feare of god finally he shal say do al things vnto the glory of god al these things truly are fréely
Augustine in his Encheridion ad Laurent cap. 59. saith Who can declare with what manner bodies they haue appeared vnto men that they might not only be séen but be touched and againe conuey not with sounde substance of flesh but by spiritual power certeine visions not to the bodily eyes but to the eyes of the spirite or mynd or telsomthing not in the eare outwardly but inwardly in the mind of man euen they them selues being therein as it is written in the booke of the prophetes And the angel said vnto me which spake in me For he saith not which spake vnto me but in me Or that appeare euen in ones fléepe talke together after the manner of dreames For we haue in the gospel Behold the angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in his sleepe saying c. For by these meanes angels doe as it were declare that they haue not bodies which can be handled and they make a very hard question howe the fathers did wash their féete howe Iacob by taking so fast hold wrestled with the angel When these things come in question and euery one giueth his coÌ„iecture as he is able their heades are not vnfruitfully occupyed if a moderate disputation be taken in hand and the errour of them which thinke they know that which in déede they know not be remoued for what néedes it that these such like things be affirmed or denied or defined with daunger since we may be ignorant of them without blame Thus farre he In these and suche like causes let vs acknowledge his omnipotencie and woÌ„derful dispensatioÌ„ who doth what he wil to whom truly it is not hard to create substaunces fit agréeable for his purpose and appointment since of nothing he made al visible and inuisible creatures Moreouer we affirme that angels through the grace and power of God are incorruptible substaÌ„ces yea and vnchangeable in their felicitie without burthen and hinderances For S. August also Ad Pet. Diac. de fide cap. 23. saith That vnchangeablenesse was not by nature graffed in Angels but freely giuen by the grace of God. The same August De vera religione Cap. 13. saith We must confesse that angels by nature are chaungeable if God only be vnchangeable but in that wil wherwith they loue God rather than them selues they remaine stedfast and stable in him and inioy his maiestie being subiect moste willingly to him alone With these words agrée those whiche are read in Definit Ecclesiast cap. 61. in this wise The Angelicall powers which continued stedfast in the loue of God when the proud angels fell receiued this in waye of recompeÌ„ce that henceforth they shuld neuer feel the fretting bit of the tooth of sinne to seize vpon them that they shuld coÌ„tinually enioy the sight of their creator without end of felicitie And in him so created shoulde continue in euerlasting stedfastnesse Thus farre he Truly the scripture she wing the incorruptiblenesse of Angels affirmeth that we in the resurrection shal be like the angels For we shall rise incorruptible Therefore Angels are incorruptible For thus saith our sauiour The children of this worlde marrie wiues and are married but they that shall bee counted worthy to enioy that world the resurrection from the deade doe not marrie wiues neyther are married neither can they die any more for they are equall with the Angels and are the sonnes of God in so much as they are the childreÌ„ of the resurrectioÌ„ Whervpon Theodorctus In diuinis decretis hath thus inferred We doe not therfore reckon the angels in the nuÌ„ber of Gods as the Poets and Philosophers of the Grecians doe neyther doe we diuide natures y are without bodies â–ª into the male female â—inde For to a nature immortall or that can not diâ— diuision of kinde is superfluous For they haue no néede of incresing since they féel no diminishing c. But that the Angels are most frée and swift and without impediment burthen and let the scripture in many places declareth In the Acts of the Apostles thus we reade The priests put the apostles in the common prisoÌ„ but the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison dores brought them foorth and sayde Go and stand and speake in the temple vnto the people all the words of this life But when the officers came and founde them not in the prison they returned and tolde saying The prison truely found we shut with al diligence and the keepers standing without before the doores In the same booke thus againe we reade written Herode put Peter in prison and Peter sleapt betweene two souldiers bounde with two chaines and the keepers before the doore kept the prison And behold the angel of the Lord was there present or stoode by him and a lighte shined in the prison and hee smote Peter on the side and stirred him vp saying arise vp quickly his chains fel off froÌ„ his hands And anon when they were past the first and seconde watch they came vnto the yron gate that leadeth vnto the citie which opened vnto theÌ„ by the owne accord Behold no impediments or lets how strong and mighty soeuer they were hindered or stayed y angel of y Lord that he might not execute most spéedily the commissioÌ„ which he had from god All things giue place and make way to the Lords embassadour The yron chaines fel from Peters hands of their owne accorde He walketh safe throughe the 〈…〉 souldiers the Angel going before him The locke of the prisâ—ndâ—râ— no man opening it is vnlocked and wheÌ„ the seruaunts of God were gone out it is shut againe These angels that is to say these heaueÌ„ly embassadours being of their own nature most swift and spéedy spirites are nowe conuersaunt in heauen the power of God so willing and working but so soone as it shall please the Lorde of all by and by they are present with meÌ„ in earth vnto whom they are sent of God from heauen And they are presente in earth sometime with one and sometime with an other Not that they are not conteyned in their proper place For when the angel tolde the women of Christes resurrection he was not at the same instant in heauen and by the graue or sepulchre at once For God onely is not conteyned in place For he is present in euerie place But angels goe not forwarde faire and softely neyther are they moued with labour or toyling after the maner of corruptible bodyes Yet in the Scriptures they are expressely sayde to ascend into heauen and from thence to descend vnto vs We verily rightly beléeue that oure soules as soone as they departe out of the bodyes doe foorthwith enter into the kingdome of heauen For the Lorde hath sayde in the Gospell But hath escaped from death vnto life And to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise And thou doest reade of Lazarus the begger And it came to passe that the begger dyed and
of prayer for the â—eade For that whichsome albedge out of â—he second booke of Machâ—beiâ— proueth thing For that booke is not canonicall Which thing it behooued them to haue learned long since euen out of Hierome They adde that prayer for the deade is an vnwritten tradition of the Apostles I heare them But I knowe well enough that the vnwritten traditions of the apostles are not contrarie to their writtâ—n doctrines I knowe well enoughe that the written doctrines of the apostls no where commaunde prayers for the deade and in no place allowe them When Paule the Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians to moderation in lameâ—ting for the dead the time being then verie fitte and most 〈◊〉 to giue commaundement concerning offering of prayers for the soules of the deade if he had thought them any whit profitable and necessarie yet notwithstanding he maketh no manner mention of them yea rather he simply teacheth what they ought to beléeue touching the fouâ—es of the faithfull being separated from their bodies namely that they liue in euerlasting blessednesse with Christ wayting and looking for the reâ—urrection of their bodies But who can not sée that this certeintie and plainnesse of the Apostles doctrine is intangled and perilously shaken with this feigned Apostolique tradition For if we beléeue in Christ let vs beléeue his wordes and promises He him selfe saide that he is the resurrection and life of the faithfull and that the soules of the beléeuing euen immediately 〈…〉 death of the body 〈◊〉 escape and 〈◊〉 into liâ—â— â—f I say we 〈…〉 of the Lord why then doe we aâ— yet being 〈◊〉 for the saluation of the 〈◊〉 of the deade prays and make supplicatioÌ„ for them as though they had not yet obteyned saluation â–ª By these our prayers truely we giue a manifest proofe that we dout of our faith hope not after that as concerning the saluation of our fouls which wedge â—â—th professe with tâ—ung and which also the wordes of Christe and the Apostles commaunde vs to hope after The stedfast faith truely and assured hope of those that beléeue and stay them selues vppon the promises of Christe dâ— forbid vs here to take and weare blacke mourning garments in offerings for the dead whose souls we beléeue to haue already put on white garmentes they forbid vs to giue occasion eyther to vnbeléeuers or to weaklinges in fayth of repreheâ—â—ing vs worthily bycause we 〈◊〉 and lament for them who 〈◊〉 say do liue with God as if they were â—ast into hell fire and busily set our selues a worke with making humble prayers vnto God to deliuer the miserable souls out of torments that is to say bycause the faith which we professe with tong and voyce we condemne by the testimonie of â—ure heart and mynd yea and of our outwarde workes If we goe on after this sorte truely we are double dealers in our hope and in our faith The things whiche we speake séeme to be dissembled false and feigned For it auayleth nothing in words to â—â—â—nt of vertue and with déedes to destroye trueth Therfore let him that wil receiue this 〈…〉 as they caâ—â— it of the Apoâ—â—les touching the offering of prayers for the faithfull departeâ— as for me I meane to receiue nothing repugnant to true â—ayth and 〈◊〉 from the apoâ—â—les doctriâ—e 〈◊〉 doe I persuade any man to receâ—â—â— such â—anitie This also I can not choose but tel you that that which they call the tradition of the apostles S. Augustine calleth the tradition of the fathers reâ—â—iued of the Churche For in his 〈◊〉 〈…〉 apostâ—li 32. he sayth This which the fathers deliuered the whole Church obserueth to wit that prayers shoulde be made for them in the communion of of the body and bloud of Christ wheÌ„ they in their own place are reheâ—â—â—ed at the verie sacrifice and the same is mentioned to be offered for them also And againe 〈…〉 gerendâ— Cap. 4. he saith Supplications or prayers for the soules of the dead are not to bee neglected whiche the church hath receiued to be made for all that be departed in the Christian brotherhod not rehearsing them by name but in a general remembrance of them altogether Thus saâ—e he â–ª Who though in some place he 〈◊〉 the traditioÌ„s of the apostles very say yet by these words this séemethmore expresly to be his meaning y this 〈◊〉 or order of praying for the dead was deliuered to the churche by the fathers and doubtlesse many yeares after the Apostles time was receiued of the church The same August defendeth in more places than one that the receiuing of the Eucharist or sacrameÌ„t of the Lordes supper is as necessarie for infants being newe come forth of their mothers wombe to y attaining of saluation as the sacrament of baptisme The chiefe and notable places wherein â—e hand â—â—th 〈…〉 in his first booke against 〈…〉 his 〈…〉 against y Pelagians Nether doth he 〈◊〉 that opinion with lesse 〈…〉 than the tradition â–ª bicause that 〈…〉 and very vsual in the church in y age But who at this day receiueth y ceremonie as Apostolical Who séeth not that those good fathers otherwise most faithfull pastours in that thing suffered some inuention of man The written doctrine of S. Paule deserueth at this day more to be estéemed than that auncient tradition of the church Paul writeth Let euery man 〈◊〉 himselfe and so let him eatâ— of this â—â—eade and drinke of this cap. Whâ—reby al men vnderstand that y Eucharist or sacrament of the Lords supper is for them to receiue that are of perfect age not 〈…〉 For y cauâ—â— it 〈…〉 for our elder to forsake y tradition and to draw more neare to the scripture Let theÌ„ therefore in this mâ—tter giue vs 〈◊〉 also to depart froÌ„ the vncertein tradition of the fathers to cleane to the moste 〈◊〉 faith doctrine of the apostles But 〈◊〉 say they was condeÌ„ned for this cause for that he beléeued prayers were vnprofitable for the dead I 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 y Aerius was coÌ„deÌ„ned neither do I take vpon me to defend him whom â—hylastrius Epiphanius Augustine do make mention to haue 〈…〉 Arian a man polluted with other â—oule errors But touching prayers for the dead whether they be profitable or vnprofitable there is no doubt that they are catholiques notheretiques who beléeue that which is deliuered â—et downe in the apostles créed For according to the tradition of this créede we beléeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes 〈…〉 life euerlasting They which beleèue these things â—â—tein vndoutedly what soâ—â—er they beléeue For the Lord said to the Contâ—â—ion Go thy way and as tho◠〈…〉 so be it done vnto thâ—â— Therefore who so euer beléeueth forgiuenes of sinâ— life euerlasting hath obteyned forgiuenesse of sinnes surly he shal liue in euerlasting life Which thing if y be true as it caÌ„not be false whith is deliuered vnto vs in the apostles créede what place I pray you shall prayers
ouerthrowe the trueth they are neuer able For the soules of the faithfull euen out of the verie mouth as is commonly said Von mund vss zu himmel faren vppon a sodeine enter into their blessed seats and by faith enioy euerlasting felicitie Againe we read in the Reuelation of our Lord Iesus Christe made to Iohn the Apostle that it was said And I heard a voice from heauē saying vnto mee write Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours their workes followe them In these words an heauenly and vndoubted oracle touching the blessednes of all such as die in faith is knitt vpp and S. Iohn is commanded to write the oracle from heauen that it may remaine to all times and be read of all people The summe of the oracle is this Blessed are the dead whiche heerafter die in the Lord. But they die in the Lord whosoeuer depart out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christ For so the Apostle vseth this kind of speach in the 1. Cor. 15. and 1. thess. 4. Furthermore they whiche depart out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christe are simplie and truly pronounced blessed to witt happie and free from all miserie Yea a note of the time when they shal obteine this blessednes is added namely Hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say presently at an instāt by and by out of hand to witt as the Lord saith in the Gospel forthwith after the death of the bodie There is added also another testimonie whereby againe the certainetie of felicitie is expressed and perfection too not delayed till the morrow Euen so saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours The spirite I meane of trueth whiche cannot lie sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Amen so it is truely the faithfull are blessed in déed and euen at an instāt they are blessed and so blessed that They rest from their labours The labours of the faith full are miseries calamities afflictions sorrowe feare or dread and other euils of this sort wherewith in this world they are vexed yea rather exercised in faith From these thinges the soules of the faithfull departing from their bodies are deliuered therefore they are not purged by torments and vexations they are not scortched in that middest of their iourney but beeing happie and blessed are forthwith deliuered from all anguish and trouble And if so bee that they suffered any thinge whiles they were yet liuing in the bodie if they did any good workes in faith they do follow them Let no man thincke that those woorkes beecause they nowe ceasse were and are vaine For they receiue their reward in that blessed life For that it is that Their works do folow them And let vs marke that he sayth not The workes of other followe them to deliuer them forsooth out of purgatorie but Their owne works follow them For in the Gospell also the wise virgins which had oyle readie in their lamps went in with the bridegrome to the mariage the folish virgins which had prepared themselues no oyle but did hope to haue from elsewhere to serue their turne are excluded and shut out from ioy To the omnipotent God therefore our most mercifull father and continuall-running founteine of all good Graces and whiche is neuer drawne drie who fashioned our bodie in our mothers wombe and breathed or powred into it a reasonable soule whiche might whiles it is ioyned to the bodie quicken and direct vs and when it is separated from the bodie might forthwith after the death of the bodie be translated into heauen there to liue in ioy and happines vntill it returne againe vnto the bodie beeing raised from the dead in the last iudgement with the which it maye reioyce and be glad for euer and without end to that God I saye thoroughe Iesus Christ for whose sake we are made partakers of so great a benefite be glorie praise and thankes giuing for euermore Amen ¶ The ende of the second Tome THE FIFT AND LAST DECADE OF Sermons WRITTEN BY HENrie Bullinger The thirde Tome IESVS This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him Matth. 17. THE FIFTE DECADE OF Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger ¶ Of the holie catholique Church what it is how farre it extendeth by what markes it is knowen from whence it springeth how it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power and studies of the Church ¶ The first Sermon THE order course of things so leading vs next after God the workeman and authour of all thinges wee come to speake of his most excellent worke to witt the Church For so great is the goodnesse of our good God and most louing father that not he himself is desirous to liue happily blessedly alone but moreouer to bestowe and powre vppon vs men his beloued creatures all kinde of blessednes and that wée should enioye his goods by all meanes possible And for that intent he choseth men to him self who liue in this world that he may once translate vnto him selfe in whome also euen while they liue héere hee maye dwell whome he may enriche with all his goods in whom he may reigne and that they should be called by his name to wit a people a house a kingdome an inheritaunce a flocke a congregation or Church of the liuing god Of which Church I will speake being ayded with your prayers such things as the Lord of the Church shall graunt vnto mée to vtter This word Ecclesia which signifieth a Church or Congregation is a Gréeke word vsed receiued amonge the Latines signifying as I said a congregation communion or assemblie in the Dutche tongue Ein Gemeind or a people called together to heare of matters of the cōmon wealth For so it is founde that S. Luke vsed this word in the 19. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles But it was translated to an holy vse and began to bée called a congregation assemblie or companie of the faithful calling vppon the name of the lord S. Paul saith that he persecuted the cōgregation or Church of God who in another place sayeth I receiued authoritie from the highe priestes to binde all those that call vpon the name of christ For now doth hee terme them such as call vppon the name of Christ or Christians whome before he named the Church Or else this word Ecclesia the church or congregation is so called of caling forth together for in the Gréeke tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to call forth For God calleth forth from al parts of the wide world and from the whole congregation of men all beléeuers together with their séede that they may bee his peculiar people he againe may be their God that is to say that they may be the Church of the liuing god In times paste the congregation or assemblye of the Iewishe
