and hauyng taken vpon him a mortall body in the virgins wombe As then he did speake vnto vs by his sonne beyng made man and hauyng taken our frayle nature vppon him so his sonne I meane our sauiour Christe beyng man that is to say touchyng his manhoode and not touchyng his Godheade is the image or figure of his substaunce For the image or figure of a thing must be visible and apparaunt to the eye else it can not be called an image or a figure But the godhead or diuine substaunce of Christ coulde not be séen no more than the diuine substaunce of the father therefore he coulde not touching his Godhead or diuine substaunce be the image or figure of his fathers substaunce but onely touching his humanitie and manhoode As he him selfe doth testifie saying He that séeth me séeth the father And it ought to séeme no straungenesse that we say that Christe touching his humanitie or manhoode is the image or figure of the father For if the first Adam whiche notwithstanding that he was created in the estate of innocencie could fall and breake the commaundement that was geuen vnto him was called the image of God how much more ought the second Adam in whose mouth no guile was founde and which coulde not sinne to be called the image of the fathers substaunce yea the holy scriptures doe testifie of vs that when we be regenerated or borne a newe we are the image of God And shal not he by whose spirite and worde we are begotten a newe and regenerated be most liuely and most effectuously the image of the fathers substaunce Thus then may we conclude that as God did in these last daies speake vnto vs by his sonne beyng made man or hauyng taken vpon hym a mortall body so his sonne beyng man or touching his manhoode is the image of his diuine substaunce But no man will saie that Christe touchyng his humanitie or manhoode is one with the father in substaunce for that were to affirme that the father is a creature Therefore the argument that they make vppon this teâ—te of Paule affirmyng that Christe is the figure of a thing that he is hym selfe is not worth a blewe button And though thei would maintaine still that this place must be vnderstanded of his diuitie and Godhead yet shoulde they winne nothyng by it For the Greeke hath not the figure or image of his substaunce if they would goe to the rigour of the letter but the image or figure of his persone â–ª And takyng it so â–ª I should agree with the Councell of Nice wherein it was decreed that in the blessed Trinitie there is but one substaunce whiche the Greekes call Vsia and three persons whiche thei call Hypostases We doe graunt then after this interpretation that Christ touchyng his diuinitie or Godhead is the image of the persone of the father But we will in no wise graunt that the person of the father and the person of the sonne be all one For that were a plaine heresie whiche ought in no wise to bee suffered in the churche of christ Let them turne themselues whiche way soeuer they will yet this place will helpe them nothyng no more then the places aboue rehearsed But that they shal be faine to confesse Mawgrie their shauen crownes that the auncient fathers haue expounded these wordes This is my body and this is my blood as we do now expounde them But how many places out of the Doctours were I able to bryng for to proue that the Sacramentes are called by the names of the thynges whereof they be Sacramentes Thus doeth the blessed Martir S. Ciprian wryte Dedit itaque Dominus noster in mensa in qua vltimum cum Apostolis participauit conniuium proprijs manibus panem vinum in cruce verò manibus militum corpus tradidit vulnerandum vt in Apostolis saecretius impressa sincera veritas vera sincaeritas exponeret gentibus quomodo vinum panis caro esset sanguis Et quibus rationibus causae effectibus conuenirent diuersa nomina vel species ad vnam reducerentur essentiaÌ„ significantia significata eisdem vocabulis censerentur That is to saie in englishe The Lorde at his last supper whiche hee kept with his Apostles did with his owne handes geue bread and wine and vpon the Crosse he did with the handes of the souldiours deliuer his body to be wouÌ„ded that the sincere veritie and the true sinceritie beyng secretely printed in the Apostles should declare or expounde vnto the gentiles how the bread and wine is blood and fleshe and by what meanes the causes doe agrée with the effectes And how diuers kindes and names shoulde bee reduced or brought to one essence And the thynges that signifie and the thynges that be signified called by one name Sainct Augustine besides that place that I haue already alledged out of his Epistle that he did write to Bonifacius doth in his booke of Questions vppon Leuiticus saie these wordes Solet autem res quae significat eiuâ— rei nomine quam significat nuncupari sicut scriptum est septem spicae septem anni sunt Non enim dixit septem annos significaÌ„t Et septem boues septem anni sunt multa huiusmodi Huic est quod dictum est Petra erat Christus non enim dixit petra significat Christum sed tanquaem hoc esset quod vtique per substantiam non hoc erat sed per significationem Sic sanguis quoniam propter vitalem quandam corpulentiam animam significat in sacramentis anima dictus est In englishe it is to saie The thyng that doth signifie is wont to be called by the name of the thing that it doeth signifie Therefore it is written And the seuen eares of corne are seuen yeres and not the seuen eares of corne doe signifie or betoken seuen yeres And the seuen kyne are seuen yeres And many suche like places And thereof it commeth that it was saide And the Rocke was Christ he saide not the Rocke did betoken or signifie Christe as though it had been that thyng in substaunce whiche was onely in signification And bicause that the blood by reason of a certaine liuely substaunce doeth signifie and betoken the soule therefore in the Sacramentes the blood is called the soule But the wordes that haue been alledged before out of his epistle to Bonifacius make the matter most plaine Therfore I will thinke it no labour lost to repeate them againe as they lye in Latine first Si enim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem â–ª earum rerum quarum Sacramenta sunt non haberent omnino sacramenta non essent Ex hac autem similitudine plaerunque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt Sicut ergo secundum quendam modum Sacramentum corporis Christi corpus Christi est Sacramentum sanguinis Christi sanguis Christi est ita Sacramentum fidei fides est If the Sacramentes
Gods promises Now the maister and teacher of trueth the aucthour of light the well and fountaine of wisedome knowledge and vnderstandyng This is he that doeth pourge and cleanse vs from all filthines and ouersprinckleth vs with his sanctitude and holines that we may be made the worthy temples of almightie god This is he that with his effectuall wateryng doeth make vs fruictfull vnto righteousnes for to bryng foorth aboundauntly the fruictes of our faith that our heauenly father may be glorified through our good workes conuersation and outwarde liuyng For the whiche cause he is many tymes called water as in these places of the prophete All ye that are a thirst come vnto the waters Againe I will powre water vpon hym that is a thirste and Riuers vpon the drie lande Wherunto the saiyng of Christe doeth agree where he biddeth them that bee a thirste to come vnto hym and to drinke of the waters of life Although he be other whiles so called for the efficacie streÌ„gth power and vertue that he hath to pourge and make cleane where the Lorde promiseth in Ezechiell to washe his people with cleane waters The same is he that consumeth and burneth awaie the inordinate lustes concupiscenses of our flesh kyndelyng our heartes with the diuine loue of GOD and of heauenly thynges wherefore he is called by God right fyre Finally this is he that by his inspiration doeth make vs wholie to liue vnto God so that we be no more ledde by our owne sensualitie but folowe onely his motion and guidyng Therefore is it saide of Barnarde verie well Quid bonus in nobis spiritus operatur monet mouet docet monet memoriam mouet voluntatem docet rationem That is to saie what good doth the spirite or holy Ghost in vs he doth warne moue and teache he doth warne our remembraunce he doeth moue our willes and teache our reason Therefore if there be any goodnesse in vs it is the fruicte of his grace and vertue But all our giftes without hym are méere darkenesse of the mynde and wicked peruersenesse of the hearte And as I doe beléeue that all the giftes and benefites that we doe receaue of God through his onely begotten sonne our sauiour Iesu Christ are by this holy spirite printed grauen and sealed vp in our heartes and myndes so do I beléeue that all the Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament were written and sette forthe vnto vs onely by his diuine inspiration and that the doctrine that is conteined in them without all other is sufficiente vnto Saluation as the blessed Apostle doeth testifie saiyng Continue in the thinges that thou hast learned whiche also were committed vnto thée seyng thou knowest of whom thou hast learned them and for as muche also as thou haste knowen the holy Scriptures of a childe whiche bee able to make thee wise vnto Saluation through the faithe whiche is in Christ iesu For all scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to amende and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maie be perfecte and readie vnto all good workes Wherevnto Chrisostome doth agree saiyng what soeuer is required vnto saluation all the same shall ye finde in the holy scriptures And in an other place He hath at his tyme saieth he reueiled and opened his woorde by the preachyng that is committed vnto me And this is the preachyng the Gospell doeth conteine all thynges bothe present and to come honor godlinesse faithe to be shorte he hath comprehended all thynges in the woorde of his preachyng Againe he saieth what so euer is required for our saluation is alreadie conteined in the holy scriptures he that is ignoraunte shall finde there what he maie learne he that is stubborne and a synner maie finde there scourges of the iudgemente to come he that is troubled maie finde there ioyes and promises of euerlastyng life thorowe the beholdyng of whiche he maie be stirred to good workes Sainct Augustine saieth reade the holy scriptures wherin ye shall finde fullie what is to bée folowed and what to bee auoided Athanasius also saieth the holy scriptures saieth he beyng inspired from God are sufficiente to all instruction of the truthe Lyra one