diligence to correcte that which is amisse Verily out of carelesse loosenesse doeth arise invred custome to committ sinne and negligent securitie Penitents doe not stande in defence of their sinnes but make their supplicant apologie to God to haue them remitted Hypocrites excuse themselues and seeke out shiftes and starting holes not coÌ„fessing fréely their sinns and offences nor praying to God to haue them forgiuen He which repentâ—th truely in verie déed is angrie with him selfe because of his wicked manners and life alreadie lewdly spent The punishment which he doth exercise vpon him selfe preuenteth and turneth awaye the reuengeing and imminent wrath of God. Moreouer with feare he doeth take heede howe hee sinneth any more For the contempte of GOD is the originall of mischiefes and bonde of an impenitent life Furthermore he which doeth truely repent is rauished with the passing vehement desire or loue of GOD and heauenly thinges hee burneth with zeale whereby it commeth to passe that hee neither foadeth off from daye to day nor yet doth coldly nor slackely go about that whiche hee hath learned by the word of God to be required at his hand to be done and performed Briefly what soeuer he doth he doth it with al his minde euen from the very bottome and roote of his heart For so sayeth the great Prophete of God the holy man Moses If thou wilt turne to the Lord thy God and hearken vnto his voice with all thy heart and with all thy soule the Lord thy God also shall turne thy captiuitie and shewe pitie vpon thee in the bowels of mercie Thus much touching the fruits of Repentaunce Nowe vppon all the premisses we inferre this consequent that Repentaunce whose onely scope whereto it tendeth is the renouation by the spirit of Christ of the image of God whiche was by Adams fall of old defiled is not a worke of a day or twaine or of a prescribed number of yeres but a coÌ„tinuall obseruaunce of our whole life and so coÌ„sequently a daily putting off and renuing of the old man for euer For they that are regenerate by the holy spirite of God are neuer so purged that they féele no motions of the flesh of sinne and of carnal affections There is alwayes obiecte to the eyes of the faithful this sentence of s Paul that cannot by any meanes be pluckt out of their minds I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For to will is preseÌ„t with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I would I doe not but the euill that I would not that doe I. For wee beare about the reliques of the flesh thorough all our life Wherevppon it commeth that in the Saincts there is a perpetuall and very sharpe battaile For they doe partly obey the spirite and are partly weakened of the flesh By the spirite they are lifted vp to the contemplation desire of heauenly thinges But by the flesh they are thrust downe to earthly thinges troubled with the allurements of this naughtie world For euen the Apostle féeling that combat in himselfe sayed The flesh lusteth contrarie to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For they are so at enimitie beetwixt theÌ„selues that what ye would ye cannot doe And in an other place he sayth Euen I the same doe in the minde serue the lawe of God but in the flesh the lawe of sinne And to help the matter forward withal there lackes no deceipt no craft and a thousand temptations of the subtile crafts maister our enimie the diuell Therefore the labour and perill of the true penitent that is of a Christian man is farre greater than that our prayers are comparable vnto it But now who doeth not here perceiue how great watching abstineÌ„ce constancie fortitude and patience are néedeful for those y doe repent What great néede they haue of earnest and continuall prayers Let vs in this sharpe conflict lay before our eyes the instruction of that valiaunt champion the Apostle Paule For that which he sayeth may be to vs in stéed of a large and ample commentarie For he will in fewe wordes passingly instruct vs how to behaue our selues in this troublesome combate how to vanquish howe to triumphe when the victorie is gotten In his Epistle to the Ephesians thus he sayth Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on al the armour of God that ye may stand against the assaults of the diuel For wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud onely but against rules against powers against worldly gouernours of the darckenesse of this world against spirituall subtiltis in heaueÌ„ly things Wherfore take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stand fast Stand therfore hauing your loynes girt about with the truth hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse your feete shodd in the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherwith ye may quench al the sierie dartes of the wicked take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of god Praying alwayes in al prayer supplication in the spirite and watching for the same wth all instance And so as followeth in the 6. to the Ephesians Here therfore are also to be rehearsed y outward exercises of repentance or rites of penaunce wherewith the Sainctes do exercise themselues partly to tame and kéepe vnder the motious of flesh and partly to testifie their repentaunce vnto the congregation Those exercises are carelessenes of the flesh teares sighes sackcloth fastings wéeping lamenting neglecting hatred of deintie diet trimming of the body and also of allowable pleasures which although they be done and yet do not procéed from the very heart and from true faith are notwithstanding nothing auaileable to him that vseth them But it is best héere to learne as it were in a painted table to behold them pictured in the word of god The Prophete Ioel sayth Turne ye to me sayth the Lord with all your heartes with fasting with weeping and with mourning and rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lord your God for he is gratious mercifull slowe to anger and of great goodnesse he wil repent him of the euill Who knoweth whether the Lord wil returne take compassion and wil leaue behind him a blessing Blowe vp a truÌ„pet in Sion proclame fast call an assemblie sanctifie the coÌ„gregation gather the people gather the elders assemble the children and sucking babes Let the bridegrome come forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Let the priests the Lords ministers weepe betwixte the porch and the altar and let them saye Spare thy people O Lord and giue not ouer thine heritage vnto reproch that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherfore
weales or CongregatioÌ„s yea and that more is the most flourishing Kingdomes in all the world vnder their authoritie All the wysemen in the whole worlde I meane â—hose whiche liued in his time did reuerence Solomon a King and so great a Prophet and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde He was moreouer in great estimation with Darius Medus the Sonne of Astyages or Assuerus and also with Cyrus that moste excellent king And here it lyketh me well to speake somewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets and moste assured foreshewing of things which were to come after many yeares passed And now to say nothing of others did not Esaias most truly foretell those things which were afterward fulfilled by the Iewes in our Lord Christ Not in vaine did he séeme to them of olde time to be rather an Euangelist then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréescore yeares at the least before that Cyrus was borne Daniel also was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche knewe muche For he did foretell those things whiche are and haue béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almost and among the people of God from his owne time vntil the time of Christ and further vntill the last day of Iudgement so plainely that hee may séeme to haue compiled an hystorie of those thinges whiche then were already gone and past Al these things I say doe very euidently proue that the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God with whiche name and title they are set fooâ—the in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verily Peter the Apostle saithe The prophecie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghoste And although God did largely clearly plainely and simply reueale his woâ—d to the world by the Patriarchs by Mâ—ses by the Priestes and Prophetes yet did he in the laste times of all by his Sonne set it forth moste clearely simply and aboundantly to al the worlde For the very and onely begotten Sonne of God the father as the Prophetes had foretolde descending from Heauen doth fulfill al what soeuer they foretolde and by the space almoste of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlinesse For saith Iohn No man at any time hath seene God the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hathe declared him The Lord himselfe moreouer saith to his Disciples Al things which I haue herd of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again he saith I am the light of the world whosoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life Our Lord also did teache that to him whiche would enter into Heauen and be saued the heauenly regeneration was néedeful bicause in the first byrth man is borne to death in the second to life But that that regeneration is made perfect in vs by the spirit of God whiche instrueteth our hartes in faith I say in faith in Christ who died for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iustified that out of the same faith doe growe sundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie to the bringing foorthe wherof he did most earnestly exhorte them He taught furthermore that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets and did also approue and expound the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes To doctrine he ioyned diuerse miracles and benefites wherby he declared that he him selfe was that light of the world and the mightie bountifull redéemer of the world And to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde he chose to himselfe witnesses whome he called Apostles bicause he purposed to sende them to Preache throughout the world Those witnesses were simple men innocentes iust tellers of trueth without deceipt or subtilties and in all pointes holy and good whose names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation The names of the Apostles are these Peter and Andrewe Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevve Thomas Mathevv Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe Iudas his brother vvhose surname vvas Thaddaeus Simon and Iudas Iscariot into whose roome because he had betraied the Lord came Saint Matthias These had he by the space almoste of thrée yeares hearers of his heauenly doctrine and beholders of his diuine workes These after his ascension in to the Heauens did he by the holy ghost send downe from Heauen instruct with all kinde of faculties For as they were in the Scriptures passing skilful so were they not vnskilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue And being once after this manner instructed they depart out of the Citie of Ierusalem and passe through the compasse of the earthe preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the sauiour of the world the Lord Iesus Christ And when for certaine yeares they had preached by woord of mouth then did they also set downe in writing that whiche they had preached For some verily writ an hystorie of the words and deeds of Christ and some of the wordes and déedes of the Apostles Other some sent sondrie Epistles to diuers Nations In all which to confirme the trueth they vse the Scripture of the lawe and the Prophetes euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did Moreouer to the twelue Apostles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world Iohn Baptiste then whom there was neuer any more holy borne of women and the chosen vessel Paule the greate teacher of the Gentiles Neither is it to be merueiled at that the forerunner and Apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and authoritie in the Churche For euen as they were the embassadours of the eternall King of all ages and of the whole worlde so being indued with the spirit of God they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes And the Lord by theyr ministerie wrought great myracles thereby to garnishe the ministerie of them and to commend their doctrine vnto vs And what may be thought of that moreouer that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compasse of the world which verely by mans counsell and wordes they had neuer béene able to haue brought to passe To this is further added that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine as a doctrine giuing life did not refuse to die Besides that how many soeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Gospell they were not afraide through water fire swordes to cutte of this life and
hath felte calamities Hee beareth our infirmities and hath carryed our sorrowes For the Lorde himselfe also in the Gospell said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death But verily hée suffred all this for vs For in him was neyther sinne nor any cause else whye hée shoulde suffer Secondarily in this article is noted the time Pontius Pilate the iudge vnder whom the Lorde dyed and redéemed the world from sinne death the deuil and hell Hée suffred therefore in the Monarchie of the Romanes vnder the Emperour Tiberius when as now according to the Prophecie of Iacob father of Israell the Iewishe people obeyed forreine kings because there were no more kinges or captaynes of the stocke of Iuda to haue the rule ouer them For hée foretold that then the Messias should come What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lord himselfe oftener then once in the Gospell did foreshew that hée should be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and by them be put to death In the thirde point of this article wée do expreslye declare the maner of his death For wée adde Hée was crucifyed and dyed on the Crosse But the death of the Crosse as it was most reprochfull so also was it most bitter or sharpe to be suffred yet tooke hée that kinde of death vppon him that hée might make satisfaction for the worlde and fulfill that which from the beginning was prefigured that he should be hāged on the tree Isaac was layde on the pile of woode to be offered vp in sacrifice Moses also stuck the Serpent on the stake of woode and lift it vp to be behelde And the Lord himself said I when I shal be lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto mee Finally hée dyed on the Crosse géeuinge vp his Ghoste to god For hée dyed verily and in déede as you shall streightway perceiue Where I haue briefly to declare vnto you what the fruite of Christe his death is First wée were accursed because of sinne hée therfore tooke our curse vppon himselfe beinge lyft vp vppon the Crosse to the end he might take our curse away and that wée might be blessed in him Then also the heritage bequeathed to vs by Will could not come vnto vs vnlesse hee which bequeathed it did dye But God bequeathed it who that hée might die became mā and dyed according to his humane nature to the ende that wée might receiue the heritage of life In an other place againe Paule sayth Him that knewe not sinne did God make sinne for vs that wee by him mighte bee made the righteousnes of God. Our Lorde therefore became man by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfaction for vs On whō as it were vppon a Goate for sinne offring when all the sinnes of the whoale worlde were gathered together and layd hée by his death tooke awaye and purged them all so that nowe the onely sacrifice of Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world And this verily is the greatest comoditie of Christ his death taught euery where by the Apostles of Christe Next after that also the death of Christe doth teach vs patience and the mortification of our fleshe yea Christe by the participation of himselfe doth by his Spirite worke in vs that sinne may not reigne in vs Touching which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth many thinges in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes The Lord in the Gospell sayth If any man will follow mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow mee These and a few more are the fruites of the Lord his passion or the death of Christe Fourthly in this Article is added Hee was buried For our Lorde dyed verilie and in deede vppon the Crosse The very truth of his death was proued by the Souldiour which thruste him through the syde After that hée was taken downe from the Crosse and layde in a Sepulcher In the Gospell are expressed the names of them that buryed him Ioseph and Nicodemus There is also shewed the manner how they buried him The fruite of this his buriall the Sauiour himselfe hath taught in these woords Verilie verily I say vnto you vnlesse the seede of corne cast into the earthe doe dye it remayneth alone But if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Whervppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to be buried with Christe in his death that wée may rise againe in the newnesse of life yea that wée maye liue reigne with him for euermore If therefore our bodies also be buried at any time let vs not therefore be troubled in minde For the faithfull are buried that they maye ryse with Christe againe The fift part of this fourth article some do put seuerallie by it self for the fift article of our fayth I for my part do see no cause whie it should be plucked from that that goeth before nor whie it should make by it selfe a peculiar article of our fayth The woords are these Hee descended into hell Touchinge this there are sondrie opinions among the expositors of the holie Scriptures Augustine in his booke De fide symbolo doth neyther place these woordes in the rule of beliefe nor yet expound them Cyprian sayth thus It is to be knowne verilie that in the Creede of the latin Church this is not added Hee descended into hell nor yet is this clause receiued in the Churches of the Easte but yet the sense of that clause seemeth to be all one with that where it is sayd He was buried This sayth hée So then Cyprians opinion seemeth to be that To descende into hell is nothing else but to be layd in the graue accordinge to that sayinge of Iacob Yee will bring my gray heares with sorrow to hell or the graue But there are some that thincke this assertion to be without lawful proofe For it is not lykelie that they would wrappe a thinge once alreadie plainly spoken immediatlie after in a darker kinde of speach Nay rather so often as two sentences are ioyned together that signifie both one thing the latter is alwayes an exposition of the firste But in these two speaches Hee was buried and hee descended into hell the first is the plainer and the latter the more intricate Augustine in his 99. Epistle to Euodius turmoyleth himselfe pitifullie in this matter To Dardanus de Dei praesentia he writeth that the Lord went into hell but that hee felt no torment Wée shall more agreably to the truth seeme to vnderstande this article if wee shal thincke that the vertue of Christe his death did flow euen to them that were dead and profited them too that is to saye that all the Patriarches and holie mē that died before the coming of Christ were for the death of Christe preserued from death euerlastinge As S. Peter also maketh mention That the Lord went in the spirite preached vnto the Spirits that were in prison For verilie they by the death of Christ were made to knowe the sentence of
of this exposition let him heare the woordes of the Apostle who saith I knew not sinne but by the lawe for I had not knowen luste except the lawe had said Thou shalt not luste Without the lawe sinne was dead I once liued without lawe but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued and I was dead And againe The affection of the fleshe is death but the affection of the spirite is life peace Because the affection of the â—leshe is enimitie against God for it is not obedient to the lawe of God neither can be So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. The affection of concupiscence therefore doth condemne vs or as I should rather say wée are worthily condemned by the iuste iudgment of God for our coÌ„cupiscence which doth euery houre and moment bewray it selfe in the thoughts of our harts There are I confesse sundrie fantasies and many thoughts in the minds of men which while they tend not to the offence of God or our neighbour nor do coÌ„tâ—ine any vncleannesse or selfeloue are not to be counted in the number of sinns as I did immâ—diately after the beginning declare vnto you So hetherto verilie God hath forbidden the grosser sinnes which man doeth daily commit against him and now at last hee commeth to the concupiscence corrupte nature of man the welspring of al euil which in this precept he goeth about to stop vp and cause to sléepe or as I should rather say to detect to the eyes of all men the infirmitie and weakenesse of mankinde For what is he that hath not some whiles felt concupiscence yea what is he that is not euery houre moment pricked with the stinge of fleshly concupiscence What man is there I pray you that is not diseased with the naturall sicknesse common to vs al and spotied with the blemish of originall guiltinesse Being therefore coÌ„uinced of sinne before the lord wee are not able to excuse our fault nor escape the sentence of the Iudge that doth condemne all flesh For the iust Lord doeth expressely condemne our naturall corruption and wicked inclination which is a continual turning from God and rebellion against the sinceritie which hee requireth at our handes For they are called happie that are cleane in heart because they shall sée god They therefore whose hartes are wrapped in lustes diseased with concupiscence and spotted with the poyson of original guilt shall not sée god But such are al we that are the sonnes of Adam And therefore this lawe doth conuince vs all of sinne infirmitie naturall corruption of damnation which followeth vpon the neck of our corruptioÌ„ Moreouer god in his law doth not only require the outward cleannesse of the body but the inward purenesse also of the minde the soule and al our affections and giueth charge that all whatsoeuer wee thincke determine goe about or doe should tende to the health and profite of oure neighbour This coÌ„maundement therefore may be referred to all the other that went before For the Lord himself expounding this coÌ„mandement Thou shalt not coÌ„mit murder addeth Whosoeuer is angrie with his brother shal be in danger of iudgment c. Matt. 5. and againe in expouÌ„ding this precept Thou shalt not coÌ„mitadulterie hée addeth Whosoeuer looketh on an other manns wife to lust after her hee hath committed adulterie alreadie with her in his hart And here he doth exactly rehearse the things which we do couet and in longing after which we are wont to sin Now our couetousnes consisteth in the desire either of things or persoÌ„s The thinges that we couet are either immoueable or moueable as we Germans do vsually say Der gueteren sind etliche ligende etliche furende The immoueable things are houses farmes lands vineyards woods medows pastures fishpooles such like Things moueable are monie cattell honour office and dignities The persons are wife childreÌ„ manseruants maidseruants These and such like which our neighbor hath in possessioÌ„ none of vs ought to couet to his hurt or hinderance or if any man happen to couet them yet let him not consent to y concupiscence nor take delite therin let him not séek to obteine the thing that he so desireth nor suffer his ill conceiued purpose to break out to y deed doing in taking from his neighbour his things or persoÌ„s for god requireth at the hands of those y worship him such kind of righteousnes as is altogether sound and absolutely perfecte not in the outward déede alone but also in the inward mind settled purpose of the hart Wherupon the lord in the gospel saith Vnlesse your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes Phariseis ye shal not enter into the kingdome of God. But touching the maner how Gods comaundements are fulfilled that faith is the absolute righteousnes I will hereafter in an other sermon tell you as I haue alreadie said somewhat in the sermon that I made vpon true faith Hetherto in twelue Sermons I haue runne through and declared the tenne preceptes of the morall lawe in which I told you that the forme of vertue is layd before our eyes therby to frame our maners according to the wil of god God himself hath diuided al the branches of his moral law into two tables The first doth shew the dutie of vs meÌ„ to our creator teacheth how to worship aright our God gouernor The secoÌ„d table in sixe whole precepts doth declare what and how much euery man is bound to owe to his neighbour how we may al liue both quietly well ciuilie one with another It comaundeth vs to honor our parents al those which god hath ordeyned in stéed of our parents It forbiddeth murder or doing iniury to any man in his life and body It forbiddeth whordom adultrie wicked lustes comending wedlock cleannes a continent life It forbiddeth lyes false witnesse bearinges and euil desires biddeth vs to loue our neighbours with al our harts being ready at all times with al our power to doe them good To God our Lord and most prudent lawgiuer be praise and thankes for euer and euer Amen Of the Ceremonial lawes of God but especially of the priesthood time and place appointed for the Ceremonies ¶ The fifth Sermon IN the partition of gods lawes next after the moral lawe we placed the Ceremoniall lawe and therfore since the morall lawe is alreadie expounded I haue now next by the help of God to treate of the law of Ceremonies And that I may not hide any thing from you note this by the way that some write Ceremoniae and some Cerimoniae which two words are vsed for Ceremonies considering y sundrie men haue sundrie opinions touching y word froÌ„ whence it should come For some after the opinion of Seruius Sulpitius do thinke that they are called Ceremoniae a Carendo But Festus affirmeth that Ceremonies did first take their name of the towne CÄ™res or CÄ™rete For Liuie in his fifte
The eighth Sermon ALthough I haue hitherto in large Sermons layed foorth the lawe of God by seuerall partes yet mée thinketh I haue not sayde all that should be sayde nor made an ende as I should doe vnlesse I adde nowe a treatise of the vse effect fulfilling and abrogating of the lawe of God albeit I haue here and there in my Sermons touched the same argument Nowe by this discourse or treatise dearely beloued ye shal vnderstand that the testamēt of the olde and newe church of God is all one and that there is but one meanes of true saluation for all them that either haue or else at this present are saued in the worlde ye shall also perceiue wherein the olde testament doth differ from the newe Moreouer this treatise wil bee necessarie and verie profitable both to the vnderstanding of many places in the holy Scripture and also to the easie perceiuing and moste hoalesome vse of those thinges which I haue saide hitherto touching the lawe God who is the author the wisedome and the perfect fulnesse of the lawe giue mée grace to speake those thinges that are to the setting foorth of his glorie and profitable for the health of your soules The vse of Gods lawe is manifolde and of sundrie sortes and yet it may be called backe to thrée especiall poyntes and wee may saye that the vse therof is thréefold or of thrée sorts For firste of all the chiefe and proper office of the lawe is to conuince all men to be guiltie of sinne and by their owne fault to be the children of death For the lawe of God setteth foorth to vs the holie will of God and in the setting forth thereof requireth of vs a moste perfecte and absolute kinde of righteousnesse And for that cause the lawe is wont to be called the testimonie of Gods will and the moste perfect exampler of his diuine purenesse And hereunto belong those wordes of the Lord in the Gospell where he recitinge shortly the summe of Gods cōmaundements doth say The firste of all the commaundements is Heare O Israel the Lorde our God is one Lorde and thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde and with all thy strength This is the firste commandement and the seconde like to this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe There is none other commaundement greater then these Therefore to this doeth also apperteine that sayinge of the Apostle Paule The end of the commaundement is charitie out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfeigned But since the law doth require at all our handes most absolute righteousnesse charitie and a pure heart it doth condemne all men of sinne vnrighteousnesse and death For in the lawe of God it is expressely said Cursed is euery one whiche abideth not in all that is writtē in the booke of the lawe to doe it But what one of vs fulfilleth all the pointes of the lawe what mā I pray either heretofore hath had or at this day hath a pure heart within him What man hath euer loued or doeth now loue God with all his heart with all his soule and with all his minde What man is he that did neuer luste after euill Or who is it now y lusteth not euery day Therefore imperfection and sinne is by the lawe or by the bewraying of the lawe reuealed in mankinde What shall we say to this where I pray you doth there appeare in any man that diuine and most absolute righteousnesse whiche the lawe requireth Iob crieth I knowe verilie that a man compared to God cannot be iustified Or How shall a man be found righteous if hee be compared to God If he wil argue with him he shall not be able to aunswere one for a thousand If I haue any righteousnes in me I will not answere him but I will beseech my Iudge Like to these are the words of the Apostle Iohn who saith If wee say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Againe If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not in vs. Therefore by this meanes the lawe is a certaine looking glasse wherein we behold our owne corruption frailnesse imbecillitie imperfection oure iudgement that is our iust and deserued damnation For the Apostle doth expressely say that the law was giuen to the end that it might make manifest mens trāsgressions and by that meanes driue them to the acknowledging of their imperfection and guilt in sinning For none of vs doth looke into his owne boosome nor into the secrets of his owne breast but wee do all flatter our selues and will not be persuaded that our thoughts and deedes are so corrupt as they bee in very deede and therefore doth the lawe creepe in and lay open the secrets of our hearts and bringeth to lighte oure sinne and corruption Before the lawe saith the Apostle although sinne were in the world yet was it not imputed The same Apostle also saith The lawe worketh wrath for where there is no lawe there is no transgression And againe By the lawe cōmeth the knowledge of sinne For in the 7. to the Romans the same Apostle doth say more fully I knew not sin but by the lawe For I had not knowen luste excepte the law had said Thou shalt not lust But sinne taking occasion by the cōmaundement wrought in me al maner of concupiscence For without the lawe sin was dead I once liued without lawe but when the commaundement came sinne reuiued and I was dead And it was found that the same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto life was vnto me an occasion of death c. For a good part of that Chapiter is spent in that matter Therefore the proper office of Moses and the principal vse and effecte of the lawe is to shew to man his sinne and imperfection As for those which staye heere and goe no further to make any other vse and effecte of the lawe but as thoughe Moses did nothing but kill the lawe nothing but slay they are diuersly and that not lightly deceiued I do here againe repeate it and tel them that the very proper office of the lawe is to make sinne manifest also that Moses his chiefe office is to teach vs what wée haue to doe with threateninges and cursings to vrge it especially whē the law is compared with the Gospel For in the third Chapter of the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians Paul calleth the law the letter and immediately after the ministration of death then againe hée calleth it a doctrine written in letters and incke and figured in tables of stone which should not endure but perish and decay The same Apostle on the otherside againe doeth call the Gospel the ministration or doctrine of the spirite which endureth decayeth not which is written in mens hearts giueth life to the beléeuers
sinne whiche is in my members And at the last he concludeth and saith So then with the minde I me selfe serue the lawe of God but with the flesh the law of sin Nowe some there are which thincke y Paule spake these wordes not of himselfe but of the person of others which were carnal men and not as yet regenerate But the very words of the Apostle doe enforce the reader whether he wil or no to confesse that the words recited may be applied eueÌ„ to the man that is most spiritual Augustine 1. lib. Retractat cap. 23. saith that he himselfe was sometime of opinion that those woords of the Apostle ought to be expounded of the man which was vnder the lawe and not vnder grace but hée confesseth that he was compelled by the authoritie of others writings treatises to thincke that the Apostle spake them of such men as were most spirituall of his owne person as he doth at large declare in his books against the Pelagians Euen S. Hierome also who is said to haue thundered out a most horrible curse against them that taught that the law did commaund things vnpossible doth expressly write to Rusticus that Paul in this place speaketh of his owne person But if the flesh and the corrupte disposition thereof remaine wherby it doth vncessaÌ„tly striue with the spirite then verily that heauenly perfectnâ—s is neuer perfecte in vs so longe as we liue so consequently so longe as we liue none of vs fulfilleth the law Here also is to be inserted that disputation of Paul where he proueth that no mortall maÌ„ is iustified by the workes of the lawe his meaning is not that no man is iustified by the very works of the law but that no man is iustified by the workes of our corrupt nature which doth not performe that whiche the lawe of God requireth For as the same Apostle saith it is not able to performe it And very well truly saith he We knowe that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ and we haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deeds of the lawe because by the deeds of the law no flesh shal be iustified Neither must we by the déedes of the lawe vnderstand the Ceremonies onely For euen as the Ceremonies do not so likewise do not the morals iustifie vs men The Apostle speaketh of the morals when he speaketh of the déeds of the law For in the 3. Chap. to the Romans the same Apostle saith By the deedes of the lawe there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight And immediately after he addeth the reason why saying For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But in the 7. cap. he sheweth by what lawe to wit the morall lawe For the moral law saith Thou shalt not lust But the Apostle saith I knew not sinne but by the law For I had not known coÌ„cupiscence if the lawe had not said thou shalt not lust In his Epistle to the Ephesians he speaketh to the Gentiles and saith simplie that workes do not iustifie But speaking to the Gentiles he could not meane it of the ceremoniall lawes but of the very morall vertues that is all kinds of workes y séemed to be good To the Galathians he saith As many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder the curse And to proue that he addeth For it is writteÌ„ Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do theÌ„ Now vnlesse we do by the déeds of the lawe vnderstand the morals as wel as the ceremonials I doe not sée howe his proofe can hange to that which went before For he saith expressely In all things which are writteÌ„ in the booke of the lawe to do them Nowe who knoweth not that the ceremonials were not written alone but that the morals were written also And S. Augustine in his booke De spiritu litera Cap. 8. doth by many argumentes proue that Paule by the déeds of the lawe did vnderstand the morals also Nowe that wée may conclude this place I will héere recite the words of the Apostle in the 8. to the Romanes saying What the lawe could not doe in as much as it was weake thorough the flesh that God performed by sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the lawe might bee fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite The Apostle in these words teacheth vs two things First that the law neither can now nor neuer could iustifie vs men The fault of this weakenesse or lacke of abilitie he casteth not vpon the law which is of it selfe good and effectual is the doctrine of most absolute righteousnesse but he layeth the fault therof vpon our corrupt flesh Our flesh neither could nor can performe that whiche is required of vs by the law of god Whereupon S. Peter in the counsell held at HierusaleÌ„ is read to haue said Now therfore why tempt ye God to put on the disciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare The latter is inferred vpon the first to wit when the lawe could not giue vs life nor wée were able to do y which the law required at our hands theÌ„ God who is rich in mercie and goodnesse sent his sonne into the world that he being incarnate should die for vs and so take away the sinne of our imperfection bestow on vs his perfectnesse in faith being himselfe the perfectnes and fulnesse of the law By this therfore it is manifest y Christ hath fulfilled the lawe that he is the perfectnes of al the faithful in the world But here this place requireth a more ful exposition how Christ hath fulfilled the law how he is made our perfectnesse First of all whatsoeuer things are promised and prefigured in the lawe the Prophets all those hath Christ our lord fulfilled For those promises The seede of the woman shall crush the Serpents head In thee shall all the kindreds of the earth bee blessed other more innumerable like to these did our Lord fulfil wheÌ„ he being borne into this world made an attonement for vs brought backe life to vs againe In like maner he fulfilled all the ceremonials while he himselfe being both priest and sacrifice did offer vpp himselfe is now euer an effectuall and euerlasting sacrifice an eternall highe priest making intercession alwayes at the right hand of the father for all faithful beléeuers He also doth spiritually circuÌ„cise the faithful and hath giuen them in stéed of circumcision the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme He is our Passouer who in stéed of the Paschal lamb hath ordeined the Eucharist or supper of the lord Finally hee is the fulfilling and perfectnes of
these woords of the Lord in the Gospel must be beateÌ„ inâ—o the head of euery godly hearer Think not saith hee that I am come to destroy the lawe or the Prophets yea I came not to destroy but to fulfil theÌ„ Verilie I say vnto you heauen and earth shall passe but one iote or title of the lawe shall not passe till all bee fulfilled Whosoeuer therefore shall loose one of the smallest of these coÌ„mandements and shall teach men so he shal be called the least in the kingdome of heauen But whosoeuer shal doe and teach them hee shal be called great in the kingdome of heauen Let euery one therefore bée assuredly persuaded that the lawe of God whiche is the most excellent and perfecte will of God is for euer eternall and cannot be at any time disolued either by men or Angels or any other creatures Let euery man thinke that the lawe so farre as it is the rule howe to liue well and happilie so farre as it is the bridle wherewith wée are kept in the feare of the Lord so farre as it is a pricke to awake the dullnesse of oure flesh and so farre as it is giuen to instructe correcte and rebuke vs men that so farr I say it doth remaine vnabrogated and hath euen at this day her commoditie in the Church of God and therefore the abrogating of the lawe consisteth in this that followeth I told you that Gods commaundementes require the whole man and a very heauenly kinde of perfectnesse which whosoeuer performeth not hée is accursed and condemned by the law Nowe no man doth fulfill that righteousnesse therefore are wée all accursed by the law But this curse is taken awaye and most absolute righteousnesse is fréely bestowed on vs through Christ Iesus For Christ redéemed vs from the curse of the law being made the curse righteousnesse and sanctification for vs men And so in this sense the law is abrogated that is the curse of the lawe is thorough Christe taken from the faithfull and true righteousnesse is bestowed vppon vs thorough grace by faith in the same Christ Iesus For he is that blessed seede in whoÌ„ all the kinreds of the earth are blessed Hée is our righteousnesse For Paule saith By him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified from all things from which ye could not bee iustified by the lawe of Moses Therefore the law is put for the curse of the lawe or else the law of God is taken for that whiche is bewrayed or made manifest by the lawe that is to say it is taken for sinne For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Therefore the lawe is abrogated that is sinne is taken away not that it should not be or not shewe it selfe in vs but that it should not be imputed vnto vs and coÌ„demne vs For there is no damnatioÌ„ to them that are in Christ Iesu Moreouer the lawe is taken for the vigeance or punishment which is by the law appointed for transgressours Therefore the lawe is abrogated because the punishment appointed by the lawe is taken from the neckes of the faithfull beléeuers For the law is not giuen to the righteous man. For Christ deliuered the faithfull from eternall punishments whiles hée being guiltlesse did suffer afflictions for wicked sinners Furthermore the Apostle saith The fleshly mind is enimitie against God for it is not obedieÌ„t to the law of god nether can be But now this hatred or enimitie of Gods law is by faith pulled out of the harts of the faithful in stéed of it is graffed in the loue of gods most holy wil so that in this sense also the lawe is said to be abrogated beecause the hatred of the lawe is taken away And therefore the Apostle compareth them that are vnder the lawe to bondslaues and them that are frée from the lawe to sonnes and children to whome also hée attributeth the spirite not of bondage but of adoption For forbecause ye are sonnes sayth he God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes which crieth Abba father c. To these may be added that the lawe of God hath types and shadowes and that the Ceremonies are verie burthensome euen as also the whole lawe is called a yoke But nowe the sonne of God came into this world who fulfilling the figures shewed to vs the verie truth and did abolish those types and shadowes so that nowe no man can condemne vs for neglecting or passing ouer those Ceremonies or figures so againe in that sense the lawe of God is abrogated y is to say that kinde of gouernement whiche Moses ordeined did come to nought when Christ did come and his Apostles began to teach For they without regarde of the Ecclesiasticall regiment appointed by Moses did congregate Churches to whiche they taught not that kind of regiment which Moses had ordeined For they did coÌ„stantly reiecte the priesthoode of Aaron the sacramentes the sacrifices and choice of dayes of meates and of apparell which Moses had taught their elders And in stéed of al those rites they preached Christ alone and his two Sacraments c. This haue I said hetherto generally touching the abrogation of the law and now againe I will more largely expound the same by seuerall partes The whole lawe is diuided into the Moral the Ceremonial and the Iudicial lawes The Moral lawe nowe is conteyned in the tenne commaundements the first precept whereof doeth teach vs to honour and worshipp one God alone not to match any strange gods with him This coÌ„maundement did oure Lord Iesus in the Gospell so earnestly vrge and diligently teach that wée may perceiue very well that in it nothing is altered The second precept forbiddeth idolatrie that is the worshipping and honouring of al maner images whether they be the images of GOD himself or of any of his creatures But it is knowen that the Apostles in the doctrine of the Gospell did vse all meanes that they could to banishe and driue away all kinde of idolatrie Paule Iohn crie Flee from idolatrie And wheras Christ and his Apostles doe most diligently teach vs to sanctifie glorifie Gods holy name they doe thereby giue their consent to the establishing of the third coÌ„mandement which doth forbid to defile Gods name by taking it in vaine The 4. alone of all the commaundements concerning the sanctifying of the sabboth day is of S. Augustine called Ceremoniall But it must not be simplie vnderstoode to be Ceremoniall For so farre forth as the outward worship of God requireth a certeine appointed time to be exercised in carrieth with it the sacrifices of the lawe so farre I say it is ceremoniall but in respecte that it teacheth to méete in holy assemblies to worship God to pray to preache to be partakers of the sacraments and to offer spiritual sacrifices therein it is eternall not ceremonial As I haue before declared in the exposition of the Sabboth The fifte precept touching
of the Gospell which Paule hath hitherto preached with vs is sufficient to the obteining of life and saluation We intend not to laye any greater burthen vpon you than the doctrine of the Gospell and abstinence from those fewe things In which sentence they séeme to haue had an eye to the opinion of Sainct Peter who in the counsell saide Ye knowe that I beeing called by God did go to the Gentiles and did preach to them saluatiō through the Gospel Ye know that to the Gētiles being neither circumcised nor keeping the lawe while I preached to them faith in Christ Iesus the holie Ghoste was giuen from aboue so that their hearts wer purified of God him selfe by faith not by the lawe that they were made heires of eternal life And vppon this he inferreth Now therefore why tempt ye God to laye vppon the disciples neckes a yoke which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ we shal be saued euen as they Sée here Sainct Peter called the lawe a burthen and a yoke and therfore where the Apostles saye that they will not laye vpō the church any greater burthen they do thereby signifie that the lawe is flatly abrogated They do therefore set the church frée from the burthen of the lawe and do acquite it from all burthens like to y lawe We nowe do gather by those woordes of the Apostles that those burthensome and innumerable ceremonies which the church hath receiued by counsels Synodes since the time of the Apostles were vniustly against the Apostolique spirite then layde vppon the churche and at this daye wickedly reteined and defended in the churche For they in expresse wordes saide It seemed good to the holye Ghoste and to vs to burthen you with no more then these thinges necessarie But if any man obiect and saye that those ceremonies were for the rudenesse of the people layde vpon the churches neckes as a rule or instruction to guide or teache them by Mine aunswere is that that kinde of instruction is cleane taken awaye which whosoeuer goeth about to reduce hee desireth nothing else but to bring in Iudaisme againe God knew verie well what kinde of churche that would be which hee purposed to gather together of Iewes and Gentiles and yet he abolished those external ceremonies Nowe who doth better knowe than God what is expedient or not expedient for his church therefore the things that he abolished were not expedient for the faithfull whereupon the Apostles did rightly verie wel pronounce It seemed good to the holie ghoste and vs not to laye vppon you any greater burthen Let them therefore be ashamed of their doinges which lay so great a burthen vppon the shoulders of the church that otherwise ought to be most free Nowe also heere is added the conclusion of the sentence Than these necessarie things that is to say that ye abstaine from things offered to Idols c. In these wordes they had an eye vnto the sentence of sainct Iames the Apostle and brother of the Lorde for he confirminge and allowing of Sainct Peters opinion touchinge iustification by faith and the not laying of the lawe vpon the Gentiles neckes doth alledge a testimonie of scripture out of Amose who did foretell that the Iewes shoulde bee cut off because of their sinnes and that in their steeds the Gentiles should be taken amonge whome the true church of God should be which was prefigured by the ruine and reparatiō of Dauids tabernacle The same Prophet did also foretell a reason how and a cause why the Gentiles should be receiued into the church not for Circumcisions sake nor yet by the helpe of the lawe but by grace through fayth For he saith The remnaunte of the men shal seeke after the Lorde and all the heathen vpon whome my name is called saith the Lorde which doth all this all these workes of God are knowen to him from before the world beganne Loe here they shall seeke the Lorde and shal be receyued into his fellowship vpon whome his name shal be called This phrase of speech doeth signifie that they whiche are electe shal be the sonnes of god For vpon them the name of the Lord is called which are named the sonnes of God and are his elect Nowe the whole scripture attributeth that to faith By fayth therfore we are made the members of the church and sonnes and heires to God our maker But if any man doe murmur against the counsell of God and say why doth God so Let him thinke that this déede is the déede and worke of God whome it is not lawfull for man to gaynsaye and all whose workes are knowen from the beginninge of the worlde to haue beene donne in iudgement and righteousnesse whervpon it doth consequently follow that this counsell of his is good and righteous whereby he doth through faith in Christ ioyne to himselfe and sanctifie the heathen nations Nowe vppon these wordes of the prophet Saincte Iames subscribing as it were to Sainct Peters opinion doth gather and inferre Wherefore my sentence is that wee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God That is to say I thinke that they are not to bee molested or charged with the obseruation of the law But least the Gentiles once hearing y the lawe was abolished should thereby thinke that they might freely doe whatsoeuer they would and so by that meanes abuse their libertie and also against all charitie despise giue offence vnto the Iewishe brethren therefore Iames addeth But I think it best for vs to write vnto them that they absteine from filthines of idols For there were at that time certeine conuerts of the Gentiles who thought it lawfull for them to enter into idol Temples and be partakers of things offered to idols because an idol is nothing since there is but one onely God alone whereuppon they gathered that those sacrifices were nothing that they did neither good nor harme and therefore that Christians might with a safe conscience be partakers of them But sainct Iames and Paule also 1. Cor. 8. 9. 10. wil haue the heathen conuerts to absteine vtterly frō the worship of Idols that is from the idols them selues and from those things which are in the idol temples offered to false and fained Gods. Moreouer he addeth Let them beware of fornication The Gentiles verily did by good lawes forbidde the adulteries and defilings of virgins matrones with verie sharpe punishments suppressing the violent deflowrers of honest women but they thought it a verie light and in a manner no fault at all for such to committ whoredome as did of their owne accordes set their chastitie to sale or if an vnwedded man should haue to doe with a single woman and therefore the Apostle Iames euen as Paule also 1. Cor. 6. and 1. Thessa. 4. doeth verie seuerely require the holy pure vse of the bodie
haue For euen they also cried to God as to their father although they obteined it not by the lawe which terrifieth but by the grace of the Messiah Againe the same Apostle saith Whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God. Which sentence we may thus conuert say that the sonnes of God are led by the spirite of God. But there is none vnlesse it bee such an one as neuer read the scriptures which will denye that the auncient fathers were the sonnes of God and were so called bothe by the Lorde him selfe and also by his seruaunt Moses What may be thought of the moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and priestes and so consequeÌ„tly a royall priesthood and a priestly kingdome which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Christ Iesus Nowe such a kingdome and priesthood cannot be or consist without the vnction of the spirite The holy apostle Iohn I confesse in his Gospell sayde The holy Ghoste was not yet beecause Iesus was not yet glorified But as hee spake not of the substaunce of the holye Ghoste which is coeternall with the substance of the father and of the sonne so he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghost For in that place he speaketh of the excellent gifte which after the ascension of the Lorde was powred out vpon the people that did beléeue For Iohn him selfe interpreting him selfe doeth immediately before saye These wordes who so euer beleeueth on me out of his belye shall flowe riuers of water of life spake hee of the holye Ghoste which they that beleue on him shuld receiue The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoste was not at that time when the Lorde spake those words so commonly and plentifully powred vppon all men as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Iesus And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not haue so precisely and eâ—pressely foretolde all the mysteries of Christe the church which the Euangelistes and Apostles do testifie to be nowe accomplished fulfilled vnlesse in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie same spirite wherewith the Apostles were afterward instructed For it is a wicked thing for vs to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what and speake suche woordes as they them selues vnderstoode not Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and was gladde of it for by that spirituall sight of his he had and felt with in him selfe a certeine kinde of spirituall ioye Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Psalmes testifie that the seruice of God and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte which wordes he vttered not so much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies but for that he did by the spirite and by faith beholde in those ceremonies the true Messiah and Sauiour of the world And since it is euident that our forefathers were iustified by the grace of God it is manifest that that iustification was not wrought without the spirite of God through which spirite euen our iustification at this day is wrought and finished Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie same spirite that we of this age are directed by Of this opinion was sainct Augustine whose wordes dearely beloued I meane to recite vnto you worde for word out of his seconde booke de Peccato orig contra Pelag. et celest Cap 25. Things to come saith he were foreseene of the prophets by the same spirite of faith by which they are of vs beleeued to be alreadie finished For they whiche of verie faithfull loue could prophecie these thinges vnto vs coulde not choose but bee themselues partakers of the same And whereuppon is it that the Apostle Peter saith why temptye God to laye vppon the Disciples neckes the yoke that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shal be saued euen as they Whereupon is I saye that Peter saith this but for because they are saued by the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe and not by Moses lawe by which doth come not the saluing but the knowledge of sinne But nowe the righteousnesse of God is without the lawe made manifest witnessed by the lawe and the prophets Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifest then must it needes bee that it was beefore although as then it were hidden The hyding whereof was prefigured by the vaâ—le of the temple which when Christe died was rent in pieces for a signification that it was then reuealed And therefore this grace of the onely mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus was then in the people of God but it was hidden in theÌ„ as it were rayne in a sliece which God doth separate vnto his inheritaunce not of duetie but of his owne voluntarie will but nowe that sliece being as it were wroung out that is the Iewish people beeing reprobated it is openly seene in all nations as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place Thus much out of Augustine Nowe also there was sett beefore the eyes of Israel a earnall and temporall felicitie whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon For in that externall and transitorie felicitie was shadowed the heaueÌ„ly and eternall happinesse For the apostle in the fourth eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues saith that the fathers out of that visible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuisible and euerlasting heritage Neither was Christe to any other ende so expressely promised them nor the blessing and life in Christe for any other purpose so plainly layde defore them nor Christe him self almost in all their ceremonies so often prefigured for any other intent but that they thereby might bee put in hope of the verie same life into which wee are receiued through Christ our redéemer For the Lorde in the Gospell saith that wee shal bee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the same glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob But here is an obiection made that life and saluation was promised onely and not perfourmed vnto the fathers but that they being shut vp in prison did looke for the comming of Messiah I for my parte do not finde any thing in the scriptures to bee written of such a prison whereinto the holie Patriarches were fast locked vpp Peter verily maketh mention of a prison but in that prison hee wil haue the disobedient not the obedient spirites to be But if any man obiect that Christe descended to them belowe we verily do not denye it but yet we say withal that he desceÌ„ded to the departed saincts that is that he was gathered to the companie of the blessed Spirites whiche were not in the place of punishment that is in torments but in the ioyes of heauen as the Lorde him self coÌ„firmeth the same when being readie to descende to them belowe
he saith not Let not sinne be in you or in your mortall body but he saith Let not sinne reigne in you or in your mortall bodie But when reigneth sinne Forsoothe sinne reigneth then when wée obey it thorough the lusts thereof that is when we resiste not but doe fulfill the lustes of the fleshe Sinne therefore doth not reigne in our mortall bodie so longe as it is but fealt in the bodie and not obeyed or permitted to rule but rather resisted and trode vnder foote This same sentence doth he expound by an other somwhat more easie to be vnderstood I would not haue you to permit your members to sinne as to a tyraunt to vse them as instrumentes to woorke all vnrighteousnesse I rather require you to giue your selues to bée ruled and gouerned by god For since hée hath set you frée from death brought you to life againe it is requisite that ye should giue your members to God as liuely instrumentes to woorke all righteousnesse And that shall ye bée easilie able to doe because ye are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Vppon this doth all the rest of that Chapiter depend vnto the end What then saith hée shall we sinne because wee are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace God forbidde Knowe ye not how that to whomsoeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whome ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse But God be thanked that ye were the seruants of sinne but ye haue obeyed with heart the fourme of doctrine into the which ye are brought vnto Being then made free from sinne ye are become the seruauntes of righteousnesse And yet he sheweth that the fréemen of Christ do not abuse their libertie and giue themselues againe to be gouerned by their old tyrannous maister Sinne. For he maketh Sinne and Righteousnesse to bée as it were two maisters and addeth to eche of them the hire or reward that they giue to their seruauntes the one Life the other Death Lastly he saith generallie that we are his seruaunts to whome wée giue our selues to obey Vppon which hée inferreth Being redeemed by the grace of God from the bondage of sinne and from death whiche is the rewarde of sinne we are translated into the bondage of righteousnesse whose reward is life that thereby we may liue For he doth more significantly expresse his meaning in that which followeth saying I speake after the manner of men because of the infirmitie of your flesh As ye haue giuen your mēbers seruaunts to vncleannesse and iniquitie vnto iniquitie euen so now giue your members seruauntes to righteousnesse vnto holinesse For when ye were the seruauntes of sinne ye were free from righteousnesse What fruite had ye then in those thinges whereof ye are nowe ashamed For the end of those thinges is death But nowe ye being made free from sinne made the seruants of God haue your fruit vnto holinesse and the ende euerlasting life For the reward of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life thoroughe Iesus Christe oure lord All this is so plaine and euident that it néedeth no larger exposition of mine And yet in the seuenth Chapiter next following hee doeth by comparison in a parable more fullie expounde all that hée said before The woman saith hée whiche is in subiection to the man is by the lawe bound to the man as longe as hée liueth If while the man liueth shée goe a side to an other she is counted an adultresse But if the man be dead shée may couple her selfe with an other man Euen so I saye wée are dead to the lawe For Christ died for vs and was in his bodie offered vpp to be a sacrifice or oblation to cleanse and purge oure sinnes that we might thenceforth bée vnited and coupled to him and that wée being conceiued and made with childe with his holy spirite maye trauaile bring foorth and be deliuered of an excellent issue holie fruite of good works euen as while we serued sinne were subiecte vnto it as to oure maister wee brought foorth an ill fauoured babe of death I meane iniquitie and wickednesse for the punishing whereof death is appointed and ordeined But let vs now heare the verie woords of the holie and blessed Apostle saying Euen so my brethren wee also are deade concerning the Lawe by the bodie of Christe that wee should bee coupled to an other who is raysed from the dead that wee should bring forth fruite vnto god For when we were in the flesh the lustes of sinne which were by the lawe wrought in oure members to bring forth fruite vnto death But no we are wee deliuered from the law and dead vnto it wherunto wee were in bondage that wee may serue in newenesse of spirite and not in the oldnesse of the letter That place in the eighth Chapiter to the Romanes is vnknowen to no man where he saith The lawe of the spirite of life thorough Christ Iesus hath made mee free from the lawe of sinne and death The manner of this deliueraunce hée doeth immediately after add saying For what the lawe could not doe that GOD did by sending his owne sonne And so forth as followeth For the woordes are sufficiently plaine and vnderstoode of all men In the seuenth Chapiter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Yee are bought with a price doe not ye become the seruauntes of men In these woordes the holy Apostle exhorteth seruauntes vnder the colour or pretence of worldly bondage not to committ anye thinge for their earthly maisters pleasure whiche soundeth against sinceritie and is repugnant to pure religion to witt althoughe they bee called by the name of seruauntes yet that they should not obey the wicked lawes and vngodly ordinaunces of mortall men The cause that oughte to pull and draw vs from it is Because we are redeemed and set at libertie by the price of Christes his bloud It would therefore be to to bad and vnwoorthie a thinge if wée contrarie to the effecte of oure libertie should obey the naughtie lawes and ordinaunces of man. This also is extended stretcheth oute to the lawes of men whiche are made in matters of religion For in the fiftéenth Chapiter of the holy Gospell written by the Euāgelist S. Matthewe the Lord and Sauiour sayeth In vaine doe they worship mee teaching doctrines the precepts of men And Let them alone they are blinde leaders of the blinde And the Apostle S. Paul saith If ye be dead with Christe from the rudimentes of the world why as yet liuing in the world are ye ledd with traditions Touche not Taste not Handle not Which all doe perishe in abusing after the commaundementes and doctrines of men which thinges haue a shewe of wisedome in superstition and humblenesse of minde and in neglecting of the body not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh First of all hee sheweth that the faithfull ones
satisfie him if so bée that thou canst Yea if he demaundeth not and thou doest sée thy brother to be in danger charitie againe commaundeth thée to admonishe him that is so in daunger and to handle him as a brother For Paule to the Galathians sayeth Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restore such an one in the spirite of meckenesse considering thee selfe least thou also be tempted Beare ye one an others burthen and so fulfill the lawe of Christ But this belongeth nothing to confession therefore wee returne to our purpose againe Thus muche haue wée hetherto said touching the confession of sinnes which God hath instituted Now wee will annexe somewhat touching the confession of sinnes that men haue ordeyned That confession also is of two sortes the one is publique rituall or ceremoniall whiche for the most part they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other is priuate or secrete is called Auricular I call the publique confession Rituall not so much because it is the acknowledging or confession of sinne as for that it is the penitentiall action for the sinne committed For Isidore the bishoppe Libro Etymol 6. Cap. 18. sayeth Exhomologesis is the discipline of prostrating and humbling men in habite in huing to lye in sacke and ashes to deface the bodie with filthe to mourne lament with a sorrowfull minde and thorough sorrowe to amende that wherein they sinned before These woordes of bishop Isidore I would not haue recited vnto you déerely beloued who is an authour not very famous vnlesse I had séene the same woordes in a manner to bée read in the booke whiche Tertullian wrote of Repentaunce and vnlesse I had found an example thereof in Eusebius who in the fifte booke and last Chapiter of his Ecclesiasticall historie sayeth Natalis the martyre being seduced by heretiques and at leng the vnderstanding his errour riseth vpp in the morninge and putting on a sackecloth sprinckling himselfe with ashes and with many teares bewayling his errour casting himselfe prostrate at the feete of Zephyrinus the bishoppe and all other not Clearks onely but Laye-men also with great lamentation and exceeding sorrowe prouoked all the congregation with earnest and continuall prayers to request of Christe Iesus to pardon his offence Touching the rites of repentaunce I will hereafter speake Nowe this rituall or ceromoniall Repentaunce as it was vsed amonge them of old appeareth not to haue béene cōmaunded of God that whosoeuer at this day committeth any sinne should be compelled presently to confesse it openly in such sorte as they were wont to doe it For where is it read that such penaunce was inioyned to the sinnefull or adulterous woman that is mentioned in the Gospell Many other sinners are receiued by Christe into the grace of GOD without such outward penaunce For it is very well knowen howe Christ dealt with Matthew with Zacheus with Peter that denied him and with many other Therefore wée doe not amisse beléeue that the old bishoppes and priestes did inuent that publique kind of penance for disciplines sake and that they of their times might haue lesse libertie to sinne Truely Hermius Sozomenus Salaminius that notable writer of the Ecclesiasticall historie in his seuenth booke and sixtéenth Chapiter sayeth In the beginning it pleased the priestes that as it were in a theatre where all the congregation might beare record of the same the sinnes of offenders should bee openly published Loe héere hee sayeth It pleased the priestes Hée addeth also that there was a Priest appointed to whome they that sinned should come and confesse their sinnes and should heare of him the penaunce to wit what they should doe or how they should abye for their transgression Immediately after he describeth the manner of penaunce in the Romane Church vsed And to that againe hee addeth that in the Church at Constantinople there was a priest appointed to heare penitents whiche office remayned still till at the length a certaine Gentlewoman whiche for the sinnes that she had confessed was inioyned by such a penitentiarie to fast and to pray to God and thereby haning occasion to be long in the church was at last bewrayed to haue played the whore with a deacon For which cause the priestes were euil spoken of But Nectareus the bishop deuising how it were best to deale with such a gréenous crime depriued the deacon that had done the sinne of his deaconshipp And for-because some persuaded him to leaue it free to euery one according to his owne conscience and confidence to come to the communion of the mysteries hée did quite take away the office of that penitentiarie priesthoode and euer since that time hath that coūsel giuen to Nectareus preuailed and doth euen to this day indure And so foorth The same in the beginning of the Chapiter sayeth Nectareus the bishopp of Constantinople did first take out of the church the priest that was appointed to heare the confession of penitents whome all the other bishoppes did in a manner followe Thus farre hée But the bishop Nectareus would not haue abrogated that Exhomologesis being so holy a man as in déede hee was if hee had vnderstoode that it had béene instituted by God himselfe neither had it béene lawefull for him to haue abrogated it Therefore hee knewe euen as Sozome doeth also confesse that by the counsell of the bishoppes that order of penaunce was vsurped in the Church Neither doe wée read that Iohn Chrysostome who succéeded Nectareus and was a very diligent and seuere bishopp did euer restore that rituall penaunce whiche his predecessour had abrogated before him For in the 31. Homilie vppon S. Paules Epistle to the Hebrues hee writeth I bidd thee not to bewraye thee selfe openly nor yet to accuse thee selfe to others but I will haue thee to obey the holy Prophete who sayeth Open thy waye vnto the lord Therefore confesse thy sinnes before GOD the true and vprighte Iudge with prayers for the imurie committed not with thy tongue but with the memorie of thy conscience And then at lengthe beleeue that thou mayest obteine mercie if thou hast it in thy mind continually And so forth Againe vppon the 56. Psalme If thou art ashamed to tell thy sinnes to any man because thou hast sinned yet saye them daily in thine owne heart I bid thee not confesse them to thy fellowe that hee should vpbraid thee tell them to thy God who doth regard them If thou tellest them not God is not ignoraunt of them for he was at hand when thou didst them And againe in an other place hee sayeth I bring thee not forth into the theatre of thy companions I compell thee not to discouer thy sinnes vnto mortall men Rehearse thy conscience before God and declare it vnto him Shewe thy woundes vnto the Lord thy best Physician and aske of him a salue for the same Againe Take heed that thou tell not a man of thy sinnes least he
the sense béeing sounde vncorrupted and well weighed he attributeth frée will which he graunteth to bée in vs vnto the grace that woorketh in vs yea to the regeneration of the Spirite rather than to our selues or our owne power I will here cite and rehearse vnto you dearely beloued this one testimonie onely out of all his writinges as it is to bée founde in the firste Chapter of his booke De Correptione et Gratia where hée saith Wee must confesse that wee haue free will to doe bothe euill and good but in the doing of euill euerie one is free from righteousenesse and bound to sinne but in good no man can bee free vnlesse hee bee made free by him which saide If the sonne make you free then shall ye bee free in deede And yet not so that when euery one is sett free from the condemnation of sinne hee should then no more stand in neede of his deliuerers ayde but so rather that where hee heareth his deliuerer saye Without mee yee can doe nothinge hee should presently saye to him againe Bee thou my helper O forsake mee not And verily I am gladde that in oure brother Florus I founde this faith which without doubt is the true propheticall and Apostolicall faith For here must the grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde bee needes vnderstoode by whiche alone wee men are deliuered from euil and without which wee doe no good either in thought will loue or deede Not onely that by the shewing or teaching of grace men should no more but knowe what is to bee done but also that by the verie woorking and perfourminge of grace they should with loue doe the thing that they knowe And so forth For I haue hitherto rehearsed vnto you Saincte Augustines opinion touching free will of which this is sufficient for a note by the waye nowe I returne to my purpose againe Wée haue hearde what the olde man is what the newe man is and howe wée are renued by the holy spirite nowe therefore when we saye that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued by the spirite or spiritually we saye nothing else but that to all penitents the affections senses or lustes of the fleashe I meane euen the verie vnderstanding which wee haue of olde Adam together with the will are not onely suspected but also conuicted of impietie and that therefore in all their thoughtes wordes and deedes they do neuer admitte their affections into their counsell but doe by al meanes resist them and continually studye to breake the necke of them and on the other side in all our counsels words and déedes to admitt and receiue yea with prayers to call vnto vs that heauenly guyde the spirite of Christ by whose conduite and leading wee maye perceiue iudge speake and woorke that is to saye either omitt or doe that which we haue learned in our graunde patterne Christe according to whose likenesse wee must bee refourmed that henceforth wee maye applye our selues to holinesse righteousnesse and good woorkes to Godwarde But nowe all this we shall vnderstande more rightly and plainely by the wordes of the Apostle where hee sayeth This I saye and testifie in the Lorde that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in vanitie of their minde darkened in cogitation being alienated from the life of God by the ignoraunce that is in them by the blyndnesse of their hartes which being past feeling haue giuen them selues ouer vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse But ye haue not so learned Christ if so be ye haue heard him and haue beene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesus to lay downe according to the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupt according to the lustes of errour but to bee renued in the spirite of your mynde and to put on that newe mā which after God is shapen in righteousenesse and holinesse of trueth and so forth as followeth in the 4. Chapter to the Ephesians The same Apostle in the thirde to the Colossians saith Mortifie your members whiche are vpon the earth fornication vncleannesse inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatrie for which thinges sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience amonge whom ye also walked sometime whē ye liued in them But nowe put yee off also all these things wrath fiercenesse maliciousenesse blasphemie filthie communication out of your mouth lye not one to another seeing that ye haue put off the old man with his workes and haue put on the newe man which is renued into the knowledge and image of him that made him Put on therefore as the elect of god holie beloued bowels of mercie kindnesse modestie meeknesse long suffering forbearing one an other and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarell against anie and so forth To which if thou addest that which the Apostle hath of the same matter in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes euery poynt wil be more expresse plaine vnto the hearer Nowe these woordes of the Apostle do not onely teach vs what the old man is what the newe man is what it is to mortifie the olde man and how penitents are renued in the newnesse of the spirite or of the minde but doe also shewe what the fruits be that are worthie of repentance to wite those rehearsed vertues or those offices of life towarde God and our neighbour We owe to God feare or reuerence humblenesse of minde the knowledge of our selues faith hope the hatred of sinne the loue of righteousenesse charitie toward our neighbour well doing towardes all men and innocencie in all things These kind of fruits did the holie man Iohn Baptist require of the Iewish nation when he saide Bring forth fruits that become repentance For in Saincte Luke beeinge demanded of the people of the Publicanes and of the mercenarie or garrison souldiers what thing they shoulde do worthie of repentaunce he prescribeth none other than that whiche we euen nowe recited For the Lord him selfe by Esaie in the 5. Chapter of his prophecie rehearsed vpp none other fruites than those And in the Reuelation made to S. Iohn speaking to the minister of the Churche of Ephesus he saith Remēber from whence thou arte fallē and repent and doe the firste woorkes Wherevnto agrée the wordes of S. Paule speaking to Agrippa and saying I haue preached to the Iewes and Gentiles exhorting them to repent and to turne to God and to do such woorkes as become them that repent And againe in the seuenth Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians hee saith Sorrowe which is to Godwarde causeth repentaunce vnto saluation not to be repented of For behold this selfe same thing that ye were made soarie to Godward howe muche carefulnesse it hathe wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what punishment Nowe this carefulnesse is an intentiue
