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 differēce 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 frō 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 distinctiō 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
his owne nature he is vnspeakeable vnmeasurable incomprehensible euerlasting yet notwithstāding that I may say somewhat in a certeine order concerning him if it will be no otherwise I will at the last shadowe out that which the scripture the inspiration of the holie Ghoste himselfe verie largelie declareth of him The holie Ghost is the third person in Trinitie to bee worshipped very God procéeding from the father and the sonne which inlighteneth regenerateth sanctifieth and fulfilleth the faithful with all good graces But that the holie Ghost is the third person in the holie Trinitie I thincke it is sufficiently at large declared in the third Sermon of this Decade Surely this onely sentence of our Sauiour Baptize them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost doeth aboundantly confirme to godly mindes that the holy Ghost is the third person in Trinitie Moreouer that he is verie God of the same power glorie maiestie and Beeing with the father and the sonne that especiallie proueth beecause hee is the third person in the holie Trinitie Neither must we thinke that he is lesser than they because hee is reckoned in the third place For though the blessed Trinitie be remembred of vs in order yet notwithstanding there is no degrée no time no place or number in the blessed Trinitie For blessed Athanasius made his confession according to the Scripture and said The catholique faith is this that wee worshipp one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the father another of the sonne another of the holie ghost But the Godhead of the father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is one the glorie equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the father is such is the sonne and such is the holie Ghost The father vncreate the sonne vncreate the holie Ghost vncreate The father incōprehensible the sonne incomprehensible and the holie Ghost incomprehēsible That father eternall the sonne eternal and the holy Ghost eternal and yet are they not three eternalls but one eternall c. And Augustine also in his 15. booke De Trinitate cap. 26. sayth In that high Trinitie which is God there are no distances of times whereby it may bee shewed or at least demaunded whether the sonne were first borne of the father and afterward the holie Ghoste to proceede from them both c. Truly we confesse that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost is one God and that the same is eternall Therefore let it trouble no man that the spirit is put in the last place For when the Apostle in his epistle to the Corinth framed his blessing he said The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holie Ghost be with you all he maketh mention of the holie Ghost in the last place but the same Paule sayeth There are diuersities of gifts but it is the selfe same spirite And there are differences of administrations but it is the selfe same Lord and there are diuerse maners of operations but it is the selfe same God which woorketh all in all setting the spirite in the first place teaching that the order of names doth not make difference of dignities After this manner also in the former testimonie he placed the sonne before the father not ouerthrowing the order which the Lord hath set downe in Matth. but shewing the equalitie of the Trinitie in honour For what canst thou more plainly saye thā that which the scripture saith that the holie ghost doth sanctifie renue regenerate giue life and saue and these are operations agréeable to God onely By operations therfore we manifestly acknowledge that the holie Ghoste is God of the same Essence and power with the father and the sonne For the holie Ghost from the beginning beefore all creatures visible and inuisible is a creatour not a creature as Iob witnesseth His spirite hath garnished the heauens Againe The spirite of GOD hath made mee and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen mee life Zacharias the priest and father of S. Iohn Baptist sayeth Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for he hath redeemed his people as hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets whiche haue beene since the world began And S. Peter sayeth For the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost By this I pray you who cannot gather that the holy Ghoste is God For God spake by the mouth of the Prophets and the holy Ghoste spake by the mouth of the Prophets Therefore the holy Ghost is God. The same Peter also in expresse words hath called the holy Ghost God when he accused Ananias of theft yea and also of sacrilege for when he had said Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thy heart to lie vnto the holy Ghost by and by he addeth Thou hast not lied vnto mē but vnto God. To the doctrine of Saint Peter agrée those thinges in all poinctes whiche S. Paule the doctour of the Gentiles hath taught For hee called the beléeuers the temples of God Knowe ye not sayeth he that ye are the temple of God and that the spirite of GOD dwelleth in you And againe Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and yeare not your owne To be the temple of God and to be the temple of the holy Ghost Paule taketh to bee one and the selfe same thing it followeth therfore that the holy Ghost is god For in his Epistle to the Corinthians hee expresly nameth the holy Ghost god For after he had said There are diuersities of giftes but it is the selfe same spirite and had reckoned vpp the kindes of giftes by and by hee addeth And all these things woorketh euen one and the selfe same spirite distributing to euerie man seuerally euen as hee will. And he himselfe had said a litle afore There are diuerse manners of operations but it is the selfe same GOD which worketh all in all But Didymus Alexandrinus a man of excellent learning doeth knit vp a most euident argument of the Godhead of the holy Ghost declaring also that his nature doeth altogether differ from the nature of Angels For in his 1. lib. de Spiritu Sancto hée hath left this written S. Hierome so interpreting it If the holy Ghost were a creature he should haue at the least a limitable substance as haue all thinges whiche are made For althoughe inuisible creatures are not limitted within place and boundes yet in propertie of substaunce they are limitted but the holy Ghost since hee is in many places hath not a limitable substāce For Iesus sending forth the preachers of his Gospel he filled them with the holy Ghost But neither did all the Apostles goe to all
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 coÌ„cupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌ„quisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drâ—nkennesse whiche banisheth 〈◊〉 which abandoneth 〈◊〉 bâ—nkettings 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 dâ—fence 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 coÌ„mandeth 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 coÌ„mended 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 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 before the heate And though onâ— thing â—e â—â—â—â—â—buted to â—he 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 〈…〉 spoyle vs â–ª But firâ—â— we will speake of holy angels and then 〈…〉 The worde Angel some sâ—y to â—e a name of office not of 〈…〉 common to the 〈◊〉 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
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 whiâ—he 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 pronouÌ„ced 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Blessing Mathew Luke and Paule haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Giuing thankes which worde Marke also vsing a little after writeth And when he had tooke the cup 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 pronuÌ„tiation 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
faith was profitably and godly set against the new corruptions of heretiques Yet were the writings of the Prophets Apostles the Springe the Guide the Rule and Iudge in all these counsels neither did the fathers suffer any thing to be done there according to their owne minds And yet I speake not of euery Constitution and Canon but namely of those auncient Confessions alone to which we doe attribute so much as is permitted by the Canonicall Scripture which we confesse to be the onely rule how to iudge to speake and doe The seconde generall counsell was helde in the royal citie Constantinople vnder Gratian the Emperour in the yeare of our Lorde 384. There were assembled in that Synode as witnesseth Prosperus Aquitanicus 180. fathers or Bishops which condemned Macedonius and Eudoxius denying the holy ghost to be God. And about the yeare of our Lorde 434. in the very same yeare that the blessed father Augustine died when that godly Prince Theodosius the great was Emperour there came together at Ephesus the thirde Synode of 200. Priestes or thereabout against Nestorius which tare the mysterie of the Incarnation and taught that there were two sonnes the one of God the other of man whom this Counsell condemned together with the Pelagians helpers of this doctrine as cousin to their owne The fourth generall counsell was assembled at Calcedon in the yere of our Lorde 454. vnder the Emperour Martian where 630. fathers were gathered together who accordinge to the Scriptures condemned Eutyches which confounded the natures in Christ for the vnitie of the person Beda de ratione temporum and many other writers doe ioyne with these foure vniuersall counsels two generall Synodes more the fifte and the sixte celebrated at Constantinople For the fifte was gathered together when Iustinian was Emperour against Theodorus and all heretiques about the yere of our Lorde 552. The sixte came together vnder Constantine the sonne of Constantius in the yere of our Lorde 682. And there were assembled 289. Bishops against the Monothelites But there was nothing determined in these Synodes but what is to be founde in the foure first counsels wherefore I haue noted nothing out of them ¶ The Nicene Creede taken out of the Ecclesiasticall and tripartite historie WE beleeue in one God the father almightie maker of all thinges visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the sonne of God the onely begotten sonne of the father that is of the substaunce of the Father God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same Essence and substance with the Father by whome all things were made which are in heauen and whiche are in earth Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe was incarnate and manned was made man Hee suffered and rose againe the third day he ascended into Heauen and shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead And we beleeue in the holie Ghoste As for those that say it was sometime when he was not and before he was borne he was not and whiche say because he was made of thinges not beeing of nothing or of an other substance that therefore the sonne of God is either created or turned or chaunged them doeth the holie Catholique and Apostolique Church curse or excommunicate The Creede of the counsell held at Constantinople taken out of a certeine copie written in Greeke and Latine I Beleeue in one God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth and of all things visible and inuisible And in one Lord Iesus Christe the onelie begotten sonne of God borne of his father before all worldes light of light very God of very God begotten not made beeing of the same substance with the father by whome all things were made Who for vs men and for our saluation came downe from Heauen and was incarnate by the holie Ghoste and the virgine Marie and was made man He was also crucified for vs vnder Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and he roase the third day according to the Scriptures And he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father and he shall come againe with glorie to iudge the quick and the dead whose kingdome shall haue no end And I beleeue in the holie Ghoste the Lord and giuer of life who proceeding from the father is to be worshipped and glorified together with the father and the sonne who spake by the prophets in one Catholique and Apostolique church I confesse one baptisme for the remission of sinnes I looke for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the worlde to come ⧠The confession of faith made by the Synode at Ephesus IN as much as because heere I note all things briefly I could not in writing place with these that large Synodall Epistle written by S. Cyrill to Nestorius wherein is conteined the full consent of the generall Counsell held at Ephesus I haue therefore rather chosen out of the 28. Epistle of the same Cyrill a short confession sent to the Synode and alowed by the whole Counsell Before the confession are set these wordes Euen as in the beginning wee haue heard out of the diuine Scriptures and the tradition of the holie fathers so will we briefely speake not adding any thing at all to the faith set foorth by the holie fathers in Nice For that doeth suffice as well to all knowledge of godlines as also to the vtter forsaking of any hereticall ouerthwartnesse And a litle after this the Confession is sette downe in these wordes We acknowledge our Lorde Iesus Christe the onely begotten Sonne of GOD to be perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and bodie borne of the father according to his Godhead before the worldes and the verie same according to his humanitie borne in the latter times of the virgine Marie for vs and for our saluation For there was made an vniting of the two natures Wherfore we confesse bothe one Christe one Sonne and one Lorde And according to this vnderstanding of the vnconfounded vnitie we acknowledge the holie virgine to be the mother of God because that GOD the word was incarnate and made man and by the verie conception gathered to him selfe a bodie taken of her But for the speaches vttered by the Euangelistes and Apostles touching the Lord we knowe that the Diuines doe by reason of the two natures diuide them so yet as that they belong to one person and that they doe referre them some because they are more agreeable to the diuinitie to the Godhead of Christe and other some because they are base to his Humanitie To this confession Cyrill addeth these wordes When wee had read these holie wordes of youres euen in the Synode to whiche the confession was sent and did perceiue that wee our selues were of the same opinion for there is one Lorde one faithe and one baptisme wee glorified GOD the sauiour of all men reioycing together in our selues
haereticorum THe rule of faith is that we out of hande professe openly what our beleefe is which is that in deed wherby we beleeue that there is one God onlie not any other beside the maker of the worlde whiche by his worde sent out firste of all brought foorth all thinges of nothing That worde beeing called his Sonne beeing seene after sundry sortes of the Patriarches beeing alwayes hearde in the Prophetes and lastly by the spirit and power of God the father beeing brought into the virgin Marie beeing made fleash in her wombe and borne of her became Iesus Christ which afterwarde preached the new law and the new promise of the kingdome of Heauen wrought myracles sate at the right hande of the Father was nayled to the crosse roase againe the thirde day was taken into the heaueÌ„s sitteth at the right hand of the Father sent the power of the holie Ghost to gouerne the beleeuers in his owne steed shall come with glorie to take the saintes into the ioy of eternall life and heauenly promises and to condemne the wicked to euerlasting fier when both the parties are raysed vp and haue their fleash restored againe This rule as it shall be prooued beeing ordeyned by Christ hath among vs no doubtes at all but those which heresies bring in and which make men become heretiques The Creede of the blessed Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria taken out of his bookes WHosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessarie that he holde the Catholique faith Which faith exeept euery one do kepe holy vndefiled without dout he shall perish euerlastingly And the Catholique faith is this that we worship one God in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the holy Ghost But the godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is all one the glory equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the Father is such is the Sonne and such is the holy Ghost The Father vncreate the Sonne vncreate and the holy Ghost vncreate The Father incomprehensible the Sonne incomprehensible and the holy Ghoste incomprehensible The Father eternall the Sonne eternall and the holie Ghost eternall And yet they are not three eternalls but one eternall As also there be not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is almightie the Sonne almightie and the holie Ghoste almightie And yet are they not three almighties but one almightie So the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holie Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods but one God. So likewise the father is Lord the Sonne Lord and the holie Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lordes but one Lord. For like as we be coÌ„pelled by the Christian veritie to acknowledge euerie person by him selfe to be God and Lorde So are we forbidden by the Catholique religion to say there be three Gods or three Lordes The father is made of none neither created nor begotten The sonne is of the father alone not made nor created but begotten The holie Ghost is of the father and of the sonne neyther made nor created nor begotten but proceeding So there is one father not three fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy ghost not three holy ghostes And in this Trinitie none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse than other But the whole three persons be coetâ—rnall together and coequall So that in all things as is aforesaid the vnitie in trinitie and the trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped He therefore that will be saued must thus thinke of the trinitie Furthermore it is necessarie to euerlasting saluation that he also beleeue rightly in the incarnation of our Lorde Iesus Christ For the right faith is that we beleeue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is God and man. God of the substance of the father begotten before the worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the worlde Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall to the father as touching his godhead and inferior to the father touching his manhood Who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by the conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God. One altogether not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ Who suffered for our saluation descended into hell rose againe the thirde day from the deade He ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of the father God almightie from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall giue account for their owne woorkes And they that haue done good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fier This is the Catholique faith which except a man beleeue faithfully he can not be saued The Creede of the blessed Damasus bishop of Rome taken out of the seconde Tome of S. Hierome his woorkes WE beleeue in one God the father almightie and in one Iesus Christ our Lorde the sonne of God and in the holy ghost We worship and confesse God not three Gods but the father the sonne and the holy ghost one God one God not so as though he were alone nor as one which is himselfe father to him selfe and sonne him selfe also but him to be the father which begot him to be the sonne which was begotten but the holy ghost to be neither begotten nor created nor created nor made but proceeding from the father and the sonne coeternall coequal and working together with the father and the sonne because it is written By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were established that is by the sonne of God and by the breath of his mouth all the powers thereof And in another place Sende forth thy breath and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth And therfore vnder the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost we confesse one God which is the name of the power and not of the propertie The proper name of the father is the father and the proper name of the sonne is the sonne and the proper name of the holy ghost is the holy ghost In this trinitie of persons we worship one god in substance because that which is of one father is of one nature with the father of one substance and one power The father begat the sonne not by will or necessitie but by nature The sonne in the last time came downe from the father to saue vs and to fulfill the scriptures who neuerthelesse neuer ceassed to be with the father And
to lay hand on the life to come The faithfull Saints could in no wise haue don these things vnlesse the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of god Although therefore that the Apostles were men yet their doctrine first of all taught by a liuely expressed voyce and after that set downe in writing with penne and yncke is the doctrine of God and the very true word of god For therefore the Apostle left this saying in writing When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which effectually worketh in you that beleeue But nowe the matter it selfe and place require that I gather also and plainely reckon vp those bookes wherin is conteined the very word of God first of all declared of the Fathers of Christ himselfe and the Apostles by-word of mouth after that also written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apostles And in the first place verely are set the fiue bookes of Moses Then follow the bookes of Iosua of Iudges of Ruth two bookes of Samuel two of Kinges two of Chronicles of Esdras Nehemias and Hester one a piece After these come Iob Dauid or the booke of Psalmes Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Cantica With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Esaias Ieremias Ezechiel and Daniel then the twelue lesser Prophetes whose names are very well knowne With these bookes the olde Testament ended The Newe Testament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hystorie of Christ the Lord written by foure Authors that is by two Apostles Mathewe and Iohn and by two Disciples Marke and Luke who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apostles Paule to sundrie Churches and persons published 14. Epistles The other Apostles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique And the books of the new Testament are ended with the reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche he opened to the Disciple whome he loued Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle shewing vnto him and so to the whole church the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche euen vntil the day of iudgement Therefore in these fewe and meane not vnmeasurable in these plaine and simple not darke and vnkemmed books is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes whiche is the very word of the true liuing and eternall God. Also the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes through so many ages perils and captiuities came sound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Christ and his Apostles For the Lord Iesus the Apostles vsed those bookes as true copies and authentical which vndoubtedly they neither would nor could haue done if so be that eyther they had béen corrupted or altogether perished The bookes also whiche the Apostles of Christ haue added were throughout all persecutions kept in the Church safe and vncorrupted and are come sound and vncorrupted into our handes vpon whome the endes of the world are falne For by the vigilāt care vnspeakable goodnes of God our Father it is brought to passe that no age at any time either hathe or shal want so great a treasure Thus muche hitherto haue I declared vnto you derely beloued what the word of God is what the beginning of it in the Churche was what procéeding dignitie and certaintie it had The word of God is the speache of God that is to say the reuealing of his good will to mankinde whiche frō the beginning one while by his owne mouthe and an other whyle by the speache of Angels he did open to those first ancient and most holy Fathers who againe by tradition did faithfully deliuer it to their posteritie Here are to be remembred those great lightes of the world Adam Seth Methusalem Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iaacob Amram and his Sonne Moses who at Gods commaundement did in writing comprehend the hystorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers whervnto he ioyned the written lawe and exposition of the lawe togeather with a large and lightsome hystorie of his owne lyfe time After Moses God gaue to his Churche moste excellent men Prophets and Priestes who also by worde of mouthe and wrytings did deliuer to their posterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord After them came the Onely begotten Sonne of God himselfe downe from heauen into the world and fulfilled all whatsoeuer was found to be written of himselfe in the Lawe and the Prophetes The same also taught a moste absolute meane howe to liue well and holily He made the Apostles his witnesses Which witnesses did afterwardes first of all with a liuely expressed voice preach al things which the Lord had taught them and then to the intent that they should not be corrupted or clean taken out of mans remembraunce they did commit it to writing so that nowe we haue from the Fathers the Prophetes and Apostles the word of God as it was preached and written These thinges had their beginning of one the same spirite of God and do tende to one end that is To teach vs men how to liue well and holily He that beléeueth not these men namely the only begotten Sonne of God whom I pray you will he beleeue We haue here the moste holie innocent vpright liuing most praise worthie most iust moste ancient most wise and most diuine men of the whole world and compasse of the earth and briefly suche men as are by all meanes without comparison All the worlde cannot shew vs the like againe although it shuld wholy a thousand times be assembled in Counsels The holy Emperour Constantine gathered a generall counsell out of al the compasse of the earthe thether came there together out of all the worlde thrée hundred and eightéene moste excellent Fathers But they that are of the wisest sorte will say that these are not so muche as shadowes to be compared to them of whome we haue receiued the worde of god Let vs therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Scriptures Let vs thinke that the Lorde him selfe whiche is the very liuing and eternall God dothe speake to vs by the Scriptures Let vs for euermore prayse the name and goodnesse of him who hath vouched safe so faythfully fully and plainely to open to vs miserable mortall men all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly To him be prayse honour and glory for euermore Amen Of the worde of God to whom and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse ¶ The seconde Sermon DEarely beloued in the laste Sermon you learned what the worde of God is from whence it came by whome it was chiefly reuealed what procéedings it had and of what dignitie and certaintie it is Now am I come againe and by Gods fauour and the helpe of your prayers I will declare vnto you beloued to whome and to what ende the worde of
knowne nor lefte in writing of the holye Scriptures Some there are that dâ—e attribute it to the Apostles them selues and therefore doe call it by the name of the Apostles Créede Saint Cyprian the Martyr in his exposition of the Apostles Créede saythe Our auncestors haue a saying that after the Lordes ascension when by the comming of the holy ghoste the fierie tongues sate vpon euery one of the Apostles so that they spake both diuers and sundrie languages whereby there was no forreine nation nor barbarous tongue to whiche they seemed not sufficiently prepared to passe by the way they had a commandement from the Lorde to goe vnto all nations to preache the worde of god When therefore they were in a readinesse to departe they layde downe among them selues a platform of preaching for them all to followe least peraduenture being seuered one from another they should preach diuers things to them that were conuerted to the fayth of Christe Wherefore being there altogether and replenished with the holy ghoste they gathered one euery ones seuerall sentence and made that Breuiarie as I saide to be a patterne for all their preachings to be framed by appointing it for a rule to be giuen to them that should beleeue This sayth Cyprian But whether they were of the Apostles owne making or no or else that other the Apostles disciples made theÌ„ yet this is very wel knowne that the very doctrine of the Apostles is purely conteyned and taught in them These twelue Articles are called also a badge bycause by that signe as it were by a badge true Christians are discerned from false Nowe I will declare what order I will vse in expounding them vnto you This whole breuiatie or abridgement of faythe may be diuided into foure partes so that the thrée firste partes may make manifest the misteries of the thrée persons in one godheade and that the fourth may laye forth the fruits of fayth that is to say what good things we looke for by faith what good things God bestoweth on them that put their trust in him And yet this notwithstanding I wil procéed herein euen orderly so as the twelue Articles are placed or set downe The first article of Christian faith is this I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth And this first Article of the Créede containeth two especiall pointes For firste we say generally I beléeue in god Then we descende particularly to the distinction of the persons and adde The father almightie For God is one in substance and thrée in persons Wherefore vnderstanding the vnitie of the substaunce we saye plainly I beléeue in god And againe kéeping not confounding the persons we adde In the father almightie In Iesus Christ his only sonne And in the holy Ghoste Let vs therefore be léeue that God is one not many and pure in substaunce but thrée in persons the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost For in the law it is writteÌ„ Hearken Israell The Lord our God is one Lord. And againe in the gospell we reade that the Lorde sayde Baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghoste By the way this is singularly to be marked of vs that when we pray wée say Our father which art in Heauen giue vs this day our daily breade but that wheÌ„ wée make Confession of our beliefe wee say not we beleeue but I beleeue For faithe is required of euery one of vs for euery particular man to haue wythonte dissimulation in his harte and without double meaninge to professe it wyth his mouth It was not enough for Abraham to haue fayth for all his seede Neyther wil if auayle thee any thing for an other to beleeue if thou thy selfe art without fayth For the Lord requireth fayth of euery particular man for himselfe Wherefore so oft as wee confesse our fayth euery one of vs by himselfe doth saye I beleeue But what it is to brleeue I haue declared alreadye in my fourth Sermon It followeth in the Confession I beleeue in god God is the obiecte and foundation of oure Fayth as hee that is the euerlastinge and chiefe goodnes neuer wearie but alway ready at our neede Wée therfore beléeue in God that is to say wee put our whole hope all our safety and our selues wholy into his handes as vnto him that is able to preserue and bestowe on vs all thinges that are requisite for our behooâ—e Nowe it followeth that that God in whom we rest and vnto whose tuition wée do all commit oure selues is The Father Almightye Our God is therefore called Father because from before all beginninge hee begatte the sonne like to himselfe For the Scripture calleth God the father of oure Lord Iesus Christe He sayth the Apostle is the brightnesse of the glorie of God and the liuely Image of the substaunce of the father to whom he said Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee And againe I will be his father and hee shal be my sonne Also God is called father in respecte of the likenesse that hee hath with oure earthly father to witte because of our Creation the fauour loue good will carefulnesse where with he is affected towards vs For God hath created vs God loueth vs God regardeth our affayres and is careful for vs yea and that more exceedinglye too then any earthly father is For saith Dauid Euen as the father pitieth his childreÌ„ so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him for hee knoweth our estate remembring that we are but duste Esaias also in his 49. Cap. sayth Can a woman forget her owne infante and not pitie and be fayne ouer the sonne of hir owne wombe But admit she do forget yet will not I forget thee In this is declared Gods good will to vs ward and wée confessing that God is our father do also professe that God to vs is both gentle liberall and merciful who wisheth vs all thinges that are auayleable to our health and purposeth nothinge to vs warde but that which is good and wholesome and last of all that at his hande wée receiue what good soeuer wée haue either bodilye or ghostly God is called Almighty because by his might hée can do al things because he is Lord of all thinges and hath all thinges subiecte to his commaundement For the same cause also is hee called the Lord of Hostes Heauen Earth and whatsoeuer is therein Starres all Elements Men Angells deuils al liuing Creatures all things created are in the power of the moste highe and euerlasting god What soeuer hee commaundeth that they doe nothing is able to withstand his will. What hee wil that must of necessitie be done and also these things he vseth euen as his owne wil and pleasure is and as his iustice and mans saluation do require Firste wée confessed that God doth will vs well and nowe wée acknowledge that whatsoeuer hée wil that he is able to bring