manner one it is For first wee confesse that there hath béene and is a Church of God and that it shall continue for euer Then professing what it is wée add this The communion of Sainctes That is to say Wée beléeue the Church to bee nothing else but the companie of all those Sainctes that are haue béene and shal be as wel in this present age as in the age to come who enioye all good thinges in common granted vnto them by god Also wee declare what manner one it is in calling it holy I say the spouse of Christ cleansed and blessed For S. Paule calleth them holy whiche are cleansed with the spirit and bloud of oure God of whiche a great part haue receiued crownes of glorie the residue labour heere vppon earth hoping to receiue them in heauen And truely in consideration of the Church the chiefest matter is that thoroughe the Grace of God wee be made the members of Christes body and partakers of all heauenly gifts with the Angels For wée confesse none to be more holy than our owne selues Or else it may be taken more largly and then it doeth comprehende not onely them that are the very faithfull and holy in déede but also them who althoughe they beléeue not truely or vnfeignedly neither be cleane or holy in the conuersation of their life yet do they acknowledge and professe true religion with the true beléeuers and the holy men of God yea they speake well and allowe of vertues and reproue euill neither doe seauer themselues from the vnitie of this Militant Church In whiche consideration not so much as the wicked and hypocrits such as wée read to haue béene in the Church in the time of Christe and the Apostles as Iudas Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus also Demas Hymenęus Alexander and many other are excluded and put from the church which Church maye well be called the outward and visible Church But this Church whereof wee speake is to bée accompted off either by reason of some part thereof or else of the whole For it is to be considered generally particularly And the particular Church is that whiche is comprised in a certeine number is knowen by some sure and certeine place For it is named of the place being called after the names of cities as the Churches of Zuericke and Bernes c. The Gréekes called those particular Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche wee commonly call Parishes And we call that a parish which hath dwelling houses and streates ioyned together in neighbourhoode But in cities and townes vnto certeine portions are vsually ascribed both Churches and parish priestes to serue them and the whole circuite is called a parishe In the Dutche tongue Ein Barchi oder pfarkirch oder ein kirchhory And in the old time the parish priest was a prouider For hee prouided and gaue necessaries to straungers and chiefly salt and wood Some called him the maker of the feast other cal him a preparer of Virgins Therefore because the pastours of Churches were preparers of Virgins for the redéemer and head of the Church whiche is Christe bringing vnto him a chast and vndefiled virgin to be short because they themselues prouided things most necessarie for the people of God and also prepared heauenly meates and banquets the pastours of the Lords flocke are very well called parish priestes or the curates of soules The Lord speaking in the Gospel of the particular Church said If hee that offendeth the Church will not regard when hee is warned complaine vnto the Church But it is not possible that the vniuersall Church through the whole world should assemble come together that the rebellious and obstinate should be brought before it wherfore iudgment is referred to be giuen on that stubborne by the particular Churches To conclude the vniuersal Church consisteth of al the particular Churches through out the whole world and of all the visible partes and members thereof This is the same which we drue forth euen nowe when wée spake more at large thereof But the catholique Church of God doeth abide with vs as wée began to tell a litle before cōtinually from age to age from the beginning and is at this time dispersed thorough out the whole world both visiblye and inuisiblye and the Lords people and God his house shall continue vppon earth vnto the worlds end For there was neuer yet any world neither shal be any age wherein God hath not or will not sanctifie some vnto himselfe wherin he will dwell and that they shall be his flocke and holy house For the testimonies of auncient Prophets doe record that the Church is perpetual For thus wee finde it written in the 132. Psalme The Lord hath chosen Sion hee hath chosen her for an habitation for him selfe This is my resting place for euer and euer heere will I dwell because I haue chosen her And againe I haue sworne vnto Dauid in my holinesse his seede shall remaine for euer and his seate shall continue before mee as the Sunne But who knoweth not that all this is to be vnderstode of Christ the sonne of Dauid and of his seate and spirituall Sion which is the Church He also signifying the continuaunce of the Church sayeth in the Gospell I will remaine with you continually vnto the ende of the world And againe I will aske of my father and hee shall giue you an other cōforter the spirite of truth that he may abide with you for euer To this belongeth also that saying in the Gospel And the gates of hell shal not preuaile against the Church Whiche saying truely is a great comfort to the faithfull in so many and so great persecutions intended to the vtter destruction and ouerthrowe of the Church As Christ had alwayes his Church héere vppon earth hath now and for euer shall haue So likewise the diuel as longe as the world shall continue shall neuer want his people in whom hee maye reigne This Church of the diuel toke her first beginning of Cain and shall continue to the last wicked person comprehending also all those euill peoples that haue beene in the meane time and shal be betwixte the beginning and the ending But they liuing héere on earth haue societie and common with them that are tormented in hell For as all that bee Godly béeing vnder one head Christ do make one body so all the wicked vnder one head sathan are one incorporate body This maye right worthily be called that wicked Church Sodome and Gomor Babylon the cōgregation of Chora Dathan Abyron a synagogue a schole and a stewes of the diuell the kingdome of antichriste or any other of like sort In this Church are reckoned vpp all such as are wicked and and infidels separating themselues from the societie of oure holy mother the Church or forsaking the communion thereof and specially such as are mockers of God and his holy woord blasphemers
all his faithfull which shoulde abide with them for euer sayeth In that day ye shall knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you to witt by the holie Ghoste Iohn the Apostle expounding it and saying By this we knowe that he dwelleth in vs by the spirite that he gaue vnto vs. And againe By this we knowe that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen of his spirite vnto vs. S. Paule the vessell of election differeth not from Saincte Iohn writing and saying to the Romanes If any man hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the children of God. Now as touching true faith which tyeth vs vnto the Lord S. Paule saith I liue now yet not I but Christe liueth in me But the life whiche I now liue in the flesh I liue yet thorough the faith of the sonne of God who loued me and gaue vp him selfe for me And againe he saith Christe dwelleth in our hartes thorough faith With which sayings Sainct Iohn the Apostle agréeing againe saith Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God. For the Lord him selfe before that said in the Gospell He that eateth my fleshe and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him And he eateth Christes flesh and drinketh Christes bloud that beléeueth Therefore Christe our Lorde is ioyned vnto vs in spirite and wée are tyed to him in minde and faithe as the body vnto the head they therefore that lack this knotte and bonde that is that haue not the spirite of Christe nor true faith in Christe are not the true and liuely members of Christe the Lord him selfe in the gospell witnessing and saying If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fier and they burne Which words of our sauiour the Apostle imitating as we said euen now said He that hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his But they that are not destitute of the spirite of Christe are inflamed with the loue of god Neither do we separate loue from faith the same S. Iohn so teaching vs saying God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and GOD in him For the Lord saith in the gospell If a man loue me he will kepe my word and my father will loue him and we wil come vnto him wil dwel with him But although properly faith ioine vs to our head Christ yet the same also doth knit vs to all Christes members vpon earth For whereas there is but one faith of them al and therefore the same spirit there can not but be the same mouth the same minde the same sentence amongest them all although faith be not nowe taken only for a confidence in the mercy of God through Iesus Christe but also for an outwarde confession of fayth For we all confessing one faith and one and the selfe same head with one spirite and mouth we also together professe that we all are members of one and the selfe same body Neither is there any thing else in the worlde that more vnappeaseably disseuereth the mindes of men than the diuersitie of faith or religion and therfore there is nothing that maye more nearely ioyne vs together than vnitie of faith We come nowe to speake of loue whiche I sayde ioyneth together the members of the ecclesiasticall body mutually amongst them selues The Lord saith in the gospel A new commandement giue I vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you that ye also loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other It is therfore out of doubt that the onely marke of the church next after faith is loue a bond most firmely knitting together all the members This groweth from the communion of Christ and vnitie of the spirit For insomuch as Christ the king the head and highe Byshop of the catholique churche enduing vs all with one and the same spirite hath made vs all his members the sonns of God brethren and fellow heires whom vndoubtedly he loueth tenderly euery faithfull man can not choose but with feruent loue embrace the members and fellowe heires of their king their head and their high Byshop For Iohn the Apostle saith Euerie one that loueth him that begatte doth loue him also that is borne of him If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene Paule to the end that he might moste properly expresse before oure eyes and as it were set to viewe and beholde this vnitie and agréement of the members vseth a parable taken from the members of a mans body and saith For as we haue many mēbers in one body and all members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one an others members The same in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians more largely and plainely expounding ioyning together of the heade and the members and that chiefly by the sayd parable of the members of a mans body and publishing it very eloquently witnesseth that betwéene the highest members of the churche and the lowest members of the same there is a very greate and apt consent and moreouer a diligent care and a helpe both continuall and most faythfull Of all whiche it appeareth that the markes of the true liuely church of Christ are the cōmunion of the spirit of Christ sincere fayth christian charitie without the which thinges no man is partaker of this spirituall body By these thinges also it shall be easie to iudge whether thou art in the fellowship of the churche or thou art not Moreouer we gather out of those things which we haue hitherto disputed touching the markes of Christes churche from whence is her original also how the church is planted spred abroade preserued Her originall is heauenly for S. Paule speaking of the churche saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Therefore he calleth the church heauenly not that it dwelleth altogether in heauē but that she being here on earth hath a heauenly beginning For the children of God are not borne of flesh bloud but from heauen by the renuing of the holy spirit who through the preaching of Gods word planteth faith in our hearts by which faith we are made the true members of Christ his church For Peter saith Ye are borne a newe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer And Paul saith I begat you in Christ
the benefite of Christes sanctification not that by her selfe while she is in the flesh she is without spot but for that those spots in déede otherwise cleauing vnto her through the innocencie of Christ to those that imbrace Christe by faith are not imputed sinally for that the selfe same church in the world to come shall be without spot or wrinckle For hauing put off the fleshe cast off all miseries it shal at length be brought to passe that she shall want nothing Besides this it is saide that the church is without spot because of the continuall studie of the church wherby she laboureth and traueileth by all meanes that as farre as it is possible she may haue as fewe spottes as maye be And by that meanes and chiefly by the benefite of imputation the church erreth not but is moste pure and without sinne Moreouer as touching doctrine and faith the church of Christ doth not erre For it heareth the voice of the shepeherd only but the voice of straungers she knoweth not for she followeth her onely shepheard Christ saying I am the light of the world he that followeth me shal not walk in darknesse but shall haue the light of life Paule also to Timothie saith These thinges hitherto haue I writtē vnto thee that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God whiche is the Church of the liuing God the piller and grounde of trueth But the Churche is the piller and ground of truth for that being stablished vppon the foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Christe him selfe which is the euerlasting truth of God the only strength of the church receiueth this by fellowship which it hath with him that she also mighte be the piller and foundation of the truth For the truth of God is in the church and the same throgh the ministerie of the church is spread abroade and being assaulted and warred againste by the enimies abiding sure is not ouercome so farfoorth as being made one body with Christe she doth perseuere in the fellowship of Christe without whome she can do nothing Againe the same church doth erre in doctrine and faith as oftēn as she turning from Christ and his word goeth after men and the counsels and decrées of the flesh For she forsaketh that thing that hath hitherto stayd that she erred not which is the word of God and Christ I thinke no man will denie that the greate congregation of the people of Israell in the desert was an excellent Churche of God with the whiche the Lord made a couenaunt and bounde him selfe vnto it by Sacraments and ordinances And yet howe shamefully she erred whilest neglecting Gods word Aaron the high priest of religiō not cōstantly earnestly resisting she both made a molten calfe worshipped it as a God no man is ignorant Where also surely it shal be necessary more diligētly to looke into and mark the whole number of the church For many in the church erring it foloweth not that none at all is frée from error For as in the churche of Israell the Lord reserued a rēnant to him selfe I meane Moses Iosua vndoubtedly many moe as wel in the cōgregatiō as else-where without whiche did neuer worship the calfe so there is no doubt althoughe there doe manye erre in the Church but that the Lord through his mercie doeth preserue to himselfe a certeine number who both vnderstād a-right and by whose faithfull diligence errours are destroyed and the wandering flocke of the Lord brought backe againe into the holy fould The Church therfore is said to erre when a parte of it hauing loste Gods word doeth erre and the same erreth not wholie and altogether forasmuch as certeine remnauntes through the grace of God are reserued by whome the trueth maye flourishe againe and may againe be spred abroad in euery place S. Paule called the Churches of the Corinthians and Galathians The holie churches of God yet these erred greatly in doctrine in faith and in manners And yet who doubteth that there were many amonge them who were most sincere followers of the pure doctrine preached by Sainct Paule That holy Church therefore erred so farre forth as it cōtinued not stedfastly in true doctrine and it erred not so farre foorth as it departed not from the truth deliuered by the Apostles From hence it plainly appeareth to the whole world that those are most vaine lyars which commend vnto vs Churches not builded vppon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles but vppon the decrées of men which they shame not to commend vnto vs for most true Churches and such as cannot erre Dauid cryeth out Onely God is true and euery man a lyar Ieremie also cryeth They haue reiected the woord of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Therfore those Churches doe erre neither bee they the true Churches of god The true Church groundeth vppon Christ Iesus and is gouerned by his woorde onelye Vnto this treatise of the woord of God which is the onely rule whereby all thinges are done in the Church the disputation of the power of the church of God in earth of the studies thereof which also are directed according to the word of God is verie like But before I wil bring forth my iudgement that is to say the iudgement deliuered by the Scriptures I will briefly rehearse the summe of those things whiche the Papistes haue lefte in writing concerning this matter and doe vndoubtedly mainteine for sounde doctrine Iohn Gerson not much amisse vnlesse he haue an ill interpreter hath defined Ecclesiasticall authoritie to be a power supernaturally and spiritually giuen of the Lord to his disciples and to their lawefull successours vnto the ende of the world for the edification of the Church Militant according to the lawes of the Gospell for the obteyning of eternall felicitie But Peter de Aliaco the Cardinal sayth that this authoritie is sixe-fould to witt of consecration of administring the sacraments of appointing ministers of the Church of preaching of iudiciall correction and receyuing thinges necessarie vnto this life They call that the power of consecration whereby a priest being rightly ordered maye consecrate the body bloud of Christ on the altar This power they say was giuē to the disciples of the Lord by these words Doe this in the remēbraunce of mee But vnto the priestes in these dayes they thinke it to be giuen of the bishop giuing with the bread the chalice and saying Receiue ye power to offer vp to consecrate Christes bodie both for the quicke and the dead This moreouer they call the power of orders and a marke or character that cānot be wyped out The power of administring the sacraments chiefly of the sacrament of Penance they call the power of the keyes The keyes they make of two sortes The keyes of knowledge that is to say the authoritie of knowledge in the cause of a sinner makinge
