people being God his flocke was called a Synagogue For this woord Synagogue signifieth as much as Ecclesia the Congregation But because of the stubbornesse of the Iewes and the vnappeasable hatred whiche they bare towards Christian religion this word Synagogue is not estéemed but is almost quite growen out of vse But we will not dispute by due and right order of the Churches either of the Iewes or the Turkes or of other strange Churches of the Gentiles whereof we know there are many sortes and kinds Wée will speake of the Christian Church and congregation of the faithfull which the Germans do call Die kirch alluding peraduenture to the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any thing belonging to the Lord to witt a house or a people as the Germans doe call Die kirchen both the people of God themselues and also the place wherin they assemble together to worship god But first of all wée will describe a little plainelier what the Church or congregation is The Church is the whole companie and multitude of the faithful partly being nowe in heauen and partly remayning yet here vpō earth where it doth agrée plainely in vnitie of faith or true doctrine and in the lawefull partaking of the Sacraments neither is it diuided but ioyned and vnited together as it were in one house and fellowship This Church was vsuallie called Catholique that is to say vniuersall For shée bringeth forth her branches in all places of the wyde world in all times of all ages and generally doth comprehend all the faithfull of the whole world For the Church of God is not tyed to any one region nation or kinred to condition age sexe or kinde all the faithfull generally and each one specially where euer they or hée be are citizens and members of this Church Sainct Paule the Apostle sayeth There is neither Iewe nor Greeke neither bondman nor free neither man or woman for ye bee all one in Christ Iesu The Church is distinguished into the Triumphant and the Militant The Triumphant is that great companie of holy spirits in heauen triumphing for the victorie gotten against the world sinne and the diuel still enioying the sight of God wherein consisteth all fulnesse of all kinde of ioye and pleasure Wherevppon they set forth Gods glorie and praise his goodnesse for euer This Church doth S. Iohn the Apostle set forth verie notablie in his Reuelations saying After this I sawe and behold a great companie which no man was able to nūber of all nations peoples tongues standing before the Throne and in the sighte of the Lambe clothed in white garments and Palmes in their handes and they cryed out with a lowde voice saying Saluation belongeth to him that sitteth vppon the throne of our God to the Lambe And a little after that he sayeth And one of the Elders aunsweared said vnto me These which are clothed in white garments who are they or frō whence come they And I said vnto him Thou knowest lord And hee said vnto mee These are they that haue come out of great affliction and haue spread abrode their garments haue made them white in the bloud of the Lambe therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue day night in his holy temple And hee that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell ouer them They shall neyneither hunger nor thirst henceforth any more neither shall the Sunne shine on them or any heate beecause the Lambe who sitteth in the middest of the Throne shal gouerne them bring them to the springes of the water of life And the Lord shall wype away all teares from their eyes Brethren ye haue heard a notable description of the triumphant Church in heauen and that too triumphinge truely thoroughe the bloud of Iesus Christ by whom they conquered and doe nowe reigne For Christ is that Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world By whome all which be sanctified are sanctified and shal be sanctified and doe liue from the first creation of the world vnto the end of all times Sainct Paule in a certeine place giuing vnto vs also a notable description of this Church telleth that wée whiche as yet are busied in the Militant Church shall sometime bée translated to the same and be made fellowes with the Angels of GOD receiued amonge the orders of the Patriarches and placed in the companie of the blessed spirites with the most highe God himselfe and the Mediatour oure Lord Iesus Christe For hée preaching the greatnesse of Gods grace brought vnto vs by the Gospell exhorting vs to receiue the same with a true faith Ye came not sayeth he vnto mount Sina to a fire to a whirlewinde a stormie tempest and darckenes but vnto mount Sion to the citie of the liuing God to heauenly Hierusalem to the innumerable companie of Angels and to the Church or Congregation of the first begotten whiche are written in heauen and to God the Iudge of all and to the spirites of the perfecte iust and to the mediatour of the newe testament Iesus Christe speaking better things than the bloud of Abel spake And therefore all the Sainctes in heauen do belonge vnto our companie or rather we belonge vnto their fellowship For we are companions and fellowe heyres with the Sainctes from Adam vnto the end of all worlds and Gods householde Which conteyneth the greatest comfort of all mans life and moueth most of all to the studie of vertue For what more worthie thing is there thā to be of Gods househould Or what may be thought more swéete to vs than to thincke our selues fellowes with the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs of all Angels blessed spirits This benefite I say Christ hath bestowed on vs To him therfore be praise glorie and thankes for euer and euer Amen The Militant Church is a congregation of men vppon earth professing the name and religion of Christ continually fightinge in the world against the diuel sinne flesh and the world in the campe and tentes and vnder the banner of oure Lord Christe This Church is to be cōsidered two wayes For either it is to bee taken strictly comprehending them onely which bée not onely called but are in very déede the Church the faithfull and electe of God liuely mēbers knit vnto Christ not with bandes and other outward markes and signes but in spirite and faith often times by these meanes without the other Of which matter wee will speake hereafter This inward and inuisible Church of GOD may be wel named the electe spouse of Christ onely knowen vnto God who alone knoweth who are his When wée bee first taught to knowe this Church we confesse her with the Apostles créede saying I beleeue the holie Catholique Church the communion of Sainctes And in these fewe woords wee conclude that there is a Church also what is the Church and what
manner one it is For first wee confesse that there hath béene and is a Church of God and that it shall continue for euer Then professing what it is wée add this The communion of Sainctes That is to say Wée beléeue the Church to bee nothing else but the companie of all those Sainctes that are haue béene and shal be as wel in this present age as in the age to come who enioye all good thinges in common granted vnto them by god Also wee declare what manner one it is in calling it holy I say the spouse of Christ cleansed and blessed For S. Paule calleth them holy whiche are cleansed with the spirit and bloud of oure God of whiche a great part haue receiued crownes of glorie the residue labour heere vppon earth hoping to receiue them in heauen And truely in consideration of the Church the chiefest matter is that thoroughe the Grace of God wee be made the members of Christes body and partakers of all heauenly gifts with the Angels For wée confesse none to be more holy than our owne selues Or else it may be taken more largly and then it doeth comprehende not onely them that are the very faithfull and holy in déede but also them who althoughe they beléeue not truely or vnfeignedly neither be cleane or holy in the conuersation of their life yet do they acknowledge and professe true religion with the true beléeuers and the holy men of God yea they speake well and allowe of vertues and reproue euill neither doe seauer themselues from the vnitie of this Militant Church In whiche consideration not so much as the wicked and hypocrits such as wée read to haue béene in the Church in the time of Christe and the Apostles as Iudas Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus also Demas Hymenęus Alexander and many other are excluded and put from the church which Church maye well be called the outward and visible Church But this Church whereof wee speake is to bée accompted off either by reason of some part thereof or else of the whole For it is to be considered generally particularly And the particular Church is that whiche is comprised in a certeine number is knowen by some sure and certeine place For it is named of the place being called after the names of cities as the Churches of Zuericke and Bernes c. The Gréekes called those particular Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche wee commonly call Parishes And we call that a parish which hath dwelling houses and streates ioyned together in neighbourhoode But in cities and townes vnto certeine portions are vsually ascribed both Churches and parish priestes to serue them and the whole circuite is called a parishe In the Dutche tongue Ein Barchi oder pfarkirch oder ein kirchhory And in the old time the parish priest was a prouider For hee prouided and gaue necessaries to straungers and chiefly salt and wood Some called him the maker of the feast other cal him a preparer of Virgins Therefore because the pastours of Churches were preparers of Virgins for the redéemer and head of the Church whiche is Christe bringing vnto him a chast and vndefiled virgin to be short because they themselues prouided things most necessarie for the people of God and also prepared heauenly meates and banquets the pastours of the Lords flocke are very well called parish priestes or the curates of soules The Lord speaking in the Gospel of the particular Church said If hee that offendeth the Church will not regard when hee is warned complaine vnto the Church But it is not possible that the vniuersall Church through the whole world should assemble come together that the rebellious and obstinate should be brought before it wherfore iudgment is referred to be giuen on that stubborne by the particular Churches To conclude the vniuersal Church consisteth of al the particular Churches through out the whole world and of all the visible partes and members thereof This is the same which we drue forth euen nowe when wée spake more at large thereof But the catholique Church of God doeth abide with vs as wée began to tell a litle before cōtinually from age to age from the beginning and is at this time dispersed thorough out the whole world both visiblye and inuisiblye and the Lords people and God his house shall continue vppon earth vnto the worlds end For there was neuer yet any world neither shal be any age wherein God hath not or will not sanctifie some vnto himselfe wherin he will dwell and that they shall be his flocke and holy house For the testimonies of auncient Prophets doe record that the Church is perpetual For thus wee finde it written in the 132. Psalme The Lord hath chosen Sion hee hath chosen her for an habitation for him selfe This is my resting place for euer and euer heere will I dwell because I haue chosen her And againe I haue sworne vnto Dauid in my holinesse his seede shall remaine for euer and his seate shall continue before mee as the Sunne But who knoweth not that all this is to be vnderstode of Christ the sonne of Dauid and of his seate and spirituall Sion which is the Church He also signifying the continuaunce of the Church sayeth in the Gospell I will remaine with you continually vnto the ende of the world And againe I will aske of my father and hee shall giue you an other cōforter the spirite of truth that he may abide with you for euer To this belongeth also that saying in the Gospel And the gates of hell shal not preuaile against the Church Whiche saying truely is a great comfort to the faithfull in so many and so great persecutions intended to the vtter destruction and ouerthrowe of the Church As Christ had alwayes his Church héere vppon earth hath now and for euer shall haue So likewise the diuel as longe as the world shall continue shall neuer want his people in whom hee maye reigne This Church of the diuel toke her first beginning of Cain and shall continue to the last wicked person comprehending also all those euill peoples that haue beene in the meane time and shal be betwixte the beginning and the ending But they liuing héere on earth haue societie and common with them that are tormented in hell For as all that bee Godly béeing vnder one head Christ do make one body so all the wicked vnder one head sathan are one incorporate body This maye right worthily be called that wicked Church Sodome and Gomor Babylon the cōgregation of Chora Dathan Abyron a synagogue a schole and a stewes of the diuell the kingdome of antichriste or any other of like sort In this Church are reckoned vpp all such as are wicked and and infidels separating themselues from the societie of oure holy mother the Church or forsaking the communion thereof and specially such as are mockers of God and his holy woord blasphemers
he shall giue you an other comforter c. 625. 723. 816 14 I go to prepare a place for you and will come againe c. 70. 1092 14 Whosoeuer knoweth my commaundementes and keâ—peth them he it is that loueth me c. 462. 822 14 The father is greater than I c. 28 14 Lord shewe vs the father and it sufficeth c. 620 14 Let not your heart be troubled or vâ—â—ed you beleeue in God c. 59 684 14 I will receiue you euen vnto my self that where I am there may ye be also c. 768 14 Haue I bene so long with you and do ye not yet knowe me c. 620 14 I am the way the truth and the life c. 662. 920 17 For their sakes sanctiste I my selfe that they also might be sanctified in truth c. 706 14 Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my name that will I do c. 707. 922 14 In that day ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me c. 825 15 I am that true vine and my father is the husbandman Euerie braunch c. 863 15 You shall beare witnesse bicause ye haue ben with me from c. 872 15 Nowe are ye cleane throughe the word which I haue spoken vnto you c. 974 15 This is my commaundement that ye loue one an other c. 96 15 The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me c. 316 15 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had wherwithall c. 510. 15 I am the vine ye are the braunches As the braunch can not beare c. 454 15 He that hath not the spirite of Christe is none of his c. 825 16 Verily verily I saye vnto you ye shall wéepe and lament c. 292 16 Hetherto haue ye not asked any thing in my name aske and ye shal receiue c. 434 16 I went out from the father and came into the worlde I leaue the world and goe vnto the father c. 625 16 It is expedient for you that I depart For if I goe not away the comforter shall not come c. 728 1091 16 When the comforter shal come whome I will sende vnto you from the father c. 723 16 They shal driue you from their Synagogues and the time shall come c. 316 16 Lord to whome shall we goe Thou hast the word of eternall life c. 819 16 I haue many things to tel you but at this time you can not c. 18 17 This is eternall life to knowe thée the true GOD onely c. 59. 620 17 Father the houre is come glorifie thy sonne c. 684 17 And nowe O father glorifie thou me with thine owne selfe with the glorie whiche thou gauest me with thee before this world was c. 686 18 For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I shoulde beare witnesse vnto the truth c. 701 18 Who so is of the truth wil heare my voyce c. 822. 827 18 My kingdome is not of this world c. 218 18 If my kingdome were of this world then wold my seruants surely fight c. 700 19 We haue a lawe and according to our lawe he ought to dye c. 683 19 In Christe there was not one bone broken c. 366 20 The Lorde came vnto his disciples and sayde Peace be vnto you c. 902 20 Whose sinnes ye forgiue they are forgiuen them c. 83. 871. 528 20 But these are written that ye might beléeue that Iesus c. 17 21 When thou wast yonger thou gâ—rdedst thy selfe and wentest whether c. 302 21 Féede my shéepe c. 866. 878 Out of the Actes of the Apostles 1 DEparte not from Ierusalem but waite for the promise of the father c. 1032 1 Peter calling a Church together speaketh of placing an other Apostle in the stead of Iudas c. 837 2 They were continuing in the doctrine of the Apostles and in communicating and in breaking of breade and in prayer c. 1081. 1113 2 WheÌ„ they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and sayde to Peter and the c. 571 2 There were dwelling at Ierusalem certeine Iewes religious men of all nations that are vnder heauen c. 1115 2 Repent and be ye euerie one baptised in the name of Iesus Christe c. 821. 902. 968. 989 1061 2 That Christe is risen againe it is proued by the testimonie of Dauid vttered by Saint Peter in a certeine Sermon c. 68 2 Saue your selues from this froward or vntoward generation c. 858 2 All which beléeued were ioyned in one c. 261 3 Men and brethren what shal we doe To whome Peter answered Repent and be baptised c. 582 3 I knowe ye did it through ignoraunce Nowe therefore turne you c. 517 4 None of them sayde that any thing was his of that which he possessed c. 261 4 If we at this day be examined of the déede done to the sicke man c. 972 4 In the name of the Lord Iesus arise vp and walke and they c. 972 5 The Priests put the Apostles in the common pryson but the Angel of the Lorde c. 735 5 Howe is it that sathan hath filled thine heart to lye vnto the holye Ghost c. 717 5 We ought to obey God more thaÌ„ men c. 146 6 The Church of Antioche ordeine and send Paule and Barnabas c. 837 6 At Ierusalem there was Colleges or Synagogues of Libertines Cyreneans Alexandrines Cilicians and Asians c. 1115 7 And when fourtie yeares were expyred there appeared vnto him in the wildernesse of mount Sina an Angel c. 743 7 They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite c. 715 7 He that is highest of all dwelleth not in temples made with handes c. 1004 8 And deuout men carried StephaÌ„ to his buriall and made greate lamentation ouer him 697 8 The Eunuche of Candace Guéene of Aethiopia read the holie Scriptures c. 871 8 Sée here is water what letteth me to be baptised c. 1006 6 Giue me this power also that on whome so euer I lay my handes c. 587 8 Thy monie perishe with thée bicause thou hast thought that the gift of God c. 587 8 Thou hast neyther part nor fellow shippe in this businesse bycause thy heart is not right in the fight of God c. 1051 9 Saule Saule why persecutest thou me c. 586 9 He will tell thée what thou must doe c. 871 10 Ye know that I being called by GOD did goe to the Gentiles c. 424 10 Cornelius indued with Gods grace he and his housholde become the Church of God c. 861 10 Of a truth I perceiue that there is no respect of persons with God but in euerie nation c. 546 10 Arise Peter slea and eate