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 Heauē 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 māsions 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
Prince For sayth Dauid The Lorde saide to my Lorde sitte thou at my righte hande till I make thine enimies thy footestoole And the Prophete Zacharie sayth Beholde the man that is called the braunche hee shal budde oute of his place and build the Temple of the Lorde and sitte and rule vppon his Throne and be a prieste vppon his seate In this sense the right hand of God is infinite and conteined in no measure of place wheras wée confesse that our Lorde doth sitte at the righte hande of the father wee doe professe that the sonne is exalted aboue all thinges hauinge all thinges subiecte vnder himselfe as Paule in his first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth and finallye that the sonne being so exalted cā do al thinge doth reigne in the vniuersall Church doth deliuer them that are his doth make intercession to the father in heauē and in the power of his Godheade is present in all places For therfore did the Créede adde almightinesse to this setting of his where it is sayde He sitteth at the right hande of the father almightie And in Saint Mathew the Lorde sayth To me is giuen al might in heauen and in earth goe therefore and bring all nations vnto me So then I suppose that briefly thus I haue well declared what manner of place heauen is to wit a place of quietnesse ioye and euerlasting felicitie wherin the sonne of God doth sit doth dwell and is in his humanitie as we also that are the members of Christe shal be in the very same place without all dolour and griefe in ioye for euermore And although our Lorde be deliuered from all grieuous businesse yet we meane not that he sitteth idlely leaning on his elbowes For he is a King a Prieste and very God in the very temple of God he can not choose therefore of his natural propertie and office but work saluation in the elect and do all things that lye God a king and Prieste in hande to doe So then nowe we all knowe what our Lorde doth as he sitteth in heauen Neither is it any trouble to him at all to do and worke that which he doth for he worketh not of compulsion but naturally and of his owne accord Thus and no otherwise did the ancient interpreters of the holy Scriptures handle this Article of our belief Some of whose testimonies I will here alledge Saint Hierome in his exposition of Paules first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth He hath declared the power of God by the similitude of a man not bycause a seate is placed and God the father sitteth ther on hauing his sonne sitting ther with him but bycause we can not otherwise conceiue howe the sonne dothe iudge and reigne but by such wordes applyed to our capacitie As therfore to be next to God or to depart farre from him is not to be vnderstood according to the distance of places but after mens merites bycause the Saints are heard by him but the sinners of whome the Prophete sayth Beholde they that get them selues from thee shal perish are remoued farre inough for comming neare him at all Euen so likewise to be eyther at the right or lefte hande of God is to be taken so that the Saints are at his right hand sinners at his left As our Sauioure him selfe also in the Gospel affirming the same dothe say that at the right hande are the sheepe and the goates at the left Moreouer this very word to Sit dothe argue the power of a kingdome by which God is beneficiall to them on whom he doth vouchsafe to sit in so much as verily he doth rule them and hath them alwayes in his guiding and dothe turne to his owne becke or gouernment the necks of them that before ranne out of the way at randon and at libertie Saint Augustine in his booke De Fide et Symbolo sayth We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hande of God the Father Yet not so therefore as though we shoulde thinke that God the Father is comprehended within the limites of a mans bodye so that they that thinke of him shoulde imagine that he hath bothe a right and a left side And whereas it is sayde that the Father sitteth we muste not suppose that he doth sitte with bended hammes leaste peraduenture we fall into the same sacrilege for whiche the Apostle accurseth them that haue chaunged the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man For a detestable thing it is to place God in suche a likenesse in a Christian Churche and muche more wicked is it to place it in the heart where the temple of God is verily and in deede if it be cleansed from earthly desires and errour We must therfore vnderstand that at the right hande is as muche to say as in greatest happinesse where righteousnesse and peace and gladnesse is euē as also the Goates are placed at the lefte hande that is in miserie for their iniquities to their peine and torment Whereas God therefore is sayde to sit thereby is not ment the placing of his limms but his iudiciall power whiche his maiestie neuer wanteth in bestowing worthy rewardes on those that are worthy of them And so foorth The blessed Bishop Fulgentius in his seconde Booke to King Trasimundus sayth The Lorde to shewe that his humanitie is locall sayeth to his Disciples I ascende to my father and to your father my God and your god And by and by after declaring the in comprehensibilitie of his Godhead he sayth to his Disciples Behold I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the wold The blessed Martyr and Bishop of Trent Vigilius in his first booke against heresies sayth This was to go to the Father and to depart from vs to take away out of this world the nature whiche he tooke of vs Thou seest therefore that it was proper to the same nature to be taken away and to departe from vs according to the wordes of the Angels whiche sayde This Iesus who is taken vp from you shall come againe euen as ye see him goe into heauen For see the myracle See the mysterie of both his properties The Sonne of God in his humanitie is departed from vs according to his diuinitie he saith to vs Beholde I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world If he be with vs howe sayth he The time shall come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man and ye shal not see it But both he is with vs and not with vs Bycause them whome he hath left and departed from in his Godhead he hath not lefte nor forsaken in his manhoode This sayth he The seuenth Article of our faith is this From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the former Articles there is set foorth and confessed the diuine goodnesse bountifulnesse and grace in Christe nowe also shall be declared the diuine iustice
wicked man he is not worshipped withsūptuous cost neither is he delighted with the sight of solemn tragedies as a wicked man is but his delight is in vertue in a mind that purposeth to doe good workes and righteousnesse Wherefore euery one must indeuour him selfe as muche as he may both to doe wel and wil wel if he desire to haue God to his friend c. Cicero in his second booke De natura deorum saith The best worshipping of the Gods and the moste holy and pure religion is alwayes to honor them with a pure perfect and vncorrupted minde and voice Seneca also in his fifte booke Ad Lucil. sayth Our vsuall custome is to teache men howe the Gods are to be worshipped Let vs giue commaundement that on holye dayes no man set pearchers or taper light before the Gods for they are much delighted with lightes as men halfe smouldered haue pleasure in smoake Let vs forbid these morning greetings and solemne knelings at the Temple dores This more then neding fiddle faddle smacks somwhat of ambitiō He worshippeth god that knoweth god Let vs forbid to bring napkins rubbars to Iupiter to hold a looking glasse to Iuno God seketh not such seruice Why so Bicause he him self forsooth doth serue and supply all mens necessities He is present euery where at hand with al mē Let euery mā heare therefore howe he ought to worship God as he shold He shal neuer verily be sufficiently cleare frō troublesome superstitions vnlesse he in his minde thinke of God as he should do that is that he hath all things that he giueth all things and that he bestoweth benefites freely not looking for any recompence at all What is the cause that the Gods doe good Their nature forsothe He is deceiued who so euer thinketh that they eyther will or possibly can doe harme they can neither take wrong nor yet do wrōg For to do harme and to suffer harme are coupled together The chiefest and most excellent nature of al is the nature of them which are themselues exempt from peril and are not by nature hurtful to others The first point of worship due to the Gods is to beleue that there are Gods then to giue them the maiestie due vnto them and to ascribe to them their goodnesse without the whiche their maiestie is none at all To confesse that they are they that gouerne the worlde that they rule all thinges as their owne that they doe generally looke to the safegarde of all mankinde and sometime to are carefull for peculiar men They neither doe nor haue any euill at all But some they chastise keepe vnder and punish somtime by whipping in hope to make them good Wilt thou please the Gods and make them thy friends Be good thy selfe thē He hath sufficiently worshipped them whosoeuer hath imitated them in goodnesse In these wordes of Seneca although notable in déede and agréeable to true religion I finde default notwithstanding of two thinges The first is bycause not so seldome as once he maketh mention of Gods when as neuerthelesse in an other place he doth frankly confesse that God is one in substance no more Neyther dare I vndertake for him that he spake after the manner of the Scripture which calleth God Elohim as if you should say Gods bycause of the mysterie of the most reuerend Trinitie And yet I know very well that learned men of our religion haue gone about to proue euē by the testimonies of the Gentiles that the Gentiles also did acknowledge the mysterie of the Trinitie The seconde is that for as muche as I can sée Seneca with the other wise men of the Gentiles doth not expresly set downe and teache the sounde truste and confidence that should be had in God. Moreouer there was not among the Romans any image of God in any temple that they had for the space of 170. yeres after Rome was builded For Plutarch in the life of Numa Pompilius sayth As for the decrees that Numa made touching Images of the immortall Gods how like are they almost in euery point to the doctrine of Pythagoras Pythagoras thought that that first beginning he meaneth God is not subiect to sense or any troublesome affection but is an inuisible and vncreated spirite And on the other side Numa forbad the Romans to thinke that the shape of God hath the likenesse of a man or else the figure or similitude of any liuing thing Neyther was there among them of the old time any painted or fashioned Image of God but in the firste 170. yeares they builded Temples and set vp houses for seruice to be done in vnto the Gods but bodily similitudes they did not make euen as if it were a detestable thing to liken the better vnto the worse and as though God could not otherwise be perceiued but by reason knowledge only The very same doth Marcus Varr◠testifie touching the Romans in the 31. chap. of Augustines booke De Ciuitate Dei. For hée sayth That the Romans worshipped the Gods. 170. yeares without any Images at all and going further hée addeth this Which if it had endured till nowe the Gods verilie should haue been more purely reuerenced Neither doubteth hée to conclude that place with these words and to say That they which first brought in Images amonge the people diminished deuoute feare augmented foolish errour in the Cities where they gouerned Wisely iudgging thereby that the Gods may easily be despised vnder the fondnesse of imagined likenesses c. Now as concerning the name of God how much the Gentiles did set by it it is euident to bée séene by the great religion that they had in taking or giuing an othe There is extant to be séene a notable discourse of this in the 18. Cap. and the 7. booke of Gellius where among the rest this is to be founde written An othe among the Romans hath bene had and kept holy and vncorrupted which is declared by many lawes and customes And if so be that among the Gentiles any man shoulde speake opprobriously against God he was reputed faultie most sharply to be punished Furthermore the Gentiles had their religion their festiuall dayes ceremonies and priestes of their religion Melchizedech and Iethro were notable priestes of the Gentiles And although Paule doth flatly say that the things which the Gentils offered were not offered to God but to deuils yet notwithstanding bycause they had in reuerence religion and holy ceremonies they did therby declare that God had printed in the mindes of men a familiar knowledge of reuerence and religion which afterward is corrupted by false doctrine and wrong opinions touching God and his holy seruice For the honouring of Parents and Magistrates for the bringing vp of children and touching the duetie of children there are excellent precepts and sentences of the wiser sorte of Gentiles Hierocles among his other writings sayth If any man shal cal his Parents certaine seconde or
Gods. Against this faithlesse and double dealing al the Prophets cry out most vehemently with words that represent a tyrrannous and cruell reuengemēt For of all other sinnes that is moste detestable I woulde to God at this day so many were not persuaded that this kinde of honour is the worship that God maketh most account of Or els otherwise the sense of those words may be thus I will not haue thée to séeke any other Gods but me I will not haue thée worship me according to thine owne inuentions The cause is I am a icalous God that is I am easie to be prouoked and will not suffer mee selfe and myne honour to be reiected without due punishment for the contempt And to this sense he séemeth to drawe where he goeth forward and doth at large expound how he is iealous for I visite sayth he the fathers iniquitie in the children vnto the third and fourth generation of thē that hate me God therfore is a sharp reuenger and a iust iudge against thē that followe after straunge Gods or serue God vnlawfully or irreligiously also against all them that swarue from the lawe of god For he thundereth out this bitter punishment especially against Idolaters but therewithall inclusiuely he threateneth it to them which breake the rest of his commandements For that which the Lorde vttereth here is generally spoken and is of force and effect against all impietie and vnrighteousnesse of all mankinde But for bycause Gods case is far more excellent then mans they therefore doe more hainously offend which breake the first table then they that sinne against the second and thereby do deserue a farre more grieuous paine and heauie punishment Now wheras we sée that the Lord sayth that he will visite and by inquisition punish the sinnes of the fathers in the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation we muste not by and by thinke that God is vniust and punisheth another mans fault in afflicting the innocent that is in whipping him that did not offende as the Iewes in Ezechiel did wickedly taūt and cauill with God saying The Fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But it is not so For euery man shall beare his owne offences neyther shall the sonne beare or abye the fathers sinne nor the father the sonnes iniquitie This doth the most true God very often and earnestly beate into our heades throughout Ezechiel and the whole scripture beside If therfore the children or childers children shall abide in the crooked steppes of their fathers and shall as their fathers did doe seruice to Idoles and shall thinke that they shall be safe and remaine vnpunished bycause they learned it of their fathers euen as their fathers also were Idolaters and yet flourished in wealth and prosperitie then I say I will punish the sinne of the fathers in the children that is I will sharply reuenge the sinne that the children haue learned of the fathers and wherein they stifly stande and abide being encouraged therevnto by their fathers example and good fortune although for the very same sin I did not once touch their fathers before them And for that cause is this expresly added Of them that hate me Hereof haue we very many and very euident examples in the bookes of Kings The house of Ieroboam is vtterly destroyed bycause Ieroboam did erect in Israel Idolatrie and superstition Immediately after the whole stocke of King Baasa is cleane cut off and Achabs house is pulled vp by the rootes At lengthe the Israelites are made slaues to serue the Assyrians Solomon the moste mightie welthy wise happy king of Iuda bycause of his Idolatrie and straunge superstition is of a soudeine made a wretch of all other There is none vnlesse he neuer read the holy Scriptures but doth know what hapned to his son Roboam to Ioram the son of Iosaphat to Achas Manasses Iehoiachim Zedechias bicause of idolatry forreine worshipping of god Let vs therfore firmly holde and beléeue that the threatenings of God are true in effect God that is both a seuere and iust reuenger and punisher of Idolaters and wicked superstitious men and finally of all and euery wicked acte done by euery man Althoughe God do sundry times séeme to wicked men to slumber and not to sée them yet notwithstanding he doth awake when he thinks good and payeth home the wicked for all their offences done and past Although he be long suffering yet the righteous Lord doth not alwayes neglect the godly and oppressed neyther doth he alwayes winke at vngodlinesse and let the wicked be vnpunished for euer But he giueth them time to repent in whiche who soeuer doe neglect they doe at length féele the greater paines and sharper punishment according to the saying of the Apostle What dost thou despise the riches of Gods goodnesse suffering and gentlenesse not knowing that Gods goodnesse calleth thee to repentance But according to thy hardnesse and heart that can not repent thou heapest vp to thee selfe wrath against the day of wrath wherin shall bee made manifest the iust iudgement of God who shal repay to euery one according to his deeds c. Againe the bountifull Lorde promiseth great and large rewardes to them that worship him and stedfastly perseuere in true godlinesse and perfect religion I am God sayth he shewing mercy or giuing bountifully vn to thousandes Here note that his mercy is greater then his vengeance For where he is angrie there he punisheth vnto the thirde and fourth generation but where he is mercifully liberall there he is bountifull vnto many thousands For of his goodnesse and benefites there is no measure or end the mercy of God is farre aboue all his works Here yet againe he addeth two things more To thē saith he that loue me kéep my commaundements Here I say he requireth two things at their handes that are his The first is That they loue God and make accompt of and take him to be their God which if they do then shall there no roome be left in the godly for straunge or forreine Gods. The seconde is that they obey God and walke in his commandements which if they doe then are all Idoles and straunge worshippings vtterly at an end then doth the Lorde by his word reigne in the hart of euery godly mā whome the bountifull Lord doth liberally blesse with all kinde of blessings and good gifts And this clause verily doth especially belong to this commaundement but inclusiuely also it is referred to al the rest as by the very wordes of God we may easily gather Let vs holde and verily thinke therfore that the infinite and vnspeable benefites of God are prepared for them that walke in the lawe of the Lorde Thus much had I to speak of these two commaundements of the first table which I can not now againe recapitulate bicause an houre and an half is already spent and for that I hope that I haue so
God and the hallowing of his holy name but yet it bendeth somewhat to the outward honour although neuerthelesse it frameth to the inward religion For the Sabboth doth belong both to the inward and outward seruice of god Let vs sée therefore what we haue to thinke that the Sabboth is how farre foorth the vse therof extendeth and after what sort we haue to worship our God in obseruing the sabboth Sabboth doth signifie rest and ceassing from seruile worke And this here I thinke worthy to be noted that the Lord saith not simply Sanctifie the Sabboth but Remember that thou kéepe holy the Sabboth daye meaning thereby that the Sabboth was of olde ordeined and giuen first of all to the auncient fathers and thē againe renued by the Lorde and beaten into the memorie of the people of Israell But the summe of the whole Commaundement is Kéepe holy the Sabboth day This summe dothe the Lorde by and by more largely amplifie by reckoning vp the the very dayes and particular rehearsing of the whole houshold to whome the kéeping of the Sabboth is giuen in charge The Sabboth it selfe hath sundry significations For first of all the scripture maketh mention of a certaine spirituall and continuall Sabboth In this Sabboth we rest from seruile worke in absteining from sinne and doing our best not to haue our owne will found in our selues or to worke our owne workes but in ceassing frō these to suffer God to work in vs and wholy to submit our bodyes to the gouernment of his good spirit After this Sabboth foloweth that eternall Sabboth and euerlasting rest of which Esaie in his 58. and. 66. Chapters speaketh very much and Paul also in the fourth to the Hebrues But God is truely worshipped when we ceassing from euill and obeying Gods holy spirit do exercise our selues in the studie of good works At this time I haue no leasure neyther do I thinke that it is greatly profitable for me to reason as largely or as exquisitely as I coulde of the allegoricall Sabboth or spirituall rest Let vs rather my brethren in these our mortall bodies do our indeuour with an vnwearied good wil of holinesse to sanctifie the Sabboth that pleaseth the Lord so well Secondarily the Sabboth is the outwarde institution of our religion For it pleased the Lorde in this commandement to teache vs an outward religion and kinde of worship wherein he would haue vs all to be exercised Nowe for bycause the worshipping of God cā not be without a time Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certaine time wherein we shoulde absteine from outwarde or bodilye works but so yet that we should haue leasure to attēd vpō our spiritual businesse For for that cause is the outward rest commaunded that the spirituall worke should not be hindered by the bodily businesse Moreouer that spirituall labour among our fathers was chiefly spent about foure things to wit about publique reading and expounding of the scriptures and so consequently about the hearing of the same about publique prayers and common petitions about sacrifices or the administration of the sacraments and lastly about the gathering of euery mans beneuolence In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabboth For the people kept holie day and met together in holy assemblies where the Prophetes read to thē the word of the Lord expounding it and instructing the hearers in the true religion Then did the faythfull iointly make their common prayers and supplications for all things necessarie for their behoofe They praysed the name of the Lord and gaue him thankes for all his good benefites bestowed vpon them Furthermore they did offer sacrifices as the Lorde commaunded them celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christe their redéemer and keping their faith exercised and in vre they were ioyned in one with these sacraments and also warned of their duetie which is to offer them selues a liuely sacrifice to the Lord their god Lastly they did in the congregation liberally bestow the giftes of their good will to the vse of the Church They gathered euerie mans beneuolence therewith to supply the Churches necessitie to mainteine the ministers and to relieue the poore and néedie These were the holy workes of God which while they hauing their hartes instructed in fayth and loue did fulfill they did therein rightly sanctifie the Sabboth and the name of the Lord that is they did on the sabboth those kinde works which do both sanctifie the name of God become his worshippers and also are the workes in déede that are holy and pleasing in the sight of god If any man require a substanciall and euident example of the Sabboth or holy daye thus holily celebrated he shall finde it in the eight Chapter of the booke of Nehemias For there the Priestes do reade and expounde the worde of God they praise the name of the lord they pray with the people they offer sacrifice they shew their liberalitie and doe in all points behaue them selues holily and deuoutly as they should Now least any peraduenture might make this obiection and say Ease brée deth vice Or else I must labour with my handes to get my liuing least I dy with hunger and my familie perishe he aunswereth The Lorde alloweth thée time sufficient for thy labour for thée to worke in to get a liuing for thy selfe and thy houshold For sixe dayes thou maist worke but the seuenth day doth the Lord chalenge and require to be cōsecrated to him and his holy rest Euery wéeke hath seuen dayes But of those seuen the Lord requireth but one for him self Who then can rightly complain I beséech you or say that he hath iniurie done vnto him More time is allowed to work in thē to kéep holy the Sabboth And he that requireth to haue this sabboth kept is God the maker the father Lord of al mākind Furthermore the Lord doth precisely cōmand and giue a charge to plant and bring in this holy rest this discipline and outward worship into the whole familie of euery seuerall house Whereby we gather what the dutie of a good housholder is to wit to haue a care to sée all his familie kéepe holy the sabboth day that is to doe on the sabboth day those good workes which I haue before rehearsed And for bycause the Lord doth know that mans naturall disposition is where it hath the maistrie there for the most parte to rule and reigne ouer haufily and too too Prince like therfore least peraduenture the fathers or maisters shuld deale too hardly or rigorously with their housholds or hinder them in obseruing of the sabboth he doth in expresse words exquisite steps of enumeration commaund them to allowe their familie and euery one in their familie a resting time to accomplish his holy seruice He doth not exempt or except so much as the straunger He will not suffer nor allow among them the exāple of such dulheads as say Let faith and religion be free to all
still the later coÌ„mandements haue a relation to those that went before In the secoÌ„d coÌ„maundement we learned that God wold visit the sinnes of the fathers in the children therfore children ought not to obey their parents if they coÌ„maund any thing contrarie to god or preiudiciall to his lawe Ionathan obeyed not his father Sauls coÌ„mandement who charged him to persecute Dauid and therfore is he worthily coÌ„mended in the holy scriptures The thrée coÌ„panions of Daniel obeyed Nabuchodonosor in al that he sayd they loued him reuerenced him as a most mightie puissaÌ„t bountifull king but so soone once as he charged them to fall to Idolatrie they set not a button by his coÌ„mauÌ„dement And S. Peter who taught vs that honor obedience that we owe to our parents magistrates when he was coÌ„mauÌ„ded by y princes fathers of the people not to preache Christe crucified to the people any more did answere them that we ought to obey God more theÌ„ men But what néede I thus to stand reckoning vp this when the Lord him self in one short sentence hath knit vp this al other like to this If any man saith he coÌ„meth to me hateth not his father mother his wife his children his brethren and sisters yea and his owne life he can not be my disciple Furthermore thou dost honor thy parents when thou dost not coÌ„temptuously 〈◊〉 theÌ„ vnthankfully neglect 〈…〉 thinke scorne of theÌ„ if peraduenture they happen to fal into aduersitie Thou honorest thy parents when with thine help couÌ„sel thou aydest theÌ„ in their old age vnweildie crookednesie when thou easest theÌ„ in time of their neede or succourest theÌ„ otherwise in any case else For that in déed is the true and proper honor due to our parents the Lord him self bearing witnes thervnto in the 15. of Mat. coÌ„cluding that we ought to prouide haue a care for our parents to saue defend them wholy to giue our selues hazard our liues in their behalf And now that this that I haue said may be more easily euidently vnderstood I wil confer apply this honor to those 7. seueral kinds of meÌ„ which we do coÌ„prehend vnder the name of parents that thereby euery one may sée what and how much honor he ought to bestow vpoÌ„ his pareÌ„ts his cuÌ„try the magistrats therin those sorts of people that are afore named Wheras of dutie we ought to honor our pareÌ„ts that dutie is paid if we do so worshipfully estéeme of theÌ„ as to think that they are giuen to vs of God to y end that we shuld reuerence loue always haue an eye to them although for nothing else yet only for the Lords sake who is and doth thinke him selfe despised so long as we go on to contemne our parents and to thinke vilely of them Neither doth it make any matter to vs whether they be worthy or vnworthy whom the lord coÌ„maundeth vs to honor For be they as they may be yet notwithstanding they did not without the prouideÌ„ce of god chaÌ„ce to be our parentes in respect of which parentage the lawgiuer him self will haue theÌ„ to be honored Whatsoeuer therfore children shal haue occasion to speake to their parents let it alwayes sauour of humble reuerence childely affection and let theÌ„ with such affection reuerence obey their parents If they séeme to vs to be somwhat bitter vngentle yet let vs wisely winke at it not séeme to knowe it by litle litle stil declining from the euill which by force they séeme to compell vs vnto let vs so discretely handle the matter that we may giue them as smal occasion as may be to be offended at vs We haue Ionathas y sonne of Saul to be an example to vs of a godly obedieÌ„t child He did with great griefe trouble of mind behold his fathers madnesse vpon Dauid wrongful dealing against him self yet did he for the presit discréetly sustain wisely dissemble it finding occasion at another time and in a place coÌ„uenient to tel him of it he neuer ayded his father in any conceiued mischief he claue alway to the iust man righteous causes he bewayled his fathers stubbornesse sought not ouer boldly to resist him and striue against him wheÌ„ he offered to deale by violeÌ„t extremitie with him but saued him self by fléeing away yet for all this he loued his father neuer the worse but praied still to God for his helth welfare shewing him selfe in al things an obedient sonne to his crabbed father This verily is the duetie of a godly son This ought euery one of vs most diligently to folow in doing our dutie and huÌ„ble obeisance vnto our pareÌ„ts how froward or crooked soeuer they be Let none giue a rough answere stubbornly yea let none so much as muÌ„ble an answere or mutter against his pareÌ„ts Let none curse or speake euil of his father or mother vnlesse he wil perforce séeke the way means to make highe mightie Gods curse hang ouer light vpon his pate If haply our parents be poore if mishapen in limmes or otherwise diseased with any infirmitie let none of vs therfore in mockerie floute at or disdaynefully despise them Let vs not shew our selues vnthankfull to them to whome for their good déedes to vs warde we are of duetie bound for euer Let vs nourish chearishe and ayde them in all their necessities yea let vs wholy bestowe our selues and all that we haue to doe them good withall For all that we possesse vndoubtedly is theirs and all that we haue we inioy by them for if they were not then should not we be Let vs here call to remembrance the charge that the Lorde in Matthe we giueth vs touching this commaundement Let vs consider what is ment by the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to requite one good turne with another and especially to nourishe and chearishe them by whome thou thée selfe in thy youth wast brought vp and tendered There is among the Gentiles a lawe extant worthy to be called the mistresse of pietie whereby it is enacted that the children should eyther nourishe their parents or else lye faste fettered in pryson This lawe many men doe carelesly neglect which the Storke alone among all lyning creatures doth kéepe most precisely For other creatures doe harde and searcely know or looke vpon their parents if peraduenture they néede their ayde to nourish them whereas the Storke doth mutually nourishe them being strucâ—en in age and beare them on her shoulders when for feeblenesse they cannot flee There are to be séene among the Gentiles very religious and excellent sentences touching the honour due vnto parents Isocrates sayth Shew thee self such an one to thy parents as thou wouldest wish to haue thy children shewe them selues to thee Anaâ—imenes sayde He loueth his father exceedingly well which doth his indeuour to make him ioyfull
