priest hath consecrated all the faithfull to be Kinges and Priestes vnto himselfe And yet notwithstanding he doth ordeine ministers of the Church by doctrine and examples to instructe the Church and to minister the sacraments I meane not those old auncient ones but those which the Lord hath substituted in steed of the old ones What doctrine they must teach hée doth expressely declare The mysticall attyre and garmentes of the priesthood hee neither did commend to his Apostles nor leaue to his Church but toke them away with all the Ceremonies that are called the middle wall betwixte she Iewes and Gentiles The Lord himselfe and his Apostle Paule will haue the pastours of the people cladd with righteousnesse and honestie and do precisely remoue the ministers of the Church from superioritie and secular affaires They doe also appoint stipendes for the ministers to liue vppon yet not those which the law allowed them but such as were most tolierable and conuenient for the state and condition of euery Church The Lord left the place to serue and worshipp God in frée without exception or binding to any one prescribed or peculiar place when in the Gospel after Iohn he said The houre shall come and is alreadie when the true worshippers shall worshipp the father neither in this mountaine nor at Hierusalem but in the spirite and in truth For such the father requireth to worship him God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in truth The Apostle followed the Lord in this doctrine and said I will that men pray in euerie place lifting vp pure hands without anger Neither did the Lord in â—aine as I shewed you eueÌ„ now sufâ—â—r the temple to bee vtterlye ouerthrowne considering that at his death hée had rent the vaile therof And yet for all that the Ecclesiasticall assemblies are not thereby condemned Of whiche I spake in the exposition of the 4. precepte RemeÌ„ber that thou keepe holy the sabboth day Verily y tabernacle the temple bare the type of the catholique Church of God out of which there are no prayers noroblations acceptable to the lord But the Church is exteÌ„ded to the very ends of the world And yet it followeth not theruppon that all are in the Church which are in the world they alone are in the Churche whiche thorough the Catholique faith are in the fellowship of Christ Iesus and by the agréement of doctrine by charitie by the participation of the Sacramentes vnlesse some great necessitie hinder them are in the coÌ„munion of the holy Sainctes But they burne incense sacrifice in highe places whosoeuer séek after any other sacrifice than the one and only oblation of Christ Iesus or looke for any other to offer their prayers to God the father than Christ alone as they are taughte by the mouth of the Pastour sincerely preaching the word of god Moreouer the Church of God hath no néed now of any arke any table any shewbread any golden candlestick any altar either of incense or burnt offeringes nor yet of any braseÌ„ lauer for Christ alone is all in all to the catholique Church which Church hath all these things spiritually and effectually in Christ Iesus and can séek for nothing in any other creatures insomuch that if it perceiue any man to bring in againe either these or such like Ceremoniall instruments it doth sharpely rebuke bitterly curse him for his vnwarranted rashenesse blasphemous presuÌ„ption in the church of Christ For what néede hath the churche of shadowes and figures when it doeth nowe enioye the thing it selfe euen Christ Iesus whose shadowe and figure the ceremonies bare Moreouer the church hath signes enough in that it hath receiued of Christ two Sacramentall signes wherein are conteined all the things which the old church did comprehend in sundrie and verie many figures Furthermore he hath leaft the holy time to worship God in frée to our choice who in the Gospel saith The Sabboth was made for man not man for the Sabboth therefore the sonne of man is Lorde also of the Sabboth And the Apostle Paule saith Let no man therefore iudge you in meate or drinke or in parte of an holie daye or of the new moone or of the Sabbothes which are the shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ Of the Christian Sabboth I spake in the exposition of the fourth Commaundement As for the newe moones they are not solemnized by the churche of Christ in so much as it is taught by Christ to attribute to God not the beginning of Moneths onely but the whole yeare also and the commoditie thereof with the light of the Sunne the Moone and all the starres in heauen Moreouer the Christians do celebrate their passeouer more spiritually then bodily euen as also they doe solemnize their Pentecoste or whitsuntide For as he sent his spirite vppon his disciples so doth hee daily sent it vppon all the faithfull And that is the cause that in the faithfull the alarme is striken vpp to incourage them as souldiours to skirmish with their enimies For the fleash lusteth against the spirite and the faithfull are daily assaulted and prouoked to battaile by the world and by the deuil the prince of the world Furthermore the feast of propitiation being once finished vppon the crosse endureth for euer neither do the Sainctes any more sende out a scape goats to beare their sinnes into the desarte For Christ our Lord came once and was offered vp and by his sacrifice tooke awaye the sinnes of all the worlde Finally since the faithfull doe daily consider beare in their mindes that they haue no abydinge place in this transitorie worlde but y they looke after a place to come they néede not as the Iewes did once a yere to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles In like manner the faithfull do no more acknowlege any yeare of Iubilie For Christe came once and preached vnto vs y acceptable yeare euen the Gospell whereby it is proclaymed that all our sinnes and iniquities are clearely forgiuen vs For so doth Christ himselfe interprete it in the fourth of Sainct Lukes gospell takinge occasion to speake of it out of the sixth Chapter of Esaies prophecie And thus the holy time and festiuall dayes are abrogated by Christ in his holy Church which notwithstanding is not leafte destitute of any holy thing or necessarie matter But nowe because this present yeare wherein this booke is firste of all printed is the yeare of Grace one thousand fiue hundred and fiftie and according to the Romish traditioÌ„ is called the yeare of Iubilie I am therefore compelled as it were of necessitie to make a little digression speake somewhat of the Romish Iubilie I do therfore call it the Romish and not the Christian Iubilie because as I shewed you euen now the church of Christe after oure redemption wrought by Christ and preached by the gospel doth neither acknoledge nor receiue any
that wheresoeuer an image is there is no religion For if religion consist in diuine thinges and that nothinge is diuine vnlesse it be amonge heauenly thinges than doe images lacke religion Because in that which is made of earth there can bee no heauenly thing Whiche matter euen by the very name it selfe may appeare bee manifest to a wise man For whatsoeuer is counterfecte that must néeds be false neither can that which hath a representation or glose of truth at any time take vnto it the name of truth If then not euery representation or coūterfect be not a thing in earnest but as it were a toy a sport religion is not in images but there is lesse religion where they bée That whiche is true therefore is to be preferred before all things that are false Earthly thinges must bee troden vnder foote that we maye get or obteine heauenly thinges These words not vnaduisedly haue wee cited hetherto out of Lactantius We returne nowe to our purpose But because the outward gesture or habite of the bodie is commonly framed according to the inward qualitie of the minde and the outwarde habite of his body which adoreth submitteth yealdeth and maketh subiect him that worshippeth to him whiche is worshipped therefore adoration is translated likewise to the inner man so that to adore is to reuerence and respecte God to bequeath oure selues wholie vnto him and to cleaue inseparably vnto him vppon him only and alone to hange in all thinges and to haue recourse vnto him in all our necessities whatsoeuer Furthermore the outward adoration doth immediatly when it is néedfull and abilitie graunted followe a minde rightly indued with true faith and holy feare of god For adoration is two-fould or of two sortes one of the minde or spirite which is inward sound sincere and true another of the bodie whiche is outward vnsounde counterfecte and false whiche maye procéede from him in whome there is no sparckle of religion True adoration is the fruite of true faith and holy feare of God namely a lowly or suppliant yéelding and humble consecrating whereby we bequeath oure selues yeald and submitt oure selues vnto our God whome as wee vnderstand to be our best and most merciful father so to be our most highe and Almightie God vppon him therefore alone we do wholie depend and to him onely wee haue respecte whiche also forthwith so soone as occasion is ministred vnto vs wée expresse and testifie by outward adoration All this wée shall the better vnderstand by these testimonies of Scripture following Dauid sayth O come let vs singe vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanckesgiuing and shewe our selues ioyfull in him with Psalmes For the Lord is a great GOD and a great king aboue all Gods because in his hand are the corners of the earthe and the highte of the hilles are his For the sea is his and he made it and his hands fastened the drie land O come let vs adore or worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord that hath made vs Beecause hee is the Lord our GOD and we are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his handes Thou perceiuest therfore that we must adore or worship God and that wee must cleaue vnto him and singe praises to his name because hee is the most mightie GOD creatour of all thinges yea our creatour our father and our shéepeheard Likewise in the Gospell according to Matthewe adoration doeth followe faith and doeth as it were growe out of it and by it is nourished For after that the disciples béeing taughte by myracle beléeued that Iesus was Christ they came sayeth Matthewe and adored or worshipped him saying Thou art truely the sonne of God. Againe thou readest in Iohn that the Lord asked the blinde man that was excommunicate or caft out of the Synagogue whome he restored to his sight saying Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God And that the blinde man aunswered Who is hee Lord that I might beleeue in him And that Iesus aunsweared and sayde Thou hast both seene him and hee it is that talketh with thee Moreouer vppon this by and by followeth in the historie But hee said I beleeue Lord and he worshipped him Hetherto nowe belongeth that whiche the Lord sayed to the Samaritane in the Gospell The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in trueth For the Lord doth allowe spirituall and inward adoration or worshipping not that outward counterfecte or hypocriticall worshipping but that whiche procéedeth from a minde regenerated by fayth through the holy Ghost and that tendeth sincerely towardes one god For wee read in the historie of the old testament that those princes worshipped in trueth whiche consecrated and made holy themselues vnto one God with their whole heart and on him onely depended againe that they worshipped not the Lord with their whole heart which beeing destitute and voide of sincere faith depended also vppon creatures Nowe a reason of this adoration or worshipping the Lord adioyneth in the Gospel Worshipp sayeth he ought in all poincts to agree with him that is worshipped But God that is worshipped is spirite and trueth and is delighted with spirituall worshipp and vnfeigned fayth in spirite and trueth therefore hée must bée worshipped Wherefore the Sainctes haue a speciall care and regard that the inward worship of the minde be sound and that first of all they worshippe in heart and truely with a sincere faith and a reuerence of Gods Maiestie and whiles they are inwardly so occupied they doe no lesse outwardly falling on their faces with humilitie and doe worship in Gods presence For the outward worship is a companion of the inward and followeth it Hypocrites also worshippe God in body suppliantly and lowly enoughe but because their mindes goe a woll-gathering and neither with faith nor reuerence cleaue vnto the Lord they heare this spoken of the Lord by the Prophete This people honoureth mee with their lippes but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines precepts of mē And this verily is the counterfecte and false worshipping And that worshipping also is false nay it is most wicked and abhominable wherwith the creatures are worshipped either with GOD or for God or without god And to saye sooth they doe not worship God at all whiche neither feare God neither beléeue in God nor yet depend or hange onely vppon God. All men truely confesse that God must bee worshipped but euery one doeth not surely acknowledge and cōfesse that God onely and alone is to bee worshipped It remayneth therefore to be declared that God only and alone is to be worshipped of men Adoration or worshipping is ioyned with true faith and perfecte or sincere reuerence of Gods maiestie whiche séeing they are due to GOD alone it followeth that god alone is to be worshipped and therefore is
called Christ a Chrismate that is to say of annointing Kinges also and priestes were annointed he was annointed king and priest Beeing a king hee fought for vs Beeing a priest he offered himselfe for vs When he fought for vs he was as it were ouercome yet by right hee hathe ouercome in verie deede For he was crucified and on his crosse whereon he was nailed he slewe the diuell and then was hee our king But wherfore is he a priest because he hath offred himselfe for vs Let a priest haue somewhat to offer What could man finde to giue A cleane sacrifice what sacifice what cleane thing can a sinner offer O wicked sinner O vngodly wretch What so euer thou shalt bring it is vncleane Seeke within thy selfe what to offer thou shalt find nothing Seeke out of thy selfe what to offer hee is not delighted in rammes or goates or bullockes They are all his though thou offer them not Hee found nothing cleane among men whiche he might offer for men therfore he offered himselfe a cleane offering an vndefiled sacrifice Therfore he did not offer that whiche we gaue vnto him but that which he tooke of vs and that he offered pure cleane He tooke fleshe in the wombe of the virgin that hee might offer pure and cleane flesh for vs that were vncleane He is a king he is a priest In him let vs reioyce To him be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power ¶ The eighth Sermon IT remaineth that after wee haue expounded the mysteries of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we consequētly speake of the holy Ghost and of his diuine power and operation For vnlesse he inspire our minds and rule our tongue wee shall neuer bee able worthily or profitably either to speake or heare any thing concerning him For as no man knoweth those things which are of God but the spirite of God so men fetche the vnderstanding of heauenly thinges and the knowledge of the holy ghost from no where else than from the same spirite of god Let vs therefore pray and beséech God the father that by his sonne Iesus Christe hee would vouchsafe to inlightē our darke and mystie mindes by sending this his holy spirite into our hearts and to direct vs in the sincere waye of trueth according to the holy Scriptures And first of all it séemeth not vnprofitable to expound the woord spirite because in the scripture it is diuerslie taken and very often vsed so that not séeldome times hee shall greatly erre which is ignoraunt of the force of that word Spirite properly is the signification of an element signifying aire winde breath In that signification we read this spoken of our Sauiour The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth whither it goeth And Paule saith If I pray with an vnknowen tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is made vnfruitefull Loe the Apostle vseth spirite for the breath or voice For he ioyneth it to the tongue and setteth it against the minde By a Metaphore it is translated to euery bodilesse substance and is set against the body Spirite therefore signifieth an Angel either good or badd For the Prophete whose wordes Paul hath also rehearsed sayth Which maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire And againe Are they not all ministring spirits These testimonies are vnderstoode of good Angels when the scripture speaketh of euil Angels commonly it addeth somewhat as an euill spirite or an vncleane spirite Wée call also spirites or ghostes whiche haue taken some shape that cannot well be discerned spirits So the Apostles not beléeuing that the Lord was risen againe with his true bodie when they sawe him they thought they had séene a spirite To whom shewing his féete and his handes hee sayeth A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see mee haue Againe spirite is taken for the breath of life as with the Latines to breath is to liue to leaue breathing is to die Dauid sayeth When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good When thou hydest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust And the Lord in Moses sayeth I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life The reasonable soule also of man is peculiarly called spirit in so much that spirite is verye often taken in the holy scripture for the resonable soule of man For in the Gospell thou doest read Iesus when hee had bowed downe his head gaue vp the ghost or the spirite And thou doest read of the holy martyre Stephan They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite For Solomon said before The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came the spirite shall returne vnto GOD who gaue it And sometimes spirite signifyeth the affection and motion readinesse and prouocation of the minde For Solomon sayeth A man that refraineth not his appetite or spirite is like a cittie whiche is broken downe Thou mayest oftentimes finde in the Scriptures the spirite of pride anger luste or enuie taken for a proud angrie lustfull or enuious affection Also in Luke the 13. the verie sore disease or force of sickenesse is called the spirite of infirmitie The spirite also signifieth those spirituall motions which the holie Ghost stirreth vp in the heartes of the Saincts yea and the verie gifts powred into the hearts of men by the spirite Whiche in euery place in Paule is to be séene Else-where spirite is opposed against the letter the bodie the figure the type or shadowe and is vsed for a more highe or mysticall meaning and for the very pithe of the thing as when Paule sayeth The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite not in the letter And againe The lord hath made vs able ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite giueth life Therefore thou mayst finde spirite to be taken for inspiration reuelation and doctrine For Iohn sayeth Beleeue not euerie spirite but proue the spirites whether they bee of God or not And againe Quench not the spirite despise not prophecies Last of all God is called that vnmeasurable and vnspeakeable power of the spirite God sayeth our Lord is a spirite they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in trueth By this meanes the word spirite is common to al the persons of the reuerend Trinitie howbeit it is peculiarlie applied to the third person in Trinitie of whom we make this sermon And albeit the holie Ghoste forsomuch as hee is God can be compassed within no limits for by
holie ghost c. 872 1 He which sent me to baptise with water the same sayde vnto me Vppon whom so euer thou shalt sée the holie Ghost c. 1033 1 I am not Christ but am sent before him to beare record of him c. 578 1 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world c. 365. 568 2 Away with these thinges from hence make not my fathershouse an house of merchandize c. 586 3 He that commeth from on high is aboue al He that c. 527 983 3 I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse make streight the waye of the Lord c. 983 3 Ye your selues are witnesses that I saide that I am not the Christe c. 867 3 If I haue tolde you of earthly things and ye beléeue not c. 964 3 This is condemnation bycause the light came into the worlde c. 546 3 He whom God hath sent dothe speake the words of god For God giueth not the spirite by measure vnto him c. 627 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. 48. 546. 549 3 He that beléeueth in the sonne of God is not condemned c. 779 3 And as Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse c. 48. 549 3 No man hath ascended vp into heauen but he that came downe froÌ„ heauen c. 696 3 Verily I say vnto you Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite c. 501. 1046. 1049 3 The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof c. 714 3 Hée that beléeueth not is condemned alreadie bycause hâ—e hath not bâ—léeued in the name c. 643 4 God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and truth c. 416 427. 715 4 I knowe that the Messiah shal come which is caled Christ c. 539 4 Iesus him selfe did not baptise but his disciples c. 1056 4 The home coÌ„meth when ye shal neyther in this mounteine neither at Ierusalem worship c. 1004 4 He whiche drinketh of this water shall thirst againe c. 1002 5 They that haue done good shall come foorth vnto the resurrection of life c. 747 5 The father hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that al might honour the sonne as they honour the the father c. 661. 686. 920 5 Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely bycause he had broken the Sabbaoth daye c. 59. 683 5 Who so hath the sonne hath life who so hath not the sonne of God hath not life c. 643 5 My father worketh hetherto I worke c. 638 5 Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father there is one that accâ—â—eth you c. 402 5 There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye hope c 376 5 The Lord conueyed him selfe away while the people woulde haue made him a king c. 218 5 We know that the sonne of god is come hath giuen vs a mynde that we should knowe him c. 685 6 The words of our lord touching the eating of his body make muche for the meaning of the wordes vsed in the sacramental supper c. 54 6 He that eateth me shall liue by me c. 49 6 I am the liuely bread that came downe from heauen c. 684 6 Exâ—ept ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you c. 1049 6 My fleshe is meaâ—e in déede and my bloud is drinke in déed c. 696 6 He that cateth my flesh drinketh my bloud dwelleth in c. 825 6 No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father drawe him c. 589 6 This is the wâ—l of him that sent me the â—ather that euery one which sâ—â—th the sonne and beleueth in him shoulde haue euerlasting life c. 48 643 6 Lord to whome shal we go thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe c. 569 6 Doth this offend you What therefore if you shall sée the sonne of man c. 69 7 The holy Ghoste was not yet there bicause Iesus was not yet glorified c. 430 7 If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke c. 706. 725. 825 8 I am the light of the world He that followeth me doth not walke in darknesse 686. 833 8 The diuell was a murtherer froÌ„ the beginning and abode not in the truth c. 485. 746 8 We are not borne of fornication we haue one father eueÌ„ god c 683 8 If ye abide in my sayinge ye shal be my disciples in déede and ye shal knowe the truth c. 676 8 Verily I say vnto you before Abraham was I am c. 678 8 He that is of God dothe heare the word of God c. 822. 827 8 Abraham was glad to sée my daye and he saw it and reioyced c 433 8 Verily verily I say vnto you c. if the sonne therfore shall make you frée c. 444. 591 9 Maister who sinned this man or his parentes that he was borne blinde c. 293 9 Doest thou beléeue in the sonne of God c. 59. 652 10 I am the doore c. 662 10 Many good works haue I shewed you from my father for which of these good works do ye stone me c. 683 10 I and my father are one Then the Iewes tooke vp stones c. 59 10 How long doest thou make vs doubt c. 538 10 I haue power to forgiue â—innes to raiâ—e to life whome I will and to giue righteousnesse c. 696 10 My shéepe heare my voyce I knowe them and they follow me c. 645. 822. 827 10 I giue vnto my shéepe euerlasting life neyther shall they perish for euer c. 683 11 I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me c 68 12 My soule is heauie euen vnto the death c. 64 12 I when I shal be lift vppe from the earth will drawe c. 64 12 Verily verily I say vnto you vnlesse the séede of corne c. 65 13 Verily verily I say vnto you He that receiueth whome so euer I shall send receiueth me c. 1104 13 About the end of the Supper the diuell entred into Iudas c. 80. 515. 1108 13 Verily I say vnto thée the cock shall not â—â—â—we till thou hast denyed me thrise c. 564 13 He that is washed néedeth not saue to washe his feete c. 772 13 The Apostle or messinger is not greater than he that sent him c. 877 13 A newe commandement I giue vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue c. 826 14 Ye beleeue in God beleeue and in me c. 692 14 That comforter whiche is the holie Ghost whome the father will send in my name c. 627. 724 14 I will praye the father and
nations together but some into Asia some into Scythia other dispersed into other natiōs according to the dispensation of the holye Ghost whiche they had with them euen as they also heard the Lord saying I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world Herevnto doeth that also agrée Ye shal be wittnesses vnto mee euen vnto the vttermost partes of the world If therefore they being sent into the furthest parts of the earth to beare wittnesse of the Lord were seuered one from another with a very great distaunce of place and yet had present with them the holy Ghost dwelling within them whose substance is not limitable it is manifest that the power of Angels doeth farre differ from this power of the spirite For to vse an example the angel whiche was present with the Apostle when he prayed in Asia could not together at the selfe same time bee present with other whiche were abiding in other partes of the world But the holy Ghost is not onely present with men being seuered one from another but is also a continuall dweller in euerie Angel principalitie throne and dominion c. Now who cannot hereby gather that the holy Ghoste is true and very God The selfe same authour hath gathered very many argumentes of the true godhead of the holy ghost and next him the holy father Cyrill and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed vpon that matter Lib. de Trinitate 11. to Theophilus These fewe testimonies thus farre rehearsed wée thinke shal suffice those that obey and loue the trueth They that stedfastly beléeue these things are not moued with any straung opinions and questions curiouslye yea wickedly brought in about this matter by ill occupied persons For some are reported to haue denied the holy Ghost to be lord For they haue taught that he is a minister and as it were a certeine instrument of the father and the sonne But Christ oure Lord ioyned the holy ghost to himselfe and to the father when hee deliuered the fourme of baptisme For he sayth Baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghost And yet it is manifest that a creature is not ioyned to the creatour in baptisme neither that there is any seruile condition in the Godhead Therefore the counsell of Constantinople in their créede giue to the holy Ghost certaine termes whereby they might destroye certaine errours calling him lord giuer of life for when he calleth him Lord he maketh him equall to the sonne and excludeth the condition of a seruaunt or minister beside that he denieth that he is their instrument For there is one Lord there are not many Lords And the sonne is not Lord of the holy Ghoste but the Lordshipp is common to the thrée personnes whiche are onely one lord And séeing the holy Ghost is the Lord surely he is not appointed to a seruile ministerie but indued with Lordly authoritie nether is he an vnderseruaunt to doe the worke but is a ioynt worker with the father and the sonne yea and he himselfe doth worke as Lord. Againe certaine other are reported to haue taught that the holy ghost is not a substance or a person but as it were an accident that is to saye a stirring vp a prouocation or a motion of a Godly and renued minde And in very déed our minde being illuminated with the holy Ghoste is oftentimes called spirite but we must wisely distinguishe the creature from the creator and the accident from the substance The blessed Apostle distinguished our spirite from the holy spirite of God when he said As many as are ledd by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of god The spirite it selfe beareth wittnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God. And the same Apostle saith The flesh lusteth cōtrary to the spirite the spirite cōtrarie to the flesh And who vnderstandeth not that the mind of man instructed of the holy Ghost is héere called the spirite not the third person himselfe in the reuerend Trinitie And that minde as touching illumination is not of it selfe but procéedeth from the holy Ghoste illuminating it neither commeth it from any other thā from him which is the third person in Trinitie but that minde is not the very person of the holy Ghoste as imagination procéedeth from the soule and yet it is not the soule it selfe That stirring of the spirite in vs is an accident but GOD is not an accident neither is mingled with the accident We must therefore confesse according to the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is a person subsisting coequall in nature or essence with the father and the sonne and therfore to be worshipped and glorified of vs as very God and creatour againe that a godly and holy motion stirred vpp in the mindes of holy men by the spirite is the effecte and woorking of this holy spirite and is called a holy spirite but after a certeine manner proper to it Otherwise we denie not that the holy Ghoste him selfe beeing promised is communicated vnto vs but after our capacitie and as he will. For what is hée amongest men that is able to comprehende the fullnesse of the eeuerlastinge and incomprehensible GOD Furthermore touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost from the father and the sonne the Diuines haue curiously subtily and busily disputed For the question is asked whether he procéed from the father alone or from the sonne also In which question the Latinistes séeme to disagrée verye much from the Grecians The question is also asked what maner of procéeding this is Wée omitting many curious questions wil briefly declare those thinges vnto you whiche are wholsome and agréeable with the holy Scriptures For who shal be able to canuasse out al the questions of curious men and all the bould and vncleane thoughtes of idle heads without offence to good men and especially of the simple hearers That the holy Ghost procéedeth from the father and the sonne the scripture manifestly teacheth which most plainly sheweth that hee is the spirite of either or both of them For hée it is of whome the Apostle sayeth Beecause ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes And the sonne speaking of the same spirit sayeth For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you Againe the same sonne sayeth of the holy Ghost Whome I will sende vnto you from the father And againe he sayeth else where Whome the father will sende in my name Therefore hée procéedeth from both as well from the father as from the sonne For although this bee read else-where to bee spoken of the holy Ghoste Whiche proceeded from the father yet it is not denyed that he procéedeth from the substance of the sonne also But that more is Cyrill a Gréeke writer expounding the Gospell of S. Iohn and interpreting this selfe same place Lib. 10.
