freewoman is a figure of the heauenly Hierusalem from whense procedeth the gospell That as the seede of Agar is borne bonde whiche maye neuer come to the inheritance and the seede of Sara is â—orne free to whome the inheritaunce is due so by the lawe we are made subiect to bondage by the Gospell onely we are regenerate into freedome But the summe commeth to this effecte that the olde testamente dyd stricke into consciences feare and tremblinge but by the beneâ—ite of the newe testament it commeth to passe that thei are made ioyefull The olde did holde consciences bounde vnto the yoke of boudage by the lyberalitie of the newe thei are discharged of bondage and brought into freedome But if oute of the people of Israel thei obiect againste vs the holy fathers who sithe it is euident that they were endued wyth the same spirit that we are it foloweth that thei were also partakers both of the selfe same freedome and ioye We answer that neither of bothe came of the lawe But that when thei felte them selues by the lawe to be both oppressed with estate of bondage and weried with vnâ—â—â—eâ—es of conscience they sâ—ed to the succoure of the Gospell and that therefore it was a peculiar frute of the newe testament that beside the common lawe of the olde testament they wer exempted from these euels Moreouer we wyll denye that they were so endewed wyth the spirit of freedome assurednesse that they did not in some part fele both seare and bondage by the lawe For howe soeuer they enioyed that prerogatiue whyche they had obteined by grace of the Gospell yet were they subiect to the same bondes and bâ—rdens of obseruation that the common people were Sithe therefore they were compelled to the carefull keeping of those ceremonies whyche were the signes of a scholing muche like vnto bondage and the handewritinges whereby they confessed them selues gylty of synne did not discarge them from being bonde it maye rightfully be saide that in comparison of vs they were vnder the testament of bondage and feare while wee haue respecte to that common ordre of dystribution that the Lorde then vsed wyth the people of Israel The three laste comparisons that we haue recited are of the lawe and the Gospell Wherfore in them by the name of the Olde testament is meant the Lawe by the name of the Nwe testament is meant the Gospell The fyrste stretched further for it comprehendeth vnder it the promises also that were published before the lawe butte whereas Augustine denyeth that they oughte to be reckened vnder the name of the olde testament therein he thought very well and meant euen the same thynge that we do nowe teache for hee hadde regarde to those saâ—enges of Hieremie and Paule where the olde testament is seuered from the woorde of mercye and grace And thys also hee very aptelye adioyueth in the same place that the chyldren of promise regenerate of God whyche by faythe woorkynge throughe loue haue obeyed the commaundements do from the beginning of the worlde belong to the newe testament and that in hope not of fleshly earthly and temporall â–ª but spiritual heauenly and eternal good thinges principally beleuing in the mediatore by whome thei doubted noâ— that the spirite was not munstred vnto them bothe to do good to haue pardon so oft as they sinned For the same thinge it is that I minded to affirme that all the Sainctes whome the Scripture reherseth to haue been from the beginning of the worlde chosen by God were partakers of the selfe same blessing with vs vnto eternal saluation This difference therfore is betwene oure diuision and Augustines that oures according to that sayeng of Christe The lawe and the Prophetes were vnto Ihon from thenseforthe the kingdome of God is preached dothe make distinction betweene the clerenesse of the Gospell and the darker dystribution of the woorde that wente before and Augustine doothe onely â—ouer the weakenesse of the lawe from the strength of the Gospell And here also is to be noted concerning the holy fathers that they so liued vnder the olde testamente that they steyed not there but allwaye aspired to the newe yea and imbraced the assured partakinge thereof For the Apostle condemneth them of blindenesse and accursednesse whiche beinge contented with present shadowes did not streâ—ch vp their minde vnto Christe For to speake nothinge of the rest what greater blindenesse can be imagined than to hope for the purginge of sinne by the killinge of a beast than to secke for the cleansing of the soule in outward sprinkling of water than to seeke to appease God with colde ceremonies as thoughe he were muche delited therewith For to all these absurdities do thei fall that sticke fast in the obseruations of the lawe without respect of Christe The fifth dyfference that we may adde lyeth in this that vntill the comming of Christe the Lorde had chosen out one nation within why the he woulde keepe seuerall the couenant of his grace When the hyest did dystribute the nations when he deuided the sonnes of Adam saith Moses his people fell to his possession Iacob the corde of his inheritance In an other place he thus speaketh to the people Beholde the heauen and earth and all that is in it are the Lord thy Gods He cleaned onely to thy fathers he loued them to choose their sede after them euen your selues oute of all nations Therefore hee voâ—tchesaued to graunte the knoweledge of hys name to that people onely as yf they onely of all men belonged vnto hym he layed hys couenant as it were in theyr bosome to them he openli shewed the presence of his Godhed them he honored with all prerogatiues Butte to omitte the reste of his beneâ—ites and speake that whiche onely here is to oure purpose he bounde them to hym by the communycatynge of his woorde that hee might be called and coâ—mpted their God In the meane season he suffered other nations to walke in vanitie as though they had not any enter course or any thynge to do wyth hym neither dyd he to helpe their destruction euen them that which was onely the remedie namely the preachinge of hys woorde Therefore Israel was then the Lordes sonne that was hys derlynge other were straungers Israell was knowen to hym and receyued into hys charge and protection other mere leâ—te to their owne darkenesse Israell was sanctified by God other were prophane Israell was honoured wyth the presence of God other were excluded from comming nye vnto him But when the fullnesse of time was come appointed for the restoringe of all men and that same reconciler of God and men was deliuered in deede the particion was plucked downe whiche had so longe holden the mercye of God enclosed within the boundes of Israel and peace was preached to them that were farre of euen as to them that were nere adioyned that being together reconciled to God they might growe into one people Wherefore
made of ayre but to the sonne of Dauid and to the frute of his wombe Therefore beyng deliuered in the flesh he is called the sonne of Dauid and AbrahaÌ„ not bicause he is only borne of the wombe of the Uirgin create in the ayre but bicause as Paule expoundeth it he is accordyng to the flesh made of the seede of Dauid as in an other place the Apostle teacheth that he descended of the Iewes For whiche cause the Lorde himselfe not contented with the bare name of man doth oftentimes call himself the sonne of manne meanyng to expresse more plainely that he was man truely issued of the seede of mankinde Sithe the holy ghoste hath so oft by so many meanes with so great diligence and simplicitie declared a thinge not obscure of it self who would haue thought any men to be so shamelesse as to presume yet to spred mistes to darken it And yet we haue other testimonies at hand if we listed to heape vp more of them As is that sayeng of Paule that God sent his sonne made of womaÌ„ And innumerable other places whereby appereth that he was subiect to hungre thirst colde and other infirmities of our nature But out of many these are chiefly to be chosen that maye moste auaile to edifie our mindes in true coÌ„fideÌ„ce As where it is sayd that he gaue not so great honour to the Angels as to take their nature vpon him but toke our nature that in flesh and bloud he might by death destroy him that had the power of death Agayne that by benefite of that communicating we are reckened his brethreÌ„ Againe that he ought to haue ben made like vnto his brethren that he might be made a merciful and â—aithâ—ull intercessour that we haue not a Bishop that can not be compariont of our infirmities And such like And for the same purpose serueth that whiche we touched a litle before that it behoued that the sinnes of the world should be cleansed in our flesh Whiche Paule playnely affirmeth And truely what so euer the â—ather hath geuen to Christ it doth therefore belong to vs bicause he is the head from whiche the whole body beyng knit together groweth into one Yea otherwise that will not agree together whiche is sayd that the Spirit was geuen him without measure that all we shoulde drawe of the fulnesse thereof For asmuch as there is no greater absurditie than to say that God is enriched in his essence by any accidentall gifte And for this cause Christ sayth in an other place I do sacrifice my self for them As for the places that they bryng forth to confirme their errour they doe to vnaptly wrest them and they nothyng preuayle by their triflyng suttelties when they goe about to wipe away those thinges that I haue alleged for our part Marcion imagineth that Christ did put on a fantasticall body in stede of a true body bicause in some places it is sayd that he was made after the likenesse of man and that he was found in shape as a manne But so he nothing weyeth what is Paules purpose in that place For his meanyng is not to teach what manner of body Christe toke vpon him but that whereas he might haue shewed â—orth his godhed he made none other shewe of himself but as of an abiect and vnregarded man For to exhort vs by his example to submission he sheweth that for asmuch as he was God he might haue by and by set forth his glory to be seene to the worlde but yet that he gaue ouer some of his owne right and of his owne accord abaced himself bicause he did put on the ymage of a seruant and contended with that humilitie suffred his godhed to be hidden with the veile of the flesh He doth not here teache what Christ was but how he behaued himselfe And also by the whole processe of the texte it is easily gathered that Christ was abaced in the true nature of manne For what meaneth this that in shape he was founde as manne but that for a time the glorie of his godhed dyd not shyne forth but only the shape of manne appered in base and abiect estate For otherwise that place of Peter coulde not stande together that he was dead in the fleshe but quickened in the spirit yf the sonne of God had not ben weake in the nature of manne whiche Paule expresseth more plainely in sayeng that he suffred by reason of the weakenesse of the fleshe And hereunto serueth the exaltation bycause it is expressely sayd that Christe atteyned a newe glorie after that he abaced himselfe whiche could not well agree to be spoken of any but of a man hauing fleshe and soule Manichees framed Christ a body of ayre bycause Christ is called the seconde Adam heauenly of heauen But neyther in that place doth the Apostle bryng in a heauenly essence of the body but a spirituall force whiche beyng poured abrode by Christ doth quicken vs. Nowe as we haue alredy seene Peter and Paule doe seuer the same from his fleshe But rather that doctrine whiche is receiued among the true teachers concernynge the flesh of Christ is vâ—ry well proued by that place For if Christ had not all one nature of body with vs it were a very vaine argument that Paul with such vehemencie â—oloweth that yf Christ be risen agayne we shal also rise agayne and yâ— we do not rise then that Christ also is not risen By what cauillatioâ—s so euer eyther the olde Maâ—ichees or their newe Disciples goe aboute to escape they shall not winde theÌ„selues away It is a fowle shifte that thei fondly say that Christ is called the sonne of manne in so much as he is promised of menne For it is playne that after the Hebrewe phrase very man in deede is called the Sonne of manne And Christ without doubte kepte the phrase of his owne tonge Also it ought to make no question what ought to be vnderstanded by the children of Adam And not to goe farre of the place of the .viij. Psalme whych the Apostles apply to Christ shal be sufficient enough What is man that thou arte myndefull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him In this figure is expressed the true manhode of Christe For though he were not immediatly begotten of a mortall father yet his race came from Adam For els that place could not stande whiche we haue alredy alleged that Christ is made parâ—aker of fleshe and bloud that he might gather to him yonge childreÌ„ to the seruice of God In which wordes it is plainely determined that Christ is made fellow partaker of all one nature with vs. In whych meanyng also he sayth that bothe the authour of holinesse and they that are made holy are all of one For it is proued by the processe of the text that the same is referred to the felowship of nature bicause he by and by addeth Therefore he
suche Elias hath taughte vs namely that it is not wee that scatter errors or stirre vp vprores but it is they themselues that wrastle against the power of God But as that one thyng alone is sufficient to beate backe their rashenesse so agayne we ought to mete with the weakenesse of other who oftentymes happen to bee moued with suche offences and in their dismayeng to wauer But let them to the ende that they may not faynt with this dismayeng and be discoraged know that the Apostles in their tyme felte by experience the same thynges that nowe happen vnto vs. There were vnlerned vnstedfast men which wrested to their owne destruction those things that Paul had writtē by the inspiration of God as Peter saith There were despisers of God which when they herd that sinne aboūded to the end that grace might more abound by by obiected We will then abide in sinne that grace may abounde When they heard that the faithful are not vnder the law they by by answered We will then sinne because we ar not vnder the law but vnder grace There were that accused him as an exhorter to euell There entred priuily many false Apostles to destroy the Chirches which he had builded Some by enuie contention not purely yea maliciously preached the gospel thinking to adde more affliction to his bandes Somewhere the Gospell not muche profited Al sought their owne and not the thynges of Iesus Christe Some wente backwarde dogges to their vomite and swyne to their wallowyng in the myre The moste parte did draw the libertie of the Spirit to the licentiousnesse of the flesh Many brethrē crept in by whome there came afterwarde great dangers to the godly Among the brethren themselues were many striues raised vp What should the Apostles haue doone in this case Should they not eyther haue dissembled for a tyme or rather alltogether haue geuen ouer and forsaken the Gospell which they sawe to be the sedeplott of so many contentiōs the mater of so many dangers the occasion of so many offences No. But for helpe in suche distresses this came in their mynde that Christ is the stone of stomblyng and rocke of offence set vnto the ruine and risyng agayne of many and for a signe that should be spoken against With whiche affiance they beyng armed went forward boldly through all dangers of vprores and offences With the same thought we also ought to be vpholden forasmuch as Paule testifieth that this is the perpetuall propretie of the Gospel to be the fauor of death vnto death to them that perishe althoughe it were ordeyned to this vse that it should be the fauor of life vnto lyfe and the power of God vnto the saluation of the faithfull whiche verily we should also feele if we did not with our vnthankfulnesse corrupt this so singular a benefit of God and turne that to our owne destruction which ought to haue ben to vs the onely defence of our safetie But nowe I returne to you my soueraigne Lord. Let those false reportes nothing moue you by which our aduersaries trauail to cast you in feare of vs with sayeng that by thys new Gospell for so they call it nothing is hunted for and sought but fitt occasion of seditions and vnpunished libertie of vices For our God is not the author of diuision but of peace the sonne of God is not the minister of synne which came to destroy all the workes of the Deuill And we are vnworthily accused of such desires wherof we neuer gaue any suspition were it neuer so small It is likely that we forsothe do practise the ouerthrowyng of kyngdomes of whō there hath neuer ben heard any one seditious worde whoe 's lyfe hath euer ben knowen quiet and simple when we lyued vnder you which now being chaced from home yet resse not to pray for all thinges prosperous to you your kingdom It is likely forsothe that we hunt for licētiousnesse of vices in whoe 's behauors although many thynges may be founde faulty yet there is nothing worthy of so great reprochyng neither haue we with so yl successe by the grace of God profited in the Gospell but that our lyfe may be to these backbyters an examplar of chastitie liberalitie mercy temperance patience modestie and what soeuer other vertue Verily it is by the proofe it selfe euident that we doo vnfaynedly feare and worshyppe God for asmuche as we desire that his name be halowed bothe by our life and oure deathe and enuy it selfe is compelled to beare of some of vs a witnesse of innocence ciuile vprightnesse in whō thys only thyng was punished with death which ought to haue ben accōpted for a singular praise But if any vnder pretence of the Gospell do stirre vp tumultes as hetherto it hath not ben founde that there haue ben any such in your Realme if any pretende the libertie of the grace of God to defende the licentiousnesse of their vices of which sort I haue knowen many there be lawes and penalties of lawes by which they may accordyng to their deseruynges be sharpely punished yet so that in the meane time the Gospel of God be not euel spoken of for the wickednesse of naughty mē Thus haue you O Kyng the venimous vniustice of the sclaunderors largely enough declared that you may not with an eare of to easy belefe binde to their reportes I feare me also least it be to largely set out forasmuch as thys preface is in a maner come to the quantitie of a whole boke of defense wherby I entended not to make a defense in dede but only to molify your mind aforehand to geue audiēce to the disclosing of our cause which your mind though it be nowe turned away and estranged from vs yea and enflamed agaynst vs yet we trust that we shall be able to recouer the fauor therof if you shall ones haue without displeasure and troublous affection red ouer this our confession which we will to be in stede of a defence for vs to pour maiestie But if the whisperynges of the malicious do so possesse your eares that there is no place for accused men to speake for themselues and if those outragious furies doo still with your winkyng at them exercise crueltie with prisonning tormenting cutting and burning we shal in dede as shepe appoynted to the slaughter be brought to all extremities yet so that in our patience we shall possesse our soules and wayte for the strong hande of the Lord which shal without dout be present in tyme and stretche foorth it selfe armed bothe to deliuer the poore oute of affliction to take vengeance on the despisers which now triūph with so great assurednesse The Lorde the Kyng of Kynges stablysh your throne with ryghteousnesse and your seate with equitie moste noble Kyng At Baule the fyrst daye of August in the yeare 1516. THE FYRST BOOKE OF THE INSTITVTION OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION vvhich intreateth of the Knovvledge of