fully drawne out of the onely founteine of the holy ghost Paule the apostle in his epistle to the Romans describing the wonderfull force of the holie Ghost working in vs being new borne sayth They that are in the fleshe can not please god But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirite if so bee the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And if Christe bee in you the body is deade bycause of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnesse sake But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deade dwell in you euen hee that raysed vp Christe from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodyes bycause that his spirit dwelleth in you The same Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth that by the reuelation of the holie Ghoste the mysterie of the kingdome of God is verie manifestly opened vnto vs God sayth he hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges yea the deepe things of god For what man knoweth the things of man saue the spirite of man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of god And we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of God that we might knowe the thinges which are giuen to vs of Christe Hetherto perteyne these woordes of oure Lorde and Sauiour out of the holie Gospell I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away that comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And when he is come he will rebuke the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bicause they beleeue not on him Of righteousnesse bicause I goe to the Father and ye see me no more Of iudgement bycause the prince of this world is iudged already And it is euident that in all these clauses the whole summe of religion is conteyned whiche the holy Ghoste most plentifully hath deliuered vnto the Churche Which we also touched in the exposition of the names of the holy Ghost It followeth in the Gospell I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye can not beare them away now Howbeit wheÌ„ he is come which is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into all truth He shal not speake of him selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake hee will shewe you thinges to come And since it is certeine that the holie Ghoste is come it is euident that he led the Apostles into all trueth in so muche that what so euer agréeth not with their writings is worthily suspected of a lye Otherwise I doubt not but he at this day speaketh in the Church by those which are his but it is without controuersie that the holy Ghoste doth not gainesay him selfe And that things to come were reuealed to the Apostles by the spirite we haue touched in the exposition of the names of the holy ghost Neither is it doubtful but at this day he reuealeth many thinges to the Saintes in the Church euen those things which perteine to the preseruation of the Gospell of Christ and the Saintes Againe we reade in the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians The manifestation sayth he of the spirite is giuen to euery man to profite withall for to one is giuen by the spirite the woorde of wisedome to an other the woorde of knowledge by the same spirite to an other is giuen faith by the same spirite to an other the giftes of healing by the same spirite to an other power to do miracles to an other prophecie to an other discerning of spirites to an other diuers kindes of toungs to an other the interpretation of toungs But all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirite diuiding to euery man seuerally euen as he will. All these things are manifest neyther néede they any further exposition These are greate and euident giftes of the holie spirite vnto which also if we add those words which the same Apostle hath set down concerning the same spirite of God we will make an end The fruite of the spirite sayth he is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meeknesse temperaunce These I say and all other vertues the holie Ghost which worketh all good things in all men graffeth planteth preserueth defendeth and bringeth vnto ful ripenesse in the minds of the faithfull To all these we wil nowe adde in steade of a conclusion the most notable treatise of Tertullian touching the holie Ghoste The same is this Bycause the Lord was departing into heauen he did necessarily giue to his disciples a comforter least he shoulde leaue them in a manner orphanes which was not conuenient and forsake them without a certeine aduocate and tutour For it is he that strengthened their myndes and vnderstaÌ„dings which distinguished the sacraments of the gospel which was in them the giuer of light in heauenly things by whom doing stâ—eâ—gtheâ—ed and established thâ—y neythâ—â—â—earâ—d imprisonments nor chaines for the name of the Lorde but â—athâ—r set at nought the very powers and tormeÌ„ts of this world being nowe armed and emboldened through him hauing in them the giftes which this selfe same spirite doth distribute and direct as it were certeine ornamentes to the Church which is the spouse of Christ For it is he that appointeth prophets in the church instructeth the teachers guideth toungs worketh myracles and giueth health bringeth to passe wonderfull workes sheweth the discerning of spirites establisheth gouernements indueth with counsell ministreth and ordereth and disposeth all other spirituall giftes and therefore maketh the Church of God on all sides and in all things perfect and absolute It is he whiche in the likenesse of a Doue after the Lorde was baptised descended and remayued vpoÌ„ him dwelling only in Christ fully and wholy not maymed or minished in any measure or portion but plentifully receiued into him with his whole aboundance that others might obteine from him a certeine distribution of giftes the founteine of the fulnesse of the holie Ghost wholy remayning in Christe that from him might be deriued veynes of gifts and myracles the holy Ghoste moste aboundantly dwelling in Christ For Isaie prophecying the same sayde And the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel strength the spirite of knowledge and godlinesse resteth vppon him And the spirite of the feare of the Lord filled him The like and selfe-same saying he hath also in an other place in the person of the Lorde him self◠〈…〉 to â—reâ—che thâ— Gospell to the poore hath he sent me Likewise Dauid Wherfore thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Of this spirite the Apostle Paule speaketh For he that hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his
of some who promise to condemned spirits redeÌ„ption from their punishments a little before the iudgment day But against these very many doctors of the church haue disputed all and euery one of theÌ„ condemning with one voyce an opinion which the 〈◊〉 longe ago condemned For the iudge in the ende of the world 〈◊〉 definitiue sentence against 〈◊〉 than al the wicked shal say Depart â—rom me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the diuell and his â—ngels And by by the Apostle holy Euangelist a witnesse of the truth doth â—dde And these shal go into euerlasting â—unishment but the righteous into life euerlasting For in Marke the lord also â—aid In hell their worme dieth not and â—he fier is not queÌ„ched And in Iohn in more plaine pithie wordes he saith They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euil vnto the â—esurrection of condemnation He doth not â—ay they shal go either into life or into condemnation but into the resurrection either of life or condemnation that is to remaine euerlastingly in life or death For Daniel of whom the Lorde borowed these wordes hath said And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt For Iohn the Apostle saith that the smoke of those that are condemned thrown headlong in to hel for euermore shal ascende vp It is certeine therefore that the condemnation of the wicked shal be altogether without ende and euerlasting Furthermore in calling the reuolting Angels spirits we doe not vnderstand by spirite the wicked affection of the hart or the qualitie or passion of the minde or corruption and sinne For the world is not without some which thinke the the diuell is nothing els but a mischefous man or a mischiefous sinnefull â—oÌ„motion or outrage of the minde By spirits therefore we vnderstand spiriâ—uall substances indued with féeling â—nderstanding For in the first chapter of 〈◊〉 sathan came shewed him self among the children or seruaÌ„tâ— of god speaking with the lord The gospel 〈◊〉 reporteth vnto vs that diuels béeâ—â— cast out of a man entred into the herd of swine â— drowned them iâ— the 〈◊〉 of the sea or lake of Gaderen Moreouer the gospel recordeth that the diuel sinned from the beginning that he coltinued not in the truth that he is a lier a murtherer Iudas maketh mentioÌ„ that the angel fought with the diuell In Marke the diuels cry out and say What haue we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs but yet for al that our sauiour beinâ— alredy appointed made iudge shal say to the diuels Go into the euerlasting fier Al which testimonies agree to substances by them selues subsistine not to qualities Diuels therfore arâ— spirituall substances But what bodieâ— they be which they often times take in which they appeare vnto men nâ— man I thinke can perfectly tell whicâ— also we tolde you a little before when we entreated of the bodies which good angels toke For truly that diuels puâ— on bodies shapes differing from their owne the historie of Samuel raised vp by a witch manifestly proueth It was not Samuel that was raised from the dead but the capteine-coyner of lyes counterfeiting Samuel deceiued king Saul And Paul witnesseth that sathâ— doth transforme himselfe into an angel of light Histories also declare that the diuel is a maruelous iugling deceiuer in taking on him diuers forms shapes And as I saide of good angels that they are spéedy in their ministerie without burden or lets so there is no doubt that diuels in their kinde worke are well prepared For the scriptures declare that they haue a thousand shiftes wonderfull craftinesse subtiltie and that their knowâ—edge is 〈…〉 reacheth very farre Finally that they are very ready and neuer weary to attempt performe althings They passe through the whole world with excéeding swiftnesse they handle all their matters very craftily and therefore are maruelous names shadowing out their force power allotted vnto them For he is called Sathan the olde serpeÌ„t a deceiuer the prince of this world the prince of darknesse which hath power ouer the aire a roaring Lion. Of which and of other not vnlike I will speake anon more at large when I haue firste tolde you this that there are an infinite route of diuels For vij diuels are cast out of Marie Magdalen That diuell of whom Matthew speaketh being no sooner cast out museth consulteth howe he may be wholy restored againe taking to him vij other spirites worse than himselfe Moreouer in Marks gospell there is mention made of a legion For the vncleane spirit being asked of the lorde what his name was answered My name is legion because we are â—any Therefore when there is mention made of sathan also where in hoâ—ie scripture it is not so to be taken as â—hough there were either but one subâ—â—ance or person of y diuel â–ª For they arâ— comprehended as the members vnder â—he head as particularities vndâ—r geâ—eralities The scripture truely elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the diuels For the enimies of Christe do often cry out He casteth out diuels by the prince of diuels but yet that saying doth not expresse what manner of principalitie that is whether orderly among them selues those euill spirites be distinguished And it is certein that all the vngodly are vnder one head as all the godly are vnder one Christe the lord It is certein that all the diuels are o◠〈…〉 corrupt 〈…〉 their force only to this end to 〈◊〉 aduersaries vnto god hurtfull enimies to men But of y operations works or effects of diuels I wil speak wher I shal by the way exposid their names or attributes Corrupt wicked spirits generally are called diuels which is asmuch as if you should say slaunderers or false accusers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gréekes signifieth slaunder c. And the worde diuel is fetched froÌ„ the Grecians For he soweth slaunders in accusing men vnto god in setting men at variance betwene themselues that now I say nothing how he goeth about to bring god his works into suspicioÌ„ among men Therfore he is elsewhere called a lier the author of lies and the father of al hypocrites therefore the spring of all 〈◊〉 heresies wickednesses And bicause Iudas was an hypocrite a lyer a 〈…〉 traitor the lord rightly gaue him the name of a diuell The Apostle Peter called the diuell an aduersarie For the lord also himselfe called him The enuious man which sowed tarâ—â— in the lords field For he is the 〈◊〉 of God men setting himselfe against the wil of God whose glory also he laboureth to take away
people being God his flocke was called a Synagogue For this woord Synagogue signifieth as much as Ecclesia the Congregation But because of the stubbornesse of the Iewes and the vnappeasable hatred whiche they bare towards Christian religion this word Synagogue is not estéemed but is almost quite growen out of vse But we will not dispute by due and right order of the Churches either of the Iewes or the Turkes or of other strange Churches of the Gentiles whereof we know there are many sortes and kinds Wée will speake of the Christian Church and congregation of the faithfull which the Germans do call Die kirch alluding peraduenture to the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing belonging to the Lord to witt a house or a people as the Germans doe call Die kirchen both the people of God themselues and also the place wherin they assemble together to worship god But first of all wée will describe a little plainelier what the Church or congregation is The Church is the whole companie and multitude of the faithful partly being nowe in heauen and partly remayning yet here vpō earth where it doth agrée plainely in vnitie of faith or true doctrine and in the lawefull partaking of the Sacraments neither is it diuided but ioyned and vnited together as it were in one house and fellowship This Church was vsuallie called Catholique that is to say vniuersall For shée bringeth forth her branches in all places of the wyde world in all times of all ages and generally doth comprehend all the faithfull of the whole world For the Church of God is not tyed to any one region nation or kinred to condition age sexe or kinde all the faithfull generally and each one specially where euer they or hée be are citizens and members of this Church Sainct Paule the Apostle sayeth There is neither Iewe nor Greeke neither bondman nor free neither man or woman for ye bee all one in Christ Iesu The Church is distinguished into the Triumphant and the Militant The Triumphant is that great companie of holy spirits in heauen triumphing for the victorie gotten against the world sinne and the diuel still enioying the sight of God wherein consisteth all fulnesse of all kinde of ioye and pleasure Wherevppon they set forth Gods glorie and praise his goodnesse for euer This Church doth S. Iohn the Apostle set forth verie notablie in his Reuelations saying After this I sawe and behold a great companie which no man was able to nūber of all nations peoples tongues standing before the Throne and in the sighte of the Lambe clothed in white garments and Palmes in their handes and they cryed out with a lowde voice saying Saluation belongeth to him that sitteth vppon the throne of our God to the Lambe And a little after that he sayeth And one of the Elders aunsweared said vnto me These which are clothed in white garments who are they or frō whence come they And I said vnto him Thou knowest lord And hee said vnto mee These are they that haue come out of great affliction and haue spread abrode their garments haue made them white in the bloud of the Lambe therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue day night in his holy temple And hee that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell ouer them They shall neyneither hunger nor thirst henceforth any more neither shall the Sunne shine on them or any heate beecause the Lambe who sitteth in the middest of the Throne shal gouerne them bring them to the springes of the water of life And the Lord shall wype away all teares from their eyes Brethren ye haue heard a notable description of the triumphant Church in heauen and that too triumphinge truely thoroughe the bloud of Iesus Christ by whom they conquered and doe nowe reigne For Christ is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world By whome all which be sanctified are sanctified and shal be sanctified and doe liue from the first creation of the world vnto the end of all times Sainct Paule in a certeine place giuing vnto vs also a notable description of this Church telleth that wée whiche as yet are busied in the Militant Church shall sometime bée translated to the same and be made fellowes with the Angels of GOD receiued amonge the orders of the Patriarches and placed in the companie of the blessed spirites with the most highe God himselfe and the Mediatour oure Lord Iesus Christe For hée preaching the greatnesse of Gods grace brought vnto vs by the Gospell exhorting vs to receiue the same with a true faith Ye came not sayeth he vnto mount Sina to a fire to a whirlewinde a stormie tempest and darckenes but vnto mount Sion to the citie of the liuing God to heauenly Hierusalem to the innumerable companie of Angels and to the Church or Congregation of the first begotten whiche are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirites of the perfecte iust and to the mediatour of the newe testament Iesus Christe speaking better things than the bloud of Abel spake And therefore all the Sainctes in heauen do belonge vnto our companie or rather we belonge vnto their fellowship For we are companions and fellowe heyres with the Sainctes from Adam vnto the end of all worlds and Gods householde Which conteyneth the greatest comfort of all mans life and moueth most of all to the studie of vertue For what more worthie thing is there thā to be of Gods househould Or what may be thought more swéete to vs than to thincke our selues fellowes with the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs of all Angels blessed spirits This benefite I say Christ hath bestowed on vs To him therfore be praise glorie and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Militant Church is a congregation of men vppon earth professing the name and religion of Christ continually fightinge in the world against the diuel sinne flesh and the world in the campe and tentes and vnder the banner of oure Lord Christe This Church is to be cōsidered two wayes For either it is to bee taken strictly comprehending them onely which bée not onely called but are in very déede the Church the faithfull and electe of God liuely mēbers knit vnto Christ not with bandes and other outward markes and signes but in spirite and faith often times by these meanes without the other Of which matter wee will speake hereafter This inward and inuisible Church of GOD may be wel named the electe spouse of Christ onely knowen vnto God who alone knoweth who are his When wée bee first taught to knowe this Church we confesse her with the Apostles créede saying I beleeue the holie Catholique Church the communion of Sainctes And in these fewe woords wee conclude that there is a Church also what is the Church and what
Gospell that is of that whiche giueth the spirite of Christ yea which poureth it into the beléeuers but they are not preachers of the letter of the lawe which doth not giue grace and remission of sinnes but worketh wrath and bringeth sinne to light Touching the keyes and the power of the keyes there will be elsewhere a more fit place to speake And moreouer it séemeth that here is a méete place for those things which I haue disputed of in the first sermon of this Decade touching the power and ministerie of the Church Againe whereas the Lorde vseth in teaching his Church mans helpe and vs as labourers together in finishing the saluation of mankinde he sheweth most euidently howe greatly he loueth vs and howe muche he estéemeth of vs who hath layde vp so greate a treasure in earthen vessels and euen in vs our selues worketh what so euer is most excellent and ouercommeth all the highe excellencie of the world Whereby we learne againe to attribute all the glorie vnto Christ Paul againe teaching vs and saying We preache not our selues but Iesus Christe the Lorde and our selues your seruaunts for Iesus sake For it is God that commaunded the light to shine out of darknesse who hath shined in our hearts for to giue the light of knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus Christe But we haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of the power may bee of God and not of vs Wee are afflicted on euery side yet are we not in distresse c. Moreouer all the members of the Ecclesiasticall body are wonderfully glued together by the Ecclesiasticall ministerie For this chiefly helpeth to make concorde and continue vnitie bicause we want mutuall instruction and vnto euerie Churche is one peculiar pastour appointed as a gouernour as it were some faythfull housholder gouerning and kéeping in order his whole familie Truely it can not be denyed that in time past that moste exquisite order of the tabernacle and temple and the tribe of Leuie consecrated to the priesthoode were to this ende ordeyned of God whiche as soone as that vngodly king Ieroboam throughe wicked presumption forsooke hee rent the kingdome in péeces and at the length vtterly ouerthrewe both his owne house and the whole kingdome S. Paule also speaking of the endes of the holy ministerie instituted of God doth not forget the vnitie of the Ecclesiasticall body wherevnto also he ioyneth other notable good things If any man desire his wordes they are these He instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Saintes for the woorke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe till we all meete together in the vnitie of faithe and knowledge of the sonne of god vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christe that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euery winde of doctrine by the deceite of men and with eraftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue But let vs followe the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the heade that is Christe c. These endes of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie are manifest in the preaching of the worde of god GOD hathe instituted a ministerie in the Church that all the members may be brought into the vnitie of the bodye and that they maye be subiect and cleaue to Christe their heade that thereby we may growe to be of full age and become perfect men that we be not alwayes children and that we lye not open to the deceites and bewitchings of all heretiques but being ioyned together in true faith and charitie let vs holde fast the pure and simple truth of Christe and seruing Christe vnfeignedly in this worlde we may after death reigne with him in heauen Out of these things let vs also deriue this that the Ecclesiasticall ministerie thoughe it be executed by men yet is it not of man that is to say inuented by man For the beginning thereof is from heauen and the authour or institutour thereof is God him selfe and therefore the worthinesse of it doth greatly excell The first preacher in paradise was God him selfe yea the sonne of God him selfe who by the ministerie of the holy ghoste alwayes spake to the Fathers euen as afterwardes being incarnate he was giuen of the father to be a maister and teacher to the whole worlde He preached vnto our parentes Adam and Eue remission of sinnes and repentance He ordeyued and reuealed a sacrifice insteade of a sacrament wherein might be represented ratified vnto them y price of the redemptiō promised by the séed in time couenient to be paide c. There succéeded in the ministerie Adā with his sonnes nephues Seth Enos Enoch No◠Sem Abrahā with their sonnes and nephues euen vnto Moses in whose time while he gouerned the Church and after him there are giuen Prophetes and Priestes euen vnto the time of Iohn Baptist and Iesus the promised séed I meane Christe our king and highe Prieste He in likewise sent into the worlde his disciples that is to saye the Apostles who ordeyned for their successours Byshops and Doctours Of whiche thing I haue spoken more largely in an other place God him selfe therefore is hearde in the voyce or doctrine of his ministers So that we are commaunded to giue eare to the ministers preaching the Gospell as to the verie Angels of God yea as to the Lord him selfe For this cause Paule prayseth the Galathians saying Ye despised not neyther abhorred my triall which was in the flesh but receiued me as an angel of God yea as Christe Iesus Wherevpon S. Augustine also in his third treatise vpon Iohn Let vs heare sayth he the Gospell as if the Lord were present and let vs not say Oh happie are they who could heare him bycause there were many of them which saw him and yet consented to kill him and many among vs who haue not seene and yet beleued For that also whiche sounded precious out of the mouth of the Lorde is both written for our sakes and kept for vs and is also read for our sakes and for our posterities sake shall bee read vnto the end of the world The Lord is aboue yea and the Lord whiche is the trueth is here also For the body of the Lord wherewith he rose may be in one place but his trueth is spread abroade euery where Let vs therefore heare the Lord and that also which he shal giue vs of his words Thus much he The Lord our highe prieste speaketh vnto vs euen at this day by the ministers preaching his word And we haue all things what so euer the Lorde spake by the patriarches prophets and apostles set out in the scriptures which the ministers of the churche doe reade and declare before vs Who therefore hereafter can despise the ministerie and the faithfull ministers of Christe especially since our Lord and
I haue admonished you elsewhere Therefore it is an horrible offence to iterate the Ceremonie of baptisme it is without example Neither in this matter is there any necessitie for to what ende is it to baptise againe when as baptisme once giuen is sufficient for the whole course of a mans life Beside this since Anabaptisme is nothing else but a confederacie conspiracie and a certeine lincking together by one marke into a newe and seditious or at the least superstitious companie into a newe and scismaticall Church and into a new and straunge kind of doctrine and as contrarie as can bée to the doctrine of Christe and his Apostles truely it is no meruaile that the obstinate Anabaptists are kept vnder and punished by common lawes For otherwise these thinges are damnable and not to be dissembled or suffered of a Christian magistrate But the Anabaptists presently obiecte vnto vs these two places The first out of the fifte Chapiter of Iosua where we read in these words Make thee sharpe kniues of stone and goe to againe and circumcise the children of Israel the second time Behold the second time they could not bee circumcised saye they vnlesse they had béene also circumcised before I answere To circumcise the second time or to doe a thing once againe doeth not signifie to doe that which was done before For when the fore-skinne was once cutt off howe could it be cutt off againe Therefore that which was left vndone for a certeine space is nowe againe renued and is said to be done the second time So that the second time is not applied to them that should bee circumcised but vnto the verie time wherein they that were vncircumcised should bée circumcised For they were first solemnely circumcised in Aegypt before they did eate the Passeouer Nowe entering into the land of Chanaan they are the second time solemnly circumcised which hetherto by reason of the wildernesse and iourneying were not circumcised And so it followeth immediatly in the same Chapter that all the males that came out of Aegypt died in the wildernesse and that their sonnes were vncircumcised so that nowe it was expedient that they should be circumcised as their fathers were before them Therefore the Anabaptistes in this testimonie of the lawe haue no defence at all The latter testimonie to mainteine Anabaptisme or rebaptising they bring out of the 19. Chap. of the Actes where they say that those twelue men of Ephesus were once baptised by Apollos with the baptisme of water and with that of Iohns likewise but the verie same afterward are rebaptised of Paule in the name of Christe I aunswere That those twelue men were not baptised againe of Paule with water They were once baptised with water whiche was sufficient for them But neither could Paule minister another baptisme of water than that of Iohns For I taught and euidently proued anon after the beginning of this Sermon that the baptisme of water ministred by Iohn Christe and his Apostles is one and the selfe same There I declared that the baptisme of fire or of the spirite is peculiar and proper to Christe Those men therefore of Ephesus were baptised with the baptisme of water as the Samaritans were by Philip but they were not as yet fully instructed of the baptisme of fire neither were they baptised with fire yea they confesse they know not whether there be any such baptisme that is whether there be an holy Ghoste whiche in the visible forme of fire shuld come downe vppon men For they could not be altogether ignoraunt that there was a holy Ghost without whom vndoubtedly they had not beléeued yea in whome they had beléeued if they had rightly beléeued Therfore they were onely ignoraunt of that baptisme of fire As therefore Peter and Iohn layed their hands on the Samaritanes and they forthwith receiued the holy Ghoste So Paule layeth handes on the men of Ephesus and they receiue the holy Ghoste For Luke sayeth When they heard these thinges they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus And least any man should vnderstand this of the baptisme of water by and by he addeth the manner thereof and a plaine exposition saying And when Paule had layed his handes on them the holy Ghoste came vppon them This I say hee called baptising in the name of the Lord Iesus For it followeth And they spake with tongues and prophecied And this alwayes hath béene the fruite and effecte of the baptisme of fire in the Primitiue Churche as I declared anon after the beginning of this Sermon Wherefore the Anabaptists haue no testimonie out of the scriptures for their Anabaptisme or rebaptising So that all that will gather their witts about them doe plainely sée that they are to be forsaken and shunned of all good men But wée haue sufficiently disputed against them as it séemeth Nowe wée goe forward to expound those things that remaine to be opened touching baptisme whiche are not the last and of least account Now that we are come to intreate of the vertue efficacie of baptisme we will followe that order which wee shadowed out in the description of baptisme knitting vp at least the particulars because in the generall consideration of Sacramentes wée haue spoken largely of them Yet neuerthelesse it is good first of all to knowe what the aduersaries of the Churche haue sometime thought touching the force of baptisme The Manicheis baptised none of their secte For they taught that Baptisme did auaile the receiuers nothing to saluation The Seleucians who are called also Hermiani did likewise sett baptisme at nought The Messalians whiche bee called Euchetes or prayer-makers as I haue shewed in the end of my former Sermon and the Enthusiastes inspired I say by some heauenly power nay rather by some hellishe furie are persuaded that baptisme neither profiteth nor hindereth any man For so they did attribute all meanes of saluation to the inward woorking of the spirite yea to mans prayers in somuch that they loathed and abhorred all outward helpes yea and doctrine also as vnprofitable and without force Whiche Theodoret in his Ecclesiasticall historie Libro 4. cap. 11. rehearseth of them But the holy Scripture teacheth that wée are washed cleane from our sinnes by baptisme For baptisme is a signe a testimonie and sealing of oure cleansing For GOD verilie hath promised sanctification to his Churche and hée for his trueths sake purifyeth his Churche from all sinnes by his Grace thoroughe the bloud of his sonne and regenerateth and clenseth it by his spirite whiche cleansing is sealed in vs by baptisme whiche wée receiue and thereof is it called in the Scriptures cleansing and remission of sinnes purifying newe birthe regeneration and the lauer or founteine of regeneration as circumcision is called the couenaunt and sacrifices sinnes and sanctifications For wée read in the Gospell according to Sainct Marke Iohn baptised in the desart preaching the baptisme of repentaunce for the remission of sinnes
167 5 Adam begat a sonne in his owne similitude c. 500 6 I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life c. 715 8 I will set my raine-bowe in the cloudes that when I sée it I may remember c. 957 9 The eating of beastes or anye thinge that liueth and moueth is graunted c. 385 9 The Lord rayned vpon Sodom and Gomor brimston and fire c. 633 9 Whatsoeuer maÌ„ it be of the house of Israel or of the strangers c. 385 12 Pharao the king of Aegypt coÌ„maunded Sara Abrahams wife to be taken and caried to his palace c 231 14 Giue mée the soules and take the substance or goods to thy self c. 755 16 And she called the name of the Lord which spake vnto her Thou God lookest on me c. 743 16. Hast thée to Zoar and saue thee selfe there for I can do nothing c. 640 17 I will make my couenaunt betwéene mée and thée and thy séed after thée in their generations c. 1051 17 The vncircumcised man child in whose flesh the foreskinne is not circumcised that soule shal be cut off from his people c. 1041. 1046 18 Abraham sawe thrée but with them thrée he talked as with one worshipped one c. 633 18 Wilt thou destroy the iust with the wicked That be farre from thee c. 520 18 And shal I hide from Abraham what I minde to do c. 3 20 Loe thou shalt die because of the womaÌ„ which thou hast taken away c. 232 22 In thy séede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed c. 545 645. 687. 22 God tempted Abraham c. 485 30 Giue me children or else I die c. 658 30 Am I in Gods stéede whiche hath denied thée or withholden froÌ„ thée the fruite of the wombe c. 658 33 And hée going before them bowed himselfe seuen times to the ground c. 649 34 Sichem defiled Dina the daughter of Iacob c. 235 39 Ioseph beeing prouoked to adulterie by his maisters wife c. 232 44 Ye wil bring my gray haires with sorrow to hell or the graue c. 65 48 Leâ— my name be called vppon them c. 655 ¶ Out of Exodus 3 THus shalt thou saye to the childreÌ„ of Israel The Lord God of our fathers the God of Abraham c. 612 3 And Moses said to God Behold when I come vnto the childreÌ„ of Israel to whom thou doest nowe send me and shal say vnto them c. 608 4 Euery manchild whose foresain shall not be circumcised shal be cutt off c. 1029 4 And GOD hardened Pharaos heart c. 493 4 A bloudie husband art thou vnto mée c. 1044 6 I am Iehouah And I appeared to Abraham Isaac Iacob as God Schaddai but in my name Iehouah I was not knowen vnto them c. 611 9 I haue now sinned the Lord is iust but I and my people c. 493 12 When your children shall saye vnto you what meaneth this worship c. 160. 364 13 Sanctifie to mée al the first borne c. 160 17 Whosoeuer sacrificeth to any God c. 200 18 Looke ouer all the people consider them diligently and choose c. 175. 389. 894 19 Talke thou with vs wée will heare but let not God talke c. 870 19 Moses the holy seruant of God is commaunded to sanctifie the people c. 19 19 Sett boundes vnto the people round about the mounteine and say vnto them Take héed to your selues c. 606 20 Thou shalt not bow down nor worship them c. 650 21 Hee that curseth father or mother c. 153 21 The punishment of that kinde of thefte whiche the Lawyers call Plagium 272. 278 22 Thou shalt not haue to do with a false report c. 390 22 If any man shall giue to his neighbour a beast to kéepe c. 131 22 Restitution is flatly commanded of the Lord in the Law c. 280 22 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue c. 197 22 Thou shalt not afflicte the widowes nor fatherlesse children c. 158. 509. 23 Thou shalt not followe a multinide to do euill c. 194 23 Thrice in the yeare shall euery male appeare before the Lord c. 352 30 Whosoeuer shall make for him selfe a composicion or perfume of incense to smell therew c. 658 31 Ye shall kéepe my Sabbâ—â—hes because it is a signe c. 144 32 And Moses said vnto the Leuites Consecrate your handes c. 331. 33 Thou canst not sée my face For no man shall see mée and liue c. 607 616. 34. Behold I will send mine Angel before thee to kéepe thee in the way c. 741 ¶ Out of Leuiticus The chiefest Chapiters of Leuiticus are expounded in the Sermon of the Ceremoniall Lawes 6 CHarge giuen to the priests to kéepe the holy fire alwayes burning c. 368 7 Touching vowed sacrifices or sacrifices offered by couenaunt c. 379 10. Thou and thy sonnes that are with thee shall drincke neither wine nor c. 336 10 The sonnes of Aaron burnt scorâ—â—hâ— vpp with fire from heauen for offering straunge fire c 962 11 Of the cleane and vncleane creatures c. 382 12 13. 14 15. 16. Touching cleansing sacrifices for bodily deâ—ilinges 373. 13 The priestes did iudge betwixt cause and cause and betweene cleane and vncleane c. 338 17 Whosoeuer of the house of Israel shall kill an oâ—e or a sheepe c. 344. 3. 7. 17. 19. The eating of bloud and strangled is forbidden c. 385 18 The abhominable sinne of Sodomie medling with beastes also is plainely forbidden c. 236 19 Ye shall doe no vnrighteousnes in Iudgement c. 194 19 Ye shall not steale ye shall not lye no man shall deale c. 273 19. Ye shall do no vnrighteousnes in iudgement true balances true weightes c. 270 20 Of the punishment of adulterie 236 20 Of the punishment of incest 236 20 A lawe against Sodomie 236 20 The soule that worketh with a spirite or that is a Southsayer shal die c. 755 22 Let no deformitie be in the thing that thou shalt offer c. 368 24 Of the punishment of such as blasphemed Gods name c. 129 26 I wil smite you for your sinns seuen times c. 936 27 Of vowes c. 380 ¶ Out of Numerie 3 ANd thou shalt giue the Leuites vnto Aaron to his sonnes c. 232 3 The Leuits shall kepe all the instruments of the tabernacle c. 338 6 And the Lord spake vnto Moses saying speake vnto Aaron and his sonnes saying On this wise ye shal blesse the children c. 336 6 Touching the discipline of the Nazarites c. 380 10 The trumpets wherewith the congregation was called together were in the Leuites hands c. 338 11 Gather vnto me threescore and tenne men of the elders of Israel
Israel with him c. 284. 8 And they drewe out the staues that the endes of them mighte appeare c. 340. 341 11 Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord thou shalt reigne c. And if thou hearken vnto al that I coÌ„maund thée c. 185 12 Ieroboam sacrificed vnto God but because he sacrificed not lawfully he was c. 676. 824 12 In the kingdom of Israel king Ieroboam thrust out of their offices the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord c. 854 16 And Achab serued Baal and worshipped him c. 667 18 How long do you halt on both partes If the Lord be God follow him c. 653 19 I haue béene very iealous for the Lord God of hoasts for that the c. 855 19 I haue left vnto me selfe seuen thousand men in Israel c. 855 ¶ Out of the second booke of Kinges 5 NAaman the Syrian was coÌ„maunded to washe himselfe seuen times c. 972 5 Heliseus by most wholesome counsel refused the reward of Naaman c. 888 5 Am I a God that I should be able to kill and to giue life c. 658 6 Feare not for they that be with vs are moâ— than they that bee with them c. 741 6 Lord I beséeche thée open his eyes that he may sée and the Lord opened his eyes c. 741 17 Israel walked in the ordinances or ceremonies which they theÌ„selues had made c. 329 17 And yet they serued the Lord and they appointed out priests eueÌ„ of the basest vnto themselues for the high places c. 675 16 Achas king of Iuda shutvp the temple of the Lord and toke away the holy altar c. 854 21 Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine and administration of the sacrameÌ„ts was banished except onely circumcision c. 854 21 This is the house of the Lord God and this altar is for the sacrifice c. 344 ¶ Out of the first booke of Chronicles 15 THe Lord hath chosen the Leuites c. Therefore sée that ye be holy that ye may c. 997 15 The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetch the arke c. 997 ¶ Out of the second booke of Chronicles 1 ANd Solomon with all the coÌ„gregation went to the high place that was at Gabaon c. 343 8 And Solomon sett the sortes or priestes to their offices as Dauid his father c. 182 11 Ieroboam thruste the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord out of their offices c. 954 19 Take héede what ye do For ye execute not the iudgements of man c. 194 28 Achas king of Iuda shutt vp the temple of the Lord c. 854 29 The Leuites did sing and that at the commaundement of God c. 932 29 Be yee sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord oure God c. 182 33. 34. Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine was banished c. 854 36 The Lord God of their fathers sent to you by his ministers rising vp betimes c. 154. 155 ¶ Out of Nehemias 5 A Notable example in Nehemias suppressing the couetousnesse crueltie c. of vsurers c. 276 8 Esdras the priest brought the Lawe the booke of Moses c. 24 8 Touching the solemne celebrating of the feast of Tabernacles or seuenth moneth c. 353 8 And Esdras with the Leuites saide to all the people which was sad and sorrowfull c. 284. 285 ¶ Out of the booke of Iob. 1 SAthan came and shewed himselfe among the children or seruauntes of God speaking with the Lord c. 747 1 Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shal I turne to the earth againe c. 312 4 Behold he found no trueth in his seruauntes and in his angels there was follie c. 745 9 If I will iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth will condemne mée c. 467 9 If I haue any righteousnesse I will not aunsweare but humbly beséeâ—h my Iudge c. 560 10 Thy hands O God haue made me and fashioned me round about c. 760 10 Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy visitation hath presenued my spirite c. 760 14 Who can make or bring forth a pure or cleane thing of that whiche is vncleane c. 496 19 I knowe that my redéemer liueth and that in the last day c. 86 25 I know verily that a man compared to God cannot be iustified c 401 26 His spirite hath garnished the heauens c 716 31 If mine heart haue béene deceiued by a womaÌ„ or if I haue laid waâ—te c. 232 33 The spirite of God hath made me and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen me life c. 716 34 Nothing is more contrary to the nature of God than sinne and naughtinesse c. 482 ¶ Out of the Psalmes 2 BE wise O ye kinges be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth c. 699 5 The vnrighteous shal not stand in thy sight O Lord thou hatest c. Thou shalt destroy al them that speake lyes c. 129 5 Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednes neither shal c. 482 8 O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in al the world For thy glorie c 637. 952 9 The heauens are thine O God and the earth is thine thou hast laid the foundation c. 637 10 The Lord loueth the iust c. Vppon the vngodly he shall raine snares c. 520 14 The foole hath said in his hart There is no God c. 605 15 Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. Euen he that walketh c. 669 16 The Lord is alwayes at my right hand Therefore my heart is glad c. 433 18 Who is God besids the Lord and who is mightie or a rock saue our God c. 658 18 The way of God is vncorrupt the word of the Lord is tryed c. 861 18 He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was barckenesse vnder his féete c. 738 19 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule c. 21 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth forth the workes of his hands c. 620 19 Who knoweth his sinnes Clense me from my hidden faultes c. 578 22 Thou art he that toke mée out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope c. 306 22 Our fathers hoped in thée they hoped in thée and thou didst deliuer them c. 306. 657 27 In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord and I will crie vnto my God c. 657 27 Because my father my mother haue left or forsaken mée the Lord hath taken mée vp c. 660 31 I haue hoped in thée O Lord I haue said Thou art my GOD c. 640 32 I haue made my fault knowen vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnes haue I not hidden c. 572
33 By the word of the Lord were the heauens made all the hoastes of them by the breath of his mouth c. 633. 34 This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles c. 741 37 A good man is mercifull and lendeth guideth his woords with discretion c. 288 37 Yet a little and the vngodly shal be no where and when thou lookest in his place c. 300 38 Rebuke me not in thine anger O Lord neither chasten me in thy c. 919 38 Thine arrowes stick fast in me and thine hand doth presse mée sore c. 565 45 All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel c. 127 45 The Lord shall reigne for euer and his kingdom is a kingdome of all ages c. 638 45 Thy God hath annoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes c. 705 50 Offer to the Lord the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vowes c. 113. 657. 922. 50 Why doest thou take my couâ—naunt in thy mouth c. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. 237 50 Whosoeuer offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me c. 953 51 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy spirite from me c. 722 51 Behold I was borne in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceuied me 496 51 Make mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me 819 51 Haue mercie vpon me O God according to the greatnesse of thy mercie For I â–ª c. 572 54 O come lee vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God eure saluation c. 651 61 Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to sée corruption c. 764 62 Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him c. 282 67 God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs snewe vs the light of his c. 944 72 Touching the infelicitie of the vngodly thou verily hast sett them in slipperie places c. 300 73 Touching the prosperitie of the wicked my feete were almost gone my treadings c. 292 75 Make vowes and paye them c. 381 78 The things that we haue heard and knowen suche as our fathers haue â—ould vs c. 622 79 Help vs O Lord of our saluasion for the glorie of thy name c. 921 81 In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mée and I deliuered thée c. 657 82 Man is the liuely image of god c 650 89 Thou Lord rulest the raging of the sea thou stillest the waues therof when they arise c. 639 91 Call vppon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie mée c. 657 91 There shall no euill come vnto thée neither shall any plagne comâ— néere thy dwelling c. 741 91 Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house very highâ— c. 305 94 Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise c. 614 97 Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth Thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods c. 610 102 Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thée c. 914 103 The Lord is full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and of great kindnesse c. 644. 942 103 Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mée blesse c. 952 103 Euen as the father pityeth his children so doeth the Lord pirie them c. 57 103 Praise the Lord O my soule and forgeâ—t not the thinges that hee hath done for thee c. 567 103 O praise the lord all ye angels of his ye that excell in strengthe yée that fulfil his commaundement c. 738 104 Of the fruite of thy works O God shal the earth be filled c. 639. 104 All thinges waite vppon thée that thou mayest giue them meate in due season c. 947 104 Whiche maketh his Angels spirites his ministers a flaming fire c. 714 110 The Lord sware and will not repent hun Thou art a priest for euer after tâ—e order of Melchisedech c. 704 110 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. 59. 633. 692. 699. 110 In the mightie power of holinesse the dewe of thy byrthe is to thée of the wombe of the morning c. 62 113 The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold the workes of mens hands c. 118 113 The Lord is higher than all nations and his glorie is aboue the heauens c. 610 116 Onely God is true and euery man a liar c. 834 118 The pathe of life shalt thou make knowen to mée the fulnesse c. 71 118 The stone which the builders refused is the head of the corner c. 861 119 Seuen times in a daye doe I praise thée c. 936 119 It is good for me Lord that thou hast troubled mée c. 294 119 I haue longed after thy commaundements c. 324 119 The praise of Gods word c. 253 120 Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptfull tongue c. 324 123 Our GOD is in heauen hée hath done what soeuer pleased him c. 945 128 The labours of thine handes shalt thou eate O well is thée and happie c. 269 135 I know that the Lord is great that he is aboue al Gods c. 639 136 Oh praise the Lord for hée is good because his mercie endureth for euer c. 164. 570 138 Whether shall I goe from the breath of thy mouth and whether shall I flée from thy countenaunce c. 610 139 Thou O Lord knowest my downe-sitting and mine vp-rising thou spyest out all my wayes c. 638 141 Let my prayer bee directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vpp of my hands as an euening sacrifice c. 658 141 The righteous shall sinite mée friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked c. 324 142 Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shal no man liuing c. 467. 555 145 When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled c. 714 145 The Lord is nigh vnto al that call vpon him vnto all such as c. 922 145 The Lord is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes c. 494 145 The eyes of all things do loke vpp vnto thée O Lord and thou giuest c. 947 145 The Lord vpholdeth such as fall and lifteth vpp all those that be downe c. 639 147 Great is oure Lord and great is his power and of his wisedome there is none end c. 639 ¶ Out of the Prouerbes of Solomon 1 MY sonne if sinners entice thée consent not vnto them c. 168 3 My sonne refuse not the chastening of
c. 980 10 Arise I also myselfe am a man c. 654. 890 10 That which God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane c. 226. 1055 10 Thy prayers and thine almes déedes are hadde in remembraunce c. 924 11 Agabus foretolde Saint Paule the famine which was to come c. 878 12 Herode put Peter in pryson Peter slept betwéene two souldiers c. 735 12 It is the voyce of God and not of man c. 890 13 The Churches by the commandemente of the Apostles ordeyned doctours c. 837 13 Be it knowne vnto you men brethren that through this Lorde c. 45. 408 13 The Iewes being filled with indignation spake against those thinges c. 903 13 The word of God ought first to be preached vnto you but bycause you reiect it and iudge your c. 1107 14 The apostles returned strengthened the disciples soules againe c. 1016 14 God left not him selfe without witnesse in that he shewed his benefites from heauen c. 638 15 Dissention kindled by Paule and Barnabas againste them that taught circumcision c. 1001 15 Paule preaching the worde of God among the Gentiles went into the Synagogues c. 1114 15 We beléeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus c. 50 15 Fornication forbidden by the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent froÌ„ Ierusalem c. 234 15 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent from Ierusalem c. 421 16 Beléeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole c. 903 17 By God we liue and moue and haue our being c. 638. 685 17 God is not farre from euerie one of vs For by him wee liue wee moue and haue our being c. 610 17 God that made the worlde and all that therein is c. 126. 1004 17 Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath giuen thée all them that sayle with thée c. 740 18 The Apostle shooke his raymeÌ„t and sayd your bloud be vppon your c. 903 19 The sonns of Sceâ—a the priest were sayd to be exorcistes c. 884 972 19 The holy ghost came vpon theÌ„ and they spake with tongues and prophecied c. 1032 19 When they heard these things they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus c. 1060 19 Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beléeue c. 1031 20 God hath purchased to him selfe a church with his owne bloud c. 695 20 Take héede vnto your selues to the whole flocke whereof c. 866. 878. 901 20 I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in c. 829. 887 20 Paule preached brake breade at Troas c. 1069 21 Paule being oppressed of the Iewes in the Temple of Hierusalem is rescued c. 832 22 I receiued authoritie from the high Priestes to binde al those that call c. 812 22 Paule being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus traueled to HierusaleÌ„ vnto Gamaliels féete c. 1115 22 Arise and be baptised washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name c. 989. 1061 23 Atroupe of horsemen and a certein companie of footmen sent with the Apostle Paule c. 832 23 As thou hast borne witnesse of me at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of me at Rome c. 640 23 The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite c. 731 24 I beléeue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophets c. 89 26 Paul wisheth that king Agrippa were suche an one as him selfe except his bandes c. 872 26 I send thée vnto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may be c. 871 27 Sâ—rs I exhort you to be of good cheare for there shall be no losse of any mans life c. 640 27 There sâ—oode by me this night the Angel of God whose I am c. 743 Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes 1 APpointed to preache the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his Prophetes c. 629 693 838 1 His inuisible thinges being vnderstanded by his workes through the creation c. 620 1 God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his Prophets c. 429 1 What so euer may be knowne of God is manifest c. 102 1 God gaue them vp vnto a reprobate sense c. 492 1 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against al vngodlines c. 520 2 There are two sorts of Circumcisions the one of the letter in the flesh c. 361 2 The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite c. 715 2 What doest thou despise the riches of Gods goodnes c. 125. 522 2 When the Gentiles which haue not the lawe do of nature c. 101 3 Doe we then destroye the lawe through fayth God forbid c. 553 3 The righteousnesse of GOD by fayth in Iesus Christe conuneth vnto all c. 546 3 Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the Gentiles c. 553 3 Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of works 552 3 All haue sinned and are destitute or haue néede of the Grace of God c. 501 3 If our vnrighteousnesse setteth foorth the righteousnesse of GOD what c. 482 3 Shall their vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect God forbid c. 1027 3 We doe therefore hold that a maÌ„ is iustified withoute the workes of the lawe c. 553 4 To him that worketh not but beléeuâ—th in him that iustifieth the vngodly c. 555 4 To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie c. 554 4 What shal we say theÌ„ that Abraham our father as apperteyning to the flesh c. 51 4 If Abraham were iustified by workes c. Abraham beléeued God and it was counted for righteousnesse c. 51. 457 554 4 Where no lawe is there is no transgression c. 502 4 Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce giuen that it might be by grace c. 52 5 Euen as by one man sinne entâ—red into the worlde and death by sinne c. 45. 482. 496. 502. 645. 1052. 5 Being iustified by the bloude of Christe we shall be saued c. 45. 54 5 We reioice also in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. 294 5 The loue of God is poured oute into our hearts c. 92 5 Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with GOD c. 1002 5 Christe when as yet we were sinners dyed for vs muche more therefore nowe being iustified c. 662 5 Knowe ye not that all we which haue bin baptised into Iesus Christ haue bene baptised into his death c. 444. 709. 1025 7 Sinne withoute the lawe was once deade and I once
shall preach any other Gospel c. 559. 898 2 I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mée and the life whiche I nowe line in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God c. 454 763 825 2 If righteousnesse come by the lawe then Christ died in vaine c. 771 2 Titus being a Gréeke was not circumcised because of incommers being false c. 451 2 Wee knowe that man is not iustified by the woorkes of the Lawe c. 49 3 The séede of Abraham wherein we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus c. 687 3 All ye that are baptised haue puâ— on Christ c. 1061 3 If there had béene a lawe giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt c. 40â— 3 For it is written Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all thinges which c. 407 3 The Lawe was our Scholemaster vnto Christ that wée should c. 1001 3 There is neither Iewe noâ— Greeke neither bond man nor frée c. 813 3 O foolish Galathians who hath beewitched you that yee should not beléeue the trueth c. 1020 3 The same oure father Abraham was not iustified by the Lawe c. 51 4 The sonne of God is made of a woman to witt according to mans nature c. 688 4 After that ye haue knowen God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements c. 1142 4 Because ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes c. 719 4 He feygneth that there are twoe mothers the one wherof doeth gender to boundage c. 437 4 God sent his sonne made of a woman that we by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes c. 448. 629. 4 Ye despised not neither abhorred my triall which was in the 〈◊〉 c. 876 4 Hierusalem whiche is aboue is frée which is the mother of vs all c. 827. 868 5 Brethren ye haue béene called vnto libertie onely let not libertie be an occasion c. 448 5 Loe I Paule say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shal profite you nothing c. 419 5 The flesh lusteth contrary to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh c. 594. 718 5 The fruite of the spirite is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes c. 729 6 While wee haue time let vs worke good to all men c. 95. 289. 1125 6 Brethren if a man be preuented in any fault ye whiche are spirituall restoare such c. 574 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 YE are sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the â—arnest of our inheritance c. 727. â—016 〈◊〉 God hath chosen vs in Christe 〈◊〉 efore the foundations of the world were layde c. 643 〈◊〉 God raised Christ from the dead â—nd sâ—t him on his right hand in â—â—auenly places c. 701. 865 〈◊〉 Christe dwelleth in oure heartes â—hrough faith c. 825 〈◊〉 Now therefore ye are no more â—â—raungers and forteners but 〈…〉 ns c. 862 〈◊〉 Wherefore remember that ye â—eing in time passed Gentiles in â—â—e flesh c. 1021 〈◊〉 Wée were by nature the sonnes wrath euen as other c. 501 〈◊〉 Wée are created in Christ Iesus â—â—to good workes whiche GOD 〈…〉 th before c. 473 〈◊〉 By grace are ye saued throughe 〈…〉 th and that not of your selues c 2 Christ is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken downe c. 413 4 Christ gaue some Apostles some Prophets some pastours c. 41 828. 877. 3 By Christe wee haue bouldnesse and entraunce with confidence by faith c. 921 3 God by reuelation shewed the mysterie vnto mée as I wrote c. 18. 4 There is one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your vocâ—tion c. 841 2 Christ is the head of the church and the same is the Sauiour c. 865 4 Hee instituted ministers for the gathering together of the Sainctes for the worke c. 875 4 Bee ye tenned in the spirite of your minde and put on that newe man c. 490 4 Layinglies a side speake ye euery man the truth to his brother for we are members c. 273 4 One Lord one faith one baptisme one GOD and father of all which is aboue all c. 624. 1033 4 This I saye and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke c. 503. 592 4 Be angrie and sinne not Let not the Sinne set vpon c. 164 4 Let no filthie communication procéede out of your mouth c. 238 4 Gréeue not the holy Spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption c. 1016 5 Christ is the head of the church and he it is that giueth saluation to the bodie c. 702 5 So must husbandes loue their wiues euen as their owne bodies c. 230 5 Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shal inherite the kingdom of God c. 235 5 Christe loued the Churche and gaue himselfe for it c. 80. 973 1061 5 Bée not drinken with wine wherein is excesse but be full-filled c. 933 5 Let not fornication or any vncleannesse or couetousnesse be once named c. 238 5 Giue thanckes alwayes for all thinges vnto GOD and the father c. 952 6 Children obey your parents for this is right Honour thy father c. 158 6 Fathers prouoke not your children to anger c. 161 6 Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on c. 594 6 Take vnto you the whole armour of GOD that ye may be able to resist in the euill day c. 754 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Philippians 1 I Desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ c. 767. 777. 1 To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him c. 455. 591 2 When Christe was in the fourme of GOD he made himselfe of no reputation c. 63 689 2 There is a name giuen vnto Christe which is aboue all names that in the name of IESVS euery knée should bow c. 689 2 God worketh in vs both to wil and to doe euen of his good pleasure c. 591. 646 2 An exhortation to loue If therefore there bee any consolation in Christ c. 99 3 Christ shall transforme this vile body of oures to make it conformable c. 85. 88 3 Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee loke for a Sauiour the Lord Iesus Christ c. 71. 87. 690. 4 Let your requests be shewed vnto God in prayer and supplication c. 914 4 Wée haue learned in what estate so euer we are therewith to be content c. 312 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Colossians 1 IT pleased the father that all fullnesse should dwell
c. 949 1 Let euery man be swift to heare slowe to speake c. 238 1 Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father c. 475. 668. 2 Abraham was not iustified by faith onely c. 465 2 Séest thou how faith was made perfect by workes c. 461 2 Let him aske in faith nothing wauering c. 922 2 Abraham and we are iustified by workes c. 28 2 If a brother or sister be naked destitute of daily foode c. 97 3 Touching the properties of the tongue c. 238 3 For the tongue is a little meÌ„ber and boasteth great things c. 319 4 Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse c. 918 4 There is one law giuer which is able to saue and to destroy c. 905 5 Behold the hyre of labourers whiche haue reaped downe your fields c. 272 5 How the faithful should behaue themselues towards c. 1080 5 Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed c. 574. 580 5 Ye haue liued in pleasure vppon earth and beene wanton c. 299. 300. 509. 5 If any be sicke amonge you let him send for the elders c. 1139 ¶ Out of the first Epistle of S. Peter 1 YE are redéemed not with gold and siluer c. 60. 770 1 We are borne a newe not of corruptible seed c 21 827 1 The prophets did search at what moment or minute of time the spirite c. 363 1 Hope perfectly in the grace which is brought vnto you c. 305 2 Feare God honour the king 151. 2 Christ his owne selfe bare oure sinnes in his body vpon the c. 568 2 Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood c. 1106 2 ChristiaÌ„s are called priests 879 2 As frée and not as hauing the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse c. 448 2 The foundation of the church is Châ—isâ— c. 861 2 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man c. 107 3 The eyes of the Lord are vppon the iust c. 521 3 Touching the manner and ordering of womens apparel c. 239 3 That the Lord went in the spirit and preached vnto the spirits c. 66 3 Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh c. 983. 989 4 Dearely beloued thincke it not straunge that ye are tryed with fire c. 294 4 Sée that none of you be punished as a murtherer c 296 4 As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister y same c. 905 4 The Gospâ—ll was preached also to the dead c. 765 4 Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes c 584 4 The time is that iudgment must begin at the house of God c. 298 5 Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuel c. 749. 751 5 The elders that are among you I beséech c. 867 ¶ Out of the second Epistle of S. Peter 1 THe prophecie came not in old time by the will c. 10. 26. 717. 1 No prophecie in the scripture is of any priuate interpretation 907 2 God spared not the angels whiche sinned c. 745 2 The Lord knoweth how to deliuer his from temptation c. 174 2 There were false Prophetes among the people euen as c. 587 2 These are wells without water c. 449 3 In the Epistles of Paule many things are hard to be vnderstood c. 23. 24 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Iude. THe Angels which kept not their first estate c. 745 Iude saith that the Angel fought with Sathan the diuel c. 747 ¶ Out of the fâ—â—st Epistle of S. Iohn 1 That which we haue séene and heard we declare vnto you 81 1 The bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from euery sinne c. 82. 552 2 If we say we haue no sinne wée deceiue c. 401. 496. 917 2 They went out from vs but they were none of vs c. 604. 819. 820. 2 Annoynting annoynted c. 180 2 And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him c. 707. 726 2 By this we know that he dwelleth in vs by the spirit that he gaue c. 825 2 My babes these thinges write I vnto you c. 664 2 If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him c. 482. 483 2 Who is a lyar but hee that denieth that Iesus is Christ c. 629 3 Now are we the sonnes of god and yet it doth not appeare c. 727 3 We knowe that when he appeareth we shal be like vnto him 608 3 If we receiue y witnesse of men c. 550 3 Who so hath this worlds good séeth his brother haue c. 289. 1124 3 He that committeth sinne is of the diuel c. 485 3 My babes let vs not loue in word nor in tongue but in déede 96. 4 Beléeue not euery spirite but try the spirites c. 715. 839 4 Whosoeuer coÌ„fesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God c. 463. 825 4 Euery one that loueth him that begat c. 55. 826 4 By this we know his loue because he gaue his life c. 150. 825 4 Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God c. 688 4 Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome in you c. 727 4 God is loue he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God c. 825 5 If any man sée his brother sinne a sinne which is vnto death c. 519 5 He that beléeueth not God maketh him a lyar c. 48 5 For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world c. 54. 709 5 This is the loue of God that we kéepe his commaundements 409 5 And this is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske c. 54 ¶ Out of the Apocalypse of S. Iohn 1 FEare not I am the first and the last c. 836 1 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end c. 608 1 Iesus Christ prince of the kings of the earth loued vs c. 708 1 Iohn was banished into the Isle of 〈◊〉 c. 873 2 Remember from whence thou art fallen c. 593 2 To him that ouercometh I will giue to eate c. 863 3 These things saith he that is holy and true c. 836 4 And I saw another angel flying through the middst of heauen c. 653 6 Howe long 〈◊〉 thou Lord which art holy true c. 757. 766 7 After this I â—awe and behold a great companie c. 813 14 And I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Write Blessed are the dead c. 780 17 Great Babylon the mother of whoredomes c. 869 18 Go out of her my people c 859 19 And I fell downe before the féeâ—e of the angel to worship him c 653 21 The fearefull and vnbeléeuing
and the abhominable and murtherers c. 655 22 And after I had heard and séene I fell downe to worship c. 653 22 Sée thou do it not for I am thy fellow seruaunt c. 743. 842. 890 The third and last table conteyning a short summe of such words or names and matters as are mentioned in this booke A. AAron a type or figure of Christ 332 Aaron his rod. 332 Abraham how he is iustified 3. 387. 554 Abia beléeuinge the ward of the Lord ouercommeth 5000000. men of theâ—ribe of Israel 253 Abigei what they are 279 Abrogation of the Lawe 409 Abrogation of the Iudiciall lawes 427 Abortion what it is 443 Abuse of Christian libertie 449 Alsolom 523 Abuse of the Church goods 1128 Achaz 254 AccusatioÌ„s false and wrongfull 320 Accusations that be iust 322 Actuall sinne and the cause thereof 505 Adam and â—ethusalem 649 Adoration 651 Adamonition before punishmeÌ„t 202 Adulterie spoken against 231 Adulterie and fornication 863 Adulcerie pardoned by Christ 234 Adulterie what things are in it forbidden 234 Arian heretiques condemned 775 Affinitie that the word of God hath with sacraments 291. 892 Afflictions 292 293. 298 299. 307. 310. 311. 312. 313 316. Altar 348 Altar or table of the Lord. 1070 Allthinges of God by God and in God. 494 Amasias 254 Ammon the king rebelling against the word of God after two yeares infortunate reigne was murthered of his owne household servaunts 255 Ambition worketh by priuate gifts 278 Anabaptistes and Nouations the me 〈◊〉 of Sathan 569 Angel and Angels 732. 733. 734. 735. c. vsque 745. Anthropomoâ—phites 118. 613 Antiochus Epiphanes 511 Anthemius 892 Annoynting or annoyling 1136 Apostles of Christ 11 Apostles how they bynde and loose 902 Apostles what they be 877 Apostles bâ—ptise infants 1055 Apostles authoritie very great 12 Apostles Créede 55 Apostles receiue wages 1121 Application of scripture necessarie 903 Appeale 392 Appearing of spirits 392 Article of the Christian faith 55 2 Article 59 3 Article 60 4 Article 63 5 Article 67 6 Article 69 7 Article 74 8 Article 78 9 Article 78 10 Article 81 11 Arâ—icle 84 12 Article 90 Aristocracie 169 Arcke 345. 346. 996. Assemblie 1064 Assemblies that be holy 915. 916 Ascension of Christ 69 Asturia 235 Asa 253 Ascend into heauen 1088 Auncient lawes 387 Authoritie of the Apostles very great 12 Authoritie of fathers 393 Auengment taken by the magistrate 196 Augustines opinion of the righte hand of the father 73 Augustines diuision of signes 955 Augustines sentence touching merites of Saintes 494 Auricular confession 577. 578 581 Authoritie of pastours 912 Authour of Sacraments God himselfe 962 Auncient exposition of the words of the Supper This is my bodie 1086 B. Backbiting pernicions 323 Bargaining buying selling 287 Baptisme 989. 1005. 1013. 1027. 1031. 1033. 1050. 1055. 1060. 1061. 1062. Baptising with water vnconsecrated 1039. 1040. Baptiser 1042 Baptised 824. 1055. 1060 Baâ—lards 395 Baâ—des and Curtisans haue benefices at Rome 900 Belongeth to vs to knowe what was written to theÌ„ in old time 15 Beléeue in the sonne of God. 59 Beléefe of oures the second Article thereof 58 Beléefe in the church forbidden 78 Bed in wedlocke ought to be vndefiled 226 Benâ—fits of God are to be acknowledged 952 Beginning of sinne against the holy Ghost 517 Beginning of the ministerie from whome and the worthines thereof 875 Behauiour of the godly in their calamities 300 Bearing witnesse 319 Birth of Christ 63 Bishops 878. 905. Blaspemie 516. 517 Blessing and thankesgiuing 977 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles 421 Body of Christ 689 Body glorious 87. 88 Body naturall body spirituall 89 Bodies of the wicked rise againe 89 Bonauentures opinion of grace 1003 Bondage 395. 441. 442 Both kindes in the supper giuen receiued 1066 Bow downe to images what it is 122 Bread among the Hebrues what it signifyeth 947 Bread and wine remaine in their substance after consecration 984 Bread and wine are so called after consecration 985 Breaking of bread 1063 Buriall of Christ 65 Buying and selling c. 394 C. Catalogue of the bookes of the diuine Scripture 12 Cause of Christes incarnation 60 Calling to the ministerie 891. 893 Cathechising 907. Calamities 291. 293 Candlesticke golden 347 Carnall and fleshly people 404 Cure of the bodie 448 Cauills of those that attribute iustification to workes 458 Cause of sinne and euill 483 Catholique church what it is 79. 813 Carnall bondage and seruile 991 Carthage counsell for examining of bishops 895 Celebration of the supper c. 1072 Ceremonies 229. 328 329. 330. 364. 413. 415. 424. 1033. 1034. Confession of true religion 366 Charitie 92. 98 Christe as yet executeth all the dueties of a priest in the church 872 Christ what hee receynâ—th to himselfe from his ministerie and apostles 872 Christ is the naturall sonne of God 883 Christ reâ—eyneth both natures vnconfounded together 691 Christ in one person remayneth vndiuided 694 Christ is king of all 698 Christ is a Monarch 698 Christ is cotent to debate with Pilate of his kingdome 700 Christ called the onely sonne 59 Christ how he reigneth on earth in his kingdome 700 Christ Iesus the highe prest 704 Christ is annointed but with inuisible oile 705 Christ doth the office of a priest that is teacheth maketh intercession blesseth sacrificeth and sancrifieth 705 Christe his priesthood 706 Christians are kinges and priesis 709 Christ compared with Adam 49 Christ died not in vaine 50 Christ by interpretation annoynted 60 Christ is our Lord. 60 Christs conception and the maner thereof 62 Christes conception pure 63 Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilate 64 Christ a Judge 74 Christ conueyeth himselfe awaye when the people would haue made him a king 218 Christians haue nothing to doe with the yron like Philosophie of the Stoikes 301 Christ coÌ„mandeth vs to beare his crosse 309 Christ and Paule examples to vs. 314 Christ is the rock not Christ signifieth the rocke 991 Christ the first begotten 331 Christ and his Apostles institute scholes 1115 Christ hath taken all burthens froÌ„ our shoulders 437 Christ fulfilled the lawe and is the perfectnes of the faithful 407 Christ alone is our life and saluation 543 Christ doeth fully worke our saluation 544 Christ is receiued by faith and not by workes 548 Christ how he preached the Gospel 548. 661. 862. Church Churches and CoÌ„gregation c. 667. 812. 813. 815. 816. 820. 821. 827. 831. 832. 833. 852. 860. 861. 863. 864. 866. 867. 868. 1118 1127 Circumcision 355. 357. 358. 359. 360. 361. Citie and temple of Hierusalem destroyed 413 Clearkes what they were sometime 883 CoÌ„municating of properties 696 Counsell of the priestes forsaken by king Ioas what followed 254 Conscience at quiet peace before God is the worke of the holy ghost 723. Constancie of the Apostles 723 Consecrating of pastours begun with fasting and prayer 897 Concupiscence 108. 949 Consubstantiall and coessentiall 59 Communion of sainctes 80 Confession and acknowledging of sinnes 81
to lay hand on the life to come The faithfull Saints could in no wise haue don these things vnlesse the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of god Although therefore that the Apostles were men yet their doctrine first of all taught by a liuely expressed voyce and after that set downe in writing with penne and yncke is the doctrine of God and the very true word of god For therefore the Apostle left this saying in writing When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which effectually worketh in you that beleeue But nowe the matter it selfe and place require that I gather also and plainely reckon vp those bookes wherin is conteined the very word of God first of all declared of the Fathers of Christ himselfe and the Apostles by-word of mouth after that also written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apostles And in the first place verely are set the fiue bookes of Moses Then follow the bookes of Iosua of Iudges of Ruth two bookes of Samuel two of Kinges two of Chronicles of Esdras Nehemias and Hester one a piece After these come Iob Dauid or the booke of Psalmes Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Cantica With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Esaias Ieremias Ezechiel and Daniel then the twelue lesser Prophetes whose names are very well knowne With these bookes the olde Testament ended The Newe Testament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hystorie of Christ the Lord written by foure Authors that is by two Apostles Mathewe and Iohn and by two Disciples Marke and Luke who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apostles Paule to sundrie Churches and persons published 14. Epistles The other Apostles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique And the books of the new Testament are ended with the reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche he opened to the Disciple whome he loued Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle shewing vnto him and so to the whole church the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche euen vntil the day of iudgement Therefore in these fewe and meane not vnmeasurable in these plaine and simple not darke and vnkemmed books is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes whiche is the very word of the true liuing and eternall God. Also the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes through so many ages perils and captiuities came sound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Christ and his Apostles For the Lord Iesus the Apostles vsed those bookes as true copies and authentical which vndoubtedly they neither would nor could haue done if so be that eyther they had béen corrupted or altogether perished The bookes also whiche the Apostles of Christ haue added were throughout all persecutions kept in the Church safe and vncorrupted and are come sound and vncorrupted into our handes vpon whome the endes of the world are falne For by the vigilāt care vnspeakable goodnes of God our Father it is brought to passe that no age at any time either hathe or shal want so great a treasure Thus muche hitherto haue I declared vnto you derely beloued what the word of God is what the beginning of it in the Churche was what procéeding dignitie and certaintie it had The word of God is the speache of God that is to say the reuealing of his good will to mankinde whiche frō the beginning one while by his owne mouthe and an other whyle by the speache of Angels he did open to those first ancient and most holy Fathers who againe by tradition did faithfully deliuer it to their posteritie Here are to be remembred those great lightes of the world Adam Seth Methusalem Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iaacob Amram and his Sonne Moses who at Gods commaundement did in writing comprehend the hystorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers whervnto he ioyned the written lawe and exposition of the lawe togeather with a large and lightsome hystorie of his owne lyfe time After Moses God gaue to his Churche moste excellent men Prophets and Priestes who also by worde of mouthe and wrytings did deliuer to their posterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord After them came the Onely begotten Sonne of God himselfe downe from heauen into the world and fulfilled all whatsoeuer was found to be written of himselfe in the Lawe and the Prophetes The same also taught a moste absolute meane howe to liue well and holily He made the Apostles his witnesses Which witnesses did afterwardes first of all with a liuely expressed voice preach al things which the Lord had taught them and then to the intent that they should not be corrupted or clean taken out of mans remembraunce they did commit it to writing so that nowe we haue from the Fathers the Prophetes and Apostles the word of God as it was preached and written These thinges had their beginning of one the same spirite of God and do tende to one end that is To teach vs men how to liue well and holily He that beléeueth not these men namely the only begotten Sonne of God whom I pray you will he beleeue We haue here the moste holie innocent vpright liuing most praise worthie most iust moste ancient most wise and most diuine men of the whole world and compasse of the earth and briefly suche men as are by all meanes without comparison All the worlde cannot shew vs the like againe although it shuld wholy a thousand times be assembled in Counsels The holy Emperour Constantine gathered a generall counsell out of al the compasse of the earthe thether came there together out of all the worlde thrée hundred and eightéene moste excellent Fathers But they that are of the wisest sorte will say that these are not so muche as shadowes to be compared to them of whome we haue receiued the worde of god Let vs therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Scriptures Let vs thinke that the Lorde him selfe whiche is the very liuing and eternall God dothe speake to vs by the Scriptures Let vs for euermore prayse the name and goodnesse of him who hath vouched safe so faythfully fully and plainely to open to vs miserable mortall men all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly To him be prayse honour and glory for euermore Amen Of the worde of God to whom and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse ¶ The seconde Sermon DEarely beloued in the laste Sermon you learned what the worde of God is from whence it came by whome it was chiefly reuealed what procéedings it had and of what dignitie and certaintie it is Now am I come againe and by Gods fauour and the helpe of your prayers I will declare vnto you beloued to whome and to what ende the worde of