Cap. 33. sayeth When he had called the comforter the spirite of trueth that is to say his spirite for he is the trueth he addeth that he procéedeth from the father For as hee is the spirite of the sonne naturally in his abiding and through him procéeding so also surely is hée the spirite of the father But vnto whome the spirite is common surely they cannot by any meanes bee disseuered in substance Againe S. Augustine in his fiftéenth booke De Trinitate Cap. 26. sayeth Who may vnderstand by this that the sonne sayeth as the father hathe life in himselfe that he gaue life vnto the sonne as béeing then without life but that hee so begatt him without time that the life whiche the father gaue to the sonne in begetting him is coeternall with the life of the father which gaue it him Let him vnderstand as the father hath power in himselfe that the holy Ghoste mighte procéede from him so hath he giuen to the sonne that the same holy Ghoste maye procéede from him and both without beginning and so it is said that the holie Ghoste procéedeth from the father that that which procéedeth from the sonne might be vnderstoode to be of the father and the sonne For if the sonne haue ought he hath it of the father surely hee hath it of the father that the holy Ghoste procéedeth from him Thus farre hée By all this wée gather that the holy Ghost procéedeth as well from the father as from the sonne Nowe as concerning the manner of procéeding wée saye that the procéeding of the holie Ghoste is two-fouldor of two sortes temporall and eternall Temporall procéeding is that whereby the holie Ghoste procéedeth to sanctifie men The eternall procéeding is that whereby from euerlasting he procéedeth from god The spirite procéedeth from both partes from both of them as well from the father as the sonne Neither doeth hée procéede from the father into the sonne seuerally and from the sonne into creatures For I say the nature and substaunce of the father and the sonne is one and the self same inseparable and coeuerlasting too Temporall procéeding commonly is called a sending and gifte For the holie Ghoste is sent two manner of wayes vnto men visiblie that is to say vnder some visible fourme as of a Doue of fierie tongues as hée is read in the Gospell and in the Acts of the Apostles to haue béene giuen to Christe and the Apostles inuisibly hée is daily and as it were euerie moment giuen to the faithfull the spirite of Christe wateringe vs with his grace and giuing faith hope and charitie vnto vs. Moreouer the eternall procéeding of the holie Ghoste whereby hée procéedeth out of the substaunce of the father and the sonne is vnspeakeable as the begetting of the sonne by the father Wherevppon it is not said in the Gospel hath procéeded or shall procéede but Proceedeth for so the Lord declareth his eternitie of procéeding and that the substaunce of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is coeternall and vnseparable and nothinge at all differing Sainct Augustine in his fiftéenthe booke De Trinitate and 26. Chapiter sayeth Hee that is able to vnderstand the beegetting of the sonne by the father without time let him also vnderstand the proceeding of the holie Ghost from them both without time And if anye aske this question Since the holie Ghoste proceedeth from the substance of the father and the sonne howe commeth it to passe that hee is not called the sonne I aunsweare that the Scripture calleth the second person the sonne and testifyeth that hée is the onely begotten of the father and that the same no where maketh any mention that the holie Ghoste is begotten or that hée is called the sonne Neither haue the auncient fathers made any other aunswere to this question And I like the similitude whiche whâ—ere expressed If one streame should flowe from two springs it might wel bee saide to flowe from them both yet it could be said to be the sonne of neither of them Herevnto I shall not séeme vnfruitfully nor beside the purpose to add the disputations of Didymus concerning sending least any should vnderstand that peruersly and according to the flesh whiche is spiritually to be interpreted by faith The holy Ghost the comforter is sent of the sonne sayeth he not according to the ministerie of Angels or Prophets or Apostles but as it becommeth the spirite of God to bee sent of the wisedome and trueth of God hauing an vnseparable nature with the selfe same wisedome and trueth For the sonn being sent of the father abiding in the father and hauing the father in himselfe is not separated nor sundered from the father And the spirite of trueth also being sent of the sonne after the manner aforesaid procéedeth from the father not from elsewhere remouing vnto other thinges For this is impossible and blasphemous likewise For if this spirite of trueth bee limitted within a certaine space according to the natures of bodies leauing one place he goeth to another but euen as the father not consisting in place is farre aboue and beyond the nature of all bodies so also the spirite of trueth is not limitted within space of place séeing he is bodilesse and as I may more truly say excelling all and euerie reasonable creature Béecause therefore it is impossible and wicked to beléeue these thinges which I haue said in bodily creatures we must vnderstand that so the holy Ghost went out and came from the father as oure Sauiour doeth beare witnesse that he himselfe went out and came from the father saying I went out and came from God. And as we separate places and chaunginges of places from bodilesse things so also we do separate these speaches inwardly I meane outwardly from the nature of things intellectuall For these two woordes perteine to bodies that may bee touched haue biganes Therefore wee must beléeue the vnspeakeable woord whiche faith onely and alone maketh knowen vnto vs that our Sauiour is said to come out from GOD and the spirite of trueth to procéede from the father c. Other questions both scrupulous and very many I passe ouer vntouched in these things I require a mind religious and not a curious a faithfull minde and not a subtile Now there is but one holy Ghost béecause hee is alwayes one and the selfe same god It is the same spirite therefore whiche spake vnto the Patriarches prophets and Apostles and whiche at this day speaketh to vs in the Church For therefore the counsel of Constantinople is thus read to haue confessed their faith I beleeue in the holy Ghost the Lord. And anon after Who spake by the prophets And I beleeue one Catholique and Apostolique Church These sayings are taken out of the holy Scripture For S. Peter testifieth in expresse words that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophetes and there was none other spirite in the Apostles than the spirite of
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
for that the Churches bothe oures and youres do beleeue agreeably to the Scriptures of God and tradition of the holie fathers ¶ A Confession of faith made by the Counsell of Chalcedon taken out of the booke of Isidore AFter the rehearsall of the Creeds set foorth by the Synodes of Nice and Constantinople with a fewe wordes put betweene streight way the holie Counsell of Chalcedon doeth prescribe their Confession in these words We therfore agreeing with the holie fathers doe with one accorde teache to confesse one the same sonne our Lord Iesus Christ and him to be perfect GOD in the deitie and the same also verie man of a reasonable soule and bodie touching his Godhead beeing of one nature with his Father and the same as touching his manhoode of one nature with vs like to vs in all thinges excepte sinne Touchinge his Godhead borne of his Father before the worldes and the same in the latter dayes made man for vs and for our saluation Wee teache to consider that hee is the one and the same Christe the sonne our Lorde the onely begotten sonne in two natures nâ—ither confounded nor chaunged nor diuided nor separated and that the difference of the natures is not to be taken awaye because of the vnitie but rather the propertie of bothe his natures remaining whole and meeting together in one person and one substance that he is not parted or diuided in two persons but is one and the same Sonne the only begotten sonne God the worde Our Lord Iesus Christe euen as the prophets from the beginning haue witnessed of him as he himself hath instructed vs and the confession of the fathers hath taught vs These thinges therefore being ordered by vs with all care and diligence the holy and vniuersal Synode doth determine that it should not be lawful for any man to professe any other faith or else to write to teache or speake to the contrarie That the Decree of the Synode of Calcedon is not contrarie to the doctrine of the blessed bishop Cyrill taken out of the fifte Booke of the holy Martyr Vigiluis against Eutyches BVt nowe let vs consider the last article in the decree of the Synode of Calcedon We confesse that Christ our Lord the onely begotten Sonne is to be vnderstoode to bee one and the selfe same in his two natures neither confounded nor chaunged nor diuided nor separated not making voide the difference of the two natures because of the vnitie but keeping sound the propertie of both natures comming together into one person and substance not as beeing diuided or separated but as beeing one and the same onely beegotten Sonne God the word our Lord Iesus In this article this displeaseth them because they saide The propertie of bothe natures remaining sound Or The difference of the natures not beeing made void And that they may persuade vs that those things which they mislike are assuredly so they vsing their accustomed largenesse of wordes and vaine assertions doe bring in many testimonies out of the articles of Cyrill wherein he denyeth not the two natures in Christe but teacheth that there is but one person To the intent therefore that we maye not confute them with our disputation alone let vs set downe also the wordes of Cyrill that euen as they leane to the testimonie of Cyrill so by the testimonie of Cyrill they may be ouercome In the Synodall epistles of Cyrill to Nestorius thus it is writteÌ„ For we do not affirme saith he that the diuine nature is turned or chaunged into flesh nor yet that it is transformed into the whole man which consisteth of bodie and soule but wee say rather that the reasonable soule hath coupled to it selfe the substance of liuing flesh that it is vnspeakablie and vnconceiuably made man and is also called the sonne of man not of bare will alone nor by the onely taking on of the person but because the two natures doe after a certeine maner come together in one so that there is one Christ and one Sonne of both the natures by ioyning them in one not in making void or taking away the difference of the natures but because they that is the Godhead and the manhoode together by that hidden and vnspeakeable knitting to the vnitie haue made to vs one Lorde and one Christe and one sonne What could be spoken more plainely than this What could be shewed more cleerely out of the Epistles of Cyrill to agree with the determination of the Counsell of Calcedon For see neither are wordes to wordes nor sentence to sentence any thinge contrarie but euen as they had one meaning of faithe so vse they in a manner the selfe same wordes The holie Synode said The difference of the two natures beeing no where made voide Saint Cyrill sayde The difference of the natures not beeing made voyde or taken away by ioyning them together The holie Synode said Bothe the natures meeting together in one person S. Cyrill saith Not of a bare will onelie nor yet by the onlie taking on of a person but because the two natures after a sorte doe meete together in one The holie Synode said Not beeing diuided into two persons but beeing one and the same Christe S. Cyrill said So that of two that is to say of two natures is one Christ the sonne And again Because they that is the Godhead and the manhood together haue made to vs one Lorde one Christe and one Sonne c. The Creede of the first Counsell held at Toledo when Honorius and Arcadius were Emperours taken out of the booke of Isidore WE beleeue in one verie God the father allmightie and the sonne and the holie Ghoste maker of thinges visible and inuisible by whome all things were made in heauen and in earth We beleeue that there is one God and one trinitie of the diuine substance And that the father himself is not the sonne but that he hath a Sonne which is not the father That the sonne is not the father but that the sonne of God is of the nature of the father And also that the holie Ghoste is the comforter which neither is the father him selfe nor the sonne but proceeding froÌ„ the father and the sonne The father therefore is vnbegotten the sonne begotten the comforter not begotten but proceeding from the father and the sonne The Father is hee from whome this voice was hearde out of Heauen This is my beloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him The Sonne is he whiche saide I went out from the Father and came from GOD into this worlde The comforter is the holie Ghoste of whom the sonne said Vnlesse I go away to the father the coÌ„forter shal not come We beleeue in this trinitie differing in persons but all one in substance not diuided nor differing in strength power and maiestie and we beleeue that beside this there is no diuine nature either of Angel or of spirit or any power which may be beleeued to be God. We therefore
beleeue that this sonne of God beeing God begotten of his father all together before all beginning did sanctifie the wombe of the virgin Marie and that of her he toke vpon him verie man begotten without the seede of man the two natures onlie that is of the Godhead and manhood comming together into one person onelie that is our Lord Iesus Christe Neither doe we beleeue that there was in him an imagined or any phantastical bodie but a sound verie bodie and that he both hungered and thirsted and taught and wept and suffered all the damages of the bodie Last of al that he was crucified of the Iewes and was buried and rose againe the third day afterwarde was conuersant with his disciples and the fortieth day after his resurrection ascended into heauen This sonne of man and also the sonne of God wee call bothe the sonne of God and the sonne of man. We beleeue verilie that there shall be a resurrection of the fleshe of mankinde and that the soule of man is not of the diuine substance or of God the father but is a creature created by the will of God The Creede of the fourth Counsell kept at Toledo taken out of the booke of Isidore AS we haue learned of the holie fathers that the father and the sonne and the holie ghost are of one Godhead and substance so is our confession beleeuing the trinitie in the difference of persons and openly professing the vnitie in the Godhead neither confounde we the persons nor diuide the substance Wee say that the father is made or begotten of none we affirme that the sonne is not made but begotten of the father and wee professe that the holie ghoste is neither created nor begotten but proceeding from the father and the sonne And we confesse that the Lord him selfe Iesus Christe the sonne of God and the maker of all things begotten of the substance of his father before all the worldes came downe from his father in the latter times for the redemption of the worlde who neuerthelesse neuer ceassed to be with the father For hee was incarnate by the holie ghoste and the glorious virgine Marie the holie mother of God and of her was borne alone the same Lord Iesus Christ one in the trinitie beeing perfect man in soule and bodie taking on man without sinne beeing still what he was taking to him what he was not touching his godhead equal with the father and inferiour to his father touching his manhood hauing in one person the propertie of two natures For there are in him two natures God and man And yet not two sonnes or two Gods but the same God and man one person in bothe natures who suffered griefe and death for our saluation not in the power of his godhead but in the infirmitie of his manhood He descēded to them belowe to draw out by force the Saintes which were held there And he rose againe the power of death beeing ouercome He was taken vpp into the Heauens from whence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead By whose death and bloud we beeing made cleane haue obteyned forgiuenesse of our sinnes and shal be raysed vp againe by him in the last day in the same flesh wherein now we liue and in that manner wherein the same our Lord did rise againe and shall receiue of him some in rewarde of their well-doing life euerlasting and some for their sinnes the iudgement of euerlasting punishment This is the faith of the Catholique church this confession we keepe and holde which whosoeuer shall keepe stedfastly he shall haue euerlasting saluation A declaration of the faith or preaching of the Euangelicall and apostolicall truethe by the blessed martyr Irenaeus taken out of the 2. Chap. of his first booke Contra Valent. THe churche dispersed through the whole worlde euen to the endes of the earth hath of the Apostles and their Disciples receiued the beliefe which is in one God the father almightie which made Heauen and earth the Sea and al that in them is And in one Iesus Christe the Sonne of God who was incarnate for our saluation And in the holie Ghost who by the prophets preached ▪ the mysterie of the dispensatiō the cōming of the beloued Iesus Christe our Lord with his natiuitie of the virgine and his passion and resurrection from the dead and his ascension in the flesh into the Heauens and his comming againe out of the heauens in the glorie of the father to restore all thinges and to raise vppe againe all flesh of mankinde so that to Christe Iesus our Lorde bothe God and sauiour and king according to the wil of the inuisible father euery knee may bow of thinges in Heauen and things in earth and thinges vnder the earth and that euerie tongue may praise him and that he may iudge rightlie in all things and that hee may cast the spirites of naughtinesse with the angels which transgressed and became rebells and wicked vniust mischiefous and blasphemous men into eternall fire and that to the iust and holie ones and such as haue kept his commaundements and remained in the loue of him partely from the beginning and partely by repentaunce he may graunt life bestowe immortalitie and giue glorie euerlasting The Churche although it be dispearsed throughout the whole worlde hauing obteined as I haue saide this confession and this faith doeth as it were dwelling together in one house diligently keepe them and likewise beleeue them euen as if it had one soule and the same hart and doeth preache teach and agreeably deliuer these thinges euen as if it had al one mouth For in the world the tongues are vnlike but the force of teaching is one and the same Neither doe the Churches whose foundation is laide in Germanie beleeue otherwise or teache to the contrarie neither those in Spaine nor those in France nor those in the East nor those in Aegypte nor those in Libya nor those whiche are in the worlde beside but euen as the Sunne which is the creature of God is one and the selfe-same in all the worlde so also the preaching of the trueth shineth euery where and giueth light to all men whiche are willing to come to the knowledge of the truth And neither shal he which among the chiefe ouerseers of the Church is able to say muche speake cōtrarie to this For no man is aboue his maister Neither shal he which is able to say litle diminish this doctrine any whit at al. For seeing that faith is all one and the same neither doeth he which is able to say much of it say more than should be said neither doeth he whiche saith little make it euer a whit the lesser Reade further in the fourth chapter of his third booke Contra Valent. and you shall perceiue that by the terme of Apostolicall tradition he meaneth the Creede of the Apostles ¶ A rule of faith after Tertullian taken out of his Booke De praescriptionibus
Confession of true religion 366 Conscience 100 1 Commaundement 112. 113 2 Commaundement 116 3 Commaundement 126 4 Commaundement 136 5 Commaundement 144 6 Commaundement 163 7 Commaundement 222 8 Commaundement 259 9 Commaundement 318 10 Commaundement 318 Commaundementes of the Lorde their order 136 Coniurers and witches 116 Countrie natiue 145. 151 Correction 161 Cockering of children 262 Consecrating of magistrates 177 Constantine the great 181 Common in goods in the Apostles time c. 161 Common weale deuised 216 Communion 1063 Common cost or treasure 221 Continencie 237. 238. 239. 240 Consolations generall against afflictions and troubles 306 Coueâ—ing 324 Couet what it is not that we must not 325 Congregation or assembly 335 Constancie of certeine holie meÌ„ absteining from things vnclean 383 Couenant or new people all things therein are more euident than in the olde couenaunt or testament 436 Corruption of oure owne nature what and how great 499 Controuersie betweene Augustine Pelagius touching the Grace of God. 53â— Conuersion to God 562 Confession 570. 571. 572. 573. 574 600. Consecration of breade and wine 168 Counsels of what sorte they haue bene in these latter ages 600 Consultation 574 Continual successioÌ„ of bishops 828 Coniunction with Christe and the Church 1021 Consecration or blessing chaungeth not the nature of things 796 CouÌ„sel of Nice touching baptisme 1005 Counsel of Later in what yere 986 Comforte for afflicted consciences 1110 Corruption of scholes 1116 Creation of the world 5. 637 Créede of the Apostles â—5 56 Creatures cleane and vnclean 382 Curious questioning of God forbidden 605 Cyprian expoundeth the ninth Article 78 Cyprian his errour touching Babtisme 1031 D. Dagon 117 Daungerous to speake against Iupiter 170 Damage 270. 275. 396. Dauids adulterie 233 Dauid his opinion of Iustification 555 Dauid coÌ„plaineth of his forced absence from the holy assemblies 916 Descent lineall of Messias 6 Death of the crosse reprochful 64 Death of Christ fruitfull 64 Descension of Christ into hell 65 Democracie 170 Deuises of newe fangled worships are cursed of God. 185 Deliuerance by Gods goodnes 293 Denial of Gods truth in persecution is no way to kéep our goos 312 Decree of the synode holden at Ierusalem 421 Deliuerer of vs who he is 441 Definition of sinne 408 Death of madd men is vnfruitful therefore to be construed to the best 512 Definition of the Gospel 526 Departure from the Romishe churche 849. 851. 858 Deacons what is their office 87â— Deprauation is the blotting out of the Image of God in vs. 500 Demonstration of the figuratiue woordes This is my body c in the Lords supper 1087 Destinie 480 Discretion and clemencie of the iudge 199 Dicing and carding 474 Discommodities that the saints do suffer are recompenced with greater commodities 311 Disinheriting 393 Diuorcement 394. 1133 Diuision of goods 394 Difference of the olde and newe testament and people 435 Differences of sinne 480 Difference betwéene Paena and Culpa peccati 58â— Disagréeing places of faythe and workes reconciled 463 Dionysius of the names of God. 615 Dignitie prerogatiue of bishopâ— increased 882 Diuel and diuels 479. 744. 745. 746. 747. Difference to be made of the Lordâ— body 1107 Discipline of the Nazarites 380 Discipline in scholes 1116 Discipline and correction of ministers 1129 Doctrine of Christe the chiefe contents thereof 3â— Doctours opinion of iustification by fayth 466 Doctrine Catholique of originall sinne 49â— Doctours and fathers of the church confesse with one assent originalâ— sinne 67 Doctrine of frée iustification without workes why it is to be kept incorrupted in the Churche of Christe 557 Doctrine of veritie is néedefull to repentaunce 563 Doctrine of Chrysostome touching consestion 576 Doctrine touching the Trinitie is most certeine 631 Doctrine of the auncient Church of Rome 830 Doctours or teachers 878 Donation of Constantine 888 Doctrine when it is to be teached 904 Doctrine priuat and publique 907 Doctrine for the life sake not to be receiued 9. 12. 17 Doubting in two sortes 34 Drunkennesse 440 Drunken or made dronke in the scriptures is sometime taken for made merrie 285 Dutie of parentes to their children 158 Dutie of children 162 Dutie of a good pastour 906 E. Ease and rest vpon the Sabbaoth what it signifieth 138 Eating of bloud and strangled forbidden 385 Ecclesiasticall priuileges 183 Ecclesiasticall power in what pointes it consisteth 837 Ecclesiasticall matters of diuers sorts to be disposed by the church 839 Ecclesiasticall goods 1118 Election of magistrates 175 Elders whereof they haue their name 878 Emperours lawe for the kéeping of the sabbaoth 143 End of the ministerie wherfore instituted 875 End of prayer what 819 End of the institution of sacrameÌ„ts 983 Endes of the Lords supper 1083 Ephod 333 Ephesus the twelue men thereof not rebaptised 1059 Equinâ—ctiall 363 Equalirie betwéene byshops and elders 880 Errour grosse of the Patris-passians 624 Errour in the Apostolique church â–ª 1001 Essence of God one hath a distinction of persons 624 Essence of substance 626 Ethnicks sentences of God are in some place maymed 104 Euil in two significations 494 Euangelistes what they are 878 Euill spirites 744. 878 Euil life of the minister scandalous and offensiue 912 Examples of true faith 36 Examples of warre of captaines out of the Scriptures 215 Examples of gods deliuerance 309 Examples of afflictions in the patriarches 313 Examples of afflictions of the old Church 314 Examples of God iustly punishing 521 Examination of bishops to be elected 895 Exercises of a bishop or pastour 911. Exercises of repentance outwardly 595 Exhomologesis what it is 575 Exhortation to liue 99 Expositions of the Scriptures c. 27. 28. Exposition auncient of the wordes of the Lords Supper 1086 Ezekias commended of GOD and prospered for breaking Images downe 254 F. Father what he first taught 5 Faith. 4. 6. 8. 30. 31. 33. 35. 37. 38. 40. 41. 42. 43. 48. 52. 53. 54. 203. 204. c. Face of God. 91 Fasting 242. 243 244. 245 351. False doctrine concerning riches rich men condemned 263 Fathers and we are all one church of one and the same Testament 429 Fathers and we haue all one faith 429. One spirite 430. One hope heritage 431. One manner of innocation 434 Falling awaye from religion of diuers sortes 859 False Christians 712 False counsellers vnworthie of the name 254 Fall of Angels from heauen 745 Feast of the 7. moneth or Tabernacle 353 Feast of trompets 353 Feast of clensing 353 Feast of attonement is the time of preaching the grace of God. 376 Feare of god 564. 565 Feare in Gods cause is to be excluded 890 Flaterie 323 Flaterers 890 Finall impenitencie 519 Fighting in defence of thy countrie 149 Flesh and bloud shall not be in heauen 89 Flesh taken in the scripture for the old man. 588 Flesh profiteth nothing 1101 Forme of the Lords Supper 1068 Formes and wayes of knowing God. 607 Forgiuenes of sinnes 82 Fornication 234 Frendship to be preserued 102 Fréâ—dome that we haue by Christ
to lay hand on the life to come The faithfull Saints could in no wise haue don these things vnlesse the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of god Although therefore that the Apostles were men yet their doctrine first of all taught by a liuely expressed voyce and after that set downe in writing with penne and yncke is the doctrine of God and the very true word of god For therefore the Apostle left this saying in writing When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vs ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which effectually worketh in you that beleeue But nowe the matter it selfe and place require that I gather also and plainely reckon vp those bookes wherin is conteined the very word of God first of all declared of the Fathers of Christ himselfe and the Apostles by-word of mouth after that also written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apostles And in the first place verely are set the fiue bookes of Moses Then follow the bookes of Iosua of Iudges of Ruth two bookes of Samuel two of Kinges two of Chronicles of Esdras Nehemias and Hester one a piece After these come Iob Dauid or the booke of Psalmes Prouerbes Ecclesiastes and Cantica With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Esaias Ieremias Ezechiel and Daniel then the twelue lesser Prophetes whose names are very well knowne With these bookes the olde Testament ended The Newe Testament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hystorie of Christ the Lord written by foure Authors that is by two Apostles Mathewe and Iohn and by two Disciples Marke and Luke who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apostles Paule to sundrie Churches and persons published 14. Epistles The other Apostles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique And the books of the new Testament are ended with the reuelation of Iesus Christ whiche he opened to the Disciple whome he loued Iohn the Euangelist and Apostle shewing vnto him and so to the whole church the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche euen vntil the day of iudgement Therefore in these fewe and meane not vnmeasurable in these plaine and simple not darke and vnkemmed books is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes whiche is the very word of the true liuing and eternall God. Also the bookes of Moses and the Prophetes through so many ages perils and captiuities came sound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Christ and his Apostles For the Lord Iesus the Apostles vsed those bookes as true copies and authentical which vndoubtedly they neither would nor could haue done if so be that eyther they had béen corrupted or altogether perished The bookes also whiche the Apostles of Christ haue added were throughout all persecutions kept in the Church safe and vncorrupted and are come sound and vncorrupted into our handes vpon whome the endes of the world are falne For by the vigilāt care vnspeakable goodnes of God our Father it is brought to passe that no age at any time either hathe or shal want so great a treasure Thus muche hitherto haue I declared vnto you derely beloued what the word of God is what the beginning of it in the Churche was what procéeding dignitie and certaintie it had The word of God is the speache of God that is to say the reuealing of his good will to mankinde whiche frō the beginning one while by his owne mouthe and an other whyle by the speache of Angels he did open to those first ancient and most holy Fathers who againe by tradition did faithfully deliuer it to their posteritie Here are to be remembred those great lightes of the world Adam Seth Methusalem Noe Sem Abraham Isaac Iaacob Amram and his Sonne Moses who at Gods commaundement did in writing comprehend the hystorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers whervnto he ioyned the written lawe and exposition of the lawe togeather with a large and lightsome hystorie of his owne lyfe time After Moses God gaue to his Churche moste excellent men Prophets and Priestes who also by worde of mouthe and wrytings did deliuer to their posterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord After them came the Onely begotten Sonne of God himselfe downe from heauen into the world and fulfilled all whatsoeuer was found to be written of himselfe in the Lawe and the Prophetes The same also taught a moste absolute meane howe to liue well and holily He made the Apostles his witnesses Which witnesses did afterwardes first of all with a liuely expressed voice preach al things which the Lord had taught them and then to the intent that they should not be corrupted or clean taken out of mans remembraunce they did commit it to writing so that nowe we haue from the Fathers the Prophetes and Apostles the word of God as it was preached and written These thinges had their beginning of one the same spirite of God and do tende to one end that is To teach vs men how to liue well and holily He that beléeueth not these men namely the only begotten Sonne of God whom I pray you will he beleeue We haue here the moste holie innocent vpright liuing most praise worthie most iust moste ancient most wise and most diuine men of the whole world and compasse of the earth and briefly suche men as are by all meanes without comparison All the worlde cannot shew vs the like againe although it shuld wholy a thousand times be assembled in Counsels The holy Emperour Constantine gathered a generall counsell out of al the compasse of the earthe thether came there together out of all the worlde thrée hundred and eightéene moste excellent Fathers But they that are of the wisest sorte will say that these are not so muche as shadowes to be compared to them of whome we haue receiued the worde of god Let vs therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God deliuered to vs by the Scriptures Let vs thinke that the Lorde him selfe whiche is the very liuing and eternall God dothe speake to vs by the Scriptures Let vs for euermore prayse the name and goodnesse of him who hath vouched safe so faythfully fully and plainely to open to vs miserable mortall men all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly To him be prayse honour and glory for euermore Amen Of the worde of God to whom and to what end it was reuealed also in what maner it is to be hearde and that it doth fully teache the whole doctrine of godlinesse ¶ The seconde Sermon DEarely beloued in the laste Sermon you learned what the worde of God is from whence it came by whome it was chiefly reuealed what procéedings it had and of what dignitie and certaintie it is Now am I come againe and by Gods fauour and the helpe of your prayers I will declare vnto you beloued to whome and to what ende the worde of
condemnation iustlie pronounced against them because when they liued they belieued not with Noe and them that were with him in the Sauiour that was to come Or else otherwyse by the lower partes or by hell wée vnderstād not the place of punishment appointed for the wicked but the faythful that are departed euen as al so by the higher parts we vnderstand them that yet are remayninge aliue Wherefore the soule of Christe descended into hell that is to say it was caried into Abrahams bosome wherein all the faythfull already departed were gathered together Therefore when hee sayd to the thiefe that was crucified wyth him This day shalt thou be wyth mee in Paradise he promised him the fellowship of life and of the blessed soules Touching Abrahams bosome our Lorde spake at large in the sixtenth Chapiter of the Gospell after S. Luk. For whereas the Lord is said to haue descended that commeth to passe by the manner of speakinge For otherwise it is euident by Luk that Abrahams bosome is a place seuered a great way from hell and placed vp aloft But to inquire or reason ouer curiouslye of these thinges is rather the point of a curious foole then of a godlye minded man Wée confesse in this article that the Soules are immortall and that they immediatelie after the bodilie death do passe to life and that all the sainctes from the beginninge of the worlde beinge sanctified by fayth throughe Christe do in Christe and by Christe receiue the inheritaunce of lyfe euerlasting I woulde adde to these the fifte article but that the houre is now alreadie spent Wée will therfore differre it vnto the next Sermon And nowe let vs altogether praye to God our father which is in heauen that hee will vouchsafe by his spirite to inspire vs wyth the true and quickening Fayth which is in the father and the sonne in the father as the maker of all thinges in the sonne as the sauiour of the whoale worlde who therefore came downe from heauen and was incarnate in the wombe of the moste holie Virgine Marie to the ende hee might bee the mediatour betwixte God and men and reconcile or make them at one againe betwixte themselues and that hee mighte haue wherewithal to make an oblation to appease Gods iustice and to purge oure sinnes which he bare on his body yea which he tooke awaye and made all the faithful heyres of lyfe euerlastinge Let vs nowe giue prayse to the grace of God and thanks to the sonne of god To whome alone all honour and glorie is due for euer and euer Amen Of the latter articles of Christian fayth conteined in the Apostles Creede ¶ The eight Sermon LEt vs firste of all pray to our God that he wyll vouchsafe to graunt vs an happie speedie and verye fruitefull proceeding in the declaration of the other Articles of Christian beliefe The fifte Article of oure beliefe is The thirde daye he rose againe from the deade And this article verilie of our beliefe is in a maner the chiefe of all the reste Neyther are the Apostles so busily occupied in declaring and confirminge the other as they are in this one For it had not beene enoughe if our Lorde had dyed onely vnlesse he had also rysen from the deade agayne For if hee had not risen from the deade but had remayned still in death who shoulde haue persuaded vs men that sinne was purged by the death of Christe that death was vanquished Sathan ouercome and Hell broken vppe for the faythfull by the death of Christe Yea verilye wee haue foolish fellowes that would neuer ceasse to blaspheme the verye God to make a mocke of oure hope and to saye Tushe who did euer returne from the deade to tell vs whether there be a lyfe in an other worlde after this or no and what kinde of lyfe it is Because therfore wée cannot finde finde that any man did euer returne from the deade that is to be doubted of which these babblers do tattle touchinge the lyfe of the world to come That the Lorde therefore mighte declare to the whole worlde that after this life there is an other and that the Soule dyeth not wyth the bodye but remayneth aliue hee returned the thirde daye aliue agayne to hys Disciples and at that instant shewed them that sinne was purged death disarmed the deuill vanquished and hell destroyed For the stinge of death is sinne Or the reward of sinne is death The deuill hath the power of Death and shutteth in Hell for sinnes Nowe therefore in that Christe ryseth aliue againe from the deade Death coulde haue no Dominion ouer him and because Death by sufferinge the Lorde to passe is broken It muste needes followe that the Deuill and Hell are vanquished by Christe And lastelie that Sinne the strēgth and power of them all is purelie purged It is euident therefore that the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ doth as it were certifie and by seale assure vs of oure Saluation and Redemption so that nowe wee cannot anye longer doubte of it Wee confesse therefore in this Article that oure Lorde Iesus Christe is rysen againe and that hee is rysen agayne for oure behoofe that is to saye that hee hath wipte awaye oure sinnes and that for vs hee hath Conquered death the deuill and hell accordinge to the saying of the Apostle God hath saued vs and hath called vs with an holie callinge not according to our woorkes but according to his owne purpose and fauour which was giuen vnto vs through Iesus Christe before all beginninge but is declared openlie now by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christe who hath verilie put out death brought forth lyfe lighte and immortalitie by the Gospell There are many more like this in the 4. of his Epistle to the Romans and in the 15. of his first to the Corinthians For the Lord also in the Gospell after S. Iohn sayth I am the resurrection and the life hee that belieueth in mee althoughe hee be dead shall liue and euerie one that liueth and belieueth in mee shall not die for euer Nowe also let vs throughlie consider euery woorde of this article seuerallie by it selfe Wée confesse the Lord his resurrection But a resurrection is to rise againe That riseth which falleth The bodie of Christ fell therfore the bodie of Christ riseth yea it riseth againe that is to saye the verie same bodie of Christe which before it fell did both liue and stirre doth nowe rise againe it doth I say both liue and stirre againe For trulie sayde Tertullian of the resurrectiō of the flesh that this word Resurrectiō is not properly spoken of any thing saue of y which first fell For nothing can rise againe but y that fell For by rising againe because it fel we say the resurrection is made Because this sillable Re is neuer added but when a thing is done againe Wherefore the women in the Gospell when they wente to annointe the bodie of the Lord