the worde was alwaye God Why shoulde Paule feare to sette Chryste in the iudgemente throne of God hauing before wyth so open proclamacion declared hys Godhead where he sayed that he was God blessed to the ende of Worldes And to make appeare howe well he agreeth in thys poynte wyth hymselfe in an other place he wryleth that Chryst is God openly shewed in the fleshe If he be God to be praysed to the ende of worldes then he is the same he to whom in an other place he affirmeth all glorye and honoure to be due And thus he hydeth not but playnly cryeth oute that he woulde haue counted it no robbery if he had shewed himselfe egall wyth God but that he wyllyngly abaced hymselfe And that the wycked shoulde not carpe that he is some made GOD Ihon goeth further and saith He is the true God the eternal life Although it oughte aboundantly to satisfie vs that he is called God specially of that witnesse which expresly affirmeth vnto vs that there are no moe gods but one That same witnesse is Paule which saieth thus How many soeuer be called goddes either in heauen or in earth to vs there is but one God from whom are all thinges When we heare of the same mouth that God was openly shewed in the fleshe that God wyth hys owne bloud purchased the churche to himselfe why shoulde we imagine a seconde God whiche he himselfe acknowledgeth not And it is no dout that all the godlye were of the same meaning Likewise Thomas in protesting him to bee his Lorde and his God doeth professe that he is that onely one God whom he had alway worshipped Nowe if we esteme his Godhead by the workes that in the Scripture are ascribed vnto him it shall thereby more euidentlie appeare For when he saied that from the beginning he was thetherto working with his father the Iewes whiche were moste dull in vnderstandyng of all his other sayinges yet then perceiued that he toke vpon him the power of God And theretore as Iohn telleth they soughte the more to kill him because he didde not onely breake the Sabbat but also dyd call God his father making himselfe egall with God Howe dull shall we be then if we doe not perceiue that his godhead is herein playnlye affirmed And truely to order the worlde with prouidence and power and to gouerne all thinges with the authoritie of his owne mighte whiche the Apostle ascribeth vnto him belongeth to none but onely the creatoure And he not onely enterparteneth the gouernemente of the world with his Father but also all other offices which can not be made common to God with his creatures The Lord crieth out by the Prophete I am he I am he that doe awaye thyne offences for myne owne sake According to the meaning of thys sentence whē the Iewes thoughte that wronge was done to god for that Christe did forgeue sinnes Christe not onely affirmed in words but also proued by miracle that this power belonged vnto himselfe We see therefore that he hath not the ministracion but the power of forgeuenesse of synnes whiche the Lorde sayeth he wil not suffer to passe away from hymselfe to any What shall we saye of searching and pearcing the secrete thoughtes of hartes is it not the propretie of god alone But the same had Chryst wherby is gathered that he is God Nowe in his miracles howe plainlye and clerely doeth he appeare And thoughe I graunte that as well the Prophetes as the Apostles did egall and like miracles to these that he did yet thys greate differēce is there that they by their ministracion disposed the giftes of God he shewed forth his owne power He vsed sometime praier to the ende to geue glory vnto hys Father But we see for the moste part his own power shewed vnto vs. And howe coulde it otherwise be but that he was the verye author of miracles that by hys owne authorite gaue power to other to deale miracles abrode For the Euangelist declareth that he gaue power to the Apostles to rayse vp the dead to heale the leprous to cast out deuils c. And the so vsed the ministraciō therof that they sufficientlye shewed that thys power came not from els where but from Christ. In the name of Iesus Christ saieth Peter Rise and walke If is therfore no maruel if Christ alleged his miracles to cōfound the vnbeleuingnesse of the Iewes forasmuch as they wer such as being done by hys own power dyd geue a most playne testymonie of his godhead If els where then in God there is no saluacion no righteousnesse no life and Chryst conteyneth al these thynges in hym surely he is thereby declared to be God And no man can obiect against me and say that lyfe and saluacion is poured into hym by God for it is not saied that he receyued saluacion but that he is saluacion hymselfe And if none be good but onely God howe can he be onely man beyng I wil not say good and iuste but selfe goodnesse and iustyce Yea from the first beginnyng of the creacion as the Euangeliste wytnesseth in hym was lyfe and he euen then beeyng lyfe was the lyghte of men Wherefore beyng supported wyth suche proues we are bolde to repose our fayth and hope in hym when yet we knowe that it is an vngodlynesse that robbeth God for any man to fasten hys confydence in creatures Beleue ye in God sayeth he Beleue then also in me And so doeth Paule expounde those two places of Esay Whosoeuer trusteth in hym shall not be putte to shame Agayne Oute of the roote of Isai shall he come that shall ryse to rule peoples in hym the nations shall truste And why shoulde we seke oute more testimonies of Scripture for thys matter when we so often mete with this sentence He that beleueth in me hath euerlasting lyfe Moreouer the inuoracion whyche hangeth vppon Faythe belongeth also to hym whyche yet is proper to the maiestie of God if he haue any thyng at all proper to hymselfe For one Prophete sayeth whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of Iehoua shal be saued and an other sayeth a moste stronge toure is the name of Iehouah to it the ryghteous shall flee and he shal be saued but the name of Chryst is called vpon for saluacion it foloweth therfore that he is Iehouah As for inuocacion we haue an example of it in Stephen when he sayeth Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Againe in the whole churche as Ananias testifyeth in the same booke Lorde sayeth he thou knowest howe great euylles this man hath done to thy Saintes that call vppon thy name And that it maye bee more playnly vnderstanded that the whole fulnesse of the Godhead doeth corporally dwell in Chryste the Apostle dooeth confesse that he broughte no other doctryne amonge the Corinthians but the knowledge of hym and that he preached no other thyng but that knowledge What
the Faith and religion of one God by Baptysme we must nedes thinke him the true God in whose name we ar baptised And it is not to be douted but that in this solemne protestacion Christ meant to testifie that the perfect light of Faith was already deliuered when he said Baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the Holy ghost For it is as much in effect as to be baptised in the name of the one god which with perfect bryghtnesse hath appeared in the Father the Sonne the Holy ghost Wherby is euidente that in the essence of God abide thre Persons in which the one God is knowen And surely forasmuch as our Fayth ought not to loke hether and thether nor diuersly to waÌ„der about but to haue regard to the one God to be applied to him and to sticke fast in him it is hereby easily proued that if there be diuerse kindes of faith there must also bee many Gods Now wheras baptisme is a Sacrament of faith it proueth vnto vs the vnitie of God because it is but one And herof also foloweth that it is not lawful to be baptised but into one God bicause we embrace the Faith of him into whose name we are baptised What meant Christe then when he commaunded to be baptised in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy gost but that we ought with one Faith to beleue in the Father Sonne and the Holy ghost Therfore sithe this remaineth certayn that there is but one God and not many we determine that the Worde and the Spirite are nothyng els but the very selfe essence of God And very foolishly did the Arrians prate which confessyng the godhed of the Sonne did take from him the substance of God And suche a like rage vexed the Macedonians whiche woulde haue to be vnderstanded by the Spirite only the gyftes of grace that are poured foorth into men For as wisdome vnderstandyng prudence fortititude feare of God doo procede from hym so he onely is the spirite of wisedome prudence fortitude and godlinesse Yet is not he diuided accordyng to the distribution of his graces but howe â—oeuer they bee dyuersely dealt abroade yet he remaineth one and the same as the Apostle saithe Agayn there is shewed in the Scriptures a certain distinction of the Father from the Woorde and of the Worde from the Spirite In discussyng wherof howe greate religiousnesse and sobrietie we oughte to vse the greatnesse of the mysterie it selfe dooth admonishe vs. And I very well like that saying of Gregorie Nazianzene I can not thynke vpon the one but by and by I am compassed about with the brightnesse of the thre And I can not seuerally discerne the three but I am sodeinly dryuen backe to one Wherfore lette it not come in our myndes ones to imagine suche a Trinitie of Persons as may hold our thought withdrawen into seueralties and doothe not foorthewith brynge vs agayn to that vnitie The names of Father Sonne and Holy ghost doo proue a true distinction that no man should thynke them to be bare names of addition wherby God accordyng to his woorkes is diuersly entitled but yet it is a distinction not a diuision The places that wee haue already cited doo shewe that the Sonne hath a propretie distincte from the Father because the Worde had not ben with God if he hadde not ben an other thyng than the Father neyther had he had his glorye with the Father but beyng distinct from hym Lykewise he doothe distinguisshe hym selfe from the Father when he saythe that there is an other whyche beareth hym witnesse And for this purpose maketh that whiche in an other place is sayd that the Father created all thinges by the Worde whiche he coulde not but beyng after a certaine maner distinct from hym Moreouer the Father came not downe into the earth but he that came out from the Father The Father died not nor roase agayne but he that was sent by him Neither yet did this distinction beginne at the takynge of fleshe but it is manifest that he was also before the onely begotten in the bosom of the Father For who can abide to say that then the Sonne entred into the bosome of the father when he descended from heauen to take manhode vpon hym He was therefore before in the bosome of the Father and enioyed his glorie with the Father As for the distinction of the Holye ghoste frome the Father Christe speaketh of it when he saith that it procedeth from the Father And howe oft doothe he shewe it to be an other beside himself as when he promyseth that he wyll sende an other confortoure and often in other places But to borow similitudes from matters of meÌ„ to expresse the force of this distinction I knowe not whether it be expedient In dede the olde fathers are wont so to doo somtyme but withall they doo confesse that what soeuer they bryng foorth for like doothe muche differ For which cause I am muche afrayd to be any waye bolde least if I bryng foorth any thyng vnfittly it shuld geue occasion either to the malicious to cauill or to the vnskilfull to be deceiued Yet suche distinction as we haue marked to be sette out in scriptures it is not good to haue left vnspokeÌ„ And that is this that to the Father is geuen the begynnynge of woorkyng the fountayne and spryng of all thynges to the Sonne wysedome counsell and the very disposition in the doyng of thinges to the Holy ghost is assigned power effectual working And although eternitie belong vnto the Father and eternitie to the Sonne and to the Holy ghost also for as much as God coulde neuer haue ben without his wisdom power in eternitie is not to be sought which was fyrst or last yet this obseruation of order is not vayne or superfluous wherein the Father is reckened fyrst and then of hym the Sonne and after of them both the Holy ghost For euery mans mynde of it self enclineth to this fyrst to consider God then the wisedome risyng out of hym and laste of all the power wherwith he putteth the decrees of his purpose in execution In what sort the Sonne is said to be of the Father only and the Holy ghoste bothe of the Father and the Sonne is shewed in many places but no where more playnely than in the .viii. chapiter to the Romayns where the same Spirite is without difference somtyme called the Spirite of Christe somtime of him that raised vp Christ from the dead and that not without cause For Peter dothe also testifie that it was the Spirite of Christe wherewith the Prophetes did prophecie where as the Scripture so often teacheth that it was the Spirite of God the Father Now this distinction doth so not stand against the single vnitie of God that therby we may proue that the Son is one God with the father because he hath one Spirit
with hym and that the Holy Spirite is not a thyng diuers from the Father the Son For in eche Hypostasis is vnderstanded the whole substance with this that euery one hath his own propretie The Father is whole in the Sonne the Sonne is whole in the Father as hymselfe affirmeth I am in the Father and the Father is in me And the Ecclesiasticall writers doo not graunt the one to be seuered from the other by any difference of essence By these names that betoken distinction sayth Augustin that is ment wherby they haue relation one to an other and not the very substance whereby they are all one By whiche meanynge are the sayinges of the olde writers to bee made agree whiche otherwise would seeme not a little to disagree For sometyme they saye that the Father is the beginnyng of the Sonne and somtyme that the Sonne hath bothe godhead and essence of hymselfe and is all one begynnynge with the Father The cause of this diuersitie Augustine doothe in an other place well and planelye declare when he sayeth CHRIST hauynge respect to him selfe is called God and to his Father is called the Sonne And agayne ▪ the Father as to hymselfe is called God as to his Sonne is called the Father where hauynge respecte to the Sonne he is called the Father he is not the Sonne where as to the Father he is called the Son he is not the Father and where he is called as to hym self the Father and as to hymselfe the Sonne it is all one God Therfore when we simply speake of the Sonne without hauyng respect to the Father we do well and proprely say that he is of hym selfe and therfore we call hym but one beginnyng but when we make mention of the relation betweene him and his Father then we rightly make the Father the beginning of the Sonne All the whole fifth boke of Augustine concernyng the Trinitie dooth nothyng but sette foorth this matter And muche safer it is to reste in that relation that he speaketh of than into suttletle pearcyng vnto the hye mysterie to wander abroade by many vayne speculations Let them therfore that are pleased with sobrenesse cōtented with measure of Faith shortly learne so muche as is profitable to bee knowen that is when we professe that we beleue in one God vnder the name of God we vnderstande the one onely and single essence in whiche we comprehende thre Persons or hypostases And therfore so oft as we doo indefinitely speake of the name of God we meane no lesse the Sonne and the Holy ghost than the Father But when the Sonne is ioyned to the Father then commeth in a relation and so we make distinction betwene y◠Persons And because the propreties in the Persons bring an order with them so as the beginnyng and orginall is in the Father so ofte as mencion is made of the Father and the Son or the Holy ghost together the name of God is peculiarly geuen to the Father By this meane is reteined the vnitie of the essence and regarde is hadde to the order whiche yet dothe minishe nothyng of the godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy ghoste And where as we haue already seene that the Apostles doo affirme that the Sonne of God is he whom Moses and the prophetes doo testifie to be Iehouah the Lorde we must of necessitie alwaye come to the vnitie of the essences Wherefore it is a detestable sacrilege for vs to call the Sonne a seuerall God from the Father bycause the symple name of God doothe admytte no relation and God in respecte of hym selfe can not bee saide to be this or that Now that the name of Iehouah the Lorde indefinitely taken is applied to Christe appereth by the wordes of Paul wher he sayth Therfore I haue thryse praied the Lorde because that after he hadde receyued the aunswere of Christ. My grace is sufficient for the he sayeth by and by that the power of Christ may dwell in me It is certayne that the name Lorde is there set for Iehouah and therfore to restraine it to the person of the Mediatour were very fonde and childyshe for somuch as it is an absolute sentence that compareth not the Father with the Sonne And we knowe that after the accustomed maner of the Greekes the Apostles doo commonly sette the worde Kyrios Lord in stede of Iehouah And not to fetche an example farre of Paule dydde in no other sense pray to the Lorde than in the same sense that Peter citethe the place of Ioell who soeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued But where this name is peculiarly geuen to the Sonne we shall se that there is an other reason therof when we com to a place fitte for it Nowe it is enough to haue in mynde when Paule had absolutely praied to God he by and by bryngeth in the name of Christ. Euen so is the whole God called by Christ hymselfe the Spirite For there is no cause agaynst it but that the whole essence of God may bee spirituall wherin the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste be comprehended Whiche is very playne by the Scripture For euen as there we heare God to be made a Spirite so we do here the Holy ghost for so muche as it is an Hypostasis of the whole essence to bee called bothe God and procedyng from God But for as muche as Satan to the ende to roote out our Faith hath alway moued great cōtentions partly concernyng the diuine essence of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost and partly cōcernyng their distinction of Persones And as in a maner in all ages he hath stirred vp wicked spirites to trouble the true teachers in this behalfe so at this day he trauaileth out of the olde embres to kyndle a new fyre therfore here it is good to answere the peruerse foolishe errours of some Hitherto it hath ben our purpose to leade as it were by the hande those that ar willyng to learne and not to striue hande to hande with the obstinate and contentious But nowe the truthe which we haue already peasably shewed must be reskued from the cauillations of the wicked All be it my chiefe trauayle shall yet be applied to this ende that they whyche geue gentill and open eares to the woord of God may haue whervpon stedfastly to rest their foote In this poynt if any where at all in the secrete mysteries of Scripture we ought to dispute sobrely and with greate moderation and to take great hede that neyther oure thought nor oure tongue procede any further than the boundes of Goddes woorde dooe extende For howe may the mynde of man by his capacitie define the immeasurable essence of God whiche neuer yet coulde certainly determine howe great is the body of the Son which yet he daily seeth with his eyes yea howe may she by her owne guidyng atteyn to discusse the substaunce of God that can not
studye to loue and honor him withall oure harte ¶ The .xv. Chapter What a one man was created wherin there is entreated of the powers of the soule of the image of God of free wyll and of the first integritie of nature NOw must we speake of the creation of mā not only because he is among all the workes of God the moste noble and most excellente example of his iustice wisdome and goodnesse but also because as we said in the beginning we cannot plainly and perfectly know God vnlesse we haue wtall a mutuall knowledge of our selues Although the same knowledge be of two sortes the one to knowe what we were created at the first beginning the other to know what our estate began to be after the fall of Adam for it were but to smal profit for vs to knowe our creation vnlesse we did also in this lamentable fall knowe what is the corruption and deformitie of our nature yet at this time we wil be contente with descriptiō of our nature when it was pure And before we descende to this miserable estate wherunto man is nowe in thraldome it is good to learne what a one he was created at the beginning For we must take hede that in precisely declaring only the natural euils of man we seme not to impute them to the author of nature For vngodlinesse thinketh her self to haue sufficient defense in this color if it may lay for her selfe that whatsoeuer fault she hath the same did after a certaine maner procede from God sticketh not if she be accused to quarell with God and to lay the fault vpō him wherof she is worthely accused And they that would seme to speake somwhat more reuerently of the maiestie of God yet do willingly seke to excuse their own wickednesse by nature not considering that therin though not openly they blame God also to whoe 's reproche it shoulde fall if it were proued that there is any fault in nature Sith then we see that our fleshe gapeth for all the wayes to escape wherby she thynketh the blame of her own euils may any way be put of frō her we muste diligently trauail to mete with this mischiefe Therefore we must so handle the calamitie of mankinde that we cut of all excuse and deliuer the iustice of God from al accusation Afterwarde in place conueniente we shall see howe far men be nowe from that purenesse that was geuen to Adam And first we must remember that in this that man was taken out of earth and claye a bridle was putte vppon his pride for there is no greater absurditie than for them to glory in their excellencye that do not onely dwell in a cotage of clay but also are themselues in parte but earth and ashes But forasmuche as God did not onely vouchesaue to geue life vnto an earthen vessell but also it was his pleasure that it shoulde be the dwelling house of an immortall Spirite Adam might iustly glory in so great liberalitie of his maker Now it is not to be doubted that man consisteth of soule body and by the name of soule I meane an immortall essence and yet created whiche is the nobler parte of him Sometime it is called the Spirite Albeit whē these two names Soule and Spirite are ioyned together they differ one from the other in signification yet when Spirite is sett by it selfe it meaneth as muche as Soule As when Salomon speaking of death sayeth that then the Spirite returneth to him that gaue it And Chryste commending his Spirite to his father and Stephen his Spirite to Chryst doe both meane none other thing but that when the soule is deliuered from the prison of the fleshe God is the perpetual keper of it As for them that imagine that the Soule is therfore called a Spirite because it is a breath or a power by god inspired or poured into bodyes which yet hath no essence both the thing it selfe and all the Scripture sheweth that they do to much grosly erre True it is that while men are fastened to the earth more than they oughte to bee they waxe dull yea because they are estranged from the Father of lightes they are blinded with darkenesse so that they do not thinke vpon thys that they shal remaine aliue after death And yet is not that lighte so quēched in darkenesse but that they be touched with some feling of immortalitie Surely the conscience which discerning betwene good and euil answereth the iudgement of God is an vndouted signe of an immortal Spirite For how could a motion without essēce atteine to come to the iudgement seate of God and throwe it selfe into feare by finding her own giltinesse For the body is not moued with feare of a Spiritual peine but that falleth only vpō the soule Wherby it foloweth that the soule hath an essence Moreouer the very knowledge of God doth proue that the soules which ascende vp aboue the world are immortal for a vanishing liuelinesse wer not able to atteine to the fountaine of lyfe Finalli forasmuch as so many excellent giftes wherwith mans minde is endowed do cry out that there is some diuine thing engrauen it there are euen so many testimonies of an immortal essence For that sense which is in brute beastes goeth not out of the body or at lest extendeth no further than to thyngs presently set before it But the nimblenesse of the minde of man which veweth the heauen and earth secretes of nature and comprehending all ages in vnderstandyng and memory digesteth euery thyng in order and gathereth thynges to come by thinges past doth playnly shewe that there lyeth hydden in man a certayne thing seuerall from the body We conceiue by vnderstanding the inuisible God and Angelles which the body can not doe We know thynges that be right iuste and honest which are hidden from the bodily senses Therefore it muste nedes be that the Spirite is the seate of thys vnderstandyng Yea and our slepe it selfe which astonieth a man and semeth to take life away frō him is a plaine witnesse of immortalitie forasmuch as it doth not only minister vnto vs thoughtes of those thinges that neuer were done but also foreknowinges of things for time to come I touch these thinges shortly which euen prophane writers do excellently sette oute with more gorgeous garnishment of wordes but with the godly reders a simple putting in minde of them shall be sufficient Nowe if the soule were not a certayne thing by it selfe seuerall from the body the Scripture would not teache that we dwell in houses of clay that by death we remoue out of the Tabernacle of the flesh that we do put of that which is corruptible that finally at the last day we may receiue rewarde euery man as he hathe behaued hymselfe in hys bodye For these places and other that we do eche where cōmonly light vpon do not only manifestly destinguish the soule from the body but also in geuing to the soule the name of
