testifieth which reporteth that in the time of Ambrose the Chirch of Millain first began to sing when while Iustina the mother of Valentinâ—an cruelly raged against the true Faith the people more vsed watchinges than they were wont and that afterwarde the other westerne Chirches folowed For he had a litle before sayed that this maner came from the Easterne Chirches He telleth also in his seconde boke of Retractations that it was in his time receiued in Africa One Hilarie sayth he a ruler did in euery place wheresoeuer he could with malicious blaming raile at the maner which then began to be at Carthage that the hymnes at the altar should be pronounced out of the boke of Psalmes either before the oblation or wheÌ„ that which had ben offred was distributed to the people Him I answered at the commaundement of my brethren And truely if song be tempered to that grauitie which becommeth the preseÌ„ce of God and Angels it both procureth dignitie and grace to the holy actions and muche auaileth to stirre vp the myndes to true affection and feruentnesse of prayeng But we muste diligently beware that our eares be not more hedefully bente to the note than our myndes to the spiritual sense of the wordes Wyth which peril Augustine in a certaine place sayth that he was so moued that he sometime wished that the maner which Athanasius kept shold be stablished which commaunded that the reder shoulde sounde hys wordes with so small a boowing of hys voice that it should be liker to one that readeth than to one that singeth But when he remembred howe muche profite he hymselfe had receyued by syngyng he inclined to the other side Therfore vsyng this moderation there is no dout that it is a most holye and profitable ordinance As on the other side what songes so euer are framed only to swetenesse and delite of the eares they both become not the maiestie of the Chirch and can not but hyely displease God Whereby it also playnly appereth that common praiers are to be spoken not in Greke among Latine men nor in Latine among Frenchemen or Englishemen as it hath heretofore ben eche where commonly done but in the peoples mother tongue which coÌ„monly may be vnderstoode of the whole assembly forasmuche as it ought to be done to the edifiyng of the whole Chirch whiche receiue no fruite at all of a sound not vnderstanded But they which haue no regarde neither of charitie nor of humanitie shold at least haue ben somwhat moued with the authoritie of Paule whoe 's wordes are nothyng doutfull If thou blesse saieth he in Spirite howe shall he that filleth the place of an vnlerned man answer Amen to thy blessing sith he knoweth not what thou saiest For thou in dede geuest thankes but the other is not edified Who therfore can sufficiently wonder at the vnbridled licentiousnesse of the Papistes which the Apostle so openly crying out againste it feare not to roare out in a strange tongue moste babblyng prayers in whiche they themselues sometyme vnderstand not one syllable nor wold haue other folkes to vnderstand it But Paule teacheth that we ought to do otherwise How then I will pray sayth he with spirit I will praye also with mynde I will syng with spirite I will sing also with mynde signifieng by the name of Spirite the singular gifte of tonges which many being endued with abused it when they seuered it from the mynde that is froÌ„ vnderstaÌ„ding But this we must altogether thiÌ„k that it is by no meane possible neither in publike nor in priuate praier but that the tong without the hart must hyely displease God Moreouer we muste thinke that the mynde ought to be kyndled with feruentnesse of thoughte that it maye farre surmounte all that the tong maye expresse with vtterance Fynally that the tong is not necessarie at all for priuate prayer but so farre as the inwarde felyng either is not able to suffice to enkindle it selfe or the vehemence of enkindlyng violently carieth the woorke of the tong with it For though very good prayers sometyme be without voyce yet it oftentymes betydeth that when the affection of the mynde is feruent bothe the tong breaketh foorthe into voice and the other membres into gesturyng without excessiue shew Hereupon came the mutteryng of Hanna and such a like thing all the holy ones alway fele in themselues when they burst out into broken and vnperfect voices As for the gestures of the body which are wont to be vsed in praier as knelyng and vncoueryng of the hed they are exercises by which we endeuor to ryse vp to a greater reuerencing of God Now we must learne not onely a more certaine rule but also the very forme of prayeng namely the same which the heauenly Father hath taught vs by his beloued Sonne wherin we may acknowe his vnmesurable goodnesse and kyndenesse For besyde this he warneth and exhorteth vs to seke hym in al our necessitie as children are wont to flee to their fathers defence so oft as they be troubled with any distresse because he saw that we did not sufficiently perceiue this how sclender our pouertie was what were mete to be asked what were for our profite he prouided also for this our ignoraÌ„ce what our capacitie waÌ„ted he supplied furnished of his own For he hath prescribed to vs a form wherin he hath as in a Table set our whatsoeuer we may desire of him what soeuer auaileth for our profit whatsoeuer is necessary to ask Of whiche his gentlenesse we receaue a great fruit of comfort that we vnderstand that we aske no inconuenient thyng no vnsemyng or vnfit thyng finally nothyng that is not acceptable to hym sith we aske in a maner after his owne mouthe When Plato sawe the folly of men in making requestes to God whiche beyng grauÌ„ted it many tymes befell much to their owne hurt he pronounced that this is the best maner of prayeng taken out of the olde Poete Kyng Iupiter geue vnto vs the beste thynges bothe when we aske them and when we doo not aske them but commaunde euell thynges to be away from vs euen when we aske them And verily the heathen man is wyse in this that he iudgeth howe perillous it is to aske of the Lorde that whiche our owne desire moueth vs and therwithal he bewrayeth our vnhappy case that we can not ones open our mouthes before God without danger vnlesse the Spirite do instructe vs to a right rule of praying And in so muche greater estimation this priuilege is worthy to be had of vs sithe the onely begotten Sonne of God ministreth wordes into our mouthe which may deliuer our mynde from all doutyng This whether you call it forme or rule of praying is made of six petitions For the cause why I agree not to them that diuide it into seuen partes is this that by puttyng in this aduersatiue word But it semeth that the Euangelist men to