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 thē 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 commandemēt are they condemned that shew them selues to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 reuerēce 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 childrē 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
plague than an vnprofitable citizen But who I pray you may be thought to be a worse citizen than hée that being accustomed to ease and delicatenes and of a soudeine by some mishap or else by prodigall riottousnes being depriued of them both and driuen to extreme pouertie is compelled perforce to séeke out vnlawfull shiftes to get more wealth againe Furthermore they of old had a Prouerbe worthy to be remeÌ„bred of vs at this time Euerie lande mainteyneth Arte. By this seÌ„tence they meant that learning and science is the surest preparation for euery iourney For they cannot be taken away by theeues but whether soeuer thou goest they beare thée company and are no burthen for thee to beare If therefore mishappe doe spoyle thy children of the wealth that thou leauest them if thou hast taught them an occupation it is enough for them to liue by Kings are depriued of their princelike dignitie and put besyde their excéeding riches so that it is no meruayle though kinges inferiours be spoyled of their wealth banished their countries Dionysius of Syracuse is reported for his tyraÌ„nie to haue bene thrust beside his seate But hauing lost his kingdome he departed to Corinth where he set vp a schole taught children their Grammar and Musicke wherby in that necessitie he got his lyuing Hée had béene hard bested verilie in a miserable taking if he had neuer learned any thing but had settled his hope vppon dignitie and riches vaine hope had bene his destruction For hée had died in extreme beggarie Thus much touching the bringing vp of childreÌ„ in learning or knowledge of some occupation I haue in that which is behinde to speake somewhat touching the correction of those that are coÌ„teined vnder the name of children This correction consisteth partly in words and partly in stripes In both there must be had a middlemeane and measure that nothing be done outragiously Let not the admonition that is giuen in words be bitterer than the fault deserues Let it nippe for the time present but being past let it bespoken off no more Continuall chiding bréedes contempt Thou shalt finde some children also with whom gentle dealing wil somewhat preuayle And vnlesse thou doe sometime prayse them speake well of that which they doe although peraduenture not so well done as thou wouldest require thou shalt perceiue that â—â—ter desperation wil take away hope and courage cleane from them I thincke it not good with too heuie a burden to ouer awe such children as are willing to beare Stripes must not be bestowed but for some great offence and that too not in the fathers anger but moderately not to marre but to amend them Let the parents alwayes remeÌ„ber that golden saying of S. Paul Fathers prouoke not your children to anger For the best witts are hurt by too much rigorousnes Salomon wher he speaketh of moderate correction sayth The rod and correction giueth wisedom but the childe that runneth at randon bringeth his mother to shame Againe chastise thy sonne and thou shalt be at quiet and he shal bring pleasure vnto thy soule These woords of his do vtterly condemne y fathers cockering the mothers paÌ„pering which is the marring of very many children For the pareÌ„ts offend God as much in to much cockering their children as they do in ouer much punishing of them Heli in the scriptures is ill reported of for doating ouer his childreÌ„ he himself dieth miserablie bringeth the shamelesse wicked knaues his sonnes to a shamefull ending What is to be thought of that moreouer that in the 21. of Deut. the parents themselues are comaunded to bring their disobedient children before the iudge there by complaint to sue them to death By this exaÌ„ple which may otherwise séeme to be somewhat to sharpe it pleased God to put other men in remeÌ„brance to kepe their children in awe obedience For God is a god of saluation not of destructioÌ„ so that when disobedient rebels godles people perish through their own default he turneth that destructioÌ„ of theirs to the safegard of his obedient seruants Let parents therefore alwaies remember this saying in the gospell It is not the wil of your heaueÌ„ly father that one of these litle ones shold perish Whosoeuer offeÌ„deth such an one it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the deapth of the sea Now touching the dutie of children I haue spokeÌ„ of it before in that place wher I taught how after what sort pareÌ„ts ought to be honoured Paul as it were in one word knitteth vp much matter and saith Children obey your parents in the Lord. He telleth the reason whie For that saith he is righteous And againe he addeth the cause saying For God hath comaunded it Let children therefore consider thincke vppon the nightly watchings continual labour that their parents toke in bringing them vp and let them learne to be thankful for it content with their present estate when their parents instruct theÌ„ let them learne attentiuely and shew themselues like to godly Iacob rather than to godlesse Esau Let them learn to accustome theÌ„selues to good honest maners Let them willingly learn the art or occupation whereunto they are set Let them yeld submit theÌ„selues to their parents correction Let them not stirre vp or prouoke their parents to anger Let them choose to learn wit and obey their parents of their owne mind accord rather than to be driueÌ„ to it by beating and brawling If parents at their departure leaue litle behind them for their children to inherit let not the good children therfore speake ill by the dead If thy father hath taught thée any art or occupation he leaueth for thée a sufficient inheritance Thriftines also moderate speÌ„ding is a very great reuenue If thy father hath wel and honestly taught thée good maners and trayned thée vp in the true wisedome perfect religion then hath he bequeathed thée a patrimonie sufficient for to mainteyne thée For what else are excéeding great riches left to a foole or irreligious fellow but a sword in a madde mans hand Thou art left wealthie enough by thy fathers legacie if that thou art godly painful heedful honest For goods gotten by the sweat of our own browes do for the most part coÌ„tinue longer prosper better with vs then those which other leaue vnto vs We haue again derely beloued spent an houre and an half in handling this matter touching the honour due vnto parents I haue stayed you longer thaÌ„ of right I shold haue done but ye shal impute it to the loue and good will I beare to the matter I am not ignoraÌ„t how necessarie this argument is almost to all men and therefore stick I the longer vppon it For I indeuour mee self not onely to teach you things profitable and necessarie but also to beate them into your memories so much as I may to
punishment of sinne and wickednesse which the Lord hath appointed to be executed as hée himselfe sayth I will giue them children to bee their kings and infants shall rule them because their toÌ„gue and hart hath bene against the Lord. Likewyse the Lord stirred vp the cruell kinges of Assyria and Babylon against his Citie and owne peculiar people whose liuing was not agréeable to their profession But now how and after what sort subiects ought to be affected toward such hard cruel and tyrannical Princes wée learne partly by the example of Dauid and partly by the doctrine of Ieremie and the Apostles Dauid was not ignorant what kind of man Saul was a wicked mercilesse fellowe yet notwithstanding he fledd to escape his hands and when he had occasion giuen him once or twice to kill him he slue him not but spared the tyraunt and reuerenced him as though hee had béene his father Ieremias prayed for Ioachim Zedechias wicked kinges both and obeyed them vntill they came to matters flatly contrary to Gods religion For where I spake touching the honour due to parents there did I by the scriptures proue that wée ought not to obey the wicked commaundements of godlesse magistrates Because it is not permitted to magistrates to ordeine or appoint any thing contrary to Gods lawe or the lawe of Nature Now the Actes of the Apostles teach vs in what sort the Apostles did behaue themselues in dealing with tyrannical magistrates Let them therfore that are vexed with tyrantes and oppressed with wicked magistrates take this aduice to follow in that perplexitie First let them call to remembraunce and consider what and how great their sinnes of idolatrie and vncleannesse are which haue alreadie deserued the reuenging anger of their iealous God and then let them thinck that God wil not withdraw his scourge vnlesse hée sée that they redresse their corrupt maners and euill religion So then first they must goe about and bring to passe a full reformation of matters in religion perfect amendment of maners amisse Then must they pray continually that God will vouchsafe to pul and draw his oppressed people out of the myre of mischiefe wherein they sticke fast For that counsell did the Lord himselfe in the 18. after Luke giue to those that are oppressed promising therewithall assured ayde and present delyuerie But what how the oppressed must pray there are examples extant in the 9. of Daniel and in the 18. Chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles Let them also whose minds are vexed call to remembrance the sayings of Peter and Paule the chiefe of the Apostles The Lord saith Peter knoweth how to deliuer his from temptation as he deliuered Lot. Paul saith God is faithfull wil not suffer his to be tempted aboue their strength yea hee will turne their temptatioÌ„s vnto the best Let them cal to mind the captiuitie of Israel wherin Gods people were deteined at Babylon by the space of 70. yeares and therewithal let them thincke vppon the goodly comfort of the captiues which Esaie hath expressed from his 40. chapiter vnto his 49. Let vs persuade our selues that God is good merciful and omnipotent so that hée can when he will at ease deliuer vs Hee hath many wayes and meanes to set vs at libertie Let vs haue a regard onely that our impenitent filthie and wicked life do not pronoke the Lord to augment and prolong the tyrauntes crueltie The Lord is able vppon the sodeyne to chaung the harts of Princes for the hearts of kings are in the hands of the Lord as the riuers of water to tourne them which way hee will and to make them which haue béene hitherto most cruellie set against vs to bee our friends and fauourable to vs and them which haue heretofore most blouddilie persecuted the true religion to imbrace the same most ardently and with a burning zeale to promote it so farre as they may Wée haue euident examples hereof in the bookes of the kings of Esdras and Nehemias and in the volume of Daniels Prophecie Nabuchodonosor whose purpose was to toast with fire and vtterly to destroy the martyres of God for true religion was immediately after compelled to praise God because hée sawe the martyres preserued and hée himself doth by Edictes giuen out publickly proclaime and set forth the onely true God and his true religion Darius the sonne of Assuerus suffereth Daniel to be cast into the Lyons denne but straightway hée draweth him cut againe and shutteth vp Daniels enimies in the same dâ—nne to be torne in péeces by the famished beastes Cyrus the puissaunt king of Persia aduaunceth true religion Darius sonne of Hystaspes whose surname was Artaxerxes did by all meanes possible ayde and set forward the godly intent of Gods people in building vp againe their citie temple Let vs not doubt therfore of Gods ayde helping hand For God sometime doth vtterly destroy and sometime he chasteneth vntoward tyraunts with some horrible and sodeine disease as it is euident that it happened to Antiochus Herod the great to his nephue Herod Agrippa to Maxentius also and other enimies of God and tyraunts ouer men Sometime hée stirreth vp noble capitaines and valiaunt men to displace tyraunts set Gods people at libertie as wee sée many examples thereof in the bookes of Iudges kings But least any man doe fall to abuse those examples let him consider their calling by god Which calling if hée haue not or else do preuent hée is so farre froÌ„ doing good in killing the tyraunt that it is to be feared least hée doe make the euill double so much as it was before Thus much hetherto Now I returne to that which by my digression remayneth yet vnspoken of Here I haue to speake somewhat touching the election of magistrates and first to whom the choice and ordering of the magistrate doth belong Secondarilie whom and what kind of men it is best to choose to be magistrates and lastly the maner and order of consecrating those which once are chosen Touching the election of magistrats to whom that office shold béelong no one certaine rule can be prescribed For in som places that whole communaltie doth choose their péeres In other places the Péeres do choose the magistrates And in other places Princes come to it by succession and birth In discussing which of these orders shold be the best it were but follie to make much adoe For to euery kingdome euerie citie is worthilie left their countrie facion vnlesse it be altogether too too corrupt not to be borne withall But where Princes come to it by birth there earnest prayer must bée made to the Lord that hee wil graunt them to be good Now for the good election of magistrates the Lord himselfe declareth whom and what kind of men hée will haue to be choseÌ„ in these verie words Looke ouer all the people consider them diligently and choose from amonge them men of courage such
the most vnfortunate For in so much as hee forsâ—â—ke the lawe of the Lord his God the Lord deliuered both him and his people first into the hands of the king of Syrians and afterward into the hands of the Israelites who in one day â—lew one hundred and twentie thousand Iewes and tooke captine away with them two hundreth thousand women and children So Achaz himselfe and all that were his by feeling had proofe of all kinde of calamities beeing made an example to terrifie all other that doe gaiâ—â—say the woorde of god The good and godly king Ezechias succeeded his vngodly father in the seate and kingdome Of him wee haue this testimonie in the holie Scripture Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Dauid did Hee put away the high places and brake the images and cut downe the groaues and all to brake the brasen Serpent which Moses had made For vnto those dayes the children of Israell burnt sacrifice to it Hee trusted in the Lord God of Israell For hee claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commaundements which the Lord commaunded Moses And now let vs heare what followed vppon this obedience and faith of his The Scripture goeth forward and sayth And the Lord was with him so that hee prospered in all thinges that hee tooke in hand While hee did reigne the most auncient and puissant Monarchie of the Assyrians was broken and diminished For when Senachâ—rib king of Assyria besieged the citie of Ierusalem the Angell of the Lord in one night â—lue in the Assyrian campe one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand souldiours And the king of Babylon also did verie honourably by his ambassadours send prince like giftes vnto Ezechias desiring earnestly his amitie and friendshipp For the glorie of that most godly king was blowen abroade and knowen in all the world Againe when his sonne Manasses a verie wicked man did not treade the pathe and expresse the deedes of his most holy father but being made king in the twelfth yeare of his age did of purpose crosse the word of God and brought in againe all the superstition which his father had abolished hee was taken captiue and carried away to Babylon and although by the goodnesse and mercie of God hee was restoared to his seate againe yet when he died hee left a maymed and a trouble some kingdome vnto his sonne Ammon who also for his rebellion against the word of God as a most vnfortunate man reigned but two yeares onely and was at the last wretchedly slaine by his owne houshold seruaunts In place of his murdered father was his sonne Iosias settled in the kingdome being when hee was crowned a child but eight yeares old Of all the kinges of Iuda he was the floure and especiall crowne Hee reigned quietly and in all pointes most happilie by the space of one and thirtie yeares Now the Scripture which cannot lye doth paint out to our eyes the fayth and obedience which hee did deuoutly shewe to the woord of God for which that felicitie did accompanie his kingdome Hee was nothing moued with the admonitions of his father Ammons counsellours But so soone as hee had heard the woords of the lawe read out of the booke which Helkia the high priest found in the temple at Hierusalem hee streight way committed himselfe whoaly to God and his woorde Neither stayed hee to looke for the mindes and reformations of other kinges and kingdomes but quickly forecasting the best for his people hee beganne to reforme the corrupted religion which hee did especially in the eightenth yeare of his age And in that reformation hee had a regard alwayes to followe the meaning of the holie scripture alone and not to giue eare to the deedes of his predecessours to the prescribed order of longe continuaunce noâ— to the common voyces of the greatest multitude For he assembled his people together before whome hee layde open the booke of Gods lawâ— and appointed all thinges to be ordered according to the rule of his written word And therevppon it commeth which wee finde written that hee spared not the auncient temples longe accustomed rites which Solomon and Ieroboam had erected and ordeyned against the word of god To be short this king Iosias pulled downe and ouerthrew whatsoeuer was set vpp in the Church or kingdome of Iuda against the woorde of god And least peraduenture any one should cauill and say that hee was ouer hardie and too roughe in his dealinges the Scripture giueth this testimonie of him and sayth Like vnto him was there no king before him which turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soule and all his might according to all the lawe of Moses neither after him arose there any such as hee Whereas wee read therefore that this so commended and most fortunate king was ouercome and slaine in a foughten battaile that death of his is to be compted part of his felicitie not of his miserie For the Lord himselfe said to Iosias I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and in peace shalte thou bee buried that thine eyes may not see all the euill which I will bring vppon this place For there is no greater argument that the people and verie princes of the kingdome vnder that most holie king were meere hypocrites and idolaters than for beecause next immediately after his death both his sonnes and Peeres reiecting the word of God did bring in againe all superstition and blasphemous wickednesse Whereuppon wee reade that for the whoale 22. yeares wherein the kinges of Iudâ— did reigne after the death of Iosias there was no peace or quietnesse in Hierusalem but perpetuall seditions and most bloudie murders Next after Iosias reigned his sonne Ioachas but within three monethes after he was taken bound and ledd captiue away into the land of Aegypt After the leading away of Ioachas his brother Ioachim ware the crowne whom in the eleuenth yeare of his reigne being bound in chaynes was slaine by Nabuchodonosor and lastly as Ieremie saith was buried in the sepulcre of an Asse In Ioachims steede was his sonne Iechonias set vpp but about three monethes after hee with his Princes and substaunce was taken captiue and ledd away to Babylon After him the kingdome was giuen to Zedechias the sonne of Iosias but because hee would not obey the word of God preached by the Prophete Ieremie he looseth both his life and kingdome in the eleuenth yere of his reigne In whose time also the temple is set on fire Hierusalem is sacked and the people slaine for the most part or led away captiue Thus much hetherto touching the kinges of Iuda For in Zedechias both the kingdome and maiestie or dignitie thereof did fayle and make an ende To these if wee add the endes and destinies of the kinges of Israell we shal againe be compelled to confesse that all felicitie of kinges and kingdomes doe
consist in hearing and following the word of God and that contrarily calamities and miseries doe rise by the coÌ„tempt 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 Iosâ—as 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 teachâ—r 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 pâ—etie 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 truâ—th 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 Esâ—â— and Micheas did not yet despise faithfull admonishers euen amonge the 〈◊〉 sort of Leuites neither thought they that in admonishing the king theâ— lâ—st and 〈…〉 labour in vaine I therefore hauing good affiaunce in your 〈◊〉 good aâ—d godlâ—disposition 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 proâ—iting 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
the strict kéeping of Moses lawe This rule must alwayes be kept obserued Sainct Peter doth simply commaunde and saye Submitt your selues to all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as hauing the preeminence or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishement of euil doers but for the laude of them do well And yet the same Apostle affirmeth that we ought rather to obey God than men so often as men do publish lawes against true religion iustice and equitie concerning which I spake in the exposition of the commoÌ„ place of the magistrate And so thus much I thought good to saye touching the abrogatioÌ„ of the Iudiciall lawes Now if euery one of you do throughly ponder with him selfe the things y I haue hithereto saide touching the lawe of God the partes of the lawe the vse or effect the fulfilling and abrogating of the same it will be a thing of no difficultie to determin what euery one ought to think concerning that point or title of this treatise wherof I promised in the beginning of this sermon that I woulde speake somewhat towarde the ende to witte that the testament of the olde and new church is all one and that there is but one way of true saluation to all that eyther are or haue bene saued in this worlde and also wherein the newe testament dothe differ from the olde For since I haue alredie shewed that all the pointes of the lawe haue a respect and a kinde of Relation vnto Christ and that hee was in the lawe preached to the fathers to be the onely Sauiour in whome alone they were to be saued who is it which cannot perceiue that they had none other but the verie same manner and way to be saued which we at this day doe enioy by Christ Iesus And yet that this may appeare more euident I wil not stick to bestowe some paines to make this matter more manifest vnto you with as plaine a demonstration as possible may be although a playner cannot likely be than that which I haue alredie shewed you Verily there is no difference of the people of the testament of the church or of the manner of saluation betwixt them among whom there is found to be one and the same doctrin the same faith the same spirite the same hope the same inheritance the same expectation the same inuocation and the same sacraments If therefore I shal be able to proue that all these thinges were indifferently common to them of the olde church as wel vnto vs then haue I obteined that which I shott at to wite that in respect of the substance there neither was nor is any more than one testament that the olde fathers are one and the same people that we are liuing in the same church and communion and saued not in any other but in Christe alone the sonne of God in whome also wee looke for saluation That they and wee haue all one and the same doctrine I proue thus Our doctrine is the doctrine of the gospel But that the fathers were not without the sanâ—e doctrine it is euident by Sainct Paule who testifieth saying God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his prophets in the holie Scriptures of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleash and hath been declared to bee the sonne of God with power by the spirite c. What could be saide more plainly The Gospell which is at this day preathed was of olde promised by the prophets in the holie scriptures to wite that the sonne of God should come into the worlde to saue all faithfull beleuers This Gospell also teacheth that the faithful are not iustified by the works of the lawe but freely by grace through faith in Christe Sainct Paule saith By the deedes of the law there shal no fleash be iustified in his sight For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of god declared without the law being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the prophets the righteousnesse of God coÌ„meth by the faith of Christ Iesus vnto all and vpoÌ„ all them that beleeue With Paule S. Peter also doth fully agrée where in the Synod helde at Hierusalem he saith Neither we nor our fathers were able to beare the yoke of the lawe but do beleeue euen as they to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Christ Iesus And so consequently in all other substanciall and material poynctes there is no difference in doctrine betwixt vs and them To procéede nowe they whose doctrine is al one must of necessitie haue all one faith For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of god What doeth that argue that Abraham the rest of the holie fathers are set before our eyes as examples of faith for vs to followe wee sée that it is so in the holie Gospel of the Lord the sacred writings of the Apostles But who would giue vs such forreine examples to imitate as doe not concerne the thing for which they are giuen Paule in many places but especially in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes sheweth that faith must bée imputed to vs for righteousnesse as we reade that it was imputed vnto Abraham nowe that faith of his was not another but the vâ—rie same faith with ours which restâ—th vppon the promise of God and the blessed séede For he calleth Abraham the father not of these onely which are borne of the circumcision but of those also which walke in the stâ—ppes of the faith which was in Abraham before hee was circumcised Besides that also the confirmation of the Christian rule I meane the Apostles Creede or articles of our beleefe is fetched out of the Scriptures of the fathers of the olde testament which is vndoubtedly a moste manifeste argument that their faith and ours is the verie same faith They did beléeue in the Messiah that was then to come and wee beléeue y he is alreadie come and do more fully perceiue neerely see all that which was spoken of before in the prophets as I will anon declare when I come to shewe the difference betwixte the two testaments That all one and the same spirite did gouerne our forefathers and the people of the newe couenaunt who can doubt considering that the spirit of God is one alone and that Sainct Peter doth in expresse wordes testifie that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophets And Sainct Paule also saith Since we haue the same spirite of faith according to that which is written I beleeued and therefore I spake and we beleeue and therefore do we speake Therefore although the same apostle doth in another place saye that the faithfull haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but the spirite of adoptioÌ„ whereby they crie Abba father Yet doth he not denie but that the faithful fathers had the same spirite that wée
haue For euen they also cried to God as to their father although they obteined it not by the lawe which terrifieth but by the grace of the Messiah Againe the same Apostle saith Whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God. Which sentence we may thus conuert say that the sonnes of God are led by the spirite of God. But there is none vnlesse it bee such an one as neuer read the scriptures which will denye that the auncient fathers were the sonnes of God and were so called bothe by the Lorde him selfe and also by his seruaunt Moses What may be thought of the moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and priestes and so consequeÌ„tly a royall priesthood and a priestly kingdome which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Christ Iesus Nowe such a kingdome and priesthood cannot be or consist without the vnction of the spirite The holy apostle Iohn I confesse in his Gospell sayde The holy Ghoste was not yet beecause Iesus was not yet glorified But as hee spake not of the substaunce of the holye Ghoste which is coeternall with the substance of the father and of the sonne so he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghost For in that place he speaketh of the excellent gifte which after the ascension of the Lorde was powred out vpon the people that did beléeue For Iohn him selfe interpreting him selfe doeth immediately before saye These wordes who so euer beleeueth on me out of his belye shall flowe riuers of water of life spake hee of the holye Ghoste which they that beleue on him shuld receiue The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoste was not at that time when the Lorde spake those words so commonly and plentifully powred vppon all men as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Iesus And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not haue so precisely and eâ—pressely foretolde all the mysteries of Christe the church which the Euangelistes and Apostles do testifie to be nowe accomplished fulfilled vnlesse in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie same spirite wherewith the Apostles were afterward instructed For it is a wicked thing for vs to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what and speake suche woordes as they them selues vnderstoode not Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and was gladde of it for by that spirituall sight of his he had and felt with in him selfe a certeine kinde of spirituall ioye Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Psalmes testifie that the seruice of God and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte which wordes he vttered not so much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies but for that he did by the spirite and by faith beholde in those ceremonies the true Messiah and Sauiour of the world And since it is euident that our forefathers were iustified by the grace of God it is manifest that that iustification was not wrought without the spirite of God through which spirite euen our iustification at this day is wrought and finished Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie same spirite that we of this age are directed by Of this opinion was sainct Augustine whose wordes dearely beloued I meane to recite vnto you worde for word out of his seconde booke de Peccato orig contra Pelag. et celest Cap 25. Things to come saith he were foreseene of the prophets by the same spirite of faith by which they are of vs beleeued to be alreadie finished For they whiche of verie faithfull loue could prophecie these thinges vnto vs coulde not choose but bee themselues partakers of the same And whereuppon is it that the Apostle Peter saith why temptye God to laye vppon the Disciples neckes the yoke that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shal be saued euen as they Whereupon is I saye that Peter saith this but for because they are saued by the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe and not by Moses lawe by which doth come not the saluing but the knowledge of sinne But nowe the righteousnesse of God is without the lawe made manifest witnessed by the lawe and the prophets Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifest then must it needes bee that it was beefore although as then it were hidden The hyding whereof was prefigured by the vaâ—le of the temple which when Christe died was rent in pieces for a signification that it was then reuealed And therefore this grace of the onely mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus was then in the people of God but it was hidden in theÌ„ as it were rayne in a sliece which God doth separate vnto his inheritaunce not of duetie but of his owne voluntarie will but nowe that sliece being as it were wroung out that is the Iewish people beeing reprobated it is openly seene in all nations as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place Thus much out of Augustine Nowe also there was sett beefore the eyes of Israel a earnall and temporall felicitie whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon For in that externall and transitorie felicitie was shadowed the heaueÌ„ly and eternall happinesse For the apostle in the fourth eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues saith that the fathers out of that visible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuisible and euerlasting heritage Neither was Christe to any other ende so expressely promised them nor the blessing and life in Christe for any other purpose so plainly layde defore them nor Christe him self almost in all their ceremonies so often prefigured for any other intent but that they thereby might bee put in hope of the verie same life into which wee are receiued through Christ our redéemer For the Lorde in the Gospell saith that wee shal bee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the same glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob But here is an obiection made that life and saluation was promised onely and not perfourmed vnto the fathers but that they being shut vp in prison did looke for the comming of Messiah I for my parte do not finde any thing in the scriptures to bee written of such a prison whereinto the holie Patriarches were fast locked vpp Peter verily maketh mention of a prison but in that prison hee wil haue the disobedient not the obedient spirites to be But if any man obiect that Christe descended to them belowe we verily do not denye it but yet we say withal that he desceÌ„ded to the departed saincts that is that he was gathered to the companie of the blessed Spirites whiche were not in the place of punishment that is in torments but in the ioyes of heauen as the Lorde him self coÌ„firmeth the same when being readie to descende to them belowe
