condemnation iustlie pronounced against them because when they liued they belieued not with Noe and them that were with him in the Sauiour that was to come Or else otherwyse by the lower partes or by hell wée vnderstād not the place of punishment appointed for the wicked but the faythful that are departed euen as al so by the higher parts we vnderstand them that yet are remayninge aliue Wherefore the soule of Christe descended into hell that is to say it was caried into Abrahams bosome wherein all the faythfull already departed were gathered together Therefore when hee sayd to the thiefe that was crucified wyth him This day shalt thou be wyth mee in Paradise he promised him the fellowship of life and of the blessed soules Touching Abrahams bosome our Lorde spake at large in the sixtenth Chapiter of the Gospell after S. Luk. For whereas the Lord is said to haue descended that commeth to passe by the manner of speakinge For otherwise it is euident by Luk that Abrahams bosome is a place seuered a great way from hell and placed vp aloft But to inquire or reason ouer curiouslye of these thinges is rather the point of a curious foole then of a godlye minded man Wée confesse in this article that the Soules are immortall and that they immediatelie after the bodilie death do passe to life and that all the sainctes from the beginninge of the worlde beinge sanctified by fayth throughe Christe do in Christe and by Christe receiue the inheritaunce of lyfe euerlasting I woulde adde to these the fifte article but that the houre is now alreadie spent Wée will therfore differre it vnto the next Sermon And nowe let vs altogether praye to God our father which is in heauen that hee will vouchsafe by his spirite to inspire vs wyth the true and quickening Fayth which is in the father and the sonne in the father as the maker of all thinges in the sonne as the sauiour of the whoale worlde who therefore came downe from heauen and was incarnate in the wombe of the moste holie Virgine Marie to the ende hee might bee the mediatour betwixte God and men and reconcile or make them at one againe betwixte themselues and that hee mighte haue wherewithal to make an oblation to appease Gods iustice and to purge oure sinnes which he bare on his body yea which he tooke awaye and made all the faithful heyres of lyfe euerlastinge Let vs nowe giue prayse to the grace of God and thanks to the sonne of god To whome alone all honour and glorie is due for euer and euer Amen Of the latter articles of Christian fayth conteined in the Apostles Creede ¶ The eight Sermon LEt vs firste of all pray to our God that he wyll vouchsafe to graunt vs an happie speedie and verye fruitefull proceeding in the declaration of the other Articles of Christian beliefe The fifte Article of oure beliefe is The thirde daye he rose againe from the deade And this article verilie of our beliefe is in a maner the chiefe of all the reste Neyther are the Apostles so busily occupied in declaring and confirminge the other as they are in this one For it had not beene enoughe if our Lorde had dyed onely vnlesse he had also rysen from the deade agayne For if hee had not risen from the deade but had remayned still in death who shoulde haue persuaded vs men that sinne was purged by the death of Christe that death was vanquished Sathan ouercome and Hell broken vppe for the faythfull by the death of Christe Yea verilye wee haue foolish fellowes that would neuer ceasse to blaspheme the verye God to make a mocke of oure hope and to saye Tushe who did euer returne from the deade to tell vs whether there be a lyfe in an other worlde after this or no and what kinde of lyfe it is Because therfore wée cannot finde finde that any man did euer returne from the deade that is to be doubted of which these babblers do tattle touchinge the lyfe of the world to come That the Lorde therefore mighte declare to the whole worlde that after this life there is an other and that the Soule dyeth not wyth the bodye but remayneth aliue hee returned the thirde daye aliue agayne to hys Disciples and at that instant shewed them that sinne was purged death disarmed the deuill vanquished and hell destroyed For the stinge of death is sinne Or the reward of sinne is death The deuill hath the power of Death and shutteth in Hell for sinnes Nowe therefore in that Christe ryseth aliue againe from the deade Death coulde haue no Dominion ouer him and because Death by sufferinge the Lorde to passe is broken It muste needes followe that the Deuill and Hell are vanquished by Christe And lastelie that Sinne the strēgth and power of them all is purelie purged It is euident therefore that the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ doth as it were certifie and by seale assure vs of oure Saluation and Redemption so that nowe wee cannot anye longer doubte of it Wee confesse therefore in this Article that oure Lorde Iesus Christe is rysen againe and that hee is rysen agayne for oure behoofe that is to saye that hee hath wipte awaye oure sinnes and that for vs hee hath Conquered death the deuill and hell accordinge to the saying of the Apostle God hath saued vs and hath called vs with an holie callinge not according to our woorkes but according to his owne purpose and fauour which was giuen vnto vs through Iesus Christe before all beginninge but is declared openlie now by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who hath verilie put out death brought forth lyfe lighte and immortalitie by the Gospell There are many more like this in the 4. of his Epistle to the Romans and in the 15. of his first to the Corinthians For the Lord also in the Gospell after S. Iohn sayth I am the resurrection and the life hee that belieueth in mee althoughe hee be dead shall liue and euerie one that liueth and belieueth in mee shall not die for euer Nowe also let vs throughlie consider euery woorde of this article seuerallie by it selfe Wée confesse the Lord his resurrection But a resurrection is to rise againe That riseth which falleth The bodie of Christ fell therfore the bodie of Christ riseth yea it riseth againe that is to saye the verie same bodie of Christe which before it fell did both liue and stirre doth nowe rise againe it doth I say both liue and stirre againe For trulie sayde Tertullian of the resurrectiō of the flesh that this word Resurrectiō is not properly spoken of any thing saue of y which first fell For nothing can rise againe but y that fell For by rising againe because it fel we say the resurrection is made Because this sillable Re is neuer added but when a thing is done againe Wherefore the women in the Gospell when they wente to annointe the bodie of the Lord
time present Is it not farre better in such extreme times of calamitie to committ such a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen than to doe such a sinne whereby no time is left to repent in This haue I said because of those wilfull men and women whiche to auoyde not others but their owne sinne least perhapps vnder an others luste they should consent to their owne being stirred vpp doe thincke that they ought to ridd themselues from it by shortening their liues But farre bee it from a Christian minde which trusteth in our God and with a settled hope doeth staye on him as on his surestayde Farre bee it I say from such a minde to yeeld to any pleasures of the fleshe vnto the consenting to filthinesse But if the concupiscentiall disobedience whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members is against the lawe of our will stirred vp or moued by a lawe of her owne how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that consenteth not if it be without blame in the bodie of him that sleepeth Thus much out of Augustine Nowe doe wée returne to our purpose againe To proceede therefore they diuide actuall sinnes into hidden or priuate and into manifest or publique sinnes Those hidden sinnes are not such as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone of which sorte is hypocrisiâ— the deprauation of mans disposition but such as are not vtterly without witnesses althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifest to all men For on the other side the manifest and publique sinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church And these verilie are of both the greater those the lighter because they touche the church and pâ—ocure the offence of many men Touching which the Apostle speaketh in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothie But the most vulgar and apte distinction of actuall sinne whiche doeth in a manner conteine in it selfe all the other kinds and parts thereof is that wherein it is called either mortall or veniall sinne They thincke that mortal sinne is euerie sinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull person And that veniall sinne is euerie sinne that is done of a faithfull man I doe simplie and according to the Scriptures suppose that all the sinnes of men are mortall For they are done against the lawe or will of god But death is due to sinnes For the Prophete cryeth The soule that sinneth shal die it selfe And the Apostle sayeth The reward of sinne is death Yea and deadly sinnes doe take the name of death To this nowe doe belong these testimonies of the Apostle This yee knowe that euerie fornicatour or vncleane person or couetous person whiche is a worshipper of Idols hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and God. The same sentence béeing againe rehearsed in the fifâ—e to the Ephesians is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians and the fifte and sixt Chapiters of the first to the Corinthians But the sinnes whiche are of their owne nature mortall are thoroughe grace in the faith of Iesus Christ made veniall béecause they are thoroughe Christ forgiuen by Gods great fauour and mercie And therefore the Apostle in the sixte Chapiter to the Romans did not saye Let not sinne bee in your mortall bodie But Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that yee should obey to it thoroughe the lustes thereof And againe There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to walke after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirite ye shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Therefore there is sinne in our bodie alwayes so long as wee liue but by Grace it is not imputed vnto death and they to whome it is not imputed doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh and yet they do verie often times slip and fall which falles and slippings neuerthelesse together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted sinnes I meane sinnes pardonable and not to be punished eternally Nowe to mortall sinnes is that sinne especially to be referred which is called the sinne against the holie Ghost which some do not without a cause suppose to bee moste properly called mortal sinne Of which I will speake when first I haue somewhat briefly aunswered to certeine questions that do depend vppon this argument Firste of all here is demaunded whether y sinne or disease which after baptisme remaineth in infants be sinne in verie déede Nowe it is manifest that concupiscence remaineth in them that are baptised and that concupiscence is sinne and therfore that sinne remaineth in them that are baptised which sinne notwithstanding is through the Grace of God in the merite of Iesus Christ not imputed vnto them So did Sainct Augustine resolue this knott in the first booke De Peccatorum meritis remissione Cap. 39. where he saith In infants verily it is so wrought by the Grace of God through the baptisme of him that came in the likenesse of sinfull fleshe that the fleshe of sinne should be made voide And yet it is made voide so not that the concupiscence which is spredd and bredd in the fleshe while it liueth shoulde of a soudeine bee consumed vanish awaye and not bee but that it should not hurte him nowe being dead in whome it was euen at his birth For it is not giuen in baptisme to them of more yeres that the lawe of sinne which is in their members contrarie to the lawe of their minde should vtterly be extinguished and not bee at all but that all the euill whatsoeuer is faide done or thought of man when with his captiue mind he serued that concupiscence should be vtterly wiped out and so reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done Thus much hath Augustine Another question is whether those workes that the Gentiles doe which haue a shewe of vertue and goodnesse are sinnes or else good woorkes It is assuredly true that God euen among the Gentiles also had his electe Nowe so many such as were among them were not without the holie Ghoste and faith Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes and not sinnes For in the Actes of the Apostles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before god And the same Cornelius is saide to haue beene a deuout man and fearing God wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull whose faith afterward is made fully perfect and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoste is more plentiously bestowed Moreouer the worthie déedes of the heathens are not to be despised nor vtterly contemned For as they were not altogether done without God so did they much auaile to the preseruing and restoring
death of the soule But neuerthelesse y reasonable some liueth in his proper Essence or béeing so that when it liueth miserably a miserable life is in verie déede called death but desperation also is the very death of the soule For by hope wée liue And Paule sayeth I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mee and the life whiche I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God therefore they that are destitute of faith are dead they that haue faith liue S. Augustine Cap. 10. De fide Symbolo sayeth The soule as it may bee called corruptible by reason of finne and wickednes so it may be called mortal For the death of the soule is the reuolting or falling from God whiche first sinne of the soule was committed in Paradise as is declared in the holy Scriptures And the same Augustine againe Lib. de Trinitate 14. Cap. 4. sayeth The soule also hath his death when it lacketh a blessed life whiche is to bee named the true life of the soule But for this cause it is called immortall for that whatsoeuer life it liueth yea thoughe it bee most miserable yet it neuer ceaseth to liue Wée therefore fréely confesse that the soules of men separated or taken out of their bodies doe not die but liue immortall for euer the faithfull in euerlasting ioye and felicitie but the vnbeléeners in eternall damnation Whiche thing I will now goe on to confirme by some substantial testimonies of Scripture But first take this with you that testimonies of scripture in this case are farre more liuely than mans reasons framed out of Philosophie For these testimonies are fetched from the verie mouthe of the liuing God himselfe whiche preserueth vs in life who since he is true cannot lie and who since hee giueth life and is life it selfe is able to wittnesse most certainely aboue all other touching life Neither is it doubtfull that the spirit of God worketh ioyntly with the word of GOD of whom vnlesse the heartes of men be touched the reasons of Philosophie howe manifest soeuer they bee shall preuaile nothing especially in the daunger of death and in other temptations They are fleshlie therefore and brutishe altogether whiche are not ashamed to say That they cannot be persuaded or brought to beléeue the immortalitie of soules by the Scriptures onely Nay which is more that shall neuer be stedfast and stable in temptations whiche shall procéede from fleshe and bloud Wee will therefore add some certaine testimonies and those too most manifest Dauid the most nuissaunt and happiest king in the world comprising in one verse both the immortalitie of soules and the resurrection of bodies sayeth Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Man consisteth of bodie and soule The bodie rotteth awaye when it is dead and is turned into dust but it shall not therefore perish For as the bodie of Christ which was buried did not rat but rose againe the third day so in the day of iudgemente shall oure bodies be raised vpp and by Christe â—e deliuered from corruption And our soul goeth not into hell there to remaine But as the soule of Christ returned from the nether parts vnto his bodie and ascended into heauen in his bodie which he had taken againe euen so shall oure soules also liue by Christ â–ª they shall not dit Solomon the sonne of Dauid excelling all kinges and mortall men in wisedome in one verse likewise expounding the prouidence of GOD touching the soule and the body saith The dust shall bee turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it Solomon calleth mans bodie Dust béecause it is said in Moses that GOD made it of the dust of the earth Therefore the bodie turneth againe vnto dust for it putrifieth and is resolued into that which first it was euen vntill the Iudgement daye as the Lord sayeth For dust thou art and into dust shalt thou be turned againe But the spirite that is to say the reasonable soule dieth not with the bodie it is not resolued into dust béecause it is not taken out of the dust neither is it scattered into the aire because it doest not consist of aire but returneth aliue from death vnto god And therefore it returneth vnto GOD because God gaue the soule and after a singular manner made man after his owne likenes image breathing into his face the spirite of life of life I say that is of liuely power not the spirite of death Therefore the soule caÌ„not perish béecause it receiueth immortalitie from God who since hee is life is able to preserue that breath of life which he hath made The Lord Iesus the true and verie sonne of God the life and resurrection of the faithfull sayeth plainely in the Gospell Feare ye not them whiche kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him whiche is able to destroye both bodie and soule in hell If when the bodie being slaine by tyrauntes the soule is not killed then it remaineth aliue after the bodie is destroyed and so assuredlie it remaineth that hauing put off the bodie it should bee caste of the most iust God into hell there euerlastingly to burne for his vnâ—aithfulnes For in the same Gospel the Lord saith againe Whosoeuer wil saue his life shall loose it againe whosoeuer will loose his life for my sake shal finde it For not he only looseth his life or soule whiche bridleth it from the pleasures of the world and liueth most temperately but hée also who offereth himselfe into the bloudy hands of tyrants to be slaine for the confession of Christian faith And hée findeth his life or soule whiche he lost Therefore the soules of men euen after the death of the bodie remaine aliue and immortall In the Gospel according to S. Iohn the Lord saith Verilie verilie I say vnto you hee that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into iudgement â–ª but is eâ—caped from death vnto me Thou hast in these words of the Lord the death of the bodie But forthwith afterward he witnesseth that wée Escape vnto life therefore mens â—oules remaine aliue after death For nowe hee speaketh nothing of the raising againe or of the saluation of the bodie but of the life of the soule after death In the same Gospel the Lord sayth againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying he shall neuer see death But it is euident that all men are ordeined once to die namely with bodily death therefore the soule liueth after the death of the bodie For it must néedes be that a faithfull man shall neuer sée or â—eele death vnlesse hee told a lie who affirmed with an oth that which he spake For in euery other place he
