neuer so sound pithy and effectuall to be read in Churches They are like Physicians whiche forbid their patients all those meates which they may haue and would do them good and appoint them only suche as by no meanes they can obteine for it will not yet be that euery parish shal haue a learned able preacher resident and abyding in it And in the meane time it cannot be denied but that an Homilie or sermon penned by some excellent clerk being read plainly orderly distinctly doth much moue the hearers doth teach coÌfirme confute coÌfort persuade euen as the same pronounced without the booke doth Perhaps some hearers whiche delight more to haue their eyes fed with the preachers action than their hartes aedified with his sermon are more moued with a sermon not read but to a good christian hearer whose minde is moste occupied on the matter there is smalods Better is a good sermon read than none at all But nothing say they must be read in the open congregation but the verie Canonical scriptures That rule is somwhat straite praecise Then may not either the Creed called the Apostles creed or the Nicene creed or the creed called Athanasius creed or any prayers which are not word for word coÌteined in the canon of the scriptures nor any coÌtents of chapters be read in the CoÌgregatioÌ The church CongregatioÌ of the Colossians were inioyned by S. Paul Col. 4. ve 16. to read amongst them the Epistle written froÌ Laodycea which Epistle as Caluine thinketh was not writen by Paule but by the church of Laodycea and sent to Paule and is not conâeined in the Canon of the scriptures The Churche of Corinth also and other churches of the godly soone after the Apostles times as appeareth out of Eusebius lib. 4. cap. 23. and the writers of the Centuries Cent. 2. cap. 10. did vse to read openly for admonition sake certeine Epistles of Clement of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth Maister Bucer in his notes vpon the communion book in King Edwardes time writeth thus It is better that where there lackes to expounde the scriptures vnto the people there should bee godly and learned Homilies read vnto them rather than they should haue no exhortation at al in the administration of the supper And a little after he saith there be two fewe Homilies and too fewe pointes of religion taught in them when therefore the Lord shal blesse this kingdome with some excellent preachers let them be coÌmaunded to make moe Homilies of the principal pointes of religion which may be read to the people by those pastors that cannot make better themselues And that worthie martyr doctor Ridley Bishop of London speaking of the Church of England that was in the reigne of king Edward as he is reported by maister Foxe in his booke of Actes and Mo To 2. Pag. 1940. sayeth thus It had also holy and wholesome Homilies in commendation of the principall vertues which are coÌmended in scripture and likewise other Homilies against the most pernicious and capital vices that vse alas to reigne in this Churche of Englande So long therfore as none are read in the Church but such as are sound godly learned and fit for the capacitie of the people and whiles they are not thrust into the Churche for Canonicall Scriptures but are read as godly expositions and interpretations of the same and whiles they occupie no more time in the church than that which is vsually left and spared after the reading of the Canonical scriptures to preaching and exhortation and whiles they are vsed not to the contempt derogation or abandoning of preaching but only to supplie the want of it no good man can mislike the vse of them but such contentious persons as defie all thinges which they deuise not themselues And if it be saide there be already good Homilies and those also authorized likewise wholesome expositions of sundrie parts of scripture tâ the same purpose I graunt there be so But store is no sore And as in meats which are most deintie if they come often to the table we care not for them so in sermons which are moste excellent if the same come often to the pulpit they oftentimes please not others are desired But to end these sermons of maister Bullingers are such as whether they be vsed priuately or read publiquely whether of ministers of the word or other Gods children certeinely there will be found in them suche light and instruction for the ignorant such sweetenesse and spiritual comfort for consciences suche heauenly delightes for soules that as perfumes the more they are chafed the better they smell and as golden mynes the deeper ye digge them the more riches they shewe so these the more diligently ye peruse them the more delightfully they will please and the deeper ye digge with daily studie in their mynes the more golden matter they will deliuer forth to the glorie of GOD to whoÌ only be praise for euer and euer Amen ⧠Of the foure generall Synodes or Counsels SINCE THE TIME OF THE APOSTLES MANY Counselles haue beene celebrated in sundrye Prouinces Those Counsels then were Synodes or assemblies of Bishops and holy men meeting together to consult for keeping the soundnesse of Faith the vnitie of Doctrine and the discipline and peace of the Churches Some of which sorte the Epistles of the blessed martyr Cyprian haue made vs acquainted withall The first generall or vniuersall Synode therefore is reported to haue bene called by that moste holy Emperour Constantine in the Citie of Nice the yere of our Lorde 324. against Arius and his parteners which denied the naturall Deitie of our Lorde Iesus Christ And thither came there out of all nations vnder heauen 218. Bishops and excellent learned men who wrote the Creede commonly called the Nicene Creede Hitherto the Creede of the Apostles sufficed and had bene sufficient to the church of Christe euen in the time of Constantine For all men coÌfesse that all the churches vsed no other Creede than that of the Apostles which we haue made mention of and expounded in the firste Decade wherewith they were content throughout the whole world But for because in the dayes of Constantine the great that wicked blasphemer Arius sprange vp corrupting the purenesse of Christian faith and peruerting the simple trueth of doctrine taught by the Apostles the Ministers of the churches were compelled of very necessitie to set themselues againste that deceiuer and in publishinge a Creede to shewe forth and declare out of the Canonical Scriptures the true and auncient confession of faith condemning those nouelties brought in of Arius For in the Creedes set forth by the other three general counsels presently folowing neither was any thinge chaunged in the doctrine of the Apostles neither was there any new thinge added which the churches of Christe had not before taken and beleeued out of the holy Scripture but the auncient truth beeing wisely made manifest by coÌfessions made of
1067. 1068. 1073. 1078. 1079. Symbole 961. Synodes 1130 Synagogue 263. 339. 813 Synaxis 1019. 1063 T Tabernacle 334. 339. 341. 862 Table of the Lord. 1063 Tables of Gods lawes 111. 112 Tale carriers 322 Testament 49. 463. 1064 Testimonies 106. 364. 443. 669. 764. Teaching 909. 910 Temples of Christians 1126 Thanksgiuing 951. 652 653. 1063. Theft and deceipte 106. 270. 395 Thâuma and Thnupha 378 Theodosiu Emperour 181 Time holie 417. 349. 1129 Torments nothing dismaye the Apostles 723 Tongue 319. 1071 Toward what part of the world we must pray 1127. Traditions 5. 18. 447 Treasures heauenly all giuen vs of God in Christ 77 Tryall of oureselues by afflictions 294 Trinitie 612. 627. 628. ce True worship and adoration 652 True religion 672 True vnderstanding of the Lordes wordes This is my body 1085 True eating of Christes body 1097 True end of scholes 1117 Tyrannie 169 V. Valentinian Emperour 181 Verbum what it is 1 Vengeance taken of bloudy Rome 319 Vertues of the pastour 911 Vestal virgines 368 Vessells belonging to the Lordes Supper 1070 Vice is to be rebuked sharply and seasonably 894 Vigilius 74 Virgines and Virginitie 1134 Vowes and vowed sacrifices 379 380. 135. 421. 1137 Voluntarie sinne c. 497. 511 Vncleanethings 386 Vnitie ought to be kept 849 Vnderstanding 589 Vncircumcised soule 1048 Vrim Thummim 334 Vsurie and Vsurers 274. 275. 276 W. Warre Warres and Warriours 207. 208. 209. 210. 211. 212. 213. 214. 215. c. 399. Wages of hirelings 396 Water and the Word 971 Wayes of eating the Lordes Supper 110â Weight and measure 397 Wedlocke 222. 223 c. 227. 1133 1134 Wealth by inheritaunce 266 Who elected to life 643 Who an Heretique who a Schismatique 850 Who to be baptised 1050 Why God created maÌ so frayle 487 Whoredome and adulterie 393 Who do not rightly preach Christe 544 Why all men are not saued 546 Widowes and Widowhoode 1134 Wisedome of god 619. 96â Without the church no light or saluation 843 Wicked are not partakers of the things signified in the Sacraments 98â Witnesse Witnesse-bearing 39â Wife the arme of her husband 224 Witches and Sothsayers 397 Worde Wordes and the Worde of god c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. c. vsque 22. 24. 25. 26. c. vsque 29. 525. 528. 823. 940. 971. 975 978. 1102. Workes 53. 54. 98. 406. 453. 454. 456. 457. 620 Worship Worshipping and Worshippers 6. 652. 658. 744 Women-deacons and their office 875 Wormes take vengeaunce of Gods enimies 890 Worthy and vnworthy eating and drinking of the Lords supper 1106 Writings of the old Testament giuen to Christians 15 Wrath of God vppon kingdomes for vsurie 276 Y. Yeare of Iubilie 354 Z. Zuinglius 502. 1015. 1020. 1204 FINIS The first Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger Of the worde of God the cause of it and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde ¶ The first Sermon ALl the decrees of Christian fayth with euery waye howe to liue rightly well and holyly and finally all true and heauenly wisdome haue alwayes bene fetched out of the testimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God neyther can they by those which are wise men in déede or by the faithfull and those whiche are called by God to the ministerie of the Churches be drawn taught or last of all soundly confirmed from else where then out of the word of god Therefore whosoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God and the meaning of the word of God is he séemeth to be as one blinde deafe and without witte in the Temple of the Lorde in the schole of Christ and lastly in the very reading of the sacred Scriptures But whereas some are nothing zealous but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church that springeth out of no other fountaine than this which is bycause they doe neyther rightly vnderstande nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue and true force of the word of god That nothing therefore may cause the zealous desirers of the trueth and the worde of God to staye on this point but rather that that estimation of Gods word which is due vnto it may be layde vp in all mens hartes I will by Gods helpe lay foorthe vnto you dearly beloued those things which a godly man ought to thinke and holde as concerning the worde of god And praye ye earnestly and continually to our bountifull God that it may please him to giue to me his holy effectuall power to speake and to you the opening of your eares and mynds so that in all that I shall say the Lorde his name may be praysed and your soules be profited abundantly First I haue to declare what the worde of God is Verbum in the scriptures and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuersly taken For it signifieth what thing soeuer a man will euen as among the Germanes the worde Ding is moste largely vsed In S. Luke the Angel of God saythe to the blessed Virgin with God shall no worde be vnpossible whiche is all one as if he had sayde all things are possible to God or to God is nothing vnpossible Verbum also signifieth a word vttered by the mouth of a man Sometime it is vsed for a charge somtime for a whole sentence or speach or prophesie wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei theÌ is it not vsed in the same signification For Verbum Dei the worde of God doth signifie the vertue and power of God it is also put for the Sonne of God which iâ the seconde person in the most reuerend trinitie For the saying of the holy EuaÌangelist is euident to al meÌ The word was made flesh But in this treatise of ours the word of God doth properly signify the speach of God the reuealing of gods wil first of al vttered in a liuely expressed voyce by the mouth of Christ the Prophets and Apostles and after that againe registred in writings whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures The word doth shew the minde of him out of whom it commeth therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of god But God of him selfe naturally speaketh trueth he is iust good pure immortal eternall therefore it followeth that the word of God also which commeth out of the mouth of God is true iust without deceipt and guile without errour or euill affection holy pure good immortall euerlasting For in the Gospel sayth the Lord Thy word is truth And the Apostle Paule saith The word of God is not tied Againe the Scripture euery where cryeth The word of the Lorde indureth for euer And Solomon saythe Euery word of God is purely cleansed Adde thou nothing to his wordes leaste peraduenture he reproue thee and thou be founde a lyar Dauid also sayth The sayings of the Lorde are pure
labour and bring it to an ende For whosoeuer hath sayth the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell to him shall be giuen that he may haue the more aboundance And euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shal be opened Whervpon S. Iames the Apostle sayth If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske of God whiche giueth to al men liberally that is willingly not with grudging neyther casteth any man in the teeth and it shall be giuen him Where by the way we sée our dutie which is in reading and hearing the worde of God to pray earnestly and zealously that we may come to that ende for the whiche the worde of God was giuen and reuealed vnto vs But as touching that matter we will say somewhat more when we come to declare in what maner of sorte the worde of God ought to be heard Nowe bycause I haue sayde that the worde of God is reuealed to the intente that it maye fully instructe vs in the wayes of God and our saluation I will in fewe wordes declare vnto you dearely beloued that in the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Prophetes and Apostles is aboundantly contained the whole effect of godlynesse and what thinges soeuer are auaileable to the leading of oure liues rightly well and holyly For verily it must néedes be that that doctrine is full and in all pointes perfect to which nothing ought eyther to be added or else to be taken away But such a doctrine is the doctrine taught in the worde of God as witnesseth Moses Deuter. 4. 12. and Solomon Prouerb 30. What is he therfore that dothe not confesse that all pointes of true pietie are taught vs in the sacred Scriptures Furthermore no man can denie that to be a most absolute doctrine by which a man is so fully made perfect that in this worlde he may be taken for a iust man and in the world to come be called for euer to the companie of god But he that beleeueth the word of God vttered to the world by the Prophetes and Apostles and liueth thereafter is called a iust man and heire of life euerlasting That doctrine therefore is an absolute doctrine For Paule also declaring more largely and fully the same matter sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiratioÌ of god is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes Ye haue brethren an euident testimonie of the fulnesse of the worde of god Ye haue a doctrine absolutely perfect in al points Ye haue a most perfect effect of the word of God bicause by this doctrine the maÌ of God that is the godly and deuoute worshipper of God is perfect being instructed not to a certaine fewe good workes but vnto all and euery good worke Wherein therfore caust thou finde any want I do not thinke that any one is suche a sot as to interprete these wordes of Paule to be spoken onely touching the olde Testament séeing it is more manifest then the daye light that Paule applyed them to his scholer Timothie who preached the Gospell and was a minister of the newe Testament If so be then that the doctrine of the olde Testament be of it selfe full by howe much more shal it be the fuller if the volume of the newe Testament be added there vnto I am not so ignoraunt but that I knowe that the Lorde Iesus both did and spake many things whiche were not written by the Apostles But it followeth not therefore that the doctrine of the worde of God taught by the Apostles is not absolutely perfect For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth freely confesse that the Lord did many other things also whiche were not written in his booke But immediately he addeth this and sayth But these are written that ye might beleue that Iesus is Christe the sonne of God and that in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name He affirmeth by this doctrine whiche he conteined in writing that faythe is fully taught and that through fayth there is graunted by God euerlasting life But the ende of absolute doctrine is to be happie and perfectly blessed Since then that that commeth to man by the written doctrine of the Gospell vndoubtedly that doctrine of the Gospell is most absolutely perfect I knowe that the Lord in the Gospell sayde I haue many things to tell you but at this time you can not beare them But therwithal I know to that he immediatly added this saying But when the spirite of trueth shall come he shall leade you into all trueth I knowe furthermore that the spirite of trueth did come vpon his disciples and therefore I beléeue that they according to the true promise of Christ were led into all trueth so that it is most assuredly certaine that nothing was wanting in them But some there are whiche when they can not deny this do turne them selues and saye that the Apostles in déede knewe all things but yet taught them not but by word of mouth only not setting downe in writing al those things whiche doe appertaine to true godlinesse As though it were likely that Christ his most faithful Apostles would vpon spite haue kept back any thing from their posteritie As though in deede he had lyed which sayd These things are written that in beleeuing ye might haue life euerlasting Iohn therefore did let passe nothing whiche belongeth to oure full instructing in the fayth Luke did omit nothing Neyther did the rest of the Apostles and disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ suffer any thing to ouerslip them Paule also wrote fourtéene sundry Epistles but yet the most of them coÌtained one and the selfe same matter Whereby we may very well coniecture that in them is wholy comprehended the absolute doctrine of godlynesse For he would not haue repeated one and the selfe same thing so often to so many sundry men if there had yet bene any thing else necessarie more fully to be taught for the obtaining of saluatioÌ Those things vndoubtedly woulde he haue taught and not haue rehearsed one and the same thing so many times Verily in the thirde chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians he dothe affirme that in the two firste chapters of the same his Epistle he did declare his knowledge in the Gospel of Christ God saith he by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto me as I wrote before in fewe wordes whereby when ye reade ye may vnderstand my knowledge in the misterie of Christe And this spake he touching that one and onely Epistle yea and that too touching the two firste chapters of that one Epistle Whervnto when the moste large and lightsome Letters or Epistles of Sainte Paule him selfe and also of the other Apostles are added who I praye you vnlesse he be altogether without sense will once thinke that the Apostles haue left in writing to vs their posteritie a doctrine
are sowen abrode very vngodly spéeches For some there are which do suppose that the scriptures that is the very worde of God is of it selfe so darke that it cannot be read with any profite at al. And again some other affirme that the worde plainly deliuered by God to mankind doth stande in néede of no exposition And therefore say they that the scriptures ought in déede to be read of all men but so that euery man may lawfully inuent and choose to himself such a sense as euery one shal be persuaded in him selfe to be most conuenient These fellowes doe altogether condemne the order receiued of the Churches wherby the minister of the church doth expounde the Scriptures to the congregatioÌ But I déerely beloued if as ye haue begoon so ye will go forwarde to pray to the Lorde do truste by the hope that I haue in gods goodnesse that I am able plainely to declare that to the godly the scripture is nothing darke at al that the lord his will is altogether to haue vs vnderstande it Then that the Scriptures ought alwayes to be expouÌded Wher also I will teach you the maner and some ready wayes how to interprete the scriptures The handling of these pointes shall take away the impediments which driue men from the reading of the word of god and shal cause the reading hearing of the worde of God to be both wholesome fruitful And firste of all that Gods will is to haue his worde vnderstoode of man kinde we may thereby gather especially bicause that in speaking to his seruaunts he vsed a most common kind of speach wherwithall euen the very idiotes were acquainted Neither do we reade that the Prophets and Apostles the seruaunts of God and interpreters of his high and euerlastinge wisedome did vse any straunge kinde of speach so that in the whole packe of writers none can be founde to excell them in a more plaine and easy phrase of writing Their writings are full of common prouerbes similitudes parables comparisons deuised narrations examples and such other like maner of spéeches then which ther is nothing that doth more moue plainely teach the common sorte of wittes amonge mortall men There ariseth I confesse some darknesse in the scriptures by reason of the naturall propertie figuratiue ornaments and the vnacquainted vse of the tongues But that difficulty may easily be helped by studie diligence faith and the meanes of skilfull interpreters I know that the Apostle Peter saith in the epistles of Paul Many thinges are harde to be vnderstoode But immediatly he addeth which the vnlearned and those that are vnperfect or vnstable peruert as they doe the other scriptures also vnto their owne destruction Wherby we gather that the scripture is difficulte or obscure to the vnlearned vnskilfull vnexercised and malicious or corrupted willes and not to the zealous and godly Readers or Hearers therof Therefore when S. Paule sayth If as yet our gospell be hidde from them it is hid which perish in whom the Prince of this worlde hath blinded the vnderstanding of the vnbeleeuers that to them there shoulde not shine the light of the gospell of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. He doth not lay the blame of this difficultie on the word of God but vpon the vnprofitable hearers Whosoeuer we are therefore that do desire rightly to vnderstand the word of God our care must be that Satan possesse not our mindes and close vp our eyes For our Sauiour also in the gospell sayde This is damnation because the light came into the world and men loued darknesse rather than light Besides that the holy Prophetes of God and the Apostles did not call the worde of God or the scriptures darkenesse obscurenesse or mistinesse but a certaine brightnesse and lightsomnesse Dauid saith Thy word is a Lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes And what I praye you is more euident than that which in makinge doubtfull and obscure thinges manifest no man doth referre to darkenesse and vncertainties Things vncertaine doubtful and obscure are made manifest by those things that are more certain sure and euident But as often as any question or controuersie doth happen in matters of fayth do not all men agree that it ought to be ended and determined by the scriptures it must therfore needes be that the scriptures are euident plaine and most assuredly certaine But though the scripture be manifest and the worde of God be euident yet notwithstanding it refuseth not a godly or holy exposition but rather an holy exposition doth giue a setting out to the worde of God bringeth forth much fruite in the godly hearer And for bicause many do deny that the scriptures ought to haue any exposition I will shew by examples which can not be gainsaide that they ought altogether to be expounded For God him selfe hauing often coÌmunication with Moses by the space of fortie dayes and as many yeares did by Moses expouÌd to the Church the wordes of the law which he spake in Mount Sina to the whole congregation of Israeâl writing them in two tables which Moses left to vs the Deuteronomie and certaine other bookes as commentaries vpon Gods commaundements After that immediatly followed the Prophetes who interpreting the lawe of Moses did apply it to the times places and men of their age and left to vs that fellow their sermons as plain expositions of Gods law In the eight Chapiter of Nehemias we reade these wordes Esdras the Priest brought the Lawe the booke of Moses and stoode vpon a turret made of wood that is in the holy pulpet And Esdras opened the booke before the congregation of men and women who soeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuits stode with him so that he read out of the booke and the leuits instructed the people in the law the people stode in their place And they reade in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense and causing them to vnderstande the reading Thus muche in the booke of Nehemias Marke here by the waye my brethren that the lawfull and holy ministers of the Churche of God did not onely reade the worde of God but did also expounde it This manner of reading and expounding the Scriptures or worde of God oure Lorde Iesu Christe did neyther abrogate nor contemne when comming in the fleshe he did as a true Prophete and heauenly maister instructe the people of his Churche in the doctrine of the Newe Testament For entring into the Synagogue at Nazareth he stoode vp to reade and there was deliuered to him the booke of the Prophete Esay So he opened the booke and read a certaine notable place out of the .lxj. Chapter Then shutting the booke he gaue it to the Minister againe and expounded that which he had read declaring how that in him selfe nowe that prophesie was fulfilled Moreouer after that he was risen from death he ioyned him self in companie
to the two Disciples whiche went to Emaus with whome he talked of sundry matters but at length beginning at Moses and all the Prophetes he expounded to them what so euer was written of him self throughout all the Scriptures The Apostles following this example of the Lorde did them selues also expound the word of God. For Peter in the seconde Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles dothe expounde the xvj Psalme of Christe his resurrection from the deade And Philip also doth plainely expounde to the noble man of Ethiope the prophesie of Esay wherby he bringeth him to the fayth of Christe and fellowship of the Church Whosoeuer doth say that Paul doth not euery where interpret the holy Scripture he hath neyther read nor séene the déedes nor writings of Paule Thus haue I I hope both plainly substantially shewed that the word of God ought to be expounded As for those whiche cry out against the exposition of the Scriptures and woulde not haue the ministers of the worde and Churches to declare the scriptures in open and solemne audience neyther to apply them to the places times states persons their fetch is to seeke somewhat else then the honour due vnto god They leade their liues farre otherwise then is comely for godly men Their talke is wicked vnséemely dishonest Their déeds are mischieuous and haynous offences And this woulde they to doe without punishment and therefore desire to haue the exposition of the Scriptures to be taken cleane away For if a man doe read the wordes of the Scripture onelye not applyinge it to the states places times and persones it someth that he hath not greatly touched their vngodly and wicked life Therefore when they crie that Sermons and expositions of the scriptures ought to be taken a waye from among men and that the Scriptures ought to be reade simplye without any addition they minde nothing else but to caste behind them the lawe of God to treade vnder foote all discipline and rebuking of sinne and so to offende fréely without punishment whiche sorte of men the rightuous Lorde will in his appointed time punishe so muche the more grieuously as they doe more boldly rebell against their God. In the meane season all the ministers of the Churche muste beware that they followe not héerein their owne affections any whit at all or else corrupt the Scriptures by their wrong interpretations and so by that meanes set foorth to the Church their owne inuentions and not the worde of god Some suche like offence it séemeth that the teachers of the auncient people in olde time did commit bycause the Lorde in Ezechiell accuseth them saying Seemeth it a small thing to you to haue eaten vp the good pasture but that ye must also treade the residue of your pasture vnder your feete and to drinke the clearer water but that ye muste trouble the rest with your feete Thus my sheepe muste be faine to eate the thing that is troden downe with your feete and to drinke that whiche ye with your feete haue defiled A sore offence is this which the Lord according to his iustice punisheth most sharpely We therefore the interpreters of Gods holy worde and faythfull ministers of the Churche of Christe must haue a diligent regarde to keepe the Scriptures sounde and perfect and to teach the people of Christ the worde of God sincerely made plaine I meane not corrupted or darkned by foolish wroÌg expositions of oure owne inuention And nowe dearely beloued the place and time require vs to say somwhat vnto you touching the interpretation of the holy Scriptures or the exposition of the word of god Wherin I will not speake any thing particularly of the skilfull knowledge of tongues or the liberall sciences which are thinges requisite in a good interpreter but will briefly touche the generalities alone And first of al ye must vnderstande that some things in the Scriptures or worde of God are so plainly set foorth that they haue neede of no interpretation neyther will admit any exposition Which if any man goe about with his owne expositions to make more manifest he may séeme to do as wittily as he which with faggot light and torches would helpe the sunne at his rising to giue more light vnto the world As for those thinges which are so set down that they séeme to require our helpe to expound them they must not be interpreted after our owne fantasies but according to the minde and meaning of him by whom the Scriptures were reuealed For Saint Peter saythe The prophesie came not in olde time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost Therefore the true and proper sense of Gods worde must be taken out of the Scriptures them selues and not be forceably thruste vpon the Scriptures as we our selues lust And therwithal ye must marke a fewe certaine rules which I meane briefly to touch and to shewe vnto you in those fewe wordes which I haue yet to speake First since the Apostle Paul would haue the exposition of the Scriptures to agree fitly and in euery point proportionally with our fayth as it is to be seene in the twelâthe to the Romanes And bycause againe in the later epistle to the Corinthians he saith Seing then that we haue the same spirite of faith according as it is writen I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore doe we speake Let it therefore be taken for a point of Catholike religion not to bring in or admit any thing in our expositions which others haue alledged against the receiued articles of our fayth conteyned in the Apostles Créede and other coÌfessions of the ancient fathers For saytâ the apostle in defence of the trueth we can saye somewhat but against the trueth we are able to say nothing When therefore in the Gospel after S. Iohn we read the saying of the Lord The father is greater then I we must thinke that it is against the articles of our fayth to make or admit any equalitie in the Godhead betwixt the Father and the Sonne and therefore that the Lorde his meaning was otherwise then the very words at the first blush do séeme to import Againe when we read this saying of the apostle It can not be that they which were once illuminated if they fall away shuld be renued againe into repeÌtance Let vs not beléeue that repentance is to be denied to theÌ that fall For the Catholike Fayth is this that in euery place at euery season so long as we liue on this earthe a full pardon of all sinnes is promised to all men whiche turne to the Lorde In like manner when we reade that the Lorde tooke breade and sayde of the breade This is my body let vs presently remember that the Articles of our fayth doe attribute to our Lorde the very body of a man which asceÌded into heauen and sitteth at the righte hande of
tranquilitie doe preserue fellowly societie among men doe defend the good bring inordinate persons into better order and lastly doe not make a little onely to the setting for warde of religion but doe also abrogate euill customes and vtterly bannish vnlawfull mischiefes Hereof we haue examples in the déedes of Nabuchodonosor Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes and other Princes more But touching the Magistrates power his lawes and office I will speake of them in an other place Ecclesiasticall lawes are those which being taken out of the worde of God and applyed to the state of men times and places are receiued haue authoritie in the church among the people of god I call these ecclesiasticall lawes and not traditions of men bycause being takeÌ out of the holy scriptures and not inuented or brought to light by the wit of man they are vsed of that Churche which heareth the voyce of the shéepehearde alone and knoweth not a straungers tong The congregation commeth together to heare the word of God and vnto common prayers at Morning at Euening and at such appointed houres as are moste conuenient for euery place and euerie people and that the church holdeth as a lawe The Church hath solemne prayer times holy dayes and fasting dayes which it doth kéepe by certaine lawes The Church at certaine times in a certaine place and appointed order dothe celebrate the Sacraments according to the lawes and receiued custome of the Church The Churche baptiseth infantes it forbiddeth not women to come to the Lordes Supper and that it holdeth as a lawe The Churche by Iudges conueniently appointed doth iudge in causes of matrimonie and hath certaine lawes to direct them in such cases But it deriueth these and al other like to these out of the Scriptures and doth for edification apply them to the estate of men times and places so that in diuers Churches ye may sée some diuersitie in déede but no discord or repugnancie at all Furthermore Ecclesiasticall lawes haue their measure certain marks beyond which they may not passe to wit that nothing be done or receiued contrarie or differing in any iote from the worde of God sounding againste charitie and comelinesse either in little or muche that lastly this rule of the Apostle may be effectually obserued Let all thinges be done decently according vnto order and to the edification of the Church If therefore any man shall goe about vnder a coloured pretence of ecclesiastical lawes tobring in and pop into the mouthes of the godly any superstitious busie and vnseemely traditions of men whiche withal do differ from the Scriptures their part shall be first to trie that deceipt of theirs by the rule of Gods worde and then to reiect it There remaine nowe the traditions of men whiche haue their beginning are made and inuented of men at their owne choyce of some foolishe intent or some fonde affection of mankinde contrarie or without the holy Scriptures of which sorte you shall finde an infinite number of examples I meane the sectes the dominion and single life of spirituall men the rites and sundry fashioned customes vsed in their Church Touching all which the Lorde in the Gospell citing the Prophet Esaie sayth Why transgresse ye the Lords commaundement for your own traditioÌ ye hypocrites rightly did Esaias prophesie of you where he saith This people commeth nigh vnto me with their mouth and with their lippes they honour me but their heart is farre from me but they worship me in vaine teaching doctrines the precepts of men The blessed Martyr Cyprian alluding to these wordes of Christ Epistolarum lib. 1. epi. 8. saith It is corrupt wicked and robberie to the glory of God what soeuer is ordeyned by the giddie madnesse of mens heads to the violating of Gods disposition Depart as farre as may be from the infectiue contagiousnes of such fellowes and seeke by flight to shunne their talke as warely as an eating cancker or infecting pestilence for the Lorde forewarneth and telleth you that they are blinde leaders of the blinde Paule also in his Epistle to Titus sayth Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men turning from the trueth I doe of purpose here let passe the words of Paul in his second chapter to the Colossians bycause the place is knowne of all men I will not trouble you dearely beued with too large and busie an exposition hereof For I suppose that this little that I haue sayde touching the lawes of nature and of men I meane lawes politique Ecclesiasticall and méere traditions of men are sufficient to the attentiue and faythful hearers who at their comming home do more diligently thinke of euery point by theÌ selues and also reade the places of Scripture often cited by me and deuoutly expounded The Lord for his mercy graunt that we doe neuer despise the admonitions of natures lawe graffed in our heartes nor yet be intangled in mens traditions but that we in walking lawfully in vpright politique lawes and holy Ecclesiasticall ordinaunces maye serue the Lord To whom be all glory honour and dominion for euer and euer Amen Of Gods lawe and of the two first commaundements of the first Table ¶ The second Sermon THE lawe of God openly published proclaimed by the Lord our God him self setteth downe ordinarie rules for vs to knowe what we haue to doe and what to leaue vndone requiring obedience and threatning vtter destruction to disobedient rebels This lawe is diuided into the Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall lawes All whiche partes and euery point whereof Moses hath very exquisitely written and diligently expounded The Morall lawe is that which teacheth men manners and layeth downe before vs the shape of vertue declaring therewithall howe great righteousnesse godlinesse obedience and perfectnesse God looketh for at the handes of vs mortall men The Ceremoniall lawes are they whiche are giuen concerning the order of holy and Ecclesiasticall rites and ceremonies and also touching the ministers and things assigned to the ministerie and other holy vses Last of all the Iudiciall lawes giue rules concerning matters to be iudged of betwéen man and man for the preseruation of publique peace equitie and ciuil honestie Touching the two latter of these I will speake of them in place conuenient At this time I meane to discourse vpon the Morall lawe First of all therefore let no man thinke that before Moses time there was no lawe and that the lawe was by Moses firste of all published For the selfe same especiall pointes of the Morall lawe whiche Moses setteth down in the ten Commaundements were very well knowne to the Patriarches euen from the beginning of the world For they worshipped the one ârue God alone for their God whome they reuerenced and called vpon him Iacob tooke away with him the Syrian Idolles of Laban out of his house and hid them in Bethel vnder an oke or Terebinth trée which was nigh to
consist in hearing and following the word of God and that contrarily calamities and miseries doe rise by the coÌtempt and neglecting of the same For Ieroboam the first king of the seperated Israelites letting passe the word of God did ordeyne new rites to worship the Lord by and erected new temples but by so doing hee ouerthrew himselfe his house and all his kingdome After him doth Baasa succeede both in the kingdome idolatrous religion which was the cause why he his were vtterly destroyed Then followeth Amri the father of Achab who for augmenting idolatrous impietie is horriblie slaine with all his family so that not one of his escaped the reuenging sword of Gods anger ielousie And for because Iehu was faithfull valliant in killing those tyraunts in dispatching Baals priestes rooting out of idolatrous superstition the Lord doth promise say vnto him Because thou hast zealously done that which thou hast done according to all that is right in my sight therefore shall thy children vnto the fourth generation sit on the seat of Israel And wee read verily that his sonnes and nephues were notable Princes which succeded in the kingdome euen Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam the second of that name and Zacharias The other kinges as Sellum Manahe Pekaiah Peka and Osee had their kingdome altogether like to the kingdome of the sonne of Iosâas to wit in a seditious troublesome a most miserable taking For they despised the mouth of the lord Therfore were they vtterly cutt off and for the most part either slaine or carried away captiue by their enimies the Assyrians From the diuision of tbe people into two seuerall kingdomes after the death of Solomon there were in number 19 kinges of Israell and 18. of Iuda The kings of Israell altogether reigned about 272. yeares and they of Iuda about 393. Now by the space of so many yeares in the most renowmed peculiar people of God which was as it were a glasse set before the eyes of all nations to view and behold themselues in there might the truest causes of felicitie calamities of all kings kingdoms in the whoale world be so liuely represented and perfectly paynted that there should bee no neede to fetch from else where a more plaine and euident demonstration of the same And yet for al that wee are not without other forreigne examples wherby to proue it For the Pharaoes of Aegypt were the destruction both to themselues and also to their kingdome by their stubborne rebellion against Gods word Againe Darius Priscus and the great Nabuchodonosor enioyed no small felicitie because they despised not the counsells of Daniel Balthazar king of Babylon a despightfull contemner of God and his word is in one night destroyed with all his power Babylon the most auncient and famous citie of the world is taken set on fyre sacked and ouerthrowne and the kingdom translated to the Medes and Persians Neither were the kinges of Persia vnfortunate at all I meane Cyrus and Darius otherwise called Artaxerxes because they fauoured the word of God and did promoate his people and true religion But on the other side wee read that Antiochus syrnamed Epiphanes was most vnfortunate who as it were making warre with God himselfe did most wickedly burne and make away the bookes of holy Scripture Furthermore wee haue as great stoare of examples also euen out of those Histories which followed immediately the time of Christ his ascension For so many Romane Emperours kinges and Princes as persecuted the preaching of the Gospell and Church of our Lord Iesus Christ aduaunced idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie so many I say did die a foule and shamefull death Of this are Eusebius and Orosius renowmed Historiographers assured witnesses Againe S. Augustine lib. 5. de Ciuit. Dei affirmeth that incredible victories verie great glorie and most absolute felicitie hath beene giuen by God vnto those kinges which haue in faith sincerely embraced Christe their Lord and vtterly subuerted idolatrie and superstitious blasphemie It is euident therefore that felicitie commeth by good will and obedience to the word of God that all kings and kingdoms shal be vnhappie which forsake the word of God and turne themselues to mens inuentions And this I haue I trust declared hetherto so plainly that the hearers may seeme not onely to vnderstand but also to see before their eyes and as it were to feele with their hands the pith and materiall substaunce of this whole treatise But wherunto doth all this tend That your Royall maiestie forsooth may vndoubttingly know be assuredly persuaded that true felicitie is gotten and reteyned by faithfull studie in the word of God to witt if you submit your selfe altogether and your whoale kingdome to Christe the chiefe and highest Prince if throughout your whoale realme you dispose and order religion and all matters of iustice according to the rule of Gods holy word if you decline not one haires breadth from that rule but studie to aduaunce the kingdome of Christ and goe on as hetherto you haue happily begon to subuert tread vnder foote the vsurped power of that tyrannicall Antichrist Not that your maiestie needeth any whit at all mine admonitions or instructions For you haue vndoubtedly that heauenly teachâr in your minde I meane the holie Ghoste which inspireth you with the verie true doctrine of sincere and pure religion Your Maiestie hath the sacred Bible the holiest booke of all bookes wherein as in a perfect rule the whoale matter of pâetie our true saluation is absolutely conteyned and plainly set downe Your Maiestie hath noble men and many Counsellours belonging to your kingdome faithfull valliaunt and skilfull heads both in the lawe of God and men who for their wisedome loue that they beare to the sincere truâth are greatly commended amonge forreigne nations And for that cause all the faithfull doe thinke and call your maiestie most happie But that happie king Ezechias although hee did especially vse the helpe of those excellent men Esââ and Micheas did not yet despise faithfull admonishers euen amonge the ãâã sort of Leuites neither thought they that in admonishing the king theâ lâst and ãâ¦ã labour in vaine I therefore hauing good affiaunce in your ãâã good aâd godlâdisposition do verily hope that this short discourse of mine touching the true causes of the felicitie and calamities of kinges and kingdoms shall haue a proâiting place with you Euen I which 12. yeares since did dedicate vnto your father of famous memorie Henrie viij a booke touching the authoritie of the holie Scripture and the institution and function of Bishopps against the Pontificall chuffes of the Romishe superstition and tyrannie and now by experience know that that labour of mine brought forth no small fruite within the realme of England am now so bold againe as to dedicate these my Sermons vnto your Royall maiestie In these Sermons I handle not the least and lowest points or places of Christian religion the
euery one that which is due tribute to whome tribute belongeth custome to whome custome is due feare to whom feare and honour to whome honour doeth appertaine Owe nothing to any maÌ but this that ye loue one another Moreouer they also do abuse Christian libertie who when they haue not receiued the spirite of libertie and of the sonnes of God when they are not as yet deliuered from Satan nor iustified by Christ do notwithstanding promise libertie to all men and think that for the opinion which they haue conceiued of their libertie they maye do whatsoeuer it pleaseth them by that meanes gainsaying good lawes and seuere discipline with exclamations outcries that libertie by lawes is intrapped betrayed and trode vnder foote Against such and especially against the teachers of that vaine and pernicious libertie Sainct Peter taketh stomach and saith These are welles without water clowdes that are carried with a tempest to whome the myste of darknesse is reserued for euer For when they haue spoken the great swelling wordes of vanitie they entice through lustes in the voluptuousnesse of the fleash suche as were cleane escaped from them which are wrapped in errour while they promise them libertie wher as they them selues are the bondseruaunts of corruption for of whome a man is ouercome vnto the same is he brought in bondage And so foorth as followeth Nowe when men doe after that manner abuse libertie that licentious lust is not worthie to be called by y name of libertie Last of all they doe abuse Christian libertie whosoeuer do abuse thinges indifferent and haue no regarde of their weake brethren but do offende them vnaduisedly Wee must therefore in this case alwayes haue in minde this notable saying of Sainct Paule All things are lawful for mee but all thinges are not expedient all things are lawfull for mee but all things do not edifie Touching this matter there is more to bee séene in the fourteenth Chapter of S. Paules Epistle written to the Romanes And here by occasion yea rather being compelled by necessitie I will speake a little and so much as shall be requisite for the godly disposed to knowe touching offences ScandaluÌ which worde the Latines borrowe of the Gréekes doth signifiâ a fallinge a tripping a stumbling blocke an offence a let or hinderance such as are stones in a streate that sticke vpp higher then the rest or ginnes that are of purpose subtily sett or hidde to snare the féete of them that passe ouer them For they which doe either light on or stumble at them doe fall or else are turned out the streight path Now this kinde of snare or stumbling blâck is by a metaphore transferred to the estate of religion and manners of meÌ For he giueth an offence whosoeuer doth with ouerthwart foolishe or vnseasonable wordes or deedes either do or saye to another man any thinge whereby he taketh an occasioÌ to sinne Therefore Scandalum is an occasion giuen to sinne and doe wickedly and the verie impulsion or driuing to a fall or to wickednesse Other there are that do define Scandalum to be an offence ioyned with a contempt For an offence doth vsually drawe a contempt with it or as we may say also an offence doth rise vpon contempt To conclude therefore it is put for an iniurie offered by one man to another Nowe wee offende other men either by our woordes or else by our deedes The offence that is giuen by wordes is partely in euil foolish and vnseasonable doctrine and partely in our daily talke or communication The greatest offence is that which doth arise of wicked doctrine directly contrarie to the true doctrine of the holie Gospell The nexte to this is that offence which doeth arise of foolishe vnseasonable doctrine which though it be deriued out of the worde of God is notwithstandinge either vnaptly vttered or vnwisely applyed For the preacher may sinne either by too much sufferinge or lenitie or else by too much sharpnesse and ouerthwart wai wardnesse so that the hearers beeing offended do wholie drawe back from all the hearing of the Gospell And yet for all this the light of the Gospel must not bee hidden nor the trueth sliely winked at because men wil be offended but preachers must with all their diligence take heede that the woorde of God bee wisely set foorth and aptly dispensed What soeuer thinges are against the lawes of God those must moste constantly be accused and without feare moste diligently confuted howsoeuer the worlde and worldlinges do storme against the same Nowe they do by their daily talke cause their brethren to stumble whosoeuer let their toungues runne loose to talke they care not what and at their pleasure without aduise to babble they care not howe of which sorte are filthie spéech and ribaulorie but especially such blasphemous wordes as are vnreuerently vttered against God the holie Scriptures and articles of our faith For euil wordes corrupt good manners I do not here exclude the letters or writinges of men which doe vnaduisedly offend their brethren Lastly stumbling blockes of offence are laide before many men either by promises or else by threatenings so often I meane as by alluring inticements of many faire promises or else by terrible threates and torments they are turned from the right path of trueth into bywayes and errours For so did Pharao laye a stone of offence before king Zedechias by causing him to make a league with him by that meanes to truste more in the power of Aegypt than in the mightie hand of God. Tyrauntes doe often times giue weake Christians causes of offence while they by torments driue them to deny the name of their maister Christ Now the déedes whereby men are offended bee of two sortes that is to saye they be either lawfull and at our frée choice or else vnlawfull and vtterly forbidden vs But euen lawfull déedes are by abuse made vnlawfull For it is lawfull for the faithfull to eate what they luste For to the cleane all thinges are cleane But thy eatinge is made vnlawfull if thou doest eate with the offence of thy weake brother For he doeth not vnderstande that it is lawfull to eate indifferently euery kinde of thinge and thou knowest verie wel that if thou eatest hee will bee offended and yet notwithstanding thou doest eate and despise him assure thy selfe in so dooing thou giuest cause of offence and sinnest not a little against thy weake brother To this wee adde all vnseasonable vsing of frée things and indifferent But here ye must note that the doctours of the Churche doe diligently distinguish and make a difference betwixt weake brethren and stubborne persons The weakelinges are such as be vtterly ignorant in some points of religion and yet notwithstanding are tractable enough and feare the Lorde not erring of purpose with malicious ouerthwartnesse but touched with a certeine weakenesse of faith and religion suffering themselues neuerthelesse willingly to bee instructed Of such the Apostle saith
