time present Is it not farre better in such extreme times of calamitie to committ such a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen than to doe such a sinne whereby no time is left to repent in This haue I said because of those wilfull men and women whiche to auoyde not others but their owne sinne least perhapps vnder an others luste they should consent to their owne being stirred vpp doe thincke that they ought to ridd themselues from it by shortening their liues But farre bee it from a Christian minde which trusteth in our God and with a settled hope doeth staye on him as on his surestayde Farre bee it I say from such a minde to yeeld to any pleasures of the fleshe vnto the consenting to filthinesse But if the concupiscentiall disobedience whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members is against the lawe of our will stirred vp or moued by a lawe of her owne how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that consenteth not if it be without blame in the bodie of him that sleepeth Thus much out of Augustine Nowe doe wée returne to our purpose againe To proceede therefore they diuide actuall sinnes into hidden or priuate and into manifest or publique sinnes Those hidden sinnes are not such as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone of which sorte is hypocrisiâ— the deprauation of mans disposition but such as are not vtterly without witnesses althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifest to all men For on the other side the manifest and publique sinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church And these verilie are of both the greater those the lighter because they touche the church and pâ—ocure the offence of many men Touching which the Apostle speaketh in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothie But the most vulgar and apte distinction of actuall sinne whiche doeth in a manner conteine in it selfe all the other kinds and parts thereof is that wherein it is called either mortall or veniall sinne They thincke that mortal sinne is euerie sinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull person And that veniall sinne is euerie sinne that is done of a faithfull man I doe simplie and according to the Scriptures suppose that all the sinnes of men are mortall For they are done against the lawe or will of god But death is due to sinnes For the Prophete cryeth The soule that sinneth shal die it selfe And the Apostle sayeth The reward of sinne is death Yea and deadly sinnes doe take the name of death To this nowe doe belong these testimonies of the Apostle This yee knowe that euerie fornicatour or vncleane person or couetous person whiche is a worshipper of Idols hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and God. The same sentence béeing againe rehearsed in the fifâ—e to the Ephesians is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians and the fifte and sixt Chapiters of the first to the Corinthians But the sinnes whiche are of their owne nature mortall are thoroughe grace in the faith of Iesus Christ made veniall béecause they are thoroughe Christ forgiuen by Gods great fauour and mercie And therefore the Apostle in the sixte Chapiter to the Romans did not saye Let not sinne bee in your mortall bodie But Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that yee should obey to it thoroughe the lustes thereof And againe There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to walke after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirite ye shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Therefore there is sinne in our bodie alwayes so long as wee liue but by Grace it is not imputed vnto death and they to whome it is not imputed doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh and yet they do verie often times slip and fall which falles and slippings neuerthelesse together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted sinnes I meane sinnes pardonable and not to be punished eternally Nowe to mortall sinnes is that sinne especially to be referred which is called the sinne against the holie Ghost which some do not without a cause suppose to bee moste properly called mortal sinne Of which I will speake when first I haue somewhat briefly aunswered to certeine questions that do depend vppon this argument Firste of all here is demaunded whether y sinne or disease which after baptisme remaineth in infants be sinne in verie déede Nowe it is manifest that concupiscence remaineth in them that are baptised and that concupiscence is sinne and therfore that sinne remaineth in them that are baptised which sinne notwithstanding is through the Grace of God in the merite of Iesus Christ not imputed vnto them So did Sainct Augustine resolue this knott in the first booke De Peccatorum meritis remissione Cap. 39. where he saith In infants verily it is so wrought by the Grace of God through the baptisme of him that came in the likenesse of sinfull fleshe that the fleshe of sinne should be made voide And yet it is made voide so not that the concupiscence which is spredd and bredd in the fleshe while it liueth shoulde of a soudeine bee consumed vanish awaye and not bee but that it