Fayth in them that hearde it For they dyed in the desarte And immediately after he sayth Let vs therefore doe our best to enter into that reste so that no man dye in the same example of vnbeliefe If therefore that the worde of God doe sounde in oure eares and therewithall the spirite of God doe shewe foorth his power in our harts and that we in fayth doe truly receiue the word of God then hath the worde of God a mighty sorce and wonderful effect in vs For it driueth away the misty darknesse of errors it openeth our eyes it conuerteth and inlighteneth our mindes and instructeth vs most fully and absolutely in truth and godlines For the Prophet Dauid in his Psalmes beareth witnes sayth The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of God is true and geueth wisedome vn to the simple The commaundement of the Lord is pure and geueth light vnto the eies Furthermore the word of God doth féede strengthen confirm and comfort our soules it doth regenerate clense make ioyfull and ioyne vs to god yea and obtaineth al things for vs at Gods handes setting vs in a most happy state in so much that no goods or treasure of the whole worlde are to be compared with the worde of god And thus much do we attribute to the worde of God not without the testimony of Gods worde For the Lord by the prophet Amos doth threa ten hunger thirst not to eate bread and to drinke water but to heare the worde of God. For in the olde new testaments it is sayd that man doth not liue by bread onely but by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of god And the Apostle Paul saith that all things in the scriptures are written for our learning that by patiēce and comfort of the scriptures we might haue hope Also Peter saith ye are born a new not of corruptible seede but of incorruptible by the word of god which liueth lasteth for euer And this is the worde which by the gospell was preached vnto you The Lorde also in the gospell beareth witnesse to the same and sayth Now are ye cleane by the worde which I haue spoken vnto you Againe in the gospell he crieth saying If any man loueth me he will keepe my saying and my father will loue him and we will come into him and make our dwelling place in him Ieremie saith also Thy word became my comfort And the Prophet Dauid saith The statutes of the Lorde are right and reioyce the hart Wherunto adde that saying of the Lordes in the gospell If ye remaine in me and my wordes remaine in you aske what ye will and it shal be done for you In an other place also the Prophet crieth saying If ye be willing and will hearken ye shall eate the good of the land but if ye wil not heare my word the sword shall deuoure you Moreouer Moses doth very often and largely reckon vp the good thinges that shall happen to them which obey the worde of God Leuiticus 26. Deutero 28. Wherefore Dauid durst boldly preferre the word of God before all the pleasures and treasures of this world The feare of the Lorde is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgementes of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they thē gold yea then much fine golde sweeter also then hony and the dropping hony combes For by them thy seruaunt is plainely taught and in keeping of them there is great aduantage Therfore is the lawe of thy mouth more precious vnto me then thousands of siluer and golde Vnlesse my delight had been in thy lawe I had perished in my miserie To this now doth appertaine that parable in the gospell of him which bought the precious pearle and of him also which solde all that he had and bought the grounde wherin he knewe that treasure was hidde For that precious pearle and that treasure are the gospell or worde of God which for the excellencie of it is in the scriptures called a light a fire a Sworde a Maule which breaketh stones a Buckler and by many other names like vnto these Dearely beloued this howre ye haue heard our bountifull Lorde and God who would haue all men saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth how he hath reuealed his word to al men throughout the whole world to the intent that all men in al places of what kinde age or degrée so euer they be may know the trueth and be instructed in the true saluation and may learne a perfect way how to liue rightly well and holily so that the mā of God may be perfect instructed to all good workes For the Lorde in the worde of trueth hath deliuered to his Church all that is requisite to true godlinesse and saluation Whatsoeuer thinges are necessary to be knowne touching God the works iudgments will and commaundements of God touching Christe our faith in Christe and the duties of an holy life all those thinges I say are fully taught in the worde of god Neither néedeth the Church to craue of any other or else with mens supplies to patch vp that which seemeth to be wantinge in the worde of the Lorde For the Lord did not onely by the liuely expressed voice of the Apostles teach our fathers the whole summe of godlinesse and saluation but did prouide also that it by the meanes of the same Apostles shoulde be set down in writing And that doth manifestly appéere that it was done for the posterities sake that is for vs and our successours to the intent that none of vs nor ours should be seduced nor that false traditiōs should be popt into any of our mouthes in stéede of the truth We must all therfore beware we must all watch and sticke fast vnto the worde of God which is left to vs in the scriptures by the Prophetes and Apostles Finally let our care be wholy bent with faith and profite to heare whatsoeuer the Lord declareth vnto vs Let vs cast out and treade vnder foote whatsoeuer by our flesh the world or the deuill is obiected to be a let to godlines We know what the diseases plagues of the séede of Gods worde sowed in the hartes of the faithful are We know how great the power of Gods worde is in them which heare it deuoutly Let vs therfore beséech our Lorde God to powre into our mindes his holy spirite by whose vertue the séede of Gods word may be quickened in our harts to the bringing forth of much fruite to the saluation of our soules and the glory of God our father To whom be glory for euer Of the sense and right exposition of the worde of God and by what maner of meanes it may be expounded ¶ The thirde Sermon DEarly beloued brethren I doe vnderstande that by meanes of my doctrine of the worde of God ther are risen sūdry thoughts in the hartes of many men yea and that of some there
Israel with him c. 284. 8 And they drewe out the staues that the endes of them mighte appeare c. 340. 341 11 Ahia the Silonite saith to Ieroboam Thus saith the Lord thou shalt reigne c. And if thou hearken vnto al that I coÌ„maund thée c. 185 12 Ieroboam sacrificed vnto God but because he sacrificed not lawfully he was c. 676. 824 12 In the kingdom of Israel king Ieroboam thrust out of their offices the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord c. 854 16 And Achab serued Baal and worshipped him c. 667 18 How long do you halt on both partes If the Lord be God follow him c. 653 19 I haue béene very iealous for the Lord God of hoasts for that the c. 855 19 I haue left vnto me selfe seuen thousand men in Israel c. 855 ¶ Out of the second booke of Kinges 5 NAaman the Syrian was coÌ„maunded to washe himselfe seuen times c. 972 5 Heliseus by most wholesome counsel refused the reward of Naaman c. 888 5 Am I a God that I should be able to kill and to giue life c. 658 6 Feare not for they that be with vs are moâ— than they that bee with them c. 741 6 Lord I beséeche thée open his eyes that he may sée and the Lord opened his eyes c. 741 17 Israel walked in the ordinances or ceremonies which they theÌ„selues had made c. 329 17 And yet they serued the Lord and they appointed out priests eueÌ„ of the basest vnto themselues for the high places c. 675 16 Achas king of Iuda shutvp the temple of the Lord and toke away the holy altar c. 854 21 Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine and administration of the sacrameÌ„ts was banished except onely circumcision c. 854 21 This is the house of the Lord God and this altar is for the sacrifice c. 344 ¶ Out of the first booke of Chronicles 15 THe Lord hath chosen the Leuites c. Therefore sée that ye be holy that ye may c. 997 15 The priestes and Leuites sanctified themselues to fetch the arke c. 997 ¶ Out of the second booke of Chronicles 1 ANd Solomon with all the coÌ„gregation went to the high place that was at Gabaon c. 343 8 And Solomon sett the sortes or priestes to their offices as Dauid his father c. 182 11 Ieroboam thruste the teachers and preachers of the Lawe of the Lord out of their offices c. 954 19 Take héede what ye do For ye execute not the iudgements of man c. 194 28 Achas king of Iuda shutt vp the temple of the Lord c. 854 29 The Leuites did sing and that at the commaundement of God c. 932 29 Be yee sanctified and sanctifie ye the house of the Lord oure God c. 182 33. 34. Vnder Manasses the nephue of king Achas true doctrine was banished c. 854 36 The Lord God of their fathers sent to you by his ministers rising vp betimes c. 154. 155 ¶ Out of Nehemias 5 A Notable example in Nehemias suppressing the couetousnesse crueltie c. of vsurers c. 276 8 Esdras the priest brought the Lawe the booke of Moses c. 24 8 Touching the solemne celebrating of the feast of Tabernacles or seuenth moneth c. 353 8 And Esdras with the Leuites saide to all the people which was sad and sorrowfull c. 284. 285 ¶ Out of the booke of Iob. 1 SAthan came and shewed himselfe among the children or seruauntes of God speaking with the Lord c. 747 1 Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shal I turne to the earth againe c. 312 4 Behold he found no trueth in his seruauntes and in his angels there was follie c. 745 9 If I will iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth will condemne mée c. 467 9 If I haue any righteousnesse I will not aunsweare but humbly beséeâ—h my Iudge c. 560 10 Thy hands O God haue made me and fashioned me round about c. 760 10 Thou hast giuen me life and grace and thy visitation hath presenued my spirite c. 760 14 Who can make or bring forth a pure or cleane thing of that whiche is vncleane c. 496 19 I knowe that my redéemer liueth and that in the last day c. 86 25 I know verily that a man compared to God cannot be iustified c 401 26 His spirite hath garnished the heauens c 716 31 If mine heart haue béene deceiued by a womaÌ„ or if I haue laid waâ—te c. 232 33 The spirite of God hath made me and the breath of the Almightie hath giuen me life c. 716 34 Nothing is more contrary to the nature of God than sinne and naughtinesse c. 482 ¶ Out of the Psalmes 2 BE wise O ye kinges be learned ye that are Iudges of the earth c. 699 5 The vnrighteous shal not stand in thy sight O Lord thou hatest c. Thou shalt destroy al them that speake lyes c. 129 5 Thou art the God that hast no pleasure in wickednes neither shal c. 482 8 O Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name in al the world For thy glorie c 637. 952 9 The heauens are thine O God and the earth is thine thou hast laid the foundation c. 637 10 The Lord loueth the iust c. Vppon the vngodly he shall raine snares c. 520 14 The foole hath said in his hart There is no God c. 605 15 Lord who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. Euen he that walketh c. 669 16 The Lord is alwayes at my right hand Therefore my heart is glad c. 433 18 Who is God besids the Lord and who is mightie or a rock saue our God c. 658 18 The way of God is vncorrupt the word of the Lord is tryed c. 861 18 He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was barckenesse vnder his féete c. 738 19 The law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule c. 21 19 The heauens declare the glorie of God and the firmament sheweth forth the workes of his hands c. 620 19 Who knoweth his sinnes Clense me from my hidden faultes c. 578 22 Thou art he that toke mée out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope c. 306 22 Our fathers hoped in thée they hoped in thée and thou didst deliuer them c. 306. 657 27 In my trouble I will call vppon the Lord and I will crie vnto my God c. 657 27 Because my father my mother haue left or forsaken mée the Lord hath taken mée vp c. 660 31 I haue hoped in thée O Lord I haue said Thou art my GOD c. 640 32 I haue made my fault knowen vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnes haue I not hidden c. 572
not absolutely perfect As for those whiche doe earnestly affirme that all pointes of godlynesse were taught by the Apostles to the posteritie by worde of mouth and not by writing their purpose is to set to sale their owne that is mens ordinaunces in steade of the worde of God. But against this poyson my brethren take this vnto you for a medicine to expell it Conferre the things whiche these fellowes set to sale vnder the colour of the Apostles traditions taught by worde of mouthe and not by writing with the manifest writings of the Apostles and if in any place you shall perceiue those traditions to disagrée with the scriptures then gather by and by that it is the forged inuention of men and not the Apostles tradition For they which had one and the same spirite of trueth lefte not vnto vs one thing in writing and taught an other thing by worde of mouthe Furthermore we muste diligently search whether those traditions do set forward the glory of God rather then of men or the safetie of the faythfull rather then the priuate aduauntage of the Priestes And we muste take héede of mens traditions especially since the Lorde sayth In vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines the precepts of men So that nowe the surest way is to cleaue to the word of the Lorde lefte to vs in the Scriptures whiche teacheth aboundantly all thinges that belong to true godlynesse It remayneth nowe for me to tell in what manner of sorte this perfecte doctrine of godlynesse and saluation I meane the very word of God ought to be hearde of the faythfull to the intent it may be hearde with some fruit to profite them aboundantly I will in fewe wordes containe it Let the worde of God be hearde with greate reuerence whiche of right is due to God him selfe and godly things Let it be hearde very attentiuely with continuall prayers betwéene and earnest requestes Let it be hearde soberly to our profite that by it we may become the better that God by vs maye be gloryfied and not that we go curiously about to search out the hidden counselles of God or desire to be counted skilfull and experte in many matters Let true fayth the glory of God and our saluation be appointed as the measure and certaine ende of oure hearing and reading For In Exodus Moses the holy seruaunt of God is commaunded to sanctifie the people and make them in a readinesse to heare the sacred Sermon whiche God him selfe did mynd to make the next daye after Moses therefore commeth and demaundeth of the whole people due obedience to be shewed as well to God as to his Ministers Then commaundeth he them to washe their garmentes to abstaine from their wiues After that he appointeeh certaine limites beyonde whiche it was not lawful vpon paine of death for them to passe By this we plainely learne that the Lorde doth require suche to be his Disciples to heare him as doe especially shewe obedience and reuerence to God in all thinges For he being God speaketh to vs men all we men owe vnto God honoure and feare A man vnlesse he become lowly humble and obedient to God is altogether godlesse Then is it required at the handes of those whiche are méete hearers of the worde of God that they lay aparte worldly affaires whiche are signified by the garments to treade vnder foote all filthynesse and vncleannesse of soule and bodye to refraine for a season euen from those pleasures whiche are lawfull vnto vs The holy Ghost dothe loue the myndes that are purely cleansed whiche yet notwithstanding are not cleansed but by the spirite of god Néedefull it is to haue a sincere beliefe in God and a ready good will and desire to liue according to that whiche is commaunded in the word of god Moreouer we muste be wise to sobrietie Ouer curious questions must be set aside Let things profitable to saluation only be learned Last of all let especial héede be takeÌ„ in hearing and learning For saythe Solomon If thou wilt seeke after wisdome as after golde thou shalte obteine it Againe he sayth The searcher out of Gods maiestie shall be ouerwhelmed by his wonderfull glory And againe he sayth Seeke not things too highe for thee neyther goe about to searche out things aboue thy strengthe but what God hath commaunded thee that thinke thou always on and be not ouer curious to knowe his infinite workes for it is not expedient for thee to see his hidden secrets with thine eyes Wherevpon the Apostle Paul sayth Let no man thinke arrogantly of him selfe but so thinke that he may be modest and sober according as God to euery one hath giuen the measure of fayth And hereto belongeth that which the same Apostle saythe Knowledge puffeth vp but charitie doth edifie But chiefly we muste beware of those plagues which choake the séede of the worde of God and quenche it without any fruite at all in the hearts of the hearers Those plagues and diseases hath the Lorde rehcarsed or reckoned vp in the parable of the sower For first of all wanton and vaine cogitations whiche alwaies lye wide open to the inspirations of Satan and talke of naughtie men are plagues to the word of god Also voluptuous and deintie louers of this world who can not abide to suffer any affliction for Christ and his Gospell do without any fruite at all heare Gods worde although they seeme to giue eare vnto it very ioyfully Furthermore the care of this worlde and the deceit of riches are moste pestilent diseases in the hearers of the worde of god For they doe not onely hinder the séede that it can not bring soorthe fruite in their heartes but also they doe stirre vp and egge men forwarde to gaynesay the worde of God and to afflict the earnest desirers of Gods worde Here therefore we muste take héede diligently leaste being infected with these diseases we become vaine and vnthankfull hearers of the worde of god We must praye continually that the bountifull and liberall Lorde will vouchsafe to bestowe on vs his spirit that by it the séed of Gods word may be quickned in our heartes and that we as holy and right hearers of his worde may beare fruite aboundantly to the glory of God and the euerlasting saluation of oure owne soules For what will it auayle to heare the worde of God without fayth and without the holy spirite of God to worke or stir inwardly in our hearts The Apostle Paule sayth He whiche watreth is nothing nor he whiche planteth but it is God whiche giueth increase We haue néede therefore of Gods watering that the word of God may growe to a perfect age may receiue increase yea and may come also to the bringing foorthe of ripe fruite within our mindes The same Aposâ—le Paule saythe To vs also is the worde of God declared euen as vnto our fathers But it auayled them nothing to heare the worde bycause it was not ioyned with
hereafter speake in a seueral sermon by it selfe In this place I will onely touche summarily such poynts of repentance as séeme to make for the demonstration of the Gospell Our Lorde Christe Iesus doth in the preaching of the Gospell require faith and repentaunce neither did he him selfe when hee preached the Gospell procéede any other waye For Marke hath Iesus came into Galile preaching the Gospell of the kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdome of God is at hand repent and beleeue the Gospell Neither did he otherwise instructe his disciples when he sent them to preache the Gospell vnto all nations For S. Luke saith Christ saide to his disciples so it is written and so it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the thirde daye from the dead and that in his name should be preached repētance and the forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto all nations Sainct Paule like a good scholer following his maister in the Actes of the Apostles saith Ye knowe that I haue helde backe nothing that was profitable vnto you but haue shewed you haue taught you openly and throughout euery house witnessing both to the Iewes and also to the Greekes the repentance that is towarde god and the faith that is towarde our Lorde Iesus Christe In his Epistle to the Romanes where he doth compendiousely handle the Gospel he taketh occasion to beginne the preaching thereof at sinne conuincing both Iewes and Gentiles to be subiect therevnto Nowe hee beginneth at sinne to this ende and purpose that euery one descending into him selfe may sée and acknowledge that in him selfe he hath no righteousnesse but that by nature he is the sonne of wrath death and damnation not that suche acknowledging of sinnes doth of it selfe make vs acceptable vnto God or else deserue remission of sinnes and life euerlasting but that after a sorte it doth prepare a waye in the mindes of men to receiue faith in Christe Iesus and so by that meanes to embrace Christ Iesus him selfe who is our only and absolute righteousnesse For the hoale néede not the Physician but suche as are sicke and diseased They therefore whiche thinke them selues to be cleare without sinnes and righteous of them selues do vtterly reiect Christ and make his death of none effect but on the other side they that féele the diseases of the mynde and do from the bottome of their heartes confesse that they are sinners and vnrighteous not putting any trust in their owne strength and merites doe euen pant for the haste that they make to Christ which when they do then Christe doeth offer him selfe in the Gospell promisinge vnto them remission of sinns and life euerlasting as he that came to heale the sicke and to saue repentant sinners But the promise is receiued by faith and not by woorkes therefore the Gospell and Christ in the Gospel are receiued by faith For wee must diligently distinguishe betwirte the precepts and the promises The promises are receiued by faith the preceptes are accomplished by workes Wherevppon Paule is read to haue saide If the inheritaunce be of the lawe then is it not nowe of promise But god gaue Abraham the inheritaunce by promise The same Apostle to the Romans conferring the lawe and the Gospell together doth saye The righteousenesse which is of the lawe doth say whosoeuer doeth these thinges shall liue by them But the righteousenesse of faith doth saiye if thou beleeuest thou shalt be saued The lawe therefore is grounded vppon workes wherevnto it séemeth to atttribute righteousnesse But because no man doth in woorkes fulfill the lawe therefore is no man iustified by works or by the lawe The Gospell is not grounded vpon works For sinners acknowledge nothing in them selues but sinne and wickednesse For they féele in them selues that they are wholie corrupted and therefore they flée to the mercie of god in whose promises they put their trust hoaping verily that they shall freely obteine remission of their sinnes and that for Christ his sake they are receiued into the number of the sonnes of God. I would speake more in this place concerning faith in Iesus Christ the remission of sinnes and the inheritannce of life euerlasting if I had not alreadie in the sirste Decade declared them at large Here by the way ye haue to remember that the Gospell is not sincerely preached when ye are taught that we are made partakers of the life of Christe for our owne desertes and meritorious woorkes For wee are fréely saued without respect of any workes of ours either first or last And although I haue oftener than once handeled this argument in these Sermons of mine yet beecause it is the hooke wherevpon the hindge of the Euangelicall doctrine whiche is the doore to Christe doth hang and that this doctrine to wite That Christe is receiued by faith and not by workes is of many men verie greatly resisted I will for the declaration and confirmation sake thereof produce here two places onely but suche as be apparant enough and euident to prooue and confirm it by the one out of the Gospell of Christ our Lorde the other out of Paules Epistles Our Lorde Iesus Christ being about to teache briefely the waye to txue saluation that is to preach the gladd tydinges of life vnto Nichodemus in the Gospell after Saincte Iohn doth firste of all beginne at repentaunce and doth wholie take Nichodemus from him selfe leauinge him no merites of his owne wherein to put his trust For while hee doeth vtterly condemne the firste birth of man as that which is nothing auailable to obteine eternall life what doeth hee I beeséech you leaue to Nicodemus wherin he may bragge or make his boaste For he doth expressely saye Verily verily I say vnto thee vnlesse a man bee borne from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of god If the firste birth and the giftes thereof were able to promote a man to the kingdome of God what neede then shoulde he haue to bee borne the seconde time The seconde byrth is wrought by the meanes of the holye Ghoste which beeing from heauen powred into oure heartes doth bring vs to the knowledge of our selues so that wee may easily perceiue assuredly knowe and sensibly féele that in our fleshe there is no life or righteousenesse at all and so consequently that no man is saued by his owne strength or merits What then The Spirite forsooth doth inwardly teache vs that which the sounde of the Gospell doeth outwardly tell vs that We are saued by the merite of the sonne of God. For the Lorde in the Gospel saith No man ascendeth into heauen but hee that descended from heauen the sonne of man that is in heauen For in an other place he doth more plainely saye No man commeth to the father but by mee And againe to Nicodemus he saith As Moses did lift vpp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so muste the sonne of man be lift vp that euerie one which beleeueth in him shuld
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
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
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
of God the father Here true Christiās are separated from Iewes from Turkes yea and Papistes also For they despising the sonne of God call vpon the father only without the mediation of Christ Iesus But the voice of God by the Gospel and his Apostles pronounceth against them In the Gospel we read the Lord said The father hath committed all iudgement vnto the sonne beecause that all men shuld honour the sonne euen as they honor the father He that honoureth not the sonne the same honoreth not the father which hath sent him And againe I am the way the trueth the life No man cōmeth to the father but by me And Iohn the Apostle and Euāgelist saith Who soeuer denieth the sonne the same hath not the father But these men doe not acknowledge Christ to be the only intercessour but teach the saincts in his stéed or with him ought to bee called vppon as patrones before god But the same Iohn shewing an aduocate vnto Christiās did not appoint him selfe did not lay before vs sainctes in stéed of Christ or them with Christ But saieth he wee haue an aduocate with GOD the father Iesus Christ the righteous Neither doeth Paule shewe vs any other in 1. Tim. 2. cap. and Heb. 7. cap. To the Ephesi By Christ sayth he wee haue bouldnesse entraunce with confidēce by faith in him Christ is sufficient for them that beléeue as in whom alone the father hath stoared vpp all good things commaunding vs to aske those thinges in him and by him thorough prayer These thinges are sufficient for minds not desirous of contention They that wil let them serch further in the third Sermon of the fourth Decade I haue told you who is to be prayed vnto or called vppon of the godly worshipers of God and by whome to witt God alone by the onely sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Let vs now sée what should stirre vp man to call vppon God surely the spirite of our God principally For prayer is rightly counted amonge the giftes of grace For neither could we earnestly nor hartily call vpon our God vnlesse we be stirred vpp and prouoked thervnto by the spirite of god For albeit the commaundement of God will vs to pray present necessitie and daunger driue vs and the example of other allure vs to pray yet all these thinges would doe nothing vnlesse the spirite inforce our minds vnto his will and guide and kéepe vs in prayer Therefore though there be many causes concurring whiche moue men to prayer yet the chiefe original of prayer is the holy Ghost to whose motion and gouernement in the entraunce of all prayers whosoeuer pray with any fruite do begge with an holy preface To this perteine these words of the holy Apostle The spirite also saith hée helpeth our infirmities For we know not what to pray as we ought but the spirite it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed But he which searcheth the harts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite for he maketh requests for the saincts according to the will of God. In déede the spirite of God is said to make intercession not that he in very déed prayeth groaneth but because he stirreth vp our mindes to pray and to sighe and bringeth to passe that according to the pleasure of GOD wée should make intercession or pray for the Sainctes that is to saye for oure selues But let vs consider with what abilities hée must be furnished which cōmeth of purpose to pray vnto god First it is necessarie that hée lay aside all opinion of his owne worthinesse and righteousnesse that hee acknowledge himselfe to bee a sinner and to stand in néed of all good thinges and so let him yéeld himselfe vnto the méere mercie of God desiring of the same to be filled with all things that are good For that great prophete of God Daniel saieth Wee doe not present our prayers before thee in our own righteousnes but in thy manifold mercies Also you read the like prayers offered vnto God Psal. 79. For the people of the Lord crie Helpe vs O Lord of our saluation for the glorie of thy name deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sinnes for thy names sake Remember not our sinnes of old make hast and let thy mercie deliuer vs. In the new Testament the Phariseie in Luke trusting in his owne righteousnesse is put by and cast off from the Lord but the Publican fréely confessing his sinnes and crauing mercie of God is heard and iustified For vnlesse we acknowledge our nakednes weakenes and pouertie who I pray you wil pray vnto God For not they that bestrong but they that bee sicke haue neede of the Physician And the Lorde in the Gospell sayth Aske and ye shal receiue knocke and it shal be opened vnto you seeke and ye shall finde Hee therfore that is commaunded to aske that he may receiue hath not as yet that he asketh he that knocketh by knocking signifieth that he standeth without doores and he whiche séeketh hathe lost that which yet he séeketh for We therefore being shut out from the ioyes of Paradise by prayer do séeke and aske for that whiche we haue lost and haue not Therefore where as Dauid and Ezechias and other saintes of God in prayer do alledge their owne righteousnes for which they séeme worthily to require to be heard truely they regarde not their owne worthinesse but rather the trueth of god He hath promised that he will heare them that worship him therfore the Godly say Beholde wee are thy worshippers therefore it is méete thou shouldest not neglect vs but deliuer vs In the meane while in other places they speake in suche sort of their righteousnesse that we cannot doubt that in their prayers they made mention of their righteousnesse with a certeine measure and limitation Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant sayth Dauid for in thy sight shal no man liuing be iustified c. Furthermore and that whiche is the chiefe of all it is needefull that they which pray must haue a true feruent faith Let the doctrine of faith therefore in the matter of prayer shewe vs lighte as the morning starr and with an assured hope to obtein of God the thing which is asked let him that prayeth make his petition Let him aske in faith sayth saint Iames nothing wauering for he that wauereth is like a waue of the Sea tost of the winde and carried with violence Neither let that man think that he shal receiue any thing of the Lord. And Paule also sayth Howe shall they call vppon him on whome they haue not beleeued I haue spoken of faith in the fourth sermon of the firste Decade But to the ende that faith may increase in iust measure flourish and continue stable we must labour in the promises and examples from euery place gathered together We will recite a fewe In the booke of Psalmes
receiued againe by faithfull repentaunce into the same grace from whence they fel. But to our purpose Baptisme the seale of the righteousnesse of faithe is not sett to parchmente or to the writing of the Gospell but it is applyed to the very bodyes of the Children of God and is as it were marked and imprinted in them For wée are whoâ—â—e dipped with our bodies or wholie sprinckled with the water of Baptisme which truely is a visible sealing confirming that the true God is our God which sanctifieth and purifieth and that purification and euery good gifte of God is due vnto vs as the heyres of god And to the setting foorth of this matter pertayneth that euidente place of Paule which in the Epistle to the Galathians is thus read For yee are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus For all ye that are baptised haue put on Christe And so foorth The supper of the Lorde hath the like reason whiche also is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith For the sonne of God dyed hee by his death redéemed the beléeuers also his body and bloud is our meat and drinck vnto eternall life And truely this singular and excellent priuiledge giuen vnto the faithfull is declared and sett downe in writing by the Apostles â–ª but it is consecrated and sealed of the Lorde him selfe by the Sacramente of his bodye and bloude whereby he sealeth vs an assuraunce that we are iustified by faith in the death of Christ and that all the good giftes of Christe are communicated vnto vs and that wee are fedd and strengthened by Christe Moreouer that the sealing might be the more liuely he setteth not the seale to written parchmente but it is brought and also giuen to be eaten of our bodyes that we might haue a witnesse within our selues that Christe with all his giftes is wholy ours if wee perseuere in faith For the Lorde him selfe in the Gospell saith He that eateth me shall liue by the meanes of mee But hee eateth whiche beléeueth For in the same place the Lord saithe I am the bread of life He that commeth to mee shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Héereby we gather the summe of the whole matter that the Sacramentes doe seale vpp the promises of God and the gospel and that therefore so often mention is made in the Churche of euidences or letters patents or charters and seales of the preaching of the gospell and the promises of God that the whole mysterie of our saluation is renued and continued as oft as those actions instituted of God I meane Sacramentes are celebrated in the Church Hetherto I think doeth that belong whiche the faithfull minister of Christe Zuinglius vppon the SacrameÌ„ts hath deliuered in these wordes Sacramentes beare witnesse of a thing that hath bene done For al lawes customes and ordinaunces doe shew their authours and beginnings Therefore Baptisme since it setteth foorth in signification the death and resurrection of Christe it must needs bee that those thinges were done indeede These wordes are to be found In Expositione sidei ad regem ChristianuÌ„ The same Zuinglius Ad principes Germaniae contra Eggium saith When that noble man taking his iourney in to a farre countrie distributing bread and wine did farre more liuelie and peculiarly giue him selfe vnto vs when he saide This is my body than if he had said This is a token or signe of my bodide although hee tooke away his naturall bodie and carried it into Heauen Yet neuerthelesse by these wordes in that apperteyneth to faith and grace hee giueth him selfe wholy as if hee had saide Now I goe to dye for you and after a while will wholie departe from hence But I wil not haue you doubt of my loue and care to you warde How much soeuer I am I am altogether yours In witnesse whereof I commend vnto you a signe of this my betraying and testament to the intente you might maintaine the memorie of me and of my benefites that when ye see this bread and this cupp ministred vnto you in the supper of my remembraunce ye may be no otherwise mindfull of me that is that I deliuered vp my self for you than if you should see mee with your eyes face to face as ye now se me bothe to eate with you and by and by shall see me to be led from you to dye for you Hetherto I haue recited Zuinglius his words and anon I wil rehearse other wordes of his againe not that I stay my selfe vppon them or vppon any testimonyes of man but that it may be made manifest that this man did not as some haue falsely thought contemne the sacramentes In the meane while we acknowledge these testimonies of the holie Scripture And God it is which stablisheth vs with you in christ hath annointed vs whiche hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our harts 2. Cor. 1. And also After ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holie spirite of promise whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce vnto the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glorie Ephesi 1. verse 13. And againe Greeue not the holie spirit of GOD by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption Ephe. 4. Wee acknowledge the trueth of God to be sufficiently sound true and certeine of it selfe neither can wee from else-where haue a better confirmation than out of it For if our minde be not confirmed one euerye side it wauereth God therefore frameth him self according to our weaknesse and by his Sacraments as muche as may bee doeth as it were vpholde vs yet so that we referre all the benefite of our confirmation to the spirite it selfe and to his operation rather than to the element Wherfore as we attribute Confirmation to doctrine and to teachers euen so doe wee Sealing to the Sacramentes We read in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 14 and 18. The Apostles returned and strengthened the Disciples soules againe and exhorted them to continue in the faithe Againe in the firste to the Thesâ—a 3. Wee haue sent saith Paule Timotheus our Brother and minister of GOD to confirme or stablish you and to comforte you concerninge your faithe Neuerthelesse vnlesse the inwarde force of the spirite doe drawe and quicken the hartes of the hearers the outwarde persuasion of the teacher though it bee neuer so forceable veheÌ„ment shall nothing auayle but if the holie spirit do shew foorth his might and worke with the worde of the Preacher the soules of the hearers are moste mightilie strengthened And so it standeth with the mysterie of the Sacramente For if the inwarde anuoynting and fealing of the holy Ghost be wanting the outwarde action will be counted but a toy to the vnbeléeuers neither worketh the sealing of the Sacramentes any thing at all but when faith the gifte of the holie Ghost goeth before the sealing of the Sacramentes is very strong
after the supper did beate vpon nothing so muche as the very same thing against which they set shoulder to wit that Christe would be absent in body but present in spirit that this presence wold be more profitable to the church than his bodily presence Do they not also vnderstande wherefore he tooke fleshe and was nayled on the Crosse that is to say what the effect and vse is of Christes body to wit that the sacrifice of his body being once offered for vs vppon earth he might carrie the same vppe into heauen in token that both oure bodies and soules after oure death shall through his merite be also carried thither Therefore after that the Lordes body had fulfilled on earth that whiche it came to fulfill there is no cause why it should doe any thing else vpon earth He nowe sitteth and ought to sit at the right hande of the father that he may drawe all vs thither vnto him If there be any that doth not yet fully beléeue that which we say let him reade the doctrine of Sainte Paule the Apostle in the ninthe and tenthe Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrues Let him also reade the fourtéenth and sixtéenth chapters of Saint Iohns Gospell But if it be a pleasure to them to hale at the gable of contention and to sticke precisely as well to these wordes of the Lorde I am with you vnto the worldes ende as to these This is my body This is my bloud let them then expound to me these holy testimonies of the holy Scripture Paule sayth that Christe dwelleth in our harts and that Christ liueth in him and he in Christe The Lorde saythe to the théefe This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise And the Euangelist saith of the Lord being dead They layde him into the sepulchre The Scripture sayth not They layde fleshe and bones into the sepulchre but They layde him into the sepulchre The Lorde sayde not to the théefe Thy soule shall be with my spirite or soule in Paradise But Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Neyther dothe Sainte Paule say that Christes spirite and life doth liue in him or dwell in our heartes But he sayth simply That Christ doth dwell in our heartes But who is so foolishe and giuen to contention that for these wordes and places of the Scripture will contend that Christes diuinitie was buryed with his body that Christes body was with his soule that same daye in Paradise in which either of thē departed this life that Christes body together with his spirit dwelleth in the harts of the faithful liueth in Paul that Paule liueth in Christes flesh Al men doe willingly admit the catholique sense of the catholique Churche gathered out of the word of god namely that Christ in his spirite is present in his Churche euen to the worldes ende but absent in body and that the théefes soule was that day present in Paradise with Christes soule not with his bodye So iudgeth it also of the residue But if any man mistrust myne interpretation let him heare S. August in his treatise vpon Iohn saying thus He speketh of the presence of his body when hee sayth the poore you shal always haue with you but mee shall you not haue alwayes For in respect of his maiestie of his prouidence of his vnspeakable grace is that fulfilled which hee spake Behold I am with you always euen to the worldes end But in respect of the fleshe which the woorde tooke vpon it in respect that he was borne of the virgine that he was takē by the Iewes that hee was nayled to the Crosse that hee was taken downe from the Crosse that hee was woond in a sheete that he was layde into the sepulchre that hee was manifested in the resurrection you shall not haue me with you alwayes And why so Bycause hee was conuersant as touching his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and they accompanying him but not following him hee ascended into heauen And is not here For there he sitteth at the right hand of the father And hée is héere For hee is not gone hence in respect of the presence of his maiestie Thus farre Sainte Augustine But if they yet procéede not regarding all this that we haue sayd to vrge that saying of the Lorde out of Matthewe Behold I euen I I say am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with you we will also obiect againste them this saying of the Lord and the same out of the Gospel It is expediēt for you that I we here they haue also this worde I doe depart we obiect also against them this testimonie of the angels out of Luke This Iesus which is takē vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from you into heauen c. They shal be at lengthe constreyned whether they will or no to reconcile such places as séeme to be repugnant and to admitte the generall vnderstanding whiche we haue alledged and defended hitherto Neyther is there here any daunger of diuiding Christe neyther diuide we Christes person with Nestorius since we defend the proprietie of bothe natures in Christe against the Eutychians While Christ our Lorde in body was yet conuersant vpon the earth hee him selfe witnesseth in the Gospell that neuerthelesse he was also in the heauens And in déed Christ who was bothe God and man all at one time was then in heauen when he was crucified and conuersant vpon earth although his body was not crucified in the heauens But as Christ diuided not him selfe although being in heauen he was notwithstāding conuersant and crucified in body vpon earth not in heauen so neyther do we diuide Christe who is both God and man although we say he is present with vs when we celebrate the supper and that we communicat with him yet neuerthelesse we affirme that in his body he remayneth in heauen where hee sitteth at the right hand of the father and so let vs keepe our selues within the compasse of the Scripture Of this matter I haue reasoned at large where I haue intreated of one person and of bothe natures in Christ vnpermixed Hitherto haue I spoken of the naturall meaning of the wordes of the Lordes Supper as briefly and plainly as possibly I could Touching the place of Paule in the first to the Corinthians chap. 10. The cup of blessing which we blesse c. with suche other textes which are alledged to proue bodily presence I shal not néed to vse many wordes for wee haue handled that place already once or twise It remayneth therefore that wee examine and weyghe what they deliuer vnto vs touching the eating of Christes body and also what the Canonicall scriptures doe teache to be thought of that eating What say they the lord hath promised the same most surely and fully he performeth They adde But he promised that he would giue vs his true body and very bloude to be eaten and brunken in the fourme of breade and wine
the vse or effect of the lawe of God and of the fulfilling abrogating of the same Of the likenesse and difference of bothe the Testamentes and people the old and the new 400 9 Of Christian libertie and of offences Of good workes and the reward thereof 440 10 Of sinne and of the kyndes thereof to wit of originall and actuall sinne and of sinne against the Holie Ghoste And lastly of the most sure and iust punishment of sinnes 477 The summe or contentes of the tenne Sermons of the fourth Decade 1 Of the Gospell of the grace of GOD who hath giuen his Sonne vnto the world and in him all thinges necessarie to saluation that wee beleeuing in him might obteine eternall life 525 2 Of repentaunce and the causes thereof of confession and remission of sinnes of satisfaction and indulgences of the olde and newe man of the power or strength of mē the other things perteyning to repentāce 561 3 Of God of the true knowledge of God and of the diuers ways how to know him That God is one in substance three in persons 604 4 That God is the creatour of all things and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence where mention is also made of the good wil of God to vsward and of Predestination 635 5 Of adoreing or worshipping Of inuocating or calling vpon And of seruing the onely liuing true and euerlasting god Also of true and false religion 648 6 That the sonne of God is vnspeakably begotten of the father that he is consubstantiall with the father and therefore true god That the selfe same sonne is true man consubstantiall with vs and therefore true God and man abiding in two vnconfounded natures and in one vndiuided person 677 7 Of Christ King Priest of his onely euerlasting kingdome and priesthoode and of the name of a Christian 698 8 Of the holie Ghoste the thirde person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power 714 9 Of good and euil spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirites of their operations 731 10 Of the reasonable soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his body 759 The third last Tome and first the summe or cōtents of the ten Sermons of the fift and last Decade 1 Of the holy Catholique Churche what it is how far it extendeth by what marks it is knowne from whence it springeth howe it is mainteyned and preserued whether it may erre Also of the power studies of the Church 812 2 That there is one Catholique Church that without the Churche there is no light or saluation Against Schismatiques Wherefore we depart from the vp-start Churche of Rome That the Church of God is the house vineyard and kingdome of God and the body sheepefolde and spouse of Christe a mother and a virgine 841 3 Of the ministerie and ministers of Gods worde wherefore and for what ende they are instituted of god That the orders giuen by Christe vnto the Churche in times past were equall Whence and howe the prerogatiue of ministers sprang and of the supremacie of the byshop of Rome 870 4 Of calling vnto the ministerie of the word of god What manner of men and after what fashion ministers of the worde must be ordeined in the church Of the keyes of the Churche What the office of them is that be ordeyned Of the manner of teaching the Churche and of the holie life of the Pastours 891 5 Of the fourme and maner how to pray to God that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thankesgiuing and the force of prayer is intreated 914 6 Of signes the manner of signes of Sacramentall signes what a sacrament is of whome for what causes and how many Sacraments were instituted of Christ for the christian church Of what thinges they doe consist howe they are consecrated how the sign and the thing signified in the Sacramentes are eyther ioyned together or distinguished and of the kinde of speaches vsed in the Sacramentes 955 7 That we must reason reuerently of Sacramentes that they doe not giue grace neyther haue grace included in them Again what the vertue and lawful end and vse of Sacraments is That they profite not without fayth that they are not superfluous to the faythfull and that they do not depend vpō the worthinesse or vnworthinesse of the minister 995 8 Of holie Baptisme what it is by whome when it was instituted and that there is but one baptisme of water Of the baptisme of fire Of the rite or ceremonie of baptisme howe of whome and to whome it muste be ministred Of Baptisme by Midwiues and of infants dying without baptisme Of the baptisme of infantes againste Anabaptisine or Rebaptising and of the power or efficacie of baptisme 1032 9 Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whom when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated of the ends thereof Of the true meaning of the wordes of the supper This is my body O◠the presence of Christ in the supper Of the true eating of Christes body Of the worthy vnworthy eaters thereof how◠euerie mā ought to prepare him self vnto the lords supper 1063 10 Of certeine institutions of the church of god Of scholes Of Ecclesiasticall goods of the vse abuse of the same O◠Churches holie instrument◠of Christians Of the admonition and correction of the ministers of the Church and of the whole Churche Of matrimonie Of widowes Of virgines Of Monkes What the church of Christe determineth concerning the sicke and of funeralls and burials 1112 The second table conteyning such places and testimonies of Scripture both of the old Testament and the Newe as are vsed of the Authour euery where throughout this his whole worke The first number is referred to the Chapter the second to the Page ¶ Out of Genesis 1IN the beginning God created heauen earth c. Pag. 632. 1 Let there be light and there was light c. 977 1 Let vs make man in our Image after our owne likenes c. 490. 633 2 Of the institution of mariage It is not good for man to bee alone c. 222. 2 Thou shalt not eate of the fruite of the trée of knowledge c. 483. 484. 488 3 Ye shall not die the death for God doth know that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened c. 751 3 The Serpent was subtiler than all the beastes of the field c. 749 3 The woman whom thou gauest to be with mée gaue mée of the trée c. 479 3 For dust thou art and into dust thalt thou be turned againe c. 764 3 The séed of the womā shall crush the serpents head c. 687 4 The voice of thy brothers bloud cryeth out of the earth c.
