burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the seconde death Thou mayest escape the punishement of man but thou canst not escape Gods hand who punisheth more greuously then man Whâ—ther wilt thou flie from God surely thou canst not flie from him but by flying vnto hym thou canst not escape his wrath whiche is his righteousnes but by appealyng vnto his mercie Dauid compared God to a man that draweth a bowe the farther he draweth his shaft whiche is his punishment the greater is the stroke therof There is a great altercation nowe a daies whether God be in the sacrameÌ„t or not he must nedes be ther for he is in al places But whether is he ther by his diuinitie or humanitie Christ warneth vs that in the latter age there shall aryse many false Prophetes and Pseudochristi that is false anointed which be the Byshop of Romes gresed butchers and sacrificers which shal say lo here is Christ and there is Christ. These Pseudochristes be not they of whom they speake afterward in thesame chapters many shall come in my name saying I am Christ but another sort for these shall not chalenge this to them selues but direct maÌ„ to other and of these false anointed that shal point vs to other he saith Nolite credere beleue theÌ„ not and therfore I dare not say that he is there after his humanitie least I be a false Prophet for this is spoken of his humanitie not of his diuinitie Touching his diuinitie I say vnto you good people lo here is Christ and there is Christ for it is here there in the towne in the citie in the chappel in the church and wildernes and euery wher as I haue declared The papistes say y t this place maketh not against y e presence of Christes body vpoÌ„ earth but against false Prophetes which should preach in the last age false doctrine True it is Christ speaketh here against suche But what false doctrine shal they teach Shal ther come two at one time in one age of which false prophets shal say he is christ and an other shal say no this is Christ pointing to some other There were neuer yet two in one age which both were said to be Christes of any false prophets nor the scriptures do not mencion or regester any such thing to come for the veritie saith y t many such shal come Now we neuer read that many haue reported and said here is Christ and there onles we take it to be spoken of the papistes whiche shewe Christ vâ—to vs in many places at once in euery chapell and on euery Aultar Many shall say of them selues that they are Christ but these be other doctours compare their wordes together and thou shalt fynd that I say true the one text doth not expounde the other but they be two dyuerse prophecies of two diuerse things This false doctryne then is nothynge els but to teach Christes body after his ascentioÌ„ to be vpon the earth visibly or inuisibly Pighius who calleth Gods worde a nose of ware wresteth this text to another purpose taking Christe here for his church Lo here is Christe and there is Christe saith Pighius that is heretikes shal say here is the church and there is y e church O wyse exposition shall heretikes saye that Christ is here there touchyng his members and church No verely this is no heresy for Christes church is in many places in deserts and other If Christ must be taken for his church in this text then we are compelled also to vnderstaÌ„d the church by him in the text which immediatly foloweth where he saith beleue them not Christe that is the church shall come as lightnynge we must take Christ for the same thorow out the chapter Read diligently examen the circumstaunce whych is chieflye to be regarded in the exposition of doubtful places open the scripture with the key not with the pykelocke that is expound it by tt selfe not by priuate interpretation and y u shalt fynd that Christe there is taken for Christ not for y e church as Pighius wold straine the place making of y e scriptures a nose of wax You wil ask me then whether we receiue Christes body yea truly from heauen from the right hand of the father not out of y e bread nor in y e bread For onles we eat his flesh and drink his bloud we shal not dwell in him we shall not arise at the last day we shal not haue eternall life Christes humanitie is the mean wherby we must obtein al things the way by which we must clyme vp to heaueÌ„ the ladder that Iacob sawe going vnto Mesopotamia reaching vp to heauen with aungels ascending and descending vpon it Christ teacheth this vsing not only his word and commaundemeÌ„t in raising the dead as God but also his flesh as a help and meane to the same In raysing the doughter of one of the chief of the synagoge he toke hir by the hand and raysed her When he cured one full of the leprosy he stretched out his hand and touched hym When he entred into the citie of Naim meetinge a dead man caried out the only sonne of a wydowe hauyng compassion on her he touched the bere and raised him from dead Ther be infinit places of scripture which teach vs that Christes flesh geueth lyfe deliuereth from death expelleth vice but this is notable forasmuch as this wydowe signifieth the church and her dead sonne representeth mankynd dead thorowe the sinne of Adam Christ is a vyne and we ar the brauÌ„ches as he witnesseth himselfe Ego sum vitis vera c. I am the true vyne and my father is a husbaÌ„d man vos estis palmites The brauÌ„ches cannot lyue onles they take norishment of the substaunce of the vyne and of his iuice Euen so the soul of a christen man must nedes be fed with the swete fleshe and comfortable bloud of Iesus Christe If we be braunches we be nouryshed of the vyne I wold learn whether he be the vyne after his humanitie or by his diuinitie He is not the vyne touching his diuine nature for the vyne is not equall with the husband man but at his commaundement Christ touchinge his diuinitie is the husbandman and equall with his father Marke he is the vyne therfore coÌ„cerning that nature in which he is inferior to his father which is his humanitie If then Christe be the vyne not by his diuinitie but by his humanitie and we the brauÌ„ches then we must be refreshed of the vyne that is of his humanitie This metaphore hath ben abused to many euill purposes as to proue Chryste not to be God because he is the vyne it hath ben racked also to proue that these words hoc est corpus meum This is my body is a lyke phrase a like speach as when Christ saith ego sum vitis I am the vyne They be no like phrases