of doctrine maners Neither charge they them with light coÌ„mon faults but heynous Esaie crieth That from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot there is no whole place and yet he departed not froÌ„ the churche nor planted him selfe a newe albeit froÌ„ al vngodlinesse corruptioÌ„ he kept him self very diligeÌ„tly How many faults nay howe many errours I pray you were there amongest the Apostles of Christ them selues what did our lord depart from them The church of Corynth was corrupted not only in maners but also in doctrine There was in it conteÌ„tions factioÌ„s brawlings Whordome breaking of wedlocke vndoutedly was coÌ„mon among them What thinke you of that the many of them were present at prophane sacrifices Surely it was no small error that they estéemed baptisme according to the worthinesse of the minister They had defiled the Lords Supper with their priuate prodigal banquets yea of the resurrection of the dead they thought not aright But did the apostle for the cause either depart from them him selfe or commaund others to depart yea rather he calleth theÌ„ a holy church greatly rebuking their coÌ„tentions he exhorteth al meÌ„ to obserue the vnitie of the church in the sinceritie of truth It is not to be douted therfore the they greatly sinne which abstein from the fellowship of our or rather the catholique churche in which albeit there be great corruption of life yet the doctrine is sincere the sacrameÌ„ts are purely ministred But these men obiect ye admit al men without exception to the receiuing of the Lordes supper wicked men drunkards couetous men souldiers such like kindes of men with whome the holy apostle forbids vs to eate coÌ„mon breade so far off is it that he graunteth vs to be partakers at thâ— lords table with such Except therfore we like to be defiled with the fellowship of the wicked it is néedful either not to ioyne with this societie or else altogether to flee from it But of the Lords supper the receiuing therof if I liue I wil speak in an other place apt for it At this time this onely we bring against them that Paule the most faithfull seruant of Iesu Christe was not sharper than his maister But it is manifest that he admitted Iudas to the holy table whoÌ„ he knew as it is wont to be saide Intus in cute that is to say throughly within without yet he did not put him by But he wold haue reiected him if he had knowne the rest of his disciples wold haue ben polluted with his coÌ„panie Iudas him selfe was polluted for his minde conscience were corrupt but the rest of the apostls whose minds were pure through perfect faith could not be defiled by another mans trecherie Therfore saith Paule the apostle Let a maÌ„ proue him selfe and so let him eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. He biddeth euery man to proue him self not to iudge an other mans seruant who standeth to his Lorde or falleth If thou béest indued with faith dost lawfully participate at the Lords table thou art not defiled with an other mans wickednesse Therefore to auoyd pollution there is no cause why thou shouldest be separated from the church in which thou séest the bad mingled with the good to be partakers of the Lords supper But if so be thou béest separated thou plainly declarest thy selfe being hardned with arrogancie to be partaker with those whome S. Aug. in his 3. booke against Parmenian the first chapter painteth forth with these proper liuely colours They are â—uil childreÌ„ who not for the hatred of other mens iniquities but throughe the studie of their owne contentions go about eyther wholy to alure or at lest to diuide the simple people prouoked with the bragging titles of their names puft vp with pride folish with frowardnes subtile with slaunders troublesome with seditions who least they shuld be detected to want the lighte of trueth pretend the shadowe of sharpe seueritie and those things which in the holy scriptures the sinceritie of loue beeing saued and the vnitie of peace beeing kept are commaunded for the correction of the faults of their brethren wherein moderation also should be vsed they vsurpe to the sacriledge of scisme and occasion of cutting off The same authour amongst other things godlily and wisely disputed in the two chapters following giues this counsel to modest wits That quietly they should correct what they may and what they can not mende they should patiently suffer and louingly mourne till God him selfe either amend it or in the day of iudgement fan away the chaffe Furthermore concluding this place I wil recite vnto you the words of the blessed martir CypriaÌ„ He in his 3. booke 3. epistle hath thus left it written If cockle appeare to be in the churche yet ought neither our faith nor our charitie be letted that bicause wee see cockle in the church we our selues depart froÌ„ the church we must rather labour to bee good corne that when the corne shal be laid vp in the lords barne we may receiue the fruite of our labour and trauell The Apostle saith in his Epistle but in a great house are not only vessels of gold and siluer but also of wood and of earth some vessels of honor some of dishonor Let vs indeuour and labor what we may that we may be a vessel either of gold or of siluer But the Lorde only hath libertie to break in peeces the eartheÌ„ vessels to whoÌ„ also is giuen an yron rod. The seruaÌ„t can not be greater thaÌ„ his lord Neither let any man think it lawful for him to challenge that to him selfe which the father hath giueÌ„ only to his sonne that he might now be able to purge the â—â—owre or fanne the chaffe or by al the wit man hath to separate al the chaff froÌ„ the corne This is a proud obstinacie and wicked presumption which lewde furie taketh to him selfe And whiles some men alwayes take to theÌ„ selues a further dominion thaÌ„ peaceable iustice requireth they perish froÌ„ the church and whiles they proudly lift vp theÌ„ selues blinded with their owne presumption they are bereft of the light of truth The Lord Iesus reduce the wandering shepe into the vnitie of the catholique churche liuing in vnitie kéepe vphold them Amen These aduersaries of ours being ouercome there arise vp new cruel enimes that is to say the defenders of the Romane Monarchie of the apostolique sea as they cal it the most auncient church for they cry eueÌ„ while they be whorse that we are guiltie of the same cryme whereof we condemned the Anabaptistes certeine other fantastical fellowes For they say that we with a wicked scisme forced by no necessitie haue forsaken the olde Romishe church and haue set vp for our selues newâ— hereticall Synagogues And they alledge that the holy scripture hath as yet her authoritie in the
Gospell that is of that whiche giueth the spirite of Christ yea which poureth it into the beléeuers but they are not preachers of the letter of the lawe which doth not giue grace and remission of sinnes but worketh wrath and bringeth sinne to light Touching the keyes and the power of the keyes there will be elsewhere a more fit place to speake And moreouer it séemeth that here is a méete place for those things which I haue disputed of in the first sermon of this Decade touching the power and ministerie of the Church Againe whereas the Lorde vseth in teaching his Church mans helpe and vs as labourers together in finishing the saluation of mankinde he sheweth most euidently howe greatly he loueth vs and howe muche he estéemeth of vs who hath layde vp so greate a treasure in earthen vessels and euen in vs our selues worketh what so euer is most excellent and ouercommeth all the highe excellencie of the world Whereby we learne againe to attribute all the glorie vnto Christ Paul againe teaching vs and saying We preache not our selues but Iesus Christe the Lorde and our selues your seruaunts for Iesus sake For it is God that commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse who hath shined in our hearts for to giue the light of knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christe But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may bee of God and not of vs Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse c. Moreouer all the members of the Ecclesiasticall body are wonderfully glued together by the Ecclesiasticall ministerie For this chiefly helpeth to make concorde and continue vnitie bicause we want mutuall instruction and vnto euerie Churche is one peculiar pastour appointed as a gouernour as it were some faythfull housholder gouerning and kéeping in order his whole familie Truely it can not be denyed that in time past that moste exquisite order of the tabernacle and temple and the tribe of Leuie consecrated to the priesthoode were to this ende ordeyned of God whiche as soone as that vngodly king Ieroboam throughe wicked presumption forsooke hee rent the kingdome in péeces and at the length vtterly ouerthrewe both his owne house and the whole kingdome S. Paule also speaking of the endes of the holy ministerie instituted of God doth not forget the vnitie of the Ecclesiasticall body wherevnto also he ioyneth other notable good things If any man desire his wordes they are these He instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Saintes for the woorke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe till we all meete together in the vnitie of faithe and knowledge of the sonne of god vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with eraftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue But let vs followe the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the heade that is Christe c. These endes of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie are manifest in the preaching of the worde of god GOD hathe instituted a ministerie in the Church that all the members may be brought into the vnitie of the bodye and that they maye be subiect and cleaue to Christe their heade that thereby we may growe to be of full age and become perfect men that we be not alwayes children and that we lye not open to the deceites and bewitchings of all heretiques but being ioyned together in true faith and charitie let vs holde fast the pure and simple truth of Christe and seruing Christe vnfeignedly in this worlde we may after death reigne with him in heauen Out of these things let vs also deriue this that the Ecclesiasticall ministerie thoughe it be executed by men yet is it not of man that is to say inuented by man For the beginning thereof is from heauen and the authour or institutour thereof is God him selfe and therefore the worthinesse of it doth greatly excell The first preacher in paradise was God him selfe yea the sonne of God him selfe who by the ministerie of the holy ghoste alwayes spake to the Fathers euen as afterwardes being incarnate he was giuen of the father to be a maister and teacher to the whole worlde He preached vnto our parentes Adam and Eue remission of sinnes and repentance He ordeyued and reuealed a sacrifice insteade of a sacrament wherein might be represented ratified vnto them y price of the redemptiō promised by the séed in time couenient to be paide c. There succéeded in the ministerie Adā with his sonnes nephues Seth Enos Enoch No◠Sem Abrahā with their sonnes and nephues euen vnto Moses in whose time while he gouerned the Church and after him there are giuen Prophetes and Priestes euen vnto the time of Iohn Baptist and Iesus the promised séed I meane Christe our king and highe Prieste He in likewise sent into the worlde his disciples that is to saye the Apostles who ordeyned for their successours Byshops and Doctours Of whiche thing I haue spoken more largely in an other place God him selfe therefore is hearde in the voyce or doctrine of his ministers So that we are commaunded to giue eare to the ministers preaching the Gospell as to the verie Angels of God yea as to the Lord him selfe For this cause Paule prayseth the Galathians saying Ye despised not neyther abhorred my triall which was in the flesh but receiued me as an angel of God yea as Christe Iesus Wherevpon S. Augustine also in his third treatise vpon Iohn Let vs heare sayth he the Gospell as if the Lord were present and let vs not say Oh happie are they who could heare him bycause there were many of them which saw him and yet consented to kill him and many among vs who haue not seene and yet beleued For that also whiche sounded precious out of the mouth of the Lorde is both written for our sakes and kept for vs and is also read for our sakes and for our posterities sake shall bee read vnto the end of the world The Lord is aboue yea and the Lord whiche is the trueth is here also For the body of the Lord wherewith he rose may be in one place but his trueth is spread abroade euery where Let vs therefore heare the Lord and that also which he shal giue vs of his words Thus much he The Lord our highe prieste speaketh vnto vs euen at this day by the ministers preaching his word And we haue all things what so euer the Lorde spake by the patriarches prophets and apostles set out in the scriptures which the ministers of the churche doe reade and declare before vs Who therefore hereafter can despise the ministerie and the faithfull ministers of Christe especially since our Lord and
Plebani that is priests appointed for the people who only represent some shadowe of the old institution in this that they preache and administer the Sacramentes whiche neuerthelesse you cannot allowe beecause they minister them after Popish traditions and not after the doctrine of the Apostles And many other thinges they doe by reason of their office which godlines by al meanes doth dissallowe There are added vnto these hirelings helpers or vicars There are also ioyned vnto these Sacellani whome they call chaplaines of whom there is an excéeding number These euen as the monkish priests do account the chiefe partes of their duetie to be saying ouer their houres but especially in massing as for doctrine they attribute nothing to it For of this companie you shall finde some who neuer in all their life made one sermon For the charge of preaching they committ onely to their parishe priestes and their vicars they serue those Gods to whome their altar or their chapell is consecrated c. By all whiche thinges euen vnto blinde men it plainly appeareth how shamefully the first institution of ministers or pastours is corrupted and turned vpside downe They set ouer the priestes archpriestes I haue vsed that word in my preface or epistle in the beginning of the first Decade and I heare that some brethren are offended at it as thoughe there stucke some péece of Popish leuen still about vs or as though wee thought to bring in againe some vnworthie dignitie into the churche But I would not haue those brethren to feare With vs there are no Popish archpriests neither vnderstood I any Popish dignitie by that word but the office of ouerséeinge whiche others call visiting For they haue the charge of all degrées in our countrie in admonishing and correcting they haue no prelacie or superioritie they reape no rewards thereby c. But wee returne to our purpose They deriue priestes or sacrificers from the seuentie disciples whome it is read in the Gospel that the Lord did choose The order of bishops from Peter himselfe and the residue of the Apostles And immediatly they diuide the order of bishops into thrée partes namelye patriarches archbishoppes and bishops They account the patriarchs the fathers of princes or highest fathers And them also they call Primates And Primates say they haue authoritie ouer thrée archbishops as a king also hath authoritie ouer thrée dukes Here I thincke Cardinals haue their place in whom the church of Rome is turned as a gate vpon the hindges For in the Decretals of Gregorie De officio Archip. it is thus read Cardinals haue their name a Cardine that is of the hindg of a gate for as by the hindg the gate is ruled so by Cardinals the vniuersall churche is gouerned Archbishops are as it were the princes of bishops they are also syrnamed Metropolitanes because they haue their gouernment in the chiefest cities In verie déed Metropolis with the Gréekes is as it were a mother citie from whence Colonies are deducted that is people are sent out to inhabite some newe place Wherevpon he is called the Metropolitane byshoppe who gouerneth some one Prouince and hath other byshops vnder him And these are called both byshops chiefe priestes and presuls But if you compare all these thinges with that whiche I sayde before of the byshops and gouernours of the primitiue churche you will say there is very greate difference betwéene them But that whiche they write touching the Pope or chiefe byshop is farre from the writings of the Apostles and Euāgelists and from the first ordeyning of ministers made by our sauiour Christ All those bishops saye they our most holy Lord the Pope doth excell in dignitie and power who is called Pope that is the father of fathers he is also called vniuersall because hee is chiefe of the vniuersall churche and hee is also called Apostolicall and the chiefe bishop because he supplieth the roome of the chiefe of the Apostles For he is Melchizedec◠whose priesthood other are not to be compared vnto because he is the head of all bishoppes from whom they descend as members from the head and of whose power they all do receiue whome he calleth to be partakers of his care and burden but not to bee partakers of the fulnesse of power They therfore define the Pope to be the supreme head of the churche in earth and the onely vniuersall shéepeheard of the whole world who cannot erre nether ought to be iudged of any man For they saye he is the iudge of all men hauing absolute power For thus sayeth Innocent the 9. Pope in his thirde Quest Neither of the Emperour neither of all the Clergie neither of kinges nor of the people ought the iudge to be iudged Vppon whiche place he that wrote the glosse writeth thus A general coūsell cannot iudge the Pope As appeareth in the Extrauagants in the title of Election cap. Significasti Therfore if the whole world should pronounce sentence in anye matter against the Pope it seemeth that wee must stand to the Popes iudgement Herevnto perteine those common grounds of the clawbacke flattering laweyers of the Popes Court very plausible and authenticall That all the lawes of the Pope are to be receiued of all men as if they proceeded frō the very mouth of Peter That the authoritie of the Pope is greater than the authoritie of the Saincts That the Pope is all and aboue all That God and the Pope haue one consistorie Which thing also Hostien affirmeth In C. Quanto de Transl prael That the Pope cannot bee brought into order by any man thoughe hee bee accounted an heretique That he hath supreme power neither hath he any fellowe That he hath all lawes within his breast That there is a general counsell where the Pope is That hee hath all lawes in his breast That he hath both swordes whereby he maye rightly bee called an Emperour yea that hee is aboue the Emperour That hee onely can depose the Emperour and pronounce the sentence of the Emperour to be of no effect That he onely may spare whom he will and maye also take awaye the right of one man and giue it to another And finallie may take away priuileges To bee short they saye hee is Lord of Lords and hath the right of the king of kinges ouer his subiectes yea and also hath fulnes of power ouer the temporall thinges in earth Yea and also the whole world is the Popes diocesse wherein he is the Ordinarie of all men and it standeth vppon the necessitie of saluation that euerie man be subiect to the bishop of Rome Herevnto for conclusion I will add the words of the Glosser who sayeth In Ca. Quanto de Transl Episcopi Tit. 7. The Pope sayeth he is said to haue a heauenly power and therfore he altereth the verie nature of things by applying the things that are of the substance of one thing vnto another And of nothing hee can make something and that sentence which