the first precept thou shalt referre the feare the faith loue of God with assured hope perseuearing patience constancie inuincible in trouble and afflictions To the second belongeth the true and sincere worship wherwith God is pleased with the vtter refusall of all superstition and peruerse religion Vppon the third doeth depende the reuerence of Gods Maiestie the frée confession of his might the holie inuocation of his name and the sanctification of the same In the fourth is comprehended the moderate conseruation of the Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies y preaching of Gods word publique prayers whatsoeuer else doeth belonge to the outward seruice or externall worship due to god To the fifte thou mayest annexe the naturall loue of children toward their parents of men toward their countrie kinese-folkes the due obedience that we owe to the magistrates and all in authoritie and lastly the offices of ciuil humanitie To the sixte thou shalt ioyne iustice and iudgement the protection of widowes orphanes the deliuering of the oppressed and afflicted weldoing to all men and doing hurt to no man To the seuenth thou shalt add the faith of wedded couples the offices of marriage the honest and Godly bringing vp of childrē with the studie of chastitie temperance and sobrietie To the eighth is to bee reckoned vpright dealing in cōtracts liberalitie bountifulnesse and hospitalitie Vnder y ninthe is couched the studie of trueth through al our life time faith in words déeds with decēt honest profitable speach In the tenth and last thou mayest remember good affections holie wishes with all holy and honest thoughts And so this is the compendious platforme of good workes Nowe if thou desire to haue it more briefly expressed than this that thou séest then turne thee selfe hearken to the wordes of Christ our Lord who gathereth these 10. into two principall points saith Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with al thy soul with al thy mind thy neighbour as thy selfe Whatsoeuer therefore yee would that men shuld do to you euen so do ye to thē Vppon these precepts of the Lord let all the faithful which desire to doe good works most surely fixe their eyes and minds that too so much the more diligently and constantly as they doe more surely and euidently perceiue see that God in the lawe the prophets doeth require nothing else nor any other works at the hands of his electe chosen seruants Go to now therefore let vs heare out of the holy Prophets some such euidēt testimonies touching good woorks as do consent wholie agree with the lawe of the lord Moses in Deut. crieth And now Israel what doeth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walk in al his wayes to loue him to serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule That thou keepe the cōmandements of the Lord and his ordinances which I cōmaund thee this day And the kinglye Prophete Dauid in the 15. Psalme asketh this questiō Lord who shal dwel in thy tabernacle And presently answereth it himselfe saying Euen hee that walketh vprightly doeth the thing that is iust right And so forth as is conteined in the 10. cōmaundemēts Esaie also in his 33. cap. moueth the same question and answereth it euen so as Dauid had done before him Ieremie in the 21. chap. doth vrge and reiterate these woords to the Iewes Thus the Lord cōmaundeth Keepe equitie and righteousnes deliuer the oppressed from the power of the violent do not greeue nor oppresse the strāger the fatherles nor the widow and shedd no innocent bloud in this place And Ezechiel in his 18. cap. knitteth vp a beadrowe of good workes in no point vnlike to these sauing only y it is somewhat more largly amplified In Osée the Lord saith I desire mercie more than sacrifice the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worshipper of God should do to please him with all what workes he should doe to delight the Lord and immediatly by the inspiration of the holy Ghoste he maketh aunswere saying I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee namely to doe iustly to loue mercie and with reuerence to walke before thy God. In like maner the Prophete Zacharie to them that demaunded of him certaine questions touching vertues such good woorkes as please the Lord gaue this answere saying Thus sayeth the Lord of hostes Execute true iudgement shewe mercie and louing kindenesse euerie man to his brother doe the widowe the fatherlesse the straunger and the poore no wronge Let no man imagine euill in his heart against his brother neither bee ye louers of false othes for these are the thinges which I do hate sayeth the Lord. With this doctrine of the Prophets doth the preaching of the Euangelists and Apostles fullie agrée teaching in euerie place that charitie righteousnesse and innocencie are the scoape summe of all good woorkes The Apostle Iames sayeth Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father is this To visite the father lesse and widowes in their aduersitie to kepe himself vnspotted of the world It remayneth now for me to drawe to an end and in the rest that is yet be hind to be spoken touching the descriptiō of good works to confer places of the Scripture for the confirmation plaine exposition of the same Now therfore we said y good works in déed are wrought by them that are regenerate to the glorie of God the ornamēt of our life and the profite of our neighbour For the Lord in the Gospell prescribeth this end to good works where he saith Let your lighte so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen The Apostle Paul also oftener than once exhorting vs to good woorks doth as a most effectuall cause to sett them forward add That by those workes of ours we may adorne the doctrine of oure Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus And euen as a comelie and cleanely garment adorneth a man so doe good workes in déede set foorth the life of Christian people For herevppon it riseth that the Apostles of Christe did so often persuade vs to put off the old man and put on the newe which is created to the similitude and likenesse of god For thereby wee obteine both honour and glorie We both are and are called the seruaunts yea and the sonnes of oure Lord and God whose propertie and vertue shineth in vs to the glorie and praise of his holy name And as hée doth require good works at our hands so if we do them we on the one side do please and delight him and hee on the other doeth honour vs againe as may bee proued by many testimonies of the holy Scripture But the thing it selfe is so plaine
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 Aâ—thiope 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
that this saluation is common both to the Iewes and Gentiles saying Is he the God of the Iewes onely Is hee not also of the Gentiles yes euen also of the Gentiles For it is one God that shal iustifie the circumcision by faith the vncircumcision through faith Hee fetcheth the confirmation of that which he saide from the nature of god There is but one God who is of his owne nature both life righteousenesse And he is the God bothe of the Iewes and the Gentiles therefore he is the life and righteousenesse of both the people which righteousenesse hee bestoweth on them by faith therefore faith doeth iustifie or make them both righteous This is declared by the example of Cornelius the Centurion For he is iustified or as I should rather saye being once iustified hee is declared to be acceptable to God by the sendinge downe of the holie Ghoste in a visible fourme vppon him when as hee neither was circumcised nor yet had kept the lawe but had onely heard y preaching of the Gospell and had beléeued in Iesus Christ Nowe GOD did not iustifie Cornelius so alone but wil also iustifie all other nations by faith euen as hee wil not by anye other meanes than by faith alone iustifie the Iewes It followeth in Paule Doe wee then destroy the lawe through faith God forbidde but we rather mainteine the lawe For the defenders or the disputers in the defence of works or rather of iustification by workes are wont to obiecte if faith alone in Christ doth iustifie then is the lawe or doctrine of the lawe altogether vnprofitable For to what ende are wee commaunded to doe good woorkes if good workes do not iustifie The Apostle aunswereth that the lawe is not abolished by faith but rather mainteined For since faith doeth directly tende to Christe in whome alone it doth séeke and finde all fullnesse and that the lawe it selfe is the scholemystresse vnto Christ and doth shut vpp all vnder sinne so that iustification is by faith giuen to the faithfull it is moste euident that the lawe is not destroyed or darkened but confirmed and made lighte by the doctrine of faith The Apostle goeth on in his confirmation and saith What shal wee saye then that Abraham oure father as pertaining to the fleshe did finde For if Abraham were iustified by woorkes then hath hee wherein to boast but not before god For what saith the Scripture AbrahaÌ„ beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousenesse There are verily many examples of the holy fathers but among all the rest the Apostle chose out this of Abraham to handle it at large For he in the Scriptures is called the father of them that do beléeue Wherevppon it is assuredly certeine that the children shal be iustified after the same sorte that theire father was as the Apostle hath in expresse woordes taught in the latter ende of the fourth Chapter Moreouer Abraham was famous for good workes aboue all the rest of the holie fathers therfore if any other could haue beene iustified by his good woorkes or merites much more might Abraham before all the rest But forbecause he was iustified by faith and not by workes it is manifest therefore that all the Sainctes also both haue béene and are iustified by faith and not by workes Furthermore Abraham liued 430 yeres before the lawe was reuealed by Moses wherevppon it followeth that his woorkes cannot be called the workes of the lawe by them that are the denyers of the iustificatioÌ„ by faith without the lawe Therefore the workes that hee did hee did them of faith and his woorkes were the works of faith and yet was he not iustified by them but by faith Therefore the â—lorie of the iustification of faith remaineth sounde vnspotted and vnmingled with any thing else What saith he shal we saye that oure father Abraham founde concerninge the fleshe to wite so farre forth as he is a man and we also men of him What I saye shal wee saye that hee deserued To this demaunde this answere must be added hee founde nothing and by his woorkes hee deserued nothing For the proofe followeth if by his workes he deserued any thing or was by his merits iustified then hath he wherein to boaste But he hath nothing wherin to boast therfore is he not iustified by his workes For God alone is righteous and kéepeth this his glorie vnto him selfe alone without any partener or ioyntpossessour with him freely iustifying them that are of the faith of Iesus Christe to the end that his grace may be alwayes praised But Paule him selfe by bringing in a place of Scripture doeth shewe that Abraham had nothinge wherein to make his boast For what saith he doth the Scripture say Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vn to him for righteousenesse Lo here the Scripture doth moste plainly say that Abraham was iustified by faith or rather that faith was imputed to him for righteousenesse and therefore that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the moste iuste and righteous God. But let vs heare Paule howe he applyeth this place of Scripture vnto his purpose It followeth then To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie But to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousenesse Which woordes verily maye bee briefely reduced into this kinde of argument Who soeuer doeth with his woorkes deserue anye thing to him the rewarde is giuen as a thing of duetie due vnto him and not imputed freely as though it were no debte But faith is imputed to Abraham vnto righteousenesse therefore he receiued righteousenesse not as a rewarde of duetie ought vnto him but as a gifte not due but freely giuen him And againe To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is reckoned for righteousenesse But to Abraham faith was imputed vnto righteousenesse therefore he obteined righteousenesse by faith and not by workes Nowe there is an Emphasis in that he fayth But beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly For therby is signified that he which is to be iustified doth bring nothing with him but the onely acknowledginge of his owne miserie and vngodlynesse to séeke for mercie at the hande of the Lorde For he vnderstandeth that he is destitute of good workes and such as may abide the tryall of Gods iust iudgement He doth therefore flye to the mercie of God presuming for a certeintie that the righteousenesse of faith is the ayde or helpe of the sinner that must be freely saued by the grace of God. Here by the way ye must note that Christians righteousenesse both is is saide to be imputatiue righteousenesse Which thing alone is able to breake the necke of all our boastinge for imputation is the contrarie vnto debte God is not of duetie bound to vs either for our owne sakes or for our woorkes sakes but so farre forth as hee
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 â—istinction 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 whoÌ„e 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 christiaÌ„s 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 GiaÌ„tlike 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 coÌ„pelled 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 coÌ„fesse that the holy Ghost is coesseÌ„tiall with the
immediately vppon Christe his death and ascension For after the same manner that I haue hetherto declared vnto you euen from the beginning of the world did all the holy Patriarchs Prophets and electe people of GOD beléeue and ground their faith Although I denie not but that the mysterie of the Trinitie was more cléerely expounded to the world by Christe yet is it euident by some vndoubted testimonies whiche I will adde anon that the mysterie of the Trinitie was very well knowen vnto the Patriarchs the Prophets but first by the way I will admonishe you that the holy Patriarchs and prophets of GOD did hold themselues content with the bare reuelation and woord of GOD not raysinge curious questions about the Vnitie and Trinitie of God. They did clearely vnderstand that there is one God the father of all the onely sauiour and authour of all goodnesse and that without or beside him there is none other God at all And they againe did euidently sée that the Sonne of GOD that promised séed hath all thinges common with the father for they did most plainely heare that hée is called the Sauiour and is the redéemer from whome all good thinges do procéede and are bestowed vppon the faithfull whereby nowe it was easte for them to gather that the father and the sonne are one God althoughe they differ in properties For in so much as they were assuredly certeine that the damnable doctrine of the pluralitie of Gods did spring from the diuel they did not worship many but one God whome notwithstanding they did beléeue to consist of a Trinitie of persons For Moses the vndoubted seruant of God in the very first verse of his first booke sayeth In the beginning Creauit dij God created heauen and earth Hee ioyneth héere a Verbe of the singular number to a Noune of the plurall number not to make incongruitie of speach but to note the mysterie of the Trinitie For the sense is as if hée should haue said That GOD which doeth consiste of thrée persons created heauen and earth For a litle after God consulting with him selfe about the making of man doeth say Let vs make man in our Image Loe héere he sayth Let vs make and not Let me make or I wil make And againe hee sayeth In our Image and not In my Image But least any man should thinke that this consultation was had with the Angels let him heare what God him selfe doeth say in Esaye I the Lord sayeth he make all thinges and stretch out the heauens alone of my selfe that is of mine owne power without any help or fellowe with mée and set the earth fast Therefore the Father consulted with the Sonne by whome also hee created the world And againe least any man should thincke as the Iewes obiecte that these things were after the order and custome of men spoken of God in the plurall number for honours sake and worshipp thou mayest heare what followeth in the end of the third Chapter Behold this man is become as one of vs in knowing good and euill Now heere by Enallage hee putteth these wordes Is become for Shall become or Shall happen so that his meaning is as if he should haue said Behold the same shall happen to Adam that shall come to one of vs that is to the Sonne to witt that hee should haue triall of good and euill that is that hee should féele sundrie fortunes namely sickenesse calamities and death and as the prouerb is should féele both swéete and sowre For that is the lot or condition of man But the Sonne being incarnate for vs not the Father nor the holy Ghost was found in shape as a man and had triall of sundrie fortunes of death whiche was foretold to Adam as it is manifest for consolations sake and not in the way of mockage For as the good Lord did with a garment strengthen the body of oure first parent against the vnseasonablenesse of the ayre when for his sinne he purposed to banishe him out of Paradise so did he comfort and chéere vpp his sorrowfull minde with a full example of the sonnes incarnation and suffering And when he had so armed him in body and soule he casteth him out of the Garden of felicitie into a carefull and miserable exile There are in euery place many examples of this matter like vnto this For Abraham sawe thrée but with them thrée he talked as with one and worshipped one And The Lord rayned vppon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone fire from the Lord out of heauen and ouerthrew those cities But least any man should interprete it and say The Lord rayned from the Lord that is from heauen he himselfe doth presently ad From heauen For as the father created all thinges by the Sonne so doth he by him preserue al things and doth euē still by him worke all things Nexte after Moses the notablest Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes doeth say By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth So heere thou hearest that there is one Lord in whome is the woord and the spirite both distinguished but not separated For the Lord made the heauens but by the Word the whole furniture of heauen doth stand by the Breath of the mouth of the lord The same Dauid sayeth The Lord sayd to my Lord sitt thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Note that in an other place the same Dauid doth flatly saye that beside the Lord there is none other And yet héere againe he doeth as plainely saye The Lord said to my Lord meaning the father who had placed the sonne whiche was Dauids Lord at his right hand in heauē Out of Esaie may be gathered very many testimonies But the notablest of all the rest is that whiche Matthewe the Apostle citeth in these words Behold my sonne whome I haue chosen my beloued in whome my soule is pleased I will put my spirite vpon him c. With this agréeth that whiche Luke citeth saying The spirite of the Lord vppon me because hee hath annoynted mee to preache the Gospell to the poore hath hee sent mee c. In these testimonies heere thou hast the father the sonne and the holy Ghost A fewe out of many For I do not couet to turne ouer the whole scriptures of the old testament So then this faith wherewith wée doe beléeue in God the father y sonne and the holy Ghoste we haue receiued of God himselfe being deliuered vnto vs by the Prophetes Patriarchs but most euidently of all declared by the sonne of God him selfe oure Lord Iesus Christe and his holy Apostles wherevppon nowe we doe easilie gather wherfore it is that all the sincere bishops or ministers of the Churches together with the whole Church of Christe haue euer since the Apostles time with so firme a cōsent mainteyned and had this faith in honour It were
word Colere is in Latine of large signification For we say Colere amicitiam to mainteine frendship Colere literaruÌ„ studia to loue learning Colere arua to till or husband our lands and Colere senes to reuerence olde men We in this place vse Colere for Seruire that is in all pointes like a seruant to be dutifull and to shewe him selfe obedient to reuerence or haue in veneration and to â—e worshippe The Hebricians vse their worde Abad which the Latine interpretour translateth Seruiuit coluit or sacrificauit that is he serued worshipped or sacrificed In the booke of Kings thou dost reade And Achab serued Baal worshipped him The GreciaÌ„s cal this seruice either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is taken for the other though in déede Seruire to serue be more than Colere to worshippe For thou canst abide without any adoe to worship some man but to serue the same thou canst not so well away withall We say therefore that the seruice of God is a seruice whereby men submit them selues reuerently vnto God and obey him and according to his will worship him They therefore serue God which serue him earnestly behaue them selues duetifully in obeying him seruing him inwardly and outwardly as he hath appointed For the seruice of God is two-fold or of two sortes The true and the false TheÌ„ true is called true religion true fayth and godlinesse The false is called superstition idolatrie and vngodlinesse For that is the true seruice of God which springeth from the true feare of God from a sincere fayth whiche submitteth it selfe to God alone and applyeth it selfe in all things to the will of god The false seruice consisteth in the contrarie Touching the whiche we will say more when we come to speake of superstition The true seruice of God is diuided againe for perspicuitie or plainenesse sake into the inward seruice of God and the outward The inwarde seruice is knowne to God alone who is the searcher of heartes For it is occupyed in the feare of God and perfect obedience in fayth hope and charitie from whence doe spring the worshipping of God the calling vpon him thankesgiuing patience perseueraunce chastitie innocencie weldoing and the rest of the fruites of the spirite For with these giftes of God and spirituall thinges God who is a spirite is truly serued Without these no seruice is allowed of God howe so euer in the sight of men it séeme gay glorious and pure This seruice of god hath testimonies both diuine and humane but firste of all of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles For in the lawe Moses sayth And nowe Israel what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in all his wayes that thou shouldest loue him and that thou shouldest serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soul that thou shouldest keepe the commaundements of the Lord and his ordinaunces whiche I coÌ„mand thee this day for thy welth Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one asking questions concerning the true seruice of God in what thinges the same consisteth and he maketh answere I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the lord doth require of thee surely to do iustly or iudgement to loue mercy and to huÌ„ble thy selfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apostle sayth I besech you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp youre bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde that ye may proue what is the wil of god and what is good and acceptable and perfect The same Apostle comprehending in few words the true seruice of God to be a turning from Idols vnto God and the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth They of Macedonia and other nations or quarters shewe of you how you are turned to God from Idols that ye might serue the liuing and true god and loke for his sonne from heauen whom he raysed from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come Moreouer S. Iames the Apostle saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the fatherlesse or orphanes and widowes in their aduersitie and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde These diuine and euident testimonies of holy scripture declare plentifully enough dearely beloued which is the true inward seruice of god Humane testimonies neuertheles nothing disagréeing from diuine verie many and euery where found in Ecclesiasticall writers Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 9. sayth Therefore the knowledge of God and his seruice is all in all In this consisteth all the hope and saluation of man this is the first step or degrée of wisedome that we shoulde knowe who is oure true father that we should reuerence him alone with due godlinesse that wee should obey him and most deuoutly serue him and to obteyne his fauour let all labour care and industrie be bestowed Of this kinde the same authour citeth other testimonies also largely in the tenth chapter of the same booke and in the firste chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu he giueth vs manifest But in stead of many we like well the citing of that one testimonie touching the true seruice of God fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before iudge Asclepiades at y Romane Consistorie For after he had both couragiously and religiously tolde what God was in person and what in substance he addeth Thou knowest God nowe vnderstand as well The fourme and man-ner how he serued is What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell What gifts to giue he thought it not amisse What vowes he askes whome he beside all this Will haue his priestes and in his Church like-wise What he commaundes to bring for sacrifice Vnto him selfe euen in the minde of man A Church he hath vouchsafed vp to reare A liuely feeling breathing Church which can Not sundered be faire beautifull and cleare And neuer like destructions dint to feare With loftie top and painted pleasantlie With coloures fresh of great diuersitie At th' holy porch a priest is standing there And keepes the doores before the Church which beene Fayth is her name a virgine chast and cleare Her haire tyed vp with fillets like a Queene For sacrifices simple pure and cleene And which she knowes are pleasing bids this priest Offer to God and to his deare sonne Christ A shamefast looke a meeke and harmelesse hart The rest of Peace a body pure and chaste The feare of GOD which sinners doth conuart The rule like-wise of knowledge truly plaste A sober fast from all excessiue waste Of Gluttonie an hope which doth not faint A liberall hand which giues without restraint From these oblations a vapour doth
déed he is serued alone howbeit not after a lawefull manner Vnlawefull seruice procéedeth from the will and imagination of mē and it is contrarie to the word and ordinaunce of god For God is then lawfully serued when he is serued according to his owne wil and word In the law thus hath the Lord commaunded Beware that thou seeke not after the gods of the Gentiles saying How did these nations serue their Gods that I may do so likewise Thou shalt not do so vnto the Lord thy God c. Therfore whatsoeuer I commaund you take heede you do it Thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there-from Nadab and Abihu offer straunge fire vnto the Lord therefore are they burned vpp in the presence of the Lord with fire from heauen Oza also perished because hee handled the Arcke of GOD otherwise than the Lord had commaunded in his lawe Micha in the booke of Iudges instituted vnto the true God whose name is IEHOVAH an image an altar a chappell and a seruice But it is reproued in the sacred Scripture béecause it was not onely not fetched out of the holy Scripture but was in all respectes quite contrarie and vtterly against the Lawe of god Ieroboam also ordeined passing sumptuous seruice he instituted cathedrall churches and sett vpp golden images all to the God of Israel but for that they were not agréeable to the woord of the Lord they are all one with another vtterly condemned for execrable and accursed sacrileges Yea what wée maye thincke in generall of all the seruices whiche are neither instituted of GOD nor agréeing with the woord of GOD but feigned vppon a good intent and meaning of our owne y onely testimonie of the most excellent prophet Samuel doth declare to vs which he pronounced against Saule and his sacrifices in these woords Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnte offeringes and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice to hearken is better than the fatte of rammes For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and transgression is wickednesse and idolatrie Herevnto maketh that whiche we read in Isaie He that killeth a bullock is as if he slue a man He that sacrificeth a sheepe as if hee cutt off a dogges necke He that offereth an oblation as if hee offered swines bloud He that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an idole All these thinges haue they chosē in their owne wayes and their soule is delighted in their owne abhominations Vaine therfore and abhominable are those seruices which are not reduced and framed to the pure word of god For the same Prophete sayeth In vaine doe they serue mee teachinge doctrines of men The liuing true and euerlasting God who will and ought onely and alone to bee worshipped to bee called vppon and to be serued giue vnto all men true religion and deliuer them from all vaine superstition thoroughe Iesus Christoure lord Amen A. F. ¶ That the sonne of God is vnspeakeably begotten of the father that hee is consubstantiall with the father and therefore true god That the selfe same sonne is true man consubstantiall with vs and therefore true God and man abideing in two vnconfounded natures in one vndiuided person ¶ The sixt Sermon THe thinges themselues and their order do require that after I haue spoken generally of God of his Vnitie and of his Trinitie I further entreat particularly of the persons of the reuerend Trinitie first of al of our lord Iesus Christ true God man then of the holy Ghost wherew t if our minds be indued all thinges whatsoeuer we speake and heare shal tend to the glorie of Gods name and to the saluation of our soules Let vs therefore pray c. That euerlasting father the originall and authour of all thinges begott the sonne by an euerlasting and vnspeable begetting For the whole scripture with one agréement doeth call God a father yea truely an eternall or euerlasting father But none is a father of his owne selfe but a father of his sonne and for beecause he is the euerlasting father hee must therefore necessarily haue an euerlasting sonne equall vnto himselfe in all respectes coeternall and consubstantiall with him Sainct Paule vndoubtedly for the confirmation of this catholique veritie alledgeth out of the old testament two testimonies Vnto which sayeth hee of his Angels said GOD at any time Thou art my sonne this daye haue I begotten thee And againe I will be his father and hee shal be my sonne all which wordes he applyeth vnto Christe Iesus the sonne of god Of whome also Micheas beareth witnesse saying And thou Beth-lehem Ephrata art little to bee amonge the thousandes of Iudah yet out of thee shall hee come forth vnto mee that shal be the ruler in Israel whose goeinges foorth or spreadings abroad haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting Wherevppon the sonne of God himselfe in the Gospell after Iohn sayeth Verilie I say vnto you before Abraham was I am And Iohn sayeth In the beginning was the word the word was with God and God was the word But he doeth vnderstand by The word not the word which is spoken and so vanisheth not the counsell of God but the person of the sonne For by and by hee addeth And the woord beecame or was made slesh And wée doe knowe that the sonne of God not the determination or purpose of God as heretiques doe vainely imagine was incarnate But he which in time was incarnate was with the father from euerlasting and before all beginnings and therefore also true God with the true god For The word sayeth hee was with God God was the word beecause in the beginning namely from euerlasting he was with god These simple and plaine testimonies deliuered vnto vs out of the scriptures therefore most true concerning the euerlasting begetting of the sonne by the father are sufficient I thinke for them that are not curious For the scripture doeth not héere fulfil the vaine desires of curious men neither yet reasoneth of these poinctes subtilely but rather deliuereth and setteth downe but a fewe thinges in which it is our parts to beléeue But that which the scripture either doeth not sett downe or else in fewe woords shadoweth out either wee are ignoraunt of to oure health or else stickinge to that that is sett downe wée séeke not further for more The holy father Cyrill expounding that saying of the Euangelist Iohn In the beginning was the word sayeth Let vs not séeking thinges infinite and which cannot be conteyned within boundes busie our braines about a consideration that cannot bée expressed and neuer can haue an end For neither will wee graunt a beginning of beginning neither yet wil we yéeld that the sonne was begotten of the father in time but wee will confesse that he is with the father from euerlasting For if hee was