of the Popes owne doctours hath these wordes Like as in a merchauntes shippe are carried diuerse thinges necessarie for mans life So in the holy scriptures are conteined all thynges needefull to our saluation Who so euer then doeth affirme and saie that the doctrine of the holie ghoste whiche is conteined in the canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testamente is not sufficiente vnto saluation and that besides it wee haue neede of mens traditions and doctrines as though without them we could not haue in the sacred booke of God a sufficient instruction in thynges that pertaine to life euerlastyng Or who soeuer saieth affirmeth that this holy spirite doeth teache and set for the any other worde or doctrine then is conteined in the sacred bookes of God I dare boldely affirme that the same man is not lead with the same holie spirite who is the lorde and giuer of life and who procéeding from the father the sonne should leade vs into all truthe and bryng into our remembraunces whatsoeuer Christ our Sauiour the heauenly wisedome of the father hath taught and set forthe for the saluation of mankind but with the spirite of errour I meane with the spirite of sathan the deuill who to the vttermoste of his power causeth men to contemne despise and sette at naught the holie commaundementes of almightie God that thei maie set vp their owne traditions and dreames and all vnder the title name and colour of the holie ghoste Wherefore it is moste needefull and necessarie that wee haue alwaies before our eyes the saiyng of the blessed Euangeliste saincte Ihon where he saieth Dearely beloued beleue not euery spirite but proue the spirites whether thei bee of God or not Also S. Chrisost. saith agréeyng with the same Many saith he do boast of the holy ghost but they that do vtter and set out their owne phancies and dreames do pretende him in vaine for as Christ doth witnesse that he speaketh not of him selfe but out of the lawe the Prophetes Si quid praeâ—er Euangelium sub titulo spiritus obtrudatur ne credamus Quia sicut Christus legis Prophetarum impletio est ita est spiritus Euangelij If any thyng be brought vnto vs vnder the name of the holie ghost saieth he besides the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the fulfillyng of the lawe and the prophetes so is the holie ghost the fulfillyng of the Gospell For without that spirite we haue neither eares to heare nor eyes to see it is that spirite that openeth and no man shutteth The same shutteth and no man openeth The same spirite opened the sicke womans hearte that she should
of them howbeit I thinke that he did vnderstande Origene Ierome and Tertullian But nowe we will sée howe well this doth agree with the person of Christe our Sauiour Firste and formoste if they will haue the punishmentes paines and tormentes that Christe suffered to be in all pointes corespondent vnto those synners for whom Christ died had deserued it had not been onely necessarie that he shoulde haue suffered here in the body vppon the earth And that the soule should also haue suffered in hell for a while but that hee shoulde haue suffered both in body and soule euerlastyng punishmentes with the damned But God his father did content hymself with the paines and tormentes that he was in for a while hauyng a respecte not onely vnto the paines that he did suffer but vnto his righteousnes innocencie and obedience whiche caused hym to take and allowe the paines whiche our Sauiour Christe did suffer for a tyme as sufficient for to obtaine and purchase vnto the faithfull beléeuers a full deliueraunce from euerlastyng paines and tormentes which thei had deserued through their synnes Moreouer it was no néede at all that the soule of our Sauiour Christe shoulde goe downe into hell for to suffer there for it hath suffered punishment enough here vpon earth sithe that in it I meane in his soule he did beare the same iudgement and condempnation that we had deserued for the bodie did not suffer without the soule yea if the sorowes and paynes of the one could bee separated from the sorowes and paynes of the other whiles the body and soule be ioyned together by life we should haue a iuste occation to saie that the soule did suffer afore the body and that the sorowes and griefes of the body did proceede and come firste of the soule For els what did these wordes meane my soule is heauie vnto the verie death whereof came this wofull sweate that did runne downe to the grounde as droppes of bloud and the complainte that he made to GOD his father in the Garden Wherof did also come that greate feare trouble and horror that he was possessed withall as the Euangelistes doe testifie vnto vs If he had not bene in an extreame agonie and much greater then mans wisdome can comprehende What neede should he haue of the Angels for to comfort hym Againe who would not wonder and marueile to sée christ our sauiour so sore affraide and troubled as the Euangelistes doe set hym foorth vnto vs for the death that he should suffer if he should haue had respect to none other thing but onely vnto the death Doe we thinke that there was lesse hearte lesse corage constancie and manfulnes in our sauiour christe then in many thousande of Martyres that haue gone so ioyfully and merely vnto their death for his sake But what doe I speake of Martyres howe many wicked doers doe we sée daiely goe to their death whiche they haue deserued with their wicked and abhominable doynges moste manfully and with suche a face and countenaunce that ye would thinke that they did goe to a feaste or banquet Shall we saie that the sonne of god had lesse corage then these haue in so good a cause as he did die in It must needes be then that there was some greater thing then death of the Crosse which was at hande somewhat there was I saie that was of more weight and importaunce then that whichâ— did appeare outwardly His body was not yet in the handes of the tormentours he had onely the death before his eyes and as it were an imagination of it whiche troubled hym nothyng so muche as the dreadfull iudgement of God which he knewe he must needes beare When he did then enter into this agonie then did heâ— begynne already to descende and go downe into this horrible hell where he was deteined and kepte a while for our sakes for what greater hell can one imagine to be vnto man than to féele gods wrath throughly kindled against hym to be faine to beare his terrible iudgement and furie and to bee in the same estate that our sauiour Christe was in when he did crie out saiyng My God my God why hast thou forsaken mée Although he was true and naturall God and also true and naturall man so that his godhead could not be separated from his manhoode yet the humanitie was then as if it had been vtterly forsaken of the diuinitie and left succourlesse and as if it had been both in body and soule driuen downe into the bottomlesse pit of hell and geuen ouer of God. Therefore it was no neede that the soule of christ should goe downe after any other sorte for to suffer the paines and tormentes that we had deserued For the places doo not agrauate the paines or make them more heauie and greeuous but the heauie and intollerable burden of Gods wrath and iudgement wheresoeuer it is felte or whersoeuer men are faine to beare it Therefore they that doe affirme that the soule of our sauiour Christ must néedes of necessitie suffer in hell do plainelie declare that they knowe not what hell is nor what our sauiour christ did suffer for them nor yet what the vertue and efficacie of his death and passion is I allowe better the opinion of them whiche saie that this is to be vnderstanded of a spirituall descendyng or goyng downe whereby it was declared and preached through the efficacie vertue and power of christes holy spirite vnto the soules of the reprobate that were in the vnquenchable fire of hell that their vnbeléefe and stubburnnesse was the cause of their eternall and euerlasting damnation and that they should haue no deliueraunce from it by the death and passion of the onely begotten sonne of god our sauiour Iesu Christe where vnto the wordes of sainct Peter seemeth well to agree saiyng Christ hath once suffered for synnes the iuste for the vniust for to bryng vs to God and was killed as pertainyng to the fleshe but was quickened in â—he spirite in whiche spirite he also went and preached vnto the spirites that were in prisone whiche were in tymes past disobedient So we perceiue by these wordes of the Apostle that both the damned and saued had alone maner of féeling of the death and passion of Christ but yet to diuers endes for the one that is to the godly that were in Abrahams bosome was certified by the diuine power and godhead of Christe that nowe was the fulnes of tyme come to fill vp the measure of their ioye and euerlastyng saluation that they long looked hoped and thirsted for And to the damned was preached christ crucified but to the encreasing and augmentyng of their owne damnation for that they had no parte or portion by his death of gods fauour But rather an heauie iudgement bicause as S. Paule saieth Christe is Odor mortis ad mortem his c. That is the sauour of death