33 By the word of the Lord were the heauens made all the hoastes of them by the breath of his mouth c. 633. 34 This poore man cried and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all his troubles c. 741 37 A good man is mercifull and lendeth guideth his woords with discretion c. 288 37 Yet a little and the vngodly shal be no where and when thou lookest in his place c. 300 38 Rebuke me not in thine anger O Lord neither chasten me in thy c. 919 38 Thine arrowes stick fast in me and thine hand doth presse mée sore c. 565 45 All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel c. 127 45 The Lord shall reigne for euer and his kingdom is a kingdome of all ages c. 638 45 Thy God hath annoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes c. 705 50 Offer to the Lord the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vowes c. 113. 657. 922. 50 Why doest thou take my couâ—naunt in thy mouth c. When thou sawest a theefe thou consentedst vnto him c. 237 50 Whosoeuer offereth me thanks and praise he honoureth me c. 953 51 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thine holy spirite from me c. 722 51 Behold I was borne in wickednes in sinne hath my mother conceuied me 496 51 Make mee a cleane heart O Lord and renue a right spirit within me 819 51 Haue mercie vpon me O God according to the greatnesse of thy mercie For I â–ª c. 572 54 O come lee vs sing vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God eure saluation c. 651 61 Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to sée corruption c. 764 62 Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him c. 282 67 God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs snewe vs the light of his c. 944 72 Touching the infelicitie of the vngodly thou verily hast sett them in slipperie places c. 300 73 Touching the prosperitie of the wicked my feete were almost gone my treadings c. 292 75 Make vowes and paye them c. 381 78 The things that we haue heard and knowen suche as our fathers haue â—ould vs c. 622 79 Help vs O Lord of our saluasion for the glorie of thy name c. 921 81 In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mée and I deliuered thée c. 657 82 Man is the liuely image of god c 650 89 Thou Lord rulest the raging of the sea thou stillest the waues therof when they arise c. 639 91 Call vppon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie mée c. 657 91 There shall no euill come vnto thée neither shall any plagne comâ— néere thy dwelling c. 741 91 Thou art my hope O Lord thou hast set thine house very highâ— c. 305 94 Vnderstand ye vnwise among the people ye fooles at length be wise c. 614 97 Thou Lord art higher than all that are in the earth Thou art exalted farre aboue all Gods c. 610 102 Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thée c. 914 103 The Lord is full of compassion and mercie slow to anger and of great kindnesse c. 644. 942 103 Blesse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mée blesse c. 952 103 Euen as the father pityeth his children so doeth the Lord pirie them c. 57 103 Praise the Lord O my soule and forgeâ—t not the thinges that hee hath done for thee c. 567 103 O praise the lord all ye angels of his ye that excell in strengthe yée that fulfil his commaundement c. 738 104 Of the fruite of thy works O God shal the earth be filled c. 639. 104 All thinges waite vppon thée that thou mayest giue them meate in due season c. 947 104 Whiche maketh his Angels spirites his ministers a flaming fire c. 714 110 The Lord sware and will not repent hun Thou art a priest for euer after tâ—e order of Melchisedech c. 704 110 The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand c. 59. 633. 692. 699. 110 In the mightie power of holinesse the dewe of thy byrthe is to thée of the wombe of the morning c. 62 113 The idols of the heathen are siluer and gold the workes of mens hands c. 118 113 The Lord is higher than all nations and his glorie is aboue the heauens c. 610 116 Onely God is true and euery man a liar c. 834 118 The pathe of life shalt thou make knowen to mée the fulnesse c. 71 118 The stone which the builders refused is the head of the corner c. 861 119 Seuen times in a daye doe I praise thée c. 936 119 It is good for me Lord that thou hast troubled mée c. 294 119 I haue longed after thy commaundements c. 324 119 The praise of Gods word c. 253 120 Lord deliuer mee from lying lippes and a deceiptfull tongue c. 324 123 Our GOD is in heauen hée hath done what soeuer pleased him c. 945 128 The labours of thine handes shalt thou eate O well is thée and happie c. 269 135 I know that the Lord is great that he is aboue al Gods c. 639 136 Oh praise the Lord for hée is good because his mercie endureth for euer c. 164. 570 138 Whether shall I goe from the breath of thy mouth and whether shall I flée from thy countenaunce c. 610 139 Thou O Lord knowest my downe-sitting and mine vp-rising thou spyest out all my wayes c. 638 141 Let my prayer bee directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vpp of my hands as an euening sacrifice c. 658 141 The righteous shall sinite mée friendly but the precious baulmes of the wicked c. 324 142 Enter not into iudgment with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shal no man liuing c. 467. 555 145 When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled c. 714 145 The Lord is nigh vnto al that call vpon him vnto all such as c. 922 145 The Lord is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his workes c. 494 145 The eyes of all things do loke vpp vnto thée O Lord and thou giuest c. 947 145 The Lord vpholdeth such as fall and lifteth vpp all those that be downe c. 639 147 Great is oure Lord and great is his power and of his wisedome there is none end c. 639 ¶ Out of the Prouerbes of Solomon 1 MY sonne if sinners entice thée consent not vnto them c. 168 3 My sonne refuse not the chastening of
plentiously c. 290 4 Who so euer worketh any thing for thee giue him his hire immediately c. 273 Out of the booke of Iudith 8 WHat manner of sentence is this whervnto Ozias hath consented c. 926 Out of the first booke of Machabeis 2 OF prayer for the deade or departed this life c. 774 Out of the second booke of Machabeis 2 The obedience and fayth in the Machabeis in olde Eleazat and certaine other c. pleased the Lord c. 383. 511 Out of the newe Testament and first out of the Gospell after Saint Matthewe 1 THat which is conceiued within her is of the holie Ghoste c. 688 1 Marie shal bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus c. 60 3 All Iurie came out to Iohn the 〈◊〉 of the Lorde and were baptised of him c. 573 3 This is my beloued sonne in whome I am pleased beare him c. 527. 628. 682 3 I baptise you with water but he shall baptise you with the holie Ghost c. 983 3 The Lorde is sayde to haue a vanne is his hande and cleanseth the flowre c. 819 4 All these will I giue thée if thou falling downe wilt worship me c. 653 4 Anoyd sathan For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God c. 653. 671 5 The father sendeth rayne vppon the iust and vnuist c. 641 5 Blessed are you when men shall reuile you and persecute you c. 468. 910. 5 ye are the light of the world a citie that is set on an high hil c. 910 5. 6. 23 Hypocrutes much and often spoken against in the Gospell c. 817 5 ye haue heard what was sayde of olde Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe c. 130 5 Ye are the salt of the earth if the salt become vnsauourie c. 908 5 Ye haue heard that it was sayde to them of olde Thou shalt not coÌ„mit adulterie c. 234 5 To hun that will sue thée at the lawe and take away thy coate c. 195 5 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for c. 307 5 Be ye perfect euen as your father which is in heauen c. 405 5 Who so euer is angrie with his brother shall be in daunger of iudgement c. 326. 508 5 Think not that I am come to destroy the lawe or the c. 409 410 5 Therefore if thou bring thy gift vnto the altar there c. 574. 924 5 Let your light so shine before men that they may sée youre good workes c. 453. 476 6 When ye pray say Our father which art in heauen halowed be thy name c. 703. 941 6 Ii ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father will also to giue you c. 574 6 No man can serue two maisters c. 653 6 Ye can not serue God and Manimon at once c. 263 6 But then what thou pravest enter into thy chamber and when c. 914. 927 6 Hoorde not vppe for your selues treasures in earth where the rust moth c. 264 6 The light or candle of the body is the eye if therefore thine eye be single c. 264 6 If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father shall also c. 924 6 Fastings must be without superstition and feigned hypocrisie c. 243 7 Aske and it shall be giuen you séeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you c. 647 7 Euery one that asketh receiueth and he that séeketh findeth c. 545 7 What so euer ye would that meÌ„ should doe to you do ye the same to them c. 102 7 Cast not youre pearles before swâ—ne neyther giue that whiche is holie c. 961 7 Striue to enter in at the streight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction c. 712 8 It is no reason that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe c. 36 8 Goe thy way and as thou haste beléeued so be it vnto thée c. 776 8 I say vnto you that many shall come out of the East and out of the West c. 432 9 Beware of false Prophetes whiche come to you in shéepes clothing c. 858 9 I came to séeke that which was lost c. 645 9 They that are whole néede not the Physician but they that are sick c. 568 9 The children of the bride chamber do fast when the bride is taken from them c. 242. 243 9 Beholde a certeine ruler came to Iesus worshipped him c. 649 10 Fréely ye haue receiued c. 1119 10 The sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue his soule a redemption for many c. 690 10 Are not two sparrowes solde for a farthing and one of them shal not light on the ground c. 638 648 10 If they haue called the Lorde of the house Béelzebub howe much more shall they call them of his housholde c. 910 10 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you c. 154 10 It shall be easier for the lande of Sodome in the day of iudgemeÌ„t then for the c. 508 10 For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you c. 719 10 Feare ye not them whiche kill the body but are not able to kill the soule c. 765 10 I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variaunce c. 452 11 It shall be easier for Tyre and Sidon in the day of iudgement than for you c. 508 11 Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie loden and I will refreshe you c. 545. 644. 662 12 By thy déedes thou shalt be iustified and by the same thou shalt be condemned c. 470 21 The baptisme of Iohn was it from heauen or of men c. 963 12 If I through Béelzebub cast out diuels by whome c. 883 12 A disparation touching the sabbaotâ— betweÌ„en our sauiour Christ and the Phariseis c. 143 12 Eyther make the trée good and the fruite good or else the trée nought c. 817 12 The Prophetes and the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn since the time the kingdome c. 436 12 Euerie sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen vnto men but the sinne against c. 517. 568 12 As Ionas was thrée dayes and thrée nightes in the bellie of the whale c. 69 13 To euery one that hath shall be giuen and he shal abound and from him c. 476 646. 722 13 The sonne of man shall sende foorth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome al things that offend c. 740 13 The kingdome of heaueÌ„ is like vnto a net which being cast c. 818 13 The parable of him whiche bought the precious pearle c. 21 13 Cockle
c. 980 10 Arise I also myselfe am a man c. 654. 890 10 That which God hath cleansed call not thou common or vncleane c. 226. 1055 10 Thy prayers and thine almes déedes are hadde in remembraunce c. 924 11 Agabus foretolde Saint Paule the famine which was to come c. 878 12 Herode put Peter in pryson Peter slept betwéene two souldiers c. 735 12 It is the voyce of God and not of man c. 890 13 The Churches by the commandemente of the Apostles ordeyned doctours c. 837 13 Be it knowne vnto you men brethren that through this Lorde c. 45. 408 13 The Iewes being filled with indignation spake against those thinges c. 903 13 The word of God ought first to be preached vnto you but bycause you reiect it and iudge your c. 1107 14 The apostles returned strengthened the disciples soules againe c. 1016 14 God left not him selfe without witnesse in that he shewed his benefites from heauen c. 638 15 Dissention kindled by Paule and Barnabas againste them that taught circumcision c. 1001 15 Paule preaching the worde of God among the Gentiles went into the Synagogues c. 1114 15 We beléeue that through the grace of our Lord Iesus c. 50 15 Fornication forbidden by the Apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent froÌ„ Ierusalem c. 234 15 Bloud and strangled forbidden by the apostles in that Synodal Epistle which they sent from Ierusalem c. 421 16 Beléeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy whole c. 903 17 By God we liue and moue and haue our being c. 638. 685 17 God is not farre from euerie one of vs For by him wee liue wee moue and haue our being c. 610 17 God that made the worlde and all that therein is c. 126. 1004 17 Feare not Paule thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath giuen thée all them that sayle with thée c. 740 18 The Apostle shooke his raymeÌ„t and sayd your bloud be vppon your c. 903 19 The sonns of Sceâ—a the priest were sayd to be exorcistes c. 884 972 19 The holy ghost came vpon theÌ„ and they spake with tongues and prophecied c. 1032 19 When they heard these things they were baptised in the name of the Lord Iesus c. 1060 19 Iohn baptised with the baptisme of repentance saying vnto the people that they should beléeue c. 1031 20 God hath purchased to him selfe a church with his owne bloud c. 695 20 Take héede vnto your selues to the whole flocke whereof c. 866. 878. 901 20 I knowe this that after my departing shall grieuous wolues enter in c. 829. 887 20 Paule preached brake breade at Troas c. 1069 21 Paule being oppressed of the Iewes in the Temple of Hierusalem is rescued c. 832 22 I receiued authoritie from the high Priestes to binde al those that call c. 812 22 Paule being borne frée in the citie of Tharsus traueled to HierusaleÌ„ vnto Gamaliels féete c. 1115 22 Arise and be baptised washe away thy sinnes by calling on the name c. 989. 1061 23 Atroupe of horsemen and a certein companie of footmen sent with the Apostle Paule c. 832 23 As thou hast borne witnesse of me at Hierusalem so must thou beare record of me at Rome c. 640 23 The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite c. 731 24 I beléeue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophets c. 89 26 Paul wisheth that king Agrippa were suche an one as him selfe except his bandes c. 872 26 I send thée vnto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may be c. 871 27 Sâ—rs I exhort you to be of good cheare for there shall be no losse of any mans life c. 640 27 There sâ—oode by me this night the Angel of God whose I am c. 743 Out of the Epistle of S. Paule to the Romanes 1 APpointed to preache the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his Prophetes c. 629 693 838 1 His inuisible thinges being vnderstanded by his workes through the creation c. 620 1 God verily promised the Gospel of God afore by his Prophets c. 429 1 What so euer may be knowne of God is manifest c. 102 1 God gaue them vp vnto a reprobate sense c. 492 1 The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen against al vngodlines c. 520 2 There are two sorts of Circumcisions the one of the letter in the flesh c. 361 2 The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite c. 715 2 What doest thou despise the riches of Gods goodnes c. 125. 522 2 When the Gentiles which haue not the lawe do of nature c. 101 3 Doe we then destroye the lawe through fayth God forbid c. 553 3 The righteousnesse of GOD by fayth in Iesus Christe conuneth vnto all c. 546 3 Is he the God of the Iewes only Is he not also of the Gentiles c. 553 3 Where is the boasting it is excluded By what lawe Of works 552 3 All haue sinned and are destitute or haue néede of the Grace of God c. 501 3 If our vnrighteousnesse setteth foorth the righteousnesse of GOD what c. 482 3 Shall their vnbeliefe make the fayth of God without effect God forbid c. 1027 3 We doe therefore hold that a maÌ„ is iustified withoute the workes of the lawe c. 553 4 To him that worketh not but beléeuâ—th in him that iustifieth the vngodly c. 555 4 To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of Grace but of duetie c. 554 4 What shal we say theÌ„ that Abraham our father as apperteyning to the flesh c. 51 4 If Abraham were iustified by workes c. Abraham beléeued God and it was counted for righteousnesse c. 51. 457 554 4 Where no lawe is there is no transgression c. 502 4 Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce giuen that it might be by grace c. 52 5 Euen as by one man sinne entâ—red into the worlde and death by sinne c. 45. 482. 496. 502. 645. 1052. 5 Being iustified by the bloude of Christe we shall be saued c. 45. 54 5 We reioice also in tribulations knowing that tribulation worketh patience c. 294 5 The loue of God is poured oute into our hearts c. 92 5 Therefore being iustified by faith we are at peace with GOD c. 1002 5 Christe when as yet we were sinners dyed for vs muche more therefore nowe being iustified c. 662 5 Knowe ye not that all we which haue bin baptised into Iesus Christ haue bene baptised into his death c. 444. 709. 1025 7 Sinne withoute the lawe was once deade and I once
liued without lawe c. 502 7 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death c. 409 7 With the mynde the same I or euen I doe serue the Lawe of God c. 515 7 Wee knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne c. 405. 496 7 I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there is no good c. 482 589. 594. 7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe for I had not knowne lust except the lawe c. 325. 401 7 I finde when I would doe good that euill is present with by and in me c. 515 8 Those which he knewe before he did also predestinate that they should be like c. 894 8 It is God that iustifieth who is he that can condemne c. 662 8 Who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all howe can it be that he shoulde not also with him giue vs allthings c. 644 8 You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirite of adoption c. 565. 660 8 If any haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his c. 660. 925. 1055 8 As many as are led by the spirite of GOD they are the sonnes of God c. 718 8 They that are in the fleshe can not please God c 728 8 Bâ—cause ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts c. 723 8 Who shall separate vs from the loue of GOD shall tribulation c. 93. 311 8 The affection of the flesh is death but the affection of the spirit is life c. 325 8 The lawe of the spirite of life through Christe Iesus hath made mée frée c. 446 8 Wée are saued by hope but hope that is séene is no hope For howe can a man c. 305 8 What the Lawe could not do in as much as it was weake through the flesh c. 407 8 We sufferwith Christ that with him we may be glorified For I am c. 310 9 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie c. 644 9 They are not all Israelits whiche came of Israel neither are they c. 820 9 Which is God in all thinges to be praised for euer c. 685 10 Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the woord of god c. 827 10 With the heart man beléeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth c. 974 10 But how shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beléeued c. 660 10 If thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beléeue in thine heart c. 1007 10 The same Lord ouer all is rich to all them that call vppon him c. 546. 11 Wée say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse c. 1011 11 I haue left vnto me selfe 7000 men in Israel who haue neuer bowed c. 855 11 O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. 642 12 I beséeche you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp your bodies a liuely sacrifice c. 668 12 Dearely beloued reuenge not your selues but rather giue place vn to wrath c. 197 12 For as we haue manâ— meÌ„bers in one body and all members haue not c. 826 13 Owe nothing to any man c. for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Lawe c. 98 13 The magistrate is Gods minister giue therefore to all men honour to whome honour belongeth c. 650 13 Wée must not obey the magistrate for anger onely but for â—onscience sake c. 220 13 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. 170. 755 14 Let vs followe the things that make for peace and al things wherby we may one edifie c. 426 14 Him that is weake in faith receiue ye not to strifes of disputations c. 451 14 All thinges are lawfull for mée but all thinges are not expedient c. 449 14 The kingdom of GOD is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace c. 699 16 Phebe a woman deacon of the Church of Cencrea c. 879 ¶ Out of the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians 1 THe Lord sent me to preache the Gospel and not to baâ—tise c. 1055 1 Were ye baptised in the name of Paule c. 627 1 I thancke God that I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gaius c. 1033 1 Nowe we sée in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then we shall sée face to face c. 608 1 After that in the wisedome of God the world through their wisedome knewe not God c. 619 2 God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges c. 728 2 Had they knowen it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie c. 695 2 My preaching was not in the enticeing words of mans wisedom but in the shewing of the spirite c. 603. 825 2 I was among you CorinthiaÌ„s in weakenesse and in feare and in much trembling c. 831 2 The natural man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of GOD c. 500. 589 3 As a skilfull buildes I haue laid the foundation c. 860 3 For wee together are Gods labourers ye are gods husbandrie c. 860 3 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is layed which is c. 861. 862 3 He which watereth is nothing nor he which planteth c. 20. 3 Who is Paul And who is Apollos but the ministers by whom ye beléeued c. 860. 873 983. 1137 3 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God that the spirit of God dwelleth in you c. 717. 723. 861 3 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues c. 646 3. 4. Ministers are fellowe labourers with God and disposers of the secretes c. 873 4 Let a man so estéeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and disposers c. 881 4 For it is required in the disposers that a man be found faithfull c. 895 4 I begat you in Christe Iesu thorough the Gospell c. 827 5 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them c. 555. 569. 5 If any man that is called a brother be a théefe or a whoremonger c. 819. 1131 5 Therefore let vs kéepe the feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice c. 367 6 Yee are bought with a price become therefore the seruants c. 60 446. 1138 6 The holy and pure vse of the body seuearely requâ—red without all fâ—lthy and vncleane c. 426 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the members of Christe c. 235 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple
ignorant in no pointe of those thinges which Adam had taught Noe dyeth which is maruell to be tolde and yet very true in the. 59. yere of Abrahams age Sem the sonne of Noah liued many yeares with his father For he liued in all 600. yeres He was borne to Noah about 96. yeres before the deluge He sawe and heard therfore not onely his father Noe and his grandfather Lamâ—ch but also his great grand siar Methusalem with whome he liued those 96. yeres before the deluge Of him he might be informed of all those thinges whiche Methusalem had hearde and learned of Adam and the other Patriarches Sem dieth after the death of Abraham in the. 52. yeare of Iacob which was 37. yeares after the death of Abraham in the. 112. yeare of Isaac his age So that Iacob the Patriarch might very well learne all the true diuinitie of Sem him self euen as he had heard it of Methusalem who was the thirde witnesse and teacher from Adam Furthermore Iaacob the Patriarch deliuered to his childreÌ„ that which he receiued of God to teach to his posteritie In Mesopotamia there is borne to Iaacob his sonne Leui and to him againe is born Kahad whiche both sawe and hearde Iaacob For Kahad liued no small number of yeares with his grandfather Iaacob For he is rehearsed in the roll of them which went with Iaacob downe into Egypt but Iaacob liued 17. yeares with his children in Egypt This Kahad is the grandfather of Moses the father of Amram from whom Moses did perfectly draw that ful and certain tradition by hand as concerning the will commaundements and iudgements of God euen as Amram his father had learned theÌ„ of his father Kahad Kahad of Iaacob Iaacob of Sem Sem of Methusalem and of Adam the first father of vs all so nowe that Moses is from Adam the seuenth witnesse in the worlde And from the beginning of the worlde to the byrth of Moses are fully complete 2368. yeares of the worlde And who so euer shall diligently reckon the yeres not in vaine set downe by Moses in Genesis and Erodus he shall find this account to be true and right Now also it behoueth vs to know those chiefe principles of that liuely tradition deliuered by the holy fathers at the appointment of God as it were from hande to hande to all the posteritie The fathers taught their children that God of his naturall goodnesse wishing well to mankind woulde haue all men to come to the knowledge of the trueth and to be like in nature to God him selfe holy happie and absolutely blessed And therefore that God in the beginning did create man to his owne similitude and likenesse to the intent that he should be good holy immortal blessed and partaker of all the good gifts of God but that man continued not in that dignitie and happie estate but by the meanes of the deuill and his owne proper faulte fell into sinne miserie and death changing his likenesse to God into the similitude of the deuill Moreouer that God here againe as it were of freshe began the worke of saluation wherby mankind being restored and set free from all euill might once againe be made like vnto God and that he meant to bring this mightie and diuine worke to passe by a certain middle meane that is by the worde incarnate For as by this taking of flesh he ioyned man to God so by dying in the fleshe with sacrifice he cleansed sanctified and deliuered mankinde and by giuing him his holy spirit he made him like againe in nature to God that is immortall and absolutely blessed And last of all he worketh in vs a willing indeuour aptly to resemble the propertie and coÌ„ditions of him to whose likenesse we are created so that we maye be holy bothe body and soule They added moreouer that the word should be incarnate in his due time and appointed age And also that there did remaine a greate daye for iudgement wherein though all men were gathered together yet the rightuous onely shoulde receiue that reward of heauenly immortalitie So theÌ„ this is the brief summe of the holy fathers tradition whiche it is best to vntwist more largely and to speake of it more diligently as it were by parts First therefore the fathers taught that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one God in the moste reuerend Trinitie the maker and gouernour of heauen and earth and all things whiche are therein by whome man was made and who for man did make all things and put all things vnder mankind to minister vnto him things necessarie as a louing father and most bountiful Lorde Then they taught that man consisted of soule and body and that he in déede was made good according to the image and likenesse of God but that by his owne faulte and egging forwarde of the deuill falling into sinne he brought into the worlde death and damnation together with a webbe of miseries out of whiche it can not ridde it selfe So that nowe all the children of Adam euen from Adam are borne the sonnes of wrath and wretchednesse But that God whose mercy aboundeth according to his incomprehensible goodnesse taking pitie on the miserie of mankinde did euen of his méere grace graunt pardon for the offence and did laye the weight of the punishment vpon his only sonne to the intent that he when his heele was crushed by the Serpent might him self breake the Serpents heade That is to say God doth make a promise of seed that is of a sonne who taking fleshe of a péerelesse woman I meane that Virgine most worthy of commendations should by his death vanquishe death and Sathan the authour of death and shoulde bring the faythfull sonnes of Adam out of bondage yea and that more is shuld by adoption make them the sonnes of God and heires of life euerlasting The holy fathers therefore taught to beléeue in God and in his son the redéemer of the whole world when in their very sacrifices they did represent his death as it were an vnspotted sacrifice wherwith he ment to wipe away and cleanse the sinnes of all the worlde And therefore had they a most diligent eye to the stocke and lineall descent of the Meschias For it is brought down as it were by a line from Adam to Noe and from Noe by Sem euen to Abraham him selfe and to him againe it was sayde In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed in which wordes the promise once made to Adam as touching Christe the redeemer and chaunger of Gods curse into blessing is renewed and repeated againe The same line is brought downe from Abraham by Isaac vnto Iacob and Iacob being ful of the spirit of God pointed out his sonne Iuda to be the roote of the blessed séede as it is to be séene in 49. of Genesis Lastly in the tribe of Iuda the house of Dauid was noted out of which
the Father from whence it shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade and let vs thinke that the Lord speaking of the Sacrament woulde haue vs to expounde the words of the Sacrament Sacramentally and not Transubstancially Also in reading that saying of the Apostle Fleshe and bloud can not inherite the kingdome of God let vs not by and by vppon these wordes take it simply as the words do séeme to signifie but sticking to the Article of our sayth I beleeue the resurrection of the body let vs vnderstand that by fleshe and bloud are ment the affectiōs infirmities not the nature substance of oure bodies Furthermore we reade in the gospell that the Lorde doth gather a sum of the lawe and the Prophets saying Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with al thy mind this is the chief and great commaundement And the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe In these two commaundemēts hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Math. 22. Vpon these words of the Lorde that holy man Aurelius Augustinus in the. 36. Chapter of his firste booke De doctrina Christi sayth ▪ Whosoeuer doth seeme to himself to vnderstād the holy scriptures or any part thereof so that that vnderstanding he dothe not worke these two points of charitie towardes God his neighbor he yet doth not vnderstande the scriptures perfectly But whosoeuer shall take out of them such an opinion as is profitable to the working of this charitie and yet shall not say the self samethig which shal be proued that he did meane whome he readeth in that place that mā doth not erre to his own destruction nor doth altogether by lying deceiue other mē Thus much writ Augustin We must therefore by all meanes possible take héede that our interpretations doe not tende to the ouerthrow of charitie but to the furtherance and commendatiō of it to al men The Lord sayth Striue not with the wicked But if we affirme that he spake this to the Magistrates also thē shal charitie towards our neighbours the safetie of them that are in ieopardie defence of the oppressed be broken and cleane taken away For théeues vnruly persons robbers and naughtie fellowes will oppresse the widowes the fatherlesse and the poore to that all iniquitie shall reigne and haue the vpper hande But in a mattter so manifestly knowen I suppose it is not néedefull to vse many examples Moreouer it is requisite in expounding the Scriptures and searching out the true sense of Gods worde that we marke vpon what occasion euery thing is spoken what goeth before what followeth after at what season in what order and of what person any thing is spoken By the occasion and the sentences going before and comming after are examples and parables for the moste parte expounded Also vnlesse a man do alwayes marke the manner of speaking throughout the whole Scriptures and that verie diligently too he can not choose in his expositions but erre very muche out of the right way Sainte Paule obseruing the circumstaunce of the time did thereby conclude that Abraham was iustified neyther by Circumcision nor yet by the Lawe The places are to be séene in the fourth to the Romanes and the thirde to the Galathians Againe when it is sayde to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath He that taketh the sworde shall perishe with the sworde We must consider that Peter bare the personage of an Apostle and not of a Magistrate For of the Magistrate we reade that to him is giuen the sworde to reuengement But it woulde be ouer tedious and too troublesome to rehearse more examples of euery particular place There is also beside these another manner of interpreting the worde of God that is by conferring together the places whiche are like or vnlike and by expounding the darker by the more euident and the fewer by the more in number Wheras therfore the Lorde sayth The father is greater then I we must consider that the same Lorde in another place sayth My father and I are all one And whereas Iames the Apostle sayth That Abraham and we are iustified by workes there are many places in Saint Paul to be set againste that one And this manner of interpreting did Peter the Apostle allowe where he sayth We haue a right sure worde of prophesie wherevnto if ye attend as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the daye dawne and the daye starre arise in your heartes That auncient writer Tertullian affirmeth that they are heretiques and not men of the right fayth which drawe some odde thinges out of the Scriptures to their owne purpose not hauing any respecte to the rest But doe by that meanes picke oute vnto them selues a certaine fewe testimonies which they woulde haue altogether to be beleeued the whole Scripture in the meane season gaine-saying it bycause in deede the fewer places muste be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the more in number And finally the moste effectuall rule of all whereby to expounde the worde of God is an heart that loueth God and his glorye not puffed vp with pryde not desirous of vayne glorye not corrupted with heresies and euill affections but whiche doth continually praye to God for his holy spirite that as by it the scripture was reuealed and inspired so also by the same spirite it maye be expounded to the glorye of God and safegarde of the faythfull Let the mynde of the interpreter be set on fire with zeale to aduaunce vertue and with hatred of wickednesse euen to the suppressing thereof Let not the heart of suche an expositor call to counsell that subtile Sophister the deuill least peraduenture nowe also he doe corrupt the sense of Gods worde as heretofore he did in Paradise Let him not abide to heare mans wisedome argue directly against the worde of god This if the good and faythfull expositor of Gods worde shal doe then although in some pointes he doe not as the prouerbe sayth hit the very head of the nayle in the darker sense of the Scripture yet notwithstanding that errour ought not to be condemned for an heresie in the authour nor iudged hurtfull vnto the hearer And who so euer shall bring the darker more proper meaning of the Scripture to light he shall not by and by condemne the vnperfect exposition of that other no more then he whiche is authour of the vnperfect exposition shall reiect the more proper sense of the better expositour but by acknowledging it shall receiue it with thankes giuing Thus muche hytherto haue I said touching the sense and exposition of Gods worde which as God reuealed it to men so also he would haue them in any case to vnderstand it Wherefore there is no cause for any man by reason of a few difficulties to despaire to attaine to the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures The Scripture
saued Laste of all that that shal most assuredly light vpon the vngodly and the godly what so euer the holy Scriptures doe eyther threaten or promise Out of all these definitions there-fore being diligently considered we maye according to the Scriptures make this description of fayth Fayth is a gift of God poured into man froÌ„ heauen whereby he is taught with an vndoubted persuaâ—ioÌ„ wholy to leane to God and his word â–ª in which word God dothe freely promise life and all good things in Christe and wherein all trueth necessarie to be beleeued is plainly declared Whiche description of fayth I will by Gods helpe in this that followeth vnfolde into partes and by assertion of places out of the Scriptures will bothe confirme and make manifest vnto you Ye as hytherto ye haue done so still giue diligent care and in your heartes praye earnestly to God. First of all the cause or beginning of fayth commeth not of any man or any strength of man but of God him selfe who by his holy spirite inspireth fayth into our hearts For in the Gospell the Lorde sayth No man commeth to me vnlesse my father drawe him And againe fleshe and bloude sayth the Lorde to Peter confessing Christ in true faith hath not reuealed this to thee but my father which is in heauen Whervnto the Apostle Paul alludeth when he sayth We are not able of ourselues to thinke any thing as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And in another place To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beleeue in him but also to suffer for his sake Fayth therefore is poured into our hearts by God who is the welspring and cause of all goodnesse And yet we haue to consider here that god in giuing and inspiring faith dothe not vse his absolute power or miracles in working but a certaine ordinarie meanes agréeable to mans capacitie although he can in déed giue fayth without those meanes to whom when and howe it pleaseth him But we reade that the Lord hath vsed this ordinarie meanes euen from the first creation of all things Whome he meaneth to bestowe knowledge and faith on to them he sendeth teachers by the worde of God to preache true fayth vnto them Not bycause it lyeth in mans power wil or ministerie to giue fayth nor bicause the outward worde spoken by mans mouth is able of it selfe to bring fayth but the voice of man and the preaching of Gods worde do teache vs what true fayth is or what God dothe will and commaunde vs to beléeue For God him selfe alone by sending his holy spirite into the hearts and myndes of men dothe open our hearts persuade oure myndes and cause vs with all oure heart to beléeue that which we by his worde and teaching haue learned to beleeue The Lorde could by miracle from heauen without any preaching at all haue bestowed fayth in Christe vpon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria but yet by an Aungell he dothe sende him to the preaching of Peter And while Peter preacheth God by his holy spirite worketh in the hearte of Cornelius causing him to beléeue his preaching Verily Sainte Paule sayth Howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard How shall they heare without a preacher And howe shall they preache if they be not sent So then fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God. In another place also Who is Paule sayth he or what is Apollos but ministers by whome ye haue beleeued according as God hath giuen to euery one I haue planted Apollos watred but God hath giuen increase So then he that planteth is nothing nor he that watreth but God that giueth increase With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agrée which Augustine writeth in the Preface of his booke of Christian doctrine where he sayth That whiche we haue to learne at mans hande let euery one learne at mans hande without disdaine And let vs not goe about to tempte him in whom we beleeue neyther being deceiued let vs thinke scorne to goe to Churche to heare or learne oute of bookes looking still when we shal be rapt vp into the thirde heauen Let vs take héede of such like temptations of pride and let vs rather haue this in oure myndes that euen the Apostle Paul him selfe although he were cast prostrate and instructed by the calling of God from heauen was neuerthelesse sent to a maÌ„ to be taught the will of God and that Cornelius although God had heard his praiers was committed to Peter to be instructed by whome he should not only receiue the Sacramentes but shoulde also heare what he ought to beleue what to hope for and what to loue all which things notwithstaÌ„ding might haue bene done by the Angell c. The same Augustine also in his Epistle to the Circenses saith Euen he worketh conuersion and bringeth it to passe who by his ministers doth warne vs outwardly with the signes of thinges but inwardly doth by himself teach vs with the very things themselues Also in his treatise vpon the 26. of Iohn What doe men saith he when they preach outwardly What doe I now while I speake I driue into your eares a noise of words but vnlesse he which is with in doe reueale it what say I or what speake I He that is without doth husband the tree but he within is the creator of it c. This said he But euen as the Lorde his desire is to haue vs beleue his worde for the Prophet crieth out and saith To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your harts So in like maner he doth require of vs al which heare his word that we be not slacke in praying For in hearing the worde of God we must pray for the gifte of faith that the lord may opeÌ„ our harts coÌ„uert our soules breake and beate downe the hardnes of our mindes and increase the measure of faith bestowed vpon vs Of this order of prayer there are many examples in the holy scriptures WheÌ„ the Lorde in the gospell sayde to one Canst thou beleue to him that beleueth all things are possible He made aunswere saying I beleue lord helpe thou mine vnbeliefe The Apostles also cry to the Lord and say O Lorde increase our faith Moreouer this praier wherin we desire to haue faith powred into vs is of the grace gifte of God and not of our owne righteousnesse which before God is none at all This therefore is lefte vnto vs for a thinge most certaine and vndoubtedly true that true faith is the mere gift of god which is by the holy ghost from Heauen bestowed vpon our mindes and is declared vnto vs in the worde of trueth by teachers sent of God and is obtained by earnest praiers which cannot be tyred Whereby we learne that we ought often and attentiuely to heare the word of God and neuer cease to praye to God for the obtayning of true faith But that
