ye doe take this worde hell for death it selfe and for the extremest and greatest perils daungers griefes dolours and anguishes that a man can suffer here in this worlde and whereby hee maie bee brought vnto his death and consequentlie for the guiltinesse of synne for the sting and power of death for the iudgement and wrath of god and for the bottomlesse Pit of all miseries and calamities when our sauiour Iesus Christe was so outragiously dealte withall when he did sweate blood when his soule was heauie euen vnto the death and when he was hanged most opprobriously despitefully and shamefully betwixt twoo theeues as forsaken of God and al creatures without aide helpe or comforte and so hangyng on a tree did geue vp the ghoste bearing the curse anger and furie of God whiche is a verie hell and féelyng vpon hym the condempnation paines and tormentes that were due vnto vs for our synnes then went he in deede downe into hell whiche thought to ouerwhealme hym but it coulde not bicause he was without sinne Or if ye take this worde hell for the graue and sepulchre then did our sauiour Christ go downe into hell when he was laide in the graue and descended into the lower partes of the earth as the Apostle doth witnesse and testifie Or if ye doe vnderstande by it the estate and condition of the dead then did our sauiour Iesus Christe go downe into hell when he died But moste specially when he did by his diuine power and godly might make all the elect whose soules were in Abrahams bosome to feele the efficacie strength and vertue of his death that he suffered for them and the fruites of his passion and bloodsheddyng Or if ye will take hell in this place which the Latines do expresse by this worde Inferna in the plurall nomber for the place of the damned I saie that our sauiour Iesus christ went downe vnto them I meane vnto the reprobate and damned when they did feele perceaue and vnderstande through his diuine and godly power that they were depriued of the merites of his death and passion and of the grace health and saluation that he had brought and purchased vnto his electe and chosen children And when he did by the vertue efficacie and strength of his death and bloodshedding breake the Serpents head accordyng to the promise that was made vnto our firste parentes Adam and Eue that is to saie when he did so ouerthrowe Sathan the deuill and all the power of hell that hee and his can no more preuaile against the chosen and electe of God nor yet against his true church faithfull congregation Then went he in déede downe into hell and did harrowe it whiche is a phrase and manner of speakyng that many doe vse but verie fewe doe vnderstande it for why they doe not perceiue that it is borowed of an olde custome and fashion that was vsed commonly among auncient kynges and princes when thei did make any notable warre against their enimies for then if they had taken any citie or towne they were wont not onely to beate it downe euen to the grounde but also to plowe it sowe it with Salte and to harrowe it as the like ye maie reade in the booke of Iudges howe Abimeleche sowed Salte so we reade of Fredericke Oenobarbus the Emperour that ouerthrewe Millane and sowed Salt there for that cittie toke parte with Alexander the thirde being Pope against Caesar and harrowed it after the Salte was sowen thereby to declare that the same citie or towne was brought into vtter desolation and that it should neuer be builded anie more 〈◊〉 Therfore when it is saide that our sauiour Iesus Christ did harrow hell the meanyng of it is though it be vnderstanded of fewe that Christe our sauiour did giue suche an ouerthrowe vnto sathan the deuill that he did so bruse and breake his head and that he hath gotten such a victorie ouer all the whole power of hell that it is no more able to hurte or hynder the children of God for vnto them onelie this viâ—â—â—ie is gotten hell hauyng still his full power ouer the vnfaithfull reprobate than a citie or towne that is beaten downe euen to the grounde and whiche is ploughed so wen ouer with Salte and harrowed is able to recouer it selfe or to harme the enimies that haue serued it so We must not yet imagine that our sauiour Iesus Christ did in his owne person go downe into the hell of the damned and that breakyng the yron gates he did bryng out in a rowe the patriarches and other faithfull fathers of the olde Testament for they were not there but were in the bosome of Abraham whiche as the trueth doeth saie hym selfe is a place of ioye rest and comforte suche a space beyng betwixt it and hell that the one can haue no accesse vnto the other And as for those that saie that the soule of our Sauiour Christe did suffer in hell fire although they dooe bryng and alledge certaine reasons and argumentes for them selues whiche at the firste maie séeme to haue some colour for to â—â—sell the eyes of the simple and ignoraunt yet can I in no wise allowe their opinions and iudgement in this pointe ¶ The .vj. Chapiter ¶ Reasons and argumentes of those that holde that Christe went downe to hell in his soule Aunswered THeir reasons and argumentes are these sith that our Sauiour Christe saie they did come into this worlde for to deliuer mankinde from euerlastyng damnation it was necessarie that for to make satisfaction vnto the iustice and righteousnesse of God he shoulde beare the whole malediction curse and damnation that all mankinde did deserue but the malediction curse and damnation that our sauiour christ did beare in the bodie when he did suffer his death and passion was not sufficient for the synne of man whiche he hath deserued and doth deserue euerlasting damnation is not onelie in the fleshe and in the body of man but most specially in the soule Therefore it hath not béen ordained of God that the body and fleshe onely should suffer punishment but also the soule Sithe then that man was iudged and condemned bicause of his synne to suffer euerlastyng punishment both in body and soule It was also requisite that Christe for a full satisfaction for our synnes shoulde suffer the same that we shoulde haue suffered Whiche thyng he had not doen if he had not suffered punishment as well in the soule as in the bodie Whervpon they do conclude that as he hath suffred in the body here vpoÌ„ the earth so he did also suffer in soule beneath in hell that the satisfaction might be whole perfect and full And of this opinion many of the auncient and late writers haue been Bede maketh mention of it in a certaine place not affirmyng that it was so but alledgyng onelie the opinion of some and yet without namyng
for vs he therefore had a loue to vs euen then when wee were enemies to hym and wrought wickednesse Therefore after a marueilous and diuine maner he loued vs euen then when he hated vs For he hated vs in that we were suche as he had not made vs and because our wickednesse had on eche side wasted awaie his woorke he knewe how in euery one of vs bothe to hate that whiche our selues had made and to loue that whiche he had made Thus farre Augustine Whereby we haue to learne what a comfortable doctrine the Predestination of GOD is whiche many can not abide of whom saincte Paule long before spake of Also howe so euer we bee synners by our owne faulte yet we remaine his creatures And howsoeuer we haue purchased death to our selues yet he made vs vnto life So is he moued by méere and free louyng of vs to receiue vs and also to reconcile vs by his sonne Christ into his fauour Therefore in respecte of our corrupte nature and then of euil life added vnto it truely we are in displeasure of God guiltie in his sight and borne to dampnation of hell But because the lorde will not loose that whiche is his in vs he findeth yet somewhat that he of his onely goodnesse maie loue vs without any goodnesse or worthinesse that is in vs through his Sonne Christe our onely Sauioure To this saincte Augustine saieth Due res sunt homo peccator Quod audis homo fecit deus Quod audis peccator ipse homo fecit dele quod fecisti vt deus saluet quod fecit oportet vt oderis in te opus tuum ames in te opus dei Theâ—e are twoo thynges Man and Synner That thou hearest man God made it That thou hearest synner Man hymself made take awaie that thou haste made that God maie saue that he hath made It behoueth that thou hate in thy self thine owne woorke that thou maiest loue the woorke of God in thee Hereto Dauid saieth Beholde I was borne in iniquitie and in synne hath my mother coÌ„ceiued me Pourge me with Hysope and I shall bee cleane Washe me and I shall bee whiter then Snowe â–ª c. This doctrine well waighed will easely teache vs that all the righteous Soules departed in the faithe before Christes commyng were in heauen And therefore no neede for Christe his soule to goe into hell to fetche them out for in that place thei neuer were nor none of Goddes predestinate and electe children was or euer shall bee For whom the Lorde euer loued saieth the Scripture be loueth vnto the ende Nowe if any man should aske me when Christe wente downe to hell I will aunswere hym When he praied to escape death he began to goe downe and so all his sufferynges that he suffered afterwarde in bodie and soule for our synnes was his goyng into hell For he felt the burden and waight of Gods wrathe for our iniquities in suche sort that no paine tormente griefe sorrowe nor punishement that euer synne and disobedience had deserued in hell But that it was laied vpon Christ for vs to bryng vs vnto God whiche paines and torments he felt in his bodie and soule Wherby we maie gather how greeuous and terrible tormentes he suffred wheÌ„ he knewe himselfe to be arained for our cause before the iudgemente seate of god For there can bee imagined no more dreadfull bottomelesse depth then for one to féele hymself forsaken and estraunged from God and not to bee hearde when he calleth vpon hym euen as if God hymself had conspired his destruction Euen thither wee see that Christe was throwne downe so farre that by inforcemente of paine and tormentes of hell did sweate and his sweate was like droppes of bloud trickelyng doune to the grounde And he was compelled to cry out My God my GOD why haste thou forsaken me c. Here thou maiest note that in the Crede we reade not in the singuler nomber descendit ad infernum hee descended into hell as thoughe it did speake of a place certaine where into he was gone but in the plurall nomber descendit in inferna he descended into the helles Comprehendyng all that was before saied in many woordes how he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried in this one woorde helles Now gentle Reader I praie thee not to take me in this my writyng that I dooe deny this Article of Christes descendyng into hell for I doe constantly beleue it and will in no wise God willyng denye it but affirme that he descended into hell accordyngly But of the maner of his descension into hell is our question They saie his soule went downe thither whiche thei can not proue by the woorde of God and therfore I can not beleue it But I saie this that the force efficacie and strength of his death and passion did pearce vnto the damned soules in hell through his diuine power and godheade to the greater increase and certifiyng of their eternall and iust damnation For I saie vnto thée in the worde of God and lye not that all Christes sufferynges sorrowes and passions that he sustained here for vs vpon the earth and vpon the Crosse in body and in his soule for our sinnes was his going downe into the helles â–ª Wherefore let vs constantly beleeue this that he was once in the flesh a verie man like vnto vs in al thing sinne only excepted and came downe for vs men and for our saluation that he did verely suffer passion of bodie and soule that he hath verely died and been buried And that he hath been verely reuiued againe and the verie same soule retourned againe into his owne naturall bodie and after did ascende vp into heauen and there sitteth on the right hande of the father to make daiely and continuall intercession for all his electe and to saue all them that come to God by hym c. As many therfore as be Christians haue giuen their faith vnto Christ in their Baptisme vnder the witnesse of a greate meany There they promised to forsake the fleshe the world and the deuill If now thei will bee at league with the synner and at agreement with the deuill and the euill doer thei haue broken their firste promise and are founde vnfaithfull for wherevnto thei are ouercome his seruauntes thei are whether it bee of synne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse And for their faithe thus violated giuen vnto the immortall God God againe will breake with them his couenaunte of mercie if in tyme thei repente not Lette vs holde therefore vnitie in doctrine Secondlie vniuersalitie in ioynyng of voyces Thirdlie consente in spirite and iudgement For the Papistes haue tourned vnitie to diuision Uniuersalitie to singularitie Consente to open and plaine discention And so vnder the name of the faithe thei persecute the faithe c. For if thou doest forsake Christes Shippe and wilt rowe
119. Of the office and aucthoritie of the Churche and how it may erre and how it can not erre Cap. 39. fol. 121. Our offences and sinnes are forgiuen vs by faith through Christ and not by our workes and merites Cap. 40. fol. 123. Faith onely iustifieth vs before God. Cap. 41. fol. 127. It is no presumption to be sure and certaine of our saluation Cap. 42. fol. 132. Of free wyll Cap. 43. fol. 133. Of the generall resurrection both of the godlie and wicked at the last day Cap. 44. fol. 142. FINIS ¶ A breefe Summe of the Christian faith ¶ The firste Chapiter ¶ Of Gods creation and gouernaunce of all thinges of Christes conception and birth of his death and passion c. I Dooe not onely confesse that there is a true liuyng God who by his almightie power did of nothing make bothe heauen and earth and all the creatures that bee in theim bothe visible and inuisible but also I dooe vnfeignedly beleue that the same true liuyng God who by his almightie power hath created all thinges and now by his vnsearchable wisedome and vnspeakeable goodnesse doth gouerne rule and preserue all his creatures will bee a most louyng mercifull father vnto me and vnto all the faithfull beleuers for as he is almightie and able to dooe what soeuer he will bothe in heauen and in earth so that nothyng is able to resist or withstande his holy and blessed will for euen the very deuilles and wicked spirites will thei nill thei must be obedient vnto him and can doe no more then he doth appoint suffer and permit them so is he most louyng and mercifull vnto all those that putte all their whole trust and confidence in hym And therefore we muste take holde vpon his fatherly promises through a liuely faithe in our sauiour Iesu Christe his onely begotten sonne our Lorde Who beyng true and naturall God begotten of the father afore all beginnynges coeternall and coequall with hym in power and Godhead did at the fulnesse of tyme take our fraile nature vpon hym and was conceiued by the mightie operation of the holy ghoste in the blessed virgines wombe of whom he tooke his vndefiled substaunce to witte his mortall bodie that so he might offer hym self an omnisufficiente Sacrifice vnto God his father for the redemption of mankinde and deliuer vs all that take holde by faithe vpon the merites of his death and bloodsheddyng from the curse and malediction of the Lawe wherevnto all men of their owne nature are subiecte He then beyng bothe