is bestowed on vs and deriued from him to vs by the holy Ghoste For the Apostle sayth God which anoynted vs is he also which hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts And againe Ye were in deede defiled with naughtinesse but nowe ye are cleansed and sanctified and lastely iustified throughe the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God. The Father in déede doth sanctifie too but by the bloud of Iesus Christe and poureth the same sanctification out of him into vs by the holy Ghost so that it is as it were the propertie of the holy Ghoste to sanctifie wherevpon he is called Holy or the sanctifier Therefore so often as we heare the holy Ghost named we must by and by think of the power in working which the Scripture attributeth to him and we must looke after the benefites that from him doe flowe to vs For the power operation or action of the spirite is that what so euer the grace of God doth work in vs through the Sonne so that of necessitie we must beléeue in the holy Ghost And in this eight Article we doe professe that we doe verily beléeue that all the faithfull are cleansed washed regenerated sanctified inlightned and inriched of God with diuers gifts of grace for Christ his sake but yet through the holy Ghost For without him there is no true sanctification wherefore we ought not to attribute these giftes of grace to any other meanes this glory belongeth to the holy Ghost onely Of whome I will more largely and fully discourse in my other Sermons The houre is spent which warneth me to wrappe vp briefly and make an ende therefore I exhort you al to haue your faithe religiously bent vpon the Lorde Iesus for him hath the heauēly father sente to vs in him hath he wholy expressed and shewed him selfe to vs and him doth the holy Ghoste printe in our heartes and kéepe in our mindes And in Christ is all mans saluation and euery part thereof contained wherefore we must beware that we deriue it not from any thing else It pleased the father saith the Apostle that all fulnesse shoulde dwell in the Sonne and in him to recapitulate and as it were to bring into a summe all points of saluation that in him all the faithfull may be fulfilled For if saluation be sought then euen by his very name are we taught that saluation is in his power For he is called Iesus that is a sauiour If we desire the holy spirit of God and his sundry gifts we shal finde them also in the annointing of Christ For he is called Christ the annoynted I saye the holye of holies and the sanctifier or else the annoynter of vs with his spirite If any man haue néede of strength and might of power and deliueraunce well he hath to looke for it in Christe his dominion For Christe is Lorde of all In the same Christ we finde redemption For he hath redéemed vs that were solde vnder Sathans yoake In his conception we haue puritie in his natiuitie we haue sufferance For he became like to vs that he might suffer griefe as well as we For in his passion we haue forgiunesse of sinnes in his condemnation we haue absolution satisfaction in his offering or cleansing sacrifice cleansing in his bloude and an vniuersall reconciliation in his descending into hell In his buriall we haue the mortificatiō of our flesh the newnesse of life yea rather the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of our bodyes in his glorious resurrection We haue also the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome with the assured sealing thereof in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the father And there is he our mediatour priest and king our safegarde and our heade oure defender and moste sure rest From thence he poureth into vs his holye spirite the fulnesse of all good thinges and dothe communicate him selfe wholy to vs ioyning vs vnto him selfe with an indissoluble knot From thence we doe with confidence and ioy looke for him to be our iudge to be I say our patrone and deliuerer whiche shall condemne and sende downe hedlong into hell all our enimies with sathan but shal take vs and al the faith full of euery age vp into heauen with him self there to sing a newe song and to reioyce in him for euer and euer To him be glory for euer Amen Of the latter Articles of Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The nynth Sermon LEt vs call to oure Father in heauen through our Lord Iesus Christe that he wil vouchsafe to poure his grace into vs that we may to our no smal profit dispatch and expound the last part of the Articles of Christian beliefe The nynth Article of fayth is this The holy Catholique Churche the communion of Saintes After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinitie and in the mysterie of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe and lastly in the holy Ghost the sanctifier and restoarer of al now in the fourth part is reckoned vp the fruite and power the effect and ende of fayth and what doth come to and is bestowed on the faithfull There commeth to them communion of God and all Saintes sanctification remission of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and life euerlastinge Of which I will speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the bountifull Lord shal giue me abilitie Nowe then here we haue to rehearse out of the eight Article this worde I beléeue we must I meane say I beléeue the holy Catholique Churche Some vnlearned there are which hold opinion that in this point of our confession we should say I beléeue in the holy Church The reason that leades them so to thinke is this bycause they finde written in the Constantinopolitane Créede And in the holy Ghost the Lorde that giueth life who procéedeth from the father and the sonne who together with the father the sonne is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For these wordes they doe so distinguishe that as they doe repeate out of the premisses these wordes I beléeue and make this the sense I beleeue in the holye Ghoste the Lorde euen so here againe they doe repeate these wordes I beléeue making this to be the sense I beléeue in one Catholique and Apostolique Church But this is more then néedeth yea and against all godlynesse doe they wrest these wordes of the Créede For this In one Catholique and Apostolique Church is not referred to the Verbe I beléeue but to the holye Ghoste bycause he spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For our meaning is and we confesse that one and the same spirite did all thinges in both Testamentes contrarie to the opinion of them whiche imagined that there were two spirites contrarie one to the other Moreouer Sainte Cyprian in his exposition
vs which iudge very fondly of them and bestow on them the honour due to God in worshipping and calling vpō them as we should worship and call vpon our tutours and defenders The very deuils and deuilish men shal be straunge Gods if we for feare shall stande in awe of them more then of God to whō in déede our feare is due The starres the Planets and signes in the firmament shall be strange Gods if we being deceiued with the Mathematicals shall wholy hang on them and in all our doings euermore haue regarde to the impressions of the skie directing euery minute of oure liues to the course of the starres Likewise if we shall honour and loue money or men with honour or loue due vnto God then shal this money and men of ours be imputed to vs for straunge Gods. King Asa is blamed 2. Paral. 7. for putting too muche confidence in Physicke and Physicians Physicke and Physicians therefore may be abused and made strange Gods. The Iewes are rebuked by the Lord in Esay cap. 30. for trusting too much in the Egyptians their confederates Confederates therefore may be abused and made straunge Gods. But most of all are condemned here the leagues and couenaunts made with the deuill by witchraft to haue him at commaundement Those blessings also whiche of right ought rather to be called cursings I meane superstitious exorcismes or coniurations are vtterly to be reiected wherin also this is blame-worthy that the name of the moste high God is horribly abused and takē in vaine But what is he that can exactly reckō vp euery particular thing wherein this firste commaundement is transgressed considering that in it is taught the perfect rule of godlynesse whiche is the inward worship done to God to wit to acknowledge God to beléeue him to thinke rightly of him to call vpon him to cleaue vnto him and in all things to obey him The second precept of the ten Commaundementes is Thou shalt not make to thee selfe a grauen Image nor any likenesse of those thinges which are in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them I am the Lorde thy God strong and iealous visiting the fathers sinnes in the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my Commaundements In the first commaundement the Lorde did teache and drawe out before our eyes the patterne of his inwarde worship and religion nowe here in the seconde he amendeth that which might be amisse in the outward rites and ceremonies If we coulde haue rightly iudged of God and haue kept as deuouth as we shoulde the firste Commaundement then should there haue bene no néede of the seconde but bicause God knew our disposition nature he doth therfore expresly forbid the thing that otherwise we would haue done For many there are whiche thinke that God ought to be portraied in some similitude or likenesse and to be worshipped with some bodily or visible reuerence in offering golde siluer pearles yuorie and precious thinges of price Wherefore the generall ende of this commaundement is to drawe them from those grosse imaginations and carnal worshippings of God who as he is an incomprehensible power and an eternall spirit so can he not be resembled to any corruptible similitude he will be worshipped in spirite and holinesse Vnder the name of the Ivole or imagined likenesse is conteined all the outwarde reuerence done therevnto when therefore the Idols are forbidden together with them is also forbidden all outward honour irreligiously exhibited to the true and very god For whersoeuer an Idole is there muste the Idolaters set him vp a pillour place him in a seate erect him an altar and builde him a temple And all these againe require kéepers and ouerséers Ministers or Priestes sacrifices and offerings ceremonies furnitures holy dayes cost and labour that will neuer be ended In this sense did the Prophetes say that Idolatrous images were endlesse labours and infinit miseries For after images are once receiued there is no ende or measure of expences and toyle This doth experience teache to be true Nowe to procéede this commaundement standeth of thrée seuerall partes For first of all God flatly forbiddeth to make a grauen image or other kinde of Idole that is God doth vtterly forbid to set vp or hallow to him any image of what shape or substance soeuer it be For as God will not so in déede he can not be expresly represented in any manner of likenesse Nowe in this commaundement are reckoned vp in a manner al the similitudes of those things whervnto we are wont in portraying to liken our pictures Thou shalt not sayth he fashion like vnto God any shape or figure of those things which are in heauen which are I say aboue vs Aboue vs are the celestial bodies the Sunne the Moone the Planets the Starres and diuers birdes of sundry fashions In all whiche figures and shapes almost no smal number of the Gentiles did solemnly honour and reuerently worship the name of god Thou shalt not liken vnto God saith he any shape or fashion of those thinges that are in the earth In the earth are men beasts hearbes shrubbes trées and such like Nowe it is manifest that the Gentils worshipped God vnder the likenesse of men and beastes Cornelius Tacitus writing of the Germanes sayth But by the greatnesse of the visible celestiall bodyes they doe coniecture and verily thinke that the Gods are neyther inclosed in walles nor yet in fauour resembling mens visages and therefore doe they hallow woods and groues calling that hidden mysterie by the name of the Gods which with outwarde eyes they see not but with inward reuerence alone Lo here our auncestours worshipped God in the likenesse of trées and woods whiche neuerthelesse men are forbidden here to doe euen as also we are prohibited to worship our God in the likenesse of any thing that is in or vnder the water The Philistines worshipped God in the image of a fishe For Dagon their God bare the shape of a fishe Egypt honoured God in the similitude of Serpents All which and many other Paule knitteth vp together in the first to the Romanes where he argueth againste the Gentiles and saith Their foolishe heart was blinded when they counted them selues wise they became fooles and turned the glory of the incorruptible God vnto the likenesse not only of a mortall man but also of birdes and of fourefooted beastes and of creeping beastes Against this madnesse is the first part of the lawe directly giuen But nowe the cause why God wil not be represented in any visible or sensible image is this God is a spirit God is vnmeasurable incomprehensible vnspeakable all ouer and euery where filling heauen and earth eternall lyuing giuing life vnto and preseruing all things and lastly of a glorious maiestie exalted
orderly procéeded in euery point and taught euery thing so euidently and plainely that there is nothing whiche ye doe not very well perceiue and vnderstand Let vs now prayse the Lord and thanke him for his goodnes for shewing vs his ways and let vs praye that we walking rightly in them may at the last come to his eternall ioyes Amen Of the thirde precept of the tenne Commaundementes and of Swearing ¶ The thirde Sermon THE thirde Commandement of the first Table is thus worde for worde Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Bycause the Lorde will not let him goe vnpunished that taketh the name of the Lorde his GOD in vaine In the seconde Commaundement the Lord did set down the worship that he would not haue that he misliked of and did flatly forbid to wit a worldly earthly and carnall kinde of honour a base and vile kinde of worship a seruice that is directly contrarie to the spirite nature and maiestie of God that is to think that God will in shape resemble a man or any other creature made of earth or corruptible stuffe or matter and then againe to worship him vnder those shapes and figures with corruptible thinges that were first ordeined and created for the vse and behoofe of men and not of god For God is an eternall spirite which goeth all ouer and preserueth euery thing whom all the most excellent creatures of the whole world if they were ioyned together in one are not able to resemble nor yet to represent the least iote of excellencie in the liuing god God is so farre from lacking any corruptible thinges that he him selfe supplyeth the want of all our necessities It is a mere follie therefore to set vp a percher a taper or a smoakie torch before the maker and giuer of light It is a very toy to offer flesh of beasts to that eternall spirite who in the Psalmes sayth All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel in a thousand hilles I know all birdes vpon the mountaines and in my power are all the beastes of the fielde if I be hungrie I neede not to tell thee since the world is myne and all that is therein Now therfore in this thirde Commaundement the Lorde doth very exquisitely although very briefly declare the manner hâ—w he will be worshipped that is in holy reuerencing of his holy name The names wherby god is called are God Gods Maiestie Gods truth Gods power Gods iustice Now the charge of this commaundement is not to abuse the name of God and not to vse it in light and trifling matters but to speake to thinke and iudge honourably reuerently holily and purely of God and godly things But the pithe and effect almost of the whole lyeth herein that he sayth the name of the Lord thy god to wit which is thy chief goodnesse felicitie thy creator thy redéemer thy tender father Now note that the Lorde doth not barely forbid to vse his name but he chargeth not to vse it lightly or in vaine that is beyond necessarie vse or our behoofe and beside the honour and glory of god Let vs sée therefore howe we ought to sanctifie the Lordes name and howe we maye deuoutly vse the name of God and last of all so worship him as he him selfe hath appointed vs to do Firste of all we haue to thinke of God as of the chiefe felicitie and infinite treasure of all good thinges who loueth vs excéedingly with a fatherly affection alwayes wishing and by all means desiring to haue vs men saued and to come to the perfect knowledge of the very truth whose iudgements are true and iust whose workes for their excellencie are wonderfull and whose words are most true and truth it selfe Then must this holy name of God continually be called vpoÌ„ in praiers néede and requestes By that alone we must looke to obtaine whatsoeuer is néedful for our bodies or souls We must neuer cease to giue thanks to that for all the good benefites that we do or shall receiue For what good soeuer men haue and inioy that haue they not from else where than from God the fountaine and giuer of all This glory must euer be giueÌ„ to god If we be nipped with any aduersitie let vs not by an by murmur againste Gods good pleasure and his secrete iudgements but rather suffering and submitting ourselues vnder his mightie and fatherly hande let vs say with the Prophet Dauid It is good for me Lorde that thou haste chastened me Let not vs appoint God what he shal doe but wholy alwayes submit our selues to his good will and holie pleasure Let vs in al things giue God the glory in praysing openly and plainely professing his name and doctrine before Kings and Princes yea and in sight of all the world so often as occasion shall be giuen and the glory of God shal séeme to require Let vs not be ashamed of God our father of his truth and true religion Let vs not be ashamed of Christ our redéemer nor yet of his crosse But let vs be ashamed of errours idolatrie of the world and vanitie of lyes and iniquitie Let vs holily reuerently and deuoutly both speake and thinke of God his workes and his word Let the law of God be holy to vs let his Gospell be reuerend in our eies let the doctrin of the Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles be estéemed of vs as that which came from God him selfe Let vs not take the name of the Lord our God into our mouthes vnlesse it be in a matter of weight Let vs not blaspheme curse nor lye in the name of the Lorde Let vs not vse nay rather abuse the name or worde of God in coniuring iuggling or sorcerie For in these thinges the name of God is most of all abused Let vs precisely and holily kéepe the othe whiche we haue made by the name of the liuing and eternall god Let vs in al things tell truth and lye not that when this world that will not sée shall be inforced to see so great a reuerence and deuotion in vs to the name of our God it may be compelled thereby to glorifie our father which is in heauen And this verily is the godly vsing of the Lordes name and the religion wherin our God is very well pleased Nowe note by the way that there are sundry wayes whereby we abuse the name of God and first of all we abuse it as often as our harts are with out all reuerence to God him selfe when we do vnreuerently filthily wickedly and blasphemously speake of God of his iudgements of his word and of his lawes when we doe with scoffing allusions apply Gods wordes to light matters and trifles by that meanes turning and drawing the Scriptures into a prophane and vnhonest meaning Moreouer we do disgrace that name of the Lord our God wheÌ„ we call not vpon his name but turne our selues rather to I knowe
God and the hallowing of his holy name but yet it bendeth somewhat to the outward honour although neuerthelesse it frameth to the inward religion For the Sabboth doth belong both to the inward and outward seruice of god Let vs sée therefore what we haue to thinke that the Sabboth is how farre foorth the vse therof extendeth and after what sort we haue to worship our God in obseruing the sabboth Sabboth doth signifie rest and ceassing from seruile worke And this here I thinke worthy to be noted that the Lord saith not simply Sanctifie the Sabboth but Remember that thou kéepe holy the Sabboth daye meaning thereby that the Sabboth was of olde ordeined and giuen first of all to the auncient fathers and thē againe renued by the Lorde and beaten into the memorie of the people of Israell But the summe of the whole Commaundement is Kéepe holy the Sabboth day This summe dothe the Lorde by and by more largely amplifie by reckoning vp the the very dayes and particular rehearsing of the whole houshold to whome the kéeping of the Sabboth is giuen in charge The Sabboth it selfe hath sundry significations For first of all the scripture maketh mention of a certaine spirituall and continuall Sabboth In this Sabboth we rest from seruile worke in absteining from sinne and doing our best not to haue our owne will found in our selues or to worke our owne workes but in ceassing frō these to suffer God to work in vs and wholy to submit our bodyes to the gouernment of his good spirit After this Sabboth foloweth that eternall Sabboth and euerlasting rest of which Esaie in his 58. and. 66. Chapters speaketh very much and Paul also in the fourth to the Hebrues But God is truely worshipped when we ceassing from euill and obeying Gods holy spirit do exercise our selues in the studie of good works At this time I haue no leasure neyther do I thinke that it is greatly profitable for me to reason as largely or as exquisitely as I coulde of the allegoricall Sabboth or spirituall rest Let vs rather my brethren in these our mortall bodies do our indeuour with an vnwearied good wil of holinesse to sanctifie the Sabboth that pleaseth the Lord so well Secondarily the Sabboth is the outwarde institution of our religion For it pleased the Lorde in this commandement to teache vs an outward religion and kinde of worship wherein he would haue vs all to be exercised Nowe for bycause the worshipping of God cā not be without a time Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certaine time wherein we shoulde absteine from outwarde or bodilye works but so yet that we should haue leasure to attēd vpō our spiritual businesse For for that cause is the outward rest commaunded that the spirituall worke should not be hindered by the bodily businesse Moreouer that spirituall labour among our fathers was chiefly spent about foure things to wit about publique reading and expounding of the scriptures and so consequently about the hearing of the same about publique prayers and common petitions about sacrifices or the administration of the sacraments and lastly about the gathering of euery mans beneuolence In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabboth For the people kept holie day and met together in holy assemblies where the Prophetes read to thē the word of the Lord expounding it and instructing the hearers in the true religion Then did the faythfull iointly make their common prayers and supplications for all things necessarie for their behoofe They praysed the name of the Lord and gaue him thankes for all his good benefites bestowed vpon them Furthermore they did offer sacrifices as the Lorde commaunded them celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christe their redéemer and keping their faith exercised and in vre they were ioyned in one with these sacraments and also warned of their duetie which is to offer them selues a liuely sacrifice to the Lord their god Lastly they did in the congregation liberally bestow the giftes of their good will to the vse of the Church They gathered euerie mans beneuolence therewith to supply the Churches necessitie to mainteine the ministers and to relieue the poore and néedie These were the holy workes of God which while they hauing their hartes instructed in fayth and loue did fulfill they did therein rightly sanctifie the Sabboth and the name of the Lord that is they did on the sabboth those kinde works which do both sanctifie the name of God become his worshippers and also are the workes in déede that are holy and pleasing in the sight of god If any man require a substanciall and euident example of the Sabboth or holy daye thus holily celebrated he shall finde it in the eight Chapter of the booke of Nehemias For there the Priestes do reade and expounde the worde of God they praise the name of the lord they pray with the people they offer sacrifice they shew their liberalitie and doe in all points behaue them selues holily and deuoutly as they should Now least any peraduenture might make this obiection and say Ease brée deth vice Or else I must labour with my handes to get my liuing least I dy with hunger and my familie perishe he aunswereth The Lorde alloweth thée time sufficient for thy labour for thée to worke in to get a liuing for thy selfe and thy houshold For sixe dayes thou maist worke but the seuenth day doth the Lord chalenge and require to be cōsecrated to him and his holy rest Euery wéeke hath seuen dayes But of those seuen the Lord requireth but one for him self Who then can rightly complain I beséech you or say that he hath iniurie done vnto him More time is allowed to work in thē to kéep holy the Sabboth And he that requireth to haue this sabboth kept is God the maker the father Lord of al mākind Furthermore the Lord doth precisely cōmand and giue a charge to plant and bring in this holy rest this discipline and outward worship into the whole familie of euery seuerall house Whereby we gather what the dutie of a good housholder is to wit to haue a care to sée all his familie kéepe holy the sabboth day that is to doe on the sabboth day those good workes which I haue before rehearsed And for bycause the Lord doth know that mans naturall disposition is where it hath the maistrie there for the most parte to rule and reigne ouer haufily and too too Prince like therfore least peraduenture the fathers or maisters shuld deale too hardly or rigorously with their housholds or hinder them in obseruing of the sabboth he doth in expresse words exquisite steps of enumeration commaund them to allowe their familie and euery one in their familie a resting time to accomplish his holy seruice He doth not exempt or except so much as the straunger He will not suffer nor allow among them the exāple of such dulheads as say Let faith and religion be free to all
Christianitie but since they were in authoritie and bare the names of magistrates what let is there I pray you whie a true Christian man may not beare that office of a magistrate in his coÌ„mon weal What may be thought of this moreouer that in the new Testament certaine notable men are well reported off who when they were in authoritie were not put beside their offices because they were Christians and of a sound religion Touchinge Ioseph of Arimathea thus we read in Luke And behold there was a man named Ioseph a counsellour Marcke saith a noble Senatour who was a good man a iust the same had not consented to the counsel and deede of them which was of Arimathea a citie of the Iewes which waited also for the kingdome of God. Marke here I beséech you how notable a testimonie this man hath here Ioseph is a counsellour or Senatour yea and that more is a noble senatour too he sate in the Senate and amonge those Iudgâ—s which did coÌ„demne our sauiour christ but because hée consented not to their déede and iudgement he is acquited as guiltlesse of that horrible murder The same is said to haue béene a good man and a iuste and of the number of them that looke for the kingdome of God that is of the number of those which of Christ are called Christians and yet neuerthelesse he was a counsellour or senatour and that too in the Citie of Ierusalem A Christian therfore may lawfullie beare the office of a magistrate Hereunto belonge the examples of the Aâ—thiopiaÌ„ treasurer Actes 8. of Cornelius the Centurion Acts 10. and of Erastus the Chamberleine of Corinth Rom. 16. 2. Tim. 4 But oure desire is to haue the Anabaptistes proue and declare out of the Scriptures that which they obiecte here in saying that these men beinge once conuerted to that faith did streightway put off their roabes of estate and lay aside their magistrats sword For wée haue a litle before by the wordes of S. Augustine vpon Iohn Baptists answere who did himself also preach the Gospel alreadie proued that the souldiers that were baptised were not put beside their office nor coÌ„maunded by Iohn to giue ouer armour and ceasse to be souldiers They obiecte againe that the Lord conueyed himself priuilie away when the people were minded to haue made him a king which say they he would not haue done but because by his example hée would commend humilitie to all Christian people and as it were thereby to commaunde them not to suffer the charge to rule any common weale to be laid on their necks They adde moreouer these sayinges of the Lorde My kingdome is not of this world Againe Kings of nations haue dominion ouer them but ye shal not be so But they vnderstande not that the cause whie the Lord conueyed him selfe away was for the fond purpose of the foolish people which went about by making him a kinge not to doe the wil of God but being blinded with affections to séeke to bring those thinges to passe that were for the ease and fillinge of their bellies For in so much as hée had fedde them miraculously a little before therefore they thoughte that he would be a king for their purpose who was able to giue his subiectes meate without any coste or labour at all Furthermore oure Lord came not to reigne on the earth after the maner of this world as that Iewes imagined and as Pilate feared who dreamt that Messias should reigne as Salomon did and for that cause the Lord doth rightly say My kingdome is not of this world For hée is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the righthand of his father hauinge subdued all kinges to himselfe and all the world beside wherein hée reigneth by his word and his spirite and which hée shall come to iudge in the ende of the world And although Christe denieth that his kingdome is of this world yet notwithstanding hée neuer denied that kinges and Princes should come oute of the world into the Church to serue the Lord therein not as men alone but as kinges and men of authoritie But kinges cannot otherwise serue the Lord as kinges but by doing the thinges for which they are called kinges And vnlesse that Christians when they are once made kinges should continue in their office and gouerne kingdoms according to the rule and lawes of Christe how I beséech you should Christe be called kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords Therefore when hée said Kinges of nations haue dominion ouer them but so shal not ye bee hée spake to his Apostles who stroaue amonge themselues for the chiefe and highest dignitie as if hee should haue said Princes which haue dominion in the world are not by my doctrine displaced of their seates nor put beside their throanes for the magistrates authoritie is of force still in the world and in the Church also The kinge or magistrate shall reigne But so shall not yée yée shall not reigne yée shall not be Princes but teachers of the world and ministers of the Churches Thus briefely I haue aunsweared to the Anabaptistes obiections which in other places also I haue many times confuted somewhat more largely By this that héere I haue saide I thincke I haue sufficiently proued that a Christian man cannot onelie but ought of duetie also to take vpon him the office of a magistrate if it be lawfully offered vnto him Now before I make an end of the discourse of this place I will briefly adde what the duetie of subiectes is and what euerie man doth owe to his magistrate First of all the subiectes duetie is to estéeme honestly reuerently and honourably not vilely nor disdainfullie of their magistrates or Princes Let them reuerence and honour them as the deputies and ministers of the eternall god Let them abroade also giue them the honour that is vsuallie accustomed in euerie kingdome and countrie It is a foule thinge for subiectes to behaue themselues vndeceÌ„tly towards their Lords and men of authoritie But a false a lighte or ill opinion once conceyued bréedeth a contempt of the things and persons touching whom that opinion is once taken vppe Some euidente testimonies of Scripture therefore must bée gathered and graffed in euerie mans heart that thereby a iuste estimation and worthie authoritie of magistrates and officers may bée bred and brought vpp in al peoples minds Here by the way let Princes and magistrates take héede to themselues that by a spotted and vnséemelie life they make not themselues contemptible and laughinge stockes and so by their owne defaulte loose all their authoritie amonge the common people The Lord oure God verilie voucheth safe to attribute his owne name to the Princes and magistrates of the people and to call them gods Exod. 21. Psalm 82. The Apostles called them the deputies and ministers of god â— Peter 2. Rom. 13. But who will not thincke wel of godds and them which are the deputies and ministers of god by
farre aboue all earthly richesse Thus much haue I said hetherto touching restitution of which other men haue left very ample discourses I for my part do see that to a godly minde this worke of restitution is short and plaine enough and therefore haue I spoken of it so shortly as I haue For a godly and well disposed man doeth with al his hart desire and seeke to obey the lawe of God and therefore by calling to God for ayde he shall easilie finde a way to woorke iustice equitie As for those whose desire is rather to seme iust men than to be iust in deede and do loue this world more than it becommeth them to doe they with their ouer many questions and innumerable Perchaunces and Put cases do make the treatise of restitution so tedious and intricate that no man shall euer bee able to make it so plaine that they will vnderstand it I wil not therefore aunsweare them any more but onely warne them to examine their owne conscience see what that doth bidde them doe Now I would haue that cōscience of theirs to be settled in and be mindfull of the generall lawe which saith Whatsoeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another and whatsoeuer thou wouldest not haue done to the selfe that doe not thou to an other After this now I will somewhat freely discourse vppon the iust possessing vsing or disposing of well gotten earthly substance First of all no man must put any confidence in richesse which are in deede things transitorie and doe quickly decay wee must not settle our minds vpon nor be in loue with them but by all meanes take heede that they driue vs not to idolatrie nor hinder the course that we haue to passe Heauen is the goale wherat we runne Here againe we must all giue eare to the diuine and heauenly woords vttered by the Prophete Dauid who said Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him for God is our refuge As for the children of men they be but vaine the children of mē are deceitfull vppon the weightes they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe Truste not in wronge and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your hartes vppon them The Apostle Paule beeing indued with the same spirite biddeth vs to vse the world and worldly thinges as though we vsed them not Againe hee calleth couetousnesse the worshipping of idolls and chargeth rich men not to put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing god who ministreth to all creatures lyuing sufficiently enough And therefore the Lord in the Gospell forbiddeth to heape vpp treasures vppon earth Now on the other side we are not bidden by the Apostles to spend oure goods prodigallie in riot and wantonnesse For wee may not abuse the wealth that the Lord hath lent vs in pride and luxurie as many doe who lash out al in dieing sumptuous building straung clothiong excessiue drinking and ouer deyntie banquetting The end and destruction of such kind of people the Lord doeth verie finely though not without terrour to them that heare it set downe in the parable of the rich glutton who after his delicate fare coastly apparell was after this life tormented in hell with vnspeakeable thirste toasted there with vnquencheable fire Therefore these temporall goods must be rightly holilie and moderately vsed without excesse Euerie man must acknowledge these terrestriall goods to be the meere and free giftes of our bountifull and heauenly father and not to be giuen for our deserts or gottē by our might For wee haue of Gods liberalitie all thinges necessarie to mainteyne oure liues It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour Finallie they are not euil but the good gifts of God which he giueth for the maintenaunce of our liues and not to our destruction the fault is in our selues that riches are a snare to bring many men to euill ends Moreouer the Lord himselfe requireth and in his woord commaundeth vs to be thanckful vnto him for his good benefits bestowed on vs to vse them with thankes giuing to praise his name for al things and to reioyce in his fatherly goodnes shewed vnto vs For thus doth Moses the seruaunt of God in Deuteronomie charge the Israelites When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee selfe then thancke the Lord thy God in that good land which hee hath giuen thee Beware that thou forgett not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not keepe his commaundementes his lawes and ordinances which I commaund thee this day yea and when thou hast eaten filled thee selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein and when thy beastes and thy sheepe are waxen many and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and al that thou hast is increased then beware least thine heart rise and thou forgett the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and from the house of bondage Say not then in thine heart my power and the might of mine owne hand hath prepared mee this aboundance Remember the Lord thy GOD for it is hee that giueth thee power to gett substance c. Moreouer Paule the Apostle saith that al the creatures of God are good created to the good and preseruation of vs men and biddeth vs vse them with the feare of God and giuing of thanckes And againe Whether yee eate or drincke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God. And in another place Let your maners bee farre from couetousnes and bee content with the thinges that yee haue For he hath said I do not forsake nor leaue thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper I wil not feare what man can doe vnto mee Let earthly goodes also serue our necessitie Nowe necessitie requireth a commodious dwelling place so much victualls as are sufficiente comely apparell and honeste company keeping wyth oure neighbours and equalls Let euery man measure and esteeme these circumstaunces first by his owne personne then by his familie or household For an householder must warely prouide and foresee that no necessarie thinge be wanting in his familie Of this care of the househoulder there are sundrye testimonies of Scripture extant but especiallie that of Saint Paule in the fifth Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothie And here note that by necessitie all thinges are mente which the body or life of man doth necessarily require and stand in néede of and finally whatsoeuer the honestie and beséeming of euery man doth craue or demaunde And thus farre verily and to this ende or purpose it is lawfull for any man to lay somewhat vp in stoare against yeares to come The man whose charge is much in keping a great house hath néede of the more to maintayne it withall and hée whose familie is not so bigge néedeth so much the lesse as his house is the smaller And one