I may surely fasten in euery ones mynde and that all may vnderstand what fayth is I repeate it here againe and therwithall conclude this Sermon Fayth is a gifte of God powred into man from Heaue wherby he is taught with an vndouted persuasioÌ„ wholie to leane to God and his word in which word God in Christ doth freely promise life and euery good thing and wherin al truth necessary to be beleued is plainly declared Let vs all pray to God our father through his only begotteÌ„ Sonne our Lord Iesus Christe that hee will vouchsafe from Heauen to bestowe true fayth vppon vs all that wee by it knowinge him a righte may at the laste obtayne life euerlasting Amen That there is one onely true Fayth and what the vertue thereof is ¶ The fifth Sermon BEinge cutte of with the shortnesse of tyme and deteyned by the excellencie of the matter I could not in my last sermon make an end of al that I had determined to speake touching Fayth now therefore by the grace of the holy spirite I will adde the rest of the argument which seemeth yet to be behind Pray to the Lorde that that which by mans voyce is brought to your eares may by the finger of God be written in your hartes True Fayth is ignorant of all diuision for there is sayth the Apostle one Lorde one Fayth one Baptisme one God and Father of all For there remayneth from the beginning of the worlde euen vnto the ende therof one and the same fayth in all the electe of god God is one and the same for euer the onely Well of all goodnesse that can neuer be drawne drie The trueth of God from the beginning of the worlde is one and the same set forth to men in the word of god Therfore the obiect and foundatioÌ„ of faith that is God and the worde of God remaine for euer one and the selfe same In one and the selfe same fayth with vs haue al the elect euer since the first creation of the worlde beléeued that vnto vs through Christ all good things are fréely giuen and that all truth necessary to be beleued is declared in the word of the Lord wherfore the faithful of the olde world haue alwayes set led their faith on God and his worde so that now without all doubte there caÌ„not be any more theÌ„ one true faith I know very well that in the world there are soweb many and sundrye faythes that is to say religions For there is the Indian fayth the Iewish fayth the fayth of the Mahometists the fayth of the Georgians yet not withstaÌ„ding ther is but one true Christian fayth the abridgement whereof is conteyued in the articles of our beleefe and is taught at the full in the sacred Scriptures of both the Testaments I know also that there are sundry beliefes of men resting vpon sundry things and beleuing that which is contrary to true faith but yet neuerthelesse there remaineth but one true beliefe in God and his worde which is an vndoubted persuasion and confidence of things most true and assuredly certaine This confidence doth grow with increase in the mindes of the faithfull contrarily decreaseth againe and vtterly faileth And for that cause the Apostles besought the lord saying Lord increase our faith And Paul the Apostle doth in his writings euery where wish to the faithful the increase of the spirite and faith Dauid also before him prayed saying O God create a cleane harte within me and take not thy holy spirite from me For he had séene how that from Saule whom he succéeded in the kingdom the good spirite of God was departed and that in stéede therof the wicked spirit had entred into his minde which tormented him very pitifully Here vnto belongeth that saying in the gospel To euery one that hath shall be giuen and from him that hath not shal be taken away that which he hath not or that he maketh no accompt of and shal be giuen to him that hath Neither was it in vain that the Lord said to Peter I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not For Paul speketh of some in his time that made shipwracke of their owne â—aith and ouerthrew the faith of other And to what ende I praye you doe we dayly heare the worde of God and make our humble petitions to the Lord but bycause we looke for increase of godlinesse and request his ayde to keepe vs that we fall not from true fayth verily Paul to the Thessalonians sayth We pray earnestly daye and night to see you personally and to supply that which is wanting in your fayth And a little before he sayde For this cause I sent Timotheus that I might be certiâ—â—ed of your fayth least by any meanes the tempter had tempted you and so our labour had ben of no effect The same Apostle also in his epistle to the Ephesians sayth Christe gaue some Apostles some Prophetes some Pastours and teachers to the restoring of the Saintes vnto the building of the body of Christ vntill we all meete together in the vnitie of fayth and the acknowledging of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of age of the fulnesse of Christ so that now we be no longer children Therfore so long as we liue we learne that our fayth may be perfect and if so be at any time it shall be weakned by temptations that then it may be repayred and againe confirmed And in this diuersitie I meane in this increase and weaknesse of fayth there is no partition or diuision for the selfe same roote and substance of fayth doth alwayes remayne althoughe it be at sometime more and at somtime lesse In like manner fayth is not therefore changed nor cut in sunder â–ª bicause one is called generall fayth and another particular fayth For generall faith is no other then that whiche beleeueth that al the words of God are true and that God hath a good will to mankind Particular fayth beléeueth nothing contrarie to this onely that whiche is coÌ„mon to al the faythful applieth particularly to him selfe beleeuing that God is not well minded towarde others alone but euen vnto him also So then it bringeth the whole into parts and that which is generall into particularities For whereas by generall fayth he beléeueth that all the wordes of God are true in the same sorte by particular fayth he doth beléeue that the soule is immortall that our bodyes rise againe that the faythfull shall be saued the vnbeléeuers destroyed and whatsoeuer else is of this sort taught to be beléeued in the word of god Moreouer the disputation touching faith that is poured into vs and fayth that we our selues get touching formall fayth and fayth without fashion I beléeue to be beaten out of them whiche of them selues do bring these newe disputations into the Churche True faith is obtained by no strength or merite of man but is powred into him of
is bestowed on vs and deriued from him to vs by the holy Ghoste For the Apostle sayth God which anoynted vs is he also which hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our hearts And againe Ye were in deede defiled with naughtinesse but nowe ye are cleansed and sanctified and lastely iustified throughe the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God. The Father in déede doth sanctifie too but by the bloud of Iesus Christe and poureth the same sanctification out of him into vs by the holy Ghost so that it is as it were the propertie of the holy Ghoste to sanctifie wherevpon he is called Holy or the sanctifier Therefore so often as we heare the holy Ghost named we must by and by think of the power in working which the Scripture attributeth to him and we must looke after the benefites that from him doe flowe to vs For the power operation or action of the spirite is that what so euer the grace of God doth work in vs through the Sonne so that of necessitie we must beléeue in the holy Ghost And in this eight Article we doe professe that we doe verily beléeue that all the faithfull are cleansed washed regenerated sanctified inlightned and inriched of God with diuers gifts of grace for Christ his sake but yet through the holy Ghost For without him there is no true sanctification wherefore we ought not to attribute these giftes of grace to any other meanes this glory belongeth to the holy Ghost onely Of whome I will more largely and fully discourse in my other Sermons The houre is spent which warneth me to wrappe vp briefly and make an ende therefore I exhort you al to haue your faithe religiously bent vpon the Lorde Iesus for him hath the heauēly father sente to vs in him hath he wholy expressed and shewed him selfe to vs and him doth the holy Ghoste printe in our heartes and kéepe in our mindes And in Christ is all mans saluation and euery part thereof contained wherefore we must beware that we deriue it not from any thing else It pleased the father saith the Apostle that all fulnesse shoulde dwell in the Sonne and in him to recapitulate and as it were to bring into a summe all points of saluation that in him all the faithfull may be fulfilled For if saluation be sought then euen by his very name are we taught that saluation is in his power For he is called Iesus that is a sauiour If we desire the holy spirit of God and his sundry gifts we shal finde them also in the annointing of Christ For he is called Christ the annoynted I saye the holye of holies and the sanctifier or else the annoynter of vs with his spirite If any man haue néede of strength and might of power and deliueraunce well he hath to looke for it in Christe his dominion For Christe is Lorde of all In the same Christ we finde redemption For he hath redéemed vs that were solde vnder Sathans yoake In his conception we haue puritie in his natiuitie we haue sufferance For he became like to vs that he might suffer griefe as well as we For in his passion we haue forgiunesse of sinnes in his condemnation we haue absolution satisfaction in his offering or cleansing sacrifice cleansing in his bloude and an vniuersall reconciliation in his descending into hell In his buriall we haue the mortificatiō of our flesh the newnesse of life yea rather the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of our bodyes in his glorious resurrection We haue also the inheritance of the heauenly kingdome with the assured sealing thereof in his ascension and sitting at the right hand of the father And there is he our mediatour priest and king our safegarde and our heade oure defender and moste sure rest From thence he poureth into vs his holye spirite the fulnesse of all good thinges and dothe communicate him selfe wholy to vs ioyning vs vnto him selfe with an indissoluble knot From thence we doe with confidence and ioy looke for him to be our iudge to be I say our patrone and deliuerer whiche shall condemne and sende downe hedlong into hell all our enimies with sathan but shal take vs and al the faith full of euery age vp into heauen with him self there to sing a newe song and to reioyce in him for euer and euer To him be glory for euer Amen Of the latter Articles of Christian fayth contained in the Apostles Creede ¶ The nynth Sermon LEt vs call to oure Father in heauen through our Lord Iesus Christe that he wil vouchsafe to poure his grace into vs that we may to our no smal profit dispatch and expound the last part of the Articles of Christian beliefe The nynth Article of fayth is this The holy Catholique Churche the communion of Saintes After the confession of our belief in the holy Trinitie and in the mysterie of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe and lastly in the holy Ghost the sanctifier and restoarer of al now in the fourth part is reckoned vp the fruite and power the effect and ende of fayth and what doth come to and is bestowed on the faithfull There commeth to them communion of God and all Saintes sanctification remission of sinnes the resurrection of the fleshe and life euerlastinge Of which I will speake in order as they lye so farre foorth as the bountifull Lord shal giue me abilitie Nowe then here we haue to rehearse out of the eight Article this worde I beléeue we must I meane say I beléeue the holy Catholique Churche Some vnlearned there are which hold opinion that in this point of our confession we should say I beléeue in the holy Church The reason that leades them so to thinke is this bycause they finde written in the Constantinopolitane Créede And in the holy Ghost the Lorde that giueth life who procéedeth from the father and the sonne who together with the father the sonne is to be worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For these wordes they doe so distinguishe that as they doe repeate out of the premisses these wordes I beléeue and make this the sense I beleeue in the holye Ghoste the Lorde euen so here againe they doe repeate these wordes I beléeue making this to be the sense I beléeue in one Catholique and Apostolique Church But this is more then néedeth yea and against all godlynesse doe they wrest these wordes of the Créede For this In one Catholique and Apostolique Church is not referred to the Verbe I beléeue but to the holye Ghoste bycause he spake by the Prophetes in one Catholique and Apostolique Churche For our meaning is and we confesse that one and the same spirite did all thinges in both Testamentes contrarie to the opinion of them whiche imagined that there were two spirites contrarie one to the other Moreouer Sainte Cyprian in his exposition
clearenesse of that Heauenlie brightnesse wherewith they glister are adorned Secondarilie glorie and vilenesse are made contraries For Paul saith Hee shall chaunge our vile bodie to make it in facion like to his glorious bodie In these woordes Vilenesse and Glorie are set the one against the the other Vilenesse comprehendeth the whoale packe of miseries and infirmities passions and affectiōs which for sinne was layde vppon the bodie From all which our bodies are purged in the resurrection of lyfe so that then the glorious bodies are bodies dreyned from the dregges of all corruption passions and infirmities and clad with eternitie heauenly feelinge and glorie For the Apostle sayth It is sowen in corruption it riseth in incorruption it is sowen in dishonour it riseth in glorie it is sowen in infirmitie it riseth in power it is sowen a naturall bodie it riseth a spiritual bodie The giftes therefore of the glorious clarified bodies are very great and many as incorruption glorie popower the quickening spirite For the Apostle himselfe shewing what he ment by the natural spiritual bodie addeth this immediatly sayth There is a naturall body and there is a spirituall body as it is written The firste man Adam was made a liuing Soule and the laste Adam was made a quickening spirite And yet agayne more plainely he sayth Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual but that which is naturall and then that which is spirituall The first man is of the earth earthy the seconde mā is the Lord frō heauen As is the earthy such are they that are earthy as is the heauenlie such are they also that are heauenlie And as wee haue borne the image of the earthy so shal we beare the image of the heauēlie So then Paul calleth that naturall bodie an earthy bodie which wee haue of our first father Adam whose quickening is of the soule and by it doth liue And hee calleth the spiritual bodie an Heauenly body which wee haue of Christe and made to the likenesse of the body of Christe which althoughe it be a verye body in déede and the fleshe thereof be verie fleshe in deede yet notwithstanding it is quickened and preserued by the spirite of Christ and needeth not any power vegetatiue Although therefore these very bodies members which now we beare shall after the resurrection be in Heauen yet neuerthelesse because they are clarified and clensed from all corruption and féelinge of the naturall bodie there shal not be verilie any natural or corruptible sense or affection nor vse of the carnall bodie and members And this doth the Lord affirme againste the Sadduces that dreamte of marriages in Heauen or rather by that absurditie made a mocke of the resurrection where hee sayth The sonnes of this worlde marrie wyues and giue in marriage but they that shal be thought worthy of that world and of the resurrection from the dead do neyther marrie wyues nor giue in marriage neither can they die any more For they are equall to the Angells and are that sonnes of God assoone as they be the sonnes of resurrection To which effect also Paul sayth Flesh and bloude cannot inherite the kingdome of God. And least peraduenture anye man shoulde mistake his wordes and thincke that hee spake of the substaunce of the fleshe hée addeth immediately this for interpretation thereof and sayth Neither shall corruption inherite incorruption Wherefore fleshe and bloud that is to saye the affections and lustes of the fleshe shall not be in the Electe that liue in Heauen For the ioyes of Heauen do differ a greate deale from the ioyes of the earth are so farre forth of an other condition that they cānot admitte such corrupt Creatures to be inheritours of them for that cause the corruptible bodies muste firste be purged from all corruption by that meanes purely clarified The Turkes therefore are deceiued that looke for earthly ioyes Moreouer the bodies of the wicked shal also rise againe For Paule in the Actes sayth I belieue all that is written in the Lawe and the Prophetes hopeing in God that the resurrection of the deade which they themselues looke for also shal be both of the iust and vniust See here the Apostle saith of the vniust also But in this resurrection there shal not be taken out of their bodyes the infirmitie corruption dishonour and miserie for euen then that very body risinge agayne in dishonour shall by the iudgement and power of God be surely shut in dishonour and corruption and so be condemned for euer to beare endlesse tormentes and in death and corruption shall neyther dye nor yet corrupt that euen as on earth are founde certaine bodyes that doe indure euen in the fire so the cursed bodyes of the wicked shall not be worne out nor broken with any torments what so euer for euery minute they shall receiue newe strength to suffer and so by continuall suffering shall abyde their deserued punishmentes for euer and euer and without all end For the Lorde in the Gospell sayeth They that haue done euill shall rise againe to the resurrection of damnation that is to an induring and euerlasting damnation And Daniell before him sayde And the multitude of them that sleepe in the duste of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt And in the Gospell againe the Lorde sayth Their worme dyeth not and their fire is not quenched And the very same wordes vsed Esay before him in his 66. Chapter We muste alwayes therefore haue that saying of the Lord in our heartes Feare him that can destroy bothe the body and the soule in Hell. Thus much hitherto touching the resurrection of the flesh The last Article of our beliefe which with good lucke shutteth vp the rest is this And life euerlasting We haue heard and vnderstoode that the soules of men are immortall and that oure bodyes doe rise againe in the ende of the worlde We haue confessed that this is our beliefe It felloweth now in the latter ende of the Créede whether it is that the immortall soul and body raised vp again shal come Therfore in our confession we say And life euerlasting that is I beléeue that I shall haue life and liue for euer bothe in body and soule And that euerlastingnesse verily is perpetual and hath no ende as a litle before is proued out of the holy Scriptures Moreouer the soules are made partakers of this eternall life immediatly after they are departed out of the bodyes as the Lorde him self witnesseth saying Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not come into iudgemente but hath escaped from death to life As for the bodyes they are buried and doe putrifie and yet so notwithstanding that they shal not be without life for euer But they shall then at length be receiued into eternall lyfe when being raysed vp they shall after the time of iudgement be
caught into the ayre there to méete Christ that they may for euer be with the lord For then doe the soules returne out of Heauen euery one to his owne body that the whole perfect ful maÌ„ may liue for euer both in soule and body For the soule of Christ dying on the Crosse did out of hande departe into Paradise and the thirde day after returned to the body whiche rose againe and ascended into heauen Euen as therefore eternall life came to the heade Christ so shal it also come to all and euery member of Christ Now whereas Paule citing Esai sayth What the eye hath not seene nor the eaâ—e hearde nor hath at any time come into the heart of man that hath the Lord prepared for them that loue him I suppose verily if all were sayd touching eternall life that might be spoken by all the men of all ages that euer were or shall be yet that scarcely the very leaste part thereof hath or shall be throughly touched For how so euer the Scripture dothe with eloquent and figuratiue speches with allusions and harde Sentences most plainly shew the shadowe of that lyfe and those ioyes yet notwithstanding all that is little or nothing in comparison to speake of vntill that day do come wherein we shall with vnspeakable ioy beholde God him selfe the creator of al things in his glory Christ our sauiour in his Maiestie and finally all the blessed soules Angelles Patriarches Prophetes Apostles Martyrs our Fathers all nations all the hâ—ast of Heauen and lastly the whole diuine and heauenly glorye Moste truely therefore sayde Aurelius Augustine Lib. de Ciuitat Dei. 22. Cap. 29. When it is demaunded of me what the Saintes shall doe in that spirituall bodye I aunswere not that which I nowe see but that that I beleeue I say therefore that they shall see God in that spirituall body And againe If I shoulde say the trueth I knowe not in what sort that action quietnesse and rest shall be For the peace of God doth passe all vnderstanding To be short we shall sée God face to face we shall be filled with the companie of God and yet be neuer wéerie of him And the face of God is not that countenaunce that appeareth in vs but is a most delectable reuealing and inioying of God whiche no mortall tongue can worthily declare Goe to then dearely beloued brethren let vs beléeue and liue that when we shall departe from hence we may in very déede haue tryall of those vnspeakable ioyes of the eternal life to come which nowe we doe beléeue Hytherto haue I throughout the foure laste Articles declared vnto you the fruite and ende of Christian fayth Fayth leaneth vpon one God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste which saÌ„ctifieth the faithful purgeth and halloweth a Churche to him selfe whiche Churche hath a communion with God and all Saintes All the offences of which Church God pardoneth and forgiueth And dothe preserue it both soule and body For as the Saintes Soules can not dye so God rayseth vp their bodies againe and maketh them glorious and euerlasting to the end that the whole man may for euer liue in heauen with the Lorde To whome be prayse and glory world without end AmeÌ„ Of the loue of God and our Neighbour ¶ The tenth Sermon IT remaineth since I haue in some sermons discoursed of true faythe that I do nowe also adde one Sermon touching loue towards God and our neyghbour For in my fourth Sermon I promised so soone as I should haue done with the exposition of fayth that then I would speake of loue towarde God and our neighbour bycause the exposition of the Scriptures ought not to goe awrye out of faythe and charitie whiche are as it were the right and holy markes for it to drawe vnto Ye as hitherto ye haue done so cease not yet to pray that this wholesome doctrine maye be by me taught as it shoulde be and by you receiued with much increase and profite And first of all I will not curiously put any difference betwene Charitie and loue I will vse them both in one and the same sense S. Augustine De doctrina Christiana saith I cal Chatitie a motion of the minde to delight in God for his owne sake and to delight in himselfe and his neighbour for Gods sake And therfore I cal loue a gifte giuen to man from Heauen wherby with his hart he loueth God before and aboue all thinges and his neighbour as him selfe Loue therfore springeth from Heauen from whence it is powred into our hartes But it is inlarged and augmented partly by the remembrance and consideration of Gods benefits partly by often prayer and also by the hearing frequenting of the worde of Christ Which things them selues also are the giftes of the spirite For the Apostle Paule saith The loue of God is powred out into our hartes by the holy Ghoste which is giuen vs. For verily the loue of God wherwith he loueth vs is the foundation cause of our loue wherewith we loue him and of both these iointly consisteth the loue of our neighbour For the Apostle saith We loue him bicause he first loued vs. And againe Euery one that loueth him which begot loueth him also that is borne of him Hereby we gather againe that this gifte of loue can not be diuided or seuered although it be double For he that loueth God truly hateth not his neighbour and yet neuerthelesse this loue bicause of the double respect that it hath to God and our neighbour staÌ„deth of two partes And bicause of this double Charitie the tables of Gods law are diuided into twaine the first wherof conteineth foure commaundeâ—â—nts touching the loue of God the seconde comprehendeth sixe precepts touching the loue of our neighbour Of which I will speake in their owne place But at this time bicause the loue of God and of our neighbour are twaine I will first speake of the loue of God and then of the loue of our neighbour In these two commaundements saith the Lord hang the law and the Prophetes With that which wee call the loue of God we loue God entirely wel we cleaue to God as the onely chiefe and eternal goodnesse in him we do delight our selues and are well pleased and frame our selues to his wil and pleasure hauing euermore a regarde and desire of him that we loue With loue wée loue God most hartelie But wee doe hartelie loue the thinges that are deare vnto vs and the things that to vs séeme worthie to be desired and we loue them entirely in deede not so much for our coÌ„modity as for because wée do desire to ioyne and as it were for euer to giue and dedicate our selues whoalie to the thing that wée so dearelie loue So verilie wee desyre for euer to be ioyned with God are in charitie fast lincked vnto him as the Apostle sayth God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth
For so longe as wée mortal men doe liue in this body the flesh doth stil resist the spirite and most of all rebelleth then when we with delicates do pamper the body Wherefore fasting doth drawe from the body euery euil which stirreth vp and strengtheneth it against the good commaundements of Gods holy spirite Now the necessitie for which wée keepe this fastinge is of two sortes publique and priuate Wée faste for the publique or common necessitie when some calamitie doeth either oppresse or else hange ouer the head of the Church Of such a manner of fasting wée sée examples in the 2. Cap. of Ioel and in the 3. of Ionas his prophecie which very same order in fasting was vsed in the time of our Lords Apostles as it is euidently extant in the Actes of the Apostles And this kinde of fastinge doth séeme to haue differed verie little amonge them of old from a generall mourninge yea it séemeth altogether to haue béene nothinge else but a kind of lamenting In the scriptures euery booke is full of examples which teach and instructe vs how the holy saincts did humble themselues in the sight of God with true repentaūce for their sinnes and offences Priuate necessitie is that for which euery particular man doth fast when hée féeleth himselfe to be vexed with bodily concupiscence that thereby hee may take from the flesh the flame and fewell least the body at last be fired and burned For the Lord in the Gospel saide that the children of the bridechamber do fast whē the bridegrome is taken from them that is in a hard and daūgerous time The marriage doth signifie the bond wherby we are knit to Christe in faith and the holy ghoste This yet notwithstanding the godly man doth still reioyce Hée doth with geuing of thanckes and temperancie both eate and drinke so much as is sufficiente and is delighted also in these externall giftes of God but when hee féeleth that the bridegrome is readie for to departe or that hée is now alreadie almost departed oute of his heart that is when hee féeleth that the spirite is extinguished by the fleashes wantonnesse and that faith doth once beginne to bee cold then doth hée settle himselfe to prayer and doth appointe a solemne fastinge thereby eyther to kéepe the bridegrome still or else to pull him backe being ready to departe But neither publique nor priuate fastings can abide to be inforced For they will not be compelled but desire to procéede of a frée chéerefull and voluntarie minde Vnwillinge men doe nothinge well God requireth a chearefull giuer Moreouer let fastinges be moderated according to the qualitie of places persons perills and temptations if they be not continuall yet let them be often till such time as wée be deliuered and ridde vtterly of them Let them be without superstitiō and fayned hypocrisie as our Lord in the sixte of S. Matthewes Gospell hath taught vs Herewithall doe the words of S. Hierome agrée very wel which hée wrote to Nepolianus touching fasting as followeth Prescribe to thee selfe so longe a time to faste in as thine abilitie will suffer thee to beare Let thy fastinges be pure vncorrupte simple moderated and not superstitious What auayleth it to eate no oyle and to seeke out such seldome sond cates as are harde to bee come by as figges pepper nuttes dates pure flowre for ouerfine breade and honie The gardens with digging for nouelties are tourned ouer and ouer because wee will not eate common cribble breade and so while oure deintie mouthes seeke after delicates oure soules are pulled from the kingdome of Heauen I heare moreouer that some menne there are which contrarie to nature refuse to drinke water and feede vppon bread but sucke vppe and swallowe verie costlie suppinges deintie hearbe brothes and the iuyce of Beetes not out of a cup but out of a shell O shame blush wee not at such fond toyes and are wee not ashamed of such superstition Thus much saith Hierome And it is euidente that euen at this day this vice is ospecially receiued amonge oure wealthie and relligious menne But the end of Christian fastinges are that the Church or sinner should submitt and humble themselues before the Lord that the flesh should bée obedient and subiect to the spirit that the fleshe should not hinder the sinner to woorke righteousnesse and that the intent and minde of him that prayeth should bée the more earnestly bente towarde god For fastinge is of the number of those woorkes which of themselues are not absolute and perfecte but haue an other meaninge-for which they are ordeyned to an other ende and purpose therefore fasting is a certaine help to the prayers and vertues of godly men Wherevppon in the Prophetes wée finde that the fastinges of the Iewes displeased the Lord for they did naught else but fast alone that is they did at a certaine and appointed time abstein from their vsuall maner of eating but they restrayned not themselues from sinne and wickednesse but let their flesh haue the bridle at will when as in déede they should haue ceassed to haue pampered it that thereby it being the weaker the spirite might bée the stronger to doe and fulfill all sorte of good woorkes And therefore saith the Lord I haue not chosen such a manner of fasting and the rest as it foloweth in the 58. Chapiter of Esaie and in the 7. and 8. Chapiters of Zacharies Prophecie The Apostle Paul verily doth expressely say that Meate commendeth vs not to God for neither if wee eate haue wee any thing the more neither if wee eate not haue we any thing the lesse Hée therfore doth not fast truly which doth absteine onely at a certaine appointed time from certaine manner of meates but hée which doth therfore refraine from the pleasures of the flesh that therby hée may make it subiect to the spirite and do the works of faith and charitie which are acceptable in the sight of the lord If therfore thou doest desire to faste a true fast eate drincke and sleepe and take héede to thy body that it waxe not insolent faste from al sinne eate not the meate of malice tast not the iuncates of luste and pleasure and be not set on fire with the wyne of wantonnesse Faste from euil déedes absteine from euill woords and refraine thée selfe from naughtie thoughtes For Basile also faith True fasting consisteth in freenesse from vices in continencie of tongue in suppressing of anger in cutting off cōcupiscence backbiting lying and periurie c. But euen as the good woorkes themselues which are done by faith doe not merite the kingdome of heauen for that glorie is due to the merite of Christe alone euen so fastinge which is an ayde and helpe to good woorkes doth not meritoriouslye deserue the kingdome of God. But now I sée a doubtfull disputation arise amonge the most diuines of this oure age touching the time and maner of fastings and also of the choice of meates Some
there are which affirme and vpholde the fastes of Lent the Embring dayes and such other to be the fastes which God hath appointed There are that say thou hast not fasted if by any meanes thou tast any flesh And there are which prescribe and appointe some certaine houres to faste in But I for my part sée not any such doctrines to be taught vs in that Scriptures For the Lord in the Gospell kepte not anye of their deuised fastes when hée fasted fourtie dayes but did altogether absteine from all kindes of meate euen as Moses and Helias had also done wherefore hée by that déede of his did not giue vs any lawe to faste so Moreouer the lord in the Gospell doeth euidently teach that the thing which entreth in by the mouth doth not defile the man but that which issueth out from his heart To the pure are all thinges pure And Paul saith I know and am persuaded through the Lord Iesus Christe that nothing is common of it selfe but to him that thincketh that any thing is common to him is it cōmon Againe Let not him which eateth despise him which eateth not nor let him which eateth not iudge him which eateth ▪ for him that eateth the Lord hath taken Moreouer the place is euident which the same Paul writeth in the fourth Chapiter of his Epistle to Timothie where he affirmeth that the forbidding of meates is a doctrine of diuels Neither néedeth any manne here to tel vs any whit of the Tacians and Encratites for they did slaunder the good creatures of god Paul speaketh of them who although they doe not vtterly condemne meate and mariage doe yet notwithstanding forbid the vse of meate Furthermore we do not read that any lawes were ordeyned in that age which followed nexte after the preaching of the Apostles which did commaund and prescribe any time and order of fasting or choice of meates I wil rehearse vnto you dearely beloued the woordes of Irenaeus the martyre which in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Eusebius are to be found woord for woord as they are here set downe The controuersie is not onely touchinge Easter day but also touchinge the manner of fasting For some doe thinke that the faste ought to be kept but one day onely other two other more and some whoale 40. dayes so that counting the houres of the night and day they make a day Which difference of obseruing the times is not now first of al in our age begon but was brought in a great while ago as I suppose of them which did not simplie keepe that which was taught frō the beginning but eyther by negligence or vnskilfulnes fell afterward into a worser vse and custome And yet notwithstanding al these though they iarred in the obseruation of times were neuerthelesse and are agreable with vs neither hath the discord about fasting broake our concord in faith Thus much Irenaeus Moreouer Socrates Cōstantinopolitanus in the 9. booke and 18. Chapter of his tripartite historie witnesseth that about the yeare of oure Lord 453. in the reigne of Theodosius the younger y same diuersitie was in the Church and setteth it downe in these woordes following Furthermore they haue not the same kind of abstinence from meate For some doe altogether absteine from lyuing creatures some amonge lyuing creatures doe eate fish onlie some with fish do feede on foules also sayinge that they as Moses saith haue their substaunce of water Some are knowne to absteme from Hearbes and egges some do feede of drie breade onely some not so much as that some fasting nine houres doe then without difference vse any kind of meate and innumerable customes are found among sondrie men Now the verie same Socrates shewing his opinion vpon that diuersitie doth say And forbecause no auncient writing is found touching this thing I think that the Apostles left it free to euerie mans iudgement that euery one may woorke not by feare or necessitie the thing that is good Thus farre Socrates The fastes of Christians therfore ought to be frée and not bound to lawes Apollinus a certaine auncient and Ecclesiasticall writer disputing against Montanus the heretique saith This is hee which taught that marriages are vndone which first of all hath appointed lawes for men to faste by And verilie to goe about to set downe to all men and nations one maner of fasting in one appointed time one prescribed order and choice of meate is a méere follie a braine-sicke kinde of madnesse For according to the choice of ayre so are mens bodies of sondrie temperatures and one kinde of meate doth not stirre men of sondrie complexions to one kinde of affection The most godly way therefore profitable order for the Church is that all pastors in euerie congregation should teach sobrietie temperancie and the true faste in déede not presuming to prescribe any lawes for the choice of meats or times but leauing that frée to euery man and natiō who vndoubtedly wil haue an especial eye to temper themselues from the things by which they perceiue that their health wil be indaungered but most of all in the time when the flesh beginneth to waxe ouerwāton or when some great peril hangeth ouer their head For the time of fastinge is not proroged til an appointed number of yeares or dayes be expired but till the loosenes or wātonnesse of the fleash temptations or motions be vtterly brideled Fastings being so ordered as they be the exercises of godlines obteine great praise in déede in the Church of the Lord. Thus much hetherto touching fasting Nowe to shut vpp this seuenth precepte I say it forbideeth al intemperauncie it commaundeth holines and the cleane and laweful vse of all the members of the whoale body and therefore in this shorte precept there is conteyned a good part of the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles For Paul to the Thessalonians saith Wee beseech you bretherne and exhort you by the Lord Iesus that yee increase more and more as yee haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please god For ye know what commaundementes wee gaue you by the Lord Iesus For this is the wil of God euen your holines that ye should absteine from fornication that euerie one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in holinesse honour not in the luste of concupiscence as the Gentiles which knewe not god God is a reuenger of all such as wee haue forewarned you and testified For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannesse but vnto holinesse And streight way after againe The God of peace sanctifie you throughout that your whoale spirite and soule bodie may bee preserued blamelesse in the comminge of oure Lord Iesus Christe I haue againe my brethen passed beyond the appointed time of an ordinarie sermon staying you longer than I am wont to doe Pardon this fault for I hope I haue not troubled you almost two whoale houres without profiting you any whit at all Make your prayers