not absolutely perfect As for those whiche doe earnestly affirme that all pointes of godlynesse were taught by the Apostles to the posteritie by worde of mouth and not by writing their purpose is to set to sale their owne that is mens ordinaunces in steade of the worde of God. But against this poyson my brethren take this vnto you for a medicine to expell it Conferre the things whiche these fellowes set to sale vnder the colour of the Apostles traditions taught by worde of mouthe and not by writing with the manifest writings of the Apostles and if in any place you shall perceiue those traditions to disagrée with the scriptures then gather by and by that it is the forged inuention of men and not the Apostles tradition For they which had one and the same spirite of trueth lefte not vnto vs one thing in writing and taught an other thing by worde of mouthe Furthermore we muste diligently search whether those traditions do set forward the glory of God rather then of men or the safetie of the faythfull rather then the priuate aduauntage of the Priestes And we muste take héede of mens traditions especially since the Lorde sayth In vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men So that nowe the surest way is to cleaue to the word of the Lorde lefte to vs in the Scriptures whiche teacheth aboundantly all thinges that belong to true godlynesse It remayneth nowe for me to tell in what manner of sorte this perfecte doctrine of godlynesse and saluation I meane the very word of God ought to be hearde of the faythfull to the intent it may be hearde with some fruit to profite them aboundantly I will in fewe wordes containe it Let the worde of God be hearde with greate reuerence whiche of right is due to God him selfe and godly things Let it be hearde very attentiuely with continuall prayers betwéene and earnest requestes Let it be hearde soberly to our profite that by it we may become the better that God by vs maye be gloryfied and not that we go curiously about to search out the hidden counselles of God or desire to be counted skilfull and experte in many matters Let true fayth the glory of God and our saluation be appointed as the measure and certaine ende of oure hearing and reading For In Exodus Moses the holy seruaunt of God is commaunded to sanctifie the people and make them in a readinesse to heare the sacred Sermon whiche God him selfe did mynd to make the next daye after Moses therefore commeth and demaundeth of the whole people due obedience to be shewed as well to God as to his Ministers Then commaundeth he them to washe their garmentes to abstaine from their wiues After that he appointeeh certaine limites beyonde whiche it was not lawful vpon paine of death for them to passe By this we plainely learne that the Lorde doth require suche to be his Disciples to heare him as doe especially shewe obedience and reuerence to God in all thinges For he being God speaketh to vs men all we men owe vnto God honoure and feare A man vnlesse he become lowly humble and obedient to God is altogether godlesse Then is it required at the handes of those whiche are méete hearers of the worde of God that they lay aparte worldly affaires whiche are signified by the garments to treade vnder foote all filthynesse and vncleannesse of soule and bodye to refraine for a season euen from those pleasures whiche are lawfull vnto vs The holy Ghost dothe loue the myndes that are purely cleansed whiche yet notwithstanding are not cleansed but by the spirite of god Néedefull it is to haue a sincere beliefe in God and a ready good will and desire to liue according to that whiche is commaunded in the word of god Moreouer we muste be wise to sobrietie Ouer curious questions must be set aside Let things profitable to saluation only be learned Last of all let especial héede be takeÌ„ in hearing and learning For saythe Solomon If thou wilt seeke after wisdome as after golde thou shalte obteine it Againe he sayth The searcher out of Gods maiestie shall be ouerwhelmed by his wonderfull glory And againe he sayth Seeke not things too highe for thee neyther goe about to searche out things aboue thy strengthe but what God hath commaunded thee that thinke thou always on and be not ouer curious to knowe his infinite workes for it is not expedient for thee to see his hidden secrets with thine eyes Wherevpon the Apostle Paul sayth Let no man thinke arrogantly of him selfe but so thinke that he may be modest and sober according as God to euery one hath giuen the measure of fayth And hereto belongeth that which the same Apostle saythe Knowledge puffeth vp but charitie doth edifie But chiefly we muste beware of those plagues which choake the séede of the worde of God and quenche it without any fruite at all in the hearts of the hearers Those plagues and diseases hath the Lorde rehcarsed or reckoned vp in the parable of the sower For first of all wanton and vaine cogitations whiche alwaies lye wide open to the inspirations of Satan and talke of naughtie men are plagues to the word of god Also voluptuous and deintie louers of this world who can not abide to suffer any affliction for Christ and his Gospell do without any fruite at all heare Gods worde although they seeme to giue eare vnto it very ioyfully Furthermore the care of this worlde and the deceit of riches are moste pestilent diseases in the hearers of the worde of god For they doe not onely hinder the séede that it can not bring soorthe fruite in their heartes but also they doe stirre vp and egge men forwarde to gaynesay the worde of God and to afflict the earnest desirers of Gods worde Here therefore we muste take héede diligently leaste being infected with these diseases we become vaine and vnthankfull hearers of the worde of god We must praye continually that the bountifull and liberall Lorde will vouchsafe to bestowe on vs his spirit that by it the séed of Gods word may be quickned in our heartes and that we as holy and right hearers of his worde may beare fruite aboundantly to the glory of God and the euerlasting saluation of oure owne soules For what will it auayle to heare the worde of God without fayth and without the holy spirite of God to worke or stir inwardly in our hearts The Apostle Paule sayth He whiche watreth is nothing nor he whiche planteth but it is God whiche giueth increase We haue néede therefore of Gods watering that the word of God may growe to a perfect age may receiue increase yea and may come also to the bringing foorthe of ripe fruite within our mindes The same Aposâ—le Paule saythe To vs also is the worde of God declared euen as vnto our fathers But it auayled them nothing to heare the worde bycause it was not ioyned with
I may surely fasten in euery ones mynde and that all may vnderstand what fayth is I repeate it here againe and therwithall conclude this Sermon Fayth is a gifte of God powred into man from Heaue wherby he is taught with an vndouted persuasioÌ„ wholie to leane to God and his word in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and euery good thing and wherin al truth necessary to be beleued is plainly declared Let vs all pray to God our father through his only begotteÌ„ Sonne our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will vouchsafe from Heauen to bestowe true fayth vppon vs all that wee by it knowinge him a righte may at the laste obtayne life euerlasting Amen That there is one onely true Fayth and what the vertue thereof is ¶ The fifth Sermon BEinge cutte of with the shortnesse of tyme and deteyned by the excellencie of the matter I could not in my last sermon make an end of al that I had determined to speake touching Fayth now therefore by the grace of the holy spirite I will adde the rest of the argument which seemeth yet to be behind Pray to the Lorde that that which by mans voyce is brought to your eares may by the finger of God be written in your hartes True Fayth is ignorant of all diuision for there is sayth the Apostle one Lorde one Fayth one Baptisme one God and Father of all For there remayneth from the beginning of the worlde euen vnto the ende therof one and the same fayth in all the electe of god God is one and the same for euer the onely Well of all goodnesse that can neuer be drawne drie The trueth of God from the beginning of the worlde is one and the same set forth to men in the word of god Therfore the obiect and foundatioÌ„ of faith that is God and the worde of God remaine for euer one and the selfe same In one and the selfe same fayth with vs haue al the elect euer since the first creation of the worlde beléeued that vnto vs through Christ all good things are fréely giuen and that all truth necessary to be beleued is declared in the word of the Lord wherfore the faithful of the olde world haue alwayes set led their faith on God and his worde so that now without all doubte there caÌ„not be any more theÌ„ one true faith I know very well that in the world there are soweb many and sundrye faythes that is to say religions For there is the Indian fayth the Iewish fayth the fayth of the Mahometists the fayth of the Georgians yet not withstaÌ„ding ther is but one true Christian fayth the abridgement whereof is conteyued in the articles of our beleefe and is taught at the full in the sacred Scriptures of both the Testaments I know also that there are sundry beliefes of men resting vpon sundry things and beleuing that which is contrary to true faith but yet neuerthelesse there remaineth but one true beliefe in God and his worde which is an vndoubted persuasion and confidence of things most true and assuredly certaine This confidence doth grow with increase in the mindes of the faithfull contrarily decreaseth againe and vtterly faileth And for that cause the Apostles besought the lord saying Lord increase our faith And Paul the Apostle doth in his writings euery where wish to the faithful the increase of the spirite and faith Dauid also before him prayed saying O God create a cleane harte within me and take not thy holy spirite from me For he had séene how that from Saule whom he succéeded in the kingdom the good spirite of God was departed and that in stéede therof the wicked spirit had entred into his minde which tormented him very pitifully Here vnto belongeth that saying in the gospel To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shal be taken away that which he hath not or that he maketh no accompt of and shal be giuen to him that hath Neither was it in vain that the Lord said to Peter I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not For Paul speketh of some in his time that made shipwracke of their owne â—aith and ouerthrew the faith of other And to what ende I praye you doe we dayly heare the worde of God and make our humble petitions to the Lord but bycause we looke for increase of godlinesse and request his ayde to keepe vs that we fall not from true fayth verily Paul to the Thessalonians sayth We pray earnestly daye and night to see you personally and to supply that which is wanting in your fayth And a little before he sayde For this cause I sent Timotheus that I might be certiâ—â—ed of your fayth least by any meanes the tempter had tempted you and so our labour had ben of no effect The same Apostle also in his epistle to the Ephesians sayth Christe gaue some Apostles some Prophetes some Pastours and teachers to the restoring of the Saintes vnto the building of the body of Christ vntill we all meete together in the vnitie of fayth and the acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of age of the fulnesse of Christ so that now we be no longer children Therfore so long as we liue we learne that our fayth may be perfect and if so be at any time it shall be weakned by temptations that then it may be repayred and againe confirmed And in this diuersitie I meane in this increase and weaknesse of fayth there is no partition or diuision for the selfe same roote and substance of fayth doth alwayes remayne althoughe it be at sometime more and at somtime lesse In like manner fayth is not therefore changed nor cut in sunder â–ª bicause one is called generall fayth and another particular fayth For generall faith is no other then that whiche beleeueth that al the words of God are true and that God hath a good will to mankind Particular fayth beléeueth nothing contrarie to this onely that whiche is coÌ„mon to al the faythful applieth particularly to him selfe beleeuing that God is not well minded towarde others alone but euen vnto him also So then it bringeth the whole into parts and that which is generall into particularities For whereas by generall fayth he beléeueth that all the wordes of God are true in the same sorte by particular fayth he doth beléeue that the soule is immortall that our bodyes rise againe that the faythfull shall be saued the vnbeléeuers destroyed and whatsoeuer else is of this sort taught to be beléeued in the word of god Moreouer the disputation touching faith that is poured into vs and fayth that we our selues get touching formall fayth and fayth without fashion I beléeue to be beaten out of them whiche of them selues do bring these newe disputations into the Churche True faith is obtained by no strength or merite of man but is powred into him of
the Virgin Marie by Iosephe or by any seede of man but by the holie ghoste not that the holy ghoste was in place of the seede For nothinge is begotten of the spirite but what is spirituall Neyther hath our Lorde a phantasticall but a very true body and of the same substance with vs So then our Lord was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the holie ghost For the holie ghost by his eternall power did bring to passe that the virginitie of the Virgine mother beinge vncorrupted shee I say being made with child cōceiued of her owne bloud and gaue a pure and verye humane bodie to the sonne of god As is declared at large by the Angell Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I meane to speake else where more largely I do now passe it ouer vntouched God himselfe streight wayes after the verie beginninge of the worlde did foretel that such should be the manner of that cōception For he said not the seede of the man shal tread downe the Serpents heade but the seede of the woman Moreouer the Lord by the Prophets sayth I will rayse vp seede to Dauid But Moses law for the raysinge vp of seede to the brother departed is wel knowne For if the brother died without issue of Children his brother remayning aliue was compelled to marrie the deceassed brothers wife and of her to beget childrē which were called and counted not by the name of him that was liuinge but of the deade brother Wherefore when there was not to be found amā of Dauids lyne that was sufficientlie meete to begett on the Virgin the sonne of God the fauiour of the world God himself raiseth vp seede to Dauid and by his holy spirite maketh the Virgin with childe who although she were not with child by a man of Dauids lyne yet because shée was a daughter of Dauids stock and because God so workinge shée of her owne substaunce gaue substaunce to the sonne of God this her childe Christe both is and is called the sonne of Dauid What doth that argue moreouer that Dauid in the 110. Psalme sayth In the mightie power of holines the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wombe of the morning Or the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wōbe of the morninge in the mightie power of holines That is to say By a certaine mightie power of holines meruaylous meanes shalte thou bee borne For thy birth shal be like vnto the ingendring of the deaw which cōmeth of the pure morning as it were a child borne of the wombe For as in the day time the Sūne draweth out of the earth a vapour which by reason of the smallnes of the heat which draweth it vpwarde is by the coldnesse of the tēperat night or euenings drawn downe againe and resolued into water So God the is the Sunne of righteousnes tooke blood of the earth that is of the bodie of the vntouched Virgine Marie and by a wonderfull meanes did holilie and purely bring to passe that of her vnipotted wombe shoulde be borne and conceiued the most holie sonne of God. The causes whie this conception of the sonne of God in the wombe of the holie Virgine is most pure are these Hée that is conceiued in the wombe of a Virgin is God but God is a consuming fire which cannot take or suffer any vncleannesse in it self An other cause is this God came to cleanse our vncleannesse that is the vncleannesse of vs men hée himselfe verilie oughte to be exempte from all originall spots in all pointes most holie to the ende that being the onely vnspotted Sacrifice offered vp for the sinnes of all the world he might cleane take away all the sinnes of the world For that which is it selfe defiled cannot cleanse the thing that is defiled but rather the spot or filthines doth double his vncleannesse by the comminge too of that other vncleane thing The seconde member of this thirde Article is Hée was borne of the Virgin Marie The Lord was borne of Marie his mother and yet shée a Virgine still Hec is therefore very man which is borne of Woman Moreouer his byrth is pure For hee was borne of the Virgine so that together shée was a mother and yet a Virgine too For Esaias sayth Beholde a Virgine shall conceiue and bringe forth a sonne A Virgine sayth hee shall do both Conceiue and bringe foorth so that neuerthelesse shée may remaine a Virgine still The birthe therefore of the sonne of God is moste pure Also his birthe is a true birth verilie and in deede For hee taketh fleshe of the substaunce wombe of the Virgin. In which signification also our Lorde Iesus Christe is called the sonne of Dauid Hee coulde not bee called Dauids sonne vnlesse hée had taken verie humane substaunce of Marie a mayde or daughter of the stocke of Dauid Which that the Apostle Iohn mighte most properly signifie and expresse he sayth The Woord was made fleshe And the Apostle Paul sayth He doth no where take on him the Angells but the seede of Abraham And in the same place againe he affirmeth That the Lorde was made like to his bretheren in al things sinne excepted To the Philippians hee saith When hee was equall with God hee made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunte and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a mā Againe the Apostle Iohn beareth witnesse sayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is of God and euerie spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is com in the flesh is not of God. Luke in his 2. Cap. hath at large set forth the manner of his Natiuitie And I do meane elsewhere to speake of it at the full Let vs therefore confesse that Iesus Christe was conceiued by the holie ghoste and borne of the Virgin Marie The fourth article of Christiā faith is this Hee suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead buried hee descended into hel In this fouth article is declared the end vse chiefeste comodity of the Lord his incarnation For he became man that he might suffer and dye and by dying suffering might redéeme vs from eternal death the torments of hell make vs beinge once clensed heyres of life euerlasting For this is the end of the Lorde his death as I will by by shew you and as Paule doth at large declare in the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes This article also is diuided into his partes First wée confesse that oure Lord suffered in very deede not phātastically to the appearaunce onelye that he suffered verily the calamities and myseries of this world and after that againe the tormēts of the slaughtermen and death it selfe in most bitter panges Hée suffered therfore both in soulde and bodye yea and that too in many facions For Esaias sayth He is a man of sorrowes
is bestowed on vs and deriued from him to vs by the holy Ghoste For the Apostle sayth God which anoynted vs is he also which hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts And againe Ye were in deede defiled with naughtinesse but nowe ye are cleansed and sanctified and lastely iustified throughe the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God. The Father in déede doth sanctifie too but by the bloud of Iesus Christe and poureth the same sanctification out of him into vs by the holy Ghost so that it is as it were the propertie of the holy Ghoste to sanctifie wherevpon he is called Holy or the sanctifier Therefore so often as we heare the holy Ghost named we must by and by think of the power in working which the Scripture attributeth to him and we must looke after the benefites that from him doe flowe to vs For the power operation or action of the spirite is that what so euer the grace of God doth work in vs through the Sonne so that of necessitie we must beléeue in the holy Ghost And in this eight Article we doe professe that we doe verily beléeue that all the faithfull are cleansed washed regenerated sanctified inlightned and inriched of God with diuers gifts of grace for Christ his sake but yet through the holy Ghost For without him there is no true sanctification wherefore we ought not to attribute these giftes of grace to any other meanes this glory belongeth to the holy Ghost onely Of whome I will more largely and fully discourse in my other Sermons The houre is spent which warneth me to wrappe vp briefly and make an ende therefore I exhort you al to haue your faithe religiously bent vpon the Lorde Iesus for him hath the heauēly father sente to vs in him hath he wholy expressed and shewed him selfe to vs and him doth the holy Ghoste printe in our heartes and kéepe in our mindes And in Christ is all mans saluation and euery part thereof contained wherefore we must beware that we deriue it not from any thing else It pleased the father saith the Apostle that all fulnesse shoulde dwell in the Sonne and in him to recapitulate and as it were to bring into a summe all points of saluation that in him all the faithfull may be fulfilled For if saluation be sought then euen by his very name are we taught that saluation is in his power For he is called Iesus that is a sauiour If we desire the holy spirit of God and his sundry gifts we shal finde them also in the annointing of Christ For he is called Christ the annoynted I saye the holye of holies and the sanctifier or else the annoynter of vs with his spirite If any man haue néede of strength and might of power and deliueraunce well he hath to looke for it in Christe his dominion For Christe is Lorde of all In the same Christ we finde redemption For he hath redéemed vs that were solde vnder Sathans yoake In his conception we haue puritie in his natiuitie we haue sufferance For he became like to vs that he might suffer griefe as well as we For in his passion we haue forgiunesse of sinnes in his condemnation we haue absolution satisfaction in his offering or cleansing sacrifice cleansing in his bloude and an vniuersall reconciliation in his descending into hell In his buriall we haue the mortificatiō of our flesh the newnesse of life yea rather the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of our bodyes in his glorious resurrection We haue also the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome with the assured sealing thereof in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the father And there is he our mediatour priest and king our safegarde and our heade oure defender and moste sure rest From thence he poureth into vs his holye spirite the fulnesse of all good thinges and dothe communicate him selfe wholy to vs ioyning vs vnto him selfe with an indissoluble knot From thence we doe with confidence and ioy looke for him to be our iudge to be I say our patrone and deliuerer whiche shall condemne and sende downe hedlong into hell all our enimies with sathan but shal take vs and al the faith full of euery age vp into heauen with him self there to sing a newe song and to reioyce in him for euer and euer To him be glory for euer Amen Of the latter Articles of Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The nynth Sermon LEt vs call to oure Father in heauen through our Lord Iesus Christe that he wil vouchsafe to poure his grace into vs that we may to our no smal profit dispatch and expound the last part of the Articles of Christian beliefe The nynth Article of fayth is this The holy Catholique Churche the communion of Saintes After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinitie and in the mysterie of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe and lastly in the holy Ghost the sanctifier and restoarer of al now in the fourth part is reckoned vp the fruite and power the effect and ende of fayth and what doth come to and is bestowed on the faithfull There commeth to them communion of God and all Saintes sanctification remission of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and life euerlastinge Of which I will speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the bountifull Lord shal giue me abilitie Nowe then here we haue to rehearse out of the eight Article this worde I beléeue we must I meane say I beléeue the holy Catholique Churche Some vnlearned there are which hold opinion that in this point of our confession we should say I beléeue in the holy Church The reason that leades them so to thinke is this bycause they finde written in the Constantinopolitane Créede And in the holy Ghost the Lorde that giueth life who procéedeth from the father and the sonne who together with the father the sonne is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For these wordes they doe so distinguishe that as they doe repeate out of the premisses these wordes I beléeue and make this the sense I beleeue in the holye Ghoste the Lorde euen so here againe they doe repeate these wordes I beléeue making this to be the sense I beléeue in one Catholique and Apostolique Church But this is more then néedeth yea and against all godlynesse doe they wrest these wordes of the Créede For this In one Catholique and Apostolique Church is not referred to the Verbe I beléeue but to the holye Ghoste bycause he spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For our meaning is and we confesse that one and the same spirite did all thinges in both Testamentes contrarie to the opinion of them whiche imagined that there were two spirites contrarie one to the other Moreouer Sainte Cyprian in his exposition
clearenesse of that Heauenlie brightnesse wherewith they glister are adorned Secondarilie glorie and vilenesse are made contraries For Paul saith Hee shall chaunge our vile bodie to make it in facion like to his glorious bodie In these woordes Vilenesse and Glorie are set the one against the the other Vilenesse comprehendeth the whoale packe of miseries and infirmities passions and affectiōs which for sinne was layde vppon the bodie From all which our bodies are purged in the resurrection of lyfe so that then the glorious bodies are bodies dreyned from the dregges of all corruption passions and infirmities and clad with eternitie heauenly feelinge and glorie For the Apostle sayth It is sowen in corruption it riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it riseth in glorie it is sowen in infirmitie it riseth in power it is sowen a naturall bodie it riseth a spiritual bodie The giftes therefore of the glorious clarified bodies are very great and many as incorruption glorie popower the quickening spirite For the Apostle himselfe shewing what he ment by the natural spiritual bodie addeth this immediatly sayth There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is written The firste man Adam was made a liuing Soule and the laste Adam was made a quickening spirite And yet agayne more plainely he sayth Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall The first man is of the earth earthy the seconde mā is the Lord frō heauen As is the earthy such are they that are earthy as is the heauenlie such are they also that are heauenlie And as wee haue borne the image of the earthy so shal we beare the image of the heauēlie So then Paul calleth that naturall bodie an earthy bodie which wee haue of our first father Adam whose quickening is of the soule and by it doth liue And hee calleth the spiritual bodie an Heauenly body which wee haue of Christe and made to the likenesse of the body of Christe which althoughe it be a verye body in déede and the fleshe thereof be verie fleshe in deede yet notwithstanding it is quickened and preserued by the spirite of Christ and needeth not any power vegetatiue Although therefore these very bodies members which now we beare shall after the resurrection be in Heauen yet neuerthelesse because they are clarified and clensed from all corruption and féelinge of the naturall bodie there shal not be verilie any natural or corruptible sense or affection nor vse of the carnall bodie and members And this doth the Lord affirme againste the Sadduces that dreamte of marriages in Heauen or rather by that absurditie made a mocke of the resurrection where hee sayth The sonnes of this worlde marrie wyues and giue in marriage but they that shal be thought worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead do neyther marrie wyues nor giue in marriage neither can they die any more For they are equall to the Angells and are that sonnes of God assoone as they be the sonnes of resurrection To which effect also Paul sayth Flesh and bloude cannot inherite the kingdome of God. And least peraduenture anye man shoulde mistake his wordes and thincke that hee spake of the substaunce of the fleshe hée addeth immediately this for interpretation thereof and sayth Neither shall corruption inherite incorruption Wherefore fleshe and bloud that is to saye the affections and lustes of the fleshe shall not be in the Electe that liue in Heauen For the ioyes of Heauen do differ a greate deale from the ioyes of the earth are so farre forth of an other condition that they cānot admitte such corrupt Creatures to be inheritours of them for that cause the corruptible bodies muste firste be purged from all corruption by that meanes purely clarified The Turkes therefore are deceiued that looke for earthly ioyes Moreouer the bodies of the wicked shal also rise againe For Paule in the Actes sayth I belieue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophetes hopeing in God that the resurrection of the deade which they themselues looke for also shal be both of the iust and vniust See here the Apostle saith of the vniust also But in this resurrection there shal not be taken out of their bodyes the infirmitie corruption dishonour and miserie for euen then that very body risinge agayne in dishonour shall by the iudgement and power of God be surely shut in dishonour and corruption and so be condemned for euer to beare endlesse tormentes and in death and corruption shall neyther dye nor yet corrupt that euen as on earth are founde certaine bodyes that doe indure euen in the fire so the cursed bodyes of the wicked shall not be worne out nor broken with any torments what so euer for euery minute they shall receiue newe strength to suffer and so by continuall suffering shall abyde their deserued punishmentes for euer and euer and without all end For the Lorde in the Gospell sayeth They that haue done euill shall rise againe to the resurrection of damnation that is to an induring and euerlasting damnation And Daniell before him sayde And the multitude of them that sleepe in the duste of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And in the Gospell againe the Lorde sayth Their worme dyeth not and their fire is not quenched And the very same wordes vsed Esay before him in his 66. Chapter We muste alwayes therefore haue that saying of the Lord in our heartes Feare him that can destroy bothe the body and the soule in Hell. Thus much hitherto touching the resurrection of the flesh The last Article of our beliefe which with good lucke shutteth vp the rest is this And life euerlasting We haue heard and vnderstoode that the soules of men are immortall and that oure bodyes doe rise againe in the ende of the worlde We haue confessed that this is our beliefe It felloweth now in the latter ende of the Créede whether it is that the immortall soul and body raised vp again shal come Therfore in our confession we say And life euerlasting that is I beléeue that I shall haue life and liue for euer bothe in body and soule And that euerlastingnesse verily is perpetual and hath no ende as a litle before is proued out of the holy Scriptures Moreouer the soules are made partakers of this eternall life immediatly after they are departed out of the bodyes as the Lorde him self witnesseth saying Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not come into iudgemente but hath escaped from death to life As for the bodyes they are buried and doe putrifie and yet so notwithstanding that they shal not be without life for euer But they shall then at length be receiued into eternall lyfe when being raysed vp they shall after the time of iudgement be
and comfort imprisoned captiues Herevnto Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 12. hath an eye where he sayth The chiefest vertue is to keepe hospitalitie and to feede the poore To redeeme captiues also is a greate and excellent worke of righteousnes And as great a work of iustice is it to saue and defend the fatherlesse widowes the desolate helplesse whiche the law of God doth euery where coÌ„maund It is also a part of the chiefest humanitie and a great good deed to take in hand to heale and chearish the sicke that haue no body to helpe them Finally that last and greatest duetie of pietie is the buriall of strangers and of the poore Thus muche hitherto touching the duetie of ciuil humanitie which true loue sheweth to his neighbour in necessitie But it is not inough my brethren to vnderstande how we ought to loue our neighbour though we ought often to repeate it but rather we must loue him excéedingly and aboue that that I am able to say Let vs heare the Apostle who with a wonderful goodly grace of spéech with a most excelleÌ„t exquisite holy example of Christe doth exhort vs all to the shewing of charitie to our neighbour and sayth If therefore there bee any consolation in Christe if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirite if any compassion mercie fulfill ye my ioye that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accorde and minde let nothing be done through strife or vaine glory but in meekenesse let euery man esteeme one the other better then him selfe looke ye not euery man on his owne thinges but euery man also on the thinges of others For let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the fourme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but made him selfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and found in figure as a man he humbled him selfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God also hath lightly exalted him and giuen him a name which is aboue euery name that in the name of Iesus euery knee shoulde bow of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth and that euery tongue shoulde confesse that the Lorde Iesus Christe is the glory of God the father To him alone be honor power for euer euer Amen The end of the first Decade of Sermons The Second Decade of Sermons writen by Henrie Bullinger Of lawes and first of the lawe of Nature then of the lawes of men ¶ The first Sermon THE summe of all lawes is the loue of GOD and our neighbour of which and euery parte whereof bycause I haue already spokeÌ„ in my last Sermon the next is that nowe also I make a particular discourse of lawes and euery part and kinde thereof Let vs therefore call to God who is the cause and beginning of lawes that he through our Lorde Iesus Christe will vouchsafe with his spirite alwayes to direct vs in the waye of trueth and righteousnesse A heathen writer no base authour ywis made this definition of lawe that it is an especiall reason placed in nature coÌ„mauÌ„ding what is to be done and fordidding the contrarie And verily the lawe is nothing but a declaration of Gods will appointing what thou hast to do and what thou oughtest to leaue vndone The beginning and cause of lawes is God him selfe who is the fountaine of all goodnesse equitie trueth and righteousnesse Therefore all good and iust lawes come from God him selfe althoughe they be for the most parte published and brought to light by men Touching the lawes of men we muste haue a peculiar consideratioÌ„ of theÌ„ by theÌ„ selues For of lawes some are of God some of Nature some of Men. As concerning Gods law I wil speak of it in my seconde Sermon at this present I will touch first the lawe of Nature and then the lawe of Men. The law of Nature is an instruction of the conscience and as it were a certaine direction placed by God him self in the mindes and hearts of men to teach them what they haue to doe and what to eschue And the conscience verily is the knowledge iudgement and reason of a man whereby euery man in him selfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euery thing that he eyther hath committed or not committed doth eyther condemne or else acquite him self And this reason procéedeth from God who both prompteth and writeth his iudgementes in the hearts and mindes of men Moreouer that which we call Nature is the proper disposition or inclination of euery thing But the disposition of mankind being flatly corrupted by sinne as it is blinde so also is it in all pointes euill and naughtie It knoweth not God it worshippeth not God neyther doth it loue the neighbour but rather is affected with selfe loue towarde it selfe and séeketh still for the owne aduauntage For whiche cause the Apostle sayde That we by nature are the children of wrath Wherefore the lawe of nature is not called the lawe of nature bicause in the nature disposition of maÌ„ there is of or by it selfe that reason of light exhorting to the best things and that holy working but for bycause God hath imprinted or ingrauen in our myndes some knowledge and certaine generall principles of religion iustice and goodnesse which bycause they be grafted in vs and borne together with vs do therefore séeme to be naturally in vs. Let vs heare the Apostle Paule who beareth witnesse to this saith When the Gentiles whiche haue not the lawe do of nature the things conteined in the law they hauing not the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the workes of the lawe written in their hearts their conscience bearing theÌ„ witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing in that same day when the Lorde shall iudge the secrets of meÌ„ by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel By two arguments here doth the apostle very euidently proue that the gentiles are sinners For first of all least peraduenture they might make this excuse and say that they haue no law he sheweth that they haue a law and that bicause they transgresse this law they are become sinners For although they had not the written law of Moses yet notwithstanding they did by nature the things coÌ„teined in the law The office of the law is to disclose the wil of God and to teache thée what thou haste to do and what to leaue vndone This haue thei by nature that is this know they by the lawe of nature For that whiche followeth maketh this more plaine They when they haue no law are to them selues a law That is they haue in theÌ„ selues that which is written in the law But in what sort haue they it in them selues This againe is maâ—e manifest by that which followeth For they
doubt whether any more greate and mightie did reigne in the world publisheth a decrée that hée should be torne in péeces his house made a iakes whosoeuer spake reprochfullie against the true God which made both heauen and earth The place is extant in the third Chapiter of Daniels prophecie Darius Medus the sonne of Assuerus king Cyrus his vncle saith I haue decreed that all men in the whole dominion of my kingdome doe feare the God ofDaniel as is to be séene in the sixte of Daniel Cyrus king of Persia looseth the Iewes from bondage and giueth them in charge to repaire the temple and restore their holie rites againe Darius Persa the sonne of Hystaspes saith I haue decreed for euerie man which chauÌ„geth any thing of my determination touching the reparation of the temple and the restoring of the worship of god that a beame be takeÌ„ out of his house set vp and he hanged theron and his house to be made a iakes The verie same Darius again who was also called Artaxerxes saith Whosoeuer will not doe the lawe of thy God Esdras and the law of the king let iudgemeÌ„t straight way passe vpon him either to death or to vtter rooting out or to confiscation of his goods or imprisonment All this we find in the booke of Esdras The men which are persuaded that the care and ordering of religion doth belong to bishopps alone do make an obiection and say that these examples which I haue alledged do nothing apperteine to vs which are Christians because they are examples of the Iewish people To whom mine aunsweare is The men of this opinion ought to proue that the Lord Iesus his Apostles did translate the care of religion from the magistrate vnto bishops alone which they shal neuer be able to doe But wée on the other side will briefly shew that these auncient princes of Gods people Iosue Dauid and the rest were Christians verilie in deede and that therefore the examples which are deriued from them applied to Christian princes both are and ought to bée of force and effect among vs at this day I wil in the end adde also the prophecie of the Prophet Esai wherby it may appere that euen now also kings haue in the Church at this day the same office that those ancient kings had in that Congregation which they call the Iewish Church There is no doubt but that they ought to be accoÌ„pted true Christians which being annoynted with the spirite of Christ do belieue in Christ and are in the Sacramentes made partakers of Christ For Christ if ye interprete the verie word is as much to say as annointed Christians therefore according to the Etymologie of their name are annoynted That annointing according to the Apostles interpretation is the spirite of God or the gift of the holie ghoste But S. Peter testifieth that the spirit of Christ was in the kinges Prophets And Paul affirmeth flatly that wee haue the verie same spirite of faith that they of old had And doth moreouer communicate our Sacraments with them where hee saith that they were baptised vnder the cloud and that they all dranke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rock was Christe Since then the case is so the examples truly which are deriued froÌ„ the words and woorkes of those auncient kinges for the confirmation of faith and charitie both are and ought to be of force with vs And yet I know that euerie thing doth not consequently folow vppon the gathering of examples But here wée haue for the making good of our argument an euident prophecie of Esai who foretelleth that kinges princes after the times of Christ and the reuealing of the Gospell should haue a diligent care of the Church should by that meanes become the féeders and nourices of the faithfull Now it is euident what it is to feede to nourish for it is al one as if he shold haue said that they sâ—ould be the fathers mothers of the Church But hée could not haue said that rightly if the care of religion did not belong to Princes but to Bishops alone The words of Esaie are these Behold I wil stretch out my hand vnto the Gentiles and set vp my token to the people they shal bring thee thy sonnes in their lappes and thy daughters on their shoulders And kinges shal be thy nourcing fathers Queenes thy nurcing mothers they shal fal before thee with their faces flatte vppon the earth and licke vp the duste of thy feete c. Shal not wée say that all this is fullie performed in some Christian princes Among whom the first was the holie Emperour CoÌ„stantine who by calling a generall counsell did determine to establish true sincere doctrine in the Church of Christe with a settled purpose vtterly to roote out all false and hereticall phantasies and opinions And when the bishopps did not go rightly to worke by the true rule and touchstone of the Gospel and of charitie hée blamed them vpbrayding them with tyrannicall crueltie and declaring therwithal what peace the Lord had grauÌ„ted by his meanes to the Churches Adding moreouer that it were a detestable thing if the bishopps forgetting to thancke God for his gift of peace should goe on amonge themselues to baite one an other with mutuall reproches taunting libells thereby giuing occasion of delight and laughter to wicked idolatrers when as of dutie they ought rather to handle and treat of matters of religion For sayth hée the bookes of the Euangelistes Apostles and Oracles of the auncient Prophetes are they which must instruct vs to the vnderstanding of Gods holie lawe Let vs expell therefore this quarelling strife and thincke vppon the questions proposed to resolue them by the woordes of Scripture inspired from aboue After him againe the holie Emperours Gratian Valentinian Theodosius make a decrée and giue out the edicte in these verie woords Wée wil and coÌ„maund all people that are subiecte to our gratious Empire to be of that religion which the verie religion taught conueighed from Peter till now doth declare that the holie Apostle Peter did teach to the Romanes And so forward By this derely beloued ye perceiue how kings and Princes amonge the people of the new Testament haue béen the foster fathers and nourices of the Church being persuaded that the care of religion did first of all and especially belong to themselues The second obiection that they make is the leprosie of Osias king of Iuda which hée gatt by challenging to himselfe the office of the Priest while hée presumed to burne incense on the incense altar They obiect the Lords commaundement who badd Iosue stand before Eleazar the Prieste and gaue the king in charge to receiue the booke of the law at the Leuites haÌ„ds But our disputation tendeth not to that confounding of the offices and duties of the magistrate and ministers of the Church as that wée would
if iudgement had once passed vpon her For hée came not to be a patrone to adulterers nor to breake the lawe but to fulfill it But if it like adulterers well that the adultresse was not condemned of the Lord then let them also like that sentence wherwith the Historie is ended when the Lord saith Go thy wayes and sinne no more Let them therfore leaue off to defile and destroy themselues with filthie adulterie The Lord in his lawe hath expresly named adulterie alone but therewithall hée doth inclusiuely vnderstand all kindes of luste and luxurie and al thinges else which do egge forward and stirre vp fire in men to wātonnesse which hee forbiddeth as seuerely as adulterie it selfe The Lord in the Gospell doth not onely forbidde the outward worke of adulterie but the very affection also and wāton lust of the hart and minde Ye haue heard sayth hée that it was said to them of old Thou shalt not commit adulterie But I say vnto you that whosoeuer loketh on a woman to luste after her hath committed adulterie alreadie with her in his heart In the same place hee teacheth vs to plucke out oure eyes and cut off oure hands that is to extinguishe vncleane affections that rise in oure mindes while yet they bée younge and beginne to bud least peraduenture they breake oute from thoughtes to déedes So then in this precepte euery vncleane thoughte all ribaulde talke and filthines of bodilie déedes are vtterlye forbidden In this precepte is forbidden fornication or that kinde of whoorehunting which is said to be the medlinge of a single man with an vnmarried woman This kinde of whoredome is thought of many either to be a verie small offence or none at all But such kinde of men doth the diuell harten on bewitch and by those ill thoughtes driue on to commit that sinne when as the doctrine of the Euangelists and Apostles doth teach vs the contrary For the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent from Hierusalem to al nations doe expressely name and forbid fornication S. Peter reckoneth fornication amonge those filthie sinnes from which hee would haue Christians to be most cleare S. Paul saith Flee fornication Againe Let vs not be defiled with fornication as some of them committed fornication and fell in one day three and twentie thousand Fornication doth directlie fighte with the couenaunte of God whereby hée is ioyned to vs and wee to him and whooredome also spoyleth God of his glorie and doth most filthilie pollute the temple of the lord Let vs heare what the Apostle Paule saith touchinge this matter Knowe yee not that your bodies are the members of Christe Shall I therfore take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlotte GOD forbidde What know ye not that hee that is coupled to an harlotte is one bodie For two saith hee shal be one flesh But hee that is coupled to the Lord is one spirite Flee fornication Euerie sinne that a man doth is without the bodie but hee that committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body What know ye not that your body is the tēple of the holie ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and ye are not your owne For ye are bought with a price Therefore fornication shutteth fornicatours out of the kingdome of god For the same Apostle saith Neither whoremongers nor adulterers shal inherite the kingdome of God. And therefore in an other place hée suffereth not fornication to bee so much as once named amonge Christians so farre was hée from admitting stewes and brothel houses amonge Gods people Moreouer whooredome doeth fill the whoale bodie with sondrie diseases it depriueth whoorehaunters of all their goods and substaunce it bringeth them to pouertie and extréeme miserie and driueth them at laste to vtter desperation It ouerthroweth their fame good name with shame and ignominie the viewe wherof is liuely expressed in the holy scriptures by the example of Sampson the strongest man amonge all the Israelites Solomon therefore the most wise of all other doth verie fitly in time and place conueniente admonish all men to flée the enticinge baites and flattering allurementes of whoorish strompets For the ende of them is deadly poyson and they throw a man downe headlonge into a bottomlesse pitte of endlesse miseries By this lawe also that kinde of whoredome is prohibited which consisteth in defloratiō of virgins and violent rapes by which children are perforce defiled and carried from their parents There is difference betwixt a rape perforce and the deflowring of a mayde done without violence Sichem defiled Dina the daughter of Iacob and althoughe hée desired to haue the defloured mayde to his wife and to chaunge his religion yet notwithstanding hée himselfe is slaine by Leui and Simeon the bretherne of Dina his citie is raced and filled with the bloude of murdered men whose goods were ransackte and layd open to spoile The historie is extant in the 34. of Genesis For the rape which Roderychus kinge of the Gothes in Spaine committed vppon the daughter of one Iulianus a liefetenaunt all Spaine in a manner was mingled with fire and bloud For Volaterranus in his second booke of his Geographie saith Roderychus reigned three yeares whose filthie lust brought an end aswell to the name as to the quiet kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine by meanes of the Saracenes that inuaded their land For when it fell oute that hee had defloured the daughter of one Iulianus a lieftenaunte of that part of Mauritania that is called Tingitana priuate griefe did pricke her father to seeke reuengement whereto hee vsed the commoditie of the place Wherefore Iulianus doth priuilie cal the Saracenes oute of Aphrica whoe in the yeare of grace 714. vnder the conduicte of their Capitaine Muzta being sente by Mirmomelinus their king at that time entring in through the streightes of Marrocko did in two yeares space subdue al Spaine almost except Asturia In the space of which time it is reported that seuen hundred thousand men on both sides were destroyed by that warre wherin also the king which had defloured the virgine with all his nobilitie was vtterlie slaine In Israel for that Leuits concubine whō the citizens of Gibea of the tribe of Beniamin had violently rauished were 25000. Beniamites slaine beside them which perished frō among the other eleuen tribes whose number amounted to 40000. men Neither is it vnknowen to anye that the kings were expelled out of the citie of Rome and Troy being wearied with tenne yeares warre which troubled both the East and West was at the laste vtterly sacked and cleane ouerthrowē because Tarquinius had perforce rauished Lucrecia and Alexander Paris had stolne oute of Gréece Menelaus his Helena an other mans wyfe Euerie age almost doth minister an innumerable sorte of such like examples For the most iust God hath alwayes by euidente examples declared how greatly hée is offended with deflowrers of virgines and rauishers of
For so longe as wée mortal men doe liue in this body the flesh doth stil resist the spirite and most of all rebelleth then when we with delicates do pamper the body Wherefore fasting doth drawe from the body euery euil which stirreth vp and strengtheneth it against the good commaundements of Gods holy spirite Now the necessitie for which wée keepe this fastinge is of two sortes publique and priuate Wée faste for the publique or common necessitie when some calamitie doeth either oppresse or else hange ouer the head of the Church Of such a manner of fasting wée sée examples in the 2. Cap. of Ioel and in the 3. of Ionas his prophecie which very same order in fasting was vsed in the time of our Lords Apostles as it is euidently extant in the Actes of the Apostles And this kinde of fastinge doth séeme to haue differed verie little amonge them of old from a generall mourninge yea it séemeth altogether to haue béene nothinge else but a kind of lamenting In the scriptures euery booke is full of examples which teach and instructe vs how the holy saincts did humble themselues in the sight of God with true repentaūce for their sinnes and offences Priuate necessitie is that for which euery particular man doth fast when hée féeleth himselfe to be vexed with bodily concupiscence that thereby hee may take from the flesh the flame and fewell least the body at last be fired and burned For the Lord in the Gospel saide that the children of the bridechamber do fast whē the bridegrome is taken from them that is in a hard and daūgerous time The marriage doth signifie the bond wherby we are knit to Christe in faith and the holy ghoste This yet notwithstanding the godly man doth still reioyce Hée doth with geuing of thanckes and temperancie both eate and drinke so much as is sufficiente and is delighted also in these externall giftes of God but when hee féeleth that the bridegrome is readie for to departe or that hée is now alreadie almost departed oute of his heart that is when hee féeleth that the spirite is extinguished by the fleashes wantonnesse and that faith doth once beginne to bee cold then doth hée settle himselfe to prayer and doth appointe a solemne fastinge thereby eyther to kéepe the bridegrome still or else to pull him backe being ready to departe But neither publique nor priuate fastings can abide to be inforced For they will not be compelled but desire to procéede of a frée chéerefull and voluntarie minde Vnwillinge men doe nothinge well God requireth a chearefull giuer Moreouer let fastinges be moderated according to the qualitie of places persons perills and temptations if they be not continuall yet let them be often till such time as wée be deliuered and ridde vtterly of them Let them be without superstitiō and fayned hypocrisie as our Lord in the sixte of S. Matthewes Gospell hath taught vs Herewithall doe the words of S. Hierome agrée very wel which hée wrote to Nepolianus touching fasting as followeth Prescribe to thee selfe so longe a time to faste in as thine abilitie will suffer thee to beare Let thy fastinges be pure vncorrupte simple moderated and not superstitious What auayleth it to eate no oyle and to seeke out such seldome sond cates as are harde to bee come by as figges pepper nuttes dates pure flowre for ouerfine breade and honie The gardens with digging for nouelties are tourned ouer and ouer because wee will not eate common cribble breade and so while oure deintie mouthes seeke after delicates oure soules are pulled from the kingdome of Heauen I heare moreouer that some menne there are which contrarie to nature refuse to drinke water and feede vppon bread but sucke vppe and swallowe verie costlie suppinges deintie hearbe brothes and the iuyce of Beetes not out of a cup but out of a shell O shame blush wee not at such fond toyes and are wee not ashamed of such superstition Thus much saith Hierome And it is euidente that euen at this day this vice is ospecially receiued amonge oure wealthie and relligious menne But the end of Christian fastinges are that the Church or sinner should submitt and humble themselues before the Lord that the flesh should bée obedient and subiect to the spirit that the fleshe should not hinder the sinner to woorke righteousnesse and that the intent and minde of him that prayeth should bée the more earnestly bente towarde god For fastinge is of the number of those woorkes which of themselues are not absolute and perfecte but haue an other meaninge-for which they are ordeyned to an other ende and purpose therefore fasting is a certaine help to the prayers and vertues of godly men Wherevppon in the Prophetes wée finde that the fastinges of the Iewes displeased the Lord for they did naught else but fast alone that is they did at a certaine and appointed time abstein from their vsuall maner of eating but they restrayned not themselues from sinne and wickednesse but let their flesh haue the bridle at will when as in déede they should haue ceassed to haue pampered it that thereby it being the weaker the spirite might bée the stronger to doe and fulfill all sorte of good woorkes And therefore saith the Lord I haue not chosen such a manner of fasting and the rest as it foloweth in the 58. Chapiter of Esaie and in the 7. and 8. Chapiters of Zacharies Prophecie The Apostle Paul verily doth expressely say that Meate commendeth vs not to God for neither if wee eate haue wee any thing the more neither if wee eate not haue we any thing the lesse Hée therfore doth not fast truly which doth absteine onely at a certaine appointed time from certaine manner of meates but hée which doth therfore refraine from the pleasures of the flesh that therby hée may make it subiect to the spirite and do the works of faith and charitie which are acceptable in the sight of the lord If therfore thou doest desire to faste a true fast eate drincke and sleepe and take héede to thy body that it waxe not insolent faste from al sinne eate not the meate of malice tast not the iuncates of luste and pleasure and be not set on fire with the wyne of wantonnesse Faste from euil déedes absteine from euill woords and refraine thée selfe from naughtie thoughtes For Basile also faith True fasting consisteth in freenesse from vices in continencie of tongue in suppressing of anger in cutting off cōcupiscence backbiting lying and periurie c. But euen as the good woorkes themselues which are done by faith doe not merite the kingdome of heauen for that glorie is due to the merite of Christe alone euen so fastinge which is an ayde and helpe to good woorkes doth not meritoriouslye deserue the kingdome of God. But now I sée a doubtfull disputation arise amonge the most diuines of this oure age touching the time and maner of fastings and also of the choice of meates Some
farre aboue all earthly richesse Thus much haue I said hetherto touching restitution of which other men haue left very ample discourses I for my part do see that to a godly minde this worke of restitution is short and plaine enough and therefore haue I spoken of it so shortly as I haue For a godly and well disposed man doeth with al his hart desire and seeke to obey the lawe of God and therefore by calling to God for ayde he shall easilie finde a way to woorke iustice equitie As for those whose desire is rather to seme iust men than to be iust in deede and do loue this world more than it becommeth them to doe they with their ouer many questions and innumerable Perchaunces and Put cases do make the treatise of restitution so tedious and intricate that no man shall euer bee able to make it so plaine that they will vnderstand it I wil not therefore aunsweare them any more but onely warne them to examine their owne conscience see what that doth bidde them doe Now I would haue that cōscience of theirs to be settled in and be mindfull of the generall lawe which saith Whatsoeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another and whatsoeuer thou wouldest not haue done to the selfe that doe not thou to an other After this now I will somewhat freely discourse vppon the iust possessing vsing or disposing of well gotten earthly substance First of all no man must put any confidence in richesse which are in deede things transitorie and doe quickly decay wee must not settle our minds vpon nor be in loue with them but by all meanes take heede that they driue vs not to idolatrie nor hinder the course that we haue to passe Heauen is the goale wherat we runne Here againe we must all giue eare to the diuine and heauenly woords vttered by the Prophete Dauid who said Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him for God is our refuge As for the children of men they be but vaine the children of mē are deceitfull vppon the weightes they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe Truste not in wronge and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your hartes vppon them The Apostle Paule beeing indued with the same spirite biddeth vs to vse the world and worldly thinges as though we vsed them not Againe hee calleth couetousnesse the worshipping of idolls and chargeth rich men not to put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing god who ministreth to all creatures lyuing sufficiently enough And therefore the Lord in the Gospell forbiddeth to heape vpp treasures vppon earth Now on the other side we are not bidden by the Apostles to spend oure goods prodigallie in riot and wantonnesse For wee may not abuse the wealth that the Lord hath lent vs in pride and luxurie as many doe who lash out al in dieing sumptuous building straung clothiong excessiue drinking and ouer deyntie banquetting The end and destruction of such kind of people the Lord doeth verie finely though not without terrour to them that heare it set downe in the parable of the rich glutton who after his delicate fare coastly apparell was after this life tormented in hell with vnspeakeable thirste toasted there with vnquencheable fire Therefore these temporall goods must be rightly holilie and moderately vsed without excesse Euerie man must acknowledge these terrestriall goods to be the meere and free giftes of our bountifull and heauenly father and not to be giuen for our deserts or gottē by our might For wee haue of Gods liberalitie all thinges necessarie to mainteyne oure liues It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour Finallie they are not euil but the good gifts of God which he giueth for the maintenaunce of our liues and not to our destruction the fault is in our selues that riches are a snare to bring many men to euill ends Moreouer the Lord himselfe requireth and in his woord commaundeth vs to be thanckful vnto him for his good benefits bestowed on vs to vse them with thankes giuing to praise his name for al things and to reioyce in his fatherly goodnes shewed vnto vs For thus doth Moses the seruaunt of God in Deuteronomie charge the Israelites When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee selfe then thancke the Lord thy God in that good land which hee hath giuen thee Beware that thou forgett not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not keepe his commaundementes his lawes and ordinances which I commaund thee this day yea and when thou hast eaten filled thee selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein and when thy beastes and thy sheepe are waxen many and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and al that thou hast is increased then beware least thine heart rise and thou forgett the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and from the house of bondage Say not then in thine heart my power and the might of mine owne hand hath prepared mee this aboundance Remember the Lord thy GOD for it is hee that giueth thee power to gett substance c. Moreouer Paule the Apostle saith that al the creatures of God are good created to the good and preseruation of vs men and biddeth vs vse them with the feare of God and giuing of thanckes And againe Whether yee eate or drincke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God. And in another place Let your maners bee farre from couetousnes and bee content with the thinges that yee haue For he hath said I do not forsake nor leaue thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper I wil not feare what man can doe vnto mee Let earthly goodes also serue our necessitie Nowe necessitie requireth a commodious dwelling place so much victualls as are sufficiente comely apparell and honeste company keeping wyth oure neighbours and equalls Let euery man measure and esteeme these circumstaunces first by his owne personne then by his familie or household For an householder must warely prouide and foresee that no necessarie thinge be wanting in his familie Of this care of the househoulder there are sundrye testimonies of Scripture extant but especiallie that of Saint Paule in the fifth Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothie And here note that by necessitie all thinges are mente which the body or life of man doth necessarily require and stand in néede of and finally whatsoeuer the honestie and beséeming of euery man doth craue or demaunde And thus farre verily and to this ende or purpose it is lawfull for any man to lay somewhat vp in stoare against yeares to come The man whose charge is much in keping a great house hath néede of the more to maintayne it withall and hée whose familie is not so bigge néedeth so much the lesse as his house is the smaller And one
of the world differ much from the sonnes of god For these I meane the sonnes of God in comforting one an other in their calamities do say Suffer and grudge not at the thing that thou canst not alter It is gods wil that it shal be so and no maÌ„ can resist it suffer therfore the power of the Lord vnlesse thou wouldest rather double the euil that thou canst not escape But the worldlings on the other side being demaunded howe they suffer the hand of the Lord and whether they submit themselues to God or no do make this answere I must whether I will or no since I caÌ„not withstand it If therfore they could withstand it by thie wee may gather that they assuredly would But the children of God do patiently beare the hand of God not because they cannot withstand it nor because they must by coÌ„pulsion suffer it but for because they beleue that God is a iust and merciful father for therfore they acknowledge confesse that God of his iust iudgment doth persecute y sinns of them that haue deserued far more greuous and sharpe punishment than he layeth vpon them they do acknowledge also that god doth as a merciful father chasten them to the amendment of their liues safegard of their souls and therfore do they for his chastning of them yeld him hartie thankes and forsaking vtterly themselues their opinions do wholie coÌ„mit themselues whether they liue or die into the lords haÌ„ds The Apostle going about to settle this in the heartes of the faithfull saith God speaketh to you as to his sonnes my sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the lord loueth he chasteneth scourgeth euery son that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God tendereth you as his sonns For what sonne is he whoÌ„ the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisemeÌ„t whereof al are partakers then are ye bastards not sonnes Since therfore wheÌ„ we had fathers of our flesh they corrected vs we reuerenced them shal wee not much more rather be in subiection to the father of spirites liue Secondarilie let the faithfull beleeuer which is oppressed w calamities consider and weigh the causes for which he is afflicted For either he is troubled persecuted of worldlinges for the desire that hee hath to righteousnes true religion or else he suffereth due punishment for his sinnes offeÌ„ces Let them which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake reioyce and giue God thanks as the Apostâ—es did for that he thinketh them worthy to suffer for the name of Christ For the lord in the gospel said Blessed are they that suffer persecutioÌ„ for rightousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blessed are ye when men shal reuile persecute you and shal say all maner euil saying agaist you â—or my sake reioyce ye be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you But if any man for his sinns doth féele the scourge of God let him acknowledge that Gods iust iudgemeÌ„t is fallen vpon him let him humble himselfe vnder the mightie hand of the Lord let him confesse his sinns to God let him méekely require pardon for them and patiently suffer the plague which he with his sinnes hath worthily deserued Let him followe the examples of Daniel and Dauid Daniel confesseth his sinnes vnto the Lord and saith We haue sinned wee haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly we haue not obeyed thy seruauntes the Prophetes which spake to vs in thy name O Lord vnto thee doeth righteousnes belong and vnto vs open shame Thou haste visited afflicted vs as thou diddest foretell by Moses thy seruaunt And Dauid wheÌ„ through Absaloms treason he was compelled to forsake Hierusalem and goe in exile said to the priestes which bare the Arcke after him Carrie backe the Arcke of God into the citie againe If I shal find fauour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring me backe againe and wil shew mee both himselfe and his Tabernacle But if hee thus say I am not delighted in thee then here am I let him do with me what seemeth good in his eyes And verilie it is much more better and expedient to be punished in this world and after this life to liue for euer than to liue here without afflictions and in an other world to suffer euerlasting paines Paul verilie doth plainly say When we are iudged wee are chastened of the lord that we should not be damned with the world And the verie end of all chastenings and calamities wherewith the Sainâ—ts are exercised tendeth to nothing else but that by despising and treading downe the world they may amende their liues returne to the Lord and so be saued But touching the end of afflictions wée haue spoken of it before Furthermore the men that beare the yoke of afflictions doe lay before themselues the plaine and ample promises of God from which and from the examples of the sainctes they neuer turne their eyes There are innumerable examples of them which haue felt Gods helping hand readie in all needes to ayde and deliuer them Nowe our good God doth promise to helpe and deliuer not them onely which are afflicted for righteousnesse sake but them also whom he doth visite for their faults and offences For Dauid saith The Lord doth heale the contrite of heart The Lord doth loose them that are bouÌ„d in chaynes The lordgiueth sight vnto the blind The lord setteth vp againe them that doe fall Hee is not angrie for euer neither doth he alwayes childe Hee dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs after our iniquities And how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. To this beloÌ„geth the whole thirtieth chapiter of Ieremies Prophecie And Paule doeth beare witnesse to this and saith As the afflictions of Christe are many in vs so is our comfort great through Christ Neither are wee without examples enoughe to proue this same by and to lay before our eyes the present deliuerie of the Sainctes and the repentaunce of sinners in extreme calamities Our auncestours y Patriarchs Noe Lot with their families were by the mightie hand of God deliuered from the deluge that drowned all creatures vnder the heauens and the horrible fire that fell vppon Sodome Iacob and Ioseph being wrapped in sundrie tribulations were by their merciful God wooud out and rid from all Euen as also the children of Israell were brought forth and deliuered from the seruile bondage of Pharao in Aegypt The people of Israel did in the wildernesse vnder their guides and Iudges sinne often and greuously against the lord for which they were punished roundly and sharply scourged but they were quickly deliuered againe by the Lord so oft as they did acknowledge their sinnes and turne themselues to him againe There are also notable
in God nor his couenaunts Finally circumcision did put the circumcised in mind of their duetie al their life long to wite that euery man should thinke that he had taken vpon him to professe God to beare in his bodie the SacrameÌ„t of the Lorde For that is the cause why the Israelites were named or had their names giuen them in their circumcision For it is euident in Luke that Iohn Baptist and Iesus our sauiour had their names giuen them at their circumcision euen as also the first circumcised at his circumcision was called Abraham whose name before was said to be Abram It did admonish the circumcised of his duetie for so much as he had giuen his name vnto the Lord his confederate to bee inrolled in the register of God amoÌ„g the names of them that giue them selues vnto the Lord wherefore he ought by couenaunt duetie to frame his life not after his owne lust and pleasure but according to the will of God to whome he did betake him selfe For the condition of the couenaunt was that the circumcised shoulde not defile them selues with idolatrie and straunge religions that they should not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord but that they perseuearing in true faith should ensue godlynesse shewe the workes of repentance and be obedient to God in all things For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono Circumcise the foreskinne of your hearts and harden not your neckes any longer To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter saying Bee ye circumcised to the Lord and cut away the foreskinne of your hearte And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes sayeth Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearte and eares ye alwayes resist the holie ghost Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes declare that there are two sortes of circumcision the one of the letter in the fleshe the outwarde circumcision that is made with handes the other in the heart of the Spirite the inwarde circumcision which is made by the meanes of the holy Ghost The circumcision of the heart God doth like well of in those y be his but that in the fleash he doeth vtterly mislike of if as the fleashe is the heart be not circumcised The liking and misliking of these two circumcisions is in that which went before so plainly alreadie declared that I néede not to stick any longer vpon it And here I think it not amisse before I make an ende of circumcision to reherse vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the auncient writer Lactantius lib. Instit 4. Chap. 17. where he speaketh of circumcision in this manner The meaning of circumcision was that we should make bare our breastes to wite that wee should liue with a simple and plaine dealing heart because that parte of the bodie which is circumcised is partely like to a heart and is the fore parte of the priuitie and the cause why God commaunded to make it bare was that by that signe he might admonishe vs not to haue a couered heart that is that we should not couer within the secretes of our conscience any crime whereof wee ought to be ashamed And this is the circumcision of the heart whereof the Prophets speake which God hath translated from the mortall fleshe to the immortall soule For the Lorde being whole set and fully minded according to his eternall goodnesse to haue a care for our life and safegard did set repentance before our eyes for vs to followe as a waye to bring vs thereunto so that if wee make bare our heartes that is if by confession of our sinnes we satisfie the Lord we should obteine pardone whiche is denied to the proude and those that conceale their faultes by God who beholdeth not the face as man doeth but searcheth the secrets of the brest Thus much hitherto hath that auncient writer of the churche Lactantiê° Firmianus declared vnto vs touching the mysterie of circumcision Nowe all this whiche hitherto I haue saide touching the meaning and mysterie of circumcisioÌ„ was set forth as in a picture to be séene of all mens eyes so often as circumcision was solemnized in the church There was the league as it were renued which God did make with men There was the grace of God his sanctification and our corruption declared therein did Christ the rocke of stone appeare who with his spirite doth cutt wash away all spottes of the Churche Moreouer the worshippers of God did learne by that signe and so by all the holie ceremonie that they beeing in one ecclesiasticall bodie ought to do their indeuour by purenesse of liuing to winne the fauour of God their confederate Because by the visible circumcision there was after a sorte an open confession made of the true religion of frée consent to the true religion and of a bynding by promise vnto the same He therefore that did despise or vnaduisedly neglect that holie ceremonie was sharply punished as may be gathered by the 17. of Genesis and the fourth Chapter of Exodus And so muche hetherto touching circumcision There followeth nowe the seconde Sacrament of the auncient churche I meane the Paschal Lamb. It is an Hebrewe word not signifying a passion as it should séeme if it were deriued according to the Gréeke etymologie but it signifieth a skipping a leaping or a passing ouer For the Hebrewe *** signifieth to leape or passe ouer The cause of this worde Moses him selfe sheweth in the lawe where he saith The Lord shall go ouer to strike the Aegyptians when he shall see the bloud vppon the vpper poste and the two side postes of the doore *** the Lord wil passe ouer that doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come within your houses This sacrament is knowen also and called by other names For it is called a signe a remembraunce a solemnitie an holie assemblie the feast of the Lorde a worship an obseruation an oblation and a Sacrifice But whereas that ceremonie is called a passing ouer that is not done without a trope For the passing ouer was the verie benefite wherein the Angel of the Lorde did passe ouer the Iewes leaue their houses vntouched and saue their liues but for because the Paschall Lambe was a memoriall a renuing of that benefite therefore it tooke the name of the benefite Euen as I admonished you before that it is vsuall in Sacramentes for the signes to bee called by the names of the thinges that they signifie béecause of the likenesse and mutual proportion that is betwixt them Let vs sée nowe what the passeouer was and what kinde of ceremonie did belong vnto it The Passeouer was an holy action ordeined by God in the killing and eating of a Lambe partely to the ende that the Churche might kéepe in memorie the benefite which God did for them in the land of Aegypt to be a testimonie of Gods
