of his manhoode For the erroure of Nestorius is to be driuen farre away from vs which when he went about rather to draw in sonder than to distinguish the nature did by that meane imagine a doble Christ. Wheras we see that the Scripture crieth oute with loude voice against it where bothe the name of the sonne of God is geuen to him that was borne of the Uirgin and the Uirgin her selfe is called the mother of our Lorde We must also beware of the madnesse of Eutiches leaste while we goe about to shewe the vnitie of the person we destroie either nature For we haue already alleged so many testimonies there are euery where so many other to be alleged where his Godhede is distinguished from his manhoode as may stoppe the mouthes euen of the moste contentious And a little here after I will adioyne some testimonies to confute better that fained deuise but at this present one place shal content vs. Christ woulde not haue called his bodie a Temple vnlesse the Godhed did distinctly dwell therein Wherefore as Nestorius was worthily cōdemned in the synode at Ephesus so also was Eutiches afterwarde condemned in the synodes of Constantinople Chalcedon for asmuch as it is no more lawfull to confounde the twoo natures in Christ than it is to drawe them in sonder But in oure age also there hath risen vp no lesse pestilent a monster Machaell Seruettus whiche did thruste in place of the sonne of God a fained thing made of the essence of God of spirit fleshe and three elementes vncreate And firste he denieth that Christ is by any other way the sonne of God but in this that he was begotten of the holy ghost in the wombe of the Uirgin But to this ende tendeth his subtletie that the distinctiō of the two natures being ones ouerthrowen Christe might be thought to be a certaine thing mingled of God and man and yet neither God nor man For in his whole processe he trauaileth toward this point that before Christ was openly shewed in the flesh there wer onely certaine shadowish fygures in God whereof the trueth or effect then at length was in being when that worde whiche was ordeined to that honore began truely to be the sonne of God And wee in dede do confesse that the Mediator which is borne of the Uirgin is proprely the sonne of God For Christ in that he is man coulde not be the mirore of the inestimable fauoure of God vnlesse this dignitie were geuen him to be and be called the onely begotten sonne of God But in the meane season the definition of the Church standeth stedfastly grounded that he is cōpted the sonne of God bicause he being the Worde begotten of the father before all worldes did by hypostatical vnion take vpon him the nature of man Now the hypostatical vnion is called with the olde fathers that whiche maketh one person of twoo natures whiche phrase of speache was deuised to ouerthrowe the dotinge erroure of Nestorius bicause he fained that the sonne of God did so dwell in fleshe that yet he the same was not man Seruettus slaundereth vs that we make twoo sonnes of God when we saie that the eternall Word was already the sonne of God before that it was clothed with fleshe as if we did saie any thinge els but that he was manifested in the flesh Neyther dothe it folowe that if he were God before that he was man he beganne to be a newe God And no more absurditie it is to saye that the sonne of God appeared in the fleshe whiche yet had this alwaie from eternall begetting to be the Sonne whiche the Angeles wordes to Marye do secretly shew That holy thinge that shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God as if he shoulde haue saide that the name of the Sonne whiche was obscure in time of the lawe shoulde nowe become famous and euery where knowen abroade Wherewith agreeth that sayenge of Paule that nowe by Christe we are the children of God freely and with boldnesse to crye Abba Father But were not the holy fathers in the olde tyme also accompted among the chyldren of God Yea and bearynge them bolde vpon that interest they called vpon God by name of theyr Father But bicause sins the only begotten sonne of God was brought fourth into the worlde the heauenly fatherhod is become more plainely knowen therefore Paule assigneth this as it were a priuilege to the kingdome of Christ. But yet this is stedfastly to be holden that God neuer was father either to Angelles or men but in respecte of the onely begotten sonne and that men specially whome their owne wickednesse maketh hatefull to God are his children by free adoption bycause hee is the sonne of God by nature And there is no cause why Seruettus shoulde cauill that this hangeth vpon filiation or becomming a sonne whiche God hadde determined with him selfe bicause oure purpose is not heare to speake of the fygures howe the expiation was shewed in the bloode of beastes but bicause thei coulde not in dede be the children of God vnlesse their adoption were grounded vpon the head it is with out reason to take that from the heade which is common to all the mēbres I goe yet further Whereas the Scripture calleth the Angelles the sonnes of God whose so greate dignitie dyd not hang vpon the redemption to come yet muste it needes be that the sonne is in ordre before them whiche maketh the father to be their father I will repete it againe shortly adde the same of mankinde Sith from at their first beginning bothe Angelles and men were created with this condition that God shoulde be common father to them bothe if that sayeng of Paule be true that Christe was alway the heade and the firste begotten of all creatures to haue the firste degree in all I thinke I do rightly gather that he was also the sonne of God before the creation of the worlde But if his Filiation if I may so terme it beganne sins he was manifested in the fleshe it shal folowe that he was also Sonne in respect of his nature of man Seruettus and other suche frentike men woulde haue it that Christe which appeared in the flesh is the sonne of God bycause out of the fleshe hee coulde not be called by that name Nowe let them aunswere me whether he be the Sonne accordinge to bothe natures and in respect of bothe So in deede thei prate but Paule teacheth farr otherwise We graunte in deede that Christe is in the fleshe of man called the Sonne but not as the faithfull are that is by adoption onely and grace but the true and naturall and therefore onely sonne that by this marke he may be discerned from all other For God voutsaueth to geue the name of his sonnes to vs that are regenerate into a newe life but the name of the true and onely begotten sonne he geueth to Christ onely How can
God doo take goodnesse from himselfe I dooe not speake of his humaine nature least perhappes they shuld take exception and say that what soeuer goodnesse was in it it came of free gyft I aske whether the eternall Word of God be good or no If they say nay then we hold their vngodlinesse sufficiētly cōuinced in sayeng yea they cōfound themselues But where as at the first sight Christe semeth to put from hymselfe the name of Good that doothe the more confirme oure meanyng For sithe it is the singular title of God alone forasmuche as he was after the common maner saluted by the name of Good in refusing false honour he did admonish them that the goodnesse wherin he excelled was the goodnesse that God hathe I aske also where Paule affirmeth that only God is immortall wise and true whether by these wordes Christe be brought into the numbre of men mortall foolishe and false Shall not he then be immortall that from the begynnyng was lyfe to geue immortalitie to angels Shall not he bee wise that is the eternall wisedome of God Shall not the trueth it selfe be true I aske furthermore whether they thynke that Christe ought to be worshipped or no For he claimeth this vnto hymselfe to haue all knees bowe before hym it foloweth that he is the God whiche dyd in the lawe forbyd any other to be worshipped but himselfe If they will haue that meant of the Father onely whiche is spoken in Esaie I am and none but I this testimonie I tourne against theim selues for as muche as we see that whatsoeuer pertaineth to God is geuen to Christe And their cauillation hath no place that Christe was exalted in the fleshe wherein he had bene abased and that in respecte of the fleshe all authoritie is geuen hym in heauen and in earthe because althoughe the maiestie of Kyng and Iudge extende to the whole Person of the Mediatour yet if he had not been God openly shewed in fleshe he coulde not haue been auaunced to suche heighth but that God shoulde haue disagreed with himselfe But thys controuersye Paule doeth well take away teaching that he was egall wyth God before that he dyd abase hymselfe vnder the shape of a seruaunte Nowe howe coulde thys equalitie haue stande together vnlesse he hadde been the same God whoe 's name is Iah and Iehouah that rydeth vppon the Cherubin that is kynge of all the earthe and Lorde of the worldes Nowe howesoeuer they babble agaynste it it canne not bee taken from Chryste whiche Esaie sayeth in an other place He he is our GOD for hym we haue wayted whereas in these woordes he describeth the comming of GOD the redemer not onelye that shoulde bryng home the people from the exyle of Babylon but also fullye in all pointes restore the churche And with their other cauillation they nothynge preuayle in sayinge that Chryste was God in hys Father For thoughe we confesse that in respecte of order and degree the begynning of the Godheade is in the Father yet we saye that it is a detestable inuentyon to saye that the essence is onelye proper to the Father as thoughe he were the onelye God-maker of the Sonne For by thys meanes eyther he shoulde haue moe essence than one or ells they call Chryste God onely in tittle and imaginacion If they graunte that Chryste is God but nexte after the Father then shall the essence bee in hym begotten and fashioned whiche in the Father is vnbegotten and vnfashyoned I knowe that many quicke nosed men doe laughe at thys that we gather the distinction of Persons oute of the wordes of Moses where he bryngeth in God speakyng thus Lette vs make manne after oure image But yet the Godly readers doe see howe vaynly and fondely Moses shoulde bryng in thys as a talke of dyuerse together if there were not in God moe Persons than one Nowe certayne is it that they whom the Father spake vnto wer vncreate but nothing is vncreate but God himselfe yea the one onely God Nowe therefore vnlesse they graunte that the power of creating was common and the authoritie of commaunding common to the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste it shall folowe that God did not inwardly thus speake to himselfe but directed his speche to other forein woorke menne Finallie one place shall easilie answere two of their obiections For where as Christe himselfe pronounceth that GOD is a Spirite this were not conueniente to be restrained to the Father onely as if the Woorde himselfe were not of spirituall nature If then the name of Spirite doeth as well agree with the Sonne as with the Father I gather that the Sonne is also comprehended vnder the indefynite name of GOD. But he addeth by and by after that none are allowed for good worshippers of the Father but they that worshyppe hym in Spirite and trueth where vppon foloweth an other thyng because Chryste doeth vnder a hed execute the office of a teacher he doeth geue the name of GOD to the Father not to the entente to destroye his owne Godhead but by degrees to lyfte vs vp vnto it But in this they are deceiued that they dreame of certaine vndiuided singular thinges wherof eche haue a part of the essence But by the Scriptures we teache that there is but one essentially God and therefore that the essence as well of the Sonne as of the Holy ghost is vnbegotten But forsomuch as the Father is in order firste and hath of himselfe begotten his wisedome therfore rightfully as is aboue sayed he is counted the original and fountaine of al the Godhead So God indefinitely spoken is vnbegotten and the Father also in respecte of Person is vnbegotten And foolishly they thinke that they gather that by oure meaning is made a quaternitie because fasly and cauillouslye they ascrybe vnto vs a deuise of their owne brayne as though we dyd faine that by deriuacion there come three Persons out of one essence wheras it is euident by our wrytinges that we do not drawe the Persons out of the essence but although they be abiding in the essence we make a distinction betwene them If the Persons were seuered from the essence then paraduenture their reason were like to be true But by that meane it shoulde be a Trinitie of Goddes and not of Persons which one God conteineth in hym So is their fonde question answered whether the essence doe mete to make vp the Trinitie as thoughe we did imagine that there descende three Goddes oute of it And thys exception groweth of lyke foolyshenesse where they saye that then the Trinitie shoulde be withoute God For though it mete not to make vp the distinction as a parte or a member yet neither are the Persons withoute it nor oute of it Because the Father if he were not God coulde not be the Father and the Sonne is none otherwyse the Sonne but because he is God We saye therefore that the Godheade
ten thousandes the seruant of Elizeus sawe many chariottes full and this declareth that they are a great multitude that it is saide they doo campe rounde aboute theim that feare God As for shape it is certaine that Spirites haue none and yet the Scripture for the capacitie of our wit dooth not in vayne vnder Cherubin and Seraphin paint vs out Angels with wynges to the intent we shoulde not doute that they will bee euer with incredible swiftnesse ready to succoure vs so soone as neede shall require as if the lightnyng sent from heauen shoulde flie vnto vs with suche swiftnesse as it is wonted What soeuer more than this may be sought of both these pointes let vs beleue it to be of that sort of mysteries wherof the full reuelation is differred to the laste day Wherfore let vs remembre to take hede both of to muche curiositie in searchyng and to muche boldnesse in speakyng But this one thyng whiche many troublesome doo call in doubt is to be holden for certaintie that Angels are ministrynge spirites whose seruice God vseth for the defence of his by whom he both distributeth his benefites among men and also putteth his other workes in execution It was in the old tyme the opinion of the Sadduces that by Angels is meant nothyng els but eyther the motions that God dothe inspire in men or the tokens that he sheweth of his power But agaynste this errour crie out so many testimonies of Scripture that it is meruaile that so grosse ignorance coulde be suffred in that people For to omitte those places that I haue before alledged where are recited thousandes and Legions of Angels where ioy is geuen vnto them where it is said that they vpholde the Faithful with their handes and cary their soules into reste that they see the face of the Father and suche lyke there are other places whereby is clerely proued that they are in deede Spirites of a nature that hath substance For where as Stephen and Paule doo say that the lawe was geuen by the hande of Angels and Christe sayth that the electe after the resurrection shall bee lyke vnto Angels that the day of iudgement is not knowen to the very Angels that he shall then come with his holy Angels howe soeuer they be writhed yet must they so be vnderstanded Likewise when Paule chargeth Timothe before Christ and his chosen Angels to keepe his commaundementes he meaneth not qualities or inspirations without substāce but very spirites And otherwise it standeth not togither that is writen in the Epistle to the Hebrues that Christ is become more excellent than Angels that the world is not made subiect to them that Christ toke vpō him not their nature but the natur of man If we meane not the blessed spirits to whome may these comparisons agree And the author of that Epistle expoūded him self where he placeth in the kingdom of heuē the soules of the faithful the holy angels together Also the same that we haue alredy alledged that the Angels of children do alway behold the face of god that they do reioyce at our safetie that they maruel at the manifold grace of God in the churche that they are subiect to Christ the hedde To the same purpose serueth this that they so oft appered to the holy Fathers in the forme of men that they talked with them that they were lodged wyth them And Christ him selfe for the principall preminence that he hath in the person of the mediator is called an Angel Thys I thought good to touche by the way to furnish the simple wyth defence against those foolishe and reasonlesse opinions that many ages agoe raysed by Sathan do now and then spring vppe agayne Now it resteth that we seke to mete with that superstition which is cōmonly wont to crepe in where it is said that Angels ar the ministers deliuerers of all good thinges vnto vs. For by by mans reason falleth to this point to thinke that therfore al honour ought to be geuē them So cometh it to passe that those things which belōg only to God Christ are conueied away to Angels By this mean we se that in certaine ages past the glory of Christe hath been many wais obscured when Angels without warrant of Gods worde were loden with immeasurable titles of honor And of all the vices that we speake against there is almoste none more auncient than this For it appereth that Paule himselfe had muche to doo with some which so auaunced Angels that they in maner wold haue brought Christ vnder subiectiō And therfore he doth so carefully presse this point in his epistle to the Colossians that Christ is not only to be preferred before al angels but that he is also the author of al the good things that thei haue to the end we shuld not forsake him turn vnto them whiche can not sufficiently helpe them selues but are faine to draw out of the same fountain that we do Surely forasmuche as there shyneth in them a certain brightnesse of the maiestie of God there is nothing wherunto we ar more easily enclined than with a certain admiratiō to fall down in worshipping of them to geue vnto them all thinges that ar due only to God Which thing Iohn in the Reuelation cōfesseth to haue chaunced to hymselfe but he addeth withal that he receiued this answer See thou doo it not For I am thy felowe seruant Worship God But this daunger we shall well beware of if we doo consyder why God vseth rather by them than by hymselfe without their seruice to declare his power to prouide for the safetie of the faithfull and to cōmumunicate the giftes of his liberalitie among them Surely he doth not this of necessitie as though he coulde not be without them for so oft as pleaseth hym he letteth theim alone and bringeth his woorke to passe with an onely becke so farre is it of that they be any aide to hym to ease hym of the hardnesse therof This therfore maketh for the comforte of our weakenesse so that we want nothyng that may auaile our myndes eyther in raisyng them vp in good hope or confirmyng them in assurance This one thyng ought to be enough and enough agayn for vs that the Lorde affirmeth that he is our protectour But while we se our selues besieged with so many daūgers so many hurtful thynges so many kyndes of enemies it may be suche is our weakenesse and frailtie that we be sometyme filled with tremblyng feare or fall for despaire onlesse the Lord after the proporcion of our capacitie do make vs to conceiue his presence By this meane he not onely promiseth that he wyll haue care of vs but also that he hath an innumerable garde to whom he hath geuen in charge to trauaile for our safetie and that so longe as we be compassed with the garrison and supporte of theim whatsoeuer daunger betideth we be without all reache of hurte I graunt we