blasphemers of the Gospell of Christ do sinne more grieuously than the Sodomites did and that God which is a sure reuenger will surely plague them for it either in this life or in the worlde to come or else in both with vnspeakeable miseries and endlesse torments Let vs therefore beléeue the Gospell of the sonne of God firste preached to the worlde by God the father then by the Patriarches after that of the Prophets and lastely of the onely begotten sonne of God Christ Iesus his Apostles whose heauenly voyce doth euen at this daye sounde to vs in the mouthes of the mynisters sincerely preaching the Gospel vnto vs. Secondarily wee haue to consider what it is that the heauenly preaching of the Gospell doeth shewe vnto the worlde to wite the Grace of God our heauenly father For the Apostle Paule in the twentieth Chapter of the Actes saith that hee receiued the ministerie of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God. Nowe therefore I will at this present saye so much of the grace of GOD as is sufficient for this place The woorde grace is diuersly vsed in the holie Scriptures euen as it is in prophane writinges also For in the Bible it signifieth Thankesgiuinge and also a Benefite and almes as 2. Cor. 8. Moreouer it signifieth prayse and recompence as in that place where the Apostle saith If when ye do well ye are afflicted yet do beare it that is praisworthie before God. It doeth also signifie facultie or licence as when wee saye that one hath gotten grace to teache and execute an office For the Apostle saith that he receiued grace and immediately to expounde his owne meaning hee addeth to execute the office of an Apostle Moreouer the gifts of God are called grace because they are giuen gratis and fréely bestowed without looking for of any recompeÌce And yet Paule in the fifte to the Romanes distinguisheth a gifte from grace For Grace doth signifie the fauour and good will of God towarde vs But a gifte is the thinge whiche God doth giue vs of that good wil such as are faith constancie and integritie They are saide to haue founde Grace with God whome God doeth dearely loue and fauour more than other In that sense Noah founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde Ioseph founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde of the prison And the holie virgin is read to haue founde grace with the Lorde because shee was beloued of God and verie deare vnto the Lord as shée whome he had singularly chosen from among all other women But in this place and present argument Grace is the fauour goodnesse of the eternall godhead wherwith he according to his incomprehensible goodnesse doeth gratis fréely for Christe his sake imbrace call iustifie and saue vs mortall men Nowe here mée thinketh before wee go anye further it is not amisse to examine and search out the cause of this Gods loue to vs exhibited For we sée that there is a certein relatioÌ betwixt the fauour of God vs men to whom his fauour is so bent It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to be found out For in vs there is nothing wherewith God can be in loue or wherewithall hee may be moued or stirred vp to imbrace vs yea in so much as wee are all vnpure sinners and that God is holye iuste and a reuenger of iniquities he hath matter ynoughe to finde in vs for which he may be angrie at and with iust reuengement plague vs So then the cause of Gods loue to vs wardes must of necessitie be not in vs nor in any other thing beside God considering that nothinge is more excellent than man but euen in God him self Moreouer the moste true Scripture doth teach vs that God is of his owne inclination naturally good gentle as Paul calleth him Philanthropon a louer of vs men who hath sent his owne sonne of his owne nature into the worlde for our redemption whervppon it doeth consequently followe that God doth fréely of him selfe and for his sonnes sake loue man and not for any other cause Whereby immediately all the preparamentes incitaments and merites of men beeing dissolued by the fire of Gods greate loue doe vade and passe awaye like smoke For the grace of God is altogether free and vnlesse it be so I cannot sée howe it can bee called Grace But it behoueth vs in a thing so weightie to cite some euident testimonies of the holie Scripture to confirme our mindes withall against all sophistical trifles and temptations of the diuell Our Lorde in the Gospell said So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne for the world that euery one which beleue in him shuld not perish but haue life euerlasting Loe here this goodwill of God which is the fauour and loue wherwith God embraceth vs is the cause of oure saluation For Christ hauing suffered for vs is our saluation Now God of verie loue hath giuen Christ both to vs for vs Neither may we thincke that God was first moued by oure loue to him ward to shewe like mutuall loue to vs againe and to giue his sonne for vs For he had determined before the beginning of the world to woorke our redemption through Christ his sonne And Iohn the Euangeliste in his Canonical Epistle sayth Herein is loue not that we loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to be an attonement for our sinnes To these testimonies although sufficiently plaine and stronge enough I will yet add some proofes out of the Apostle Paul y so this argument may be more euident that the great agréement may appeare which is betwixt Euangelists and Apostles in this doctrine of grace Paule therfore sayeth All haue sinned stand in neede of the glorie of God but are iustified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu Againe to the Ephesians he sayeth Ye are saued thorough grace by faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of woorkes least any man should boast Againe to Titus The grace and loue of God our Sauiour towards all men hath appeared not of the woorkes of our owne righteousnesse which he did but according to his mercie hath he saued vs. Likewise in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the first Chapiter he sayeth God hath saued vs and hath called vs with an holie calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus I thinke verilie that if a man had béene sett of purpose to haue feigned any thing for the defence of this matter hee could not haue framed any sentence so fitt and euident as these woordes are So nowe it is manifest that the grace of God is altogether frée as that which excludeth all our woorks and merits And this frée loue of God is the only cause and true beginning of the Gospell For
all the world to wite Christe once offered vpp for vs which are by faith made partakers of him But nowe as we do not acknowledge or admitt the satisfactions that are obtruded vnto vs in the doctrine of the priestes and Monckes so do we by all meanes detest the indulgences of the Byshops of Rome They called these Indulgences a beneficiall pardoning of crimes or remission of the punishment or of the guilt or of both to wite by the power of the keyes bestowed by the Lorde and for the merite of the Martyrs bloud for so they saye graunted or giuen to them that are rightly contrite in heart and do confesse their sinnes For these fathers of Indulgences are wont with their Indulgences to remitt againe the rigour and seueritie of the satisfaction whiche lyeth in them to order at their discretion Truely as one saide The fathers gentle Indulgence doeth make the children naught So haue their Indulgences vtterly corrupted true repentance But thou canst read in no place that such power was giueÌ to the Popes as they did feigne We read that to the Apostles the keyes were giuen by the Lorde but those keyes were nothing else but the ministerie of preaching the Gospell as I in place conuenient will shewe vnto you Nowe the Gospell promiseth to vs remission both of the guilt and penaltie for Christe his sake and faith in Christ and doth admonishe vs that in the latter times there shall come men that shal saye we are Christes that is which shall attribute to them selues the things that do properly belong to Christe alone such as is especially the forgiuenesse of sinnes But it commaundeth vs to flie from them and by all meanes to take héede of them as of wicked seducers The same Euangelicall trueth doth teache that the faithfull are cleansed by the onely bloud of the sonne of God. Their indulgences do promise meÌ the cleansing of their sinnes through the bloud of S. Peter S. Paul and other holie Martyrs And for that cause are they the prophanation of the bloud of the sonne of god The Saincts do washe their garments in the bloud of the Lamb not in the pardoning bull or boxe of indulgences nor in the Martyrs bloud Yea Paule him selfe denyeth that either he or Peter or any other of the Sainctes was crucified for the Church of god And yet their indulgences were so sett foorth as though God were pleased with vs for the bloud of the Martyrs Therefore their indulgences are flatly contrarie to the Apostles doctrine And I admonished you in my Sermon of good woorkes in these woordes of Paule I fulfill that which is behinde of the afflictions of Christ in my fleshe for his bodies sake which is the Church that that fulfilling is not referred to the worke of the purging or propitiation of Christ which is consummate vnlesse Christe at his death did testifie falsly saying It is consummate but to those afflictions where with the members of Christ that is the faithful are exercised by the crosse so long as they liue in this fraile fleashe Verily the Lorde maketh accompt of the afflictions layde vppon the faithful as of his owne For to Paule he saide Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Moreouer when he saith For the churche he meaneth not for the expiation of the churche but for the edification and profite of the same And Paule susteined gréeuons afflictions at the handes of the Iewes because he preached the Gospell to the Gentiles And it was expedieÌt that in him there should be shewed to the Church an example of Patience so rare as coulde not lightly be founde againe Yea other haue often times obiected against these indulgence defenders this godly saying of the holie man Pope Leo in his 81. Epistle Although the death of many Saincts is precious in the sight of the Lord yet the slaughter of no man subiect to sin is the propitiation for the sinnes of the worlde Again The righteous haue receiued not giuen Crownes of glorye and of the manful constancie of the Martyrs are sprong examples of patience not the gifts of righteousnes for their deaths were singular neither did any one by his ending pay the debt of another since there is one Lord Iesus Christe in whome they are all crucified dead buried and raysed vp againe Thus much out of pope Leo. We haue therfore by diuine and humane testimonies euidently proued that the indulgences giuen to sinners by the merite or treasure of the Martyrs bloud are méere blasphemies against God and open iniuries against his holye Martyrs I haue hetherto spoken of those indulgeÌces which were of olde fréely bestowed by the Popes of Rome although at this day they be few in number and curtayled too now therfore I will say somewhat of their indulgences which they for the moste parte doe sell and make traffique of To sell indulgences is in the Church of God a sinne so detestable as that it is harde to name any one more horrible And yet it is and hath bene a common practise and merchandize these many yéeres with the Bishops of Rome their factors whom they cal Apostoliques not hauing any one word in the scripture wherewith to cloak y wicked inuention And now though I slip ouer and doo not shew you how Indulgences are nothing but a bare name with out any stuffe or matter and that vnder that vaine name miserable men and silly soules are foulely deceiued yet note that Christ the chiefe and only high Prieste of his Catholique and holy Church in the dayes of his fleshe did with a whip driue the buyers and sellers as impudent dogges out of the Church of God whiche thing hee did twice Once at the beginning of his preaching and an other time a little before his Passion At the first time he added Away with these thinges from hence and make not my fathers house an house of merchaÌdize At the latter time he saide It is written my house shall be called the house of prayer but ye haue made it a den of theeues And Simon Magus also in the Actes of the Apostles seeinge that by the laying on of the Apostles hands the holye Ghoste was giuen did offer them money saying Giue me this power also that on whome soeuer I lay my handes hee may receiue the holy Ghoste But hearken howe Peter accepteth his petition Thy money said he perishe with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of GOD may be obteined with money Thou haste neither parte nor fellowship in this businesse For thy harte is not right in the sight of God. Loe the giftes of God are not gotten with money Loe their harte is not righte that make merchandize of Religion Loe they haue no parte or fellowship in the inheritaunce of the kingdome of Heauen or in the preaching of the glad tidings therfore what shall we say now of the Indulgences whiche the Popes Apostoliques doe set to sale for money What shall we say of the very
to be loued and followed and according to desert and order that is to bee exhibited vnto them whiche agreeth and is fit for them For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue These be Saint Augustines words And thus farre haue we intreated of one only liuing true and euerlasting God to be serued Moreouer whosoeuer cleaue vnto God with a sincere fayth and worship call vpon and serue one GOD lawfully they are rightly named religious their studie and action is true religion Some will haue Religion to be deriued a Relinquendo bicause therby we leaue or forsake false gods all errours and earthly desires and séeke after the true God after truth and heauenly things Massurius Sabinus sayth That is religious which for some holinesse sake wee put by and seuerally set aside The worde Religion hath his name a Relinquendo as Ceremoniae a Carendo But M. Cicero supposeth that Religio is so called a Relegendo of selecting or putting apart bicause they that be religious do carefully choose all thingâ which seeme to belong to the seruice of the Gods. But he is confuted in many wordes of Lactantius Firmianus an ancient writer of the church Lib. Instit 4. cap. 28. where among other things he sayth On this condition we are borne that being borne wee might doe to God iust and due seruice that wee should knowe him alone and that him wee shoulde followe With this bond of godlinesse we are streightly bound and tied vnto God whervppon religion it selfe tooke her name And anon after Wee sayde that the name of religion was deriued from the bonde of godlinesse bycause GOD hath tyed and bounde man vnto him selfe in godlinesse for that is needefull that wee serue him as a Lorde and obey him as a father Other Ecclesiasticall writers also following him as Hierome and Augustine deriued Religion a Religando of tying or binding For Hierome in his Commentarie vpon the ninth chapter of Amos sayth This bundle tyed vp with the religion of the lord which is one Religion therfore tooke her name a Religando of tying together and binding into the lords bundle And Augustine in his booke De quantitate animae chapter 36. sayth True religion is whereby the soule tyeth her selfe through reconciliatioÌ to one God from whome through sinne she had as it were brokeÌ away The same Augustine in his booke De vera religione and last chapter sayth Let religion tye vs vnto one God almightie whereof it is beleeued to bee named religion We say therefore y true religion is none other thing thaÌ a friendship a knitting a vnitie or league with the true liuing and euerlasting God vnto whome we being lincked by a true faith doe worship call vppon and serue him alone vpon whome we do wholy depend liuing in all thinges according to his will or according to the prescript rule lawe of his word Therefore most rightly is the whole matter of saluatioÌ and faith comprised in this one word Religion which elsewhere is called in scripture a league and couenaunt and elsewhere againe marriage or wedlocke For as they which be confederate are vnited and made one by a league so God and man are knit together by religion And as by marriage the husbande and the wife are made one body so by religion we are knit into a spirituall body with God as with our husbande and with the very sonne of God as with our bridegrome and our heade Hetherto therfore doth belong what so euer things are vttered in the scriptures touching the kéeping of the league or couenaunt and the faith of marriage Truce-breakers are they disloyall and infamous through their adulterie who so euer being not knit to one God by fayth worship him alone call vpon him through Christe and serue him also as he him selfe hath sayde in his worde he woulde be serued The very same are also called superstitious For superstition is false religion which doth not serue God but somewhat else for God or not God alone or not rightly or lawfully This worde superstition stretcheth it selfe euen to olde wiues tales and doting errors For in Dutche we call superstition Aberglouben mis glouben vnd mis brijth But Lactantius reasoning most exactly of this worde in his fourth booke of Institutions and 28. chapter writeth in this sort Religion is the seruice of the true God superstition of the false They are said to be superstitious not that wish their children to out-liue them for that we doe al wish but eyther they that reuerence the memorie remayning of the deade or else they that whiles their parents were aliue worshipped their images within their houses like housholde Gods. For those whiche did take vnto them selues newe rites to the intent they might in stead of Gods honour the deade whome they thought were taken from among men and receiued into heauen those I say they called superstitious but those that worshipped and serued publique and ancient Gods they named religious Wherevpon sayth Virgil. Vaine superstition ignorante Of th' olde and auncient Gods. But seeing wee doe finde that our auncients haue beene in semblable manner consecrated Gods after their death they therfore which serue many and false Gods are superstitious but we are religious which pray and make our supplications to one God being the true God c. Superstition consisteth chiefly in these pointes Eyther when the Lord is not serued but other Gods in his steade the onely one true and liuing God being left and forsaken Or else when the Lorde is serued but not alone but other together with him or else when he is serued but not with his lawfull seruice In the first kynde of superstition did the Gentiles in a manner offende who knewe not the true God in so muche that they in stead of the true God worshipped false feigned or straunge Gods. And that the Israelites also Gods people were sicke of the same madnesse the holy prophet Ieremie is a witnesse who expostulating and reasoning the matter with the people sayeth Heare ye the word of the Lord O house of Iacob and all the families of the house of Israel Thus sayeth the Lord What iniquitie haue your fathers founde in mee that they are gon farre from me haue walked after vanitie and are beecome vaine For they sayed not Where is the Lord that brought vs vpp out of the land of Aegypt that led vs thorough the wildernesse thorough a desort wast land throughe a drie land and by the shadowe of death by a land that no man passed thorough and where no man dwelt And I brought you into a plentifull countrie to eate the fruite therof and the coÌmodities of the same but when ye entred ye defiled my land made mine heritage an abhomination The priestes said not Where is the Lord they that should minister the law knewe mee not the pastours also offended against mee and the prophets prophecied in Baal
of his father begotten before all worlds and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world perfect God perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Thus farre in these wordes haue we shewed that Iesus Christe our Lord is very God and verie man consubstantiall or of the same substance with the father according to his Godhead and consubstantial or of the same substance with vs according to his manhood For hée hath a reasonable soule and humane flesh in very déed We wil speake furthermore of the coniunction or vniting of these natures into one person in whiche matter histories declare that certaine auncient writers in old time fowlie erred For Eutiches admitted one nature only in Christ and the same made that is medled or confounded together of a diuine and humane nature from whome the Monothelites were not farre beyond acknowledging only one will in Christ Nestorius willing to auoyd a colâpitt fell into a lime kill For he confessing two natures séemeth to affirme that there are so many persons teaching that the woord is not vnited to the flesh into the selfe same person but that it onely dwelleth therein wherevppon also he forbad the holy virgin to be called Gods mother Against whome the common assertion of the whole church holding opinion according to the scripture hath taught that two natures in Christ and the properties of those natures are to be confessed which are so coupled together into one vndiuided person that neither the diuine nature is chaunged into the humane nor the humane into the diuine but either of them reteine or kéepe their owne nature and both of them subsist in the vnitie of person For Christ according to the disposition of his diuine nature is one and the selfe same immortall according to the disposition of his humane nature mortall and the selfe same immortall GOD and mortall man is the only sauiour of the world Of which thing we will speake anon by Gods grace somewhat more largly and plainly Touching the very coÌiunction or vniting of the true Godhead and manhoode in Christ the prophets and Apostles haue not crabbedlie nor craftilie disputed For they speaking simplie said God was made man. Or God tooke on him man For Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sayeth The woord was made flesh that is God was made man or the word of God became flesh S. Paule sayeth God was made manifest in the flesh And againe The sonne of God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham Therefore wée according to the doctrine of the Apostles expounding the mysterie of the coniunction of the diuine and humane nature in Christ say God was incarnate or made man God toke on him man God appeared or was made manifest in humane flesh He that will sift out déeper matters than these it is to cast himselfe into great daungers Some there are who in expounding these pointes more fully vse the woordes of societie or fellowshipp participation and communion or part-taking and that not without authoritie of the scriptures Paule saying Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe like wise toke part with them Neuerthelesse wée must héere first of all take héede that we do not mâdle or confound the two natures ioyned together in one person nor that wée robb them of their properties For GOD of his owne nature is euerlasting and vnchaungeable God therefore remayning alwayes one and the selfe same is not chaunged into an humane or into any other nature but ioyneth coupleth taketh yea and vniteth vnto himselfe the humane nature Againe vnlesse in his humane nature he remaine a creature and be the selfesame which he is said to be it is not an humane nature this therefore remaining in it owne substance is taken to the diuine nature Therefore two natures remaine in the one person of Christ the diuine and the humane either of them doeth reteine their owne disposition and their owne propertie Which we will now declare by some places of scripture Isaie in his seuenth chap. sayeth A virgine shall conceiue bring forth a sonne his name shal be called Immanuel Hée acknowledgeth both natures in Christ for according to his diuine nature hee is called Immanuel that is to saye God with vs according to his humane nature hee is conceiued and borne The same prophete sayeth A child is borne vnto vs and a sonne is giuen vnto vs c. For hee is giuen who is from euerlasting and hee is borne whose beginning and béeing is in the world Wherefore one and the selfe same reteineth both the diuine and the humane nature For Micheas also sayeth And thou Bethlehem Ephrata art little in deede among the thousands of Iuda Out of the shall he come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernor in Israel whose out-goings haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting Loe what could be spoken more plaine One and the selfe same hath two ofspringes for insomuch as he is God his generation is from euerlasting and as he is man he is borne in Bethlehem Wherefore one and the selfe same Christ is very God and very man Againe in the Gospel according to S. Matth. the Lord asketh the Phariseis saying What thincke you of Christ whose sonne is he They said vnto him the sonne of Dauid He saith vnto them how then doth Dauid in spirite call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sitt thou on my righte hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole If Dauid call him Lord how is he theÌ his sonne As if he said Since Christ without doubt is the sonne of Dauid and hee calleth him Lord not by humane affection but by the holy ghost that is to say verie god of the selfe same power with the father the sequele is the Christ is verie man verie god The angel Gabriel noting no lesse plainlie both these natures saith to the virgin Marie That holy thing which shal be borne shal be called the sonne of god For of the virgin he is borne very man of very man and this is the sonne of god For Elizabeth also calleth the virgin the mother of the Lord to wit of god Moreouer in the Gospel of Iohn thou maist read verie many sayinges of this sort which point out as it were with the finger both natures in the selfe same Christ Ye beleeue sayeth the Lord in God beleeue also in mee And againe The father is greater than I. Also I went out from the father came into the world Againe I leaue the world go to the father And againe in another place The poore shall ye haue alwayes with you but mee alwayes ye shall not haue And againe Behold I am alwayes with you euen vnto the end of the world Wâich sentences truly as it were coÌtraââââannot be all true at once vnlesse ãâã ânowledge that Christ
And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie This is he which by water woorketh the second byrth or regeneration being a certeine seede of heauenly generation and he that consecrateth the heauenly natiuitie being a pledge of the promised inheritance and as it were a certein hand writing of euerlasting saluation who maketh vs the temple of God and bringeth to passe that wee be his dwelling house who perfourmeth the office of an Aduocate maketh intercessioÌ for vs in the hearing of God with sighes that can not be vttered And pouring foorth his gifts of defence is giuen to be a dweller in our hearts and a worker of holinesse who exercising that in vs bringeth oure bodies vnto euerlastingnesse and vnto the resurrection of immortalitie while hee accustometh them to bee partakers in him of his heauenly power and to bee coupled with the heauenly eternitie of the holy Ghost For our bodies are trayned vp in him by him to proceede to immortalitie whilest they learne to behaue them selues moderately according to his ordinaunces For it is he that lusteth contrarie to the flesh bycause the fleshe fighteth against him It is he which bridleth insatiable lustes which tameth immoderate coÌcupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌquisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drânkennesse whiche banisheth ãâã which abandoneth ãâã bânkettings which knitteth the knot of loue and charitie which subdueth the affections driueth awaye sectes sheweth the rule of truth conuinceth heretiques casteth out the wicked is a dâfence to the gospell Of him the apostle also saith For we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirit which is of god Of this spirit he triumpheth saith And I thinke verily that I haue the spirite of god Of him he saith And the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophetes Of him he saith againe Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart froÌ the faith giuing hede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels which speake false in hypocrisie hauing their conscience scared with an hote yron No man beeing guided by this spirit calleth Iesus execrable no man denyeth that Christe is the sonne of God or forsaketh god the Creator no man vttereth any of his own words against the scriptures neither doth any maÌ establish other wicked decrees no man coÌmandeth contrarie lawes Whosoeuer blasphemeth against this spirite shall neuer haue forgiunes neither in this world nor in the world to come It is he that in the Apostles beareth witnesse to Christ that sheweth constant faith of religioÌ in martirs that planteth maruelous continencie of assured loue in virgines that kepeth the lawes of the Lords doctrine vncorrupted and vndefiled in others that confoundeth heretikes reformeth the froward reproueth the vnfaithful reuealeth dissemblers and punisheth the wicked and preserueth the church chaste and vnstained in purenesse of perpetuall virginitie and holinesse of trueth Thus farre Tertul. Thus farre not without trembling we haue intreted of the moste holie mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie the father the sonne and the holie ghoste which we haue learned out of the scriptures and here nowe we will stay humbly worshipping this vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie And let vs kéepe in mind and acknowledge this distinction or diuision most manifestly declared in the scriptures and the vnitie also coÌmended vnto vs with excéeding great diligence For in the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing founteine and welspring of al things is attributed to the father wisedome counsel the verie dispensatioÌ in doing things is ascribed to the sonne y force effectual power of working is assigned to the holy ghost Howbeit let vs take heede least through the distinction we separate the vnitie of the substaunce of god For there is but one God in whome those properties are It is but one fire thoughe there be thrée things séene in it light brightnesse and heate For these rise together and cease all at once The light goeth not before the brightnes ãâã that the ãâã before the heate And though onâ thing âe âââââbuted to âhe light an other thing to the brightnesse and a third thing to the heate yet they worke vnseparably Therefore when we reade that God created the worlde we vnderstande that the father from whome are all things by the sonne by whom are all thinges in the holy ghoste in whome are all thinges created the worlds And when we read that the sonne became flesh suffered died and rose againe for our saluation we beleue that the father and the holy ghost though they were not partakers of his incarnation and passion yet notwithstanding that they wrought that our saluation by the sonne whom we beléeue neuer to haue bene separated from them And when sinnes are said to be forgiuen in the holy ghoste we beléeue that this benefite and all other benefites of our blessednesse are vnseparably giuen and bestowed vpon vs from one onely true liuing and euerlasting God who is the father the sonne and the holie ghoste To whome be peayse and thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen Of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirits and of their operations The ninth Sermon NExt vnto this sermon of the holie Ghost I will adde a treatise of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of god and of diuels or wicked spirites and of their operations Of whome since the holy scripture deliuereth vs an assured doctrine and in all pointes profitable it séemeth that we ought not lightly to regard it but with as much faith and diligence as we can to bring it vnto light It were a foule fault in him that studieth after godlinesse to be ignorant of the dispositions of good and euill angels of whome so often mention is made in the holy scriptures yea it were a thing most dangerous not to know what maner of creatures the diuels are which vnder that ãâ¦ã spoyle vs ⪠But firââ we will speake of holy angels and then ãâ¦ã The worde Angel some sây to âe a name of office not of ãâ¦ã common to the ãâã and Gréeks of whome it is borrowed and it signifieth an embassadour or legate and therefore it hath a larger signification For the preachers of the truth are called Angels as in Malachie and in the Apostle Paule For they are the embassadours or messingers of the Lord of hoastes S. Peter also calleth euill spirites Angels as Paule also doth saying that the faithful shal one day iudge the Angels and that the Angel or messinger of Sathan was sent vnto him howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth Angels the blessed spirites of God Ministers and messingers and heauenly armies But the Saduceis denied that there be angels For Luke in the Actes of the Apostles sayth The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite but the
hindereth the saluation of men soweth infinite ãâã in the church of god And truely the Hebrues cal him sathan whom we call an aduersarie That worde is translated vnto men For in that Peter set himselfe against the counsel and purpose of God he heareth this voyce of the lord Get thee behinde me sathan And Dauid also said to his nephue Abisai the sonne of Zeruia What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruia that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me For Abisai gaiâe said the counsell and decrée of Dauid The diuell is called Daemon tâ wit knowing craftie and cunning in many things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies I know For Plato truly in Craâylo according to the opinion of Hesiodus doeth thinke that diuells whome wée commonly call by this word Daemones are called and as it were named ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is wise prudent knowing Héerevnto the word serpent must be referred The serpent saith the Scripture was subtiler than all the beastes of the fielde Therefore did the diuell choose the serpent to be his dwelling place by whome he might put his guileful deuises in practise deceiue our firste pareÌts For he is called the deceiuer the beguiler seducer of the world the olde serpent dragon For what seducing soeuer there is in y worlde what wicked deuises and deceitfull practises they flow froÌ this one fouÌtein of all his mischief In prophane writers this word is vsed in a farre contrarie significatioÌ For Socrates in Plato saith I affirme that euery maÌ is DaemoÌ that is to say wise whosoeuer is good that he is Daemoniacus that is to say wise happie both aliue and dead Wherfore it is a thing verie much and often vsed of Homer to adorne noble personages with this name But in the historie of the gospel Demoniaci are such as are possessed with a diuel Paule in his first epistle to Tuno reduceth draweth the whole body of deceits doctrins coloured with a shew of false wisedoÌe vnto this hed S Peter saith Be sober watch for your aduersarie the diuel as a roring lion walketh about seking whom he may deuour whom resist stedfastly in faith By the Lion he shadoweth out vnto vs the nature or dispositioÌ of the diuel For the diuel hath excéeding great streÌgth he is ful of gréedy raueny most cruel fiercenesse whervpoÌ he is also called of some a cruell beast The Lorde calleth him a murtherer For he inspired into Cain and all mansâears horrible murthers at this day also he soundeth the alarum to all warres to all broyling battels to al slaughters and seditions to be short he kindleth wrath he soweth hatred nourisheth enuie He is named a tempter For he is alwayes egging men to mischîefe sparing nothing whatsoeuer he thinketh can entice and drawe vs to thinges most wicked In the historie of the gospell and in the writings of the Apostles the diuell hath wel nigh the name of an vnclean of a mischiefous or malignant of a filthie wicked spirite For he fell not froÌ his purenesse onely through his owne fault in which he was first created of that most pure god but euen now also he is delighted with vnpurenesse allureth al men to vncleanesse From this maister of mischief procede al filthy lusts al whoredoÌes adulteries al excesse drunkennes surfeting all beastlines vanitie pride arrogancie c. Now the diuel also in the gospel is called Beelzebub bicause that sometime they of Accaron in Palestine thinking they worshipped God worshipped in very déede the diuell S. Paule saith What agreement hath Christ with Belial he setteth Belial against Christ to wit the diuell against god But Moses put y cogitatioÌ of Belial for a wicked euill thought Therfore the diuell is wicked vngodly rebellious obstinate against god For they say that Belial signifieth altogether as much as if a man would say lawlesse without yoke without discipline There are some also which think that in the boke of Iob the diuell is figured or signified by Behemoth Leuiathan Iob. 40. and 41. chapter S. Paule giueth the diuels diuers names saâing that the godly haue battaile against principalities and powers against worldly gouernours of th darcknesse of this worlde against spierituall wickednesse in heauenly places against the gouernour that ruleth in the aire against the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience whome also in an other place hee calleth The God of this worlde And as God exerciseth his power in the worlde and in the good for the moste parte by good angels who for that cause I saide are called principalities and powers so because the same GOD of his iuste iudgemente doeth suffer the diuell to haue rule ouer the wicked they are rightlie called principalities and powers Not that GOD deliuereth vnto him the méere and chiefest rule for all power belongeth to God onelie but because hee suffereth him to execute his tyrannie For he plainely saithe that he is the Prince of the worlde to witt of the wicked For by interpretation it followeth He is the Prince of the darcknesse of this worlde And who knoweth not that in the Scriptures darcknesse doeth signifie ignorance blindenesie vnbeliefe vngodlinesse and wickednesse and to bee short vngodly men which are drowned in these vices And againe there is added that whiche declareth the true meaning Which worketh in the children of disobedience Therefore the faithfull and obediente who are in the kingdome of Christe not in the kingdome of the diuel are exempted from this rule gouernmeÌt Neither is sathan called God vpon any other consideration for there is added of this world For in very déed the diuell is not a God but because there are fouÌd in the world certaine mad meÌ who take him for god he hath the name of God The ãâã father Augustine expounded this no otherwise For in his treatise vpoÌ Iohn 25. he saith God forbid we should think the diuell were so called the prince of the world that we should beleue that hee is able to rule ouer heauen and earth but the worlde for he is called the prince of this world is said to be in wicked men which are dispearsed throughout the whole compasse of the earth And againe the same August in his firste chap. De agone christiano saith The prince of this world is cast out not that he is cast out of y world but out of their mindes which cleaue to the worde of god and loue not the world whereof he is Prince because he hath dominion ouer them whiche loue teÌporal goods which are conteyned in this visible world not for that he is Lord of this worlde but prince of those concupiscences whereby euery thing is coueted that is transitorie By this concupiscence the diuell reigneth in man and holdeth his hart in possession The same Doctor in his treatise vppon
thinges doe require that I speake somewhat likewise of the reasonable soule of man wherein I will follow the plainenesse of the scripture and of the interpretours thereof leauing physicall or naturall poyntes vnto them to be expounded vnto whom it belongeth by duetie and profession sauing that we will so farre deale in them as wee cannot want them in this discourse of oures The holy scripture and the interpretours therof neither moue curious questions of the soule of man neither doe they satisfie curious heads when they desire to knowe those thinges whiche cannot be declared or if they coulde yet it would alwayes séeme vnto theÌ that nothing were vnto them more aptly spoken for they alwayes stagger they are alwayes learning and yet doubte they neuor come to the knowledge of the truthe with a quiet minde they neuer abide in the plaine trueth when it is found they searche after other many more subtiler matters than they vnderstand But we know that all things whiche are necessarie and for our saluatioÌ are simplie plainely deliuered in the holy scripturs that we must simply godlily religiously rest in them therefore those things that are not deliuered in theÌ touching that matter of our saluation we know that they are not to be sought after of vs that they hinder not our saluation if we be ignoraÌt of them The word Anima whiche we call soule is diuersly taken in the holy scripture First of all Anima that soule is takeÌ for euery liuing thing For Moses bringeth in the lord speaking Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde catel worme beast of the earth after his kinde For who knoweth not that there are reckoned thrée kindes or parts giue me leaue so to speake for instruction sake or thrée principal powers of the souls for there is y soule vegetatiue whiche worketh in plants There is the soule sensitiue which is not without the soule vegetatiue it giueth life to brute beasts and other creaturs indued with life féeling There is also the reasonable soule wherwith men are indued whiche is furnished with many powers or abilities and comprehendeth both y other Hereof Anima the soule is taken in the scripture for breath which men drawe in and let go againe also for the life of maÌ or of a liuing creature Thus we read Anima eius c. His life is in him And I wil doe thee no more harme saith Saul to Dauid because Anima mea my life was precious in thine eyes this day The Grecians cal Anima the soule ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it were ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because by drawing breth it refresheth The Hebricians call it Naephaeseh of comforting Again Anima the soule is taken in the scriptures for the thing it selfe that hath life yea euen for any or rather for the whole man For it is said in the law The soule that worketh with a spirit or that is a southsayer shall die Likewise in Paule we reade Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power And again in Genesis the king of Sodome saith to Abraham Giue me the soules take the substance or goods to thy selfe For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a part For as by the soule he meanes that whole man rehearsing the nobler part so by flesh also he signifies the whole baser part Moreouer since man also other liuing creatures haue an appetitiue or desiring soule is vsed in the scripture for affection wil desire or lust For Ezechiel saith They shal not satisfie their soules In Dutch Sy werdend iren glust nât buffen Noither shal their bellies be filled Lastly Anima y soule signifieth y reasonable soule of man. Whereof we will intreate God assisting at this present Yet here I cannot dissemble that among verie famous writers there is controuersie De anima animo aboute the soule and the minde whether they are one and the selfe same or diuerse and that there are reasons on bothe sides They that make a difference betwéene them say that by the soule we liue and that with the minde we vnderstand which thing Lactantius saith in his eightéenth cha De opisiââo Dei. I know that all the best moste approued writers vse them bothe indifferently and take the one for the other For we must not thinke that there are two soules in man For verie well haue the schoose definitions defined vttering these wordes in y 15. cha We do not say that there are two soules in one ma as Iacobus certein of the Syrians write one natural wherby the bodie hath life and is mingled with bloud the other spiritual which ministreth reason But we say there is one the selfe same soule in man which both quickneth the body with his felowship ordereth him self by his own reason Therefore we do not think that there is any consideration to be had of them whiche altogether denie that there is a soule For these are as madde as they whiche denie that the sunne shineth For al of vs do sée féele the sunne as also we liue by the benefite of the soule Furthermore what the reasonable soule of man is the wise heades of this worlde could not as yet with one agréement define For they so differ y a man shall hardly find two which say one thing And there are âpinions not a few contrarie betweene themselues What do not the old interpretours âf the scriptures doubtingly procéed in deâining the soule Lactantius in his booke De opificio Dei denieth that man can atteine to the reason and nature of the soule Therfore nothing at al did they erre from the truth which thought the soule coulde be comprehended in no absolute definition wherin his nature might be expressed throughly at the ful yet that the nature or disposition of the same might after a sort bâ shadowed out and that by the workes or actions thereof by such qualities as the scripture doth attribute There are some therfore which haue said that the soule is the spirite of life created after the image of god breathed into the bodie of man One ther is which describes it thus The soule is a spirit whereby the bodie to whiche it is coupled doth liue made apt to the knowlege of God through loue and hereby méete to be ioyned within vnto euerlasting blessednesse Another defineth it after this sort A reasonable soule is an vnderstanding spirite one part of the substance of man neither dyeth it when it is departed froÌ the bodie but is immortal Cassiodore defineth it The soule of man is created of God a spirituall and peculiar substance which quickeneth the bodie whose owne it is reasonable in déed and immortal We will setdown a description fetched from the scripture to be weyed considered vpon of the godly to direct rule this our whole discourse The soule
are neither euill men nor hypocrites but the verie worste and the most cruell enimies of Christ his trueth openlye blaspheming the Gospel and persecuting those that beléeue in Christ And therefore they neither haue the outward nor yet the inward markes of the Church The Spirite of the Lord resteth vppon those that tremble at the woord of God these men fret and fume if any man vnfeignedly reuerence the woord of God. True faith attributeth onelye vnto Christe all the meanes whereby it commeth vnto euerlasting life these men doe persecute the faithfull beecause they attribute vnto Christe Iesus alone all the meanes whereby they atteine vnto euerlastinge life and will not parte stakes in the meanes of saluation with Popish fancies In steede of charitie they exercise crueltie against their brethren and against their neighbours What shall a man saye of them who abuse the publique goodes of the Churche and spende them according to their owne priuate lustes For that whiche of old time the faithfull haue of charitie giuen to the vse of the church and for the sustentation of the poore that doe these men waste liuing most lecherouflie and filthilie Whiche thing the electe Apostles of the Lord Peter and Thaddeus did fore-tell the Church of GOD of concerning them And as touchinge the outwarde markes of the Churche what shall I saye These men saye that the Canonicall Scripture hath her authoritie in the Churche of Rome and that the same woorde is reade bothe in their Churches and in their Scholes and that the Sacramentes haue their force and are effectuall amoungest them But I can shewe the contrarie First of all they will make subiecte the interpretation of the holy and sacred scriptures vnto their Sea and the righte of iudgement in all cases they giue vnto their idol the Pope of Rome For that canon euery man knoweth Whatsoeuer hee decreeth what soeuer hee establisheth is of all men to bee obserued for euer inuiolably And againe The whole Churche thoroughout the vniuersall worlde knoweth that the holye Churche of Rome hath authoritie to giue iudgement of all thinges neither is it lawefull for anye to giue iudgement of her iudgements Therfore shee also iudgeth the Scriptures and expoundeth them and turneth and windeth them whiche waye shee listeth I will not nowe remember howe by manifest woordes the Standard-bearers of that Sen doe write that the canonicall Scripture taketh her authoritie of the Churche abusinge this sentence of the auncient father Sainct Augustine I would not haue beleeued the Gospell if the authoritie of the holy Churche had not moued mee c. This will I affirme whiche cannot but bee manifest vnto all men that the Romishe Church or the rulers of the same Churche doe take awaye the naturall sense and true meaning of the holy Scriptures and haue sett downe a straunge sense in stéede of it whiche sense to the ende it maye the better bee liked of men they call the sense of the holye mother the Churche whiche sense also they vrge with so great wickednesse as if you oppose against if the natiue sense you shall receiue for your labour the reprochefull name of an heretique In fewe wordes except you bring out the whole Scripture wrested after their minde and gaine that is to saye tempered with their diuellishe decrées as with poyson it will bee saide that you haue not broughte out the holye Scriptures but that that you haue taught heresie By examples the matter wil be made the plainer The Scripture teacheth that Iesus Christe is the onely head of the Church but vnlesse you also ioyne the Pope to be the head of the Church militant in earth you wil be called an heretique The Scripture teacheth that Iesus Christe is the onely intercessour or mediatour Priest and onely sacrifice propitiatorie of the faithfull but vnlesse you ioyne herevnto that Christ is in déed the mediatour of Redemption but that the sainctes together with Christe are the mediatours of intercession and that the priests do daily offer an vnbloudie sacrifice so as the Sainctes maye bee acknowledged to be intercessours together with Christ in heauen and that the priestes in earth do daily offer in their masse a sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead you will else be called an heretique The Scripture teacheth that Iesus Christe is the righteousnesse of the faithfull which righteousnesse we receiue by faith but vnlesse you will part stakes betwéene this righteousnesse of Christ and woorkes or mens merits you wil be called an heretique The Scripture teacheth that Christe ascended into heauen and hath established a Vicegerent power to witt the holy Ghost and that also he wil not come againe into the world bodily but onely at the daye of Iudgement but vnlesse you do acknowledge the same Christ to be also corporally present in the bread of the Sacrament and doest also worship him there thou wilt else be called an heretique Christe our Lord said at his last supper reaching the cup to his disciples Drincke you all of this but and if thou wilt contend that both the kindes of the sacrament ought to be giuen to al the faithfull thou wilt be called an heretique God said in his lawe Thou shalt not make an Image thou shalt not worship it thou shalt not serue it But vnlesse thou vnderstaÌd by an Image the Idols of the Gentiles as of Saturne or Mercurie but not of the true God or any sainct thou wilt be called an heretique Many mââe thinges of this sort I could bring forth if I spake to them that were ignorant What authoritie therfore or what place shall we say the word of God had in that sea Who séeth not that these filthie beastes doe tread vnderfoote as a captiue the most holy word of God that they establishe and reestablishe lawes of God according to their owne giantlike bouldnesse It is therefore as cleare as any thing may be cleare that the Romish Church is destitute of the holy word of god I haue shewed plainely in the first Sermon of this Decade that it is not enough to boast out the woords of the holy Scripture vnlesse therewithall the naturall sense be reteined vncorrupted The Church of Rome hath corrupted the sense and meaning of that holy Scriptures and thrust vppon the simple people opinions contrarie to that scriptures and therfore the Church of Rome is not that true Church of Christ The sacrameÌt of baptisme ministred by Popish priestes albeit we doe not reiterate for that they baptised in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste as in the first Sermon of this Decade I haue shewed yet the breaking of bread or distribution of the Lords supper they so defiled and also corrupted the same with doctrines contrarie to the sound faith and turned the same into such a filthy merchaundize as no man that is of a sound iudgement can with a safe conscience and without corruption of his religion communicate with them Of the
And truely the greater or more famous solemne Churches whiche at this daye they call Cathedrall to witt of Cathedra a Chayre or of the order of Prophetes teaching or professing there as some time the Churche of Antioche Corinth Alexandria and suche like séemed to haue béene at certeine houeres to witt in the morning at noone yea at Euening also assembled to expound or discusse the holie canonicall Scriptures The foundations of that obseruation séeme to bee layed in the Churche of the Corinthians Of whiche the Apostle aboundauntlie witnesseth 1. Corint 14. Chapter Eusebius in the fifte Booke of his ecclesiastical historie and 9. Chapter making mention of an ecclesiasticall Schoole at Alexandria sayeth From a long time the doctrine and exercise of the holie Scriptures flourished among them which custome also continueth euen to our time whiche we haue hearde also to be instituted by menne mightie in Eloquence and in the studie of the holie Scriptures to witt after the example of the Corinthian Church Some markes of this moste wholesome rite or custome appeared sometime in the Occidentall or Weste Church as it is to be gathered out of the writinges of Sainct Ambrose and Augustine But truely in these very times and in the times immediatly following when all nations in a manner were together by the eares with perpetuall warres and when the Romane Empire in reuengement of the bloud of Christe of his holie Apostles and Martyres according to the Prophecie of Daniel and Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste was torne in peeces made a pray for all people The Gothes or Germanes rushing vppon them on this side the Hunnes and other barbarous Souldiours on the other side assaulting Rome sharply the best Scholes were spoyled goodly Libraries were burned honest good studies perished whervpon were giuen vnto the churches Doctors or teachers most vnlike vnto the auncient doctours and teachers who were not furnished with that abilitie that they could deale in the holy Scriptures with such dexteritie and fruitefulnesse as their predecessours In this disorder downefall least nothing should remaine of the canonicall scriptures vntouched it is euident that there rose vp men not altogether negligent of the canonicall doctrine who diuided the whole canonicall scripture after such a sort into parts and for the whole course of the yeare that they might once in a yeare read ouer the whole Bible and the Psalter oftner yea euen euery seuenight They vsed the psalmes in stéed of prayers to whiche as times increased many other prayers also were ioyned And least the verie reading of the scripturs should séeme to want al exposition the readinges lectures or homilies of the fathers were therevnto added at the length not that the priestes should read them secretely to theÌselues as at this day in a maner they are woont to do or that they should with a post-hast reading mumble them vp in stéede of mattins but that they should throughly handle them in the open church as an exercise before the people to the edification of the church That I maye not nowe rehearse that this rite was not receiued of all men so farre off is it from beeing streictly commaunded Of whiche thing there remain some tokens or proofes In Distinct 15. Sancta Rom. Furthermore of reading the canonicall Scriptures those houres wherin they were read séemed to be named Canonical as also Canons are so called of studying and reading the Canonicall Scriptures But at what time this was done and who were the doers thereof it is not certeinely knowen Some doe attribute some parte hereof to Hierome other some to Damasus and some to Pelagius the second of that name othersome also to Gelasius and Gregorie And because homilies and lectures not a few are said to be Bedaes and other doctours of later time finally for that many other thinges are read in those hourely prayers whiche sauour neuer a whit of antiquitie truly as it is an institution patched vpp diuersely and at sundrie times so is it farre more new than the papists thincke or take it to bée Neither are there some wanting which affirme that at the request of Carolus Magnus Paulus Diaconus or monke of Cassina and monke Isuarde ordeined and deliuered to the Churche selected or chosen lessons those especially which coÌcerne the Saincts and are accustomed to be read in these houres But howsoeuer the matter standeth most certeine it is that those houres at this day commaunded and called Canonicall are the inuention of man and not of God and ragged and rotten reliques or shadowes of the old law Wherevnto beside that there are many fables toyes follies annexed it cannot be denied Truly at this day there appereth such a mingle mangle or hotch-potch that it séemeth vtterly vnworthy either to bee vsed or suffered any longer in the church of Christ vnlesse wée had rather that care were taken for the bellies of some than for the good state and well-fare of the whole Church Of whiche thus much thus farre It remaineth in the last place to discusse howe wee must praye what words or what fourme of prayer wée must vse Truely there are many fourmes of prayer but none better than that whiche our Lord the onely beloued sonne of God the father hath deliuered Neither is there a more certeine forme as comprehending in fewe words all in all In this summarie hee hath prescribed what is worthie of him what is acceptable to him what is necessarie for vs and to bee short what hee is willing to graunt Wherevppon S. Cyprian expounding the Lords prayer amonge other thinges sayeth Hee that made vs to liue the same hath taught vs also to pray euen of the same his bountifulnesse whereby hee hath vouchsafed both to giue and to bestowe all other thinges whatsoeuer that when wee speake with the father in that prayer and supplicaton whiche the sonne hath taught vs wee may bee the more easlie or readily heard and may truly and spiritually worshipp him For what prayer can bee more spirituall than that whiche is giuen vnto vs of Christe from whome also the holy Ghoste is sent vnto vs What prayer before the father more true than that of the sonne proceeding out of his mouth who is trueth it selfe So that to pray otherwise thaÌ he hath taught is not onely ignoraunce but also offence since hee him selfe hath sett downe and saide Yee cast aside the commaundement of God to stablish your owne tradition Therefore dearely beloued brethrene let vs pray as God our maister hath taught vs It is a friendly and familiar prayer to call vppon God in such manner as hee hath taught vs and when that the prayer of Christ commeth to his eares let the father acknowledge the woordes of his sonne when wee pray Hee that dwelleth within the heart let him also bee in the tongue And since wee haue him oure aduocate with the father for oure sinnes when wee beeing sinners aske pardon for oure offences let vs vtter the woordes of