God and man and touchyng his māhode subiecte to all maner of infirmities that we are subiecte vnto synne onely beyng excepted Did suffer a moste cruell and opprobrious death vpon the crosse vnder Poncius Pilat who was at the same time the Emperours deputie and liefetenaunt in the land of Iewrie before whom he was brought and by his determinate sentence iudged and condemned and so deliuered into the handes of the tormentors to th ende that I and all faithfull beleuers should not bee condemned before the iudgemente seate of almightie God nor put into the handes of the deuill nor yet sent into the euerlastyng fire of hell but that I and all other that beleue truely should finde fauor and be quieted before the greate and euerlastyng iudge And saie boldly with the holy Apostle who shall laye any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is GOD that iustifieth who shall then condemne it is Christ whiche is deade yea rather whiche is risen againe whiche is also on the right hande of God and maketh intercession for vs Let vs therefore goe boldely vnto the seate of grace that wée maie receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in the tyme of néede Thus beyng iudged and condemned for to deliuer vs that beleue frō the fearfull iudgemente of God and from the condemnation that is due vnto vs for our synnes He was with all dispitefulnesse nailed vpon a Crosse as it was signified and prefigured before by the listyng vp of the brasen Serpente in the wildernesse For as the brasen Serpente was eleuated and lifted vp in the deserte by Moises for to heale all those that did looke vpon it so it was necessarie that our sauiour Iesus Christ as he hym self doeth expounde should bee hanged vpon the crosse and lifted vp on high for to heale all those that be deadly stonge and wounded by the olde serpent the deuill And as the brasen serpent had the figure forme and shape of a serpent and yet it was no serpent nor yet had any venime or poyson So our Sauiour Iesus Christe did take vpon hym the shape of a synner and yet he was no synner but was and is a moste wholsome medicine and salue vnto all poore synners that doe beholde and looke vpon hym by faithe and that seeke for saluation no where els but in the only merites of his death passion and bloodsheddyng although this meane and waie to saue men doeth séeme very vile and straunge vnto mans reason whiche iudgeth this wisedome of God and the preachyng of the crosse to be mere foolishnesse And yet notwithstāding as there was no phisick medicine nor salue that could heale those that were stong of the fierie serpents but only the loking vpō the brasen serpent that was erected set vp by the commaundement of god so haue we no maner of Phisick or salue against synne euerlastyng death for to bryng soule health saluation vnto vs but onely Iesus christ being crucified who is giuen vnto vs of God for it doth not belong vnto vs to choose the medicine or salue but it pertaineth only to god our soueraigne phisicion who alone is able to heale vs frō this deadly sickenes who alone knoweth what medicine or salue is necessarie for vs And giueth such as pleaseth him suche as he giueth is sufficient so that we can finde none other that is worth any thing and that doeth not rather bryng death then life if we do put any confidence in it or seke to obtain through it saluation and forgiuenesse of our synnes Also bicause that it is written cursed is euery one that cōtinueth not in all thynges whiche are written in the booke of this lawe to fulfill theim wherby all men were brought vnder the malediction and curse of the lawe and so made the children of euerlastyng damnation The onely begotten sonne of God did vouchsafe for to deliuer vs from this curse and malediction of the lawe to hang on a tree and to bee made accursed for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessyng of Abraham whiche was promised him in his séede who is our Sauiour Iesus christ might come vpon vs for whose sake and loue he was made lower then all men yea he was reputed as a worme and not as a man he
also the woordes of our Sauiour he that heareth my woorde and beleueth in hym that sente me hath life euerlastyng he shall not come into condemnation or iudgemente but is passed from death to life Whervpon I do conclude that the true preachyng of gods worde apprehended and taken hold of by faithe and the right ministration of the Sacramentes beyng duely and worthely receiued are the onely meanes â–ª whereby this moste worthie Sacrifice should bee applied vnto vs and whereby we should bee putte in full possession of all the benefites of Christes death passion and bloudshedding whiche are iustification before God free remission of our sinnes peace of conscience and life euerlasting Beyng so farre of that their wicked and blasphemous Masse should applie this moste omnisufficient Sacrifice of Christes death vnto vs or that by it we should bee made partakers of the benefites thereof but rather by it the wrathe of God is still more and more kindeled and the death of his onely begotteÌ„ sonne made altogether vnprofitable and of no value vnto vs. Therefore I doe vtterly â—eteste and abhorre it and dooe from my very harte and with all thankfulnesse that can bee possible receiue and embrace those singuler and soueraigne meanes that haue been by Gods prouidence appoincted vnto vs that by them we might be made through faith partakers of all the benefites of the precious death and bloudshedding of his entirely beloued and onely begotten sonne our onely and sufficient sauiour Iesus Christe our Lorde ¶ The .iiij. Chapiter ¶ Of Christes buriall and the profite that we haue gotten thereby WHo for a better and more sure confirmation of his death and for to declare and testifie vnto all the worlde that touchyng his manhoode he was deade in deede without any faynednesse or dissimulation for sithe that he muste dye for our synnes if he had not been deade in verie deede wee should haue remained still subiecte vnto euerlastyng death would be taken downe from the crosse and by men of good and honest reporte that is to saie Nichodemus and Ioseph of Aramathia be decently and honourably buried Pontius Pilate who was certified of his death consentyng and agreyng vnto the same laied in a new graue that was he wen out of a rocke or stone and wherein no man was laied before lest it shoulde bee blowen abroade by his enemies and noysed among the people that it was not he that was risen againe but some other man that was there buried before hym or that he was not risen againe by his owne vertue but by the vertue of some holy prophete that was laied there before as he that was caste into the graue of Elizeus was reuiued restored vnto life again as soone as he did touche the deade bones of the Prophete And as for that that he was laied in an other mans graue and not in his owne the same was dooen for to signifie vnto vs that as he was come into our fleshe for to sanctifie it in the whiche he did dye not for his owne but for our sinnes thereby to take awaie the styng of death and to sanctifie our death to the ende that it should bee no more a dreadfull death vnto vs but a ioyfull passage vnto euerlastyng life so would he bee buried in a graue of ours for to sanctifie and open our graues and as it were for to constraine and compell theim to giue vp our bodies againe at the daie of the generall resurrection of al fleshe Againe the graue that he was laied in was newe whiche is a lesson vnto vs that if we will haue Christ to dwell in our hartes we must be no stinckyng graues but put awaie all filthinesse and sâ—incking abhomination we must be made newe creatures altogether and put of the olde Adam whiche is corrupted through the deceiueable lustes and put on that newe man whiche after the Image of God is shapen in righteousnesse and true holinesse And as the same graue was hewen out euen in the rocke so must we if at least we will haue Christe to dwell and continue in vs bee hewen out and created in hym who is that strong and sure rocke that the true Churche and faithfull coÌ„gregation is builded vpon we must be no waueryng children that bee caried with euery winde of doctrine by the wilinesse of men and craftines whereby thei laie awaite for vs to deceiue vs but abide stedfaste in the truthe and growe in hym that is the heade that is to saie Christe Who also would bee buried although he might haue risen againe without any suche thing I meane without the costes and charges of any buriyng for to signifie vnto vs that the misterie signe of the Prophete Ionas was fulfilled in him as he hym self doeth manifestly declare vnto the Iewes for as Ionas was caste into the Sea for to asswage and still the tempeste that was raised and stirred vp by the mightie winde of Gods wrathe and was receiued into the Whales bellie abidyng three daies and nightes in the deepe of the Sea beyng still in the Whales bellie And after three daies was caste out againe vpon the drie lande aliue and without any hurte so it was necessarie that the onely begotten sonne of God our sauiour Iesus Christe for to pacifie and still the wrathe of his father should be cast into the deepe and bottomelesse geulfes of death whiche thought to deuour and swallowe hym vp and that he shoulde be in the bowels of the earth as the Prophete Ionas was in the belly of the Whale and so rise againe the thirde daie Which truely is a misterie that passeth all misteries for who in all the worlde would haue thought that Ionas beyng thus caste into the bottome of the raging Sea should haue escaped death or who would haue beléeued that our sauiour Iesus Christ should in death finde euerlastyng life vnto vs and that after suche opprobriousnes and confusion of the Crosse hauyng been driuen downe euen to very hell gates he should rise againe with such an excellent glory power and maiestie and that by his death the wrath of God should be pacified as the tempeste of the Sea was pacified and ceassed as soone as Ionas was hurled into it that calmenesse should be giuen vnto the troubled consciences of synners peace made betwixt God and men And yet contrarie to the expectation of all the wicked worlde all these thinges I meane euerlastyng life forgiuenes of our synnes the pacifiyng of Gods wrath tranquilitie and peace of conscience and a moste sure attonement betwéene God and vs are mightely purchased vnto vs by the death and buriyng of the onely begotten sonne of God our sauiour Iesus Christe ¶ The .v. Chapter ¶ How many waies this worde hell is taken in Scripture and after what maner Christe descended into hell WHom I doe stedfastlie beléeue to haue descended into hell for whether
words are most diligently to be noted and marked â–ª for many comfortable lessons may be learned of them to the quietyng of our owne consciences and to the greate comfort of our soules First and formost we learne that they shal take holde by faithe vpon the glad ioyfull tidynges of our sauation 〈◊〉 in his worde how that our sauiour Iesus Christ did bring into this worlde beléeue that God who did sende him is become a most mercifull louing father vnto vs being alwaies ready for his sonne Iesu christes sake who by his death hath pacified his wrath and made attonement 〈◊〉 hym and vs to receiue vs vnto his mercie and to pardone 〈◊〉 all ouâ— synnes haue already euerlastyng life beyng as sure of it as if they were alreadie in full possession of it triumphyng with their head in the glorious kindome of heauen For we do receiue it already in this life by faith we are already possessed of it by hope we are therin already coÌ„firmed by holines of life But how could it be verified that the faithfull beleeuers haue euerlastyng life as beyng already in full possession of it if after their death and departyng out of this life they must be broyled and rosted in their Purgatorie fire by the space of .vij. yeres for euerie sinne that they haue committed in this life if their doctrine be true it were in a maner better for them that they had neuer béen borne For thei say that the fire of purgatorie doeth differ nothyng from the vnquenchable fire of hel sauing only that the one is euerlasting and the other lasteth but for a tyme Is this the blesfull reste that the holy ghoste dothe promise vnto them that die in the Lorde that is to saie in the faith of the onely begotten sonne of God our Sauiour Christe The spirite saieth that they shall after their death reste from their labours verely that were a poore resse if when a man hath toyled and laboured all the daie long he should bee faine to lye all night in a whotte burnyng Ouen I iudge he would not be very hastie to goe vnto his rest Secondly here we shal marke that the true beléeuers shal not come into iudgement of condemnation that is to saâ—e nothyng shal be laide to their chardge no sinnes shal be imputed vnto them but through faithe in the onely begotten sonne of God they shal be accounted as righteous as if they had neuer committed any offence For why Christ our Sauiour is made vnto them righteousnes sanctification and redemption how can it be then that they must suffer such greeuous paines in a fire whiche is altogether like vnto hell fire as they saie if no iudgement shal be geuen against them No offendour is wont to suffer punishment excepte he be iudged and condemned to it But the trueth it selfe doeth saie that thei that beléeue shal not come into iudgement or condemnation whervnto the Appostle doth say Nulla igitur nunc est condemnatio his qui insiti sunt christo Iesu qui non iuxta carnem versantur sed iuxta spirituÌ„ That is to say there is now no condemnation to them that are in christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite They therfore which doe saie and affirme that the faithfull shall in the other worlde suffer the paines and punishementes that are due to their offences and synnes are directly against the Scriptures and worde of God. Laste of all this aâ—e we assured of that they whiche take holde vpon the mercie of God declared vnto vs in our sauiour Iesu Christe are alreadie passed from death to life meanyng thereby that they bee deliuered from the styng and power of death whiche is synne and from all the penalties that are belongyng vnto it and that there remayned no more after this mortall life but to enioye and possesse that eternall euerlastyng life that the onely begotten sonne of god hath so dearely bought and purchased vnto vs whiche thyng the holy Scripture doth declare and set forth vnto vs by many goodly comfortable examples for there doe we reade that as soone as the poore Lazarus was deade his soule was by the handes of the Angels caried vp into the bosome of Abraham that is to saie into ioye and felicitie Againe as soone as the théefe that hong on a Crosse by christ did say remember mee O Lorde when thou commest into thy kyngdome straight waies our sauiour Christe gaue hym this most comfortable aunswere verely I saie vnto thée to daie thou shalt be with mee in Paradise that is to saie in my heauenly kingdome for so christ praied his father as Iohn recordeth in his Gospell saiyng â–ª father I wil that they which thou haste geuen me be with mee euen where I am that thei maie behold my glory So likewise the wise man in his boke nay rather the spirite of god in the wise man saith the soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and no torment shal touche them And whereas they doe bryng here a tricke of their wicked and vngodly sophistry saiyng that the théefe did obtaine this frée pardon at Christes handes by a singuler priuiledge which al men must not looke to enioy for priuiledges as the Lawiers be wont to saie be not common to all men I doe aunswere that no man is saued but by priuiledge whiche doth onely parteine vnto the true and faithfull beleeuers and not to the vnfaithfull and reprobate in comparison of whom the chosen and elect of god are very fewe in number for though many be called yet fewe are chosen and elected to these few doth the priuiledge of the childreÌ„ of god belong and not vnto all men so that the Lawiers saiyng shall also be verified in this pointe as then the poore Lazarus and also the in reste and quietnes and the soules of the vngodly 〈…〉 punishmentes vntill the bodies of those doe â—se againe vnto life euerlastyng and the bodies of â—hese vnto eternall death whiche is also called the seconde deaâ—h 〈…〉 plainely doth he yet in an other place 〈…〉 befoâ—e our eyes the whole substaunce of the matter when he saieth 〈…〉 locum fides catholicorum diuina 〈◊〉 regnum 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 Secundum gehennam Vbi omnis apostatâ— vel à christi fide alienus aeterna supplicia experietur Tertium penituâ— ignoraâ—â—◠〈◊〉 nec esse in scripturis sanct◠〈◊〉 That is 〈◊〉 the faithe of the catholiques by the diuine 〈…〉 that there is the kingdome of heauen And secondly 〈…〉 is a hell fire wherin all Apostates and all they that be 〈◊〉 from the faithe of Christe â–ª do sâ—ffeâ— tormentes and paynes No thirde plaie at all doe we know nor finde in the holy Scriptures And 〈…〉 place â–ª he 〈…〉 saieth he 〈…〉 places the one 〈◊〉 the euerlastyng kyngdom and the other 〈◊〉 the eternall 〈◊〉 And againe