Wherevppon wée doe fréely confesse that the lawe doeth properly make manifeste our infirmitie but that the Gospel giueth a medicine a remedie to that which was almost past hope And now here we must thinke that our holy ancestors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of sinne nor Moses to doe nothing else but kill and slay nor that Moses was giuen to wound them but to heale them that not by his owne power or vertue but by the guiding of them to him that chéerisheth the contrite in heart and healeth all their sorrowes that is Christ Iesus who also wrought by the ministerie of Moses For we must not thincke from the beginning of the world nor from Moses his time till the comming of Christe that the bare letter was preached onely and that the grace and spirite of God was idle wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull For in that the law doth shewe vs and inuincibly proue to vs that in vs I meane in our flesh y perfection is not which the most holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vs it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde not by the vertue of it selfe but by the power of the quickening spirite of Christ from confidence of the fleshe as that wherin there is no health nor iote of perfection and so coÌ„sequently doeth giue vs occasion to turne our selues to Christ our mediatour who is alone our sanctification perfection And so for this occasion the law is a path and readie way and as it were a scholemaster giuen by God to vs men to drawe vs from all confidence in our owne strengths from all hope of our owne merites and from y trust in any kinde of creatures and to lead vs directly by faith to Christ who was made by God as I said eueÌ„ now our righteousnesse sanctification and redemptioÌ„ without whom there is no saluation vnder the sunne Therefore Moses did not onely vrge the lawe but did also preach Christ life in Christ For the Lord in the Gospel saith to the Iewes Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye trust For if ye had beleued Moses ye would vndoubtedly haue beleued mee For he wrote of mee And Paule to the Galathians saith If there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe but the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen vnto them that beleeue But before faith came wee were kept vnder the lawe and were shut vp into the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith Loe what could bée said more plainly then that the lawe hath concluded all vnder sinne But to what end That the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should bée giuen vnto them that do beléeue And againe Before faith came that is before he came to whom our faith is directed and vppon whoÌ„ it is grounded we were kept vnder the lawe How forsooth being shut vp vnto the faith that was to bee reuealed Therefore our fathers were shut vpin the law that they should not breake out at any time séeke for life and saluation any where else but in Christ alone Wherefore the lawe did lead vs by faith directly vnto Christe And yet more plainly hée saith The lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christ Loe here againe the law doth bring vs to Christ And againe he addeth That we should bee iustified by faith Therefore the lawe setteth forward the true doctrine of iustification teaching plainly that we are iustified by faith in Christ and not by the merits of our owne workes In whiche point it is opeÌ„ly like vnto the Gospel and taketh to it selfe the office of the Gospell and no meruaile since to many men through their owne fault the Gospell doth become and is made the letter Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sinnes to remeÌ„brance we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of sinns Therfore eueÌ„ the ceremonial lawes also led them to Christ testifying teaching them that he alone doth clense vs from all our sinnes Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the lawe both was is to opeÌ„ to vs our sinne iudgment yet not to condemne vs only but also by occasion to lead vs to Christ By which we learne also that the law doth not only teach vs the first principles and rudimentes of righteousnesse but the very true absolute righteousnesse For Moses doth expresly say that he taught a most perfecte absolute kind of doctrine as that wher in both life and death doth wholie consist And the Apostle saith that the law leadeth vs by the hand to Christ that we should be iustified by faith Now the righteousnesse of faith is the most perfect righteousnesse Therfore wher as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudimeÌ„ts of the world that is for two especiall causes The first wherof is because the lawe is as it were the first instructioÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts which when the doctrine of the Gospel commeth is finished and giueth place to it as to more absolute principles The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught vnder outward thinges or signes when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be séen y inward things euen Christ himselfe his holy mysteries And out of that which I haue hetherto said we may also learne that the ancient saints which liued vnder the old testament did not séeke for righteousnesse saluation in the workes of the lawe but in him which is the perfectnesse end of the law euen Christ Iesus therfore that they vsed the law the ceremonies as a guide and scholemistresse to lead them by the hande to Christe their sauiour For so often as they heard that the lawe required perfect righteousnesse at their hands they did by faith through grace vnderstand y in the lawe Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousnesse to whom all men ought to flie for â—he obtâ—ining of righteousnesse So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies which God had ordeined they did not looke vppon the bare figures only nor thincke that they did please God and were purged from their sinnes by that externall kinde of worshipp but they did cast the eyes of their minds of faith vppon the Messiah to come who was prefigured in al the Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe They therefore did abuse the lawe who thoughte that they were acceptable to God and that they serued him as they should because they were busie in those Ceremoniall workes For those thoughtes and persuasions the Prophets
priest hath consecrated all the faithfull to be Kinges and Priestes vnto himselfe And yet notwithstanding he doth ordeine ministers of the Church by doctrine and examples to instructe the Church and to minister the sacraments I meane not those old auncient ones but those which the Lord hath substituted in steed of the old ones What doctrine they must teach hée doth expressely declare The mysticall attyre and garmentes of the priesthood hee neither did commend to his Apostles nor leaue to his Church but toke them away with all the Ceremonies that are called the middle wall betwixte she Iewes and Gentiles The Lord himselfe and his Apostle Paule will haue the pastours of the people cladd with righteousnesse and honestie and do precisely remoue the ministers of the Church from superioritie and secular affaires They doe also appoint stipendes for the ministers to liue vppon yet not those which the law allowed them but such as were most tolierable and conuenient for the state and condition of euery Church The Lord left the place to serue and worshipp God in frée without exception or binding to any one prescribed or peculiar place when in the Gospel after Iohn he said The houre shall come and is alreadie when the true worshippers shall worshipp the father neither in this mountaine nor at Hierusalem but in the spirite and in truth For such the father requireth to worship him God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in truth The Apostle followed the Lord in this doctrine and said I will that men pray in euerie place lifting vp pure hands without anger Neither did the Lord in â—aine as I shewed you eueÌ„ now sufâ—â—r the temple to bee vtterlye ouerthrowne considering that at his death hée had rent the vaile therof And yet for all that the Ecclesiasticall assemblies are not thereby condemned Of whiche I spake in the exposition of the 4. precepte RemeÌ„ber that thou keepe holy the sabboth day Verily y tabernacle the temple bare the type of the catholique Church of God out of which there are no prayers noroblations acceptable to the lord But the Church is exteÌ„ded to the very ends of the world And yet it followeth not theruppon that all are in the Church which are in the world they alone are in the Churche whiche thorough the Catholique faith are in the fellowship of Christ Iesus and by the agréement of doctrine by charitie by the participation of the Sacramentes vnlesse some great necessitie hinder them are in the coÌ„munion of the holy Sainctes But they burne incense sacrifice in highe places whosoeuer séek after any other sacrifice than the one and only oblation of Christ Iesus or looke for any other to offer their prayers to God the father than Christ alone as they are taughte by the mouth of the Pastour sincerely preaching the word of god Moreouer the Church of God hath no néed now of any arke any table any shewbread any golden candlestick any altar either of incense or burnt offeringes nor yet of any braseÌ„ lauer for Christ alone is all in all to the catholique Church which Church hath all these things spiritually and effectually in Christ Iesus and can séek for nothing in any other creatures insomuch that if it perceiue any man to bring in againe either these or such like Ceremoniall instruments it doth sharpely rebuke bitterly curse him for his vnwarranted rashenesse blasphemous presuÌ„ption in the church of Christ For what néede hath the churche of shadowes and figures when it doeth nowe enioye the thing it selfe euen Christ Iesus whose shadowe and figure the ceremonies bare Moreouer the church hath signes enough in that it hath receiued of Christ two Sacramentall signes wherein are conteined all the things which the old church did comprehend in sundrie and verie many figures Furthermore he hath leaft the holy time to worship God in frée to our choice who in the Gospel saith The Sabboth was made for man not man for the Sabboth therefore the sonne of man is Lorde also of the Sabboth And the Apostle Paule saith Let no man therefore iudge you in meate or drinke or in parte of an holie daye or of the new moone or of the Sabbothes which are the shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ Of the Christian Sabboth I spake in the exposition of the fourth Commaundement As for the newe moones they are not solemnized by the churche of Christ in so much as it is taught by Christ to attribute to God not the beginning of Moneths onely but the whole yeare also and the commoditie thereof with the light of the Sunne the Moone and all the starres in heauen Moreouer the Christians do celebrate their passeouer more spiritually then bodily euen as also they doe solemnize their Pentecoste or whitsuntide For as he sent his spirite vppon his disciples so doth hee daily sent it vppon all the faithfull And that is the cause that in the faithfull the alarme is striken vpp to incourage them as souldiours to skirmish with their enimies For the fleash lusteth against the spirite and the faithfull are daily assaulted and prouoked to battaile by the world and by the deuil the prince of the world Furthermore the feast of propitiation being once finished vppon the crosse endureth for euer neither do the Sainctes any more sende out a scape goats to beare their sinnes into the desarte For Christ our Lord came once and was offered vp and by his sacrifice tooke awaye the sinnes of all the worlde Finally since the faithfull doe daily consider beare in their mindes that they haue no abydinge place in this transitorie worlde but y they looke after a place to come they néede not as the Iewes did once a yere to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles In like manner the faithfull do no more acknowlege any yeare of Iubilie For Christe came once and preached vnto vs y acceptable yeare euen the Gospell whereby it is proclaymed that all our sinnes and iniquities are clearely forgiuen vs For so doth Christ himselfe interprete it in the fourth of Sainct Lukes gospell takinge occasion to speake of it out of the sixth Chapter of Esaies prophecie And thus the holy time and festiuall dayes are abrogated by Christ in his holy Church which notwithstanding is not leafte destitute of any holy thing or necessarie matter But nowe because this present yeare wherein this booke is firste of all printed is the yeare of Grace one thousand fiue hundred and fiftie and according to the Romish traditioÌ„ is called the yeare of Iubilie I am therefore compelled as it were of necessitie to make a little digression speake somewhat of the Romish Iubilie I do therfore call it the Romish and not the Christian Iubilie because as I shewed you euen now the church of Christe after oure redemption wrought by Christ and preached by the gospel doth neither acknoledge nor receiue any
the strict kéeping of Moses lawe This rule must alwayes be kept obserued Sainct Peter doth simply commaunde and saye Submitt your selues to all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as hauing the preeminence or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishement of euil doers but for the laude of them do well And yet the same Apostle affirmeth that we ought rather to obey God than men so often as men do publish lawes against true religion iustice and equitie concerning which I spake in the exposition of the commoÌ„ place of the magistrate And so thus much I thought good to saye touching the abrogatioÌ„ of the Iudiciall lawes Now if euery one of you do throughly ponder with him selfe the things y I haue hithereto saide touching the lawe of God the partes of the lawe the vse or effect the fulfilling and abrogating of the same it will be a thing of no difficultie to determin what euery one ought to think concerning that point or title of this treatise wherof I promised in the beginning of this sermon that I woulde speake somewhat towarde the ende to witte that the testament of the olde and new church is all one and that there is but one way of true saluation to all that eyther are or haue bene saued in this worlde and also wherein the newe testament dothe differ from the olde For since I haue alredie shewed that all the pointes of the lawe haue a respect and a kinde of Relation vnto Christ and that hee was in the lawe preached to the fathers to be the onely Sauiour in whome alone they were to be saued who is it which cannot perceiue that they had none other but the verie same manner and way to be saued which we at this day doe enioy by Christ Iesus And yet that this may appeare more euident I wil not stick to bestowe some paines to make this matter more manifest vnto you with as plaine a demonstration as possible may be although a playner cannot likely be than that which I haue alredie shewed you Verily there is no difference of the people of the testament of the church or of the manner of saluation betwixt them among whom there is found to be one and the same doctrin the same faith the same spirite the same hope the same inheritance the same expectation the same inuocation and the same sacraments If therefore I shal be able to proue that all these thinges were indifferently common to them of the olde church as wel vnto vs then haue I obteined that which I shott at to wite that in respect of the substance there neither was nor is any more than one testament that the olde fathers are one and the same people that we are liuing in the same church and communion and saued not in any other but in Christe alone the sonne of God in whome also wee looke for saluation That they and wee haue all one and the same doctrine I proue thus Our doctrine is the doctrine of the gospel But that the fathers were not without the sanâ—e doctrine it is euident by Sainct Paule who testifieth saying God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his prophets in the holie Scriptures of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleash and hath been declared to bee the sonne of God with power by the spirite c. What could be saide more plainly The Gospell which is at this day preathed was of olde promised by the prophets in the holie scriptures to wite that the sonne of God should come into the worlde to saue all faithfull beleuers This Gospell also teacheth that the faithful are not iustified by the works of the lawe but freely by grace through faith in Christe Sainct Paule saith By the deedes of the law there shal no fleash be iustified in his sight For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of god declared without the law being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the prophets the righteousnesse of God coÌ„meth by the faith of Christ Iesus vnto all and vpoÌ„ all them that beleeue With Paule S. Peter also doth fully agrée where in the Synod helde at Hierusalem he saith Neither we nor our fathers were able to beare the yoke of the lawe but do beleeue euen as they to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Christ Iesus And so consequently in all other substanciall and material poynctes there is no difference in doctrine betwixt vs and them To procéede nowe they whose doctrine is al one must of necessitie haue all one faith For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of god What doeth that argue that Abraham the rest of the holie fathers are set before our eyes as examples of faith for vs to followe wee sée that it is so in the holie Gospel of the Lord the sacred writings of the Apostles But who would giue vs such forreine examples to imitate as doe not concerne the thing for which they are giuen Paule in many places but especially in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes sheweth that faith must bée imputed to vs for righteousnesse as we reade that it was imputed vnto Abraham nowe that faith of his was not another but the vâ—rie same faith with ours which restâ—th vppon the promise of God and the blessed séede For he calleth Abraham the father not of these onely which are borne of the circumcision but of those also which walke in the stâ—ppes of the faith which was in Abraham before hee was circumcised Besides that also the confirmation of the Christian rule I meane the Apostles Creede or articles of our beleefe is fetched out of the Scriptures of the fathers of the olde testament which is vndoubtedly a moste manifeste argument that their faith and ours is the verie same faith They did beléeue in the Messiah that was then to come and wee beléeue y he is alreadie come and do more fully perceiue neerely see all that which was spoken of before in the prophets as I will anon declare when I come to shewe the difference betwixte the two testaments That all one and the same spirite did gouerne our forefathers and the people of the newe couenaunt who can doubt considering that the spirit of God is one alone and that Sainct Peter doth in expresse wordes testifie that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophets And Sainct Paule also saith Since we haue the same spirite of faith according to that which is written I beleeued and therefore I spake and we beleeue and therefore do we speake Therefore although the same apostle doth in another place saye that the faithfull haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but the spirite of adoptioÌ„ whereby they crie Abba father Yet doth he not denie but that the faithful fathers had the same spirite that wée
they shall all knowe mee from the little vnto the greate But of the law it is written that it was grauen in tables of stone Yet for all this let no man thinke that the fathers obteined no remission of their sinnes For as they by faith had frée forgiuenesse of their sinnes so did God both write his lawe and powre his spirite into their heartes For which of vs at this day can saye that wée excell in knowledge and in faith either Abraham Moses Samuel Dauid Esaie Daniel or Zacharias So then the difference is not in that the fathers of the old testamente were without the remission of sinnes and the illumination of the holie Ghoste and that wée alone which are the people of the newe testament haue obteined them but the difference doeth consiste in the greatnesse amplenesse largenesse and plentifulnesse of the giftes to witt because they are more liberallie bestowed and more plentifully powred out vppon more nowe than they were of old For all nations being called doe not by dropmeale but by whole handfulls drawe the water of life The Lord doth powre out his spirite vppon all fleshe Of old God was knowen in Iurie onely but nowe since Christe is come into the world his disciples are gone thoroughe all the corners of the earth teach all kingdomes to knowe the Lord. Of old the worthie men and Prophets were not so many but that they might bée numbred because the land of promise in a maner alone did bréed such good and holy men But who is at this day able to reckon all that kings Princes noble men Prophets Bishops doctours Martyrs excellent persons of euery sexe estate and age whiche haue beene and are at this day bred not onely in Iurie but also in Arabia Idumea Phenicia Mesopotamia Persia Asia Aegypt Africa Gréece Italie the Easte the South the Weste and the North Frée remission of sinnes is preached to all countries and kingdomes All the faithfull in euerie nation vnder heauen are throughe Christ receiued into the grace and fauour of God the father All haue receiued in great abundaunce the gift of the holy Ghoste All haue prophecied All haue knowen the lord Finallie the lawe maketh no man perfecte The Gospell simplie maketh perfect and doth directly without any stopp lead vs to Christe and causeth vs to rest and to content oure selues in him alone Last of all I will not slippe ouer this difference althoughe it be of little weight and such an one as other like vnto it may be easilie obserued that the lawe appointing out a certeine land peculiarly separated from other nations did promise to the old fathers the possession of the same so long as they did kéep the law but if they did transgresse the lawe then did it threaten that they should be rooted vpp and vtterly cast out of that good land But to vs no one limited lande is expressely promised For the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the rounde world and all that therein is But althoughe hée doeth not héere assigne to vs as hée did to oure forefathers of olde any certeine or peculiar thinge yet doeth hée not at any time neglecte vs For hée féedeth blesseth and preserueth vs in euery land and nation Therfore the promises which were of old made to oure forefathers concerning the land of promise being come to an end are vtterly vanished away so that they which for an age or two agoe did incite many nations to arme themselues for the recouerie of the holy land doe seeme to haue béene besides their witts Christ by his comming into the world hath sanctified all the earth For there are in euerie nation of the world some sonnes and heires of God and his kingdome Touching the likenesse and agréement the vnlikenesse and difference of both I meane the old and newe testaments or people I haue therfore spoken the more briefely béecause I haue in the first Sermon of the first Decade and in the sixte Sermon of this third Decade alreadie hādled the selfe same matter Finallie I haue but shortly touched the abrogation of the law because I did a good while ago set foorth two treatises y one of the Auncient Faith the other of the Only and eternall Couenaunt of God whiche treatises I knowe to bée familiar amonge you I will not héere in the conclusion recapitulate vnto you y special points of this Sermon partly because I haue alreadie béene somewhat to long and partly because I haue as I hope vsed so plaine an order that euery point is indifferently well settled in euery manns memorie Thus haue I by Gods grace and sufferance made an end to treate of Gods holy law wherin I haue béene occupied a good sort of dayes by seuerall Sermons Blessed bée God and oure heauenly father world without end whome I beséech to blesse vs all thorough Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof ¶ The ninthe Sermon I HAVE alreadie through many sermons discoursed longe vppon Gods lawe nowe therefore because vppon the consideration handling of the lawe there doe arise certaine pointes not to bee omitted which doe depend vppon and are annexed hand in hand vnto the lawe of which sort are Christian libertie good woorkes the reward of good woorkes sinne and the reward or punishment of sinne I wil speake of them in order as God shall put into my mouth whō I shall desire you to praye vnto with mée beséeching him not to suffer me to speake in these or other points of holy doctrine the thing that shall sounde against his holy will. Vppon the abrogation of the lawe doeth Christian libertie depende and follow as the effecte of the abrogating of the lawe which libertie doth minister vs occasion to speake of offences Nowe concerning Christian libertie the most holy Apostle of Christ Sainct Paule hath reasoned verie diligently and largely whereby we may gather that the consideration of Christian libertie is neither of no weighte nor yet of little profite But the treatise therof is especially necessarie to vs of this age amonge whom there are no small number of men which doe either not vnderstand what Christian libertie is or else if they knowe it do foulie abuse it thereby to fulfill the lustes of the flesh I will therefore tell you who is the deliuerer that setteth vs at libertie who they are that he setteth at libertie and wherein and howe farre forth he setteth them at libertie whiche things being once knowen it wil be an easie matter to perceiue what Christian libertie is what the propertie or disposition of those is which are so set at libertie and howe farre forth they must beware from giuing office to any man and from abusing their graunted libertie There is none other deliuerer promised giuen and preached vnto vs than Christ Iesus the Sonne of god For he which doth deliuer other men must be himselfe frée from the
bands wherewith they are tyed that wishe loke to be set at libertie But throughout all ages there is none such to bée found in all the world nor yet in heauen but Iesus Christ alone the sonne of God who for that cause did in the Gospell say If the Sonne set you at libertie then are ye free in deede Nowe they whome the Lord deliuereth are bondslanes wherefore hée doeth deliuer them from bondage and doth incorporate them in the libertie of the sonnes of god Hée doth set all bondseruauntes at libertie excluding none but such as do by their owne default their owne vnbeléefe and disobedience exclude themselues For the comming of the sonne of God was to set all such at libertie as were entangled in bondage Therefore he doth so farre forth deliuer vs as we are bondseruaunts For bondage and libertie are one opposed and contrarie to the other so that without the consideration of the one wée cannot conceiue the meaning of the other Wherefore I thincke it best héere to speake so much of bondage as this present argument shall séeme to require First bondage is nothing else but the state or condition wherein bondseruauntes bée Nowe those that are in boÌ„dage are either bondmen borne or else made bondseruauntes The children that issue of bondseruaunts are bondslaues borne The other that are made bondseruantes are so made either by captiuitie wherevppon they take their names and are called captiues For Pomponius saith Slaues were therevppon so called because the Capitaines commaunded to sell them for monie when they were in warres taken captiues by their souldiours and so by that means to spare their liues and saue them these bondmen are in latine also called Mancipia eo quod ab hostibus manu caperentur because they were taken prisoners by the hande of their enimies Or else they are made bondslaues by the ciuil law as when a frée man aboue twentie yeares of age doeth for lucre sake suffer himselfe to bée sould for monie Bondmen therefore haue loste all libertie and doe whoalie hange vppon their maisters gouernment in whose power it lyeth to kill them if they list Nowe of bondage there are two sortes the Politique and the Spirituall The politique bondage is not by grace the preaching of the Gospell taken out of the Churche of the faithfull so that there should bee no bondmen at all or that they should not doe their duetie or not doe the seruice that of right they doe owe. For the Apostle Paule saith Let euery man walke according as he is called And so ordeine I in al Churches Art thou called being a seruaunt Care not for it But yet if thou mayest be free vse it rather And againe Seruauntes obey them that are your bodilie maisters with feare and trembling and singlenesse of hearte as vnto Christ not with eye seruice as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christe doinge the will of God from the heart with good will seruing the Lord and not men knowing that what soeuer good thinge any man doeth that shall hee receiue againe of the Lord whether hee be bond or free And in his Epistle to Timothie hée saith Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke counte their maisters worthie of all honour that the name of God and his doctrine bee not blasphemed And they which haue beleeuing masters despise them not because they are brethren but rather doe seruice for as much as they are beleeuing beloued and such as are partakers of the benefite And yet in this bondage the faithfull haue this comfort by the preaching of the Gospel that howsoeuer they bée bond in body yet they are frée in mind and soule For the Apostle againe doth say Hee that is called a bondman in the Lord is the Lords freeman Likewise hee that is called free is bond to Christ This is a comfort to the faithful in all their afflictions which knowe that their spirite is safe and frée howsoeuer their bodie is streightly imprisoned or sharpely tormented Therefore the Saincts are at their libertie although they be neuer so narrowely looked to and shutt vpp in custodie they are victorers and vanquishers howsoeuer they are bound and oppressed Finally they enioy most exquisite pleasures euen then when they are vexed with most infinite euils I knowe that the children of this world doe mocke and scoffe at these pleasures and libertie of the faithfull beléeuers as though they were méere dreames and fantasiâ—s of very fooles and asses But God doth soundly pay them home for their scoffes and mockerie not in the world to come onely but also in this preseÌ„t life while they themselues like miserable caytifes beeing in extreme captiuitie doe notwithstanding euen in that slauerie thincke themselues at libertie and in most absolute felicitie For they serue a filthie seruice in detestable slauerie making themselues bondmeÌ„ to abhominable whoredome to beastly madd drunkennesse to the wicked Mammon and to other most vile pleasures wherein they die and rott with endlesse shame and infamie But of the seruice afflictions of the Sainctes who doe euen in their afflictions enioye their libertie and reioyce in the Lord the Apostle Paule speaketh where he saith We are troubled on euery side yet are wee not made pensiue wee are in pouertie but not in extreme pouertie wee suffer persecution but are not vtterly forsaken therein wee are caste downe but wee perish not bearing about alwayes in the body the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might also appeare in our bodie And againe In all things wee doe our endeuour to shewe oure selues as doth become the ministers of Christ in much suffering in afflictions in necessities in sorrowes in stripes in imprisonmentes in seditions in labours in watchinges in fastinges in glorie and ignominie in reproches and prayses as deceiuers yet speakers of trueth as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and loe wee liue as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull and yet alwayes reioycing as poore and yet making many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges Loe héere ye sée howe the Saincces in extreme seruitude haue a chéerefull consolation and are alwayes at their libertie as is to be séene by infinite examples in the Actes of the Apostles other Ecclesiasticall histories Nowe wee come to the second part of bondage The spirituall bondage hath a certaine likenesse to the bodily seruitude For Adam by his owne fault became a bondman and wée of him are all borne bondmen Hée was once at libertie and had the Lord to bee his friend and fauourer but hée did disâ—oyallie reuolte from GOD and gost himselfe an other maister the diuell a tyraunt as cruell as maye bée who for his sinne hauing gotten power ouer him did like a mercilesse Lord miserablie handle him like a bond seruaunte Nowe wée of oure corrupte graundsire are borne corrupt and sinners and for our sinne are also vnder the diuels dominion wée are
worke and toyle There are also workemen to whome the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to paye the hire that is their due A woorke also is the thing which is made or expressed by the artificer or workeman For the Prophet Ieremie speaking of a potter saith He made a worke vpon a whéele Moreouer a woorke doth signifie an office or duetie For Paul saith do the worke meaning the office of an Euangelist And the holy Ghoste speaking in the church at Antioche saith Separate me Paule and Barnabas for the woorke whereunto I haue chosen them Furthermore the workes of the Lorde are the mightie déedes of God whereby he doeth declare his power and goodnesse vnto men and in that significatiō heauen earth and man him selfe are saide to be the workes of Gods hands Workes also are the benefites of God bestowed vppon vs men For in the Gospel he saith I haue shewed you manye good workes as if he should haue said I haue done you many good turnes There are also euil workes I meane workes of iniquitie Wherevppon some men are called woorkers of iniquitie whose déedes are the woorkes of the fleshe and of darknesse Againe there are good workes I meane sundrie vertues the fruites of faith of which sorte are iustice temperaunce charitie patience hope c. For the Lorde in the Gospell saide Let your light so shine beefore men that they may see your good workes and glorifie the father which is in heauen The Apostle saith that wee are made for good workes to walke in them Those same are called the fruites of repentance and woorkes worthie of repentance They are called the works of light and the fruites of the spirite The same are the workes of humanitie beneuolence and charitie suche are commended in Tabitha which is read to haue beene full of good works Paule saith Let vs woorke good while we haue time to all but especially to them of the houshold of faith Such a like worke of humanitie and charitie did Marie bestowe vppon Christe our Sauiour who saide She hath wrought a good worke on mee This beeing thus declared wee will nowe describe good woorkes in their colours and qualities Good workes are déedes or actions wrought of those which are regenerate by the spirite of God through faith and according to the worde of God to the glorie of God the honestie of life the profite of their neighbour This briefe description I will prosecute by partes and expounde so well as the Lorde shall giue mee grace First of all I will by proofe shewe that there is none other welspringe from whence good workes do flowe than God him selfe which is the author of all good thinges For the Prophet saith All men are lyars God alone doth speake the trueth And the Lorde in the Gospell saith None is good but God alone Good woorkes therefore must haue their beginning not of man who is a lyar and corrupt but of God him selfe the welspring of all goodnesse And God doeth by his spirite and by faith in Christe Iesus renue al men so that they being once regenerate doe no longer their owne that is the workes of the fleshe but the workes of the spirite of grace and of God him selfe For the woorkes of them that are regenerate doe growe vpp by the good spirite of God that is within them which spirite euen as the sappe giueth strength to trees to bring foorth fruite doth in like manner cause sundrie vertues to budde braunch out of vs men as the Lorde him selfe doth in the Gospell testifie saye I am the vine ye are the braunches As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine so cannot ye also vnlesse ye abide in mee Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him hee bringeth foorth much fruite for without mee ye can do nothing To the same cause is that to be referred whereas wee say that a good worke is done by faith For faith is the gift of God whereby wée laye holde on Christe throughe which wée are both iustified and quickened as the Scipture saith The iust shal liue by his faith And in another place saith Paule By faith Christe dwelleth in our heartes And againe I liue yet now not I but Christe liueth in mee And the life which now I liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who loued mee and gaue him selfe for mee Nowe he that liueth doeth the workes of life through him no doubt by whome he is quickened and he that is iustified doeth the woorkes of righteousnesse through him that iustified him that is the righteous do through Christe woorke righteousnesse and righteousenesse conteineth the whole companie of vertues So then God alone remaineth stil the onely welspring and author of good woorkes But let vs nowe see the testimonies of Scripture by which wee may euidently learne that the workes of them that be regenerate are attributed to God him selfe who by his spirite and by faith doeth woorke in the heartes of the regenerate Moses testifieth saying The Lord shall blesse thee and the Lorde thy God shal circumcise thy hearte and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte and with all thy soule that thou maist liue Lo here the cause the godly men doe rightly loue the Lorde doth procéede of the circumcision of the heart Now who I praye you doth circumcise the hearte beside the Lorde The Prophet Esaie doeth more plainly saye Thou Lorde shalt ordeine peace for euen thou haste wrought all our workes in vs. In the Gospell after Sainct Iohn our Sauiour saith He that worketh veritie commeth to the light that his workes may be seene because they are wrought by God. And againe Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him he bringeth foorth much fruite For without mee ye can do nothing Paule also to the Philippians saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him And yet againe more plainly It is God that woorketh in you both to will and to doe accordinge to the good purpose of the minde Likewise also Sainct Iames saith Euerie good giuing and euerie perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth from the father of lightes Moreouer Sainct Peter ascribing all the partes of good woorkes so God deeth saye The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glorie through Christe Iesus restore vpholde strengthen and stablishe you For wée are not able as Paule in an other place saith Of our selues to thinke any thinge as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. Therefore God alone remayneth still the onely welspring of all good workes from whome as from a spring head good works do flowe into the Sainctes as into sundry streames and chanels Yet here by the waye this muste be added that good woorkes although they doe in deede procéede from God and are in verie true and proper phrase of
the remnant and those thinges that are remaining behinde And Sainct Peter saith that Christ suffered for vs leauing behinde him an example for vs that wee might followe his trace and footesteppes Therefore the Apostle affirmeth that he by suffering fulfilled the remnaunt which was behinde After this againe they alledge the wordes of the Apostle Paul where he saith If I haue all faith so that I can remoue mountaines out of their place and yet haue not charitie I am nothing For vpon this they inferre Therefore not faith onely but also charitie yea rather charitie than faith doth iustifie But we say that Paul in this sentence doth neither denye that faith alone doth iustifie nor yet doeth attribute the iustification of the Sainctes to charitie For when we affirm that we are iustified by faith or when wée make faith the cause of iustification which thing must be by often repetition beaten into our memories wee do not vnderstand that faith as it is a vertue in vs doth worke and by the qualitie that sticketh to vs doeth merite righteousnesse in the sight of God but so often as wee make mention of faith wee vnderstande the grace of God exhibited in Christe whiche is through faith freely applyed to vs and receiued as the free gifte of God bestowed vppon vs And in that sense doeth Paule vse the name of faith when he affirmeth that faith doth iustifie But in this place of the thirteenth Chapter to the Corinthians hee doth not so take the name of faith but putteth it for the power of workinge miracles as is manifest by that which followeth where he saith So that I can remoue mountaines That faith doeth not comprehende Christe wholie but onely the power in shewing of miracles And therefore it may be sometime in an vniust man and an hypocrite as it was in Iudas Iscariot to whom the faithe of miracles profited nothing because hee was without the iustifying faith which faith is neuer without but of it selfe ingendreth charitie Againe whereas they obiect that saying out of the Gospell of Saincte Iohn Whosoeuer knoweth my commaundementes and keepeth them he it is that loueth mee and my father will loue him and we wil come to him and make our abidinge in him Therefore for the obseruation of the commaundements that is for our woorkes sake Gâ—d is ioyned to vs we againe alledge this saying of the same Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn By this wee knowe that weabide in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite But that spirit of God is a free gifte Therfore wee are ioyned to God by meere and frée grace It followeth in Iohn And wee haue seene and do testifie that the father hath sent the sonne to bee the Sauiour of the worlde Thou hearest I hope by what it is that the worlde is saued and what Christ the Sauiour of the worlde is Nowe who knoweth not that hee was sent vnto vs of the father by the méere and onely grace of God It followeth nowe howe that Grace is receiued Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God God abideth in him and he in God. But in the sixte of Iohn in steede of confesseth is put beléeueth And no merueile since out of a true faith a true confession doth arise By faith therefore are we saued and by faith are wee ioyned vnto god But letting passe these wranglers who will neuer bee without store of such sophistical shifts we do againe returne to our purposed argument to shewe you howe and in what sense life and iustification are attributed to workes They that are well exercised in the reading of the holie Scriptures that they may reconcile the places of scripture that seeme at a blushe to bee at discorde do teache that faith works in verie déede are not separated one from another For the same holie spirite which giueth faith doth therwithall also regenerate the vnderstanding and will so that the faithfull doeth ardently desire and do his indeuour in all things to doe seruice to GOD his maker Therefore for the vnseparable knott betwixt faith and good workes which alwayes kéepe company and attende vpon faith we saye that iustification is somtimes somewhat vnproperly attributed to workes which is somewhat more properly to bee attributed to faith but moste properly of all to be ascribed to Christe apprehended by faith who is in verie deede the foundation subiect of our faith I will yet assaye to make this more manifest In true faith there are two thinges to be considered Reconciliation and Obedience Reconciliation because by faith wee vnderstande and verily beléeue that God is reconciled to vs for Christe his sake by whome wee are adopted into the number of the sonnes of god And Obedience because they that are reconciled doe wholie yelde them selues to him to whome they bee reconciled with carnest desire and zeale to doe his will and pleasure So then wee saye that faith is of two sortes the iustifying and the obeying faith Of the iustifying faith Sainct Paul maketh mention where he saith Beeing iustified by saith we haue peace toward God through the Lorde Iesus Christe by whome wee are reconciled Againe hee maketh mention of the obeying faith where hee saith Knowe yee not that to whome yee giue your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruauntes ye are to whome ye do obey whether it bee of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousenesse that is to saye which obedience maketh you to doe the thinges that are righteous and to bee the seruauntes of righteousenesse which shall turne to you to eternall life and not the seruauntes of sinne which turneth vnto death Nowe therefore iustification is properly attributed to the reconciling righteousenesse through Christe Iesus and is improperly ascribed to the obeying righteousenesse or righteousenesse of obedience For the obeying righteousenesse is of the reconciling and without the reconciling righteousnesse obedience shoulde not bee called righteousenesse To which this also is to bee added that they which are iustified doe not put any confidence in this obedience as that which is alwayes spotted in this worlde by reason of our fleash To this also agreeth this other explication which I will here annexe The moste proper woorke of faith is purification and sanctification For Sainct Peter doeth expressely saye that by faith our heartes are purified But in sanctification the holie scriptures doe shewe to be two especiall thinges Firste that all the faithfull are fréely purified by the bloud of Christe Iesus For againe the same S. Peter saith Ye knowe that you are redeemed not with transitorie thinges as golde and siluer but with the precious bloud of Christe as of an vnspotted Lambe Sainct Paule saith Ye are sanctified by the will of God through the oblation of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made For with that one oblation he made them perfecte for euer whiche are sanctified Sainct Iohn also saith The bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God doth cleanse vs
God did alwayes deale iustly with him and man contrarily dealt too too vniustly and was vtterly vnthankfull howesoeuer men will go about to cloake or not to heare of his vnthankfull stubbornnesse But whereas wee saye that man was made fall-able wee will not haue it to bee so vnderstoode that anye man shoulde thincke that there was in Adam any one iotte or pricke of infirmitie before his fall For as hee was in all poyntes moste absolutely perfect so was hee in no poynt created so fraile that he shoulde sinne or perish by death For God which is one in substaunce and thrée in persons saide Let vs make man in our image after our owne likenesse Note here that Zaelaem doeth signifie the picture or counterfaite of an other thinge and that Demuth importeth the verie patterne whereby any picture is drawen or image portrayed Therefore in God is the example or patterne to the resemblance whereof there was a picture or similitude framed But that representing likenesse cannot be this bodie of ours For God is a spirite in no poynt like to the nature of dust and ashed wee must of necessitie therefore resemble the image of God to spirituall thinges as to immortalitie trueth iustice and holinesse For so hath the Apostle Paule taught vs where he saith Bee ye renued in the spirite of your mind and put on that newe man which after God is shapen in righteousenesse and holinesse of trueth Wherefore there was no want in our graundefather Adam of any thing that was auailable to absolute perfectnesse so that euen a blinde man may perceiue that man was not created to death and destruction but vnto life felicitie and absolute blessednesse But say they God did foreknow the fall of man which if he would he coulde haue withstood nowe since he could and would not God is to bee blamed because Adam sinned It is a goodly matter in déede when all feare of God beeing layde aside men wil at their pleasure fall flatly on railing against the maiestie of God allmightie I aunswered in the beeginning of this discourse to this obiection And yet this I adde here more ouer that vppon Gods foreknowledge there followech no necessitie so that Adam did of necessitie sinne because God did foreknowe that he would sinne A prudent father doth foresée by some vntowarde tokens that his sonne will one daye come to an ill ending Neither is he deceiued in his foresight for he is slaine being taken in adulterie But he is not therefore slaine because his father foresawe that hee woulde be slaine but because he was an adulterer And therefore Saincte Ambrose or whosoeuer it is that was author of the seconde booke De gentium vocatione Chap. 4. speaking of the murther whiche Cain committed saith God verily did foreknowe to what ende the furie of that mad man would come And yet because Gods foreknowledge could not bee deceiued it doth not thereupon followe that necessitie of sinning did vrge the crime vppon him c. And Sainct Augustine De libero arbitrio Lib. 3. Cap. 4. saith As thou by thy memorie doest not compell those things to be done that are gone and past so God by his foreknowledge doth not compell those things to be done which are to come And as thou remembrest some thinges that thou hast done and yet hast not done all thinges which thou remembrest so God foreknoweth al things which he doth and yet doeth not all which he foreknoweth But God is a iust reuenger of that whereof he is no euil author And so forth Like vnto this is an other obiection which they make that saye God did before all beginninges determine with him selfe to deliuer mankinde from bondage therefore it could not otherwise be but that we should firste be intangled in bondage therefore it behoued vs to be drowned in sinne that by that meanes the glorie of God might shine more clearely as the Apostle said Where sinne was plentious there was Grace more plentious But it is meruaile that these cauillers do no better consider that God of him self without vs is sufficient to him selfe vnto absolute blessednesse and moste perfecte felicitie and that his glorie could as it doth of it selfe reache aboue all heauens althoughe there had neuer béene any creature brought into light Is not GOD without beginning but we his creatures had a beginning God is glorious from before all beginninges therefore he is glorious without vs and his glorie woulde be as greate as it is though we were not But what dullarde is so foolishe as to thinke that that eternall light of God doeth drawe any brightnesse of glorie at oure darkenesse or out of the stinking dungeon of our sinne and wickednesse Should Gods glorie be no glorie if it were not for our sinns The wise man in Ecclesiasticus saith Saye not thou it is the Lordes faulte that I haue sinned for thou shalt not do the thing that God hateth Saye not thou he hath caused mee to doe wronge for hee hath no neede of the sinner Or for the wicked are not néedefull vnto him God hateth all abhomination of errour and they that woorship God will loue none such Why therefore doe wee not chaunge our manner of reasoning and so consider of the matter as it is in verie déede God of his eternall goodnesse and liberalitie whereby hee wisheth him selfe to bee parted among vs all to oure felicitie did from euerlastinge determine to create man to his owne similitude and likenesse but for because hee did foresée that he woulde fall headlonge into a filthie and miserable bondage hee did therefore by the same his grace and goodnesse ordeine a deliuerer to bringe vs out of thraldome to the ende that so hee might communicate him selfe vnto vs that wee might praise his gratious fauour and render thankes to his fatherly goodnesse And so whatsoeuer wee men haue sinned and turned to our owne destruction that same doeth God conuert againe to our commoditie and saluation euen as he is read to haue done in the case of Ioseph and his brethren which is as it were a certeine type of spirituall thinges and cases of saluation And wee must wholie endeuour our selues to doe what wee maye in reasoning of this argument so to turne it that all glorie maye bee giuen to God alone and to vs nothing else but silence in the sight of God. Nowe last of all there are yet behinde some places of Scripture which must by the waye be runne through and expounded The Apostle verily saith God gaue them vpp to a reprobate sense But this kinde of giuing ouer is as Augustine also saith a woorke of iudgement and iustice For they were woorthie to bee giuen vpp vnto a reprobate sense The cause is prefixed in the woordes of the Apostle For God had made him selfe manifest vnto them but they were not onelye vnthanckefull towardes him but waxed wise also in theire owne conceiptes and went about to obtrude vnto him I wot
time present Is it not farre better in such extreme times of calamitie to committ such a fault as by repentaunce may bee forgiuen than to doe such a sinne whereby no time is left to repent in This haue I said because of those wilfull men and women whiche to auoyde not others but their owne sinne least perhapps vnder an others luste they should consent to their owne being stirred vpp doe thincke that they ought to ridd themselues from it by shortening their liues But farre bee it from a Christian minde which trusteth in our God and with a settled hope doeth staye on him as on his surestayde Farre bee it I say from such a minde to yeeld to any pleasures of the fleshe vnto the consenting to filthinesse But if the concupiscentiall disobedience whiche dwelleth yet in our mortal members is against the lawe of our will stirred vp or moued by a lawe of her owne how much rather is it without blame in the body of him that consenteth not if it be without blame in the bodie of him that sleepeth Thus much out of Augustine Nowe doe wée returne to our purpose againe To proceede therefore they diuide actuall sinnes into hidden or priuate and into manifest or publique sinnes Those hidden sinnes are not such as are hidd from men béeing knowen to none but God alone of which sorte is hypocrisiâ— the deprauation of mans disposition but such as are not vtterly without witnesses althoughe they bée not openly knowen and made manifest to all men For on the other side the manifest and publique sinnes are committed with the knowledge and offence of the whole Church And these verilie are of both the greater those the lighter because they touche the church and pâ—ocure the offence of many men Touching which the Apostle speaketh in the fift Chapter of his first Epistle to Timothie But the most vulgar and apte distinction of actuall sinne whiche doeth in a manner conteine in it selfe all the other kinds and parts thereof is that wherein it is called either mortall or veniall sinne They thincke that mortal sinne is euerie sinne which is committed of an vnfaithfull person And that veniall sinne is euerie sinne that is done of a faithfull man I doe simplie and according to the Scriptures suppose that all the sinnes of men are mortall For they are done against the lawe or will of god But death is due to sinnes For the Prophete cryeth The soule that sinneth shal die it selfe And the Apostle sayeth The reward of sinne is death Yea and deadly sinnes doe take the name of death To this nowe doe belong these testimonies of the Apostle This yee knowe that euerie fornicatour or vncleane person or couetous person whiche is a worshipper of Idols hath none inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and God. The same sentence béeing againe rehearsed in the fifâ—e to the Ephesians is againe to bee founde in the fifte to the Galathians and the fifte and sixt Chapiters of the first to the Corinthians But the sinnes whiche are of their owne nature mortall are thoroughe grace in the faith of Iesus Christ made veniall béecause they are thoroughe Christ forgiuen by Gods great fauour and mercie And therefore the Apostle in the sixte Chapiter to the Romans did not saye Let not sinne bee in your mortall bodie But Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that yee should obey to it thoroughe the lustes thereof And againe There is therfore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite And againe Brethren wee are debters not to the flesh to walke after the flesh For if ye liue after the flesh ye shall die But if by the spirite ye shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe ye shall liue Therefore there is sinne in our bodie alwayes so long as wee liue but by Grace it is not imputed vnto death and they to whome it is not imputed doe by all meanes indeuour to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh and yet they do verie often times slip and fall which falles and slippings neuerthelesse together with that infirmitie of mortall men are counted sinnes I meane sinnes pardonable and not to be punished eternally Nowe to mortall sinnes is that sinne especially to be referred which is called the sinne against the holie Ghost which some do not without a cause suppose to bee moste properly called mortal sinne Of which I will speake when first I haue somewhat briefly aunswered to certeine questions that do depend vppon this argument Firste of all here is demaunded whether y sinne or disease which after baptisme remaineth in infants be sinne in verie déede Nowe it is manifest that concupiscence remaineth in them that are baptised and that concupiscence is sinne and therfore that sinne remaineth in them that are baptised which sinne notwithstanding is through the Grace of God in the merite of Iesus Christ not imputed vnto them So did Sainct Augustine resolue this knott in the first booke De Peccatorum meritis remissione Cap. 39. where he saith In infants verily it is so wrought by the Grace of God through the baptisme of him that came in the likenesse of sinfull fleshe that the fleshe of sinne should be made voide And yet it is made voide so not that the concupiscence which is spredd and bredd in the fleshe while it liueth shoulde of a soudeine bee consumed vanish awaye and not bee but that it should not hurte him nowe being dead in whome it was euen at his birth For it is not giuen in baptisme to them of more yeres that the lawe of sinne which is in their members contrarie to the lawe of their minde should vtterly be extinguished and not bee at all but that all the euill whatsoeuer is faide done or thought of man when with his captiue mind he serued that concupiscence should be vtterly wiped out and so reputed as thoughe it neuer had beene done Thus much hath Augustine Another question is whether those workes that the Gentiles doe which haue a shewe of vertue and goodnesse are sinnes or else good woorkes It is assuredly true that God euen among the Gentiles also had his electe Nowe so many such as were among them were not without the holie Ghoste and faith Therefore their workes which were wrought by faith were good workes and not sinnes For in the Actes of the Apostles mention is made that the prayers and almes déedes of Cornelius the Centurion were had in remembraunce before god And the same Cornelius is saide to haue beene a deuout man and fearing God wherevppon I inferre that hee was faithfull whose faith afterward is made fully perfect and vppon whome the gift of the holie Ghoste is more plentiously bestowed Moreouer the worthie déedes of the heathens are not to be despised nor vtterly contemned For as they were not altogether done without God so did they much auaile to the preseruing and restoring
of the tranquillitie of kingdomes and common weales And therefore did the most iust Lorde inriche certeine excellent men and common weales with many and ample temporall giftes For vppon the Gréekes and many Romane Princes he bestowed riches victories and aboundant glorie And verily ciuil iustice and publique tranquillitie was in great estimation among manye of them Other receiued infinite rewards beecause they did constantly and manfully execute the iuste iudgements of God vppon the wicked rebelles and enimies to god Neither is it to be doubted but that the Lorde graunted that inuincible power to the Romane empire vnder Octauius Augustus and other Romane Princes to the ende that by their strength he might breake and bringe downe the inuincible malice of the Iewish people and so by the Romanes reuenge the bloud of his sonne his holie Prophets and blessed Apostles which had béen shed by those furious and blasphemous beastes Note here that immediately after the subuersioÌ„ of Hierusalem the Romane Empire beganne to decline Nowe let vs returne to the matter againe Lastly they do demaund whether the good woorkes of the Sainctes and faithful ones be sinnes or no Verily if thou respectest our corruption infirmitie then all our woorkes are sinnes because they be the workes of vs which are our selues not without filthie spottes and therefore the works which bee wrought by vs cannot bee so perfect as otherwise they ought to be in the sight of god And yet the verie same workes for the faithes sake in vs and because wee are receiued into the Grace of God and that therefore they are wrought of vs which are nowe by Grace the sonnes of God bothe are in déede and also called good For to this ende tendeth that saying of the Apostle With the minde the same I or euen I doe serue the lawe of God but with the fleshe the lawe of sinne Lo here one and the same Apostle euen being regenerate doth reteine in him selfe two sundrye dispositions so that his verie woorke working in diuers respectes is bothe sinne and a good worke also For in as much as in mynd he serueth God so farre foorth he doeth a good woorke but in so muche as hee againe did serue the lawe of the fleshe therein his woorke is not without a spott For hee him selfe a little before in the same seuenth Chapter saide I finde when I woulde do good that euill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saye is present with by and in mee which euill vndoubtedly making alwayes a shewe of it selfe in all our woordes workes and thoughtes doeth cause that the worke which is done of vs when we are regenerate cannot bee so pure as Gods iustice doeth looke that it should be by the Grace therefore and the mercie of God it is reputed and estéemed as pure Here vnto now doth that sentence of oure Lorde in the Gospell after Sainct Iohn belong where he saith Hee that is washed hath no neede saue to washe his feete but hee is cleane euery whitt For if hee bee cleane euery whitt what néede hath the cleane to washe his féete But if the féete must be washed howe then is hee cleane euery whitt And yet these sayings are not repugnant betwixt them selues euen as also that saying is not where wee saye that good woorkes are sinnes For according to the plentifullnesse and imputation of Gods grace and mercie wee are cleane euerye whitt being thoroughly purged from all our sinnes so that they shall not condemne vs And yet for because there is alwayes in vs the lawe of sinne whiche sheweth it selfe in vs so long as wee liue therefore our féete that is those euill motions naughtie lustes of oures muste be resisted and to our power repressed finallie wee must acknowledge that we our selues and our verie workes are neuer with oute an imperfection and therefore consequently that all our workes and we do stande in néede of the grace of god These questions beeinge thus resolued wee are nowe come to expounde the sinne againste the holye Ghoste The sinne againste the holy ghoste is a perpetual blaspheminge of the reuealed and knowen trueth to witte when we against our conscience falsely reuolting from the knowen trueth do without intermission both inueigh and rayle againste it For blasphemy is the euill spéech or despightfull tantes wherewith we inueighe against or slaunder any man by casting forth wicked and detestable speeches againste him whereby his credite and estimation is either crackte or vtterly disgraced Wée dâ—e therefore blaspheme the magistrates our elders and other good men when wee doe not onelye withdrawe oure obedience and the honour due vnto them but doe also with reprocheful wordes bayte them not ceassing to call them tyrauntes bloudsuckers wicked headds and odible guides but wee doe especially blaspheme God when we detracte his glorie gaynsaye his grace and of set purpose doe stubbornly contemne and dispraise his truth reuealed vnto vs and his euidente worckes declared to all the world Euerie sinne verilie is not blasphemie but all blasphemie is sinne For beecause it tendeth againste God and his will it is sinne but therewithall this propertie more and singularitie it hath that it dothe also despise God and speake reprochfullie againste his workes Many doe sinne againste the doctrine of the trueth because they doe either neglecte and not receyue the trueth or else because when they haue receiued it they doe not reuerence and set it foorth but these kinde of men thoughe they bee sinners doe not yet deserue to be called blasphemers but if they beginne once with tauntes and quippes to mocke the doctrine whiche they neglect calling it Hereticall Schismaticall Seditious and Diuellishe then maye they rightely bée termed blasphemers Wherefore the propertie of the sinne againste the holie Ghoste is not onely to reuolte from the truthe but also againste all conscience to speake againste the trueth and with floutes incessauntly to ouerwhelme bothe the verie woorke and moste euidente reuelation of the Lorde For the conscience being by the euidence of the reuelation or woorke of the holie Ghoste conuinced suggesteth or telleth them that they ought not onely to temper them selues from reprochfull speeches but that they oughte to doe an other thing too that is that they oughte to yéelde to the truthe and giue to God his due honour and glorie But nowe to exclude this inspiration of the holy spirite to reiecte and ouerwhelme it with stubborne falshood flatt apostacie wicked contradiction and perpetuall contempt is flatly to committ sinne against the holie Ghoste And this verily taketh beginning of originall sinne and is nourished and set forwarde by diuellish suggestions our peruerse affections by indignation enuie hope or feare by stubborne and selfewilfull malice and lastly by contumacie rebellion But nowe the course of the matter requireth to heare what the Lorde saide in the Gospell concerning this sinne In the twelfth of Matthewe he saith Euery sinne and blasphemie shal be forgiuen vnto men but
ioye and alwayes bringeth gladnesse with it The tydings are that there is borne the Sauiour of the worlde euen the Lorde Iesus Christ he is borne and that too vnto and for vs that is to the health and saluation of vs mortall men Sainct Paule saith That the Gospel was promised afore of GOD by the prophets in the holie Scripture of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleshe who hath been declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirite that sanctifieth by his resurrection from the dead And againe The Gospell is the preaching of Iesus Christe according to the reuelatioÌ„ which hath beene kept cloase from before beginninges but is nowe made manifeste and by the writinges of the prophâ—ts opened to all nations vnto the obedience of faith according to the apointment of the eternall God. And yet againe more briefely he saith The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all that do beleeue that is to saye the Gospell is the preaching of Gods power by whiche all they are saued that do beléeue But Christe is the power of god For he is saide to be the arme the glorie the vertue brightnesse of the father Now Christ bringeth saluation to euery one that doth beléeue For hee is the Sauiour of all Of all this wee doe nowe gather this definition of the holie Gospell the Gospell is the heauenly preaching of Gods grace to vs warde wherein it is declared to all the worlde being set in the wrath and indignation of God that God the father of heauen is pleased in his onely begotten sonne oure Lord Christ Iesus whome as he promised of olde to the holy fathers hee hath nowe in these latter times exhibited to vs and in him hath giuen vs all things belonging to a blessed life and eternal saluation as hee that for vs men was incarnate dead raysed from the dead againe was taken vp into heauen and is made our onely Lorde and Sauiour vppon condition y we acknowledging our sinnes do soundly and surely beléeue in him This definition I confesse is somewhat with the longest but yet withall I woulde haue you thinke that the matter which is in this definition described is it selfe verie large and ample which I haue therefore in this long definition or description with as greate light as I coulde endeuoured my selfe to make manifest to all men Wherefore I neither could nor shoulde haue expressed it more briefely This definition consisteth of iust partes which being once seuerally expounded and throughly opened euery man I hope shal euidently perceiue the nature causes effects and whatsoeuer else is good to bee knowen concerning the Gospell First of all that the Gospell is tydinges come from heauen and not begonne on earth that doeth moste of all argue because God our heauenly father did him selfe firste preach that tydings to our miserable parentes after their fall in Paradise promising his sonne who being incarnate should crushe the Serpents head Then againe the Apostle Paule doth in expresse wordes saye God in time past at sundrie times and in diuerse manners spake vnto the fathers by the Prophets and hath in these laste dayes spoken to vs by his sonne And Iohn before him is read to haue testified saying No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him And againe He that commeth from an high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that commeth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth To this belongeth that the Prophets were beléeued to haue prophecied by the inspiration of the holie spirite Nowe they did in the holie Scriptures foreshewe the Gospell the especiall or chiefe poyntes whereof were by Angels descending from heauen declared vnto men For the incarnation of the sonne of God is by the Archangel Gabriel tolde first to the holie virgine and after that againe to Ioseph the supposed father of Christ and tutour of the vnspotted virgin The same Angel did preache to the shéepeheardes the birth of the sonne of god Moreouer to the women that came to the graue mynding after their countrie manner to annoynct the bodie of the Lord the Angels declared that hee was risen from the dead againe The same Angels at the Lordes ascension did testifie to the Apostles whose eyes were turned and surely fixed into the clouds that he was taken vpp into heauen that from thence hee shoulde come againe to iudge the quick and the dead And to all these testimonies may bee added the voice of the eternall father him selfe vttered from heauen vppon our Lorde and Sauiour saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am pleased heare him Which testimonie of the father the blessed Apostle Peter doth in the zeale of the Spirite repeate in the firste Chapter of his seconde Epistle Therefore the preaching of the Gospell is a diuine spéech vnreproueable and brought downe from heauen which whosoeuer beleeue they do beléeue the worde of the eternall God and they that beléeue it not do despise and reiecte the woorde of god For it ceasseth not to bee the worde of God because it is preached by the ministerie of men For of the Apostles we do read that the Lord did saye It is not ye that speake but the spirite of my father which is within you And therefore we read that they departed not from Hierusalem vntill they were first instructed from aboue and had receiued the holie Ghost Neither is there any cause why the worde of God should be tyed to the Apostles onely as though after the Apostles no man did preache the word of god For our Lorde in Saincte Iohns Gospell doth plainly saye Verily I saye vnto you hee that receiueth whome soeuer I sende receiueth mee and he that receiueth mee receiueth him that sent mee Nowe our Lorde the highe priest and chiefe byshop of his catholique church doeth sende not Apostles only but al them also that are lawfully called and doe bring the worde of Christ Therefore we vnderstand it to be spoken concerning all the lawfull ministers of the churche where the Lorde doeth saye Whose sinnes soeuer ye forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes soeuer ye reteine they are reteined And againe whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be loosed in heauen whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth shal be bound in heauen For in an other place the Lorde saith Verily I saye vnto you it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement than for that citie that receiueth you not heareth not your sayings Nowe who knoweth not with howe filthie horrible sinne the men of Sodome did defile them selues and that the Lorde rayned fire brimstone and pitche froÌ„ heauen wherewith he burnt vp both the citie and her inhabitants Who therefore cannot gather therevppon that rebels
true Temple the true highe priest the true altar of incense and burnte offeringes euen Christe Iesus the Lord and Sauiour they haue the true worshippe whiche was of olde prefigured onelye in those externall Ceremonies As I haue alreadie declared vnto you in that place where I handled the Iewishe Ceremonies The Gentiles are out of euerie quarter of the world called vnto Christe Iesu All the promises touching the calling of the Gentiles haue béene hetherto most aboundantly fulfilled and are euen at this day Nowe are wee the chosen flocke according to the doctrine of Saincte Peter We are the royall priesthood an holie nation a peculiar people being called hereunto that wee should preach the power of him which hath called vs out of darckenesse into his meruailous light Therefore let the vnhappie Iewes vnlesse perhappes they had rather to bee intangled in greater errours to bée vexed dailye with endelesse calamities and so at laste perishe eternally turne vnto Christ by faith and together with vs beginne to worshippe him in whome their fathers hoped and in whome alone is life and saluation For that I may with the Apostles woords conclude this place GOD is made manifest in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene to the Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeued in the world and receiued in glorie And euerie one that beleeueth him shal liue eternallie and neuer be confounded Wée haue nowe behinde the last part to expounde the contents whereof are that God the father who before was angrie with the world is pleased nowe in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ oure lord First of all therefore I haue to shewe you that God was angrie with the world whiche is no hard matter to proue For God is angrie at sinnes But the whole world is subiecte to sinne therefore it must of necessitie be that the most iust God is mightilie angrie with all the world And Paule sayeth The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse vnrighteousnesse of men Againe the same Apostle sayeth that all men are subiecte vnto sinne for confirmation whereof hee citeth these sentences of the holy Scriptures saying There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God They are all gone out of the way they are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues for to deceiue the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing bitternesse their feete are swift to shedd bloud Hartes greefe and miserie are in their wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of God before their eyes Nowe least the Israelites should aunsweare that these thinges doe not perteine to the people of GOD but to the heathen and vngodly alone hee addeth Wee knowe that whatsoeuer the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them which are vnder the lawe that euerie mouth may bee stopped and that all the world may bee endaungered to God. No man is here excepted For to the Galathians the same Apostle sayeth Hee hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that hee may haue mercie on all It followeth therefore that all the world was subiect to the wrath or indignation of the most iuste and righteous God as is at large proued in the second fourth and fifte Chapiters to the Ephesians But the heauenly father is appeased or recōciled to this wicked world thorough the onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christe And this I hope I shall aboundantly proue by the onely testimonie of God himselfe For the father by sending downe a voyce from heauen vnto the earth vppon Christe first ascending newely out of the water after his baptisme and then againe at his transfiguration in the sighte of his disciples did significantly saye This is my beloued sonne in whom I am delighted pleased or reconciled heare him This testimonie is read to haue béene foreshewed in the 42. Chapiters of Esaies Prophecie And Peter the Apostle repeateth the same in the first cap. of his second Epistle Paule also did as it were expound this and saye It pleased the father that in the Sonne should dwell all fulnesse and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe since he hath sett at peace thoroughe the bloud of the Crosse by him both the thinges in earth and the thinges in heauen In heauen is God and wée men heere vppon earth Nowe Christe is the mediatour which goeth betwixte vs and reconcileth vs vnto his father so that nowe we are the beloued of the father in his beloued sonne For in the Epistle to the Ephesians the same Apostle sayth He hath made vs accepted in the beloued in whom wee haue redemption thorough his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace All this shall be more fully vnderstood by that which followeth For nowe I must proue that God the father hath in his sonne giuen vs al things that are necessarie to a happie life and eternal saluation I name héere two thinges a happie life and euerlasting saluation By a happie life I vnderstand a holy and godly life whiche wee liue and lead quietly and honestly in this present world Eternall saluation is that felicitie of the life to come whiche wée with assured hope doe verilie looke for Nowe we haue in Christ a most absolute doctrine of a happie life taught vs by the Gospel wherein also wée doe comprehend the example of Christ his owne trade of life Verily our heauenly father hath made him oure teacher in saying Heare him And he himselfe in the Gospel after Sainct Matthewe sayeth Bee ye not called maisters for ye haue one master euen Christ who in the Gospel after S. Iohn is called The light of the world In an other place also he testifieth that his doctrine is conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherevppon it commeth that hee referreth his disciples to the diligent reading of the holy scriptures Touching which Scriptures Paule the teacher of the Gentiles and the vniuersall Church of Christ doth say All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte instructed in all good workes Wherefore althoughe the whole world bee madd and that the obstinate defenders of the traditions rather than the Scriptures do whet their téeth for anger yet maugre their heades the word of the Apostle shal abide most firme wherein he testifieth that the doctrine of the scriptures otherwise called the Christian doctrine is in all pointes most absolute and thoroughly perfecte Touching whiche matter because I haue alreadie spoken in the first Sermons of the first Decade I am therfore here a great deale the briefer Nowe concerning the eternall saluation fully purchased for vs by Christe thus ye must thincke Eternall saluation is the séeing and enioying of the eternall God and so consequently an