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
vnto euerlasting life They gather Therefore he hath giuen his verie body and bloude to the saythfull vnder the forme of breade and wine for meate and drinke to euerlasting life Whervpon it must be eaten corporally as it is corporall To the confirmation whereof they alledge the Lordes words as they are written in the 6. chapter of Iohns Gospell We answere God most perfectly and fully perfourmeth that which hee hath promised but wee adde that he perfourmeth not according to that meaning that we deuise but as his worde truely importeth We must therfore sée first of all in what sense the Lord promised to giue his flesh for breade and his bloud for drinke to the faithfull and next how we ought to eate his flesh and how to drink his bloud These thinges truly which the Lord promiseth heere are wel-nigh all allegories Parables The Lorde promiseth that he wil giue vs his sleshfor bread or meat his bloud for drink But because meate and drincke are ordeined and giuen vnto men to preserue their bodily life and the Lorde in the 6. chapter of Iohn speaketh not of the life of the bodie but of the soule there is a passage made from bodily thinges to spirituall thinges When therefore the lorde promised that hée woulde giue vs his fleash for breade or meate and his bloude for drink what other thing did he promise vs than that hée woulde giue his bodie to the death and shed his bloude for the remission of sinnes For by the death of Christe wee are as it were by meate preserued and deliuered from death By Christes bloude wee are washed from sinne our soules are as it were with drincke spiritually drunken Therefore the Lorde speaketh nothing héere of the bread of the lords supper neither doth he promise that at the supper hee will make of bread his fleash or that he would giue his bodie in fourme of bread Then let this mine exposition of Christes wordes concerning the giueing of Christes bodie or fleash in the fourme of bread c be false and â—eigned vnlesse I confirme the same by the wordes of Christe The Lorde said in the Gospell Seeke for the meate that perisheth not but remayneth to life euerlasting whiche the sonne of man shall giue vnto you A little after by interpretation hee addeth And the bread which I will giue vnto you is my fleash which I will giue for the life of the worlde I said that I would giue you breade or meate For this worde bread is after the Hebrue manner vsed by the Lorde for meate and all manner of sustenaunce but saith he this bread or this meate is my flesh and therefore I promise to giue you my fleashe when I promise to giue you The Breade of Life Héere haste thou expressely to vnderstande that the Lorde by breade did not meane bodily bread or the breade of the supper But how doeth hée promise to giue his fleash for bread that is to say to be meate for vs or to quicken vs The Lorde repeateth this worde I will giue and saith Whiche I will giue for the life of the worlde I will giue it that is to say euen to the death that through my death I may quicken you By dying therefore my fleash shall féede that is to say shall quicken Thus muche concerning the promise of his fleash for breade héereafter followeth of the eatinge thereof Like as the holy Scripture setteth downe in euery place without trope or allegorie that wee are made partakers of Christes death or of his body which was giuen for the worlde vnto life through faith so also in this presente place by a trope or allegorie hee biddeth vs to eate and drink the fleash and bloud of Christe vnto euerlasting life Therefore to eate Christes fleash and drinke his bloud is nothing else but to beléeue that Christs body was giuen for vs and his bloud shâ—d for vs to the remission of sinnes and consequently that were maine in Christ and haue Christ remaining in vs For the faith whereof wee spake is not onely an imagination or thoughte concerning things past excéeding our capacitie but a most certeine assurance a féeling of heaue â–ª ly things receiued within vs to our great commoditie For therefore not only faith but also the vertue force of faith is by the Lord signified in Iohn by the allegorie both of eating and drinking Meat passeth not into the substaunce of our body without delight so also by faith thorough a greate desire of the spirite wee are ioyned with Christe that he may liue in vs and wee may liue in Christ be partakers of all his good giftes This is the spiritual eating of Christ who neuer thought no not somuch as once dreamed in this place of the grosse and bodily eating which is indéede vnprofitable But for asmuche as the whole point of the controuersie consisteth in these wordes of eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of the lord they interpreting the same words bodily and we spiritually it séemeth good to be shewed that by the words of eating drinking the Lord ment no other thing than to beléeue and consequently to abide in Christe and to haue Christ abiding in vs we will therefore by conference of places of the scripture bring foorth sire euident testimonies in confirmation of our assertion I am sayth the Lord that Bread of life Who so commeth to me shall not hunger and who so beleeueth in me shall not thirst for euer But who wil deny that there is relation betwéene to eate and not to hunger to drink not to thirst Because therfore y Lord said â–ª He shal not hunger he should first haue saide Whoso eateth me But he rather vsed y word of comming and sayed Whoso commeth to me shall not hunger To eate therfore is to come and to come is to eate And what it is to come to him he expoundeth immediatly saying Whosoeuer hath heard from the father hath learned he it is that commeth to me y is to say receiueth me beléeueth in me For Paul also sayeth Whosoeuer will come to GOD must beeleue These testimonies without contradiction doe proue that to eate is nothing else but to beléeue Yet that followeth whiche is more manifeste And whoso beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And Whoso drinketh shall not thirst therefore to drink he hath put for to beleeue Therfore to drink is to beléeue For faith satisfieth pacifieth our mindes Héere they haue an answer y make this obiection Whether the Lord himselfe had not words whereby he might declare his minde if so be by eating drinking hee had ment beléeuing They haue I say an open testimonie wherby he vseth the one for the other Againe in the same treatise y Lord saith Whoso eateth my flesh drinketh my bloud hath euerlasting life and I will raise him at the latter day And again in y same tretise he saith This is the wil
thine iniquities in shewing pitie to the poore c. 584 4 Nabuchodonosor sawe in a vision a watchman comming downe from heauen c. 742 7 Thousand thousands and hundred thousandes did minister vnto him c. 609. 737 7 Daniel describeth the rising and falling of all kingdomes and of antichrist c. 703 7 Hee shall thinke that hee may chaunge times and lawes c. 887 9 We haue sinned we haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly c. 308 9 Thou verily O Lorde art righteous thou arâ—e true and thy iudgements iust c. 564 9 I turned my face vnto the Lord God and sought him by prayer c. 924 9 We do not present our prayers before thée in oure owne righteousnesse c. 921 9 As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing myne owne sinne c. 736 9 A people vpon whom the name of God is called c. 656 10 His body was like the Turkish or Iasper stone his face to look vpon was like lightening c. 737 10 Angels are brought in as princes and presidentes or gouernours of kingdomes c. 742 12 And many of them that sléepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life c. 747 Out of Osee 2 I Will not haue compassion vpon her children bicause they are c. 869 3 Thou shalt be without Ephod and Terâ—phâ—m c. 333 6 I desire mercy more than sacrifice and the knowledge of god more than c. 475 14 Take these wordes with you turne ye to the Lorde and say c. 953 Out of Ioel. 1 PRoclayme an holy fast gather the people together c. 238 2 Blowe the Trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne c. 927 2 Turne ye to me sayth the Lord with all your heartes with fasting with wéeping c. 595 2 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued c. 645. 657 Out of Abdias 1 HE sayth that Sauiours shall ascend into the monne Sion c. 871 Out of Ionas 3 THE men of Niniuie beleued God and proclaymed a fast and put on sackcloth from c. 595 3 Let neyther man nor beast taste any thing neyther féede nor yet drinke water but let c. 595 3 And God sawe their works that they turned from their euill wayes and he repented of c 596 4 The Lorde sayth that he hath a consideration and respect to such as are not yet come to yeares of discretion namely to infantes c. 1045 Out of Amos. 2 VNder Ietoboam the second of that name Amos the prophet a neatchearde of Tecoa taught and preached c. 855 2 I taysed vp of your sonnes for Prophetes and of your young men for Nazarites 1114 3 There is no euill in a citie but the Lord doth it c. 493 3 They store vp treasures in their palaces by violence and robberie Therefore c. 280 6 I am no Prophete neyther the sonne of a Prophete c. 1114 7 Get thee quickly hence and goe into the land of Iudea and propheete c. 855 8 Heare this Oye that swallowe vp the poore and make the néedie of the land c. 276 9 The temnaune of the men shall séeke after the Lord and at the heathen c. 425 Out of Micheas 4 ALI people walke in the name of their God as for vs we wil walke in the name of our God c. 685. 686 4 And the Lorde shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion c. 699 4 A man shall sit vnder his vine c. 72 5 And thou Beth lehem Ephrata art little to be among the thousands of Iuda c. 678. 692 6 For what cause GOD sendeth waree as a plague vppon people c. 209 6 Threatenings of grieuous punishmentes against them that vse deceites in weightes and c. 271 6 I wil them thée O man what is good and what the Lorde requireth of thée namely c. 475. 668 Out of Malachie 1 WHen ye bring the blinde for sacrifice do ye not sinne wheÌ„ ye bring the lame sick c. 368 1 I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I c. 953 1 The sonne honoureth the father and the seruaunt the maister Therefore if I be a father c. 565 2 My couenaunt was with Leuie of life and peace and I gaue him feare c. 904 3 It is but vaine to serue GOD and what profite is it that we haue kept his commandements c. 292 4 The day of the Lord shall come in which the proude and those that worke wickednesse c. 300 Out of Sophonie 1 I Will out off those that worship sweare by the Lord sweare by Malchom c. 133 Out of Haggee 1 COnsider your owne wayes in your heartes ye so we muche but ye bring little in c. 285 2 I will take thée to my seruaunt Zorobabel thou sonne of Salathiel c. 1011 Out of Abacuche 1 O Lorde howe long shall I cry and thou not heare howe long shall I cry out to thée c. 292 2 What profiteth the Image for the maker of it hath made it c. 122 123 Out of Zacharie 1 AN Angel of the Lorde is brought in sorrowfull for the miserie of the captures in Babylon c. 739 3 Behold I bring foorth the braunche my seruaunt For loe the stone c. 375 7 Thus saith the Lord of hoastes execute true iudgment shewe mercie and louing kindnesse c. 475 7. 8 Hypocriticall fastings found fault withall I haue not chosen c. 241 12 Beholde I make Hicrusalem a cup of poyson vnto all the people c. 316 12 Of warres to be made againste all nations by the Apostles c. 831 11 Take to thée yet the instrumeÌ„ts of a foolish shepheard For lo I wil raise vp a shepheard c. 829 13 Arise O thou sword vpon my shepheard and vpon the man that is my fellowe c. 680 Out of Ecclesiasticus or Iesus of Syrache 1 SEeke not out the thinges that are too harde for thee neyther search after c. 642 7 God created man good but they sought out many inuentioÌ„s of their owne c. 482 11 When the cloudes are full they poure out raine vpon the c. 771 15 Say not thou It is the Lords fault that I haue sinned for thou shalt not doe the thing c 491 15 God made man in the beginning and left him in the hand of his counsel c. 483 12 The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came c. 715 Out of the booke of Wisedome 1 GOD hath not made death neither hath he delight in the destruction of the liuing c. 481 482 3 The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and there shall no torment touch them c. 766 Out of the booke of Tobie 4 BE mercifull after thy power if thou haue much giue
