all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods â–ª goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ„ vs also vpoÌ„ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie â—o giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌ„tion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌ„sent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌ„s which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
but yet bycause the fleshe dothe striue with the spirite so long as life remaineth on the earth therefore the godly haue néede with faith and the holy Ghost to wash and wipe their féete that is the reliques and spottes wherewith they are disteined by their dayly conuersation in this world But nowe wherevnto belongeth this that is added The communion of Saintes These wordes are neyther read in Cyprian nor Augustine nor yet by them expounded Wherefore it is likely that they were added for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of that which went before for that it might appeare that the Catholike Church is the fellowship or companie of the faythfull he added The communion of Saintes as if he shuld haue sayd which church is a communion of Saintes Paule called them Sainctes which for their fayth are sanctified by the bloude and spirite of god Also this word CoÌ„munion is verie euideÌ„t and comfortable For first the meaning thereof is that betwixt God vs ther is a Communion that is a fellowship participatioÌ„ and so consequently a parting betwixt vs of all good and heauenlie thinges And then also we vnderstand that we are fellowes and partakers with all the Saintes that are liuing either in heauen or on earth For we are members of theÌ„ vnder one head Christ For the Apostle Iohn saith That which wee haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and that your fellowship may be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ Hereunto appertayneth that trimme similitude of the body members vnder one heade which the Apostle Paul handleth at large in déede but what is he that can worthily enoughe set forth the great goodnesse of Gods gifte benefite in that wée are made fellow partners of God with whom we are most nerely conioyned and haue a part in all his good heauenly things what can bee more delightfull to oure eares then to heare that all that Saints as well in heauen as in earth are our bretheren and that we againe are meÌ„bers partners and fellowes with theÌ„ Blessed be God which hath so liberally bestowed his blessing on vs in Christe his sonne To this place belongeth the discourse vppon the Sacraments of which of the Church I meane at an other time more fullie to entreate This for the present time is sufficient For this that I haue said doth abuÌ„dantly enoughe expresse set out the fruite of faith in the father the sonne the holy ghost to wit that wée haue participation with God and al the Saints and that in this fellowship we are sanctiâ—ied 〈◊〉 all filth or vncleannesse being clensed and holie in Christe our Lord. Now followeth the tenth article of our beliefe which is The forgiuenes of sinnes The second fruit or commoditie of our beliefe in God the father the sonne and the holie ghoste is here set forth that is the remission of sinnes which although it be coÌ„teyned in sanctification spoken of in the last article is in this place notwithstanding more liuely expressed Without the Church as it were without the arke of Noe is no saluatioÌ„ but in that Church I meane in that fellowship of Christe the saincts is full forgiuenes of all offences That this maye be the better vnderstoode I wil diuide it into some parts First of all it is néedeful to acknowledge confesse that wée are sinners that by nature and our owne proper merits we are the children of wrath damnation For S Iohn doth not in vaine nor without a cause call euerie one a lyar that saith he hath no sinne And God which knoweth the harts of men hath coÌ„maunded vs euen till the laste gaspe to pray saying Forgiue vs our debtes Moreouer in the Gospel wee haue two excellent examples of meÌ„ openlie confessing their sinnes to God the prodigall sonne I say and the Publican in S. Luk. Let vs therfore thincke that wee are all sinners as Paule also taught yea as he hath euidently proued in the first Cap. to the Romanes let vs fréely confesse to God our sinnes with Dauid in the 32. and 51. Psal. saying My sinne haue I made knoweÌ„ to thee mine iniquitie I haue not hid I haue saide I wil confesse mine vnrighteousnes against my self thou haste forgiuen the iniquitie of mine offence Haue mercie on me O God accordig to thy great mercie c. The Psalme is knowen Secondarily let vs belieue that al these sinns of ours are pardoned forgiuen of God not for the acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes but for the merit and bloud of the sonne of God not for our owne workes or merits but for the truth and mercie or grace of god For we do plainly professe saying I belieue the forgiuenes of sinns We say not I buy or by gifts do get or by woorkes obtaine the forgiuenes of sinnes but I belieue the forgiuenes of sinnes And the word remission or forgiuenesse doth signifie a free pardoning by a metaphore taken of creditours and debitours For the creditour forgiueth the debitour when he is not able to pay therefore remission is a forgiuing according to that saying of our Sauiour in the Gospell A certaine lender had two debitours when they were not able to pay hee forgaue them both Hereunto belongeth that also in the Lords prayer And forgiue vs our debtes For our debts are our sinnes them do we request to be remitted that is to be forgiueÌ„ vs In this sense also saith S. Paule To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of due debte But to him that worketh not but belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodlie his saith is counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednesse of that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Wherefore in respect of vs which haue not wherewithal to repaie our sinnes are freelie forgiuen but in respect of Gods iustice they are forgiuen for the merit and satisfaction of Christ Moreouer it is not the sinnes of a few men of one or two ages or a few certaine number of sinnes are forgiuen onely but the sinnes of all men of all ages the whole multitude of sinns whatsoeuer is is called sinne whether it be original or actuall or any other else to be short all sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs Which we do hereby learne because the onely sacrifice of Christ is effectual enough to wash away all the offences of all sinners which by fayth come to the mercie seat of Gods grace And yet by this wée do not teach men to sinne because the Lorde hath long since made satisfaction for sinnes but if any man do sinne wee teach him to hope well and not to despaire but to flee to the throne of Grace For there wée say that Christ sitting at
if he had saide men are iustified for Christ his sake by the méere grace or mercie of God without anye helpe or merite of their owne If so be they do but beléeue that God hath giuen his sonne to the worlde to shedd his bloud and to reconcile the purified sinners vnto his father in heauen In which wordes there are moste fully and plainly declared the whole manner and order of sanctifying purifying and iustifying of sinners But it is good here to repeate the Apostles woordes and more nerely to examine and deepely to consider them They are saith hee freely iustified But wherefore freely because forsooth they are iustified by the meere grace of God without the helpe of their owne workes or merites For all men are sinners and therefore they haue nothinge of them selues to alledge for their iustification wherevppon it followeth that since some are iustified they are iustified freely by the grace of god For the same Apostle in the eleuenth to the Romanes saith If wee bee saued by grace then nowe not of woorkes for then grace is no more grace but if by workes then is it nowe no grace But there followeth in Paule immediately that which doth yet make that argument more manifest which is notwithstanding verie manifest alreadie through the redemption saith he that is in Christe Our righteousenesse and saluation is the worke of méere grace because we are redéemed For in respecte of our selues our workes and merites wee were the seruaunts of death and the diuell in so muche as wee were sinners and subiecte to sinne But God by sending his sonne redeemed vs when as yet beeinge his enimies wee were bounde to the diuell his open aduersarie Therefore hee did fréely redéeme vs as Esaye the Prophet did in his 52. Chapter plainly foretell that it should come to passe But true saluation is not in any other whatsoeuer he bee saue in Christ alone oure true Lorde and Sauiour For the heauenly father did by his eternall counsell set forth his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe to bee our propitiation to wite that hee might bee our reconciliation for whose sake onely the father being pacified adopteâ—h vs into the number of the sonnes of GOD which is accomplished by none other way but through faith in his bloud that is if wee beléeue that the sonne being sent of the father did shedde his bloud thereby to set vs cleansed iustified and sanctified before his heauenly father Wherin we sée againe that our saluation doth freely consiste in faith in Iesus Christ These poyntes beeing thus vnfolded the Apostle procéedinge to shewe howe farre the benefite of redemption and iustification doth stretche doth immediately adde To declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenesse of the sinnes that are past which GOD did suffer to shewe at this time his righteousenesse God saith he hath set forth Christ to be the onely propitiation that hee might shewe that there is but one and the same righteousenesse of all ages Christ I saye him selfe who is the righteousenesse of all that beleeue Nowe heere hee maketh mention of two seuerall times that auncieÌ„t age of the fathers and this present tyme wherein wee nowe liue The auncient age is that which went before the comming of Christ This latter age of ours is that which beginneth at Christe is nowe at this present and shal bee extended to the ende of the worlde And God verily did of his long sufferaunce beare with and suffer the sinnes of that olde age for Christe his sake by whome and for whome hee hath forgiuen them Neither doeth he set beefore vs at this daye any other righteousenesse saue Christe alone to be receiued and embraced by faith For the Apostle doeth not obscurely afterwarde adde That he might be iust and the iustifier of them that beleeue on Iesus As if he should haue saide nowe the meaninge of all this is that we should vnderstand that all men are vnrighteous and altogether sinners but that God alone is righteous without whome there is no righteousenesse at all and that hee doeth communicate his righteousenesse to all them that do beléeue in Cstriste to wite which do beléeue that for Christ his sake the father is pleased and recoÌ„ciled vnto vs and that for him we are reputed both iust and holie By these woordes of the Apostle there are two verie wicked and blasphemous errours of certeine fellowes notably refuted The one of the twaine is the errour of them whiche saye that oure fathers were iustified not by faith in Christ but by the law and their owne merites affirminge that Christ suffred not for the fathers but for them alone that liued when he was vppon the earth and for them that followed after his death The other errour is theirs which saye that Christ offered vp his bodie for the fathers for originall sinne onely not for vs and all our sinnes and therefore that wee must make satisfaction for our owne sinnes But the Apostle Paule doeth in this place condemne both these opinions And the holie Euangelist Iohn agréeing with Paule doth saye The bloud of the sonne of GOD doeth cleanse vs from all sinne for he is the propitiation for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of all the worlde Therefore the merite of Christ his redemption doth extende it selfe to all the faithfull of both the testaments The Apostle Paul procéedeth vpon that which he had saide hee inferreth Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of woorkes Naye but by the lawe of faith He gathereth by the Euangelicall doctrine hetherto taught that all the boasting of euery mannes owne righteousenesse and all the bragginge of euerye ones merites is vtterly taken away altogether exempted and vanished Not by the lawe of woorkes that is not by the doctrine concerning works which is wont for the moste parte to puffe men vpp and make them swel but by the lawe of faith that is by the doctrine concerning faith which doth emptie and leaue in vs nothinge but an humble confession and acknowledging of our owne lacke of merites attributing all oure helpe to grace in Christ Iesus And at the last gathering the cheefe proposition hee sayth We do therefore holde that a man is iustified without the woorkes of the lawe This is the summe and breuiarie of the whole Gospell that wee are iustified that is to saye absolued from sinnes from the definitiue sentence of death and damnation and sanctified and adopted into the number of the sonnes of God by faith that is by an assured confidence in the name of Christe which is giuen by the father to be our onely Sauiour And here are workes by name excluded to the ende there should be giuen to vs no occasion to entangle faith with workes or to attribute to workes the glorie title due to faith alone or rather to Christe vppon whome our faith is grounded and vphelde This proposition beeing once put foorth he doth presently after coÌ„firme with argumentes shewing withall
Iesus Christ Therefore repentaunce and faith séeme to be diuers not that true repentaunce can be without faith but because they must bee distinguished not confounded Wée doe all knowe that true faith is not without workes as that whiche of necessitie sheweth forth good woorkes and yet wee make a difference betwixt faith and works so yet that we do not separate them or rend the one from the other and in like manner wee acknowledge that true faith and true repentaunce are vndiuidedly knit together and closely fastened the one to the other I wil not stand in argument whether faith be a part of repentaunce or doth by any other meanes depend vppon it It séemeth to me a notable point of follie to goe about to tye matters of Diuinitie to precepts of Logicke For we learne not that of the Lords Apostles I admonished you before in a Sermon of the Gospel which thinge I do here repeate againe that the acknowledging of sinnes doeth not of it selfe obteine grace or forgiuenesse of sinnes euen as the bare acknowledging of a disease is not the remedie for the same For eueÌ„ damned men also do acknowledge their sinnes and yet are not therefore healed The acknowledging of sinne is a certaine preparatiue vnto faith as the acknowledging of a disease doth minister occasion to thincke vppon a remedie To this at this present wee add that not the verie feare of God howe sincere soeuer it bée not the verie sorrowe conceiued for oure sinnes how great soeuer it bée nor the verie humiliation howe submisse soeuer it bee doe of themselues make vs acceptable to god but rather that they prepare an entraunce make a waye for vs vnto the knowledge of Christe and so consequently doe leade vs to Christe himselfe being incarnate and crucified for vs and our redemption and lay vs vppon Christ alone by him to be quickened and purely cleansed For he that is truly conuerted to God is vtterly turned from himselfe and all hope of worldly ayde Who so doth truely feare God and is sorie in very déede from the bottome of his heart he doeth feare and is sorie for his sinnes committed and not for that alone but because he findeth himselfe to be corrupted wholy and to haue in himselfe no soundnesse or integritie yea because he reuereÌ„ceth God as his father he doth disclose to him his wounds as to a Cheirurgian desiring instantly to be recoÌ„ciled to him as to his louing father And wheras here true godlinesse doeth crie that no man can be reconciled to God the father but by the onely begotten sonne the penitent doeth by faith lay hold on the sonne and so séeke the meanes of his recoÌ„ciliation Faith is grounded vppon the onely grace or mercie of GOD exhibited to vs in Christ Iesus and the penitent beléeneth that he is accepted of God for Christ his sake alone and therfore he maketh his supplications to God committing himselfe wholy vnto his mercie as we read that Dauid the prodigal sonne in the 15. cap. of S. Lukes Gospell did To this place might bee annexed the doctrine of the Gospell of faith in Iesus Christ of the remission of sinnes touchinge whiche I haue alreadie spoken And héere I thincke it not amisse that the mindes of penitents must by all meanes bee confirmed with many and euident places of scripture plainly vttered concerning the full remission of sinnes to the end that hereafter wee haue no scruple of conscience to cause vs to despaire or doubt in oure temptations Wherein notwithstanding I repeate againe and againe this note to be thoroughly marcked for the confirmation of the glorie of the onely begotten sonne of God our lord Christ Iesus that penitent sinners haue their sinnes remitted not for their repentaunce in respecte that it is oure worke or action but in respecte that it comprehendeth the renuing of man by the holy Ghost and true faith whiche deliuereth vs to Christ our Physician that he may heale all our diseases and bynde vp al our griefes And although this treatise doeth properly belonge to the common place of faith and the Gospell of which I haue so briefly as I could alreadie discoursed yet notwithstanding I wil heere recite some euident sentences touching the grace of GOD and frée remission of oure sinnes Dauid in the hundreth and thirde Psalme sayeth Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not the thinges that hee hath done for thee whiche forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercie and louinge kindnesse Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our wickednesse For loke howe highe the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him And looke how farre the East is from the West so farre hath hee sett oure sinnes from vs Yea like as a father pitieth his owne children so is the lord merciful to them that feare him For hee knoweth that wee are fraile proane to sinne doth remember that we are but dust Esaie in the first Chapiter of his Prophecie sayeth Thus sayeth the Lord Though your sinnes bee as red as Scarlet they shal bee made whiter then snowe and thoughe they bee redd as purple they shal be made like vndied woll Againe in the fourtie and thrée Chapiter he bringeth in the Lord saying I I am hee that blott out the transgressions and that for mine owne sake I will not remember thy sinnes In the 31. Chapiter of Ieremie which saying is also alleged by Paule in the eighth and tenthe Chapiters to the Hebrues the Lord sayeth This is my couenaunt that I will make with them after these dayes I wil be mercifull vnto their iniquities and not remember their sinnes any more In the 36. Chapiter of Ezechiel the Lord sayeth I will sprinckle cleane water vppon you and yee shall bee cleansed from all your vncleannesse A newe heart also will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you as for that stonie heart I will take it out of your flesh and giue you a fleshie heart I wil deliuer you from all your vncleannesses But I wil not doe this for your sakes sayeth the Lord be ye sure of it c. Daniel in his ninth Chapiter leaueth to vs a manifest example of confession of sinnes and doeth in expresse words say that by the Messiah sinnes are forgiuen iniquitie purged and euerlasting righteousnesse brought in in stéed of it So doth the Prophet â—acharie in his thirde Chapiter affirme that the iniquitie of the earth is purged by the onely Sacrifice of Christe Iesus The Lord in the Gospell after S. Matthewe doeth say They that are whole neede not the Physician but they that are sick Neither did I come to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce And therefore is he called Iesus that is a Sauiour For the Angel said Hee shall saue his people from their sinnes