Christe had meant some other thyng then the bare wordes do sounde but one or other woulde haue expounded them Againe how could it be that they that do eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup vnworthilie shoulde be guiltie of the body and blood of Christ and receaue their damnation bicause they make no difference of the Lordes body excepte the verie naturall body and blood of the Lorde were there present in the holy communion Firste and formost I graunt that the worde of the Lorde must be fulfilled and that it must néedes be as the truth saith But then we muste take the wordes of that the Lorde doeth speake in their right sence and according to the meanyng that he hath spoken them and not after the vaine imagination of of mens wittes For that holy father Tertullian saieth we must not bryng our owne sences to the readyng of Scriptures but we muste take the sence that the Scripture doeth geue by conferryng one Scripture by another and therefore he saieth Oportet secundum plura intelligi paâ—ciora The fewer places must be expounded by the mo Saint Hierome also saieth Non in verbis scripturarum est euangelium sed in sensu The Gospell standeth not in the bare wordes of the Scriptures but in the meanyng Saint Augustine also saith Solet circumstantia scripturaruÌ„ illuminare sententiam The circumstances of the scriptures is wont to geue light and to open the meanyng Else it will bee verie straunge as when he saith I am the dore I am the true vine we might by as good reason imagine that hee is a materiall dore and a material vine and that his Apostles are vine brauÌ„ches because that he saieth and ye are the braunches Againe ye are speakyng to his Apostles the Salte of the earth Againe when Paul did saie and the rocke was christe men readyng or hearyng the same might haue surmised that the Apostles were verie Salt that the Rocke whiche the Isralites dranke of in the wildernes was very Christ in deede why bicause that the wordes doe sounde so and seeme vnto the ignoraunt to signifie so Therfore if we will haue the true and liuely worde of god to take effect we muste with diligent conferryng of the Scriptures searche out the meanyng and right sence of it as wee haue saide a little aboue out of the Fathers else we may saie long enough euen vntil our heades do ache this is gods word thus and thus did the Lorde say before that we can proue any thyng And whereas they doe boast and crake so much of their witnesses which do al with one consent rehearse these words of the lordes institution This is my body after one maner and fashion they do in that point but deceaue the poore simple and ignoraunt people For although thei doe nothyng varie in the repeatyng of these wordes This is my body yet when they rehearse the wordes of our Sauiour Christe whiche he spake touchyng the Cuppe they doe sufficiently declare howe these wordes of Christe ought to be taken and vnderstanded and what is the true sence and meanyng of them For where Matthewe and Marke doe saie in the persone of Christ This is my blood both Luke and the blessed apostle S. Paul as faithfull interpreters of our sauiour christes wordes doe saie This cup is the newe Testament in my blood Which wordes if they be well considered and marked doe open the vnderstandyng of all the whole matter For as the Cup or that whiche is in the Cup is the newe Testament by the newe Testament hee doeth vnderstande the frée remission of our sinnes that we haue through the merites of his death passion and bloodshedding so the bread is the body of Christe But the cup doeth onely signifie and represent vnto vs the newe Testament that is to say the forgeuenes of our sinnes whiche we haue in the blood of Christ whereof we are made partakers in his holy and blessed Sacrament therefore we can conclude none otherwise but that the bread doeth onely represent and signifie vnto vs the blessed body of christ which was broken for vs the vertue of which body is communicated and geuen vnto vs by the due ministration and worthy receauyng of the holy and blessed Communion Againe if the multitude of witnesses ought to take place three of the chéefe Euangelistes do testifie vnto vs that our Sauiour Christe did saie Ye shall not haue me alwaies with you vnto whom we may adde Peter for the fourth whose wordes are these Repent ye therefore and turne that your sinnes may be done awaie when the time of refreshyng commeth whiche we shall haue of the presence of the Lorde and when God shall sende hym whiche before was preached vnto you that is to wit Iesus Christ who must receaue heauen vntill the tyme that all thynges whiche God hath spoken by the mouth of his holy prophetes sence the worlde began be restored againe Here Doctour Harding with the residue of the louanistes â–ª wil replie and saie why sir this place of Peter maketh litle or nothyng for you for this worde oportet in the Actes whiche signifieth must dooth not importe so much as you woulde inferre of necessitie as may euidently appeare by Saint Paul where hee saieth Oportet Episcopum esse vnius vxoris virum A Bishop must be the husbande of one wife Here you maye see saie they that oportet doeth not importe suche a necessitie as you make that he that neuer was maried may be a Bishop Here gentle reader vnderstande thou that this place of Paul by them alledged is not alike whiche these Papisticall Louanistes goe about to compare For in comparyng of the Scriptures we must not consider the naked words but the meaning thereof for as saint Hierome saieth Ne putemus in verbis scripturarum esse euangelium sed in sensu That is let vs not thinke the Gospell standeth in the words of the scriptures but in the meanyng For this place of Sainct Paul by them alledged doeth declare of what equalitie a Bishop ought to be But in the other place S. Peter teacheth vs the place where Christe must necessarily be vntill the ende of the worlde whiche wee ought to beléeue to be true accordyng to our Creede And this comparison of this worde oportet doth no more aunswere this place of Peter in the Actes then if I woulde saie of you being here present Oportet te hîc esse You must néedes be here which importeth such necessitie for the time that you can none otherwise be but here And yet our Popecatholiques goe aboute in wordes to auoyde this necessitie with an other oportet in another sence as this Oportet te esse virum bonum You must be a good man here oportet doeth not in verie deede conclude anye such necessitie but that you may be as euill a man as a papist Thus you maie see
fleshe and drinke his blood not sacramentally but in very deede that is so to dwell in Christ that Christe maie also dwell in hym For he saieth this as if he should saie he that dwelleth not in mee and in whō I dwel not let hym not saie or thinke that he eateth my flesh or drinketh my blood And out of the Sentences of Prosper he doeth alledge these wordes he that doeth disagree from Christ doth neither eate his fleshe nor drinke his blood although he doth euery daie receaue indifferently the Sacrament of so high a thyng to the condempnation of his owne presumptuousnes Againe he saieth Discipuli manducabant panem domini Iudas panem domini contra dominum illi vitam ille paenam The disciples did eate the bread which is the Lorde but Iudas did eate bread of the Lorde against the Lorde they vnto life he vnto death Againe if any doe disagree from Christe the vngodly and vnfaithfull hipocrites doe disagree from hym Therefore if these wordes of Sainct Augustine be true they doe neither eate his fleshe nor yet drinke his blood though they doe euery daie receaue indifferently the Sacrament of so high a thyng to their owne condemnation and vtter castyng awaie of their owne soules Whereby I may also conclude that there is no such transubstantiation as they do falsely imagine but that there remayneth both bread and wine wherevpon the vngodly hypocrites do féede only the godly faithfull being most effectuously made partakers of the precious body and blood of Christ which as Saint Ambrose saieth is the foode of the saintes onely so that who soeuer eateth of it he shall not dye the death of a sinner For it shal be made vnto him remission of sinnes So likewise Saint Origene saith most plainely against these felowes these wordes Est verus cibus quem nemo malus potest edere Etenim s◠malus posse◠edere corpus Domini non scriberetur Qui edit hunc panem viue◠in aeternum The body of Christ is the true foode which no euyll man can eate for if the euyll man coulde eate the body of our Lorde it shoulde not be written He that eateth this bread shal liue for euer Saint Hierome also saith Haeretici non manducant corpus domini nec bibunt sanguinem suum The wicked heretiques do not eate the body of the Lorde nor drinke his blood And againe he saieth All that loue pleasure more then God eate not the fleshe of Iesu Christe nor drinke his blood Thus you sée plainly proued that the wicked do not receaue nor eate the body and blood of Christe although they eate the Sacramentall Sacrament neuer so often Againe if their doctrine were true that is to say if the bread and wine were really and substantially the bodye and blood of Christ then shoulde the Mice Rattes and other vermine that eate their sacramentall bread eate also the body of Christ which thing some of them are not ashamed to confesse and say Si dicatur quòd Mus sumat corpus christi non est magnum inconueniens If it be saide that a Mouse receaueth the body of Christe it is no great inconuenience And Alexander of Hales saieth also beyng a greate doctour of the Papistes transubstantiation Si Canis vel Porcus deglutiret hostiam consecratam integram non video quare corpus Christi non simul traijceretur in ventrem Canis vel Porci If a Dogge or a Pigge shoulde happen to swallow downe the whole hoste being consecrate I sée no reason but the body of Christe may passe withall into the belly of the Dogge or of the Pigge But others of them cōsidering the great absurdities of it do say that whē Mice or other like vermine do approche or come nie vnto it the body of Christ doth flée vp strayght into heauē the olde substaunce cōming againe miraculously vnto the accidētes Belike their fained Christ hath not so much power as a poore Cat or Mouse hath which being but a poore creature of our sauiour Christ whō we do worship and feede vpon aboue in heauen on the right hande of the father doeth with his sent only fraie awaie Mice and Rattes so that they dare not come where he is muche lesse that they shoulde venture vpon hym and eate hym vp as they doe their false Christe or else make him to finde his legges or winges for to be out of their reache and clawes Likewise when they burne their moulded God if their doctrine were true they coulde not choose but that they must burne also the body of Christ excepte they will saie that the substaunce of the ashes is made of meere accidentes But I knowe that they will saie that as soone as the bodie of Christ doth see the fyre come it flieth straight waies vp into heauen makyng the olde substaunce by his almightie power to come to his accidentes againe Who would not deride and laugh to scorne this vaine doctrine of theirs Is Christe now of lesse abilitie and power then he was before his resurrection or risyng againe What Mice what Dogs what Pigges what Rattes what Cattes what heate what fyre what water what bityng what chewyng with teeth what deuils what tyrauntes were not obedient vnto his diuine power when he was conuersant among men being subiect to all maner of infirmities that wee are subiect vnto synne onely excepted And shall he now that he hath all power geuen vnto hym both in heauen and in earth be faine to geue place not only to fyre and water but also to litle poore séely Mice which feare the Cat and dare not presume to approche neigh her no not as nigh as he may haue the sent of the cat And is christ of lesse power that they dare come nigh to eate hym vp or make him flée into heauen as soone as he séeth them comming or is Christe of lesse power then water whiche can quenche fyre or of lesse power then the Sunne that drieth vp water O blasphemous Papistes enemies to Christes body and Passion robbers cleane of his diuine might and power if thus we shoulde folowe your doctrine we shall at last cleane denie God and saie with you in our hartes Non est Deus There is no God at all ¶ The .xxij. Chapiter ¶ The true exposition of these worde◠hoc est corpus meum and that Sacramentes are called by those names wherof thei are Sacramentes I Wyll nowe come to the true exposition of these woordes This is my body Firste and formost it is to be noted and marked that the sacramentes are most commonly called by the names of those things that they be sacraments of Which thing may easyly be proued both by the scriptures and also by the aucthorities of the auncient fathers of the olde catholique Churche When the Lorde our God did institute and ordeyne circumcision he dyd say And my couenaunt shal be in your flesh Here