Cowe sprinckled doeth sanctifie them that are partakers of it to the purifying of the fleshe howe much more the bloud of Christe Therfore both the priest and the cowe did beare the type of Christ The female kinde in the cowe doth note the infirmitie of mans nature the redd colour doth admonishe vs of the Lord his bloud by whiche wee are washed from our vncleannesse There was no spot to be found in Christ for hee was the holy of holies and altogether frée from and without all sinne Hée was not brought to death by the yoke of necessitie For hee offered himselfe vnto it of his owne free will. Yea hee offered himselfe willingly to go to his death and that too without the hoast or walls of the citie in the mount of Caluarie which thing the Apostle Paule doth touch in the 13. to the Hebrues Christ both God and man was whoalie offered in body and soule whose bloud is hoalesome for vs if by the holyghost it be sprinkled in our harts The faithfull also must die with Christ they must be humbled and burne in loue to Godward as redd as Scarlet and that was the meaning of the Cedar wood the Hysope and the Scarlet lace which were cast into the fire Moreouer the ashes which came of the sacrifice were gathered vp and preserued to purifie and cleanse withall Those ashes were nothing else but the type or figure of the effect of Christ his death or sacrifice I meane the verie cleansing and remission of our sinnes For therefore did bloud and water gushe aboundantly out of the pierced side of Christ that wee might learne that out of the death of Christe doeth flowe our cleansing and our life For in bloud life doeth consist and water purgeth and is a signe of cleÌ„sing The ashes were gathered by a man that was cleane who neuerthelesse was made and did remaine vncleane vntill the euening Finally the water was sprinkled with a sprinklar made of Hysope vppon the defiled to the end that thereby hee might bee sanctified or purged The water was kept in an holy place For Margarites and that which is holy ought not to be caste to dogges and filthie swine The Lord also doth require preachers to teache the effecte of Christ his passion and in the coÌ„temptible and lowly preaching of the Gospell to lay before the world our redemption and sanctification in the death and bloud of Christ he doth require I say such holy teachers as are themselues faithfull and cleansed in the bloud of Christ And yet those teachers with the whole Church beside do euen til the euening I meane the ending of their liues pray stil Forgiue vs our trespasses For the Lord himselfe said Hee that is washed is cleane hath no neede but to washe his feete onely To this do appertaine the often washings vsed in this Ceremonie which signifie that by the grace of God all sinnes are purged that the Sainctes haue alwayes an holy care to watch against the assaults of sinne and that those sinnes are clensed none other wayes but by the water of Christ his grace Lastly it is most often earnestly repeated in the law that they al remaine vncleane how many soeuer being once defiled are not again cleÌ„sed with the holy water of separation For the Lord said to Peter Vnlesse I washe thee thou shalt haue no paâ—te with mee My meaning is not to runne through euery particular point of this Ceremonie but to touch the especial matters onely Therefore now I procéede to that which remayneth To these cleansing sacrifices may also be added the sacrifices whereby the bodily defilings which were figures of the defilinges of sinne were purified cleansed of which sort were the defilinges of the séede the eating and touching of vncleane creatures the Leprosie and of the woman in childbedd All which Moses doth largely handle from the 12. of Leuiticus vnto the 16. of the same And in al this there is nothing else prefigured to the Church of God but our naturall corruption and originall wickednesse with the frée cleansing of the same by the grace of God in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour With these we may also number the sacrifice of iealousie which is thoroughly treated of in the 5. Chapter of Numeri although the maner and order thereof seemeth rather to belonge vnto the Iudiciall lawes of God. The fourth kinde of sacrifices was the sacrifice of thanckesgiuing whiche they called Schelamim or Schlomim the sacrifice of health or the peace offering For it was offered to giue thankes withall to witt either for the recouerie of health or for felicitie and prosperitie I meane when they had receiued some good turne at the handes of God or else by his ayde had escaped the brunt of some mishapp or euil fortâ—ne In this sacrifice they vsed a bâ—aste either of the heard or of the fould It was not lawfull to oâ—fer birds for it was done either â—â—th a vnllocke or an hâ—ffar with a male or a female lamâ—e or with an hée or a shee goate It was 〈◊〉 before the Atrium The â—ide or skinne therof was the priestes fee. The bloud was sprinckled about the altar The kidneys the call of the lyuer the rumpe of the lambe and all the fatt was burnt vppon the altar of burnt offerings The right shoulder was heaued the breast was waued toward the endes of the world For Thruma and Thnupha that is the heauing and wauing were not kinds of sacrifices but ceremonies onely which the priestes did vse in making their sacrifices and oblations By the heauing was signified that Christe should be heaued or lifted vp and that he being once lifted vp should drawe all men vnto him The wauing of the breast toward euery part of the world was a token that the preaching of Christ should be spread in euery corner of the world The breast and the shoulder were both the priestes portion together with the iawe done and the paunch or bellie The rest of the fleshe returned to him that made the oblation and was eaten by him in an holie banquet The remnaunt of Ceremonies belonging to this sacrifice are to be found in the third Chapter of Leuiticus For if it were Thoda a confession a praise or a protestation then was added to the sacrifice a cake of pure wheat floure and salt steeped in oyle or sodden cracknells or bread baked in pannes part whereof was heaued and fell to the priestes share the rest returned to the offerer euen as also leauened bread was allowed to be eaten in the banquet Nowe in this kinde of sacrifice also Christ was preached with the effect â— power of his death and passion and in it was shewed the whole maner and order of giuing thankes to God for his good benefits There are sondry sorts of benefits If a man receyued a good turne if an ill 〈◊〉 had not be fâ—lne him if he had receuered his health or had escaped some misfortune
he did saye vnto the chiefe This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise It may also by many places of Scripture bee proued that the auncient holie fathers from Adams time vntill the death of Christ at their departure out of this life did presently for Christe his sake enter not into prison but into eternall life For our Lorde in the Gospell after Sainct Marke doth say God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing But he is the god of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob therefore consequently Abraham Isaac and Iacob do liue or are now aliue and yet not in bodie corporally For their bodies beeing buried were rotten longe since therefore their soules do liue in ioye and their verie bodies shall rise to iudgement againe In the Gospell after S. Luke the Lord maketh mention of Abrahams bosome into which are gathered all the blessed spirites of it he testifieth that it is placed aloft that it is not a place of paine punishement but of ioy and refreshing And therefore we do often read in the Scriptures of the holie fathers that they were gathered vnto their people that is to say that they were receiued into the fellowship of those fathers with whome they had in this world remained in the same faith and same kinde of religion For the sequences circuÌ„stances of those places doe manifestly declore y those wordes cannot be expounded corporally of the buriall of the bodie Againe in the Gospel after S. Matthewe the Lord saith I say vnto you that many shal come out of the East out of the West and shall rest them selues with Abraham Isaac Iacob in the kingdome of heauen but the children of the kingdome shal bee cast out into vtter darknesse there shal bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Nowe if the Gentiles must be gathered into the kingdome of heauen and that they must be placed in the fellowship of the fathers than must it néeds bée that the fathers were alreadie in heauen and felte the ioyes thereof at that very time when the Lord spake these words Who also in the Gospell after S. Iohn doth plainly say Abraham was glad to see my day and hee sawe it and reioyced Which saying although wée vnderstand to be spoken of the iustification and ioye of the conscience yet do we not separate from it the ioy of eternall life because the one doth of necessitie depend vpon and followe the other Moreouer wée must héere consider the occasion vppon which these words of the Lord do séeme to haue béen spoken The Lord had said Verilie verilie I say vnto you If a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer taste of death which words the Iewes toke hold on and said Abraham is dead and the Prophets are dead yet sayest thou if a man will keepe my sayinges hee shall neuer see death What art thou greater than oure father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead also Whome makest thou thy selfe To this the Lord made answere and shewed that Abraham is quickened or else preserued in life and heauenly ioy through faith in the sayings of Christe Iesus and that howsoeuer hée is dead in body yet notwithstanding his soule doth liue in ioy for euer with God in whome hee did put his trust To this may be added that Dauid in the 16. Psalme calling God his hope his expectation and his inheritance doth amonge other thinges say The Lord is alwayes at my right haÌ„d Therefore my hart is glad my glorie reioyceth and my fleshe shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Thou wilt make mee to knowe the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy at thyright hand there be pleasures for euermore And although S. Peter and Saint Paul doe in the Actes of the Apostles applie this testimonie of Dauid as a thing spoken Prophetically vnto Christ Iesus yet notwithstanding no man can denie but that the same may after a certeine manner be referred vnto Dauid who in that Psalme maketh a profession of his faith declareth his hope and expresseth his Michtam that is his delight or the armes or cognizaunce whereby he would be knowen Those words therefore doe first apperteine to Christ and then to Dauid and all the faithfull For the life and resurrection of Christ is the life resurrection of the faithfull Againe in an other place the same prophet saith I beleeue verilie to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing Now in the land of the liuing there is neither death nor dolour but fulnesse of ioy and euerlasting pleasures these ioyes and delights Dauid by faith did looke to obteine at the hand of GOD through Christ his sauiour and did in déede according to his hope possessâ— the same immediately after he did depart out of this life although it were many yeares after his death or euer Christe did come in the fleshe euen as we also at this day are saued by him although it be now one thousand fiue hundreâ—h and od yeares agoe since he in his flesâ— did depart from the earth But whereas Paul in the 12. to the Hâ—brues saiâ—h And all these holie fathers hauing through faith obteined good repoâ—t receiued not the promise because 〈◊〉 had prouided a better thinge for vs that they without vs should not bee made pâ—rfecte I thinke simplie that it must be vnderstood of the perfect or ful felicitie in which y holy fathers without vs are not consummated or made perfecte Because there is yet behinde the generall resurrection of all fleshe which must first come and when that is once finished then is the felicitie of all the Sainctes consummated or made perfect which felicitie shall then not bee giuen to the soule alone but to the body also Saincte Peter also doeth constantly affirme that saluation is first of all by Christ purchased for the soules of the holy Saincts then that they by the same Christe are immediatly vppon their bodily death receiued to be partakers of the same saluation and lasty that in the end of the world the bodies of the Saincts being raised from death as the bodies of all men be shall appeare before Christ to be iudged of him The Lord saith hée shall iudge both the quicke and the dead For to this end was the Gospell preached to the dead that in the flesh they should be iudged like men but in the spirite they should liue with God. That is to say the death of Christ is effectuall to the fathers that died in the faith so that nowe in soule they lâ—ue with God and that they againe are to be iudged in their fleshe like to all other men at what time the Lord shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Therefore our saluation is not as yet perfecte nor consummated but shal be made perfecte in the end of the world Moreouer
and vnpardonable for which we must not pray that is to saye prayers cannot obteine pardone for it That sinne is contumelious reprochâ— against the holie Ghoste reuolting apostacie and incessant mocking of the Gospell of Christe For in the Gospell after S. Iohn we read Verily verily I saye vnto you if a man keepe my sayings he shall not see death for euer And againe If ye beleeue not that I am ye â—hal dye in your sinnes And apostacie in verie déede is iniquitie and a purposed and perpetuall sinne For what is more sinfull or vniust than to strine against and make a mocke of the knowen veritie The other sinne is veniall not vnto death the which of what sort it is Sainct Iohn declareth when he addeth Wee knowe that euery one which is borne of God sinneth not Nowe that saying must not be so absolutely taken as though hee sinned not at all but wee must vnderstand that hee sinneth not to death For otherwise the verie Sainctes are sinners as it is euident by the first Chapter of this Epistle Furthermore that which doeth immediately followe in Iohn maketh manifest that which went before He that is begotten of God saith he kepeth him selfe that is hee standeth stedfastly in the knowen trueth and taketh heede to him selfe that that euil touch him not that is that he intrap him not stirre him vp against God nor reteine him in rebellion Thus much haue I hitherto saide touching the sinne against the holie Ghoste which Augustine did in one place call finall impenitencie which doth followe vppon Apostacie blasphemie and contempt of the holie Ghost or of the word of trueth reuealed by the holie Ghost And although I haue alreadie in the handling of Originall sinne and sinne against the holie Ghoste partely touched the effectes of sinne yet to coÌ„clude this treatise withall I wil briefly shewe you somewhat touching the iust and assured punishment that shal be layde vppon sinners For in the definition of sinne I sayde that sinne brought vpon vs the wrath of GOD with death and sundrie punishments Of which in this place I meane to speake It is as manifest as what is most manifest by the scriptures that God doeth punishe the sinnes of men yea that he punisheth sinners for their sinnes For many places in the scriptures declare that God is angrie and greeuously offended at the sinnes of mortall men Dauid cryeth The Lorde loueth the iust as for the wicked and violent his soule doeth hate them Vppon the vngodly hee shall rayne snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shal be their portion to drinke For the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse with his countenaÌ„ce he doth behold the thing that is iust In like manner Paule saith The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vncleanesse of men which withholde the trueth in vnrighteousnesse And what may be thought of the moreouer that the wrath of God for the sinnes of vs men woulde bee by no meanes appeased but by the death of the sonne of God Wherein verily the excellencie of the greate price of our redemption doth argue the greatnesse and filthinesse of our sinne To all which we may adde that the good Lorde who loued mankinde so well woulde not haue ouerwhelmed vs with so many paynes and exceeding calamities had not our sinne béen passing horrible in the sight of his eyes For who can make a full beadrowe of all the calamities of miserable sinners The Lorde for our sinnes absenteth him selfe from vs But if the Sunne be out of the earth howe greate are the mystes and cloudie darkenesse in it If God be awaye from vs how great is the horror in myndes of men Here therefore as punishementes due to sinners are reckoned the tyrannie of Satan a thousande tormentes of conscience the death of the soule dreadfull feare vtter desperation innumerable calamities of bodie and of our other faculties which Moses the seruaunt of God doeth at large rehearse in the 26. of Leuiticus and the 28 Chapter of Deuteronomium And nowe since newe sinnes are daily scourged with newe kindes of punishements what ende I praye is any man able to make if hee shoulde goe about to reckon them all It is not to be doubted verily but that the Lorde doeth punishe sinners iustly For hee is him selfe a most iust Iudge And for because it is a madd mannes parte to doubte of the iustice omnipotencie and wisedome of god it followeth therefore consequently that all religious and godly men doe holde for a certeintie that the punishments which God doeth laye vppon men are laide vppon them by moste iust iudgement But howe greate and what kinde of punishment is due to euery faulte and seuerall transgression belongeth rather to Gods iudgement to determine than for mortall men too curiously to inquire Wherevppon Sainct Augustine Tracta in Ioan. 89 saide There is as greate diuersitie of punishments as of sinnes which howe it is ordeined the wisedome of God doth more deepely declare than mans coniectures can possibly seeke out or vtter in wordes Hee verily which in his lawe giuen to man gaue this for a rule according to the measure of the sinne so shall the measure of the punishement bee beeing him selfe moste equall and iust doeth not in iudgement exceede measure Abraham in the notable communication had with God which is reported in the 18 of Genesis doth amoÌ„g other things say Wâ—lt thou destroye the iust with the wicked that be farr from thee that thou shouldst do such a thing and slaye the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked That is not thy parte that iudgest al the earth thou shalt not make suche iudgement Herevnto also belongeth that notable demonstration which the Lorde vseth towarde Ionas beeing angrie with the Lorde because of his iudgements for hee sheweth that hee hath iustly a care of the infants yea and of the cattel in Niniue The place is extant in the fourth Chapter of the prophecie of Ionas Let vs therefore stedfastly holde that the Lord when he punisheth doth iniurie to no creature which hee hath made Here therefore the disputations and questions come to an ende wherein men are wont to demaunde whye the Lorde doeth sometimes vse so sharpe torments towards infants or sucklings or why he rewardeth temporal offences with eternal punishments For the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holie in all his workes As Dauid did most truly witnesse whereas in another place he saith Thou arte iust O Lord and thy iudgement is right Blessed is hee that stumbleth not here and doeth not murmur against the Lorde But if 〈◊〉 so happen that the Lorde at any time do somewhat long deferre the iudgement and punishment wee must not therefore thinke that hee is vniust because he spareth the wicked and sharpely correcteth his friendes their vices Let vs rather laye before our eyes the Euangelicall parable of the riche glutton and