men to be made gilty for one mans faulte and so the sinne to become coÌ„mon Whiche semeth to haue ben the cause why the oldest Doctours of the churche did but darkely touche this pointe or at leaste did not set it out so plainely as was conuenient And yet that fearefulnesse coulde not bryng to passe but that Pelagius arose whose prophane inuention was that Adam sinned only to his owne losse and hurted not his posteritie So through this sutteltie Satan wente about by hidyng the disease to make it incurable But when it was proued by manifest testimonie of Scripture that sinne passed froÌ„ the firste man into al his posteritie he brought this cauillation that it passed by imitation but not by propagation Therfore good men trauailed in this pointe and aboue al other Augustine to shewe that we are corrupted not by forein wickednesse but that we bryng with vs from the wombe of our Mother a viciousnesse planted in out begetting whiche to denie was moste greate shamelesnesse But the rashenesse of the Pelagians and Celestians will not seeme marueylous to hym whiche by the writinges of that holy manne shall perceyue howe shamelesse beastes they were in all other thynges Surely it is not doubtfully spoken that Dauid confesseth that he was begotten in iniquities and by hys Mother conceyued in Sinne. He doeth not there accuse the sinnes of his Father or Mother but the better to sette forth the goodnesse of God towarde hym he begynneth the confession of hys owne wickednesse at hys verie begettyng For asmuche it is euident that that was not peculiar to Dauid alone it followeth that the common estate of all mankynde is noted vnder hys example All we therefore that descende of vncleane sede are borne infected wyth the contagion of Sinne yea before that we see the lighte of thys lyfe we bee in the sight of God filthie and spotted For who could geue cleane of the vncleanesse not one as it is in the boke of Iob. We heare that the vncleannesse of the parentes so passeth into the chyldren that all wythoute anye exception at theyr beginnynge are defiled But of this defilynge we shall not finde the beginnyng vnlesse we goe vp to the fyrste parente of all vs to the wellhed Thus is it therefore that Adam was not onely the progenitour but also the roote of mans nature and therefore in his corruption was all mankynde worthelye corrupted whyche the Apostle maketh playne by comparynge of hym and Christe As sayeth he by one manne Sinne entred into the whole worlde and death by Sinne and so death wente ouer all menne for asmuche as all haue sinned so by the grace of Christ righteousnesse and lyfe is restored vnto vs. What will the Pelagians here prate that Adams sinne was spred abroade by imitation Then haue we no other profite by the righteousnesse of Christe but that he is an example sette before vs to followe Whoe canne abide suche robberie of Gods honour If it be out of question that Christes righteousnesse is oures by communication and thereby lyfe it followeth also that they bothe were so loste in Adam as they be recouered in Christe and that Sinne and death so crepte in by Adam as they are abolished by Christ. The wordes are playne that many are made righteous by the obedience of Christe as by the disobedience of Adam they were made sinners and that therefore betwene them two is this relation that Adam wrappyng vs in his destructâ—ion destroyed vs with hym and Christe with his grace restored vs to saluation In so clere light of trueth I thinke we nede not a longer or more laborious profe So also in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians when he goeth aboute to stablishe the godly in the trust of the resurrectioÌ„ he sheweth that the life is recouered in Christ that was loste in Adam He that pronounceth that wee all are dead in Adam doeth also therewithall plainely testifie that we were infected with the filth of sinne For damnation coulde not reache vnto them that were touched with no giltinesse of iniquitie But it canne be no waye playnelier vnderstanded what he meaneth than by relation of the other member of the sentence where he teacheth that hope of life is restored in Christe But it is well enough knowen that the same is done no other waye â–ª than when by meruellous maÌ„ner of communicating Christ poureth into vs the force of his righteousnesse As it is wrytten in an other place that the spirite is life vnto vs for righteousnesse sake Therefore wee maye not otherwyse expounde that whyche is sayde that we are dead in Adam but thus that he in sinnynge dyd not onely purchace mischiefe and ruine to hymselfe but also throwe downe our nature hedlonge into like destructioÌ„ And that not only to the corruption of hym selfe whych perteyneth nothyng to vs but bicause he infected al his sede with the same corruptioÌ„ wherinto he was fallen For otherwise that sayeng of Paule could not staÌ„d true that all are by nature the sonnes of wrath yf they were not already accursed in the wombe And it is easelye gathered that nature is there meante not suche as it was create by God but suche as it was corrupted in Adam For it were not conuenient that God shold bee made the authour of Death Adam therefore so corrupted hym selfe that the infection passed from hym into all hys ofsprynge And the heauenly Iudge hym selfe Christe doeth also playnely enough pronounce that all are borne euell and corrupted where he teacheth that what soeuer is borne of fleshe is fleshe and that therefore the gate of lyfe is closed agaynste all menne vntill they be begotten agayne Neyther for the vnderstandynge thereof is any curiouse disputation nedefull whyche not a little combred the olde wryters whether the soule of the sonne do procede by deriuation from the soule of the father bycause in it the infection principally resteth We must be coÌ„tent wyth this that suche giftes as it pleased the Lorde to haue bestowed vpon the nature of man he lefte them wyth Adam and therefore when Adam loste them after he had receyued them he lost them not only from himselfe but also from vs all Whoe shall be carefull of a conueyance from soule to soule when he shall heare that Adam receyued these ornamentes whyche he loste no lesse for vs than for hymselfe that they were not geuen to one manne alone but assigned to the whole nature of manne Therefore it is not agaynste reason yf he beynge spoyled nature bee lefte naked and poore yf he beyng infected wyth Sinne the infection crepeth into nature Therefore from a rotten roote arose vp rotten branches whiche sent their rottennesse into the other twigges that spronge out of them For so were the chyldren corrupted in the father that they also were infectiue to theyr chyldren that is to saye so was the beginnynge of corruption in Adam that by continuall flowynge from one to an other it is
them of all abilitie of spirituall vnderstandyng Therefore he affirmeth that the faythful which embrace Christ are borne not of bloud or of the wil of the flesh or of man but of God As if he should saye fleshe is not capable of so hye wisedome to conceiue God and that which is Gods vnlesse it be lightened with the spirite of God As Christ testified that this was a special reuelation of the father that Peter did know him If we were perswaded of this whiche ought to be out of all controuersie that our nature wanteth all that whyche our heauenly father geueth to his electe by the spirite of regeneration then here were no matter to doubte vpon For thus speaketh the faythfull people in the Prophet For with thee is the fountayne of lyfe and in thy light we shal see light The Apostle testifieth the same thing wheÌ„ he saieth that no man can call Iesus the lorde but in the holy ghost And Iohn Baptist seyng the dulnesse of his disciples crieth out that no man can receiue any thyng vnlesse it be geuen him from aboue And that he meaneth by Gifte a speciall illumination and not a common gifte of nature appereth hereby that he complaineth that in so many wordes as he had spoken to tommende Christ to his Disciples he preuayled nothyng I see sayeth he that wordes are nothyng to informe mens mindes concernyng diuine thynges vnlesse the Lorde geue vnderstanding by his spirite Yea and Moses when he reprocheth the people wyth their forgetfulnesse yet noteth this withal that they can by no meanes growe wise in the misteries of God but by the benefite of God Thyne eyes sayeth he haue seene those greate tokens and wonders and the Lorde hath not geuen thee a heart to vnderstande nor eares to heare nor eyes to see What shoulde he expresse more yf he called vs blockes in consideryng the workes of God Whereupon the Lorde by the Prophete promiseth for a greate grace that he wyll geue the Israelites a hearte that they maye knowe hym signifiyng thereby that mans witte is onely so muche spiritually wyse as it is lightened by hym And this Christe plainely confirmed wyth hys owne mouthe when he sayeth that no manne can come to hym but he to whome it shal be geuen from the Father What is not he hym selfe the liuely Image of the Father in whome the whole bryghtnesse of his glorie is expressed vnto vs Therefore he coulde not better shewe what our power is to knowe god than when he sayeth that wee haue no eyes to see his Image where it is so openly sette presente before vs. What Came he not into the earth for this purpose to declare his Fathers wyll vnto menne And dyd he not faythfully dooe hys office Yes surely But yet nothynge is wroughte by hys preachynge vnlesse the inwarde Schoolemaster the holyghost set open the waye to our mindes Therefore none come to hym but they that haue heard and ben taught of the Father What maner waye of learnyng and hearyng is this Euen when the holy ghost by maruellous and singular vertue formeth the eares to heare and the mindes to vnderstande And leaste that should seme sâ—raung he allegeth the prophecie of Elaye where when he promiseth the repairyng of the church that they whych shall be gathered together to saluation shal be taught of the Lord. If god there foresheweth some peculiar thyng concernyng his electes it is euident that he speaketh not of that kinde of learnynge that was also common to the wicked and vngodly It remayneth therefore that we muste vnderstande it thus that the way into the kingdome of God is open to no man but to him to whom the holy ghost by his enlightening shal make a newe minde But Paule speaketh most playnely of all whiche of purpose entryng into discourse of this matter After he had condemned all mens wisedome of follie and vanitie vtterly brought it to naught at the laste concludeth thus that naturall man can not perceiue those thynges that are of the spirit of God they are foolishnesse vnto him and he can not vnderstande them bicause they are spiritually iudged Whome doeth he call naturall euen him that stayeth vpon the light of nature He I saye compreheÌ„deth nothing in the spiritual misteries of God Why so is it bicause by slouthfulnesse he neglecteth it Nay rather although he wold trauaile neuer so much he can do nothing bycause forsoth they are spiritually iudged What meaneth that bicause beyng vtterly hidden from the light of manâ— they are opened by the only reuelation of the spirite so that they are reckened for follie where the spirite of God geueth no light Before he had auaunced those thinges that God hath prepared for them that loue him aboue the capacitie of eyes eares and mindes Yea he testified that mans wisedome was as a certaine veile whereby mans minde was kepte from seyng God What meane we The Apostle pronounceth that the wisedome of this world is made folly by god and shal we forsoth geue vnto it sharpenesse of vnderstanding whereby it maye pearce to the secrete places of the heauenly kingdome Farre be such beastelinesse from vs. And so that whiche here he taketh awaye from menne in an other place in a prayer he geueth it to god alone God sayeth he and the father of glory geue to you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation Nowe thou hearest that all wisedome and reuelation is the gifte of god What followeth and lightene the eyes of your minde Surely yf they neede a newe reuelation then are they blinde of themselues yt foloweth after That ye maye knowe what is the hope of your calling c. Therefore he confesseth that the wittes of men are not capable of so great vnderstandyng to knowe their owne callyng And let not some Pelagian babble here that god doth remedie that dulnesse or vnskilfulnesse when by the doctrine of his worde he directeth maÌ„s vnderstanding whether without a guide he could not haue atteined For Dauid had a lawe wherein was comprehended al the wisedome that maye be desired and yet not contented with that he requireth to haue his eyes opened that he maye consider the misteries of the same lawe By whiche speache truely he secretly sayeth that the sunne ryseth vpon the earth where the worde of God shineth to men but they get not muche thereby vntill he himselfe that is therefore called the father of lightes do geue them or open their eyes bicause where so euer he shineth not with his spirit al things are possessed with darknesse So the Apostles were wel largely taught by the best schoole-master yet if they had not needed the spirite of trueth to instruct their mindes in that same doctrine which they had hearde before he wold not haue bidden them loke for him If the thing that we aske of God we doe thereby confesse that we wante and God in that that he promiseth