driueÌ out go their way by these verie signes it is proued that that is true which is said that Christ is Lord of all things So the wonders which Moses Aaron wrought in Aegypt Exod. 4. are called in the Scripture signes For they were witnesses both of Gods lawefull sending tokens of his mightie power to be executed against Aegypt but neither had these any ceremonie nether gathered together into any societie Now also we read that some signes are paradigmaticall that is vsed in déede of men but not without Gods commaundement that these also may be said to be signes from god Those be altogether frée from myracles and in déede not onely fetched from natural things but also from things méere common and vsual as were the bands pitcher and chaines of the holy prophet Ieremie whereby beeing willed of God so to doe hee layed before them those thinges in a certaine euident fourme and figure I meane in a visible signe to be séene with mens eyes which by his preaching he prophecied should fall vppon them The like wée maye sée in Ezech. the 17. and 24. cap. These signes paradigmaticall or for exaÌple are in some things like to those exercises of Rhetorique called Chriae ActiuÄ yea rather they are certeine mixt Chriae so termed for that they consist partly in woords and partly in déeds Aphthonius defineth an Actiue ChriÄ To be that which declareth plainely sheweth a thinge by action deed or gesture As when Pythagoras was demaunded how long mans life lasted He for a while stood still that they might looke vppon him but anon hée shrunke away and withdrew himselfe out of their sight after that manner action signifying the mans life is but short momentanie But in the scripture for the most part are sett downe ChriÄ coÌsisting of word déed as wheÌ Christ toke a little child and set him in the middest of his disciples and spake these words Verilie I saye vnto you except ye shall turne and beecome as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen But these actions or signes haue not the institution and commaundement of God charging vs to renue this very action by solemne celebrating the same Neuertheles sacramentall signes haue some affinitie with these namely baptisme and the Lords supper For they are giuen vnto vs from aboue are taken from naturall thinges without any myracle yea they are instituted vnder the fourme of naturall and sensible things and in such things as are verie common water bread and wine This they haue common with other signes giuen of God in that they renue thinges past and shadowe out thinges to come and by a signe do represent thinges signified They differ peculiarlie from other signes in that they haue ceremonies ioyned with the commaundement of God which ceremonies hee hath commaunded his church to solemnize And this also is peculiar to them that being seals of gods promises they couple vs visiblye to God and to all the sainctes they are dedicated to the most holy mysteries of God in Christ Of these I wil intreate more largly and diligently hereafter The sacramentall signes of Christ and of Christ his church namely whiche Christ our Lord hath deliuered to his church and which his church hath receiued of him and do lawfully vse the same are called of Latine writers by the name of Sacraments But the word is not found in the whole Scripture sauing that it is read to be vsed of Interpretours howbeit the word Signe is oft in the scriptures and that which helpeth for our purpose is most signicantly set down in Gen. 17. Rom. 4. In the meane while we do not reiecte the Latine word SacramentuÌ a sacrament as lightly regarding it neither yet reiecting it do we forge or deuise a new I likewel enough of the word SacrameÌt so it be vsed lawfully S. August in his 5. epist. to Marcellinê° saith It were too long to dispute of the diuersitie of signes which wheÌ they perteine to holy things are termed sacraments From wheÌce doubtles sprange that coÌmon definition or descriptioÌ A Sacrament is a signe of an holy thing which as it cannot be reiected so there is none but séeth that in it the nature of the thing is not fully coÌprehended or expressed neither is it separated froÌ those thinges whiche also are holy signes There is another definition therfore brought forth and vsed which is in déed more perfect than the other A sacrament is a visible signe of an inuible grace But because this also doeth not in all poinctes expresse the nature of the thing this definition following séemeth vnto many more allowable which is after this manner Sacraments are ceremonies wherwith god exerciseth his people first to stirr vp increase and mainteine their faith then to the end to testifie before men his religion This is a true and right definition But what if you define a sacrament somewhat more fully and largely in this manner Sacramentes are holy actions consisting of wordes or promises of the Gospell or of prescripte rites or Ceremonies giuen for this ende to the Churche of God from heauen to bee wittnesses and seales of the preaching of the Gospel to exercise trie faith and by earthly and visible thinges to represent sett before our eyes the deepe mysteries of God to bee short to gather to gether a visible Church or congregation and to admonishe them of their duetie This definition truely is farre fett large and many fold a definition I say gathered of many parts but we meane to goe to it simplie plainly to lay forth the whole matter before your eyes to be séen then wil we make manifest euery part therof and confirme the same with testimonies of scripture Now that I may fully intreat of the names the are giuen to this thing I finde that Latine writers call Sacrament an oath or a religious bond because it was not done as I thinke thoroughly and to the proofe without certeine ceremonies M. Varro in his second booke De lingua Latina declaring what it is to contend with an oth sayth The plaintife the defendant eche of them in some thinges gaged down at the place appointed for that purpose fiue huÌdred peeces of siluer and also in other thinges a sett number of ounces so that he which recouered in iudgement should haue his gage againe but hee whiche was cast should forfaite it to the treasurie Since therefore by intermeddling of holy thinges through partaking of the sacraments we are bouÌd to God and to all the saincts as it were by obligation and that God himselfe also by the testimonie of the sacraments hath as it were by an oathe bound himselfe to vs it appeareth that the name of sacrament is very aptly properly applied to our signes We read also in Latine writers of an oath that souldiers vsed to take For it was not lawefull for theÌ to fight vnlesse
mighty workes of god are of such sort that any maÌ may vnderstande and manifestly see that they are such as they are saide to be The Lorde saide Let there be light and there was light Suche a kinde of light I meane whiche was both called light and according to the nature of light gaue light it was not called or made light whiche was light in déede and yet gaue not lighte as the Breade is called the bodie of Christe whiâhe yet hathe not so muche as one iotte of the bodie of Christe Furthermore this word blessing in no place in the scriptures is so vsed as they woldmake vs beleue To blesse in the Scriptures is to thank to praise to salute to bid farewel to speake wel of any to wish wel to reioyce highly to extoll to giue thanks for a good turne to increase to enriche to multiplie or to make frutefull I could if néede were bring examples to proue eche of them But a man shall no where reade that to blesse is as much as to turne the natures of things by the words of God or otherwise by good wordes and prayers after a set manner pronouÌced We read say they in the gospell that the Lord tooke bread and blessed Yea and Paule also calleth the Bread and cupp by that name to wit The bread and Cupp of blessing the bread and cup vndoutedly of consecration by whiche consecration the substance of the signes is miraculously chaunged I aunswere That the words bothe of the Gospel and of the Apostle are wrongfully wrested to that sense which neuer came into the mind of the Lord or his apostles For to declare the meaning of that place in the Gospel To blesse is not with the gesture of the hande to make the signe of the crosse or to lay ones mouth vnto the bread and cup and in a lowe voice to whisper out the set syllables of the words of consecration but to singe praises to God or to giue him thankes for his benefites bestowed on vs. That whiche I haue saide I will confirme by the authoritie of the Euangelistes and Apostles For the Apostles and Euangelistes vse the worde of blessing or thankesgiuing indifferently For where Marke hath ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say Blessing Mathew Luke and Paule haue ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say Giuing thankes which worde Marke also vsing a little after writeth And when he had tooke the cup ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is When he had giuen thankes he gaue to them To blesse therefore is as the Apostles them selues doe interprete it to giue thankes since that they put the one for the other The diligent Reader may see the same also in that place of Paule which is 1. Cor. 10 chap. which place we will fullie and wholie entreate of in that whiche followeth Our aduersaries therefore haue not as yet proued out of the Scriptures that to blesse is as muche as to chaunge the things or that by words pronuÌtiation or reciting of words the thinges them selues signified are brought to or made present The aunciente writers truely made mention of a mysticall blessing but in a farr other sense than these consecrators Of true consecration wee will speake anon and will confute also in another place whatsoeuer thinges they haue brought concerning blessing or consecrating of Baptisme now wee will make an end of that whiche we began Words of theÌ selues were instituted of god to this end to signifie and by signifying to beare witnesse and to admonishe neither haue they beside any hiden force to chaunge the natures of things or to cause the thinges them selues to be corporally present neither doe we reade that holie men euer vsed them after this manner therefore they sinne and deceiue men which otherwise vse them than they were instituted Aurel. August acknowledged the very same thinge who in his Encheiridion ad Laurent Capit. 22. saith And verily words to this purpose are instituted not that men should deceiue one another by them but by the whiche one might make another to know his meaning therefore to vse wordes vnto deceipt and not to that end wherunto they were ordeyned is sinne The same Aurelius Augustinus gathering a summe of his whole booke intituled De Magistro asketh this question But nowe I woulde haue thée tel me what thy opinion is of al this that I haue spokeÌ vnto thée whiche by and by he answereth I haue learned beeing admonished by thy wordes that a man is taught no other thing by words than to learn and that it is a verie small matter that by speeche or talke we knowe partly what he thinketh that speaketh but whether the wordes whiche he spake were true that teacheth he only who admonished that hée dwelt in the harte when the other spake with the toung Thus much he in the last Chapter of his booke De Magistro To this purpose perteine the words of Solomon the wise in the Booke of the Preacher saying The wordes of the wise are like prickes and nayles that go through of the authors of gatheringes whiche are giuen of one sheepherd Where we willingly acknowledge that there is great force in eloquence and prayers of the iust as the Graecians signified by that Hercules of Gallia also Cicero verie plentifully hathe declared the same Lib. 1. De Oratore But that whiche they doe forge and imagine of Pitho or Suada or Suadela the Ladie and mistresse of eloquence that verily do we attribute to the holy ghost which doth bothe giue grace to the speaker and prepareth and styrreth vppe the mindes of the hearers By these thinges it is manifest vnto all men I thinke that it is a newe forgerie of man and not a doctrine of Oracle to say that in the celebration of the sacraments there is such force graffed in the wordes recited that they turne and chaunge the thinges or make the thinges signified to bée present and either put on or ioyne them with the signes But wee will shewe hereafter that the signes are not chaunged or mingled with the thinges signified but that bothe of them do remaine still in their own nature and propertie It shal be sufficient if wee attribute that to the wordes whiche the scripture doth attribute to wit the office of signifying admonishing of mouing and styrring vp whiche they haue from god For they do defile and blemishe the wordes of God whiche decke them with straunge and falsified titles We acknowledge in déed that all the power of almightie God is attributed to the word of God but who séeth not that that is spoken ment of the euer lasting sonne of God wherin that scripture is called the word of God Who is such a dorhead that cannot rightly distinguish betwéene the euerlasting word of God which is y sonn of God the second person in the reuerend Trinitie the word rehearsed spoken or pronounced by man The euerlasting word of god remaineth in his
2. chap. But now we returne to oure purpose That we may yet at lengthe make an ende of this place they are sacramentall and figuratiue speaches when we reade and heare that the breade is the body of Christe and the wine the bloud of Christ and that they do eate and drinke the body and bloude of Christe which eate and drinke the Sacramente of the body and bloude of the Lord also that they are purged from their sinnes and regenerated into a newe life which are baptised in the name of Christe and that baptisme is the washing awaye of all our sinnes And after this manner speaketh the scripture and this fourme of speache kept the olde doctours of the Churche whome for so doing none that is wise dothe dispraise neyther can one discommend any man whiche speaketh after this manner so that he also abide in the same sinceritie wherein it is manifest that those holy men of god did walke For as they did willingly and simply vse those speaches so did they not roughly rigorously strayne the letter and speaches they did interprete them in suche sorte that none was so vnskilfull but that he might vnderstand that the signs were not that thing it selfe whiche they signified but that the signes doe take the names of the things therfore they vsed words significatiuely sacramentally mystically and figuratiuely Nowe whereas some will not haue the Sacramentall speaches to be expounded as though being not expouÌded they were of more authoritie maiestie and worthines this draweth after it a soare daunger and giueth a most gréeuous offence and is repugnant to the rule of the Apostles to sounde reason and to the custome of them of old For when these kinde of spéeches are set forth and vttered to the simple sort béeing not expounded to witt The bread is the bodie of Christe When thou drinckest the wine of the Lord thou drinckest the verie bloud of the lord Baptisme saueth vs c. what other thing I pray you is set forth than a snare of carnall bondage and a most daungerous offeÌce of idolatrie Many words néede not in this matter since experience doeth aboundantly enoughe sett forthe in this place what hath béene done and what at this day is done The rule of the Apostles commandeth the diuine oracles to be expounded in the Church and to lay forth all the mysteries of the scripture that they may be soundly vnderstanded as wée may sée 1. Corinth 14. And reason it selfe teacheth vs that the mind of maÌ is litle or nothing moued if the things themselues be not vnderstoode What fruite therefore shall the simple sorte receiue by the Sacraments vnto whom the meaning of the sacramentes hath not béene opened Better therefore did the auncient fathers not onely in expounding all the mysteries of the kingdome of God and especially the sacraments but in teaching also that they ought to be expounded Whiche although it be made plaine inough by those thinges whiche goe before yet will I add two examples out of S. Augustine touching this matter Hee cap. 6. de chatechisandis rudibus sayeth Let the newe Christian man bée taught concerning the sacraments that they bée visible signes of heauenlye thinges and that inuisible things are to be honoured in them neither that the signe after it is blessed and sanctified is so to bee taken as it is daily vsed It must also be tould him what that spéech signifies which he heareth and what thing is giuen in the signe whereof it is a representation Moreouer vppon this occasion hée must bée taught that if he heare any thing euen in the Scriptures that soundeth carnally although he vnderstand it not yet to beléeue that some spirituall thing is signified thereby whiche belongeth to holy manners and to the life to come And as followeth The same Augustine Lib. 4. de doctr Chr. cap. 8. doth vtterly forbid the doctours teachers of the church not to thinke that they ought therefore to speake obscurely of the mysteries of the scripture because they sée that these things are deliuered somewhat intricately and darckely in the scripture but he rather requireth light plainnesse in them If any man desire to heare his wordes they are these If we fetche examples of the manner of speaking out of the writinges of our canonicall authours and doctours which are easily vnderstoode yet wée ought not to thincke that wee should followe them also in those spéeches wherein they haue vsed a profitable and wholesome obscuritie to exercise and as it were to quicken the readers mindes and to take awaye lothsomnes and to stirre vp the studies of the willing learners and also to make the minds of the wicked zealous that they may either bée turned to godlines or else excluded from the mysteries For so they spake that those which came after them and could vnderstand and rightly expound them might reueale a second grace vnlike to the former but yet ensuing in the church of god Therefore they which expounde them ought not so to speake as if they by the like authoritie would offer themselues to bee expounded but in all their kinde of spéeches first let them labour chiefly and first of all to be vnderstanded with as plaine kinde of speaking as they can that he be very dull and slow-witted which doeth not vnderstand or at the least let not the fault of the hardnesse and subtiltie of the thinges which we goe about to open and declare be in our owne spéech whereby that which we speake should be somewhat longer in vnderstanding Thus farre Augustine And let this that I haue hitherto said of sacramentall spéeches be sufficient The Lord be praised Amen ¶ That wee must reason reuerently of Sacraments that they doe not giue grace neither haue grace included in them Againe what the vertue and lawefull ende and vse of Sacramentes is That they profite not without faith that they are not superfluous to the faithful that they do not depend vppon the worthines or vnworthines of the minister ¶ The seuenth Sermon YEsterday déerely beloued I tould you what a sacrament was whoe was the authour of them and for what causes sacramentes were instituted of what thinges they consiste that is to say of the signe and the thinge signified I tould you also what a signe is what the thinge signified and by what names they are termed howe they are consecrated that the signe is not mingled with the thing signified but that both of them remaine in their owne nature and propertie of nature that the signe is not taken away or myraculously turned neither that the thing signified is so ioyned with the signe that whosoeuer is partaker of the one is partaker also of the other To be short I declared howe and after what manner the signe and the thing signified are coupled together to make a full perfect and lawfull sacrament where also I intreated of sacramentall spéeches Now therfore it remaineth that I also coÌsequently speake of
of God about burials and graues But howe muche there was in the time of Poperie no man can declare in fewe wordes These be the necessarie institutions of the Churche of GOD and are by the faithfull religiously obserued without superstition to edification as for other matters which are onely deuised by the inuention of man the godly nothing weighe them I knowe what thinges may here be obiected That forsoothe the auncient people of the olde Testament had sundrie and manifolde rites ceremonies instituted of God by his prophetes because beeing rude they had néede of such instruction But since the common sorte of Christians are also more rude than is to be wished so many sundrie and diuerse ceremonies were deuised by the auncient fathers not without the motion of the spirit which they must also obey I answer that this is no true nor sounde reason whereby the weake in faith may receiue commoditie For surely then would not the Apostles of Christ haue saide nothing therof Moreouer experience teacheth that the state and condition of the weake and simple is such that the more ceremonies are left vnto them the more their mindes are diuersly dispersed and are lesse vnited to Christ to whoÌ alone al things are to be ascribed For it pleased the father that all fulnesse should dwell in him and to heape together in him al things apperteining to our life and saluation Yea the diuine wisedome of God hathe taken away y who le externall discipline instructioÌ setting a difference betwéen vs them We should therefore procéede to bring againe Iudaisme if we shuld not leaue of to multiplie heape together rites ceremonies according to the maner of the olde Church For in olde time those ceremonies were had in vse althoughe they were not infinite but comprised within a certein number At this present there is no vse nor place for theÌ in the church Neither do we want moste graue authoritie to proue the same The Apostles and elders in a greate assemblie méete together at HierusaleÌ at a couÌsell where the Apostle Peter plainely telleth them that they tempt the Lord in going about to lay the yoake of the lawe vpon the frée necks of the Christians There is also a Synodall Epistle written wherin by one consent they testifie that it hath séemed good to the holy Ghost them to lay none other burthen ãâ¦ã the church of Christ thaÌ y which ãâ¦ã in few words To the intenâ therby it may be euident that the doctrine of the Gospel is sufficient for the Church without the câremonies of the law If he would ãâ¦ã haue the rites which in olde time were by God instituted to be ioyned to the Gospell how much lesse ought we at this present to couple therewith the inuentions of men Vnto which moreouer is wickedly ascribed either the preparation to the grace worshipping of God or part of our saluation that we may say no lesse at this day than S. Paule said long agoe After that you haue knowne God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements which you would begin to serue a new Ye obserue days moneths times yeres I am a feard lest I haue taken paines aboute you in vaine Vnto all these things this is also to be added that this instruction of ceremonies whereof they speake belongeth to the worshipping of god But we are fordidden to deuise vnto ourselues any strange worshipping we are forbidden also to put too or take away any thing from the institution or word of god Wherfore the Church of God neither ordeineth nor receiueth of other any other such constitutions Of which matter we haue also spoken somewhat before whereas we intreated of the abrogating of the lawe and of Christian libertie I trust that in these fiftie sermons I haue as shortely conueniently as might be comprehended the whole matter of faith godlinesse or true religion also of the Church That which I do often repeate in al my sermons my books that do I also againe repeat in this place that the learned may with my goodwill and thankes gather and imbrace better things out oâ the scriptures Vnto the Lorde our God the euerlasting founteine of al goodnes be praise and glorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Esai 58. Esai 62. Iohn 21. 2. Tim. 4. Dan. 12. 1. Tim. 4 Ezech. 3. Ierâ 1. â Cor. 9. â Pet. 5. Apoc. 20. Ezech. 32. The Nicene counsel The counsel of CoÌstantinople The counsel of Ephesus The counsel of Calcedon About the yeare of our Lord About the yeate of our lorde 185. About the yeare of our lorde 210. âbout the âare of ãâã lord ãâã About the yeare of our Lorde 336. Catholiques Haeretiques Verbum what it is In English a thing The worde of God what it is Of âhe ãâ¦ã of ãâ¦ã The word of God reuealed to the worlde by men Howe and by whom the worde of God hath bene reuealed from the beginning of the world Abraham The clearest lights of the firsâ world Adam and Methusalem Noe. âem Iaacob Kahad Amram Moses The chief contents of the holy fathers liuely tradition God. CreatioÌ of the world Sinne and death Grace life and redeÌption by Christ Fayth The lineall descent of Messias The league of God. The worship of God. Life eternall and the day of iudgemeÌt The true âystoricall âarration âeliuered by the fathers to their children Moses in an hystory compileth the traditioÌs of the fathers The auâhoritie of Moses very great The proceding of the woord of God. The Prophetes The Law. The auââoritie of âhe holy ââophetes âas very great Polyhistoâ 2 Pet. 1. The word God reuealed by the onne of God. The chief coÌtents of Christe his doctrine The Apostles of Christ ââhn Bapââst and ââule The authoââtie of the Apostles âây great 1. Thes 2 The roll of the bookes of the diuine Scriptures The scripture is sound and vncorrupted âo whom ãâã worde ââ God is ââealed What haue I to doe what was written to theÌ of olde time The writings of the old testament are also giuen to Christians To what ând the âord of God is ãâã Gods goodnesse to be praysed for teaching vs. All points of true godlinesse âre taught âs in the holy scriptures â Tim. 3. The Lord bothspake did many things which arâ not writteÌ The Apostles set downe in writing the whole doctrin of godlinesse Against the liuely and faiââ traditioââ of the Apostles Howe the worde of God is to âe hearde The diseaâes and plagues of the hearers of gods word What the power and effect of Gods word is Gods will is to haue his wordâ vnderstoode Difficultie in the scriptures The word of God requireth an exposition A solemn exposition of Gods worde what their meaning is that wil not haue the scriptures expounded The scriptures are ãâã to be âorrupted with fortune exposâtâons The holy scriptures âre not to be expouÌded according to âens fanââsies The
and the abhominable and murtherers c. 655 22 And after I had heard and séene I fell downe to worship c. 653 22 Sée thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruaunt c. 743. 842. 890 The third and last table conteyning a short summe of such words or names and matters as are mentioned in this booke A. AAron a type or figure of Christ 332 Aaron his rod. 332 Abraham how he is iustified 3. 387. 554 Abia beléeuinge the ward of the Lord ouercommeth 5000000. men of theâribe of Israel 253 Abigei what they are 279 Abrogation of the Lawe 409 Abrogation of the Iudiciall lawes 427 Abortion what it is 443 Abuse of Christian libertie 449 Alsolom 523 Abuse of the Church goods 1128 Achaz 254 AccusatioÌs false and wrongfull 320 Accusations that be iust 322 Actuall sinne and the cause thereof 505 Adam and âethusalem 649 Adoration 651 Adamonition before punishmeÌt 202 Adulterie spoken against 231 Adulterie and fornication 863 Adulcerie pardoned by Christ 234 Adulterie what things are in it forbidden 234 Arian heretiques condemned 775 Affinitie that the word of God hath with sacraments 291. 892 Afflictions 292 293. 298 299. 307. 310. 311. 312. 313 316. Altar 348 Altar or table of the Lord. 1070 Allthinges of God by God and in God. 494 Amasias 254 Ammon the king rebelling against the word of God after two yeares infortunate reigne was murthered of his owne household servaunts 255 Ambition worketh by priuate gifts 278 Anabaptistes and Nouations the me ãâã of Sathan 569 Angel and Angels 732. 733. 734. 735. c. vsque 745. Anthropomoâphites 118. 613 Antiochus Epiphanes 511 Anthemius 892 Annoynting or annoyling 1136 Apostles of Christ 11 Apostles how they bynde and loose 902 Apostles what they be 877 Apostles bâptise infants 1055 Apostles authoritie very great 12 Apostles Créede 55 Apostles receiue wages 1121 Application of scripture necessarie 903 Appeale 392 Appearing of spirits 392 Article of the Christian faith 55 2 Article 59 3 Article 60 4 Article 63 5 Article 67 6 Article 69 7 Article 74 8 Article 78 9 Article 78 10 Article 81 11 Arâicle 84 12 Article 90 Aristocracie 169 Arcke 345. 346. 996. Assemblie 1064 Assemblies that be holy 915. 916 Ascension of Christ 69 Asturia 235 Asa 253 Ascend into heauen 1088 Auncient lawes 387 Authoritie of the Apostles very great 12 Authoritie of fathers 393 Auengment taken by the magistrate 196 Augustines opinion of the righte hand of the father 73 Augustines diuision of signes 955 Augustines sentence touching merites of Saintes 494 Auricular confession 577. 578 581 Authoritie of pastours 912 Authour of Sacraments God himselfe 962 Auncient exposition of the words of the Supper This is my bodie 1086 B. Backbiting pernicions 323 Bargaining buying selling 287 Baptisme 989. 1005. 1013. 1027. 1031. 1033. 1050. 1055. 1060. 1061. 1062. Baptising with water vnconsecrated 1039. 1040. Baptiser 1042 Baptised 824. 1055. 1060 Baâlards 395 Baâdes and Curtisans haue benefices at Rome 900 Belongeth to vs to knowe what was written to theÌ in old time 15 Beléeue in the sonne of God. 59 Beléefe of oures the second Article thereof 58 Beléefe in the church forbidden 78 Bed in wedlocke ought to be vndefiled 226 Benâfits of God are to be acknowledged 952 Beginning of sinne against the holy Ghost 517 Beginning of the ministerie from whome and the worthines thereof 875 Behauiour of the godly in their calamities 300 Bearing witnesse 319 Birth of Christ 63 Bishops 878. 905. Blaspemie 516. 517 Blessing and thankesgiuing 977 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles 421 Body of Christ 689 Body glorious 87. 88 Body naturall body spirituall 89 Bodies of the wicked rise againe 89 Bonauentures opinion of grace 1003 Bondage 395. 441. 442 Both kindes in the supper giuen receiued 1066 Bow downe to images what it is 122 Bread among the Hebrues what it signifyeth 947 Bread and wine remaine in their substance after consecration 984 Bread and wine are so called after consecration 985 Breaking of bread 1063 Buriall of Christ 65 Buying and selling c. 394 C. Catalogue of the bookes of the diuine Scripture 12 Cause of Christes incarnation 60 Calling to the ministerie 891. 893 Cathechising 907. Calamities 291. 293 Candlesticke golden 347 Carnall and fleshly people 404 Cure of the bodie 448 Cauills of those that attribute iustification to workes 458 Cause of sinne and euill 483 Catholique church what it is 79. 813 Carnall bondage and seruile 991 Carthage counsell for examining of bishops 895 Celebration of the supper c. 1072 Ceremonies 229. 328 329. 330. 364. 413. 415. 424. 1033. 1034. Confession of true religion 366 Charitie 92. 98 Christe as yet executeth all the dueties of a priest in the church 872 Christ what hee receynâth to himselfe from his ministerie and apostles 872 Christ is the naturall sonne of God 883 Christ reâeyneth both natures vnconfounded together 691 Christ in one person remayneth vndiuided 694 Christ is king of all 698 Christ is a Monarch 698 Christ is cotent to debate with Pilate of his kingdome 700 Christ called the onely sonne 59 Christ how he reigneth on earth in his kingdome 700 Christ Iesus the highe prest 704 Christ is annointed but with inuisible oile 705 Christ doth the office of a priest that is teacheth maketh intercession blesseth sacrificeth and sancrifieth 705 Christe his priesthood 706 Christians are kinges and priesis 709 Christ compared with Adam 49 Christ died not in vaine 50 Christ by interpretation annoynted 60 Christ is our Lord. 60 Christs conception and the maner thereof 62 Christes conception pure 63 Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 64 Christ a Judge 74 Christ conueyeth himselfe awaye when the people would haue made him a king 218 Christians haue nothing to doe with the yron like Philosophie of the Stoikes 301 Christ coÌmandeth vs to beare his crosse 309 Christ and Paule examples to vs. 314 Christ is the rock not Christ signifieth the rocke 991 Christ the first begotten 331 Christ and his Apostles institute scholes 1115 Christ hath taken all burthens froÌ our shoulders 437 Christ fulfilled the lawe and is the perfectnes of the faithful 407 Christ alone is our life and saluation 543 Christ doeth fully worke our saluation 544 Christ is receiued by faith and not by workes 548 Christ how he preached the Gospel 548. 661. 862. Church Churches and CoÌgregation c. 667. 812. 813. 815. 816. 820. 821. 827. 831. 832. 833. 852. 860. 861. 863. 864. 866. 867. 868. 1118 1127 Circumcision 355. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. Citie and temple of Hierusalem destroyed 413 Clearkes what they were sometime 883 CoÌmunicating of properties 696 Counsell of the priestes forsaken by king Ioas what followed 254 Conscience at quiet peace before God is the worke of the holy ghost 723. Constancie of the Apostles 723 Consecrating of pastours begun with fasting and prayer 897 Concupiscence 108. 949 Consubstantiall and coessentiall 59 Communion of sainctes 80 Confession and acknowledging of sinnes 81
knowne nor lefte in writing of the holye Scriptures Some there are that dâe attribute it to the Apostles them selues and therefore doe call it by the name of the Apostles Créede Saint Cyprian the Martyr in his exposition of the Apostles Créede saythe Our auncestors haue a saying that after the Lordes ascension when by the comming of the holy ghoste the fierie tongues sate vpon euery one of the Apostles so that they spake both diuers and sundrie languages whereby there was no forreine nation nor barbarous tongue to whiche they seemed not sufficiently prepared to passe by the way they had a commandement from the Lorde to goe vnto all nations to preache the worde of god When therefore they were in a readinesse to departe they layde downe among them selues a platform of preaching for them all to followe least peraduenture being seuered one from another they should preach diuers things to them that were conuerted to the fayth of Christe Wherefore being there altogether and replenished with the holy ghoste they gathered one euery ones seuerall sentence and made that Breuiarie as I saide to be a patterne for all their preachings to be framed by appointing it for a rule to be giuen to them that should beleeue This sayth Cyprian But whether they were of the Apostles owne making or no or else that other the Apostles disciples made theÌ yet this is very wel knowne that the very doctrine of the Apostles is purely conteyned and taught in them These twelue Articles are called also a badge bycause by that signe as it were by a badge true Christians are discerned from false Nowe I will declare what order I will vse in expounding them vnto you This whole breuiatie or abridgement of faythe may be diuided into foure partes so that the thrée firste partes may make manifest the misteries of the thrée persons in one godheade and that the fourth may laye forth the fruits of fayth that is to say what good things we looke for by faith what good things God bestoweth on them that put their trust in him And yet this notwithstanding I wil procéed herein euen orderly so as the twelue Articles are placed or set downe The first article of Christian faith is this I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth And this first Article of the Créede containeth two especiall pointes For firste we say generally I beléeue in god Then we descende particularly to the distinction of the persons and adde The father almightie For God is one in substance and thrée in persons Wherefore vnderstanding the vnitie of the substaunce we saye plainly I beléeue in god And againe kéeping not confounding the persons we adde In the father almightie In Iesus Christ his only sonne And in the holy Ghoste Let vs therefore be léeue that God is one not many and pure in substaunce but thrée in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost For in the law it is writteÌ Hearken Israell The Lord our God is one Lord. And againe in the gospell we reade that the Lorde sayde Baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste By the way this is singularly to be marked of vs that when we pray wée say Our father which art in Heauen giue vs this day our daily breade but that wheÌ wée make Confession of our beliefe wee say not we beleeue but I beleeue For faithe is required of euery one of vs for euery particular man to haue wythonte dissimulation in his harte and without double meaninge to professe it wyth his mouth It was not enough for Abraham to haue fayth for all his seede Neyther wil if auayle thee any thing for an other to beleeue if thou thy selfe art without fayth For the Lord requireth fayth of euery particular man for himselfe Wherefore so oft as wee confesse our fayth euery one of vs by himselfe doth saye I beleeue But what it is to brleeue I haue declared alreadye in my fourth Sermon It followeth in the Confession I beleeue in god God is the obiecte and foundation of oure Fayth as hee that is the euerlastinge and chiefe goodnes neuer wearie but alway ready at our neede Wée therfore beléeue in God that is to say wee put our whole hope all our safety and our selues wholy into his handes as vnto him that is able to preserue and bestowe on vs all thinges that are requisite for our behooâe Nowe it followeth that that God in whom we rest and vnto whose tuition wée do all commit oure selues is The Father Almightye Our God is therefore called Father because from before all beginninge hee begatte the sonne like to himselfe For the Scripture calleth God the father of oure Lord Iesus Christe He sayth the Apostle is the brightnesse of the glorie of God and the liuely Image of the substaunce of the father to whom he said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be his father and hee shal be my sonne Also God is called father in respecte of the likenesse that hee hath with oure earthly father to witte because of our Creation the fauour loue good will carefulnesse where with he is affected towards vs For God hath created vs God loueth vs God regardeth our affayres and is careful for vs yea and that more exceedinglye too then any earthly father is For saith Dauid Euen as the father pitieth his childreÌ so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him for hee knoweth our estate remembring that we are but duste Esaias also in his 49. Cap. sayth Can a woman forget her owne infante and not pitie and be fayne ouer the sonne of hir owne wombe But admit she do forget yet will not I forget thee In this is declared Gods good will to vs ward and wée confessing that God is our father do also professe that God to vs is both gentle liberall and merciful who wisheth vs all thinges that are auayleable to our health and purposeth nothinge to vs warde but that which is good and wholesome and last of all that at his hande wée receiue what good soeuer wée haue either bodilye or ghostly God is called Almighty because by his might hée can do al things because he is Lord of all thinges and hath all thinges subiecte to his commaundement For the same cause also is hee called the Lord of Hostes Heauen Earth and whatsoeuer is therein Starres all Elements Men Angells deuils al liuing Creatures all things created are in the power of the moste highe and euerlasting god What soeuer hee commaundeth that they doe nothing is able to withstand his will. What hee wil that must of necessitie be done and also these things he vseth euen as his owne wil and pleasure is and as his iustice and mans saluation do require Firste wée confessed that God doth will vs well and nowe wée acknowledge that whatsoeuer hée wil that he is able to bring
fro and in which the Starres are placed that are called the furniture and hoast of Heauen For sayth Dauid God is cloathed with lighte as with a Garmente hee spreadeth forth the Heauens as it were a Courteyne Hee saieth also I shall see thy Heauens the worke of thy fingers and the Moone and Starres which thou haste layed And againe Which couereth the Heauen with cloudes and prepareth rayne for the earth And againe The Heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmamente sheweth forth the woorkes of his hands Then also Heauen is taken for the throne and habitation of God And lastlie for the place seate and receptacle of them that are saued where God géeueth himselfe to be seene and enioyed of them that be his For Dauid witnessinge agayne sayth The Lorde hath prepared his seate in Heauen Wherevppon the Lord in the Gospel sayth Sweare not by Heauen for it is Gods seate And the Apostle Paule sayth Wee knowe if oure earthly mansion of this tabernacle be destroyed that wee haue a dwellinge place for euer in Heauen builded by God not made by hands And therefore in this signification Heauen is called the Kingdome of God the kingdome of the father Ioy Happines and felicitie Eternall lyfe Peace and Quietnes And although God in deede be not shutte vp in any place For hee sayth Heauen is my Seate and Earth the footestoole of my feete Yet because the glorie of God doth most of all shine in the Heauens and because that in Heauen hée giueth himself to be seene and enioyed of them that are his accordinge to that sayinge Wee shall see him euen as hee is And againe No man shall see mee sayth the Lorde and liue Therefore God is sayde to dwell in Heauen Moreouer Christe our Lorde touchinge his Diuinitie is not shutte vp in any place but accordinge to his humanitie once taken which he drew vp into Heauen hée is in the verie locall place of Heauen neyther is he in the meane time heere in earth and euery where bodilie but being seuered from vs in bodie remayneth in HeaueÌ For hee ascendeth which leauinge that which is belowe doth goe to that aboue Christe therefore leauing the earth hath placed a seate for his bodie aboue all Heauens Not that hee is caried vp beyonde all Heauens but because ascendinge vppe aboue all the Circles into the vtmoste and highest Heauen hee is taken I saye into the place appointed for those that are saued For Paule the Apostle speakinge plainlie enoughe to be vnderstoode sayth Our conuersation is in Heauen from whence wee looke for the Sauiour to come c. In the same manner also Luk the Euangelist sayth And blessing them hee departed from them and was caried into Heauen But whie do I make so much adoe about expounding that which is most euidentlye declared in the verye Creede by that which followeth For the nexte is Hee sitteth at the righte hande of God the father Almightie For by this wee vnderstande what kinde of place Heauen is and what our Lorde doth in Heauen It is not surely for our frailtie ouer narrowlie to seeke out or discusse the secretes of Heauen and yet it is not againste Religion to inquire after that that is taught vs in the Scriptures and so perfectlie to remember it as it is taughte vs Our Lord is simplie sayde to sitte and that too to sitte at the righte hande of the Father Almightie Let vs therefore see what the right hande of the father is and what it is to sitte at the righte hande of the father The righte hande of the Father in the Scripture hath two significations Firste the righte hande of God is the place appointed for them that are saued and the euerlasting felicitie in Heauen This did S. Augustine set downe to be marked long before vs who in the twentie and sixt Chapter of his booke De Agone Christiano wryteth That the righte hande of the Father is the euerlastinge felicitie giuen to the Sainctes euen as also the leaft hande is moste rightlye called the continuall miserie allotted to the vngodlye not so that by this meanes that I haue sayde the righte or leafte hande is to be vnderstoode in respecte of God himselfe but in respecte of his Creatures capacitie And this did S. Augustine speake accordinge to the Scriptures For Dauid sayth The path of Life shalte thou make knowne to mee the fulnes of ioyes is in thy sighte and at thy right hande is gladnesse for euer What else is this than if hee had sayd Thou shalt bring mee into life I saye into the very Heauens where I shal be filled wyth ioyes both by seinge and beholdinge thee and also by enioying thee At thy right hande in eternall blessednesse are ioyes euerlastinge In the Gospell also we reade that the Sheepe are placed by the Iudge at the right hand and the Goates at the left And when the right hand is taken in this sense Then To sitte doth signifie to reste from all labours and to liue quietlie and in happie state For that saying of the Prophet is very well knowen A man shall sit vnder his Vine As if hee should haue sayd all thinges shal be at peace in safetie and at quiet So then this that I haue saide is mente by the righte hande of the father and where wee confesse that the sonne doth sitte at the righte hande of the father Almightie wée do acknowledge that our Lorde beinge deliuered from all trouble and mortall infirmities doth now in his humanitie both reste and reioyce in the verie locall place of Heauen where wee belieue that both our soules and bodies shal bee and liue for euer For the Lorde himselfe in the Gospell witnesseth that in his fathers house there are many maÌsions which hee goeth to prepare that they mayè haue a place and although hee did depart yet that hee woulde retourne to them againe and take them vnto him selfe that wher hée is they also might be in the same place with him Wherefore wee beleeue that Christe is at rest in Heauen where hee hath prepared a place of reste for vs also to remayne in ioyes euerlastinge And for because oure bodies shall not be euery where in felicitie but in the onely appointed place therefore sayd S. Augustine truly that Christ our Lord accordinge to the measure of his very body is in some one place of Heauen And S. Cyprian sayth To sit at the right hande of the father is the mysterie of his fleshe taken vppe into Heauen Secondarily the right hand of God is put for the vertue kingdome protection deliueraunce and power of god For Dauid sayth The Lords right hande is high the Lords righte hand doth mightie things And Moses saide Thy right hand O Lord is magnified in power thy righte hand O Lord hath broken the enimie And when the righte Hande is put in this sense then To sit doth signifie to reigne to deliuer to vse power and do the office of a
is bestowed on vs and deriued from him to vs by the holy Ghoste For the Apostle sayth God which anoynted vs is he also which hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts And againe Ye were in deede defiled with naughtinesse but nowe ye are cleansed and sanctified and lastely iustified throughe the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God. The Father in déede doth sanctifie too but by the bloud of Iesus Christe and poureth the same sanctification out of him into vs by the holy Ghost so that it is as it were the propertie of the holy Ghoste to sanctifie wherevpon he is called Holy or the sanctifier Therefore so often as we heare the holy Ghost named we must by and by think of the power in working which the Scripture attributeth to him and we must looke after the benefites that from him doe flowe to vs For the power operation or action of the spirite is that what so euer the grace of God doth work in vs through the Sonne so that of necessitie we must beléeue in the holy Ghost And in this eight Article we doe professe that we doe verily beléeue that all the faithfull are cleansed washed regenerated sanctified inlightned and inriched of God with diuers gifts of grace for Christ his sake but yet through the holy Ghost For without him there is no true sanctification wherefore we ought not to attribute these giftes of grace to any other meanes this glory belongeth to the holy Ghost onely Of whome I will more largely and fully discourse in my other Sermons The houre is spent which warneth me to wrappe vp briefly and make an ende therefore I exhort you al to haue your faithe religiously bent vpon the Lorde Iesus for him hath the heaueÌly father sente to vs in him hath he wholy expressed and shewed him selfe to vs and him doth the holy Ghoste printe in our heartes and kéepe in our mindes And in Christ is all mans saluation and euery part thereof contained wherefore we must beware that we deriue it not from any thing else It pleased the father saith the Apostle that all fulnesse shoulde dwell in the Sonne and in him to recapitulate and as it were to bring into a summe all points of saluation that in him all the faithfull may be fulfilled For if saluation be sought then euen by his very name are we taught that saluation is in his power For he is called Iesus that is a sauiour If we desire the holy spirit of God and his sundry gifts we shal finde them also in the annointing of Christ For he is called Christ the annoynted I saye the holye of holies and the sanctifier or else the annoynter of vs with his spirite If any man haue néede of strength and might of power and deliueraunce well he hath to looke for it in Christe his dominion For Christe is Lorde of all In the same Christ we finde redemption For he hath redéemed vs that were solde vnder Sathans yoake In his conception we haue puritie in his natiuitie we haue sufferance For he became like to vs that he might suffer griefe as well as we For in his passion we haue forgiunesse of sinnes in his condemnation we haue absolution satisfaction in his offering or cleansing sacrifice cleansing in his bloude and an vniuersall reconciliation in his descending into hell In his buriall we haue the mortificatioÌ of our flesh the newnesse of life yea rather the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of our bodyes in his glorious resurrection We haue also the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome with the assured sealing thereof in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the father And there is he our mediatour priest and king our safegarde and our heade oure defender and moste sure rest From thence he poureth into vs his holye spirite the fulnesse of all good thinges and dothe communicate him selfe wholy to vs ioyning vs vnto him selfe with an indissoluble knot From thence we doe with confidence and ioy looke for him to be our iudge to be I say our patrone and deliuerer whiche shall condemne and sende downe hedlong into hell all our enimies with sathan but shal take vs and al the faith full of euery age vp into heauen with him self there to sing a newe song and to reioyce in him for euer and euer To him be glory for euer Amen Of the latter Articles of Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The nynth Sermon LEt vs call to oure Father in heauen through our Lord Iesus Christe that he wil vouchsafe to poure his grace into vs that we may to our no smal profit dispatch and expound the last part of the Articles of Christian beliefe The nynth Article of fayth is this The holy Catholique Churche the communion of Saintes After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinitie and in the mysterie of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe and lastly in the holy Ghost the sanctifier and restoarer of al now in the fourth part is reckoned vp the fruite and power the effect and ende of fayth and what doth come to and is bestowed on the faithfull There commeth to them communion of God and all Saintes sanctification remission of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and life euerlastinge Of which I will speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the bountifull Lord shal giue me abilitie Nowe then here we haue to rehearse out of the eight Article this worde I beléeue we must I meane say I beléeue the holy Catholique Churche Some vnlearned there are which hold opinion that in this point of our confession we should say I beléeue in the holy Church The reason that leades them so to thinke is this bycause they finde written in the Constantinopolitane Créede And in the holy Ghost the Lorde that giueth life who procéedeth from the father and the sonne who together with the father the sonne is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For these wordes they doe so distinguishe that as they doe repeate out of the premisses these wordes I beléeue and make this the sense I beleeue in the holye Ghoste the Lorde euen so here againe they doe repeate these wordes I beléeue making this to be the sense I beléeue in one Catholique and Apostolique Church But this is more then néedeth yea and against all godlynesse doe they wrest these wordes of the Créede For this In one Catholique and Apostolique Church is not referred to the Verbe I beléeue but to the holye Ghoste bycause he spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For our meaning is and we confesse that one and the same spirite did all thinges in both Testamentes contrarie to the opinion of them whiche imagined that there were two spirites contrarie one to the other Moreouer Sainte Cyprian in his exposition