there is one vnderstandynge of earthely thynges an other of heauenly thynges Earthly thynges I call those that doe not concerne God and his Kyngedome true ryghteousnesse and the blessednesse of eternall lyfe but haue all theyr respecte and relation to thys presente lyfe and are as yt were contayneth wythin the boundes thereof Heauenly thinges I cal the pure knowledge of God the ordre of true righteousnesse and the misteries of the heauenly kyngdome Of the fyrste sorte are policy gouernaunce of householde all handy craftes and liberall Scienses Of the seconde sorte are the knowledge of God and Gods will and the rule to frame oure lyfe accordynge to yt Concernynge the fyrst this we muste confesse bicause man is a creature by nature geuen to lyue in companies together he is also by naturall instinction bente to cheryshe to preserue the feloweshyppe of these companies therfore we see that there are in the myndes of all men vniuersall impressions of a certaine ciuill honestie and ordre Hereby yt commeth to passe that there is founde noman that vnderstandeth not that all companies of men oughte to bee keepte in ordre with lawes and that conceyueth not in hys minde the prynciples of these lawes Hereof commeth that same perpetuall consente as well of all nations as of all menne vnto lawes bycause the seedes thereof are naturally planted in all menne wythoute any teacher or lawemaker And I weye not the disscusions and fyghtynges that afterwarde arise â–ª whyle some desyre to peruerte lawe and ryghte the loose absolute gouernementes of kynges that luste strayeth abroade in steede of ryghte as the eues robbers some whiche ys a faulte more than common thynke that to bee vniuste whyche other haue stablyshed for iuste and on the other syde styffely saye that to be laudable whiche other haue forbydden For these menne do not therefore hate lawes bycause they dooe not knowe that lawes are good and holly but for that they ragynge wyth heddye luste doe fyghte agaynste manyfeste reason and for theyr fansiâ— dooe abhorre that whych in vnderstandyng of minde thei allowe The latter sorte of stryuyng is suche that yt taketh not awaye that fyrste conceiuing of equitie For when menne dooe stryue amonge them selues concerninge the poyntes of lawes they agree together in a certaine summe of equitie Wherein is proued the weakenesse of manns witte which euen then when it seemeth to folowe the righte waye yet halteth and staggereth but styll thys remayneth true that there is sowen in all menne a certayne seede of polytyke ordre And that ys a large proofe that in the orderynge of thys lyfe no manne ys voyde of the lyghte of reason Nowe do folowe the artes boothe the liberall the handy craftes in learnynge whereof bycause there ys in vs all a certaine aptnesse in them also doothe appeare the force of manns wytte but all bee yt all menne bee not apte to learne them all yet ys this a token certayne enoughe of the common naturall power that there ys almooste no manne founde whose conceyte of wytte doothe not in some arte or other shewe fourthe it selfe Neyther haue they onely a power or facylytye to learne but also to deuyse in euerye arte some newe thinge eyther to amplifie or make perfecter that whyche hathe been learned of an other that wente before whyche thyng as yt moued Plato erroniouslye to teache that suche conceauyng ys nothyng ells but a calling to remembrauÌ„ce so by good reason it oughte to compell vs to confesse that the beginnyng thereof is naturally planted in the witte of man These poyntes therefore done plainely testyfye that there ys geuen to men naturally an vniuersall conceyuynge of reason and of vnderstandynge Yet ys yt so an vniuersall benyfyte that therein euery manne oughte for himselfe to acknoweledge the peculiar grace of God To whyche thankefullnesse the creatore hym selfe doothe suffycyently awake vs when hee createth naturall fooles in whome hee maketh vs to see wyth what gyftes mans soule excelleth yf it bee not endued wyth hys lyghte whyche ys so naturall in all men that yt ys yet altogether a free gyfte of hys lyberalytye towarde euerye man But the inuention and ordrely teachynge of the same artes or a more inwarde and excellente knoweledge of them whyche is propre but to a fewe is no perfecte argumente of the common conceyuynge of wytte yet bycause wythoute dyfference it happeneth to the godlye and vngodlye yt ys ryghtefully reckened amonge naturall gyftes So oft therefore as we lyghte vpon profane wryters lette vs be putte in mynde by that maruaylous lyghte of trueth that shyneth in them that the wytte of manne howe muche soeuer yt bee peruerted and fallen from the fyrste integrytye ys yet styll clothed and garnyshed wyth excellente gyftes of God If wee consyder that the spyryte of God ys the onely fountayne of trueth wee wyll neyther refuse nor despise the trueth yt selfe wheresoeuer yt shall appeare excepte wee wyl dishonourably vse the spyryte of God for the gyftes of the holy ghoste canne not bee sette lyghte by without contempte and reproche of hymselfe And what Shall wee denye that the trueth shyned to the oulde Laweyers whyche haue sette fourth Ciuile ordre and Dyscyplyne wyth so greate equytye Shall wee saye that the Phylosophers were blynde boothe in that exquysyte contemplation and cunnynge descryption of nature Shall wee saye that thei had no wytte whiche by settinge in ordre the arte of speache haue taught vs to speake wyth reason Shal we saye that they were madde whithe in settynge fourthe Physycke haue employed theyr dilygence for vs What of all the Mathematicall scienses shall wee thynke them dotynge erroures of madde menne no rather wee canne not readde the wrytynges of the oulde menne concernyng these thynges wythoute greate admiration of theyr wytte But shall wee thynke any thynge praysewoorthy or excellente whyche wee doe not reknoweledge to come of God Let vs bee ashamed of so greate vnthankefulnesse into whyche the Heathen Poetes fell not whyche confessed that boothe Phylosophye and Lawes and all good artes were the inuentions of mods Sythe then yt appeareth that these men whome the Scripture calleth naturall menne were of so sharpe and deepe sygthe in searchynge oute of inferioure thynges lette vs learne by suche exaumples howe manye good thynges the Lorde hathe lefte to the nature of manne after that it hathe been spoyled of the true God But in the meane tyme yte lette vs not forgette that these are the moste excellente good gyftes of the spyryte of God whyche for the common benefyte of mankinde hee dealeth abroade to whome it pleaseth him For if it behoued that the vnderstanding and skill that was requyred for the framyng of the tabernacle shold be poured into Beseleel Oliab by the spirit of god it is no merâ—el if the knowledg of those thinges whiche are moste excellent in mans life be sayde to be communicated vnto vs by the spirite of God Neither is there cause why any manne
them of all abilitie of spirituall vnderstandyng Therefore he affirmeth that the faythful which embrace Christ are borne not of bloud or of the wil of the flesh or of man but of God As if he should saye fleshe is not capable of so hye wisedome to conceiue God and that which is Gods vnlesse it be lightened with the spirite of God As Christ testified that this was a special reuelation of the father that Peter did know him If we were perswaded of this whiche ought to be out of all controuersie that our nature wanteth all that whyche our heauenly father geueth to his electe by the spirite of regeneration then here were no matter to doubte vpon For thus speaketh the faythfull people in the Prophet For with thee is the fountayne of lyfe and in thy light we shal see light The Apostle testifieth the same thing wheÌ„ he saieth that no man can call Iesus the lorde but in the holy ghost And Iohn Baptist seyng the dulnesse of his disciples crieth out that no man can receiue any thyng vnlesse it be geuen him from aboue And that he meaneth by Gifte a speciall illumination and not a common gifte of nature appereth hereby that he complaineth that in so many wordes as he had spoken to tommende Christ to his Disciples he preuayled nothyng I see sayeth he that wordes are nothyng to informe mens mindes concernyng diuine thynges vnlesse the Lorde geue vnderstanding by his spirite Yea and Moses when he reprocheth the people wyth their forgetfulnesse yet noteth this withal that they can by no meanes growe wise in the misteries of God but by the benefite of God Thyne eyes sayeth he haue seene those greate tokens and wonders and the Lorde hath not geuen thee a heart to vnderstande nor eares to heare nor eyes to see What shoulde he expresse more yf he called vs blockes in consideryng the workes of God Whereupon the Lorde by the Prophete promiseth for a greate grace that he wyll geue the Israelites a hearte that they maye knowe hym signifiyng thereby that mans witte is onely so muche spiritually wyse as it is lightened by hym And this Christe plainely confirmed wyth hys owne mouthe when he sayeth that no manne can come to hym but he to whome it shal be geuen from the Father What is not he hym selfe the liuely Image of the Father in whome the whole bryghtnesse of his glorie is expressed vnto vs Therefore he coulde not better shewe what our power is to knowe god than when he sayeth that wee haue no eyes to see his Image where it is so openly sette presente before vs. What Came he not into the earth for this purpose to declare his Fathers wyll vnto menne And dyd he not faythfully dooe hys office Yes surely But yet nothynge is wroughte by hys preachynge vnlesse the inwarde Schoolemaster the holyghost set open the waye to our mindes Therefore none come to hym but they that haue heard and ben taught of the Father What maner waye of learnyng and hearyng is this Euen when the holy ghost by maruellous and singular vertue formeth the eares to heare and the mindes to vnderstande And leaste that should seme sâ—raung he allegeth the prophecie of Elaye where when he promiseth the repairyng of the church that they whych shall be gathered together to saluation shal be taught of the Lord. If god there foresheweth some peculiar thyng concernyng his electes it is euident that he speaketh not of that kinde of learnynge that was also common to the wicked and vngodly It remayneth therefore that we muste vnderstande it thus that the way into the kingdome of God is open to no man but to him to whom the holy ghost by his enlightening shal make a newe minde But Paule speaketh most playnely of all whiche of purpose entryng into discourse of this matter After he had condemned all mens wisedome of follie and vanitie vtterly brought it to naught at the laste concludeth thus that naturall man can not perceiue those thynges that are of the spirit of God they are foolishnesse vnto him and he can not vnderstande them bicause they are spiritually iudged Whome doeth he call naturall euen him that stayeth vpon the light of nature He I saye compreheÌ„deth nothing in the spiritual misteries of God Why so is it bicause by slouthfulnesse he neglecteth it Nay rather although he wold trauaile neuer so much he can do nothing bycause forsoth they are spiritually iudged What meaneth that bicause beyng vtterly hidden from the light of manâ— they are opened by the only reuelation of the spirite so that they are reckened for follie where the spirite of God geueth no light Before he had auaunced those thinges that God hath prepared for them that loue him aboue the capacitie of eyes eares and mindes Yea he testified that mans wisedome was as a certaine veile whereby mans minde was kepte from seyng God What meane we The Apostle pronounceth that the wisedome of this world is made folly by god and shal we forsoth geue vnto it sharpenesse of vnderstanding whereby it maye pearce to the secrete places of the heauenly kingdome Farre be such beastelinesse from vs. And so that whiche here he taketh awaye from menne in an other place in a prayer he geueth it to god alone God sayeth he and the father of glory geue to you the spirite of wisedome and reuelation Nowe thou hearest that all wisedome and reuelation is the gifte of god What followeth and lightene the eyes of your minde Surely yf they neede a newe reuelation then are they blinde of themselues yt foloweth after That ye maye knowe what is the hope of your calling c. Therefore he confesseth that the wittes of men are not capable of so great vnderstandyng to knowe their owne callyng And let not some Pelagian babble here that god doth remedie that dulnesse or vnskilfulnesse when by the doctrine of his worde he directeth maÌ„s vnderstanding whether without a guide he could not haue atteined For Dauid had a lawe wherein was comprehended al the wisedome that maye be desired and yet not contented with that he requireth to haue his eyes opened that he maye consider the misteries of the same lawe By whiche speache truely he secretly sayeth that the sunne ryseth vpon the earth where the worde of God shineth to men but they get not muche thereby vntill he himselfe that is therefore called the father of lightes do geue them or open their eyes bicause where so euer he shineth not with his spirit al things are possessed with darknesse So the Apostles were wel largely taught by the best schoole-master yet if they had not needed the spirite of trueth to instruct their mindes in that same doctrine which they had hearde before he wold not haue bidden them loke for him If the thing that we aske of God we doe thereby confesse that we wante and God in that that he promiseth
the inhabitantes of that countrey came fourth and met theÌ„ lyke ennemies By whome were they styred vp Truely Moses affirmeth to the people that it was the Lorde that had hardened their heartes And the Prophet reciting the same historie saith that he turned their heartes that they should hate his people Nowe can you not say that they stumbled being left without the counsell of God For if they be hardened and turned then they are of purpose bowed to that selfe thing Moreouer so oft as it pleased him to punish the transgressours of the people how did he perfourme his worke in the reprobate so as a man may see that the effectualnesse of working was in hym they only did seruice as ministers Wherfore somtyme he threatened that he would call them out with his whistle sometyme that they should be lyke a net for hym to entangle them and sometyme lyke a mallet to strike the Israelites But specially he then declared how he is not idle in them when he called Sennacherib an Are whiche was bothe directed and dryuen by his hande to cut Augustine in one place dothe not amisse appointeth it after this sorte that in as muche as they sinne it is their owne in as muche as in siâ—ning they doe this oâ— that it is of the power of God that deuided the darkenesse as pleaseth hym Nowe that the ministery of Sathan is vsed to pricke forward the reprobate so oft as the Lorde by his prouidence appointeth them to this or to that may sufficiently be proued though it were but by one place only For it is oftentimes sayde in Samuel that the euell spirite of the Lorde and an euill spirite from the Lorde did either violently carry or leaue Saul To say that this spirite was the holy Ghost is blasphemous Therfore the vncleane spirit is called the spirit of God because it aunswereth at his commaundement and power being rather his instrument in doing than an authour of it selfe This is also to be added withall whiche Paul teacheth that the efficacie of errour deceiuing is sent by God that they which haue not obeyed the truth may beleue lies But there is alway great difference in one selfe same worke betwene that whiche the Lorde doeth and that whiche Sathan and the wicked goe about He maketh the euill instrumeÌ„tes that he hath vnder his hand may turne whether he list to serue his iustice They in as muche as they are euyll doe bring fourth in effect the wickednesse that they haue conceiued by corruptnesse of nature The reste of suche thynges as serue for to deliuer the maiestie of God from slaunder and to cut of all shifting from the wycked are already sette fourth in the chapter concerning Prouidence For in this place my purpose was only to shewe howe Sathan reigneth in the reprobate maÌ„ and how God worketh in them bothe Although we haue before touched yet it is not playnely declared what libertie man hath in those doinges whiche are neyther iust nor faulty of them selues and belonge rather to the bodely than the spirituall lyfe Some in suche thinges haue graunted him free election rather as I thinke because they would not striue about a matter of no great importance than that they mynded certainly to proue the same thyng that they graunte As for me although I confesse that they whiche doe holde that they haue no power to ryghteousnesse do holde the thyng that is principally necessary to saluation yet I doe thynke that this point also is not to be neglected that we may knowe that it is of the speciall grace of the Lorde so ofte as it cometh in our mynde to chose that whiche is for our profit so oft as our wyl enclyneth therunto agayne so ofte as our wyt and mynde eschueth that whiche els would haue hurt vs. And the force of Gods prouidence exteÌ„deth thus far not only to make the successes of thynges to come to passe as he shall forsee to be expedient but also to make the wylles of men to tend therunto Truely if we consider in our wyt the administration of outwarde thinges we shall thynke that they are so farre vnder the wyll of man but if we shall geue credit to so many testimonies whiche crie out that the Lord dothe in these thynges also rule the heartes of meÌ„ they shall compelle vs to yelde our wyll subiect to the speciall mouing of God Who did procure the good willes of the Egyptians to the Israelites to lende them all their moste precious iewels They woulde neuer haue founde in their heartes to haue so done of their owne accorde Therfore their heartes were more subiect to the Lord than ruled by them selues And truely if Iacob had not bene persuaded that God put into men diuerse affections as pleaseth hym he would not haue sayd of his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to be some HeatheÌ„ Egyptian God graunte you to fynde mercie before this man As also the whole Churche confesseth in the Psalme that when it pleased God to haue mercie vpon it he meekened the heartes of the cruell nations Againe when Saul so waxed on fire with anger that he prepared him to warre the cause is expressed for that the spirite of God did enforce hym Who turned away Absolons mynde from embracinge the counsell of Achitophel whiche was wont to be holden as an oracle Who inclined Rehabeam to be persuaded with the yong mens aduise Who made the nations that before were great to be afrayde at the comyng of Israell Truely the harlot Rahab confessed that it was done by God Agayne who threw downe the heartes of Israell with dread and fearfulnesse but he that in the lawe threatened that he would geue them a fearefull hearte Some man wyll take exception and saye that these are singular examples to the rule wherof all thynges vniuersally ought not to be reduced But I saye that by these is sufficiently proued that whiche I affirme that God so oft as he meaneth to prepare the waye for his prouidence euen in outward thynges dothe bowe and tourne the wylles of men and that their choise is not so free but that Gods will beareth rule ouer the fredome thereof That thy mynde hangeth rather vpon the mouing of God than vpon the fredome of thyne owne choyse this daylye experience shall compell thee to thynke whether thou wylt or no that is for that in thynges of no perplexitie thy iudgement and wyt oft fayleth thee in thinges not hard to be doone thy courage fainteth againe in thinges moste obscure by and by present aduise is offred thee in thynges great and perillous thou hast a courage ouercomming all difficultie And so doe I expounde that whiche Salomon sayeth That the eare may heare that the eie may see the Lorde worketh bothe For I take it that he speaketh not of the creation but of the speciall grace of vsing them And wheÌ„ he wryteth that the Lorde holdeth in his