of the world differ much from the sonnes of god For these I meane the sonnes of God in comforting one an other in their calamities do say Suffer and grudge not at the thing that thou canst not alter It is gods wil that it shal be so and no maÌ„ can resist it suffer therfore the power of the Lord vnlesse thou wouldest rather double the euil that thou canst not escape But the worldlings on the other side being demaunded howe they suffer the hand of the Lord and whether they submit themselues to God or no do make this answere I must whether I will or no since I caÌ„not withstand it If therfore they could withstand it by thie wee may gather that they assuredly would But the children of God do patiently beare the hand of God not because they cannot withstand it nor because they must by coÌ„pulsion suffer it but for because they beleue that God is a iust and merciful father for therfore they acknowledge confesse that God of his iust iudgment doth persecute y sinns of them that haue deserued far more greuous and sharpe punishment than he layeth vpon them they do acknowledge also that god doth as a merciful father chasten them to the amendment of their liues safegard of their souls and therfore do they for his chastning of them yeld him hartie thankes and forsaking vtterly themselues their opinions do wholie coÌ„mit themselues whether they liue or die into the lords haÌ„ds The Apostle going about to settle this in the heartes of the faithfull saith God speaketh to you as to his sonnes my sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the lord loueth he chasteneth scourgeth euery son that he receiueth If ye endure chastening God tendereth you as his sonns For what sonne is he whoÌ„ the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisemeÌ„t whereof al are partakers then are ye bastards not sonnes Since therfore wheÌ„ we had fathers of our flesh they corrected vs we reuerenced them shal wee not much more rather be in subiection to the father of spirites liue Secondarilie let the faithfull beleeuer which is oppressed w calamities consider and weigh the causes for which he is afflicted For either he is troubled persecuted of worldlinges for the desire that hee hath to righteousnes true religion or else he suffereth due punishment for his sinnes offeÌ„ces Let them which suffer persecution for righteousnes sake reioyce and giue God thanks as the Apostâ—es did for that he thinketh them worthy to suffer for the name of Christ For the lord in the gospel said Blessed are they that suffer persecutioÌ„ for rightousnes sake for theirs is the kingdom of heauen Blessed are ye when men shal reuile persecute you and shal say all maner euil saying agaist you â—or my sake reioyce ye be glad for great is your reward in heauen for so persecuted they the Prophetes that were before you But if any man for his sinns doth féele the scourge of God let him acknowledge that Gods iust iudgemeÌ„t is fallen vpon him let him humble himselfe vnder the mightie hand of the Lord let him confesse his sinns to God let him méekely require pardon for them and patiently suffer the plague which he with his sinnes hath worthily deserued Let him followe the examples of Daniel and Dauid Daniel confesseth his sinnes vnto the Lord and saith We haue sinned wee haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly we haue not obeyed thy seruauntes the Prophetes which spake to vs in thy name O Lord vnto thee doeth righteousnes belong and vnto vs open shame Thou haste visited afflicted vs as thou diddest foretell by Moses thy seruaunt And Dauid wheÌ„ through Absaloms treason he was compelled to forsake Hierusalem and goe in exile said to the priestes which bare the Arcke after him Carrie backe the Arcke of God into the citie againe If I shal find fauour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring me backe againe and wil shew mee both himselfe and his Tabernacle But if hee thus say I am not delighted in thee then here am I let him do with me what seemeth good in his eyes And verilie it is much more better and expedient to be punished in this world and after this life to liue for euer than to liue here without afflictions and in an other world to suffer euerlasting paines Paul verilie doth plainly say When we are iudged wee are chastened of the lord that we should not be damned with the world And the verie end of all chastenings and calamities wherewith the Sainâ—ts are exercised tendeth to nothing else but that by despising and treading downe the world they may amende their liues returne to the Lord and so be saued But touching the end of afflictions wée haue spoken of it before Furthermore the men that beare the yoke of afflictions doe lay before themselues the plaine and ample promises of God from which and from the examples of the sainctes they neuer turne their eyes There are innumerable examples of them which haue felt Gods helping hand readie in all needes to ayde and deliuer them Nowe our good God doth promise to helpe and deliuer not them onely which are afflicted for righteousnesse sake but them also whom he doth visite for their faults and offences For Dauid saith The Lord doth heale the contrite of heart The Lord doth loose them that are bouÌ„d in chaynes The lordgiueth sight vnto the blind The lord setteth vp againe them that doe fall Hee is not angrie for euer neither doth he alwayes childe Hee dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs after our iniquities And how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. To this beloÌ„geth the whole thirtieth chapiter of Ieremies Prophecie And Paule doeth beare witnesse to this and saith As the afflictions of Christe are many in vs so is our comfort great through Christ Neither are wee without examples enoughe to proue this same by and to lay before our eyes the present deliuerie of the Sainctes and the repentaunce of sinners in extreme calamities Our auncestours y Patriarchs Noe Lot with their families were by the mightie hand of God deliuered from the deluge that drowned all creatures vnder the heauens and the horrible fire that fell vppon Sodome Iacob and Ioseph being wrapped in sundrie tribulations were by their merciful God wooud out and rid from all Euen as also the children of Israell were brought forth and deliuered from the seruile bondage of Pharao in Aegypt The people of Israel did in the wildernesse vnder their guides and Iudges sinne often and greuously against the lord for which they were punished roundly and sharply scourged but they were quickly deliuered againe by the Lord so oft as they did acknowledge their sinnes and turne themselues to him againe There are also notable
peculiar exāples of Gods deliueraunce of his people in Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Manasses and many other There are to be séene in the Gospell innumerable places where Christe deliuered his professours from sinne from diseases from euils from perils and from the diuel In the Acts of the Apostles there are found most excellent patterns of present deliuerie by the mightie hand of god The Apostles are imprisoned and faste bound in fetters but they are loosed and brought foorth by the Angell of God and placed in the temple to preach the Gospel openly Peter likewise is deliuered out of prison when Agrippa had determined the next day following to make an end of and dispatch him The Apostle Paul being oppressed with an infinite sorte of calamities did alwayes feele the present hand of God at all times readie to rid him out of miserie And setting this tribulation and deliuerie of his for an example to all the faithful he saith to Timothie Thou knowest my persecution afflictions which came to me at Antioche at Iconium at Lystra which persecutions I suffered patiently But from them all the Lord deliuered mee yea and all that will liue godly in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution Many more examples doth the same Apostle recken vp together in the 11. Chapiter to the Hebrues All this I say do the saincts consider and in time of temptation and affliction do comfort and strengthen themselues therewith For so doth Paule teach vs where he saith Whatsoeuer is written for our learning is it written that through patience and comforte of the Scriptures wee might haue hope Beside this also the faithfull sorte call to their mindes the commaundements of Christ our Lord wherwith he commēding patience vnto vs hath layd the crosse vpon vs all For in the Gospel he sayth If any man wil goe after me let him forsake himselfē and take vpp his crosse and followe mee For whosoeuer will saue his life shal loose it and whosoeuer shall loose his life for my sake shall saue it For what doeth it aduauntage a man to winne the whoale world and loose his owne soule Or what shall a man giue for a raunsome of his soule For the sonne of man shall come in the glorie of his father with his Angels and then shall hee reward euery man according to his workes And againe in an other place he sayth If any man come to mee and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he cannot be my disciple And whosoeuer doth not beare his crosse and come after me he cannot bee my disciple After which words the Lord bringeth in certaine parables by which hée teacheth vs to make triall of our abilitie before we receiue the profession of the Gospell To the preceptes of their maister Christ the faithfull Apostles Peter and Paul had an especial eye exhorting vs to the patient bearing of the crosse of Christ For Christ saith Peter was afflicted for vs leauing to vs an example that wee should followe his steppes And Paul said Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God. An other comforte that the faithfull haue in their afflictions is this that the time of affliction is shorte that the ioy and reward in the world to come is vnspeakeablie farre more large and excellent than the tribulation of this life is troublesome so that there can be no comparison betwixt the ioy of the one and griefe of the other and lastly that our good God doth not lay such burthēs on vs as we are not able possiblie to beare Touching all which points I thinke it conuenient here to rehearse proofes out of that scrip tures to proue them true S. Peter calleth the time of affliction short or momentanie And the Prophet Esate or the Lord rather in Esates prophecie long before Peters time did say Goe my people enter into thy chambers and shutt the doores after thee hide thee selfe a little while vntill mine indignation be ouerpast Paul also sayth The fathers of your fleshe did for a fewe dayes chasten you after their owne pleasure but the father of spirits doth for a short time correct you to your profite that ye might bee partakers of his holinesse But no chastising for the present seemeth to be ioyous but greeuous Neuerthelesse afterward it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes to them that are exercised thereby Againe he saith Wee suffer with Christe that with him we may be glorified For I am certainly persuaded that the afflictions of this time are not comparable to the glorie that shal be shewed vppon vs For the momentanie lightnesse of our affliction doth wōderfully aboue all measure bring forth to vs an euerlasting weight of glorie while wee looke not for the thinges that are seene but the things that are not seene For the thinges that are seene are temporall but the thinges that are not seene are eternal Againe in his first epistle to the Corinth the same Apostle sayth God is faithfull which shal not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you are able but shall with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to beare it But if it so happen that the Lord doth séeme to vs to extend our tribulation longer than iustice would séeme to require then must wee by and by remember that we may not prescribe to God any end of his wil but must permit him fréely to afflicte vs without all controllment so much so longe and by such meanes as shal séeme to be best to his godly wisedome He who is himselfe the eternall wisedome and loueth vs men entyrely well doth know well enough his time and season when to make an end of our miseries and rid vs from afflictions There are in the Scriptures sundry examples to comfort the men whose afflictions endure for any long time The woman in the Gospell was troubled with an issue of bloud by the space of twelue yeres which had almost driuen her to vtter desperation of her healthes recouerie An other lay beddred whole eightene yeares By the poole Bethesda lay the sillie creature who had béene diseased eight thirtie yeares This space surely was very troublesome But yet at last they were restoared to health againe by God who knoweth best at what time and season his help is most expedient and profitable for mankind Let vs therfore wholie submit our selues to his good iust most wise will to be deliuered when and how he shal thincke best But the chiefest comfort and greatest hope in tribulation is that not any force or miserie can possiblie seperate the faithful and elect seruaunts of God from God himselfe For the Lord in the Gospell crieth out and sayth My sheepe heare my voyce I know them and they followe mee I giue to them eternal life they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand My father which
the law and the Prophets Moreouer oure Lord fulfilled the lawe in that he did most absolutely in all poinctes satisfie the will of God being himselfe the holiest of all in whome there is no spot no euill concupiscence nor any sinne in him is the loue of God most perfecte righteousnesse altogether absolute which righteousnesse he doth fréely coÌ„municate to vs that are most vnperfect if wee beléeue and haue oure hope fast settled in him For hée forgiueth vs our sinnes being made a cleansing Sacrifice for vs and maketh vs partakers of his owne righteousnesse which is for that cause called Imputed righteousnesse Whereunto the testimonies of the Apostle do apperteine God saith Paul was in Christ recoÌ„ciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them For him which knew not sinne he made sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse without workes So also if wee beleeue in God throughe Christ our faith shal be imputed to vs for righteousnesse For by faith we lay hold on Christ whom we beleue to haue made most absolute satisfaction to God for vs and so consequently that God for Christ his sake is pleased with vs and that the righteousnesse is imputed to vs as our owne and is in déed by gift our owne because wee are nowe the sonnes of God. These things being diligently weyyed it shal be easie for vs to aunswere them whiche make this question and doe demaunde since no mortall man doth of himself exactly satisfie the law Howe then is righteousnesse life and saluatioÌ„ promised to them that do obserue the lawe Our aunswere is forsoothe that that promise hath a respect to the perfect righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed vnto vs Otherwise it is assuredly certaine that the holy Scripture doth not so much as in one iote disagrée or square in any pointe from it selfe The Apostle doth plainly say If there had a lawe beene giuen which could haue giuen life then had righteousnesse beene of the lawe but now the Scripture hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that the promise might be giuen by faith to them that do beleeue Wherefore he kéepeth or doeth fulfil the lawe euen of the tenne commaundements who doth the thing for which the lawe was chiefly ordeyned But the lawe was chiefly ordeyned as I did declare a little before to the ende that it might conuince vs all of sinne and damnation and so by that meanes send vs from our selues and lead vs by the hand to Christe who is the fulfilling of the lawe vnto iustification to euery one that doeth beléeue And therefore hée doth fulfil and kéepe the lawe who hath no confidence in himselfe and his owne woorkes but committing himselfe to the very grace of God doth séeke all righteousnesse in the faith of Christ Whereuppon now it is euident that these two sentences of Christ oure Lord are of one sense meaning Whosoeuer beleeueth in mee he hath life euerlasting And If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements For Paule also in the 13. Chapiter of the Actes saith Be it knowen vnto you brethren that thorough Christe is preached to you the forgiuenesse of sinnes by him all that beleeue are iustified from all the thinges from which he could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses And to this place nowe belongeth all the woorke of iustification of whiche I haue at large disputed in an other place Now that faith wherewith we beleeue that Christ hath satisfied the law and that he is oure righteousnesse and our perfection is neither of our owne nature nor of our owne merits but is by the grace of God powred into vs through the holy spirit which is giuen into our hearts This spirite abiding in our heartes doth inflame our breastes with the loue and desire of Gods lawe to doe oure endeuoure to the expressing and shewing of the lawe in al our workes and conuersation Which desire and endeuour although they be neuer fully accomplished by reason of the sâ—eashes frailetie or weakenesse of mans nature which remayneth in vs euen till the last gaspe and end of our life is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace for Christe his sake alone neither doeth anye Godly man put any confidence in this other but in the first fulfilling of the lawe as that which is onely absolute and perfecte For Paule in his Epistle to the Romans crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And yet immediatly after he answereth I thanke God. to wit because he hath redéemed me from death through Iesus Christ our lord So then I me selfe with the minde serue the law of God but with the fleshe the lawe of sinne There is then no damnation to them whiche are graffed in Christ Iesu which walk not after the fleshe but after the spirite c. Wherfore since we are in Christ we are in grace and therefore is God pleased with oure woorkes which being giuen to vs by faith and by the liberal spirite do procéede from an hart that loueth God the giuer of them all For Iohn saide This is the loue of God that we keepe his commaundementes And his commaundementes are not greeuous Hée addeth also the reason thereof and saith For al that is borne of God ouercoÌ„meth the world nowe euerie one is borne of God that doth beléeue as is declared in the first of Iohn By whiche it is easie to reconcile these 2. places which séeme at a blushe to iarre one with an other The lawes of God are heauie which neither we nor oure fathers were able to beare And The lawes of God are not greeuous or heauie to be borne For they are not heauie to the faithfull whiche are in Christ and to those which haue the gift of Gods spirite that is to those that are reconciled to God by Christe their Lord and Sauiour Without Christ faith in Christe they are most gréeuous and heauie to be borne of euery vnbeléeuer So the faithfull béeing stirred vpp by the spirite of God doth voluntarilie and of his owne accord do good to all men so farre as his abilitie doeth suffer him will not in any case do hurt to any man not forbecause hee feareth the punishment that in the law is appointed for the disobedient vniuste and wrongfull dealers but forbecause he loueth god And so also he fulfilleth the Iudicial lawe Here I know full well the thou wilt make this obiection and say if the law be fulfilled that the fulfilling thereof hath a place in the Sainctes faithful ones what néeded then I pray you the abrogating of the lawe What néeded Paule and all the best diuines to dispute so largely of the abrogation of the same I wil therefore say somewhat of the abrogation of the law first generallie then by partes peculiarly But first of all
the strict kéeping of Moses lawe This rule must alwayes be kept obserued Sainct Peter doth simply commaunde and saye Submitt your selues to all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as hauing the preeminence or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishement of euil doers but for the laude of them do well And yet the same Apostle affirmeth that we ought rather to obey God than men so often as men do publish lawes against true religion iustice and equitie concerning which I spake in the exposition of the commoÌ„ place of the magistrate And so thus much I thought good to saye touching the abrogatioÌ„ of the Iudiciall lawes Now if euery one of you do throughly ponder with him selfe the things y I haue hithereto saide touching the lawe of God the partes of the lawe the vse or effect the fulfilling and abrogating of the same it will be a thing of no difficultie to determin what euery one ought to think concerning that point or title of this treatise wherof I promised in the beginning of this sermon that I woulde speake somewhat towarde the ende to witte that the testament of the olde and new church is all one and that there is but one way of true saluation to all that eyther are or haue bene saued in this worlde and also wherein the newe testament dothe differ from the olde For since I haue alredie shewed that all the pointes of the lawe haue a respect and a kinde of Relation vnto Christ and that hee was in the lawe preached to the fathers to be the onely Sauiour in whome alone they were to be saued who is it which cannot perceiue that they had none other but the verie same manner and way to be saued which we at this day doe enioy by Christ Iesus And yet that this may appeare more euident I wil not stick to bestowe some paines to make this matter more manifest vnto you with as plaine a demonstration as possible may be although a playner cannot likely be than that which I haue alredie shewed you Verily there is no difference of the people of the testament of the church or of the manner of saluation betwixt them among whom there is found to be one and the same doctrin the same faith the same spirite the same hope the same inheritance the same expectation the same inuocation and the same sacraments If therefore I shal be able to proue that all these thinges were indifferently common to them of the olde church as wel vnto vs then haue I obteined that which I shott at to wite that in respect of the substance there neither was nor is any more than one testament that the olde fathers are one and the same people that we are liuing in the same church and communion and saued not in any other but in Christe alone the sonne of God in whome also wee looke for saluation That they and wee haue all one and the same doctrine I proue thus Our doctrine is the doctrine of the gospel But that the fathers were not without the sanâ—e doctrine it is euident by Sainct Paule who testifieth saying God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his prophets in the holie Scriptures of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleash and hath been declared to bee the sonne of God with power by the spirite c. What could be saide more plainly The Gospell which is at this day preathed was of olde promised by the prophets in the holie scriptures to wite that the sonne of God should come into the worlde to saue all faithfull beleuers This Gospell also teacheth that the faithful are not iustified by the works of the lawe but freely by grace through faith in Christe Sainct Paule saith By the deedes of the law there shal no fleash be iustified in his sight For by the lawe coÌ„meth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of god declared without the law being witnessed by the testimonie of the lawe and the prophets the righteousnesse of God coÌ„meth by the faith of Christ Iesus vnto all and vpoÌ„ all them that beleeue With Paule S. Peter also doth fully agrée where in the Synod helde at Hierusalem he saith Neither we nor our fathers were able to beare the yoke of the lawe but do beleeue euen as they to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Christ Iesus And so consequently in all other substanciall and material poynctes there is no difference in doctrine betwixt vs and them To procéede nowe they whose doctrine is al one must of necessitie haue all one faith For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of god What doeth that argue that Abraham the rest of the holie fathers are set before our eyes as examples of faith for vs to followe wee sée that it is so in the holie Gospel of the Lord the sacred writings of the Apostles But who would giue vs such forreine examples to imitate as doe not concerne the thing for which they are giuen Paule in many places but especially in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes sheweth that faith must bée imputed to vs for righteousnesse as we reade that it was imputed vnto Abraham nowe that faith of his was not another but the vâ—rie same faith with ours which restâ—th vppon the promise of God and the blessed séede For he calleth Abraham the father not of these onely which are borne of the circumcision but of those also which walke in the stâ—ppes of the faith which was in Abraham before hee was circumcised Besides that also the confirmation of the Christian rule I meane the Apostles Creede or articles of our beleefe is fetched out of the Scriptures of the fathers of the olde testament which is vndoubtedly a moste manifeste argument that their faith and ours is the verie same faith They did beléeue in the Messiah that was then to come and wee beléeue y he is alreadie come and do more fully perceiue neerely see all that which was spoken of before in the prophets as I will anon declare when I come to shewe the difference betwixte the two testaments That all one and the same spirite did gouerne our forefathers and the people of the newe couenaunt who can doubt considering that the spirit of God is one alone and that Sainct Peter doth in expresse wordes testifie that the spirite of Christe was in the Prophets And Sainct Paule also saith Since we haue the same spirite of faith according to that which is written I beleeued and therefore I spake and we beleeue and therefore do we speake Therefore although the same apostle doth in another place saye that the faithfull haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but the spirite of adoptioÌ„ whereby they crie Abba father Yet doth he not denie but that the faithful fathers had the same spirite that wée
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
oure forefathers did not pray to any other but God alone the onely creatour of all thinges and did bâ—leeue verilie that hée would be mercifull vnto mankinde for the blessed séedes sake And although they did not so vsuallie call vppon God as wée at this day doe thorough the mediatour and intercessour Christe Iesus euen as the Lord in the Gospel did himselfe testifie and say Hetherto haue ye not asked any thinge in my name aske and ye shall receiue yet were they not vtterly ignoraunt of the mediatour for whose sake they were heard of the lord Daniel in the ninthe Chapiter of his Prophecie maketh his prayer and desireth to be heard of God for the Lords sake that is for the promised Christ his sake Finallie so often as the holy Saincts did in their prayers say Remember Lord thy seruaunts Abraham Isaac and Iacob they did not looke backe to the persons or soules of the deceased Patriarches but to the promise that was made to the Patriarches Now since that promise is In thy seede shal all the kinreds of the earth be blessed and since Paule doeth testifie that Christ is that blessed seed it followeth consequently that the holy fathers in their prayers had an eye to the blessed seede and that they did desire God to heare them for Christ his sake For in one place also the Lord promiseth deliueraunce to king Ezechias saying I will defend this citie for mine owne sake and for my seruaunt Dauids sake But in the 7. and 28. Chapter of Esaies Prophecie it is manifest that the citie was spared for Christe his sake the sonne of the Virgin whiche is the foundation placed in Sion whome Ezechiel in the 34. Chapiter calleth by the name of Dauid and the Gospell calleth Dauids sonne Last of all the Apostle Paule doth shewe that the auncient fathers had amongest them the very same Sacramentes which wee nowe haue as hee doth in other places also make vs partakers and applie to vs both circumcision and the Passeouer the Sacramentes whiche were giuen to them of old as doeth appeare in the second to the Colâ—ssians 1. Cor. the fifth cap. In the tenthe Chapiter he threateneth gréeuous punishment to the Corinthians at the handes of God vnlesse they absteine from thinges offered to idols and from all heathenishe sensualitie And thereuppon he bringeth in the example of the Israelites which he doth after this manner applie to his purpose I would not brethren that ye should be ignoraunt that our fathers were the Church of God and that they had the same sacraments which we at this day haue For they were all baptised vnto Moses that is by Moses or by the ministerie of Moses in the cloude and in the sea For the cloude and the sea were figures of baptisme And they did also eate of the same spirituall meate and did drincke of the same spirituall drincke And immediately after hée interpreteth his owne meaning and saith For they drancke of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ Mannaverily and the Rocke did typicallie represent the spirituall foode wherewith Christ refresheth both vs them who is himselfe the bread and drincke of eternall life But although they did bodilie outwardly visiblie receiue these SacrameÌ„ts yet for because they were destitute of faith and the holie Ghost because they were defiled with the worshipping of idols with surfetting and fornication they displeased God were by him destroyed in the desarte And therefore vnlesse ye also absteine from those filthie vices neither shall baptisme nor the sacrament of the Lords supper auaile you but ye shall vndoubtedly bée destroyed of the lord Since therefore it is by most euident proofes of Scripture declared that the old fathers had the same SacrameÌ„ts the same inuocation of God the same hope expectation and inheritance the same spirite the same faith and the same doctrine which we at this day haue the marcke I hope whereat I shot is fullie hit and I haue I trust sufficiently proued that the faithfull fathers of the old testament and wée the beléeuers of the newe couenaunt are one Church and one people which are all saued vnder one congregation vnder one only testament and by one and the same manner of meanes to wit by faith in Christ Iesu Thus much haue I hetherto said touching the likenesse the agréement and the vnitie betwixt the old newe testament or people of god I wil now add somewhat touching the diuersitie betwixt them and the thinges wherin they differ In the verie substaunce truly thou canst find no diuersitie the difference which is betwixt them doth consist in the maner of administration in a fâ—w accidents and certeine circumstaÌ„ces For to the promise or doctrine of faith and to the chiefe and principall lawes there were annexed certeine external thinges whiche were added vntill the time of amendment so that the whole Ecclesiasticall regiment the manner of teaching the doctrine of Godlinesse and the outward worship of God was amonge the old fathers of one sort and is amonge vs of an other But the especiall things wherin they differ may be rehearsed and sett downe in thefe fewe principall poinctes First and foremost all things of the newe couenaunt are more cleare and manifest thaÌ„ those of the old testamâ—t The preaching of the old couenaunt had alwayes in it for the most parte some mystie or cloudie thing and was still couered and wrapped vpp in shadowes and dimme shâ—wes But the publishing of the newe testament is cleare and manifest so that it is called the light which is without all mystes and darckenesse Moses did with a vayle couer his face neither could the children of Israel behold his countenance but wée beholding not only the countenance of Moses which is nowe vncouered but the pleasant and amiable face of Christ himselfe doe greatly reioyce to see our saluation openly reuealed before our eyes In that sense 〈…〉 say that his disciples were happâ—â— where hée brake out into these wâ—â—ds Happie are the eyes which see the thinges that ye see For I say vnto you that many Prophets and kinges desired to see the thinges that ye see and sawe them not and to heare the thinges that ye heare and heard them not The iust man Simeon did in this sense call himselfe as happie a man as liued and did thereupon promise that hee was willing to die saying Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunt depart in peace according to thy woord For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of al people to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glorie of thy people Israel But althoughe our forefathers had not so much light as doeth shine to vs in Christe since his comming in the fleshe yet was that little light whiche they had sufficieÌ„t to the getting of saluation by faith in Christ Eâ—en wée our selues although wée sée him farre more clearelie than oure forefathers did
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
they shall all knowe mee from the little vnto the greate But of the law it is written that it was grauen in tables of stone Yet for all this let no man thinke that the fathers obteined no remission of their sinnes For as they by faith had frée forgiuenesse of their sinnes so did God both write his lawe and powre his spirite into their heartes For which of vs at this day can saye that wée excell in knowledge and in faith either Abraham Moses Samuel Dauid Esaie Daniel or Zacharias So then the difference is not in that the fathers of the old testamente were without the remission of sinnes and the illumination of the holie Ghoste and that wée alone which are the people of the newe testament haue obteined them but the difference doeth consiste in the greatnesse amplenesse largenesse and plentifulnesse of the giftes to witt because they are more liberallie bestowed and more plentifully powred out vppon more nowe than they were of old For all nations being called doe not by dropmeale but by whole handfulls drawe the water of life The Lord doth powre out his spirite vppon all fleshe Of old God was knowen in Iurie onely but nowe since Christe is come into the world his disciples are gone thoroughe all the corners of the earth teach all kingdomes to knowe the Lord. Of old the worthie men and Prophets were not so many but that they might bée numbred because the land of promise in a maner alone did bréed such good and holy men But who is at this day able to reckon all that kings Princes noble men Prophets Bishops doctours Martyrs excellent persons of euery sexe estate and age whiche haue beene and are at this day bred not onely in Iurie but also in Arabia Idumea Phenicia Mesopotamia Persia Asia Aegypt Africa Gréece Italie the Easte the South the Weste and the North Frée remission of sinnes is preached to all countries and kingdomes All the faithfull in euerie nation vnder heauen are throughe Christ receiued into the grace and fauour of God the father All haue receiued in great abundaunce the gift of the holy Ghoste All haue prophecied All haue knowen the lord Finallie the lawe maketh no man perfecte The Gospell simplie maketh perfect and doth directly without any stopp lead vs to Christe and causeth vs to rest and to content oure selues in him alone Last of all I will not slippe ouer this difference althoughe it be of little weight and such an one as other like vnto it may be easilie obserued that the lawe appointing out a certeine land peculiarly separated from other nations did promise to the old fathers the possession of the same so long as they did kéep the law but if they did transgresse the lawe then did it threaten that they should be rooted vpp and vtterly cast out of that good land But to vs no one limited lande is expressely promised For the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the rounde world and all that therein is But althoughe hée doeth not héere assigne to vs as hée did to oure forefathers of olde any certeine or peculiar thinge yet doeth hée not at any time neglecte vs For hée féedeth blesseth and preserueth vs in euery land and nation Therfore the promises which were of old made to oure forefathers concerning the land of promise being come to an end are vtterly vanished away so that they which for an age or two agoe did incite many nations to arme themselues for the recouerie of the holy land doe seeme to haue béene besides their witts Christ by his comming into the world hath sanctified all the earth For there are in euerie nation of the world some sonnes and heires of God and his kingdome Touching the likenesse and agréement the vnlikenesse and difference of both I meane the old and newe testaments or people I haue therfore spoken the more briefely béecause I haue in the first Sermon of the first Decade and in the sixte Sermon of this third Decade alreadie hādled the selfe same matter Finallie I haue but shortly touched the abrogation of the law because I did a good while ago set foorth two treatises y one of the Auncient Faith the other of the Only and eternall Couenaunt of God whiche treatises I knowe to bée familiar amonge you I will not héere in the conclusion recapitulate vnto you y special points of this Sermon partly because I haue alreadie béene somewhat to long and partly because I haue as I hope vsed so plaine an order that euery point is indifferently well settled in euery manns memorie Thus haue I by Gods grace and sufferance made an end to treate of Gods holy law wherin I haue béene occupied a good sort of dayes by seuerall Sermons Blessed bée God and oure heauenly father world without end whome I beséech to blesse vs all thorough Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof ¶ The ninthe Sermon I HAVE alreadie through many sermons discoursed longe vppon Gods lawe nowe therefore because vppon the consideration handling of the lawe there doe arise certaine pointes not to bee omitted which doe depend vppon and are annexed hand in hand vnto the lawe of which sort are Christian libertie good woorkes the reward of good woorkes sinne and the reward or punishment of sinne I wil speake of them in order as God shall put into my mouth whō I shall desire you to praye vnto with mée beséeching him not to suffer me to speake in these or other points of holy doctrine the thing that shall sounde against his holy will. Vppon the abrogation of the lawe doeth Christian libertie depende and follow as the effecte of the abrogating of the lawe which libertie doth minister vs occasion to speake of offences Nowe concerning Christian libertie the most holy Apostle of Christ Sainct Paule hath reasoned verie diligently and largely whereby we may gather that the consideration of Christian libertie is neither of no weighte nor yet of little profite But the treatise therof is especially necessarie to vs of this age amonge whom there are no small number of men which doe either not vnderstand what Christian libertie is or else if they knowe it do foulie abuse it thereby to fulfill the lustes of the flesh I will therefore tell you who is the deliuerer that setteth vs at libertie who they are that he setteth at libertie and wherein and howe farre forth he setteth them at libertie whiche things being once knowen it wil be an easie matter to perceiue what Christian libertie is what the propertie or disposition of those is which are so set at libertie and howe farre forth they must beware from giuing office to any man and from abusing their graunted libertie There is none other deliuerer promised giuen and preached vnto vs than Christ Iesus the Sonne of god For he which doth deliuer other men must be himselfe frée from the
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