of the ministers that are ordeined in the church I can shew you in one worde to gouerne the church of God or to féede the flocke of Christe For Paule the Apostle speaking vnto the pastours of Asia sayth Take heede vnto your selues and to all the flocke ouer the which the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule or feede the churche of God which hee hath purchased with his owne bloud And the pastours do gouerne the church of God with God his worde or with wholesome doctrine and with holie example of life For S. Paule sayth againe vnto Timothie Be thou vnto theÌ„ that beleue an ensample in word in conuersation in loue in spirite in faith and in purenesse He writeth also the same vnto Tit. 2. chap. But for so much as the Papistes doe forge farre other thinges of the office or function of bishops and doe confirme the same as they also doe their other trifles by the authoritie or power of the keyes as I sayde when I intreated of the power of the church I wil therfore first of all speake somewhat and that as muche as I shall thinke to be sufficient for this matter as touching the keyes A keye is an instrument very well knowne to all men wherwith gates doores and chestes are eyther shut or opened It is transferred from bodily things vnto spirituall thinges and it is called the key of knowledge and of the kingdome of heauen For the Lorde sayth in the Gospell of Luke Woe vnto you interpreters of the lawe for ye haue taken awaye the keye of knowledge ye enter not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad The same sentence S. Matth. bringeth foorth after this sort Woe vnto you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrites bicause ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men for ye your selues goe not in neyther suffer ye them that wold enter to come in Beholde that which Luke calleth to Take away the keye of knowledge that Matthewe expoundeth To shut heauen The key therefore of knowledge is the instruction it selfe as concerning a blessed life by what means we are made partakers thereof He taketh away the keye which instructeth not the people of true blessednes or else is a hinderance that other can not instruct them Therfore the keys of the kingdome of heauen are nothing else but the ministerie of preaching the Gospell or worde of God committed by god vnto his ministers to that ende that euery one may be taught which way leadeth vnto heauen and which way carrieth downe vnto hell These keyes the Lord promised to Peter in him to all the other apostles when he said I wil giue thee the keys of the kingdome of heauen And whatso euer thou shalt bind in earth shal be bound in heaueÌ„ whatso euer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen Let vs inquire therefore when the keyes were deliuered to Peter and to the rest And the agréeable consent of all men is that they were giuen in the daye of the resurrection But it is euident the same day the ministerie or function of preaching the Gospell was committed to the Apostles whereby it followeth that the keyes are nothing else but the ministerie of preaching the gospel amoÌ„gst al nations For this thing is declared vnto the world that saluation purchased by Christ is communicated to them that beléeue and that hell is open for the vnbeléeuers But nowe let vs heare the testimonies of the holy Euangelistes Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist saith The Lord came vnto his disciples sayde Peace bee vnto you As my father hath sent me so sende I you And when he had sayd that he breathed on them and sayde vnto them Receiue the holy Ghoste Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoeuers sinns ye reteine they are reteined These sayings agrée with the words whereby he promised the keyes for there he sayde â–ª Whatsoeuer ye shall binde in earth shal be bound in heauen Here he sayth Whosoeuers sinnes ye reteine they are reteined There he saide And whatsoeuer ye shall loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen Here he sayth Whosoeuers sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto them Wherefore to binde is to reteine sinnes to loose is to remit sinnes You will say howe do men remitte sinnes since it is written that onely God forgiueth sinnes Let other testimonies therefore of the other EuaÌ„gelistes be adioyned expressing that the same historie was done in the day of his resurrection Luke sayth Then the Lorde opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstande the scriptures and sayd vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christe to suffer and to rise againe from the deade the thirde day And that repentaunce and remission of sinnes shuld be preached in his name among all nations And Marke saith He appeared vnto them as they sate together and reproued them of their vnbeliefe and hardnesse of heart and he saide vnto them Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to euerie creature He that shal beleeue and be baptised shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned Therfore God only forgiueth sinnes to them that beléeue in the name of Christe that is to say through the merites and propitiation of Christe but that sinnes are forgiuen the ministers doe assuredly declare by the preaching of the Gospell and by that preaching do binde and loose remitte and reteine sinnes The matter will be made playner by an example or two S. Peter speaking vnto the citizens of Ierusalem Repent ye saith he and let euery one of you be baptised in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy Ghoste And so S. Peter vsed the keyes committed vnto him after this manner he looseth in earth and remitteth sinnes vnto men that is promising to them that beléeue assured remission of sinnes through Christe Whiche message God hath confirmed giuing remission of sinnes vnto the faythfull as they beléeued Moreouer the kéeper of the prisonat Philippos being amazed saith to Silas and Paul Sâ—â—s what must I doe to be saued The Apostles answered Beleeue on the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole houshold The Apostles loosed him that was bounde and forgaue him his sinnes by the keyes that is by the preaching of the Gospell which Gospell since he beléeued in earth the Lorde iudged him to be loosed in heauen These things are taken out of the Acts of the Apostles In the same Acts we reade examples of the contrarie in this manner The Iewes being filled with indignation spake against those thinges whiche were spoken of Paule and rayled But Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and sayde It was necessarie that the word of God should first haue bene spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and thinke your selues vnworthy of euerlasting life loe wee turne to the
the Gospell Hee which is of God heareth Gods word it followeth that they whiche loue the congregation wherin the word of God is preached haue the naturall mark of the sonnes of God. But because many doe not onelye loathe holy assemblies but also saye that prayers are altogether superfluous vaine and vnprofitable Before we procéed any further we will shew that the godly must pray and that the prayers of the faithfull are both effectuall profitable and necessarie They say all thinges are done by the prouidence of God and therefore prayers are vnprofitable For that which God hath fore-knowen that verily will hée bring to passe after the manner of his fore knowledge neither can it be hindered by prayers But these men abuse the prouidence of God for that cut of it they gather that thing which the holy Scriptures do not teach them to gather For in Deut. in expresse woords Moses hath left written The Lord had determined to destroy you therefore I made intercession vnto the Lord and I found fauour Ionas threatneth so certeine destruction vnto the Niniuites from the Lord that he euen foretold the number of dayes But when the men of Niniue beléeued the Lord and repented the Lord beecame fauourable to them againe neither did hée destroye them when they repented Moreouer Esaie had spoken to Ezechias out of the mouth of the Lord Thou shalt die and not liue But when the king powred foorth his prayers euen from the bottome of his haâ—t vnto the Lord God chaunged his sentence that he had pronounced For the Lord himselfe sayeth in Ieremie I will speake soudeinly against a nation or a kingdome for to plucke it vp and to roote it out and to destroy it But if this nation against whome I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them c. Wherefore the prayers of the faithfull are effectuall stayinge the wrathfull iudgementes of God yea and taking them cleane away For wheras they obiect againe That prayer is a declaration of thinges which wée require of the Lord and that God fore-knoweth all thinges therefore that those thinges are vnprofitably and supersâ—uouslie declared vnto him which he alreadie knoweth and so for that cause that prayer is vnprofitable it is confuted of Christ our Lord himselfe who when hee had plainely said Your heauenly father knoweth what thinges ye haue neede of before ye aske of him Yet neuerthelesse adding a fourme of prayer hée teacheth vs to praye In an other place hee commaundeth vs and stirreth vs vpp to pray often Watch and pray sayth hée least you enter into temptation And Paule sayeth Reioyce alwayes pray coÌ„tinually In euery place there are many preceptes of this kinde Neither doe we declare our matters to him as to one that knoweth them not but wée vtter them to him that vnderstandeth the desires of our heart and do humble our selues at the féete of his maiestie Wée aske that of him whiche wée knowe wée want but yet of him certeinely to be receiued who is the author of all goodnesse For wée beleeue his sure and infallible promises In y meane time prayers are not superâ—â—uons for that the Lord would assuredly giue that whiche wée asked The Lord promised the deliuerie of his people whereof the godly doubted nothing at all yet with vncessant supplications they prayed vnto the Lord crying Deliuer vs O Lord our God neither did they thincke they laboured in vaine To the Anabaptistes pretending absolute purenesse and therefore being pure neither can nor ought to pray Forgiue vs oure debtes since there remaine no debtes the most holy Euangelist and Apostle Iohn aunswereth and saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our sâ—lues and the trueth is not in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithful and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes If we say that we haue not sinned we make him a lier and his woord is not in vs. For as long as wee liue in this world there remaine remnaunts of sinne to bee washed away euery moment by the grace of Christ Moreouer where as they obiect It is written Wee knowe that GOD doth not heare sinners But wee are all sinners therefore God dâ—eth heare none of vs and so mens prayers are found to be vnprofitable Wée aunswere that of sinners some are altogether vngodly and despisers of GOD those God heareth not There are againe repentaunt men and such as feare God whiche neuerthelesse are sinners and rightly so called because of the remnaunts of sinne those God heareth Whiche might he shewed by the examples of Dauid Manasses Peter the théefe erucified with Christe many other which were both sinners and when they prayâ—d were heard Therefore we say that the prayers of the faithfull are not onely profitable and effectuall but also necessarie vnto men For wée are men defiled with sinne destitute and void of all goodnesse Euerie good giuing and euery perfecte gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes He commaundeth vs to pray and offereth to them that pray verie large promises Wherefore oure fathers were both verie often exercised and verie â—eruent in prayer by their example teaching vs that prayers are necessarie The Scripture also diligently and at large rehearseth howe great thinges by their prayers in verie weightie affaires and daungers yea in matters most necessarie they obteined of our most true and most bountifull Lord and god The Apostles pray for the holy Ghost faith and the increase of faith and they receiue their requests not spareingly but liberally beeing made partakers of all manner graces of Christ In the Gospel the Publican prayeth in the temple and sayeth God bee mercifull to mee a sinner and he foorthwith found the Lord mercifull vnto him What and howe great thinges Helias by his prayers obteined of the Lord the holy historie recordeth And the blessed Apostle Iames applieth his example vnto vs also that wée also in faith should call vppon god Whiche I rehearse least any man should thincke that that perteineth nothing vnto vs Againe how much the faithfull prayers of Moses Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and other valiaunt men preuailed in warres in famines in sickenesses and in other excéeding great dangers it were long to recite These examples proue that prayer is both alwayes necessarie vnto men and verie effectuall For wée plainely sée that God is moued with the prayers of his faithfull For hée is good and mercifull he loueth vs he toke flesh that he might be touched with féeling of our infirmities least we should bée dismayed at him hée is true and faithfull perfourming those thinges faithfully which he promiseth What doth he not fréely liberally and bountifully call all men vnto him offering himselfe wholie to them that call vppon him in faith But in that they which pray do not alwaies receiue
it cōmeth all to one reckoning to pray neuer a whit or not at all and to babble out words which are not vnderstoode Let euery nation therefore pray in that language which it vnderstandeth best and moste familiarly And no lesse madnesse is it in publique assemblies to vse a straunge language which thinge also hath béen the roote of the greatest euilles in the church Whatsoeuer the priests that were ordained of God and the Prophetes which were sente from him spake or rehearsed to the people of olde time in the church they did not speake or recite them in the Chaldean Indian or Persian but in the Hebrue tongue that is in their vulgar and mother tongue They wrote also bookes in their vulgar tongue Christ our Lorde together with his Apostles vsed the vulgar tongue He furnished the Apostles with the gift of tongues that they might speake to euery nation And for so much as in that age the Gréeke tongue of all other was most plentifull and common the Apostles wrote not in the Hebrue tongue but in the vulgar Gréeke tongue Truely it behoueth that those things that are done in the publique church for the holie assemblies sake shoulde be vnderstoode of all men For otherwise in vaine shoulde so many men be assembled together Whereby it is cléerer than the day light that they that haue brought in straunge tongues into the church of God haue troubled all thinges haue quenched the feruentnesse of mennes mindes yea and haue banished out of the church both prayer it selfe and the vse of prayer and all the fruite and profite that shoulde come of thinges done in the church And truely the Romane and Latine Prince hath brought this Latine abhomination into the church of god He crieth out that it is wickedly done if Germanie England Fraunce Polande and Hungarie do vse both in prayer and all other kinde of seruice in the church not the Romane or Latine tongue but Dutch or Germane spéech English French Polonish or the Hungarian language S. Paule once handling this controuersie saith in plaine wordes If I pray in a straunge tongue my spirite or voyce prayeth but my vnderstanding is without fruite What is it then I will pray with the spirite but I will praye with the vnderstanding also I will sing with the spirite but I will singe with the vnderstandinge also Else when thou blessest with the spirite howe shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned saye Amen at thy giuing of thankes seeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Thou verily giuest thankes well but the other is not edified I thanke my God I speake languages more thā you all yet had I rather in the church to speake fiue wordes with mine vnderstanding that I might also instruct others than ten thousande wordes in a straunge tongue And truely this verie place doth Iustinian the Emperour cite In Nouell Const 123. where he straightly commaundeth Bishops Ministers not secreatly but with a lowde voice which might be heard of the people to recite the holy oblation and prayers vsed in holy baptisme to the intente that thereby the mindes of the hearers might be stirred vp with greater deuotion to set forth the prayses of God. Moreouer it is euident that Gregorie him selfe who is called the great spake to his Citizens in the Citie of Rome in their countrie language which thinge he him selfe witnesseth in the preface of his Commentarie vpon Ezechiel to Marianus the bishop Of the Gréeke bishops no man is ignoraunt that they had their whole seruice in their Churches in their owne natiue language haue lefte their writinges vnto vs in the same tongue We might therfore worthily be iudged mad voide of vnderstanding if we also in the administration of diuine seruice in the church vse not our owne language since so many and so excellēt examples both of most famous churches of moste singular Bishops and gouernours of the church haue gone before vs that I speake not againe of the moste expresse and manifest doctrine of S. Paule the Apostle This place now requireth that I speake somewhat of singinge in the church and of canonical houres But let no man thinke that prayers sung with mās voice are more acceptable vnto God than if they were plainly spokē or vttered For God is neither allured with the swéetenesse of mans voyce neither is he offended though prayers be vttered in a hoarse or base sounde Prayer is commended for faith and godlinesse of minde not for any outward shewe Those outwarde thinges are rather vsed as meanes to stirre vs vp albéeit euen they also take little effect vnlesse the spirite of God doe inflame our harts Neither can any man deny but that the custome of singing is very auncient For the holy scripture witnesseth that the Leuites in the auncient church longe before the comming of Christ did singe yea and that they did singe at the commaundement of god And againe I thinke no man can deny that the same cunning kind of musicke brought into the church of God by Dauid was both accounted among the ceremonies and that the same was abolished together with the temple and the ceremonies We reade not of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the true Messias and full perfection of the law that he soung in any place either in the temple or without the temple or that any where he taught his disciples to singe or commaunded them to ordaine singing in the Churches For that which is read in Matthew and Marke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be englished And when they had soung an Hymne or psalme they went out into the mount of Oliues is such a kinde of saying as doeth not necessarily force vs to vnderstand that the Lord sang with his disciples For a Hymne which is the praise due vnto God may be hūbly vttered without quauering of the voice Truely the olde translation in both places as well in Matthew as in Marke constantly interpreteth it Et hymno dicto exierunt in montem Oliuarum that is to say When they had saide an Hymne they wente out into the mounte of Oliues Erasmus in Matthew hath trauslated it Et cum hymnum cecinissent whē they had sung an Hymne but translating Marke he saith Et cum hymnum dixissent whē they had said an hymne but in either place is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to prayse or to set forth ones prayse which both by singing also without singinge hath béen accustomed to be done And albéeit we neither reade that the lord himself commaūded singing to his Apostles neither that they ordained singing in the Church neither yet do reade in the Actes of the Apostles that they them selues did singe in holy assemblies yet Paule did not rebuke the church at Corinth which began to singe either of her owne accorde or by a certeine imitation of the olde Church because he sawe their māner of singing differed much