power they had had experience of in so many miracles but they did not beleue that he was nie vnto them vnlesse they did see with their eies a corporall representaciō of his face to be a witnesse vnto them of the God that gouerned them Their minde was therfore to knowe by the image going before them that God was the guide of their iourney This thing daily experience teacheth that the flesh is alway vnquiet till it hath gotten some counterfaite deuise like it self wherin it may vainly delite as in an image of god In a manner in al ages since the creation of the world men to obey this blinde desire haue erected signes wherin they imagined God to be present before their carnall eies After such inuencion forged by and by foloweth worshipping For when men thought that they beheld God in images they did also worship him in them At lēgth being both with mindes and eies altogether fastened theron they beganne to waxe more and more brutishe and to wonder at them and haue them in admiracion as if there wer some nature of godhed in them So appeareth that men brake not out into the worshipping of images till they were perswaded in some grosse opinion not to thinke the images to be gods but to imagine that there dyd a certaine force of Godhead abide in them Therefore whether thou represent to thy selfe either God or a creature in the image when thou fallest down to worship thou art already bewitched wich some superstition For this reason the Lord hath forbidden not onely images to bee erected that ar made to expresse a likenesse of him but also any titles or stones to be dedicated that should stande to be worshipped And for the same reason also in the commaundemente of the lawe this other point is added concerning worshipping For so sone as thei haue forged a visible forme for God they also tye the power of God vnto it So beastlie folish are men that there they fasten God where they counterfaite him and therfore must they nedes worship it Neither is there any differēce whether they simply worship the idole or God in the idole This is alway idolatry when honoures due to God are geuen to an idole vnder what color soeuer it be And because God wil not be worshipped superstitiously therefore what soeuer is geuen to idols is taken from hym Lette them take hede hereunto that seke for pretenses to defende the abhominable idolatrie wherwith these many ages past true religion hath been drowned and ouerthrowen But saye they the images are not taken for goddes Neither were the Iewes themselues so vnaduised to Forgett that it was God by whole hande they hadde been broughte oute of Egipte before they made they calfe Yea when Aaron saied that those were the Goddes by whom they were deliuered oute of the lande of Egipte they boldly assented shewing a plaine tokē of their meaning that they would still kepe that God that was their deliuerer so that they mighte see him goe before them in the calfe Neither is it to be beleued that the heathen were so grosse as to beleue that God was no other thing but stockes and stones For they changed their images at their pleasure but still they kepte the same Goddes in their mynde and there were many images of one God and yet they dyd not according to the multitude of images faine them many Gods Besyde that they did daily cōsecrate newe images yet did they not thinke that they made newe goddes Lette the excuses be read whiche Augustine saieth were pretended by the Idolaters of his age When they were rebuked the common forte aunswered that they did not worshippe that visible thing but the deitie that did in it inuisibly dwell And they that were of somwhat better religion as he calleth it did saye that they did neither worshippe the image nor the spirite in it but by the corporall image they did beholde the signe of that thing whiche they oughte to worship Nowe then All idolaters whether they were of the Iewes or of the gentiles were none otherwise minded than as I haue saied being not contented with a spirituall vnderstanding of God they thought by the images he should be more sure and nerer imprinted in them After once that suche disordered counterfaiting of God well liked them they neuer ended till daily more and more deluded with newe deceites they imagined that God did shewe foorth hys power in images And neuerthelesse both the Iewes were perswaded that vnder suche images they did worshippe the one true Lorde of heauen and earth and lykewise the gentiles their false goddes whom yet they fayned to dwell in heauen Whosoeuer deny that it hath thus ben done in time past yea within our own remembraunce they impudently lie For why fall they down before thē And when they pray why turne they toward them as to the eares of God For it is true that Augustine saieth that no man praieth or worshippeth when he so beholdeth an image but he is so affected in minde that he thinketh himself to be heard of it or that it will do for him what he desireth Why is there such difference betwene the images of one God that passing by one image with litle reuerence or none done to it they honor an other solemnely Why doe they werry thēselues with vowed pilgremages to visit those images wherof they haue like at home Why do they at this day in defense of them as it were for their religion and countrey fight to slaughter and destruction in suche sorte as they would better suffer to have the one only God than their idols to be takē from them And yet I do not recken vp the grosse errors of the cōmon people which are almost infinite and do in manner possesse the hartes of all men I