in the beginning what minde may be able at any time to clime beyond that WAS Or when shall wee so comprehend in our minde that WAS that it goe not before or outreache our thoughtes Vppon good reason therefore worthily the Prophete Isaie béeing astonnished cryeth out And who shal declare his generation For he passing all capacitie of minds and being farre aboue and beyond all reason of man is vnspeakeable And anon after hée sayeth Beecause the sonne is before all worldes he cannot bée begotten in time but hée is euermore in the father as in a founteine as he sayeth of him self I went out and came from the father For we do vnderstād the father as a founteine in whome the word is his wisedome his power the ingrauen forme of his person his brightnesse and his image Wherefore if there neuer were any time wherin the father was without his wisedome his power the ingrauen forme of his person his brightnesse and finally his image wée must of necessitie force confesse that the sonne also is coeternall and euerlasting with him since hee is the wisedome power c. of the father euerlasting For how is he the ingrauē fourme of his fathers person or how is he the most perfect image of his father vnles he haue perfectly obteined and possesse the beautie of him whose image he is And it is not absurd that we said the sonne is to bée vnderstood in the father as in a founteine For the name of founteine doth signifie nothing else than as from whome And the sonne is in the father from the father not flowing abroad but either as brightnes from the Sunne or as heate from the fire wherewith it is indued For in these examples we sée one from one to be brought forth and both to be so coeuerlasting that the one can neither bee without the other nor yet kéep and reteine the qualitie of their nature For how shall it be the sunne if it bee depriued of his brightnesse or how shal brightnesse bée vnlesse there be a Sunne from whēce it doth come And howe shall that be fire that wanteth heate Or from whence should heate come but from the fire or else from somewhat else peraduenture not farre distant from the substantiall qualitie of fier As therefore the qualities which procéed from these bodies are together with them from whence they do procéed and euermore declare from whence they doe come so is it to bee vnderstood in the onely begotten For he is vnderstood to be of the father but he is beléeued to be likewise in the father not differing from the nature of his father neither yet next his father second in nature but alwayes in the father himselfe and with him and from him according to the manner of his vnspeakeable begetting Thus farre Cyrill And these poinctes surely concerning the father and the vnspeakable beegetting of the sonne of God are stedfastly to be beléeued according to the scriptures Furthermore touching the sonne of God let vs firmely hold vndoubtedly beléeue that he is consubstantiall or of the same substance with his father and therefore true God that the selfe same sonne beeing iucarnate for vs and made man subsisteth in either nature as well of God as also of man howbeit so that these natures are neither confoūded betwéene themselues nor yet diuided For we do beléeue one and the selfe same our Lord Iesus Christ to be true God and true man All euerie one of which points throughout their parts we wil plainly and according to the measure of grace that God shall giue vs declare vnto you About the word Homoousius which the Latinists agréeably haue translated Consubstantiale consubstantiall the Ecclesiasticall historie doeth testifie that there hath béene longe much altercation among the auncient writers What it signifieth and howe it was taken of that most famous and solemne Synode of Nice the most learned and godly Eusebius Pamphili bishop of Cęsarea briefly and pithily expounded in this sort In that the sonne is said to be consubstantiall with the father it hath an expresse signification for because the sonne of God hath no similitude or likenesse with creatures that were made but is resēbled and likened to the father alone who begat him neither is he of any other substance essence or beeing than of the father And the same Eusebius anon after sayth Vnto which sentence and opinion in this manner expounded it appeareth wee maye well subscribe seeing wee doe knowe that the best learned and famous bishops and interpretours among those that were auncient reasoning of the Godhead of the father and the sonne vsed this word Homoousius These bee Socrates his woordes in the first booke of histories and the eighth Cap. Surely the godly gouernours of churches being constrained by the hypocrisie craftinesse malice of heretiques did themselues vse and caused others also to vse woords most pithie and as little doubtful as might be whereby partly they might manifestly expresse the sound truth partly discouer and reproue yea and also thrust out the deceipts and malicious practises of heretiques Arius confessed that the sonne of God was God but in the meane while he denied that the sonne was cōsubstantial with his father wherefore hee declared that hee did not sincerely cōfesse the true Godhead of the sonne Neither makes it any great matter thoughe there be not expressed in the holy Scripture some apt and fit word to set out and declare the thinge in so many letters as it is written in another tongue so that that be read to bee manifestly expressed in the scriptures whiche by the word is signified Wherefore if wée shew that the sonne is of the same substance or nature with the father and so equal with and like vnto God and one with him we haue then made sufficient and plentifull demonstration that the sonne i◠Homoousius or consubstantiall with the father The prophete Zacharie bringing in the person of God speaking sayth Arise O thou sword vppon my sheepeheard vppon the man that is my fellow or my coequall Smite the sheepeheard and the sheepe of the flock shal be scattered abroad Loe God calleth the shéepheard that is smitten his fellow or coequal And who is that shéepeheard y was smitten the historie of the Gospell doeth declare poincting out vnto vs the very sonne of God himselfe oure Lord Iesus Christ Neither doth it hinder but further oure cause that Hierome readeth not The man that is coequall with mee but The mā cleauing vnto mee For as hée denieth not that Amith doeth signifie coequall so hée setteth downe another woord no lesse effectuall For when hee translateth it The man cleauing vnto mee hee would expresse the inward and very substantiall that I maye so terme it inherence or coequalitie of the father and the sonne For he addeth in his Commentaries And the man which cleaueth vnto God who is it but euen he that sayeth I am in the father and
the father is in mee Againe wee read in the Gospell of Iohn The Iewes therefore sought to kill Iesus ▪ not onely because hee had broken the Sabboth day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but said also that GOD was his father euen his proper or verie owne making himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall to God. Furthermore the Grecians expound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye Equall by this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Like Neither can that equalitie any where else haue place than in the substance For the Iewes vnderstand that wherof the Arians will bée ignoraunt that the Lord after a certeine peculiar and speciall manner called GOD his father to witt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his proper or verie owne father by nature or by byrth of whome the sonne beeing naturally begotten is naturall and consubstantiall with his father For it followeth Making himselfe equall to or with God namely in vertue or power in euerlastingnesse and Essence For the same Lord sayeth in the same Euangelist I proceeded and came from God. Hée did not say onely I came but I proceeded He procéeded from the father such a one in substaunce as the father is surely Light of light Verie God of verie god For he sayeth againe to the Iewes Verily I saye vnto you before Abraham was I am He doth not say I haue beene or I wil bee but I am alluding to the name of the Lord Iehouah and declaring that the substaunce of his Godhead is the verie same with the substaunce of the father and that he is therefore consubstantiall with the father For yet againe he sayeth more plainely I and the father are one One I say not in concord or agréement but in selfe-same-nesse and Béeing For in that place the power and Maiestie of God are handled And when the Iewes would without further staye stone the Lord to death hauing spoken these words they declared plainly enough after what sorte they vnderstoode his words For they stoned blasphemers to death who with reuileings either empaired Gods glorie or else vsurped and tooke the same vnto themselues Hetherto belongeth that whiche Paule speaketh concerning the sonne of God saying Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of all creatures because all thinges were created by him For if hee be the image of the inuisible God he must néeds be fellowe or coequall with god For in another place Paule calleth the same Christ The ingrauen fourme of god and his expresse image and aunswearable in all respects most truely to his paterne or first figure An image verily and likenesse is of things that are not vnequall or vnlike but of things equall and like And he is called The first borne beecause hee is Prince and Lord not that hee is reckoned amonge creatures For all things that were made by him they were made therefore hee is no creature but true God to witt of the nature and substaunce of God one with the father The same Apostle sayeth to the Philippians that the sonne is in the forme or shape of god But to be in the forme or shape of God is nothing else than in all respectes to be fellowe or equall with God to be consubstātiall with him and so in déede GOD himselfe For what it is to be in the fourme or shape of God is by the cōtrarie clause verie manifestly declared For it followeth Hee tooke vppon him the fourme of a seruaunt Whiche is againe expounded by that which followeth Beeing made in the likenesse of men that is to say béeing made very man vnlike in nothing to all other men sinne excepted whiche in another place is plainely expressed And here he addeth againe And foūd in figure as a man. Therefore to bée in the fourme of God is to be coequal and consubstantiall with god For he addeth He thought it no robberie to be equall with God. For robberie is the taking away of that which another doth owe for it is possessed by iniurie The sonne therefore is coequal with the father and true God by Nature and after the most proper manner And this is the meaning of S. Paule his woords Albeit the sonne were of the same glorie and maiestie with the father and could haue remayned in his glorie without humiliatiō or debafement yet had hee rather abase himselfe that is to say take vnto him the nature of a man and cast himselfe into daungers yea euen into death it selfe For otherwise according to his godhead he suffered no chaunge For God is vnchaungeable and without variablenesse Since the case so standeth godly is the saying of S. Ambrose in his booke De fide against the Arians and fift chap Séeing therefore thou doest knowe this vnitie of substance in the father and the sonne not onely by the authoritie of the prophetes but also of the Gospell howe sayst thou that Homoousius consubstantiall is not founde in the sacred scriptures as though Homoousius were somewhat else than that he sayeth I went out from God the father And I and the father are one c. The scholer S. Augustine following his maister Ambrose in his controuersie had with Pascentius cōfirmeth Homoousius by places of scripture and declareth that this is holily vsed in our fayth and religion The same doth he also in his thirde booke against Maximinus bishop of the Arians and 14 chapter But what néedeth heaping vp of more wordes For I trust it is plainely enough declared by euident places of holie Scripture that the sonne is consubstantial with the father and that so it must be beléeued We hope also that in the treatise following this selfe same point shall not a little be made manifest by testimonies of Scriptures Arius with his complices denyed that the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe is true god But the most true Scripture doth so euidently proue and confirme it that none which loueth the truth from his heart can doubt any thing at all thereof We wil presently cite some testimonies and arguments that are moste plaine and apparaunt whereby thorough the assistance of the holy ghost our faith may be established and the Catholique and sound trueth it selfe made manifest In the third chapter of Matthew the heauens are opened to our Lorde as he was baptised by Iohn Baptist and the holie Ghoste came downe in the likenesse of a Doue and allighted vpon the heade of our Lord Iesus Christe and foorthwith was a voyce hearde out of the cloudes pronounced by the glorious God in this sorte This is my beloued sonne in whome my soule is well pleased And Iohn sayth in his Gospell I sawe the spirite descending from heauen in the likenesse of a Doue and it abode vpon him and I knewe him not but hee that sent mee to baptise with water hee sayde vnto me Vppon whome thou shalt see the spirite descending and abiding vpon him this is hee which doth baptise with the holy Ghoste And I sawe and
sent the man Iesus Christe but nowe Christ neyther hath added neyther yet hath deliuered vnto vs in doctrine that he is man onely but hath ioyned him selfe to GOD to the ende he woulde be knowne by this coniunction or ioyning together that he also is God as indéede he is We must therefore beléeue according to the prescript rule in one Lord true and verie God and consequently in him whome he hath sent Iesus Christe who had at no hande as we haue sayde ioyned him selfe to the father vnlesse he would be knowne to be God also For he wold haue separated him selfe from the father if he would not haue béene knowen to be god For he would haue placed him selfe among men onely if he had knowne that he was man only neither would be haue ioyned him selfe with god if he had not also knowen him selfe to be God nowe also touching as he is man he sayth nothing bicause no man doubteth that he is man and he ioyneth him selfe to God not without good cause that he might set down a forme of his diuinitie or godhead to them that should beleeue If Christe be onely man howe is it that he sayth And nowe glorisie me with the glorie whiche I had with thee before the world was If before the worlde was he had glorie with God and possessed glorie with the father then was he before the worlde Neyther had he had glory if he had not bene afore that he might possesse glory For none can haue a thing vnlesse he which possesseth the thing be afore But Christe had glorye before the creation of the worlde therefore he was before the creation of the worlde For if he had not bene before the creation of the world he could not haue had glory before the creation of the worlde when he him selfe was not But he coulde not as man haue glory before the creation of the worlde who then was when that world was made but Christ had glory he was therefore before the world was made he was not therefore man onely who was before the world was made Therfore he is god bicause he was before the world was made and possessed glory before the world was made After these words Tertullian doth shew that these thinges are not ment of the Predestination but of the substaunce of Christe But thus farre of this S. Paule the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romanes declareth in plaine words not once or twice that our Lorde Iesus Christ is true and verie god For he speaking of Christ in his ninth chapter sayth Which is God in all thinges to be praysed for euer The words are very well knowne which the same Apostle writeth in his first Epistle to the Corinth and eight chapter S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist doth so manifestly declare the diuinitie or Godheade of the sonne in his Canonicall Epistle that he which séeth and perceiueth it not is blinde both of body and mynd In the end of the Epistle he sayth We knowe that the sonne of God is come and hathe giuen vs a mynde that wee shoulde knowe him who is true and wee are in him that is true in his sonne Iesus Christe This same is true or verie God and eternal or euerlasting life Now it is God by whom we liue moue and haue our being as Paule witnesseth but by Christe our Lord we liue moue and haue oure being as he him selfe hath expresly taught in the Gospell after Iohn Christe therefore is true and verie God. In the 43. 45. chapters of Isaie the Lorde saith I am I am the Lord and there is no sauiour without me A iust God and a sauiour there is none beside me But Ieremie in his 23. chapter calleth Christ the sonne of Dauid Iehouah and our righteousnesse Likewise in Esaie the father speaking of his sonne sayth I haue giuen or made thee the light of the Gentiles that thou mayest be my health vnto the ende of the worlde Moreouer séeing there is none other God but one none other saluation and righteousnesse saue that diuine righteousnesse only it foloweth consequently doubtlesse that Christe is true and verie God in all respectes coequall with his father In the same Isaie the Lord saith I haue sworne by mine owne selfe the worde of righteousnesse shall go out of my mouth and it shall not be drawne backe againe bycause euerie knee shall bow vnto me and all tounges shall sweare by my name And Paule sayth There is a name giuen vnto Christ which is aboue al names that in the name of Iesus euerie thing shoulde bow of thinges in heauen of thinges in earth and of things vnder the earth and that euery tong shuld cōfesse that the lord is Iesus Christ to the glorie of God the father It must néedes be therfore y Christe is true and verie god For seeing he is worshipped and also serued séeing we confesse him to be lord that surely turneth not to the reproch and ignominie but to the honoure and glorie of God the father For in the Gospell after Iohn thus sayth the Lorde The father hath giuen all iudgement to wit all iurisdiction and all gouernement all glory power and authoritie to the sonne that all might honour the sonne as they honour the father He that honoureth not the sonne honoureth not the father that sent him Herevnto therefore belongeth that whiche we reade in the Prophete Isaie I the Lord Hu or I my selfe is my name and my glory I will not giue to an other or to a straunger c. But he giueth his glory to the sonne he therefore in his substaunce according to his diuinitie or Godheade is not a stranger or seuered from the father albeit he be acknowledged to be an other seueral person What doth the Lorde in the Gospell after Iohn say And now O father glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe with the glory which thou gauest me with thee before this world was No but Whiche I had with thee yer the worlde was I had sayth he not I receiued albeit the scripture doth oftētimes vse this worde for the mysterie of dispensation In Micheas the Christians say All people one with an other walke in the name of their God as for vs ▪ wee will walke in the name of our God. Furthermore they walke in the name the way of Iesus Christ saying in the Gospell I am the way and the doore I am the light of the world Hee that followeth me doth not walke in darknesse That Christ therefore is God who is he that can be ignoraunt For the Lord sayth in Ezechiel I will feede my flocke my selfe alone And anon he addeth My seruaunt Dauid shall feede it meaning Christ the sonne of Dauid that onely vniuersall Pastour or shepeheard of the Churche and therefore true god For the vniuersall Pastor or shepeheard must be a king and a prieste muste be euerlasting muste knowe all thinges must be
and man whosoeuer for the vnities sake of natures doth not so farr extend his humanitie as his diuinitie is extended For in the Gospel after S. Matthewe the Lord goeth not with his bodie into the house of the Centurion whereas yet notwithstanding there is no doubt that his Godhead being present not absent the seruaunt of the Centurion was cured of his disease And who will say that therfore the person is diuided by S. Matthewe for that he hath not extended the humanitie of Christe euen vnto his diuinitie The Angels speaking to the women concerning the bodie of Christ risen from the dead and now glorified say He is not heere he is risen But we are not ignorant that his diuinitie is in euery place And yet the Angels diuided not his inseparable person in that they did not make equal in al respects the humane body of Christ with his Godhead The Angels them selues doe not diuide the person of Christ when his body being taken vp from the mount Oliuet into heauen they standing on the earth testifie that he shall come againe after the same māner as they sawe him depart from them But who dare denie that the Lord was then also present with them Therefore our Lord after the manner of his verie body is in heauen not in earth but according to his infinite godhead he is euery where in heauen and in earth Man consisteth of soule and body and these most contrarie in natures betwene them selues make one person not two And who so euer attributeth and defendeth that which is proper to eyther of them doth not diuide the person The body sléepeth the soule sléepeth not these properties of partes make not two persons Herevnto séemeth to belong that whiche Theodoret hath left written in his 3. Dialogue saying We do not diuide the natural vnitie of the soule and the body neyther separate we the soules from their owne proper bodies but consider those thinges which properly belong to their natures Therefore when the scripture sayth And deuout men carried Stephan to his buriall made greate lamentation ouer him wilt thou say that his soule was buried with his body I thincke not And when thou shalt heare Iacob the Patriarch saying Burie ye me with my fathers thou doest vnderstand that to be spoken of his body not of his soule Againe thou doest reade There they buried Abraham and Sara his wife c. In whiche speach the scripture doth not make mention of the body but in al points signifieth the soule and body together But wee rightly diuide and say that the soules are immortall and that the bodies onely of the patriarches are buried in the double caue Euen so we also are wont to say In this or that place this or that mā was buried We do not say This mans bodie or that mans bodie but this man or that man For whosoeuer is wel in his wits knoweth we speake of the bodie So wheras the Euangelistes so oftentimes make mention of Christes bodie buried at the lengthe they sett downe the name of the person and say that Iesus was buried layd in the graue c. Thus farre Theodoret. And since it is without controuersie that this faith and doctrine from Christes time euen vnto our age hath flourished in the holy Church of God and against innumerable assaultes of sathan and heretiques hath remained most stedfast and the selfe same is deliuered and confirmed by testimonies of scripture and consents of holy coūsels I exhorte you dearely beloued that calling on the name of Christe you may perseuere continue in the same doctrine and béeing 〈…〉 by true faith and obedience to Christe verie God and man you may giue continuall thanks worshipping him that reigneth for euer ¶ Of Christe King and Prieste of his onely and euerlasting kingdome and Priesthoode and of the name of a Christian The seuenth Sermon I HAUE declared vnto you déerely beloued y Christ Iesus our Lorde is verye God and man whiche will bring more plentiful profite if we vnderstand what the fruite of that thing is Whiche is chiefely knowen by the offices of Christe our Lorde He is King and Prieste of the people of God therefore he hath a kingdome and a priesthoode Which things if we shall somwhat more diligentlie consider they shall declare vnto vs the excéedinge greate benefite of the diuinitie and humanitie of Christe Christe Iesus is a king therefore hee is Lorde of all ruler and gouernour of all things which are in heauen and in Earth and specially of the catholique Church it selfe whiche is the communion of Sainctes and for so muche as hee is King and Lorde truely by his royall or Kingly office he is the deliuerer or preseruer the reuenger and defendour and finallie the lawgiuer of his electe For he crusshed the Serpentes head that stronge and moste cruell enimie of Gods people whome when hee had conquered he bound and spoyled He deliuered the elect out of the power of darcknesse and sett them into the libertie of the sonnes of God that we might bee his peculiar people sanctified through the bloude of our kinge a purchased people to serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse Hee is humble louing and gentle which the historie of the Gospell also out of Zacharie rehearseth of him Matth. 21. Hee watcheth for vs he defendeth and gardeth vs hee enricheth vs with all manner of good thinges and furnisheth vs against our enimyes with spirituall armour and giueth vs aboundantly power to resist and to ouercome Hee hath purged the Temple of God casting out the Chanaanites he hath cancelled vnrighteous lawes he hath deliuered vs from them and now hee ruleth and gouernethe vs with the scepter of his mouthe exceeding good and most iust lawes being proclamed For he is God and man therefore hee is the onely Monarche the King of kinges and the Lorde of Lordes for he hath all the kings and rulers in the worlde subiect vnto him some verily of their owne accorde through faithe being obedient and other though striuing and rebelling againste him made subiect by his power And therefore saith the Prophet Dauid Be wise O ye kings be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth serue the Lorde with feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence kisse the sonne least he be angry and so yee perishe from the right way For in an other place the same Prophet saith The Lord said to my Lord sitt thou on my right hand vntil I make thine enimies thy fotestole The Lord wil send foorth the rodd of his power out of Sion be thou ruler euen in the middes among thine enimies Esay also bringing in the Lord speaking saith I wil lift vp my hands vnto the Gentiles and set vp my standarde to the people and they shall bringe thee their sonnes vppon their shoulders for kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shal be thy noursing mothers Whiche thing ecclesiasticall
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 consequētly 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 inlightē 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
nations together but some into Asia some into Scythia other dispersed into other natiōs according to the dispensation of the holye Ghost whiche they had with them euen as they also heard the Lord saying I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world Herevnto doeth that also agrée Ye shal be wittnesses vnto mee euen vnto the vttermost partes of the world If therefore they being sent into the furthest parts of the earth to beare wittnesse of the Lord were seuered one from another with a very great distaunce of place and yet had present with them the holy Ghost dwelling within them whose substance is not limitable it is manifest that the power of Angels doeth farre differ from this power of the spirite For to vse an example the angel whiche was present with the Apostle when he prayed in Asia could not together at the selfe same time bee present with other whiche were abiding in other partes of the world But the holy Ghost is not onely present with men being seuered one from another but is also a continuall dweller in euerie Angel principalitie throne and dominion c. Now who cannot hereby gather that the holy Ghoste is true and very God The selfe same authour hath gathered very many argumentes of the true godhead of the holy ghost and next him the holy father Cyrill and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed vpon that matter Lib. de Trinitate 11. to Theophilus These fewe testimonies thus farre rehearsed wée thinke shal suffice those that obey and loue the trueth They that stedfastly beléeue these things are not moued with any straung opinions and questions curiouslye yea wickedly brought in about this matter by ill occupied persons For some are reported to haue denied the holy Ghost to be lord For they haue taught that he is a minister and as it were a certeine instrument of the father and the sonne But Christ oure Lord ioyned the holy ghost to himselfe and to the father when hee deliuered the fourme of baptisme For he sayth Baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghost And yet it is manifest that a creature is not ioyned to the creatour in baptisme neither that there is any seruile condition in the Godhead Therefore the counsell of Constantinople in their créede giue to the holy Ghost certaine termes whereby they might destroye certaine errours calling him lord giuer of life for when he calleth him Lord he maketh him equall to the sonne and excludeth the condition of a seruaunt or minister beside that he denieth that he is their instrument For there is one Lord there are not many Lords And the sonne is not Lord of the holy Ghoste but the Lordshipp is common to the thrée personnes whiche are onely one lord And séeing the holy Ghost is the Lord surely he is not appointed to a seruile ministerie but indued with Lordly authoritie nether is he an vnderseruaunt to doe the worke but is a ioynt worker with the father and the sonne yea and he himselfe doth worke as Lord. Againe certaine other are reported to haue taught that the holy ghost is not a substance or a person but as it were an accident that is to saye a stirring vp a prouocation or a motion of a Godly and renued minde And in very déed our minde being illuminated with the holy Ghoste is oftentimes called spirite but we must wisely distinguishe the creature from the creator and the accident from the substance The blessed Apostle distinguished our spirite from the holy spirite of God when he said As many as are ledd by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of god The spirite it selfe beareth wittnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God. And the same Apostle saith The flesh lusteth cōtrary to the spirite the spirite cōtrarie to the flesh And who vnderstandeth not that the mind of man instructed of the holy Ghost is héere called the spirite not the third person himselfe in the reuerend Trinitie And that minde as touching illumination is not of it selfe but procéedeth from the holy Ghoste illuminating it neither commeth it from any other thā from him which is the third person in Trinitie but that minde is not the very person of the holy Ghoste as imagination procéedeth from the soule and yet it is not the soule it selfe That stirring of the spirite in vs is an accident but GOD is not an accident neither is mingled with the accident We must therefore confesse according to the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is a person subsisting coequall in nature or essence with the father and the sonne and therfore to be worshipped and glorified of vs as very God and creatour againe that a godly and holy motion stirred vpp in the mindes of holy men by the spirite is the effecte and woorking of this holy spirite and is called a holy spirite but after a certeine manner proper to it Otherwise we denie not that the holy Ghoste him selfe beeing promised is communicated vnto vs but after our capacitie and as he will. For what is hée amongest men that is able to comprehende the fullnesse of the eeuerlastinge and incomprehensible GOD Furthermore touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost from the father and the sonne the Diuines haue curiously subtily and busily disputed For the question is asked whether he procéed from the father alone or from the sonne also In which question the Latinistes séeme to disagrée verye much from the Grecians The question is also asked what maner of procéeding this is Wée omitting many curious questions wil briefly declare those thinges vnto you whiche are wholsome and agréeable with the holy Scriptures For who shal be able to canuasse out al the questions of curious men and all the bould and vncleane thoughtes of idle heads without offence to good men and especially of the simple hearers That the holy Ghost procéedeth from the father and the sonne the scripture manifestly teacheth which most plainly sheweth that hee is the spirite of either or both of them For hée it is of whome the Apostle sayeth Beecause ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes And the sonne speaking of the same spirit sayeth For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you Againe the same sonne sayeth of the holy Ghost Whome I will sende vnto you from the father And againe he sayeth else where Whome the father will sende in my name Therefore hée procéedeth from both as well from the father as from the sonne For although this bee read else-where to bee spoken of the holy Ghoste Whiche proceeded from the father yet it is not denyed that he procéedeth from the substance of the sonne also But that more is Cyrill a Gréeke writer expounding the Gospell of S. Iohn and interpreting this selfe same place Lib. 10.