ought not to denie his assistance and defence to the godly ministers of Christe and the Churches Herevnto belong the testimonies of Saint Paule that may be alledged In the last chapter of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he saith We beseeche you brethren to knowe them which labour among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lord and admonish you that yee may haue theÌ in reputation through loue for their worke and be at peace with them Again to the Hebrues he sayth Obey them that haue the rule ouer you and giue place vnto them for they watch for your soules as they that shall giue account for them that they may do it in ioy and not in trembling for that is profitable for you For how many and great calamities haue falne vpon kingdomes and peoples for the contempt of Gods worde and his ministers many examples can teache vs but that especially which in the laste chapter of the second booke of Chronicles is set downe in these words The Lorde God of their fathers sent to them by his messingers rising vp betimes and sending for hee had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the messingers of God and despised his wordes and iested at his Prophetes vntill the wrath of God arose against his people and till there was no remedie Like vnto this are the wordes of the Lorde in the Gospell where he sayth I sende vnto you Prophetes and wise men some of whome ye shal scourge and kyll that all the righteous bloud may light vpon you whiche hath bene shead vpon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slue betweene the temple and the altar and so foorth for the place is knowne to you all dearely beloued and is to be séene in the. 23. Chapter after S. Mathew We must beware therefore in any case that we doe not despise God who speaketh to vs in his word by his seruants the Prophets We owe by the force of this commandement all loue reuerence help comfort and humanitie to our kinsfolkes and alliance In this commandemeÌt are they condemned that shew them selues to be ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say men without all naturall affection and friendly loue to their owne bloud and kinsfolkes There is a certaine naturall affection goodwill loue and pitifull mercy which the Scripture calleth the bowels of mercy in the father and mother towarde their children in brother towarde brother and in cousins toward their kinssolkes and friends of their aliance We haue notable examples hereof set downe in the Scriptures of Abrahams loue toward his sonne Isaac and of Iosephes affection toward his father Iacob and his brethren but èspecially towarde Beniamin his brother by one mother Mothers and daughters in lawe haue a notable example to followe in Noemi and Ruth Mothers and daughters in lawe for the most part do beare a deadly hate the one to the other which is the cause of muche mischiefe in the houses where they be Let them learn therfore by this preatie example how to behaue them selues on both parts Let the mother in lawe thinke the daughter in law to be her own daughter and let the daughter in lawe honour and reuereÌce her mother in law euen as if she were her owne mother Many thinges must be winked at on both sides many things must be taken in good part and many thinges put vp with a quiet mynde Many thinges must be forgiuen and they must both haue their eares stopped against tatling talebearers and wrongfull suspicions Concorde in euery house is the greatest treasure that may be and discord at home is the most perillous and endlesse mischiefe that can be inuented Paule his wordes touching good turnes and honour to be giuen to our kinsefolkes are very wel knowne and extant to be séene in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Limothie Last of all also there is to be found in the worde of God a peculiar lawe for the honouring of olde men which biddeth vs to rise before the hoary and gray haired head Olde men therefore are to be honoured whome we must worthily magnifie and in whom we must acknowledge the singular grace of God in giuing them long life and that by long and continuall experience of all thinges they haue attayned to muche witte or wisedome whereby they are able to helpe vs with their counsell They therefore ought to be praysed that all may vnderstand that gray haires are a crown of glory Moreouer if aged impotent persons are driuen into néede then must our aboundance supply their necessitie To be short we must not denie to olde men any dutie of humanitie wherewith we may pleasure them In the same sort also there are here commended vnto vs widowes orphans wardes poore men straungers sicke and miserable people And for that cause did the deuout and good men of olde bestowe their goods liberally to the refreshing of olde men widowes fatherlesse children and poore sillie creatures Those goods at this day are called Churche goods or Ecclesiasticall contributions whiche vndoutedly are very wel bestowed if they be layde out on them for whome they were giuen In the Emperours constitutions we may sée that there were common houses and substaunce builded and appointed for all sorts of néedie people For there is mention made of houses for fatherlesse childreÌ of Hospitals for olde men of spittles for beggars of places for sicke men and nourceries for children Among vs at these dayes there are Hospitals and Monasteries very many whereof haue seuerall places appointed for orphans olde men poore people impotent creatures sicke persons and infants They therefore doe commit an vnappeasable offence whosoeuer bestowe to other vses the substance and places ordeined for olde and poore people and lash out they care not howe prodigally in ryot and lustinesse the almes bestowed vpon poore silly souls And nowe hitherto haue I declared howe our parents ought to be honoured and they which are conteined vnder the name of parents There is now remaining the third and laste part of our present treatise wherin we haue to sée what God promiseth to them that honour their parents religiously whereby we haue to gather what perill hangs ouer the heades of them that wickedly neglect and irreligiously despise their parents The Lord in the lawe therefore sayth That thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lorde thy God shall giue thee The meaning of which saying is Honour thy father thy mother that thou maist for many dayes inioy the possession of the lande whiche thou shalt haue in testimonie of my fauour to thée ward These wordes doe properly belong to the Iewes But very well and truly doth a godly minister of Christe writing vpon this place say Bycause the whole earth is blessed to the faithfull we do nothing amisse when we reckon this present life among the blessings
all Goods ordinances scant any one can be found that is more commendable or profitable than wedlocke is Musonius Hierocles and other auncient sages thinke marriage to bee so necessarie to liue well and conueniently that the life of man without marriage séemeth to be maymed Euen they y heathens I meane doe make the euills and discommodities of mariage to consist in y married folkes and not in mariage For marriage of it selfe is good but many vse not well the thinge that is good and therefore they feele the smart of their foule abuse worthilie For who knoweth not that the faulte of dronkennesse is not to bee referred to wyne which is the good and holsome creature of God but to the excessiue bibbing and ouer great gréedinesse of maÌ which abuseth Gods good creature That which commeth out of the hart of man saith the Lord in the Gospell and not that which goeth in by the mouth defileth the man. Hereunto belongeth that saying of Paule the Apostle of Christ where hee attributeth sanctification to wedlocke for the bed saith he is vndefiled and in an other place he testifieth that the vnbeleuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife hee affirmeth also that children borne in wedlocke are holy or cleane Moreouer the same Paule maketh Christ an eraÌple of loue betwixt man and wife and shadoweth the mysteries of Christ and the Church by the colour of wedlocke he figureth I say a heauenly thing by an holy type that God doth allowe Wherevpon in an other place the same Apostle doth say That their doctrine is a verie doctrine of diuells which forbid men to marrie And so consequently it followeth that that is an heaueÌly doctrine proceeding from God which permitteth mariage freely to all men and doth commende and reuerence it The excellencie and dignitie of matrimonie being thus vnderstoode let vs now séeke out and looke on the causes for which God hath ordeyned mariage for men to imbrace God according to his natural goodnesse directeth all his ordinaunces to the greate good and aboundant commoditie of mortal men and therefore it followeth that hee ordeyned matrimonie for the preseruatioÌ of mankinde to the end that mans lyfe might be pleasaunt swéete and thoroughly furnished with ioyes sufficient But al these causes may be reduced into the number of thrée First God himselfe doth say It is not good for man to be alone let vs make him an helpe therefore to be before him or to dwel with him So then that first cause whie wedlecke was instituted is mans commoditie that thereby the life of man might bée the pleasaunter and more coÌmodious For Adam séemed not to liue halfe happilie nor sweetly enough vnlesse he had a wife to ioyne himselfe vnto which wife is not in the scriptures called an impediment or necessarie euill as certaine Poets and beastly men who hated women haue foolishly iangled but she is the helpe or arme of the man Antipater an heathen writer In sermone de Nuptiis doth wonderfullie agrée with this saying of the scripture and expresseth plainly what kinde of help and what manner of arme the wife is to her husband Whosoeuer saith hee hath not had triall of wife and children hee is vtterly ignoraunt of true mutuall goodwill Loue in wedlocke is mutuallie shewed when man and wife doe not coÌmunicate wealth children and hearts alone as friendes are wont to doe but haue their bodies in coÌmon also which friends cannot do And therfore Euripides laying a side the deadly hate that hee bare to women writ these verses in commendation of marriage The wife that gadds not gigglot wise with euerie flirting gill But honestly doth keepe at hoame not set to gossip still Is to her husband in his cares a passing sweete delight She heales his sicknesse all and calls againe his dying spirit By fawning on his angrie lookes she tourns them into smiles And keeps her husbaÌds secrets cloase when friends worke wilie guiles For like as a man hauing one hand or one foote if by any meanes hee get himselfe an other may thereby the more easilie lay hold on what hee listeth or go whether he wil euen so he that hath married a wife shall more easilie enioy the healthfull pleasures and profitable commodities of this present life For married folkes for two eyes haue foure for two hands as many more which being ioyned together they maye the more easilie dispatche their handie businesses againe when the ones two handes are wearied the handes of the other supplie their roome kepe their worke in a forwardnesse still Mariage therfore which in steede of one member is by increase coÌpact of twaine is better able to passe thorough the course of this world than the single and vnwedded life Thus much out of Antipater Hierocles also in his booke de Nuptiis saith To liue with a woman is verie profitable euen beside the begetting of children For first she doth welcome vs hoame that are tyred abroad with labour and traueile shee interteyneth vs seruiceablie and doth all shee maye to recreate ouâe wearie mindes She maketh vs forget all sorrowe and sadnesse For the troublesom cases of our life and generallie of care and busines while wee are occupied in matters abroade in bargayning in the countrie or amonge oure friends are not easilie suffered to bee troubled with oure domesticall and houshold affayres but when we haue dispatched them and are once retourned to our wiues at home so that our minds are at quiet we restoared to our ease and libertie then are our coÌbersome businesses well lightened eased whereby they ceasse to trouble vs any longer Neither is a wife troublesome vndoubtedly but lighteneth things that are troublesom to vs For there is nothing so heauie that man and wife liuing in concord are not able to beare especiallie if they bee both willinge to doe their indeuour And so forth The second cause why matrimonie was ordeyned is the begetting of children for the preseruation of mankinde by increase and the bringing of them vppe in the feare of the lord For the Lord blessed Adam and Eua saying Increase and multiplie replenishe the earth Paule the Apostle in his Epistle to Titus saieth Speake to the elder women that they maye teache honest thinges that they may make the younger women to be sober minded to loue their husbandes to loue their childreÌ to be discrete hous keepers good obedient to their husbands And againe to Timothie Adam was not deceiued but the woman was seduced notwithstandinge through bearing of children she shal bee saued if they continue in faith and charitie and holines with modestie But the begetting of children were altogether vnprofitable if they were not wel brought vppe For shée that loueth her children in déede doth bring them vp in the feare of the Lord Which bringing vppe is no small coÌmoditie to the comon weale Church of god The glorie also and worship of God is greatly augmented when as by wedlocke there
of the Gospell which Paule hath hitherto preached with vs is sufficient to the obteining of life and saluation We intend not to laye any greater burthen vpon you than the doctrine of the Gospell and abstinence from those fewe things In which sentence they séeme to haue had an eye to the opinion of Sainct Peter who in the counsell saide Ye knowe that I beeing called by God did go to the Gentiles and did preach to them saluatioÌ through the Gospel Ye know that to the GeÌtiles being neither circumcised nor keeping the lawe while I preached to them faith in Christ Iesus the holie Ghoste was giuen from aboue so that their hearts wer purified of God him selfe by faith not by the lawe that they were made heires of eternal life And vppon this he inferreth Now therefore why tempt ye God to laye vppon the disciples neckes a yoke which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be saued euen as they Sée here Sainct Peter called the lawe a burthen and a yoke and therfore where the Apostles saye that they will not laye vpoÌ the church any greater burthen they do thereby signifie that the lawe is flatly abrogated They do therefore set the church frée from the burthen of the lawe and do acquite it from all burthens like to y lawe We nowe do gather by those woordes of the Apostles that those burthensome and innumerable ceremonies which the church hath receiued by counsels Synodes since the time of the Apostles were vniustly against the Apostolique spirite then layde vppon the churche and at this daye wickedly reteined and defended in the churche For they in expresse wordes saide It seemed good to the holye Ghoste and to vs to burthen you with no more then these thinges necessarie But if any man obiect and saye that those ceremonies were for the rudenesse of the people layde vpon the churches neckes as a rule or instruction to guide or teache them by Mine aunswere is that that kinde of instruction is cleane taken awaye which whosoeuer goeth about to reduce hee desireth nothing else but to bring in Iudaisme againe God knew verie well what kinde of churche that would be which hee purposed to gather together of Iewes and Gentiles and yet he abolished those external ceremonies Nowe who doth better knowe than God what is expedient or not expedient for his church therefore the things that he abolished were not expedient for the faithfull whereupon the Apostles did rightly verie wel pronounce It seemed good to the holie ghoste and vs not to laye vppon you any greater burthen Let them therefore be ashamed of their doinges which lay so great a burthen vppon the shoulders of the church that otherwise ought to be most free Nowe also heere is added the conclusion of the sentence Than these necessarie things that is to say that ye abstaine from things offered to Idols c. In these wordes they had an eye vnto the sentence of sainct Iames the Apostle and brother of the Lorde for he confirminge and allowing of Sainct Peters opinion touchinge iustification by faith and the not laying of the lawe vpon the Gentiles neckes doth alledge a testimonie of scripture out of Amose who did foretell that the Iewes shoulde bee cut off because of their sinnes and that in their steeds the Gentiles should be taken amonge whome the true church of God should be which was prefigured by the ruine and reparatioÌ of Dauids tabernacle The same Prophet did also foretell a reason how and a cause why the Gentiles should be receiued into the church not for Circumcisions sake nor yet by the helpe of the lawe but by grace through fayth For he saith The remnaunte of the men shal seeke after the Lorde and all the heathen vpon whome my name is called saith the Lorde which doth all this all these workes of God are knowen to him from before the world beganne Loe here they shall seeke the Lorde and shal be receyued into his fellowship vpon whome his name shal be called This phrase of speech doeth signifie that they whiche are electe shal be the sonnes of god For vpon them the name of the Lord is called which are named the sonnes of God and are his elect Nowe the whole scripture attributeth that to faith By fayth therfore we are made the members of the church and sonnes and heires to God our maker But if any man doe murmur against the counsell of God and say why doth God so Let him thinke that this déede is the déede and worke of God whome it is not lawfull for man to gaynsaye and all whose workes are knowen from the beginninge of the worlde to haue beene donne in iudgement and righteousnesse whervpon it doth consequently follow that this counsell of his is good and righteous whereby he doth through faith in Christ ioyne to himselfe and sanctifie the heathen nations Nowe vppon these wordes of the prophet Saincte Iames subscribing as it were to Sainct Peters opinion doth gather and inferre Wherefore my sentence is that wee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God That is to say I thinke that they are not to bee molested or charged with the obseruation of the law But least the Gentiles once hearing y the lawe was abolished should thereby thinke that they might freely doe whatsoeuer they would and so by that meanes abuse their libertie and also against all charitie despise giue offence vnto the Iewishe brethren therefore Iames addeth But I think it best for vs to write vnto them that they absteine from filthines of idols For there were at that time certeine conuerts of the Gentiles who thought it lawfull for them to enter into idol Temples and be partakers of things offered to idols because an idol is nothing since there is but one onely God alone whereuppon they gathered that those sacrifices were nothing that they did neither good nor harme and therefore that Christians might with a safe conscience be partakers of them But sainct Iames and Paule also 1. Cor. 8. 9. 10. wil haue the heathen conuerts to absteine vtterly froÌ the worship of Idols that is from the idols them selues and from those things which are in the idol temples offered to false and fained Gods. Moreouer he addeth Let them beware of fornication The Gentiles verily did by good lawes forbidde the adulteries and defilings of virgins matrones with verie sharpe punishments suppressing the violent deflowrers of honest women but they thought it a verie light and in a manner no fault at all for such to committ whoredome as did of their owne accordes set their chastitie to sale or if an vnwedded man should haue to doe with a single woman and therefore the Apostle Iames euen as Paule also 1. Cor. 6. and 1. Thessa. 4. doeth verie seuerely require the holy pure vse of the bodie
in danger of the lawe and of the curse thereof For we are the bondslaues of sinne wée are made subiââte to sundrie calamities by reason of our sinne This therefore is called the spirituall bondage not because it is onely in the minde of man but béecause of the opposition whereby it is opposed to the bodilie bondage For otherwise sinne hath made oure bodie also subiecte to the curse Neither doe wée sinne in minde alone but in the bodie also For euery part and al the members of our bodies are subiecte vnto sinne and infected with iniquitie Therefore we serue in most miserable bondage while beeing vnder the diuels dominion wee doe the thinges that please the fleshe by the egging on of euil affections to the bringing forth of fruite or rather to the making of abortion with perill of oure liues to the diuell our cruell and ouer rigorous maister For this verilie is oure hardest and most lameÌtable seruitude and bondage Nowe on the other side let vs sée what Christian libertie is that is to say from what and howe farre foorth the Lord hath made vs frée In one word wée doe briefly say that Christe oure Lord hath deliuered vs from a gréeuous bondage to wit that hée hath so farre forth made vs frée as wée by sinne were slaues and bondseruants This we maye more largely expound and say The sonne of God came into this world and hauing first oppressed the tyrannie of Sathan and crusshed his head by his death and passion hee hath traÌslated vs into his owne kingdome hath made himselfe oure Lord and king Secondarilie hee hath adopted vs to be the sonnes of GOD and with his blessing tooke awaye the bitter curse of the lawe For he toke awaye all sinnes and purged all the faithfull from their iniquities Thirdly hee did most liberally bestow the frée gift of the holy Ghoste to the end that the sonnes of God should willingly and of their owne accorde submit themselues to the will of God and to doe the thinges that the Lord would haue them For the hatred of the lawe doeth not remaine although the weakenesse of the fleshe abideth still Lastly the same our Lord king hath taken from the shoulders of his electe the burthen of the law the types and figures with all the coste belonging to the same and hath forbidden vs being once set at libertie to entangle our selues againe with any lawes and traditions of men Of all this being layed together we make this definition To deliuer is to make frée and to set at libertie from bondage Hée is frée or manumised that beeing deliuered from bondage doeth enioye his libertie Therefore manumission or libertie is nothing else but the state of him that is made frée the commoditie I saye whiche a frée made man hath receiued and doth enioy by reason of his deliueraunce to witt in that hée being deliuered from the tyrannie of Sathan from sinne from the curse of the lawe and from death is made the sonne of God and heire of euerlasting life and also that he hath receiued the spirite of libertie by whiche hee doeth wholie giue himselfe to bée the seruaunte of God to doe him seruice all his life long and lastly that beeing deliuered from the lawe of Moses and from all lawes of mortall men hée doeth altogether depende vppon the Gospell onely hauing at libertie the frée vse of external thinges as of meate of drincke of cloathing and of such like indifferent thinges And in these thrée last rehearsed points doth ChristiaÌ libertie chiefly consiste Nowe to this I will add such testimonies of Scripture as shall both better confirme and more plainely declare my exposition And first of all I will alledge those testimonies which are to be found in the bookes of the holie Euangelistes and then those that are extant in the writinges of the Apostles Zacharias the priest father of Iohn Baptiste in his hymne of thanckesgiuing Luke 1 doeth declare the trueth and goodnesse of God in performing that to vs which hee promised to oure forefathers to witt That wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of oure enimies mighte serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life In this testimonie of his wée haue the true libertie that fréedome I meane wherein wée being by the Lord deliuered from all our enimies both visible and inuisible should no longer serue them with feare but serue oure GOD in ioye and gladnesse There is added also the manner and order howe to serue him In holinesse and righteousnesse Holinesse doeth cutt off and caste awaye all vncleannesse and incontinencie Righteousnesse giueth to euery man that whiche is his due to witt the thinges which wee of duetie doe owe to euerie man and doeth conteyne in it bothe fréedome and beneuolence And in this kinde of seruice doe they whiche are made frée serue the Lord their God not for a day or two or a certeine fewe yeares but all the dayes of their life Therefore true Christian libertie is the perpetuall seruice which wée owe and doe to God. In the eighth Chapiter of Saincte Iohns Gospell to the Iewes whiche made great bragges of the vaine and sillie libertie which they receiued of their auncestours Christe our Lord maketh this obiection Verilie verilie I say vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne hee is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abideth for euer if the sonne therefore shall make you free then are ye free in deede In these woords hée maketh mention both of bondage and of libertie Hée is a bondman to sinne as to a cruell maister or a neuer contented tyrant whosoeuer doeth committ any sinne For he doth obey as one that is bound to sinne Such bondmen are all the sonnes of men whose punishment is to haue none inheritaunce in their fathers house whiche is the heauenly Hierusalem As for those whiche the Sonne of God restoareth to fréedome they are partakers of the heauenly kingdome and fellowe heires with the Sonne of god But Christe maketh none frée but them that are faithfull therefore the sonnes of God and fellowe heires of Christ are for Christ his sake their onely deliuerer made frée and set at libertie Neither is there any other in heauen or in earth beside Christ Iesu which is able to set vs at fréedome and at libertie Paule in the sixte Chapiter to the Romanes sayth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that ye should therunto obey by the lustes of it neither giue ye your members as instruments of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto god as they that are aliue from the dead and your members as instrumentes of righteousnesse vnto god For sinne shall not haue power ouer you because ye are not vnder the Lawe but vnder Grace In these wordes he exhorteth them that are purged and made frée by Christ to liue holilie in their spirituall bondage Now
time present Is it not farre better in such extreme times of calamitie to committ such a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen than to doe such a sinne whereby no time is left to repent in This haue I said because of those wilfull men and women whiche to auoyde not others but their owne sinne least perhapps vnder an others luste they should consent to their owne being stirred vpp doe thincke that they ought to ridd themselues from it by shortening their liues But farre bee it from a Christian minde which trusteth in our God and with a settled hope doeth staye on him as on his surestayde Farre bee it I say from such a minde to yeeld to any pleasures of the fleshe vnto the consenting to filthinesse But if the concupiscentiall disobedience whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members is against the lawe of our will stirred vp or moued by a lawe of her owne how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that consenteth not if it be without blame in the bodie of him that sleepeth Thus much out of Augustine Nowe doe wée returne to our purpose againe To proceede therefore they diuide actuall sinnes into hidden or priuate and into manifest or publique sinnes Those hidden sinnes are not such as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone of which sorte is hypocrisiâ the deprauation of mans disposition but such as are not vtterly without witnesses althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifest to all men For on the other side the manifest and publique sinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church And these verilie are of both the greater those the lighter because they touche the church and pâocure the offence of many men Touching which the Apostle speaketh in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothie But the most vulgar and apte distinction of actuall sinne whiche doeth in a manner conteine in it selfe all the other kinds and parts thereof is that wherein it is called either mortall or veniall sinne They thincke that mortal sinne is euerie sinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull person And that veniall sinne is euerie sinne that is done of a faithfull man I doe simplie and according to the Scriptures suppose that all the sinnes of men are mortall For they are done against the lawe or will of god But death is due to sinnes For the Prophete cryeth The soule that sinneth shal die it selfe And the Apostle sayeth The reward of sinne is death Yea and deadly sinnes doe take the name of death To this nowe doe belong these testimonies of the Apostle This yee knowe that euerie fornicatour or vncleane person or couetous person whiche is a worshipper of Idols hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and God. The same sentence béeing againe rehearsed in the fifâe to the Ephesians is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians and the fifte and sixt Chapiters of the first to the Corinthians But the sinnes whiche are of their owne nature mortall are thoroughe grace in the faith of Iesus Christ made veniall béecause they are thoroughe Christ forgiuen by Gods great fauour and mercie And therefore the Apostle in the sixte Chapiter to the Romans did not saye Let not sinne bee in your mortall bodie But Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that yee should obey to it thoroughe the lustes thereof And againe There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to walke after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirite ye shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Therefore there is sinne in our bodie alwayes so long as wee liue but by Grace it is not imputed vnto death and they to whome it is not imputed doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh and yet they do verie often times slip and fall which falles and slippings neuerthelesse together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted sinnes I meane sinnes pardonable and not to be punished eternally Nowe to mortall sinnes is that sinne especially to be referred which is called the sinne against the holie Ghost which some do not without a cause suppose to bee moste properly called mortal sinne Of which I will speake when first I haue somewhat briefly aunswered to certeine questions that do depend vppon this argument Firste of all here is demaunded whether y sinne or disease which after baptisme remaineth in infants be sinne in verie déede Nowe it is manifest that concupiscence remaineth in them that are baptised and that concupiscence is sinne and therfore that sinne remaineth in them that are baptised which sinne notwithstanding is through the Grace of God in the merite of Iesus Christ not imputed vnto them So did Sainct Augustine resolue this knott in the first booke De Peccatorum meritis remissione Cap. 39. where he saith In infants verily it is so wrought by the Grace of God through the baptisme of him that came in the likenesse of sinfull fleshe that the fleshe of sinne should be made voide And yet it is made voide so not that the concupiscence which is spredd and bredd in the fleshe while it liueth shoulde of a soudeine bee consumed vanish awaye and not bee but that it should not hurte him nowe being dead in whome it was euen at his birth For it is not giuen in baptisme to them of more yeres that the lawe of sinne which is in their members contrarie to the lawe of their minde should vtterly be extinguished and not bee at all but that all the euill whatsoeuer is faide done or thought of man when with his captiue mind he serued that concupiscence should be vtterly wiped out and so reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done Thus much hath Augustine Another question is whether those workes that the Gentiles doe which haue a shewe of vertue and goodnesse are sinnes or else good woorkes It is assuredly true that God euen among the Gentiles also had his electe Nowe so many such as were among them were not without the holie Ghoste and faith Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes and not sinnes For in the Actes of the Apostles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before god And the same Cornelius is saide to haue beene a deuout man and fearing God wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull whose faith afterward is made fully perfect and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoste is more plentiously bestowed Moreouer the worthie déedes of the heathens are not to be despised nor vtterly contemned For as they were not altogether done without God so did they much auaile to the preseruing and restoring
bee Christ tell vs plainely Iesus aunsweared them I told you and ye beleeue not the workes that I do in my fathers name these beare witnesse of mee But ye beleeue not because ye are not of my sheepe And presently after hée addeth Ye say that I blaspheme because I said I am the sonne of god If I doe not the woorkes of my father beleeue mee not but if I doe and if ye beleeue not mee beleeue my woorkes that ye maye knowe and beleeue that the father is in mee and I in him In the seuenth of Iohn wee read They that beleeued in him said Will Christe when hee commeth shewe more signes than this man hath shewed that is to say Admit we graunt that there is an other Christ to bee looked-for yet this is most sure that the other Messiah cannot doe more and greater miracles than this man doth Let vs therefore beléeue that this is the true Messiah Before Caiaphas the highe priest and the whole counsel of the Péeres of Israel also before Pontius Pilate in the iudgemente hall of the Romane Empire oure Lord Christ did openly in expresse woordes confesse that hee is that true and looked-for Messiah Hée verilie as the Prophets foretolde of him did of his owne accord die for sinners the third daye after that hee roase againe from the dead hee ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father And the Euangelistes reciting faithfully the words and déedes of Christ doe to the most notable ones alwayes add All this was done or saide that it mighte be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophete Wherefore it were not worthe the labour heere to gather together the prophecies of the Prophetes by them to examine the woordes and deeds of Christ and by the manifest agréement betwixte them for to conclude That GOD hath perfourmed to vs that which he promised vnto our fathers in giuing to vs his onely begotten Sonne Christ Iesus whiche is the true and looked-for Messiah For this haue the Euangelistes alreadie done and that too with so great faith and diligence that for the plainenesse of the thing it cannot bee bettered To this place nowe ye maye referre all that I haue in my former Sermons saide touching the signification or mysteries fulfilling and abrogating of the Lawe And to content oure selues with a smaller number of testimones might not this one which is read in the fourth of Sainct Iohn bee in steede of many thousand confirmations The woman of Samaria sayeth to the Lord I knowe that the Messiah shall come whiche is called Christe therefore when hee commeth hee shall tell vs all thinges Iesus aunsweared her I am hee that speake to thee Loe what could be said more plainely I sayth hee am the Messiah euen I I say that doe euen now speake to thée and did at the first saye If thou knewest the gifte of God and whoe it is that sayth to thee Giue me to drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen thee water of life For whosoeuer shall drincke of the water that I shall giue him hee shall neuer bee more a thirste but the water that I shall giue him shal be in him a well of water springing vp into eternall life They therefore are the most thirstie and vnfortunate of all men whiche longe-for and looke after an other Messiah beside our Lord and Sauiour Christe Iesus The Apostle Saincte Peter in a méetely longe Oration well grounded and confirmed with Scripture and stronge reasons in the second of the Actes doeth shewe that oure Lord Iesus is that true Messiah For with this sentence he shutteth vp his Sermon Therefore let all the house of Israel surely knowe that GOD hath made both Lorde and Christ this Iesus whome ye haue crucified To the same marcke tendeth that large and learned Oration of the first martyre S. Steuen which is extant to be séene in the seuenth Cap. of the Actes Philip doeth out of Esaies Prophecie declare to the Eunuche of Aâthiope that Iesus is Christ Sainct Paule in al the Iewishe Synagogues putteth forth none other proposition to preach on but this Iesus is Christ that is Iesus is the king the bishoppe and the Sauiour of the faithfull And in the thirtéenthe Chapiter hée doeth at large declare and proue that proposition true So nowe these most euident and cleare testimonies of holie Scripture cannot choose but suffice such heades as are not of purpose sett to cauill and wrangle I will not at this present too busilie and curiouslye dispute against the ouerthwarte Iewes who looke for an other Messiah and doe denie that oure Lord Iesus the sonne of God and the Virgin Marie is the true Messiah The wretches feele that to be true which the Lord in the Gospel did foretell them saying When ye shall see the abhomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophete standing in the holy place let him that readeth vnderstand Then let them that are in Iurie flee to the mounteynes But woe to them that are with childe and giue sucke in those dayes For great shall the affliction bee And againe speaking of the Citie of Hierusalem hee sayeth The dayes shall come vppon thee that thine enimies shall compasse thee with a trenche and hemme thee in and lay seege to thee on euerie side and shall make thee eauen with the grounde and thy sonnes that are within thee And they shall not leaue in thee one stone standing vppon an other beecause thou knowest not the time of thy visitation And againe There shal be wrathe vppon this people and they shal fall with the edge of the sword and shall be ledde captiue into al nations And Hierusalem shal be trode vnder foote of the Gentiles vntill the times of the Gentiles bee fulfilled Nowe since they feele these thinges to bee so finished as they were by Christ foretold in the Gospell why doe not the wretches giue God the glorie and in other thinges beléeue the Gospell acknowledging Iesus Christe the Sonne of God and the Virgin Marie our Lord and Sauiour to bee the true and looked-for Messiah What haue they wherewith to cloake their stubborne incredulitie They haue nowe by the space of more than a thousand and fiue hundreth yeares béene without their Countrie I meane the land of promise that flowed with milke and honie they haue wanted their Prophets and lacked the solemne seruice and Ceremoniall rites For where is their temple where is the highe prieste where is the altar where are the holy instrumentes where be the sacrifices that ought to bee offered according to the Lawe All the glorie of Gods people is nowe translated vnto the Christians They ioy to bee called the sonnes of the faithfull Abraham they enioye the promises made vnto the fathers they talke and make mention of the fathers they iudge rightly of the lawe and couenaunt of the Lord they haue the holy Scriptures and in expounding them they haue great dexteritie they haue the
true Temple the true highe priest the true altar of incense and burnte offeringes euen Christe Iesus the Lord and Sauiour they haue the true worshippe whiche was of olde prefigured onelye in those externall Ceremonies As I haue alreadie declared vnto you in that place where I handled the Iewishe Ceremonies The Gentiles are out of euerie quarter of the world called vnto Christe Iesu All the promises touching the calling of the Gentiles haue béene hetherto most aboundantly fulfilled and are euen at this day Nowe are wee the chosen flocke according to the doctrine of Saincte Peter We are the royall priesthood an holie nation a peculiar people being called hereunto that wee should preach the power of him which hath called vs out of darckenesse into his meruailous light Therefore let the vnhappie Iewes vnlesse perhappes they had rather to bee intangled in greater errours to bée vexed dailye with endelesse calamities and so at laste perishe eternally turne vnto Christ by faith and together with vs beginne to worshippe him in whome their fathers hoped and in whome alone is life and saluation For that I may with the Apostles woords conclude this place GOD is made manifest in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene to the Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeued in the world and receiued in glorie And euerie one that beleeueth him shal liue eternallie and neuer be confounded Wée haue nowe behinde the last part to expounde the contents whereof are that God the father who before was angrie with the world is pleased nowe in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ oure lord First of all therefore I haue to shewe you that God was angrie with the world whiche is no hard matter to proue For God is angrie at sinnes But the whole world is subiecte to sinne therefore it must of necessitie be that the most iust God is mightilie angrie with all the world And Paule sayeth The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse vnrighteousnesse of men Againe the same Apostle sayeth that all men are subiecte vnto sinne for confirmation whereof hee citeth these sentences of the holy Scriptures saying There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God They are all gone out of the way they are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues for to deceiue the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing bitternesse their feete are swift to shedd bloud Hartes greefe and miserie are in their wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of God before their eyes Nowe least the Israelites should aunsweare that these thinges doe not perteine to the people of GOD but to the heathen and vngodly alone hee addeth Wee knowe that whatsoeuer the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them which are vnder the lawe that euerie mouth may bee stopped and that all the world may bee endaungered to God. No man is here excepted For to the Galathians the same Apostle sayeth Hee hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that hee may haue mercie on all It followeth therefore that all the world was subiect to the wrath or indignation of the most iuste and righteous God as is at large proued in the second fourth and fifte Chapiters to the Ephesians But the heauenly father is appeased or recoÌciled to this wicked world thorough the onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christe And this I hope I shall aboundantly proue by the onely testimonie of God himselfe For the father by sending downe a voyce from heauen vnto the earth vppon Christe first ascending newely out of the water after his baptisme and then againe at his transfiguration in the sighte of his disciples did significantly saye This is my beloued sonne in whom I am delighted pleased or reconciled heare him This testimonie is read to haue béene foreshewed in the 42. Chapiters of Esaies Prophecie And Peter the Apostle repeateth the same in the first cap. of his second Epistle Paule also did as it were expound this and saye It pleased the father that in the Sonne should dwell all fulnesse and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe since he hath sett at peace thoroughe the bloud of the Crosse by him both the thinges in earth and the thinges in heauen In heauen is God and wée men heere vppon earth Nowe Christe is the mediatour which goeth betwixte vs and reconcileth vs vnto his father so that nowe we are the beloued of the father in his beloued sonne For in the Epistle to the Ephesians the same Apostle sayth He hath made vs accepted in the beloued in whom wee haue redemption thorough his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace All this shall be more fully vnderstood by that which followeth For nowe I must proue that God the father hath in his sonne giuen vs al things that are necessarie to a happie life and eternal saluation I name héere two thinges a happie life and euerlasting saluation By a happie life I vnderstand a holy and godly life whiche wee liue and lead quietly and honestly in this present world Eternall saluation is that felicitie of the life to come whiche wée with assured hope doe verilie looke for Nowe we haue in Christ a most absolute doctrine of a happie life taught vs by the Gospel wherein also wée doe comprehend the example of Christ his owne trade of life Verily our heauenly father hath made him oure teacher in saying Heare him And he himselfe in the Gospel after Sainct Matthewe sayeth Bee ye not called maisters for ye haue one master euen Christ who in the Gospel after S. Iohn is called The light of the world In an other place also he testifieth that his doctrine is conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherevppon it commeth that hee referreth his disciples to the diligent reading of the holy scriptures Touching which Scriptures Paule the teacher of the Gentiles and the vniuersall Church of Christ doth say All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte instructed in all good workes Wherefore althoughe the whole world bee madd and that the obstinate defenders of the traditions rather than the Scriptures do whet their téeth for anger yet maugre their heades the word of the Apostle shal abide most firme wherein he testifieth that the doctrine of the scriptures otherwise called the Christian doctrine is in all pointes most absolute and thoroughly perfecte Touching whiche matter because I haue alreadie spoken in the first Sermons of the first Decade I am therfore here a great deale the briefer Nowe concerning the eternall saluation fully purchased for vs by Christe thus ye must thincke Eternall saluation is the séeing and enioying of the eternall God and so consequently an
mediatour the Lord Christ Iesus wee doe by faith laye hold on him by whome wee being acquited from all oure sinnes are reputed of God for righteous and holy This benefite whosoeuer doe sincerely acknowledge they cannot choose but hate sinne and mortifie the old man I would therfore now add other members beloÌging to this treatise of repeÌtaunce to witt the mortification of the old man and the renuing of the spirite were it not that the very matter it selfe doth require to haue somewhat said touching the confession of sinnes and satisfaction for the same For some there are that when they speake of Repentaunce doe speake somethings contrarie to the trueth To the ende therefore dearely beloued that ye bée not ignoraunt what to thinke of these pointes according to the trueth I will not sticke to stay somewhile in the exposition of the same And I hope ye shall out of my woordes gather such fruite as ye shall not hereafter repent your selues of To confesse or a Confession is in the holy Scriptures diuersely vsed For it signifieth to praise the Lord and to giue him thanckes for the benefites that wée receiue at his hands And therefore Confession is put for praise and thanckesgiuing For the Prophete sayeth O praise the Lord for hee is good and his mercie endureth for euer Paule in his Epistle to Titus speaking of hypocrites sayeth In woordes they confesse that they knowe God but in their deedes they denie him Heere to confesse doeth signifie to say to professe or to boast In an other place it is taken for to trust to staye vppon Gods goodnesse and to testifie that confidence as well by woords as déedes And in that sense did Sainct Iohn vse it in the fourth Chapiter of his first Epistle and Paule in the 10. to the Romanes Moreouer to confesse is to giue glorie to God and fréely to acknowledge thy sinne and the iudgement whiche is obiected to thée for thy sinne Solomon in the twentie eighth Chapiter of his Prouerbes sayeth Whosoeuer hideth his iniquities or doth as it were defend them nothing shall goe well with him but whoso confesseth forsaketh them to him shal be shewed mercie The Hebrue tongue vseth the woord Iadah for that which wée call to confesse Nowe Iadah signifieth to let slacke or loose as when a bowe once bended is vnbended againe And Modeh which commeth of Iadah is as if one should say confessing yéelding or graunting to be vaÌquished For God accuseth vs and pleadeth vs guiltie of sinne indaungered to punishment whiche our flesh doth presently acknowledge but yet standeth stiffe like a bended bowe vntill at length when that stiffenesse is vnbended it doeth acknowledge euery thing that God obiecteth against vs This acknowledging is called Modeh that is a confession And we Germanes say Es hat gelassen Er hat geschnellt when we meane that any thing hath yéelded or that a man hath at last confessed that whiche hee did afore either flattly denie or else dissemble But nowe confession of sinnes is of more sortes than one For the one is diuine the other humane I wil first speake of the diuine confession then of the humane Wee call that diuine whereof there be euident testimonies or examples in the holy Scriptures whiche is instituted by God himselfe That is a frée acknowledging flatt confession of the sinne which God obiecteth against vs whereby we doe attribute all glorie to God and to oure selues shame and confusion therewithall doe craue pardon of God and of our neighbour against whome wée haue sinned Now sinne is obiected to vs by God himselfe who outwardly by the word or the ministerie of men and sometime by signes wonders and inwardly by the secrete operation of his holy spirit doth plead vs guiltie of sinne and indaungered to punishment requiring of vs a frée and voluntarie confession of our sinnes For he liketh of a frée and voluntarie not a feigned or extorted confession Truly the citizens of Hierusalem and people of the Iewishe religion did of their owne accord come to the baptisme of Iohn confessing their sinnes whiche Iohn in his preaching had obiected against them And after the Ascension of Christ into heauen Sainct Peter accused the sinnes of the Iewes and immediately vppon the accusation it followeth in the historie When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and said to Peter and the other Apostles Men brethren what shal we doe and so forth as followeth in the second of the Actes Likewise also the kéeper of the prison at Philippos féeling the earthquake sprang out and being instructed with the Apostles wordes confessed his sinnes and was baptised And the men of Ephesus whiche were giuen to Magicall arts when they heard the calamitie which the diuel brought vppon the sonnes of Sceua their fellowes and practisers in Magicke and sorcerie did feare exceedingly and came and did confesse their sinnes Vpon these causes for the most part doeth the confession of sinnes especially arise Againe of the confession instituted by God there are two sortes whereof the one is made to God the other to our neighbour That which is made to god is either priuate or publique We do then make oure confession to God priuately when we disburden our harts before God open the secretes of oure heartes to him alone and in acknowledging the sinnes that are in vs doe earnestly beséech him to haue mercie vppon vs This confession is necessarie to the obteyning of pardon for our sinnes For vnlesse wée doe acknowledge oure owne corruption and vnrighteousnesse we shall neuer by true fayth lay hold on Christ by whome alone we are to be iustified But heere wee thincke not that penitentes must hasten to any other confessour to confesse their sinnes vnto but vnto God alone For he alone doth forgiue and blot out the offences of penitents Hée is the Physician to whome alone wée must discouer and open our wounds Hée it is that is offended with vs and therefore of him wee must desire forgiuenesse and reconciliation Hée alone doeth looke into our heartes and search oure reines to him alone therefore we must disclose our heartes Hée alone calleth sinners vnto him let vs therefore make haste vnto him prostrate our selues before him confesse our faultes vnto him and craue pardon for them of him This confession if it be made of a zealous minde to Godward although it cannot be made by word of mouth by reason of sonie impedimeÌt or want of the tongue is notwithstanding acceptable to God who doth not so much respecte the mouth as the minde of man On the other side if wee make confession with the mouth and in hart are not thoroughly bent to the same although wee make that confession to God or the high priest yet doth not the Lord regard so vaine a confession Concerning that true confession to God I haue alreadie spoken whereas in the definition of Repentaunce I said that penitentes doe acknowledge their sinnes
phrases an occasion is onely giuen by whiche wee are to bee brought to greater thinges throughe the illumination of the spirite and that wée should in this disputation haue stil before the eyes of our minde that true and assured sentence of the eternall GOD vnto his seruaunte Moses saying Thou canst not see my face For no man shall see mee and liue For when wee are once departed out of this life and are vnburthened of this mortalitie and mortall frailetie then shal wee sée the Maiestie of god For the Apostle S. Iohn sayd Wee knowe that when hee appeareth wee shall bee like vnto him for wee shall see him as hee is And to these let vs annexe the woordes of the Apostle Paule where he sayeth Nowe wee see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then wee shall see face to face Therefore let no man goe beyonde the limited boundes or preuent the time appointed nor yet presume by wicked boldenesse and curiositie in this life to behold the face that is the very Essence or being of god Let that reuelation of God suffice euery one whiche GOD him selfe voucheth safe in his woorde to open vnto vs namely so much as hée of his goodnesse thincketh necessarie and profitable for vs to knowe And I doe heere with warraunt saye that that wisedome is the true wisedome which will not in this matter go about to knowe or sauour more thaÌ the eternall wisedome doth teach to knowe The first and chiefeste waye to knowe God is deriued out of the very names of God attributed vnto him in the holy Scripture Those names are many and of sundrie sortes beecause his vertue his wisedome I meane his goodnesse iustice and power are altogether infinite I will reckon vpp and expound vnto you accordinge to my skill the most excellent and vsuall amonge the rest Amonge all the names of GOD that is the most excellent whiche they call Tetragrammaton that is if wee may so saye the foure lettered name for it is compounded of the foure spirituall letters and is called IEHOVAH It is deriued of the Verbe substantiue Houah before whiche they put Iod and make it IEHOVAH that is to saye Beeing or I am as hée that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a Béeing of him selfe hauing his life and Being not of any other but of him selfe lacking no-bodies ayde to make him to Bée but giuing To Bée vnto all maner of thinges to witt eternall God without beginning and ending in whome wée liue wée moue and haue our Béeing To this doe those woords especiallie belonge whiche wée finde to haue passed betwixte God and Moses in the thirde Chapiter of Exodus And Moses said to GOD Beholde when I come vnto the children of Israel to whome thou doest now send mee and shall saye vnto them The God of your fathers hath sente mee vnto you and they shal aske mee saying What is his name What aunswere shall I make them And God said to Moses I am that I am or I wil bee that I wil bee And he said Thus shalt thou saye to the children of Israel I am or Beeing or I wil be hath sent mee vnto you That is I am God that wil be and he hath sent mée who is him selfe Beeing or Essence and God euerlasting For their future tense conteineth thrée sundrie times Hée that is Hée that was and Hée that will be hath sent mée Truely the Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn séemeth in his Reuelation to haue had an eye to these woordes of the Lord whiche also hée wente about to interprete saying in the person of GOD I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende or the first and the laste sayeth the Almightie Lord whiche is and whiche was and which shall be Some there are which obserue this for a note that in all tongues almost euen of the barbarous sort the name of God is written with foure letters Concerning his name in Hebrue it is assuredly so And in the Gréeke Latine and Germane tongues it is so also For God in Gréeke is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Latine Deus and with vs Germanes he is called Gott They add moreouer that the Persians call him ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Aegyptians ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and by contraction ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And in the foure letters the Cabalists saye that there are wonderfull mysteries conteyned Of whiche as other haue written very diligently so I haue leifer héere not to stand vppon them or trouble your patience with them Like to this also are these names of GOD Iah and Hu. Whereof the first is oftener found in the Psalmes than once For Dauid sayeth Hallelu-Iah that is Praise ye the Lord. The later is also mentioned by Dauid saying Hu that is hee I say God the Being and creatour of al thinges spake the worde and it was done Hu he coÌmaunded and it was In Esaie the Lord sayeth I am the Lord Hu is my name and my glorie will I giue vnto none other Now those words also are deriued of Being and do teach vs that God is alwayes like himselfe an Essence which is of it selfe eternally and whiche giueth To be vnto all things that are as he by whome in whome and to whome all thinges are being himselfe a perpetuall and most absolute ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or perfect hauingnesse But the Hebrues doe not read or expresse the fourelettered name of God by calling it Iehouah but in stéede of it they vse the word Adonai For they say that Iehouah must not be vttered Now al interpreters in their translations where they turne it into Latine doe call it Dominus that is lord For GOD is the Lord of all things both visible and inuisible Neither is there in all the world any other Lord but this one and hee alone to whome all thinges in the world are subiecte and do obey For he hath a most méere dominion and absolute Monarchie ouer all his creatures And therefore for plainnesse sake sometime the word Sabbaoth is annexed to the name of God whiche some translate the Lord of Powers and some the Lord of hostes For God being Almightie doth by his power or strength shewe forth and in his hoste declare what mightie thinges he is able to doe and of howe greate power and might hée is For since that he is the GOD of all creatures and that he doth dispose and vse them as a Capiteine doeth his souldiers to worke mightie and meruelous thinges he doth euen by small things declare how great he himselfe is and how great his power is In the hoste of God are all the Angels of whome Daniel said Thousande thousandes and hundred thousands did minister vnto him One of which Angels did in one night kill in the Assyrians campe vnder the banner of the most puissaunt king Senacherib one hundreth foure-score fiue thousand souldiers In the hoste of God
