it vs doth argue our need let no man nowe doubte to confesse that he is so much able to vnderstande the misteries of God as he is enlightened with his grace He that geueth to him selfe more vnderstanding is so much the more blinde for that he doth not acknoweledge his owne blindenesse Nowe remaineth the thirde pointe of knowyng the rule of well framynge of life whiche we doe rightly call the knoweledge of the workes of righteousnesse wherein mans wit semeth to bee of somewhat more sharpe sight than in the other two before For the Apostle testifieth that the Gentiles whiche haue no lawe while they doe the workes of the lawe are to themselues in stede of a lawe and do shewe the lawe written in their heartes their consciēces bearing them witnesse and their thoughtes accusyng them within themselues or excusing them before the iudgement of God If the Gentiles haue righteousnesse naturally grauē in their mindes surely we can not say that we are altogether blynde in the order of life And nothing is more cōmon than that man by the lawe naturall of whiche the Apostle speaketh in that place is sufficiently instructed to a right rule of life But let vs waye to what purpose this knowledge of the lawe is planted in men then it shall by and by appeare howe far it bringeth them toward the marke of reason and truthe The same is also euident by the wordes of Paul if a man do marke the placing of them He had sayde a litle before that they whiche sinned in the lawe are iudged by the lawe they that haue sinned without lawe do perishe without lawe Because this might seme vnreasonable that the gentils should perish without any iudgement going before he by and by addeth that their conscience is to them in steade of a lawe and therfore is sufficient for their iust damnation Therfore the ende of the lawe naturall is that man may be made inexcusable And it shal be defined not il after this sorte that it is a knowledge of conscience that sufficiently discerneth betwene iust and vniust to take away from men the pretence of ignoraunce while they are proued gilty by their owne testimony Such is the tendernesse of man toward him selfe that in doing of euyls he alway turneth away his mynde so muche as he may from the feling of sinne By whiche reason it semeth that Plato was moued to thynke that there is no sinne done but by ignorance That in dede were fitly sayd of him if mens hypocrisie went so farre in hiding of vices that the mynde might not knowe itselfe gilty before God But when the sinner seking to escheue the iudgement emprinted in him is now and then drawen back vnto it and not suffered so to winke but that he be compelled whether he wil or no some time to open his eies it is falsly sayd that he sinneth only by ignoraunce Themistius sayth more truly which teacheth that vnderstanding is seldome deceiued that it is blyndenesse when it goeth any further that is whē he cometh down to the speciall case Euery man if it be generally asked wil affirme that manslaughter is euell but he that conspireth to kil his enemies deliberateth vpon it as on a good thyng The adulterer generally will condemne adulterie but in his owne priuately he will flatter himself This is ignoraunce when a man cōmyng to the speciall case forgetteth the rule that he had lately agreed vpon in the generall question Of whiche thyng Augustine discourseth very finely in his exposition of the first verse of the .lvij. Psalme albeit the same thyng is not continuall For sometime the shamefulnesse of the euell deede so presseth the conscience that not deceyuynge him selfe vnder false resemblance of a good thing but wittingly and willingly he runneth into euell Out of whiche affectiō came these sayinges I see thee better and allowe it but I followe the worse Wherefore me thinke Aristotele hath very aptely made distinction betwene Incontinence and Temperance Where incontinence reigneth he sayeth that there by reason of troubled affection or passion knoweledge is taken away from the minde that it marketh not the euell in his owne acte which it generally seeth in the like and when the troubled affectiō is cooled repentaunce immediatly foloweth But intemperaunce is not extinguished or broken by feeling of sinne but on the other side obstinately standeth still in her conceyued choyse of euell Now when thou hearest iudgement vniuersally named in the difference of good and euell thinke it not euery sounde perfect iudgement For if mās heartes are furnished with choise of iust and vniust only to this ende that they should not pretēde ignorance it is not then nedefull to see the trueth in euery thyng But it is enough and more that they vnderstande so farre that they canne not escape awaye but beyng conuict by witnesse of their conscience they euen now already beginne to tremble at the iudgement seate of God And if we wil trie our reason by the lawe of God whych is the exampler of true righteousnesse we shal finde howe many wayes it is blinde Truely it atteineth not at all to those that are the chiefe things in the First table as of confidence in God of geuyng to hym the prayse of strength and righteousnesse of callyng vpon his name of the true kepyng of Sabbat What soule euer be naturall sense did smell out that the lawful worshippyng of God consisteth in these and like thinges For when prophane men will worshippe God although they be called awaye a hundred times from theyr vaine trifles yet they alwaye slyde backe thither agayne They denie in deede that sacrifices dooe please God vnlesse there be adioyned a purenesse of minde wherby thei declare that they tonceyue somewhat of the spirituall worshippyng of God whyche yet they by and by corrupte with false inuentions For it can neuer be persuaded thē that al is true that the lawe perscribeth of it Shall I saye that that wit excelleth in any sharpe vnderstandynge whych can neyther of it selfe be wise nor harken to teachyng In the commaundementes of the Second table it hath some more vnderstandyng by so much as they came nerer to the preseruation of ciuile felowshyppe among menne Albeit euen herein also it is founde many times to faile To euery excellēt nature is semeth moste vnresonable to suffer an vniuste and to imperious a manner of gouernyng ouer them if by any meane he may put it away and the iudgement of mās reason is none other but that it is the part of seruile and base courage to suffer it patiently and againe the part of an honest and free borne heart ▪ to shake it of And reuenge of iniuries is rekened for no fault among the Philosophers But the lorde condempning that to muche noblenesse of courage cōmaūdeth his to kepe the same patience that is so ill reported among men And in all the keping of the lawe our vnderstandinge marketh
God Let therfore appere in our head the very fountayne of grace froÌ„ whome according to the mesure of euery one it floweth abrode into all his members By that grace euery one from the beginnynge of his fayth is made a Christian. by whiche that same man from his beginnyng was made Christ. Agayne in an other place there is no playner example of predestination than the Mediatour himselfe For he that made of the seede of Dauid a man righteous that neuer should be vnrighteous without any deseruynge of his will goynge before euen the same he dothe of vnrighteous make them righteous that are the membres of that hed and so forth as there foloweth Therefore when we speake of Christes deseruyng we doe not say that in him is the beginnyng of deseruyng but we clymbe vp to the ordinance of God whiche is the firste cause thereof bycause God of his owne mere good will apointed him Mediatour to purchace saluation for vs. And so is the deseruyng of Christ vnfitly set agaynst the mercie of God For it is a common rule that thinges orderly one vnder an other doe not disagree And therefore it maye well stande together that mans iustification is free by the mere mercie of God and that there also the deseruyng of Christ come betwene which is conteyned vnder the mercie of God But agaynst our workes are aptly set as directly contrarie both the free fauour of God and the obedience of Christ either of them in their degree For Christ could not deserue any thyng but by the good pleasure of God and but bycause he was apointed to this purpose with his sacrifice to appease the wrath of God and with his obedience to put away our offences Finally in a summe bicause the deseruynge of Christ hangeth vpon the only grace of God whiche apointed vs this meane of saluatioÌ„ therfore as well the same deseruing as that grace is fitly set against all the workes of men This distinction is gathered out of many places of the Scripture God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that who so euer beleueth him shall not perish We see how the loue of God holdeth the first place as the soueraigne cause or original theÌ„ foloweth fayth in Christ as the second or nerer cause If any man take exception and saye that Christ is but the formal cause he doth more diminish his power than the wordes may beare For yf we obteine righteousnesse by fayth that resteth vpon him then is the matter of our saluation to be sought in him whiche is in many places playnely proued Not that we first loued him but he firste loued vs and sente his sonne to be the appeasyng for our sinnes In these wordes is clerely shewed that God to the ende that nothing should withstand his loue toward vs apointed vs a meane to be reconciled in Christ. And this worde Appeasyng is of great weight bycause God after a certayne vnspeakeable manner euen the same time that he loued vs was also angry with vs vntil he was reconciled in Christ. And to this purpose serue all those sayenges He is the satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes Againe It pleased God by hym to reconcile all thinges to hymself appeasyng himselfe through the bloud of the crosse by him c. Agayne God was in Christ reconcilyng the worlde to himselfe not impuâ—yng to men their sinnes Agayne He accepted vs in his beloued sonne Agayne That he might reconcile theÌ„ bothe to God into one man by the crouÌ„e The reason of this mysterie is to be fetched out of the first chapter to the Ephesians where Paule after that he had taught that we were chosen in Christ addeth therwithal that we haue obteined fauour in him How did God beginne to embrace with his fauour them whoÌ„ he loued before the making of the world but bicause he vttered his loue when he was reconciled by the bloud of Christ For sithe God is the fountaine of al righteousnesse it must needes be that maÌ„ so long as he is a sinner haue God his enemie his iudge Wherfore the beginning of his loue is righteousnesse such as is described by Paule He made him that had done no sinne to be sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnesse of God in him For he meaneth that we haue obteyned free righteousnesse by the sacrifice of Christ that we should please God which by nature are the children of wrath by sinne estranged from him But this distinction is also meante so oft as the grace of Christ is ioyned to the loue of God WherupoÌ„ foloweth that he geueth vs of his owne that which he hath purchaced For otherwise it would not agree with him that this prayse is geuen him seuerally from his father that it is his grace and procedeth from him But it is truely and perfectly gathered by many places of the Scripture that Christ by his obedience hath purchaced vs fauour with his father For this I take for a thyng confessed that if Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes if he hath suffred the punishmeÌ„t due vnto vs if by his obedieÌ„ce he hath appeased God finally if he beyng righteous hath suffred for the vnrighteous then is saluation purchaced for vs by his righteousnesse whiche is as much in effecte as to deserue it But as Paule witnesseth we are reconciled and haue receiued reconciliation by his death But recoÌ„ciliation hath no place but where there went offence before Therefore the meanyng is that God to whome we were hateful be reasoÌ„ of sinne is by the death of his sonne appeased so that he might be fauorable vnto vs. And the comparison of contraries that foloweth a litle after is diligently to be noted As by the traÌ„sgression of one man many were made sinners so also by the obedieÌ„ce of one many are made righteous For the meaning is thus As by the sinne of AdaÌ„ we were enstranged from God ordeined to destruction so by the obedience of Christ we are receiued into fauour as rigteous And the future time of the verbe doth not exclude present righteousnesse as appereth by the processe of the texte For he had sayd before that the free gift was of many sinnes vnto iustification But when we saye that grace is purchaced vs by the deseruyng of Christ we meane this that we are cleansed by his bloud and that his death was a satisfactioÌ„ for our sinnes His bloud cleaÌ„seth vs froÌ„ sinne This bloud is it that is shed for remission of sinne If this be the effect of his bloud shed that sinnes be not imputed vnto vs it foloweth that with that price the iudgemeÌ„t of God is satisfied To which purpose serueth that sayeng of Iohn the Baptist Beholde the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinne of the worlde For he setteth in comparison Christ agaynst all the sacrifices of the law to teache that in him only was fulfilled that whiche those figures shewed
Christ the sonne of God is oures and we likewise are in him the sonnes of God and heyers of the heaueÌ„ly kingdome beyng called by the goodnesse of God not by our owne worthinesse into the hope of eternal blessednesse But bicause they do biside these assayle vs as we haue sayd with other engines goe to let vs goe forward in beatyng awaye these also First they come backe to the promises of the lawe which the Lord did set forth to the kepers of his law and they aske whether we wil haue them to be vtterly voyde or effectuall Bycause it were an absurditie and to be scorned to say that they are voyde they take it for confessed that they are of some effectualnesse Hereupon they reason that we are not iustified by only faith For thus sayth the Lord And it shal be yf thou shalt heare these commaundementes and iudgementes and shal kepe them and do them the Lord also shall kepe with thee his couenant and mercie whiche he hath sworne to thy fathers he shall loue thee and multiplie thee and blesse thee c. Agayne If ye shall wel direct your wayes and your endeuors yf ye walke not after strange Gods yf ye do iudgement betwene man and man and goe not backe into malice I will walke in yâ— middest of you I will not recite a thousand peces of the same sorte whiche sithe they nothyng differ in sense shal be declared by the solutioÌ„ of these In a summe Moses testifieth that in the lawe is set forth blessyng and curse death and life Thus therfore they reson that eyther this blessyng is made idle frutelesse or that iustification is not of fayth alone We haue already before shewed how if we sticke faste in the lawe ouer vs beyng destitute of al blessing hangeth only curse which is thretened to al transgressors For the Lord promiseth nothyng but to the perfect kepers of his law such as there is none found This therefore remaineth that all mankinde is by the law accused and subiect to curse the wrath of God from whiche that they maye be loosed they must needes goe out of the power of the law and be as it were brought into libertie from the boÌ„dage therof not that carnall libertie whiche should withdraw vs froÌ„ the kepyng of the law should allure vs to thinke all thinges lawfull and to suffer our lust as it were the stayes beyng broken with loose reynâ—s to runne at riot but the spiritual libertie whiche may comfort and rayse vp a dismayed and ouerthrowen conscience shewyng it to be free from the curse and damnation wherewith the lawe helde it downe bond and fast tied This deliuerance from the subiection of the law and Manâ—mission as I may cal it we obteyne wheÌ„ by fayth we take holde of the mercie of God in Christ whereby we are certified and assured of the forgeuenesse of sinnes with the felyng whereof the law did prick and bite vs. By this reason euen the promises that were offred vs in the lawe should be all vneffectuall voyde vnlesse the goodnesse of God by the Gospell did help For this condition that we kepe the whole law vpoÌ„ which the promises hang and wherby alone thei are to be performed shal neuer be fulfilled And the Lord so helpeth not by leauyng part of righteousnesse in our workes and supplyeng part by his mercieful bearyng with vs but when he setteth only Christ for the fulfillyng of righteousnesse For the Apostle when he had before sayd that he and other Iewes beleued in Iesus Christ knowing that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe addeth a reason not that they should be holpen to fulnesse of righteousnesse by the fayth of Christ but by it should be iustified not by the workes of the law If the faythfull remoue from the law into fayth that they may in fayth finde righteousnesse which they see to be absent from the law truely they forsake the righteousnesse of the lawe Therefore now let him that list amplifie the rewardinges whiche are sayd to be prepared for the keper of the law so that he therewithall coÌ„sider that it coÌ„meth to passe by our peruersnesse that we fele no frute thereof till we haue obteyned an other righteousnesse of faith So Dauid when he made mention of the rewardyng whiche the Lord hath prepared for his seruantes by and by descendeth to the reknowledging of sinnes wherby that same rewarding is made voyde Also in the xix Psalme he gloriously setteth forth the benefites of the law but he by by crieth out Whoe shall vnderstand his faultes Lord cleanse me froÌ„ my secret faultes This place altogether agreeth with the place before where when he had sayd that all the wayes of the Lord are goodnesse and truth to them that leaue him he addeth For thy names sake Lorde thou shalt be mercifull to my peruersnesse for it is muche So ought we also to reknowledge that there is in deede the good will of God set forth vnto vs in the lawe if we might deserue it by workes but that the same neuer coÌ„meth to vs by the deseruyng of workes How then Are they geuen that they should vanish awaye without frute I haue eueÌ„ now already protested that the same is not my meaning I say verily that they vtter not their effectualnesse toward vs so long as they haue respect to the merit of workes and that therfore if they be considered in themselues they be after a certayne maÌ„ner abolished If the Apostle teacheth that this noble promise I haue geuen you commauÌ„dementes which who so shal do shall liue in them is of no value if we stand still in it and shal neuer a whit more profit than if it had not ben geuen at all bicause it belongeth not euen to the most holy seruauntes of God whiche are all far from the fulfillyng of the lawe but are compassed about with many transgressions But when the promises of the Gospel are put in place of them which do offre free forgeuenesse of sinnes they bryng to passe that not only we our selues be acceptable to God but that our workes also haue their thanke and not this only that the Lord accepteth them but also exteÌ„deth to them the blessinges whiche were by couenant due to the keping of the law I graunt therefore that those thinges whiche the Lord hath promised in his lawe to the folowers of righteousnesse holinesse are rendred to the workes of the faythfull but in this rendryng the cause is alway to be coÌ„sidered that powreth grace to workes Now causes we see that there be three The first is that God turnyng away his sight froÌ„ the workes of his seruaÌ„tes which alway deserue rather reproche than praise embraceth them in Christ and by the only meane of faith reconcileth them to himself without the meane of workes The secoÌ„d that of his fatherly kindnesse and tender mercifulnesse he lifteth vp workes to so great
mark to leade vs to the knowlege of God And we know God in this life none otherwise but by hope faith Therfore when I name faithe and hope I comprehend al these things together And so ther remain these three Hope Faith Charitie that is to say how great diuersitie of gifts so euer ther be thei ar al referred to these Among these the chefe is charitie â–ª c. Out of the third place thei gather If Charitie be the bond of perfection then it is also the bond of righteousnesse which is nothing els but perfection First to speake nothing howe Paul ther calleth perfection when the membres of the Churche wel set in ordre do cleaue together to graunt that we are by charitie made perfecte before God yet what newe thing bring thei forth For I will alwaie on the contrarie side take exceptioÌ„ sai that we neuer come to this perfectioÌ„ vnlesse we fulfil al the parts of charity therupoÌ„ I wil gather that sith all meÌ„ ar most farr froÌ„ the fulfilling of charitie therfore al hope of perfection is cutt of from them I wil not go through al the testimonies which at this day the folish Sorbonistes rashly snatch out of the scriptures as thei first come to hande do throw them against vs. For some of theÌ„ are so worthi to be laughed at that I my selfe also can not rehearse them vnlesse I wold worthily be compted fond Therfore I wil make an end when I shal haue declared the saieng of Christ wherw t thei maruelously please theÌ„selues For to the lawyer which asked him what was necessarie to saluatioÌ„ he answered if that wilt entre into life kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts What wold we more sai thei when we are coÌ„maunded by the author of grace himself to get the kingdom of God by the keping of his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts As though forsoth it were not certain that Christe teÌ„pered his answeres to theÌ„ with whom he saw that he had to do Here a doctor of the law asketh of the meane to obteine blessednes not the onely but with doing of what thing men maye atteine vnto it Bothe the person of him that spake the question it self led the Lord so to answer The lawyer being filled with the persuasioÌ„ of the righteousnes of the law was blinde in conscience of works Againe he sought nothing els but what wer that works of righteousnes by which saluatioÌ„ is gotteÌ„ Therfore he is worthily seÌ„t to the law in which ther is a perfect mirrore of righteousnes We also do with a loude voice pronounce that the commauÌ„demeÌ„ts must be kept if life be sought in works And this doctrin is necessary to be knoweÌ„ of ChristiaÌ„s For how shold thei flee to Christ if thei did not acknowledg yâ— thei ar falleÌ„ froÌ„ the way of life into the hedloÌ„ge downefal of death But how shold thei vnderstand how far they haue straied froÌ„ the way of life vnlesse thei first vnderstande what is that way of life For theÌ„ thei are taughte that the sanctuarie to recouer saluacion is in Christ wheÌ„ thei see how great difference there is betwene their life yâ— righteousnesse of God whiche is conteined in the keping of the law The summe is this that if saluation be sought in workes we muste kepe the coÌ„maundements by whiche we are instructed to perfect righteousnes But we must not stick fast her vnlesse we wil faint in our midde course for none of vs is able to kepe the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes Sith therfore we are excluded froÌ„ the righteousnesse of the law we must of necessity resort to an other helpe namly to the faith of Christ. Wherfore as here the lord calleth back the doctor of the law whom he knew to swel with vaine confidence of works to the lawe wherby he may learne that he is a sinner subiect to the dreadful iudgement of eternal death so in other places wtout making mention of the law he coÌ„forteth other that are already humbled with suche knowledge with promise of grace as Come to mee all ye that laboure are loden I wil refresh you ye shal finde rest for your soules At the laste when thei are weary with wresting the Scripture thei fal to suttleties sophisticall argumentes Thei cauil vpon this that faith is in some places called a worke therupon thei gather that we do wronfully set faith as contrarie to workes As thoughe forsothe faithe in that it is an obeying of the will of God dothe with her own deseruing procure vnto vs ryghteousnesse and not rather bycause by embracing the mercie of God it sealeth in oure heartes the righteousnesse of Christe offred to vs of it in the preaching of the Gospell The readers shal pardoÌ„ me if I do not tarry vpon confuting of suche follies for thei themselues withoâ—t any assaulte of other are sufficiently ouerthrowen with theyr owne feeblenesse But I will by the way confute one obiection whyche seemeth to haue some shewe of reason least it shold troble some that ar not so well practised Sith coÌ„mon reason teacheth that of contraries is all one rule and all particular sinnes are imputed to vs for vnrighteousnesse thei say it is meete that to al particular good workes be geueÌ„ the praise of righteousnesse Thei do not satisfie me which answer that the damnation of men proprely proceedeth from only vnbelefe not froÌ„ particular sinnes I do in dede agree to them that vnbelefe is the fouÌ„taine roote of all euels For it is the firste departinge from God after which do folow the particular trespassinges against the law But wheras they seeme to set one selfe same reason of good and euell workes in weieng of righteousnesse or vnrighteousnesse therein I am compelled to disagree from them For the righteousnes of workes is the perfecte obedience of the lawe Therfore thou canst not be righteous vi works vnlesse thou do folow it as a streight line in the whole coÌ„tinuall course of thy life From it so sone as thou haste swarued thou arte fallen into vnrighteousnesse Hereby appeareth that righteousnesse commeth not of one or a fewe works but of an vnswaruing and vnweried obseruing of the wil of god But the rule of iudging vnrighteousnesse is most coÌ„trarâ— For he that hath coÌ„mitted fornicatioÌ„ or hath stolen is by one offence gylty of death bicause he hath offended against the maiestie of God Therefore these our suttle arguers do stumble for that thei mark not this saieng of Iames that he which sinneth in one is made gylty of al bicause he that hath forbidden to kil hath also forbidden to steale c. Therfore it ought to seeme no absurditie when we saie that death is the iuste rewarde of euery sinne bicause thei are euery one worthy of the iuste dyspleasure and vengeance of God But thou shalt reason foolishly if on the contrarie side thou gather that by one good worke man may be reconciled to God whiche with many sinnes deserueth his