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
in God nor his couenaunts Finally circumcision did put the circumcised in mind of their duetie al their life long to wite that euery man should thinke that he had taken vpon him to professe God to beare in his bodie the SacrameÌ„t of the Lorde For that is the cause why the Israelites were named or had their names giuen them in their circumcision For it is euident in Luke that Iohn Baptist and Iesus our sauiour had their names giuen them at their circumcision euen as also the first circumcised at his circumcision was called Abraham whose name before was said to be Abram It did admonish the circumcised of his duetie for so much as he had giuen his name vnto the Lord his confederate to bee inrolled in the register of God amoÌ„g the names of them that giue them selues vnto the Lord wherefore he ought by couenaunt duetie to frame his life not after his owne lust and pleasure but according to the will of God to whome he did betake him selfe For the condition of the couenaunt was that the circumcised shoulde not defile them selues with idolatrie and straunge religions that they should not pollute with vncleane lyuing the bodies and mindes that were hallowed to the Lord but that they perseuearing in true faith should ensue godlynesse shewe the workes of repentance and be obedient to God in all things For thus saith Moses in the tenth of Deuterono Circumcise the foreskinne of your hearts and harden not your neckes any longer To which words the Prophet Ieremie alludeth in his fourth Chapter saying Bee ye circumcised to the Lord and cut away the foreskinne of your hearte And the Martyr S. Stephan rebuking the vnbeléeuing Iewes sayeth Ye stiffe-necked and of vncircumcised hearte and eares ye alwayes resist the holie ghost Verie rightly therefore doth the holy Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Romanes declare that there are two sortes of circumcision the one of the letter in the fleshe the outwarde circumcision that is made with handes the other in the heart of the Spirite the inwarde circumcision which is made by the meanes of the holy Ghost The circumcision of the heart God doth like well of in those y be his but that in the fleash he doeth vtterly mislike of if as the fleashe is the heart be not circumcised The liking and misliking of these two circumcisions is in that which went before so plainly alreadie declared that I néede not to stick any longer vpon it And here I think it not amisse before I make an ende of circumcision to reherse vnto you déerely beloued the woordes of the auncient writer Lactantius lib. Instit 4. Chap. 17. where he speaketh of circumcision in this manner The meaning of circumcision was that we should make bare our breastes to wite that wee should liue with a simple and plaine dealing heart because that parte of the bodie which is circumcised is partely like to a heart and is the fore parte of the priuitie and the cause why God commaunded to make it bare was that by that signe he might admonishe vs not to haue a couered heart that is that we should not couer within the secretes of our conscience any crime whereof wee ought to be ashamed And this is the circumcision of the heart whereof the Prophets speake which God hath translated from the mortall fleshe to the immortall soule For the Lorde being whole set and fully minded according to his eternall goodnesse to haue a care for our life and safegard did set repentance before our eyes for vs to followe as a waye to bring vs thereunto so that if wee make bare our heartes that is if by confession of our sinnes we satisfie the Lord we should obteine pardone whiche is denied to the proude and those that conceale their faultes by God who beholdeth not the face as man doeth but searcheth the secrets of the brest Thus much hitherto hath that auncient writer of the churche Lactantiê° Firmianus declared vnto vs touching the mysterie of circumcision Nowe all this whiche hitherto I haue saide touching the meaning and mysterie of circumcisioÌ„ was set forth as in a picture to be séene of all mens eyes so often as circumcision was solemnized in the church There was the league as it were renued which God did make with men There was the grace of God his sanctification and our corruption declared therein did Christ the rocke of stone appeare who with his spirite doth cutt wash away all spottes of the Churche Moreouer the worshippers of God did learne by that signe and so by all the holie ceremonie that they beeing in one ecclesiasticall bodie ought to do their indeuour by purenesse of liuing to winne the fauour of God their confederate Because by the visible circumcision there was after a sorte an open confession made of the true religion of frée consent to the true religion and of a bynding by promise vnto the same He therefore that did despise or vnaduisedly neglect that holie ceremonie was sharply punished as may be gathered by the 17. of Genesis and the fourth Chapter of Exodus And so muche hetherto touching circumcision There followeth nowe the seconde Sacrament of the auncient churche I meane the Paschal Lamb. It is an Hebrewe word not signifying a passion as it should séeme if it were deriued according to the Gréeke etymologie but it signifieth a skipping a leaping or a passing ouer For the Hebrewe *** signifieth to leape or passe ouer The cause of this worde Moses him selfe sheweth in the lawe where he saith The Lord shall go ouer to strike the Aegyptians when he shall see the bloud vppon the vpper poste and the two side postes of the doore *** the Lord wil passe ouer that doore and will not suffer the destroyer to come within your houses This sacrament is knowen also and called by other names For it is called a signe a remembraunce a solemnitie an holie assemblie the feast of the Lorde a worship an obseruation an oblation and a Sacrifice But whereas that ceremonie is called a passing ouer that is not done without a trope For the passing ouer was the verie benefite wherein the Angel of the Lorde did passe ouer the Iewes leaue their houses vntouched and saue their liues but for because the Paschall Lambe was a memoriall a renuing of that benefite therefore it tooke the name of the benefite Euen as I admonished you before that it is vsuall in Sacramentes for the signes to bee called by the names of the thinges that they signifie béecause of the likenesse and mutual proportion that is betwixt them Let vs sée nowe what the passeouer was and what kinde of ceremonie did belong vnto it The Passeouer was an holy action ordeined by God in the killing and eating of a Lambe partely to the ende that the Churche might kéepe in memorie the benefite which God did for them in the land of Aegypt to be a testimonie of Gods
the space of certaine dayes or monethes These Nazarits did absteine according to the commaundement of the law from certaine things from which they were not barred by any other lawe and which were not vnlawfull for other men to vse whiche were without the necessitie of that vowe First of all they absteyned from wine from all thinges that the vine brought forth and whatsoeuer else did make men drunken But it is manifest that as wine is the good creature of God so no drincke is forbidden by the law Yet forbecause the Nazarits were consecrated to the Lord and sanctified by a certaine peculiar kinde of lyuing and for because wine is the meanes that leadeth to drunken nes which is the gulfe of al sinne and filthinesse therefore did the Nazarits not without a cause absteine from wine They did also take héede of idlenesse the mother of mischiefe and vtterly despised all worldly pleasures Furthermore so longe as the time of their vowe endured they did not clipp their haire but let their lockes growe out a length And thereuppon as some doe thincke they toke their names and were called Nazarits For in so much as Nazer signifieth haire they suppose that they were called Nazarites as who should say longe locked or shagge haired people But the Apostle Paule biddeth the woman to pray or to come into the Cōgregation to heare a Sermon with her head couered for none other cause but for that shée is not in her owne power but subiecte to an other that is to her husband And therfore the Nazarits did let their haire growe because by the vow which they had made to God they were no longer in their owne power but were wholie yéelded into the power of god And the head which is the tower of the bodie and the most excellent parte thereof being couered with a bush of haire was a token that the whole man was by vowe giuen to the Lord to whome alone he ought to haue an eye vpon whome alone hee ought wholie to depend Moreouer it was required at the hands of the Nazarite that he should not defile himself with the contagious companie of wicked naughtie persons Whereunto also belongeth the commaundement which charged the Nazarite not to be presēt at the death or buriall of his parentes or children or wife or brethrene or sisters For he ought to settle the eyes of his minde vppon God alone and in comparison of him to set lighte by and loathe the things which were most déere precious vnto him But if it so fell out that at vnawares hee were defiled by séeing of a dead body hee was not therefore acquited of his vowe as one whose former life had béene sufficient for the performaunce of the same For hee was commaunded to sanctifie himself the seuenth day then to vndertake the kéeping of his vowe againe By all this wee maye plainely perceiue what and howe great the sinne of Samson was who was a Nazarite to the lord For because hee did not onely lurke in the brothell house with the harlot but did also bewray the secrete of GOD vnto her and cast behinde him the couenaunt made with God whereof his haire was a sure testimonie therfore did the Lord forsake him and that wonderfull strengthe which he had from heauen was cleane taken from him For the strength of Samson lay not in his haire so that by the cutting of his haire his strengthe was cutt away also but it laye in the spirite of the Lord which was giuen him from God aboue And therfore do wée finde this sentence so often in the scripture And the spirite of the Lord came vppon Samson Therfore when the spirite of God departed his strēgth departed also but it departed from him when he being wholie ioyned vnto the harlot was made one soule with her and did preferre her before God his commaundement so that he suffered his haire to be polled and vtterly reuolted from the ordinaunce of the lord For by that meanes did the spirite of God forsake him Whereupon immediately after he was brought into the hands of his enimies the Philistines where when he was miserably vexed and when he heard the name of God euill spoken of and blasphemed because of his captiuitie hée repented hartilie and called vppon the name of the Lord wherby it came to passe that when his haire grew forth againe his strength returned that is the spirite of the Lord came vppon him againe being brought vnto him not by the growing of his haires but by his repentance earnest calling vppon the lord Neither did Samson desire to reuenge his owne priuate iniurie so much as to suppresse the blasphemous mouthes and to deliuer the people of God from feare and slauerie The strength of God therefore returned againe wherwith hée bending the pillers of the Theater was himselfe slaine with the fall of the palace and at his death slue many mo than hée had killed in all his life time before But nowe wée returne againe to the purpose to add the other Ceremonies that do belonge to the full exposition of the vowe of the Nazarites When the time was expired therefore whiche the Nazarite had taken vppon him for to obserue hée came to the tabernacle of the Lord and offered the sacrifices that are prescribed in the Lawe whereby hée testified that hée was a sinner and plainely confessed that al goodnesse and vertue that was to be found in him was giuen and bestowed from God aboue And therefore hée polled his head and caste his haire into the fire wherein the peace offering was a burning At last when all this was in this maner accomplished it was lawfull for the Nazarite as one loosed of his bonds to returne vnto his old life againe Thus much hetherto touching the discipline of the Nazarites Nowe touching the cleane and vncleane there is a longe discourse in the lawe of Moses I in my former treatise did lightly touche and passe ouer some certaine thinges but now at the last for héere I meane to make an ende to speake of Ceremonial lawes I will adde somewhat touching the choice of meates I meane of cleane and vncleane meates God verily in the beginning created all things and he so created them that as the Creator is good euen so all his creatures euen at this day are good also neither doth hee gainesay himselfe now whē he forbiddeth certaine mears as though somewhat of it selfe were vncleane There are other mysteries that lye hidden vnder this doctrine of the choice of meates The lawes whiche are giuen touchinge meates and victuals séeme to be smal and of little valure but it pleased the Lord in a small thing to admonishe vs what wée haue to doe in a greater and that euen in the smallest thinges the authoritie of his Godhead ought to be regarded For the authoritie of the lawe dependeth vppon God God is the lawegiuer and the lawe is his inuention This suppresseth the malapertnesse of
Wherevppon wée doe fréely confesse that the lawe doeth properly make manifeste our infirmitie but that the Gospel giueth a medicine a remedie to that which was almost past hope And now here we must thinke that our holy ancestors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of sinne nor Moses to doe nothing else but kill and slay nor that Moses was giuen to wound them but to heale them that not by his owne power or vertue but by the guiding of them to him that chéerisheth the contrite in heart and healeth all their sorrowes that is Christ Iesus who also wrought by the ministerie of Moses For we must not thincke from the beginning of the world nor from Moses his time till the comming of Christe that the bare letter was preached onely and that the grace and spirite of God was idle wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull For in that the law doth shewe vs and inuincibly proue to vs that in vs I meane in our flesh y perfection is not which the most holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vs it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde not by the vertue of it selfe but by the power of the quickening spirite of Christ from confidence of the fleshe as that wherin there is no health nor iote of perfection and so coÌ„sequently doeth giue vs occasion to turne our selues to Christ our mediatour who is alone our sanctification perfection And so for this occasion the law is a path and readie way and as it were a scholemaster giuen by God to vs men to drawe vs from all confidence in our owne strengths from all hope of our owne merites and from y trust in any kinde of creatures and to lead vs directly by faith to Christ who was made by God as I said eueÌ„ now our righteousnesse sanctification and redemptioÌ„ without whom there is no saluation vnder the sunne Therefore Moses did not onely vrge the lawe but did also preach Christ life in Christ For the Lord in the Gospel saith to the Iewes Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye trust For if ye had beleued Moses ye would vndoubtedly haue beleued mee For he wrote of mee And Paule to the Galathians saith If there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe but the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen vnto them that beleeue But before faith came wee were kept vnder the lawe and were shut vp into the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith Loe what could bée said more plainly then that the lawe hath concluded all vnder sinne But to what end That the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should bée giuen vnto them that do beléeue And againe Before faith came that is before he came to whom our faith is directed and vppon whoÌ„ it is grounded we were kept vnder the lawe How forsooth being shut vp vnto the faith that was to bee reuealed Therefore our fathers were shut vpin the law that they should not breake out at any time séeke for life and saluation any where else but in Christ alone Wherefore the lawe did lead vs by faith directly vnto Christe And yet more plainly hée saith The lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christ Loe here againe the law doth bring vs to Christ And againe he addeth That we should bee iustified by faith Therefore the lawe setteth forward the true doctrine of iustification teaching plainly that we are iustified by faith in Christ and not by the merits of our owne workes In whiche point it is opeÌ„ly like vnto the Gospel and taketh to it selfe the office of the Gospell and no meruaile since to many men through their owne fault the Gospell doth become and is made the letter Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sinnes to remeÌ„brance we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of sinns Therfore eueÌ„ the ceremonial lawes also led them to Christ testifying teaching them that he alone doth clense vs from all our sinnes Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the lawe both was is to opeÌ„ to vs our sinne iudgment yet not to condemne vs only but also by occasion to lead vs to Christ By which we learne also that the law doth not only teach vs the first principles and rudimentes of righteousnesse but the very true absolute righteousnesse For Moses doth expresly say that he taught a most perfecte absolute kind of doctrine as that wher in both life and death doth wholie consist And the Apostle saith that the law leadeth vs by the hand to Christ that we should be iustified by faith Now the righteousnesse of faith is the most perfect righteousnesse Therfore wher as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudimeÌ„ts of the world that is for two especiall causes The first wherof is because the lawe is as it were the first instructioÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts which when the doctrine of the Gospel commeth is finished and giueth place to it as to more absolute principles The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught vnder outward thinges or signes when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be séen y inward things euen Christ himselfe his holy mysteries And out of that which I haue hetherto said we may also learne that the ancient saints which liued vnder the old testament did not séeke for righteousnesse saluation in the workes of the lawe but in him which is the perfectnesse end of the law euen Christ Iesus therfore that they vsed the law the ceremonies as a guide and scholemistresse to lead them by the hande to Christe their sauiour For so often as they heard that the lawe required perfect righteousnesse at their hands they did by faith through grace vnderstand y in the lawe Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousnesse to whom all men ought to flie for â—he obtâ—ining of righteousnesse So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies which God had ordeined they did not looke vppon the bare figures only nor thincke that they did please God and were purged from their sinnes by that externall kinde of worshipp but they did cast the eyes of their minds of faith vppon the Messiah to come who was prefigured in al the Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe They therefore did abuse the lawe who thoughte that they were acceptable to God and that they serued him as they should because they were busie in those Ceremoniall workes For those thoughtes and persuasions the Prophets
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
haue For euen they also cried to God as to their father although they obteined it not by the lawe which terrifieth but by the grace of the Messiah Againe the same Apostle saith Whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God. Which sentence we may thus conuert say that the sonnes of God are led by the spirite of God. But there is none vnlesse it bee such an one as neuer read the scriptures which will denye that the auncient fathers were the sonnes of God and were so called bothe by the Lorde him selfe and also by his seruaunt Moses What may be thought of the moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and priestes and so consequeÌ„tly a royall priesthood and a priestly kingdome which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Christ Iesus Nowe such a kingdome and priesthood cannot be or consist without the vnction of the spirite The holy apostle Iohn I confesse in his Gospell sayde The holy Ghoste was not yet beecause Iesus was not yet glorified But as hee spake not of the substaunce of the holye Ghoste which is coeternall with the substance of the father and of the sonne so he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghost For in that place he speaketh of the excellent gifte which after the ascension of the Lorde was powred out vpon the people that did beléeue For Iohn him selfe interpreting him selfe doeth immediately before saye These wordes who so euer beleeueth on me out of his belye shall flowe riuers of water of life spake hee of the holye Ghoste which they that beleue on him shuld receiue The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoste was not at that time when the Lorde spake those words so commonly and plentifully powred vppon all men as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Iesus And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not haue so precisely and eâ—pressely foretolde all the mysteries of Christe the church which the Euangelistes and Apostles do testifie to be nowe accomplished fulfilled vnlesse in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie same spirite wherewith the Apostles were afterward instructed For it is a wicked thing for vs to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what and speake suche woordes as they them selues vnderstoode not Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and was gladde of it for by that spirituall sight of his he had and felt with in him selfe a certeine kinde of spirituall ioye Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Psalmes testifie that the seruice of God and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte which wordes he vttered not so much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies but for that he did by the spirite and by faith beholde in those ceremonies the true Messiah and Sauiour of the world And since it is euident that our forefathers were iustified by the grace of God it is manifest that that iustification was not wrought without the spirite of God through which spirite euen our iustification at this day is wrought and finished Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie same spirite that we of this age are directed by Of this opinion was sainct Augustine whose wordes dearely beloued I meane to recite vnto you worde for word out of his seconde booke de Peccato orig contra Pelag. et celest Cap 25. Things to come saith he were foreseene of the prophets by the same spirite of faith by which they are of vs beleeued to be alreadie finished For they whiche of verie faithfull loue could prophecie these thinges vnto vs coulde not choose but bee themselues partakers of the same And whereuppon is it that the Apostle Peter saith why temptye God to laye vppon the Disciples neckes the yoke that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shal be saued euen as they Whereupon is I saye that Peter saith this but for because they are saued by the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe and not by Moses lawe by which doth come not the saluing but the knowledge of sinne But nowe the righteousnesse of God is without the lawe made manifest witnessed by the lawe and the prophets Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifest then must it needes bee that it was beefore although as then it were hidden The hyding whereof was prefigured by the vaâ—le of the temple which when Christe died was rent in pieces for a signification that it was then reuealed And therefore this grace of the onely mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus was then in the people of God but it was hidden in theÌ„ as it were rayne in a sliece which God doth separate vnto his inheritaunce not of duetie but of his owne voluntarie will but nowe that sliece being as it were wroung out that is the Iewish people beeing reprobated it is openly seene in all nations as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place Thus much out of Augustine Nowe also there was sett beefore the eyes of Israel a earnall and temporall felicitie whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon For in that externall and transitorie felicitie was shadowed the heaueÌ„ly and eternall happinesse For the apostle in the fourth eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues saith that the fathers out of that visible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuisible and euerlasting heritage Neither was Christe to any other ende so expressely promised them nor the blessing and life in Christe for any other purpose so plainly layde defore them nor Christe him self almost in all their ceremonies so often prefigured for any other intent but that they thereby might bee put in hope of the verie same life into which wee are receiued through Christ our redéemer For the Lorde in the Gospell saith that wee shal bee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the same glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob But here is an obiection made that life and saluation was promised onely and not perfourmed vnto the fathers but that they being shut vp in prison did looke for the comming of Messiah I for my parte do not finde any thing in the scriptures to bee written of such a prison whereinto the holie Patriarches were fast locked vpp Peter verily maketh mention of a prison but in that prison hee wil haue the disobedient not the obedient spirites to be But if any man obiect that Christe descended to them belowe we verily do not denye it but yet we say withal that he desceÌ„ded to the departed saincts that is that he was gathered to the companie of the blessed Spirites whiche were not in the place of punishment that is in torments but in the ioyes of heauen as the Lorde him self coÌ„firmeth the same when being readie to descende to them belowe
he did saye vnto the chiefe This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise It may also by many places of Scripture bee proued that the auncient holie fathers from Adams time vntill the death of Christ at their departure out of this life did presently for Christe his sake enter not into prison but into eternall life For our Lorde in the Gospell after Sainct Marke doth say God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing But he is the god of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob therefore consequently Abraham Isaac and Iacob do liue or are now aliue and yet not in bodie corporally For their bodies beeing buried were rotten longe since therefore their soules do liue in ioye and their verie bodies shall rise to iudgement againe In the Gospell after S. Luke the Lord maketh mention of Abrahams bosome into which are gathered all the blessed spirites of it he testifieth that it is placed aloft that it is not a place of paine punishement but of ioy and refreshing And therefore we do often read in the Scriptures of the holie fathers that they were gathered vnto their people that is to say that they were receiued into the fellowship of those fathers with whome they had in this world remained in the same faith and same kinde of religion For the sequences circuÌ„stances of those places doe manifestly declore y those wordes cannot be expounded corporally of the buriall of the bodie Againe in the Gospel after S. Matthewe the Lord saith I say vnto you that many shal come out of the East out of the West and shall rest them selues with Abraham Isaac Iacob in the kingdome of heauen but the children of the kingdome shal bee cast out into vtter darknesse there shal bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Nowe if the Gentiles must be gathered into the kingdome of heauen and that they must be placed in the fellowship of the fathers than must it néeds bée that the fathers were alreadie in heauen and felte the ioyes thereof at that very time when the Lord spake these words Who also in the Gospell after S. Iohn doth plainly say Abraham was glad to see my day and hee sawe it and reioyced Which saying although wée vnderstand to be spoken of the iustification and ioye of the conscience yet do we not separate from it the ioy of eternall life because the one doth of necessitie depend vpon and followe the other Moreouer wée must héere consider the occasion vppon which these words of the Lord do séeme to haue béen spoken The Lord had said Verilie verilie I say vnto you If a man keepe my saying hee shall neuer taste of death which words the Iewes toke hold on and said Abraham is dead and the Prophets are dead yet sayest thou if a man will keepe my sayinges hee shall neuer see death What art thou greater than oure father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead also Whome makest thou thy selfe To this the Lord made answere and shewed that Abraham is quickened or else preserued in life and heauenly ioy through faith in the sayings of Christe Iesus and that howsoeuer hée is dead in body yet notwithstanding his soule doth liue in ioy for euer with God in whome hee did put his trust To this may be added that Dauid in the 16. Psalme calling God his hope his expectation and his inheritance doth amonge other thinges say The Lord is alwayes at my right haÌ„d Therefore my hart is glad my glorie reioyceth and my fleshe shall rest in hope For thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Thou wilt make mee to knowe the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioy at thyright hand there be pleasures for euermore And although S. Peter and Saint Paul doe in the Actes of the Apostles applie this testimonie of Dauid as a thing spoken Prophetically vnto Christ Iesus yet notwithstanding no man can denie but that the same may after a certeine manner be referred vnto Dauid who in that Psalme maketh a profession of his faith declareth his hope and expresseth his Michtam that is his delight or the armes or cognizaunce whereby he would be knowen Those words therefore doe first apperteine to Christ and then to Dauid and all the faithfull For the life and resurrection of Christ is the life resurrection of the faithfull Againe in an other place the same prophet saith I beleeue verilie to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing Now in the land of the liuing there is neither death nor dolour but fulnesse of ioy and euerlasting pleasures these ioyes and delights Dauid by faith did looke to obteine at the hand of GOD through Christ his sauiour and did in déede according to his hope possessâ— the same immediately after he did depart out of this life although it were many yeares after his death or euer Christe did come in the fleshe euen as we also at this day are saued by him although it be now one thousand fiue hundreâ—h and od yeares agoe since he in his flesâ— did depart from the earth But whereas Paul in the 12. to the Hâ—brues saiâ—h And all these holie fathers hauing through faith obteined good repoâ—t receiued not the promise because 〈◊〉 had prouided a better thinge for vs that they without vs should not bee made pâ—rfecte I thinke simplie that it must be vnderstood of the perfect or ful felicitie in which y holy fathers without vs are not consummated or made perfecte Because there is yet behinde the generall resurrection of all fleshe which must first come and when that is once finished then is the felicitie of all the Sainctes consummated or made perfect which felicitie shall then not bee giuen to the soule alone but to the body also Saincte Peter also doeth constantly affirme that saluation is first of all by Christ purchased for the soules of the holy Saincts then that they by the same Christe are immediatly vppon their bodily death receiued to be partakers of the same saluation and lasty that in the end of the world the bodies of the Saincts being raised from death as the bodies of all men be shall appeare before Christ to be iudged of him The Lord saith hée shall iudge both the quicke and the dead For to this end was the Gospell preached to the dead that in the flesh they should be iudged like men but in the spirite they should liue with God. That is to say the death of Christ is effectuall to the fathers that died in the faith so that nowe in soule they lâ—ue with God and that they againe are to be iudged in their fleshe like to all other men at what time the Lord shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Therefore our saluation is not as yet perfecte nor consummated but shal be made perfecte in the end of the world Moreouer
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
intricate places of the holie scripturs which it is hard to coÌ„prehend or define in any certeine order both that many things are vnknowen without the perill of Christian faith and also that in some points men do erre with out any crime of hereticall doctrine But concerning the two men by the one of whoÌ„ wee are sold vnder sinne by the other redeemed from sinne by one we are cast headlong into death by the other wee are made free vnto life because that man did in himselfâ— destroye vs by doing his owne will and not the will of him that madâ— him but this man hath in himselfe saued vs by doing not his owne wil but the will of him that sent him Therfore in the coÌ„sideration of these two men Christian faith doeth properly consist For there is one God and one mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus Because there is none other name vnder Heauen giuen vnto men in which they must be saued in him hath God appointed all men to trust raysing him vp from death to life Therefore Christian veritie doubteth not but that without this faith that is without the faith of the only mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus without the beliefe I say of his resurrection whiche God hath prescribed to men whiche cannot be truly beleeued without the beleefe of his incarnation and death without the faith therefore of the incarnation death and resurrection of Christ none of the auncient iust men could be clâ—nsed and iustified of God from their sinnes whether they were in the number of those iuste men whome the holy Scripture mentioneth or in the number of those iuste men whom the Scripture nameth yet are to bee beleeued to haue beene either before the deluge or betwixte the deluge and the lawe or in the verie time of the lawe not onely among the children of Israel as the Prophets were but also without that people as Iob was For euen their harts were cleÌ„sed by the same faith of the mediatour and charitie was powred into them by the same holy spirite which breatheth where he listeth not following after merits but euen working the verie merits themselues For Gods grace will not bee by any meanes vnlesse it be free by al meanes Although therefore death reigned from Adam vnto Moses because the law giuen by Moses could not ouercome it For there was no such law giuen as could quicken but such a lawe as whose office was to shewe that the dead to the quickening of whome grace was necessarie were not only ouerthrowen by the propagation and dominion of sinne but were also condemned by the hidden transgression of the verie law it selfe not that euery one should perish that did then vnderstand it in the mercie of God but that euery one being through the dominioÌ„ of death appointed vnto punishment and detected to himselfe by the transgression of the lawe should seeke for the helpe of God that where sinne abouÌ„ded grace might more abound which alone doth deliuer from the body of this death Although therefore the lawe giuen by Moses could not ridd any maÌ„ from the kingdome of death yet in the very time of the lawe were the men of God not vnder the terrifying conuinceing punishing law but vnder the delectable sauing and deliuering grace There were among them some which said In iniquitie was I conceiued and in sinne hath my mother fedd mee in her wombe And so forth For hetherto I haue cited the very words of S. Augustine I haue thus farre spoken of originall sinne of the natiue and hereditarie corruption of our nature which is the first part in the definition of sinne here followeth nowe the latter part to witt the very Action which ariseth of that corruption the actual sinne I say which is so called Ab actu that is an acte or a déede doing For in so much as that corruption whiche is borne together with and is hereditarie in vs doeth not alwayes lye hidd but woorketh outwardly and sheweth forth it selfe doth at last bring forth an imp of her owne kinde and nature which impe is actuall sinne therefore we define actuall sinne to bee an action or woorke or fruite of oure corrupte and naughtie nature expressing it selfe in thoughts words and workes against the lawe of God and therby deseruing the wrath of God. So then by this the cause of actuall sinne is knowen to be the very corruption of mankind which sheweth forth it selfe through concupiscence and euil affections affections intice the will wil being helped with the other faculties in man that worke together with it doth finish actual sinne And that ye may more clearely perceiue that whiche I saye I wish you to note that our minde hath two partes The vnderstanding or reason or iudgement and the will or appetite In the reason are the lawes of nature whereunto must be added the preaching or reading or knowledge of Gods word And nowe as of good woorkes in man there are two especiall causes to witt sound iudgement well framed by the woord of God and a will consenting and obeying therevnto and yet notwithstanding there is principallie to be required the comming to of the holye Ghoste from heauen to illuminate the minde and moue forward the will euen so we may most properly say that actuall sinne is finished when any thinge is of set purpose with aduised iudgement and the consent of our wil committed against the lawe of god And yet to these there doe many times happen other outward causes both visible and inuisible For euill spirites moue men and euill men moue men and other infinite examples of corruption that are in the world Hope seare and weakenesse doe also moue men Augustine Quaest in Exodum 29. sayeth The beginning of vice is in the will of man but the heartes of men are moued by sundrie accidental causes now this now that sometimes the causes are all one the difference is in the manner and order according to euery ones proper qualities which doe arise of euerie seuerall will. Againe in the 79. Psalme he sayeth Two things there are that woorke all sinnes in mortall men desire and feare Consider examine aske your heartes search your consciences and see if any sinnes can be but by desiring or else by fearing Thou aâ—t promised if thou wilt sinne to haue such a reward giueÌ„ thee as thou doest delight in and for desire of the gifte thou crackest thy conscience doest commit sinne And againe on the other side though peraduenture thou wilt not be seduced with giftes yet being terrified with threatnings thou doest for dread of that whiche thou fearest coÌ„mit the iniquitie that other wise thou wouldest not As for example Some one man or other would with giftes corrupte thee to beare false witnesse Thou presently hast turned thee selfe to God and hast said in thy heart what doth it aduantage a man if hee gaine the whole world suffer the losse