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 whâ—ere 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
therefore vnto men to declare the will and commaundementes of god So the Angel Gabriel came first to Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptiste afterward he came to the blessed virgin to shewe vnto her the incarnation of the sonne of god Innumerable examples of this kinde are euery where found in the holie scriptures They watch for our safetie beeing carefull for vs yet without molestation whereof I tould you before They aduertise the faithfull in time conuenient foreshewing dangers to come and they also do comfort the afflicted For the wisemen being warned by the Angel that they should not returne vnto Hierusalem to Herode auoyde great perill Ioseph also béeing commaunded by the Angel slieth into Aegypt deliuering the Christe or annointed of the Lord out of the bloudie handes of Herode Christe also at the mount of Oliuet beeing in a bloudie sweate is comforted by the angel And Hagar the handmaide of Sara béeing in extreme daunger is recreated by the consolation of an angel As also the Apostle S. Paule béeing very néere shippwracke heareth this voice of the Angel of the Lord Feare not Paule thou must be brought before CÄ™sar and loe God hath giuen thee all them that saile with thee Againe angels are sent for reuengement of mischiefous persons to take punishment I meane of those that be wicked and impenitent For the firâ—â— borne of the Aâ—gyptians 〈…〉 of the Angel. In the Acts of the Apostles the Angel of the Lord siniteth Herode Agrippa It is said that in the camp of the Aâ—â—yrians many were sinitten slaine of one Angel And Dauid sawe an Angel with a sword drawen houering betwéen heauen and earth afflicting the people with a most gréeuous plague So we beléeue that the holy Angels shall come with the sonne of man vnto iudgment as Paule witnesseth and sayth Our Lord Iesus Christe shal be reuealed from heauen with the Angels of his power in flaming fire rendering vengeance vnto them that know not God and that obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ For in the Reuelation of Iesus Christe also the Angels powre out vialls full of the wrath of God vppon the heads of false Christians Moreouer they take vppon them the charge and defence of vs God so commaunding they are oure kéepers readie at hand watching ouer vs that no aduersitie happen vnto vs and doe guide our ways For hetherto belong the testimonies of the Psalmes and very many examples of the scripture Dauid sayth This poore or afflicted man cryed and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles The Angel of the Lord pitcheth his tents rounde about them that feare him deliuereth them And in another Psalme hee sayeth There shall no euill come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy tabernacle or dwelling For he shal giue his Angels charge ouer thee to kepe thee in all thy wayes They shal beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone Thou shalt goe or walke vppon the Lion and Addâ—r or aspe the young non and the dragon shalâ— thou 〈◊〉 vnder thy â—eete And the Lord in the Gospell plainely sayeth that little children haue angels without doubt to be their kéepers Iacob â—he 〈◊〉 greatly fearing his brother Esau â–ª 〈◊〉 Angels comming to meete him vnderstandeth that Angels were giuen vnto him as guides and kéepers of him in his way against the â—â—ercenesse of his brothe In the affaires of Heliseus wee read that the king of Syria beséeged the citie Dothan with a great hoast wherein HelisÄ™us at that time ledd his life whom he had purposed to take when the seruaunt of Helisaeus perceiued that and was troubled in minde and lamented his maisters case Helisaeus said Feare not for they that bee with vs are moe than they that be with them the Prophete also prayed and said Lord I beseech thee open his eyes that he may see the lord opened the eyes of the seruaunt and he looked and behold the mounteine was ful of horses and fierie chariots that is to say he was armed and defended with the guard of an hoast of Angels Abraham also sayth to his seruant The Lord God of heauen which said vnto mee Vnto thy seede will I giue this land he shall send his Angel before thee namely to directe thy way to defend thée and bring to passe that thou mayest obteine thy desire For the Lord himselfe said to Moses in Exodus Behold I will send my Angel before thee to keepe thee in the waye to lead thee to the place that I haue prepared In the Actes of the Apostles thou doest often read that Angels serued the Apostles furthered their purpose and defended them against their aduersaries In Daniel Angâ—ls are brought in for princes and presidents or gouernours of kingdomâ— as Michael with Gabriel princes of thâ— Israelitishe kingdomâ—â— and 〈◊〉 other of the Persian 〈…〉 of y Grâ—cian kingdâ—â—â— and eache of them debate the mattâ—r touching his owne kingdome and fight for the same Not that there is any variaunce or disagréement in heauâ—n where doubtlesse there is plentifull peace euerlasting concorde and quietnesse neither that there are conflictes or battells fought betwéene the Angels as betwéene those Gods whom the Poet Homere describeth but by a parable and allusion heauen is compared to the Court of some puissaunt and renowmed prince where Embassadours of sundrie countries debate their diuerse causes which is done in consideration of our weake witt and slender capacitie For thus we ought to coÌ„ceiue in our minde that God who is the only Lord of all kingdomes heareth all mens suites and taketh in hand all mens matters and that Angels at the word and wil of God minister and doe seruice vnto God when it pleaseth him to vse their ministerie and seruice For so Nabuchodonosor also sawe in a vision a watchman coÌ„ming downe from heauen and foretelling the destinie of the trée that was to be hewen downe Neuerthelesse we must héere take héede least contrarie to the nature of true religion wee attribute too much to Angels that we worship them not that we cal not vppon them nor serue them In déed when men he are that Angels are giuen vnto them of God for ministers and that God by them doeth good vnto vs by and by they thincke that some honour is to bee ascriâ—â—ed 〈◊〉 giuen vnto them But â—â—ncere religion doth teach vs to acknowlâ—dâ—â— â–ª GOD the authour of all 〈◊〉 thingâ—â— â–ª that the Angels are â—he minister◠〈◊〉 God and as it were instruments by whome he worketh as wée sée the sonne the mone the starres the Patriarches the Prophets and the Apostles to be and to haue béene But who beeing well in his witts hath worshipped called vppon or serued the Sunne or the starrs though they bée creatures very excellent and beneficial vnto men And what partaker I pray
name the substance of the soule For I do not thinke the same to bee of these vsuall and knowne natures whiche we touche with the senses of our bodie For I thinke that the soule coÌ„sisteth not of earth nor of water nor of aâ—â—e nor of the neitâ—â—r yet of all 〈◊〉 ioyned together nor of any one of them The nature of the soule may be called simple because it consisteth not of other natures Whiche wordes of Augustine Cassidore willing to reheâ—rse and expresse by imitation sayth The soulâ— of man created of God is a spiritual and peculiar substance Therefore I simpliâ— offirme that the soule hashe a singular yea a certein more excellent 〈◊〉 differing from other spirite hauing his true béeing and working always from his creator but suche as we in our spéeche cannot â—â—â—passâ— â—ither are able to vtter In the meane 〈…〉 allow if theÌ„ 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 what maker of substaâ—ie â–ª she soâ—â—é is say that the soule is God or else surely a part or pâ—rtion of god For the scripture reproueth them do the. For truly y soule is a creature is drowned in variablenes sinâ—s but a creator cleane of it selfe it is not And because God the creator is immutable a indiuisible the soule cannot be a portion of god Therfore elegantly truly Anâ—chus Prudentius in his 〈◊〉 after he had in many words 〈◊〉 these filthy errors gathering at length al the meaning of the trueth sayth To say thâ— soule is GOD or part of him T' is follie great and too absurde a thing Since chiefe 〈…〉 ioyes it 〈◊〉 which swim From alwayes fâ—eshe and euer-lasting spring Now it 〈…〉 falles to sâ—nne One while 〈◊〉 another while in paine For due 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 winne Now 〈…〉 t' is free againe To y end that we might ouerthrow this errour and discerne the soule from other spirites and spiritual substances we added in our description That the soule of man is powred into the bodie of man by God Whereby euerie man vnderstandeth wiâ—hout any adoe that it is created and also is a spirit not angeliâ—al but humane that is breathed into mans bodie by God of his owne essence and nature Where again a new question touching the original of soules doth offer it self to vs to be expounded For it is wont to be asked from whence souls come when or howe they enter into their bodies Sainte Hierome is the Author that in time past there were verie many opinions and those same most contrarie betwéene them selues touching the originall of soules For hée writâ—â—g to Marcellinus and 〈◊〉 fayth I remeÌ„ber your question nay rather 〈◊〉 the questâ—â—n of the church touching the state of the soule whether it â—el from heauen as Pythagoras the Philospher al Platonisteâ— and Origen doe thinke Or whether it be of the proper substaÌ„ce of God as the Stoikes Manichcus and the heresies of Priscilianus of Spaine doe suppose Whether they be counted in Gods treasurie long since layd vp there as certeine churchmen foolishly persuaded thinke Whether they be daily made of God sent into bodies according to that which is written in the gospel My father worketh hitherto I worke Or whether Eâ—traduce that is by the generation of the parentes as Tertullian Apolinarius tâ— the 〈…〉 of the West Câ—â—rches 〈◊〉 that as a bodie is borne â—f a bodie so a soulâ— is borne of a soule and hath his béeing after the like 〈◊〉 as bâ—â—ite beastes haue But all those â—pinions ar◠〈◊〉 oâ— Ecclesiasticall writers with found argumentes That opinion is receiueâ— auouched for the truest which holdrth That the soule is crâ—â—ted of nothing and powred of God unto the bodie when the childe is 〈…〉 in shape and in euerie part of hiâ— bodie in the wombe of hiâ— mother For thus the Ecclesiasticall definitionâ— do declare We say that the creator of al thinges doeth onely knowe the creation of the soule and that the bodiâ— onely is sowed by carnal 〈◊〉 in marriage that by the true appointment of God it thickeneth in the matrice becommeth a substance and receiuâ—th shape and that when the bodie is fashioned the soule is created and powred into it Where vpon 〈◊〉 Hâ—erome also to 〈◊〉 diâ—puting against the tâ—rors of 〈◊〉 bishop of Hierusalem after he 〈…〉 diuerse opinions touching the origiâ—al of the soule he saith Wheâ—her truely God createth souleâ— dâ—ily in whom his will iâ— his worke 〈◊〉 conâ—seth to be a 〈◊〉 of them which is an Ecclesrastical opinion according to the opinion of our Sauiour The father worketh hitherto and I worke And according to that of â—sai Which formeth the spirit of man 〈◊〉 him And in the Psalmes Whiche 〈…〉 their harts in euery one of theÌ„ Thâ—s farre he The scripture truly in expresse wordes doth teaâ—he that the soule hath not originall â—ut of earthe neither that it is created before the bodie but that it procâ—â—deth out of the moâ—the 〈◊〉 the creator to wit from the secret power of God and that it is powred into the bâ—die when it is fashioned For Moses describing the 〈◊〉 of God our Father dâ—eth firste 〈…〉 that the body of Adam was fashioned and made and that afterwards the spirite of life was breathed â—nto his bodie beeing perfectly made 〈…〉 The Lorde God 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 of the clay of the 〈…〉 vppon his face or iâ—to his 〈◊〉 the breath of life and 〈…〉 liuing soule For the bâ—eath of life doth signifie the liuing reasonable soule that is to say the 〈…〉 whiche thou séest breathed oâ— powred into the bodie when it is â—â—shioned And when the same Lorde created the woman of Adams 〈◊〉 he tooke not life froÌ„ Adam or out of his soâ—le and put it into Eue but of hiâ— gâ—â—dnâ—sse and power hee powrâ—d the 〈◊〉 into her bodie when it was pâ—â—fectly 〈◊〉 And that we are 〈…〉 created of the Lorde at this 〈…〉 that the soule may bee poâ—red into the bodie when it is fashioned Iob is a witnesse sufficient saying â–ª Thy handes O God haue 〈…〉 and fashioned mee rounde aboâ—◠〈…〉 powred me as it 〈…〉 me to 〈◊〉 like 〈◊〉 â–ª Tâ—ou hast â—ouered mee â–ª with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and ioyned me together with bones and sinewes â–ª Loe thou hast heâ—e iâ— these wordes bothe the conceptiâ—â— and also the fashioâ—â—ng of 〈◊〉 bodie in his mothers wombe most excellently described And touching the soule it followeth in Iob immediately Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy 〈◊〉 haâ—he preserued my spirite Bâ—hold life that is the soule is by God 〈…〉 and grace 〈…〉 〈◊〉 mercie to life For it is a 〈…〉 in so many 〈…〉 benefite of the 〈…〉 sheweth it selfe in this But it 〈◊〉 by way of 〈…〉 thy visitation that 〈…〉 and preferuation 〈…〉 serued My spirite For 〈…〉 that spirite which 〈…〉 life that is to sayth◠〈…〉 we rightly 〈…〉 to the Scriptures that 〈…〉 men are created of God 〈…〉 into the bodyes when they 〈…〉 fashioned in the womb◠〈…〉 touch not euery
for heauen or the place of blessednesse as the left hande for hell or the place of damnation Therefore this is his meaning When thou art deade thou shalt remaine for euer either 〈…〉 agreeable to the heaueÌ„ly For S. Cypriâ— against Demetrianâ—s sayth When we shall bee departed hence there is then no place of repetance 〈…〉 value Here life is eyther lost or gotten Here is prouision made for eternall saluation by the seruing of god and the fruite of fayth They obiect againe That souls when they depart from the body are purged in déede by the bloud of the sonne of God but not fully for there remaines some filth to be washed away in Purgatoriâ— For they depart out of this worlde not hauing a full and perfect sayth therefore they be not altogether good and again since they haue some fayth they be not altogether euill bicause they are not perfectly good they cannot enter into heauen againe since they are not altogether euil they caÌ„not be daÌ„ned and therefore there remayneth a middle place wherein they may be fully tryed and at the length being purified may be presented â—â—to the sight of god But these mâ—n after their manner 〈◊〉 what they 〈◊〉 But we haue shewed by the holie scriptures that the souls of the faithfull are purged by the onely bloud â—â— the sonne of God through 〈◊〉 and not by purgatorie Nowe will I also shewe in that whiche followeth that the sinnes of all men are puriâ—â—edfully that is to say moste absolutely by the onely sacrifice of Christe and further that by the grace of God in the bloude of Christe is forgiuen in the verie instant of death whatsoeuer infirmitie remnants of sinne are behinde in the soules of the faithfull departing from the body For the Lorde saith in the gospel He that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete 〈…〉 euery whâ—â— Beholde he 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 washed by the grace of Christ so that the 〈…〉 of the féete that is to say the infirmitâ—e and imperfection whiche remaineth after regeneration caÌ„not bring him againe into the number of those that are vncleane For the Lord sayth againe in the Gospell And for their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also might bee sanctified through the truth The Lorde gaue vp himselfe to be a sacrifice for oure sinnes to the ende that we might be sanctified that is purged from oure sinnes truly that is to say fully and 〈◊〉 perfectly For Paule sayth For with one offering hath he made perfâ—st for euer them that are sanctified â–ª Mark I pray you y apostles words Christ with one oblatioÌ„ Lo he saith with one hath perfectly sanctified al that are sanctified are made heires of eternall life Herevpon we gather If by the one sacrifice of Christ once offered for vs al soules are purified and that in déede perfectly purified so that there is nothing waÌ„ting to their puâ—â—fying what I praye you findeth Purgatorie to purifie Therefore it is a shamelesse forgerie and horrible blaspheâ—â—ie against the merite of the purifying of IESVS CHRIST the some of god If there séeme any thing to be diminished or wanting vnto the soule nowe departing Christe by his grace performeth and maketh it vp whilest it is yet in the worlde It is a wicked speach and vnworthy to be heard among christian people that by oure sufferings in Purgatorie that is fulfilled whiche was not as yet fully satisfied with the bloud and passion of Christ As if our suffrings were better more effectual than the passion of that sonne of God. Thâ—se men obieâ—te vnto vs the weaknesse of faith in them that dye and we â—n the other side obiect vnto them the mercie of God fully pardoning his faithfull people The father of the Lunatique mentioned in the Gospell requiring helpe of the Lord heareth If thou caÌ„st beleeue to wit that I am able to heale thy sonne al things are possible to him that beleeueth And albeit he felt his fayth not altogether perfect but that therein remayned much weakenesse yet the helpe of God was not hindered by the weaknesse thereof For bycause he humbly submitted him selfe wholy vnto the mercy of the Lorde beséeching and saying Lord I beleeue help my vnbeliefe the Lorde by and by succoured him and without delaye healed his sonne So there is no dout that the most mercifull Lorde will fayle his faithfull people to whom he hath promised most full forgiuenesse acknowledging their weakenesse in the houre of death and therefore also calling for the mercy of God but that vppon the instant of the going out of the soule he forth with perfectly â—anctifieth it with his spirtie for Christes sake and beautifieth it with all kynd of graces that being truely purged from all filthe of sinnes it maye flée vp and deserue to appeare in the presence of god And this shoulde be beaten into the heades of them that are a dying For there are extant most large promises of god there are extant examples of many holy men dying and calling vpon god Furthermore it is certeine by those thinges which we haue already alledged that the death of Christ hath made ful satisfaction for sinnes so that nowe there remayneth nothing further to â—e 〈◊〉 wâ—th the fire of purgatorie Souls after the death of the â—â—dy 〈◊〉 the right 〈…〉 heauen taking nothing 〈…〉 them which â—â— it dâ—th purging Therefore that fire of purgatorie is nothing else in verie déeâ—e than a traâ—â—â—que or merchandize of most couetâ—â—s meÌ„ whereby craftily and cunningly they purge the pursses not the soules both of rich and poore These men by and by vnderprop their purgatorie building which is a falling with two postes The first is this They of olde say they prayed for the saluation of soules separated from the body therfore there is a purgatorie For since in heauen they haue no néed of prayers surely in hel prayers do no good since in hell is no redemption truely there is a middle place left wherein soules are kepte vnto whom the prayers of the liuing doe good that place is Purgatorie Thus in déede they reason howbeit imagining all thinges of their owne heades without the authoritie of the scriptures But this is that they haue to say That they of old prayed for the deade I knowe what Augustine that famous doctour of the Churche what Chrysostome that golden-mouthed man and other auncient and notable men haue lâ—â—t written touching this matter But I aske the question Whether that whiche they did were well done For not all thinges which the holy fathers sayd and did who oftentimes haue suffered somthing of maÌ„s inuention are absolutely to be alowed or followed Those things are not to be allowed and folowed which are set down by them against the decrées of the scripture which thing they theÌ„ selues vnfeinedly confesse but those things onely whiche are vttered and confirmed by the authoritie of holie scriptures which 〈…〉 of godlynesse But thou 〈…〉 nothing in them
faithfull dispersed on the seas condemned to the galleys for the confession of the true faith we may find many that be holden in captiuitie vnder Antichrist of the whiche we will speake in the next Sermon folowing we may finde also a wonderful many in Graecia Natolia Persia Arabia or in Africa being the seruants of Iesus Christe and worthy members of the catholique church of Christ being shut out and debarred from the holy mysteries of the christians through impiety crueltie of Machomet neuertheles we shall finde them almoste nearely ioyned together in one spirit and one faith with all the true members of the Church and marked also with visible signes Therefore the word and the Sacraments by common decrée are the markes of the Church not putting apart or disseuering the faythful from the communion and societie of other faithfull being by some necessitie shut out from the visible companie of those that are faithfull But to the perfect vnderstanding of the markes of the Churche this belongeth also and that most principally that it is not enough to brag of the worde of God or of the scripture vnlesse also we imbrace reteine and defende the true sense and that which is agréeing with the articles of faith For if ye corrupt the sense of the scripture and vrge the same in the churche then dost thou not bring foorth the sincere scripture it selfe but thyne owne opinion and thy fansies which thou hast deuised of thine owne mind The Churche of the Arrians did not refuse the word of the Lord but rather laboured both to beautifie and defend their owne blasphemous errours by the testimonies of holy scripture That Church denyed our Lord Iesus Christe to be of one substaunce with God the father which thing sith that the sense of the scriptures and of the auncient faith amonge the chiefest pointes of our faith doth both affirme and vrge truely it alleadged not the sincere and pure word of God how so euer it boasted of it but an adulterate word yea and thrust in and defended her heretical opinion for the true and perfect meaning of the holy scripture and therfore it had not the true mark of the Church neyther was it the true Church of god By this one vnhappie example we may iudge of al other Churches of heretiques who thoughe they séeme not to be voyde of the testimonie of Gods worde yet for all that in very déede they haue no puritie of Gods word in them That whiche we haue sayde concerning the worde of God is also necessarily to be vnderstoode of the vse of the Sacraments for except they be orderly and lawfully vsed I say in that order in the which the Lorde him selfe instituted them they are no markes or signes of the Churche of God. Ieroboam truely sacrificed yea he sacrificed vnto God but bycause he sacrificed not lawfully he was accounted a straunger and a faller off from the true Church of god Yea Dauid him selfe brought with greate deuotion and much ioy and melodie the Arke of the Lorde of hostes but bicause he carryed it not lawfully vppon the shoulders of the priestes by and by in steade of greate ioy the excéeding sorrowe which folowed declared that it is not enoughe to vse the Sacraments and ordinances of God vnlesse ye vse them lawfully whiche if you doe God will acknowledge you for his Moreouer those which of old were baptised of heretiques were not for that cause rebaptised againe by the auncient catholikes bycause the heretiques baptised not into the name of any man or into the societie of their errours or heresies but baptised In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste neyther did they inuocate their owne name or the name of Archheretiques but of Iesus Christe Wherefore not the baptisme of heretiques but the baptisme of the Churche yet ministred by heretiques they not refusing they allowed not the Churches of heretiques as knowne to be true by true signes but they acknowledged that heretiques vse thinges properly belonging vnto the true Church neyther that it doth any thing at all derogate or take from a good thing if any wicked or euill man doe administer it We doe not acknowledge at this day the vpstart Romishe Churche of the Pope we speake not nowe of that olde Apostolique Churche to be the true Churche of Christe yet we doe not rebaptise those which were baptised of the priestes embrued with Popish corruption For we knowe that they are baptised with the baptisme of Christes church and not of the Pope in the name of the holy Trinitie to the articles of the Catholique faith not to errors not to superstitions and papisticall impieties Finally we confesse that not at this day the vnworthinesse of the minister can derogate any thinge from the seruice of god In like sorte also we refuse not the Lordes prayer or the Apostles Créede or finally the canonicall Scriptures themselues béecause the Romishe churche doeth also vse them for she hath them not of her selfe but receiued them from the true church of god Wherfore we vse them in common with her not for the Romish churches sake but because they came from the true church of Christe doe we vse them Beside those outwarde markes of the church which the true beleuers haue common with hypocrites there are certaine inwarde markes specially belonging onely to the godly or els if you will rather call them bondes or proper giftes These doe make the outwarde markes to be fruitfull and without the outwarde markes being by some necessitie absent doe make men worthie or acceptable in the sight of god For without these no man can please God in these therefore is the true marke of Gods children And those be the fellowship of Gods spirite a sincere faith and double charitie For by these the faithfull béeing the true and liuely members of Christe are vnited and knit together first vnto their head Christe then to all the members of the ecclesiasticall bodye And the consideration héereof doeth chiefely belong to the knowledge of the true Churche of GOD whiche though she should suffer rotten members yet is she not defiled of them thorough their outwarde coniunctiō For with continuall studie she laboureth by all meanes to kéepe her selfe vndefield to god And first of all the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine doth teach vs that Christe is ioyned to vs by his spirit that we are tyed to him in minde or spirite by faithe that he may liue in vs and we in him For the Lord cryeth out in the Gospel saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleeueth in me as the Scripture saith shall haue streames of liueing water flowing out of his bellie To which saying by and by the Euangelist addeth this But this he spake concerning the spirite which they should receiue that beleeued in him Againe he promising in his Gospell his spirite vnto his Disciples yea euen vnto
the Gospell Hee which is of God heareth Gods word it followeth that they whiche loue the congregation wherin the word of God is preached haue the naturall mark of the sonnes of God. But because many doe not onelye loathe holy assemblies but also saye that prayers are altogether superfluous vaine and vnprofitable Before we procéed any further we will shew that the godly must pray and that the prayers of the faithfull are both effectuall profitable and necessarie They say all thinges are done by the prouidence of God and therefore prayers are vnprofitable For that which God hath fore-knowen that verily will hée bring to passe after the manner of his fore knowledge neither can it be hindered by prayers But these men abuse the prouidence of God for that cut of it they gather that thing which the holy Scriptures do not teach them to gather For in Deut. in expresse woords Moses hath left written The Lord had determined to destroy you therefore I made intercession vnto the Lord and I found fauour Ionas threatneth so certeine destruction vnto the Niniuites from the Lord that he euen foretold the number of dayes But when the men of Niniue beléeued the Lord and repented the Lord beecame fauourable to them againe neither did hée destroye them when they repented Moreouer Esaie had spoken to Ezechias out of the mouth of the Lord Thou shalt die and not liue But when the king powred foorth his prayers euen from the bottome of his haâ—t vnto the Lord God chaunged his sentence that he had pronounced For the Lord himselfe sayeth in Ieremie I will speake soudeinly against a nation or a kingdome for to plucke it vp and to roote it out and to destroy it But if this nation against whome I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vppon them c. Wherefore the prayers of the faithfull are effectuall stayinge the wrathfull iudgementes of God yea and taking them cleane away For wheras they obiect againe That prayer is a declaration of thinges which wée require of the Lord and that God fore-knoweth all thinges therefore that those thinges are vnprofitably and supersâ—uouslie declared vnto him which he alreadie knoweth and so for that cause that prayer is vnprofitable it is confuted of Christ our Lord himselfe who when hee had plainely said Your heauenly father knoweth what thinges ye haue neede of before ye aske of him Yet neuerthelesse adding a fourme of prayer hée teacheth vs to praye In an other place hee commaundeth vs and stirreth vs vpp to pray often Watch and pray sayth hée least you enter into temptation And Paule sayeth Reioyce alwayes pray coÌ„tinually In euery place there are many preceptes of this kinde Neither doe we declare our matters to him as to one that knoweth them not but wée vtter them to him that vnderstandeth the desires of our heart and do humble our selues at the féete of his maiestie Wée aske that of him whiche wée knowe wée want but yet of him certeinely to be receiued who is the author of all goodnesse For wée beleeue his sure and infallible promises In y meane time prayers are not superâ—â—uons for that the Lord would assuredly giue that whiche wée asked The Lord promised the deliuerie of his people whereof the godly doubted nothing at all yet with vncessant supplications they prayed vnto the Lord crying Deliuer vs O Lord our God neither did they thincke they laboured in vaine To the Anabaptistes pretending absolute purenesse and therefore being pure neither can nor ought to pray Forgiue vs oure debtes since there remaine no debtes the most holy Euangelist and Apostle Iohn aunswereth and saith If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our sâ—lues and the trueth is not in vs If wee acknowledge our sinnes he is faithful and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnes If we say that we haue not sinned we make him a lier and his woord is not in vs. For as long as wee liue in this world there remaine remnaunts of sinne to bee washed away euery moment by the grace of Christ Moreouer where as they obiect It is written Wee knowe that GOD doth not heare sinners But wee are all sinners therefore God dâ—eth heare none of vs and so mens prayers are found to be vnprofitable Wée aunswere that of sinners some are altogether vngodly and despisers of GOD those God heareth not There are againe repentaunt men and such as feare God whiche neuerthelesse are sinners and rightly so called because of the remnaunts of sinne those God heareth Whiche might he shewed by the examples of Dauid Manasses Peter the théefe erucified with Christe many other which were both sinners and when they prayâ—d were heard Therefore we say that the prayers of the faithfull are not onely profitable and effectuall but also necessarie vnto men For wée are men defiled with sinne destitute and void of all goodnesse Euerie good giuing and euery perfecte gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes He commaundeth vs to pray and offereth to them that pray verie large promises Wherefore oure fathers were both verie often exercised and verie â—eruent in prayer by their example teaching vs that prayers are necessarie The Scripture also diligently and at large rehearseth howe great thinges by their prayers in verie weightie affaires and daungers yea in matters most necessarie they obteined of our most true and most bountifull Lord and god The Apostles pray for the holy Ghost faith and the increase of faith and they receiue their requests not spareingly but liberally beeing made partakers of all manner graces of Christ In the Gospel the Publican prayeth in the temple and sayeth God bee mercifull to mee a sinner and he foorthwith found the Lord mercifull vnto him What and howe great thinges Helias by his prayers obteined of the Lord the holy historie recordeth And the blessed Apostle Iames applieth his example vnto vs also that wée also in faith should call vppon god Whiche I rehearse least any man should thincke that that perteineth nothing vnto vs Againe how much the faithfull prayers of Moses Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and other valiaunt men preuailed in warres in famines in sickenesses and in other excéeding great dangers it were long to recite These examples proue that prayer is both alwayes necessarie vnto men and verie effectuall For wée plainely sée that God is moued with the prayers of his faithfull For hée is good and mercifull he loueth vs he toke flesh that he might be touched with féeling of our infirmities least we should bée dismayed at him hée is true and faithfull perfourming those thinges faithfully which he promiseth What doth he not fréely liberally and bountifully call all men vnto him offering himselfe wholie to them that call vppon him in faith But in that they which pray do not alwaies receiue