33 By the word of the Lord were the heauens made all the hoastes of them by the breath of his mouth c. 633. 34 This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles c. 741 37 A good man is mercifull and lendeth guideth his woords with discretion c. 288 37 Yet a little and the vngodly shal be no where and when thou lookest in his place c. 300 38 Rebuke me not in thine anger O Lord neither chasten me in thy c. 919 38 Thine arrowes stick fast in me and thine hand doth presse mée sore c. 565 45 All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel c. 127 45 The Lord shall reigne for euer and his kingdom is a kingdome of all ages c. 638 45 Thy God hath annoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes c. 705 50 Offer to the Lord the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vowes c. 113. 657. 922. 50 Why doest thou take my couâ—naunt in thy mouth c. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. 237 50 Whosoeuer offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me c. 953 51 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy spirite from me c. 722 51 Behold I was borne in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceuied me 496 51 Make mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me 819 51 Haue mercie vpon me O God according to the greatnesse of thy mercie For I â–ª c. 572 54 O come lee vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God eure saluation c. 651 61 Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to sée corruption c. 764 62 Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him c. 282 67 God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs snewe vs the light of his c. 944 72 Touching the infelicitie of the vngodly thou verily hast sett them in slipperie places c. 300 73 Touching the prosperitie of the wicked my feete were almost gone my treadings c. 292 75 Make vowes and paye them c. 381 78 The things that we haue heard and knowen suche as our fathers haue â—ould vs c. 622 79 Help vs O Lord of our saluasion for the glorie of thy name c. 921 81 In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mée and I deliuered thée c. 657 82 Man is the liuely image of god c 650 89 Thou Lord rulest the raging of the sea thou stillest the waues therof when they arise c. 639 91 Call vppon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie mée c. 657 91 There shall no euill come vnto thée neither shall any plagne comâ— néere thy dwelling c. 741 91 Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house very highâ— c. 305 94 Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise c. 614 97 Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth Thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods c. 610 102 Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thée c. 914 103 The Lord is full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and of great kindnesse c. 644. 942 103 Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mée blesse c. 952 103 Euen as the father pityeth his children so doeth the Lord pirie them c. 57 103 Praise the Lord O my soule and forgeâ—t not the thinges that hee hath done for thee c. 567 103 O praise the lord all ye angels of his ye that excell in strengthe yée that fulfil his commaundement c. 738 104 Of the fruite of thy works O God shal the earth be filled c. 639. 104 All thinges waite vppon thée that thou mayest giue them meate in due season c. 947 104 Whiche maketh his Angels spirites his ministers a flaming fire c. 714 110 The Lord sware and will not repent hun Thou art a priest for euer after tâ—e order of Melchisedech c. 704 110 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. 59. 633. 692. 699. 110 In the mightie power of holinesse the dewe of thy byrthe is to thée of the wombe of the morning c. 62 113 The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold the workes of mens hands c. 118 113 The Lord is higher than all nations and his glorie is aboue the heauens c. 610 116 Onely God is true and euery man a liar c. 834 118 The pathe of life shalt thou make knowen to mée the fulnesse c. 71 118 The stone which the builders refused is the head of the corner c. 861 119 Seuen times in a daye doe I praise thée c. 936 119 It is good for me Lord that thou hast troubled mée c. 294 119 I haue longed after thy commaundements c. 324 119 The praise of Gods word c. 253 120 Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptfull tongue c. 324 123 Our GOD is in heauen hée hath done what soeuer pleased him c. 945 128 The labours of thine handes shalt thou eate O well is thée and happie c. 269 135 I know that the Lord is great that he is aboue al Gods c. 639 136 Oh praise the Lord for hée is good because his mercie endureth for euer c. 164. 570 138 Whether shall I goe from the breath of thy mouth and whether shall I flée from thy countenaunce c. 610 139 Thou O Lord knowest my downe-sitting and mine vp-rising thou spyest out all my wayes c. 638 141 Let my prayer bee directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vpp of my hands as an euening sacrifice c. 658 141 The righteous shall sinite mée friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked c. 324 142 Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shal no man liuing c. 467. 555 145 When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled c. 714 145 The Lord is nigh vnto al that call vpon him vnto all such as c. 922 145 The Lord is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes c. 494 145 The eyes of all things do loke vpp vnto thée O Lord and thou giuest c. 947 145 The Lord vpholdeth such as fall and lifteth vpp all those that be downe c. 639 147 Great is oure Lord and great is his power and of his wisedome there is none end c. 639 ¶ Out of the Prouerbes of Solomon 1 MY sonne if sinners entice thée consent not vnto them c. 168 3 My sonne refuse not the chastening of
443. 445. 446. Frée 444 Fréemen of Christe abuse not their libertie 445 Fruits that become repentance 593 Fulgentius 74 Furniture of them that would haue accesse to God. 922 G. Gardiansor ouerséers of fatherlesse children 145 Garment to be worne at the Lords supper 1071 Gentiles 102. 104. 105. 106. 148. Gesture in prayer 928 Gestures at the Lords supper 1071 Gospel 326. 527. 526. 528. 558. 530 547. 1010. Giftes of the holy Ghost 729 Giftes of the new testament 438 GOD. 481 God being good created all thinges good 481 God is said to make men blinde 492 God is said to hardeÌ„ in what sense 492 God sometimes afflicteth them whose sinnes hee hath forgiuen 584. God gouernour of all things 637 God is one in substance and thrée in persons 56 God a father 57 God the maker of heauen and earth 58 God almightie 57 Gods sonne 59 God alone forgiueth sinnes 83 God alone to be loued 94 God will not be likened to any thing 118 God a rewarder of his true worshippers 125 God is all in all to his confederats 357 God did forbeare the fall of man. 488 God doth punish sinners iustly 520 God exhibiteth grace by in Christ 532 God shadowed in visions 616 God giueth his giftes fréely 616 God sheweth himselfe to Moses 617 God what he is 618 God doeth euidently open himselâ—e in Christ 618 God is knowen by his works 620 God is shadowed to vs by comparisons 622 God is one in essence or being 623 Gods good will learned by his prouidence God draweth by meanes those that the preâ—estuiared to life 645 God onely alone is to be worshipped 6â—6 God only to be serued 671 God hâ—th his church 855 God present in the ministerie to the worlds end 919 God is moued with the prayers of the 〈◊〉 God deâ—â—â—reth to heare once petitions 919 Godhead and manhoode of Christe mitted 691 Godlinesse 18. 43 Goode of the church 156 Goods of other man ought not to remaâ—ne in thy possession 280 Goods serue to supplye our necessitie 283 Goodes muste serue to relieue the poore 288 Good to whom it must be done 289 Good how we ought to do it 290 Good 〈◊〉 515. 457 Godly 〈◊〉 falsly charged to frussleare the sacramentes 1008 Gouernours of scholes 1114 Grace 529. 530. 531. 360. 1000. 1003. 1006. Gâ—atian Emperour 181 Guiltinesse punishment therof 397 H. Halowed be thy name expounded 943 Herode and Antiochus eaten of wormes aliue 218 Heretikes and false prophets 397 Head of the church 864 Heauen the seate throne or pallace of our king Historie of the Lordes tabernacle 342. 343 Historie of Anabaptisme 1057 Housholder his charge or office 138 141. Honour 146. 147. 149. 151. 153. 154. 155. Honestie 226 Hospitalitie 286 Hope of the faithfull vpholdeth Christian patience 304 Hopâ— 503. Holy day 350 Holy things 391 Holocaustum the burnt offring 368 How God guieth men ouer to a reprobate mynde or sense 491 Howe God is saide to do euill 493 How Christ is receyued 547 Howe often the Lordes supper is to be celebrated 1016 Holinesse that is perfect whence it proceedeth 813 Holy church how to be vnderstanded 814 Holy time 1129 Holy buildings 1126 Holy instruments 1127 Holy Ghoste 715. 716. 718. 719. 722. Holy Ghost is called a comforter 723. 724. Holie Ghoste compared to water fire 〈◊〉 a done 725. 1016 Hoares Canonicall 936 Howe Christ hath giuen his fleshe to be meare 1098 Howe Christes bodie is eaten and his bloud drunken 1098 Howe the vnbeleeuers are made guiltie of Christes body bloud 1104 How we should prepare our selues to the Lords supper 1109 Humanitie of Christ 687 Humbling and acknowledging of sinnes 564 Hart of all kyndes and sortes forbidden 166 Hirelings wages 397 Hire is due but Heritage procéedeth of the parents good will. 469 Hypocrites how they are or may be counted of in the churche of God. 817 I. Iacob 4 Iames defended 426 Iames no patrone of auricular coÌ„fession 580 Idols teach not 122. 266 Idolatrie 392 Idlenesse condemned 266 Iesus the name of the onely begotten sonne 60 Iesus is Christ the looked for Messias 537 Iewes denie that Christe is come or that Iesus is Christ 540 Images 117. 120. 121. 122 Image of patience 303. Image of god 614. 489 Image of the diuell 560 Imperiall lawe against the Anabaptistes 1058 Impenitents are vnhappie 597 Incest 236 Infelicitie of the vngodly 299 Institution of a king and of princes 390 Inheritaunce 393 Incarnation of Christ 687 Indulgences 585 Infants not beléeuing are baptised 1014 Infantes departing without baptisme are saued 1044 Infantes confessing or beléeuing 1052 Infants vnderstande not the mysterie of baptisme 1054 Infants baptised from the time of the Apostles 1057 Intercessour 660 Intercession of Christ 665 Inuocation 185. 586. 656 Inward markes of the church 824 Interpreting to whome it perâ—eyneth 907 Interpreret or teacher what he must not seeke 908 Institution of baptisme by whome 1033 Institution of sacraments 965 Ioas. 254 Iosaphat 253 Ioram 253 Iothan 254 Iosias 255 Ioiada 254 Iudas was present at the Lordes Supper 1103 Iustification 44. 52. 457 Iustifie 45. 1006 Iustified 49. 50. 51. 406. 532 Iudge Iudgement and to Iudge 74. 191. 192. 193. 194. 295. 388. 389. Iudiciall lawes 389. 397 Iubilie Romishe 417 Iustiman Emperour 129 K. Kaliad the grandfather of Moses 4 Keyes of the kingdome of heauen 558 Keyes of the church 901 Keyes are the ministerie of preaching the Gospell 902. 903 Kinsmen and Cousens 146 Killing and to Kill 166. 175. 198 Kindes of Bishops 885 Kindes of prayer 914 Kindes of punishment 199 Kings Kingdomes 218. 252. 256 257. 390. 699. 700. 701. 702. 703. 944 L. Labour commended 266 Lambe a type of Christ c. 365 Lawe and Lawes c. 100. 101. 102 303. 107. 108. 109. 110. 166. 186. 188. 189. 190. 400. 403. 404 405 408. 409. 411. 446. 447. 448. 578 Lauer of brasse 349 Legion of Thunder 215 League 6. 355. 356. 331. 357. Learners two sortes in the church 907 Leuites 331. 332 Libertie of Christians or Christian Libertie 408. 440. 443. 448 591 Light clearest of the first worlde were nine men 3 Lie Lying and kinds of Lyes 320 Licentiousnesse 449 Life eternall and the day of iudgement 6 Life euerlasting 90 Life promised to them that kéep the lawe 408 Likenesse and difference of the â—lde and newe testament and people 428 Loue and Charitie 92. 93. 95 The Lorde hath not burthened his Church with infinite lawes 1112 Lords prayer expounded 941 M. Maiestie and dignitie of the moral lawe 112 Magistrats or rulers 145. 168. 169 170. 171. 172. 175. 177. 178. 187 188. 198. 216 Magistracie thrée kindes 169 Marriage and Married folke 222 227. Marriage 228. 229. 230. 231. 392 Martyrs 724 Manasses 255 Manner of ordeyning those that be called to the ministerie 896 Manner of the auncient singing in the auncient church 933 Manner of prayer 938 Manner of Christes death 64 Mans last day 779 Man old and newe what it is 588 Man conuinced of sinne
ignorant in no pointe of those thinges which Adam had taught Noe dyeth which is maruell to be tolde and yet very true in the. 59. yere of Abrahams age Sem the sonne of Noah liued many yeares with his father For he liued in all 600. yeres He was borne to Noah about 96. yeres before the deluge He sawe and heard therfore not onely his father Noe and his grandfather Lamâ—ch but also his great grand siar Methusalem with whome he liued those 96. yeres before the deluge Of him he might be informed of all those thinges whiche Methusalem had hearde and learned of Adam and the other Patriarches Sem dieth after the death of Abraham in the. 52. yeare of Iacob which was 37. yeares after the death of Abraham in the. 112. yeare of Isaac his age So that Iacob the Patriarch might very well learne all the true diuinitie of Sem him self euen as he had heard it of Methusalem who was the thirde witnesse and teacher from Adam Furthermore Iaacob the Patriarch deliuered to his childreÌ„ that which he receiued of God to teach to his posteritie In Mesopotamia there is borne to Iaacob his sonne Leui and to him againe is born Kahad whiche both sawe and hearde Iaacob For Kahad liued no small number of yeares with his grandfather Iaacob For he is rehearsed in the roll of them which went with Iaacob downe into Egypt but Iaacob liued 17. yeares with his children in Egypt This Kahad is the grandfather of Moses the father of Amram from whom Moses did perfectly draw that ful and certain tradition by hand as concerning the will commaundements and iudgements of God euen as Amram his father had learned theÌ„ of his father Kahad Kahad of Iaacob Iaacob of Sem Sem of Methusalem and of Adam the first father of vs all so nowe that Moses is from Adam the seuenth witnesse in the worlde And from the beginning of the worlde to the byrth of Moses are fully complete 2368. yeares of the worlde And who so euer shall diligently reckon the yeres not in vaine set downe by Moses in Genesis and Erodus he shall find this account to be true and right Now also it behoueth vs to know those chiefe principles of that liuely tradition deliuered by the holy fathers at the appointment of God as it were from hande to hande to all the posteritie The fathers taught their children that God of his naturall goodnesse wishing well to mankind woulde haue all men to come to the knowledge of the trueth and to be like in nature to God him selfe holy happie and absolutely blessed And therefore that God in the beginning did create man to his owne similitude and likenesse to the intent that he should be good holy immortal blessed and partaker of all the good gifts of God but that man continued not in that dignitie and happie estate but by the meanes of the deuill and his owne proper faulte fell into sinne miserie and death changing his likenesse to God into the similitude of the deuill Moreouer that God here againe as it were of freshe began the worke of saluation wherby mankind being restored and set free from all euill might once againe be made like vnto God and that he meant to bring this mightie and diuine worke to passe by a certain middle meane that is by the worde incarnate For as by this taking of flesh he ioyned man to God so by dying in the fleshe with sacrifice he cleansed sanctified and deliuered mankinde and by giuing him his holy spirit he made him like againe in nature to God that is immortall and absolutely blessed And last of all he worketh in vs a willing indeuour aptly to resemble the propertie and coÌ„ditions of him to whose likenesse we are created so that we maye be holy bothe body and soule They added moreouer that the word should be incarnate in his due time and appointed age And also that there did remaine a greate daye for iudgement wherein though all men were gathered together yet the rightuous onely shoulde receiue that reward of heauenly immortalitie So theÌ„ this is the brief summe of the holy fathers tradition whiche it is best to vntwist more largely and to speake of it more diligently as it were by parts First therefore the fathers taught that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one God in the moste reuerend Trinitie the maker and gouernour of heauen and earth and all things whiche are therein by whome man was made and who for man did make all things and put all things vnder mankind to minister vnto him things necessarie as a louing father and most bountiful Lorde Then they taught that man consisted of soule and body and that he in déede was made good according to the image and likenesse of God but that by his owne faulte and egging forwarde of the deuill falling into sinne he brought into the worlde death and damnation together with a webbe of miseries out of whiche it can not ridde it selfe So that nowe all the children of Adam euen from Adam are borne the sonnes of wrath and wretchednesse But that God whose mercy aboundeth according to his incomprehensible goodnesse taking pitie on the miserie of mankinde did euen of his méere grace graunt pardon for the offence and did laye the weight of the punishment vpon his only sonne to the intent that he when his heele was crushed by the Serpent might him self breake the Serpents heade That is to say God doth make a promise of seed that is of a sonne who taking fleshe of a péerelesse woman I meane that Virgine most worthy of commendations should by his death vanquishe death and Sathan the authour of death and shoulde bring the faythfull sonnes of Adam out of bondage yea and that more is shuld by adoption make them the sonnes of God and heires of life euerlasting The holy fathers therefore taught to beléeue in God and in his son the redéemer of the whole world when in their very sacrifices they did represent his death as it were an vnspotted sacrifice wherwith he ment to wipe away and cleanse the sinnes of all the worlde And therefore had they a most diligent eye to the stocke and lineall descent of the Meschias For it is brought down as it were by a line from Adam to Noe and from Noe by Sem euen to Abraham him selfe and to him againe it was sayde In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed in which wordes the promise once made to Adam as touching Christe the redeemer and chaunger of Gods curse into blessing is renewed and repeated againe The same line is brought downe from Abraham by Isaac vnto Iacob and Iacob being ful of the spirit of God pointed out his sonne Iuda to be the roote of the blessed séede as it is to be séene in 49. of Genesis Lastly in the tribe of Iuda the house of Dauid was noted out of which
but through one For he saith not And to the seedes as though he spake of many but as speaking of one he saith And to thy seede that is Christ Therefore it is a detestable thing to augment or diminishe any thing in this testament of God Christ alone is the only sauiour stil men can neither saue them selues nor other Againe in the same Epistle to the Galathians he saith We knowe that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by faith in Iesus Christ in so much as no flesh shal◠be iustified by the workes of the lawe This is nowe the thirde time that Paul saith that men are not iustified by the workes of the lawe In whiche clause he comprehendeth all maner of works of what sorte soeuer So then no kinde of workes do iustifie But what is it then that iustifieth Faith in Christe and that verily alone For what else can these wordes import We knowe that man is not iustified but by fayth in Christe For the force of these two speaches is all one Faith alone dothe iustifie And it is certaine that we are not iustified but by faythe in Iesus Christ He addeth the example of the Apostles And we haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by sayth in Iesus Christe and not by the workes of the law In like maner also Peter argueth by an example in the Acts of the Apostles and saith We beleeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus Christe we shall be saued euen as they Acts. 15. Moreouer in the very same chapter to the Gala. he saith I despise not the grace of God for if righteousnesse come of the law then Christ is deade in vaine For if we in our selues had had any thing whereby we might be saued what néeded the sonne of God to take our flesh to suffer and to dy But for bycause the sonne of God being incarnate did suffer and die and died not in vaine therefore in our fleshe there was nothing that could obtaine saluation for mankinde Wherfore the only sonne of God is our Sauiour for euer and by true faith maketh vs partakers of his saluation Paule in the very beginning of his Epistle to the Rom. doth proue that al men are sinners that in men there remaineth no strength for them to be saued by and that the lawe of God it selfe doth dig vp the knowledge of offences that is doth apply them bring them to light and make them manifest but doth not take them away blot them out or vtterly extinguish them and that therefore God for his owne goodnes sake to the end that the work that he hath made shoulde not altogether perishe doth iustifie the faithfull fréely by faith in Iesus Christ I will rehearse a fewe of the Apostles owne wordes The righteousnesse of God saith he is declared without the law being witnessed notwithstanding by the law and the Prophets the righteousnesse of God I say commeth by faith in Iesus Christ vnto all and vpō all them that beleeue For there is no difference For all haue sinned haue neede of the glory of God but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemptiō that is in Christ Iesu whō God hath set forth to be a propitiatiō thrugh faith in his blud These words of the Apostle I suppose are most manifest to them that beleeue He plucketh iustification from our owne merites strength and attributeth it to grace wherby the sonne of God is giuē to the worlde vnto the punishment of the crosse that al they that beleue that they are redéemed by the bloud of the sonne of God may be iustified Againe the Apostle immediatly after addeth Therfore we hold that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Vpon the necke of this againe he argueth thus Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the gentils Yes euen of the Gentiles also For it is one God that shall iustifie Circumcision by faith and vncircumcision through faith To be God is nothing else but to be life saluation But God is the God of the Gentiles also not of the Iewes alone therefore God is the life saluation of the Gentiles This life saluation he doth communicate to vs not by the law or through circūcision but by faith in Christ Therfore fayth alone doth iustifie This may be proued by the example of Cornelius the Centurion who as soone as S. Peter had preched vnto him and he once beleued was by and by iustified when as yet he had not receiued circumcisiō or the law when as yet he had not sacrificed nor merited righteousnesse by any work that he did For he was fréely iustified in faith thrugh Iesu Christ For Peter concluded his Sermon to him in these words To this Christ do all the Prophetes giue witnesse that thrugh his name whosoeuer beleueth in him shal receiue remissiō of sinnes After all this the Apostle Paul bringeth in that notable and singular example of our father Abraham teching by what meanes our father Abrahā was iustified For this being once truly declared it can not chose but be plaine manifest to euery one by what means Gods wil is to iustifie al men For the sonnes can not be iustified any other way then the father before them was iustified Abraham therefore was not iustified by circūcision or receiuing of the sacrament For it is saide that he was iustified before he was circumcised Afterward was added the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe that is the signe or sealing that al the séede of Abraham is iustified by faith The same our father Abrahā was not iustified by the lawe For the lawe was 430. yeres added to the promise not to take away sinne or to worke iustification but to make sin appeare to make vs altogether emptie when we are once made emptie to send as it were compell vs to flye to Christ Againe Abraham was not iustified by his works And yet in that most excellent Patriarch are found to be good works yea those too good workes of true faith which are both notable and many in number suche and so many as you shall scarcely finde in any other Neuerthelesse yet the Apostle saith What shall we say then that Abrahā our father as pertaining to the flesh who I say is oure father touching the flesh did merit or find for both those significations hath the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if Abraham were iustified by works thē hath he to boste but not before god For God is only iust and he that only iustifieth Al mē are corrupt yea euen Abraham is a sinner and euery man standeth in néed of the glory of god For which cause also the Prophet did plainely forbid to boast in any thing but in the mercy of god Wherefore Abraham boasted not againste God he acknowledged him selfe to be a