repent Else-where Repentaunce is figuratiuely attributed to God like to the affection of mortall men as when hee sayeth It repenteth mee that I haue made man. For God of his owne nature doeth not repent as men doe so that hée should be touched with griefe and that the thing should now mislike him which hee before did like off but he doeth barely alter that whiche hee hath done Amonge Ecclesiasticall writers they are said to repent which after a prescribed manner of punishment doe penaunce for their sinnes which they haue coÌ„mitted The scripture in an other place doth vse it for the whole effect and matter of the Gospel For in the Actes wee read that God gaue to the Gentiles repentaunce vnto life But we in this disputation of ours will vse Repentaunce for a conuerting or turning to the Lord for the acknowledging of sinns for the griefe conceiued for sinnes committed for mortification and the beginning to leade a newe life and finally for the chaunge correction and amendement of the life from euil to better that which we Germanes call Bekeerung Enderung oder Besserung And as diuersly too is Repentance defined of the Ecclesiasticall writers howbeit all agrée that it is a conuersion or turning to the Lord and an alteration of the former life and opinion We therefore do say that Repentaunce is an vnfeigned turning to God whereby wee being of a sincere feare of God once humbled doe acknowledge our sinnes so by mortifying our old man are afresh renued by the spirite of God. This definition doeth consist vppon her partes whiche being somewhat more largely opened and diligently expounded wil declare vnto vs and laye before oure eyes the whole nature of Repentaunce First we say that Repentaunce is an vnfeigned turning vnto god For I will hereafter shewe you that there are two sorts of Repentaunce to wit feigned and vnfeigned And the Apostle Peter sayeth Repent and turne that your sinnes may be blotted out expounding as it were the first by the last to witt Repentaunce by Returning he meaneth to him from whom they had turned themselues away For there is a certeine relation béetwixt turning to and turning fro If thou hadst neuer turned away then hadst thou had no néed to haue turned to againe But we haue all turned away from the true iust and good God and from his holy will vnto the diuel and our owne corrupt affections And therfore must we againe turne vs froÌ„ the diuel and from oure old naughtie life and will vnto the liuing God and his most holy will and pleasure Wee do here significantly say To God and not To creatures or any help of man For the Lord in Ieremie doeth say If Israel thou wilt returne returne to me Whosoeuer therfore do not turne to God nor make themselues conformable to his holy wil how soeuer they do turne to creatures other meanes of mans inuention yet are they not to be estéemed or counted penitents Nowe there is none so blinde but séeth that for the stirring of vs vpp to repentaunce the preaching or doctrine of the trueth is néedeful and requisite to teache vs what God is to whome wée must bee turned what the goodnesse holinesse is to which wee must bee turned whoe the diuel is what the euill wickednesse is from which wee must be turned and lastly what the thing is that must be amended in oure minde and life and also howe it must be altered and amended Truely the Prophetes and Apostles of the Lord in exhorting men vnto repentaunce doe traueile much and sticke verie long in describing of Gods nature goodnesse righteousnesse trueth and mercie in painting out the lawes and offices of the life of man and in accusing and heaping vp the sinns of men wherevnto they add the gréeuous and horrible tokens of Gods iuste iudgements as is in euery place of the Prophets writings to be found very rifely And therefore some there are whiche bidd vs euen nowe to preache the lawe to those men whome we would drawe vnto repentaunce which thing as I doe not gainesay but very well like it so do I with-al admonish them that the preaching of the Gospell also doeth obiecte to men their sinnes and gréeuously accuse them For the Lord in the Gospel sayeth When the holy Ghoste commeth it shall argue the world of sinne because they beleeued not in mee Whervppon S. Peter in the Actes of the Apostles vpbrayding to the Iewes their sinnes committed and preaching vnto them Christe and faith in Christ exhorteth them vnto repentaunce The places are very well knowen Actes 2. and 3. S. Paule going about to drawe the Athenieâ—s vnto Repentaunce doth say God who hath hetherto winked at the times of this ignoraunce doth now preach to al men euery where that they should repent because hee hath appointed a day in which he wil iudge the world with righteousnesse through Christ Let them therefore to whome charge is giuen to drawe men vnto repentaunce learne heere to vse much libertie and wisedome that all men maye acknowledge their sinne and the greatnesse of their iniquitie Moreouer God doeth stirre vpp men to repentaunce not by his woord onely but also by diuers afflictions and sundrie sortes of punishments Yea all the calamities that happen in the world are certeine Sermons as it were persuading and drawing vs vnto repentaunce For that I maye in silence ouerpasse that which is written in the Prophets did not our Lord himselfe in the Gospell when he heard tidings of the slaughter which Pontius Pilate had made vpon the GalilÄ™ans and the death of the 18. men vpon whom the tower in Siloc fel presently say Thincke ye that they were greater sinners than the rest No verilie but vnlesse ye repent ye shall all likewise perish It is assuredly certeine therefore that warre famine plagues doe alwayes inuite vs vnto repentaunce that is they premonishe vs by laying sinne aside to be conuerted vnto God and wholie to giue our selues to sincere integritie But in vaine is repentaunce preached vnto vs vnlesse by feare trembling conceiued in our minds we doe reuerendly dread the wrath iudgement of Almightie God conceiued against vs because of oure sinnes and wickednesses Now this feare is outwardly stirred in vs by the externall preaching or discipline of the minister as I told you before but that external doctrine auaileth nothing alone vnlesse inwardly that is in our hearts we be moued by the holy spirit of our heauenly father And therefore Ieremie in his Lamentations cryeth Turne vs O Lord and we shal be turned And in the 31. Chap. Turne thou me O Lord and I shal be turned beecause thou art the lord my god And after I was turned it repented mee of euill Wée read that S. Peter being prouoked by the wordes of the damsel that kept the doore and of the souldiers did foulie denie his master Christ but being reuoked at the cockes crowing he repented his fault or folly from
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
Iesus Christ Therefore repentaunce and faith séeme to be diuers not that true repentaunce can be without faith but because they must bee distinguished not confounded Wée doe all knowe that true faith is not without workes as that whiche of necessitie sheweth forth good woorkes and yet wee make a difference betwixt faith and works so yet that we do not separate them or rend the one from the other and in like manner wee acknowledge that true faith and true repentaunce are vndiuidedly knit together and closely fastened the one to the other I wil not stand in argument whether faith be a part of repentaunce or doth by any other meanes depend vppon it It séemeth to me a notable point of follie to goe about to tye matters of Diuinitie to precepts of Logicke For we learne not that of the Lords Apostles I admonished you before in a Sermon of the Gospel which thinge I do here repeate againe that the acknowledging of sinnes doeth not of it selfe obteine grace or forgiuenesse of sinnes euen as the bare acknowledging of a disease is not the remedie for the same For eueÌ„ damned men also do acknowledge their sinnes and yet are not therefore healed The acknowledging of sinne is a certaine preparatiue vnto faith as the acknowledging of a disease doth minister occasion to thincke vppon a remedie To this at this present wee add that not the verie feare of God howe sincere soeuer it bée not the verie sorrowe conceiued for oure sinnes how great soeuer it bée nor the verie humiliation howe submisse soeuer it bee doe of themselues make vs acceptable to god but rather that they prepare an entraunce make a waye for vs vnto the knowledge of Christe and so consequently doe leade vs to Christe himselfe being incarnate and crucified for vs and our redemption and lay vs vppon Christ alone by him to be quickened and purely cleansed For he that is truly conuerted to God is vtterly turned from himselfe and all hope of worldly ayde Who so doth truely feare God and is sorie in very déede from the bottome of his heart he doeth feare and is sorie for his sinnes committed and not for that alone but because he findeth himselfe to be corrupted wholy and to haue in himselfe no soundnesse or integritie yea because he reuereÌ„ceth God as his father he doth disclose to him his wounds as to a Cheirurgian desiring instantly to be recoÌ„ciled to him as to his louing father And wheras here true godlinesse doeth crie that no man can be reconciled to God the father but by the onely begotten sonne the penitent doeth by faith lay hold on the sonne and so séeke the meanes of his recoÌ„ciliation Faith is grounded vppon the onely grace or mercie of GOD exhibited to vs in Christ Iesus and the penitent beléeneth that he is accepted of God for Christ his sake alone and therfore he maketh his supplications to God committing himselfe wholy vnto his mercie as we read that Dauid the prodigal sonne in the 15. cap. of S. Lukes Gospell did To this place might bee annexed the doctrine of the Gospell of faith in Iesus Christ of the remission of sinnes touchinge whiche I haue alreadie spoken And héere I thincke it not amisse that the mindes of penitents must by all meanes bee confirmed with many and euident places of scripture plainly vttered concerning the full remission of sinnes to the end that hereafter wee haue no scruple of conscience to cause vs to despaire or doubt in oure temptations Wherein notwithstanding I repeate againe and againe this note to be thoroughly marcked for the confirmation of the glorie of the onely begotten sonne of God our lord Christ Iesus that penitent sinners haue their sinnes remitted not for their repentaunce in respecte that it is oure worke or action but in respecte that it comprehendeth the renuing of man by the holy Ghost and true faith whiche deliuereth vs to Christ our Physician that he may heale all our diseases and bynde vp al our griefes And although this treatise doeth properly belonge to the common place of faith and the Gospell of which I haue so briefly as I could alreadie discoursed yet notwithstanding I wil heere recite some euident sentences touching the grace of GOD and frée remission of oure sinnes Dauid in the hundreth and thirde Psalme sayeth Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not the thinges that hee hath done for thee whiche forgiueth all thy sinnes and healeth all thine infirmities Which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercie and louinge kindnesse Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our wickednesse For loke howe highe the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercie toward them that feare him And looke how farre the East is from the West so farre hath hee sett oure sinnes from vs Yea like as a father pitieth his owne children so is the lord merciful to them that feare him For hee knoweth that wee are fraile proane to sinne doth remember that we are but dust Esaie in the first Chapiter of his Prophecie sayeth Thus sayeth the Lord Though your sinnes bee as red as Scarlet they shal bee made whiter then snowe and thoughe they bee redd as purple they shal be made like vndied woll Againe in the fourtie and thrée Chapiter he bringeth in the Lord saying I I am hee that blott out the transgressions and that for mine owne sake I will not remember thy sinnes In the 31. Chapiter of Ieremie which saying is also alleged by Paule in the eighth and tenthe Chapiters to the Hebrues the Lord sayeth This is my couenaunt that I will make with them after these dayes I wil be mercifull vnto their iniquities and not remember their sinnes any more In the 36. Chapiter of Ezechiel the Lord sayeth I will sprinckle cleane water vppon you and yee shall bee cleansed from all your vncleannesse A newe heart also will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you as for that stonie heart I will take it out of your flesh and giue you a fleshie heart I wil deliuer you from all your vncleannesses But I wil not doe this for your sakes sayeth the Lord be ye sure of it c. Daniel in his ninth Chapiter leaueth to vs a manifest example of confession of sinnes and doeth in expresse words say that by the Messiah sinnes are forgiuen iniquitie purged and euerlasting righteousnesse brought in in stéed of it So doth the Prophet â—acharie in his thirde Chapiter affirme that the iniquitie of the earth is purged by the onely Sacrifice of Christe Iesus The Lord in the Gospell after S. Matthewe doeth say They that are whole neede not the Physician but they that are sick Neither did I come to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce And therefore is he called Iesus that is a Sauiour For the Angel said Hee shall saue his people from their sinnes
Indulgenciaries and the Pope him selfe whose Hierlings they be We must confesse verily that they are the fellowes of Simon not Peter but Magus For Peter did by the iust sentence of God curse such kinde of merchantes Your money saith he perish together with you This is a heauie and terrible but yet a moste iust iudgement of the moste iust god The same Apostle Peter foreséeing that in the church there would be many such merchants doeth in his last Epistle say There were false Prophets among the people euen as there shal be false teachers among you which priuily bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring vpon themseâ—ues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whome the way of trueth shal be euil spoken of And with couetousnesse through seigned words shall they make merchaÌ„dize of you For what is it with fained words through couetousenesse to make merchandize of the miserable idiotes if this is not when they say that they doe giue full remission of sinnes vnto all them that are contrite and doe confesse their sinnes For if any man doo acknowledge his sinnes and with a true faith conuert him selfe to God through Christe euen without theire Indulgences he doth obtaine plenarye remission of all his sinnes Those foxes therefore make mony of smoke deceiuing simple soules and selling for coyne the thinge which they neuer had neither possibly can be purchased with money And thus much hetherto of bought and solde Indulgences Of which other writers haue made very long discourses I suppose that by this little any man maye easily vnderstand how to iudge of them a-right We are now at length come past those rocks and shelfes to whiche we did of purpose saile that when we had viewed the moste perilous places we might admonishe the vnskilfull passagers to take héede howe they strike vpon them for making shippwrack of their soules by thincking that in these Indulgences doeth lye she true force of sufficiente Repentaunce wherein there is nothing but the vtter displeasing of Godes moste holye maiestie Therefore letting that alone as it is we doe now returne to declare she last member of repentance whereby we said that penitentes doe mortifie the olde man and are renued spiritutually First of all therfore it séemeth good to tell what the olde man is what the newe or regenerated manne is and what the power or strength of man is For by the demonstration thereof we shall the better vnderstand what it is to mortifie the olde man to be renued in the spirit We say that the olde man is all that which we haue of nature or of our first parents to wit not the body only or the flesh I mean the grosser and substantiall parte of the bodye but euen the verye soule with the strength the power and faculties of the same Therefore wheras in some places of the holye Scriptures the fleshe is put for man we must not onely vnderstand the massie substance and grosser parte of the bodye but the very fleshe together with the soule and all the faculties thereof that is the whole man not yet regenerate For the Lord in the Gospell saith That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit And this he speaketh concerning regeneratioÌ„ which is not according to the fleshe as Nicodemus did falsely imagine but according to the spirit The woord Flesh therfore dooth importe the naturall power and faculties of manne euen all that I meane which we haue or take of our first grandsyre Adam The new man is said to be he that is regenerate by the spirite of God in Christe or is rerenued according to the image of Christe with all the giftes and vertues of the holye Ghoste And as the flesh is vsually put for the olde man so is the spirit by an Antithesis commonly vsed and taken for the newe man. Now héere the very place requireth to discourse somewhat of the power or vertues of man Of whiche although I haue else-where disputed all redye as in the Sermon of Fréedome and bondage and of sinne yet héere againe I wil touch suche points as I thinck to suffice for this present Argument There are two partes or faculties of our soule Vnderstanding Will. Vnderstandinge doeth discerne in things obiect what to receiue or what to refuse and is as it were the light and guide of the soule Will chooseth for in it dooth lye bothe to will and to nill which are againe impeld by other powers and faculties Nowe the vnderstanding is of two sortes For we vnderstand either Earthlye or Heauenly thinges I call those Earthly things which do apperteine not to the life to come but to the life present whervnto we referre all liberall artes and handicrafts the gouerning of publique weales and the ruling of priuate houses By heauenly things I vnderstand God himselfe eternall felicitie and life euerlastinge the knowledge of God and all kindes of vertues faith hope charitie righteousnes holynes and innocencie of life Now let vs sée what this vnderstanding of man is able to doo and what power it hath The Iudgement and vnderstanding of man in Earthly things is not altogither none at all but yet it is weake and verye smal God wot The vnderstanding therefore that is in man dooth come of God but in that it is small and weake that commeth of mans owne fault and corruption But the bountifull Lord doeth augment in men those giftes of his whereby it commeth that mans wit bringeth woonderful things to passe For which cause we read in the holie Scriptures that the artes wittes of men are in the handes of god But in the knowledge or vnderstanding of heauenly matters there is not one small sparke of light in man his witt of it selfe is nothing but darckenesse which at the beginninge was created by God moste sharpe lightsome but was afterwardes by mans corruption vtterly rebated and darkned againe For therefore it is that Christe in the Gospell sayed No man commeth to mee vnlesse my father drawe him And in the prophets it is written All shal be taught by GOD. And Paule saith The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges that are of the spirite of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him Neither can knowe because they are spiritually discerned The naturall man that is that olde man which is not yet regenerate by the holie Ghost is not a blocke altogether without all sense or féeling For if he were vtterly without all the discourses of reason then how should the preaching of the Gospell séeme foolishnesse vnto him He doth therefore by the gifte of God heare and vnderstande the wordes and sense of the holie scripture but by reason of his naturall corruption he is not touched with them he doth not rightly iudge of theÌ„ they seeme méere follie vnto him neither doth he perceiue that they must be discerned spiritually because
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
word Colere is in Latine of large signification For we say Colere amicitiam to mainteine frendship Colere literaruÌ„ studia to loue learning Colere arua to till or husband our lands and Colere senes to reuerence olde men We in this place vse Colere for Seruire that is in all pointes like a seruant to be dutifull and to shewe him selfe obedient to reuerence or haue in veneration and to â—e worshippe The Hebricians vse their worde Abad which the Latine interpretour translateth Seruiuit coluit or sacrificauit that is he serued worshipped or sacrificed In the booke of Kings thou dost reade And Achab serued Baal worshipped him The GreciaÌ„s cal this seruice either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one is taken for the other though in déede Seruire to serue be more than Colere to worshippe For thou canst abide without any adoe to worship some man but to serue the same thou canst not so well away withall We say therefore that the seruice of God is a seruice whereby men submit them selues reuerently vnto God and obey him and according to his will worship him They therefore serue God which serue him earnestly behaue them selues duetifully in obeying him seruing him inwardly and outwardly as he hath appointed For the seruice of God is two-fold or of two sortes The true and the false TheÌ„ true is called true religion true fayth and godlinesse The false is called superstition idolatrie and vngodlinesse For that is the true seruice of God which springeth from the true feare of God from a sincere fayth whiche submitteth it selfe to God alone and applyeth it selfe in all things to the will of god The false seruice consisteth in the contrarie Touching the whiche we will say more when we come to speake of superstition The true seruice of God is diuided againe for perspicuitie or plainenesse sake into the inward seruice of God and the outward The inwarde seruice is knowne to God alone who is the searcher of heartes For it is occupyed in the feare of God and perfect obedience in fayth hope and charitie from whence doe spring the worshipping of God the calling vpon him thankesgiuing patience perseueraunce chastitie innocencie weldoing and the rest of the fruites of the spirite For with these giftes of God and spirituall thinges God who is a spirite is truly serued Without these no seruice is allowed of God howe so euer in the sight of men it séeme gay glorious and pure This seruice of god hath testimonies both diuine and humane but firste of all of the Lawe the Prophetes and the Apostles For in the lawe Moses sayth And nowe Israel what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou shouldest feare the Lorde thy God and walke in all his wayes that thou shouldest loue him and that thou shouldest serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soul that thou shouldest keepe the commaundements of the Lord and his ordinaunces whiche I coÌ„mand thee this day for thy welth Micheas the Prophet bringeth in one asking questions concerning the true seruice of God in what thinges the same consisteth and he maketh answere I will shewe thee O man what is good and what the lord doth require of thee surely to do iustly or iudgement to loue mercy and to huÌ„ble thy selfe to walke with thy God. S. Paule the Apostle sayth I besech you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp youre bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God whiche is your reasonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged by the renuing of youre minde that ye may proue what is the wil of god and what is good and acceptable and perfect The same Apostle comprehending in few words the true seruice of God to be a turning from Idols vnto God and the fayth of Iesus Christ sayth They of Macedonia and other nations or quarters shewe of you how you are turned to God from Idols that ye might serue the liuing and true god and loke for his sonne from heauen whom he raysed from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come Moreouer S. Iames the Apostle saith Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father is this to visite the fatherlesse or orphanes and widowes in their aduersitie and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the worlde These diuine and euident testimonies of holy scripture declare plentifully enough dearely beloued which is the true inward seruice of god Humane testimonies neuertheles nothing disagréeing from diuine verie many and euery where found in Ecclesiasticall writers Lactantius lib. Institut 6. cap. 9. sayth Therefore the knowledge of God and his seruice is all in all In this consisteth all the hope and saluation of man this is the first step or degrée of wisedome that we shoulde knowe who is oure true father that we should reuerence him alone with due godlinesse that wee should obey him and most deuoutly serue him and to obteyne his fauour let all labour care and industrie be bestowed Of this kinde the same authour citeth other testimonies also largely in the tenth chapter of the same booke and in the firste chapter of his booke De vero Dei cultu he giueth vs manifest But in stead of many we like well the citing of that one testimonie touching the true seruice of God fréely vttered by the mouth of a Romane martyr before iudge Asclepiades at y Romane Consistorie For after he had both couragiously and religiously tolde what God was in person and what in substance he addeth Thou knowest God nowe vnderstand as well The fourme and man-ner how he serued is What kynd of Church it is where he doth dwell What gifts to giue he thought it not amisse What vowes he askes whome he beside all this Will haue his priestes and in his Church like-wise What he commaundes to bring for sacrifice Vnto him selfe euen in the minde of man A Church he hath vouchsafed vp to reare A liuely feeling breathing Church which can Not sundered be faire beautifull and cleare And neuer like destructions dint to feare With loftie top and painted pleasantlie With coloures fresh of great diuersitie At th' holy porch a priest is standing there And keepes the doores before the Church which beene Fayth is her name a virgine chast and cleare Her haire tyed vp with fillets like a Queene For sacrifices simple pure and cleene And which she knowes are pleasing bids this priest Offer to God and to his deare sonne Christ A shamefast looke a meeke and harmelesse hart The rest of Peace a body pure and chaste The feare of GOD which sinners doth conuart The rule like-wise of knowledge truly plaste A sober fast from all excessiue waste Of Gluttonie an hope which doth not faint A liberall hand which giues without restraint From these oblations a vapour doth
arise Which sauours sweete by vertues force compelles It doth ascend and pearce the azure skies The sent of Baulme and Safron it excelles Yea Franckincense and Persian spices smelles From earth to heauen it mounteth vp aloft And pleaseth God therewith delighted oft And so foorth as followeth to this purpose These things I thinke sufficient concerning the inward seruice of God wherein I confesse in the mean while to be somwhat which may be referred also to the outwarde seruice of God. The outwarde seruice of GOD springeth from the inwarde neyther is it knowne to God alone as this other but is open to the iudgement of man and it is a kéeping or executing of the rites instituted of God himself whereby we doe both testifie vnto men the inward seruice and practise them to the glory of God and our profite Of this kynde were among the ancient people the temple the priesthoode and all the ceremonies instituted of God which are very often called the seruice of god And this seruice had his appointed limits For it was not lawfull for euery one to feigne a seruice of God after their owne pleasure as is shewed at large in the lawe and in the holy historie Nowe that outwarde seruice serued to the glory of God and the profite of the faithfull Which thing I haue declared when I was in hand with the Iewish ceremonies Furthermore as Christe abrogated those olde rites so in their stead he placed againe a very fewe For he instituted an holy assembly wherein his will is that his worde should be preached and expounded out of the holy scripture to his owne glory and to oure profite common prayer to be made and the sacraments to be ministred and receiued To which things a conuenient place is necessarie fit time due order and holy instruments Where again the godly do in nothing followe their owne wils For from the worde of that God whom they serue they fetch the whole manner and order of seruing him Whereof somewhat is spoken in the fourth commaundement of the first table and shall be spoken more at large in due place and order To be short they serue god with outward seruice who by faith and obedience gather themselues into the holy assemblie at limitted times who kéepe the Ecclesiasticall discipline deriued out of the worde of God who heare the word of God or the holy exposition of the sacred scriptures who praye publiquely with the Churche who religiously participate the sacraments and obserue other lawful and wholesome rites or ceremonies By this their seruice they glorifie God among men and receiue of God no small rewarde namely his blessing and increase of heauenlye giftes There is no néede I thinke in this place of testimonies of the Scriptures to confirme these thinges that we haue hetherto spoken touching the outwarde seruice of god For euery where in the historie of the Gospell in the Actes and Epistles of the Apostles very many are to be found For the Lord Iesus doth euery where gather together holie assemblies to whome he preacheth the Gospell and commendeth prayer Of Marie sitting at his féete and hearing his preaching he sayth This one thing is necessarie Marie hath chosen the good parte whiche shall not be taken from her And in an other place Blessed are they saith he which heare the word of GOD and keepe it Surely the Lorde him selfe instituted and put in vse the sacraments For to Iohn not consenting to baptise him at his asking and saying I haue neede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to me he answered Let it be so nowe For so it becommeth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse Wherevppon the Apostle Paule likewise diligently commending Ecclesiasticall discipline to the Churches ordeyned most decently holy assemblies The places are very well knowne vnto all 1. Cor. 11. 14. 16. Likewise 1. Tim. 2. and elsewhere But before I conclude this place I will shewe that onely God is to be serued And surely the seruice it selfe whereof we haue hetherto intreated can not be bestowed vppon any creature neyther Angels nor celestiall Saintes to GOD alone it agréeth Wherefore there is none so blinde but may sée that God alone must be serued with these And when God requireth of vs his seruice or dutie he requireth our whole hearte nothing therefore is left vs to bestowe vppon other Moses full of the spirit of God sayth in his lawe Ye shall walke after the Lorde your God and feare him his commaundements shall ye keepe and ye shall hearken vnto his voyce and ye shall serue him and cleaue vnto him Neither makes it any matter that here the word Alone is not added séeing that the words are vttered with an Emphasis or force For when he saythe Him shall ye serue and to him ye shal cleaue what other thing do we vnderstand than to him and not to any other therfore to him alone Furthermore in the sixt chapter of Deuteronomie thou doest not read Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and him alone shalt thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name But Thou shalte feare the Lorde thy God and him Emphatically shalte thou serue and thou shalt sweare by his name Furthermore the Lord in the Gospell bringing these wordes of the lawe against the tempter and making the emphaphasis playne It is written saith he Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Which testimonie doubtlesse béeing most effectuall and pithie is only sufficient for oure demonstration that God alone is to be serued I will moreouer adde herevnto the testimonie of a man howbeit established by diuine authoritie which we also elsewhere set downe in our bookes S. Augustine De quantitate animae doth shewe that GOD alone is to be serued in this sort Whatsoeuer the soule doth serue as God needefull it is that she think the same better than her selfe But wee must beleeue that neyther the earth nor the sea nor the starres nor the moone nor the sunne nor any thing at all that may be felt or seene with these eyes to be short not heauen it selfe whiche can not be seene of vs is better than the nature of the soule yea rather that all these are farre worsse than is any soule assured reason doth conuince And anon If therefore there be any otherthing of those that god hath created something is worsse something is as good worsse as the soule of a beast equall as the Angels but nothing is better And if happily something of these be better this cōmeth to passe by sinne and not by nature By which sinne notwithstanding it becommeth not so yl that the soule of a beast is eyther to be preferred before it or to be compared with it God therefore alone is to be worshipped of it who alone is the author of it And as for any other man though hee bee most wise and most perfect or any soule indued with reason and most blessed they are only
otherwise serue their Lord and king than Kings that is in doing those thinges whiche Kinges ought to doe namely to execute iudgement and iustice For albeit these be in the worlde yet râ—le they not after the worlde because they are now gouerned by the spirite of their king Christe and directe all their doings to the prescripte rule of Gods word and in all things yéelde them selues to be guided by the spirite of God and so farre surely their kingdome is not of this worlde Of these things I haue else where cited much out of S. Augustine acording to the scripture And our king Christe defendeth his Churche and his ministers sometime by the aide of Princes sometimes he preserueth and spreadeth abrâ—ade the same lying open to persecutions through infirmitie and weakenesse For it is pressed downe but not oppressed or kepte vnder still Christe the mightiest Prince alwayes reigning and ouercomming in those that â—ee his Nowe the bounds of this Earthlie kingdome of Christe reache vnto the vtter-moste partes of the Earth For all the kingdomes of the worlde and all nations perteine vnto the kingdome of Christ Héerevnto belong all the testimonies of the Prophets touching the calling of the Gentiles whereof thou maist finde verie manis in Esay and Zacharie who excellentlye describe the kingdome of Christe in Earth Wherevppon the Iewes tooke occasion to feigne I wot not how great glorious things of the maiestie and victeryes of the Messias whiche neuerthelesse long since were aboundantlye fulfilled in Christe but more spiritually than carnally But they while they dreame of and looke for carnall things loathe spirituall and loose bothe But the faithfull through the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Christe their king most aboundauntly obteine those good thinges whiche the Prophetes promised namely plentifull peace bothe with God and men and all kinde of felicitie alwayes to bée blessed alwayes to be safe though they fight continuallie from all enimyes as well visible as also inuisible and to inioy euerlasting saluation Which things the Prophetes in their writings haue set foorthe in a moste large kinde of style yet vnderstandinge nothing else than as euen now we said that the faithfull shall be moste happie and shall possesse in Christe all good gifts bothe of soule and bodie as much indéede as is necessarie and healthfull for the Saincts And this is that kingdome now we vnderstand bothe as well that of grace as this of 〈◊〉 which that Ioseph of Aramathia iust Simeon and Anna y Prophetisse with other Saints awaited and loked for This same kingdome Philippe the Deacon preached to them of Samaria and Sainte Paule the Apostle to them of Rome which thinge Luke doeth testiffe in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 8. and 28. But the seate or throne and palace of our king is Heauen For hee ascended a conquerour into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from theÌ„ce â—â— y Sunne of righteousnesse hee shineth to all which liue in his Churche or in his kingdome yea and he â—hâ—â—sâ—th the harts of the faithfull to him selfe wherein he may dwell Furthermore that we may vnderstande ouâ— King though not corpâ—rally presente in earth but ascended into Heauen not therefore to be absent from his kingdom he verily in his word compareth himselfe to the head and vs to the bodie or the meÌ„bers Now therefore as the bodie is neuer without the head so the kingdome of God is not without Christ the prince And as the vitall spirite from the harte and the power or vertue of féeling and mouing froÌ„ the head is powred into the bodie so are we quickened or made aliue by our Prince Christe he iustifying preseruing comforting confirming and defending vs from all euill As all the members are ruled by the head so all the faithful in the kingdome of Christe are gouerned by their King Christe Paule therefore saithe God raised Christe from the dead set him on his right hand in heauenly places farr aboue all rule and power and might euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to coÌ„e And hath put all things vnder his féete gaue him to be the head ouer all things to the Church which is his bodie y fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Of which kinde there are very many other to be found in the writings of the Apostles first of all that Christ is the head of the church and he it is which giueth saluation to the body for he gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the worde that he might present it vnto him selfe a glorious church c. And thus much hetherto of the kingdoÌ„e of Christ in earth which is bothe called the kingdome of grace and the Church militant Moreouer the kingdome of God is called the kingdome of heauen and of glory for that occasion because those whome our Lord king hath sanctified on earth and guided with his spirit yea and also iustified béeing deliueied from the fleshe and taken out of this world he glorifieth in heaueÌ„ and recâ—iueth thâ— into ioy into the fellowship both of himselfe and of all the saints For the souls of the faithful eueÌ„ as soone as they depart out of their bodies are foorth with receiued into heaueÌ„ to reigne with Christ the euerlasting king for euer to reioice with all the Saincts But in the laste iudgemeÌ„t wherewith we beleue that the quick and dead shall be iudged of Christe our king the bodies of the Sainctes shall be raised vp clarified coupled againe to their soules and how many soeuer haue cleaued vnto Christ their king from the beginning of the world shal liue for euer reigne in glorie together with Christe their king and prince Of this kingdoÌ„e of the Saints the Prophets Apostles haue spoken muche and chiefelye the Apostle Sainte Iohn in his Reuelation Some haue called this kingdome the Church triumphant This kingdome of GOD or of Christe is an euerlasting kingdome For as euen to the worldes end the Church shall be on earth howsoeuer this worlde and the Prince of the worlde doe rage so the faithfull after iudgement shall liue and reigne with Christe happie for euer bothe in bodie and soule For the Lord saith in the Gospell The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church Also the last times shall be as the dayes of Noe were wherein thoughe the wicked did farre in number excéede the Churche of the faithfull yet Noe and his were saued in the Arke but the wicked were destroyed with the floud in such sort surely shal iniquity by all means preuaile in the end of the worlde but in the meane while those that are elected into the kingdome of Christe shall be saued by Christe whome they shall looke for to be their Iudge and shall sée theire redéemer comming in the cloudes of
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.