it is a common phrase of speache in the Scriptures that Peter here vseth for the Prophete Esai hath the like saying Vt aperires oculos caecorum educeres de conclusione vinctum de domo carceris sedentes in tenebris That thou mayest open the eyes of the blinde and bryng out the prisoners from the prison and them that sit in darknesse out of the prison house And in another place he saith Vt dicetis his qui vincti sunt exite his qui in tenebris reuelamini That thou mayest say to the prisoners go foorth and to them that are in darknesse shewe your selues Saint Paul in a maner vseth the like phrase saying Before saith came we were kept vnder the lawe and shut vp vnto the faith which should afterwarde be reuealed Our sauiour Christe vseth it often where it is written The spirite of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annoynted me that I should preache the Gospell to the poore he hath sent me that I shoulde heale the broken hearted that I shoulde preache deliueraunce to the captiues and recoueryng of sight to the blinde that I shoulde set at libertie them that are bruised Saint Peter him selfe in the fourth Chapter folowing speaketh of this matter but yet in other wordes saying For vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached also vnto the dead that they myght be condemned accordyng to men in the fleshe but myght lyue accordyng to God in the spirite that is to say the Gospell was preached not to the dead bodyes in the graues nor to the soules in hell but to them of tyme past which nowe are dead to the entent that they might haue béen condemned or dead vnto sinne in the fleshe and might haue liued to God in the spirite which two are the effect of the Gospell And in his seconde Epistle he calleth them the worlde of the vngodly saying Neither hath spared the olde worlde but saued Noe the eyght person a preacher of righteousnesse and brought in the flood vppon the worlde of the vngodly c. So nowe we may perceaue by the conference of those places what Peter meaneth by the spirites that were in prison that are all those whiche were in the prison of sinne and death c. For Peters onely purpose in this place is to set foorth the vniuersall preaching of repentaunce which was preached in the tymes of Noe euen with the same open and vniuersall preachyng that was dooen in all the worlde in the tyme of Christ the sonne of God after his resurrection from the dead For the sonne of God did preache in the tyme of Noe in the spirite that is by his spirituall preachyng of repentaunce did call the spirites that were in prison that is those wicked men that were shutte vp in the prisone of wickednesse and synne and for their synfulnesse are worthie of death and hell So saieth Titleman Veniens ad illos incredulos homines qui tunc in tenebrosa caligine errorum snorum iacebant demersi â–ª veniens inquam spiritu praedicauit eis ad poenitentiam reuerti vt possent cum Noe saluari inspirando Prophetas Noe qui ex ore domini populum a mâ—lis reuocare quaerebant That is Commyng to those vnbeleuyng men whiche then did lye drowned in the darekenesse of their errours Commyng I saie in spirite did preache to them to tourne to repentaunce that thei might bee saued with Noe inspiryng the Prophetes and Noe did seeke to call the people backe from their euilnesse by the mouthe of god Also he setteth foorth the mercifull goodnesse and long sufferaunce in that he called theim to repentaunce by Noe whiles the Arke was a preparing by the space of a hundred and twentie yeres whiche leuitie goodnesse and long sufferaunce of GOD they did despise and neglecte for whiche the flood of Goddes vengeaunce came vpon them that were disobedient in the tymes of Noe. The verie texte it self plainly declareth that this exposition is true For if wee marke the woordes of the texte as they lye in order it will soone open Peters whole meanyng The wordes are these But was quickened in the spirit by whiche he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prisone then immediately followeth what those spirites were whiche saieth he were in time passed disobedient when once the longe sufferyng of God abode Now he sheweth when it was in the daies of Noe. Then he declareth the tyme and how long thei were disobediente while the Arke was preparyng saieth he Which latter wordes maketh it plaine For he saieth he preached in the spirite to the prisoners that were disobedient while the Arke was a makyng So that it appeareth that those prisoners were a liue at the makyng and preparyng of the Arke And duryng all that tyme of a 120. yeres Christe preached to them in his spirite by Noe the eight persone a preacher of righteousnesse to tourne them from their synnes and so bee saued And because they would not in their life tyme obey Gods worde are cast now after their life into iudgemente of hell fire as wee haue saied before And by the same argumente Peter goeth aboute to moue the Iewes by their example to bee obedient to Goddes callyng that calleth theim by his spirite through his Preachers and Ministers by his long sufferaunce to repentaunce and amendement of life whiles thei are here in the earth Otherwise for their disobedience nowe in their life tyme vnto the preachyng of his Ministers shall be damned after this life as thei are Christe our Sauiour dooeth teache this plainely at whose mouthe Peter learned this that nowe he hath taughte in this Epistle to the Iewes When as he spake of the ende of the worlde saiyng As the daies of Noe were so likewise shall the commyng of the sonne of man be For thei did eate and drinke marrie and giue in mariage vnto the daie that Noe entred into the Arke And knewe nothyng till the floodde came and tooke them awaie so also shall the commyng of the sonne of man bee And then immediatly after he giueth this coÌ„maundement to theÌ„ saiyng Wake therefore for ye knowe not what houre your maister will come Therefore bee ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the sonne of man come Nowe wee maie see that all this is spoken to that ende to moue vs by their example to tourne from our synnes and wicked life and not to proue hereby that the soules of any of the righteous before Christes commyng were in hell and so Christes soule must fetche them out whiche are but the imaginations of men For so saieth Erasmus Talia multa circa hanc adiecticiam particulam quidam commenti sunt narrantes quos Christus abduxerit quos ibi reliquerit quae quibus ad singulos circulos sit loquutus c That is Many suche maner of thinges haue certaine men
he saieth knowe ye that when the soule is departed from the body either is it by and by put in Paradise or els it is thruste into â—ell for hâ—â— synnes But to staie lonâ— vpon the foolishe and lippe labour praier for the dead it shall be needelesse for although they I meane the Papistes haue deuised diuers and sundry lyes as ye may â—eadâ— in their legends â–ª how that the soules of the dead appeared to their fréendes willyng them in any wise to proâ—â—â—e Masses and 〈◊〉 for them for that they were in the paines of 〈◊〉 and so vnder 〈…〉 robbed the peoples purses and did their soules lesse good â–ª yet I saie they haue no warrant in gods boke for their 〈◊〉 ¶ The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Against praiyng for the deade â–ª and apparitions of the dead after their departyng hence FOR if praier were so necessarie for the deade no doubte holy scripture would haue made mention thereof as it doeth of all other thynges needeful for vs to learne Sainct Paule saieth I would not haue you ignoraunt brethren concernyng theim which are a sleepe that ye sorowe not as men without hope for if we beleeue that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so theim which sleepe in Iesus will GOD bryng with hym and in the ende he concludeth with this Counsell wherefore comforte your selues one another with these wordes Here Paule had a good occasion to moue the people to praie for the dead if it had been necessarie for when he had comforted them with the hope of the resurrection he woulde haue saide comfort your freendes soules or the soules of the dead with your praiers almes déedes Masses Diriges but he neuer spake worde of all this but simplie saide comforte your selues one another in this life meanyng with the worde of God which certifieth vs that we shall all dye yet rise againe at the ioyfull and general resurrection with these our brethren and sisters and meete the Lorde in the Clowdes wherefore the Scripture saith the dead hath no parte in this world not in any worke vnder the Sunne Sainct Hierome vpon that place saieth the dead saith he can adde nothyng vnto that which they haue taken with them out of this life for they can neither doe good nor synne neither encrease in vertue nor vice c â–ª To what ende then doe our praiers extende or what good doth it them when in hell they can not increase in good nor in heauen to vertue so either it â—â—â—teth not or needeth not Sainct Ambrose saieth vpon these wordes I am a straunger in the earth as all my Fathers wâ—re therefore saieth he as a pilgrime he hasâ—ed to the common coâ—â—trie of the saintes He that hath not here receiued forgeuenesse of his sinnes shal not be there for he cannot come into euerlasting life for euerlastyng life is the forgiuenesse of our synnes But S. Ciprian plainely saieth Quando ist huc excessum fuerit nullus iam locus paenitentiae est nullus satisfactionis effectus Hic viâ—a aut amittitur auâ— tenetur hic saluti aeternâ— cultu dei fructu fidei prouidetur That is as muche to saie after we be once departed out of this life there is no more place of repentaunce there is no more effecte or workyng of satisfaction life is here either lost or won euerlastyng saluation is here prouided for by the due worshipping of God and the fruictes of faith and a litle before in this same place he saith againe Transierunt omnia illa tanquam vmbra erit tunc sine fructu paenitentiae dolor paena inanis ploratio inefficax depracatio That is all those thynges passe awaie as a shadowe meanyng pride riches vaineglory whiche he speaketh of before then he shall be without fruict of repentaunce grief of paine and in vaine weepyng shall be then and praier shall be of no force Thus good people you see by Scriptures and Fathers how vaine praier is for the deade but yet the Pope hath for money all thynges to sell. For as one saieth of Rome Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus omnia Romae cuÌ„ praetio Rome giueth al things to them that giue all thynges at Rome will passe for money for it is an olde saiyng Curia Romana non captat ouem sine lana The Courte of Rome will not take the shéepe without the â—leese And there full well was Rome painted out of his trade of marchaundise by one Baptista and yet he was no Caluenist but a Papist which saieth Vonalia nobis templa Sacerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis Thura praeces Caelum est venale Deusque That is amonges vs in Rome Churche Priestes Alters Masses Crownes Fire Incence praiers and heauen are set to sale yea God hymself among vs maie be had for monie But I leaue this for that the breath of Rome declareth his owne stinche the Lord hath opened all her sleightes that they which cannot see maie yet feele and vnderstande it Well by these testimonies then you maie see that praier for the dead auaileth nothyng and that the Popishe Priestes haue no Pater noster without a Penie And as for the apparitions of soules it is false for after they be deliuered of the burden of the fleshe thei are in ioye and felicitie and wander not abroade as foolishly is surmised Heare therefore what Saincte Chrisostome an aunciente doctour saieth to this Quid ergo respondebimus ad illas voces anima calis ego sum excipit non anima defunctiest quae ista dicet sed demon qui hec vt 〈…〉 decipiut effugit moâ—â— Quare â—â—ularum haec verba imò desipientium ducendit sunt patrorum ludibria iterum non potest anima a corpore separata in his regionibus errare iustorum anima in manu dei sunt infantium similiter non enim peccarunt Peccatorum verò post hunc exitum continâ—â— abducuntur quod à Lazaro Diuite planum efficitur c. That is what shall wee saie therefore to those voyces which saie I am suche a soule â–ª he aunswereth that voice that speaketh these thynges is not the soule of any person departed but it is the deuill which doth faine these thynges to deceiue the hearers wherefore suche wordes are to be counted olde wiues tales and foolishe fables of children for the soule separate from the body doth not wander in this worlde for the soules of the righteous are in the hande of God likewise soules of infantes for they haue not synned the soules of the synners after their departure are straight waie caried to their place whiche plainely appeareth by Lazarus the righteous and the wicked riche man. Saint Augustine also saith that the spirite of Samuel which the woman sorcerer raysed to Saul was noâ— the soâ—le of Samuell but the deuyll which appeared in Samuelâ— likenesse for to deceyue Saul And therfore he pronounceth playnly
must we be in the resurrection These wordes shal the easlier be vnderstanded if we will consider and marke that the whole life of our sauiour Christe ought to serue vs in stéede of an Allegorie wherby we should make our selues conformable vnto hym spiritually in those thynges that haue been truely and really or in very deede fulfilled in his body and can in no wise be fulfilled in ours As for an example our sauiour Christ hath been conceaued by the holy ghoste borne of the virgine Marie he hath been crucified and put to death he did rise againe the thirde daie and ascended into heauen All those thynges cannot be performed nor fulfilled in our bodies as they were in his But let vs endeuour our selues that our spirite or inwarde man maie be fashioned and made conformable vnto hym in these thinges Our bodies are conceaued and borne in synne not by the holy Ghoste nor in the wombe of a virgine as our Sauiour Christe was but they are conceaued by the carnall copulation of man and woman and of corruptible seede That wee maie therefore be conformable vnto hym in this pointe let vs come vnto his true Churche and beléeue his gospell And when we be in the true Churche of Christe whiche is both our mother and a chaste virgine wee shal be conceaued and begotten in it by the vncorruptible seede of the worde of God our heauenlie father and by the vertue of his holy spirite and shal be borne againe the children of god and made newe creatures we shall put of the olde man and put one the newe bearyng the image of the newe Adam whiche is Iesus Christ as we haue borne the image of the olde Adam and of the man of synne After that we be thus conceaued by the holy ghoste and borne of a virgine which is the true Church and spouse of our sauiour christ the residue of our life must also be conformable vnto the life of our sauiour christ as our spirituall conception and birth is We be not crucified and put to death as he was but we learne of him to beare the Crosse with hym and to be crucified vnto the world that the world may be crucified vnto vs as Sainct Paule writeth of hym selfe But to be crucified and dead vnto the world is to be crucified and dead vnto sinne And to be crucified and dead vnto synne is to forsake synne to haue no more acquaintaunce with it and to be no more a seruaunte vnto it then the dead bee wonte to serue the liuyng For as the dead hath no more to doe with the liuyng but are separated from them so thei be dead vnto the world that haue forsaken it for to serue the liuyng God and that will not fasshion themselues after it nor walke after the fleshe and the concupiscence of it Now it is vnpossible that they that be thus dead vnto the worlde should not liue vnto God and that the worlde shoulde not be dead vnto them As contrariwise thei that liue vnto the worlde and the worlde vnto them they are dead vnto GOD As Sainte Paul hath written of the widowe that liueth in pleasure saiyng that widowe that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet aliue Bicause she liueth vnto the worlde and is dead vnto God that was the meanyng of our sauiour Christ when he saide to the yong man that would goe and burie his father let the dead burie their dead folow thou me wheÌ„ we die then vnto the worlde we rise againe vnto God. Againe wee practise spiritually in vs the example