must we be in the resurrection These wordes shal the easlier be vnderstanded if we will consider and marke that the whole life of our sauiour Christe ought to serue vs in stéede of an Allegorie wherby we should make our selues conformable vnto hym spiritually in those thynges that haue been truely and really or in very deede fulfilled in his body and can in no wise be fulfilled in ours As for an example our sauiour Christ hath been conceaued by the holy ghoste borne of the virgine Marie he hath been crucified and put to death he did rise againe the thirde daie and ascended into heauen All those thynges cannot be performed nor fulfilled in our bodies as they were in his But let vs endeuour our selues that our spirite or inwarde man maie be fashioned and made conformable vnto hym in these thinges Our bodies are conceaued and borne in synne not by the holy Ghoste nor in the wombe of a virgine as our Sauiour Christe was but they are conceaued by the carnall copulation of man and woman and of corruptible seede That wee maie therefore be conformable vnto hym in this pointe let vs come vnto his true Churche and beléeue his gospell And when we be in the true Churche of Christe whiche is both our mother and a chaste virgine wee shal be conceaued and begotten in it by the vncorruptible seede of the worde of God our heauenlie father and by the vertue of his holy spirite and shal be borne againe the children of god and made newe creatures we shall put of the olde man and put one the newe bearyng the image of the newe Adam whiche is Iesus Christ as we haue borne the image of the olde Adam and of the man of synne After that we be thus conceaued by the holy ghoste and borne of a virgine which is the true Church and spouse of our sauiour christ the residue of our life must also be conformable vnto the life of our sauiour christ as our spirituall conception and birth is We be not crucified and put to death as he was but we learne of him to beare the Crosse with hym and to be crucified vnto the world that the world may be crucified vnto vs as Sainct Paule writeth of hym selfe But to be crucified and dead vnto the world is to be crucified and dead vnto sinne And to be crucified and dead vnto synne is to forsake synne to haue no more acquaintaunce with it and to be no more a seruaunte vnto it then the dead bee wonte to serue the liuyng For as the dead hath no more to doe with the liuyng but are separated from them so thei be dead vnto the world that haue forsaken it for to serue the liuyng God and that will not fasshion themselues after it nor walke after the fleshe and the concupiscence of it Now it is vnpossible that they that be thus dead vnto the worlde should not liue vnto God and that the worlde shoulde not be dead vnto them As contrariwise thei that liue vnto the worlde and the worlde vnto them they are dead vnto GOD As Sainte Paul hath written of the widowe that liueth in pleasure saiyng that widowe that liueth in pleasure is dead euen yet aliue Bicause she liueth vnto the worlde and is dead vnto God that was the meanyng of our sauiour Christ when he saide to the yong man that would goe and burie his father let the dead burie their dead folow thou me wheÌ„ we die then vnto the worlde we rise againe vnto God. Againe wee practise spiritually in vs the example of the death of Christ when we doe mortifie our earthy members when we offer our bodies a liuely sacrifice vnto god when we doe slaie with the sworde of Gods worde and also burne with the fire of his spirite our concupiscences and carnal affections whiche are the brute beastes that we sacrifice vnto God that the offeryng and sacrifice of our bodies may be reasonable Therefore we dye with our Sauiour Christ when we do kill and mortifie our olde Adam we doe also rise againe with hym when we doe put on Iesus christ and be apparelled with hym when we serue to righteousnes and despise this worlde with all the pompe and pride thereof hauyng our myndes and conuersation in heauen where we doe seeke for our â—auiour Iesu Christe fittyng on the right hande of God the father The Apostles and specially Saint Paul doe teache vs that we ought after this maner to apply and set before vs the death and resurrection of our sauiour Christ of a liuely image and paterne of the Christian and spirituall life And do declare vnto vs that baptisme is a sacrament of all these thynges For the water that is powred vpon vs in baptisme it is firste and formost vnto vs a certificat signe token and seale of the free remission and forgeuenesse of our sinnes and of the holy ghost who is the liuely water that washeth and cleanseth our consciences from synne as the visible water doth washe away the filthines of the body Moreouer it is a sacrament of repentaunce which teacheth vs that as the water doeth come vpon vs as it were for to couer and ouerwhelme vs so it behoueth that our olde man of synne be drowned as Pharao and the Egiptians were drowned in the red Sea and that we must be buried with our sauiour Christe But in this that the water doth not remaine still vpon our heades nor yet drowne vs it is thereby signified vnto vs that the repentaunce and mortifiyng that god doeth require of vs is not vnto death but vnto life so that by death he maketh vs to enter into life as the children of Israell goyng through the red Sea were brought out of seruitude and boundage in to a goodly libertie And as our sauiour Christ did by his death and crosse enter into the glory of his father And so the grace and mercie of God are not only represented vnto vs in our baptisme we are not onely by it grafted in his Testament and receiued into his church but also we haue there the sacrament of the death buriyng and resurrection of our sauiour Christ and of our death buriyng and resurrection with hym We haue also there repentaunce and of remission of synnes and the summe of the whole doctrine of the Gospell and also a liuely image of al the whole christian life preached vnto vs. But to come againe to our purpose After that our sauiour Christe had by manye tokens and signes declared that he was truely risen againe for he was by the space of .xl. daies after his resurrection alwaies conuersaunt with his Apostles and disciples eatyng and drinkyng with them and biddyng them to handle and feele his body and for a further proofe or trial to put their fingers into his woundes that they might bee in no doubt but that it was the same selfe
booke of theirs these wordes of proude Herode Sacerdos est altior Regibus foelicior angelis creator sui creatoris A Priest is higher in aucthoritie then Kynges happier or more blessed then angels and a creatour of his creator To bee shorte all men may see now at this present that all their studie and séekyng is to aduaunce their owne pride and glory and to exalte them selues aboue all princes and kinges of the earth Which is a propertie of antichriste and of all the impes of his kyngdome But leauyng the triall of this thyng vnto other men that haue any eyes to see I will returne againe to my matter Our Popecatholiques perceauyng these aucthorities that I haue nowe aleaged out of Tertullian out of Augustine and out of their owne distinctions to be so plaine that any child is able to picke out the englishe of them do be stirre them selues that at the least they may cast some miste before the eyes of the vnlearned and simple people The signe saye they and the figure be takē for the thing that is represented and signified by them yea they are the very thinges it selfe as it appeareth by the wordes of the angell who after that he had shewed vnto the Shéepheardes that Christe our Sauiour was borne did say immediatly and take this for a signe ye shall finde the chylde swadled and layde in a Manger Was not Christ there both the signe the very thing it selfe that was signified by the signe Againe Simeon speaking of him saieth plainely these wordes This childe shal be a signe which shal be spoken against Here againe do we sée that the signe the thing signified by it are both one Moreouer the blessed Apostle doth call Christ the very image of his fathers substaunce and yet all men wyll confesse that Christe our sauiour is one with the father in substaūce Wherby it foloweth that Christ is the image or figure of the thing that he is himself After the same maner ought the fathers to be vnderstāded whē thei call the sacrament a signe or a figure of the body blood of Christ. This is the miste that our papisticall doctours do dayly endeuour them selues to cast before the eyes of the ignoraunt and vnlearned whiche through the helpe of him that is the true sonne of righteousnesse shall soone be driuen away that all men that will may sée the chearefull and comfortable light of the trueth As for the first place that they haue aleaged and do aleadge dayly it maketh nothing at all for them For the angell doeth not say And ye shall finde the signe of a chylde swadled and layde vp in a Manger but the very wordes are these And for a signe ye shall finde the childe swadled layde vp in a Manger Wherby any man may perceaue that Christ being newly borne was not appointed of the angell for to be a signe of him selfe For that needed not but for to be a signe token that the wordes which he had spokē vnto the shéepheardes were true No man wil say I trowe that christ the wordes that the angell spake then vnto the shéepheardes were alone thing Let any man reade the place well and marke diligently the circumstaunces of it and he shall finde it to be as I say We haue almost the like maner of speaking in Esaie where the prophete speakyng vnto Achas doeth saie And therefore the Lorde shall geue you a token hymselfe Beholde a virgine shall conceaue and beare a sonne c. Shall we saie nowe that the virgine Marie with hir sonne was a token or signe of hir selfe and not rather a token and signe that the wordes of the Prophet whiche he spake then vnto Achas in the name of the Lorde were most true and that they should in their tyme bee fulfilled and performed Now whereas they doe bryng foorth the saiyng of Simeon truely thei declare therin their deuilishe and malicious heart and also their most wicked intent whereby they goe aboute to peruerte all the Scriptures that come into their handes For in that place this worde signe is not taken for a thing that doth signifie or represent another thing but for a marke that men are woont customably to shoote at For the meanyng of Simeon was that Christe with his doctrine shoulde be as a marke that all the worlde shoulde shoote at that is to say that both he and his Gospell shoulde be withstanded and resisted of all the vnfaithfull worldlinges vpon the earth which woulde bende them selues against the Lorde and against his annoynted our Sauiour Iesus Christe and the glad or ioyfull tidinges of his heauenlye kingdome as Bowes he customably bent against a marke Therefore the Iewes that were at Rome did say vnto Paul we haue hearde of this sect that euery where it is spoken against These fewe wordes that the Iewes did speake vnto Paul ought to serue vs for a sufficient exposition of Simeons saying for thereby we doe learne that the meanyng of the olde father was none other but that the religion of Christ and his Gospell shoulde be spoken against Do not nowe all men sée howe well to the purpose they do aleadge the scriptures and that all that they seke is howe they may deceaue and blinde men and kepe them in errour styll that their pride pompe and glorie may continue vnto the worldes ende But let vs see what helpe they haue by the place that they recite out of the Hebrues Therefore say they it is written that christ is the figure of the fathers substaunce What could be spoken more plainely All christians in the world will confesse that Christ is one in substaunce with the father Doth it not folowe then that Christe our sauiour is the figure of that thing that he is him selfe I beséeche thée good reader take the paynes to reade the whole place as it lieth with the circumstaunces and all and then shall ye soone perceaue howe much it helpeth them in the mainteyning of their shameful errour For there they shall learne that whereas God in times past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by the prophetes he did in these last dayes speake vnto vs by his sonne It is not vnknowen to them that reade the Scriptures that the spirite of Christe was in the prophetes and that by him God spake vnto the fathers Howe shall we then vnderstande this place to the Hebrues where he saith that God did in these last daies spake vnto vs by his sonne sith that he did before speake vnto the fathers by him It is to be vnderstanded and marked that it is sayd that God did speake vnto the fathers by his sonne because that the spirite of Christe was in all the prophetes by whom he spake vnto the fathers but in these latter dayes God did speake vnto vs by his sonne being incarnated that is to say beyng made man