at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of mee at Rome And although he did nothing doubt of the trueth of Gods promises and was not ignoraunt of the power of Gods prouidence yet notwithstanding he did priuily send his sisters sonne which told him that the Iewes had cōspired to kill him vnto the Tribune to desire of him that Paul might not be brought forth at the Iewes request Neither did he shew himselfe vncourteous or vnthanckfull to the souldiers that carried him to Antipatridis nor to the horsemen that went with him to Cęsarea Againe as he sailed in y Adriaticke sea whē he was in perill of dangerous shipwracke and y all his cōpany were stricken with feare hee said Sirs I exhort you to bee of good cheare for there shall bee no losse of any mans life among you but of the shippe For there stood by mee this night the Angel of God whose I am and whome I serue saying Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and loe GOD hath giuen thee all them that saile with thee Wherefore sirs be of good cheare For I beleeue God that it shal be euen as it was told mee But a while after when the mariners went about to leaue the ship the same Paule said to the Centurion and to the souldiours Vnlesse these abide in the shipp yee cannot be saued Therefore meanes doe belonge to the prouidence of God by which he woorketh and therefore are they not to be neglected Truely it is by Gods gouernement or prouidence that we haue all these * impressions of what sort soeuer either fierie or ayrie or watrie For by the power of God and not by any power of their owne doeth the ayre make the earth fruitefull the waters flowe and ebb againe and the earth doth bring forth her increase And although the saincts thincke verily that none of all this is done for any merits sake of theirs because the Sauiour himself in the Gospell sayeth The father sendeth raine vppon the iust and vniust yet for all that they do neuer forget the woords of the Prophete where he sayeth If ye will be willing and obedient ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye be obstinate rebellious ye shal be deuoured with the swoord For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it For the great Prophete Moses longe before Esaie had said If thou shalt hearken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God to obserue and do all his commaundements all these blessinges shall come vppon thee Thou shalt bee blessed in the citie blessed in the field Blessed shall the fruite of thy body bee blessed shall the fruit of thy ground be The Lord shal open heauen vnto thee and giue raine to thy land in due season But if thou wilt not hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God to obserue and doe his commaundements then all these curses shall come vppon thee Cursed shalt thou be in the citie and cursed in the field The heauen aboue thy head shall be brasse and the Lord shall smite thee with many plagues c. And histories beare record that all these thinges happened to the people of God euen as they are here foretold and that too not without the prouidence of the Lord their god All good successes and prosperitie are the good blessings of God and on the other side all calamities and aduersities are the curses of god Therefore herevppon the Saincts do gather that mens affayres and state are wholie gouerned by Gods prouidence so yet that they must not therfore sitt as we say with their hāds in their bosomes idlely and neglect good means but rather watchfully and diligently walke by the grace of GOD in the wayes and meanes or precepts and ordinaunces of the lord For the prouidence of God doeth not disturbe the order of thinges it doth not abrogate the offices of life nor labour and industrie it doth not take a iust dispensation and obedience but by these things it worketh the health of those men which do thrugh that help of God religiously apply themselues to the decrées purpose or woorking of the Lord to whome they doe rightly ascribe what good soeuer doeth chaunce or betyde them imputing to mans corruption to our owne vnskilfulnesse and to our sinns what euil soeuer doth happē vnto vs Therfore the sainctes acknowledge that although warres plagues and diuers other calamities do by God his prouidence afflict mortal men yet notwithstanding that the causes thereof do arise of nothing else than of the sinns of man For God is good which wisheth vs rather well than euill Yea oftentimes hee of his goodnesse turneth oure euill purposes vnto good ends as is to be séene by the historie of Ioseph in the booke of Genesis Truely vpon the earnest consideration of Gods prouidence al the godly sort doe gather that their good God wisheth well vnto man For he hath a greate care ouer vs not in greate things onely but also in the smallest He knoweth the number of the dayes of our life In his sight are all oure members as wel within as without For the Lorde in the Gospell sayth that al the haires of our head are nūbered He by his prouidence defendeth vs from all manner diseases and imminent perils He féedeth refresheth and preserueth vs For as he made all creatures for mans health and behoofe so doth he preserue and apply them to mans good and commoditie The doctrine of the foreknowledge and predestination of God whiche hath a certein likenesse with his prouidence doth no lesse comfort the godly worshippers of god They call foreknowledge that knowledge in God whereby he knoweth all things before they come to passe and séeth euen present all things that are haue bene and shall be For to the knowledge of God all thinges are present nothing is past nothing is to come And the predestination of God is the eternall decrée of God whereby he hathe ordeyned eyther to saue or destroy men a most certeine end of life and death being appointed vnto thē Wherevpon also it is elsewhere called a foreappointment Touching these pointes some haue diuersly disputed and many verily curiously and contentiously enoughe and in suche sort surely that not onely the saluation of soules but the glory of God also with the simple sorte is indaungered The religious searchers or interpreters of the scriptures confesse that here nothing is to be permitted to mans wit but that we must simply wholy hang vppon what so euer the scripture hath pronounced And therfore these words of S. Paul are cōtinually before their eyes and in their mindes O the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowlege of God! how vnsearchable or incomprehensible are his iudgementes and his waies past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lorde or who was his coūseller Or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shal be recompenced They neuer forget
of Christe are of the diuell and therefore that they by al meanes together with all their disciples sectaries are to be auoyded This treatise of the true flesh of Christ we knit vp with these most plaine wordes of Paul WheÌ„ Christ was in the forme of God he made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men found in figure as a man He huÌ„bled him selfe made obedient vndeath euen the death of the crosse Wherefore it is without doubt that the sonne of God tooke true and humane flesh and in the same is consubstantiall or of the selfe same substance with vs in all points sinne excepted Neither did oure Lorde after he was risen againe from the dead though he were glorified put off or lay aside his true body which he had once taken and put on And his glorification doth not take away the trueth of his nature For he saith vnto his disciples A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see me haue Wherefore he carried that his true verie fleshe into heaueÌ„ with him in his true flesh he appeareth alwayes for vs in the sight of good the father in his true flesh he will come to iudge the quick the dead in his true flesh they shal sée him which crucified him Christ according to this nature who in respecte of his Godheade is no creature but a creatour is a creature For the fleshe of Christ hath beginning lineally descended from Adam who is the creature of the liuing god And albeit these thinges be sufficiently fenced with the force of the scriptures yet it shall not séeme yrckesome vnto you dearely beloued to rehearse the opinion of the blessed father Cyril which concerning the same matter he hath left written in his Epistle vnto Successus Byshop of Isauria Diocesse in these wordes Bycause I founde in your aduertisement such a kind of thing as though the holie flesh of Christe the sauiour of vs all were turned into the nature of his deitie after his resurrection so that now he shuld seme to be wholy solie god we thought good also to make answere vnto this And a fewe wordes after After the resurrection certeinely it was the selfe same body whiche suffered but yet not hauing now in it self mans infirmities For we affirme not that it abideth hunger labour or any such like thing but we confesse that now it is incorruptible and not this only but also that quickneth and giueth life For it is a body that both hath and giueth life that is to say of the onely begotten sonne of God and it is glorified with the most worthy brightnesse of God and it is knowne and taken to be the bodie of god Therefore if any man say that that is Gods body as the body of a man is mans body he swarueth net from allowable reason Wherevpon I thinke that most â—lessed Paule also sayde Though wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh now yet hencefoorth knowe we him no more For being as I sayde the proper body of God it farre passeth all humane bodies But a body made of earth could not abide to be turned into the nature of the Deitie or Godhead For this is impossible Otherwise we abase the Godhead as if it were made and as if it had taken somewhat into it selfe whiche according to nature doth not properly belong to it Hereby it is proued to be as much follie to say that the body is turned into the nature of the Godhead as that which is the worde to be chaunged into the substance of flesh For as this is impossible bycause it is proued to be a bodye not able to be turned and chaunged so also it is not possible that any creature can be turned into the essence or nature of the Godhead but fleshe is also created And therefore we say that the body of Christ is diuine bycause it is the body of God and beautified with vnspeakable glorie and nowe let vs confesse that it is vncorruptible holy and giuing life but that it is chaunged into the nature of the Godhead neyther haue any of the holy fathers so thought or taught neyther doe we so thinke Thus farre Cyrill And Theodoretus Byshop of Cyrus Dialog 2. Eranist sayth I will shewe that the body of the Lorde yea after the ascension was called a bodie Heare Paule therefore saying Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee looke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ who shall chauÌ„ge our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodye Therefore it is not chaunged into an other nature but remaineth indéede a true very body replenished with diuine glorie casting foorth beames of light But if it be chaunged into an other nature their bodies also shall likewise be chaunged For they shall be fashioned like vnto him But if the bodies of Saints kéepe the substance of their nature the body of the Lord likewise hath his substance vnchangable Thus farre Theodoret. Furthermore when we professe that Christ hath true and verie flesh we doe not meane fleshe withoute soule For we must confesse that Christe hath a reasonable or humane soule not voyde of a mynde Arius taught that the sonne of GOD tooke fleshe onely without a soule and that the worde was in place of the soule And Apollinarius did attribute vnto Christe a soule but hée toke away the minde denying that it was reasonable The scripture doth both attribute vnto Christe a soule and taketh not away the minde from the soule The Lord himselfe sayeth in the Gospell The sonne of man came not to bee ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his soule a redemptioÌ„ for many The same Matth. hath left written of him He began to be sorowfull and heauie And Iesus said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death And in another place the Lord himselfe saith Now my soule is troubled And if so bee that this soule of Christe lacke the minde which is the chiefest part of the soule how hath he a soule how could he be sorrowfull and vnderstand desire and remember With hartie desire sayth the Lord haue I desired to eate this passeouer with you before I suffer But this desire came not from his godhead neither from his flesh only nor from his soule waÌ„ting a mind but from his perfecte manhood of body and minde Moreouer we read in the Gospell that the Lord said The sonne of man came not to destroy mens soules but to saue them Therefore hee toke not flesh onely but a reasonable soule also For man had perished both soule and body therefore that he might bée saued both body and soule oure sauiour Christ toke a very mans body a reasonable soule that is to saye a most perfecte man Therefore blessed Athanasius teaching vs according to the scriptures the coÌ„fession of true faith said Christ is God of the substance
god Now also hee eggeth false prophets inchaÌ„ters against vs Whervnto beloÌ„g deceitful inglings and all kinds of sorcerie witchcraft which the workes of the sorcerers of Egypt and of SimoÌ„ the place of Moses in Deut. 13. testifie to be moste effectuall Herevnto chiefly belong false miracles corrupt answers or Oracles By these truely in times past he did very much hurt to that church of god as histories testifie nether ceaseth he at this day to do hurt which thing experieÌ„ce it self doth teach verifie For though it be certeine y sathan is not cast out by that power of sathan yet one giueth place to another for a time to this end that they may that more dsilie deceiue men and obteine a kingdome Christe truelie and the Apostle Paule foretoulde that euen the last times should bee wonderfully bewitched with deceiptful signes and powers Moste euident places touching y thing are extant in Mat. 24. 2. thess. 2. cha More might be spoken déerely beloued that at large concerning the operations or workings of the diuell But I trust these things béeing gathered together in breuitie are sufficient and giue occasion to muse of higher thinges But let no man so vnderstand these thinges as if the diuel were able to doe all things and that what he will he can also doe by and by For his power is definite or limitted restrained so y he cannot doe so much as he would Otherwise all things had béene ouer throweÌ„ and perished long agoe Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing of the diuel y he is subiect to god for he can do nothing with out Gods permission Now God permitteth him either to exercise trye the patience of those that are his and to hasten their saluation as it is manifest in the historie of Iob and in the words of Paule to the Corin saying Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of the reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a prick to the flesh the messenger of sathan to buffet me Neither is it doubful that in most gréeuous tormentes of persecutions he exalteth many notable martyrs yea and at this day doeth and in times past hath exalted such vnto glorie and euerlasting rest Or els hee giueth the diuell leaue to execute violence and crueltie vppon men by that meanes to chastice their wickednesse or to punish their vnbelief For verily the diuels are the instruments of Gods wrath to execute his vengeauÌ„ce For Paule saith The comming of Antichriste is after the working of sathan in all power signes and wonders of lying and in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might be saued And therefore GOD shall send them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this in a manner is the strength and power of sorcerie or inchaunting whiche is féeble in the faithfull Wherefore there is no cause why any man should miserably feare the Diuell But rather sanctifie yee saith Esaie the Lorde of hostes let him be your feare your reuerence Some say that certaine nations of the Easte worshipped the diuell for this cause that he should not hurte them But these are starke staring madde For if it bee not Gods will which euen now I began to tel you or if hee giue no leaue Sathan cannot touch so much as a haire of thine For he could not enter into the heard of swine whiche were féeding nighe the lake Genezaret at Gadara and destroy them but by the Lords permission Saincte Augustine also expounding the 32. psalme alledgeth in these wordes the historie of Iob What could the diuell himselfe doe durste he take away one seely shepe from the holie man Iob before he said Lay thy hand on him that is to say giue mee power Hee was willing but GOD did not suffer him When God gaue him leaue then hee was able therefore the diuell was not able but GOD whiche gaue him leaue Therefore Iob being well instructed did not say as we nowe are wonte to say The Lord gaue and the diuell hath taken away but The Lord gaue and the Lorde hathe taken away And these thinges do excéedingly comfort the godly in temptations who vnderstand that nothing can happen to theÌ„ without Gods permission that he permitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment and saluation and therefore that we are alwayes preserued by the prouidence and bountifulnesse of god For whatsoeuer hath hitherto béene spoken concerning the power and workinges of the diuelles perteined not hitherto to dashe vs out of courage and caste vs downe but to make vs more vigilant or watchfull The Lorde that ouercame the diuell and sheweth vs the way to ouercome him commaundeth vs to watch For therefore he encountered with sathan the first second and thirde time to instructe vs howe we shoulde fight againste the enimie of mankinde He ouercame him for vs that we shoulde not despaire of ability and nower easilie to ouercome him since he is alreadie weakened and wounded By faith doubtlesse we shal ouercome him For by faith we are knit vnto Christ and by faith we drawe the spirite of Christe by the force and vertue whereof we shall triumphe Truely for that cause Saint Peter willeth vs To resist by faith Saint Paule exborting vs vnto this conflict furnishing vs with excellente complete armour sayth Take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stande fast Stande therefore hauing your loynes gyrt aboute with the trueth and hauing on the breaste plate of righteousnesse and your feete shodde that you may be prepared to the gospel of peace Aboue all thinges taking the shield of faith wherewith you may quenche all the firie dartes of that wicked And take the helmet of â—aluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of God praying always in al prayers and supplication in the spirite c. Wherevnto that also beelongeth whiche the same Apostle witnesseth God doth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare but shall with the temptation make away to escape Let vs therefore reuerence this God let vs béeséech him that throughe his power might we may ouercome Amen Of the reasonable Soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his bodie The tenth Sermon ALl men doe confesse that the reasonable soule of man hathe affinitie or likenesse with spirites neither is there any wiseman as I thinke which doth denie that the knowledge of the reasonable soule of man wherof the Scripture teacheth so many thinges and that too so diligently is moste wholesome and necessarie to all the godly the order therfore the profite and the verie necessitie also of