which is incomprehensible The seconde part forbiddeth vs to honor any images for religious sake Morouer he shortly reciteth al the formes wherwith he was wont to be expressed in shape by the prophane and superstitious nations By those thinges that are in heauen he meaneth the Sunne the Moone and other Starres and paraduenture also birdes as expressyng his meanyng in the fourth of Deuteronomie he meaneth as well birdes as starres Whiche note I would not haue spoken of but that I sawe some vnskilfully to applie it to Angeles Therfore I omitte the other partes bicause they are sufficiently knowen of themselues And we haue already in the first boke taught plainely enough that what so euer visible formes of God man doth inuent they are directly contrarie to his nature and that therfore so sone as images come sorth true religion is corrupted and defiled The penall ordinance that foloweth ought not a litle to auayle to shake of our slouthfulnesse For he threteneth That he is the Lord our God a yelous God that visiteth the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation in them that hate his name and sheweth mercie vnto thousandes to them that loue him and kepe his commaundementes This is as much in effect as yf he should haue sayde that it is he only vpon whome we ought to 〈◊〉 And to brynge vs thereunto he speaketh of his power that doth not without punishment suffer it selfe to be contemned or diminished Here is in deede let the name El whyche signifieth God Eut bicause it is deriued of strength do expresse the sense the better I did not sticke so to translate it or to put it into the texte Then he calleth himselfe â—elous that can abide no fellow Thirdly he affirmeth that he will be a reuenger of his maiestie and glorie yf any doe transferre it to creatures or to grauen images and that not with a short or sclender reuenge but suche as shall extend to the chyldren and chylderns children and childrens childrens children that is suche as shal be â—oâ—owers of their fathers vngodlinesse as also he sheweth a perpetuall mercie and bountifulnesse vnto longe continuance of posteritie to those that loue him and kepe his lawe It is a common manner with God to take vpon him the persone of a husband towarde vs. For the conuinction wherewith he bindeth himself vnto vs when he receiueth vs into the bosome of his church is like vnto a certaine holy wedlock that muste stande by mutuall faythfulnesse As he dothe all the duties of a faythfull and true husbande so agayne he requireth of vs suche loue and chastitie as ought to be in wedlocke that we yelde not our soules to Satan to lust and to filthy desires of the flesh to be defiled by them Wherupon he that rebuketh the Apostasie of the Iewes coÌ„plaineth that they did throwe away chastitie were defiled with adulteries Therfore as the husband the more holy chast that he himselfe is the more is he kindled to anger yf he see his wiues minde encline to a strang louer so the lord that hath wedded vs vnto himself in truthe testifieth that hath a most feruently burnyng ialousie so oft as neglecting the purenesse of his holly mariage we are defiled with wicked lustes but specially then when we traÌ„sferre to any other or do inâ—ectt with any superstition the worship of his name whiche ought to be most vncorrupted For asmuch as by this meane we doe not only breake the faith geuen in wedlocke but also do defile the very weddyng bed with bryngyng into it adulterers In the thretening is to be seen what he meaneth by this when he sayth that he will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third fourth generation For biside that it staÌ„deth not with the equitie of gods iustice to punish yâ— innocent for an others offence God him self also sayth that he will not make the sonne to beare the wickednesse of the father But this sentence is more than ones repeted of prolongyng the punnishmente of the sinnes of the auncelters vpon the generations to come For so doth Moses oftentimes speake vnto him Lord lord â–ª that rendrest the iniquitie of the fathers to the children vnto the third fourth generatioÌ„ Likewise Ieremie Thou that shewest mercie in thousandes that rendrest the iniquitie of the fathers into the bosome of the children after them Many while they trauaile much in losyng this knot thinke that it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded only of temporall punishmentes whiche if the children suffer for the parentes faultes it is no absurditie for asmuch as they are ofteÌ„times layed vpon theÌ„ for their saluation which is in deede true For Elaye declared to Ezechias that his sonnes shuld be spoiled of the kingdome caried into exile for the sinne that he had coÌ„mitted The houses of Pharao Abimelech were plaged for offending AbrahaÌ„ But when that is alledged for assoiling of this question it is rather a shift than a true exposition For here in like places he threteneth a more greuous reuenge than that it may be limited within the boundes of this present life It is therfore thus to be taken that the iust curse of the Lord lieth not only vpoÌ„ the head of the wicked maÌ„ himself but also vpoÌ„ his whole familie when the curse ones lieth vpon them what is els to be loked for but that the father being destitute of the spirit of God liue most wickedly the sonne likewise forsaken of the lord for the fathers fault do follow the same way of destruction finally the childes childe the childe of the childes childe that cursed seede of detestable meÌ„ do fal hedlong after theÌ„ First let vs see whether such reuenge be vnsemely for the iustice of God If al the nature of maÌ„ be daÌ„nable we know that destruction is prepared for theÌ„ to whoÌ„ the lord vouchsaueth not to coÌ„municate his grace Neuer the lesse thei do perish by their owne vnrighteousnesse not by vnrighteous hatred of God Neither is there left any cause to quarel why they be not holpeÌ„ by the grace of God to saluation as other are Wheras therfore this punishmeÌ„t is laied vpoÌ„ wicked meÌ„ euel doers for their offenses that their houses be depriued of that grace of God during many generatioÌ„s who caÌ„ accuse God for this most iust reueÌ„ge But the Lord on the other side pronouÌ„ceth that the punishment of the fathers sinne shal not passe ouer vnto the sonne Note what is ther entreated of â—heÌ„ the Israelites had beÌ„ long coÌ„tinually vexed with many calamities thei began to vse â—or a Prouerbe that theire fathers had eateÌ„ a sower grape wherwith the childrens teeth were set on edge wherby thei meant that their fathers had coÌ„mitted sinnes wherof thei being otherwise righteous not deseruing it did suffer yâ— punishmeÌ„t rather by â— vnappeaâ—able wrathfulnesse of God thaÌ„ by a
that leaste religion shoulde fall awaie or waxe faint among vs holy meetinges are to be diligently kept and those outwarde helpes are to be vsed that are profitable for to nourishe the worshippinge of God The fifte Commaundement Honoure thy Father and thy Mother that thou maist liue longe vpon the Lande which the Lorde thy God shall geue thee The ende of this commaundement is that bicause the Lorde delyteth in the preseruation of his ordre therfore he willeth that those degrees of preeminence which he hath ordeined be not broken the summe therfore shal be that we reuerence those whome the Lord hath set ouer vs that we yeld to them honore obedience and thankefullnesse Whervpon foloweth that it is forbidden vs to withdrawe any thynge from their dignitie either by contempt or obstinate or vnthankfulnes For so doth the worde Honoure in the Scripture signifieth very largely as when the Apostle sayth that the elders whiche rule well are worthy of doble honore he meaneth not oneli that reuerence ys due vnto them but also such recompense as their ministerie deserueth And bicause this comaundement of subiection doth most of all disagree with the peruersnesse of mans nature which as it swelleth with greedinesse of climbing hie so it hardly abideth to be broughte lowe therefore he hath set that kinde of superioritie for example which by nature is moste amiable and leste enuious bicause he mighte the easelyer meken and reclaime oâ—re mindes to the vse of submission Therfore the Lord doth by little little traine vs to all lawefull subiection by that which is most easy to beare for asmuch as the rule of all is alike For to whome he geueth any preeminence he doth communicate his own name with them so farre as is necessarie to preserue the same preeminence The name of Father God and Lorde do so belong vnto him alone that so ofte as we heare one of them named our minde muste needes be touched with a feeling of his maiestie Therfore whom he maketh partakers of these things he maketh to glister with a certaine sparke of his brightnesse that thei may be honorable euery one accordinge to his degree Therfore in him that is oure father we haue to consider somewhat of the nature of God bicause he beareth not the name of God without cause He that is our Prince or oure Lorde hath some partakinge of honore with God Wherfore it ought not to be doubted that God doth here set a generall rule that as we knowe any man to be by his ordinaunce set ouer vs so we yelde vnto him reuerence obedience thankfulnesse and suche other dueties as it lieth in vs to do And it maketh no difference whether thei be worthy or vnworthy For of what sorte soeuer thei be thei haue not without the prouidence of God atteyned that place by reasoÌ„ whereof the lawemaker woulde haue them to be honored Yet namely he hathe geuen commaundemente of reuerence to parentes that haue brought vs into this life to whiche reuerence very nature ought in a manner to instructe vs. For they are monsters and not men that breake the authorite of parentes with dishonore or stubbornesse Therfore the Lord commaunded all the disobedient to their parentes to be slaine as men vnworthy to enioye the benefite of lighte that doe not reknowledge by whose meanes thei came into it And by many additions of the lawe it appeareth to bee true that wee haue noted that there are three partes of honoure that he here speaketh of Reuerence Obedience and Thankfullnesse The firste of these the Lorde estabelysheth when he commaundeth him to be killed that curseth his Father or his Mother for there he punisheth the contempte and dishonoure of them The seconde he confirmeth when he appointeth the punishment of death for the disobedient and rebellious children To the thirde belongeth that sayinge of Christe in the fyftene of Matthew that it is the commaundement of God that we do good to oure parentes And so oft as Paule maketh mention of a commaundement he expoundeth that therein obedience is required There is annexed a promise for a commendation whyche dothe the rather putte vs in minde howe acceptable vnto God is the submission that is here commaunded For Paule vseth the same pricke to stirre vp oure dulnesse when he saieth that this is the fyrste commaundemente with promise For the promise that went before in the first Table was not speciall and proprely belonginge to one commaundement but extended to the whole lawe Nowe this is thus to be taken The Lorde spake to the Israelites peculiarly of the lande whiche he had promised them for their inheritance If then the possession of lande was a pledge of Gods bountyfullnesse let vs not meruell if it pleased God to declare his fauoure by geuinge lengthe of lyfe by whiche a man might longe enioye hys benefite The meaninge therefore is thus Honoure thy father and thy Mother that by a longe space of life thou maist enioye that possession of that lande that shal be vnto thee for a testimony of my Father But sith all the earthe is blessed to the faithfull we doe not woorthyly recken this present life amonge the blessinges of God Therefore thys promise dothe likewise belonge vnto vs for asmuche as their continuance of hys life is a profe of Gods good will For it neither is promised to vs nor was promised to the Iewes as thoughe it were contained blessednesse in it selfe but bicause it is wonte to bee to the Godlye a token of Gods tender loue Therfore if it chaunce that an obediente child to his parentes be taken out of this life before his ripe age whyche ys oftentimes seen yet doth God no lesse constantly continue in the perfourmance of his promise than if he shoulde rewarde hym wyth a hundreth Acres of lande to whome he promised but one Acre All consysteth in this that we should consider that long life is so farre promysed vs as it is the blessinge of God and that it is his blessinge so farre as it is a proofe of his fauoure whiche he by death doth muche more plentifully and perfectly witnesse and shewe in effect to his seruauntes Moreouer when the Lorde promiseth the blessinge of this presente life to the children that honoure their parentes with such reuerence as they ought he doth wythall secretly saye that most assured curse hangeth ouer the stubborne and disobedient children And that the same shoulde not wante execution hee pronounceth them by hys lawe subiecte to the iudgemente of deathe and commaundeth them to be putte to execution and if they escape that iudgemente hee hymselfe taketh vengeance on them by one meane or other For we see howe greate a numbre of that sorte of menne are slaine in battailes and in fraies and some other tourmented in strange vnaccustomed fashions and they all in a manner are a proofe that thys threatninge is not vayne Butte yf any escape to olde age syth in this lyfe beynge
and also partaker of all one nature with vs therefore it is not lawefull for vs to searche any further For who so euer is tickled with desire to knowe any more he beyng not contented with the vnchangeable ordinance of God doth shewe also that he is not contented with the same Christ that was geuen vs to be the price of our redemption But Paule not only reherseth to what ende he was sente but also climbyng to the hye misterie of the predestination he very fitly represseth all wantonnesse and itchyng desire of mans wit The father chose vs in Christ before the creation of the worlde to make vs his sonnes by adoption according to the purpose of his will and he accepted vs in his beloued sonne in whom we haue redeÌ„ptioÌ„ by his bloud Truely here is not the fal of AdaÌ„ set before as though it were formost in time but is shewed what God determined before all ages when his will was to help the miserie of maÌ„kinde If the aduersarie obiecte againe that this purpose of God dyd hang vpon the fall of manne whiche he did foresâ—ent is enough and more for me to saye that they with wicked boldnesse breake forth to fayne them a newe Christ who so euer suffer themselues to searche for more or hope to know more of Christ than God hath foreapointed them by his secret decree And for good cause did Paule after he had so discoursed of the proper office of Christ whish to the Ephesians the spirit of vnderstanding to coÌ„prehend what is the length heygth bredth and depth euen the loue of Christe that surmounteth al knowledge euen as if of purpose he would set barres about our mindes that when mention is made of Christ they should not be it neuer so litle swarue from the grace of reconciliation Wherfore sithe this is a faithfull sayeng as Paule testifieth that Christ is come to saue sinners I do gladly rest in the same And whereas in an other place the same Apostle teacheth that the grace whiche is nowe disclosed by the Gospell was geuen vs in Christe before the times of the worlde I determine that I ought constantly to abide therein to the ende Agaynst this modestie Osiander carpeth vniustly whiche hath agayne in this time vnhappily stirred this question before lightly moued by a few He accuseth them of presumption that saye that the sonne of God shuld not haue appered in the flesh yf AdaÌ„ had not fallen bycause this inuention is confuted by no testimonie of Scripture As though Paule did not bridle froward curiositie when after he had spoken of redemption purchaced by Christ he by and by coÌ„maundeth to auoyde foolish questions The madnesse of some dyd burst out so farre that while they disordrely coueted to seme witty they moued this questioÌ„ whether the Sonne of God might haue takeÌ„ vpon him the nature of an Asse This monstruousnesse which all the godly do worthyly abhorre as detestable let Osiander coâ—fute with this pretense that it is neuer expressely confuted in the Scripture As though when Paule accompteth nothing precious or worthy to be knowen but Christ crucified he doth therfore admit an Asse to be the authour of saluatioÌ„ Therfore he that in an other place reporteth that Christ by the eternal couÌ„sel of his father was ordeined to be a head to gather althinges together wil neuer the more acknowledge an other that hath no office of redemyng apointed him But as for the principle that he braggeth of it is very triflyng He would haue it that man was created after the image of God bicause he was fashioned after the paterne of Christ to come that he mighte resemble him whom the father had alredy decreed to clothe with our fleshe Whereupon he gathereth that yf Adam had neuer fallen froÌ„ his firste and vncorrupted originall state yet Christ should haue ben man Howe triflyng this is and wrested all menne that haue sounde iudgement do easily perceiue of themselues In the meane time first he thinketh that he hath seene what was the ymage of God that forsothe the glorie of God did not onely shyne in those excellent giftes wherewith he was garnished but also that God himselfe essentially dwelt in him But as for me although I graunt that AdaÌ„ did beare the image of God in so much as he was ioyned to God whiche is the true and hyest perfection of dignitie yet I saye that the likenesse of God is no where els to bee sought but in those markes of excellencie wherewith he had garnisshed Adam aboue other liuynge creatures And that Christe was then the image of God all menne doe graunt with one consent and therefore that what so euer excellencie was grauen in Adam it proceded from this that by the onely begotten sonne he approched to the glorie of his creatour Therefore manne was created after the image of God in whome the creatours will was to haue his glorie seene as in a lookynge glasse To this degree of honour was he aduauÌ„ced by the benefite of the only begotteÌ„ sonne But I saye further that the same sonne was a common head as well to Angels as to menne so that the same dignitie that was bestowed vpon manne did also belong vnto Angels For when we heare them called the children of God it were inconuenient to denie that there is somethyng in them wherein they resemble their father Nowe yf his will was to haue his glorie to be represented as well in Angels as in menne and to be seene in bothe natures Osiander dothe fondely trifâ—e in sayeng that the Angeles were then set behinde menne bicause they did not beare the image of Christ. For they could not continually enioye the present beholdyng of God vnlesse they were like hym And Paule teacheth that menne are no otherwise renewed after the image of God but if they be coupled with Angels that they maye cleane together vnder one head Finally yf we beleue Christ this shal be our laste felicitie to be made of like forme to the Angeles when we shal be receyued vp into heauen But if Osiander will conclude that the originall paterne of the image of God was in Christ as he is man by the same reason a manne maye say that Christ muste needes haue ben partaker of the nature of Angels bicause the image of God perteineth also to them Therefore Osiander hath no cause to feare that God shoulde bee found a lier vnlesse it had ben firste stedfastly and vnchangeably decreed in his minde to haue his sonne incarnate bycause yf the integritie of Adam had not fallen he should with the Angels haue ben like vnto God and yet it should not therfore haue ben necessarie 〈◊〉 the sonne of God should be made eyther man or Angel And in â—ame he feareth that absurditie least vnlesse the vnchangeable counsell of God had ben before the creation of man that Christ should be borne not as the redemer but as the first man he should haue loste