vnder the lawe and twoo thousande yere after the Lawe the worlde shall endure and no longer let vs not thinke that any mortall and synfull man is able to tell precisely the daie or tyme that he shall come or at howe many yeres ende he shall come to iudgement The Apostles themselues beyng tickeled with vaine curiositie would faine haue knowen it But saieth our Sauiour Christ vnto them it is not for you to knowe the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power If it had béen necessarie that we should haue knowen it our heauenly teacher maister would not haue hidden it from vs But sith that he hath hidden it nor woulde in any wise reueale it vnto vs it is a plaine token that it is not necessarie for vs to know it Leauyng then suche vaine and curious enquiryng of things that pertaine nothyng vnto vs let vs endeuour our selues to knowe those thynges that God will haue vs to knowe that we maie in all thynges frame our liuyng and conuersation accordyng to the blessed will of our heauenly father and so bee founde acceptable nor be ashamed when he shall render vnto euerie man accordyng to his workes Uerely there is no time of sluggardenesse left vnto vs. We see that the same departyng that the blessed Apostle Sainct Paule doeth speake of is come to passe alreadie For howe many nations and people be fallen away from the Empire of Rome or rather is there any Empire of Rome at all Againe howe many kingdomes Landes and Countries haue vtterly forsaken the highest Emperour of all I meane Iesus Christe our onely sauiour with his Gospell The .xxxij. Chapiter ¶ The Pope is Antichriste and that man of synne whiche shal be 〈…〉 before Christes commyng to iudgement MOreouer is not the man of sinne the sonne of perdition opened alreadie and exalted aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped sittyng as GOD in the temple of God and shewyng hymselfe as God For 〈◊〉 the doynges of the fleshely Idoll of Rome and ye shall finde that he is the same man of synne the same sonne of perdition and aduersarie For why In his decrees and lawes in his beggerly statutes and traditions he doeth exalte hymselfe aboue all the holy Lawes and ordinaunces of almightie god and aboue the Testament of the holy one of Israell whiche is confirmed and sealed vp with the moste precious blood of the onely begotten Sonne of God our Sauiour Iesu Christe but hym shall the Lorde consume with the breath of his Nosethrilles that is the spirite of his mouth and also destroye with the appearyng of his commyng For a taste you shall sée out of their owne bookes whether the Pope of Rome be that sonne of perdition that doeth exalte hymselfe aboue God or no. Franciscus Zarabella saieth the Pope doeth what hym listeth yea though it be vnlawfull and is more then a god Pope Nicolas saieth It is well knowen that the Pope of the godly prince Constantine was called God to beléeue that our Lorde God the Pope might not decrée as he decreed it were a mattter of heresie Againe their late Chapiter at Trident one Cornelius Bishop of Bitonto in an oration openly pronounced these wordes Papa lux venit in mundum The Pope is the light that is come into the worlde but men haue loued darkenesse more then light Againe Panormitane saieth these wordes Christe and the Pope make one Consistorie and kéepe one Courte and synne onely excepted the Pope can doe whatsoeuer God hymselfe can doe Againe in their Councell holden at Laterane in Rome one Symon Begnius the Bishop of Modrusia saieth thus vnto Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda radix Dauid c. Te Leobeatissime Saluatorem expectauimus c. Beholde the Lion is come of the Tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid c. O most blessed Leo we haue looked for thee to be our Sauiour Againe the Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lye prostrate on the grounde thus to crie vnto him as if it had been vnto christ Qui tollis peccata mundi misereri nostri Qui tâ—llis peecata mundi dona nobis pacem O thou holy Pope that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde haue mercie vpon vs Thou that takest awaie the sinnes of the worlde geue vs peace Wherefore we maie saie of hym as Sainct Gregorie writeth of antichriste Cum sit damnatus homo nequaquam spiritus Deum se esse mentitur Where as he is a damned man and not a spirite by liyng he faineth himselfe to be God Anselmus also saieth Simulabit se religiosum vt sub specie decipiat pietatis I mò se deum esse dicet se adorari faciet atque regna caelorum promitet That is Antichriste shall faine hymselfe to be holy that he maie deceiue men vnder the colour of holinesse Yea and hee shall call hym selfe God and shall cause hymselfe to be worshipped shall promise the kingdome of heauen Therfore to ende Eusebius saieth Hoc est argumentum eos odisse Deum quod velint seipsos appellari deos This is a token that they hate God For that thei will haue themselues called by the name of god In the meane season lest we doe perishe among them that receiue not the loue of the trueth vnto whom God of his righteous iudgement sendeth strong delusion that they shoulde beléeue lyes and so be damned bicause they beléeue not the trueth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnes Let vs sticke fast vnto the Gospel of our sauiour Christ and vnto the wholsome doctrine of the holy Ghost whiche is the power of God to saluation to all them that beléeue The .xxxiij. Chapiter ¶ The strength and operation of the holy Ghoste workyng in vs. WHom I do also beléeue to be the Lorde and geuer of life to procéede from the Father and the Sonne and to be of one substaunce with them both beyng true and naturall God without beginnyng and without endyng by whom the Father woorketh all thynges in the Sonne by whom he doeth create moue mainteine viuifie and quicken all creatures by whom he doeth call and drawe vnto hym his elect and chosen renueth them into a newe life iustifieth and sanctifieth them enricheth them with many and sundrie giftes also strengthneth them til thei come to their perfect saluatioÌ„ who dwelling in vs doth with his light illuminate our mindes that we may learne and knowe perfectly what treasour of gods bounteous mercifulnesse we doe possesse and enioye in Christe So that we maie by good right call hym the keye wherewith all the riches of the heauenly kyngdome is opened vnto vs and the eye wherwith we doe see and beholde them And for this cause he is called now the earnest penye and Scale bicause that he doeth seale vp in our mindes and consciences the certitude or certaintie of
imagined also about this particle he descended into hell whiche wee haue shewed to bee an addition to the Crede tellyng what persones Christe did bryng from hell and whom he did leaue there still and what thynges with what woordes he did speake to euery one of the Circles c. Therefore he saieth Tibi satis est profiteri Christum sic descendisse ad inferos quemadmodum sentit scriptura c. It is sufficient for thée saieth he to professe that Christe did so descende to helle as the scripture meaneth For we muste vnderstande Christ beyng from the beginnyng head and gouernour of his Churche came in the daies of Noe not in body which then he had not but in spirite and preached by the mouth of Noe to the disobedieÌ„t which would not then repent and therefore nowe are reserued to the last iudgement For Paul saieth Iesus Christe yesterday and to day the same is also for euer as if he woulde say Christ was and shall be the foundation of all his Church for euer Peter also saith The prophecie came not in olde time by the wyll of man but holie men of God spake as thei were moued by the spirite of God Wherevpon I saie as the sonne of GOD did preache in his spirite to theim that were in prisone as Peter saith that is to them that were then in the prison of their sinnes that thei should repent as we haue before written so be saued Euen so now at this day he is quickened in the spirite and by the same spirite continually doeth preache and teache by his ministers vnto the worldes ende to those people that are in the prisone of synne ignoraunce and disobedience to tourne them to the Lorde that euery one that beleueth maie bee saued This is the verie meanyng of this place therefore we muste not gather or descante vpon bare wordes and take them literally as we liste But wee must gather of the cause For so saieth saincte Hillarie Intelligentia dictorum ex causis est assumenda dicendi quia non sermoni res sed rei est sermo subiectus That is The meanyng of woordes is to bee gathered by the causes of the speakyng for the matter is not subiecte to the worde but the worde to the matter Erasmus saieth that some came after and seemed to gather out of the Scriptures some sentences whereto thei added some reasons Non illas quidem adamantinas But not those reasons saieth he verelie moste strong but suche as are of no weighte And after that he hath recited vp all the places that seme to make for Christes soule to haue descended into helle the place of the dampned he concludeth saiyng Verùm horum nihil est quod cogat credere Christi animam per se decendisse ad tartarum siâ—e vt illi loquuntur ad Limbum That is There is none of all those aucthorities of scriptures that maie constraine any to beleue that the soule of Christe wente doune by hym self personally to hell or as thei call it to Lymbum Hereunto agreeth one Pampolitanus that saieth In inferno igitur damnatorum pro peccato actuali Christus non fuit quia vt ipse dicit inter vos nos chaos magnum statutum est c. Sicut enim coelum Empyrium est locus gloria Ita infernus est locus aeterne poenae Sicut ergo damnatus non potest ascendera coelum Empyrium Ita nullus saluatus potest descendere in locum damnatorum ergo