from the olde He therefore suffered singing of Psalmes but in the meane time he preferred before it prophecie or the office of preaching and he also required of them that did sing bothe a mesure to be kept and also that it should be done with vnderstanding without which doutlesse bothe prayer singing is not only vnprofitable but also hurtfull I wil pray with the spirit saith the Apostle and will pray with the vnderstanding also I will singe with the spirit and will sing with the vnderstanding also Neither doe I knowe that in any place else the Apostle maketh mention of singing in holie assemblyes vnlesse we liste to applie that hether which Paule hath left written in the 3. to the Colossians though that may séeme to be a priuate institution For that whiche he hath left written in his Epistle to the Ephesians in these words Be not drunken with wine wherein is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirite speaking vnto your selues in psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songes singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thankes alwayes for all thinges vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ What manner of saying it is it is easily iudged by the occasion and order of the words For he speaketh nothing of the publique singing accustomed to be vsed in the Church but of the priuate manner of singing For he had respect vnto riotous banquets where for the moste parte were vsed to be sung of such as were wel tippled songs which were not verie honest Be ye not therefore drunke with wine saith the Apostle lest ye sing songes that are scarse honest but rather if ye list to sing sing Psalmes and spirituall songes Wherevnto this also may be added that euen in those kinds of songs he requireth rather the songe of the hart than the warbling of the voice so far off is it that he at any time alloweth vncomely shrikings either publique or priuate albeit the sense and meaning shal be more simple and plaine if we vnderstand In corde which signifieth in the hart to be spoken in that place in sted of ioyfully or from the hart Wherfore no man can or ought to disallowe moderate and godly singing of Psalmes whethere it be publiquely vsed in holie assemblies or at home in priuat houses And truely you shall finde many testimonies in the ecclesiasticall historie written by Eusebius and Sozomenus declaring that the Esterne Churches euen immediatly after the time of the Apostles did vse to singe Psalmes and Hymnes vnto Christe our Lorde Ye shall also finde this that by certaine decrées of counsels it was ordeyned that no other thinge should either be read or soūg in holie assemblies but onely the canonicall Scripture For euen betimes there began neither a meane to be kept in the Churche neither the canonicall scripture only to be vsed for that certaine men intermedled their owne songes Yet héere déerly beloued I thought good to put you in mind of two excellent things concerning this matter The first of them is that the singing of the ancient Church was a far other kinde of singing than that which at this day is vsed For Erasmus Roter doeth rightly iudge that the singing vsed in the ancient churches was no other than a distincte and measured pronoūtiation such as at this day in some places is vsed in pronoūcing of the psalmes the gospel and the Lordes prayer Truly Plinie the Lieftenant in Asia by diligēt search or examinatiō of matters found out that the christians at certaine appointed times met together before day soūg a Psalme together amonge them selues vnto Christe their god The place of Plinie is to be séene in the 10. book of his Epistles to Traianus the Emperour Also Rabanus Maurus lib. insti Cler. 2 cap. 48. saith The primitiue church did so sing that with a little altering of the voyce it made him that sange to be heard the further so that the singing was more like lowd reading than song These things he borrowed out of the 33. chap. of S. Austines 10. book of confessions who in that place plainly confesseth that he doth sinne when he is more delighted with the swéetnes of the voices than with the sense of the words and therefor desireth that all the melodious tunes of swéet songs wherewith the psalter of Dauid is replenished might be remoued from his eares and the hearing of the Church For it séemed to be more safe which he remēbred he had often heard concerning Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria who with so little strayning of the voice made the Reader of the Psalme to vtter it that he rather séemed to read than to sing The last of the things I said I would put you in mind of is that singing howsoeuer it be an auncient institution neuerthelesse was neuer vniuersal of necessiti thrust vpō the churches but it was frée neither was it always vsed in all churches Whereunto may be added that which Sozomenus witnesseth that those Churches whiche did sing vsed not the very same kindes of prayers or Psalmes or readings or the very same time Socrates also in the 5. book of his historie cha 22. saith To be short in all Countries euery where you shall not finde two churches which in all points agrée together in prayer And that it was long yer the Westerne Churches receiued melodie or the custome of singing it appéereth euen by the testimonie of Augustine who in his 9. booke of Confess Chap. 7. rehearseth that Ambrose béeing oppressed with the snares persecutions of Iustina the Arian Empresse ordained that hymnes and psalmes should be soung according to the custome of the Easte partes since whiche time the custome of singing hath béene reteined and also receiued of other partes of the worlde Neuerthelesse before the Westerne churches receiued the order of singing they were estemed of all them of the East to be true Churches neither came it into any mans braine that therefore they were hereticall and schismaticall Churches or not rightlie gouerned because they were destitute of song or melodie No man gathered The Easterne Churches sing the Westerne doe not so therefore they are no churches If this vprightnes and libertie had remained safe and vnaltered that is to saye If according to that auncient vse of singing nothing had béene soung but canonicall scriptures if it had bene stil in the libertie of the churches to sing or not to sing truely at this day there should be no controuersie in the Churche aboute singing in the church For those churches whiche should vse singing after the ancient maner practised in singing would sing the word of God and the prayses of God onely neither would they think that in this point they surpassed other Churches neither would they condemne those Churches that sang not at all where as also these would not despise them that vsed soberly and godlily to sing For if godly men perseuere in the studie
our Aduocate For since hee sayeth Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the father in my name hee will giue it you howe much more effectually doe wee obteine that which wee aske in the name of Christ if wee aske it in his prayer Thus farre hée From hence ariseth a question Whether wée be so tyed to the words of the Lords prayer that wee maye not pray in other woordes at all I aunswere That the Lord would not so tye vs to his woordes sett downe and conceiued as though it were not lawefull to vse other woords or another fourme but he set foorth vnto vs certeine vniuersall thinges vnto the whiche wée might referre all our prayers For Augustine also to Proba De orando Deo Of praying vnto god sheweth that there is nothing in any place in the holy Scriptures prayed for which is not comprehended in the Lords prayer For sayeth hee if you runue ouer through all the words of all holie prayers you shall finde nothinge whiche this prayer of the Lord doeth not comprehend conteine To which woordes hee addeth immediatly So that it is free to vse such and such woordes in praying howbeit to say the same thinges but to speake other thinges it is not free Most warelie therefore and wisely do they who referre all their prayers vnto the Lords prayer vnto the whiche they attribute the chiefe and principall place and kéeping it continually in their minde doe meditate therevppon and exercise themselues therein There is wont also another question to be asked What néed there is to expresse and opâ—n oure desires in woordes vnto God since hée alreadie knoweth all thinges Wée tould you anon after the beginning of this Sermon that our prayer is an humbling of oure selues before the maiestie of God where vnto moreouer wee add this Wée doe not expresse and open oure desires vnto God as thoughe hée knewe them not or that wée would teach him being ignoraunt or that we would entreate and gett gods fauour with our curious laboursome and eloquent prayer but for oure owne sakes wée vse woordes wherewith to stirre vpp our selues And to this end all the most holy men of God are read in the Psalmes and holy histories to haue declared their desires largly vnto the Lord. Wee are not sayeth S. Hierome declarers but crauers For it is one thing to declare a thing to him that is ignoraunt and another thinge to craue a thing of him that knoweth In that it is a declaratioÌ„ in this a duetie There wee faithfully declare here wee lamentably beseech And Sainct Augustine sayeth Wordes are needfull for vs wherewith wee maye bee moued and diligently consider what wee should aske not wherewith wee should beleeue that the Lord is either taught or entreated Wherefore when the Lord forbad much babbling or vaine lipplabour in prayer he did not simplie tye the prayer of the faithfull vnto a fewe and short summe of woordes but hée forbiddeth vs after the manner of Ethnickes to powre out many woordes without witt reason meaning and vnderstanding so finally to thincke that wée shal be heard for oure muche babbling sake and often repeating of prayers as at this day they doe falslye thinke which say a certeine number of prayers which they call Rosaries of prayers For the Lord addeth They thincke they shal be heard for their much babbling sake S. Augustine maketh difference betwene babbling much and praying much To babble much sayeth he is in praying to make many superfluous woordes in a necessarie matter But to praye much is to call vnto him whome we pray vnto with a longe godly stirring vpp of the heart For this businesse for the most part is accomplished more with sighinges than with speakings And anon It is not wicked and fruitlesse when wee haue leasure to pray the longer For it is written of our Lord himselfe that he speÌ„t the whole night in prayer and prayed a long time Wherein what did he else but giue vs an example Thus farre hée And if it be a hard matter for any man to pray long and continually he may breake off his prayer howbeit hee must to it againe and oftentimes renue the same a fresh For such short speaking in prayer is praise-worthie And that we may make an end of this place let no man thinke that in praying hee declareth oure affaires vnto God as not knowing them Let no man thincke that hee is heard for his setting forth and euen for his laboursome and exact setting foorth and that oftentimes repeated and with most earneâ—t out-cries instilled or powred into the eares of God Let no man thinke that his prayer must stand vppon a certeine number that is to fay that Pater nosters must be numbered vpp to our God as not hauing a good memorie to a Lord ill to be trusted vppon corrals beades put together vppon a lace seruing as it were to make a reckoning or accompt And béecause I haue said which all godly men also throughout the whole world confesse that a most perfecte platforme of praying is deliuered vnto vs in the Lords prayer by our Lord Iesus Christe him selfe it remaineth that we cite word for word that most holy fourme of praying orderly made with most diuine words euen by the mouth of the Lord as Matthewe the Apostle hath lefte it recorded vnto vs and then to expound the same as briefly and plainely as may be to the intent that euery one may the better vnderstand what he prayeth â—éele a more effectuall working inwardly Of that most Heauenlye prayer this is the fourme O Our father which arte in Heauen hallowed bee thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done as well in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespase against vs And lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill A men This most holy prayer of our lord Iesus Christ our sauiour our doctour or teacher highest priest deliuered to the catholique church to be a catholique fourme or rule to praye vnto God is wont to be diuided into a litle preface and sixe petitions some reckon seuen Some say that the thrée former petitions serue chiefely to the spreading abroad of Gods glorie the thrée latter concerne the care of our selues and aske those thinges that are néedefull for vs But they séeme in manner all to conteine both The little preface is this O our father which art in heauen By this wée call vppon GOD and dedicating oure selues vnto him wée committ oure selues wholie vnto his protection and mercie And euerie word hath his highe mysteries For our Lord would haue vs rather pray with vnderstanding than with woordes These therefore doe admonishe vs and suffice to bee thought vppon but the minde beeing instructed with the holy Ghoste whiche I told you is néedefull before all thinges to them that pray and being lifted vpp to the beholding of God
kept of him in euil sinne and in our owne destruction For now wée add the contrarie clause which also expoundeth the former which as other say is the seuenth petition But deliuer vs from euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I say from that euil to wit from sathan who elswhere is called a tempter Deliuer vs from sathan and from all euils which he sendeth deliuer vs from snares craftie practises deceyuings from warre famine captiuitie plague from all those things which are euill hurtfull and daungerous Those things that are such our heauenly father knoweth verie well to whome we say here Giue vs healthfull and good things take away from vs those things whiche thou knowest to be hurtfull and euill And so briefly we conclude the Lordes prayer adding moreouer Amen That confirmation and giuing of assent is read to haue bene common and vsuall of olde as it is to sée in Deut. 27. Nehem. 8. 1. Cor. 14. The same in the beginning doth expresse our desire For we confesse that we desire those things heartily which we pray for Besides that it declareth the certeintie of our fayth As if we shoulde say I beléeue assuredly that these things are graunted vnto me of god For Amen is as muche as if one should say So be it And the lord in the Gospell oftentimes sayth Amen Amen I say vnto you that is of a certeintie I tell you the trueth Or I vtter and pronounce vnto you the vndoubted truth And so the faithfull after they haue offered prayers vnto God hauing their mindes pacified doe nowe ioyfully waite for the giftes of the Lorde Furthermore some doe place before the worde Amen immediately after the rehearsall of these wordes But deliuer vs from euill for thine is the kingdome and the power and the glorie for euer Amen But Erasmus Roterod in his Annotations vpon the new Testament witnesseth that those wordes are not found in any old latine copie but are found added in al Gréeke copies how be it not expoūded of any of the interpreters but of Chrysostome only and his follower Theophilacte And that therefore they séemed vnto him to be added vnto the Lordes prayer as some haue added these vnto the Psalmes Glorie bee to the father to the sonne c. The same Erasmus immediately adioyneth Wherefore there is no cause why Laurentius Valla should stomache the matter that a good part of the Lordes prayer was curtayled Their rashnesse was rather to be reproued who feared not to so heauenly a prayer to patch their owne toyes For I maye call them toyes in comparison of that whiche God hath taught what so euer hath procéeded from men especially if that which men haue added and put to be compared with Christ the authour of prayer Neyther did Erasmus onely doubt of this addition For the Spanishe copie which they call Codex Cōplutensis hath That it seemeth more credible that these wordes are not a part of the Lords praier as a member of the whole but put in through the faulte of some certeine Writers or Printers In the same booke is by and by added And albeit S. Chrysostome in his commentaries vppon Matth. homil 20. do expounde these words as if they were of the text yet it is coniectured to be more true that euen in his time the first originals in this treatise were corrupted wherevpon none of the Latines no not of the auncient interpreters or entreaters thereof is read to haue made any mention of these woordes And surely this is truely said For the most diligent interpreters which haue taken in hand singularly word for word to expound the Lords prayer as were S. Cyprian Hierome Augustine of this addition haue not spoken so much as one word Thus much haue I spoken hetherto of the lords prayer and of calling vppon Gods name of whiche Solomon the wisest that euer was most truely pronounceth The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is exalted that is he standeth and is preserued in a safe or in a high place out of the reach of any weapon Wée wil say somewhat as wee haue done of this of thankes giuing an other kinde of prayer And thoughe the same also be comprehended in the Lords prayer for it comprehendeth all thinges belonging to true prayer therefore it conteineth thanksgiuing also yet after the expoūding of that I also would intreate of this by it selfe least by mingling of things there rise a confusion or disorder in our mindes And truely the Lord requireth thankesgiuing of vs of whiche thinge there are extant in the holy Scriptures arguments not a fewe For howe many praises reioycings thanksgiuings are read in the Psalmes written and left both of Dauid and of other Prophets And in the lawe also the Lord instituted a peculiar kinde of oblation and sacrifice whiche wee haue said is called the Eucharist or the sacrifice of thankesgiuing What thing else was the supper of the Passeouer but a thankesgiuing for the deliueraunce out of the Aegyptian captiuitie Surely oure Lord Iesus Christe both instituting a remembraunce of all his benefits and especially of the redemption purchased by his death and knitting vpp all sacrifices in breuitie deliuered the Eucharist or sacramente of thankesgiuinge to his church As wee will declare in place conuenient and haue partly shewed in our former sermons Mankinde in prosperitie is all vppon lustinesse and iollitie and séeldome times thinketh with himselfe frō whence prosperitie cōmeth so he doth not set by those spirituall mysteries and benefites so much as otherwise hee ought But they séeme to be swine and not men which doe not onely not set by the benefites of God as they ought but doe moreouer contemne them and tread them vnder féete The heauie iudgement of God doth tarrie for them Furthermore the sacrifice of praise thankesgiuing is due to God onely For he is the onely giuer and authour of all good things though in the meane while he vse the meanes and ministerie of men and other creatures Some prince sendeth vnto thée a most royall gift and that by a courtier not of the lowest degrée but a most chosen man yet to him neuerthelesse though he bée a noble man thou giuest not thankes but to the prince from whome the gift came howbeit in the meane while thou doest honestly confesse that the Courtier herein bestowed his labour for thy sake But he had not bestowed it vnlesse his prince had so commaunded and so the whole benefite at the length redoundeth vnto the prince him selfe euen vnto him alone And as all our inuocation or calling vppon God is acceptable vnto GOD the father thorough Iesus Christe oure Lord so no thankesgiuing of ours is acceptable vnto God vnlesse it bee offered through Iesus Christe For hetherto perteyneth the mysterie of the altar of incense whereof mention is made in the ceremonies of the lawe But the Apostle also sayth Giue thankes alwayes for
all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods â–ª goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ„ vs also vpoÌ„ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie â—o giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌ„tion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌ„sent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌ„s which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