c. 980 10 Arise I also myselfe am a man c. 654. 890 10 That which God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane c. 226. 1055 10 Thy prayers and thine almes déedes are hadde in remembraunce c. 924 11 Agabus foretolde Saint Paule the famine which was to come c. 878 12 Herode put Peter in pryson Peter slept betwéene two souldiers c. 735 12 It is the voyce of God and not of man c. 890 13 The Churches by the commandemente of the Apostles ordeyned doctours c. 837 13 Be it knowne vnto you men brethren that through this Lorde c. 45. 408 13 The Iewes being filled with indignation spake against those thinges c. 903 13 The word of God ought first to be preached vnto you but bycause you reiect it and iudge your c. 1107 14 The apostles returned strengthened the disciples soules againe c. 1016 14 God left not him selfe without witnesse in that he shewed his benefites from heauen c. 638 15 Dissention kindled by Paule and Barnabas againste them that taught circumcision c. 1001 15 Paule preaching the worde of God among the Gentiles went into the Synagogues c. 1114 15 We beléeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus c. 50 15 Fornication forbidden by the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent froÌ„ Ierusalem c. 234 15 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent from Ierusalem c. 421 16 Beléeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole c. 903 17 By God we liue and moue and haue our being c. 638. 685 17 God is not farre from euerie one of vs For by him wee liue wee moue and haue our being c. 610 17 God that made the worlde and all that therein is c. 126. 1004 17 Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath giuen thée all them that sayle with thée c. 740 18 The Apostle shooke his raymeÌ„t and sayd your bloud be vppon your c. 903 19 The sonns of Sceâ—a the priest were sayd to be exorcistes c. 884 972 19 The holy ghost came vpon theÌ„ and they spake with tongues and prophecied c. 1032 19 When they heard these things they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus c. 1060 19 Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beléeue c. 1031 20 God hath purchased to him selfe a church with his owne bloud c. 695 20 Take héede vnto your selues to the whole flocke whereof c. 866. 878. 901 20 I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in c. 829. 887 20 Paule preached brake breade at Troas c. 1069 21 Paule being oppressed of the Iewes in the Temple of Hierusalem is rescued c. 832 22 I receiued authoritie from the high Priestes to binde al those that call c. 812 22 Paule being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus traueled to HierusaleÌ„ vnto Gamaliels féete c. 1115 22 Arise and be baptised washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name c. 989. 1061 23 Atroupe of horsemen and a certein companie of footmen sent with the Apostle Paule c. 832 23 As thou hast borne witnesse of me at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of me at Rome c. 640 23 The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite c. 731 24 I beléeue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophets c. 89 26 Paul wisheth that king Agrippa were suche an one as him selfe except his bandes c. 872 26 I send thée vnto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may be c. 871 27 Sâ—rs I exhort you to be of good cheare for there shall be no losse of any mans life c. 640 27 There sâ—oode by me this night the Angel of God whose I am c. 743 Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes 1 APpointed to preache the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his Prophetes c. 629 693 838 1 His inuisible thinges being vnderstanded by his workes through the creation c. 620 1 God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his Prophets c. 429 1 What so euer may be knowne of God is manifest c. 102 1 God gaue them vp vnto a reprobate sense c. 492 1 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against al vngodlines c. 520 2 There are two sorts of Circumcisions the one of the letter in the flesh c. 361 2 The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite c. 715 2 What doest thou despise the riches of Gods goodnes c. 125. 522 2 When the Gentiles which haue not the lawe do of nature c. 101 3 Doe we then destroye the lawe through fayth God forbid c. 553 3 The righteousnesse of GOD by fayth in Iesus Christe conuneth vnto all c. 546 3 Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the Gentiles c. 553 3 Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of works 552 3 All haue sinned and are destitute or haue néede of the Grace of God c. 501 3 If our vnrighteousnesse setteth foorth the righteousnesse of GOD what c. 482 3 Shall their vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect God forbid c. 1027 3 We doe therefore hold that a maÌ„ is iustified withoute the workes of the lawe c. 553 4 To him that worketh not but beléeuâ—th in him that iustifieth the vngodly c. 555 4 To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie c. 554 4 What shal we say theÌ„ that Abraham our father as apperteyning to the flesh c. 51 4 If Abraham were iustified by workes c. Abraham beléeued God and it was counted for righteousnesse c. 51. 457 554 4 Where no lawe is there is no transgression c. 502 4 Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce giuen that it might be by grace c. 52 5 Euen as by one man sinne entâ—red into the worlde and death by sinne c. 45. 482. 496. 502. 645. 1052. 5 Being iustified by the bloude of Christe we shall be saued c. 45. 54 5 We reioice also in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. 294 5 The loue of God is poured oute into our hearts c. 92 5 Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with GOD c. 1002 5 Christe when as yet we were sinners dyed for vs muche more therefore nowe being iustified c. 662 5 Knowe ye not that all we which haue bin baptised into Iesus Christ haue bene baptised into his death c. 444. 709. 1025 7 Sinne withoute the lawe was once deade and I once
weales or CongregatioÌ„s yea and that more is the most flourishing Kingdomes in all the world vnder their authoritie All the wysemen in the whole worlde I meane â—hose whiche liued in his time did reuerence Solomon a King and so great a Prophet and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde He was moreouer in great estimation with Darius Medus the Sonne of Astyages or Assuerus and also with Cyrus that moste excellent king And here it lyketh me well to speake somewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets and moste assured foreshewing of things which were to come after many yeares passed And now to say nothing of others did not Esaias most truly foretell those things which were afterward fulfilled by the Iewes in our Lord Christ Not in vaine did he séeme to them of olde time to be rather an Euangelist then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréescore yeares at the least before that Cyrus was borne Daniel also was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche knewe muche For he did foretell those things whiche are and haue béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almost and among the people of God from his owne time vntil the time of Christ and further vntill the last day of Iudgement so plainely that hee may séeme to haue compiled an hystorie of those thinges whiche then were already gone and past Al these things I say doe very euidently proue that the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God with whiche name and title they are set fooâ—the in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verily Peter the Apostle saithe The prophecie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghoste And although God did largely clearly plainely and simply reueale his woâ—d to the world by the Patriarchs by Mâ—ses by the Priestes and Prophetes yet did he in the laste times of all by his Sonne set it forth moste clearely simply and aboundantly to al the worlde For the very and onely begotten Sonne of God the father as the Prophetes had foretolde descending from Heauen doth fulfill al what soeuer they foretolde and by the space almoste of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlinesse For saith Iohn No man at any time hath seene God the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hathe declared him The Lord himselfe moreouer saith to his Disciples Al things which I haue herd of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again he saith I am the light of the world whosoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life Our Lord also did teache that to him whiche would enter into Heauen and be saued the heauenly regeneration was néedeful bicause in the first byrth man is borne to death in the second to life But that that regeneration is made perfect in vs by the spirit of God whiche instrueteth our hartes in faith I say in faith in Christ who died for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iustified that out of the same faith doe growe sundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie to the bringing foorthe wherof he did most earnestly exhorte them He taught furthermore that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets and did also approue and expound the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes To doctrine he ioyned diuerse miracles and benefites wherby he declared that he him selfe was that light of the world and the mightie bountifull redéemer of the world And to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde he chose to himselfe witnesses whome he called Apostles bicause he purposed to sende them to Preache throughout the world Those witnesses were simple men innocentes iust tellers of trueth without deceipt or subtilties and in all pointes holy and good whose names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation The names of the Apostles are these Peter and Andrewe Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevve Thomas Mathevv Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe Iudas his brother vvhose surname vvas Thaddaeus Simon and Iudas Iscariot into whose roome because he had betraied the Lord came Saint Matthias These had he by the space almoste of thrée yeares hearers of his heauenly doctrine and beholders of his diuine workes These after his ascension in to the Heauens did he by the holy ghost send downe from Heauen instruct with all kinde of faculties For as they were in the Scriptures passing skilful so were they not vnskilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue And being once after this manner instructed they depart out of the Citie of Ierusalem and passe through the compasse of the earthe preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the sauiour of the world the Lord Iesus Christ And when for certaine yeares they had preached by woord of mouth then did they also set downe in writing that whiche they had preached For some verily writ an hystorie of the words and deeds of Christ and some of the wordes and déedes of the Apostles Other some sent sondrie Epistles to diuers Nations In all which to confirme the trueth they vse the Scripture of the lawe and the Prophetes euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did Moreouer to the twelue Apostles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world Iohn Baptiste then whom there was neuer any more holy borne of women and the chosen vessel Paule the greate teacher of the Gentiles Neither is it to be merueiled at that the forerunner and Apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and authoritie in the Churche For euen as they were the embassadours of the eternall King of all ages and of the whole worlde so being indued with the spirit of God they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes And the Lord by theyr ministerie wrought great myracles thereby to garnishe the ministerie of them and to commend their doctrine vnto vs And what may be thought of that moreouer that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compasse of the world which verely by mans counsell and wordes they had neuer béene able to haue brought to passe To this is further added that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine as a doctrine giuing life did not refuse to die Besides that how many soeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Gospell they were not afraide through water fire swordes to cutte of this life and
but yet bycause the fleshe dothe striue with the spirite so long as life remaineth on the earth therefore the godly haue néede with faith and the holy Ghost to wash and wipe their féete that is the reliques and spottes wherewith they are disteined by their dayly conuersation in this world But nowe wherevnto belongeth this that is added The communion of Saintes These wordes are neyther read in Cyprian nor Augustine nor yet by them expounded Wherefore it is likely that they were added for the better vnderstaÌ„ding of that which went before for that it might appeare that the Catholike Church is the fellowship or companie of the faythfull he added The communion of Saintes as if he shuld haue sayd which church is a communion of Saintes Paule called them Sainctes which for their fayth are sanctified by the bloude and spirite of god Also this word CoÌ„munion is verie euideÌ„t and comfortable For first the meaning thereof is that betwixt God vs ther is a Communion that is a fellowship participatioÌ„ and so consequently a parting betwixt vs of all good and heauenlie thinges And then also we vnderstand that we are fellowes and partakers with all the Saintes that are liuing either in heauen or on earth For we are members of theÌ„ vnder one head Christ For the Apostle Iohn saith That which wee haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye also may haue fellowship with vs and that your fellowship may be with the father and his sonne Iesus Christ Hereunto appertayneth that trimme similitude of the body members vnder one heade which the Apostle Paul handleth at large in déede but what is he that can worthily enoughe set forth the great goodnesse of Gods gifte benefite in that wée are made fellow partners of God with whom we are most nerely conioyned and haue a part in all his good heauenly things what can bee more delightfull to oure eares then to heare that all that Saints as well in heauen as in earth are our bretheren and that we againe are meÌ„bers partners and fellowes with theÌ„ Blessed be God which hath so liberally bestowed his blessing on vs in Christe his sonne To this place belongeth the discourse vppon the Sacraments of which of the Church I meane at an other time more fullie to entreate This for the present time is sufficient For this that I haue said doth abuÌ„dantly enoughe expresse set out the fruite of faith in the father the sonne the holy ghost to wit that wée haue participation with God and al the Saints and that in this fellowship we are sanctiâ—ied 〈◊〉 all filth or vncleannesse being clensed and holie in Christe our Lord. Now followeth the tenth article of our beliefe which is The forgiuenes of sinnes The second fruit or commoditie of our beliefe in God the father the sonne and the holie ghoste is here set forth that is the remission of sinnes which although it be coÌ„teyned in sanctification spoken of in the last article is in this place notwithstanding more liuely expressed Without the Church as it were