of generatioÌ„ from the common maner for that by her Christ was begotten of the seede of Dauid For euen in the same sort that Isaac was begotten of Abraham â–ª Salomon of Dauid and Ioseph of Iacob likewise it is sayd that Christ was begotteÌ„ of his mother For the Euangelist so frameth the order of his speache and willyng to proue that Christ came of Dauid is contented with this one reason that he was begotten of Marie Whereby it foloweth that he toke if for a matter confessed that Marie was of kinne to Ioseph The absurdities wherewith they would charge vs are stuffed ful of childish cauillations Thei thinke it a shame dishonour to Christ if he should haue taken his original of men bicause so he could not be exempt from the vniuersall lawe that encloseth all the ofspryng of Adam without exceptioÌ„ vnder sinne But the comparison that we reade in Paul doth easily assoyle this doubte that as by one maÌ„ came sinne and by sinne death so by the righteousnesse of one man grace hath abounded Wherewith also agreeth an other comparison of his the first Adam of earth earthly and natural the second of heauen heaueÌ„ly Therefore in an other place the same Apostle where he teacheth that Christ was sent in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to satifâ—ie the law doth so expresly seuer him from the common estate of men that he be very man without fault and corruptioÌ„ But very childishly they trifle in reasonyng thus If Christ be free from all spot and was by the secret workyng of the holy ghost begotten of the seede of Marie then is not the womans seede but only the mans seede vncleane For we doe not make Christ free from all spot for this cause that he is only engeÌ„dred of his mother without copulatioÌ„ of man but bicause he is sanctified by the holy ghost that the generation might be pure and vncorrupted such as should haue ben before the fall of Adam And this alway remayned stedfastly determined with vs that so oft as the scripture putteth vs in minde of the clennesse of Christ it is meant of his true nature of manhode bicause it were superfluous to say that God is cleane Also the sanctificatioÌ„ that he speaketh of in the .xvii. of Iohn could haue no place in the nature of God Neyther are their fayned two sedes of AdaÌ„ although there came no infection to Christ bicause the generatioÌ„ of man is not vncleane or vicious of it self but accidentall by his faâ—lyng Therefore it is no maruel if Christ by whome the estate of innocencie was to be restored were exempt from common corruption And whereas also they thrust this vpon vs for an absurditie â–ª that yf the Worde of God did put on flesh then was it enclosed in a narrow pryson of an earthly bodie this is but mere waywardenesse bycause although the infinite essence of the Worde did growe together into one person with the nature of man yet do we fayne no enclosyng of it For the Sonne of God descended maruellously from heauen so as yet he left not heauen it was his will to bee maruelously borne in the Uirgins wombe to be conuersant in earth hange vpon the crosse yet that he alway filled the world euen as at the beginnyng The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Howe the â—wo natures of the Mediatour do make one persone NOw where it is sayd that the Worde was made flesh that is not so to be vnderstanded as though it were eâ—her turned into flesh â–ª or confusely mingled with flesh but bicause he chose him a temple of the Uirgins wombe to dwell in he that was the Sonne of God became also the sonne of man not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of persone For we so affirme the godhed ioyned vnited to the manhode that eyther of theÌ„ haue their whole propretie remayning and yet of them bothe is made one Christ. If any thyng in all worldly thinges maye be found like to so great a misterie the similitude of man is moste fit whome we see to consist of two substances whereof yet neyther is so myngled with other but that eyther kepeth the propertie of his owne nature For neyther is the soule the body nor the body the soule Wherefore both that thyng maye be seuerally spoken of the soule whiche can no waye agree with the body and likewise of the body that thynge maye be sayd whiche can by no meane agree with the soule and that maye be sayd of the whole man whiche can be but vnfitly taken neyther of the soule nor of the body seuerally Finally the propreties of the soule are sometime attributed to the body and the properties of the body sometime to the soule â–ª and yet he that consisteth of them is but one man and not many But such formes of speache do signiâ—ie bothe that there is one persone in man compounded of two natures knit together and that there are two diuerse natures which do make the same persone And so doe the Scriptures speake of Christ Sometime they geue vnto him those thinges that ought singularly to be referred to his manhode and sometime those thinges that do peculiarly belong to his godhed and sometime those thinges that do comprehend both natures and doe agree with neyther of them seuerally And this conioynynge of the two natures that are in Christ they doe with suche religiousnesse expresse that sometime they do put them in common together which figure is among the olde authors called Communicatyng of propreties These things were but weake vnlesse many phrases of Scripture and such as be eche where redy to finde dyd proue that nothing hereof hath ben deuised by man That same thing whiche Christ spake of himself sayeng Before that AbrahaÌ„ was I am was far disagreyng from his maÌ„hode Neither am I ignorant with what cauillation the erronious spirites do depraue this place for they say that he was before all ages bicause he was alredy foreknowen the Redemer as well in the counsell of the father as in the mindes of the godly But where as he openly distinguissheth the daye of his manifestation from his eternall essence oâ— purpose pronunceâ—h vnto himselfe an authoritie by antiquitie wherin he excelleth aboue AbrahaÌ„ he doth vndoutedly chalenge to himself the which is propre to the godhed Wheras Paule affirmeth that he is the first begotteÌ„ of al creatures which was before al thinges by whom al thinges kepe their beyng wheras he himself reporteth that he was in glorie with the father before the creation of the world that he worketh together with the father these things do nothing more agree with the nature of men It is therfore certaine that these such like are peculiarly ascribed to the godhed But wheras he is called the seruant of the father wheras it is sayd that he grew in age wisedome and fauour with God and men that he seketh not his owne glorie
he be the onely sonne in so great a numbre of brothren ▪ but bycause hee possesseth that by nature whiche wee haue receiued by gyfte And the honoure wee extende to the whole person of the Mediatore that he be truely and proprely the Sonne of God whyche was also borne of the Uirgin and offered hym selfe for sacrifice to hys father vpon the crosse but yet in respecte of hys Godheade as Paule teacheth when he saith he was seuered oute to preache the Gospell of God whiche he had before promised of his Sonne whiche was begotten of the seede of Dauid according to his fleshe and declared the sonne of God in power But why when he nameth him distinctly the Sonne of Dauid accordinge to the fleshe shoulde he seuerally say that he was declared the Sonne of God vnlesse he meante to shewe that this dyd hange vpon some other thinge than vpon the very fleshe For in the same sense in an other place he saithe that hee suffered by the weakenesse of the fleshe and rose againe by the power of the spirite euen so in this place he maketh a dyfference of bothe natures Truely they must needes graunt that as he hathe that of his mother for whiche he is called the Sonne of Dauid so he hathe that of his Father for whiche he is called the Sonne of God and the same is an other thing and seuerall from the nature of manne The Scripture geueth hym twoo names callynge him here and there sometimes the Sonne of God and sometimes the Sonne of Man Of the seconde there can be no contention moued but according to the common vse of the Hebrue tongue he is called the Sonne of Man bycause he is of the ofspringe of Adam By the contrarie I affyrme that he is called the Sonne of God in respecte of the Godheade and eternall essence bycause it is no lesse meete that yt be referred to the nature of God that he is called the Sonne of God than to the nature of man that he is called the Sonne of Man Again in the same place that I alleaged Paule dothe meane that hee whiche was accordinge to the fleshe begotten of the seede of Dauid was no otherwise declared the Sonne of God in power thā he teacheth in an other place that Christe whiche accordinge to the fleshe descended of the Iewes is God blessed for euer Nowe yf in bothe places the distinction of the double nature bee touched by what ryghte will thei saye that he whiche according to the fleshe is the Sonne of Man is not also the Sonne of God in respect of the nature of God They do in deede disordrely enforce for the maintenance of their errore the place where it is saide that God spared not his owne Sonne and where the Angel commaunded that the very same he that shoulde be borne of the Uirgin shoulde be called the Sonne of the highest But leaste thei shoulde glorie in so fickle an obiection lette them weye with vs a little how strongly thei reason For if it be rightly concludeth that from his conception he beganne to be the Sonne of God bycause hee that is conceiued is called the Sonne of God then shal yt folowe that he beganne to be the woorde at hys manifesting in the fleshe bycause Ihon saith that he brengeth them tydinges of the Worde of life whiche hys handes haue handled Lykewyse that whiche is reade in the Prophete Thou Bethleem in the lande of Iuda art a little one in thousandes of Iuda Out of that shal be borne to me a guide to rule my people Israell and hys comminge fourth from the beginninge from the daies of eternitie Howe wyll they bee compelled to expounde thys yf they wyll be content to folowe suche manner of reasoninge For I haue protested that we do not agre with Nestorius whiche imagined a double Christe whereas by oure doctrine Christe hathe made vs the sonnes of God wyth hym by ryghte of brotherly conioyninge bycause hee is the onely begotte sonne of God in the fleshe whiche hee toke of vs. And Augustine dothe wisely admonishe vs that this is a bright glasse wherein to beholde the maruellous and syngular fauoure of God that he atteined honoure in respect that he is man whiche he coulde not deserue Therefore Christe was adorned with this excellencie euen accordinge to the fleshe from the wombe of his mother to be the Sonne of God Yet is there not in the vnitie of person to be fained suche a mixture as maye take awaye that whiche is propre to the Godheade For it is noe more absurditie that the eternall woorde of God and Christe by reason of the twoo natures vnited into one person bee dyuerse waies called the Sonne of God than that hee bee accordinge to diuerse respectes called sometime the Sonne of God and sometyme the Sonne of Man And no more dothe that other cauillation of Seruertus accomber vs that before that Christe appeared in the fleshe he is no where called the Sonne of God but vnder a figure bycause although the describinge of hym then was somewhat darke yet where as it is already clerely proued that he was no otherwise eternall God but bycause he was the worde begotten of the eternal father and that this name dothe no otherwise belonge to the person of the Mediatore whiche he hathe taken vpon him but bicause he is God openly shewed in the fleshe and that God the Father had not been called Father from the beginninge if there hadde not then been a mutuall relation to the Sonne by whome all kinred or fatherhoode is reckened in heauen and in earthe hereby it is easy to gather that euen in the time of the lawe and the Prophetes he was the Sonne of God before that this name was commonly knowen in the Churche But if they striue onely about the onely woorde Salomon discoursinge of the infinite hyghenesse of God affyrmeth as well hys Sonne as hymselfe to be incomprehensible Tell hys name yf thou cannest saithe he or the name of his sonne Yet I am not ignorant that with the contentions this testimonie will not be of sufficient force neither do I muche grounde vpon it sauinge that it sheweth that thei do maliciously cauill that denye Christe to be the Sonne of God but in this respect that he was made man Bysyde that all the oldest writers with one mouthe and consent haue openly testified the same so that their shamelesnesse is no lesse worthy to bee scorned than to be abhorred which dare obiect Ireneus an Tertullian againste vs bothe whiche do confesse that the Sonne of God was inuisible whiche afterwarde appeared visible But althoughe Seruettus hathe heaped vp horrible mounstruous deuises whiche paraduenture the other woulde not allowe yet yf ye presse them harde ye shall perceiue that all they that do not acknoweledge Christe to be the Sonne of God but in the fleshe do graunt it only in this respect that he was conceiued in the
forraine nations whiche had ben transplanted into Samaria and the places borderynge there about feared the fayned Gods and the God of Israell whiche is as much as to mingle heauen and earth together But now our question is What is that fayth whiche maketh the chyldren of God different from the vnbeleuers by which we call vpon God by the name of our Father by whyche we passe from death to life and by which Christ the eternall saluacion and â—he dwelleth in vs. The force and nature thereof I thinke I haue shortly and plainely declared Now let vs againe goe through all the partes of it euen from the beginning which beyng diligently examined as I thinke there shal remaine nothing doubtefull When in defining faith we cal it a knowledge we meane not thereby a coÌ„prehendyng such as men vse to haue of those thinges that are subiect to mans vnderstandyng For it is so far aboue it that maÌ„s wit must goe beyond surmount it self to come vnto it yea and when it is come vnto it yet doth it not atteyne that whiche it feleth but while it is persuaded of that whiche it conceiueth not it vnderstandeth more by the very assurednesse of persuasion than yf it did with maÌ„s owne capacitie throughly perceyue any thing familiar to man Therefore Paule sayth very well where he calleth it to comprehende what is the length bredth depth and heighth and to knowe the loue of Christ that farre surmounteth knowledge For his meanynge was to signifie that the thynge whiche our mynde conceyueth by faythe is euery waye infinite and that this kinde of knowledge is farre hyer than all vnderstandynge But yet bycause the Lorde hath disclosed to his Saintes the secret of his will whiche was hidden from ages and generations therefore by good reason fayth is in Scripture sometime called an acknowledging and Iohn calleth it a certayne knowledge where he testifieth that the faithfull doe certainely knowe that they are the children of God And vndoutedly they knowe it assuredly but rather by beyng confirmed by persuasion of Gods truthe than by beyng informed by naturall demonstration And his also the wordes of Paule doe declare sayeng that while we â—well in the body we are wanderyng abrode from the lord bycause we walke by fayth and not by sighte whereby he sheweth that those thynges whiche we vnderstande by fayth are yet absente from vs and are hidden from our sight And hereupon we determine that the knowledge of fayth staÌ„deth rather in certaintie than in comprehendyng We further call it a sure and stedfaste knowledge to expresse thereby a more sound constantie of persuasion For as faith is not contented with a doubtefull and rowling opinion so is it also not coÌ„tented with a darke and entangled vnderstaÌ„ding but requireth a ful and fixed assurednesse â–ª such as men are wont to haue of thinges fouÌ„d by experience and proued For vnbelefe sticketh so faste and is so depe rooted in our heartes and we are so bent vnto it that this which all men confesse with their mouth to be true that God is faithfull no maÌ„ is without great contention persuaded in his heart Specially when it coÌ„meth to the profe then the waueryng of all menne discloseth the fault â—hat â—â—ore was hidden And not without cause the Scripture with so nâ—â—â—ble citâ—es of coÌ„mendacion maineteyneth the authoritie of the worde of God but endeuoreth to geue remedie for the aforesayde disease