Prince For sayth Dauid The Lorde saide to my Lorde sitte thou at my righte hande till I make thine enimies thy footestoole And the Prophete Zacharie sayth Beholde the man that is called the braunche hee shal budde oute of his place and build the Temple of the Lorde and sitte and rule vppon his Throne and be a prieste vppon his seate In this sense the right hand of God is infinite and conteined in no measure of place wheras wée confesse that our Lorde doth sitte at the righte hande of the father wee doe professe that the sonne is exalted aboue all thinges hauinge all thinges subiecte vnder himselfe as Paule in his first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth and finallye that the sonne being so exalted cā do al thinge doth reigne in the vniuersall Church doth deliuer them that are his doth make intercession to the father in heauē and in the power of his Godheade is present in all places For therfore did the Créede adde almightinesse to this setting of his where it is sayde He sitteth at the right hande of the father almightie And in Saint Mathew the Lorde sayth To me is giuen al might in heauen and in earth goe therefore and bring all nations vnto me So then I suppose that briefly thus I haue well declared what manner of place heauen is to wit a place of quietnesse ioye and euerlasting felicitie wherin the sonne of God doth sit doth dwell and is in his humanitie as we also that are the members of Christe shal be in the very same place without all dolour and griefe in ioye for euermore And although our Lorde be deliuered from all grieuous businesse yet we meane not that he sitteth idlely leaning on his elbowes For he is a King a Prieste and very God in the very temple of God he can not choose therefore of his natural propertie and office but work saluation in the elect and do all things that lye God a king and Prieste in hande to doe So then nowe we all knowe what our Lorde doth as he sitteth in heauen Neither is it any trouble to him at all to do and worke that which he doth for he worketh not of compulsion but naturally and of his owne accord Thus and no otherwise did the ancient interpreters of the holy Scriptures handle this Article of our belief Some of whose testimonies I will here alledge Saint Hierome in his exposition of Paules first Chapter to the Ephesians sayth He hath declared the power of God by the similitude of a man not bycause a seate is placed and God the father sitteth ther on hauing his sonne sitting ther with him but bycause we can not otherwise conceiue howe the sonne dothe iudge and reigne but by such wordes applyed to our capacitie As therfore to be next to God or to depart farre from him is not to be vnderstood according to the distance of places but after mens merites bycause the Saints are heard by him but the sinners of whome the Prophete sayth Beholde they that get them selues from thee shal perish are remoued farre inough for comming neare him at all Euen so likewise to be eyther at the right or lefte hande of God is to be taken so that the Saints are at his right hand sinners at his left As our Sauioure him selfe also in the Gospel affirming the same dothe say that at the right hande are the sheepe and the goates at the left Moreouer this very word to Sit dothe argue the power of a kingdome by which God is beneficiall to them on whom he doth vouchsafe to sit in so much as verily he doth rule them and hath them alwayes in his guiding and dothe turne to his owne becke or gouernment the necks of them that before ranne out of the way at randon and at libertie Saint Augustine in his booke De Fide et Symbolo sayth We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hande of God the Father Yet not so therefore as though we shoulde thinke that God the Father is comprehended within the limites of a mans bodye so that they that thinke of him shoulde imagine that he hath bothe a right and a left side And whereas it is sayde that the Father sitteth we muste not suppose that he doth sitte with bended hammes leaste peraduenture we fall into the same sacrilege for whiche the Apostle accurseth them that haue chaunged the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man For a detestable thing it is to place God in suche a likenesse in a Christian Churche and muche more wicked is it to place it in the heart where the temple of God is verily and in deede if it be cleansed from earthly desires and errour We must therfore vnderstand that at the right hande is as muche to say as in greatest happinesse where righteousnesse and peace and gladnesse is euē as also the Goates are placed at the lefte hande that is in miserie for their iniquities to their peine and torment Whereas God therefore is sayde to sit thereby is not ment the placing of his limms but his iudiciall power whiche his maiestie neuer wanteth in bestowing worthy rewardes on those that are worthy of them And so foorth The blessed Bishop Fulgentius in his seconde Booke to King Trasimundus sayth The Lorde to shewe that his humanitie is locall sayeth to his Disciples I ascende to my father and to your father my God and your god And by and by after declaring the in comprehensibilitie of his Godhead he sayth to his Disciples Behold I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the wold The blessed Martyr and Bishop of Trent Vigilius in his first booke against heresies sayth This was to go to the Father and to depart from vs to take away out of this world the nature whiche he tooke of vs Thou seest therefore that it was proper to the same nature to be taken away and to departe from vs according to the wordes of the Angels whiche sayde This Iesus who is taken vp from you shall come againe euen as ye see him goe into heauen For see the myracle See the mysterie of both his properties The Sonne of God in his humanitie is departed from vs according to his diuinitie he saith to vs Beholde I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world If he be with vs howe sayth he The time shall come when ye shall desire to see one of the dayes of the sonne of man and ye shal not see it But both he is with vs and not with vs Bycause them whome he hath left and departed from in his Godhead he hath not lefte nor forsaken in his manhoode This sayth he The seuenth Article of our faith is this From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade In the former Articles there is set foorth and confessed the diuine goodnesse bountifulnesse and grace in Christe nowe also shall be declared the diuine iustice
ought not to denie his assistance and defence to the godly ministers of Christe and the Churches Herevnto belong the testimonies of Saint Paule that may be alledged In the last chapter of his first Epistle to the Thessalonians he saith We beseeche you brethren to knowe them which labour among you and haue the ouersight of you in the Lord and admonish you that yee may haue thē in reputation through loue for their worke and be at peace with them Again to the Hebrues he sayth Obey them that haue the rule ouer you and giue place vnto them for they watch for your soules as they that shall giue account for them that they may do it in ioy and not in trembling for that is profitable for you For how many and great calamities haue falne vpon kingdomes and peoples for the contempt of Gods worde and his ministers many examples can teache vs but that especially which in the laste chapter of the second booke of Chronicles is set downe in these words The Lorde God of their fathers sent to them by his messingers rising vp betimes and sending for hee had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the messingers of God and despised his wordes and iested at his Prophetes vntill the wrath of God arose against his people and till there was no remedie Like vnto this are the wordes of the Lorde in the Gospell where he sayth I sende vnto you Prophetes and wise men some of whome ye shal scourge and kyll that all the righteous bloud may light vpon you whiche hath bene shead vpon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slue betweene the temple and the altar and so foorth for the place is knowne to you all dearely beloued and is to be séene in the. 23. Chapter after S. Mathew We must beware therefore in any case that we doe not despise God who speaketh to vs in his word by his seruants the Prophets We owe by the force of this commandement all loue reuerence help comfort and humanitie to our kinsfolkes and alliance In this commandemēt are they condemned that shew them selues to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say men without all naturall affection and friendly loue to their owne bloud and kinsfolkes There is a certaine naturall affection goodwill loue and pitifull mercy which the Scripture calleth the bowels of mercy in the father and mother towarde their children in brother towarde brother and in cousins toward their kinssolkes and friends of their aliance We haue notable examples hereof set downe in the Scriptures of Abrahams loue toward his sonne Isaac and of Iosephes affection toward his father Iacob and his brethren but èspecially towarde Beniamin his brother by one mother Mothers and daughters in lawe haue a notable example to followe in Noemi and Ruth Mothers and daughters in lawe for the most part do beare a deadly hate the one to the other which is the cause of muche mischiefe in the houses where they be Let them learn therfore by this preatie example how to behaue them selues on both parts Let the mother in lawe thinke the daughter in law to be her own daughter and let the daughter in lawe honour and reuerēce her mother in law euen as if she were her owne mother Many thinges must be winked at on both sides many things must be taken in good part and many thinges put vp with a quiet mynde Many thinges must be forgiuen and they must both haue their eares stopped against tatling talebearers and wrongfull suspicions Concorde in euery house is the greatest treasure that may be and discord at home is the most perillous and endlesse mischiefe that can be inuented Paule his wordes touching good turnes and honour to be giuen to our kinsefolkes are very wel knowne and extant to be séene in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Limothie Last of all also there is to be found in the worde of God a peculiar lawe for the honouring of olde men which biddeth vs to rise before the hoary and gray haired head Olde men therefore are to be honoured whome we must worthily magnifie and in whom we must acknowledge the singular grace of God in giuing them long life and that by long and continuall experience of all thinges they haue attayned to muche witte or wisedome whereby they are able to helpe vs with their counsell They therefore ought to be praysed that all may vnderstand that gray haires are a crown of glory Moreouer if aged impotent persons are driuen into néede then must our aboundance supply their necessitie To be short we must not denie to olde men any dutie of humanitie wherewith we may pleasure them In the same sort also there are here commended vnto vs widowes orphans wardes poore men straungers sicke and miserable people And for that cause did the deuout and good men of olde bestowe their goods liberally to the refreshing of olde men widowes fatherlesse children and poore sillie creatures Those goods at this day are called Churche goods or Ecclesiasticall contributions whiche vndoutedly are very wel bestowed if they be layde out on them for whome they were giuen In the Emperours constitutions we may sée that there were common houses and substaunce builded and appointed for all sorts of néedie people For there is mention made of houses for fatherlesse childrē of Hospitals for olde men of spittles for beggars of places for sicke men and nourceries for children Among vs at these dayes there are Hospitals and Monasteries very many whereof haue seuerall places appointed for orphans olde men poore people impotent creatures sicke persons and infants They therefore doe commit an vnappeasable offence whosoeuer bestowe to other vses the substance and places ordeined for olde and poore people and lash out they care not howe prodigally in ryot and lustinesse the almes bestowed vpon poore silly souls And nowe hitherto haue I declared howe our parents ought to be honoured and they which are conteined vnder the name of parents There is now remaining the third and laste part of our present treatise wherin we haue to sée what God promiseth to them that honour their parents religiously whereby we haue to gather what perill hangs ouer the heades of them that wickedly neglect and irreligiously despise their parents The Lord in the lawe therefore sayth That thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lorde thy God shall giue thee The meaning of which saying is Honour thy father thy mother that thou maist for many dayes inioy the possession of the lande whiche thou shalt haue in testimonie of my fauour to thée ward These wordes doe properly belong to the Iewes But very well and truly doth a godly minister of Christe writing vpon this place say Bycause the whole earth is blessed to the faithfull we do nothing amisse when we reckon this present life among the blessings
god Because man is created to the similitude and likenesse of god If a man should of purpose deface the image of the King or Prince set vp at their commaundement hée should be accused of treason committed in how great daunger is he then that doth destroy a man which is the reasonable liuely and very picture of God himselfe Wée read that Theodosius the Emperour did determine to destroy a great number of the Citizens of Antioch for none other cause but for ouerthrowing that Image that was set vp for the honour of Placilla Augusta But thereunto is added that one Macedonius an Heremite came to the Emperours messingers said O my friends goe say to the Emperour Thou art not an Emperour only but also a man Do not thou cruellie destroy the image of god Thou angrest thy maker when thou killest his image Consider with thee selfe that thou art soaâ—ie for an image of brasse Now it is euideÌ„t to al meÌ„ what difference there is betwixt a thing that is dead and that which hath life and a reasonable soule Moreouer it is an easie matter in steede of one brasen image to set vp more but it is vnpossible to restore one haire to them that once are slaine Finally murder is clean contrary to the nature of man For man chéerisheth himselfe and flesh destroyeth not it selfe but preserueth and nourisheth it selfe so much as it may But al wée men as many as liue are of one lumpe and of the same substantiall flesh to kill a man therefore is against mans nature Furthermore al men are the children of one father of one stocke of the same progenie murder therefore is directly against ciuil humanitie and is a plague that reigns amoÌ„g men And doth not the Lord our redéemer also require charitie of all men which must so abound that wée may not sticke to die for our neighbour To kill our neighbour therefore is flatly repugnaunt to Christian religion And take this by the way too that the bloud of man shedde by murder crieth out of the earth to heauen for reuengment For to Cain when he had slaine his brother it was said The voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth out of the earth and is come vp to mee For bloudshedde verilie polluteth and maketh the ground accursed whereon it is shedde and is not cleansed againe nor easilie appeased vntill it doe also 〈◊〉 the giltie bloud of them which spilte before the giltlesse bloud of innocentes Lastly murders procure marke y conutters thereof with endlesse spots of reprochfull infamie and that which is worst of all it bringeth vnto them euerlasting damnation Wherefore Salomon in his Prouerbes sayth My sonne if sinners entice thee consent not vnto them If they say Com with vs we will lay waite for bloud wil lurk priuily for the innocent without a cause Wee will swallow them vp like the graue quicke and whole as those that goe downe into the pitte Wee shall find all maner of costly riches and fil our houses with the pray Cast in thy lot among vs wee wil all haue one purse My sonne walke not thou with them but rather pull back thy foot from their wayes For their feete runne to euill and are hastie to shead bloud Now Dauid sayth that The bloudthirstie man and the hypocrite are abhominable to the Lord. From this law is exempted the Magistrate ordeyned by God whom God commaundeth to vse authoritie and to kill threatening to punish him most sharpely if hée neglect to kill the men whom God commaundeth to be killed This sixt commaundement of the Law therefore doth flatly forbid vppon priuate authoritie to kill any man But the magistrate killeth at Gods commaundement when hée putteth to death those which are by law condemned for their offences or when in defence of his people he doth iustly and necessarilie arme himself to the battell And yet the magistrates may offend in these two pointes two sundry wayes For either they do by law that is vnder the coloured pretence of law sâ—ay y giltlesse to satisfie their own lust hatred or couetousnes As wée read that Iesabell slew y iuste man Naboth with the Lords Prophets Or else by peeuish pitie and foolish clemencie do let them escape skotte frée whom the Lord commaunded them to kill as Saul Achab are reported to haue sinned in letting go the blouddie kings whom God commaunded to be slaine And Salomon in the 17. of his Prouerbes doth testifie that the Lord doth as greatly hate the magistrate that acquiteth a wicked person as him that condemneth an innocent man The magistrates also in making or else repelling warre do offend two wayes in this sort For either they doe vniustly themselues make warre vppon other men and intangle their people therein Or else they suffer forreigne enimies to rob and spoile the people committed to their charge do not with such force as they may kéepe off and defend that open wrong and manifest iniurie Both these offences are of sundrie sorts and therewithall so great that they can hardly be purged Thou readest therefore that the holie kings of Israell did neuer make warre vppon any body vnlesse the Lord commaunded them And they againe fought for their people suffered them not to be led away captiue as miserable bondslaues For so did the blessed Patriarch Abraham follow vpon pursue those foure kinges nay rather cutthroate robbers of the East and recouered by force of armes Lot Lots substaunce and the people of Sodom that were carried away And such warres as these are taken in hand either for the recouerie or else for the confirmation of peace so that the magistrates that make warre in such a cause are rightly and in déede the children of God because they are peacemakers For all peace makers are the children of God. And now this place and argument doe require that I speake somewhat touching the office or authoritie of the magistrate which by Gods helpe I will assay to doe not that I meane or can alledge all that may be sayd therof but that which shal séeme most properly to declare the meaning of it and is most necessarie for this presente treatise Magistratus which woord we vse for the roome wherein the magistrate is doth take the name A magistris populi designandis of assigning the masters guiders and captaines of the people That roome place is called by the name of power or authoritie by reason of the power that is giuen to it of god It is called by the name of Domination for the dominion that the Lord doth graunt it vpon that earth They are called Princes that haue that Dominion for they haue a preeminence aboue the people They are called Consules of Counseling And kinges of Commaunding ruling and gouerning the people So then the Magistracie that I may henceforward vse this word for the magistrates power and place is an office and an action in the executing of the same Aristotle defineth the