of witt iudgement and mynde doo worship onely their faultes and errors and those thynges which are well spoken they eyther marke not or fayne as if they knew them not or do corrupt them so as a man may say that their care was altogether to gather dong in of the golde of the Fathers Then they oppresse vs with importunate cryeng out agaynst vs as despisers and ennemies of the Fathers But wee doo so not despise them that if it were the mater of my present purpose I could very easily proue by their consentyng voices the greater part of these thynges that we say at this daye But we so reade their writynges that we alway remembre that all thynges are ours to serue vs not to haue dominion ouer vs and that we are Christes alone whome we muste obeye in all thynges withoute exception Who so keepeth not this choise shall haue nothyng certaine in religion forasmuch as those holye men were ignorant of many thynges doo oftentymes striue one with an other yea and sometymes fyghte with themselues Not without cause say they we are warned of Salomō that we passe not the old boundes whiche our Fathers haue sett But there is all not all one rule in the boundyng of fieldes and the obedience of Faith which ought to be so framed that it forget her people and the house of her Father If they haue so great delite to vse allegories why doo they not rather expound the Apostles than any other to be their Fathers whoe 's appointed boundes it is not lawfull to plucke vp for so did Hierome expounde it whoe 's woordes they haue registred among their canons But if they will haue the boundes of the same Fathers whome they meane to be stedfastly kept why doo they so oft as they list so licentiously passe them Of the number of the Fathers were they of whome the one sayd that our God eateth not nor drinketh and that therfore he nedeth neither cuppes nor dyshes the other sayd that the holy thynges require not golde and that those thynges please not with golde whiche are not bought with golde Therefore they passe the bound which are in the holy thynges so muche delited with golde syluer yuory marble precious stones and silkes and thynke that God is not rightly worshypped vnlesse altogether be dissolutely set out with exquisite gorgeousnesse or rather with outragious excesse A Father was he whiche sayde that he therfore dyd freely eate fleshe on the daye in which other absteined because he was a Christian. Therfore they passe the boundes when they accurse the soule that tasteth fleshe in Lent Fathers were they of whom the one sayd that a Monke whiche laboureth not with his handes is iudged as euell as a violent taker or if you will a robber the other sayd that it is not lawful for monkes to lyue of other mens goodes although they be continually busied in contemplations in prayers in studie This bounde also they haue passed when they placed the ydoll and harrell bealies of monkes in stewes and brothelhowses to be fatted with other meanes substance A Father was he which said that it is a horrible abhominatiō to se any image painted eyther of Christ or of any Sainte in the temples of Christians Neither was this pronounced by the mouth of one man alone absteyned from the other and the other Father stoutely mainteyneth that to the Christian people the blood of the Lorde ought not to be denied for the confession wherof they are commaunded to shedde their owne blood These boundes also they haue taken away when they haue by an inuiolable law commaūded the selfe same thyng which the one of these Fathers punished with excommunication and the other reproued with a strong reason A Father was he whiche affirmed it to be rashenesse to determine any thyng of a doutefull mater on the one side or the other without cleere and euident witnessyngs of the Scripture This bound they forgot when they stablished so many constitutions so many canons so many maisterly determinations without any woord of God A Father was he which among other heresies reproched Montanus with this that he was the firste that had charged men with lawes of Fastynges This bounde also they haue farre passed when they commaunded fastyng with moste streyght lawes A Father was he whyche denied that mariage ought to be forbidden to ministers of the Chirch and pronounced a mans lyeng with his owne wyfe to be chastitie and Fathers were they whiche agreed to his authoritie Beyonde these boundes haue they gone when they seuerely enioyned vnmaried life to theyr sacrificers A Father was he which iudged that onelye Christe oughte to be heard of whō it is sayd Heare him that we ought not to haue regard what other mē which wer before us haue sayd or done but what Christ which the first of all hath cōmaunded This bounde neither doo they appoynt to themselues nor doo suffer other to haue it appointed them when they set bothe ouer themselues and other any maisters whatsoeuer they be rather than Christe A Father was he whiche affirmed that the Chirche ought not to sett it self before Christe because he alway iudgeth truely but the iudges of the chirche as men are commonly deceaued They breakyng through this bounde also sticke not to affirme that the whole authoritie of the Scripture hangeth vppon the awardement of the Chirch All the Fathers haue with one harte accursed and with one mouth pronounced it abhominable that the holy woorde of God should be entangled with the suttleties of Sophisters and brawlynges of Logitians Doo they holde themselues within these boundes when they goe about nothyng ells in their whole lyfe but with endlesse striues and more then Sophisticall brablynges to wrappe and encombre the simplicitie of the Scripture so that if the Fathers were nowe raysed to lyfe agayn and shoulde heare suche an arte of brawlyng whiche these men call Speculatiue Diuinitie they woulde beleue that nothyng lesse is doone than any disputation had of God But my talke shoulde sprede it selfe beyonde due boundes yf I woulde recken vp howe boldely these menne shake of the yoke of the Fathers whose obediente chyldren they would seme to be Truly bothe moneths and yeares woulde be to lyttle for me And yet they are of so extreme and desperate shamelesnesse that they dare blame vs for that we sticke not to passe the auncient boundes But nowe wheras they call vs to Custome they nothyng preuayle For we shoulde be moste vniustly dealt with if we should be driuen to yelde to Custome Truely if the iudgementes of men were right Custome should be taken of the good But it oftentymes happeneth that men doo otherwise For that whiche is sene to be done of many by and by obteineth the right of a Custom But the state of men hath scarcely at any time ben in so good case that the better thynges pleased the greater numbre Therefore for the most parte of the priuate vices
it shold not be all of gods helpe but wee muste also brynge somewhat And thys ys commonly a famylyar woorde with him lette vs brynge that whiche is oures god wil supplie the reste Wherwith agreeth that whiche Hieremye saith that it is oure part to beginne but gods to make an ende oure part to offer what wee canne hys to fullfyll what we canne not Yow see nowe that in these sayinges they gaue to man towarde the studye of vertue more than was meete bycause they thought that they coulde not otherwise awake the dulnesse that was naturally in vs but yf they dyd proue that in it onely we synned With what apt handeling thei haue done the same wee shall after see Surely that the sayinges whyche wee haue rehersed are mooste false shall by and by appeare Nowe althoughe the Grecians more than other and amonge them principally Chrysostome haue passed measure in aduancinge the power of mans will yet all the olde writers except Augustine do in this point so eyther varie or wauer or speake doubtefully that in manner no certaintie canne bee gathered of theyr writynges Therefore we will not tarrye vpon exacte reckenynge of euerye one of theyr sayinges but heare and there wee wyll touche oute of euerye one of them so muche as the playne declaration of the matter shall seeme to require As for them that folowed after whyle euery one for hymselfe soughte prayse of wyttte in defending of mans nature they fel continually by little and litle one after an other into worse and worse till it came so farre that man was commonly thoughte to bee corrupted onely in hys sensuall parte and to haue reason altogether and wil for the more parte vncorrupted In the meane time thys flewe aboute in all mens mouthes that the naturall giftes were corrupted in man and the supernaturall were taken awaye But to what meanynge that tended scarsely the hundredth man did euen slightly vnderstaÌ„d As for my parte if I woulde plainely shewe of what sorte is the corruption of nature I could be easely contented with these wordes But it is muche materiall that it be hedefully weyed what a manne beyng in all partes of his nature corrupted and spoyled of his supernaturall gyftes is able to dooe They therefore whyche boasted them selues to bee the Disciples of Christe spake of thys matter to muche like Phylosophers For the name of Freewill still remayned amonge the Larines as if manne hadde styll abiden in vncorrupted state And the Grecians were not ashamed to vse the worde muche more arrogantly For they called it Autexousion that is to say of her owne power as if man had the power of him selfe Bycause therfore all euen to the commune people hadde receiued this principle that man was endued wyth Free wyll and manye of them that woulde seeme excellente can not tell howe farre it extendeth fyrste lette vs searche out the force of the woorde it self and then lette vs procede on by the simplicitie of the Scripture to shewe what man is able to do of his owne nature towarde good or euell What Free wyll is where as it is a woorde commonly founde in all mens wrytynges yet fewe haue defined yet it semeth that Origen rehersed that thynge where of they were all agreed when he sayde that it is a power of reason to discerâ—e good or euell and a power of will to choose eyther of them And Augustine varyeth not from hym when he teacheth that yt is a power of reason and wyll whereby good is chosen while grace assisteth and euell when grace cesseth Bernarde while hee meaneth to speake more suttlely speaketh more darkely whyche sayeth that it is a consent by reason of the libertie of wyll that canne not be loste and the iudgemente of reason that can be auoyded And the definition of Anselmus is not familiar enoughe whiche sayth that it is a powere to kepe vprightenesse for it selfe Therefore Peter Lombarde and the other Schoolemen haue rather embraced Augustines defynytyon by cause yt bothe was playner and dyd not exclude the grace of God withoute the whyche they sawe that Wyll was not sufficient for yt selfe But they brynge also of theyr owne suche thynges as they thought eyther to be better or to serue for playner declaration Fyrste they agree that the name of Arbitrium that is free choyse is rather to bee referred to reason whose parte is to discerne betwene good and Euell thynges and the adiectiue Free pertayneth properly to wyll whyche may be tourned to eyther of both Wherefore sythe freedome proprely belongeth to wyll Thomas sayeth that it would very well agree yf Free will be called a power of chosyng whyche beinge mixt of vnderstanding and appetite dothe more incline to appetite Nowe haue we in what thinges they reache that the power of Free wyll consysteth that is to saye in reason and wyll Nowe remaineth that we shortly see howe muche they geue to either parte They are commonly wonte to make subiecte to the free determination of man thynges meane that is whyche belonge not to the kingedome of God but they do referre true ryghteousnesse to the speciall grace of God spiritual regeneration Whiche thinge while the author of the booke Of the callynge of the Gentyles meaneth to shewe hee reckeneth vp three sortes of Wylles the fyrste Sensitiue the seconde Naturall the thyrde Spyrytuall of whiche he saith that man hath the fyrste twoo at hys owne lybertye the laste is the woorke of the holly ghoste in man Whyche whether it be true or no shall be entreated in place fytte for it for nowe my purpose is but shortely to reherse the opynyons of other and not to confute them Hereby it commeth to passe that when wryters speake of free wil thei pryncipally seke not what yt is able to doe to ciuile or outewarde doinges but what it can do to the obedience of the lawe of God Whiche latter poynt I thinke so to be the pryncipall that yet I thynke the other is not to bee neglected Of whyche meanynge I truste I shall shewe a good reason There hathe been a distinction receyued in Schooles that reckeneth vp three sortes of freedomes the fyrste from necessytye the seconde from synne the thyrde from mysery Of whiche the fyrste so naturally stycketh faste in man that yt can by no meane be taken awaye the other twoo are loste by synne Thys dystinction I wyllingly receyue sauynge that there necessytye is wrongefully confounded with compulsion betwene whyche twoo howe muche dyfference there ys and howe necessary that dyfference is to be considered shal appeare in an other place If this be receyued then shall it be out of controuersie that man hathe not free will to do good workes vnlesse he be holpen by grace and that by speciall grace whiche is geuen to the onely electe by regeneracioÌ„ For I do not passe vpon these phrenetike men whiche babble that grace is offered generally without difference But this is not yet
there is one vnderstandynge of earthely thynges an other of heauenly thynges Earthly thynges I call those that doe not concerne God and his Kyngedome true ryghteousnesse and the blessednesse of eternall lyfe but haue all theyr respecte and relation to thys presente lyfe and are as yt were contayneth wythin the boundes thereof Heauenly thinges I cal the pure knowledge of God the ordre of true righteousnesse and the misteries of the heauenly kyngdome Of the fyrste sorte are policy gouernaunce of householde all handy craftes and liberall Scienses Of the seconde sorte are the knowledge of God and Gods will and the rule to frame oure lyfe accordynge to yt Concernynge the fyrst this we muste confesse bicause man is a creature by nature geuen to lyue in companies together he is also by naturall instinction bente to cheryshe to preserue the feloweshyppe of these companies therfore we see that there are in the myndes of all men vniuersall impressions of a certaine ciuill honestie and ordre Hereby yt commeth to passe that there is founde noman that vnderstandeth not that all companies of men oughte to bee keepte in ordre with lawes and that conceyueth not in hys minde the prynciples of these lawes Hereof commeth that same perpetuall consente as well of all nations as of all menne vnto lawes bycause the seedes thereof are naturally planted in all menne wythoute any teacher or lawemaker And I weye not the disscusions and fyghtynges that afterwarde arise â–ª whyle some desyre to peruerte lawe and ryghte the loose absolute gouernementes of kynges that luste strayeth abroade in steede of ryghte as the eues robbers some whiche ys a faulte more than common thynke that to bee vniuste whyche other haue stablyshed for iuste and on the other syde styffely saye that to be laudable whiche other haue forbydden For these menne do not therefore hate lawes bycause they dooe not knowe that lawes are good and holly but for that they ragynge wyth heddye luste doe fyghte agaynste manyfeste reason and for theyr fansiâ— dooe abhorre that whych in vnderstandyng of minde thei allowe The latter sorte of stryuyng is suche that yt taketh not awaye that fyrste conceiuing of equitie For when menne dooe stryue amonge them selues concerninge the poyntes of lawes they agree together in a certaine summe of equitie Wherein is proued the weakenesse of manns witte which euen then when it seemeth to folowe the righte waye yet halteth and staggereth but styll thys remayneth true that there is sowen in all menne a certayne seede of polytyke ordre And that ys a large proofe that in the orderynge of thys lyfe no manne ys voyde of the lyghte of reason Nowe do folowe the artes boothe the liberall the handy craftes in learnynge whereof bycause there ys in vs all a certaine aptnesse in them also doothe appeare the force of manns wytte but all bee yt all menne bee not apte to learne them all yet ys this a token certayne enoughe of the common naturall power that there ys almooste no manne founde whose conceyte of wytte doothe not in some arte or other shewe fourthe it selfe Neyther haue they onely a power or facylytye to learne but also to deuyse in euerye arte some newe thinge eyther to amplifie or make perfecter that whyche hathe been learned of an other that wente before whyche thyng as yt moued Plato erroniouslye to teache that suche conceauyng ys nothyng ells but a calling to remembrauÌ„ce so by good reason it oughte to compell vs to confesse that the beginnyng thereof is naturally planted in the witte of man These poyntes therefore done plainely testyfye that there ys geuen to men naturally an vniuersall conceyuynge of reason and of vnderstandynge Yet ys yt so an vniuersall benyfyte that therein euery manne oughte for himselfe to acknoweledge the peculiar grace of God To whyche thankefullnesse the creatore hym selfe doothe suffycyently awake vs when hee createth naturall fooles in whome hee maketh vs to see wyth what gyftes mans soule excelleth yf it bee not endued wyth hys lyghte whyche ys so naturall in all men that yt ys yet altogether a free gyfte of hys lyberalytye towarde euerye man But the inuention and ordrely teachynge of the same artes or a more inwarde and excellente knoweledge of them whyche is propre but to a fewe is no perfecte argumente of the common conceyuynge of wytte yet bycause wythoute dyfference it happeneth to the godlye and vngodlye yt ys ryghtefully reckened amonge naturall gyftes So oft therefore as we lyghte vpon profane wryters lette vs be putte in mynde by that maruaylous lyghte of trueth that shyneth in them that the wytte of manne howe muche soeuer yt bee peruerted and fallen from the fyrste integrytye ys yet styll clothed and garnyshed wyth excellente gyftes of God If wee consyder that the spyryte of God ys the onely fountayne of trueth wee wyll neyther refuse nor despise the trueth yt selfe wheresoeuer yt shall appeare excepte wee wyl dishonourably vse the spyryte of God for the gyftes of the holy ghoste canne not bee sette lyghte by without contempte and reproche of hymselfe And what Shall wee denye that the trueth shyned to the oulde Laweyers whyche haue sette fourth Ciuile ordre and Dyscyplyne wyth so greate equytye Shall wee saye that the Phylosophers were blynde boothe in that exquysyte contemplation and cunnynge descryption of nature Shall wee saye that thei had no wytte whiche by settinge in ordre the arte of speache haue taught vs to speake wyth reason Shal we saye that they were madde whithe in settynge fourthe Physycke haue employed theyr dilygence for vs What of all the Mathematicall scienses shall wee thynke them dotynge erroures of madde menne no rather wee canne not readde the wrytynges of the oulde menne concernyng these thynges wythoute greate admiration of theyr wytte But shall wee thynke any thynge praysewoorthy or excellente whyche wee doe not reknoweledge to come of God Let vs bee ashamed of so greate vnthankefulnesse into whyche the Heathen Poetes fell not whyche confessed that boothe Phylosophye and Lawes and all good artes were the inuentions of mods Sythe then yt appeareth that these men whome the Scripture calleth naturall menne were of so sharpe and deepe sygthe in searchynge oute of inferioure thynges lette vs learne by suche exaumples howe manye good thynges the Lorde hathe lefte to the nature of manne after that it hathe been spoyled of the true God But in the meane tyme yte lette vs not forgette that these are the moste excellente good gyftes of the spyryte of God whyche for the common benefyte of mankinde hee dealeth abroade to whome it pleaseth him For if it behoued that the vnderstanding and skill that was requyred for the framyng of the tabernacle shold be poured into Beseleel Oliab by the spirit of god it is no merâ—el if the knowledg of those thinges whiche are moste excellent in mans life be sayde to be communicated vnto vs by the spirite of God Neither is there cause why any manne
muste he needes sticke faste in the myre of synnes And after sinne by by foloweth curse And of how muche the greater transgressiō the lawe holdeth vs gyltye and conuicte with so muche the more greuous iudgemente it condemneth vs. For this purpose maketh the sayenge of the Apostle that by the lawe is the knoweledge of synne For ther he speaketh onely of the fyrste office of the lawe the proofe wherof is in synners not yet regenerate And like to this are these twoo sayenges that the lawe entred that synne mighte abounde and therefore that it is the ministration of deathe that worketh wrathe and slayeth For without doubt so muche more groweth iniquitie with how muche more vnderstandynge of synne the conscience is striken bycause vnto breache of lawe is added obstinacie againste the maker of the lawe It foloweth therfore that the lawe armeth the wrathe of God to the destruction of the synner bicause of it selfe it can do nothinge but accuse condemne and destroy And as Augustine writeth if the spirite of grace be absente the lawe is presente with vs onely to thys ende to accuse vs and kyll vs. And yet when thys is sayde neyther is the lawe dishonored thereby nor any thinge taken from the excellence thereof Truely yf oure will were wholy framed and disposed to the obedience of the lawe then plainly the onely knoweledge of it were sufficient to saluacion But for asmuche as oure fleshely and corrupte nature fighteth as an enemie with the spirituall lawe of God and is nothinge amended with the dyscipline therof this foloweth that the lawe whiche was geuen for saluacion if it had founde fitte hearers tourneth to the occasion of sinne death For sithe we are all proued transgressours of it the more plainly that it openeth the righteousnesse of God so muche the more on the other side it discloseth oure iniquitie the more surely the it confirmeth the rewarde of life and saluacion laide vp for ryghteousnesse so muche the more assured it maketh the destruction of the wicked So farre is it of therefore that these sayinges shoulde be to the dishonoure of the lawe that they muche auaile to the more glorious commendations of Godes bountie For truely it herby appeareth that we are hindered by oure owne wickednesse and peruersenesse that we enioye not the blessednesse of life set openly abroade for vs by the lawe Wherby the grace of God that helpeth vs without the succoure of the lawe is made so much the sweter and the mercie more louely that geueth it vnto vs whereby we learne that hee is neuer wearied with often doinge vs good and heapinge newe giftes vpon vs. And whereas the iniquitie and condemnation of vs all is sealed by the testimonie of the lawe it is not done for thys purpose if at leaste we well profyte in it to make vs fall downe with despere or with discouraged mindes to tumble down hedlong In deede the reprobate are amased after that manner butte that ys by reason of theyr obstinatie but with the chyldren of God there behoueth to be an other ende of instruction I graunte the Apostle testifyeth that we are all condemned by iudgemente of the lawe that euery mouthe maye be stopped and that all the woorlde maye become bounde vnto God but yet the same Apostle in an other place teacheth that God hath concluded all vnder vnbeleife not to destroye all or to suffer all to perishe butte that hee myghte haue mercye of all that leuinge the foolishe opinion of their owne strength thei myghte vnderstande that they stande are vpholden by the onely hande of God that they beynge naked and emptye maye flee to hys mercye that they maye rest them selues wholly vpon it hyde them selues wholly in it take holde of yt alone in steede of righteousnesse and merites whyche is layed open in Christe for all menne who soeuer they bee that wyth true faythe do desyre and looke for yt For God in the commaundementes of the lawe appeareth butte a rewarder of perfecte ryghteousnesse whereof we all are destitute and on the other syde a rygorous iudge of euell doynges But in Christe hys face shyneth full of grace and lenitye euen towarde the wreatched and vnwoorthy synners Of profytynge to craue the grace of hys helpe Augustine speaketh ofte as when hee wryteth to Hylarie The lawe commaundeth that endeuorynge to doe the thynges commaunded and beynge wearyed with oure weakenesse vnder the lawe wee shoulde learne to aske the helpe of grace Agayne to Aselius The profyte of the lawe is to conuince manne of hys owne weakenesse and compell hym to craue the Physycke of grace that ys in Christe Agayne to Innocente of Rome The lawe commaundeth Grace mynystreth strengthe to do Againe to Ualentine God commaundeth those thynges that wee canne not doe that wee maye learne to knowe what to aske of hym Agayne The lawe was geuen to accuse you that beynge accused you shoulde feare that fearinge you shoulde craue pardon and not presume of your owne strengthes Againe The lawe was geuen for this purpose of greate to make lyttle to shewe that thou haste no strengthe of thyne owne to ryghteousnesse that thou as poore vnwoorthy and needye shouldest flee vnto grace After hee tourneth hys speache to God and saythe Do so Lorde do so mercyfull Lorde commaunde that which canne not bee fullfylled yea commaunde that whyche canne not but by thy grace bee fullfylled that when menne canne not fullfyll yt by theyr owne strengthe euerye mouthe maye bee stopped and no manne maye thynke hym selfe greate Let all bee lyttle ones and lette all the woorlde bee gyltye before thee But I am not wyse to heape vp so manye testimonies sythe that holly manne hathe wrytten a booke proprely of that matter whyche hee hathe intituled Of the Spirite and Letter The seconde profytynge hee dothe not so lyuely descrybe eyther bycause hee knewe that yt dyd hange vpon the former or bycause hee dyd not so well vnderstande it or bycause hee wanted woordes where wyth dystinctely and playnely to expresse hys meaninge of it whiche yet he rightly conceyued but this firste office of the lawe is not idle euen in the reprobate also For thoughe they goe not thus farre forwarde with the children of God that after the throwinge downe of their fleshe they bee renued and florishe againe in the inwarde man but amased with the firste terroure do lie still in desperation yet it serueth to shewe fourth the equytie of Gods iudgemente that their consciences be tossed with suche wayes For they euer wyllingely desire to make shyfte agaynste the iudgemente of God Nowe while the same is not yet opened they yet so astonyshed with the testimonie of the lawe and their conscience do bewraie in them selues what they haue deserued The second office of the lawe is that thei whiche are touched with no care of that whiche is iuste and right vnlesse thei be compelled whē they heare the
