with the same Spirit ioyned with the Father but also according to his person of mediator bicause if he had not had that power he had come to vs in vaine After whiche meaning he is called the seconde Adam geuen frō heauen to be a quickning Spirit whereby Paule compareth the singular life that the sonne of God breatheth into them that be his that thei may be alone with hym with the natural life that is also common to the reprobate Likewise where he wissheth to the faithful the fauoure of Christ and the loue of God he ioyneth withall the common partaking of the Spirit without which no man can tast neither of the fatherly fauoure of God nor of the bountifulnesse of Christe As also he saith in an other place The loue of God is poured out into oure heartes by the holy Spirite that is geuen vs. And here it shal be profitable to note wyth what titles the Scripture setteth out the holy Spirite where it entreateth of beginninge and whole restoring of oure saluation Fyrste he is a called the Spirit of adoption bicause he is a wytnesse vnto vs of the free goodwil of God wherewyth God the Father hathe embraced vs in hys beloued onely begotten Sonne that he might be a father vnto vs and doth encourage vs to praie boldly yea and dothe minister vs wordes to crie with oute feare Abba Father by the same reason hee is called the earnest pledge and seale of our inheritance bicause he so geueth life from heauen to vs wandringe in the worlde and being like to deade men that we maie be assured that oure soule is in safegarde vnder the faithefull keping of God for which cause he is also called life by reasō for righteousnesse And forasmuch as by his secret watering he maketh vs frutfull to brynge forth the buddes of righteousnesse he is oftentimes called water as in Esaie All ye that thyrste come to the waters Againe I will poure out my spirit vpon the thyrsty and stoodes vpon the drie land wherewith agreeth that sayeng of Christ which I did euen now allege If any thyrste let him come to me Albeit sometime he is so called by reason of his power to purge and cleanse as in Ezechiell where the Lord promiseth cleane waters wherwith he wil washe his people from fylthinesse And forasmuch as herestoreth norisheth into liuely quicknes them vpō whom he hath poured the liquore of hys grace he is therefore called by the name of oyle and anoyntement Agayne bycause in continually seethynge oute and burninge vp the vices of oure luste hee setteth oure heartes on fyre wyth the loue of God and zeele of godlynesse he is also for thys effect worthyly called fyre Finally he is described vnto vs as a fountaine from whense do flowe vnto vs all heauenly rychesse or the hande of God wherewyth he vseth hys power bycause by the breathe of hys power he so breatheth diuine lyfe into vs that wee are not nowe styrred by oure selues but ruled by hys styrringe and mouynge so that yf there bee any good thynges in vs they bee the frutes of hys grace but oure owne gyftes wythout hym bee darkenesse of mynde and pereuersnesse of hearte Thys poynte ys sette oute playnely enoughe that tyll oure myndes bee bente vpon the holy ghoste Christe lyeth in a manner idle bycause we coldely espye wythout vs yea and farre awaye from vs. But wee knowe that hee profyteth none other but them whose heade hee ys and the fyrste begotten amonge brethren and them whyche haue putte on Hym. Thys conioynynge onely maketh that as concernyng vs he is come not vnprofytably wyth the name of sauioure And for proofe hereof serueth that holy mariage whereby we are made fleshe of hys fleshe and bones of hys bones yea and all one wyth hym but by the Spirite onely hee maketh hym selfe one wyth vs by the grace and power of the same Spirite wee are made hys membres so that hee conteyneth vs vnder hym and wee agayne possesse hym But forasmuche as faithe is his principall woorke to it are for the moste parte referred all those thynges that we commonly finde spoken to expresse his force and working bicause he bryngeth vs into the light of the Gospel by nothyng but by faith as Ihon baptiste teacheth that this prerogatiue is geuen to them the beleue in Christ that thei be the childrē of God which ar borne not of flesh blood but of God wher setting God againste fleshe and bloode he affirmeth it to be a supernaturall gift that thei receiue Christe by faith whoe otherwise shoulde remaine subiect to their owne infidelitie Like where vnto is that answer of Christe Fleshe and bloode hathe not reueled it to thee but my Father whiche is in heauen These thinges I do nowe but shortly touche bycause I haue already entreated of them at large And lyke also is that saieng of Paule that the Ephesians were sealed vp with the holy spirit of promisse For Paule sheweth that he is an inwarde teacher by whose workynge the promyse of saluation pearceth into oure mindes whiche otherwise shoulde but beate the ayre or oure eares Likewyse when he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen of God in the sanctification of the spirit and beleuing of the truth by whiche ioyning of them together he brefely admonisheth that faythe it selfe proceedeth from nothing els but from the holy spirit whych thyng Ihon setteth out more plainely saieng We knowe that there abideth in vs of the spirit whiche he hathe geuen vs. Againe By this we knowe that we dwel in him and he in vs bicause he hath geuen vs of his spirit Therfore Christ promised to his Disciples the Spirit of truthe whiche the worlde canne not receiue that thei might bee able to receiue the heauenly wisedome And he assigneth to the same spirit this propre office to put them in mynde of those thynges that he hadde taught them by mouthe Bicause in vaine shoulde the light shewe it selfe to the blinde vnlesse the same spirit of vnderstanding shoulde open the eyes of their minde so as a man may rightly call the holy spirit the keye by which the treasures of the heauenly kingdome are opened vnto vs and may call his enlightning the eyesight of oure minde to see Therefore doth Saint Paule so muche commend the ministerie of the spirit bycause teachers shoulde crie without profiting vnlesse Christ himselfe the inwarde maister shoulde drawe them with his spirit that are geuen him by his Father Therefore as we haue sayde that persecte saluation is founde in the person of Christ so that we may be made partakers therof he doth baptize vs in the holy spirit and fyre lightning vs into the faith of his Gospell and so newe begetting vs that we maie be newe creatures and purging vs from vnholy fylthynesse doth dedicate vs to be holy temples to God The seconde Chapiter Of faithe wherein bothe is sette
that they are by chaunse made differente from brute beastes But they pretende a cloke of nature whom they accompte the maker of al thinges and so doe conuey God awaye They see that exquysyte workemanship in al their members from their mouth and their eyes euen to the nailes of their toaes and yet here also they putte nature in place of god But specially the so swift motions the so excellent powers the so rare giftes of the soule do represent a diuine nature that doth not easily suffer it selfe to be hid vnlesse the Epicureans like the Gyauntes Cyclopes wold bearing themselues bolde vppon this hye degre outrageously make warre againste God Do the whole treasures of the heauenly wisedome so mete together to rule a worme of fiue fete long and shal the whole vniuersalitie of the world be wtout this prerogatiue Firste to agree that there is a certaine instrumentall thing that aunswereth to all the partes of man doth so serue nothing at al to obscure the honor of God that it rather doeth more gloriously set it out Let Epicure answer me what meting of vndiuisible bodyes boiling the meate and drinke in man doth dispose part into excrementes part into bloud and bringeth to passe that there is in al the members of man such an endeuorynge to do their offyce eueÌ„ as if so many seueral soules did by coÌ„mon aduise rule one body But I haue not nowe to doe with that â—â—ye of swyne I rather speake vnto them that being geuen to suttelties would by croked conueiaunce wrythe that colde saying of Aristotle bothe to destroye the immortalitie of the soule and also to take from God hys ryghte For because there ar instrumental powers of the soule by pretense thereof they bynde the soule to the bodye that it cannot continue without the bodye and with praises of nature they doo as much as in them is suppresse the name of God But the powers of the soule are farre from beeinge enclosed in those exercises that serue the body For what pertayneth to the body for a man to measure the skye to gather the number of the starres to lerne the greatenes of euery one to knowe what space they be distante one from an other with what swiftnes or slownesse they goe their courses how many degrees they decline this way or that way I grauÌ„t in dede that there is some vse of Astrologie but my meanyng is onely to shewe that in this so depe serching out of heauenly thyngs it is not an instrumental measuring but that the soule hath her offices by it selfe seuerall from the body I haue shewed one example by whiche it shal be easy for the readers to gather the reste Truely the manyfolde nimblenes of the soule by which it surueieth bothe heauen and earthe ioyneth thynges past with things to come kepeth in memory thinges heard long before and expresseth eche thing to it selfe by imaginacion also the ingeniousnesse by which it inuenteth thinges incredible and which is the mother of so many maruelons artes are sure tokens of diuine nature in man Beside that euen in slepyng it doeth not onely rolle and tourne it self but also conceiueth many thinges profytable reasoneth of many thynges also prophecieth of thyngs to come What shal we in this case say but that the signes of immortalitie that are emprinted in man cannot be blotted out Now what reason may beare that man shal be of diuine nature and not acknowledge his Creator Shall we forsoth by iudgement that is put into vs discerne betwene right and wronge and shall there be no iudge in heauen Shall we euen in our slepe haue abiding with vs some remnant of vnderstandyng and shall no God be waking in gouernyng the worlde Shall we be so compted the inuenters of so many artes and profitable thynges that God shal be defrauded of his praise where as yet experience sufficiently teacheth that from an other and not from our selues all that we haue is in diuerse wise distributed amonge vs As for that which some do babble of the secrete inspiracion that geueth lyuelines to the worlde it is not onely weake but also vngodly They lyke well that famous saying of Uergile Fyrst heauen and earth and flovvyng fieldes of seas The shinyng globe of Moone and Tiâ—ans starres Sprite fedes vvithin and throughout all the lymmes Infused mynde the vvhole huge masse dooth moue And vvith the large bigge body mixe it selfe Thense come the kyndes of men and eke of beastes And lyues of fliyng foules and monsters straunge That vvater beares vvithin the marble sea A fyry lyuelynesse and heauenly race there is VVithin those seedes c. Forsothe that the world which was created for a spectacle of the glory of God shuld be the creator of it selfe So in an other place the same author folowyng the common opinion of the Greekes and Latynes sayeth Some say that bees haue part of mynde diuine And heauenly draughtes For eke they say that God Gothe through the coastes of lande and crekes of sea And through depe skye And hense the flockes and heardes And men and all the kyndes of sauage beastes Eche at their byrthe receyue theyr suttle lyues And therto are they rendred all at laste And all resolued are retournde agayne Ne place there is for deathe but lyuely they Flye into nombre of the Starres aboue And take their place vvithin the lofty skye Loe what that hungry speculacion of the vniuersall minde that geueth soule and liuelines to the world auaileth to engender and nourishe godlines in the hartes of men Whiche doeth also better appeare by the blasphemous sayings of the filthy dogge Lucretius which are deriued from the same principle Euen thys is it to make a shadowishe God to driue farre away the true God whome we ought to feare and worshyp I graunt in dede that this may be godlily sayed so that it procede from a godly minde that nature is God but because it is a hard and an vnproper maner of speche forasmuch as nature is rather an order prebed by God therfore in thynges of so great weight and to which is due a singular religiousnes it is hurtfull to wrapp vp God confusely with the inferior course of his workes Let vs therefore remember so ofte as any man considereth his owne nature that there is one God which so gouerneth al natures that his wil is to haue vs to loke vnto hym our fayth to be directed to hym and hym to bee worshypped and called vpon of vs because there is nothing more agaynst conuenience of reason thaÌ„ for vs to enioy those excellent gyftes that sauoure of diuine nature in vs and to despise the authoure that freely doeth geue theym vnto vs. Nowe as concernynge his power with howe notable examples dothe it forceably drawe vs to consider it vnlesse perhappes we may be ignoraunt of howe great a strengthe it is with his onely woorde to vpholde this infinite masse of heauen and earth with his onely becke
disciples â–ª Althoughe they be vexed with extreme madnesse yet I thynke they are not caryed with suche gyddinesse that they dare so boast But what maner of spirite dyd he speake of in his promise euen that spirite whiche shoulde not speake of it selfe but shulde mynister and inspire into their myndes those thynges whyche he the Lorde hymselfe hadde taught by his woorde It is not therfore the office of the spirite whyche is promised vs to fayne newe and vnhearde of reuelations or to coyne a newe kynde of doctrine wherby we shuld be led from the receiued doctrine of the gospell but to seale in our mindes the selfe same doctrine that is commended vnto vs by the gospell Wherby we playnly vnderstand that we ought right studiously to apply the redyng hearyng of the scripture if we list to take any vse and fruite of the spirite of God As also Peter praiseth their diligence that are hedefull to the doctrine of the Prophetes which yet myght seme to haue geuen place after the risyng of the light of the gospell On the other syde yf any spirite leauynge the wysedome of the worde of God doth thrust vnto vs an other doctrine that the same spirite ought rightfully to be suspected of vanitie and lyenge For what when Sathan transformeth hymselfe into â—n aungell of lyght what credite shall the holy ghoste haue among vs if it be not seuerally knowen by some assured marke And truely it hath been playnly poynted oute vnto vs by the woorde of the Lorde but that these miserable men doo wyllyngly couete to erre to their owne destruction while thei seeke a spirite rather from them selues than from him But say they it is dishonorable that the spirite of God whom all thynges ought to obey should be subiect to the scripture As if this were a dishonour to the holy ghost to be euery where egall and lyke to it selfe to agree with it self in all thynges and no where to varye In deede if it were to be tried by the rule either of men or of angels or any others rule whatsoeuer then it myght well be thought that it were brought into obedience or if ye lyst so to terme it into bondage But when it is compared with it selfe when it is consydered in it selfe who canne therfore say that there is any wrong doone vnto it But thus it is brought to tryall I graunte but suche a triall wherewith it was his owne pleasure to haue his maiestie established It ought to content vs so soone as he entreth into vs. But lest vnder his name the spirite of Sathan shoulde creepe in he wylle haue vs to knowe hym by that image of hym selfe whyche he hathe printed in the scriptures He is the authour of the scriptures he can not be dyuers and vnlyke hym selfe Therefore it muste needes bee that he contynually remayne suche as he hathe shewed hym selfe therein This is no dishonor vnto him vnlesse perhappe we count it honorable to swarue and goe out of kinde from himselfe Wheras they cauil that we rest vpon the letter that sleieth herein they suffer punishment for despising of the Scripture For it is plain enough that Paule there contendeth against the false Apostles which commending the law without Christ did cal away the people from the benefite of the new testament wherin the Lord doth couenant that he will graue his law within the bowels of the faithful and write it in their hartes The letter therfore is dead and the law of the Lord killeth the readers of it when it is seuered from the grace of Christ and not touching the heart only soundeth in the eares But if it be effectually printed in our hartes by the holy gost if it present Christ vnto vs then is it the worde of life conuerting soules geuing wisedome to little ones c. Also in the same place the Apostle calleth his preaching the ministerie of the holy ghost meaning that the holy ghost doth so sticke fast in his truth which he hath expressed in the scriptures that then only he putteth forth and displaieth his force when the Scripture hath her due reuerence and dignitie And it disagreeth not here with which I before said that the woorde it selfe is not much assured vnto vs vnlesse it be coÌ„firmed by the witnesse of the holy ghost For with a certain mutuall knot the Lorde hath coupled together the assuraunce of his worde and of his spirite so that perfecte reuerence to the worde doth then settle in our mindes when the holy ghost shineth vpon vs to make vs therin beholde the face of God and on the other side without al feare of being deceiued we do embrace the holy ghost when we reknowledge him in his own image that is in his worde Thus it is vndoutedly God brought not abrode his worde among men for a sodeine shewe meaning at the comming of his spirit by and by to take it away againe but he after sent the same spirite with whose power he had distributed his word to make an end of his worke with effectual confirmacion of his worde In this sorte Christe opened the mindes of the two disciples not that they shold cast away the Scriptures and waxe wise of themselues but that they should vnderstand the Scriptures Likewise Paule when he exhorteth the ThessaloniaÌ„s not to extinguishe the spirite doth not carry them vp on hie to vaine speculations without the worde but by and by saith further that prophecies are not to be despised wherby without dout is meant that the lighte of the spirite is choked vp so sone as prophecies come to be despised What say these proudely swelling meÌ„ rauished with the spirit to these things which recken this onely to be an excellent illumination when carelesly forsaking and saying farewel to the word of God they both boldly and rashly do take holde of al that they haue coÌ„ceiued in their slepe Truely a farre other sobrietie becommeth the children of God whiche as they see that without the spirite of God they are voide of al light of trueth so do they knowe that the worde is the instrumente wherwith the Lorde distributeth to the faithfull the light of his spirite For they know none other spirite but that which dwelte and spake in the Apostles by whose oracles they are continually called to the hearyng of the worde The .x. Chapter That the Scripture to correct all supersticion doth in comparison set the true God against al the Gods of the gentiles reckening hym for none of them BUt because we haue shewed that the knowledge of God which in the frame of the world and al the creatures is somwhat plainly set forth is yet more familiarly and plainly declared in the worde now is it good to consider whether the Lord shew himselfe suche in the Scripture as it pleased him first to be represented in his workes But I shall at this time be contented only to point vnto it wherby the godly mindes
by vnskilfull men bene wrongfullye applied vnto this matter Yea and the same Hilarie hymselfe layethe it for a greate faulte to the heretikes charge that by theyr waywardnesse he is compelled to putte those thynges in perylle of the speche of men whyche oughte to haue beene kepte in the relygiousnesse of myndes playnely confessynge that this is to doo thynges vnlaufull to speake that ought not to bee spoken to attempt thynges not licenced A little after he excuseth himself with many words for that he was so bold to vtter newe names For after he had vsed the natural names Father Sonne and Holy ghost he addeth that what soeuer is sought further is beyōd the compasse of speache beyonde the reache of sense and beyonde the capacitie of vnderstandynge And in an other place he saith the happy ar the bishops of Gallia which neither had nor receiued nor knewe any other confession but that olde and simple one whiche from the time of the Apostles was receyued in all churches And muche like is the excuse of Augustine that this woorde was wroung oute of necessitie by reason of the imperfection of mens language in so greate a matter not to expresse that whiche is but that it shoulde not bee vnspoken howe the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste are three This modestie of the holy menne ought to warne vs that we doo not foorthwith so seuerely lyke Censors note them with infamie that refuse to subscribe and sweare to suche wordes as we propounde them so that they doo it not of pride of frowardnesse or of malicious crafte But let them again consider by how great necessitie we are driuen to speake so that by littell little they may be enured with that profitable maner of speche Let them also learne to beware least sithe we must mete on the one syde with the Arrians on the other syde with Sabellians whyle they be offended that we cutte of occasion from them both to cauill they bryng themselues in suspicion that they be the disciples either of Arrius or of Sabellius Arrius sayth that Christe is God but he muttereth that he was create and had a beginnyng He saith Christe is one with the father but secretely he whispereth in the eares of his disciples that he was made one as the other faithfull be although by singular prerogatiue Say ones that Christ is Consubstanciall with his father then plucke you of his visour from the dissembler and yet you adde nothyng to the scripture Sabellius sayth that the seueral names Father Son and Holy ghost signifie nothyng in God seuerally distincte saye that they are three and he will crye out that you name thre gods Saye that there is in one essence a Trinitie of persons then shal you in one word bothe saye what the scripture speaketh and stop their vayne babblyng Nowe if any be holden with so curious superstition that they can not abide these names yet is there no man though he wold neuer so fayn that can deny but that when we heare of one we must vnderstande an vnitie of substance when we here of thre in one essence that it is ment of the persons in the trinitie Which thyng beyng without fraude confessed we stay no longer vpon wordes But I haue long ago foūd and that often that who soeuer do obstinately quarell about woordes doo keepe within them a secrete poison so that it is better willyngly to prouoke theim than for their pleasure to speake darkly But leauyng disputation of woordes I will nowe begyn to speake of the matter it selfe I call therfore a Persone a subsistence in the essence of God which hauyng relation to the other is distinguished from them with vncōmunicable propretie By the name of Subsistence we meane an other thyng than the essence For if the worde had simply ben God and in the meane tyme had nothynge seuerally propre to it selfe Iohn hadde sayde amysse that it was with god Where he foorthewith addeth that God hymselfe was the same woorde he calleth vs backe agayne to the one single essence But because it could not be with God but that it must rest in the father hereof ariseth that subsistence which though it be ioyned to the essence with an vnseparable knot yet hath it a speciall marke wherby it doth differ from it So of the three subsistences ▪ I say that eche hauyng relation to other is in propretie distinguished Relation is here expressely mencioned For when there is simple and indefinite mencion made of God this name belongeth no lesse to the Sonne and the Holy ghoste than to the Father But when the Father is compared with the Sonne the seuerall propretie of eyther doth discerne hym from the other Thirdely what soeuer is propre vnto euery of them is vncommunicable For that which is geuen to the Father for a marke of difference can not agree with nor be geuen to the Son And I mislyke not the definition of Tertullian so that it be rightly taken That there is in God a certayne disposition or distribution which yet chaungeth nothyng of the vnitie of the essence But before that I go any further it is good that I proue the Godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost Then after we shall see how they differ one from an other Surely when the Worde of God is spoken of in the Scripture it were a very greate absurditie to imagin it only a fadyng and vanishyng voyce whiche sente into the ayre cometh out of God hymselfe of whiche sort were the oracles geuen to the fathers and all the prophecies when rather the woorde is mente to bee the perpetuall wisedome abidyng with the Father from whens all the oracles and prophecies proceded For as Peter testifieth no lesse didde the olde prophetes speake with the spirite of Christ than dyd the Apostles and all they that after them dyd distribute the heauenly doctrine But because Christe was not yet openly shewed we must vnderstande that the Worde was before all worlde 's begotten of the Father And if the Spirite was of the Worde whose instrumentes were the prophetes we do vndoutedly gather that he was true god And this doth Moses teache playnly enough in the creation of the world when he setteth the worde as the meane For why dooth he expressely tell that God in creatyng of all his woorkes sayd Be this doone or that doon but that the vnserchable glory of god may shiningly appere in his images The suttlenosed and babblyng men do easily mock out this with sayeng that the name Woorde is there taken for his byddynge or commaundemente But better expositors are the Apostles whiche teache that the worldes were made by the same and that he susteineth theym all with his mightie Worde For here we see that the Word is taken for the bidding or commaundement of the Sonne which is hymselfe the eternall and essentiall Word to the Father And to the wise and sobre it is not darke that Salomon sayth
I praye you and howe greate a thyng is thys that the name of the Sonne only is preached vnto vs whom he willeth to glory in the knowledge of hymselfe alone Who dare saye that he is but a creature of whom the onely knowledge is our whole glorye Beside that the salutacyons sette before the Epystles of Paule wyshe the same benefites from the SoÌ„ne which they do from the Father wherby we are taughte not only that those thyngs whych the Father geueth vs do come vnto vs by his intercessioÌ„ but also by communitie of power he is the author of them Whiche knowledge by practise is wythoute doute more certayne and perfecte than any idle speculacion For there the godly mynde doth beholde God moste present and in maner handle him wher it feleth it selfe to be quickened lightened saued iustified and sanctifâ—â—d Wherefore out of the same fountaines we must fetch our meane of prouing to confirme the Godhead of the Holy ghost Uery plaine is the testimonie of Moses in the history of the creacion that the spirite of God was vppon the depthes or vppon the vnfashioned heape because he sheweth that not onely the beautie of the worlde that is nowe to be seen is preserued by the power of the Spirite but ere this beautie was added the Spirite was then busied in preseruing that confused lumpe of thinges And that saying of Esaie cannot be cauilled against And now Iehouah and his Spirite hath sent me For he communicateth with the Holy ghost his chiefe power in sending of Prophetes Whereby appeareth the diuine maiestie of the Holy ghost But our best proufe as I haue saied shal be by familiar vse For that whiche the Scriptures impute vnto it is farre from the propertie of creatures and suche a thing as we oure selues doe learne by assured experience of godlinesse For he it is that being eche where poured abrode dooeth susteine and geueth growing and life to all thinges in heauen and in earth And by this pointe he is proued to bee none of the number of creatures for that he is not comprehended within any boundes but by pouring his liuely force into all thinges to breath into them life and mocion this is the very worke of God Moreouer if regeneracion into an incorruptible life be better and more excellent than any presente quickening what shall we iudge of him from whose power the same procedeth And that he is the author of regeneracioÌ„ not by a borrowed but by his own force the Scripture in many places teacheth and not of that onely but also of the immortalitie to come Finally as vnto the Sonne so vnto him also are applied al those offices that are most of all properly belonging to the Godhead For he searcheth the depe secretes of God wherwith none of al the creatures is of counsel He geueth wisdome and skill to speake wheras yet the Lord pronounceth to Moses that it is only his worke to do it So by him we come to a partaking of God so that we may fele his power as it were working life in vs. Our iustificacion is his worke From him is power sanctification truethe grace and what good thing soeuer maye be thoughte of because it is the Holie ghoste onely from whom procedeth all kinde of giftes For that sentence of Paule is righte worthy to be noted Although there be diuerse giftes and manifolde and sondry is the distribucion of them yet is there but one holie Spirite because he maketh him not onelye the original or beginning but also the author Whiche a little after is more plainly expressed in these woordes One and the same Spirite distrybuteth all thinges as he will For if he were not some thing subsisting in God he woulde not attribute vnto him choise of minde and wyll Therefore moste euidentlye doth Paule geue to the Holie ghost diuine power and sheweth that he is substantially resident in God And the Scripture it selfe when it speaketh of hym forbeareth not the name of God For Paul hereby gathereth that we are the temple of God because his spirite dwelleth in vs which thing is not lightly to be passed ouer For wheras God so often promiseth that he wil chose vs for a temple to himselfe that promyse is no other way fulfylled but by hys spirite dwelling in vs. Surely as Augustine very well sayeth if we wer commaunded to make vnto the Holy ghost a temple of timber and stone because such worship is due to God onely it were a cleare argument that he is God now therfore how much clearer is this that we ought not to make a temple but our selues to be a temple for him And the Apostle himselfe calleth vs sometime the temple of God sometime the teÌ„ple of the Holy ghoste both in one meaning And Peter repreheÌ„ding Ananias for that he had lied to the Holy ghost said that he lied not vnto men but vnto God And where Esay bringeth in the Lord of hostes speaking Paul teacheth that it is the Holy ghost that speaketh Yea where commonly the Prophetes say that the wordes whiche they vtter are the wordes of the Lord of hostes Christ and the Apostles doe referre them to the Holy ghost Whereby it foloweth that he is the true Iehouah that is the chiefe author of prophecies Again where God complaineth that he was prouoked to wrath by the stubbornesse of his people in steade of that Esay saith that his holy Spirite was greued Last of al if blasphemie against the Holy ghost be not forgeueÌ„ in this world nor in the worlde to come whereas he maye obteine pardon that hath blasphemed against the soÌ„ne his diuine maiesti is here plainly proued the offense or diminishment wherof is an vnpardonable crime I dooe wittingly and of purpose omitt many testimonies that the auÌ„cient writers haue vsed They haue thought it a maruellous mete place to allege out of Dauid with the word of the Lorde the heauens wer stablished and al the power of them with the spirite of his mouth to proue that the world was no lesse the work of the Holy ghost than of the Sonne But forasmuch as it is commonly vsed in the Psalmes to repete one thynge twise in Esay the spirite of his mouth is as much to say as his word that reason is very weake Therfore I thought good to touche a fewe such thinges as godly mindes might soundly rest vpon And as God hath more plainly disclosed himselfe by the comming of Christ so is he also in the thre Persons become more familiarly knowen But of al the testimonies lette this one suffice vs for this present Paule so knitteth these three together God Faith Baptisme that he reasoneth from the one to the other in this maner Because there is but one Faith he therby sheweth that there is but one God And because there is but one god he therby proueth that there is but one Faith Therfore if we be entred into