that God maye obteyne to be fully beleued of vs in his promises The wordes of the Lorde sayth Dauid are pure wordes as the Sâ—â—â—eâ—â—ryed in a fornace of earth fined seuen times Agayne The worde oâ— the Lorde fined is a shielde to all that truste in him And Salomon confirmynge the same and in a manner in the same wordes sayth Euery worde of God is pure But sithe the whole .cxix. Psalme entreateth only in a manner vpon the same it weare superfluous to allege any moe places Truely so oft as God doth so coÌ„mend his word vnto vs he doth therein by the waye reproche vs with our vnbeleuingnesse bycause that commendacioÌ„ tendeth to no other end but to roote vp all peruerse doubtinges out of our heartes There be also many which so coÌ„ceiue the mercie of God that they take litle coÌ„fort thereof For they be euen therewithall pinched with a miserable carefulnesse while they doubte whether he will be mercifull to them or noe bicause they enclose within to narrow boundes the very same mercifulnesse of whiche they thinke themselues moste assuredly perswaded For thus they thinke with themselues that his mercie is in deede greate and plentiefull poured out vpon many offrynge it selfe and ready for all menne but that it is not certayne whether it will extende vnto them or no or rather whether they shal atteyne vnto it or no. This thought when it so stayeth in the midde race is but a halfe Therefore it doth not so confirme the spirite with assured quietnesse as it dothe trouble it with vnquiet doubtefulnesse But there is a far other felyng of full assurednesse whiche in the Scriptures is alwaye assigned to fayth euen suche a one as playnely settynge before vs the goodnesse of God dothe clearely put it out of doubte And that can not be but that we muste needes truely feele and proue in our selues the swetenesse thereof And therefore the Apostle out of fayth deriueth assured confidence and out of it agayne boldenesse For thus he sayeth that by Christe we haue boldenesse and an entrance with confidence whiche is through fayth in him By whiche wordes truely he sheweth that it is no right fayth but when we are bolde with quiet mindes to shewe our selues in the presence of God Which boldnesse procedeth not but of assured confidence of Gods good will and our saluation Whiche is so true that many times this word Faith is vsed for Confidence But herupon hangeth the chiefe staye of our faith that we do not think the promises of mercie which the Lord offreth to be true only in other biside vs not at all in our selues but rather that in inwardly embracing theÌ„ we make them our owne FroÌ„ hense procedeth that coÌ„fidence which the same Paule in an other place calleth peace vnlesse some had rather say that peace is deriued of it It is an assurednesse that maketh the conscieÌ„ce quiet cherefull before God without which the coÌ„science must of necessitie be vexed in a manner torne in peces with troublesome trembling vnlesse parhappes it do forget God it selfe so sloÌ„ber a litle while I may truely say For a litle while for it doth not loÌ„g enioy that miserable forgetfulnesse but is with often recourse of the remembrance of Gods iudgement sharply tormented Briefly there is none truely faithful but he that beyng persuaded with a souÌ„d assurednesse that God is his mercyfull louyng father doth promise himselfe all thinges vpon trust of Gods goodnesse and none but he that trustyng
of God vnto the prayse of his glorious fauour whereby he hath accompted vs acceptable or in fauour For the same is meant by it that is sayde in an other place that God doeth frely iustifie In the .iiii. Chapter to the Romaines he first calleth it an imputation of righteousnesse and sticketh not to saye that it consisteth in forgeuenesse of synnes That man sayd he is called of Dauid a blessed man to whome God accompteth or imputeth righteousnesse without workes as it is writteÌ„ Blessed are they whose iniquities ar forgeueÌ„ c. Truely he there doth entreate not of one part of iustification but of all iustification wholly And he testifieth that Dauid in that place maketh a definition of iustification when he pronounceth that they are blessed to whome is geuen free forgeuenesse of sinnes Whereby appereth that this ryghteousnesse wherof hee speaketh is in comparison simply set as contrary to giltinesse But for this purpose that is the best place wher he teacheth that this is the summe of the message of the Gospel that we should be reconciled to God because it is his will to receiue vs into fauour through Christ in not imputing sinnes vnto vs. Let the reders diligently wey all the whole processe of the text For by by after where he addeth by way of exposition that Christ whiche was without sinne was made sinne for vs to expresse the manner of recoÌ„ciliation doubtlesse he meaneth nothing els by the word recoÌ„ciling but iustifiyng And that whiche he sayth in an other place that we are made righteous by the obedience of Christ could not stand together vnlesse we be accompted righteous before God in hym and without our selues But where as Osiander hath brought in I wote not what monster of essential righteousnes wherby although his wil was not to destroy free righteousnes yet he hath wrapped it within such a mysâ—e as darkneth godly mindes and bereueth them of the earnest feling of the grace of Christ therfore ere I passe further to other thynges it is worth the labour to confute this doting errour First this speculation is but of mere and hungry curiositie He doth in dede heape together many testimonies of Scripture to proue that Christe is one with vs and wee one with hym whiche nedeth no profe but because hee kepeth not this bonde of vnytie he snareth hym selfe But wee whyche holde that wee are made all one wyth Christe by the power of his Spirite may easily vndoe all his knottes He had conceiued a certayne thynge very neare to the opinion of Manichees to desire to conuey the substance of God into men Herupon riseth an other inuention of his that Adam was fashioned after the Image of God bicause euen before the fall Christe was ordeyned the paterne of the nature of man But bycause I woulde bee shorte I wyll tarry vpon the matter that I haue presently in hande He saith that we are one wyth Chryst. We graunt But we denie that the substance of Christ is mingled with oures Moreouer we say that this principle that Christe is righteousnesse to vs bicause he is an eternal God the fountaine of righteousnesse and the very selfe righteousnesse of God is wrongfully drawen to defende hys deceites The readers shall pardon me if I do nowe but touche these thinges that the ordre of teaching requireth to be dyfferred into an other place But although he excuse himself from meaning nothing els by the name of essentiall righteousnesse but to resist thys opinion that we are accompted righteous for Christes sake yet he plainly expresseth that he is not coÌ„tented with the righteousnes that is purchased for vs by the obedience sacrifice of Christ but faineth that we are substantially righteous in God as well by substance as by qualitie poured into vs. For this is the reason why he so earnestly affirmeth that not only Christ but also the father and the holy ghoste do dwel in vs. Which although I graunt to be true yet I saie that he wrongfully wresteth it For hee shold haue considered the manner of dwellyng that is that the father and the holy ghoste are in Christe and as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in hym so do we possesse whole God in him Therfore al that he saith seuerally of the father and the holy ghost tendeth to no other end but to draw the simple froÌ„ Christe And then he thrusteth in a mixture of substances whereby God pouring himselfe into vs doth make vs as it were a part of himself For he reckeneth it almost a matter of nothing that it is wrought by the power of the holy ghost that we growe into one with Christe and that he is oure heade we his membres vnlesse his very substance be mingled with vs. But in the father the holy ghost as I haue said he doth more openli bewraie what he thinketh euen this that we be iustified not by the onely grace of the Mediator and that righteousnesse is not simply or perfectli offered vs in his persone but that wee are made partakers of the righteousnesse of God when God is essentially made one with vs. If he did saye no more but that Christe in iustyfying vs ys by essentiall conioynynge made oures and that not onely he is our heade in that hee ys manne butte also that the substaunce of the diuine nature ys powred into vs. Hee shoulde wyth lesse hurte feede hym selfe deyntyly and paraduenture so greate a contention shoulde not haue been raysed for thys doubtynge erroure Butte sythe thys beginning is lyke a cuttle that with casting oute of blacke and thycke bloode hydeth her many tayles we muste nedes earnestly resiste vnlesse we wyll wittyngly and wyllyngely suffer that ryghteousnesse to be taken from vs whiche onely bryngeth vs confydence to glorie of saluation For in all this discourse the name of ryghteousnesse and thys worde iustifyeng extende to two partes that to be iustified is not only to be reconciled to God with fre pardoÌ„ but also to be made righteous that righteousnes is not a free imputation but a holinesse and vprightnesse whiche the substance of God remayning in vs doth breath into vs. Then he stoutly denieth that Christ is our righteousnesse in respect that being a prest he did with satisfactorily purging sinnes appease his father towarde vs but in respect that he is eternall God and lyfe To proue that fyrst point that God dothe iustifie not onelye by forgeuinge but also by regenarating he asketh whether God doeth leaue them whome he dothe iustifie suche as they were by nature chaunging nothyng of theyr vyces The aunswere hereof is verye easye that as Christe can not be torne in partes so these two things whiche we together and ioyntly receiue in hym that is to saye righteousnesse and sanctification are inseparable Therfore whomesoeuer God receiueth into fauour he dothe also therwith all geue them the spirite of adoption by the power wherof he newly fashioneth them after his image But
father speaketh that he geueth to the sonne the office of iustifiyng he addeth a cause for that he is iust setteth the manner or meane as they call it in the doctrine wherby Christe is knowen For it is a more cōmodious exposition to take this worde Daah knowledge passiuely Hereupon I gather first that Christe was made righteousnesse when he did putte on the fourme of a seruaunt secondely that hee dyd iustifie vs in respect that hee shewed hym selfe obedient to his father and that therefore hee dothe not this for vs according to his nature of Godhed but according to the office of dispensation cōmitted vnto him For although God alone is the fountaine of righteousnesse and we be made righteous by no other meane but by the partaking of him yet because we are by vnhappy disagremēt estranged frō his righteousnesse we must nedes come down to this lower remedy that Christ may iustifie vs with the force of his death resurrectiō If he obiect that this is a worke of such excellency that it is aboue the nature of man therefore can not be ascribed but to the nature of God the first I graunt but in the secōd I say that he is vnwisely deceiued For although Christ could neither clēse our soules with his bloud nor appease his father with his sacrifice nor acquite vs from gyltinesse nor doe the office of prest vnlesse he had ben true God because the strength of the fleshe had ben to weake for so great a burden yet it is certain that he performed all these thinges according to his nature of māhod For if it be demaunded how we be iustified Paul answereth by the obediēce of Christ. But did he any otherwise obey than by taking vpon him the shape of a seruant wherupon we gather that righteousnesse was geuē vs in his fleshe Likewyse in the other wordes whiche I maruell that Osiander is not ashamed to allege so often he apoynteth the fountayne of ryghteousnesse no where els but in the fleshe of Christe Hym that knewe no sinne he made synne for vs that we myght be the ryghteousnesse of God in hym Osiander with full mouth aduaunceth the righteousnesse of God and triumpheth as though he had proued that it is his imaginatiue ghost of essentiall righteousnesse when the wordes soūd far otherwise that we by righteous by the cleansing made by Christ. Uery yong beginners shold not haue bene ignorant that the righteousnesse of God is taken for the righteousnesse that God alloweth as in Iohn where the glorie of God is compared with the glorie of men I knowe that sometime it is called the righteousnesse of God wherof God is the author which God geueth vs but though I say nothing the reders that haue their sound wit doe perceiue that nothing els is meant in this place but that we stande vpright before the iudgement seate of God beinge vpholden by the cleansing sacrifice of Christes death And there is not so great importance in the word so that Osiander do agree with vs in this point that we are iustified in Christ in this respect that he was made a propiciatorie sacrifice for vs whiche can not agree with his nature of Godhed After whiche sort when Christe meaneth to seale the righteousnesse and saluatiō that he hath brought vs he setteth before vs an assured pledge therof in his fleshe He doth in dede call him selfe the lyuely bred but expressing the manner here he addeth that his fleshe is veryly meate his bloud is veryly drinke Whiche manner of teaching is sene in the Sacramentes whiche although they direct our faithe to whole Christ and not to halfe Christ yet they do there withall teache that the matter of righteousnesse and saluation remaineth in his flesh Not that in that that he is only man he either iustifieth or quickeneth of him selfe but because it pleased God to shewe openly in the mediatour that whiche was hidden and incomprehensible in him selfe wherupon I am wont to saye that Christ is as it were a fountaine set open for vs out of whiche we may drawe that whiche otherwyse shold without fruite lye hiddē in that close and depe spring that riseth vp vnto vs in the persone of the Mediatour In this manner and meaning I doe not denye that Christe as he is God and man doth iustifie vs and that this is also the worke of the father and the holy Ghost as well as his Finally that the righteousnesse wherof Christ maketh vs partakers is the eternall righteousnesse of the eternall God so that he yelde to the sure and playne reasons that I haue alleaged Nowe that he should not with his cauillations deceiue the vnskilfull I graunt that we want this incomparable benefit tyll Christe be made ours Therfore we set that conioyning of the head and the membres the dwellyng of Christ in our heartes and that misticall vnion in the hiest degree that Christ being made ours may make vs partakers of the giftes wherwith he is endued Therfore we do not beholde hym a far of out of our selues that righteousnesse may be imputed vnto vs but because we haue put on him are graffed into his body finally because he hath vouchsaued to make vs one with him therfore we glorye that we haue a felowship of righteousnesse with him So is Osianders sclaunderous cauillation cōfuted where he saith that we compt faith righteousnesse as though we spoiled Christ of his right whē we saye that we come by faith empty to him to geue roume to his grace that he only maye fil vs. But Osiāder refusing this spiritual cōioyning enforceth a grosse mingling with the faithful therfore he odiously calleth all thē Zuinglians that subscribe not to his fantastical errour concerning essential righteousnesse because they do not thinke that Christ is substācially eaten in the Lordes supper As for me I compt it a great glorie to bee so reproched of a proude mā geuen to his own errors Albeit he toucheth not me only but also other wryters wel knowen to the worlde whome he ought to haue modestly reuerenced It moueth me nothing whiche meddle not with mine owne priuate cause and so muche the more sincerely I handle this cause being free from all corrupt affection Where as therefore he so importunatelye requyreth essentiall ryghteousnesse and thee essentiall dwellynge of Christe in vs it tendeth to thys ende First that God should with a grosse mixture poure him selfe into vs as he fayneth a fleshely eatynge of Christ in the supper secondlye that God should breathe his ryghteousnesse into vs wherby we maye be really righteous with him for by his opinion this righteousnesse is as well God hym selfe as the goodnesse or holinesse or purenesse of God I wyll not spende muche labour in wyping away the testimonies that he bryngeth whiche he wrongfully wresteth from the heauenlye lyfe to this present state Through Christ sayeth Peter are geuen vs the precious and moste great promyses that we