ascension as in their actes is regestred The papistes replie that the scripturs are not sufficieÌ„t and able to confouÌ„d heretikes but their interpretations and gloses vpon them because they be not plaine and euident but dark and hard and may be wrested to many purposes How did Christ confute the deuil With scripture or expouÌ„ding the scriptures Again Gods word is a lanterne a light it turneth the soule it geueth wisdome eueÌ„ vnto babes it reioyseth y e hart it lightneth the eyes it is a candle shining in a darke place therfore not hard nor darke but easy plain and to be studied of all men hygh low pore and rich spirituall and lay For the holy pacieÌ„t man Iob saith that the lyfe of man is nothing els then a very warfare vpon the earth ful of misery trouble set about with a great multitude of mortal enemies the deuil the world and the flesh Wherfore the sweard of Gods word is very necessary vnto al that be in this warfare For who goeth to battell without a sweard Doth not he y t taketh away thy sweard betray the vnto thyne aduersaries Christe saith he y t hath no sweard let him sel his coat by him one and the papistes seke al meanes possible to spoyle y e people of their sweard which is Gods word saieng it wil make them heretiks for Litera occidit spiritus est qui viuificat The letter killeth and the spirit quikneth is Gods word the letter TheÌ„ we must not reade it â–ª least it kill vs least it make vs heretykes But harken what master Doctour of all veritye saith Sermo tuus veritas est Thy word is truth And Peter calleth the selfe same immortall seed by which we are borne a newe and which lasteth and lyueth for euer Doth immortal seed kyl vs Doth truth make vs heretikes Christ declareth the operatioÌ„ of this seed saieng now you ar cleane by my word Paule saith Fides exauditu that faith commeth therof not heresy These frutes this seed engeÌ„dreth where it is sowen truth cleannes of life regeneration and faith He that talketh with wyse men becometh wiser by ther coÌ„munication And shall not he that talketh with God y e authour of al wysdom in his scriptures be edified therby TheÌ„ what is Littera occidens the murthering letter Truly the lawe which causeth anger by which cometh knowledge of sin which is a scolemaster vnto Christ. The lawe first killeth that Christ may make alyue it condempneth that Christ may iustify it sheweth sinne he healeth sinne The gospel is a sermon of Gods mercy that he hathe blotted out oure sinnes by fayth onelye in Chrystes bloude it maketh no heretykes xii men by preachynge of it made the vnfaythefull and heretikes faithful and true Christians this candel was not light to be put vnder a bushel but to be set in the candelstick to geue light to them that be in Gods house For Christe crieth wo worth them that take away the key of knowledge nether entring them selues ne yet suffring other to enter The key of knowledge is Gods holy testament and word that whiche before we called the touchston to discerne good doctrine froÌ„ euil When thei had taken the touchstone from vs they made vs beleue that Peuter was siluer and they sold vs copper for gold making y e scriptures a nose of wax and a tenis baule wresting them vnto euery purpose Thus we sée from wheÌ„ce we must fetch the knowledge of God verely out of Gods word whiche is the truth and not out of the questionistes or schole meÌ„ or other like For he saith by his Apostle I wil destroy the wisdome of the wyse and I will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Where is the wise where is the Scribe wher is the searcher of this world Hath not God made y e wisdom of this world folishnes As God is knowen only of himself so we must only learne of hym what he is As for man he knoweth no more what God is then the vnreasonable beastes know what man is yea and so much lesse as there is more difference betwene God and man then betwene man and the beastes Wherfore all leauen al straunge doctrine and mans wisdom set apart I will see what the scriptures teach vs concerning God nor I wil not disdain to aske where I shall see cause nor be ashamed to learne where I am ignorant desiring him that readeth this treatise where the scripture is plain to beleue for except we beleue we shal not vnderstand where it is doubtfull to search with me where he seeth himself out of the way to reuoke his opinion where he seeth me in an errour to enforme me and I will be glad to learne and so we shall folow the rule of charitie searching both after God whome it is written Seke the Lorde and hys strength seke his face euermore The second Chapter ¶ God only is of him self WHen Moses desired y e Lord to shew him his name the Lord saide vnto him I am that I am That is to wit I am of my self I am only Nothing is of it selfe without creation without corruption saue only I which am that I am Whiche vnderstanding God himself doth declare speaking further vnto Moses this shalt thou saye vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel He that is did send me vnto you for nothiÌ„g is saue only God forasmuch as they stand not by their proper strength but by the power and goodnes of him The heauens the waters the earth the hillâ—s would fall onles he measured the heauen with hys span held the waters in his fist comprehended the whole earth in thre fingers weyed the mountaines and hilles in a balaunce by which phrases is ment that he gouerneth ordreth and disposeth theÌ„ as he listeth Nether the Sunne could geue light ne yet the fire heat al thinges would decay and perishe onles he did rule them as the soull doth mans body vnto whom only that belongeth and apperteineth â–ª which the Grekes cal on the Latinistes est as witnesseth the Apostle Non est in illo est non sed est in illo est Of all other thinges non may be said for once they were not but not of God because he was alwaies he is and he is to come all thinges haue their being of him and he of him self Except we vnderstand this saying he that is sent me vnto you after this sort it maketh no difference betwene God and his creatures For all be it they haue not their beginning of themselues but of him yet it is truly said of them that they are Moreouer what could y e Isralites haue thought Moses to haue ment by these wordes he that is then a certain man sent hym vnto them If they had taken Moises so they would not haue left Egipt and folowed hym into the wyldernes but they toke these wordes he that is