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
of some who promise to condemned spirits redeÌ„ption from their punishments a little before the iudgment day But against these very many doctors of the church haue disputed all and euery one of theÌ„ condemning with one voyce an opinion which the 〈◊〉 longe ago condemned For the iudge in the ende of the world 〈◊〉 definitiue sentence against 〈◊〉 than al the wicked shal say Depart â—rom me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the diuell and his â—ngels And by by the Apostle holy Euangelist a witnesse of the truth doth â—dde And these shal go into euerlasting â—unishment but the righteous into life euerlasting For in Marke the lord also â—aid In hell their worme dieth not and â—he fier is not queÌ„ched And in Iohn in more plaine pithie wordes he saith They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euil vnto the â—esurrection of condemnation He doth not â—ay they shal go either into life or into condemnation but into the resurrection either of life or condemnation that is to remaine euerlastingly in life or death For Daniel of whom the Lorde borowed these wordes hath said And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt For Iohn the Apostle saith that the smoke of those that are condemned thrown headlong in to hel for euermore shal ascende vp It is certeine therefore that the condemnation of the wicked shal be altogether without ende and euerlasting Furthermore in calling the reuolting Angels spirits we doe not vnderstand by spirite the wicked affection of the hart or the qualitie or passion of the minde or corruption and sinne For the world is not without some which thinke the the diuell is nothing els but a mischefous man or a mischiefous sinnefull â—oÌ„motion or outrage of the minde By spirits therefore we vnderstand spiriâ—uall substances indued with féeling â—nderstanding For in the first chapter of 〈◊〉 sathan came shewed him self among the children or seruaÌ„tâ— of god speaking with the lord The gospel 〈◊〉 reporteth vnto vs that diuels béeâ—â— cast out of a man entred into the herd of swine â— drowned them iâ— the 〈◊〉 of the sea or lake of Gaderen Moreouer the gospel recordeth that the diuel sinned from the beginning that he coltinued not in the truth that he is a lier a murtherer Iudas maketh mentioÌ„ that the angel fought with the diuell In Marke the diuels cry out and say What haue we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs but yet for al that our sauiour beinâ— alredy appointed made iudge shal say to the diuels Go into the euerlasting fier Al which testimonies agree to substances by them selues subsistine not to qualities Diuels therfore arâ— spirituall substances But what bodieâ— they be which they often times take in which they appeare vnto men nâ— man I thinke can perfectly tell whicâ— also we tolde you a little before when we entreated of the bodies which good angels toke For truly that diuels puâ— on bodies shapes differing from their owne the historie of Samuel raised vp by a witch manifestly proueth It was not Samuel that was raised from the dead but the capteine-coyner of lyes counterfeiting Samuel deceiued king Saul And Paul witnesseth that sathâ— doth transforme himselfe into an angel of light Histories also declare that the diuel is a maruelous iugling deceiuer in taking on him diuers forms shapes And as I saide of good angels that they are spéedy in their ministerie without burden or lets so there is no doubt that diuels in their kinde worke are well prepared For the scriptures declare that they haue a thousand shiftes wonderfull craftinesse subtiltie and that their knowâ—edge is 〈…〉 reacheth very farre Finally that they are very ready and neuer weary to attempt performe althings They passe through the whole world with excéeding swiftnesse they handle all their matters very craftily and therefore are maruelous names shadowing out their force power allotted vnto them For he is called Sathan the olde serpeÌ„t a deceiuer the prince of this world the prince of darknesse which hath power ouer the aire a roaring Lion. Of which and of other not vnlike I will speake anon more at large when I haue firste tolde you this that there are an infinite route of diuels For vij diuels are cast out of Marie Magdalen That diuell of whom Matthew speaketh being no sooner cast out museth consulteth howe he may be wholy restored againe taking to him vij other spirites worse than himselfe Moreouer in Marks gospell there is mention made of a legion For the vncleane spirit being asked of the lorde what his name was answered My name is legion because we are â—any Therefore when there is mention made of sathan also where in hoâ—ie scripture it is not so to be taken as â—hough there were either but one subâ—â—ance or person of y diuel â–ª For they arâ— comprehended as the members vnder â—he head as particularities vndâ—r geâ—eralities The scripture truely elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the diuels For the enimies of Christe do often cry out He casteth out diuels by the prince of diuels but yet that saying doth not expresse what manner of principalitie that is whether orderly among them selues those euill spirites be distinguished And it is certein that all the vngodly are vnder one head as all the godly are vnder one Christe the lord It is certein that all the diuels are o◠〈…〉 corrupt 〈…〉 their force only to this end to 〈◊〉 aduersaries vnto god hurtfull enimies to men But of y operations works or effects of diuels I wil speak wher I shal by the way exposid their names or attributes Corrupt wicked spirits generally are called diuels which is asmuch as if you should say slaunderers or false accusers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gréekes signifieth slaunder c. And the worde diuel is fetched froÌ„ the Grecians For he soweth slaunders in accusing men vnto god in setting men at variance betwene themselues that now I say nothing how he goeth about to bring god his works into suspicioÌ„ among men Therfore he is elsewhere called a lier the author of lies and the father of al hypocrites therefore the spring of all 〈◊〉 heresies wickednesses And bicause Iudas was an hypocrite a lyer a 〈…〉 traitor the lord rightly gaue him the name of a diuell The Apostle Peter called the diuell an aduersarie For the lord also himselfe called him The enuious man which sowed tarâ—â— in the lords field For he is the 〈◊〉 of God men setting himselfe against the wil of God whose glory also he laboureth to take away
god Now also hee eggeth false prophets inchaÌ„ters against vs Whervnto beloÌ„g deceitful inglings and all kinds of sorcerie witchcraft which the workes of the sorcerers of Egypt and of SimoÌ„ the place of Moses in Deut. 13. testifie to be moste effectuall Herevnto chiefly belong false miracles corrupt answers or Oracles By these truely in times past he did very much hurt to that church of god as histories testifie nether ceaseth he at this day to do hurt which thing experieÌ„ce it self doth teach verifie For though it be certeine y sathan is not cast out by that power of sathan yet one giueth place to another for a time to this end that they may that more dsilie deceiue men and obteine a kingdome Christe truelie and the Apostle Paule foretoulde that euen the last times should bee wonderfully bewitched with deceiptful signes and powers Moste euident places touching y thing are extant in Mat. 24. 2. thess. 2. cha More might be spoken déerely beloued that at large concerning the operations or workings of the diuell But I trust these things béeing gathered together in breuitie are sufficient and giue occasion to muse of higher thinges But let no man so vnderstand these thinges as if the diuel were able to doe all things and that what he will he can also doe by and by For his power is definite or limitted restrained so y he cannot doe so much as he would Otherwise all things had béene ouer throweÌ„ and perished long agoe Therefore not without consideration I added in the describing of the diuel y he is subiect to god for he can do nothing with out Gods permission Now God permitteth him either to exercise trye the patience of those that are his and to hasten their saluation as it is manifest in the historie of Iob and in the words of Paule to the Corin saying Least I should be exalted out of measure through the abundance of the reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a prick to the flesh the messenger of sathan to buffet me Neither is it doubful that in most gréeuous tormentes of persecutions he exalteth many notable martyrs yea and at this day doeth and in times past hath exalted such vnto glorie and euerlasting rest Or els hee giueth the diuell leaue to execute violence and crueltie vppon men by that meanes to chastice their wickednesse or to punish their vnbelief For verily the diuels are the instruments of Gods wrath to execute his vengeauÌ„ce For Paule saith The comming of Antichriste is after the working of sathan in all power signes and wonders of lying and in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe because they receiued not the loue of truth that they might be saued And therefore GOD shall send them stronge delusion that they should beleeue lyes that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this in a manner is the strength and power of sorcerie or inchaunting whiche is féeble in the faithfull Wherefore there is no cause why any man should miserably feare the Diuell But rather sanctifie yee saith Esaie the Lorde of hostes let him be your feare your reuerence Some say that certaine nations of the Easte worshipped the diuell for this cause that he should not hurte them But these are starke staring madde For if it bee not Gods will which euen now I began to tel you or if hee giue no leaue Sathan cannot touch so much as a haire of thine For he could not enter into the heard of swine whiche were féeding nighe the lake Genezaret at Gadara and destroy them but by the Lords permission Saincte Augustine also expounding the 32. psalme alledgeth in these wordes the historie of Iob What could the diuell himselfe doe durste he take away one seely shepe from the holie man Iob before he said Lay thy hand on him that is to say giue mee power Hee was willing but GOD did not suffer him When God gaue him leaue then hee was able therefore the diuell was not able but GOD whiche gaue him leaue Therefore Iob being well instructed did not say as we nowe are wonte to say The Lord gaue and the diuell hath taken away but The Lord gaue and the Lorde hathe taken away And these thinges do excéedingly comfort the godly in temptations who vnderstand that nothing can happen to theÌ„ without Gods permission that he permitteth nothing but that which maketh for our amendment and saluation and therefore that we are alwayes preserued by the prouidence and bountifulnesse of god For whatsoeuer hath hitherto béene spoken concerning the power and workinges of the diuelles perteined not hitherto to dashe vs out of courage and caste vs downe but to make vs more vigilant or watchfull The Lorde that ouercame the diuell and sheweth vs the way to ouercome him commaundeth vs to watch For therefore he encountered with sathan the first second and thirde time to instructe vs howe we shoulde fight againste the enimie of mankinde He ouercame him for vs that we shoulde not despaire of ability and nower easilie to ouercome him since he is alreadie weakened and wounded By faith doubtlesse we shal ouercome him For by faith we are knit vnto Christ and by faith we drawe the spirite of Christe by the force and vertue whereof we shall triumphe Truely for that cause Saint Peter willeth vs To resist by faith Saint Paule exborting vs vnto this conflict furnishing vs with excellente complete armour sayth Take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stande fast Stande therefore hauing your loynes gyrt aboute with the trueth and hauing on the breaste plate of righteousnesse and your feete shodde that you may be prepared to the gospel of peace Aboue all thinges taking the shield of faith wherewith you may quenche all the firie dartes of that wicked And take the helmet of â—aluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of God praying always in al prayers and supplication in the spirite c. Wherevnto that also beelongeth whiche the same Apostle witnesseth God doth not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee are able to beare but shall with the temptation make away to escape Let vs therefore reuerence this God let vs béeséech him that throughe his power might we may ouercome Amen Of the reasonable Soule of man and of his most certeine saluation after the death of his bodie The tenth Sermon ALl men doe confesse that the reasonable soule of man hathe affinitie or likenesse with spirites neither is there any wiseman as I thinke which doth denie that the knowledge of the reasonable soule of man wherof the Scripture teacheth so many thinges and that too so diligently is moste wholesome and necessarie to all the godly the order therfore the profite and the verie necessitie also of
thinges doe require that I speake somewhat likewise of the reasonable soule of man wherein I will follow the plainenesse of the scripture and of the interpretours thereof leauing physicall or naturall poyntes vnto them to be expounded vnto whom it belongeth by duetie and profession sauing that we will so farre deale in them as wee cannot want them in this discourse of oures The holy scripture and the interpretours therof neither moue curious questions of the soule of man neither doe they satisfie curious heads when they desire to knowe those thinges whiche cannot be declared or if they coulde yet it would alwayes séeme vnto theÌ„ that nothing were vnto them more aptly spoken for they alwayes stagger they are alwayes learning and yet doubte they neuor come to the knowledge of the truthe with a quiet minde they neuer abide in the plaine trueth when it is found they searche after other many more subtiler matters than they vnderstand But we know that all things whiche are necessarie and for our saluatioÌ„ are simplie plainely deliuered in the holy scripturs that we must simply godlily religiously rest in them therefore those things that are not deliuered in theÌ„ touching that matter of our saluation we know that they are not to be sought after of vs that they hinder not our saluation if we be ignoraÌ„t of them The word Anima whiche we call soule is diuersly taken in the holy scripture First of all Anima that soule is takeÌ„ for euery liuing thing For Moses bringeth in the lord speaking Let the earth bring forth liuing creature after his kinde catel worme beast of the earth after his kinde For who knoweth not that there are reckoned thrée kindes or parts giue me leaue so to speake for instruction sake or thrée principal powers of the souls for there is y soule vegetatiue whiche worketh in plants There is the soule sensitiue which is not without the soule vegetatiue it giueth life to brute beasts and other creaturs indued with life féeling There is also the reasonable soule wherwith men are indued whiche is furnished with many powers or abilities and comprehendeth both y other Hereof Anima the soule is taken in the scripture for breath which men drawe in and let go againe also for the life of maÌ„ or of a liuing creature Thus we read Anima eius c. His life is in him And I wil doe thee no more harme saith Saul to Dauid because Anima mea my life was precious in thine eyes this day The Grecians cal Anima the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by drawing breth it refresheth The Hebricians call it Naephaeseh of comforting Again Anima the soule is taken in the scriptures for the thing it selfe that hath life yea euen for any or rather for the whole man For it is said in the law The soule that worketh with a spirit or that is a southsayer shall die Likewise in Paule we reade Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power And again in Genesis the king of Sodome saith to Abraham Giue me the soules take the substance or goods to thy selfe For the scripture is wont to name the whole by a part For as by the soule he meanes that whole man rehearsing the nobler part so by flesh also he signifies the whole baser part Moreouer since man also other liuing creatures haue an appetitiue or desiring soule is vsed in the scripture for affection wil desire or lust For Ezechiel saith They shal not satisfie their soules In Dutch Sy werdend iren glust nâ—t buffen Noither shal their bellies be filled Lastly Anima y soule signifieth y reasonable soule of man. Whereof we will intreate God assisting at this present Yet here I cannot dissemble that among verie famous writers there is controuersie De anima animo aboute the soule and the minde whether they are one and the selfe same or diuerse and that there are reasons on bothe sides They that make a difference betwéene them say that by the soule we liue and that with the minde we vnderstand which thing Lactantius saith in his eightéenth cha De opisiâ—â—o Dei. I know that all the best moste approued writers vse them bothe indifferently and take the one for the other For we must not thinke that there are two soules in man For verie well haue the schoose definitions defined vttering these wordes in y 15. cha We do not say that there are two soules in one ma as Iacobus certein of the Syrians write one natural wherby the bodie hath life and is mingled with bloud the other spiritual which ministreth reason But we say there is one the selfe same soule in man which both quickneth the body with his felowship ordereth him self by his own reason Therefore we do not think that there is any consideration to be had of them whiche altogether denie that there is a soule For these are as madde as they whiche denie that the sunne shineth For al of vs do sée féele the sunne as also we liue by the benefite of the soule Furthermore what the reasonable soule of man is the wise heades of this worlde could not as yet with one agréement define For they so differ y a man shall hardly find two which say one thing And there are â—pinions not a few contrarie betweene themselues What do not the old interpretours â—f the scriptures doubtingly procéed in deâ—ining the soule Lactantius in his booke De opificio Dei denieth that man can atteine to the reason and nature of the soule Therfore nothing at al did they erre from the truth which thought the soule coulde be comprehended in no absolute definition wherin his nature might be expressed throughly at the ful yet that the nature or disposition of the same might after a sort bâ— shadowed out and that by the workes or actions thereof by such qualities as the scripture doth attribute There are some therfore which haue said that the soule is the spirite of life created after the image of god breathed into the bodie of man One ther is which describes it thus The soule is a spirit whereby the bodie to whiche it is coupled doth liue made apt to the knowlege of God through loue and hereby méete to be ioyned within vnto euerlasting blessednesse Another defineth it after this sort A reasonable soule is an vnderstanding spirite one part of the substance of man neither dyeth it when it is departed froÌ„ the bodie but is immortal Cassiodore defineth it The soule of man is created of God a spirituall and peculiar substance which quickeneth the bodie whose owne it is reasonable in déed and immortal We will setdown a description fetched from the scripture to be weyed considered vpon of the godly to direct rule this our whole discourse The soule
is a spiritual substance powred of God into mans bodie that beeing ioyned there-vnto it might â—uicken and direct the same but being diffeuered from the bodie it should not die but liue immortall foreuer Some denie that the soule is a substance For they contend that it is nothing else than the power of life in man and in déede a certeine qualitie But the holy scripture acknowledgeth that the soule is a substanâ—â—ce subsisting For the Lorde in the Gospell witnesseth that a soule may be formented in hell Whiche forthwith by the selfe same authoritie of the Gospell is shewed as it were to be viewed withour eyes in the soule of the riche glutton The same Lord which cannot lye saide to the théefe To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Whiche wordes can not be expounded of any other parte in the théefe than of the soule For his bodie was nailed and did hang on the crosse Wherevpon also the Apostle and Euangelist Iohn sawe Vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the word of god He heard them crying with a loude voice and saying How long tariest thou Lorde whiche arte holy and true to iudge and to auenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth The same Iohn sawe long white garments giuen to euery one of the soules these wordes bâ—ing there withall spoken of the Lorde Rest yet for a litle season vntill your fellowe feruantes and your brethren that shal be killed as ye are shal be fulfilled All which verily agrée not to qualities but to substances whiche haue their béeing therfore the soules of men are substances Which thing that they might most plainely pithily expresse certeine Ecclesiastical writers I thinke haue set downe that the soules of men are bodily that is substaunces of their kinde haueing theâ— proper being Neither doe I thinke déerely beloned I shal be tedious vnto you if I recite worde for worde that whiche saint Augustine hathe reasoned of this matter on both partes in his Epistle to Saint Hiâ—rome which is in order the 28 saying That the soule is bodilesse thoughe it be harde to persuade it to the duller sort yet I confesse that I am so persuaded But that I may not moue controuersie about a word to no purpose I wil willingly be silent because where there is no doubt of the thing there is no need to striue about the name If euerie substance or essence be a body or if that whiche after some sort is in it self is more aptly called something then the soule is a bodie But if you will call that onely a bodilesse nature which is altogether vnchangeable is wholy euery where theÌ„ the soule is a bodie because the soule is no some suche thing Furthermore if nothing bee a bodie but that which with some length breadth and height resteth or is moued in space of place that the greater parte thereof taketh the greater roome and the lesser part the lesser roome and be lesse in part than in the whole then the soule is not a bodie For that which giueth the power of life vnto the bodie is streatched through the whole bodie not by local spreading of it selfe but by a certeine liuely extending of it selfe For the whole soule is present in al and euerie part of the bodie at once and not lesser in the lesser partes nor greater in the greater partes but in some places more vehement and quicke in some more remisse and faint and in all it is the whole in euery part the whole For that whole soule whiche in some parts of the bodie feeleth not in some other partes where it feeleth it doeth wholy feele in it selfe and not only in some parte of it selfe For where any parte of the quicke fleshe is pricked with a sharp thing althogh that place be not onely not of the whole bodie no not so much almost as seene in the bodie yet the whole â—oule feeleth that pricking and yet is not that paine that is felt dispersed ouer al the partes of the bodie but is onely â—est where it is Howe then commeth that by and by to the whole soule whiche is not felt but in one place of the bodie â–ª but because that the whole soule is there where the smarte is felt and yet leaueth not the other partes of the bodie that it might be there wholy and all in all For those partes of the bodie liue also by the presence of the soule where no suche thing is done If it were so that the griefe were in moe places than one at once it shoulde bee felt by the whole soule in eache place Therefore the whole soule coulde not bee bothe in all and in euerie parte of the bodie whose owne it is all at once if it were so spreade through those partes â—s wee see bodies are by spaces of places their lesser partes taking the lesser roome and their greater partes the greater roome Wherefore if the soule bee to bee termed a body surely it is not such a bodie as is in substance like the earth or like the water or the â—â—er or the caelestial bodies For al such bodies are greater in greater places and lesser in lesser places and nothing of them is wholy in any some parte of theirs but as the partes of the places bee so are they filled with the partes of the bodies Where-vppon the soule is perceiued whether it bee a bodie or whether it is to be called bodilesse to haue a certeine proper nature created of a more excellent substaÌ„ce than al the elements of earthly mould which cannot be conceiued by any fantasie or imagination of bodily shapes whiche we atteine vnto by the senses of our fleshe but is vnderstoode in the minde and felt in the life 〈…〉 I â—ehearsed Augustines words The Scripture also aymeth chiefely 〈…〉 teache that the 〈…〉 For aduisedly 〈…〉 the same a spirite For the Lorde in the Gospell after Iohn saith I will put my life from me and I will take it againe No man taketh it from me but I put it away of my selfe And in the same Euangelist you reade And Iesus said it is 〈◊〉 and when he had bowed his head he gaue vp the ghost For he 〈◊〉 out in another Euangelist â—ather into thy handes I committe my spirite And Matthe we sayth And Iesus when he had cryed againe with a loude voyce yeelded vp the Ghost Wher-vnto doubtlesse may be referred that which we reade in the Actes of the Apostles of the first martyr Stephan And they storied Stephan calling on and saying Lorde 〈◊〉 receiue my spirite But by these things I cannot more plainly and 〈◊〉 expresse what manner of substaunce the soule of man is whiche I beléeue to be a spirite hauing in déede a substaunce created of God proper and peculiar to it selfe For Augustine whose wordes I alledged a litle before saith yet againe 1. Cap. de Qâ—â—ntitate Animae I can not
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
death of the soule But neuerthelesse y reasonable some liueth in his proper Essence or béeing so that when it liueth miserably a miserable life is in verie déede called death but desperation also is the very death of the soule For by hope wée liue And Paule sayeth I liue yet not I but Christe liueth in mee and the life whiche I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by the faith of the sonne of God therefore they that are destitute of faith are dead they that haue faith liue S. Augustine Cap. 10. De fide Symbolo sayeth The soule as it may bee called corruptible by reason of finne and wickednes so it may be called mortal For the death of the soule is the reuolting or falling from God whiche first sinne of the soule was committed in Paradise as is declared in the holy Scriptures And the same Augustine againe Lib. de Trinitate 14. Cap. 4. sayeth The soule also hath his death when it lacketh a blessed life whiche is to bee named the true life of the soule But for this cause it is called immortall for that whatsoeuer life it liueth yea thoughe it bee most miserable yet it neuer ceaseth to liue Wée therefore fréely confesse that the soules of men separated or taken out of their bodies doe not die but liue immortall for euer the faithfull in euerlasting ioye and felicitie but the vnbeléeners in eternall damnation Whiche thing I will now goe on to confirme by some substantial testimonies of Scripture But first take this with you that testimonies of scripture in this case are farre more liuely than mans reasons framed out of Philosophie For these testimonies are fetched from the verie mouthe of the liuing God himselfe whiche preserueth vs in life who since he is true cannot lie and who since hee giueth life and is life it selfe is able to wittnesse most certainely aboue all other touching life Neither is it doubtfull that the spirit of God worketh ioyntly with the word of GOD of whom vnlesse the heartes of men be touched the reasons of Philosophie howe manifest soeuer they bee shall preuaile nothing especially in the daunger of death and in other temptations They are fleshlie therefore and brutishe altogether whiche are not ashamed to say That they cannot be persuaded or brought to beléeue the immortalitie of soules by the Scriptures onely Nay which is more that shall neuer be stedfast and stable in temptations whiche shall procéede from fleshe and bloud Wee will therefore add some certaine testimonies and those too most manifest Dauid the most nuissaunt and happiest king in the world comprising in one verse both the immortalitie of soules and the resurrection of bodies sayeth Thou O Lord shalt not leaue my soule in hell neither shalt thou suffer thine holie one to see corruption Man consisteth of bodie and soule The bodie rotteth awaye when it is dead and is turned into dust but it shall not therefore perish For as the bodie of Christ which was buried did not rat but rose againe the third day so in the day of iudgemente shall oure bodies be raised vpp and by Christe â—e deliuered from corruption And our soul goeth not into hell there to remaine But as the soule of Christ returned from the nether parts vnto his bodie and ascended into heauen in his bodie which he had taken againe euen so shall oure soules also liue by Christ â–ª they shall not dit Solomon the sonne of Dauid excelling all kinges and mortall men in wisedome in one verse likewise expounding the prouidence of GOD touching the soule and the body saith The dust shall bee turned againe vnto earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God who gaue it Solomon calleth mans bodie Dust béecause it is said in Moses that GOD made it of the dust of the earth Therefore the bodie turneth againe vnto dust for it putrifieth and is resolued into that which first it was euen vntill the Iudgement daye as the Lord sayeth For dust thou art and into dust shalt thou be turned againe But the spirite that is to say the reasonable soule dieth not with the bodie it is not resolued into dust béecause it is not taken out of the dust neither is it scattered into the aire because it doest not consist of aire but returneth aliue from death vnto god And therefore it returneth vnto GOD because God gaue the soule and after a singular manner made man after his owne likenes image breathing into his face the spirite of life of life I say that is of liuely power not the spirite of death Therefore the soule caÌ„not perish béecause it receiueth immortalitie from God who since hee is life is able to preserue that breath of life which he hath made The Lord Iesus the true and verie sonne of God the life and resurrection of the faithfull sayeth plainely in the Gospell Feare ye not them whiche kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him whiche is able to destroye both bodie and soule in hell If when the bodie being slaine by tyrauntes the soule is not killed then it remaineth aliue after the bodie is destroyed and so assuredlie it remaineth that hauing put off the bodie it should bee caste of the most iust God into hell there euerlastingly to burne for his vnâ—aithfulnes For in the same Gospel the Lord saith againe Whosoeuer wil saue his life shall loose it againe whosoeuer will loose his life for my sake shal finde it For not he only looseth his life or soule whiche bridleth it from the pleasures of the world and liueth most temperately but hée also who offereth himselfe into the bloudy hands of tyrants to be slaine for the confession of Christian faith And hée findeth his life or soule whiche he lost Therefore the soules of men euen after the death of the bodie remaine aliue and immortall In the Gospel according to S. Iohn the Lord saith Verilie verilie I say vnto you hee that heareth my word and beleeueth on him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into iudgement â–ª but is eâ—caped from death vnto me Thou hast in these words of the Lord the death of the bodie But forthwith afterward he witnesseth that wée Escape vnto life therefore mens â—oules remaine aliue after death For nowe hee speaketh nothing of the raising againe or of the saluation of the bodie but of the life of the soule after death In the same Gospel the Lord sayth againe Verilie verilie I say vnto you if a man keepe my saying he shall neuer see death But it is euident that all men are ordeined once to die namely with bodily death therefore the soule liueth after the death of the bodie For it must néedes be that a faithfull man shall neuer sée or â—eele death vnlesse hee told a lie who affirmed with an oth that which he spake For in euery other place he
addeth an oâ—he saying Verilie I say vnto you that wée should not doubt of the unmortalitie of soules There are very many testimonies and those most euident of Christ the sonne of God in the same Gospell as in the sixte and eleuenth Chapiters to whiche wee will ioyne one or two out of the writings of the blessed Apostles of Christ Sainct Peter speaking of the soules of the fathers which were dead a great while agoe sayeth that The Gospell was preached also to the dead that they should bee iudged like other men in the flesh but should liue before God in the spirite Spirites or soules of the blessed fathers whose bodies being buried a great while agoe doe waite for the vniuersall sentence of that generall and last iudgement that is that their flesh may be raised vp againe be iudged with other men in the last day but in the meane while their soules liue with God so that mens soules are aliue thoughe their bodies were rotten a great while agoe S. Paule in his epistle to Timothie sayeth that life and immortalitie is made manifest and brought by Christ The same Paule euery where doeth so plainely auouche the immortalitie of soules that hee must néedes be blinde which séeth it not S. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist sawe vnder the altar in heauen that is vnder the protection of Christe whoe is the sacrifice and propitiation for the sinnes of the world liuing soules lying and crying Howe longe tariest thou Lord to reuenge our bloud He sawe them cloathed with white garmentes and enioying euerlasting rest But these soules were the soules of the martyrs of Christe whose bodies died béeing murthered on the earth vnder tyrauntes and persecuters of the Christian faith Therefore the soules of men are immortall Most true therefore yea and vndoubted are those woordes whiche are read in the booke of Wisedome vttered in this manner The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and there shal no torment touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their ende is taken for a miserie and their departing from vs to be vtter destruction but they are in rest For thoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hopefull of immortalitie They are punished but in few things neuerthelesse in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them findeth them meete for himselfe As gold in the fornace doth he trie them and receiueth them as a burnte offering and when the time commeth they shal be looked vpon They shall shine and runne thoroughe as the sparckles amonge the stubble They shall iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people and their Lord shall reigne for euer Wherefore most truely and according to the Canonicall Scripture doe the Ecclestasticall definitions pronounce Cap. 16. Wee beleeue that man onely hath a substantiall soule whiche hauing put off the bodie liueth and keepeth his senses and disposition liuelie It doeth not die with the bodie as Aratus affirmeth nor a little while after as Zenon sayeth because it liueth substantiallie But the soules of beastes and other mortall creatures are not substantiall but are borne with their fleshe thorough the life of their fleshe and with the death of their flesh are at an end and doe die Furthermore that truth touching the immortalitie of soules as it were by the lawe of nature is written and imprinted in the mindes of all men Wherevppon it is no meruaile that all the wise men amonge the Gentiles could neuer abide that the soule should be called mortall For the consent of all whiche is thought the voice of nature specially of the chiefest declareth y soules are immortall And M. Tullie also affirmeth that saying As by nature wee thincke there are Gods and by reason wee know what they bee so wee hold opinion with the consent of all nations that soules doe stil continue All y auncient writers therefore and all that followed them haue said that soules are euerlasting or immortal as Trismegistus MusÄ™us OrphÄ™us Homerus Pindarus and Pherecydes the Syâ—ian the maister of Pythagoras and his scholer Socrates Plato himselfe who to learne the opinions of Pythagoras sailed into Italie was not onely of the same opinion that Pythagoras was of touching the immortalitie of souls but brought reasons also to confirme the same These reasons as Tullie witnesseth are many that he whiche readeth his booke cannot seeme to desire any thing further Seneca so plainely affirmeth and proueth the immortalitie of soules that nothing can be more plaine And Epictetus a famous Philosopher who liued in the time of Seneca hath done no lesse If as yet there be any light headed men to whome the immortalitie of the soule séemeth doubtfull or whiche vtterly denie the same these truely are vnworthy to haue the name of men For they are plagues of the coÌ„mon wealth and verie beastes worthy to be hissed and driuen out of the company of men For hee lacketh a bridle to restraine him and hath cast awaye all honestie and shame is prepared in all points to committ anye mischiefe whosoeuer beléeueth that the soule of man is mortall I shewed that soules by death béeing separated from their bodies doe not die but remaine aliue it resteth now behinde that I teach you where the soules when they are destitute of the dwelling place their bodies leads their life and are conuersaunt While they were coupled to the bodies they vsed them as their dwelling houses so that though they be said not to be limitted in place yet they doe not wander out of their bodies but they are as it were shut vp in them as in prisons vntill the time they be dissolued and sett at libertie Those same soules therefore being now disseuered from their bodies since they reteine their sound senses their nature or disposition and their whole substance in liuely manner albeit they are said no not euen now to be limitted in place not are they not let loose runne aftraye hauing their abiding in no place but beeing compacte and sett fast in their owne Essence or béeing are in some place againe hauing no newe bodies for the soules are frée euen till the Iudgement day when they shall bee ioyned againe to their bodies how beit certaine abiding places are prepared for them of God wherin they may liue Although other by my leiue verie subtily and wittilie doe reason howe spirites are conteyned in place or not conteined I simplie affirme with the scripture that soules separated from bodies are taken vpp either into heauen it selfe or else are drowned in the depthe of hell and that their béeing and abiding is euen so there that when they are héere they are not else where For the Lord most plainly and pithilie saieth in the Gospell that the soule of beggerly Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome and the soule of the rich glutton was caste downe into hell But that more is it foorthwith followeth in