that he should spare none but that he should acquite altogether taking away their condemnation although they were gilty of offense And we do say that they whiche were loste haue their sinnes buried and so are iustified before God bicause as God hateth sinne so he can loue none but them whome he iustifieth But this is a maruellous manner of iustifieng that they beyng couered with the righteousnesse of Christ stand not in feare of the iudgement which they haue deserued and when they worthily condemne themselues are accompted righteous without themselues But the readers are to be warned that thei take good heede to the misterie whiche he braggeth that he wil not hide from them For after that he hath longe and largely trauailed to proue that we do not obteine fauour with God by the only imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ bicause this should bee impossible for him to compte them for righteous that are not righteous I vse his owne wordes at lengâ—h he concludeth that Christ was geuen vs vnto righteousnesse not in respect of his nature of manhod but of his nature of Godhed and that although this righteousnesse can not be found but in the person of the Mediatour yet it is the righteousnesse not of maÌ„ but of God He doth now bynde vp his rope made of two righteousnesses but he plainely taketh away the office of iustifieng from Christes nature of maÌ„hode But it is good to see how he disagreeth It is sayd in the same place that Christ was made vnto wisedome which beloÌ„geth to none but to the eternal word Therfore Christ in that he is man is not wisedom I answer that the only begotten sonne of God was in deede his eternal wisedome but in Paules writinges that name is geuen him in diuerse wise bicause al the treasures of wisedome knowlege are laied vp in him That therfore which he had with his father he disclosed vnto vs so that which Paule sayth is not referred vnto the essence of the sonne of God but to our vse and is rightly applied to Christes nature of manhode bicause although he shined a light in darkenesse before that he did put on fleshe yet it was a hidden light till the same Christ came forth in the nature of man the shinyng sunne of righteousnesse which therefore calleth himself the light of the world Also it is folishly obiected of him that the power of iustifieng is far aboue bothe Angeles men for asmuch as this hangeth not vpon the worthinesse of any creature but vpon the ordinance of God If Angels will take vpon theÌ„ to satisfie God they can nothyng preuaile bicause they are not apointed therunto But this singularly belonged to Christ being man which was made subiect to the lawe to redeme vs froÌ„ the curse of the law Also he doth sclaunderously cauil that they which denie that Christ is our righteousnesse accordyng to his nature of Godhed doe leaue but one part of Christ which is worse do make two gods bicause although thei coÌ„fesse that God dwelleth in vs yet they saye againe that we are not righteous by the righteousnesse of God For although we call Christ the author of life in respect that he suffred death to destroye him that had the power of death we do not by by take awaye that honor from whole Christ as he was openly shewed God in the flesh but we only make a distintioÌ„ how the righteousnesse of God is coÌ„ueyed vnto vs that we may enioy it In which point Osiander hath to fowly erred Neither do we denie that that which is opeÌ„ly geueÌ„ vs in Christ procedeth from the secret grace power of God we striue not agaynst this that the righteousnesse whiche Christ geueth vs is the righteousnesse of God that procedeth from God but we hold this stedfastly that we haue righteousnesse life in the death resurrection of Christ. I ouerpasse that heapyng together of places whereof he maye wel be ashamed wherwith he hath tediously coÌ„bred the readers without choise without coÌ„mon reason to proue that whersoeuer is made mention of righteousnesse there ought to be vnderstanded this essentiall righteousnesse As where Dauid calleth vpon the righteousnesse of God to help him wheras he doth the same aboue a hundred times Osiander sticketh not to corrupt so many senteÌ„ces And nothing stroÌ„ger is the other obiectioÌ„ that that is properly rightly called righteousnesse whereby we be moued to do rightly but that God only worketh in vs both to will to performe For we do also not denie but that God reformeth vs with his Spirit vnto holinesse of life righteousnesse but we must first see whether he do this by himself and immediatly or by the hand of his Sonne with whom he hath lefte al the fulnesse of his holy Spirit that with his abundaÌ„t store he should supplie the neede of his meÌ„bres Moreouer although righteousnesse come vnto vs out of the secret fountayne of the godhed yet it foloweth not that Christ which saÌ„ctified himself in yâ— flesh for our sakes was righteousnesse vnto vs according to his nature of godhed No lesse fond is that which he sayth that Christ himself was righteous by the righteousnesse of God Bicause vnlesse the wil of his father had moued him he could not himself haue satisfied the office coÌ„mitted vnto him For though we haue in an other place sayd that al the deseruings of Christ himself do procede froÌ„ the mere good will of God yet that maketh nothing to that fantastical thing wherwith Osiander bewitcheth both his own and simple mens eyes For whoe would suffer a maÌ„ to gather this coÌ„clusion that bicause God is the fountaine beginning of our righteousnesse therfore we be essentially righteous the essence of Gods righteousnesse dwelleth in vs In redeminge the church sayth Esaye God did put on his righteousnesse as a harnesse but dyd he so to spoyle Christ of his armure which he had geuen him to make him to be no perfect redemer But the Prophet meante nothyng els but that God borowed nothing out of himselfe nor was holpen by any ayde to redâ—me vs. Which thing Paule brefly expressed in other wordes sayeng that he gaue vs saluatioÌ„ to the shewyng of his righteousnesse But this doth not ouerthrowe that which he teacheth in an other place that we are righteous by the obedieÌ„ce of one maÌ„ Finally whosoeuer wrappeth vp a double righteousnesse that poore soules maye not rest in the mere only mercie of God he dothe in a mockerie crowne Christ with thornes But for asmuch as a great part of meÌ„ imagineth righteousnesse to be made of faith workes let vs first shew this also that the righteousnesse of fayth and workes doth so differ that when the one is stablished the other must needes be ouerthrowen The Apostle fayth that he estemed al thinges as dong that he might winne Christ finde in him the
these words The sede of Abraham are his seruantes the children of Iacob his elect And after that he hath rehearsed the continuall benefites of God as frutes of the election at length he concludeth that he dealt so liberally because he remembred hys couenant With which doctrine agreeth the song of the whole Chirche Thy right hande and the light of thy countenance gaue the lande to our Fathers because thou wast pleased in them But it is to be noted that where mētion is made of the land it is a visible signe of the secret seuering wherin the adoption is conteined To the same thankefulnesse Dauid in an other place exhorteth the people sayeng Blessed is the nation whoe 's God the Lorde is the people whiche he hath chosen for an inheritance to himselfe And Samuell encourageth them to good hope sayeng The Lorde wyll not forsake you for hys owne great names sake because it pleased him to create you for a people to himselfe Likewise Dauid when his faith is assailed armeth himselfe to fight sayeng Blessed is he whome thou haste chosen he shal dwel in thy courtes But forasmuche as the election hidden in GOD was stablished as well by the first deliuerance as by the seconde and other meane benefites in Esaie the worde of Electing is transferred to this God shal haue mercie on Iacob and he shall yet choose out of Israell because he signifieng the tyme to come sayeth that the gathering together of the remnante of the people which he semed to haue forsaken shal be a signe of the stable and stedfaste election whiche ones semed to haue ben fallen awaye When also it is sayed in an other place I haue chosen thee and haue not caste thee awaye he setteth oute the continuall course of the notable liberalitie of hys fatherly good wyll And yet more playnly the Aungell sayeth in zacharie GOD shall yet choose Ierusalem as though in hardly chasting it he had reiected it or a◠though the exile were an interrupting of the election which yet remaineth inuiolable although the signes therof do not alway appeare There is to be added a seconde degree more narowly restrained or in which was seen a more special grace of God when of the same kinred of Abraham God refused some and other some by nourishing them in the Chirche he shewed that he reteined among his childrē Ismael had at the beginning obteined egall degree with his brother Isaac because the spirituall couenante had ben no lesse sealed in hym by the signe of Circumcision He is cutt of and then Esay at the last an innumerable multitude and almost Israell In Isaac was the sede called the same calling endured in Iacob A lyke example God shewed in reiecting Saule whiche thing is also gloriously sett fourth in the Psalme He hath putt backe the tribe of Ioseph and the tribe of Ephraim he hath not chosen but he hath chosen the tribe of Iuda Which the holy historie diuerse times repeteth that the wonderfull secret of the grace maye the better appeare in this change Ismaell Esau and suche other I graunt fell from the adoption by their owne faulte and gyltynesse because there was a condition adioyned that they should faythfully kepe the couenant of God whiche they falsly brake But this was yet a singular benefit of God that he vouchesaued to preferre them aboue the other Gētiles as it is sayd in the Psalme He hath not so done to other nations nor hath opened hys iugementes to them But here I haue not without cause sayd that there be twoo degrees to be noted because nowe in the choosing of the whole nation GOD shewed that he is in his owne mere liberalitie bounde to no lawes but he is free so that egall portion of grace is not to be required at hys hande the vnequalitie wherof sheweth that it is truely of free gifte Therefore Malachie amplifieth the vnthankfulnesse of Israell because they being not onely chosen out of all mankinde but also seuered out of a holy house to be a peculiar people doo vnfaythfully and wickedly despise GOD so beneficiall a Father Was not Esau the brother of Iacob sayth he and yet Iacob I loued but Esau I hated For GOD taketh it for confessed that when eyther of them was borne of a holy Father and successor of the couenant finally a braunch of the holy roote nowe the childrē of Iacob were more than commonly bonde which were taken into that dignitie But whē Esau the first begotten being refused their Father which was by nature inferior was made the heyre he proueth them doblely vnthankfull and complayneth that they were not holden wyth that doble bonde Althoughe it be allredy sufficiently euidente that GOD doth by hys secrete counsell freely chose whome he wyll reiecting other yet hys free election is hetherto but halfe shewed tyll we come to all particular persones to whome GOD not onely offereth saluation but so assigneth it that the certaintie of the effect thereof is not in suspense or doutefull For these are accompted in that onely sede whereof Paule maketh mention For althoughe the adoption was left in the hande of Abraham yet because many of his posteritie were cutt of as rotten members that the election maye be effectuall and truely stedfast we must nedes ascende to the hed in whō the heauenly Father hath bounde together his electe one with one other and hath knit them to hymselfe with a knott impossible to be loosed So in the adoption of y◠kinred of Abraham shined the liberall fauor of God which he denied to other men yet in the members of Christe appeareth a muche more excellente strength of grace because they being graffed into their hed doe neuer fall awaye from saluation Therefore Paule doth fittly reason out of the place of Malachie which I euen nowe alleged that where God with making a couenant of eternal life calleth any people to hymselfe there is in parte a speciall manner of election that he doth not choose all effectually with common grace Whereas it is sayed I haue loued Iacob this perteineth to the whole issue of the Patriarch which the Prophete there setteth in comparisō against the posteritie of Esau. Yet this withstandeth not but that in the persone of one man was sete fourth to vs an example of the election whiche can not slippe away but muste come to the marke that it tendeth to These Paule doth not vainely note to be called remnantes because experience teacheth that of a greate multitude many slide and vanishe away so that oftentimes there remaineth but a small portion But why the generall election of a people is not alway fyrme and stedfast there is a reason offring it selfe in redinesse because with whome GOD couenanteth he doeth not by and by geue to them the Spirite of regeneration by the power whereof they maye continue in the couenante to the ende but the outwarde changing without the inwarde effectualnesse of grace which
foreknow out of an idle watchtoure the thinges that he worketh not but in suche sense as it is ofte red For truely when Peter sayth in Luke the Christ was by the determined coūsel foreknowlege of God appoynted to death he doth not bryng God as a loker on but the author of our saluation So the same Peter also where he sayth that the faithfull to whome he wrote were chosen accordyng to the foreknowlege of God proprely expresseth that secrete Predestination wherby God hath marked for his children whome he wold And the worde Purpose whiche he ioyneth for a diuers woorde expressyng all one thing forasmuche as it dothe euery where signifie a stedfast determination as they commonly calle it vndoutedlye teacheth that God when he is author of our saluation goeth not oute of hymselfe In whiche sense he sayth in the same Chapiter that Christe was the lambe foreknowen before the creation of the worlde For what is more fonde or triflyng than to say that God from on hye did stande lokyng whense saluation should come to mankynde Therefore in Paule the foreknowen people is as muche as a small portion mingled with the multitude which falsly pretendeth the name of God In an other place also Paule to beate downe their bostyng which beyng but couered with a visor doo take vpon themselues the thefe preeminence among the godly before the world sayth that God knoweth who be his Finally by that sayeng Paule poynteth vnto vs two sortes of people the one of the whole kynrede of Abraham the other seuerally chosen oute of it and whiche beyng layde vp vnder the eyes of God is hidden from the sight of men And it is no dout that he toke this out of Moses whych affirmeth that God will be mercifull to whome he wyll althoughe he there spake of the electe people whoe 's estate in outwarde seemyng was egall as if he shoulde haue sayde that in the common adoption is included with hym a speciall grace towarde some as it were a more holye treasure and that the common couenaunt withstandeth not but that the same small numbre maye be exempte in degree and he wyllyng to make hymselfe the free disposer and ruler of this thyng precisely denyeth that he will be merciefull to one rather than to an other for any other reason but for that it so pleaseth hym because when mercie commeth to hym that seeketh it though he in deede suffer not a denyall yet he either preuenteth or partely getteth to hymselfe the fauor wherof God claymeth to hymselfe the prayse Now let the soueraigne Iudge and maister pronounce of the whole mater When he saw so great hardnesse in his hearers that he dyd in a maner waste his wordes without fruite among the multitude to remedie this offence he crieth out Whatsoeuer my Father geueth me it shall come to me For this is the wyll of my Father that whatsoeuer my Father hath geuen me I shall not lose any thyng of it Note that the begynnyng is taken at the Fathers gyfte that we may be deliuered into the faithfull kepyng and defence of Christe Here some man peraduenture will turne a circle aboute and wyll take exception sayeng that they onely are accompted in the propre possession of the Father whoe 's yeldyng hath ben voluntarie by Fayth But Christe standeth onely vpon that poynte that althoughe the fallynges awaie of greate multitudes doo shake the whole worlde yet the counsell of God shall be stedfast and stande faster than the heauens themselues that his election may neuer fayle They are sayde to haue ben the elect of the Father beefore that he gaue to them his onely begotten Sonne They aske whether it were by nature yea rather them whyche were straungers he made his owne by drawyng them to hym There is a greatee clearenesse in the woordes of Christe than can by shiftyng be couered with any darknesse No man sayth he can come to me vnlesse my Father drawe hym But who so hathe hearde and learned of my Father he commeth to me If all generally without difference should bow their knee before Christ then the election were common but nowe in the fewnesse of the beleuers appeareth a manifest diuersitie Therfore after that Christe had affirmed that the disciples whiche were geuen him were the peculiar possession of God the Father within a little after he added I praie not for the worlde but for those whom thou hast geuen me because they are thyne Whereby is proued that the whole worlde belongeth not to the Creator of it sauyng that grace delyuereth a fewe from the wrath of God and from eternall deathe whiche otherwyse shoulde haue perished but the worlde it selfe is lefte in his owne destruction to whiche it was appoynted In the meane time although Christe putt hymselfe meane betweene yet he claymeth to himselfe the power of choosyng in common with the Father I speake not sayth he of all I knowe whome I haue chosen If any man aske from whense he hath chosen them he answereth in an other place Oute of the worlde whiche he excludeth out of his prayers when he commendeth his disciples to his Father This is to be holden that when he affirmeth that he knoweth whome he hath chosen there is signified some speciall sort in the generall kynde of men then that the same speciall sort is made to differ not by the qualitie of their owne vertues but by the heauenly decree Wherupon foloweth that many excell by their own force or diligence when Christ maketh hymselfe the author of election For when in an other place he reckeneth Iudas among the elect wheras he was a deuell this is referred onely to the office of Apostleshyp whyche althoughe it bee a cleere myrror of the fauor of God as Paul so oftentymes acknowlegeth in his owne persone yet it conteyneth not in it selfe the hope of eternal saluation Iudas therfore when he did vnfaithfully beare the office of an Apostle myght be worse than the deuell but of those whome Christ hath ones graffed into his bodye he will suffre none to perishe because in preseruyng their saluation he wil performe that whiche he hath promysed that is he will stretche foorth the power of God whiche is greater than all For whereas he sayth in all other place Father of those whome thou haste geuen me I haue loste none but the sonne of perdition although it be an abusiue speche by figure yet it hath no doutefull meanyng The summe is that God maketh them his chyldren by free adoption whome he will haue to be his chyldren and that the inwarde cause therof is in hymselfe because he is content with his owne secrete good pleasure But Ambrose Origene and Hierome thoughte that God distributeth his grace among men as he forseeth that euery man will vse it well Yea and Augustine was ones in the same opinion But when he had better profited in Knowlege of the Scripture he not only reuoked