pâ—int 〈…〉 matter of this cause 〈◊〉 saying is hit the nayl◠〈…〉 Now it reâ—â—eth to 〈…〉 worketh my body of 〈…〉 that briefly in the 〈…〉 saying that being 〈…〉 it giueth life to man 〈…〉 For the reasonable 〈…〉 hendeth the powers 〈…〉 sensitiue and thereby it giueth 〈◊〉 to the bodie Moreouer the â—oulâ— hath two partes distinguished in 〈◊〉 not in substance namely Vnderstanding and Will and the reby it 〈◊〉 man For by the vnderstanding whiche is called bothe the minde and reason it conceiueth iudgeth knoweth thinges that are to be vnderstood and discerneth what to followe and what to auoide But by will or appetite he chooseth that which he knoweth folowing one thing and refusing another Which things again stretch verie farre Therefore I will handle euerie part more largely First of all 〈…〉 〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 sufficient 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 But in these things 〈…〉 to man For we sée and 〈…〉 that they also liue and that 〈…〉 in his kind 〈◊〉 increased and ingendered 〈…〉 the soule is 〈…〉 and what it workeâ—h in the 〈◊〉 â–ª where a more peâ—fecte 〈…〉 deriued The 〈…〉 in the sense of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and discerit◠〈…〉 by the 〈…〉 things which are 〈◊〉 to y 〈◊〉 of the bodie 〈◊〉 it is ioynâ—d refuseth and 〈…〉 also consenteth not only do y prâ—â—â—eation of children but to the châ—rishing defending nourishing preseruing of them But all these things againe no man denieth but the liâ—e whiche is in beasts may do also Let vs therfore coÌ„sider what is the proper force of the soule of man And here wâ—y with me the wonderfull power of vnderstanding reasoning not a coÌ„mon memorieas is in brute beasts but a remembrance of iâ—â—â—merable thinges commended vnto vs and kept in minde by signes and déepe 〈…〉 in gesture in sounde in 〈…〉 seigned showes so 〈…〉 of nations so many thinges or deinâ—â— so many newe thinges so many 〈◊〉 refourmed such a number of 〈◊〉 and of such like 〈◊〉 for thâ— maintenaunce of memorie 〈…〉 a care of them whiche come 〈…〉 orders of offices powers 〈◊〉 and dignities either in 〈…〉 in the common weâ—le 〈…〉 warre either in 〈…〉 matters Weigh with me 〈…〉 force and vertue of 〈…〉 riuers of eloquence the 〈◊〉 verses in Poetrie 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 sure 〈…〉 â—n instrumentâ—◠〈…〉 in measuriâ—◠〈…〉 bâ—ring 〈…〉 thinges to come 〈…〉 These verily are 〈…〉 or â—â—perations in the 〈…〉 are common to the god 〈…〉 Therefore the true 〈…〉 which riseth from the powers of the soule vnto man and which are found in the godly only dâ— follow The soule is bould to preferre it selfe before the whole bodie and to thincke that the goods of the bodie are not his but rather to despise them and thereby how much the more he delighteth himselfe so much y more he withdraweth himselfe from filthines and cleâ—seth himselfe wholie by faith and the holy ghost and strengtheneth himselfe against al thinges whiche goe about to put him by from his good intent and maketh 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 nothing to â—â—other whiche â—e would 〈…〉 to himselfe For hée 〈…〉 or doctrine of God 〈…〉 that by this God 〈…〉 ioyned by the holy 〈◊〉 and â—aith with God himselfe in 〈…〉 delighteth and liueth in true 〈…〉 forth all kind of 〈…〉 so excellent a studiâ—â—â— the soule there is â—et great laboâ—r For the soule fighteth starcely with the worlds the fleshe and is 〈…〉 from the assaultes or 〈…〉 But beeing 〈…〉 Lord hee gâ—eth 〈…〉 â—ictories and triumphâ—â— â–ª 〈…〉 therefore I meane of 〈…〉 holy men woorke all 〈◊〉 of holy works for the soules of the 〈…〉 heynous sinnes of all 〈…〉 are many other 〈…〉 whiche I cease to 〈…〉 I should be longer than 〈…〉 I haue entreated of 〈…〉 as yet ioyned to 〈…〉 discourse the 〈…〉 of God appeareth the 〈…〉 creatour of the soule yeâ— of the whole man from whose 〈…〉 account it receiuâ—â— whatsoeuer praise is giuen to the soulâ— Nowe I wil speake of the soule separated from the bodie The soule being separated from the bodie ceaseth not to be that whiche it waâ— but the bodie being dead the soule abideth aliue in his owne Essence altogether immortall and voide of all corruption For the death of man is not the extinguishing or destruction of the soule but onely a separation or departure from the bodie Thou takest a candle out of a lanterne thou hast taken the light from the lanterne but thou hast not put out the candle the lanterne triâ—ely béecause the candle is taken away remaineth full of darckenesse but the candle féeleth so little hurt by remouing of it that béeing taken awaye from the lanerne it then shineth more clearely and casteth forth the beames of his light more at large So truely the soule being separated from his earthly or slimie bodie doth so little féele any discommoditie that béeing deliuered from the trouble and burthen of the bodie it liueth more at libertie and woorketh more effectually But the common sort vnderstand not this they sée the body onely amonge the dead spoiled of the soule and because this wanteth all féeling and mouing yea and rotteth awaye they thincke that the whole man perisheth Neither is the world without some shamelesse and vngodly wretches who haue in their mouth that no man euer returned from death or from belowe who by his returne proued that the soules remaine aliue when the body is dead But maliciously they lye dissembling that they knowe not that which certeinely they know For who knoweth not that Christ the sonne of God died and was buried and the third day was raised againe from the dead the verie selfe same soule returning into his bodie whithe before death gaue his bodie life and ruled it Who knoweth not that Christe with his true bodie and with his reasonable and naturall soule ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the father that hee layinge downe there as it were a most assured pledg might testifie vnto the whole world that both oure owne proper soules and our owne proper bodies shal one day be traÌ„slated thether Who knoweth not that so many which were dead béeing raised from death to life receiued not newe soules but those their old soules whiche should not haue come to passe if by the death of the bodie the soules of men wete extinguished They obiecte that the Scripture it selfe maketh mention of the death of the soule I confesse no leâ—â—e in déede For the soule of man is both mortall and immortall after a certaine manner of his owne For the soule is not all manner of wayes immortall as God is of whome it is said that hée onely hath immortalitie And truely the death of the soule in the holy scripture is to be remembred but the same is referred to the state and condition not to the substance of the soule For if God be the life of the soule surely to be forsaken of God and to be left vnto thy selfe is the
addeth an oâ—he saying Verilie I say vnto you that wée should not doubt of the unmortalitie of soules There are very many testimonies and those most euident of Christ the sonne of God in the same Gospell as in the sixte and eleuenth Chapiters to whiche wee will ioyne one or two out of the writings of the blessed Apostles of Christ Sainct Peter speaking of the soules of the fathers which were dead a great while agoe sayeth that The Gospell was preached also to the dead that they should bee iudged like other men in the flesh but should liue before God in the spirite Spirites or soules of the blessed fathers whose bodies being buried a great while agoe doe waite for the vniuersall sentence of that generall and last iudgement that is that their flesh may be raised vp againe be iudged with other men in the last day but in the meane while their soules liue with God so that mens soules are aliue thoughe their bodies were rotten a great while agoe S. Paule in his epistle to Timothie sayeth that life and immortalitie is made manifest and brought by Christ The same Paule euery where doeth so plainely auouche the immortalitie of soules that hee must néedes be blinde which séeth it not S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sawe vnder the altar in heauen that is vnder the protection of Christe whoe is the sacrifice and propitiation for the sinnes of the world liuing soules lying and crying Howe longe tariest thou Lord to reuenge our bloud He sawe them cloathed with white garmentes and enioying euerlasting rest But these soules were the soules of the martyrs of Christe whose bodies died béeing murthered on the earth vnder tyrauntes and persecuters of the Christian faith Therefore the soules of men are immortall Most true therefore yea and vndoubted are those woordes whiche are read in the booke of Wisedome vttered in this manner The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shal no torment touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their ende is taken for a miserie and their departing from vs to be vtter destruction but they are in rest For thoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie They are punished but in few things neuerthelesse in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them findeth them meete for himselfe As gold in the fornace doth he trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and when the time commeth they shal be looked vpon They shall shine and runne thoroughe as the sparckles amonge the stubble They shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall reigne for euer Wherefore most truely and according to the Canonicall Scripture doe the Ecclestasticall definitions pronounce Cap. 16. Wee beleeue that man onely hath a substantiall soule whiche hauing put off the bodie liueth and keepeth his senses and disposition liuelie It doeth not die with the bodie as Aratus affirmeth nor a little while after as Zenon sayeth because it liueth substantiallie But the soules of beastes and other mortall creatures are not substantiall but are borne with their fleshe thorough the life of their fleshe and with the death of their flesh are at an end and doe die Furthermore that truth touching the immortalitie of soules as it were by the lawe of nature is written and imprinted in the mindes of all men Wherevppon it is no meruaile that all the wise men amonge the Gentiles could neuer abide that the soule should be called mortall For the consent of all whiche is thought the voice of nature specially of the chiefest declareth y soules are immortall And M. Tullie also affirmeth that saying As by nature wee thincke there are Gods and by reason wee know what they bee so wee hold opinion with the consent of all nations that soules doe stil continue All y auncient writers therefore and all that followed them haue said that soules are euerlasting or immortal as Trismegistus MusÄ™us OrphÄ™us Homerus Pindarus and Pherecydes the Syâ—ian the maister of Pythagoras and his scholer Socrates Plato himselfe who to learne the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italie was not onely of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of touching the immortalitie of souls but brought reasons also to confirme the same These reasons as Tullie witnesseth are many that he whiche readeth his booke cannot seeme to desire any thing further Seneca so plainely affirmeth and proueth the immortalitie of soules that nothing can be more plaine And Epictetus a famous Philosopher who liued in the time of Seneca hath done no lesse If as yet there be any light headed men to whome the immortalitie of the soule séemeth doubtfull or whiche vtterly denie the same these truely are vnworthy to haue the name of men For they are plagues of the coÌ„mon wealth and verie beastes worthy to be hissed and driuen out of the company of men For hee lacketh a bridle to restraine him and hath cast awaye all honestie and shame is prepared in all points to committ anye mischiefe whosoeuer beléeueth that the soule of man is mortall I shewed that soules by death béeing separated from their bodies doe not die but remaine aliue it resteth now behinde that I teach you where the soules when they are destitute of the dwelling place their bodies leads their life and are conuersaunt While they were coupled to the bodies they vsed them as their dwelling houses so that though they be said not to be limitted in place yet they doe not wander out of their bodies but they are as it were shut vp in them as in prisons vntill the time they be dissolued and sett at libertie Those same soules therefore being now disseuered from their bodies since they reteine their sound senses their nature or disposition and their whole substance in liuely manner albeit they are said no not euen now to be limitted in place not are they not let loose runne aftraye hauing their abiding in no place but beeing compacte and sett fast in their owne Essence or béeing are in some place againe hauing no newe bodies for the soules are frée euen till the Iudgement day when they shall bee ioyned againe to their bodies how beit certaine abiding places are prepared for them of God wherin they may liue Although other by my leiue verie subtily and wittilie doe reason howe spirites are conteyned in place or not conteined I simplie affirme with the scripture that soules separated from bodies are taken vpp either into heauen it selfe or else are drowned in the depthe of hell and that their béeing and abiding is euen so there that when they are héere they are not else where For the Lord most plainly and pithilie saieth in the Gospell that the soule of beggerly Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome and the soule of the rich glutton was caste downe into hell But that more is it foorthwith followeth in