the most vnfortunate For in so much as hee forsâ—â—ke the lawe of the Lord his God the Lord deliuered both him and his people first into the hands of the king of Syrians and afterward into the hands of the Israelites who in one day â—lew one hundred and twentie thousand Iewes and tooke captine away with them two hundreth thousand women and children So Achaz himselfe and all that were his by feeling had proofe of all kinde of calamities beeing made an example to terrifie all other that doe gaiâ—â—say the woorde of god The good and godly king Ezechias succeeded his vngodly father in the seate and kingdome Of him wee haue this testimonie in the holie Scripture Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Dauid did Hee put away the high places and brake the images and cut downe the groaues and all to brake the brasen Serpent which Moses had made For vnto those dayes the children of Israell burnt sacrifice to it Hee trusted in the Lord God of Israell For hee claue to the Lord and departed not from him but kept his commaundements which the Lord commaunded Moses And now let vs heare what followed vppon this obedience and faith of his The Scripture goeth forward and sayth And the Lord was with him so that hee prospered in all thinges that hee tooke in hand While hee did reigne the most auncient and puissant Monarchie of the Assyrians was broken and diminished For when Senachâ—rib king of Assyria besieged the citie of Ierusalem the Angell of the Lord in one night â—lue in the Assyrian campe one hundred fourescore and fiue thousand souldiours And the king of Babylon also did verie honourably by his ambassadours send prince like giftes vnto Ezechias desiring earnestly his amitie and friendshipp For the glorie of that most godly king was blowen abroade and knowen in all the world Againe when his sonne Manasses a verie wicked man did not treade the pathe and expresse the deedes of his most holy father but being made king in the twelfth yeare of his age did of purpose crosse the word of God and brought in againe all the superstition which his father had abolished hee was taken captiue and carried away to Babylon and although by the goodnesse and mercie of God hee was restoared to his seate againe yet when he died hee left a maymed and a trouble some kingdome vnto his sonne Ammon who also for his rebellion against the word of God as a most vnfortunate man reigned but two yeares onely and was at the last wretchedly slaine by his owne houshold seruaunts In place of his murdered father was his sonne Iosias settled in the kingdome being when hee was crowned a child but eight yeares old Of all the kinges of Iuda he was the floure and especiall crowne Hee reigned quietly and in all pointes most happilie by the space of one and thirtie yeares Now the Scripture which cannot lye doth paint out to our eyes the fayth and obedience which hee did deuoutly shewe to the woord of God for which that felicitie did accompanie his kingdome Hee was nothing moued with the admonitions of his father Ammons counsellours But so soone as hee had heard the woords of the lawe read out of the booke which Helkia the high priest found in the temple at Hierusalem hee streight way committed himselfe whoaly to God and his woorde Neither stayed hee to looke for the mindes and reformations of other kinges and kingdomes but quickly forecasting the best for his people hee beganne to reforme the corrupted religion which hee did especially in the eightenth yeare of his age And in that reformation hee had a regard alwayes to followe the meaning of the holie scripture alone and not to giue eare to the deedes of his predecessours to the prescribed order of longe continuaunce noâ— to the common voyces of the greatest multitude For he assembled his people together before whome hee layde open the booke of Gods lawâ— and appointed all thinges to be ordered according to the rule of his written word And therevppon it commeth which wee finde written that hee spared not the auncient temples longe accustomed rites which Solomon and Ieroboam had erected and ordeyned against the word of god To be short this king Iosias pulled downe and ouerthrew whatsoeuer was set vpp in the Church or kingdome of Iuda against the woorde of god And least peraduenture any one should cauill and say that hee was ouer hardie and too roughe in his dealinges the Scripture giueth this testimonie of him and sayth Like vnto him was there no king before him which turned to the Lord with all his heart with all his soule and all his might according to all the lawe of Moses neither after him arose there any such as hee Whereas wee read therefore that this so commended and most fortunate king was ouercome and slaine in a foughten battaile that death of his is to be compted part of his felicitie not of his miserie For the Lord himselfe said to Iosias I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and in peace shalte thou bee buried that thine eyes may not see all the euill which I will bring vppon this place For there is no greater argument that the people and verie princes of the kingdome vnder that most holie king were meere hypocrites and idolaters than for beecause next immediately after his death both his sonnes and Peeres reiecting the word of God did bring in againe all superstition and blasphemous wickednesse Whereuppon wee reade that for the whoale 22. yeares wherein the kinges of Iudâ— did reigne after the death of Iosias there was no peace or quietnesse in Hierusalem but perpetuall seditions and most bloudie murders Next after Iosias reigned his sonne Ioachas but within three monethes after he was taken bound and ledd captiue away into the land of Aegypt After the leading away of Ioachas his brother Ioachim ware the crowne whom in the eleuenth yeare of his reigne being bound in chaynes was slaine by Nabuchodonosor and lastly as Ieremie saith was buried in the sepulcre of an Asse In Ioachims steede was his sonne Iechonias set vpp but about three monethes after hee with his Princes and substaunce was taken captiue and ledd away to Babylon After him the kingdome was giuen to Zedechias the sonne of Iosias but because hee would not obey the word of God preached by the Prophete Ieremie he looseth both his life and kingdome in the eleuenth yere of his reigne In whose time also the temple is set on fire Hierusalem is sacked and the people slaine for the most part or led away captiue Thus much hetherto touching the kinges of Iuda For in Zedechias both the kingdome and maiestie or dignitie thereof did fayle and make an ende To these if wee add the endes and destinies of the kinges of Israell we shal againe be compelled to confesse that all felicitie of kinges and kingdomes doe
pot of Manna and Aarons rodd y budded For we heard that in Christ were hidden the iewels of the Church Christ is our wisedom the word of the father the fulfilling of the Lawe he is iust himselfe and oure righteousnes also In Christ is the heauenly foode For he is the bread of life that came downe from heauen to the ende that euery one that eateth of it may liue eternallie In Christ did the priesthood bud againe it séemed verily at the death of Christ vppon the crosse to haue béene cut downe for growing any more but at his resurrection it bâ—dded againe and he tooke the euerlasting priesthoode that neuer shal be ended For euen now as he standeth at the right hand of his father in heauen he maketh intercession to him for vs Moreouer the arke was compassed with a crowne because Christ our lord is a king which deliuereth vs his faithfull seruaunts from all euill and maketh vs the sonnes of god Vppon the arke we read that there was placed the mercie seate which was either the couer of the arke or else a seate set vppon the arke By it was figured as the Apostles Iohn Paule interprete it Christ our Lord who is the throne of grace and the propitiation for oure sinnes not onely for ours but also for the sinnes of all the world Out of the propitiatorie or Mercie seat also were vttered the Oracles and aunsweares of god For the vse of the mercie seate is read in the holy Scripture to haue béene this that Moses entering into the tabernacle did at the mercie seate receiue the answeres and commaundements of God which he declared vnto the people And Christ is he by whom our heauenly father declareth his wil to vs and whom alone he hath giuen vs to heare saying This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare him Two Cherubim haue their faces turned toward the mercie seate and do as it were looke one to an other Whereuppon S. Peter saith that The Angels do desire to behold the sauiour of the world which is declared in the Gospell The same Angels doe alwayes serue our Lord and maister and are readie at his becke as to him that is Lord ouer all Now none did carrie the arke of the Lord but the priests alone For they onely which are annoincted by the holy ghost and indued with true faith do receiue Christ and are made partakers of his heauenly giftes Neither must wée winck at and let passe the note that is giuen in the 4. and 5. Chap. of the first booke of Samuel where it is said that the Israelites for abusing the arke and turning it to another vse than that for which it was giuen and for attributing vnto it more than the Scripture willed were slaine by the Philistines and that the arke was carried into captiuitie to the ende that all men might learne therby not to attribute more to the Sacramentes and mysteries of God than is conuenient and not to applie them to any other vse than that for which the Lord hath ordeyned them For the arke was not ordeined to the ende that it should be taken for God althoughe it bare the name of God neither was it made to the end that they should loke for grace and helpe to procéede from it as wée read that they did but it was giuen them as a token that God their confederate was in the middest of his people so long as they did kepe the tables of the couenaunt that were cloased within the arke did cleaue to God alone at whose hands they should looke for all good things through Christ his sonne whiche was prefigured by the arke Nexte to the Adytum or Sanctum SanctoruÌ„ in the Sanctum did stand the golden table the matter and fashion wherof is declared in the 25. ca. of Exod. Vppon the table we men doe set oure meate and sustenance by the table we are refreshed and at the table we forget our cares and are merrie and iocunde Therfore the table can be none other but Christe our Lord and Christian doctrine For Christ is the sustenance of our life he is the ioy mirthe of the faithfull The table was of gold without and all wood within because Christ our table is both God and maÌ„ The table which is the type of Christian doctrine is set forth in the Church it is not therefore to be sought at Athens amonge the Sophisters nor amonge the Gymnosophistes of India nor in the Iewish Synagogues Vppon the table are set 12. new loanes diuided into two parts For the bread of life which is new and swéete doth féed and fill both the Iewes and the Gentiles Moreouer that bread was holy and not prophane none might eate it but the priestes alone In like maner the faithful only are worthie of Christ the bread of life and they that beléeue receiue it only The loaâ—es were called by the name of Shewe bread or y bread of sight wherby is ment that the bread of life which is Christian doctrine should alwayes be in sighte before oure eyes And as those leaues were to be set alwayes before the Lord in the sight of all men so must not the doctrine of Christe be priuily hidden but openly shewed vnto all people A vessel with franckincense was set vppon the Shewe bread Because they that eate the heauenly bread doe offer to God prayers and thankesgiuinges without intermission which is to God as swéete aâ— franckincense In the 24. of Leuiticus it is at large declared in what sort the Shewe bread is prepared The golden Candlesticke is in the Sanctum standeth before the vaile on the one side or ouer against the table Wée haue the description of it in the 25. Chap. of Exodus Candles are set vp in oure common houses to giue light to all them that are in the house And Christ our Lord is come a lighte into the world that whosoeuer followeth him should get the light of life Out of Christe doe procéede and vppon Christe doe sticke other noses of Candlestickes which haue their light from Christ the chiefe Candlesticke For the Lord did saye vnto the Apostles Ye are the lighte of the world So then Christ is the shancke or shalt of the CaÌ„dlesticke vpon which shanke many snuffes or noses doe sticke whiche hold the light vp to the Church For what light soeuer is in the ministers of y Church they haue it all of Christ who is the head of light very lighte it selfe The candlesticke is wholie all of gold And Christ is very God in déed the lighte and wisedome of the father and the ministers of Christe must bée sincere and throughly snuffed from al affections of the flesh and to that end belongeth the vse of the snuffers that did pertaine vnto the candlesticke In the middest betwixt the table the candlestick before the vaile in the Sanctum did stand the golden altar of incense
who declared to vs the meaning of that ceremonie out of the 61. Chapter of the prophecie of Esaie in Sainct Lukes Gospell where hee saith that hee is hee that doth in déede proclaime the Iubilie the true fréedome and acceptable yeare of the Lorde Nowe he hath pronounced remission fréedome to all the faithfull not with a trumpet made of a Rammes horne but with the Gospell For by the mercie of God in the merite of Iesus Christe the sonne of God all debtes or sinnes are forgiuen to all the faithfull that liue vpon the face of all the earth vppon condition that we whose sinnes are forgiuen should likewise forgiue the trespasses of them that offend vs And in Christe verily wee haue the true and euerlasting rest that shall neuer faile vs By Christe wee haue returne graunted vs to our possession or countrie from whence wee were fallen that is to heauen the place of the faithfull Thus much haue I saide of the holie time or holie dayes as briefely as possibly I could The rest is at the full to be séene in the 23. of Exodus Leuiticus 23. Num. 28. 29 Deut. 6. That which is behinde touchinge this argument I meane touching the Iewishe ceremonies I will by Gods leaue make an ende of in my nexte Sermon Nowe let vs make our humble prayers and supplications vnto God c. ¶ Of the Sacraments of the Iewes of their sundrie sortes of sacrifices and certeine other thinges perteining to their ceremoniall lawe The sixte Sermon IN my laste Sermon I spake of the holy persones I meane the ministers of Gods religion the Leuitical priestes and the place and time assigned to Gods seruice there remaineth nowe for vs to consider the holie thinge which those holie persons did exercise in the holy time place I meane the verie worship holie rites so ordeined taught prescribed by God him selfe that all men might easily vnderstande how to do seruice and what honour to giue vnto the Lorde In this treatise wee haue first to consider the Iewish Sacraments and then their sacrifices The auncient church of the saints had two especial sacraments circumcision and the Pascall lambe Of both which I will speake seuerally and agreably to the worde of God according to the grace which the Lord shal vouchsafe to giue vnto mee Nowe circumcision was the holie action whereby the flesh of the foreskinne was cutt awaye for a signe of the couenaunt that God made with men Or to describe it more largely circumcision was a marke in the priuie members of men betokening the eternal couenant of God and was or deined by God him selfe to testifie his goodwill toward them that were circumcised to warne them of regeneration and cleannesse and to make a difference betwixt the confederates of God other people or nations The author therefore of circumcision is God him selfe the beginning of it is of great antiquitie For the Lord him selfe in the Gospel saith Circumcision began not at Moses but at the Patriarches Moses verilye did renue or repaire the lawe or custome of circumcision but Abraham the renowmed friende of God was the first that was circumcised in the ninetieth yere of his age and in the verie same daye that God making a couenaunt with him did first ordeine the vse of circumcision For he added circumcision as a seale to the league which hee made with Abraham and with his séede for euer The place is extant in the 17. Chap. of Genesis It was first ordeined in the 2046. yeare after the creation of the worlde 390. yeres after the deluge when Sem the sonne of Noah was 487 yeares olde So that Moses is founde to haue béene borne 320. yeares after the firste institution of circumcision whereby it appeareth that circumcision was in vse amonge the Patriarches 400. yeares before the law was giuen to the Israelites by the hand of Moses Now for because circumcision is added as a signe or seale to the league that was made betwixt God Abraham I must briefely by a short digression touch the manner or order of that couenaunt God in making of leagues as he doth in all things else applieth him selfe to our capacities imitateth the order which men vse in making confederacies Men do by leagues as by most sure and stedfast bonds bynde themselues to the societie and fellowship of one bodie or people in which societie to the end they may be the safer and liue more quietly from the wronges and iniuries of all other nations they do mutually hazard both liues liuings the one in defence of y others libertie In these leagues they do precisely expresse what they be that make the confederacie vpon what conditions and howe farre the couenant shall extend And therefore when Gods mind was to declare the fauour good will that he bare to mankind and to make vs men partakers wholie of him self and his goodnes by powring him selfe out vpon vs to our great good profite it pleased him to make a league or couenant with mankinde Now hee did not firste beginne the league with Abraham but did renue to him the couenant that he had made a great while before For be did firste of all make it with Adam the first father of vs all immediately vpon his transgression when hee receiued him sillie wretche into his fauour againe and promised his onely begotten sonne in whome he would be reconciled to the world and through whome he would whoaly bestowe him selfe vpon vs by making vs partakers of all his good and heauenly blessinges and by binding vs vnto him self in faith and due obedience This auncient league made firste with Adam hee did afterwarde renue to Noah and after that againe with the blessed Patriarche Abraham And againe after the space of 400. yeres it was renued vnder Moses at the mount Sinai where the conditions of the leagu were at large written in the two tables and many ceremonies added thereunto But most excellently of all most clearely and euidently did our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ him selfe shewe forth that league who wiping away all the ceremonies types figures shadowes brought in in stéed of them the verie trueth and did moste absolutely fulfill and finish the old league bringing all the principles of our saluation and true godlynesse into a briefe summarie which for the reuewing and fulfilling of all thinges for the abrogation of the olde ceremonies hee called the newe league or newe testament In that testament Christe alone is preached the perfectnesse and fullnesse of all thinges in it there is nothing more desired then faith and charitie and in it is graunted holy and wonderfull libertie vnto the Godly Of which I will speake at another time But now I returne to y league which was renued with Abraham We are expressely taught in 〈◊〉 who they were that made the league that is the liuing eternall omnipotent God who is the chiefe maker preseruer