baptised infantes since baptisme came into the place of circumcision Vndoubtedly the apostles of Christ framed al their doings vnto the types and figures of the olde Testamente therefore it is certeine that they framed baptisme also and therfore that they baptised infantes bycause they were in the figure of baptisme For the people of Israel went throughe both the red sea and the riuer Iordan with their children And although they be not always expressed as neyther women are in the holie Scriptures yet they are comprehended and vnderstoode by them To this apperteyneth that whiche is clearely set downe in the Scriptures that the Apostles baptised whole houses or families In houses â—irst of all children are comprehended as the 〈◊〉 and moste beautifull parte of the house So then the Apostles baptised children or little ones and not only them that are of perfect age And that a house especially comprehendeth infantes or little ones it may be declared verie easily And first out of the place of Genesis 17. which euen verie nowe I alledged Nexte in that Ioseph sente for Iacob his father with his whole house out of the lande of Canaan into the land of Egypt leaste his house shoulde haue perished with hunger There are many places of this kinde in the lawe and the Prophetes and in the whole Scripture But be it that there were no infantes in those houses whiche thing these ianglers obiect which the Apostles baptised yet neuerthelesse they doe perteine vnto the house and are counted of it so that if they hadde bene in the house without doubt they had baptised them Whereas therefore they contend that they were not baptised in those families or houses truely I say that the fault was neyther in the children as though they had bene vnworthy of baptisme neither in the apostls as though they were not wont to baptise infants but in that bicause they were not present For if they had bene present they had bene baptised For why the apostles baptised whole houses vnto which children belong Now I can shew by the writings of the olde doctours that baptisme of infants hath continued from the apostles time euen vnto vs neyther was it ordeined by any counsels or by the decrées of any Pope or other men but instituted and deliuered of the apostles out of the scriptures Origen lib. Einarrat in epist. Pauli ad Rom. 5 expounding the 6. cha saith That the Church of Christ receiued of the Apostles them selues baptising of infants S. Hierome maketh mention of the baptising of infants Lib. 3. contra Pelagianos and in his Epistle to Laeta S. Augustine citeth the place of Chrysostome nay being cited of Iulian he expoundeth it Lib 1. contra Iulian cap. 2. He also vnto S. Hierome epist. 28. saith S. Cyprian making no newe decree but most stedfastly keeping the faith of the Churche was of this opinion with certeine of his fellowe-byshops that the newe borne child might rightly be baptised The place of Cyprian is to be séene in Epi. ad Fidum as also I declared before wheÌ„ I spake of the time of baptisme The same Aug. against the Donatists Lib. 4. cap. 23. 24. boldly affirmeth That baptising of childreÌ„ was not fetcht from the authoritie of meÌ„ or of counsels but from the tradition or doctrine of the Apostles Cyrill Lib. in Leuit. 8. bothe approueth the baptising of children and condemneth the iterating of baptisme Which thing I do not alledge to this end to build the baptising of children vpoÌ„ mans witnesse but to teach that mans testimonies agrée with the testimonies of God and that the trueth of antiquitie is on our part lyes new forgeries on the shamelesse Anabaptistes â—ide who feigne that baptising of children was commaunded by the Pope Now I thinke it not labor lost to speake somwhat of Anabaptisme In the time that Decius Gallus Caesar were Emperors there arose a question in the parts of Africa of rebaptising Heretiques And Saint Cyprian and the rest of the bishops beeing assembled together in the counsel of Carthage liked wel of Anabaptisme But Cornelius byshop of Rome in verie deede an holy and learned man and a martyr also together with the other bishopps of Italie misliked the same For they would that heretiques after they had renounced their wicked opinions made their confession touching the right opinion should be clensed by the only laying on of hands Ye may read this in Eusebius Ecclesiasticall historie Lib. 7. There is also extant a treatise of that matter in the Ecclesiasticall decrées Cap. 52. But wee must vnderstand that S. Cyprian affirmed nothing obstinately in this cause For in the end of his epistle to Iubaianus he writeth These things haue I brieflie sent vnto you in writing after our meane capacitie most deare brother commaunding no man to followe them neither preuenting any mans opinion but that euerie bishop hauing libertie of his owne iudgement maye doe what he thinketh best After that time both the Arians Donatistes did rebaptise Touching the Arians historiographers write and especially Sozomenus Lib. 6. Ecclesiasticall writers do touch the same thing also else-where in their works Against the Donatists S. Augustine with other learned men disputed There is also an Imperial law made by Honorius and Theodosius that holy baptisme should not be iterated Iustin Caes hath published the same In Cod. Lib. 1. tit 6. in these woordes If anye minister of the Catholique Church be detected to haue rebaptised any let both him whiche committed the vnappeasable offence if at least by age hee be punishable and bee also that is wonne and persuaded therevnto suffer punishment of death Moreouer Valentin Valens and Gratianus giue in charge to Florianus Superintendent of Asia in these wordes That same minister whiche by vnlawefull vsage shall 〈◊〉 holy baptisme we account him vnworthy of an Ecclesiasticall function For we condemne their errour whiche tread vnder foote the precepts of the Apostles and hauinge obteined the sacramentes in Christes name they purifie not againe by a second baptisme but defile and deflouâ—e them vnder the name of cleansing Thus farre they And verilie they which rebaptise and are rebaptised they both defile the name of God which was called on ouer the baptised in the former baptisme and cast from them the institution of God as vaine and vitious Christ is read to be baptised but once The Apostles were not baptised twise All the saincts of god are baptised only but once Yea those which Iudas baptised once are not read to bee baptised againe of a worthier minister For in my last Sermon I shewed that the purenesse of the Sacraments dependeth not vppon the worthines or vnworthines of the minister Neither can you read that any in the old time were twise circumcised no not they which were manifestly knowen to be circumcised of idolatrous priests before the reigne of Ezechias and Iosias but they were not baptised into idolatrie but into the couenaunt of the Lord god Whereof
the in respect therof wee were acceptable vnto God and when wée departe out of this life wée should flye straight wayes vpp into Heauen but without receiuing the Sacramente bée throwen directly downe to hell There muste also néedes arise sundrye other errours Neither is there any necessitie to constraine vs to minister the sacrament to the sick For as prisoners are absent from receiuing the Lords supper without danger of saluation so likewise are the sick those that are ready to dye For béeing neuertheles by perfect faith gathered to the body of Christe although they be absent in body yet being in minde present with the congregatiō they are also made partakers of all spirituall good things And it is sufficient for thē that as lōg as they haue bene in helth they haue bene alwayes presēt at the holy mysteries The feast of Passeouer was not celebrated euery where but at Hierusalem onely in one place But howe many were there thincke wée the by reason of their bodily health impaired with sicknes for old-age could not trauell to Hierusalem from so large and wide a kingdome And although no man brought them home a péece of the Paschal lambe in their pockets notwithstanding they did cōmunicate with the whole church of Israel And who doubteth but that by the comming of Christ the condition of the Christians is made better Our Lord Christ did not institute his mysticall supper for the dead but for the liuing onely wherefore it is not to be celebrated for the dead and to bee applied to their redēption They that die without faith immediatly fall vnder the iudgment of damnation But they that are dead in Christ are alreadie ioyned vnto the companie of the elders and stand before the Lambe singing Halleluiah for euermore For I haue declared in my sermon of the Soule that the saluation of the faithful soules which are departed by corporal death is most vndoubted And where some obiect that the auncient sathers haue made mētion of offering for the dead we suppose that it apperteineth not vnto vs We beléeue the Canonicall scriptures without contradiction we beléeue not the fathers further than they can proue their owne sayings by the Canonicall scriptures Neither would they haue thē-selues otherwise beléeued And therfore if the fathers thincke that the supper is a sacrifice that it is to be offred to procure rest to the souls departed we do not receiue that opinion as not agréeing with the Canonicall scriptures whiche teache that the Lord instituted not his supper for that purpose and therefore by such abuse of the supper God is rather displeased than pleased yea that there is no work of man be it neuer so good much lesse if it be against Gods word that can sanctifie since that prerogatiue belongeth onely to the merite of the sonne of God and moreouer that the souls departed are not in any such state in the other world that they can or ought to be holpen by any woorkes in this world But if the auncient fathers by oblation or offering doe vnderstand the sacrifice of praise or thanckesgiuing we will not striue against them but that there may be made oblations for the dead that is to say that thanks be giuen to God his goodnes praised who hath called out of this miserable world such as were indued with true faith and hath ioyned them vnto the companies of angels and all the blessed sainctes in the euerlasting kingdome of all ioye and felicitie But surely there is no truth nor godlines that willeth vs to celebrate the supper for the dead And we make a distinction in sacrifice or oblatiō For there is a sacrifice of expiation and there is a sacrifice of confession or praise The sacrifice of expiation is offered to cleanse or purge sinns and also for satisfaction for sinnes This cānot be accomplished without death and bloud as S. Paule the Apostle sheweth plainely in the 9. Cap. to the Hebrues The sacrifice of Christ was such a one the figures of whiche were all the sacrifices of all the holy fathers of the old testament who beeing both priest and sacrifice offered vp himself once to God the father while he suffered vpon the crosse and shedding his most innocent bloud there gaue vpp the Ghost The supper at this day is no such sacrifice but a commemoration of the death or of the sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse For nether ought or can Christe bee sacrificed againe who being once offered is sufficient to cleanse all the sinnes of all ages Why then should hee be sacrificed againe Neither can the sonne of God be sacrificed by any man since that for the same cause he offered vp himselfe once to God as being a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Therefore the minister of the Churche doeth not in the Churche sacrifice the body and bloud of Christe in the supper for the liuing but together with the whole Church doeth celebrate the remembraunce of the sacrifice which was once offered vpon the Crosse Of which as I haue said elsewhere the supper may also be called a sacrifice because it is a sacrament or signe of the sacrifice whiche was once offered by Christe as Augustine also hath lefte written The sacrifice of cōfession is of praise thankesgiuing which wée offer to God for the redemption and benefits of god fréely bestowed vpon his Church And since we offer the same alwayes vnto GOD in prayer but chiefly when wée are ioyned in the sacramēt of the Eucharist or celebrating the supper therefore the auncient fathers called it a sacrifice because in the same we giue thanckes vnto God for oure deliuerance from death and for the inheritaunce of euerlasting life which is giuen vnto vs And that this sacrifice is generally offered by the vniuersall Churche in celebrating the supper not by the minister of the church alone for those the liue in the Church we tould you before Now forasmuch as wee haue hetherto discussed certaine circūstances or questions whiche are wont to be moued about the Lords supper so farr forth as the necessitie of the matter séemed to require as muche as our smal abilitie was able to performe it remayneth that we descend further to declare for what cause the Lords supper was by the Lord instituted which place truely is not rashly reckoned among the chiefest For we made mention of the same immediatly vpon the beginning of this sermon For the lord by setting bread wine before vs in the holy banquet would haue his promise and communion testified vnto vs and his gifts represented vnto vs made manifest to our senses would also gather vs visibly into one bodie and reteine the memorie of his death in the hearts of the faithfull and finally put vs in minde of our duetie chiefly of praise thankesgiuing All these thinges haue we seuerally expounded hauing discoursed vpon them at large in the generall cōsideration
treatise of the sacramēts therefore at this presēt we will do no more but touche them briefly for memories sake meaning to handle those things somewhat more largly which shall by occasion arise as they are intreated vppon But this word Cōmunion I meane the societie cōiunction or partaking of the lord Christ by the which through his spirit he doth wholy knitt and ioyne himselfe to vs and wee are made partakers of him by faith are coupled vnto him so that being by him deliuered from sinn and death we may liue in him being made heires of euerlasting life and that hée maye liue in vs and bee wholie ours as we be wholie his Neither doe wée say that the communion of the Lords body bloud is any thing else For by his body which was deliuered ouer to death for vs and by his bloud whiche was shed for the remission of our sinns it is come to passe that we being purged from oure sinnes are made his members and he now quickeneth vs and susteineth vs as food which giueth life wherevppon wee are also said to eate and drinke him as the meate and drinke of life The promise therefore wherof we made mention euen now is none other than the woord of God which declareth vnto vs that life is in Christ only For Christ deliuered his body to the death and shedd his bloud for the remission of our sinnes that we beléeuing in him maye haue life euerlasting But this promise communion of Christ is not nowe first of all giuen in the supper or by the supper For the Lord our God immediatly after the creatiō of the world promised life and remission of sinnes vnto Adam his séed through Christ afterward renued the same promise w Noe Abraham Moses Dauid and the other fathers And that the fathers did communicate with Christ were partakers of his goodnes Paul the Apostle w the whole scripture is a witnes But this so great goodnes happened not to the fathers onely For the promise was made vnto vs also and the communion of Christ was conueyed vnto vs is conueyed particularly vnto euery one of vs in holy baptisme also in the manifest preaching of the Gospel moreouer we receiue the same by faith by which we are ioyned to Christ and are made his members Therfore as we are not void without Christ before the supper but are quickened by him made his members or partners so in the verye action or celebration of the supper the promise is renued vnto vs and we renue continue that fellowship which we haue with Christ by the body and bloud of Christe spiritually truly participating his life and all his good giftes through faith And by this meanes we eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud Moreouer the Lord doth visibly declare scale vnto vs the spirituall cōmunion promise of life made through Christ by visible signes to wit the banquet of bread and wine ioyned to his word or promise namely that he is the quickening bread and drinke that we hauing receiued the signes by faith and obedience beeing therto sealed do take vppon vs the promise communion of Christe by imprinting or transferring into our bodies the seale or sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Of which thing the Apostle hath also intreated in the first Corinth cap. 10. And also to the Rom. cap. 4. we also haue said more thereof in the generall treatise of the sacraments But before I intreate further of other ends of the supper consisting in the description thereof I wil recite what othersome allege of the promise and communion of Christ They condemne our doctrine as hereticall For they contend that the lord promised the hee would giue vnto the faithfull his very body bloud to be eaten dronken vnder the forme of bread wine therfore it must by al meanes and without al contradiction be beléeued that the bread is the Lords naturall body and the wine his bloud that these ought to be eaten and dronken not only spiritually but also corporally vnto life euerlasting And that Christ is bodily present in the supper and the the bread is his body the wine his bloud thus they proue That which the lord speaketh cānot be false for he is the trueth it selfe But he saith that the bread is his body the wine his bloud Therefore the bread and wine of the sacrament are verily really and essentially the body bloud of Christ Whiche trueth they say must simply he beléeued although reason it selfe the whole world all senses and nature it selfe be against it We answere the in déede all things are very true which the Lord hath spoken who is truth it selfe but in that sense which he himself said and vnderstood not in that meaning which we wil inforce vpō his words Wherfore before all things we must search out the true sense of the Lords words in the supper This is my body This is my bloud c. These men crye out saying that the Lords words ought to be expounded simply according to the letter For they are wordes of the testament and the same would not haue his words to be taken by a trope of figure But wee say that all the Euangelical and apostolical bookes are numbered vnder the name of the testament therefore throughout all and euery place of the Scripture nothing must be corrupted nothing added nothing taken away vnlesse we will be subiect to the curse Wée are also constreined to confesse that there be infinite sentences in the holy scripturs which if we will procéede to expound simply according to the letter we shall ouerthrow the whole scripture the true faith or we shall séeme to goe about to reproue the scriptures of lyes or contradictiō I wil bring forth one of two examples of this sort The Euāgelist S. John writeth The word became flesh Now if we wil cleaue to the very words then must we say that God was chaunged into man But forasmuch as this sense is contrary to the faith and the scriptures For God is immutable and Christ is perfect God and man without all mingling or conuerting of naturs but remayning stil in their ownepropertics and so do we admit this exposition which declareth that the word toke flesh and that God was made man And this sense is not against scripture For Paul saith that the sonne of God neuer toke vpon him the nature of angels but the séede of Abraham And therefore the eatholique fathers together with the apostle doe expoūd this word Est is by this word Assumpsit toke vppon him Whereof Theodoret hath intreated at large in his Polymorphus Dialog 1. Againe the Lord saith in the same John The father is greater than I we should make an inequalitie in adoring the Trinitie if wee should contend that the Lordes words are simply to be vnderstood without interpretation But by cōference of other
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 circumstāces 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 cōstreyneth 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 cōtend 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 cōmending 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 whē 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 thā this This is a cōmemoration 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 remēbrance 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
after the supper did beate vpon nothing so muche as the very same thing against which they set shoulder to wit that Christe would be absent in body but present in spirit that this presence wold be more profitable to the church than his bodily presence Do they not also vnderstande wherefore he tooke fleshe and was nayled on the Crosse that is to say what the effect and vse is of Christes body to wit that the sacrifice of his body being once offered for vs vppon earth he might carrie the same vppe into heauen in token that both oure bodies and soules after oure death shall through his merite be also carried thither Therefore after that the Lordes body had fulfilled on earth that whiche it came to fulfill there is no cause why it should doe any thing else vpon earth He nowe sitteth and ought to sit at the right hande of the father that he may drawe all vs thither vnto him If there be any that doth not yet fully beléeue that which we say let him reade the doctrine of Sainte Paule the Apostle in the ninthe and tenthe Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrues Let him also reade the fourtéenth and sixtéenth chapters of Saint Iohns Gospell But if it be a pleasure to them to hale at the gable of contention and to sticke precisely as well to these wordes of the Lorde I am with you vnto the worldes ende as to these This is my body This is my bloud let them then expound to me these holy testimonies of the holy Scripture Paule sayth that Christe dwelleth in our harts and that Christ liueth in him and he in Christe The Lorde saythe to the théefe This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And the Euangelist saith of the Lord being dead They layde him into the sepulchre The Scripture sayth not They layde fleshe and bones into the sepulchre but They layde him into the sepulchre The Lorde sayde not to the théefe Thy soule shall be with my spirite or soule in Paradise But Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Neyther dothe Sainte Paule say that Christes spirite and life doth liue in him or dwell in our heartes But he sayth simply That Christ doth dwell in our heartes But who is so foolishe and giuen to contention that for these wordes and places of the Scripture will contend that Christes diuinitie was buryed with his body that Christes body was with his soule that same daye in Paradise in which either of thē departed this life that Christes body together with his spirit dwelleth in the harts of the faithful liueth in Paul that Paule liueth in Christes flesh Al men doe willingly admit the catholique sense of the catholique Churche gathered out of the word of god namely that Christ in his spirite is present in his Churche euen to the worldes ende but absent in body and that the théefes soule was that day present in Paradise with Christes soule not with his bodye So iudgeth it also of the residue But if any man mistrust myne interpretation let him heare S. August in his treatise vpon Iohn saying thus He speketh of the presence of his body when hee sayth the poore you shal always haue with you but mee shall you not haue alwayes For in respect of his maiestie of his prouidence of his vnspeakable grace is that fulfilled which hee spake Behold I am with you always euen to the worldes end But in respect of the fleshe which the woorde tooke vpon it in respect that he was borne of the virgine that he was takē by the Iewes that hee was nayled to the Crosse that hee was taken downe from the Crosse that hee was woond in a sheete that he was layde into the sepulchre that hee was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me with you alwayes And why so Bycause hee was conuersant as touching his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and they accompanying him but not following him hee ascended into heauen And is not here For there he sitteth at the right hand of the father And hée is héere For hee is not gone hence in respect of the presence of his maiestie Thus farre Sainte Augustine But if they yet procéede not regarding all this that we haue sayd to vrge that saying of the Lorde out of Matthewe Behold I euen I I say am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with you we will also obiect againste them this saying of the Lord and the same out of the Gospel It is expediēt for you that I we here they haue also this worde I doe depart we obiect also against them this testimonie of the angels out of Luke This Iesus which is takē vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from you into heauen c. They shal be at lengthe constreyned whether they will or no to reconcile such places as séeme to be repugnant and to admitte the generall vnderstanding whiche we haue alledged and defended hitherto Neyther is there here any daunger of diuiding Christe neyther diuide we Christes person with Nestorius since we defend the proprietie of bothe natures in Christe against the Eutychians While Christ our Lorde in body was yet conuersant vpon the earth hee him selfe witnesseth in the Gospell that neuerthelesse he was also in the heauens And in déed Christ who was bothe God and man all at one time was then in heauen when he was crucified and conuersant vpon earth although his body was not crucified in the heauens But as Christ diuided not him selfe although being in heauen he was notwithstāding conuersant and crucified in body vpon earth not in heauen so neyther do we diuide Christe who is both God and man although we say he is present with vs when we celebrate the supper and that we communicat with him yet neuerthelesse we affirme that in his body he remayneth in heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of the father and so let vs keepe our selues within the compasse of the Scripture Of this matter I haue reasoned at large where I haue intreated of one person and of bothe natures in Christ vnpermixed Hitherto haue I spoken of the naturall meaning of the wordes of the Lordes Supper as briefly and plainly as possibly I could Touching the place of Paule in the first to the Corinthians chap. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse c. with suche other textes which are alledged to proue bodily presence I shal not néed to vse many wordes for wee haue handled that place already once or twise It remayneth therefore that wee examine and weyghe what they deliuer vnto vs touching the eating of Christes body and also what the Canonicall scriptures doe teache to be thought of that eating What say they the lord hath promised the same most surely and fully he performeth They adde But he promised that he would giue vs his true body and very bloude to be eaten and brunken in the fourme of breade and wine
turne when wee pray Socrates the histographer in his fifte booke cap. 22. speaking of the most auncient Apostolique Church of the whole world at Antioche saith At Antioche whiche is in Syria the Church is set contrarie to other for the altar looketh not towards the East but towards the west It may be they did imitate the fashion of the old people in building and setting their tabernacle and in the fashion of their temple For they worshipped God turning towards the West without doubt because of the coÌ„ming of Christ in the latter time and at the end of the world Otherwise it is coÌ„monly vsed that men worshipp with their faces turned toward the East But in all these matters so there be no superstition dissention licentiousnes and offence a man may doe what him lusteth But there ought no temples to be built for the worshipping of Saincts For vnto God onely to whome all honour and worship is due we ought to build Churches which thing wee are taught by the examples of auncient fathers and the determination of the whole scripture The heathenish idolaters built temples vnto creatures sinning against the true and eternall God in coÌ„mitting a gréeuous offence S. Augustine in his booke De Ciuitate Dei sayeth plainely We build not temples vnto our martyrs And againe in his first booke against Maximinus a bishopp of the Arians If wee should saith he build a Churche of timber stones vnto some excellent holy angel should we not be accursed by the trueth of Christ the church of God Because wee should do that seruice vnto a creature that is due only to God Therefore if we should coÌ„mit sacrilege in making a temple to euerie creature whatsoeuer howe may it be that God is not true vnto whom we make no temple but we our selues are a temple for him Thus muche saith he Againe they are to be counted lyars who affirme that temples were built by certeine religious men in the worshipp of the Apostles while they were a liue Of whiche matter we haue spoken in times past as wée haue both against the riotousnes of the Churche and the vnprofitable expenses thereof in the first booke intituled De Origine erroris the 21. chapter Instrumentes belonging to the Church ought to be holy cleane and voyde of all riot and farre from any kinde of superstition The instrumentes be these an holy seate or pulpit in the whiche the minister maye teach and preach conueniente seates for the congregation a Fonte readie to baptise infantes in and the Lords Table with such thinges as are necessary thereto as water bread wine bookes candles baskets and cuppes These at sometimes were all of gold but good godly bishops haue oftentimes molten them and therewithal deliuered prisoners out of captiuitie and fedd such as were like to perish for hunger Many examples of this sort haue I gathered in my booke of the Iustitution of Bishops the 9. Chapiter As for candles whereof wée made mention euen nowe sure it is that the auncient fathers vsed them in the churches to driue away the darknes of the night as it appeareth in the twentie Chapiter of the Actes of the Apostles But it is a foolish matter nothing religious to vse lightes in the worshipping of god Lactantius crieth out shal we iudge him to be wel in his wits which offereth the light of a burninge waxe candle or taper for a present to the authour giuer of light Hee requireth other manner of light at our handes and that not smokie but cleare and bright to wit the light of the minde But a man may commonly sée in these dayes a great part of the worshipping of God to be reposed in the offering of candles whiche thing is cleane against the manifest trueth Amongest other instruments of the Church bells are reckoned vpp whiche at these dayes are vnto vs as in old time trumpets were vnto the people of god For they serue to call the congregation together and they are numbered among tokens and warnings About bells there is a wonderfull superstition They are christened by bishops and it is thought that they haue power to put away any great tempest In the old time men were stirred vp to prayer by the ringing of them what time any sore tempest did arise but nowe the very ringing of bells by reason of their consecration séemeth to haue a peculiar kind of of vertue in it Who can but meruel and he astonied at this extreme blindnes Moreouer they vse belles to bewaile the dead All which things are superstitious and vtterly to be contenmed Forsomuch as the true vâ—e â—f the church gâ—â—ds consisteth in those things whiche wée reckoned vp before it followeth that the abuse thereof must néeds be in the contraries whether we do offend in one kind or in many Iustice and equitie is to bee kept in these as well as in all other thinges Wée ought not to take from one man giue to another but wée must giue vnto euery one that which is his own Therfore we may not take any thing from the poore and giue it to the ministers of the Church neither is their portion and necessaries to be taken from them that the poore maye liue thereof The holy scripture giueth one portion of the Church goods to the ministers of the Churche and the same Churche willeth vs to giue vnto the poore their part Therefore if bishops or ministers of the Church doe challenge vnto themselues all the Church goods and giue not vnto the poore their partes due vnto them they destle themselues with sacrilege If the ministers doe not challenge vnto themselues all the goods of the Church and yet do take vniustly more then either it becommeth them or than néede requireth or otherwise than the decrée of God and the Apostles doeth allowe or else if they spend vnthriftily y portion due vnto them they gréeuously offend But they sinne greatly yea most horribly if they wast the goodes of the poore in hunting diceing drinking and rioting whore-hunting or else in warrefare and in the meane time haue no regard of the Churche neither care what is done there or howe But if a iust and good portion fall vnto the poore perhaps there will bée a fault in this poinct in the Steward or Almonar thoroughe fauour or hatred that they that haue most néede shall haue nothing and the least worthie shall haue most and in this case there is great offence committed thorough filthie abuse But of all abuses that séemeth to be the shamefullest whiche is nowe a dayes almost commonly vsed We bestowe great costes and charges vppon stones and stockes that is to say vpon idols void of all vnderstanding but there is no regard had vnto the poore who are the perfecte images of god Which kinde of madnes is heathenish and extreme folly But forsomuch as other haue alreadie very largly spoken of the abuse of the Church goods and we also haue set downe