without the arke of Noe is no saluatioÌ„ but in that Church I meane in that fellowship of Christe the saincts is full forgiuenes of all offences That this maye be the better vnderstoode I wil diuide it into some parts First of all it is néedeful to acknowledge confesse that wée are sinners that by nature and our owne proper merits we are the children of wrath damnation For S Iohn doth not in vaine nor without a cause call euerie one a lyar that saith he hath no sinne And God which knoweth the harts of men hath coÌ„maunded vs euen till the laste gaspe to pray saying Forgiue vs our debtes Moreouer in the Gospel wee haue two excellent examples of meÌ„ openlie confessing their sinnes to God the prodigall sonne I say and the Publican in S. Luk. Let vs therfore thincke that wee are all sinners as Paule also taught yea as he hath euidently proued in the first Cap. to the Romanes let vs fréely confesse to God our sinnes with Dauid in the 32. and 51. Psal. saying My sinne haue I made knoweÌ„ to thee mine iniquitie I haue not hid I haue saide I wil confesse mine vnrighteousnes against my self thou haste forgiuen the iniquitie of mine offence Haue mercie on me O God accordig to thy great mercie c. The Psalme is knowen Secondarily let vs belieue that al these sinns of ours are pardoned forgiuen of God not for the acknowledging and confessing of our sinnes but for the merit and bloud of the sonne of God not for our owne workes or merits but for the truth and mercie or grace of god For we do plainly professe saying I belieue the forgiuenes of sinns We say not I buy or by gifts do get or by woorkes obtaine the forgiuenes of sinnes but I belieue the forgiuenes of sinnes And the word remission or forgiuenesse doth signifie a free pardoning by a metaphore taken of creditours and debitours For the creditour forgiueth the debitour when he is not able to pay therefore remission is a forgiuing according to that saying of our Sauiour in the Gospell A certaine lender had two debitours when they were not able to pay hee forgaue them both Hereunto belongeth that also in the Lords prayer And forgiue vs our debtes For our debts are our sinnes them do we request to be remitted that is to be forgiueÌ„ vs In this sense also saith S. Paule To him that worketh is the reward reckoned not of grace but of due debte But to him that worketh not but belieueth on him that iustifieth the vngodlie his saith is counted for righteousnes Euen as Dauid describeth the blessednesse of that man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnes without works saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is that man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Wherefore in respect of vs which haue not wherewithal to repaie our sinnes are freelie forgiuen but in respect of Gods iustice they are forgiuen for the merit and satisfaction of Christ Moreouer it is not the sinnes of a few men of one or two ages or a few certaine number of sinnes are forgiuen onely but the sinnes of all men of all ages the whole multitude of sinns whatsoeuer is is called sinne whether it be original or actuall or any other else to be short all sinnes are forgiueÌ„ vs Which we do hereby learne because the onely sacrifice of Christ is effectual enough to wash away all the offences of all sinners which by fayth come to the mercie seat of Gods grace And yet by this wée do not teach men to sinne because the Lorde hath long since made satisfaction for sinnes but if any man do sinne wee teach him to hope well and not to despaire but to flee to the throne of Grace For there wée say that Christ sitting at
haue For euen they also cried to God as to their father although they obteined it not by the lawe which terrifieth but by the grace of the Messiah Againe the same Apostle saith Whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God. Which sentence we may thus conuert say that the sonnes of God are led by the spirite of God. But there is none vnlesse it bee such an one as neuer read the scriptures which will denye that the auncient fathers were the sonnes of God and were so called bothe by the Lorde him selfe and also by his seruaunt Moses What may be thought of the moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and priestes and so consequeÌ„tly a royall priesthood and a priestly kingdome which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Christ Iesus Nowe such a kingdome and priesthood cannot be or consist without the vnction of the spirite The holy apostle Iohn I confesse in his Gospell sayde The holy Ghoste was not yet beecause Iesus was not yet glorified But as hee spake not of the substaunce of the holye Ghoste which is coeternall with the substance of the father and of the sonne so he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghost For in that place he speaketh of the excellent gifte which after the ascension of the Lorde was powred out vpon the people that did beléeue For Iohn him selfe interpreting him selfe doeth immediately before saye These wordes who so euer beleeueth on me out of his belye shall flowe riuers of water of life spake hee of the holye Ghoste which they that beleue on him shuld receiue The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoste was not at that time when the Lorde spake those words so commonly and plentifully powred vppon all men as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Iesus And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not haue so precisely and eâ—pressely foretolde all the mysteries of Christe the church which the Euangelistes and Apostles do testifie to be nowe accomplished fulfilled vnlesse in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie same spirite wherewith the Apostles were afterward instructed For it is a wicked thing for vs to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what and speake suche woordes as they them selues vnderstoode not Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and was gladde of it for by that spirituall sight of his he had and felt with in him selfe a certeine kinde of spirituall ioye Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Psalmes testifie that the seruice of God and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte which wordes he vttered not so much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies but for that he did by the spirite and by faith beholde in those ceremonies the true Messiah and Sauiour of the world And since it is euident that our forefathers were iustified by the grace of God it is manifest that that iustification was not wrought without the spirite of God through which spirite euen our iustification at this day is wrought and finished Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie same spirite that we of this age are directed by Of this opinion was sainct Augustine whose wordes dearely beloued I meane to recite vnto you worde for word out of his seconde booke de Peccato orig contra Pelag. et celest Cap 25. Things to come saith he were foreseene of the prophets by the same spirite of faith by which they are of vs beleeued to be alreadie finished For they whiche of verie faithfull loue could prophecie these thinges vnto vs coulde not choose but bee themselues partakers of the same And whereuppon is it that the Apostle Peter saith why temptye God to laye vppon the Disciples neckes the yoke that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shal be saued euen as they Whereupon is I saye that Peter saith this but for because they are saued by the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe and not by Moses lawe by which doth come not the saluing but the knowledge of sinne But nowe the righteousnesse of God is without the lawe made manifest witnessed by the lawe and the prophets Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifest then must it needes bee that it was beefore although as then it were hidden The hyding whereof was prefigured by the vaâ—le of the temple which when Christe died was rent in pieces for a signification that it was then reuealed And therefore this grace of the onely mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus was then in the people of God but it was hidden in theÌ„ as it were rayne in a sliece which God doth separate vnto his inheritaunce not of duetie but of his owne voluntarie will but nowe that sliece being as it were wroung out that is the Iewish people beeing reprobated it is openly seene in all nations as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place Thus much out of Augustine Nowe also there was sett beefore the eyes of Israel a earnall and temporall felicitie whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon For in that externall and transitorie felicitie was shadowed the heaueÌ„ly and eternall happinesse For the apostle in the fourth eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues saith that the fathers out of that visible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuisible and euerlasting heritage Neither was Christe to any other ende so expressely promised them nor the blessing and life in Christe for any other purpose so plainly layde defore them nor Christe him self almost in all their ceremonies so often prefigured for any other intent but that they thereby might bee put in hope of the verie same life into which wee are receiued through Christ our redéemer For the Lorde in the Gospell saith that wee shal bee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the same glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob But here is an obiection made that life and saluation was promised onely and not perfourmed vnto the fathers but that they being shut vp in prison did looke for the comming of Messiah I for my parte do not finde any thing in the scriptures to bee written of such a prison whereinto the holie Patriarches were fast locked vpp Peter verily maketh mention of a prison but in that prison hee wil haue the disobedient not the obedient spirites to be But if any man obiect that Christe descended to them belowe we verily do not denye it but yet we say withal that he desceÌ„ded to the departed saincts that is that he was gathered to the companie of the blessed Spirites whiche were not in the place of punishment that is in torments but in the ioyes of heauen as the Lorde him self coÌ„firmeth the same when being readie to descende to them belowe
doe notwithstanding behold him but in a myste in comparison of the brightnesse wherein hée shall appeare For wée shall hereafter sée him face to face in the glorie of his maiestie yet notwithstanding euen this sighte of him which now we haue is sufficient to saluation Therefore it is a very fine similitude preatily said of them which say Althoughe at day breake the brightnesse of the Sunne is not so great as it is at noone day yet wayfarers or trauellers doe not stay till the Sunne be at the highest but take the morning before them to goe their iourney in and haue light enough to see the way For in like manner they thincke that to oure forefathers euen that little portion of light which was in the morning was sufficient by the leading of saith to bring them through all impâ—dimentes to eternall felicitie In the meane time we haue great cause to reioyce that Christ the very Sunne and light of righteousnes doth after the maystie light of the daye starre of the lawe shine forth to vs in the newe testament Moreouer the forefathers in the old testament had types shadowes and figures of things to come but we haue nowe receiued the very thinge it selfe which was to them prefigured Therfore the thinge which God did promise to them he hath performed and giuen to vs They verilie did beleeue that Christ should come and deliuer all the faithfull from their sinnes and we beléene that he is alreadie come that hée hath redéemed vs and hath fulfilled all that the prophets foretold of him Therfore the Lord in the Gospell said The Prophets the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn since that time the kingdom of God is preached suffereth violence of euerie man. Whereuppon it is gathered when the thinge prefigured is come and present that then the figures and shadowes which did foreshewe the thinges to come do come to an end and vanishe away Therefore the yoke and burthen whiche our fathers did beare is thereby taken from our neckes The worshipping of God which they did vse externally was very busie and burthensome as the Aaronicall priesthoode the tabernacle or temple that was to be throughly furnished with most exquisite things and instruments their sundrie sorts of sacrifices many moe Ceremonies like vnto these Nowe from all this coste and businesse wée which be the people of the newe couenaunte are fréely disburthened and set at libertie And hée by whom wée are disburthened is Iesus Christ in whom alone we haue all things necessarie to life and saluation For it pleased God the father to recapitulate in him and as S. Paul saith to bring into a summe all thinges requisite to life and saluation that the thinges which séemed before to be dispersed here and there should in Christ alone be fullie exhibited and broughte vnto vs For Christ is the fulfilling of all the types Ceremonies by whose spirite since wée doe nowe possesse the thing prefigured wée haue no longer néede of the representing types and shadowes The external thinges that Christe hath ordeined are very fewe and of very small coste Therefore the people of the newe testament doth enioye a passing great ample libertie To this I suppose doeth belonge that excellent place of S. Paul which is to be séene in the 4. to the Galathians where in handling this matter diligently hée fayneth that there are two mothers the one whereof doth gender to bondage the other vnto libertie and that he doeth vnder the type of Agar and Sara By whiche hée noteth the two doctrines that of the law and that of the Gospell That of the lawe gendreth to bondage but that of the Gospell doth gender vnto libertie Therefore the lawe did gender the holie fathers and the prophets vnto bondage not that they should abide bondslaues for euer but that it might keepe them vnder discipline yea that it mighte lead them vnto Christ the full perfection of the lawe The libertie of the fathers was by the weight and heape of Ceremonies so oppressed and couered that althoughe they were frée in spirite before the Lord yet notwithstanding they did in outward shewe differ little or nothing from very boÌ„dslaues by reason of the burthen of the lawe that laye vppon their shoulders For in so much as the lawe was not as yet abrogated they were compelled precisely to obserue it But when Christe was come and had fulfilled all thinges then did the shadowes vanish away and that heauie yoke was taken from the necke of vs Christians So by this meanes our mother Sara gendreth vs vnto libertie She is the mother of vs all Of y mother whiche is also called the holy mother Church wée haue the séede of life shée hath fashioned vs and brought vs forth into the light shée colleth vs in her bosome wherein shée carrieth both milke and meate I meane the word of God to nourish saue and bring vs vpp Nowe the bonds being caucelled and y middle wal which was a stopp being broken downe God doeth more liberally rule his Church and not reteine it any longer vnder so streite a custodie For neither is the people of God conteined within the boundes of the land of promise For they are dispersed to y ends of the world neither are the circumcised those that kéepe the lawe his people now although it is not to be doubted but that eueÌ„ then when Circumcision was of force hee had some that were his people amoÌ„ge the GeÌ„tiles as Iob other mo which he himselfe did knowe but those are his people whiche doe acknowledge Christ although they be neither circuÌ„cised nor busied with the lawe This is a new people gathered together out of all the world by faith and the holie Ghoste To this new testament hath Christ giuen his owne name wherin the Iewes haue none inheritance vnlesse they forsake their stubborne opinion of the lawe and cleane to Christ alone without affiaunce in the lawe All the bookes of the Prophets are fullie fraughted with testimonies touching the calling of the Gentiles vnto the communion fellowship of God and also touching the reprobation of the Iewes who for their vnreclaymeable affiaunce in the lawe are vtterly reiected Furthermore the Apostle Paule putteth an other difference betwixte the two testamentes alluding to the Prophecie of Ieremie as is to be sene in the eighth Chapiter of his Epistle to the Hebrues For he attributeth to the people of the new testament certaine excellent gifts to witt absolute full remission of their sinnes For he saith Because I wil be merciful to their vnrighteousnesses I will no more remember their sinnes and iniquities Hée doeth also attribute to the people of the newe testament a most exquisite reformation and absolute illumination of their minds For he saith I wil plant my lawes in their mindes and write them in their heartes and then shall no maÌ„ teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lord for