sinne whiche is in my members And at the last he concludeth and saith So then with the minde I me selfe serue the lawe of God but with the flesh the law of sin Nowe some there are which thincke y Paule spake these wordes not of himselfe but of the person of others which were carnal men and not as yet regenerate But the very words of the Apostle doe enforce the reader whether he wil or no to confesse that the words recited may be applied eueÌ„ to the man that is most spiritual Augustine 1. lib. Retractat cap. 23. saith that he himselfe was sometime of opinion that those woords of the Apostle ought to be expounded of the man which was vnder the lawe and not vnder grace but hée confesseth that he was compelled by the authoritie of others writings treatises to thincke that the Apostle spake them of such men as were most spirituall of his owne person as he doth at large declare in his books against the Pelagians Euen S. Hierome also who is said to haue thundered out a most horrible curse against them that taught that the law did commaund things vnpossible doth expressly write to Rusticus that Paul in this place speaketh of his owne person But if the flesh and the corrupte disposition thereof remaine wherby it doth vncessaÌ„tly striue with the spirite then verily that heauenly perfectnâ—s is neuer perfecte in vs so longe as we liue so consequently so longe as we liue none of vs fulfilleth the law Here also is to be inserted that disputation of Paul where he proueth that no mortall maÌ„ is iustified by the workes of the lawe his meaning is not that no man is iustified by the very works of the law but that no man is iustified by the workes of our corrupt nature which doth not performe that whiche the lawe of God requireth For as the same Apostle saith it is not able to performe it And very well truly saith he We knowe that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ and we haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deeds of the lawe because by the deeds of the law no flesh shal be iustified Neither must we by the déedes of the lawe vnderstand the Ceremonies onely For euen as the Ceremonies do not so likewise do not the morals iustifie vs men The Apostle speaketh of the morals when he speaketh of the déeds of the law For in the 3. Chap. to the Romans the same Apostle saith By the deedes of the lawe there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight And immediately after he addeth the reason why saying For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But in the 7. cap. he sheweth by what lawe to wit the morall lawe For the moral law saith Thou shalt not lust But the Apostle saith I knew not sinne but by the law For I had not known coÌ„cupiscence if the lawe had not said thou shalt not lust In his Epistle to the Ephesians he speaketh to the Gentiles and saith simplie that workes do not iustifie But speaking to the Gentiles he could not meane it of the ceremoniall lawes but of the very morall vertues that is all kinds of workes y séemed to be good To the Galathians he saith As many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder the curse And to proue that he addeth For it is writteÌ„ Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do theÌ„ Now vnlesse we do by the déeds of the lawe vnderstand the morals as wel as the ceremonials I doe not sée howe his proofe can hange to that which went before For he saith expressely In all things which are writteÌ„ in the booke of the lawe to do them Nowe who knoweth not that the ceremonials were not written alone but that the morals were written also And S. Augustine in his booke De spiritu litera Cap. 8. doth by many argumentes proue that Paule by the déeds of the lawe did vnderstand the morals also Nowe that wée may conclude this place I will héere recite the words of the Apostle in the 8. to the Romanes saying What the lawe could not doe in as much as it was weake thorough the flesh that God performed by sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the lawe might bee fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite The Apostle in these words teacheth vs two things First that the law neither can now nor neuer could iustifie vs men The fault of this weakenesse or lacke of abilitie he casteth not vpon the law which is of it selfe good and effectual is the doctrine of most absolute righteousnesse but he layeth the fault therof vpon our corrupt flesh Our flesh neither could nor can performe that whiche is required of vs by the law of god Whereupon S. Peter in the counsell held at HierusaleÌ„ is read to haue said Now therfore why tempt ye God to put on the disciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare The latter is inferred vpon the first to wit when the lawe could not giue vs life nor wée were able to do y which the law required at our hands theÌ„ God who is rich in mercie and goodnesse sent his sonne into the world that he being incarnate should die for vs and so take away the sinne of our imperfection bestow on vs his perfectnesse in faith being himselfe the perfectnes and fulnesse of the law By this therfore it is manifest y Christ hath fulfilled the lawe that he is the perfectnes of al the faithful in the world But here this place requireth a more ful exposition how Christ hath fulfilled the law how he is made our perfectnesse First of all whatsoeuer things are promised and prefigured in the lawe the Prophets all those hath Christ our lord fulfilled For those promises The seede of the woman shall crush the Serpents head In thee shall all the kindreds of the earth bee blessed other more innumerable like to these did our Lord fulfil wheÌ„ he being borne into this world made an attonement for vs brought backe life to vs againe In like maner he fulfilled all the ceremonials while he himselfe being both priest and sacrifice did offer vpp himselfe is now euer an effectuall and euerlasting sacrifice an eternall highe priest making intercession alwayes at the right hand of the father for all faithful beléeuers He also doth spiritually circuÌ„cise the faithful and hath giuen them in stéed of circumcision the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme He is our Passouer who in stéed of the Paschal lamb hath ordeined the Eucharist or supper of the lord Finally hee is the fulfilling and perfectnes of
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
whiche cause Paule calleth the Gospell the Preaching of Grace But nowe althoughe the grace of God doth not depend vppon vs or our woorks yet doth it not idlely abide in God as if it were vtterly without vs and altogether farre from vs as the thing that is neither felt nor yet worketh in vs For we vnderstood by the cited testimonies that grace is the fauour of God wherewith hee loueth vs men We vnderstood that men are saued by grace For since God loueth men he would not haue them perish therefore hee hath thorough grace sent his sonne to deliuer them from destruction and that in him the iustice and mercie of God might be knowen to al the world But none are deliuered saue those that beleeue therefore grace hath somewhat whereby to worke in man For by the powring of the holy Ghost into our hearts the vnderstanding will are instructed in the faith To be short Grace as I haue alreadie told you doeth call iustifie saue or glorifie the faithfull so that we must make our account that the whole worke of our saluation and all the vertues of the godly do procéed of the onely grace of God alone whose working we doe at all times acknowledge confesse And that is againe proued both by diuine and humane testimonies Paul to the Romanes sayeth Those which he knew before he also did predestinate and those which he did predestinate he also called those whom he called he also iustified and those whome he iustified he also glorified What shall we then say to these thinges If God be on our side who can be against vs which spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs how shall he not with him also giue vs all thinges Againe in the first cap. of his Epistle to the Ephcsians he hath referred the whole worke of election and saluation with all the parts therof vnto the grace of god Moreouer the holie fathers in the counsel Mileuentanum amonge whom also S. Augustine was present made this decree touching the grace of god If any mā say that mercie is without the grace of God bestowed from aboue vpon vs beleeuing willing desiring endeuouring studiing asking seeking striuing as of our selues doeth not confesse that euen To beleeue To will and To be able to do all these things as we shold doe is wrought by the powring in inspiration of the holie Ghost if hee ioyne the humilitie or obedience of man as an helpe vnto grace and if hee doth not cōsent that it is the very gift of grace euen that we are humble obedient he is directly cōtrarie to the Apostle who sayeth For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued And By the grace of God I am that I am Thus much say they Now these diuine humane testimonies béeing throughly considered there is none I hope which maye not vnderstand that the grace of God is the same that I told you to wit the fauour and goodwil of the eternal Godhead wherwith he according to his incomprehensible goodnesse doeth embrace call iustifie and saue men fréely for Christ his sake our Lord and Sauiour The blessed man Aurelius Augustine had a sharp conflict with Pelagius the Britton concerning the grace of god For the heretique did by grace vnderstand nothing but the benefite of the creation which as Augustine denied not to be grace so did hevehemētly vrge that the Apostle did especiallie speake of that frée grace wherby without any merite of oures wee are fréely saued for Christ his sake This did he vrge therfore the more earnestly be cause he sawe that the heretique affirmed that his owne humane nature was sufficient vnto him not to do only but also to do perfectly the cōmaundements of God by frée will. But of these matters s. Augustine doth verie largely religiously dispute in his 95. Epistle Ad Innocentium Many of the late writers for teachings sake haue diuided Grace * into Grace that doth things acceptable and * Grace that is gratis or freely giuen Againe they haue diuided it into * working Grace and ioynte working Grace Finallie they part it into * Grace that goeth before and grace that followeth after And the very same writers also reckon vp the operatiōs or effects of grace after this maner almost Grace healeth the soule maketh it first to wil well and then to worke effectuallie y thing that it willeth so it causeth it to perseueare in goodnesse at length to come to eternall glorie But I am not so careful to reckon vpp the sentences of writers to shew you euery ones seuerall opinion whiche both were an excessiue labour and also more than my abilitie is to do as I am willing to cite the places of scripture which is the one and onely rule how to think and how to iudge rightly to shew you therby what the scripture would haue you thinke as I haue in my former treatise of the grace of God both briefly euidently enough I hope declared vnto you And also the discourse of Christe whiche followeth hereafter thorough whome the father hath powred the most excellent heauenly grace into vs shal help to make vp y which sémeth to be wāting here But now before I depart from this argument I thought good to admonish you that the sentences of Gods woord do not iarre among themselues when we doe in sundrie places read heare first that we are saued fréely or by the Grace of God then that we are saued by the loue of God thirdly that we are saued thoroughe the mercie of God fourthly that wee are saued thoroughe Christe fiftly that wee are saued thorough the bloud or death or incarnation of Christ and lastly that we are saued through faith in Christ or in the mercie or grace of god For all these speaches tend to one the same end doe ascribe the whole glorie cause of mans saluation vnto the verie mercie or grace of god The pledge of grace yea and our only Sauiour is the onely begottē sonne of God betrayed vnto death Sincere fayth layeth hold on méere grace in Christ nothing else Nowe therefore hauing thus expounded according to my smal abilitie that which I had to speake in generall of the grace of God I doe heere descend to handle that singular or particular worke of Gods grace which is nothing else but that the mercifull father hath exhibited to vs his sonne in that maner and order as he promised him to vs in the old prophets and that in him he hath fullie giuē vs al things requisite to eternall life and absolute felicitie because hee is the Lord and Messiah or onelye and true Sauiour whiche was incarnate dead raised to life and taken vpp into heauen for vs and our saluation For Christ is both king and high priest that is our sauiour he is the marke the starre and verie Sunne lighte of the preaching of the Gospell Nowe in expounding these
Christ Iesu our Lord the true Messiah either not onely or else not fully all thinges requisite to life and saluation It is a wicked and blasphemous thinge to ascribe either to men or to things inferiour and worse thā men the glorie and honour due vnto Christ The principall exercises of Christian religion cannot by derogating from the glorie of Christe challenge any thing vnto themselues For syncere doctrine doth directly lead vs vnto Christ Prayer doeth inuocate praise and giue thanckes in the name of Christ The Sacramentes doe serue to seale and represent to vs the mysteries of Christ And the workes of faith are done of duetie althoughe also of frée accord because wee are created vnto good works Yea through Christ alone they do please and are acceptable to God the father For hee is the Vine we are the branches So all glorie is reserued vntouched to Christ alone which is the surest note to know the true Gospel by Thus hetherto wee haue heard That God the father of mercies according to his frée mercie taking pittie vppon mankinde when it stucke fast and was drowned in the myre of hell did as hée promised by the Prophets send his onely begotten sonne into the world that he might draw vs out of the mudd and fully giue vs all thinges requisite to life and saluation For God the father was in Christ reconciled vnto vs who for vs and our saluation was incarnate dead raysed from death to life and taken vpp into heauen againe And although it may by all this be indifferently well gathered to whom that saluation doeth belonge and to whome that grace is rightly preached yet the matter it selfe doeth séeme to require in flatt woordes expressely to shewe that Christ and the preaching of Christ his grace declared in the Gospell doeth belonge vnto all For wée must not imagine that in heauen there are layed two books in the one wherof the names of them are written that are to be saued and so to be saued as it were of necessitie that do what they will against the woord of Christ and commit they neuer so heynous offences they cannot possiblie choose but be saued and that in the other are conteyned the names of them which doe what they can and liue they neuer so holilie yet cannot auoyde euerlasting damnation Let vs rather hold that the holy Gospel of Christ doeth generally preach to the whole world the grace of God the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting And in this beliefe wee must confirme oure mindes with the word of God by gathering together some euident places of the holy Scriptures which doe manifestly proue that it is euen so Of whiche sort are these sayinges following In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Genesis 22. Euerie one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shal be saued Ioel. 2. Wee haue all gone astray like sheepe and God hath layed vppon him the iniquitie of vs all Esaie 53. Come to the waters all ye that thirst Esaie 55. There are of this sorte innumerable places in the old testament Nowe in the Gospel the Lord sayeth Euerie one that asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth c. Matth. 7. Come to mee all ye that labour and are heauie loaden and I will ease you of your burthen Matthewe 11. Teach all nations baptisinge them in the name of the father c. Matth. 28 Goe ye into the whole world preach the Gospell vnto all creatures Whosoeuer beleueth and is baptised he shal be saued Marc. 16. So God loued the worlde that hee gaue his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Iohn 3. In the Actes of the Apostles Sainct Peter saith Of a trueth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is acceptable vnto him Actes 10. Paule in the thirde to the Romanes saith The righteousnesse of God by faith in Iesus Christ commeth vnto all and vppon all them that beleeue And in the tenth Chapter he saith The same Lorde ouer all is riche to all them that call vppon him In his Epistle to Titus hee saith There hath appearrd the grace of God that is healthful to all men And in the firste to Timothie the seconde Chapter he saith God wil haue all men to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth These and suche like are the manifest testimonies wherevppon all the faithfull do firmely staye them selues But now if thou demaundest how it happeneth that all men are not saued since the Lorde would that all should be saued come to the knowledge of the trueth The Lorde in the Gospell doth him selfe answere thee saying Many in deede are called but fewe are chosen Which sentence hee doeth in the fourtéenth of S. Lukes Gospell more plainly expound where he doth in a parable shewe the causes why a great part of mortall men doth not obteine eternal saluation while they preferre earthly thinges transitorie beefore celestiall or heauenly matters For euery one had a seuerall excuse to cloake his disobedience withall one had bought a farme an other had fiue yokes of Oxen to trye the thirde had newly married a wife And in the Gospell after Sainct Iohn the Lorde saith This is condemnation because the light came into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more than the light With this doctrine of the Euangelistes doeth that saying of the Apostle agrée 2. Corin. 4. Chapter And in the first to Timothie the fourth Chapter he saith God is the Sauiour of all men especially of those that beleeue Wherevppon we gather that God in the preachinge of the Gospell requireth faith of euery one of vs and by faith it is manifest that we are made partakers of all the goodnesse and giftes of Christe And verily there is a relatiō betwixt faith and the Gospell For in the Gospell after Sainct Marke the Lorde annexeth faith to the preaching of the Gospell And Paule saith that To him was committed the preaching of the Gospell vnto the obedience of faith Againe he saith The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all them that doe beleeue And in the tenth Chapter to the Romans he doth by Gradation shewe that the Gospell is receiued by faith But that faith may be rightly planted in the heartes of men it is needefull that the preaching of repentaunce do firste goe before For which cause I in the latter ende of the definition of the Gospell added So that wee acknowledginge our sinnes may beleeue in Christe that is to saye the Lorde wil be oure Sauiour and giue vs life euerlasting if we acknowledge our sinnes and do beléeue in him And therefore here nowe may be annexed the treatises of faith and repentaunce Touchinge faith I haue alreadie largely spoken in the 4. 5. and 6. Sermons of the first Decade Concerning repentaunce I wil