a contrite heart a cleane sacrifice Yea truly or els it were not to be offered vp vnto God to whom no vncleane thyng is to be presented Paul speaking of this sacrifice calleth it a holy and an acceptable sacrifice saying I besech you therfore brethren by the mercies of God y t you make your bodies a quick sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God c. He meaneth not that we should kyl ouâ— bodies slea our selues but kil al our carnal lustes vnlawful desires euil affections in the body which is a sacrifice of a contrite and humble hart And wher as Pighius affirmeth against this that our harts be vnclean I deny it not but neuerthelesse God accepteth them as clean and calleth theÌ„ so in his word as by Dauid saying Make me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me And by Christ blessed be y e pure in heart or clean hearted for they shal se God We read in the actes when Peter was a hongred at Cornelius house that the heauens opened certen vessels came doun to him as it had bene a great shete knit at four corners wherin were all maner of four â—oted beastes and that he was bidden to arise and kill but he would not saying he did neuer eat no vncleane thinges but he was aunswed and commaunded not to esteme any thing vnclean which God hath câ—â—nsed Euen so I say vnto Pighius y t seing Paul Dauid Christ cal it a clean sacrifice and that GOD hath puritiâ—ied our hearts it becometh not hym to name it otherwyse For a good man a good tree out of the good treasure of his heart bryngeth out good fruit But the papistes say that this is no new sacrifice I affirme that it is for as much as God saith behold I make al thinges new If all thinges be new then this is a new sacrifice albeit we haue it commeÌ„ with the fathers of the old testament The scripture vseth to call thinges new when they be commaunded a new as Christ commaunding his disciples to loue one another before his passion saith I geue you a new coÌ„mauÌ„dement that ye loue one another And Iohn likewise again a new commaundement I wryte to you not that these coÌ„maundements were not meÌ„cioned before but that they were so necessary that it pleased God to renue them againe in which signification the oblation of a coÌ„trite heart may also be called a new sacrifice and that after the phrase of the holy scripture although Pighius spurne against it who not knowing or not remeÌ„bring this acception of neâ—enes doth falsly affirme that the sacrifice that Malachie entreateth only apperteineth vnto priests I trust I haue sufficiently declared bi the testimonies of Gods word that a contrite heart is that cleane and new sacrifice offred in al places of which Malachie speaketh That y e Lordes supper which men cal the masse is not a sacrifice for sinne S. Paul declareth plainly saying sine sanguinis effusione c. that without sheding of bloud no sacrifice caÌ„ blot out sinne If Christ be sacrificed or offred in his supper for the expiacion of sinne his precious and moste coÌ„fortable bloud is shed again is poured forth again for without bloudshed is no remission it must be a bloudy sacrifice not a drie sacrifice for which synne is pardoned Christ saieth Paull by his owne bloud entred once for all into the holy place and found eternal redemption so that all sinne both that is past and that which is to come in the chosen is shal be pardoned by hys eternall sacrifice which was offred once for al on y e crosse And sinne being forgeueÌ„ as the Apostle telleth by the vertue of it there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinne but only a coÌ„memoracion a memorial For the loue of God of our own soules let vs kepe vse this sacrament and other in the church as Christ the author of all sacramentes coÌ„maundeth He mencioneth no such vse or rather abuse and prophanacion That is a sacrament in whiche God certifieth vs by some outward and sensible signe y t he geueth vnto vs sumwhat as for an exaÌ„ple in baptisme there is water which preacheth vnto vs remission of sinnes by Christs bloud Now a sacrifice is an other thing for in a sacrifice we geue dedicate and presente some thing vnto him Wherfore the supper of the Lord is no sacrifice for sin for asmuch as it is a sacrament Marke this differeÌ„ce brethren and be no longer disceiued The parable of the theues teacheth vs y t Christes coming hath disanulled al such priesthod as is called sacerdotiuÌ„ but presbiterum remaineth The priestes and Leuites passe by leaue the wounded maÌ„ which was robbed going froÌ„ HierusaleÌ„ to Iericho vnholpeÌ„ vnprouided for Is not he socoured only of the SamaritaÌ„ The wounded man sigâ—ifieth all mankind who descended from Hierusalem to Iericho when he was expulsed out of paradise into this miserable world For Hierusalem is as much to say as visio pacis or visio perfecta a peaceable visioÌ„ of God which maÌ„ had in paradise The theues y t robbed and wouÌ„ded him were the Deuils that entised him to eat of the tree of concupiscence robbed him of his vnderstaÌ„ding of fre wil of dominioÌ„ lordship ouer al creaturs of y e image of God after which he was made made hym after the image of the deuil himself The priests the Leuits were not able to help him but only the Samaritan that is Christ healeth him and restored him to the image of God again Read ouer the four fiue seuen nyne and ten to the Hebrues and thou shalt find that the mark y t S. Paule shoteth at in thâ—se Chapters is only to fortifie that al suche outward priesthod is taken away Moreouer marke what I say vnto thee Read ouer al the new Testament and thou shalt not find once this word Sacerdos Priest applied or spoken of any one sort of ministers as the commen sort do vse it but wheÌ„ it is refeâ—â—ed to the Phariseis to such as do apperteine without al doubt to the old testameÌ„t it is referred always to all christen people which all be Sacerdotes thorow Christ and ministers haue no maner of sacrifice but commen with the laitie both men and women that is to say the sacrifice of thankes geuyng the quicke and lyuely oblacion of their own bodies the new Testament requireth no other sacrifice I doe not meane that euery man or woman may christen marie purify women may leuse binde consciences may distribute the holy sacrament but I mean that popish outward priesthod is crept into the churche of God against the word of God and I do beleue and confesse no mo orders of ministers but thre that is Deacons and Presbiters Bishops These thre the scriptures aloweth and shewed the maner of their creation and declareth their