should not hurte him nowe being dead in whome it was euen at his birth For it is not giuen in baptisme to them of more yeres that the lawe of sinne which is in their members contrarie to the lawe of their minde should vtterly be extinguished and not bee at all but that all the euill whatsoeuer is faide done or thought of man when with his captiue mind he serued that concupiscence should be vtterly wiped out and so reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done Thus much hath Augustine Another question is whether those workes that the Gentiles doe which haue a shewe of vertue and goodnesse are sinnes or else good woorkes It is assuredly true that God euen among the Gentiles also had his electe Nowe so many such as were among them were not without the holie Ghoste and faith Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes and not sinnes For in the Actes of the Apostles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before god And the same Cornelius is saide to haue beene a deuout man and fearing God wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull whose faith afterward is made fully perfect and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoste is more plentiously bestowed Moreouer the worthie déedes of the heathens are not to be despised nor vtterly contemned For as they were not altogether done without God so did they much auaile to the preseruing and restoring
him selfe Peccatum voluntariuÌ„ inuoluntarium See Augstine demendaâ—â— ad CoÌ„seâ—tium cap 9. 10. â—◠〈◊〉 mens 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 the best 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 hasteÌ„ 〈…〉 Sinnes hiddâ—n and 〈◊〉 Sinns mortal and veniall â—hether 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 after 〈…〉 sinne 〈…〉 Whether the vertuous works of the heathen are sinnes or no Whether the good workes of the Saints are sinnes or no Of the sin â—gainst the â—oly ghost What blasphemie is properly The beginning of this sinne against the holy ghost Blaspheâ—â—â— against 〈◊〉 sonne of man. The 〈◊〉 â—gainst 〈◊〉 holy 〈◊〉 Sinne against the holy ghost 〈◊〉 not remitted Or endler vnrepentance Of the 〈◊〉 certainâ— punishmeÌ„â— of sinners The places of 〈◊〉 The Lorde doth punish sinners iustly â–ª God punisheth most surely Examplâ— of Goâ— iustly 〈…〉 â—ods long 〈◊〉 Why sinâ— aâ— plagued with temporall punishments considering that they are forgiuen by the grace of God. Absolâ—â— defiled 〈◊〉 fathers bed 〈◊〉 by he 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 was huâ—bled Howe wicked punishâ—â— EuangeliuÌ„ the gospel Esai 61. Luke â— â—he Gosâ—â—ll what 〈◊〉 The definition of the Gospell That the Gospell is tydings from heauen The Gosâ—ell is the â—orde of â—â—d alâ—hough it 〈◊〉 vttered â—y the 〈◊〉 of â—en The â—â—spâ—ll 〈…〉 The word â—race 〈…〉 is The 〈◊〉 of Godâ— grace The cause of the Gospell The working of gods grace The coâ—trouersâ—â— betwixt Augustiâ—â— and Pelaâ—â—us toucâ—ing the grace of God. 1. Gratiâ— gratum ciens 2. Gratâ—â— gratis 〈◊〉 3. Gratâ—â— operaâ—â— gratia operaâ—â— 4. Graâ—â—â— praeueâ—â—ens tia 〈◊〉 quent 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The promises touching Christ our Sauiour The first Euangelie Gospell or preaching of glad tydings Gen. 3. 1. Pet. 1. Deus 〈◊〉 essentâ—â—lis 〈◊〉 9. 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 God the father hathe through Christ perfourmed to vs that which hee promised to our forefathers Iesus is Christ thâ—â— is that looked for Messiaâ— The Iewes 〈◊〉 that â—hrist is 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Iesus 〈◊〉 Christe God the 〈…〉 the world is pleased with it in the Sonne 〈◊〉 things 〈◊〉 to 〈…〉 are 〈◊〉 giueÌ„ 〈◊〉 christ 〈◊〉 Christe alone is our life and saluation 〈…〉 fully 〈…〉 The vnsinâ—ere preaching of the gospel The sum of the gospel Saluation preached in the gospel doth belong to all â—â—erfore 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 saued The faithfull are saued The Gospel teacheth faith and repentance Howe 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 Howe Christ did preach the Gospel Of regeneratioÌ„ more largely is spoken in the SermoÌ„ of repentance Iohn 3. 〈◊〉 Paul 〈…〉 gospel The manâ—er and order of our sanctification purification iustification 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 hath seemed Errours refuted 〈◊〉 Aâ—raham â—e father 〈◊〉 the faith 〈◊〉 is iustiâ—â—â—d The righteousnesse of Christians is imputatiue 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 Why 〈◊〉 doctriâ—â—â—â—aith that iustifieth without workes is to be keâ—â— vncorrupted in the Church 〈◊〉 Christ See the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Actes 〈◊〉 the Apâ—stles 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Sermoâ— the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The conclusion summe of all To repent 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 worde 〈◊〉 〈…〉 it is What repentance is ConuersioÌ„ to God. The doctrine of veritie is needful to repentance 〈◊〉 feare 〈◊〉 God to 〈…〉 Our humbling and acknowledging of our sinnes The feare of God is of two sortes Sorrow to God ward 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 Sinnes are fully and surely forgiuen vnto penitents 1. Pet. 2. Against the Nouatians and Anabaptistes 〈…〉 Of the coÌ„fession of sinnes ConfessioÌ„ of sinnes ordeined of God. â—he conâ—â—ssion 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 to â—od Publique or open confession Leuit. 