do only shew what thēselues do confesse when they meane most of al to excuse themselues of idolatry We do not cal them say they oure Goddes No more did the Iewes nor the gentiles cal them theirs in tyme paste and yet the Prophetes eche where cesse not to caste in their teeth their fornicacion with stockes and stones for doing no more but such things as are daily done by them that would be compted Christians that is to say that they carnally worshipped God in stockes and stones Although I am not ignoraunt nor thinke good to passe it ouer as if I knew it not how they seke to escape with a more suttle distinction wherof I shal againe make mention more at large hereafter For they pretend that the worship which they geue to images is Idolodulia which is seruice of images and not Idololatria which is worship of images For so they terme it when they teache that they may lawfully withoute any wrōg done to God geue vnto images and pictures that worship which they cal Doulia or seruice And so they thinke themselues without blame if they be but the seruauntes and not also the worshippers
the Faith and religion of one God by Baptysme we must nedes thinke him the true God in whose name we ar baptised And it is not to be douted but that in this solemne protestacion Christ meant to testifie that the perfect light of Faith was already deliuered when he said Baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne of the Holy ghost For it is as much in effect as to be baptised in the name of the one god which with perfect bryghtnesse hath appeared in the Father the Sonne the Holy ghost Wherby is euidente that in the essence of God abide thre Persons in which the one God is knowen And surely forasmuch as our Fayth ought not to loke hether and thether nor diuersly to waÌ„der about but to haue regard to the one God to be applied to him and to sticke fast in him it is hereby easily proued that if there be diuerse kindes of faith there must also bee many Gods Now wheras baptisme is a Sacrament of faith it proueth vnto vs the vnitie of God because it is but one And herof also foloweth that it is not lawful to be baptised but into one God bicause we embrace the Faith of him into whose name we are baptised What meant Christe then when he commaunded to be baptised in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy gost but that we ought with one Faith to beleue in the Father Sonne and the Holy ghost Therfore sithe this remaineth certayn that there is but one God and not many we determine that the Worde and the Spirite are nothyng els but the very selfe essence of God And very foolishly did the Arrians prate which confessyng the godhed of the Sonne did take from him the substance of God And suche a like rage vexed the Macedonians whiche woulde haue to be vnderstanded by the Spirite only the gyftes of grace that are poured foorth into men For as wisdome vnderstandyng prudence fortititude feare of God doo procede from hym so he onely is the spirite of wisedome prudence fortitude and godlinesse Yet is not he diuided accordyng to the distribution of his graces but howe â—oeuer they bee dyuersely dealt abroade yet he remaineth one and the same as the Apostle saithe Agayn there is shewed in the Scriptures a certain distinction of the Father from the Woorde and of the Worde from the Spirite In discussyng wherof howe greate religiousnesse and sobrietie we oughte to vse the greatnesse of the mysterie it selfe dooth admonishe vs. And I very well like that saying of Gregorie Nazianzene I can not thynke vpon the one but by and by I am compassed about with the brightnesse of the thre And I can not seuerally discerne the three but I am sodeinly dryuen backe to one Wherfore lette it not come in our myndes ones to imagine suche a Trinitie of Persons as may hold our thought withdrawen into seueralties and doothe not foorthewith brynge vs agayn to that vnitie The names of Father Sonne and Holy ghost doo proue a true distinction that no man should thynke them to be bare names of addition wherby God accordyng to his woorkes is diuersly entitled but yet it is a distinction not a diuision The places that wee haue already cited doo shewe that the Sonne hath a propretie distincte from the Father because the Worde had not ben with God if he hadde not ben an other thyng than the Father neyther had he had his glorye with the Father but beyng distinct from hym Lykewise he doothe distinguisshe hym selfe from the Father when he saythe that there is an other whyche beareth hym witnesse And for this purpose maketh that whiche in an other place is sayd that the Father created all thinges by the Worde whiche he coulde not but beyng after a certaine maner distinct from hym Moreouer the Father came not downe into the earth but he that came out from the Father The Father died not nor roase agayne but he that was sent by him Neither yet did this distinction beginne at the takynge of fleshe but it is manifest that he was also before the onely begotten in the bosom of the Father For who can abide to say that then the Sonne entred into the bosome of the father when he descended from heauen to take manhode vpon hym He was therefore before in the bosome of the Father and enioyed his glorie with the Father As for the distinction of the Holye ghoste frome the Father Christe speaketh of it when he saith that it procedeth from the Father And howe oft doothe he shewe it to be an other beside himself as when he promyseth that he wyll sende an other confortoure and often in other places But to borow similitudes from matters of meÌ„ to expresse the force of this distinction I knowe not whether it be expedient In dede the olde fathers are wont so to doo somtyme but withall they doo confesse that what soeuer they bryng foorth for like doothe muche differ For which cause I am muche afrayd to be any waye bolde least if I bryng foorth any thyng vnfittly it shuld geue occasion either to the malicious to cauill or to the vnskilfull to be deceiued Yet suche distinction as we haue marked to be sette out in scriptures it is not good to haue left vnspokeÌ„ And that is this that to the