the historie Betweene vs and you for the blessed and cursed soules talke together there is a great goulfe stedfastly sett so that they whiche would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they that would come from thence to vs. And Paul also desireth to be dissolued to be with Christ Wée are dissolued by death for when the soule departeth the bodie is dissolued and dieth the soule flieth vnto Christ But the Scripture sheweth vs that Christ is in heauen at the right hand of the father Nowe where heauen is there is none but can tell And we else-where haue largely 〈◊〉 of that 〈◊〉 In the Gospell after Samuel Iohn the Lord himselfe calleth the conuersation of soules whiche is prepared for the soules after they are separated from the bodies both a place and mansion an habitation or dwelling adding these woordes the râ—â—ppon I will receiue you euen vnto my selfe that where I am there maye ye bee also And therefore Sainct Iohn sawe soules in heauen abiding and taking their rest vnder the altar or protection of Christ For thether when they departed from their bodies he had gathered them vnto himselfe Herevnto belongeth that notable place of the Apostle Paule merueylous fitt for this purpose written in the second to the Corinthians in these woordes Wee know that if our earthly hóuse of this tabernacle were destroyed wee haue a building of God euen an habitation not made with handes but eternal in heauen c. Loe while our soules were ioyned to our bodies they inhabited dwelt in them as in their houses but after oure corruptible house is destroyed God hath builded another better and of longer continuance Heauen I meane it selfe into the whiche hee louingly receiueth our soules departing out of our bodies For that manner bodie whiche we now haue he calleth The house of this tent or tabernacle For as tentes for a time are made of light stuffe and pitched without any strong foundation and a while after are pulled downe or doe fall of their owne accord so a mortall body is giuen to men as a ruinous cottage wherein they inhabite a fewe dayes and immediatly packe away againe S. Peter vsed the like Allegorie Against this tenâ— hée opposeth a 〈◊〉 of euerlasting continuance heauen I meanâ— it selfe For â—hen hée had said that wée haue a Building of God hee addeth by interpretation euen an habitation not made with handes And yet more plainely eternall in heauen Neither doeth that which by and by followeth hinder thâ—â— imporâ— another meaning For therefore 〈◊〉 wee desiring vppon our deathing to be further cloathed with our house which is from heauen For From heauen signifieth as much as if thou wouldest say heauenly Therefore the house of the soule is heauenly or heauen it selfe a place I saye appointed for blessed spirites For verilie the faithfull soule shall dwell in heauen euen vnto that day wherein the Lord shall iudge the world with that his Generall iudgement then at the lengthe the soule shall returne to the bodie againe béeing raises vpp that after Iudgement the whole man both soule and bodie may liue for euer with God. For thus wittnesseth the Apostle Sainct Paule The Lord himselfe shal descend from heauen in a shout and in the voice of the Archangel and in the trumpet of GOD and the dead in Christe shall rise first then wee which liue which remaine shal bee caught vpp together with them in the cloudes to meete the Lord in the ayre and so shall wee euer bee with the Lord namely in the heauens whiche are aboue vs where the cloudes are séene Therefore omitting vaine speculations and curious disputations let vs beléeue that there is a house prepared by the Lord in heauen for soules béeing separated from their bodies into the which the faithfull may be receiued and againe that therâ— is 〈◊〉 are prepared 〈…〉 all the soules of all inâ—dels or 〈…〉 may be cast Wee haue taught that heauen is the sease or habitation prepared of God to receiue soules béeing separated from their bodies It remayneth behind that we shew after what maner what time they should be translated thether after death Touching the manner I can saye nothing else but that it is fully knowen vnto God and that so farre foorth as séemeth sufficient for vs it is shadowed out in the Scriptures namely that it is brought to passe by Angels carrying vpp oure soules with a most swift flight or mouing For the Lord saith in the Gospell that the soule of Lazarus was carried by angels into Abrahams bâ—some Of whiche thinge wée spake and before when wée preached of Good Angels But what manner of mouing this is whether naturall or supernaturall I meane not to make search I beléeue that what God promiseth the same he performeth and accomplisheth And hee promising sayeth Hee is passed from death to life Againe he said to the théefe To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise comprehending that his passage as it were in a moment Herevnto we also necessarily ad this that it must bée attributed to the merites of Christ that we are taken vpp into heauen For hée is the â—oore the way But at what time soules should be caried vp into heauen or cast down into hell séemeth to be a question at this present not onely profitable but by all meanes necessarie to bee discussed For in this our age there are euill disposed persons who haue corrupted the pure simplicitie of this matter For you shall finde some wil say that the 〈◊〉 departing from the 〈…〉 not by and by the right 〈…〉 ways to heauen but that 〈…〉 it were taken with a 〈…〉 thaâ—gie they sléepe vntill the last days â—f Iudgement You shalfind othersome contending that soules cannot come into heauen vnlesse they be perfectly purified with clensing fire which they call Purgatorie as though they were intercepted by pirates and robbers in the middest of their iourney and cast into torments vntill either they themselues make satisfaction or other foâ— them haue payed as it were the debt whiche they had else-where borrowed But both of these thinges doe I denie and vtterly denie and I affirme that soules doe not sléepe neither are they purged by any tormeÌ„ts after the death of the bodie but are waking and aliue and are forthwith after the death of the bodie and euen in a moment either carried into heauen being fréed from all kinde of torments or otherwise cast downe into hell These sleepiâ— heads haue nothing to alledge for this their lethargie or imagination of the sléepe of the soule but that the scripture oftentimes describing the death of the Saincts maketh mention of sléeping laying to sléepâ— as Hee fell a sleepe and was gathered vnto or layed by his fathers And Paul saith speaking of those that die I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are a sleepe But euen as soules when they were ioyned to these frailâ— bodies neuer
haue for the deade for the dead haue their sinnes forgiuen them therefore al lets delayes vnto life are taken away so they liue with god But they which haue not beleeued haue reteined kept their sinnes stil being east down into the bottomlesse lake sticke fast in the myâ—e of hell Which thinges since they are 〈◊〉 certâ—ntie truly theâ— is a 〈◊〉 of praying for y dead 〈◊〉 before goâ—â— nor among the faithful Herevnto are annexed so many examples of the â—aintes in both the Testaments which are to be preferred both before vs 〈…〉 condeÌ„nations of men Which I pray you of the holy fathers euer prayed 〈◊〉 their dead Did Adam pray for his Abel did the sonnes pray for their father Adam What prayers did Abraham offer to God for the soule of his father Thare or for the soul of his most deare wife Sara What prayers poured Esau and Iacob forth for their father Isaac when he died the â—â— sonnes of Israel for Iacob Solomon for Dauid In the new Testament Iohn baptist is beheaded of Herode Stephan stoned of the Iewes Iames his head is cut off by the shoulders at the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of Agrippa their disciples burie their bodies do all things religiously belonging to their burials but in somany 〈…〉 made of prayâ—r for the soules of the deaâ—â— For they beléeued they forthwith after death were carried into euerlasting life Who theÌ„ after so many notable examples after so cleare profession of the catholique and sinnere fayth 〈◊〉 ye vs to the necessitie of praying for the soules of the dead Who can say hereafter that we are hereâ—iques who fulfill that in worke whiche we professe in profession of fayth or confession of the mouth yea which do no other thing thaÌ„ the most excellent worshippers of God of both Testaments haue done before vs. The last pâ—st wherewith they vnderprop their purgatorie least it should fall is the appearing of spirites For Rabanus a byshop sheweth out of the testimonies of Pope Gregorie and reuerâ—nd Beda that the soules of dead men haue very often appeared and taught that oblations and praiers do profite them verie much But I wonder that men of learning wold grouÌ„d their worke vpon so rotten ruinous foundations For the Lorde in the lawe forbiddeth to aske the truthe of the spirites or soules of the deade In the Prophetes we are sent from such 〈◊〉 to the law the testimonie In Luke the rich glutton cryeth in torments saith I pray the father Abraham that thou wouldest sende Lazarus to my fathers house for I haue fiue brethren that he may witnesse vnto them least they also come into this place of torment But he heareth They haue Moses and the Prophetes let them heare them But when the riche glutton hadde answered No father Abraham but if one come vnto theÌ„ from the dead they will beleeue and repent He heareth againe If they heare not Moses and the Prophetes neyther will they beleeue if one rise from death Therefore it is most certeine and confirmed by the authoritie of the gospel that blessed soules are not sent of God vnto vs to teache vs any thing Who I pray your woulde giue eare to wicked and condemned soules The Gospell of Christe sendeth vs all to the canonicall scripture Wherevpon it followeth that the testimonies which are fetched from Oracles or appearings of the spirites of the dead are of no weight but most deceiuable and full of lying Mans testimonies are agreeable with Gods which also teache vs that souls being separated from their bodies can not wander or stray in these regions The wordes are too long to rehearse which Tertullian learnedly disputeth of this matter in the ende almoste of his booke De Anima yet they are all leuelled to this 〈◊〉 to shew that souls separated from their bodies and appointed to their places do not returne again into this world To the obiection of some that boast of arte Magicke and also that by the power of God many haue returned froÌ„ the deade into this life he answereth But although the power of God hath called backe againe some soules into their bodies to giue vs instruction of his might and right yet therfore that shall not be communicated with the credite and boldnesse of Magicians and the deceitfulnesse of dreams and licentiousnesse of Poets but in the examples of the resurrection when Gods power eyther by Prophetes or by Christe or by Apostles bringeth soules into bodies it is manifestly declared by sound euident and ful truth that it is the shape of a true body that thou mightest iudge all appearings of 〈◊〉 men 〈…〉 Therefore 〈◊〉 in his 29. Homelie vpon Mâ—â—demauÌ„ding What then shall wee answere to those speaches I am such a soule Hee answereth It is not the soule of that dead body which speaketh these things but the diuell who deuiseth these things to deceiue theÌ„ that heare him And anon he sayth Wherefore these are to be counted the wordes of olde wiues and of dotards and childrens toyes and phantasies And againe A soule separated from the body can not wander in these regions For the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and the soules of infants likewise for they haue not sinned And the souls of the wicked after this life are by and by carried away Which is made apparant by 〈◊〉 and the rich glutton But in an 〈◊〉 place the Lorde also sayeth Thâ—◠〈◊〉 they shall require thy soule againe from thee Therfore the soule when it departeth from the body can not wander here with vs and that not without cause For if they which go a iournie chauncing into vnknown countries know not whether they are like to goe except they haue a guide howe much more shal the soule bee ignoraunt whether it shall goe after it hath left the body and entereth altogether into a newe life and straunge way vnlesse it haue a guide Out of many places of the scripture it may bee proued that the souls of iust righteous men do not go astray after death For Stephan sayth Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite And Paul desired to be losed to be with Christe Of the Patriarch the scripture also sayth He dyed in a quied or good age and was gathered vnto or layd by his fathers And that the soules of the wicked can not tâ—rrie or haue their abiding heere giue eare what the rich glutton sayth and consider what he craueth and obteyneth not For if the souls of meÌ„ might be conuersant here he had come him selfe as hee desired and had certified his brethreÌ„ of the tormeÌ„ts of hel Out of whiche place of scripture this also plainely appeareth that foules after their going out of the body are carried into som certein appointed place froÌ„ wheÌ„ce they caÌ„ not return of their owne accord when they wil returne but waite and looke for that terrible day of iudgement Thus much hitherto out of
the Church and the name of Christe If any man sayth he that is called a brother be a theefe or a whoremonger or a couetous person c. with such an one see that ye eate no meate For what doeth it belong vnto me to iudge of thē that be without For God iudgeth them that are without Without that is to say he placeth them y are not called brethren wthout the bonds compasse of the Church to witt such as doe not acknowledge the name of Christe or of the church Within that is to say in the societie of the Church I meane of the outwarde church he reckoneth vp them that as yet doe acknowledge the Christian name neither yet doe withstand ecclesiasticall discipline though they thē selues in meane time be defiled and spotted with much mischiefe Of all men S. Iohn the Apostle spake plainliest saying They went out frō vs but they were none of vs For if they had beene of vs they had taried stil with vs. This séemeth to be a straunge kinde of spéeche For if they which go out of the church had not bene in the societie of the church how could they go out of the Church Can a man come foorth of a place in-the which he neuer came or in which he neuer was Therefore if hypocrits and euill men are gone out of the Churche surely they were sometime in the Church then to witt when they had not as yet gone out of it and did plainly shew what maner ones they were indéede Againe for that they went out of the Church they manifestly shewe that they were neuer indéede the true and liuely members of Christe and the Churche yet for a while they were numbered amōg the members of the Church The Apostle giueth the reason it is the disposition of Christes true members neuer to forsake Christe and his church but to continue and also to prosper and increase dayly more and more The Saincts and holie men truely doe offend or fall but yet they doe not forsake Christe vtterlye Dauid hauing committed adulterie and man-slaughter cryeth out sayinge Make me a cleane hart O lord and renew a right spirit within me Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holie spirite from me O giue me the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free spirite Sainct Peter denied the Lord and the weake flesh ouercame a good spirite but immediatly the Lord stirring vpp his harte he repented and departing from euill company he adioyned himselfe to the good fellowship of the Lord who foretolde him of this greate fall and thereto added these wordes I prayed for thee that thy faith should not faile and thou when thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren The same Peter also in an other place what time manye fell from Christe being demaunded whether he also prouided to departe answered Lord to whome shall we go Thou haste the word of eternall life And wee beleeue and knowe that thou art Christe the Sonne of the liueing GOD. Wherefore S. Iohn said verie truely They went out frō vs but they were none of vs. He addeth the reason If they had bene of vs they had stil taried with vs. Therefore bicause they continued not still with vs in the societie of Christ the Church they shewed by their defectiō and falling away what maner ones hitherto they haue bene we accounted them to be members of the Church but they by their fallinge away did declare that they were chaffe in the Lordes corne For as chaffe béeing not stirred nor fanned doeth séeme to be heauie with a graine of Wheate in it but béeinge once moued it appeareth emptie and light and by fanning is put aparte from the corne so hypocrites béeinge light by reason of their defection doe manifestly proue that they were neuer heauie with the séede of Gods worde that they were neuer the true corne of Christ From hence a generall and auncient opinion is gathered that all that are saide to be the Church and beautifie themselues with the title of the church are not by and by the Church For Saint Iohn plainely addeth But that it may be euident that all be not of vs. We read how that S. Paule to the Romanes saith They are not all Israelites which came of Israel neither are they all children straight way because they are the seede of Abraham but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Therefore the faithfull are the true and liuely members of Christe and of the Saincts In meane season truely so long as hypocrites or wicked persons not yet putting off their visours shall by their sayings and doings declare what they are that they may lawfully be cut from the church who not yet breaking away by their owne accorde do forsake Christ in the open fielde and flie to the tents of antichrist or the diuell are knowen and taken to be the true inhabitants of the church and are called the thurch and the members of the church although God whoe beholdeth the heartes of al men doe well inough discerne them I will againe make this matter plaine by an example As longe as Iudas the betrayer of Christ and mansleyer did not vtter his craftie or rather moste wicked deuise either by open déede or word neither forsooke the companie of Christe and the Apostles but did preache and prouide necessarie things of house shoulde for Christe he was accounted for an Apostle and the stuwarde of Christe yea and for a member of the Apostolique church Yet the selfe same Iudas was called by the Lord a Diuell and when he spake of the electe and of his true and liuelye members he was most plainely shut out so that there is no occasion of dout to think that Iudas was no member of the inwarde and holie Churche of God though he were a member of the the outwarde Churche béeing reckoned in the number of the holie men And therefore they speake not without greate aduise that said That of Gods Churche there was one visible and outward an other inuisible and inwarde The visible and outwarde Churche is that which is outwardely knowen by men for a Church by hearing Gods worde and partaking of his Sacraments and by publique confession of their faith The inuisible and inwarde is so called not that men are inuisible but because it is not to be séene with mans eye and yet doeth appeare before Gods eyes who beléeue truely and who feignedly For the true beléeuers are the true and liuely members of this inwarde Church which before I called the militant Churche more strictly considered but the other visible Churche comprehending both good and bad is more largely considered Now forasmuch as we haue said that the Church militant vppon earth is marked by GOD with certeine tokens and markes whereby it may be knowen in this worlde it followeth next that we shuld speake of those outward marks of the church of god And there are
celebrated in stéede of other ordinances of god came in a high heap of foolish and superstitious Ceremonies whervnto a great number of men yelding made themselues subiect to the sea of Rome In the meane space notwithstanding the church of God was not vtterly extinguished throughout al the world neither the holy ministerie of the word of God the true worship of God vtterly decayed amongest all men For there were found spred abrode in euery place not a few men who neither alowed the Pope and his conspirators nether his corruption in matters of the church But they worshipped the lord Christ whom they acknowledged to be the onely authour of saluation and therfore they kept them selues frée from Popish filthines And god also sent almost in euery age since the beginning of Popedome men that were graue godly and learned who greuously accused the Popes kingdome and tyrannie euen as the Prophets did of old time in the dayes of Ieroboam the idolatrous corruption coÌ„stantly requiring the reformation of the church from Popish corruptions and also teaching the true doctrine of saluation the true vse of the sacramentes And wheras a pure reformation by reason of Antichristes tyrannie could not bée obteined there was notwithstanding found a continual studie of puritie a godly desire of the lawful vse of the sacraments euen as I said there was in the elect members of the true church of God in the dayes of IeroboaÌ„ Achab Manasses in the time of the captiuitie of Babylon But euen as in those times the true prophets of God were not acknowleged for true prophets of the priests of Baal but were coÌ„demned for scismatiques heretiques eueÌ„ so in certeine ages past the bishops of Rome with their conspiratours did excoÌ„municate persecute godly and learned men who preached the word of God called for the reformation of the church many of them did they put to death with fire and sword which thing our Lord and maister himselfe with the prophets and Apostles did foreshewe should come to passe Moreouer God could vndoubtedly reserue to himselfe a mightie church euen vnder the Papisme euen as we doubte not but hee hath done a very gret vnder Mahometanisme for who will thinke that no meÌ„bers of the church of God are remayning in all Asia and Africa Could not our merciful god with his mightie power in the last calamitie and ruine of gods church reserue againe as sometime he did 7000. meÌ„ of whom neuer a one had worshipped the beast or receiued his mark What hath béen don in Turkie or what at this day is don let them declare that can do it best most rightly What hath béene done amongest vs in these last ages no man can denie Through the great goodnesse of God we sée it is come to passe that euen as circumcision the signe of gods couenaunt of old was giueÌ„ vnto the people of god euen in the middest of the falling from god so also at this day in the greatest darcknesse of Antichrist most holy baptisme was giuen to the ChristiaÌ„s to be as a seale of the forgiuenesse of sinnes inheritance of the children of god Surely the purenes of doctrine was prophaned with infinite most grosse traditions by the Popes sworne frends yet in the meane time it was not altogether abolished For that I repeat not againe any thing of that which I haue said of godly and learned men sent of God crying for reformation of the Church and greatly profiting with all the children of God was it not with a certein vniuersall consent receiued for most certeine and vndoubted that in the decalogue or tenne commandements there was set downe a short and most absolute summe of all the commaundements of God and that in the Lords prayer was taughte vs a most ample forme of prayer vnto God And that in the Apostles créed was conteyned a most perfect rule of faith or of y which was to be beléeued Surelie the custome was to recite the créede almost vnto euery one that was departinge out of this world and to those that lay euen at the last gasp as a most perfect rule of that faith whiche bringeth saluation Neither do we doubt that the mercifull God and father of mercies who vouchsafed to saue the théefe vppon the crosse euen at the giuing vp of his life had mercie vppon those that were oppressed with the tyrannie of Antichrist and through his vnmeasurable grace touched the hearts of men both liuing and readie to die taught them by his holy spirite and that they coÌ„fessing one God the father maker of all things and one Iesus Christ the sonne of God redéemer of the world to haue suffered and risen againe and one holy Ghoste and finallie the holie catholique Church that he hath sanctifyed them forgiuing them all their sinnes and hath translated the soules of such faithfull men into life euerlasting according as they beléeued into which place also wee beléeue our flesh being raised againe shal be caried in the end of the world They haue here therfore their answere also who aske whether all oure elders who died beefore these last times wherein the Gospell is reuealed be damned Let therfore those that bee aliue rather looke least for their contempt of the word of God and contâ—ntions raised against the word of God they come to worse end thaÌ„ their forefathers came Therfore thoughe we acknowledge not the Popish Church to be the true Church yet it followeth not thereof that there neither is or was any Church of God in the earth For we say that is the true Church of GOD which beléeueth in Christe and forsaketh not his word which Church also we haue plentifully enough described We know moreouer that wée our selues which at this daye beléeue in Christe are the true Church of Christ our lord For wee cleane by faith to oure onely head Christe and to all the members of the catholique church so as we are not destitute of the true markes of the true Church of God. But we read not say they that vnder the bishops priestes and kings of the Church of the Iewes either the prophets that is to saye the guides of the faithfull or else the faithful themselues did depart away from the high priest from the king or from their vniuersall Church and ordeyned vnto themselues new particular sacrifices as you at this day doe For you departing from the bishopp of Rome from kinges and gouernours and from the vniuersal Church do congregate vnto your selues a Church farre vnlike the vniuersall Church both in preaching and ministring of the Sacraments Wherevnto I aunswere that the old fathers before the comming of oure maister Christe for a certeine prescribed cause did not séeke places to offer new sacrifices in the temple being abused and defiled with idolatrie For it was vnlawfull to offer sacrifice without the bounds of the temple As is to be séene in the 3. of Leuit. and the 12. of Deut. Neither
hath giuen vnto none neyther doth any minister vnles he be blinded with diuelish pryde take that vnto him selfe as though he did worke those workes that are proper vnto Christe eyther for Christe or in Christes stead or together with Christ The Apostles being Christ his most faithful ministers and most chosen instruments of God did not giue the holy ghoste did not drawe mens harts did not inwardly anoynt mens mindes did not regenerate soules they them selues did not deliuer from sinne death the diuell and hell For all these things be the works of God whiche he hath not communicated to any Wherfore the most holy Baptist in plaine wordes denied that he was Christ he denied that he him selfe baptised with the holy Ghoste I saithe he baptise with water but hee baptiseth with the holy Ghost I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernes prepare the way of the Lorde And Paule pleading his cause before Agrippa wisheth of God that king Agrippa were such a one as Paule him selfe was except his bonds But such a wishe had not néeded if he him selfe could drawe sanctifie and absolue There are infinite other of this kinde to be séene in the scriptures Yet neuerthelesse the ministerie of the church is not néedles The kings counsellers and officers haue not equall power with the king neither are they kinges with the king or for the king but for all that their seruice is not in vaine Therefore that thing which Christ the sonne of God who is the greatest the best and the chiefe high priest of his Church worketh in his catholique church inwardly and in their mindes as the onely searcher of of the hearts the very same outwardly he declareth and testifieth by his ministers whome the Scripture for that cause calleth witnesses embassadours or messingers You sayth the Lord to his Apostles shall beare witnesse bycause ye haue beene with me frō the beginning And Paul saith I am ordeined a precher an apostle a teacher of the gentiles Therfore the same apostle in another place calleth the same Gospell both a testimonie and preaching of our Lord Iesus Christe And Ihon the Apostle affirmeth that he was banished into the Isle of Pathmos For the worde of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christe And therefore when ministers beare witnesse of the Sonne of God and out of his word promise life euerlasting their worde is not called mans word but the word of God and they are saide to saue and to release from sinn For they are the true messingers and harroldes of the king who is the deliuerer who hath sent them to publishe remission of sinnes wherevpon also they attribute all the meanes of life saluation and deliuerie to the onely deliuerer Christe Paule in an other place calleth ministers Fellowe labourers with God and afterward againe Disopsers of the secrets of God. For the saluation whiche the sonne of God hath onely wrought and whiche he also onely giueth the ministers preache or dispose and so they are fellowe labourers The same Apostle out of the doctrine of the Gospell which resembleth the teacher in the Church to one that soweth séede compareth the ministers to gardeners and planters of trées to whom he committeth the outward manuring reseruing the inwarde working to Christe our Lord saying Who is Paule then and who is Apollos but ministers by whome ye beleeued and as the Lorde gaue to euerie man I haue planted Apollos watered but god gaue the increase So then neyther is he that planteth any thing neyther he that watereth but God that giueth the increase With whiche testimonie of the Scripture Augustine being instructed learned so to speake and write of the ministerie of the Church as nothing shoulde be diminished from the glorie of God which inwardly moueth and teacheth vs and yet in the meane time the office of the ministerie should not be taken away or despised as vnprofitable For in his Epistle Ad Circenses which in order is accounted the 130. speaking of the secrete drawing of God and the outwarde ministerie of men These are not sayth he oure workes but Gods I would not at al attribute these thinges vnto mans working no not if when wee were with you so greate a conuersion of the multitude through our speaking and exhortations should happen That thing hee worketh and bringeth to passe who by his ministers outwardly warneth by tokens or signes of things but by the things them selues he inwardly teacheth by him selfe Thus farre he But least it might séem to any man that he spake too briefly and sparingly and not worthily enoughe of the ministerie of the Church euen he him selfe immediately addeth and sayth Neyther therfore ought we to be more flowe to come vnto you bycause whatsoeuer is done prayse woorthy among you commeth not of vs but of him which alone doth wonderfull thinges For we ought more carefully to runne to behold the workes of God than our owne workes Bycause euen we our selues if we haue any goodnesse in vs we are his worke and not mans Therefore the Apostle said Neither is he that plāteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase The same writer speaking of the verie same thing in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn Al the men of that kingdome sayth he shall be suche as are taught of God they shall not heare by men and though they heare by men yet that which they vnderstand is inwardly giuen it shineth inwardly it is inwardly reuealed What doe men in preaching outwardly what do I nowe when I speake make you to heare a noyse of wordes with your eares But vnlesse he reueale it which it within what say I or what speake I The outward workman is the plāter of the tree and the inwarde is the creatour Hee that planteth and hee that watereth worketh outwardly that doe we But neyther is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase This is the meaning of They shall be all taught of God. Thus far Augustine Wherfore when in another place S. Paule sayth Ye are the Epistle of Christe ministred by vs written not with ynke but with the spirit of the liuing God not in stonie tables but in fleshie tables of the heart we must diligently put a difference betwéene the worke of the spirit and the work of man or of the minister The minister doth not take on him the honor of God and the worke of the spirite but his owne worke that is to say the ministerie Paule preacheth and writeth with ynke but the spirite of God moueth the heart and with his grace or annoynting he writeth in the very heart so he worketh together with GOD Paule working his proper woorke and the spirite working his worke The Apostles are preachers and ministers of the Gospell not of the letter but of the spirite not that they giue the holie Ghoste but bycause they are preachers of the
and exhortations If so be that euerie church had such a pastour which wold not easily forsake the flocke howe great fruite I pray you shoulde we hope for Wherefore not without cause are we commanded incessantly and earnestly to praye vnto God that he woulde giue faythfull wise godly and diligent Pastours vnto his Churche Thus haue I hitherto spoken of the doctrine of byshops in the church of god And vnlesse a byshop teach after this manner and do those thinges which are ioyned to teaching he is vnworthy eyther of the name of a Byshop Pastour or Doctour howe so euer he pretend an Apostolique title For certeine thinges are ioyned to the doctrine of the Churche which also are required of a preacher of the Gospell and belong to his office as are these to gather together an holie assembly wherein he may preache conceiue prayer and minister the sacraments But of these things shall be spoken in their place Nowe there resteth to be considered howe byshops may gouerne the Churche of Christe with holy example of their life The Lorde in the Gospell sayth to his Apostles Ye are the light of the world A citie that is set on an highe hill can not be hid neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light vnto all that are in the house Let your light so shine before men that they maye â—ee your good woorkes and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen Wherefore Pastours not onely in doctrine but in holie life do giue light vnto the Churche whiche beholding their life agréeable to their doctrine is her selfe also moued to practise innocencie of life For the exaÌ„ple of a good man much preuaileth to the furthering of the loue of vertues And coÌ„trariwise the Scripture witnesseth that the corrupt example of the sonnes of Helie the chiefe rulers in religion was verie analyeable to corrupt the people For the Scripture sayth And the sinne of the children of Helie was to abhominable before the face of the Lorde so that the people beganne to abhorre the sacrifices of the Lorde For men séeing the corrupt life of the ministers of the church begin somwhat to dout of the whole doctrine crying If the pastor thought those things true whiche he teacheth vnto vs he him selfe would not liue so dissolutely Therefore such teachers are sayde to ouerthrowe that with their naughtie life whiche they haue builded with wholesome doctrine Wherefore Paul requireth a byshop or pastor of the people which shuld be blamelesse that is to say whiche can not rightly and worthily be reprehended of the â—aythfull For otherwise by howe muche euerie Bishop shall be more sincere and vpright by so much more shall he be subiect to slaunders and reproches of the wicked the Lord him selfe foretelling the same in the Gospell If they haue called saythe he the Lorde of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his housholde And If they haue persecuted me they will also persecute you And againe Blessed are ye when men shall reuile you and persecute you and lying shall say all manner of euill saying againste you for my sake Reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen Therfore a pastor ought verie carefully and as muche as in him is to take héede that both at home and abroad he liue a life worthy of him selfe and his calling Let him liue chastely as well being single as married Let temperaunce sobernesse thriftinesse or good husbandry hospitalitie and other vertues which I haue before rehersed out of the Apostle flourish in a bishop Let him gouerne his owne houshold wisely and godlily instruct theÌ„ and so bridle them that he giue not occasion of offence to the Church through riotousnesse or other misdéedes For so also the Apostle Paule hath commaunded who frameing againe the exercises of a byshop sayeth Till I come giue attendaunce to reading to exhortation and doctrine He requireth of Timothie a diligent reading that is to say a continuall studie whereby he may more perfectly exhort and teach But Paule requireth of him that hath bene brought vp in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a childe as elswhere he writeth a continuall studie of the Scriptures Howe great diligence then doth the Apostle require of them who as they haue not obtained so plentifull gifts of the spirit as Timothie had so they are not exercised in the Scriptures from their infancie Let a sorte of them therefore be ashamed of their vnskilfulnesse let them be ashamed of leasure not bestowed in studie and of their trauelsome idlenesse For as manye reade not any thing at all but continually liue idlely and as it were rot away in idlenesse so a number of innumerable others are busied in those thinges which nothing become Byshoppes Therefore the Apostle saythe No man which goeth a warrefare intangleth him selfe with the affaires of this life that hee may please him which hath chosen him to be a souldier Here were a fitte place to speake of stipendes due vnto Pastours but we will deferre it to an other place But if Byshoppes come abroade among the people at any time for businesse sake and be present in assemblies of honest men with no lesse care ought they to indeuoure leaste eyther by déede or worde or by apparell or companie kéeping or finally in the whole course of their life they giue any iust occasion of offence to the Churche Let there appeare in Pastoures in all places and at all times holy vprightnesse méete ripenesse of iudgement honest behauiour wisedome modestie humanitie humilitie and authoritie worthy of Gods ministers But let the contrarie vices and wicked misdéedes be farre from them In these fewe wordes I thinke are conteyned those thinges whiche other haue handled at large intreating of the discipline and behauiour of the Clergie For all ages vnderstoode that a dissolute and loose life was euill in all degrées and kyndes of men but in the ministers of the Churche worsse and moste intollerable For what can a minister of the Churche doe in the Churche whose authoritie is altogether lost Authoritie therfore is requisite in Pastors Of the want hereof manye doe complayne and séeing it vnder foote goe about to reare it vppe agayne with I can not tell what kynde of proppes of titles and ceremonies But authoritie is not gotten with suche light and vayne thinges It is rather obteyned by the Grace of God through the loue of trueth and vprightnesse of life if happily God touche mens heartes so as they vnderstande that GOD worketh his worke in the Churche by his ministers as by his instruments if they perceiue that ministers do the worke of the Lorde with feruentnesse of spirite and not coldly not fearing any thing in a good cause no not the wicked and mightie men of this world but doe resist them and yet that they doe nothing of hatred or malice but doe all
of vs feruent prayer but it can not choose but be colde whiche is not inflamed with charitie Therfore they that be cruell and vnwilling to forgiue their brethren their trespasses and do still retein hatred toward their brethren cannot pray before God who sayth And when ye stand praying forgiue if ye haue ought against any man that your Father also whiche is in heauen may forgiue you your trespasses And again If ye forgiue men their trespasses your heauenly father shal also forgiue you But if ye forgiue not men their trespasses no more shal your Heauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses And in another place he sayeth Therefore if thou bring thy gyft vn-the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hathe ought against thee leaue there thy gyfte before the Altar and goe thy waye first be reconciled to thy brother and then come offer thy gyft For otherwise all thy gyftes shall not bee acceptable vnto God. Let vs therefore willingly forgiue let vs loue do good vnto oure neighbors so our prayers shal pearce the heauens Agreable vnto this is y we pray not only with the mouth or voice but with the mind and inward affection of the hart and with the spirite and feruencie There was no voice heard of Moses neither of Anna the mother of Samuel when they prayed but most earnestly in spirite they cried vnto God who also hearde and lâ—dd him safely with all the people of Israel through the redde Sea out of the moste bloudie handes of the Egyptians her which afore was barren he made fruitefull And contrariwise we read that the Lord in the Gospel out of Esay alledged these wordes against the Phariseis This people draweth nighe vnto mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hart is farre froÌ„ me but in vaine do they worship me teaching doctrines preceptes of men Therefore aptly saide Paule I will pray with the spirite and wil pray with the vnderstanding also where he calleth the liuely breath and voice of man Spirite By these heauenly testimonies their prayers are condemned who with a marueilous rouling and swiftnesse of the tounge in a shorte space babble many wordes and those maimed and curtayled vttering wordes without sense For their minde in the meane while is otherwise occupied No other desire is there felt of them vnlesse happilie this séeme a desire in that they pant and blowe hasting to make an ende of praying Among whiche kinde of men Monkes and priestes are chiefe who pray for money for their hire that is sell a thing of naught for a great price vnto the madde people not that prayers are vaine of them selues but because being vsed after that maner they become vaine Of these men the Lorde pronounceth in the Gospel Woe be vnto you Scribes and Phariseis Hypocrites for ye deuoure widowes houses and that vnder a pretence of long prayer therefore ye shal receiue the greater damnation I know what these Sophisters do here bring foorth and alledge for the defence of prayers said for rewarde or stipend but in fewe wordes I giue them this knotte to loose These men that pray in this sorte either haue fayth and charitie or else they haue not if they haue they pray without rewarde for charities sake if they haue not their prayers ar of no effect and therefore with a false shewe they deceiue the ignorant people paying their money for lawfull prayers whereas they requite them with vnlawful and if they were lawful yet were they neither to be sold or boght This is also required of him that prayeth that he desire not things vnworthie for God to graunt nor require those things that are contrarie to the lawes of god For S. Iohn the Apostle saith If we aske any thing according to his wil he heareth vs therefore when we aske thinges vnworthie for God to grauÌ„t he heareth vs not Moreouer alwayes and in all our prayers our wil and our desires ought to be obedient to God and his wil. Therefore let no man go aboute wickedly to tye God to certein circuÌ„staÌ„ces let no man prescribe vnto God at what time in what place or after what manner hee shall bring to passe any thing that he wil doe God who is only wise knoweth wheÌ„ it is time to helpe He is also both faithfull and omnipotent and able in déede to doe greater thinges than either we can aske or vnderstand Which thing we also read that Paule hath said Therfore not without cause is that moste honest widowe Iudith verie angrie with Osias the Priest because he appointed a sette number of dayes vnto God which being ended he should deliuer or otherwise they wold giue vp the citie For Iudith saith What maner of sentence is this whereunto Osias hath consented to deliuer the Citie vnto the Assyrians if within fiue dayes there come not succour for vs And who are ye that tempt the Lord This is not a sentence like to obteine mercie but rather to prouoke wrath kindle displeasure You haue set the mercie of God a time haue appointed him a day after your own phantasie But for asmuch as the Lord is patient let vs so much the rather repent craue pardon at his handes by powring out of teares Therfore Dauid is read to haue spoken most godly being in extreme daunger If I shal finde fauour in the eyes of the Lorde hee will bring me againe but if he say to me I haue no lust to thee behold here am I let him doe with me what seemeth good in his eyes And nowe also long continuance is verie néedefull in prayers Aske saith the Lord in the Gospell and it shal be giuen you seeke ye shal find knock it shal be opened vnto you And by this heaping together of wordes he often remembreth vs of continuance in prayer Aske saith he earnestly constantly as they do whiche require things whereof they stand in néede Seeke as they are wonte that search for thinges that are hidden and pretious Knocke as they are wont who with earnest desire couet to come in to their friend For all these sayinges doe not onely signifie a desire but also a continual studie to obteine thinges required In the Gospell according to saint Luke the Lord put foorth a parable tending to this ende that we ought alwayes to pray and neuer to be weried For Paul also saith Reioyce alway pray continually in all thinges giue thankes Yet let no man think that by these words of the Lord and the Apostle the errour of the heretiques Psallini or Euchitae is confirmed They did nothing else but pray The Lord commaundeth to pray alwayes that is to say as often as wee conueniently may at al times and in all places to be of an vpright hart toward God in al things which should always waite for good thinges at Gods hande and giue him thanks for benefites receiued