hereafter speake in a seueral sermon by it selfe In this place I will onely touche summarily such poynts of repentance as séeme to make for the demonstration of the Gospell Our Lorde Christe Iesus doth in the preaching of the Gospell require faith and repentaunce neither did he him selfe when hee preached the Gospell procéede any other waye For Marke hath Iesus came into Galile preaching the Gospell of the kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell Neither did he otherwise instructe his disciples when he sent them to preache the Gospell vnto all nations For S. Luke saith Christ saide to his disciples so it is written and so it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the thirde daye from the dead and that in his name should be preached repētance and the forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto all nations Sainct Paule like a good scholer following his maister in the Actes of the Apostles saith Ye knowe that I haue helde backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but haue shewed you haue taught you openly and throughout euery house witnessing both to the Iewes and also to the Greekes the repentance that is towarde god and the faith that is towarde our Lorde Iesus Christe In his Epistle to the Romanes where he doth compendiousely handle the Gospel he taketh occasion to beginne the preaching thereof at sinne conuincing both Iewes and Gentiles to be subiect therevnto Nowe hee beginneth at sinne to this ende and purpose that euery one descending into him selfe may sée and acknowledge that in him selfe he hath no righteousnesse but that by nature he is the sonne of wrath death and damnation not that suche acknowledging of sinnes doth of it selfe make vs acceptable vnto God or else deserue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting but that after a sorte it doth prepare a waye in the mindes of men to receiue faith in Christe Iesus and so by that meanes to embrace Christ Iesus him selfe who is our only and absolute righteousnesse For the hoale néede not the Physician but suche as are sicke and diseased They therefore whiche thinke them selues to be cleare without sinnes and righteous of them selues do vtterly reiect Christ and make his death of none effect but on the other side they that féele the diseases of the mynde and do from the bottome of their heartes confesse that they are sinners and vnrighteous not putting any trust in their owne strength and merites doe euen pant for the haste that they make to Christ which when they do then Christe doeth offer him selfe in the Gospell promisinge vnto them remission of sinns and life euerlasting as he that came to heale the sicke and to saue repentant sinners But the promise is receiued by faith and not by woorkes therefore the Gospell and Christ in the Gospel are receiued by faith For wee must diligently distinguishe betwirte the precepts and the promises The promises are receiued by faith the preceptes are accomplished by workes Wherevppon Paule is read to haue saide If the inheritaunce be of the lawe then is it not nowe of promise But god gaue Abraham the inheritaunce by promise The same Apostle to the Romans conferring the lawe and the Gospell together doth saye The righteousenesse which is of the lawe doth say whosoeuer doeth these thinges shall liue by them But the righteousenesse of faith doth saiye if thou beleeuest thou shalt be saued The lawe therefore is grounded vppon workes wherevnto it séemeth to atttribute righteousnesse But because no man doth in woorkes fulfill the lawe therefore is no man iustified by works or by the lawe The Gospell is not grounded vpon works For sinners acknowledge nothing in them selues but sinne and wickednesse For they féele in them selues that they are wholie corrupted and therefore they flée to the mercie of god in whose promises they put their trust hoaping verily that they shall freely obteine remission of their sinnes and that for Christ his sake they are receiued into the number of the sonnes of God. I would speake more in this place concerning faith in Iesus Christ the remission of sinnes and the inheritannce of life euerlasting if I had not alreadie in the sirste Decade declared them at large Here by the way ye haue to remember that the Gospell is not sincerely preached when ye are taught that we are made partakers of the life of Christe for our owne desertes and meritorious woorkes For wee are fréely saued without respect of any workes of ours either first or last And although I haue oftener than once handeled this argument in these Sermons of mine yet beecause it is the hooke wherevpon the hindge of the Euangelicall doctrine whiche is the doore to Christe doth hang and that this doctrine to wite That Christe is receiued by faith and not by workes is of many men verie greatly resisted I will for the declaration and confirmation sake thereof produce here two places onely but suche as be apparant enough and euident to prooue and confirm it by the one out of the Gospell of Christ our Lorde the other out of Paules Epistles Our Lorde Iesus Christ being about to teache briefely the waye to txue saluation that is to preach the gladd tydinges of life vnto Nichodemus in the Gospell after Saincte Iohn doth firste of all beginne at repentaunce and doth wholie take Nichodemus from him selfe leauinge him no merites of his owne wherein to put his trust For while hee doeth vtterly condemne the firste birth of man as that which is nothing auailable to obteine eternall life what doeth hee I beeséech you leaue to Nicodemus wherin he may bragge or make his boaste For he doth expressely saye Verily verily I say vnto thee vnlesse a man bee borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of god If the firste birth and the giftes thereof were able to promote a man to the kingdome of God what neede then shoulde he haue to bee borne the seconde time The seconde byrth is wrought by the meanes of the holye Ghoste which beeing from heauen powred into oure heartes doth bring vs to the knowledge of our selues so that wee may easily perceiue assuredly knowe and sensibly féele that in our fleshe there is no life or righteousenesse at all and so consequently that no man is saued by his owne strength or merits What then The Spirite forsooth doth inwardly teache vs that which the sounde of the Gospell doeth outwardly tell vs that We are saued by the merite of the sonne of God. For the Lorde in the Gospel saith No man ascendeth into heauen but hee that descended from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen For in an other place he doth more plainely saye No man commeth to the father but by mee And againe to Nicodemus he saith As Moses did lift vpp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so muste the sonne of man be lift vp that euerie one which beleeueth in him shuld
hath bounde him selfe to vs of his free grace and goodnesse And in vs there are many thinges that hinder the perfection of righteousenesse in vs Wherevppon Dauid cryed Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified Therefore GOD doeth freely impute to vs the righteousenesse of faith that is hee reputeth vs for righteous because we beléeue him through his sonne So wee read that in the Euangelicall parable the Lorde did saye But when the debters were not able to paye hee forgaue them bothe the debte For GOD also forgiueth vs our debtes or sinnes not reputinge them vnto vs but countinge vs for righteous for Christe his sake For the same Apostle moste euidently testifying the same thinge in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians saith God was in Christe reconciling the worlde vnto himselfe by not imputing sinnes to men And after that againe Him whiche knewe no sinne he made sinne for vs that wee might bee the righteousenesse of God in him What canst thou require more euident than that wee are counted righteous before GOD because by Christ his sacrifice oure sinnes are so purged that wee shoulde heereafter bee no longer helde with the guylte of the same Wee proceede nowe to reckon vpp the other argumentes of Saincte Paule as firme and manifeste as these that are alreadie rehearsed In the same Chapter therefore it followeth Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednes of the man to whom the LORDE imputeth righteousenesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousenesses are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whome the Lorde will not impute sinne In the beginninge hee doeth with cleare and euident woordes expresse the thing that hee intendeth to prooue or confirme to wite that GOD imputeth righteousenesse to the Saincts without woorkes What coulde bee saide more plainly And to proue it to bee so here he inferreth the testimonie of Dauid which doeth in a manner conteyne three sundry members or clauses Firste Blessed saith hee are they whose vnrighteousenesses are forgiuen Then Blessed are they whose sinnes are couered And lastly Blessed is that man to whome the Lord will impute no sinne Nowe the force of the argument or demonstration doeth consist in the wordes Forgiue Couer and not Impute The creditour forgiueth the debtour that whiche hee hath not payde him whether he bee able or not able to paye it him Wee in respecte of our sinnes whiche are our debtes are able to paye nothinge to GOD. Forgiuenesse therefore of those debtes or sinnes of oures is the gifte of Gods méere grace and liberalitie For the creditour cannot forgiue the thinge that is alreadie payde vnto him For when hee giueth backe the thinge that hee hath receiued in so dooing hee doeth not forgiue but giue and that deede in the Scriptures is called Donum a gifte not Remissio a forgiueing Wherevppon Sainct Paul saith GOD gaue to Abraham the inheritaunce therefore Abraham with his woorkes did not merite the same Secondarily some filthie thing that offendeth the eyes of men is vsually woont to bee couered and yet notwithstandinge the filthie thinge abydeth filthie still although it doeth not appeare outwardly vnto the eyes of men And our mercifull God hath couered our sinnes not that they shoulde not bee but that they shoulde not appeare or come to iudgement whiche thing is the gifte of grace and not of merites For the coueringe is nothing else than the bloud of the sonne of GOD for for his bloudes sake wee sinners are not damned Lastely GOD might by right and iustice impute sinne vnto vs but of his grace hee imputeth it not And all these layde together doe confirme and prooue that righteousenesse is freely by faith without workes imputed vnto vs. This verie same place of Saincte Paule taken out of Dauid doeth discusse and make plaine vnto vs other poyntes of doctrine also whereof there is some controuersie For wee learne that iustification is nothinge else but sanctification forgiuenesse of sinnes and adoption into the number of the children of god We learne that Saincte Paule speaketh not only of the Ceremoniall woorks of the Lawe but also of the Sainctes good woorkes of euery sorte Furthermore wee learne that both sinnes and iniquities that is all manner sinnes of the faithfull are freely pardoned and vtterlye forgiuen Moreouer wee learne that sinnes are fullye remitted not the fault onely but the punishement also whiche punishment some saye is reteined but God doeth not impute sinnes In an other place he saith that he wil not haue any remembrāce of our sinne at all Lastly we learne that the satisfactions for sinne of mans inuention is a moste vaine lye and flatlye opposite to the Apostles doctrine I haue hitherto alledged two most euident places the one out of the Gospell of Christe the other out of sainct Paule his Epistle written to the Romanes by which I meant to prooue that Christe beeing preached to vs by the Gospell is receiued not by workes but by faith and I hope I haue by diuine testimonies so declared this matter of importance that no man shall néede hereafter either to doubte or wauer in the same To all this nowe I adde this note still moste necessarie to be obserued that all good and holie men in the Church of Christ must with all their power do their indeuour that this doctrine of the Gospell maye abyde sincere and vtterly vncorrupted For they must in no case admitte that iustification is partely attributed to faith and the mercie of God and partely to the workes of faith and our owne merites For if that be admitted then doeth the Gospell loose all force and vertue I thinke therefore that all men must onely and incessantly vrge this that the faithful are iustified saued or sanctified by faith without woorkes by the grace and mercie I saye of GOD thorough Christe alone And I suppose verily that this doctrine of the Gospell must be kepte sincer◠and vncorrupte in the Churche for verie many causes but among all other for these especially which followe hereafter Firste of all it is manifest that the often repeated doctrine of the Grace of God which in his onely sonne doeth thorough faith alone woorke iustification is by so manye diuine testimonies euen from the beginning of the worlde by so manye demonstrations and so many determinations of vnreproueable counsels both so plainely declared and throughly inculcated that the verie cōsent of all ages in the trueth reuealed from heauen and the authoritie of the moste holye men in all the worlde do sufficiently inuite vs to retaine maintaine and keepe that doctrine vncorrupted Wée haue the iustification of oure blessed father Abraham a little aboue expounded by no obscure author but euen by Paule the teacher of the Gentiles and elected vessel of GOD him selfe Wee haue the doctrine of instification taught by the moste glorious kinge and Prophet Dauid a man euen after Gods heartes desire the greate grandsyre of Christ
waste my richesse that all at length is spent and I my selfe drawne drie For I kéepe good turnes in stoare for a thousand generations so that although the former age did liue neuer so wealthily with my richesse yet they that come are borne euen vntill the very end of the world shall neuerthelesse finde in me so much as shal suffice satisfie their desire For I am the wel-springe of good that cannot be drawne drie And if any man sinne against me afterwarde repent him of the same I am not vnappeaseable For euen of mine owne frée will I doe forgiue errours sinnes and heinous crimes And yet let no man therefore thinke that I am delighted with sinnes or that I am a Patrone of wicked doers For euen I the same doe punish wicked and impenitent men and chasten euen those that are mine owne that therby I may kéepe them in order office But let no man thinke that he shall sinne and escape vnpunished because he séeth that his auncestours did sinne and were not punished that is did sinne and were not vtterly cutte off and wiped out For I reserue reuengement till iuste and full time and do so be haue my selfe that all are compelled to confesse me to be a God of iudgement Now when Moses the seruaunt of God had hearde and séene these thinges he made haste and fell downe prostrate to the earth worshipped Let vs also doe the same beinge surely certified that the Lorde will not vouchsafe so long as we liue in this transitorie worlde to reueale himselfe and his glory any whit more fully and brimly than in Christe his Sonne exhibited vnto vs Let therefore the thinges that sufficed Moses suffice vs also let the knowledge of Christ suffice and content vs. For the moste euident and excellent way and meane to know God is layde forth before vs in Iesu Christe the sonne of God incarnate and made man For therefore we did euen now heare that before Moses was set the shadowe of Christe when it pleased God most familiarly to reueale himselfe vnto him And the Apostle Paule placeth the illumination or appearinge of the knowledge of the glorie of God to be in the face of Iesus Christ And in an other place the same Paule calleth Christe the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the liuely image of his substaunce Truely he himselfe in the Gospell doeth most plainely say No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him For he is the way vnto the father the father is séene beheld in him For we doe againe in the gospel reade No man hath euer seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. But againe the Apostle saith After that in the wisdom of god the world through their wisedome knewe not God it pleased god through foolishnes of preaching to saue theÌ„ that beleeue That which he in this place calleth the wisedome of God is the verie creation workmaÌ„ship of the world and the woonderful works of God in which God would be knowen to the world and in the beating out considering whereof all the wisedome of all the wisemen till then did altogeather lye But for because the consideration of those thinges did no good by reason of mans wisedome for the most part referring the causes of things to somewhat else than to God the true and onely mark whereto they should be referred and while men thought them selues wise as the same Apostle teacheth vs euen in their owne reasonings they became fooles it pleased God by an other way to be knoweÌ„ to the world to witt by the foolish preaching of the Gospell which is in verie déed moste absolute and perfect wisedome but to the worldly wisdome of mortall men it séemeth foolishnesse For it séemeth a foolishe thing to the men of this world that the true and verie God béeing incarnate or made man was conuersant with vs men héere in the Earth was in pouertie was hungry did suffer and die And yet euen this is the way whereby God is moste euidently knowen to the world together with his wisdome goodnesse trueth righteousnesse and power For the wisdome of God which no tongue can vtter doeth in the whole ministerie woonderful dispensation of Christ shine out very brightly but far more brimly if we discusse beate out the causes of which I speake else where throughly weigh the doctrine of Christ In the incarnatioÌ„ of the sonne of God it appeareth how wel god wisheth to the world being sunk drownd in sinne as y to which he is bound by an indissoluble league doth through Christe adopt the sonnes of death and of the diuell into the sonnes and heyres of life euerlasting Now whereas Christe doeth moste exactly fullfill all those things which the Prophetes by the reuelation of god did foretel of him and whereas he doeth moste liberally performe the things which GOD the father did promise of him that doeth declare how vnchaungeable and true the eternall God is In the déedes or miracles of Christe our Lorde in his resurrection in his glorious ascension into Heauen moste plentifull powring out of his holie spirite vppon his disciples but especially in conuerting the whole worlde from Paganisme and Iudaisme to the Euangelicall trueth doe appeare the power longe suffering maiestie and vnspeakeable goodnesse of GOD the father In the death of Christe the Sonne of GOD doth shine the great iustice of God the father as that which béeing once offended with our sinnes could not bée pacified but with such and so great a sacrifice Finally because he spared not his only begotten sonne but gaue him for vs that are his enimies and wicked rebelles euen therein is that mercie of his made knowen to the world which is verie rightly coÌ„mended aboue all the woorkes of god Therefore in the sonne and by the sonne God doeth moste manifestlye make himselfe manifest to the world so that what so euer is néedefull to be knowen of God or of his wil what soeuer is belonging to heauenly and healthful wisdome that is wholy opened and throughly perceiued séene in the sonne Therefore when Philipp said to Christe Lord shew vs the father and it sufficeth vs we reade that the Lord aunswered Haue I beene so long with you do ye not yet know me Philipp he that hath seene me hath seene the father And how sayest thou shew vs the father doest not thou beleeue that I am in the father and the father in me Now hée rein he â—alleth back all the faithful from ouer curious seaching after God laying before them the mysterie of the dispensation wherein he would haue vs to rest and to content our selues namely in that that God was made man Therefore whosoeuer desire to sée and knowe God truely let them cast the
be called vppon For that God only is the searcher of heartes cōprehended in no place but present euery where and omnipotent Solomon in these words doth testifie Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to conteine thee how much more vnable than is this house that I haue built Thou therfore shalt heare in heauen in the place of thy habitatiō or in thy dwelling place and shalt haue mercie For thou only knowest the heartes of the sonnes of men Thou shalt doe and giue to euery one according to al his wayes which knowest his very hart As for the heauenly patrons as these men cal them they do neyther know the thoughtes of men neither is their power spred throughout the heauen the earth and the seas neither do they know althings or yet are euery wher present or be omnipotent For if it were so with them they shoulde be transformed changed into a diuine nature should ceasse any more to be creatures but althogh by Christ they inioy euerlasting blessednes yet notwithstanding they remain creatures stil neither do they knowe al things neyther are almighty therfore are they at no hand to be called vpō In one prick moment of time truly innumerable thousands of mortal mē offer vp their vowes and make their petitions so that he verily which heareth must at a pinche and in a very moment not at sundry seasons or degrées of time know be able to doe all things yea and in a moment also reache out his helping hande vnto all Which as no creature though neuer so excellēt can do so the only God that knoweth al is omnipotent can do all things and therefore only alone is to be called vpon I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones or Saints obiect against that which I haue spoken to wit that they of their owne nature do neither sée nor yet heare what is done of vs vpon the earth but in the face of God as in a most lightsome looking glasse to sée all thinges what so euer God vouchsafeth to reueale to them and that so they haue an vnder-knowledge of all our affaires also helpe vs But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy scriptures But touching the celestiall Saints the scripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie For in Isaie the people of god cry out Thou O God art our father though Abrahā be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lorde art our father and our redeemer If than the patriarchs so studious and careful for their people knew not what they did which of the Saints I pray you shal we graunt or point out that knoweth what we do that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing True doutlesse is y that the holy Psalme soūdeth Bicause my father and my mother haue lefte or forsaken me the Lord hath taken me vp If our parents forsake and leaue vs how I pray you can they tel or do they care how it fareth with vs Let that suffice vs wherw t Dauid held himself throughly cōtent saying The lord hath takē charge ouer me We reade y Iosias was trāslated out of this life into an other to the end he shuld not sée the mischiefes or plagues and punishments which the Lord determined to bring vpon the Israelitish people for their most wicked naughtie life The blessed souls therfore enioy the sight of god therby participate light and endlesse ioy or gladnesse they knowe none of our affaires neither is it néedefull they should knowe them considering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement Nowe is that also most certeine that inuocation springeth from faith as the fruit from the roote For Paul vsing that saying of the Prophete Who so euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be safe doth by and by adde But howe shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued Sée howe the Apostle bringeth in one vppon an other He is not called vppon who is not beléeued Wherefore in whom we beléeue vpon him we doe also call But in God onely and alone we do beléeue therefore on him onely do we call For where so euer true faith is there likewise is the gift of the holie Ghost For the Apostle sayth If any haue not the spirite of Christe this man is none of his And againe You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba father They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God call vpon God whome they doe acknowledge and confesse to be the onely father of all Neyther might so much as the lest part in that solemne forme and order of inuocation deliuered vnto vs by the sonne of God be attributed by any meanes vnto Patrones or Saintes The onely God therefore is to be called vpon The hart of sinfull man trembleth and quaketh to approche neare vnto so greate a maiestie For who may séeme worthy in him selfe to appeare and come before the presence of the most holy the most iust and the moste terrible God Here therefore some supply and make vp the matter with the patronship or intercession of celestiall Saintes by whose mediation and making way before vs passage lyeth open for vs vnto God. But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the scripture The scripture hath layde before vs a law as it were of calling vpon god thervnto hath annexed most ample or large promises so the commaundement doth set foorth vnto vs by and through whome we shoulde call vpon God adding therevnto a most excellent promise and opening vnto vs through Christe Iesus onely a ready way to the Father For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee shall giue it you Hetherto you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect or full And Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will doe it that the father may bee glorified by the sonne If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it What could be spoken more fully and clearly than these words Christe biddeth vs by or in his name to call vpon god the father and promiseth that he will giue the faithfull what so euer they aske in Christ his name Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth constancie of him which promiseth What néed we therfore hencefoorth the intercession of Saintes Of calling vpon them or of comming to God by their mediation we haue no testimonie of scripture we haue no promise Wherevnto I adde that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God who so euer seeketh by any other than by Christe and his intercession to come to the father