are all the windes all the starrs and all the fierie aerie waterie impressions In the hoste of God are all euill spirites all men Kinges and Princes all the warlike furniture of euery nation finally all creatures both visible and inuisible and al these hee vseth according to his owne pleasure yea according to his owne good iust will when how much and howe long hee listeth to finishe and bring to passe his owne will and iudgements In punishing the first worlde at the deluge he vsed water In destroying of Sodoma and the Cities there about he vsed fire and in rooting out the Chanaanites and Iewes he vsed the meanes of mortall menne or souldiers Somtimes ther is ascribed to the Lord the word Aeleon the Lord is called Aeleon that is to say high For in the 113 Psalme we read The Lord is higher than all nations and his glory is aboue the heauens Who is like the Lorde our God whiche setteth him selfe so high in his habitation And in the 97. Psalme he saith Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods. Againe God is called El because of his strength For what he wil that can he doe and therefore is he called a strong God or a Giant For Ieremie saith The Lord is with me as a strong Giant Esay saith The Lord shall come forth like a Giant he shal take stomache vnto him like a man of warre he shall rore and ouercome his enimies And like to this is the word Eloah whose plurall number is Elohim That name betokeneth the presence of God whiche neuer fayleth his woorkmaÌship worshippers Ieremie bringeth in God speaking and saith Am I God that seeth but the thing that is nigh at hand onely and not the thing that is far off May any man hide himselfe so that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I fill Heauen and earth For before him also Dauid said Whether shall I goe from the breath of thy mouth And whether shall I flee from thy countenaunce If I ascend into heauen thou art there and if I descend into hell thou art there also If I take the winges of the morning and dwell in the vtmoste parts of the sea euen there thy hand shall rule me and thy right hande shall holde me fast Therfore the Apostle Paule saith God is not far from euery one of âs For by him we liue we moue and haue our beeing And for that cause peradueÌture God was of the Gréeks called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to wit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã because of his redinesse and present succour because he neuer faileth mortall men but alwayes and in all places doeth aide and reléeue them Likewise Plato in Cratylo and his interpreter Proclus doe think that ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã God is deriued ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is of running but that course or running is not referred to the presence or help of God but to an other thing For when men saw the Sunne the Moone the starres and heauen it selfe by running still to be turned aboute they thought that they were Gods. Some there are that will deriue it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say of feare or dread For feare or Religion beléeueth and persuadeth men that there is a God. The Latines peraduenture framed their Deus God of the Gréekes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But some doo think rather that Deus is deriued A dando of giuing because he giueth all things vnto all men For so among the Hebrues he is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as I will anon declare or Schadday because he is sufficient to him selfe he lacketh nothing but giueth to all men all good thinges and necessary Some other wil haue God in Latine to be called Deus quód ipsi nihil deest that is because there is nothing wanting in him But now the Scripture doeth attribute the plurall number Elohim not to God alone but also to Angels to iudges and to men in authoritie because God is alwaies present with them while they laboure in that office whiche he hath appointed them vnto and doeth by the ministerie of them worke the things whiche hee him selfe will which are expedient for the welfare of mortall men And although the worde Elohim be of the plurall number yet is it set before Verbes in the singular number as in the first of Genesis we find In the beginning Bara Elohim Creauit Dii God created for Bara created is the singular number Heauen and Earth In that phrase of spéech is shewed vnto vs the mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie For Moses séemeth to haue said in effecte In the beginning that GOD in Trinitie created Heauen and Earth In the 7. chapter of the second booke of Samuel Elohim in the plurall number is ioygned with Verbes of the plurall number to declare that there is a difference of persons in the blessed Trinitie Moreouer in the league whiche God maketh with our father Abraham God giueth him selfe an other name For he saith I God am Schaddai that is sufficient or sufficiencie Therefore God is called Schaddai Some in their translations turne it Vastator a destroyer as if GOD shuld name him selfe a iust reuenger But Moses Aegyptius saith The Nowne Schaddai is compounded of the Verbe Daâi which signifieth he sufficeth and the letter * Schin which hath the same meaning that Ascher hath and signifieth He that So that Schaddai is as muche to say as He that sufficeth to him selfe and is the sufficiencie or fulnesse of all things Peraduenture the Heathen haue vppon this occasion deriued their Saturnus whiche name they gaue to them whome they did wickedly take to bee Gods. For as Diurnus commeth of Dies a daye so is Saturnus deriued a Saturando of satisfying or filling Therefore GOD is that He to whome nothing is lacking which in all things and vnto althings is sufficient to him selfe who néedeth no mans ayde yea who alone hath all things which do apperteine to the perfect felicitie bothe of this life and of the world to come and whiche onely and alone can fil and suffice all his people and other creatures For this cause the Germanes call him Gott as who should saye Guot good or best Because as he is full of all goodnesse so he doeth moste liberally bestowe vppon men all maner of good things The Germane word is not muche vnlike to the auncient name wherby the Aegyptians called god For they called God Theuth or Thoth Now if we for Th put G then is it Goth and we saye Gott The Lord him selfe in the sixt chapter of Exodus putteth these two names together Schaddai and Iehouah as two of the moste excellent names that he hath and saith I am Iehouah And I appeared to Abraham Isaac and Iacob as God Schaddai but in my name Iehouah I was not knowen vnto them
Not that the Patriarches had not hearde or knowen the name Iehouah For that name beganne to be called vpon in the time of Seth immediatelye after the beginning of the worlde Therefore it seemeth that the Lorde meant thus in effect I opened my self vnto the Patriarches as God Schaddai who am able in all things sufficiently to fill them with all goodnesse and therefore I promised them a land that floweth with milke and honie But in my name Iehouah I was not yet knowen vnto them that is I did not performe vnto them that which I promised For we haue heard all ready that he is called Iehouah of that which he maketh to be and therefore he bringeth his promise to perfourmaunce Now therefore sayeth he I will in déede fulfill my promise and shewe my selfe to be not onely Deum Schaddai an all-sufficient or Almightie GOD but also to be Iehouah an essence or béeing eternall immutable true and in all things like my selfe or standing to my promise Last of all we reade in the thirde of Exodus that God saide to Moses Thus shalt thou say to the children of Israell The Lord GOD of our fathers the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob hath sent me vnto you This is my name for euer and this is my memoriall from one generation vnto an other So then héere now we haue an other name of god For he will be called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob This saith he shall be my memoriall from one generation vnto an other to wit wherein I will kéepe in memorie my benefites bestowed vpon those Patriarches that by them the posteritie may know me and remember me For when we heare the names of those Patriarches they doe put vs in minde of all the excellent and innumerable benefites which God bestowed on our forefathers which are not in vaine with so great diligence peculiarely reckoned vp of Moses in his first Booke called Genesis For he will be our GOD euen as he was theirs if so be we doe beleeue in him as they did beléeue For to vs that beléeue he will be bothe Schaddai and Iehouah eternall and immutable trueth Béeing life and heaped-vp store of all maner good thinges And now by the way it is not without a mysterie that when he is the God also of other Patriarches as of Adam Seth Enos and especiallie of Enoch and Noah yet out of all the number of them he picked those thrée Abraham Isaac and Iacob and to euerye one of theire names prefired seuerally his owne name saying I am the GOD of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob For so he did euidently teache the mysterie of the Trinitie in the vnitie of the diuine substance and that euery one of the persons is of the same diuinitie maiestie and glorye that is that the father is very God the Sonne verye God and the holie Ghoste verye God and that these thrée are one god For he saith I am God c. Of which I will speake in place conuenient Thus muche hetherto concerning the names of God out of which an indifferent knowledge of God may easily be gathered I knowe that one Dionysius hath made a busie commentarie vpon the names of God but I knowe too that the godly sorte and those that are studious of the Apostles doctrine doe vnderstand that the disciples of the Apostles did farre more simplye handle matters belonging vnto Religion I knowe that other doe make accounte of 72. names of God out of the Scriptures and books of the Cabalists whiche as I haue in an other place rehearsed so will I hereafter out of Exodus repeate to you the chiefest of them Secondarilie God is in the word of God exhibited to be séene to be beheld and to be known by visions diuine mirrors as it were in a certaine parable while by Prosopographie Prosopopeie or mortall shapes he is set before our eyes And yet we are warned not to stick vpon those visible things but to lift vp our mindes from visible things to things inuisible and spirituall For neither is God bodilie in his owne substaunce because he is in visions exhibited to vs in a bodilye shape like to a manne Neither did any of the olde saincts before the birth of Christe expresse God in the shape and picture of a mortall man because God had in that shape exhibited him selfe to be séene of the Patriarches and Prophets It is the doating errour of the Anthropomorphites to say that God is bodilie and that he hath members like to a mortall manne And that no man doe in this case deceiue him selfe by attributing falsely to GOD the thing that is against his honour I will here in sted of a remedie against that poyson recite vnto you dearely beloued the words of S. Augustine which he out of the pure vnderstanding of the holie Scriptures and assured testimonies of Catholique true Doctours writte to Fortunatius De Videndo Deo againste the Anthropomorphites Concerning the members of God saith he whiche the Scripture doeth in euery place make mention of knowe this that least any man should beléeue that according to the facion and figure of this fleshe we are like to God the same scripture did also say that God hath wings whiche it is manifest that we men haue not Therefore euen as when we heare wings named we vnderstand Gods protection and defence so when we heare of hands we must vnderstand his operation when we heare mention made of féete we must vnderstand his present redinesse when we heare the name of eyes we muste vnderstand his sight whereby he séeth and knoweth all things And when we heare of his face we must vnderstand his iustice whereby he is knowen to all the world and what soeuer else like vnto this the same scripture doth make mention of I beléeue verilie that it must be vnderstood spiritually Neither doe I alone or am I the first that think thus but euen all they also which euen with a meane vnderstanding of the scriptures doe withstand the opinion of them that are for that cause called Anthropomorphites Out of whose writing because I will not cite ouer muche to cause to long a stay I doe héere meane to alledge one testimonie out of S. Hierome For when that man moste excellently learned in the holie scriptures expounded the Psalme where it is said Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise He that planted the care shal he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see did among other things say This place doeth most of all make against the Anthropomorphites which say that God hath members euen as we haue As for example he is said to haue eyes The eyes of the Lord beholde all things the hand of the Lord maketh all things And Adam heard saith he the sound of the féet of the Lord
that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods manie and Lords manie yet vnto vs there is but one God euen the father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Nowe I suppose these diuine testimonies are euident enough and do sufficiently proue that GOD in substance is one of Essence incomprehensible eternall and spirituall But vnder the one essence of the Godhed the holie scripture doth shew vs a distinction of the Father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste Now noate héere that I call it a âistinction not a diuision or a separation For we adore and worshipp no more Gods but one so yet that we doe neither confound nor yet denye or take away the thrée Subsistences or persons of the diuine essence nor the properties of the same Noetus Anoetus in very déed and Sabellius the Libyan a godlesse bolde and verie rude Asse of whome sprang vpp the grosse heresie of the Patrispassians taught that the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste did importe no distinction in GOD but that they were diuerse attributes of god For they said that GOD is none other wise called the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste than when he is named good iuste gentle omnipotent wise c. They saide the Father created the worlde the same in the name of the Sonne tooke fleshe and suffered and againe in chaunginge his name he was the holie Ghoste that came vppon the Disciples But the true Propheticall and Apostolicall faithe dooth expressely teach that the names of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghoste doe shewe to vs what God is in his owne proper nature For naturally and eternally God is the the Father because he did from before beginnings vnspeakeablye begett the Sonne The same GOD is naturally the Sonne because he was from before beginnings begotten of the Father The same GOD is naturally the holie Ghoste because he is the eternall spirit of them bothe procéeding from them bothe béeing one the same God bothe with them and when in the Scriptures he is called a gentle good wise mercifull and iuste God it is not thereby so muche expressed what he is in him selfe as what a one hee doeth exhibite him selfe to vs. The same Scripture doeth openly say that the Father created all thinges by the Sonne and that the Father descended not into the earth nor toke our flesh vpon him nor suffered for vs For the Sonne saith I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and goe vnto the Father The same Sonne fallinge prostrate in the mount of Oliues prayeth saying Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Againe in the Gospel he saith I will pray to the Father and he shall giue you an other comforter Loe here he saith the father shall giue you an other comforter And yet againe least by reason of those persons and properties of those persons we should separate or diuide the diuine nature the Sonne in the gospel saith I and the father are one For when he saith One he ouerthroweth them that separate or rent the diuine substance or nature and when he saith We are and not I am therein he refuteth them that doe confounde the subsistences or persones in the Trinitie Therefore the Apostolique and Catholique doctrine teacheth and doeth confesse that they are thrée distinguished in properties that of those thrée there is but one and the same nature or essence the same omnipotenciâ maiestie goodnesse and wisedome For although there be an order in the Trinitie yet can there be no inequalitie in it at all None of them is in time before other or in dignity worthier than other but of the thrée there is one godhead and they thrée are one and eternall God. And the primitiue Church verily vnder the Apostles the times that came next after them did beléeue so simply despising reiecting curious questions and néedlesse disputations And euen then too did arise pestilent men in the Church of God speaking peruerse things whoÌe the Apostle doeth vppon good cause call greeuous woolues not spareing the flock They first brought in very straunge daungerous questions sharpened their blasphemous tongues against Heauen it selfe For they stoode in it that thrée persons could not be one nature or essence and therefore that by naming the Trinitie the christiaÌs worshippe many Gods euen as the Heathen doe And againe since there can be but one GOD they inferre consequently that the same God is father sonne and holie ghoste vnto him selfe For so it was agreeable that they should doate in follie whome the word of God did not leade but the grosse imagination of mortall flesh And God did by these meanes punish the GiaÌtlike boldenesse of those meÌ whose minds being without all reuerence and feare of God did wickedly striue to fasten the sight of the eyes of the flesh vppon the verie face of god But the faithfull and vigilant ouerséers and pastors of the Churches were coÌpelled to driue such woolues from the foldes of Christe his shéepe and valiauntly to fight for the sincere catholique trueth that is for the Vnitie Trinitie for the monarchie and mysterie of the dispensation That strife bred foorth diuerse words with which it was necessarie to holde and binde those slipperie merchants Therefore immediately after the beginning there sprang vp the termes of Vnitie Trinitie Essence Substance and Person The Gréekes for the moste parte vsed Ousia Hypostasis and Prosopon whiche wee call Essence Subsistence and Personne Of these againe there did in the Churches spring vppe newe and freshe contentions They disputed sharply of the Essence and Subsistence whether they are the same or sundrie thinges For Ruffinus Aquileiensis in the 29. Chapter and first booke of his Ecclesiastical historie sayeth There was moued a controuersie about the difference of substaunces subsistences whiche the Greekes call ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã For some said that substaunce subsistence seeme to be all one and because wee say not that there are three substaunces in God therefore that wee ought not to saye that there are three subsistences in him But on the other side againe they that tooke substaunce for one thing subsistence for an other did say that substaunce noteth the nature of a thing and the reason wherevpon it standeth but that the subsistence of euerie person doth shewe that very thing which doth subsist Basilius Magnus wrote a learned Epistle to his brother Gregorie about the difference of Essence and subsistence And Hermius Sozomenus in the 12. Cap. of his fift booke of histories sayth The bishops of many cities meeting together at Alexandria do together with Athanasius and Eusebius Vercellensis confirme the decrees of Nice and coÌfesse that the holy Ghost is coesseÌtiall with the
Father and the Sonne and name them the Trinitie teach that the man whiche God the Word tooke vppon him is to be accompted perfecte man not in body onely but in soule also euen as the auncient doctours of the Church did also thinck But forbeecause the question about Ousia and Hypostasis did trouble the Churches that there were sundrie contentions disputations concerning the differeÌce betwixt them they seeme to me to haue determined very wisely that those names should not at the first presently bee vsed in questions of GOD vnlesse it were that when a man wente about to beate downe the opinion of Sabellius hee were compelled to vse them least by lacke of words he should seeme to call one the same by three names when hee should vnderstand euery one peculiarly in that threefold distinction Socrates in the 7. Chap. and thirde booke of his historie addeth But they did not bring into the Church a certeine newe religion deuised of themselues but that whiche froÌ the beginning euen till then the Ecclesiasticall tradition taught and prudent Christians did euidently set foorth And so foorth Therefore awaye with the Popes champions to the place whereof they are worthie which when wee teach y all pointes of true godlinesse and saluation are fully conteyned and taught in the Canonicall Scriptures by the way of obiection do demaund in what place of the Scripture we find the names of Trinitie Person Essence and Substance and finally where we find that Christe hath a reasonable soule For although those very words consisting in those syllables are not to bée found in the Canonicall bookes which were by the Prophets and Apostles written in an other and not in the latine tongue yet the thinges the matter or substaunce which those woords doe signifie are most manifestly conteined and taught in those books whiche thinges likewise all and euery nation may in their language expresse for their commoditie and necessitie speake and pronounce them Away also with all Sophisters which thinke it a great point of learning to make the reuerend mysterie of the sacred Trinitie darcke and intricate with their straunge their curious and pernicious questions It is sufficient for the godly simplie according to the Scriptures and the Apostles créed to beléeue and confesse that there is one diuine nature or Essence wherin are the father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste Neither is it greatly materiall whether ye call them substances or subsistences or persons so that ye do plainly expresse the distinctioÌ betwixt them and eche ones seueral properties confessing so the Vnitie that yet ye confound not the Trinitie nor spoile the persons of their properties And héere now it will do verie wel out of the Scriptures to cite such euident testimonies as maye euidently proue the mysterie of the Trinitie with the distinction and seuerall properties of the thrée persons The Lord in the Gospel after S. Matthew saith All power is giuen to mee in heauen and in earth goe ye therfore teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Tertullian alledging those wordes against Praxea sayth He did last of all commaund his disciples to baptise into the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost We are baptised not into one nor once but thrice at euery name into euery seuerall person Thus much Tertullian Nowe as euery seuerall person is seuerally expressed so the diuinitie of them all is therein singularely taught to be one and common to them all because hee biddeth to baptise not onely into the name of the Father but also of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste The Apostle and elected vessell Paule doeth flatly denie that any man either ought to be or euer was baptised into the name of any man whiche is nothing else but méere man Were ye sayeth hée baptised in the name of Paule So then the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holy Ghost is GOD into whose name wée are baptised The same Lord in the Gospell after S. Iohn sayeth When the comforter commeth whome I will sende vnto you from the father that is the spirite of trueth he will lead you into all trueth He shal not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake He shall glorifie me for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All things that the father hath are mine therefore said I vnto you that hee shall take of mine and shewe vnto you In these wordes of the Lords thou hearest mention made of the person of the father from whome the spirite is sente of the person of the Sonne whiche sendeth him and of the person of the holy Spirit which commeth vnto vs Thou hearest also of the mutual and equall communion of the Diuinitie and all good thinges betwixte the thrée persons For the holy Ghost speaketh not of himselfe but that which he heareth He shall sayeth the Sonne take of mine And againe All things that the father hath are mine And therfore what things the Sonne hath those are the fathers the diuinitie glorie and Maiestie of them all is coequall With these most euident speaches doe these two manifest testimonies of Iohn Baptist agrée First he sayth He whom God hath sent doth speake the words of god For God giueth not the spirite by measure vnto him The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hand He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life c. Loe héere againe in the one Godhead thou hearest the three persons distinguished by their properties For the Father loueth sendeth the Sonne and giueth all things into his hand The Sonne is sent and receiueth all thinges but the holy Ghost is giuen of the Father and receiued of the sonne according to fullnesse Then againe the same Baptist crieth the second time and sayeth I sawe the spirite descending from heauen like vnto a Doue and it abode vppon him And I knewe him not but hee that sent mee to baptise with water the same said vnto mee vppon whom soeuer thou shalt see the Spirite descending and tarying still vppon him the same is hee whiche baptiseth with the holy Ghoste And I sawe and bare record that this is the Sonne of GOD. Héere againe are shewed vnto vs as clearely as the day-light the thrée persons distinguished not confounded For he that sendeth Iohn is the Father The holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but appeareth vpon the head of Christ in the likenes of a doue And the Sonne is the sonne not the Father and that too the sonne of the Father vpon whose head the holy Ghost did abide And now to this place doth belonge the testimonie of the Father vttered from heauen vppon his Sonne Christ For he sayeth This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am wel
at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of mee at Rome And although he did nothing doubt of the trueth of Gods promises and was not ignoraunt of the power of Gods prouidence yet notwithstanding he did priuily send his sisters sonne which told him that the Iewes had coÌspired to kill him vnto the Tribune to desire of him that Paul might not be brought forth at the Iewes request Neither did he shew himselfe vncourteous or vnthanckfull to the souldiers that carried him to Antipatridis nor to the horsemen that went with him to CÄsarea Againe as he sailed in y Adriaticke sea wheÌ he was in perill of dangerous shipwracke and y all his coÌpany were stricken with feare hee said Sirs I exhort you to bee of good cheare for there shall bee no losse of any mans life among you but of the shippe For there stood by mee this night the Angel of God whose I am and whome I serue saying Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and loe GOD hath giuen thee all them that saile with thee Wherefore sirs be of good cheare For I beleeue God that it shal be euen as it was told mee But a while after when the mariners went about to leaue the ship the same Paule said to the Centurion and to the souldiours Vnlesse these abide in the shipp yee cannot be saued Therefore meanes doe belonge to the prouidence of God by which he woorketh and therefore are they not to be neglected Truely it is by Gods gouernement or prouidence that we haue all these * impressions of what sort soeuer either fierie or ayrie or watrie For by the power of God and not by any power of their owne doeth the ayre make the earth fruitefull the waters flowe and ebb againe and the earth doth bring forth her increase And although the saincts thincke verily that none of all this is done for any merits sake of theirs because the Sauiour himself in the Gospell sayeth The father sendeth raine vppon the iust and vniust yet for all that they do neuer forget the woords of the Prophete where he sayeth If ye will be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye be obstinate rebellious ye shal be deuoured with the swoord For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it For the great Prophete Moses longe before Esaie had said If thou shalt hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and do all his commaundements all these blessinges shall come vppon thee Thou shalt bee blessed in the citie blessed in the field Blessed shall the fruite of thy body bee blessed shall the fruit of thy ground be The Lord shal open heauen vnto thee and giue raine to thy land in due season But if thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe his commaundements then all these curses shall come vppon thee Cursed shalt thou be in the citie and cursed in the field The heauen aboue thy head shall be brasse and the Lord shall smite thee with many plagues c. And histories beare record that all these thinges happened to the people of God euen as they are here foretold and that too not without the prouidence of the Lord their god All good successes and prosperitie are the good blessings of God and on the other side all calamities and aduersities are the curses of god Therefore herevppon the Saincts do gather that mens affayres and state are wholie gouerned by Gods prouidence so yet that they must not therfore sitt as we say with their haÌds in their bosomes idlely and neglect good means but rather watchfully and diligently walke by the grace of GOD in the wayes and meanes or precepts and ordinaunces of the lord For the prouidence of God doeth not disturbe the order of thinges it doth not abrogate the offices of life nor labour and industrie it doth not take a iust dispensation and obedience but by these things it worketh the health of those men which do thrugh that help of God religiously apply themselues to the decrées purpose or woorking of the Lord to whome they doe rightly ascribe what good soeuer doeth chaunce or betyde them imputing to mans corruption to our owne vnskilfulnesse and to our sinns what euil soeuer doth happeÌ vnto vs Therfore the sainctes acknowledge that although warres plagues and diuers other calamities do by God his prouidence afflict mortal men yet notwithstanding that the causes thereof do arise of nothing else than of the sinns of man For God is good which wisheth vs rather well than euill Yea oftentimes hee of his goodnesse turneth oure euill purposes vnto good ends as is to be séene by the historie of Ioseph in the booke of Genesis Truely vpon the earnest consideration of Gods prouidence al the godly sort doe gather that their good God wisheth well vnto man For he hath a greate care ouer vs not in greate things onely but also in the smallest He knoweth the number of the dayes of our life In his sight are all oure members as wel within as without For the Lorde in the Gospell sayth that al the haires of our head are nuÌbered He by his prouidence defendeth vs from all manner diseases and imminent perils He féedeth refresheth and preserueth vs For as he made all creatures for mans health and behoofe so doth he preserue and apply them to mans good and commoditie The doctrine of the foreknowledge and predestination of God whiche hath a certein likenesse with his prouidence doth no lesse comfort the godly worshippers of god They call foreknowledge that knowledge in God whereby he knoweth all things before they come to passe and séeth euen present all things that are haue bene and shall be For to the knowledge of God all thinges are present nothing is past nothing is to come And the predestination of God is the eternall decrée of God whereby he hathe ordeyned eyther to saue or destroy men a most certeine end of life and death being appointed vnto theÌ Wherevpon also it is elsewhere called a foreappointment Touching these pointes some haue diuersly disputed and many verily curiously and contentiously enoughe and in suche sort surely that not onely the saluation of soules but the glory of God also with the simple sorte is indaungered The religious searchers or interpreters of the scriptures confesse that here nothing is to be permitted to mans wit but that we must simply wholy hang vppon what so euer the scripture hath pronounced And therfore these words of S. Paul are coÌtinually before their eyes and in their mindes O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowlege of God! how vnsearchable or incomprehensible are his iudgementes and his waies past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his couÌseller Or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shal be recompenced They neuer forget
shewed to Iohn the Apostle sayeth The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abhominable and murtherers and whooremongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shal haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone whiche is the second death These thinges haue wée hetherto spoken of worshipping GOD wée will nowe speake in the second place of inuocating or calling vpon God of which poinct wée promised to speake To call vppon and calling vppon is diuerslye taken in the Scriptures For it signifieth to bring foorthe as a wittnesse or a calling to wittnesse So Moses calleth heauen and earth to wittnesse against the children of Israel by the figure Prosopopoâie Againe the name of any one to bee called vppon ouer an other is to bee called by or after his name Let my name sayeth Iacob be called vppon them that is vppon Ephraim and Manasseh that is let them bée named by my name as if they were my children and let them be called not the sonnes of Iosephe but the sonnes of Iacob Israel So saye the wiues to their husband Let thy name bee called vppon vs that is suffer or giue leaue that wée maye bée named by thy name and that wée may be made thy wiues For these women thoroughe the knott of wedlocke take vnto them their husbands names After the same manner doe wee oftentimes read in the Prophets and holy historie of the Bible The house vppon whiche thy name is called That is the house whiche is called after thy name and is named the Lords house Likewise Ioab General of the kings armie sayth vnto Dauid Take thou the citie Rabbah the chiefe citie or seate royall of the Ammonites least I take it and my name be called vppon it That is least I bee called the conquerour of Rabbah Most ignoraunt therefore and vnskilfull are they of the Scriptures and the phrases of speache vsed in the Scripture whiche cite that saying of Iacob whiche euen nowe wée declared in defence and maintenaunce of the inuocation of Sainctes As thoughe Iacob would haue his name to be called vppon of his posteritie and ofspringe In Daniel thou doest read A people vppon whome the name of God is called Whiche signifieth nothing else thaÌ A people that is called Gods people Héere is no mention of inuocation whereby wée aske or desire any thing Furthermore inuocation or calling vppon is taken for religion For Luke sayeth in the Actes Saule had power or authoritie to binde all those that called vppon the name of the Lord. And Paule sayeth Let euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Also Seeke after peace with all them that call vpon the name of the Lord That is whiche are of the true Christian religion Lastly to inuocate or call vppon signifyeth to crie or call for help and with continuall outcries to craue somewhat That inuocation therefore or calling vppon GOD whereof at this time wée intreate is a lifting vppe of mans minde to GOD in great necessitie or in some desire and a most ardent craueing of counsell and assistaunce by faith and also a beequeathing or committing of oure selues into the protection of God and as it were a béetaking of oure selues to his Sanctuarie and onelye safeguard In inuocation therefore true inuocation I meane a faithfull minde is first of all required whiche doeth acknowledge GOD to bée the authour and only giuer of all good gifts who is willing to heare them that call vppon him and is able to graunt vs all our requests and desires whatsoeuer An vncessaunt and ardent petition or beséeching is also required But of these poinctes more shalbée said when GOD shall giue vs leaue in our Sermon of the prayer of the faithful For inuocation is a kinde of prayer Nowe verily I will shewe that in all oure desires GOD is to bée called vppon yea onely and alone to bée called vppon Surely there are expresse commaundementes of GOD chargeing vs to call vppon the name of the Lord who promiseth that for the good will and loue whiche hée beareth vs hee will heare our requestes and suites and largelye giue vnto vs thinges tending to our healthe and benefite Of many I will cite one or two testimonies Solomon the wysest of all men doeth teache vs to call vppon GOD in all and euerie one of our necessities making a particular rehearsall of mens speciall desires The same argument doeth Solomons father that most holy kinge Dauid handle throughout the whole hundreth and seuenth Psalme Hee reckoneth vpp therefore the diuerse casualties chaunces and miseries of men their affliction or oppression their wanderinges and daungers in their iourneye their bondes and imprisonmentes their diseases and the feare of death whiche sometimes is more terrible and hideous than death it selfe their ieopardies on the sea and roughe waters barrennesse scarcitie calamities contempt shame and ignominie c. Those crosses sayeth hée if they light on any man let him not ascribe them either to his God to whose defence hee hath committed himselfe or to Fortune or to his constellation destinie but to that god that knoweth all things can do all things vppon y God let him call earnestly by fayth For often doeth the prophete repeate these wordes And when they cryed vnto the Lord in their tribulation he deliuered them out of their distresse And for that cause doeth hee so often reiterate those words to the end that we hauing conceiued a perfect trust in our heartes and sure beliefe mighte learne in all chaunces to call vppon the name of the lord For Solomon in his Prouerbes yet againe sayeth The name of the Lord is a most stroÌg tower vnto it doeth the righteous man runne and he shal be aduaunced or he shal be set frée from daunger Asaph also in his holy songes sayth Sacrifice vnto the Lord a sacrifice of praise and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee And he bringeth in the Lord himselfe speaking and requiring sacrifices not of beastes not of gold or siluer but of praise and inuocation Therewithall hee promiseth helpe and witnesseth that by inuocating and praising hee is honoured or glorified wherevppon Dauid said In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord and I will crie vnto my God and he shall heare my voice out of his holy temple and my crie shall enter into his eares Ioel also said Euerie one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shal be safe And the Lord by the prophete Ieremie sayeth Ye shall call vppon mee and ye shall liue ye shall pray vnto mee and I wil heare you ye shall seeke mee and ye shall finde mee if with your whole heart ye seeke mee Furthermore we do not read that oure holy and blessed fathers in their petitions or requests were they smal or were they great called
be called vppon For that God only is the searcher of heartes coÌprehended in no place but present euery where and omnipotent Solomon in these words doth testifie Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to conteine thee how much more vnable than is this house that I haue built Thou therfore shalt heare in heauen in the place of thy habitatioÌ or in thy dwelling place and shalt haue mercie For thou only knowest the heartes of the sonnes of men Thou shalt doe and giue to euery one according to al his wayes which knowest his very hart As for the heauenly patrons as these men cal them they do neyther know the thoughtes of men neither is their power spred throughout the heauen the earth and the seas neither do they know althings or yet are euery wher present or be omnipotent For if it were so with them they shoulde be transformed changed into a diuine nature should ceasse any more to be creatures but althogh by Christ they inioy euerlasting blessednes yet notwithstanding they remain creatures stil neither do they knowe al things neyther are almighty therfore are they at no hand to be called vpoÌ In one prick moment of time truly innumerable thousands of mortal meÌ offer vp their vowes and make their petitions so that he verily which heareth must at a pinche and in a very moment not at sundry seasons or degrées of time know be able to doe all things yea and in a moment also reache out his helping hande vnto all Which as no creature though neuer so excelleÌt can do so the only God that knoweth al is omnipotent can do all things and therefore only alone is to be called vpon I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones or Saints obiect against that which I haue spoken to wit that they of their owne nature do neither sée nor yet heare what is done of vs vpon the earth but in the face of God as in a most lightsome looking glasse to sée all thinges what so euer God vouchsafeth to reueale to them and that so they haue an vnder-knowledge of all our affaires also helpe vs But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy scriptures But touching the celestiall Saints the scripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie For in Isaie the people of god cry out Thou O God art our father though AbrahaÌ be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lorde art our father and our redeemer If than the patriarchs so studious and careful for their people knew not what they did which of the Saints I pray you shal we graunt or point out that knoweth what we do that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing True doutlesse is y that the holy Psalme souÌdeth Bicause my father and my mother haue lefte or forsaken me the Lord hath taken me vp If our parents forsake and leaue vs how I pray you can they tel or do they care how it fareth with vs Let that suffice vs wherw t Dauid held himself throughly coÌtent saying The lord hath takeÌ charge ouer me We reade y Iosias was traÌslated out of this life into an other to the end he shuld not sée the mischiefes or plagues and punishments which the Lord determined to bring vpon the Israelitish people for their most wicked naughtie life The blessed souls therfore enioy the sight of god therby participate light and endlesse ioy or gladnesse they knowe none of our affaires neither is it néedefull they should knowe them considering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement Nowe is that also most certeine that inuocation springeth from faith as the fruit from the roote For Paul vsing that saying of the Prophete Who so euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be safe doth by and by adde But howe shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued Sée howe the Apostle bringeth in one vppon an other He is not called vppon who is not beléeued Wherefore in whom we beléeue vpon him we doe also call But in God onely and alone we do beléeue therefore on him onely do we call For where so euer true faith is there likewise is the gift of the holie Ghost For the Apostle sayth If any haue not the spirite of Christe this man is none of his And againe You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba father They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God call vpon God whome they doe acknowledge and confesse to be the onely father of all Neyther might so much as the lest part in that solemne forme and order of inuocation deliuered vnto vs by the sonne of God be attributed by any meanes vnto Patrones or Saintes The onely God therefore is to be called vpon The hart of sinfull man trembleth and quaketh to approche neare vnto so greate a maiestie For who may séeme worthy in him selfe to appeare and come before the presence of the most holy the most iust and the moste terrible God Here therefore some supply and make vp the matter with the patronship or intercession of celestiall Saintes by whose mediation and making way before vs passage lyeth open for vs vnto God. But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the scripture The scripture hath layde before vs a law as it were of calling vpon god thervnto hath annexed most ample or large promises so the commaundement doth set foorth vnto vs by and through whome we shoulde call vpon God adding therevnto a most excellent promise and opening vnto vs through Christe Iesus onely a ready way to the Father For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee shall giue it you Hetherto you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect or full And Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will doe it that the father may bee glorified by the sonne If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it What could be spoken more fully and clearly than these words Christe biddeth vs by or in his name to call vpon god the father and promiseth that he will giue the faithfull what so euer they aske in Christ his name Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth constancie of him which promiseth What néed we therfore hencefoorth the intercession of Saintes Of calling vpon them or of comming to God by their mediation we haue no testimonie of scripture we haue no promise Wherevnto I adde that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God who so euer seeketh by any other than by Christe and his intercession to come to the father
reteyneth the properties of both natures vnconfounded or vnmingled Paule vnto the Romanes manifestly sayeth that He was called to be an Apostle to preache the Gospell of GOD whiche hee had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his sonne whiche was made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleshe and declared mightilie to be the sonne of god touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead The Apostle therfore acknowledgeth both natures in Christe For according to the flesh sayth he Christ is the sonne of Dauid but if wee behold the power of his myracles his resurrection from the dead whiche giueth life and that Christ sendeth the holy Ghost sanctifyeth all the faithfull it appeareth that he whiche is the sonne of Dauid after the flesh is also the sonne of God according to his diuine power The same Apostle in the second chapiter to the Philippians doeth no lesse plainely and euideÌtly affirme both natures in Christ But because that place hath béene alreadie oftentimes alledged I passe ouer to the citing of other Sainct Augustine expounding not onely the confession of his owne faith but of the whole church in all the world which flourished in his time in his epistle to Dardanus 57. hath thus left written Doubt not that the man Christe Iesus is there nowe from whence hee shall come and haue in readie remembraunce and faithfully hould the christian confession because he roase from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of the father neither shall come from elsewhere than from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead and in such sort shall he come that voice of the Angel so witnessinge as hée was séene to goe into heauen that is to saye in the selfe same shape and substance of fleshe to whiche in déede hee gaue immortalitie but toke not the nature away According to this shape hee is not to be thought euerie where present For we must beware least we so fortifie y diuinitie of man that we take cleane away the trueth of his bodie For it doeth not consequently followe that that which is in GOD should so be euery where as god For the scripture whiche cannot lye sayth euen of vs that in him we liue moue and haue oure béeing howbeit we are not euery where as he is but he is after another sort man in God béecause he is also otherwise God in man after a certeine proper and singular manner For one person is God and man and both of them is one Iesus Christ euerie where in that he is God but in heauen in that he is man. And the same authour sayeth a little after Take away space of places from bodies they shal be no where and beecause they shall be no where they shal be no bodies Take the verie bodies from the qualities of the bodies and there shal be no place for them to be and therefore it must néeds be that they haue no beeing And in the end of the epistle the same Augustine sayeth Doubt not that Christ oure Lord the onely begotten sonne of God coequall with the father beeing also the sonne of man whom the father excéedeth in greatnesse both to be present euerie where as hée is God and also to be in the same temple of GOD as God dwelling there And yet to be in some certaine place of heauen according to the manner of his true body The selfe same thing the same authour as yet expouÌdeth more at large in his 50. treatise vppon Iohn And Contra Faelicianum Arianum Cap. 9. 10. 11. Also in his treatise De agone Christi Cap. 24. vnto Cap. 27. To which wée will also ioyne the testimonie of the holy martyre Vigilius bishopp of Trident. For he disputing against Eutyches in the defence of both natures in Christ sayeth If the nature of the woord and flesh be one how is it that since the word is euery where y flesh also is not found euerie where For when the flesh was in earth surely it was not in heauen and because it is now in heaueÌ surely it is not in earth and so farre is it from beeing in the earth that according to flesh wee doe looke for Christ to come from heauen whome according to the word wee beléeue to be with vs on earth Therfore acording to your opinion either the word is conteyned with his fleshe in place or else the flesh with the word is in euery place Whereas one nature receiueth not into it selfe anye thing contrarie and vnlike But it is contrarie farre vnlike to bee limitted within a place and to bee euerie where and béecause the word is in euerie place but his fleshe not in euerie place it is euident that one and the selfe same Christ is of both natures and that he is euerie where according to the nature of his Godhead and is conteined in place according to the nature of his manhood that he is both created and also without beginning that he is subiect to death and also can not die one of whiche is agréeable to him by the nature of the word whereby he is God the other by the nature of the flesh wherby the selfesame God is man Therefore one and the selfe same sonne of God being also made the sonne of man hath a beginning by the nature of the flesh and hath no beginning by the nature of his diuinitie by the nature of his fleshe hee is created and by the nature of his diuinitie hee is not created by the nature of his flesh he is limitted in place and by the nature of his diuinitie he is not conteyned in place by the nature of his flesh he is inferiour also to Angels and according to his diuinitie he is equall to the father by the nature of his fleshe hée died but by the nature of his diuinitie he died not This is the catholique faith and Christian confession which the apostles deliuered the martyrs confirmed and the faithfull euen vnto this day doe obserue and kéepe Hetherto we haue rehearsed the words of Vigilius martyre and bishopp to this end that the most notable agréement of the holy scripture of the vniuersall church and of the most Godly and learned fathers in this principle might be vnderstood wherin we confesse that the properties of both natures in Christe remaine vnconfounded Againe wée must by all meanes take héede least thorough defending and reteyning the properties of the two natures we diuide and pull asunder the vnitie of the person as though there were two Christes whereof the one should be subiect to suffering and mortall the other not subiect to suffering and immortall For there is but one and the same Christ who according to his Godhead is acknowledged immortall and mortall according to his manhoode Nestorius denied that the blessed virgin Marie was the mother of god For he said God was vnchaungeable and therefore that hee could not be borne and that