to the puttinge awaye of them The eyghte Chapter An exposition of the Morall lawe HEre I thinke it shall not bee from the purpose to enterlace the ten Commaundementes of the lawe wyth a shorte exposition of them bycause thereby both that shall better appeare which I haue touched that the same keping of them whiche God hathe ones appoynted remaineth yet in force and then also we shall haue besides that a profe of the seconde poynte that the Iewes dyd not onely learne by it what was the true force of godlines but also by the terroure of the iudgement syth thei sawe theÌ„ selues vnable to keepe it they were compelled whether they woulde or no to be drawen to the Mediatore Nowe in the setting forth the suÌ„me of thofe thinges that are requyred in the true knowledge of God wee haue already taught that we can not conceyue hym accordynge to hys greatnesse butte that by and by his maiestie presenteth it selfe vnto vs to binde vs to the worship of him In the knowledge of our selues we haue set this for the chiefe pointe that beynge voyde of the opinion of oure owne strength and cleane stripped of the truste of our owne righteousnesse and on the other side discouraged and beaten downe wyth conscience of our owne needynesse we shoulde learne perfect humilitie and abacement of oure selues The Lorde setteth fourth bothe these poyntes in his lawe where firste chalenging to himselfe due power to gouerne hee calleth vs to the reuerence of hys diuine maiestie and appoynteth oute vnto vs wherein it standeth and consisteth then publyshyng a rule of his righteousnesse againste the righteousnesse where of oure nature as yt ys peruerse croked doth alway striue beneth the perfectioÌ„ wherof our power as of it selfe it is weake feble to do good lieth a great way bylowe he reproueth vs both of weakenesse and vnrighteousnesse Moreouer that inwarde lawe whyche we haue beforesaide to bee grauen and as it were imprinted in the heartes of all men doth after a certaine manner enforme vs of the same thinges that are to be learned of the two tables For oure conscience doth not suffer vs to stepe a perpetuall slepe withoute feelynge but that it inwardly is a wytnesse and admonysher of those thynges that we owe to God and layeth before vs the difference of good and euell and so accuseth vs when we swarue from oure dutie But manne beinge wrapped in such darkenesse of erroures as he is scarse euen sclenderly tasteth by that lawe of nature what worship pleaseth God but truly he is very farre distante from the righte knoweledge thereof Byside that hee is so swollen with arrogancie and ambition so blinded with selfeloue that he can not yet loke vpon and as it wer descende into himself to learne to submitte and humble himselfe and confesse his owne myserie Therfore as it was necessarie bothe for oure dulnesse and stubbornesse the Lorde hathe set vs a lawe wrytten whyche shoulde bothe more certainely testifie that whyche in the lawe naturall was to obscure and also shoulde shake awaye oure drousenesse and more liuely touche oure mynde and remembrance Nowe it is easye to vnderstande what is to be learned of the lawe that is that as God is oure creatoure so of ryght he hathe the place of oure father and Lorde and that by thys reason we owe to him glorie reuerence loue feare Yea and also that we are not at oure owne lyberty to folowe whether soeuer the luste of oure minde doth moue vs but that we oughte to hange vpon hys backe and to reste onely vpon that whyche pleaseth hym Then we learne that he deliteth in ryghteousnesse and vpryghtnesse that he abhorreth wyckednesse and therfore that vnlesse we wyll wyth wycked vnthankfullnesse fall awaye from oure creatoure wee muste necessarily obserne ryghteousnesse all oure life longe For if then onely we yelde vnto him the reuerence that we owe when we preferre his will before oure owne it foloweth that there is no other due worship of him but the obseruation of righteousnesse holynesse and cleannesse Neither maye we pretende this excuse that wee wante power and lyke wasted detters be not able to paye For it is not conueniente that wee shoulde measure the glorye of God by oure owne power for whatsoeuer we bee he alwaye abydeth lyke to hym selfe a louer of ryghteousnesse a hater of wickedesse Whatsoeuer he requyreth of vs bycause he caâ—ne requyre nothynge butte that whyche is ryghte by bonde of nature we muste of necessitie obey but that we are not able is oure owne faulte For if we be holden bounde of oure owne luste wherein sinne reighneth so that we are not loose at libertie to obey oure father there is no cause why we shoulde allege necessitie for oure defense the euell whereof is bothe within vs and to be imputed vnto oure selues When we haue thus farre profited by the teaching of the lawe then muste we by the teachinge of the same lawe also descend vnto ourselues whereby at lengthe we may carry away two thynges The firste is by comparing the righteousnesse of the law with our life to learne that we are farr of from being able to satisfie the will of God that therfore we are not worthy to haue place among his creatoures much lesse to be reckned among his children The second is in considering oure strength to learn that it is not onli insufficieÌ„t to fulfil the law but also vtterli none at al. Hervpon foloweth bothe a distruste of oure owne strength a care and fearefullnesse of mynde For conscience canne not beare the burden of iniquitie but that by and by the iudgement of God is present before it and the iudgemente of God canne not bee felte butte that it stryketh into vs a dreadefull horroure of deathe And lykewise beynge constrained wyth proues of her owne weakenesse it canne not choose butte by and by fall into despere of her owne strength Both these affections do engendre humilitie and abatemente of courage So at lengthe it commeth to passe that man made afrayde wyth felinge of eternall death which he seeth to hange ouer him by the deseruinge of his own vnrighteousnesse turneth hym selfe to the onely mercy of God as to the onely hauen of saluation that feelynge that it is not in hys power to paye that he oweth vnto the lawe desperinge in hym selfe hee maye take breathe againe and beginne to craue and looke for helpe from els where Butte the Lorde not contented to haue procured a reuerence of hys righteousnesse hathe also added promyses and threatnynges to fyll oure heartes wyth loue of hym and wyth hatred of wyckednesse For bicause oure mynde is to blynde to be moued with the onely beautie of goodnesse it pleased the mooste mercyfull Father of hys tendre kyndnesse to allure vs wyth sweetenesse of rewardes to loue and longe for hym He pronounceth therefore that wyth hym are rewardes layed vp for vertue and that hee shall not spende
depriued of the blessinge of God they doe nothynge butte miserably languyshe and are reserued for greater paynes hereafter they are farre from beynge partakers of the blessyng promised to the Godly chyldren Butte thys ys also by the waye to bee noted that wee are not commaunded to obey them butte in the Lorde And that is euident by the foundation before layed â—or they sitte on hye in that place wherevnto the Lorde hathe aduaunced them by communicatinge with them a portion of hys honoure Therefore the submission that is vsed towarde them oughte to bee a steppe towarde the honouringe of that soueraigne Father Wherefore yf they moue vs to transgresse the lawe then are they woorthyly not to bee accompted parentes butte straungers that laboure to wythdrawe vs from obedience to the true Father And so ys to bee thoughte of Princes Lordes and all sortes of superioures For it is shamefull againste conuenience of reason that theyr preeminence sholde preuayle to presse downe hys hyghnesse sithe theyres as it hangeth wholye vpon it so ought onely to guide vs vnto it The sixte Commaundement Thou shalte not kyll The ende of thys commaundemente is that for asmuche as God hathe bounde together all mankinde with a certaine vnitie that euery man ought to regarde the safetie of all men as a thinge geuen hym in charge In summe therfore all violence and wronge yea and all harme doinge whereby oure neighboures bodie maie bee hurte is forbidden vs. And therefore we are commaunded if there be any power of succore in oure trauaile to defende the life of oure neighboures that we faithfully imploye the same that wee procure those thynges that maye make for theyr quiet that we watche to keepe them from hurte and yf they be in any daunger that we geue them our helping hande If thou consider that it is God the lawmaker that so saithe then thinke withall that his meaninge is by thys rule also to gouerne thy soule For yt mere a fonde thinge to thynke that he which espieth the thoughtes of the hearte and principally resteth vpon them shoulde instructe nothing but the body to true righteousnesse Therfore the manslaughter of the hearte is also forbidden in this lawe and an inwarde affection to preserue oure brothers life is here geuen in commaundement The hande in deede bryngeth fourth the manslaughter but the minde conceiueth it when it is infected with wrathe and hatred Loke whether thou canst be angry wyth thy brother wythout burning in desire to do him hurt If thou canst not be angry with him then canst thou not hate him for asmuche as hatred is nothynge butte an olde rooted anger Although thou dissemble and goe aboute to winde oute thy selfe by vaine circumstances yet where anger or hatred is there is an effection to hurte If thou wilte styll dallye oute with shyftes to defende it it is allready pronounced by the mouthe of the holy Ghooste that hee is a mansleyer that hatethe hys brother in hys hearte It is pronounced by the mouthe of the Lorde Christe that hee is gyltye of iudgemente that is angry wyth hys brother that hee ys gyltye of the counsell that saythe Racha that hee is gyltye of Hell fyer that saythe vnto hym Foole. The Scripture noteth twoo poyntes of equitie vpon whyche this commaundement is grounded bycause manne is bothe the image of God and oure owne fleshe wherefore vnlesse we well defyle the image of God wee muste haue care to touche manne none otherwyse than as a sacred thynge and vnlesse we will putte of all naturallnesse of man we muste cheryshe him as oure owne fleshe That manner of exhortation that is fetched from the redemption and grace of Christ shall be entreated of in an other place God willed these twoo thinges naturally to be considered in man that myght perswade vs to the preseruation of him that we sholde both reuerence the image of God emprinted in him and embrace oure owne fleshe He hathe not therfore escaped the crime of manslaughter that he hathe kepte him selfe from shedinge of blode If thou committe any thinge in dede if thou go about any thinge with endeuoure if thou conceiue any thynge in desire and purpose that ys against the safetie of an other thou arte holden gilty of manslaughter And againe If thou do not trauayle to thy power and as occasion may serue to defende his life thou doest with like haynousnesse offende the lawe But if there be so muche care taken for the safetie of his body let vs hereby gather howe muche studie and trauaile is due to the safetie of hys soule whyche in the Lorde syght dothe infinitely excell the bodye The seuenth Commaundement Thou shalte not committe adulterie The ende of the commaundement is that bycause God loueth charitie and cleannesse therfore all vncleannesse oughte to departe farre awaye from vs. The summe therefore shall be that we be defyled wyth no vncleannesse or lustfull intemperance of the fleshe Wherevnto aunswereth the affyrmatiue commaundemente that we chastely continently ordre all the partes of oure lyfe Butte fornication hee forbiddeth by name to whyche all vnchaste luste tendeth that the fylthynesse of that whyche is more grosse and sensible for somuche as it also defyleth the body hee myghte brynge vs to abhorre all fylthye luste Syth manne was created in thys estate not to liue a solitarie lyfe butte to vse a helper ioyned vnto hym and sins that by the curse of synne he is driuen the more to this necessitie the Lorde hathe in this behalfe prouyded helpe for him so muche as was sufficient when he ordeined marryage when he sanctified with his blessing the feloweship begonne by his authoritie Whereby foloweth that all other feloweship of manne and woman oute of mariage is accursed before hym and that the felowship of mariage it selfe was ordeined for remedie of necessitie that wee shoulde not runne oute into vnbrydled luste Therfore lette vs not flatter oure selues sith we heare that man can not be coupled with womaÌ„ out of mariage without the curse of God Nowe for as muche as by the condition of nature and by luste more enkyndled syns the fall of manne wee are become doubtely subiecte to desire of companie of women excepte it bee those whome God of hys singular grace hathe exempted from it let euerye man loke well what is geuen vnto hym Uirginitie I graunt is a vertue not to be despised butte syth it is to some denied and to some graunted but for a time let them that are troubled with incontinence and striuinge wyth it canne not gette the vpper hande resorte to the helpe of mariage that so they maye keepe chastitie in the degree of their vocation For they that can not conceiue thys woorde if they do not succoure their owne intemperance wyth the remedie that is offered and graunted them thei stryue agaynste God and resyste his ordinaunce And let no man carpe against mee as many do at this daie that being ayded with the helpe of
necessitie prouoketh his wrath bicause it is a breache of the law vpon whiche the iudgement of God is pronounced without exception and that the sinnes of the holyones are veniall or pardonable not of their owne nature but bicause they obteyne pardon by the mercie of God The. ix Chapter ¶ That Christ although he was knowen to the Iewes vnder the law yet was deliuered only by the Gospell BYcause it pleased God in the olde time not vainely by expiations and sacrifices to declare himself a Father and not in vayne he did consecrate a chosen people to himselff euen then without doubte he was knowen in the same image wherein he now appereth to vs with full brightnesse Therefore Malachie after that he had bidden the Iewes to take hede to the law of Moses to continue in studie thereof bicause after his death there should come a certaine interruption of the office of the Prophetes did forthwith declare that there shuld arise a sonne of righteousnesse In which wordes he teacheth that the lawe auaileth to this purpose to hold the godly in expectation of Christ to come but yet that there was muche more light to be hoped for when he should be come in deede For this reason doth Peter say that the Prophetes did make searche and diligently enquire of the saluation that is now opened by the Gospell and that it was reueled vnto them that they should minister not to themselues nor to their owne age but vnto vs those thinges that are declared by the Gospel Not that their doctrine was vnprofitable to the people in olde time or nothing auailed themselues but bicause thei enioyed not the treasure which God sent vnto vs by their hand For at this day the grace wherof they testified is familiarly set before our eyes And wheras they did but a litle sippe of it there is offred vnto vs a more plentiful enioyeng therof Therefore Christ himself whiche affirmeth that he had witnesse borne him by Moses yet extolleth the mesure of grace wherby we excel the Iewes For speaking to the Disciples he sayd Blessed are the eyes that see that whiche ye see blessed are the eares that here ath at whiche ye heare For many kinges Prophetes haue wished it haue not obteined it This is no smal coÌ„mendation of the reuelyng of the gospel that God preferred vs before the holy fathers that excelled in rare godlinesse With whiche sentence that other place disagreeth not where it is sayd that Abraham saw the daye of Christ and reioysed For though the sight of a thing farre distant was somwhat darke yet he wanted nothyng to the assurance of good hope And thense came that ioye whiche accompanied the holy Prophet euen to his death And that sayeng of Iohn Baptist No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten that is in the bosome of the father hath declared him vnto vs doth not exclude the godly whiche had ben dead before him froÌ„ the â—elowship of the vnderstandyng light that shineth in the persone of Christ. But coÌ„paryng their estate with oures he teacheth that those misteries which thei saw but darkly vnder shadowes are manifest to vs as the author of the episte to yâ— Hebrewes doth wel set out sayeng that God diuersly and many wayes spake in olde time by the Prophetes but now by his beloued Sonne Although therefore that only begotten one which is at this day to vs the brightnesse of the glory the point of the substance of God the father was in olde time knowen to the Iewes as we haue in an other place alleaged out of Paule that he was the guide of the old deliuerance yet is it true whiche the same Paule els where teacheth that God which coÌ„maunded the light to shine out of darknesse hath nowe shined vpon our heartes to set forth the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christ bicause when he appered in this his image he did in a maner make himself visible in comparison of the darke and shadowish forme that had ben of him before And so much the more fowle and detestable is their vnthankefulnesse peruersnesse that are here so blinde at midde daye And therefore Paule sayth that their mindes are darkened by Satan that they should not see the glorie of Christ shining in the gospell though there be no veile set betwene them and it Now I take the Gospell for the clere disclosyng of the misterie of Christ. I graunt truely that in that respect that Paul calleth the gospel the doctrine of fayth al the promises that we here and there finde in the law concernyng the free forgeuenesse of sinnes whereby God reconcileth men to himself are accompted partes therof For he coÌ„pareth faith against these terrors wherewith the conscience should be troubled vexed if saluation were to be sought by workes WherupoÌ„ foloweth that in takyng the name of the gospel largely there are coÌ„teined vnder it all the testimonies that God in old time gaue to the fathers of his mercie and fatherly fauour But in the more excellent signification of it I saye it is applied to the publishyng of the grace geuen in Christ. And that meanyng is not only receyued by common vse but also hangeth vpon the authoritie of Christ and the Apostles Whereupon this is proprely ascribed vnto him that he preached the Gospell of the kingdome And Marke maketh his preface in this maner The beginnyng of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. And there is no neede to gather places to proue a thing sufficiently knowen Christ therefore by his coÌ„myng hath made clere the life and immortalitie by the Gospell By whiche wordes Paule meaneth not that the fathers were drowned in darknesse of death vntil the sonne of God did put on flesh but clayming this prerogatiue of honour to the gospell he teacheth that it is a newe and vnwonted kinde of message whereby God performed those thinges that he had promised that the truthe of his promises shuld be fulfilled in the persone of the Sonne For although the faithful haue alway found by experieÌ„ce that same sayeng of Paule to be true that in Christ are all the promises yea and Amen bycause they were sealed in their heartes yet bicause he hath accomplished al partes of our saluation in â—his flesh therefore that selfe liuely deliueryng of the thinges rightfully obteyned a newe and singular title of prayse Whereupon cometh that sayeng of Christ Hereafter ye shall see the heauens open and the Angels of God ascendyng and descendyng vpon the sonne of manne For though he seme to haue relation vnto the ladder shewed in a vision to the Patriarch Iacob yet he setteth out the excelleÌ„cie of his coÌ„ming by this mark that he opened the gate of heauen to all men that the entrie thereof maye be stand familiarly open to all men But yet we must take hede of the deuelish imagination of Seruet
the men whom from the beginning of the world God adopted into the estate of his people were with the same law with the bond of the same doctrine which now remaineth in force among vs bound in couenāt to him But bicause it is of no smal importance that this point be wel established I will adioyne vnto it for an addition sithe the fathers were partakers of al one inheritance with vs hoped for all one saluatiō by the grace of al one mediatour how farre their estate differed from oures in this felowship But although the testimonies that we haue gathered out of the law and the Prophetes for profe therof do make it playne that there was neuer any other rule of religion and godlinesse in the people of God yet bicause in writers there are oftentimes many thinges spokē of the difference of the old and new Testament that may make the reder that is not of very sharp iudgement to be in doubte therefore we shall rightfully apoint one peculiar place for the better and more exact discussyng of this matter Yea that thing also which otherwise shuld haue bē very profitable for vs is now made necessarie by that mōstruous losel Seruettus by diuerse other mad mē of the sect of Anabaptistes which haue no other opinion of the people of Israel thā as of a heard or swine which thei fondly faine to haue bē fatted vp by the Lord here in this earth without any hope of heauenly immortalitie Therfore that we maye kepe away this pestilent errour from godly mindes and also to plucke out of them all doubtes whiche are wont by and by to arise vpon hearyng mention of the diuersitie betwene the old and new Testament let vs by the way loke what they haue in them like and what vnlike one to the other what couenant the Lord made with the Israelites in the olde time before the comyng of Christ and what couenant he hath now made with vs sins Christ hath ben openly shewed And bothe these pointes maye be made playne with one word The couenant of al the fathers so differeth nothing frō oures in substance in the matter it selfe that it is altogether one and the selfe same but the ministration is diuerse But bicause of so great shortnesse no man were able to atteine a certaine vnderstādyng we must needs procede on with a longer declaratiō if we meane to profit any thing at all But in shewyng how they are like or rather all one it shal be superfluous to discourse againe of new vpō al the special particulars that haue alredy ben declared and it shal be out of season to mingle those thinges together that remayne yet to be spokē in other places Here we must chiefly rest vpon three principall pointes Firste that we holde that carnal wealth and felicitie was not the marke apointed to the Iewes to aspire vnto but that they were by adoption chosen vnto the hope of immortalitie and that the truthe of this adoption was certainly assured vnto them bothe by oracles and by the lawe and by the prophetes Secondarily that the couenāt whereby thei were ioyned to the Lord was vpholden not by any merites of theires but by the only mercie of God that called them Thirdly that they bothe had and knew Christ the mediatour by whome they should bothe be ioyned to God and enyoye his promises Of whiche pointes bycause the seconde paraduenture is not yet sufficiently knowen it shall in place appointed for it be declared at large For we shall confirme by many and clere testimonies of the Prophetes that it was of his owne mere goodnesse and tender fauour what so euer good the Lord at any time did and promised to the people of Israell The third also hath alredy had here and there some plaine declaratiōs of it and we haue not left the first altogether vntouched Therfore in settyng out of this point bicause it moste specially belongeth to this present matter and for that they make vs moste controuersie about it we will employe the more earnest trauaile but yet so that if there wante yet any thyng of the explication of the other it maye be by the way supplied or in conuenient place be added Truely the Apostle taketh awaye all doubt of them all when he sayth that God the Father long before by the Prophetes in the holy Scriptures promised the Gospell whiche he afterward published accordynge to the time apointed Agayne that the righteousnesse of fayth whiche is caught by the Gospell it selfe hath witnesse of the lawe and the Prophetes For the gospell doth not hold the heartes of men in the ioye of this present life but lifteth them vp to the hope of immortalitie doth not fasten them to earthly delites but preachyng to thē a hope layed vp in heauen doth in a manner transport them thether For thus he defineth in an other place Sins that ye beleued the Gospell ye are sealed vp with the holy Spirit of prymise which is the earnest of our inheritance for the redemption of the possession purchaced Agayne we haue heard of your faith in Christ Iesu and of your charitie toward the holy ones for the hopes sake that is layed vp for you in heauen wherof ye haue heard by the true speache of the gospell Againe He hath called vs by the gospel to the partakynge of the glorie of our lord Iesus Christ. Wherefore it is called both the word of saluation and the power of God to saue the faithfull and the kingdome of heauen Now if the doctrine of the gospell be spirituall and openeth the entrie to the possession of an incorruptible life let vs not thinke that they to whome it was promised and declared did passe ouer and neglect the care of their soule and lie dully like beastes in sekyng pleasures of the body Neither let any man here cauill that the promises whiche are sealed in the law and the Prophetes cōcernyng the gospel were ordeyned for the new people For within a litle after that which he spake of the Gospell promised in the lawe he addeth that all the thinges that the law conteineth are without doubt properly directed to them that are vnder the lawe I graunt in deede it is in an other argument But he was not so forgetfull that when he had ones sayd that all the thinges whiche the lawe conteineth belong to the Iewes he did not remember what in a fewe verses before he had affirmed of the gospell promised in the lawe Wherefore the Apostle sheweth most plainly that the old Testament chiefly tended to the life to come when he sayth that vnder it are conteined the promisses of the gospel By the same reason foloweth bothe that it stoode vpon the free mercie of God and also was confirmed by the meane of Christ. For the very preachyng of the gospell pronoūceth no other thing but that sinners are iustified by the fatherly kindenesse of God without their owned