Father is geuen the begynnynge of woorkyng the fountayne and spryng of all thynges to the Sonne wysedome counsell and the very disposition in the doyng of thinges to the Holy ghost is assigned power effectual working And although eternitie belong vnto the Father and eternitie to the Sonne and to the Holy ghost also for as much as God coulde neuer haue ben without his wisdom power in eternitie is not to be sought which was fyrst or last yet this obseruation of order is not vayne or superfluous wherein the Father is reckened fyrst and then of hym the Sonne and after of them both the Holy ghost For euery mans mynde of it self enclineth to this fyrst to consider God then the wisedome risyng out of hym and laste of all the power wherwith he putteth the decrees of his purpose in execution In what sort the Sonne is said to be of the Father only and the Holy ghoste bothe of the Father and the Sonne is shewed in many places but no where more playnely than in the .viii. chapiter to the Romayns where the same Spirite is without difference somtyme called the Spirite of Christe somtime of him that raised vp Christ from the dead and that not without cause For Peter dothe also testifie that it was the Spirite of Christe wherewith the Prophetes did prophecie where as the Scripture so often teacheth that it was the Spirite of God the Father Now this distinction doth so not stand against the single vnitie of God that therby we may proue that the Son is one God with the father because he hath one Spirit
with hym and that the Holy Spirite is not a thyng diuers from the Father the Son For in eche Hypostasis is vnderstanded the whole substance with this that euery one hath his own propretie The Father is whole in the Sonne the Sonne is whole in the Father as hymselfe affirmeth I am in the Father and the Father is in me And the Ecclesiasticall writers doo not graunt the one to be seuered from the other by any difference of essence By these names that betoken distinction sayth Augustin that is ment wherby they haue relation one to an other and not the very substance whereby they are all one By whiche meanynge are the sayinges of the olde writers to bee made agree whiche otherwise would seeme not a little to disagree For sometyme they saye that the Father is the beginnyng of the Sonne and somtyme that the Sonne hath bothe godhead and essence of hymselfe and is all one begynnynge with the Father The cause of this diuersitie Augustine doothe in an other place well and planelye declare when he sayeth CHRIST hauynge respect to him selfe is called God and to his Father is called the Sonne And agayne ▪ the Father as to hymselfe is called God as to his Sonne is called the Father where hauynge respecte to the Sonne he is called the Father he is not the Sonne where as to the Father he is called the Son he is not the Father and where he is called as to hym self the Father and as to hymselfe the Sonne it is all one God Therfore when we simply speake of the Sonne without hauyng respect to the Father we do well and proprely say that he is of hym selfe and therfore we call hym but one beginnyng but when we make mention of the relation betweene him and his Father then we rightly make the Father the beginning of the Sonne All the whole fifth boke of Augustine concernyng the Trinitie dooth nothyng but sette foorth this matter And muche safer it is to reste in that relation that he speaketh of than into suttletle pearcyng vnto the hye mysterie to wander abroade by many vayne speculations Let them therfore that are pleased with sobrenesse cōtented with measure of Faith shortly learne so muche as is profitable to bee knowen that is when we professe that we beleue in one God vnder the name of God we vnderstande the one onely and single essence in whiche we comprehende thre Persons or hypostases And therfore so oft as we doo indefinitely speake of the name of God we meane no lesse the Sonne and the Holy ghost than the Father But when the Sonne is ioyned to the Father then commeth in a relation and so we make distinction betwene y◠Persons And because the propreties in the Persons bring an order with them so as the beginnyng and orginall is in the Father so ofte as mencion is made of the Father and the Son or the Holy ghost together the name of God is peculiarly geuen to the Father By this meane is reteined the vnitie of the essence and regarde is hadde to the order whiche yet dothe minishe nothyng of the godhead of the Sonne and of the Holy ghoste And where as we haue already seene that the Apostles doo affirme that the Sonne of God is he whom Moses and the prophetes doo testifie to be Iehouah the Lorde we must of necessitie alwaye come to the vnitie of the essences Wherefore it is a detestable sacrilege for vs to call the Sonne a seuerall God from the Father bycause the symple name of God doothe admytte no relation and God in respecte of hym selfe can not bee saide to be this or that Now that the name of Iehouah the Lorde indefinitely taken is applied to Christe appereth by the wordes of Paul wher he sayth Therfore I haue thryse praied the Lorde because that after he hadde receyued the aunswere of Christ. My grace is sufficient for the he sayeth by and by that the power of Christ may dwell in me It is certayne that the name Lorde is there set for Iehouah and therfore to restraine it to the person of the Mediatour were very fonde and childyshe for somuch as it is an absolute sentence that compareth not the Father with the Sonne And we knowe that after the accustomed maner of the Greekes the Apostles doo commonly sette the worde Kyrios Lord in stede of Iehouah And not to fetche an example farre of Paule dydde in no other sense pray to the Lorde than in the same sense that Peter citethe the place of Ioell who soeuer calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued But where this name is peculiarly geuen to the Sonne we shall se that there is an other reason therof when we com to a place fitte for it Nowe it is enough to haue in mynde when Paule had absolutely praied to God he by and by bryngeth in the name of Christ. Euen so is the whole God