manifest that this godly inuentioÌ of those men who liued holily in the time of Abraham which of late by the doctrine of Christe is preached to all nations is the first moste auncient and eldest of aâ Thus much Eusebius Furthermore if we behold our selues in this looking-glasse of a Christian name we shal see that very few at this day are worthie of this name Truly all of vs are commonly so called we will be all named christians but fewe of vs liue a life worthie of our profession We are named christians of holy annointing The holy annointing is the holy ghost himself Vpon whom shal my spirit rest saith the Lorde Euen vppon him that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my wordes But we set light by the word of God we haue very troublesome heades we are corrupt with euil affections and lewde lusts we swel with pride therfore we want the oyntment of holy oyle or are voide of the holy ghost Who therefore can say that we bée Christians We are all of vs in maner ruled by wicked desires by the flesh the world and the prince of this worlde fewe of vs rule the world the flesh and those thinges which are in them Therefore not the spirite of God but the spirite of the world and the fleshe beareth rule in vs The diuel the world and the fleshe haue dominion ouer vs for in them wee liue and them we doe obey wherevppon being estranged and let loose froÌ all righteousnesse and holines we are beecome flaues seruing a most vile filthie slauerie For we not desiring to be deliuered do neither séeke a redéemer nor being impatient of their tyrannie rise rebell against them but like faint-harted cowardes wée yéeld our selues to be brought in subiection and to be kept vnder their tyrannie nay it repenteth and yrcketh vs of our labours watchinges prayers of all duties of Godlines béeing carelesse wee lie lurking as in a place of voluâtuousnesse But who would ãâã âuch swine the most holy name of a Christian but he that is bothe exceeding foolish and wicked No maruel theÌ iâ such be thrust down into hell there eternally to burne and there eternally to be yoked vnto him whom they haue moste wickedly chosen to themselues to follow And now what one of vs is there y doth teach admonish exhort those that boast brag of this Christian name I speak nothing heere concerning the Doctors or teachers of the Church but my talke doth touche the office dutie of a christian man Truly the most part of vs are slowe in instructing our families and felowe-brethren For either it grieueth vs to take the paine or else we feare daunger Therefore we turne the office of admonishing instructing vpon the publique ministers of the church as though nothing at all of this matter were required of vs For this cause speaches in a maner vnséemly to be spoken are heard vttered of men I haue not the office of a minister I am no Pâaff priest why therefore should I ãâã ⪠why should I admonishe And these care not howe blasphemous and filthie things be spoken either at home or abroade For they liue to themselues and thinke that the glorie of God and the soules-healthe of their neighbour belongeth nothing vnto them But what sacrifices offer wee worthie of God and our name where are prayers and thanksgiuings where is the mortification of our fleshe and the denying of this world where is compassion or well-doing where is an holy and harmelesse life The contrarie if néede so required I coulde reckon vppe in a long bead-rowe but to what ende were it to make a large discourse of those thinges that are manifest vnto all men For who I pray you doth denie that the life of this presente age of men I meane whiche bragge and boaste of their Christian name is filthie stincking and pestilent Whiche thinges since they bee too too true and euident I haue nothing done amisse in saying a litle before that at this day there are fewe Christians They that are wise and desire to bee according to their name let them heare our Sauiour speaking in the Gospel of Matthew Striue to enter in at the streight gate for wide is the gate and broade is the waye that leadeth to destruction and many there be whiche goe in thereat Because streight is the gate and narrowe is the way whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it Furthermore they whiche thing ought first of al to haue béen spoken doe verie greatly offende against religion and Christian profession whiche as they doe not sincerely acknowledge the priesthoode kingdome of Christ so they boast theÌselues to be chiefly praise worthie coÌmendable catholike because they coÌmit those things which by al meanes obscure darken the kingdome priest hood of Christ Christians being content with this only title name doe not ambitiously séeke after or admit another name But these men as thogh the name of a christiaÌ were but a light trifling name neuer rest vntil they be also called by other names as though they were babtised into the name of BrioÌ Benet Robert or FrauÌcis Christians cleauing only to their lawgiuer maister teacher Christ do not acknowlege the voice of strauÌgers neither goe a strawes breadth from the diuine scriptures But these men charge thée with heresie vnlesse thou receiue and woorship for heauenly Oracles al kinde of constitutions of the Romish Church though they be flat contrarie to the wordes teaching of Christ Christians acknowlege themselues to haue one king one deliuerer one sauiour one head in heauen These men worship his vicar in earth and attribute saluation not onely to triââing things but to verie stinking loathsome thinges Christians put all their trust in God to whome they offer all their vowes and prayers by Iesus Christ whome they beléeue to be the only highe priest and most faithfull patrone and aduocate of all that beléeue They make their prayers to creatures and mens imaginations and choose to themselues so many patrones and intercessours as there doe liue saintes in heauen Christians know that the sacrifice of Christ once offered is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sins of al men in the whole worlde and of all men of al ages But these men with often outcries say that it is flatte heresie not to confesse that Christ is daily offered of sacrificeing priests consecrated to the purpose Therfore the name of a christian is common to al but the thing signified ment by the name is common to the faithfull only who cleaue vnto one Christ Nowe I conclude my whole discourse of Christ a king and a priest with these words of saint Augustine The sonne of God whiche made vs is made among vs and beeing our king ruleth vs therfore we are Christians because he is Christe He is
called Christ a Chrismate that is to say of annointing Kinges also and priestes were annointed he was annointed king and priest Beeing a king hee fought for vs Beeing a priest he offered himselfe for vs When he fought for vs he was as it were ouercome yet by right hee hathe ouercome in verie deede For he was crucified and on his crosse whereon he was nailed he slewe the diuell and then was hee our king But wherfore is he a priest because he hath offred himselfe for vs Let a priest haue somewhat to offer What could man finde to giue A cleane sacrifice what sacifice what cleane thing can a sinner offer O wicked sinner O vngodly wretch What so euer thou shalt bring it is vncleane Seeke within thy selfe what to offer thou shalt find nothing Seeke out of thy selfe what to offer hee is not delighted in rammes or goates or bullockes They are all his though thou offer them not Hee found nothing cleane among men whiche he might offer for men therfore he offered himselfe a cleane offering an vndefiled sacrifice Therfore he did not offer that whiche we gaue vnto him but that which he tooke of vs and that he offered pure cleane He tooke fleshe in the wombe of the virgin that hee might offer pure and cleane flesh for vs that were vncleane He is a king he is a priest In him let vs reioyce To him be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power ¶ The eighth Sermon IT remaineth that after wee haue expounded the mysteries of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we consequeÌtly speake of the holy Ghost and of his diuine power and operation For vnlesse he inspire our minds and rule our tongue wee shall neuer bee able worthily or profitably either to speake or heare any thing concerning him For as no man knoweth those things which are of God but the spirite of God so men fetche the vnderstanding of heauenly thinges and the knowledge of the holy ghost from no where else than from the same spirite of god Let vs therefore pray and beséech God the father that by his sonne Iesus Christe hee would vouchsafe to inlighteÌ our darke and mystie mindes by sending this his holy spirite into our hearts and to direct vs in the sincere waye of trueth according to the holy Scriptures And first of all it séemeth not vnprofitable to expound the woord spirite because in the scripture it is diuerslie taken and very often vsed so that not séeldome times hee shall greatly erre which is ignoraunt of the force of that word Spirite properly is the signification of an element signifying aire winde breath In that signification we read this spoken of our Sauiour The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth whither it goeth And Paule saith If I pray with an vnknowen tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is made vnfruitefull Loe the Apostle vseth spirite for the breath or voice For he ioyneth it to the tongue and setteth it against the minde By a Metaphore it is translated to euery bodilesse substance and is set against the body Spirite therefore signifieth an Angel either good or badd For the Prophete whose wordes Paul hath also rehearsed sayth Which maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire And againe Are they not all ministring spirits These testimonies are vnderstoode of good Angels when the scripture speaketh of euil Angels commonly it addeth somewhat as an euill spirite or an vncleane spirite Wée call also spirites or ghostes whiche haue taken some shape that cannot well be discerned spirits So the Apostles not beléeuing that the Lord was risen againe with his true bodie when they sawe him they thought they had séene a spirite To whom shewing his féete and his handes hee sayeth A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see mee haue Againe spirite is taken for the breath of life as with the Latines to breath is to liue to leaue breathing is to die Dauid sayeth When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good When thou hydest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust And the Lord in Moses sayeth I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life The reasonable soule also of man is peculiarly called spirit in so much that spirite is verye often taken in the holy scripture for the resonable soule of man For in the Gospell thou doest read Iesus when hee had bowed downe his head gaue vp the ghost or the spirite And thou doest read of the holy martyre Stephan They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite For Solomon said before The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came the spirite shall returne vnto GOD who gaue it And sometimes spirite signifyeth the affection and motion readinesse and prouocation of the minde For Solomon sayeth A man that refraineth not his appetite or spirite is like a cittie whiche is broken downe Thou mayest oftentimes finde in the Scriptures the spirite of pride anger luste or enuie taken for a proud angrie lustfull or enuious affection Also in Luke the 13. the verie sore disease or force of sickenesse is called the spirite of infirmitie The spirite also signifieth those spirituall motions which the holie Ghost stirreth vp in the heartes of the Saincts yea and the verie gifts powred into the hearts of men by the spirite Whiche in euery place in Paule is to be séene Else-where spirite is opposed against the letter the bodie the figure the type or shadowe and is vsed for a more highe or mysticall meaning and for the very pithe of the thing as when Paule sayeth The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite not in the letter And againe The lord hath made vs able ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite giueth life Therefore thou mayst finde spirite to be taken for inspiration reuelation and doctrine For Iohn sayeth Beleeue not euerie spirite but proue the spirites whether they bee of God or not And againe Quench not the spirite despise not prophecies Last of all God is called that vnmeasurable and vnspeakeable power of the spirite God sayeth our Lord is a spirite they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in trueth By this meanes the word spirite is common to al the persons of the reuerend Trinitie howbeit it is peculiarlie applied to the third person in Trinitie of whom we make this sermon And albeit the holie Ghoste forsomuch as hee is God can be compassed within no limits for by
Cap. 33. sayeth When he had called the comforter the spirite of trueth that is to say his spirite for he is the trueth he addeth that he procéedeth from the father For as hee is the spirite of the sonne naturally in his abiding and through him procéeding so also surely is hée the spirite of the father But vnto whome the spirite is common surely they cannot by any meanes bee disseuered in substance Againe S. Augustine in his fiftéenth booke De Trinitate Cap. 26. sayeth Who may vnderstand by this that the sonne sayeth as the father hathe life in himselfe that he gaue life vnto the sonne as béeing then without life but that hee so begatt him without time that the life whiche the father gaue to the sonne in begetting him is coeternall with the life of the father which gaue it him Let him vnderstand as the father hath power in himselfe that the holy Ghoste mighte procéede from him so hath he giuen to the sonne that the same holy Ghoste maye procéede from him and both without beginning and so it is said that the holie Ghoste procéedeth from the father that that which procéedeth from the sonne might be vnderstoode to be of the father and the sonne For if the sonne haue ought he hath it of the father surely hee hath it of the father that the holy Ghoste procéedeth from him Thus farre hée By all this wée gather that the holy Ghost procéedeth as well from the father as from the sonne Nowe as concerning the manner of procéeding wée saye that the procéeding of the holie Ghoste is two-fouldor of two sortes temporall and eternall Temporall procéeding is that whereby the holie Ghoste procéedeth to sanctifie men The eternall procéeding is that whereby from euerlasting he procéedeth from god The spirite procéedeth from both partes from both of them as well from the father as the sonne Neither doeth hée procéede from the father into the sonne seuerally and from the sonne into creatures For I say the nature and substaunce of the father and the sonne is one and the self same inseparable and coeuerlasting too Temporall procéeding commonly is called a sending and gifte For the holie Ghoste is sent two manner of wayes vnto men visiblie that is to say vnder some visible fourme as of a Doue of fierie tongues as hée is read in the Gospell and in the Acts of the Apostles to haue béene giuen to Christe and the Apostles inuisibly hée is daily and as it were euerie moment giuen to the faithfull the spirite of Christe wateringe vs with his grace and giuing faith hope and charitie vnto vs. Moreouer the eternall procéeding of the holie Ghoste whereby hée procéedeth out of the substaunce of the father and the sonne is vnspeakeable as the begetting of the sonne by the father Wherevppon it is not said in the Gospel hath procéeded or shall procéede but Proceedeth for so the Lord declareth his eternitie of procéeding and that the substaunce of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is coeternall and vnseparable and nothinge at all differing Sainct Augustine in his fiftéenthe booke De Trinitate and 26. Chapiter sayeth Hee that is able to vnderstand the beegetting of the sonne by the father without time let him also vnderstand the proceeding of the holie Ghost from them both without time And if anye aske this question Since the holie Ghoste proceedeth from the substance of the father and the sonne howe commeth it to passe that hee is not called the sonne I aunsweare that the Scripture calleth the second person the sonne and testifyeth that hée is the onely begotten of the father and that the same no where maketh any mention that the holie Ghoste is begotten or that hée is called the sonne Neither haue the auncient fathers made any other aunswere to this question And I like the similitude whiche whâere expressed If one streame should flowe from two springs it might wel bee saide to flowe from them both yet it could be said to be the sonne of neither of them Herevnto I shall not séeme vnfruitfully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didymus concerning sending least any should vnderstand that peruersly and according to the flesh whiche is spiritually to be interpreted by faith The holy Ghost the comforter is sent of the sonne sayeth he not according to the ministerie of Angels or Prophets or Apostles but as it becommeth the spirite of God to bee sent of the wisedome and trueth of God hauing an vnseparable nature with the selfe same wisedome and trueth For the sonn being sent of the father abiding in the father and hauing the father in himselfe is not separated nor sundered from the father And the spirite of trueth also being sent of the sonne after the manner aforesaid procéedeth from the father not from elsewhere remouing vnto other thinges For this is impossible and blasphemous likewise For if this spirite of trueth bee limitted within a certaine space according to the natures of bodies leauing one place he goeth to another but euen as the father not consisting in place is farre aboue and beyond the nature of all bodies so also the spirite of trueth is not limitted within space of place séeing he is bodilesse and as I may more truly say excelling all and euerie reasonable creature Béecause therefore it is impossible and wicked to beléeue these thinges which I haue said in bodily creatures we must vnderstand that so the holy Ghost went out and came from the father as oure Sauiour doeth beare witnesse that he himselfe went out and came from the father saying I went out and came from God. And as we separate places and chaunginges of places from bodilesse things so also we do separate these speaches inwardly I meane outwardly from the nature of things intellectuall For these two woordes perteine to bodies that may bee touched haue biganes Therefore wee must beléeue the vnspeakeable woord whiche faith onely and alone maketh knowen vnto vs that our Sauiour is said to come out from GOD and the spirite of trueth to procéede from the father c. Other questions both scrupulous and very many I passe ouer vntouched in these things I require a mind religious and not a curious a faithfull minde and not a subtile Now there is but one holy Ghost béecause hee is alwayes one and the selfe same god It is the same spirite therefore whiche spake vnto the Patriarches prophets and Apostles and whiche at this day speaketh to vs in the Church For therefore the counsel of Constantinople is thus read to haue confessed their faith I beleeue in the holy Ghost the Lord. And anon after Who spake by the prophets And I beleeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church These sayings are taken out of the holy Scripture For S. Peter testifieth in expresse words that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophetes and there was none other spirite in the Apostles than the spirite of
Christe And Paule the Apostle sayeth Seeing then wee haue the same spirite as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore speake Vppon which testimonie Tertullian inferreth and no doubt soundlie It is one and the selfe same spispirite therefore whiche was in the Prophetes and the Apostles He promiseth that the selfe same spirite shal be alwayes in the Church They erred therefore yea foulye they erred who so euer among them of old feigned one God and spirite of the olde Testament and an other of the newe Testament Didymus Alexandrinus the bright light in his age of all the Grecian Churches in his first booke intituled De Spiritu sancto saith Neyther ought we to thinke that the holy Ghost is diuided according to substaunces bicause he is called the multitude of good graces For he can not suffer he can not be diuided neyther yet be chaunged but according to his diuers maners of workings vnderstaÌdings he is called by mny names of good graces bycause he doth not indue his partakers with his coÌmunion after one and the selfe same power c. Furthermore the holy ghost hath increasing or fulnesse and diminishing and want in man not that in God who as it is commonly and truely sayde neyther receiueth more or lesse there is any chaunge to be founde but bycause man according to his capacitie receiueth the spirite plentifully and liberally or measurably sparingly euen as it pleaseth the holy ghoste The portion of the spirite of Helias was giuen double from heauen to Heliseus And it is sayde of our Sauiour that the father gaue him the spirite not by measure For the Lord himselfe elswhere saith Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and hee shall haue more aboundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken away euen that he hath Saule had receiued excellent graces but bicause he did not vse exercise them the good spirite of God departed from him and the euill spirite succéeded and tormented him And the spirite of God departeth euen as it commeth also at one instant For when we are forsaken of the Lorde the spirite of God departeth from vs Wherevppon we reade that Dauid prayed Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And againe Stablishe me with thy principall spirite Next after these things it séemeth y we must diligently search out what the effect what the power of the holy Ghost is The power of the Almightie and euerlasting God is vnspeakable therefore no man can fully declare what the power of the holie ghost is Yet somewhat I will say making those things manifest which he worketh chiefly in men For otherwise the father by the spirit worketh all things by him he createth susteyneth moueth giueth life strengtheneth and prescrueth al things by the selfe same he regenerateth his faythfull people sanctifieth and indueth them with diuers kyndes of graces Whervpon in the description aboue mentioned of him coÌprising in foure members his principall powers and effectes which shewe them selues by their working in men I sayde that he doth illuminate regenerate sanctifie and fulfill the faithfull with all good graces Which things that they may the better be vnderstoode it shal be good first of all to declare as well as we can the appellatioÌs or names of the holy ghost which the holy scripture giueth him and then to recite one or two places of the old and new Testament to set foorth declare the power of the holy Ghost First he is called the holy spirite of God bicause all creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctified by him The heauenly father sanctifieth with his grace but throughe the bloud of his beloued sonne and sanctification is deriued into vs and sealed by the spirite Therefore the holie trinitie being one God doth sanctiuÌe vs It is a wicked thing therefore to attribute sanctification to straunge and forreine things It is a wicked thing to translate purification and iustification from the Creator vnto the Creature Moreouer he is called holy to make a difference of him from other spirites For we reade in the Scriptures that there was and is a spirite of the worlde a spirite of infirmitie a spirite of fornication and vncleannesse and a spirit of pride From all these the holy ghost is separated which inspireth into vs the contempt of this worlde whiche openeth vnto vs the Scriptures and confirmeth vs in trueth whiche purifieth our heartes and maketh oure mynds chast and so preserueth them finally whiche maketh vs lowly and gentle and driueth away from vs all maliciousnesse The same holy Ghost is called the spirite of God and of the sonne Of God to make a difference betwéene it and the spirite of sathan And it is called the spirite of the sonne bicause it is the proper and naturall spirite of the sonne which he also communicateth vnto vs that we also might be the sonnes of god For Paule sayth Ye are the temple of God and the spirite of God dwelleth in you Againe If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And againe Bicause ye are sonns God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Moreouer our Lorde him selfe in the historie of the Gospell calleth the holy Ghost a comforter saying I will pray the father and he shal giue you an other coÌforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bycause the worlde seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth a comforter a stirrer vp or a prouoker an exhorter an aduocate or patrone which pleadeth the cause of his client For the holy Ghoste is the mouth the eye the heart the counsel the hande and the foote of all the faythfull Didymus in his worke intituled De spiritu sancto sayth Christe Giuing the holy ghost a name answerable to his working calleth him the comforter Bycause he doth not onely comforte those whoÌ he findeth worthy of him and setteth them frée from all heauinesse and trouble of mynde but giueth vnto them a certeine incredible ioy and gladnesse in so muche that a man giuing God thankes bycause he is counted worthy of suche a guest may say Thou hast giuen me gladnesse in my heart For euerlasting ioy and gladnesse is in the hearte of them in whome the holy Ghost dwelleth The holy ghost verily alone maketh the consciences of men voyde of care quiet and at peace before God in the matter of iustification and in all temptations of the worlde Paule sayth This only I desire to learne of you whether ye haue receiued the spirite by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith The Apostles being beaten with roddes when they were indued with the
with the holy ghost signifying doubtlesse the operation or working of the holy ghost of whiche they were signes and assuraunces For he instructeth exhorteth and coÌforteth the faithfull neither doeth he arme his faithful Apostles with colde tongues but fierie tongues The Apostles when they preached the gospel séemed not to speake but to lighten and to thunder wherevpon also certeine of them were called of our Sauiour the sonnes of thunder Furthermore the holy ghoste appeareth in the likenesse of a Doue vpon the sonne of God euen then wheÌ he was baptised of Iohn Baptiste For a Doue is milde gentle without malice or harme Wherof sprong the prouerbe Manners like a Doue Doue-like simplicitie And More gentle than a Doue For a Doue is among birdes as a shéepe among foure footed beastes which thinketh no hurt to any liuing creature Wherevpon Christe is also called a Shéepe or a Lambe Of the spirite of God therefore the wise man saieth verie well The spirite of wisedome is holie one onely manifolde subtile quicke mouing cleare vndefiled plaine sweete louing the thing that is good sharp which cannot be letted doing good kinde to man stedfast sure free from care hauing all power circumspecte in all things and passing through al vnderstanding and cleane yea most subtile spirites Againe they that are indued with the holy ghost are called the annoynted of the Lorde For the holy Ghoste is called both oyle and annoynting for vnlesse we be watered of the holie Ghost we waxe barren and waste away For we are voyde of liuely and heauenly moysture and of our owne nature alwayes wyther and waxe drie And of this annoynting there went a notable figure before in the ceremoniall annoynting of Kinges and priestes S. Iohn sayth And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you ye neede not that any maÌ teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it taught you abide in it For the Lord also sayth in Ieremie This shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and will be their God and they shall bee my people And from henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lorde for they shall all knowe me from the lowest vnto the highest saith the lord For I wil forgiue their misdeedes and will neuer remember their sinnes any more But we shewed a little before that the holy Ghoste is the vniuersall teacher of all trueth Hitherto that séemeth to belong which S. Paule saith It is God which hath annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our heartes For nowe the holy Ghost is not onely called annoynting but also the sealing vp or earnest of our saluation For ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a part of payment which maketh assurance of the whole summe to be payde to wit a pledge And surely the holie Ghost doth nowe testifie yea it dothe seale and assure vs that we are the sonnes of god and that when time is we shall be receiued into the euerlasting inheritaunce Paule againe sayth Ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Ephes 1. That assuraunce doth maruellously confirme and comforte the mindes of the faythfull in temptations encourageth them besides that to patience in aduersitie and to holinesse of life For herevpon sayde S. Iohn Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world And againe Nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what he shall be but we know that when wee shall appeare we shall bee like vnto him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth him selfe euen as he also is pure And as the holy ghost is an vnspeakable knitting together wherby the three persons are inseparably coupled one with an other in euerlasting loue concord euen so the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with his spouse with a knot y can not be loosed and ioyneth together betwéene them selues all the members of his mystical body in an euerlasting couenaunt For as the members of oure body are ioyned together whole and sound by the benefite and enioying of life so the mysticall body of Christe is vnited together by the holy Ghoste Therefore it is no maruell that he is called or noted with the name of loue which poureth loue into our heartes And albeit by these names of the holie Ghost his operation may be vnderstoode yet will I adde certeine testimonies of Scripture out of whiche his power or effect especially in vs maye be more fully vnderstoode Esaie almost in the beginning of his prophecie describing the person of the King our Messias among other things sayth The spirite of the Lord shal rest vpon him the spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel and strength the spirite of knowledge and of the feare of the Lorde and shall make him of deepe iudgement in the feare of GOD. Though he declared manye yet hath he not reckoned vp all the powers of the spirite Therefore it is not for vs to bring into a streight and with the common sorte to comprise in a narrowe number of seuen the powers of the spirite For we haue heard hetherto that there is the spirite of promise of doctrine of humilitie and gentlenesse c. To whiche beside these there are reckoned vp very many together For he is the spirite of wisedome But howe great this is and howe farre it reacheth it is manifest euen in the words of Solomon To wisedome is ioyned vnderstanding which is sayde to be the action and applying of wisedome ordered or framed to things places times and persons Counsel is required and giuen in doutfull matters and sheweth what we may most conueniently doe Strength ministreth sufficient force and constancie to execute and perfourme yea and patiently to beare what so euer by counsel we haue learned eyther to be done or to be suffered And nowe knowledge is an experience obteined and gotten by long time and vse Vnto these is feare added that is to say godlinesse and true religion wherevnto vnlesse we referre all oure sayings and doings wisedome vnderstanding couÌsel strength and knowledge shal nothing profite vs. To be short who so euer is indued with the spirit of God whatsoeuer he shal either do or say wil sauour of the feare of god finally he shal say do al things vnto the glory of god al these things truly are fréely
Pharistis confesse both And in déede the whole scripture doth testifie that there are Angels making mention in many places that they haue appeared vnto men and haue reueled vnto them the will of God or otherwise accomplished his worke Truely the Lord Iesus reasoning against the Saduceis in the Gospel sayth Ye erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of god For in the resurrection they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heauen Let vs therefore beléeue that there are Angels For the authoritie of the sonne of God and the irreuocable trueth of the holie scriptures ought worthily to winne more ârâdite with vs than the toyes of all Saduceis and wicked men What haue not the heathenish Poets and philâsophers confessed that there are Angels whome they call Gods for they ãâã that Gods in the likeness ãâã were lodged and interteyned of righteous men séemed to al learned men to haue ment nothing else than that whiche the holy scriptures make mention of howe Abraham and Lothe receiued Angels into their houses resembling straungers But howsoeuer the case staÌdeth most certeine it is both by the holy scripture and by manifolde experience that there are blessed spirites of God that is to say good angels Now what the nature of Angels is it can not throughly be declared of any man. For there are many things in the order of creatures whose nature can not directly and perfectly be expounded they may neuerthelesse after a sorte according to our capacitie be shadowed out Some therefore there are whiche say that Angels are good spirites ministers of a firie nature created for the ministerie or seruice of god and good men Othersome say Angels are heauenly spirites whose ministerie and seruice God vseth to execute all thinges which he hath determined Wherefore we shall not séeme to misse much of the marke if we say that Angels are good spirites heauenly substaunces I meane incorruptible created for the ministerie or seruice of God and men That Angels are created of God the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles doe witnesse For Paule citeth that saying of Dauid Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The same Apostle saith By Christ all thinges are created that are in heauen and that are in earth visible and inuisible whether they be maiesties or lordships either rules or powers Wherfore heretiques haue set foorth toyes saying that Angels are workers in the creation of al things and coeternall with god For God in time by the sonne as wel created angels as all other creatures Nowe touching the time when angels were created whether with the light before man or after man and al the workes of God let him tell that can the holie scripture passing it ouer with silence and pronouÌcing no certeintie therof Epiphanius and Augustinus auÌcient interpreters of the scriptures learnedly and truly confesse that there is nothing deliuered in the scriptures of y matter And that which is not deliuered in the scriptures can not without daunger be inquired after but without daunger we may be ignoraunt thereof It is sufficient to acknowledge that angels were created at what time soeuer it semeth they were created Let vs rather giue god thankes that he hath created for mankind so excellent ministers Let vs liue an holie and an angelike life in the sight of Gods holy angels Let vs watche least he which transfigureth and turneth him selfe into an angel of light vnder a good shewe and likenesse deceiue vs Nowe we must further sée what maner of creatures angels are They are heaueÌly spirits incorruptible most swift substaunces We say expresly that angels are substances that is to say creatures hauing essence or being For some denie that they are substaÌces subsisting in their proper essence or being For they imagine that angels are nothing else thaÌ qualities motions or inspirations of good mynds But the canonical scripture calloth them ministers Oursauiour saith that they whiche rise againe shall be like vnto the angels of god Saint Paule declareth that the sonne of God is more excellent them the angels for that they worship him as God their creator The selfe same apostle saith For ye shall reade in no place that the sonne taketh on him the angels but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him Whiche testimonies most manifestly teache that angels are substances not qualities or motions in mens myndes that I say nothing nowe how they haue oftentimes appeared vnto men in likenes or shape of men Let vs therefore hold and confesse that angels are substances Furthermore what substaunces angels are other peraduenture haue better declared for the which I beare no man grudge I confesse that there are good spirites to make difference of them that are euill Whereof shal be spoken hereafter I confesse that they are good not so much for the goodnesse of their nature in whiche they continued as for their operation or working For they alwayes stirre vp and further vs to that which is good I confesse also that angels are spirits that is to say spirituall heauenly incorruptible and excéeding swift substaunces For the Scripture witnesseth and saithe Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The scripture I say nameth Angels spirites and a flame of fire not that angels of their owne nature and substaunce are corporal fire but bicause fire after a sort resembleth them which in clearnesse beautie and incorruptiblenesse and also in swiftnesse quicknesse and brightnesse are y most beautiful and excellent creatures The ãâã definitions groââely enoughe âay that the angels are bodily substances but of their owne kinde For God only is without body In thâse wordes therefore thus they haue âetdowne Euerie creature is bodily Angels and all heauenly powers are bodily though they consist not of flesh Nowe hereby we beléeue that they are bodily bycause they are limited in place as the soule also is inclosed with fleshe Angels peraduenture at this daye are more aptly sayd to be locall or in place not circumscriptiuely but definitiuely We must beléeue that nothing by nature is bodilesse and inuisible but God onely that is to say the father the sonne and the holy Ghost who therefore is rightly beléeued to be bodilesse bycause he is in euerie place and fulfilleth and conserueth all thinges and therefore he is inuisible to all creatures bycause he is without body Thus much from theÌ But those bodies eyther of young men or olde men in whiche Angels oftentimes appeared vnto the fathers were not their proper or natural bodyes but taken vpon them and as it were borrowed from elswhere for a time and for the weaknesse of oure capacitie And what manner bodyes those same very bodies were whiche they tooke or from whence they were taken or where they were bestowed when they had ended their businesse it is verie hard to declare S.
was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome To this also nowe séemeth that saying of Daniel to belong As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing mine owne finde and the sinne of my people Israel and pouring foorth my prayers before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my god Yea while I was yet speaking in my prayer the man Gabriel whom I had seene before in the vision came flying hastily vnto me Loe our soules are carried vp into heauen by the Angels whiche notwithstanding are elsewhere sayd at an instant to be taken vp into heaueÌ Afterwarde as soone as Daniel had prayed vnto the Lorde the Angel without any longer delay flying spéedily for so the Scripture speaketh for our capacitie is present with him that prayeth and sheweth him that he is heard of god Angels therefore are swift and passing spéedie being kept downe with no weight neyther hindered or stayed from perfourming those things for which they are sense from heauen albeit they are conteyned in place as creatures though not limited and art moued with a certeine order and manner agréeable to that spirituall nature This treatise requireth peraduenture that somthing also be spoken of the might power and strength of Angels But what néede many wordes in a manifest matter For since the Lorde who sendeth foorth his Angels is Almightie there is nothing but that angels can doe it in those their embassages ministeries There is nothing in the whole course of nature that is able to withstande the ministers of the Almightie god For Angels are not called powers and vertues for nought I will shewe one example among many and yet not the chiefest One Angel in one night without any furniture or much adoe slâe in the tenâes of the Assyriâns at the wals of Hiârâsalem a hundred fourescore and fiue thousande of the valiantest souldiers In Daniel we haue such a description of an angel wherby both the power and excellencie of angels may be gathered His body saith he was like the Turkishe or Iasper stone his face to looke vppon was like lightening his eyes as lampes of fire his armes feete were like in colour to polished brasse and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude So that it is not needefull to make a long discourse of the knowledge wisedome of angels For this is not a thing that passeth capacitie séeing Angels are creatures But in so much as perteyneth to their embassages and ministeries surely they are moste wise in al points furnished and in no part diminished For he that sendeth them is euerlasting wisedome it selfe and he furnisheth his Embassadours moste perfectly Furthermore touching the multitude and order of angels certeine Diuines haue wittily and wisely inough disputed The Scripture simply affirmeth that angels are innumerable For Daniel sayth A thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousandes stood before him It is also read that Christ sayde to Peter Thinkest thou that I can not praye vnto my father and he shal send vnto me more than twelue legions of Angels Paulâ also sayth Ye are come into the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels Many distinguishe that innumerable multitude into nine companies and these again they bring into thrée hiâraâchies or holie principalities of which they affirme that eache of them haue thrée orders the first Seraphim Cherubim Thrones the seconde Lordshippes Vertues Powers the third Principalities Archangels and Angels They adde in what they differ betwéene them selues and what is proper to euerie one of them But S. August in his Encheir cap. 58. saith Wherin lordships principalities and powers do differ betweene them selues let them tell that can if yet they are able to proue that they say I confesse my selfe to be ignorant of these matters And the same Augustine Ad OrosiuÌ coÌtra Luscillianistas saith Truely the Apostle sayth Whether seates threnes whether lordships whether principalities whether powers And therefore that there are seates Lordships principalities and powers in the hoastes of heauen I stedfastly beleeue and that they differ somewhat betweene them selues I hold it for an vndoubted truth but what they are and what they differ betweene them selues I knowe not Neyther truly do I thinke my selfe for the ignoraunce therof to be indaungered as I am for disobedience if I neglect the Lordes commaundements And anon in the same place he sheweth that we must not busily and curiously searche after these things Whose counsel we doe willingly obey perceiuing that the scriptures which minister vnto vs al things necessarie and healthfull haue set downe nothing concerning them Yet this we can not deny that those names or if you will so call them orders of Angels are expressed in the holie Scriptures wherevpon for our weaknesse it is méete after a forte to expounde them as we may These blesseâ spirites of heauen séeme generally and simply to be called Angels bycause they be the messingers embassadours of the moste highe GOD who it appeareth are called Archangels when they besent in message in Gods greatest matters to shewe or doe thinges altogether hard and heauenly For so we read in Paule that The Lord himselfe shal deseend from heauen in a shout and in the voice of an Archangel and in the trumpe of God. For that we may compare smal thinges with great we sée that kings and princes in weightie affayres appoint none to bee their embassadours but noble meÌ It appeareth that they are called Thrones because they staÌd alwayes at the throne of God or else because God is read in the Prophets to haue made and placed his owne seate in Angels and to bee carried of them as it were in the coche of a king as Dauid sayeth He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was darâknes vnder his feete He rode vppon the Cherubims or was carried vpon the Cherubims and did flie hee came flying vppon the winges of the winde Furthermore the description of the charriot and throne of God in Ezechiel is knowen They séeme to be called Lordshipps principalities and powers beecause God executeth his gouernement and exerciseth his owne power in the world by the ministerie of Angels For so also they are called powers and armies or the hoast of heauen For they incompasse the Lord round as his guard and hee who is called the God of Sabbaoth or of hoastes the Lord I saye of all Angels spirits and creatures whose ministerie hee vseth when where how and as much as it pleaseth him vseth them also as his souldiers S. Hierome thinketh they are called Cherubims of their excéeding knowledge Other expouÌd them swift Seraphims haue their name of feruentnesse Or else because they are compared to most pure and cleare fire Or for that they are burning in the loue of god By these names in the meane while are shadowed
you of true faith beléefe hath worshipped called vppon or serued the Patriarches the Prophets and y Apostles thoughe they were indued with most precious gifts wonderful in working of myracles Wee doe all worship call vpon serue God wée confesse y God worketh by his saints who together with the holy angels of God require nothing lesse than to bee worshipped called vppon and serued of vs For truly said Lactantius lib. Institut 2. cap. 18. Angels since they be immortall neither suffer nor yet are vnlling to be called Gods whose onely office it is alone to attend vpon God with their seruice to bee at his becke and to do nothing at all but at his comaundement For wee say that God so gouerneth the world as a king ruleth his kingdome whose officers no man wil say are fellows with him in ruling his kingdome albeit affairs be dispatched by their ministerie and seruice And therefore we read that s Augustine also said WheÌ the Angels of God heare hee himselfe heareth in them as in his true temple not made with hands Verily if wée looke more narrowlie into and weighe the holy scripture we shall finde not in one or two places that the name of God and Angels ãâ¦ã For angels arâ ãâ¦ã ând instrumentall as they ãâã theme but God is the ãâ¦ã principall cause For in the Acts of thâ Apostles wée read thââ ãâ¦ã And when fourtie yeaââs wârâ ãâã there appeared into him in the wildernesse of mount Sinâ an Angel. And by and by hee addeth ⪠And the voice of the Lord came vnto ãâã saying I am the God of thy fathââ ãâã He calleth the selfe same Lord whom a little before hée had called an angel to wit because he beléeued that an angel both saith and doeth all thinges at Gods commaundement that the word and the worke is proper to God the angels are as instruments Likewise in the booke of Iudges cap. 6. he ãâã called Lord which euen now was called an angel Hagar the handmaid of Sara receiued a great benefite in the desert by the angel of the Lord yet shée accompteth not the same receiued of the angel but of the lord She giueth not thankes to the angel neither doth she consecrate the memorie thereof to the angel much lesse doth she worship and call vpon the angel nay rather she referreth her speach also vnto god For so the holie scripture witnesseth ⪠And she called the name of the lord which spake vnto her Thou god lookest on mee c. The childreÌ of Israel before whome the angel of the Lord went in the wildernes neuer offered sacrifice to their guid or captaine neuer worshipped or serued him Euen so the seruaunt of Abraham being committed to the angel doth not make supplication vnto him desiring him well to prosper his purpose but hée prayeth vnto God requireth of him to shewe and giue triall of his mercie toward his maister Abraham In Daniel the ãâ¦ã God ânâly For they ãâã Blessessââ thou O Lord god of ãâã fathers âight worthie to be ãâã and honoured in that ãâ¦ã So in like manner ãâã in expresse words âânfeâââth that ãâã god whose hée is and whome hée worshippeth ⪠though in the meanâ while he had made mention also of an angel For so heâ saith in the Acts There stoode by me thir night the angel of God whose I am and whome I serue that is to say god For in another place Iohn being willing to worshipp at the angels féete the angel crieth See thou doe it not for I am thy follow seruaunt and of thy brethren the Prophets and of them which keepe the woords of this booke These plaine and manifest testimonies of holie scripture euidentlie ãâã vs that although God vse the ministerie of angels toward vs yet y they are to be acknowledged and confessed of vs to be ministers of God fellow seruaunts and therfore not to be worshipped nor called vppon but that God onely must be worshipped callâd vppon and serued From this holy doctrine of scripture certeine ministers and ecclestastical writers of the auncient Church haue nothing swarued For Lactantius in that booke whiche we cited a little before sayeth Angels wil haue no honour giuen vnto them whose honour is in god But they which reuolted and fell from the ministerie of God because they are enimies of the trueth offenders they goe about to chalenge to themselues the ãâ¦ã I goe vnto ãâ¦ã what prayer ãâ¦ã deuouring to ãâã vnto thée ââd being not able of themselues haue assayed as I heare these wayes haue fallen into â desire and ãâã aftâr curious visions ãâ¦ã to be deceiued These thinges are extant Lib. 11. Confess cap. 42. ãâã which he sheweth at large that Iesus Christ is the onely ãâ¦ã âââtercessour for all the faithfull ⪠The same Augustine in his ãâ¦ã De Ciuitate Dei cap. 16. ãâ¦ã words that the good angelâ of God require sacrifices not for themselues but for god In his last chapter of his booke De ver a Religione hee sayeth Let vs beléeue that the best angel ãâã that God be serued with the ãâã and most excellent ministerie that toââther with them we shuld ãâ¦ã God in the ãâ¦ã of whom they are blessed For we are not blessed by séeing the angels but by séeing the trueth whereby wée also loue the very angels and ãâã together with them Wherâfore we honor them for louâ not of ãâã Neither doe we build temples vnto them For they are vnwilling in such sorte to be honoured of vs Béecause they know that we our selues if wee hée good are the temples of the most high god It is wel written therfore y an angel forâad a man to worship him but willed him to worship onâ only God vnder whome he also was a fellow seruant with him The same August therfore in his catalogue of heretiques ãâ¦ã of Christ his church ãâ¦ã of the author if any require ãâã thâse ⪠If we should make a temple ãâ¦ã of wood stone to the holââ angââ that is most excellent shuld ãâ¦ã âee cursed of the ârueth of Christ and of the church of God because we do that seruice to a creature ãâã only is due to one god If therforâ by building a ââple to any kinde ãâ¦ã we should âob God of his ãâ¦ã not hee the true God ãâ¦ã we build not a temple but ãâ¦ã his temple ⪠Thââ ãâ¦ã These ãâã haue I hether to ãâ¦ã of thâ holie oâ good ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã of wicked angels ãâ¦ã that is to say ãâ¦ã diuels Hereof I wil ãâ¦ã plainly speake that which the holy scriptures minister vnto meâ That there are diuels y Saduceâs in times pâst âeâied and at this day also ãâ¦ã religious nay rather Epicures denie the same Who vnlesse they ââpent shal one day féele to their excéeding great paine and smart both that there are diuels that they are tormenters and executioners of all wicked men and Epicures For the
death of the soule But neuerthelesse y reasonable some liueth in his proper Essence or béeing so that when it liueth miserably a miserable life is in verie déede called death but desperation also is the very death of the soule For by hope wée liue And Paule sayeth I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mee and the life whiche I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God therefore they that are destitute of faith are dead they that haue faith liue S. Augustine Cap. 10. De fide Symbolo sayeth The soule as it may bee called corruptible by reason of finne and wickednes so it may be called mortal For the death of the soule is the reuolting or falling from God whiche first sinne of the soule was committed in Paradise as is declared in the holy Scriptures And the same Augustine againe Lib. de Trinitate 14. Cap. 4. sayeth The soule also hath his death when it lacketh a blessed life whiche is to bee named the true life of the soule But for this cause it is called immortall for that whatsoeuer life it liueth yea thoughe it bee most miserable yet it neuer ceaseth to liue Wée therefore fréely confesse that the soules of men separated or taken out of their bodies doe not die but liue immortall for euer the faithfull in euerlasting ioye and felicitie but the vnbeléeners in eternall damnation Whiche thing I will now goe on to confirme by some substantial testimonies of Scripture But first take this with you that testimonies of scripture in this case are farre more liuely than mans reasons framed out of Philosophie For these testimonies are fetched from the verie mouthe of the liuing God himselfe whiche preserueth vs in life who since he is true cannot lie and who since hee giueth life and is life it selfe is able to wittnesse most certainely aboue all other touching life Neither is it doubtfull that the spirit of God worketh ioyntly with the word of GOD of whom vnlesse the heartes of men be touched the reasons of Philosophie howe manifest soeuer they bee shall preuaile nothing especially in the daunger of death and in other temptations They are fleshlie therefore and brutishe altogether whiche are not ashamed to say That they cannot be persuaded or brought to beléeue the immortalitie of soules by the Scriptures onely Nay which is more that shall neuer be stedfast and stable in temptations whiche shall procéede from fleshe and bloud Wee will therefore add some certaine testimonies and those too most manifest Dauid the most nuissaunt and happiest king in the world comprising in one verse both the immortalitie of soules and the resurrection of bodies sayeth Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Man consisteth of bodie and soule The bodie rotteth awaye when it is dead and is turned into dust but it shall not therefore perish For as the bodie of Christ which was buried did not rat but rose againe the third day so in the day of iudgemente shall oure bodies be raised vpp and by Christe âe deliuered from corruption And our soul goeth not into hell there to remaine But as the soule of Christ returned from the nether parts vnto his bodie and ascended into heauen in his bodie which he had taken againe euen so shall oure soules also liue by Christ ⪠they shall not dit Solomon the sonne of Dauid excelling all kinges and mortall men in wisedome in one verse likewise expounding the prouidence of GOD touching the soule and the body saith The dust shall bee turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it Solomon calleth mans bodie Dust béecause it is said in Moses that GOD made it of the dust of the earth Therefore the bodie turneth againe vnto dust for it putrifieth and is resolued into that which first it was euen vntill the Iudgement daye as the Lord sayeth For dust thou art and into dust shalt thou be turned againe But the spirite that is to say the reasonable soule dieth not with the bodie it is not resolued into dust béecause it is not taken out of the dust neither is it scattered into the aire because it doest not consist of aire but returneth aliue from death vnto god And therefore it returneth vnto GOD because God gaue the soule and after a singular manner made man after his owne likenes image breathing into his face the spirite of life of life I say that is of liuely power not the spirite of death Therefore the soule caÌnot perish béecause it receiueth immortalitie from God who since hee is life is able to preserue that breath of life which he hath made The Lord Iesus the true and verie sonne of God the life and resurrection of the faithfull sayeth plainely in the Gospell Feare ye not them whiche kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him whiche is able to destroye both bodie and soule in hell If when the bodie being slaine by tyrauntes the soule is not killed then it remaineth aliue after the bodie is destroyed and so assuredlie it remaineth that hauing put off the bodie it should bee caste of the most iust God into hell there euerlastingly to burne for his vnâaithfulnes For in the same Gospel the Lord saith againe Whosoeuer wil saue his life shall loose it againe whosoeuer will loose his life for my sake shal finde it For not he only looseth his life or soule whiche bridleth it from the pleasures of the world and liueth most temperately but hée also who offereth himselfe into the bloudy hands of tyrants to be slaine for the confession of Christian faith And hée findeth his life or soule whiche he lost Therefore the soules of men euen after the death of the bodie remaine aliue and immortall In the Gospel according to S. Iohn the Lord saith Verilie verilie I say vnto you hee that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into iudgement ⪠but is eâcaped from death vnto me Thou hast in these words of the Lord the death of the bodie But forthwith afterward he witnesseth that wée Escape vnto life therefore mens âoules remaine aliue after death For nowe hee speaketh nothing of the raising againe or of the saluation of the bodie but of the life of the soule after death In the same Gospel the Lord sayth againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying he shall neuer see death But it is euident that all men are ordeined once to die namely with bodily death therefore the soule liueth after the death of the bodie For it must néedes be that a faithfull man shall neuer sée or âeele death vnlesse hee told a lie who affirmed with an oth that which he spake For in euery other place he