stryfe when he sayeth that for a remedy to tame pride the Angel of Satan was geuen to hym by whom he myght be humbled This exercyse therefore is common to all the children of God But because that same promyse of the breakyng of Satans head perteyneth generally to Christ and to all his members therefore I saye that the faithfull can neuer be ouercome nor oppressed by him They are many times stryken down but they are neuer so astonnied withall but that they recouer theÌ„selues They fal down many tymes wyth violence of strokes but they are after raysed vp agayne they are wounded but not deadly Finally they so labor in all course of theyr lyfe that in the ende they obteyne the victorye but I speake not this of euery doing of theyrs For we knowe we that by the iuste vengeaunce of God Dauid was for a time geuen ouer to Satan by his motion to nomber the people and not without cause Paul sayth there is hope of pardon least if any haue been entangled with the snares of the deuil Therfore in an other place the same Paule sayeth that the promise aboue alleged is begon in this lyfe wherin we must wrastle and is performed after our wrastlyng ended when he sayeth the God of peace shall shortly beate downe Satan vnder your fete This victory hath alway fully been in our hed Chryst because the Prince of the world had nothing in him but in vs that are his members it doth now partly appeare and shal be perfited wheÌ„ being vnclothed of our fleshe by whiche we are yet subiecte to weakenesse we shal be ful of the power of the Holy ghoste In thys manner when the kyngdome of Chryst is raysed vp and â—duaunced Satan with his power falleth down as the Lord hymselfe sayeth I saw Satan fall as a lightening down from heauen For by this answere he confirmeth that which the Apostles had reported of the power of his preachyng Agayne When the Prince possesseth his own palace al thinges that he possesseth are in peace but when there coÌ„meth a stronger he is throwen out c. And to this ende Chryst in dying ouercame Satan which had the power of death triuÌ„phed vpoÌ„ al his armies that they shuld not hurt the church for otherwyse they would euery momente a hundred times destroye it For coÌ„sidering what is our weakenesse what is his furious streÌ„gth howe coulde we stande yea neuer so litle time against his manifolde continuall assaultes but being supported by the victory of our captaine Therefore God suffereth not the deuil to reigne ouer the soules of the faythfull but onely deliuereth him the wicked and vnbeleuing to gouerne whom God doth not vouchesaue to haue reckened in hys flocke For it is said that he possesseth thys world without controuersy till he be thrust out by Christ. Againe that he doth blinde all them that beleue not the gospell agayne that he performeth hys worke in the stubborne children and worthily for all the wicked are the vesselles of wrath Therefore to whom should they be rather subiecte than to the minister of Goddes vengeaunce Finally they are saied to be of their Father the deuill because as the faythfull are hereby knowen to be the children of God because they beare his image so they by the image of Satan into which they are gone out of kind ar properly discerned to be his childreÌ„ As we haue before confuted that trifling philosophie concerning the holy Angels which teacheth that they ar nothing els but good inspirations or motioÌ„s which God stirreth vp in the mindes of men so in this place must we confute them that fondly say that deuils ar nothing els but euil affections or perturbations of minde that are thrust into vs by oure fleshe That maye we shortly doe because there be many testimonies of Scripture those playne enough vpon this poynt First where the vncleane Spirites ar called Angels Apostataes which haue swarued out of kind from their beginning the very names do sufficiently expresse that they are not motions or affections of myndes but rather in dede as they be called mindes or Spirites endued with sense and vnderstanding Likewise wheras both Christ and Iohn do compare the children of God with the children of the deuil wer it not an vnfit comparisoÌ„ if the name of the deuil signified nothing els but euil inspirations And Iohn addeth somwhat more plainly that the deuill synneth from the beginning Likewise when Iude bringeth in Michael the archangel fyghtyng with the deuil doutlesse he setteth agaynste the good Angel an euil and rebellious Angel Wherwith agreeth that which is red in the hostory of Iob that Satan appeared with the Holy Angels before God But most plaine of al are those places that make mention of the punishment which they begin to fele by the iudgement of God and specially shal fele at the resurrection Sonne of Dauid why arte thou come before the time to torment vs Againe Go ye cursed into the eternal fyre that is prepared for the deuil his Angels Agayne If he spared not his own Angels that had synned but cast them down into hell and deliuered theÌ„ into cheines of darkenesse to be kept vnto damnacioÌ„ c. How fonde should these speches be that the deuils are ordeined to eternal iudgement that fier is prepared for them that they are now already tormented vexed by the glory of Christ if there were no deuils at all But because this matter nedeth no disputation among them that beleue the word of the Lord. litle good is done with testimonies of Scripture among those vaine studentes of speculation whoÌ„ nothing pleaseth but that which is new I suppose I haue performed the which I purposed that is that the godly mindes should be furnished agaynst such fonde errors wherew t vnquiet men do trouble both theÌ„selues and other that be more simple But it was good to touche this least any entangled with that error while they thinke they haue none to stande againste them should waxe more slowe and vnprouided to resist In the meane time let it not be werisom vnto vs in this so beautiful a stage to take a godly delight of the manifest and ordinary woorkes of God For as I haue els where already said though this be not the chefe yet is it in order the first doctrine of Faith to remember that what way soeuer we turne our eyes al that we see are the workes of God wyth godly consideration to wey for what end God did make theÌ„ Therefore that we may conceiue by Faith so muche as behoueth vs to knowe of God it is good first of al to learne the history of the creation of the world how it is shortly rehearsed by Moses and afterwarde more largely set out by holy men specially by Basile and Ambrose Oute of it we shall learne that God by the power of his worde and Spirite created heaueÌ„ and earth of nothing
a bare sufferance of hym to afflicte the holy man yet because that sayeng is true The Lorde hath geuen the Lord hath taken away as it pleased God so is it com to passe We gather that God was the author of that triall of Iob wherof Sathan and the wicked theues were ministers Sathan goeth about to dryue the holy man by desperation to madnesse The Sabees cruelly wickedly doo inuade and robbe his goodes that were none of theirs Iob knowledgeth that he 〈◊〉 by God stripped of all his goodes and made poore because it so pleased God Therfore whatsoeuer men or Satan hymselfe attempt yet God holdeth the sterne to tourne all their trauayles to the executyng of his iudgements It was Gods wil to haue the false kyng Achab deceiued the deuill offered his seruice therevnto he was sent with a certaine commaundement to be a lying spirite in the mouthe of all the Prophetes If the blyndyng and madnesse of Achab be the iudgement of God then the deuise of bare Sufferance is vaine For it were a fond thyng to say that the iudge doeth onely suffre and not also decree what he will haue doone and commaund the ministers to put it in execution It was the Iewes purpose to destroy Christ Pilate and the souldiors doo folowe their ragyng lust and yet in a solemne praier the disciples doo confesse that all the wicked men dyd nothyng els but that whiche the hande and counsell of God had determined euen as Peter had before preached that Christ was by the decreed purpose and foreknowledge of God deliuered to be slayne As if he shuld say that God from whome nothyng is hidden from the beginnyng did wittyngly and willyngly appoynt that whiche the Iewes did execute as in an other place heâ—â—herseth that God whyche shewed before by all his Prophetes that Christ shuld suffer hath so fulfilled it Absolon defilyng his fathers bed with incestuous adulterie committed detestable wickednesse Yet God pronounceth that this was his owne worke For the wordes are these Thou haste doone it secretely but I will doo it openly and before the sunne Hieremie pronounceth that all the crueltie that the Chaldees vsed in Iury was the woorke of God For which cause Nabucadnezer is called the seruant of God God euery where crieth out that with his hissyng with the souÌ„d of his trumpet with his power coÌ„mandement the wicked ar stirred vp to warre He calleth the Assyrian the rod of his wrath the axe that he moueth with his hande The destruction of the holy citie ruine of the Temple he calleth his worke Dauid not murmuring against God but acknowledging him for a rightuous iudge yet confesseth that the cursings of Semei proceded of the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God The Lord saith he coÌ„maunded him to curse We often finde in the holy historie that what soeuer happeneth it cometh of the Lord as the departing of the ten tribes the death of the sonnes of Hely and very many things of like sort They that be meanly exercised in the Scriptures do see that for shortnesses sake I bring forth of many testimonies but a few by which yet it appereth plainly enough that they do trifle talk fondly that thrust in a bare SufferaÌ„ce in place of the Prouidence of God as though God saie in a watche tower waityng for the chaunces of Fortune and so his iudgementes shoulde hang vppon the will of men Nowe as concerning secrete motions that which SalomoÌ„ speaketh of the hart of a king that it is bowed hether or thether as pleaseth God extendeth surely to all mankind and is as muche in effecte as if he had said what soeuer we conceiue in myndes is by the secret inspiration of God directed to his ende And truly if he did not worke in the myndes of men it were not rightly said that he taketh away the lippe from the true speakers and wisedom from aged men that he taketh the hart froÌ„ the Princes of the earthe that they maye wander where is no beaten waie And hereto belongeth that whyche we ofte reade that men are fearefull so farre foorth as theyr hartes bee taken with his feare So Dauid went out of the campe of Saule and none was ware of it because the slepe of God was come vpon theim all But nothyng can be desyred to be more playnly spoken than where he so oft pronounceth that he blyndeth the eies of men striketh them with giddynesse that he maketh them drunke with the spirite of drowsynesse casteth them into madnesse hardneth their harts These things also many do referre to Sufferance as if in forsaking the reprobate he suffred theÌ„ to be blinded by Satan But that solution is to fonde forasmuch as the Holy ghost in plain words expresseth that they are striken with blindnesse madnesse by the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God It is said that he hardned the hart of Pharao also that he did make dull strengthen it Some do with an vnsauory cauillation mocke out these phrases of speche because where in an other place it is said that Pharao did harden his owne hart there is his owne will set for the cause of his hardenyng As though these thynges did not very well agree together although in diuers maners that man while he is moued in working by God doeth also worke himself And I doo turne back their obiection against them selues For if to harden do signify but a bare Sufferance then the very motion of obstinacie shall not be proprely in Pharao Now how weake and foolishe were it so to expounde as if Pharao did only suffer hym self to be hardened Moreouer the Scripture cutteth of all occasions from suche cauillations For God sayth I will holde his harte So of the inhabitauntes of the land of Canaan Moses saith that thei went forth to bataile because the Lord had hardned their harts Which same thing is repeted by an other Prophet saying He turned their harts that they should hate his people Agayne in Esaie he saieth that he will sende the Assyrians against the deceytfull nation and will commaunde them to cary awaie the spoiles and violently take the praie not meanyng that he will teache wicked and obstinate men to obey willyngly but that he wil bowe them to execute his iudgementes as if they dyd beare his commaundementes grauen in their myndes Wherby appeareth that they were moued by the certaine appointement of God I graunte that God doeth oftentymes worke in the reprobate by Satans seruice as a meane but yet so that Satan doeth his office by Gods mouing procedeth so farre as is geuen hym The euill Spirite troubled Saule but it is sayde that it was of God that wee may knowe that the madnesse of Saule came of the iuste vengeance of God It is also said that the same Satan doth blind the myndes of the vnfaithfull but how so but only because the effectuall workyng of errour cometh
conueyed from the auncesters into the posteritie For the infection hath not her cause in the substaunce of the flesshe or of the soule but bycause it was so ordeyned of God that suche giftes as he had geuen to the fyrste manne manne shoulde bothe haue them and lose them as well for hym selfe as for his As for this that the Pelagians doe cauill that it is not likely that the chyldren doe take corruption from godly parentes sithe they oughte rather to be sanctified by their cleannesse that is easely confuted For they descende not of their spirituall regeneration but of theyr carâ—all generation Therefore as Augustine sayeth whether the vnbeleuer bee condemned as gilty and the beleuer quitte as innocent they both do begette not innocentes but gilty bycause they beget of the corrupted nature Nowe where as they doe in maner partake of the parentes holinesse that is the speciall blessyng of the people of God whyche proueth not but that the firste and vniuersall curse of mankinde wente before For of nature is giltinesse and sanctification is of supernatural grace And to the ende that these thynges be not spoken of a thynge vncertayne and vnknowen lette vs define Originall sinne But yet I meane not to examine all the definitions that are made by wryters but I will brynge forthe one onely whyche I thynke to bee moste agreable wyth trueth Originall sinne therefore semeth to bee the inheritably descendynge peruersnesse and corruption of our nature poured abroade into all the partes of the soule whyche fyrste maketh vs gilty of the wrath of God and then also bryngeth forth these workes in vs whyche the Scripture calleth the workes of the flesh and that is it properly that Paule oftentimes calleth Sinne. And these workes that arise out of it as are adulteries fornications theftes â–ª hatreds murthers â–ª banketinges after the same manner he calleth the fruites of sinne albeit they are likewise called sinnes both commonly in the Scripture and also by the same Paule hym selfe Therefore these twoo thynges are distinctly to be noted that is that beyng so in all partes of our nature corrupted and peruerted we are nowe euen for such corruption only holden worthily damned and coÌ„uicted before God to whome is nothyng acceptable but righteousnesse innocencie and purenesse And yet is not that bonde in respecte of an others faulte For where it is sayde that by the sinne of Adam we are made subiecte to the iudgement of God it is not so to be taken as if we innocent and vndeseruyng did beare the blame of his faulte But bycause by his offendyng we are all clothed wyth the curse therefore it is sayde that he hath bounde vs. Neuerthelesse from him not the punishment only came vpon vs but also the infection distilled from hym abideth in vs to the whiche the punishment is iustly due Wherefore howe so euer Augustine doeth oftentimes call it an others sinne to shewe the more playnely that it is conueyed into vs by propagation yet doeth he also affirme wythall that it is propre to euery one And the Apostle him selfe expressely witnesseth that therefore death came vpon all menne bycause all men haue sinned and are wrapped in Originall sinne and defiled with the spottes thereof And therefore the very infantes themselues whyle they brynge with them their owne damnation from their mothers wombe are bounde not by an others but by their owne faulte For though they haue not as yet brought forth the fruytes of theyr owne iniâ—â—â—â—ie yet they haue the seede thereof enclosed within them yea theâ—r whole nature is a certayne seede of Sinne therefore it can not be but hatefull and abhominable to God Whereupon followeth thâ—◠〈◊〉 proprely accompted sinne before God for there coulde be no giâ—â—inesse wythout sinne The other pointe is that this peruersenesse neuer cesseth in vs but continually bryngeth forth newe frutes euen the same woorkes of the fleshe that we haue before descrybed lyâ—e as a bâ—rnynge fornace bloweth out flame and sparcles or as a sprynge doeth wythout ceassyng caste out water Therefore they whyche haue defyned Origin all sinne to bee a lackyng of Originall ryghteousenesse whyche ought to haue ben in vs although in deede they comprehende all that is in the thynge it selfe yet they haue not fully enough expressed the force and efficacie thereof For our nature is not only bare and empty of goodnesse but also is so plentuous and fruteful of al euilles that it can not be idle Thei that haue saide that it is a concupiscence haue vsed a worde not very farre from the matter if this were added which is not graunted by the most parte that what so euer is in man euen from the vnderstanding to the wil from the soule to the fleshe is corrupted and stuffed full wyth this concupiscence or to ende it shortelyer that whole man is of hym selfe nothing els but concupiscence Wherfore I haue sayde that al the partes of the soule are possessed of sinne sithe Adam fell awaye from the fountaine of righteousnesse For not onely the inferioure appetite allured him but wicked impietie possessed the very castle of hys minde pride pearced to the innermoste parte of hys hearte So that it ys a fonde and foolyshe thyng to restraine the corruption that proceded from thense onely to the sensuall motions as they call them or to call it a certayne nouriture that allureth styrreth and draweth to synne onely that parte whyche amonge them ys called Sensualitie Wherein Peter Lombarde haâ—he disclosed hys grosse ignoraunce whyche seekynge and sâ—archynge for the place of it saythe that it is in the fleshe as Paule witnesseth not proprely in deede but bicause it more appeareth in the fleshe as though Paule did meane onely a parte of the soule and not the whole nature whyche is in comparison set against supernaturall grace And Paule there taketh away all doubte teachinge that corruption resteth not in one parte alone but that nothinge is pure cleane from the deadly infection thereof For entreatynge of corrupted nature he doothe not onely condemne the inordinate motions of appetites that appeare but specially trauayleth to proue that the vnderstandynge mynde is subiecte to blyndenesse and the heart to peruersnesse And the same thyrde chapter to the Romaines is nothinge els but a description of original synne That appeareth more plainely by the renewinge For the spyrite whyche is compared wyth the olde man and the fleshe dothe not onely signifie the grace wherby the inferioure or sensuall parte of the soule is amended but also conteyneth a full reformation of all the partes And therefore Paule dothe commaund not onely that oure grosse appetites be brought to naught but also that we our selues be renewed in the spirite of oure mynde as lykewyse in an other place hee biddeth vs to be transfourmed in newnesse of minde Whervpon foloweth that the same parte wherin moste of all shineth the excellence noblenesse of the soule is not onely wounded but also
them of all abilitie of spirituall vnderstandyng Therefore he affirmeth that the faythful which embrace Christ are borne not of bloud or of the wil of the flesh or of man but of God As if he should saye fleshe is not capable of so hye wisedome to conceiue God and that which is Gods vnlesse it be lightened with the spirite of God As Christ testified that this was a special reuelation of the father that Peter did know him If we were perswaded of this whiche ought to be out of all controuersie that our nature wanteth all that whyche our heauenly father geueth to his electe by the spirite of regeneration then here were no matter to doubte vpon For thus speaketh the faythfull people in the Prophet For with thee is the fountayne of lyfe and in thy light we shal see light The Apostle testifieth the same thing wheÌ„ he saieth that no man can call Iesus the lorde but in the holy ghost And Iohn Baptist seyng the dulnesse of his disciples crieth out that no man can receiue any thyng vnlesse it be geuen him from aboue And that he meaneth by Gifte a speciall illumination and not a common gifte of nature appereth hereby that he complaineth that in so many wordes as he had spoken to tommende Christ to his Disciples he preuayled nothyng I see sayeth he that wordes are nothyng to informe mens mindes concernyng diuine thynges vnlesse the Lorde geue vnderstanding by his spirite Yea and Moses when he reprocheth the people wyth their forgetfulnesse yet noteth this withal that they can by no meanes growe wise in the misteries of God but by the benefite of God Thyne eyes sayeth he haue seene those greate tokens and wonders and the Lorde hath not geuen thee a heart to vnderstande nor eares to heare nor eyes to see What shoulde he expresse more yf he called vs blockes in consideryng the workes of God Whereupon the Lorde by the Prophete promiseth for a greate grace that he wyll geue the Israelites a hearte that they maye knowe hym signifiyng thereby that mans witte is onely so muche spiritually wyse as it is lightened by hym And this Christe plainely confirmed wyth hys owne mouthe when he sayeth that no manne can come to hym but he to whome it shal be geuen from the Father What is not he hym selfe the liuely Image of the Father in whome the whole bryghtnesse of his glorie is expressed vnto vs Therefore he coulde not better shewe what our power is to knowe god than when he sayeth that wee haue no eyes to see his Image where it is so openly sette presente before vs. What Came he not into the earth for this purpose to declare his Fathers wyll vnto menne And dyd he not faythfully dooe hys office Yes surely But yet nothynge is wroughte by hys preachynge vnlesse the inwarde Schoolemaster the holyghost set open the waye to our mindes Therefore none come to hym but they that haue heard and ben taught of the Father What maner waye of learnyng and hearyng is this Euen when the holy ghost by maruellous and singular vertue formeth the eares to heare and the mindes to vnderstande And leaste that should seme sâ—raung he allegeth the prophecie of Elaye where when he promiseth the repairyng of the church that they whych shall be gathered together to saluation shal be taught of the Lord. If god there foresheweth some peculiar thyng concernyng his electes it is euident that he speaketh not of that kinde of learnynge that was also common to the wicked and vngodly It remayneth therefore that we muste vnderstande it thus that the way into the kingdome of God is open to no man but to him to whom the holy ghost by his enlightening shal make a newe minde But Paule speaketh most playnely of all whiche of purpose entryng into discourse of this matter After he had condemned all mens wisedome of follie and vanitie vtterly brought it to naught at the laste concludeth thus that naturall man can not perceiue those thynges that are of the spirit of God they are foolishnesse vnto him and he can not vnderstande them bicause they are spiritually iudged Whome doeth he call naturall euen him that stayeth vpon the light of nature He I saye compreheÌ„deth nothing in the spiritual misteries of God Why so is it bicause by slouthfulnesse he neglecteth it Nay rather although he wold trauaile neuer so much he can do nothing bycause forsoth they are spiritually iudged What meaneth that bicause beyng vtterly hidden from the light of manâ— they are opened by the only reuelation of the spirite so that they are reckened for follie where the spirite of God geueth no light Before he had auaunced those thinges that God hath prepared for them that loue him aboue the capacitie of eyes eares and mindes Yea he testified that mans wisedome was as a certaine veile whereby mans minde was kepte from seyng God What meane we The Apostle pronounceth that the wisedome of this world is made folly by god and shal we forsoth geue vnto it sharpenesse of vnderstanding whereby it maye pearce to the secrete places of the heauenly kingdome Farre be such beastelinesse from vs. And so that whiche here he taketh awaye from menne in an other place in a prayer he geueth it to god alone God sayeth he and the father of glory geue to you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation Nowe thou hearest that all wisedome and reuelation is the gifte of god What followeth and lightene the eyes of your minde Surely yf they neede a newe reuelation then are they blinde of themselues yt foloweth after That ye maye knowe what is the hope of your calling c. Therefore he confesseth that the wittes of men are not capable of so great vnderstandyng to knowe their owne callyng And let not some Pelagian babble here that god doth remedie that dulnesse or vnskilfulnesse when by the doctrine of his worde he directeth maÌ„s vnderstanding whether without a guide he could not haue atteined For Dauid had a lawe wherein was comprehended al the wisedome that maye be desired and yet not contented with that he requireth to haue his eyes opened that he maye consider the misteries of the same lawe By whiche speache truely he secretly sayeth that the sunne ryseth vpon the earth where the worde of God shineth to men but they get not muche thereby vntill he himselfe that is therefore called the father of lightes do geue them or open their eyes bicause where so euer he shineth not with his spirit al things are possessed with darknesse So the Apostles were wel largely taught by the best schoole-master yet if they had not needed the spirite of trueth to instruct their mindes in that same doctrine which they had hearde before he wold not haue bidden them loke for him If the thing that we aske of God we doe thereby confesse that we wante and God in that that he promiseth
or whether it kepeth still any percell vnhurte from whense doo growe good desires They that do attribute to the First grace of God that we wil effectually seme on the other side to saye secretly that there is in the soule a power of it selfe to aspire to good but it is so weake that it can not growe to a perfecte affection or rayse vp any endeuour And there is no doubte that the Schoolemen haue commonly embraced this opinion or which was borowed of Origen and certaine of the olde wryters for so muche as they are wont to consider man in pure naturall thinges as they terme it suche a one as the Apostle describeth hym in these wordes I doe not the good that I would but the euell that I would not that I doe To will is present vnto me but to performe it I finde not But after this maner is the discourse that Paule there followeth altogether wrongfully peruerted For he entreateth of the Christian wrastling whiche he shortly toucheth to the Galatians whiche the faithfull continually fele within them selues in the battel of the flesh and the spirit But the spirit is not of nature but of regeneration And that the Apostle doeth there speake of the regenerate appeareth by this that wheÌ„ he had said that there dwelleth no goodnesse in him he addeth an exposition that he meaneth it of his fleshe And therfore he saith that it is not he that doeth the euill but sinne that dwelleth in him What meaneth this correction in me that is in my flesh Euen as muche as if he had sayd thus God dwelleth not in me of my selfe for there is no good to be founde in my fleshe HereupoÌ„ foloweth that maner of excuse I my self do not the euil â–ª but sinne that dwelleth in me Whiche excuse belongeth only to the regenerate whiche do with the chiefe part of their soule tende vnto good Nowe the conclusion that is adioyned after declareth all this matter euidently I am delited saith he with the lawe according to the inward man But I see an other lawe in my membres fighting against the lawe of my minde Who hath suche a stryuing in him selfe but he that being regenerate by the spirite of God carieth the leauinges of his flesh about with him Therfore Augustine wheras ones he had thought that that had ben spoken of the nature of man reuoked his expositioÌ„ as false and ill agreyng together And truelie if we allowe this that menne without grace haue some motions to good though thei be but small what shall we aunswere to the Apostle whiche sayeth that we are not sufficient so muche as to thinke any thyng What shall wee aunswere to the Lorde that pronounceth by Moses that euery inuention of mans hearte is only euell Wherefore sithe they haue stombled by false takyng of one place there is no cause why we shuld staye vpon their iudgement Let rather this sayeng of Christe preuayle He that doeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne We are all sinners by nature therefore we be all holden vnder the yoke of sinne Nowe yf whole manne be subiect to the dominioÌ„ of sinne then must it needes be that the will it selfe which is the chiefe seate thereof â–ª be bounde faste wyth moste streight bondes For otherwise that sayeng of Paule wold not stande together that it is God whyche worketh will in vs if any will did goe before the grace of the holy ghost Awaye therefore with all that many haue triftingly spoken concernyng preparation For although sometime the faithfull doe praye to haue their heart formed to the obedience of the lawe as Dauid doth in many places yet it is to be noted that euen that desire of prayeng is from God Whiche we may gather of his wordes for when he wisheth to haue a cleane heart created within him surely he taketh not on him selfe the beginnyng of creation Therefore let rather this sayeng of Augustine haue place with vs God will preuent thee in all thinges And sometime preuent thou his wrath Howe Confesse that thou haste all these thinges of God that what so euer good thou haste is of him what soeuer euell it is of thy selfe And a little after Nothing is oures but sinne The third Chapter ¶ That out of the corrupt nature of man procedeth nothing but damnable BUt manne can not be any waye better knowen in eyther parte of his soule than yf he come forth with his titles wherewith the Scripture doth set him out If he bee paynted whole in these woordes of Christe That whiche is borne of fleshe is fleshe as it is easy to proue then is he proued to bee a very miserable creature For the affection of the fleshe as the Apostle witnesseth is death for asmuche as it is enimitie agaynste God and so is not subiecte nor can be subiecte to the lawe of God Is fleshe so peruerse that with al her affection she continually vseth enmitie agaynste God that she can not agree with the rightousnesse of the lawe of God Finally that she can bryng forth nothing but matter of death Nowe graunt that in the nature of manne is nothyâ—yge but fleshe and gather any good out of it yf thou canste But they saye the name of fleshe belongeth onely to the sensuall and not the hyer parâ—e of the soule But that is sufficiently confuted by the woordes of Chryste and of the Apostle It is the Lordes argumente that manne muste bee borne agayne bycause he is fleshe He commaundeth not to bee borne agayne accordynge to the bodye But in mynde he is not borne agayne yf a parte of it bee amended but when it is all renewed And that doth the comparison sette in bothe places confirme For the spirite is so compared agaynste the fleshe that there is lefte no meane thynge betwene them Therefore whatsoeuer is not spirituall in maÌ„ is after the same reason called fleshly But we haue nothynge of the Spirite but by regeneration It is therefore fleshe whatsoeuer we haue of nature But of that matter if otherwise we coulde haue any doubte that is taken awaye from vs by Paule where after we had described the ouldâ—man whom he had saide to be corrupt with concupâ—scences of erroure he biddeth vs to be renewed in the spirite of oure minde you see he doth not place vnlawefull and euell lustes onely in the sensitiue part but also in the very minde and therefore requyreth a renuinge of it And truly a lyttle before he had painted oute suche an image of mans nature as did shewe that there was no part wherein we were not corrupted and peruerted for whereas he writeth that al nations do walke in the vanitie of their minde are darkened in vnderstaÌ„ding estraÌ„ged from the life of God by reason of the ignoraunce that is in them and the blindenesse of their hearte it is no doubt that this is spoken of all them whom the Lorde hathe not reformed
by him it is not mente thereby that man as it were striuing agaynst it and resistyng is compelled to obeye as we compell bondeslaues agaynst their wil by reason of beyng their lordes to do our coÌ„maundementes but that beyng bewitched with the deceites of Satan it of necessitie yeldeth it selfe obedient to euery leadyng of him For whome the Lord vouchesaueth not to rule with his spirite them by iust iudgement he sendeth away to be moued of Satan Wherfore the Apostle sayth that the god of this world hath blinded the mindes of the vnbeleuers ordeyned to destruction that they should not see the light of the Gospell And in an other place That he worketh in the disobedient children The blindynge of the wicked and as the wicked deedes that followe thereupon are called the workes of Satan of whiche yet the cause is not to bee sought elswhere than in the will of man out of which ariseth the roote of euell wherin resteth the fundation of the kingdome of Satan whiche is Sinne. But farre other is the order of Gods doyng in such thinges And that the same may appere more certainly vnto vs let the hurt done to the holy man Iob by the Chaldees be an exaÌ„ple The Chaldees killed his herdemen and like enemies in warre droue awaye his cattle for booties Nowe is their wicked deede plainely seene and in that worke Satan is not idle from whome the Historie sayeth that all this dyd procede But Iob himself did acknowledge the worke of the lord in it whome he saith to haue take away from him those things that were taken away by the Chaldees How can we referre the selfe same work to God as authour to Sathan as authour and to maÌ„ as authour of it but that we must either excuse Sathan by the company of God or report God to be the authour of euill Uery easely if first we loke vpon the ende why it was done and then the manner how The purpose of the Lorde is by calamitie to exercise the patience of his seruant The deuil goeth about to driue him to despeir The Chaldees against right and lawe seke gaine of that whiche is an other mans Suche diuersitie in purposes maketh great difference in the worke And in the maner of doing there is no lesse diuersitie The Lord leaueth his seruant to Sathan to be afflicted and the Chaldees whome he did chose for ministers to execute it he did leaue and deliuer to him to be driuen to it Sathan with his venemous stinges pricked forward the myndes of the Chaldees whiche otherwyse were peruerse of them selues to do that mischief they furiously runne to do wrong and do bynde and defile all their membres with wicked doing Therfore it is properly said that Sathan doth worke in the reprobate in whome he exerciseth his kingdome that is to say the kingdome of wickednesse It is also sayd that God worketh in them after his maner because SathaÌ„ him selfe for as muche as he is the instrument of his wrath according to his bidding and commaundement turneth him self hether thither to execute his iust iudgementes I speake not here of Gods vniuersall mouing wherby as al creatures are susteined so from thence thei take their effectuall power of doing any thing I speake only of that special doing whiche appeareth in euery special act We see therfore that it is no absurditie that one selfe acte be ascribed to God to Satan and to man but the diuersitie in the ende and maner of doing causeth that therin appeareth the iustice of God to be without fault and also the wickednesse of Sathan and man bewrayeth it selfe to their reproche The olde wryters in this point also are somtime to precisely afraid simply to confesse the truthe because they feare least they should so open a wyndowe to wickednesse to speake irreuerently of the workes of God Whiche sobrietie as I embrace so I thinke it nothing daungerous if we simply holde what the Scripture teacheth Augustine hym selfe sometime was not free from that superstition as where he saith that hardening and blynding perteine not to the worke of God but to his foreknowledge But the phrases of scripture allowe not these subtilties whiche phrases do plainly shew that there is therin somwhat els of God besides his forknowledge And Augustine himselfe in his v. boke against Iulianus goeth earnestly about with a long processe to proue that sinnes are not only of the permissioÌ„ or sufferaâ—ce of God but also of his power that so former sinnes might be punished Lykewyse that whiche they being fourth concerning permission is to weake to stande It is oftentimes sayd that God blyndeth and hardeneth the reprobate that he turneth boweth moueth their heartes as I haue els where taught more at large But of what maner that is it is neuer expressed if we flee to free forknowledge or sufferance Therfore we answere that it is done after two maners For first where as when his light is taken away there remaineth nothing but darknesse and blyndnesse where as when his spirite is taken away our heartes ware hard and become stones where as when his direction cesseth they are wrasted into crokednesse it is well sayd that he doeth blinde harden bowe them from whome he taketh away the power to se obey and do rightly The second manner whiche commeth nere to the propertie of the wordes is that for the executing of his iudgementes by Sathan the minister of his wrath he bothe appointeth their purposes to what ende it pleaseth hym and stirreth vp their willes streÌ„gtheneth their endeuors So wheÌ„ Moses reherseth that king Sehon did not geue passage to the people because God had hardened his spirite and made his heart obstinate he by and by adioyneth the ende of his purpose that he might saith he geue him into our handes Therfore because it was Gods will to haue him destroied the making of his heart obstinate was Gods preparation to his destruction After the firste manner this seemeth to bee spoken He taketh away the lyppe from the speakers of truth and taketh away reason from the Elders He taketh the heart away from them that are set ouer the people hee maketh then to waÌ„der where no way is Again Lord why haste thou made vs mad and hardened oure hearte that wee shoulde not feare theeâ— Because they iudge rather of what sorte God maketh men by forsaking them than how he perfourmeth his worke in them But there are other testimonies that goe further as are these of the hardening of Pharao I wyll harden the heart of Pharao that he do not heare you and let the people go Afterward he saith that he hath made heauy and hardened his heart Did he harden it in not susteining it That is true in deede but he did somwhat more that he committed his heart to Sathan to be confirmed with obstinacie Where vpon he had before sayd I wyll holde his heart The people went out of Egypt