haue desired to see the thinges that ye see and haue not seen them and to heare the thynges that ye heare and haue not hearde them Therefore blessed are your eyes bicause they see and your eares bicause they heare And truely it was meete that the presence of Christ sholde haue this excellencye of prerogatiue that from it shoulde arise the clere reuelinge of the heauenly mysteries And for this purpose also maketh that which euen we nowe alleaged out of the firste epistle of Peter that yt was opened to them that their trauaile was profitable principally for oure age Nowe I come to the thirde dyfference whiche is taken oute of Ieremie whose woordes are these Beholde the dayes shall come saithe the Lorde and I wyll make a newe couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda not accordinge to the couenant that I made wyth your Fathers in the daye when I toke them by the hand to leade them oute of the launde of Egypt the couenant that thei made voyde althoughe I ruled ouer them But thys shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel I wyl put my lawe in theyr bowelles and I wyll wryte it in their heartes and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie And no man shall teache hys neighboure and no man his brother For they shall al knowe me from the leaste vnto the moste Of whyche wordes the Apostle tooke occasion to make thys comparison betweene the lawe and the Gospell that hee called the lawe a literall and Gospel a spiritual doctrine the lawe he sayde was fashioned oute in Tables of stone the Gospell wrytten in heartes that the lawe was the preachinge of deathe the Gospell the preachinge of lyfe the lawe the preachinge of damnation the Gospel the preachinge of righteousnesse that the lawe is made voyde that the Gospell abydeth Sithe the Apostles purpose was butte to declare the meanynge of the Prophete it shall bee suffycient that wee weye the woordes of one of them to atteyne the meanynge of them bothe All bee it there is some vnlyâ—enesse betweene them For the Apostle speaketh more odiouslye of the lawe than the Prophete dothe and that not in symple respecte of the â—â—we but bycause there were certayne naughty menne hauinge a wronge zeale to the lawe whyche did with peruerse loue of the ceremonies obscure the brightnesse of the Gospel He disputeth of the nature of the lawe accordinge to their erroure foolish affection Therefore it shall be good to note that peculiarly in Paule But both of them bycause they do by comparison sette the olde and the newe testament the one against the other do consider nothing in the law but that whiche proprely belongeth vnto it As for example The lawe dothe commonly in euery place containe promises of mercie but bycause they are borowed from ells where therfore they are not reckened as part of the lawe when the mere nature of the lawe is spoken of The onely thing they ascribe vnto it to commaunde thinges that are right to forbidde wicked doynges to promyse reward to the folowers of righteousnesse to threaten punishmente to the transgressors but in the meane time neither to change nor amende the peruersenesse of heart yâ— is naturally in all men Nowe let vs expounde the Apostles comparison one peece after an other The olde testament is literall bicause it was published without the effectuall workinge of the spirit The newe is spiritual whyche the Lorde hathe spiritually grauen in the heartes of men Therefore the seconde diuersitie is as it were a declaration of the fyrste The olde is deadly bicause it can do nothinge but wrappe all mankinde within the curse The newe is the instrumente of lyfe bycause it deliuereth from curse and restoreth into fauoure with God The olde is the ministerie of damnation bycause it condemneth all Adams children of vnrighteousnesse The newe is the ministerie of ryghteousnesse bicause it reueâ—eth the mercie of God by whyche we are made ryghteous The last diuersitie is to be referred to the ceremonies Bycause the olde testament had an â—mage of thynges absent it behoued that it shoulde in tyme deâ—aye and vanyshe away but the Gospell bycause it geueth the true bodye in deede kepeth styll a fyrme and perpetuall stedfastâ—esse Ieremie in dede calleth euen the morall lawes a weake and fraile couenant but that is for an other reason bycause by the sodeine fallynge away of the vnthankfull people it was by and by broken but forasmuche as suche breakynge of it was the faulte of the people it can not proprely be layed vpon the testamente But the ceremonies forasmuche as by theyr owne weakenesse were dissolued by the comminge of Christe had the cause of their weakenesse within them selues Nowe that dyfference of the letter and spirite is not so to be taken as thoughe the Lorde hadde geuen his lawes to the Iewes wythout any frute at all hauyng none of them conuerted vnto hym But it is spoken by waye of comparison to aduaunce the abundance of grace wherewyth the same lawemaker as it were puttinge on a newe personage did honorably sette forth the preachinge of the Gospell For yf wee recken vp the multitude of these whome the Lorde oute of al peoples hath by the preaching of the Gospell regenerate wyth hys spirite and gathered into the communion of his Churche we shall saye that there were very fewe or in a manner none in the olde time in Israell that wyth affection of mynde and entirely from their heart embraced the couenant of the Lorde whoe yet were very many yf they bee reckened in theyr owne numbre wythoute comparison Out of the third difference riseth the fourth For the Scripture calleth the old testament the testament of bondage for that it ingendreth feare in mens myndes but the newe testament the testament of libertie bycause it rayseth them vp to confydence and assurednesse So sayth Paule in the eyght to the Romames Ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare but the spirite of adoption by whiche we crie Abba father â–ª Hervnto serueth that in the epistle to the Hebrues that the faithefull are not nowe come to the bodyly mount and to kind led fyre an whirlewinde darkenesse and tempest where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh menns mindes with terrore in so much that Moses hym selfe quaked for feare when the terryble voyce sounded whyche they all besoughte that they myghte not heare Butte that wee are come to the Mounte Syon and the Cytye of the syâ—ynge God the heauenly Hierusalem Butte that whyche Paule shortly toucheth in the sentence that we haue alleged out of the epistle to the Romaines he setteth out more largely in the Epistle to the Galatians when he maketh an allegoâ—â—e of the twoo sonnes of Abraham after this manner that Agar the bondwoman is a fygure of the mount Sinai where the people of Israel receiued the lawe Sara the
his prerogatiue for asmuch as nowe he should be borne man only by an accident cause that is to restore mankinde beyng loste and so it might be gathered thereupon that Christ was created after the image of Adam For why should he so muche abhorre that whiche the Scripture so openly teacheth that he was made like vnto vs in all thinges except sinne Whereupon Luke doubteth not to recken hâ—m the sonne of Adam in his Genealogye And I would fayne know why Paule calleth Christ the seconde Adam but bycause the estate of manne was apointed for him that he might rayse vp the posteritie of Adam out of their ruine For if he were in order before that creatioÌ„ he should haue ben called the firste Adam Osiander boldly affirmeth that bycause Christ was alredy before knoweÌ„ man in the minde of God men were formed after the same paterne But Paule in namyng him the second Adam setteth meane betwene the first beginnyng of man the restitution which we obteine by Christ the fall of man whereby grew the necessitie to haue nature restored to her first degree Wherupon it foloweth that this same was the cause why the sonne of God was borne to become man In the meane time Osiander reasoneth ill and vnsauorily that Adam so longe as he had stande without fallyng should haue ben the ymage of himselfe and not of Christ. I aunswere by the contrarie bycause though the sonne of God had neuer put on fleshe neuerthelesse both in the body and in the soule of manne should haue shyned the image of God in the bright beames whereof it alwaye appered that Christ is verily the head and hath the soueraigne supremicie in all And so is that foolishe suttletie assoyled whiche Osiander bloweth abroade that the Angels shoulde haue lacked this head vnlesse it had ben purposed by God to clothe his sonne with fleshe yea though there had ben no fault of Adam For he doth to rashly snatche holde of that whyche no manne in his right wit will graunt that Christ hath no supremicie ouer Angels that they shoulde haue him for their Prince but in so muche as he is manne But it is easily gathered by the wordes of Paule that in as muche as he is the eternall worde of God he is the firste begotten of all creatures not that he is create or ought to be reckened amonge creatures but bycause the state of the worlde in integritie suche as it was at the begynnynge garnished wyth excellentt beautie had no other originall and then that in as much as he was made manne he was the firste begotten of the dead For the Apostle in one shorte clause setteth forth bothe these poinctes to bee considered that all thynges were create by the sonne that he mighte beare rule ouer Angels and that he was made manne that he might begynne to be the redemer Of lyke ignoraunce is it that he sayth that men should not haue had Christ to their kyng yf he had not ben man As though the kyngdome of God coulde not staÌ„d yf the eternal sonne of God although not clothed with the flesh of man gatheryng together both Angels men into the felowship of his heauenly glorie and life should himselfe beare the soueraintie But in this false principle he is alwaye deceiued or rather deceyueth himself that the Church should haue beÌ„ without a head vnlesse Christ had appered in the flesh As though euen as the Angeles enioyed him their head he could not likewise by his diuine power rule ouer menne and by the secret force of his spirit quickeÌ„ and nourish them like his owne body till beyng gathered vp into heauen they might enioy al one lite with the Angels These trifles that I haue hether to confuted Osiander accompteth for most strong oracles eueÌ„ so as beyng dronke with the swetenesse of his owne speculations he vseth to blowe out fonde Bacchâ—s cries of matters of nothyng But this one that he bringeth after he â—â—yth is much more stroÌ„g that is the prophecie of AdaÌ„ which seyng his wife sayd this nowe is a bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh But how proueth he that to be a prophecie Bicause in Matthew Christ geueth the same sayeng to God As though that what so euer God hath spoken by men conteyneth some prophecie Let OsiaÌ„der seke prophecies in euery commaundement of the lawe whiche it is certaine to haue come from God the author of them Biside that Christ should haue ben grosse and earthly yf he had rested vpon the â—â—erall sense Bycause he speaketh not of the mistical viâ—on wherunto he hath vouchesaued to receyue his churche but only of faithfulnesse betwene man and wife for this cause he reacheth that God pronounced that man and wife shal be one flesh that no man should attempâ— to breake thaâ— insoluble knot by diuorce If Osiander lothe this simplicitie let him blame Christ for that he led not his disciples further to a misterie â–ª in more suttelly expouÌ„ding the sayeng of his father Neyther yet doth Paule mameteyne his errour whiche after he had sayd that we are flesh of the flesh of Christ â–ª by by addeth that this is a great misterie for his purpose was not to tel in what meaning Adam spake it but vnder the figure and similitude of mariage to set forth the holy couplyng together that maketh vs one with Christ. And so doe the wordes sound Bicause when he geueth warnyng that he speaketh this of Christ and his church he doth as it were by way of correction seuer the spirituall ioynyng of Christ and his church from the law of mariage Wherfore this fickle reason easily vanisheth awaye And I thinke I nede no more to shake vp any more of that sort of chaffe bicause the vanitie of them all is sone found out by this short confutation But this sobrietie shall aboundantly suffice to â—eede soundly the children of God that when the fulnesse of tunes was come the sonne of God was sent made of woman made vnder the lawe to redeme them that were vnder the lawe The .xiii. Chapter ¶ That Christ toke vpon him the true substance of the flesh of man NOW vnlesse I be deceiued it were superfluous to entreate agayne of the godhed of Christ whiche hath alredy man other place ben proued with playne strong testimonies It remayneth therefore to be seene how he beyng clothed with our flesh hath fulfilled the office of Mediatour The truth of his humaine nature hath in the olde time ben impugned both by the Manichees and the Marcionites of whome the Marcionites fained a ghost in stede of the body of Christ and the Manichees dreamed that he had a heauenly flesh But bothe many and strong testimonies of the Scripture do stand against them both For the blessing is promised neyther in a heauenly seede nor in the counâ—erfaite shape of man but in the sede of Abraham and Iacob Neither is the eternal throne promised to a man
desire of glory For shew me a man if thou canst that vnlesse he haue forsaken him selfe according to the commaundement of the Lorde will of his owne free will vse goodnesse among men For all they that haue not ben possessed with this feling if they haue folowed vertue they haue done it at the least for praises sake And all the Phylosophers that euer moste of all affirmed that vertue was to be desired for it selfes sake were puffed vp with so great pride that it appeared that they desired vertue for no other thinge but that they might haue matter to be proude vpon But God is so nothing at all deliâ—ed neither with those gapers for the peoples breath nor with these swelling beastes that he pronouÌ„ceth that thei haue already receiued their rewarde in the world maketh harlottes and Publicanes nerer to the kingdome of heauen than them And yet we haue not throughly declared with how many and how great stoppes maÌ„ is hindreth from that whiche is right so long as he hath not forsaken him selfe For it was truely sayde in tyme past that there is a world of vices hidden in the soule of man And thou canst finde no other remedies but denying thy selfe and leauing regarde of thy selfe to bende thy mynde to seeke those thinges that the Lorde requireth of thee and to seke them therfore only because they please him In an other place the same Paul doth more plainly although shortly goe throughe all the partes of a well ordred life saying The grace of God that bryngeth saluation vnto all men hathe appeared and teacheth vs that we should denie all vngodlynesse and worldly lustes that we should lyue sobre mynded ryghteously and Godly in this present world loking for the blessed hope glorious appearing of the mighty God and of our sauiour Iesus Christ whiche gaue him selfe for vs to redeme vs from all vnryghteousnesse and to purge vs a peculiar people vnto him selfe feruently geueÌ„ vnto good workes For after that he hath set forth the grace of God to encourage them to make redy the waye for vs to worshyppe God he taketh awaye twoo steppes that doe moste hynder vs that is to saye Ungodlinesse wherunto we are naturally to muche enclined and Worldly desires whiche extende further And vnder the name of vngodlinesse he not only meaneth superstitions but also comprehendeth all that disagreeth with the earnest feare of God And worldly lustes are in effect as much as the affections the fleshe Therfore he commaundeth vs in respect of both the tables of the lawe to put of our owne wit to forsake all that our owne reason and wyll informeth vs. And all the doinges of our lyfe he bringeth into thre partes sobrietie righteousnesse and godlinesse of the whiche sobrietie without doubt signifieth as well chastitie and temperaunce as a pure and measurably sparing vse of temporall thinges and a pacient sufferance of pouertie Righteousnesse conteineth al the duties of equitie to geue euery man his owne The thirde is Godlinesse that seuereth vs from the defilinges of the worlde and with true holinesse ioyneth vs to God These thinges when they be knyt together with an vnseparable knot make a full perfection But for as muche as nothing is more hard than forsaking the reason of the fleshe yea subduing and renouncing her desires to geue our selues to God and our brethren to studie for an angelike life in the filthy state of this earth therefore Paul to loose our myndes from all snares calleth vs back to the hope of blessed immortalitie admonishing vs not to stryue in vaine because as Christ hath ones appered the redemer so at his last coÌ„ming he shall shewe the frute of the saluation that he hath purchaced And thus he driueth away the enticementes that blynde vs and make vs not to aspire as we ought to the heauenly glorie yea and he teacheth that we must trauaill as men being from home in this worlde that the heauenly inheritaunce be not lost or fall away from vs. Nowe in these wordes we perceiue that the forsaking of our selues hath partly respect to men and partly yea chiefly to God For where as the scripture biddeth vs so to behaue our selues with men that we preferre them before vs in honour that we faithfully employ our selues wholly to procure their commodities therfore it greueth such commaundementes as our mynde is not able to receiue but first beinge made voide of naturall sense For with suche blyndnesse we runne all into loue of our selues euery man thinketh him self to haue a iust cause to aduaunce him selfe and to despise all other in comparison of him self If God haue geuen vs any good gift by by bearing our selues bolde therof we lift vp our courage and not only swell but in a maner burste with pryde The vices wherwith we abound we do both diligeÌ„tly hyde from other and to our selues we flatteringly faine them light and scleÌ„der and sometime embrace them for vertues And if the same good giftes whiche we prayse in our selues or better doe appere in other least we should be compelled to geue place to them we do with our enuiousnesse deface them and fynde fault with them If there be any faultes in them we are not contented seuerely and sharpely to marke it but we also odiously amplifie it HereupoÌ„ groweth that insolence that euery one of vs as though he were priuileged from the commoÌ„ estate would be hier than the rest and carelesly proudely set light by euery maÌ„ or despise theÌ„ as inferiours The poore yeld to the rich base people to gentlemen seruantes to their maisters vnlearned to the learned but there is no man that doth not nourish within himself some opinioÌ„ of excellencie So euery man in flatteryng himself beareth a certaine kingdome in his brest For presumptuously takyng vpon them somwhat whereby to please themselues they iudge vpon the wittes and manners of other menne But yf they come to contention there bursteth out their poyson For many doe make a shewe of great mekenesse so longe as they finde all thinges gentle and louely but howe many a one is there that kepeth that continuall course of modestie wheÌ„ he is pricked and stirred to anger And there is no remedie hereof â–ª but that the moste hurtfull pestilence of loue of soueraigntie and selfe loue be rooted out of the bottome of their heartes as it is rooted out by the doctrine of the Scripture For there we are so taught that we muste remember that the good giftes that God hath geuen vs are not our owne good thynges but the free giftes of God wherof yf any be proude they bewraye their owne vnthaÌ„kefulnesse Whoe maketh thee to excell Paule sayth yf thou haste receyued al thinges why doest thou boste as yf they were not geuen thee Then that we muste with continuall reknowledgyng of our faulâ—es call our selues â—â—ck to humilitie So shal there remayne in vs nothyng to be proude 〈◊〉 but there shal
loue them that hate vs to recompense euel with doyng good to render blessynges for reporches if we remeÌ„ber that we muste not consider the malice of men but loke vpon the image of God in theÌ„ whiche defacing blotting out their faults doeth with the beautie and dignitie of it self allure vs to embrace it Therfore this Mortification shal then only take place in vs when we performe the dueties of charitie But it is not he that performeth them that only doeth all the dutifull workes of charitie although he leaue none of them vndone but he that doth them of a syncere affection of loue For it maye happen that a man maye fully performe to all menne all that he oweth so muche as concerneth outward duties and yet he maye be far from the true performyng of it For you maye see some that would seeme very liberall whiche yet doe geue nothyng but eyther with pryde of loke or with chorlishnesse of wordes they vpbrayde it And we become to suche wretchednesse in this vnhappy worlde that almoste no almes are geuen of any menne or at least of the moste parte of men without reprochyng Whiche peruersnesse should not haue ben tolerable among the very heathen For of Christians is somwhat more required than to shew a cherefulnesse in couÌ„tenance and make their doynges louely with gentlenesse of wordes First they must take vpon them the personage of him whome they see to neede their helpe and then so pitie their case as yf themselues dyd fele and suffer it so that they maye bee caried with felynge of mercie and gentlenesse euen as they would be to helpe themselues He that shall come so minded to helpe his brethren will not only not defile his doynges with any arrogante or vpbraydyng but also neyther will despise his brother to whome he doeth good as one needyng his helpe nor treade hym vnder foote as one bounde vnto him no more than we vse to reproche a sicke member for easyng whereof the whole body laboreth or to thynke it specially bounde to the other members bycause it hath drawen more helpe vnto it than it hath recompensed For it is thought that the common enterpartenyng of duties betwene members of one body hath no free kynde of gifte but rather that it is a payement of that whiche beyng due by the lawe of nature it were monstruous to denie And by this reason it shall follow that he may not thinke himself discharged that hath performed one kinde of dutie as it is commonly vsed that when a riche manne hath geuen any thing of his owne he leaueth other charges to other men as not belongyng to him But rather euery manne shall thinke thus with himselfe that he is altogether detter to his neyghbours and that he must determine none other ende of vsyng his liberalitie but when abilitie fayleth which how large so euer it be must be measured by the rule of charitie Nowe let vs more fully declare the principall parte of forsakyng our selues whiche we sayd to haue respecte to God We haue sayd muche of it already whiche it were superfluous to rehearse agayne it shal be sufficient to entreate of it so far as it frameth vs to quietnesse of minde and sufferance First therefore in sekyng the commoditie or quietnesse of this present life the Scripture calleth vs herunto that resignyng vs and our thinges to the Lordes wil we should yeld vnto him the affections of our heart to be tamed and subdued To couâ—t wealth and honors so compasse authoritie to heape vp riches to gather together al such follies as serue for royaltie poÌ„pe our lust is outragious and our gredinesse infinite On the other side of pouertie ignobilitie base estate we haue a maruellous feare and maruellous hatred that moue vs to trauaile by al meanes to eschue theÌ„ Hereby a man may see how vnquiet a minde they haue how many shiftes they attempt with what studies they wery their life that frame their life after their owne deuise to atteyne those thinges that their affection of ambitioÌ„ or couetousnesse requireth and on the other side to escape pouertie basenesse Therfore the godly must kepe this waye that they be not entangled with such snares First let them not either desire or hope for or thinke vpon any other meane of prosperyng than by the blessing of the Lord therfore let them safely boldely rest theÌ„selues vpon it For how so euer the flesh thinke it self sufficient of her self whoÌ„ she eyther trauaileth by her owne diligence or endeuoreth with her owne studie or is holpen by the sauour of men to the atteyning of honour and wealth yet it is certayne that all these thinges are nothing that we shall nothyng preuayle with wit or trauaile but in so much as the Lord shall prosper bothe But on the other side his only blessyng findeth a waye through al stoppes to make all thinges procede with vs to a ioyfull and lucky end Then how soeuer we maye moste of all obteyne any glorie or wealth without it as we dayly see the wycked to get heapes of greate honours and richesse yet for as much as they vpon whome resteth the curse do fele no parcell of felicitie we can obteine nothing without his blessing that shal not turne vs to euell And it is not at all to be coueted that maketh men more miserable Therefore yf we beleue that all the meane of prosperous successe and such as is to be wished coÌ„sisteth in the only blessing of God which beyng absent all kindes of miserie and calamitie muste happen vnto vs this remayneth also that we do not gredyly endeuour to wealth and honours standing vpon our owne finesse of wit or diligence nor leauing to the fauour of men nor trustyng vpon a vayne imagination of fortune but that we alwaye looke vnto the Lord to be led by his guidyng to what so euer lot he hath prouided So first it shall come to passe that we shall not violently rush to the catchyng of richesse and inuadynge of honours by wronge by guile and euell crasty meanes or extortion with doyng iniurie to our neighbours but shal onely followe those fortunes that maye not leade vs from innocence For whoe maye hope for the helpe of Gods blessyng among fraudes extortioÌ„s and other suttle meanes of wickednesse For as Gods blessing followeth no man but him that thinketh purely doeth rightly so it calleth back all them of whom it is desired froÌ„ croked thoughtes and corrupt doynges TheÌ„ we shal be bridled that we burne not with inmeasurable desire of growyng riche nor ambitiously gape for honors For with what face may a man trust to be holpen of God to obteine those thynges that he desireth agaynst his worde For God forbidde that God should geue the helpe of his blessyng to that whiche he curseth with his own mouth Last of all if it succede not according to our wish and hope yet we shal be restrayned from impatience and