doe nether fede nor norish S. Augustin also subscribeth vnto them saying Accedat verbum elemento fit sacramentum he saith not succedat but accedat whiche is this much to say Let the word be added to the element and then it is made a sacrament Thus it is euident that y e bread and wyne which is the element remayneth and is not traÌ„substanciat both by autentical scriptures whiche do alowe thre similitudes and also by the consent of al the doctors and elder fathers For out of doubt Athanasius Basil Nazianzene Hierome Chrisostome and other both Latinistes and Grekes do not disagre with these Moreouer the rock was a sacrament of Christes bloud yet not transubstanciat They we drinke one spiritual drinke as Paul recordeth Likewise Manna was a sacrament of his body without any such mutacion You wil aske me then whether our sacramentes be better then the sacraments of the old testameÌ„t Yea truly but not of their own nature but thorow y e grace of God thorow the fulnes of time bicause in this testament the face of Christ is more clearly discouered and knowen and not thorow any transubstanciation These be y e daies which the Patriarkes Prophets desired to come the daies of saluation the acceptable time I haue opened the true meaning of Christes words this is my body and declared the necessitie the vse the fruit the mary and swetenes of the holy communion which fruit is incomparable For if all they whiche did but touch the hem of Christes garment receiued their perfect health How much more shall we be made strong and conforted if we haue Christ in vs. This holy communion geueth lyfe destroyeth death quickeneth our bodies lighteneth our soules banysheth synne and encreaseth vertue For as a litle wax powred vpon other wax is made al one with it euen so they that receiue this sacrament worthely abyde in Christ and Christ in them A little leauen sowreth a whole batch but the seldome receiuing of this sacrament if I say it be receiued worthely bryngeth remission of sinnes purgeth our soules maketh cleane our herts amendeth our vnderstandinges but the oftener the better All you that approch vnto this table and desyre to be braunches of the vyne and to be sealed into the felowship of the congregation forsake your sinfull lyuing entend to leade a newe conuersacion from the bottom of your hearts pourge out the olde leauen and become newe dough burie al affections and liue vnto vertue otherwyse ye nether eat Christes flesh nor drink his bloud He that eateth Christes flesh hath eternall life Yea mary saith the Papistes if he eat it digne worthely adding vnto the text or els making it false but he may receiue it vnworthely as Iudas did Examen this exposition with the touchstone opeÌ„ the scripture with the key not with the pick lock and thou shalt finde that Christes flesh is not receiued vnworthely In all the scriptures this word indigne vnworthely is but once read concerning this sacrament and there marke the bread the wyne is said to be receiued vnworthely not Christes most coÌ„fortable flesh and bloud Quicunque manducauerit paneÌ„ hunc c. He that eateth of this bread drinketh of this cup saith Paul vnworthely he shal be gilthy of the body and bloud of Christ. Lo he saith he that eateth of this bread vnworthely and drinketh of this cup not of the body bloud of Christ which alwaies be receiued vnto health Chose nowe gentell reader whether thou wilt beleue y e papistes which teach that Christes flesh is receiued of euil meÌ„ vnworthely â—r Paul which saith he that eateth of this bread that is not commen bread not dayly bread but sacramental bread that is ment by the word this If they can shew in any place of scripture where this word vnworthely is ioined with the body of Christ as I haue shewed where it is coupled with bread I will be of their opinion Christes flesh is meat according to his own saying Caro mea vere est cibus c. My flesh is very meat and my bloud is very drink Now meat doth hurt where it findeth a bely corrupt with naughtie humores Euen so this spiritual fode if it find a man defiled with sinne encreaseth his dampnation bryngeth hym vnto destruction not of the nature of it but thorowe the default of hym that receceiueth it Yea if we be defiled with corrupt humors we be no partakers of these deinties But peraduenture the Papistes wil reply if it be meat then is it receiued both of good and euil men for nether of both sortes can lyue without meat To this I auÌ„swere it is the meat of the soul not of the bodie the fode of the spirit not of the flesh and therfore it is not receiued of euill persones because the meat is good and they be euill so that this is a strong argument Christes flesh and bloud is meat ergo it is not receiued of euil men Moreouer Christes flesh and bloud is the vine as I haue proued before and we be the braunches Only the brauches be fed of the vine Euil men be not braunches of the vine Ergo euil meÌ„ be not partakers of y e vine Which is Christes flesh and bloud Therfor let no Iudas no SimoÌ„ Magus no man with a cloked mind thinke that he is fed with these deinties If it were not lawful for the vncircumsised in flesh to eate the figuratiue paschal lambe how much more is it vnlawful for y e vncircumcised vnclean in heart to tast of these deinties If he that despised Moises law was condempned without any mercy vnto death vnder two or thre witnesses how more greuously shall he be punished which treadeth vnder fote the sonne of God couÌ„teth the bloud of the new testameÌ„t as an vnholy thing wherwith he is sanctified Purge out y e old leuen or els thou maist not nor thou canst not eat this swete bread Paul testifieth that many among the CorinthiaÌ„s for y e abusing of this sacrameÌ„t were punished with weakenes with sicknes yea many stroken with death the whiche he wrot for our enstruction Against the coÌ„ming of our frend we make cleane our houses and loke diligeÌ„tly that al things be trym And are we negligent in puryfying of our mindes against the coÌ„ming of the great king who hath promised to dwell with vs after the receiuing of this holy meat I wold wysh that men wold geue thankes more customably immediatly after the receyuing therof vnto God for the redemption of mankinde and for all his benefites syngyng the C. Psalme O be ioyfull in the Lorde all ye landes serue the Lord in gladnes and come before his presence with a song And the Psalme that beginneth O com let vs sing vnto the Lorde let vs hartely reioyce in the strength of our saluacion let vs come before his presence with thaÌ„kes geuing