the inhabitantes of that countrey came fourth and met theÌ„ lyke ennemies By whome were they styred vp Truely Moses affirmeth to the people that it was the Lorde that had hardened their heartes And the Prophet reciting the same historie saith that he turned their heartes that they should hate his people Nowe can you not say that they stumbled being left without the counsell of God For if they be hardened and turned then they are of purpose bowed to that selfe thing Moreouer so oft as it pleased him to punish the transgressours of the people how did he perfourme his worke in the reprobate so as a man may see that the effectualnesse of working was in hym they only did seruice as ministers Wherfore somtyme he threatened that he would call them out with his whistle sometyme that they should be lyke a net for hym to entangle them and sometyme lyke a mallet to strike the Israelites But specially he then declared how he is not idle in them when he called Sennacherib an Are whiche was bothe directed and dryuen by his hande to cut Augustine in one place dothe not amisse appointeth it after this sorte that in as muche as they sinne it is their owne in as muche as in siâ—ning they doe this oâ— that it is of the power of God that deuided the darkenesse as pleaseth hym Nowe that the ministery of Sathan is vsed to pricke forward the reprobate so oft as the Lorde by his prouidence appointeth them to this or to that may sufficiently be proued though it were but by one place only For it is oftentimes sayde in Samuel that the euell spirite of the Lorde and an euill spirite from the Lorde did either violently carry or leaue Saul To say that this spirite was the holy Ghost is blasphemous Therfore the vncleane spirit is called the spirit of God because it aunswereth at his commaundement and power being rather his instrument in doing than an authour of it selfe This is also to be added withall whiche Paul teacheth that the efficacie of errour deceiuing is sent by God that they which haue not obeyed the truth may beleue lies But there is alway great difference in one selfe same worke betwene that whiche the Lorde doeth and that whiche Sathan and the wicked goe about He maketh the euill instrumeÌ„tes that he hath vnder his hand may turne whether he list to serue his iustice They in as muche as they are euyll doe bring fourth in effect the wickednesse that they haue conceiued by corruptnesse of nature The reste of suche thynges as serue for to deliuer the maiestie of God from slaunder and to cut of all shifting from the wycked are already sette fourth in the chapter concerning Prouidence For in this place my purpose was only to shewe howe Sathan reigneth in the reprobate maÌ„ and how God worketh in them bothe Although we haue before touched yet it is not playnely declared what libertie man hath in those doinges whiche are neyther iust nor faulty of them selues and belonge rather to the bodely than the spirituall lyfe Some in suche thinges haue graunted him free election rather as I thinke because they would not striue about a matter of no great importance than that they mynded certainly to proue the same thyng that they graunte As for me although I confesse that they whiche doe holde that they haue no power to ryghteousnesse do holde the thyng that is principally necessary to saluation yet I doe thynke that this point also is not to be neglected that we may knowe that it is of the speciall grace of the Lorde so ofte as it cometh in our mynde to chose that whiche is for our profit so oft as our wyl enclyneth therunto agayne so ofte as our wyt and mynde eschueth that whiche els would haue hurt vs. And the force of Gods prouidence exteÌ„deth thus far not only to make the successes of thynges to come to passe as he shall forsee to be expedient but also to make the wylles of men to tend therunto Truely if we consider in our wyt the administration of outwarde thinges we shall thynke that they are so farre vnder the wyll of man but if we shall geue credit to so many testimonies whiche crie out that the Lord dothe in these thynges also rule the heartes of meÌ„ they shall compelle vs to yelde our wyll subiect to the speciall mouing of God Who did procure the good willes of the Egyptians to the Israelites to lende them all their moste precious iewels They woulde neuer haue founde in their heartes to haue so done of their owne accorde Therfore their heartes were more subiect to the Lord than ruled by them selues And truely if Iacob had not bene persuaded that God put into men diuerse affections as pleaseth hym he would not haue sayd of his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to be some HeatheÌ„ Egyptian God graunte you to fynde mercie before this man As also the whole Churche confesseth in the Psalme that when it pleased God to haue mercie vpon it he meekened the heartes of the cruell nations Againe when Saul so waxed on fire with anger that he prepared him to warre the cause is expressed for that the spirite of God did enforce hym Who turned away Absolons mynde from embracinge the counsell of Achitophel whiche was wont to be holden as an oracle Who inclined Rehabeam to be persuaded with the yong mens aduise Who made the nations that before were great to be afrayde at the comyng of Israell Truely the harlot Rahab confessed that it was done by God Agayne who threw downe the heartes of Israell with dread and fearfulnesse but he that in the lawe threatened that he would geue them a fearefull hearte Some man wyll take exception and saye that these are singular examples to the rule wherof all thynges vniuersally ought not to be reduced But I saye that by these is sufficiently proued that whiche I affirme that God so oft as he meaneth to prepare the waye for his prouidence euen in outward thynges dothe bowe and tourne the wylles of men and that their choise is not so free but that Gods will beareth rule ouer the fredome thereof That thy mynde hangeth rather vpon the mouing of God than vpon the fredome of thyne owne choyse this daylye experience shall compell thee to thynke whether thou wylt or no that is for that in thynges of no perplexitie thy iudgement and wyt oft fayleth thee in thinges not hard to be doone thy courage fainteth againe in thinges moste obscure by and by present aduise is offred thee in thynges great and perillous thou hast a courage ouercomming all difficultie And so doe I expounde that whiche Salomon sayeth That the eare may heare that the eie may see the Lorde worketh bothe For I take it that he speaketh not of the creation but of the speciall grace of vsing them And wheÌ„ he wryteth that the Lorde holdeth in his
required to obedience be denied him Naye rather why doth he excuse him selfe when he canne impute the hardenesse of heart to none but to hymselfe Therefore the wycked that are wyllyngely readye to mocke them oute yf the myght are throwen downe wyth the force of them whether they will or no. But the chefe profite towarde the faithfull is to be considered in whome as the Lorde woorketh all thinges by his spirite so hee leaueth not the instrumentes of his worde vseth the same not without effecte Let this therfore stande whyche is true that all the strength of the godly resteth in the grace of God accordyng to that sayinge of the Prophete I will geue them a newe heart that they maye walke in them But thou wylte saye Why are they nowe admonyshed of their duetye and not rather lefte to the direction of the holy ghoste why are they moued wyth exhortation sythe they canne make no more haste than the styrrynge forwarde of the holy ghooste woorketh why are thei chastised if at any tyme they be gone oute of the waye syth they fell by the necessarye weakenesse of the fleshe O man what arte thou to apoynte a lawe for God If it be his pleasure that we bee prepared by exhortation to receiue the selfe same grace whereby is wroughte that the exhortation is obeied what haste thou in thys ordre to bite or carpe at If exhortations and rebukynges dyd nothynge els profyte wyth the godlye but to reproue them of synne they were euen for that thing onely to be compted not alltogether vnprofitable Nowe for asmuche as by the holy ghooste woorkynge inwardly thei muche auaile to enflame the desire of goodnesse to shake of sluggyshnesse to take awaye the pleasure and venymoâ—â—s swetenesse of wyckednesse and on the other syde to engendre a hatred and irkesomnesse therof whoe dare cauill that thei are superfluus If any manne require a plainer aunswere let him take thys God woorketh after twoo sortes in hys electe inwardly by his spirite outwardely by his worde By his spirite by enlyghtninge theyr myndes by framinge their heartes to the loue and keepinge of iustice hee maketh them a newe creature By his worde he stirreth them to desire to seke and atteine the same renuinge by them bothe hee sheweth fourth the effectuall woorkinge of his hande accordinge to the proportion of his dystributioÌ„ When hee sendeth the same woorde to the reprobate thoughe not for their amendement yet hee maketh it to serue for an other vse that bothe for the present time thei maie bee pressed with witnesse of conscience and maye againste the daie of iudgemente bee made more inexcusable So thoughe Christe pronounce that no manne commeth to hym but whome the Father draweth and that the electe do come when thei haue hearde and learned of the father yet doothe not hee neglecte the office of a teacher but with his voice dylygentlie calleth them whome it necessarily behoueth to bee inwardely taughte by the holly Ghoste that thei maie any thinge profyte And Paule teacheth that teachinge is not in vaine with the reprobate bicause it is to them the sauoure of deathe to deathe butte a swete sauoure to God Thei be verye laborious in heapinge together of testimonies of Scripture and that they dooe of purpose that when thei canne not oppresse vs wyth weyghte thei maie yet with numbre But as in battelles when it commeth to hande strookes the weaker multitude how muche pompe and shewe soeuer it hath is with a fewe strippes discomfyted and putte to flyghte so shall yt bee verye easye for vs to ouerthrowe them wyth all theyr route For bycause the places that they abuse agaynste vs when they are ones dyuyded into theyr ordres do meete vpon a fewe specyall poyntes wee shall wyth one aunswere satysfye many of them therefore yt shall not bee needefull to tarrye vpon dyssoluynge euerye one of them partycularlye Theyr cheefe force they sette in the commaundementes whyche they thynke to bee so tempered to oure strengthes that what soeuer ys proued to bee requyred by the one yt necessarylye foloweth that yt maye bee perfourmed by the other And therefore they runne throughe euerye of the commaundementes and by them doe measure the proportion of oure strengthe For saye they eyther God mocketh vs when hee chargeth vs wyth hollyenesse godlynesse obedyence chastitie loue and mekenesse and when hee forbiddeth vs vncleannesse ydolatrie vnchastenesse wrathe robberye pryde and suche lyke or hee requyreth onely those thynges that are in oure power Nowe we maye dyuyde into three sortes in manner all the commaundementes that they heape together Some requyre oure fyrste conuersion to God some speake symply of the keepynge of the lawe some commaunde vs to contynue in the grace of God that wee haue receyued Fyrste lette vs speake of them all in generalitie and then descende to the specyall sortes To extende the power of manne to the commaundementes of the lawe hathe in deede longe agoe begonne to bee commune and hathe some shewe butte yt proceded from mooste rude ignoraunce of the lawe For they that thynke yt a heynous offence yf yt bee sayde that the keepynge of the lawe ys ympossyble do reste forsoothe vpon thys moste stronge argumente that ells the lawe was geuen in vayne For they speake in suche sorte as yf Paule hadde noe where spoken of the lawe For I beseache them what meane these sayinges that the lawe was sette bycause of transgressions That by the lawe ys the knoweledge of synne That the lawe maketh synne that the lawe entred that synne myght abounde was yt meante that the lawe was to bee lymyted to oure strengthes leaste yt shoulde bee geuen in vayne or rather that yt was sette farre aboue vs to conuince oure weakenesse Truelye by the same mans defynition the ende and fullfyllynge of the lawe ys Charytye Butte when hee wysheth the myndes of the Thessalonians to bee fylled wyth charitie hee dothe sufficientlye confesse that the lawe soundeth in oure eares wythoute profyte vnlesse God inspire the whole summe thereof in oure heartes Truelye yf the Scrypture dyd teache nothynge ells butte that the lawe ys a rule of lyfe where vnto wee oughte to frame oure endeuours I woulde also wythoute delaye agree to theyr opinion but whereas yt dothe dylygently and playnely declare vnto vs the manyfolde vse of the lawe yt ys conueniente rather to consyder by that interpretation what the lawe maye doe in manne For so muche as concerneth thys presente cause yt teacheth that so sone as yt hathe appoynted what wee oughte to dooe the power to obeye commeth of the goodnesse of God and therefore moueth vs to prayer whereby wee maye requyre to haue it giuen vs. If there were onelye the commaundemente and no promise then were oure strengthe to be tryed whether they were sufficient to aunswere the commaundement but syth ther are promyses ioyned wythall whiche crye oute that not onely oure aide but also all oure whole power consysteth in the
helpe of Gods grace they do testifie enoughe and more that we are altogether vnfitte muche more insufficient to keepe the lawe Wherefore let thys proportion of oure strengthes wyth the commaundementes of Gods lawe be no more enforced as if the Lord hadde measured the rule of iustice whiche hee purposed to geue in his lawe accordynge to the rate of oure weakenesse Rather by hys promysses wee oughte to consyder howe vnreadye wee are of oure selues whyche in euerye behalfe do so muche neede hys grace But whoe saye they shall be perswaded that it is lyke to be true that the Lorde appointed his lawe to stockes and stones Neyther dothe any manne goe aboute to perswade yt For the wycked are neyther stockes nor stones when beynge taughte by the lawe that theyr lustes do stryue agaynste God they are proued gyltye by theyr owne wytenesse Nor yet the godly when beeynge putte in mynde of theyr weakenesse they flee vnto grace For whyche purpose serue these sayinges of Augustine The Lorde commaundeth those thynges that we can not do that wee maye knowe what wee oughte to aske of hym Greate is the profite of the commaundements yf so muche bee geuen to free wyll that the grace of God bee the more honoured Faythe obtayneth that whyche the lawe commaundeth yea the lawe therefore commaundeth that faythe maye obtayne that whyche was commaunded by the lawe yea God requyreth faythe yt selfe of vs and fyndeth not what to requyre vnlesse hee geue what to fynde Agayne Let God geue what hee commaundeth commaunde what he wyll That shall more plainely bee seen in rehersinge the three sortes of commaundementes which we touched before The Lorde oftentimes commaundeth bothe in the lawe and in the Prophetes that we be cōuerted vnto hym But on the other syde the Prophete aunswereth Conuerte me Lorde and I shall be conuerted for after that thou didst conuerte me I repented c. He commaundeth vs to circumcise the vncircumcised skynne of oure hearte and by Moses he declareth that thys circumcision is done by his owne hande He eche wher requireth newenesse of hearte but in an other place hee testifieth that it is geuen by himselfe That whyche God promiseth saith Augustine we do not by free wil or nature but he himselfe doth it by grace And this is the same note that he himselfe reherseth in the v. place among the rules of Ticonius that we wel make difference betwene the lawe the promises or betwen the commaundementes grace Nowe let them goe that gather by the commaundementes whether man be able to do any thing toward obediences in suche sorte that thei destroye the grace of God by whiche the commaundementes them selues are fullfylled The commaundemēts of the seconde sorte are symple by whyche wee are bydden to honoure God to serue cleaue vnto hys wyll to kepe hys comaundemtes to folowe his doctrine But there are innumerable places that doe testifie that it is his gyft what so euer ryghteousnesse holynesse godlinesse or puritie may bee had Of the thirde sorte was that exhortacion of Paul and Barnabas to the faithfull whiche is rehearsed by Luke that they shoulde abyde in the grace of God But from whence that strengthe of constancie is to be had the same Paul teacheth in an other place That remayneth sayeth he ▪ brethren bee ye stronge throughe the Lorde In an other place he forbyddeth vs that we doe not greue the spirite of God wherewith we are sealed vp vnto the daye of our redemption But because the thynge that he there requireth could not beperfourmed by men therfore he wysheth it to the Thessalonians from God namely that he woulde recken them worthy of his holy callyng and fulfyll all the purpose of his goodnesse and the woorke of faythe in them Lykewyse in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians entreating of almes he oftentymes commaundeth theyr good and godlye wyll yet a litle after he thanketh God that put it in the hearte of Titus to take vpon hym to geue exhortacion If Titus coulde not so muche as vse the office of his mouthe to exhorte other but only so farre as God did put it vnto hym howe shoulde other haue bene wyllynge to doe vnlesse God hym selfe had directed their heartes The craftier sorte of them doe cauyll at all these testimonies because there is no impediment but that wee maye ioyne our owne strengthes and God to helpe our weake endeuours They bryng also places out of the Prophetes where the effect of our conuersion seemeth to bee parted in halfe betwene God and vs. Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne to you What maner of help the Lord bryngeth vs we haue aboue shewed and it is not nedefull here to repete it This one thyng I woulde haue graunted me that it is vainely gathered that there is requyred in vs a power to fulfyll the lawe because God dothe cōmaunde the obedience of it For as much as it is euident that for the fulfillyng of all the commaundementes of God the grace of the lawegeuer is bothe necessary for vs and promysed vnto vs. Thereby then it appeareth that at least there is more required of vs than we are able to paye And that saying of Hieremie can not be wyped away with any cauillatiōs that the couenaunt of God made with the auncient people was voyde because it was only literall and that it coulde no otherwyse bee stablyshed than when the spirite cometh vnto it whiche frameth the heartes to obedience Neither dothe that saying Tourne ye to me and I wyll tourne vnto you fauour their errour For there is meant not that tourning of God wherewith he renueth oure heartes to repentaunce but wherewyth hee by prosperitie of thynges dothe declare hym selfe fauourable and merciful as by aduersitie he somtime sheweth his displeasure Where as therfore the people being vexed with many sortes of miseries and calamities dyd complayne that God was turned awaye from them he aunswereth that they shall not be destitute of his fauour if they retourne to vprightnesse of lyfe and to hym selfe that is the paterne of righteousnesse Therefore the place is wrongfully wrested when it is drawen to this pourpose that the woorke of our conuersion shoulde seeme to bee parted betwixte God and men These thynges we haue comprehended so muche the shortelyer bycause the propre place for this matter shall bee where we entreate of the Lawe The seconde sorte of their argumentes is muche like vnto the fyrst They alledge the promises whereby God dothe couenaunt wyth oure will of whiche sorte are Seeke good and not euell and ye shall liue If ye will and do heare ye shall eate the good thynges of the earth but if ye will not the swoarde shal deuoure you bicause the Lordes mouth hathe spoken it Againe If thow put awaie thine abhominations oute of my syghte then shalte thou not be dryuen oute If thou shalte obeye dylygently the voyce of the Lorde
worke of the same grace In the meane time we denie not that it is very true that Augustine teacheth that will is not destroyed by grace but rather repayred For bothe these thinges doe stand very well together that mens will be sayd to be restored when the faultinesse and peruersenesse thereof beyng reformed it is directed to the true rule of iustice and also that a newe will be sayde to be created in manne for asmuch as it is so defiled and corrupted that it needeth vtterly to put on a newe nature Nowe is there no cause to the contrarie but that we maye well be sayde to doe the same thyng that the spirit of God doth in vs although our owne will do of it self geue vs toward it nothing at all that may be seuered from his grace And therefore we muste kepe that in minde which we haue els where alledged out of Augustine that some do in vayne trauayle to finde in the will of manne some good thinge that is proprely her owne For what so euer mixture men studie to brynge from the strength of free will to the grace of God it is nothing but a corruptyng of it as if a manne would delay wine with dirty and bitter water But although what so euer good is in the will of manne it procedeth from the mere instincte of the holy ghoste yet bicause it is naturally planted in vs to will it is not whythout cause sayd that we do those thinges whereof God chalengeth the prayse to him selfe Firste bycause it is oures what so euer by his goodnesse he worketh in vs so that we vnderstand it to be not of our selues and then bycause the minde is oures the will is oures the endeuour is oures whiche are by him directed to good Those other testimonies biside these that they scrape togither here there shal not much trouble euen meane whittes that haue wel conceiued only the solutions aboue sayd They allege that sayeng out of Genesis Thine appetite shal be vnder thee and thou shalt beare rule ouer it Whiche they expound of sinne as yf the Lord did promise to Cain that the force of sinne shoulde not get the vpper hande in his minde yf he would labour in subduyng of it But we saye that it better agreeth with the order of the text that this be taken to be spoken of Abel For there Gods purpose was to reproue the wickednesse of the enuie that Cain had conceyued against his brother And that he doth two wayes One that in vayne he imagined mischiefe to excell his brother in Gods sight before whome no honour is geuen but vnto righteousnesse the other that he was to much vnthākful for the benefite of God which he had alredy receyued which could not abide his brother although he had him subiect vnder his authoritie But lest we shoulde seme therefore to embrace this exposition bicause the other is agaynst vs let vs admitte that God spake of sinne If it be so then God eyther promiseth or commaundeth that whiche he there declareth If he commaundeth then haue we alredy shewed that thereby foloweth no proofe of the power of manne If he promiseth where is the fulfillyng of the promise for Cain became subiecte to sinne ouer whiche he should haue had dominion They will saye that in the promise was included a secrete condition as yf it had ben sayd that he should haue the victorie yf he would stryue for it But who will receyue these croked compasses For yf this dominion be meante of sinne then no man can doubte that it is spoken by way of cōmmaundement wherein is not determined what we are able to doe but what we ought to doe yea though it be aboue our power Albeit bothe the matter it selfe and the order of Grammer doe require that there be a comparison made of Cain and Abel bicause the elder brother should not haue ben set behinde the younger vnlesse he had become worse by his owne wicked doyng They vse also the testimonie of the Apostle whiche sayth that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie Whereby they gather that there is somewhat in mans will and endeuour whiche of it selfe though it be weake beyng holpen by the mercie of God is not without prosperous successe But if they did soberly weye what matter Paule there entreteth of they woulde not so vnaduisedly abuse this sentence I know that they may bryng forth Origen and Hierome for mainteiners of their expositiō and I could on the other side set Augustine against thē But what thei haue thought it maketh no mater to vs if we know what Paule meante There he teacheth that saluation is prepared only for thē to whō the lord vouchsaueth to graūt his mercie that ruine destructiō is prepared for al those that he hath not chosen He had vnder the example of Pharao declared the state of the reprobrate and had also cōfirmed the assurednesse of free election by the testimonie of Moses I will haue mercie vpon whome I will haue mercie Nowe he concludeth that it is not of him thath willeth or him that runneth but of God that hath mercie If it be thus vnderstanded that will or endeuour ar not sufficient bicause they are to weake for so great a weight that whiche Paule sayth had not ben aptly spoken Therfore awaye with these suttelties to saye It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth therfore there is some wil there is some rūning For Paules meaning is more simply thus It is not will it is not runnyng that get vs the waye to saluation herein is only the mercie of God For he speaketh no otherwise in this place than he doth to Titus where he writeth that the goodnesse and kindenesse of God appereh not by the workes of righteousnesse whiche we haue done but for his infinite mercie Thei thēselues that make this argument that Paul meant that there is some will some rūning bicause he saide that is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth would not geue me leaue to reason after the same fashion that we haue done some good workes bicause Paule sayeth that we haue not atteined the goodnesse of God by the good workes that we haue done If they see a fault in this argumēt let them open their eyes and they shal perceiue that their owne is not without the like deceite For that is a sure reason that Augustine resteth vpon If it were therefore sayd that it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth bicause neyther the will nor the runnyng is sufficient Then it maye be turned on the contrarie parte that it is not of the mercie of God bycause it alone worketh not Sithe this seconde is an absurditie Augustine doth rightfully conclude that this is spoken to this meanyng that there is no good will of man vnlesse it be prepared of the Lord not but that
yet this hath still place with vs that we should mere at apointed dayes to the hearyng of the worde to the breakyng of the misticall bread and to publike prayer then that to seruauÌ„tes and laboreâ—s be graunted their rest from their labour It is out of doubt that in commaundyng the Sabbat the Lord had care of bothe thâ—â—â— thinges The first of them hath sufâ—icâ—ent testimonie by the only vse of the Iewes to proue it The second Moses spake of in Deuteronomie in these wordes that thy man seruant and thy mayde seruaÌ„t maye reste as well as thou remember that thou thy selfe didst serue in Egypt Againe in Exodus that thy Oxe and thy Asse maye rest and the sonne of thy boâ—dâ—woman maye take breath Who can denie that bothe these thinges do serue for vs aswell as for the Iewes Meâ—â—â—ges at the church are commaunded vs by the word of God â–ª and the necessitie of them is susficiently knowen in the very experience of life 〈◊〉 they be certainely appointed and haue their ordinarie daies 〈◊〉 can they be kept All thinges by the sentence of the Apostle are to be done comly and in order among vs. But so farre is it of that coÌ„â—â—â—esse and order can be kepte without this policie and moderation that there is at hand present trouble and ruine of the church if it bee dissolued Now if the same necessitie be among vs for relete whereof the Lord apointed the Sabbat to the Iewes let no man saye that it belongeth nothyng vnto vs. For our moste prouident and tender father willed no lesse to prouide for our necessitie than for the Iewes â—ut thou wilt saye why do we not rather dayly mete together that the difference of dayes maye be taken awaye I would to God that wâ—re graunted and truely spirituall wisedome was a thynge worthy to haue dayly a pece of the time cut out for it But yf it can not be obteined of the weakenesse of many to haue dayly metinges and the rule of charitie doth not suffer vs to exact more of them why should we not 〈◊〉 the order whiche we see layed vpon vs by the will of God I am compelled here to be somwhat long bicause at this day many vnquiet spirites do rayse trouble concernyng the Sondaye They crie out that the Christian people are nourished in Iewishnesse bicause they kepe some obseruation of dayes But I answere that we kepe those dayes without any Iewishnesse bicause we do in this behalfe far differ from the Iewes For we kepe it not with streight religion as a ceremonie wherein we thinke a spirituall misterie to be â—iâ—ured â–ª but we reteine it as a necessarie remedie to the kepyng of order in the church But Paul teacheth that in kepyng thereof they are not to be iudged Christians because it is a shadow of a thing to come Therefore he feared that he had labored in vayne amonge the Galathians bycause they did still obserue dayes And to the Romanes he aâ—â—â—â—meth that it is superstition if any man do make differeÌ„ce betwene daye and daye But whoe saâ—yng these mad men only dothe not see of what obseruyng the Apostle meaneth For they had no regarde to this political ende and the order of the church but wheras they kept them still as shadowes of spirituall thinges they did euen so muche darken the glory of Christ and the light of the Gospell They did not therfore cesse from handy workes bicause they were thinges that dyd call them away from holy studies and meditations but for a certayne religion that in cessinge from worke thei did dreame that thei still kept their misteries of olde time deliuered them The Apostle I saie inueyeth against this disordered difference of daies not againste the lawefull choice of daies that serueth for the quietnesse of Christian feloweship for in the Churches that he himselfe did ordeine the Sabbat was kept to this vse For he appoynteth the Corynthians the same daye wherin thei shoulde gather the collection to releue the brothren at Hierusalem If they feare superstition there was more danger thereof in the feaste dayes of the Iewes than in the Sundayes that the Christians nowe haue For so as was expediente for the ouerthrowinge of superstition the daie that the Iewes religiouslye obserued is taken awaie and so as was necessarie for keepinge of comclinesse ordre and quiet in the Churche an other daye was appoynted for the same vse Albeit the olde fathers haue not without reason of their choise put in place of the Sabbat daie the daie that we call Sundaie For whereas in the Resurrection of the Lorde is the ende and fullfyllinge of that reste whereof the olde Sabbat was a shadowe the Christians are by the very same daye that made an ende of shadowes put in mynde that thei shoulde no longer sticke vnto the shadowishe ceremonie But yet I do not so reste vpon the numbre of seuen that I wolde binde the Churche to the bondage thereof Neither wil I condemne those Churches that haue other solemne dayes for their meetinges so that thei be withoute superstition whiche shall bee if thei be onely applyed to the oseruation of Discipline and well appoynted ordre Let the summe hereof be thys as the trueth was geuen to the Iewes vnder a figure so is it deliuered vs without any shadowes at all Firste that in all oure life longe we sholde be in meditation of a continuall Sabbat or rest from oure owne workes that the Lorde may worke in vs by his spirit then that euery man priuately so ofte as he hath leysure shoulde diligently exercise himselfe in godly calling to minde the workes of God and also that we al sholde keepe the lawefull ordre of the Churche appoynted for the hearinge of the woorde for the ministration of the Sacramentes and for publike prayer thirdely that we shoulde not vngently oppresse them that bee vnder vs. And so do the trifelynges of the false prophetes vanish awaie that in the ages paste haue infected the people wyth a Iewyshe opinion that so muche as was ceremoniall in this commanudement is take away whiche thei in their tongue call the appoyntinge of the seuenth daye but that so muche as is morall remayneth whiche is the keeping of one daie in the weke But that is nothinge ells in effect than for reproche of the Iewes to change the daye and to keepe still the same holinesse in their minde For there still remaineth wyth vs the lyke signification of mysterie in the daies as was amonge the Iewes And truely we see what good thei haue done by such doctrine For thei that cleaue to their constitutions do by theise as muche as exceede the Iewes in grosse and carnall superstition of Sabbat so that the rebukinge that are readde in Isaie do no lesse fittly serue for them at these dayes than for those that the Prophete reproued in hys tyme. Butte this generall doctrine is principally to be kept