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
all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods â–ª goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ„ vs also vpoÌ„ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie â—o giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌ„tion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌ„sent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌ„s which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
whiche are persuaded that the sacramentall speaches are not to be expounded as figuratiue and borrowed but most properly and literally so that by that meanes the water bread and wine are not nowe signes and tokens onely of regeneration and of the body of Christe giuen and of his bloude shed for vs but regeneration it selfe and the verie substantiall body and bloude of oure Lorde Iesus For being of this opinion they are offensiue vnto the common manner both of speaking and interpreting vsed in all ages they are also repugnaunt to true fayth yea to common sense Whereby it commeth to passe that by their confounding of the signe with the thing signified they bring in a seruile weaknesse that I may vse S. Aug. words A carnall bondage For he Li. 3. de doct Ch. ca. 9. intreating of the Sacramentes of Christians sayth The Lorde him selfe and the Apostles in their doctrine haue left vs fewe thinges in steade of many and those most easie to be done most reuerend in vnderstanding and moste pure in obseruing as is baptisme and the celebration of the body and bloud of the Lorde Which Sacramentes euerie man when hee receyueth being instructed acknowledgeth wherevnto they are referred that wee should not worshippe them with carnall seruitude or bondage but rather with spirituall freedom or libertie And as to folow the letter and to take the signes in stead of the thinges which are signified by them is a point of seruile weaknesse so to expound the signes vnprofitably is a point of euill wandering error And yet he speaketh more plainly chapter 5. First of all you must beware leâ—t you take a figuratiue spech according to the letter For to this agreeth that which the Apostle saith The letter killeth but the spirite giueth life For wheÌ„ that which is figuratiuely spoken is taken as though it were spoken properly it is carnally vnderstanded Neyther is there any thing that may more agreably be termed the death of the soule then wheÌ„ that wherein we excell beasts which is vnderstanding or knowledge is made subiect to the fleshe by following the letter For he that followeth the letter vnderstandeth words translated or borrowed as proper or naturall neither doth he referre that which is signified by a proper worde to another signification but if for an example he shall here mention of the Sabbaoth he vnderstandeth it no otherwise but as one day of the seueÌ„ which by continuall course come goe And when he heareth mention made of sacrifice it wil not out of his heade but that this is ment of that whiche was wont to be done aboute offering of beastes and fruites of the earth To be shorte this is the miserable bondage of the soule to take the signes for the things them selues and not to bee able to lifte vp the eyes of the mynd aboue the bodily creature for the obteyning of euerlasting light Thus farre August By these wordes of Augustine we doe gather that they reuereÌ„ce the sacraments by spirituall libertie which neither stick to the letter neither worship and reuerence the visible thinges and elements as water breade and wine in steade of the thinges signified but being rather admonished and stirred vp by the signes they are lifted vp in their mindes to behold the things signified The same Augustine in the same booke chapter 15. teaching when and after what manner a trope or figure is to be receiued or acknowledged sayth In figuratiue speaches this manner of rule shall be kept that so long you viewe with diligent consideration what is read vntill the interpretation come vnto the rule of charitie For if it be not repugnaunt to charitie thinke not that it is a figuratiue speach And yet more plainly hee addeth in the 16. chapter following If it bee an imperatiue speache eyther forbidding any haynous offence or wicked deede or coÌ„maunding any profitable or good deede it is no figuratiue speach But if it commaund any wicked deede or forbid any deede of charitie then it is figuratiue Except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye haue no life in you Hee seemeth to commaund some horrible offence or wicked deede therefore it is a figuratiue speache commaunding vs to communicate with the passion of Christe and comfortably and profitably to lay vp in our remembraunce that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs The Scripture sayth If thine enimie hunger feede him Heere no man doubteth but hee commaundeth well doing but that whiche followeth For in so doing thou shalte heape coales of fire vppon his head A man would thinke that a wicked and euill deede were commaunded therefore doubt not but that it is figuratiuely spoken And so foorth All these thinges doe conuince their errour whiche interprete sacramentall speaches as proper and reiect al figures and tropes especially in the institution of the supper Neuerthelesse I am not ignoraÌ„t what they set againste this last testimonie of S. Augustin that the words of our sauiour in the sixte of Iohn doe make nothing to the interpretation of the ministration of the sacrament and therefore that the place of S. Augustine doth nothing agrée to our purpose But it is manifest that in the same booke S. Augustine disputeth of signes and of the sacramentall speaches And that is manifest also by many other places oute of S Augustine that he often alledgeth these wordes of our sauiour out of the sixte of Iohn to expounde the celebration of the supper But why doe they nothing perteyne to the celebration of the Supper Doth he speake of one body in the Supper and of an other in the 6. chap. of Iohn shal we beleue that the Lorde had and hath two bodies Our Lorde Iesus hath but one body the whiche as it profiteth nothing being eaten corporally according to S. Iohn 6. chapter euen so that body being corporally eateÌ„ doth nothing auaile according to S Mat. 26. chapter But this matter we haue elsewhere handled And of as little force is this vnsauourie obiection of theirs which is that the consequence is false when we argue thus Circumcision is the couenant the lambe is the Passoeuer Sacrifices are sinnes and sanctifications or cleansings are sacramentall speaches mysticall and figuratiue therefore this also This is my body is a mysticall and figuratiue speache For since in Sacramentes there is the like reason why may wee not frame arguments from the one to the other And that sacraments haue the like reason it is receyued of all them whiche acknowledge the trueth aright and it shall be proued hereafter to the full But if it be not lawfull to reason froÌ„ the sacraments of the olde testament and by them after a certeine comparison to interprete ours and by ours to make them plaine truely then the Apostle did not well who by a false consequent by comparison we reade to haue argued from their sacrameÌ„ts vnto ours in the 1. Cor. 10. and to the Coloss
The same also is mentioned in Luke In the Gospel of Iohn the third chapter baptisme is called Purifying In the Actes of the Apostles Peter saith to the people which demaunded what they should do Repent ye and let euery one of you be baptised in the name of Iesus Christe for the remission of sinnes Ananias also sayth to Paule Arise and be baptised wash awaye thy sinnes in calling on the name of the Lord. And now Paule himselfe saith Christ loued the church gaue himselfe for it to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the word Wherefore the promise yea the trueth of sanctification and â—rée remission of sinnes is written and ingrauen in oure bodies when we are baptised For God by his spirite thorough the bloud of his sonne hath newly regenerated and purged againe oure souls and euen now doth regenerate and purge them And baptisme is sufficient and effectual for the whole life of man yea and reacheth and is referred to all the sinnes of all them that are baptised For the promise of God is true The seale of the promise is true not deceiueable The power of Christ is euer effectuall throughly to cleanse and wash away all the sinnes of them that be his Howe often therefore soeuer wee haue sinned in our life time let vs call into oure remembrance the mysterie of holy baptisme wherewith for the whole course of our life we are washed that we might know not doubt that our sinnes are forgiuen vs of the same God and oure Lord yea and by the bloud of Christe into whome by baptisme once we are graffed that he might alwayes woorke saluation in vs euen til we be receiued out of myserie into glorie Neither is there any doubt that Abraham in his whole life had continually in his minde the mysterie of circumcision and rested in God and the séede promised vnto him Yet I thinke that that ought diligently to be marked which S. Augustine pithily plainly hath ofteÌ„ cited That our sinnes are forgiuen or purged in baptisme not that they are no more in vs for as long as we liue concupiscence beareth swaye alwayes breedeth and bringeth forth in vs somewhat like it selfe but that they shuld not be imputed vnto vs neither that wee may not â—inne but that it should not bee hurtfull for vs to haue or had sinned that our sinnes may be remitted when they are committed not suffered to be continued De Fide operib cap. 20. And also many more of this kind Gratian reciteth Distinct 4. de Consecrat Beside that by baptisme wee are gathered together into the fellowship of the people of god Wherevppon of some it is called the first signe or entrie into Christianitie by the whiche an entraunce into the churche lieth open vnto vs Not that before wee did not belong to the church For whosoeuer is of Christ partaker of the promises of God and of his eternall couenaunt belongeth vnto the Churche Baptisme therefore is a visible signe and testimonie of our ingraffing into the bodie of Christ And it is rightly called a planting incorporating or ingraffing into the bodie of Christe For I said in the generall discourse of Sacramentes that wee first by baptisme were ioyned with Christe and afterward with all the members of Christ our brethren For Paul saith All ye that are baptised haue put on Christ But to put on Christ is to bée made one with him as as it were to be ioyned and incorporated in him that he may liue in vs and we in him For hée onely by his spirite regenerateth and renueth vs and most liberally inricheth vs with all manner good giftes which the same Apostle in another place expresseth in these words God saued vs by the founteine of the regeneration renuing of the holy Ghost whiche he shedd on vs richly through Iesus Christ our sauiour Yea and therefore Christ our Lord is baptised in oure baptisme to declare that he is our brother and we ioynte-heires with him Verie well therefore said S. August That baptisme is thus farre forceable that wee beeing baptised are incorporated into Christ and counted his members The same Aug. calleth Baptisme the sacrament of Christian felowship For we are gathered againe visibly by baptisme into the vnitie of one bodie with all the faithfull as many as haue beene are and shal be For Paule also saith By one spirite wee are all baptised into one bodie And it followeth hereby that baptisme serueth for our confession and is rightly called the token of Christian religion For it is a badge or cognizaunce wherby we witnesse and professe that wée consent and are lincked into Christian religion Wée coÌ„fesse that we by nature are sinners and vncleane but sanctified by the grace of God through Christ For if we were cleane by nature what néeded we then any cleansing But now since wee are cleansed who doubteth of the truth of God Therefore when we receiue baptisme wee truely and fréely confesse both our sinne wherein we were borne and also frée forgiuenesse of sinnes Lastly the remembrance and consideration of the mysterie of baptisme putteth vs in minde of the dueties of Christianitie and Godlines that is to say al our life long to weigh diligently with our selues of whose bodie we be made members to denie our selues and this world to mortifie our fleshe with that coÌ„cupiscences of the same and to be buried with Christ into his death that we may rise againe in newnesse of life and liue innocently to loue our brethren as our meÌ„bers with whom by baptisme we are knit together into one bodie to remaine in the bond of concord in the vnitie of the church not to followe straunge religions béeing mindeful that we are baptised into Christ to whome alone we are consecrated and farre separated and diuided from all other Gods worships or religions and to be short from all heresies Let vs thincke also that wée must constantly and valiantly fighte against Sathan and the whole kingdome of Sathan As often therefore as wée remember wée are baptised with Christes baptisme so often are these thinges put into our mindes and wée admonished of our duetie But the Apostle handleth this matter more at large in the sixt Chapter of his epistle to the Romanes where hee expresly maketh meÌ„tion that we by baptisme are made the graftes of Christ that is to say that we might growe out of him as braunches out of the vine and féele in our mindes and bodies both the death and resurrection of Christe For since we are indued with the spirit of Christ which worketh in vs our body verily dieth daily but oure spirite liueth and reioyceth in Christe To whom be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the Lords holie Supper what it is by whome when and for whome it was instituted after what sort when and howe oft it is to be celebrated and
not of the bread Eate yee all of this But when he tooke the cup he added Drinke yee all of this Saint Marke also adioyneth herevnto not without déepe iudgement And they drank all thereof Herevnto also apperteineth that which the Lord speaketh in S. Luke Take this and diuide it among you S. Paul the Apostle hauing a special regard vnto this excelleÌ„t plaine institutioÌ„ of Christ thrée or foure times ioyneth the cup to the bread saying As often as you shal eate of this bread and drinke of this cup you shall expresse the Lords death Againe Whosoeuer eateth of this bread or drinketh of the Lords cup vnworthily he shall be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And againe he saith Let a man examine himselfe and then let him eate of the bread and drinke of the cup Againe Who so eateth and drinketh vnworthily c. These testimonies are manifolde and worthie absolutely to be beléeued vnto which al traditions of all men whatsoeuer should giue place The Lord hath instituted the cup of the supper vnto all the faithfull wherfore the Apostles exhibited the same vnto all the faithfull For if the sacrament of the bloud of Christ were giueÌ„ to the Apostles only surely then the thing it selfe to wit the remission of sinnes which is obteined through Christes bloud belongeth only vnto the Apostles Howbeit the Lord saith plainly This is the bloud of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes It is also in other places of the scripture manifestly set downe the Christs bloud was shed for the remission of the sinns of al the faithful Wherfore if the Laitie be capeable of the thing how muche more of the signe Now if our aduersaries procéede further and say that the Apostles only sate at the supper who represented the figure of the priestes and that the vse of the cuppe was graunted vnto them only and not to be graunted vnto other but to such only as were present at the first supper then doe we demaunde of them by what authoritie they giue the Lordes bread to the Laitie or by what right they do admitte simple women vnto the Lordes supper since it is manifest that neither the one nor the other according vnto their speaking in this matter sate at the Lords table And in this point they being taken tarde can goe no further But they obiect the daunger of the cup which if it be giuen vnto all without exception it would come to passe through the follie negligence of men there might some great offence be committed in letting it fall or powring it on the floore As who shuld say the eternal prouidence hath not foreséen so great an offence which these wisemen doe well perceiue nowe at length in the end of the world and do amend that wherein the Sonne of God did amisse For they crie out that one kinde is enough for the lay people for asmuch as by a necessarie coherence it foloweth that where the bodie of Christ is there is his bloud also and thus must it then followe that the one kinde is instituted in vaine But the lord distinctly first offered the bread and afterward the cup the Lord instituted nothing in vaine therefore both kinds since the Lord hath so coÌ„manded ought to be parted among all the faithful which as many as haue read the writings of the ancient fathers wil report was obserued euer before euen almost vnto the time of the counsell of Constance Of whom many haue not beene afraide to say that the diuiding of this sacrament after this maÌ„ner could not be done without sacrilege The matter substaÌ„ce of the supper being declared there is lightly some question moued concerning the forme or of the consecration of the breade and wine But for asmuch as I haue intreated hereof in the generall consideration of the sacraments there is no cause why I should with lothesomnesse to the bearers repeate the selfe same thing againe We do not acknowledge any transubstantiâ—tion to be made by force of wordes or characters but we affirme that the bread and wine remaine as they are in their owne substances but that there is added vnto them the institution will and worde of Christ and so become a sacramente and so differ muche from common bread and wine as we haue saide in place conuenient Consequently insueth the question touching this point Who should administer the Supper that is to say Whether any one of the congregation ought to be chiefe in the celebrating of the supper then Who the same should be Surely the thing it selfe requireth and nature also commaundeth that euery thing bee done decently and in good order and religion requireth that all thinges apperteining to the supper bee done according to Christs example But he was the chiefe dealer in the supper And he likewise hathe appointed ministers of the Churche by whom he will haue the sacraments to be administred Wherefore like as euerie man doth not baptise but the lawfull minister of the church so apperteyneth it not vnto euerie man to prepare minister the holy supper but to the minister which is ordeyned by god Herein now we disproue the Papistical doctrine which alloweth of priuate Masses teacheth that the prieste offreth vp the bodie and bloud of our Lord for the standers by and that by the Masse he applteth the merite of redemption vnto them that with deuotion come to that sacristce For as there is no one worde of the Lord extent that commaundeth the priestes to sacrifice or priuately to apply the supper for others or that promiseth any thinge vnto them that stande by and looke on it for he sayth Doe this eate yee and drinke ye all in the remembraunce of me he sayeth not Looke vppon the priests onely while they be eating and drinking for you so Christ is not bodily present in the breade and wine he is ioyned vnto our heartes and mindes by his spirit For it were to none effect that he remained in the breade And if he were present there in déede yet coulde he not be sacrificed both for that he hath offered vp him selfe once vppon the crosse neither can the moste worthy and onely begotten sonne of God be offered vp againe to God the father by a sinnefull man as also for that there is no néede for him to offer againe For S. Paule saith Christ beeing one onely sacrifice offered vp for sinne sitteth for euer at the righte hand of God looking for that which is yet to come vntill his enimies bee made his footestoole For by one oblation hee hath made them for euer perfect that are sanctified And againe he sayeth Whereas is full remission of sinnes there is no more oblation for sinne But we haue full remissioÌ„ of sinne by the death which Christ once suffered Therfore there is no sacrifice in the church for sinne In déede the Churche doth celebrate the memoriall of the sacrifice which
whole world and all the counsels in the world all the kinges and princes yea if all the Angels and Saintes should commaund vs to beléeue that Christ is here or there corporally yet the commaundement of our only redéemer Iesus Christe the sonne of God the father of wisedome by whome all thinges were made who forbiddeth vs to beleue the same ought to be of that authoritie among all the godly that they may knowe that they muste not beléeue as creatures commauÌ„d them but as the creatour hath commaunded them Yea moreouer the Lorde vouchsafeth in this verie same place of the Gospell to giue vs a reson of his doctrine For why must we not beléeue that Christe is conuersant or bodily present vpon the earth but inuisibly Bycause like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East and appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Which is as much as if he had sayde The Sonne of God came once humbly into the earthe to redéeme vs throughe his humilitie and death on the crosse which thing being finished he forsooke the earth and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the father from thence he shall not returne into these our regions but to iudgement But then shal he appeare glorious noble to be séene of all men as it were the moste cleare sunne yea rather like a lightning right terrible to all the wicked And therefore there is no cause why from the time of his ascension vntill his comming to iudgement we shuld looke for him to come inuisibly and to remayne with vs corporally present S. Hierome expounding the same place sayth This also must be sayd that the second comming of oure sauiour shall not be shewed in humilitie as before but in glory It were a foolishe part therefore to seeke him in a little corner or in some secrete place who is the light of the whole world Thus farre he But least I may séeme to stay my self vpon some humane authoritie I will rehearse that whiche S. Paule teacheth vs in his Epistle to the Hebrues saying Christ appeared once before the end of the worlde to put away sinne by offering vp of him selfe And for as much as it is appointed to men once to dye and after this commeth the iudgement euen so Christe being once offered vp to take away the sinnes of many shal the second time be seene of them withoute sinne who looke for him to their saluation Bicause therefore our Lorde came once into the worlde hee was once offered vp but he shall come againe or the second time at the ende of the world truely he commeth not againe euerie day into the worlde And bycause he hath forbidden vs to beléeue if any man should shewe him present here or there vnto vs in this worlde it must néedes followe that he may be shewed present here or there 〈◊〉 â–ª in all places where the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is celebrated if wee will vnderstand the wordes of the Supper according to the letter therfore it followeth without all contradiction by conference of places that the wordes of the Lordes Supper ought not to be expounded according to the letter I thinke herewith I haue satisfied such as be not of a contentious disposition For vndoubtedly their meaning is that we shoulde speake of the sacramentes sacramentally and that sacramentall speaches ought to bée expounded sacramentally Besides that wee ought to beéeue nothing that is repugnaunt to the rule of beliefe But the myracles and the omnipotencie of God brought foorth and alledged in this place for the setting oute and persuading of an euill matter they do no good at all after so many and manifest arguments of truth Myracles are ioyned vnto the worde as it were seales whiche thing the Lorde God him selfe testifieth in S. Marke If then they be repugnaunt to the worde and affirme that whiche the worde altogether denyeth who will not perceiue them to be of that kynde of myracles whereof the Apostle speaketh in the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and wherof we haue heard now that the lord gaue vs warning in the Gospell that we should in no case beleue them The lord can do al things but therefore he doth not all things The Prophete sayth What so euer the Lord would do that he did both in heauen and in earth Moreouer he will not do such things as are contrarie to his worde and his fayth therefore he can not do that he will not do Theodoretus in his thirde Dialogue intituled Polymorphus sayth The Lorde God will doe nothing that is not in him of his owne nature but he can doe what euer he will but he will doe suche things as are fit and agréeing to his nature Therfore sith God of his owne nature is true he can not doe that whiche is contrarie to his worde Other sounde writers doe adde Not that hee can not doe all thinges but that he will not doe that which is contrarie to his nature and bycause it doth not become to doe against him selfe In the meane season I do expresly professe that I condemne not or flatly am against all manner of Christes presence in the Church and in the action also of the supper For I am flatagainst that bodily presence of Christ in the breade which the Papistes defende and enforce vppon the Churche of god But I confesse and acknowledge with open mouth and sincere heart that spiritual diuine and quickening presence of oure Lorde Christe both in the Supper and also out of the supper wherby he continueth to powre him selfe into vs not by sings lackiÌ„g life but by his holy spirit to make vs partakers of all his good graces to iustifie quicken nourishe susteine and satisfie vs whiche presence we doe also féele in our selues through fayth by the whiche we are both susteyned nourished and satisfied For Christe is the heade of his Churche and we haue fellowshippe with him But howe should a liuing bodie be without his heade Howe should we be partakers of Christe if we should not féele him present yea liuing and working in vs But of these matters wee haue also intreated more at large in place coÌ„uenient Some there are I knowe well enoughe who otherwise are not iniurious to the trueth which gainesay these things crying out that by this reason the manner of Christes presence in the Supper is not fully enough expressed especially since hée him selfe also hath sayde elsewhere Beholde I am with you continually vnto the worldes ende I saythe he wholy not my power or diuinitie not my spirit nor my strength Moreouer it is a hazaâ—dâ— least we should séeme to teare Christe in péeces séeing that he cannot be wholy with vs vnlesse he be present with vs as well in body as in diuinitie But we woÌ„der what is in their heades Do they not vnderstand that the Lord in that diuine talke spoken both in the verie Supper and also immediately
laide not a side his true and very body 2. Cor. 5. Philip. 3. Christ â—ath a reasoâ—able soule Matth. â—0 Matth. 26. Iohn 12. Luke 22. Luke 9. The hereticall error and the sounde truethe touchinge the mysterie of Christes â—ncarnation * Aprouer biall kind of speache whereby is meante that in avoyding a lesse error he fall into a greater Of the vnitinge of Chrste his Godhead and manhood Iohn 1. â— Tim. 3. Heb. 2. Heb. 2. Christ reteineth both natures vnmeddled or vnconfounded to gether 〈◊〉 7. â—sai 9. 〈◊〉 5. Matth. 22 Psal. 110. Luke 1. Iohn 14. Marke 14. Matth. 28. Rom. 1. The Natures in Christ are not mingled or coÌ„founded Christe in one persoÌ„ remaineth vndiuided 1. Cor. 2. Actes 20. Of communicatinge of â—â—opeâ—ties Iohn 3. Heb. 2. Iohn 6. Iohn 20. The person of Christ is not diuided Matth. 8. Marke 16. Actes 1. Actes 8. Christ is king of al. Gene. 3. Luke 11. Colos 1. 2. Pet. 2. Matth. 21. Christ is a monarche Psal. 2. Psal. 110. Esai 49. Isai 16. Ierem. 23 Of the kingdome of God. Mich. 4. Rom. 24. Matth. 25. Luke 23. The kingâ—ome of God which 〈◊〉 one iâ—â—wo waiâ— â–ª â—â—nfidereâ— Gods kingdome of grace in â—arth Pro. 24. 1. Sam. 7. Howe Canst reigâ—etâ— on 〈◊〉 in â—is kingâ—ome â—poc 1. The spiritual kingdome of God. Iohn 18. The â—ounds of Christes kingdome â—n earth The seate of our King Christe 〈◊〉 1. Ephe. 5. Gods kingdome of glorie in heauen Apoc. 21. 22. The kingdome of Christe is in euerlastinge kingdome Matth. 16 Matth. 24 Dan. 7. Matth. 6. The kingdome of the world what maÌ„ner of one it is Iohn 12. 2. Cor. 4. 1. Iohn 3. Christ Ieâ—us the â—â—gh pries â–ª Psal 110. Heb. 6. Hebr. 7. Gen. 14. Hebr. 5. Psal. â— Christ is aÌ„noynted Psal. 45. Esai 61. Howe Christ our priest doth the offices of a priest Christ the teacher of the church Christ maketh intercession Christ blesseth Christ sacrificeth Christ sanâ—â—ifieth Iohn 7. Iohn 17. Of Christs priesthood Heb. 8. Heb. 13. 1. Iohn 2. Esai 4 4. Hebâ— 5. Iohn 16. Heb. 9. Heb. 10. Apoc. 1. 1. Pet. 2. Of the name of a Christian Christians are kinge and priests Christians are kinge Rom. 6. I. Iohn 5. Christians are priests Heb. 3. Heb. 13. The name of a Christian moste auncient There are but fewe Christians Esa. 66. Matth. 7. A gainste false Christians The conclusion The word Spirit is â—â—pounded Spirit is â—ayer or 〈◊〉 Iohn 3. 1. Cor. 14. Spirit signifieth an Angel. Psal. 104. Hebr. 1. Spirit signifieth life Psal. 145. 104. Gene. 6. Spirit signifieth the soule of man. Luke 23. Iohn 19. Actes 7. Eccle. 12. Spirit signifieth affection of minde Spirit signifieth spiritual motions Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 3. Spirit â—ignifieth reuelation 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 4. What the holy ghosâ— is That the â—olyghost 〈◊〉 verie God. 1. Cor. 13. 1. Cor. 12. Matth. 28. ob 25. Luke 1. 2. Pet. 1. Actes 5. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 6 1. Cor. 12. The holy ghost is neither minister â—or instrument The holie ghost is a substance not an accident Rom. 8. Gal. 5. Of the proceeding of the holie ghoste The holie ghost procedeth froÌ„ the father and the sonne Gal. 4. Matth. 10. Iohn 15. Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Iohn 5. The proceeding of the holie ghost is two-fouldor of twoe sortes Temporal proceding Eternall proceding Looke in the. 3. Sermon of this decade about the beginning 1 Pet. 1. 2. Cor. 4. â—ncreasinges of the spirite 4. Reg. 2. Iohn â— Matth. 13. 1. Sam. 16. Psal. 51. Of the effect and power of the holie ghost The holie ghost The holie ghost is the Spirite of God aâ—d of the sonne 1. Cor. 3. Rom. 8. The holâ—e ghost is the comforter Iohn 14. The holiâ— ghoste is a comforter giueth ioye and gladnesse The holie ghost is the Spirite of trueth Iohn 16. Iohn 14. The Spirit of promise Gal. 3. The holie ghost the singer of god Luke 11. Exod. 8. Looke in the. 3. Sermon of this decad what things are spoken against the heretiques called the Anthropomorphites The spirit is called water and a liuely founteine Esai 44. Iohn 7. The holie ghost is fire The holie ghost a mightie winde The holie ghost a fiâ—ie tongue The holie ghost a loue Matth. 3. â—sai 53. â—ohn â— Actes 8. â—api 7. The holie ghost oyle and aÌ„noyning 1. Iohn 2. Iere. 31. Hebr. 8. 2. Cor. 1. The holy ghost is the earnest of our inheritance Ephe. 1. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Iohn 3. The holie ghost loue or charity Rom. 5. The operations of the holie ghost Isai 1â— Wisdome VnderstaÌ„ding Counsell Strength Knowledg Feare Rom. 8. The spirit doth morâ—fie and quicken The spirit â—r holie ghost reuealeth â—he mysteries of the â—ingdome of God. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 16. The spirite foresheweth thinges to come Actes 11. The diuers giftes of the holy ghost Gal. 5. Tertullians notatable treatise of the holy ghost Isai 11. Isai 6â— Psal. 54. Rom. 8. â— Cor. 3. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 14. 1. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 12. Mark. 3. A summe of the vnitie and Trinitie of God. Aâ— angel â—al 2 3. 1. Cor. 11. â— Pet. 2. 1. Cor. 6. â— Cor. 12. That there are angels Actes 23. Matth. 22. A. Steuchus in his 6. and. 8. booke de perenni philosophia What Angels are That Angels are created Heb 1. Coloss 1. When Angels were created Angels are Substances Heb. 1. Matth. 22. Hebr. 2. What maÌ„ner of Substances angels are Psal. 104 â–ª Bodily SubstaÌ„ces What bodies are taken of Angels Angels are incorruptible Matth. 22. 1. Cor. 15. Luke 20. Angels are moste free swifte and speedie Actes 5. Actes 1â— Iohn 5. Luk. 23. 16. Dan. 9. The strength of Angels Dan. 10. The knowledge of Angels Of the multitude and order of Angels Dan. 7. Matth. 26 Hebr. 12. The exposition of names giuen to Angels Angels Archangels 1. Thes 4. Thrones or Seates Psal. 18. Lordships Principalities Powers Cherubim Seraphim God vseth the ministerie of Angels Psal. 103. Exod. 19. Dâ—uâ— 5. Actes 10. Luke 15. Zacha â–ª 1. What the ministeries of angels are Esai â— Ezech. 3. Luke 2. 1. Pet. 1. Matth. 13. Luke 1. Matth. 2. Luke 22. Gen. 16. Actes 17. Exod. 12. Actes 12. 4. Reg. 19. 2. Reg. 24. 2. thess. 1. Apoc. 16. Psal. 34. Psal. 91. Matth. 18. Gen. 32. 4. Reg. 6. * Seruants Gene. 24. Exod. 34. 〈◊〉 10. â—an 4. We muste â—ot attribute too much vnto Angels Sainctes wil not be worshipped of vs. Actes 7. Gen. 16. Actes 27. Apoc. 22. The worâ—hippinge â—f Angels greatly coÌ„demned Marke what he thinketh of the temple builte to S. Michael in Mount Garganuâ— Of euill spirites That there are diuels What the diuel is That the diuel is a creature The diuel was not created euil Of the fall of Angels from heauen Iob. 4. 2. Pet. 2. Iohn â— Isai 14. Ezech. 2â— The diuel is euerlastingly coÌ„demned Maâ—th 25. Mark 9. Iohn 5. Daâ— â—2 Apoc. 20. Diuels are spirits and
substaÌ„ces Iob. 1. Matth. 8 Iohn 8. Marke 1. Matth. 25. What maner of bodies they be whichâ— the diuels takâ— 1. Sa. 28. â— Cor. 1â— The diuâ—â—â— quickâ—â— craftie â—ightie An infinit route of diuels Mark. 16. Matth. 12. Mark. 3 Mark. 3. Diuel A lyer Ioh. 6. Sathan oâ— an aduersarie 1. Pet. 5. Matth. 13. Matth. 4 Matth. â— Gen. 3. â— serpentâ— dâ—agon 1. Tim. 4. 1. Pet. 5. A roaring lion A murtherer A temptâ—â— An euil vncleane spirit 〈◊〉 God 〈…〉 The prince of this world cast out Princes oâ— the world The operations of the diuel Luke 22. Matth. 26. 1. Pet. 5. Gen. 3. Luke â—3 Mark. 9. Iohn 13. Matth. 12 The power of the diuel is definite or limited 1. Cor. 12. 2. thess. 2. We mustâ— fight manfully againste thâ—â—iuel buâ— we mustâ— not feare him â—latth 4. â— Iohn 5. 1. Pet. 5. Ephe. 6. 1. Cor. 10. The word Anima which we call soule is diuerslie taken The soule is breath and life Actes 20. Soule is taken for man. Leuit. 20. Rom. 13. Gen. 14. Soule a â—esire 〈◊〉 7. Soule is the spirite of man. The soule â—nd minde That there is but one soule That there â—s a soule What the soule is That souls are substaÌ„tes Luke 16. Luke 32. Apoc. 6. The soule is bodilesse or a spirit Iohn 10. Iohn 19. Luke 23. Matth. 27. Actes 7. What maÌ„ner of substance the soule of man is The soulâ—â—s neitheâ— God nor parte of God. Of the original of the soule Iob. 10. The operations powers of the soule Out of the 〈◊〉 cap. of Aâ—gust deâ—â—antitate â—â—imae Of the soule separated from the bodie The soule is immortall Of the death of soules 1. Tim. 1. 6. Gal. 1. Testimoâ—ies of the â—â—mortaâ—â—â—e of â—oules 〈…〉 Psal. 61. Eccle. 12. Gen. 3. Matth. 10. Matth. 16. Iohn 8. Iohn 8. Heb. 9. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Tim. 1. Apoc. 6. Wisd 3. All wise men haue thought that soules are immortal In what place soules liue when they are separated from their bodies Luke 16. Phil. 1. Iohn 14. Apoc. 6. â— Pet. 1. The soule returneth to the body but not before iudgment 1. thess. 4 Howe Soules should be translated to their appointed place Iohn 5. Iuke 23. At what time souls be carried vp into heauen Soules separated from their bodies doâ—â— not sleepe Soules 〈…〉 from the bodies are not caried into Purgatorie Soules are purged by the onlie bloud of Christ Iohn 3. Actes 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1. Ioh. 1. Apoc. 10. Ephe. 5. Tit. 3. Heb. 5. Gal. 2. Gal. 6. Eccles 11. That soules aâ— fully purged by the bloud of Christ Iohn 13. Iohn 17. Heb. 10. Marke 9. Of praiers for the dead 1. thess. 4. 1. Cor. 11. Aeriani coÌ„demned Matth. 8. Appearing of Spirits Deut. 18. Isa. 8. Luke 16. That souls separated from their bodies do not waÌ„deâ— in these regions Luke 12. Actes 7. Phil. 1. Gen. 25. Luke 16. Samuel 〈◊〉 his â—ath apâ—eared not 〈◊〉 Sâ—ule Sam. 28. Soules certainlie and immediately after the death of the bodie are blessed Iohn 3. The laste day of man. Iohn 5. Apoc. 14. Ecclesia a church or coÌ„gregation 1. Cor. 15. Actes 22. Synagogue What the church is The catholique church Galathi 3. The distinctioÌ„ of the church The triumphant church Reuela 7. Whence perfect holinesse procedeth 〈◊〉 12. The militant churche The holy churche beeleue â—he holie catholique church â— Cor. 6. The churche doeth comprehend the wicked The particular church Parish and parishe prieste Matth. 18. The church of God hath bene and â—halbe foreuer Matth. 28. Iohn 14. Matth. 16. The church of the diuell and Antichrist Math. 5. 6. 23. Math. 24. Howe hycrites are or may be accounted in the church of God. Matth. 12. 2. Cor. 6. Hypocrits Matth. 13 Matth. 13. Matth. 22. Matth. 3. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Iohn 2. Psal. 5â— Luke 22. Iohn 16. Al that be in the Church be â—ot the Church Rom. 9. Iohn 13. Iohn 6. Iohn 13. The visible and inuisible the outwarde inward Churche Of the outwarde markes of the church of God. Actes â— Matth. 28. Actes 2. Esai 59. Iohn 8. Iohn 10. Iohn 14. Iohn 18. 1 Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 10. How these marks declare the church What maner of Gods worde it ought to be that is the marke of the church After what sorte the SacrameÌ„ts ought to be vsed â— Reg. 12. â— Reg. 6. â—aptised of Hereâ—â—ques 〈◊〉 not reâ—aptised Of the inwarde markes of the church of God. Iohn 7. Iohn â–ª 14. 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 8. Galath 2. Ephe. 3. 2. Iohn 4. Iohn 6. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 4. Iohn 1. 13. 1. Iohn 4. Rom. 12. Of the originall oâ— the church Gala. 4. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Cor. 4. Rom. 10. The churche is not builte by the doctrine of men Matth. 16. Galath 1. 1. Cor. 2. Iohn â— Iohn 1â— Iohn 10. Colo. 2. Titus 1. Matth. 15. The churche is preserued by the worde of God. Epâ—â— 4. The propheticall Apostolicall and Or thodoxicall Church Of the coÌ„tinual succession of Bishops Zacha. 11. 1. Cor. 11. Actes 2â— TertulliaÌ„ of the coÌ„tinuall succession of Pastors The doctrine of the auncient church of Rome The churche is not builte by warre or deceipte 1. Cor. 2. 1. Thes 2. Matth. 26. Luke 22. 2. Thes 2 â—sai 49. Actes 21. Actes 23. Whether the church of God â—ay erre Iohn 13. 15 Rom. 7. How the holy church is without spotte wrinkle Iohn â— 1. Tim. 3. The Church is the piller and the grounde of the truthe Exod. 32. Ierem. 8. Of the power of the church Power of consecration The power of the keyes Power of inrisdictioÌ„ Power of preaching Power of iudgment or iudicial correctioÌ„ Power to receiue What power is Luke 9. 2. kindes of power Matth. 28. Reuela 1. Reue. 3. 2. Cor. 12. In what pointes ecclesiastical power consisteth To ordeine ministers of the church â–ª Actes 1. Actes 6. Actes 13. 1. Tim. 3. Power to teach Matth. 28. Mark. 16. Rom. 1. The power of the keyes Matth. 10. 2. Tim. 4 Luke 9. Power to administer the Sacramentes Power to iudge of doctrines 1. Cor. â—4 1. Thes 3. 1. Iohn 4. To call a counsel Actes 15. Power to dispose the affaires of the church â— Cor. 13. Of the â—â—udies of the church There is one holie Church of God. Cant. 4. Ephe 4. Apoc. 22. Matth. 22. Without the church is no light or saluatioÌ„ De simplicitate Praelatorum Institut li. 5. ca. 30. Againste certeine Scismatiques For the diuersitie of doctrin Scisme must not be made 1. Cor. 8. For the vices of the ministers Scisme must not be made â—latth 23. For the diuersitie of Ceremonies scisme must not be made For the impure life of men conuersant in the churche scisme must not be made For the vnworthie partakers of the Lordes supper Scisme must not be made 2. Cor. 11. Vnitie must be kepte and scisme eschued Of the departing from the church oâ— Rome â—ho is an 〈…〉 who a 〈◊〉 A