worthines of the minister If their morthines or vnworthines make the sacraments effectual or not theÌ„ of two good the more worthy maketh theÌ„ more effectual and it wer better to be christened of Iohn than of Thomas of Inde better to be sent of Cephas than of Timothe better to receaue the coÌ„munioÌ„ at Pauls hand than of Apollo but their ministration differeth not we are forbidden to reioyce in men for nether he that planteth is any thing nether he that watreth wherfore al haÌ„geth of God who giueth the increase who only forgeueth sinne not of the worthines or vnworthines of the minister The key which Christ promised vnto Peter saying Tibi dabo claues regni caelorum To the I will giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen who answered in that behalf of al as all were asked is Gods holy word wherwith y e minister bindeth and vnbindeth vs as the keye doth shut open the dore The Papistes expound the keies to signifie a general authoritie supremitie grauÌ„ted vnto Peter aboue the other Apostles al kinges the whiche nowe they giue tâ— their great sire of â—ome as to y e only successer of Peter To these I aunswer that Christ gaue non of his Apostles further authoritie then he had himself for when he sendeth them he saith As my father sent me so I send you Wherfore was he sent Not to be ministred vnto but to minister vnto other The people wold haue made him their king head but he refused it he paid tribute to Cesar at Capernaum he was a minister of circumcision many yeares he saith vnto him whiche desired part of his brothers inheritauÌ„ce Who made me a iudge or deuider euer you Wherfore y e keies be no teÌ„poral authoritie Hath y e disciple a further authoritie then his maister Or is the seruaunt aboue his Lord Christ coÌ„maundeth Peter to pay tribute vnto Cesar to put vp his swerd who in the actes sendeth not other but he himself is sent of the Apostles to lay hands vpon them in Samaria which beleued through the preaching of Philip he is asked a count afterward why he went and eat with the vncircumcised he appointeth no maÌ„ in the roume of Iudas but al the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes beseching God to temper them that the lot might fal on y e most ablest Wherfor he was not head of Apostles kings Emperours but a felowe minister as he witnesseth of himself saying I exhort y e ministers among you which am their felow minister Albertus Pighius the Byshop of Romes chief Knyght in his controuersy of the Congregation peruerteth the scripturs to proue that Christ at his departing made him head of the church and general shepherd of his flock First touching the keyes he saith that the ciuil lawyers with y e keyes giue possessioÌ„ of house burrow town and citie As for an example Kyng Henry the eight of most famous memory was made Lord of Bulloin when they deliuered the keyes therof to his maiestie Moreouer Christ commenly calleth hys churche Regnum a kingdom or Monarchie If it be a kingdom saith Pigghius one must be head therof not many for that is a kingdom where one gouerneth If one must be head who is that but he and his successours that had y e keies of the kingdom geueÌ„ him These be reasons of deceitful vanitie and after the ordinaunces of the world not after Christ of which S. Paul warneth the CollossiaÌ„s to take hede Among lawyers possessioÌ„ and dominions is â—eueÌ„ by the key but we must learne what the key is of him that gaue it and not of Lawyers who telleth vs what the key is saying Wo be to you lawyers For ye haue taken away that key of knowledge Where no man can denie but that by the key of knowledge Gods word is ment signified whiche is the only key geuen to the Apostles This is the key wherwith the ministers are commaunded to lose and to bynd to forgeue and to retaine to blesse and to curse The byshop of Rome losing and iustifying men thorow traditioÌ„s and ceremonies and not with the key of gods word hath not Peters key but a pick-lock of whiche he bosteth himself to be head of the churche This key is the .ii. Testaments which Christ commaunded his Apostels to preach to al nacioÌ„s and because there be two testaments he calleth them keyes For euery Scribe of this kingdom bringeth forth of his treasure thinges both newe and olde newe thinges that is the swete tidinges of the gospel to vnbynd vs and olde thinges that is the olde Testament and Moises lawe to bind vs and euery minister hath this key as wel as Peter If Peter be head of the church bicause it is a kyngdom and scriptures ar to be expounded after the law and ordinauÌ„ces of y e world then Peters sonne shuld haue bene head after his father or if he had no sonne the next of his kinred not the Pope For in al kingdomes the sonne or the next of y e kinred is heire to the crown But nether Peter nor the pope be heads therof nor no other vpon the earth but the euerlasting Iesus Christ who nedeth no heir who hath promysed to be present with his congregation vnto the worldes end who nameth his congregation a kingdom not that he made Peter Lord auer vs or the Pope but because he is Lorde and we haue promised obedience vnto him Peter calleth hym our chief shepheard and forbiddeth priestes to be lordes ouer the parishes The Pope sayth that Peter is the rock vpon which the congregacion is founded and than he wil be Peters heire because Peter was once at Rome But the scriptures which are the true touchstone to examine al interpretations by teach vs that Christ is the rock not Peter when he saith vnto Christ thou art the sonne of the liuing God and is â—unswered Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my congregation These wordes vpon this rock are not to be vnderstand of Peter who was so vnconstaunt that he denied his maister thrise but of Christ who is y e sonne of the liuing God as S. Paul teacheth vs saying Petra auteÌ„ erat Christus That is Christ was the rock whom in another place he calleth our foundacion and saith No man can lay another foundation If no man can lay another foundation then Peter is not the foundatioÌ„ The scriptures vse to liken Christ and y e congregation to a bridgrome and hys wyfe for he is called the bridgrome and the church is called his spouse Wherfor S. Paul maketh matrimony a high mistery The husband appointeth no other to be head ouer his wyfe but he only is her head for els she should be vnder two heades no more doth Christ ouer the coÌ„gregation to which he is only husband a gelouse husband If Peter be