10. Actes 1 â–ª Confeâ—â— that is made tâ— our 〈◊〉 Consultation Confession of sinnes ordeyned of men Exhomologesis I find him otherwise called Natalius Luke 9. Ioha 8. * An 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Of auricular confession 〈…〉 was 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â—ded 〈…〉 Auricular confession can be proued by 〈◊〉 place in all the scripture 〈…〉 Wheâ— aurieâ—â— confeâ—â— is to 〈◊〉 kept 〈◊〉 churâ—◠〈◊〉 solutâ—â— sakeâ— Of the satisfaction of workes Note here the difference that they make betwixte Paena and culpa peccati â—od afflicâ—â—â— them â—hose 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many sinnes be forgiuen her because she â—oued much Of indulgencies 〈…〉 The filthy marte of indulgences 〈…〉 〈…〉 Of the power of man. VnderstaÌ„ding Will. Of the 〈◊〉 man 〈◊〉 of reâ—eneratioÌ„ What and of what kinde the Libertie is that is in man. 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 man 〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 spirite Of the worthie fruites or of the fruites worthie of repentaÌ„ce 〈…〉 of all 〈◊〉 What thinges are necessarie in penitentes The outwarde exercises of repentaÌ„ce 〈…〉 〈…〉 False and True repentance True penitentes are in an happie caâ—e Vnrepentantes are vnhappy 〈◊〉 not 〈…〉 No repentance commeth too late Math. â— Whether they that mind to reforme the Churches must state to looke for the determinatioÌ„ of a counâ—â—â—â— Ieremie 8. Luke 9. What counsels haue beene in these latter ageâ— celebrated What christians at this day may looke for by general counsels It is lawfull for enerie Christian Church to reforme thinges out of order Holie Kinge Iosias Faith cannot be refourmed but bâ— thâ— worde of God. Rom. 10. 2. Cor. 2 The scriptures doe sufficiently minister a full platforme howe to refourme the church Sundrie opinions coÌ„cerning God. â— Iohn 12 Wherevppon the diuersitie of opinioÌ„s coÌ„cerning God do rise and from whence the true knowledg of him must be setched â—hat 〈◊〉 is a God Psalm â— A 〈◊〉 is to 〈◊〉 kept 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 God 〈◊〉 Pro. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19. 〈…〉 〈…〉 The fourmâ—â— and mâ—â—ners oâ— knowiâ—â— God. Exod â–ª Iohn 3. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apoc. 1. Cabala is a tradition of the Iewes leafte to them by Moses not in writing but from the father to the sonne wherein is conteined as wel the secrets of nature as the mysticall sense included in the wordes of the holy scripture Iah and Hu. Hu signifieth He or this Adonai The Loâ—â— of Sabboth or oâ— Hostes Daniel 〈◊〉 high 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Actes 17. Deus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim This Dii importech as much as if one shoulde say Gods. Schaddai Gene. 17 Saturâ—â—â— It seem that we English men do borrow of the 〈◊〉 manes their 〈◊〉 Gott 〈◊〉 turne their 〈◊〉 T 〈◊〉 D 〈◊〉 we soâ—â— God 〈◊〉 we shoâ—â— say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈…〉 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 Trinitie Dionysius of the names of God. Visions prosopographie of God. Prosopographie is a picturing or reprseentinge of bodily lineameÌ„ts Prosopopeie is where those are broughte in to speake that doe not speak Anthropomorphites How 〈…〉 tributeâ— God 〈◊〉 iâ— bodilesse Pâ—â—lm 94. These â—ordes of 〈…〉 taken 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—tulliaÌ„ How the pâ—triarchs 〈◊〉 see God. Iohn 1. 1. Tim. â— Exod. 33 God 〈◊〉 doe 〈◊〉 thinge 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 fathers his Soâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 God giueth his giftes frely without respect of mans merites How Goâ— did shew him selfâ— to Mose◠〈…〉 God doth most euidently open him selfe through Christ 2. Cor. 4. Hebr. 1. Iohn 6. Math. 11. Iohn 14. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 1. Rom. 1. Gods wiâ—dome appeareth Gods goodneâ—â— appeareâ—â—â— Godâ—
of Gods plague and the shame of the world thou doest daily frequent it openly vse it Séest thou héere by this example howe one and the same sinne doeth increase by degrées and doeth still require a sharper punishment according to the greatnesse and enormitie of the crime Verilie the Lord in the Gospell after Sainct Matthewe confirmeth this and sayeth Ye haue heard how it was said to them of old Thou shalt not kill Whosoeuer killeth shal be in danger of Iudgement But I say vnto you that who so is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shal be in daunger of Iudgement And who soeuer shall saye vnto his brother Racha shal be in daunger of a Counsell but whosoeuer shall say Thou foole shal be in daunger of hell fire In these wordes of the Lords thou hearest first the differences of sinnes as anger the tokens of angrie minds and open scouldinges whiche doe for the most part end in open fightinges And then thou hearest