the historie Betweene vs and you for the blessed and cursed soules talke together there is a great goulfe stedfastly sett so that they whiche would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they that would come from thence to vs. And Paul also desireth to be dissolued to be with Christ Wée are dissolued by death for when the soule departeth the bodie is dissolued and dieth the soule flieth vnto Christ But the Scripture sheweth vs that Christ is in heauen at the right hand of the father Nowe where heauen is there is none but can tell And we else-where haue largely 〈◊〉 of that 〈◊〉 In the Gospell after Samuel Iohn the Lord himselfe calleth the conuersation of soules whiche is prepared for the soules after they are separated from the bodies both a place and mansion an habitation or dwelling adding these woordes the râ—â—ppon I will receiue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am there maye ye bee also And therefore Sainct Iohn sawe soules in heauen abiding and taking their rest vnder the altar or protection of Christ For thether when they departed from their bodies he had gathered them vnto himselfe Herevnto belongeth that notable place of the Apostle Paule merueylous fitt for this purpose written in the second to the Corinthians in these woordes Wee know that if our earthly hóuse of this tabernacle were destroyed wee haue a building of God euen an habitation not made with handes but eternal in heauen c. Loe while our soules were ioyned to our bodies they inhabited dwelt in them as in their houses but after oure corruptible house is destroyed God hath builded another better and of longer continuance Heauen I meane it selfe into the whiche hee louingly receiueth our soules departing out of our bodies For that manner bodie whiche we now haue he calleth The house of this tent or tabernacle For as tentes for a time are made of light stuffe and pitched without any strong foundation and a while after are pulled downe or doe fall of their owne accord so a mortall body is giuen to men as a ruinous cottage wherein they inhabite a fewe dayes and immediatly packe away againe S. Peter vsed the like Allegorie Against this tenâ— hée opposeth a 〈◊〉 of euerlasting continuance heauen I meanâ— it selfe For â—hen hée had said that wée haue a Building of God hee addeth by interpretation euen an habitation not made with handes And yet more plainely eternall in heauen Neither doeth that which by and by followeth hinder thâ—â— imporâ— another meaning For therefore 〈◊〉 wee desiring vppon our deathing to be further cloathed with our house which is from heauen For From heauen signifieth as much as if thou wouldest say heauenly Therefore the house of the soule is heauenly or heauen it selfe a place I saye appointed for blessed spirites For verilie the faithfull soule shall dwell in heauen euen vnto that day wherein the Lord shall iudge the world with that his Generall iudgement then at the lengthe the soule shall returne to the bodie againe béeing raises vpp that after Iudgement the whole man both soule and bodie may liue for euer with God. For thus wittnesseth the Apostle Sainct Paule The Lord himselfe shal descend from heauen in a shout and in the voice of the Archangel and in the trumpet of GOD and the dead in Christe shall rise first then wee which liue which remaine shal bee caught vpp together with them in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee euer bee with the Lord namely in the heauens whiche are aboue vs where the cloudes are séene Therefore omitting vaine speculations and curious disputations let vs beléeue that there is a house prepared by the Lord in heauen for soules béeing separated from their bodies into the which the faithfull may be receiued and againe that therâ— is 〈◊〉 are prepared 〈…〉 all the soules of all inâ—dels or 〈…〉 may be cast Wee haue taught that heauen is the sease or habitation prepared of God to receiue soules béeing separated from their bodies It remayneth behind that we shew after what maner what time they should be translated thether after death Touching the manner I can saye nothing else but that it is fully knowen vnto God and that so farre foorth as séemeth sufficient for vs it is shadowed out in the Scriptures namely that it is brought to passe by Angels carrying vpp oure soules with a most swift flight or mouing For the Lord saith in the Gospell that the soule of Lazarus was carried by angels into Abrahams bâ—some Of whiche thinge wée spake and before when wée preached of Good Angels But what manner of mouing this is whether naturall or supernaturall I meane not to make search I beléeue that what God promiseth the same he performeth and accomplisheth And hee promising sayeth Hee is passed from death to life Againe he said to the théefe To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise comprehending that his passage as it were in a moment Herevnto we also necessarily ad this that it must bée attributed to the merites of Christ that we are taken vpp into heauen For hée is the â—oore the way But at what time soules should be caried vp into heauen or cast down into hell séemeth to be a question at this present not onely profitable but by all meanes necessarie to bee discussed For in this our age there are euill disposed persons who haue corrupted the pure simplicitie of this matter For you shall finde some wil say that the 〈◊〉 departing from the 〈…〉 not by and by the right 〈…〉 ways to heauen but that 〈…〉 it were taken with a 〈…〉 thaâ—gie they sléepe vntill the last days â—f Iudgement You shalfind othersome contending that soules cannot come into heauen vnlesse they be perfectly purified with clensing fire which they call Purgatorie as though they were intercepted by pirates and robbers in the middest of their iourney and cast into torments vntill either they themselues make satisfaction or other foâ— them haue payed as it were the debt whiche they had else-where borrowed But both of these thinges doe I denie and vtterly denie and I affirme that soules doe not sléepe neither are they purged by any tormeÌ„ts after the death of the bodie but are waking and aliue and are forthwith after the death of the bodie and euen in a moment either carried into heauen being fréed from all kinde of torments or otherwise cast downe into hell These sleepiâ— heads haue nothing to alledge for this their lethargie or imagination of the sléepe of the soule but that the scripture oftentimes describing the death of the Saincts maketh mention of sléeping laying to sléepâ— as Hee fell a sleepe and was gathered vnto or layed by his fathers And Paul saith speaking of those that die I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe But euen as soules when they were ioyned to these frailâ— bodies neuer
haue for the deade for the dead haue their sinnes forgiuen them therefore al lets delayes vnto life are taken away so they liue with god But they which haue not beleeued haue reteined kept their sinnes stil being east down into the bottomlesse lake sticke fast in the myâ—e of hell Which thinges since they are 〈◊〉 certâ—ntie truly theâ— is a 〈◊〉 of praying for y dead 〈◊〉 before goâ—â— nor among the faithful Herevnto are annexed so many examples of the â—aintes in both the Testaments which are to be preferred both before vs 〈…〉 condeÌ„nations of men Which I pray you of the holy fathers euer prayed 〈◊〉 their dead Did Adam pray for his Abel did the sonnes pray for their father Adam What prayers did Abraham offer to God for the soule of his father Thare or for the soul of his most deare wife Sara What prayers poured Esau and Iacob forth for their father Isaac when he died the â—â— sonnes of Israel for Iacob Solomon for Dauid In the new Testament Iohn baptist is beheaded of Herode Stephan stoned of the Iewes Iames his head is cut off by the shoulders at the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of Agrippa their disciples burie their bodies do all things religiously belonging to their burials but in somany 〈…〉 made of prayâ—r for the soules of the deaâ—â— For they beléeued they forthwith after death were carried into euerlasting life Who theÌ„ after so many notable examples after so cleare profession of the catholique and sinnere fayth 〈◊〉 ye vs to the necessitie of praying for the soules of the dead Who can say hereafter that we are hereâ—iques who fulfill that in worke whiche we professe in profession of fayth or confession of the mouth yea which do no other thing thaÌ„ the most excellent worshippers of God of both Testaments haue done before vs. The last pâ—st wherewith they vnderprop their purgatorie least it should fall is the appearing of spirites For Rabanus a byshop sheweth out of the testimonies of Pope Gregorie and reuerâ—nd Beda that the soules of dead men haue very often appeared and taught that oblations and praiers do profite them verie much But I wonder that men of learning wold grouÌ„d their worke vpon so rotten ruinous foundations For the Lorde in the lawe forbiddeth to aske the truthe of the spirites or soules of the deade In the Prophetes we are sent from such 〈◊〉 to the law the testimonie In Luke the rich glutton cryeth in torments saith I pray the father Abraham that thou wouldest sende Lazarus to my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren that he may witnesse vnto them least they also come into this place of torment But he heareth They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them But when the riche glutton hadde answered No father Abraham but if one come vnto theÌ„ from the dead they will beleeue and repent He heareth againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther will they beleeue if one rise from death Therefore it is most certeine and confirmed by the authoritie of the gospel that blessed soules are not sent of God vnto vs to teache vs any thing Who I pray your woulde giue eare to wicked and condemned soules The Gospell of Christe sendeth vs all to the canonicall scripture Wherevpon it followeth that the testimonies which are fetched from Oracles or appearings of the spirites of the dead are of no weight but most deceiuable and full of lying Mans testimonies are agreeable with Gods which also teache vs that souls being separated from their bodies can not wander or stray in these regions The wordes are too long to rehearse which Tertullian learnedly disputeth of this matter in the ende almoste of his booke De Anima yet they are all leuelled to this 〈◊〉 to shew that souls separated from their bodies and appointed to their places do not returne again into this world To the obiection of some that boast of arte Magicke and also that by the power of God many haue returned froÌ„ the deade into this life he answereth But although the power of God hath called backe againe some soules into their bodies to giue vs instruction of his might and right yet therfore that shall not be communicated with the credite and boldnesse of Magicians and the deceitfulnesse of dreams and licentiousnesse of Poets but in the examples of the resurrection when Gods power eyther by Prophetes or by Christe or by Apostles bringeth soules into bodies it is manifestly declared by sound euident and ful truth that it is the shape of a true body that thou mightest iudge all appearings of 〈◊〉 men 〈…〉 Therefore 〈◊〉 in his 29. Homelie vpon Mâ—â—demauÌ„ding What then shall wee answere to those speaches I am such a soule Hee answereth It is not the soule of that dead body which speaketh these things but the diuell who deuiseth these things to deceiue theÌ„ that heare him And anon he sayth Wherefore these are to be counted the wordes of olde wiues and of dotards and childrens toyes and phantasies And againe A soule separated from the body can not wander in these regions For the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and the soules of infants likewise for they haue not sinned And the souls of the wicked after this life are by and by carried away Which is made apparant by 〈◊〉 and the rich glutton But in an 〈◊〉 place the Lorde also sayeth Thâ—◠〈◊〉 they shall require thy soule againe from thee Therfore the soule when it departeth from the body can not wander here with vs and that not without cause For if they which go a iournie chauncing into vnknown countries know not whether they are like to goe except they haue a guide howe much more shal the soule bee ignoraunt whether it shall goe after it hath left the body and entereth altogether into a newe life and straunge way vnlesse it haue a guide Out of many places of the scripture it may bee proued that the souls of iust righteous men do not go astray after death For Stephan sayth Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite And Paul desired to be losed to be with Christe Of the Patriarch the scripture also sayth He dyed in a quied or good age and was gathered vnto or layd by his fathers And that the soules of the wicked can not tâ—rrie or haue their abiding heere giue eare what the rich glutton sayth and consider what he craueth and obteyneth not For if the souls of meÌ„ might be conuersant here he had come him selfe as hee desired and had certified his brethreÌ„ of the tormeÌ„ts of hel Out of whiche place of scripture this also plainely appeareth that foules after their going out of the body are carried into som certein appointed place froÌ„ wheÌ„ce they caÌ„ not return of their owne accord when they wil returne but waite and looke for that terrible day of iudgement Thus much hitherto out of
Chrysostome Against these thinges they oppose the appering of Samuel fetched 〈◊〉 the holie Scriptures 〈…〉 goe about to proue that 〈…〉 againe after death and instruâ—t men touching thinges which they shall demaund We answere in few woods that that disguised masker which séemed to be Samuel was called Samuel by a trope or figure but in very déede he was not Samuel For of a certeintie it was a spirite a iugling and delusion of sathan For sorcerie is streightly forbidden in the law of the Lorde therefore blessed spirites obey not forbidden ways and vnlawfull practises which when they were as yet ioyned with their fleshy bodies by all meanes abhorred and resisted them in their assaultes as for damned spirites they exercise them selues therein But who would beléeue their oracles Samuel say they foretolde what happened the morrowe after And what of that That was no hard matter for the diuell since that the true and liuing Samuel foretolde many things a litle while before but this craftie foxe might foreknowe the iudgement of GOD whiche was to come euen by things present and by the 〈◊〉 and quaking of the hoastes 〈◊〉 in his booke De Anima saith God forbid we should beleue that the soule of any Saint much lesse the soule of a Prophete can be fetcht vp by the diuell since wee haue learned that sathan is transfourmed into an Angel of light much more into a man of light yea that hee will pretend that he is God and will shewe wonderfull signes to ouerthrowe if it 〈…〉 euen the elect c. S. Augustine is of the same iudgemeâ—â—â—oncerning that appearing 〈…〉 Simplicianum 2. quaest 3. And 〈…〉 quaest c. 〈◊〉 testimonies it is aboundantle 〈…〉 trust that soules of 〈…〉 from bodies doe not wander or appeare after death in these regions For they remaine vntill iudgement in the places appointed for them by the determination and prouidenâ—e of god Wherefore they are neither sent by God neyther can they enter in vnto men to instructe and warne them eyther of things present or of things to come Wherevpon it foloweth that appearings of soules that reuelations and oracles are méere delusions of Sathan ordeyned contrarie to the sinceritie and purenesse of true religion And bicause they which do what they can to proue vnto vs that there is purgatorie vse the defence and safegard of these vanities it is vndoubtedly true that they proue a falshood by deceite and an vncerteine thing by a thing of muche more vncerteintie Furthermore it remaineth vndoubtedly true that purgatorie wherein soules hauing put off their bodies shuld be purged vnto life euerlasting can not be shewed out of the Scriptures And bycause we haue remoued and put by the lets whiche were cast in the way to hinder the most spéedie iournie we returne to oure purpose wherein we intended to declare that the soules of the faithfull separated by death from the body doe immediately after the death of the body passe the right and ready way into heauen so most certeinly and vpon the souden be saued Likewise we vnderstand that the soules of the vnfaithful are thrust downe the right and ready way into hell and that by and by after the death of the body they perishe with most certeine and souden damnation For the Lorde expresly sayth in the Gospell Hee that beleeueth in the sonne of God is not condemned or iudged but he that beleueth not is condemned or iudged already bicause hee hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God. Againe He that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath eternall life but he that beleeueth not the sonne shal not see life but the wrath of god abideth in him And yet againe This is the will of him that sent mee that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth on him hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day Nowe the last day of man is the point of death in it Christe saueth vs by his power leaste our soule shoulde eyther perishe or féele any torments but that it might liue and inioy euerlasting blessednesse Moreouer the last days is that last daye of iudgement wherein Christ shal raise againe and iudge al flesh glorifying the bodies of his faithful people vnto life euerlasting Againe the Lord sayth in the Gospell Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shal not come into iudgmeÌ„t or damnation but is escaped from death vnto life These only wordes of our Lorde are able enough without any gainesaying to set foorth declare proue and confirme sufficiently our opinion concerning the moste certeine and souden saluation of soules For first of all lest any man shuld doubt of the most assured trueth touching the matter whiche he was setting foorth immediately vpon the beginning most holily he sweareth that is to say he confirmeth the trueth by giuing witnesse therevnto with an othe Afterwardes he annexeth the whole maner of our saluation which consisteth in hearing the word of god and in true faith which receiueth the truth of Gods worde For it is not enough to haue hearde the word of the gospel vnlesse we â—leaâ—e vnto y same by true faith But nowe marke with what assurance Christ promiseth life and saluation to them that beléeue in him Hee hath life euerlasting saithe he he said He hath not He shal haue Therefore he lefte no space either to doubting or to space of time Yea yet more plainely by interpretation expounding when and how the faithful haue or obteine life he saith He shall not come into iudgement or damnation but is escaped from death vnto life They come into iudgemeÌ„t which haue their cause to be examined and discussed before the iudg They come also into iudgemeÌ„t which by the sentence of the iudge are punished for their euil cause But the faithful haue no cause to be tryed and disenssed before the iudge For their sinnes are fully forgiuen them It is God which iustifieth and forgiueth Who is he that condemneth Therefore they are not subiecte to any punishments for Christ bare the punishmeÌ„t of the crosse the his faithful people might be deliuered saued harmeles from all torments But rather least anye man should thincke there were a stay or space of time betwéene the death of the bodie the life of the world to come hee sayeth But is escaped from death vnto life Loe he sayth Hee is escaped not Hee shal escape that by the Verbe of the Pretertence he might signifie the certeintie of the time past and might shewe that the soules of them that beléeue are by and by after the death of the bodie caught vpp into life euerlasting And I know well enough that the aduersaries héere haue no soâ—nd argument to sett against so manifest and inuincible a truth In déede with their wrangling words and their Sophistâ—ie they maye wrestle with the trueth but to