called by Christ hymselfe the Spirite For there is no cause agaynst it but that the whole essence of God may bee spirituall wherin the Father the Sonne and the Holy ghoste be comprehended Whiche is very playne by the Scripture For euen as there we heare God to be made a Spirite so we do here the Holy ghost for so muche as it is an Hypostasis of the whole essence to bee called bothe God and procedyng from God But for as muche as Satan to the ende to roote out our Faith hath alway moued great cōtentions partly concernyng the diuine essence of the Sonne and of the Holy ghost and partly cōcernyng their distinction of Persones And as in a maner in all ages he hath stirred vp wicked spirites to trouble the true teachers in this behalfe so at this day he trauaileth out of the olde embres to kyndle a new fyre therfore here it is good to answere the peruerse foolishe errours of some Hitherto it hath ben our purpose to leade as it were by the hande those that ar willyng to learne and not to striue hande to hande with the obstinate and contentious But nowe the truthe which we haue already peasably shewed must be reskued from the cauillations of the wicked All be it my chiefe trauayle shall yet be applied to this ende that they whyche geue gentill and open eares to the woord of God may haue whervpon stedfastly to rest their foote In this poynt if any where at all in the secrete mysteries of Scripture we ought to dispute sobrely and with greate moderation and to take great hede that neyther oure thought nor oure tongue procede any further than the boundes of Goddes woorde dooe extende For howe may the mynde of man by his capacitie define the immeasurable essence of God whiche neuer yet coulde certainly determine howe great is the body of the Son which yet he daily seeth with his eyes yea howe may she by her owne guidyng atteyn to discusse the substaunce of God that can not
stryfe when he sayeth that for a remedy to tame pride the Angel of Satan was geuen to hym by whom he myght be humbled This exercyse therefore is common to all the children of God But because that same promyse of the breakyng of Satans head perteyneth generally to Christ and to all his members therefore I saye that the faithfull can neuer be ouercome nor oppressed by him They are many times stryken down but they are neuer so astonnied withall but that they recouer theÌ„selues They fal down many tymes wyth violence of strokes but they are after raysed vp agayne they are wounded but not deadly Finally they so labor in all course of theyr lyfe that in the ende they obteyne the victorye but I speake not this of euery doing of theyrs For we knowe we that by the iuste vengeaunce of God Dauid was for a time geuen ouer to Satan by his motion to nomber the people and not without cause Paul sayth there is hope of pardon least if any haue been entangled with the snares of the deuil Therfore in an other place the same Paule sayeth that the promise aboue alleged is begon in this lyfe wherin we must wrastle and is performed after our wrastlyng ended when he sayeth the God of peace shall shortly beate downe Satan vnder your fete This victory hath alway fully been in our hed Chryst because the Prince of the world had nothing in him but in vs that are his members it doth now partly appeare and shal be perfited wheÌ„ being vnclothed of our fleshe by whiche we are yet subiecte to weakenesse we shal be ful of the power of the Holy ghoste In thys manner when the kyngdome of Chryst is raysed vp and â—duaunced Satan with his power falleth down as the Lord hymselfe sayeth I saw Satan fall as a lightening down from heauen For by this answere he confirmeth that which the Apostles had reported of the power of his preachyng Agayne When the Prince possesseth his own palace al thinges that he possesseth are in peace but when there coÌ„meth a stronger he is throwen out c. And to this ende Chryst in dying ouercame Satan which had the power of death triuÌ„phed vpoÌ„ al his armies that they shuld not hurt the church for otherwyse they would euery momente a hundred times destroye it For coÌ„sidering what is our weakenesse what is his furious streÌ„gth howe coulde we stande yea neuer so litle time against his manifolde continuall assaultes but being supported by the victory of our captaine Therefore God suffereth not the deuil to reigne ouer the soules of the faythfull but onely deliuereth him the wicked and vnbeleuing to gouerne whom God doth not vouchesaue to haue reckened in hys flocke For it is said that he possesseth thys world without controuersy till he be thrust out by Christ. Againe that he doth blinde all them that beleue not the gospell agayne that he performeth hys worke in the stubborne children and worthily for all the wicked are the vesselles of wrath Therefore to whom should they be rather subiecte than to the minister of Goddes vengeaunce Finally they are saied to be of their Father the deuill because as the faythfull are hereby knowen to be the children of God because they beare his image so they by the image of Satan into which they are gone out of kind ar properly discerned to be his childreÌ„ As we haue before confuted that trifling philosophie concerning the holy Angels which teacheth that they ar nothing els but good inspirations or motioÌ„s which God stirreth vp in the mindes of men so in this place must we confute them that fondly say that deuils ar nothing els but euil affections or perturbations of minde that are thrust into vs by oure fleshe That maye we shortly doe because there be many testimonies of Scripture those playne enough vpon this poynt First where the vncleane Spirites ar called Angels Apostataes which haue swarued out of kind from their beginning the very names do sufficiently expresse that they are not motions or affections of myndes but rather in dede as they be called mindes or Spirites endued with sense and vnderstanding Likewise wheras both Christ and Iohn do compare the children of God with the children of the deuil wer it not an vnfit comparisoÌ„ if the name of the deuil signified nothing els but euil inspirations And Iohn addeth somwhat