worke and toyle There are also workemen to whome the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to paye the hire that is their due A woorke also is the thing which is made or expressed by the artificer or workeman For the Prophet Ieremie speaking of a potter saith He made a worke vpon a whéele Moreouer a woorke doth signifie an office or duetie For Paul saith do the worke meaning the office of an Euangelist And the holy Ghoste speaking in the church at Antioche saith Separate me Paule and Barnabas for the woorke whereunto I haue chosen them Furthermore the workes of the Lorde are the mightie déedes of God whereby he doeth declare his power and goodnesse vnto men and in that significatiō heauen earth and man him selfe are saide to be the workes of Gods hands Workes also are the benefites of God bestowed vppon vs men For in the Gospel he saith I haue shewed you manye good workes as if he should haue said I haue done you many good turnes There are also euil workes I meane workes of iniquitie Wherevppon some men are called woorkers of iniquitie whose déedes are the woorkes of the fleshe and of darknesse Againe there are good workes I meane sundrie vertues the fruites of faith of which sorte are iustice temperaunce charitie patience hope c. For the Lorde in the Gospell saide Let your light so shine beefore men that they may see your good workes and glorifie the father which is in heauen The Apostle saith that wee are made for good workes to walke in them Those same are called the fruites of repentance and woorkes worthie of repentance They are called the works of light and the fruites of the spirite The same are the workes of humanitie beneuolence and charitie suche are commended in Tabitha which is read to haue beene full of good works Paule saith Let vs woorke good while we haue time to all but especially to them of the houshold of faith Such a like worke of humanitie and charitie did Marie bestowe vppon Christe our Sauiour who saide She hath wrought a good worke on mee This beeing thus declared wee will nowe describe good woorkes in their colours and qualities Good workes are déedes or actions wrought of those which are regenerate by the spirite of God through faith and according to the worde of God to the glorie of God the honestie of life the profite of their neighbour This briefe description I will prosecute by partes and expounde so well as the Lorde shall giue mee grace First of all I will by proofe shewe that there is none other welspringe from whence good workes do flowe than God him selfe which is the author of all good thinges For the Prophet saith All men are lyars God alone doth speake the trueth And the Lorde in the Gospell saith None is good but God alone Good woorkes therefore must haue their beginning not of man who is a lyar and corrupt but of God him selfe the welspring of all goodnesse And God doeth by his spirite and by faith in Christe Iesus renue al men so that they being once regenerate doe no longer their owne that is the workes of the fleshe but the workes of the spirite of grace and of God him selfe For the woorkes of them that are regenerate doe growe vpp by the good spirite of God that is within them which spirite euen as the sappe giueth strength to trees to bring foorth fruite doth in like manner cause sundrie vertues to budde braunch out of vs men as the Lorde him selfe doth in the Gospell testifie saye I am the vine ye are the braunches As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the vine so cannot ye also vnlesse ye abide in mee Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him hee bringeth foorth much fruite for without mee ye can do nothing To the same cause is that to be referred whereas wee say that a good worke is done by faith For faith is the gift of God whereby wée laye holde on Christe throughe which wée are both iustified and quickened as the Scipture saith The iust shal liue by his faith And in another place saith Paule By faith Christe dwelleth in our heartes And againe I liue yet now not I but Christe liueth in mee And the life which now I liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who loued mee and gaue him selfe for mee Nowe he that liueth doeth the workes of life through him no doubt by whome he is quickened and he that is iustified doeth the woorkes of righteousnesse through him that iustified him that is the righteous do through Christe woorke righteousnesse and righteousenesse conteineth the whole companie of vertues So then God alone remaineth stil the onely welspring and author of good woorkes But let vs nowe see the testimonies of Scripture by which wee may euidently learne that the workes of them that be regenerate are attributed to God him selfe who by his spirite and by faith doeth woorke in the heartes of the regenerate Moses testifieth saying The Lord shall blesse thee and the Lorde thy God shal circumcise thy hearte and the heart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte and with all thy soule that thou maist liue Lo here the cause the godly men doe rightly loue the Lorde doth procéede of the circumcision of the heart Now who I praye you doth circumcise the hearte beside the Lorde The Prophet Esaie doeth more plainly saye Thou Lorde shalt ordeine peace for euen thou haste wrought all our workes in vs. In the Gospell after Sainct Iohn our Sauiour saith He that worketh veritie commeth to the light that his workes may be seene because they are wrought by God. And againe Whosoeuer abideth in mee and I in him he bringeth foorth much fruite For without mee ye can do nothing Paule also to the Philippians saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for him And yet againe more plainly It is God that woorketh in you both to will and to doe accordinge to the good purpose of the minde Likewise also Sainct Iames saith Euerie good giuing and euerie perfecte gifte is from aboue and commeth from the father of lightes Moreouer Sainct Peter ascribing all the partes of good woorkes so God deeth saye The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glorie through Christe Iesus restore vpholde strengthen and stablishe you For wée are not able as Paule in an other place saith Of our selues to thinke any thinge as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. Therefore God alone remayneth still the onely welspring of all good workes from whome as from a spring head good works do flowe into the Sainctes as into sundry streames and chanels Yet here by the waye this muste be added that good woorkes although they doe in deede procéede from God and are in verie true and proper phrase of
from al sinne Therefore the moste proper phrase of speech is to saye that we are sanctified through faith by the bloud of Christe who saide I sanctifie my selfe from them that they also may bee sanctified through the trueth The latter is that they which are sanctified by the bloud of Christe through faith doe day by day sanctifie them selues and giue their mindes to holynesse To y doing and studie whereof the Apostles doe moste earnestly exhorte the Sainctes For Peter saith As hee which called you is holie so be ye also holie in your conuersation because it is written Bee ye holie for I am holie Sainct Paule saith This is the will of God euen your holinesse c. 1. Thessal 4. Sainct Iohn saith Nowe are wee the sonnes of God yet it doth not appeare what we shal be but wee knowe that when he shal appeare we shal be like him for wee shal see him as he is And euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth him selfe euen as he also is pure Nowe this purging or purification which is made by our care and industrie is called by the name of sanctification not because it is made by vs as of our selues but because it is made of them that are sanctified by the bloud of Christe in respecte of Christe his bloud For vnlesse that sanctification which is the verie true and onely sanctification in déede do goe before our sanctification I meane that whiche we worke is none at all But if that go before then is this of oures imputed for sanctification although in the meane while the spottes of sinne remaining in vs doe defile it and that we do put no confidence in it Therefore so often as thou shalt reade in the holy scriptures that righteousnesse is attributed to our good woorkes thou shalt thinke streightwayes that it is done for none other causes than those which I haue hitherto alreadie declared vnto thee For the Apostolical spirite cannot be repugnant or contrarie to it selfe This wil yet be made a great deale more manifest if we call to remembraunce and doe consider that the Apostles had to deale with two kindes of men the one sorte whereof did affirme that they were sufficiently able of their owne strength to satisfie or fulfill the lawe and that they coulde by their desertes and good woorkes merite eternall life yea they affirmed that the merite of Christe was not sufficient enoughe to the gettting of saluation vnlesse the righteousnesse of men were added therevnto Against these Paule disputed verie constantly and pithiely in all his Epistles For they made Christe and the grace of God of none effect The other sorte of men were such as abusing the doctrine of grace and faith did wallowe like swine in all filthie sinnes beecause they thought that it was sufficient vnto saluation if they did saye that they beléeued But they neuer declared their faith or beléefe by any good woorkes although occasion therevnto were giuen them Against these did S. Peter very well and wisely dispute in the 1. Chap. of his 2. Epistle and S. Iames in the 2. Chap. of his Epistle For hée affirmeth that Abraham was not iustified by faith onely but by workes that is to say that he was not iustified by a vaine opinion but by faith which bare and was full of good woorks For Iames doeth vse the names of Faith and iustification in one sense Paule in another Paul putteth faith for an assured confidence in the merite of Christ and hée vseth Iustification for absolution and remission of sinnes for adoptioÌ„ into the number of the sonnes of God and lastly for the imputing of Christ his righteousnes vnto vs But in Iames faith doth signifie a vaine opinion and iustification doth import not the imputing of righteousnesse but the declaring of righteousnesse adoption For it is vndoubtedly true that the holy Apostles of Christ S. Peter and S. Iames would not by their writinges make voyde the grace and merite of Christ to aduaunce the merites of mortall men but rather to withstand the vnpurenesse of them which put the faith of Christ in perill of disgracing to the offence of all good men liuing in the meane while most wickedly in detestable sinnes without repentaunce Therefore the Apostles of Christ requiring good workes at the handes of the faithfull doe first of all require a true and liuelie faith and doe referre them both vnto the grace of God. Let vs therefore most firmely hold that the Apostles doe attribute iustification life and saluation to good workes improperly to true faith properly but most properly to Christ who is the subiecte foundation of true faith For although true faith is not without good woorkes yet doeth it iustifie without good works by it selfe alone For it is most certaine that life and saluatioÌ„ are bestowed on vs after the same maner that health and life was giuen to the children of Israel whiche in the wildernesse were poysoned of the Serpents They had their health restored them not by any workes but by the onely beholding and loking vppon the brasen Serpent therfore we also are made partakers of eternall life by faith alone which is the true be holding and looking vp to Christ As Moses saith our Sauiour did lift vpp the SerpeÌ„t in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that euerie one whiche beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue eternall life And the Apostle Paule saith Yee are saued by grace through faith not of yourselues it is the gift of God not of works least any man should boast c. With this doctrine of the Euangelistes and Apostles doe the testimonies of certaine doctors of the Church agrée Some of whiche I will recite vnto you déerely beloued not because these testimonies of the Scripture are not sufficient but because we wil not séeme to be the beginners bringers in of newe doctrines although in very déed that cannot be newe which is deriued out of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine albeit that all the doctors of the Church should gainesay or denie it Now therefore giue eare how some euen of the best of them do not in words onely say and write but also by proofes shewe that faith alone doth iustifie ORIGEN a very ancient writer vppon the 3. Chap. of the Epistle of Sainct Paul to the Romanes doth say Paul saith that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith alone is sufficient for a man so that euery one that doeth beléeue onely is iustified although no workes are once wrought by him Now if we require an example where any was euer iustified by faith alone without good workes that théefe I suppose is example good enough who being crucified with Christ did crie from the Crosse â—ord Iesu remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome In the writinges of the Euangelistes there is mention made of no good worke whiche hee in his life time did and yet because of this his faith onely
that all the ministers of the Churches euen from the Apostles time did both acknowledge and openly teach original sinne In that place he citeth the testimonies of IrenÄ™us Cyprian Retilius Olympius Hilarie and Ambrose his father and maister in Christian doctrine Innocent Gregorie Basil and Iohn Chrysostome And at length hée inferreth Wilt thou now call so great a consent of Catholique priestes a coÌ„spiracie of naughtie men Neither thincke thou that S. Hierome is to be coÌ„temned because he was but a priest onely and no bishop who being skilful in the Greeke Latine and Hebrue tongues and passinge from the West vnto the East Church liued in holy places and the studie of the sacred Scriptures euen to his croane crooked age He read all or in a maner al the woorkes of them whiche in both partes of the world did write of Ecclesiasticall doctrine and yet he neither held nor taught any otherwise of this point of doctrine And againe the same Augustine in his third booke De peccatoruÌ„ meritis remissione Cap. 7. sayeth Hierome expounding the propheâ—ie of Ionas when he came to that place where meÌ„tion is made that euen the little children were chastened with fasting sayth It began with the eldest and came euen to the yongest For there is none without sinne no not hee which is but one day old nor hee whose gray head hath seene many yeares For if the starres are not cleane in the sight of God how much more vncleane are duste and putrifying earth and those which are in subiection to the sinne of Adams transgression To these words of Hierome doeth Augustine himselfe annexe this that followeth If it were so that wee might easilie aske it of this most learned man how many teachers of the holie Scriptures in both the tongues and howe many writers of Christian treatises would hee reckon vp which since the time that Christ his Church was first planted haue themselues nether thought of their predecessours learned nor taught their successours any other thaÌ„ this doctrine touching originall sinne I verilie thoughe I haue read nothing so much as hee do not remember that I haue heard any other doctrine of Christians whiche admit or receiue both the testaments whether they were in the vnitie of the Catholique Church or otherwise in Schismes and heresies I doe not remember that I haue read any other thing in them whose writinges touching this matter I could come by to read them if either they did followe or thought that they did follow or would haue men beleeue that they did followe the Canonicall Scriptures Thus farre hath Augustine teaching in the very beginning that all the Sainctes did by a full consent and agréement in doctrine most expressely graunt and confesse that originall sinne is euen in newe borne infants Mée thincketh that Sainct Hierome did not onely in Ionas but also much more euidently in Ezechiel confesse and affirme originall sinne His wordes are to bée séene Comment lib. 14. in cap. 47. ad Ezechielem and are verbatun as followeth What man can make his boaste that hee hath a chaste heart or to whose minde by the windows of the eyes the death of concupiscence or to vse a mylder terme the tickling of the minde doth not enter in For the world is set in wickednesse euen from his childhood the hart of man is set to naughtinesse so that not the very first day of a mans natiuitie his nature is free from sinne and naughtinesse Wherevppon Dauid in the Psalme sayeth For behold I was coÌ„ceiued in iniquitie and in sinne my mother conceiued mee Not in the iniquities of my mother or in mine owne sinnes but in the iniquities of our mortall state And therfore the Apostle saith death reigned from Adam vnto Moses ouer them also whiche had not sinned with the like transgression as did Adam Thus much hath Hierome and we haue hetherto alledged al these sayings to the end wee might proue that originall sinne is the naturall or hereditarie corruption of mans nature Let vs nowe sée what and howe great the hereditarie naughtinesse or corruption of our nature is and what power it hath to woorke in man Our nature verilie as I shewed you aboue was before the fall most excellent and pure