which god had threatened vnto him to wit that he shoulde so be humbled by the incest of his sonne c. And what is the cause that they demaund not if God for sinne did threaten that scourge why then when he had pardoned the sinne did he fulfill that whiche he threatened but for bicause they knowe if they demaund that question that they shall rightly be answered that the remission of the sinne was graunted to the end the man shuld not be by his sinne hindered to obteine eternall life but the effect of Gods threatening did followe after the remission of the sinne to the end that the godlinesse of the maÌ„ might be tryed and exercised in that humilitie In like manner God hath for sinnes layde bodily death as a punishment vpon the body of man and after the forgiuenesse of sinnes hathe not taken it away but left it in the body to be a meane to the exercise of righteousnesse Thus farre hath Augustine Nowe as concerning the punishments of the wicked If the most iust God doe in this worlde touch them with any let vs knowe that they bee the arguments of Gods iust iudgement who in this worlde beginneth to punishe them temporally and in the worlde to come doeth not ceasse to plague them euerlastingly The wicked verily perishe thorough their owne default For God beginneth to whippe them in this life to the end that they beeing chastened may begin to be wise and turne to the Lorde but they by his chasticement are the more indurate and murmur at the iudgements of God conuerting that to their owne destruction which was ordeined to haue bene to their health For as to them that loue GOD all thinges worke to the best so to them that hate the Lord all things do work to their vtter destruction This argument might bee extended further yet but for because I haue alreadie spoken a great deale to this effect in the third Sermon of this thirde Decade that whiche is here left out may there be founde therefore I referre you to the looking vpon that And so nowe hitherto touching sinne I haue with somewhat too long a Sermon dearely beloued by more than the space of two whole houres deteyned you here That therefore I may nowe make an end let vs humblie acknowledge our sinnes and méekely crye with prayers vnto the Lorde which sitteth in the throne of Grace saying Haue mercie vppon vs O Lorde for against thée haue wée sinned and do confesse our offences Thy debters are wée Forgiue thou vs our debtes as wée forgiue our debters and leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euil Amen ⸫ The ende of the thirde Decade of Sermons The fourth Decade of Sermons written by Henrie Bullinger ¶ Of the Gospell of the Grace of God who hath giuen his sonne vnto the worlde and in him all thinges necessarie to saluation that wee beleeuing in him might obteine eternall life The first Sermon AFter the expositioÌ„ of the lawe and those poyntes of doctrine that depende vppon the lawe I thinke it it best nowe to come to the handling of the Gospell which in the exposition of the lawe other places else hath bene mentioned often times Nowe therefore dearely beloued as I haue béene hitherto helped with your prayers to God so here againe I request your earnest supplications with mee to the father that I by his holie spirite may speake the trueth to your edification in this present argument Euangelium is a Gréeke woorde but is receiued of the Latines Germanes and at this day vsed as a worde of their owne It is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth good and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tell tydings For Euangelium signifieth the telling of good tydings or happie newes as is wont to be blowen abroade when the enimies being put to foyle wee rayse the siege of any citie or obteine some notable victorie ouer our foes The worde is attributed to any ioyfull luckie newes concerning any matter luckily accomplished The Apostles did willingly vse that terme not so much because the Prophets had vsed it before them as for that it doth wonderfully conteine and doth as it were laye before our eyes the manner and woorke of oure saluation accomplished by Christe wherevnto they haue applyed the worde Euangelium The Prophet Esaie as Luke interpreteth it bringeth in Christe our Lorde speaking in this manner The spirite of the Lord vpon mee because he hath annoynted mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to preache the Gospell hath he sent me to heale the broken harted to preach deliuerance vnto the captiue and recouering of sight vnto the blindâ— freely to sett at libertie them that are brused and to preach the acceptable yere of the Lorde Lo here the Sauiuiour of the worlde doeâ—h in the Prophet and the Euangelist expounde to vs what Euangelium is and wherevnto it tendeth The father sayth hee hath sent mee to preache Euangelium the Gospell to the poore And immediately after to shew who those poore should bee hee addeth whiche are broken hearted or broken minded to wite suche as finde in them selues no soundnesse or health but vtterly despairinge of their owne strength do wholy depend vpon the help of Christ their cunning and willing Physician Nowe the Gospell or good tydings which is shewed to the afflicted is this that the sonne of God is descended from heauen to heale the sicke and diseased soules To which also to make it more euident hee addeth another cause saying that the sonne of God is come to preache deliueraunce vnto captiues and the recouering of sight to the blinde c. For all men are helde captiue in the bondes of damnation they doe all serue a sorrowfull slauerie vnder their cruel enimie Satan they are all kept blinde in the darknesse of errors And to them it is that redemption deliuerance and the acceptable yere of the Lorde is preached Now this ioyfull tydings is called Euangelium the Gospell Therefore the Gspell is of all men in a manner after this sorte defined The Gospell is a good and a sweete worde and an assured testimonie of Gods grace to vs warde exhibited in Christe vnto all beléeuers Or else the Gospell is the moste euident sentence of the eternall God brought downe from heauen absoluing al beléeuers from all their sinnes and that too freely for Christe his sake with a promise of eternal life These definitions are gathered out of the testimonies of the Euangelistes Apostles For Sainct Luke bringeth in the Angel of the Lorde speaking to the amazed shéepeheards saying Feare not for behold I bring you good tydings of greate ioye that shal be to all people for vnto you is borne this daye in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lorde Lo here he taketh from the sheepeheardes all manner of feare with the 〈…〉 of good tydinges that is with 〈…〉 of health which is a 〈…〉 is full of
ioye and alwayes bringeth gladnesse with it The tydings are that there is borne the Sauiour of the worlde euen the Lorde Iesus Christ he is borne and that too vnto and for vs that is to the health and saluation of vs mortall men Sainct Paule saith That the Gospel was promised afore of GOD by the prophets in the holie Scripture of his sonne which was made of the seede of Dauid after the fleshe who hath been declared to be the sonne of god with power after the spirite that sanctifieth by his resurrection from the dead And againe The Gospell is the preaching of Iesus Christe according to the reuelatioÌ„ which hath beene kept cloase from before beginninges but is nowe made manifeste and by the writinges of the prophâ—ts opened to all nations vnto the obedience of faith according to the apointment of the eternall God. And yet againe more briefely he saith The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all that do beleeue that is to saye the Gospell is the preaching of Gods power by whiche all they are saued that do beléeue But Christe is the power of god For he is saide to be the arme the glorie the vertue brightnesse of the father Now Christ bringeth saluation to euery one that doth beléeue For hee is the Sauiour of all Of all this wee doe nowe gather this definition of the holie Gospell the Gospell is the heauenly preaching of Gods grace to vs warde wherein it is declared to all the worlde being set in the wrath and indignation of God that God the father of heauen is pleased in his onely begotten sonne oure Lord Christ Iesus whome as he promised of olde to the holy fathers hee hath nowe in these latter times exhibited to vs and in him hath giuen vs all things belonging to a blessed life and eternal saluation as hee that for vs men was incarnate dead raysed from the dead againe was taken vp into heauen and is made our onely Lorde and Sauiour vppon condition y we acknowledging our sinnes do soundly and surely beléeue in him This definition I confesse is somewhat with the longest but yet withall I woulde haue you thinke that the matter which is in this definition described is it selfe verie large and ample which I haue therefore in this long definition or description with as greate light as I coulde endeuoured my selfe to make manifest to all men Wherefore I neither could nor shoulde haue expressed it more briefely This definition consisteth of iust partes which being once seuerally expounded and throughly opened euery man I hope shal euidently perceiue the nature causes effects and whatsoeuer else is good to bee knowen concerning the Gospell First of all that the Gospell is tydinges come from heauen and not begonne on earth that doeth moste of all argue because God our heauenly father did him selfe firste preach that tydings to our miserable parentes after their fall in Paradise promising his sonne who being incarnate should crushe the Serpents head Then againe the Apostle Paule doth in expresse wordes saye God in time past at sundrie times and in diuerse manners spake vnto the fathers by the Prophets and hath in these laste dayes spoken to vs by his sonne And Iohn before him is read to haue testified saying No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him And againe He that commeth from an high is aboue all he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that commeth from heauen is aboue all and what he hath seene and heard that he testifieth To this belongeth that the Prophets were beléeued to haue prophecied by the inspiration of the holie spirite Nowe they did in the holie Scriptures foreshewe the Gospell the especiall or chiefe poyntes whereof were by Angels descending from heauen declared vnto men For the incarnation of the sonne of God is by the Archangel Gabriel tolde first to the holie virgine and after that againe to Ioseph the supposed father of Christ and tutour of the vnspotted virgin The same Angel did preache to the shéepeheardes the birth of the sonne of god Moreouer to the women that came to the graue mynding after their countrie manner to annoynct the bodie of the Lord the Angels declared that hee was risen from the dead againe The same Angels at the Lordes ascension did testifie to the Apostles whose eyes were turned and surely fixed into the clouds that he was taken vpp into heauen that from thence hee shoulde come againe to iudge the quick and the dead And to all these testimonies may bee added the voice of the eternall father him selfe vttered from heauen vppon our Lorde and Sauiour saying This is my beloued sonne in whome I am pleased heare him Which testimonie of the father the blessed Apostle Peter doth in the zeale of the Spirite repeate in the firste Chapter of his seconde Epistle Therefore the preaching of the Gospell is a diuine spéech vnreproueable and brought downe from heauen which whosoeuer beleeue they do beléeue the worde of the eternall God and they that beléeue it not do despise and reiecte the woorde of god For it ceasseth not to bee the worde of God because it is preached by the ministerie of men For of the Apostles we do read that the Lord did saye It is not ye that speake but the spirite of my father which is within you And therefore we read that they departed not from Hierusalem vntill they were first instructed from aboue and had receiued the holie Ghost Neither is there any cause why the worde of God should be tyed to the Apostles onely as though after the Apostles no man did preache the word of god For our Lorde in Saincte Iohns Gospell doth plainly saye Verily I saye vnto you hee that receiueth whome soeuer I sende receiueth mee and he that receiueth mee receiueth him that sent mee Nowe our Lorde the highe priest and chiefe byshop of his catholique church doeth sende not Apostles only but al them also that are lawfully called and doe bring the worde of Christ Therefore we vnderstand it to be spoken concerning all the lawfull ministers of the churche where the Lorde doeth saye Whose sinnes soeuer ye forgiue they are forgiuen them and whose sinnes soeuer ye reteine they are reteined And againe whatsoeuer thou loosest on earth shal be loosed in heauen whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth shal be bound in heauen For in an other place the Lorde saith Verily I saye vnto you it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement than for that citie that receiueth you not heareth not your sayings Nowe who knoweth not with howe filthie horrible sinne the men of Sodome did defile them selues and that the Lorde rayned fire brimstone and pitche froÌ„ heauen wherewith he burnt vp both the citie and her inhabitants Who therefore cannot gather therevppon that rebels
true Temple the true highe priest the true altar of incense and burnte offeringes euen Christe Iesus the Lord and Sauiour they haue the true worshippe whiche was of olde prefigured onelye in those externall Ceremonies As I haue alreadie declared vnto you in that place where I handled the Iewishe Ceremonies The Gentiles are out of euerie quarter of the world called vnto Christe Iesu All the promises touching the calling of the Gentiles haue béene hetherto most aboundantly fulfilled and are euen at this day Nowe are wee the chosen flocke according to the doctrine of Saincte Peter We are the royall priesthood an holie nation a peculiar people being called hereunto that wee should preach the power of him which hath called vs out of darckenesse into his meruailous light Therefore let the vnhappie Iewes vnlesse perhappes they had rather to bee intangled in greater errours to bée vexed dailye with endelesse calamities and so at laste perishe eternally turne vnto Christ by faith and together with vs beginne to worshippe him in whome their fathers hoped and in whome alone is life and saluation For that I may with the Apostles woords conclude this place GOD is made manifest in the fleshe iustified in the spirite seene to the Angels preached to the Gentiles beleeued in the world and receiued in glorie And euerie one that beleeueth him shal liue eternallie and neuer be confounded Wée haue nowe behinde the last part to expounde the contents whereof are that God the father who before was angrie with the world is pleased nowe in his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ oure lord First of all therefore I haue to shewe you that God was angrie with the world whiche is no hard matter to proue For God is angrie at sinnes But the whole world is subiecte to sinne therefore it must of necessitie be that the most iust God is mightilie angrie with all the world And Paule sayeth The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse vnrighteousnesse of men Againe the same Apostle sayeth that all men are subiecte vnto sinne for confirmation whereof hee citeth these sentences of the holy Scriptures saying There is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God They are all gone out of the way they are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Their throate is an open sepulchre they haue vsed their tongues for to deceiue the poyson of aspes is vnder their lippes Whose mouth is full of cursing bitternesse their feete are swift to shedd bloud Hartes greefe and miserie are in their wayes and the waye of peace haue they not knowen There is no feare of God before their eyes Nowe least the Israelites should aunsweare that these thinges doe not perteine to the people of GOD but to the heathen and vngodly alone hee addeth Wee knowe that whatsoeuer the lawe sayeth it sayeth it to them which are vnder the lawe that euerie mouth may bee stopped and that all the world may bee endaungered to God. No man is here excepted For to the Galathians the same Apostle sayeth Hee hath shutt vpp all vnder sinne that hee may haue mercie on all It followeth therefore that all the world was subiect to the wrath or indignation of the most iuste and righteous God as is at large proued in the second fourth and fifte Chapiters to the Ephesians But the heauenly father is appeased or recōciled to this wicked world thorough the onely begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christe And this I hope I shall aboundantly proue by the onely testimonie of God himselfe For the father by sending downe a voyce from heauen vnto the earth vppon Christe first ascending newely out of the water after his baptisme and then againe at his transfiguration in the sighte of his disciples did significantly saye This is my beloued sonne in whom I am delighted pleased or reconciled heare him This testimonie is read to haue béene foreshewed in the 42. Chapiters of Esaies Prophecie And Peter the Apostle repeateth the same in the first cap. of his second Epistle Paule also did as it were expound this and saye It pleased the father that in the Sonne should dwell all fulnesse and by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe since he hath sett at peace thoroughe the bloud of the Crosse by him both the thinges in earth and the thinges in heauen In heauen is God and wée men heere vppon earth Nowe Christe is the mediatour which goeth betwixte vs and reconcileth vs vnto his father so that nowe we are the beloued of the father in his beloued sonne For in the Epistle to the Ephesians the same Apostle sayth He hath made vs accepted in the beloued in whom wee haue redemption thorough his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace All this shall be more fully vnderstood by that which followeth For nowe I must proue that God the father hath in his sonne giuen vs al things that are necessarie to a happie life and eternal saluation I name héere two thinges a happie life and euerlasting saluation By a happie life I vnderstand a holy and godly life whiche wee liue and lead quietly and honestly in this present world Eternall saluation is that felicitie of the life to come whiche wée with assured hope doe verilie looke for Nowe we haue in Christ a most absolute doctrine of a happie life taught vs by the Gospel wherein also wée doe comprehend the example of Christ his owne trade of life Verily our heauenly father hath made him oure teacher in saying Heare him And he himselfe in the Gospel after Sainct Matthewe sayeth Bee ye not called maisters for ye haue one master euen Christ who in the Gospel after S. Iohn is called The light of the world In an other place also he testifieth that his doctrine is conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherevppon it commeth that hee referreth his disciples to the diligent reading of the holy scriptures Touching which Scriptures Paule the teacher of the Gentiles and the vniuersall Church of Christ doth say All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction whiche is in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfecte instructed in all good workes Wherefore althoughe the whole world bee madd and that the obstinate defenders of the traditions rather than the Scriptures do whet their téeth for anger yet maugre their heades the word of the Apostle shal abide most firme wherein he testifieth that the doctrine of the scriptures otherwise called the Christian doctrine is in all pointes most absolute and thoroughly perfecte Touching whiche matter because I haue alreadie spoken in the first Sermons of the first Decade I am therfore here a great deale the briefer Nowe concerning the eternall saluation fully purchased for vs by Christe thus ye must thincke Eternall saluation is the séeing and enioying of the eternall God and so consequently an
the bottome of his heart And yet it was not the crowing of the cocke of it selfe alone that stirred that motion in him but that and the woord of Christe together who had said vnto him Verilie I saye vnto thee the cocke shall not crowe till thou hast denied mee thrice Wherevppon S. Matt. sayeth And Peter remembred the wordes of the Lord which had sayed vnto him Before the cock crowe thou shalt denie me thrice c. With these also is ioyned a more secrete touching of Peters mind For the good Lord touched the heart of Peter as the Euangeliste testifieth saying And the Lord turning himselfe about loked vpon Peter That loking back of the Lord made Peters hart to melt and drue it from the destruction wherinto it was about to fall Therefore if our cares be pierced with the woord of God and oure heartes touched with his holie spirite then shall wee like true penitents vnfeignedly reuerence dread the Lord. And therewithall being humbled before the most iust holy God whom we with our sinnes do so much offend and prouoke to wrath indignation we confesse his iudgment to be iust against vs and fréely acknowledge all the sinns and iniquities that in the word of God are obiected against vs crying out and saying with the Prophetes Thou verily O Lord art righteous thou art true thy iudgements iust but wee are most vnrighteous lyers wicked and wholie ouerwhelmed with detestable iniquities There is nothing sound or sincere within vs All that wee haue is corrupt and miserable Wee haue sinned wee haue beene wicked wee haue done vniustly wee haue forsaken thee Wee haue gainesaid thy seruants the Prophets we haue not obeyed the words of thy mouth To thee therefore O God doeth righteousnes belong and to vs wretches shame and confusion This humiliation frée confession of sinnes doth God require of penitent sinners touching which I wil hereafter speake somewhat more For now I returne more fully to expound the feare of the Lord. At this present I speake of the syncere feare of God for we confesse that the feare of God is of two sorts sincere and vnsincere The sincere feare of God is perceiued in the faithful and is a godly reuerence consisting in the loue and honour of god For the Prophete bringeth in God saying The sonne honoureth the father and the seruaunt the maister Therefore if I be a father where is my honour If a Lord where is my feare And Paule sayeth Ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage againe vnto feare but ye haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which we crie Abba father Therefore the sincere feare of God in them that doe repent is not the seruile dread of punishment but a carefull studie mixt with the loue and honour of god An honest wife feareth her husband and a gratious daughter feareth her father yet ech of them doeth therewithall loue the one her father the other her husband and doeth with an holy loue indeuour herselfe to kéepe his fauour feare least at any time she should do any thing to loose it And therefore penitents do not only feare because they knowe being taught by the spirite of God that they haue committed sinnes for which they haue deserued to be forsaken of the Lord but doe also loue him as their merciful father and are therefore sorie with all their heartes for their sinnes committed and doe aboue al thinges most ardently require to be reconciled againe to their mercifull GOD and louing father For with this sincere feare of God is ioyned the griefe or sorrowe which is conceiued by the spirite of God for our sinnes that we commit S. Paule maketh mention of two sortes of sorrowes The sorrowe that is to God-ward sayeth he doth bring forth repentaunce not to be repented of but contrarilie the sorrowe of the world bringeth death The king and Prophete Dauid sorrowed to Godward when he cried Thine arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand doth presse me soare There is no whole part in my flesh because of thy displeasure there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sinne And so forward as is to be séene in the 38. Psalme Whiche althoughe it were written of his gréeuous disease or sickenesse doth yet notwithstanding as it were in a shadowe shew vs the great griefe that is in the Saincts for offending their good and gratious father with their continuall sinnes To Godward was the sinnful woman sorie in S. Luke who falling prostrate at the Lords héeles did washe his féete with teares and wyped them with her haire To God-ward was S. Peter sorie and wept as we read ful bitterly for his offēce The godly are greatly greued because they doe so oftentimes offend so fouly so good a God and gratious father No woordes I thincke can possiblie expresse the griefe and sorrowe that they conceiue But the Prophete Ieremie describing the contrarie affection of impenitent sinners doeth saye Doe men fall so that they maye not rise againe Doeth any man go so astray that he may not turne againe Howe doth it happen then that this people of Hierusalem is turned away so stubbornely I gaue eare and hearkened they spake not rightly there was none that did repent him of his wickednesse to say what haue I done Euerie one of them turned to his owne course like a fierce horse headlong to the batteile The worldly griefe is the sorrowe of such men as knowe not God are without faith the true loue of God yea of such as yéeld vnder the burthen of sorrowe aduersities verie sinnes Like to this also in a maner is the cōsideration of the vnsincere feare of god For the wicked with their head the diuel do feare God not as a father whome they are sorie to offend and to whome they desire to be reconciled as to a father but as a tormentour béecause they knowe that he wil reuenge their euill déedes And therefore with Iudas they runne to the roape There is in them no loue of God no honour no goodwill no reuerence but meere hatred horrour and vtter desperation But such feare the Apostle and Euangeliste Iohn denied to bee in charitie saying that perfect charitie casteth out all feare I meane not that feare of the Lord that is the beginning of wisedome but that of which I haue spoken all this while the feare I meane that is in the diuel and wicked men his members And nowe by this we gather that vnto penitentes faith in God and the merite of Christ is most of all and especially néedeful In which sense it is I thincke that many haue made faith a part of repentaunce which as I do not greatly denie so yet doe I sée that S. Paul made as it were a difference betwixte faith and repentance when in the 20. of the Actes hee sayeth that hee witnessed both to the Iewes and Gentiles the repentaunce that is toward GOD and the faith in
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâ—ues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌ„dize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ„ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ„ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
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
that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be Gods manie and Lords manie yet vnto vs there is but one God euen the father of whome are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him Nowe I suppose these diuine testimonies are euident enough and do sufficiently proue that GOD in substance is one of Essence incomprehensible eternall and spirituall But vnder the one essence of the Godhed the holie scripture doth shew vs a distinction of the Father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste Now noate héere that I call it a â—istinction not a diuision or a separation For we adore and worshipp no more Gods but one so yet that we doe neither confound nor yet denye or take away the thrée Subsistences or persons of the diuine essence nor the properties of the same Noetus Anoetus in very déed and Sabellius the Libyan a godlesse bolde and verie rude Asse of whome sprang vpp the grosse heresie of the Patrispassians taught that the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste did importe no distinction in GOD but that they were diuerse attributes of god For they said that GOD is none other wise called the father the sonne and the holie Ghoste than when he is named good iuste gentle omnipotent wise c. They saide the Father created the worlde the same in the name of the Sonne tooke fleshe and suffered and againe in chaunginge his name he was the holie Ghoste that came vppon the Disciples But the true Propheticall and Apostolicall faithe dooth expressely teach that the names of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghoste doe shewe to vs what God is in his owne proper nature For naturally and eternally God is the the Father because he did from before beginnings vnspeakeablye begett the Sonne The same GOD is naturally the Sonne because he was from before beginnings begotten of the Father The same GOD is naturally the holie Ghoste because he is the eternall spirit of them bothe procéeding from them bothe béeing one the same God bothe with them and when in the Scriptures he is called a gentle good wise mercifull and iuste God it is not thereby so muche expressed what he is in him selfe as what a one hee doeth exhibite him selfe to vs. The same Scripture doeth openly say that the Father created all thinges by the Sonne and that the Father descended not into the earth nor toke our flesh vpon him nor suffered for vs For the Sonne saith I went out from the Father and came into the worlde Againe I leaue the worlde and goe vnto the Father The same Sonne fallinge prostrate in the mount of Oliues prayeth saying Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Againe in the Gospel he saith I will pray to the Father and he shall giue you an other comforter Loe here he saith the father shall giue you an other comforter And yet againe least by reason of those persons and properties of those persons we should separate or diuide the diuine nature the Sonne in the gospel saith I and the father are one For when he saith One he ouerthroweth them that separate or rent the diuine substance or nature and when he saith We are and not I am therein he refuteth them that doe confounde the subsistences or persones in the Trinitie Therefore the Apostolique and Catholique doctrine teacheth and doeth confesse that they are thrée distinguished in properties that of those thrée there is but one and the same nature or essence the same omnipotenciâ— maiestie goodnesse and wisedome For although there be an order in the Trinitie yet can there be no inequalitie in it at all None of them is in time before other or in dignity worthier than other but of the thrée there is one godhead and they thrée are one and eternall God. And the primitiue Church verily vnder the Apostles the times that came next after them did beléeue so simply despising reiecting curious questions and néedlesse disputations And euen then too did arise pestilent men in the Church of God speaking peruerse things whoÌ„e the Apostle doeth vppon good cause call greeuous woolues not spareing the flock They first brought in very straunge daungerous questions sharpened their blasphemous tongues against Heauen it selfe For they stoode in it that thrée persons could not be one nature or essence and therefore that by naming the Trinitie the christiaÌ„s worshippe many Gods euen as the Heathen doe And againe since there can be but one GOD they inferre consequently that the same God is father sonne and holie ghoste vnto him selfe For so it was agreeable that they should doate in follie whome the word of God did not leade but the grosse imagination of mortall flesh And God did by these meanes punish the GiaÌ„tlike boldenesse of those meÌ„ whose minds being without all reuerence and feare of God did wickedly striue to fasten the sight of the eyes of the flesh vppon the verie face of god But the faithfull and vigilant ouerséers and pastors of the Churches were coÌ„pelled to driue such woolues from the foldes of Christe his shéepe and valiauntly to fight for the sincere catholique trueth that is for the Vnitie Trinitie for the monarchie and mysterie of the dispensation That strife bred foorth diuerse words with which it was necessarie to holde and binde those slipperie merchants Therefore immediately after the beginning there sprang vp the termes of Vnitie Trinitie Essence Substance and Person The Gréekes for the moste parte vsed Ousia Hypostasis and Prosopon whiche wee call Essence Subsistence and Personne Of these againe there did in the Churches spring vppe newe and freshe contentions They disputed sharply of the Essence and Subsistence whether they are the same or sundrie thinges For Ruffinus Aquileiensis in the 29. Chapter and first booke of his Ecclesiastical historie sayeth There was moued a controuersie about the difference of substaunces subsistences whiche the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For some said that substaunce subsistence seeme to be all one and because wee say not that there are three substaunces in God therefore that wee ought not to saye that there are three subsistences in him But on the other side againe they that tooke substaunce for one thing subsistence for an other did say that substaunce noteth the nature of a thing and the reason wherevpon it standeth but that the subsistence of euerie person doth shewe that very thing which doth subsist Basilius Magnus wrote a learned Epistle to his brother Gregorie about the difference of Essence and subsistence And Hermius Sozomenus in the 12. Cap. of his fift booke of histories sayth The bishops of many cities meeting together at Alexandria do together with Athanasius and Eusebius Vercellensis confirme the decrees of Nice and coÌ„fesse that the holy Ghost is coesseÌ„tiall with the
Father and the Sonne and name them the Trinitie teach that the man whiche God the Word tooke vppon him is to be accompted perfecte man not in body onely but in soule also euen as the auncient doctours of the Church did also thinck But forbeecause the question about Ousia and Hypostasis did trouble the Churches that there were sundrie contentions disputations concerning the differēce betwixt them they seeme to me to haue determined very wisely that those names should not at the first presently bee vsed in questions of GOD vnlesse it were that when a man wente about to beate downe the opinion of Sabellius hee were compelled to vse them least by lacke of words he should seeme to call one the same by three names when hee should vnderstand euery one peculiarly in that threefold distinction Socrates in the 7. Chap. and thirde booke of his historie addeth But they did not bring into the Church a certeine newe religion deuised of themselues but that whiche frō the beginning euen till then the Ecclesiasticall tradition taught and prudent Christians did euidently set foorth And so foorth Therefore awaye with the Popes champions to the place whereof they are worthie which when wee teach y all pointes of true godlinesse and saluation are fully conteyned and taught in the Canonicall Scriptures by the way of obiection do demaund in what place of the Scripture we find the names of Trinitie Person Essence and Substance and finally where we find that Christe hath a reasonable soule For although those very words consisting in those syllables are not to bée found in the Canonicall bookes which were by the Prophets and Apostles written in an other and not in the latine tongue yet the thinges the matter or substaunce which those woords doe signifie are most manifestly conteined and taught in those books whiche thinges likewise all and euery nation may in their language expresse for their commoditie and necessitie speake and pronounce them Away also with all Sophisters which thinke it a great point of learning to make the reuerend mysterie of the sacred Trinitie darcke and intricate with their straunge their curious and pernicious questions It is sufficient for the godly simplie according to the Scriptures and the Apostles créed to beléeue and confesse that there is one diuine nature or Essence wherin are the father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste Neither is it greatly materiall whether ye call them substances or subsistences or persons so that ye do plainly expresse the distinctiō betwixt them and eche ones seueral properties confessing so the Vnitie that yet ye confound not the Trinitie nor spoile the persons of their properties And héere now it will do verie wel out of the Scriptures to cite such euident testimonies as maye euidently proue the mysterie of the Trinitie with the distinction and seuerall properties of the thrée persons The Lord in the Gospel after S. Matthew saith All power is giuen to mee in heauen and in earth goe ye therfore teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Tertullian alledging those wordes against Praxea sayth He did last of all commaund his disciples to baptise into the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost We are baptised not into one nor once but thrice at euery name into euery seuerall person Thus much Tertullian Nowe as euery seuerall person is seuerally expressed so the diuinitie of them all is therein singularely taught to be one and common to them all because hee biddeth to baptise not onely into the name of the Father but also of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoste The Apostle and elected vessell Paule doeth flatly denie that any man either ought to be or euer was baptised into the name of any man whiche is nothing else but méere man Were ye sayeth hée baptised in the name of Paule So then the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holy Ghost is GOD into whose name wée are baptised The same Lord in the Gospell after S. Iohn sayeth When the comforter commeth whome I will sende vnto you from the father that is the spirite of trueth he will lead you into all trueth He shal not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake He shall glorifie me for hee shall receiue of mine and shall shewe vnto you All things that the father hath are mine therefore said I vnto you that hee shall take of mine and shewe vnto you In these wordes of the Lords thou hearest mention made of the person of the father from whome the spirite is sente of the person of the Sonne whiche sendeth him and of the person of the holy Spirit which commeth vnto vs Thou hearest also of the mutual and equall communion of the Diuinitie and all good thinges betwixte the thrée persons For the holy Ghost speaketh not of himselfe but that which he heareth He shall sayeth the Sonne take of mine And againe All things that the father hath are mine And therfore what things the Sonne hath those are the fathers the diuinitie glorie and Maiestie of them all is coequall With these most euident speaches doe these two manifest testimonies of Iohn Baptist agrée First he sayth He whom God hath sent doth speake the words of god For God giueth not the spirite by measure vnto him The Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hand He that beleeueth on the Sonne hath euerlasting life c. Loe héere againe in the one Godhead thou hearest the three persons distinguished by their properties For the Father loueth sendeth the Sonne and giueth all things into his hand The Sonne is sent and receiueth all thinges but the holy Ghost is giuen of the Father and receiued of the sonne according to fullnesse Then againe the same Baptist crieth the second time and sayeth I sawe the spirite descending from heauen like vnto a Doue and it abode vppon him And I knewe him not but hee that sent mee to baptise with water the same said vnto mee vppon whom soeuer thou shalt see the Spirite descending and tarying still vppon him the same is hee whiche baptiseth with the holy Ghoste And I sawe and bare record that this is the Sonne of GOD. Héere againe are shewed vnto vs as clearely as the day-light the thrée persons distinguished not confounded For he that sendeth Iohn is the Father The holy Ghost is neither the Father nor the Sonne but appeareth vpon the head of Christ in the likenes of a doue And the Sonne is the sonne not the Father and that too the sonne of the Father vpon whose head the holy Ghost did abide And now to this place doth belonge the testimonie of the Father vttered from heauen vppon his Sonne Christ For he sayeth This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am wel
pleased But one and the same cānot be both Father and Sonne vnto himselfe the father is one and the sonne is one yet not diuers thinges but one and the same God of one and the same nature For the sonne in one place doth most plainely say I the father are one Moreouer what could bee more clearely spoken for the proofe of the expresse distinction and properties of the thrée persons in the reuerend Trinitie than that where the Archangel Gabriel in s Luke declaring the sacrament of the Lords incarnation doth euidently saye vnto the virgin the mother of God The holy Ghoste shall come vppon thee the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee Therfore also that holy thing that shal be borne shal be called the sonne of God. What I pray you could haue possibly béene inuented of purpose to bee more manifestly spokē for the proofe of this matter than these woordes of the Angel Thou hast héere the person of the highest that is of the father For in the woordes of the Angel a little afore it is said He shal be great and shall bee called the sonne of the highest Now the sonne is the sonne of the father Wée haue also the persons of the sonne and of the holy Ghost expressed with their properties neither mingled nor confounded The father is not incarnate nor yet the holy Ghoste but the Sonne To the father is borne of the virgin a Sonne euen he that was the sonne by the eternall and vnspeakeable maner of begetting But the holy Ghost whiche is the power of the most highest did ouershadowe the virgin and made her with childe And so by this meanes thou mayest sée héere the persons distinguished not diuided howe they differ in properties not in Essence of dietie or in nature Héere nowe although these places mighte séeme to suffice any reasonable man I wil yet add other testimonies of the holy Apostles that too of thrée the most excellent among all the Apostles S. Peter preaching the word of the Gospell before the Church of Israel as Luke testiffeth in the Actes of the Apostles doeth amonge other thinges say This Iesus hath God raised vpp and exalted him to his right hand and hee hauing receiued of the father the promise of the holy Ghost hath shedd forth this which ye nowe see and heare Loe God the father raiseth vpp and doeth exalte the Sonne The Sonne is raised vpp exalted and sitteth at the right hande of the father And the Sonne receiuing of the Father the holy Ghoste doth bestowe it vppon the Apostles Therefore the spirite procéedeth from the Father and the Sonne subsisting in his owne person but being one and the same spirite of them both Moreouer in the Sermon made at Caesarea in the congregation of the Gentiles that is in the house familie of Cornelius the Centurion the same Apostle doeth as plainely expresse the person of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost knitteth the Trinitie together into one Essence of the Diuine Nature Sainct Paule in the beginning of his Epistle to the Romans sayth that he was appointed to preach the Gospell of God which he had promised afore by his Prophetes in the holy Scriptures of his Sonne whiche was made of the seede of Dauid after the flesh and hath beene declared to bee the sonne of God with power after the Spirite that sanctifieth Againe to the Galathians he sayth God sent his sonne made of a woman that wee by adoption might receiue the right of sonnes And because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirite of his Sonne into your heartes crying Abba father And againe to Titus hee sayeth God according to his mercie hath saued vs by the founteine of regeneration and renuing of the holy Ghost which hee shedd on vs richly thorough Iesus Christ our Sauiour Therfore S. Cyril speaking very truly of the Apostle Paule Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 45. doeth say That holy man did rightly know the enumeration of the sacred Trinitie and therefore he teacheth that euery person doth properly and distinctly subsist and yet hee preacheth openly the immutable self-same-nesse of the Trinitie Cōcerning whiche matter if any man would gather together and reckon vpp all the testimonies that Paule hath for the proofe of it he must of necessitie recite all his Epistles The blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn doeth more strongly and euidently than the other affirme and sett forth the mysterie of the Trinitie and distinction of the persons as well in his Euangelicall historie as in his Epistle Amonge many this one at this time shal be sufficient In his Canonicall Epistle he sayeth Who is a lyar but hee that denyeth that Iesus is Christe The same is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Sonne Whosoeuer denieth the Sonne the same hath not the father Therfore let that abide in you which ye haue herd from the beginning And presently after he saith againe Ye need not that any mā teach you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all things and it is true and not lying In these wordes ye heare the Father ye heare the Sonne ye heare the annoynting that is the holy Ghost The father is not the Sonne the Sonne is not the Father neither is the holy Ghoste the Father or the Sonne but the Father is the Father of the Sonne the Sonne is the Sonne of the Father and the holy Ghost procéedeth from them both And yet those persons are so ioyned and vnited that he which denieth one of them hath in him none of them Yea whosoeuer denieth this Trinitie is pronounced to be Antichrist For he denieth God which is one in Trinitie and thrée in vnitie and so consequently confounding or taking awaye the properties of God hee denieth God to bée such a one as he is in very déede Nowe I suppose that these so many and so manifest testimonies do suffice the Godly For they beleeue the Scriptures do not ouer curiously prie into the Maiestie of God being cōtent with those things alone wherein it hath pleased God of his goodnesse to appeare and shine to vs mortall men Some thereare which doe their indeuour by certeine parables or similitudes to shadowe this matter that is to say to shew howe the thrée persons are said to bee distinguished and yet notwithstanding to be one god But in all the thinges that God hath made as I did admonishe you in the beginning of this treatise there is nothing whiche can properly be likened to the nature of God neither are there any words in the mouthes of men that can properly be spoken of it neither are there any similitudes of mans inuention that can rightly and squarely agrée with the diuine Essence And. S. Basile disputing De Ousia Hypostasi sayeth It cannot be that the comparisons of examples should in all points be like to those things to the vse wherof the examples