Paule baptised as a minister not as one that had power of himselfe but the Lord baptised as he that had power of himselfe Behold if it had pleased him he could haue giueÌ this power to his seruants but he would not For if hee should haue giuen this power vnto his seruaunts that it should also haue beene theirs which was the lords then there should haue beene as many sundrie baptismes as seruaunts c. In the Church Christ reserueth that absolute power to himselfe For he continueth the head king bishop of the Church for euer neither is that head whiche giueth life separated from his body at any time But that limitted power he hath giuen vnto the Church Whiche thing it ought to acknowledge to wit an Ecclesiastical iurisdiction hemmed in with certeine lawes whiche procéedeth from God and for that cause it is effectuall and therefore in all thinges ought to haue chiefe regard vnto God and that Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction is for that purpose giuen vnto the church that it might be put in practise for the profite of the Church For S. Paule sayth The Lord hath giuen vs power to the intent we should edifie not for the destruction of the Church And therefore that power whiche tendeth to the hinderance and destruction of the Church is a diuelish tyrannie and not an ecclesiasticall power procéeding from god And it behoueth vs diligently to marke and reteine this ende of Ecclesiasticall power But the limitted power of the church consisteth verie néere in these points to witt in ordeyning of the ministers of the Church in doctrine and in the discerning betwéene doctrines and finally in the ordering of Ecclesiasticall matters Of euery one of which pointes in their order we will speake a litle declaring what manner of authoritie the Church hath and howe farre it is limitted in euery part thereof The Lord himselfe appointed the chiefe doctours of the Church whiche were the Apostles that all men might vnderstand that the Ecclesiastical ministerie is the diuine institution of God himselfe and not a tradition deuised by men And therfore after that the Lord was ascended into heauen S. Peter calling the Church together speaketh out of the scriptures of placing an other Apostle in the stéed of the traytour Iudas by that very facte shewing that power was giuen vnto the Church by God to electe ministers or teachers The same Church also not longe after by the persuasion of Peter and the Apostles so persuading vndoubtedly by the inspiration of the holy Ghost choose seuen deacons The Church of Antioche being manifestly instructed by the holy Ghoste doeth ordeine and sende Paule and Barnabas althoughe they were longe before that time assigned to the ministerie It is read also in the Actes of the Apostles that the churches by the commaundement of the Apostles did ordeine doctours for the holy ministerie as often as néede required And yet notwithstanding they did not ordeine euery one without choice but such onely as were fitt for that office that is to say such as afterward by expresse lawes they themselues did describe to witt If any man were faultles the husband of one wife watchfull sober c. The rule set downe by the Apostle is sufficiently knowen as appeareth in the 1. to Tim. 3. Cap. But as touching the ordeyning of ministers God willing wee will speake in the third sermon of this Decade But if the Church haue receiued power to appoint fitt ministers for the Church I thincke no man will denie that the Church hath authoritie to depose the vnworthie wicked deceiuers and also to correct and amende those thinges whiche being lacking may séeme necessarie for this order And forasmuch as ministers are chosen chiefly to teach it must follow that the Church hath power to teach to exhort to comfort and such like by her lawfull ministers and yet no power to teach euery thing but that onely which she receiued being deliuered vnto her from the Lord by the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Teach them sayeth the Lord that whiche I commaunded you Go ye and preach the Gospell to all creatures And S. Paul sayth I am put a part to preach the Gospell of God which he promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures But this ministerie office of preaching is nothing else but the power of the keyes whiche the Church hath receiued The office I saye of binding and loosing of opening shutting heauen In another place also the apostles receiued power from the Lord ouer all ouer all I say not absolutely but ouer all diuels and not ouer all Angels and men and yet that authoritie and power they receiued ouer diuels they receiued it not absolutely for it is added vnto it that they should expell and cast them out And therefore they could not deale with diúels after their owne fancie but that onely so farre forth as he would haue them to dâe who hath absolute power ouer all diuels and that they might cast diuels out of men but not to sende them into men thoughe they would haue desired it neuer so much And so also as touching diseases they could not doe what they would else would not S. Paule haue left Trophimos sicke at Miletum who might so greatly haue béene profitable vnto him in the holy ministerie The two disciples if they had béen able to haue done what they would would haue commanded fire from heauen to haue fallen downe vppon Samaria and so would haue taken vengeaunce of the vncourteous and barbarous people of Samaria for that they denied to harbour the Lord Christ In like manner those same Apostles receiued keyes that is to saye power to binde and to lose to open and shutt heauen to forgiue and to reteine sinnes but perfectly limitted For they could not lose y which was bound in hell neither bind them that were liuing in heauen For he said not What soeuer ye binde in heauen but whatsoeuer ye binde vppon earth Neither said he Whatsoeuer ye lose in hell but what soeuer ye lose vppon earth Againe they were not able eyther to binde or lose whom they would not so much as vpon earth For they were not able to lose that is to say to pronounce a maÌ frée from sinne that was without faith Againe they could not binde that is say pronounce condemned him that was lightened with faith was truely penitent And surely such as teach other doctrine than this touching the power of the keyes deceiue the whole world of whiche wee will more largly intreat in place conuenient Likewise the Church hath receiued power from Christ to administer the sacraments by ministers but not according to her owne will and pleasure but according to Gods will and the forme and manner sett downe by the Lord himselfe The Church cannot institute sacraments neither yet alter the ends vse of the sacraments Finallie that the Church hath
appeareth the knitting together of the head and the members Christ and the faithful whereof we spake at first and of the which the Lord addeth in the gospel If ye abide in me my words abide in you aske what you will and it shal be done to you Moreouer this church of the faithful is called the kingdome of god For the sonne of God himself Christ Iesus is the king of the church that is to say of all the faithfull who by his spirite and word gouerneth the churche and shée againe willingly submitteth herselfe to his gouernement Neither are there found many kingdomes in the world because there is one onely king of glorie Christ Of this king kingdome I haue entreated in the 7. sermon of my fourth Decade Nowe we haue also said oftentimes that the church is likened to mans body In the body the head is the chiefe whiche is neuer absent from the body And being striken off leaueth a dead body voide of sense And albeit this haue verie many members yet is there a most pleasaunt agréement of them all amongst themselues Euerie one agréeth consenteth together amongst themselues they are soarie one with another and help ech one another The same thing likewise do al faithful people perform one towards another that one member doth to another member They are vnited to their head Christe by faith the head it selfe is ioyned to the members thorough grace and the spirite Christ is neuer separated from the church neither hath she life elsewhere but from Christ who although he bée absent in bodie from the militant church yet is he continually present in spirite in operation and in gouernemeÌt so as he néedeth no vicar in earth since he gouerneth alone continueth for euer the onely head the only king the only priest sauiour of his church For the Lord sayth in Ezechiel I wil raise vp ouer my sheepe a sheepherd who shal feede them to witt my seruaunt Dauid he shal feede them and he shal be their sheepeheard And I the Lord wil be their God my seruaunt Dauid shal be their prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it This last thing he added least any should doubt of the faith and certeinty of those things which are spoken God is the eternall trueth and he hath spoken it therefore that whiche hee hath spoken cannot be but most true But what hath he spoken That there shal bee and is one Pastor and Prince of the Church Behold that he said one is not without signification But who is that one He expoundeth that sayth My seruaunt Dauid to witt Christe Iesus that braunch of Dauids posteritie whom the authoritie of the Gospell calleth euery where the sonne of Dauid He shal be a shéepheard not in name and title onely but in déed For he shall féede his shéepe and therefore shal be in the middest of them For in the Gospel he sayth expressely Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them And againe Behold I am with you alwayes euen to the end of the world Now if he be present with his church she hath no néede of a vicar For a vicar supplieth the place of him that is absent Wheresoeuer therefore Christe his vicar is acknowledged there is no Christe and therefore there reigneth Antichriste This wil be made as yet much more cleare and sure if wee weigh what it meaneth that Christe is said to be the head of the churche The head is the life saluation and light or that whiche giueth lighte to the Churche the supreme gouernour of the faithfull who both can and will alwayes bee present to the whole Congregation of Sainctes of all ages and dispersed throughout the whole world heare her prayers requests moreouer send her succour in all things and briefely who is able perfectly to gouerne the whole church and both prouide for and bring to passe al her matters and that in all things But this priuilege as I thinke thou canst giue to no creature without blasphemie and sacrilege onely therefore Christ perfect God and man is remayneth the onely head of the Church Those that acknowledge the Pope of Rome to be the head of the church militant either knowe not what they doe and saye or willingly and wittingly doe blaspheme the Sonne of God whome they will not haue to reigne ouer his Church alone But let vs nowe heare the testimonies of S. Paule the Apostle of this matter God sayeth hee hath raised vp Christ from the dead and sett him at his right hand in the heauenly places Farre aboue all principalities and powers and might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this world onely but also in that that is to come And hath made all thinges subiecte vnder his feete hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to the church whiche is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Behold Christe is the head for he ruleth all things in heauen and in earth hee gouerneth all thinges hee hath all thinges subiecte vnto himselfe and maketh the Churche his body ministring vnto her those thinges whereof she hath néed and fulfilling all her desires Againe the same Apostle sayth Christ is the head of the Church and the same is the sauiour of the bodie It is the part of the head to preserue and gouerne the body But that no man performes but onely Christ hee remayneth therfore the onely head of his Church speciallie since the church is the spirituall bodie of Christe and therefore cannot haue a carnall head without you will make of the Church a Poetical monster For Christ is the head of the Church not béecause hée is man but béecause he is God and man But and if the defendours of the Romishe idol and champions of the monarchie of Rome by the head doe vnderstand the Prince or gouernour in earth as Saule in the Scripture is called the head ouer Israel and so doe vnderstand the chiefe bishop ruling in the chiefe sea let them againe heare the Scripture it selfe confuting their silthie errour and saying And there arose also a strife amonge the Apostles which of theÌ should seeme to be the greatest But Iesus said vnto them The kinges of the Gentiles reigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called Gratious Lords But ye shal not be so but let the greatest amonge you bee as the least and the chiefest as hee that serueth For who is greater he that sitteth at table or he that serueth Is not hee that sitteth at table And I am amonge you as he that ministreth That Primacie therfore of the church of Rome is of men it is not of the doctrine or institution of Christe yea rather quite contrarie it is repugnant vnto the institution doctrine and example of Christ who will not haue the Apostles
lord the Pope I will persecute and to my abilitie fight against Since these men are sworne thus after this manner who I praye you that is a faithfull louer of Iesus Christ of his churche of true faith yea and adde therevnto of the common wealth can abide to be ordeined by such There is no talke in their othe of the gospel neither of our Lord Iesu Christe him selfe There is no mention of the holy scriptures but of the rules and ordinaunces of the fathers there is most diligent meÌtion Peter is named but not that Apostle of Christe saying Siluer and golde haue I none but an other I knowe not who hauing kingly dignitie In déede the Apostolique churche is named but by and by by interpretation they adde what manner of churche they would haue vnderstood and call it the Papaltie This Papaltie not the churche of God I say the Papaltie and the honours priuileges and rightes of the Popedome against all men beholde they promise they will defend this against al men For they acknowledge the Pope to be their Lord against whom they wil haue nothing to be imagined yea if they may knowe that other do deuise any thing against the pope and popedome they promise discouerie thereof and faithfull helpe But I thinke not that any man can binde him selfe more streightly to one Neyther is it vnknowne that those whome they call Heretiques are not enimies to the Christian faith nor teachers of opinions contrarie to the Scriptures but rebelles to the Pope they are I say they who as they neglect the decrées and lawes of the Pope and preache the Scriptures onely so they giue all the glorie vnto Christe as to the onely heade and high priest of the Church and therefore they teach that the Pope is neither the heade neyther the highe priest of the Churche But who louing true godlinesse can bind him selfe with such an oth Who will renounce and forsake the friendship of Christe and humble him selfe to become the bondslaue and footestoole of the Pope of Rome To be short who will desire to be ordeyned a minister of Christ and of his church at the handes of those that haue done after this manner Here may be added that in the consistorie of Rome all thinges as touching holie orders are most corrupt in so much as scarse any small tokens of Christes institution do appeare I will not rehearse at this present that there are many newe constitutions of men ioyned vnto them that in a manner there remaineth no voyce of the Churche in the ordination of pastours that there is no choice made of such as the churche deputeth there aboutes For the right of presentation collation and confirmation being dispersed among many with some is become euen an heritage so as both dawes and halfe fooles may be made ministers or byshoppes and neyther can I let this thing passe that with them is lost that true examination and sharpe pastorall discipline In déede there remayneth examination but altogether childish in the which lightly they that are ordeined are asked that whiche scholers in common scholes are wont to be demaunded whether one can reade well construe well sing and be cunning in their numbers They can not denie this thing neyther also this that Priestes are ordeined more to reade to sing and saye masse than to gouerne the Churche with the worde of god Whereby the more regarde is had of the voice that it be apt for singing than of skilfulnes or experience in the holie scriptures But they thinke the matter is cunningly handled if some skilfull lawyer be preferred to the office of a Pastour For it séemeth for the most parte to be more profitable to pleade cunningly in the courte for the increase maintenaunce of riches than to preach well in the Churche for the winning of soules What do not we sée men sent from the lawe and out of the courtes of Kings and Princes to possesse Churches fitter for any thing else than to gouerne the Churches of GOD for ecclesiastical offices are begunne to be counted as Princes Donatiues wherevpon they are also called Benefices The Byshops of Rome them selues haue bestowed Priesthoodes vpon their cookes rauenous souldiers barbars and muletors and this was farre more honestly than when they bestowed them vppon bawdes A greate many of Priestes thrust them selues into the holy ministerie by violence and symonie which office neuerthelesse he neyther coulde nor would execute well And they that are receiued by an honester title are receiued through commendation and fauour Herein auayleth much either affinitie or kinred and consanguinitie In all these there is a greater regard had of the bellie than of the ministerie they prouide better for those whiche are accounted Priestes and are no Priestes than for the Churche of God and saluation of soules But by this meanes all things go to wracke in the Churche and the flocke of God is oppressed with the weight and ruine of the shepeheards Herevnto perteyneth the pluralitie as they call it of benefices Some one either souldier or curtisan oftentimes rakes to him selfe the Pope offering it to him halfe a dozen benefices or moe of whiche benefices they take no further care but to receiue the gaine For he neuer teacheth nay he is verie sildome at his flocke vnlesse it be when he sheareth them In the meane time the Lordes flocke is neglected and perisheth For the vicars which are set ouer the flocke by them for the most part are vnlearned and hirelings He that is content with least wages is placed ouer the flocke what manner of one so euer he be And he séemes to haue learning enough if he can read sing say masse heare confessions annoynt and reade the Gospell out of the booke vpon the Sunday That whiche remayneth moreouer to be done séemeth to them to be small matters I am ashamed and sorie to rehearse what a censure for reformation of manners remayneth in the Church The thing it selfe cryeth and experieÌce witnesseth that vnworthy persons are not shut out from this holy ministerie For without difference al are admitted and as yet whoremongers drunkards dice-players and men defiled yea ouerwhelmed with diuers haynous crimes are suffered in the ministerie But least they should séeme to do nothing herein the bishop asketh at giuing of orders Who are worthy of honour and his Chauncellour or the Archdeacon foorthwith answereth the bishoppe who before that time neuer sawe or heard what manner of men they are of whome he beareth witnesse They are worthy Moreouer they vse so many and such kyndes of ceremonies in their consecration that he that is studious of the truth of the Gospell can not receiue them with a safe conscience These causes and other not vnlike make vs that we can somuch lesse abide to be ordeined of the ordinaries or bishops of the Romish church The last point remaineth whiche I purposed to declare in the beginning of this treatise what is the office
Gentiles Againe when the same Paule at Corinthe had preached Christe to the Iewes and they resisted and reuiled The Apostle shooke his rayment and sayde Your bloude be vppon your owne heades I am cleane from hencefoorth I will goe vnto the Gentiles And so he did âând the vnbeléeuers And God confirmed the preaching of Paule bycause it procéeded from God him selfe And vnlesse you put the proper and true keye into the locke you shall neuer open it The true and right keye is the pure worde of God the counterfet and théeuishe key is a doctrine and tradition of man estraunged from the worde of god I thinke I haue sufficiently proued by euident testimonies of the scripture that the keys giuen to the Apostles and Pastours of the Churche and so to the Churche it selfe are nothing else than the ministerie of teaching the Church For by the doctrine of the Gospell as it were with certeine keyes the gate of the kingdome of heauen is opened when a sure and readie meane and waye is shewed to come to atteine vnto the participation of Christe and the ioyes of euerlasting life by true fayth To the testimonie of God mans recorde agréeth For Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vpon Matthewe chapter 23. The keye saythe he is the word of the knowledge of the scriptures by whiche the gate of truthe is opened to men And the key-bearers are the Priests to whom is committed the worde of teaching and interpreting the scriptures Other testimonies of olde interpreters of the Scriptures differing nothing from these of oures for that I am desirous to be briefe I do not bring Since these thinges are thus brethren and are deliuered vnto vs in the expresse Scriptures we will not therefore greatly passe what the Papistes babble touching the power of the keyes and what offices dignities preferments and I knowe not what other thing and what authoritie of Priestes they deriue from thence We haue learned not out of the wordes or opinions of men but out of the manifest worde of GOD that the keys are the ministerie of the preaching of the worde of GOD and that the keyes are giuen to the Apostles and to their successours that is to say the office of preaching remission of sinnes repentaunce and life euerlasting is coÌmitted to them Wherevpon we nowe conclude this that the chiefe office of a Pastour of the church is to vse those very keyes whiche the Lorde hath deliuered to his Apostles and no other that is to preache the onely and pureworde of GOD and not to fetche any doctrine from any other place than out of the verie worde of god For there is a perpetuall and inuiolable lawe at this day also layde vpon our Pastours which we reade was layd vpon the most auncient gouernours of the Churche the Lorde him selfe witnessing in Malachie and saying My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afrayde before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and turned many from their iniquitie For the Priestes lippes shoulde preserue knowledge and they shoulde seeke the lawe at his mouth for hee is the messinger of the Lorde of hoastes Againe the Lord sayth to Ezechiel Thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and giue them warning from me In Ieremie the Lorde sayth The Prophete that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and hee that hath my woorde let him speake my woorde faythfully He expressely puts a difference betwéene heauenly things and earthly thinges betwéene those thinges whiche are of the word of GOD and those that are feigned and chosen by man whiche hée willeth to let passe as vncerteine thinges and as dreames For he immediately addeth Is not my worde as fire sayth the Lorde and like a hammer that breaketh the harde stone And againe Heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that preache vnto you and deceiue you truly they teache you vanitie for they speake the meaning of their owne hearte and not out of the mouth of the lord Therefore all the true Prophetes of GOD haue this continually in their mouth Thus sayth the Lorde The mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it And therefore they deliuered vnto the people nothing contrarie vnto the worde of god The olde people had also the Scripture And the Prophetes were nothing else but interpreters of the Lawe applying the same to the place time matters and persons Also oure Lorde Iesus Christe sayth oftentimes that his doctrine is not his owne but the fathers Whiche thing if you vnderstande literally and according to his words I knowe not whether any thing can be spoken more absurde Therefore the Lorde meaneth that his doctrine is not of man but of god Doth not he sende vs continually to the writinges of the Lawe and the Prophetes and confirmeth his owne sayinges by them But Christe is the onely teacher of religion and maister of lyfe appoynted vnto the vniuersall Churche by GOD the father To this Churche he himselfe also sending teachers and shewing them what they shoulde deliuer fayth Teach them to obserue those thinges which I haue commaunded you Also Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures But the Apostle Paule witnesseth that the Gospel was promised by the Prophetes of God in the holy Scriptures And this doctrine receiued of Christe the Apostles deliuered to the nations adding nothing vnto it taking nothing from it and there withall also they expounding the auncient writings of the Prophetes yet neyther in this matter trusting any thing to their owne wit nor being ruled by their owne iudgement For the Apostle Peter saith As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same one to an other as good stewardes of the manifold graces of god If any man speak let him talke as the words of god Tertullian also in his booke intituled De Praescript haeret which I haue also elswhere rehearsed expresly saith It is not lawful for vs in any thing to rest vpoÌ our owne fancie or iudgemeÌt neither yet to be negligent markers what any other man bringeth foorth of his owne braine We haue the Apostles of the Lord for authours for not they them selues did choose any thing whiche they might establish after their own fancie and the doctrine whiche they receiued of Christe they faythfully deliuered to the nations And therefore if euen an Angel from heauen should preach any otherwise he shal be accurssed at our hands Thus farre he We haue moreouer shewed in our sermons of faith and of the churche that faith dependeth vpon the only worde of God and that it wholy stayeth vpon the onely word of God also that the churches of god are builded and preserued by the worde of God and not by mans doctrine all whiche séeme to apperteine to this matter Neyther is it leât to the byshops
of the church of Christe as the Popish pastors do falsely boast to ordeine new lawes and to broach new opinions For the doctrine whiche was deliuered to the apostls of Christ is simply to be receiued of the church and simply and purely to be deliuered of the pastours to the church whiche is the congregation of such as beléeue the word of Christe And who knoweth not that it is sayde by the Prophete All men are lyars God only is true And the church is the piller and ground of truth bycause as it stayeth vpon the truth of the Scriptures euen so it publisheth none other doctrine than is deliuered in the scriptures neither receiueth it being published And who is he that will challenge to him selfe the glorie due vnto God onely God is the onely lawegiuer to all mankinde especially in those thinges which perteine to religion and a blessed life For Esaie sayth The Lorde is our iudge the Lord is our lawegiuer the Lorde is our king and he him selfe shal be our Sauiour And S. Iames also saythe There is one lawgiuer which is able to saue and to destroy God challengeth this thing as proper to him selfe to rule those that are his with the lawes of his word ouer whome he only hath authoritie of life and death Moreouer those lawes can not be godly whiche presume to prescribe and teache fayth and the seruice of God after their owne fancie The doctrine concerning fayth and the worship of God vnlesse it be heauenly is nothing lesse than that which it is sayd to be God only teacheth vs what is true fayth and what worship he delighteth in And therefore in Matthewe the sonne of God pronounceth out of Esaie In vayne doe they worship me teaching for doctrines the commaundementes of men Ioyne herevnto also that from the newe constitutions of men there springeth alwayes vp a wonderfull neglecting yea and contempt of the word of God and of heauenly lawes For through our owne traditions as the Lorde also sayth in the Gospell we goe astraye and despise the commaundements of God. Nowe since it is manifest from whence the Pastour or doctour must fetche his doctrine to wit from no other place than out of the Scripture of the old and new Testament which is the infallible and vndoubted word of God and that therefore this doctrine is certeine and immutable There remaineth nowe also something to be spoken of the manner of teaching which the teacher or pastor of the Churche ought to followe And here I will onely briefly touche the shorte summe or effect of matters Afore all other thinges therefore it is required of Pastours that continually they account that to be spoken vnto them whiche the Apostle commanded to be often tolde to Archippus Take heede to the ministerie that thou haste receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it And moreouer ãâã they neuer turne away their eies from that liuely picture of a good and euill shepehearde whiche Ezechiel that famous Prophete setteth out after this manner Thus sayth the Lorde God woe be vnto the shepeheardes of Israel that feede them selues shoulde not the shepeheards feede the flocks ye eate the fat ye cloath you with the wooll ye kill them that are fed but ye feed not the shepe the weak haue ye not strengthened the sicke haue ye not healed neither haue ye bound vp the broken nor brought againe that whiche was driuen away neyther haue ye sought that whiche was lost but with crueltie and with rigour haue ye ruled them And againe I will feede my sheepe sayth the Lord God I will seeke that whiche was lost and bring againe that whiche was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken and will strengthen the weake but I will destroy the fat and the strong and I will feede them with iudgement Hereby we gather that it is the duetie of a good Pastour or shepeheard to féde and not to deuour the flocke to minister not to exercise dominion to séeke the safetie of his shéepe not his priuate gaine and also to séeke out againe the lost shéepe that is to say to bring again such as can not abide the truth and wander in the darkenesse of errous home to the church and vnto the light of the trueth and to restore and bring back againe the shéep that is driuen or chased away to wit such as are separated from the felowship of the Saintes or godly for some priuate affections sake to heale or binde vp such as are broken For he meaneth the wounds of sinnes whiche Ieremie also commaundeth to heale and to be short to strengthen the weake and féeble shéep and not altogether to treade them vnder foote and to bridle such shéepe as be strong that is to say men flourishing in vertues least they be proude and puffed vp with the giftes of God and so fall away But let him thinke that these thinges can not be perfourmed but through sounde and continuall teaching deriued oute of GOD his worde The manner of teaching extendeth it selfe to publique and priuate doctrines By publique doctrine the Pastour eyther catechiseth that is to say instructeth them that be younglings in religion or other whiche are grounded therein To the younglings or ignoraunt sorte he openeth the principles of true religion For Catechesis or the fourme of Catechising comprehendeth the groundes or principles of fayth and Christian doctrine to wit the chiefe pointes of the couenaunt the tenne commaundements the Articles of fayth or Apostles Créede the Lordes prayer and a briefe exposition of the Sacramentes The auncient churches had Catechisers appoynted properly to this charge And the Lorde commendeth vnto vs bothe in the olde Testament and in the newe with great earnestnesse the charge of the youth commaunding vs to instruct them both betimes and also diligently in true religion Moreouer he setteth out great rewardes and grieuous punishments in that behalfe Assuredly no profite or fruite is to bee looked for in the Churche of those hearers that are not perfectly instructed in the principles of religion by Catechising for they knowe not of what thing the Pastor in the Churche speaketh when they heare the couenaunt the commaundement the lawe grace fayth prayer and the sacraments to be named Therefore if in any thing then in this ought greatest diligence to be vsed The doctrine whiche apperteyneth to the perfecter sorte is specially occupyed in the exposition of holy Scripture It may appeare out of the writings of the old bishops that it was the custome in that happie and most holie primitiue churche to expounde vnto the Churches not certeine parcels of the Canonicall bookes neyther some chosen places out of them but the whole bookes as well of the newe Testament as the olde And in so doing there came no small fruite vnto the Churches As at this day also we sée by experience that Churches can not be better instructed nor more vehemently stirred vppe
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becoÌmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we coÌmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or froÌ others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power
that whiche they aske it doeth not proue that prayer is altogether vnprofitable for it is ofteÌtimes profitable for him that prayeth not to receiue his requestes There are moreouer many causes for the whiche God either putteth off the things that are asked or doeth not graunt them There is a kind of men which pray of whome we read written He that stoppeth his âare at the crie of the poore shal crie himselfe not be heard Againe Though ye make many prayers yet will I heare nothing at all seeing your handes are full of bloud So againe in Solomon Wisedome cryeth testifying that she will not heare them that call on her because they would not first heare her giuing them warning in time All these things in a maÌner are gathered from the person of them that pray from the thing it selfe which they pray for that whiche followeth is deriued S. Iames sayeth Yee aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse euen to consume it vpon your lustes For the Lord also aunswering two euen of his chosen disciples which required the highest roomes in the kingdome of Christ saith Ye knowe not what ye aske Furthermore holy men when they aske holy and necessarie things or at the least not vniust or euil whiche neuerthelesse they receiue not of the Lord they forthwith thincke that God is a God of iudgement and iustice and therefore that hee will not immediatly deliuer out of afflictions yet desire they deliuerance with continuall prayers Whome the Lord loueth he chasteneth whome he chasteneth he doeth not to this end to destroy them but that they should not be condeÌned with the wicked world For it is lawefull in such distresses to pray with Dauid Rebuke me not in thine anger O Lord neither chasten me in thy displeasure And with Ieremie Lord âorrecte me in iudgement not in furie And with Abacuch WheÌ thou art angrie remeÌber thy mercie The godly doubt nothing of the power goodnes of God to men ward That which God will and which is profitable for the children of God god can do Innumerable examples of this thing the old new testament doth affoard vs Wherefore when we are not deliuered when we obteine not our desires it is most sure that God wil haue it so and that it is profitable for vs it should so be By this meanes he heareth our prayers when he heareth vs For our prayers tend to this end onely that it might go wel with vs God since he is onely wise knoweth what can profite and what can hurt vs and doth not giue vs y we aske yet by not giuing he in verie déed grauÌteth that whiche is good for vs Therefore the lawful prayer of the faithful is alwaies effectual and euermore obteineth his purpose the Lord gaunting to his that which he knoweth to be good Furthermore the Lord deferreth to perfourme that whiche is asked yea and at somtime séemeth altogether to neglecte our prayers but hee doeth that by prolonging to trie his that he may make their faith the more feruent and his giftes also more acceptable whiche are so much the more ioyfully receiued by how much they are looked for by an ardent desire In this temptation let that saying of the prophete comfort vs Can a woman forgett her child not haue compassion on the sonne of her owne wombe Though they shuld forget yet wil not I forget thee For the church had said God hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Let vs now coÌsider what maner of prayer that shuld be which he y calleth on God vseth That question cannot bee better resolued than by weighing the chiefest circumstances First therefore let vs consider who must bee called vppon of them that pray None verily but the one and only god For thrée things are required of him whiche is prayed vnto First that he heare the prayers of all the men in the whole world that he pierce and exactly know their hearts yea that he know more rightly and better all the desires of men than men themselues can vtter them Secondly that he be present euerie where haue power ouer all thinges in heauen in earth and in hell whiche hath in his power all the wayes and all the meanes to helpe Thirdly that his will be excéeding good and readie prepared that that which he can he may also be willing to do But these properties are found in God onely For God onely searcheth the reines and the harts he onely séeth and heareth all thinges he onely knoweth more perfectly those things which are within and without man than man himselfe he onely is present in all places hee onely is Almightie he onely is wise the will of God onely imbraceth man with most perfect goodnes is alwayes readie onely procureth faithfully that which is profitable for man therefore ought God only to bée called vpon But who can attribute these properties were it to the most chosen soules in heauen without blasphemie and sacrilege Therefore the soules in heauen liuing with God are not to be called vpon Especially since the scripture in plaine words testifieth the Abraham Iacob know vs not and commaundeth vs to cal on God and forbiddeth to communicate those thinges which are Gods to creatures And that we say nothing else to whom I pray you of all the saincts or angels in heauen can we say without blushing O our father whiche art in heauen that which followeth in the Lords prayer Let vs therfore call vpon God onely that heauenly father whome alone all the sainctes or godly men as many as haue bin in the church haue called vppon But since no mortal man how good soeuer hee séeme to be is worthie to come forth into the sight of the eternall and most holy God whiche thinge all men with one voice confesse many in déed and diuerse patrones intercessours and aduocates are chosen and receiued of them that pray by whose intercessioÌ either they themselues might be brought to God or their prayers presented vnto god Wherfore some haue chosen to themselues angels other apostles other the most holy among all other women that blessed virgin the mother of Christ other some haue chosen other as they haue put confidence in this man or the man but they haue forged these thinges vnto themselues out of the imagination of their owne hart haue not learned them at the mouth of the lord The scripture y only rule of truth setteth forth to vs one mediatour intercessour patrone aduocate by whom we mây come vnto God by whome we may present our prayers vnto the lord All the prayers of all men are vnpleasant and abhominable which are not made by Christ Iesus Neither doeth true faith suffer vs to forge and imagine another aduocate for Christ or some other with Christ in the sight of God nor our selues alone without our aduocate Christ to rushe into the presence
some of thinges to come They thincke them signes of thinges present whiche signifie those things to be preseÌt which are signified as the Iuie garlaÌd haÌging for a signe doth giue vs to vnderstand that there is ãâã to be fould where it is hanged vp The signes whiche our maister Christ wrought did signifie that the Messâs and the kingdome of god promised by the prophetes was come Vnder signes paât they comprise all tumbes monuments of the dead and those stones pitched of Iosue in the middest of Iordane signifying to them which came after what was done in times before The fléece did giue to Gedeon a signe of thinges to come y is to say a signe of the victorie whiche he should haue ouer his enimies But those signes being well considered not neglected maye more amplie and plainly be diuided into other signes wherof some are giuen of men and some ordeined of God himselfe Signes or tokens are giuen of men whereby they shew and signifie some thing and by the which also they kéepe some thing in memorie among men or do as it were seale vpp that which they would haue certeine sure After this maner is euery description or picture demonstratiue called a signe For in Ezechiel cap. 4. Hierusalem which was portrayed in a tyle is called a signe They also in ancient time termed the images of the dead signes because by those images they would renue a freshe the memorie of them whose signes they were called kéepe them in remeÌbrance as if they were aliue Yea and the holy scripture calleth idols signes as it appeareth in Esaie cap. 45. and the 2. Paralip 33. So stones beeing sett or layed to marke out any thing as land marks and all tumbes or monumentes are signes Rahaâ of Hiericho said to the Israelits Giue me a signe by oath that you wil shew mercie to me and they gâue her a rope to hange out of her wiââowe Behold the rope was a signe ãâ¦ã faith and trueth wherewith the ãâ¦ã as yee would say seale themselues surely and without all dissimulation to take diligent héede that Rahaâ should not be destroyed We Zwicers terme such signes giuen or receiued in confirmation of faith and trueth Wortzeichen beecause they are added to the woordes and doe as it were seale them and Warzeichen also because by them we doe as it were giue wittnesse that in good faith and without all fraude or guile we will performe that in déede which we promised in word Nowe these kinde of signes are of diuers sortes For some are mute or dumbe and perteine to the sense of the eyes of which sort are the standards vsed in warre crosses banners flaming fiers whereof mention is made Num. 2. Psal. 73. c. Neither is any man able to reckon vp all of this sort for euer anon new come in as pleaseth men Iudas gaue a signe vnto his companie Whomesoeuer sayeth he I shall kisse that same is hee take him The ioyning of right handes whiche pertayneth to the sense of féeling is a signe of faithfulnes helpe and fellowshipp yea it is a dumbe signe whiche signe Paule calleth the Right hand of fellowship Hitherto belong diuers mouings and gestures Some of them are pertayning to the voice which are conceiued by hearing and are vttered by mans voice or by the sound of things which haue no life By mans voyce are vttered woords whistling whatsoeuer other things are of this kinde wherevnto watchwoords vttered by the voice maye be added as Schiboleth in the 12. Chap. of the Iudges Moreouer voices without life are they whiche are made by trumpets flutes hornes gunnes drumbes by ringing of bells and sounding instrumentes which also extend very farre and largely Now signes are giuen of God to this end to teach admonishe vs of thinges to come or of thinges past either that they may after a sort lay before the eyes of the beholders represent in a certaine likenesse the thinges themselues whereof they are signes or else that they maye as it were seale the promises and woords of God with some visible ceremonie celebrated of men by Gods institution to be short that they might exercise oure faith and gather together those whiche are scattered into one assemblie or companie And these are not all of one sort but do much differ betwéene themselues For some haue their beginning of naturall causes and yet neuerthelesse are giuen as signes of God to put vs in minde of things past or to renue his promises and to teache men thinges that haue béene done of which kind is the rainebowe mentioned by Moses Gen. 9. For when the floud ceassed that God made a newe league with Noah and ordeined the rainebowe for a signe of his couenaunt he made it not a new but beeing made long afore appearing by natural causes by a newe institution he consecrated it to the intent it might cause vs to call to our remembrance the floud and as it were renue the promise of God that is to say that it should neuer come to passe againe that the earth should be drowned with water Now this signe hath not any ceremonie ordeined wherby it might bée celebrated amonge men neither doth it gather vs together into the societie of any bodie or fellowship But this signe is referred chiefly to God saying I will sett my rainebowe in the clouds that when I see it I may remember the euerlasting couenant made betweene mee and you Not much vnlike to this are signes wonders signes say in the Sunne the moone and the starres whiche doe forewarne men of destruction and calamities to come vnlesse by repentance they amende but neither haue these any ceremonie ordeined to celebrate the remembrance of them or to gather vs together c. Againe there be other signes altogether myraculous not naturall thoughe there bée naturall thinges in them of which sort Gedeons fléece is and the shadowe of the Sunne going backe in the diall of king Ezechias These signes as we read them to haue béene once shewed so by no institution are they commaunded to bée followed or for some certeine end to bée celebrated To Ezechias they were giuen at that time to signifie wittnesse the victorie which he shuld haue against his enimies and the recouerie of his health Altogether méerely meruailous are those things which in the last of Marke by oure Lord Iesus Christe are called signes giftes I meane of healing and speaking with tongues giuen vnto bestowed vpon men not by any power of maÌ or vertue of healing in him but by the power and vertue of Christ onely Those signes declared vnto men that that was the true and vndoubted preaching of the Gospell whereby Christe is declared to bee Lord of all Lord of life and death of Sathan of hell also it selfe For nowe when through the name of Christe the dead doe rise and diseases being
finde that they of the old Testament had Sacraments after one kynd and they of the newe Testament Sacraments after an other kind The Sacraments of the people vnder the old Testament were circumcision and the Paschal lambe to which were added sacrifices whereof I haue aboundantly spoken in the thirde Decade and the sixt Sermon In like manner the Sacraments of the people vnder the newe Testament that is to say of Christians by the writings of the Apostles are two in number Baptisme The Supper of the Lorde But Peter Lombard reckoneth 7. Baptisme Penance the supper of the Lorde Confirmation Extreme vnction Orders Matrimonie Him followeth the whole rablement of interpretours and route of scholemen But all the auncient doctours of the Church for the moste part do reckon vp two principall sacraments among whome Tertullian in his first fourth booke Contra Marcionem and in his booke De corona militis very plainly maketh mention but of two onely that is to saye Baptisme and the Eucharist or supper of the Lorde And Augustine also Lib. 3. de doctr Christiana cap. 9. sayth The Lorde hath not ouerburthened vs with signes but the Lorde him selfe and the doctrine of the Apostles haue left vnto vs certeine fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend to be vnderstoode most pure to be obserued as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloude of the Lord. And againe to Ianuarius epist. 118. he sayth He hath knit and tyed together the fellowship of a newe people with sacramentes in number verie fewe in obseruing verie easie in signification verie excellent as is baptisme consecrated in the name of the Trinitie and the partaking of Christs body and bloud and whatsoeuer thing else is commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures excepte those thinges wherewith the seruitude of the olde people was burdened according to the agreeablnes of their heartes and the time of the prophets Which are read in the fiue books of Moses Where by the way is to be marked that he sayth not And whatsoeuer things else are commended vnto vs in the canonicall scriptures but And what so euer thing else c. which plainely proueth that he speaketh not of Sacramentes but of certeine obseruations bothe vsed and receyued of the Churche as the wordes of Augustine whiche folowe do declare Howbeit I confesse without dissimulation that the same Augustine elsewhere maketh mention of the Sacrament of Orders where neuerthelesse this séemeth vnto me to be also considered that the selfe same authour giueth the name of Sacramentes to Annoynting and to Prophecie and to Prayer and to certeine other of this sorte as well as he dothe to Orders and now and then among them he reckoneth vppe the Sacramentes of the Scripture so that we may easily sée that in his workes the worde Sacrament is nowe vsed one way and sometimes an other For he calleth these Sacraments bicause being holie they came from the holie Ghoste and bycause they be holie institutions of God obserued of all that be holie but yet so that these differ from those Sacramentes whiche are holie actions consisting of wordes and ceremonies and whiche gather together into one fellowshippe the partakers thereof But Rabanus Maurus also Byshoppe of Mentze a diligent reader of Augustins works Lib. 1. de Instit cleric cap. 24. sayth Baptisme and vnction and the body and bloude are Sacramentes whiche for this reason are called Sacraments bycause vnder a couert of corporall thinges the power of GOD woorketh more secretely oure saluation signified by those Sacramentes wherevppon also for their secrete and holie vertues they are called Sacramentes This Rabanus Maurus was famous about the yeare of the Lorde eight hundreth and thirtie so that euen by this we may gather that the auncient Apostolique Churche hadde no more than two Sacramentes I make no mention here of Ambrose although he in his bookes of sacramentes numbereth not so many as the companie of scholemen doe bycause some of those workes sette foorthe in his name are not receyued of all learned men as of his owne doing so I little force the authoritie of the workes of Dionysius whiche of what price and estimation they be among learned and good men it is not needefull to declare But howe so euer the case standeth the holye Scripture the onely and infallible rule of life and of all thinges whiche are to be done in the Churche commendeth baptisme and the Lordes Supper vnto vs as solemne institutions and Sacramentes of Christ Those two are therefore sufficient for vs so that we néede not be moued what so euer at anye time the subtile inuention of mans busie brayne bring against or beside these twaine For why GOD neuer gaue power to any to institute Sacramentes In the means while wee doe not contemne the wholesome rites and healthfull institutions of GOD nor yet the religious obseruations of the Church of Christ We haue declared elswhere touching Penaunce and Ecclesiasticall Order Of the residue whiche latter writers doe authorize for Sacra ⪠mentes we will speake in their conuenient place So haue we also elsewhere so farre foorthe as we thought requisite entreated of the likenesse and difference of Sacramentes of the people of the olde and newe testament Nowe let vs sée in what thinges Sacramentes consiste By the testimonie of the Scripture and of all the godly men they consiste in two thinges to witte in the signe and the thing signified in the worde and the rite in the promise of the Gospell and in the ceremonie in the outwarde thing and the inwarde in the earthly thing I saye and the heauenly And as Irenaeus the Martyr of Christe witnesseth in the visible thing and inuisible in the sensible thing and the intelligible For heerevnto belongeth that whiche Sainte Iohn Chrysostome vppon Matthewe sayth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã CHRIST deliuereth nothing vnto vs that is sensible but vnder visible thinges the outwarde thinges are sensible but yet all spirituall But hee calleth those thinges ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sensible whiche are perceyued by the outwarde senses as by séeing hearing tasting and touching but those thinges he calleth ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã intelligible or mentall whiche are perceyued by the mynde the vnderstanding consideration discourse or reasoning of the mynde not of the fleshe but of fayth By the testimonie of the Scriptures this thing shall bée made manifest .. The Lorde sayeth to his disciples in the Gospell Goe into the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures and he whiche shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Yee shall baptise in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste The same sayeth of Iohn Baptiste Iohn baptised in the wildernesse preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes So also Sainte Luke witnesseth that Sainte Peter sayde to the Israelites Repent yee and bee baptised euerie one of you in the
grace that is which haue power to giue grace For they say that they are as instruments pipes certeine conduits of Christes passion by whiche the grace of Christe is conueyed and powred into vs but that the signes of the old testament giuen to the fathers were signes onely and not causes of grace also whiche haue force to signifie but not to giue grace They séeme truelye to haue suckte that errour out of Sainct Augustines words wrongfully vnderstoode for he writeth vppon the 73. Psalme thus The sacraments of the new lawe are more wholesome happie than they of the old lawe because they promise these giue But S. Augustinement to say no other thing than that whiche in another place he speaketh after this manner The sacrament of the old lawe did foreshew that Christ should come but ours doe shewe that hee is come For also against Faustus Lib. 19. cap. 14. he calleth the Sacraments of the old lawe Promises of things to bee perfourmed but our sacramentes tokens of thinges that are alreadie perfourmed Wherfore vpon the 73. Psalme he sayeth The sacramentes of the old lawe are giuen to signifie the verie thing but ours do witnesse that it is giuen and signifie that it is present I confesse that he saith more than once that our sacramentes are more comfortable and effectuall but hee said that by no other reason than for that the Messias being alreadie reuealed and giuen vnto vs in the new testament our sacramentes are more perfecte more lightsome and more beautifull for Christ hath brought all signes to an end wherfore ours haue a more full signification and after a sort are the more liuelie But if Augustine had béene altogether of that opinion which these men do fauour and followe would not godlines it selfe persuade vs to forsake the authoritie of men and cleane to the word of trueth Let vs sée therefore what may bée gathered out of the word of trueth that is out of the canonical scriptures touching the likenes and difference of the sacraments of the old and new testament This we hould for a certeintie out of the scriptures that there is but one euerlasting and vnchaungeable God and Lord of either Churche that there is but one faith in him thorough Christe of either Churche that there is but one waye layd downe in either Church to atteine to the promises of saluation to be short that there is but one Churche of the onely liuing God gathered together out of either people both of the Iewes Gentiles I thincke there needeth no large confirmation of these thinges out of the scripture béecause in the 8. Decade and third Sermon I haue handled them at the full Now that I haue fortified and coÌfirmed these thinges before by the writinges of the Apostles thus I conclude not of mine owne braine but by the authoritie of God They which alwayes haue one euerlasting and vnchaungeable God one waye of saluation set forth for all in Christ from the beginning one faith one church one baptisme the same spirituall meate and drincke they cannot choose but haue the selfe same sacraments as touching their substance But the Iewes and Christians haue one God one faith one way of saluation which is by Christe to be short one church therefore haue they also the selfe same sacraments sauing that ours are giuen vnder other signes and for that throughe the reuelation ot the Sunne of righteousnes I meane Christ are made more lightsome and manifest I saye further that the scripture witnesseth that the sacraments of the old testament and ours are of the same force in so muche that Paule calleth them circumcised which are baptised and them baptised which are circumcised And he also teacheth That oure fathers did eate that spirituall meate which wee eate dranke of that spirituall drincke that is the rocke But anon he addeth And that rocke was Christ The words of the Apostle are well knowen and are read in the 1. Cor. 10. The same Apostle in the se-second chapiter to the Coloss saith In Christ ye are complete or made perfecte in whome also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hands by putting off the bodie of the flesh subiecte to sinne by the circumcision of Christe buried with him in baptisme c. What I praye you can bée spoken more plainely Circumcision made without handes is the circumcision of Christians which is baptisme But in the former place of Paul to the Corinthians we must mark as elsewhere I put you in minde that to be baptised into Moses is not the same that it is to be baptised into Christe For to be baptised into Moses is all one as if he had said to be baptised by Moses or thoroughe the ministerie of Moses For it is manifest that Moses broughte the people to GOD whiche were onely committed to his charge In many places in Aurel. August ye shall read the like howsoeuer oure aduersaries doe father vppon Augustine this difference betwene the sacraments of the old lawe and ours of their owne bringing in For he Lib. 2. cont literas Petil. cap. 27. sayeth The sacraments of the Iewes were in out ward tokens diuers from ours but in the thinges signified they were equall and all one Also Tract in Ioan. 26. vpon this place He is the bread which came downe froÌ heaueÌ he saith Manna did fignifie this bread the altar of God signified this bread Those were sacrameÌts In signes they are diuers but in the thinge signified equall The like woordes thou mayest read Lib. 19. contra Faustum ManichÄum cap. 13. 16. 17. And againe Tract in Ioan 45. Before the comming of oure Lord Iesus Christ wheÌ he came basely in the fleshe there were iust and righteous men who did so beléeue in him then that was to come as we doe beléeue in him nowe that is come The times were chaunged but so was not faith And so forth And anon In diuers signes is all one faith so in diuers signes as in diuers words because woords chaunge their soundes by times and truely words are nothing buâ signes For in that they signifie they are wordes take a waye the signification from the word and it is a vaine noyse Therefore all woordes are significations Did not these that ministred those signes in the old lawe beléeue those thinges which we no we beléeue were prophecied before hand by them No doubt they did beléeue them but they beléeued they should come and wee that they are come Also vppon the 77. Psalme The same meate and drincke sayeth hee had they in their Sacraments which wée haue in oures but in signification the same not in likenesse For the selfe same Christ was figured to them in the rocke but manifested to vs in the flesh But with them all God was not well pleased All verilie did eate one spirituall meate and dranke one spirituall drinke that is which signified some spirituall thing but in all of them God had no delight And