more plainly that the deuill synneth from the beginning Likewise when Iude bringeth in Michael the archangel fyghtyng with the deuil doutlesse he setteth agaynste the good Angel an euil and rebellious Angel Wherwith agreeth that which is red in the hostory of Iob that Satan appeared with the Holy Angels before God But most plaine of al are those places that make mention of the punishment which they begin to fele by the iudgement of God and specially shal fele at the resurrection Sonne of Dauid why arte thou come before the time to torment vs Againe Go ye cursed into the eternal fyre that is prepared for the deuil his Angels Agayne If he spared not his own Angels that had synned but cast them down into hell and deliuered theÌ„ into cheines of darkenesse to be kept vnto damnacioÌ„ c. How fonde should these speches be that the deuils are ordeined to eternal iudgement that fier is prepared for them that they are now already tormented vexed by the glory of Christ if there were no deuils at all But because this matter nedeth no disputation among them that beleue the word of the Lord. litle good is done with testimonies of Scripture among those vaine studentes of speculation whoÌ„ nothing pleaseth but that which is new I suppose I haue performed the which I purposed that is that the godly mindes should be furnished agaynst such fonde errors wherew t vnquiet men do trouble both theÌ„selues and other that be more simple But it was good to touche this least any entangled with that error while they thinke they haue none to stande againste them should waxe more slowe and vnprouided to resist In the meane time let it not be werisom vnto vs in this so beautiful a stage to take a godly delight of the manifest and ordinary woorkes of God For as I haue els where already said though this be not the chefe yet is it in order the first doctrine of Faith to remember that what way soeuer we turne our eyes al that we see are the workes of God wyth godly consideration to wey for what end God did make theÌ„ Therefore that we may conceiue by Faith so muche as behoueth vs to knowe of God it is good first of al to learne the history of the creation of the world how it is shortly rehearsed by Moses and afterwarde more largely set out by holy men specially by Basile and Ambrose Oute of it we shall learne that God by the power of his worde and Spirite created heaueÌ„ and earth of nothing
studye to loue and honor him withall oure harte ¶ The .xv. Chapter What a one man was created wherin there is entreated of the powers of the soule of the image of God of free wyll and of the first integritie of nature NOw must we speake of the creation of mā not only because he is among all the workes of God the moste noble and most excellente example of his iustice wisdome and goodnesse but also because as we said in the beginning we cannot plainly and perfectly know God vnlesse we haue wtall a mutuall knowledge of our selues Although the same knowledge be of two sortes the one to knowe what we were created at the first beginning the other to know what our estate began to be after the fall of Adam for it were but to smal profit for vs to knowe our creation vnlesse we did also in this lamentable fall knowe what is the corruption and deformitie of our nature yet at this time we wil be contente with descriptiō of our nature when it was pure And before we descende to this miserable estate wherunto man is nowe in thraldome it is good to learne what a one he was created at the beginning For we must take hede that in precisely declaring only the natural euils of man we seme not to impute them to the author of nature For vngodlinesse thinketh her self to haue sufficient defense in this color if it may lay for her selfe that whatsoeuer fault she hath the same did after a certaine maner procede from God sticketh not if she be accused to quarell with God and to lay the fault vpō him wherof she is worthely accused And they that would seme to speake somwhat more reuerently of the maiestie of God yet do willingly seke to excuse their own wickednesse by nature not considering that therin though not openly they blame God also to whoe 's reproche it shoulde fall if it were proued that there is any fault in nature Sith then we see that our fleshe gapeth for all the wayes to escape wherby she thynketh the blame of her own euils may any way be put of frō her we muste diligently trauail to mete with this mischiefe Therefore we must so handle the calamitie of mankinde that we cut of all excuse and deliuer the iustice of God from al accusation Afterwarde in place conueniente we shall see howe far men be nowe from that purenesse that was geuen to Adam And first we must remember that in this that man was taken out of earth and claye a bridle was putte vppon his pride for there is no greater absurditie than for them to glory in their excellencye that do not onely dwell in a cotage of clay but also are themselues in parte but earth and ashes But forasmuche as God did not onely vouchesaue to geue life vnto an earthen vessell but also it was his pleasure that it shoulde be the dwelling house of an immortall Spirite Adam might iustly glory in so great liberalitie of his maker Now it is not to be doubted that man consisteth of soule body and by the name of soule I meane an immortall essence and yet created whiche is the nobler parte of him Sometime it is called the Spirite Albeit whē these two names Soule and Spirite are ioyned together they differ one from the other in signification yet when Spirite is sett by it selfe it meaneth as muche as Soule As when Salomon speaking of death sayeth that then the Spirite returneth to him that gaue it And Chryste commending his Spirite to his father and Stephen his Spirite to Chryst doe both meane none other thing but that when the soule is deliuered from the prison of the fleshe God is the perpetual keper of it As for them that imagine that the Soule is therfore called a Spirite because it is a breath or a power by god inspired or poured into bodyes which yet hath no essence both the thing it selfe and all the Scripture sheweth that they do