and skant good name and fame the whole ministerie béecome vile and that which with wholsome doctrine they build vpp their wicked life doe pull downe againe Wée will rehearse the rule of the Apostle fully comprehending all thinges perteyning to this matter Thou shalt ordein elders or bishops sayeth he if any be blamelesse the husbaÌ„d of one wife hauing faithful children which are not slandered of riot neither are disobedient For if a man cannot rule his owne house how shal he care for the church of God For a bishop must be blamelesse as the steward of God for it is required in the disposers that a man be fouÌ„d faithful not froward not angrie no striker but gentle not giuen to wine not couetous not giuen to filthie lucre but harborous one that loueth goodnes watchfull sober righteous godly teÌ„perate modest apt to teach holding fast the faithful word which is according to doctrine that he may be able both to exhort in wholsom doctrine and to improue them that say against it to stop their mouthes No young scholer least hee being puffed vp fall into the condemnation of the diuell Hee must also haue a good reporte of them that are without least he fall into the rebuke snare of the diuel All these are the wordes of the Apostle recited out of the 1. epist. to Timothie in his epist. to Titus Wherfore exacte iudgment and great diligence shal be very néedful in this case to discusse al the points of doctrine life I say there shal be néedful of a streight trial of life perfect examination of learning for this is not a matter of smal weight the whole safetie of the churche hangeth herevpon If any vnworthy vnlearned be ordeined the whole churche for the most part is neglected lead astray and ouerthrowne But we do not meane a childlike and scholerlike examinatioÌ„ but a graue streicte examination of knowledge in the scripture the true interpretation thereof of the charge of a pastour of the mysteries of sound faith and of other such like points And that the elders in times past were very diligent in these things it may appeare by that which Aelius Lampridiê° in the life of Alex. Seuerus rehearseth that it was the maner among the ChristiaÌ„s to offer the names of their bishops to the whole church afore they were receiued if happily any among the people would shew a reasoÌ„ that he were vnworthie of such an office Wherevpon Iustinian the Emperor Const 123. Ifin the time of ordination saith hee any accuser stand vp say he is vnworthie to be ordeined let all things be defferred let examination iudgment first be had And here I wil at this present recite the deerée of the 4. counsel of Carthage vpon this matter which is after this sort WheÌ„ a bishop is to be ordeined let him be first examined whether he be by nature wise if hee be able to teach if he be temperat in behauiour if chast in life if he bee sober if careful about his owne busines if lowlie if curteous if merciful if learned if in structed in the law of the lord if warie carefull in the sense meaning of the scriptures if exercised in the opinions of the church aboue all things if hee teach the grounds of faith with substantial words or perhaps of lesse moment that is to say confirming that the father and the sonne the holy ghost are one God auouching the whole godhead of the Trinitie to be coessentiall consubstantiall coeternall and coomnipotent if he acknowledge euerie person by himselfe in the Trinitie to bee perfect God the whole thrée persons one God if he beléeue the incarnatioÌ„ of god not wrought in the father neither in the holy ghost but in the sonne only so that he who was the sonne in god the father y same should be made the sonne of maÌ„ in the manhoode of his mother very God of the father very man of his mother hauing flesh in the womb of his mother hauing in him a humane reasonable soule together of either nature that is to saye God maÌ„ one person one sonne one Christ one Lord creatour of all things and the author Lord gouernour of all creatures with the father the holy ghost who suffered a true suffering of his fleshe died with the true death of his body rose again with the true taking againe of his fleshe a true taking againe of his soul wherin he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead Hée must also be asked if hée beléeue one the selfe same author and Lord of the new and old testament that is to say of the law the prophets Apostles if the diuel became euil not by creation but by choice He must also be asked if he beléeue the resurrection of this flesh which we beare and none other if hée beléeue the iudgement to come that euerie one shal receiue according to that they haue done in the flesh either punishmentes or rewards if he forbid not marriage if he condemne not Bigamie or secoÌ„d mariage if he coÌ„demne not the eating of flesh if hee haue fellowshipp with penitent persons that are reconciled if he beléeue that all sinns in baptisme are forgiuen as wel original sinne wherein we are borne as also those which wée coÌ„mit willingly if he beleue that none which are without the catholique church can be saued c. When he shal be examined vppon all these points and fouÌ„d fully instructed theÌ„ let him be ordeined a bishop with the consent of the cleargie and laitie by the assemblie of the bishops of the whole prouince and especiallie of the Metropolitane This counsel is said to be celebrated in the yeare of the Lord 400. But I doe not rehearse these thinges to that ende as if I stayed my selfe vpon the decrées of counsells and men or as if I thought all things whiche perteine to true saluation and perfection were not conteined in the holy scriptures but to admonish oure aduersaries that their manners doings at this day do not only not agrée with the examples and doctrines of the Apostles but not so much as with the decrées of the ancient writers if happily they may enter into themselues and leauing the diuerse doctrine of men they maye receiue the most auncient tradition and the most infallible doctrine of the holy Apostles I come now to the declaration of the last point that is to say after what manner they y be called are to be ordeined The apostles in their ordinations exhorted the church to fasting and prayer and they that were called they placed and set in the sight of the churche and laying their hands vppon the heades of them that were ordeined they committed the churches vnto them Of the laying on of hands I haue spoken elsewhere It was a signification of the charge committed vnto them Neither
whiche are persuaded that the sacramentall speaches are not to be expounded as figuratiue and borrowed but most properly and literally so that by that meanes the water bread and wine are not nowe signes and tokens onely of regeneration and of the body of Christe giuen and of his bloude shed for vs but regeneration it selfe and the verie substantiall body and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus For being of this opinion they are offensiue vnto the common manner both of speaking and interpreting vsed in all ages they are also repugnaunt to true fayth yea to common sense Whereby it commeth to passe that by their confounding of the signe with the thing signified they bring in a seruile weaknesse that I may vse S. Aug. words A carnall bondage For he Li. 3. de doct Ch. ca. 9. intreating of the Sacramentes of Christians sayth The Lorde him selfe and the Apostles in their doctrine haue left vs fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend in vnderstanding and moste pure in obseruing as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the Lorde Which Sacramentes euerie man when hee receyueth being instructed acknowledgeth wherevnto they are referred that wee should not worshippe them with carnall seruitude or bondage but rather with spirituall freedom or libertie And as to folow the letter and to take the signes in stead of the thinges which are signified by them is a point of seruile weaknesse so to expound the signes vnprofitably is a point of euill wandering error And yet he speaketh more plainly chapter 5. First of all you must beware leâ—t you take a figuratiue spech according to the letter For to this agreeth that which the Apostle saith The letter killeth but the spirite giueth life For wheÌ„ that which is figuratiuely spoken is taken as though it were spoken properly it is carnally vnderstanded Neyther is there any thing that may more agreably be termed the death of the soule then wheÌ„ that wherein we excell beasts which is vnderstanding or knowledge is made subiect to the fleshe by following the letter For he that followeth the letter vnderstandeth words translated or borrowed as proper or naturall neither doth he referre that which is signified by a proper worde to another signification but if for an example he shall here mention of the Sabbaoth he vnderstandeth it no otherwise but as one day of the seueÌ„ which by continuall course come goe And when he heareth mention made of sacrifice it wil not out of his heade but that this is ment of that whiche was wont to be done aboute offering of beastes and fruites of the earth To be shorte this is the miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the things them selues and not to bee able to lifte vp the eyes of the mynd aboue the bodily creature for the obteyning of euerlasting light Thus farre August By these wordes of Augustine we doe gather that they reuereÌ„ce the sacraments by spirituall libertie which neither stick to the letter neither worship and reuerence the visible thinges and elements as water breade and wine in steade of the thinges signified but being rather admonished and stirred vp by the signes they are lifted vp in their mindes to behold the things signified The same Augustine in the same booke chapter 15. teaching when and after what manner a trope or figure is to be receiued or acknowledged sayth In figuratiue speaches this manner of rule shall be kept that so long you viewe with diligent consideration what is read vntill the interpretation come vnto the rule of charitie For if it be not repugnaunt to charitie thinke not that it is a figuratiue speach And yet more plainly hee addeth in the 16. chapter following If it bee an imperatiue speache eyther forbidding any haynous offence or wicked deede or coÌ„maunding any profitable or good deede it is no figuratiue speach But if it commaund any wicked deede or forbid any deede of charitie then it is figuratiue Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye haue no life in you Hee seemeth to commaund some horrible offence or wicked deede therefore it is a figuratiue speache commaunding vs to communicate with the passion of Christe and comfortably and profitably to lay vp in our remembraunce that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs The Scripture sayth If thine enimie hunger feede him Heere no man doubteth but hee commaundeth well doing but that whiche followeth For in so doing thou shalte heape coales of fire vppon his head A man would thinke that a wicked and euill deede were commaunded therefore doubt not but that it is figuratiuely spoken And so foorth All these thinges doe conuince their errour whiche interprete sacramentall speaches as proper and reiect al figures and tropes especially in the institution of the supper Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraÌ„t what they set againste this last testimonie of S. Augustin that the words of our sauiour in the sixte of Iohn doe make nothing to the interpretation of the ministration of the sacrament and therefore that the place of S. Augustine doth nothing agrée to our purpose But it is manifest that in the same booke S. Augustine disputeth of signes and of the sacramentall speaches And that is manifest also by many other places oute of S Augustine that he often alledgeth these wordes of our sauiour out of the sixte of Iohn to expounde the celebration of the supper But why doe they nothing perteyne to the celebration of the Supper Doth he speake of one body in the Supper and of an other in the 6. chap. of Iohn shal we beleue that the Lorde had and hath two bodies Our Lorde Iesus hath but one body the whiche as it profiteth nothing being eaten corporally according to S. Iohn 6. chapter euen so that body being corporally eateÌ„ doth nothing auaile according to S Mat. 26. chapter But this matter we haue elsewhere handled And of as little force is this vnsauourie obiection of theirs which is that the consequence is false when we argue thus Circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the Passoeuer Sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications or cleansings are sacramentall speaches mysticall and figuratiue therefore this also This is my body is a mysticall and figuratiue speache For since in Sacramentes there is the like reason why may wee not frame arguments from the one to the other And that sacraments haue the like reason it is receyued of all them whiche acknowledge the trueth aright and it shall be proued hereafter to the full But if it be not lawfull to reason froÌ„ the sacraments of the olde testament and by them after a certeine comparison to interprete ours and by ours to make them plaine truely then the Apostle did not well who by a false consequent by comparison we reade to haue argued from their sacrameÌ„ts vnto ours in the 1. Cor. 10. and to the Coloss
places taking aduise of faith we say that the sonne is equall with the father touching his diuinitie but inferiour vnto him in respect of his humanitie according to that saying of the prophete which is alleged by the Apostle to that purpose Thou hast made him litle inferiour to the angels We read in the Eospell that Christ our lord had brethren and that S. John the Apostle was called the sonn of Marie Marie called the mother of John. But who vnlesse he were infected with the heresie of Heluidius wil stand herein that these places are to be expounded according to the letter specially since other places of the scripture do manifestly proue that they were called brethren which in déede were brothers sisters children cousen germans kinsmen or néere of bloud also the circumstāces of the place in the 19. cap. of S. John proue that Marie was committed to John as a mother to her sonne Wherefore if they haue a desire stil to wrangle as hetherto at their owne pleasures wee haue by proofe founde them to doe crying out and in crying to repeate This is my bodie This is my bloud This is This is This is This is Is Is Is Wée will also repeate The woord was made was made was made flesh The father is is is greater than I. Christ hath brethren I say he hath brethren hee hath brethren The scripture hath so The trueth sayeth so But tell mee nowe what commoditie shal there redound to the Church by these troublesome odious outcries and most froward contentions Howe shall the hearers be edified Howe shal the glorie of God be enlarged How shal that truth be set forth Necessitie therfore cōstreyneth vs to confesse that in some places wée must forsake the letter but not the sense and that sense is to be allowed which faith it selfe w other places of scripture conferred with it and finally the circumstances of the place the first being compared with the last do yeld as it were of their owne accord Howbeit we also cry out and repeate againe and againe that we ought not without great cause to goe from the simplicitie of the word But when as the absurditie not of reason but of pietie and the repugnancie of the Scriptures and contrarietie to the articles of oure faith doe inforce vs then we say affirme and cōtend that it is godly yea necessarie to departe from the letter and from the simplicitie of the words And that these places which we alledged euen now doe constreine vs to depart from the letter in these words of the Lord This is my bodie This is my bloud wée will proue by most sound arguments taken out of the sciptures when I haue first briefly declared the true auncient sense meaning of those vsuall and solemne words The Lord sitting at the selfe same table with his disciples reached the bread vnto