haue desired to see the thinges that ye see and haue not seen them and to heare the thynges that ye heare and haue not hearde them Therefore blessed are your eyes bicause they see and your eares bicause they heare And truely it was meete that the presence of Christ sholde haue this excellencye of prerogatiue that from it shoulde arise the clere reuelinge of the heauenly mysteries And for this purpose also maketh that which euen we nowe alleaged out of the firste epistle of Peter that yt was opened to them that their trauaile was profitable principally for oure age Nowe I come to the thirde dyfference whiche is taken oute of Ieremie whose woordes are these Beholde the dayes shall come saithe the Lorde and I wyll make a newe couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda not accordinge to the couenant that I made wyth your Fathers in the daye when I toke them by the hand to leade them oute of the launde of Egypt the couenant that thei made voyde althoughe I ruled ouer them But thys shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel I wyl put my lawe in theyr bowelles and I wyll wryte it in their heartes and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie And no man shall teache hys neighboure and no man his brother For they shall al knowe me from the leaste vnto the moste Of whyche wordes the Apostle tooke occasion to make thys comparison betweene the lawe and the Gospell that hee called the lawe a literall and Gospel a spiritual doctrine the lawe he sayde was fashioned oute in Tables of stone the Gospell wrytten in heartes that the lawe was the preachinge of deathe the Gospell the preachinge of lyfe the lawe the preachinge of damnation the Gospel the preachinge of righteousnesse that the lawe is made voyde that the Gospell abydeth Sithe the Apostles purpose was butte to declare the meanynge of the Prophete it shall bee suffycient that wee weye the woordes of one of them to atteyne the meanynge of them bothe All bee it there is some vnlyâ—enesse betweene them For the Apostle speaketh more odiouslye of the lawe than the Prophete dothe and that not in symple respecte of the â—â—we but bycause there were certayne naughty menne hauinge a wronge zeale to the lawe whyche did with peruerse loue of the ceremonies obscure the brightnesse of the Gospel He disputeth of the nature of the lawe accordinge to their erroure foolish affection Therefore it shall be good to note that peculiarly in Paule But both of them bycause they do by comparison sette the olde and the newe testament the one against the other do consider nothing in the law but that whiche proprely belongeth vnto it As for example The lawe dothe commonly in euery place containe promises of mercie but bycause they are borowed from ells where therfore they are not reckened as part of the lawe when the mere nature of the lawe is spoken of The onely thing they ascribe vnto it to commaunde thinges that are right to forbidde wicked doynges to promyse reward to the folowers of righteousnesse to threaten punishmente to the transgressors but in the meane time neither to change nor amende the peruersenesse of heart yâ— is naturally in all men Nowe let vs expounde the Apostles comparison one peece after an other The olde testament is literall bicause it was published without the effectuall workinge of the spirit The newe is spiritual whyche the Lorde hathe spiritually grauen in the heartes of men Therefore the seconde diuersitie is as it were a declaration of the fyrste The olde is deadly bicause it can do nothinge but wrappe all mankinde within the curse The newe is the instrumente of lyfe bycause it deliuereth from curse and restoreth into fauoure with God The olde is the ministerie of damnation bycause it condemneth all Adams children of vnrighteousnesse The newe is the ministerie of ryghteousnesse bicause it reueâ—eth the mercie of God by whyche we are made ryghteous The last diuersitie is to be referred to the ceremonies Bycause the olde testament had an â—mage of thynges absent it behoued that it shoulde in tyme deâ—aye and vanyshe away but the Gospell bycause it geueth the true bodye in deede kepeth styll a fyrme and perpetuall stedfastâ—esse Ieremie in dede calleth euen the morall lawes a weake and fraile couenant but that is for an other reason bycause by the sodeine fallynge away of the vnthankfull people it was by and by broken but forasmuche as suche breakynge of it was the faulte of the people it can not proprely be layed vpon the testamente But the ceremonies forasmuche as by theyr owne weakenesse were dissolued by the comminge of Christe had the cause of their weakenesse within them selues Nowe that dyfference of the letter and spirite is not so to be taken as thoughe the Lorde hadde geuen his lawes to the Iewes wythout any frute at all hauyng none of them conuerted vnto hym But it is spoken by waye of comparison to aduaunce the abundance of grace wherewyth the same lawemaker as it were puttinge on a newe personage did honorably sette forth the preachinge of the Gospell For yf wee recken vp the multitude of these whome the Lorde oute of al peoples hath by the preaching of the Gospell regenerate wyth hys spirite and gathered into the communion of his Churche we shall saye that there were very fewe or in a manner none in the olde time in Israell that wyth affection of mynde and entirely from their heart embraced the couenant of the Lorde whoe yet were very many yf they bee reckened in theyr owne numbre wythoute comparison Out of the third difference riseth the fourth For the Scripture calleth the old testament the testament of bondage for that it ingendreth feare in mens myndes but the newe testament the testament of libertie bycause it rayseth them vp to confydence and assurednesse So sayth Paule in the eyght to the Romames Ye haue not receyued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare but the spirite of adoption by whiche we crie Abba father â–ª Hervnto serueth that in the epistle to the Hebrues that the faithefull are not nowe come to the bodyly mount and to kind led fyre an whirlewinde darkenesse and tempest where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh menns mindes with terrore in so much that Moses hym selfe quaked for feare when the terryble voyce sounded whyche they all besoughte that they myghte not heare Butte that wee are come to the Mounte Syon and the Cytye of the syâ—ynge God the heauenly Hierusalem Butte that whyche Paule shortly toucheth in the sentence that we haue alleged out of the epistle to the Romaines he setteth out more largely in the Epistle to the Galatians when he maketh an allegoâ—â—e of the twoo sonnes of Abraham after this manner that Agar the bondwoman is a fygure of the mount Sinai where the people of Israel receiued the lawe Sara the
and also partaker of all one nature with vs therefore it is not lawefull for vs to searche any further For who so euer is tickled with desire to knowe any more he beyng not contented with the vnchangeable ordinance of God doth shewe also that he is not contented with the same Christ that was geuen vs to be the price of our redemption But Paule not only reherseth to what ende he was sente but also climbyng to the hye misterie of the predestination he very fitly represseth all wantonnesse and itchyng desire of mans wit The father chose vs in Christ before the creation of the worlde to make vs his sonnes by adoption according to the purpose of his will and he accepted vs in his beloued sonne in whom we haue redeÌ„ptioÌ„ by his bloud Truely here is not the fal of AdaÌ„ set before as though it were formost in time but is shewed what God determined before all ages when his will was to help the miserie of maÌ„kinde If the aduersarie obiecte againe that this purpose of God dyd hang vpon the fall of manne whiche he did foresâ—ent is enough and more for me to saye that they with wicked boldnesse breake forth to fayne them a newe Christ who so euer suffer themselues to searche for more or hope to know more of Christ than God hath foreapointed them by his secret decree And for good cause did Paule after he had so discoursed of the proper office of Christ whish to the Ephesians the spirit of vnderstanding to coÌ„prehend what is the length heygth bredth and depth euen the loue of Christe that surmounteth al knowledge euen as if of purpose he would set barres about our mindes that when mention is made of Christ they should not be it neuer so litle swarue from the grace of reconciliation Wherfore sithe this is a faithfull sayeng as Paule testifieth that Christ is come to saue sinners I do gladly rest in the same And whereas in an other place the same Apostle teacheth that the grace whiche is nowe disclosed by the Gospell was geuen vs in Christe before the times of the worlde I determine that I ought constantly to abide therein to the ende Agaynst this modestie Osiander carpeth vniustly whiche hath agayne in this time vnhappily stirred this question before lightly moued by a few He accuseth them of presumption that saye that the sonne of God shuld not haue appered in the flesh yf AdaÌ„ had not fallen bycause this inuention is confuted by no testimonie of Scripture As though Paule did not bridle froward curiositie when after he had spoken of redemption purchaced by Christ he by and by coÌ„maundeth to auoyde foolish questions The madnesse of some dyd burst out so farre that while they disordrely coueted to seme witty they moued this questioÌ„ whether the Sonne of God might haue takeÌ„ vpon him the nature of an Asse This monstruousnesse which all the godly do worthyly abhorre as detestable let Osiander coâ—fute with this pretense that it is neuer expressely confuted in the Scripture As though when Paule accompteth nothing precious or worthy to be knowen but Christ crucified he doth therfore admit an Asse to be the authour of saluatioÌ„ Therfore he that in an other place reporteth that Christ by the eternal couÌ„sel of his father was ordeined to be a head to gather althinges together wil neuer the more acknowledge an other that hath no office of redemyng apointed him But as for the principle that he braggeth of it is very triflyng He would haue it that man was created after the image of God bicause he was fashioned after the paterne of Christ to come that he mighte resemble him whom the father had alredy decreed to clothe with our fleshe Whereupon he gathereth that yf Adam had neuer fallen froÌ„ his firste and vncorrupted originall state yet Christ should haue ben man Howe triflyng this is and wrested all menne that haue sounde iudgement do easily perceiue of themselues In the meane time first he thinketh that he hath seene what was the ymage of God that forsothe the glorie of God did not onely shyne in those excellent giftes wherewith he was garnished but also that God himselfe essentially dwelt in him But as for me although I graunt that AdaÌ„ did beare the image of God in so much as he was ioyned to God whiche is the true and hyest perfection of dignitie yet I saye that the likenesse of God is no where els to bee sought but in those markes of excellencie wherewith he had garnisshed Adam aboue other liuynge creatures And that Christe was then the image of God all menne doe graunt with one consent and therefore that what so euer excellencie was grauen in Adam it proceded from this that by the onely begotten sonne he approched to the glorie of his creatour Therefore manne was created after the image of God in whome the creatours will was to haue his glorie seene as in a lookynge glasse To this degree of honour was he aduauÌ„ced by the benefite of the only begotteÌ„ sonne But I saye further that the same sonne was a common head as well to Angels as to menne so that the same dignitie that was bestowed vpon manne did also belong vnto Angels For when we heare them called the children of God it were inconuenient to denie that there is somethyng in them wherein they resemble their father Nowe yf his will was to haue his glorie to be represented as well in Angels as in menne and to be seene in bothe natures Osiander dothe fondely trifâ—e in sayeng that the Angeles were then set behinde menne bicause they did not beare the image of Christ. For they could not continually enioye the present beholdyng of God vnlesse they were like hym And Paule teacheth that menne are no otherwise renewed after the image of God but if they be coupled with Angels that they maye cleane together vnder one head Finally yf we beleue Christ this shal be our laste felicitie to be made of like forme to the Angeles when we shal be receyued vp into heauen But if Osiander will conclude that the originall paterne of the image of God was in Christ as he is man by the same reason a manne maye say that Christ muste needes haue ben partaker of the nature of Angels bicause the image of God perteineth also to them Therefore Osiander hath no cause to feare that God shoulde bee found a lier vnlesse it had ben firste stedfastly and vnchangeably decreed in his minde to haue his sonne incarnate bycause yf the integritie of Adam had not fallen he should with the Angels haue ben like vnto God and yet it should not therfore haue ben necessarie 〈◊〉 the sonne of God should be made eyther man or Angel And in â—ame he feareth that absurditie least vnlesse the vnchangeable counsell of God had ben before the creation of man that Christ should be borne not as the redemer but as the first man he should haue loste
of generatioÌ„ from the common maner for that by her Christ was begotten of the seede of Dauid For euen in the same sort that Isaac was begotten of Abraham â–ª Salomon of Dauid and Ioseph of Iacob likewise it is sayd that Christ was begotteÌ„ of his mother For the Euangelist so frameth the order of his speache and willyng to proue that Christ came of Dauid is contented with this one reason that he was begotten of Marie Whereby it foloweth that he toke if for a matter confessed that Marie was of kinne to Ioseph The absurdities wherewith they would charge vs are stuffed ful of childish cauillations Thei thinke it a shame dishonour to Christ if he should haue taken his original of men bicause so he could not be exempt from the vniuersall lawe that encloseth all the ofspryng of Adam without exceptioÌ„ vnder sinne But the comparison that we reade in Paul doth easily assoyle this doubte that as by one maÌ„ came sinne and by sinne death so by the righteousnesse of one man grace hath abounded Wherewith also agreeth an other comparison of his the first Adam of earth earthly and natural the second of heauen heaueÌ„ly Therefore in an other place the same Apostle where he teacheth that Christ was sent in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to satifâ—ie the law doth so expresly seuer him from the common estate of men that he be very man without fault and corruptioÌ„ But very childishly they trifle in reasonyng thus If Christ be free from all spot and was by the secret workyng of the holy ghost begotten of the seede of Marie then is not the womans seede but only the mans seede vncleane For we doe not make Christ free from all spot for this cause that he is only engeÌ„dred of his mother without copulatioÌ„ of man but bicause he is sanctified by the holy ghost that the generation might be pure and vncorrupted such as should haue ben before the fall of Adam And this alway remayned stedfastly determined with vs that so oft as the scripture putteth vs in minde of the clennesse of Christ it is meant of his true nature of manhode bicause it were superfluous to say that God is cleane Also the sanctificatioÌ„ that he speaketh of in the .xvii. of Iohn could haue no place in the nature of God Neyther are their fayned two sedes of AdaÌ„ although there came no infection to Christ bicause the generatioÌ„ of man is not vncleane or vicious of it self but accidentall by his faâ—lyng Therefore it is no maruel if Christ by whome the estate of innocencie was to be restored were exempt from common corruption And whereas also they thrust this vpon vs for an absurditie â–ª that yf the Worde of God did put on flesh then was it enclosed in a narrow pryson of an earthly bodie this is but mere waywardenesse bycause although the infinite essence of the Worde did growe together into one person with the nature of man yet do we fayne no enclosyng of it For the Sonne of God descended maruellously from heauen so as yet he left not heauen it was his will to bee maruelously borne in the Uirgins wombe to be conuersant in earth hange vpon the crosse yet that he alway filled the world euen as at the beginnyng The .xiiii. Chapter ¶ Howe the â—wo natures of the Mediatour do make one persone NOw where it is sayd that the Worde was made flesh that is not so to be vnderstanded as though it were eâ—her turned into flesh â–ª or confusely mingled with flesh but bicause he chose him a temple of the Uirgins wombe to dwell in he that was the Sonne of God became also the sonne of man not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of persone For we so affirme the godhed ioyned vnited to the manhode that eyther of theÌ„ haue their whole propretie remayning and yet of them bothe is made one Christ. If any thyng in all worldly thinges maye be found like to so great a misterie the similitude of man is moste fit whome we see to consist of two substances whereof yet neyther is so myngled with other but that eyther kepeth the propertie of his owne nature For neyther is the soule the body nor the body the soule Wherefore both that thyng maye be seuerally spoken of the soule whiche can no waye agree with the body and likewise of the body that thynge maye be sayd whiche can by no meane agree with the soule and that maye be sayd of the whole man whiche can be but vnfitly taken neyther of the soule nor of the body seuerally Finally the propreties of the soule are sometime attributed to the body and the properties of the body sometime to the soule â–ª and yet he that consisteth of them is but one man and not many But such formes of speache do signiâ—ie bothe that there is one persone in man compounded of two natures knit together and that there are two diuerse natures which do make the same persone And so doe the Scriptures speake of Christ Sometime they geue vnto him those thinges that ought singularly to be referred to his manhode and sometime those thinges that do peculiarly belong to his godhed and sometime those thinges that do comprehend both natures and doe agree with neyther of them seuerally And this conioynynge of the two natures that are in Christ they doe with suche religiousnesse expresse that sometime they do put them in common together which figure is among the olde authors called Communicatyng of propreties These things were but weake vnlesse many phrases of Scripture and such as be eche where redy to finde dyd proue that nothing hereof hath ben deuised by man That same thing whiche Christ spake of himself sayeng Before that AbrahaÌ„ was I am was far disagreyng from his maÌ„hode Neither am I ignorant with what cauillation the erronious spirites do depraue this place for they say that he was before all ages bicause he was alredy foreknowen the Redemer as well in the counsell of the father as in the mindes of the godly But where as he openly distinguissheth the daye of his manifestation from his eternall essence oâ— purpose pronunceâ—h vnto himselfe an authoritie by antiquitie wherin he excelleth aboue AbrahaÌ„ he doth vndoutedly chalenge to himself the which is propre to the godhed Wheras Paule affirmeth that he is the first begotteÌ„ of al creatures which was before al thinges by whom al thinges kepe their beyng wheras he himself reporteth that he was in glorie with the father before the creation of the world that he worketh together with the father these things do nothing more agree with the nature of men It is therfore certaine that these such like are peculiarly ascribed to the godhed But wheras he is called the seruant of the father wheras it is sayd that he grew in age wisedome and fauour with God and men that he seketh not his owne glorie
Mediator yet his godlynesse is praised Cornelius a Gentile a Romaine could scarcely vnderstand that which was knowen not to al the Iewes yea that very darkely yet his almes praiers were acceptable to God And the sacrifice of Naaman by the Prophets answer allowed Whych thing neither of them coulde obteine but by faythe Lykewise yt maie be sayde of the Ennuche to whome Philppe was carried why the yf he hadde not had some faythe woulde not haue taken vpon him the trauayle and exspenses of so longe a iourney to worshippe Yet we see when Philippe examined him how he bewrayed his ignorance of the Mediator And truely I graunte that theyr faythe was 〈◊〉 vnexpressed not only concerning Christes person but also concerninge his power and the office committed vnto him of the Father Yet in the meane time it is certaine that thei were instructed in suche principles as gaue them some taste of Christe althoughe but very small Neyther ought this to seeme strange For neither wold the Eunuche haue come in haste to Ierusalem from a farre countrie to worship an vnknowen God neither did Cornelius when he had ones embraced the Iewish religion spende so much time without being acquainted with the first groundes of true doctrine As for Naaman it had ben to fonde an absurditie for Elyzeus when he taught him of small thynges to haue saide nothinge of the principal pointe Therefore although there were among them a darke knoweledge of Christ yet it is not likely that ther was no knowledge bicause thei did vse them selues in the sacrifices of the lawe whiche must haue been discerned by the very ende of them that is Christe from the false sacrifices of the Gentiles But this bare and outward declaration of the word of God ought to haue largely sufficed to make it be beleued if our owne blyndenesse and stubbournesse did not withstande it But oure minde hath suche an inclination to vanitie that it can neuer cleaue faste vnto the trueth of God and hathe suche a dulnesse that it is alwaie blinde and can not see the light thereof Therefore there is nothynge auailably done by the worde without the enlightninge of the holy ghoste Whereby also appeareth that faithe is farre aboue mans vnderstanding Neither shal it be sufficient that the minde be lightned with the spirit of God vnlesse the hearte be also strengthened and stablished with his power Wherein the Schoolemen do altogether erre whiche in considerynge of faithe do onely take holde of a bare and simple assent by knowledg leauinge out the confidence and assurednesse of the heart Therefore faith is both waies a syngular gyfte of God bothe that the mynde of man is cleansed to taste the trueth of God and that his hearte is stablished therein For the holy ghoste not onely is the beginner of faythe but also by degrees encreaseth it vntil by it he bring vs to the heauenly kingdome That good thinge saith Paule whiche was committed to thy keping kepe in the holy ghoste which dwelleth in vs. But howe Paule saithe that the holy ghoste is geuen by the hearing of faythe we may easily dissolue it If there hadde ben but one onely gyfte of the holy ghoste then it had ben an absurditie for him to call the holy ghost the effect of faith whyche is the author and cause of faithe But when he maketh report of the gyftes wherewyth God garnysheth his Churche and by encreasinges of faithe bryngeth it to perfection it is no meruell if he ascribe those thynges to faithe whiche maketh vs fitt to receiue them This is reckened a moste strange conclusion when it is saide that no man but he to whome it is geuen can beleue in Christ. But that is partely bycause they do not consyder either howe secrete and hye the heauenly wysedome is or howe greate mans dulnesse is in conceiuinge the misteries of God and partly bycause they looke not vnto that assured and stedfast constantnesse of hearte that is to saye the cheefe parte of faith But if as Paule preacheth no manne is wytnesse of the wyll of manne but the spirite of manne that is within him then howe shoulde man be sure of the will of God And if the truth of God be vncertaine among vs in those thinges that we presently beholde with our eye how shold it be assured stedfast among vs ther wher the lord promiseth such thinge as neither eye seeth nor witt comprehendeth But herein mans sharpnesse of vnderstanding is so ouerthrowen faileth that the fyrste degrees of profitinge in Gods schoole is to forsake his owne wit For by it as by a veile cast before vs we are hyndred that we can not atteine the misteries of God whiche are not disclosed but to little ones For neither dothe flesh blood disclose nor natural man perceiue those things that are of the Spirit but rather to him the learning of God is foolishnesse bicause it is spiritually to be iudged Therfore herin the helpe of the holy ghost is necessarie or rather herein his force onely reigneth Ther is noman that knoweth the minde of God or hath ben his counseller but the holy Spirit searcheth out all thinges euen the depe secretes of God by whome it is brought to passe that we know the minde of Christ No man saith he can come to me vnlesse my father that sent me drawe hym Euery one therfore that hath heard learned of my father commeth Not that any man hath seen the father but he that is sent to God Euen as therfore we can not come vnto Christ but being drawen by the Spirit of God so when we be drawen we are lifted vp in witt minde aboue our owne vnderstanding For the soule enlightned by hym taketh as it wer a new sharpnes of vnderstanding wherwith it maye beholde heauenly misteries with brightnes wherof it was before daseled in it selfe And so mans vnderstanding receiuing brightnesse by the lighte of the holy ghost doth neuer till then truely beginne to taste of those thinges that belong to the kingdome of God being before altogether vnfauourie and without iudgment of tast to take assay of them Therfore when Christ did notably set out vnto two of hys Disciples the misteries of his kingdome yet he nothing preuailed vntill he opened their senses that they might vnderstand the Scriptures When the Apostles weare so taughte by his Godly mouth yet the Spirit of truth must be sent vnto them to poure into their mindes that same doctrine whiche they had hearde with their eares The worde of God is like vnto the sunne that shineth vnto all them to whome it is preached but to no profit amonge blinde men But we are al in this behalfe blind by nature therfore it can not pearce into our minde but by the inward master the holy ghoste making by his enlightning an entrie for it In an other place when we had to entreat of the corruption of natur we haue
more largely shewed how vnfit men are to beleue Therefore I wil not wery the readers with repeting the same againe Let this be sufficient that the spirit of faith is called of Paule faith it selfe which the spirit geueth vs but not which we haue naturally Therfore he praieth that god fulfil in the Thessalonians al his good pleasure the worke of faith in power Wherin calling faithe the worke of God geuing it that title for a name of additiō calling it by figure of appositiō Gods good pleasure he denieth that it is of mans own motion not contented therwith he addeth further that it is a declaratiō of Gods power writing to the Corynthians where he saith that faithe hangeth not vpon the wisedome of men but is grounded vpon the power of the holy ghoste He speaketh in dede of outewarde miracles but bicause the reprobate are blynde at the beholding of them hee comprehendeth also that inwarde seale wherof he maketh mention in an other place And God the more gloriously to set forthe his liberalitie in so noble a gifte vouchesaueth not to graunt it to al vniuersally without difference but by singular priuilege geueth it to whome he will For proofe whereof we haue alleged testimonies before Of which Augustine being a faithfull expositor crieth out that it woulde please the sauioure to teache him and that the very beleuing it selfe is of gifte and not of deseruing Noman saith he commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him and to whome it is geuen of my father It is maruellous that twoo do heare the one despyseth the other ascendeth vp Let him that despiseth impute it to himselfe let him that ascende not yt arrogantly assigne to himselfe In an other place Why is it geuen to one and not to an other It greueth me not to say it this is the depth of the crosse Out of I wote not what depth of the iudgmentes of God which we mate not searche procedeth all that we can What I can I see whereby I can I see not sauinge that I see thus farre that it is of God But why hym and not hym That is muche to me It is a bottomelesse depth it is the depth of the crosse I maie crie out with woundering but not shewe it in disputing ▪ Finally the summe commeth to this that Christ when he enlightneth vs vnto faith by the power of hys spirite doth there withall graffe vs into his bodie that wee maie be made partakers of all good thynges Nowe remaineth that that whiche the minde hathe receiued may be further conueied into the heart For the word of God is not throughly receiued by faith if it swimme in the toppe of the braine but when it hath taken roote in the bottome of the heart that it may be an inuincible defense to beare and repulse all the engines of tentations Now if it be true that the true vnderstanding of the mynde is the enlightning thereof then in such confyrmation of the hearte his power much more euidently appeareth euen by so muche as the distrustfulnesse of the hearte is greater than the blindnesse of the witte and as it is harder to haue the mynde furnyshed wyth assurednesse than the witte to bee instructed with thinking Therefore the Spirit perfourmeth the office of a seale to seale vp in our heartes those same promyses the assurance whereof it fyrste emprinted in oure wittes and serueth for an earnest to confyrme and stablyshe them Sithe ye beleued saith the Apostle ye are sealed vp with the holy Spirite of promyse whiche is the earnest of oure inheritance See you not how he teacheth that by the spirit the heartes of the fathfull are grauen as with a seale and how for the same reason he calleth him the Spirite of promise bycause he ratifieth the Gospell vnto vs Lykewyse to the Corynthians he saithe God whiche annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and geuen the earnest of hys Spirite in oure heartes And in an other place when he speaketh of confidence and boldnesse of hopigne well hee maketh the pledge of the Spirite the foundation thereof Neither yet haue I forgotten that whyche I sayde before the remembrance whereof experience continually reneweth that is that faithe is tossed wyth dyuerse doubtynges so that the myndes of the godly are seldome quyet or at least doe not alwaie enioye a peafable state but wyth what soeuer engine they be shaken either thei rise vp out of the very gulfe of temptations or do abide faste in their standing Truely thys assurednesse onely nourisheth and defendeth faithe when we holde fast that whiche is saide in the Psalme The Lorde ys oure protection oure helpe in trouble therefore we will not feare whē the earthe shall tremble and the mountaines shal leape into the heart of the sea Also this moste swete quietnesse is spoken of in an other place I laye downe and slepte and rose againe bycause the Lorde hathe susteined me It is not meante thereby that Dauid was alwaie wyth one vndisturbed course framed to a merry cherefulnesse but in respect that hee tasted the grace of God according to his proportion of faith therefore hee gloryeth that hee wythoute feare despiseth all that euer might disquiet the peace of his minde Therfore the Scripture meaning to exhort vs to faith biddeth vs to be quiet In Esaie it is saide In hope and silence shall be your strength In the Psalme Holde thee stil in the Lorde and waite for him Wherwith agreeth that saieng of the Apostle to the Hebrues Patience is needefull c. Hereby we may iudge how pestilent is that doctrine of the Scholemen that we can no otherwise determine of the grace of God towarde vs than by morall coniecture as euery man thinketh himselfe worthy of it Truely if we shall weie by oure workes howe God is minded towarde vs I graunt that we can atteine yt wyth any coniecture be yt neuer so sclender but sith faithe oughte to haue relation to a simple free promise there is lefte no cause of doubtiong For with what confidence I beseache you shall we be armed if we saie that God is fauourable vnto vs vpon this condition so that the purenesse of oure life do deserue it But bycause I haue appoynted one place proprely for the discussing herof therfore I wil speake no more of them at this present specially for asmuche as it is plaine enoughe that there is nothinge more contrarie to faith than either coniecture or any thinge nere vnto doubting And thei do very ill writhe to this purpose that testimonie of the Preacher whiche thei haue ofte in their mouthes Noman knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or loue For to speake nothinge how this place is in the common translation corruply turned yet very children can not be ignorant what Salomon meaneth by such words that is that if any man will iudge by the present state of things whom God hateth or whom God