the bottome of his heart And yet it was not the crowing of the cocke of it selfe alone that stirred that motion in him but that and the woord of Christe together who had said vnto him Verilie I saye vnto thee the cocke shall not crowe till thou hast denied mee thrice Wherevppon S. Matt. sayeth And Peter remembred the wordes of the Lord which had sayed vnto him Before the cock crowe thou shalt denie me thrice c. With these also is ioyned a more secrete touching of Peters mind For the good Lord touched the heart of Peter as the Euangeliste testifieth saying And the Lord turning himselfe about loked vpon Peter That loking back of the Lord made Peters hart to melt and drue it from the destruction wherinto it was about to fall Therefore if our cares be pierced with the woord of God and oure heartes touched with his holie spirite then shall wee like true penitents vnfeignedly reuerence dread the Lord. And therewithall being humbled before the most iust holy God whom we with our sinnes do so much offend and prouoke to wrath indignation we confesse his iudgment to be iust against vs and fréely acknowledge all the sinns and iniquities that in the word of God are obiected against vs crying out and saying with the Prophetes Thou verily O Lord art righteous thou art true thy iudgements iust but wee are most vnrighteous lyers wicked and wholie ouerwhelmed with detestable iniquities There is nothing sound or sincere within vs All that wee haue is corrupt and miserable Wee haue sinned wee haue beene wicked wee haue done vniustly wee haue forsaken thee Wee haue gainesaid thy seruants the Prophets we haue not obeyed the words of thy mouth To thee therefore O God doeth righteousnes belong and to vs wretches shame and confusion This humiliation frée confession of sinnes doth God require of penitent sinners touching which I wil hereafter speake somewhat more For now I returne more fully to expound the feare of the Lord. At this present I speake of the syncere feare of God for we confesse that the feare of God is of two sorts sincere and vnsincere The sincere feare of God is perceiued in the faithful and is a godly reuerence consisting in the loue and honour of god For the Prophete bringeth in God saying The sonne honoureth the father and the seruaunt the maister Therefore if I be a father where is my honour If a Lord where is my feare And Paule sayeth Ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage againe vnto feare but ye haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which we crie Abba father Therefore the sincere feare of God in them that doe repent is not the seruile dread of punishment but a carefull studie mixt with the loue and honour of god An honest wife feareth her husband and a gratious daughter feareth her father yet ech of them doeth therewithall loue the one her father the other her husband and doeth with an holy loue indeuour herselfe to kéepe his fauour feare least at any time she should do any thing to loose it And therefore penitents do not only feare because they knowe being taught by the spirite of God that they haue committed sinnes for which they haue deserued to be forsaken of the Lord but doe also loue him as their merciful father and are therefore sorie with all their heartes for their sinnes committed and doe aboue al thinges most ardently require to be reconciled againe to their mercifull GOD and louing father For with this sincere feare of God is ioyned the griefe or sorrowe which is conceiued by the spirite of God for our sinnes that we commit S. Paule maketh mention of two sortes of sorrowes The sorrowe that is to God-ward sayeth he doth bring forth repentaunce not to be repented of but contrarilie the sorrowe of the world bringeth death The king and Prophete Dauid sorrowed to Godward when he cried Thine arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand doth presse me soare There is no whole part in my flesh because of thy displeasure there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sinne And so forward as is to be séene in the 38. Psalme Whiche althoughe it were written of his gréeuous disease or sickenesse doth yet notwithstanding as it were in a shadowe shew vs the great griefe that is in the Saincts for offending their good and gratious father with their continuall sinnes To Godward was the sinnful woman sorie in S. Luke who falling prostrate at the Lords héeles did washe his féete with teares and wyped them with her haire To God-ward was S. Peter sorie and wept as we read ful bitterly for his offēce The godly are greatly greued because they doe so oftentimes offend so fouly so good a God and gratious father No woordes I thincke can possiblie expresse the griefe and sorrowe that they conceiue But the Prophete Ieremie describing the contrarie affection of impenitent sinners doeth saye Doe men fall so that they maye not rise againe Doeth any man go so astray that he may not turne againe Howe doth it happen then that this people of Hierusalem is turned away so stubbornely I gaue eare and hearkened they spake not rightly there was none that did repent him of his wickednesse to say what haue I done Euerie one of them turned to his owne course like a fierce horse headlong to the batteile The worldly griefe is the sorrowe of such men as knowe not God are without faith the true loue of God yea of such as yéeld vnder the burthen of sorrowe aduersities verie sinnes Like to this also in a maner is the cōsideration of the vnsincere feare of god For the wicked with their head the diuel do feare God not as a father whome they are sorie to offend and to whome they desire to be reconciled as to a father but as a tormentour béecause they knowe that he wil reuenge their euill déedes And therefore with Iudas they runne to the roape There is in them no loue of God no honour no goodwill no reuerence but meere hatred horrour and vtter desperation But such feare the Apostle and Euangeliste Iohn denied to bee in charitie saying that perfect charitie casteth out all feare I meane not that feare of the Lord that is the beginning of wisedome but that of which I haue spoken all this while the feare I meane that is in the diuel and wicked men his members And nowe by this we gather that vnto penitentes faith in God and the merite of Christ is most of all and especially néedeful In which sense it is I thincke that many haue made faith a part of repentaunce which as I do not greatly denie so yet doe I sée that S. Paul made as it were a difference betwixte faith and repentance when in the 20. of the Actes hee sayeth that hee witnessed both to the Iewes and Gentiles the repentaunce that is toward GOD and the faith in
mediatour the Lord Christ Iesus wee doe by faith laye hold on him by whome wee being acquited from all oure sinnes are reputed of God for righteous and holy This benefite whosoeuer doe sincerely acknowledge they cannot choose but hate sinne and mortifie the old man I would therfore now add other members belōging to this treatise of repētaunce to witt the mortification of the old man and the renuing of the spirite were it not that the very matter it selfe doth require to haue somewhat said touching the confession of sinnes and satisfaction for the same For some there are that when they speake of Repentaunce doe speake somethings contrarie to the trueth To the ende therefore dearely beloued that ye bée not ignoraunt what to thinke of these pointes according to the trueth I will not sticke to stay somewhile in the exposition of the same And I hope ye shall out of my woordes gather such fruite as ye shall not hereafter repent your selues of To confesse or a Confession is in the holy Scriptures diuersely vsed For it signifieth to praise the Lord and to giue him thanckes for the benefites that wée receiue at his hands And therefore Confession is put for praise and thanckesgiuing For the Prophete sayeth O praise the Lord for hee is good and his mercie endureth for euer Paule in his Epistle to Titus speaking of hypocrites sayeth In woordes they confesse that they knowe God but in their deedes they denie him Heere to confesse doeth signifie to say to professe or to boast In an other place it is taken for to trust to staye vppon Gods goodnesse and to testifie that confidence as well by woords as déedes And in that sense did Sainct Iohn vse it in the fourth Chapiter of his first Epistle and Paule in the 10. to the Romanes Moreouer to confesse is to giue glorie to God and fréely to acknowledge thy sinne and the iudgement whiche is obiected to thée for thy sinne Solomon in the twentie eighth Chapiter of his Prouerbes sayeth Whosoeuer hideth his iniquities or doth as it were defend them nothing shall goe well with him but whoso confesseth forsaketh them to him shal be shewed mercie The Hebrue tongue vseth the woord Iadah for that which wée call to confesse Nowe Iadah signifieth to let slacke or loose as when a bowe once bended is vnbended againe And Modeh which commeth of Iadah is as if one should say confessing yéelding or graunting to be vāquished For God accuseth vs and pleadeth vs guiltie of sinne indaungered to punishment whiche our flesh doth presently acknowledge but yet standeth stiffe like a bended bowe vntill at length when that stiffenesse is vnbended it doeth acknowledge euery thing that God obiecteth against vs This acknowledging is called Modeh that is a confession And we Germanes say Es hat gelassen Er hat geschnellt when we meane that any thing hath yéelded or that a man hath at last confessed that whiche hee did afore either flattly denie or else dissemble But nowe confession of sinnes is of more sortes than one For the one is diuine the other humane I wil first speake of the diuine confession then of the humane Wee call that diuine whereof there be euident testimonies or examples in the holy Scriptures whiche is instituted by God himselfe That is a frée acknowledging flatt confession of the sinne which God obiecteth against vs whereby we doe attribute all glorie to God and to oure selues shame and confusion therewithall doe craue pardon of God and of our neighbour against whome wée haue sinned Now sinne is obiected to vs by God himselfe who outwardly by the word or the ministerie of men and sometime by signes wonders and inwardly by the secrete operation of his holy spirit doth plead vs guiltie of sinne and indaungered to punishment requiring of vs a frée and voluntarie confession of our sinnes For he liketh of a frée and voluntarie not a feigned or extorted confession Truly the citizens of Hierusalem and people of the Iewishe religion did of their owne accord come to the baptisme of Iohn confessing their sinnes whiche Iohn in his preaching had obiected against them And after the Ascension of Christ into heauen Sainct Peter accused the sinnes of the Iewes and immediately vppon the accusation it followeth in the historie When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and said to Peter and the other Apostles Men brethren what shal we doe and so forth as followeth in the second of the Actes Likewise also the kéeper of the prison at Philippos féeling the earthquake sprang out and being instructed with the Apostles wordes confessed his sinnes and was baptised And the men of Ephesus whiche were giuen to Magicall arts when they heard the calamitie which the diuel brought vppon the sonnes of Sceua their fellowes and practisers in Magicke and sorcerie did feare exceedingly and came and did confesse their sinnes Vpon these causes for the most part doeth the confession of sinnes especially arise Againe of the confession instituted by God there are two sortes whereof the one is made to God the other to our neighbour That which is made to god is either priuate or publique We do then make oure confession to God priuately when we disburden our harts before God open the secretes of oure heartes to him alone and in acknowledging the sinnes that are in vs doe earnestly beséech him to haue mercie vppon vs This confession is necessarie to the obteyning of pardon for our sinnes For vnlesse wée doe acknowledge oure owne corruption and vnrighteousnesse we shall neuer by true fayth lay hold on Christ by whome alone we are to be iustified But heere wee thincke not that penitentes must hasten to any other confessour to confesse their sinnes vnto but vnto God alone For he alone doth forgiue and blot out the offences of penitents Hée is the Physician to whome alone wée must discouer and open our wounds Hée it is that is offended with vs and therefore of him wee must desire forgiuenesse and reconciliation Hée alone doeth looke into our heartes and search oure reines to him alone therefore we must disclose our heartes Hée alone calleth sinners vnto him let vs therefore make haste vnto him prostrate our selues before him confesse our faultes vnto him and craue pardon for them of him This confession if it be made of a zealous minde to Godward although it cannot be made by word of mouth by reason of sonie impedimēt or want of the tongue is notwithstanding acceptable to God who doth not so much respecte the mouth as the minde of man On the other side if wee make confession with the mouth and in hart are not thoroughly bent to the same although wee make that confession to God or the high priest yet doth not the Lord regard so vaine a confession Concerning that true confession to God I haue alreadie spoken whereas in the definition of Repentaunce I said that penitentes doe acknowledge their sinnes
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâ—ues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌ„dize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ„ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ„ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
hee is not regenerate and is yet without the true light of Gods moste holie Spirite For in another place the Apostle saith We are not able to thinke any good as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And therefore it is that wée do so often in the Scriptures finde mention of Inlightening or I lumination which shoulde without cause be expressed or named if so bee mannes vnderstanding were cleare of it selfe not darke and mistie There is therefore borne togeather with all men a blindenesse of heart mynde a doubting in the promises of God and an vnbeléefe and peruerse iudgement in all heauenly thinges For albeit that man hath at Gods hand receiued vnderstanding yet by reason of his owne corruption ignoraunce is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging vnto him For he is then in his kingdome when he is blynd when he doth erre when he doth doubte when hee doth not beléeue nor vse the gifts that God hath giuen him rightly as hee should that is to his owne saluation and the glorie of his maker Let vs nowe sée what the will of the olde man is able to doe Therefore since this will doeth followe a blynde guide God wote that is to say corrupt affection it is vnknowen to no man what foolishe choyce it maketh and wherevnto it tendeth And although the vnderstanding bee neuer so true and good yet is the will like to a shippe tossed to fro with stormie tempestes that is of affections For it walloweth vpp and downe with hope feare lust sorrowe and anger so that it chooseth and followeth nothing but euil For the holie Apostle speakinge of him selfe doth saye I knowe that in mee that is in my fleash there dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good For the good that I woulde doe I not but the euill which I woulde not that do I. But nowe since the Apostle spake this of him selfe when he was regenerate what I praye you shall wee saye of the will of the olde man The olde man willeth all thinges whiche God willeth not and breakinge into all kinde of wickednesse doeth foulie fulfill his filthie lustes that is to say hee giueth his members seruauntes vnto vncleannesse and wickednesse from one iniquitie vnto another We haue of this verie many examples exhibited vnto vs bothe by the holie Scriptures and daily experience Let vs nowe against this oppose or set the newe man that is the man which is regenerate by the spirite of GOD through the faith of Iesus Christe Nowe regeneration is the renuing of the man by which through the faith of Iesus Christe we whiche were the sonnes of Adam and of wrath are borne againe the sonnes of God and do therefore putt off the olde man and put on the new which bothe in vnderstanding and wil doeth fréely serue the Lorde This regeneration is the renuing of the minde not of the bodie as we hearde in an other place out of the thirde Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospell The author of this regeneration is the holie Ghost which is from heauen giuen vnto man I meane to a faithfull man For the gifte of the holie Ghoste is giuen for Christe his sake and that too vnto none but those that do beléeue in Christe This spirite of God doeth testifie with our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God and therefore the heires of his kingdome Wee are therefore a newe creature repayred nowe according to the image of GOD and indued with a newe nature or disposition whereby it commeth to passe that wee doe dayly put off that olde man and putt on the newe whiche thinge is done when we walk not in concupiscence after the Carnall inclination of the fleshe but in newenesse of sense according to the woorkinge of the holie Ghoste by whome wee are regenerate The same substaunce forme of the bodie abideth still the minde is chaunged the vnderstanding and wil renued For by the spirite of God the vnderstandinge is illuminated faith and the vnderstanding of God and heauenly thinges is plentiousely bestowed and by it vnbeleefe and ignoraunce that is the darkenesse of the olde man are vtterly expelled according to that saying of the Apostle Through Christe ye are made riche in all thinges in all speeche knowledge Againe Wee haue not receiued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of GOD to knowe what thinges are giuen of Christe to vs. And againe We haue or know the spirite or mynde of Christ And againe ye haue no néede that any man teache you but as the verie annoynting doth instruct you of all thinges and is true abide ye in it And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receiue an heauenly vertue to do the good whiche the vnderstandinge perceiued by the holie Ghoste so that it willeth chooseth and woorketh the good that the Lorde hath shewed it and on the other side nilleth hateth and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it For Paule saith I knowe to be humble and I knowe to exceede I can doe all thinges through Christ who strengtheneth mee And againe to the Philippians he saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him And againe yet he doeth more plainly say It is God that worketh in you bothe to will and to performe according to the good purpose of the minde But now note this that what soeuer they doe whiche are regenerate by the spirit of God they doo it fréely not by compulsion nor against their willes For like as God requireth a cheerefull giuer so where the spirit of the Lord is there is frée libertie and hartie goodwil And Zacharie the Father of Iohn Baptist saide That we beeing deliuered from the handes of our enimyes might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life Yea and our Lorde him selfe in the Gospel saith If ye abide in my sayings ye shal be my Disciples in deede and ye shall know the trueth and the trueth shall make you free And againe If the sonne set you at libertie or make you free then shall ye be free in deede Touching this libertie of the sonnes of GOD I haue alreadie discoursed in the ninthe Sermon of my first Decade This libertie of the sonnes of God wée doe willingly acknowledge and fréely confesse but the arrogant disputations of some blasphemous praters concerning frée will as thoughe it were in our power of our selues to doe any heauenly thing wee doe vtterly reiecte and flatly denye And yet wee doe not make man subiecte to fatall necessitie nor turne vppon GOD the blame of iniquitie As we haue else-where more at large declared And S. Augustine in his controuersie with the Pelagians did so attemper his disputation that hee attributed the good to the Grace of God and the euill vnto our nature so that
excommunication the secular power hath nowe by the space of 30. yeares and more beene called on and persecution hath beene euery where raysed vpp against guiltlesse Christians not for committing heynous crimes and defending naughtinesse but for inueighing against mischiefes and mischiefous men and for requiring the reformation of the Church and yet euen at this day most cruell edicts are out and crueltie is exercised euery day more more against them that confesse the name of Christ yea such is their impudencie brasen-faced boldnesse they dissemble not that the counsell if any must be celebrated shall be called for the rooting out of heresies yea they doe openly professe that the counsell once held at Trent was to this end assembled Nowe since these things more clearely than the sunne are perceiued to be most true thou shalt most holy kinge doe wisely and religiously if without looking for the determination of a generall counsell thou shalt proceed to reforme the Churches in thy kingdome according to the rule of the bookes of both testaments which we do rightly beleeue being written by the inspiration of the holy Ghost to be the very word of God. But nowe that it is lawfull for euery Christian Church much more for euery notable Christian kingdome without the aduise of the Church of Rome and the members therof in matters of religion depraued by them wholie to make are formation according to the rule of Gods most holy word it is therby manifest because Christians are the congregation the Church or subiects of their king Christ to whome they owe by all meanes most absolute and perfect obedience Now the Lord gaue his Church a charge of reformation he commended vnto it the sound doctrine of the Gospell together with the lawfull vse of his holy Sacraments he also condemned all false doctrine that I meane that is contrarie to the Gospell he damned the abuse and prophanation of the Sacraments and deliuered to vs the true worship of God proscribed the false therefore Christians obeying the Lawes commaundements of their Prince do vtterly remoue or take away all superstition and do restore establish and preserue the true religion according to the manner that Christ their Prince appointed them He verilie is a foole or a mad man which sayeth that the Church of Christ hath none authoritie to correcte such errours vicces and abuses as do daily creepe into it And yet the Romish tyrannie hath so bewitched the eyes of many men that they thincke that they cannot lawfully doe any thinge but what it pleaseth Rome to giue them leaue to doe The Ecclesiasticall histories make mention of prouinciall Synods held in sondrie prouinces wherein there were handled matters of faith and the reformation of the Churches and yet no mention once made of the bishop of Rome What may be thought of that moreouer that in certeine Synodes not heretical but orthodoxasticall and Catholique thou mayest finde some that were excommunicated for appealing from their owne Churches vnto the Church of Rome Sainct Cyprian writing to Cornelius the bishop of Rome doth say Since that it is ordeined by vs all that it is iust and right that euery mans cause should be heard there where the crime is committed that to euery seueral pastour is appointed a portion of the flocke which euery one must gouerne make accompt of his doings before the Lord it is expedient verilie that those ouer whome we haue the charge should not gad to and fro by that meanes with their subtile and deceiptfull petulancie to make the concord of bishops to be at iarre but to pleade their causes there where they maye haue their accusers present and witnesses of their crime committed But letting passe the testimonies of men we do now come to the testimonies in the booke of god The most holy king Iosias most godly Prince may alone in this case teach you what to do and how to do with the warrant authoritie of God himselfe He by the diligent reading of the holy booke of God and by the contemplation of things present and the manner of worshipping God that then was vsed did vnderstand that his auncestours did greatly very farre erre from the plaine and simple truth for which cause he calleth together the princes and other estates of his kingdome together with all the priestes to hold and celebrate a counsell with them In that counsell he standeth not long disputing whether the examples of the elders ought rather to be followed or Gods commuandement simplie receiued whether he ought rather to beleeue the Church or the Scripture and whether all the iudgement of religion ought to be referred to the high priest For laying abroade the booke of the Lawe he submitteth both himselfe and all his vnto the Sacred Scripture Out of the booke of the Lawe both he him selfe doth learne biddeth all his to learne what thinge it is that pleaseth God namely that which was commuanded and learned in the reading of the Lawe of god And presently hee gaue charge that all men should doe and execute that not hauing any regard to the auncient custome or to the Church that was at that time he made all subiecte to the word of god Which deede of his is so commended that next after Dauid hee is preferred before all the kinges of Iuda and Israel Nowe your royall Maiestie cannot followe any better or safer counsell than this cōsidering that it proceedeth from God and that it is most fit for the cause which is euen nowe in hand The disputation is of the Reformation of Religion and the true fayth of Christ You know that that doth spring from heauen namely that it is taught by the word of God and powred into our hartes by the holy Ghost For Paul sayth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Therefore as true fayth is not grounded vppon the word of man so is it not taught or planted by the same For in an other place the same Apostle sayth My preaching was not in the enticing words of mans wisedome but in the shewing of the spirite and of power that your faith might not be in the wisedome of man but in the power of God. Not without good cause therefore doe we refuse the traditions of men and turne onely to the doctrine of the word of the Lord without which it is assuredly certeine that there is no doctrine nor any foundation of true fayth Neither are they worthie to be heard who thincke that the Canonicall Scriptures are not plaine enough full enoughe or sufficient enough to minister a perfect platforme of reformation They blaspheme the spirite of God imputing vnto it obscurenesse imperfection which faultes no prophane writer can well abide to heare off Sainct Paule in defence of the trueth sayth All Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousnesse that
pleased But one and the same cānot be both Father and Sonne vnto himselfe the father is one and the sonne is one yet not diuers thinges but one and the same God of one and the same nature For the sonne in one place doth most plainely say I the father are one Moreouer what could bee more clearely spoken for the proofe of the expresse distinction and properties of the thrée persons in the reuerend Trinitie than that where the Archangel Gabriel in s Luke declaring the sacrament of the Lords incarnation doth euidently saye vnto the virgin the mother of God The holy Ghoste shall come vppon thee the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee Therfore also that holy thing that shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God. What I pray you could haue possibly béene inuented of purpose to bee more manifestly spokē for the proofe of this matter than these woordes of the Angel Thou hast héere the person of the highest that is of the father For in the woordes of the Angel a little afore it is said He shal be great and shall bee called the sonne of the highest Now the sonne is the sonne of the father Wée haue also the persons of the sonne and of the holy Ghost expressed with their properties neither mingled nor confounded The father is not incarnate nor yet the holy Ghoste but the Sonne To the father is borne of the virgin a Sonne euen he that was the sonne by the eternall and vnspeakeable maner of begetting But the holy Ghost whiche is the power of the most highest did ouershadowe the virgin and made her with childe And so by this meanes thou mayest sée héere the persons distinguished not diuided howe they differ in properties not in Essence of dietie or in nature Héere nowe although these places mighte séeme to suffice any reasonable man I wil yet add other testimonies of the holy Apostles that too of thrée the most excellent among all the Apostles S. Peter preaching the word of the Gospell before the Church of Israel as Luke testiffeth in the Actes of the Apostles doeth amonge other thinges say This Iesus hath God raised vpp and exalted him to his right hand and hee hauing receiued of the father the promise of the holy Ghost hath shedd forth this which ye nowe see and heare Loe God the father raiseth vpp and doeth exalte the Sonne The Sonne is raised vpp exalted and sitteth at the right hande of the father And the Sonne receiuing of the Father the holy Ghoste doth bestowe it vppon the Apostles Therefore the spirite procéedeth from the Father and the Sonne subsisting in his owne person but being one and the same spirite of them both Moreouer in the Sermon made at Caesarea in the congregation of the Gentiles that is in the house familie of Cornelius the Centurion the same Apostle doeth as plainely expresse the person of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost knitteth the Trinitie together into one Essence of the Diuine Nature Sainct Paule in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans sayth that he was appointed to preach the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his Prophetes in the holy Scriptures of his Sonne whiche was made of the seede of Dauid after the flesh and hath beene declared to bee the sonne of God with power after the Spirite that sanctifieth Againe to the Galathians he sayth God sent his sonne made of a woman that wee by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirite of his Sonne into your heartes crying Abba father And againe to Titus hee sayeth God according to his mercie hath saued vs by the founteine of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost which hee shedd on vs richly thorough Iesus Christ our Sauiour Therfore S. Cyril speaking very truly of the Apostle Paule Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 45. doeth say That holy man did rightly know the enumeration of the sacred Trinitie and therefore he teacheth that euery person doth properly and distinctly subsist and yet hee preacheth openly the immutable self-same-nesse of the Trinitie Cōcerning whiche matter if any man would gather together and reckon vpp all the testimonies that Paule hath for the proofe of it he must of necessitie recite all his Epistles The blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn doeth more strongly and euidently than the other affirme and sett forth the mysterie of the Trinitie and distinction of the persons as well in his Euangelicall historie as in his Epistle Amonge many this one at this time shal be sufficient In his Canonicall Epistle he sayeth Who is a lyar but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christe The same is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Sonne Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the father Therfore let that abide in you which ye haue herd from the beginning And presently after he saith againe Ye need not that any mā teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things and it is true and not lying In these wordes ye heare the Father ye heare the Sonne ye heare the annoynting that is the holy Ghost The father is not the Sonne the Sonne is not the Father neither is the holy Ghoste the Father or the Sonne but the Father is the Father of the Sonne the Sonne is the Sonne of the Father and the holy Ghost procéedeth from them both And yet those persons are so ioyned and vnited that he which denieth one of them hath in him none of them Yea whosoeuer denieth this Trinitie is pronounced to be Antichrist For he denieth God which is one in Trinitie and thrée in vnitie and so consequently confounding or taking awaye the properties of God hee denieth God to bée such a one as he is in very déede Nowe I suppose that these so many and so manifest testimonies do suffice the Godly For they beleeue the Scriptures do not ouer curiously prie into the Maiestie of God being cōtent with those things alone wherein it hath pleased God of his goodnesse to appeare and shine to vs mortall men Some thereare which doe their indeuour by certeine parables or similitudes to shadowe this matter that is to say to shew howe the thrée persons are said to bee distinguished and yet notwithstanding to be one god But in all the thinges that God hath made as I did admonishe you in the beginning of this treatise there is nothing whiche can properly be likened to the nature of God neither are there any words in the mouthes of men that can properly be spoken of it neither are there any similitudes of mans inuention that can rightly and squarely agrée with the diuine Essence And. S. Basile disputing De Ousia Hypostasi sayeth It cannot be that the comparisons of examples should in all points be like to those things to the vse wherof the examples
immediately vppon Christe his death and ascension For after the same manner that I haue hetherto declared vnto you euen from the beginning of the world did all the holy Patriarchs Prophets and electe people of GOD beléeue and ground their faith Although I denie not but that the mysterie of the Trinitie was more cléerely expounded to the world by Christe yet is it euident by some vndoubted testimonies whiche I will adde anon that the mysterie of the Trinitie was very well knowen vnto the Patriarchs the Prophets but first by the way I will admonishe you that the holy Patriarchs and prophets of GOD did hold themselues content with the bare reuelation and woord of GOD not raysinge curious questions about the Vnitie and Trinitie of God. They did clearely vnderstand that there is one God the father of all the onely sauiour and authour of all goodnesse and that without or beside him there is none other God at all And they againe did euidently sée that the Sonne of GOD that promised séed hath all thinges common with the father for they did most plainely heare that hée is called the Sauiour and is the redéemer from whome all good thinges do procéede and are bestowed vppon the faithfull whereby nowe it was easte for them to gather that the father and the sonne are one God althoughe they differ in properties For in so much as they were assuredly certeine that the damnable doctrine of the pluralitie of Gods did spring from the diuel they did not worship many but one God whome notwithstanding they did beléeue to consist of a Trinitie of persons For Moses the vndoubted seruant of God in the very first verse of his first booke sayeth In the beginning Creauit dij God created heauen and earth Hee ioyneth héere a Verbe of the singular number to a Noune of the plurall number not to make incongruitie of speach but to note the mysterie of the Trinitie For the sense is as if hée should haue said That GOD which doeth consiste of thrée persons created heauen and earth For a litle after God consulting with him selfe about the making of man doeth say Let vs make man in our Image Loe héere he sayth Let vs make and not Let me make or I wil make And againe hee sayeth In our Image and not In my Image But least any man should thinke that this consultation was had with the Angels let him heare what God him selfe doeth say in Esaye I the Lord sayeth he make all thinges and stretch out the heauens alone of my selfe that is of mine owne power without any help or fellowe with mée and set the earth fast Therefore the Father consulted with the Sonne by whome also hee created the world And againe least any man should thincke as the Iewes obiecte that these things were after the order and custome of men spoken of God in the plurall number for honours sake and worshipp thou mayest heare what followeth in the end of the third Chapter Behold this man is become as one of vs in knowing good and euill Now heere by Enallage hee putteth these wordes Is become for Shall become or Shall happen so that his meaning is as if he should haue said Behold the same shall happen to Adam that shall come to one of vs that is to the Sonne to witt that hee should haue triall of good and euill that is that hee should féele sundrie fortunes namely sickenesse calamities and death and as the prouerb is should féele both swéete and sowre For that is the lot or condition of man But the Sonne being incarnate for vs not the Father nor the holy Ghost was found in shape as a man and had triall of sundrie fortunes of death whiche was foretold to Adam as it is manifest for consolations sake and not in the way of mockage For as the good Lord did with a garment strengthen the body of oure first parent against the vnseasonablenesse of the ayre when for his sinne he purposed to banishe him out of Paradise so did he comfort and chéere vpp his sorrowfull minde with a full example of the sonnes incarnation and suffering And when he had so armed him in body and soule he casteth him out of the Garden of felicitie into a carefull and miserable exile There are in euery place many examples of this matter like vnto this For Abraham sawe thrée but with them thrée he talked as with one and worshipped one And The Lord rayned vppon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone fire from the Lord out of heauen and ouerthrew those cities But least any man should interprete it and say The Lord rayned from the Lord that is from heauen he himselfe doth presently ad From heauen For as the father created all thinges by the Sonne so doth he by him preserue al things and doth euē still by him worke all things Nexte after Moses the notablest Prophete Dauid in his Psalmes doeth say By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hostes of them by the breath of his mouth So heere thou hearest that there is one Lord in whome is the woord and the spirite both distinguished but not separated For the Lord made the heauens but by the Word the whole furniture of heauen doth stand by the Breath of the mouth of the lord The same Dauid sayeth The Lord sayd to my Lord sitt thou on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Note that in an other place the same Dauid doth flatly saye that beside the Lord there is none other And yet héere againe he doeth as plainely saye The Lord said to my Lord meaning the father who had placed the sonne whiche was Dauids Lord at his right hand in heauē Out of Esaie may be gathered very many testimonies But the notablest of all the rest is that whiche Matthewe the Apostle citeth in these words Behold my sonne whome I haue chosen my beloued in whome my soule is pleased I will put my spirite vpon him c. With this agréeth that whiche Luke citeth saying The spirite of the Lord vppon me because hee hath annoynted mee to preache the Gospell to the poore hath hee sent mee c. In these testimonies heere thou hast the father the sonne and the holy Ghost A fewe out of many For I do not couet to turne ouer the whole scriptures of the old testament So then this faith wherewith wée doe beléeue in God the father y sonne and the holy Ghoste we haue receiued of God himselfe being deliuered vnto vs by the Prophetes Patriarchs but most euidently of all declared by the sonne of God him selfe oure Lord Iesus Christe and his holy Apostles wherevppon nowe we doe easilie gather wherfore it is that all the sincere bishops or ministers of the Churches together with the whole Church of Christe haue euer since the Apostles time with so firme a cōsent mainteyned and had this faith in honour It were
be called vppon For that God only is the searcher of heartes cōprehended in no place but present euery where and omnipotent Solomon in these words doth testifie Behold the heauens and the heauen of heauens are not able to conteine thee how much more vnable than is this house that I haue built Thou therfore shalt heare in heauen in the place of thy habitatiō or in thy dwelling place and shalt haue mercie For thou only knowest the heartes of the sonnes of men Thou shalt doe and giue to euery one according to al his wayes which knowest his very hart As for the heauenly patrons as these men cal them they do neyther know the thoughtes of men neither is their power spred throughout the heauen the earth and the seas neither do they know althings or yet are euery wher present or be omnipotent For if it were so with them they shoulde be transformed changed into a diuine nature should ceasse any more to be creatures but althogh by Christ they inioy euerlasting blessednes yet notwithstanding they remain creatures stil neither do they knowe al things neyther are almighty therfore are they at no hand to be called vpō In one prick moment of time truly innumerable thousands of mortal mē offer vp their vowes and make their petitions so that he verily which heareth must at a pinche and in a very moment not at sundry seasons or degrées of time know be able to doe all things yea and in a moment also reache out his helping hande vnto all Which as no creature though neuer so excellēt can do so the only God that knoweth al is omnipotent can do all things and therefore only alone is to be called vpon I wot well what the defenders of heauenly patrones or Saints obiect against that which I haue spoken to wit that they of their owne nature do neither sée nor yet heare what is done of vs vpon the earth but in the face of God as in a most lightsome looking glasse to sée all thinges what so euer God vouchsafeth to reueale to them and that so they haue an vnder-knowledge of all our affaires also helpe vs But this imagination or forgerie in all points doutfull can be proued by no authoritie out of the holy scriptures But touching the celestiall Saints the scripture doth rather affirme the flat contrarie For in Isaie the people of god cry out Thou O God art our father though Abrahā be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not yet thou O Lorde art our father and our redeemer If than the patriarchs so studious and careful for their people knew not what they did which of the Saints I pray you shal we graunt or point out that knoweth what we do that intermedleth with the affaires of the liuing True doutlesse is y that the holy Psalme soūdeth Bicause my father and my mother haue lefte or forsaken me the Lord hath taken me vp If our parents forsake and leaue vs how I pray you can they tel or do they care how it fareth with vs Let that suffice vs wherw t Dauid held himself throughly cōtent saying The lord hath takē charge ouer me We reade y Iosias was trāslated out of this life into an other to the end he shuld not sée the mischiefes or plagues and punishments which the Lord determined to bring vpon the Israelitish people for their most wicked naughtie life The blessed souls therfore enioy the sight of god therby participate light and endlesse ioy or gladnesse they knowe none of our affaires neither is it néedefull they should knowe them considering that the Lorde alone hath all things in his gouernement Nowe is that also most certeine that inuocation springeth from faith as the fruit from the roote For Paul vsing that saying of the Prophete Who so euer calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be safe doth by and by adde But howe shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued Sée howe the Apostle bringeth in one vppon an other He is not called vppon who is not beléeued Wherefore in whom we beléeue vpon him we doe also call But in God onely and alone we do beléeue therefore on him onely do we call For where so euer true faith is there likewise is the gift of the holie Ghost For the Apostle sayth If any haue not the spirite of Christe this man is none of his And againe You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba father They therefore that are indued with a true beliefe in God call vpon God whome they doe acknowledge and confesse to be the onely father of all Neyther might so much as the lest part in that solemne forme and order of inuocation deliuered vnto vs by the sonne of God be attributed by any meanes vnto Patrones or Saintes The onely God therefore is to be called vpon The hart of sinfull man trembleth and quaketh to approche neare vnto so greate a maiestie For who may séeme worthy in him selfe to appeare and come before the presence of the most holy the most iust and the moste terrible God Here therefore some supply and make vp the matter with the patronship or intercession of celestiall Saintes by whose mediation and making way before vs passage lyeth open for vs vnto God. But this they bringe foorthe without the warrant of the scripture The scripture hath layde before vs a law as it were of calling vpon god thervnto hath annexed most ample or large promises so the commaundement doth set foorth vnto vs by and through whome we shoulde call vpon God adding therevnto a most excellent promise and opening vnto vs through Christe Iesus onely a ready way to the Father For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth Verily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shal aske the father in my name hee shall giue it you Hetherto you haue not asked any thing in my name Aske and ye shall receiue that your ioy may bee perfect or full And Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name I will doe it that the father may bee glorified by the sonne If you shall aske any thing in my name I will doe it What could be spoken more fully and clearly than these words Christe biddeth vs by or in his name to call vpon god the father and promiseth that he will giue the faithfull what so euer they aske in Christ his name Who doubteth now any whit at all of the truth constancie of him which promiseth What néed we therfore hencefoorth the intercession of Saintes Of calling vpon them or of comming to God by their mediation we haue no testimonie of scripture we haue no promise Wherevnto I adde that he contemneth the commaundement and precept of God who so euer seeketh by any other than by Christe and his intercession to come to the father
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heauēly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a mā can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokē more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whō also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse cōmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned thē with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
omnipotent must be present with all men in all places The sonne of God therfore is true and verie God bycause he is the Messias Furthermore what is more manifest and lesse called in controuersie than that God only forgiueth sinnes It must needes be therefore that nothing is more euident and lesse doutfull than that we beléeue Christ to be true and verie God bycause He is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Againe whereas Paule truly calleth Christ Our hope for Esay foretolde In him shal the Gentiles trust And wheras Ieremie cryeth Curssed be the man that putteth his trust in man but blessed is the man that putteth his truste in GOD we muste necessarily confesse that Christe is god For in Iohn he oftentimes repeateth Verily I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlasting life I coulde bring innumerable examples of this kynd out of the scriptures which witnesse that the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christe is of one and the selfe same nature with the father and therefore is verie God of verie God but I trust that to holie hearers and not giuen to contention those whiche I haue alreadie cited will suffice It remaineth that we declare vnto you that the sonne of God was incarnate for vs and was borne verie man of the Virgine Marie consubstantiall or of the selfe same substaunce with vs in all pointes sinne excepted The Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles shewe vnto vs most manifest arguments of the true flesh or humanitie of the sonne of god For in the lawe the Lorde saith The seede of the woman shall crushe the serpents head But who knoweth not that the heade of the serpent is the kingdome force or power of the diuell And that Iesus Christe brake this power the whole scripture doth witnesse And here he is called the séede of the woman And truely he is called séed to verifie his true humane nature and he is termed the séede of the woman not of the man bycause of his conception by the holy Ghoste and his byrthe of the Virgine Marie And bicause she was the daughter of Dauid of Abraham and Adam it followeth that the sonne of Marie was verie man For as we haue heard it sayd to Adam The seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents heade so also we read that the same promise was renued and repeated to Abrahā in these wordes In thy seede shall al the nations of the world be blessed And Paule to the Galat. manifestly sayth that this séede of Abrahā wherin we haue obteined blessing is Christ Iesus The same Apostle sayth For in no sorte tooke he the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham By Angels doubtlesse excluding all manner of spirituall substaunces by the séede of Abraham vnderstanding the verie substance it selfe of the fleshe of man. For he addeth Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren And bicause they be partakers of flesh and bloud he also him selfe likewise tooke part with them of the same Verily the Scripture draweth the lineall descent of Christe most diligently from the loynes of Abraham vnto Iacob and frō him againe to Iudas and from him in like sort to Dauid To him againe the promises of the incarnation of the sonne of God are remied For Nathan sayth to Dauid Thus sayth the Lorde When thy dayes bee fulfilled thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers I will set vp thy seede after thee which shal procede out of thy body and will stablish his kingdome he shall build a house for my name and I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer Neyther is there any cause why any mā shuld interpret this of Solomon For he was borne while his father Dauid liued his kingdome quickely decayed But Nathan speaketh of a sonne which should be borne to Dauid after his death When thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers sayth he I wil set vp thy seede after thee And what maner of séede this should be he most euidently declareth and sayth Whiche shall proceede out of thy bodie For in the 132. Psalme we reade Of the fruite of thy body will I set vpon thy seate Furthermore Marie the virgine descende lineally of the séed of Dauid of whome Christ our lorde was begotten and borne of whome the Angel speaking and expounding those olde and auncient prophecies sayth vnto the Virgine And the lord God shall giue vnto him the seate of his father Dauid and he shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be none ende Herevnto also belongeth that which Elizabeth sayth to the virgine which came out of Galilée into the hil countrie of Iuda And whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee Blessed art thou among womē and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Truly Matthewe and Luke drawe the lineall descent of Christe from the loynes as it were of Dauid euen vnto the virgine Marie whiche conceiueth by the holy Ghoste that is the holy Ghoste making her fruitfull She when the moneths were fulfiled that she shoulde bee deliuered brought foorth a sonne and he which is borne in all respectes appeareth to be true and verie man he is layde in a manger wrapped in swathling cloutes he grewe in stature and increased in yeares according to the manner of mans body he is wearied he is refreshed he is glad he is sad he is hungrie he is thirstie he eateth he drinketh he feareth to be short he dyeth Whiche the trueth of the historie of the Gospel in many words declareth Neyther is the Scripture it selfe ashamed to call Marie the mother of our Lorde not the putatiue or supposed but the true and natural mother whiche of the substaunce of her owne body gaue true fleshe and substaunce of man to the sonne of God the Angel of God so witnessing with Esaie and saying A virgine shall conceiue in her wombe and shall bring foorth a sonne Loe he sayth In her wombe And againe in Matthewe the selfe same Angel saith That which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghoste Wherevppon the Apostle vnto the Galathians sayth that The sonne of God is made of a woman to wit according to mans nature For Christe is the fruite of the body of Dauid and of the virgine Marie begotten and borne of the loynes of Dauid and Iohn also the Apostle and Euangelist saithe The worde was made fleshe and dwelt among vs. In calling God fleshe doubtlesse he calleth him verie man For the same Apostle in an other place fayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the fleshe is of God And euerie spirit which cōfesseth not that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is not of God. Therfore we fréely pronounce that Valentinus Marcion Apolles and Manichęus denying the true and very flesh
reteyneth the properties of both natures vnconfounded or vnmingled Paule vnto the Romanes manifestly sayeth that He was called to be an Apostle to preache the Gospell of GOD whiche hee had promised afore by his Prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his sonne whiche was made of the seede of Dauid according to the fleshe and declared mightilie to be the sonne of god touching the spirite of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead The Apostle therfore acknowledgeth both natures in Christe For according to the flesh sayth he Christ is the sonne of Dauid but if wee behold the power of his myracles his resurrection from the dead whiche giueth life and that Christ sendeth the holy Ghost sanctifyeth all the faithfull it appeareth that he whiche is the sonne of Dauid after the flesh is also the sonne of God according to his diuine power The same Apostle in the second chapiter to the Philippians doeth no lesse plainely and euidētly affirme both natures in Christ But because that place hath béene alreadie oftentimes alledged I passe ouer to the citing of other Sainct Augustine expounding not onely the confession of his owne faith but of the whole church in all the world which flourished in his time in his epistle to Dardanus 57. hath thus left written Doubt not that the man Christe Iesus is there nowe from whence hee shall come and haue in readie remembraunce and faithfully hould the christian confession because he roase from the dead ascended into heauen sitteth at the right hand of the father neither shall come from elsewhere than from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead and in such sort shall he come that voice of the Angel so witnessinge as hée was séene to goe into heauen that is to saye in the selfe same shape and substance of fleshe to whiche in déede hee gaue immortalitie but toke not the nature away According to this shape hee is not to be thought euerie where present For we must beware least we so fortifie y diuinitie of man that we take cleane away the trueth of his bodie For it doeth not consequently followe that that which is in GOD should so be euery where as god For the scripture whiche cannot lye sayth euen of vs that in him we liue moue and haue oure béeing howbeit we are not euery where as he is but he is after another sort man in God béecause he is also otherwise God in man after a certeine proper and singular manner For one person is God and man and both of them is one Iesus Christ euerie where in that he is God but in heauen in that he is man. And the same authour sayeth a little after Take away space of places from bodies they shal be no where and beecause they shall be no where they shal be no bodies Take the verie bodies from the qualities of the bodies and there shal be no place for them to be and therefore it must néeds be that they haue no beeing And in the end of the epistle the same Augustine sayeth Doubt not that Christ oure Lord the onely begotten sonne of God coequall with the father beeing also the sonne of man whom the father excéedeth in greatnesse both to be present euerie where as hée is God and also to be in the same temple of GOD as God dwelling there And yet to be in some certaine place of heauen according to the manner of his true body The selfe same thing the same authour as yet expoūdeth more at large in his 50. treatise vppon Iohn And Contra Faelicianum Arianum Cap. 9. 10. 11. Also in his treatise De agone Christi Cap. 24. vnto Cap. 27. To which wée will also ioyne the testimonie of the holy martyre Vigilius bishopp of Trident. For he disputing against Eutyches in the defence of both natures in Christ sayeth If the nature of the woord and flesh be one how is it that since the word is euery where y flesh also is not found euerie where For when the flesh was in earth surely it was not in heauen and because it is now in heauē surely it is not in earth and so farre is it from beeing in the earth that according to flesh wee doe looke for Christ to come from heauen whome according to the word wee beléeue to be with vs on earth Therfore acording to your opinion either the word is conteyned with his fleshe in place or else the flesh with the word is in euery place Whereas one nature receiueth not into it selfe anye thing contrarie and vnlike But it is contrarie farre vnlike to bee limitted within a place and to bee euerie where and béecause the word is in euerie place but his fleshe not in euerie place it is euident that one and the selfe same Christ is of both natures and that he is euerie where according to the nature of his Godhead and is conteined in place according to the nature of his manhood that he is both created and also without beginning that he is subiect to death and also can not die one of whiche is agréeable to him by the nature of the word whereby he is God the other by the nature of the flesh wherby the selfesame God is man Therefore one and the selfe same sonne of God being also made the sonne of man hath a beginning by the nature of the flesh and hath no beginning by the nature of his diuinitie by the nature of his fleshe hee is created and by the nature of his diuinitie hee is not created by the nature of his flesh he is limitted in place and by the nature of his diuinitie he is not conteyned in place by the nature of his flesh he is inferiour also to Angels and according to his diuinitie he is equall to the father by the nature of his fleshe hée died but by the nature of his diuinitie he died not This is the catholique faith and Christian confession which the apostles deliuered the martyrs confirmed and the faithfull euen vnto this day doe obserue and kéepe Hetherto we haue rehearsed the words of Vigilius martyre and bishopp to this end that the most notable agréement of the holy scripture of the vniuersall church and of the most Godly and learned fathers in this principle might be vnderstood wherin we confesse that the properties of both natures in Christe remaine vnconfounded Againe wée must by all meanes take héede least thorough defending and reteyning the properties of the two natures we diuide and pull asunder the vnitie of the person as though there were two Christes whereof the one should be subiect to suffering and mortall the other not subiect to suffering and immortall For there is but one and the same Christ who according to his Godhead is acknowledged immortall and mortall according to his manhoode Nestorius denied that the blessed virgin Marie was the mother of god For he said God was vnchaungeable and therefore that hee could not be borne and that
histories declare more largelie Of this King Christ the Prophets prophecying said And in mercie shal the seate be prepared and he shall sitt vpon it in trueth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and seeking iudgement and making haste vnto righteousnes And againe Beholde the time commeth saith the Lorde that I will raise vp the righteous brauÌ„che of Dauid which King shall beare rule he shall prosper with wisdome and shall set vp equitie and righteousnes againe in the earth In his time shall Iuda be saued and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name that they shall call him The Lorde our righteousnesse And because our Lord is a king therefore be must néeds haue a kingdome As well the realme dominion subiecte to a kinge is called a kingdoÌ„e as principalitie empire power maÌ„ner of gouernment it selfe Therefore the church the communion or fellowship of saints béeing obedient subiect to their king Christe is called the kingdoÌ„e of god For Micheas saith And the Lord shall reigne ouer them in mount Sion therfore Sion which signifieth the church is the kingdome of god And god is said to reigne when in the church he ruleth gouerneth kéepeth defendeth those that be his and indueth and maketh theÌ„ fruitful with diuerse graces For Paule saith The kingdome of God is not meate and drink but righteousnes peace ioy in the holy ghost Moreouer the kingdome of god is that eternall glorie felicitie which God dâ—eth communicate to his elect For the Lord saith in the gospel Comeye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome which is prepared for you froÌ„ the beginning of the world And the théefe euen at point of death making his praâ—er to the Lord who was redy to dye on the crosse desiring to bee â—artaker of this kingdoÌ„e saith Lord remember me when thou coÌ„mest into thy kingdome â–ª Againe since y gospel teacheth vs how God reigneth in vs in this world in time to translate vs vnto him self into that other that is since the gospell is that thing by which the Lord reareth vp his dominion it is not vnaduisedly called of Matthew in his 13. cap. the kingdome of god In another place for the same cause it is called the word of the kingdome To be short we at this preseÌ„t by the kingdome of God vnderstand the coÌ„gregation of saints it self the catholique church I meane and the power or administratioÌ„ of God reigning therein that is preseruing gouerning glorifying the same And this kingdome of god is verily but only one for ther is but one God only one king Christ only one church â— life â—uerlasting But his one kingdome of god according to he dispensation 〈…〉 two wayes First acording to y omâ—ipotencie of god For he 〈◊〉 he iâ— the highest omnipotent hath executeth ouer all creatures visible inuisible â—oste iust rule and equall powerâ— nill they or will they be obedient Secondly according to his spirits whereby he reigneth in his elect And so y kingdoÌ„e of God is againe two waies coÌ„sidered For either it is earthly is called the kingdome of grace or else it is heauenlye and is called the kingdome of glorie The earthly kingdome of grace is not therefore called earthly as though it were carnall earthly like the kingdome of Babylon Persia Alexander or Rome but because it is on earth For a good parte of the holie churche of God is conuersant on this earth beeing partaker of flesh bloud while it â—â—eth on the earth though it liue not an earthly life according to the â—â—esh For acording to the spirit whereby it is ruled it liueth a heauenly life Not that the partakers of the kingdome of God sinne not For the iust man falleth riseth seuen times in a day Whervpon it is also called the kingdome of grace For as long as we liue in this world our King Lord neuer denyeth his grace mercie to vs that craue pardon And the faithfull doe wholie hange vppon the grace of their king they embrace continuall repentance and endeuor theÌ„ selues to things of more perfectnesse For they frame all that they do according to the lawes of their king prince For he reigneth in his elect by the worde of truth and by the holie ghost By the word of truethe hee teacheth what the Saintes should doe and what they should auoide By his holie spirit he moueth their hartes and giueth strength to 〈◊〉 euill and followe that is good For truely our king reigneth not so much for him self as for vs For he maketh vs also kinges that we béeing deliuered from the diuell damnation sinne and the curse may be Lords ouer the diuel damnation sinne and the cursse yea ouer all thinges and ioynâ—t-heires with the sonne of God him self For these causes the kingdoÌ„e of God is called a spirituall kingdoÌ„e For the partakers of the kingdome of God indued with the spirite of God doe bring foorth the fruites of the spirit not the works of the flesh and to be short are gouerned with the spirit of god Neither truelie doeth our Lorde reigne after the manner of the kinges of this worlde sayinge to Pilate My kingdome is not of this worlde Which sentence some abuse gathering y there is no ouâ—ward gouernemeÌ„t in the church of God vnder whiche name they also take away the office of a Magistrate and speake so subtilely of the kingdome of God that a man cannot tell where the kingdome of God is or who be partakers of this kingdome They vnderstand nâ—t that the meaning must bee gathered vppon the occasion of that saying The Iewes accusing the Lorde before Pilate laide to his charge that he ambition flye sought after a kingdome The lord clering him self of this crime sheweth Pilate that his kingdome shal not be such a one whiche after hee had cast out Tiberius Caesar should be gotten and kepte with armes and be gouerned after the manner of this worlde declaring that he addeth If my kingdome were of this world then would my seruaunts surely fighte that I should not bee deliuered to the Iewes Therefore he inferreth But now is my kingdome not from hence therefore they fight not for me to place main the throne of the kingdome Tiberius béeing cast out And anon he saith For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the worlde that I should beare witnesse vnto the truethe and all that are of the truethe heare mye voice As therefore Christ by trueth not by lyinge deceipts and craftie practises like the Princes of this worlde prepareth him selfe a kingdome so by trueth he doeth bothe reteine gouerne his kingdome and whosoeuer imbrace trueth are partakers of Christes kingdome whether they be princes or of the coÌ„monaltie all these obey the voice of their king and serue their highest prince Héere neuerthelesse we expresly add y Kings can no
called Christ a Chrismate that is to say of annointing Kinges also and priestes were annointed he was annointed king and priest Beeing a king hee fought for vs Beeing a priest he offered himselfe for vs When he fought for vs he was as it were ouercome yet by right hee hathe ouercome in verie deede For he was crucified and on his crosse whereon he was nailed he slewe the diuell and then was hee our king But wherfore is he a priest because he hath offred himselfe for vs Let a priest haue somewhat to offer What could man finde to giue A cleane sacrifice what sacifice what cleane thing can a sinner offer O wicked sinner O vngodly wretch What so euer thou shalt bring it is vncleane Seeke within thy selfe what to offer thou shalt find nothing Seeke out of thy selfe what to offer hee is not delighted in rammes or goates or bullockes They are all his though thou offer them not Hee found nothing cleane among men whiche he might offer for men therfore he offered himselfe a cleane offering an vndefiled sacrifice Therfore he did not offer that whiche we gaue vnto him but that which he tooke of vs and that he offered pure cleane He tooke fleshe in the wombe of the virgin that hee might offer pure and cleane flesh for vs that were vncleane He is a king he is a priest In him let vs reioyce To him be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power ¶ The eighth Sermon IT remaineth that after wee haue expounded the mysteries of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we consequētly speake of the holy Ghost and of his diuine power and operation For vnlesse he inspire our minds and rule our tongue wee shall neuer bee able worthily or profitably either to speake or heare any thing concerning him For as no man knoweth those things which are of God but the spirite of God so men fetche the vnderstanding of heauenly thinges and the knowledge of the holy ghost from no where else than from the same spirite of god Let vs therefore pray and beséech God the father that by his sonne Iesus Christe hee would vouchsafe to inlightē our darke and mystie mindes by sending this his holy spirite into our hearts and to direct vs in the sincere waye of trueth according to the holy Scriptures And first of all it séemeth not vnprofitable to expound the woord spirite because in the scripture it is diuerslie taken and very often vsed so that not séeldome times hee shall greatly erre which is ignoraunt of the force of that word Spirite properly is the signification of an element signifying aire winde breath In that signification we read this spoken of our Sauiour The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth whither it goeth And Paule saith If I pray with an vnknowen tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is made vnfruitefull Loe the Apostle vseth spirite for the breath or voice For he ioyneth it to the tongue and setteth it against the minde By a Metaphore it is translated to euery bodilesse substance and is set against the body Spirite therefore signifieth an Angel either good or badd For the Prophete whose wordes Paul hath also rehearsed sayth Which maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire And againe Are they not all ministring spirits These testimonies are vnderstoode of good Angels when the scripture speaketh of euil Angels commonly it addeth somewhat as an euill spirite or an vncleane spirite Wée call also spirites or ghostes whiche haue taken some shape that cannot well be discerned spirits So the Apostles not beléeuing that the Lord was risen againe with his true bodie when they sawe him they thought they had séene a spirite To whom shewing his féete and his handes hee sayeth A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see mee haue Againe spirite is taken for the breath of life as with the Latines to breath is to liue to leaue breathing is to die Dauid sayeth When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good When thou hydest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust And the Lord in Moses sayeth I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life The reasonable soule also of man is peculiarly called spirit in so much that spirite is verye often taken in the holy scripture for the resonable soule of man For in the Gospell thou doest read Iesus when hee had bowed downe his head gaue vp the ghost or the spirite And thou doest read of the holy martyre Stephan They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite For Solomon said before The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came the spirite shall returne vnto GOD who gaue it And sometimes spirite signifyeth the affection and motion readinesse and prouocation of the minde For Solomon sayeth A man that refraineth not his appetite or spirite is like a cittie whiche is broken downe Thou mayest oftentimes finde in the Scriptures the spirite of pride anger luste or enuie taken for a proud angrie lustfull or enuious affection Also in Luke the 13. the verie sore disease or force of sickenesse is called the spirite of infirmitie The spirite also signifieth those spirituall motions which the holie Ghost stirreth vp in the heartes of the Saincts yea and the verie gifts powred into the hearts of men by the spirite Whiche in euery place in Paule is to be séene Else-where spirite is opposed against the letter the bodie the figure the type or shadowe and is vsed for a more highe or mysticall meaning and for the very pithe of the thing as when Paule sayeth The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite not in the letter And againe The lord hath made vs able ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite giueth life Therefore thou mayst finde spirite to be taken for inspiration reuelation and doctrine For Iohn sayeth Beleeue not euerie spirite but proue the spirites whether they bee of God or not And againe Quench not the spirite despise not prophecies Last of all God is called that vnmeasurable and vnspeakeable power of the spirite God sayeth our Lord is a spirite they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in trueth By this meanes the word spirite is common to al the persons of the reuerend Trinitie howbeit it is peculiarlie applied to the third person in Trinitie of whom we make this sermon And albeit the holie Ghoste forsomuch as hee is God can be compassed within no limits for by
nations together but some into Asia some into Scythia other dispersed into other natiōs according to the dispensation of the holye Ghost whiche they had with them euen as they also heard the Lord saying I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world Herevnto doeth that also agrée Ye shal be wittnesses vnto mee euen vnto the vttermost partes of the world If therefore they being sent into the furthest parts of the earth to beare wittnesse of the Lord were seuered one from another with a very great distaunce of place and yet had present with them the holy Ghost dwelling within them whose substance is not limitable it is manifest that the power of Angels doeth farre differ from this power of the spirite For to vse an example the angel whiche was present with the Apostle when he prayed in Asia could not together at the selfe same time bee present with other whiche were abiding in other partes of the world But the holy Ghost is not onely present with men being seuered one from another but is also a continuall dweller in euerie Angel principalitie throne and dominion c. Now who cannot hereby gather that the holy Ghoste is true and very God The selfe same authour hath gathered very many argumentes of the true godhead of the holy ghost and next him the holy father Cyrill and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed vpon that matter Lib. de Trinitate 11. to Theophilus These fewe testimonies thus farre rehearsed wée thinke shal suffice those that obey and loue the trueth They that stedfastly beléeue these things are not moued with any straung opinions and questions curiouslye yea wickedly brought in about this matter by ill occupied persons For some are reported to haue denied the holy Ghost to be lord For they haue taught that he is a minister and as it were a certeine instrument of the father and the sonne But Christ oure Lord ioyned the holy ghost to himselfe and to the father when hee deliuered the fourme of baptisme For he sayth Baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghost And yet it is manifest that a creature is not ioyned to the creatour in baptisme neither that there is any seruile condition in the Godhead Therefore the counsell of Constantinople in their créede giue to the holy Ghost certaine termes whereby they might destroye certaine errours calling him lord giuer of life for when he calleth him Lord he maketh him equall to the sonne and excludeth the condition of a seruaunt or minister beside that he denieth that he is their instrument For there is one Lord there are not many Lords And the sonne is not Lord of the holy Ghoste but the Lordshipp is common to the thrée personnes whiche are onely one lord And séeing the holy Ghost is the Lord surely he is not appointed to a seruile ministerie but indued with Lordly authoritie nether is he an vnderseruaunt to doe the worke but is a ioynt worker with the father and the sonne yea and he himselfe doth worke as Lord. Againe certaine other are reported to haue taught that the holy ghost is not a substance or a person but as it were an accident that is to saye a stirring vp a prouocation or a motion of a Godly and renued minde And in very déed our minde being illuminated with the holy Ghoste is oftentimes called spirite but we must wisely distinguishe the creature from the creator and the accident from the substance The blessed Apostle distinguished our spirite from the holy spirite of God when he said As many as are ledd by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of god The spirite it selfe beareth wittnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God. And the same Apostle saith The flesh lusteth cōtrary to the spirite the spirite cōtrarie to the flesh And who vnderstandeth not that the mind of man instructed of the holy Ghost is héere called the spirite not the third person himselfe in the reuerend Trinitie And that minde as touching illumination is not of it selfe but procéedeth from the holy Ghoste illuminating it neither commeth it from any other thā from him which is the third person in Trinitie but that minde is not the very person of the holy Ghoste as imagination procéedeth from the soule and yet it is not the soule it selfe That stirring of the spirite in vs is an accident but GOD is not an accident neither is mingled with the accident We must therefore confesse according to the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is a person subsisting coequall in nature or essence with the father and the sonne and therfore to be worshipped and glorified of vs as very God and creatour againe that a godly and holy motion stirred vpp in the mindes of holy men by the spirite is the effecte and woorking of this holy spirite and is called a holy spirite but after a certeine manner proper to it Otherwise we denie not that the holy Ghoste him selfe beeing promised is communicated vnto vs but after our capacitie and as he will. For what is hée amongest men that is able to comprehende the fullnesse of the eeuerlastinge and incomprehensible GOD Furthermore touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost from the father and the sonne the Diuines haue curiously subtily and busily disputed For the question is asked whether he procéed from the father alone or from the sonne also In which question the Latinistes séeme to disagrée verye much from the Grecians The question is also asked what maner of procéeding this is Wée omitting many curious questions wil briefly declare those thinges vnto you whiche are wholsome and agréeable with the holy Scriptures For who shal be able to canuasse out al the questions of curious men and all the bould and vncleane thoughtes of idle heads without offence to good men and especially of the simple hearers That the holy Ghost procéedeth from the father and the sonne the scripture manifestly teacheth which most plainly sheweth that hee is the spirite of either or both of them For hée it is of whome the Apostle sayeth Beecause ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes And the sonne speaking of the same spirit sayeth For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you Againe the same sonne sayeth of the holy Ghost Whome I will sende vnto you from the father And againe he sayeth else where Whome the father will sende in my name Therefore hée procéedeth from both as well from the father as from the sonne For although this bee read else-where to bee spoken of the holy Ghoste Whiche proceeded from the father yet it is not denyed that he procéedeth from the substance of the sonne also But that more is Cyrill a Gréeke writer expounding the Gospell of S. Iohn and interpreting this selfe same place Lib. 10.