in oure father Adam but after the fall it did by Gods iuste iudgement become corrupte and vtterly naught which is in that naughtinesse by propagation or Extraduce deriued into all vs whiche are the posteritie and ofspring of Adam as both experience and the thing it selfe doe euidently declare as well in sucklings or infantes as those of riper yeares For euen very babes giue manifest tokens of euident deprauation so soone as they once beginne to bée able to doe any thing yea before they can perfectlye sounde any one syllable of a whole word All oure vnderstandinge is dull blunt grosse and altogether blinde in heauenlie things Our iudgement in diuine matters is peruerse and friuolous For there arise in vs most horrible and absurd thoughtes and opinions touching God his iudgementes â— wonderfull woorkes yea our whole minde is apt and readie to errours to fables and our owne destruction and when as our iudgements are nothing but méere follie yet doe wée preferre them farre aboue Gods wisedome whiche wee esteeme but foolishnesse in comparison of oure owne conceiptes and corrupte imaginations For hee lyed not whiche saide The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spirituallie discerned Nowe Paule calleth him the naturall man which liueth naturally by the vitall spirite and is not regenerate by the holy Ghoste And since we all are such wée are therefore wholie ouercome and gouerned of Philautie that is too great a selfeloue and delight in our selues whereby all things that wee oure selues doe woorke doe highly please vs loking still verie busilie to oure owne selues and our commoditie when in the meane time wée neglecte all others yea rather doe afflicte them Neither did Plato vnaduisedly estéeme that vice of selfeloue to bee the very roote of euery euill Furthermore our whole will is ledd captiue by concupiscence which as a roote enuenomed with poyson infecteth all that is in man and doeth incline drawe on driue man to things carnall forbidden and contrarie to God to the end that hée maye gréedilie pursue them put all his delight in them and content him selfe wyth them Moreouer there is in vs no power or abilitie to doe any good For wée are sâ—owe sluggish and heauie to goodnesse but liuely quicke and readie enoughe to anye euill or naughtinesse And that I may at last conclude and briefely expresse the whole force and signification of our hereditarie deprauation and corruption I say that this deprauation of our nature is nothing else but the blotting of Gods Image in vs There was in oure father Adam before his fall the very Image and likenesse of God
waste my richesse that all at length is spent and I my selfe drawne drie For I kéepe good turnes in stoare for a thousand generations so that although the former age did liue neuer so wealthily with my richesse yet they that come are borne euen vntill the very end of the world shall neuerthelesse finde in me so much as shal suffice satisfie their desire For I am the wel-springe of good that cannot be drawne drie And if any man sinne against me afterwarde repent him of the same I am not vnappeaseable For euen of mine owne frée will I doe forgiue errours sinnes and heinous crimes And yet let no man therefore thinke that I am delighted with sinnes or that I am a Patrone of wicked doers For euen I the same doe punish wicked and impenitent men and chasten euen those that are mine owne that therby I may kéepe them in order office But let no man thinke that he shall sinne and escape vnpunished because he séeth that his auncestours did sinne and were not punished that is did sinne and were not vtterly cutte off and wiped out For I reserue reuengement till iuste and full time and do so be haue my selfe that all are compelled to confesse me to be a God of iudgement Now when Moses the seruaunt of God had hearde and séene these thinges he made haste and fell downe prostrate to the earth worshipped Let vs also doe the same beinge surely certified that the Lorde will not vouchsafe so long as we liue in this transitorie worlde to reueale himselfe and his glory any whit more fully and brimly than in Christe his Sonne exhibited vnto vs Let therefore the thinges that sufficed Moses suffice vs also let the knowledge of Christ suffice and content vs. For the moste euident and excellent way and meane to know God is layde forth before vs in Iesu Christe the sonne of God incarnate and made man For therefore we did euen now heare that before Moses was set the shadowe of Christe when it pleased God most familiarly to reueale himselfe vnto him And the Apostle Paule placeth the illumination or appearinge of the knowledge of the glorie of God to be in the face of Iesus Christ And in an other place the same Paule calleth Christe the brightnesse of his fathers glorie and the liuely image of his substaunce Truely he himselfe in the Gospell doeth most plainely say No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whome the Sonne will reueale him For he is the way vnto the father the father is séene beheld in him For we doe againe in the gospel reade No man hath euer seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath reuealed him vnto vs. But againe the Apostle saith After that in the wisdom of god the world through their wisedome knewe not God it pleased god through foolishnes of preaching to saue theÌ„ that beleeue That which he in this place calleth the wisedome of God is the verie creation workmaÌ„ship of the world and the woonderful works of God in which God would be knowen to the world and in the beating out considering whereof all the wisedome of all the wisemen till then did altogeather lye But for because the consideration of those thinges did no good by reason of mans wisedome for the most part referring the causes of things to somewhat else than to God the true and onely mark whereto they should be referred and while men thought them selues wise as the same Apostle teacheth vs euen in their owne reasonings they became fooles it pleased God by an other way to be knoweÌ„ to the world to witt by the foolish preaching of the Gospell which is in verie déed moste absolute and perfect wisedome but to the worldly wisdome of mortall men it séemeth foolishnesse For it séemeth a foolishe thing to the men of this world that the true and verie God béeing incarnate or made man was conuersant with vs men héere in the Earth was in pouertie was hungry did suffer and die And yet euen this is the way whereby God is moste euidently knowen to the world together with his wisdome goodnesse trueth righteousnesse and power For the wisdome of God which no tongue can vtter doeth in the whole ministerie woonderful dispensation of Christ shine out very brightly but far more brimly if we discusse beate out the causes of which I speake else where throughly weigh the doctrine of Christ In the incarnatioÌ„ of the sonne of God it appeareth how wel god wisheth to the world being sunk drownd in sinne as y to which he is bound by an indissoluble league doth through Christe adopt the sonnes of death and of the diuell into the sonnes and heyres of life euerlasting Now whereas Christe doeth moste exactly fullfill all those things which the Prophetes by the reuelation of god did foretel of him and whereas he doeth moste liberally performe the things which GOD the father did promise of him that doeth declare how vnchaungeable and true the eternall God is In the déedes or miracles of Christe our Lorde in his resurrection in his glorious ascension into Heauen moste plentifull powring out of his holie spirite vppon his disciples but especially in conuerting the whole worlde from Paganisme and Iudaisme to the Euangelicall trueth doe appeare the power longe suffering maiestie and vnspeakeable goodnesse of GOD the father In the death of Christe the Sonne of GOD doth shine the great iustice of God the father as that which béeing once offended with our sinnes could not bée pacified but with such and so great a sacrifice Finally because he spared not his only begotten sonne but gaue him for vs that are his enimies and wicked rebelles euen therein is that mercie of his made knowen to the world which is verie rightly coÌ„mended aboue all the woorkes of god Therefore in the sonne and by the sonne God doeth moste manifestlye make himselfe manifest to the world so that what so euer is néedefull to be knowen of God or of his wil what soeuer is belonging to heauenly and healthful wisdome that is wholy opened and throughly perceiued séene in the sonne Therefore when Philipp said to Christe Lord shew vs the father and it sufficeth vs we reade that the Lord aunswered Haue I beene so long with you do ye not yet know me Philipp he that hath seene me hath seene the father And how sayest thou shew vs the father doest not thou beleeue that I am in the father and the father in me Now hée rein he â—alleth back all the faithful from ouer curious seaching after God laying before them the mysterie of the dispensation wherein he would haue vs to rest and to content our selues namely in that that God was made man Therefore whosoeuer desire to sée and knowe God truely let them cast the
holy Ghost had y comforter present in their mindes went reioycing from the presence of the counsel bicause they were counted worthy to suffer reproch for the name of Christe So we read in the Ecclesiasticall historie that the martyrs of Christ being full of the holy Ghost euen in extreme torments and moste bitter deaths were most patient and sange prayses and gaue thanks vnto GOD. Furthermore we haue heard that the holy Ghoste is called of the Lorde the spirite of trueth For in an other place also hee beautifieth him with that name for he saith When the cōforter shall come whome I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirite of trueth which proceedeth from the father hee shall beare witnesse of me And he is called the spirite of trueth bycause there is an other hypocriticall spirite an erronious and lying spirite in the mouth of all false Prophetes This our spirite worketh in his worshippers sinceritie gentlenesse of mynde and integritie Those he teacheth all trueth For our Lorde elsewhere in the gospel sayth That comforter whiche is the holy Ghoste whome the father will send in my name he shall teache you all things and bring all thinges to your remembraunce what so euer I haue sayde vnto you Therefore the spirite of trueth hath taught the Apostles all trueth that is to be beléeued and all godlinesse and they haue deliuered the same fully to the Church For the holie Ghost driueth away all errours destroyeth all heresies confoundeth all Idolatrie and vngodlinesse and poureth true faith into our heartes and establisheth true religiō in the Church The Actes of the Apostles affoorde vs verie many of examples By this spirite of God the Apostles foretolde things to come shadowing out amōg other things Antichrist and the corruption of this oure last age and admonishing the Church least the elect shoulde be intangled in errours and blasphemous wickednesses Now he is called the spirit of promise for that he was promised of god by the Prophetes through Christ to the Fathers to the apostles and to al that beleue the apostles doctrine and was at length also through the same Christe fully giuen and perfourmed This worde putteth the godly in mynde that they shoulde not ascribe the hauing of this so great and healthfull a gift to their merites but to the méere grace of god And the holie Ghoste is graunted yea giuen vnto vs by the promise of god Wherevpon it followeth that all the giftes of God are fréely giuen which thing the Apostle Paule principally proueth and earnestly beateth into our heades in his epistles specially to the Romanes and the Galathians In Luke the Lord sayth If I with the finger of God cast out diuels no doubt the kingdome of God is come vpon you Saint Matthewe rehearsing the same wordes sayth If I by the spirite of God cast out diuels thē is the kingdome of God come vpon you Therefore the holie Ghost is called the finger of god to wit the might and power of god Men of occupations worke with their fingers God worketh his workes by his diuine power I meane by his spirite whose power is so greate that euen his little finger giue me leaue so to speake surpasseth all the power and strength in the worlde That appeared in those Sorcerers of Egypt Didymus rehearseth a parable touching the vnitie of the diuine substaunce and admonisheth diligently and conueniently that we should not for corporall things forge and feigne vnto our selues a corporall meaning of spirituall things For he sayth But beware lest thou being cast downe vnto base things doest imagine in thy mynd diuersities of corporall actions and begin to forge to thy selfe magnitudes and inequalities and other members of the body greater and lesser saying that the finger from the hand and the hand from him whose hand it is doth differ by many inequalities bycause the scripture doth now speak of bodylesse thinges purposing to shewe the vnitie onely and not the measure of substance also For as the hand is not diuided from the body by the whiche it worketh and bringeth all things to an end and is in him whose hand it is so also the finger is not separated frō the hand whose finger it is Therefore away with inequalities and mesurings when thou thinkest of God and vnderstande the vnitie of the finger of the hande and of the whole substaunce by which finger the lawe was written in tables of stone Thus farre he Now the holie Ghost is read as wel in the writings of the Prophets as also of the apostles to be shadowed out by water and a liuely or continuall running founteine I will poure out sayth the Lord by Esaie waters vppon the thirstie and riuers vpon the dry ground And anon by interpretation he addeth I will poure my spirite vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy stocke And in the Gospell the Lord sayth If any mā thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke Hee that beleeueth in me as sayth the scripture out of his bellye shall flowe riuers of water of life To which in way of exposition the holie Euangeliste addeth But this he spake of the spirite whiche they that beleeue in him should receiue Surely water maketh barren groundes fruitfull cleanseth things defiled giueth drinke to them that be thirstie and cooleth them that are in a heate so the grace of the holy spirit maketh barren myndes fruitfull to bring foorth fruite to the liuing god By the selfe same grace our harts are cleansed from all vncleannesse the same quencheth the thirst of the soule and comforteth it when it is afflicted and fulfilleth all the desires thereof Fire is simple and pure and some bodies it consumeth and othersome it purgeth making them more fine and cleane It warmeth also and hath many profitable and necessarie operations in man Therefore the holy Ghoste is rightly shadowed out vnto vs by fire For he is pure and simple he consumeth the vngodly cleanseth the faythfull from the filthinesse of sinnes and maketh them to burne with the loue of God and their neighbour setting them on fire doubt lesse with the fire of his loue When he was giuen to the Apostles in the day of Pentecoste there was heard a sound as it had bene with the force of a mightie winde comming by which thing was signified that the doctrine of godlinesse shoulde be spread throughout the whole worlde by the power of GOD and wonderfull successe maugre the might of the whole world setting shoulder against the same all in vaine For the wind no man staying it bloweth through the whole world pearceth all places and no mā can keepe it out it hath also wonderfull effectes in bodies to chaunge thē And the holie Ghost pearceth al thinges softneth mens hearts and of froward stubborne and rebellious he maketh most lowly modest and obedient men Fierie toungs appeare vpon the heades of the Apostles and disciples indued