them with his owne hand And he hauing only one true humane and natural body with the very same bodie of his deliuered bread vnto his disciples and not a body either of any other mans or that of his owne Neither doeth that trouble vs whiche S. Augustine reciteth of Dauid in expounding the 33. Psalm And he was borne in his owne hands where vnto he addeth immediatly Who is borne in his owne handes A man may bee borne in the hands of other men but none can be borne in his owne This is therefore ment of Dauid not of Christ For Christe was borne in his owne handes when as commending his very body vnto them he said This is my body For that body was borne in his owne handes For by these wordes S. Augustine doth not feigne that Christ hath two humane bodies but he meaneth that the humane body bare in his handes the Sacramentall bodie that is to say the bread which is the sacrament of the true body For he speaketh plainely saying He cōmending his body bare that body in his owne hands For in the second sermon almost in the same words being but a litle chaunged he saith How was he borne in his owne hands For whē he had commended his body bloud he toke that in his handes whiche the faithful know and after a sort he bare himselfe when he said This is my bodie By which words he manifestly de clared that he ment not that Christ in his naturall body deliuered his naturall body to his disciples but the which the faithful do know to wit the sacrament or mysterie For it followeth And hee bare himselfe after a sort I pray you marke this saying After a sort when hee said this is my body Wherfore those solemne words This is my body whiche is broken for you And likewise this is my bloud which is shedd for you can haue none other sense thā this This is a cōmemoration memoriall or remembrance signe or sacrament of my bodie which is giuen for you This cup or rather the wine in the cup signifieth or representeth vnto you my bloud whiche was once shed for you For there followeth in the Lords solemne words that which notably confirmeth this meaning Do this in the remēbrance of me As if he should say Now am I present with you before your eyes I shall die ascend vp into heauen then shall this holy bread wine be a memorial or token of my body and bloud giuen shed for you Then breake the bread eate it distribute the cup and drink it and do this in the remembrance of me praysing my benefits bestowed on you in redéeming you giuing you life Althoughe this interpretation bee most slaunderously reuiled and become abhominable in the sight of many yet is it manifest to be the true proper and most auncient interpretation of all other Tertul. lib. 4. contra Mart. saith Christ taking the bread and distributing it to his disciples made it his bodie in saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my bodie Hierom vpon S. Matt. Gospel saith That like as in the prefiguring of Christ Melchisedech the priest of almightie God had done in bringing forth bread wine so he might represent the truth of his bodie Chrysostome also in his 83. homilie vpon Matt. If Iesus be not dead saith he whose token signe is this sacrifice Ambrose vppon the first to the Corinthians cap. 11. Because wee be deliuered by the Lords death saith he being mindeful thereof in eating drinking we do signifie the flesh and the bloud whiche were offered for vs Au. Aug. also in many places heapeth vpp many speaches like to this same kind of speach The bloud is the soule The rock was Christ And This is my body Let vs heare then what he saith of these speaches that we may vnderstand what he thinketh of the true interpretation of this text This is my body In the 3. booke of Questions in the 57. question vppon Leuiticus hee saith It remayneth that that be called the soule whiche signifieth the
comforting the sicke person prepareth him to die by makeing firste his confession of sinnes to God which he pronoūceth out of the word of God to be forgiuen if he doe stedfastly beléeue He requireth of him also that he forgiue and bée in loue and charitie with all men and that hée kéepe no olde grudge or malice in his hart After this sōe publique prayer is made to God by the sicke person by those that are about the partie that is at the point of death Hée is also admonished of sundrie thinges hée is confirmed in the fayth hée is called to patience hée is instructed according as his goodes and euerie thing else requireth and he is taught that at his departing out of this worlde he commend his soule into the hands of God the father according to the doctrine and example of our redéemer who at the very pointe of death cried aloud saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirite This discipline haue wee learned of the Apostles of our LORDE Christe For the Apostle Saint Iames saieth If any bee sicke among you lette him sende for the elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lorde And the prayer whiche is made in fayth shall deliuer the sicke And the Lorde shall rayse him vp againe And if he bee in sinne they shal be forgiuen him Confesse your sinns one of you to another pray one for another that you may bee safe for the heartie prayer of the iust is of greate force c. This is the Apostolique discipline But if you say vnto mée Where is the oyle I answere that in Saint Iames the Apostles time and certeine ages after there remained yet in the Churche the miraculous gifte of healing the sicke Of this wée reade in Saint Markes Gospell And the disciples going foorth preached the gospell that they mighte repent and they cast out many diuels they annoynted many with oyle that were sick and healed them And again in the same place saieth Moreouer These signes shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels c. And anon he sayth They shall lay their handes vppon the sicke and they shall be healed And because this benefite remayned yet in the Church Saint Iames biddeth vs vse oyle and to vse it in the name of the Lorde as the Lorde had commaunded But seing that gift is now ceassed in the Churche and wée finde by experience that oyle doth no good to the sicke according to the time and as our duetie bindeth vs we do the best we can to assuage and cure the diseases of the sicke by medicines most conuenient for the sicknes being applied in the name of Christ I knowe howe by this testimonie of the Apostle the Papistes go about to set out and cōmend their extreame vnction or last annoyling but they labour in vaine But to let passe that Saint Iames speaketh nothing of the hallowed oyle and that they do not admit this medicine but in verie extremitie where S. Iames commaundeth to annoynt euery on that is sick how I pray you can they defend out of Saint Iames wordes that which the priest demaundeth of the sick person Doest thou beleeue that the Lord will heare our prayers for the merites sake and prayers of the Saintes The sick man answering I do beléeue He then saith Let vs therefore pray to God and his Sainctes Or where I beséech you hath Saint Iames or any other Apostle of Christe taught that which they bring in their annointing In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost I annoynt thee with holy oile that by this anointing thou mayest receiue full remission of thy sinnes What scripture I pray you teacheth vs that full remission of sinnes is obteined by that anointing These thinges are done manifestly against the principall article of our religion whiche teacheth that we are purged from all our sinnes onely by the bloud of Christ and that most fully To him onely is the glory due not to the oyle nor to any creature in the whole worlde Moreouer the Church of Christe doth not reiect the bodies of the dead as if it were a deade dogge For it acknowledgeth that their bodies haue béene the Temples of the holy ghoste which hath dwelt in them It acknowledgeth that they are buried in hope of resurrection and glorie of life euerlasting wherefore the Churche doeth in moste reuerent manner take the bodies windeth them in a shéete and couereth them verie decently and béeinge put into the coffine carefully carrieth them vnto the place of buriall or churchyard y neere friends neighbours and brethren following after and accompanying the corse While the bodie is set downe and laid in the earth there are publique prayers made by them that brought the corse For they giue thankes vnto God for that he hath called the partie deceased out of this world in the true faithe and they pray also that it may please the Lorde to take them likewise vnto him spéedily beeing lightened with the true faith Moreouer the name of the dead brother or sister is recited in the publique assemblie of the Churche with honour and all the people are put in minde of their own destinie and spéedily to prepare them selues to die And after this manner we read in the scriptures that the ancient fathers buried their dead yea the moste holie of them We reade nothing of canonizating of woorshipping of reliques of monethes and yeares mindes for the dead which are offered to the ende the soules of the departed shoulde be deliuered from the paynes of purgatorie There be certeine burialles described vnto vs in the olde Testament as the buriall of Abraham Sara Isaac Iacob and Ioseph Aaron Marie Iosua Samuel and Dauid c. And in the new Testament of Iohn Baptiste and Stephan but they were all sparing and without all manner of superstition In that Iosephes bones were carried forth they were carried in a mysterie that the Israelites might gather thereof that they shoulde bee brought into the Lande of promise Wherevnto also that belongeth that the Patriarches chose a buriall in Hebron Otherwise the place auayleth nothing to purchase the better or worse spéed to the bodie that is buried in it We must thinke that the place by reason of the bodies of the saintes and holy men which are there buried is after a maner sanctified or at the least wise called holie not that the bodies do gett any holinesse or safetie by the grounde Therefore vnlesse it séeme good otherwise to the diuine prouidence of God the saints would gladly lye with their auncestours in the selfe same place of buriall But if it please God otherwise they acknowledge that they are notwithstanding receiued into the same earth without any exception and that they are not separated from their auncestours by distance of place Wherefore there is no superstition in the Churche
substaÌ„ces Iob. 1. Matth. 8 Iohn 8. Marke 1. Matth. 25. What maner of bodies they be whichâ— the diuels takâ— 1. Sa. 28. â— Cor. 1â— The diuâ—â—â— quickâ—â— craftie â—ightie An infinit route of diuels Mark. 16. Matth. 12. Mark. 3 Mark. 3. Diuel A lyer Ioh. 6. Sathan oâ— an aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. Matth. 13. Matth. 4 Matth. â— Gen. 3. â— serpentâ— dâ—agon 1. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. A roaring lion A murtherer A temptâ—â— An euil vncleane spirit 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 The prince of this world cast out Princes oâ— the world The operations of the diuel Luke 22. Matth. 26. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 3. Luke â—3 Mark. 9. Iohn 13. Matth. 12 The power of the diuel is definite or limited 1. Cor. 12. 2. thess. 2. We mustâ— fight manfully againste thâ—â—iuel buâ— we mustâ— not feare him â—latth 4. â— Iohn 5. 1. Pet. 5. Ephe. 6. 1. Cor. 10. The word Anima which we call soule is diuerslie taken The soule is breath and life Actes 20. Soule is taken for man. Leuit. 20. Rom. 13. Gen. 14. Soule a â—esire 〈◊〉 7. Soule is the spirite of man. The soule â—nd minde That there is but one soule That there â—s a soule What the soule is That souls are substaÌ„tes Luke 16. Luke 32. Apoc. 6. The soule is bodilesse or a spirit Iohn 10. Iohn 19. Luke 23. Matth. 27. Actes 7. What maÌ„ner of substance the soule of man is The soulâ—â—s neitheâ— God nor parte of God. Of the original of the soule Iob. 10. The operations powers of the soule Out of the 〈◊〉 cap. of Aâ—gust deâ—â—antitate â—â—imae Of the soule separated from the bodie The soule is immortall Of the death of soules 1. Tim. 1. 6. Gal. 1. Testimoâ—ies of the â—â—mortaâ—â—â—e of â—oules 〈…〉 Psal. 61. Eccle. 12. Gen. 3. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Heb. 9. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Tim. 1. Apoc. 6. Wisd 3. All wise men haue thought that soules are immortal In what place soules liue when they are separated from their bodies Luke 16. Phil. 1. Iohn 14. Apoc. 6. â— Pet. 1. The soule returneth to the body but not before iudgment 1. thess. 4 Howe Soules should be translated to their appointed place Iohn 5. Iuke 23. At what time souls be carried vp into heauen Soules separated from their bodies doâ—â— not sleepe Soules 〈…〉 from the bodies are not caried into Purgatorie Soules are purged by the onlie bloud of Christ Iohn 3. Actes 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Ioh. 1. Apoc. 10. Ephe. 5. Tit. 3. Heb. 5. Gal. 2. Gal. 6. Eccles 11. That soules aâ— fully purged by the bloud of Christ Iohn 13. Iohn 17. Heb. 10. Marke 9. Of praiers for the dead 1. thess. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Aeriani coÌ„demned Matth. 8. Appearing of Spirits Deut. 18. Isa. 8. Luke 16. That souls separated from their bodies do not waÌ„deâ— in these regions Luke 12. Actes 7. Phil. 1. Gen. 25. Luke 16. Samuel 〈◊〉 his â—ath apâ—eared not 〈◊〉 Sâ—ule Sam. 28. Soules certainlie and immediately after the death of the bodie are blessed Iohn 3. The laste day of man. Iohn 5. Apoc. 14. Ecclesia a church or coÌ„gregation 1. Cor. 15. Actes 22. Synagogue What the church is The catholique church Galathi 3. The distinctioÌ„ of the church The triumphant church Reuela 7. Whence perfect holinesse procedeth 〈◊〉 12. The militant churche The holy churche beeleue â—he holie catholique church â— Cor. 6. The churche doeth comprehend the wicked The particular church Parish and parishe prieste Matth. 18. The church of God hath bene and â—halbe foreuer Matth. 28. Iohn 14. Matth. 16. The church of the diuell and Antichrist Math. 5. 6. 23. Math. 24. Howe hycrites are or may be accounted in the church of God. Matth. 12. 2. Cor. 6. Hypocrits Matth. 13 Matth. 13. Matth. 22. Matth. 3. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Iohn 2. Psal. 5â— Luke 22. Iohn 16. Al that be in the Church be â—ot the Church Rom. 9. Iohn 13. Iohn 6. Iohn 13. The visible and inuisible the outwarde inward Churche Of the outwarde markes of the church of God. Actes â— Matth. 28. Actes 2. Esai 59. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 14. Iohn 18. 1 Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 10. How these marks declare the church What maner of Gods worde it ought to be that is the marke of the church After what sorte the SacrameÌ„ts ought to be vsed â— Reg. 12. â— Reg. 6. â—aptised of Hereâ—â—ques 〈◊〉 not reâ—aptised Of the inwarde markes of the church of God. Iohn 7. Iohn â–ª 14. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 8. Galath 2. Ephe. 3. 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 6. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 13. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 12. Of the originall oâ— the church Gala. 4. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 4. Rom. 10. The churche is not builte by the doctrine of men Matth. 16. Galath 1. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn â— Iohn 1â— Iohn 10. Colo. 2. Titus 1. Matth. 15. The churche is preserued by the worde of God. Epâ—â— 4. The propheticall Apostolicall and Or thodoxicall Church Of the coÌ„tinual succession of Bishops Zacha. 11. 1. Cor. 11. Actes 2â— TertulliaÌ„ of the coÌ„tinuall succession of Pastors The doctrine of the auncient church of Rome The churche is not builte by warre or deceipte 1. Cor. 2. 1. Thes 2. Matth. 26. Luke 22. 2. Thes 2 â—sai 49. Actes 21. Actes 23. Whether the church of God â—ay erre Iohn 13. 15 Rom. 7. How the holy church is without spotte wrinkle Iohn â— 1. Tim. 3. The Church is the piller and the grounde of the truthe Exod. 32. Ierem. 8. Of the power of the church Power of consecration The power of the keyes Power of inrisdictioÌ„ Power of preaching Power of iudgment or iudicial correctioÌ„ Power to receiue What power is Luke 9. 2. kindes of power Matth. 28. Reuela 1. Reue. 3. 2. Cor. 12. In what pointes ecclesiastical power consisteth To ordeine ministers of the church â–ª Actes 1. Actes 6. Actes 13. 1. Tim. 3. Power to teach Matth. 28. Mark. 16. Rom. 1. The power of the keyes Matth. 10. 2. Tim. 4 Luke 9. Power to administer the Sacramentes Power to iudge of doctrines 1. Cor. â—4 1. Thes 3. 1. Iohn 4. To call a counsel Actes 15. Power to dispose the affaires of the church â— Cor. 13. Of the â—â—udies of the church There is one holie Church of God. Cant. 4. Ephe 4. Apoc. 22. Matth. 22. Without the church is no light or saluatioÌ„ De simplicitate Praelatorum Institut li. 5. ca. 30. Againste certeine Scismatiques For the diuersitie of doctrin Scisme must not be made 1. Cor. 8. For the vices of the ministers Scisme must not be made â—latth 23. For the diuersitie of Ceremonies scisme must not be made For the impure life of men conuersant in the churche scisme must not be made For the vnworthie partakers of the Lordes supper Scisme must not be made 2. Cor. 11. Vnitie must be kepte and scisme eschued Of the departing from the church oâ— Rome â—ho is an 〈…〉 who a 〈◊〉 A