which felyng the sinner commeth into possession of his saluatioÌ„ when he acknowlegeth by the doctrine of the Gospel that he is reconciled to God that obteyning forgeuenesse of sinnes by meanes of the righteousnesse of Christ â—e is iustified and although he be regenerate by the Spirit of God he thinketh vpon continuall righteousnesse layed vp for him not in the good workes to which he applieth himself but in yâ— only righteousnesse of Christ. When these thinges shal be euery one particularly weyed they shal geue a perfect declaratioÌ„ of our senteÌ„ce Albeit thei might be better disposed in an other order than they are set forth But it maketh litle mater so that they hang together in such sort that we may haue the whole mater truely declared surely proued Here it is good to remember the relation that we haue before sayd to be betwene faith and the Gospell bycause it is sayd for this cause that faith iustifieth for that it recemeth embraceth the righteousnesse offred in the gospel And whereas it is sayd to be offred by the gospel therby al coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of workes is excluded Which thing Paule declareth many times els where but most plainly in two places For to the Romanes comparing the lawe and the gospell together he sayth the righteousnesse that is by the law is thus the man that doth these thinges shal liue in them But the righteousnesse that is of faith offreth saluation if thou beleue in thy heart and confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and that the father hath raysed him vp from the dead See you not how he maketh this the difference of the law and the Gospel that the lawe geueth righteousnesse to workes and the Gospel geueth tree righteousnesse without helpe of workes It is a notable place and that maye deliuer vs out of many harde doubtes yf we vnderstande that the same righteousnesse that is geuen vs by the Gospell is free from all conditions of the lawe This is the reason why he doth more than ones with great seming of contrarietie set the promise by way of opposition against the law as it the inheritance be of the law then is it not of the promise all the rest in the same chapter to the same effect Truely the lawe it selfe hath also her promises Therefore there must needes be in the promises of the gospel somthing different diuerse froÌ„ the promises of the lawe vnlesse we will confesse that the comparison is very sond But what diuersitie shall this bee vnlesse it be that they are freely geuen and vpholden by the only mercie of God whereas the promises of the lawe hange vpon the condition of workes Neyther let any manne here carp agaynst me and saye that in this place the righteousnesse is reiected whiche menne of their owne force and freewill would compell God to receiue for asmuch as Paule without exception teacheth that the law in coÌ„maunding profiteth nothing bicause there is none not only of the coÌ„mon multitude but also of the perfectest that fulfilleth it Loue vndoubtedly is the chefe point of the law when the Spirit of God frameth vs vnto it why is it not to vs a cause of righteousnesse but for that euen in the holy ones it is vnperfect and therefore of it self deserueth no reward The second place is this It is manifest that no man is iustified by the lawe before God Bicause the righteous man shall liue by fayth But the law is not of faith but the man that doth these thynges shall liue in them Howe coulde this argument otherwise stande together vnlesse we agree vpon this point that workes come not into the accompt of faith but are vtterly to be seuered from it The lawe sayth he differeth from fayth Why so bicause workes are required to the righteousnesse thereof Therefore it foloweth that workes are not required to the righteousnesse of faith By this relation it appereth that they which are iustified by faith are iustified byside the deseruing of workes yea without the deseruyng of workes bycause faith receyueth that righteousnesse which the Gospel geueth And the gospel differeth from the law in this point that it bindeth not righteousnesse to workes but setteth it in the only mercy of God Like herunto is that whiche he affirmeth to the Romanes that Abraham had nothyng to glorie vpon bycause fayth was imputed to him vnto righteousnesse he addeth a confirmation bycause then there is place for the righteousnesse of faith when there are no workes to whiche a rewarde is due Where bee workes sayth he due rewarde is rendred vnto them that whiche is geuen to faith is freely geuen For the very meanyng of the wordes that he vseth in that place serue to proue the same Wheras he adioyneth within a litle after that therefore we obteyne the inheritance by fayth as accordynge to grace hereupon he gathereth that the inheritance is of free gift bicause it is receyued by fayth and how commeth that but bicause fayth without any help of workes leaneth wholy vpon the mercie of God And in the same meanyng without dout he teacheth in an other place that the righteousnesse of God was openly shewed without the law although it haue witnesse borne of it by the law the Prophetes bicause excludyng the lawe he sayth that it is not holpen by workes and that we obteyne it not by workyng but come empty that we maye receyue it By this time the reader perceiueth with what equitie the Sophisters do at this daye cauill at our Doctrine when we saye that man is iustified by faith only They dare not denie that man is iustified by faith bicause it is so often fouÌ„d in Scripture but bicause this word Only is neuer expressed they can not abide to haue such an addition made Is it so But what will they answer to these wordes of Paule where he affirmeth that righteousnesse is not of fayth except it be freely geuen Howe can free gift agree with workes And with what cauillations will they mocke out that whiche he sayth in an other place that the righteousnesse of God is manifestly shewed in the Gospell If righteousnesse be manifestly shewed in the Gospell surely therein is conteyned not a torne or halfe righteousnesse but full and perfect Therefore the lawe hath no place therein And they stande vpon not only a false but also a foolish shifte about this exclusine word Only Doth not he perfectly enough geue al things to only faith that taketh al thinges from workes What I praye you meane these sayenges that righteousnesse was manifestly shewed without the law that maÌ„ is iustified freely and without the workes of the law Here they haue a witty shifte to escape withall whiche although they deuised it not themselues but borowed it of Origene certaine of the old writers yet is very foolish They prate that the ceremoniall workes of the law not the moral are excluded They profit so with
continuall brawling that they know not the very first rules of Logike Do thei thinke that the Apostle doted when he alleged these places to proue his sayeng The man that shal do these thynges shall liue in them and Cursed is euery one that fulfilleth not all thinges that are written in the volume of the lawe Unlesse they be mad they will not saye that life was promised to the kepers of Ceremonies or curse thretened onely to the breakers of them If these places be to bee vnderstanded of the morall lawe it is no doubte that the morall workes also are excluded from the power of iustifieng To the same purpose serue these argumentes that he vseth bycause the knowledge of sinne was by the lawe therefore righteousnesse is not by the lawe Bycause the lawe worketh wrath therefore it worketh not righteousnesse Bycause the lawe can not make conscience assured therefore also it can not geue righteousnesse Bycause fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse therefore righteousnesse is not a rewarde of worke but is geuen beyng not due Bycause we are iustified by fayth therefore gloryeng is cut of If there had ben a lawe geuen that might geue life then righteousnesse were truely by the lawe but God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that the promise might be geuen to the beleuers Let them nowe fondly saye yf they dare that these thynges are spoken of ceremonies and not of manners but very children would hisse out so great shamelesnesse Therefore let vs hold this for certayne that the whole lawe is spoken of when the power of iustifieng is taken awaye from the lawe But if any manne maruell why the Apostle vsed such an addition not beyng content with only namyng of workes the reason is ready to be shewed for it For although workes be so hiely estemed yet they haue that value by the allowance of God rather than by their owne worthinesse For whoe can booste vnto God of any righteousnesse of workes but that which he hath allowed Whoe dare clayme any reward as due vnto theÌ„ but such as he hath promised They haue therfore this of the bountifulnesse of God that they are compted morthy both of the name and reward of righteousnesse they be of value only for this cause when the purpose of him that doth them is by them to shew his obedience to God Wherfore the Apostle in an other place to proue that Abraham could not be iustified by workes allegeth that the law was geuen almost fower hundred and thirty yeres after the couenant made Unlearned men would laugh at suche an argument bicause there might be righteous workes before the publishyng of the law But bicause he knew that there was no such value in workes but by the testimonie vouchsauing of God therfore he taketh it as a thing coÌ„fessed that before the law thei had no power to iustifie We vnderstaÌ„d why he namely expresseth the worke of the law wheÌ„ he meaneth to take awaye iustification froÌ„ any workes bycause controuersie may be moued of those and none other Albeit sometime he excepteth all workes without any additioÌ„ as when he sayth that by the testimonie of Dauid blessednesse is assigned to that man to whome the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Therfore they can with no cauillatious bryng to passe but that we shall get this generall exclusiue only And they do in vayne seeke that triflyng sutteltie that we are iustified by that only faith whiche worketh by loue so that righteousnesse must stand vpon loue We graunt in deede witn Paule that no other faith iustifieth but that whiche is effectually workyng with chatitie but that faith taketh not her power of iustifiyng from that effectualnesse of charitie Yea it doth by no other meane iustifie but bicause it bryngeth vs into the communicatyng of the righteousnesse of Christ. Or els all that which the Apostle so earnestly presseth should fall to nought To him that worketh sayth he the reward is not teckened accordyng to grace but accordyng to Det. But to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustiâ—ieth the vnrighteous his fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse Could he speake more euidently than in so sayeng that there is no righteousnesse of faith but where there are no workes to whiche any reward is due and that only then fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse when righteousnesse is geuen by grace that is not due Now let vs examine howe true that is whiche is sayd in the definition that the righteousnesse of fayth is the reconciliation with God whiche consisteth vpon the only forgeuenesse of sinnes We muste alwaye returne to this principle that the wrath of God refteth vpon all men so long as they coÌ„tinue to be sinners That hath Esaye excellently well set out in these wordes The haÌ„d of the Lord is not shortened that he is not able to saue nor his eare dulled that he can not heare but your iniquities haue made disagreement betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue hidden his face from you that he heareth you not We heare that sinne is the diuision betwene man and God and the turnyng awaye of Gods face from the sinner Neyther can it otherwise be For it is disagreyng froÌ„ his righteousnesse to haue any felowship with sinne Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that manne is enemie to God till he be restored into fauour by Christ. Whome therfore the Lord receyueth into ioynyng with him him he is sayd to instifie bycause he can neyther receyue him into fauour nor ioyne him with himselfe but he muste of a sinner make him righteous And we further say that this is done by the forgeuenesse of sinnes For if they whome the Lord hath recoÌ„ciled to himself be iudged by their workes they shal be found still sinners in deede whoe yet must be free cleane from sinne It is certayne therefore that they whom God embraceth are no otherwise made righteous but bicause they are cleansed by hauing the spottes of there sinnes wiped awaye by forgeuenesse thaâ— such a righteousnesse maye in one worde be called the forgeuenesse of sinnes Both these are most clerely to be seene by these wordes of Paule whiche I haue already alleged God was in Christ reconcilyng the world to himself not imputyng their sinnes to man and he hath lette with vs the word of reconciliation And then he addeth the summe of his message that him which knew no sinne he made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Here he nameth righteousnesse and reconciliation without difference that we maye perceyue that the one is mutually conteyned vnder the other And he teacheth the manner to atteyne this righteousnesse to be when our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Wherefore doubte thou not hereafter howe God doth iustifie vs when thou hearest that he doth reconcile vs to himself by not imputyng sinnes So to the Romanes he proueth by the testimonie of
the beginning And here by the way it shal be profitable to touch what these formes of speakyng do differ from the promises of the law I cal promises of the law not those which are eche where coÌ„monly writteÌ„ in the bokes of Moses for as much as in them also are found many promises of the Gospel but those which properly belong to the ministerie of the law Such promises by what name so euer you list to cal them do declare that there is reward redy vpon condition if thou do that which is coÌ„maunded thee But when it is sayd that the Lord kepeth the couenaÌ„t of mercie to theÌ„ which loue him therin is rather shewed what maÌ„ner of men be his seruantes which haue faithfully receiued his couenant than the cause is expressed why the lord should do good to them Now this is the manner of shewyng it As the Lord vouchsaueth to graunt vs the grace of eternal life to this end that he should be loued feared honored of vs so whatsoeuer promises there are of his mercie in the Scriptures they are rightfully directed to this and that we should reuerence and worship the author of the benefites So ofte therefore as we heare that he doth good to them that kepe his law let vs remeÌ„ber that the children of God are there signified by the dutie whiche ought to be continual in them that we are for this cause adopted that we should honor him for our Father Therfore lest we should disherite our selues from the right of adoptioÌ„ we must alway endeuor to this wherunto our calling tendeth But let vs againe kepe this in minde that the accoÌ„plishment of the mercie of God hangeth not vpoÌ„ the workes of the faithfull but that he therfore fulfilleth the promise of saluation to them whiche answer to their callyng in vprightnesse of life bicause in them he acknoweth the natural tokeÌ„s of his children which are ruled with his Spirit vnto good Herunto let that be referred which is in the xv Psalme spoken of the Citezens of the Church Lord whoe shal dwel in thy tabernacle and whoe shal rest in thy holy hill The innocent in haÌ„des of a cleane heart c. Agayne in Esaie Whoe shall dwel with deuouring fire He that doth righteousnesse he that speaketh right thinges c. For there is not described the staye whereupon the faythfull may stand before the Lord but the manner wherewith the most merciful father bringeth theÌ„ into his felowship therein defendeth streÌ„gtheneth them For bicause he abhorreth sinne he loueth righteousnesse whoÌ„ he ioyneth to himself them he cleanseth with his spirit that he may make theÌ„ of like fashion to himself his kingdome Therfore if the question be of the first cause wherby the entrie is made open to the holy ones into the kingdome of God froÌ„ whense they haue that thei may stand fast abide in it we haue this answer ready bicause the Lord by his mercie both hath ones adopted them perpetually defendeth them But if the question be of the manner then we must come downe to regeneration and the frutes therof which are rehersed in that Psalme But there semeth to be much more hardnesse in these places which do both garnish good workes with the titiÌ„e of righteousnesse affirme that man is iustified by them Of the first sort there be very many places where the obseruinges of the coÌ„maundementes are called iustifications or righteousnesses Of the other sort that is an exaÌ„ple which is in Moses This shal be our righteousnesse if we kepe all these commauÌ„dementes And if thou take exception say that this is a promise of the law which being knit to a coÌ„dition impossible proueth nothing There be other of which you caÌ„ not make the same answer as this And that shal be to thee for righteousnesse before the Lord to redeliuer to the poore man his pledge c. Againe that which the Prophet sayth that the zele in reuenging the shame of Israell was imputed to Phinees for righteousnesse Therfore the Pharisees of our time thinke that here they haue a large matter to triuÌ„ph vpon For when we say that when the righteousnesse of faith is set vp the iustificatioÌ„ of workes geueth place by the same right they make this argument If righteousnesse bee of workes then it is false that we are iustified by faith only Though I graunt that the commaundementes of the law are called righteousnesses it is no maruell for they are so in deede Howebeit we muste warne the readers that the Grecians haue not fittly translated the Hebrue word Hucmi Dikaiomata righteousnesses for coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts But for the worde I willingly release my quarell For neyther doe we denie this to the law of God that it conteineth perfect righteousnesse For although bycause we are detters of all the thinges that it commaundeth therfore euen when we haue performed ful obedience therof we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„tes yet bicause the lord hath vouchsaued to graunt it the honor of righteousnesse we take not away that whiche he hath geuen Therefore we willingly confesse that the full obedience of the lawe is righteousnesse that the kepyng of euery coÌ„mauÌ„dement is a part of righteousnesse yf so be that the whole summe of righteousnesse were had in the other partes also But we denie that there is any where any suche forme of righteousnesse And therefore we take away the righteousnesse of the law not for that it is maymed and vnperfect of it felfe but for that by reason of the weakenesse of our flesh it is no where seene But the Scripture not only calleth simply the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the Lord righteousnesses but it also geueth this name to the workes of the holy ones As when it reporteth that Zacharie his wife walked in the righteousnesses of the Lord truely wheÌ„ it so speaketh it weyeth workes rather by the nature of the law thaÌ„ by their owne propre estate Howbeit here againe is that to be noted which I eueÌ„ now sayd that of the negligence of the Greke translator is not a law to be made But for asmuch as Luke wold alter nothing in the receiued traslation I will also not striue about it For God hath commaunded these thinges that are in the lawe to men for righteousnesse but this righteousnes we performe not but in keping the whole lawe for by euery transgression it is broken Wheras therfore the law doth nothing but prescribe righteousnesse if we haue respecte to it all the seueral coÌ„maundementes therof are righteousnes if we haue respect to men of whome thei are done thei do not obteine the praise of righteousnesse by one worke beinge trespassers in many and by that same worke whiche is euer partly faulty by reason of imperfection But now I come to the second kinde in which is the chefe hardnes Paul hath nothing more strong to proue the righteousnesse of faiâ—he than that whiche is written of Abraham that his faithe was
it may will leaue to God no secrete which it will not searche and turne ouer Into this boldnesse and importunacie forasmuch as we commonly se many to runne headlong and among those that are otherwise not euell men here is fit occasion to warne them what is in this behalfe the due measure of theyr duetie First therfore let them remembre that when they enquire vpon Predestination they pearce into the secrete closets of the wisedome of God wherinto if any man doo carelesly and boldly breake in he shall bothe not atteyne wherwith to satisfie his curiousnesse and he shal entre into a mase wherof he shall fynde no way to get out again For neither is it mete that man shoulde freely search those thynges which God hath willed to be hidden in himselfe and to turne ouer from very eternitie the height of wisedome which he willed to be honored and not to be conceiued that by it also he mought be meruailous vnto vs. Those secretes of his will whiche he hath determined to be opened vnto vs he hath disclosed in his worde and he hath determined so farre as he forsawe to pertayne to vs and to be profitable for vs. We are come sayth Augustine into the way of Faithe let vs stedfastly holde it It bringeth into the Kynges chamber in whiche all the treasures of knowlege and wisedome are hidden For the Lorde himselfe Christ did not enuie his excellent and moste chosen disciples when he said I haue many thynges to be sayde to you but ye can not beare them nowe We must walke we must profit we must encreasce that our hartes may be able to conceiue those thynges which now we can not coÌ„ceiue If the last day find vs profityng there we shal learne that whiche here we coulde not If this thought be of force with vs that the worde of the Lorde is the onely way that may leade vs to searche whatsoeuer is lawfull to be learned of him that it is the only light which may geue vs light to see whatsoeuer we ought to see of hym it shall easily holde backe and restraine vs from all rashenesse For we shall knowe that so soone as we be gone out of the boundes of the worde we runne oute of the waie and in darkenesse in which race we must needes oftentymes stray slippe and stumble First therfore let this be before our eyes that to couet any other knowlege of Predestination than that whiche is set foorth by the woorde of God is a poynt of no lesse madnesse than if a man haue a will to go by an vnpassable waie or to se in darknesse Neither lett vs be ashamed to be ignorant of somewhat in it wherein there is some learned ignorance But rather lett vs willyngly absteine from the serchyng of that Knowlege wherof the excessyue couetyng is both foolishe and pâ—rillous yea and deadly But if the wantonnesse of witt prouoke vs it shal be profitable alwaye to sett this agaynst it whereby it may be beaten backe that as to much of honey is not good so the serchyng of glorie dothe not turne vnto glorie to the curious For there is good cause why we shoulde be frayed away from that boldnesse whiche can do nothing but throwe vs downe headlong into ruine There be other which when they haue a will to remedy this euell doo commaunde all mention of Predestination to bee in a maner buried at the least they teache men to flee from euery maner of questionyng therof as from a rocke Although the moderation of these men bee herein worthily to be praysed that they iudge that mysteries shoulde be tasted of with suche sobrietie yet because they descende to muche beneath the meane they little preuaile with the witte of manne whiche doothe not lyghtly suffre it selfe to be restrained Therfore that in this behalf also we maie kepe a right ende we must returne to the worde of the Lorde in whiche we haue a sure rule of vnderstanding For the Scripture is the schoole of the Holy ghoste in whiche as nothyng is lefte out which is bothe necessarie profitable to be knowen so nothyng is taught but that whiche is behouefull to learne Whatsoeuer therfore is vttered in the Scripture concernyng Predestination we muste beware that we debarre not the faithfull from it least we should seme either enuiously to defraude them of the benefite of their God or to blame and accuse the Holy ghoste who hath published those thynges whyche it is in any wyse profitable to be suppressed Let vs I say geue leaue to a christian man to open his mynde and his eares to all the sayenges of God whiche are directed to hym so that it be doone with this temperance that so soone as the Lorde hath closed his holy mouth he may also forclose to himselfe all the way to enquire further This shall be the beste bouÌ„de of sobrietie if not only in learnyng we alway follow the Lord goyng before vs but also wheÌ„ he maketh an ende of teaching we ceasse to will to learne Neither is the danger which they feare of so greate importance that we ought therfore to turne awaye our myndes from the oracles of God Notable is the sayeng of Salomon that the glorie of God is to concele a word But sithe bothe godlinesse and common reason teacheth that this is not generally meant of euery thyng we muste seke a difference least brutishe ignorance shoulde please vs vnder color of modestie and sobrietie That difference is in fewe woordes playnly sett out by Moses To the Lord our God sayth he belong his secretes bâ—t to vs and to our children he hath disclosed these thynges For we see how he commendeth to the people the studie of the doctrine of the law onely by reason of the decree of God because it pleased God to publish it â–ª and howe he withholdeth the people within those bouÌ„des by this only reason because it is not lawfull for mortall men to thrust themselues into the secretes of God Prophane men I graunt do in the mater of Predestination sodenly catche hold of somewhat which they may carpe or cauill or barke or scoffe at But if their waywardnesse doo fray vs away from it the chefe articles of the faith must be kept secrete of whiche there is almost none which thei or such as thei be do leaue vntouched with blasphemie A frowarde wytt will no lesse prowdly outrage when he heareth that in the essence of God there are three persones than if he heare that God forsawe what shoulde becomme of man when he created hym Neyther will they absteyne from laughyng when they shall vnderstande that there is lyttell more than fiue thousande yeares passed sins the creation of the worlde for they wyll aske why the power of God was so long idell and asleape Fynally there can be nothyng brought foorthe whych they will not scoffe at For the restrainynge of these sacrileges must we holde our peace of the Godhead of
kepyng silence put his enemies to silence But that we may not suffer them freely to scorne his holy name he deliuereth to vs out of his word weapons agaynst them Wherefore if any man assayle vs with such wordes why God hath from the beginning predestinate some to death which wheÌ„ thei were not could not yet deserue the iudgemeÌ„t of death we in steede of answer may againe on our side aske of them what they thinke that God oweth to maÌ„ if he wil iudge him bi his owne nature In such sort as we be al corrupted with sinne we can not but be hatefull to God that not by tirannous crueltie but by most vpright reason of iustice If all they whom the Lord doâ—h predestinate to death are by the estate of nature subiect to the iudgemeÌ„t of death of what vniustice against theÌ„selues I beseche you may they complaine Let al the sonnes of AdaÌ„ come Let them striue dispute with their creator for that by his eternall prouideÌ„ce they were before their generation condemned to euerlastyng miserie What shall they be able ones to mutter agaynst this defense when God on the other side shal call them to reknowlegyng of themselues If they be all takeÌ„ out of a corrupt masse it is no maruell if they be subiect to damnation Let them not therefore accuse God of vniustice if by his eternall iudgement they be apointed to death to which thei themselues do â—ele whether they will or no that they are willingly led of their owne nature Whereby appereth how wroÌ„gfull is the desire of their murmuryng bicause they do of set purpose hide the cause of damnatioÌ„ which they are coÌ„pelled to acknowlege in theÌ„selues the layeng of the blame vpon God may acquite them But though I do a hundred times confesse as it is most true that God is the author of it yet they do not by and by wipe away the giltinesse whiche beyng engrauen in their coÌ„sciences from time with oft recourse presenteth it self to their eyes Agayne they except and saye were they not before predestinate by the ordinance of God to the same corruption whiche is now alledged for the cause of daÌ„nation WheÌ„ therfore thei perish in their corruptioÌ„ thei do nothing but suffer the punishmeÌ„t of that miserie into which by his predestinatioÌ„ Adam sel drew his posteritie hedloÌ„g with him Is not he therefore uniust whiche doth so cruelly mocke his creatures I graunt in deede that al the children of AdaÌ„ fel by the wil of God into that miserie of state wherin they be now bouÌ„d this is it that I sayd at the beginning that at length we must alway returne to the determination of the wil of God the cause wherof is hiddeÌ„ in himself But it foloweth not by by that God is subiect to this sclauÌ„der For we wil with Paul answer theÌ„ in this maÌ„ner O man what art thou that coÌ„tendest with God doth the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou formed me so Hath not the potter power to make of the same luÌ„pe one vessel to honor an other to dishonor They will say that the righteousnesse of God is so not truely defended but that we seke a shift such as thei are wont to haue that want a iust eâ—euse For what els semeth here to be sayd thaÌ„ that God hath a power which can not be hindered from doyng any thing whatsoeuer it be as he will himselfe But it is far otherwise For what stronger reason can be brought than wheÌ„ we are coÌ„maunded to think what a one God is For how should be coÌ„mit any vniustice which is iudge of the world If it properly perteine to the nature of God to do iudgemeÌ„t then he naturally loueth righteousnesse abhorreth vnrighteousnesse Wherefore the Apostle did not as though he were ouertakeÌ„ loke about for holes to hide him but shewed that the reason of the righteousnesse of God is hier than that it either is to be measured by the measure of man or may be comprehended by the sclender capacitie of the wit of man The Apostle in deede confesseth that there is such depth in the iudgemeÌ„tes of God wherwith the mindes of men shold be swalowed if ther endeuored to pearce into it But he teacheth also how haynous wroÌ„g it is to binde the workes of God to such a law that so sone as we vnderstaÌ„d not the reason of them we may be bold to disalow them It is a knowen sayeng of SalonioÌ„ which yet fem do rightly vnderstand The great creator of al reÌ„dreth reward to the foole and reward to transgressors For he crieth out concerning the greatnesse of God in whose will it is to punish fooles transgressors although he do not vouchesaue to let them haue his Spirit And moÌ„struous is the madnesse of men when they so couet to make that whiche is vnmeasurable subiect to the smal measure of their reason The Angels which stoode still in their vprightnesse Paul calleth elect If their stedfastnesse was grouÌ„ded vpon the good pleasure of God the falling away of the other proueth that they were forsaken Of which thing there can no other cause be alleged than reprobatioÌ„ which is hidden in the secret counsell of God Goe to let there now be present some Manichee or Celestine a sclauÌ„derer of the prouidence of God I say with Paule that there ought no reason to be rendred therof bicause with the greatnesse of it it far surmounteth our vnderstanding What maruel or what absurditie is it Wold he haue the power of God so limited that it may be able to work no more than his minde is able to conceyue I saye with Augustine that they are created of the Lorde whome he without douâ—yng foreknew that they should goe into destruction and that it was so done bicause he so willed but why he willed it is not our pâ—rt to ask a reason of it who can not comprehend iâ— â—either is it mete that the â—nd of God should come downe into coÌ„trouersie amoÌ„g vs of whiche so ofâ— aâ— mention is made vnder the name of it is named the hiest rule of righteousnesse Why therefore is any question moued of vnrighteousnesse where righteousnesse clerely appereth Neither let vs be ashamed after the exaÌ„ple of Paule so to stoppe the mouthes of the wicked â—roÌ„ time to time so oft as thei shal be bold to barke against it to repete this Whoe be ye miserable men that lay an accusation to Gods charge â–ª do therfore lay it to his charge bicause he doth not teÌ„per the greatnesse of his workes to your dulnesse As though thei were therfore wroÌ„gful bicause they are hidden froÌ„ flesh The vnmeasurablenesse of the iudgementes of God is by cleare experiences knowen vnto you Ye know that they are called the depe bottomlesse depth Nowe aske of the narrow capacities of your wit whether they coÌ„prehend that whiche God hath decreed with himself What good doth it you