that as the sinne increaseth so the greatnesse and sharpenesse of the punishmente is still augmented It was therefore no vnapte or sillie distinction that they made in actuall sinne which said that there is one sinne of the thoughte an other of the mouth and an other of the déede which they did againe diuide into certaine kindes and sortes reducing them againe partly into Scelera and partly into Delicta Scelera are those heynous crimes whiche are conceiued and committed of set purpose and pretended malice of whiche sorte are those especiallie whiche are called the Crying sinnes as murther vsurie oppression of the fatherlesse widowes Sodomie and the withheld hire of the néedie labourer For touching murther the voyce of the Lord in Genesis sayeth The voice of thy brothers bloud crieth vnto mee And in the twentie two of Exodus hée sayeth If ye vexe the fatherlesse and widowes and they crie to mee I will heare them and slay you The word of GOD doeth with bitter quippes baighte vsurie and vtterly condemne it The sinne of the Sodomites ascended vpp to heauen requiring vengeaunce to lighte vppon the villaynous beastes And Iames the Apostle saith Behold the hire of the labourers whiche haue reaped downe your fieldes whiche hire of you is kept backe by fraude cryeth and the cries of them which haue reaped are entered into the eares of the Lord of Sabbaoth To these sinnes other men do also annexe those seuen principall vices pride or vaine glorie anger enuie slouth couetousnesse gluttonie and lecherie Yea they make these the séeds and first beginnings of all sinnes and wickednesse and therefore doe they call them the principall sinnes As is to bée séene in the sentences of Peter Lombard Moreouer they call those sinnes delicta which are committed of infirmitie or vnwittingly to witt when the good is forsaken duetie to God or man neglected by a certeine kinde of idle sluggishnesse where peraduenture are to bee numbred the sinne of ignorance the sinne called Alienum and the sinne of vnwillingnesse although euen they also are often times made both heynous crimes and detestable offences Ignoraunce is said to bée of two sortes the one is naturall and verie ignoraunce whiche springeth of originall sinne the other is affected or counterfeite whiche riseth of a sett purpose and pretended malice The naturall ignoraunce is a disease a fault and a sinne because it springeth of a poysened original and is a worke of darcknesse as it appeared aboue by the testimonie of the Apostle Sainct Paule Verilie Sainct Augustine in his third booke De libero arbitrio Cap. 19. sayeth That which euerie one by ignorance doeth not rightlie and that which he cannot doe though he willeth rightlie are therefore called sinnes because they haue their beginning of the sinne of free will. For that precedent did deserue to haue such coÌ„sequents For as we giue the name of Tongue not to that member only which moueth in the mouth while wee speake but euen to that also whiche followeth vppon the mouing of that member to witt the forme and tenour of woordes which the tongue doeth vtter according to whiche phrase of speach wee say that in one man there are diuers tongues meaninge the Greeke and the Latine tongues Euen so wee doe not onely call that sinne which is properly called sinne for it is committed of a free wil wittingly but that also which followeth vppon the punishment of the same Of whiche I haue said somewhat before Other doe cloake their ignorance with that saying of the Lord in the Gospel If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had wherewithall to cloke â—heir sinne or they should haue had no sinne For herevppon they inferre Therefore they to whome nothing hath béen preached are frée from blame and accusation of sinne But the Lord said not so For first he spake of their pretended colour and not of their innocencie And euery pretence is not iust and lawefull Hee said I coÌ„fesse they should haue had no sinne but he addeth presently Nowe haue they nothing to cloake their sinne withall Secondarilie he doth not vniuersally acquite the ignoraunt from all kinde of sinne but from the sinne of rebellion onely For S. Augustine vppon Iohn sayth They haue an excuse not for euerie sinne but for this only that they beleued not in Christ because hee came not vnto them For all which neither haue heard nor do heare may haue this excuse but they cannot escape condemnation For they that haue sinned without lawe shall perishe without lawe And Paule also in the first to Timothie the first Chapiter sayeth I thanke him because hee hath counted mee faithfull putting mee into the ministerie who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but yet I obteined mercie because I did it ignorantlie in vnbeleefe Loe heere the Apostle saith that he obteined mercie because hee sinned thorough ignoraunce this ignorance he deriueth of vnbeléefe and attributeth to it most filthie fruites Furthermore wée call that false and counterfeite ignorance which is of very malice feigned by obstinate and stubborne people As if thou when a thing displeaseth thee shouldest say that thou doest not vnderstand it or if wheÌ„ thou mayst thou wilt not vnderstand it Such is the ignorance that was in the Iewes the professed enimies of Gods grace in Christ For Paul sayeth I beare them wittnesse that they haue a zeale of God but not according to knowledge For being ignoraunt of Gods righteousnesse and séeking to set vpp their owne they were not subiecte to the righteousnesse of god For the Lord in the Gospell said to the Phariseis when they demaunded if they were blinde also If ye were blinde ye should haue no sinne but nowe ye say Wee see therefore your sinne abideth The sinnes called Aliena are not those whiche wée oure selues commit but those which other men doe yet not without vs to witt while we allowe helpe forward persuade commaund wincke at giue occasion or doe not