terrible penall ordinaunces therein may be restrayned at least with feare of punishement But thei are restrained not bycause their inwarde minde is moued or affected withall but bicause beynge as it were brideled thei withholde their hande from outwarde worke and do kepe in their peruersenesse within them whiche otherwise thei woulde haue outragiously poured oute Thereby they become truelye nether the better nor the more righteous before God For although beinge letted either by feare or by shame thei dare not put that in practise which thei haue conceiued in their minde nor openly blowe abrode the rages of their lust yet haue thei not a hearte framed to the feare obedience of God yea the more that thei holde backe themselues so much the stronglier within thei are kindeled thei burne thei boyle redy to do any thinge and to breake fourth any whether if this terroure of the lawe did not staye them And not that onely but also thei moste spitefully hate the lawe and do detest God the lawemaker so that yf they coulde thei woulde very faine take him awaie whome thei canne not abide neither when he commaundeth rightfull thinges nor when he reuengeth him vpon the despisers of his maiestie In some in deede more darkely in some more plainely but in all generally that are not regenerate is this feelinge that thei are drawen to the folowinge of the lawe not by willinge submission but resisting and against their willes only by violence of feare But this constrained and enforced righteousnesse is necessarie for the publike common state of men the quiet wherof is herein prouided for while ordre is taken that all thinges be not cōfounded with vprore whiche woulde come to passe if all thinges were lawefull for all men Yea it is not vnprofitable for the chyldren of God to bee exercised wyth thys Schoolynge so longe as they before theyr callynge beynge yet destytute of the spyrite of sanctification are styll wanton with the follye of the fleshe For when they are drawen backe though it be but from outward licentiousnesse by the terroure of gods vengeance although for that thei are not yet tamed in minde thei goe for the present time but a little forwarde yet thei partely growe in vre to beare the yooke of Christe so that when thei are called they be not altogether rude and rawe to dysciplyne as to a thynge vnknowen Thys offyce the Apostle seemeth proprely to haue touched when hee sayeth that the lawe was not sette for the ryghteous manne butte for the vnryghteous and dysobedient wicked and synners euell doers prophane men slaiers of their parentes murtherers fornicators Sodomites robbers of children lyers and periured men what soeuer ells is againste sounde doctrine For he sayeth that it is a staye to the wylde outragynge lustes of the fleshe that ells woulde straye abroade without measure But to bothe maye that bee applyed whyche hee saythe in an other place that the lawe was to the Iewes a Schoolemayster to Christe for there are twoo sortes of menne whome wyth her schoolynge shee leadeth by the hande to Christe The one sorte of whome wee fyrste spake bycause they are to full of affyance of theyr owne strengthe or ryghteousnesse are not meete to receiue the grace of Christe vnlesse they bee fyrste emptyed therefore the lawe bryngeth them downe to humilitie by knoweledge of them selues that so they maye bee prepared to desyre that whyche before they thoughte thei wanted not The other sorte neede a brydle to be holden backe leaste they so geue loose the remes to the wantonnesse of theyr fleshe that they fall of alltogether from all studye of ryghteousnesse For where the spyryte of God doth not yet gouerne there sometime lustes do so boile that it is in greate perille leaste thei throwe downe the soule that is subiecte to them into the forgetfullnesse and despisinge of God and so wolde it come to passe if God did not with this remedie prouide for it Therefore those whom hee hathe apoynted to the inheritaunce of his kyngedome yf he do not by and by regenerate them he keepeth then by the workes of the lawe vnder feare vntyl the tyme of his visitation not that chaste and pure feare such as ought to be in chyldren but yet a profitable feare for this that they may according to their capacitie be taught by introduction to true godlynesse Of thys we haue so many proues that it needeth not example For who soeuer haue any tyme contynued in not knowynge of God wyll confesse that this happened vnto them that they were holden by the brydle of the lawe in some feare obedience of God vntil the time that beinge regenerate by hys spirite they beganne hartelye to loue hym The thirde vse whiche is also the principall vse and more nearely loketh vnto the propre ende of the law concerneth the faithful in whose heartes allready lyueth and reigneth the spirite of God For although they haue the lawe wrytten and grauen in their heartes by the finger of God that is to saye be so affectioned and mynded by the direction of the spirite that thei desire to obeye God yet doe they still twoo waies profite in the lawe For it is to them a verye good meane wherby they maie dayly better more assuredly learne what is the will of the Lord whyche they aspyre vnto and maye bee confyrmed in the vnderstandynge thereof As if a seruaunt be already bente with all the affection of hys hearte to please hys Lorde yet hathe hee neede dylygentelye to searche oute and marke the fashions of hys Lorde that hee maye frame and applye hym selfe vnto them And lette none of vs exempte hym selfe from thys neede For no manne hathe hetherto attained to so greate wysedome but that hee may by dayly instruction of the lawe gette newe profyte in proceedynge to the purer knoweledge of Godes wyll Then bicause wee neede not onely doctrine but also exhortation thys other profite shall the seruaunt of God take by the lawe to be by the often meditation thereof stirred vp to obedience to be strenghthened in it to be holden backe from the slyppery waye of offendinge For after thys manner muste these holly ones dryue forwarde them selues whyche wyth howe greate cherefullnesse so euer they trauayle to Godwarde accordynge to the spirite yet thei are alwaye loden with the sluggyshnesse of the fleshe that they procede not wyth suche ful redinesse as thei oughte To thys fleshe is the lawe geuen as a whyppe that lyke a slowe and dull Asse yt maye be prycked forwarde to worke yea to the spirituall manne bycause hee is not yet dyspatched of the burden of the fleshe yt shall bee a continuall pricke that suffcreth hym not to stande styll Euen to thys vse Dauid hadde respecte when hee dyd sette fourth the lawe with those notable praises The lawe of the Lorde ys vndefiled conuertynge soules the iustices of the Lorde are vpryghte and chearynge heartes the commaundemente of the
could he by dyâ—ng deliuer vs from death yf he himself had lyen still ouercoÌ„me by death Now could he haue gotten victorie for vs if himself had ben vanquished in fight Wherefore we doe so parte the matter of our saluation betwene the death and resurrection of Christ that by his death we saye sinne was taken awaye and death destroied and by his resurrection righteousnesse was repaired and lyfe raysed vp agayne but so that by meane of his resurrectoiÌ„ his death doth shewe forth her force and effect vnto vs. Therefore Paule affirmeth that in his very resurrection he was declared the sonne of God bycause then at last he vttered his heauenly power whiche is bothe a cleare glasse of his godhed a stedfast staye of our fayth As also in an other place he teacheth that Christ suffred after the weakenesse of the flew rose againe by the power of the spirit And in the same meaning in an other place where he entreateth of perfection he sayth that I maye knowe him and the power of his resurrection Yet by and by after he adioyneth the fellowship with death Wherw th most aptly agreeth that sayeng of Peter that God raysed him vp from the dead and gaue him glorie that our faith and hope might be in God not that our faith beyng vpholden by his death should wauer but that the power of God whiche kepeth vs vnder fayth doth principally shewe it selfe in the resurrection Therefore let vs remember that so oft as mention is made of his death only there is also comprehended that whiche properly belongeth to his resurrection and like figure of comprehension is there in the word ResurrectioÌ„ as oft as it is vsed seuerally without speaking of his death so that it draweth with it that whiche peculiarly peâ—teineth to his death But for as much as by risyng agayne he obteyned the crowne of conquest so that there should be both resurrection and life therefore Paule doth for good cause affirme that fayth is destroyed and the Gospell is become vayne and deceitefull if the resuâ—â—â—â—tion of Christ be not fastened in our heartes Therfore in another place after he had gloried in the death of Christ agaynste all the errors of damnation to amplifie the same he sayth further Yea the same He whiche died is risen vp agayne and nowe standeth a Mediatour for vs in the presence of God Furthermore as we haue before declared that vpon the partakyng of his crosse hangeth the mortificatioÌ„ of our flesh so is it to be vnderstanded that by his resurrection we obteyne an other commoditie whiche answereth that mortificatioÌ„ For sayth the Apostle we are therefore graffed into the likenesse of his death that beyng partakers of his resurrection we may walke in newnesse of life Therefore in an other place as he gathereth an argument of this that we are dead together with Christ to proue that we ought to mortifie our members vpon earth likewise also bicause we are risen vp with Christ he gathereth thereupon that we ought to seke for those thinges that are aboue and not those that are vpon the earth By which wordes we are not only exhorted to be raysed vp after the exaÌ„ple of Christ to follow a newnesse of life But we are taught that it is wrought by his power that we are regenerate into righteousnesse We obteyne also a third frute of his resurrection that we are as by an earnest deliuered vs assured of our owne resurrection of whiche we knowe that his resurrection is a most certaine argument Whereof he disputeth more at large in the .xv. chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians But by the waye this is to be noted that it is sayd that he rose agayne from the dead in which sayeng is expressed the truthe bothe of his death and of his resurrection as yf it had ben sayd that he did bothe die the same death that other menne naturally doe dye and receyued immortalitie in the same fleshe whiche he had put on mortall To his resurrection is not vnfittly adioyned his ascendynge into heauen For although Christ beganne more fully to set forth his glorie and power by risyng agayne for that he had nowe layed awaye that base and vnnoble estate of mortal life and the shame of the crosse yet by his ascendynge vp into heauen only he truely beganne his kyngedome Whiche the Apostle sheweth where he teacheth that Christ ascended to fulfil al thinges Where in semyng of repugnancie he sheweth that there is a goodly agreement bycause he so departed from vs that yet his presence might be more profitable to vs whiche had ben penned in a base lodgyng of the flesh while he was conuersant in earth And therefore Iohn after that he had rehearsed that notable callyng If any thirst let him come to me c. By and by sayth that the holy ghost was not yet geuen to the faythfull bycause Iesus was not yet glorified Whiche the Lord himselfe also did testifie to the Disciples sayeng It is expedient for you that I goe awaye For if I doe not goe away the holy ghost shall not come But he geueth them a comfort for his corporall absence that he will not leaue them as parentlesse but will come agayne to them after a certayne manner in deede inuisible but yet more to be desired bycause they were then taught by more assured experience that the authoritie whyche he enioyeth and the power whiche he vseth is sufficient for the faithfull not only to make them liue blessedly but also to die happyly And truely we see howe muche greater abundance of his spirite he then poured out how much more royally he then aduauÌ„ced his kingdome howe much greater power he then shewed bothe in helpyng his and in ouerthrowyng his enemies Beyng therefore taken vp into heaueÌ„ he toke away the presence of his body out of our sight not to cesse to be present with the faythfull that yet wandred in the earth but with more present power to gouerne both heauen and earth But rather the same that he had promised that he would be with vs to the ende of the worlde he performed by this his ascendyng by whiche as his bodye was lifted vp aboue all heauens so his power and effectuall workynge was poured and spred abrode beyonde all the baundes of heauen and earth But this I had rather to declare in Augustines wordes than mine owne Christ sayth he was to goe by death to the right hande of the father from whense he is to come to iudge the quicke and the dead and that lykewyse in bodyly presence accordyng to the â—ounde doctrine and rule of fayth For in spirituall presence with them he was to come after his ascension And in an other place more largely and plainely Accordyng to an vnspeakeable and vnuisible grace is that fulfilled whiche he had spoken beholde I am with you all the dayes euen to the ende of the worlde But
of obedyence But thys ymage or shadowe of faythe as yt is of no value so is yt not woorthy of the name of faythe Frome the sounde truthe where of howe farre it dyffereth althoughe it shall be hereafter more largely entreated yet there is no cause to the contrarie why it shoulde not nowe be touched by the waie It is said that Simon Magus beleued whyche yet wythin a lyttle after bewrayed hys owne vnbelefe And whereas it is saide that he beleued we do not vnderstande it as some do that hee fained a belefe when he hadde none in his hearte butte we rather thinke that being ouercome with the maiestie of the Gospell he had a certaine faith such as it was and so acknowledged Christ to be the author of lyfe and saluation that he willingly professed himselfe to bee one of hys After the same manner it ys sayde in the Gospell of Luke that they beleue for a tyme in whome the seede of the worde is choked vp before it bring forth frute or before it take any rote at al it by and by withereth awaie and perisheth we doubt not that suche delited with a certaine taste of the worde doe greedyly receiue it and beginne to feele the diuine force of it so farre that with deceitful counterfaiting of faith thei be guile not only other mens eyes but also their owne myndes For thei perswade them selues that that reuerence whiche thei shewe to the worde of God is moste true godlynesse bycause thei thinke that there is no vngodlynesse but manifest and confessed reproche or contempte of his worde But what manner of assent soeuer that be it pearceth not to the very heart to remaine there stablished and though sometime it seemeth to haue taken rootes yet those are liuely rootes The heart of man hathe so many secrete corners of vanitie is full of so many hidinge holes of lyeng is couered wyth so guilefull hypocrisie that it ofte deceiueth himselfe But let them that glorie in suche shadowes of faith vnderstand that therein thei are noe better than the Deuell But that firste sorte of men are farre worse then the Deuell whiche do senslessly heare and vnderstand those thinges for knoweledge whereof the Deuells do tremble And the other are in this pointe egall with the Deuell that the feeling suche as it is wherewith thei are touched tournet only to terroure and discouragement I knowe that some thinke it harde that we assigne faith to the reprobate whereas Paule affyrmeth faythe to be the frute of election whyche doubte yet is easily dysolued for thoughe none receiue the light of faith nor do truely feele the effectuall working of the Gospell but they that are foreordeyned to saluacion yet experience sheweth that the reprobate are sometime moued wyth the same feeling that the elect are so that in their owne iudgement thei nothing differ from the electe Wherefore it is no absurditie that the Apostle ascribeth to them the taste of the heauenly giftes that Christ ascribeth to them a fayth for a tyme not that they soundly perceaue the spirituall force of grace and assured light of faith but bicause the Lorde the more to cōdemne them and make them in excusable conueieth himselfe into their mindes so farre forth as his goodnesse maie be tasted without the spirit of adoption If any obiect that then ther remaineth nothing more to the faithfull whereby to proue certainely their adoption I answere that thoughe there be a great likenesse and affinitie betwene the elect of God and them that are endued with a fallinge faith for a time yet there liueth in the elect onely that affiance whiche Paule speaketh of that thei crie with full mouthe Abba Father Therefore as God doth regenerate onely the elect with incorruptible seede for euer so that the seede of lyfe planted in their heartes neuer perisheth so soundly doth he seale in them the grace of his adoption that it may be stable sure But this withstandeth not but that that other inferioure working of the Spirite maie haue his course euen in the reprobate In the meane season the faithfull are taught carefully and humbly to examine them selues least in steede of assurednesse of faith do creepe in carelesse confidence of the fleshe Byside that the reprobate do neuer conceiue but a confused feelinge of grace so that they rather take holde of the shadowe than of the sounde bodie bicause the holy Spirite doth proprely seale the remission of sinnes in the electe onlye so that they applye is by speciall fayth to their vse But yet it is truely sayde that the reprobate beleue God to be mercyfull vnto them bicause they receyue the gifte of reconciliation although confusedly and not plainely enough not that they are partakers of the selfe same fayth or regeneracion with the children of God but bycause they seme to haue as well as they the same beginnynge of fayth vnder a cloke of Hypocrisie And I denye not that God dothe so farre geue light vnto theyr myndes that they acknowledge his grace but he maketh that same felyng so different from the peculiar testimonie whiche he geueth to his elect that they neuer come to the sounde effecte and fruition thereof For he dothe not therefore shewe himselfe mercyfull vnto them for that he hauyng truely deliuered them from death dothe receyue them to his sauegarde but onely he discloseth to them a present mercie But he vouchesaueth to graunt to the only electe the liuely roote of fayth so that they continue to the ende So is that obiection answered yf God doe truely shewe his grace that the same remayneth perpetually stablished for that there is no cause to the contrarie but that God maye enlighten some with a present felyng of his grace whiche afterwarde vanisheth awaye Also though fayth bee a knowledge of Gods kindenesse toward vs and an assured persuasion of the truthe thereof yet it is no maruell that the felynge of Gods loue in temporall thynges dothe vanishe awaye whyche although it haue an affinitie wyth fayth yet doth it muche differ from fayth I graunt the will of God is vnchangeable and the truthe thereof dothe alwaye stedfastly agree wyth it selfe but I denye that the reprobate doe procede so farre as to atteyne vnto that secrete reuelation whyche the Scripture sayeth to belonge to the electe onely Therefore I denye that they doe eyther conceyue the will of God as it is vnchangeable or doe stedfastly embrace the truthe thereof bycause they abide in a felynge that vanisheth awaye Lyke as a tree that is not planted deepe enough to take liuely rootes in processe of tyme waxeth drye although for a fewe yeres it bryngeth forth not only blossomes and leaues but also frute Finally as by the fall of the firste manne the Image of God mighte haue benne blotted out of his mynde and soule so it is no maruell yf God do shyne vpon the reprobate wyth certayne beames of his grace whyche afterwarde he suffreth to