loueth he laboreth in vaine and troubleth himselfe to no profitte for his peines sithe all thinges happen alike both to the righteous and the wicked to him that offreth sacrifices and him that offreth none Whervpon foloweth that God doth not alway witnesse hys loue to them to whome hee maketh all thynges happen prosperously nor dothe alwaies vtter the hatred to them whome hee punisheth And that he dothe to condemne the vanitie of mans witte sith it is so dull in thynges moste needefull to be knowen As he hadde written a little before that it canne not be discerned what the soule of a man differeth from the soule of a beast bicause it seemeth to dye in like manner If any manne will gether thereof that the opinion that wee holde of the immortalitie of soules standeth vpon coniecture maye he not worthyly be compted a madde manne Are they then in theyr right wittes whiche gather that there is no certaintie of Gods grace bycause wee can conceyue none by the carnal beeholdynge of presente thynges But thei alleage that it is a point of rashe presumption to take vpon vs an vndoubted knoweledge of Gods will I woulde in dede graunt it vnto them if we did take so muche vpon vs that we wolde make the incomprehensible secret purpose of God subiect to the sclendernesse of oure witte But when we symply saie with Paule that we haue receiued not the spirite of thys worlde but the Spirit that is of God by whose teachinge wee maie knowe those thinges that are geuen vs of God what canne thei barke againste it but they muste slaunderously speake against the Spirit of God But if it be a horrible robberie of God to accuse the reuelation that commeth from him either to be lyeng or vnassured or doubtefull what do we offend in affyrminge that it is assured But they say that this also is not without greate presumptuousnesse that we dare so glorie of the Spirit of Christe Who woulde thynke that their dulnesse were so greate that woulde bee compted maisters of the worlde that they so fowly stumble in the fyrste principles of religion Surely I woulde not thinke it credible vnlesse theyr owne wrytynges that are abroade dyd testifie yt Paule pronounceth that they onely are the chyldren of God that are moued wyth hys spirit and these menne woulde haue them that bee the chyldren of God to be moued wyth theyr own spirit to be without the Spirite of God Paule teacheth that we call God oure Father as the holy ghoste ministreth that woorde vnto vs whyche onely canne beare witnesse to oure spirite that we are the children of God These men althoughe they forbydde vs not to call vpon God yet do take awaie his Spirite by whose guydinge hee shoulde haue been rightly called vpon Paule denyeth that thei are the seruantes of Christ that are not moued with the Spirit of Christ these men faine a Christianitie that needeth not the Spirit of Christe Paule maketh no hope of the blessed resurrection vnlesse wee feele the holy ghoste abydynge in vs they forge a hope withoute any suche feeling But peraduenture the will answere that thei do not denie that we ought to be endued with it but y◠it is a point of modestie and humilitie not to acknowledge it What meaneth he then when he biddeth the Corynthians to trie whether thei be in the faith to proue themselues whether thei haue Christe whome vnlesse a man do acknowledge to be dwelling in him he is a reprobate But by the Spirite that God hath geuen vs saith Ihon we knowe that he abydeth in vs. And what do we els but cal the promises of Christ in dout when we will be compted the seruantes of God without his Spirite whiche he hathe openly declared that he woulde poure out vpon all his Biside that we do wronge to the holy ghoste whiche do separate from him faithe that is his peculiar worke Sithe these are the firste lessons of godlie religion it is a token of miserable blindenesse to haue Christians noted of arrogancie that dare glorie of the presence of the holy ghoste without whiche glorieng Christianitie it selfe dothe not stand But thei declare by their example how truely Christ saide that his Spirite is vnknowen to the worlde and is onely knowen of them with whome he abideth And bycause thei will not go about to ouerthrowe the stedfastnesse of faith with digging onely of one myne they assayle it also otherwise For thei say that although according to our present state of righteousnes we mai gather a iudgment of the grace of God yet the knowledg of perseuerance to the ende abideth in suspense A goodly cōfidence of saluation forsoothe is left vnto vs if we iudge by morall coniecture that for a presēt moment we be in fauoure what shal become of vs to morrow we can not tell The Apostle teacheth farr otherwise I am surely perswaded saith he that neither angeles nor powers nor principalities neither death nor life neither present things nor things to come shal seuer vs frō the loue wherwith the lord embraceth vs in Christ. Thei seke to escape with a trifling solutiō pratinge that the Apostle had that by speciall reuelation But thei are holden to hard to slippe away so For ther he entreateth of those good things that cōmonly come by faith to the faithfull not those that he himselfe specialli feleth But the same Paule in an other place putteth vs in feare with mention of our weakenes vnstedfastnes Let him that standeth saith he beware that he fal not It is true but not suche a feare wherby we shold be ouerthrowē but wherby we may learne to humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God as Peter expoundeth it Then how against ordre truthe is it to limite the assurednes of faith to a moment of time whose propretie is to passe beyond the spaces of this life extend further to immortalitie to come Sithe therefore the faithfull do impute it to the grace of God that being lightned with his spirite thei do by faith enioy the beholding of the heauenly life so farr is such glorieng frō presumptuousnesse that if any man be ashamed to confesse it he doth therin more bewraie his extreeme vnthankfulnesse in vnkindely hiding Gods goodnes than he doth declare his modestie or submissiō Bicause it semed that the nature of faith could not otherwise better or more plainly be declared than by the substance of the promise vpon whiche it resteth as vpon her propre foundation so that if the promise be taken away faith by by falleth down or rather vanisheth away therfore we toke our definition frō thense which yet varieth not from y◠definition or rather descriptiō of the Apostle that he applieth to his discourse wher he saith that faithe is a substance of thinges to be hoped for a certaintie of things that are not seen For by this word Hypostasis
the olde man to forsake the world flesh to bidde our lustes farewel to be renewed in the spirit of our minde Morouer the very name of mortificatioÌ„ doth put vs in minde how hard it is to forget our former nature bicause we therby gather that we are not otherwise framed to the feare of God nor do learne the principles of godlinesse but when we are violently slaine with the worde of the Spirit and so brought to nought euen as though God should pronounce that to haue vs to be accompted amonge his children there needeth a death of all our commune nature Both these thinges do happen vnto vs by the partaking of Christ For yf we doe truely communicate of his death by the power there of our old man is crucified the body of sinne dieth that the corruption of our former nature maye liue no more If we be partakers of his resurrection by it we are raised vp into a newnesse of life that maye agree with the righteousnesse of God In one worde I expouÌ„d repentance to be regeneration which hath no other marke wherunto it is directed but that the image of God which was by Adams offence fowly defaced in a maÌ„ner vitterly blotted out may be renewed in vs So the Apostle teacheth wheÌ„ he sayth but we representyng the glory of God with vncouered face are transâ—ormed into the same image out of glorie into glorie as by the spirit of the Lord. Againe Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde and put on the new man whiche is created accordyng to God in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth Agayne in an other place puttyng on the new man whiche is renewed after the knowledge and image of hym that created him Therefore by this regeneration we be by the benefit of Christ restored into the righteousnesse of God from which we were fallen by Adam After which manner it pleaseth the lord wholly to restore all those whome he adopteth into the inheritance of life And this restoryng is fulfilled not in one moment or one day or one yere but by continuall yea and sometimes slowe procedynges God taketh awaye the corruptions of the fleshe in his elect cleanseth them from filthinesse and consecrateth them for temples to himself renewyng all their senses to true purenesse that they maye exercise themselues all their life in repentance and knowe that this warre hath no ende but in death And so much the greater is the lewdenesse of that filthy rayler apostata Staphylus whiche foolishly sayth that I confound the state of this present life with the heauenly glorie when I expounde by Paule the image of God to be holinesse and true righteousnesse As though when any thing is defined we should not seke the whole fulnesse perfection of it And yet we denie not place for encreasces but I saye that howe nere any man approcheth to the likenesse of God so much the image of God shineth in him That the faithful may atteyne hereunto God assigneth them the race of repentance wherin to runne all their life long The children of God therfore are so deliuered by regeneratioÌ„ from the bondage of sinne not that hauing now obteined the ful possessioÌ„ of libertie thei should fele no more trouble by their flesh but that thei shold haue remayning a continual matter of stryfe wherwith they maye be exercised and not only be exercised but also maye better learne their owne weakenesse And in this point all wryters of sound iudgement agre together that ther remaineth in maÌ„ regenerate a feding of euel from whense continually spryng desires that allure and stirre him to sinne They coÌ„fesse also that the holy ones are still so holden entangled with that disease of lusting that they can not withstand but that somtime they are tickled and stirred either to lust or to couetousnesse or to ambition or to other vices Neither is it needefull to labour muche in searchyng what the old writers haue thought herein for asmuche as only Augustine may be sufficient for it whiche hath faithfully with great diligence gathered al their iudgemeÌ„tes Therfore let yâ— readers gather out of him such certaintie as they shall desire to learne of the opinion of antiquitie But there may seme to be this differeÌ„ce betwene him vs that he when he graunteth that the faithfull so long as they dwell in a mortal body are so holden bound with lustes that they can not but lust yet dareth not call that disease sinne but beyng coÌ„tent to expresse it by the name of weakenesse he teacheth that then only it becoÌ„meth sinne when either worke or consent is added to conceite or receiuyng that is when will yeldeth to the first desire but we accompt the very same for sinne that maÌ„ is tickled with any desire at al against the law of God Yea we affirme that the very corruption that engendreth such desires in vs is sinne We teach therfore that there is alway sinne in the holy ones vntil they be vnclothed of the mortall body bycause there remaineth in their fleshe that peruersnesse of lustyng that fighteth against vprightnesse And yet he doth not alway forbeare to vse the name of Sinne as when he sayth This Paule calleth by the name of sinne from whense spryng all sinnes vnto a fleshly concupiscence This asmuch as perteyneth to the holy ones loseth the kingdome in earth and perisheth in heauen By which wordes he confesseth that the faithfull are gilty of sinne in so much as they are subiect to the lustes of the fleshe But this that it is sayd that God purgeth his church froÌ„ al sinne that he promiseth that grace of deliuerance by Baptisme fulfilleth it in his elect we referre rather to the giltinesse of sinne thaÌ„ to the very matter of sinne God truely performeth this by regeneratyng them that be his that in them the kingdome of sinne is abolished for the holy ghost ministreth theÌ„ strength whereby they get the vpper hand and are conquerors in the battell but it cesseth only to reigne not so to â—well in them Therfore we so say that the olde man is crucified the law of sinne abolished in the children of God that yet there remayne some leauynges not to haue dominion in them but to humble them by knowledge in conscience of their owne weakenesse And we confesse that the same are not imputed as if they weare not but we affirme that this coÌ„meth to passe by the mercie of God that the holy ones are deliuered from this giltinesse whiche otherwise should iustly be reckened sinners and gilty before God And this sentence it shall not be hard for vs to coÌ„firme for asmuch as there are euident testimonies of the scripture vpoÌ„ their matter For what wold we haue more plaine than that which Paul crieth out to the Romanes chap. vii First both we haue in an other place shewed and Augustine proueth by strong reasons that Paule
there speaketh in the persone of a maÌ„ regenerate I speake not of this that he vseth these wordes Euell Sinne that thei which wil speake against vs may not cauil against those words but whoe can denie that a striuing against the lawe of God is euell whoe can denie a withstanding of Iustice to be sinne Finally whoe wâ—ll not graunt that there is a fault where is a spiritual miserie But al these thinges are reported of this disease by Paule Againe we haue an assured demonstration by the law by whiche this whole question may easily be discussed For we are coÌ„maunded to loue God with all our heart with al our soule with al our powers Sithe al the partes of our soule ought so to be occupied with the loue of God it is certaine that they satisfie not the coÌ„maundement that conceiue in their heart any desire be it neuer so litle or suffer any such thought at all to entre into their minde as maye withdraw them from the loue of God into vanitie For what are not these the powers of the soule to be affected with sodeine motions to coÌ„prehend with wit to coÌ„ceyue with minde Therfore when these do open a way for vaine or corrupt thoughtes to entre into them do they not shew that they are euen so much voide of the loue of God Wherfore who so confesseth not that all the lustes of the flesh are sinnes and that the same disease of lusting which they call a fedyng is the well spryng of sinne he muste needes denie that the transgression of the lawe is sinne If any man thinke it an absurditie that all the desires wherwith man is naturally moued in affection are vniuersally condeÌ„ned wheras they be put into man by God the author of nature We answer that we doe not condemne those desires that God hath so engrauen into the minde of man at the firste creation that they can not be rooted out without destroyeng the very nature of man but only outragious and vnbridled motions that fight against the ordinance of God But nowe sithe by reason of the peruersnesse of nature all her powers are infected and corrupted that in all her doynges appereth a continuall disorder and intemperance bicause the desires can not be seuered froÌ„ such intemperance therefore we say that they are corrupt Or if you like to haue the whole summe in fewer wordes we teache that all the desires of men are euell and we accuse them to be gilty of sinne not in that that they are naturall but for that they are inordinate and we call them inordinate bycause no pure or cleane thynge can come out of a corrupte and vncleane nature And Augustine dothe not so much varie from this doctrine as he appereth in shewe while he somwhat to much feareth the enuie that the Pelagians labored to bryng him into he sometime forbeareth to vse the name of sinne Yet where he writeth that the law of sinne still remaynyng in the holy ones the onely giltinesse is taken awaye he plainely sheweth that he doth not so much disagree from our meanyng We will alleage some other sentences wherby shal better appere what he thought In yâ— second boke against Iulian This law of sinne is both released by the spiritual regeneration abideth in the mortal flesh released herein bicause the giltnesse is taken away in the sacrament whereby the faithfull are regenerate and it abideth bycause it worketh the desires agaynst whiche the faythfull doe fight Agayne Therfore the law of sinne which was also in the membres of so great an Apostle is released in baptisme but not ended Agayne The lawe of sinne of which yet remainyng the giltinesse is in baptisme discharged Ambrose called wickednesse bicause it is wickednesse for the flesh to lust against the Spirit Againe Sinne is dead in respect of that giltinesse wherin it helde vs and euen beyng dead it still rebelleth til it be healed with perfection of burial And yet playner in the v. boke As the blindenesse of heart is bothe a sinne whereby menne beleueth not in God and also a punishment of sinne whereby a proude heart is chastised with worthy correction and the cause of sinne when any thyng is committed by the errour of a blinde heart so the lust of flesh agaynste whiche a good spirit lusteth is bothe sinne bycause there is in it disobedience agaynst the gouernement of the minde and also the punishment of sinne bycause it is geuen for recompense to the deseruynges of the disobedient and the cause of sinne in manne when he consenteth by defection or in manne when he is borne by infection Here wythout anye doubtefull speache he calleth it sinne bycause when errour was ones ouerthroweÌ„ and the truth coÌ„firmed he lesse feared sclaunderours reportes As in the .xlj. Homelie vpoÌ„ Iohn where doâ—tlesse he speaketh according to the true meaning of his mind he sayth If in the flesh thou serue the law of sinne do that whiche the Apostle himself sayth let not sinne reigne in your mortal bodie to obey the desires therof He sayth not let it not be but let it not reigne So long as thou liuest sinne must needes be in thy meÌ„bres at least let Reigne be taken from it Let not that be done whiche it commaundeth They that defend that luste is no sinne are wont to obiecte that sayeng of Iames Lust after that it hath conceiued bryngeth forth sinne But this is easily confuted For vnlesse we thinke that he speaketh of only ill workes or actuall sinnes euell will it self shall not be accompted sinne But where he calleth mischeuous deedes and wicked offenses the ofsprynges of sinne and geueth vnto them the name of sinnne it doth not by and by folow thereof but that to luste is an euell thyng and damnable before God Certaine Anabaptistes in this age deuise I wote not what phreÌ„tike intemperance in stede of spirituall regeneration sayeng that the children of God restored into the state of innoceÌ„cie now ought no more to be carefull for bridlyng of the luste of the fleshe that the Spirit is to be folowed for their guide vnder whose guidyng they neuer goe out of the way It were incredible that mans minde could fall to so great madnesse vnlesse they did opeÌ„ly and proudely babble abrode this doctrine Truely it is monstruous But it is mete that suche should suffer the punishment of suche blasphemous boldnesse that so haue persuaded their minde to turne the truth of God into a lie Shal al the choise of honestie and dishonestie righte and wronge good and euell vertue and vice be taken awaye â–ª Suche difference saye they coÌ„meth of the cursednesse of olde Adam from whiche we are exempted by Christe So nowe there shal be no difference betwene fornication and chastitie playne dealyng and sutteltie truthe and lyeng iustice and extortion Take awaye vayne feare saye they the Spirit will commaund thee no euell thyng so that thou boldly and without feare yelde thee to
make men openly of counsell and witnesses of our repentance but to confesse priuately to God is a part of true repentance whiche can not be omitted For there is nothing more vnreasonable than to loke to haue God to pardon vs the sinnes in whiche we flatter our selues do hide them by Hipocrisye least he should bryng them to light And it behoueth vs not only to confesse those sinnes whiche we dayely coÌ„mit but more greuous offenses ought to drawe vs further and to cal agayne into our remembrance thynges that seme longe agoe buried Whiche lesson Dauid geueth vs by his example For beyng touched with shame of his newly committed fault he examineth himself euen to the time when he was in his mothers wombe and confesseth that euen then he was corrupted and infected with the filthinesse of the fleshe And this he doeth not to diminish the haynousnesse of his fault as many hide themselues in the multitude and seke to escape punishment by wrappyng other with them But Dauid doth far otherwise which with simple plainesse enforceth his fault in sayeng that beyng corrupt froÌ„ his first infancie he hath not cessed to heape euels vpon euels Also in an other place he likewise so examineth his passed life that he craueth the mercie of God for that sinnes of his youth And truely theÌ„ only shal we proue our drowsinesse to be shaken away froÌ„ vs if gronyng vnder our burden and bewayling our euels we aske reliâ—se of God It is moreouer to be noted that the repentance which we are coÌ„mauÌ„ded coÌ„tinually to applie differeth froÌ„ that repeÌ„tance that lifteth vp as it were from death them that either haue filthily fallen or with vnbridled licentiousnesse haue throwen forth themselues to sinne or after a certaine manner of rebellions reuoltyng haue shaken of the yoke of God For the Scripture ofteÌ„times when it exhorteth to repeÌ„tance meaneth therby as it were a passage or rising againe froÌ„ death into life when it reherseth that the people did penaunce it meaneth that they were turned froÌ„ their idolatrie other grolâ—e offences And in like maner Paul threateneth mourning vnto sinners that haue not done penance for their wantonnesse fornication vnchastitie This differeÌ„ce is to be diligently marked least while we heare that few ar called to penaÌ„ce a more thaÌ„ carelesse assuredness shuld crepe vpoÌ„ vs as though the mortifieng of the fleshe did no more beloÌ„g vnto vs the care wherof the corrupt desires that alway tickle vs the vices that coÌ„monly budde vp in vs do not suffer vs to release Therfore the speciall repentance which is required but of some whoÌ„ the Deuell hath violeÌ„tly carried away froÌ„ the feare of God fast bound with daÌ„nable snares taketh not away the ordinary repeÌ„tance which the corruptnesse of nature coÌ„pelleth vs to applie throughout all the whole course of our life Now if that be true which is most euidently certaine that all the summe oâ— the gospel is conteined in these two principall pointes Repentance forgeuenesse of sinnes doe we not see that the Lord doth therefore freely iustifie them that be his that he may also by the sanctification of his Spirit restore them into true righteousnesse Iohn the Angel sent before â— face of Christ to prepare his wayes preached Repent ye for the kyngdome of heauen is come nere at hande In callyng them to repentance he dyd put them in minde to acknowlege themselues sinners and all that was theirs to be damnable before the Lord that they might with all their heartes to desire the mortifâ—eng of their fleshe a newe regeneration in the Spirit In tellyng them of the kingdome of God he called them to faith For by the kingdome of God whiche he taught to be at hand he meant forgeuenesse of sinnes saluation and life and all that euer we get in Christ. Wherfore in the other Euangelistes it is written Iohn came preaching the Baptisme of repentaÌ„ce vnto â—orgeuenesse of sinnes And what is that els but that thei beyng oppressed weried with the burden of sinnes shold turne to the Lord conceyue good hope of forgeuenesse saluatioÌ„ So Christ also beganne his preachynges The kingdome of God is come nere at hand repent ye and beleue the Gospel First he declareth that the treasures of Gods mercie are opened in him and theÌ„ he requireth repentance and last of all coÌ„fidence in the promises of God â–ª Therfore when he meant briefly to coÌ„preheÌ„d the whole summe of the gospel he sayd that he must suffer rise agayne from the dead that repentance and forgeuenesse of sinnes must be preached in his name The Apostles also preached the same after his resurrection that he was raysed vp by God to geue to Israel repentance and forgeuenesse of sinnes Repentance is preached in the name of Christ when men do heare by the doctrine of the gospell that al their thoughtes their affections and their endeuors are corrupt and faulty and that therfore it is necessarie that they be borne againe if thei wyll entre into the kingdome of God Forgeuenesse of sinnes is preached when men ar taught that Christ is made to them redemption righteousnesse saluatioÌ„ and life in whose name they are freely accompted righteous and innocent in the sight of God whereas bothe these graces are receiued by fayth as I haue in an other place declared yet bicause the goodnesse of God whereby sinnes are forgeuen is the profe obiect of fayth therefore it shal be good that it be diligently distinguished from repentance Now as the hatred of sinne which is the beginnyng of repentaÌ„ce openeth vs the first entrie vnto Christ which sheweth himself to none but to miserable and afflicted sinners which grone labour are loden are hungry and thirsty and pine awaye with sorrowe and miserie so must we endeuor toward repentance throughout all our life applie it and follow it to the ende if we will abide in Christ. For he came to cal sinners but to repentance he was sent to blesse the vnworthy but so that euery one should turne himself froÌ„ his wickednesse The Scripture is full of such sayenges Wherefore when God offreth forgeuenesse of sinnes he likewise vseth to require on our parte repentance secretly declaryng thereby that his mercie ought to be to men a cause to repent them Do sayth he iudgement and righteousnesse bycause saluation is come nere at hand Agayne There shall come to Sion a Redemer and to them that in Iacob repeÌ„t from their sinnes Againe Seke the Lord while he may be found cal vpon him while he is nere Let the wicked leue his way the wickednesse of his thoughtes be turned to the Lord he shall haue mercie on him Againe Turne ye repent that your sinnes may be done away Where yet is to be noted that this coÌ„dition is not so annexed as though our repentance were a fundatioÌ„ to deserue pardoÌ„ but rather
away What then let that be set for the marke before our eyes to whiche alone all our endeuour may be directed Let that be apointed the gole for vs to runne trauaile vnto For it is not lawfull for thee so to make partitioÌ„ with God to take vpoÌ„ thee part of these thinges that are coÌ„mauÌ„ded thee in his word to leaue part at thine owne choise For first of all he euery where coÌ„mendeth integritie as the chefe parte of worshippinge him by which word he meaneth a pure simplicitie of mynde that is without all deceitfull colour faining against whiche a doble heart is set as contrarie as if it shold be sayd that the beginning of liuing vprightly is spiritual when the inward affection of the mind is without faining dedicate to God to obserue holinesse rightuousnesse But because no man in this earthly prison of the body hathe so great strength to haste with suche freshnesse of ruÌ„ning as he perfectly ought to do the greater number are so feble that with staggering halting yea creping vpon the ground they auaunce but slowly forward let vs euery one go according to the measure of his litle power procede on our iourney begon No man shal go so vntowardly but he shal eueryday get some ground thoug it be but litle Therfore let vs not cesse to trauail so that we may coÌ„tinually procede somwhat in the way of the lord And let us not despeire vpon the sclendernesse of our going forward for howsoeuer the successe answer not oure desire yet wee haue not lost our laboure when this day passeth yesterday so that with pure simplicitie we loke vnto our mark long toward the end of our course not soothingly flattering our selues nor tenderly bearing with our own euyls but with continuall endeuour trauailing to this that we may stil become better thaÌ„ our selues till we atteine to goodnesse it selfe whiche in deede we seke for and followe all our lyfe long but we shall then only atteine it when being vnclothed of the weakenesse of the fleshe we shal be receiued into the full fellowship therof The seuenth Chapter ¶ The summe of a Christian lyfe where is â—utreated of the forsaking of our selues ALbeit that the lawe of the Lorde haue a moste aptly well disposed order to frame a mans life yet it semed good to the heauenly scholemaister to instruct meÌ„ yet with a more exact trade to the same rule that he had set fourth in his lawe And the beginning of that trade is this that it is the dutie of the faithfull to yelde their bodies to God a liuing holy and acceptable sacrifice vnto him and that therein standeth the true worshipping of him Hereupon is gathered occasion to exhorte men that they do not applie them selues to the fashioÌ„ of this world but be transformed in renewinge of their mynde that they may proue what the wyll of God is Now this is a great thyng that we be consecrate and dedicate to God that we shoulde from thencefourth thynke speake imagine or do nothing but to his glorie For the thyng that is consecrate can not be applied to vnholy vses without great wrong done vnto hym If we be not our own but the Lordes it appeareth what errour is to be auoyded and whereunto all the doynges of our life are to be directed We are not our owne therfore let neither our owne reason nor our owne wyll beare rule in our counselles and doynges We are not our owne therfore let vs not make this the end for vs to tend vnto to seke that whiche may be expedieÌ„t for vs according to the flesh We are not our owne thertore so muche as we may let vs forget our selues and all thynges that are our owne On the other side we are Gods therfore let vs lyue and dye to hym We are Gods therfore lette his wisdome and wyll gouerne all our doinges We are Gods therfore lette all the partes of our life tende towarde him as their onlye lawfull end Oh howe muche hathe he profited that hauinge learned that hymselfe is not his owne hath taken from hym selfe the rule and gouernement of him selfe to geue it to God For as this is the moste strong working pestilence to destroy men that they obey themselues so it is the only hauen of safetie neither to knowe nor wyll any thing by hym selfe but only to folow God going before him Let this therfore be the first steppe that man departe from him selfe that he may apply all the force of his wit to the obeying of the Lord. Obeying I cal not onely that whiche standeth in obedience of the worde but that wherby the mynd of man voide from his own sensualitie of flesh bendeth it selfe wholly to the will of Gods spirite Of this trasformation whiche Paul calleth renewing of the minde where as it is the first entrie into life al the Phylosophers were ignoraunt For they make only Reason the gouernesse of man they thinke she only ought to be heard finally to her only they geue and assigne the rule of manners But the Christian Phylosophie biddeth her to geue place to yeld be subiect to the holy ghost so that man now mai not liue himself but beare Christ liuing reigniÌ„g in him Hereupon followeth also this other point that we seeke not the thinges that be our owne but those thinges that be accordinge to the will of the Lorde and that make to the aduauncement of his glory This is also a profe of great profiting that in a manner forgetting our selues altogether leauing the regarde of our selues we trauail to employ our study to God his coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes For when the Scripture biddeth vs to leaue priuate regarde of our selues it doth not only race out of our mindes the couetousnesse of hauing the gredy seking for power fauour of men but also roteth out ambition al desire of worldly glorie and other more secrete pestilences Truly a ChristiaÌ„ man must be so fashioned disposed to thinke throughout al his life that he hath to do with God In this sort as he shal examine al his doings by Gods will iudgement so he shal reuerently direct vnto him all the earnestly bent diligence of his minde For he that hath learned to loke vpoÌ„ God in all thinges that he hath to do is therewithall turned away from all vaine thoughtes This is that forsaking of our selues whiche Christe euen from their first beginning of instructioÌ„ so earnestly gaue in charge to his Disciples whiche when it ones hath gotten possession in the heart leaueth no place at all first neither for pride nor disdainfulnesse nor vain glorious bosting then neither for couetise nor filthy lust nor ryotousnesse nor deintinesse nor for other euils that are engendred of the loue of our selues CoÌ„trariwise whersoeuer it reigneth not there either moste filthy vices do range without shame or if ther be any spice of vertue it is corrupted with peruerse
mention of it as of a thing betokening vnluckely and vnhappy Truely it is no maruell if naturall sease in vs do quake for fear when we heare of the dissoluing of vs. But this is in no wyse tolerable that there be not in a Christian mans brest the light of godlinesse that should with greater comfort ouercome and suppresse that feare howe great soeuer it be For if we consider that this vnstedfast faulty corruptible fraile withering and rotten tabernacle of our body is therfore dissolued that it may afterward be restored againe into a stedfast perfect vncorruptible and heauenly glorie shall not faith compell vs feruently to desire that whiche nature feareth If we consider that by death we are called home out of banishmeÌ„t to inhabite our contry yea a heauenly contrey shall we obteine no comfort there by But there is nothinge that desireth not to abide continualli I graunt therefore I affirme that we ought to loke vnto the immortalitie to come wher we may atteine a stedfast state that no where appeareth in earth For Paul dothe very well teache that the faithfull ought to goe cherefully to death not because they would be vnclothed but because they desyre to be newly clothed Shall brute beastes yea and lifeles creatures euen stockes and stones knowing their present vanitie be earnestly bent to loking for the last day of the resurrection that they may with the children of God be deliuered from vanitie and shall we that are endued with the light of wyt and aboue wyt enlightened with the spirite of God when it standeth vpon our being not lift vp our myndes beyond this rottennesse of earth But it perteineth not to my present purpose nor to this place to speake against this peruersnesse And in the beginning I haue alredie professed that I would not here take vpon me the large handlinge of common places I would counsel suche fearfull myndes to rede Cyprians boke of Mortalitie vnlesse thei were mete to be sent to the Phylosophers that they may beginne to be ashamed when they se the contempt of death that those do shewe But this let vs hold for certainly determined that no man hath well profited in Christes schole but he that doth ioyfully loke for the daye both of death and of the last resurrection For both Paule describeth all the faithfull by this marke also it is common in the Scripture to call vs thither as oft as it will set forthe a ground of perfect gladnesse Reioyce saithe the Lorde and lift vp â—our heads for your redemption commeth nere at hande Is it reasonable I praie you that the thing which he willed to be of so great force to raise vp ioye cherefulnesse in vs sholde brede nothing but sorrowe and discouragement If it be so why do we still boast of hym as oure Scholemaster Let vs therfore gette a sounder minde and howsoeuer the blinde and senslesse desire of the flesh do striue against it let vs not doubt to wishe for the comming of the Lorde not onely with wishinge but also with groning and sighing as a thing most happy of all other For he shal come a redemer to vs to drawe vs out of this infinite gulfe of euels and miseries and to leade vs into that blessed inheritance of his life and glorie This is certainely true all the nation of the faithfull so longe as they dwel in earth must be as shepe appointed to slaughter that they mate be fashioned like Christ their heade Therfore thei were in moste lamentable case vnlesse thei had their minde raised vp into heauen surmounted all that is in the worlde and passed ouer the present face of things Contrariwise wheÌ„ thei haue ones lifâ—ed their heades aboue all earthly thinges although thei see the wealth and honoures of the wicked storyshing if thei see them enioying quiet peace if thei see them proude in gorgiousnesse and sumptuousnesse of all thinges if they see them to stowe in plentiful store of al delites by side that if thei be spoyled by their wickednesse yf they susteine reprochfull dealinges at theyr pride if thei be robbed by their couetousnesse if thei be vexed by any other outrage of theirs thei will easily vpholde themselues in such aduersyties For that daie shal be before their eies when the Lorde shall receiue his faithfull into the quiet of his kingdome when he shal wipe all teares from theyr eyes when he shall clothe them with the robe of glorie gladnesse when he shall feede them with the vnspeable swetnesse of his deinties when he shall aduaunce them to the felowshippe of his hie estate ynally when he shall vouchesaue to enterparten hys felicitie wyth them But these wycked ones that haue floryshed in the earâ—he he shall throwe into extreeme shame he shall change their delites into tormentes their laughing and mirth into weping and gnasshing of tethe he shall disquiet their peace with terrible torment of coÌ„science he shall punish their deintinesse with vnquenchable fier shall put their heades in subiection to those godly men whose patience thei haue abused For this is righteousnes as Paule testifieth to geue release to the miserable to them that are vniustly afflicted and to render affliction to the wycked that do afflict the godly when the Lorde Iesus shall be reueled from heauen This truely is our onely comfort whiche if it be taken awaie we must of necessitie either despeir or flatteringly delite oure selues wyth the vayne comfortes of the worlde to oure owne destruction For euen the Prophete confesseth that his fete stagged when he taried to longe vpon considering the present prosperitie of the wicked and that he coulde not otherwise stande stedfaste but when he entred into the sanctuarie of God and bended his eyes to the last ende of the godly and the wicked To conclude in one word then only the crosse of Christ triumpheth in the heartes of the faythfull vpon the Deuil fleshe synne the wicked when our eyes are turned to the power of the resurrection The tenth Chapter ¶ Howe we ought to vse this present lyfe and the helpes thereof BY suche introductions the Scripture doth also wel informe vs what is the right vse of earthely benefites whiche is a thyng not to be neglected in framyng an order of lyfe For if we must lyue we must also vse the necessary helpes of life neyther can we eschue euen those thynges that seme rather to serue for delite than for necessity Therfore we must kepe a measure that we may vse them with a pure conscience either for necessitie or for delight That measure the Lorde apointeth by his worde when he teacheth that this lyfe is to them that bee his a certaine iorney through a strange countrey by whiche they trauayle towarde the kingdome of heauen If we must but passe through the earth doubtlesse we ought so far to vse the good thynges of the earth as they may rather further than