word Colere is in Latine of large signification For we say Colere amicitiam to mainteine frendship Colere literaruÌ„ studia to loue learning Colere arua to till or husband our lands and Colere senes to reuerence olde men We in this place vse Colere for Seruire that is in all pointes like a seruant to be dutifull and to shewe him selfe obedient to reuerence or haue in veneration and to â—e worshippe The Hebricians vse their worde Abad which the Latine interpretour translateth Seruiuit coluit or sacrificauit that is he serued worshipped or sacrificed In the booke of Kings thou dost reade And Achab serued Baal worshipped him The GreciaÌ„s cal this seruice either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is taken for the other though in déede Seruire to serue be more than Colere to worshippe For thou canst abide without any adoe to worship some man but to serue the same thou canst not so well away withall We say therefore that the seruice of God is a seruice whereby men submit them selues reuerently vnto God and obey him and according to his will worship him They therefore serue God which serue him earnestly behaue them selues duetifully in obeying him seruing him inwardly and outwardly as he hath appointed For the seruice of God is two-fold or of two sortes The true and the false TheÌ„ true is called true religion true fayth and godlinesse The false is called superstition idolatrie and vngodlinesse For that is the true seruice of God which springeth from the true feare of God from a sincere fayth whiche submitteth it selfe to God alone and applyeth it selfe in all things to the will of god The false seruice consisteth in the contrarie Touching the whiche we will say more when we come to speake of superstition The true seruice of God is diuided againe for perspicuitie or plainenesse sake into the inward seruice of God and the outward The inwarde seruice is knowne to God alone who is the searcher of heartes For it is occupyed in the feare of God and perfect obedience in fayth hope and charitie from whence doe spring the worshipping of God the calling vpon him thankesgiuing patience perseueraunce chastitie innocencie weldoing and the rest of the fruites of the spirite For with these giftes of God and spirituall thinges God who is a spirite is truly serued Without these no seruice is allowed of God howe so euer in the sight of men it séeme gay glorious and pure This seruice of god hath testimonies both diuine and humane but firste of all of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles For in the lawe Moses sayth And nowe Israel what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in all his wayes that thou shouldest loue him and that thou shouldest serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soul that thou shouldest keepe the commaundements of the Lord and his ordinaunces whiche I coÌ„mand thee this day for thy welth Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one asking questions concerning the true seruice of God in what thinges the same consisteth and he maketh answere I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the lord doth require of thee surely to do iustly or iudgement to loue mercy and to huÌ„ble thy selfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apostle sayth I besech you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp youre bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde that ye may proue what is the wil of god and what is good and acceptable and perfect The same Apostle comprehending in few words the true seruice of God to be a turning from Idols vnto God and the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth They of Macedonia and other nations or quarters shewe of you how you are turned to God from Idols that ye might serue the liuing and true god and loke for his sonne from heauen whom he raysed from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come Moreouer S. Iames the Apostle saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the fatherlesse or orphanes and widowes in their aduersitie and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde These diuine and euident testimonies of holy scripture declare plentifully enough dearely beloued which is the true inward seruice of god Humane testimonies neuertheles nothing disagréeing from diuine verie many and euery where found in Ecclesiasticall writers Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 9. sayth Therefore the knowledge of God and his seruice is all in all In this consisteth all the hope and saluation of man this is the first step or degrée of wisedome that we shoulde knowe who is oure true father that we should reuerence him alone with due godlinesse that wee should obey him and most deuoutly serue him and to obteyne his fauour let all labour care and industrie be bestowed Of this kinde the same authour citeth other testimonies also largely in the tenth chapter of the same booke and in the firste chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu he giueth vs manifest But in stead of many we like well the citing of that one testimonie touching the true seruice of God fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before iudge Asclepiades at y Romane Consistorie For after he had both couragiously and religiously tolde what God was in person and what in substance he addeth Thou knowest God nowe vnderstand as well The fourme and man-ner how he serued is What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell What gifts to giue he thought it not amisse What vowes he askes whome he beside all this Will haue his priestes and in his Church like-wise What he commaundes to bring for sacrifice Vnto him selfe euen in the minde of man A Church he hath vouchsafed vp to reare A liuely feeling breathing Church which can Not sundered be faire beautifull and cleare And neuer like destructions dint to feare With loftie top and painted pleasantlie With coloures fresh of great diuersitie At th' holy porch a priest is standing there And keepes the doores before the Church which beene Fayth is her name a virgine chast and cleare Her haire tyed vp with fillets like a Queene For sacrifices simple pure and cleene And which she knowes are pleasing bids this priest Offer to God and to his deare sonne Christ A shamefast looke a meeke and harmelesse hart The rest of Peace a body pure and chaste The feare of GOD which sinners doth conuart The rule like-wise of knowledge truly plaste A sober fast from all excessiue waste Of Gluttonie an hope which doth not faint A liberall hand which giues without restraint From these oblations a vapour doth
for heauen or the place of blessednesse as the left hande for hell or the place of damnation Therefore this is his meaning When thou art deade thou shalt remaine for euer either 〈…〉 agreeable to the heaueÌ„ly For S. Cypriâ— against Demetrianâ—s sayth When we shall bee departed hence there is then no place of repetance 〈…〉 value Here life is eyther lost or gotten Here is prouision made for eternall saluation by the seruing of god and the fruite of fayth They obiect againe That souls when they depart from the body are purged in déede by the bloud of the sonne of God but not fully for there remaines some filth to be washed away in Purgatoriâ— For they depart out of this worlde not hauing a full and perfect sayth therefore they be not altogether good and again since they haue some fayth they be not altogether euill bicause they are not perfectly good they cannot enter into heauen againe since they are not altogether euil they caÌ„not be daÌ„ned and therefore there remayneth a middle place wherein they may be fully tryed and at the length being purified may be presented â—â—to the sight of god But these mâ—n after their manner 〈◊〉 what they 〈◊〉 But we haue shewed by the holie scriptures that the souls of the faithfull are purged by the onely bloud â—â— the sonne of God through 〈◊〉 and not by purgatorie Nowe will I also shewe in that whiche followeth that the sinnes of all men are puriâ—â—edfully that is to say moste absolutely by the onely sacrifice of Christe and further that by the grace of God in the bloude of Christe is forgiuen in the verie instant of death whatsoeuer infirmitie remnants of sinne are behinde in the soules of the faithfull departing from the body For the Lorde saith in the gospel He that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete 〈…〉 euery whâ—â— Beholde he 〈…〉 that 〈◊〉 washed by the grace of Christ so that the 〈…〉 of the féete that is to say the infirmitâ—e and imperfection whiche remaineth after regeneration caÌ„not bring him againe into the number of those that are vncleane For the Lord sayth againe in the Gospell And for their sakes sanctifie I my self that they also might bee sanctified through the truth The Lorde gaue vp himselfe to be a sacrifice for oure sinnes to the ende that we might be sanctified that is purged from oure sinnes truly that is to say fully and 〈◊〉 perfectly For Paule sayth For with one offering hath he made perfâ—st for euer them that are sanctified â–ª Mark I pray you y apostles words Christ with one oblatioÌ„ Lo he saith with one hath perfectly sanctified al that are sanctified are made heires of eternall life Herevpon we gather If by the one sacrifice of Christ once offered for vs al soules are purified and that in déede perfectly purified so that there is nothing waÌ„ting to their puâ—â—fying what I praye you findeth Purgatorie to purifie Therefore it is a shamelesse forgerie and horrible blaspheâ—â—ie against the merite of the purifying of IESVS CHRIST the some of god If there séeme any thing to be diminished or wanting vnto the soule nowe departing Christe by his grace performeth and maketh it vp whilest it is yet in the worlde It is a wicked speach and vnworthy to be heard among christian people that by oure sufferings in Purgatorie that is fulfilled whiche was not as yet fully satisfied with the bloud and passion of Christ As if our suffrings were better more effectual than the passion of that sonne of God. Thâ—se men obieâ—te vnto vs the weaknesse of faith in them that dye and we â—n the other side obiect vnto them the mercie of God fully pardoning his faithfull people The father of the Lunatique mentioned in the Gospell requiring helpe of the Lord heareth If thou caÌ„st beleeue to wit that I am able to heale thy sonne al things are possible to him that beleeueth And albeit he felt his fayth not altogether perfect but that therein remayned much weakenesse yet the helpe of God was not hindered by the weaknesse thereof For bycause he humbly submitted him selfe wholy vnto the mercy of the Lorde beséeching and saying Lord I beleeue help my vnbeliefe the Lorde by and by succoured him and without delaye healed his sonne So there is no dout that the most mercifull Lorde will fayle his faithfull people to whom he hath promised most full forgiuenesse acknowledging their weakenesse in the houre of death and therefore also calling for the mercy of God but that vppon the instant of the going out of the soule he forth with perfectly â—anctifieth it with his spirtie for Christes sake and beautifieth it with all kynd of graces that being truely purged from all filthe of sinnes it maye flée vp and deserue to appeare in the presence of god And this shoulde be beaten into the heades of them that are a dying For there are extant most large promises of god there are extant examples of many holy men dying and calling vpon god Furthermore it is certeine by those thinges which we haue already alledged that the death of Christ hath made ful satisfaction for sinnes so that nowe there remayneth nothing further to â—e 〈◊〉 wâ—th the fire of purgatorie Souls after the death of the â—â—dy 〈◊〉 the right 〈…〉 heauen taking nothing 〈…〉 them which â—â— it dâ—th purging Therefore that fire of purgatorie is nothing else in verie déeâ—e than a traâ—â—â—que or merchandize of most couetâ—â—s meÌ„ whereby craftily and cunningly they purge the pursses not the soules both of rich and poore These men by and by vnderprop their purgatorie building which is a falling with two postes The first is this They of olde say they prayed for the saluation of soules separated from the body therfore there is a purgatorie For since in heauen they haue no néed of prayers surely in hel prayers do no good since in hell is no redemption truely there is a middle place left wherein soules are kepte vnto whom the prayers of the liuing doe good that place is Purgatorie Thus in déede they reason howbeit imagining all thinges of their owne heades without the authoritie of the scriptures But this is that they haue to say That they of old prayed for the deade I knowe what Augustine that famous doctour of the Churche what Chrysostome that golden-mouthed man and other auncient and notable men haue lâ—â—t written touching this matter But I aske the question Whether that whiche they did were well done For not all thinges which the holy fathers sayd and did who oftentimes haue suffered somthing of maÌ„s inuention are absolutely to be alowed or followed Those things are not to be allowed and folowed which are set down by them against the decrées of the scripture which thing they theÌ„ selues vnfeinedly confesse but those things onely whiche are vttered and confirmed by the authoritie of holie scriptures which 〈…〉 of godlynesse But thou 〈…〉 nothing in them
celebrated in stéede of other ordinances of god came in a high heap of foolish and superstitious Ceremonies whervnto a great number of men yelding made themselues subiect to the sea of Rome In the meane space notwithstanding the church of God was not vtterly extinguished throughout al the world neither the holy ministerie of the word of God the true worship of God vtterly decayed amongest all men For there were found spred abrode in euery place not a few men who neither alowed the Pope and his conspirators nether his corruption in matters of the church But they worshipped the lord Christ whom they acknowledged to be the onely authour of saluation and therfore they kept them selues frée from Popish filthines And god also sent almost in euery age since the beginning of Popedome men that were graue godly and learned who greuously accused the Popes kingdome and tyrannie euen as the Prophets did of old time in the dayes of Ieroboam the idolatrous corruption coÌ„stantly requiring the reformation of the church from Popish corruptions and also teaching the true doctrine of saluation the true vse of the sacramentes And wheras a pure reformation by reason of Antichristes tyrannie could not bée obteined there was notwithstanding found a continual studie of puritie a godly desire of the lawful vse of the sacraments euen as I said there was in the elect members of the true church of God in the dayes of IeroboaÌ„ Achab Manasses in the time of the captiuitie of Babylon But euen as in those times the true prophets of God were not acknowleged for true prophets of the priests of Baal but were coÌ„demned for scismatiques heretiques eueÌ„ so in certeine ages past the bishops of Rome with their conspiratours did excoÌ„municate persecute godly and learned men who preached the word of God called for the reformation of the church many of them did they put to death with fire and sword which thing our Lord and maister himselfe with the prophets and Apostles did foreshewe should come to passe Moreouer God could vndoubtedly reserue to himselfe a mightie church euen vnder the Papisme euen as we doubte not but hee hath done a very gret vnder Mahometanisme for who will thinke that no meÌ„bers of the church of God are remayning in all Asia and Africa Could not our merciful god with his mightie power in the last calamitie and ruine of gods church reserue againe as sometime he did 7000. meÌ„ of whom neuer a one had worshipped the beast or receiued his mark What hath béen don in Turkie or what at this day is don let them declare that can do it best most rightly What hath béene done amongest vs in these last ages no man can denie Through the great goodnesse of God we sée it is come to passe that euen as circumcision the signe of gods couenaunt of old was giueÌ„ vnto the people of god euen in the middest of the falling from god so also at this day in the greatest darcknesse of Antichrist most holy baptisme was giuen to the ChristiaÌ„s to be as a seale of the forgiuenesse of sinnes inheritance of the children of god Surely the purenes of doctrine was prophaned with infinite most grosse traditions by the Popes sworne frends yet in the meane time it was not altogether abolished For that I repeat not againe any thing of that which I haue said of godly and learned men sent of God crying for reformation of the Church and greatly profiting with all the children of God was it not with a certein vniuersall consent receiued for most certeine and vndoubted that in the decalogue or tenne commandements there was set downe a short and most absolute summe of all the commaundements of God and that in the Lords prayer was taughte vs a most ample forme of prayer vnto God And that in the Apostles créed was conteyned a most perfect rule of faith or of y which was to be beléeued Surelie the custome was to recite the créede almost vnto euery one that was departinge out of this world and to those that lay euen at the last gasp as a most perfect rule of that faith whiche bringeth saluation Neither do we doubt that the mercifull God and father of mercies who vouchsafed to saue the théefe vppon the crosse euen at the giuing vp of his life had mercie vppon those that were oppressed with the tyrannie of Antichrist and through his vnmeasurable grace touched the hearts of men both liuing and readie to die taught them by his holy spirite and that they coÌ„fessing one God the father maker of all things and one Iesus Christ the sonne of God redéemer of the world to haue suffered and risen againe and one holy Ghoste and finallie the holie catholique Church that he hath sanctifyed them forgiuing them all their sinnes and hath translated the soules of such faithfull men into life euerlasting according as they beléeued into which place also wee beléeue our flesh being raised againe shal be caried in the end of the world They haue here therfore their answere also who aske whether all oure elders who died beefore these last times wherein the Gospell is reuealed be damned Let therfore those that bee aliue rather looke least for their contempt of the word of God and contâ—ntions raised against the word of God they come to worse end thaÌ„ their forefathers came Therfore thoughe we acknowledge not the Popish Church to be the true Church yet it followeth not thereof that there neither is or was any Church of God in the earth For we say that is the true Church of GOD which beléeueth in Christe and forsaketh not his word which Church also we haue plentifully enough described We know moreouer that wée our selues which at this daye beléeue in Christe are the true Church of Christ our lord For wee cleane by faith to oure onely head Christe and to all the members of the catholique church so as we are not destitute of the true markes of the true Church of God. But we read not say they that vnder the bishops priestes and kings of the Church of the Iewes either the prophets that is to saye the guides of the faithfull or else the faithful themselues did depart away from the high priest from the king or from their vniuersall Church and ordeyned vnto themselues new particular sacrifices as you at this day doe For you departing from the bishopp of Rome from kinges and gouernours and from the vniuersal Church do congregate vnto your selues a Church farre vnlike the vniuersall Church both in preaching and ministring of the Sacraments Wherevnto I aunswere that the old fathers before the comming of oure maister Christe for a certeine prescribed cause did not séeke places to offer new sacrifices in the temple being abused and defiled with idolatrie For it was vnlawfull to offer sacrifice without the bounds of the temple As is to be séene in the 3. of Leuit. and the 12. of Deut. Neither