of the death of Christ when we doe mortifie our earthy members when we offer our bodies a liuely sacrifice vnto god when we doe slaie with the sworde of Gods worde and also burne with the fire of his spirite our concupiscences and carnal affections whiche are the brute beastes that we sacrifice vnto God that the offeryng and sacrifice of our bodies may be reasonable Therefore we dye with our Sauiour Christ when we do kill and mortifie our olde Adam we doe also rise againe with hym when we doe put on Iesus christ and be apparelled with hym when we serue to righteousnes and despise this worlde with all the pompe and pride thereof hauyng our myndes and conuersation in heauen where we doe seeke for our â—auiour Iesu Christe fittyng on the right hande of God the father The Apostles and specially Saint Paul doe teache vs that we ought after this maner to apply and set before vs the death and resurrection of our sauiour Christ of a liuely image and paterne of the Christian and spirituall life And do declare vnto vs that baptisme is a sacrament of all these thynges For the water that is powred vpon vs in baptisme it is firste and formost vnto vs a certificat signe token and seale of the free remission and forgeuenesse of our sinnes and of the holy ghost who is the liuely water that washeth and cleanseth our consciences from synne as the visible water doth washe away the filthines of the body Moreouer it is a sacrament of repentaunce which teacheth vs that as the water doeth come vpon vs as it were for to couer and ouerwhelme vs so it behoueth that our olde man of synne be drowned as Pharao and the Egiptians were drowned in the red Sea and that we must be buried with our sauiour Christe But in this that the water doth not remaine still vpon our heades nor yet drowne vs it is thereby signified vnto vs that the repentaunce and mortifiyng that god doeth require of vs is not vnto death but vnto life so that by death he maketh vs to enter into life as the children of Israell goyng through the red Sea were brought out of seruitude and boundage in to a goodly libertie And as our sauiour Christ did by his death and crosse enter into the glory of his father And so the grace and mercie of God are not only represented vnto vs in our baptisme we are not onely by it grafted in his Testament and receiued into his church but also we haue there the sacrament of the death buriyng and resurrection of our sauiour Christ and of our death buriyng and resurrection with hym We haue also there repentaunce and of remission of synnes and the summe of the whole doctrine of the Gospell and also a liuely image of al the whole christian life preached vnto vs. But to come againe to our purpose After that our sauiour Christe had by manye tokens and signes declared that he was truely risen againe for he was by the space of .xl. daies after his resurrection alwaies conuersaunt with his Apostles and disciples eatyng and drinkyng with them and biddyng them to handle and feele his body and for a further proofe or trial to put their fingers into his woundes that they might bee in no doubt but that it was the same selfe
body that he died and was buried in ¶ The .xij. Chapiter ¶ Of Christes ascention into heauen and how it is saide that he sitteth at the right hand of god c. And after what maner he is here amongest vs. AND he did most triumphantly in the sight of al his Apostles and Disciples ascende vp into heauen where a clowde receaued hym vp out of their sight the Angels testifiyng that as he was taken vp from vs into heauen so he shall be séene come againe at the dreadfull daie of iudgement when he shall being accompanied with his holy angels come downe to iudge both the quicke and the dead In the meane season we must not thinke though he hath taken the reall presence of his body away from vs that therfore he hath forsaken vs or that he doth not assist ayde and helpe his chosen and elect as long as they be pylgrimes and straungers here in the earth For according to his promise ▪ he is alwayes with vs vnto the worldes ende Which thing must be vnderstanded of his godly power and inuisible grace So doeth Saint Augustine saie Secundum presentiam maiestatis semper habomus christum Accordyng to the presence or as he is God we haue alwaies christ with vs againe he saieth in the same place Nam secundum maiestatem suam secundum prouidentiam secundum ineffabilem et inuisibilem gratiam impletur quod ab e◠dictum est ecce ego vobiscū sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem seculi That is to saie in englishe as concernyng his diuine maiestie his prouidence his inestimable and inuisible grace these words are fulfilled that were spoken by hym beholde I am with you all the daies of your life vnto the worldes ende For as touching his humanitie or manhoode he is absent from vs and wyll be to the worldes ende vntyll he shall be séene visibly of all fleshe to come againe thereto accordeth S. Augustine saiyng Secundum presentiam carnis recte dictum est discipulis sui◠me autem non semper habebitis Accordyng to the presence of his fleshe or body it was rightly and truely saide vnto his disciples mée you shal not haue alwaies For it is to be noted that as he is both God and man so touchyng his manhoode or humanitie that he tooke in the virgines wombe ▪ he is in all thynges like vnto vs synne onely beyng excepted as the holie apostle doth write saiyng he tooke not on him Angels but the séede of Abraham that in all thinges he might be like vnto his brethren As then he did hunger and thirst in the same body was subiect to all maner of infirmities that we his brethren are subiect vnto sinne alwayes being excepted therefore Barnarde very pretily sayde Christe loued vs dulcior sapientior fortior Swéetely in that he toke our fleshe vpon him wisely in that hée had no sinne by takyng our nature vppon him strongly in that he vanquished Sathan death and sinne So hauing fulfylled the thinges that he toke it for he dyd cary it vp into heauen and there he sitteth in the same humaine body being nowe glorified and immortall on the right hande of God the father Almightie which is as much to say as that he is exalted aboue the heauens hauing receaued a full aucthoritie and power ouer all creatures both in heauen and in earth and raigning there in glorie with the father tyll his enimies be made his footstoole For when we heare that Christ is set downe on the right hande of his father we must put all grosse imaginations out of our mindes We must beware that we imagine not that God the father is set downe as an earthly king in some visible and materiall seate and that Iesus Christ is set downe by him in another as his son or one of his princes and lordes Againe we must not thinke that God the father in his diuine essence hath a right hande and a left hande with other humayne lymmes as we sée mortall men to haue For that were to fall into the heresie of the Antropomorphites but rather we must marke that it is spoken by a similitude being borowed of princes and kinges of the worlde For as a king doth commonly cause that man to sit by him and at his right hande whom he wyll most honour and vnto whom he wyll geue most aucthoritie and power so we do vnderstande by these wordes that our Sauiour Christe is exalted aboue all creatures and that he hath power geuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth and that he raigneth with the father hauing equall power with him Or by the right hande of God we may right well vnderstande with Saint Augustine the place of felicitie and ioye where our Sauiour Christ doth raigne nowe in glorie with the holy angels and with all the blessed spirites and soules of the chosen and elect of God As contrarywise by his left hand the state and condition of the reprobate is vnderstanded and signified vnto vs. Againe it is not knowen to them that reade the scriptures that to syt is many tymes taken for to be in quiet peace and rest as when Moyses saith to the children of Gad and of Ruben Shall your brethren go foorth vnto the warre and ye syt here Againe in the prophete Euery man shall syt vnder his Figge trée When we say then that our Sauiour Christ is set downe we do vnderstande that he is after the paynefull labours of this life and the wofull death of the crosse entred into a ioyfull and quiet rest where he shal be touching his humanitie and manhoode as lorde and head ruler of all creatures both in heauen and in the earth vntyl the time that all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophetes since the worlde began be restored againe as the holy Apostle saint Peter doth testifie vnto vs in the Actes For a better vnderstanding of the whole matter and also that the ignoraunt and simple persons may the better auoyde the subtile trickes of the deuyls Sophistrie which is wont to dasill the eyes of the vnlearned with this like argumentes The right hand of God is taken for his almightie power but his almightie power is can be euery where Ergo sith that Christ touchyng his manhoode is on the right hand of God the humanitie or manhoode of Christe can be euery where It is to be noted and marked that the right hand of God is taken two maner of waies First by it the almightie power of God is vnderstanded as when Moyses doeth saie in his Canticle Thine hande Lorde is glorious thine hande hath all too dashed the enimie And in the Actes of the Apostles Saint Peter saieth him hath God lift vp with his right hande In these places and such like the right hande of god is taken for his almighty power wherwith he
howe that their obiection is friuolous and vaine and to no purpose but onely to deceiue the symple and ignoraunt All the foure Euangelistes doe also witnesse vnto vs that these are christes wordes from hencefoorth the sonne of man shal be sittyng on the right hande of the power of god And I went out from the father and came into the worlde and I leaue the worlde againe and go vnto the father The blessed Euangeliste saint Marke doeth write on this maner When the Lorde had spoken vnto them hee was receaued into heauen and sate hym downe on the right hand of god These wordes haue we written in Luke he led them out into Bethanie and lift vp his handes and blessed them And it came to passe as he blessed them he departed from them and was caried vp into heauen But he doeth so liuely set out the matter I meane the ascendyng vp of Christ into heauen in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles that thei may be ashamed to open their mouthes for to saie that the body of Christe is still here in earth whersoeuer their holy annointed do blowe vpon a peece of bread or vpon a wafer cake Againe when the blessed Apostle saint Paul doeth byd vs to seeke Christe he biddeth vs not to seeke for hym in the Sacrament but aboue in heauen where hee sitteth on the right hande of the father If ye be saith he risen againe with christ seeke those thynges whiche are aboue where Christe sitteth on the right hand of God. And in a nother place Our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for the Sauiour euen the Lorde Iesu Christ whiche shall chaunge our vile bodies that they maie be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie By these wordes we do plainely learne that Christ is not onely in heauen touchyng his manhoode but that he shall also when he cōmeth againe make our vile and corruptible bodies like vnto his glorious body Whereby it shoulde folowe if the body of our Sauiour Christe beyng glorified and immortall can be euery where or in mo places then in one at once that our bodies also sith that they shall be made like vnto his glorious body could be euery where and in all places after the generall resurrection whereby the same that the Apostle doeth speake of here shal be performed and fulfilled But this absurditie is so greate that no christian euer is able to heare it Christe hym selfe willyng that we should seeke hym none other where but in heauen and also armyng vs against those false Prophetes that should go about to perswade vs that he is here styll vpon the earth doth saie these wordes Take heede I haue tolde you before if they shal saie vnto you beholde he is in the deserte go not foorth beholde he is in the secrete places beléeue not Why should we then at these antichristes bidding runne from aulter to aulter and from pixe to pixe for to seeke our Sauiour Christe Ought we not rather to doe as we reade that an olde auncient father did vnto whom the deuill did appeare in the likenes of Christe saiyng beholde thy Lorde and thy Kyng This good olde auncient father hearing this blasphemous voice did shut vp his eyes saiyng I will not see my Lorde and my Kyng in this worlde For he hymselfe euen my Sauiour and redéemer did geue me warning that if any should say that he were in the desert or in some secrete places I shoulde not beléeue it And so the foule spirite did by and by vanishe away from him If we woulde do the like when these false annoynted do most lyingly say vnto vs Beholde Christ is in this aulter or in that aulter he is in this pixe or that pixe this abominable spirite of idolatrie wherby the christian people is pluckt away from the true worshipping of God to the honouring and worshipping of a péece of bread which being a good creature of God thei make a stincking idol should seene vanishe away from vs. But heare yet what Saint Paul saith Christe hauyng in his owne person purged our sinnes sitteth on the ryght hande of the maiestie in the highest places And in another place he saith This man after that he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sitteth for euer at the right hande of God and from hencefoorth tarieth til his enimies be made his footstoole Let vs but marke this last saying of Paul. For here hée doth teache vs that our Sauiour Iesus Christ after that he had perfourmed done the thing wherefore he had put on our frayle nature he did take it vp into heauen where he sitteth down in it on the right hand of the maiestie of god not for a yere or two or for to be here at euery papistes becke almost euery houre of the day but for euer euen tyll his enimies be made his footstoole which thing shall neuer be tyll the worldes ende In the meane season let vs folowe the commaundement of the Apostle where he saith Whensoeuer ye eate of this bread and drinke of this cup ye shall shewe foorth the Lordes death tyll he come These wordes tyll he come must be vnderstanded either of his manhoode or of his Godhead But of his Godhead they can not be vnderstanded for touching it he is wheresoeuer two or three are gathered in his name much more where the whole congregation of the faithfull be assembled together for to heare his worde and to receaue his holy Sacramentes They must then of necessitie be vnderstanded of his manhoode which if it were there the Apostle néeded not to say tyll he come for he shoulde be there already present These places and other like whiche I néede not nowe to bring in for I haue witnesses enowe for their foure of the which yet two do make directly against them do sufficiently declare that these wordes of our Sauiour Christ This is my body ought not to be taken in that sence and signification that they will haue vs to take them for First and formost let vs marke the whole tenour of the wordes Christe our Sauiour saieth This is my body whiche is geuen for you Here he speaketh of a mortall body which in all thynges was like vnto our bodyes synne onely excepted and whiche hath a due proportion of lymmes with all other dimensions that pertaine to an humaine bodye and without the whiche it could be no humaine body And I doe beléeue that he did rise againe and was glorified in the same body hauyng his due proportion of lymmes and all other dimensions still that doe pertaine to mans bodie I beléeue also that the same body though it be now immortall is still of a iust height length breadth and thickenesse hauing a head armes handes and feete and all other members that are required in a perfect mans body Whiche thyng they will confesse excepte that they will affirme with Martion that Christe