about and beyng drawen out of heauen is pressed downe to the earth I meane by this that it must be lifted vp aboue it selfe that it maye not bryng into the sight of God any of those thinges whiche our blinde and foolish reason is wont to imagine nor may holde it self bound within the compasse of her owne vanitie but rise vp to purenesse worthy for God Bothe these thinges are specially worthy to be noted that whosoeuer prepareth himself to pray shold thereto applie al his senses and endeuors not as men are wont be diuersly drawen with wandering thoughtes bicause there is nothyng more contrarie to the reuereÌ„ce of God thaÌ„ such lightnesse which is a witnesse of to waÌ„ton liceÌ„tiousnesse and lose from al feare In which thing we must so much more earnestly labor as we find it more hard for no man can be so bent to praye but that he shal fele manye biethoughtes to crepe vppon him either to breake of or by some bowing and swaruing to hinder the course of his praier But here let vs cal to minde how great an vnworthines it is when God receiueth vs vnto familiar talke with him to abuse his so great gentelnesse with minglyng holy and profane thinges together when the reuerence of him holdeth not our mindes fast bounde vnto him but as if we talked with some meane man we do in the middest of our praier forsaking him leape hether and thether Let vs therfore know that none do rightly and wel prepare theÌ„selues to prayer but they whom the maiestie of God pearceth that they come to it vncumbred of earthly cares and affections And that is ment by the ceremonie of lifting vp of handes that men should remeÌ„ber that they be farre distant from God vnlesse they lifte vp their senses on hie As also it is said in the Psalm To thee haue I lifted vp my soule And the Scripture oftentimes vseth this maner of spech to lift vp praier that they which desire to be hard of God should not sit stil in their dregges Let this be the summe that how much more liberallye God dealeth with vs gently alluring vs to vnlode our cares into his bosome so muche lesse excusable ar we vnlesse his so excellent and incomparable benefit do with vs ouerwey al other thinges and draw vs vnto it self that we may earnestly apply our endeuors senses to pray which can not be done vnlesse our mind be stroÌ„gly wrastling with the hinderances do rise vp aboue theÌ„ An other point we haue set forth â–ª that we aske no more than God geueth leaue For though he biddeth vs to poure out oure hartes yet he doth indiffeÌ„rently geue loose reynes to folyshe and froward affections and when he promiseth that he will do according to the wil of the Godly he procedeth not to so tender bearing with them that he submitteth himself to their wil. But in both these pointes men do commonly much offend For not onely the most part of meÌ„ presume without shame without reuerence to speake to God for their follies and shamelesly to present to his throne whatsoeuer liked theÌ„ in theyr dreame but also so great folishenes or senlesse dulnesse possesseth theÌ„ that they dare thrust into the hearing of God euen al their most filthy desires wherof they would greatly be ashamed to make men priuie Some profane men haue laughed to scorne yea and detested this boldnesse yet the vice it selfe hath alwaye reigned And hereby it came to passe that ambitious men haue chosen Iupiter to be their Patrone couetous men Mercurie the desirous of learning Apollo and Minerua warriâ—rs Mars and Lechorous folke Uenus Like as at this day as I haue euen now touched men do in prayers graunt more licence to their vnlawful desires than when they sportinglye talke with their Egalles But God suffreth not his gentlenes to be so mocked but claiming to himselfe his right maketh our praiers subiect to his aucthorite restraineth theÌ„ with a bridle Therfore we must kepe fast this saying of Ihon This is our affiance that if we aske any thynge according to his wil he heareth vs. But forasmuch as our abilities ar far froÌ„ being sufficient to performe so great perfection we must seke a remedie to helpe vs. As we ought to bend the sight of our mind to god so the affection of the heart ought also to followe to the same ende But bothe doe staye far benethe it yea rather doe faynt and fayle or be carried a contrarie waye Therefore God to succour this weakenesse in our prayers geueth the spirite to be our Scholemaister to instruct vs what is right and to gouerne our affections For bicause we knowe not what we ought to praye as we ought the spirit commeth to our succour and maketh intercession for vs with vnspeakeable groninges not that it in deede eyther prayeth or groneth but stirreth vp in vs affiance desires and sighynges whiche the strength of nature were not able to conceyue And not without cause Paule calleth them vnspeakeable groninges which so the faithful send forth by the guidyng of the Spirit bicause they whiche are truely exercised in prayers are not ignorant that they be so holden in perplexitie with blinde cares that they scarcely finde what is profitable for them to speake yea while they goe about to vtter stammeryng wordes they sticke fast encombred Wherupon it foloweth that the gift of prayeng rightly is a singular gift These thinges are not spoken to this purpose that we fauoryng our owne slouthfulnesse should geue ouer the charge of prayeng to the Spirit of God lie dull in that carelesnesse to whiche we are to muche enclined as there are heard the wicked sayenges of some that we must lie negligently gapyng to wayte vntill he preuent our mindes occupied els where but rather that we lothyng our owne slouthfulnesse and sluggishnesse should craue suche helpe of the Spirit Neyther doth Paule when he biddeth vs to pray in Spirit therefore cesse to exhort vs to wakefulnesse meanyng that the instinct of the Spirit so vseth his force to frame our prayers that it nothyng hindereth or slacketh our owne endeuor bicause God will in this behalf proue how effectually fayth moueth our heartes Let also an other law be that in prayeng we alway fele our owne wante and that earnestly thinkyng howe we stande in neede of those thinges that we aske we ioyne with our prayer an earnest yea feruent affection to obteine For many do slightly for manners sake recite prayers after a prescribed forme as though they rendred a certayne talke to God and although they confesse that this is a necessarie remedie for their euels bicause it is to their destructioÌ„ to be without the help of God which they craue yet it appereth that they do this dutie for custome for asmuch as in the meane time their mindes are colde and do not weye what they aske The generall and confuse felyng in deede of their necessitie leadeth
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
testifieth which reporteth that in the time of Ambrose the Chirch of Millain first began to sing when while Iustina the mother of Valentinâ—an cruelly raged against the true Faith the people more vsed watchinges than they were wont and that afterwarde the other westerne Chirches folowed For he had a litle before sayed that this maner came from the Easterne Chirches He telleth also in his seconde boke of Retractations that it was in his time receiued in Africa One Hilarie sayth he a ruler did in euery place wheresoeuer he could with malicious blaming raile at the maner which then began to be at Carthage that the hymnes at the altar should be pronounced out of the boke of Psalmes either before the oblation or wheÌ„ that which had ben offred was distributed to the people Him I answered at the commaundement of my brethren And truely if song be tempered to that grauitie which becommeth the preseÌ„ce of God and Angels it both procureth dignitie and grace to the holy actions and muche auaileth to stirre vp the myndes to true affection and feruentnesse of prayeng But we muste diligently beware that our eares be not more hedefully bente to the note than our myndes to the spiritual sense of the wordes Wyth which peril Augustine in a certaine place sayth that he was so moued that he sometime wished that the maner which Athanasius kept shold be stablished which commaunded that the reder shoulde sounde hys wordes with so small a boowing of hys voice that it should be liker to one that readeth than to one that singeth But when he remembred howe muche profite he hymselfe had receyued by syngyng he inclined to the other side Therfore vsyng this moderation there is no dout that it is a most holye and profitable ordinance As on the other side what songes so euer are framed only to swetenesse and delite of the eares they both become not the maiestie of the Chirch and can not but hyely displease God Whereby it also playnly appereth that common praiers are to be spoken not in Greke among Latine men nor in Latine among Frenchemen or Englishemen as it hath heretofore ben eche where commonly done but in the peoples mother tongue which coÌ„monly may be vnderstoode of the whole assembly forasmuche as it ought to be done to the edifiyng of the whole Chirch whiche receiue no fruite at all of a sound not vnderstanded But they which haue no regarde neither of charitie nor of humanitie shold at least haue ben somwhat moued with the authoritie of Paule whoe 's wordes are nothyng doutfull If thou blesse saieth he in Spirite howe shall he that filleth the place of an vnlerned man answer Amen to thy blessing sith he knoweth not what thou saiest For thou in dede geuest thankes but the other is not edified Who therfore can sufficiently wonder at the vnbridled licentiousnesse of the Papistes which the Apostle so openly crying out againste it feare not to roare out in a strange tongue moste babblyng prayers in whiche they themselues sometyme vnderstand not one syllable nor wold haue other folkes to vnderstand it But Paule teacheth that we ought to do otherwise How then I will pray sayth he with spirit I will praye also with mynde I will syng with spirite I will sing also with mynde signifieng by the name of Spirite the singular gifte of tonges which many being endued with abused it when they seuered it from the mynde that is froÌ„ vnderstaÌ„ding But this we must altogether thiÌ„k that it is by no meane possible neither in publike nor in priuate praier but that the tong without the hart must hyely displease God Moreouer we muste thinke that the mynde ought to be kyndled with feruentnesse of thoughte that it maye farre surmounte all that the tong maye expresse with vtterance Fynally that the tong is not necessarie at all for priuate prayer but so farre as the inwarde felyng either is not able to suffice to enkindle it selfe or the vehemence of enkindlyng violently carieth the woorke of the tong with it For though very good prayers sometyme be without voyce yet it oftentymes betydeth that when the affection of the mynde is feruent bothe the tong breaketh foorthe into voice and the other membres into gesturyng without excessiue shew Hereupon came the mutteryng of Hanna and such a like thing all the holy ones alway fele in themselues when they burst out into broken and vnperfect voices As for the gestures of the body which are wont to be vsed in praier as knelyng and vncoueryng of the hed they are exercises by which we endeuor to ryse vp to a greater reuerencing of God Now we must learne not onely a more certaine rule but also the very forme of prayeng namely the same which the heauenly Father hath taught vs by his beloued Sonne wherin we may acknowe his vnmesurable goodnesse and kyndenesse For besyde this he warneth and exhorteth vs to seke hym in al our necessitie as children are wont to flee to their fathers defence so oft as they be troubled with any distresse because he saw that we did not sufficiently perceiue this how sclender our pouertie was what were mete to be asked what were for our profite he prouided also for this our ignoraÌ„ce what our capacitie waÌ„ted he supplied furnished of his own For he hath prescribed to vs a form wherin he hath as in a Table set our whatsoeuer we may desire of him what soeuer auaileth for our profit whatsoeuer is necessary to ask Of whiche his gentlenesse we receaue a great fruit of comfort that we vnderstand that we aske no inconuenient thyng no vnsemyng or vnfit thyng finally nothyng that is not acceptable to hym sith we aske in a maner after his owne mouthe When Plato sawe the folly of men in making requestes to God whiche beyng grauÌ„ted it many tymes befell much to their owne hurt he pronounced that this is the best maner of prayeng taken out of the olde Poete Kyng Iupiter geue vnto vs the beste thynges bothe when we aske them and when we doo not aske them but commaunde euell thynges to be away from vs euen when we aske them And verily the heathen man is wyse in this that he iudgeth howe perillous it is to aske of the Lorde that whiche our owne desire moueth vs and therwithal he bewrayeth our vnhappy case that we can not ones open our mouthes before God without danger vnlesse the Spirite do instructe vs to a right rule of praying And in so muche greater estimation this priuilege is worthy to be had of vs sithe the onely begotten Sonne of God ministreth wordes into our mouthe which may deliuer our mynde from all doutyng This whether you call it forme or rule of praying is made of six petitions For the cause why I agree not to them that diuide it into seuen partes is this that by puttyng in this aduersatiue word But it semeth that the Euangelist men to
pledge and earneste of our adoption but also he geueth vs the Spirite for witnesse of the same adoption through whom we may with a free and lowde voyce crie Abba Father So ofte therfore as any delay shal withâ—arde vs let vs remembre to aske of hym that correctyng our fearefulnesse he will sette before vs that Spirite of coragiousnesse to be our guide to pray boldly Whereas we are not so taught that euery one shoulde seuerally call hym his owne father but rather that we should all in common together call hym Our Father therby we are put in mynde howe great affection of brotherly loue ought to be among vs whiche are altogether by one same right of mercy and liberalitie the children of suche a Father For we all haue one common Father from whom cometh whatsoeuer good thyng may betide vnto vs there ought to be nothyng seuerall among vs whiche we are not ready with great cherefulnesse of mynde to communicate one to an other so muche as nede requireth Now if we be so desirous as we oughte to be to reache our hande and helpe one to an other there is nothyng wherin we may more profite our brethren than to commende them to the care and prouidence of the most good Father who beyng well pleased fauoring nothing at al can be waÌ„ted And verily euen this same we owe to our Father For as he that truely hartily loueth any Father of household doth also embrace his whole housholde with loue and good will likewise what loue affection we beare to this heauenly Father we must shewe towarde his people his householde and his inheritance which he hath so honored that he hath called it the fullnesse of his only begotten Sonne Let a christian man therfore frame his prayers by this rule that they be common and may comprehend all them that be brethren in Christe with hym and not onely those whom he presently seeth and knoweth to be suche but al men that lyue vpon earth of whom what God hath determined it is out of our knowlege sauyng that it is no lesse godly then naturall to wish the best to them and hope the beste of them Howbeit we ought with a certayne singular affection to beare a special inclination to them of the household of faith whom the Apostle hath in euery thing peculiarly commended vnto vs. In a suÌ„me Al our praiers ought to be so made that they haue respect to that communitie which our Lord hath stablished in his kyngdome and his house Yet this withstandeth not but that we may specially pray both for our selues and for certaine other so that yet our mynde depart not from hauyng an eye to this communitie nor ones swarue from it but applie all thynges vnto it For though they be singularly spoken in forme yet because they are directed to that marke they cesse not to be common All this may be easily vnderstoode by a like example The commaundemeÌ„t of God is generall to relieue the nede of all poore and yet they obey this commaundement which to this ende do helpe their pouertie whom they knowe or see to be in nede although they passe ouer many whome they see to be pressed with no lesse necessitie either because they can not know all or be not able to helpe all After this maner they also doo not against the will of God which hauyng regard vnto and thinkyng vppon this common felowship of the Chirche doo make suche particular prayers by whiche they doo with a common mynde in particular wordes commende to God themselves or other whoe 's necessitie God willed to be more nereiy knowen to them Howbeit all thyngs are not like in praier and in bestowyng of goodes For the liberalitie of geuing can not be vsed but toward them whoe 's nede we haue perceyued but with prayers we may helpe euen them that are most strange and moste vnknowen to vs by howe greate a space of ground soeuer they be distant from vs. This is done by that generall forme of praier wherin all the children of God are conteined among whom they also are Hereto we may applie that which Paule exhorteth the faithfull of his tyme that they lift vp euery where pure handes without stryfe because when he warneth them yâ— strife shutteth the gate against praiers he willeth them with one mynde to lay their petitions in common together It is added that he is in heauen Wherupon it is not by and by to be gathered that he is bounde faste enclosed and compassed with the circle of heauen as within certayne barres For Salomon also confesseth that the heauens of heauens can not conteyne hym And he hymselfe faith by the Prophet that heauen is his seate and the earthe his footestoole Wherby verily he signifieth that he is not limited in any certaine coaste but is spread abroade throughout all thynges But because our mynde suche is the grossenesse of it coulde not otherwyse conceiue his vnspeakable glorie it is signified to vs by the heauen than which there can nothing come vnder our sight more ample or fuller of maiesty Sith therfore wheresoeuer our senses comprehende any thyng there they vse to fasten it God is sett out of all place that when we will seke hym we should be raised vp aboue all sense bothe of body and soule Agayne by this maner of speakyng he is lifted vp aboue all chaunce of corruption and change finally it is signified that he comprehendeth and coÌ„temeth the whole worlde and gouerneth it with his power Wherfore this is al one as if he had ben called of infinite greatnesse or height of incomprehensible substance of vnmeasurable power of euerlastyng immortalitie But while we haue this we must lift vp our mynde hier when God is spoken of that we dreame not any earthly or fleshly thyng of hym that we measure hym not by our small proportions nor drawe his will to the rule of our affections And therwithall is to be raysed vp our affiance in him by whose prouidence and power we vnderstande heauen and earth to be gouerned Let this be the summe that vnder the name of Father is sett before vs that God which hath in his owne image appeared to vs that he may be called vpon with assured faith and that the familiar name of Father is not onely applied to stablishe affiance but also auaileth to holde fast our myndes that they be not drawen to doutfull or fained Gods but shoulde from the onely begotten sonne clymbe vp to the onely father of Angels and of the Chirche then that because his seate is placed in heauen we are by the gouernance of the worlde put in mynd that not without cause we come to hym which with present care cometh of his owne will to mete vs. Who so come to God saith the Apostle they must first beleue that there is a God then that he is a rewarder to all them that seke hym Bothe these thyngs Christ affirmeth
the iugement of God It is in dede to be wished yea and to be earnestly endeuored that we hauing performed all the partes of our dutie may truely reioyse before God that we are cleane from all spott but forasmuch as it pleaseth God by litle and litle to make againe his image in vs that there alwaye remayneth some infection in our fleshe the remedie ought not to haue been despised If Christ by the authoritie geuen to him of hys Father commaundeth vs throughout the whole course of our life to fle to crauing of pardoÌ„ of our giltinesse who shal be able to suffer these new maisters which goe about with this imagined ghost of perfect innoceÌ„cie to dasel the eyes of the simple to make them to trust that they may be made free froÌ„ all faultâ— Which as Ihon witnesseth is nothing ells but to make God a lier And withal one worke these lewde men by cancilling one article do feare in sonder and by that meane do weaken from the very fundation the whole couenant of God wherin we haue shewed that our saluatioÌ„ is coÌ„teined so as they be not only robbers of God because they seuer those thinges so coÌ„ioyned but also wicked cruel because they ouerwhelme poore soules with despeire and traytors to themselues and other that be like them because they bryng themselues into a slouthfulnesse directly contrary to the mercy of God But wheras some obiect that in wishing the coming of the kyngdome of God we do also aske the putting away of synne that is to childishe because in the firste table of thys prayer is set forth vnto vs most hye perfection but in this part is set fourth our weakenesse So these twoo thinges do fittly agree together that in a spring toward the marke we despise not the remedies which our necessitie requireth Finally we pray that we may be forgeuen as we our selues doe forgeue our dettors that is as we do forgeue and pardon al of whomsoeuer we haue ben in any thing offended either vniustly handled in dede or reprochefully vsed in worde Not that it lyeth in vs to pardoÌ„ the giltinesse of the fault and offense which perteineth to God alone but thys is our forgeuing of our owne willingnesse to lay away out of our mynde wrath hatred and desire of reuengement and with voluntarie forgetfulnesse to treade vnder fote the remembrance of iâ—iuries Wherefore we may not aske forgeuenesse of synnes at the hande of God if we doe not also forgeue their offenses towarde vs which either do or haue done vs wrong But if we kepe any hatreds in our hartes and purpose any reuengementes and imagine by what occasion we may hurt yea and if we do not endeuor to come into fauor againe with our enemies and to deserue well of them with all kynde of frendly doinges and to winne them vnto vs we do by thys prayer beseche God that he do not forgeue vs. For we require that he graunt to vs the same forgeuenesse whiche we graunt to other But this is to pray that he graunt it not to vs vnlesse we graunt it to them Whoso therfore be such what doe they obtein by their prayer but a more greuous iugemeÌ„t Last of al it is to be noted that this condition that he forgeue vs as we forgeue our dettors is not herefore added for that we deserue his forgeuenesse by the forgeuenesse which we graunt to other as if that cause of forgeuenesse to vs were there expressed but by thys worde partly the Lordes will was to comforte the weakenesse of our Fayth for he added this as a signe whereby we may be assured that he hath as surely grauÌ„ted to vs forgeuenesse of our synnes as we surely knowe in our conscience that we haue grauÌ„ted thesame to other if our mynde be voyde and cleansed of al hatred enuye reuengement and partly by thys as it were by a marke he wipeth them out of the number of his children that they may not be bolde to call vpoÌ„ him as their Father which being hedlong hasty to reuenge and hardily entreated to pardon doe vse stiffly continuing enmites and doe cherishe in themselues the same displeasure towarde other which they pray to be turned from themselues Whiche is also in Luke expresly spoken in the wordes of Christ. The sixt petitioÌ„ as we haue sayd answereth to the promise of engrauing the lawe of God in our hartes But because we doe not without continual warrfare and hard and great striuinges obey to God we do here pray to be furnished with such wepons and defended with suche succor that we may be able to get the victorie whereby we are warned that we stande in nede not only of the grace of the Spirite whiche may soften how and direct our hartes to the obedience of God but also of hys helpe wherby he may make vs vnuicible against bothe al the trayterous entrappinges and violeÌ„t conflictes of Satan But now of tentations there are many and diuerse sortes For both the peruerse thoughtes of minde prouoking vs to trespassing against the law which either our owne luste doth minister vnto vs or the deuell stirreth vp are tentations and also those thinges which of their owne nature are not euell yet by the craft of the deuel are made tentations wheÌ„ they are so set before our eyes that by the occasion of them we be drawen awaye or do swarue from God And these tentations are either on the ryghte hande or on the left On the righte hande as richesse power honors which commonly do with their glistering and shewe of good so dasel the sight of men and catche them with the bayted hoke of their flatterings that beyng entrapped with suche deceites or dronke with suche swetenesse they may forget their God On the left hande as pouertie reproches despisinges trobles and suche other that they being greued with the bitternesse and hardnesse therof may be vtterly discouraged caste away Fayth and hope and finally be altogether estranged from God To these tentations of both sortes which fighte with vs eyther being kindled in vs by our owne luste or being set against vs by the craft of Satan we pray to our heavenly Father that he suffer vs not to yelde But rather that he vpholde vs and rayse vs vp with his hande that being strong by his strength we may stande fast against all the assaultes of the malicious enemie whatsoeuer thoughtes he put into our mynde then that whatsoeuer is sett before vs on either side we maye turne it to good that we neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor throwen downe with aduersitie Neither yet doe we here require that we may fele no tentations at al with which we haue great nede to be stirred vp pricked and pinched least by to muche reste we growe dull For not in vaine did Dauid wishe to be tempted and not without cause the Lord daily tempteth hys electe chastising them by shame pouertie troble and other
of name where God hath sette the memorye of hys name Whereby he playnly teacheth that without the doctrine of godlinesse there is no vse thereof And it is not douteful but that for the same reason Dauid with greate bitternesse of Spirite complayneth that he is by the tirannous crueltie of hys enemyes kepte from entring into the Tabernacle It semeth commonlye to many a childishe lamentation because it shoulde be but a very small losse and also no greate pleasure shoulde be forgone thereby to wante the entrie of the temple so that there were enoughe of other delytefull thinges But he bewaileth that with this one griefe anguishe and sorowe he is freted and vexed and in a manner wasted for nothyng is of greater estimation wyth the faythfull than thys helpe wherby God by degrees lyfteth vp his on hye For this is also to be noted that God in the mirror of hys doctrine alway so shewed himselfe to the holy Fathers that the knowledge was spiritual Wherfore the tēple is called not onely his face but also to take awaye all superstition hys foote stole And thys is that happy metyng into vnitie of Fayth whyle from the hyest euen to the lowest all doe aspire to the head All the temples that euer the Gentyles vpon any other purpose builded to God were but a mere prophaning of hys worshyp whereunto thoughe not with lyke grossenesse yet somwhat the Iewes fell Whereof Stephen out of the mouth of Esay reprocheth them where he sayeth that God dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes c. Because onely God doeth by hys worde sanctifie to himselfe temples to the lawefull vse And if we rashly attempt any thing wythout his commaundemente by and by to an euill beginning doe cleaue newe deuises by whyche the euill is spreade abrode without measure Yet Xerxes when by the coūsell of the Magitians he burned vp or plucked downe all the temples of Greece vndiscretely sayed that the goddes to whō al thynges ought to be freely open were inclosed within wals and tyles As thoughe it were not in the power of God to the entente he myght be nere vs after a certayne manner to descende vnto vs and yet neyther to chaunge place nor to fasten vs to earthly meanes but rather by certayne chariotes to carry vs vp to his heauenly glory which with the inmeasurable greatnesse thereof fylleth all thynges yea and in heygth surmounteth the heauens Now forasmuche as at this time there hath been greate strife about the effectualnesse of the ministerie while some excessiuely amplyfye the dignitie thereof and some other affirme that that whiche is properly belonging to the Holy ghost is wrongfully geuē away to mortal mā if we thynke that ministers and teachers do pearce to the mindes and hartes to amende as well the blindnesse of the mindes as the hardnesse of hartes it is mere that we geue a ryght determination of thys cōtrouersy All that they contende on both partes shal easily be accorded by expresly noting the places where God the author of preachyng ioyning his Spirite with it promiseth fruite therof or againe when seueryng hymselfe from outwarde helpes he chalengeth to himselfe alone as wel the beginninges of Fayth as the whole course thereof It was the office of the seconde Elias as Malachie witnesseth to enlighten the mindes and to turne the hartes of fathers to the children and vnbeleuers to the wysedome of the righteous Christ pronounceth that he sendeth the Apostles that they shoulde bryng fruite of theyr labor But what that fruite is Peter shortly defineth saying that we be regenerate with incorruptible sede And therefore Paule gloryeth that he by the Gospell begate the Corinthyans and that they were the seale of hys Apostle shyppe yea that he was not a lyterall minister suche as dyd onely beate the eares wyth sounde of voyce but that there was geuen hym an effectualnesse of Spirite that his doctryne shoulde not be vnprofytable In whiche meaning also in an other place he saieth that hys Gospell was not in worde onely but in power He affyrmeth also that the Galathyans by hearyng receiued the Spirite of Fayth Finallye in many places he maketh hymselfe not onely a woorker together wyth GOD but also assygneth hymselfe the offyce of geuynge saluatyon Truelye he neuer broughte fourth all these thinges to this entent to geue vnto himselfe any thing were it neuer so little seuerally from God as in an other place he shortlye declareth saying our laboure was not vnprofitable in the Lord according to his power mightily working in me Againe in an other place he that was mightie in Peter towarde the circumcision was also mightie in me towarde the Gentiles But howe he leaueth nothing seuerally to the ministers appeareth by other places as he that planteth is nothing and he that watereth is nothing but God that geueth the encrease Again I haue laboured more than all not I but the grace of God that was with me And truely we must holde fast those sayinges where God ascrybing to himselfe the enlyghtenyng of the mynde and the renewing of the harte teacheth that it is a robberie of God if man take vpon himselfe any parte of either of them In the meane time if any man offer hymselfe to the ministers whom God ordeyneth willing to learne he shall knowe by the frute that thys manner of teachyng not in vaine pleased God and that this yoke of modestie was not in vaine laied vpon the faithful But as for the Churche visible and whiche is within the compasse of our knowledge what iudgemente is mete to be geuen therof I thinke it already appeare euidently by that which we haue before saied For we haue sayed that the holy Scripture speaketh of the Churche after two sortes Somtime when it nameth the Churche it meaneth that churche which is in dede before God into which none are receiued but they that are both by grace of adoption the children of God and by santification of the Spirite the true members of Chryst. And then truelye it comprehendeth not onely the holy ones that dwell in earth but also all the electe that haue ben sins the beginning of the world But often times vnder the name of the Church it signifieth the vniuersall multitude of men scattered abrode in the worlde whiche professe that they worshyp one God and Christ by Baptisme entre into hys Fayth by partaking of the Supper testifie their vnitie in true doctrine and charitie haue an agremente in the worde of the Lorde and for the preaching thereof doe kepe the ministerie ordeined by Christe In thys Churche there be mingled many hipocrites whiche haue nothyng of Christ but the name and outward shewe there be many ambicious couetous enuious euill speakers some of vncleane life which be suffred for a time either because they can not by lawfull order of iudgemente be cōuinced or because there is not alway in vre that seueritie of discipline that oughte to be Therefore as