with the holy ghost signifying doubtlesse the operation or working of the holy ghost of whiche they were signes and assuraunces For he instructeth exhorteth and cōforteth the faithfull neither doeth he arme his faithful Apostles with colde tongues but fierie tongues The Apostles when they preached the gospel séemed not to speake but to lighten and to thunder wherevpon also certeine of them were called of our Sauiour the sonnes of thunder Furthermore the holy ghoste appeareth in the likenesse of a Doue vpon the sonne of God euen then whē he was baptised of Iohn Baptiste For a Doue is milde gentle without malice or harme Wherof sprong the prouerbe Manners like a Doue Doue-like simplicitie And More gentle than a Doue For a Doue is among birdes as a shéepe among foure footed beastes which thinketh no hurt to any liuing creature Wherevpon Christe is also called a Shéepe or a Lambe Of the spirite of God therefore the wise man saieth verie well The spirite of wisedome is holie one onely manifolde subtile quicke mouing cleare vndefiled plaine sweete louing the thing that is good sharp which cannot be letted doing good kinde to man stedfast sure free from care hauing all power circumspecte in all things and passing through al vnderstanding and cleane yea most subtile spirites Againe they that are indued with the holy ghost are called the annoynted of the Lorde For the holy Ghoste is called both oyle and annoynting for vnlesse we be watered of the holie Ghost we waxe barren and waste away For we are voyde of liuely and heauenly moysture and of our owne nature alwayes wyther and waxe drie And of this annoynting there went a notable figure before in the ceremoniall annoynting of Kinges and priestes S. Iohn sayth And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you ye neede not that any mā teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it taught you abide in it For the Lord also sayth in Ieremie This shal be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes I will plant my lawe in the inwarde partes of them and write it in their heartes and will be their God and they shall bee my people And from henceforth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother saying Knowe the Lorde for they shall all knowe me from the lowest vnto the highest saith the lord For I wil forgiue their misdeedes and will neuer remember their sinnes any more But we shewed a little before that the holy Ghoste is the vniuersall teacher of all trueth Hitherto that séemeth to belong which S. Paule saith It is God which hath annoynted vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our heartes For nowe the holy Ghost is not onely called annoynting but also the sealing vp or earnest of our saluation For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a part of payment which maketh assurance of the whole summe to be payde to wit a pledge And surely the holie Ghost doth nowe testifie yea it dothe seale and assure vs that we are the sonnes of god and that when time is we shall be receiued into the euerlasting inheritaunce Paule againe sayth Ye are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Ephes 1. That assuraunce doth maruellously confirme and comforte the mindes of the faythfull in temptations encourageth them besides that to patience in aduersitie and to holinesse of life For herevpon sayde S. Iohn Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome them for greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world And againe Nowe are we the sonnes of God and yet it doth not appeare what he shall be but we know that when wee shall appeare we shall bee like vnto him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth him selfe euen as he also is pure And as the holy ghost is an vnspeakable knitting together wherby the three persons are inseparably coupled one with an other in euerlasting loue concord euen so the same coupleth the spouse of Christ with his spouse with a knot y can not be loosed and ioyneth together betwéene them selues all the members of his mystical body in an euerlasting couenaunt For as the members of oure body are ioyned together whole and sound by the benefite and enioying of life so the mysticall body of Christe is vnited together by the holy Ghoste Therefore it is no maruell that he is called or noted with the name of loue which poureth loue into our heartes And albeit by these names of the holie Ghost his operation may be vnderstoode yet will I adde certeine testimonies of Scripture out of whiche his power or effect especially in vs maye be more fully vnderstoode Esaie almost in the beginning of his prophecie describing the person of the King our Messias among other things sayth The spirite of the Lord shal rest vpon him the spirite of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel and strength the spirite of knowledge and of the feare of the Lorde and shall make him of deepe iudgement in the feare of GOD. Though he declared manye yet hath he not reckoned vp all the powers of the spirite Therefore it is not for vs to bring into a streight and with the common sorte to comprise in a narrowe number of seuen the powers of the spirite For we haue heard hetherto that there is the spirite of promise of doctrine of humilitie and gentlenesse c. To whiche beside these there are reckoned vp very many together For he is the spirite of wisedome But howe great this is and howe farre it reacheth it is manifest euen in the words of Solomon To wisedome is ioyned vnderstanding which is sayde to be the action and applying of wisedome ordered or framed to things places times and persons Counsel is required and giuen in doutfull matters and sheweth what we may most conueniently doe Strength ministreth sufficient force and constancie to execute and perfourme yea and patiently to beare what so euer by counsel we haue learned eyther to be done or to be suffered And nowe knowledge is an experience obteined and gotten by long time and vse Vnto these is feare added that is to say godlinesse and true religion wherevnto vnlesse we referre all oure sayings and doings wisedome vnderstanding coūsel strength and knowledge shal nothing profite vs. To be short who so euer is indued with the spirit of God whatsoeuer he shal either do or say wil sauour of the feare of god finally he shal say do al things vnto the glory of god al these things truly are fréely
fully drawne out of the onely founteine of the holy ghost Paule the apostle in his epistle to the Romans describing the wonderfull force of the holie Ghost working in vs being new borne sayth They that are in the fleshe can not please god But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirite if so bee the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And if Christe bee in you the body is deade bycause of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnesse sake But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deade dwell in you euen hee that raysed vp Christe from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodyes bycause that his spirit dwelleth in you The same Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth that by the reuelation of the holie Ghoste the mysterie of the kingdome of God is verie manifestly opened vnto vs God sayth he hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges yea the deepe things of god For what man knoweth the things of man saue the spirite of man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of god And we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of God that we might knowe the thinges which are giuen to vs of Christe Hetherto perteyne these woordes of oure Lorde and Sauiour out of the holie Gospell I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away that comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And when he is come he will rebuke the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bicause they beleeue not on him Of righteousnesse bicause I goe to the Father and ye see me no more Of iudgement bycause the prince of this world is iudged already And it is euident that in all these clauses the whole summe of religion is conteyned whiche the holy Ghoste most plentifully hath deliuered vnto the Churche Which we also touched in the exposition of the names of the holy Ghost It followeth in the Gospell I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye can not beare them away now Howbeit wheÌ„ he is come which is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into all truth He shal not speake of him selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake hee will shewe you thinges to come And since it is certeine that the holie Ghoste is come it is euident that he led the Apostles into all trueth in so muche that what so euer agréeth not with their writings is worthily suspected of a lye Otherwise I doubt not but he at this day speaketh in the Church by those which are his but it is without controuersie that the holy Ghoste doth not gainesay him selfe And that things to come were reuealed to the Apostles by the spirite we haue touched in the exposition of the names of the holy ghost Neither is it doubtful but at this day he reuealeth many thinges to the Saintes in the Church euen those things which perteine to the preseruation of the Gospell of Christ and the Saintes Againe we reade in the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians The manifestation sayth he of the spirite is giuen to euery man to profite withall for to one is giuen by the spirite the woorde of wisedome to an other the woorde of knowledge by the same spirite to an other is giuen faith by the same spirite to an other the giftes of healing by the same spirite to an other power to do miracles to an other prophecie to an other discerning of spirites to an other diuers kindes of toungs to an other the interpretation of toungs But all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirite diuiding to euery man seuerally euen as he will. All these things are manifest neyther néede they any further exposition These are greate and euident giftes of the holie spirite vnto which also if we add those words which the same Apostle hath set down concerning the same spirite of God we will make an end The fruite of the spirite sayth he is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meeknesse temperaunce These I say and all other vertues the holie Ghost which worketh all good things in all men graffeth planteth preserueth defendeth and bringeth vnto ful ripenesse in the minds of the faithfull To all these we wil nowe adde in steade of a conclusion the most notable treatise of Tertullian touching the holie Ghoste The same is this Bycause the Lord was departing into heauen he did necessarily giue to his disciples a comforter least he shoulde leaue them in a manner orphanes which was not conuenient and forsake them without a certeine aduocate and tutour For it is he that strengthened their myndes and vnderstaÌ„dings which distinguished the sacraments of the gospel which was in them the giuer of light in heauenly things by whom doing stâ—eâ—gtheâ—ed and established thâ—y neythâ—â—â—earâ—d imprisonments nor chaines for the name of the Lorde but â—athâ—r set at nought the very powers and tormeÌ„ts of this world being nowe armed and emboldened through him hauing in them the giftes which this selfe same spirite doth distribute and direct as it were certeine ornamentes to the Church which is the spouse of Christ For it is he that appointeth prophets in the church instructeth the teachers guideth toungs worketh myracles and giueth health bringeth to passe wonderfull workes sheweth the discerning of spirites establisheth gouernements indueth with counsell ministreth and ordereth and disposeth all other spirituall giftes and therefore maketh the Church of God on all sides and in all things perfect and absolute It is he whiche in the likenesse of a Doue after the Lorde was baptised descended and remayued vpoÌ„ him dwelling only in Christ fully and wholy not maymed or minished in any measure or portion but plentifully receiued into him with his whole aboundance that others might obteine from him a certeine distribution of giftes the founteine of the fulnesse of the holie Ghost wholy remayning in Christe that from him might be deriued veynes of gifts and myracles the holy Ghoste moste aboundantly dwelling in Christ For Isaie prophecying the same sayde And the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel strength the spirite of knowledge and godlinesse resteth vppon him And the spirite of the feare of the Lord filled him The like and selfe-same saying he hath also in an other place in the person of the Lorde him self◠〈…〉 to â—reâ—che thâ— Gospell to the poore hath he sent me Likewise Dauid Wherfore thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Of this spirite the Apostle Paule speaketh For he that hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his
was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome To this also nowe séemeth that saying of Daniel to belong As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing mine owne finde and the sinne of my people Israel and pouring foorth my prayers before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my god Yea while I was yet speaking in my prayer the man Gabriel whom I had seene before in the vision came flying hastily vnto me Loe our soules are carried vp into heauen by the Angels whiche notwithstanding are elsewhere sayd at an instant to be taken vp into heaueÌ„ Afterwarde as soone as Daniel had prayed vnto the Lorde the Angel without any longer delay flying spéedily for so the Scripture speaketh for our capacitie is present with him that prayeth and sheweth him that he is heard of god Angels therefore are swift and passing spéedie being kept downe with no weight neyther hindered or stayed from perfourming those things for which they are sense from heauen albeit they are conteyned in place as creatures though not limited and art moued with a certeine order and manner agréeable to that spirituall nature This treatise requireth peraduenture that somthing also be spoken of the might power and strength of Angels But what néede many wordes in a manifest matter For since the Lorde who sendeth foorth his Angels is Almightie there is nothing but that angels can doe it in those their embassages ministeries There is nothing in the whole course of nature that is able to withstande the ministers of the Almightie god For Angels are not called powers and vertues for nought I will shewe one example among many and yet not the chiefest One Angel in one night without any furniture or much adoe slâ—e in the tenâ—es of the Assyriâ—ns at the wals of Hiâ—râ—salem a hundred fourescore and fiue thousande of the valiantest souldiers In Daniel we haue such a description of an angel wherby both the power and excellencie of angels may be gathered His body saith he was like the Turkishe or Iasper stone his face to looke vppon was like lightening his eyes as lampes of fire his armes feete were like in colour to polished brasse and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude So that it is not needefull to make a long discourse of the knowledge wisedome of angels For this is not a thing that passeth capacitie séeing Angels are creatures But in so much as perteyneth to their embassages and ministeries surely they are moste wise in al points furnished and in no part diminished For he that sendeth them is euerlasting wisedome it selfe and he furnisheth his Embassadours moste perfectly Furthermore touching the multitude and order of angels certeine Diuines haue wittily and wisely inough disputed The Scripture simply affirmeth that angels are innumerable For Daniel sayth A thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousandes stood before him It is also read that Christ sayde to Peter Thinkest thou that I can not praye vnto my father and he shal send vnto me more than twelue legions of Angels Paulâ— also sayth Ye are come into the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels Many distinguishe that innumerable multitude into nine companies and these again they bring into thrée hiâ—raâ—chies or holie principalities of which they affirme that eache of them haue thrée orders the first Seraphim Cherubim Thrones the seconde Lordshippes Vertues Powers the third Principalities Archangels and Angels They adde in what they differ betwéene them selues and what is proper to euerie one of them But S. August in his Encheir cap. 58. saith Wherin lordships principalities and powers do differ betweene them selues let them tell that can if yet they are able to proue that they say I confesse my selfe to be ignorant of these matters And the same Augustine Ad OrosiuÌ„ coÌ„tra Luscillianistas saith Truely the Apostle sayth Whether seates threnes whether lordships whether principalities whether powers And therefore that there are seates Lordships principalities and powers in the hoastes of heauen I stedfastly beleeue and that they differ somewhat betweene them selues I hold it for an vndoubted truth but what they are and what they differ betweene them selues I knowe not Neyther truly do I thinke my selfe for the ignoraunce therof to be indaungered as I am for disobedience if I neglect the Lordes commaundements And anon in the same place he sheweth that we must not busily and curiously searche after these things Whose counsel we doe willingly obey perceiuing that the scriptures which minister vnto vs al things necessarie and healthfull haue set downe nothing concerning them Yet this we can not deny that those names or if you will so call them orders of Angels are expressed in the holie Scriptures wherevpon for our weaknesse it is méete after a forte to expounde them as we may These blesseâ— spirites of heauen séeme generally and simply to be called Angels bycause they be the messingers embassadours of the moste highe GOD who it appeareth are called Archangels when they besent in message in Gods greatest matters to shewe or doe thinges altogether hard and heauenly For so we read in Paule that The Lord himselfe shal deseend from heauen in a shout and in the voice of an Archangel and in the trumpe of God. For that we may compare smal thinges with great we sée that kings and princes in weightie affayres appoint none to bee their embassadours but noble meÌ„ It appeareth that they are called Thrones because they staÌ„d alwayes at the throne of God or else because God is read in the Prophets to haue made and placed his owne seate in Angels and to bee carried of them as it were in the coche of a king as Dauid sayeth He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was darâ—knes vnder his feete He rode vppon the Cherubims or was carried vpon the Cherubims and did flie hee came flying vppon the winges of the winde Furthermore the description of the charriot and throne of God in Ezechiel is knowen They séeme to be called Lordshipps principalities and powers beecause God executeth his gouernement and exerciseth his owne power in the world by the ministerie of Angels For so also they are called powers and armies or the hoast of heauen For they incompasse the Lord round as his guard and hee who is called the God of Sabbaoth or of hoastes the Lord I saye of all Angels spirits and creatures whose ministerie hee vseth when where how and as much as it pleaseth him vseth them also as his souldiers S. Hierome thinketh they are called Cherubims of their excéeding knowledge Other expouÌ„d them swift Seraphims haue their name of feruentnesse Or else because they are compared to most pure and cleare fire Or for that they are burning in the loue of god By these names in the meane while are shadowed