loueth he laboreth in vaine and troubleth himselfe to no profitte for his peines sithe all thinges happen alike both to the righteous and the wicked to him that offreth sacrifices and him that offreth none Whervpon foloweth that God doth not alway witnesse hys loue to them to whome hee maketh all thynges happen prosperously nor dothe alwaies vtter the hatred to them whome hee punisheth And that he dothe to condemne the vanitie of mans witte sith it is so dull in thynges moste needefull to be knowen As he hadde written a little before that it canne not be discerned what the soule of a man differeth from the soule of a beast bicause it seemeth to dye in like manner If any manne will gether thereof that the opinion that wee holde of the immortalitie of soules standeth vpon coniecture maye he not worthyly be compted a madde manne Are they then in theyr right wittes whiche gather that there is no certaintie of Gods grace bycause wee can conceyue none by the carnal beeholdynge of presente thynges But thei alleage that it is a point of rashe presumption to take vpon vs an vndoubted knoweledge of Gods will I woulde in dede graunt it vnto them if we did take so muche vpon vs that we wolde make the incomprehensible secret purpose of God subiect to the sclendernesse of oure witte But when we symply saie with Paule that we haue receiued not the spirite of thys worlde but the Spirit that is of God by whose teachinge wee maie knowe those thinges that are geuen vs of God what canne thei barke againste it but they muste slaunderously speake against the Spirit of God But if it be a horrible robberie of God to accuse the reuelation that commeth from him either to be lyeng or vnassured or doubtefull what do we offend in affyrminge that it is assured But they say that this also is not without greate presumptuousnesse that we dare so glorie of the Spirit of Christe Who woulde thynke that their dulnesse were so greate that woulde bee compted maisters of the worlde that they so fowly stumble in the fyrste principles of religion Surely I woulde not thinke it credible vnlesse theyr owne wrytynges that are abroade dyd testifie yt Paule pronounceth that they onely are the chyldren of God that are moued wyth hys spirit and these menne woulde haue them that bee the chyldren of God to be moued wyth theyr own spirit to be without the Spirite of God Paule teacheth that we call God oure Father as the holy ghoste ministreth that woorde vnto vs whyche onely canne beare witnesse to oure spirite that we are the children of God These men althoughe they forbydde vs not to call vpon God yet do take awaie his Spirite by whose guydinge hee shoulde haue been rightly called vpon Paule denyeth that thei are the seruantes of Christ that are not moued with the Spirit of Christ these men faine a Christianitie that needeth not the Spirit of Christe Paule maketh no hope of the blessed resurrection vnlesse wee feele the holy ghoste abydynge in vs they forge a hope withoute any suche feeling But peraduenture the will answere that thei do not denie that we ought to be endued with it but y◠it is a point of modestie and humilitie not to acknowledge it What meaneth he then when he biddeth the Corynthians to trie whether thei be in the faith to proue themselues whether thei haue Christe whome vnlesse a man do acknowledge to be dwelling in him he is a reprobate But by the Spirite that God hath geuen vs saith Ihon we knowe that he abydeth in vs. And what do we els but cal the promises of Christ in dout when we will be compted the seruantes of God without his Spirite whiche he hathe openly declared that he woulde poure out vpon all his Biside that we do wronge to the holy ghoste whiche do separate from him faithe that is his peculiar worke Sithe these are the firste lessons of godlie religion it is a token of miserable blindenesse to haue Christians noted of arrogancie that dare glorie of the presence of the holy ghoste without whiche glorieng Christianitie it selfe dothe not stand But thei declare by their example how truely Christ saide that his Spirite is vnknowen to the worlde and is onely knowen of them with whome he abideth And bycause thei will not go about to ouerthrowe the stedfastnesse of faith with digging onely of one myne they assayle it also otherwise For thei say that although according to our present state of righteousnes we mai gather a iudgment of the grace of God yet the knowledg of perseuerance to the ende abideth in suspense A goodly cōfidence of saluation forsoothe is left vnto vs if we iudge by morall coniecture that for a presēt moment we be in fauoure what shal become of vs to morrow we can not tell The Apostle teacheth farr otherwise I am surely perswaded saith he that neither angeles nor powers nor principalities neither death nor life neither present things nor things to come shal seuer vs frō the loue wherwith the lord embraceth vs in Christ. Thei seke to escape with a trifling solutiō pratinge that the Apostle had that by speciall reuelation But thei are holden to hard to slippe away so For ther he entreateth of those good things that cōmonly come by faith to the faithfull not those that he himselfe specialli feleth But the same Paule in an other place putteth vs in feare with mention of our weakenes vnstedfastnes Let him that standeth saith he beware that he fal not It is true but not suche a feare wherby we shold be ouerthrowē but wherby we may learne to humble our selues vnder the mighty hand of God as Peter expoundeth it Then how against ordre truthe is it to limite the assurednes of faith to a moment of time whose propretie is to passe beyond the spaces of this life extend further to immortalitie to come Sithe therefore the faithfull do impute it to the grace of God that being lightned with his spirite thei do by faith enioy the beholding of the heauenly life so farr is such glorieng frō presumptuousnesse that if any man be ashamed to confesse it he doth therin more bewraie his extreeme vnthankfulnesse in vnkindely hiding Gods goodnes than he doth declare his modestie or submissiō Bicause it semed that the nature of faith could not otherwise better or more plainly be declared than by the substance of the promise vpon whiche it resteth as vpon her propre foundation so that if the promise be taken away faith by by falleth down or rather vanisheth away therfore we toke our definition frō thense which yet varieth not from y◠definition or rather descriptiō of the Apostle that he applieth to his discourse wher he saith that faithe is a substance of thinges to be hoped for a certaintie of things that are not seen For by this word Hypostasis
there speaketh in the persone of a maÌ„ regenerate I speake not of this that he vseth these wordes Euell Sinne that thei which wil speake against vs may not cauil against those words but whoe can denie that a striuing against the lawe of God is euell whoe can denie a withstanding of Iustice to be sinne Finally whoe wâ—ll not graunt that there is a fault where is a spiritual miserie But al these thinges are reported of this disease by Paule Againe we haue an assured demonstration by the law by whiche this whole question may easily be discussed For we are coÌ„maunded to loue God with all our heart with al our soule with al our powers Sithe al the partes of our soule ought so to be occupied with the loue of God it is certaine that they satisfie not the coÌ„maundement that conceiue in their heart any desire be it neuer so litle or suffer any such thought at all to entre into their minde as maye withdraw them from the loue of God into vanitie For what are not these the powers of the soule to be affected with sodeine motions to coÌ„prehend with wit to coÌ„ceyue with minde Therfore when these do open a way for vaine or corrupt thoughtes to entre into them do they not shew that they are euen so much voide of the loue of God Wherfore who so confesseth not that all the lustes of the flesh are sinnes and that the same disease of lusting which they call a fedyng is the well spryng of sinne he muste needes denie that the transgression of the lawe is sinne If any man thinke it an absurditie that all the desires wherwith man is naturally moued in affection are vniuersally condeÌ„ned wheras they be put into man by God the author of nature We answer that we doe not condemne those desires that God hath so engrauen into the minde of man at the firste creation that they can not be rooted out without destroyeng the very nature of man but only outragious and vnbridled motions that fight against the ordinance of God But nowe sithe by reason of the peruersnesse of nature all her powers are infected and corrupted that in all her doynges appereth a continuall disorder and intemperance bicause the desires can not be seuered froÌ„ such intemperance therefore we say that they are corrupt Or if you like to haue the whole summe in fewer wordes we teache that all the desires of men are euell and we accuse them to be gilty of sinne not in that that they are naturall but for that they are inordinate and we call them inordinate bycause no pure or cleane thynge can come out of a corrupte and vncleane nature And Augustine dothe not so much varie from this doctrine as he appereth in shewe while he somwhat to much feareth the enuie that the Pelagians labored to bryng him into he sometime forbeareth to vse the name of sinne Yet where he writeth that the law of sinne still remaynyng in the holy ones the onely giltinesse is taken awaye he plainely sheweth that he doth not so much disagree from our meanyng We will alleage some other sentences wherby shal better appere what he thought In yâ— second boke against Iulian This law of sinne is both released by the spiritual regeneration abideth in the mortal flesh released herein bicause the giltnesse is taken away in the sacrament whereby the faithfull are regenerate and it abideth bycause it worketh the desires agaynst whiche the faythfull doe fight Agayne Therfore the law of sinne which was also in the membres of so great an Apostle is released in baptisme but not ended Agayne The lawe of sinne of which yet remainyng the giltinesse is in baptisme discharged Ambrose called wickednesse bicause it is wickednesse for the flesh to lust against the Spirit Againe Sinne is dead in respect of that giltinesse wherin it helde vs and euen beyng dead it still rebelleth til it be healed with perfection of burial And yet playner in the v. boke As the blindenesse of heart is bothe a sinne whereby menne beleueth not in God and also a punishment of sinne whereby a proude heart is chastised with worthy correction and the cause of sinne when any thyng is committed by the errour of a blinde heart so the lust of flesh agaynste whiche a good spirit lusteth is bothe sinne bycause there is in it disobedience agaynst the gouernement of the minde and also the punishment of sinne bycause it is geuen for recompense to the deseruynges of the disobedient and the cause of sinne in manne when he consenteth by defection or in manne when he is borne by infection Here wythout anye doubtefull speache he calleth it sinne bycause when errour was ones ouerthroweÌ„ and the truth coÌ„firmed he lesse feared sclaunderours reportes As in the .xlj. Homelie vpoÌ„ Iohn where doâ—tlesse he speaketh according to the true meaning of his mind he sayth If in the flesh thou serue the law of sinne do that whiche the Apostle himself sayth let not sinne reigne in your mortal bodie to obey the desires therof He sayth not let it not be but let it not reigne So long as thou liuest sinne must needes be in thy meÌ„bres at least let Reigne be taken from it Let not that be done whiche it commaundeth They that defend that luste is no sinne are wont to obiecte that sayeng of Iames Lust after that it hath conceiued bryngeth forth sinne But this is easily confuted For vnlesse we thinke that he speaketh of only ill workes or actuall sinnes euell will it self shall not be accompted sinne But where he calleth mischeuous deedes and wicked offenses the ofsprynges of sinne and geueth vnto them the name of sinnne it doth not by and by folow thereof but that to luste is an euell thyng and damnable before God Certaine Anabaptistes in this age deuise I wote not what phreÌ„tike intemperance in stede of spirituall regeneration sayeng that the children of God restored into the state of innoceÌ„cie now ought no more to be carefull for bridlyng of the luste of the fleshe that the Spirit is to be folowed for their guide vnder whose guidyng they neuer goe out of the way It were incredible that mans minde could fall to so great madnesse vnlesse they did opeÌ„ly and proudely babble abrode this doctrine Truely it is monstruous But it is mete that suche should suffer the punishment of suche blasphemous boldnesse that so haue persuaded their minde to turne the truth of God into a lie Shal al the choise of honestie and dishonestie righte and wronge good and euell vertue and vice be taken awaye â–ª Suche difference saye they coÌ„meth of the cursednesse of olde Adam from whiche we are exempted by Christe So nowe there shal be no difference betwene fornication and chastitie playne dealyng and sutteltie truthe and lyeng iustice and extortion Take awaye vayne feare saye they the Spirit will commaund thee no euell thyng so that thou boldly and without feare yelde thee to
testifieth which reporteth that in the time of Ambrose the Chirch of Millain first began to sing when while Iustina the mother of Valentinâ—an cruelly raged against the true Faith the people more vsed watchinges than they were wont and that afterwarde the other westerne Chirches folowed For he had a litle before sayed that this maner came from the Easterne Chirches He telleth also in his seconde boke of Retractations that it was in his time receiued in Africa One Hilarie sayth he a ruler did in euery place wheresoeuer he could with malicious blaming raile at the maner which then began to be at Carthage that the hymnes at the altar should be pronounced out of the boke of Psalmes either before the oblation or wheÌ„ that which had ben offred was distributed to the people Him I answered at the commaundement of my brethren And truely if song be tempered to that grauitie which becommeth the preseÌ„ce of God and Angels it both procureth dignitie and grace to the holy actions and muche auaileth to stirre vp the myndes to true affection and feruentnesse of prayeng But we muste diligently beware that our eares be not more hedefully bente to the note than our myndes to the spiritual sense of the wordes Wyth which peril Augustine in a certaine place sayth that he was so moued that he sometime wished that the maner which Athanasius kept shold be stablished which commaunded that the reder shoulde sounde hys wordes with so small a boowing of hys voice that it should be liker to one that readeth than to one that singeth But when he remembred howe muche profite he hymselfe had receyued by syngyng he inclined to the other side Therfore vsyng this moderation there is no dout that it is a most holye and profitable ordinance As on the other side what songes so euer are framed only to swetenesse and delite of the eares they both become not the maiestie of the Chirch and can not but hyely displease God Whereby it also playnly appereth that common praiers are to be spoken not in Greke among Latine men nor in Latine among Frenchemen or Englishemen as it hath heretofore ben eche where commonly done but in the peoples mother tongue which coÌ„monly may be vnderstoode of the whole assembly forasmuche as it ought to be done to the edifiyng of the whole Chirch whiche receiue no fruite at all of a sound not vnderstanded But they which haue no regarde neither of charitie nor of humanitie shold at least haue ben somwhat moued with the authoritie of Paule whoe 's wordes are nothyng doutfull If thou blesse saieth he in Spirite howe shall he that filleth the place of an vnlerned man answer Amen to thy blessing sith he knoweth not what thou saiest For thou in dede geuest thankes but the other is not edified Who therfore can sufficiently wonder at the vnbridled licentiousnesse of the Papistes which the Apostle so openly crying out againste it feare not to roare out in a strange tongue moste babblyng prayers in whiche they themselues sometyme vnderstand not one syllable nor wold haue other folkes to vnderstand it But Paule teacheth that we ought to do otherwise How then I will pray sayth he with spirit I will praye also with mynde I will syng with spirite I will sing also with mynde signifieng by the name of Spirite the singular gifte of tonges which many being endued with abused it when they seuered it from the mynde that is froÌ„ vnderstaÌ„ding But this we must altogether thiÌ„k that it is by no meane possible neither in publike nor in priuate praier but that the tong without the hart must hyely displease God Moreouer we muste thinke that the mynde ought to be kyndled with feruentnesse of thoughte that it maye farre surmounte all that the tong maye expresse with vtterance Fynally that the tong is not necessarie at all for priuate prayer but so farre as the inwarde felyng either is not able to suffice to enkindle it selfe or the vehemence of enkindlyng violently carieth the woorke of the tong with it For though very good prayers sometyme be without voyce yet it oftentymes betydeth that when the affection of the mynde is feruent bothe the tong breaketh foorthe into voice and the other membres into gesturyng without excessiue shew Hereupon came the mutteryng of Hanna and such a like thing all the holy ones alway fele in themselues when they burst out into broken and vnperfect voices As for the gestures of the body which are wont to be vsed in praier as knelyng and vncoueryng of the hed they are exercises by which we endeuor to ryse vp to a greater reuerencing of God Now we must learne not onely a more certaine rule but also the very forme of prayeng namely the same which the heauenly Father hath taught vs by his beloued Sonne wherin we may acknowe his vnmesurable goodnesse and kyndenesse For besyde this he warneth and exhorteth vs to seke hym in al our necessitie as children are wont to flee to their fathers defence so oft as they be troubled with any distresse because he saw that we did not sufficiently perceiue this how sclender our pouertie was what were mete to be asked what were for our profite he prouided also for this our ignoraÌ„ce what our capacitie waÌ„ted he supplied furnished of his own For he hath prescribed to vs a form wherin he hath as in a Table set our whatsoeuer we may desire of him what soeuer auaileth for our profit whatsoeuer is necessary to ask Of whiche his gentlenesse we receaue a great fruit of comfort that we vnderstand that we aske no inconuenient thyng no vnsemyng or vnfit thyng finally nothyng that is not acceptable to hym sith we aske in a maner after his owne mouthe When Plato sawe the folly of men in making requestes to God whiche beyng grauÌ„ted it many tymes befell much to their owne hurt he pronounced that this is the best maner of prayeng taken out of the olde Poete Kyng Iupiter geue vnto vs the beste thynges bothe when we aske them and when we doo not aske them but commaunde euell thynges to be away from vs euen when we aske them And verily the heathen man is wyse in this that he iudgeth howe perillous it is to aske of the Lorde that whiche our owne desire moueth vs and therwithal he bewrayeth our vnhappy case that we can not ones open our mouthes before God without danger vnlesse the Spirite do instructe vs to a right rule of praying And in so muche greater estimation this priuilege is worthy to be had of vs sithe the onely begotten Sonne of God ministreth wordes into our mouthe which may deliuer our mynde from all doutyng This whether you call it forme or rule of praying is made of six petitions For the cause why I agree not to them that diuide it into seuen partes is this that by puttyng in this aduersatiue word But it semeth that the Euangelist men to
pledge and earneste of our adoption but also he geueth vs the Spirite for witnesse of the same adoption through whom we may with a free and lowde voyce crie Abba Father So ofte therfore as any delay shal withâ—arde vs let vs remembre to aske of hym that correctyng our fearefulnesse he will sette before vs that Spirite of coragiousnesse to be our guide to pray boldly Whereas we are not so taught that euery one shoulde seuerally call hym his owne father but rather that we should all in common together call hym Our Father therby we are put in mynde howe great affection of brotherly loue ought to be among vs whiche are altogether by one same right of mercy and liberalitie the children of suche a Father For we all haue one common Father from whom cometh whatsoeuer good thyng may betide vnto vs there ought to be nothyng seuerall among vs whiche we are not ready with great cherefulnesse of mynde to communicate one to an other so muche as nede requireth Now if we be so desirous as we oughte to be to reache our hande and helpe one to an other there is nothyng wherin we may more profite our brethren than to commende them to the care and prouidence of the most good Father who beyng well pleased fauoring nothing at al can be waÌ„ted And verily euen this same we owe to our Father For as he that truely hartily loueth any Father of household doth also embrace his whole housholde with loue and good will likewise what loue affection we beare to this heauenly Father we must shewe towarde his people his householde and his inheritance which he hath so honored that he hath called it the fullnesse of his only begotten Sonne Let a christian man therfore frame his prayers by this rule that they be common and may comprehend all them that be brethren in Christe with hym and not onely those whom he presently seeth and knoweth to be suche but al men that lyue vpon earth of whom what God hath determined it is out of our knowlege sauyng that it is no lesse godly then naturall to wish the best to them and hope the beste of them Howbeit we ought with a certayne singular affection to beare a special inclination to them of the household of faith whom the Apostle hath in euery thing peculiarly commended vnto vs. In a suÌ„me Al our praiers ought to be so made that they haue respect to that communitie which our Lord hath stablished in his kyngdome and his house Yet this withstandeth not but that we may specially pray both for our selues and for certaine other so that yet our mynde depart not from hauyng an eye to this communitie nor ones swarue from it but applie all thynges vnto it For though they be singularly spoken in forme yet because they are directed to that marke they cesse not to be common All this may be easily vnderstoode by a like example The commaundemeÌ„t of God is generall to relieue the nede of all poore and yet they obey this commaundement which to this ende do helpe their pouertie whom they knowe or see to be in nede although they passe ouer many whome they see to be pressed with no lesse necessitie either because they can not know all or be not able to helpe all After this maner they also doo not against the will of God which hauyng regard vnto and thinkyng vppon this common felowship of the Chirche doo make suche particular prayers by whiche they doo with a common mynde in particular wordes commende to God themselves or other whoe 's necessitie God willed to be more nereiy knowen to them Howbeit all thyngs are not like in praier and in bestowyng of goodes For the liberalitie of geuing can not be vsed but toward them whoe 's nede we haue perceyued but with prayers we may helpe euen them that are most strange and moste vnknowen to vs by howe greate a space of ground soeuer they be distant from vs. This is done by that generall forme of praier wherin all the children of God are conteined among whom they also are Hereto we may applie that which Paule exhorteth the faithfull of his tyme that they lift vp euery where pure handes without stryfe because when he warneth them yâ— strife shutteth the gate against praiers he willeth them with one mynde to lay their petitions in common together It is added that he is in heauen Wherupon it is not by and by to be gathered that he is bounde faste enclosed and compassed with the circle of heauen as within certayne barres For Salomon also confesseth that the heauens of heauens can not conteyne hym And he hymselfe faith by the Prophet that heauen is his seate and the earthe his footestoole Wherby verily he signifieth that he is not limited in any certaine coaste but is spread abroade throughout all thynges But because our mynde suche is the grossenesse of it coulde not otherwyse conceiue his vnspeakable glorie it is signified to vs by the heauen than which there can nothing come vnder our sight more ample or fuller of maiesty Sith therfore wheresoeuer our senses comprehende any thyng there they vse to fasten it God is sett out of all place that when we will seke hym we should be raised vp aboue all sense bothe of body and soule Agayne by this maner of speakyng he is lifted vp aboue all chaunce of corruption and change finally it is signified that he comprehendeth and coÌ„temeth the whole worlde and gouerneth it with his power Wherfore this is al one as if he had ben called of infinite greatnesse or height of incomprehensible substance of vnmeasurable power of euerlastyng immortalitie But while we haue this we must lift vp our mynde hier when God is spoken of that we dreame not any earthly or fleshly thyng of hym that we measure hym not by our small proportions nor drawe his will to the rule of our affections And therwithall is to be raysed vp our affiance in him by whose prouidence and power we vnderstande heauen and earth to be gouerned Let this be the summe that vnder the name of Father is sett before vs that God which hath in his owne image appeared to vs that he may be called vpon with assured faith and that the familiar name of Father is not onely applied to stablishe affiance but also auaileth to holde fast our myndes that they be not drawen to doutfull or fained Gods but shoulde from the onely begotten sonne clymbe vp to the onely father of Angels and of the Chirche then that because his seate is placed in heauen we are by the gouernance of the worlde put in mynd that not without cause we come to hym which with present care cometh of his owne will to mete vs. Who so come to God saith the Apostle they must first beleue that there is a God then that he is a rewarder to all them that seke hym Bothe these thyngs Christ affirmeth