be wheate we must vse diligeÌ„ce and endeuour as muche as we may that we may be a golden or syluer vessell But to breake the earthen vessels is the only work of the Lord to whom also is geuen an iron rodde And let no man chalenge to hym selfe that whiche is proprely belongyng to the Sonne onely to be able alone to fanne the floore and clense the chaffe and seuer all the tares by mans iudgement This is a prowde obstinacie and a presumption full of sacrilege which a peruerse furour taketh to it selfe c. Therfore let bothe these thynges remayn certainly fixed First that he hath no excuse that of his owne will forsaketh the outward coÌ„munion of the Church â–ª where the word of God is preached the sacraments ministred then that the faultes of a few or of many are no hindraÌ„ce but that we may therin rightly professe our faith by the Ceremonies institute by God bicause a godly conscience is not hurt by the vnworthines of any other ether pastor or priuate man and the misteries are to a holy vpright maÌ„ neuerthelesse pure holsome because they are together handled of vncleane meÌ„ Their precisenesse and disdainfulnesse procedeth yet further because they acknowledge no Chirche but such a one as is pure from al spottes be they neuer so smal yea they are angry with good teachers for that in exhorting the faithful to goe forwarde they teache them al their life long to grone vnder the burden of vices and to flee vnto pardon For they prate that by this meane meÌ„ be led froÌ„ perfection I graunte in dede that in earnest calling vpon perfection we ought not slowly or coldely to trauail much lesse to be idle but to fil our mindes with confidence therof while we be yet in our course I say it is a deuelish inuention Therefore in the Crede the forgeuenesse of synnes is aptly ioyned next after the Chirche For none do atteine it but only they that are citezens and of the household of the Chirch as it is red in the Prophete Therfore the bilding of the heaueÌ„ly HierusaleÌ„ ought to go before wherin afterward this mercifulnesse of God maye haue place that whosoeuer come vnto it their iniquitie may be takeÌ„ away I say that it ought first to be bilded not for that there caÌ„ be any Chirch wtout the forgeuenesse of synnes but because the lord hath not promised his mercy but in the CoÌ„munion of Sainctes Therfore the fyrst entry for vs into the Chirch kingdome of God is the forgeuenesse of synnes wtout which we haue no couenauÌ„t or coÌ„ioyning wyth God For thus he sayeth by the Prophete In the day I wil strike you a couenant with the beast of the feld with the fowle of the aire with the vermin of the earth I wil breake the sword war from out of the earth I wil make men to slepe wtout feare I wil espouse you vnto me for euer I wil espouse you I say in righteousnesse in iudgement in mercy and in coÌ„passions We see how by his mercy the lord recoÌ„cileth vs to himselfe And so in an other place when he foresayth that the people shal be gathered together agayne whoÌ„ he had scattered abrode in his wrath he saieth I wil cleanse theÌ„ froÌ„ al wyckednesse wherewith they haue synned agaynst me Wherfore by the signe of washing we enter into the felowshyp of the Chirch wherby we may be taught that there is no entrie open for vs into the householde of God vnlesse our fylthynesse be fyrst wiped away with hys goodnesse But by the forgeuenesse of sinnes the Lord doth not only receiue and adopt vs ones into the Chirch but by the same he also preserueth maynteineth vs stil in it For to what purpose wer it to haue suche a pardon grauÌ„ted vs as should serue for no vse But euery one of the godly is a wytnesse to himselfe that the mercy of God should be vain and mocking if it should be grauÌ„ted only but ones because there is none that is not in his own coÌ„scieÌ„ce priuie throughout his whole life of many weakenesses which nede the mercy of God And truly not in vain God promiseth thys grace peculiarly to theÌ„ of his own household not in vain he coÌ„maundeth the same message of recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ to be daily offred vnto theÌ„ Therefore as throughout al our life we carry about vs the râ—nantes of sine vnlesse we be susteined with the coÌ„tinual grace of the lord in forgeuing oure synnes we shal scarcely abide one momeÌ„t in the Chirch But the lord hath called his vnto eternal saluatioÌ„ Therfore they ought to thike that there is pardon alway ready for their sinnes Wherfore we ought to holde assuredly that by the liberalitie of God by meane of Christes deseruing through the Sanctification of the Spirite sinnes haue been and are daily pardoned to vs which be called graffed into the body of the Chirch To deale this benefite vnto vs the keyes were geuen to the Chirch For when Christ gaue the Apostles commaundemeÌ„t deliuered them power to forgeue sinnes he meante not this onely that they shoulde loose them froÌ„ sinnes that wer froÌ„ vngodlinesse coÌ„uerted to the faith of Christ but rather that they should continually execute this office among the faythful Which thing Paule teacheth when he writeth that the embassage of reconciliation was left with the ministers of the Chirche wherby they should oftentimes in Christes name exhort the people to reconcile themselues to God Therfore in the CoÌ„munion of Sainctes by the ministery of the Chirch it self sinnes are coÌ„tinually forgeueÌ„ vs when the Priestes or Bishops to whom the office is committed doe with the promyses of the Gospel coÌ„firme godly consciences in hope of pardoÌ„ forgeuenesse and that as wel publikely as priuately according as necessitie requireth For there be very many which for their weakenesse do nede a singular atonemeÌ„t And Paul reporteth that not only in commoÌ„ preaching but also in houses he had testified the Fayth in Christ and seuerally admonyshed euery one of the doctryne of saluation Therfore we haue here three thyngs to be noted First that with how great holynesse soeuer the children of God do excel yet they be alway in this estate so long as they dwel in a mortal body that without forgeuenesse of sinnes they can not staÌ„de before God Secondly that this benefite is so proper to the Chirche that we can not otherwise enioy it but if we abide in the CoÌ„munion therof Thirdly that it is distributed vnto vs by the ministers Pastors eyther by preaching of the Gospel or by ministryng of the Sacramentes that in thys behalfe principally appeareth the power of the keyes which the Lord hath geuen to the felowship of the faythful Wherfore let euery one of vs thinke this to be his duty no where els to seke forgeuenesse of sines than where the Lord hath set it Of publyke recoÌ„ciliation
whom in dede the Lord published new oracles to be added to the law but yet not so new but that they cam out of the law and had respect vnto it For as touchyng doctrine they were only expositors of the law and added nothyng vnto it but prophecies of thyngs to come Those excepted they vttered nothyng els but a pure exposition of the lawe But because it pleased the Lord that there shold be a plainer and larger doctrine that weake consciences might be the better satisfied he cōmaunded that the Prophecies also shold be put in writyng and accompted parte of his worde And hereunto were added the histories whiche are also the workes of the Prophetes but made by the endityng of the Holy ghost I recken the Psalmes among the Prophecies because that which we attribute to the prophecies is also cōmon to the psalmes Therfore that whole body cōpacted of the law prophecies psalmes histories was the word of the Lord to the olde people by the rule whereof the prestes and teachers euen vnto Christes tyme were bounde to examine their doctrine neither was it lawfull for them to swarue either to the right hand or to the left because all their office was enclosed within these boundes that they should answer the people out of the mouth of God Which is gathered of a notable place of Malachie where he biddeth them to be mindful of the law to geue hede to it euē to the preaching of the Gospell For therby he forbiddeth them all new found doctrines and graunteth them no leaue to swarue neuer so little out of the way which Moses had faithfully shewed them And this is the reason why Dauid so honorably setteth out the excellence of the law reherseth so many praises of it that is that the Iewes should couete no forein thyng without it sith within it was all perfection enclosed But when at last the Wisdome of God was openly shewed in the flesh that same Wisdome with ful mouth declared vnto vs al that euer can with mans wit be cōprehēded or ought to be thought cōcerning the heuēly Father Now therefore sins Christ the fōne of rightousnesse hath shined we haue a perfect brightnesse of the truth of God such as the clerenesse is wōt to be a mid day when the light was before but dimme For verily the Prophet meant not to speake of any meane thing whē he wrote the God in old time spake diuersly many waies to the fathers by the prophets but that in these last daies he began to speake to vs by his beloued Sonne For he signifieth yea he openly declareth that God wil not hereafter as he did before speake somtime by some and sometime by other nor wil adde Prophecies to Prophecies or reuelations to reuelations but that he hath so fulfilled al the partes of teaching in the Sonne that they must haue thys of him for the last and eternal testimonie After whiche sort al this time of the new Testament wherein Christe hath appeared to vs with the preaching of his Gospell euen to the daie of iugement is expressed by the last houre the last times the last dayes to the ende verely that contented with the perfection of the doctrine of Christe we should learne neither to fayne vs any new beside it or receiue it fained of other Therfore not without cause the Father hath by singular prerogatiue ordeined the Sonne to be our Teacher commaunding hym not any man to be heard He did in dede in fewe wordes sette oute hys scholemaistership vnto vs when he said heare him but in whiche there is more weight force than men commonly thynke For it is as muche in effect as if leading vs away frō al doctrines of men he should bring vs to him only and commaūde vs to loke for al the doctrine of saluation at him alone to hang vpon him alone to cleaue to hym alone finally as the very wordes do sounde to harkē to the voice of hym alone And truely what ought there now to be either loked for or desyred at the hand of man when the very worde of lyfe hath familiarly and openly disclosed himselfe vnto vs Yea but it is mete that the mouthes of al mē be shut after that he in whom the heauēly Father willed to haue al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome to be hidden hath ones spoken and so spokē as became both the wisdome of God which is in no part vnperfect and Messias at whoe 's hand the reuelation of al thinges is hoped for that is to say that he left nothing afterwarde for other to be spoken Let this therefore be a stedfast principle that there is to be had no other worde of God wherunto place should be geuen in the Chirche than that which is conteined first in the law and the Prophetes and then in the writinges of the Apostles that there is no other manner of teaching rightly but according to the prescription and rule of the word Hereupon also we gather that ther was no other thing graūted to the Apostles but that which the Prophetes had had in olde tyme that is that they should expounde the olde Scripture and shewe that those thinges that are therein taught are fulfilled in Christ and yet that they should not do the same but of the Lorde that is to saye the Spirite of Christe going before them and after a certaine maner enditing wordes vnto them For Christ limited their embassage with this condition when he commaunded them to goe and teache not such thinges as they themselues had rashly forged but al those thynges that he had cōmaunded them And nothing could be more playnly spokē thā that which he saieth in an other place but be not ye called maisters for onely one is your maister Christe Then to emprint this more depely in their minde he repeteth it twise in thesame place And because their rudenesse was such that they could not cōceiue those thynges that they had heard and learned of the mouth of their maister therfore the Spirite of trueth is promised them by whō they should be directed to the true vnderstanding of al thinges For the same restrayning is to be diligētly noted where this office is assigned to the Holy ghost to put them in minde of al those thinges that he before taught them by mouth Therfore Peter who was very wel taught how much he might lawfully do leaueth nothing either to himselfe or other but to distribute the doctrine deliuered of God Let him that speaketh saieth he speake as the wordes of God that is to say not doutingly as they are wont to tremble whoe 's own cōscience misgeueth them but with sure cōfidēce which becōmeth the seruāt of God furnished with assured instructiōs What other thing is this but to forbidde al inuentions of mans minde frō what hed soeuer they haue proceded that the pure word of God may be heard learned in the Chirch
with no distrustfulnesse or doutyng but shall reste with great assurednesse and stedfast constancie So also trusting vpon the largenesse of those promises that she hath she shal haue whereupon aboūdantly to susteine her fayth that she maye nothyng doute that the best guide of the righte way the holy Spirite is alwaye presente with her but therewithall she shall kepe in memorie what vse the Lord would haue vs to receiue of his holy Spirite The Spirite sayth he which I wil send frō my Father shal leade you into al truth But how◠because sayeth he he shal put you in minde of al those thinges that I haue tolde you Therfore he geueth warning that there is nothing more to be loked for of his Spirite but that he should enlightē our mindes to perceiue the truth of his doctrine Therfore Chrisostome saieth excellently well Many sayeth he do boste of the holy Spirite but they which speake their own do falsly pretēde that they haue him As Christ testified that he spake not of himselfe because he spake out of the law the Prophetes so if any thing beside the Gospel be thrust in vnder the title of the Spirite let vs not beleue it because as Christ is the fulfilling of the law the Prophetes so is the Spirite of the Gospel These be his words Now it is esy to gather how wrōgfully our aduersaries do which bost of the Holy ghost to no other ende but to set fourth vnder his name strāge and foreine doctrines from the word of God wheras he wil with vnspeakable knott be conioined with the worde of God thesame doth Christe professe of him when he promiseth him to his Chirch So is it truly What sobrietie the Lord hath ones prescribed to his Chirch the same he wil haue to be perpetually kept But he hath forbidden her that she should not adde any thing to his worde nor take any thing frō it This is the inuiolable decree of God and of the Holy ghost whiche our aduersaries goe about to abrogate when they faine that the Chirche is ruled of the Spirite without the worde Here againe they murmure against vs say that it behoued that the Chirch shold adde some things to the writinges of the Apostles or that they thēselues should afterwarde with liuely voice supply many thinges which they had not clearly enough taught namely sith Christ said vnto them I haue many thinges to be said to you which you can not now beare and that these be the ordinances which wtout the Scripture haue ben receiued only in vse maners But what shamelessenesse is this I graūt the disciples were yet rude in a maner vnapt to learne whē the Lord said this vnto them But wer they then also holdē with such dulnesse whē they did put their doctrine in writing that they afterward neded to supply with liuely voice that which they had by fault of ignorāce omitted in their writinges But if they were already led by the Spirite of trueth into al trueth whē they did set fourth their writinges what hindred that thei haue not therin conteined left written a perfect knowledge of the doctrine of the Gospell But goe to let vs graunt them that which they require Only let them point out what be those thinges that it behoued to be reueled without writing If they dare enterprise that I wil assaile them with Augustines wordes that is When the Lord hath saied nothing of them which of vs dare say these they be or those they be or if any dare say so wherby doeth he proue it But why do I striue about a superfluous mater For a very childe doeth knowe that in the writinges of the Apostles which these men do make in a maner lame and but half perfecte there is the frute of that reuelation which the Lorde did then promise them What say they did not Christ put out of controuersy what soeuer the Chirche teacheth decreeth when the cōmaundeth him to be taken for a heathen man and a Publicane that dare saye against her Firste in that place is no mentiō made of doctrine but only the authoritie of the censures is established for correcting of vices that they which haue ben admonished or rebuked should not resist her iudgement But omitting this it is muche maruell that these losels haue so litle shame that they dare be proude of that place For what shal they get therby but that the consent of the Chirche is neuer to be despised whiche neuer consenteth but vnto the trueth of the worde of God The Chirch is to be heard say they Who denieth it forasmuch as it pronounceth nothing but out of the worde of the Lorde If they require any more let them know that these wordes of Christ do nothing take their part therin Neither oughte I to be thought to muche contentious because I stande so earnestly vpō this point That it is not lawful for the Chirche to make any new doctrine that is to teach and deliuer for an Oracle any more than that which the Lorde hath reueled by hys worde For men of sounde witt doe se how great daūger there is if so great authoritie be ones graūted to mē They se also howe wyde a wyndowe is opened to the mockynges and cauillations of the wicked if we saye that that whiche men haue iudged is to be takē for an Oracle among Christians Beside that Christ speaking according to the cōsideratiō of his own time geueth thys name to the Sinagoge that his disciples should afterwarde learne to reuerence holy assemblies of the Chirche So shoulde it come to passe that euery citie and village should haue egall authoritie in coyning of doctrines The examples which they vse do nothing helpe them They say that the Baptising of infantes proceded not so much from the expresse commaundement of the Scripture as from the decree of the Chirche But it were a very miserable succor if we were compelled to flee to the bare authoritie of the Chirche for defense of the Baptisme of infantes but it shal in an other place sufficiently appeare that it is farre otherwise Likewise whereas they obiecte that that is no where founde in the Scripture which was pronounced in the Nicene Synode that the Sōne is cōsubstantial with the Father therin they do great wrong to the fathers as though they had rashly cōdemned Arrius because he would not sweare to their wordes when he professed al that doctrine which is cōprehended in the writinges of the Prophetes Apostles This word I graūt is not in the scripture but whē therin is so oft affirmed that there is but one God againe Christ is so oft called the true eternall God one with the Father what other thyng do the fathers of the Nicene councell whē they declare that he is of one substance but simply set out the naturall sense of the Scripture But Theodorite reporteth that Constantine vsed this preface in their assemblie
rest that he adioyneth to the same effect Like complaintes are euery where in the Prophetes so that nothyng is ofter found in them But perhappes it might be that that was so among the Iewes but our age is free from so great an euill I would to God in deed it wer so but the Holy ghost hath geuen warnyng that it shal be farre otherwise The wordes of Peter are plaine As saieth he there were in the olde people false Prophets so shall there also bee among you false teachers slyly bryngyng in sectes of perdition See you not how he saieth that there is daunger to come not by men of the cōmon people but by them that shal boste themselues with the title of Teachers Pastors Moreouer how oft hath it ben forespoken by Christ his Apostles that there should very great daungers hang ouer the Chirch by the Pastors Yea Paule plainly sheweth that Antichrist shal sit in no other place than in the temple of God Wherby he signifieth that the horrible calamitie of whiche he there speaketh shall come from no where els but from them that shall sitte in stede of Pastors in the Chirch And in an other place he sheweth that the beginnyngs of so great a mischief are euen alredy nere at hand For when he speaketh to the bishops of Ephesus I know saieth he that after my departure there shall enter in to you rauenyng wolues not sparing the flocke And they shal be of your own selues that shall speake peruerse thynges to leade away disciples after them How muche corruption might a long course of yeares bryng amōg Pastors when they coulde so farre goe out of kynde in so small a space of tyme And not to fyll muche paper with rehersyng them by name we are admonished by the examples in a maner of al ages that neither the truth is alway nourished in the bosome of the pastors nor the safetie of the Chirch doeth hang vpon their state They ought in dede to haue bene the gouernours and kepers of the peace and safetie of the Chirche for preseruation wherof they are ordeined but it is one thyng for a man to performe that whiche he ought and an other thyng to owe that whiche he performeth not Yet lette no man take these our wordes in suche part as thoughe I woulde euery where and rashely without any choise diminishe the authoritie of Pastors I do but onely admonishe that euen among Pastors them selues there is a choise to bee had that we should not immediatly thinke them to be pastors that are so called But the Pope with all his flocke of Bishops vpon none other reason but because they are called pastors shaking away the obedience of the word of God do tumble and tosse all things after their owne lust and in the meane tyme thei trauaile to persuade that they can not be destitute of the light of truth that the spirite of God perpetually abideth in them that the Chirche cōsisteth in them dieth with them As though there be now no iugementes of the Lorde wherby he may punishe the worlde at this daye with the same kynde of punishement wherwith somtyme he toke vengeance of the vnthankfulnesse of the olde people that is to strike the Pastors with blindnesse and amased dullnesse Neither do they most foolish mē vnderstande that they syng the same song whiche those in old time did syng that warred against the worde of God For the enemies of Hieremie did thus prepare them selues against the truthe Come and we will imagine imaginations against Ieremie forasmuche as the lawe shall not perishe from the Preste nor counsell from the wyse man nor the worde from the Prophete Hereby it is easy to answer to that other obiectiō concerning general Councells It can not be denied but that the Iewes had a true Chirch in the time of the Prophetes But if ther had then ben a general Coūcell gathered together of the Prestes what maner face of the Chirche had there appered We heare what God saith not to one or two of them but to the whole order The prestes shal be astonied and the prophetes shal be made afraide Againe The law shall perishe from the prest and counsell from the Elders Againe Night shal be to you in steede of a vision and darknesse in stede of prophecieng the sunne shall fall downe vpon the Prophetes and be darkened vpon these daies c. Well if all suche had then ben gathered together in one what Spirit should haue gouerned in that assemblie of that thyng we haue a notable example in that Councel which Achab called together Ther were present fower hundred Prophetes But because they were come togither of no other mynde but to flatter the wicked kyng therfore Satan was sent of the Lorde to be a lying spirite in the mouth of them all There by all their voices the truthe was condemned Micha was condemned for an heretike striken and cast in prison So was done to Hieremie so to the other Prophetes But let one example suffice for all whiche is more notable then the rest In that Councell which the Bishops and Pharisees gathered at Hierusalem against Christ what can a man say that there wanted in so muche as pertained to the outwarde shewe For if there had not then ben a Chirch at Hierusalem Christ would neuer haue cōmunicate with their sacrifices and other ceremonies There was made a solemne summoning of them together the hie Bishop sat as chief ▪ the whole order of prestes sate by hym yet Christ was there condemned and his doctrine driuen away This doyng is a profe that the Chirche was not enclosed in that Councell But there is no perill that any such thyng should happen to vs. Who hath geuē vs assurāce therof For it is not without fault of sluggishnesse to be to carelesse in so great a mater But wher the Holy ghost doeth with expresse wordes prophecie by the mouth of Paule that there shall come a departyng which can not come but that the Pastors must be the first that shall forsake God why are we herin wilfully blynde to our owne destruction Wherfore it is in no wise to be graunted that the Chirch consisteth in the companie of Pastors for whom the Lord hath no where vndertaken that they shall perpetually bee good but he hath pronounced that they shall sometime be euill But when he warneth vs of the daunger he doeth it to this entente to make vs the warer What then wilt thou saye Shall the Councells haue no authoritie in determinyng Yes forsoothe For neither doo I here argue that all Councels are to be condemned or all their actes to be repelled or as the saying is to be defaced with one blotte But thou wilte say to me thou bryngest them all into subiection that it maye bee free for euery man to receiue or refuse that whiche the Councells haue determined Not so But so oft as the
doe hereby seke praise of humilitie if they snare themselues with many obseruations from which God not without cause willed vs to be free and discharged Therefore if we will escape this danger let vs alway remember that we ought not to depart from that order which the Lord hath ordeined in the Christian Chirch Now I come to that whiche I did set in the thirde place that it is muche materiall with what minde thou makest a vowe if thou wilt haue it allowed of God For sith the Lord regardeth the hart not the outwarde shewe it cometh to passe that the selfe same thyng by chāging the purpose of the mind doth somtime please him and is acceptable vnto hym and somtime hyely displeaseth him If thou so vow the absteyning from wyne as though there were any holinesse in it thou art superstitious if thou haue respect to any other ende which is not euell no man can disallow it But in my iudgemente there be fower endes to which our vowes shal be rightly directed of which for teachinges sake I referre twoo to the time past and the other twoo to the tyme to come To the time past belong those vowes wherby we doe either testifie our thankfulnesse to God for benefites receiued or to craue the turning away of his wrath we our selues doe punishe our selues for the offenses that we haue committed Let vs call the firste sort if you will the exercises of thankesgeuing the other of repentance Of the first kinde we haue an example in the tithes whiche Iacob vowed if the Lorde did bring hym home safe out of banishment into his contree Again in the old Sacrifices of the peaceoffringes which godly kinges and capitaines when they toke in hande righteous warre did vowe that they would pay if they had obteyned the victorie or at least when they were oppressed with any great distresse if the Lorde had deliuered them So are all those places in the Psalmes to be vnderstode whiche speake of vowes Suche vowes may at thys day also be in vse among vs so oft as the Lord hath deliuered vs either out of any calamitie or from a hard sicknesse or from any other hanger For it is then not agaynste the dutie of a godly manne to consecrate to God his vowed oblation as a solemne token of his reknowleging least he shoulde seme vnthankful towarde his goodnesse Of what sort the seconde kinde is it shal suffice to shewe with one onely familiar exāple If any by the vice of gluttonie by fallē into any offense nothing withstandeth but that to chastise his intemperance he may for a tune forsake al deinty meates and may do the same with a vow adioined that he may binde himselfe with the streighter bonde Yet I do not so make a perpetuall lawe to them that haue likewise offended but I shewe what is lawfull for them to do which shal thinke such a vow profitable for themselues I do therfore so make such a vow lawful that in the meane tyme I leaue it at libertie The vowes that are applyed to the time to come partly as we haue allredy sayd do tend to this ende that we may be made the warer and partly that as it were by certaine spurres we may be pricked forwarde to our dutie Some man seeth hym selfe to be so inclined to some certaine vice that in a thing which otherwise is not euill he can not temper himselfe from falling fourthwith into an euill he shal doe nothing inconueniently if he do for a tyme by vowe cutt of from himselfe the vse of that thing As if a man knowe that thys or that apparell of body is perilous vnto hym yet entised with desire he earnestly couet it what can he do better than if in putting a bridle vpō himselfe that is in charging himselfe with necessitie of absteining from it he deliuer hymselfe from all doutyng Likewise if a man be forgetfull or slow to necessarie duties of godlynesse why may he not by takyng a vow vpon hym both awake his memorie and shake of hys slouthfulnesse In both I graunt that there is a forme of childishe schooling but euen in this that they are helpes of weakenesse they are not without profit vsed of the rawe and vnperfect Therfore we shall say that those vowes are lawfull whiche haue respect to one of these endes specially in outwarde thinges if they both be vpholdē with the allowance of God and do agree with our vocation and be measured by the power of grace geuen vs of God Now also it is not hard to gather what is generally to be thought of all vowes There is one common vowe of all the faythfull which being made in Baptisme we do confirme and as it were stablish by Catechisme and receiuyng of the Supper For the Sacramentes are as charters by which the Lorde deliuereth to vs hys mercy and therby euerlastyng lyfe and we agayne on our behalfes do promise him obedience But this is the forme or verily the summe of the vowe that forsakyng Satan we yelde our selues into seruice to God to obey hys holy commaundementes and not to followe the peruerse desires of our fleshe It ought not to be douted but that thys vowe sithe it hath testimonie of the Scripture yea and is required of all the children of God is both holy and profitable to saluation And it maketh not to the contrarie that no man in this life performeth the perfect obedience of the law which God requireth of vs. For sith thys forme of couenāting is comprised within the couenante of grace vnder whiche is conteyned bothe forgeuenesse of synnes and the Spirite of Sanctification the promise whiche we there make is ioyned bothe with besechyng of pardon and wyth crauyng of helpe In iudging of particular vowes it is necessarie to kepe in mynde the three former rules wherby we may safely weye of what sorte euery vowe is Neither yet thinke that I so commende the very same vowes whiche I affirme to be holy that I wold haue them to be daily For though I dare teache no certaine rule of the number or tyme yet if any man obey my counsell he shall take vppon him none but sobre and for a tyme. For if thou oftentimes breake foorth into makyng of many vowes all religiousnesse will with very continuance growe out of estimation with thee and thou shalt come to a bendyng readinesse to fall into superstition If thou bynde thy selfe with a perpetuall vowe either for great peyne and tediousnesse thou shalt vndoe it or beyng weried with long continuance thou shalt at one tyme or other be bolde to breake it Now also it is playne with how great superstition in this behalf the worlde hath in certaine ages paste ben possessed One man vowed that he woulde absteyne from wyne as though absteinyng from wyne were of it self a worship acceptable to God An other bound himself to fasting an other to absteinyng from fleshe for certaine daies in which he hadde with
nothyng of spirituall thynges But for one benefite of God which they set foorth we consider three For fyrst the Lord teacheth and instructeth vs with his worde then he strengtheneth vs with sacrameÌ„tes last of all he shineth into our myndes with the lyghte of his holye Spirite and openeth an entrie for the woorde and Sacramentes into our hartes whiche otherwyse should but strike our eares and bee present before our eies and nothyng moue the inward partes Wherfore as touchyng the confirmation and encrease of Faith I wold haue the reader warned which I thinke I haue already in plaine wordes expressed that I do so assigne that ministerie to the sacramentes not as though I thought that there is perpetually in them I wote not what secrete force by which they may of themselues be able to further or confirme Faith but because they are ordeined of the Lorde to this ende that they shoulde serue to the stablishyng and encreasyng of Faith But then onely they do truely performe their office when that inwarde schoolemaister the Spirite is come to them with whoe 's onely power bothe the hartes are pearced and affections are moued and the entrie is sette open for the Sacramentes into oure soules If he be absente Sacramentes can do no more to our myndes than if either the brightnesse of the sunne shoulde shine vppon blynde eies or a voice sounde to deafe eares Therfore I so make diuision betwene the Spirite and sacramentes that the power of working remaine with the Spirite and to the Sacramentes be left only the ministration yea and the same voide and triflyng without the workyng of the Spirite but of muche effectualnesse when he inwardly woorketh and putteth foorth his force Nowe it is plaine in what sorte accordyng to this sentence a godly mynde is confirmed in the faith by Sacramentes that is to say euen as the eies see by the brightnesse of the sunne and the eares heare by the sounde of a voice of whiche neither the eies should any whitte perceiue any light vnlesse they had a sight in them selues that might naturally be enlightened and the eares should in vaine be knocked at with any crieng whatsoeuer it were vnlesse they wer naturally made and fitt to heare But if it be true whiche ought at ones to be determined among vs that what the sight worketh in our eies to seyng of the light what the hearyng worketh in our eares to the perceiuyng of a voice the same is the worke of the Holy ghost in our hartes bothe to the conceiuyng and susteinyng and cherishing and stablishing of faith then bothe these thynges do likewise folowe that the Sacramentes do nothyng at all profite without the power of the Holy ghoste that nothyng withstandeth but that in hartes alredy taught of that scholemaister they may make faith bothe stronger and more encreased Only this difference there is that the power of hearyng and seyng is naturally set in our eares and eyes but Christ beside the measure of nature doth by speciall grace worke the same in our myndes Wherby those obiections also which comber some men are dissolued That if we ascribe to creatures either the encrease or confirmation of Faith there is wrong done to the Spirite of God whom we ought to acknowlege the onely author therof For neither doo we in the meane tyme take from hym the praise either of confirming or encreasyng it but rather we affirme that euen this that he encreseth confirmeth faith is nothing els but with his inward enlightning to prepare our myndes to receiue that confirming which is set foorth by the Sacraments But if it be yet to darkly spokeÌ„ it shal be made very clereby a similitude which I will bryng If thou purpose with woordes to persuade a man to do any thyng thou wilt search out all the reasons wherby he may be drawen to thy opinion and may be in a maner subdued to obey thy counsel But thou haste hetherto nothyng preuailed vnlesse he likewise haue a pearcyng and sharpe iudgement whereby he may wey what pitth is in thy reasons vnlesse also he haue a tractable witt ready to harken to teachyng finally vnlesse he haue conceiued such an opinion of thy faithfulnesse and wisedome as may be to him like a certaine foreiudgemeÌ„t to cause him to subscribe For both there are many stubborne heads which a man can neuer bowe with any reasons and also where credite is suspected where authoritie is despised little good is done euen with the willyng to learne On the other syde lett all those thynges be present they wyll truely bryng to passe that the hearer to whome thou geuest counsel will obey the selfe same counsels which otherwise he wold haue laughed to scorne The same woorke also the Spirite woorketh in vs. For least the worde should beate our eares in vayne least the Sacramentes shoulde stryke oure eyes in vayne he sheweth vs that it is God which speaketh therin he softeneth the stubbornesse of oure harte and frameth it to the obedience which is due to the word of the Lorde Finally he conueyeth those outward woordes and Sacramentes from the eares into the soule Therfore bothâ— the worde and the Sacraments do confirme our Faith when they set before our eies the good wil of the heuenly Father toward vs by knowlege of whom both the whole stedfastnesse of our Faith standeth fast and the strengthe of it encreaseth the Spirite confirmeth it when in engrauing the same confirmation in in our myndes he maketh it effectual In the meane tyme the Father of lightes can not be forbidden but as he enlightneth the bodily eiâ—s with the beames of the sunne so he may enlighten our myndes with sacramentes as with as brightnesse set meane betwene Whiche propretie the Lorde taught that there was in his outewarde worde when in the parable he called it sede For as sede if it fall vpon a desert and vntilled pece of grounde will do nothyng but die but if it be throwen vpon arable lande well manured and tylled it wyll bryng foorth her fruite with very good encrease so the word of God if it light vpon a stiffe necke it will growe barrein as that whiche is sowen vpon sande but if it light vpon a soule manured with the hande of the heauenly Spirite it will be moste fruitefull But if there be like reason of sede and of the worde as we say that out of sede corne bothe springeth and encreaseth and groweth vp to ripenesse why may we not say that Faith taketh out of the worde of God bothe begynnyng encrease and perfection Paule very well expresseth both these thyngs in sundry places For when he goeth about to put the Corynthians in remembrance howe effectually God vsed his trauaile he glorieth that he hath the ministerie of the Spirite as though the power of the Holy ghost wer with an vnseperable knot ioyned with his preachyng to enlighten and thoroughly moue the mynde But in an other place when he myndeth