to much grosly erre True it is that while men are fastened to the earth more than they oughte to bee they waxe dull yea because they are estranged from the Father of lightes they are blinded with darkenesse so that they do not thinke vpon thys that they shal remaine aliue after death And yet is not that lighte so quēched in darkenesse but that they be touched with some feling of immortalitie Surely the conscience which discerning betwene good and euil answereth the iudgement of God is an vndouted signe of an immortal Spirite For how could a motion without essēce atteine to come to the iudgement seate of God and throwe it selfe into feare by finding her own giltinesse For the body is not moued with feare of a Spiritual peine but that falleth only vpō the soule Wherby it foloweth that the soule hath an essence Moreouer the very knowledge of God doth proue that the soules which ascende vp aboue the world are immortal for a vanishing liuelinesse wer not able to atteine to the fountaine of lyfe Finalli forasmuch as so many excellent giftes wherwith mans minde is endowed do cry out that there is some diuine thing engrauen it there are euen so many testimonies of an immortal essence For that sense which is in brute beastes goeth not out of the body or at lest extendeth no further than to thyngs presently set before it But the nimblenesse of the minde of man which veweth the heauen and earth secretes of nature and comprehending all ages in vnderstandyng and memory digesteth euery thyng in order and gathereth thynges to come by thinges past doth playnly shewe that there lyeth hydden in man a certayne thing seuerall from the body We conceiue by vnderstanding the inuisible God and Angelles which the body can not doe We know thynges that be right iuste and honest which are hidden from the bodily senses Therefore it muste nedes be that the Spirite is the seate of thys vnderstandyng Yea and our slepe it selfe which astonieth a man and semeth to take life away frō him is a plaine witnesse of immortalitie forasmuch as it doth not only minister vnto vs thoughtes of those thinges that neuer were done but also foreknowinges of things for time to come I touch these thinges shortly which euen prophane writers do excellently sette oute with more gorgeous garnishment of wordes but with the godly reders a simple putting in minde of them shall be sufficient Nowe if the soule were not a certayne thing by it selfe seuerall from the body the Scripture would not teache that we dwell in houses of clay that by death we remoue out of the Tabernacle of the flesh that we do put of that which is corruptible that finally at the last day we may receiue rewarde euery man as he hathe behaued hymselfe in hys bodye For these places and other that we do eche where cōmonly light vpon do not only manifestly destinguish the soule from the body but also in geuing to the soule the name of
there is one vnderstandynge of earthely thynges an other of heauenly thynges Earthly thynges I call those that doe not concerne God and his Kyngedome true ryghteousnesse and the blessednesse of eternall lyfe but haue all theyr respecte and relation to thys presente lyfe and are as yt were contayneth wythin the boundes thereof Heauenly thinges I cal the pure knowledge of God the ordre of true righteousnesse and the misteries of the heauenly kyngdome Of the fyrste sorte are policy gouernaunce of householde all handy craftes and liberall Scienses Of the seconde sorte are the knowledge of God and Gods will and the rule to frame oure lyfe accordynge to yt Concernynge the fyrst this we muste confesse bicause man is a creature by nature geuen to lyue in companies together he is also by naturall instinction bente to cheryshe to preserue the feloweshyppe of these companies therfore we see that there are in the myndes of all men vniuersall impressions of a certaine ciuill honestie and ordre Hereby yt commeth to passe that there is founde noman that vnderstandeth not that all companies of men oughte to bee keepte in ordre with lawes and that conceyueth not in hys minde the prynciples of these lawes Hereof commeth that same perpetuall consente as well of all nations as of all menne vnto lawes bycause the seedes thereof are naturally planted in all menne wythoute any teacher or lawemaker And I weye not the disscusions and fyghtynges that afterwarde arise â–ª whyle some desyre to peruerte lawe and ryghte the loose absolute gouernementes of kynges that luste strayeth abroade in steede of ryghte as the eues robbers some whiche ys a faulte more than common thynke that to bee vniuste whyche other haue stablyshed for iuste and on the other syde styffely saye that to be laudable whiche other haue forbydden For these menne do not therefore hate lawes bycause they dooe not knowe that lawes are good and holly but for that they ragynge wyth heddye luste doe fyghte agaynste manyfeste reason and for theyr fansiâ— dooe abhorre that whych in vnderstandyng of minde thei allowe The latter sorte of stryuyng is suche that yt taketh not awaye that fyrste conceiuing of equitie For when menne dooe stryue amonge them selues concerninge the poyntes of lawes they agree together in a certaine summe of equitie Wherein is proued the weakenesse of manns witte which euen then when it seemeth to folowe the righte waye yet halteth and staggereth but styll thys remayneth true that there is sowen in all menne a certayne seede of polytyke ordre And that ys a large proofe that in the orderynge of thys lyfe no manne ys voyde of the lyghte of reason Nowe do folowe the artes boothe the liberall the handy craftes in learnynge whereof bycause there ys in vs all a certaine aptnesse in them also doothe appeare the force of manns wytte but all bee yt all menne bee not apte to learne them all yet ys this a token certayne enoughe of the common naturall power that there ys almooste no manne founde whose conceyte of wytte doothe not in some arte or other shewe fourthe it selfe Neyther haue they onely a power or facylytye to learne but also to deuyse in euerye arte some newe thinge eyther to amplifie or make perfecter that whyche