from thys care for verily these promyses haue respect to the time to come All that my Father geueth mee shall come to me and him that shall come to mee I will not cast him oute of doers Againe This is the will of him that sente me the Father that I lose nothing of al things that he hath geuen me but may raise them vp againe in the last day Againe â–ª My shepe heare my voice and thei folowe me I knowe them and I geue them eternall life and thei shall not perishe for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande The Father which gaue them to me is greater then all and no man can take them out of the hande of my Father Now when he pronouÌ„ceth Euery tree whiche my Father hathe not planted shall be plucked vp by the roote he signifieth on the coÌ„trary side that thei can neuer be plucked from saluation which haue roote in God Wherewith agreeth that saieng of Ihon If thei had ben of vs thei had not at all gone out from vs. Herevpon also commeth that noble glorieng of Paul against Life and Death present thinges and thinges to come which glorieng must nedes be grounded vpon the gift of continuance Neyther is it any doubt that he directeth this saieng to all the faithfull In an other place the same Paul saith He that hath begonne in you a good worke shal ende it euen vntil the day of Christ. As also Dauid when his faith fainted leaned vpon this stay Thou shalt not forsake the worke of thy handes And nowe neither is this doubtfull that Christ when he prayeth for all the faithfull asketh the same thinge for them whiche he asketh for Peter that their faith maye neuer faint Whereby we gather that thei are out of danger of falling awaie bycause the sonne of God askinge stedfaste continuance for their godlinesse suffered no deniall What woulde Christe haue vs to learne hereby but that wee shoulde truste that we shall perpetually be safe bicause we are ones made his But it dayly happeneth that thei whiche semed to be Christes do agayne reuolt from him fal yea in the very same place where he affirmeth that none had perished of them which were geuen him of the Father yet he excepteth the sonne of perditioÌ„ That is true in dede but this is also as certaine that such did neuer cleaâ—e to Christ with that aâ—fiance of heart with whiche I sate that the assurednesse of our election ys stablished Thei went out from vs saith Ihon but thei were not of vs. For if thei had ben of vs thei had still taried with vs. Neither do I deny that thei haue like signes of calling as the elect haue but I do not graunt that thei haue that sure stablishment of election which I bidde the faithfull to fetche out of the worde of the Gospell Wherfore let not suche examples moue vs but that we quietly reste vpon the promise of the Lord where he pronounceth that al thei are geuen to him of the Father which receiue him with true faith of whom sith he is their keper Pastor none shal perishe Of Iudas we shal speake hereafter Paule doth not counsell Christians from assurednesse altogether butte from carelesse and loose assurednesse of the fleshe whiche draweth wyth it pride presumptioÌ„ and disdaine of other and quencheth humilitie and the reuerence of God bringeth forgetfulnes of grace receiued For he speaketh to the Gentiles whome he teacheth that thei ought not proudly vngently to reproche that Iewes for this that the Iewes beinge disherited thei were set in their stede Feare also he requireth not wherew t thei sholde be dismaied stagger but whych framing vs to the humbler receiuing of the grace of God shold abate nothing of the affiance therof as we haue said in an other place Beside that he doth not there speake to euery maÌ„ particularly but to the sectes theÌ„selues generally For when the Churche was diuided into two parts enuie bred dissensioÌ„ Paul putteth the GeÌ„tiles in minde that their beiÌ„g supplied into the place of the peculiar holy people ought to bee to theÌ„ a cause of feare modesty And amoÌ„g theÌ„ ther wer many puffed vp with glory whose vaine bostiÌ„g it was profitable to beat downe But we haue in an other place shewed that our hope is extended to the time to come euen beyonde death that nothing is more contrarye to the nature of it than to doubte what shall become of vs. That saieng of Christ of many being called but few chosen is very il takeÌ„ after that maÌ„ner Ther shal be nothing doubtful if we hold faste that which ought to be clere by the things aboue spokeÌ„ that ther ar two sorts of calling For ther is an vniuersal calling wherby through the outward preaching of the word God calleth al together to him euen them also to whom he setteth it forth vnto that sauour of death vnto matter of more greuous coÌ„demnatioÌ„ The other is a special calling whiche for the most part he vouche saueth to geue only to the faithful wheÌ„ by the inward enlightning of his spirit he maketh that the word preached is setled in their hearts Yet somtime he maketh theÌ„ also partakers of it whoÌ„ he enlightneth but for a time afterward by the deseruiÌ„g of their vnthankefulnes forsaketh theÌ„ striketh theÌ„ with greater blindenes Nowe when the Lorde sawe the Gospel to be published far wide to be despised of many but to be had in due price of fewe he describeth to vs God vnder the persoÌ„ of a Kinge which preparinge a solemne feaste sendeth his messingers rounde about to bidde a greate multitude to be his gestes and yet can get but a fewe bicause euery one allegeth lettes for his excuse so that at length he is compelled vpon their refusal to cal out of the hie waies euery one that he meteth Hetherto euery man seeth that the parable must be vnderstand of the outward callinge He addeth afterward that God doth like a good maker of a feast which goeth aboute the tables to chere his gestes If he finde any not clothed with a weddinge garment he wil not suffer him with his vncleanlines to dishonoure the solemnitie of the feast This part of the parable I grant is to be vnderstand of them which enter into the Church by the profession of faithe but are not clothed with the sanctification of Christ. Suche dishonors and as it were botches of his Churche the Lorde wyll not suffer for euer but as their fylthinesse deserueth he wil caste them out Therfore few ar chosen out of a great numbre of them that are called but yet not with the calling by which we say that the faithfull ought to iudge their election For that general calling is also common to the wicked but this special Calling bringeth with it the spirit of regeneratioÌ„ which is the
we are ioyned in felowship to the holy fathers whiche euen beyng dead doe kepe the same godlinesse with vs so that we can not be the members of Christ vnlesse we growe together with them Unlesse also the soules beyng vnclothed of the bodies did kepe still their substance were able to receyue blessed glorie Christ wold not haue sayd to the thefe This day thou shalt be with me in paradise Hauing so clere testimonies let vs not dout after the example of Christ when we are dyeng to commend our soules to God or after the example of Stephen to commit them to Christ to kepe which not vnworthily is called a faithfull shepeherd and bishop of them To enquire of their meane state is neyther lawfull nor expedient Many do much combeâ— themselues with disputing what place they kepe and whether thei do now enioye the heauenly glorie or no. But it is follie and rashnesse to searche depelier of vnknowen thinges than God doth geue vs leaue to know When the Scripture hath sayd that Christ is present with them and receiueth them into paradise that they maye enioy comfort on the other side that the soules of the reprobate do suffer suche peines as they haue deserued it goeth no further What teacher or maister shall nowe open to vs that whiche God hath hidden Of the place the questioÌ„ is no lesse fond and vayne for asmuch as we know that there is not the same dimension of the soule which is of the body Whereas the blessed gatheryng together of holy spirites is called the bosome of Abraham it is enough for vs after this wayfaryng to be receyued of the common father of the faithfull that he may communicate with vs the frute of his fayth In the meane time â—iâ—he the Scripture euery where biddeth vs to hang vpon the expectation of Christes coÌ„ming and differreth the crowne of glorie till then let vs be content with these bondes apointed vs of God namely that the soules of the godly hauyng ended the labor of their warfare doe goe into a blessed reste where with happy ioyfulnesse they loke for the enioyeng of the promised glorie and that so all thinges are holden in suspense till Christ the redemer appere As for the Reprobate it is no dout that they haue the same estate which Iude assigneth to the Deuels to be holden bound with cheynes till they be drawen to the punishment whereunto they are condemned No lesse monstruous is their error whiche imagine that soules shall not receyue againe the same bodies wherwith they are now clothed but shal haue new and other bodies And the reason of the Manichees was very triflyng that is that it is not mete that flesh which is vncleane shold rise againe As though there were no vncleaÌ„nesse of soules which yet they debarred not from the hope of euerlasting life It was therefore all one as if they shold say that that which is infected with the filth of sinne can not be cleansed by God For I now passe ouer that dotage that fleshe was naturally vncleane bicause it was create of the Deuel Only I shew that what so euer is now in vs vnworthy of heauen it hindereth not the resurrection And first wheras Paule biddeth the faithfull to cleanse themselues from all deâ—ilyng of the fleshe and of the Spirit therupoÌ„ foloweth the iudgement which he in an other place pronounceth that euery man shal receiue by his body eyther good or euel Wherewith agreeth that which he writeth to the CorinthiaÌ„s That the life of Iesus Christ may be openly shewed in our mortal flesh For which reason in an other place he doth no lesse pray that God preserue the bodies whole vnto the day of Christ than the soules and spirites And no maruell bicause it were a most great absurditie that the bodies which God hath dedicate to be temples to himselfe should fall away into rottennesse without hope of risyng againe What say we to this that thei are also the members of Christ that God commaundeth all the partes of them to be sanctified to himself that he willeth his name to be praysed with tonges pure handes to be lifted vp to him sacrifices to be offred What madnesse is it therfore that that part to whiche the heauenly iudge hath vouchesaued to graunt so great honor should be brought from a mortal man into dust without any hope of restoring Likewise when Paule exhorteth vs to suffer the Lord as well in body as in soule bycause both belong to God verily he suffreth not that whiche he chalengeth to God as holy to be adiudged to eternall rottennesse Neyther is there a plainer determinatioÌ„ of the Scripture for any thing thaÌ„ for the risyng againe of this flesh which we beare This corruptible sayth Paule must put on vncorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie If God did make new bodies where is this changyng of qualitie If it had ben sayd that we must be renewed the doutful speache paraduenture mought haue geuen occasion to their cauillatioÌ„ But now when pointyng with his â—ingar to the bodies wherewith we are clothed he promiseth to them vncorruption he plainely enough denieth any new bodies to be made Yea he could not sayth TertulliaÌ„ speake more plainly vnlesse he had holden his owne skinne in his hand And they can by no cauillation escape froÌ„ this that where in an other place he sayth that Christ shal be the iudge of the world he allegeth this testimonie of Esaye I liue sayth the Lord euery knee shal bowe to me for as much as he plainly pronounceth that they to whoÌ„ he speaketh shal be subiect to yeld an accompt of their life which could not agree if newe bodies should be brought before the iudgement seate Nowe in the wordes of Daniel there is no doutfulnesse And many of them that slepe in the earth of dust shall awake some to eternall life and some to reproches to euerlastyng contempt sithe he fetcheth not new matter out of the fower elementes to make men but calleth dead men out of their graues And this very plaine reason teacheth For if mortalitie whiche toke beginnyng at the fall of man be accidental then the repayring which Christ brought perteineth to the same body which began to be mortall And truely wheras the Athenians laughed when Paule affirmed the resurrection therupon we may gather what manner of resurrection he preached and that same laughyng not smally anayleth to strengthen our faith The sayeng of Christ also is worthy to be noted Feare not them which kil the body can not kil the soule but feare him which can throwe both the soule and the body into hell of fire For there is no cause to feare vnlesse the body whiche we now beare be subiect to punishmeÌ„t And no lesse plaine is an other sayeng of the same Christ The houre coÌ„meth when all they that are in graues shal heare the
of name where God hath sette the memorye of hys name Whereby he playnly teacheth that without the doctrine of godlinesse there is no vse thereof And it is not douteful but that for the same reason Dauid with greate bitternesse of Spirite complayneth that he is by the tirannous crueltie of hys enemyes kepte from entring into the Tabernacle It semeth commonlye to many a childishe lamentation because it shoulde be but a very small losse and also no greate pleasure shoulde be forgone thereby to wante the entrie of the temple so that there were enoughe of other delytefull thinges But he bewaileth that with this one griefe anguishe and sorowe he is freted and vexed and in a manner wasted for nothyng is of greater estimation wyth the faythfull than thys helpe wherby God by degrees lyfteth vp his on hye For this is also to be noted that God in the mirror of hys doctrine alway so shewed himselfe to the holy Fathers that the knowledge was spiritual Wherfore the tēple is called not onely his face but also to take awaye all superstition hys foote stole And thys is that happy metyng into vnitie of Fayth whyle from the hyest euen to the lowest all doe aspire to the head All the temples that euer the Gentyles vpon any other purpose builded to God were but a mere prophaning of hys worshyp whereunto thoughe not with lyke grossenesse yet somwhat the Iewes fell Whereof Stephen out of the mouth of Esay reprocheth them where he sayeth that God dwelleth not in temples made wyth handes c. Because onely God doeth by hys worde sanctifie to himselfe temples to the lawefull vse And if we rashly attempt any thing wythout his commaundemente by and by to an euill beginning doe cleaue newe deuises by whyche the euill is spreade abrode without measure Yet Xerxes when by the coūsell of the Magitians he burned vp or plucked downe all the temples of Greece vndiscretely sayed that the goddes to whō al thynges ought to be freely open were inclosed within wals and tyles As thoughe it were not in the power of God to the entente he myght be nere vs after a certayne manner to descende vnto vs and yet neyther to chaunge place nor to fasten vs to earthly meanes but rather by certayne chariotes to carry vs vp to his heauenly glory which with the inmeasurable greatnesse thereof fylleth all thynges yea and in heygth surmounteth the heauens Now forasmuche as at this time there hath been greate strife about the effectualnesse of the ministerie while some excessiuely amplyfye the dignitie thereof and some other affirme that that whiche is properly belonging to the Holy ghost is wrongfully geuē away to mortal mā if we thynke that ministers and teachers do pearce to the mindes and hartes to amende as well the blindnesse of the mindes as the hardnesse of hartes it is mere that we geue a ryght determination of thys cōtrouersy All that they contende on both partes shal easily be accorded by expresly noting the places where God the author of preachyng ioyning his Spirite with it promiseth fruite therof or againe when seueryng hymselfe from outwarde helpes he chalengeth to himselfe alone as wel the beginninges of Fayth as the whole course thereof It was the office of the seconde Elias as Malachie witnesseth to enlighten the mindes and to turne the hartes of fathers to the children and vnbeleuers to the wysedome of the righteous Christ pronounceth that he sendeth the Apostles that they shoulde bryng fruite of theyr labor But what that fruite is Peter shortly defineth saying that we be regenerate with incorruptible sede And therefore Paule gloryeth that he by the Gospell begate the Corinthyans and that they were the seale of hys Apostle shyppe yea that he was not a lyterall minister suche as dyd onely beate the eares wyth sounde of voyce but that there was geuen hym an effectualnesse of Spirite that his doctryne shoulde not be vnprofytable In whiche meaning also in an other place he saieth that hys Gospell was not in worde onely but in power He affyrmeth also that the Galathyans by hearyng receiued the Spirite of Fayth Finallye in many places he maketh hymselfe not onely a woorker together wyth GOD but also assygneth hymselfe the offyce of geuynge saluatyon Truelye he neuer broughte fourth all these thinges to this entent to geue vnto himselfe any thing were it neuer so little seuerally from God as in an other place he shortlye declareth saying our laboure was not vnprofitable in the Lord according to his power mightily working in me Againe in an other place he that was mightie in Peter towarde the circumcision was also mightie in me towarde the Gentiles But howe he leaueth nothing seuerally to the ministers appeareth by other places as he that planteth is nothing and he that watereth is nothing but God that geueth the encrease Again I haue laboured more than all not I but the grace of God that was with me And truely we must holde fast those sayinges where God ascrybing to himselfe the enlyghtenyng of the mynde and the renewing of the harte teacheth that it is a robberie of God if man take vpon himselfe any parte of either of them In the meane time if any man offer hymselfe to the ministers whom God ordeyneth willing to learne he shall knowe by the frute that thys manner of teachyng not in vaine pleased God and that this yoke of modestie was not in vaine laied vpon the faithful But as for the Churche visible and whiche is within the compasse of our knowledge what iudgemente is mete to be geuen therof I thinke it already appeare euidently by that which we haue before saied For we haue sayed that the holy Scripture speaketh of the Churche after two sortes Somtime when it nameth the Churche it meaneth that churche which is in dede before God into which none are receiued but they that are both by grace of adoption the children of God and by santification of the Spirite the true members of Chryst. And then truelye it comprehendeth not onely the holy ones that dwell in earth but also all the electe that haue ben sins the beginning of the world But often times vnder the name of the Church it signifieth the vniuersall multitude of men scattered abrode in the worlde whiche professe that they worshyp one God and Christ by Baptisme entre into hys Fayth by partaking of the Supper testifie their vnitie in true doctrine and charitie haue an agremente in the worde of the Lorde and for the preaching thereof doe kepe the ministerie ordeined by Christe In thys Churche there be mingled many hipocrites whiche haue nothyng of Christ but the name and outward shewe there be many ambicious couetous enuious euill speakers some of vncleane life which be suffred for a time either because they can not by lawfull order of iudgemente be cōuinced or because there is not alway in vre that seueritie of discipline that oughte to be Therefore as