do serue Thou mayest saye that iniurie is done to the Maiestie of God if it be compared with mortall things But for because the holy scripture doeth not a little condescend and attemper it selfe to oure infirmitie I will put a similitude although in very déed much vnlike which is vsually taken and commonly vsed Behold the Sunne the beames that come from it then the heate that procéedeth frō them both As the Sunne is the head-spring of the light and the heate so is the Father the headspring of the Sonne who is light of light And as of the Sunne and the beames together the heate doth come so of the Father and the Sonne together the holy Ghoste proceedeth But nowe put case or imagine that the Sunne were such as neuer had beginning nor euer shall haue ending and should not then I pray you the beames of this euerlasting Sunne be euerlasting too and should not the heat which procéedeth of them both bee euerlasting as well as they finally should not the Sonne be one still in Essence or sustaunce and thrée by reason of the thrée subsistences or persons This parable of the Sunne did Tertullian vse whose words whiche do also conteine other similitudes I will not be gréeued to recite vnto you I wil not doubt sayeth he to call both the stalke of a roote the brooke of a springhead a beame of the Sunne by the name of a Sunne for euery originall is a parent and euery thinge that issueth of that original is a sonne much more then the word of God may be called a Sonne whiche euē properly hath the name of Sonne yet neither is the stalke separated from the roote nor the brooke from the spring-head nor the beame from the Sunne no more is the woord separated from god Therefore according to the fashion of these examples I professe that I say there are two God his Word the Father and his Sonne For the roote the stalke are two thinges but ioyned in one And the spring-head the brooke are two kindes but vndiuided And the Sunne and the beames are two formes but both cleauing the one to the other Euery thing that cōmeth of any thinge must néedes bée seconde to that out of which it commeth and yet it is not separated from that from which it procéedeth But where a second is there are two and where a third is there are thrée For the third is the spirite of God and the Sonne euen as the third from the roote is the fruite of the stalke the third from the spring-head is the riuer of the brooke and the third from the Sunne is the heate of the beame yet none of these is alienated from the matrix of which they take the properties that they haue So the Trinitie descending by annexed and lincked degrées from the father doeth not make against the Monarchie and doth defend the Oiconomical state that is the mysterie of the dispēsation Vnderstand euery where that I professe this rule wherein I testifie that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost are vnseparated one from an other and so thou shalt know how euery thinge is spoken And so forth For all these are the woordes of Tertullian who flourished in Africa not long after the age of the Apostles But letting passe the parables similituds or comparisons of mans inuention let vs stedfastly beléeue the euident word of god What mans capacitie cannot atteine vnto that let faith hold fast What the sacred scriptures declare vnto vs what Christ in his flesh did teache vs what was by so many miracles confirmed for oure sakes what the spirite of God in the true Church doth tell vs that must be thought more true and certeine than that whiche is proued by a thousand demonstrations or that whiche all thy senses are able to conceiue Paule denieth that hee would heare an Angel if hée should speake any thinge cōtrarie to the Gospell of Christ Yea surely it is a prancke of arrogant foolishnesse to doubt of the thinges that are in the Scriptures with so great authoritie layde forth and taught vs But it is a greater madnesse if a man wil not beléeue the oracles of God for none other cause but for that oure vnderstanding cānot atteine to the knowledge of all things when as neuerthelesse wée know that our vnderstāding is naturally blinde and hateth god Amonge Philosophers hee is counted an impudent fellowe which relecteth the authoritie of any notable and approued writer It was enough to persuade the scholers of Pythagoras for a man to say to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee said it And then dareth a Christian séeke starting holes and iangle about asking of curious questions when it is said vnto him GOD said it and taught thee to beleeue it No man doubteth of the kings letters patents if so bee the seale be acknowledged therefore what a follie is it to doubt of the diuine testimonies whiche are so euident and firmely sealed with the spirite of God Wherefore that I may héere recapitulate briefely expresse the principall summe of this oure exposition I will recite vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the holy father Cyril which are to be found Libro in Ioan. 9. Cap. 30. in this sense following True faith is in God the father and in the Sonne not simplie but incarnate in the holy Ghoste For the holy and consubstantiall Trinitie is distinguished by the differences of names that is by the properties of the persons For the father is the father and not the sonne and the sonne is the sonne and not the father and the holy Ghost is the holy spirite proper to the father the sonne For the substaunce of the Deitie is all one or the same wherefore we preach not thrée but one god Therefore wée must beléeue in God but distinctly and more fully expounding oure faith wée must so beléeue that wée maye referre the same glorification to euery person For there is no difference of faith For we ought not to haue a greater faith in the father than in the sonne and in the holy Ghost but the measure and maner of it must bée one and the same equallie consisting in eache of the thrée persons so that by this meanes wée may confesse the vnitie of nature in the Trinitie of persons This faith must firmely bee grounded in our mindes whiche is in the father and in the sonne the sonne I say euen after that hee was made man in the holy Ghost Thus much out of Cyril Nowe all these pointes shal be thoroughly confirmed with more full testimonies when wee come once to proue the diuinitie of the sonne of GOD and of the holy Ghoste Whiche I meane to reserue till time conuenient But let a man thincke that this beliefe of the Vnitie and Trinitie of the God-head was either inuented by the fathers or bishops of the churches or first of all preached by the Apostles
and ayde He prayeth therefore helpe mine vnbeliefe that is my faith which if it be compared with an absolute and perfect faith may séeme but vnbeliefe But heare I beséeche you what this faith how litle soeuer it was wrought and brought to passe what an humble minde and hanging vpon the only mercie of God was able to doe For streightwayes he healed the childe of the wofull father and being restored vnto health as it were raysed vp from the deade giueth him againe to his faithfull father If any therefore doth feele faith in his mind let him not despaire although hée knowe that it is weake enough God wot and feeble let him cast him selfe wholy vpon Gods mercy let him presume very little or nothing at all of his owne merites let him pray incessantly for the increase of faith In which purpose verily these wordes of our Sauiour verie ful of comfort out of the Gospell maye confirme and strengthen any man most wholesomly Aske and it shall bee giuen you seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For who so euer asketh receiueth and who so euer seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Is there any man among you who if his son aske him bread wil giue him a stone or if he aske fish will giue him a serpent If you therefore which are euill can giue good giftes vnto your children howe much more shal your heauenly father giue good thinges euen the holy Ghost it selfe if you shall aske of him These and suche like sayings set foorth vnto vs in the holy gospel for our consolation ought more to moue and establish our mindes of the good yea the right good will of God towards vs than the eggings of the diuell wherwith he goeth about not onely to ouerwhelme the hope of our election but to make vs suspect and doubt of God as though he had his creature in hatred whome he had rather haue destroyed than saued But he is wel enough knowne to the Saints by his subtilties and traines For so he deceiued our first parents Let vs kéepe it déepely printed in our breastes that God hath chosen vs in Christ and for Christe his sake predestinate vs to life and that therefore hee giueth and increaseth faithe to Christ ward in them that aske it and that it is he that puts it in our harts For all things that tend to our saluation come from the grace of God nothing is ours but reproch and shame These thinges brethren thus farre haue I layde before you concerning the maruellous and wonderful work of the creation wrought by the eternall true and liuing God without any trouble doubtlesse or paines taking For he spake the woorde and they were made He commaunded and they were created A little we haue added touching the most wise and excellent gouerning of all things by Gods diuine prouidence which is alwayes iust and moste righteous Likewise of Gods good will towards vs of Predestination and certeine other pointes vnto these belonging All these things truly haue we rehearsed to beautifie the glory knowledge of God our Creatour To whome both the perpetual and vniuersal course of nature as well of things inuisible as also visible beareth witnesse Whom the Angels worship the starres wonder at the seas blesse the earth reuerenceth and all inferiall thinges behold Whom the minde of euery man féeleth albeit it doe not expresse him At whose becke al things are moued the springs cast forth their streames riuers decrease the waues arise aloft all things bring forth their increase the windes are forced to blowe showers to fall seas to rage al things in al places to deliuer abroad their frutfulnesse who planted a peculiar garden of felicitie for our first parents gaue them a commaundement and pronounced sentence againste their sinne deliuered righteous Noe from the daungers of the Deluge translated Enoche into the fellowship of his friendship did choose Abraham to him selfe defended Isaach increased Iacob appointed Moses the capteine ouer his people set frée from the yoke of bondage the groaning children of Israel wrote a lawe brought the ofspring of the fathers into the lande of promise instructed his Prophetes with his spirite and by all these promised his onely begotten sonne againe and at the same instant that he had promised to giue him hath sent him through whome also he woulde be acquainted and come in knowledge with vs and hath poured foorth vppon vs all his heauenly graces And bycause of him selfe he is liberall and bountifull lest this whole world being turned away from the riuers of his grace shoulde waxe drye hée woulde haue Apostles to be sent by his sonne as teachers throughout the whole worlde that the state of mankynde might acknowledge their maker and if they followed him might haue in stead of a GOD one whome in their petitions and prayers they might call Father Whose prouidence hath not onely extended it selfe and is nowe extended not only seuerally vnto men but also vnto verie townes and cities the ends of which he foretolde by the voyces of his Prophetes yea throughout the whole worlde Whose endes plagues decayes and punishments for their vnbeliefe he hath described And least any should thinke that this infatigable prouidence of GOD extended not to euerie thing though neuer so small the Lorde sayth Of two sparrowes the one of them falleth not to the grounde without the will of the father And The haires of your head are all numbered Whose care also and prouidence suffered not the garments of the Israelites to waxe olde nor their simple shooes on their féete to be worne and torne And not without good reason For if this God comprehendeth that whiche conteyneth all thinges and all thinges and the whole doth consist of partes and particulars than shall his care reache consequently euen to euerie part and particular whose prouidence hath reached already to the verie whole whatsoeuer it is To this God be all glory Of adoreing or worshipping Of inuocating or calling vppon and of seruing the onely liuing true and euerlasting god Also of true and false religion ¶ The fift Sermon TOuching GOD what he is in person what in qualitie and what in substaunce I haue tolde you already not as I ought but as I was able I haue likewise shadowed out howe good and readie his will is towardes man whome he hath ordeyned to life euerlasting in his onely begotten Sonne whome also he hath ▪ made Lorde of all thinges in this present worlde all thinges being brought in subiection vnto him Now that man should not be ignorāt what he oweth to so mighty a god and to a father so louing and liberal I will anon ioyne a disputation touching this liuing true and euerlasting GOD of man to be adored called vpon and worshipped For mā is neither created nor borne to beholde and gaze vpon the starres as y Philosopher doted but that he shoulde be the image and temple of
God in whome God might dwel and reigne and that he should therefore acknowledge God reuerence adore call vppon and worship and also be ioyned vnto God and liue with him eternally And first of all I will speake of adoreing God nexte of calling vppon God lastly of seruing god Wherevpon we shall perceiue without any trouble at all whiche is the true religion or which is the false The places truly propounded are verie plentiful but in fewe wordes I will comprehend what the scripture doth teach vs concerning them howbeit not euerie one particularly but the chiefest and so muche as séemeth sufficient for our saluation and sound knowledge To adore or worship in the holie scriptures doeth signifie for honours sake to vncouer the heade to bend the body to incline or bowe the knée or with the whole body to lye prostrate vpon the grounde to fall flat on the face at ones féete after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners in token of humilitie submission and obedience and it is referred chiefly to the gesture or habite of the body The Hebricians vse one only word Schahah whiche all interpreters haue expounded by this word Adorare to adore bende bowe and lye along with the face downward The Grecians haue expounded it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I bowe the knées I vncouer or make bare the head I humbly beséech or adore And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration is so called either of kissing or of mouing the hat For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I kisse And that a kisse was sometimes a signe of worshipping reuerencing or adoreing it is to be gathered out of the 31. of Iob. What and is it not a fashion verie much vsed euen at this day for honour and reuerence sake to kisse the hand Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a hat a bonâ—et or a cap so that to adore is to make bare and vncouer the heade for reuerence sake The Latinistes also peraduenture had an eye to the habite of the bodie For Orare to pray signifieth both as well to craue as to speake a thing He therefore doth adore that casting his countenaunce vpon a man doeth craue somthing suppliantly Likely it is that the Germanes also had a respect herevnto For they turne Adorare to adore by this word Anbatten Whiche might moreouer haue ben turned Zu fussen fallen In the ninth of Matthewe thou doest reade Beholde a certeine ruler came to Iesus and worshipped or adored him But Marke writing the same historie And beholde saith he there came one of the Princes of the Synagogue whose name was Iairus and when he sawe him he fel downe at his feete and besought him instantly or muche thus expounding to vs what to adore is to wit to fall downe at ones féete and to submit and beséeche like a suppliant For so we reade in the olde testament of Iacob Israel our father And he going before them bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times vntill his brother Esau approched and drewe neare Of Dauid and Abigael thus we reade in Samuel When Abigael sawe Dauid she hasted and lighted off her Asse and fel before Dauid on her face and worshipped gâ—ound she â—ell 〈◊〉 his â—â—ete saying Let that iniquitie bee counted mine my Lord c. Likewise of Nathan the Prophete it is 〈◊〉 thus written And wheÌ„ he was 〈◊〉 in â—o the king he worshipped or made obeysaunce vppon his face on the ground For GOD communicating this honour doeth allowe the same vnto men either for their old age their authoritie or worthinesse sake For man is the liuely image of God. And it pleaseth God himselfe to call men that excell other in authoritie Gods. Wherevppon the Apostles of Christe Peter and Paule instructing the people of God taught them Hee verily Feare God honour the king and This the magistrate is Gods minister Giue therfore to all men honour to whom honour belongeth feare to whome feare is due In the lawe the Lord sayeth In presence of a hoare head rise vp And Honour thy parents In consideration of this commaundement of God y godly do reuerence the aged their parentes and magistrats and please God also with faithful obedience But to adore worship or honour images what representation or likenesse soeuer they beare the Lord doeth no where like or allowe For hee sayeth in the Lawe Thou shalt not bow downe nor worshippe them And by his Prophete Isaie None sayeth he considereth with him selfe of this matter and sayeth One peece of the woode I haue burnte in the fire I haue baked bread with the coales thereof I haue roasted fleshe therewithall and eaten it should I now of the residue make an abhominable idole and fall downe and worship a rotten peece of wood In the same Prophete thou readest with muche indignation pronounced Their land is fâ—l of vaine Gods or idols before the woorkes of their hands haue they bowed themselues and adored it yea euen before the thing that their owne fingers haue made There kneeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therfore forgiue them not Therefore that auncient writer Lactantius inspired with a propheticall spirite disputing against the Gentiles hath thus lefte it written The images themselues whiche are worshipped are representations or counterfects of dead men And it is a peruerse and an absurde thinge that the image of a man should bee worshipped of the image of GOD to witt man For he worshippeth the thing that is worser and weaker Besides that the very images ofsainctes whiche most vaine men doe serue are voyde of all sense and féeling béecause they are earth And where is hee that vnderstandeth not that it is a wicked and sinnefull acte for an vprighte and streight creature to be bowed downe and to adore and worship earth whiche to that end is vnder our féete that it should be troden vppon and not adored of vs who therefore are made to goe vppright and looke vppward that wee should not lye groueling downeward that wée should not cast this heauenly countenaunce to the earth but thither looke and directe our eyes whither the coÌ„dition of their nature hath guided them Whosoeuer therfore endeuoureth to mainteine the mysterie of mans creation and to hold the reason of his nature let him raise vp himselfe from the ground and with a raised minde bende his eyes vnto heauen Let him not séeke a God vnder his féete nor digge from vnder his footesteps that which hee may adore or worship Beecause whatsoeuer lyeth vnder or is subiect to man the same must néedes be inferiour vnto man But let him séeke aloft let him séeke in the highest place because nothing can be greater than man but that which is aboue man But God is greater than man hee is therefore aboue not beneathe neither is he rather to be sought in the lowest but in the highest region or roome Wherefore there is no doubt but
vppon any other than that GOD who liueth euerlastingly world without end For the Lord himselfe by Asaph sayeth In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mee and I deliuered thee Also Dauid saith Our fathers hoped in thee they hoped in thee and thou deliueredst them Vnto thee they cryed were deliuered In thee they trusted and were not coÌ„founded Now add vnto all these the commaundement of Christ our Lord When you pray say Our Father c. Add also the wordes which followe in Luke 11. and Matthew 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you And so forth Wée conclude therefore that the true liuing and euerlasting God ought of all meÌ„ in all their necessities to be called vppon But to no purpose peraduenture I take paines in this poinct séeing that there are but a fewe or none at all whiche denie that God is to bee called vppon This séemeth to require a more diligent declaration that God onelye and alone is to bee called vppon For many doubtlesse doe call vpon GOD but together with God or for God certeine chosen patrones wherevpon insueth that they call not vppon God onely and alone Now that hee alone is to be called vppon in this sort we declare By inuocation or calling vppon we require helpe or succour either that good thinges may be giuen to vs or that euill things may be turned away from vs Whiche néedeth no further proofe séeing it cannot be denyed of any that is ruled by his right wittes Now God only and alone is our helper who only giueth good things taketh away euil things For the Lord sayth in the Gospel There is none good but one to wit God where One is taken for only and alone Againe in the lawe by the mouth of Moses the Lord sayth Behold that I am God alone and that there is none other God beside mee And againe by Isaie Haue not I the Lorde and there is none other God beside me a iust God and a sauiour there is none beside me And Dauid Who sayth he is God besides the Lorde and who is mightie or a rocke saue our God In verie euill part therefore did the worshippers of God take it so often as men asked of them those thinges which are in the Lordes handes onely to giue Rahel sayde to Iacob Giue me children or else I dy But the scripture by and by addeth And Iacob being angrie said Am I in Gods stead which hath denied thee or withholden from thée the fruite of the wombe So when the king of Syria desired besought Ioram the king of Israel a king I wisse not so godly that he wold heale Naaman who was infected with the leprosie Ioram sayth Am I a God that I shoulde be able to kill and to giue life For he sendeth to me that I should heale a man from his leprosie Wherefore most certeine it is that to God only it belongeth to giue good thinges and to turne away euill thinges Wherevppon it doth consequently followe that God only and alone must be called vpon For if these patrones whome they call vpon as their helpers and succourers that doe not call vpon the onely God be able either to giue those things that are good or to turne away those thinges that are euill then certeinely there is not one onely god For those shoulde likewise be Gods. But Gods they are not bycause there is but one God who onely and alone giueth or bestoweth good things and taketh away or remoueth euill things God only and alone therefore is to be called vppon Patrones are not to be called vppon in so much as they are able to do vs neyther good nor harme As touching that whiche of their owne heades some doe here obiect that Patrones doe vs good and harme not of them selues but of God it is doubtfull yea it is most false For the Lord him selfe by the Prophete sayth I am the Lord Hu This or Being is my name and my glory I will not giue to an other neither my praise to grauen Images So that all glorie belongeth to God bycause he is onely and alone not onely the wel-spring of all good graces whiche is neuer drawne drye but also a most iust and equall distributer of the same and for that cause he is called vpon worshipped and serued of men Psalme 50. Furthermore in so muche as we ought to sacrifice vnto none but to one God certeine it is that we muste worship but one onely god The Lord cryeth in the lawe He that offereth vnto other Gods than to the onely God let him be rooted out And therefore Paule and Barnabas when the people of Lystra were preparing sacrifices to offer vnto the Apostles they rent their clothes thereat as at intollerable blasphemie For in the law of the Lord we reade againe Who so euer shall make for him selfe a composition or perfume of incense to smell thereto he shall be cut off from among his people But the sacrifices of the godly are prayers thankesgiuings and inuocations on Gods name For Dauid sayth Vnto thee wil I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise and I will call vpon the name of the Lord. And againe Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of my handes as an euening sacrifice Paule likewise sayth By Christe we offer the sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto God that is the fruite of lippes which confesse his name For the Prophete Osée biddeth vs offer y calues of our lips For so much therefore as one onely God is to be sacrificed vnto therefore one only God is to be called vpon Neither is it possible that they whom such as call not vppon the onely God name heauenly patrones woulde if they be Saintes require of men such maner of inuocations Nay rather both against God and against the Saintes do these offend ascribing that to such which no blessed spirites do acknowledge S. Augustine saith that they are not the Angels of the good God but wicked diuels whiche will haue not the onely and most high God but themselues to be wâ—rshipped and serued with sacrifices Besides that the blessed spirites or Saintes during the time that they lyued in their mortall bodies prayed Thy wil be done as in heauen so in earth therefore being nowe deliuered and set frée from all corruption they doe muche more fully yea moste perfectly agrée vnto the will of God which commaundeth all men to worship and call vpon the onely God. Againe he that looketh into and séeth the harts of them that call vpon him heareth their petitions or requestes and is able to fulfill the desires of all men liuing he I say is lawfully and fruitfully called vpon And surely it is requisite and necessarie that he knowe all thinges that he be almightie and the searcher of heartes Wherefore séeing the onely God is he the only God without further question ought to
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heauēly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a mā can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokē more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whō also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse cōmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned thē with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
Heauen the church of Sainctes is the true tabernacle and temple of our high priest Christe our priest is the onlie and euerlasting teacher maister of his vniuersall Church For not onely that age hath so taught whiche liued in the dayes of his fleshe but the spirite of Christ was in the Prophets by whom now also he ruleth all the seates of his catholique church Christ himself as yet speaketh vnto vs and will speake euen vnto the end of the world by the mouth or writings of the holy Apostles and all teachers preaching the doctrine of the Apostles And this doctrine is sufficient for the catholique Church For it comprehendeth all those thinges fullie which perteine to a holie and happie life Christe our high priest maketh intercession for all the Sainctes in his owne Temple For hee béeing the only aduocate and patrone of all the faithful prayeth to the father for vs on the right hand of god For he ascended vnto the right hand of God the father that he should alwaies appeare there in the presence of God to followe all our suites faithfully Of whiche thinge I haue spoken more at large in my laste Sermon where I intreated of Inuocation and Intercessiō The same our Lord onlie blesseth vs For he was made a malediction and cursse for vs that we might be blessed in him according to that notable and aunciente Prophecie In thy seede shall all the nations of the worlde be blessed Moreouer Christe our Lorde sacrificeth for vs. For hee offereth incense when hée maketh supplication for vs and appeareth on the right hand of god And he offereth a sacrifice for sinnes vnto the liuing god not a sacrifice of a beast but him selfe alwayes an effectuall sacrifice to make satisfaction for all the sinnes of the people Whereof since I haue entreated aboundantlie in the treatise of Ceremonies héere of purpose I am the bréefer Againe since our lord Iesus Christ is y holy of holiest doubtlesse he sanctifieth consecrateth his catholique church annointing it with the oile of the holie ghost that we may be made both holie priests to offer spirituall sacrifices to god For we read y that holy ointmēt powred on Aarons hed ran down to his beard euen to the skirts of his clothing For Christ the highe priest of his vniuersall Churche powreth his spirit as wel vpon them that are verie farre off as vpon them that are neare at hande For hée crieth in the Gospell If any man thirst let him come vnto mee and drinke He that beleeueth on me as the scripture hath saide out of his bellie shall flowe riuers of water of life And againe For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also might be sanctified in trueth To be short when we say and confesse that Iesus Christ is the priest or bishop of the faithfull people we say this that Christ is our chosen and appointed teacher and maister to gouerne and teach his vniuersal church to make intercession for vs to plead all our suites faithfully before the Father in heauen which is the onely patrone mediatour and aduocate of the faithfull with God who by the sacrifice of his bodie is the perpetuall only satisfaction absolution and iustification of all sinners throughout the whole worlde who consecrateth into priestes those that beléeue that that they also might offer to God the Father through Iesus Christ acceptable sacrifices might be the house and tabernacle of God. Out of this it shal be easie to iudge what manner of priesthoode Christs is who is our highe prieste and Bishop His priesthood is the verie office or verie function and working of the priest whereby Christ the priest him selfe executeth all thinges in heauen and in the Catholique Churche whiche beelong to his priestly office Wherefore it must néedes bee that this Priesthoode of Christe our highe Bishop is not visible and corporall but altogether spirituall For verie well sayth Paule Christe were no priest if he were on the earth where they that are of the tribe of Leuie do minister in the tabernacle or temple where there is a temple or tabernacle with manyfolde holie garmentes and vessels But Christe our Lorde is of the tribe of Iuda borne I say of a royall tribe albeit we are not ignoraunt in the meane while that the royall tribe that is the tribe of Iuda and the priestly tribe that is the tribe of Leuie were mingled together For we reade that Elizabeth which was of the daughters of Aaron was Cousen to the virgin the mother of God she being of the line of Dauid Neither is our Lord read at any time to haue vsed the temple or the holy vessels in his ministerie For although sometime he taught in the temple yet he taught not onely in the same He neuer sacrificed in the temple at the holy altars either of incense or of burnt offerings He neuer vsed priestly garments whiche were figuratiue Wherof I spake when I expounded the ceremonial lawes Therefore when he woulde sacrifice for the satisfaction of the sinnes of the whole worlde he suffered without the gate offered himselfe a liuely and most holy sacrifice according as the shadows or types prophecies and figures foreshewed in the law of Moses wherof in like maner I haue entreated in the discourse of the ceremoniall lawes And when hee had offered the sacrifice of his bodie he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the father that from thence he may giue light vnto his Church and there appeare alwayes for vs in the presence of God the Father And therefore he doth not now corporally execute his priestly office on earth in like sort teaching vs now as in the dayes of his fleshe he taught the men of his age For nowe he doeth illuminate with his spirite the mindes of his and daily repaireth or renueth the Euangelicall doctrine of the Apostles and yet for all that hée himselfe speaketh by the mouth of thē that teache and preache the Gospell He blesseth vs from heauen that is to say he inricheth vs with all heauenly blessing Of him the Apostle speaking saith And the annoynting which ye haue receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye neede not that any man teache you but as the same annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and it is true and not lying and as it hath taught you ye shall abide in it Of him the diuine Prophet speaking sayth I wil powre water vppon the thirstie and floudes vppon the drie ground I wil powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vppon thy stocke or buddes They shall growe together like as the grasse and as the willowes by the waters side By whiche words we learne that Christ our high priest hath no néede of a bishop suffragane or vicar in his Churche For he himselfe is present with his Church and gouerneth it by his spirit The selfe same Christ at the
his owne nature he is vnspeakeable vnmeasurable incomprehensible euerlasting yet notwithstāding that I may say somewhat in a certeine order concerning him if it will be no otherwise I will at the last shadowe out that which the scripture the inspiration of the holie Ghoste himselfe verie largelie declareth of him The holie Ghost is the third person in Trinitie to bee worshipped very God procéeding from the father and the sonne which inlighteneth regenerateth sanctifieth and fulfilleth the faithful with all good graces But that the holie Ghost is the third person in the holie Trinitie I thincke it is sufficiently at large declared in the third Sermon of this Decade Surely this onely sentence of our Sauiour Baptize them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost doeth aboundantly confirme to godly mindes that the holy Ghost is the third person in Trinitie Moreouer that he is verie God of the same power glorie maiestie and Beeing with the father and the sonne that especiallie proueth beecause hee is the third person in the holie Trinitie Neither must we thinke that he is lesser than they because hee is reckoned in the third place For though the blessed Trinitie be remembred of vs in order yet notwithstanding there is no degrée no time no place or number in the blessed Trinitie For blessed Athanasius made his confession according to the Scripture and said The catholique faith is this that wee worshipp one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the father another of the sonne another of the holie ghost But the Godhead of the father of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste is one the glorie equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the father is such is the sonne and such is the holie Ghost The father vncreate the sonne vncreate the holie Ghost vncreate The father incōprehensible the sonne incomprehensible and the holie Ghost incomprehēsible That father eternall the sonne eternal and the holy Ghost eternal and yet are they not three eternalls but one eternall c. And Augustine also in his 15. booke De Trinitate cap. 26. sayth In that high Trinitie which is God there are no distances of times whereby it may bee shewed or at least demaunded whether the sonne were first borne of the father and afterward the holie Ghoste to proceede from them both c. Truly we confesse that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost is one God and that the same is eternall Therefore let it trouble no man that the spirit is put in the last place For when the Apostle in his epistle to the Corinth framed his blessing he said The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the fellowship of the holie Ghost be with you all he maketh mention of the holie Ghost in the last place but the same Paule sayeth There are diuersities of gifts but it is the selfe same spirite And there are differences of administrations but it is the selfe same Lord and there are diuerse maners of operations but it is the selfe same God which woorketh all in all setting the spirite in the first place teaching that the order of names doth not make difference of dignities After this manner also in the former testimonie he placed the sonne before the father not ouerthrowing the order which the Lord hath set downe in Matth. but shewing the equalitie of the Trinitie in honour For what canst thou more plainly saye thā that which the scripture saith that the holie ghost doth sanctifie renue regenerate giue life and saue and these are operations agréeable to God onely By operations therfore we manifestly acknowledge that the holie Ghoste is God of the same Essence and power with the father and the sonne For the holie Ghost from the beginning beefore all creatures visible and inuisible is a creatour not a creature as Iob witnesseth His spirite hath garnished the heauens Againe The spirite of GOD hath made mee and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen mee life Zacharias the priest and father of S. Iohn Baptist sayeth Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel for he hath redeemed his people as hee spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets whiche haue beene since the world began And S. Peter sayeth For the Prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of GOD spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost By this I pray you who cannot gather that the holy Ghoste is God For God spake by the mouth of the Prophets and the holy Ghoste spake by the mouth of the Prophets Therefore the holy Ghost is God. The same Peter also in expresse words hath called the holy Ghost God when he accused Ananias of theft yea and also of sacrilege for when he had said Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thy heart to lie vnto the holy Ghost by and by he addeth Thou hast not lied vnto mē but vnto God. To the doctrine of Saint Peter agrée those thinges in all poinctes whiche S. Paule the doctour of the Gentiles hath taught For hee called the beléeuers the temples of God Knowe ye not sayeth he that ye are the temple of God and that the spirite of GOD dwelleth in you And againe Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple of the holy ghost which is in you whom ye haue of God and yeare not your owne To be the temple of God and to be the temple of the holy Ghost Paule taketh to bee one and the selfe same thing it followeth therfore that the holy Ghost is god For in his Epistle to the Corinthians hee expresly nameth the holy Ghost god For after he had said There are diuersities of giftes but it is the selfe same spirite and had reckoned vpp the kindes of giftes by and by hee addeth And all these things woorketh euen one and the selfe same spirite distributing to euerie man seuerally euen as hee will. And he himselfe had said a litle afore There are diuerse manners of operations but it is the selfe same GOD which worketh all in all But Didymus Alexandrinus a man of excellent learning doeth knit vp a most euident argument of the Godhead of the holy Ghost declaring also that his nature doeth altogether differ from the nature of Angels For in his 1. lib. de Spiritu Sancto hée hath left this written S. Hierome so interpreting it If the holy Ghost were a creature he should haue at the least a limitable substance as haue all thinges whiche are made For althoughe inuisible creatures are not limitted within place and boundes yet in propertie of substaunce they are limitted but the holy Ghost since hee is in many places hath not a limitable substāce For Iesus sending forth the preachers of his Gospel he filled them with the holy Ghost But neither did all the Apostles goe to all