neque Christus That is to saie In the hell of the dampned for actuall synne committed Christe was not for because he saieth Betwene you vs there is a great goulfe set c. For as the Emperiall heauen is a place of glorie So hell is a place of extreme paine and punishemente Therefore as the dampned cannot ascende into the Emperiall heauen So none of the saued can descende into the place of the dampned Therefore muche lesse christ By whiche testemonies it is plaine agreable to the worde of God that Christes soule after his death neuer wente doune to helle the place of the dampned or into any Lymbum but it went directly into heauen as he did commende it vpon the Crosse. The reason that moueth men to iudge that his soule weÌ„t into helle is for that thei supposed all the soules of the righteous before Christes commyng wente doune to helle And of this grosse iudgemente was saincte Augustine Origene Hierome Chrisostome Gregorie Folengius c. And therefore thei affirmed that Christes soule did fetche out Adam Eue Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob c. Howe farre wide all thei were from the truthe herein it maie easely appere by the sacred Scriptures For there it is fullie expressed that the Churche of Christ did beginne froÌ„ the creation of the worlde and from the firste righteous man that euer was and that it shall continue and indure vnto the laste daie for euer For the Churche of the Patriarkes and Prophettes that haue been before Christes commyng is all one with the Churche of his Apostles and Euangelistes and the faithfull of the olde Testamente and the faithfull of the newe are all one people and one Churche thei haue had all one God one Christe and the very same promises Thei haue had all one spirite of faith and haue all eaten of one spirituall foode and drunke of one spirituall drinke with vs So saieth Leo. Misteria pro temporum ratione variata sunt quuÌ„ fides qua viuimus nulla fuerit aetate diuersa That is Their Sacramentes by reason of the tyme were diuerse when as the faithe by the whiche wee all liue in no age was diuerse So saieth saincte Augustine likewise SacrameÌ„ta illa fuerunt in signis diuersa in rebus quae significabaÌ„tur pariae that is Their Sacramentes in outward signes were diuerse from oures but as concernyng the thynges whiche thei did signifie are equall and one with oures Tunc Christus venturus modo Christus venit venturus venit diuersa verba sunt sed idem Christus That is Then was Christ shall come nowe is Christ is come Shall come and is come are sundrie wordes But Christe is all one wherevpon I maie well conclude that all the faithfull in the olde Testament and the faithfull in the newe haue had and haue now but one place of reste and ioy to bee receiued in after their life Chrisostome herein saieth That the bosome of Abraham was vnto the poore Lazarus Paradise or heauen Some wil replie saieth he in Paradise but I confesse also the holie Paradise c. Now gentle Reader vnderstande that the promise was made vnto Adam touching the seede of the womaÌ„ that should breake the Serpentes head and that hath been confirmed againe and more plainely set forth vnto the other Patriarkes and especially vnto Abraham and Dauid all thei I saie that did giue credite
words are most diligently to be noted and marked â–ª for many comfortable lessons may be learned of them to the quietyng of our owne consciences and to the greate comfort of our soules First and formost we learne that they shal take holde by faithe vpon the glad ioyfull tidynges of our sauation 〈◊〉 in his worde how that our sauiour Iesus Christ did bring into this worlde beléeue that God who did sende him is become a most mercifull louing father vnto vs being alwaies ready for his sonne Iesu christes sake who by his death hath pacified his wrath and made attonement 〈◊〉 hym and vs to receiue vs vnto his mercie and to pardone 〈◊〉 all ouâ— synnes haue already euerlastyng life beyng as sure of it as if they were alreadie in full possession of it triumphyng with their head in the glorious kindome of heauen For we do receiue it already in this life by faith we are already possessed of it by hope we are therin already coÌ„firmed by holines of life But how could it be verified that the faithfull beleeuers haue euerlastyng life as beyng already in full possession of it if after their death and departyng out of this life they must be broyled and rosted in their Purgatorie fire by the space of .vij. yeres for euerie sinne that they haue committed in this life if their doctrine be true it were in a maner better for them that they had neuer béen borne For thei say that the fire of purgatorie doeth differ nothyng from the vnquenchable fire of hel sauing only that the one is euerlasting and the other lasteth but for a tyme Is this the blesfull reste that the holy ghoste dothe promise vnto them that die in the Lorde that is to saie in the faith of the onely begotten sonne of God our Sauiour Christe The spirite saieth that they shall after their death reste from their labours verely that were a poore resse if when a man hath toyled and laboured all the daie long he should bee faine to lye all night in a whotte burnyng Ouen I iudge he would not be very hastie to goe vnto his rest Secondly here we shal marke that the true beléeuers shal not come into iudgement of condemnation that is to saâ—e nothyng shal be laide to their chardge no sinnes shal be imputed vnto them but through faithe in the onely begotten sonne of God they shal be accounted as righteous as if they had neuer committed any offence For why Christ our Sauiour is made vnto them righteousnes sanctification and redemption how can it be then that they must suffer such greeuous paines in a fire whiche is altogether like vnto hell fire as they saie if no iudgement shal be geuen against them No offendour is wont to suffer punishment excepte he be iudged and condemned to it But the trueth it selfe doeth saie that thei that beléeue shal not come into iudgement or condemnation whervnto the Appostle doth say Nulla igitur nunc est condemnatio his qui insiti sunt christo Iesu qui non iuxta carnem versantur sed iuxta spirituÌ„ That is to say there is now no condemnation to them that are in christ Iesu whiche walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite They therfore which doe saie and affirme that the faithfull shall in the other worlde suffer the paines and punishementes that are due to their offences and synnes are directly against the Scriptures and worde of God. Laste of all this aâ—e we assured of that they whiche take holde vpon the mercie of God declared vnto vs in our sauiour Iesu Christe are alreadie passed from death to life meanyng thereby that they bee deliuered from the styng and power of death whiche is synne and from all the penalties that are belongyng vnto it and that there remayned no more after this mortall life but to enioye and possesse that eternall euerlastyng life that the onely begotten sonne of god hath so dearely bought and purchased vnto vs whiche thyng the holy Scripture doth declare and set forth vnto vs by many goodly comfortable examples for there doe we reade that as soone as the poore Lazarus was deade his soule was by the handes of the Angels caried vp into the bosome of Abraham that is to saie into ioye and felicitie Againe as soone as the théefe that hong on a Crosse by christ did say remember mee O Lorde when thou commest into thy kyngdome straight waies our sauiour Christe gaue hym this most comfortable aunswere verely I saie vnto thée to daie thou shalt be with mee in Paradise that is to saie in my heauenly kingdome for so christ praied his father as Iohn recordeth in his Gospell saiyng â–ª father I wil that they which thou haste geuen me be with mee euen where I am that thei maie behold my glory So likewise the wise man in his boke nay rather the spirite of god in the wise man saith the soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and no torment shal touche them And whereas they doe bryng here a tricke of their wicked and vngodly sophistry saiyng that the théefe did obtaine this frée pardon at Christes handes by a singuler priuiledge which al men must not looke to enioy for priuiledges as the Lawiers be wont to saie be not common to all men I doe aunswere that no man is saued but by priuiledge whiche doth onely parteine vnto the true and faithfull beleeuers and not to the vnfaithfull and reprobate in comparison of whom the chosen and elect of god are very fewe in number for though many be called yet fewe are chosen and elected to these few doth the priuiledge of the childreÌ„ of god belong and not vnto all men so that the Lawiers saiyng shall also be verified in this pointe as then the poore Lazarus and also the in reste and quietnes and the soules of the vngodly 〈…〉 punishmentes vntill the bodies of those doe â—se againe vnto life euerlastyng and the bodies of â—hese vnto eternall death whiche is also called the seconde deaâ—h 〈…〉 plainely doth he yet in an other place 〈…〉 befoâ—e our eyes the whole substaunce of the matter when he saieth 〈…〉 locum fides catholicorum diuina 〈◊〉 regnum 〈◊〉 esse 〈◊〉 Secundum gehennam Vbi omnis apostatâ— vel à christi fide alienus aeterna supplicia experietur Tertium penituâ— ignoraâ—â—◠〈◊〉 nec esse in scripturis sanct◠〈◊〉 That is 〈◊〉 the faithe of the catholiques by the diuine 〈…〉 that there is the kingdome of heauen And secondly 〈…〉 is a hell fire wherin all Apostates and all they that be 〈◊〉 from the faithe of Christe â–ª do sâ—ffeâ— tormentes and paynes No thirde plaie at all doe we know nor finde in the holy Scriptures And 〈…〉 place â–ª he 〈…〉 saieth he 〈…〉 places the one 〈◊〉 the euerlastyng kyngdom and the other 〈◊〉 the eternall 〈◊〉 And againe