the same manner hath hee heere lefte with vs a memorie of the mysteries stopping bridling hereby the mouths of heretiques For wheÌ they say Whereby appeareth it that Christe was offered and many other mysteries Then we alleadging these things doe thereby stop their mouthes For if Iesus be not deade whose representation or signe is this sacrifice Thus farre he You perceiue I suppose how this writer doeth bring against heretiques the Sacrament of the super for the testimonie of truth that is to say of the lords true death Wherefore as the Gospel is called a witnesse and the Preachers of the Gospel witnesses euen so we call sacramentes witnesses of the same trueth whiche though they be dumb yet neuerthelesse are visible after which name S. August calleth them Visible words For the preaching of the Gospell consisting of wordes heard with the eares is a speaking witnesse but sacraments which consist of signes and are séene with the eyes are spéechlesse witnesses and as it were remnauntes and remembraunces of the preaching of the gospel Yea sacraments were instituted by God to that end that they might visiblie confirme vnto vs the ready good-will of GOD towarde vs and also the preaching of the Gospel and all the promises of life and saluation and that they should be as it were seales sett and fixed to the Gospell and promises made by God whiche might testifie and confirme that faith in Christ is true righteousnesse That whiche I haue saide I will confirme by the writinges of the Apostles But I taught a little before that there is allone ground of the sacraments of the olde Testament and of the new a few things onely excepted so that now by very good right by the comparing of both together wee may estimate and vtter what the force and vse of our Sacraments is Paule therefore to the Rom. 4. chap. saith We say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes howe was it then imputed When hee was circumcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised after hee receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should be the father of all theÌ that beleeue not beeing circumcised that righteousnes might de imputed vnto them also and the father of circumcision not vnto them onelie whiche are of the circumcised but vnto them also that walke in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had when he was vncircumcised All these are Pauls words AmoÌg which first of all some words are méete to be expounded then we must séeke after the sense and meaning of the Apostles wordes and last of all we must apply them to our purpose touching the sacrament The Apostle héere vseth two wordes that is to say The Signe The seale Signum the word signe is more generall stretcheth very far but a seale is a word that properly belongeth vnto sacrameÌts which are seales and confirmatioÌs For al signes seale not For some by fignificatioÌ onely do accoÌplish their duetie But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã properly is to seale for assurance and confirmation sake of faith or credite wherefore ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is a seale whiche is set to to kéepe confirme our faith and promise and to be without all daunger of deceipte And héere as else where very often the Lord doth imitate the manner of men For we men are wonte by setting to our seales to confirme our writings couenauntes and faithfull promises which we before had made by word And that this hath alwayes béene the cause of the instituting vse of seales appeareth plainely by these testimonies of the Scriptures When the children of Israel vnder Ezra made a couenaunt with the Lord by and by they set downe their couenaunt in writinge and seale the writing to be a testimonie of the trueth as in Nehem. the 9. chap. and Hag. the 2. chapter thou mayst read I will take thee to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel saieth the Lord and wil make thee as a signe or sealing ring for I haue choseÌ thee As if he had said All meÌ shal certeinlie learne that in the sonne of Salathiel y continuaunce of the posteritie of the Messias doeth consiste and remaine Thus writeth Ieremie chap. 22. As truely as I liue saith the Lorde if Chonenias the sonne of Iohoakim king of Iuda weare the signet or seale on my righte hande yet will I pluck thee thence whiche is as much as if he had saide Though thou were hee in whome I wil kéepe my promisses yet shalt thou bee ledd captiue into Babylon To this agréeth that of Matth written of the Iewes So they went and made the Sepulchre sure and sealed the stone without doubt against deceiptfull practises they appointed a watch It appeareth therefore by these testimonyes where to the vse of seales serueth These thinges béeing thus declared let vs nowe diligently searche out the counsell and meaning of the Apostles wordes Paule sheweth that iustification happeneth vnto men by the power and vertue of no woorkes of no ceremonies or sacramentes but by the onely merite of Christe through faith To proue this he bringeth the example of Abraham of whome the Scripture hath pronounced Abraham beleeued God it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Thence he gathereth that Abraham was iustified by faith yea that that was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Where bothe by the worde or force of imputation and by the whole sentence of Moses he doeth moste strongly reason shewing that through grace righteousnesse is imputed by faithe Where-vnto hee ioyneth also a testimonie out of Dauid touching righteousnesse by imputatioÌ I handled that place in the first Sermon of the fourth Decade Then hee returneth againe to the example of Abraham and applyeth to his purpose that place alleadged out of Genesis waying the circumstaunces of the manner and time of his iustification and sayeth How was it theÌ imputed WheÌ he was circuÌcised or when he was vncircumcised Not when hee was circumcised but when hee was vncircumcised Whiche thinges verilie are playner than that they require any exposition But because the Iewe might obiect Why then the institution and vse of circumcision was of no force but voide vnprofitable and vaine For if Abraham were iustifyed before he was circumcised what could circumcision profit him further And if it brought nothing surely it was superfluous and vnprofitable Paule preuenting that obiection maketh aunswere And he receiued saith he the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnes of faith c. Circumcision saith hee was neither voide nor vnprofitable For albeit it iustifie not neither cleanse nor apply the giftes of GOD yet it followeth not therefore that there is no further vse of it For it hath an other end For he receiued the signe of circumcision for a certeine seale of the righteousnesse of
tasting of milke and honie and after baptisme an abstinence from bathing by a wéekes spaces In his first boke against Mart. hemaketh mentioÌ also of oyle Truly milk is méete for children vnto whom also they that be of perfect age being baptised are likened Beside this in the olde testament there is often mention made of the land of promise flowing with Milke and Honie Those thinges were first offered to be tasted of them that are baptised to giue theÌ to vnderstande that Christ Iesus being their capteine and hauing passed ouer Iordan they might by an infallible hope haue an inheritance in the lande of promise S. Hierome witnesseth that wine was mingled with milk saith Com. lib. 15. ad Isaiam The Lord prouoketh vs not onely to buy wine but milke also which signifieth the innocencie of infants which type and custome is euen vnto this day kepte in the weste churches to giue to theÌ that are borne a-new in Christ wine and milke At this day neither of them both is giueÌ to infants no not of them which will seeme to be zealous mainteiners of the olde ceremonies They beléeue in the meane while that their omitting of these ceremonies is without sinne and néedeth no satisfaction Nowe also we may gather out of the sixte booke of Augustine de Bap. contra Donat cap. 24. that they vsed diuers and what praiers thei thought good about baptisme The same August contra Pelag. Celest. lib. 2. cap. 40. saith In baptising of children they firste coniure and blow away all contrarie power Which also the infantes by the wordes of them that beare them doe aunswere that they renounce This ceremonie he mentioneth also Libro primo de Nupt. Concup ad Valer. cap. 20. libro 2. cap. 18. It is saide in the ecclesiasticall Decrees that the holy church through-out the whole world vsed that ceremonie Againe August In Epistola ad Bonifa 43. saith that the god-fathers doe aunswere for the faith of the children and confesse their faith We aske them saith he which offer the infants and say Beleeueth he in God who being of that age knoweth not whether there be á God or no They answere He beleeueth and so they aunswere vnto euery question which is asked The same Augustine in his booke de Trinitate 15. capi 26. maketh mention also of Oyle wherewith they that were baptised were annoynted Rabanus Maurus Bishop of Mentz a longe time following after Augustine reckoneth vp many more ceremonies of baptisme For he Libro de Institutione Cleri 1. cap. 27. saith They are marked in the forehead and heart with the crosse in baptisme that the diuell seeing that marke may knowe that that sheepe is not of his folde Also consecrated salte is put into the childes mouth that beeing seasoned with the salte of wisedome he may be free from the stinch of wickednesse and rotte no more with the wormes of sinne His eares and nosthrilles are touched with spittle saying the word Ephatha vsed of our Sauiour beeing therevnto added that by the vertue of Christ the high Priest his eares may be opened to receiue the knowledge of God and to heare the wil and commaundementes of god Then the childe is blessed and his breast annoynted with holy oyle that no reliques of the enimie may lurk and remaine in him After this in the name of the holie Trinitie he is baptised beeing dipped thrise in the water And in his 28. Chapter And beeing baptised he immediatlie is signed in the forehead with the Chrisme with a prayer together followinge that he may be made an inheritour of the kingdome of Christ and of Christ may bee called a Christian And in the 29. Chapter After Baptisme there is deliuered to the Christian a white garmente signifying purenesse and innnocencie Also for this cause were the baptised cloathed with white garments that they mighte nowe remember that they were set free and of seruauntes and bonde-slaues of the Diuell made the free-men of CHRIST IESVS Moreouer white couloure in times paste was consecrated to victoryes and triumphes Whereby it may seeme that the white garmente was therefore giuen to them that were baptised that they mighte bee mindefull that whiles they lyue here on earth they must continually fight and ouercome in Christe For the life of manne is a warrefare vppon earth And certeinely whereas offeringes also began to bee giuen to the baptised by the God-fathers that seemeth to haue bene borrowed from warrefare For by the offering or earneste whiche wee Switsers call Die yn bindeten he that is baptised is warned of his faithe giuen in baptisme alwayes to be mindeful what a Capteine hee forsooke and into what garrison he was entertayned wherein hee muste keepe his faith giuen to the new capteine Christe Many other thinges of this kinde which I findâ among writers of this latter age I willingly passe ouer leaste I shoulde séeme to abuse your patience and gentlenesse And who perceiueth not yea that at this day other of this kinde innumerable new deuises are added to baptisme Therfore the safest and surest way is to builde vppon the firste foundations of the blessed Apostles For if antiquitie séeme to boulster vpp these last inuented ceremonies who dare denie that the authoritie of the Apostles doeth excell it manye wayes For the Apostles were before them all which haue lastly inuented and deliuered those manifolde ceremonyes to be vsed in Baptisme This also commeth in question Whether we ought to baptise with bare faire water or with consecrated water and why the Lorde commaunded to baptise with water S. Cyprian epist. lib. 1. epist. 12. sayth The water ought to bee cleansed and sanctified before of the priest to wash away the sinnes of the man that is baptised But the examples and testimonies of the holie Scripture doe more preuaile with me than the authoritie of Cyprian or any other man whatsoeuer it be This good man of God was also deceiued in another place aboute the mysterie of Baptisme so that we must read his writings with iudgement The Scripture telleth vs that Iohn Baptist and the Apostles and faithfull disciples of Christ baptised with water not consecrated For what can bee spoken or read more plaine than that Iohn baptised in Iordane Yea that Christe him selfe and his Apostles also baptised in the Riuer Iordane Where or howe did the Apostles consecrate the water of baptisme in the Actes of the Apostles Philip when the Eunuch shewed him water as they iourneyed he baptised him oute of that pure and cleare founteine Beside this I haue declared in the Sermon nexte going before how little purenesse is in common fourme of baptisme whereby the fonte is consecrated But if any man thincke that wee oughte to Baptise with consecrated or holie water and by consecrated doe neither vnderstande annoynted or prepared with crosses or sanctified with charmes but chosen to holie vses I woulde stande in contention with him neuer a whitt For the water of Baptisme in very
I haue admonished you elsewhere Therefore it is an horrible offence to iterate the Ceremonie of baptisme it is without example Neither in this matter is there any necessitie for to what ende is it to baptise againe when as baptisme once giuen is sufficient for the whole course of a mans life Beside this since Anabaptisme is nothing else but a confederacie conspiracie and a certeine lincking together by one marke into a newe and seditious or at the least superstitious companie into a newe and scismaticall Church and into a new and straunge kind of doctrine and as contrarie as can bée to the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles truely it is no meruaile that the obstinate Anabaptists are kept vnder and punished by common lawes For otherwise these thinges are damnable and not to be dissembled or suffered of a Christian magistrate But the Anabaptists presently obiecte vnto vs these two places The first out of the fifte Chapiter of Iosua where we read in these words Make thee sharpe kniues of stone and goe to againe and circumcise the children of Israel the second time Behold the second time they could not bee circumcised saye they vnlesse they had béene also circumcised before I answere To circumcise the second time or to doe a thing once againe doeth not signifie to doe that which was done before For when the fore-skinne was once cutt off howe could it be cutt off againe Therefore that which was left vndone for a certeine space is nowe againe renued and is said to be done the second time So that the second time is not applied to them that should bee circumcised but vnto the verie time wherein they that were vncircumcised should bée circumcised For they were first solemnely circumcised in Aegypt before they did eate the Passeouer Nowe entering into the land of Chanaan they are the second time solemnly circumcised which hetherto by reason of the wildernesse and iourneying were not circumcised And so it followeth immediatly in the same Chapter that all the males that came out of Aegypt died in the wildernesse and that their sonnes were vncircumcised so that nowe it was expedient that they should be circumcised as their fathers were before them Therefore the Anabaptistes in this testimonie of the lawe haue no defence at all The latter testimonie to mainteine Anabaptisme or rebaptising they bring out of the 19. Chap. of the Actes where they say that those twelue men of Ephesus were once baptised by Apollos with the baptisme of water and with that of Iohns likewise but the verie same afterward are rebaptised of Paule in the name of Christe I aunswere That those twelue men were not baptised againe of Paule with water They were once baptised with water whiche was sufficient for them But neither could Paule minister another baptisme of water than that of Iohns For I taught and euidently proued anon after the beginning of this Sermon that the baptisme of water ministred by Iohn Christe and his Apostles is one and the selfe same There I declared that the baptisme of fire or of the spirite is peculiar and proper to Christe Those men therefore of Ephesus were baptised with the baptisme of water as the Samaritans were by Philip but they were not as yet fully instructed of the baptisme of fire neither were they baptised with fire yea they confesse they know not whether there be any such baptisme that is whether there be an holy Ghoste whiche in the visible forme of fire shuld come downe vppon men For they could not be altogether ignoraunt that there was a holy Ghost without whom vndoubtedly they had not beléeued yea in whome they had beléeued if they had rightly beléeued Therfore they were onely ignoraunt of that baptisme of fire As therefore Peter and Iohn layed their hands on the Samaritanes and they forthwith receiued the holy Ghoste So Paule layeth handes on the men of Ephesus and they receiue the holy Ghoste For Luke sayeth When they heard these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus And least any man should vnderstand this of the baptisme of water by and by he addeth the manner thereof and a plaine exposition saying And when Paule had layed his handes on them the holy Ghoste came vppon them This I say hee called baptising in the name of the Lord Iesus For it followeth And they spake with tongues and prophecied And this alwayes hath béene the fruite and effecte of the baptisme of fire in the Primitiue Churche as I declared anon after the beginning of this Sermon Wherefore the Anabaptists haue no testimonie out of the scriptures for their Anabaptisme or rebaptising So that all that will gather their witts about them doe plainely sée that they are to be forsaken and shunned of all good men But wée haue sufficiently disputed against them as it séemeth Nowe wée goe forward to expound those things that remaine to be opened touching baptisme whiche are not the last and of least account Now that we are come to intreate of the vertue efficacie of baptisme we will followe that order which wee shadowed out in the description of baptisme knitting vp at least the particulars because in the generall consideration of Sacramentes wée haue spoken largely of them Yet neuerthelesse it is good first of all to knowe what the aduersaries of the Churche haue sometime thought touching the force of baptisme The Manicheis baptised none of their secte For they taught that Baptisme did auaile the receiuers nothing to saluation The Seleucians who are called also Hermiani did likewise sett baptisme at nought The Messalians whiche bee called Euchetes or prayer-makers as I haue shewed in the end of my former Sermon and the Enthusiastes inspired I say by some heauenly power nay rather by some hellishe furie are persuaded that baptisme neither profiteth nor hindereth any man For so they did attribute all meanes of saluation to the inward woorking of the spirite yea to mans prayers in somuch that they loathed and abhorred all outward helpes yea and doctrine also as vnprofitable and without force Whiche Theodoret in his Ecclesiasticall historie Libro 4. cap. 11. rehearseth of them But the holy Scripture teacheth that wée are washed cleane from our sinnes by baptisme For baptisme is a signe a testimonie and sealing of oure cleansing For GOD verilie hath promised sanctification to his Churche and hée for his trueths sake purifyeth his Churche from all sinnes by his Grace thoroughe the bloud of his sonne and regenerateth and clenseth it by his spirite whiche cleansing is sealed in vs by baptisme whiche wée receiue and thereof is it called in the Scriptures cleansing and remission of sinnes purifying newe birthe regeneration and the lauer or founteine of regeneration as circumcision is called the couenaunt and sacrifices sinnes and sanctifications For wée read in the Gospell according to Sainct Marke Iohn baptised in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes
places taking aduise of faith we say that the sonne is equall with the father touching his diuinitie but inferiour vnto him in respect of his humanitie according to that saying of the prophete which is alleged by the Apostle to that purpose Thou hast made him litle inferiour to the angels We read in the Eospell that Christ our lord had brethren and that S. John the Apostle was called the sonn of Marie Marie called the mother of John. But who vnlesse he were infected with the heresie of Heluidius wil stand herein that these places are to be expounded according to the letter specially since other places of the scripture do manifestly proue that they were called brethren which in déede were brothers sisters children cousen germans kinsmen or néere of bloud also the circumstaÌces of the place in the 19. cap. of S. John proue that Marie was committed to John as a mother to her sonne Wherefore if they haue a desire stil to wrangle as hetherto at their owne pleasures wee haue by proofe founde them to doe crying out and in crying to repeate This is my bodie This is my bloud This is This is This is This is Is Is Is Wée will also repeate The woord was made was made was made flesh The father is is is greater than I. Christ hath brethren I say he hath brethren hee hath brethren The scripture hath so The trueth sayeth so But tell mee nowe what commoditie shal there redound to the Church by these troublesome odious outcries and most froward contentions Howe shall the hearers be edified Howe shal the glorie of God be enlarged How shal that truth be set forth Necessitie therfore coÌstreyneth vs to confesse that in some places wée must forsake the letter but not the sense and that sense is to be allowed which faith it selfe w other places of scripture conferred with it and finally the circumstances of the place the first being compared with the last do yeld as it were of their owne accord Howbeit we also cry out and repeate againe and againe that we ought not without great cause to goe from the simplicitie of the word But when as the absurditie not of reason but of pietie and the repugnancie of the Scriptures and contrarietie to the articles of oure faith doe inforce vs then we say affirme and coÌtend that it is godly yea necessarie to departe from the letter and from the simplicitie of the words And that these places which we alledged euen now doe constreine vs to depart from the letter in these words of the Lord This is my bodie This is my bloud wée will proue by most sound arguments taken out of the sciptures when I haue first briefly declared the true auncient sense meaning of those vsuall and solemne words The Lord sitting at the selfe same table with his disciples reached the bread vnto them with his owne hand And he hauing only one true humane and natural body with the very same bodie of his deliuered bread vnto his disciples and not a body either of any other mans or that of his owne Neither doeth that trouble vs whiche S. Augustine reciteth of Dauid in expounding the 33. Psalm And he was borne in his owne hands where vnto he addeth immediatly Who is borne in his owne handes A man may bee borne in the hands of other men but none can be borne in his owne This is therefore ment of Dauid not of Christ For Christe was borne in his owne handes when as commending his very body vnto them he said This is my body For that body was borne in his owne handes For by these wordes S. Augustine doth not feigne that Christ hath two humane bodies but he meaneth that the humane body bare in his handes the Sacramentall bodie that is to say the bread which is the sacrament of the true body For he speaketh plainely saying He coÌmending his body bare that body in his owne hands For in the second sermon almost in the same words being but a litle chaunged he saith How was he borne in his owne hands For wheÌ he had commended his body bloud he toke that in his handes whiche the faithful know and after a sort he bare himselfe when he said This is my bodie By which words he manifestly de clared that he ment not that Christ in his naturall body deliuered his naturall body to his disciples but the which the faithful do know to wit the sacrament or mysterie For it followeth And hee bare himselfe after a sort I pray you marke this saying After a sort when hee said this is my body Wherfore those solemne words This is my body whiche is broken for you And likewise this is my bloud which is shedd for you can haue none other sense thaÌ this This is a coÌmemoration memoriall or remembrance signe or sacrament of my bodie which is giuen for you This cup or rather the wine in the cup signifieth or representeth vnto you my bloud whiche was once shed for you For there followeth in the Lords solemne words that which notably confirmeth this meaning Do this in the remeÌbrance of me As if he should say Now am I present with you before your eyes I shall die ascend vp into heauen then shall this holy bread wine be a memorial or token of my body and bloud giuen shed for you Then breake the bread eate it distribute the cup and drink it and do this in the remembrance of me praysing my benefits bestowed on you in redéeming you giuing you life Althoughe this interpretation bee most slaunderously reuiled and become abhominable in the sight of many yet is it manifest to be the true proper and most auncient interpretation of all other Tertul. lib. 4. contra Mart. saith Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his disciples made it his bodie in saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my bodie Hierom vpon S. Matt. Gospel saith That like as in the prefiguring of Christ Melchisedech the priest of almightie God had done in bringing forth bread wine so he might represent the truth of his bodie Chrysostome also in his 83. homilie vpon Matt. If Iesus be not dead saith he whose token signe is this sacrifice Ambrose vppon the first to the Corinthians cap. 11. Because wee be deliuered by the Lords death saith he being mindeful thereof in eating drinking we do signifie the flesh and the bloud whiche were offered for vs Au. Aug. also in many places heapeth vpp many speaches like to this same kind of speach The bloud is the soule The rock was Christ And This is my body Let vs heare then what he saith of these speaches that we may vnderstand what he thinketh of the true interpretation of this text This is my body In the 3. booke of Questions in the 57. question vppon Leuiticus hee saith It remayneth that that be called the soule whiche signifieth the
him selfe Peccatum voluntariuÌ inuoluntarium See Augstine demendaââ ad CoÌseâtium cap 9. 10. ââ ãâã mens ãâã is ãâ¦ã to be ãâã the best ãâã man ãâã hasteÌ ãâ¦ã Sinnes hiddân and ãâã Sinns mortal and veniall âhether ãâã the ãâ¦ã in ãâã after ãâ¦ã sinne ãâ¦ã Whether the vertuous works of the heathen are sinnes or no Whether the good workes of the Saints are sinnes or no Of the sin âgainst the âoly ghost What blasphemie is properly The beginning of this sinne against the holy ghost Blaspheâââ against ãâã sonne of man. The ãâã âgainst ãâã holy ãâã Sinne against the holy ghost ãâã not remitted Or endler vnrepentance Of the ãâã certainâ punishmeÌâ of sinners The places of ãâã The Lorde doth punish sinners iustly ⪠God punisheth most surely Examplâ of Goâ iustly ãâ¦ã âods long ãâã Why sinâ aâ plagued with temporall punishments considering that they are forgiuen by the grace of God. Absolââ defiled ãâã fathers bed ãâã by he ãâã that ãâã was huâbled Howe wicked punishââ EuangeliuÌ the gospel Esai 61. Luke â âhe Gosââll what ãâã The definition of the Gospell That the Gospell is tydings from heauen The Gosâell is the âorde of ââd alâhough it ãâã vttered ây the ãâã of âen The ââspâll ãâ¦ã The word ârace ãâ¦ã is The ãâã of Godâ grace The cause of the Gospell The working of gods grace The coâtrouersââ betwixt Augustiââ and Pelaââus toucâing the grace of God. 1. Gratiâ gratum ciens 2. Gratââ gratis ãâã 3. Gratââ operaââ gratia operaââ 4. Graâââ praeueââens tia ãâã quent ãâã are ãâã by ãâã ãâ¦ã The promises touching Christ our Sauiour The first Euangelie Gospell or preaching of glad tydings Gen. 3. 1. Pet. 1. Deus ãâã essentââlis ãâã 9. ãâ¦ã not ãâã God the father hathe through Christ perfourmed to vs that which hee promised to our forefathers Iesus is Christ thââ is that looked for Messiaâ The Iewes ãâã that âhrist is ãâã or ãâã Iesus ãâã Christe God the ãâ¦ã the world is pleased with it in the Sonne ãâã things ãâã to ãâ¦ã are ãâã giueÌ ãâã christ ãâã Christe alone is our life and saluation ãâ¦ã fully ãâ¦ã The vnsinâere preaching of the gospel The sum of the gospel Saluation preached in the gospel doth belong to all ââerfore ãâã are ãâã saued The faithfull are saued The Gospel teacheth faith and repentance Howe ãâ¦ã ãâã is ãâ¦ã ãâã by ãâã Howe Christ did preach the Gospel Of regeneratioÌ more largely is spoken in the SermoÌ of repentance Iohn 3. ãâã Paul ãâ¦ã gospel The manâer and order of our sanctification purification iustification ãâã they ãâã that ãâã hath seemed Errours refuted ãâã Aâraham âe father ãâã the faith ãâã is iustiâââd The righteousnesse of Christians is imputatiue ãâ¦ã of ãâ¦ã Why ãâã doctriââââaith that iustifieth without workes is to be keââ vncorrupted in the Church ãâã Christ See the ãâã of ãâã Actes ãâã the Apâstles ãâã the ãâã Sermoâ the ãâã ãâã The conclusion summe of all To repent ãâ¦ã of ãâã worde ãâã ãâ¦ã it is What repentance is ConuersioÌ to God. The doctrine of veritie is needful to repentance ãâã feare ãâã God to ãâ¦ã Our humbling and acknowledging of our sinnes The feare of God is of two sortes Sorrow to God ward ãâã is ãâã in ãâã that ãâã Sinnes are fully and surely forgiuen vnto penitents 1. Pet. 2. Against the Nouatians and Anabaptistes ãâ¦ã Of the coÌfession of sinnes ConfessioÌ of sinnes ordeined of God. âhe conââssion ãâã is ãâ¦ã to âod Publique or open confession Leuit. 10. Actes 1 ⪠Confeââ that is made tâ our ãâã Consultation Confession of sinnes ordeyned of men Exhomologesis I find him otherwise called Natalius Luke 9. Ioha 8. * An ãâã ãâ¦ã Of auricular confession ãâ¦ã was ãâã comâââded ãâ¦ã Auricular confession can be proued by ãâã place in all the scripture ãâ¦ã Wheâ aurieââ confeââ is to ãâã kept ãâã churââ ãâã solutââ sakeâ Of the satisfaction of workes Note here the difference that they make betwixte Paena and culpa peccati âod afflicâââ them âhose ãâã he ãâã ãâã Many sinnes be forgiuen her because she âoued much Of indulgencies ãâ¦ã The filthy marte of indulgences ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Of the power of man. VnderstaÌding Will. Of the ãâã man ãâã of reâeneratioÌ What and of what kinde the Libertie is that is in man. ãâã the ãâã man ãâ¦ã by ãâã spirite Of the worthie fruites or of the fruites worthie of repentaÌce ãâ¦ã of all ãâã What thinges are necessarie in penitentes The outwarde exercises of repentaÌce ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã False and True repentance True penitentes are in an happie caâe Vnrepentantes are vnhappy ãâã not ãâ¦ã No repentance commeth too late Math. â Whether they that mind to reforme the Churches must state to looke for the determinatioÌ of a counââââ Ieremie 8. Luke 9. What counsels haue beene in these latter ageâ celebrated What christians at this day may looke for by general counsels It is lawfull for enerie Christian Church to reforme thinges out of order Holie Kinge Iosias Faith cannot be refourmed but bâ thâ worde of God. Rom. 10. 2. Cor. 2 The scriptures doe sufficiently minister a full platforme howe to refourme the church Sundrie opinions coÌcerning God. â Iohn 12 Wherevppon the diuersitie of opinioÌs coÌcerning God do rise and from whence the true knowledg of him must be setched âhat ãâã is a God Psalm â A ãâã is to ãâã kept ãâ¦ã and ãâ¦ã God ãâã Pro. ãâã ãâã 19. ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã The fourmââ and mââners oâ knowiââ God. Exod ⪠Iohn 3. The ãâã of ãâã ãâã Apoc. 1. Cabala is a tradition of the Iewes leafte to them by Moses not in writing but from the father to the sonne wherein is conteined as wel the secrets of nature as the mysticall sense included in the wordes of the holy scripture Iah and Hu. Hu signifieth He or this Adonai The Loââ of Sabboth or oâ Hostes Daniel ãâã high ãâã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Actes 17. Deus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Elohim This Dii importech as much as if one shoulde say Gods. Schaddai Gene. 17 Saturâââ It seem that we English men do borrow of the ãâã manes their ãâã Gott ãâã turne their ãâã T ãâã D ãâã we soââ God ãâã we shoââ say ãâã ãâã 4. ãâ¦ã ãâã God ãâ¦ã Trinitie Dionysius of the names of God. Visions prosopographie of God. Prosopographie is a picturing or reprseentinge of bodily lineameÌts Prosopopeie is where those are broughte in to speake that doe not speak Anthropomorphites How ãâ¦ã tributeâ God ãâã iâ bodilesse Pââlm 94. These âordes of ãâ¦ã taken ãâã of âââtulliaÌ How the pâtriarchs ãâã see God. Iohn 1. 1. Tim. â Exod. 33 God ãâã doe ãâã thinge ãâã with ãâã fathers his Soââ ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã God giueth his giftes frely without respect of mans merites How Goâ did shew him selfâ to Moseâ ãâ¦ã God doth most euidently open him selfe through Christ 2. Cor. 4. Hebr. 1. Iohn 6. Math. 11. Iohn 14. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 1. Gods wiâdome appeareth Gods goodneââ appeareâââ Godâ
faith was profitably and godly set against the new corruptions of heretiques Yet were the writings of the Prophets Apostles the Springe the Guide the Rule and Iudge in all these counsels neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be done there according to their owne minds And yet I speake not of euery Constitution and Canon but namely of those auncient Confessions alone to which we doe attribute so much as is permitted by the Canonicall Scripture which we confesse to be the onely rule how to iudge to speake and doe The seconde generall counsell was helde in the royal citie Constantinople vnder Gratian the Emperour in the yeare of our Lorde 384. There were assembled in that Synode as witnesseth Prosperus Aquitanicus 180. fathers or Bishops which condemned Macedonius and Eudoxius denying the holy ghost to be God. And about the yeare of our Lorde 434. in the very same yeare that the blessed father Augustine died when that godly Prince Theodosius the great was Emperour there came together at Ephesus the thirde Synode of 200. Priestes or thereabout against Nestorius which tare the mysterie of the Incarnation and taught that there were two sonnes the one of God the other of man whom this Counsell condemned together with the Pelagians helpers of this doctrine as cousin to their owne The fourth generall counsell was assembled at Calcedon in the yere of our Lorde 454. vnder the Emperour Martian where 630. fathers were gathered together who accordinge to the Scriptures condemned Eutyches which confounded the natures in Christ for the vnitie of the person Beda de ratione temporum and many other writers doe ioyne with these foure vniuersall counsels two generall Synodes more the fifte and the sixte celebrated at Constantinople For the fifte was gathered together when Iustinian was Emperour against Theodorus and all heretiques about the yere of our Lorde 552. The sixte came together vnder Constantine the sonne of Constantius in the yere of our Lorde 682. And there were assembled 289. Bishops against the Monothelites But there was nothing determined in these Synodes but what is to be founde in the foure first counsels wherefore I haue noted nothing out of them ¶ The Nicene Creede taken out of the Ecclesiasticall and tripartite historie WE beleeue in one God the father almightie maker of all thinges visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of the substaunce of the Father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same Essence and substance with the Father by whome all things were made which are in heauen and whiche are in earth Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe was incarnate and manned was made man Hee suffered and rose againe the third day he ascended into Heauen and shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And we beleeue in the holie Ghoste As for those that say it was sometime when he was not and before he was borne he was not and whiche say because he was made of thinges not beeing of nothing or of an other substance that therefore the sonne of God is either created or turned or chaunged them doeth the holie Catholique and Apostolique Church curse or excommunicate The Creede of the counsell held at Constantinople taken out of a certeine copie written in Greeke and Latine I Beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the onelie begotten sonne of God borne of his father before all worldes light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same substance with the father by whome all things were made Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from Heauen and was incarnate by the holie Ghoste and the virgine Marie and was made man He was also crucified for vs vnder Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and he roase the third day according to the Scriptures And he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father and he shall come againe with glorie to iudge the quick and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end And I beleeue in the holie Ghoste the Lord and giuer of life who proceeding from the father is to be worshipped and glorified together with the father and the sonne who spake by the prophets in one Catholique and Apostolique church I confesse one baptisme for the remission of sinnes I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the worlde to come ⧠The confession of faith made by the Synode at Ephesus IN as much as because heere I note all things briefly I could not in writing place with these that large Synodall Epistle written by S. Cyrill to Nestorius wherein is conteined the full consent of the generall Counsell held at Ephesus I haue therefore rather chosen out of the 28. Epistle of the same Cyrill a short confession sent to the Synode and alowed by the whole Counsell Before the confession are set these wordes Euen as in the beginning wee haue heard out of the diuine Scriptures and the tradition of the holie fathers so will we briefely speake not adding any thing at all to the faith set foorth by the holie fathers in Nice For that doeth suffice as well to all knowledge of godlines as also to the vtter forsaking of any hereticall ouerthwartnesse And a litle after this the Confession is sette downe in these wordes We acknowledge our Lorde Iesus Christe the onely begotten Sonne of GOD to be perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and bodie borne of the father according to his Godhead before the worldes and the verie same according to his humanitie borne in the latter times of the virgine Marie for vs and for our saluation For there was made an vniting of the two natures Wherfore we confesse bothe one Christe one Sonne and one Lorde And according to this vnderstanding of the vnconfounded vnitie we acknowledge the holie virgine to be the mother of God because that GOD the word was incarnate and made man and by the verie conception gathered to him selfe a bodie taken of her But for the speaches vttered by the Euangelistes and Apostles touching the Lord we knowe that the Diuines doe by reason of the two natures diuide them so yet as that they belong to one person and that they doe referre them some because they are more agreeable to the diuinitie to the Godhead of Christe and other some because they are base to his Humanitie To this confession Cyrill addeth these wordes When wee had read these holie wordes of youres euen in the Synode to whiche the confession was sent and did perceiue that wee our selues were of the same opinion for there is one Lorde one faithe and one baptisme wee glorified GOD the sauiour of all men reioycing together in our selues
their tributarie cities subiecte vnto them diligently to sée and marke what they did in euerie citie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to say spyes and watchmen The Apostles called byshops watchmen and kéepers of the Lords flocke and the stewardes of Christe or disposers of the secretes of God in the Churche And Presbyter an Elder hath his name of age and auncient yeares In times past the care of the common wealth was committed vnto the elders as to those that were exercised with manifolde experience long vse of things For gouernours of cities are bothe called Seniors and Senatours And as common weales haue their Senatours so hath the church her elders as it appeareth in the Actes 14. 15. 20. 21. chap. It séemeth that the ordeining of elders came into the church out of the synagogue For thus we reade in the booke of Numbers Gather vnto me saith he three score and ten men of the elders of Israel whome thou knowest to bee the elders of the people and officers ouer them and I wil take of the spirit which is vpon thee and put vppon them and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee least thou bee constrained to beare it alone Wherefore the elders in the churche of Christe are eyther byshoppes or otherwise prudent and learned men added to byshops that they maye the more easily beare the burthen layd vpon them and that the churche of God may the better and more conueniently be gouerned For Paule sayth The elders that rule well let them be counted woorthy of double honour most specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine There were therefore certeine other in the Ecclesiasticall function who albeit they did not teach by and by as did the byshops yet were they present with them that taught in all all businesses Perhaps they are called of the same Apostle elsewhere Gouernours that is is to say whiche are set in authoritie concerning discipline and other affaires of the churche And bycause we are come thus farre in this present treatise we will also declare other names of offices in the churche There is muche speache in the scriptures of Deacons and amonge Ecclesiasticall writers of Priestes In the primitiue Churche the care of the poore was committed to Deacons as it is plainely gathered out of the sixt chapter of the Actes of the Apostles There are also lawes to be séene which are prescribed vnto them by the Apostle in the firste to Timothie the thirde chapter The office of Deacons was separated froÌ the function of Pastours and therefore we do not reckon them in the order of Pastours The auncient fathers referred them to the ministerie but not to the Priesthoode We reade also that women not wedded but widowes ministred in the primitiue churche And among other Phebe of the churche of Cencâea highly praysed of the Apostle is verie famous But he forbiddeth women to teach in the church and to take vpon them publique offices How therfore or in what thing did women minister in the churche vndoubtedly they ministred vnto the poore in duties apperteyning to women They ministred vnto the sicke and with Martha Christs hostesse they did with great care and diligence chearish the members of Christe For what other offices could they haue Moreouer the name of Priest séemeth to be brought into the churche out of the synagogue For otherwise ye shall not finde in the newe Testament the ministers of the worde of GOD and of churches to be called priestes but after that sorte that all Christians are called priestes by the Apostle Peter But it appeareth that the ministers of the new Testament for a certeine likenesse whiche they haue with the ministers of the olde Testament of ecclesiasticall writers are called Priestes For as they did their seruice in the tabernacle so these also after their manner and their fashion minister to the churche of god For otherwise the Latine word is deriued of holy things and signifieth a minister of holy things a man I say dedicated and consecrated vnto God to do holy things And holy things are not only sacrifices but what things so euer come vnder the name of religion from whiche we dee not exclude the lawes them selues and holy doctrine In the old testament we read that Dauids sonnes were called priestes not that they were ministers of holy things for it was not lawfull for theÌ whiche came of the tribe of Iuda to serue in the tabernacle but onely to the Leuites but bicause they liuing vnder the gouernement and discipline of priestes did learne good sciences and holy diuinitie Here it séemeth it must not be dissembled that those names which we haue intreated of are in the Scriptures one vsed for an other For Peter the Apostle of Christ our Lord calleth him selfe an Elder And in the Actes of the Apostles he calleth the Apostleship a Byshopricke For Saint Paule also calling the Elders together at Miletum and talking with them he calleth them Byshops And in his Epistle vnto Titus he commaundeth to ordeine Elders towne by towne whome immediately after he calleth Byshoppes And that they also are called both Doctors and Pastours there is none so grosse headed to denie Now by all these things we think it is manifest to all men what orders the Lord him selfe ordeined from the beginning and whome he hath consecrated to the holie ministerie of the Church to gouerne his owne church He layd the foundation of the churche at the beginning by Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes he enlarged and mainteyned the same by Pastours and Doctours To these Elders and Deacons were helpers The Deacons in séeing to the poore and the Elders in doctrine in discipline and in gouerning and susteyning other weightier affaires of the Churche Neuerthelesse it appeareth that the order of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets was ordeined at the beginning by the Lorde vnto his Churche for a time according to the matter persons and places For many ages since and immediatly after the foundation of Christes kingdome in earth the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets ceased and there came in their place Byshops Pastours Doctours and Elders which order hath continued most stedfastly in the Church that nowe we can not doubt that the order of the Churche is perfect and the gouernement absolute if at this day also there remaine in the Church of God byshops or pastours doctours also or Elders Yet we deny not that after the death of the Apostles there were oftentimes Apostles raysed vp of GOD whiche might preache the Gospell to barbarous and vngodly nations We confesse also that God euen at this day is able to rayse vp Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes whose labour he may vse to worke the saluation of mankinde For we acknowledge that holy and faithfull men whiche first preach the truth of the Gospell to any vnbeléeuing people may be called Apostles and Euangelistes
We acknowledge y men inspired with singular grace of the spirit which foresée foreshew things to come and be excellent interpreters of the scriptures or Diuines illuminated may be called Prophetes as we haue shewed elsewhere more at large But in the order of byshops and elders from the beginning there was singular humilitie charitie and concord no contention or strife for prerogatiue or titles or dignitie For all acknowledged themselues to be the ministers of one maister coequall in all thinges touching office or charge He made them vnequall not in office but in giftes by the excellencie of giftes Yet they that had obteyned the excellenter gifts did not despise the meaner sort neither did they enuie them for their giftes S. Paule sayth Let a man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of God. The same Paule in more than one place caleth the preaching of the gospel the ministerie For that tooke déepe root in the auncient byshops hearts which the Lorde when his disciples striued for dignitie and as they say for the maioritie that is which of them shuld be the greatest setting a childe in the middest of them sayde Verily verily I say vnto you except ye turne and become as little children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen Truly the martyr of God Saint Cyprian standing in the counsel of the byshops at Carthage wisely sayde Neither hath any of vs appointed him selfe to be a byshop of byshops or by tyrannous feare compelled his fellowes in office to necessitie of obeying since euery byshop hath according to the licence and libertie of his power his owne free choyce as if hee might not bee iudged of an other since neyther he him selfe can iudge an other but let vs all looke for the iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who only and alone hath power both to preferre vs in the gouernement of his Church and to giue sentence of our doing Thus farre he At that time therefore byshoppes contended not for I knowe not what primacie or patrimonie of Peter but that one mighte excell the other in purenesse of doctrine and holinesse of life and mutually to helpe one an other And then vndoubtedly the affaires of the Church went forward prosperously in so muche that though the most puisant princes of the world should haue persecuted the Church of Christe with fire and sworde yet neuerthelesse against all the assaultes of the diuell and the worlde she had stoode vnmoueable hauing wonne the victorie and had daily béene more inlarged also renoumed Oh happy had we béene if this order of Pastors had not béene chaunged but that that auncient simplicitie of ministers that fayth humilitie and diligence had remained vncorrupted But in processe of time all things of ancient soundnesse humilitie and simplicitie vanished awaye whiles somethings are turned vpside down somethinges eyther of their owne accorde were out of vse or else are taken away by deceite somethings are added too Verily not many ages after the death of the Apostles there was séene a farre other Hierarchie or gouernement of the Churche than was from the beginning althoughe those beginninges séeme to be more tollerable than at this day all of this same order are Sainte Hierome saythe In times past churches were gouerned with the common counsel and aduise of the elders afterward it was decreed that one of the elders being chosen should bee set ouer the other vnto whome the whole care of the church should perteine and that the seedes of scismes should bee taken away Thus much he In euery citie countrie therefore he that was most excellent was placed aboue the rest His office was to be superintendent and to haue the ouersight of the ministers and the whole flocke He had not as wee vnderstoode euen nowe out of Cyprians words dominion ouer his fellowes in office or other elders but as the Consul in the Senate house was placed to demaunde and gather together the voyces of the Senatours and to defende the lawes priuileges and to be carefull least there should arise factions amonge the Senatours euen so no other was the office of a bishop in the church in all other thinges hee was but equall with the other ministers But had not the arrogancie of the ministers and ambition of bishops in the times that followed further increased we would not speake a word against them And S. Hierome affirmeth that That preferrment of bishops sprange not by Gods ordinaunce but by the ordinance of man These thinges haue wee remembred sayeth he to the end we might shewe that amonge the old fathers bishops and ministers were all one but by litle and little that the plantes of dissentions might be pluckt vpp all the care was committed vnto one Therfore as ministers knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him whiche is set ouer them so let bishops know that rather by custom than by the truth of the Lords disposition they are greater than the other ministers and that they ought to gouerne the churches together in common following the example of Moses who when it was in his power alone to gouerne the people of Israel chose out threescore and tenne other with whom he might iudge the people Thus he writeth in his commentarie vppon the 3. cap. of the epist. of Paul vnto Titus But the auncient fathers kept not themselues within these boundes There were also ordeyned Patriarches at Antioche Alexandria Constantinople and Rome There are appointed Archbishops or Metropolitanes that is to âaye such as haue gouernement ouer the bishops throughout prouinces And to bishops of cities or inferiour bishops there are added such as were called Chorepiscopi or bishops of the multitude that is to saye at such time as the countrie or region was larger than that the care and ouersighte of the bishop placed ouer the citie would suffice For these were added as vicars and suffraganes who might execute the office of the bishop throughout that part of the countrie But we know that the functions of suffraganes or vicars generall in these last times are of a farre other maner in bishops courtes and diocesses And also vnder deacons were placed subdeacons and when wealth increased there were archdeacons also created that is to saye ouerseers of all the goodes of the church They as yet were not mingled with the order of ministers or bishops and of those that taught but they remained as stewards or factours of the goods of the church As neither the monkes at the beginning executed the office of a priest or minister in the church For they were counted as laye-men not as clearkes and were vnder the charge of the pastors But these vnfortunate birdes neuer left soaring vntill in these last times they haue clymed into the topp of the temple and haue set themselues vppon bishops and pastours heads For monkes haue béene and are both Popes archbishops bishops and