which belongeth to discipline we shal speake in place fyt for it But forasmuch as those phrentyke Spirites that I haue spoken of doe goe about to plucke away froÌ„ the Chirch this only anchore of saluatioÌ„ consciences are the more stroÌ„gly to be confyrmed against a so pestilent opinion The Nouatians in old time troubled the Chirch with this doctrine but not much vnlyke to the Nouatians our age also hath many of the Anabaptistes which fal to the same dotages For they faine that the people of God are in Baptisme regenerate into a pure Angelyke lyfe that is corrupted with no filthinesse of the flesh But if any man offende after Baptisme they leaue vnto him nothing but the vnappeasable iudgement of God Briefely they graunte no hope of pardon to a sinner falleÌ„ after grace receiued because they acknowlege no other forgeuenesse of synnes but that wherby we be first regenerate But although there be no lye more clerely confuted by the Scripture yet because these men finde some whoÌ„ they may deceiue as also in olde tyme Nouatus had many folowers let vs shortly shew how mad they be to their own and others destruction First wheras by the commaundement of the Lord the holy ones do dayly repete this prayer forgeue vs our dettes truely thei do coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues detters Nether do thei craue it in vain because the Lord hath alway appointed no other thyng to be asked than that whiche he himselfe woulde geue Yea wheras he hath testified that the whole prayer shal be heard of his father yet he hath also sealed thys 〈◊〉 solution with a peculiar promise What wyll we more The Lorde requireth of the holy ones all theyr lyfe long a confession of synnes â–ª Yea and that continuall and promyseth pardon That boldnesse is it eyther to exempte them from synne or if they haue stumbled vtterlye to exclude them from grace Nowe whom doeth he will vs to forgeue seuenty tymes seuen tymes not to oure brethren To what ende did he commaunde it but that we should folow his clementie He forgeueth therfore not ones or twise but as often as being striken downe wyth the acknowlegyng of synnes they sighe vnto hym But that we maye begin in a maner at the very swadlyng cloutes of the Chirche the Patriarches were circumcised being allured into partaking of the couenaunt hauing vndoutedly by their fathers diligence ben taught righteousnesse and innocence when they conspired to murder their brother this was a mischeuous acte to be abhorred euen of the most desperate theues At the last being mekened with the monitions of Iudas they solde him this was also an intolerable hapnousnesse Simeon and Leui with wicked reuenge and suche as was also condemned by their own fathers iudgement vsed crueltie againste the Sichemites Ruben with most vnclene lust defiled his fathers bed Iudas when he would geue hymselfe to fornication agaynst the lawe of nature went into his sonnes wife And yet so farre are they from being wiped out of the chosen people that they be rather raised vp to be heds of it But what dyd Dauid when he was a gouernoure of iustice with howe greate wickednesse did he by sheding of innocent bloud opeÌ„ the way to hys blynde luste He was alredy regenerate and among the regenerate garnished with notable prayses of the Lorde neuerthelesse he committed that haynous offence which is horrible euen among the Gentiles and yet he obtained pardon And that we may not tarry vpoÌ„ single examples how many promyses there are in the law and the Prophetes of Gods mercy toward the Israelites so oft it is proued that the Lord sheweth himselfe appeasable to the offenses of his people For what doth Moses promyse to come to passe when the people being â—allen into Apostasie shal returne vnto the Lorde He shall bryng thee backe out of captiuitie and shall haue mercy on thee and shall gather thee together out of the peoples to whom thou hast been dispersed If thou be scattered euen to the borders of the heauen I wil from 〈◊〉 agayne gather thee together But I wyll not beginne a renâ—all that shoulde neuer be ended for the Prophetes are full of suche promyses whiche done yet oâ—â—â—r mercie to the people couered with infinite wicked doinges What 〈◊〉 is there more hainous than rebellion for it is called a 〈◊〉 betweâ—â— God and the Chirch But this is ouercome by the goodnesse of God What man is there sayeth he by Ieremy that if hys wife geue 〈◊〉 her body in common to adulterers can abyde to returne into 〈◊〉 with her but with thy fornications all the wayes are polluted O â—â—da the earth hath been fylled with thy filthy loues But returne vnto me and I wil receiue thee Returne thou turne away I wil not turne away my face from thee because I am holy and am not angry for euer And truely he can be no otherwise minded whiche affirmeth that he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue Therfore when Salomon did dedicate the temple he appointed it also to this vse that the praiers made for obteining pardon of sinnes should be heard from thense If sayd he thy sonnes shall synne for there is no man that sinneth not and thou beyng angry shalt deliuer them to their ennemies and they shal repente in their hart and being turned shal entreate thee in their captiuitie saying we haue sinned we haue done wickedly and shal pray toward the land which thou hast geuen to their fathers and towarde this holy temple thou shalte heare their praiers in heauen and shalt be made mercifull to thy people that hath sinned against thee and to all their wickednesses wherewith they haue offended thee And not vainly the Lorde ordeined in the law daily Sacrifices for sinnes For if the Lord had not forseen that hys people should be troubled with continuall diseases of sinnes he would neuer haue appointed these remedyes for them Was thys benefite taken away from the faythful by the comming of Christ wherin the fulnesse of grace was shewed forth so that they dare not now pray for pardon of synnes that if they offende the Lorde they may not obteine any mercy What shal this be els but to saye that Chryste came to the destruction of them that be his and not to their saluation if that mercifulnesse of God in pardoning sinnes which in the olde testament was continually redy for the holy ones be now sayd to be vtterly taken away But if we beleue the Scriptures which expresly cry out that in Chryst only the grace and kyndnesse of the Lord fully appeared that the plentifulnesse of mercy was poured oute that the reconciliation of God and men was fulfilled let vs not dout that there floweth vnto vs a more bountiful mercifulnesse of the heauenly father than that it is cut of or shortened And hereof there want not examples Peter whiche had heard that he should
also they fele the effect of his resurrection in the quicknyng of the Spirite Herupon he gathereth mater of exhortation that if we be Christians we ought to be dead to sinne and to lyue to righteousnesse This selfe same argument he vseth in an other place that we be circumcised and haue put of the olde man sins that we bee buried in Christ by Baptisme And in this sense in the same place which we haue before alleged he called it the washyng of regeneration of renewing Therfore first free forgeuenesse of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse is promised vs and then the grace of the Holy ghoste whiche may reforme vs into newnesse of life Last of all our Faith receiueth also this profite of Baptisme that it certainly testifieth vnto vs that we are not only graffed into the death and life of Christ but that we are so vnited to Christ hymselfe that we are partakers of all his good thynges For therfore he hath dedicated and halowed Baptisme in his owne body that he might haue it cōmon with vs as a most strong bonde of the vnitie and felowshyp which he vouchsaued to entre into with vs so that Paul proueth therby that we be the children of God because we haue put on Christ in Baptisme So we see that the fulfillyng of Baptisme is in Christ whome also for this reason we call the propre obiect of Baptisme Therfore it is no meruaile if it be reported that the Apostles baptised into his name which yet wer commaunded to baptise into the name of the Father also and of the Holy ghost For whatsoeuer giftes of God are set foorth in Baptisme are founde in Christ alone And yet it can not be but that he whiche baptiseth into Christ do therwithall call vppon the name of the Father and of the Holy ghost For we are therfore cleansed with his blood because the merciful Father accordyng to his incomparable kyndnesse willing to receiue vs into fauor hath set him a mediator in the middest to procure to vs fauor with him But regeneration we so only obteyne by his death and resurrection if beyng sanctified by the Spirite we be endued with a new and spirituall nature Wherfore both of our cleansyng regeneration we obteine after a certaine maner distinctly perceiue the cause in the Father the mater in the Sonne and the effect in the Holy ghost So Iohn first baptised so afterwarde the Apostles with the baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes meanyng by this worde repentance suche regeneration and by forgeuenesse of sinnes washyng Whereby also it is made moste certaine that the ministerie of Iohn was altogether the same which was afterwarde committed to the Apostles For the diuers handes wherewith it is ministred make not the Baptisme diuers but the same doctrine sheweth it to be the same Baptisme Iohn and the Apostles agreed into one doctrine bothe baptised into repentance bothe into the forgeuenesse of sinnes bothe into the name of Christe from whome was bothe repentance and forgeuenesse of sinnes Iohn saied that he was the lambe of God by whome the sinnes of the worlde shoulde be taken away where he made him the Sacrifice acceptable to the Father the propitiator of righteousnesse the author of saluation What coulde the Apostles adde to this confession Wherfore let it trouble no man that the olde writers labor to seuer the one from the other whoe 's voice we oughte not so muche to esteme that it may shake the certaintie of the Scripture For who will rather harkē to Chrysostome denyeng that forgeuenesse of sinnes was comprehended in the Baptisme of Iohn than to Luke contrarywyse affirming that Iohn preached the Baptisme of repentance into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Neither is that suttletie of Augustine to be receyued that in the Baptisme of Iohn sinnes were forgeuen in hope but in the Baptisme of Christ they are forgeuen in dede For where as the Euangelist plainly testifieth that Iohn in his Baptisme promised the forgeuenesse of sinnes what nede we to abate this title of commendation when no necessitie compelleth vs vnto it But if any man seke for a difference out of the worde of God he shall fynd none other but this that Iohn baptised into hym that was to come the Apostles into hym that had already presented himselfe As for this that more abundant graces of the Spirite were poured out sins the resurrection of Christ it maketh nothyng to stablishe a diuersitie of Baptismes For the Baptisme which the Apostles ministred while he was yet conuersant in earth was called his yet it had no larger plentifulnesse of the Spirite than the Baptisme of Iohn Yea euē after his ascēsion the Spirit was not geuen to the Samaritans aboue the common measure of the Faithfull before the ascension althoughe they were baptised into the name of Iesus till Peter Iohn wer sent vnto them to lay theyr hands vpon them This only thyng as I think deceiued the old writers that they said that the Baptisme of Iohn was but a preparation to the baptisme of Christ because they red that they were baptised againe of Paul which had ones receiued the baptisme of Iohn But howe muche they were herein deceiued shall ells where be plainely declared in place fitte for it What is it therfore that Iohn said that he baptised in dede with water but that Christ should come whiche should baptise with the Holy ghoste and with fyre This maye in fewe wordes be assoiled For he meant not to put difference betwene the one Baptisme and the other but he compared his own person with the person of Christ saiyng that himselfe was a minister of water but that Christ was the geuer of the Holy ghost and should declare this power by visible miracle the same day that he should sende the Holy ghost to the Apostles vnder fyry tonges What coulde the Apostles boast of more than this What more could they also that baptise at this day For they be onely ministers of the outwarde signe and Christ is the author of the inward grace as the same olde writers thēselues do euery where teach and specially Augustine whose principal stay agaynst the Donatistes is this that what a one soeuer he be that baptizeth yet only Christ is ruler of it These thynges which we haue spoken bothe of mortification and of washyng are shadowed out in the people of Israell whom for the same cause the Apostle sayth to haue ben baptised in the cloude and in the sea Mortifiyng was figured when the Lorde deliueryng them oute of the hande of Pharao and from cruell bondage made for them a waye thorough the redde sea and drowned Pharao hymselfe and the Egyptiās their enemies that folowed them hard at their backes and were euen in their neckes to ouertake them For after the same maner also he promiseth to vs in Baptisme and by a signe geuen sheweth vs that we