Christe And Paule the Apostle sayeth Seeing then wee haue the same spirite as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore speake Vppon which testimonie Tertullian inferreth and no doubt soundlie It is one and the selfe same spispirite therefore whiche was in the Prophetes and the Apostles He promiseth that the selfe same spirite shal be alwayes in the Church They erred therefore yea foulye they erred who so euer among them of old feigned one God and spirite of the olde Testament and an other of the newe Testament Didymus Alexandrinus the bright light in his age of all the Grecian Churches in his first booke intituled De Spiritu sancto saith Neyther ought we to thinke that the holy Ghost is diuided according to substaunces bicause he is called the multitude of good graces For he can not suffer he can not be diuided neyther yet be chaunged but according to his diuers maners of workings vnderstādings he is called by mny names of good graces bycause he doth not indue his partakers with his cōmunion after one and the selfe same power c. Furthermore the holy ghost hath increasing or fulnesse and diminishing and want in man not that in God who as it is commonly and truely sayde neyther receiueth more or lesse there is any chaunge to be founde but bycause man according to his capacitie receiueth the spirite plentifully and liberally or measurably sparingly euen as it pleaseth the holy ghoste The portion of the spirite of Helias was giuen double from heauen to Heliseus And it is sayde of our Sauiour that the father gaue him the spirite not by measure For the Lord himselfe elswhere saith Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and hee shall haue more aboundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken away euen that he hath Saule had receiued excellent graces but bicause he did not vse exercise them the good spirite of God departed from him and the euill spirite succéeded and tormented him And the spirite of God departeth euen as it commeth also at one instant For when we are forsaken of the Lorde the spirite of God departeth from vs Wherevppon we reade that Dauid prayed Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And againe Stablishe me with thy principall spirite Next after these things it séemeth y we must diligently search out what the effect what the power of the holy Ghost is The power of the Almightie and euerlasting God is vnspeakable therefore no man can fully declare what the power of the holie ghost is Yet somewhat I will say making those things manifest which he worketh chiefly in men For otherwise the father by the spirit worketh all things by him he createth susteyneth moueth giueth life strengtheneth and prescrueth al things by the selfe same he regenerateth his faythfull people sanctifieth and indueth them with diuers kyndes of graces Whervpon in the description aboue mentioned of him cōprising in foure members his principall powers and effectes which shewe them selues by their working in men I sayde that he doth illuminate regenerate sanctifie and fulfill the faithfull with all good graces Which things that they may the better be vnderstoode it shal be good first of all to declare as well as we can the appellatiōs or names of the holy ghost which the holy scripture giueth him and then to recite one or two places of the old and new Testament to set foorth declare the power of the holy Ghost First he is called the holy spirite of God bicause all creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctified by him The heauenly father sanctifieth with his grace but throughe the bloud of his beloued sonne and sanctification is deriued into vs and sealed by the spirite Therefore the holie trinitie being one God doth sanctiūe vs It is a wicked thing therefore to attribute sanctification to straunge and forreine things It is a wicked thing to translate purification and iustification from the Creator vnto the Creature Moreouer he is called holy to make a difference of him from other spirites For we reade in the Scriptures that there was and is a spirite of the worlde a spirite of infirmitie a spirite of fornication and vncleannesse and a spirit of pride From all these the holy ghost is separated which inspireth into vs the contempt of this worlde whiche openeth vnto vs the Scriptures and confirmeth vs in trueth whiche purifieth our heartes and maketh oure mynds chast and so preserueth them finally whiche maketh vs lowly and gentle and driueth away from vs all maliciousnesse The same holy Ghost is called the spirite of God and of the sonne Of God to make a difference betwéene it and the spirite of sathan And it is called the spirite of the sonne bicause it is the proper and naturall spirite of the sonne which he also communicateth vnto vs that we also might be the sonnes of god For Paule sayth Ye are the temple of God and the spirite of God dwelleth in you Againe If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And againe Bicause ye are sonns God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Moreouer our Lorde him selfe in the historie of the Gospell calleth the holy Ghost a comforter saying I will pray the father and he shal giue you an other cōforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bycause the worlde seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a comforter a stirrer vp or a prouoker an exhorter an aduocate or patrone which pleadeth the cause of his client For the holy Ghoste is the mouth the eye the heart the counsel the hande and the foote of all the faythfull Didymus in his worke intituled De spiritu sancto sayth Christe Giuing the holy ghost a name answerable to his working calleth him the comforter Bycause he doth not onely comforte those whō he findeth worthy of him and setteth them frée from all heauinesse and trouble of mynde but giueth vnto them a certeine incredible ioy and gladnesse in so muche that a man giuing God thankes bycause he is counted worthy of suche a guest may say Thou hast giuen me gladnesse in my heart For euerlasting ioy and gladnesse is in the hearte of them in whome the holy Ghost dwelleth The holy ghost verily alone maketh the consciences of men voyde of care quiet and at peace before God in the matter of iustification and in all temptations of the worlde Paule sayth This only I desire to learne of you whether ye haue receiued the spirite by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith The Apostles being beaten with roddes when they were indued with the
And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie This is he which by water woorketh the second byrth or regeneration being a certeine seede of heauenly generation and he that consecrateth the heauenly natiuitie being a pledge of the promised inheritance and as it were a certein hand writing of euerlasting saluation who maketh vs the temple of God and bringeth to passe that wee be his dwelling house who perfourmeth the office of an Aduocate maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs in the hearing of God with sighes that can not be vttered And pouring foorth his gifts of defence is giuen to be a dweller in our hearts and a worker of holinesse who exercising that in vs bringeth oure bodies vnto euerlastingnesse and vnto the resurrection of immortalitie while hee accustometh them to bee partakers in him of his heauenly power and to bee coupled with the heauenly eternitie of the holy Ghost For our bodies are trayned vp in him by him to proceede to immortalitie whilest they learne to behaue them selues moderately according to his ordinaunces For it is he that lusteth contrarie to the flesh bycause the fleshe fighteth against him It is he which bridleth insatiable lustes which tameth immoderate coÌ„cupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌ„quisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drâ—nkennesse whiche banisheth 〈◊〉 which abandoneth 〈◊〉 bâ—nkettings which knitteth the knot of loue and charitie which subdueth the affections driueth awaye sectes sheweth the rule of truth conuinceth heretiques casteth out the wicked is a dâ—fence to the gospell Of him the apostle also saith For we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirit which is of god Of this spirit he triumpheth saith And I thinke verily that I haue the spirite of god Of him he saith And the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophetes Of him he saith againe Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart froÌ„ the faith giuing hede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels which speake false in hypocrisie hauing their conscience scared with an hote yron No man beeing guided by this spirit calleth Iesus execrable no man denyeth that Christe is the sonne of God or forsaketh god the Creator no man vttereth any of his own words against the scriptures neither doth any maÌ„ establish other wicked decrees no man coÌ„mandeth contrarie lawes Whosoeuer blasphemeth against this spirite shall neuer haue forgiunes neither in this world nor in the world to come It is he that in the Apostles beareth witnesse to Christ that sheweth constant faith of religioÌ„ in martirs that planteth maruelous continencie of assured loue in virgines that kepeth the lawes of the Lords doctrine vncorrupted and vndefiled in others that confoundeth heretikes reformeth the froward reproueth the vnfaithful reuealeth dissemblers and punisheth the wicked and preserueth the church chaste and vnstained in purenesse of perpetuall virginitie and holinesse of trueth Thus farre Tertul. Thus farre not without trembling we haue intreted of the moste holie mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie the father the sonne and the holie ghoste which we haue learned out of the scriptures and here nowe we will stay humbly worshipping this vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie And let vs kéepe in mind and acknowledge this distinction or diuision most manifestly declared in the scriptures and the vnitie also coÌ„mended vnto vs with excéeding great diligence For in the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing founteine and welspring of al things is attributed to the father wisedome counsel the verie dispensatioÌ„ in doing things is ascribed to the sonne y force effectual power of working is assigned to the holy ghost Howbeit let vs take heede least through the distinction we separate the vnitie of the substaunce of god For there is but one God in whome those properties are It is but one fire thoughe there be thrée things séene in it light brightnesse and heate For these rise together and cease all at once The light goeth not before the brightnes 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 before the heate And though onâ— thing â—e â—â—â—â—â—buted to â—he light an other thing to the brightnesse and a third thing to the heate yet they worke vnseparably Therefore when we reade that God created the worlde we vnderstande that the father from whome are all things by the sonne by whom are all thinges in the holy ghoste in whome are all thinges created the worlds And when we read that the sonne became flesh suffered died and rose againe for our saluation we beleue that the father and the holy ghost though they were not partakers of his incarnation and passion yet notwithstanding that they wrought that our saluation by the sonne whom we beléeue neuer to haue bene separated from them And when sinnes are said to be forgiuen in the holy ghoste we beléeue that this benefite and all other benefites of our blessednesse are vnseparably giuen and bestowed vpon vs from one onely true liuing and euerlasting God who is the father the sonne and the holie ghoste To whome be peayse and thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen Of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirits and of their operations The ninth Sermon NExt vnto this sermon of the holie Ghost I will adde a treatise of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of god and of diuels or wicked spirites and of their operations Of whome since the holy scripture deliuereth vs an assured doctrine and in all pointes profitable it séemeth that we ought not lightly to regard it but with as much faith and diligence as we can to bring it vnto light It were a foule fault in him that studieth after godlinesse to be ignorant of the dispositions of good and euill angels of whome so often mention is made in the holy scriptures yea it were a thing most dangerous not to know what maner of creatures the diuels are which vnder that 〈…〉 spoyle vs â–ª But firâ—â— we will speake of holy angels and then 〈…〉 The worde Angel some sâ—y to â—e a name of office not of 〈…〉 common to the 〈◊〉 and Gréeks of whome it is borrowed and it signifieth an embassadour or legate and therefore it hath a larger signification For the preachers of the truth are called Angels as in Malachie and in the Apostle Paule For they are the embassadours or messingers of the Lord of hoastes S. Peter also calleth euill spirites Angels as Paule also doth saying that the faithful shal one day iudge the Angels and that the Angel or messinger of Sathan was sent vnto him howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth Angels the blessed spirites of God Ministers and messingers and heauenly armies But the Saduceis denied that there be angels For Luke in the Actes of the Apostles sayth The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite but the
name the substance of the soule For I do not thinke the same to bee of these vsuall and knowne natures whiche we touche with the senses of our bodie For I thinke that the soule coÌ„sisteth not of earth nor of water nor of aâ—â—e nor of the neitâ—â—r yet of all 〈◊〉 ioyned together nor of any one of them The nature of the soule may be called simple because it consisteth not of other natures Whiche wordes of Augustine Cassidore willing to reheâ—rse and expresse by imitation sayth The soulâ— of man created of God is a spiritual and peculiar substance Therefore I simpliâ— offirme that the soule hashe a singular yea a certein more excellent 〈◊〉 differing from other spirite hauing his true béeing and working always from his creator but suche as we in our spéeche cannot â—â—â—passâ— â—ither are able to vtter In the meane 〈…〉 allow if theÌ„ 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 what maker of substaâ—ie â–ª she soâ—â—é is say that the soule is God or else surely a part or pâ—rtion of god For the scripture reproueth them do the. For truly y soule is a creature is drowned in variablenes sinâ—s but a creator cleane of it selfe it is not And because God the creator is immutable a indiuisible the soule cannot be a portion of god Therfore elegantly truly Anâ—chus Prudentius in his 〈◊〉 after he had in many words 〈◊〉 these filthy errors gathering at length al the meaning of the trueth sayth To say thâ— soule is GOD or part of him T' is follie great and too absurde a thing Since chiefe 〈…〉 ioyes it 〈◊〉 which swim From alwayes fâ—eshe and euer-lasting spring Now it 〈…〉 falles to sâ—nne One while 〈◊〉 another while in paine For due 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 winne Now 〈…〉 t' is free againe To y end that we might ouerthrow this errour and discerne the soule from other spirites and spiritual substances we added in our description That the soule of man is powred into the bodie of man by God Whereby euerie man vnderstandeth wiâ—hout any adoe that it is created and also is a spirit not angeliâ—al but humane that is breathed into mans bodie by God of his owne essence and nature Where again a new question touching the original of soules doth offer it self to vs to be expounded For it is wont to be asked from whence souls come when or howe they enter into their bodies Sainte Hierome is the Author that in time past there were verie many opinions and those same most contrarie betwéene them selues touching the originall of soules For hée writâ—â—g to Marcellinus and 〈◊〉 fayth I remeÌ„ber your question nay rather 〈◊〉 the questâ—â—n of the church touching the state of the soule whether it â—el from heauen as Pythagoras the Philospher al Platonisteâ— and Origen doe thinke Or whether it be of the proper substaÌ„ce of God as the Stoikes Manichcus and the heresies of Priscilianus of Spaine doe suppose Whether they be counted in Gods treasurie long since layd vp there as certeine churchmen foolishly persuaded thinke Whether they be daily made of God sent into bodies according to that which is written in the gospel My father worketh hitherto I worke Or whether Eâ—traduce that is by the generation of the parentes as Tertullian Apolinarius tâ— the 〈…〉 of the West Câ—â—rches 〈◊〉 that as a bodie is borne â—f a bodie so a soulâ— is borne of a soule and hath his béeing after the like 〈◊〉 as bâ—â—ite beastes haue But all those â—pinions ar◠〈◊〉 oâ— Ecclesiasticall writers with found argumentes That opinion is receiueâ— auouched for the truest which holdrth That the soule is crâ—â—ted of nothing and powred of God unto the bodie when the childe is 〈…〉 in shape and in euerie part of hiâ— bodie in the wombe of hiâ— mother For thus the Ecclesiasticall definitionâ— do declare We say that the creator of al thinges doeth onely knowe the creation of the soule and that the bodiâ— onely is sowed by carnal 〈◊〉 in marriage that by the true appointment of God it thickeneth in the matrice becommeth a substance and receiuâ—th shape and that when the bodie is fashioned the soule is created and powred into it Where vpon 〈◊〉 Hâ—erome also to 〈◊〉 diâ—puting against the tâ—rors of 〈◊〉 bishop of Hierusalem after he 〈…〉 diuerse opinions touching the origiâ—al of the soule he saith Wheâ—her truely God createth souleâ— dâ—ily in whom his will iâ— his worke 〈◊〉 conâ—seth to be a 〈◊〉 of them which is an Ecclesrastical opinion according to the opinion of our Sauiour The father worketh hitherto and I worke And according to that of â—sai Which formeth the spirit of man 〈◊〉 him And in the Psalmes Whiche 〈…〉 their harts in euery one of theÌ„ Thâ—s farre he The scripture truly in expresse wordes doth teaâ—he that the soule hath not originall â—ut of earthe neither that it is created before the bodie but that it procâ—â—deth out of the moâ—the 〈◊〉 the creator to wit from the secret power of God and that it is powred into the bâ—die when it is fashioned For Moses describing the 〈◊〉 of God our Father dâ—eth firste 〈…〉 that the body of Adam was fashioned and made and that afterwards the spirite of life was breathed â—nto his bodie beeing perfectly made 〈…〉 The Lorde God 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 of the clay of the 〈…〉 vppon his face or iâ—to his 〈◊〉 the breath of life and 〈…〉 liuing soule For the bâ—eath of life doth signifie the liuing reasonable soule that is to say the 〈…〉 whiche thou séest breathed oâ— powred into the bodie when it is â—â—shioned And when the same Lorde created the woman of Adams 〈◊〉 he tooke not life froÌ„ Adam or out of his soâ—le and put it into Eue but of hiâ— gâ—â—dnâ—sse and power hee powrâ—d the 〈◊〉 into her bodie when it was pâ—â—fectly 〈◊〉 And that we are 〈…〉 created of the Lorde at this 〈…〉 that the soule may bee poâ—red into the bodie when it is fashioned Iob is a witnesse sufficient saying â–ª Thy handes O God haue 〈…〉 and fashioned mee rounde aboâ—◠〈…〉 powred me as it 〈…〉 me to 〈◊〉 like 〈◊〉 â–ª Tâ—ou hast â—ouered mee â–ª with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 and ioyned me together with bones and sinewes â–ª Loe thou hast heâ—e iâ— these wordes bothe the conceptiâ—â— and also the fashioâ—â—ng of 〈◊〉 bodie in his mothers wombe most excellently described And touching the soule it followeth in Iob immediately Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy 〈◊〉 haâ—he preserued my spirite Bâ—hold life that is the soule is by God 〈…〉 and grace 〈…〉 〈◊〉 mercie to life For it is a 〈…〉 in so many 〈…〉 benefite of the 〈…〉 sheweth it selfe in this But it 〈◊〉 by way of 〈…〉 thy visitation that 〈…〉 and preferuation 〈…〉 serued My spirite For 〈…〉 that spirite which 〈…〉 life that is to sayth◠〈…〉 we rightly 〈…〉 to the Scriptures that 〈…〉 men are created of God 〈…〉 into the bodyes when they 〈…〉 fashioned in the womb◠〈…〉 touch not euery
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
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
all his faithfull which shoulde abide with them for euer sayeth In that day ye shall knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you to witt by the holie Ghoste Iohn the Apostle expounding it and saying By this we knowe that he dwelleth in vs by the spirite that he gaue vnto vs. And againe By this we knowe that wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen of his spirite vnto vs. S. Paule the vessell of election differeth not from Saincte Iohn writing and saying to the Romanes If any man hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the children of God. Now as touching true faith which tyeth vs vnto the Lord S. Paule saith I liue now yet not I but Christe liueth in me But the life whiche I now liue in the flesh I liue yet thorough the faith of the sonne of God who loued me and gaue vp him selfe for me And againe he saith Christe dwelleth in our hartes thorough faith With which sayings Sainct Iohn the Apostle agréeing againe saith Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God. For the Lord him selfe before that said in the Gospell He that eateth my fleshe and drincketh my bloud dwelleth in mee and I in him And he eateth Christes flesh and drinketh Christes bloud that beléeueth Therefore Christe our Lorde is ioyned vnto vs in spirite and wée are tyed to him in minde and faithe as the body vnto the head they therefore that lack this knotte and bonde that is that haue not the spirite of Christe nor true faith in Christe are not the true and liuely members of Christe the Lord him selfe in the gospell witnessing and saying If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and cast them into the fier and they burne Which words of our sauiour the Apostle imitating as we said euen now said He that hath not the spirite of Christ is none of his But they that are not destitute of the spirite of Christe are inflamed with the loue of god Neither do we separate loue from faith the same S. Iohn so teaching vs saying God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and GOD in him For the Lord saith in the gospell If a man loue me he will kepe my word and my father will loue him and we wil come vnto him wil dwel with him But although properly faith ioine vs to our head Christ yet the same also doth knit vs to all Christes members vpon earth For whereas there is but one faith of them al and therefore the same spirit there can not but be the same mouth the same minde the same sentence amongest them all although faith be not nowe taken only for a confidence in the mercy of God through Iesus Christe but also for an outwarde confession of fayth For we all confessing one faith and one and the selfe same head with one spirite and mouth we also together professe that we all are members of one and the selfe same body Neither is there any thing else in the worlde that more vnappeaseably disseuereth the mindes of men than the diuersitie of faith or religion and therfore there is nothing that maye more nearely ioyne vs together than vnitie of faith We come nowe to speake of loue whiche I sayde ioyneth together the members of the ecclesiasticall body mutually amongst them selues The Lord saith in the gospel A new commandement giue I vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you that ye also loue one an other By this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye haue loue one to an other It is therfore out of doubt that the onely marke of the church next after faith is loue a bond most firmely knitting together all the members This groweth from the communion of Christ and vnitie of the spirit For insomuch as Christ the king the head and highe Byshop of the catholique churche enduing vs all with one and the same spirite hath made vs all his members the sonns of God brethren and fellow heires whom vndoubtedly he loueth tenderly euery faithfull man can not choose but with feruent loue embrace the members and fellowe heires of their king their head and their high Byshop For Iohn the Apostle saith Euerie one that loueth him that begatte doth loue him also that is borne of him If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyar For howe can he that loueth not his brother whome he hath seene loue God whome he hath not seene Paule to the end that he might moste properly expresse before oure eyes and as it were set to viewe and beholde this vnitie and agréement of the members vseth a parable taken from the members of a mans body and saith For as we haue many mēbers in one body and all members haue not one office so we being many are one body in Christ and euery one one an others members The same in the twelfth chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians more largely and plainely expounding ioyning together of the heade and the members and that chiefly by the sayd parable of the members of a mans body and publishing it very eloquently witnesseth that betwéene the highest members of the churche and the lowest members of the same there is a very greate and apt consent and moreouer a diligent care and a helpe both continuall and most faythfull Of all whiche it appeareth that the markes of the true liuely church of Christ are the cōmunion of the spirit of Christ sincere fayth christian charitie without the which thinges no man is partaker of this spirituall body By these thinges also it shall be easie to iudge whether thou art in the fellowship of the churche or thou art not Moreouer we gather out of those things which we haue hitherto disputed touching the markes of Christes churche from whence is her original also how the church is planted spred abroade preserued Her originall is heauenly for S. Paule speaking of the churche saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Therefore he calleth the church heauenly not that it dwelleth altogether in heauē but that she being here on earth hath a heauenly beginning For the children of God are not borne of flesh bloud but from heauen by the renuing of the holy spirit who through the preaching of Gods word planteth faith in our hearts by which faith we are made the true members of Christ his church For Peter saith Ye are borne a newe not of mortal seed but of immortall by the worde of God whiche liueth and lasteth for euer And Paul saith I begat you in Christ
whiche should also continually aske fauour of him Suche an endeuoure is commended vnto vs in Anna the daughter of Phanuel of whom Luke maketh mention That she departed not from the temple but night and day serued the Lord with fastings and prayers not that she did nothing else hauing no regarde to her bodie nor did at any time eate drinke or sléepe but because that was her continuall and chiefest businesse For at this day speaking after the same maner we say that the husbandman doth labour without ceassing and the student reade night and day when as yet all men vnderstand that by this kinde of spéech is signified a continual and an excéeding great diligence in worke and reading The woman of Syrophoenissa in Matth. Chapter 15. sheweth vnto vs a notable example of vnwearied continuance in prayer or inuocation But if so be GOD séem to neglect vs or to defer our requests longer then is méete let vs alwayes remember what the Prophet hath said Yet a litle while and he that shal come will come and wil not tarie and the iust shal liue by faith c. Here it shal be verie easie to shew the time of prayer whereof inquirie is made to wit When we ought to pray We ought therefore priuately to pray alwayes For continually while wee liue there is diuerse and manifolde matter offered vnto vs to pray Pray therefore as oft as the spirite moueth thée as often as necessitie it selfe or mater prouoketh thée to pray Yet let nothing here be of constraint let all things procéede from a willing frée spirite But publique prayers are â—estrained to time For ther are sette foreappointed hours to pray set houres are those certeine times receiued of the Churche wherin in the morning or euening the whole congregation assembleth together to heare the word of God to praye and to receiue the Sacramentes That the auncient Churches whiche were in times past did not méete together in an holy assemblie all at one time and the selfe same houres Socrates in his Historie beareth witnesse And in this diuersitie there is no daunger Let it be left to the discretion of the Churches to come together vnto the seruice of God when it shal séeme moste necessarie comely méete and profitable vnto them selues Moreouer foreappointed houres of prayer are those whiche are set or forewarned for a certeine time by the Church for presente necessities sake In daungerous times and in weightie affaires the holie Apostles appointed prayers and fastinges Which thing also at this day is lawfull without superstition and with iust moderation And that this is a moste auncient ordinaunce it appeareth out of these woordes of the Prophete Ioel. Blowe the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie gather the people together c. Doeth not the Apostle commaunde man and wife priuately to separate themselues for a time and to absteine from their lawfull delightes that prayer in necessitie may be the more feruent And nowe also it will not be hard to iudge of the place of praier For as at al times priuatly so also in all places I haue saide in the beginning of this sermon y holy men may pray For the true prayer of holy men is not tyed to any place neither is it iudged better in one place than in another For the goodnesse or worthines of the prayer is not estéemed by the place but by the minde of him that prayeth For the Lorde in the Gospel sayth The houre will come and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in trueth c. But they are in no wise to be passed ouer in this place who are persuaded that the godly may pray in no other place but at home in their chamber To the confirmation wherof they wrest these words of our sauiour But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou haste shut thy doore pray to thy Father which is in secrete and thy Father which seeeth in secrete shal rewarde thee openly But these wordes haue an Antithesis or contrarie sentence to that whiche goeth afore For there went before And when thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites are for they loue to stand praying in the Synagogues and in the corners of the streets that they may be seene of men Againste this immediately he opposeth But thou wheÌ„ thou prayest enter into thy chaÌ„ber And as in reprouing the abuse of prayer hee did not properly condemne the place but rather spake figuratiuely after this manner The Phariseis with their prayers whiche they make in the stréetes do hunt after praise and commendation of the people So on the contrarie parte making mention of a chamber he meant not that the place of it selfe maketh the prayer either better or worse but hee taught by a figuratiue spéeche that wee ought to pray with an vpright minde and moste frée from hunting after the praise of men For he that prayeth with a minde not troubled with affections hauing regarde only vnto God he prayeth in his chamber whether he pray in the Churche or in the streete For otherwise the Lord prayed with his Disciples in the temple in the citie in the fielde and wheresoeuer occasion was offered Also it followeth And the Father which seeth thee in secrete shal reward thee openly that is to say The Father who alloweth the minde that is not proud but humble and frée from ambition will rewarde thée openly But publique prayers are vsed in the Churche or assemblie of Saintes which if any man despise saying that prayer ought not to be tyed to any place I can not thinke him woorthie the name of a Christian since he shamefully abuseth Christian libertie Finally of assemblies I haue spoken before we will peraduenture speake more in the last Sermon of this Decade Here commeth also to be handeled the gesture of those that pray But let all riot all pride all immoderate trimming of the bodie be farr froÌ„ theÌ„ y shal come into the Church of Christ to pray He should séeme filthily to haue scorned the Godly magistrate whosoeuer he were that in comming to craue pardon for his fault would lay aside his mourning wéedes and putting on white apparell proudely appeare before the assembly of graue and godly Senatours Suche a one might be iudged worthie not onely to be denied of his request but also to be cast into prison And who wil denie that they more shamefully mock God who comming into the Churche to aske pardon being oppressed with the burthen of their sinnes and yet in that place to be so farre off from being humble that they rather appeare before the presence of God and his Saintes hauing their bodies so attyred as they thereby bothe prouoke the wrath of God a new against them and doe grieuously offende the most godly y are in the church Wherfore Paul at large teacheth that modestie comely and humble
he hath wel begon giue vs moreouer strength and patience herevnto that as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie wee maye acknowledge the wil of God least we wil any thing of our selues and swel be puffed vp in prosperitie in aduersitie also faint and perish but that we may apply our selues in all thinges and through all thinges to be gouerned by his will to wit after this maner to submit our will to his will. Furthermore if we aske any thing contrarie to his will that he would not graunt it but rather pardon oure foolishnesse and weaken our will whiche is not good for vs to instruct and teache vs in his good will to the end we may doubt nothing that this is alwayes to be followed that this is alwayes good and that this worketh all thinges for our commoditie and benefite In this pointe the faithfull féele a verie greate battell in them selues Paule witnessing and saying The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirit against the flesh And these two are at mutual enimitie betwene them selues that what thinges ye would that ye can not do Therefore we desire not any kinde of framing our will to Gods will but we adde As well in earth as it is in heauen that is Graunt O father that thy wil may be done in vs earthly men as it is done in thy Saints the blessed spirites These doe not striue againste thy most holy will in heauen but being of one mynde they only wil that whiche thou wilt yea rather in this one thing they are blessed and happie that they agrée acquiet themselues in thy will. Truely it is not the least part of felicitie or happinesse in earth to will that God willeth it is the greatest vnhappinesse not to will that whiche God willeth And this truely by infinite examples might be declared I will alledge only one and that common too Some one is grieuously sicke and féeleth paines and torments scarce tollerable but he in the meane time acknowledgeth that he suffereth these thinges by the commaundement and will of God his most good bountifull and iust father who wisheth him well and hath sent this grieuous calamitie for his saluation and for his owne glory doth not he in the middest of his torments by submitting him selfe to the will of God féele refreshing and that which seemed most sharpe and most bitter to man by this voluntarie and frée submission he maketh it delightfull and most swéete Againe another is sick vexed not with a verie great disease but this man doth not acknowledge this sicknesse to be layde vpon him by the good will of GOD yea rather thinketh that God knoweth not the disease that God doth not care for the disease therefore he referreth it vnto diuers and sundrie causes and imagineth and séeketh diuers meanes to heale it and in these things he is wōderfully vexed and afflicted and yet by striuing so against the will of god he féeleth no refreshing or comfort at all What therefore doth he else nilling that whiche God willeth than whiche they are wont to doe by yll meanes auoyding euill double the same Wherefore the foundation of all happinesse is faythfull obedience whereby we fully submit our selues and what so euer else vnto vs belongeth to the good wil of God and therefore in this greatest petition we praye vnto the father that he woulde gyue vs regeneration or newenesse of heart true obedience perseuering patience and a mynde alwayes and in all thinges agréeing with and obeying God. The fourth petition is such Giue vs this day our daily breade For the will of God can not be done in vs vnlesse we be nourished and strengthened with the bread of god Bread among the Hebricians signifieth all kynde of meates and the preseruing or sustenaunce of the substaunce of man Wherevpon we reade it sayde in the prophet I wil breake the staffe of breade But man consisteth of two substances the soule and body The soule is the spirite the body is made of earth and other elements Therefore it is preserued with two kinds of breade spirituall and corporall The spirituall meate of the soule wherby it is preserued in life is the very word of God procéeding out of the mouth of God the Lord out of the lawe repeating and saying Man liueth not by bread only but by euery woord that commeth out of the mouth of God. And for bycause this onely setteth forth vnto the faithful the eternal and incarnate word of God I meane the very son of God we rightly acknowlege him to be the meate of the soule yea the meate of a whole faithful mā For he him selfe witnesseth that he is the bread that came downe from heauen of which they that eate shall not die but haue life euerlasting Corporall breade consisteth of elements and is earthly and comprehendeth meate drinke rayment prosperous health of body maintenaunce to be shorte the safetie and good estate of mās life And this bread truly we cal Oures not that it is not the gift benefit of God but bicause it is appointed for vs perteneth to our preseruatiō is necessary for vs yet in the mean seson whē we cal it Daily or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say for the morrow we signifie that it is the most excellentest of all which only can sustaine and preserue our substance asmuch as is sufficient as long as it is méete altogether after the same maner order which is néedful For we said afore that it is not our part to prescribe vnto God a maner of doing or giuing To this also perteine those words folowing Giue vs this day For it belōgeth only vnto god to giue neither agréeth this petition to any creature Dauid saith Al things wait vpō thee that thou maist giue thē meate in due season when thou giuest them they gather it whē thou openest thy hand all things are filled with good Againe The eyes of al things do looke vpō thee O Lord thou giuest thē meat in due seasō thou openest thy hand fillest with thy blessing euery liuing creature Now we pray Giue vs not Giue me which putteth vs in mind again both of brotherly loue and vnitie For we ought not only to séeke our owne but also to pray for the safetie and preseruation of all other men The worde This day appointeth vs a measure For this we say Suffice thou vs O Lord daily and euery moment with as much as is néedful and enough for vs which thou thy selfe only knowest best of all For we are admonished by the waye that we shoulde not burne with immoderate desire of transitorie things and that we should not lauish them out riotously whē we haue them loosing both our goods and our soules And therefore that wise man is read to haue sayde Two thinges haue I required of thee denie me thē not before I die Remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes
Distinct 1. Quest 3. among other thinges at the length sayth Wee must not say by any meanes that grace is conteyned substantially in the Sacramentes as water in a vessel or as a medicine in a boxe yea to vnderstande it so it is erronious But they are saide to contein grace in that they signifie grace and because vnlesse there bee a want on the part of the receiuer grace is alwayes giuen in them so that ye must vnderstand that grace is in the soule and not in the visible signes For this cause they are called also vesselles of grace They may be also called vessels after another maner Because as that whiche is in a vessel is no parte of it neyther commeth of it and yet neuerthelesse is drawen out of it so grace commeth neither of nor by the Sacramentes but springeth from the eternall founteine and is drawne out from thence by the soule in the sacramentes And as a man when he wold haue liquor goeth streight to the vessell so he that seeketh after the liquor of grace and hathe it not must haue recourse to the sacramēts Thus farre Bonauentura who rightly referred grace vnto GOD the founteine of all good thinges I would he had also more purely and simplie sett downe the rest He also saide truely that the soule of man was the seate and receptacle of grace and of the gyftes of GOD and not thinges without sense For the holie Scripture teacheth euery where that the minde of man not any Element or whatsoeuer is forged by mans deuise is the mansion place of the grace of god and that it is not to be sought for or worshipped as included in any insensible thing If the heauen of heauens sayth Solomon be not able to conteine thee howe shoulde then this house do it that I haue builded Wherevnto the most constant martyr of Christ Stephan alluding saieth He that is highest of all dwelleth not in Temples made with handes as sayeth the prophete Heauen is my seate and earthe is my footestoole What house will ye builde for mee sayeth the Lorde or whiche is the place of my reste Hathe not my hand made all these thinges Which that great Apostle of Christe Paule following sayth God that made the world and al that are in it seeing that he is Lord of heauen and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is worshipped with mennes handes as thoughe he needed of any thing seeing he himselfe giueth to all life and breath and all thinges c. Wherevpon Christ him selfe in the Gospell speaketh more expressely The houre commeth when yee shall neither in this mounteine neither at Hierusalem worshippe the Father But the houre commeth and now is whē the true worshippers shal worship the father in spirit and truth The faithfull therefore do lifte vpp the eyes of their minde from earthly and visible thinges vnto heauenlie wherevppon our godly forefathers when they celebrated the Lords supper heard that saying repeated or soūg vnto them most agréeable to such holy mysterics Lifte vpp your hands all the people answearing together Wee lifte them vpp vnto the Lorde Doth not the verie grosse absurditie of the thing plainely proue that grace is not conteyned in the signes For if by grace you vnderstande the fauour and good will of God if pardon and forgiuenesse of sinne cleansing I saye and iustifying of the beléeuers if finallie the giftes and graces of the spirite what I pray you can be imagined more absurde and senselesse than that suche excellent thinges shoulde be kepte inclosed in water bread and wine The signes truely haue no néede of grace nor a-any pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes To what purpose then should grace be conteined within Sacramentes What profite I pray you will redound vnto men Or who knoweth not that all the institutions GOD were ordeyned for the commoditie of man Or shall wee say that grace is therefore kepte included within the Sacramentes that from thence it might be conueyed vnto vs by chanels But the scripture speaketh not after that manner For grace as hath béene often nowe repeated is the fauour and good will of GOD whereby he him selfe not by sensible matters but of his owne accorde and thoroughe his power and might is brought vnto vs These thinges are spirituall and therefore are brought to passe by the gyft and mediation of the holy Ghost GOD is ioyned vnto vs by his spirite and we are coupled to him by faith thorough the gyfte of the holy Ghoste whiche thing in the writinges of the Euangelistes and Apostles is euerie where to be séene Moreouer the wordes of the Canon of the counsell of Nice are not to be vnderstoode after suche a grosse and rude manner Our baptisme is not to be considered with the bodily eyes but with the eyes of the minde Thou seest water weygh the heauenly force whiche lyeth hidde in the water c. For it is a Sacramentall spéeche whiche truely euery bodie at that time vnderstoode as also at this day to vs it is no new nor harde kinde of speaking to say that in the seale there is faith and trueth in a marriage ring the faith and loue of wedlocke in a Scepter and crowne the kinges authoritie For no man is so foolishe that by reason of the kinde of speeches he will affirme that the thinges them selues are conteyned and inclosed in the signes euerie man knoweth this kinde and manner of spéech To this matter also apperteineth that Iohn the Baptist baptised in the riuer Iordane that the Apostles also themselues baptised with water neither cōsecrated nor prepared with any inchauntmentes breathinges or crossinges that it might receiue the grace of God into it and make them that are baptised partakers thereof The Aethiopian in the Acts of the Apostles saw a founteine not mingled with Dyle neither consecrated with any holy charmes neither moreouer prepared with any breathinges nor putting in of waxe candles nor pictures of crosses yet neuerthelesse he said to Philip the Apostle See here is water what doth let me to be baptised But Philip required faith of him in the Lord Iesus and vpon his confession he foorthwith baptised him no consecration of the founteine first prouided for by the whiche forsoothe he might call downe the grace of the holy Ghoste and the power of regeneration into the water and forthwith might applie it to the purifying of the Aethiopian And if so be wee procéede to include the grace of GOD within the Elementes and the thinges themselues within the signes by the whiche they are represented who séeth not with howe great daunger wee shall doe the same especially among the simple sorte For vnto those we shall giue occasion of idolatrie and to cleaue vnto the visible signes of whome also they will require and aske that whiche ought to be asked of God the authour of all goodnesse with mindes lifted vpp into heauen For where as it is obiected
the christian church or congregation and afterwarde Paule the Apostle laying his handes on them they are baptised not with water againe but with fire Luke bearing witnesse and saying The holie Ghoste came vppon them and they spake with tongues and prophecied But this baptisme of fire and the visible ministration of the giftes ceased together with miracles neither at this day is it vsuall or common in the Churh but the baptisme of water remaineth whiche is one and the selfe same whether it be ministred by the handes of Iohn or of the Apostles or by diuerse handes of the ministers of the Churche For diuerse handes make not diuerse baptismes Wherefore we rightly beléeue that there is but one onely and simple Baptisme of the faithfull in all ages For Paule in expresse wordes sayth There is one Lorde one faithe one baptisme and one god and father of all Where-vnto also tendeth this saying of the same Apostle I thanke God that I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gaius least any should say that I had baptised in mine owne name Vppon this Apostolique trueth the reuerend fathers of the Counsel of Constantionople are reade to haue made this confession in their Créede I beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes For there is but one Churche onely one body one head and one king prince and highe Priest of the Catholique Church Now I am come to expound the rite or ceremonie of Baptisme It was simple and but one from the beginning and not charegable or burdenous to the Churche through immoderate ceremonies Iohn baptised in Aenon beside Salem because much water was there and he baptised in the name of Christe So did the Apostles likewise Whereby it remaineth for an vndoubted truth that the verye beste fourme of baptising is that whiche is done by water in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghost For so the Lorde commaunded in the 28. of Matthew Doe you aske howe it commeth to passe that Luke in the Actes maketh mention that Peter and Paule baptised in the name of the Lorde and expresseth not that they baptised in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holie Ghoste I answere That vnder the name of the Lorde the mysterie of the trinitie is comprehended For when the Lorde saide I and the Father are one he whiche is baptised into the Lorde is also baptised into the father and so in like manner into the holie Ghoste whiche is not diuided from them For verily they haue one and the selfe same spirite For truely Luke sayth that they were baptised of the Apostles in the name of the Lorde whome the Apostles baptised according to the Lords instiution Some say Christe is the accomplishment or fulfilling and the proper obiecte of Baptisme wherefore it is no meruaile that the Apostles baptised into the name of the Lorde who neuerthelesse were commaunded to baptise in the name of the father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghoste For all the mysteries of Baptisme are laide foorth vnto vs in the onely Sonne of god Truely wee say bothe To baptise into the name of the Lorde and to baptise in the name of the Lorde The vse of speaking after the firste manner is read in the 28. of Matthew and in Luke Actes the 19. For bothe haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In nomen into the name And so also Tertullian interpreteth it contra Praxeā saying Hee commaunded that wee should be baptised into the father the sonne c. The latter manner doeth the same Luke vse in the Actes 10. and 2. saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is In the name Moreouer what it is to baptise into the name or in the name of the Lord I tolde you in the last Sermon next before this that it is to be inrolled into Gods housholde that he whiche is baptised may now receiue the name of GOD and be called the sonne of God yea and be as it were registred into the roll of the children of God Citizens of the kingdome of Heauen Wherevppon we haue also nāmes giuen vs in baptisme that as often as wee heare our selues named wee may remember our Baptisme and the mysteries therof Neither is it a new thing or straunge from the Scriptures that names are giuen vs in baptisme For so it was vsed also in Circumcision whiche is to be séene in Luke 2. Chapter Furthermore the question is asked Whether we oughte to baptise with these bare words I baptise thée in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holie ghost Or whether it be lawful to ad or ioyne some thing els I thinck we ought to aunswere That it is the seruants dutie to ad nothing to his lords institutiō but diligentlie to kéep that which he hath deliuered yea aduisedly to marke what in baptisme the Lord him selfe and his Apostles did holily to imitate the same that in the church of God as Paule hath commaunded all thinges may be done decently and in good order But after that most holie fourme of baptising set downe and deliuered we sée two things in holie Baptisme and in the vse thereof to be obserued For firste the Apostles and they that were with the Apostles did teache verie significantly of the promises of GOD and faith in Christ whiche is apparaunte in the Actes of the Apostles It is lawefull therefore in the action or ministration of Baptisme to recite the promises of God to rehearse the beliefe and require faithe either of them that are to be baptised béeing of perfecte age or else of them whiche bring the Infantes to bee baptised Moreouer when the Lorde was baptised of Iohn Baptiste in Iordan he prayed Which thing Luke in his Gospel reporteth of him in the historie of the Gospell It is lawfull therefore in the vse of Baptisme to pray and solemnely to cal vpon the name of the Lorde At the firste these Prayers were moderate and shorte not of a great length tedious In processe of time there was no measure kept not onely in tedious blessings but also in diuerse ceremonies which they that came after added therevnto Of the whiche it shall not séeme altogether vnprofitable to rehearse somewhat out of the olde Doctours Tertullian in his booke De Corona militis saith When we go to the font there and also a little before in the church the bishop laying his hand on vs wee doe confesse that wee forsake the diuel his pompes and all his angels Then are wee thrise dipped in the water not some leaue out not aunswering any thing more then the Lorde hath set downe in the Gospell When wee be taken out of the fonte we taste of milke and honie mingled together and from that time wee absteine from daily washinge by the space of a whole weeke We heare in this an vtter denying or renouncing a thirde dipping a
sacraments Of the gestures which the ministers doe vse in celebrating the Lords supper we can say none other thinge out of the gospel than what we haue learned The Lord toke the bread blessed it brake it distributed it c. If the minister do follow these things he néed not to be carefull of other gestures Those which at this day are by the inuention of men receiued into the celebration of the masse are so farre off from giuing any maiestie to the mysteries that they bring theÌ„ rather the more into coÌ„tempt I wil say nothing elso that may séeme more greuous The matter is indifferent whether the Churche take the supper sitting downe or going to the table whether a man take the holie mysteries in his owne hand or receiue it into his mouth at the hands of him that ministreth It is moste agréeable with the first simplicitie and institution of the supper to sit and to receiue the sacraments in a mans owne handes of him that ministreth and afterwards to breake it eate it and to dinide it vnto others For as the Lord sat at table with his disciples so he reached foorth that mysteries saying Take and diuide it among you Moreouer as there is more quietnes and lesse stur in sitting at the supper while the ministers carrie the holie mysteries about the congregation so is it well knowen by histories of antiquitie that the sacrament hath béene deliuered into the hands of the communicantes It is méere superstition repugnant to the doctrine of the Apostles to scrape the hands of that lay people that haue touched the holie sacrament of the supper Why do they not also by the same lawe scrape the lips tonge iawes of the communicants Of these things before handled springeth an other question What is to be thought of the remnaunts leauings of the Lords supper whether there ought any parte of it to be reserued and whether that whiche is reserued or shut vp ought to be adored This question séemeth to haue no godlines at al in it but to be altogether superstitions and very hurtfull For who knoweth not that bread wine out of the holie and lawfull vse appointed are not a sacrament Shall we pracéede to demaund with these Sophisters what that is which the mouse gnaweth when hee gnaweth the Lords bread These questions are most vnworthy to bee demanded and to be raked vp in holie obliuion Touching the shutting vp of the sacrament the lord teacheth vs not one word in the gospel much lesse of worshipping it Take saith hee eate and diuide it among you He saith not Lay it vp worshipp it For the true worshippers worship the father in spirit and trueth Moreouer wee read how the Lord hath plainly said in the gospel If they say vnto you beholde where he is in the desert go not foorth beholde where hee is in the innermoste partes of the house doe not beleeue He setteth downe the cause of this his commaundement For like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the sonne of man be The comming againe of the sonne of man saith he shall be glorious and not obscure neither shall he come againe but to iudge bothe the quicke and the dead And therefore S. Paule the Apostle teaching vs true religion willeth vs to worshipp Christe not vppon the earth but with our mindes lifted vnto Heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of his father And who will he so frantique I beséeche you to worshipp the holie signe for the holie thing it selfe it appeareth by the decrées made of late that these thinges were inuented by mans deuise For it is certeine that the feaste of Christes bodie commonly called Corpus Christi was instituted but of late yéeres vnder Pope Vrbane in the yéere of our Lorde 1264. as it may appeare in Clement the 3 booke title 16. the Chapter beginning Si Dominum It remaineth that we discusse the question concerning the time of celebrating the Lordes Supper and what season is méetest for the same the morning or euening whether we ought to sup together whether we must receiue it fasting or when wee haue dyned also how often we must celebrate the supper once or often or seldome It is euidently enough knowen that Christe sat downe at the table with his disciples in the euening but it followeth not héereof that the supper cannot be rightly celebrated at any other time but at euening The Lorde vppon occasion of the feast of the Passeouer and because he should bee betrayed that night did bothe eate the supper that euening with his disciples and instituted also the supper for vs Notwithstanding hee leâ—te the libertie to remoue this mysterie vnto the morning for that when we be sober then are we most méete to deale in all matters specialy in religion for which we be then fitter then when our bellyes be full of good cheere Wherefore this banquet requireth fasting and emptie guests but yet not so fastinge that a man maye not taste of somewhat a-fore-hand for his healthes sake For S. Paule sayeth If any man bee hungry let him eate at home The same Apostle also wil not haue any other feast to bee receuied together with the Lordes mysticall Supper And therefore we say that wee ought not to receiue that with other meate Tertullian writeth that Christians haue vsed oftentimes to eate other meate with it which kinde of Supper as hee writeth was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say mutuall loue or charitie borrowing the name froÌ„ loue for that there the poore were refreshed with the feastinge of the richer sorte Howbeit prouision of meate drink and other necessaryes might wel enough be made for them without the Churche Paule will not permit that in one place both publique feastes should be made and also the mysticall supper of the Lorde celebrated Furthermore how many times in a yéere the faithfull ought to receiue this Sacrament of the Lords supper the apostles haue giuen forth no commaundement but haue lefte it indifferent vnto euery Churches discretion For what is more plaine than that which S. Paule hath said As often as you shall eate of this bread and drink of this cup you shall declare the Lords death vntill he come For the Lord as the same Apostle setteth it downe first commaunding said Doe this as oft as you shal drink it in remeÌ„brance of me Howbeit let no no maÌ„ think that the celebration of the Lords supper is left so fréely vnto him that hee néed neuer to receiue it For that were no lawful libertie but most vnlawful licentiousnes They that celbrate the supper of y Lord vpoÌ„ certeine ordinary times of the yere would not haue it brought into contempt or loathed by reason of the daily frequenting For they haue some consideratioÌ„ of their owne people they would haue the supper to be celebrated worthily
comforting the sicke person prepareth him to die by makeing firste his confession of sinnes to God which he pronoūceth out of the word of God to be forgiuen if he doe stedfastly beléeue He requireth of him also that he forgiue and bée in loue and charitie with all men and that hée kéepe no olde grudge or malice in his hart After this sōe publique prayer is made to God by the sicke person by those that are about the partie that is at the point of death Hée is also admonished of sundrie thinges hée is confirmed in the fayth hée is called to patience hée is instructed according as his goodes and euerie thing else requireth and he is taught that at his departing out of this worlde he commend his soule into the hands of God the father according to the doctrine and example of our redéemer who at the very pointe of death cried aloud saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirite This discipline haue wee learned of the Apostles of our LORDE Christe For the Apostle Saint Iames saieth If any bee sicke among you lette him sende for the elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lorde And the prayer whiche is made in fayth shall deliuer the sicke And the Lorde shall rayse him vp againe And if he bee in sinne they shal be forgiuen him Confesse your sinns one of you to another pray one for another that you may bee safe for the heartie prayer of the iust is of greate force c. This is the Apostolique discipline But if you say vnto mée Where is the oyle I answere that in Saint Iames the Apostles time and certeine ages after there remained yet in the Churche the miraculous gifte of healing the sicke Of this wée reade in Saint Markes Gospell And the disciples going foorth preached the gospell that they mighte repent and they cast out many diuels they annoynted many with oyle that were sick and healed them And again in the same place saieth Moreouer These signes shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels c. And anon he sayth They shall lay their handes vppon the sicke and they shall be healed And because this benefite remayned yet in the Church Saint Iames biddeth vs vse oyle and to vse it in the name of the Lorde as the Lorde had commaunded But seing that gift is now ceassed in the Churche and wée finde by experience that oyle doth no good to the sicke according to the time and as our duetie bindeth vs we do the best we can to assuage and cure the diseases of the sicke by medicines most conuenient for the sicknes being applied in the name of Christ I knowe howe by this testimonie of the Apostle the Papistes go about to set out and cōmend their extreame vnction or last annoyling but they labour in vaine But to let passe that Saint Iames speaketh nothing of the hallowed oyle and that they do not admit this medicine but in verie extremitie where S. Iames commaundeth to annoynt euery on that is sick how I pray you can they defend out of Saint Iames wordes that which the priest demaundeth of the sick person Doest thou beleeue that the Lord will heare our prayers for the merites sake and prayers of the Saintes The sick man answering I do beléeue He then saith Let vs therefore pray to God and his Sainctes Or where I beséech you hath Saint Iames or any other Apostle of Christe taught that which they bring in their annointing In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost I annoynt thee with holy oile that by this anointing thou mayest receiue full remission of thy sinnes What scripture I pray you teacheth vs that full remission of sinnes is obteined by that anointing These thinges are done manifestly against the principall article of our religion whiche teacheth that we are purged from all our sinnes onely by the bloud of Christ and that most fully To him onely is the glory due not to the oyle nor to any creature in the whole worlde Moreouer the Church of Christe doth not reiect the bodies of the dead as if it were a deade dogge For it acknowledgeth that their bodies haue béene the Temples of the holy ghoste which hath dwelt in them It acknowledgeth that they are buried in hope of resurrection and glorie of life euerlasting wherefore the Churche doeth in moste reuerent manner take the bodies windeth them in a shéete and couereth them verie decently and béeinge put into the coffine carefully carrieth them vnto the place of buriall or churchyard y neere friends neighbours and brethren following after and accompanying the corse While the bodie is set downe and laid in the earth there are publique prayers made by them that brought the corse For they giue thankes vnto God for that he hath called the partie deceased out of this world in the true faithe and they pray also that it may please the Lorde to take them likewise vnto him spéedily beeing lightened with the true faith Moreouer the name of the dead brother or sister is recited in the publique assemblie of the Churche with honour and all the people are put in minde of their own destinie and spéedily to prepare them selues to die And after this manner we read in the scriptures that the ancient fathers buried their dead yea the moste holie of them We reade nothing of canonizating of woorshipping of reliques of monethes and yeares mindes for the dead which are offered to the ende the soules of the departed shoulde be deliuered from the paynes of purgatorie There be certeine burialles described vnto vs in the olde Testament as the buriall of Abraham Sara Isaac Iacob and Ioseph Aaron Marie Iosua Samuel and Dauid c. And in the new Testament of Iohn Baptiste and Stephan but they were all sparing and without all manner of superstition In that Iosephes bones were carried forth they were carried in a mysterie that the Israelites might gather thereof that they shoulde bee brought into the Lande of promise Wherevnto also that belongeth that the Patriarches chose a buriall in Hebron Otherwise the place auayleth nothing to purchase the better or worse spéed to the bodie that is buried in it We must thinke that the place by reason of the bodies of the saintes and holy men which are there buried is after a maner sanctified or at the least wise called holie not that the bodies do gett any holinesse or safetie by the grounde Therefore vnlesse it séeme good otherwise to the diuine prouidence of God the saints would gladly lye with their auncestours in the selfe same place of buriall But if it please God otherwise they acknowledge that they are notwithstanding receiued into the same earth without any exception and that they are not separated from their auncestours by distance of place Wherefore there is no superstition in the Churche
of God about burials and graues But howe muche there was in the time of Poperie no man can declare in fewe wordes These be the necessarie institutions of the Churche of GOD and are by the faithfull religiously obserued without superstition to edification as for other matters which are onely deuised by the inuention of man the godly nothing weighe them I knowe what thinges may here be obiected That forsoothe the auncient people of the olde Testament had sundrie and manifolde rites ceremonies instituted of God by his prophetes because beeing rude they had néede of such instruction But since the common sorte of Christians are also more rude than is to be wished so many sundrie and diuerse ceremonies were deuised by the auncient fathers not without the motion of the spirit which they must also obey I answer that this is no true nor sounde reason whereby the weake in faith may receiue commoditie For surely then would not the Apostles of Christ haue saide nothing therof Moreouer experience teacheth that the state and condition of the weake and simple is such that the more ceremonies are left vnto them the more their mindes are diuersly dispersed and are lesse vnited to Christ to whoÌ„ alone al things are to be ascribed For it pleased the father that all fulnesse should dwell in him and to heape together in him al things apperteining to our life and saluation Yea the diuine wisedome of God hathe taken away y who le externall discipline instructioÌ„ setting a difference betwéen vs them We should therefore procéede to bring againe Iudaisme if we shuld not leaue of to multiplie heape together rites ceremonies according to the maner of the olde Church For in olde time those ceremonies were had in vse althoughe they were not infinite but comprised within a certein number At this present there is no vse nor place for theÌ„ in the church Neither do we want moste graue authoritie to proue the same The Apostles and elders in a greate assemblie méete together at HierusaleÌ„ at a couÌ„sell where the Apostle Peter plainely telleth them that they tempt the Lord in going about to lay the yoake of the lawe vpon the frée necks of the Christians There is also a Synodall Epistle written wherin by one consent they testifie that it hath séemed good to the holy Ghost them to lay none other burthen 〈…〉 the church of Christ thaÌ„ y which 〈…〉 in few words To the intenâ— therby it may be euident that the doctrine of the Gospel is sufficient for the Church without the câ—remonies of the law If he would 〈…〉 haue the rites which in olde time were by God instituted to be ioyned to the Gospell how much lesse ought we at this present to couple therewith the inuentions of men Vnto which moreouer is wickedly ascribed either the preparation to the grace worshipping of God or part of our saluation that we may say no lesse at this day than S. Paule said long agoe After that you haue knowne God howe chaunceth it that ye returne againe to weake and beggerly elements which you would begin to serue a new Ye obserue days moneths times yeres I am a feard lest I haue taken paines aboute you in vaine Vnto all these things this is also to be added that this instruction of ceremonies whereof they speake belongeth to the worshipping of god But we are fordidden to deuise vnto ourselues any strange worshipping we are forbidden also to put too or take away any thing from the institution or word of god Wherfore the Church of God neither ordeineth nor receiueth of other any other such constitutions Of which matter we haue also spoken somewhat before whereas we intreated of the abrogating of the lawe and of Christian libertie I trust that in these fiftie sermons I haue as shortely conueniently as might be comprehended the whole matter of faith godlinesse or true religion also of the Church That which I do often repeate in al my sermons my books that do I also againe repeat in this place that the learned may with my goodwill and thankes gather and imbrace better things out oâ— the scriptures Vnto the Lorde our God the euerlasting founteine of al goodnes be praise and glorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ Amen FINIS Esai 58. Esai 62. Iohn 21. 2. Tim. 4. Dan. 12. 1. Tim. 4 Ezech. 3. Ierâ— 1. â— Cor. 9. â— Pet. 5. Apoc. 20. Ezech. 32. The Nicene counsel The counsel of CoÌ„stantinople The counsel of Ephesus The counsel of Calcedon About the yeare of our Lord About the yeate of our lorde 185. About the yeare of our lorde 210. â—bout the â—are of 〈◊〉 lord 〈◊〉 About the yeare of our Lorde 336. Catholiques Haeretiques Verbum what it is In English a thing The worde of God what it is Of â—he 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 The word of God reuealed to the worlde by men Howe and by whom the worde of God hath bene reuealed from the beginning of the world Abraham The clearest lights of the firsâ— world Adam and Methusalem Noe. â—em Iaacob Kahad Amram Moses The chief contents of the holy fathers liuely tradition God. CreatioÌ„ of the world Sinne and death Grace life and redeÌ„ption by Christ Fayth The lineall descent of Messias The league of God. The worship of God. Life eternall and the day of iudgemeÌ„t The true â—ystoricall â—arration â—eliuered by the fathers to their children Moses in an hystory compileth the traditioÌ„s of the fathers The auâ—horitie of Moses very great The proceding of the woord of God. The Prophetes The Law. The auâ—â—oritie of â—he holy â—â—ophetes â—as very great Polyhistoâ— 2 Pet. 1. The word God reuealed by the onne of God. The chief coÌ„tents of Christe his doctrine The Apostles of Christ â—â—hn Bapâ—â—st and â—â—ule The authoâ—â—tie of the Apostles â—â—y great 1. Thes 2 The roll of the bookes of the diuine Scriptures The scripture is sound and vncorrupted â—o whom 〈◊〉 worde â—â— God is â—â—ealed What haue I to doe what was written to theÌ„ of olde time The writings of the old testament are also giuen to Christians To what â—nd the â—ord of God is 〈◊〉 Gods goodnesse to be praysed for teaching vs. All points of true godlinesse â—re taught â—s in the holy scriptures â— Tim. 3. The Lord bothspake did many things which arâ— not writteÌ„ The Apostles set downe in writing the whole doctrin of godlinesse Against the liuely and faiâ—â— traditioâ—â— of the Apostles Howe the worde of God is to â—e hearde The diseaâ—es and plagues of the hearers of gods word What the power and effect of Gods word is Gods will is to haue his wordâ— vnderstoode Difficultie in the scriptures The word of God requireth an exposition A solemn exposition of Gods worde what their meaning is that wil not haue the scriptures expounded The scriptures are 〈◊〉 to be â—orrupted with fortune exposâ—tâ—ons The holy scriptures â—re not to be expouÌ„ded according to â—ens fanâ—â—sies The
nor the lawe only kill 2. 〈◊〉 Moses doth 〈◊〉 deade to Christ 〈◊〉 lawe â—â—cheth 〈◊〉 riâ—â—tâ—ousâ—â—se The precepts of the law are the rudiments of the world The kinde of righteousnesse which was in the people of the old auncient world A carnall of fleshly people The lawe frameth the life of man. The lawe â—â—idleth the 〈◊〉 It is vnpossible for vs of our own strength to fulfil the lawe Paul spake in the 7. cha to the Romanes of his own person 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of the. The 〈…〉 Christ hath fulfilled the law is the perfectnes of the faythfull Life is promised to them that keepe the lawâ— Howe 〈◊〉 may 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Howe wee may keepe the lawe Gods commaundements are not heauie to be born Of the abrogation of the law 1 3 4 The 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How farre â—oorth the ceremonials are abrogated Heb. 1. Ceremonies the niddle wal or patition Ceremonies of hand writing The citie and teÌ„ple of Ierusâ—leâ— destroyed â—ani 9. Num. 24. 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 The priesthood abrogated 1. Cor. 9. Math. 10. The place â—or to worship God in is free â—or euery man to choose where hee listeth and the congregation liketh To 〈…〉 places The holy 〈…〉 The Romish Iubilie 1 2 〈…〉 2 The 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 is to 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 choice of meates abrogated 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 â—â—â—bidden of the 〈◊〉 The decree of the Synode held at IerusaleÌ„ The false Apostles doctrine They subscribe their owne names and inscribe the names of them to whom the the Epistle is sent â— Gal. 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 Spanâ— to the 〈◊〉 The exposition of the generall decree of the Synode held at IerusaleÌ„ 1 Act. 10. Men 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 S. Iames alloweth of S. 〈◊〉 opinioÌ„ From som certaine thinges must the Saintes abstaine S. Iames defended The abrogace of â—he Iudiciall lawes The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 peoplâ— The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 are all 〈◊〉 churâ—â—e and â—eople of 〈◊〉 and â—he same 〈◊〉 That the Fathers 〈◊〉 haue al 〈…〉 The Fathers and we haue al one faith The Fathers and we haue al one spirit Exod. â— Deut. 〈◊〉 The Fathers had the same hope and â—nheritaÌ„ce that we â—aue That Saluation was not promised onely but also performed vnto the fathers Ad inferos Ad inferos 1. Pet. 4. The Fathers and we haue al one maÌ„â—er of inuâ—cation 〈…〉 Of the difference of the olde newe testament and people Al thingâ—â— more â—â—ident in the newe people or couenant thaÌ„â—ere in the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 christ hath taken all burthens from our shoulders The bondage of the law in the old testament The people of the new testament are newe and without al number So that the people of this testament are after the name of Christ called Christians The giftes of the new testament are most ample and manifold The newe 〈…〉 no promise of 〈…〉 Of Christian libertie Who 〈◊〉 our 〈◊〉 Who 〈◊〉 â—e thaâ— Christe doth 〈…〉 What bondage is 〈◊〉 sorts 〈◊〉 bonâ—â—ge 〈…〉 A Paradox of libertie 2. Cor. 11. Spiriâ—â—â—l â—ondagâ— Abortion is made â—hen a woman is before her time deliuered of her childe The spirituâ—l libertie how farre forth we are made free by Christ Christian libertie Testimonies to proue christian libertie by Free froâ— the lawes and ordinances of men 〈…〉 The care of the body The 〈…〉 or 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 Christ The 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 Licentiousnesse Of offencâ—â— Howe and by what meanes an offence is giuen Weklings 〈…〉 An offence giuen and an offence taken To giue offence is a great sin Offences 〈◊〉 not of the Gospel out of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 gospel Of good â—oorkes What worâ—â—s do 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 Good workes what they are The originall cause of good workes 〈…〉 No works do iustifie 1 2 3 Good workes aâ— no◠〈…〉 their 〈◊〉 is by 〈…〉 In what sense the scripture doth attribute iustification vnto good workes The 〈◊〉 of theâ— whic◠〈…〉 â—nto wâ—â—kes 〈…〉 to them that speake against the 〈◊〉 An other obiection The places â—f faith works that â—eeme at a 〈◊〉 to â—â—sigree 〈◊〉 here 〈…〉 1 2 The 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 The â—â—â—stles â—gainsâ— abuseâ— graceâ— faith â–ª 〈…〉 Origen in 3. cap. ad Roma Ambrose Chrysosâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 of 〈…〉 〈…〉 A rewarde is giuen to good workes To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈…〉 these places whiche confirme the reward of good workes Hire is due but heritage proceedeth of the parents good will. How or in what sensâ— God is said to giue a reward vnto oure good workes 1 â— S. 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 Good workes muste be done according to the rule of the worde of God. Good workes indeed 1 â— The tenne commandements are a platforme of good workes 〈◊〉 be 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 To what end good workes must be done Rom. 2. 〈◊〉 came 〈…〉 The definition of sinne 〈…〉 The nature of maÌ„ is not the cause of sinne The diuel alone is not the cause of sinne That destinie is not the cause of sinne 〈…〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈…〉 God being good himselfe created all thinges good whiche be created 〈…〉 Sin 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 diuels 〈…〉 our corrupt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8. Obiections are aâ—swered Why God created maÌ„ so fickle that hee should fall To what eâ—d God gaue the lawe to Adam There was 〈◊〉 corrupâ—â—â—â— or inâ—â—â—mâ—tie in â—dam beâ—â—re his fal 〈◊〉 image 〈◊〉 God. 〈…〉 An obiection How 〈◊〉 giueth ouer 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 〈…〉 To harden God hardned Pharaoâ—s hart Amos 〈◊〉 How 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 euilâ— Noâ—e here 〈◊〉 first 〈◊〉 is the 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thinges 〈◊〉 of god 〈◊〉 Go◠〈◊〉 God. The differences of sinne Originall sinne Originall sinne what it is The begining 〈…〉 The Pelagians 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 man. Voluntary sinne The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father To bee borne oâ— holâ— parâ—nts 〈…〉 Al the auâ—cient doctours or fâ—thers of the church confesse with one assent originall sin The East and west churches That is he taught held oriâ—â—nall sinne What 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nature 〈◊〉 Our deprauation is the blotting out of the Image of God in vs. Originall sinne condemneth 1 â— â—â—iginall 〈…〉 to all Where there is no lawe there is no transgression Rom. 7. Vldericke Zuinglius of original sinne Original 〈…〉 〈…〉 Christian faith consisteth in the consideratioÌ„ of two men Some were saued beside Israel but not without Christe The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 sinne Sinne is repugnant to the law of God. The 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 That k 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 of ◠〈…〉 by 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Scelera delicta Peccata clamantia The 7. principal vices coÌ„monly called the 7. deadly sinnes Pecâ—atum alienum an otheâ—â— sin is 〈◊〉 an other made to sin by 〈◊〉 meaâ—es 〈◊〉 ye shall hereafteâ— perceiue â–ª The 〈◊〉 of ignorance Peccata aliena Others sinnes Both thesâ— sinnes an referred tâ— the compeller the one in respect of the man compelled the other in respect of the compeller