little water sithe that he hath the chief and principall that is to saie a true iustifiyng faithe else the water shoulde haue more vertue and efficacie then the blood of oure Sauiour Iesu Christ or at least as muche and the Priest that should minister the outwarde baptisme should be of as much power as Iesus Christe hym selfe For as the water and the Minister can doe nothyng without the spirite and blood of our Sauiour Christe so it should followe that Iesus Christe his spirite and blood shoulde be able to doe nothyng without the water and minister And so by this meane our sauiour Christ and his spirite should be as subiect vnto the Minister water as the water the Minister should be subiect vnto Christ and his holy spirite and so consequently his grace mercie shoulde be alligated and bounde vnto corruptible elimentes and made subiect vnto men Wherby it should come to passe that Iesus Christ shoulde be no more true God nor yet true Sauiour Here may be a question demaunded of those elimentaries and children damners whether we are saued by water or by Christe or els by both if thei saie by both as so they holde opinion then it foloweth that the water died for our synnes and so muste wee saie that the water hath life and yet beyng our seruaunt and created for vs is our Sauiour we woulde then iudge easely that suche doctrine came not of God sith that it doeth so euidently repugne vnto his grace and vnto the iustification of faith ouerthrowing altogether the whole misterie of our redemption purchased vnto vs by our Sauiour Iesu Christe And bicause it shall not be thought that I doe take and expounde the Scriptures at myne owne pleasure and as I liste Ye shall heare the meanyng not only of the auncient writers but also of the schole doctours and namely of the maister of the Sentences who doth proue by good reasons and also by the aucthorities of the fathers of the auncieÌ„t catholike church that some are iustified and saued without baptisme among whom Sainct Augustine doeth comprehende al those that be dead and haue suffered martyrdome for the confession of Iesu Christ. Likewise the aucthoritie of sainct Cyprian is set forth by the maister of the Sentences wherby he doeth testifie and proue that saith repentaunce and the conuersion or tourning of the harte are in steede of baptisme vnto them that had neither tyme nor place for to receiue it callyng it the baptisme of deuotion and for a better confirmation of this he doeth bryng the example of the theefe that hong by christ who as he saith was not nayled on the Crosse for the name of Iesu christ but for his owne merites and wicked doinges nor yet suffered bicause that he did beleeue but as he was suffring he did beléeue and came vnto the faithe It is then declared in the same theefe how faith is auaileable vnto saluation without the Sacrament of the visible baptisme as sainct Paule saith The belief of the harte iustifieth and to confesse or acknowledge with the mouth maketh a maÌ„ safe But this is fulfilled and performed inuisiblye when the necessitie doth exclude or keepe of the sacrament of baptisme and not the contempte of religion There may bee some baptisme without conuersion or turnyng of the hearte And conuersion or tournyng of the hearte can be in some without hauyng receiued baptisme But it can not be where baptisme is despised nor we ought in any wise to caâ— it conuersion or tournyng of the hearte vnto God when the Sacrament of God is despised This is the aucthority that Gratianus doth alledge vppon this matter in the boke of the decrees and also the maister of sentences beyng taken out of Cyprian wherunto is added the saiyng of S. Ambrose who speakyng of the death of Valenâ—â—tianus the Emperour without baptisme did saie I haue loâ—â—e hym whom I should haue regenerated or begotten a newe but he hath not loste the grace which he did require Likewise Chanesius who hath written of the Sacramentes in verses being of the same opinion doth bryng a Iewe for an example who beyng conuerted vnto our sauiour Iesu Christ doth with all haste runne vnto the Church for to be baptized and yet for lacke of water and of a Prieste doth die without Baptisme He doeth conclude that neuerthelesse he shal be saued if he doe stedfastly beléeue in our Sauiour Christe Now if wee ought to haue such a confidence and truste of the saluation of those that beyng of age and of yeres could not be baptized howe muche more ought we to beléeue and trust that the litle infantes that die afore that they can come vnto baptisme are saued by the vertue of the Testament and of the blood of the onely begotten sonne of God which is shed for vs and for our seede to washe awaie all our synnes both originall and other For if they be of the elect and chosen of God it lieth in his power to baptize them in the mothers wombe by his holy spirite and to to sanctifie them as it is written of Iob of Ieremie of Iohn Baptiste and of Paul. And as for the saiyng of our sauiour Christ which they say is generall and doth excepte no man if they will vnderstande it of the sacramente of baptisme as many of the olde and late writers haue doen and goe to the rigour of the letter we may saie the like of that which he hath saide of his fleshe and of his blood in the sixt of Iohn speakyng on this maner verely verely I saie vnto you Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his blood ye shall not haue life in you which is as muche as if he shoulde saie whosoeuer doth not eate my fleshe nor drinke my blood he shall not haue life euerlastyng This no man is able to denie It foloweth then that all litle children with all those that haue not receiued the sacrament oâ— the body and blood of christ are damned if it be true that Christe our Sauiour is really substauncially naturally fleshe blood and bones in the sacraâ—ent and we must eate his fleshe and drinke his bloud after the same maner and sorte that they doe teache vs Therefore it shall be as requisite necessarie and needefull that the sacrament of the boâ—â— and blood 〈◊〉 Christe bee ministred vnto the litle infantes and children 〈◊〉 the sacrament of baptisme And here 's it doth â—ome that euen in Chaâ—â—lemagnes time they did kepe the Sacrament for to giue it vnto the litle children when they were sicke thinking it to be a thing very necessarie And yet nowe a dayes euen at this present the Iacobites and Greekes as some do write do minister thâ— Sacrament vnder both kindes vnto yong babes that are suckyng on the mothers breast We doe reade in a maner the like of the Bohemians and of the
shall be punished with vnquencheable and euerlasting fire Therefore what shall it néede to forge a newe Lymbe for them Many Doctours consideryng the great rigour that he did vse against the litle infantes haue been of another opinion much contrary in so much that some among them did not sticke to call Saint Augustine Carnificem infantium that is to say an vnmerciful tormentour of infantes though he be worthy that men should speake of him more reuerently But first and formost it is vncertaine whether this booke out of the which this sentence is taken be saint Augustines or not For the stile and phrase of this booke doeth nothing resemble the phrase that Saint Augustine doth vse in those bookes that be certainely knowen to be his For this holy doctour doeth alwayes with great modestie and sobrietie both write speake of those thinges that do parteyne vnto the Church vnto the saluation of men being neuer woont to affirme anye thing rashly without some sure grounde or foundation in Gods worde which thing he doth not obserue in this booke For what Scriptures doth he aleadge for to proue that rigorous sentence that he doth geue against those poore infantes that dye without baptisme And yet he saith holde this for a suretie and not only in this place but also in many other thorowout al the whole booke hauing alwaies these words in his mouth holde for a suretie beléeue vndoubtedly I do here let passe many other reasons that did moue many great learned men to doubt of the aucthour of this booke But let vs graunt that it is Saint Augustines Ye haue hearde already howe he doeth trimme their newe forged Lymbe that they do assigne vnto the poore séely infantes that either be styll borne or dye without baptisme Againe we must not thinke that he him selfe wyll haue these wordes of his to be taken after the rigour of the letter And therefore we must consider what occasions he might haue to write after the same sort For if the necessitie and vnablenesse doth excuse them that be of age why shoulde young infantes be more vnexcusable which haue yet a more reasonable excuse then they that be of yeres can haue For when they dye being little ones either in their mothers belly or out of it was it long of them that they were not baptized Hath God conceaued a greater hatred against those poore séely infantes which are onely infected with originall sinne than against them which being of age haue besides originall sinne ten hundred thousande talentes weyght of their owne actuall sinnes Although the baptisme of water were as necessarie vnto saluation as ye do make it yet if there be some exception for the one by what right or reason shoulde it be denied vnto the other when the cause and excuses be a like But we must weigh and marke that in Saint Augustines time there were many that had not the Sacramentes in such estimation and reuerence as they ought to haue them As in these our dayes we see that some folke do attribute so much vnto them that they make of the visible signes and corruptible clementes a Iesu Christ and an ydoll and some againe do take them but for bare signes without any vertue or efficacie estéeming them no more then they estéeme the common badges or cognisaunces that the seruauntes or souldiours doe weare for to declare what Lordes or maisters thei doe serue And in this thing the Anabaptistes excéeded aboue al other not onely in this that thei would be baptized againe but most chiefly in that that thei doe vtterly condemne the baptisme of yong children and will haue it to be deferred till they come to yeres of discretion whose doctrine is no more to bee allowed then the doctrine and opinion of them that doe affirme that yong infantes that dye without baptisme are euerlastyngly banished from the kyngdome of God. For sith that the infantes are sanctified by the holy spirite of God beyng washed in the blood of his onely begotten sonne our Sauiour Iesu christ and comprehended in the couenaunt that he hath made with vs and our séede by the vertue and efficacie of which couenaunt beyng confirmed by the bloodsheddyng of the onely begotten sonne of God we looke onely to bée saued why should the seale of this euerlastyng Testament be denied vnto them nowe more then it was to the children of the Hebrewes Bicause forsooth that they doe not beleeue nor be able yet to make any profession of their faith What if I should reason after this forte without faith it is impossible to please GOD but litle infantes and babes doe please God in so muche that our sauiour christ rebuked them that would not suffer them to bee brought vnto hym I might then conclude that they haue faith though they cannot yet declare it outwardely And Saint Augustine doth plainely saie that they haue faith whose wordes are these Infantes habent fidem propâ—er fidei sacramentum The litle infantes or children haue faith bicause they haue the Sacrament of faith As then the children of the Hebrewes were circumcised