the blasphemie against the holie Ghoste shal not be forgiuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but whosoeuer speaketh against the holie Ghost it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this worlde nor in the world to come The same sentence of our Sauiour is thus expressed in the thirde Chapter of sainct Markes Gospell All sinnes shal be forgiuen vnto the children of men blasphemies wherewith soeuer they shal blaspheme but he that speaketh blasphemie against the holie Ghoste hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation In the twelfth Chap. after Sainct Luke these woordes in a manner are vttered thus Who soeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgiuen him but vnto him that blasphemeth the holie Ghoste it shal not be forgiuen In these woordes of the Lorde we haue here mention made of blasphemie against the sonne of man and of blasphemie against the holie Ghoste of which that against the holie Ghoste is vtterly vnpardonable but that against the sone of man is altogether veniall Blasphemie against the sonne of man is committed of the ignoraunt which are not yet inlightened doeth tend against Christ whome the blasphemer doth thinke to bee a seducer because he knoweth him not Suche blasphemers the woorde of the Lorde doth manifestly testifie that Paul him selfe before his conuersion a greate parte of the Iewes were For vppon the crosse the Lorde prayed crying Father for giue them for they wott not what they doe And the Apostle Paule sayth If they had knowen the Lorde of glorie they would not haue crucified him Wherevpon Saincte Peter in the Actes speakinge to the Iewes saith I knowe that ye did it through ignorance nowe therefore turne you and repent that your sinnes may be wiped out Act. 3. But the blasphemie against the holie Ghost is saide to be a continual faultfinding or reproche against the holie spirite of God that is against the inspiration illumination and woorkes of the spirite For when he doth so euidently worke in the minds of men that they can neither gainesaye it nor yet pretend ignorance and that for all this they do resist mocke despise and continually snapp at the trueth whiche they in their consciences do knowe to be moste hoalsome and true in so doing they do blaspheme the holie Spirite and power of god As for example the Phariseis being by moste euident reasons and vnreproueable miracles coÌ„uinced in their owne minds could not denie but that the doctrine woorkes of our Lorde Iesus Christe were the trueth and miracles of the verie God and yet against the testimonie of their owne consciences they did of méere enuie rebellious doggednesse and false apostacie continually cauil that Christ did al by the means inspiration of Beelsebub the diuel And little or nothing better than the Phariseis are those which when they haue in these dayes once vnderstoode that the verie trueth and assured saluation are moste simplie and purely set forth in Christe doe notwithstanding forsake it and allowe of the contrarie doctrine condemning and with mockes rayling vppon the sounde and manifest trueth yea and that more is they ceasse not to clappe their handes and hisse at it as a damnable heresie As this sinne is of all other the filthiest so is it not veniall but vtterly vnpardonable For in the Gospell the Lorde hath expresly saide it shall not bee forgiuen him neither in this world nor in the worlde to come Whiche sentence in Saint Marke is thus pronounced He hath neuer forgiuenesse but is in daunger of eternall damnation The cause is manifest For it is vnpossible without faith to please god Without faith there is no remission of sinnes Without faith there is no entraunce into the kingdome of god But the sinne against the holie Ghoste is méere apostacie flatt rebellion against the true faith which the holie Ghoste by his illumination doth powre into our heartes Whiche illumination these vntoward Apost ataes doe incessantly call darkenesse they name it a meere seduction and do with tauntes blaspheme it openly Therfore the sinne is neuer forgiuen them For they tread vnder foote the Grace of God and do despise make a mocke of the waye which leadeth to saluation Wherefore Sainct Paule in the tenth to the Hebrues saith If wee sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the trueth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shal deuour the aduersaries Nowe I pray you what is it to sinne wilingly Forsooth to sinne willingly is not to sinne through infirmitie or ofteÌ„ times to fall into one the same sinne but to sinne willingly is with a moste stubborn coÌ„teÌ„pt to sinne as they are wont to do which wittingly and willingly do reiecte and spurne at the Grace of God not ceassing to make a mocke of the crosse death of Christ as thoughe it were foolishe and not sufficiently effectuall to the purginge of all oure sinnes For to such there is prepared none other sacrifice for sinnes And suche the Apostle calleth the aduersaries that is the contemners and enimies of god And therefore the same Apostle in the sixte Chapter of the same Epistle saith It cannot be that they which were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauenly gifte were become partakers of the holie ghost and haue tasted of the good woorde of God and the powers of the world to come and they fall away should be renued againe into repentaunce crucifying to them selues the sonne of God afreshe and making a mock of him He speaketh not here of euery fall of the faithfull but of wilfull stubborne apostacie For Peter fell and was restored againe throughe repentance which happeneth to more than Peter alone For all sinners are through repentaunce daily restored But vnrepentant Iudas is not restored because he was a wilfull apostatae Mockers and blasphemâ—rs are not restored through repentance because they do obstinately stande against the knowen veritie and ceasse not to blaspheme the waye by whiche alone they are to be ledd vnto eternall life Therefore those places of S. Paule do make neuer a whit for the Nouatians but do expound to vs the nature and enuenomed force of the sinne against the holie Ghost Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist disputing of this sinne in his Canonicall Epistle saith If any man see his brother sinne a sinne which is not vnto death he shal aske he shal giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death I say not that thou shouldest praye for it All vnrighteousnesse is sinne and there is a sinne not vnto death We knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him selfe and that euil toucheth him not Sainct Iohn here maketh mentioÌ„ of two sortes of sinnes The one vnto death that is mortall
and vnpardonable for which we must not pray that is to saye prayers cannot obteine pardone for it That sinne is contumelious reprochâ— against the holie Ghoste reuolting apostacie and incessant mocking of the Gospell of Christe For in the Gospell after S. Iohn we read Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my sayings he shall not see death for euer And againe If ye beleeue not that I am ye â—hal dye in your sinnes And apostacie in verie déede is iniquitie and a purposed and perpetuall sinne For what is more sinfull or vniust than to strine against and make a mocke of the knowen veritie The other sinne is veniall not vnto death the which of what sort it is Sainct Iohn declareth when he addeth Wee knowe that euery one which is borne of God sinneth not Nowe that saying must not be so absolutely taken as though hee sinned not at all but wee must vnderstand that hee sinneth not to death For otherwise the verie Sainctes are sinners as it is euident by the first Chapter of this Epistle Furthermore that which doeth immediately followe in Iohn maketh manifest that which went before He that is begotten of God saith he kepeth him selfe that is hee standeth stedfastly in the knowen trueth and taketh heede to him selfe that that euil touch him not that is that he intrap him not stirre him vp against God nor reteine him in rebellion Thus much haue I hitherto saide touching the sinne against the holie Ghoste which Augustine did in one place call finall impenitencie which doth followe vppon Apostacie blasphemie and contempt of the holie Ghost or of the word of trueth reuealed by the holie Ghost And although I haue alreadie in the handling of Originall sinne and sinne against the holie Ghoste partely touched the effectes of sinne yet to coÌ„clude this treatise withall I wil briefly shewe you somewhat touching the iust and assured punishment that shal be layde vppon sinners For in the definition of sinne I sayde that sinne brought vpon vs the wrath of GOD with death and sundrie punishments Of which in this place I meane to speake It is as manifest as what is most manifest by the scriptures that God doeth punishe the sinnes of men yea that he punisheth sinners for their sinnes For many places in the scriptures declare that God is angrie and greeuously offended at the sinnes of mortall men Dauid cryeth The Lorde loueth the iust as for the wicked and violent his soule doeth hate them Vppon the vngodly hee shall rayne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse with his countenaÌ„ce he doth behold the thing that is iust In like manner Paule saith The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vncleanesse of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse And what may be thought of the moreouer that the wrath of God for the sinnes of vs men woulde bee by no meanes appeased but by the death of the sonne of God Wherein verily the excellencie of the greate price of our redemption doth argue the greatnesse and filthinesse of our sinne To all which we