the same manner hath hee heere lefte with vs a memorie of the mysteries stopping bridling hereby the mouths of heretiques For whē they say Whereby appeareth it that Christe was offered and many other mysteries Then we alleadging these things doe thereby stop their mouthes For if Iesus be not deade whose representation or signe is this sacrifice Thus farre he You perceiue I suppose how this writer doeth bring against heretiques the Sacrament of the super for the testimonie of truth that is to say of the lords true death Wherefore as the Gospel is called a witnesse and the Preachers of the Gospel witnesses euen so we call sacramentes witnesses of the same trueth whiche though they be dumb yet neuerthelesse are visible after which name S. August calleth them Visible words For the preaching of the Gospell consisting of wordes heard with the eares is a speaking witnesse but sacraments which consist of signes and are séene with the eyes are spéechlesse witnesses and as it were remnauntes and remembraunces of the preaching of the gospel Yea sacraments were instituted by God to that end that they might visiblie confirme vnto vs the ready good-will of GOD towarde vs and also the preaching of the Gospel and all the promises of life and saluation and that they should be as it were seales sett and fixed to the Gospell and promises made by God whiche might testifie and confirme that faith in Christ is true righteousnesse That whiche I haue saide I will confirme by the writinges of the Apostles But I taught a little before that there is allone ground of the sacraments of the olde Testament and of the new a few things onely excepted so that now by very good right by the comparing of both together wee may estimate and vtter what the force and vse of our Sacraments is Paule therefore to the Rom. 4. chap. saith We say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes howe was it then imputed When hee was circumcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised after hee receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the father of all thē that beleeue not beeing circumcised that righteousnes might de imputed vnto them also and the father of circumcision not vnto them onelie whiche are of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised All these are Pauls words Amōg which first of all some words are méete to be expounded then we must séeke after the sense and meaning of the Apostles wordes and last of all we must apply them to our purpose touching the sacrament The Apostle héere vseth two wordes that is to say The Signe The seale Signum the word signe is more generall stretcheth very far but a seale is a word that properly belongeth vnto sacramēts which are seales and confirmatiōs For al signes seale not For some by fignificatiō onely do accōplish their duetie But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly is to seale for assurance and confirmation sake of faith or credite wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a seale whiche is set to to kéepe confirme our faith and promise and to be without all daunger of deceipte And héere as else where very often the Lord doth imitate the manner of men For we men are wonte by setting to our seales to confirme our writings couenauntes and faithfull promises which we before had made by word And that this hath alwayes béene the cause of the instituting vse of seales appeareth plainely by these testimonies of the Scriptures When the children of Israel vnder Ezra made a couenaunt with the Lord by and by they set downe their couenaunt in writinge and seale the writing to be a testimonie of the trueth as in Nehem. the 9. chap. and Hag. the 2. chapter thou mayst read I will take thee to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel saieth the Lord and wil make thee as a signe or sealing ring for I haue chosē thee As if he had said All mē shal certeinlie learne that in the sonne of Salathiel y continuaunce of the posteritie of the Messias doeth consiste and remaine Thus writeth Ieremie chap. 22. As truely as I liue saith the Lorde if Chonenias the sonne of Iohoakim king of Iuda weare the signet or seale on my righte hande yet will I pluck thee thence whiche is as much as if he had saide Though thou were hee in whome I wil kéepe my promisses yet shalt thou bee ledd captiue into Babylon To this agréeth that of Matth written of the Iewes So they went and made the Sepulchre sure and sealed the stone without doubt against deceiptfull practises they appointed a watch It appeareth therefore by these testimonyes where to the vse of seales serueth These thinges béeing thus declared let vs nowe diligently searche out the counsell and meaning of the Apostles wordes Paule sheweth that iustification happeneth vnto men by the power and vertue of no woorkes of no ceremonies or sacramentes but by the onely merite of Christe through faith To proue this he bringeth the example of Abraham of whome the Scripture hath pronounced Abraham beleeued God it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Thence he gathereth that Abraham was iustified by faith yea that that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Where bothe by the worde or force of imputation and by the whole sentence of Moses he doeth moste strongly reason shewing that through grace righteousnesse is imputed by faithe Where-vnto hee ioyneth also a testimonie out of Dauid touching righteousnesse by imputatiō I handled that place in the first Sermon of the fourth Decade Then hee returneth againe to the example of Abraham and applyeth to his purpose that place alleadged out of Genesis waying the circumstaunces of the manner and time of his iustification and sayeth How was it thē imputed Whē he was circūcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised Whiche thinges verilie are playner than that they require any exposition But because the Iewe might obiect Why then the institution and vse of circumcision was of no force but voide vnprofitable and vaine For if Abraham were iustifyed before he was circumcised what could circumcision profit him further And if it brought nothing surely it was superfluous and vnprofitable Paule preuenting that obiection maketh aunswere And he receiued saith he the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith c. Circumcision saith hee was neither voide nor vnprofitable For albeit it iustifie not neither cleanse nor apply the giftes of GOD yet it followeth not therefore that there is no further vse of it For it hath an other end For he receiued the signe of circumcision for a certeine seale of the righteousnesse of
receiued againe by faithfull repentaunce into the same grace from whence they fel. But to our purpose Baptisme the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe is not sett to parchmente or to the writing of the Gospell but it is applyed to the very bodyes of the Children of God and is as it were marked and imprinted in them For wée are whoâ—â—e dipped with our bodies or wholie sprinckled with the water of Baptisme which truely is a visible sealing confirming that the true God is our God which sanctifieth and purifieth and that purification and euery good gifte of God is due vnto vs as the heyres of god And to the setting foorth of this matter pertayneth that euidente place of Paule which in the Epistle to the Galathians is thus read For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus For all ye that are baptised haue put on Christe And so foorth The supper of the Lorde hath the like reason whiche also is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith For the sonne of God dyed hee by his death redéemed the beléeuers also his body and bloud is our meat and drinck vnto eternall life And truely this singular and excellent priuiledge giuen vnto the faithfull is declared and sett downe in writing by the Apostles â–ª but it is consecrated and sealed of the Lorde him selfe by the Sacramente of his bodye and bloude whereby he sealeth vs an assuraunce that we are iustified by faith in the death of Christ and that all the good giftes of Christe are communicated vnto vs and that wee are fedd and strengthened by Christe Moreouer that the sealing might be the more liuely he setteth not the seale to written parchmente but it is brought and also giuen to be eaten of our bodyes that we might haue a witnesse within our selues that Christe with all his giftes is wholy ours if wee perseuere in faith For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell saith He that eateth me shall liue by the meanes of mee But hee eateth whiche beléeueth For in the same place the Lord saithe I am the bread of life He that commeth to mee shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Héereby we gather the summe of the whole matter that the Sacramentes doe seale vpp the promises of God and the gospel and that therefore so often mention is made in the Churche of euidences or letters patents or charters and seales of the preaching of the gospell and the promises of God that the whole mysterie of our saluation is renued and continued as oft as those actions instituted of God I meane Sacramentes are celebrated in the Church Hetherto I think doeth that belong whiche the faithfull minister of Christe Zuinglius vppon the SacrameÌ„ts hath deliuered in these wordes Sacramentes beare witnesse of a thing that hath bene done For al lawes customes and ordinaunces doe shew their authours and beginnings Therefore Baptisme since it setteth foorth in signification the death and resurrection of Christe it must needs bee that those thinges were done indeede These wordes are to be found In Expositione sidei ad regem ChristianuÌ„ The same Zuinglius Ad principes Germaniae contra Eggium saith When that noble man taking his iourney in to a farre countrie distributing bread and wine did farre more liuelie and peculiarly giue him selfe vnto vs when he saide This is my body than if he had said This is a token or signe of my bodide although hee tooke away his naturall bodie and carried it into Heauen Yet neuerthelesse by these wordes in that apperteyneth to faith and grace hee giueth him selfe wholy as if hee had saide Now I goe to dye for you and after a while will wholie departe from hence But I wil not haue you doubt of my loue and care to you warde How much soeuer I am I am altogether yours In witnesse whereof I commend vnto you a signe of this my betraying and testament to the intente you might maintaine the memorie of me and of my benefites that when ye see this bread and this cupp ministred vnto you in the supper of my remembraunce ye may be no otherwise mindfull of me that is that I deliuered vp my self for you than if you should see mee with your eyes face to face as ye now se me bothe to eate with you and by and by shall see me to be led from you to dye for you Hetherto I haue recited Zuinglius his words and anon I wil rehearse other wordes of his againe not that I stay my selfe vppon them or vppon any testimonyes of man but that it may be made manifest that this man did not as some haue falsely thought contemne the sacramentes In the meane while we acknowledge these testimonies of the holie Scripture And God it is which stablisheth vs with you in christ hath annointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our harts 2. Cor. 1. And also After ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holie spirite of promise whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glorie Ephesi 1. verse 13. And againe Greeue not the holie spirit of GOD by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Ephe. 4. Wee acknowledge the trueth of God to be sufficiently sound true and certeine of it selfe neither can wee from else-where haue a better confirmation than out of it For if our minde be not confirmed one euerye side it wauereth God therefore frameth him self according to our weaknesse and by his Sacraments as muche as may bee doeth as it were vpholde vs yet so that we referre all the benefite of our confirmation to the spirite it selfe and to his operation rather than to the element Wherfore as we attribute Confirmation to doctrine and to teachers euen so doe wee Sealing to the Sacramentes We read in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 14 and 18. The Apostles returned and strengthened the Disciples soules againe and exhorted them to continue in the faithe Againe in the firste to the Thesâ—a 3. Wee haue sent saith Paule Timotheus our Brother and minister of GOD to confirme or stablish you and to comforte you concerninge your faithe Neuerthelesse vnlesse the inwarde force of the spirite doe drawe and quicken the hartes of the hearers the outwarde persuasion of the teacher though it bee neuer so forceable veheÌ„ment shall nothing auayle but if the holie spirit do shew foorth his might and worke with the worde of the Preacher the soules of the hearers are moste mightilie strengthened And so it standeth with the mysterie of the Sacramente For if the inwarde anuoynting and fealing of the holy Ghost be wanting the outwarde action will be counted but a toy to the vnbeléeuers neither worketh the sealing of the Sacramentes any thing at all but when faith the gifte of the holie Ghost goeth before the sealing of the Sacramentes is very strong
soule For the thing that signifieth is wont to be called by the name of that thing whiche it signifieth as it is written The seuen eares of wheate are seuen yeares He said not doe signifie seuen yeres And seuen oxen are seueÌ„ yeres and many such like In like sort it is said The rocke was Christ Hee said not The rock signifieth Christ but as though it were so in deede whiche is not the same in substance but by signification So likewise the bloud beecause thrugh a certeine vital substaÌ„ce in it signifieth the soule in the sacraments is called the soule Thus far he The same Augustine also against Adimantus cap. 12. saith So is bloud the soule like as the rock was Christ And againe in the same place he saith I may also expouÌ„d that that precept of the bloud and soule of the beast c. consisteth in the signe For the lord douted not to say This is my body when he gaue the signe of his body Thus much Augustine There is no foole so doultish that will say that these wordes of Augustine are darcke or doubtfull Who so liste maye add here vnto that which the same authour hath plainely written concerning figuratiue spéech Libro 2. Contra Aduers Legis Cap. 9. But let vs leaue off to cite mens testimonies coÌ„cerning the proper and most auncient exposition of Christes wordes This is my bodie Let vs rather procéede to alledge sounde arguments out of the scriptures as we promised to do thereby to proue that wée must sometime of necessitie depart from the letter that Christes words are accordingly as I haue said to bée expounded by a figure First it is euident that the Lord at this present instituted a Sacrament whereby it is manifest that the Lord spake after the same manner as he is wont to speake in other places of the scripture concerning sacraments as when he saith that circumcision is the Lords couenaunt the lambe the Lords Passeouer that sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications baptisme the water of regeneration But we declared in the sixt sermon of this Decade that all these kindes of speaches remaine to be expouÌ„ded This saying or spéech therefore is to be expounded This is my bodie This is my bloud because it is sacramentall For it receiued the common interpretation whiche most truly and for certeinty was vsed and receiued by the catholique church euer since the time of the Apostles yea and euer since the time of the Patriarches vnto this day to wit that signes do receiue the termes and names of those things that are signified so that thereby they receiue no part of their substance but do stil continue remaine in their owne proper nature For this cause it coÌ„meth to passe that our Lord Christe in the Gospell written by S. Luke did ioyne the banquet of the Passeouer with this our lordes supper in such sort that he substituted this in the place of the other that it should not séeme straunge if he said in this our supper This is my body for in the solemnizing of the feast of Passeouer it is thus said The lambe is the Lords Passeouer Which kind of speach was not darke to be vnderstoode by the Apostles who vnderstoode that this lambe was a remembrance of the passage once past By that meanes also they vnderstood that the Lords bread giuen vnto them by the Lord is a remembrance of his body For in other matters of much lesse weight they diligeÌ„tly questioned and inquired of the Lord touching the proper sense signification of the words But of these woordes they neuer once doubted or asked any question For al sacramental spéeches were to the holy fathers very wel knowen Moreouer if we continue to vnderstand the words of the supper simply according to the letter it followeth that the Lord hath deliuered vnto vs his body and bloud corporally to be receiued And I pray you to what ende should hee deliuer them but that we receiuing them corporally might liue But the vniuersal canonical scripture teacheth that our life or saluation our iustificatioÌ„ coÌ„sisteth in faith only which we repose in the body which was giuen the bloud shedd for vs which is the spiritual eating not in any work of ours much lesse in the bodily eating of Christes body whiche he sheweth in another place to be nothing auaileable Then since there is but one meanes and that most simple wherby to obteine life and iustification to wit by faith only not by the work of our eating neither is the scripture repugnant to it selfe surely the Lord hath not instituted any such worke of eating therefore the solemne words of the supper do admit some other exposition If the bread were the lords true and natural body it must néeds follow the euen the wicked being partakers of this bread shuld eate Christs body that verily his flesh shuld be meate to feed the bellie since they that eate it lack both mindes faith But all holy men abhorre that thought as absurd most vnworthie of whiche matter I will intreate more hereafter Therfore the saying of Christ This is my body admitteth an expositioÌ„ The whole vniuersal canonical scripture witnesseth that our Lord Iesus Christ toke a body of the vndefiled virgin consubstantial in al poincts vnto our bodies that is to say an humane bodie yea that hee was made like to vs in all respectes except sinne Nowe it is manifest that he spake of his true sensible bodie when he sayeth This is my body For he addeth Whiche is broken or giuen for you But the true natural sensible or humane body was deliuered and died for vs But this appeareth not in the bread or vnder the bread Wherefore the Lords words must be expounded Surely if it had béene the Lords will to make his body of bread his bloud of wine according to the power wherby he made all thinges with his word as soone â—s euer he had said This is my body the bread had béene the body of Christ and that very body whereof he spake mortall passible to be felt and séene For he spake the word and they were made he commaunded and they were created He said let ther be light and light was made and such kind of light as might be perceiued and did shine But in the supper we sée nothing in Christes hands but bread no body And therfore it was not our sauiours meaning by these words This is my bodie to create or make his body of the bread For if he had ment so to do surely it had béene done Neither is there any cause why they should here as it were casting their mistes before our eyes and applie their coloured interpretations vnto a rotten construction vsing wordes vnspeâ—keably supernaturally inuisibly not qualitiuely not quantiuely not as in a place For by these termes they intending in the meane while to bring some other thing to passe doe by the wonderfull iudgement of God quite subuert and ouerthrow