in their infancie and childehoode afterwardes were brought vp in the knowledge of the Lawe of God and in his true religion and worshippyng so it is behoueful that the infantes and children of the Christians be baptized and receaue the Scale of the euerlasting couenaunt For sith that by the faith of the parentes though but one of them did beléeue they are sanctified afterwards that thei be brought vp in the true religion of Christe As it appeareth that it was doen in the olde auncient catholike church wherof confirmation did come that children after certaine yeares were presented to the Bishop and renderyng an accompte of that faithe of theirs whiche their parentes or fréendes in baptisme professed to haue them baptized therein haue handes layde on them whiche is nothyng els but prayer made for them so saieth Saincte Augustine Quid enim est aliud manum impositio quà m oratio super hominem For what is laiyng on of handes els but praier ouer a man Whiche thyng is now tourned among the Papistes to be one of the Sacramentes to make vp the number of their fiue fained Sacramentes yea and such a Sacrament thei affirme it to be that it is greater then Baptisme for this they write them selfe in their owne bookes Sacramentum confirmationis dicitur esse maius baptismo quia à dignioribus datur in digniore parte corporis That is to saie the Sacrament of confirmation is said to be greater then the Sacrament of baptisme and afterwarde the cause is added bicause it is geuen of worthier persons and in the worthier parte of the bodie here we maye easely sée an heresie of Donatus mainteined by the Papistes which will haue Sacramentes to take their force and aucthoritie in respecte of the person that ministreth it not onely the maister of sentences saith this but also
I am with you alwaies vnto the worlds ende can not be vnderstanded of the naturall presence of his fleshe but of his diuinitie and godhead onely ¶ The .xiij. Chapiter ¶ Christes humane body can be but in one place at once â–ª and noâ— in many and diuers places NOW will I come to their gaie painted reason whereby they goo aboute to proue that whersoeuer the diuinitie and godhead of Christe is â–ª there muste his manhoode be also bicause that they bee so ioyntly ioyned together that thei cannot be separated one from another But I entende God willyng tâ— proue nowe â—oth by naturall reason by the Scriptures and also by the auncient Fathers that it is not the propertie and nature of those thynges that be so ioyntly ioyned together that the one can not bee separated from the other that wheresoeuer the one is there the other must be also For first and formost the body of the sonne and light of it are so ioyntly ioyned together that the one caÌ„not be separateâ— from the other yet it foloweth not that whersoeuer the light of the sonne is there the body of the sonne must be also And herevpon may I gather a goâ—â—y similitude 〈◊〉 yâ—méete for our purpose For as the Sonne 〈…〉 in the â—lement according to the order that God hath appointed among his creatures doth with his light refreshe comfort quicken and viuifie all thynges here vppon the earth so our Sauiour Christe Iesus who is the true sonne of righteousnesse beyng still vntill the tyme that GOD hath appointed on the right hand of his father touchyng his manhode that is to say aboue in heauen in the place of beatitude felicitie and ioye raigning there with the father in coequall glory and maiesty doth continually assiste ayde and comforte his Church by his holy spirite beyng alwaies present with his electe and chosen by his diuine maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace whom he doth not cease through his almightie power the spirite beyng the worker of it to féede still with the wholsome foode of his most precious fleshe and blood And yet as it were moste noysome and hurtefull vnto all the whole earth if we had here belowe the bodie of the sonne so is it not expedient that the churche and congregation of the faithfull should haue Christe still present here touchyng his humanitie and manhoode For so saieth he hymselfe It is expedient for you that I goe hence for vnlesse I goe awaie the comforter shall not come Againe they can not deny but that the eye and the sight of it be so ioyintly and inseparably ioyned together that as long as the eye is whole and sounde the one can not be separated from the other will they saie therefore that the eye is in all places that the sight doeth reache too Seueritie and mercie are in God so ioyntely ioyned together that the one cannot be separated from the other and yet they that feele his seueritie doe not feele his mercie that is to saie whom he doeth accordyng to his righteous iudgement punishe euerlastingly in hel fire them doeth hee vtterly banishe and put awaie from his bounteous goodnes and mercie But nowe will I come to the Scriptures and worde of God. When our Sauiour Christe did talke with Nicodemus where was hee touchyng his humanitie and manhood in heauen or in earth I am sure that they will not saie that he was in heauen And yet he saith No man ascendeth into heaueÌ„ but he that came downe from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen Here do we manifestlie see that the Godhead of Christe was then in heauen and yet no man will saie that his humanitie and manhoode was there For he did then in it talke with Nicodemus here vppon the earth Againe when Lazarus was dead Christ beyng then away from Iurie did saie to his Apostles Lazarus is dead and I am glad for your sake that I was not there that ye maye beléeue Christ at the same time that he spake these words was in his humanity or manhoode conuersaunte with his Apostles out of the lande of Iurie that is to saie farre froÌ„ among the Iewes that sought his death and yet without all paraduenture he was in his Godhead present with Lazarus when he departed When that Marie Magdalene came to the graue to embalme the body of Christe did not the Angell saie vnto them non est hîc he is not here he is risen as he saide come and sée the place where the lorde was laide And beholde hee goeth into Galilée before you there ye shall see him here is plainely opened that his humaine nature was not in the Sepulchre and at Galile and doubtlesse his diuinitie and Godhead was both in the graue and at Galilée too Therefore that auncient father Fulgentius saieth Christ beyng one and the same is a locall man of man that is to saie touchyng his manhoode that he tooke of man he is conteined in place Who is God incomprehensible of the father beyng one and the same touching his humanitie or manhood was absent from heaueÌ„ when he was in earth and leauing the earth when he ascended vp into heauen but touching his incomprehensible and diuine substaunce he was not absent from heauen when he was in the earth â–ª nor forsaking the earth when he went vp into heauen And that hee might shewe vnto his Apostles that his humanitie or manhoode was locall that is to say conteyned in place he did say I go vnto my father and vnto your father Againe when he had sayde Lazarus is dead he did adde by and by And I am glad for your sake that I was not there But declaring the incomprehensiblenesse of his diuinitie or Godhead he did say Beholde I am with you alwayes vnto the worldes ende Howe did he ascende vp into heauen but that because being the same he is locall and true man And howe is he alwayes with his elect but that bicause being the same Christ he is incomprehensible and true God Wherevnto Saint Augustine doth agrée saying Doubt not but that Christ being man is there from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Holde faithfully and beare in remembraunce the christian confession howe that he rose againe the thirde day he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hande of the father and that he shall come from none other place but from thence to iudge the quicke and the dead and that he shall so come the angelicall voyce testifiyng the same as he was seene to go vp into heauen that is to say in the same shape and substaunce vnto the which he gaue immortalitie but he did not take away the nature of it we must not thinke that touching his shape and substaunce he is euery where for we must beware that we do not so defende the diuinitie of man that thereby we shoulde take away the
giue eare to Paule and in respecte of this spirite the Prophet saith Erunt omnes docti a Deo Thei shal bee all taught of god Who so euer besides dooeth not beleue that the doctrine of the holie ghoste conteined in the olde and newe Testament is sufficiente vnto saluation But regardeth it as vile and of no force nor yet aucthoritie but calleth nameth and reporteth it with these woordes and suche like blasphemie deade ynke a liuelesse matter a dumbe iudge that can not speake a blacke Gospell Inken diuinitie a nose of ware Doeth deny this article of our beléefe I beleue in the holie ghost that is to saie he doth denye the holie ghoste to be true and naturall God sithe that any insufficiencie or vnperfection is founde in his doctrine For why It is the propertie of God to dooe all thynges with most consummate perfection Whereby it doth folowe that he whiche doeth any thyng with vnperfection is no true and naturall god Thei therefore that deny the doctrine of the holie ghoste and also doe despise mocke scorne and speake vnreuerently of it conteined in the old and newe Testamēt not to be perfect or sufficient to saluation are plaine Macedonians For they deny the holie ghost to bee true and naturall god And all thei that followe this opinion and doctrine not contentyng theim selues with the moste true and infallible worde of God whiche is set foorth vnto vs by the holie ghost are not the true Churche and spouse of christ For the true Churche and spouse of Christe as it is borne of newe not of mortall seede but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer so is it builded vpon the sure foundation of the Prophetes and Apostles Christe Iesus hymself beyng the chief corner stone Wherefore we must learne firste of all to beleue God secondly to beleue hym as God thirdly to beleue in God wee must beleue GOD that is to saie that he is creatour of all thynges and that he is omnipotente We muste beleue God as God that is wée must beleue hym as he hath declared and opened hym self in his holy and sacred scriptures vnto vs To beleue in God that is to put our whole truste confidence and affiaunce onely in hym and to call vnto and vpon hym in all our troubles miseries and aduersities and vpon none other And also constauntly and assuredly to beleue in hym that by his power