contradiction or resistaunce But the scriptures do teache vs cleane contrary For they all testifie vnto vs that Christe our Sauiour hauyng offered one oblation or sacrifice for synnes is set downe on the right hande of God for euer tariyng there till his fooes be made his footstoole as it hath been sufficiently proued before Thei doe therefore alledge in vaine the omnipotencie and almightie power of God for to proue thereby their deuillishe and moÌ„strous opinioÌ„ beyng in this point like vnto the anabaptistes which wheÌ„ thei be so sore pressed with the scirptures that they knowe not whiche waie to escape doe flye streight waie vnto the spirite hauyng then none other thyng in their mouthes but the spirite the spirite So these ioly felowes when they be beaten with the scriptures that they haue not one worde to saie will by and by with a great circumstaunce of wordes and fetchyng aboute alledge the omnipotencie and almightie power of God settyng foorth his wonderous works miracles that he hath wrought by it that so they may vnder the shadowe of them deceaue and blinde the poore vnlearned people whiche haue no vnderstandyng nor perceiueraunce of thynges These be for the moste parte the goodly argumentes and reasons that they doe vse if god hath doen this thyng or that thyng then will they bryng in some excellent miracle that god did worke in tymes paste may not he by his omnipotencie and mightie power bring to passe that the natural body of his sonne Christe should be in the Sacrament ye may see howe these newe fangled felowes do most shamefully deny the omnipotencie of God. These and other like thynges they doe daiely vomite out againste the true ministers of Gods worde in their railyng bookes and vpon their Alebenche where as they themselues are vtter enimies and subuerâ—ours of the omnipotencie and almightie power of god For thei do preache and daily shewe teache and write and also with fyre and sworde compell men to beléeue that christe can not geue vnto vs his fleshe to eate excepte his naturall body that he tooke of the virgine Marie that died vpon the crosse and ascended vp into heauen be there in the Sacrament â–ª really and substancially in déede more like a monstrous thyng then an humaine body Wheras on the contrarie we doe both beléeue and teache that our sauiour christ is able by his euerlasting and almighty spirite whensoeuer we doe worthely receiue his Sacrament to feede with his most precious flesh and blood both our soules and bodies vnto life euerlastyng and yet that hee needeth not therefore to come downe from heauen nor to be after suche a monstrous fashion in the sacramentall bread and wine For as the blood of our sauiour christ doth cleanse vs from all our synnes and yet we neede not to haue it really present with vs for to be washed or bathed in it so Christ our sauiour accordyng to his promise doeth daily or whensoeuer we doe come worthely to his holy Table feede both our bodies and soules with the wholsome and heauenly foode of his pretious body and blood and this doeth he by his eternall and almightie spirite so that he needeth not therefore to come downe at the becke and commaundement of euery iuglyng Papiste and to be really present in a péece of their sterched breade after that they haue with gapyng and blowyng spoken foure or fiue wordes vpon it Let any man that hath any sparke of the spirite of GOD iudge whether this maner of feedyng vpon the body and blood of Christ in the holy Sacrament whiche as I saide is doen by his eternall spirite doth not in all poinctes agrée with the holy Scriptures and with the almightie power of God who is neuer wont sith that of his owne nature he is most true to do or worke any thyng againste his owne worde and sacred Scriptures wherby we are certified that the heauens muste holde our Sauiour Christe till all thynges be restored againe that God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophetes since the worlde began The examples that they doe bryng of the walkyng of our Sauiour Christ vpon the waters or of his commyng in to his disciples and apostles when the doores were faste shut if they be well considered and looked vppon it shal be easie for to perceaue and vnderstande that they make nothyng for them but rather against them For when our Sauiour Christe did walke vpon the Sea although he did it by his diuine and godly power yet had he at the same present houre his true and naturall body with due proportion of lymmes and all other dimensions that doe pertaine to a mans body so that he coulde then be seene with the bodily eyes of his apostles taken vp sensibly into the Boate that they were in But no suche thyng will thei alowe in their monstrous being of christe his true and naturall body in their Sacrament Therefore this example maketh not for them but against them Now againe where they saie that our Sauiour Christ did go in to his apostles through the doores beyng faste shut here they make a shamefull lye For neither in the Gréeke nor in the Latine we shal finde that it is written through the doores beyng fast shut but the doores beyng shut or when the doores were fast shut Whereby the Euangelist doth signifie vnto vs the tyme that our Sauiour Christe came in to his disciples For therby may we vnderstande that it was verie late in the night when he came in to them as when any of vs doth saye I came home by candle light or when all the doores were fast shut yet no man is so foolishe as for to construe vppon his wordes that he had light borne afore hym or that he went in through the doores but by this maner of speaking we be wont to gather that it was late in the night when he came home Moreouer we do reade in the booke of the Actes that the apostles were put in the common prison at Hierusalem but the angell of the Lorde by night opened the doores of the prison and brought them foorth the doores of the prison beyng shut fast againe as sure as it was possible and yet none of the kéepers that were standyng without before the doores and kéeping them with al diligence did espie it when it was doen. Likewise in the same booke we finde written that when Herode would haue brought foorth Peter for to put hym to death the angell of the Lorde did come vnto hym as he slept betweene twoo souldiours bounde with two chaines and the keepers that watched and warded the prison standyng without before the doores And as soone as the angell smote Peter on the side and waked him his chaines fel of from his handes and also that when he and the angell were paste the firste and seconde watche and were come to
him Againe as if a wilfull and rebellious subiect should no more esteeme or regarde his princes seale than other coÌ„mon waxe or haue it in no greater reuerence than the seale of some priuate man it might rightly be saide that he maketh no difference of his princes person that is to say that he doth no more estéeme him than he doeth other men yet it néedeth not that the kinges person be there really present So when we come to the Lordes boorde if we do take vnreuerently the misticall bread and wine as other common meates appoincted for the belly then make we no difference of the Lordes body we doe not esteeme the worthines price and vertue of it which in the holy misteries is so freely and so liberally offered vnto vs. And therefore it is no marueile that in steede of grace in steede of forgeuenesse of our sinnes and of life euerlastyng we doe eate and drinke our owne damnation They saieth sainct Paul that sinne after that they haue receaued the knowledge of the trueth loking for another sacrifice for sinnes do esteeme the blood of the Testament as a prophane and vnholy thyng that is to saie they make no difference of it they haue it in no more estimation then the blood of Calues and of Goates He that would gather vpon this place that they haue the blood of Christe really among them were a very Idiot foole and well worthy to be laughed to scorne of all men In like maner although the vnworthy receauers of the sacramentes doe eate and drinke there their owne damnation bicause that they make no difference of the Lordes body yet it foloweth not therefore that the body of Christ must needes be there really present vnder the formes of bread and wine Yea if it were there or if the bread and wine were really the body and blood of our Sauiour Christe the vnworthy receauers could not eate and drinke there their owne damnation but rather they should eate life and drinke life sith that the trueth hymself doth saie he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life euerlastyng Againe he that eateth mée liueth through mee And therefore sainct Augustine saieth The Sacrament of the vnitie of the body and blood of Christe is taken from the Lordes body to some men vnto life euerlastyng and to some men vnto destruction But the thyng it selfe whereof it is a Sacrament is to all men vnto saluation and vnto no man to destruction whosoeuer is partaker of it These wordes are plaine and doe sufficiently declare vnto vs that if the bodye and blood of our Sauiour Christ were really present vnder the formes of bread and wine or that the bread wine were transubstantiated or really chaunged into the naturall bodye and blood of Christe the vnworthy receauers coulde not eate and drinke their owne damnation but rather as I saide before they shoulde eate and drinke life euerlastyng and haue saluation For the fleshe and blood of Christ whereof the bread and wine are Sacramentes is to all men vnto saluation and to no man vnto destruction as we learne here by S. Augustines wordes ¶ The .xix. Chapiter ¶ Whether the Papistes haue still the â—ame body in the Sacrament that was giuen vpon the Crosse. NOw that I haue sufficiently aunswered to their obiections I will aske them this question whether they haue still the same body that Christâ— did geue at his last supper or not I am sure that they will aunswere that they haue still the same body Then will I aske them againe whether the body that Christ did geue at his last supper was mortall or immortall If they saie that it was immortall they shal be proued liars by the Scriptures whiche doe testifie vnto vs that his body that he tooke of the virgine Marie was put to death the next daie If they saie that it was mortall sith that they haue the same still in their Sacrament it shoulde folowe that the body of Christ were not yet glorified but mortall still and subiect vnto death They are driuen to confesse either the one or the other that is to say that either it was mortall or immortall For it could not be both at one time no not when he did shewe a taste of his glorie vnto his disciples vpon the mount Thabor For as Vigilius Martyr saith One nature or substaunce can not receaue diuers and contrary things in it selfe at one time Therfore let them geue what aunswere soeuer thei will thei can not escape but that thei shal be proued most shamefull lyars both wayes and that the body that thei boast them selues to haue in their Sacrament can not be the true body of Christe that he toke in the virgins wombe of whom he toke his vndefiled substaunce for as it was then mortal when he did institute his holy Supper so is it nowe glorified and immortall and in it doth our Sauiour Christ fit nowe on the right hande of the father for euer tyll his enimies be made his footstoole But a newe phantasticall body of their owne imagination and forging haue thei and none other If thei will flee to the omnipotencie or almightie power of God as thei be woont to do alwayes when thei are put to their trompes thei haue learned before howe farre foorth it will helpe them The almightie power of God and his sacred and holy worde are so ioyned and knit together that as he is able to do whatsoeuer he doth promise in his worde so will he do nothing nor can do nothing that is contrarie vnto it as the wordes of Theodoretus by me alledged before do sufficiently declare Againe wheÌ„ our Sauiour Christe did at his last Supper institute his holy Sacrament he was there present him selfe in his true and naturall body talking with his Apostles and also eating and drinking with them of the mysticall bread and of the mysticall cup of the which being insensible creatures voluit dicere per gratiam he did vouchsafe through grace to say This is my body and This is my blood For as he had befoâ—e called his body Wheate and bread and him selfe a Uine so did he then honour the bread and the wine with the names 〈◊〉 his body and blood Chrisostome saith also before the bread be â—â—â—ctified we call it bread but after that by the meane of the 〈◊〉 the heaueÌ„ly grace hath halowed it it is discharged from the name of bread and is vouchsaued to be called by the name of our Lordes body notwithstanding the nature of the bread remayneth still Ireneus saith Christe confessed bread which is a creature to be his body and the cup to be his blood Reade Ciprian ad magnum which speaketh most plainely hereof also Shall they not be faine to saie then if they will haue their doctrine to stande that Christ had then twoo bodies one that did eate and drinke and the