Cap. 33. sayeth When he had called the comforter the spirite of trueth that is to say his spirite for he is the trueth he addeth that he procéedeth from the father For as hee is the spirite of the sonne naturally in his abiding and through him procéeding so also surely is hée the spirite of the father But vnto whome the spirite is common surely they cannot by any meanes bee disseuered in substance Againe S. Augustine in his fiftéenth booke De Trinitate Cap. 26. sayeth Who may vnderstand by this that the sonne sayeth as the father hathe life in himselfe that he gaue life vnto the sonne as béeing then without life but that hee so begatt him without time that the life whiche the father gaue to the sonne in begetting him is coeternall with the life of the father which gaue it him Let him vnderstand as the father hath power in himselfe that the holy Ghoste mighte procéede from him so hath he giuen to the sonne that the same holy Ghoste maye procéede from him and both without beginning and so it is said that the holie Ghoste procéedeth from the father that that which procéedeth from the sonne might be vnderstoode to be of the father and the sonne For if the sonne haue ought he hath it of the father surely hee hath it of the father that the holy Ghoste procéedeth from him Thus farre hée By all this wée gather that the holy Ghost procéedeth as well from the father as from the sonne Nowe as concerning the manner of procéeding wée saye that the procéeding of the holie Ghoste is two-fouldor of two sortes temporall and eternall Temporall procéeding is that whereby the holie Ghoste procéedeth to sanctifie men The eternall procéeding is that whereby from euerlasting he procéedeth from god The spirite procéedeth from both partes from both of them as well from the father as the sonne Neither doeth hée procéede from the father into the sonne seuerally and from the sonne into creatures For I say the nature and substaunce of the father and the sonne is one and the self same inseparable and coeuerlasting too Temporall procéeding commonly is called a sending and gifte For the holie Ghoste is sent two manner of wayes vnto men visiblie that is to say vnder some visible fourme as of a Doue of fierie tongues as hée is read in the Gospell and in the Acts of the Apostles to haue béene giuen to Christe and the Apostles inuisibly hée is daily and as it were euerie moment giuen to the faithfull the spirite of Christe wateringe vs with his grace and giuing faith hope and charitie vnto vs. Moreouer the eternall procéeding of the holie Ghoste whereby hée procéedeth out of the substaunce of the father and the sonne is vnspeakeable as the begetting of the sonne by the father Wherevppon it is not said in the Gospel hath procéeded or shall procéede but Proceedeth for so the Lord declareth his eternitie of procéeding and that the substaunce of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is coeternall and vnseparable and nothinge at all differing Sainct Augustine in his fiftéenthe booke De Trinitate and 26. Chapiter sayeth Hee that is able to vnderstand the beegetting of the sonne by the father without time let him also vnderstand the proceeding of the holie Ghost from them both without time And if anye aske this question Since the holie Ghoste proceedeth from the substance of the father and the sonne howe commeth it to passe that hee is not called the sonne I aunsweare that the Scripture calleth the second person the sonne and testifyeth that hée is the onely begotten of the father and that the same no where maketh any mention that the holie Ghoste is begotten or that hée is called the sonne Neither haue the auncient fathers made any other aunswere to this question And I like the similitude whiche whâ—ere expressed If one streame should flowe from two springs it might wel bee saide to flowe from them both yet it could be said to be the sonne of neither of them Herevnto I shall not séeme vnfruitfully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didymus concerning sending least any should vnderstand that peruersly and according to the flesh whiche is spiritually to be interpreted by faith The holy Ghost the comforter is sent of the sonne sayeth he not according to the ministerie of Angels or Prophets or Apostles but as it becommeth the spirite of God to bee sent of the wisedome and trueth of God hauing an vnseparable nature with the selfe same wisedome and trueth For the sonn being sent of the father abiding in the father and hauing the father in himselfe is not separated nor sundered from the father And the spirite of trueth also being sent of the sonne after the manner aforesaid procéedeth from the father not from elsewhere remouing vnto other thinges For this is impossible and blasphemous likewise For if this spirite of trueth bee limitted within a certaine space according to the natures of bodies leauing one place he goeth to another but euen as the father not consisting in place is farre aboue and beyond the nature of all bodies so also the spirite of trueth is not limitted within space of place séeing he is bodilesse and as I may more truly say excelling all and euerie reasonable creature Béecause therefore it is impossible and wicked to beléeue these thinges which I haue said in bodily creatures we must vnderstand that so the holy Ghost went out and came from the father as oure Sauiour doeth beare witnesse that he himselfe went out and came from the father saying I went out and came from God. And as we separate places and chaunginges of places from bodilesse things so also we do separate these speaches inwardly I meane outwardly from the nature of things intellectuall For these two woordes perteine to bodies that may bee touched haue biganes Therefore wee must beléeue the vnspeakeable woord whiche faith onely and alone maketh knowen vnto vs that our Sauiour is said to come out from GOD and the spirite of trueth to procéede from the father c. Other questions both scrupulous and very many I passe ouer vntouched in these things I require a mind religious and not a curious a faithfull minde and not a subtile Now there is but one holy Ghost béecause hee is alwayes one and the selfe same god It is the same spirite therefore whiche spake vnto the Patriarches prophets and Apostles and whiche at this day speaketh to vs in the Church For therefore the counsel of Constantinople is thus read to haue confessed their faith I beleeue in the holy Ghost the Lord. And anon after Who spake by the prophets And I beleeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church These sayings are taken out of the holy Scripture For S. Peter testifieth in expresse words that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophetes and there was none other spirite in the Apostles than the spirite of
Christe And Paule the Apostle sayeth Seeing then wee haue the same spirite as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore speake Vppon which testimonie Tertullian inferreth and no doubt soundlie It is one and the selfe same spispirite therefore whiche was in the Prophetes and the Apostles He promiseth that the selfe same spirite shal be alwayes in the Church They erred therefore yea foulye they erred who so euer among them of old feigned one God and spirite of the olde Testament and an other of the newe Testament Didymus Alexandrinus the bright light in his age of all the Grecian Churches in his first booke intituled De Spiritu sancto saith Neyther ought we to thinke that the holy Ghost is diuided according to substaunces bicause he is called the multitude of good graces For he can not suffer he can not be diuided neyther yet be chaunged but according to his diuers maners of workings vnderstādings he is called by mny names of good graces bycause he doth not indue his partakers with his cōmunion after one and the selfe same power c. Furthermore the holy ghost hath increasing or fulnesse and diminishing and want in man not that in God who as it is commonly and truely sayde neyther receiueth more or lesse there is any chaunge to be founde but bycause man according to his capacitie receiueth the spirite plentifully and liberally or measurably sparingly euen as it pleaseth the holy ghoste The portion of the spirite of Helias was giuen double from heauen to Heliseus And it is sayde of our Sauiour that the father gaue him the spirite not by measure For the Lord himselfe elswhere saith Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and hee shall haue more aboundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken away euen that he hath Saule had receiued excellent graces but bicause he did not vse exercise them the good spirite of God departed from him and the euill spirite succéeded and tormented him And the spirite of God departeth euen as it commeth also at one instant For when we are forsaken of the Lorde the spirite of God departeth from vs Wherevppon we reade that Dauid prayed Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And againe Stablishe me with thy principall spirite Next after these things it séemeth y we must diligently search out what the effect what the power of the holy Ghost is The power of the Almightie and euerlasting God is vnspeakable therefore no man can fully declare what the power of the holie ghost is Yet somewhat I will say making those things manifest which he worketh chiefly in men For otherwise the father by the spirit worketh all things by him he createth susteyneth moueth giueth life strengtheneth and prescrueth al things by the selfe same he regenerateth his faythfull people sanctifieth and indueth them with diuers kyndes of graces Whervpon in the description aboue mentioned of him cōprising in foure members his principall powers and effectes which shewe them selues by their working in men I sayde that he doth illuminate regenerate sanctifie and fulfill the faithfull with all good graces Which things that they may the better be vnderstoode it shal be good first of all to declare as well as we can the appellatiōs or names of the holy ghost which the holy scripture giueth him and then to recite one or two places of the old and new Testament to set foorth declare the power of the holy Ghost First he is called the holy spirite of God bicause all creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctified by him The heauenly father sanctifieth with his grace but throughe the bloud of his beloued sonne and sanctification is deriued into vs and sealed by the spirite Therefore the holie trinitie being one God doth sanctiūe vs It is a wicked thing therefore to attribute sanctification to straunge and forreine things It is a wicked thing to translate purification and iustification from the Creator vnto the Creature Moreouer he is called holy to make a difference of him from other spirites For we reade in the Scriptures that there was and is a spirite of the worlde a spirite of infirmitie a spirite of fornication and vncleannesse and a spirit of pride From all these the holy ghost is separated which inspireth into vs the contempt of this worlde whiche openeth vnto vs the Scriptures and confirmeth vs in trueth whiche purifieth our heartes and maketh oure mynds chast and so preserueth them finally whiche maketh vs lowly and gentle and driueth away from vs all maliciousnesse The same holy Ghost is called the spirite of God and of the sonne Of God to make a difference betwéene it and the spirite of sathan And it is called the spirite of the sonne bicause it is the proper and naturall spirite of the sonne which he also communicateth vnto vs that we also might be the sonnes of god For Paule sayth Ye are the temple of God and the spirite of God dwelleth in you Againe If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And againe Bicause ye are sonns God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Moreouer our Lorde him selfe in the historie of the Gospell calleth the holy Ghost a comforter saying I will pray the father and he shal giue you an other cōforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bycause the worlde seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a comforter a stirrer vp or a prouoker an exhorter an aduocate or patrone which pleadeth the cause of his client For the holy Ghoste is the mouth the eye the heart the counsel the hande and the foote of all the faythfull Didymus in his worke intituled De spiritu sancto sayth Christe Giuing the holy ghost a name answerable to his working calleth him the comforter Bycause he doth not onely comforte those whō he findeth worthy of him and setteth them frée from all heauinesse and trouble of mynde but giueth vnto them a certeine incredible ioy and gladnesse in so muche that a man giuing God thankes bycause he is counted worthy of suche a guest may say Thou hast giuen me gladnesse in my heart For euerlasting ioy and gladnesse is in the hearte of them in whome the holy Ghost dwelleth The holy ghost verily alone maketh the consciences of men voyde of care quiet and at peace before God in the matter of iustification and in all temptations of the worlde Paule sayth This only I desire to learne of you whether ye haue receiued the spirite by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith The Apostles being beaten with roddes when they were indued with the
holy Ghost had y comforter present in their mindes went reioycing from the presence of the counsel bicause they were counted worthy to suffer reproch for the name of Christe So we read in the Ecclesiasticall historie that the martyrs of Christ being full of the holy Ghost euen in extreme torments and moste bitter deaths were most patient and sange prayses and gaue thanks vnto GOD. Furthermore we haue heard that the holy Ghoste is called of the Lorde the spirite of trueth For in an other place also hee beautifieth him with that name for he saith When the cōforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth which proceedeth from the father hee shall beare witnesse of me And he is called the spirite of trueth bycause there is an other hypocriticall spirite an erronious and lying spirite in the mouth of all false Prophetes This our spirite worketh in his worshippers sinceritie gentlenesse of mynde and integritie Those he teacheth all trueth For our Lorde elsewhere in the gospel sayth That comforter whiche is the holy Ghoste whome the father will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to your remembraunce what so euer I haue sayde vnto you Therefore the spirite of trueth hath taught the Apostles all trueth that is to be beléeued and all godlinesse and they haue deliuered the same fully to the Church For the holie Ghost driueth away all errours destroyeth all heresies confoundeth all Idolatrie and vngodlinesse and poureth true faith into our heartes and establisheth true religiō in the Church The Actes of the Apostles affoorde vs verie many of examples By this spirite of God the Apostles foretolde things to come shadowing out amōg other things Antichrist and the corruption of this oure last age and admonishing the Church least the elect shoulde be intangled in errours and blasphemous wickednesses Now he is called the spirit of promise for that he was promised of god by the Prophetes through Christ to the Fathers to the apostles and to al that beleue the apostles doctrine and was at length also through the same Christe fully giuen and perfourmed This worde putteth the godly in mynde that they shoulde not ascribe the hauing of this so great and healthfull a gift to their merites but to the méere grace of god And the holie Ghoste is graunted yea giuen vnto vs by the promise of god Wherevpon it followeth that all the giftes of God are fréely giuen which thing the Apostle Paule principally proueth and earnestly beateth into our heades in his epistles specially to the Romanes and the Galathians In Luke the Lord sayth If I with the finger of God cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you Saint Matthewe rehearsing the same wordes sayth If I by the spirite of God cast out diuels thē is the kingdome of God come vpon you Therefore the holie Ghost is called the finger of god to wit the might and power of god Men of occupations worke with their fingers God worketh his workes by his diuine power I meane by his spirite whose power is so greate that euen his little finger giue me leaue so to speake surpasseth all the power and strength in the worlde That appeared in those Sorcerers of Egypt Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the vnitie of the diuine substaunce and admonisheth diligently and conueniently that we should not for corporall things forge and feigne vnto our selues a corporall meaning of spirituall things For he sayth But beware lest thou being cast downe vnto base things doest imagine in thy mynd diuersities of corporall actions and begin to forge to thy selfe magnitudes and inequalities and other members of the body greater and lesser saying that the finger from the hand and the hand from him whose hand it is doth differ by many inequalities bycause the scripture doth now speak of bodylesse thinges purposing to shewe the vnitie onely and not the measure of substance also For as the hand is not diuided from the body by the whiche it worketh and bringeth all things to an end and is in him whose hand it is so also the finger is not separated frō the hand whose finger it is Therefore away with inequalities and mesurings when thou thinkest of God and vnderstande the vnitie of the finger of the hande and of the whole substaunce by which finger the lawe was written in tables of stone Thus farre he Now the holie Ghost is read as wel in the writings of the Prophets as also of the apostles to be shadowed out by water and a liuely or continuall running founteine I will poure out sayth the Lord by Esaie waters vppon the thirstie and riuers vpon the dry ground And anon by interpretation he addeth I will poure my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy stocke And in the Gospell the Lord sayth If any mā thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth in me as sayth the scripture out of his bellye shall flowe riuers of water of life To which in way of exposition the holie Euangeliste addeth But this he spake of the spirite whiche they that beleeue in him should receiue Surely water maketh barren groundes fruitfull cleanseth things defiled giueth drinke to them that be thirstie and cooleth them that are in a heate so the grace of the holy spirit maketh barren myndes fruitfull to bring foorth fruite to the liuing god By the selfe same grace our harts are cleansed from all vncleannesse the same quencheth the thirst of the soule and comforteth it when it is afflicted and fulfilleth all the desires thereof Fire is simple and pure and some bodies it consumeth and othersome it purgeth making them more fine and cleane It warmeth also and hath many profitable and necessarie operations in man Therefore the holy Ghoste is rightly shadowed out vnto vs by fire For he is pure and simple he consumeth the vngodly cleanseth the faythfull from the filthinesse of sinnes and maketh them to burne with the loue of God and their neighbour setting them on fire doubt lesse with the fire of his loue When he was giuen to the Apostles in the day of Pentecoste there was heard a sound as it had bene with the force of a mightie winde comming by which thing was signified that the doctrine of godlinesse shoulde be spread throughout the whole worlde by the power of GOD and wonderfull successe maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder against the same all in vaine For the wind no man staying it bloweth through the whole world pearceth all places and no mā can keepe it out it hath also wonderfull effectes in bodies to chaunge thē And the holie Ghost pearceth al thinges softneth mens hearts and of froward stubborne and rebellious he maketh most lowly modest and obedient men Fierie toungs appeare vpon the heades of the Apostles and disciples indued
And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie This is he which by water woorketh the second byrth or regeneration being a certeine seede of heauenly generation and he that consecrateth the heauenly natiuitie being a pledge of the promised inheritance and as it were a certein hand writing of euerlasting saluation who maketh vs the temple of God and bringeth to passe that wee be his dwelling house who perfourmeth the office of an Aduocate maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs in the hearing of God with sighes that can not be vttered And pouring foorth his gifts of defence is giuen to be a dweller in our hearts and a worker of holinesse who exercising that in vs bringeth oure bodies vnto euerlastingnesse and vnto the resurrection of immortalitie while hee accustometh them to bee partakers in him of his heauenly power and to bee coupled with the heauenly eternitie of the holy Ghost For our bodies are trayned vp in him by him to proceede to immortalitie whilest they learne to behaue them selues moderately according to his ordinaunces For it is he that lusteth contrarie to the flesh bycause the fleshe fighteth against him It is he which bridleth insatiable lustes which tameth immoderate coÌ„cupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌ„quisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drâ—nkennesse whiche banisheth 〈◊〉 which abandoneth 〈◊〉 bâ—nkettings which knitteth the knot of loue and charitie which subdueth the affections driueth awaye sectes sheweth the rule of truth conuinceth heretiques casteth out the wicked is a dâ—fence to the gospell Of him the apostle also saith For we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirit which is of god Of this spirit he triumpheth saith And I thinke verily that I haue the spirite of god Of him he saith And the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophetes Of him he saith againe Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart froÌ„ the faith giuing hede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels which speake false in hypocrisie hauing their conscience scared with an hote yron No man beeing guided by this spirit calleth Iesus execrable no man denyeth that Christe is the sonne of God or forsaketh god the Creator no man vttereth any of his own words against the scriptures neither doth any maÌ„ establish other wicked decrees no man coÌ„mandeth contrarie lawes Whosoeuer blasphemeth against this spirite shall neuer haue forgiunes neither in this world nor in the world to come It is he that in the Apostles beareth witnesse to Christ that sheweth constant faith of religioÌ„ in martirs that planteth maruelous continencie of assured loue in virgines that kepeth the lawes of the Lords doctrine vncorrupted and vndefiled in others that confoundeth heretikes reformeth the froward reproueth the vnfaithful reuealeth dissemblers and punisheth the wicked and preserueth the church chaste and vnstained in purenesse of perpetuall virginitie and holinesse of trueth Thus farre Tertul. Thus farre not without trembling we haue intreted of the moste holie mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie the father the sonne and the holie ghoste which we haue learned out of the scriptures and here nowe we will stay humbly worshipping this vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie And let vs kéepe in mind and acknowledge this distinction or diuision most manifestly declared in the scriptures and the vnitie also coÌ„mended vnto vs with excéeding great diligence For in the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing founteine and welspring of al things is attributed to the father wisedome counsel the verie dispensatioÌ„ in doing things is ascribed to the sonne y force effectual power of working is assigned to the holy ghost Howbeit let vs take heede least through the distinction we separate the vnitie of the substaunce of god For there is but one God in whome those properties are It is but one fire thoughe there be thrée things séene in it light brightnesse and heate For these rise together and cease all at once The light goeth not before the brightnes 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 before the heate And though onâ— thing â—e â—â—â—â—â—buted to â—he light an other thing to the brightnesse and a third thing to the heate yet they worke vnseparably Therefore when we reade that God created the worlde we vnderstande that the father from whome are all things by the sonne by whom are all thinges in the holy ghoste in whome are all thinges created the worlds And when we read that the sonne became flesh suffered died and rose againe for our saluation we beleue that the father and the holy ghost though they were not partakers of his incarnation and passion yet notwithstanding that they wrought that our saluation by the sonne whom we beléeue neuer to haue bene separated from them And when sinnes are said to be forgiuen in the holy ghoste we beléeue that this benefite and all other benefites of our blessednesse are vnseparably giuen and bestowed vpon vs from one onely true liuing and euerlasting God who is the father the sonne and the holie ghoste To whome be peayse and thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen Of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirits and of their operations The ninth Sermon NExt vnto this sermon of the holie Ghost I will adde a treatise of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of god and of diuels or wicked spirites and of their operations Of whome since the holy scripture deliuereth vs an assured doctrine and in all pointes profitable it séemeth that we ought not lightly to regard it but with as much faith and diligence as we can to bring it vnto light It were a foule fault in him that studieth after godlinesse to be ignorant of the dispositions of good and euill angels of whome so often mention is made in the holy scriptures yea it were a thing most dangerous not to know what maner of creatures the diuels are which vnder that 〈…〉 spoyle vs â–ª But firâ—â— we will speake of holy angels and then 〈…〉 The worde Angel some sâ—y to â—e a name of office not of 〈…〉 common to the 〈◊〉 and Gréeks of whome it is borrowed and it signifieth an embassadour or legate and therefore it hath a larger signification For the preachers of the truth are called Angels as in Malachie and in the Apostle Paule For they are the embassadours or messingers of the Lord of hoastes S. Peter also calleth euill spirites Angels as Paule also doth saying that the faithful shal one day iudge the Angels and that the Angel or messinger of Sathan was sent vnto him howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth Angels the blessed spirites of God Ministers and messingers and heauenly armies But the Saduceis denied that there be angels For Luke in the Actes of the Apostles sayth The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite but the
Pharistis confesse both And in déede the whole scripture doth testifie that there are Angels making mention in many places that they haue appeared vnto men and haue reueled vnto them the will of God or otherwise accomplished his worke Truely the Lord Iesus reasoning against the Saduceis in the Gospel sayth Ye erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of god For in the resurrection they neither marrie nor are giuen in marriage but are as the Angels of God in heauen Let vs therefore beléeue that there are Angels For the authoritie of the sonne of God and the irreuocable trueth of the holie scriptures ought worthily to winne more â—râ—dite with vs than the toyes of all Saduceis and wicked men What haue not the heathenish Poets and philâ—sophers confessed that there are Angels whome they call Gods for they 〈◊〉 that Gods in the likeness 〈◊〉 were lodged and interteyned of righteous men séemed to al learned men to haue ment nothing else than that whiche the holy scriptures make mention of howe Abraham and Lothe receiued Angels into their houses resembling straungers But howsoeuer the case staÌ„deth most certeine it is both by the holy scripture and by manifolde experience that there are blessed spirites of God that is to say good angels Now what the nature of Angels is it can not throughly be declared of any man. For there are many things in the order of creatures whose nature can not directly and perfectly be expounded they may neuerthelesse after a sorte according to our capacitie be shadowed out Some therefore there are whiche say that Angels are good spirites ministers of a firie nature created for the ministerie or seruice of god and good men Othersome say Angels are heauenly spirites whose ministerie and seruice God vseth to execute all thinges which he hath determined Wherefore we shall not séeme to misse much of the marke if we say that Angels are good spirites heauenly substaunces I meane incorruptible created for the ministerie or seruice of God and men That Angels are created of God the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles doe witnesse For Paule citeth that saying of Dauid Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The same Apostle saith By Christ all thinges are created that are in heauen and that are in earth visible and inuisible whether they be maiesties or lordships either rules or powers Wherfore heretiques haue set foorth toyes saying that Angels are workers in the creation of al things and coeternall with god For God in time by the sonne as wel created angels as all other creatures Nowe touching the time when angels were created whether with the light before man or after man and al the workes of God let him tell that can the holie scripture passing it ouer with silence and pronouÌ„cing no certeintie therof Epiphanius and Augustinus auÌ„cient interpreters of the scriptures learnedly and truly confesse that there is nothing deliuered in the scriptures of y matter And that which is not deliuered in the scriptures can not without daunger be inquired after but without daunger we may be ignoraunt thereof It is sufficient to acknowledge that angels were created at what time soeuer it semeth they were created Let vs rather giue god thankes that he hath created for mankind so excellent ministers Let vs liue an holie and an angelike life in the sight of Gods holy angels Let vs watche least he which transfigureth and turneth him selfe into an angel of light vnder a good shewe and likenesse deceiue vs Nowe we must further sée what maner of creatures angels are They are heaueÌ„ly spirits incorruptible most swift substaunces We say expresly that angels are substances that is to say creatures hauing essence or being For some denie that they are substaÌ„ces subsisting in their proper essence or being For they imagine that angels are nothing else thaÌ„ qualities motions or inspirations of good mynds But the canonical scripture calloth them ministers Oursauiour saith that they whiche rise againe shall be like vnto the angels of god Saint Paule declareth that the sonne of God is more excellent them the angels for that they worship him as God their creator The selfe same apostle saith For ye shall reade in no place that the sonne taketh on him the angels but the seede of Abraham taketh he on him Whiche testimonies most manifestly teache that angels are substances not qualities or motions in mens myndes that I say nothing nowe how they haue oftentimes appeared vnto men in likenes or shape of men Let vs therefore hold and confesse that angels are substances Furthermore what substaunces angels are other peraduenture haue better declared for the which I beare no man grudge I confesse that there are good spirites to make difference of them that are euill Whereof shal be spoken hereafter I confesse that they are good not so much for the goodnesse of their nature in whiche they continued as for their operation or working For they alwayes stirre vp and further vs to that which is good I confesse also that angels are spirits that is to say spirituall heauenly incorruptible and excéeding swift substaunces For the Scripture witnesseth and saithe Whiche maketh his Angels spirites and his ministers a flame of fire The scripture I say nameth Angels spirites and a flame of fire not that angels of their owne nature and substaunce are corporal fire but bicause fire after a sort resembleth them which in clearnesse beautie and incorruptiblenesse and also in swiftnesse quicknesse and brightnesse are y most beautiful and excellent creatures The 〈◊〉 definitions groâ—â—ely enoughe â—ay that the angels are bodily substances but of their owne kinde For God only is without body In thâ—se wordes therefore thus they haue â—etdowne Euerie creature is bodily Angels and all heauenly powers are bodily though they consist not of flesh Nowe hereby we beléeue that they are bodily bycause they are limited in place as the soule also is inclosed with fleshe Angels peraduenture at this daye are more aptly sayd to be locall or in place not circumscriptiuely but definitiuely We must beléeue that nothing by nature is bodilesse and inuisible but God onely that is to say the father the sonne and the holy Ghost who therefore is rightly beléeued to be bodilesse bycause he is in euerie place and fulfilleth and conserueth all thinges and therefore he is inuisible to all creatures bycause he is without body Thus much from theÌ„ But those bodies eyther of young men or olde men in whiche Angels oftentimes appeared vnto the fathers were not their proper or natural bodyes but taken vpon them and as it were borrowed from elswhere for a time and for the weaknesse of oure capacitie And what manner bodyes those same very bodies were whiche they tooke or from whence they were taken or where they were bestowed when they had ended their businesse it is verie hard to declare S.
hindereth the saluation of men soweth infinite 〈◊〉 in the church of god And truely the Hebrues cal him sathan whom we call an aduersarie That worde is translated vnto men For in that Peter set himselfe against the counsel and purpose of God he heareth this voyce of the lord Get thee behinde me sathan And Dauid also said to his nephue Abisai the sonne of Zeruia What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruia that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me For Abisai gaiâ—e said the counsell and decrée of Dauid The diuell is called Daemon tâ— wit knowing craftie and cunning in many things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies I know For Plato truly in Craâ—ylo according to the opinion of Hesiodus doeth thinke that diuells whome wée commonly call by this word Daemones are called and as it were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wise prudent knowing Héerevnto the word serpent must be referred The serpent saith the Scripture was subtiler than all the beastes of the fielde Therefore did the diuell choose the serpent to be his dwelling place by whome he might put his guileful deuises in practise deceiue our firste pareÌ„ts For he is called the deceiuer the beguiler seducer of the world the olde serpent dragon For what seducing soeuer there is in y worlde what wicked deuises and deceitfull practises they flow froÌ„ this one fouÌ„tein of all his mischief In prophane writers this word is vsed in a farre contrarie significatioÌ„ For Socrates in Plato saith I affirme that euery maÌ„ is DaemoÌ„ that is to say wise whosoeuer is good that he is Daemoniacus that is to say wise happie both aliue and dead Wherfore it is a thing verie much and often vsed of Homer to adorne noble personages with this name But in the historie of the gospel Demoniaci are such as are possessed with a diuel Paule in his first epistle to Tuno reduceth draweth the whole body of deceits doctrins coloured with a shew of false wisedoÌ„e vnto this hed S Peter saith Be sober watch for your aduersarie the diuel as a roring lion walketh about seking whom he may deuour whom resist stedfastly in faith By the Lion he shadoweth out vnto vs the nature or dispositioÌ„ of the diuel For the diuel hath excéeding great streÌ„gth he is ful of gréedy raueny most cruel fiercenesse whervpoÌ„ he is also called of some a cruell beast The Lorde calleth him a murtherer For he inspired into Cain and all mansâ—ears horrible murthers at this day also he soundeth the alarum to all warres to all broyling battels to al slaughters and seditions to be short he kindleth wrath he soweth hatred nourisheth enuie He is named a tempter For he is alwayes egging men to mischîefe sparing nothing whatsoeuer he thinketh can entice and drawe vs to thinges most wicked In the historie of the gospell and in the writings of the Apostles the diuell hath wel nigh the name of an vnclean of a mischiefous or malignant of a filthie wicked spirite For he fell not froÌ„ his purenesse onely through his owne fault in which he was first created of that most pure god but euen now also he is delighted with vnpurenesse allureth al men to vncleanesse From this maister of mischief procede al filthy lusts al whoredoÌ„es adulteries al excesse drunkennes surfeting all beastlines vanitie pride arrogancie c. Now the diuel also in the gospel is called Beelzebub bicause that sometime they of Accaron in Palestine thinking they worshipped God worshipped in very déede the diuell S. Paule saith What agreement hath Christ with Belial he setteth Belial against Christ to wit the diuell against god But Moses put y cogitatioÌ„ of Belial for a wicked euill thought Therfore the diuell is wicked vngodly rebellious obstinate against god For they say that Belial signifieth altogether as much as if a man would say lawlesse without yoke without discipline There are some also which think that in the boke of Iob the diuell is figured or signified by Behemoth Leuiathan Iob. 40. and 41. chapter S. Paule giueth the diuels diuers names saâ—ing that the godly haue battaile against principalities and powers against worldly gouernours of th darcknesse of this worlde against spierituall wickednesse in heauenly places against the gouernour that ruleth in the aire against the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience whome also in an other place hee calleth The God of this worlde And as God exerciseth his power in the worlde and in the good for the moste parte by good angels who for that cause I saide are called principalities and powers so because the same GOD of his iuste iudgemente doeth suffer the diuell to haue rule ouer the wicked they are rightlie called principalities and powers Not that GOD deliuereth vnto him the méere and chiefest rule for all power belongeth to God onelie but because hee suffereth him to execute his tyrannie For he plainely saithe that he is the Prince of the worlde to witt of the wicked For by interpretation it followeth He is the Prince of the darcknesse of this worlde And who knoweth not that in the Scriptures darcknesse doeth signifie ignorance blindenesie vnbeliefe vngodlinesse and wickednesse and to bee short vngodly men which are drowned in these vices And againe there is added that whiche declareth the true meaning Which worketh in the children of disobedience Therefore the faithfull and obediente who are in the kingdome of Christe not in the kingdome of the diuel are exempted from this rule gouernmeÌ„t Neither is sathan called God vpon any other consideration for there is added of this world For in very déed the diuell is not a God but because there are fouÌ„d in the world certaine mad meÌ„ who take him for god he hath the name of God The 〈◊〉 father Augustine expounded this no otherwise For in his treatise vpoÌ„ Iohn 25. he saith God forbid we should think the diuell were so called the prince of the world that we should beleue that hee is able to rule ouer heauen and earth but the worlde for he is called the prince of this world is said to be in wicked men which are dispearsed throughout the whole compasse of the earth And againe the same August in his firste chap. De agone christiano saith The prince of this world is cast out not that he is cast out of y world but out of their mindes which cleaue to the worde of god and loue not the world whereof he is Prince because he hath dominion ouer them whiche loue teÌ„poral goods which are conteyned in this visible world not for that he is Lord of this worlde but prince of those concupiscences whereby euery thing is coueted that is transitorie By this concupiscence the diuell reigneth in man and holdeth his hart in possession The same Doctor in his treatise vppon
Iohn 52. asketh the question Whether sathan were not cast out of the mindes of the prophetes and patriarchs since it is reported in the gospel that he is cast out by Christ And he maketh answere Verily he is cast out quite How therefore is it saide He shall now be cast out How think wee but because that whiche came to passe in verie fewe menne is euen now foretolde that it shall come to passe shortly in manie and mighty people As that saying but the holie ghoste was not yet giueÌ„ Because Iesus was not yet glorified may haue the like question the like answere For that abundance of spirituall grace was not giuen as yet whiche afterwarde was giuen Thus farre he Furthermore when the Apostle saith That we sight against spiritual wickednesses in heauenly places by heauenly he meaneth not heauenly ioyes placeing the diuels in heauen againe but the aire that is the lower parte of the world yea and the worlde it selfe For he saith elsewhere According to the spirite that ruleth in the aire And truelie the Princes of this worlde are in the aire aboue beneath and aboute vs assaulting vs on euery side Otherwise neither heauen nor the lower region of the aire is subiecte to the rule of diuels that therein they may doe what they wil or abuse it as they list but so farre foorth as God of his iust iudgement shall permit For in this disputation we muste alwayes holde for a confessed and vndoubted trueth that our Lord God is Kinge and gouernour of all creatures and that he kéepeth still his dominion ouer all creatures and exerciseth the same after a moste iuste and equall maÌ„ner And although out of all these thinges might bee gathered howe great and what manner of operation the diuels is yet therevnto wil I ad somewhat more least any thinge should séeme to bee wanting in this matter In the description of the diuell I drewe into two heads all his effects worke or operations For diuels are aduersaries to God enimies to men whose whole endeuours driftes tend to the despising of God and to the deceiuing and destruction of men The suÌ„me therefore is this They bend all their force to the contempt of God and destruction of men And that their power to hurte is not small and their vnderstanding also quick to bring all their purposes to effect we haue heard once or twise alreadie That they haue a wil to doe hurt there is no cause why any man shuld dout For that Lord said to his disciples in the gospel Beholde sathaÌ„ hath earnestly desired to sift you as it were wheat And again Watch pray lest ye enter into tentation And S. Peter saith Your aduersarie as a roring lion rangeth vp downe seeking whom he may deuoure And that he withstandeth God and with continuall labour gaine-sayeth God and stirreth vp all creatures to the hating and despising of God that scripture doth euery where testifie He did wickedly instill into the mindes of our first parentes an opinion altogether vnworthye of God as though maliciously hee did enuie at their blessed state For hee said by the serpent Hath God said ye shall not eate of that tree And anon Ye shall not dye the death For God doth knowe that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened and ye shal be as gods knowing good and euill Vnto whiche deceiptfull wordes when they gaue credit they them selues perished drew with them the whole worlde into ruine and destruction Neither at this day verily ceasseth he so slauÌ„der and speak euil aswel of God him selfe as also of his works to th' intent that he might draw vs together with him into y hating of God into distrust desperation and to euerlasting destructioÌ„ For he enuyeth vs our saluation where vnto we are ordeined by Christ But it is better to speake somewhat more distinctly of this thing SathaÌ„ hurtes men in their mindes in their bodies in their goods For he enticeth and prouoketh our minds to sinne Furthermore he also troubleth y mindes of men driueth them into an outrage and béeing out of quiet in this their outrage he miserably vexeth tormenâ—eth 〈…〉 them â—â—â—â—vpon thou maist read that some physicians call this madnes or outrage an euil spirit or wicked diuel But he diuersly plagueth their bodies chiefly with diseases We haue that most holie man Iob for an example In the gospel after S. Luke it is said that that woman which was bowed together was bound by Sathan xviij yéeres Againe in the gospel according to S. Mark we read of a childe which had a dumb spirit And when soeuer he taketh him he teareth him and hee someth and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away and casting him selfe on the ground lieth groueling This self same euil spirit taketh away froÌ„ men their goods wasteth and diminisheth their substance and wordly wealth Which thinge againe is manifest in the historie of Iob of the gospel For Iob is spoiled of all his substance sathaÌ„ so ordering y matter by souldiers robbers The herd of swine also béeing drowned strangled in the sea wrought greate losse to the Gergesites béeing violeÌ„tly caried away of that diuels were tumbled headlong into the sea Furthermore this mischefous miscreaÌ„t in accoÌ„plishing these things doth soÌ„ewhat by him self by wicked angels his fellowes somewhat by other creatures By him self he worketh outwardly inwardly by teÌ„pting prouoking meÌ„ For he casteth before our eies counterfait deceiptfull shapes chaunging him selfe into an angel of light he windeth him self into the mindes of men He speaketh vnto vs setting before vs gay promises most greuous threatnings howbeit all of them coloured with deceiptes and lies For oftentimes he bringeth reasons probable indéede apparant yea places of Scripture at a blushe very agréeable but yet maliciously wreâ—â—ed to his owne purpose And by this meanes he either hindereth and maimeth true faith in the mindes of men or else he taketh it away vterlie ouerthroweth it and by and by he possesseth theÌ„ wholy driueth them into most certeine perdition So it is said that wheÌ„ he had entred into Iudas hart he cast him wholy headlong into euerlasting destructioÌ„ The hart of man is open vnto God only for he only is the searcher of the harte and reines But the diuell by circumuenting men with his guileful practises and by putting wicked persuasions into their hartes is said to enter into mens harts And he worketh against maÌ„ by other creatures also as by elements when he raiseth fire windes waters haile suche like calamities against vs Furthermore he stirreth vp meÌ„ against vs our frends to vexe and betray vs our enimies to consume bring vs to our end w persecutions battels bloudsheds The history of Iob yet again bereth witnes of these things Wherevnto thou maist reckon persecutions laid vpon the worshipers of
is a spiritual substance powred of God into mans bodie that beeing ioyned there-vnto it might â—uicken and direct the same but being diffeuered from the bodie it should not die but liue immortall foreuer Some denie that the soule is a substance For they contend that it is nothing else than the power of life in man and in déede a certeine qualitie But the holy scripture acknowledgeth that the soule is a substanâ—â—ce subsisting For the Lorde in the Gospell witnesseth that a soule may be formented in hell Whiche forthwith by the selfe same authoritie of the Gospell is shewed as it were to be viewed withour eyes in the soule of the riche glutton The same Lord which cannot lye saide to the théefe To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Whiche wordes can not be expounded of any other parte in the théefe than of the soule For his bodie was nailed and did hang on the crosse Wherevpon also the Apostle and Euangelist Iohn sawe Vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of god He heard them crying with a loude voice and saying How long tariest thou Lorde whiche arte holy and true to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth The same Iohn sawe long white garments giuen to euery one of the soules these wordes bâ—ing there withall spoken of the Lorde Rest yet for a litle season vntill your fellowe feruantes and your brethren that shal be killed as ye are shal be fulfilled All which verily agrée not to qualities but to substances whiche haue their béeing therfore the soules of men are substances Which thing that they might most plainely pithily expresse certeine Ecclesiastical writers I thinke haue set downe that the soules of men are bodily that is substaunces of their kinde haueing theâ— proper being Neither doe I thinke déerely beloned I shal be tedious vnto you if I recite worde for worde that whiche saint Augustine hathe reasoned of this matter on both partes in his Epistle to Saint Hiâ—rome which is in order the 28 saying That the soule is bodilesse thoughe it be harde to persuade it to the duller sort yet I confesse that I am so persuaded But that I may not moue controuersie about a word to no purpose I wil willingly be silent because where there is no doubt of the thing there is no need to striue about the name If euerie substance or essence be a body or if that whiche after some sort is in it self is more aptly called something then the soule is a bodie But if you will call that onely a bodilesse nature which is altogether vnchangeable is wholy euery where theÌ„ the soule is a bodie because the soule is no some suche thing Furthermore if nothing bee a bodie but that which with some length breadth and height resteth or is moued in space of place that the greater parte thereof taketh the greater roome and the lesser part the lesser roome and be lesse in part than in the whole then the soule is not a bodie For that which giueth the power of life vnto the bodie is streatched through the whole bodie not by local spreading of it selfe but by a certeine liuely extending of it selfe For the whole soule is present in al and euerie part of the bodie at once and not lesser in the lesser partes nor greater in the greater partes but in some places more vehement and quicke in some more remisse and faint and in all it is the whole in euery part the whole For that whole soule whiche in some parts of the bodie feeleth not in some other partes where it feeleth it doeth wholy feele in it selfe and not only in some parte of it selfe For where any parte of the quicke fleshe is pricked with a sharp thing althogh that place be not onely not of the whole bodie no not so much almost as seene in the bodie yet the whole â—oule feeleth that pricking and yet is not that paine that is felt dispersed ouer al the partes of the bodie but is onely â—est where it is Howe then commeth that by and by to the whole soule whiche is not felt but in one place of the bodie â–ª but because that the whole soule is there where the smarte is felt and yet leaueth not the other partes of the bodie that it might be there wholy and all in all For those partes of the bodie liue also by the presence of the soule where no suche thing is done If it were so that the griefe were in moe places than one at once it shoulde bee felt by the whole soule in eache place Therefore the whole soule coulde not bee bothe in all and in euerie parte of the bodie whose owne it is all at once if it were so spreade through those partes â—s wee see bodies are by spaces of places their lesser partes taking the lesser roome and their greater partes the greater roome Wherefore if the soule bee to bee termed a body surely it is not such a bodie as is in substance like the earth or like the water or the â—â—er or the caelestial bodies For al such bodies are greater in greater places and lesser in lesser places and nothing of them is wholy in any some parte of theirs but as the partes of the places bee so are they filled with the partes of the bodies Where-vppon the soule is perceiued whether it bee a bodie or whether it is to be called bodilesse to haue a certeine proper nature created of a more excellent substaÌ„ce than al the elements of earthly mould which cannot be conceiued by any fantasie or imagination of bodily shapes whiche we atteine vnto by the senses of our fleshe but is vnderstoode in the minde and felt in the life 〈…〉 I â—ehearsed Augustines words The Scripture also aymeth chiefely 〈…〉 teache that the 〈…〉 For aduisedly 〈…〉 the same a spirite For the Lorde in the Gospell after Iohn saith I will put my life from me and I will take it againe No man taketh it from me but I put it away of my selfe And in the same Euangelist you reade And Iesus said it is 〈◊〉 and when he had bowed his head he gaue vp the ghost For he 〈◊〉 out in another Euangelist â—ather into thy handes I committe my spirite And Matthe we sayth And Iesus when he had cryed againe with a loude voyce yeelded vp the Ghost Wher-vnto doubtlesse may be referred that which we reade in the Actes of the Apostles of the first martyr Stephan And they storied Stephan calling on and saying Lorde 〈◊〉 receiue my spirite But by these things I cannot more plainly and 〈◊〉 expresse what manner of substaunce the soule of man is whiche I beléeue to be a spirite hauing in déede a substaunce created of God proper and peculiar to it selfe For Augustine whose wordes I alledged a litle before saith yet againe 1. Cap. de Qâ—â—ntitate Animae I can not
addeth an oâ—he saying Verilie I say vnto you that wée should not doubt of the unmortalitie of soules There are very many testimonies and those most euident of Christ the sonne of God in the same Gospell as in the sixte and eleuenth Chapiters to whiche wee will ioyne one or two out of the writings of the blessed Apostles of Christ Sainct Peter speaking of the soules of the fathers which were dead a great while agoe sayeth that The Gospell was preached also to the dead that they should bee iudged like other men in the flesh but should liue before God in the spirite Spirites or soules of the blessed fathers whose bodies being buried a great while agoe doe waite for the vniuersall sentence of that generall and last iudgement that is that their flesh may be raised vp againe be iudged with other men in the last day but in the meane while their soules liue with God so that mens soules are aliue thoughe their bodies were rotten a great while agoe S. Paule in his epistle to Timothie sayeth that life and immortalitie is made manifest and brought by Christ The same Paule euery where doeth so plainely auouche the immortalitie of soules that hee must néedes be blinde which séeth it not S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sawe vnder the altar in heauen that is vnder the protection of Christe whoe is the sacrifice and propitiation for the sinnes of the world liuing soules lying and crying Howe longe tariest thou Lord to reuenge our bloud He sawe them cloathed with white garmentes and enioying euerlasting rest But these soules were the soules of the martyrs of Christe whose bodies died béeing murthered on the earth vnder tyrauntes and persecuters of the Christian faith Therefore the soules of men are immortall Most true therefore yea and vndoubted are those woordes whiche are read in the booke of Wisedome vttered in this manner The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shal no torment touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their ende is taken for a miserie and their departing from vs to be vtter destruction but they are in rest For thoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie They are punished but in few things neuerthelesse in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them findeth them meete for himselfe As gold in the fornace doth he trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and when the time commeth they shal be looked vpon They shall shine and runne thoroughe as the sparckles amonge the stubble They shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall reigne for euer Wherefore most truely and according to the Canonicall Scripture doe the Ecclestasticall definitions pronounce Cap. 16. Wee beleeue that man onely hath a substantiall soule whiche hauing put off the bodie liueth and keepeth his senses and disposition liuelie It doeth not die with the bodie as Aratus affirmeth nor a little while after as Zenon sayeth because it liueth substantiallie But the soules of beastes and other mortall creatures are not substantiall but are borne with their fleshe thorough the life of their fleshe and with the death of their flesh are at an end and doe die Furthermore that truth touching the immortalitie of soules as it were by the lawe of nature is written and imprinted in the mindes of all men Wherevppon it is no meruaile that all the wise men amonge the Gentiles could neuer abide that the soule should be called mortall For the consent of all whiche is thought the voice of nature specially of the chiefest declareth y soules are immortall And M. Tullie also affirmeth that saying As by nature wee thincke there are Gods and by reason wee know what they bee so wee hold opinion with the consent of all nations that soules doe stil continue All y auncient writers therefore and all that followed them haue said that soules are euerlasting or immortal as Trismegistus MusÄ™us OrphÄ™us Homerus Pindarus and Pherecydes the Syâ—ian the maister of Pythagoras and his scholer Socrates Plato himselfe who to learne the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italie was not onely of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of touching the immortalitie of souls but brought reasons also to confirme the same These reasons as Tullie witnesseth are many that he whiche readeth his booke cannot seeme to desire any thing further Seneca so plainely affirmeth and proueth the immortalitie of soules that nothing can be more plaine And Epictetus a famous Philosopher who liued in the time of Seneca hath done no lesse If as yet there be any light headed men to whome the immortalitie of the soule séemeth doubtfull or whiche vtterly denie the same these truely are vnworthy to haue the name of men For they are plagues of the coÌ„mon wealth and verie beastes worthy to be hissed and driuen out of the company of men For hee lacketh a bridle to restraine him and hath cast awaye all honestie and shame is prepared in all points to committ anye mischiefe whosoeuer beléeueth that the soule of man is mortall I shewed that soules by death béeing separated from their bodies doe not die but remaine aliue it resteth now behinde that I teach you where the soules when they are destitute of the dwelling place their bodies leads their life and are conuersaunt While they were coupled to the bodies they vsed them as their dwelling houses so that though they be said not to be limitted in place yet they doe not wander out of their bodies but they are as it were shut vp in them as in prisons vntill the time they be dissolued and sett at libertie Those same soules therefore being now disseuered from their bodies since they reteine their sound senses their nature or disposition and their whole substance in liuely manner albeit they are said no not euen now to be limitted in place not are they not let loose runne aftraye hauing their abiding in no place but beeing compacte and sett fast in their owne Essence or béeing are in some place againe hauing no newe bodies for the soules are frée euen till the Iudgement day when they shall bee ioyned againe to their bodies how beit certaine abiding places are prepared for them of God wherin they may liue Although other by my leiue verie subtily and wittilie doe reason howe spirites are conteyned in place or not conteined I simplie affirme with the scripture that soules separated from bodies are taken vpp either into heauen it selfe or else are drowned in the depthe of hell and that their béeing and abiding is euen so there that when they are héere they are not else where For the Lord most plainly and pithilie saieth in the Gospell that the soule of beggerly Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome and the soule of the rich glutton was caste downe into hell But that more is it foorthwith followeth in
ouerthrowe the trueth they are neuer able For the soules of the faithfull euen out of the verie mouth as is commonly said Von mund vss zu himmel faren vppon a sodeine enter into their blessed seats and by faith enioy euerlasting felicitie Againe we read in the Reuelation of our Lord Iesus Christe made to Iohn the Apostle that it was said And I heard a voice from heauē saying vnto mee write Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord euen so saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours their workes followe them In these words an heauenly and vndoubted oracle touching the blessednes of all such as die in faith is knitt vpp and S. Iohn is commanded to write the oracle from heauen that it may remaine to all times and be read of all people The summe of the oracle is this Blessed are the dead whiche heerafter die in the Lord. But they die in the Lord whosoeuer depart out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christ For so the Apostle vseth this kind of speach in the 1. Cor. 15. and 1. thess. 4. Furthermore they whiche depart out of this life in the faith of Iesus Christe are simplie and truly pronounced blessed to witt happie and free from all miserie Yea a note of the time when they shal obteine this blessednes is added namely Hereafter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say presently at an instāt by and by out of hand to witt as the Lord saith in the Gospel forthwith after the death of the bodie There is added also another testimonie whereby againe the certainetie of felicitie is expressed and perfection too not delayed till the morrow Euen so saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours The spirite I meane of trueth whiche cannot lie sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Amen so it is truely the faithfull are blessed in déed and euen at an instāt they are blessed and so blessed that They rest from their labours The labours of the faith full are miseries calamities afflictions sorrowe feare or dread and other euils of this sort wherewith in this world they are vexed yea rather exercised in faith From these thinges the soules of the faithfull departing from their bodies are deliuered therefore they are not purged by torments and vexations they are not scortched in that middest of their iourney but beeing happie and blessed are forthwith deliuered from all anguish and trouble And if so bee that they suffered any thinge whiles they were yet liuing in the bodie if they did any good workes in faith they do follow them Let no man thincke that those woorkes beecause they nowe ceasse were and are vaine For they receiue their reward in that blessed life For that it is that Their works do folow them And let vs marke that he sayth not The workes of other followe them to deliuer them forsooth out of purgatorie but Their owne works follow them For in the Gospell also the wise virgins which had oyle readie in their lamps went in with the bridegrome to the mariage the folish virgins which had prepared themselues no oyle but did hope to haue from elsewhere to serue their turne are excluded and shut out from ioy To the omnipotent God therefore our most mercifull father and continuall-running founteine of all good Graces and whiche is neuer drawne drie who fashioned our bodie in our mothers wombe and breathed or powred into it a reasonable soule whiche might whiles it is ioyned to the bodie quicken and direct vs and when it is separated from the bodie might forthwith after the death of the bodie be translated into heauen there to liue in ioy and happines vntill it returne againe vnto the bodie beeing raised from the dead in the last iudgement with the which it maye reioyce and be glad for euer and without end to that God I saye thoroughe Iesus Christ for whose sake we are made partakers of so great a benefite be glorie praise and thankes giuing for euermore Amen ¶ The ende of the second Tome THE FIFT AND LAST DECADE OF Sermons WRITTEN BY HENrie Bullinger The thirde Tome IESVS This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Heare him Matth. 17. THE FIFTE DECADE OF Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger ¶ Of the holie catholique Church what it is how farre it extendeth by what markes it is knowen from whence it springeth how it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power and studies of the Church ¶ The first Sermon THE order course of things so leading vs next after God the workeman and authour of all thinges wee come to speake of his most excellent worke to witt the Church For so great is the goodnesse of our good God and most louing father that not he himself is desirous to liue happily blessedly alone but moreouer to bestowe and powre vppon vs men his beloued creatures all kinde of blessednes and that wée should enioye his goods by all meanes possible And for that intent he choseth men to him self who liue in this world that he may once translate vnto him selfe in whome also euen while they liue héere hee maye dwell whome he may enriche with all his goods in whom he may reigne and that they should be called by his name to wit a people a house a kingdome an inheritaunce a flocke a congregation or Church of the liuing god Of which Church I will speake being ayded with your prayers such things as the Lord of the Church shall graunt vnto mée to vtter This word Ecclesia which signifieth a Church or Congregation is a Gréeke word vsed receiued amonge the Latines signifying as I said a congregation communion or assemblie in the Dutche tongue Ein Gemeind or a people called together to heare of matters of the cōmon wealth For so it is founde that S. Luke vsed this word in the 19. Chap. of the Actes of the Apostles But it was translated to an holy vse and began to bée called a congregation assemblie or companie of the faithful calling vppon the name of the lord S. Paul saith that he persecuted the cōgregation or Church of God who in another place sayeth I receiued authoritie from the highe priestes to binde all those that call vpon the name of christ For now doth hee terme them such as call vppon the name of Christ or Christians whome before he named the Church Or else this word Ecclesia the church or congregation is so called of caling forth together for in the Gréeke tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to call forth For God calleth forth from al parts of the wide world and from the whole congregation of men all beléeuers together with their séede that they may bee his peculiar people he againe may be their God that is to say that they may be the Church of the liuing god In times paste the congregation or assemblye of the Iewishe
all his faithfull which shoulde abide with them for euer sayeth In that day ye shall knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you to witt by the holie Ghoste Iohn the Apostle expounding it and saying By this we knowe that he dwelleth in vs by the spirite that he gaue vnto vs. And againe By this we knowe that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen of his spirite vnto vs. S. Paule the vessell of election differeth not from Saincte Iohn writing and saying to the Romanes If any man hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the children of God. Now as touching true faith which tyeth vs vnto the Lord S. Paule saith I liue now yet not I but Christe liueth in me But the life whiche I now liue in the flesh I liue yet thorough the faith of the sonne of God who loued me and gaue vp him selfe for me And againe he saith Christe dwelleth in our hartes thorough faith With which sayings Sainct Iohn the Apostle agréeing againe saith Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God. For the Lord him selfe before that said in the Gospell He that eateth my fleshe and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him And he eateth Christes flesh and drinketh Christes bloud that beléeueth Therefore Christe our Lorde is ioyned vnto vs in spirite and wée are tyed to him in minde and faithe as the body vnto the head they therefore that lack this knotte and bonde that is that haue not the spirite of Christe nor true faith in Christe are not the true and liuely members of Christe the Lord him selfe in the gospell witnessing and saying If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fier and they burne Which words of our sauiour the Apostle imitating as we said euen now said He that hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his But they that are not destitute of the spirite of Christe are inflamed with the loue of god Neither do we separate loue from faith the same S. Iohn so teaching vs saying God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and GOD in him For the Lord saith in the gospell If a man loue me he will kepe my word and my father will loue him and we wil come vnto him wil dwel with him But although properly faith ioine vs to our head Christ yet the same also doth knit vs to all Christes members vpon earth For whereas there is but one faith of them al and therefore the same spirit there can not but be the same mouth the same minde the same sentence amongest them all although faith be not nowe taken only for a confidence in the mercy of God through Iesus Christe but also for an outwarde confession of fayth For we all confessing one faith and one and the selfe same head with one spirite and mouth we also together professe that we all are members of one and the selfe same body Neither is there any thing else in the worlde that more vnappeaseably disseuereth the mindes of men than the diuersitie of faith or religion and therfore there is nothing that maye more nearely ioyne vs together than vnitie of faith We come nowe to speake of loue whiche I sayde ioyneth together the members of the ecclesiasticall body mutually amongst them selues The Lord saith in the gospel A new commandement giue I vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you that ye also loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other It is therfore out of doubt that the onely marke of the church next after faith is loue a bond most firmely knitting together all the members This groweth from the communion of Christ and vnitie of the spirit For insomuch as Christ the king the head and highe Byshop of the catholique churche enduing vs all with one and the same spirite hath made vs all his members the sonns of God brethren and fellow heires whom vndoubtedly he loueth tenderly euery faithfull man can not choose but with feruent loue embrace the members and fellowe heires of their king their head and their high Byshop For Iohn the Apostle saith Euerie one that loueth him that begatte doth loue him also that is borne of him If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene Paule to the end that he might moste properly expresse before oure eyes and as it were set to viewe and beholde this vnitie and agréement of the members vseth a parable taken from the members of a mans body and saith For as we haue many mēbers in one body and all members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one an others members The same in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians more largely and plainely expounding ioyning together of the heade and the members and that chiefly by the sayd parable of the members of a mans body and publishing it very eloquently witnesseth that betwéene the highest members of the churche and the lowest members of the same there is a very greate and apt consent and moreouer a diligent care and a helpe both continuall and most faythfull Of all whiche it appeareth that the markes of the true liuely church of Christ are the cōmunion of the spirit of Christ sincere fayth christian charitie without the which thinges no man is partaker of this spirituall body By these thinges also it shall be easie to iudge whether thou art in the fellowship of the churche or thou art not Moreouer we gather out of those things which we haue hitherto disputed touching the markes of Christes churche from whence is her original also how the church is planted spred abroade preserued Her originall is heauenly for S. Paule speaking of the churche saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Therefore he calleth the church heauenly not that it dwelleth altogether in heauē but that she being here on earth hath a heauenly beginning For the children of God are not borne of flesh bloud but from heauen by the renuing of the holy spirit who through the preaching of Gods word planteth faith in our hearts by which faith we are made the true members of Christ his church For Peter saith Ye are borne a newe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer And Paul saith I begat you in Christ
power to giue iudgement of doctrines euen by this one sentence of the Apostle Paule appeareth Let the Prophets sayth he speake two or three at once and let the other iudge And in an other place he saith Proue all thinges and kepe that which is good And S. Iohn said Dearelie beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirits whether they are of God. But of this kinde of power to iudge there is also a certeine order For the Church doth not iudge at her owne pleasure but after the sentence of the holy Ghost and according to the order and rule of the holy scriptures And heere also order moderation and charitie is obserued Therefore if at any time the church of god according to the authority which she hath receiued froÌ„ the Lord do call a couÌ„sel together for some weightie matter as we read that the Apostles of the lord did in the Actes of the Apostles it leaneth not here to her owne fleshly iudgment but giueth ouer her selfe to bee guided by the spirite and examineth all her doinges by the rule of the word of God and of the two-fould charitie Wherefore the Church maketh no new lawes as the church of Hierusalem or rather the Apostolique church sayeth that it séemeth good both to the holy Ghost and to the Church that no other burthen should be layd vppon the faithful Christians but onely a few and those verie necessarie thinges and neither beside nor contrarie to the holy scriptures Now Ecclesiastical matters are of diuers sortes the good ordering and well disposing whereof for the coÌ„moditie of men is in the power of the Church of whiche sorte those thinges are which concerne outward worship in place in time as is prophecying or interpretation of tongues and scholes Also the Church hath to iudge in causes of matrimonie and chiefly it hath correction of manners admonitions punishmentes and also excommunicating or cutting off from the bodie of the Church For the Apostle also sayeth that this power is giuen him and yet to the intent hee should therewith edifie not destroy For all these thinges whiche we haue remembred such like are limitted with the rule of the word and of loue also with holy examples and reasons deduced out of the holy scriptures Of all which wee will perchaunâ—e more largelye speake in their place Thus much haue I hetherto said concerning Ecclesiastical power the contrarie whereof I haue declared with how open a mouth our aduersaries do publish but yet they handle these matters so grossely that it may appeare euen vnto children what they séeke or what they would defende to witt not the Ecclesiasticall power but their owne couetousnesse luste and tyrannie The Canonicall trueth teacheth vs that Christ himselfe doeth hold and exercise absolute or full power in the Church and that he hath giuen the ministeriall power to the Church who executeth it for the most part by ministers and religiously executeth it according to the rule of Gods word These thinges beeing in this sorte considered it shall not bee greatly laboursome to knowe the studies of the holy Church of god For it executeth as I said euen nowe that power whiche it hath receiued of GOD most carefully and faithfullye to the ende that it maye serue God that it may be holy and that it may please him And that I may reckon vp some of her studies specially first of all it worshippeth calleth vppon loueth and serueth one God in Trinitie and taketh nothing in hand not hauing first consulted with the word of this true god For she ordereth all her doings according to the rule of Gods word she iudgeth by the woord of God and by the same she frameth all her buildinges being built mainteyneth them being fallen downe she repaireth or restoreth them againe The assemblies and congregations of Saincts vppon earth she feruently furthereth and loueth In these things it harkeneth diligently to the preaching of the word of God she is partaker of the sacrameÌ„ts deâ—outly and with great ioy and desire of heauenly thinges It prayeth to God by the intercession of our only mediatour Christ with a strong faith ferueÌ„tly continually and most attentiuely It praiseth the maiâ—stie of God for euer and with great ioy giueth thanks for all his heauenly benefits It highly estéemeth all and euery the institutions of Christ neither doth it neglect any of them But chieflie it acknowledgeth that it receiueth all things belonging ether to life saluation righteousnes or felicitie of the onely sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ as he who onely chose her and then by his spirite and bloud sanctifyed her and made her a Church that is a chosen people whose onely king redéemer high priest and defender he is without whom there is no saluation Therefore in God alone by our Lord Iesus Christ she only resteth him shee onely desireth and loueth and for his sake she reioyceth to loose all things that apperteine to this world yea and to spend her bloud and her life And therefore it cleaueth vnto Christe by faith inseparablie neither doeth it hate any thing more bitterly than falling awaye from Christ and desperation For without Christ there séemeth nothing in all this whole life to be pleasant With Sathan as with a deadly enimie she hath vnappeaseable enimitie Against heresies and errours it striueth both constantly and wisely The simplicitie of the Christian faith the sinceritie of the doctrine of the Apostles it most diligently kéepeth She kéepeth her selfe as much as lieth in her vnspotted of the world and of the flesh from all carnall and spiritual infection And therfore she fléeth from and by all meanes detesteth all vnlawefull congregations and prophane religions with all wicked men and willingly and openly confesseth Christe both by woord and déede euen with the damage of her life It is exercised with afflictions but yet neuer ouercome It keepeth vnitie and concord carefully All and euerye the members of her body shee most tenderly loueth It doeth good vnto all men as much as power and abilitie will suffer It hurteth no man It forgiueth willingly It beareth with the weake brotherlye till they bee brought foorth forward to perfection Shee is not puffed vpp with pride but thoroughe humilitie is kept in obedience in modestie and in all the dueties of godlinesse But who I praye you is able to recite all and euery one of the studies of the church in a very large discourse much lesse in this short recitall And who would not desire to be a member of so diuine and heauenly a congregation I would by and by ioyne herevnto that which remayneth touching the vnitie of the catholique Church of the diuision thereof and of other thinges belonging to the consideration hereof but that I doe perceiue you beeing alreadie wearie of hearing do earnestly loke for an end of this sermon Therefore we will put off the residue till to morrowe And now lifting