may adde that the good Lorde who loued mankinde so well woulde not haue ouerwhelmed vs with so many paynes and exceeding calamities had not our sinne béen passing horrible in the sight of his eyes For who can make a full beadrowe of all the calamities of miserable sinners The Lorde for our sinnes absenteth him selfe from vs But if the Sunne be out of the earth howe greate are the mystes and cloudie darkenesse in it If God be awaye from vs how great is the horror in myndes of men Here therefore as punishementes due to sinners are reckoned the tyrannie of Satan a thousande tormentes of conscience the death of the soule dreadfull feare vtter desperation innumerable calamities of bodie and of our other faculties which Moses the seruaunt of God doeth at large rehearse in the 26. of Leuiticus and the 28 Chapter of Deuteronomium And nowe since newe sinnes are daily scourged with newe kindes of punishements what ende I praye is any man able to make if hee shoulde goe about to reckon them all It is not to be doubted verily but that the Lorde doeth punishe sinners iustly For hee is him selfe a most iust Iudge And for because it is a madd mannes parte to doubte of the iustice omnipotencie and wisedome of god it followeth therefore consequently that all religious and godly men doe holde for a certeintie that the punishments which God doeth laye vppon men are laide vppon them by moste iust iudgement But howe greate and what kinde of punishment is due to euery faulte and seuerall transgression belongeth rather to Gods iudgement to determine than for mortall men too curiously to inquire Wherevppon Sainct Augustine Tracta in Ioan. 89 saide There is as greate diuersitie of punishments as of sinnes which howe it is ordeined the wisedome of God doth more deepely declare than mans coniectures can possibly seeke out or vtter in wordes Hee verily which in his lawe giuen to man gaue this for a rule according to the measure of the sinne so shall the measure of the punishement bee beeing him selfe moste equall and iust doeth not in iudgement exceede measure Abraham in the notable communication had with God which is reported in the 18 of Genesis doth amoÌ„g other things say Wâ—lt thou destroye the iust with the wicked that be farr from thee that thou shouldst do such a thing and slaye the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked That is not thy parte that iudgest al the earth thou shalt not make suche iudgement Herevnto also belongeth that notable demonstration which the Lorde vseth towarde Ionas beeing angrie with the Lorde because of his iudgements for hee sheweth that hee hath iustly a care of the infants yea and of the cattel in Niniue The place is extant in the fourth Chapter of the prophecie of Ionas Let vs therefore stedfastly holde that the Lord when he punisheth doth iniurie to no creature which hee hath made Here therefore the disputations and questions come to an ende wherein men are wont to demaunde whye the Lorde doeth sometimes vse so sharpe torments towards infants or sucklings or why he rewardeth temporal offences with eternal punishments For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holie in all his workes As Dauid did most truly witnesse whereas in another place he saith Thou arte iust O Lord and thy iudgement is right Blessed is hee that stumbleth not here and doeth not murmur against the Lorde But if 〈◊〉 so happen that the Lorde at any time do somewhat long deferre the iudgement and punishment wee must not therefore thinke that hee is vniust because he spareth the wicked and sharpely correcteth his friendes their vices Let vs rather laye before our eyes the Euangelicall parable of the riche glutton and
the in respect therof wee were acceptable vnto God and when wée departe out of this life wée should flye straight wayes vpp into Heauen but without receiuing the Sacramente bée throwen directly downe to hell There muste also néedes arise sundrye other errours Neither is there any necessitie to constraine vs to minister the sacrament to the sick For as prisoners are absent from receiuing the Lords supper without danger of saluation so likewise are the sick those that are ready to dye For béeing neuertheles by perfect faith gathered to the body of Christe although they be absent in body yet being in minde present with the congregatiō they are also made partakers of all spirituall good things And it is sufficient for thē that as lōg as they haue bene in helth they haue bene alwayes presēt at the holy mysteries The feast of Passeouer was not celebrated euery where but at Hierusalem onely in one place But howe many were there thincke wée the by reason of their bodily health impaired with sicknes for old-age could not trauell to Hierusalem from so large and wide a kingdome And although no man brought them home a péece of the Paschal lambe in their pockets notwithstanding they did cōmunicate with the whole church of Israel And who doubteth but that by the comming of Christ the condition of the Christians is made better Our Lord Christ did not institute his mysticall supper for the dead but for the liuing onely wherefore it is not to be celebrated for the dead and to bee applied to their redēption They