comforting the sicke person prepareth him to die by makeing firste his confession of sinnes to God which he pronoūceth out of the word of God to be forgiuen if he doe stedfastly beléeue He requireth of him also that he forgiue and bée in loue and charitie with all men and that hée kéepe no olde grudge or malice in his hart After this sōe publique prayer is made to God by the sicke person by those that are about the partie that is at the point of death Hée is also admonished of sundrie thinges hée is confirmed in the fayth hée is called to patience hée is instructed according as his goodes and euerie thing else requireth and he is taught that at his departing out of this worlde he commend his soule into the hands of God the father according to the doctrine and example of our redéemer who at the very pointe of death cried aloud saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirite This discipline haue wee learned of the Apostles of our LORDE Christe For the Apostle Saint Iames saieth If any bee sicke among you lette him sende for the elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lorde And the prayer whiche is made in fayth shall deliuer the sicke And the Lorde shall rayse him vp againe And if he bee in sinne they shal be forgiuen him Confesse your sinns one of you to another pray one for another that you may bee safe for the heartie prayer of the iust is of greate force c. This is the Apostolique discipline But if you say vnto mée Where is the oyle I answere that in Saint Iames the Apostles time and certeine ages after there remained yet in the Churche the miraculous gifte of healing the sicke Of this wée reade in Saint Markes Gospell And the disciples going foorth preached the gospell that they mighte repent and they cast out many diuels they annoynted many with oyle that were sick and healed them And again in the same place saieth Moreouer These signes shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels c. And anon he sayth They shall lay their handes vppon the sicke and they shall be healed And because this benefite remayned yet in the Church Saint Iames biddeth vs vse oyle and to vse it in the name of the Lorde as the Lorde had commaunded But seing that gift is now ceassed in the Churche and wée finde by experience that oyle doth no good to the sicke according to the time and as our duetie bindeth vs we do the best we can to assuage and cure the diseases of the sicke by medicines most conuenient for the sicknes being applied in the name of Christ I knowe howe by this testimonie of the Apostle the Papistes go about to set out and cōmend their extreame vnction or last annoyling but they labour in vaine But to let passe that Saint Iames speaketh nothing of the hallowed oyle and that they do not admit this medicine but in verie extremitie where S. Iames commaundeth to annoynt euery on that is sick how I pray you can they defend out of Saint Iames wordes that which the priest demaundeth of the sick person Doest thou beleeue that the Lord will heare our prayers for the merites sake and prayers of the Saintes The sick man answering I do beléeue He then saith Let vs therefore pray to God and his Sainctes Or where I beséech you hath Saint Iames or any other Apostle of Christe taught that which they bring in their annointing In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost I annoynt thee with holy oile that by this anointing thou mayest receiue full remission of thy sinnes What scripture I pray you teacheth vs that full remission of sinnes is obteined by that anointing These thinges are done manifestly against the principall article of our religion whiche teacheth that we are purged from all our sinnes onely by the bloud of Christ and that most fully To him onely is the glory due not to the oyle nor to any creature in the whole worlde Moreouer the Church of Christe doth not reiect the bodies of the dead as if it were a deade dogge For it acknowledgeth that their bodies haue béene the Temples of the holy ghoste which hath dwelt in them It acknowledgeth that they are buried in hope of resurrection and glorie of life euerlasting wherefore the Churche doeth in moste reuerent manner take the bodies windeth them in a shéete and couereth them verie decently and béeinge put into the coffine carefully carrieth them vnto the place of buriall or churchyard y neere friends neighbours and brethren following after and accompanying the corse While the bodie is set downe and laid in the earth there are publique prayers made by them that brought the corse For they giue thankes vnto God for that he hath called the partie deceased out of this world in the true faithe and they pray also that it may please the Lorde to take them likewise vnto him spéedily beeing lightened with the true faith Moreouer the name of the dead brother or sister is recited in the publique assemblie of the Churche with honour and all the people are put in minde of their own destinie and spéedily to prepare them selues to die And after this manner we read in the scriptures that the ancient fathers buried their dead yea the moste holie of them We reade nothing of canonizating of woorshipping of reliques of monethes and yeares mindes for the dead which are offered to the ende the soules of the departed shoulde be deliuered from the paynes of purgatorie There be certeine burialles described vnto vs in the olde Testament as the buriall of Abraham Sara Isaac Iacob and Ioseph Aaron Marie Iosua Samuel and Dauid c. And in the new Testament of Iohn Baptiste and Stephan but they were all sparing and without all manner of superstition In that Iosephes bones were carried forth they were carried in a mysterie that the Israelites might gather thereof that they shoulde bee brought into the Lande of promise Wherevnto also that belongeth that the Patriarches chose a buriall in Hebron Otherwise the place auayleth nothing to purchase the better or worse spéed to the bodie that is buried in it We must thinke that the place by reason of the bodies of the saintes and holy men which are there buried is after a maner sanctified or at the least wise called holie not that the bodies do gett any holinesse or safetie by the grounde Therefore vnlesse it séeme good otherwise to the diuine prouidence of God the saints would gladly lye with their auncestours in the selfe same place of buriall But if it please God otherwise they acknowledge that they are notwithstanding receiued into the same earth without any exception and that they are not separated from their auncestours by distance of place Wherefore there is no superstition in the Churche
him selfe Peccatum voluntariuÌ„ inuoluntarium See Augstine demendaâ—â— ad CoÌ„seâ—tium cap 9. 10. â—◠〈◊〉 mens 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 the best 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 hasteÌ„ 〈…〉 Sinnes hiddâ—n and 〈◊〉 Sinns mortal and veniall â—hether 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 after 〈…〉 sinne 〈…〉 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 â—gainst the â—oly ghost What blasphemie is properly The beginning of this sinne against the holy ghost Blaspheâ—â—â— against 〈◊〉 sonne of man. The 〈◊〉 â—gainst 〈◊〉 holy 〈◊〉 Sinne against the holy ghost 〈◊〉 not remitted Or endler vnrepentance Of the 〈◊〉 certainâ— punishmeÌ„â— of sinners The places of 〈◊〉 The Lorde doth punish sinners iustly â–ª God punisheth most surely Examplâ— of Goâ— iustly 〈…〉 â—ods long 〈◊〉 Why sinâ— aâ— plagued with temporall punishments considering that they are forgiuen by the grace of God. Absolâ—â— defiled 〈◊〉 fathers bed 〈◊〉 by he 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 was huâ—bled Howe wicked punishâ—â— EuangeliuÌ„ the gospel Esai 61. Luke â— â—he Gosâ—â—ll what 〈◊〉 The definition of the Gospell That the Gospell is tydings from heauen The Gosâ—ell is the â—orde of â—â—d alâ—hough it 〈◊〉 vttered â—y the 〈◊〉 of â—en The â—â—spâ—ll 〈…〉 The word â—race 〈…〉 is The 〈◊〉 of Godâ— grace The cause of the Gospell The working of gods grace The coâ—trouersâ—â— betwixt Augustiâ—â— and Pelaâ—â—us toucâ—ing the grace of God. 1. Gratiâ— gratum ciens 2. Gratâ—â— gratis 〈◊〉 3. Gratâ—â— operaâ—â— gratia operaâ—â— 4. Graâ—â—â— praeueâ—â—ens tia 〈◊〉 quent 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The promises touching Christ our Sauiour The first Euangelie Gospell or preaching of glad tydings Gen. 3. 1. Pet. 1. Deus 〈◊〉 essentâ—â—lis 〈◊〉 9. 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 God the father hathe through Christ perfourmed to vs that which hee promised to our forefathers Iesus is Christ thâ—â— is that looked for Messiaâ— The Iewes 〈◊〉 that â—hrist is 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Iesus 〈◊〉 Christe God the 〈…〉 the world is pleased with it in the Sonne 〈◊〉 things 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 giueÌ„ 〈◊〉 christ 〈◊〉 Christe alone is our life and saluation 〈…〉 fully 〈…〉 The vnsinâ—ere preaching of the gospel The sum of the gospel Saluation preached in the gospel doth belong to all â—â—erfore 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 saued The faithfull are saued The Gospel teacheth faith and repentance Howe 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Howe Christ did preach the Gospel Of regeneratioÌ„ more largely is spoken in the SermoÌ„ of repentance Iohn 3. 〈◊〉 Paul 〈…〉 gospel The manâ—er and order of our sanctification purification iustification 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 hath seemed Errours refuted 〈◊〉 Aâ—raham â—e father 〈◊〉 the faith 〈◊〉 is iustiâ—â—â—d The righteousnesse of Christians is imputatiue 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 Why 〈◊〉 doctriâ—â—â—â—aith that iustifieth without workes is to be keâ—â— vncorrupted in the Church 〈◊〉 Christ See the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Actes 〈◊〉 the Apâ—stles 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Sermoâ— the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The conclusion summe of all To repent 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 worde 〈◊〉 〈…〉 it is What repentance is ConuersioÌ„ to God. The doctrine of veritie is needful to repentance 〈◊〉 feare 〈◊〉 God to 〈…〉 Our humbling and acknowledging of our sinnes The feare of God is of two sortes Sorrow to God ward 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 Sinnes are fully and surely forgiuen vnto penitents 1. Pet. 2. Against the Nouatians and Anabaptistes 〈…〉 Of the coÌ„fession of sinnes ConfessioÌ„ of sinnes ordeined of God. â—he conâ—â—ssion 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 to â—od Publique or open confession Leuit. 10. Actes 1 â–ª Confeâ—â— that is made tâ— our 〈◊〉 Consultation Confession of sinnes ordeyned of men Exhomologesis I find him otherwise called Natalius Luke 9. Ioha 8. * An 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Of auricular confession 〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â—ded 〈…〉 Auricular confession can be proued by 〈◊〉 place in all the scripture 〈…〉 Wheâ— aurieâ—â— confeâ—â— is to 〈◊〉 kept 〈◊〉 churâ—◠〈◊〉 solutâ—â— sakeâ— Of the satisfaction of workes Note here the difference that they make betwixte Paena and culpa peccati â—od afflicâ—â—â— them â—hose 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many sinnes be forgiuen her because she â—oued much Of indulgencies 〈…〉 The filthy marte of indulgences 〈…〉 〈…〉 Of the power of man. VnderstaÌ„ding Will. Of the 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 of reâ—eneratioÌ„ What and of what kinde the Libertie is that is in man. 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 man 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 spirite Of the worthie fruites or of the fruites worthie of repentaÌ„ce 〈…〉 of all 〈◊〉 What thinges are necessarie in penitentes The outwarde exercises of repentaÌ„ce 〈…〉 〈…〉 False and True repentance True penitentes are in an happie caâ—e Vnrepentantes are vnhappy 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 No repentance commeth too late Math. â— Whether they that mind to reforme the Churches must state to looke for the determinatioÌ„ of a counâ—â—â—â— 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 coÌ„cerning God. â— Iohn 12 Wherevppon the diuersitie of opinioÌ„s coÌ„cerning God do rise and from whence the true knowledg of him must be setched â—hat 〈◊〉 is a God Psalm â— A 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 kept 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 God 〈◊〉 Pro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈…〉 〈…〉 The fourmâ—â— and mâ—â—ners oâ— knowiâ—â— God. Exod â–ª Iohn 3. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 Loâ—â— of Sabboth or oâ— Hostes Daniel 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Actes 17. Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim This Dii importech as much as if one shoulde say Gods. Schaddai Gene. 17 Saturâ—â—â— It seem that we English men do borrow of the 〈◊〉 manes their 〈◊〉 Gott 〈◊〉 turne their 〈◊〉 T 〈◊〉 D 〈◊〉 we soâ—â— God 〈◊〉 we shoâ—â— say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 Trinitie Dionysius of the names of God. Visions prosopographie of God. Prosopographie is a picturing or reprseentinge of bodily lineameÌ„ts Prosopopeie is where those are broughte in to speake that doe not speak Anthropomorphites How 〈…〉 tributeâ— God 〈◊〉 iâ— bodilesse Pâ—â—lm 94. These â—ordes of 〈…〉 taken 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—tulliaÌ„ How the pâ—triarchs 〈◊〉 see God. Iohn 1. 1. Tim. â— Exod. 33 God 〈◊〉 doe 〈◊〉 thinge 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 fathers his Soâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 God giueth his giftes frely without respect of mans merites How Goâ— did shew him selfâ— to Mose◠〈…〉 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 wiâ—dome appeareth Gods goodneâ—â— appeareâ—â—â— Godâ—
truth aâ—peareth Gods 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sufferiâ—â— appearâ—â—â— to the worlâ— Gods 〈…〉 God◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 14. 〈◊〉 17. 〈…〉 Rom. 1. The workes of God are twoe wayes coÌ„sidered 1. Psal. 104. Esai 40. Iere. 10. 2 〈◊〉 78. 〈…〉 God is learned by the sayinges and sentences of the prophets and Apostles Iere. 9. God is one in Essence or Beeing Deut. Esai â—â— * 〈…〉 is 〈…〉 Esai â—◠〈◊〉 45. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈…〉 〈…〉 Noetus is as much to say as a man of vnderstaÌ„ding which terme was the proper name of a man Anoetus â–ª signifieth a â—oolâ— or 〈◊〉 without vnderstanding The grosse errour of the Patrâ—â— passians Iohn 16. Mat. 27. Iohn 14. Iohn 10. He speaketh plurally A dispâ—tation 〈◊〉 God sprooâ— vpp Actes 〈…〉 〈…〉 Al things that are to be beleeued of God are fully coÌ„teined in the canonicall Scriptures Testimonies out of the Gospel to proue the Trinitie Math. 28. TertulliaÌ„ contra Praxeam 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 14. and. 16. Iohn 3. Math. 3. and. 17. Iohn 10. Luke 1. The Apostles testimonies concerninge â—he Trinitie Actes 2. Actes 10. Rom 1. Gala. 4. Tit. 3. Identitas 1. Iohn 2. The mysterie of the Trinitie is shadowed by â—imiliâ—â—des TertulliaÌ„ contra Praxeam I woulde wishe the skilfull in the latine tongue to reade this similitude in the latine copy for though it be here traÌ„slated ad verbuÌ„ yet our Englishe tonge will not beare it soliuely as the latine doth * or Vnitie The certeâ—ntie of the doctrine touching the Trinitie The suÌ„me of thinges to be beeleued concerninge the Trinitie The mysâ—â—rie of â—he Trinitie was veâ—ie well knowne to the Paâ—riarchs Prophets Gene. 1. As who shoulde say Gods created respecting the Trinitie of the Godhead Gene. 18. Gene. 1â— Psal. 33. Psal. 110. Esai 42. Matth. 12. Esai 61. Luke 4. The mysterie of the Trinitie must not be ioyned with curious dispucations Exod. 19. The conclusion Psal. 54. Heb. 1â— * The history of the creation coÌ„teyned in fewe wordes * The Skye and Starres * The Earthe * The Sea. * Man. Dauid celebrateth the creatiâ— of the worlde Psal. 9. God gouerneth al thinges Iohn 5. Heb. 1. Actes 17. Actes 14. Of Gods prouideÌ„ce Psal. 45. Psal. 139. Prou. 21. Matth. 10. Daniel 2. Psal. 89. Psal. 104. Psal. 104. Psal. 147. Psal .. 135 Against Gentiliâ—me The Saincts do not neglecte good meanes Gene. 16. Psal. 31. â— Sam. 19. Actes 23. Actes 27. Meteores impressioÌ„s or appearaunces which somtimes for their rarenesse and strágnes make men to maruell Matth. 5. Esai 1. Deut. 18. Gods goodwill 〈◊〉 learned by his proâ—â—dence Of Gods â—redestinaâ—â—on or fore-appoyntmeÌ„t Rom. 11. Eccle. 3. Ephe 1. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. Iohn 3. Who is elected predestinate to life A so are tentation in this case Rom. 9. â— Tim. 1. Psal. 103. Isai 51. Rom. 8. Matth. 1â— Marke 16. 1. Tâ—m 4. Gene. 22. Ioel. 2. Isai .. 53. Rom. 5. Matth. 9. Luke 19. Iohn 10. Of the drawing of those that are predessinate to lifâ— Iohn 6. 1. Tim. 4. Actes 9. Rom. 10. Matth. 25. Matth. â—3 â— Cor. 6. â— Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 2. 1. Cor. 3. Faith hath her increasinges Marke 4. Luke 11. Marke 9. Matth. 7. Luke 11. Gene. 3. To adore and worshippe what it is Gene 33. 1. Sam. 23. â— Reg. 3. To adore 〈◊〉 worship â—en Psal. â—â— â— Pet. â— Rom. 13. Exod. â—0 〈◊〉 44. In his second bokâ— and 18. chapter Chap. 19. Spirituall adoration or worshipping Adoratioâ— or worshipping 〈◊〉 is of two sortes Psalm 9 Matth. 14. 〈◊〉 9. In the history of thâ— Kinges Truly to adore or worshippâ— God what it is Isai 29. Matth. 15. That God onely and alone is to be worshipped Matth. 4. 3. Reg. 1â— â–ª Matth. 6. Deut. 6. Heb. 1. Apoc. 4 Apoc. 19. Apoc. 22. Actes 10. Iâ— his booke inâ—â—â—uled 〈◊〉 religiâ—â—â— cap. 55 Whie the Romanes neuer receiued the God of the Iewes to be worshipped Deut. 10. Rewardes and punishments for them that doe doe not worshippe God. Apoc. 21. To inuocate or cal vpoÌ„ what it is Deut. 32. Gene. 48 â–ª Isai â— 2. Sam. 1â— Dan. 9. Actes 9 â— Tim. 2. InuocatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 calling â—pon God what it is That God is to be called vpoÌ„ 3. Reg. â— Pro. 18. Psal. 50. Psal. 17. Ioel. 2. Iere. 29. Psal. 81. Psal. 22. That God onely and alone is to be called vpon Matth. 18. Deut. 32. Psal. 45. Psal. 18. Gene. 30. 4. Reg. 5. â—sai 42. Actes 14. Exod. 30. Psal. 115. Psal. 141. Heb. 13. Osee 14. 1. Reg. 8. â—sai 63. Psal. 27. Rom. 10. Rom. 8. Matth. 6. Of the intercessour with God Iohn 16. Iohn 14. Christe alone is the intercessor and aduocate with the Father A mediatour of redemption and intercession 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 5. Heb. 7. Rom. 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 14. Matth. â—â— Heb. 7. 1. Pet. â— 1. Iohn â— What maÌ„ner of intercession Christes iâ— An answeare to certeine argumeÌ„â—s or reasons of the aduersaries Rom. 3. Prayer of Angels Heb. 1. The Churche calling vpon sainctes To serue what it is 3. Reg. 16. The seruice of God. The seruice of God is â—â—â—-fould 〈◊〉 of two sortes The 〈◊〉 serâ—ice of God. 〈◊〉 10. Mich. 6. Rom. 12. 1. thess. 1. Iames. 1. The testimonie of 〈◊〉 Romane martyr coÌ„cerning the true seruice of God. Gods Temple or Church Gods Priest Gods Sacrifices The outward serâ—ice of God. Luke 11. That onely God is to be serued Deut. 13. Matth. 4. How Saints are to be worâ—â—â—pped Of true relâ—gion What true religion is To leaue or forsake the true God and to serue straunge Gods. 〈◊〉 â— Not to worshippe God alone but to worshippe other Gods also together with the true God. The properties of God are iâ— no case tâ— be attributed vnto straunge Gods. Isai 41. 4â— c. Gods gifts â—re not to be attribuâ—ed to â—traunge Gods. Oâ—ee 2. To serue God but not lawfully Deuter. 12 Leuit. 10. 2 Reg. 6. Iudg. 17. 3. Re. 12. 13 1. Reg. 15. I sai 66. I sai 29. Matth. 15. 2. Reg. 7. Matth. 5. The sonne iâ— begotteÌ„ of the Father vnspeakeablie from euerlasting 〈◊〉 5. Iohn â— Iohn 1. * Or age as other translate it A confession concerning Iesus Christ the sonne of God our Lorde That the sonne is consubstaÌ„tiall with the Father * Identitate et essentia That the sonne of god is truâ—â—nd verie God Matth. 18. Iohn 1. Matth. 16. Iohn 6. Christe is â—he natuâ—all sonne of God. Iohn 19. Leui. 14. 23 Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 14. Iohn 6. Iohn 17. Rom. 9. 1. Iohn 5. Actes 17. 〈◊〉 23. Isaie 49. Isaie 45. Philip. 2. Iohn 5. Isaie 42. Iohn 17. Mich. 4. Iohn 10. 14. 8. Ezech. 34. Mark. 2. Iohn 2. 1. Tim. 1. Isai 11. Iere. 17. Of the incarnation or true humanitie of Christe Gene. 3. Gene. 22. Gala. 3. Heb. 2. Heb. 2. 2. Reg. 7. Luke 1. Matth. 1. Luke 3. Matth. 1. Iohn 2. Esai 7. Luke 1. Matth. 1. Gal. 4. Iohn 1. 1. Iohn 4. Philip. 2. The Lord after he was risen
of God. Wherefore this promise appertaineth as well to vs as to the Iewes bycause the prolonging of this present life is a testimonie of Gods especiall fauour He promiseth assuredly to them that do religiously honour their parents in what lande soeuer they dwel al kind of blessings felicitie and store of temporal things with a swéete prolonging of this present lyfe For Paule interpreting this in the fifte Chapter of his Eipstle to the Ephesians sayth That it may goe wel with thee and that thou mayst liue long vpon the earth Meaning any lande whatsoeuer and promising a Temporall blessing of the Lorde We therefore gather herevpon that the contrarie is threatened and set as a penaltie vpon the heades of those that disobediētly despise their parents By examples and other places of the scripture this shall be made more manifest Cham is cursed of his father Noe for behauing him self vnreuerently towarde him euen in his drunkennesse Ioseph is exalted to the chiefest dignitie in Egypt bycause from his childhoode he honoured God and reuerenced his father Iaacob Solomon in the. 17. Chapter of his Prouerbs sayth Whosoeuer rewardeth euil for good euill shal not depart frō his house Againe He that despitefully taunteth his father and despiseth the olde age of his mother shall bee confounded and left in reproch The sonne that leaueth to keepe the discipline of his father shall thinke of talke of wickednesse Who so curseth his father or mother his light shall be put out and the balles of his eyes shall see nought but darknesse For they are monsters and no men that are vnnaturall toward their parents and especially they which do not only neglect and despise thē but also beate and vncurteously handle them Such fellowes doth the Lord commaund to be slayne as people vnworthy to sée the light bycause they forget and will not acknowledge that by the meanes of their parentes they came into the world He that curseth father or mother sayth the Lorde let him dye the death And againe Hee that striketh his father or mother let him dye the death There is none of you whiche knoweth not the law called Lex Pompeia against such as kill their parents It is not amisse here to heare what the Gentile writers say touching this matter Homer sayth He did not nourish as he should his aged parents deare Therfore the Gods did frō his youth cut off the iolliest yeare And the auncient Poet Orpheus sayeth God sits aboue and sees the sonnes that do them selues apply To do their fathers hests and those that shamelesly deny Them to obey and as he doth blesse th' one with sundry gifts So for to vexe th' other he doth deuise a thousand drifts For though despised parents die yet do their ghostes remaine And are of force vpon the earth to put their sonnes to paine Moreouer the tragicall Poet Euripides hath To him that while he liues doth loue his parents to obey Whether he liue or else do dye God is a friend alwaye And Menander the Comicall Poet sayth The wretch is worse then mad that with his parents falles at oddes For wise men greatly reuerence them and honour them as Goddes Virgil also among other horrible vices which are punished in hel with eternall and vnspeakable paines doth say Here they that did their brethrē hate while life on earth did last Or beate their parents c. And immediately after He did his countrie sell for golde and made a tyrant King For bribes he made marde his coūtrie lawes and euery thing And Horace in his Odes sayth It is a sweete and seemely thing in countries cause to dye And Silius Italicus hath Doubt not of this forget it not but keepe it in thy mynd It is a detestable thing to shew thee selfe vnkind Vnto thy natiue countrie soyle for no such sinne remaines In hell to be tormented there with vtter endlesse paines As that so doth experience teache These testimonies haue I cited to this end purpose that by these dearly beloued ye may gather the hainousnesse of this offence which the verie Gentiles them selues do so grieuosly cry out against and vtterly condemn Caine slue his brother Abel but therby he gat his rewarde to be marked with a perpetuall blot of ignominie and reproche Semei did intollerably rayle vpon Dauid his ordinarie Magistrate and therefore was he punished according to his desarts Absalom rebelled vnnaturally against his father Dauid but being wrapped by the haire to a tree and hanging betwixt heauen and earth he is horribly thrust throughe with a Iauelin The Lorde called them that slue the Prophetes by the name of Adders broode and sonnes of the deuill As for them that haue reprochfully dealte with olde men or troubled widowes they haue not gone vnpunished For the Lorde in the lawe sayth Thou shalt not afflict the widowes nor fatherlesse children But if ye do go on to afflict them they shal vndoubtedly crie to me and I will heare them and my wrath shall waxe hote and I will slay you with the sword your wiues shal be widowes and your childrē fatherlesse Thus much hitherto Saint Paule alledging this lawe in his Epistle to the Ephesians dothe very aptly apply it to our learning and comfort For he sayth Children obey your parents for this is right honour thy father and mother which is the first commaundement in promise that thou mayste prosper and liue long on earth Fathers prouoke not your childrē to wrath but bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lord. In these wordes he telleth the parentes their duetie as well as the children Thrée thinges he doth require at the hande of the parentes that is to bring vp their children to instruct them and to correct them For it is the parents office to nourish to feede and bring them vp till they be grown to age that being once dispatched frō hanging on their parents any longer they may get their liuings with their owne labour and trauell It is the parentes office to teache and instruct their children That teaching or instructing consisteth in three things in religion in manners and skil of an occupation Nowe touching religion it hath certaine principles rudiments I say and Catechismes to teach by Secondarily it hath the Scriptures setting out the word of God with a full exposition of all things belonging to God it hath also mysteries holie signes and Sacraments to teache and to learne by If the housholder be conuersant amonge a people whiche honoureth the true religion and hath receiued the lawfull worship of God with true faythfull and godly Ministers and teachers of Christ his Church let him giue charge and sée that his children goe to the holy congregation there to be instructed in religiō by the publike preacher Yet neuerthelesse let the father at home examine his children and know what they haue learned by hearing the sermon Let both the father and mother also at home priuatly doe their indeuour to
teache their children the. 10. commaundementes the Apostles Créed the Lords prayer and let them teach thē a briefe and ready rule out of the Scriptures for the vnderstanding of the sacraments Let them oftē and many times cause them to repeate the Catechisme and beate into their heads such sentences as are most necessarie to put them in memorie of their faith and duetie of life But if so it be that the housholder haue his dwelling with a people that persecuteth the Christian faith and doctrine which hateth the true and lawfull worship of Gods name cannot abide the congregation ministers of Christ as it hapneth in the Turkish captiuities and troublesome persecutions of our days then shal he take héede and kéep him self from idolatrie neither shal he in his owne person goe nor suffer his familie to come to those vngodly assemblies but shall rather in his owne house at home instruct them in true religion first in the Catechisme and then in déeper diuinitie Moreouer so oft as the case and necessitie shal require he must fréely and openly professe Christe and his Gospell For it is apparantly euident by the Epistles of Paule and other hystories that such Churches were in priuate houses of great cities in the time of the Apostles and thickest of those hote and auncient persecutions Neyther is it likely that the Iewes in their captiuitie at Babylon although they lacked the outwarde vse of sacrifices were altogether without all worship of god Although Daniel did not sacrifice yet did he at certaine houres in the day time worship God in his owne house The house of Cornelius at Cesarea was the Church wherin Peter preached in a very good and ecclesiasticall assemblie or congregation and he bycause Ioppe had no Church for him to pray in went vp to the higher part of the house to make his prayers there Neyther is it to be doubted but that the Eunuch of Quéene Candaces nobilitie of whome mention is made in the Actes of the Apostles did ordeine a Church in Aethiopia And let them be persuaded whiche are without the publique and lawefull vse of the Sacramentes that that shall not be imputed to their default whiche is committed not by them but by anothers offence For euen in such a case can the Lorde worke well by his spirite in the myndes of his people But whereas by the grace of God libertie is giuen for the congregation to assemble and to heare the frée sincere and true preaching of the Gospell and lastly to celebrate the Sacraments there must those priuate and domesticall Churches be broaken vp and come to an end not for bycause the house of a godly housholder is not nor remaineth still a Church but for bycause the hearing of Gods worde prayer and the celebrating of the Sacramentes ought to be publique and common to all the Saints For those assemblies by stealth which the Anabaptistes vse and all other sectaries are bothe worthily and vtterly condemned And now let vs heare the testimonies of Scripture which commaund all housholders to instruct holily their familie in the true religion and to declare to their children the meaning of the Sacramentes Moses in the sixte of Deuter. sayth Heare Israell the Lorde our God is Lord only Therfore shalt thou loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy might And these wordes whiche I commaund thee this day shall be in thy heart And thou shalt shew them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp And thou shalte bind them for a signe vpon thy hand and they shall be as frontlets betwene thine eyes And againe When thy sonne asketh thee in time to come saying what meane these testimonies ordinaunces and lawes whiche the Lord our God hath commaunded vs Then thou shalte say vnto thy sonne we were Pharaoes bondmen in Egypt and the Lorde brought vs out with a mightie hande and shewed signes and mightie wonders before oure eyes and brought vs out from thence and gaue vs all these preceptes and statutes to doe and to feare the Lord our God. Herevnto belongeth a great part of the. 78. Psalme And in the. 13. of Exodus the Lord doth say againe Sanctifie to me all the firste borne And when thy sonne shal aske thee in time to come saying what is this Thou shalt say to him The Lord slue all the first borne of Egypt and therefore I sacrifice vnto the Lord all the males that open the matrice Also in the. 12. Chapter God or Moses in Gods name expounding the mysterie or sacrament of the Passeouer sayde When your childrē aske you saying what manner of seruice is this that ye do ye shal say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the childrē of Israel c. These testimonies are sufficiently euident and néed no further exposition I will nowe therefore adde to these the other things which parents haue to teach their children Let the father instruct his children in manners We all from our byrth are clownish rude all childrē haue vnséemly and vnciuil manners which euill is made double as much by euill custome and clownish company Let the parents therefore teach their children manners betimes which may adorne them at home and become thē abroad Let him instruct him how to behaue him self decently in his going and gesture of his body howe in the Church how in the market howe at the table howe in mens companies and in all other places of companie There are excellent preatie bookes set out for that purpose so that I néede not stande to discusse to you the particularities thereof Lastly let the father place his children with expert and cunning workmen to teach them some handie craft whereby to get their liuing another daye But firste hée muste make tryall of their wits to sée wherevnto euery one is best apt and wherein he doth most delight For cunning will neuer be come by where good will is wanting in him that must learne it If thou hast any fit for learning thou shalt do a good and godly déede to train them vp to the ministerie of the churche or some other office that standeth by learning But of all other those parents are to be founde faulte withall that bring vp their children in lazie idlenesse For although there be left vnto them huge heapes of treasure yet in thrée or foure odde houres al may be wasted and come to nought Wherevnto then shall your deintie idle Gentleman truste what shall hee do when there is nothing left but his bare carkasse that is a lumpe of clay not good for any thing The inhabiters of Massilia would not admit any into the number of citizens but such as had learned an occupation to liue by For to a citie there is no greater a