which belongeth to discipline we shal speake in place fyt for it But forasmuch as those phrentyke Spirites that I haue spoken of doe goe about to plucke away froÌ„ the Chirch this only anchore of saluatioÌ„ consciences are the more stroÌ„gly to be confyrmed against a so pestilent opinion The Nouatians in old time troubled the Chirch with this doctrine but not much vnlyke to the Nouatians our age also hath many of the Anabaptistes which fal to the same dotages For they faine that the people of God are in Baptisme regenerate into a pure Angelyke lyfe that is corrupted with no filthinesse of the flesh But if any man offende after Baptisme they leaue vnto him nothing but the vnappeasable iudgement of God Briefely they graunte no hope of pardon to a sinner falleÌ„ after grace receiued because they acknowlege no other forgeuenesse of synnes but that wherby we be first regenerate But although there be no lye more clerely confuted by the Scripture yet because these men finde some whoÌ„ they may deceiue as also in olde tyme Nouatus had many folowers let vs shortly shew how mad they be to their own and others destruction First wheras by the commaundement of the Lord the holy ones do dayly repete this prayer forgeue vs our dettes truely thei do coÌ„fesse theÌ„selues detters Nether do thei craue it in vain because the Lord hath alway appointed no other thyng to be asked than that whiche he himselfe woulde geue Yea wheras he hath testified that the whole prayer shal be heard of his father yet he hath also sealed thys 〈◊〉 solution with a peculiar promise What wyll we more The Lorde requireth of the holy ones all theyr lyfe long a confession of synnes â–ª Yea and that continuall and promyseth pardon That boldnesse is it eyther to exempte them from synne or if they haue stumbled vtterlye to exclude them from grace Nowe whom doeth he will vs to forgeue seuenty tymes seuen tymes not to oure brethren To what ende did he commaunde it but that we should folow his clementie He forgeueth therfore not ones or twise but as often as being striken downe wyth the acknowlegyng of synnes they sighe vnto hym But that we maye begin in a maner at the very swadlyng cloutes of the Chirche the Patriarches were circumcised being allured into partaking of the couenaunt hauing vndoutedly by their fathers diligence ben taught righteousnesse and innocence when they conspired to murder their brother this was a mischeuous acte to be abhorred euen of the most desperate theues At the last being mekened with the monitions of Iudas they solde him this was also an intolerable hapnousnesse Simeon and Leui with wicked reuenge and suche as was also condemned by their own fathers iudgement vsed crueltie againste the Sichemites Ruben with most vnclene lust defiled his fathers bed Iudas when he would geue hymselfe to fornication agaynst the lawe of nature went into his sonnes wife And yet so farre are they from being wiped out of the chosen people that they be rather raised vp to be heds of it But what dyd Dauid when he was a gouernoure of iustice with howe greate wickednesse did he by sheding of innocent bloud opeÌ„ the way to hys blynde luste He was alredy regenerate and among the regenerate garnished with notable prayses of the Lorde neuerthelesse he committed that haynous offence which is horrible euen among the Gentiles and yet he obtained pardon And that we may not tarry vpoÌ„ single examples how many promyses there are in the law and the Prophetes of Gods mercy toward the Israelites so oft it is proued that the Lord sheweth himselfe appeasable to the offenses of his people For what doth Moses promyse to come to passe when the people being â—allen into Apostasie shal returne vnto the Lorde He shall bryng thee backe out of captiuitie and shall haue mercy on thee and shall gather thee together out of the peoples to whom thou hast been dispersed If thou be scattered euen to the borders of the heauen I wil from 〈◊〉 agayne gather thee together But I wyll not beginne a renâ—all that shoulde neuer be ended for the Prophetes are full of suche promyses whiche done yet oâ—â—â—r mercie to the people couered with infinite wicked doinges What 〈◊〉 is there more hainous than rebellion for it is called a 〈◊〉 betweâ—â— God and the Chirch But this is ouercome by the goodnesse of God What man is there sayeth he by Ieremy that if hys wife geue 〈◊〉 her body in common to adulterers can abyde to returne into 〈◊〉 with her but with thy fornications all the wayes are polluted O â—â—da the earth hath been fylled with thy filthy loues But returne vnto me and I wil receiue thee Returne thou turne away I wil not turne away my face from thee because I am holy and am not angry for euer And truely he can be no otherwise minded whiche affirmeth that he willeth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should be conuerted and liue Therfore when Salomon did dedicate the temple he appointed it also to this vse that the praiers made for obteining pardon of sinnes should be heard from thense If sayd he thy sonnes shall synne for there is no man that sinneth not and thou beyng angry shalt deliuer them to their ennemies and they shal repente in their hart and being turned shal entreate thee in their captiuitie saying we haue sinned we haue done wickedly and shal pray toward the land which thou hast geuen to their fathers and towarde this holy temple thou shalte heare their praiers in heauen and shalt be made mercifull to thy people that hath sinned against thee and to all their wickednesses wherewith they haue offended thee And not vainly the Lorde ordeined in the law daily Sacrifices for sinnes For if the Lord had not forseen that hys people should be troubled with continuall diseases of sinnes he would neuer haue appointed these remedyes for them Was thys benefite taken away from the faythful by the comming of Christ wherin the fulnesse of grace was shewed forth so that they dare not now pray for pardon of synnes that if they offende the Lorde they may not obteine any mercy What shal this be els but to saye that Chryste came to the destruction of them that be his and not to their saluation if that mercifulnesse of God in pardoning sinnes which in the olde testament was continually redy for the holy ones be now sayd to be vtterly taken away But if we beleue the Scriptures which expresly cry out that in Chryst only the grace and kyndnesse of the Lord fully appeared that the plentifulnesse of mercy was poured oute that the reconciliation of God and men was fulfilled let vs not dout that there floweth vnto vs a more bountiful mercifulnesse of the heauenly father than that it is cut of or shortened And hereof there want not examples Peter whiche had heard that he should
than eche one seuerally neither is it my meaning that thys is so spoken in common to the faithful as though they were al alike endued with the Spirite of vnderstanding and doctrine but because it is not to be graunted to the aduersaries of Christ that they should for the defense of an euill cause wrest the Scripture to a wrong sense But omitting this I simply cōfesse that which is true that the lord is perpetually presēt with his ruleth them with his Spirite And that this Spirite is not the Spirite of error ignorance lyeng or darkenesse but of sure reuelation wisedome trueth light of whō they not deceitfully may learne those thinges that are geuē them that is to say what is the hope of their calling what be the richesse of the glory of the inheritaunce of God in the saintes But wheras the faythful euen they that are endued with more excellent giftes aboue the rest do in thys fleshe receiue onely the firste frutes a certaine tast of that Spirite there remaineth nothing leeuer to them thā knowing their own weakenesse to hold themselues carefully within the boundes of the worde of God least if they wander farr after their own sense they by by stray out of the right waie in so much as they be yet voide of that Spirite by whoe 's only teaching truth is discerned from falshode For all men do confesse with Paule that they haue not yet atteined to the marke Therfore they more endeuor to daily profiting than glory of perfection But they wil take exception say that whatsoeuer is particularly attributed to euery one of the holy ones the same doth throughly fully belong to the Chirche it selfe Although this hath some seming of truth yet I deney it to be true God doth in dede so distribute to euery one of the members the giftes of his Spirite by measure that the whole body wanteth nothing necessarie whē the giftes are geuē in cōmon But the richesse of the Chirche are alway such that there euer wāteth much of that hiest perfection which our aduersaries do bost of Yet the Chirche is not therefore so lefte destitute in any behalf but that she alway hath so much as is enough For the Lord knoweth what her necessitie requireth But to holde her vnder humilitie and godly modestie he geueth her no more than he knoweth to be expedient I know what here also they are wont to obiecte that is that the Chirche is clensed with the washing of water in the worde of life that it might be without wrincle and spot and that therfore in an other place it is called the piller and stay of truth But in the first of these two places is rather taught what Christ daily worketh in it than what he hath allredy done For if he daily sanctifieth purgeth polysheth wypeth from spottes all them that be his truely it is certayne that they are yet besprinkled with some spottes and wrincles and that there wanteth somwhat of their sanctificatiō But how vayne and fabulous is it to iudge the Chirch alredy in euery part holy and spottlesse wherof all the members are spotty and very vncleane It is true therefore that the Chirche is sanctified of Christe But onely the beginning of that sanctifieng is here seen but the ende and full accomplishment shall be when Christe the holiest of holy ones shall truely and fully fill it with his holinesse It is true also that the spottes and wrincles of it are wiped awaye but so that they be daily in wiping awaye vntill Christe with his comming dooe vtterlye take awaye all that remaineth For vnlesse we graunt this we must of necessitie affirme with the Pelagians that the righteousnesse of the faithfull is perfect in this life and with the Cathani and Donatistes we muste suffer no infirmitie in the Chirch The other place as we haue ells where seen hath a sense vtterly differing from that which they pretende For when Paule hath instructed Timothee and framed him to the true office of a Bishop he sayeth that he did it to this purpose that he should knowe how he ought to be haue himselfe in the Chirch And that he should with the greater religiousnesse and endeuor bend himselfe thereunto he addeth that the Chirch is the very piller stay of truth For what ells do these wordes meane but that the truth of God is preserued in the Chirch namely by the ministerie of preaching As in an other place he teacheth that Christ gaue Apostles Pastors and Teachers that we should no more be caried about with euery winde of doctrine or be morked of men but that being enlightened with the true knowledge of the Sonne of God we should altogether mete in vnitie of Faith Wheras therfore the truth is not extinguished in the world but remayneth safe that same cōmeth to passe because it hath the Chirche a faithful keper of it by whoe 's helpe ministerie it is susteined But if this keping standeth in the ministerie of the Prophetes and Apostles it foloweth that it hangeth wholy herupō if the word of the Lord be faithfully preserued doe kepe hys puritie But that the reders may better vnderstande vpon what pointe thys question chefely standeth I wil in fewe wordes declare what our aduersaries require and wherin we stande against them Where they say that the Chirche can not erre it tendeth herunto thus they expounde it that forasmuch as it is gouerned by the Spirite of God it may goe safely without the worde that whether soeuer it goeth it can not thinke nor speake any thing but truth that therfore if it determine any thing wtout or beside Gods worde the same is no otherwise to be estemed than as a certaine Oracle of God If we graūt that first point that the Chirche can not erre in thinges necessarie to saluation this is our meaning that this is therfore because forsaking al her own wisdome she suffreth her selfe to be taught of the Holy ghost by the word of God This therfore is the difference They set the authoritie of the Chirch without the worde of God but we wil that it be annexed to the worde and suffer it not to be seuered from it And what maruel is it if the spouse and scholar of Christ be subiect to her husbande scholemaister that the cōtinually and ernestly hāgeth of his mouth For this is the order of a wel gouerned house that the wife should obey the authoritie of the husbande thys is the rule of a wel ordered schoole that the teaching of the scholemaster alone should there be heard Wherfore let the Chirche not be wise of her selfe not thinke any thing of her selfe but determine the ende of her wisdōe where he hath made an ende of speaking After thys maner she shal also distruste all the inuentions of her owne reason but in those thinges wherin it stādeth vpō the word of God she shall wauer
therin many infirmities though I speake of nothyng more greuous And Leo bishop of Rome sticketh not to charge with ambition and vnaduised rashnesse the Synode of Chalcedon which yet he confesseth to be sounde in doctrines He doeth in dede not denie that it was a lawfull Synode but he openly affirmeth that it might erre Some man peraduenture will thinke me fonde for that I busy my selfe in shewyng suche errors forasmuche as our aduersaries do confesse that Councels may erre in those thyngs that ar not necessary to saluation But this labor is not yet superfluous For althoughe because they are compelled they do in dede confesse it in worde yet when they thrust vnto vs the determination of al councels in euery mater whatsoeuer it be for an oracle of the Holy ghost they do therein require more than they toke at the beginnyng In so doing what do they affirme but that Coūcels can not erre or if they erre yet it is not lawfull for vs to see the truthe or not to soothe their errors And I intend nothyng ells but that it may therby be gathered that the Holy ghost so gouerned the godly and holy Synodes that in the mean tyme he suffred somwhat to happen to them by the nature of men lest we shold to muche trust to men This is a muche better sentence than that of Gregorie Nazianzene that he neuer sawe a good end of any Councel For he that affirmeth that al without exception ended ill doth not leaue them much authoritie It is now nothyng nedefull to make mention seuerally of prouinciall Councells forasmuche as it is easy to iudge by the general how much authoritie they ought to haue to make newe articles of Faithe and to receiue what kynde of doctrine soeuer it pleaseth them But our Romanistes when they see that in defence of their cause all helpe of reason doth faile them do resort to that extreme and miserable shift that although the men themselues be blockishe in wit and coūsell and moste wicked in mynde and will yet the word of God remaineth whiche cōmaundeth to obey Rulers Is it so what if I denie that they be rulers that ar such For they ought to take vpon themselues no more than Iosua had which was bothe a Prophet of the Lord an excellent pastor But let vs heare with what wordes he is set by the Lorde into his office Let not saieth he the volume of this lawe depart from thy mouth but thou shalt studie vpon it daies nights Thou shalt neither bow to the right hand nor to the left then shalt thou direct thy way vnderstād it They therfore shal be to vs spiritual rulers which shal not bowe frō the law of the Lord neither to the one side nor to the other But if the doctrine of al pastors whatsoeuer they be is to be receiued wtout any douting to what purpose was it that we shold so oft so earnestly be admonished not to harken to the speche of false prophets Heare not saith he by Hieremie the words of the prophets that prophecie to you For they teach you vanitie not out of the mouth of the Lord. Again Beware you of false prophets that come vnto you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues And Iohn should in vaine exhort vs that we should proue the Spirits whether they be of God From which iudgement the very Angels are not exēpted much lesse Satan with all his lyes What is to be said of this saying if the blind lead the blind they shal both fall into the diche Doth it not sufficiently declare that it is of great importance what maner of prophets be heard and that not all are rashely to be heard Wherfore there is no reason that they should make vs afraid with their titles therby to draw vs into partakyng of their blyndnesse forasmuche as we see on the other side that the Lorde hadde a singular care to fray vs away from suffring our selues to be led with other mens error vnder what visor of name soeuer it lurketh For if the answer of Christ be true then al blynd guides whether they be called fathers of the Chirch or prelates or bishops can do nothing but draw their partners into the same headlong downfall Wherfore let no names of Councels Pastors Bishops which may as well be falsely pretended as truely vsed hinder vs but that beyng taught by lessons both of words and examples we may examine all spirites of all men by the rule of the word of God that we may proue whether they be of God or no. Forasmuche as we haue proued that there is not geuen to the Chirch a power to set vp a newe doctrine now let vs speake of the power whiche they attribute vnto it in expoundyng of Scripture Truely we doo willingly graunt that if there happen debate about any doctrine there is no better nor surer remedy than if a Synode of true bishops assemble together where the doctrine in controuersie maie be discussed For suche a determination wherunto the Pastors of Chirches shall agree in common together calling vpon the Spirite of Christ shall haue muche greater force than if euery one seuerally should conceiue it at home so teach it to the people or if a few priuate men shold make it Again when bishops are gathered together in one they doo the more cōmodiously take aduise in cōmon what in what forme they ought to teach least diuersitie shold brede offence Thirdely Paule prescribeth this order in discerning of doctrines For wheras he geueth to euery seuerall Chirche a power to discerne he sheweth what is the order of doyng in weightier causes that is that the Chirches shold take vpon them a cōmon tryall of the mater together And so doth the very feeling of godlinesse instructe vs that if any man trouble the Chirch with an vnwonted doctrine the mater procede so farre that there be peril of greater dissention the Chirches shold first mete together and examine the question propounded at last after iuste discussing had bryng foorthe a determination taken out of the Scripture suche as may both take away doutyng out of the people and stoppe the mouthes of wicked and gredy men that they may not bee so hardy to procede any further So when Arrius was risen the Nicene Synode was gathered together whiche with the authoritie therof bothe did breake the wicked endeuors of the vngodly man and restored peace to the Chirches whiche he had vexed and defended the eternall godhead of Christ againste his blasphemous doctrine When afterward Eunonius and Macedonius stirred vp new troubles their madnesse was resisted with like remedie by the Synode of Constantinople In the Coūsel at Ephesus the wickednesse of Nestorius was banished Finally this hath ben from the beginning the ordinarie meane in the Chirch to preserue vnitie so ofte as Satan began to worke any thyng But let vs remembre that not in all ages or in all places
or emprisonmentes or other ciuile punishementes but they vsed the only word of the Lorde as they ought to do For the seuerest reuenge and as it were the vttermost thunderbolt of the Chirch is Excōmunication whiche is not vsed but in necessitie But this requireth neyther force nor strong hande but is content with the power of the worde of God Finally the iurisdiction of the olde Chirch was nothyng ells but a declaration in practise as I may so call it of that which Paul teacheth concernyng the spirituall power of Pastors There is sayth he power geuen to vs wherby we may throwe down strōg holdes wherby we may make low all heighth that lifteth vp it selfe againste the knowlege of God whereby we may subdue all thought and may leade it captiue into the obedience of Christ and we haue in readinesse a reuenge against all disobedience As this is doone by the preachyng of the doctrine of Christ so least the doctrine should be scorned accordyng to that whiche is taught ought they to be iuged which professe themselues of the houshold of faith But that can not be done vnlesse there be ioyned with the ministerie a power to call them that are to be priuately admonished or to be more sharply corrected and also a power to exclude them from the Communion of the Supper whiche can not be receiued without prophaning of so great a mysterie Therfore whē in an other place he saith ▪ that it belongeth not to vs to iudge strangers he maketh the children subiect to the Censures of the Chirch which may chastise their faultes and he secretely signifieth that there were then iudiciall orders in force from which none of the faithfull was free But suche authoritie as we haue declared was not in the power of one man to do euery thyng accordyng to his owne wyll but in the power of the assemblie of the Elders whyche was the same thing in the Chirche that a Senate is in a Citie Cyprian when he maketh mentiō by whom it was exercised in his tyme vseth to ioyne the whole Clergie with the Bishop But in an other place also he sheweth that the very clergy so gouerned that in the meane tyme the people was not excluded from the hearyng of maters For thus he writeth Sins the beginnyng of my bishoprike I haue determined to do nothyng without the counsel of the clergie and consent of the people But this was the common and vsuall maner that the iurisdiction of the Chirch should be exercised by a Senate of Elders of whom as I haue saied there were two sortes For some were ordeined to teachyng other some were only iudges of maners By little and little this institution grewe out of kynd from the first beginning of it so that euen in the time of Ambrose onely clerkes were iudges in ecclesiastical iudgementes Which thing he himself complaineth of in these wordes The old Synagoge saith he and sins that time the Chirche hath had Elders without whoe 's counsell nothyng was done Which by what negligence it is growen out of vse I know not vnlesse peraduenture by the slouthfulnesse or rather the pride of the teachers while they alone wold be thought to be somwhat We see how much the holy man is displeased that any thyng of the better state is decaied when notwithstandyng they had yet continuyng an order that was at the least tolerable What then would he do if he saw these deformed ruines that shewe almoste no signe of the olde byldyng What bewaylyng would he vse Fyrst agaynst lawe and right the Bishop hath claimed to hymselfe alone that whiche was geuen to the whole Chirch For it is like as if the Consul driuyng out the Senate should take the empire vpon himselfe alone But as he is aboue the rest in honor so in the whole assemblie is more authoritie than in one man Therefore it was to wicked a dede that one man remouyng the common power to himselfe hath bothe opened an entrie to tyrannous lust and hath taken from the Chirch that which belonged vnto her and hath suppressed and put away the assemblie ordeined by the Spirite of Christ. But as of one euil alway groweth an other Bishops disdaining it as a thing vnworthie of their care haue cōmitted it ouer to other Hereupō are created Officials to serue that roome I do not yet speake what kind of men they be but onely this I say that they nothyng differ from prophan Iudges And yet they stil cal it a spiritual iurisdiction where men contende about nothyng but earthly maters Although there were no more euell with what face dare they call a brawlyng courte the iudgement of the Chirche But there are monitions there is excommunication So verily they mocke with God Doeth a poore man owe a little money he is cited if he appeare he is condemned When he is condemned if he do not satisfie it he is monished after the seconde monition they procede one steppe toward excōmunication if he appeare not he is monished to come and yeld hymself to iudgement if he then make delay he is monished and by by excōmunicate I beseche you what is there any thyng like either to the institution of Christe or to the auncient maner or to an Ecclesiasticall order But there is also correction of vices But how verily they not onely suffer but with secrete allowance do after a certaine maner cherishe and confirme adulteries wantonnesse dronkennesse and suche kynde of mischeuous doynges and that not onely in the common people but also in the clergie themselues Of many they call a fewe before them either that they shoulde not seeme slouthfull in winkyng at them or that they may milke out some money I speake not of the pillages robberies briberies and sacrileges that are gathered thereby I speake not what maner of men are for the moste part chosen to this office This is enough and to muche that whē the Romanists do boast that their iurisdiction is spirituall it is easy to shew that there is nothing more cōtrary to the order institute of Christ and that it hath no more likenesse to the auncient custome than darkenesse hath to light Although we haue not spoken all thynges that might be alleged for this purpose and those thynges that we haue spoken of are knyt vp in fewe words yet I trust that we haue so fought it out that there is nowe no more cause why any man shold dout that the spiritual power wherof the Pope with all his kingdome proudely glorieth is wicked againste God and an vniust tyrannie ouer his people Under the name of spirituall power I comprehend both boldenesse in framyng new doctrines wherwith they haue turned away the sily people from the natural purenesse of the word of God the wicked traditions wherewith they haue snared them also the false ecclesiastical iurisdiction which they execute by Suffraganes Officials For if we graunt vnto Christ a kingdome among vs it