that die without faith immediatly fall vnder the iudgment of damnation But they that are dead in Christ are alreadie ioyned vnto the companie of the elders and stand before the Lambe singing Halleluiah for euermore For I haue declared in my sermon of the Soule that the saluation of the faithful soules which are departed by corporal death is most vndoubted And where some obiect that the auncient sathers haue made mētion of offering for the dead we suppose that it apperteineth not vnto vs We beléeue the Canonicall scriptures without contradiction we beléeue not the fathers further than they can proue their owne sayings by the Canonicall scriptures Neither would they haue thē-selues otherwise beléeued And therfore if the fathers thincke that the supper is a sacrifice that it is to be offred to procure rest to the souls departed we do not receiue that opinion as not agréeing with the Canonicall scriptures whiche teache that the Lord instituted not his supper for that purpose and therefore by such abuse of the supper God is rather displeased than pleased yea that there is no work of man be it neuer so good much lesse if it be against Gods word that can sanctifie since that prerogatiue belongeth onely to the merite of the sonne of God and moreouer that the souls departed are not in any such state in the other world that they can or ought to be holpen by any woorkes in this world But if the auncient fathers by oblation or offering doe vnderstand the sacrifice of praise or thanckesgiuing we will not striue against them but that there may be made oblations for the dead that is to say that thanks be giuen to God his goodnes praised who hath called out of this miserable world such as were indued with true faith and hath ioyned them vnto the companies of angels and all the blessed sainctes in the euerlasting kingdome of all ioye and felicitie But surely there is no truth nor godlines that willeth vs to celebrate the supper for the dead And we make a distinction in sacrifice or oblatiō For there is a sacrifice of expiation and there is a sacrifice of confession or praise The sacrifice of expiation is offered to cleanse or purge sinns and also for satisfaction for sinnes This cānot be accomplished without death and bloud as S. Paule the Apostle sheweth plainely in the 9. Cap. to the Hebrues The sacrifice of Christ was such a one the figures of whiche were all the sacrifices of all the holy fathers of the old testament who beeing both priest and sacrifice offered vp himself once to God the father while he suffered vpon the crosse and shedding his most innocent bloud there gaue vpp the Ghost The supper at this day is no such sacrifice but a commemoration of the death or of the sacrifice once offered vpon the crosse For nether ought or can Christe bee sacrificed againe who being once offered is sufficient to cleanse all the sinnes of all ages Why then should hee be sacrificed againe Neither can the sonne of God be sacrificed by any man since that for the same cause he offered vp himselfe once to God as being a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Therefore the minister of the Churche doeth not in the Churche sacrifice the body and bloud of Christe in the supper for the liuing but together with the whole Church doeth celebrate the remembraunce of the sacrifice which was once offered vpon the Crosse Of which as I haue said elsewhere the supper may also be called a sacrifice because it is a sacrament or signe of the sacrifice whiche was once offered by Christe as Augustine also hath lefte written The sacrifice of cōfession is of praise thankesgiuing which wée offer to God for the redemption and benefits of god fréely bestowed vpon his Church And since we offer the same alwayes vnto GOD in prayer but chiefly when wée are ioyned in the sacramēt of the Eucharist or celebrating the supper therefore the auncient fathers called it a sacrifice because in the same we giue thanckes vnto God for oure deliuerance from death and for the inheritaunce of euerlasting life which is giuen vnto vs And that this sacrifice is generally offered by the vniuersall Churche in celebrating the supper not by the minister of the church alone for those the liue in the Church we tould you before Now forasmuch as wee haue hetherto discussed certaine circūstances or questions whiche are wont to be moued about the Lords supper so farr forth as the necessitie of the matter séemed to require as muche as our smal abilitie was able to performe it remayneth that we descend further to declare for what cause the Lords supper was by the Lord instituted which place truely is not rashly reckoned among the chiefest For we made mention of the same immediatly vpon the beginning of this sermon For the lord by setting bread wine before vs in the holy banquet would haue his promise and communion testified vnto vs and his gifts represented vnto vs made manifest to our senses would also gather vs visibly into one bodie and reteine the memorie of his death in the hearts of the faithfull and finally put vs in minde of our duetie chiefly of praise thankesgiuing All these thinges haue we seuerally expounded hauing discoursed vpon them at large in the generall cōsideration