other that was eaten vp and drunken euen of his owne selfe The body of Christ say they only when it is glorified and immortall can be euery where or in mo places then in one at once but it was not then glorified nor yet immortall for why he died the next day after howe coulde it be then all at once sitting at the boorde and in the handes and mouthes of all his Apostles rounde about him As for the first absurditie thei go about to put away by S. Augustines wordes which are these Christ was borne in his owne handes when commending or deliuering his body he did say This is my body For he did beare the same body in his owne handes As it is then no absurditie to say that Christ did beare him selfe or the same body that he gaue them in his owne handes so it ought to seeme no straungenesse if we say according to the scriptures and the fathers that christ did eate his owne body For as being borne in his owne handes he did declare that there was somewhat in him more excellent than in other men which though thei can be borne with other mens handes yet thei can not be borne in their owne so by eating his owne body which thing no mortall man is able to do he did shewe openly that he coulde worke aboue the possibilitie of man. I am well content to graunt that Christ our Sauiour did eate his owne body as he did beare him self in his own hands But howe was he borne in his owne handes For when he did coÌ„mende or deliuer the same body of his and also his blood he toke that in his handes which the faithfull do knowe and bare him selfe after a certayne maner when he did say This is my body These are Saint Augustines very wordes as hée wrote them also whereby he doth let vs to vnderstande how we ought to take his wordes before For adding this worde quodammodo after a maner he doth signifie therby how Christ did beare his fleshe in his owne handes that is to say Sacramentally For as he saieth in another place Except the Sacramentes shoulde haue a similitude of the thinges whereof thei be Sacramentes thei shoulde be no Sacramentes and by reason of this similitude or likenesse thei receaue many times the names of the things whereof thei be Sacramentes For as the Sacrament of the body of Christ is Secundum quendam modum after a certaine maner â–ª the body of Christ and the Sacrament of his blood his blood so is the Sacrament of faith faith By the Sacrament of faith he vnderstandeth baptisme which because of the similitude or affinitie that it hath with the thing whereof it is a Sacrament is called by the name of it When he saith then that Christe did beare him selfe in his owne handes after a certaine maner his meaning is that he did beare the Sacrament of his body But then peraduenture thei will say againe that if it were so Christ did no more then another man is able to do For any man is able to beare the signes of his owne body It is true that any man is able to beare his owne signe but we speake here of a sacrament which bringeth with it self the efficacie nature vertue strength of the thing that it is a Sacrament of For which properties it taketh the name of the thing it selfe which can not be sayde of the bare signe of a mans body Therefore all that the papistes are able to bring here for to â—asill the eyes of the simple and ignoraunt people is méere sophistication and iuggling Yet I am in doubt that thei will replie and say If a Sacrament doth bring with it selfe the nature efficacie vertue and strength of the thing that it is a Sacrament of being because of those properties called by the name of the thing it selfe what needeth Christ to eate the Sacrament of his owne body whose nature propertie and vertue is to worke bring life Was not Christ the life it selfe Chrisostome writing vpon the blessed Euangelist Saint Matthewe doth say That Christ him selfe did communicate that is to say eate drinke of the mysticall bread and wine for to make his Apostles to receaue the misteries without any maner feare or dread of conscience For before when he spake of the eatyng of his fleshe and of the drinkyng of his blood many being offended with that forsooke him and went away Left then the same shoulde happen nowe he did eate drinke with them of those visible creatures of the whiche he did say through grace as Epiphanius writeth This is my body and this is my blood Besides this thei will not denie that baptisme is a Sacrament wherin the worthy receauers are renewed by the holy ghost doe receaue free remission of their synnes and are made the children of God. Was not christ that newe Adam whom all we that séeke to be renewed must put on And vnto whom the holy Ghost was not geuen by measure Was not he that vnspotted Lambe in whose mouth no guile was founde was not he the true and naturall sonne of God What needed hee then to be baptized Had not he aboundantly and of his owne nature all those thynges that are geuen vnto vs in baptisme And yet did he with the Publicanes and Synners come to Iohn Baptiste for to be baptized of hym in the water of Iordane Therfore as he was baptized for to sanctifie our baptisme and for to certifie vs that we should al be baptized most truely and moste effectuously in his baptisme that he was baptized withall in his passion which was his death and bloodshedding whereby we are purged from all our synnes So besides the cause alledged before of Sainct Chrisostome he woulde communicate with vs that is to saie eate and drinke of the misticall bread and of the misticall wine for to signifie vnto vs sith that he was not onely partaker with vs of the coÌ„mon meates and drinkes but also of the holy misteries whiche he himselfe had instituted and ordeined that we are in deede fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones and that therefore we neede not to feare or to doubt if we continue stil his true members vnto the ende feedyng in those misteries whiche he hym selfe woulde be partaker of vppon his fleshe and blood through a liuely faithe but that we shal be partakers with hym both in bodies and soules of the glorie and ioyes of his heauenly kingdome Now as touching the seconde absurditie I knowe that for the auoydyng of it they will flée to the common refuge that is to saie vnto the omnipotencie of God whiche as I saide wil helpe them no further than their doctrine doth agrée with the holy Scriptures whiche testifie vnto vs that the body of Christ is in all thinges like vnto ours synne onely beyng excepted
asmuche as we haue soules fastened vnto our bodies therfore God geueth vs thynges spirituall vnder thinges visible Sainct Augustine to put all out of doubte that we eate not grosly nor drynke verily or carnally the body and blood of Christe as the Papiste affirmeth saith these wordes Non hoc corpus quod videtâ—s manducaturi estis bibiturs illud sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me cruciâ—igent Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendaui That is to saie Ye shal not eate this body that ye sâ—e mee to haue nor yet shal ye drinke that blod whiche they shall shed that crucifie mee it is a sacrament that I geue or deliuer vnto you therefore hee â—aide in his tracâ—es vppon Iohn Aliud est sacramentum aliud res sacramenti The sacrament is one thyng and the thyng of the sacrament is another Wherefore he geueth this lesson to all saiyng In sacramentis videndum est no quid sint sed quid significent In the sacramentes wee maie not looke what they are but what they doe signifie Nowe all men may see howe shamefully the papistes doe belye vs saying and writyng that we do make of the Sacrament but a bare figure and signe For this is our faith and beléefe that if a man doth truely examine himself that is to say ponder weigh and consider with his owne mynde whether he acknowledgeth him selfe to be a sinner or not and whether he hath an inwarde gréefe and an vnfayned repentaunce or sorow for his sinnes whether he hath forgiuen from the bottome of his heart all his enimies and reconciled him selfe vnto them that he hath offended whether he be determined to restore againe vnto his neighbour al that he hath taken away from him wrongfully by any maner of meanes whether he be mynded for the loue that he beareth vnto God to liue afterwardes vertuously according to his holy coÌ„maundements forsaking sinne and the worlde but aboue all thinges whether he hath a true faith in the mercie of God and in the name of his sonne Iesu Christ and whether he beleueth stedfastly that Iesus Christe is his only sauiour redéemer intercessour aduocate and mediatour betwixt God and him finally whether he hath a desire to liue and dye in the onely doctrine of Christ forsaking all other false and erronious doctrines with all kinde of deuillishe superstition and idolatrie and so eate of this bread and drinke of this cup our faith I say and beléefe is that such a man doeth féede most effectuously vppon the body and blood of Christe our onely sauiour and yet it néedeth not therefore that his naturall body and blood be really present vnder the formes of bread and wine For as in the holy Sacrament of baptisme if it be duely ministred and worthely taken we receaue the holy ghost by whom we are renued or made newe creatures we obtayne frée remission forgeuenesse of our sinnes and are apparelled with Christ whom we do put on there and yet no man wyll say that the water is any of these thinges or that it is turned into them So in the holy misteries when we come worthely vnto them we are most wholsomly fed with the precious bodye and blood of our sauiour Christ yet if we shoulde say that it coulde not be doen vnlesse the bread and wine were transubstantiated into the very body and blood of Christ or except his body and blood be there really present vnder the formes of bread and wine we might moste iustely be likened vnto the Iewishe ruler and gouernour whiche thought that excepte Christ should come in his owne person his sonne could not be healed For christe our sauiour is able by the vertue of his holy institution and by the mightie workyng of his eternall spirite to doe all these thinges as he sitteth on the right hande of his father And for the obiections that some make out of Chrisostome where he saieth doest thou see bread doest thou see wine doe they auoyde beneath as other meates doe God forbid think not so for as waxe if it be put into the fire it is made like the fire no substaunce remainyng nothyng is lefte so here also thinke thou that the misteries be consumed by the substaunce of the body they are easyly aunswered and yet our papistes thinke by these wordes of Chrisostome that they haue the conquest because he saith that we sée no bread nor wine but as waxe in the fire they be consumed to nothing so that no substaunce remayneth If thei had rehearsed no more but the very next sentence that foloweth in Chrisostome which craftyly and deuillishly they leaue out the meanyng of the Doctour would easyly haue appeared which wordes that folowe are these Wherfore saith he when you come to these misteries do not thinke that you receaue by a man the bodye of Christe but that with tonges ye receaue fire by the Angels Seraphin Thinke that the blood of saluation floweth out of the pure and godly side of Christ and so comming to it receaue it with pure lippes casting downe your eyes liftyng vp your mindes mournyng priuily without speache and reioysing in our heartes Nowe if the papistes wyll gather of the wordes by them recited that there is neither bread nor wine in the Sacrament then we may aswel gather of the wordes that folowe that there is neither Priest nor Christes body For as in the former sentence Chrisostome saieth that we maye not thinke that we see bread and wine so in the seconde sentence he saith that we may not thinke that we receaue the body of Christ of the priestes handes Nowe if vpon the seconde sentence the papistes will say it can not be truely gathered that in the holy coÌ„munion there is not the body of Christe ministred by the Priest then must they confesse also that it can not be well and truely gathered vpon the first sentence that there is no bread nor wine But all these thynges be together in the holy Communion Christ hym selfe spiritually eaten and drunken and norishyng the right beléeuers the bread and wine as a sacrament declaryng the same and the priest as a minister thereof wherfore Chrisostome meant not absolutely to deny that there is bread and wine or to deny vtterly the Priest and the body of Christe to be there But his intent was to drawe our myndes vp towards heauen that we should not consider so much the bread wine Priest and body of Christe as we should consider his diuinitie holy spirite geuen vnto vs to our eternall saluation And therefore in the same place he vseth so many tymes these wordes Thinke and Thinke not willyng vs by these wordes that we should not fixe or set our thoughtes and mindes vpon bread wine Priest nor Christes body but to lift vp our heartes higher vnto his spirite and diuinitie without the whiche his body auaileth nothyng as he saieth hym selfe It is the spirite that geueth
giue eare to Paule and in respecte of this spirite the Prophet saith Erunt omnes docti a Deo Thei shal bee all taught of god Who so euer besides dooeth not beleue that the doctrine of the holie ghoste conteined in the olde and newe Testament is sufficiente vnto saluation But regardeth it as vile and of no force nor yet aucthoritie but calleth nameth and reporteth it with these woordes and suche like blasphemie deade ynke a liuelesse matter a dumbe iudge that can not speake a blacke Gospell Inken diuinitie a nose of ware Doeth deny this article of our beléefe I beleue in the holie ghost that is to saie he doth denye the holie ghoste to be true and naturall God sithe that any insufficiencie or vnperfection is founde in his doctrine For why It is the propertie of God to dooe all thynges with most consummate perfection Whereby it doth folowe that he whiche doeth any thyng with vnperfection is no true and naturall god Thei therefore that deny the doctrine of the holie ghoste and also doe despise mocke scorne and speake vnreuerently of it conteined in the old and newe Testamēt not to be perfect or sufficient to saluation are plaine Macedonians For they deny the holie ghost to bee true and naturall god And all thei that followe this opinion and doctrine not contentyng theim selues with the moste true and infallible worde of God whiche is set foorth vnto vs by the holie ghost are not the true Churche and spouse of christ For the true Churche and spouse of Christe as it is borne of newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer so is it builded vpon the sure foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Christe Iesus hymself beyng the chief corner stone Wherefore we must learne firste of all to beleue God secondly to beleue hym as God thirdly to beleue in God wee must beleue GOD that is to saie that he is creatour of all thynges and that he is omnipotente We muste beleue God as God that is wée must beleue hym as he hath declared and opened hym self in his holy and sacred scriptures vnto vs To beleue in God that is to put our whole truste confidence and affiaunce onely in hym and to call vnto and vpon hym in all our troubles miseries and aduersities and vpon none other And also constauntly and assuredly to beleue in hym that by his power he susteineth vs by his prouidence he gouerneth vs by his goodnesse nourisheth vs and by his mercie saueth vs and indueth vs with all kinde of blessynges So that wee must beléeue in none but in God the father that loueth vs in God the sonne that redemeth vs and in God the holie ghoste that sanctifieth vs although three in persones yet one in essence and Godhead Sainct Agustine therefore saieth Credimus Paulo non credimus in Paulum credimus Petro non credimus in Petrum Wee beleue saieth he Paule but we beleue not in Paule we beleue Peter but we beleue not in Peter The .xxxiiij. Chapiter ¶ What is the true Churche of God and where it is THis then shal be my beliefe touchyng the true Catholique and vniuersall Churche All they that are begotten of newe with the immortall séede of Gods worde and are builded vpon the foundation of the prophetes and Apostles hauyng Christe for their chief corner stone by whose only spirite and worde they are guided and ruled in what countrie or nation vnder the heauens so euer then be are the true church of Christe we may also define and set forth the Churche after this maner The Churche of Christ is the holy congregation of the faithfull whiche by a true and liuelie faith are vnited incorporated in our sauiour Christe whose members they are And bicause that sauiour Christ is the true sonne of God all his members by hym are the sonnes of god Iesus Christe is the head and the true Christians are his body He is the Bridegrome and the faithfull are his spouses whiche he doth cleanse with his blood geuyng health and saluation vnto his bodie and sauyng his people from their synnes This Church is affixed or bounde to no seuerall place but wheresoeuer twoo or three are gathered in the name of the Lorde I meane of our sauiour Christ there the true Church is They therefore that doe aligate and bynde the true Catholique Church to this place or that place as though it coulde be no where els as our Papistes doe are in this thyng greately deceiued For though the whole worlde were so ouer whelmed with Idolatrie and superstition that there shoulde séeme to be no Church at all yet God hath alwaies his elect and chosen in one corner or other although they be vnknowen vnto the worlde Yea many tymes the faithfull congregation is vnknowen vnto the true and faithfull seruauntes of God as we maie see by the example of Elias the Prophete who complained that he was lefte alone But the Lorde made hym an aunswere that he had seuen thousandes left in Israell whiche had not bowed their knées vnto Baall Who woulde not then haue thought that the Churche had been at that tyme in Israell or in Samaria where foure hundreth and fiftie false Prophetes were continually which did feede at Iesabelles boorde or that there had been no Church at all yet we sée that God had euen at that tyme his flocke which he did preserue and keepe vnto hymselfe although they were scattered abroad and not scarcely knowen of the true and faithfull Prophetes of God. Therefore it were good to haue alwaies before our eyes the goodly saiyng of Hilary which writeth on this maner One thyng saieth he I warne you of beware of Antichriste It is not well that ye haue suche a pleasure in the walles It is not well that ye honour and reuerence the Church of God in houses and buildings It is not wel that vnder the colour of them ye doe bryng in the name of peace Is it to be doubted that antichriste shall sit in them The Mountaines the Woodes the Lakes the Prisons and mierie Doungeons are more sure for mee For the Prophetes remainyng in them or beyng let downe into them did there prophecie This then is my beliefe that although the true preachyng of Gods word and the right ministration of the sacramentes accordyng to the Lordes institution and ordinaunce are the moste infallible tokens and signes whereby the true Churche of God is knowen here vpon the earth yet many and sundrie tymes by the righteous iudgement of almightie God our sinnes and wickednesse deseruyng the same these signes and tokens are so taken awaie that it is impossible for the worlde to knowe where this true Churche of God is And yet notwithstanding God hath stil his flocke in one place or other he hath still his elect and chosen whom he doeth preserue and keepe in the