therfore the ordering was called his Wherupon the olde writers haue oft thys saying that a Priest differeth from a Bishop in no other thyng but because he hath not the power of orderyng ¶ The .v. Chapter That the olde forme of gouernement is vtterly ouerthrowen by the tyranny of the Papacie NOw it is good to set before mens eies the order of gouerning the Chirche that the see of Rome and all the champions therof do kepe at thys daye and the whole image of that Hierachie whiche they continually haue in their mouth and to compare it with that order of the first and olde Chirche which we haue described that by the comparison it may appeare what maner of Chirch they haue which vse this only title to charge or rather to ouerwhelme vs. But it is best to begin at Calling that we see both who and what maner of men and by what order they be called to this ministerie And then afterwarde we shal consider how faythfully they execute their office We wil geue the first place to Bishops to whom I woulde to God thys might be an honor to haue the firste place in thys discourse But the matter it selfe doth not suffer me ones to touche this thing be it neuer so lightly without their great shame And yet I will remember in what kind of writing I am now occupyed and wil not suffer my talke which ought to be framed onely to simple doctrine to flowe abrode beyonde due boundes But let som one of them that haue not vtterly lost all shame answere me what maner of Bishops are at thys day cōmonly chosen Truely it is now growen to much out of vse to haue any examination had of their learning but if there be had any respect of learning they choose some lawyer that can rather brawle in a courte than preach in a Chirch This is certain that these hūdred yeres there hath scarcely ben euery hundreth man chosen that vnderstode any thyng of holy doctrine I do not therfore spare the former ages for that they wer muche better but because we haue now only the present Chirche in questiō If iudgement be had of their manners we shall fynde that there haue been few or almost none whō the olde Canons would not haue iudged vnworthy He that was not a dronkarde was a whoremonger he that was also cleane frō thys wickednesse was either a dycer or a hunter or dissolute in som part of hys lyfe For there be lighter faultes which by the old Canons do exclude a man frō being a Bishop But this is a most great absurditie that very children scarcely ten yeres olde are by the Popes graūt made Bishops They ar growē to such shamelessnesse sēslesse dulnesse that they dreaded not that extreme yea and monstruous wicked doing which is vtterly abhorring from the very sense of nature Hereby appeareth how religious their elections were where the negligence was so carelesse Now in election al that right of the people is taken away Their desiringes their assentinges their subscribinges and al such thynges are vanished the whole power is transferred to the Canons onely They bestowe the Bishoprike vpon whom they will and afterwarde bryng hym forth into the sight of the people but to be worshypped not to be examined But Leo cryeth on the other syde that no reason suffreth it and he pronounceth that it is a violent imposition Ciprian when he testifieth that it procedeth from the law of God that it shoulde not be done but by the consent of the people sheweth that the contrary manner is repugnant to the worde of God The decrees of so many Sinodes doe most seuerely forbid it to be otherwyse done and if it be done they commaunde it to be voyde If these thynges be true there now remayneth in the papacie no Canonical election neyther by Gods law nor by the ecclesiasticall lawe But although there were no other euil yet how shal they be able to excuse thys that they haue so spoyled the Chirche of her right But say they the corruption of tymes so required that because in appointing of Bishops hatreds and affections more preuailed with the people and the magistrates than righte and sounde iudgemente therefore the rule thereof shoulde be geuen to a few Admit verily that thys were the extreme remedie of a mischiefe in despeired case But sith the medicine it selfe hath appeared more hurtfull than the very disease why is not this new euil also remedied But say they it is exactly prescribed to the Canons what they ought to folowe in the election But do we doute but that the people in olde tyme dyd vnderstande that they were bounde to moste holy lawes when they saw that they had a rule set them by the worde of God when they cam together to choose a Bishop For that onely voyce of God wherby he describeth the true Image of a Bishop oughte worthyly to be of more value than infinite thousandes of Canons But neuerthelesse the people corrupted with a most euill affection had no regarde of the lawe or of equitie So at thys day though there be very good lawes written yet they remayne buried in papers Yet for the most part it is vsed in mens maners yea and alowed as though it were done by good reason that dronkardes whoremongers dycers are commonly promoted to thys honor it is but litle that I say that Bishoprikes are the rewardes of adulteries and bawderies For when they are geuen but to hunters and falconers it is to be thoughte to be gaily well bestowed Any way to excuse so haynous indignitie it is to much wicked The people say I had in olde tyme a very good Canon to whō Gods worde prescribed that a Bishop ought to be vnreprouable a teacher no fyghter c. Why therfore is the charge of choosyng remoued from the people to these men Because forsoth the worde of God was not heard among the tumultes and seditious partakinges of the people And why should it not at thys day be remoued agayne from these men which not onely do breake all lawes but casting away all shame do wantonly couetously ambitiously mingle and confounde Gods and mens maters together But they lye when they say that this was deuised for a remedie We often rede that in olde tyme Chirches were in tumultes at the choosing of Bishops yet neuer any man durst think of taking away the authoritie from the people For they had other wayes whereby they might either preuent these faultes or amend them if they were alredy cōmitted But I will tell what it is When the people began to be negligente in making the elections and did caste that care vppon the Priestes as litle belonging to them they abused thys occasion to vsurpe a tyranny to themselues whiche afterwarde they stablished by newe Canons set forth As for their ordering it is nothing els but a mere mockage For the shewe of examination that they there sette out is so vaine and hungry
of masses are not onely idle in their office but also haue no office at all to exercise For there is no place assigned them to teach they haue no flocke to gouerne Finally there is nothyng lefte to theim but the altar wherupon to sacrifice Christ which is not to offer to God but to deuyls as we shall see in an other place I doo not here touche the outwarde faultes but onely the inwarde euill whiche sticketh faste by the roote in their institution I will adde a saying whiche will sound yll in their eares but because it is true I must speake it that in the same degree are to bee accompted Canons Deanes Chaplains Prouostes and all they that are fedde with idle benefices For what seruice can they doo to the Chirche For they haue put from them selues the preachyng of the worde the care of discipline and ministration of Sacramentes as to muche troublesome burdens What then haue they remaynyng wherby they may boast theimselues to be true priestes Singing forsoothe and a pompe of Ceremonies But what is that to the purpose If they alledge Custome if vse if prescription of long tyme I agayne on the other syde doo laye vnto them the definition of Christ wherby he hath expressed vnto vs bothe true priestes and what they ought to haue that will be accompted such But if they can not beare so hard a lawe to submit themselues to Christes rule at the least let them suffer this matter to be determined by the authoritie of the Primitiue Chirche But their case shall be neuer the better if their state be iudged by the old canons They that haue degenerate into Canons should haue ben Priests as they were in old time that should rule the Chirche in common with the Bishop and bee as it were his companions in the office of Pastor Those Chapiter dignities as they call them doo nothyng at all belong to the gouernyng of the Chirch much lesse chapleinships and the other dregges of like names What accompt then shall we make of them all Truely both the word of Christe and the vsage of the Chirch excludeth them from the honor of priesthode Yet they stiffely holde that they be priestes but we must plucke of their visour so shall we fynde that their whole profession is moste strange and farre remoued from that office of Priestes bothe whiche the Apostles describe vnto vs and whiche was required in the primitiue Chirche Therfore all suche Orders with what titles soeuer they be notified sithe they be newe beyng verily neyther vpholden by the institution of God nor by the auncient vsage of the Chirche ought to haue no place in the description of the spiritual gouernement which the Chirche hath receiued consecrate with the Lordes owne mouth Or if they will rather haue me to speake more simply and grossely for as muche as chaplains Canons Deanes Prouostes and other idle bealies of the same sort do not so much as with their litle fynger touch any small parcell of that office whiche is necessarily required in Priestes it is not to be suffred that in wrongfully taking a fals honor vpon them selues they should breake the holy institution of Christ. There remaine Bishops and persons of Paroches who I wold to God they did striue to retein their office For we wold willyngly graunt vnto theim that they haue a godly and excellent office if they dyd execute it But when they will be accompted Pastors while they forsake the Chirches committed to them and cast the care of them vpon other they doo as if it were the Pastors office to doo nothyng If an vsurer that neuer stirred his foote oute of the citie woulde professe himselfe a Plowman or a keper of a vineyarde if a souldiour that had ben continually in the bataile and in the campe and hadde neuer seene iudiciall court or bookes would boast himself for a lawyer who could abide such stinkyng folies But these men doo somwhat more absurdly that will seeme and be called lawfull Pastors of the Chirche and yet will not be so For how many a one is there that doeth so muche as in shewe exercise the gouernement of his Chirch Many doo all their life long deuoure the reuenues of Chirches to which they neuer come so muche as to loke vpon them Some other doo ones by yeare either come themselues or sende their stewarde that nothyng should be lost in the letting to ferme When this corruption fyrst crept in they that would enioy this kynde of vacation exempted themselues by priuiledges nowe it is a rare example to haue one resident in his own Chirch For they esteme theim none otherwise than farmes ouer whiche they sette their vicars as baylies or farmers But this very naturall reason reiecteth that he should be pastor of a flocke that neuer sawe one shepe therof It appeareth that euen in the tyme of Gregorie there were certaine seedes of this mischief that the rulers of Chirches began to be negligent in teachyng for he dooeth in one place greuousely complayne of it The worlde saieth he is full of priestes but yet in the haruest there are seldome workemen founde because in dede we take vpon vs the office of priest but we fulfyll not the woorke of the office Againe because they haue not the bowelles of charitie they wyll seeme lordes they acknowledge not them selues to be fathers They change the place of humilitie into the aduauncyng of lordlynesse Agayne but what do we O pastours whyche receyue the rewarde and are no workemen We are fallen to outwarde busynesse and we take in hand one thyng and performe an other We leaue the ministerie of preachyng and to our punishement as I see we are called Bishops that keepe the name of honor and not of vertue Sith he vseth so great sharpnesse of words against them which wer but lesse continuyng and lesse diligent in their office What I pray you would he say if he saw of the Bishops almost none or truely very fewe and of the rest scarcely euery hundreth man ones in all his life to goe vp into a pulpet For men bee come to suche madnesse that it is commonly compted a thyng to base for the dignitie of a Bishop to make a sermon to the people In the tyme of Bernarde thinges were somwhat more decayed but we see also with how sharpe chidynges he inueyeth agaynst the whole order whiche yet it is likely to haue ben then muche purer than it is nowe But if a man doo well wey and examine this outewarde forme of ecclesiasticall gouernement that is at this daie vnder the papane he shall fynde that there is no theuishe corner wherin robbers doo more licenciously range without lawe and measure Truely all thinges are there so vnlike the institution of Christe yea so contrarye to it they are so degenerate from the auncient ordinances and maners of the Chirch they are so repugnant to nature and reason that there can be no greater iniurie done to
for the goodes of the poore that it is the shame of al priestes to study for their owne richesse But they can not receiue this but they must all condemne themselues of shame But it is not nedefull in this place to speake more hardly against them sithe my meanyng was nothyng els but to shew that among them the lawfull order of deaconry is long ago taken away that they may no more glorie of this title to the coÌ„mendation of their Chirche which I thinke I haue already sufficiently shewed The .vi. Chapter ¶ Of the Supremicie of the See of Rome HItherto we haue rehersed those orders of the Chirch whiche were in the gouernement of the olde Chirch but afterwarde corrupted in tymes and from thensefoorthe more and more abused doo nowe in the Popishe Chirche reteyne onely their name and in dede are nothyng els but visours that by comparison the godly reader might iudge what manner of Chirch the Romanists haue for whoe 's sake they make vs schismatikes because we haue departed froÌ„ it But as for the hed and top of the whole order that is to say the supremicie of the see of Rome wherby they trauaile to proue that they only haue the catholike Chirch we haue not yet touched it because it toke beginning neither froÌ„ the institution of Christ nor from the vse of the old Chirch as those former partes did whiche we haue shewed to haue so proceded from antiquitie that by wickednesse of tymes they are vtterly degenerate and haue put on alltogether a newe forme And yet they go about to persuade the worlde that this is the chiefe and in a maner onely bonde of the vnitie of the Chirch if we cleaue to the see of Rome and continue in the obedience therof They rest I say principally vppon this stay when they will take away the Chirche from vs and claime it to themselues for that they kepe the head vpon whiche the vnitie of the Chirch hangeth and withoute whiche the Chirche muste needes fall asunder and bee broken in pieces For thus they thynke that the Chirche is as it were a maimed and headlesse body vnlesse it be subiect to the see of Rome as to her head Therfore when they talke of their Hierarchie they aâ—way take their beginnyng at this principle that the Bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christe whyche is the head of the Chirche is in his steede President of the vniuersall Chirche and that otherwyse the Chirche is not well ordred vnlesse that See doo holde the Supremicie aboue all other Therfore this also is to bee examined of what sort it is that we may omitt nothyng that perteineth to a iust gouernement of the Chirche Let this therfore be the principall point of the question Whether it be necessary for the true forme of Hierarchie as they call it or ecclesiasticall order that one See should be aboue the other bothe in dignitie and in power that it may be the heade of the whole bodye But we make the Chirche subiect to to vniust lawes if we laye this necessitie vppon it without the worde of God Therfore if the aduersaries will proue that whiche they require they must first shew that this disposition was ordeined by Christ. For this purpose they alledge out of the lawe the hye priesthode also the hye iudgement which God did institute at Hierusalem But it is easy to geue a solution and that many wayes if one way doo not satisfie them First no reason compelleth to extende that to the whole worlde which was profitable in one nation yea rather the order of one nation and of the whole worlde shall be farre different Because the Iewes were on ech side compassed with idolatrers that they should not be diuersely drawen with varietie of religions God appointed the place of worshippyng him in the middest part of the lande there he ordeined ouer them one head Bishop whom they should all haue regard vnto that they might be the better kepte together in vnitie Now when religion is spred abroade into the whole worlde who doeth not see that it is altogether an absurditie that the gouernemeÌ„t of the East and west be geueÌ„ to one man For it is in effect as much as if a maÌ„ should affirme that the whole worlde ought to be gouerned by one ruler because one piece of lande hath no mo rulers but one But there is yet an other reason why that ought not to be made an example to be folowed No man is ignorant that that hie Bishop was a figure of Christ. Now sins the priesthode is remoued that right must also be remoued But to whom is it remoued Truely not to the Pope as he himself is so bold shamelessely to boast when he draweth this title to himselfe but to Christe whiche as he alone susteineth this office without any vicar or successor so he resigneth the honor to none other For the priesthode consisteth not in doctrine onely but in the appeasyng of God which Christe hath fully wrought by his death and in that intercession whiche he nowe vseth with his Father There is therfore no cause why they should bynd vs by this example as by a perpetuall rule whiche wee haue seen to be enduryng but for a tyme. Out of the new testament they haue nothing to bryng foorth for proofe of their opinion but that it was saied to one Thou art Peter and vpon this stone I will builde my Chirche Agayne Peter Louest thou me Fede my shepe But admittyng that these be strong proues they must first shewe that he whiche is commaunded to fede the flocke of Christ hath power coÌ„mitted to him ouer all Chirches that to bynd and to lose is nothing els but to be ruler of all the world But as Peter had receiued the commauÌ„dement of the Lord so he exhorteth all other priestes to fede the Chirch Hereby we may gather that by this sayeng of Christ there was either nothyng geuen to Peter more then to the rest or that Peter did egally coÌ„municate with other the power that he had receiued But that we striue not vainly we haue in an other place a cleare exposition out of the mouthe of Christ what is to bynd and to lose that is to say to reteine and to forgeue sinnes But the maner of binding and loosing both the whole Scripture ech where sheweth and Paule very wel declareth when he saith that the ministers of the Gospel haue coÌ„maundement to reconcile men to God and also haue power to punishe them that refuse this benefite How shamefully they wrest those places that make mention of binding and loosing I both haue already shortly touched and a litle hereafter I shal haue occasion to declare more at large Now it is good to se onely what they gather of that famous answere of Christ to Peter He promised hym the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen he sayed that whatsoeuer he bounde in earth shoulde be bounde in heauen
whom in dede the Lord published new oracles to be added to the law but yet not so new but that they cam out of the law and had respect vnto it For as touchyng doctrine they were only expositors of the law and added nothyng vnto it but prophecies of thyngs to come Those excepted they vttered nothyng els but a pure exposition of the lawe But because it pleased the Lord that there shold be a plainer and larger doctrine that weake consciences might be the better satisfied he cōmaunded that the Prophecies also shold be put in writyng and accompted parte of his worde And hereunto were added the histories whiche are also the workes of the Prophetes but made by the endityng of the Holy ghost I recken the Psalmes among the Prophecies because that which we attribute to the prophecies is also cōmon to the psalmes Therfore that whole body cōpacted of the law prophecies psalmes histories was the word of the Lord to the olde people by the rule whereof the prestes and teachers euen vnto Christes tyme were bounde to examine their doctrine neither was it lawfull for them to swarue either to the right hand or to the left because all their office was enclosed within these boundes that they should answer the people out of the mouth of God Which is gathered of a notable place of Malachie where he biddeth them to be mindful of the law to geue hede to it euē to the preaching of the Gospell For therby he forbiddeth them all new found doctrines and graunteth them no leaue to swarue neuer so little out of the way which Moses had faithfully shewed them And this is the reason why Dauid so honorably setteth out the excellence of the law reherseth so many praises of it that is that the Iewes should couete no forein thyng without it sith within it was all perfection enclosed But when at last the Wisdome of God was openly shewed in the flesh that same Wisdome with ful mouth declared vnto vs al that euer can with mans wit be cōprehēded or ought to be thought cōcerning the heuēly Father Now therefore sins Christ the fōne of rightousnesse hath shined we haue a perfect brightnesse of the truth of God such as the clerenesse is wōt to be a mid day when the light was before but dimme For verily the Prophet meant not to speake of any meane thing whē he wrote the God in old time spake diuersly many waies to the fathers by the prophets but that in these last daies he began to speake to vs by his beloued Sonne For he signifieth yea he openly declareth that God wil not hereafter as he did before speake somtime by some and sometime by other nor wil adde Prophecies to Prophecies or reuelations to reuelations but that he hath so fulfilled al the partes of teaching in the Sonne that they must haue thys of him for the last and eternal testimonie After whiche sort al this time of the new Testament wherein Christe hath appeared to vs with the preaching of his Gospell euen to the daie of iugement is expressed by the last houre the last times the last dayes to the ende verely that contented with the perfection of the doctrine of Christe we should learne neither to fayne vs any new beside it or receiue it fained of other Therfore not without cause the Father hath by singular prerogatiue ordeined the Sonne to be our Teacher commaunding hym not any man to be heard He did in dede in fewe wordes sette oute hys scholemaistership vnto vs when he said heare him but in whiche there is more weight force than men commonly thynke For it is as muche in effect as if leading vs away frō al doctrines of men he should bring vs to him only and commaūde vs to loke for al the doctrine of saluation at him alone to hang vpon him alone to cleaue to hym alone finally as the very wordes do sounde to harkē to the voice of hym alone And truely what ought there now to be either loked for or desyred at the hand of man when the very worde of lyfe hath familiarly and openly disclosed himselfe vnto vs Yea but it is mete that the mouthes of al mē be shut after that he in whom the heauēly Father willed to haue al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome to be hidden hath ones spoken and so spokē as became both the wisdome of God which is in no part vnperfect and Messias at whoe 's hand the reuelation of al thinges is hoped for that is to say that he left nothing afterwarde for other to be spoken Let this therefore be a stedfast principle that there is to be had no other worde of God wherunto place should be geuen in the Chirche than that which is conteined first in the law and the Prophetes and then in the writinges of the Apostles that there is no other manner of teaching rightly but according to the prescription and rule of the word Hereupon also we gather that ther was no other thing graūted to the Apostles but that which the Prophetes had had in olde tyme that is that they should expounde the olde Scripture and shewe that those thinges that are therein taught are fulfilled in Christ and yet that they should not do the same but of the Lorde that is to saye the Spirite of Christe going before them and after a certaine maner enditing wordes vnto them For Christ limited their embassage with this condition when he commaunded them to goe and teache not such thinges as they themselues had rashly forged but al those thynges that he had cōmaunded them And nothing could be more playnly spokē thā that which he saieth in an other place but be not ye called maisters for onely one is your maister Christe Then to emprint this more depely in their minde he repeteth it twise in thesame place And because their rudenesse was such that they could not cōceiue those thynges that they had heard and learned of the mouth of their maister therfore the Spirite of trueth is promised them by whō they should be directed to the true vnderstanding of al thinges For the same restrayning is to be diligētly noted where this office is assigned to the Holy ghost to put them in minde of al those thinges that he before taught them by mouth Therfore Peter who was very wel taught how much he might lawfully do leaueth nothing either to himselfe or other but to distribute the doctrine deliuered of God Let him that speaketh saieth he speake as the wordes of God that is to say not doutingly as they are wont to tremble whoe 's own cōscience misgeueth them but with sure cōfidēce which becōmeth the seruāt of God furnished with assured instructiōs What other thing is this but to forbidde al inuentions of mans minde frō what hed soeuer they haue proceded that the pure word of God may be heard learned in the Chirch