but spirituall not that the fleash is conuerted into the spirit but for that it oughte to be receiued spiritually not bodily But it is eate ▪ spiritually by faith not with the bodily mouth For as chewing or eating maketh vs partakers of the meate so are we made partakers of the body and the bloude of Christe through faith But thou wilt say Howe commeth it to passe that séeing breade whereof mention is made in the 6. chapter of Iohn doeth not signifie the bread of the supper that allmoste all the doctours interpretours and ministers of the Churches do apply these wordes to the Lordes supper I answere that these wordes of the Lorde may be applyed to the matter of the Lordes supper for other causes although the breade signifie not the breade of the sacrament Yea I confesse that these words of the Lord of the eating his fleashe and drinking his bloude do bring great light to the matter of the Lordes supper S. Augustine Lib. De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capite primo sayeth Iohn saide nothinge in this place Iohn the. 13. of the bodie and bloud of the lord but plainly witnesseth that the lord hath spokē more at large therof in another place This much sayth hée speaking vndoutedly of the 6. of Ihon. Since therefore it is one the selfe same flesh the same bodie of our Lorde whereof hée speaketh in bothe places in the 6. of S. Iohn and the 26. of Matthewe and the selfe same is sayed in both places to haue béene deliuered to the death for vs or for our life and like-wise because there is but one meanes to be partaker of Christe whiche is by faith in his body whiche was deliuered and his bloude shed and finally bicause it is the catholique or vniuersall and vndoubted doctrine that Christes fleashe beeing bodily eaten auaileth nothing surely the thinges before written in the 6. Chapter of Iohn are agréeable and doe fully open the matter of the Lords supper And to the intente that this yet may be the better vnderstoode I will recite what testimonyes haue béene alwayes alleadged in the Churche out of the holie Scriptures concerninge the two kindes of eatinge of Christe Christes body is eaten and his bloud dronken spiritually it is also eaten dronken sacramentally The spirituall manner accomplished by faith whereby béeing vnited to Christe we be made partakers of all his goodnesse The sacramentall manner is only perfourmed in celebrating the Lords supper The spirituall eating is perpetuall vnto the godlie because faith is to them perpetuall They communicate with Christe bothe without the supper and in the supper and by it they doe more increase and continue their newe beginnings as wee haue also shewed before and now by adioyning of the holie action althings are done more manifestly and plainely As for the vnbeléeuers and hypocrites with their captein Iudas they neuer communicate with Christe neither before the supper nor in the supper nor after the supper in asmuche as they continue in their vnbeliefe but they of the Lordes Sacraments to their owne iudgement and condemnation I knowe héere what some doe teach and how they deuise a certeine third kinde of eating Christe whiche is neither spirituall nor yet sacramentall but altogether compounded of sacramentall and corporall For they holde opinion also that the true and naturall bodie of Christe is receiued bodily by the vnbeléeuers in the formes of the sacrament How be it it shall easily appeare by certein sound argumentes of the Scripture that this is but a deuise of mā which arguments we wil apply to the traitour Iudas that by this one example all the godly may learne what they eate and drink at the Lords supper For that the iudgement whiche is made of the head béeing reuealed vnto vs it shal be easier for vs to pronounce of the members Some truly do make a doubt whether Iudas were present at the supper when the Lorde distributed the holie mysteries among whome is S. Hilarie Howbeit the Euangelicall historie sayeth plainly that the Lord sat downe to meate with the twelue yea Luke so handleth his narration that we cannot dout but that Iudas did communicate of the mysteries with the rest of the Apostles which Saint Augustine also auoucheth Libro De Consensu Euangelistarum tertio Capitulo primo And likewise in the 62. treatise vpon Iohn and vpon the 10 Psalme and in his 163. Epistle Yea moreouer Aquinas also aunswering in this pointe to S. Hilarie approueth the same with vs Parte tertia Quaesti 81. Art. 2. Now therefore béeing manifest that Iudas was at supper with the rest of the Apostles it séemeth néedeful that it were knowen what he receiued of the Lorde He receiued the sacramēt of Christes body as the other disciples did but because hee had not faithe as the other had he partaked not of Christe neither did he eate and drink the Lords bodie and bloud For as many as eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud doe not hunger nor thirst for they dwel in Christe and Christe in them they are Christes members and they neuer dye The contrarie altogether appéereth in Iudas and all his fellowes wherefore the vnbeléeuers doe neither eate the Lords body nor drink his bloud Moreouer it is out of all doubt that there is no agréement betwéene Christ Belial For this hath the Apostle pronounced out of that general consent of the scriptures But Iudas is by Christe him selfe called sathan therefore Iudas did not communicate with Christe Now if we will contend absolutely that Iudas did eate the Lords body truly we shal be constrained wickedly to affirme that it is not onely an vnprofitable but also an hurtfull meate howbeit godlinesse teacheth vs that Christe is an holsome meate all wayes to all them that eate him truely S. Augustine also denyeth that Iudas did eate the Lords body or drink his bloud In the 59. treatise vpon S. Iohn The Apostles saith he did eate the bread which was the lord but Iudas did eate the Lords breade againste the lord They did eate life but hee punishment Againe in the 26. treatise Whoso dwelleth not in Christe nor Christe in him doutlesse he neither eateth his fleash spiritually nor drinketh his bloud although carnally and visibly hee breake in his teeth the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ but he rather eateth drinketh the sacrament of so greate a matter to his condemnation c. The like also and almoste playner doeth he write in the 21. booke and 25. chapter De Ciuitate Dei. Against these they obiecte the authoritie of Paule saying That they whiche eate vnworthily are not guiltie of the bread and cupp whiche they haue eaten and drunken of but of the Lords body and bloud and also that they doe eate and drink their owne damnation for that they make no differente of the Lordes bodye wherby it followeth necessarily that they haue eaten drunken the Lords body vnworthily
argumeÌ„ts the right to receiue a stipende for the holie ministerie Haue we not saith he power and authoritie to eate and drinke or maye wee not carrie about with vs a woman sister For he meaneth the lawfulnesse and authoritie to receyue any thing necessarie for him selfe his wife and his whole housholde And for that he asketh a question he sheweth what he meaneth that thereby he may declare a playne truth and equitie amongst all men and thereto addeth examples not of euerie man seuerally but of all generally and specially of the chiefest apostls of Christ and of them that were kinne vnto Christe by bloud saying Euen as the other Apostles and brothers of oure Lorde and Cephas And who is that Cephas but Peter To this Cephas the Lorde sayde in the first chapter of S. Iohn Thou shalt be called Cephas whiche if a man interprete it signifieth a stone But Peter also was so syrnamed of a rocke to the intent the interpretation of the name may alwayes fail vppon the same And who I pray you are the Lordes brethren but Iohn and Iames and Iames the brother of Iudas and Iudas and Simon the brethren of Iames All these sayth Sainte Baule liued of a stipend they had being gathered of the common assembly of the Church Vnto these examples he addeth other also like vnto them commonly put in practise Who sayth he doth goe to warre at his owne costes and charges Or who planteth a vineyarde and eateth not of the fruite thereof Or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the mylke thereof Surely he bringeth foorth these similitudes very finely and properly applied vnto them and not vnto any other For the ministerâ— of the Church are somtime called souldiers or vine yard-kéepers sometime husbandmen and shepherds And who I pray you is so farr from reason that he woulde denie vnto souldiers husbandmen and shepheards meate and clothing for the paynes they take in warfare husbandrie and about cattel The true hearted men therfore and suche as are of an indifferent iudgement do acknowledge that the ministers of the Church may liue by the Ecclesiasticall ministerie But least that any man should obtect that these humane parables and similitudes taken from the common vse do proue nothing in an Ecclesiasticall cause he addeth presently Doe I speake these things according to maÌ„ Doth not the lawe say also the same For it is written in the lawe of Moses Thou shalt not mussell the Oxe that treadeth out the corne As though he shoulde say I haue in a readinesse for the coÌ„firmation of our right not only humane similitudes but also testimonies of the holy scripture And he allegeth a place out of the 25. chap. of Deuteronomie concerning y nourishing of labouring oxen Againe lest any man shuld say that that place is not to be vnderstood of preathers but simply of oxen he addeth Dothe God take care for oxen Or dothe not hee speake it altogether for oure sakes Doubtlesse hee hath writen it for our sakes that he which ploweth may plowe in hope and he that thresheth in hope may be partaker of his hope The Lorde sayd he in his lawe would prouide for vs For he would haue the â—qualitie gathered by a certaine syllogisme or kinde of argument after this or suche like manner If the Lorde prouided for beastes and cattell and woulde haue consideration to he hadde of them howe much more of men It were truly a very vniust thing that an husbandman should labour with his oxe without hope that is to saye in vaine and without commoditie Therefore were it also a most vniust thing for the minister to exercise ecclesiastical husbandrie in the church without hope or due stipend Moreouer where it is againe obiected here against that vnto the spiritual ministerie belongeth no corporall but a spirituall reward the Apostle aunsweareth If wee so we vnto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we reape your temporal things He therefore thinketh that the Corinthians giue nothing when they giue their temporall thinges namely if they be compared with eternall good thinges which the ministers do bring by teaching For looke how farre the soule excelleth the bodie by so muche are spiritual thinges better than temporall The Apostle also concealeth an euident argument in these words where he admonisheth that it is meet that he that soweth should also reape In this point also is great inequalitie in that the ministers sowe the better and reap the worse Because men set light by God and the diuine ministerie therefore they thincke that the ministers doe nothing S. Paule againe confirmeth his owne right by the example of others saying If others bee partakers of the power towardes you why rather are not wee For séeing none had taken more paines amonge the Corinthians than S. Paule no man was more worthie of reward Moreouer he confirmeth his right by the example commaundement and ordinaunce of the Lord saying Knowe ye not that they whiche take paines in the holy thinges doe eate of the holy thinges and they that minister at the altar are partakers o the altar Euen so hath the Lord ordeined that they that doe preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell Where hath the Lord ordeined this Forsooth when he said in the Gospell that the labourer is worthie of his hire But I iudge this especially to be obserued whiche the Apostle speaketh in plaine words That the Lord instituted his ordinaunce concerning the maintenaunce of the ministers of the church vnto the imitation of the auncient lawes of the Iewishe people Hereof wee gather that wée misse not much the marcke if in this and such like cases wée do not vtterly reiect the auncient institutions of the fathers But in that S. Paule the Apostle vsed not his authoritie as he mighte haue done it maketh nothing against these thinges For one question is of the déede and another of the right of the thing In very déede hee toke nothing of the Corinthians for diners causes yet notwithstanding hee toke of other Churches Neither receiued he any thing of the Church of Thessalonica yet for all that this his deeing is not prtiudiciall to the equitie of the right For he saith vnto the Corinthians I haue robbed other Churches hauing receiued wages of them to thintent I might do you seruice And when I was with you and wanted I was not burthensome vnto any man For the things that were lacking vnto me were giuen me by the brethren that came from Macedonia And vnto the Thessalonians he saith We behaued not oure selues inordinately amongst you neither did we take our bread for nothing But with labour and paines both night and day doing our woorke to the intent wee would not be a burden vnto any of you Not that it is not lawefull for vs to doe it but because we would set downe our selues as a patterne for you to followe after And againe the same S. Paule saith vnto the Thessalonians I
the first to the Corinthians the sixtéenth Chapiter in the second to the Corinthians the eight and ninthe Chapiters And to the Galathians While wee haue time sayth he let vs do good towardes all men especially towardes the household of faith In the first epistle to Timothie hee warneth that there be consideration had who should be holpen and who not be holpen In the same epistle he giueth charge to Timothie and to all the bishopps howe to deale with the richer sort in the Church saying CoÌ„maund them that are riche in this world that they be not high minded neither put their trust in vncerteine riches but in the liuing GOD who giueth vs all things abundantly to enioy that they may do good that they may bee riche in good workes that they may be readie to giue bestowe willingly laying vp vnto themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they maye take hold of life euerlasting Also vnto the Hebrues To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased Wherfore riches were gathered eueÌ„ in the time of the Apostles to succour the necessitie of the poore withall Deacons were appointed by the church as prouiders and stewards amonge whom those first Deacons were most famous of whome the Actes of the Apostles make mention and also the noble martyre of Christ Laurence And the writinges of the auncient fathers doe testifie that with those ecclesiasticall goodes prisoners were redéemed out of captiuitie poore maydeÌ„s of lawfull yeares married finally hospitals almeries spittels harbours hostles and nourceries were builded namely to interteine poore trauellers for the maintenaunce of the poore that were borne in that countrie for the reliefe of the sick and diseased for the necessitie of old men and for the honest bringing vp of pupils orphans Concerning these matters there are yet extant certaine imperiall lawes Wherefore in refourming of Churches very diligent héed must be taken that there be no offence committed in this behalfe thoroughe ouersight or of purpose that the poore be not defrauded and that in taking away one abuse we bring not in many If there be plentie of goodes let them be kept if there be none let them be gathered of the rich Then let the state of the poore be searched and what euery maÌ„ néedeth most or howe prouision maye best be made for euery one Whiche being knowen let that which is méete and necessarie for euerie one be done spéedily gently and diligently If then any of the coÌ„mon goods remaine let them be kept against such calamities as may ensue Let nothing be coÌ„sumed vnprofitably or vngodlily Againe let not the treasure of the poore vnhappily be deteined from them by fraude and to the increasing of their pouertie For there maye be like offence committed on both sides For on eche side the poore are defrauded of their goods Touching liberalitie wée haue entreated in another place in these our Decades and of prouiding for the poore in other of our woorkes And Lewis Vines hath written very well of relieuing the poore The fourth last part o◠〈…〉 of the Church 〈…〉 holy buildinges as Churches scholes and houses â—â—longing to Churches and scholes 〈◊〉 which because of the companies gathered together in them are also called congregations are the houses of the Lord oure god Not that God whome the wide compasse of the heauens cannot comprehend doeth dwell in such manner of houses but béecause the congregation and people of GOD méete together in those houses to worshipp and performe due honour vnto God to heare the word of God to receiue the Lords sacramentes and to praye for the assistance presence of god Churches therefore are very necessarie for the Church and people of god Touching holy assemblies I haue said somwhat in the disputation of prayer And althoughe that at the commaundement of God Moses builded a moueable Church and afterward the most wise king Solomon founded a standing Churche not without great cost notwithstanding wee must not thincke therfore that God liketh of such great charges after that hée had sent Christ and fulfilled the figures For as before the lawe was made it is not to bee found that the Patriarches did euer build any Ministers or great churches euen so after the disanulling of the law in the Church of Christe a meane and sparing clenlinesse pleaseth God best For God misliketh that foolish madd kinde of buildinges not much vnlike to that vnwise building of Babylon enterprising to sett vp the topp of the tower aboue the cloudes For God liketh not the riotousnes of Churches who without all riot doeth gather his Church together from out all the parts of the 〈◊〉 whiche Churche also be hâ—th taught both sparingnes and thâ— contempt of all riot A church is large and bigge enough if it be sufficient to receiue al that belong vnto it For the place is prouided for men and not for god But aboue all thinges let that place be cleane and holy A Churche is hallowed or consecrated not as some doe superstiously thincke with the rehearsing of certeine woordes or making signes and Characters or with oyle or purging fire but with the will of GOD and his commaundement bidding vs to assemble and come together promising his presence amongst vs and also it is hallowed by the holy vse of it For in the temple y holy Church of God is gathered together the true and most blessed word of God is also declared in the temple the holy sacraments of God are receiued in the temple and also in the temple prayers are powred forth to God whiche are most acceptable vnto him Verily the place of it selfe is nothing holy but because these holy thinges are done in that place in respecte that they are done there the place it selfe is called holy Therefore not without great cause ought all prophanation filthines be farre from the holy temple of the lord The Senatours court or seate of iudgement is accounted so holy a thing that whosoeuer either in woord or déede vsed himselfe vnreuerently towardes it should be accused of treason And yet in this Courte the Senatours only are gathered and assembled together to heare the matters of suiters in thinges transitorie that shall passe away and perish By howe much the more then ought reuerence to bee giuen vnto temples into the which the children of God do come to worshipp him to heare the true word of God and to receiue his holy sacraments And therefore as we hate and abandon all superstition in temples so wee loue not the prophanation of them yea rather I say wée cannot abide it Neither haue we leysure at this time about the consideration of temples to rehearse and searche out open and plaine superstitions Of whiche matter wee haue spoken in an other place I finde it a matter of controuersie amonge the fathers of old time to what part of the world wee ought to