capacitie of the vnlearned I wyll vndo those knottes wherwith Satan hath endeuored to snare the worlde Fyrst bread and wyne are signes whiche represent vnto vs the inuisible foode whiche we receyne of the fleshe and blood of Christ. For as in Baptisme God againe begettyng vs doothe graffe vs into the felowshippe of his Chirche and by adoption dothe make vs his owne so we haue sayde that he performeth the office of a prouident Father of householde in this that he continually ministreth vs meate that he susteineth and preserueth vs in that lyfe wherinto he hath by his worde begotten vs. Now the only meate of our soule is Christ and therfore the heauenly Father calleth vs to hym that beyng refreshed with common partakyng of hym we maye from tyme to tyme gather liuely force vntill we atteine to heauenlye immortalitie But forasmuche as this mysterie of the secrete vnityng of Christe with the godly is by nature impossible to be comprehended he geueth the figure and image therof in visible signes moste fit for our small capacitie yea as it were by earnestes and tokens geuen he maketh it so assured vnto vs as if it were seen with our eies because this so familiar a similitude entreth euen into the grossest myndes that soules are so fed with Christ as bread and wine do susteine the bodily life Now therfore we haue it declared to what ende this mysticall blessyng tendeth ▪ namely to assure vs that the body of the Lord was so ones offred for vs that we nowe eate it and in eatyng it doo fele in vs the effectual working of that only sacrifice that his blood was so ones shed for vs that it is vnto vs continuall drinke And so sounde the words of the promise there adioyned Take this is my body whiche is deliuered for you The body therfore which was ones offred vp for our saluation we are commaunded to take and eate that when we see our selues to be made partakers of this we may certainly determine that the power of his death which bringeth life shal be effectuall in vs. Wherupon also he calleth the cuppe the couenant in his blood For after a certaine maner it reneweth or rather continueth the couenant whiche he hath ones stablished with his blood so muche as pertaineth to the confirmyng of our faith so ofte as he reacheth vnto vs that holy blood to be tasted of A great fruite verily of affiance and swetenesse may godly soules gather of this Sacrament because they haue a witnesse that we are growen together into one body with Christe so that whatsoeuer is his we may call ours Herupon foloweth that we may boldly promise vnto our selues that euerlastyng life is ours whereof he is heire and that the kingdome of heauen wherinto he is now entred can no more fal away from vs than from him agayne that we can not nowe be condemned by our sinnes from the gyltinesse wherof he hath acquired vs when he willed them to be imputed to himself as if they were his owne This is the maruailous exchange whiche of his immeasurable bountifulnesse he hath made with vs that he beeyng made with vs the sonne of man hath made vs with hym the sonnes of God that by his cōming downe into earth he hath made vs a waie to goe vp into heauen that putting vpon him our mortalitie he hath geuen vs his immortalitie that takyng on hym our weakenesse he hath strengthened vs with his power that takyng our pouertie to himselfe he hath conueyed his riches to vs that taking to hym the weyght of our vnrighteousnesse wherewith we were oppressed he hath clothed vs with his righteousnesse Of all these thynges we haue so full a witnessyng in this sacrament that we must certainly determine that Christ is truely geuen vs as if Christ hymselfe were sett present before our eies and handled with our handes For this woorde can neither lye to vs nor mocke vs Take eate drinke this is my bodye whiche is deliuered for you this is the blood whiche is shed into the forgeuenesse of sinnes Whereas he commaundeth to take he signifieth that it is ours Whereas he commaundeth to eate he signifieth that that is made one subslance with vs. Whereas he sayth of the body that it is deliuered for vs of the blood that it is shed for vs therin he teacheth that bothe are not so muche his as ours because he toke and laide away both not for his commoditie but to our saluation And truely it is to be diligently marked that the chefe and in a maner whole pith of the Sacrament standeth in these words Which is deliuered for you Which is shed for you For otherwise it should not much profit vs that the body and blood of the Lord ar now distributed vnlesse they had ben ones geuen foorth for our redemption saluation Therfore they are represented vnder bread wine that we shold learne that they are not only ours but also ordeined for the nourishment of spirituall life This is it that we before saied that from the corporall thynges whych are shewed foorth in the Sacrament we are by a certayne proportionall relation guyded to spirituall thynges So when bread is geuen vs for a signe of the body of Christ we ought by by to conceiue this similitude As bread nourisheth susteineth and mainteineth the life of our body so the body of Christ is the onely meate to quicken geue lyfe to oure soule When we see wyne set foorth for a signe of his blood we must call to mynde what vses wyne bryngeth to the bodye that we may consider that the same are brought to vs spiritually by the blood of Christe those vses bee to cherishe to refreshe to strengthen to make mery For if we sufficiently weye what the deliueryng of this holy body what the shedyng of this holy blood hath profited vs we shal plainly perceiue that these thynges whiche are spoken of bread and wine according to such proportionall relation doo very well accorde with them toward vs when they are communicated vnto vs. Therfore the chefe partes of the Sacrament are not simply without hier consideration to reach to vs the body of Christ but rather the same promise wherby he testifieth that his fleshe is verily meate and his blood is drink with which we are fed into eternall life wherby he affirmeth himselfe to be the breade of lyfe of whiche who so eateth he shall liue for euer to seale I saye and confirme that promyse and for bryngyng the same to passe to sende vs to the crosse of Christ where that promise hath ben truely performed and in all pointes fulfilled For we doo not well and healthfully eate Christ but crucified when we doo with liuely feelyng conceiue the effectualnesse of his death For wheras he called himselfe the breade of life he did not borrow that name of the sacrament as some do wrongfully expounde it but because he was geuē vs suche of the Father and performed
of age So behoued it that Christ beyng absent should be expressed in figure by one sort of signes and by an other sort be before shewed that he was to come it is mete that now beyng alredy deliuered he be represented by other signes But as concernyng Gods callyng nowe at the commyng of Christ more largely spred abrode among all peoples than it was before and the graces of the holy ghost more plentiously poured out whoe I pray you caÌ„ denie it to be right that that God haue in his owne hande and will the disposyng of his owne graces to geue light to what nations it pleaseth him to rayse vp the preachyng of his worde in what places it pleaseth him to geue what doctrine and howe great profityng and successe of doctrine it pleaseth him in what ages he will to take away the knowledge of his name out of the world for theyr vnthaÌ„kefulnesse and againe wheÌ„ he will to restore it for his owne mercie We see therfore that the cauillatioÌ„s are to much vnmete wherwith wicked men do in this point disquiet the mindes of the simple to make them call eyther the righteousnesse of God or the faith of the Scripture into doubte The. xii Chapter ¶ That it behoued that Christ to performe the office of the Mediatour should be made man NOw it much behoued vs that he should be bothe God and man whiche should be our Mediatour If a man aske of the necessitie it was not in deede a symple or absolute necessitie as they commonly call it but it proceded from the heauenly decree whereupon hanged all the saluation of men But the most mercifull father apointed that which should be best for vs. For whereas our owne iniquities had as it were cast a cloude betwene him and vs and vtterly excluded vs from the kingdome of heauen no maÌ„ could be the interpreter for restoryng of our peace but he that could atteine vnto God But whoe could haue atteyned vnto him coulde any of the sonnes of Adam But all they dyd with theyr father shuÌ„ne the sight of God for feare Could any of the Angels but they also had neede of a head by whose knittyng together they might perfectly and vnseuerably cleaue vnto God What then It was past all hope vnlesse the very maiestie of God wold descend vnto vs for we could not ascende vnto it So it behoued that the sonne of God should become for vs Immanuel that is God with vs and that in this sort that by mutuall ioynyng his godhed and the nature of man might grow into one together Otherwise neyther could the nerenesse be nere enough nor the allyance stronge enough for vs to hope by that God dwelleth with vs. So greate was the disagreement betwene our filthinesse and the moste pure cleannesse of God Although manne had stande vndefiled without any spot yet was his estate to base to atteyne to God without a Mediatour What could he then do beyng plenged downe into death and hell with deadly fall defiled with so many spottes strikyng with his owne corruption and ouerwhelmed with all accurâ—ednesse Therfore not without cause Paule meanyng to set forth Christe for the Mediator doth expresly recite that he is Man Our Mediator sayth he of God man the man Iesus Christ. He might haue sayd God or at the least he might haue left the name of Man as well as of God But bycause the holy ghost speakyng by his mouth knew our weakenesse therfore to prouide for it in time he vsed a most fit remedie setting amoÌ„g vs the sonne of God familiarly as one of vs. Therefore least any man should trouble himself to know where the Mediatour is to be sought or whiche waye to come vnto him in namyng Man he putteth vs in minde that he is nere vnto vs yea so nere that he toucheth vs for asmuch as he is our owne fleshe Truely he meaneth there euen the same thyng that in an other place is set out with moe wordes that we haue not a bishop that can not haue compassion of our infirmities for asmuche as he was in all thinges tempted as we are only sinne excepted That shall also appere more plainely if we consider how it was no meane thyng that the Mediatour had to do that is so to restore vs into the fauour of God as to make vs of the children of men the childreÌ„ of God of the heyres of hell the heyres of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ Whoe coulde doe that vnlesse the sonne of God were made also the sonne of manne and so take oures vpon hym to conueye his vnto vs and to make that oures by grace whiche was his by nature Therefore by this earnest we trust that we are the chyldren of God bicause the naturall sonne of God hath shapen for himselfe a bodie of our body fleshe of our fleshe bones of our bones that he might be all one with vs. He disdayned not to take that vpon hym whiche was propre vnto vs to make agayne that to belonge to vs whiche he had propre to himselfe and that so in common together with vs he might be bothe the sonne of God and the sonne of man Hereupon coÌ„meth that holy brotherhode whiche he commendeth with his owne mouth when he sayth I goe vp to my father and your father my God and your God By this meane is the inheritance of the kingedome of beauen assured vnto vs for that the only sonne of God to whome it wholly did proprely belonge hath adopted vs into his brethren bycause yf we be brethren then are we partakers of the inheritaunce Moreouer it was for the same cause very profitable that he whyche should be our redemer shoulde be bothe very God and very manne It was his office to swallowe vp death whoe coulde doe that but lyfe it selfe It was his office to ouercome sinne whoe coulde doe that but ryghteousenesse it selfe It was his office to vanquish the powers of the worlde and of the ayre whoe coulde doe that but a power aboue bothe worlde and ayre Nowe in whose possession is life or righteousnesse or the empire power of heauen but in Gods alone Therefore the moste mercifull God in the persone of his only begotten sonne made himselfe our redemer when his will was to haue vs redemed An other principal point of our reconciliation with God was this that man which had lost by his disobedience shuld for remedie set obedience against it should satisfie the iudgement of God paye the penaltie of sinne Therfore there came forth the true man our Lord he put on the persone of Adam toke vpon him his name to entre into his stede in obeyeng his father to yeld our fleshe the pryce of the satisfaction to the iust iudgement of God and in the same fleshe suffer the peyne that we had deserued For asmuch as therefore neyther beyng only God he could fele death nor beyng only man he could ouercome death he coupled the
nature of man with the nature of God that he might yelde the one subiect to death to satisfie for sinnes and by the power of the other he might wrastle with death get victorie for vs. They therfore that spoile Christ eyther of his godhed or of his manhode do in deede eyther diminishe his maiestie glory or obscure his goodnesse but on the other side they do no lesse wrong vnto meÌ„ whose faith they do thereby weaken and ouerthrowe which can not stande but restyng vpon this fundation Byside that it was to be hoped that the Redemer should be the sonne of Abraham and Dauid whyche God had promised in the lawe and the Prophetes Wherby the godly mindes do gather this other frute that beyng by the very course of his pedigree brought to Dauid and Abraham they do the more certainely knowe that this is the same Christ that was spoken of by so many oracles But this whiche I euen now declared is principally to beholden in mynde that the common nature betwene him and vs is a pledge of our felowship with the sonne of God that he clothed with our flesh vaÌ„quished death sinne together that the victorie so might be oures and the triuÌ„ph oures that he offred vp for sacrifice the flesh that he receyued of vs that hauyng made satisfaction he might wype away our giltinesse and appease the iust wrath of his father He that shal be diligently hedefull in coÌ„sidering these things as he ought wil easily neglect those waÌ„dryng speculatioÌ„s that â—auish vnto them light spirites desirous of noueltie of which sort is that Christ shuld haue ben maÌ„ although there had ben no neede of remedie to redeme maÌ„kinde I graunt that in the first degree of creation in â—he state of nature vncorrupted he was set as head ouer Angels and meÌ„ For which cause Paule calleth him the first begotten of al creatures 〈◊〉 sithe al the Scripture crieth out that he was clothed with flesh that he might be the Redemer it is to much rashe presumptioÌ„ to imagine any other cause or end To what end Christ was promised froÌ„ the beginning it is well enough knoweÌ„ eue to restore the world falleÌ„ in ruine and to succour men beyng lost Therefore vnder the law the image of him was set forth in sacrifices to make the faythful to hope that God would be mercyfull to them when after satisfaction made for sinne he should be reconciled But whereas in all ages euen when the law was not yet published the Mediatour was neuer promised without blood we gather that he was apointed by the eternal counsell of God to purge the filthinesse of men for that the shedyng of bloud is a tokeÌ„ of expiation The Prophetes so preached of hym that they promised that he should be the recoÌ„ciler of God and men That one specially notable testimonie of Esaye shall suffice vs for all where he fortelleth that he shal be stricken with the hande of God for the sinnes of the people that the chastisement of peace should be vpon him and that he should be a priest that should offer vp himself for sacrifice that of his wouÌ„des should come health to other and that bicause al haue strayed and ben scattered abrode like shepe therfore it pleased God to punish him that he might beare the iniquities of all Sithe we heare that Christe is properly apointed by God to help wretched sinners who so euer passeth beyond these boundes he doth to much follow foolish curiositie Nowe when himself was ones come he affirmed this to be the cause of his coÌ„myng to appease God and gather vs vp from death into life The same thyng did the Apostles testifie of him So Iohn before that he teacheth that the Worde was made fleshe declareth of the fallyng awaye of manne But he himselfe is to be hearde before all when he speaketh thus of his owne office So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that who so euer beleueth in him shuld not perish but haue euerlasting life Againe The houre is come that the dead shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and they that heare it shal liue I am the resurrection and life he that beleueth in me although he be dead shall liue Agayne The sonne of maÌ„ cometh to saue that whiche was lost Agayne The whole neede not a Physician I should neuer make an ende if I should reherse all The Apostles do all with one consent call vs to this fountayne And truely if he had not come to reconcile God the honor of the priesthode shoulde haue come to nought For asmuche as the priest apointed meane betwene God and man to make intercessioÌ„ and he should not be our righteousnesse bicause he was made a sacrifice for vs that God should not impute sinnes vnto vs. Finally he shoulde be spoyled of all the honorable titles wherewith the Scripture doth set him out And also that sayeng of Paule should proue vaine that that whiche was impossible to the law God hath sent his owne sonne that in likenesse of the flesh of sinne he shoulde satisfie for vs. Neyther will this stande that he teacheth in an other place that in this glasse appered the goodnesse of God his infinite goodnesse toward men when Christ was geuen to be the Redemer Finally the scripture euery where assigneth no other ende why the sonne of God would take vpon him our fleshe also receiued this coÌ„maundement of his father but to be made a sacrifice to appease his father toward vs. So it is written and so it behoued that Christ should suffer repentance be preached in his name Therfore my father loueth me bycause I geue my lyfe for the shepe this commaundement he gaue me As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the desert so must the sonne of man be lifted vp In an other place Father saue me froÌ„ this houre But I am therfore come euen to this houre Father glorifie thy sonne Where he plainly speaketh of the end why he toke fleshe that he might be a sacrifice and satisfaction to do awaye sinne After the same sort doth Zacharie pronounce that he came according to the promise geuen to the fathers to geue light to them that sate in the shadow of death Let vs remember that all these thinges are spoken of the sonne of God in whome Paule in an other place testifieth that all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hidden and byside whome he glorieth that he knoweth nothing If anye manne take exception and saye that none of all these thinges proue the contrarie but that the same Christ that redemed men beyng daÌ„ned might also in puttyng on their flesh testifie his loue toward theÌ„ beyng preserued safe The answer is short that for asmuch as the holy ghost pronounceth that by the eternal decree of God these two thynges were ioyned together that Christ should be our redemer