wherof consciences are bounde as though they wer necessarie to be obserued Let vs therfore remeÌ„ber that al lawes of meÌ„ ought to be weyed with this balance if we wil haue a sure triall that may neuer suffer vs to erre The first of these reasons Paule in the Epistle to the Colossians vseth in contending against the false Apostles that attempted to oppresse the Chirches with newe burdeÌ„s The secoÌ„d reasoÌ„ he more vseth with the GalatiaÌ„s in the like case This therfore he trauaileth to proue in the Epistle to the ColossiaÌ„s that the doctrine coÌ„cerning the true worshipping of God is not to be sought at meÌ„s hands because the Lord hath faithfully fully instructed vs how he ought to be worshipped To proue the same in the first chap. he saith that in the Gospel is coÌ„teined al wisdome wherby the maÌ„ of God may be made perfect in Christe In the beginning of the ii chap. he saith that al the treasures of wisdome vnderstanding are hiddeÌ„ in Christ. TherupoÌ„ he afterward coÌ„cludeth let the faithfull beware that they be not by vain Philosophie led froÌ„ the flocke of Christe according to the constitutions of meÌ„ But in the ende of the chapter he doth yet with greater boldnesse condemne al Ethelothreskias that is to say al fained worshippings which meÌ„ deuise to theÌ„selues or receiue of other whatsoeâ—er precepts they dare of theÌ„selues geue coÌ„cerniÌ„g the worshippiÌ„g of god We haue therfore that al those ordinaÌ„ces are wicked in obseruing wherof the worshipping of God is fained to be As for the places in the Galatians wherw t he earnestly affirmeth the consciences which ought to be ruled of God only ought not to be entaÌ„gled with snares they are opeÌ„ enough specially in the .v. Chap. Therfore let it be sufficient to haue but noted theÌ„ But because the whole mater shal better be made open by examples before that we goe any further it is good also to apply this doctrine to our own times We say that the coÌ„stitutioÌ„s which they cal Ecclesiasticall wherwith the Pope and his do burden the Chirch are pernicious wicked our aduersaries defende that they be holy auailable to saluatioÌ„ There be twoo kindes of them for some coÌ„cerne Ceremonies rites other some perteine more to discipline Is there theÌ„ a iust cause to moue vs to impugne them both Truly a iuster thaÌ„ we would Firste do not the authors theÌ„selues clerely define that the very worshipping of God is conteined in them To what purpose do they apply their Ceremonies but that God shold be worshipped by them And that coÌ„meth to passe not by the only error of the ignorant multitude but by their allowaÌ„ce that haue the place of teachiÌ„g I do not touche the grosse abhominations wherw t they haue gone about to ouerthrow al godlinesse But it should not be imagined among them to be so hainous an offeÌ„se to haue failed in any of the least pety traditioÌ„s vnlesse they did make the worshipping of god subiect to their fained deuises What do we theÌ„ offende if at this day we can not beare that whiche Paul taught to be intolerable that the lawfull order of the worshipping of God should be reduced to the wil of meÌ„ specially when they coÌ„maund meÌ„ to worship according to the elemeÌ„tes of this world which Paul testifieth to be against Christ Againe it is not vnknoweÌ„ with how precise necessitie they binde coÌ„sciences to kepe whatsoeuer they coÌ„mauÌ„de Here when we cry out to the coÌ„trary we haue al one cause with Paule which in no wise suffreth faithful consciences to be brought into bondage of men Moreouer this worst of al is added that when religioÌ„ hath ones begon to be defined with such vain inueÌ„tioÌ„s there euer foloweth after that peruersnesse an other abhominable frowardnesse wherof Christ reproched the Pharisees that the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God is made voide for the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ I wil not vse mine own words in fighting against our lawmakers at these daies Let them haue the victory if they can by any meane purge theÌ„selues froÌ„ this accusatioÌ„ of Christ. But how should they excuse them wheÌ„ amoÌ„g them it is thought infinitly more hainous to haue omitted auricular coÌ„fessioÌ„ when the time of yere coÌ„meth about thaÌ„ to haue coÌ„tinued a most wicked life a whole yere together to haue infected their tong with a litle tasting of flesh on a Friday thaÌ„ to haue defiled their body with whoredome al the dayes of the weke to haue put their hand to an hâ—nest work vpoÌ„ a day coÌ„secrate to I wote not what pety Saints thaÌ„ to haue coÌ„tinually exercised their meÌ„bers in most wicked offeÌ„ses for a Priest â—o be coupled with one lawful mariage thaÌ„ to be entaÌ„gled with a thousand adulteries not to haue performed a vowed pilgremage thaÌ„ to breake faith in al promises not to haue wasted somwhat vpoÌ„ monstruous no lesse superfluous vnprofitable excessiue gorgiousnesse of teÌ„ples thaÌ„ to haâ—e failed to help the extreme necessities of the poore to haue passed by an idâ—e wtout honor thaÌ„ to haue despitefully entreated al kindes of men not 〈◊〉 haue mumbled vp at certaine houres a great nuÌ„ber of wordes without vnderstanding thaÌ„ neuer to haue conceiued a true praier in their hart What is to make voide the coÌ„maundement of God for the traditions of men if this be not when coÌ„mending the keping of Gods commaundemeÌ„tes but coldly as it were lightly by the way they do no lesse earnestly and busily exact the obeying of their owne than if they conteined in them the whole pith of godlinesse â–ª wheÌ„ reuenging the transgressing of Gods law with light penalties of satisfactions they punishe the very least offence of one of their own decrees with no lesse peine than with prisonmente banishmente fier or swerd Being not so sharpe and harde to entreate against the despisers of God they persecute the despisers of themselues with vnappeasable hatred to the extremitie doe so instructe all those whoe 's simplicitie they holde captiue that they would with more contented minde se the whole law of God ouerthrowen than one smal title as they cal it in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the Chirche to be broken Firste in thys point is greuous offence coÌ„mitted that for small maters and such as if it should be tried by Gods iudgement are at libertie one maÌ„ despiseth iudgeth and casteth away an other But now as though that were not euil enough those trifling elementes of the world as Paule calleth them in his writing to the Galatians are weyed of more value thaÌ„ the heaueÌ„ly Oracles of God And he that is in a maner acquited in adulterie is iudged in meate he that hath leaue to vse a harlot is forbidden to haue a wife This profit verily is gotten by that transgressing obedience which is so much turned froÌ„ God as it declineth to men There be also other twoe not scleÌ„der faultes which we disallow in the same ordinaÌ„ces First
brightnesse of the Gospell that they nothyng edifie but be rather vnprofitable and trifling occupations than true exercises of godlinessâ— that they be laied abrode to filthinesse and vnhonest game that they be to hard to be kept that they be defiled with euel superstitions these shall be helyes that we may the more easily finde how much euell is in them I heare what they aunswer for them selues that their traditions are not of theÌ„ selues but of God For they say that the Chirch is gouerned of the Holy gost that it can not erre and that the authoritie therof remaineth with them WheÌ„ this is obteined it therwithal foloweth that their traditions are the reuelations of the Holy ghost which can not be despised but wickedly and with the contempt of God And that they shoulde not seme to haue attempted any thing without greate authoritie they wyll haue it beleued that a greate parte of their obseruations came from the Apostles and they affirme that by one example is sufficiently declared what the Apostles did in other thinges when beyng assembled in one Councell they dyd by the decree of the Councell commaunde the Gentiles to absteine from thyngs offred to idols from blood and strangled We haue already in an other place declared howe falsly for boastyng of themselues they lyingly vsurpe the title of the Chirche So muche as concernyng this present cause if pluckyng awaye all visors and deceitfull colors we truely loke vpon that which we ought principally to care for and whiche chefely is for our behofe that is what maner of Chirch Christ will haue that we maye fashion and frame our selues to the rule therof it shal easily be euident vnto vs that it is not the Chirch which passyng the boundes of the worde of God doeth outrage and runne as riot in makyng of newe lawes For doeth not that lawe whiche was ones prescribed to the Chirche remayne eternall What I commaunde thee that thou shalte kepe that thou mayste doo it Thou shalte not adde any thyng nor take any thyng from it And in an other place Adde not to the word of the Lord nor minishe any thing least he peraduenture reproue thee and thou be founde a lyer Sithe they can not denie that this was spoken to the Chirch what do they els but reporte the stubbornesse of that Chirche which they boast to haue ben so bold as after suche prohibitions neuerthelesse to adde myngle of her owne with the doctrine of God But God forbidde that we should assent to their lyes wherby they burden the Chirch with so greate a sclaunder but let vs vnderstande that the name of the Chirch is falsly pretended so ofte as this lust of mens rashnesse is spoken of which can not hold it self within the prescribed boundes of God but that it wyldly rangeth and runneth out into her owne inuentions There is nothyng entangled nothing darke nothing doutefull in these woordes in whiche the whole Chirche is forbidden to adde to the worde of God or to take any thyng from it when the worshippyng of God and preceptes concernyng saluation are entreated of But this say they was spoken of the law only after which folowed the prophecies and the whole ministratioÌ„ of the Gospell I graunt in deede and I adde also whiche are rather fulfillyngs of the law than additions or diminyshynges But if the Lorde suffred nothyng to be added to or taken from the ministerie of Moses whych was as I may so terme it darke by reason of many doutefull enwrappyngs tyll by hys seruantes the Prophetes and at length by his beloued Sonne he ministred a cleerer doctrine why should we not thynke it muche more seuerely forbydden vs that we shoulde adde nothyng to the lawe the Prophetes the Psalmes and the Gospell The Lorde is not gone out of kynde from hymselfe whych hath long agoe declared that he is with nothyng so hyely offended as when he is worshipped with the inuentions of men Wherof cam those notable sayings in the Prophetes which ought to haue continually sounded in our eares I spake no wordes to your fathers in the day that I brought them out of Egypt concernyng sacrifice and burnt offryng But this worde I commaunded them sayeng With hearyng heare my voyce and I wyll be your God and you shal be my people and ye shall walke in all the way that I shall commaunde you Agayne I haue with protesting protested vnto your fathers Heare my voyce And other lyke sayengs but this is notable aboue the reste Wyll God haue burnt offrynges and sacrifices and not rather that his voyce be obeyed For obedience is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than to offer the satte of rammes For to resyst is as the synne of soothsayeng and not to obey is as the wyckednesse of Idolatrie Therfore whatsoeuer inuentions of menne are in this behalfe defended with the authoritie of the Chirche forasmuche as the same can not be excused from the crime of vngodlynesse it is easy to proue that it is falsly imputed to the Chirch After this sort we freely inuey agaynst this tyrannie of mens traditions which is proudly thrust in among vs vnder the title of the Chirche For neither do we scorne the Chirche as our aduersaries to bryng vs in hatred do vniusâ—ly lye vpon vs but we geue vnto her the prayse of obedience than whych she knoweth no greater prayse They rather are very sore wrongdoers to the Chirche whiche make her obstinate against her Lorde whyle they fayne that she hath proceded further thaÌ„ she lawfully myght do by the word of God though I speake nothyng howe it is a notable shamelessnesse ioyned with as great malice continually to crie oute of the authoritie of the Chirche and in the meane tyme dissemblyngly to hyde bothe what is commaunded her by the Lorde and what obedience she oweth to the commaundement of the Lorde But if we haue a mynde as it is mete we should haue to agree with the Chirch this perteyneth rather to the purpose to haue an eye vnto and remember what is commaunded by the Lord bothe to vs and the Chirch that we should with one agreement obey hym For there is no doute but we shall very well agree with the Chirch if we doe in all thynges shewe our selues obedient to the Lord. But now to father vppon the Apostles the originall of the traditions wherwith the Chirch hath ben hetherto oppressed was a point of mere deceite forasmuche as the doctrine of the Apostles trauaileth wholly to this ende that consciences shold not be butdened with newe obseruations nor the woorshippyng of God bee defiled with oure inuentions Moreouer if there be any faithfulnesse in histories and auncient monumentes the Apostles not only neuer knew but also neuer heard of this that they attribute vnto them Neither let them prate that the most part of their decrees were receiued in vse and in mens behauiours which neuer were put in writyng euen those thyngs
commaundement of God The Altar of Achaz the paterne whereof was broughte out of Samaria might haue semed to encrease the garnishment of the tēple wheras his deuise was to offre Sacrifices therupō to God only which he should do more honorably than vpon the first olde Altar yet we see how the Spirite detesteth the boldnesse for none other cause but for that the inuentions of mē in the worshipping of God are vnclene corruptions And how much more clerely the will of God is opened vnto vs so much the lesse excusable is our frowardnesse to attempt any thīg And therfore worthily with this circumstance the crime of Manasses is enforced for that he bilded a new altar in Ierusalem of which God had pronounced I wil there set my name because the authoritie of God is now as it were of set purpose refused Many do maruel why God so sharply threteneth y◠he wil do thinges to be wondred at to the people of whō he was worshipped with the cōmaundemētes of men pronounceth that he is worshipped in vaine with the preceptes of mē But if they cōsidered what it is in the cause of religion that is to say of heauēly wisdome to hāg vpō the only mouth of God they would therewtal se that it is no sclēder resō why God so abhorreth such peruerse seruices that are done to him accordīg to the lust of mās wit For althoughe they that obey such lawes for the worshipping of God haue a certaine shewe of humilitie in this their obedience yet they are not hūble before God to whō they prescribe the same lawes which they thēselues do kepe This is the reson why Paul willeth vs so diligently to beware that we be not deceiued by the traditions of mē that which he calleth ethelothreskian that is Wilworship inuēted of mē beside the doctrine of God This is verily true both our own wisdom al mens wisdom must be foolish vnto vs that we may suffer him alone to be wise Which way they kepe not which do studie with pety obseruations fayned by the wil of men to cōmend themselues vnto hym do thrust vnto hym as it were against his will a transgressing obedience towarde hym whiche is in dede geuen to mē As it hath ben done both in many ages heretofore and in the tyme within our owne remembrance and is also at thys daye done in those places where the authoritie of the creature is more estemed thā of the creator where religion if yet the same be worthy to be called religion 〈◊〉 defiled with moe and more vnsauorie superstitions than euer was any Paynime wickednesse For what could the witt of men brede but al thynges carnal and foolishe and such as truely resemble theyr authors Whereas also the Patrones of superstitions allege that Samuell Sacrificed in Ramatha and although the same was done beside the law yet it pleased God the solution is easy that it was not a certayne seconde altar to set against the one onely altar but because the place was not yet appointed for the arke of couenant he appointed the towne where he dwelled for Sacrifices as the most conuenient place Truely the minde of the holy Prophete was not to make any innouation in holy thinges whereas God had so streightly forbidden any thing to be added or minished As for the example of Menoha I say that it was an extraordinarie and singular case He being a priuate man offered sacrifice to God not without the allowāce of God verily because he enterprised it not of a rash motion of his own minde but by a heauenlye instinction But how much the Lord abhorreth those thinges that men deuise of themselues to worship hym withall an other not inferior to Gedeon is a notable example whoe 's Ephod turned to destruction not only to hym and hys familie but to the whole people Finally euery new founde inuention wherewith mē couet to worship God is nothing ells but a defiling of true holinesse Why then saye they did Christ will that those intollerable burdens should be borne which the Scribes and Pharisees bounde vpon men But why in an other place did the same Christ wil that men should beware of the leuen of the Pharisees calling leuen as Mathew the Euangelist expoundeth it all their own doctrine that they mingled with the purenesse of the worde of God What would we haue more playne thā that we be commaunded to flee and beware of al their doctrine Whereby it is made most certaine vnto vs that in the other place also the Lorde willed not that the cōsciences of his shoulde be vexed with the Pharisees own traditiōs And the very wordes if they be not wrested soūde of no such thing For the Lord purposing there to enuey sharply againste the maners of the Pharisees did first simply instruct them that heard hym that although they saw nothing in their life mete for them to folow yet they should not cesse to do those thyngs which they taught in wordes whyle they sate in the chaire of Moses that is to declare the law Therefore he meant nothing ells but to prouide that the cōmon people should not with the euil exāples of the teachers be brought to despise the doctrine But forasmuch as many are nothing at al moued with resons but alwaye require authoritie I wil allege Augustines wordes in whiche the very same thing is spoken The Lordes shepefolde hath gouernoures some faithfull and some hirelinges The gouernours that are faithfull are true Pastors but heare ye that the hireliges also are necessarie for many in the Chirch folowing earthly profites do preach Christe and by them the voice of Christ is heard and the shepe do folowe not a hireling but the Pastor by the meanes of a hireling Heare ye that hirelinges are shewed by the Lord himselfe The Scribes saith he the Pharisees sitt in the chaire of Moses Doe ye those thinges that they saye but do not those thinges that they do What other thing said he but heare the voice of the Pastor by the hirelinges For in sitting in the chaire they teache the law of God therfore God teacheth by thē But if they wil teache their owne heare it not do it not This saith Augustine But wheras many vnskilfull men when they heare that consciences are wickedly boūde and God worshipped in vaine with the traditions of men do at ones blott out altogether al lawes whereby the order of the Chirch is set in Frame therefore it is conuenient also to mete with their error Uerily in this point it is easy to be deceiued because at the first sight it doeth not by and by appeare what differēce is betwene the one sort and the other But I will so plainly in few wordes sett out the whole mater that the likenesse may deceiue no man First let vs holde this that if we see in euery felowship of men some policie to be necessarie that may
abolished But those Bishops that haue abused suche goodnesse of princes to their owne cōmoditie haue by shewyng of this one exāple enough and to much testified that they are not Bishops For if they had had any sparcle of an Apostolike spirite they wold without doute haue answered out of the mouthe of Paule The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall But they beyng rauished with blynd gredinesse haue destroyed bothe them selues their successoures and the Chirche At length the Bishop of Rome not contented with meane lordships fyrst layde hande vpon kingdomes and afterwarde vpon the very empire And that he may with some color whatsoeuer it be reteine the possession gotten by mere robberie he sometime bosteth that he hath it by the lawe of God he sometime pretendeth the gift of Constantine sometyme some other title Fyrst I answer with Bernarde Admitte that he do by any other reason whatsoeuer claime this vnto hym yet he hath it not by Apostolike right For Peter coulde not geue that whiche he had not but he gaue to his successors that which he had the care of Chirches But when the Lorde and maister saieth that he is not appointed iudge betwene two a seruant and scholar ought not to thinke scorne if he be not iudge of all men But Bernarde speaketh of ciuile iugementes For he addeth Therfore your power is in crimes not in possessions because for those and not for these ye haue receiued the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen For whiche seemeth to thee the greater dignitie to forgeue sinnes or to diuide landes There is no comparison These base and earthly thynges haue kynges and princes of the earthe their iudges Why do ye inuade the boundes of other c. Againe Thou arte made a superior he speaketh to Pope Eugenius but wherunto Not to beare lordship I thinke Therfore howe muche soeuer we thinke of our selues let vs remembre that there is a ministerie laid vpon vs not a lordshyp geuen vs. Learne that thou hast nede of a wedehoke not of a scepter that thou mayste doo the worke of a Prophete Agayne it is playne Lordship is forbidden to the Apostles Goe thou therfore and presume to vsurpe to thy selfe either beeyng a lorde an Apostleshippe or beyng an Apostle a lordship And by and by after the forme of an Apostleship is this Lordshippe is forbidden them ministerie is bidden them Wheras these thynges are so spoken of a man that it is euidente to all men that the very truthe speaketh them yea where as the very thyng it selfe is manifest without all woordes yet the bishop of Rome was not ashamed in the Councell at Orleaunce to decree that the supreme power of bothe the swerdes belong to hym by the lawe of God As for the gift of Constantine they that be but meanly practised in the histories of those tymes nede not to be taught howe muche this is not only fabulous but also to be laughed at But to passe ouer histories Gregorie himself is bothe a sufficient and most full witnesse hereof For so oft as he speaketh of the emperor he calleth him most noble Lord and himselfe his vnworthy seruant Againe in an other place But lette not our Lord by the earthly power be the soner angry with the prestes but with excellent consideration for his sake whoe 's seruantes they be let him so rule ouer them that he also geue them due reuerence We see howe in common subiection he wold be accompted as one of the people For he there pleadeth not any other mans cause but his owne In an other place I trust in the almighty God that he wyll geue a long lyfe to our godly lordes and will dispose vs vnder your hande accordyng to his mercie Neither haue I therfore alleged these thynges for that it is my purpose throughly to discusse his question concernyng the gift of Constantine but only that the Reders should see by the way how chyldishly the Romanistes do lye when they go about to chalenge an erthly empire to their Bishop And so muche the more fowle is the shamelesnesse of Augustine Steuchus which in suche a despeired cause hath ben so bolde to selle his trauayle and tong to the Bishop of Rome Ualla as it was not hard for a man learned and of a sharp witt had strongly confuted that fable And yet as a man litle exercised in ecclesiasticall maters he had not sayde all that mighte haue made for that purpose Steuchus burst in and scattred stinkyng trifles to oppresse the clere light And truely he doeth no lesse coldly handle the cause of his master that if some mery conceited felow faynyng himself to do the same wold in dede take Uallaes part But verily it is a woorthy cause for whiche the Pope should hyre such patrones for money and no lesse worthy are those hyred losells to be deceyued of theyr hope of gayne as it hapened to Eugubinus But if any man require to knowe the tyme sins this fained empire began to ryse vp there are not yet passed fiue hundred yeares sins the Bishoppes yet remained in subiection of the princes neither was the Pope created without the authoritie of the Emperor The Emperor Henry the fowerth of that name a light and rashe man and of no forcast of great boldnesse and dissolute life gaue first occasion to Gregorie the .vii. to alter this order For when he had in his court the Bishoprikes of all Germanie partly to be sold and partly laid open for spoile Hildebrand whiche had receyued displeasure at his hande caught hold of a goodly color to reuenge himselfe But because he seemed to pursue an honeste and a godly cause he was furthered with the fauor of many And Henry was otherwise by reason of his insolent maner of gouernyng hated of the most part of princes At the length Hildebrand whiche called hymself Gregorie the .vii. as he was a filthy and naughty man bewrayed the malice of his harte which was the cause that he was forsaken of many that had conspired with hym But he thus much preuailed that his successors might freely without punishment not only shake of the yoke but also bryng Emperors in subiection to them Hereunto was added that from thense fourth there were many Emperors liker to Henrie than to Iulius Cesar whō it was no hard thing to subdue while they sate at home carelesse of all thinges and slouthful when they had most nede with vertue and lawfull meanes to represse the gredinesse of the Bishops Thus we see with what color that same goodly gift of Constantine is shadowed wherby the Pope fayneth that the Empire of the West was deliuered vnto him In the meane time the Popes cessed not somtime with fraude somtime with treason and somtime with force to inuade other mens dominions and the very citie it selfe which before was free within a hundred and thirty yeres or there about they broughte into their subiection till they grewe to the same