them he maketh them partakers of hymselfe when in the meane tyme these fellowes driuing them farre away do adiudge them to death For if they say for a shift that infantes do not therfore perishe if they be accompted the children of Adam their error is abundantly confuted by witnesse of the Scripture For where as it pronounceth that all do dye in Adam it foloweth that there remaineth no hope of life but in Christe Therefore that we maye be made heires of lyfe we must communicate with him Agayne when it is written in an other place that by nature we are all subiecte to the wrath of God and conceiued in sinne wherunto DamnatioÌ„ perpetually cleaueth we must departe oute of oure owne nature before that the entrie be open to vs into the kingdome of God And what can be more playnely spoken than that fleshe and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God Therfore let al be doone away what soeuer is ours which shall not be done withoute regeneration then we shall see this possession of the kyngdome Finally if Christ say truely when he reporteth that he is life it is necessarie that we be graffed into hym that we may be deliuered out of the bondage of death But saye they how are infantes regenerate which are not endued with knowlege neither of good nor of euyl But we answer that the worke of God is not yet no worke at all althoughe it be not subiect to our capacitie Moreouer it is nothyng doutefull that the infantes whiche are to be saued as verily of that age some are saued are before regenerate of the Lorde For if they bryng with them from their mothers wombe the corruption naturally planted in them they must be purged therof before that they be admitted into the kyngdome of God whereinto nothyng entreth that is defiled or spotted If they be borne synners as bothe Dauid and Paule affirme eyther they remaine out of fauor and hatefull to God or they must nedes be iustified And what seke we more when the iudge himself openly affirmeth that the entrie into heauenly life is open to none but to them that bee borne agayne And to put suche carpers to silence he shewed an example in Iohn the Baptist whome he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he was able to doo in the rest Neither dooe they any thyng preuaile by the shifte wherewith they here mocke that that was but ones done wherupon it dothe not by and by folow that the Lorde is wonte commonly to doe so with infantes For neither do we reason after that maner onely our purpose is to shew that the power of God is by them vniustly and enuiously limitted within those narrowe boundes within which it suffreth not it selfe to be bounde Their other by shift is euen of as great weight They allege that by the vsuall maner of the Scripture this worde from the wombe is as muche in effecte as if it were sayd from childhode But we may clerely see that the Angell when he declared the same to zacharie meant an other thyng that is that it whiche was not yet borne shoulde be filled with the Holy ghoste Lette vs not therfore attempt to appoynt a law to God but that he may sanctifie whom it pleased him as he sanctified this childe forasmuche as his power is nothyng minyshed And truely Christ was therfore sanctified from his first infantie that he might sanctifie in himself his elect out of euery age without differeÌ„ce For as to do away the fault of disobedience which had ben committed in our fleshe he hath put on the same fleshe vpon himselfe that he might in it for vs and in our stede performe perfect obedience so he was conceiued of the Holy ghost that hauyng the holynesse therof fully poured into hym in the fleshe which he had taken vpon hym he myght poure foorth the same into vs. If we haue in Christ a most perfect paterne of all the graces which God continually sheweth to his children verily in this behalfe also he shall be a profe vnto vs that the age of infantie is not so farre vnfitt for sanctification But howsoeuer it be yet this we holde out of controuersie that none of the electe is called out of this present life which is not fyrst made holy and regenerate by the Spirit of God Wheras they obiect to the contrary that in the Scriptures the Spirite acknowlegeth no other regeneration but of incorruptible sede that is of the worde of God they do wrongfully expounde that sayeng of Peter wherin he comprehendeth onely the faithfull which had ben taught by preaching of the Gospell To suche in dede we graunt that the word of the Lorde is the onely sede of spirituall regeneration but we denye that it ought therupon to be gathered that infantes can not be regenerate by the power of God which is to him as easy and ready as to vs it is incomprehensible and wonderfull Moreouer it shoulde not bee safe enough for vs to take this awaye from the Lorde that he maye not be able to shewe hymselfe to bee knowen to them by whatsoeuer waye he will But Faith say they is by hearyng wherof they haue not yet gotten the vse neither can they be able to knowe God whom Moses teacheth to be destiâ—ute of the knowlege bothe of good and euill But they consider not that the Apostle wheÌ„ he maketh hearyng the beginnyng of faith describeth onely the ordinarie distribution of the Lorde and disposition whiche he vseth to kepe in calling them that be his but appointeth not to him a perpetuall rule that he may not vse any other way Which way verily he hath vsed in the calling of many to whome he hath geuen the true knowlege of himselfe by an inwarde maner by the enlightening of the Spirite wtout any preaching vsed for meane thereof But whereas they thinke it shal be a great absurditie if any knowlege of God be geueÌ„ to infantes from whom Moses taketh away the vnderstaÌ„ding of good and euil I beseche them to answere me what danger is there if they be sayd to receiue some part of that grace wherof a litle after they shal enioye the ful plentifulnesse For if the fulnesse of lyfe standeth in the perfect knowlege of God when many of them whom in their very first infantie death by and by taketh away doe passe into eternall life truely they are receiued to beholde the most present face of God WhoÌ„ therfore the Lord wil enlighteÌ„ with the ful bryghtnesse of hys lyghte why maye he not presently also if it so please hym sende out to shyne vppon them some small sparcle therof specially if he do not first vncloth them of ignorance before the he take them out of the prison of the flesh Not that I meane rashly to affirme that they be endued with the same Faith which we fele in our selues or that they haue altogether lyke knowlege of faith which I had
But that most nere felowship wherby we are coupled with his fleshe he hath yet set out with a more glorious title when he sayd that we are members of his body and are of his bones and of hys fleshe At the last to declare it to be a mater greater than all wordes he concludeth hys sayeng with an exclamation This is sayth he a greate secret Therefore it should be a pointe of extreme madnesse to acknowlege no communion of the faythfull with the fleshe and blood of the Lord which the Apostle declareth to be so greate that he had rather wonder at it than expresse it Let the summe be that oure soules are so fed with the fleshe and blood of Christ as bred wyne do mainteine susteine the bodily lyfe For otherwise the proportional relation of the signe should not agree vnlesse soules dyd fynde their fode in Christ. Which can not be done vnlesse Christ do truely grow into one with vs and refresh vs with the eating of his fleshe and drinking of hys blood But although it seme incredible that in so great distance of places the flesh of Christ reacheth to vs that it may be meate to vs let vs remember how much the secret power of the Spirit surmounteth aboue al our senses and how foolysh it is to goe aboute to measure hys vnmeasurablenesse by our measure That therfore whiche our mynde comprehendeth not let our fayth conceiue that the Spirite truely knitteth in one those thinges that are seuered in places Nowe that same holy coÌ„municating of his body and blood wherby Christ poureth hys life into vs euen as if he peaâ—ced it into our bones marowes he in the Supper also testifieth sealeth land yâ— not with setting before vs a vayne or voyde signe but bringing fourth there the effectuall working of his spirite wherby he fulfilleth the which he promyseth And verily he there offreth and deliuereth the thing signified to al them that sit at that spiritual banket although it be receiued with frute of the faythfull onely which receiue so great bountifulnesse with true Fayth thankfulnesse of mynde After which maner the Apostle sayd that the bred which we breake is the communion of the body of Christ and that the cup which we hallow with the word prayers to that purpose is the coÌ„munion of hys blood Neither is there any cause why any man should obiect that it is a figuratiue speche by which the name of the thing signified is geuen to the signe I grauÌ„t verily that the breaking of the bred is a signe not the thiÌ„g it selfe But this being admitted yet we shall rightly gather of the deliuerance of the signe that the thing it selfe is deliuered For vnlesse a maÌ„ wil cal God a deceiuer he can neuer be so bolde to say that he setteth before vs an empty signe Therfore if by the breakyng of bred the Lorde doth truely represente the partakyng of hys body it ought to be out of dout that he truely performeth and deliuereth it And this rule is alway to be holden of the godly that so oft as they se the signes ordeined of the Lorde they certainly thinke persuade themselues that the truth of the thyng signified is there present For to what purpose should the Lorde deliuer to thee into thy hande the signe of hys body but to assure thee of the true partaking of it If it be true that a visible signe is geuen vs to seale the gift of an inuisible thing when we receiue the signe of the body let vs no lesse certainly beleue that the body it selfe also is geueÌ„ vs. I saye therefore which both hath ben alway receiued in the Chirch and al they teache at thys day that thynke right that the holy mysterie of the Supper consisteth of twoo thinges that is to saye of the bodily signes which beyng set before our eyes doe represent vnto vs inuisible thinges according to the capacitie of our weakenesse and of spirituall trueth which is by those signes bothe figured and deliuered Of what sort that is when I meane to shewe it familiarly I vse to set thre thinges the signification the mater which hangeth of the signification the vertue or effect which foloweth of both The signification consisteth in the promisses which are after a certayne manner wrapped together with the signe The mater or substance I cal Christ with hys death and resurrection By effect I vnderstande the redemption righteousnesse sanctification and eternall lyfe and whatsoeuer other benefites Christ bringeth vs. Now although all these thinges haue respect to Fayth yet I leaue no place to thys cauillation as though when I say that Christ is receiued by Fayth I would haue hym coÌ„ceiued with vnderstanding only and imaginatioÌ„ For the promises offer hym not that we should sticke fast in the sight alone and in bare knowlege but that we should enioye the true communicating of hym And truely I se not how any maÌ„ maye haue coÌ„fidence that he hath redeÌ„ption and righteousnesse in the crosse of Christ lyfe in hys death but principally standing vpon the true coÌ„munion of Christ himselfe For those good thinges shoulde not come to vs vnlesse Christ first made himselfe oures I say therefore that in the mysterie of the Supper by the signes of bread and wine Christ is truely deliuered to vs yea and hys body and blood in which he hath fulfylled al obedieÌ„ce for purchasing of ryghteousnesse to vs namely that first we should growe together into one body with hym then beyng made partakers of hys substance we may also fele hys power in the communicating of al hys good thinges Now I come down to the excessiue mixtures which superstitioÌ„ hath brought in For herein Satan hath played with maruelous sutteltie that withdrawing the myndes of men from heauen he might fyl them with peruerse error as though Christ were fastened to the elemente of bred And first we must not dreame such a presence of Christ in the Sacrament as the craftesmeÌ„ of the court of Rome haue fayned as though the body of Christ were made present with presence of place to be handeled with handes to be broosed with teethe and swallowed with mouth For this forme of recantation Pope Nicolas endited to Betengarius to be a witnesse of hys repentance namely with woordes so farr monstruous that the author of the glose cryeth out that there is danger if the reders do not wisely take hede to themselues least they should sucke out of them an heresie worse than was that of Berengarius In the seconde distinctioÌ„ in the Chapter beginning thus Ego Berengarius But Peter Lombarde although he trauaile much in excusing the absurdity yet more inclineth to the contrary senteÌ„ce For as we nothing dout that it hath limites accordyng to the perpetual nature of the body of men and is holden in heauen into which it was ones receiued vntill he returne to iugement so to draw it backe vnder these corruptible
of Christ which is done when he is broughte vnder the corruptible elements of this world or is bound to any earthly creatures The other that nothyng be by fainyng applied to his body that agreeth not with the nature of man whiche is done when it is either saide to bee infinite or is sett in many places at ones But these absurdities being taken away I willyngly receiue what soeuer may auaile to expresse the true and substantiall communicatyng of the Body and Blood of the Lord which cōmunicatyng is deliuered to the faithfull vnder the holy signes of the Supper so that they may be thought not to receyue it by imagination onely or vnderstandyng of mynde but to enioy it in dede to the foode of eternall lyfe Why this sentence is so hatefull to the worlde and all defence taken away from it by the vniust iudgementes of many there is no cause at all but for that the deuell hath with horrible bewitchyng madded their myndes Truely that which we teache dothe in all pointes very well agree with the Scriptures it conteineth neither any absurditie nor darknesse nor doutfulnesse it is not agaynst true godlynesse and sounde edification finally it hath nothing in it that may offend sauyng that in certaine ages past when that ignorance and barbarousnesse of Sophisters reigned in the Chirche so clere light and open truthe hath ben vnworthily oppressed Yet because Satā at this day also trauayleth by troublesome Spirites to spot it with all the sclanders and reproches that he can and bendeth himselfe to no other thyng with greater endeuor it is profitable the more diligently to defende and rescue it Nowe before that we goe any further we must entreate of the selfe institution of Christe specially because this is the most glorious obiection that our aduersaries haue that we departe from the woordes of Christe Therfore that we may be discharged of the false cause of malice wherwith they burden vs our fittest beginnyng shall be at the exposition of the woordes Three Euangelistes and Paule rehearse that Christe tooke bread when he had geuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples and sayde Take eate this is my Body whiche is delyuered or broken for you Of the cuppe Mathew and Marke saye thus This cuppe is the blood of the newe testament whiche shal be shedde for many vnto forgeuenesse of synnes But Paule and Luke say thus This cuppe is the newe testament in my blood The patrones of transubstantiation will haue by the pronoune this the forme of bread to be signified because the consecration is made in the whole contente of the sentence and there is no substance that can be shewed But if they be holden with religious care of the woordes because Christ testified that that whiche he reached into the disciples handes was his bodye truely this their deuise that that whiche was bread is nowe the bodie is moste farre from the propre meanyng of them That which Christe tooke into his handes and gaue the Apostles he affirmeth to be his body but he toke bread who therfore can not vnderstande that bread is yet shewed and therfore there is no greater absurditie than to remoue that to the forme whiche is spoken of the bread Other when they expounde this woorde is for to be transubstantiate doo flee to a more enforced and violently wrasted glose Therefore there is no cause why they should pretende that they be moued with reuerence of wordes For this was vnheard of among all nations and languages that the word is should be taken in this sense namely for to be tourned into an other thyng As for them that leaue breade in the Supper and affirme that there is the body of Christ they muche differ among themselues They whiche speake more modestly althoughe they precisely exact the letter This is my body yet afterwarde swarue from theyr precisenesse and say that it is as muche in effect as that the body of Christ is with bread in bread and vnder bread Of the mater it selfe which they affirme we haue already touched somwhat and we shal by and by haue occasion yet to speake more Nowe I dispute only of the wordes by which they say they are restrained that they can not admitte bred to be called the body because it is a signe of the body But if they shunne all figures why do they leape away from the plaine shewing of Christ to their owne maners of speaking farr differing from it For there is great difference betwene this that bread is the body and this that the body is with bread But because they sawe it to bee impossible that this simple proposition might stande that bread is the body they haue attempted to scape away by those formes of speche as it were by croked turnyngs Some more bolde sticke not to affirme that euen in propre speakyng bread is the body and by this meane they truely proue themselues to be litteral mē If it be obiected that therfore the bread is Christ and is God this verily they will denie because it is not expressed in the wordes of Christ. But they shall nothyng preuayle by denyeng it forasmuche as all doo agree that whole Christ is offred vs in the Supper But it is an intolerable blasphemie that it be without figure spoken of a fraile and corruptible element that it is Christ. Now I aske of them whether these twoo propositions be bothe of one effect Christe is the Sonne of God and bread is the body of Christe If they graunt that they are diuers which we will enforce them to graunte whether they will or no then lett them answere whens commeth the difference I thynke they wyll bryng none other but that the bread is after the sacramentall maner called the body Wherupon foloweth that Christes wordes are not subiecte to the common rule nor oughte to bee tried by Grammer Also I aske of all the precise and stiffe requirers of the letter where Luke and Paule do call the cuppe the testament in the blood whether they do not expresse the same thyng which they dyd in the first parte where they call bread the bodye Truely the same religion was in the one parte of the mysterie that was in the other and because shortnesse is darke longer speche dothe better open the meanyng So oft therfore as they shall affirme by one word that the bread is the body I will out of mo wordes bryng a fitt exposition that it is the Testament in the bodye For why Shall we nede to seke a more faithfull or surer expositor than Paule Luke Neither yet doo I tende herunto to diminishe any thing of that communicating of the body of Christ which I haue confessed onely my purpose is to confute that folish waiwardnesse wherby they do so hatefully brawle about words I vnderstand by the authoritie of Paul and Luke that the bread is the body of Christ because it is the couenant in the body If they fight against