celebrated in stéede of other ordinances of god came in a high heap of foolish and superstitious Ceremonies whervnto a great number of men yelding made themselues subiect to the sea of Rome In the meane space notwithstanding the church of God was not vtterly extinguished throughout al the world neither the holy ministerie of the word of God the true worship of God vtterly decayed amongest all men For there were found spred abrode in euery place not a few men who neither alowed the Pope and his conspirators nether his corruption in matters of the church But they worshipped the lord Christ whom they acknowledged to be the onely authour of saluation and therfore they kept them selues frée from Popish filthines And god also sent almost in euery age since the beginning of Popedome men that were graue godly and learned who greuously accused the Popes kingdome and tyrannie euen as the Prophets did of old time in the dayes of Ieroboam the idolatrous corruption coÌ„stantly requiring the reformation of the church from Popish corruptions and also teaching the true doctrine of saluation the true vse of the sacramentes And wheras a pure reformation by reason of Antichristes tyrannie could not bée obteined there was notwithstanding found a continual studie of puritie a godly desire of the lawful vse of the sacraments euen as I said there was in the elect members of the true church of God in the dayes of IeroboaÌ„ Achab Manasses in the time of the captiuitie of Babylon But euen as in those times the true prophets of God were not acknowleged for true prophets of the priests of Baal but were coÌ„demned for scismatiques heretiques eueÌ„ so in certeine ages past the bishops of Rome with their conspiratours did excoÌ„municate persecute godly and learned men who preached the word of God called for the reformation of the church many of them did they put to death with fire and sword which thing our Lord and maister himselfe with the prophets and Apostles did foreshewe should come to passe Moreouer God could vndoubtedly reserue to himselfe a mightie church euen vnder the Papisme euen as we doubte not but hee hath done a very gret vnder Mahometanisme for who will thinke that no meÌ„bers of the church of God are remayning in all Asia and Africa Could not our merciful god with his mightie power in the last calamitie and ruine of gods church reserue againe as sometime he did 7000. meÌ„ of whom neuer a one had worshipped the beast or receiued his mark What hath béen don in Turkie or what at this day is don let them declare that can do it best most rightly What hath béene done amongest vs in these last ages no man can denie Through the great goodnesse of God we sée it is come to passe that euen as circumcision the signe of gods couenaunt of old was giueÌ„ vnto the people of god euen in the middest of the falling from god so also at this day in the greatest darcknesse of Antichrist most holy baptisme was giuen to the ChristiaÌ„s to be as a seale of the forgiuenesse of sinnes inheritance of the children of god Surely the purenes of doctrine was prophaned with infinite most grosse traditions by the Popes sworne frends yet in the meane time it was not altogether abolished For that I repeat not againe any thing of that which I haue said of godly and learned men sent of God crying for reformation of the Church and greatly profiting with all the children of God was it not with a certein vniuersall consent receiued for most certeine and vndoubted that in the decalogue or tenne commandements there was set downe a short and most absolute summe of all the commaundements of God and that in the Lords prayer was taughte vs a most ample forme of prayer vnto God And that in the Apostles créed was conteyned a most perfect rule of faith or of y which was to be beléeued Surelie the custome was to recite the créede almost vnto euery one that was departinge out of this world and to those that lay euen at the last gasp as a most perfect rule of that faith whiche bringeth saluation Neither do we doubt that the mercifull God and father of mercies who vouchsafed to saue the théefe vppon the crosse euen at the giuing vp of his life had mercie vppon those that were oppressed with the tyrannie of Antichrist and through his vnmeasurable grace touched the hearts of men both liuing and readie to die taught them by his holy spirite and that they coÌ„fessing one God the father maker of all things and one Iesus Christ the sonne of God redéemer of the world to haue suffered and risen againe and one holy Ghoste and finallie the holie catholique Church that he hath sanctifyed them forgiuing them all their sinnes and hath translated the soules of such faithfull men into life euerlasting according as they beléeued into which place also wee beléeue our flesh being raised againe shal be caried in the end of the world They haue here therfore their answere also who aske whether all oure elders who died beefore these last times wherein the Gospell is reuealed be damned Let therfore those that bee aliue rather looke least for their contempt of the word of God and contâ—ntions raised against the word of God they come to worse end thaÌ„ their forefathers came Therfore thoughe we acknowledge not the Popish Church to be the true Church yet it followeth not thereof that there neither is or was any Church of God in the earth For we say that is the true Church of GOD which beléeueth in Christe and forsaketh not his word which Church also we haue plentifully enough described We know moreouer that wée our selues which at this daye beléeue in Christe are the true Church of Christ our lord For wee cleane by faith to oure onely head Christe and to all the members of the catholique church so as we are not destitute of the true markes of the true Church of God. But we read not say they that vnder the bishops priestes and kings of the Church of the Iewes either the prophets that is to saye the guides of the faithfull or else the faithful themselues did depart away from the high priest from the king or from their vniuersall Church and ordeyned vnto themselues new particular sacrifices as you at this day doe For you departing from the bishopp of Rome from kinges and gouernours and from the vniuersal Church do congregate vnto your selues a Church farre vnlike the vniuersall Church both in preaching and ministring of the Sacraments Wherevnto I aunswere that the old fathers before the comming of oure maister Christe for a certeine prescribed cause did not séeke places to offer new sacrifices in the temple being abused and defiled with idolatrie For it was vnlawfull to offer sacrifice without the bounds of the temple As is to be séene in the 3. of Leuit. and the 12. of Deut. Neither
and all his members And in this sort now a dayes haue wee forsaken that sea of Rome flowing with false doctrine idolatrie and the bloud of innocent martyrs haue embraced the doctrine of the Gospel and of the Apostles and therefore Christ himselfe the head of the church which is the fellowshipp of all sainctes beléeuing in Christ And this hetherto haue I spoken by digression I nowe returne to the treatise of the catholique church that I may make an end of those thinges whiche remaine to be spoken And to that end that greater light and force maye be added to those thinges which I haue hetherto spoken of the churche I will nowe bring out certeine parables out of the holy scriptures whereby those thinges are as it were painted out before our eyes And so shal it be easie for euerie man to put a difference betwéene the inward and the outward churche and to knowe what either apperteyneth properly to euery one or else what is not proper First of all the church is set forth vnto vs vnder the shape and fashion of a house A house is builded to this ende that men maye dwell in it and it is builded by workemen of matter of all sorts of wood of stones and morter the foundation beeing first layde vppon which are set walls which are ioyned together with a corner stone last of all is added or placed alofte the roofe without whiche the whole building by little and little rotting woulde fall downe decay I said that the churche is the house of God the chiefe maister builder whereof is God himselfe who in the figure therof that is to say in the tabernacle made by Moses and temple builded by Solomon did deliuer both vnto Moses and Dauid the fashion of the temple according to whiche patterne they should build it For god from the beginning kept the Angels that they should not fall but repaired man being fallen into sinne death euen streighte wayes after the beginning of the world sanctifying a church vnto himselfe whiche hee also seuered out cōpassing it about with his word And this fashion of the church it is altogether néedful that we kéepe that we receiue not any other fashiō either of Emperor or Pope or deliuered by any other mā The true master builder of this house of God saith in the Gospel Vpō this rock I wil build my church For the same sonne of God is he that maketh vs worthie of his kingdome he giueth vs faith by whiche wee are made true members of the churche of god But albeit the Lord himselfe bée the onely and principall builder of his church yet he refuseth not the labours of men in the building yea rather hee ioyneth men with him in building of the church whome also he vouchsafeth to call maister builders For Paule sayeth As a skilfull maister builder I haue laid the foūdation And againe Who is Paule and who is Apollos but the ministers by whom ye beleeued as the Lord gaue to euery mā I haue planted Apollos watered but God gaue the increase So then neither is hee that planteth any thinge neither hee that watereth but God that giueth the increase Againe We together are Gods labourers ye are Gods husbandrie Gods building Wée will make the matter plaine by an example What time God would raise vp a house vnto himselfe amonge the Gentiles first of all hee endued with his grace Cornelius the gouernour of the Italian bande placed by Cęsar or the capiteine and Centurion by by after sending the Apostle Peter he prepared and made readie that house for himselfe For Peter teacheth and baptiseth Cornelius with his household hearkeneth beleeueth is baptised and becommeth the house of god the true church which church the Lord dwelles in by his spirite For euen as a house is dwelt in by men so GOD dwelleth in the church As Paul witnesseth saying The temple of God is holy whiche yee are Againe Knowe you not that your body is the temple of the holie Ghoste which is in you c. The foundation of this house is Christ For God sayeth by Esaie Behold I put or lay in Sion that is to saye in the Churche a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation Hee that beleeueth shal not make hast Which prophecie the Lord expoūding in S. Matthewes Gospel and applying it to himselfe as the foundation of the church saith vnto Peter confessing Iesus to bee the true sonne of the liuing God the Messias that was looked-for And vppon this rocke I will build my church the gates of hell shall not ouercome it There is moreouer to be added herevnto the exposition of S. Peter the Apostle who reciting the verye same words of the prophete Esaie and alluding to that saying of Dauid The stone whiche the builders refused is the head of the corner sayth exprefly that Christe is that liuing stone refused of men but chosen of God a sure foundation vppon whome whosoeuer stayeth shall not be confounded And also Paul the Apostle agreeth with Peter for hee sayeth And the rocke was Christ And againe An other foundation can no man lay than that which is layd which is Iesus Christ Therfore wheras he in another place nameth the selfe same foundation the foundation of the prophets and Apostles it is not so to be taken as if the Apostles and prophets were the foūdation of the church but that they layed Iesus Christ for the foundation of the Church builded the whole building vppon this foundation yea euen thēselues also For mortal men cannot be the obiect of faith and foundation of the church wherevppon the faithfull may stay Dauid crieth The way of God is vncorrupt the word of the Lord is tried in the fier he is ashield to al that trust in him For who is God besides the Lord And who is mightie or a rocke saue our God And Ieremie saith Thus saith the Lord cursed bee the man that trusteth in man maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the lord Blessed bee the man that trusteth in the Lord whose hope the Lord is So the writings of the prophets and Apostles with one consent shewe vs the rocke that is to say the foundation of the church to be Christ that it is he onely and alone Greatly do they erre therfore whosoeuer they be that do attribute to the bishop of Rome this diuine praise power and prerogatiue which is due only to the sonne of god And if so be it that they obiecte that many interpretours both Gréeke Latine haue vnderstoode by the rocke Peter himselfe we refuse mans authoritie and do affirme bring forth heauenly authoritie Christ said not I will build my church vpon thee but vppon a rocke that selfe same rocke that thou hast cōfessed Yea Peter taketh his name of Petra which signifieth a rocke euen
as a Christian of Christ And Peter also himselfe by the rocke vnderstood Christ Herevnto maketh the authoritie of Paule saying The rock was Christ And Other foundation can no man laye than that whiche is laid whiche is Iesus Christ For Dauid before sayed Who is God besides the Lord or who is a rocke saue our God These testimonies I repeate not vnaduisedly for all those that are not beside their witts wil confesse there is more credite to be giuen to these most manifest testimonies witnessing Christ onely to be the rocke and placing him for the foundation of the Church than vnto those that teach both Peter the bishop of Rome together with Christ to bee rockes and foundations of the Churche I will vse no sharper speach at this time against them for asmuch as it is most manifest vnto all men what maner of men they be most vnworthie to bee reckoned with Peter but most worthie to be counted amongest Symoniackes Peter foresawe what manner of men they would bée and therefore least any man should be deceiued by them he painted them out in their colours in the 2. Chapiter of his 2. Epistle But leauing them wee will returne to the exposition of the parable we had in hand The matter of the house as the walls other parts are faithfull men builded vppon the foundation Christ Which thing those famous and principall workemen of this building Peter and Paule witnesse and explaine in these woordes Peter sayeth To Christ ye come as vnto a liuing stone disalowed of men but chosen of God and precious And ye as liuely stones bee made a spirituall house and holie priesthood to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to GOD by Iesus Christ And Paule saith Now therefore ye are no more straungers forreyners but citizens with the saincts of the household of god And are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone In whome all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy temple in the lord In whō ye are also built together to be the habitation of God by the spirite By the authoritie therfore of the Apostles wee learne that Christ is the corner stone in the house of God who least the walls should fall downe coupleth them together and vp houldeth the whole building He is also the roofe of the church that is to say the defender and ruler vnder whose defence the church liueth safe happie and blessed Herevnto apperteyneth the consideration of the tabernacle of Moses and of the temple of Solomon for either of them is called the house of god The tabernacle was distinguished into The holiest of all the holie place and the court and albeit these seuerall partes be named yet is it called one house of the Lord because there is but only one vniuersal church whiche neuerthelesse hath as it were her parts The holiest of all is a figure of the triūphant church in heauen where are our fellow seruauntes brethren the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs and all the blessed spirites There doeth Christ our Lord appeare alwayes in the sight of god who is our arcke wherein is conteined the treasures of the church which is the fulfilling of the law the certeintie of the couenaunt our propitiation Thence haue we our Oracles In this part of the temple all thinges are sumptuous gold and precious stones For in heauen perfecte ioy is atteyned In the temple are formes of Angels palmes and floures for because in the life to come the elect shal be as the Angels of god Here they y doe ouercome are gréene for euermore To him that ouercommeth saith the Lord wil I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God. Here all thinges shine for in Christ and in the life to come wee shal be made bright The holie place representeth vnto vs the militant inward church sanctified with the bloud of Christe whiche hath not a shew of godlines onely but godlines it selfe For by faith they cleaue fast vnto God and with mutuall charitie they are knitt together amongest themselues they serue god in spirite hearing gods word and being partakers of the sacraments In the holy place therefore Solomon placed 10. candlestickes 10. tables and tenne cauldrons For in the church y saincts are daily lightened nourished purged through repentance Finallie the Court receiued the whole assemblie of the people For the Churche is the assemblie of all those that professe fayth hauing also hypocrites mingled with them Betwene the holy place and the Court or porch are two pillers in Solomons temple dedicated to the posteritie of Dauid For it is Christ that beareth vp the church by whom that way is open into the church Through the benefite power of Christ the church hath obteined that if shee continue in Christ she should also be the piller and ground of the truth But besids the tabernacle and temple of God there is no place but in the Churche wherein God receiueth the seruice done vnto him God is onely fauourable in the church of his sainctes Let the Iewes Turkes and Sarracens therefore do workes which in outward shewe are neuer so excellent yet without Christ his fellowship no man pleaseth god Againe the church of god is compared by Esaie to a most excellent vine who saieth by plaine words The vineyard of the Lord of hostes is the house of Israel the men of Iuda are his pleasant plant And also in the Gospel our lord in the parable of the vine plainly expoundeth that mē are the branches of this vine Yea and in Iohn he saith I am that true vine my father is an husbandman Euery branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away and euerie one that beareth fruite he purgeth it that it may bring foorthe more fruite As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine you are the braunches he that abideth in me I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing If a man bide not in me hee is cast forth as a braunch withereth and men gather them cast them into the fire they burne There is one church therfore for it is one vine Out of her come branches partly fruitfull and partly vnfruitfull For both the good or godly and true worshippers of God and euil men or hypocrites are counted to be in the church But hypocrits in their time are cutt off and throwne into euerlasting fire That the good remaine in the vine and are not cutt off but bring forth fruite that are they indebted for to Christ the foundation of the church and also the head preseruer of the same who by his spiritual liuely iuice makes them fruitful in good works Herein most euidētly
hath giuen vnto none neyther doth any minister vnles he be blinded with diuelish pryde take that vnto him selfe as though he did worke those workes that are proper vnto Christe eyther for Christe or in Christes stead or together with Christ The Apostles being Christ his most faithful ministers and most chosen instruments of God did not giue the holy ghoste did not drawe mens harts did not inwardly anoynt mens mindes did not regenerate soules they them selues did not deliuer from sinne death the diuell and hell For all these things be the works of God whiche he hath not communicated to any Wherfore the most holy Baptist in plaine wordes denied that he was Christ he denied that he him selfe baptised with the holy Ghoste I saithe he baptise with water but hee baptiseth with the holy Ghost I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lorde And Paule pleading his cause before Agrippa wisheth of God that king Agrippa were such a one as Paule him selfe was except his bonds But such a wishe had not néeded if he him selfe could drawe sanctifie and absolue There are infinite other of this kinde to be séene in the scriptures Yet neuerthelesse the ministerie of the church is not néedles The kings counsellers and officers haue not equall power with the king neither are they kinges with the king or for the king but for all that their seruice is not in vaine Therefore that thing which Christ the sonne of God who is the greatest the best and the chiefe high priest of his Church worketh in his catholique church inwardly and in their mindes as the onely searcher of of the hearts the very same outwardly he declareth and testifieth by his ministers whome the Scripture for that cause calleth witnesses embassadours or messingers You sayth the Lord to his Apostles shall beare witnesse bycause ye haue beene with me frō the beginning And Paul saith I am ordeined a precher an apostle a teacher of the gentiles Therfore the same apostle in another place calleth the same Gospell both a testimonie and preaching of our Lord Iesus Christe And Ihon the Apostle affirmeth that he was banished into the Isle of Pathmos For the worde of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christe And therefore when ministers beare witnesse of the Sonne of God and out of his word promise life euerlasting their worde is not called mans word but the word of God and they are saide to saue and to release from sinn For they are the true messingers and harroldes of the king who is the deliuerer who hath sent them to publishe remission of sinnes wherevpon also they attribute all the meanes of life saluation and deliuerie to the onely deliuerer Christe Paule in an other place calleth ministers Fellowe labourers with God and afterward againe Disopsers of the secrets of God. For the saluation whiche the sonne of God hath onely wrought and whiche he also onely giueth the ministers preache or dispose and so they are fellowe labourers The same Apostle out of the doctrine of the Gospell which resembleth the teacher in the Church to one that soweth séede compareth the ministers to gardeners and planters of trées to whom he committeth the outward manuring reseruing the inwarde working to Christe our Lord saying Who is Paule then and who is Apollos but ministers by whome ye beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So then neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God that giueth the increase With whiche testimonie of the Scripture Augustine being instructed learned so to speake and write of the ministerie of the Church as nothing shoulde be diminished from the glorie of God which inwardly moueth and teacheth vs and yet in the meane time the office of the ministerie should not be taken away or despised as vnprofitable For in his Epistle Ad Circenses which in order is accounted the 130. speaking of the secrete drawing of God and the outwarde ministerie of men These are not sayth he oure workes but Gods I would not at al attribute these thinges vnto mans working no not if when wee were with you so greate a conuersion of the multitude through our speaking and exhortations should happen That thing hee worketh and bringeth to passe who by his ministers outwardly warneth by tokens or signes of things but by the things them selues he inwardly teacheth by him selfe Thus farre he But least it might séem to any man that he spake too briefly and sparingly and not worthily enoughe of the ministerie of the Church euen he him selfe immediately addeth and sayth Neyther therfore ought we to be more flowe to come vnto you bycause whatsoeuer is done prayse woorthy among you commeth not of vs but of him which alone doth wonderfull thinges For we ought more carefully to runne to behold the workes of God than our owne workes Bycause euen we our selues if we haue any goodnesse in vs we are his worke and not mans Therefore the Apostle said Neither is he that plāteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase The same writer speaking of the verie same thing in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn Al the men of that kingdome sayth he shall be suche as are taught of God they shall not heare by men and though they heare by men yet that which they vnderstand is inwardly giuen it shineth inwardly it is inwardly reuealed What doe men in preaching outwardly what do I nowe when I speake make you to heare a noyse of wordes with your eares But vnlesse he reueale it which it within what say I or what speake I The outward workman is the plāter of the tree and the inwarde is the creatour Hee that planteth and hee that watereth worketh outwardly that doe we But neyther is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase This is the meaning of They shall be all taught of God. Thus far Augustine Wherfore when in another place S. Paule sayth Ye are the Epistle of Christe ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in stonie tables but in fleshie tables of the heart we must diligently put a difference betwéene the worke of the spirit and the work of man or of the minister The minister doth not take on him the honor of God and the worke of the spirite but his owne worke that is to say the ministerie Paule preacheth and writeth with ynke but the spirite of God moueth the heart and with his grace or annoynting he writeth in the very heart so he worketh together with GOD Paule working his proper woorke and the spirite working his worke The Apostles are preachers and ministers of the Gospell not of the letter but of the spirite not that they giue the holie Ghoste but bycause they are preachers of the
what are they not It is rehearsed out of the Registre of Gregorie that hee who neuerthelesse was verie fauourable to the monkes himselfe would put him out of the cleargie who beeing a monke would take the degrée of an abbat for asmuche as the one dignitie would hinder the other Clearkes who are the Lords inheritaunce or whose lot the Lord is in times past suche were called as were studentes or professours of diuinitie that is to say the very séed of pastours of the churche and such as were euen as it were consecrated to succéed in the ministerie of the church that is suche as liued vnder gouernment and were trained vp by the doctours and elders in the studie of the liberall sciences holy scriptures This institution is auncient not new neither inueÌ„ted by man For in time past amonge the old people of the Iewes they were called Nazarites And that the most excellent churches haue coÌ„tinually had famous scholes euen from the time of the Apostles Eusebius doth often witnes But vnto those students the affaires of the church somwhat increasing it séemeth that the charge of opening shutting the temple or church was committed and to prepare al things in the church and further to read openly before the people such places of scripture as the bishop appointed them Wherevppon perhaps the names of dorekepers and readers sprang which are at this day reckoned amoÌ„gst ecclesiastical orders But they which were more familiarly present with the bishops accompanied them were estemed as those who after the decease of the bishops might succéed in their places were called Acoluthi as if you would say folowers For it is a gréeke word And as in time for the most part all things become worse euen so these things the further off from their first institution the more filthilie were they wrested In som things you shal sée nothing left but the bare name some things vtterly lost some things are turned altogether to another vse And here for witnes I alledg Isidorê° Rabanus Innocentius Durandus and other writers of this kind They make 2. sorts of ecclesiastical persons one of dignitie another of order Of dignitie as Pope patriarche primate archbishop archpriest archdeacon prouost Of order as the minister or priest the deacon c. But some account 6. orders other some 8. All with one accord doe reckoÌ„ dorekéepers or porters readers or singers exorcists acoluthes subdeacous deacoÌ„s elders or priests Those againe they diuide into greater lesser orders Among the greater orders are the priest or elder the deacon the subdeacon The rest are called the lesser orders Of which orders there remayneth nothing in a maner beside y bare name The office of dore-kéepers is turned ouer to the sextens which they cal Holy water clearks There are no readers for that auncient reading is worne out of vse The Psalmistes or singers doe vnderstand nothing lesse than that they rehearse or singe Touching the exorcists this they say Iosephus writeth that king Solomon found out the maner of exorcisme that is of coniuring wherby vncleane spirits were driuen out of a maÌ„ that was possessed by Eleazar the exorcist so that they durst no more come againe To this office they that are named exorcistes are called Of whom it is read in the Gospel If I thrugh Beelzebub cast out diuels by whom do your children to witt your exorcists or coniurers cast them out Thus much they say which I rehearse to this end that it may appeare to all men that these men are the very same of whom the Apostle foretold that it should come to passe that they shall not suffer wholesome doctrine but shal be turned vnto fables For who knoweth not that it is most fabulous which is reported of Solomon Who knoweth not that the Apostles of the Lord were not exorcists neither vsed at any time any manner of inchantments or coniurations For with a word they cast out vncleane spirits that is by calling vppon and by the power of the name of Christ Those gifts ceased long agoe in the church of god Those sonnes of ScÄ™ua the priest in the Actes of the Apostles were said to be exorcists whom the euil spirite though they called on the names of Iesus and Paule ranne vpon and tare the clothes from their backs and so by Gods appointmeÌ„t made knowne vnto all men how much the eternal God is delighted with exorcistes And yet these fellowes thrust them vpon vs as yet Touching the Acoluthes or followers thus they write heare I pray you howe trimly they reason The Acoluthes say they are waxe-bearers because they carrie waxe candles For when the Gospell must bee read or masse is to bee said waxe candles are lighted to signifie the ioy of the minde Who hearing these thinges will say that these men doâ— vnlearnedly handle no mysteries Subdeacons and deacons are no longer prouiders for the poore but being made ministers of superstition they attende on the Popishe masse The deacons office is to singe the Gospell the subdeacons to singe the epistle In fewe woordes I cannot expresse what foolish men do fondly chatter cocerning these masters Ouer these they haue set an archdeacon which is a name of dignitie and preeminence Sacrificers who are also called priestes are diuerslye distinguished For there are regular priestes and secular priestes By regular priestes they vnderstand monkes whereas they are nothinglesse than those they are said to be Truly they resemble those that of â—ld were called monkes in no point of their doings A greate part of them are a rule and lawe vnto them selues Of these men some are doctours appointed to the office of preaching but yet rather occupied in saying of their houres and in singing and saying of masses And these men sowe superstition and most obstinately defend it most bitterly do persecute true religion Another sort and the greatest part of these monkish priestes doe nothing else but singe in the church and mumble masse and that for a very slender price But you may sooner number the sandes of the coast of Libya than the whole rable of these But they are vnprofitable both vnto God and to the church also euen to themselues men vtterly vnlearned and slow bellies yet in the meane season sworne enimies to the truth of the Gospel Among the secular priestes the chiefe are canons whiche for the most part are idle persoÌ„s giuen ouer to voluptuousnes gluttons and in very déed secular that is to saye worldly They thinke they haue gailie discharged their duetie if they make an end of the houres which they call canonical and be present gazers on at the masse and if they honour and beautifie with their presence gods seruice as they cal it They séeme to be more streit and not to be secular priests â–ª who say masse both for the quick and for the dead There are reckoned also in the number of secular priestes parish priests whom they call
and exhortations If so be that euerie church had such a pastour which wold not easily forsake the flocke howe great fruite I pray you shoulde we hope for Wherefore not without cause are we commanded incessantly and earnestly to praye vnto God that he woulde giue faythfull wise godly and diligent Pastours vnto his Churche Thus haue I hitherto spoken of the doctrine of byshops in the church of god And vnlesse a byshop teach after this manner and do those thinges which are ioyned to teaching he is vnworthy eyther of the name of a Byshop Pastour or Doctour howe so euer he pretend an Apostolique title For certeine thinges are ioyned to the doctrine of the Churche which also are required of a preacher of the Gospell and belong to his office as are these to gather together an holie assembly wherein he may preache conceiue prayer and minister the sacraments But of these things shall be spoken in their place Nowe there resteth to be considered howe byshops may gouerne the Churche of Christe with holy example of their life The Lorde in the Gospell sayth to his Apostles Ye are the light of the world A citie that is set on an highe hill can not be hid neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men that they maye â—ee your good woorkes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Wherefore Pastours not onely in doctrine but in holie life do giue light vnto the Churche whiche beholding their life agréeable to their doctrine is her selfe also moued to practise innocencie of life For the exaÌ„ple of a good man much preuaileth to the furthering of the loue of vertues And coÌ„trariwise the Scripture witnesseth that the corrupt example of the sonnes of Helie the chiefe rulers in religion was verie analyeable to corrupt the people For the Scripture sayth And the sinne of the children of Helie was to abhominable before the face of the Lorde so that the people beganne to abhorre the sacrifices of the Lorde For men séeing the corrupt life of the ministers of the church begin somwhat to dout of the whole doctrine crying If the pastor thought those things true whiche he teacheth vnto vs he him selfe would not liue so dissolutely Therefore such teachers are sayde to ouerthrowe that with their naughtie life whiche they haue builded with wholesome doctrine Wherefore Paul requireth a byshop or pastor of the people which shuld be blamelesse that is to say whiche can not rightly and worthily be reprehended of the â—aythfull For otherwise by howe muche euerie Bishop shall be more sincere and vpright by so much more shall he be subiect to slaunders and reproches of the wicked the Lord him selfe foretelling the same in the Gospell If they haue called saythe he the Lorde of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his housholde And If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you And againe Blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and lying shall say all manner of euill saying againste you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Therfore a pastor ought verie carefully and as muche as in him is to take héede that both at home and abroad he liue a life worthy of him selfe and his calling Let him liue chastely as well being single as married Let temperaunce sobernesse thriftinesse or good husbandry hospitalitie and other vertues which I haue before rehersed out of the Apostle flourish in a bishop Let him gouerne his owne houshold wisely and godlily instruct theÌ„ and so bridle them that he giue not occasion of offence to the Church through riotousnesse or other misdéedes For so also the Apostle Paule hath commaunded who frameing againe the exercises of a byshop sayeth Till I come giue attendaunce to reading to exhortation and doctrine He requireth of Timothie a diligent reading that is to say a continuall studie whereby he may more perfectly exhort and teach But Paule requireth of him that hath bene brought vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a childe as elswhere he writeth a continuall studie of the Scriptures Howe great diligence then doth the Apostle require of them who as they haue not obtained so plentifull gifts of the spirit as Timothie had so they are not exercised in the Scriptures from their infancie Let a sorte of them therefore be ashamed of their vnskilfulnesse let them be ashamed of leasure not bestowed in studie and of their trauelsome idlenesse For as manye reade not any thing at all but continually liue idlely and as it were rot away in idlenesse so a number of innumerable others are busied in those thinges which nothing become Byshoppes Therefore the Apostle saythe No man which goeth a warrefare intangleth him selfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please him which hath chosen him to be a souldier Here were a fitte place to speake of stipendes due vnto Pastours but we will deferre it to an other place But if Byshoppes come abroade among the people at any time for businesse sake and be present in assemblies of honest men with no lesse care ought they to indeuoure leaste eyther by déede or worde or by apparell or companie kéeping or finally in the whole course of their life they giue any iust occasion of offence to the Churche Let there appeare in Pastoures in all places and at all times holy vprightnesse méete ripenesse of iudgement honest behauiour wisedome modestie humanitie humilitie and authoritie worthy of Gods ministers But let the contrarie vices and wicked misdéedes be farre from them In these fewe wordes I thinke are conteyned those thinges whiche other haue handled at large intreating of the discipline and behauiour of the Clergie For all ages vnderstoode that a dissolute and loose life was euill in all degrées and kyndes of men but in the ministers of the Churche worsse and moste intollerable For what can a minister of the Churche doe in the Churche whose authoritie is altogether lost Authoritie therfore is requisite in Pastors Of the want hereof manye doe complayne and séeing it vnder foote goe about to reare it vppe agayne with I can not tell what kynde of proppes of titles and ceremonies But authoritie is not gotten with suche light and vayne thinges It is rather obteyned by the Grace of God through the loue of trueth and vprightnesse of life if happily God touche mens heartes so as they vnderstande that GOD worketh his worke in the Churche by his ministers as by his instruments if they perceiue that ministers do the worke of the Lorde with feruentnesse of spirite and not coldly not fearing any thing in a good cause no not the wicked and mightie men of this world but doe resist them and yet that they doe nothing of hatred or malice but doe all
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becōmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or frō others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power
of God the father Here true Christiās are separated from Iewes from Turkes yea and Papistes also For they despising the sonne of God call vpon the father only without the mediation of Christ Iesus But the voice of God by the Gospel and his Apostles pronounceth against them In the Gospel we read the Lord said The father hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne beecause that all men shuld honour the sonne euen as they honor the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoreth not the father which hath sent him And againe I am the way the trueth the life No man cōmeth to the father but by me And Iohn the Apostle and Euāgelist saith Who soeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father But these men doe not acknowledge Christ to be the only intercessour but teach the saincts in his stéed or with him ought to bee called vppon as patrones before god But the same Iohn shewing an aduocate vnto Christiās did not appoint him selfe did not lay before vs sainctes in stéed of Christ or them with Christ But saieth he wee haue an aduocate with GOD the father Iesus Christ the righteous Neither doeth Paule shewe vs any other in 1. Tim. 2. cap. and Heb. 7. cap. To the Ephesi By Christ sayth he wee haue bouldnesse entraunce with confidēce by faith in him Christ is sufficient for them that beléeue as in whom alone the father hath stoared vpp all good things commaunding vs to aske those thinges in him and by him thorough prayer These thinges are sufficient for minds not desirous of contention They that wil let them serch further in the third Sermon of the fourth Decade I haue told you who is to be prayed vnto or called vppon of the godly worshipers of God and by whome to witt God alone by the onely sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs now sée what should stirre vp man to call vppon God surely the spirite of our God principally For prayer is rightly counted amonge the giftes of grace For neither could we earnestly nor hartily call vpon our God vnlesse we be stirred vpp and prouoked thervnto by the spirite of god For albeit the commaundement of God will vs to pray present necessitie and daunger driue vs and the example of other allure vs to pray yet all these thinges would doe nothing vnlesse the spirite inforce our minds vnto his will and guide and kéepe vs in prayer Therefore though there be many causes concurring whiche moue men to prayer yet the chiefe original of prayer is the holy Ghost to whose motion and gouernement in the entraunce of all prayers whosoeuer pray with any fruite do begge with an holy preface To this perteine these words of the holy Apostle The spirite also saith hée helpeth our infirmities For we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed But he which searcheth the harts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite for he maketh requests for the saincts according to the will of God. In déede the spirite of God is said to make intercession not that he in very déed prayeth groaneth but because he stirreth vp our mindes to pray and to sighe and bringeth to passe that according to the pleasure of GOD wée should make intercession or pray for the Sainctes that is to saye for oure selues But let vs consider with what abilities hée must be furnished which cōmeth of purpose to pray vnto god First it is necessarie that hée lay aside all opinion of his owne worthinesse and righteousnesse that hee acknowledge himselfe to bee a sinner and to stand in néed of all good thinges and so let him yéeld himselfe vnto the méere mercie of God desiring of the same to be filled with all things that are good For that great prophete of God Daniel saieth Wee doe not present our prayers before thee in our own righteousnes but in thy manifold mercies Also you read the like prayers offered vnto God Psal. 79. For the people of the Lord crie Helpe vs O Lord of our saluation for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy names sake Remember not our sinnes of old make hast and let thy mercie deliuer vs. In the new Testament the Phariseie in Luke trusting in his owne righteousnesse is put by and cast off from the Lord but the Publican fréely confessing his sinnes and crauing mercie of God is heard and iustified For vnlesse we acknowledge our nakednes weakenes and pouertie who I pray you wil pray vnto God For not they that bestrong but they that bee sicke haue neede of the Physician And the Lorde in the Gospell sayth Aske and ye shal receiue knocke and it shal be opened vnto you seeke and ye shall finde Hee therfore that is commaunded to aske that he may receiue hath not as yet that he asketh he that knocketh by knocking signifieth that he standeth without doores and he whiche séeketh hathe lost that which yet he séeketh for We therefore being shut out from the ioyes of Paradise by prayer do séeke and aske for that whiche we haue lost and haue not Therefore where as Dauid and Ezechias and other saintes of God in prayer do alledge their owne righteousnes for which they séeme worthily to require to be heard truely they regarde not their owne worthinesse but rather the trueth of god He hath promised that he will heare them that worship him therfore the Godly say Beholde wee are thy worshippers therefore it is méete thou shouldest not neglect vs but deliuer vs In the meane while in other places they speake in suche sort of their righteousnesse that we cannot doubt that in their prayers they made mention of their righteousnesse with a certeine measure and limitation Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant sayth Dauid for in thy sight shal no man liuing be iustified c. Furthermore and that whiche is the chiefe of all it is needefull that they which pray must haue a true feruent faith Let the doctrine of faith therefore in the matter of prayer shewe vs lighte as the morning starr and with an assured hope to obtein of God the thing which is asked let him that prayeth make his petition Let him aske in faith sayth saint Iames nothing wauering for he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tost of the winde and carried with violence Neither let that man think that he shal receiue any thing of the Lord. And Paule also sayth Howe shall they call vppon him on whome they haue not beleeued I haue spoken of faith in the fourth sermon of the firste Decade But to the ende that faith may increase in iust measure flourish and continue stable we must labour in the promises and examples from euery place gathered together We will recite a fewe In the booke of Psalmes
from the olde He therefore suffered singing of Psalmes but in the meane time he preferred before it prophecie or the office of preaching and he also required of them that did sing bothe a mesure to be kept and also that it should be done with vnderstanding without which doutlesse bothe prayer singing is not only vnprofitable but also hurtfull I wil pray with the spirit saith the Apostle and will pray with the vnderstanding also I will singe with the spirit and will sing with the vnderstanding also Neither doe I knowe that in any place else the Apostle maketh mention of singing in holie assemblyes vnlesse we liste to applie that hether which Paule hath left written in the 3. to the Colossians though that may séeme to be a priuate institution For that whiche he hath left written in his Epistle to the Ephesians in these words Be not drunken with wine wherein is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirite speaking vnto your selues in psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songes singing and making melodie to the Lord in your harts Giuing thankes alwayes for all thinges vnto God euen the Father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ What manner of saying it is it is easily iudged by the occasion and order of the words For he speaketh nothing of the publique singing accustomed to be vsed in the Church but of the priuate manner of singing For he had respect vnto riotous banquets where for the moste parte were vsed to be sung of such as were wel tippled songs which were not verie honest Be ye not therefore drunke with wine saith the Apostle lest ye sing songes that are scarse honest but rather if ye list to sing sing Psalmes and spirituall songes Wherevnto this also may be added that euen in those kinds of songs he requireth rather the songe of the hart than the warbling of the voice so far off is it that he at any time alloweth vncomely shrikings either publique or priuate albeit the sense and meaning shal be more simple and plaine if we vnderstand In corde which signifieth in the hart to be spoken in that place in sted of ioyfully or from the hart Wherfore no man can or ought to disallowe moderate and godly singing of Psalmes whethere it be publiquely vsed in holie assemblies or at home in priuat houses And truely you shall finde many testimonies in the ecclesiasticall historie written by Eusebius and Sozomenus declaring that the Esterne Churches euen immediatly after the time of the Apostles did vse to singe Psalmes and Hymnes vnto Christe our Lorde Ye shall also finde this that by certaine decrées of counsels it was ordeyned that no other thinge should either be read or soūg in holie assemblies but onely the canonicall Scripture For euen betimes there began neither a meane to be kept in the Churche neither the canonicall scripture only to be vsed for that certaine men intermedled their owne songes Yet héere déerly beloued I thought good to put you in mind of two excellent things concerning this matter The first of them is that the singing of the ancient Church was a far other kinde of singing than that which at this day is vsed For Erasmus Roter doeth rightly iudge that the singing vsed in the ancient churches was no other than a distincte and measured pronoūtiation such as at this day in some places is vsed in pronoūcing of the psalmes the gospel and the Lordes prayer Truly Plinie the Lieftenant in Asia by diligēt search or examinatiō of matters found out that the christians at certaine appointed times met together before day soūg a Psalme together amonge them selues vnto Christe their god The place of Plinie is to be séene in the 10. book of his Epistles to Traianus the Emperour Also Rabanus Maurus lib. insti Cler. 2 cap. 48. saith The primitiue church did so sing that with a little altering of the voyce it made him that sange to be heard the further so that the singing was more like lowd reading than song These things he borrowed out of the 33. chap. of S. Austines 10. book of confessions who in that place plainly confesseth that he doth sinne when he is more delighted with the swéetnes of the voices than with the sense of the words and therefor desireth that all the melodious tunes of swéet songs wherewith the psalter of Dauid is replenished might be remoued from his eares and the hearing of the Church For it séemed to be more safe which he remēbred he had often heard concerning Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria who with so little strayning of the voice made the Reader of the Psalme to vtter it that he rather séemed to read than to sing The last of the things I said I would put you in mind of is that singing howsoeuer it be an auncient institution neuerthelesse was neuer vniuersal of necessiti thrust vpō the churches but it was frée neither was it always vsed in all churches Whereunto may be added that which Sozomenus witnesseth that those Churches whiche did sing vsed not the very same kindes of prayers or Psalmes or readings or the very same time Socrates also in the 5. book of his historie cha 22. saith To be short in all Countries euery where you shall not finde two churches which in all points agrée together in prayer And that it was long yer the Westerne Churches receiued melodie or the custome of singing it appéereth euen by the testimonie of Augustine who in his 9. booke of Confess Chap. 7. rehearseth that Ambrose béeing oppressed with the snares persecutions of Iustina the Arian Empresse ordained that hymnes and psalmes should be soung according to the custome of the Easte partes since whiche time the custome of singing hath béene reteined and also receiued of other partes of the worlde Neuerthelesse before the Westerne churches receiued the order of singing they were estemed of all them of the East to be true Churches neither came it into any mans braine that therefore they were hereticall and schismaticall Churches or not rightlie gouerned because they were destitute of song or melodie No man gathered The Easterne Churches sing the Westerne doe not so therefore they are no churches If this vprightnes and libertie had remained safe and vnaltered that is to saye If according to that auncient vse of singing nothing had béene soung but canonicall scriptures if it had bene stil in the libertie of the churches to sing or not to sing truely at this day there should be no controuersie in the Churche aboute singing in the church For those churches whiche should vse singing after the ancient maner practised in singing would sing the word of God and the prayses of God onely neither would they think that in this point they surpassed other Churches neither would they condemne those Churches that sang not at all where as also these would not despise them that vsed soberly and godlily to sing For if godly men perseuere in the studie
all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods â–ª goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ„ vs also vpoÌ„ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie â—o giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌ„tion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌ„sent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌ„s which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
obteine life and saluation Christe is the strength and substance of the Sacramentes by whome onelie they are effectuall and without whome they are of no power vertue or effecte But if any man by promise doe vnderstand couenaunt whereby the Lorde doeth singularly binde or as you would say tye him selfe to the signes in which or with whiche he would be present bodily essentially and really therein hee saith more than hee can shewe or proue by the Scriptures For in no place hath Christe promised to be present corporally that is with his true bodie in the signes or with the signes other wise I am not ignoraunt how God appeared sometimes to our fathers vnder a bodily figure that is in some visible forme or shape as when he shewed him selfe to Iacob whiche was named Israel leaning on a ladder and to Moses in the hole of a rock as it were in a glasse But these do not properly perteine to this purpose where we entreate of the corporall presence of Christe and of the sacramentall signes But because many wrest these wordes of the Lord This is my body This is my bloud to proue a corporall presence of the Lordes bodye in the Supper I aunswere that those wordes of the Lord are not roughly to be expounded according to the letter as though bread and wine were the bodie and bloude of Christe substantially and corporally but mystically and sacramentally so that the bodie and bloud of Christ doe abide in their substance nature in their place I meane in some certeine place of Heauen but the bread and wine are a signe or sacrament a witnesse or sealing and a liuely memorie of his bodie giuen and his bloud shedd for vs but of this thing in place conuenient we wil intreate more at large By these thinges whiche we haue spoken of it appeareth sufficiently howe Sacraments consist of two things the signe and the thinge signified of the worde of God and the rite or holie Ceremonie There are some notwithstanding whiche thincke there is suche force graffed of God into the words that if they bee pronounced ouer the signes they sanctifie chaunge and in a manner bring with them or make presente the thinges signified and plante or include them within the signes or at the leaste ioyne them with the signes For here-vppon are these kinde of spéeches hearde That the water of Baptisme by the vertue of the wordes doeth regenerate and that by the efficacie of the wordes the breade it selfe and the wine in the Supper are made the naturall fleshe and bloud of the Lorde But the Sacramentes of Christe and his Churche doe consiste of the worde and the signe But it séemeth that we must diligentlie searche out what muste be vnderstoods by The worde I saide euen now that ▪ The worde in the Sacramentes was a witnesse-bearing of Gods will and the commaundement of God it selfe or institution of God whiche declareth vnto vs the author manner and end of a Sacrament By this word I say and Commaundement of GOD by this will and institution of God the Sacramentes are sanctified not that the wordes are so pronounced of the ministers as they ar read afore to be recited of the Lord him selfe or deliuered by his Apostles ▪ but because God so would so did and commaunded his Apostles to doe For whatsoeuer GOD doeth or commaundeth to doe is sanctified by the very commaundement or déede of god For all thinges which hee hath done are excéeding good therefore these things which he commaundeth to doe cannot choose but be holie because he is holie and the onelie sanctifier Wherefore by the nature will déede and commaundement of God and not by the pronuntiation of any wordes are the Sacramentes sanctified To which wil of GOD that it may bee applyed vnto man and doe him good the faithfull obedience of men is necessarily required whiche altogether should make vs putt our trust and confidence in the mercie and power of God who in no wise should despise or cast behinde vs the institution of God although it séeme in outwarde appearaunce base and contemptible This will appeare more plainlie in the example of Naaman the captaine of the King of Syria his bande ▪ He heard of the Prophet vndoubtedly at the Lords commaundement that he should washe him selfe seuen times in Iordane For so it should come to passe that he should bee cleansed from his Leprosye Héere thou doest heare the worde the will I say and commaundement of God but thou dost not heare that any wordes were rehearsed either ouer Iordane or ouer Naaman or that any words were prescribed of the prophet to Naamā that he should repeate wherby forsooth there might be any force of purifying or clensing giuen to the water Naaman by faith obeyeth the commandement of God and is clensed frō his leprosie not by his owne merit or by the benefite of the water of Iordane but by the power of GOD and faithfull obedience Lepres also in the Gospel and that not a fewe are clensed by the power and will of Christ and through faith and not by pronouncing or speaking of words The Lorde indéede said I will be thou cleane but if any man at this day shoulde haue recited the same wordes a hundred times ouer any Lepre he should haue preuailed nothing Whereby it is manifest that to words there is no force giuen of working health if they be pronounced The Apostles indéede saide to the sick féeble and lame In the name of the Lorde Iesus arise and walke and they rose vpp and were healed but they were not healed by the benefite of the words but by the name by the power I meane and vertue of Christe For Peter whiche saide vnto the lame man in Hierusalem In the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth arise and walke saide in the middes of the counsell of Hierusalem If wee this day bee examined of the deede done to the sick-man by what meanes he is made whole be it knowen vnto you all that in the name of Iesus Christe of Nazareth this man standeth heere whole And to the same people hee sayeth And his name through faith in his name hath made this man sounde whome yee see and knowe and the faith which is by him hath giuen to this man health Beside these we read in the Actes of the Apostles that y sonnes of one Scaeua a priest being exorcists or cōiurers did call on the name of the Lord Iesus ouer thē that had euil spirits but these were so farr off from giuing place to their exorcismes and coniuringes that they ranne on them and ouercame them so that they had muche a doe to escape aliue Where it is moste apparaunt that those Exorcistes vsed the same forme almoste in their inchantmentes whiche the Apostle vsed for in the name of the Lord Iesus they proued to caste out the foule spirit But sith these were not able so to do who cannot sèe and perceiue that
owne substance nature a creator not a creature it is not mingled it is not graffed or incorporated into mans voice The word whiche procéedeth from man is a creature not a creator and remaineth still a creature For it is a sound which passeth away Neuerthelesse it is a vertue which stil remaineth if it be sincere and not adulterate and receiued by faith For so it preserueth yet not of his owne proper vertue or power or because it is pronounced by man but through his power or vertue whiche reuealed the word who is true and therefore preserueth those thinges which by his worde he promiseth to preserue so that nowe in déede God himselfe doth preserue who said that by his word he wold preserue those that beléeue The word therfore which God hath reuealed vnto vs by his seruāts the Prophetes and by his chosen Apostles is not neither is called the word of God as if the sounde of syllables wordes and voices are of their owne nature the word of God that very same I meane which of his substance is the sonne of God But because the reuelation of the woorde was made frō God in the holy ghoste through the word or wisdome of god Wherefore although the original be of God and not of man yet the words which the prophets and Apostles vttered are mans wordes neither can they do any thing else but giue signification with the which notwithstāding I wold not haue that due force of the external word of God to be lifted vp aboue that which is méete comely those thinges imputed to the literall worde which is proper to god I acknowledge all those thinges whiche with a sound vnderstanding or iudgment are attributed to the word of god But of this thing I haue elsewhere discoursed more at large But now some wil say If by reciting the wordes of God sacramentes are not sanctified or consecrated from whēce then haue they this that they be and are called sacraments or holy signes Is the consecration vaine of no force Surely vain of no force is that cōsecration which the papists haue feigned But of consecration or true santification I haue spoken in the beginning of this chapt which now I will set forth a litle plainer more aboūdantly The holy scriptures whē they make mention of holy thinges they vse verie oftē this Hebrue word ** which the Gréeke interpreters commonly haue translated by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latines by Sanctifico Consecro and Initio The vse of this word reacheth verie far For it signifieth to sanctifie to offer vnto god to purifie or clense and to iustifie also to seuer or to put a-part and to separate to separate I meane from prophane vse to dedicate them to holie thinges to call a thing by some name to applie to appoint Therfore we say that to cōsecrate in this place is no other thing but to sanctifie to dedicate to god after a fashiō to separate or of a thing prophane to make an holy thing But who doeth this or he which doth it by what meanes or instrument I pray you doth he it who I beséech you cōsecrateth or holieth is it God or is it man Verily God not man For God instituting any thing testifying declaring by his word what he hath instituted to what ende of his owne holy iust and good will by his own only institution I say without any other meane he consecrateth the thing which he himselfe hath already instituted For as he is holy iust and good so whatsoeuer he cōmandeth is holy iust good And man vnderstanding by the word of God that God hathe instituted any thing to a holy iust good vse accepteth receiueth and vseth that institution for holy good iust Therfore man doeth not by vttering certein words consecrate make holy the institution And because he beléeueth that all the institutions of God are holy good therefore he also celebrateth this institution of God euen as God hathe ordeined giueth God thankes depending altogether vpon God and the rule of his word Of this manner of sanctification the Apostle speaking in another certein place saieth Now the spirit speaketh euidētly that in the latter times there shal rise deceiuers forbidding to marrie cōmanding to absteine frō meates whiche God hath created to be receiued with thanksegiuing of them whiche beleue know the trueth For euerie creature of God is good and nothing to bee refused if it bee receiued with thankesgiuing For it is sanctified by the word of god praier Lo he saith meate is sanctified by the worde of God prayer But the word of God is in this place as Paule the Apostle expoundeth it a testimony of the scripture will of God whereby we are taught that all things which God hathe made are excéeding good that they are cleane not vnclean which God hath created for to be eaten for our vse In the Actes S. Peter heareth Arise Peter slea and eate for he sawe in a vision before him al liuing creatures of the earth and the Aire Peter aunswered Not so Lorde For I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vnclean Therfore he heard again What God hath clensed that cal thou not common But where I pray you did hee make them cleane When hee made and gaue them for the vse of man To the word is annexed prayer not a charming or an inchantment but a faithfull thanks giuing For the Apostle more then once or twise maketh mention of thanks giuing that by the generall word that is to say prayer no other thinge might be vnderstoode than the speciall worde I meane thanks giuing For prayer is as a man would say to inuocation and giuing of thankes as the roote to the braunches Therefore saith he the meate is holy because GOD who is good hathe made and appointed the same for the vse of man and also because it is receiued of man with faith and thankesgiuing For meate is not holy and good to many men not through any fault in that meat which is always the good creature of God but in thē is the fault which acknowledge not by faith the benefits of God or which abuse them glut thēselues contrarie to the worde of thē lord Euen so standeth the case with the matter of sanctification whiche we must also applie to the sacraments God of his owne good wil and for the commoditie of men ordeined sacraments He chose vnto him selfe out of his good creatures water bread and wine and appointing them to some certeine ende he laide a platfourme and commaunded vs to vse and celebrate them nowe therefore by the commaundement and choice of God the water bread and wine are consecrated and he signeth them with his word and declareth that he will haue them counted for sacraments and sheweth the manner howe hee will haue them celebrated So that the consecration
whiche are persuaded that the sacramentall speaches are not to be expounded as figuratiue and borrowed but most properly and literally so that by that meanes the water bread and wine are not nowe signes and tokens onely of regeneration and of the body of Christe giuen and of his bloude shed for vs but regeneration it selfe and the verie substantiall body and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus For being of this opinion they are offensiue vnto the common manner both of speaking and interpreting vsed in all ages they are also repugnaunt to true fayth yea to common sense Whereby it commeth to passe that by their confounding of the signe with the thing signified they bring in a seruile weaknesse that I may vse S. Aug. words A carnall bondage For he Li. 3. de doct Ch. ca. 9. intreating of the Sacramentes of Christians sayth The Lorde him selfe and the Apostles in their doctrine haue left vs fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend in vnderstanding and moste pure in obseruing as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the Lorde Which Sacramentes euerie man when hee receyueth being instructed acknowledgeth wherevnto they are referred that wee should not worshippe them with carnall seruitude or bondage but rather with spirituall freedom or libertie And as to folow the letter and to take the signes in stead of the thinges which are signified by them is a point of seruile weaknesse so to expound the signes vnprofitably is a point of euill wandering error And yet he speaketh more plainly chapter 5. First of all you must beware leâ—t you take a figuratiue spech according to the letter For to this agreeth that which the Apostle saith The letter killeth but the spirite giueth life For wheÌ„ that which is figuratiuely spoken is taken as though it were spoken properly it is carnally vnderstanded Neyther is there any thing that may more agreably be termed the death of the soule then wheÌ„ that wherein we excell beasts which is vnderstanding or knowledge is made subiect to the fleshe by following the letter For he that followeth the letter vnderstandeth words translated or borrowed as proper or naturall neither doth he referre that which is signified by a proper worde to another signification but if for an example he shall here mention of the Sabbaoth he vnderstandeth it no otherwise but as one day of the seueÌ„ which by continuall course come goe And when he heareth mention made of sacrifice it wil not out of his heade but that this is ment of that whiche was wont to be done aboute offering of beastes and fruites of the earth To be shorte this is the miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the things them selues and not to bee able to lifte vp the eyes of the mynd aboue the bodily creature for the obteyning of euerlasting light Thus farre August By these wordes of Augustine we doe gather that they reuereÌ„ce the sacraments by spirituall libertie which neither stick to the letter neither worship and reuerence the visible thinges and elements as water breade and wine in steade of the thinges signified but being rather admonished and stirred vp by the signes they are lifted vp in their mindes to behold the things signified The same Augustine in the same booke chapter 15. teaching when and after what manner a trope or figure is to be receiued or acknowledged sayth In figuratiue speaches this manner of rule shall be kept that so long you viewe with diligent consideration what is read vntill the interpretation come vnto the rule of charitie For if it be not repugnaunt to charitie thinke not that it is a figuratiue speach And yet more plainly hee addeth in the 16. chapter following If it bee an imperatiue speache eyther forbidding any haynous offence or wicked deede or coÌ„maunding any profitable or good deede it is no figuratiue speach But if it commaund any wicked deede or forbid any deede of charitie then it is figuratiue Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye haue no life in you Hee seemeth to commaund some horrible offence or wicked deede therefore it is a figuratiue speache commaunding vs to communicate with the passion of Christe and comfortably and profitably to lay vp in our remembraunce that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs The Scripture sayth If thine enimie hunger feede him Heere no man doubteth but hee commaundeth well doing but that whiche followeth For in so doing thou shalte heape coales of fire vppon his head A man would thinke that a wicked and euill deede were commaunded therefore doubt not but that it is figuratiuely spoken And so foorth All these thinges doe conuince their errour whiche interprete sacramentall speaches as proper and reiect al figures and tropes especially in the institution of the supper Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraÌ„t what they set againste this last testimonie of S. Augustin that the words of our sauiour in the sixte of Iohn doe make nothing to the interpretation of the ministration of the sacrament and therefore that the place of S. Augustine doth nothing agrée to our purpose But it is manifest that in the same booke S. Augustine disputeth of signes and of the sacramentall speaches And that is manifest also by many other places oute of S Augustine that he often alledgeth these wordes of our sauiour out of the sixte of Iohn to expounde the celebration of the supper But why doe they nothing perteyne to the celebration of the Supper Doth he speake of one body in the Supper and of an other in the 6. chap. of Iohn shal we beleue that the Lorde had and hath two bodies Our Lorde Iesus hath but one body the whiche as it profiteth nothing being eaten corporally according to S. Iohn 6. chapter euen so that body being corporally eateÌ„ doth nothing auaile according to S Mat. 26. chapter But this matter we haue elsewhere handled And of as little force is this vnsauourie obiection of theirs which is that the consequence is false when we argue thus Circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the Passoeuer Sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications or cleansings are sacramentall speaches mysticall and figuratiue therefore this also This is my body is a mysticall and figuratiue speache For since in Sacramentes there is the like reason why may wee not frame arguments from the one to the other And that sacraments haue the like reason it is receyued of all them whiche acknowledge the trueth aright and it shall be proued hereafter to the full But if it be not lawfull to reason froÌ„ the sacraments of the olde testament and by them after a certeine comparison to interprete ours and by ours to make them plaine truely then the Apostle did not well who by a false consequent by comparison we reade to haue argued from their sacrameÌ„ts vnto ours in the 1. Cor. 10. and to the Coloss
the nature vertue and efficacie of sacramentes of those thinges which are ioyned and of affinitie with them for so the order which I vsed in my diuisiō requireth Touching the vertue and nature of sacramēts that is to say what they worke in man writers haue disputed diuersly plentifully It séemeth vnto me that reuerēce must be vsed in this disputation and that héede must be taken that I do not incline either to the right hand or to the left that is that I do not attribute to much vnto them to the derogating from the doctrine of the Euangelistes Apostles neither that I should diminishe or take from them to mine owne damnation that whiche the scripture the word of God doth attribute vnto them But we shal plentifully giue great praise and glorie to the ordinances of God if we shall say that of them which the spirite of God hath set downe in the holy scriptures to bée willing to attribute more vnto them is not onely an errour in man but a great fault whiche bringeth death and horrible destruction This is declared vnto vs in the holy scripture by examples most worthie of remembrance The arcke of the couenant giuen by Moses to the people of Israel was a wittnesse of Gods presence amonge the people and of the league friendshipp betwene God man For in these words God made a league w the people I will make my dwelling place amonge them walke among them and I will be their God they shal be my people Of that ordinance agréement the arke it selfe was called The Lord God of hostes sittinge betweene the Cherubims as we may sée 2. Sam. 6. and in the booke of the Chronicles It was also called The arke of the couenant of the Lord. For when the prophets of God did attribute these thinges to the sacrament of God they both thought and spake plentifully reuerently enoughe of the sacrament of God but when the ignorant malicious priests and the people corrupted by them did attribute far greater thinges to the arke or Sacrament of God what I pray you came to passe Giue eare first what they attributed to the arke The elders of Israel said wherfore hath the Lord cast vs down this day before the Philistines Let vs fetch the arke of the couenant of the Lord out of Silo vnto vs that when it commeth amonge vs it maye saue vs out of the hands of our enimies You haue heard what they attributed to the ark Now giue eare what they did So the people sent into Silo brought from thence the arke of the couenant of the Lord of hoastes whiche sitteth betweene the Cherubims And it came to passe that when the arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoast all Israel showted out a mightie showt so that the earth rang againe And when the Philistines hard the noise of the shout they said what meaneth the soūd of this mightie showt And they vnderstood that the arke of the Lord was come into the hoast And the Philistines cried woe be vnto vs God is come into the hoast Who shal deliuer vs out of the handes of those mightie Gods that smote the Aegyptians But hearken now what happened howe God did declare that the arke was not God as it was called counted of the vnskilful in holy things how he punished the sinnes of his people because they attributed too much to the sacrament It followeth therefore And the Philistines fought and Israel was smitten downe and fledd euerie man into his tent and there was an exceding great slaughter for there were ouerthrown of Israel thirtie thousand footemen Beside that also the arke of God was taken the two sonns of Helie were slaine All these thinges are read in the 1. booke of Sam. 4. ca. Againe when the sacrament of God was vnreuerētly handled of the swinish Philistines they were smitten with a lothsome deadly plague They did boast that their Gods and the religion of the Philistines had ouercome the God and the religion of the Israelits but the gods of the Philistines fel downe are broken in péeces their heathenish religion is confounded What and did not the Israelites perish with a more gréeuous plague thā before when they lightly handled and contrarie to the Lawe of God Num. 4. looked into the Sacrament brought backe by the Philistines into Bethsames For the Lord smote fiftie thousand threescore tenne men 1. Sam. 6. When Moses did negligently deferre the circumcising of his children he fell into great daunger The Sichimites for receiuing circumcision rashly are destroyed And Simeon and Leui For prophaning the sacrament are cursed of their father Genesis 49. To this that agréeth which the Apostle sayth of them which celebrate the supper vnworthilie For this cause many are weake sicke amonge you many sleepe Hetherto also belongeth the example of Oza a man not altogether euill whiche touched this same sacrament that was not lawfull for him to doe Wherefore the Lord stroke him with a soudaine death and that not priuately in the tabernacle but in the fight of all the people Of the whiche déede of God Dauid also speaking in the cōgregation church of the Israelites saith to the Leuits The Lord hath chosen the Leuites to beare the Arcke of the Lord and not that kyne shall draw it in a new cart therefore see that ye be holie that yee maye bring in the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel vnto the place which I haue prepared for it For beecause ye did not this at the first our lord God hath made a rent amonge vs for that wee sought him not as the fashion ought to be And it followeth immediatly The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetche the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel And the children of the Leuites bare the Arcke of God vpon their shoulders with staues as Moses commaunded according to the word of the Lord. All these thinges are to be séene in the first of the Chronicles Cap. 15. Whereby we gather that the Lord will none of our good meanings or intentes pompous celebrations in celebrating the Sacramentes but that hee onely requireth that wee should so iudge and speake of the Sacraments as he iudgeth and speaketh by his word and that we should so vse and celebrate them as hee himselfe hath instituted and celebrated them Therefore he sufficiently setteth forth the dignitie of sacraments who attributeth that vnto them which GOD himselfe in the holy Scriptures vouchsafeth to giue them Let vs therefore first of all searche out of what dignitie Sacramentes haue béene for the most part in oure time that thereby we may the better vnderstand what is to be attributed and what is not to bée attributed vnto them The common sort of priestes and monkes haue taught that the sacramentes of the newe lawe are not only signes of Grace but together also causes of
whereas the sacramentes were common to all yet grace was not common to all which is the pithe of the sacramentes As euen now at this daye faith is reuealed which then was hid the founteine of regeneration is common to all whiche are baptised in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghoste but the inward grace whereof they are sacramentes wherby the members of Christe with their head are borne a new is not common to all Thus farr Augustine who teacheth that their signes or sacraments are not vnequall or bulike whiche haue the same faith and religion but that all the difference that is resteth in the diuersitie of the time otherwise they differ not Nowe that I haue made an ende of the similitude and difference of the Sacramentes of the old and newe testament and that by occasion of a receiued opinion that the sacraments of the newe lawe doe conferre or giue grace of themselues let vs also consider what manner of thinge the same is And first touching the word Grace I will giue you these fewe thinges to note Grace is the fauour and good will of GOD wherewith God the father imbraceth vs for Christes sake purifyeth iustifieth and endueth vs with his good giftes and saueth vs. For the writinges of the Apostles doe plainely call that Grace whereby wée are saued and iustified or made righteous by faith in Iesus Christ Of this Grace it is written I make not the Grace of God of no effecte For if righteousnes come by the Lawe then Christ died in vaine Of this Grace it is written Christ vnto vs is beecome vnprofitable as many as are iustified by the lawe are fallen from Grace Of this Grace it is written If it come of grace then is it not of woorkes for else grace now is no more grace What is not the sonne of GOD himselfe called The Grace and gift of GOD Iohn 4. Titus 2. Cap. Nowe to conferre Grace what is it else than to giue or franckely and fréelye to bestowe some thinge on a man which he had not before Therefore if the Sacramentes doe giue Grace to the receyuers of them then truely they giue those thinges whiche they signifie to them whiche had them not I meane Christe with all his giftes that is to saye they make them pleasaunt and acceptable vnto GOD they iustifie and saue yea and that of them-selues insomuche as they are said to haue receiued vertue to sanctifie from the passion of Christe and not to signifie onely or to helpe to commende or to further Yea and they also attribute the receyuing of Grace to our worke wherby we receiue the Sacrament But howe contrarie this doctrine is to the trueth of the holye Prophetes and Apostles I will now declare It was an old errour amonge the Iewes that Sacramentes did iustifie Hereof commeth it that the holy Prophetes of GOD reasoning and rebuking the people of God committed to their charge yet sauouring of false opinions cryed That their labour whiche they bestowed vppon their Ceremonies and sacrifices was in vaine And that GOD is delighted with faithfull obedience with fayth I say charitie innocencie and also with true godlines Amonge whome Ieremie sayeth Thus sayeth the Lord of hoastes the GOD of Israel Heape vpp your burnte offeringes with your sacrifices and eate the fleshe For when I brought your fathers out of Aegypt I spake no word vnto them of burnt offeringes and sacrifices but this I commaunded them saying Hearken and obeye my voyce and I will bee your GOD and yee shall bee my people so that yee walke in all the wayes whiche I haue cōmaunded you that ye may prosper The like place is in Esaie the first Chapiter The Lord hath not despised neither haue his holy Prophets contemned all sacrifices in generall since hée him selfe instituted them by Moses but they sought to suppresse beate downe that false opinion and vaine confidence whiche they had in sacrifices It is a vaine confidence and a false opinion to beléeue and thincke that sacrifices of themselues and for our workes sake doe make vs acceptable vnto god For faith maketh vs acceptable vnto God by the Messias And the Lord did not institute sacramentes or sacrifices that beeing offered they might giue grace or iustifie vs but to be witnesses of the grace of God that by them his people might be kept drawne in due order from idols and heathenish worshippings and ledd to Christ the highe priest and onely sacrifice or oblation for the whole world For they were certeine scholinges or exercises as Paule proueth saying The law was our scholemaister vnto Christe that wee should bee iustified throughe faith but after that faith is come wee are no longer vnder a scholemaister Therefore the sacrifices of the old lawe did not giue grace to them that sacrificed neither wrought they their iustification but were tokens and testimonies that God doth sanctifie and iustifie by and through the sacrifice appointed before all worldes the Messias I mean◠to faith in whome they did as it were a certeine scholemaister by guiding vs bring vs. And truly when the Apostles preached the pure and sound doctrine of the Gospell that By the onely grace of God in Christ the faithfull are saued this auncient errour of their elders had taken such déep roote in the minds of the Iewes that euen they whiche had receiued Christe stoode neuerthelesse in cōtention y Christ was not able fully to sanctifie iustifie without the helpe of the Iewishe sacrifices Against whome the Apostles disputing with great grauitie and inumcible power of y spirite did plainely proue that a Christian without any obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe or helpe of any woorkes euen by the only méere and frée grace and mercie of God in Christ is sanctified purified iustified and saued Whiche vndoubtedly is the healme as commonly is said and stearne of the Euangelists and Apostles doctrine whiche who so denieth he hath no part doubtlesse in the inheritance of Christ and his Gospell Neither is it obscure or doubtful whiche euen nowe I haue set forth in these fewe wordes For who is ignorant of that memorable dissention betwéene the chiefe Apostles of Christe Paul and Barnabas kindled against those which taught Except the Christians were circumcised after the maner of Moses they could in no wise be saued Against whome Peter maketh this conclusion That our hearts are purified by faith that wee whiche beleeue shal be saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ True it is that the aduersaries would bring backe againe that which the Apostles abrogated and toke away but in the meane while this is also vndoubtedly true that the Apostles with no other forceable engine more strongly battered as it were and beate downe flat to ground their aduersaries bulworke in defence of sacraments y purifie thā with this That we which beleeue shal be saued by the grace of our Lorde