his helpe by whoe 's onely power they may resist If they preuaile not let them not despise the remedie that is offered them For they by the certaine word of God are called to mariage to whom power of cōtinence is denyed Continence I call not wherby the body is onely kepte cleane from whoredome but whereby the mynde kepeth chastitie vndefiled For Paule commaundeth not onely outwarde wantonnesse but also the burning of the minde to be auoided Thys say they hath from furthest tyme of memorie ben obserued that they whiche woulde dedicate themselues wholly to the Lorde should binde themselues to the vowe of continence I graunte in dede that this manner hath also ben of auncient tyme receiued but I doe not graunt that that age was so free from all faulte that whatsoeuer was then done must be taken for a rule And by litle and litle this vnappeasable seueritie crept in that after a vowe made there was no roome for repentance Which is euident by Cypriane If virgins haue of Faith dedicate themselues to God let them cōtinue shamefastly and chastly without any faining So being strong and stedfast let them loke for the rewarde of virginitie But if they will not or can not continue it is better that they should marrye than with their delightes fall into the fier What reproches would they now spare to teare him withall that would with suche equitie temper the vowe of continence Therefore they are departed farr from that aunciente manner which will not onely admitt no moderation or pardon if any be founde vnable to performe hys vowe but they doe without all shame pronounce that he sinneth more greuouslye if he remedie the intemperance of the fleshe with taking a wife than if he defile bothe his body and soule with whoredome But they still enforce the mater and goe about to shewe that suche a vowe was vsed in the Apostles tyme because Paule sayth that the widowes which hauing ben ones receiued into the Publike ministerie did marrye denyed their first Fayth But I doe not denie to them that the widowes whiche bounde themselues and their seruices to the Chirch did therewithall take vpon them the bonde of cōtinuall vnmaried life not because they reposed any religion therin as it afterward began to be vsed but because they could not beare that office but beeing at their own libertie and loose from yoke of mariage But if whē they had ones geuen their Fayth they loked backe to newe mariages what was thys ells but to shake of the calling of God ▪ Therefore it is no maruell that with suche desires he saith that they waxe wanton against Christe Afterwarde to amplifie the mater he sayeth that they do so not performe that whiche they haue promised to the Chirch that they doe also breake and make voide their first Faith geuen in Baptisme in whiche this is comprehended that euery man should answere his calling Unlesse parhappe you had rather vnderstande it thus that hauing as it were loste all shame they did frō thense fourth caste away all care of honestie did geue fourth themselues to all wantonnesse and vnchastitie and did in licentious and dissolute life resemble nothing lesse than Christian women whiche sense I like very well Therefore we answere that those widowes whiche were then receiued to Publike ministere did lay vppon themselues a bonde to continue vnmaried if they afterwarde maried we easily perceiue that that happened to them whiche Paule speaketh of that casting awaye shame they became more wanton than besemed Christian women That so they not onely sinned in breaking their Faith geuen to the Chirch but swarued from the common law of godly women But firste I deny that they did professe vnmaried life for any other reson but because mariage agreed not with that ministerie which they toke in hand and I deny that they did binde themselues at al to single life but so farr as the necessitie of their vocatiō did beare Againe I do not graūt that they were so bounde but that it was then also better for them to mary than either to be troubled with the prickinges of the flesh or to fal into any vnclennese Thirdly I say that that age is appointed of Paule which is cōmonly out of danger specially sithe he cōmaūdeth them only to be chosē which cōtented with one mariage haue alredy shewed a token of their cōtinēce And we do for no other resō disallow that vow of vnmaried life but because it is both wrongfully taken for a seruice of God it is rashly vowed of them to whō power of continence is not geuen But how was it lawful to draw this place of Paul to Nonnes For there were created deconisses not to delite God with singing and wyth mumbling not vnderstanded lyue the rest of their time idle but that they should execute publike ministration towarde the poore that they should with all study earnestnesse and diligence endeuor themselues to the duties of charitie They did not vow vnmaried life to yeld therby any worship to God because they absteined from mariage but only because they were therby the more vncombred to execute their office Fynally they did not vow it either in the beginning of their youth or yet in the middest of their flowing age that they might afterwarde learne to late by experience into how great a hedlong downefal they had throwen themselues but when they semed to haue passed all danger than they vowed a no lesse safe than holy vow But not to enforce the firste twoo pointes I say it was not lawful to haue women receiued to vow continence before the age of three score yeres forasmuch as the Apostle admitteth only women of .lx. yeres olde and commaundeth the yonger to marry and bryng fourth childrē Therfore neither that release made of .xii. yeres and then xx and afterward of thirty yeres ▪ can be any way excused and much lesse is it tolerable that silly maides before that they can by age knowe themselues or haue any experience of themselues at not only trained by fraude ▪ but cōstrayned by force threateninges to put on those cursed snares I will not tarry vpō cōfuting the other twoo vowes Only this I say beside this that they be entangled with not a few superstitions as the mater is now a daies they seme to be made to this purpose that they which vow them should mock both God and mē But least we should seme to maliciously to shake vp euery small parcel we will be contente with that generall confutation whiche is aboue set What manner of vowes be lawfull and acceptable to God I thynke is sufficiently declared Yet because somtime vnskilfull and fearefull consciences euen when they misslike or disallowe any vowe do neuerthelesse dout of the bynding and are greuously tormented when they bothe drede to breake their Faith geuen to God and on the other side they feare least they should more sinne in keping it here they are to be
and wheras it was necessarie that they which were mingled with prophane men and idolatrers should by some outwarde signe testifie their Fayth the holy man for order and policies sake appoynted that day wherin the whole people of Christians should by partaking of the Lordes Supper vtter a confession of their faith The ordinance of zepherinus being otherwise good hath ben euel wrested of them that came after when a certaine law was made of one communicating yerely wherby it is come to passe that almost al men when they haue ones communicate as though they had gaily discharged themselues for al the rest of the yere slepe soundly on bothe eares It ought to haue ben farr otherwise done Euery weke at the least the Lordes table shoulde be sett before the assemblie of the Christians the promises should be declared which might fede vs spiritually at it none should in dede be compelled by necessitie but all should be exhorted and prycked forwarde the sluggishnesse also of the slouthfull should be rebuked All should by heapes as hungry men come together to such deynties Not without rightfull cause therefore at the beginning I complayned that by the craft of the deuil this custome was thrust in which whē it apointeth one certaine day of the yere maketh men slouthfull for all the reste of the yere We se in dede that this peruerse abuse was crept in euen in the tyme of Chrysostome but we may also therewithall see how muche it displeased hym For he complaineth with greuous wordes in thesame place whiche I euen nowe alleged that there is so great inequalitie of this mater that often in sometimes of the yere they came not euen whē they were cleane but at Easter they came euē whē they were vncleane Then he cryeth out O custome O presumption Then in vaine is the daily offring vsed in vaine we stande at the altar there is none that partaketh together with vs. So farr is it of that he alowed it by his authoritie adioyned to it Out of the same shop proceded also an other ordinance whiche hath stolen away or violently taken away the halfe of the Supper from the better nūber of the people of God namely the signe of the blood which beyng denyed to lay and profane men for with such titles forsothe they set out Gods inheritance became a peculiar possession to shauen anoynted men It is the commaundement of the eternall God that al should drynke which commaundement man dare discontinue and repelle with a new and contrarie law commaunding that not all shoulde drynke And that these law makers should not seme to fight wtout reson against their God they pretende perils that myght happen if this holy cup were commonly geuen to all as though those dangers had not ben foreseen and marked of the eternal wisdome of God And then suttelly forsothe they reson that the one is enough for both For if say they it be the body it is whole Christ which can not now be seuered frō hys body Therfore by Accompanieng the body conteineth the blood Loe how our wit agreeth with God when it hath neuer so litle begon with loose reines to be wanton and wilde The Lord shewing bred saith that it is his body when he sheweth the cup he calleth it his blood The boldnesse of mans reason crieth out contrariwise that the bred is the blood and the wine is the body as though the Lord had for no cause seuered his body from his blood bothe in wordes and in signes or as though it had euer ben heard spoken that the body or blood of Christ is called God man Uerily if he had ment to signifie whole himselfe he might haue sayed it is I as he is wont to speake in the Scriptures and not thys is my body thys is my blood But he willing to helpe our weaknesse did set the cup seuerally from the bred to teache that he sufficeth no lesse for drinke than for meate Nowe let one part be taken away then we shall finde but the one halfe of the nourishmentes in him Therfore although it be true which they pretende that the blood is in the bred by way of Accompanieng and againe the body in the cup yet they defraude godly soules of the confirmation of Fayth whiche Christe deliuereth as necessarie Therefore bidding their suttelties farewell we muste holde faste the profit whiche is by the ordinance of Christe in the twoo earnestes I knowe in dede that the ministers of Satan doe here cauil as it is an ordinarie thing with them to make mockerie of the Scriptures First thei allege that of one bare doing ought not to be gathered a rule wherby the Chirch should be bounde to perpetual obseruing But they lye when they say that it was but a bare doyng for Christ did not only deliuer the cuppe but also did institute that his Apostles should in tyme to come doo the same For they are the wordes of a commaunder drinke ye all of this cuppe And Paule so reherseth that it was a dede that he also commendeth it for a certain rule An other starting hole is that the Apostles alone were receiued of Christ to the partaking of this Supper whome he had already chosen and taken into the order of the sacrificyng prestes But I would haue them answere me to fiue questions from which they shall not be able to escape but that they shall be easily conuinced with their lies Fyrst by what oracle haue they this solution reueled beyng so strange from the worde of God The Scripture reckeneth .xii. that sate with Iesus but it dothe not so obscure the dignitie of Christ that it calleth them sacrificing prestes of which name we will speake hereafter in place fit for it Though he gaue it then to the .xii. yet he commaunded that they should do the same namely that they shold so distribute it among them Secondely why in that better age from the Apostles almost a thousand yeres were al without exception made partakers of bothe the signes was the old Chirche ignorant what gestes Christ had receiued to his Supper It were a point of moste desperate shamelesnesse here to sticke and dally in graūtyng it to bee true There remayne the ecclesiasticall hystories there remayne the bokes of the old writers which minister euident testimonies of this matter The fleshe sayth Tertullian is fed with the body blood of Christ that the soule may be fatted with fedyng vpon God How sayd Ambrose to Theodosius wilt thou receiue with suche handes the holy body of the Lorde With what boldnesse wilte thou with thy mouthe partake of the cup of the precious blood And Hierome sayth The prestes whiche make the Thankesgeuing and do distribute the blood of the Lorde to the people Chrysostome Not as in the olde lawe the prest did eate parte and the people part but one body is set before all and one cuppe Those thynges that perteine to the Thankesgeuing are all cōmon betwene the
all ye that are of God the malicious and poysonous deceite of Satan That thyng which was truely geuen in Baptisme he lyengly saith to be geuen in his confirmation that he may by stealth leade you vnware from Baptisme Who now can doute that this is the doctrine of Satan which cuttyng away from Baptisme the promises proprely belongyng to Baptisme doth conuey away and remoue them to an other thyng It is founde I say vpon what maner of fundation this godly annoyntyng standeth The worde of God is that al they whiche are baptised in Christ haue put on Christe with his giftes The worde of the anoynters is that they receiued in Baptisme no promise by which they may be armed in batails That is the voice of the truth therfore this must be the voice of lying Therfore I can more truly define this CoÌ„firmation than they haue hetherto defined it namely that it is a notable sclander of Baptisme whiche darkeneth yea abolysheth the vse therof that it is a false promise of the deuell which draweth vs away from the truthe of God Or if you will it is oyle defiled with the lyeng of the deuill whiche as it were by ouerspreadyng of darkenesse deceiueth the eies of the simple They adde furthermore that al the faithfull ought after Baptisme to receiue the Holy ghost by layeng on of handes that they may be founde full Christians because he shall neuer be a Christian that is not chresmed with the Bishopps Confirmation These be their owne sayinges worde for worde But I had thought that whatsoeuer thyngs perteined to Christianitie were all set forth in writyng and comprehended in Scriptures Nowe as I perceyue the trewe forme of religion is to be soughte and learned from ells where than oute of the the Scriptures Therfore the whole wisedome of God the heauenly truthe the whole doctrine of Christ doth but beginne Christians and oyle maketh them perfect By this sentence ar damned al the Apostles and so many Martyrs whome it is moste certaine to haue neuer ben â—hresmed forasmuche as the oyle was not yet made which beyng poured vpon them they myght fulfill all the partes of christianitie or rather myght be made christians whiche yet were none But thoughe I holde my peace they doo largely confute themselues For howe many of the numbre of their owne people doo they annoynt after Baptisme why therfore do they suffer suche halfe christians in their flocke whoe 's imperfection might easily be holpen Why do they with so carelesse negligence suffer them to omitte that whiche was not lawfull to be omitted without greuous offense Why do they not more seuerely cal vpoÌ„ the keping of a thing so necessarie and without which saluation caÌ„ not be obteined vnlesse peraduenture some be preuented by death Uerily when they so freely suffer it to bee despised they secretly confesse that it is not of so greate value as they boste it Last of all they determine that this holy annoynting is to be had in greater reuerence than Baptisme because this anoynting is peculiarly ministred by the handes of the chefe Bishops but Baptisme is coÌ„monlye distributed by euery prest What maye a man here say but that they are vtterly mad which so flatter their owne inuentions that in comparison of them they carelesly despise the holy ordinaÌ„ces of God O mouth that robbest God darest thou set a fat liquor onely defiled with the stink of thine owne breath and enchaunted with murmuring sounde of wordes against the SacrameÌ„t of Christ and to compare it with water hallowed with the word of God But thy wickednesse accompted this but a smal matter vnlesse thou didst also preferre it aboue the same These be the answers of the Holy see these be the Oracles of the Apostolike trestle But some of them euen in their owne opinion begonne somewhat to qualifie this vnbridled madnesse It is say they to be worshipped with greater reuerence peraduenture not for the greater vertue and profitte that it geueth but bicause it is geuen of the worthier men and is made in the worthier part of the body that is in the forehed or bicause it bringeth a greater encrease of vertues although Baptisme auaile more to forgeuenesse But in the first reason do they not bewraye themselues to be Donatistes whiche measure the force of the Sacramente by the worthinesse of the minister But I will admitte that Confirmation bee called the worthier by reason of the worthinesse of the Bishops hand But if a man aske of them from whense so great prerogatiue hath ben geueÌ„ to Bishops what reason will they bring beside their owne lust The Apostles alone vsed that power which alone distributed the Holye ghost Are the Bishops alone Apostles Yea are they Apostles at all But lette vs also graunt them that why do thei not by the same argumeÌ„t affirme that Bishoppes alone ought to touche the Sacrament of the blood in the Supper of the Lorde which they therfore denye to lay men because the lord gaue it to the Apostles alone If to the Apostles alone why do they not conclude therfore to the Bishops alone But in that place they make the Apostles simple prestes but now the gyddynesse of their hed carrieth them an other way sodeinly to create them Bishops Finallye Ananias was no Apostle to whom yet Paule was sent that he shoulde receiue his sight be baptised and be filled with the Holy ghoste I will adde this also to the heape If by the law of God this was the proper office of Bishops why haue they ben so bolde to geue it away to common prestes as we rede in a certaine epistle of Gregorie As for their other reason howe triflyng fond and foolishe is it to cal their Confirmation worthier than the Baptisme of God because in it the forhead is anoynted with oyle and in Baptisme the hynder part of the hed as though Baptisme were done with the oyle and not with the water I call all the godly to witnesse whether these loselles do not endeuor them selues to this only end to corrupt the purenesse of the Sacraments with their leauen I haue alredy spoken this in an other place that in the SacrameÌ„tes that which is of God scarcely glimmereth through at holes among the rout of the inuentions of men If any man did not beleue me therein let him now at least beleue his owne maisters Loc passing ouer the water and making no accompt of it they hyely esteme the onely oyle in Baptisme We therfore on the contrarye syde doo saye that in Baptisme the forehed also is dipped in water In comparison of this we esteeme not your oyle worth one piece of dong whether it be in Baptisme or in confirmation If any allege that it is sold for more by this adding of price the goodnesse if anye were in it is corrupted so muche lesse may they commend a most filthy deceite by theft In the third reason they bewray their owne vngodlynesse while they
rule of lyuyng rightly Therfore the Morall lawe that I may first beginne the rat sith it is conteined in two chefe pointes of which the one commaundeth simply to worship God with pure faith and godlynesse the other to embrace men with vnfained loue is the true and eternall rule of righteousnesse prescribed to the men of al ages and tymes that wil be willyng to frame their lyfe to the will of God For this is his eternall and vnchangeable will that he hymselfe should be worshipped of vs all and that we shold mutually loue one an other The Ceremoniall lawe was the schooling of the Iewes wherwith it pleased the Lord to exercise the certain childhode of that people tyll that tyme of fullnesse come wherin he would to the full manifestly shewe his wisdome to the earth and delyuer the truthe of those thynges which then were shadowed with figures The iudiciall lawe geuen to them for an order of ciuile state gaue certayne rules of equitie and righteousnesse by whiche they myght behaue them selues harmlessely and quietly together And as that exercise of ceremonies proprely perteyned in dede to the doctrine of godlynesse namely which kept the Chirch of the Iewes in the worship religion of God yet it might be distinguished from godlynesse it self so this forme of iudiciall orders although it tended to no other ende but howe the selfe same charitie might best be kept whiche is commaunded by the eternall lawe of God yet had a certayne thyng differyng from the very cōmaūdement of louyng As therefore the Ceremonies myghte be abrogate godlinesse remaynyng safe and vndestroyed so these iudiciall ordinances also beyng taken away the perpetuall dueties and commaundemētes of charitie may continue If this be true verily there is libertie left to euery nation to make suche lawes as they shall forsee to be profitable for them whiche yet must be framed after that perpetuall rule of charitie that they may in dede vary in forme but haue the same reason For I thinke that those barbarous sauage lawes as were those that gaue honor to theues that alowed common copulations and other both muche more filthy and more against reason are not to be taken for lawes forasmuche as they are not onely against all rightuousnesse but also against naturall gentylnesse and kyndnesse of men This which I haue sayde shal be playne if in all lawes we beholde these two thynges as we ought the makyng and the equitie of the law vpon the reason wherof the makyng it selfe is founded stayeth Equitie because it is naturall can be but one of all lawes and therfore one lawe accordyng to the kynde of mater oughte to be the propounded ende to all lawes As for makyngs of Lawes because they haue certaine circumstances vpon which they partly hang if so that they tende all together to one marke of equitie though they be diuerse it maketh no mater Nowe sithe it is certayne that the lawe of God whiche we call morall is nothyng ells but a testimonie of the naturall law and of that conscience which is engrauen of God in the myndes of men the whole rule of this equitie wherof we nowe speake is set foorth therin Therfore it alone also must be bothe the marke and rule and ende of all lawes Whatsoeuer lawes shal be framed after that rule directed to that marke and limited in that ende there is no cause why we should disalowe them howsoeuer they otherwise differ from the Iewishe lawe or one from an other The lawe of God forbiddeth to steale What peyne was appoynted for theftes in the ciuile state of the Iewes is to be sene in Exodus The most auncient lawes of other nations punished thefte with recompence of double the lawes that folowed afterwarde made difference betwene manifest theft and no manifest Some proceded to banishemente some to whippyng some at last to the punishmente of death False witnesse was among the Iewes punished with recompēce of egall paine in some places onely with greate shame in some places with hangyng in other some with the Crosse. Manslaughter all lawes vniuersally doo reuenge with blood yet with dyuers kyndes of deathe Agaynst adulterers in some places were ordeined seuerer peynes in some places lighter Yet we see howe with suche diuersitie all tend to the same ende For with one mouthe they all together pronounce punishement against all the offences which haue ben condemned by the eternal law of God as manslaughters theftes adulterie false witnessings but in the maner of punishement they agree not Neither is the same nedefull nor yet expedient There is some contree which vnlesse it shewe rigor with horrible examples against mansleyers should immediately be destroied with murders and robberies There is some tyme that requireth the sharpnesse of peynes to be encreased If there aryse any trouble in a common weale the euils that are wont to growe therof muste be amended with newe ordinances In tyme of warre all humanitie would in the noyse of armure fall away vnlesse there were caste into men an vnwonted feare of punishementes In barennesse in pestilēce vnlesse greater seueritie be vsed all thyngs will come to ruine Some nation is more bent to some certaine vice vnlesse it be most sharply suppressed Howe malicious and enuious shall he be againste the publike profite that shal be offended with suche diuersitie whiche is most fitte to holde fast the obseruyng of the lawe of God For that whyche some saye that the Lawe of God geuen by Moses is dishonored when it beyng abrogate newe are preferred aboue it is moste vaine For neither are other preferred aboue it when they are more allowed not in simple comparison but in respect of the estate of the tymes place and nation neither is that abrogate which was neuer made for vs. For the LORDE gaue not that lawe by the hande of Moses which should be published into all nations and florishe euery where but when he had receiued the nation of the Iewes into his faith defence and protection he willed to be a lawemaker peculiarly to them and lyke a wise lawmaker he hadde in making of hys lawes a certaine singular consideration of them Now remayneth that we consider that which we haue set in the last place what profit of lawes iudicial orders and magistrates cometh to the common felowship of Christians Wherwith also is coupled an other question how much priuate men ought to yeld to magistrates and how farre their obedience ought to procede Many thought the office of magistrat to be superfluous among Christiās because forsoth thei can not godlily craue their ayde namely sithe they are forbidden to reuenge to sue in the law and to haue any controuersie But whereas Paule contrarywise plainly testifieth that he is the minister of God to vs for good we thereby vnderstand that he is so ordeined of God that we being defended by his hande and succours agaynst the maliciousnesse and iniuries of mischeuous men may lyue a