of in the booke of the Actes but this must bee doen accordyng to the rules and canons of the Apostles If they be blamelesse the husbande of one wife vigilante sober and apte to teache c. Secondlie it hath aucthoritie to teache by the lawfull ministers I meane by these ministers that are lawfully chosen with the laiyng on of handes accordyng to the rule and Cannons of the Apostles And these ministers ought to teache and set foorthe none other thyng then thei haue receiued of the Lorde hauyng alwaies before their eyes the saiyng of Christ our Sauiour Docete eos obseruare quaecunque precepi vobis Teache them to keepe and obserue all thynges what soeuer I commaunde you And the same it is that we call Potestatem clauium The power of the keyes which as it hath been sufficientlye declared before consisteth in preachyng free remission of synnes vnto the faithfull and true repentaunte synners and eternall condemnation vnto the vnfaithfull and vnrepentaunte Whiche thyng if it bee duely dooen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our Sauiour Christe taketh no lesse effecte then if it were doen in heauen And vnder this doe we comprehende the aucthoritie that the churche hath to excommunicate open synners and to receiue them again if thei shewe true tokens of repentaunce and of amendemeÌ„t of life Thirdely the true and faithfull Churche hath aucthoritie to minister the sacramentes by the ministers thervnto lawfully appoincted so that it bee doen accordyng to the institution and ordinaunce of our sauiour Iesu Christe vsyng suche tymes and seasons as thei shall thinke moste expediente for the same Fourthly and laste of all it hath full aucthoritie and power to examine the doctrines and to trie the spirites whether thei bee of God or not as it is manifeste and plaine by these saiynges Lette twoo or three Prophetes speake in the Churche and let other iudge Againe Proue all thynges and holde that whiche is good Saincte Ihon saieth Dearely beloued try the spirites whether thei bee of God or not But this triall muste bee doen with the touchestone of Gods woorde whiche with the holie ghoste ought to be the chiefe president in all Sinodes and Counsailes So saincte Augustine saieth againste Maximinus these woordes Nowe neither ought I to alledge the Counsaile of Nice nor thou the counsaile of Ariminum to take aduauâ—tage thereby for I am not bounde to the aucthoritie of the one nor thou restrained to the determination of the other Sed scripturarum authoritatibus non quorumque proprijs sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cumre causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet But by the aucthorities of the Scriptures not peculiar witnesses vnto either of vs but common and indifferent vnto vs bothe let one matter with an other cause with cause and reason coÌ„tende with reason Saincte Hierome therefore saieth Omni studio legende nobis sunt scripturae in lege domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezite sciamus the scriptures are to be read of vs with all diligence and to meditate daie and night in the lawe of the lorde that we maie become perfecte exchaungers to knowe the false counterfecte doctrine froÌ„ the true doctrine of Christe Sainct Origene also hath these woordes Sensus nofiri enarrationes sine scripturis testibus non fidem habet Our iudgemente and expositions without witnesse of the holie scripres haue no credite Thus wee maie plainly see that all our matters muste bee tried by the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptures So farre foorth doth the aucthoritie of the true Churche extend which as it can not erre as long as she taketh gods word the holy ghost for her guide so assoone as she forsaketh Gods worde and the guidyng of the holie ghoste she falleth into all kinde of errours at length doeth become the Synagogue of Satan the Church of the malignaunt the stinckyng haâ—lot of antichriste Howbeit the whole vniuersal Church doth neuer so fall awaie from the truthe of Goddes woorde but that God dooeth alwaies preserue vnto hym selfe a certaine number whiche will neuer agree nor consente vnto vngodlinesse and from whom the spirite of trueth is not taken awaie And because that these bee vnknowen of the worlde as thei that lacke the outwarde tokens and signes of the true Churche of Christe whiche are the preachyng of Gods worde and the ministration of the sacramentes and the vse of true discipline accordyng to the institution and ordinaunces of the Lorde are commonly called the inuisible Churche not bicause that men are inuisible whiche thyng can not be as long as they bee here conuersaunt vpon the earth but bicause that thei be only knowen and seen of God who knoweth onely who be his who be not And this faithfull congregation whether it hath the outwarde signes of the true Churche of Christ or not as long as it beareth aboute this body of synne is subiect to many infirmities but for Christes sake thei are not imputed for when it is saide that it is without spot or wrinkle that is to be vnderstanded by imputation through Iesus Christ our sauiour And therefore it is called the glorious congregation And I doe also beleue with sainct Augustine that this catholique Churche is the Barne floore of the Lorde and that in it vntill the daie of iudgement Chaffe shal be mixed still with the Wheate My meanyng is this that in the Church both good and badde true beleuers and hypocrites are conteined together in the felowship of the sacramentes and that it shall be so vnto the worlds ende Whiche thyng we doe learne by the parable of the good seede and of the Darnell and of the Nette that is cast into the Sea and whiche doeth drawe of all kynde of fishes vnto the shore But we must in the meane while beware that we do not because of the Chaffe Darnell and rotten fishes seuere and diuide our selues from the Churche as the wicked Anabaptistes doe which for euery triflyng matter do diuide them selues from the Churche though the worde of God bee neuer so finely nor sincerely preached and the Sacramentes moste rightly ministred according to the institution and ordinaunce of the Lorde Why do we not rather folowe the godly counsell of the blessed Martyr of God S. Cyprian that he geueth vnto vs Although saith he Darnel Tares are seen to be in the church yet our faith and charitie ought not to be letted that bicause we do sée Tares and Darnell to be in the Church we shoulde therfore forsake the Church but rather we ought to endeuour our selues that we may be good corne that when the good corne is gathered into the Garners of the Lorde we maie receaue a rewarde of our labour and worke Also in a great house there be many vessels not only of Golde and Siluer but
also tréene vessels and earthen vessels and some to honour and some to dishonour Let vs geue diligence and labour as muche as it lieth in vs that we maie be a vessell of Golde or of syluer And truely this doctrine is moste necessarie to be marked and also to be folowed For as all the benefites that God doth of his méere mercie and goodnesse graunt vnto his Churche doe parteine vnto all bicause the Communion and felowship that is betwixt the members of Christes bodye So without this Communion and felowship of the sainctes there is no remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes but eternall and euerlasting condemnation For how coulde it be that they shoulde enioy the priuiledge of the true members of Christ that doe by a self willl deuide themselues from his body as the Papistes dooe now in these dayes Shoulde not that braunche deserue to be dried vp and to be caste into the fire that woulde wilfully deuide it selfe from the true vine The .xl. Chapiter ¶ Our offences and synnes are forgeuen vs by faith through Christe and not by our workes and merites ALso my beléefe is that in this church sinnes are freely forgeuen through faithe in the mercie of God obteined and purchased vnto vs by the merites of the death passion bloodsheddyng of our sauiour Iesu Christ wihout any of our owne deseruynges or merites or without any matter of satisfaction that we be able to make though wee were able to liue as long as euer any man did liue vpoÌ„ the earth For if any amendes coulde haue beene made for synnes or if any iustification could haue been gotten by the workes of the lawe Christ needed not to haue dyed And therefore the lorde saide right well I am he I am he that taketh awaie thy wickednesse and that for mine owne sake and thy sinnes wil I remember no more Here haue we a promise that God will put awaie our wickednesse and synnes not for our deseruinges or merites but for his owne sake that is to say of his frée mercie and goodnes as saieth sainct Paule Iustificamur gratis ex gratia ipsius Wee be iustified fréely of his grace Againe we iudge that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe And for this cause his only begotten sonne our sauiour was by the angell called Iesus bicause that he should saue his people from their synnes If our good workes merites and deseruinges could saue vs from our synnes why should they not be called by that name For there is none other name vnder heauen geuen vnto vs whereby we must or can be saued Therefore I doe thinke it moste conuenient and méete that we saie with Barnarde Mèritum meum miserationes domini Non sum ego inops meriti quam diuille non est inops miserationum Si miserationes eius multe multis ego sum in meritis Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem suam ponat in domino That is to saie My merite is the mercie of god So long as god is not poore of mercy so long cannot I be poore of merites If his mercies be great then am I greate in merites This is the whole merite of man if he put his whole affiaunce and trust in the Lorde I marueile much of the papistes and meritmongers that are so bold to set vp their owne righteousnes and merites But before we seeme to speake any thyng to their obiections I thinke it best to declare in what signification this word to iustifie ought to be taken This worde iustificare to iustifie hath been of S. Paul borowed of the common vse of the lawe for in iudgement to iustifie a man it is to assoyle or quite him of the crime that is laide to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocent and guiltlesse After the same maner when we saie that God doeth iustifie vs our meanyng is that God doeth assoyle and quite vs of all crimes offences and trespasses that can bee layde to our charge or that we can be accused of that he doth pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sight that is to saie that firste he doeth pardone and forgeue vs our synnes he couereth them and doeth in no wise impute them vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnes not our owne whiche is none at all but the righteousnes of his Sonne our Sauiour and so through his righteousnes doeth both saue vs and make vs blessed so doth the Apostle expounde this our iustification saiyng As Dauid doth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes where he saieth Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couâ—red Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lorde imputeth no synne As for the places of sainct Iames where he saith Was not our father Abraham iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the aulter And a little after ye see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faithe onely It maketh little for their purpose if it be well considered We reade that Abraham beleeued the Lorde it was accompted vnto hym for righteousnesse whiche text is of Paule alledged after this sorte If Abraham were iustified by woorkes he hath wherein to reioyce or glorie but not with God for what saieth the Scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Whereby the Apostle proueth strongly that Abraham was iustified by faith But this that saincte Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offeryng of Isaac was doen thirtie yeres after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham iustified or that his faithe was compted vnto hym for rigteousnesse Uerely sithe that fifteene yeres afore that Isaac was borne Abrahams faith was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he should be iustified by the offryng of his sonne Isaac whiche was as I sayd before thirtie yeres after That that the Apostle goeth aboute here is onely to shewe that the faith which Abraham was iustified by was no idle or deade faithe but suche a faithe as made hym obedient vnto God as it is plainely set foorth to the Hebrewes Therefore if the circumstaunces bee considered there is no repugnaunce or coÌ„trarietie in the doctrine of the Apostles at all For what contrarietie or repugnaunce could there bee in their doctrine sithe that they were bothe led by one spirite Therefore we shall marke that the holie Apostle saincte Paule in his Epistle to the Romaines and to the Galathians did dispute and reason against them which did attribute iustification to workes But saincte Iames did write againste them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therefore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustification Iames sheweth theffectes and fruites of the same Paul declareth how we are iustified Iames declareth how wee are knowen to bee iustified Paule excludeth