For he maketh them to walke speake eate and drinke If he should do these thinges in his owne nature he should be lyke vnto man and so not almighty Christ telleth a maÌ„ whose sonne was vexed with a domme spirit y t al thinges are possible to hym that beleueth much more al thinges are possible vnto God But thou wilt say If I beleue nothing is impossible vnto me theÌ„ only God is not almighty Nothing is impossible vnto beleuers notwithstanding they be not almighty because they can do nothing of themselues which 〈◊〉 an infirmitie and no almightines but liue moue and be in him S. Paul in his letter vnto the Philip. saieth that he can both cast doun himself excede be hungry suffre nede yea y t he caÌ„ do al thing but thorow y e help of Christ which streÌ„theneth him without whoÌ„ we can do nothing Wherfore Christ is almighty therfore God by nature not by nuÌ„cupation only We read in Paul to the Heb. Impossibile est eos qui semel c. That it is impossible y t thei which wer once lightned haue tasted of y e heueÌ„ly gift were become partakers of y e holy ghost c. If they fal shuld be renued again vnto repeÌ„tance crucifiyng vnto theÌ„selues again y e son of God making a mock of him If this be impossible wher is gods almighty hand omnipoteÌ„t arme Impossible in this text is not to be taken for y t which can not be or come to pas but for that which seldome and very hardly is done for Paul speaketh the very same thing again straight way in a similitude that the earth whâ—ch drinketh in y e raine that cometh oft vpon it and bryngeth forth â—earbs conuenient for them that dresse it receiueth blessing of God but that the ground which beareth thornes and bryers is reproued and nigh vnto cursing The barren ground here whiche resembleth man with thornes and thistles resembling sinne is not all ready accursed but rebuked and nigh vnto cursing â–ª so the man which falleth after he is lightened is not without al possibilitie of amendement but in great perill of damnation For as the barren grouÌ„d bering thornes thistles may become fruitful so such one may be renued rise againe Me thiÌ„ke Paul by this similitude which immediatly doth folow sheweth what he meaneth by this worde impossible Wey the similitude the purpose why it is brought I thinke you wil not refuse this interpretatioÌ„ The disciples vse the same word in effect vnto Christ askyng him who can be saued which is as much to say as it is impossible for any to be saued But he aunswereth theÌ„ that with men it is impossible but not with God teaching vs y e rich mâ—n haue hard accesse vnto heauen for these words w t men it is impossible before he saith children how hard is it for them that trust in rychesse to enter into the kingdome of God Wherfore it is not against the phrase of the scripture to cal y e impossible which is hard and seldom The Nouatians Anabaptistes and Catharoi abuse this place to proue that all such as do fal after baptisme can not rise again but ar dampned and not recouerable I trust my exposition do more accord to y e truth then this dampnable assertion against which I think it necessary somwhat to speake for I haue heard say that ther be many of this opinion in Englande and partly I doe beleue it After the triumphaunt deliuerauÌ„ce of the Israelites out of Egipt God ordeined two maner of offringes among them one for synnes done of ignoraunce an other for trespasses done willingly promising forgeuines vnto both If some Anabaptistes say that these were not done after baptisme for the Israelites lacked baptisme Paul answered him saying Brethren I wold not ye should be ignoraunt of this how our fathers were all vnder a cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptised vnder Moises in the cloud and in the sea c. Wherfore after baptisme God forgeueth sinne done both of ignoraunce and also willingly If he say that vnder the law suche might be restored but not vnder grace I would know of hym whether the mercy of God be augmented or diminished through the comming of our sauiour Christ. Epiphanius an auncient writer and of famouse memory telleth that one Meletius an archeretike spread this opinion ouer a great part of Egipt and Siria and preuailed against Peter byshop of AlexaÌ„dria who was slaine afterward of the cruel tirauÌ„t Maximine But thankes be to God there be innumerable examples whiche notably confute vanish it and among all none more worthy then one in the history of S. Ihon the beloued Apostle Eusebius in his third booke and .xxiii. Chap. writeth of him that he turned maruelously a certain yong man from stealing vnto Christ whiche had fallen from Christ to stealing In the old Testament the Patriarkes conspire the death of Ioseph and rise again Ruben defileth his fathers bed Iudas committeth fornicatioÌ„ Moises displeaseth God at the waters of strife Dauid falleth into aduoutrie Manasses into Idolatrie in the new Peter denieth his master thrise the Galathians folow another Gospell and ar recouered by Paul Peter exhorteth Simon Magus vnto amendment Paule desireth the CorrinthiaÌ„s to receiue him againe whom he had excomunicate Christ byddeth vs forgeue our brethren seuenty times seuen times the angels in heauen reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner These examples and authorities be very plaine against y e blasphemy of the Nouatians Anabaptistes which wold bring men vnto desperation infidelitie If they cleauing to this word impossible refuse to take it for that which is hard as it doth signifie often in the scriptures yet this place maketh nothing for their desperate opinioÌ„ but rather destroyeth vanquisheth it as y e circumstaunce of it declareth For Paule denieth that he which is baptised can be rechristened so that these wordes it is impossible that they should be renued again be the same in effect which he hath in an other place One Lord one faith one baptime And that it is so and no otherwise I wil proue with .iii. manifest reasons One is because as the words immediatly before do teach he speaketh there of doctryne pertayning to y e beginning of a Christen man as the foundation of repentaunce from dead workes and of fayth toward God and of the doctrine of baptisme of laying on of handes of resurrection and iudgement and mounteth afterward vnto perfection that is toucheth Christes euerlasting priesthod his death and the disanulling of the law By which words he teacheth vs that he speaketh not of repentaunce alone but of the whole foundatioÌ„ of a christen man which is baptim and those thinges whych he doeth anex vnto baptim For in y e primatiue church as this place â—ther sheweth men fyrst were moued