And truely the greater or more famous solemne Churches whiche at this daye they call Cathedrall to witt of Cathedra a Chayre or of the order of Prophetes teaching or professing there as some time the Churche of Antioche Corinth Alexandria and suche like séemed to haue béene at certeine houeres to witt in the morning at noone yea at Euening also assembled to expound or discusse the holie canonicall Scriptures The foundations of that obseruation séeme to bee layed in the Churche of the Corinthians Of whiche the Apostle aboundauntlie witnesseth 1. Corint 14. Chapter Eusebius in the fifte Booke of his ecclesiastical historie and 9. Chapter making mention of an ecclesiasticall Schoole at Alexandria sayeth From a long time the doctrine and exercise of the holie Scriptures flourished among them which custome also continueth euen to our time whiche we haue hearde also to be instituted by menne mightie in Eloquence and in the studie of the holie Scriptures to witt after the example of the Corinthian Church Some markes of this moste wholesome rite or custome appeared sometime in the Occidentall or Weste Church as it is to be gathered out of the writinges of Sainct Ambrose and Augustine But truely in these very times and in the times immediatly following when all nations in a manner were together by the eares with perpetuall warres and when the Romane Empire in reuengement of the bloud of Christe of his holie Apostles and Martyres according to the Prophecie of Daniel and Sainct Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste was torne in peeces made a pray for all people The Gothes or Germanes rushing vppon them on this side the Hunnes and other barbarous Souldiours on the other side assaulting Rome sharply the best Scholes were spoyled goodly Libraries were burned honest good studies perished whervpon were giuen vnto the churches Doctors or teachers most vnlike vnto the auncient doctours and teachers who were not furnished with that abilitie that they could deale in the holy Scriptures with such dexteritie and fruitefulnesse as their predecessours In this disorder downefall least nothing should remaine of the canonicall scriptures vntouched it is euident that there rose vp men not altogether negligent of the canonicall doctrine who diuided the whole canonicall scripture after such a sort into parts and for the whole course of the yeare that they might once in a yeare read ouer the whole Bible and the Psalter oftner yea euen euery seuenight They vsed the psalmes in stéed of prayers to whiche as times increased many other prayers also were ioyned And least the verie reading of the scripturs should séeme to want al exposition the readinges lectures or homilies of the fathers were therevnto added at the length not that the priestes should read them secretely to thēselues as at this day in a maner they are woont to do or that they should with a post-hast reading mumble them vp in stéede of mattins but that they should throughly handle them in the open church as an exercise before the people to the edification of the church That I maye not nowe rehearse that this rite was not receiued of all men so farre off is it from beeing streictly commaunded Of whiche thing there remain some tokens or proofes In Distinct 15. Sancta Rom. Furthermore of reading the canonicall Scriptures those houres wherin they were read séemed to be named Canonical as also Canons are so called of studying and reading the Canonicall Scriptures But at what time this was done and who were the doers thereof it is not certeinely knowen Some doe attribute some parte hereof to Hierome other some to Damasus and some to Pelagius the second of that name othersome also to Gelasius and Gregorie And because homilies and lectures not a few are said to be Bedaes and other doctours of later time finally for that many other thinges are read in those hourely prayers whiche sauour neuer a whit of antiquitie truly as it is an institution patched vpp diuersely and at sundrie times so is it farre more new than the papists thincke or take it to bée Neither are there some wanting which affirme that at the request of Carolus Magnus Paulus Diaconus or monke of Cassina and monke Isuarde ordeined and deliuered to the Churche selected or chosen lessons those especially which cōcerne the Saincts and are accustomed to be read in these houres But howsoeuer the matter standeth most certeine it is that those houres at this day commaunded and called Canonicall are the inuention of man and not of God and ragged and rotten reliques or shadowes of the old law Wherevnto beside that there are many fables toyes follies annexed it cannot be denied Truly at this day there appereth such a mingle mangle or hotch-potch that it séemeth vtterly vnworthy either to bee vsed or suffered any longer in the church of Christ vnlesse wée had rather that care were taken for the bellies of some than for the good state and well-fare of the whole Church Of whiche thus much thus farre It remaineth in the last place to discusse howe wee must praye what words or what fourme of prayer wée must vse Truely there are many fourmes of prayer but none better than that whiche our Lord the onely beloued sonne of God the father hath deliuered Neither is there a more certeine forme as comprehending in fewe words all in all In this summarie hee hath prescribed what is worthie of him what is acceptable to him what is necessarie for vs and to bee short what hee is willing to graunt Wherevppon S. Cyprian expounding the Lords prayer amonge other thinges sayeth Hee that made vs to liue the same hath taught vs also to pray euen of the same his bountifulnesse whereby hee hath vouchsafed both to giue and to bestowe all other thinges whatsoeuer that when wee speake with the father in that prayer and supplicaton whiche the sonne hath taught vs wee may bee the more easlie or readily heard and may truly and spiritually worshipp him For what prayer can bee more spirituall than that whiche is giuen vnto vs of Christe from whome also the holy Ghoste is sent vnto vs What prayer before the father more true than that of the sonne proceeding out of his mouth who is trueth it selfe So that to pray otherwise thā he hath taught is not onely ignoraunce but also offence since hee him selfe hath sett downe and saide Yee cast aside the commaundement of God to stablish your owne tradition Therefore dearely beloued brethrene let vs pray as God our maister hath taught vs It is a friendly and familiar prayer to call vppon God in such manner as hee hath taught vs and when that the prayer of Christ commeth to his eares let the father acknowledge the woordes of his sonne when wee pray Hee that dwelleth within the heart let him also bee in the tongue And since wee haue him oure aduocate with the father for oure sinnes when wee beeing sinners aske pardon for oure offences let vs vtter the woordes of
the words pronounced doe preuaile nothing at all Neither is that any let or hinderaunce at all that those Exorcistes were without faith For this is a thinge very well knowen and receiued of all men that Sacramentes are no lesse effectuall when they are ministred by wicked ministers then when they are ministred by the best ministers But héere is obiected againste vs this saying of the Apostle Christe gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it cleansing it in the founteine of water by the word or in the word Beholde say they men are cleansed by the water of Baptisme which by the word hath the force of sanctifying put into it therfore it must néeds be that words haue force to sanctifie But I wil confute them by an euident demonstration that the Apostle did not so meane as they suppose The Apostle prescribeth vnto married Christians their dutie to the more plaine and pithyer settinge foorth whereof he vseth the example of Christe and his Church commending that excéedinge loue whiche Christe beareth toward his Church wherewith béeing inflamed he gaue him selfe for it to this end to make it to him selfe a pure and glorious spouse where by the way hée setteth downe the manner of purgeing For the Lord Iesus him selfe sayeth hée hath cleansed it For it is onlye Christes office to purge and cleanse Now the manner of purgeing followeth In the founteine of water by the worde â–ª which because it is briefly spoken hath in it some obscuritie He maketh mention of two thinges which the Lord vseth to cleanse those that bée his The founteine of water And The worde The Founteine of water is Baptisme whiche is the outwarde action and witnesse-bearing of the inwarde purifying or cleansing wrought by the grace and spirite of GOD as the Apostle sayeth According to his mercie hee saued vs by the founteine of regeneration and renewing of the holie Ghoste which hee shed vpon vs richlie throughe Iesus Christe our Sauiour For hee addeth in way of interpretation And renewing of the holie Ghoste whereof the founteine of water is a signe Moreouer the Worde is the verie preaching of the Gospell testifying that by the grace and mercie of God the Father his onelye Sonne was giuen vnto vs who béeinge giuen for our sinnes maketh them that beléeue in him heyers of eternall life so that now these wordes of Paule to the Ephesians the 5. Chapter doe verie well agrée with this Commaundement of the Lorde mentioned in Sainct Marke Goe into all the whole worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures hee whiche shall beleeue and be baptised shall be saued c. For by these words also the Lord shadoweth out vnto vs the manner and meanes of our saluation that it is hee onelie whiche purgeth vs by faithe yet in the meane while hee willeth the beléeuers to bee signed with Baptisme and that it shoulde be preached openlye in the worlde that it is he which pardoneth sinnes yea and which freely giueth euerlasting life But what doe all these thinges I pray you make for their purpose who wil proue by those wordes of Paule that there is force and vertue in the words to sanctifie baptisme These wordes of the lord spoken to his Apostles do yet make our matter more manifest Now are ye cleane saith he through the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Shall we say here that through the wordes which Christ rehearsed the disciples of Christ were made cleane what then néeded he the nexte day to haue bene crucified to haue died What to the ende that he might purchase power vnto the wordes Therefore all boastinge in the force of wordes shal be cleane taken away Doth not faith and godlunesse tell vs By the worde of the Lorde we should rather vnderstande this which is declared by the preaching of the Lorde that is the death and redemption of Christ wherby because they beleued it they are clensed For in an other place he saith purifying their hearts by faith Wherefore they erre in that because they doe not rightly iudge of the word or speach For the Lorde speaketh of the word preached and beléeued and they vnderstande him of the worde pronounced as though béeinge pronounced it had force from the Lorde to sanctifie S. Augustine also maketh for vs who in his 80. treatise vpon Iohn saith From whence commeth so great vertue and power vnto the water that it should touch the bodie and wash the heart but through the woorking of the worde not because it is spoken or pronounced but because it is beleeued For in the word it selfe the sounde passing away is one thing and the vertue which remaineth is an other thinge This is the worde of faith which wee preach saieth the Apostle because if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth that Iesus is the lord and beleeue with thy heart that God hath raised him from the deade thou shalt be saued For with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Whereupon we reade in the Actes of the Apostles purifying or cleasing their heates by faith And S. Peter in his Epistle saith So also Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but in that a good conscience maketh request to god This is the worde of faith which we preach wherwith vndoubtedly baptisme is also consecrated that it may haue power to clense For Christ with vs the Vine with his father the Husbandman hath loued his church and gaue him selfe for it Reade the Apostle and marke what he addeth saying That he might sanctifie it cleansing it by the founteine of water in the worde In vaine therefore should cleansing be attributed to a fraile and vading element vnlesse this were added In the word And so forth For thus farre I haue recited S. Augustines wordes not that I stay my selfe vpon mans testimonie or that I would haue any man to vrge the same or that I am content to be ruled by the witnesse of man but because in these wordes he hath gathered together some testimonies out of the scripture bearing witnesse of the worde Whereby we may vnderstande that the worde of faith preached and not the worde spoken or pronounced ought to be receiued This worde I say doth truly clense that is to say the grace of Christ only doth purifie to the which both the worde faith are directed for that cause he saide â—xpresly Not because it is spoken but beâ—ause it is beleeued Anon after he saith The word of faith which we preach Furâ—hermore he saith by the word of faith bapâ—isme is coÌ„secrated that it might haue powâ—r to clense Which what is it else theÌ„ if â—e had said the very substaÌ„ce of faith makâ—th baptisme effectual For it followeth For clensing in vain should be attributed to the vading corruptible element vnles were added In the word Now if a maÌ„â—o consider the mysteries of the saints or holy men
many peculiar things done in the scripture out of which if any man shal go about to draw general things coÌ„moÌ„ laws he shal bring in absurdities innumerable What if Moses in the same place doeth only describe the déed of his wife moued there vnto by anger and displeasure not for religions sake to performe the ministerie vnto God For she grudging against her husbaÌ„d yea against God tooke the foreskin of her sonne which was cut away caste it at his Father her husbandes féete not without reproche saying A bloudy husband art thou vnto me As if you should say Ich habb woll ein bluotigmann an dirr And though the Angel was appeased with Moses because he séemed to allow the déed of the woman as wel pleasing God yet that is more to bee imputed to the mercie of god rather thaÌ„ to the righteousnes of the womans déede It did grieuously displease God that Dauid had staine Vrias moreouer had taken Béersabe to him selfe to wife yet of his goodnesse and singular mercie hee vouchsafed to call Solomon who was born of Beersabe by this name Iedidia because the Lord loued him so the gratious Lord is also reconciled with Moses who either by his owne negligence or through the fault of his Madianitish wife lingered circumcisioÌ„ in the bodie â—f their sonne against the law longer than was méet is coÌ„tent with taketh in good part the circumcision which the womaÌ„ performed rather of indignatioÌ„ thaÌ„ for religion yet he wil not that after her as a perfect example other women shuld circuÌ„cise But you say by baptisme ministred by a woman the perill of death or eternal daÌ„nation was to be preuented into which the infant falleth if he depart this world without babtisme My answer is When thâ— infant being newly deliuered out of his mothers wombe departeth with too too spéedie deathe so that the Parentes can not thoughe they would neuer so feigne bring him to bee baptised of the minister of the Churche this pinche of necessitie truely is not to the damnation or death of the Infante because hee being receiued into the couenant by the grace of God is deliuered from death through the bloud of the sonne of god We are not destitute of testimonies of scripture duly seruing in this behalfe In the lawe it was not lawfull to circumcise an Infante before the eighth day but it is certeine that verie many departed out of this worlde before the eighth day yet in the meane while if any manchilde had departed the thirde or fourth day after his birthe no condemnation was imputed vnto him For otherwise Dauid a verie sound man in religion and one that loued his children déerely and one verie desirous of the saluation of his housholde when his childe was dead whiche was begotten and borne vnto him of Beersabe coulde not haue shewed himselfe so cherefull to his courtiers to whome among other thinges he said that he shoulde goe vnto the dead childe to witte into the land of the liuing If it were no danger vnto women children to die vncircumcised for they without circumcision were saued neither verily shall it be damnable for men children being not baptised to die at the point of necessitie For we haue otentimes saide the holy baptisme entred tooke the place of circumcision Hitherto perteine the testimonies out of the law the prophetes In the law the Lord protesteth more than once that he hath a moste certeine care regarde of infants In Ionas he expressely professeth that he hath a consideration and a respect of those that are not yet come to the yeares of discretion For the Lorde spared the most famous citie of Niniue partely for their sakes Thou saist These testimonies of the olde testament perteine nothing to vs which liue vnder the new testament I aunswer That God after the comming of Christe in the fleash is not more rigorous vnto vs than he was before Christes comming For if it were so what should we say else but that Christe came not to fulfill but to weaken and abolishe the promises of GOD since that in times past amonge them of olde the grace and the promise were effectuall in necessitie withoute the signe but now among vs béeing without the signe they begin to be voide of no force Wherefore I trusting to Gods mercie and his true and vndoubted promise beléeue that infants departing out of this world by too tâ—â— timely death before they can be baâ—â—â—sed are saued by the méere mercie of God in the power of his trueth and promise through Christe who saieth in the Gospel Suffer little ones to come vnto me for of suche is the kingdome of God. Againe It is not the will of my father whiche is in Heauen that one of these little ones should perish For verily GOD who cannot lye hath said I am thy God and the God of thy seede after thee Wherevpon Sainte Paule also affirmeth that they are borne holy which are begotten of holie parents not that of flesh and bloud any holie thing is borne For that which is borne of the fleash is fleashe but because that holinesse and separation from the coÌ„mon seed of men is of promise and by the right of the couenaunt For we are all by nature and naturall birth borne the sonnes of wrathe death and damnation But Paul attributeth a speciall priuiledge to the children of the faithfull wherewith by the grace of God they which by nature were vncleane are purified So the same Apostle in an other place doeth gather holy braunches of an holy roote And againe elsewhere sayeth If by the sinne of one many be deade much more the grace of God and the gyft of Grace whiche is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And therefore Augustine doubted not to say As all which die die no otherwise but in Adam euen so all that are made aliue are not made aliue but in Christe And vpon this whosoeuer shal say vnto vs that any in the resurrection of the dead can be made aliue otherwise than in christ he is to be abhorred detested as a coÌ„mon plague of Christian faith Ad Hiero. epi. 28. They obiecte By this meanes the vse of baptisme is made void quite taken away Yea Pelagianisme is sprung vp againe which with so greate trauell S. Aug. with many other learned and holie men beate downe kept vnder He falsely spake that said The soule whose fore-skin is not circumcised shal be cut off froÌ„ his people because he hath brokeÌ„ my couenant He falsely spake that said Verily verily I say vnto you Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of God. For if these sayinges be true children not baptised truly the sequele is that they dying without baptisme are not saued I aunswere that I weaken holy baptisme by no meanes muche lesse take it quite away when I
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—