addeth an oâ—he saying Verilie I say vnto you that wée should not doubt of the unmortalitie of soules There are very many testimonies and those most euident of Christ the sonne of God in the same Gospell as in the sixte and eleuenth Chapiters to whiche wee will ioyne one or two out of the writings of the blessed Apostles of Christ Sainct Peter speaking of the soules of the fathers which were dead a great while agoe sayeth that The Gospell was preached also to the dead that they should bee iudged like other men in the flesh but should liue before God in the spirite Spirites or soules of the blessed fathers whose bodies being buried a great while agoe doe waite for the vniuersall sentence of that generall and last iudgement that is that their flesh may be raised vp againe be iudged with other men in the last day but in the meane while their soules liue with God so that mens soules are aliue thoughe their bodies were rotten a great while agoe S. Paule in his epistle to Timothie sayeth that life and immortalitie is made manifest and brought by Christ The same Paule euery where doeth so plainely auouche the immortalitie of soules that hee must néedes be blinde which séeth it not S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sawe vnder the altar in heauen that is vnder the protection of Christe whoe is the sacrifice and propitiation for the sinnes of the world liuing soules lying and crying Howe longe tariest thou Lord to reuenge our bloud He sawe them cloathed with white garmentes and enioying euerlasting rest But these soules were the soules of the martyrs of Christe whose bodies died béeing murthered on the earth vnder tyrauntes and persecuters of the Christian faith Therefore the soules of men are immortall Most true therefore yea and vndoubted are those woordes whiche are read in the booke of Wisedome vttered in this manner The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shal no torment touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their ende is taken for a miserie and their departing from vs to be vtter destruction but they are in rest For thoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie They are punished but in few things neuerthelesse in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them findeth them meete for himselfe As gold in the fornace doth he trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and when the time commeth they shal be looked vpon They shall shine and runne thoroughe as the sparckles amonge the stubble They shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall reigne for euer Wherefore most truely and according to the Canonicall Scripture doe the Ecclestasticall definitions pronounce Cap. 16. Wee beleeue that man onely hath a substantiall soule whiche hauing put off the bodie liueth and keepeth his senses and disposition liuelie It doeth not die with the bodie as Aratus affirmeth nor a little while after as Zenon sayeth because it liueth substantiallie But the soules of beastes and other mortall creatures are not substantiall but are borne with their fleshe thorough the life of their fleshe and with the death of their flesh are at an end and doe die Furthermore that truth touching the immortalitie of soules as it were by the lawe of nature is written and imprinted in the mindes of all men Wherevppon it is no meruaile that all the wise men amonge the Gentiles could neuer abide that the soule should be called mortall For the consent of all whiche is thought the voice of nature specially of the chiefest declareth y soules are immortall And M. Tullie also affirmeth that saying As by nature wee thincke there are Gods and by reason wee know what they bee so wee hold opinion with the consent of all nations that soules doe stil continue All y auncient writers therefore and all that followed them haue said that soules are euerlasting or immortal as Trismegistus MusÄ™us OrphÄ™us Homerus Pindarus and Pherecydes the Syâ—ian the maister of Pythagoras and his scholer Socrates Plato himselfe who to learne the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italie was not onely of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of touching the immortalitie of souls but brought reasons also to confirme the same These reasons as Tullie witnesseth are many that he whiche readeth his booke cannot seeme to desire any thing further Seneca so plainely affirmeth and proueth the immortalitie of soules that nothing can be more plaine And Epictetus a famous Philosopher who liued in the time of Seneca hath done no lesse If as yet there be any light headed men to whome the immortalitie of the soule séemeth doubtfull or whiche vtterly denie the same these truely are vnworthy to haue the name of men For they are plagues of the coÌ„mon wealth and verie beastes worthy to be hissed and driuen out of the company of men For hee lacketh a bridle to restraine him and hath cast awaye all honestie and shame is prepared in all points to committ anye mischiefe whosoeuer beléeueth that the soule of man is mortall I shewed that soules by death béeing separated from their bodies doe not die but remaine aliue it resteth now behinde that I teach you where the soules when they are destitute of the dwelling place their bodies leads their life and are conuersaunt While they were coupled to the bodies they vsed them as their dwelling houses so that though they be said not to be limitted in place yet they doe not wander out of their bodies but they are as it were shut vp in them as in prisons vntill the time they be dissolued and sett at libertie Those same soules therefore being now disseuered from their bodies since they reteine their sound senses their nature or disposition and their whole substance in liuely manner albeit they are said no not euen now to be limitted in place not are they not let loose runne aftraye hauing their abiding in no place but beeing compacte and sett fast in their owne Essence or béeing are in some place againe hauing no newe bodies for the soules are frée euen till the Iudgement day when they shall bee ioyned againe to their bodies how beit certaine abiding places are prepared for them of God wherin they may liue Although other by my leiue verie subtily and wittilie doe reason howe spirites are conteyned in place or not conteined I simplie affirme with the scripture that soules separated from bodies are taken vpp either into heauen it selfe or else are drowned in the depthe of hell and that their béeing and abiding is euen so there that when they are héere they are not else where For the Lord most plainly and pithilie saieth in the Gospell that the soule of beggerly Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome and the soule of the rich glutton was caste downe into hell But that more is it foorthwith followeth in
the Church and the name of Christe If any man sayth he that is called a brother be a theefe or a whoremonger or a couetous person c. with such an one see that ye eate no meate For what doeth it belong vnto me to iudge of thē that be without For God iudgeth them that are without Without that is to say he placeth them y are not called brethren wthout the bonds compasse of the Church to witt such as doe not acknowledge the name of Christe or of the church Within that is to say in the societie of the Church I meane of the outwarde church he reckoneth vp them that as yet doe acknowledge the Christian name neither yet doe withstand ecclesiasticall discipline though they thē selues in meane time be defiled and spotted with much mischiefe Of all men S. Iohn the Apostle spake plainliest saying They went out frō vs but they were none of vs For if they had beene of vs they had taried stil with vs. This séemeth to be a straunge kinde of spéeche For if they which go out of the church had not bene in the societie of the church how could they go out of the Church Can a man come foorth of a place in-the which he neuer came or in which he neuer was Therefore if hypocrits and euill men are gone out of the Churche surely they were sometime in the Church then to witt when they had not as yet gone out of it and did plainly shew what maner ones they were indéede Againe for that they went out of the Church they manifestly shewe that they were neuer indéede the true and liuely members of Christe and the Churche yet for a while they were numbered amōg the members of the Church The Apostle giueth the reason it is the disposition of Christes true members neuer to forsake Christe and his church but to continue and also to prosper and increase dayly more and more The Saincts and holie men truely doe offend or fall but yet they doe not forsake Christe vtterlye Dauid hauing committed adulterie and man-slaughter cryeth out sayinge Make me a cleane hart O lord and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holie spirite from me O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free spirite Sainct Peter denied the Lord and the weake flesh ouercame a good spirite but immediatly the Lord stirring vpp his harte he repented and departing from euill company he adioyned himselfe to the good fellowship of the Lord who foretolde him of this greate fall and thereto added these wordes I prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile and thou when thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren The same Peter also in an other place what time manye fell from Christe being demaunded whether he also prouided to departe answered Lord to whome shall we go Thou haste the word of eternall life And wee beleeue and knowe that thou art Christe the Sonne of the liueing GOD. Wherefore S. Iohn said verie truely They went out frō vs but they were none of vs. He addeth the reason If they had bene of vs they had stil taried with vs. Therefore bicause they continued not still with vs in the societie of Christ the Church they shewed by their defectiō and falling away what maner ones hitherto they haue bene we accounted them to be members of the Church but they by their fallinge away did declare that they were chaffe in the Lordes corne For as chaffe béeing not stirred nor fanned doeth séeme to be heauie with a graine of Wheate in it but béeinge once moued it appeareth emptie and light and by fanning is put aparte from the corne so hypocrites béeinge light by reason of their defection doe manifestly proue that they were neuer heauie with the séede of Gods worde that they were neuer the true corne of Christ From hence a generall and auncient opinion is gathered that all that are saide to be the Church and beautifie themselues with the title of the church are not by and by the Church For Saint Iohn plainely addeth But that it may be euident that all be not of vs. We read how that S. Paule to the Romanes saith They are not all Israelites which came of Israel neither are they all children straight way because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Therefore the faithfull are the true and liuely members of Christe and of the Saincts In meane season truely so long as hypocrites or wicked persons not yet putting off their visours shall by their sayings and doings declare what they are that they may lawfully be cut from the church who not yet breaking away by their owne accorde do forsake Christ in the open fielde and flie to the tents of antichrist or the diuell are knowen and taken to be the true inhabitants of the church and are called the thurch and the members of the church although God whoe beholdeth the heartes of al men doe well inough discerne them I will againe make this matter plaine by an example As longe as Iudas the betrayer of Christ and mansleyer did not vtter his craftie or rather moste wicked deuise either by open déede or word neither forsooke the companie of Christe and the Apostles but did preache and prouide necessarie things of house shoulde for Christe he was accounted for an Apostle and the stuwarde of Christe yea and for a member of the Apostolique church Yet the selfe same Iudas was called by the Lord a Diuell and when he spake of the electe and of his true and liuelye members he was most plainely shut out so that there is no occasion of dout to think that Iudas was no member of the inwarde and holie Churche of God though he were a member of the the outwarde Churche béeing reckoned in the number of the holie men And therefore they speake not without greate aduise that said That of Gods Churche there was one visible and outward an other inuisible and inwarde The visible and outwarde Churche is that which is outwardely knowen by men for a Church by hearing Gods worde and partaking of his Sacraments and by publique confession of their faith The inuisible and inwarde is so called not that men are inuisible but because it is not to be séene with mans eye and yet doeth appeare before Gods eyes who beléeue truely and who feignedly For the true beléeuers are the true and liuely members of this inwarde Church which before I called the militant Churche more strictly considered but the other visible Churche comprehending both good and bad is more largely considered Now forasmuch as we haue said that the Church militant vppon earth is marked by GOD with certeine tokens and markes whereby it may be knowen in this worlde it followeth next that we shuld speake of those outward marks of the church of god And there are
and yet gathereth not that sense that it may probably seeme he whome hee readeth ment in that place he is not perniciously deceiued neyther lyeth he at all The same anon after Hee is notwithstanding to bee corrected and must haue it shewed him howe muche more profitable it were for him not to leaue the highway lest by accustomable straying hee be forced eyther to goe crosse or croked Thus farre he Therefore where an Ecclesiasticall interpreter doth erre grossely it is lawfull to a better learned brotherly to admonishe him but to make a Scisme it is not lawfull The authours of Scisme lightly are somewhat proude and arrogant and swell with enuie and therefore are voyde of al charitie and modestie they allowe nothing but what they them selues bring foorth neither will they haue any thing common with others they are alwayes musing some high matter nothing that is coÌ„mon or simple Vnto these men very well agréeth that saying of the Apostle Paul Knowledge puffeth vp but loue edifieth Therfore godly teachers in the church and also godly hearers for doctrine which is not altogether foolish though it be somewhat grosse yet being godly and tending to edification they neither leaue or forsake the fellowship of the churche neither striue they or contend but rather vse charitie in all things And if the ministers liues be attached with grieuous vices and yet in the meane season they be faithful in teaching admonishing exhorting rebuking and comforting if they lawfully distribute the lawful sacraments no man hath iust occasion to forsake the church The Lorde expresly saith in the gospel The Scribes the Phariseis sit in Moses seate Al therefore what so euer they bid you obserue that obserue and do but after their workes do not for they say and do not Behold the Lorde saith they say and do not therefore the teachers liues were not agreable to their doctrine yet for that they stoode in Moses seat that is to say bicause they taught the word of God lawfully and sincerely he biddeth to receiue their sincere doctrine but their life not being agréeable to their doctrine that he biddeth to refuse and therefore to make a scisme for the preachers euill liues sake the Lorde doth forbid Surely he commaundes to â—â—ée from false Propetes But not an euil life but false doctrine maketh a false prophet A great conâ—lict about this matter had the holy father S. Augustine with the Donatiâ—tes who contended that the ministerie was of smaller power through the imperfection of the ministers Which case is to be considered in an other sort But now what cause haue they to leaue and forsake our churches for the vnlikelinesse or varietie of ceremonies In the baptisme of childreÌ„ say they you obserue not one order and so also in the celebration of the supper Some take the breade of the Lorde in their handes sitting some do come and take it at the handes of the minister who also put it in the mouthes of the receiuers Some celebrate the Communion often some sildome and that but vpon