that there be three seueral persons saying In the begynninge God created Heauen and earth Where euideÌ„tlye by y e name of God the father and by the beginning his sonne by whome he made all thinges are to be vnderstand For who is the beginning but Christ who answereth the Iewes asking what he was I am y e beginning which spake vnto you and in whose behalfe Dauid speaketh in y e beginning of y e boke it is writeÌ„ of me After these words of the father the sonne it foloweth immediatly The spirit of God was borne vpon the waters the which is the thirde persoÌ„ in y e gloriouse trinitie Some take the spirite here for the wynd blowing vpon the waters If they examine the text diligently they shall fynd y e wynd was yet vnmade and that y e waters there do not signifie that which we call water coÌ„monly but the confused heape of which God formed all thinges If God were not a trinitie he wold not haue saide let vs make man to our similitude after our likenes â–ª For these words let vs our similitude our likenes cannot be spoken of one person Neither they which are spoken after the miserable captiuitie and faule of Adam The Lord God saide lo Adam is become as one of vs in knowledge of good and euill But here thou wilt say these Phrases proue not many personnes for doth not the king say we wil that this or that be done and yet he is but one Kinges and Emperours vse to say so because they haue couÌ„selloures commonly whose prudent aduises they folowe but of God it is wrytten Quis cognouit mentem Domini aut quis illi fuit a consiliis Who hath knowen the mind of the Lord or who is his counselloure And therfore he doth not say so for lyke coÌ„sideratioÌ„ but because y t as Pithagoras saith He is Ternarius numerus The third numbre which coÌ„nteineth al other numbres both vnitie euens oddes Esayas teacheth vs the same where he saith that he saw the seraphins flacker from aboue and cry each one to other Holy Holy Holy is y e Lord of Hostes. By this word holy thrise repeted we are taught that there be thre persons and â—y the wordes folowing the Lord of hostes not iterate that there is but one Lord. I will proue the same by the propertyes of the thre personnes The Congregation confesseth the father to be vnbegotten and no heretyke can deny it and the scripture telleth vs that the son is begotten to whome y e father saith Thou art my son this day I begat the not that the father is elder then Christ for as he was alwayes a father so he was neuer without a son but begat him without time also of my wombe before the mornyng star begat I the. God y e father hath no wombe or corporal form but by his wombe we must vnderstand his substauÌ„ce as if he said of my substauÌ„ce of my owne nature I begat thee If God the father begat Christ of his owne substaunce which is immutable howe could of the same substauÌ„ce his mutable flesh be made as our late Anabapt defend God begat God and light begat light as a man getteth a man and a dog gettech a dog for a man cannot get a dog The holy ghost is neyther called vnbegotten nor gotten For if we cal him vnbegotten we bring in .ii. fathers If we name him begotten we make .ii. Christs He is said to prosede equally from the father from the son as he is equally God equally almightye to be honored equally and euery wheare equally PeradueÌ„ture some wil requyre profe out of the scripture of y e proseeding of the holy coÌ„forter because we say that nothing is to be beleued vpon payne of dampdatioÌ„ which is not in y e scriptures For many do allege this processioÌ„ of the holy spirite for vnwritten verities therfore I say I wil proue it by certaine testimonies albeit I will not deny but that many thinges be true verities which be not in the scriptures as it is true that I wrote this boke not written it is true that king Edw. the .vi. God saue his noble grace is King of EnglaÌ„d vnwritteÌ„ But marke good christen people when we disalow vnwritteÌ„ verities we except such and do speake only of such thinges as be nedefull necessary for the sauing of our soules All such things we say be written in Gods boke For Ihon sayth these are written y t ye myght beleue and haue eternal life if we obserue these thiÌ„gs we shal haue eternal life what caÌ„ we desire more Al such necessari points be writeÌ„ Away therfore w t vnwritteÌ„ verities But how proue ye y e processioÌ„ of y e holy spirite bi scripture That he procedeth froÌ„ y e father christ techeth his disciples saing wheÌ„ y e coÌ„forter is come whom I wil send vnto you from the father he shall beare witnes of me That he procedeth also of Christ these S. Paules wordes be a sufficient record If there be any man that hath not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his For he can not be Christes spirit not proceding of him He is y e vertue which went out of him and healed y e people of Ierusalem of Tyre and of Sidon Further our Sauiour Christ after his victorious and gloriouse resurrectioÌ„ to teach vs that the holy ghost proceadeth from him equally as he doth from the father breathed on his disciples and said receiue the holy ghost and lo I send the promis of my father vpon you If therfore the father be vnbegotten y e son begotten not made the holy comforter proceding there be thre personâ—s not coÌ„founded together The father is a spirit and the sonne likewyse and the father is holy and the sonne likewise but nother of both is the holy spirit the holy ghost He is an vnspeakeable communioÌ„ of the father and sonne also therfore these two wordes be truly verified seuerally of theÌ„ both but not together If the holy ghost be the father he sendeth him self that is he proceadeth from himself If he be the sonne he is the son of the father and of Christ also for euery son is the son of twaine of the father of the mother But God forbid that we shuld imagin any such kind of thing in the father and Christ. If he be nether of both he is a seueral person No earthly man is able to discusse this natiuitie of Christ and procession of the holy ghost after what maner both be done for both be vnspeakeable as it is writteÌ„ Who can declare his generatioÌ„ Of the holy coÌ„forter it may be said also who can declare his proceding wherfor we must eschue curious talking of these misteries stedfastly beleue because of y e scriptures Christ saith the father is greater then I. If he be greater ether they be