be â—ray their â—haltitie Thei were â—aten of vormes aliue and â—â—aâ—cke so horribly that no man could abide theÌ„ The conclusion The nintâ— commauâ—demente The â—ounge Of bearing witnesse 〈…〉 A lye 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of lyes Carying of 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 〈…〉 as 〈…〉 an 〈◊〉 in 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 of theâ— whoÌ„ 〈…〉 writiâ—â— by the 〈…〉 〈…〉 Backbyting is 〈◊〉 Flatteriâ— The tenth commaundemente of God. 〈…〉 Concupiscence Man is coÌ„uinced of sinne What 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 What 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 courâ— Ceremonies gene rally what they are Humane ceremonies Diuine â—eremonies The ende whereto ceremonies were ordeined The woshippe oâ— God â–ª 1. Cor. 10. WheÌ„ God liketh and when he mislyketh Ceremonies The knowledge of the ceremonies is not vnprofitable 〈…〉 The priesthoode The beginning of Priesthood I thinke â—is meaning was to haue â—ide Esau â—nd Iacob â—n steede of Caine â—nd Abell Christ the first begotâ—en The Leuites chosen to be the priests Exod. 32. Num. 3. Certaine degrees among the Priestes Among the Leuits 〈…〉 〈…〉 The priests rayment Breeches The close frocke or â—â—ssocke The girdle The 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 The Ephod The Megil The brestlappe or highe priestes Ephod The brestlappe of â—udgemeÌ„t Vrim 〈◊〉 Thummim 〈…〉 That name was Iehouah whiche wheresoeuer the Israelites did â—inde it written they did not cal Iehouah but expressed it by the worde Adonai which signifieth Lorde so greatly did they reuerence the maiestical name of God. The meaning of the Priests apparell The Priestes office Let Priests teache Let 〈◊〉 blesse Num. â— Sacrifices and ministring of the sacramentes was commaunded the priests The priests carried the tabernacle vessels of the Lord. 〈…〉 Truâ—peteâ—s 〈…〉 serues warre 〈…〉 〈…〉 A thousaÌ„d cubites geometrical make one myle thre quarters of a mile and â—00 paceâ— reckoning fiue feete to euery pace A Synagogue was a place for people to assemble themselues togeather in to heare the woord or lawe of the Lorde The holy place The fashion of the tabernacle Whâ—â— thingeâ— were 〈◊〉 in the 〈…〉 The Latin copie here doth square from the words of the 26. of Erodus where wee finde as I haue turned it that the table stoode on the North side wheras the Latine copie saith on the South-side and calleth it pars Australis The meaning of the Tabernacle Heb. 9. 〈…〉 God The historie of the Lords Tabernacle Of Solomons temple 1. Chro. 21 The 〈◊〉 of thâ—â— that sâ—â—â—â—fice 〈◊〉 high pâ—â—ces The signification misterie of the Arke Area is an arke or a coffer and what was layed therein Christe his priesthood compared to Aarons rod. The â—â—cy 〈◊〉 Thâ—â— abuseâ— the 〈◊〉 â–ª The goldeÌ„ table The shewe breade The goldeÌ„ caÌ„dlestick The incense altar Th◠〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 The braseÌ„ lauer The holie time What an holiday is To what end the holy dayes were ordeined 〈…〉 A 〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 Solemne fastings The Sabboth The newe Moone The three yeares metings or asseÌ„blies of the Iewes Passeouer 〈◊〉 The feaste of the seuenth moneth or of the tabernacles The feaste of trumpets The feaste of cleanâ—ing The feaste of tabernacles The congregation The yeare of Iubilie Two Sacraments of the Synagogue Circumcision what it is The originall or beginning of Circumcision Of the league of God and man. 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 shuld 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 league 〈…〉 God is all an al to his coÌ„federats What is râ—quired of men in the league CircumcisioÌ„ was the signe or zeale annexed â—o the league 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 â—f Cirâ—â—â—cision The mysterie and â—ening of Circumcision The grace â—f God is not tied to â—â—rcumciâ—iâ—n Colos â— By circumâ—isâ—on the circumciâ—ed are gathered 〈◊〉 to one 〈◊〉 1 Sam. â—â— Actes â— Circumâ—â—sioÌ„ 〈◊〉 a man 〈◊〉 myndeâ— his 〈◊〉 Two CircuÌ„cisions one of the spirite the other of the letter Lactantius touching Circumcision The summe of Circumcision Of the Paschal lamb Wâ—at 〈◊〉 Passeâ—â—â—â— was The 〈◊〉 authoâ—â—â— the 〈…〉 time 〈…〉 The Equiâ—octiall is when the day and â—ight is both of on â—ength commeth twice in a â—eare to â—it the 8. â—f April 〈◊〉 8. of October The lewes â—egan to â—ckon froÌ„ 〈◊〉 to 12. 〈◊〉 we beâ—in to reckon from 7. in the morning till 6. at night so it was that our three a clocke was nine a clocke to theÌ„ ouâ— fiue eleuen to them The ninth houre of the Iewes is three a clocke in the afternoone to vs. The place appointed for the eating of the Passeouer Who were the guests at the eating of the lambe The manner or â—itâ— of eating the Passeouer The ende whereto this ceremonie tended The Lords benefite was kept in memorie by the eating of the Passeouer The 〈…〉 GODâ— good◠〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 The Lamb was the type of Christ of his passion redemption The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 At the 〈…〉 first 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 did 〈◊〉 the coÌ„mâ—icants of their duty Of Sacrifices and their first begiÌ„nings Sacrifices haue some things coÌ„mon and somthings peculiar The â—estal virgins were Nunnes consecrated to the Goddesse Vesta Holoâ—â—â—â—tum the burâ—◠〈◊〉 The daily sacrifice The meate offering The 〈…〉 The sinne offering The verly sacrifice 〈…〉 Heb. 9. The onely sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for all the world This waâ—er was al â—o called â—he water of 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 was 〈…〉 from 〈◊〉 rest of 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 were 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 Sacrifices â—or the defilings of the body The Sacrifice of â—â—alousie The Sacrifice of thankes giuing Thruma and Thnupha The free will offeâ—â—ng Of vowes 〈…〉 Samson a Nazarite to the lord how greatly he sinned 〈…〉 〈…〉 The constant obedience of certain holiemen who abstaiâ—ed from things vncleane The eating of bloude and strangâ—ed is forbidden Tâ—e toucâ—ing of â—n cleane things The Iudiciall lawes are profitable Most auncient laws He was called Diphyes that is Geminus or duplicis naturae bicause hee first ordeined matrimonie among the Graecians His image was made with two faces or two heads The latine copie hath mentem Dei for the whiche I call the wisedome of God. To â—udge a â—udg◠〈◊〉 and the 〈…〉 what 〈◊〉 be The Iudiâ—iall lawes belong to the tenne commaundements The lawes 〈◊〉 iâ—dges The 〈…〉 King 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 1. Sam. â— Holy thinges â—dolatâ—ie The poore â—â—tnesse 〈◊〉 wiâ—nes â—â—â—rings 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Parents children Of the power and authoritie of fathers Disinheriâ—ing Inheritaunce Whoredomes adulteries Diuorcements The diuisâ—on of goods Buying selling â–ª 〈…〉 pledges Thinges left in câ—stodie Bondage Mancipation Manumissâ—â—n â–ª Plagium Bastardes Theft and deceit â–ª RestitutioÌ„ Sacrilege The hirelings wages The doing and receyuing of damage Weight measure The punishment of the guiltie Wiâ—ches soothsayers Heretikes and false prophetes Rebels slauÌ„derers Murther The sanctuarie Warie ConclusioÌ„ Of the vse and effecte of Gods lawe Absol 〈…〉 perfecâ—â—â— is reqâ—â—â—â—â— of vs 〈◊〉 the laâ—â— No man liuing is perfect and vn spotted The lawe doth make 〈◊〉 sinnes manifest 〈◊〉 bring ouâ— misery to light Moses doth not only slay
this faith inspired from heauen and learned out of the worde of trueth doth put into mans minde an vndoubted persuasion that is that whatsoeuer we beléeue in the worde of God we do beléeue it most assuredly without wauering or doubting being altogether as sure to haue the thinge as faith doth beléeue to haue it for I vse this worde persuasion not as it is cōmonly taken but for a firme assent of minde inspired and persuaded by the holy ghost that this faith I say doth put into mans minde this vndoubted persuasion I meane to declare by the example of Abrahams faith which Paule in the fourth chapiter to the Romanes describeth in these words Abraham contrary to hope beleeued in hope and he fainted not in faith neither considered he his owne body now dead whē he was almost an hundred yeares olde nor the deadnesse of Saraes wombe he stackered not at the promise of God thorowe vnbeliefe but became stronge in faith and gaue the glorie to God hauinge a sure persuasion that hee which had promised was able also to perfourme In these wordes of the Apostle there are certayne notes t◠be obserued which do proue to vs that Faith doth bringe an assured persuasion into the mynde and harte of man and so that Fayth is an vndoubted confidence of thinges beleeued whereto the harte is made priuie that is that true fayth doth not flie to and fro from place to place in the hart of mā but that being deepely rooted in Christ it sticketh in the hart which is inlightened Firste sayeth the Apostle Abraham contrary to hope beleeued in hope that is to say there he had a constant hope where notwithstanding he had nothing to hope after if all thinges had been weighed accordinge to the manner of this worlde But Hope is a moste firme and vndoubted looking after those thinges which we beléeue So that we see that the Apostle did make fayth manifest by hope and by the certaintie of hope did declare the assured constancie of fayth After that sayth he Abraham faynted not in fayth nor stackered at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was stronge in fayth There are two kindes of stackerings in mankinde The one is that which being ouercome by euill tentations doeth bende to desperation and the despising of Gods promises Such was the stackering of those ten spies of the holy lande of whom mention is made in the thirtéene and fourtéene chapiter of Numbers The other stackering is rather to be called a weake infirmitie of fayth which also is tempted it selfe that nowe I may not make rehearsall to you howe that in vs all by the spot of originall sinne is naturally grafted a certaine kinde of vnbeliefe and that mans minde is at no time so inlightened or confirmed but that cloudy mystes of ignorance and doubtinges doe some times arise yet notwithstanding fayth yéeldeth not to tentation neither is drowned nor sticketh in the of myre stackering but laying holde vpon the promised worde of trueth getteth vp againe by strugling and is confirmed So we reade that at the promise of God this came into Abrahams mynde What shall there a Sonne be borne to thée that art an hundred yeres old this was that infirmitie and stackering or weakenesse of fayth But here the Apostle commending Abrahams fayth which ouercame and yéelded not teaching vs also of what sort true fayth ought to be that is a firme and most assured persuasion sayth Abraham fainted not in fayth neyther considered his owne body nowe deade when he was almost an hundred yeares olde nor the deadnesse of Saraes wombe Loe this thought came into Abrahams minde Shall a Sonne be borne to me that am an hundred yeares olde But he faynted not in fayth The fayth of Abraham began not to droope by reason of this temptation For he considered not the weaknesse that was in him selfe nothing answerable to the promise of god what thē He stackered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe That is he gaue no place to vnbeléefe to be tempted of it he fell not to his owne reasons and doubtfull inquisitions as vnbeléeuers are woont to doe For Gods promise beinge once set before the eyes of his mind so that I say he stucke vnmoueably casting of all doubts and reasons of his owne For fayth hath no respecte at all to the weakenesse miserie or lacke which is properly in man kinde but setteth her whole staye in the power of god So then I saye Abraham was stronge in fayth that is he preuayled and gotte the vpper hande in his temptacion For this is an argument to shewe that he had the vpper hande He faynted not nor waxed weake in fayth It followeth in the Apostle Abraham gaue God the glorie to wit in beleeuing that God wisheth well to man kinde and that he is a true God and almighty For he giueth God his glory which attributeth to God the properties of God and doeth not gainesay the word and promise of god For John the Apostle sayth He that beleeueth not in God maketh God a lyar Abraham therefore beleeued in God and in beleeuing gaue God the glorie The Apostle Paule goeth forwarde and sayth He was throughly persuaded or certified that he which had promised was able also to performe Paule vsed the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one as if you should say being certified For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doeth signifie fully to certifie wherevppon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an assured fayth giuen vnto vs which is made by way of argument or by the thinge it selfe And they call that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we call a certification as when a thinge by persuasions is so beaten into our mindes that after that we neuer doubte any more Therefore fayth did certifie Abraham and with vndoubted persuasions did bring him to the point neuer to doubt but that God was able to perfourme what he had promised in fayth therefore he stucke vnmoueably to the promise of God béeing assuredly certified that he shoulde obtayne whatsoeuer God had promised It is certaine therefore and plainly declared by the wordes of the Apostle that true Fayth is an vndoubted persuasion in the mynde of the beleeuer euen so to haue the thinge as his beliefe is and as he is sayde to haue it in the expresse worde of god Whereby also we learne that Fayth is not the vnstable and vnaduised confidence of him which beleeueth euery greate and vnpossible thinge For Fayth is ruled and bound to the worde of God to the worde of God I saye rightly and truly vnderstoode The godly and faythfull therefore doe not by and by out of the omnipotencie of God gather what they liste as though God therefore would doe euery thinge bycause he can doe all thinges or that Fayth should therefore beléeue euery thinge bycause it is written All thinges are possible to him that beleeueth For hys Fayth is therfore a great deale more bycause that
which he doeth beléeue is so sette downe and declared in the worde of God as he doeth beléeue Furthermore where the Lorde in the Gospell sayeth All thinges are possible to him that beleeueth we must not take that sayinge to be absolutely spoken but to be ioyned to the worde will and glorie of God and the safetie of our Soules For all thinges whych God in his worde hath promised all thinges which God will haue and lastely all thinges whiche make to the glorie of God and sauegarde of our Soules are possible to him that beléeueth And for that cause the Apostle both openly and plainly sayd Whatsoeuer God hath promised that same he is able also to perfourme For whatsoeuer he hath not promised and whatsoeuer pleaseth not his diuine maiestie or is contrary to the will and expresse worde of God that cannot God doe not bycause he can not but bycause he will not God could make breade of stones but we must not therefore beléeue that stones are breade neyther are they breade therefore bicause God can doe all things This ye shall vnderstande better and more fully where as a litle hereafter I shall shew vnto you that true fayth strayeth not nor wauereth wandringly to and fro but cleaueth close and sticketh fast to God and his worde In the meane season bicause we haue shewed out of Paules wordes by the example of Abraham that faith is a substance and vndoubted persuasion in the harte And bicause many doe stiffely stande in it that man is not surely certaine of his saluation I will adde a fewe examples out of the gospel wherby they may plainly perceiue that faith is a most sure groūd setled opinion touching God and our saluation And firste verily the Centurion of whom mention is made in the gospell had conceiued a stedfaste hope that his seruaunt should be healed of the Lorde For he vnderstoode howe great and mightie thinges he promised to them that beléeue He gathered also by the workes of Christ that it was an easy matter for him to restore his seruaunt to health againe Therefore he commeth to the Lorde and amonge other talke sayth It is no reason that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe yea doe but say the worde and my seruaunt shal be made whole These wordes doe testifie that in the hart and minde of the Centurion there was a sure persuasion of most assured health which by a certaine comparison he doth make manifest and more fully expresse For I my selfe am a man vnder the authoritie of an other and vnder me I haue souldiours and I say to one goe and he goeth and to an other come and he commeth and to my seruaunt doe this and he doeth it When the lord perceiued this certificatiō of his mind by his wordes most sull of fayth he crieth out that in al Israel he hath not found so great faith The same again in the gospell speaketh notably of the womans fayth which was sorely plagued with the bloudy fluxe And that that faith was an vndoubted persuasion in her harte once illuminated we may thereby vnderstande because she beinge first in déede stirred vp by the workes wordes of the Lord thought thus within herselfe if I do but touch his garment I shall be whole And therfore preassing through the thickest of the throng commeth to the lord But why heape I together manye examples doth not the onely faith of the Chananitish or Syrophenissian woman declare more plainely then that it can be denied how that faith is a most assured persuasion of thinges beléeued For being ouerpassed and as it were contemned of the Lorde she wauereth not in faith but following him and hearing also that the lord was sent to the lost shéep of the house of Israell she goeth on to worship him Moreouer being put back as it wer touched with the foule reproch of dog she goeth forwarde yet humbly to cast her selfe prostrate before the Lorde requesting to obtaine the thinge that she desired She would not haue perseuered so stiffely if fayth had not ben a certification in her beléeuing minde and harte Wherefore the Lorde moued with that fayth of hirs cryed Woman great is thy fayth be it done to thee euen as thou wilte It is manifest therefore by all these testimonies of the holy Scripture that Faith is a stedfast and vndoubted persuasion in the minde and hart of the beléeuer This being now brought to an end let vs see what it is wherevpon mans fayth doth leane and also how we may clearely perceiue that fayth is not a vayne and vnstable opinion as a little before we were about to saye of any thinge whatsoeuer conceiued in the minde of man but that it is tyed vp and contayned within boundes and as it were certayne conditions In the definition therefore of fayth we sayd that fayth bendeth to Godwarde and leaneth on his worde God therfore and the worde of God is the obiect or foundation of true fayth The thing wheron a man may leane safely surely and without all manner doubting must néedes be stedfast and altogether vnmoueable which doth giue health which doeth preserue and which doeth fill vp or minister all fulnesse vnto vs For this doth fayth séeke and request But this is not else where thē in god On God alone therefore doeth true fayth bende and leane God is euerlasting chiefely good wise iuste mightie and true of worde And that doeth he testifie by his workes and worde Wherefore in the Prophets he is called a strong and vnmoueable Rocke a castle a wall a tower an inuincible fortresse a tresure a wel that neuer wil be drawne drie This euerlasting God can doe all thinges knoweth all things is present in all places loueth mankinde excéedingly doeth prouide for all men and also gouerneth or disposeth all thinges Fayth therfore whiche is a confidence of Gods good will and of his ayde in all necessities and of the true saluation of mankinde bendeth on God alone cannot leane to any other creature in whome the thinges are not that fayth requireth And euen as God is true of word and can not lye so is his word true and deceiueth no man In the worde of God is expressed the will and mynde of God To the worde of God therfore hath faith an eye and layeth hir groūd vppon Gods worde touching which worde the Lorde in the Gospell sayd Heauen and earth shall passe but my worde shall not passe The worde of God here is compared with the moste excellent elements Ayre and Water are féeble and vnstable Elements but Heauen although it turne and moue doth kéepe yet a wonderful and moste stedfast course in mouing and stedfast are all thinges therein The Earth is moste stable and vnmoueable Therefore if it be easier for these thinges to be loased which can not be vndone then for the worde of God to passe it followeth that Gods worde in all pointes is moste stable vnmoueable and not possible to be