set dayes And you vse not one forme of prayer Neither haue all your assemblies one manner neyther méete they at one time But howe shall we beléeue that the spirite of vnitie and peace is in you in whome is founde so great diuersitie For iust causes therefore we doe not communicate with you But of these customes we shall speake more fitly in their proper place But it is maruell that men not altogether rude and ignoraunt of Ecclesiasticall matters bring no other argumentes for defence of their wicked scisme Are the poore wretches ignoraunt how great diuersitie there hath bene alwayes in ceremonies vnitie notwithstanding alwayes remayning vndiuided in the catholique Church Socrates the famous writer of the ecclesiasticall historie in the fift booke of his histories the 22. chapter setteth out at large the diuersitie of ceremonies in the church of god Amongst other things he sayth No religion saith he keepeth all one kynde of ceremonies albeit it agree in doctrine about them For they which agree in faith differ in ceremonies And againe It shall be both laboursome and troublesome yea and impossible to describe al the ceremonies of all the churches in each citie regioÌ„ The blessed martyr Irenaeus writing to Victor bishop of Rome reherseth a great diuersity of the churches in their fastings and kéeping the feast of Easter and then addeth And yet not withstanding all these euen when they varied in their obseruations were both peaceable among themselues and with vs and yet are neyther doth the disagreement about fasting breake the agreement of faith And againe Blessed Polycarpus saith hee wheÌ„ he came to Rome vnder Anicete hauing some small controuersie about certeine other matters were by and by reconciled But of this kinde of matter they coÌ„tended not awhit For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarpus that he should not obserue those thinges which with Iohn the disciple of our Lord the rest of the Apostles with whom he had ben conuersant he had always obserued Neither did Polycarpus persuade Anicetus not to keepe that custome which by the traditioÌ„ of those elders to whom he succeeded he said he was to kepe And these maters thus standing they had felowship one with an other Thus far he Moreouer the auncient church vsed great libertie in obseruatioÌ„ of ceremonies yet so always as it brake not the bond of vnitie Yea S. Austine prescribing vnto Ianuarius what in this diuersitie of ceremonies he shuld either do or followe biddeth not him to make ascisme but iudging moderately wisely No rule saith he in these things is better thaÌ„ a graue wise christian who wil do in such sort as he shal se euery church do vnto which by chauÌ„ce he coÌ„meth For that whiche neither contrarie to faith nor good maners is coÌ„mauÌ„ded is to be counted indifferent according to their society amongst whom we liue to be obserued Againe least vnder pretence of this rule counsel any might force vpon euery maÌ„ what ceremonies they wold he addeth The church of God placed amidst muche chaffe cockle suffereth many thinges yet whatsoeuer is either coÌ„trarie to faith or good life she alloweth not neither holds she her peace neither doth she it Last of al whereas these men thinke that there is no true church where as yet faultie manners are to be séen in men conuersant in the churche by whose conuersation they feare to be polluted vnles either they come not at the churche or else quickly forsake it they fall into the madnes of the heretikes called Catharoi who deceiued with the false imagination of exact holinesse vsing sharpe crueltie fled from those churches in which the fruits of the doctrine of the gospel plainly appeared not Against these we set both the prophetical apostolicall to wit the most holy churches For Esaie Ieremie rebuking the maners of their time do greatly inueigh against corruption
the nature vertue and efficacie of sacramentes of those thinges which are ioyned and of affinitie with them for so the order which I vsed in my diuisiō requireth Touching the vertue and nature of sacramēts that is to say what they worke in man writers haue disputed diuersly plentifully It séemeth vnto me that reuerēce must be vsed in this disputation and that héede must be taken that I do not incline either to the right hand or to the left that is that I do not attribute to much vnto them to the derogating from the doctrine of the Euangelistes Apostles neither that I should diminishe or take from them to mine owne damnation that whiche the scripture the word of God doth attribute vnto them But we shal plentifully giue great praise and glorie to the ordinances of God if we shall say that of them which the spirite of God hath set downe in the holy scriptures to bée willing to attribute more vnto them is not onely an errour in man but a great fault whiche bringeth death and horrible destruction This is declared vnto vs in the holy scripture by examples most worthie of remembrance The arcke of the couenant giuen by Moses to the people of Israel was a wittnesse of Gods presence amonge the people and of the league friendshipp betwene God man For in these words God made a league w the people I will make my dwelling place amonge them walke among them and I will be their God they shal be my people Of that ordinance agréement the arke it selfe was called The Lord God of hostes sittinge betweene the Cherubims as we may sée 2. Sam. 6. and in the booke of the Chronicles It was also called The arke of the couenant of the Lord. For when the prophets of God did attribute these thinges to the sacrament of God they both thought and spake plentifully reuerently enoughe of the sacrament of God but when the ignorant malicious priests and the people corrupted by them did attribute far greater thinges to the arke or Sacrament of God what I pray you came to passe Giue eare first what they attributed to the arke The elders of Israel said wherfore hath the Lord cast vs down this day before the Philistines Let vs fetch the arke of the couenant of the Lord out of Silo vnto vs that when it commeth amonge vs it maye saue vs out of the hands of our enimies You haue heard what they attributed to the ark Now giue eare what they did So the people sent into Silo brought from thence the arke of the couenant of the Lord of hoastes whiche sitteth betweene the Cherubims And it came to passe that when the arke of the couenant of the Lord came into the hoast all Israel showted out a mightie showt so that the earth rang againe And when the Philistines hard the noise of the shout they said what meaneth the soūd of this mightie showt And they vnderstood that the arke of the Lord was come into the hoast And the Philistines cried woe be vnto vs God is come into the hoast Who shal deliuer vs out of the handes of those mightie Gods that smote the Aegyptians But hearken now what happened howe God did declare that the arke was not God as it was called counted of the vnskilful in holy things how he punished the sinnes of his people because they attributed too much to the sacrament It followeth therefore And the Philistines fought and Israel was smitten downe and fledd euerie man into his tent and there was an exceding great slaughter for there were ouerthrown of Israel thirtie thousand footemen Beside that also the arke of God was taken the two sonns of Helie were slaine All these thinges are read in the 1. booke of Sam. 4. ca. Againe when the sacrament of God was vnreuerētly handled of the swinish Philistines they were smitten with a lothsome deadly plague They did boast that their Gods and the religion of the Philistines had ouercome the God and the religion of the Israelits but the gods of the Philistines fel downe are broken in péeces their heathenish religion is confounded What and did not the Israelites perish with a more gréeuous plague thā before when they lightly handled and contrarie to the Lawe of God Num. 4. looked into the Sacrament brought backe by the Philistines into Bethsames For the Lord smote fiftie thousand threescore tenne men 1. Sam. 6. When Moses did negligently deferre the circumcising of his children he fell into great daunger The Sichimites for receiuing circumcision rashly are destroyed And Simeon and Leui For prophaning the sacrament are cursed of their father Genesis 49. To this that agréeth which the Apostle sayth of them which celebrate the supper vnworthilie For this cause many are weake sicke amonge you many sleepe Hetherto also belongeth the example of Oza a man not altogether euill whiche touched this same sacrament that was not lawfull for him to doe Wherefore the Lord stroke him with a soudaine death and that not priuately in the tabernacle but in the fight of all the people Of the whiche déede of God Dauid also speaking in the cōgregation church of the Israelites saith to the Leuits The Lord hath chosen the Leuites to beare the Arcke of the Lord and not that kyne shall draw it in a new cart therefore see that ye be holie that yee maye bring in the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel vnto the place which I haue prepared for it For beecause ye did not this at the first our lord God hath made a rent amonge vs for that wee sought him not as the fashion ought to be And it followeth immediatly The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetche the Arcke of the Lord God of Israel And the children of the Leuites bare the Arcke of God vpon their shoulders with staues as Moses commaunded according to the word of the Lord. All these thinges are to be séene in the first of the Chronicles Cap. 15. Whereby we gather that the Lord will none of our good meanings or intentes pompous celebrations in celebrating the Sacramentes but that hee onely requireth that wee should so iudge and speake of the Sacraments as he iudgeth and speaketh by his word and that we should so vse and celebrate them as hee himselfe hath instituted and celebrated them Therefore he sufficiently setteth forth the dignitie of sacraments who attributeth that vnto them which GOD himselfe in the holy Scriptures vouchsafeth to giue them Let vs therefore first of all searche out of what dignitie Sacramentes haue béene for the most part in oure time that thereby we may the better vnderstand what is to be attributed and what is not to bée attributed vnto them The common sort of priestes and monkes haue taught that the sacramentes of the newe lawe are not only signes of Grace but together also causes of
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becōmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or frō others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power
and the benefites receiued at his hand Herevnto is referred a great part of the psalmes wherof part perteine to inuocation or calling vppon God and some ferue to teache or instruct some to declare or expound whereof at this present there is no place to speake Paule the blessed Apostle of Christ acknowledging these parts of prayer writing to the Colos sayeth Continue in prayer watch in the same with thankesgiuing And to the Philippians Let your requestes be shewed vnto God in prayer supplication with giuing of thankes And againe vnto Timothie I exhort therfore sayth Paule that first of all prayers supplicatioÌ„s intercessions giuing of thanks be made for al men Kinds of prayers are these There is a priuate prayer of euerie faithfull man there is also a publique prayer of the whole church Priuate prayer is made vnto God by euerie faithfull man in what place soeuer either in the house or without dores in the closet of his heart temple of his owne bodie For S. Peter went vp into the vppermost part of the house and prayed S. Pans sayeth I will therefore that the me pray euery where lifting vp pure hands And Christ our Lord himselfe verie often departed euen out of the temple into the mount to pray And in the Gospel hee sayeth When thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shutt thy dore pray to thy father whiche is in secrete Publique prayer is that which is vsed of the church whiche is made vnto God in the holy assemblie according to the accustomed order of euerie churche Nowe the pastours duetie is as Paule also admonisheth in the 1. Tim. 2. and wée in the last Sermon before this haue rehearsed to gather together instruct and preserue the assemblies in whiche supplications or common prayers are made And they are greatly to bee blamed who are more negligent in this behalfe than becommeth them neither are they in déede to be suffered which séeldome or neuer teach diligently and are cold in stirring vpp a desire in men to pray Men by nature are slow and slacke in the studie of religion and therefore we haue néede of a sharpe spurre And the charge and office of stirring vpp and prouoking is committed to the pastours of churches The prophets somewhere crie Blowe out the trumpet in Sion assemble a congregation For in a holy congregation thrée thinges are chiefly vsed the teaching of the Gospel faithfull prayers and religious celebration or administration of the Sacraments And sometimes there is a collection made for the reléeuing of the poore and of the church The holie Scripture wittnesseth that these thinges are not instituted at the will and pleasure of man but by the authoritie of God yea and immediatly after the first beginning of thinges and that they were also vsed of the most holy worshippers of god Of those most auncient patriarchs both which were first before the floud and which followed immediatly after there is no doubt since the scripture plainly witnesseth of Iacob himselfe the nephue of Abraham that he exected an altar in Bethel whervnto he assembled his whole household though it were excéeding great and there offered sacrifice vnto god In Moses time by the law in most euident commaundements he instituted holy assemblies Yea in the 10. commaundements he diligently coÌ„maundeth to sanctifie the sabboth day which also compreheÌ„deth holy assemblies The holy prophets of God do euerie where praise and commend the ecclesiasticall assemblies of Gods people Neither did Christ our Lord disallow them wheÌ„ he came in the flesh For as in the most notable assemblies and feastes hee taught with great diligence euen so he gathered and assembled together both the people and also his disciples whome he specially commaunded that they should not depart from Hierusalem but waite for the promise of the father which thing when they were gathered together into an assemblie and in prayer we read in the Actes to haue béene performed There also the assemblie of the faithful is coÌ„mended to vs as appeareth both in the 11. and 14. cap. of the 1. epist. of Paul to the Corin. Those supplications which the same Paule commaundeth to bée made for all them that are set in authoritie are made chiefly in holy asseÌ„blies Truely Plinie an heatheÌ„ author writing to Traianus the Emperour doth make verie manifest mention of holy assemblies Holie assemblies had of old time verie excellent promises as we may sée in the prayer of Solomon whiche is described vnto you in the first booke of the Kinges the 8. cap. And at this day the church of Christ hath promises nothing inferiour to them Christ our Lord saying I say vnto you that if two of you shall agree in earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shal be done for them of my father whiche is in heauen For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Behold the Lord him selfe is in the middst of the assemblies of saincts And where the Lord is there is both plentie and the treasure of all good things And therefore experience it selfe which we haue of matters teacheth that the supplications of the church are effectuall For the Lord heareth the prayers of the church and deliuereth from euil those whose safetie the church commendeth vnto him We haue oftentimes had experience that they which were in extreme daunger haue found verie present helpe euen at the same instant wherein the congregation hath offered their prayers to the Lord. Moreouer the example moueth verie many otherwise hard hearted and barbarous For they sée the deuout godlines of the holy congregation and the feruencie of the faithful in assemblies are thereby moued so that entring into themselues they acknowledge that they are miserable desire to be partakers of this fellowship according to the saying of S. Paul. If therfore wheÌ„ the whole church is come together in one and all speake straunge tongues there come in they that are vnlearned or they whiche beleeue not will they not say that ye are out of your witts But if all prophecie and there come in one which beleueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men is iudged of all And so are the â—ecrets of his heart made manifest and so he wil fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainely that God is in you in deede With what confidence therefore and howe shamefully dare some set light by holy assemblies and not onely set light by them but also scorne at them as if they were assembled together without any profite at all Dauid in his banishment maketh complaint of nothing so much as that hee was compelled to wander in the wildernesse and was shutt out from holy assemblies For hee promiseth the Lord hee wil enter into his holie congregation if euer he be restored againe Verily when the Lord sayeth in