tormenting and desperat conscience and that a ioyful quiet mery conscience is heauen and that deuils ar euil thoughtes good aungels good thoughtes First if this doctrine be true we beleue in vaine the resurrectioÌ„ of our bodies which is grouÌ„ded of scripture nothing els so y t if you beleue scripture this is a false pretensed damnable doctrine If our bodies shal not ryse then is Christ not risen saith Paul al preachiÌ„g is vanitie but our bodies be dead through y e syn of AdaÌ„ shalbe raised through the rightuousnes of Christ Iesus By a man came death of soul body and by a man cometh resurrection of soul body Were not many christen men baptysed ouer dead mens graues in the primatiue church in token that the dead should rise againe S. Paul in his .xv. Chapter to the Corinthians the first letter doth nothing els but confute this damnable opinion of the Saduces denying the resurrection which now the Libertines begin to renew But our Saduces grauÌ„t the resurrection they say we must rise froÌ„ syn if we wil come to heaue which is a mery and ioyful conscience There be two sortes of resurrections expressed in Gods word of which it is written Lykewise as Christ was raised vp froÌ„ death by y e glory of the father Euen so we also should walke in a new life This new life is resurrection from sinne Christes raising is the other resurrection that is of the body which began in Christ the first fruits of the dead For Paul saith He that raysed vp Christ from death shal quickeÌ„ our mortal bodies in another place it shall rise a spiritual body Our Saduces because they ether wil not or can not perceaue the difference betwene these two sortes of resurrection which both are in scripture grauÌ„t in words deny in dede both heauen hel both good aungels il defending al resurrection to be from sinne to vertue froÌ„ vice to godlines froÌ„ vnclennes to sanctifitation Resurrection from sinne is but a figure of the other resurreccion For Paul saith Christ being once raised from death not from synne who neuer sinned dieth no more Likewyse imagen ye also that ye are dead coÌ„cerning sinne but are aliue to God TheÌ„ it disanulleth not resurrection of bodies but fortifieth the same forasmuche as if there be a shadow there must nedes be a body Now let vs search what the scripture teacheth vs of good aungels beleue them For a scripture geueÌ„ by inspiration of God is profitable to teache to control to amend and it is truth No maÌ„ can deny aungels to be creaturs and almighty Gods workmanship as Paul witnesseth He maketh his aungels spirites and his ministers flames of fyre How then are they inspirations Luke regestreth that at Christes birth a multitude of heauenly souldiours which wer angels song glory to God on high and peace in earth and reioysing to men Therfore they be no inspirations Did an inspiration appeare to priest Zacharie burning inceÌ„se in the temple Did an inspiration shew him that Elizabeth his wife shuld beare him a sonne Did an inspiration make him specheles No truly for the aungel telleth what he is saying I am Gabriel that standeth in the syght of God and am sent to speak vnto thee In y t he saith I stand I am sent he declareth that he is a substauÌ„ce And if Gabriel be a substance y e rest be also substaÌ„ces They reioyse ouer euery sinner y â— repenteth they behold the face of the father in heauen they assist beare vs vp in their hands thei cari Lazarus into Abrahams bosome they minister vnto Christ after his temptation they deliuered y e law vnto the Israelites thei shal come to the generall Iudgement with Christ and after the resurrectioÌ„ they shalbe made like vnto them If they be inspirations tell me how speaking singing staÌ„ding seÌ„ding ioye seing punishing handes helpe and infinite other things which the scripture geueth to Angels can be in an inspiratioÌ„ and without a substaunce Me thinke this assercion hath affinitie with the doating opinion of transubstaÌ„tiation For our Romanistes although they more stubburnely then truely and more obstinately then deuoutly defend that no bread remaineth after the consecration yet they cannot deny but that many accidents remaine as the culloure of bread the tast of bread bredth length and other the which cannot be in y e comfortable and swete flesh of Christ wherfore either the substauÌ„ce of bread remayneth or els we must sai with the papists that these things be without a substauÌ„ce the which is as if we should say there is sickenes and there is helth there is cold and heat moisture drith but ther is no such thing as a body An angel of y e Lord comforteth Agar y e Egiptian besyde the well of Seer and commauÌ„deth her to returne to her mistris Abraham promiseth his seruaunt that an Angel shall ayd and further him in his iourney Iacob when he blesseth Ephraim Manasses prayeth y t the Angel of y e Lord which had ben his succour at all times might blesse and multiplie them We read that an Angell gouerneth y e hostes of the Israelites an Angel of the Lord killeth thousaÌ„ds of the Assyrianes Angelles certifie women of Christes resurrectioÌ„ and the disciples of his glorious returne Wheafore they be no inspiratioÌ„s no mocioÌ„s cuÌ„ming from God but spiritual substauÌ„ces and ministring spirites sent to minister for their sakes which shalbe heyrâ—s of saluation Now as I haue spoken of good Angels so I thinke it no lesse nedefull somwhat to speake of euil Angels For ther be many late borne Saduces which haue perswaded theyr owne wauering myndes and allure the consciences of others to y â— to the foresaid opinion that the deuill is nothing but Nolitum or a filthy affecton of the flesh and swaruing from honesty vertue and godlines I thinke such haue either already said in their harts ther is no God or y t they may as easely be brought thervnto as Cherea was vnto Pamphila Cherea durst not ieopard in his owne apparell but fained himself to be anoteer Euen so our late Saduces Libertines will not reason these thinges stifly for disturbing y e coÌ„monwelth or rather for losing their lyues But it is to be feared that vnder the coloure of christians they say they reason in the way of disputation when they speake from y e bottom of their hearts If any man winch at my wryting he declareth y t he is a Saducie If there be a God as we most stedfastly must beleue verely ther is a deuill also if ther be a deuill there is no surer argument no stronger profe no playner euidence that ther is a God Be not al euill angels spirits Then ar they not sensual motioÌ„s but spiritual substauÌ„ces But I will leaue argumeÌ„ts call truth to