Distinct 1. Quest 3. among other thinges at the length sayth Wee must not say by any meanes that grace is conteyned substantially in the Sacramentes as water in a vessel or as a medicine in a boxe yea to vnderstande it so it is erronious But they are saide to contein grace in that they signifie grace and because vnlesse there bee a want on the part of the receiuer grace is alwayes giuen in them so that ye must vnderstand that grace is in the soule and not in the visible signes For this cause they are called also vesselles of grace They may be also called vessels after another maner Because as that whiche is in a vessel is no parte of it neyther commeth of it and yet neuerthelesse is drawen out of it so grace commeth neither of nor by the Sacramentes but springeth from the eternall founteine and is drawne out from thence by the soule in the sacramentes And as a man when he wold haue liquor goeth streight to the vessell so he that seeketh after the liquor of grace and hathe it not must haue recourse to the sacramēts Thus farre Bonauentura who rightly referred grace vnto GOD the founteine of all good thinges I would he had also more purely and simplie sett downe the rest He also saide truely that the soule of man was the seate and receptacle of grace and of the gyftes of GOD and not thinges without sense For the holie Scripture teacheth euery where that the minde of man not any Element or whatsoeuer is forged by mans deuise is the mansion place of the grace of god and that it is not to be sought for or worshipped as included in any insensible thing If the heauen of heauens sayth Solomon be not able to conteine thee howe shoulde then this house do it that I haue builded Wherevnto the most constant martyr of Christ Stephan alluding saieth He that is highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as sayeth the prophete Heauen is my seate and earthe is my footestoole What house will ye builde for mee sayeth the Lorde or whiche is the place of my reste Hathe not my hand made all these thinges Which that great Apostle of Christe Paule following sayth God that made the world and al that are in it seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mennes handes as thoughe he needed of any thing seeing he himselfe giueth to all life and breath and all thinges c. Wherevpon Christ him selfe in the Gospell speaketh more expressely The houre commeth when yee shall neither in this mounteine neither at Hierusalem worshippe the Father But the houre commeth and now is whē the true worshippers shal worship the father in spirit and truth The faithfull therefore do lifte vpp the eyes of their minde from earthly and visible thinges vnto heauenlie wherevppon our godly forefathers when they celebrated the Lords supper heard that saying repeated or soūg vnto them most agréeable to such holy mysterics Lifte vpp your hands all the people answearing together Wee lifte them vpp vnto the Lorde Doth not the verie grosse absurditie of the thing plainely proue that grace is not conteyned in the signes For if by grace you vnderstande the fauour and good will of God if pardon and forgiuenesse of sinne cleansing I saye and iustifying of the beléeuers if finallie the giftes and graces of the spirite what I pray you can be imagined more absurde and senselesse than that suche excellent thinges shoulde be kepte inclosed in water bread and wine The signes truely haue no néede of grace nor a-any pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes To what purpose then should grace be conteined within Sacramentes What profite I pray you will redound vnto men Or who knoweth not that all the institutions GOD were ordeyned for the commoditie of man Or shall wee say that grace is therefore kepte included within the Sacramentes that from thence it might be conueyed vnto vs by chanels But the scripture speaketh not after that manner For grace as hath béene often nowe repeated is the fauour and good will of GOD whereby he him selfe not by sensible matters but of his owne accorde and thoroughe his power and might is brought vnto vs These thinges are spirituall and therefore are brought to passe by the gyft and mediation of the holy Ghost GOD is ioyned vnto vs by his spirite and we are coupled to him by faith thorough the gyfte of the holy Ghoste whiche thing in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles is euerie where to be séene Moreouer the wordes of the Canon of the counsell of Nice are not to be vnderstoode after suche a grosse and rude manner Our baptisme is not to be considered with the bodily eyes but with the eyes of the minde Thou seest water weygh the heauenly force whiche lyeth hidde in the water c. For it is a Sacramentall spéeche whiche truely euery bodie at that time vnderstoode as also at this day to vs it is no new nor harde kinde of speaking to say that in the seale there is faith and trueth in a marriage ring the faith and loue of wedlocke in a Scepter and crowne the kinges authoritie For no man is so foolishe that by reason of the kinde of speeches he will affirme that the thinges them selues are conteyned and inclosed in the signes euerie man knoweth this kinde and manner of spéech To this matter also apperteineth that Iohn the Baptist baptised in the riuer Iordane that the Apostles also themselues baptised with water neither cōsecrated nor prepared with any inchauntmentes breathinges or crossinges that it might receiue the grace of God into it and make them that are baptised partakers thereof The Aethiopian in the Acts of the Apostles saw a founteine not mingled with Dyle neither consecrated with any holy charmes neither moreouer prepared with any breathinges nor putting in of waxe candles nor pictures of crosses yet neuerthelesse he said to Philip the Apostle See here is water what doth let me to be baptised But Philip required faith of him in the Lord Iesus and vpon his confession he foorthwith baptised him no consecration of the founteine first prouided for by the whiche forsoothe he might call downe the grace of the holy Ghoste and the power of regeneration into the water and forthwith might applie it to the purifying of the Aethiopian And if so be wee procéede to include the grace of GOD within the Elementes and the thinges themselues within the signes by the whiche they are represented who séeth not with howe great daunger wee shall doe the same especially among the simple sorte For vnto those we shall giue occasion of idolatrie and to cleaue vnto the visible signes of whome also they will require and aske that whiche ought to be asked of God the authour of all goodnesse with mindes lifted vpp into heauen For where as it is obiected
are gathered and knitt together into the vnitie of the bodie of Christe are separated from all other religions fellowships assemblies more too we are bound by them as by an othe to the true worship of one God and vnto one sincere religion to the which wée openly professe that we agrée and giue our consent with all them that are partakers of the sacraments Where this chiefly is to be marked that the gathering or knitting together into the vnitie of the body of Christe hath a double respecte for either wée are ioyned with Christe that hée is in vs and wée liue in him or else wée are coupled with all the members of Christe to witt with Christes faithfull seruauntes I meane with the Catholique Church it selfe Furthermore we are knit together with Christ in spirite and faith But we are ioyned to the Church or to the members of Christ by the vnitie of faith and of the spirite and by the bonde of charitie All which verily are the inward giftes of the spirite whiche fréely are bestowed on vs by the Lord onely not by any creatures not by any elementes Sacraments therefore do visiblie graffe vs into the fellowship of Christ his saincts who were inuisibly graffed by his grace before we were partakers of the Sacramentes but by receyuing of the sacramentes we doe nowe open and make manifest of whose body wée would bée and are members the Lord with his signes or markes by his minister also visiblie marking vs for his owne household and for his owne people Whiche thing by the Scriptures wée will more fully open and make manifest They who in time past by the force of the couenaunt by the grace mercie and promise of God were the people of God were by Circūcision visibly gathered together into one Churche knit together into one bodie For the Apostle S. Paule sayeth vnto the Ephesians Wherefore remember that ye beeing in time passed Gentiles in the fleshe called vncircumcisiō of them which are called circumcision in the fleshe made with handes that at that time I say ye were without Christe and were aliantes from the cōmon wealth of Israel and straungers from the couenaunt of promise c. Whereby it is also easilye vnderstood how the Iewes by circumcision were distinguished from other religions and fellowships and that circumcision in another place for this cause is put for them that are circumcised and why the name of vncircumcised was reprochfull For those that were vncircumcised were counted for vngodly and vncleane persons that had no fellowshippe nor parte or inheritaunce with God and his Sainctes Of baptisme whiche was ordeined in the stéede of circumcision some thing is spoken in my former Sermons And also the apostle setteth it out most plainely As the bodie sayeth hée is one and hath many members and all the members of the bodie whiche is one thoughe they bee many yet are but one bodie euen so is Christ For by one spirite are wee all baptised into one bodie whether wee be Iewes or Gentiles whether wee be bond or free and haue been all made to drinke into one spirite Wee are therefore knitt together by the Sacramente of baptisme into the vnitie of the bodie of Christe so that to haue broken this bond and to yeld our selues into another fellowshipp of religion and brotherhoode may worthilie be called sacrilege and treason Herevnto the Apostle séemed to haue respect when he asked the Corinthians Are ye not baptised into the name of Christe declaring thereby that they whiche are baptised into the name of Christ haue openly sworne and bound their faith before the church of Christe so that nowe they neither can nor ought to reioyce in any other name than in the name of Christ into whose household they are receiued by baptisme So I say wée are separated by baptisme from all other religions and are onelye consecrated to Christian religion Hée hath the like place in all pointes touching the supper of the Lord 1. Corinth cap. 10. For when the Apostle would declare to the Corinthians that it is a thinge farre from all godlines vnséemely yea and sacrilegious that Christians should eate in the idols temples thinges offered to idols and be partakers of the Gentiles sacrifices reasoning from the manner and nature of the Sacrament of the Lords supper he sayeth Flie from idolatrie I speake as vnto them that haue vnderstanding iudge ye what I saye The cupp of blessing whiche wee blesse is it not the communion of the bloud of Christ The bread whiche we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christe For wee that are many are one bread and one bodie because we all are partakers of one bread Behold Israel whiche is after the flesh are not they whiche eate of the sacrifices partakers of the altar What say I then that the idol is any thinge or that that whiche is sacrificed vnto idols is any thing Nay but rather this I say that those thinges whiche the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuels not to god And I would not that yee should haue fellowship with the diuels Ye cannot drincke the cupp of the Lord and the cupp of the diuels Ye cannot bee partakers of the Lords table and of the table of diuels c. For all this is Paules saying whiche since it serueth notably to oure purpose and is verie plaine I will but briefly runne ouer it First he layeth downe the state and scope of the matter whervnto he immediatly directeth his whole discourse Flie saith he idolatrie And he meaneth by the word Idolatrie whatsoeuer perteyneth to idolatrie especially the eating of meate offered to idols But if you know not what Idolothytū is which word he there vseth vnderstand that it is a Gréeke word whiche Paule vseth in this case and it signifieth a thinge sacrificed to an idol or a thing publiquely in sacrifice consecrated to an idol And it was the manner of the Corinthians to sacrifice at the altars of their Gods in idol-houses that is to say in their idol temples and to call Christians vnto those their sacrifices and they when they came sate and eate of that whiche was offered vnto idols eating without difference with the idolaters thincking they might haue done that without any fault at all béecause by the bright shining of the Gospel it appeared that neither the idol neither that God whome the idol represented and therefore also the thinges themselues that were offered to idols were nothing else but vaine names and thinges of no price or estimation But Paul disputing against these from the 8. Cap. vnto the 11. teacheth that it is farre wide from Christianitie to be partakers of the Gentiles sacrifices and saith I wil speake vnto you as vnto them that haue discretiō that after I haue shadowed out vnto you which way to walke you by the sharpenes of your witt maye vnderstand what is true what is false and to be
reached farre Many thinges are sounge in the seruice of the papistes at the time of Easter and Whitsuntide which are not vnderstoode but by this lawe and custome At the lengthe it grewe out of vse and the faithfull were baptised as occasion and opportunitie firste serued This is also in controuersie Who ought to baptise what the baptiser worketh Of the last I wil speake first The baptiser giueth visiblie the sacrament of regeneration and a testimonie of the remission of sinnes but the Lorde by his spirite doth inuisibly regenerate and forgiueth sinnes and sealeth the regeneration Iohn and the Apostles baptise with water Christe baptiseth with the holy Ghost not onely with the visible signe of fire and the gyfte of tounges but euen he onely giueth all spiritual giftes Which thing the auncient fathers that they might expressely declare did diligently distinguishe betwéene power and ministerie For August tract in Ioh. 5. sayth It is one thing to baptise in way of ministerie another thing to baptise by power Our Lorde Iesus Christe coulde if he had would haue giuen power to any one seruaunt to giue his baptisme as in his steede could translate or remoue frō himself power to baptise and place it in one of his seruauntes and giue as greate force to baptisme being translated or remoued into his seruant as it should haue being giuē by the lord He wold not doe so for this purpose that the hope of thē which wer baptised shuld hang on him of whom they acknowledge them selues to be baptised He would not therefore that a seruaunte shoulde settle his hope in a seruaunt And therefore cryed the Apostle when hee sawe men willinge to putte their hope and truste in him Was Paule crucified for you Or were yee baptised in the name of Paule Paule therefore baptised as a minister not as the power it selfe but the Lorde baptised as the power And againe Iohn Baptist learned by the doue Vppon whomesoeuer thou shalt see the spirite descending like vnto a doue and tariestil vpon him the same is he whiche baptiseth with the holy ghost Therefore O doue let not deceiuers seduce thee which say Wee baptise O doue acknowlege what the doue taught The same is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost By the doue it is knowen that it is hee doest thou thinke that thou arte baptised by his power by whose ministerie thou art baptised If thou bee of that minde thou art not yet in the bodie of the doue and if thou bee not in the bodie of the doue it is no maruel because thou hast not simplicitie For simplicitie especially is figured by the doue Iohn learned by the simplicitie of the doue that this is hee which baptiseth with the holy ghost Thus farre he Furthermore the minister of the Church being lawfully ordeined ought to baptise The Donatistes contende that none can baptise but he whiche is pure holy They boldly auouched that the baptisme was fruitelesse and voide of effecte which a lewde liuing minister or defiled with wicked vices did administer Against these Augustine grauely disputed and conuinced thē by the trueth of the scripture He in his 166. Epistle saith See howe peruersely and wickedly that is spoken which ye are wont to say Because if he be a good man he sanctifieth him whom he baptiseth but if he be an euill man and he not know so muche which is baptised then God sanctifieth him If this be true then men ought rather to wishe to be baptised of minsters vnknown to be euil then of them whiche are knowen to bee good that they may rather be sanctified of God than of man But farre from vs be this madnesse Why then doe wee not speake trueth and are rightly wise Because that grace belongeth alway to GOD and the Sacramente is his and the ministerie onely committed vnto man who if he be good he cleaueth to God and worketh with God but if he be euil GOD woorketh by him the visible fourme of the sacrament but he himselfe giueth the inuisible grace Herein let vs al be wise and let there bee no schismes or diuisions among vs. The same Augustine in his thirde booke Contra literas Petiliani ca. 49. doeth plentifully sette forth the same mattter And because wee haue also handled the same thinge in the ende of our former sermon nexte before this it is néedelesse to speake one thing twise Here is a question obiected vnto vs touching the baptisme of Middewiues Whether women Midwiues vppon the point of necessitie that is when the Infante is in ieopardie to die before hee come to bee baptised at the handes of the Ecclesiasticall minister ought and may babtise We answer that baptisme is a sacrament of the Churche that women are forbidden to minister in the Church therfore that they neither can nor ought to baptise as they are by no meanes permitted to teache The lawes of the Apostle are well known But I suffer not a womā saith Paule to teache neither to vsurpe authoritie ouer the man but to bee in silence The same lawe is repeated of the same Apostle 1. Cor. 14. is cōfirmed by Gods law Mans testimonies agrée with gods For Tertulliin his booke De Velandis Virginibus sayeth It is not permitted vnto a woman to speake in the Churche muche lesse to teache or to babtise nor to offer neither to take to her self the execution of any mannes office muche lesse the priestes This also is read repeated in the fourth counsel of Carthage where also Aurelius Augustine is said to haue béene present Epiphanius Bishop of Salome in Cypres disputing againste diuerse heresies and confuting Marciō saith He also giueth women leaue licēce to baptise He saith as muche of the Quintilian and Peputian heretiques He also reasoning against the heretiques Collyridiani sayeth If women were cōmanded to sacrifice vnto God or to execute any regular thing in the churche then Marie ought rather to do sacrifice in the new Testament whiche was made worthie to carrie in her owne armes the king of al kings the heauenly God the sonne of God whose wombe was made a temple and dwelling for the dispensation of the Lord in the flesh being prepared for that purpose throughe the bountifulnes and maruelous mysterie of god But it did not so please god But neither was it committed or graunted vnto her to baptise Otherwise her sonne might haue bin rather baptised of her thā of Iohn The same author addeth And truly there is in the Church an order of women ministers called women-deacons but not permitted to sacrifice neither to attempt any thing but for reuerence sake of women-kind or for the houre of bathing or visiting or for affection and trauel Whereas they obiecte the example of Sephora the Madianite wife of Moses whiche circumcised her sonne in the time of necessitie that doeth establishe no common lawe as the particular example of Delbora maketh not all women Iudges For there are
defende that infantes vpon the pinche of necessitie not béeing guiltie of the contempte of God or wicked negligence are not damned though they die vnbaptised For so saluation should be tyed to the signe and the promise of god shuld be made voide as though that alone without the signe vpon the point of necessitie were vaine could worke nothing and as if the hand of God were shortened boūd as it were to the signe For otherwise I teache by al means that infantes are to be baptised and the baptisme is not to be delaied negligētly or to be put off maliciously but in the meane time if by too too spéedy death they departe vnbaptised I exhort charge that a good hope confidence be had in the trueth mercie of the Lorde who promiseth in the law and the gospel that he is the God of young infantes and that his will is that not so muche as one of his little ones should perishe With Pelagius and Pelagians we haue nothing to doe neither are we ignorant what S. Augustine hath writen vnto Hierome epist. 28. in this behalfe Who so euer shal say sayth he that infants which leaue this life not hauing ben partakers of Christ his sacramente of baptisme are quickened and made aliue in him this man doubtlesse doth sette himselfe both against the preaching of the Apostles condēneth the whole Churche where for this cause they make hast and runne with their children to haue them baptised for that without doubt they beleeue that by no meanes otherwise they coulde be made aliue in Christe And againste the Pelagians epistle 106. The Apostolicall seate dealing against Pelagius accurseth them whiche saide that Infantes vnbaptised haue life euerlasting The same Aug. Lib. 1. de an◠c. ca. 9. to Renatus disputeth against Vincentius Victor who graunted that infants are inthralled to original sinn yet neuerthelesse are saued though they be not baptised against whō he bringeth forth this saying of our sauiour Except a mā be borne of water of the spirit he can not enter into the kingedome of God. But we which cōdemne both Pelagius Pelagiās do affirme both those things which they denie to wit that infantes are borne in originall sinne therfore that the sanctification of Christ is necessary vnto them without which they are not saued Again we defend and maintein that the same infants ought to be baptised if it be possible though by the right of the couenaunt they belong to the bodie of Christ are sanctified by the bloud of Christ Pelagius taught that infants ought not to be baptised for that he helde opinion they are without all fault or any sinne blame offence That wicked vngodly man therfore did not acknowledge either our owne corruptiō or the benefit which God hath performed by in through Christ Yet canst thou find neither of these in our assertion doctrine wherfore we take no part with the Pelagians S. Aug. in that selfe same epistle vnto S. Hierome expressly saith Thou art none of them which say that there is no guilt drawne frō Adam frō which the infant should bee washed by baptisme And against Iulian also Li. 1. ca. 2. he proueth by the sentences of the holy fathers that infants haue original sinne ther-vpon gathereth that therfore infantes ought to be baptised because they haue sinne For the Pelagians gathered cleane contrarie They haue no sinne therefore they are not to be baptised For the counsel of Carthage writeth thus to Innocent The Pelagians denie that infantes are to be baptised For these say they perished not neither is there any thing to be◠saued because there is nothing in them that is corrupt or wicked c. But we in so much as we beleeue that infantes are borne in sinne yea and that they are both borne the children of wrath and are corrupt and wicked moreouer because wee beleeue that the sonne of God was borne without sinne of a pure virgin to fulfill and confirme Gods promises which doe not shut out infantes from saluation but let them in as ioyncte-parteners in the league therefore we holde defende that they are to be baptised And therefore this reason gathered of Augustine we cannot simplie allowe Out of the felowshippe of Christ no man commeth vnto life But by baptisme wee are ioyned as members into the bodie of Christ haue fellowship with him therefore infantes which are not to be baptised are without the fellowship of Christ and therefore are condemned For as we denie not that we are graffed into the bodie of Christe by partaking of the sacramentes as we declared in our last sermon of Sacramentes nexte and immediately going before this so we haue elsewhere shewed and that too oftentimes alreadie verie largely that the firste beginning of our vniting or fellowship with Christe is not wought by the sacramentes but that the same vniting or fellowshipp whiche was founded and grounded vpon the promise and by the grace of God thoroughe the holy Ghost was communicated vnto vs and ours yea before the vse of the sacramentes is continued and sealed vnto vs by the participation or receiuing of the sacraments Although therfore an infant die without baptisme and being shut out by necessitie from hauing felowship with Christ so that he be neither partaker nor yet sealed by the visible signe of the couenant yet he is not altogether an aliant or stranger frō Christ to whom he is fastened with the spiritual knot of the couenant by the vertue whereof he is saued The place of Gen. 17. alledged of cutting off the vncircumcised frō the people of God in consideration of the time it fitly agréeth to those that are of perfect age wel grown in yeres not to babes or infantes which thing is séen in Moses whō the angel of the lord for neglecting circumcisiō or for delaying it longer than was lawfull would haue slaine as he testifieth of himselfe neither am I ignorant that certeine olde interpetours referre y not to Moses but to Eleazar the sonne of Moses But the verie course of the hystorie the circumstances of the same doe sufficiently proue that the danger lay on the fathers not on the sonns necke What if a reason be added in the wordes of the law whiche by no meanes agréeth to infantes Therfore shal the vncircumcised perish saith he because he hath broken my couenant So that if we consider that circumcision in the verie same place was commaunded not only to infantes but to such as were of perfect age as to Abraham Ismael and others desiring visibly to be ioyned into the felowship of god we are not to maruell the destruction is threatened to the disobediēt For if any mā at this day vnderstande knowe the Lords ordinaunce comprehended in these his wordes He which shall beleeue and bee baptised shal be saued wil yet neuertheles not be baptised but boasteth the faith is sufficient for him
The same also is mentioned in Luke In the Gospel of Iohn the third chapter baptisme is called Purifying In the Actes of the Apostles Peter saith to the people which demaunded what they should do Repent ye and let euery one of you be baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes Ananias also sayth to Paule Arise and be baptised wash awaye thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. And now Paule himselfe saith Christ loued the church gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the word Wherefore the promise yea the trueth of sanctification and â—rée remission of sinnes is written and ingrauen in oure bodies when we are baptised For God by his spirite thorough the bloud of his sonne hath newly regenerated and purged againe oure souls and euen now doth regenerate and purge them And baptisme is sufficient and effectual for the whole life of man yea and reacheth and is referred to all the sinnes of all them that are baptised For the promise of God is true The seale of the promise is true not deceiueable The power of Christ is euer effectuall throughly to cleanse and wash away all the sinnes of them that be his Howe often therefore soeuer wee haue sinned in our life time let vs call into oure remembrance the mysterie of holy baptisme wherewith for the whole course of our life we are washed that we might know not doubt that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of the same God and oure Lord yea and by the bloud of Christe into whome by baptisme once we are graffed that he might alwayes woorke saluation in vs euen til we be receiued out of myserie into glorie Neither is there any doubt that Abraham in his whole life had continually in his minde the mysterie of circumcision and rested in God and the séede promised vnto him Yet I thinke that that ought diligently to be marked which S. Augustine pithily plainly hath ofteÌ„ cited That our sinnes are forgiuen or purged in baptisme not that they are no more in vs for as long as we liue concupiscence beareth swaye alwayes breedeth and bringeth forth in vs somewhat like it selfe but that they shuld not be imputed vnto vs neither that wee may not â—inne but that it should not bee hurtfull for vs to haue or had sinned that our sinnes may be remitted when they are committed not suffered to be continued De Fide operib cap. 20. And also many more of this kind Gratian reciteth Distinct 4. de Consecrat Beside that by baptisme wee are gathered together into the fellowship of the people of god Wherevppon of some it is called the first signe or entrie into Christianitie by the whiche an entraunce into the churche lieth open vnto vs Not that before wee did not belong to the church For whosoeuer is of Christ partaker of the promises of God and of his eternall couenaunt belongeth vnto the Churche Baptisme therefore is a visible signe and testimonie of our ingraffing into the bodie of Christ And it is rightly called a planting incorporating or ingraffing into the bodie of Christe For I said in the generall discourse of Sacramentes that wee first by baptisme were ioyned with Christe and afterward with all the members of Christ our brethren For Paul saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ But to put on Christ is to bée made one with him as as it were to be ioyned and incorporated in him that he may liue in vs and we in him For hée onely by his spirite regenerateth and renueth vs and most liberally inricheth vs with all manner good giftes which the same Apostle in another place expresseth in these words God saued vs by the founteine of the regeneration renuing of the holy Ghost whiche he shedd on vs richly through Iesus Christ our sauiour Yea and therefore Christ our Lord is baptised in oure baptisme to declare that he is our brother and we ioynte-heires with him Verie well therefore said S. August That baptisme is thus farre forceable that wee beeing baptised are incorporated into Christ and counted his members The same Aug. calleth Baptisme the sacrament of Christian felowship For we are gathered againe visibly by baptisme into the vnitie of one bodie with all the faithfull as many as haue beene are and shal be For Paule also saith By one spirite wee are all baptised into one bodie And it followeth hereby that baptisme serueth for our confession and is rightly called the token of Christian religion For it is a badge or cognizaunce wherby we witnesse and professe that wée consent and are lincked into Christian religion Wée coÌ„fesse that we by nature are sinners and vncleane but sanctified by the grace of God through Christ For if we were cleane by nature what néeded we then any cleansing But now since wee are cleansed who doubteth of the truth of God Therefore when we receiue baptisme wee truely and fréely confesse both our sinne wherein we were borne and also frée forgiuenesse of sinnes Lastly the remembrance and consideration of the mysterie of baptisme putteth vs in minde of the dueties of Christianitie and Godlines that is to say al our life long to weigh diligently with our selues of whose bodie we be made members to denie our selues and this world to mortifie our fleshe with that coÌ„cupiscences of the same and to be buried with Christ into his death that we may rise againe in newnesse of life and liue innocently to loue our brethren as our meÌ„bers with whom by baptisme we are knit together into one bodie to remaine in the bond of concord in the vnitie of the church not to followe straunge religions béeing mindeful that we are baptised into Christ to whome alone we are consecrated and farre separated and diuided from all other Gods worships or religions and to be short from all heresies Let vs thincke also that wée must constantly and valiantly fighte against Sathan and the whole kingdome of Sathan As often therefore as wée remember wée are baptised with Christes baptisme so often are these thinges put into our mindes and wée admonished of our duetie But the Apostle handleth this matter more at large in the sixt Chapter of his epistle to the Romanes where hee expresly maketh meÌ„tion that we by baptisme are made the graftes of Christ that is to say that we might growe out of him as braunches out of the vine and féele in our mindes and bodies both the death and resurrection of Christe For since we are indued with the spirit of Christ which worketh in vs our body verily dieth daily but oure spirite liueth and reioyceth in Christe To whom be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whome when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated and
treatise of the sacramēts therefore at this presēt we will do no more but touche them briefly for memories sake meaning to handle those things somewhat more largly which shall by occasion arise as they are intreated vppon But this word Cōmunion I meane the societie cōiunction or partaking of the lord Christ by the which through his spirit he doth wholy knitt and ioyne himselfe to vs and wee are made partakers of him by faith are coupled vnto him so that being by him deliuered from sinn and death we may liue in him being made heires of euerlasting life and that hée maye liue in vs and bee wholie ours as we be wholie his Neither doe wée say that the communion of the Lords body bloud is any thing else For by his body which was deliuered ouer to death for vs and by his bloud whiche was shed for the remission of our sinns it is come to passe that we being purged from oure sinnes are made his members and he now quickeneth vs and susteineth vs as food which giueth life wherevppon wee are also said to eate and drinke him as the meate and drinke of life The promise therefore wherof we made mention euen now is none other than the woord of God which declareth vnto vs that life is in Christ only For Christ deliuered his body to the death and shedd his bloud for the remission of our sinnes that we beléeuing in him maye haue life euerlasting But this promise communion of Christ is not nowe first of all giuen in the supper or by the supper For the Lord our God immediatly after the creatiō of the world promised life and remission of sinnes vnto Adam his séed through Christ afterward renued the same promise w Noe Abraham Moses Dauid and the other fathers And that the fathers did communicate with Christ were partakers of his goodnes Paul the Apostle w the whole scripture is a witnes But this so great goodnes happened not to the fathers onely For the promise was made vnto vs also and the communion of Christ was conueyed vnto vs is conueyed particularly vnto euery one of vs in holy baptisme also in the manifest preaching of the Gospel moreouer we receiue the same by faith by which we are ioyned to Christ and are made his members Therfore as we are not void without Christ before the supper but are quickened by him made his members or partners so in the verye action or celebration of the supper the promise is renued vnto vs and we renue continue that fellowship which we haue with Christ by the body and bloud of Christe spiritually truly participating his life and all his good giftes through faith And by this meanes we eate the Lords body and drinke his bloud Moreouer the Lord doth visibly declare scale vnto vs the spirituall cōmunion promise of life made through Christ by visible signes to wit the banquet of bread and wine ioyned to his word or promise namely that he is the quickening bread and drinke that we hauing receiued the signes by faith and obedience beeing therto sealed do take vppon vs the promise communion of Christe by imprinting or transferring into our bodies the seale or sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Of which thing the Apostle hath also intreated in the first Corinth cap. 10. And also to the Rom. cap. 4. we also haue said more thereof in the generall treatise of the sacraments But before I intreate further of other ends of the supper consisting in the description thereof I wil recite what othersome allege of the promise and communion of Christ They condemne our doctrine as hereticall For they contend that the lord promised the hee would giue vnto the faithfull his very body bloud to be eaten dronken vnder the forme of bread wine therfore it must by al meanes and without al contradiction be beléeued that the bread is the Lords naturall body and the wine his bloud that these ought to be eaten and dronken not only spiritually but also corporally vnto life euerlasting And that Christ is bodily present in the supper and the the bread is his body the wine his bloud thus they proue That which the lord speaketh cānot be false for he is the trueth it selfe But he saith that the bread is his body the wine his bloud Therefore the bread and wine of the sacrament are verily really and essentially the body bloud of Christ Whiche trueth they say must simply he beléeued although reason it selfe the whole world all senses and nature it selfe be against it We answere the in déede all things are very true which the Lord hath spoken who is truth it selfe but in that sense which he himself said and vnderstood not in that meaning which we wil inforce vpō his words Wherfore before all things we must search out the true sense of the Lords words in the supper This is my body This is my bloud c. These men crye out saying that the Lords words ought to be expounded simply according to the letter For they are wordes of the testament and the same would not haue his words to be taken by a trope of figure But wee say that all the Euangelical and apostolical bookes are numbered vnder the name of the testament therefore throughout all and euery place of the Scripture nothing must be corrupted nothing added nothing taken away vnlesse we will be subiect to the curse Wée are also constreined to confesse that there be infinite sentences in the holy scripturs which if we will procéede to expound simply according to the letter we shall ouerthrow the whole scripture the true faith or we shall séeme to goe about to reproue the scriptures of lyes or contradictiō I wil bring forth one of two examples of this sort The Euāgelist S. John writeth The word became flesh Now if we wil cleaue to the very words then must we say that God was chaunged into man But forasmuch as this sense is contrary to the faith and the scriptures For God is immutable and Christ is perfect God and man without all mingling or conuerting of naturs but remayning stil in their ownepropertics and so do we admit this exposition which declareth that the word toke flesh and that God was made man And this sense is not against scripture For Paul saith that the sonne of God neuer toke vpon him the nature of angels but the séede of Abraham And therefore the eatholique fathers together with the apostle doe expoūd this word Est is by this word Assumpsit toke vppon him Whereof Theodoret hath intreated at large in his Polymorphus Dialog 1. Againe the Lord saith in the same John The father is greater than I we should make an inequalitie in adoring the Trinitie if wee should contend that the Lordes words are simply to be vnderstood without interpretation But by cōference of other
wil not receiue it Furthermore since by experience we finde euerie day the there are many thinges wanting vnto our faithe by meanes whereof diuerse vices spring vppe among vs whereof our vnworthines is the hightest or lest of all which the Lord of his grace may easily washe away almost wipeth away by sending his crosse vpon vs not imputing such infirmities to vs to our condemnation For the Apostle in another place â—aith that there is no condemnation for them whiche are graffed into Christ Iesus walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Neither with equall punishment doth our most iust lord punish these sundry sortes of vnworthinesse Let vs therefore sée what the blessed Apostle teacheth vs concerning the punishmente of those y eate vnworthily Therefore he sayth Who so eateth this bread or drinketh of the lords cup vnworthily the same shal be gyltie of the Lords bodie and bloud By whiche wordes verily he meaneth that chiefe and moste â—owle vnworthines of al other to wit vnbeléefe For he is guiltie of the lords body bloud to whom the fault of the lords death is imputed that is to say to whome Christes death becommeth death and not life as it also happened vnto them who through vnbeléefe wickednes did crucifie Christ For vnto them Christes bloud séemed prophane as it had béen the bloud of some beast murtherer or wicked person as being worthily 〈◊〉 for his offences And I pray you what else doeth he thinke than the Christes bloud is prophane who beléeueth not that the same was shed for the sinnes of the worlde And yet he dareth take part of the lords supper the he may worthily be saide to be guiltie of the Lords bodie bloud It is a verie great offence to eate the Lords bread and to drinke of his cup vnworthily through vnbeléefe which thing by the example of Iudas is laid before our eyes He beléeued not in the Lord Iesus yea he inuented howe to deliuer him into the hands of théeues and murtherers yet neuerthelesse he sate down to meate tooke part of the Lords supper therfore in the end the diuel worthily chalenged him wholy vnto him For S. Iohn witnesseth that about the end of the supper the diuell entred into Iudas not the he was not in him before that he came to the supper for he had begonne before to dwell in him to stir him forward but for that after so many admonitioÌ„s of our lord Christ after that he had prophaned the mysteries of Christ as it were troden them vnder foote he wholy entred into him and fully possessed him The same Apostle Paule threateneth damnation to them that make no difference of the Lords bodie who are placed as it were in another degree of vnworthinesse saying For who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation The reason hereof he setteth down in this sentence to wit why we wee oughte not rashly and carelesly to come to the Lords table for that we approche then to our condemnation But condeÌ„nation or iudgment is the paine or punishment which the Lord laieth vpon his faithfull people when they sin not in another world truly as he doth vpon the vnbeléeuers but in this world For it followeth in the words of the Apostle which ministreth vnto vs the same sense For this cause many are weake and feeble among you and many slepe For if we had iudged our selues we should not haue bene iudged But when we are iudged we are corrected by the Lord that wee should not bee condemned with the world The Apostle plainelie distinguisheth betwéene the vnworthie eaters that are subiecte to Gods correction worldly men that is to say vnbéeléeuers whose punishment the Lord deferreth to that other world but vpon his faithful people who yet offende through the negligence come to the supper not sufficiently instructed he layeth diuers sundrie afflictions as pestilence famine sicknes such like to shake off their drousinesse For it foloweth If we had iudged our selues that is if we our selues had restrained our vices separated our selues from euil we had not bene iudged that is to say punished and corrected For immediatly he addeth But when we are iudged we are chastised of the Lord. To bee iudged therefore is to be chastised But hereby we learne from whence there do flow so many mischiefes into the Church to wit by the vnworthie vse of the Lords supper But some man wil answer here if the matter be so it were better wholy to absteine from the lords supper But if any absteine wholie he also therby sinneth againste the Lorde and that grieuously For hee setteth at nought the Lordes commandement who saieth Do this yea he setteth at nought both the Lords death and all the gyfts of god Wherefore he hath not escaped daÌ„ger who hath omitted to celebrate the supper which thing also we haue said before Thou must go an other way to worke if thou desire to auoide both danger sin Heare the counsel of Paule very coÌ„pendiously saying Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. And wee muste mark that in this examination he sendeth no man to another but euerie man to him selfe The Papistes bidd thée Goe to an auricular confessour there to confesse thy selfe to receiue absolution and to make satisfaction for thy sinnes accordinge to the fourme that is coÌ„maunded thée And so they bid thée as sufficiently clensed to go to the Lordes table But Paule the doctour of the gentiles and the vessell of election speaketh not a word of those things but saith simply Let a man examine himselfe so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For like as God is the searcher of the hartes requireth the affection of the minde hateth hypocrisie so none knoweth what is in the hart of man or what affections wee beare to godward but we our selues do therfore he willeth vs our selues to examine euery thing in ourselues that is to say he willeth euerie man to descend into himselfe and to examine him selfe This examination cannot bee made without faith and the light of gods word But the faithfull man haueing the light of Gods worde shining before him and faith extendinge her force and power inquireth of himselfe whether hee doth acknowledge al his sinnes whiche he hath manifoldly committed against God and whether he be sorte for them being committed and whether with sincere fayth of hart he beleeue that Christ hath washed away and forgiuen al his sinnes and whether he confesse fréely with his mouth as he beléeueth in his hart that life saluation consisteth in Iesus Christ onely and in none other whether he haue determined with himselfe to die in this confession and whether he meane diligently and earnestly to applie himselfe to innocencie and holines of life and whether he be readie to loue helpe all the
of the Apostles Créede saith He sayd not in the holy church nor in the remission of sinnes nor in the resurrection of the body For if he had added the preposition In then had the force of those clauses beene all one with the force of that that went before For in those words wherein oure beliefe touching the Godhead is set downe we say in God the Father In Iesus Christ his Son in the holy ghost but in the rest wher the speach is not of the Godhead but touching the creatures or mysteries the preposition In is not added that we may say In the holy Churche but that the holy Church is to be beleued not as we beleue in God but as a congregation gathered together to God and that the forgiunesse of sinnes is to be beleeued not that we ought to beleeue in the forgiunesse of sinnes and that the resurrection of the flesh is to be beleeued not that we ought to beleeue in the resurrection of the fleshe So then by this sillable In the Creator is discerned from the Creatures and that that is Gods frō that that is mans This saith Cyprian S. Augustine in his booke De Fide et Symbolo hath I beleeue the holy Churche not I beleeue in the holy Church There are alledged also his wordes in his epistle Ad Neophytos touching consecration Distinct 4. ca. 1. We saide not that ye had to beleeue in the Church as in God but vnderstād how we said that ye being cōuersant in the holy Catholique Churche should beleeue in God. Much more euidently doth Paschasius in the first Chap. of his first booke De Spiritu Sancto say We beleeue the Church as the mother of regeneration we do not beleeue in the Church as the authour of saluation He that beleeueth in the Churche beleeueth in man For man hath not his being of the Churche but the Churche beganne by man Leaue of therefore this blasphemous persuasion to think that thou haste to beleeue in anye worldly Creature since thou mayst not beleeue neither in Angel nor Archangel The vnskilfulnesse of some haue drawne and taken the preposition In from the sentence that goeth nexte before and put it to that that followeth adding thereto also too too shamelesly somewhat more then needed This hath Paschasius in that booke of his which Saint Gregorie the greate Bishop of Rome liked very well of What say ye to that moreouer that Thomas of Aquine reasoning of faith in the seconde booke Part. 2. Artic. 9. quest 1. sayth If we say I beleeue in the holy Churche we muste vnderstande that oure fayth is referred to the holy Ghoste whiche sanctifieth the Churche and so make the sense to be thus I beleeue in the holy spirite that sanctifieth the Church But it is better and according to the cōmon vse not to adde at all the sillable In but simply to say the holy Catholique Churche euen as also Pope Leo sayth This hath Thomas So nowe ye haue hearde the opinions of the auncient Doctours of the Churche Cyprian Augustine Gregorie Paschasius Pope Leo and also of Thomas of Aquine whiche taught nowe in the later times And dearely beloued ye doe vnderstande by proofes taken out of the Canonicall Scripture that we must acknowledge and confesse the holy Catholike Churche but not beléeue in the holy Catholique Church And nowe we haue to sée what that is that is called the Churche and what is called the Catholique church Ecclesia whiche worde we vse for the Churche is properly an assembly it is I saye where the people are called out or gathered together to heare somewhat touching the affaires of the common weale In this present treatise it is the company communion congregation multitude or fellowship of all that professe the name of Christe Catholique is as muche to say as this fellowship is vniuersal as that that is extended throughe all places and ages For the Churche of Christe is not restrained into any corner among the Donatists in Aphrica it stretcheth out it selfe throughe the compasse of the world and vnto all ages and doth conteine all the faithfull from the first Adam euen vnto the very last Saint that shall be remaining before the end of the world This vniuersall Churche hath hir particular churches I mean the churche of Adam and of the Patriarches the Churche of Moses and of the Prophetes before the byrth of Christe the Christian Churche which is so named of Christe him selfe and the Apostolicall Church gathered together by the Apostles doctrine in the name of Christ And finally it containeth these particular Churches as the Churche of Ierusalem of Antioch of Alexandria of Rome of Asia of Aphrica of Europe of the East of the West c. And yet all these Churches as it were members of one body vnder the onely heade Christe for Christe alone is the heade of his Church not onely triumphant but militant also do make one onely Catholike Churche in whiche there are not to be founde either heresies or schismies and for that cause is it called the true Church to wit of the right and true opinion iudgement fayth and doctrine For in the Church onely is true fayth and without the Church of God is neyther any trueth nor yet saluation So then in this Article we confesse that all the faithfull dispersed through out the whole compasse of the earth and they also that at this time liue in heauen as many I say as are already saued or shall euen vntill the very end of the worlde be borne to be saued are one bodye hauing gotten fellowship and participation with God and a mutuall communion among them selues And for bycause no man can be made one with God vnlesse he also be holy pure euen as God is holy and pure therefore we beléeue that the Church is holy that is that it is sanctified by God the Father in the bloude of the Sonne and the gift of the holy Ghost We haue hearde testimonies inough in the former Sermons Therefore this one of Paule shall be sufficient which he writeth to the Ephesians Christe loued the Churche and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie and to cleanse it in the fountaine of water through the worde to make it vnto him selfe a glorious Churche not hauing spot or wrinckle c. By which words we vnderstand that the church is called vndefiled altogether cleane not in respect of it selfe but bycause of Christe For the Church of Christ is so farre foorth holy as that yet euery day it doth goe forwarde in profiting and is neuer perfect so long as it liueth on the earth And yet notwithstanding the holinesse of it is moste absolutely perfect in Christ Wherevnto veryly belongeth that notable saying of the lord He that is washed hath no need but to washe his feete onely for he is wholy cleane For the faythfull are purely cleansed by Christe who washeth them with his bloud
Heauen the church of Sainctes is the true tabernacle and temple of our high priest Christe our priest is the onlie and euerlasting teacher maister of his vniuersall Church For not onely that age hath so taught whiche liued in the dayes of his fleshe but the spirite of Christ was in the Prophets by whom now also he ruleth all the seates of his catholique church Christ himself as yet speaketh vnto vs and will speake euen vnto the end of the world by the mouth or writings of the holy Apostles and all teachers preaching the doctrine of the Apostles And this doctrine is sufficient for the catholique Church For it comprehendeth all those thinges fullie which perteine to a holie and happie life Christe our high priest maketh intercession for all the Sainctes in his owne Temple For hee béeing the only aduocate and patrone of all the faithful prayeth to the father for vs on the right hand of god For he ascended vnto the right hand of God the father that he should alwaies appeare there in the presence of God to followe all our suites faithfully Of whiche thinge I haue spoken more at large in my laste Sermon where I intreated of Inuocation and Intercessiō The same our Lord onlie blesseth vs For he was made a malediction and cursse for vs that we might be blessed in him according to that notable and aunciente Prophecie In thy seede shall all the nations of the worlde be blessed Moreouer Christe our Lorde sacrificeth for vs. For hee offereth incense when hée maketh supplication for vs and appeareth on the right hand of god And he offereth a sacrifice for sinnes vnto the liuing god not a sacrifice of a beast but him selfe alwayes an effectuall sacrifice to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of the people Whereof since I haue entreated aboundantlie in the treatise of Ceremonies héere of purpose I am the bréefer Againe since our lord Iesus Christ is y holy of holiest doubtlesse he sanctifieth consecrateth his catholique church annointing it with the oile of the holie ghost that we may be made both holie priests to offer spirituall sacrifices to god For we read y that holy ointmēt powred on Aarons hed ran down to his beard euen to the skirts of his clothing For Christ the highe priest of his vniuersall Churche powreth his spirit as wel vpon them that are verie farre off as vpon them that are neare at hande For hée crieth in the Gospell If any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke He that beleeueth on me as the scripture hath saide out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of water of life And againe For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified in trueth To be short when we say and confesse that Iesus Christ is the priest or bishop of the faithfull people we say this that Christ is our chosen and appointed teacher and maister to gouerne and teach his vniuersal church to make intercession for vs to plead all our suites faithfully before the Father in heauen which is the onely patrone mediatour and aduocate of the faithfull with God who by the sacrifice of his bodie is the perpetuall only satisfaction absolution and iustification of all sinners throughout the whole worlde who consecrateth into priestes those that beléeue that that they also might offer to God the Father through Iesus Christ acceptable sacrifices might be the house and tabernacle of God. Out of this it shal be easie to iudge what manner of priesthoode Christs is who is our highe prieste and Bishop His priesthood is the verie office or verie function and working of the priest whereby Christ the priest him selfe executeth all thinges in heauen and in the Catholique Churche whiche beelong to his priestly office Wherefore it must néedes bee that this Priesthoode of Christe our highe Bishop is not visible and corporall but altogether spirituall For verie well sayth Paule Christe were no priest if he were on the earth where they that are of the tribe of Leuie do minister in the tabernacle or temple where there is a temple or tabernacle with manyfolde holie garmentes and vessels But Christe our Lorde is of the tribe of Iuda borne I say of a royall tribe albeit we are not ignoraunt in the meane while that the royall tribe that is the tribe of Iuda and the priestly tribe that is the tribe of Leuie were mingled together For we reade that Elizabeth which was of the daughters of Aaron was Cousen to the virgin the mother of God she being of the line of Dauid Neither is our Lord read at any time to haue vsed the temple or the holy vessels in his ministerie For although sometime he taught in the temple yet he taught not onely in the same He neuer sacrificed in the temple at the holy altars either of incense or of burnt offerings He neuer vsed priestly garments whiche were figuratiue Wherof I spake when I expounded the ceremonial lawes Therefore when he woulde sacrifice for the satisfaction of the sinnes of the whole worlde he suffered without the gate offered himselfe a liuely and most holy sacrifice according as the shadows or types prophecies and figures foreshewed in the law of Moses wherof in like maner I haue entreated in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes And when hee had offered the sacrifice of his bodie he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the father that from thence he may giue light vnto his Church and there appeare alwayes for vs in the presence of God the Father And therefore he doth not now corporally execute his priestly office on earth in like sort teaching vs now as in the dayes of his fleshe he taught the men of his age For nowe he doeth illuminate with his spirite the mindes of his and daily repaireth or renueth the Euangelicall doctrine of the Apostles and yet for all that hée himselfe speaketh by the mouth of thē that teache and preache the Gospell He blesseth vs from heauen that is to say he inricheth vs with all heauenly blessing Of him the Apostle speaking saith And the annoynting which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teache you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it hath taught you ye shall abide in it Of him the diuine Prophet speaking sayth I wil powre water vppon the thirstie and floudes vppon the drie ground I wil powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vppon thy stocke or buddes They shall growe together like as the grasse and as the willowes by the waters side By whiche words we learne that Christ our high priest hath no néede of a bishop suffragane or vicar in his Churche For he himselfe is present with his Church and gouerneth it by his spirit The selfe same Christ at the
right hand of the father in heauen doeth not so oftentimes humbly fal downe on his knées and make intercession for vs as we doe sinne In the dayes of his flesh when he did offer vp praiers supplications with strong crying and teares hee was once heard in that which he feared For nowe he alwayes appeareth for vs in the presence of god Al our matters are manifest in his sight the father beeholdeth the face of his Christe for whose sake he is pleased with all his members hearing them and giuing them whatsoeuer healthful things they require according to that saying of our sauiour Verily verily I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he shal giue it you Therfore here wee must imagine no turmoyles no molestation no labour wherwith he shuld be wearied which is the intercessour aduocate priest of al before God the father in heaueÌ„ Whereof also I put you in minde in my last sermoÌ„ where I entreated of inuocation and intercession Wherfore our priest executing his office before God in heauen hathe néede of no altar of inceÌ„se no censer no holy vesselles or garments muche lesse hath he néede of the altar of burnt offerings For on the crosse which was his altar he offered vp him selfe but once for al. Neither was there any mortal man worthie to offer to the liuing god the liuing sonne of god And that only sacrifice is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of all men in the whole world And though in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes I haue alleadged many testimonies touching these things yet I caÌ„ not stay my self here but must cite vnto you some that be notable For this matter wherin the fruite of Christes diuinitie humanitie to be short al our saluation consisteth cannot worthily and diligently ynough be printed in mens harts Paule vnto the Hebrues speaking of the priestes of the olde Testamente and comparing Christ our high priest with them yea by all meanes preferring him sayth And among them many were made priests because they were not suffered to indure by reason of death But Christ because he indureth for euer hathe an euerlasting or vnchangeable priesthod for that it doth not palle ouer to another by succession Wherfore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them For such an high prieste it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinnes made higher than the Heauens which needed not daily as those high priests to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes then for the peoples for that did hee once when he offred vp himself And againe he sayth Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands whiche are the similitudes of the true sanctuarie but into heauen it selfe to appeare nowe in the sight of God for vs Not that he should offer himselfe often as the highe priestes entred into the holie places euerie yere in strange or with other bloud For theÌ„ muâ—t he haue often suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the worlde hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself And as it is appointed vnto men that they shall once die and after that coÌ„meth the iudgement Euen so Christ once offered to take away the sins of many the second time shal be seene without sinne of them whiche waite for him vnto saluation And againe the same Paule saith Euerie priest appeareth daily ministring and oftentimes offereth one manner of offering which can neuer take away sinnes but this ma after he had offered one sacrifice foâ— sinns sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and from hencefoorth tarrieth til his enimies be made his footstoole For with one offering hath he made perfect or consecrated for euer theÌ„ that are sanctified All these sayinges hitherto are the Apostle Paules And I think that these testimonies are not to be made manifest and agréeable to our purpose by a larger interpretation For they are all euen without any exposition of ours most euident and verie aptly agrée to the matter which we haue in hand For they doe plainely set forth and lay before our eyes to beholde the whole priesthood of Christ specially that which belongeth to the intercession and the onely and euerlasting sacrifice or satisfaction for sinnes It belongeth also to the same priesthoode to consecrate priestes vnto God all the faithfull not that we should offer for the satisfaction of sinnes but that we shoulde offer our prayers thankesgiuinges and our selues and the dueties of Godlinesse as it were euerie momente For Saint Iohn the Apostle and Euangeliste sayeth Iesus Christe prince of the Kinges of the earth loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his owne bloud made vs kinges and priestes vnto God and his father We may finde the same sentence also in the Epistle of Saint Peter So that in these we may sée what fruite riseth and floweth vnto vs from the diuinitie and humanitie of Christe oure king and highe priest For he coulde not be prince of kings highe priest vnlesse he were God and man. Here this place requireth to speak somewhat of the name of a Christian and of the dueties of a Christian man We haue the name of Christians of Christ to whome being vnseparably knitte we are the members of that bodye whereof he is head And Christe is not his proper name for he is called Iesus but a name of office deriued from the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche signifieth annoynting so Christ signifieth asmuch as annointed Therfore Tertullian saith it is not a proper name but a name attributed And hee addeth Annointed is no more a name than cloathed or apparelled a thing accident to the name But the kinges high priestes were annointed with oyle therefore Christ signifieth vnto vs him that is king high priest or Bishop And because we are named Christians of Christe who hath annointed vs with the holy ghost truely we also are kings priestes Where you may sée how great a benefite we haue receiued of Christe God man for he hath made vs kings priestes We sée what the dutie of christians is namely to mainteine this dignitie euen to the last gaspe lest it be taken from vs againe by sathan Furthermore if we be kings we are Lordes ouer thinges and are frée ruling not ruled or in subiection Frée I say froÌ„ sinne and euerlasting death and from all vncleannesse Lords ouer sathan prince of this worlde and ouer the world it selfe For we rule the world and the fleshe wee are not ruled by them Herevnto belong those wordes of the Apostle Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie that ye shoulde therunto obey by the lustes of it Neither giue ye your members as instruments or weapons of
their tributarie cities subiecte vnto them diligently to sée and marke what they did in euerie citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say spyes and watchmen The Apostles called byshops watchmen and kéepers of the Lords flocke and the stewardes of Christe or disposers of the secretes of God in the Churche And Presbyter an Elder hath his name of age and auncient yeares In times past the care of the common wealth was committed vnto the elders as to those that were exercised with manifolde experience long vse of things For gouernours of cities are bothe called Seniors and Senatours And as common weales haue their Senatours so hath the church her elders as it appeareth in the Actes 14. 15. 20. 21. chap. It séemeth that the ordeining of elders came into the church out of the synagogue For thus we reade in the booke of Numbers Gather vnto me saith he three score and ten men of the elders of Israel whome thou knowest to bee the elders of the people and officers ouer them and I wil take of the spirit which is vpon thee and put vppon them and they shall beare the burthen of the people with thee least thou bee constrained to beare it alone Wherefore the elders in the churche of Christe are eyther byshoppes or otherwise prudent and learned men added to byshops that they maye the more easily beare the burthen layd vpon them and that the churche of God may the better and more conueniently be gouerned For Paule sayth The elders that rule well let them be counted woorthy of double honour most specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine There were therefore certeine other in the Ecclesiasticall function who albeit they did not teach by and by as did the byshops yet were they present with them that taught in all all businesses Perhaps they are called of the same Apostle elsewhere Gouernours that is is to say whiche are set in authoritie concerning discipline and other affaires of the churche And bycause we are come thus farre in this present treatise we will also declare other names of offices in the churche There is muche speache in the scriptures of Deacons and amonge Ecclesiasticall writers of Priestes In the primitiue Churche the care of the poore was committed to Deacons as it is plainely gathered out of the sixt chapter of the Actes of the Apostles There are also lawes to be séene which are prescribed vnto them by the Apostle in the firste to Timothie the thirde chapter The office of Deacons was separated froÌ„ the function of Pastours and therefore we do not reckon them in the order of Pastours The auncient fathers referred them to the ministerie but not to the Priesthoode We reade also that women not wedded but widowes ministred in the primitiue churche And among other Phebe of the churche of Cencâ—ea highly praysed of the Apostle is verie famous But he forbiddeth women to teach in the church and to take vpon them publique offices How therfore or in what thing did women minister in the churche vndoubtedly they ministred vnto the poore in duties apperteyning to women They ministred vnto the sicke and with Martha Christs hostesse they did with great care and diligence chearish the members of Christe For what other offices could they haue Moreouer the name of Priest séemeth to be brought into the churche out of the synagogue For otherwise ye shall not finde in the newe Testament the ministers of the worde of GOD and of churches to be called priestes but after that sorte that all Christians are called priestes by the Apostle Peter But it appeareth that the ministers of the new Testament for a certeine likenesse whiche they haue with the ministers of the olde Testament of ecclesiasticall writers are called Priestes For as they did their seruice in the tabernacle so these also after their manner and their fashion minister to the churche of god For otherwise the Latine word is deriued of holy things and signifieth a minister of holy things a man I say dedicated and consecrated vnto God to do holy things And holy things are not only sacrifices but what things so euer come vnder the name of religion from whiche we dee not exclude the lawes them selues and holy doctrine In the old testament we read that Dauids sonnes were called priestes not that they were ministers of holy things for it was not lawfull for theÌ„ whiche came of the tribe of Iuda to serue in the tabernacle but onely to the Leuites but bicause they liuing vnder the gouernement and discipline of priestes did learne good sciences and holy diuinitie Here it séemeth it must not be dissembled that those names which we haue intreated of are in the Scriptures one vsed for an other For Peter the Apostle of Christ our Lord calleth him selfe an Elder And in the Actes of the Apostles he calleth the Apostleship a Byshopricke For Saint Paule also calling the Elders together at Miletum and talking with them he calleth them Byshops And in his Epistle vnto Titus he commaundeth to ordeine Elders towne by towne whome immediately after he calleth Byshoppes And that they also are called both Doctors and Pastours there is none so grosse headed to denie Now by all these things we think it is manifest to all men what orders the Lord him selfe ordeined from the beginning and whome he hath consecrated to the holie ministerie of the Church to gouerne his owne church He layd the foundation of the churche at the beginning by Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes he enlarged and mainteyned the same by Pastours and Doctours To these Elders and Deacons were helpers The Deacons in séeing to the poore and the Elders in doctrine in discipline and in gouerning and susteyning other weightier affaires of the Churche Neuerthelesse it appeareth that the order of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets was ordeined at the beginning by the Lorde vnto his Churche for a time according to the matter persons and places For many ages since and immediatly after the foundation of Christes kingdome in earth the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophets ceased and there came in their place Byshops Pastours Doctours and Elders which order hath continued most stedfastly in the Church that nowe we can not doubt that the order of the Churche is perfect and the gouernement absolute if at this day also there remaine in the Church of God byshops or pastours doctours also or Elders Yet we deny not that after the death of the Apostles there were oftentimes Apostles raysed vp of GOD whiche might preache the Gospell to barbarous and vngodly nations We confesse also that God euen at this day is able to rayse vp Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes whose labour he may vse to worke the saluation of mankinde For we acknowledge that holy and faithfull men whiche first preach the truth of the Gospell to any vnbeléeuing people may be called Apostles and Euangelistes
We acknowledge y men inspired with singular grace of the spirit which foresée foreshew things to come and be excellent interpreters of the scriptures or Diuines illuminated may be called Prophetes as we haue shewed elsewhere more at large But in the order of byshops and elders from the beginning there was singular humilitie charitie and concord no contention or strife for prerogatiue or titles or dignitie For all acknowledged themselues to be the ministers of one maister coequall in all thinges touching office or charge He made them vnequall not in office but in giftes by the excellencie of giftes Yet they that had obteyned the excellenter gifts did not despise the meaner sort neither did they enuie them for their giftes S. Paule sayth Let a man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of God. The same Paule in more than one place caleth the preaching of the gospel the ministerie For that tooke déepe root in the auncient byshops hearts which the Lorde when his disciples striued for dignitie and as they say for the maioritie that is which of them shuld be the greatest setting a childe in the middest of them sayde Verily verily I say vnto you except ye turne and become as little children ye shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen Truly the martyr of God Saint Cyprian standing in the counsel of the byshops at Carthage wisely sayde Neither hath any of vs appointed him selfe to be a byshop of byshops or by tyrannous feare compelled his fellowes in office to necessitie of obeying since euery byshop hath according to the licence and libertie of his power his owne free choyce as if hee might not bee iudged of an other since neyther he him selfe can iudge an other but let vs all looke for the iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ who only and alone hath power both to preferre vs in the gouernement of his Church and to giue sentence of our doing Thus farre he At that time therefore byshoppes contended not for I knowe not what primacie or patrimonie of Peter but that one mighte excell the other in purenesse of doctrine and holinesse of life and mutually to helpe one an other And then vndoubtedly the affaires of the Church went forward prosperously in so muche that though the most puisant princes of the world should haue persecuted the Church of Christe with fire and sworde yet neuerthelesse against all the assaultes of the diuell and the worlde she had stoode vnmoueable hauing wonne the victorie and had daily béene more inlarged also renoumed Oh happy had we béene if this order of Pastors had not béene chaunged but that that auncient simplicitie of ministers that fayth humilitie and diligence had remained vncorrupted But in processe of time all things of ancient soundnesse humilitie and simplicitie vanished awaye whiles somethings are turned vpside down somethinges eyther of their owne accorde were out of vse or else are taken away by deceite somethings are added too Verily not many ages after the death of the Apostles there was séene a farre other Hierarchie or gouernement of the Churche than was from the beginning althoughe those beginninges séeme to be more tollerable than at this day all of this same order are Sainte Hierome saythe In times past churches were gouerned with the common counsel and aduise of the elders afterward it was decreed that one of the elders being chosen should bee set ouer the other vnto whome the whole care of the church should perteine and that the seedes of scismes should bee taken away Thus much he In euery citie countrie therefore he that was most excellent was placed aboue the rest His office was to be superintendent and to haue the ouersight of the ministers and the whole flocke He had not as wee vnderstoode euen nowe out of Cyprians words dominion ouer his fellowes in office or other elders but as the Consul in the Senate house was placed to demaunde and gather together the voyces of the Senatours and to defende the lawes priuileges and to be carefull least there should arise factions amonge the Senatours euen so no other was the office of a bishop in the church in all other thinges hee was but equall with the other ministers But had not the arrogancie of the ministers and ambition of bishops in the times that followed further increased we would not speake a word against them And S. Hierome affirmeth that That preferrment of bishops sprange not by Gods ordinaunce but by the ordinance of man These thinges haue wee remembred sayeth he to the end we might shewe that amonge the old fathers bishops and ministers were all one but by litle and little that the plantes of dissentions might be pluckt vpp all the care was committed vnto one Therfore as ministers knowe that they by the custome of the church are subiect to him whiche is set ouer them so let bishops know that rather by custom than by the truth of the Lords disposition they are greater than the other ministers and that they ought to gouerne the churches together in common following the example of Moses who when it was in his power alone to gouerne the people of Israel chose out threescore and tenne other with whom he might iudge the people Thus he writeth in his commentarie vppon the 3. cap. of the epist. of Paul vnto Titus But the auncient fathers kept not themselues within these boundes There were also ordeyned Patriarches at Antioche Alexandria Constantinople and Rome There are appointed Archbishops or Metropolitanes that is to â—aye such as haue gouernement ouer the bishops throughout prouinces And to bishops of cities or inferiour bishops there are added such as were called Chorepiscopi or bishops of the multitude that is to saye at such time as the countrie or region was larger than that the care and ouersighte of the bishop placed ouer the citie would suffice For these were added as vicars and suffraganes who might execute the office of the bishop throughout that part of the countrie But we know that the functions of suffraganes or vicars generall in these last times are of a farre other maner in bishops courtes and diocesses And also vnder deacons were placed subdeacons and when wealth increased there were archdeacons also created that is to saye ouerseers of all the goodes of the church They as yet were not mingled with the order of ministers or bishops and of those that taught but they remained as stewards or factours of the goods of the church As neither the monkes at the beginning executed the office of a priest or minister in the church For they were counted as laye-men not as clearkes and were vnder the charge of the pastors But these vnfortunate birdes neuer left soaring vntill in these last times they haue clymed into the topp of the temple and haue set themselues vppon bishops and pastours heads For monkes haue béene and are both Popes archbishops bishops and