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
whole space of heauen and earth shold in so great distance of places not only be conioyned but also vnited that soules may receiue foode of the fleshe of Christe Therfore let waiward men cesse to procure hatred to vs by a filthy sclaunder as though we did enuiously restraine any thyng of the immeasurable power of God For they do either to foolishly erre or to maliciously lye For it is not here in question what God coulde but what he woulde We affirme that to bee done which pleased hym But it pleased hym that Christ shold be made like to his brethren in all thyngs except synne What maner of thyng is our fleshe Is it not suche as consisteth of the certaine measure of it as is conteined in place as is touched as is seen And why say they may not God make that one selfe same fleshe may occupie many and diuers places may be conteined in no place may be without measure forme Thou madde man why requirest thou of the power of God to make fleshe at one selfe tyme to be and not to be fleshe Like as if thou sholdest instantly require hym to make at one self tyme the light to be bothe light darknesse But he willeth light to be light darknesse to be darknesse fleshe to be fleshe He shall in deede when it pleaseth hym turne darknesse into lyght and lyght into darknesse but wen thou requirest that lyght and darknesse may not differ what doest thou els but peruert the order of the wisdome of God Therefore fleshe must be fleshe and Spirite Spirite euery thyng in suche lawe and condition as God hath created it But suche is the condition of fleshe that it muste be in one yea and that a certaine place and consist of her measure and other forme With thys condition Christ toke fleshe vpon him to whiche as Augustine witnesseth he hath geuen in dede vncorruption and glorye but he hath not taken from it nature and truth They answer that they haue the worde whereby the will of God is made playne namely if it be graunted them to banish out of the Chirch the gifte of exposition whiche may bring lighte to the worde I graunt that they haue the worde but suche as in olde tyme the Anthropomorphites had when they made God hauing a body suche as Marcion and the Manichees had when they fayned the body of Christ to be eyther heauenly or fantasticall For they alleged for testimonies The firste Adam was of the earth earthly the seconde Adam is of heauen heauēly Againe Christ abaced himselfe taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and was founde in likenesse as a mā But the grosse eaters think that there is no power of God vnlesse with the monster forged in their braines the whole order of nature be ouerthrowen whiche is rather to limit God when we couet with our fained inuētions to proue what he can do For out of what worde haue they taken that the body of Christe is visible in heauen but lurketh inuisible in earth vnder ▪ innumerable litle peces of bred They wil say that necessitie requireth this that the body of Christe should be geuen in the Supper Uerily because it pleased them to gather a fleshly eating out of the wordes of Christ they being caried away with their owne foreiugement were driuen to necessitie to coine this sutteltie which the whole Scripture crieth out against But that any thing is by vs diminished of the power of God is so false that by our doctrine the prayse of it is very honorably set out But forasmuche as they alway accuse vs that we defraude God of hys honor when we refuse that whiche according to common sense is hard to be beleued although it haue ben promised by the mouth of Christ I make againe the same answere that I made euen nowe that in the mysteries of Fayth we doe not aske counsell of common sense but with quiet willingnesse to learne and with the Spirite of mekenesse whiche Iames commendeth we receiue the doctrine come from heauen But in that when they perniciously erre I deny not that we followe a profitable moderation They hearing the wordes of Christe Thys is my bodye imagine a miracle moste farre from hys mynde But when out of thys fayned inuention aryse fowle absurdities because they haue allready with hedlong hast put snares vpon themselues they plunge themselues into the bottomlesse depthe of the almightinesse of God that by thys meane they may quenche the lyght of truthe Hereupon commeth that proude precisenesse We will not knowe howe Christe lyeth hydde vnder the bred holdyng our selues cōtented with thys saying of hys This is my body But we as we doe in the whole Scripture doe with no lesse obedience than care studye to obteyne a sounde vnderstanding of thys place neither doe we with preposterous heate rashly and without choise catch holde of that which first thrusteth it selfe into our myndes but vsing diligent musing vpon it we embrace the meaning whiche the Spirite of God ministreth and standing thereupon we doe from alofte despise whatsoeuer earthly wisdome is set against it Yea we holde our myndes captiue that they may not be bolde so muche as with one litle worde to carpe against it and do humble them that they maye not dare to rise vp against it Hereupon sprong vp the exposition of the woordes of Christ which to be by the continual vsage of the Scripture common to al Sacramentes al they that haue ben though but meanely exercysed therin do knowe Neither do we after the exāple of the holy virgin thynke it lawful for vs in a hard mater to enquire how it may be done But because nothing shal more auaile to confirme the Fayth of the godly than when they haue learned that the doctrine whiche we haue taughte is taken out of the worde of God and standeth vpon the authoritie thereof I will make this also euident with as greate brefenesse as I can The body of Christ sins the tyme tha◠it rose agayne not Aristotle but the Holy ghost teacheth to be limited and that it is comprehēded in heauen vntill the laste day Neither am I ignorante that they boldly mock out those places that are alleged for thys purpose So oft as Christ sayth that he wil departe leauing the world they answer that that departing is nothing ells but a changing of mortall state But after this manner Christe shoulde not set the Holy ghost in hys place to supplye as they call it the wante of hys absence forasmuche as he doth not succede into his place nor Christ himselfe doth descende again oute of the heauenly glorye to take vppon hym the state of mortall lyfe Truely the commyng of the Holy ghost and the ascending of Christe are thynges set as contrarie therefore it can not be that Christe should according to the fleshe dwel with vs after the same manner that he sendeth his Spirite Moreouer he in playne wordes
bicause the Lord hath determined to haue mercie vpoÌ„ men to this ende that they shuld repeÌ„t he teacheth men whether they shall trauaile if they will obteine grace Therfore so long as we shall dwell in the pryson of our body we must continually wrastle with the vices of our corrupt flesh yea with our own naturall soule Plato sayth in certayne places that the life of a Phylosopher is a meditation of death but we may more truely say that the life of a Christian maÌ„ is a perpetuall studie and exercise of mortifieng the fleshe till it beyng vtterly slayue the Spirit of God get the dominion in vs. Therefore I thinke that he hath much profited that hath learned much to mislyke himself not that he should sticke faste in â—hat myre and goe no further but rather that he should haste and long toward God that being graffed into the death life of Christ he should studie vpon a continuall repentance as truely they can not otherwise do that haue a naturall hatred of sinne for no man euer hated sinne vnlesse he were first in loue with righteousnesse This doctrine as it was most simple of all other so I thought it beste to agree with thâ— truthe of the Scripture Nowe that Repentance is a singular gift of God I thinke it be so wel knowen by the doctrine aboue taught that I neede not to repete a long discourse to proue it agayne Therfore the church prayseth and hath in admiratioÌ„ the benefit of God that he hath geuen the Gentiles repentance vnto saluation And Paule commaundyng Timothee to be patieÌ„t and milde toward the vnbeleuers sayth If at any time God geue them repentance that they maye repent from the snares of the Deuel God in deede affirmeth that he willeth the conuersion of al meÌ„ and directeth his exhortations generally to all men but the effectual workyng therof hangeth vpon the Spirit of regeneration Bicause it were more easy to create vs men than of our owne power to put on a better nature Therfore in the whole course of regeneration we are not without cause called the worke of God created to good workes which he hath prepared that we should walke in them Whom soeuer the lordes will is to deliuer from death those he quickeneth with the Spirit of regeneration not that repentance is properly the cause of saluation but bycause it is alredy seen that it is vnseparable froÌ„ fayth and from the mercie of God sithe as Esaye testifieth there is a redemer come to him and to those that in Iacob are returned from their wickednesse This truely standeth stedfastly determined that were so euer liueth the feare of God there the Spirite hath wrought vnto the saluation of man Therfore in Esaie when the faithful complaine and lament that they are forsaken of God they recken this as a token of beyng reprobates that their heartes were hardened by God The Apostle also meanyng to exclude apostataes from hope of saluation apointeth this reason that it is impossible for them to be renewed vnto repentance bicause God in renewyng them whom he wil not haue perish sheweth a tokeÌ„ of his fatherly fauour and in a maÌ„ner draweth them vnto him with the beames of his cherefull and mery contenaÌ„ce on the other side with hardenyng them he thundereth agaynst the reprobate whose wickednesse is vnpardonable Whiche kinde of vengeance the Apostle threateneth to wilfull apostataes whiche when they depart from the faith of the Gospell do make a scorne of God reprochefully despise his grace and defile treade vnder feete the bloud of Christ yea as much as in them is they crucifie him agayne For he doth not as some fondly rigorous men would haue it cut of hope of pardon from all wilfull sinnes but teacheth that apostasie is vnworthy of all excuse so that it is no maruell that God doth punish a contempt of himself so full of sacrilege with vnappeasable rigour For he sayth that it is impossible that they which haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift haue ben made partakers of the holy ghost haue tasted of the good word of God the powers of the world to come yf they fall shuld be renewed to repeÌ„tance crucifiyng againe of newe and makyng a scorne of the sonne of God Againe in an other place If sayth he we willingly sinne after knowledge of the truth receyued there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a certayne dreadfull expectation of iudgement c. These also be the places out of the wroÌ„g vnderstandyng wherof the Nouatians in old time haue gathered matter to play the mad men with whose rigorousnesse certaine good meÌ„ beyng offended beleued this to be a counterfait Epistle in the Apostles name whiche yet in all partes doth truely fauour of an Apostolike spirite But bycause we contend with none but with theÌ„ that allowe it it is easy to shewe how these sentences do nothing mainteine their errour Firste it is necessarie that the Apostle agree with his maister whiche affirmeth that all sinne and blasphemie shal be forgeueÌ„ except the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost which is not forgeuen neyther in this world nor in the world to come It is certaine I saye that the Apostle was contented with this exception vnlesse we will make him an aduersarie to the grace of Christ. Whereupon foloweth that pardon is denied to no special offenses but only to one whiche procedyng of a desperate rage can not be ascribed to weakenesse and openly sheweth that a man is possessed of the Deuell But to discusse this it behoueth to enquire what is that same so horrible offense that shall haue no forgeuenesse Whereas Augustine in one place defineth it an obstinate stifnesse euen vnto death with despeire of pardon that doth not well agree with the very wordes of Christ thaâ— it shall not be forgeuen in this world For eyther that is spoken in vaine or it maye be coÌ„mitted in this life But if Augustines definition be true then it is not committed vnlesse it continue euen vnto death Wheras some other saye that he sinneth against the holy ghost that enuieth the grace bestowed vpon his brother I see not froÌ„ whense that is fetched But let vs bring a true definitioÌ„ which beyng ones proued with sure testimonies shall easily by it selâ—e ouerthrowe all the reste I saye therefore that they sinne agaynst the holy ghost which of set purpose resist the truthe of God with brightnesse wherof they are so daseled that they can not pretend ignorance whiche they do only to this ende to resâ—st For Christe meanynge to expounde that whiche he had sayd immediatly addeth He that speaketh a worde agaynst the sonne of man it shal be forgeueÌ„ him but he that blasphemeth agaynst the holy ghost shal not be forgeuen And Matthew for the blasphemie against the holy Spirit putteth the spirit of blasphemie But how can a maÌ„ speake a reproche against the
Sonne but it is also spoken agaynst the holy ghost They that stumble vnware against the truthe of God not knowyng it which do ignorantly speake euell of Christ hauyng yet this minde that they would not extinguish the truth of God disclosed vnto them or ones with one worde offend him whome they had knowen to be the lordes anoynted these men sinne agaynst the father and the sonne So there are many at this day that do most hatefully detest the doctrine of the Gospell whiche if they did know it to be the doctrine of the Gospell they would be redy to worship with all their heart But thei whose conscience is conuinced that it is the worde of God whiche they forfake and fight agaynst and yet cesse not to fight agaynst it they are sayd to blaspheme the holy ghost for asmuch as they wrastle against the enlightening that is the work of the holy ghost Such were many of the Iewes whiche when they could not resist the Spirit that spake by Stephen yet endeuored to resist It is no doubt but that many of them were carried vnto it with zele of the lawe but it appereth that there were some other that of malicious wickednesse dyd rage agaynst God himselfe that is to saye agaynst the doctrine whiche they were not ignoraunt to be of God And such were those Pharisees against whoÌ„ the Lord inueyeth which to ouerthrow the power of the holy ghost defamed him with the name of Beelzebub This therfore is the Spirit of blasphemie when mans boldnesse of 〈◊〉 purpose leapeth forth to reproche of the name of God Which Paule signifieth wheÌ„ he sayth that he obteined mercie bicause he had igâ—oraÌ„tly coÌ„mitted those thinges through vnbelefe for whiche otherwise he had ben vnworthy of Gods fauour If ignoraÌ„ce ioyned with vnbelefe was yâ— cause that he obteined pardoÌ„ therupoÌ„ foloweth that there is no place for pardon where knowlege is ioyned to vnbelefe But if thou marke it wel thou shalt perceiue that the Apostle speaketh not of one or other particular fal but of the vniuersal departyng whereby the reprobate do forsake saluation And it is no maruel that they whom Iohn in his canonical epistle affirmeth not to haue ben of the elect froÌ„ whom they went out do fele God vnappeasable For he directeth his speache against them that imagined that they might reâ—urue to the Christian religion although they had ones departed froÌ„ it and calling them from this false pestilent opinion he sayth that whiche is most true that there is no way of returne open for them to the coÌ„munion of Christ that wittingly willingly haue cast it awaye But they cast it not away that only in dissolute licentiousnesse of lyfe transgresse the word of the lord but thei that of set purpose cast away his whole doctrine Therfore the deceit is in these wordes of fallyng sinning Bicause the Nouatians expound Falling to be if a man beyng taught by the law of the Lord that he ought not to steale or to coÌ„mit fornication absteineth not from stealing or fornication But coÌ„trarywise I affirme that there is a secret comparison of contraries wherein ought to be repeted althinges coÌ„trarie to that which was first spokeÌ„ so that here is expressed not any particular fault but the whole turning away froÌ„ God and as I may so cal it the Apostasie of the whole maÌ„ Therfore when he sayth they which haue fallen after that they haue ones ben enlightened haue tasted the heaueÌ„ly gift ben made partakers of the holy ghost also tasted the good worde of God and the powers of the world to come it is to be vnderstanded of them that with aduised vngodlinesse haue choked the light of the holy spirit haue spit out agayne the tast of the heauenly gift haue enstraÌ„ged themselues from the sanctificatioÌ„ of the holy ghost haue troden vnder foote the word of God the powers of the world to come And the more to expresse that aduised purpose of wickednesse in an other place afterwarde he addeth this worde by name Wilfully For when he sayth that there is left no sacrifice for them that sinne willingly after knowlege of the truthe receiued he doth not denie yâ— Christ is a continual sacrifice to purge the iniquities of the holy ones which he expresly crieth out almost in the whole epistle where he declareth yâ— priesthode of Christ but he sayth that there remaineth no other wheÌ„ that is ones forsaken it is forsaken when the truth of the gospell is of set purpose renounced But whereas some do thinke it to harde and to far from the tender merciefulnesse of God that any are put awaye that flee to beseching the lords mercie that is easily answered For he doth not say that pardon is denied theÌ„ if they turne to the lord but he vtterly denieth that they can rise vnto repentance bycause they are by the iuste iudgement of God striken with eternall blindnesse for their vnthankefulnesse And it maketh nothyng to the contrarie that afterward he applieth to this purpose the example of Esau whiche in vaine attempted with howling and wepyng to recouer his right of the firste begotten And no more doth that threatenyng of the Prophet When they crie I wil not heare For in such phrases of speache is meante neyther the true conuersion nor callyng vpon God but that carefulnesse of the wicked wherewith beyng bouÌ„d they are compelled in extremitie to loke vnto that which before they carelesly neglected that there is no good thing for them but in the Lordes helpe But this they doe not so muche call vpon as they mourne that it is taken from them Therefore the Prophet meaneth nothing els by Cryeng and the Apostle nothing els by Weping but that horrible torment which by desperation fretteth and vexeth the wicked This it is good to marke diligently for els God should disagree with himself which crieth by the Prophet that he wil be merciefull so sone as the sinner turneth And as I haue alredy sayd it is certayne that the minde of man is not turned to better but by Gods grace preuentyng it Also his promise concernyng callynge vpon him will neuer deceyue But that blinde torment wherwith the reprobate are diuersly drawen when they see that they muste needes seeke God that they may finde remedie for their euels and yet do flee from his presence is vnproperly called Conuersion and prayer But a question is moued whereas the Apostle denieth that God is appeased with fained repentance how Achab obteined pardon and turned awaye the punishment pronounced vpon him whom yet it appereth by the reste of the course of his life to haue ben onely striken amased with sodeine feare He did in deede put on sacke cloth scattered ashes vpon him laye vpon the ground and as it is testified of him he was huÌ„bled before God but it was not enough to cut his garmentes when his heart remayned thicke and swollen
from all manner of affiance when they teache that our righteousnesses do stinke in the sight of God vnlesse they receiue a good sauor from the innocence of Christ that they can do nothing but prouoke the vengeance of God vnlesse they be susteined by the tendernes of his mercie Moreouer they so leaue nothing to vs but that we shold traue the mercie of our iudge with that confessioÌ„ of Dauid that none shall be iustified before him if he require accoÌ„pt of his seruantes But where Iob saythe If I haue done wickedly wo to me but if I doe righteously yet I wyll not so lyfte vp my head though he meane of that most hie righteousnes of God wherunto the very Angels answer not yet he therwithal sheweth that wheÌ„ thei come to the iudgement of God there remaineth nothing for al mortal men but to holde their peace as duÌ„me For it teÌ„deth not only to this purpose that he had rather willingly yeld thaÌ„ daÌ„gerously striue with the rigorousnes of God but he meaneth that he felt no other righteousnes in him self thaÌ„ such as at the first moment shold fall before the sight of God When affiance is driuen away al glorieng must also necessarely depart For who can geue the praise of righteousnes to these workes the affiaÌ„ce wherof treÌ„bleth before the sight of God We must therfore come whether Esaie calleth vs that al the seede of Israel may be praised glorie in God because it is most true whiche he saith in an other place that we ar the planting of the glorie of God Our mynde therfore shall then be rightly purged wheÌ„ it shal neither in any behalf rest vpon the coÌ„fidence of workes nor reioise in the glory of theÌ„ But this errour encouraged folish men to the puffing vp of this false a lying affiance that they alway set the cause of their saluatioÌ„ in workes But if we loke to the fower kindes of causes which the phylosophers â—eache vs to coÌ„sider in the effect of thinges we shal find that none of them doth accord with workes in the stablishing of our saluatioÌ„ For the Scripture doth euery where report that the cause of procuring the eternall life to vs is the mercie of the heauenly father his free loue towarde vs that the Material cause is Christ with his obedience by which he purchaced righteousnesse for vs. What also shal we say to be the formal or instrumeÌ„tal cause but faith And these thre causes Iohn coÌ„prehendeth together in one senteÌ„ce when he saith God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne that euery one which beleueth in him may not perish but may haue euerlastiÌ„g life Now the final cause the Apostle testifieth to be both the shewing of the righteousnesse of God the praise of his goodnes wher he reherseth also the other thre in expresse wordes For he satih thus to the Romains al haue sined do nede the glory of god but they are iustified frely by his grace Here thou hast the head first fountain namely that God embraced vs with his free mercie Then foloweth By the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ which is in Christ Iesu. Here thou hast as it were the matter wherof righteousnesse is made for vs through faith in his bloude Here is shewed the instrumeÌ„tall cause wherby the righteousnes of Christ is applied to vs. Last of al he ioyneth the end when he saithe vnto the shewyng of his righteousnesse that he may be righteous the righteousmaker of him that is of the faithe of Christe And to touche by the way that this righteousnes standeth of reconciliatioÌ„ he setteth expressely by name the Christ was geuen to vs for reconciliatioÌ„ So in the first chap. also to the Ephesians he teacheth the we are receiued of God into fauour by mear mercie that the same is wrought by the intercession of Christ receiued by faithe all to this ende that the glorie of the goodnesse of God may fully shyne When we see that all the partes of our saluation are so without vs what cause is there that wee shoulde now either haue affiance or glorie in workes Neither can euen the most sworne ennemies of the grace of God moue any controuersie with vs about the efficient or fynall cause vnlesse they wyll denye the whole Scripture In the Materiall and Formall cause the caste a false colour as though our workes haue a half place with faithe and the righteousnesse of Christ. But this also they teache the Scripture criynge out against them whiche simply affirmeth both that Christ is to vs for righteousnesse and life and that this benefit of righteousnesse is possesed by only faith But where as the holy men do oftentimes strengthen and comforte them selues with remembrance of their owne innocencie and vprightnesse and somtime also forbeare not to report of it with prayse that is done twoo wayes either that in comparing their good cause with the euell cause of the wicked they conceiue thereby assured trust of victory not so muche for commending of their own righteousnes as for the iust deserued condemning of their aduersaries or that euen without comparison of other while thei recorde theÌ„selues before God the purenesse of their own conscience bringeth to them both some comfort affiance Of the first of these two wayes we shall se hereafter now let vs brefely declare of the latter how it agreeth with that whiche we haue aboue said that in the iudgemeÌ„t of God we must rest vpoÌ„ no affiance of workes and glorie vpon no opinion of them This is the agrement that the holy ones when it concerneth the founding and stablishinge of their saluation do without respect of workes bend their eies to the only goodnesse of God And they do not only bend them selues to it afore al thinges as to the beginning of blessednesse but do rest therin as in the fulfilling of it A conscience so founded raised stablished is also stablished with consideration of workes namely so far as they are the witnessings of God dwelling reigning in vs. Sithe therfore this affiance of workes hath no place vnlesse thou haue first cast the whole affiance of thy mynde vpon the mercie of God it ought not to seme coÌ„trary to the wherupon it hangeth Wherfore wheÌ„ we exclude the affiance of workes we meane only this that a Christian mind may not bowe to the merit of workes as to the succour of saluation but should throughly rest in the free promise of righteousnesse But we forbid it not to vnderprop strengthen this faith with the signes of the good will of God toward it selfe For if al the good giftes whiche God hath bestowed vpon vs wheÌ„ theâ— be recorded in remeÌ„brance are to vs after a certaine manner as it were beames of the face of God by whiche we ar enlightened to behold that soueraigne light of goodnesse much more is the grace of good workes whiche sheweth that the Spirite of adoption is geuen
vs. When therfore the holy ones do by innoceÌ„cie of coÌ„science coÌ„firme their faith gather matter of reioysing they do nothing but cal to minde by the frutes of their calling that they are adopted of the Lord into the place of children This therfore that is taught by Salomon that in the feaâ—e of the Lord is stedfast assurednesse this that somtime the holy ones vse this protestation to the entent that they may be heard of the Lord that thei haue walked before his face in vprightnes simplicititie haue no place in laying the fundatioÌ„ of stablishing of coÌ„science but are theÌ„ only of value if they be taken of the ensuing effect because both the feare is no where whiche may stablish a full assurednesse the holy ones are priuie in their conscience of such an vprightnes wherwith ar yet mingled many reÌ„naÌ„tes of the flesh But forasmuche as of the frutes of regeneration they gather an argumeâ—t of the holy Ghoste dwellynge in them they do there by not sclenderly strengthen them selues to loke for the helpe of God in all their necessities when they by experience finde hym their father in so great a matter And euen this also they canne not doe vnlesse thei haue first conceyued the goodnesse of God sealed with no other assurednesse than of the promyse For if they beginne to weye yt by good workes nothing shal be more vncertaine nor more weake forasmuche as if workes bee considered by them selues thei shall no lesse by theyr imperfection shewe profe of the wrathe of God than thei do with how soeuer vnperfect purenes testifie his good wil. Fynally thei do so set out the benefites of God that yet they tourne not awaie from the free fauoure of God in which Paul testifieth that ther is the length breadth depth and heigth of them as if he shoulde say Whethersoeuer the senses of the godly do tourne themselues howe hie soeuer thei clyme how farre and wide soeuer thei extend them yet thei ought not to goe oute of the loue of Christe but holde them selues wholy in the meditation therof bicause it comprehendeth al kindes of measures in it And therfore he saithe that it excelleth and surmounteth aboue all knowledge and that when we acknowledge howe muche Christe hathe loued vs we are fulfilled into all the fulnesse of God As in an other place when he glorieth that all the Godly are vanquishers in battell he by and by addeth a reason bycause of him that loued vs. We see now that ther ys not in the holy ones that affiance of works whiche either geueth any thinge to the merite of them forasmuche as thei regarde them none otherwise than as the giftes of God whereby thei reknowledg his goodnesse none otherwise than as signes of their calling whereby maie thinke vpon their election or whiche withdraweth not any thing from the free righteousnesse whiche wee obteine in Christe for asmuche as it hangeth vpon it and standeth not withoute it The same thing doth Augustine in few wordes but very wel set out where he writeth I do not saie to the Lorde despise not the workes of my handes or I haue sought the Lorde with my handes and haue not been deceiued But I do not commned the workes of my handes for I feare least when thou haste loked vpon them thou shalt finde moe sinnes than merites Onli this I say this I ask this I desire despise not the workes of thy hands beholde in me thy worke not mine For if thow beholdest mine thou damnest me if thou beholdest thine thou crownest me For also whatsoeuer good workes I haue they are of thee He setteth two causes why he dare not boaste of his workes to God bycause if he haue any good workes he seeth therin nothing his owne secondly bycause the same is also ouerwhelmed wyth multytude of synnes Whereupon commeth to passe that the conscience feleth thereby more feare and dismaieng than assurednesse Therfore he woulde haue God no otherwise to loke on his well doinges than that reknowledging in them the grace of his calling he maie make an ende of the worke which he hathe begonne But furthermore wheras the scripture sheweth that the good workes of the faithfull are causes why the Lorde doth good to them that is so to be vnderstanded that that which we haue before set may stand vnshaken that the Effect of our saluation consisteth in the loue of God the Father the Mater in the obedience of the Sonne the Instrument in the enlightning of the holy ghooste that is to saie in faithe that the end is the glorie of the so great kindenes of God These thinges withstande not but that the Lorde maye embrace workes as inferiour causes But whense coÌ„meth that Namely whome the Lord of his mercie hath apointed to the inheritaÌ„ce of eternal life them with his ordinarie dispeÌ„sation he doth by good workes bring into the possessioÌ„ therof That which goeth before in order of dispensatioÌ„ he calleth the cause of that which foloweth After this maÌ„ner he somtime deriueth eternal life froÌ„ workes not for that is to be ascribed to theÌ„ but bicause whome he hath chosen them he doth iustifie that he may at leÌ„gth glorifie them he maketh the grace that goeth before which is a step toward that which foloweth after a certaine maÌ„ner the cause of it But so oft as he hath occasioÌ„ to assigne the true cause he biddeth vs not to flee to workes but holdeth vs in the only thinking vpon the mercie of God For what manner of thing is this which he teacheth by the Apostle The reward of sinne is death the grace of the Lord is life euerlasting Why doth he not set righteousnesse in coÌ„parison against sinne as he setteth life agaynst death Why doth he not make righteousnesse the cause of life as he maketh sinne the cause of death For so should the comparison of contraries haue stand well together which is much broken by this turning But the Apostle meant by this coÌ„parison to expresse that which was truth that death is due to the deseruings of men that life is reposed in the only mercie of God Finally in these maÌ„ners of speaking is rather expressed the order than the cause bicause God in heaping graces vpon graces taketh cause of the first to adde the second that he may leaue nothing vndone to the enrichyng of his seruantes and he so continually exteÌ„deth his liberalitie that yet he would haue vs alway to looke vnto the free election which is fountaine beginning of it For although he loueth the giftes which he dayly geueth in so much as thei spring out of that fountaine yet it is our part to holde fast that free acceptation whiche alone is able to vpholde our soules as for such giftes of his Spirit as he afterward geueth vs so to adioyne them to the first cause that they minish nothing of it The .xv. Chapter ¶ That those thinges that are commoÌ„ly