he susteineth vs by his prouidence he gouerneth vs by his goodnesse nourisheth vs and by his mercie saueth vs and indueth vs with all kinde of blessynges So that wee must beléeue in none but in God the father that loueth vs in God the sonne that redemeth vs and in God the holie ghoste that sanctifieth vs although three in persones yet one in essence and Godhead Sainct Agustine therefore saieth Credimus Paulo non credimus in Paulum credimus Petro non credimus in Petrum Wee beleue saieth he Paule but we beleue not in Paule we beleue Peter but we beleue not in Peter The .xxxiiij. Chapiter ¶ What is the true Churche of God and where it is THis then shal be my beliefe touchyng the true Catholique and vniuersall Churche All they that are begotten of newe with the immortall séede of Gods worde and are builded vpon the foundation of the prophetes and Apostles hauyng Christe for their chief corner stone by whose only spirite and worde they are guided and ruled in what countrie or nation vnder the heauens so euer then be are the true church of Christe we may also define and set forth the Churche after this maner The Churche of Christ is the holy congregation of the faithfull whiche by a true and liuelie faith are vnited incorporated in our sauiour Christe whose members they are And bicause that sauiour Christ is the true sonne of God all his members by hym are the sonnes of god Iesus Christe is the head and the true Christians are his body He is the Bridegrome and the faithfull are his spouses whiche he doth cleanse with his blood geuyng health and saluation vnto his bodie and sauyng his people from their synnes This Church is affixed or bounde to no seuerall place but wheresoeuer twoo or three are gathered in the name of the Lorde I meane of our sauiour Christ there the true Church is They therefore that doe aligate and bynde the true Catholique Church to this place or that place as though it coulde be no where els as our Papistes doe are in this thyng greately deceiued For though the whole worlde were so ouer whelmed with Idolatrie and superstition that there shoulde séeme to be no Church at all yet God hath alwaies his elect and chosen in one corner or other although they be vnknowen vnto the worlde Yea many tymes the faithfull congregation is vnknowen vnto the true and faithfull seruauntes of God as we maie see by the example of Elias the Prophete who complained that he was lefte alone But the Lorde made hym an aunswere that he had seuen thousandes left in Israell whiche had not bowed their knées vnto Baall Who woulde not then haue thought that the Churche had been at that tyme in Israell or in Samaria where foure hundreth and fiftie false Prophetes were continually which did feede at Iesabelles boorde or that there had been no Church at all yet we sée that God had euen at that tyme his flocke which he did preserue and keepe vnto hymselfe although they were scattered abroad and not scarcely knowen of the true and faithfull Prophetes of God. Therefore it were good to haue alwaies before our eyes the goodly saiyng of Hilary which writeth on this maner One thyng saieth he I warne you of beware of Antichriste It is not well that ye haue suche a pleasure in the walles It is not well that ye honour and reuerence the Church of God in houses and buildings It is not wel that vnder the colour of them ye doe bryng in the name of peace Is it to be doubted that antichriste shall sit in them The Mountaines the Woodes the Lakes the Prisons and mierie Doungeons are more sure for mee For the Prophetes remainyng in them or beyng let downe into them did there prophecie This then is my beliefe that although the true preachyng of Gods word and the right ministration of the sacramentes accordyng to the Lordes institution and ordinaunce are the moste infallible tokens and signes whereby the true Churche of God is knowen here vpon the earth yet many and sundrie tymes by the righteous iudgement of almightie God our sinnes and wickednesse deseruyng the same these signes and tokens are so taken awaie that it is impossible for the worlde to knowe where this true Churche of God is And yet notwithstanding God hath stil his flocke in one place or other he hath still his elect and chosen whom he doeth preserue and keepe in the
doctrine as some places thereof I will recite first the Lorde saieth in Genesis I will henceforth curse the earth no more for mans sake For the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from the verie youth of hym Againe in Deuteronomie the L. saieth Ye haue séen all that the Lorde did before your eyes in the lande of Egypte vnto Pharao and vnto all his seruauntes Thine eyes haue seen these greate tokens and wonders And yet vnto this daie hath not the Lorde geuen you a hearte that vnderstandeth eyes that see and eares that heare What coulde Moyses saie more vnlesse he shoulde call vs blockes and stones And in Ezechiell the Lorde saieth A newe hearte will I geue you and a newe spirite will I put in you as for that stonie hearte I will take it out of your bodie and geue you a fleshely hearte I will geue you my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundementes to kéepe my lawes and to fulfill them This place doeth teache vs sufficiently that excepte our stonie heartes be taken awaie from vs and fleshely that is to saie obedient heartes geuen vs in stéede of them and a newe spirite put into vs whiche should worke obedience towardes the Lordes commaundementes we are able to do nothyng we can in no wise kéepe the lawes of God nor yet fulfil them Ieremie also saieth by the spirite of God I wil geue them one heart and one waie that they maie feare mée for euer for the wealth of them and of their children I will put my feare in their heartes that they shall not depart from mée In another place he saieth Conuert thou mée and I shall be conuerted for thou art the Lorde my god And againe he saith O Lorde I knowe that the waie of man is not in his owne power neither is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes Salomon also saieth The kynges hearte is in the hande of the Lorde as the riuers of waters he turneth it whither soeuer it pleaseth him ▪ Dauid saith Turne awaie my eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken mée in thy waie Incline mine heaate vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnes Sainct Iohn saith A man can receaue nothing excepte it be geuen from aboue he speaketh not there doubtlesse of the common giftes of nature but of the speciall giftes of the holy ghoste Unto this the wordes of Christe agrée when he saieth No man can come vnto mée excepte it be geuen him of my father For this cause when Peter had saide Thou art Christe the sonne of the liuyng God Christe made this aunswere vnto hym againe Blessed art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and blood hath not opened that vnto thee but my father that is in heauen And againe whosoeuer saieth he doth heare and learne of the father commeth to mée and they shall all be taught of God This is the worke of God that ye beleue in hym whom he hath sent Sainct Paule strongly beateth downe the vaine pryde of our fréewill men where he writeth on this maner The naturall man perceiueth nothyng of the spirite of god Whereby he doeth vnderstande that the naturall man whiche is not renewed in Christe can not perceiue the thynges that be of the spirite of god For why thei are but foolishnes vnto him And againe he saieth Suche truste haue we through Christe to Godwarde not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God. Now if we be not able to thinke a good thought except◠God doeth put it in vs how much more vnable be we either to will or to doe anye thyng that good is or acceptable in the sight of God And in his Epistle to the Philippians he saieth It is god that worketh in you both the will and the déede euen of his good pleasure And to the Romaines he hath these wordes So then it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Therefore we wyll omit many other textes And beléeue verily the words of christ alowyng and ratifiyng all these places of Scriptures before recited when he saith Sine me nihil potestis facere Without me ye can doe nothyng All these Scriptures doe shewe our vnablenesse weakenes and imbecilitie and that we bee the seruauntes of synne vntill and before we be regenerated and renewed by the holy ghoste and made newe creatures What fréedome then can we iustly boast or bragge of Vbi spiritus domini saieth sainct Paule Ibi libertas Where the spirite of the Lorde is there is libertie and fréedome Againe Si vos filius liberauerit vere liberi eritis That is to say If the sonne therefore doe make you frée ye shal be frée in déede These sayinges doe sufficiently declare that as long as we are voyde of the spirite of God and are not set at libertie by the sonne wee are naught else but the bondslaues of Sathan the deuyll of synne and of death All this doeth teache vs that of our selues ▪ we be not able to thynke a good thought as of our selues Therefore Sainct Augustine doeth define fréewyll after this sort Liberum arbitrium est facultas rationis voluntatis qua bonum eligitur gratia adsistente malum verò ea desistente That is to saie frée will is a vertue or power of the reason will whereby the good is chosen when the grace of God doeth assiste and the euill when it is awaie or is withdrawen The meaning is that by frée will if wee haue the assistaunce and helpe of the grace of God wee are able to choose that whiche is good but if the grace of God be awaie or be withdrawen wee can doe no more but embrace that whiche is euill and hurtefull to our owne soules Therefore saide Paule verie well to the Corinthians By the grace of God I am that I am his grace which is in mée was not in vaine but I laboured more aboundantly then thei al yet not I but the grace of God which is with me And in another place he saieth thus I liue yet not I now but Christe liueth in mee Alwaies we sée that all our ablenes power strength fréedome and wyll commeth by the onely grace of God by wis workyng spirite through Iesus Christe our sauiour and not of our owne selues Where as they cauaile and saie man hath free will to doe good and a power to receiue the grace of God alledgyng the place of Ecclesiasticus for their purpose where he saieth God made man from the beginnyng and lefte hym in the hande of his counsell and gaue hym his commauddementes and preceptes if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commaundements and testifie thy good will. Before man is life and death good and euill what him liketh shall be geuen