hathe been learned of an other that wente before whyche thyng as yt moued Plato erroniouslye to teache that suche conceauyng ys nothyng ells but a calling to remembrauÌ„ce so by good reason it oughte to compell vs to confesse that the beginnyng thereof is naturally planted in the witte of man These poyntes therefore done plainely testyfye that there ys geuen to men naturally an vniuersall conceyuynge of reason and of vnderstandynge Yet ys yt so an vniuersall benyfyte that therein euery manne oughte for himselfe to acknoweledge the peculiar grace of God To whyche thankefullnesse the creatore hym selfe doothe suffycyently awake vs when hee createth naturall fooles in whome hee maketh vs to see wyth what gyftes mans soule excelleth yf it bee not endued wyth hys lyghte whyche ys so naturall in all men that yt ys yet altogether a free gyfte of hys lyberalytye towarde euerye man But the inuention and ordrely teachynge of the same artes or a more inwarde and excellente knoweledge of them whyche is propre but to a fewe is no perfecte argumente of the common conceyuynge of wytte yet bycause wythoute dyfference it happeneth to the godlye and vngodlye yt ys ryghtefully reckened amonge naturall gyftes So oft therefore as we lyghte vpon profane wryters lette vs be putte in mynde by that maruaylous lyghte of trueth that shyneth in them that the wytte of manne howe muche soeuer yt bee peruerted and fallen from the fyrste integrytye ys yet styll clothed and garnyshed wyth excellente gyftes of God If wee consyder that the spyryte of God ys the onely fountayne of trueth wee wyll neyther refuse nor despise the trueth yt selfe wheresoeuer yt shall appeare excepte wee wyl dishonourably vse the spyryte of God for the gyftes of the holy ghoste canne not bee sette lyghte by without contempte and reproche of hymselfe And what Shall wee denye that the trueth shyned to the oulde Laweyers whyche haue sette fourth Ciuile ordre and Dyscyplyne wyth so greate equytye Shall wee saye that the Phylosophers were blynde boothe in that exquysyte contemplation and cunnynge descryption of nature Shall wee saye that thei had no wytte whiche by settinge in ordre the arte of speache haue taught vs to speake wyth reason Shal we saye that they were madde whithe in settynge fourthe Physycke haue employed theyr dilygence for vs What of all the Mathematicall scienses shall wee thynke them dotynge erroures of madde menne no rather wee canne not readde the wrytynges of the oulde menne concernyng these thynges wythoute greate admiration of theyr wytte But shall wee thynke any thynge praysewoorthy or excellente whyche wee doe not reknoweledge to come of God Let vs bee ashamed of so greate vnthankefulnesse into whyche the Heathen Poetes fell not whyche confessed that boothe Phylosophye and Lawes and all good artes were the inuentions of mods Sythe then yt appeareth that these men whome the Scripture calleth naturall menne were of so sharpe and deepe sygthe in searchynge oute of inferioure thynges lette vs learne by suche exaumples howe manye good thynges the Lorde hathe lefte to the nature of manne after that it hathe been spoyled of the true God But in the meane tyme yte lette vs not forgette that these are the moste excellente good gyftes of the spyryte of God whyche for the common benefyte of mankinde hee dealeth abroade to whome it pleaseth him For if it behoued that the vnderstanding and skill that was requyred for the framyng of the tabernacle shold be poured into Beseleel Oliab by the spirit of god it is no merâ—el if the knowledg of those thinges whiche are moste excellent in mans life be sayde to be communicated vnto vs by the spirite of God Neither is there cause why any manne
not desire of mynde at all For a naturall manne suffereth not him self to be brought to this to acknowledge the diseases of his desires The lighte of nature is choked vp before that it come to the firste entrie of this bottomlesse depth For wheÌ„ the Philosophers note immoderate motioÌ„s of minde for faults they meane those motions that appeare and shewe forth themselues by grosse tokeÌ„s but they make no accompt of those euell desires that do gently tickle the minde Wherefore as Plato was worthyly founde faulte withall before for that he imputed all sinnes to ignoraunce so is their opinion to be reiected whiche teach that purposed maliced and frowardnesse is vsed in all sinnes For we finde it to muche by experience how oft we fall with our good intent Our reason is ouerwhelmed wyth so many sortes of beyng deceyued is subiecte to so many errours stombleth at so many stayes is entangled with so many streightes that it is farre from sure directyng But howe little it is estemed before the Lord in all partes of our life Paule sheweth when he sayeth that we are not sufficient to thynke any thyng of our selues as of our selues He speaketh not of will or affection but he taketh also this awaye from vs that we shuld not thinke that it can come in our mindes how any thynge is to be done well Is our diligence insighte vnderstandyng and heade so corrupted that it canne deuise or thinke vpon nothyng that is right before the Lorde That semeth to hard to vs that doe vnwillingly suffer our selues to bee spoyled of the sharpenesse of reason whyche we accompt a moste precious gifte But to the holy ghoste it semeth moste full of equitie whiche knoweth that all the thoughtes of wisemen are vayne and whyche pronounceth playnly that all the inuention of mans heart is onely euell If all that oure witte conceiued deuiseth vpon purposeth and goeth about is alwaye euell howe canne it come in our minde to purpose that whyche pleaseth God to whome onely holynesse and righteousnesse is acceptable So is it to bee seene that the reason of our mynde whyche waye so euer it turne it self is miserably subiecte to vanitie Dauid knewe this weakenesse in hym selfe when he prayed to haue vnderstandyng geuen hym to learne the Lordes commaundementes a righte For hee secâ—eâ—ly sayeth therein that his owne witte sufficeth hym not whyche desireth to haue a newe geuen hym And that hee doeth not onely ones but almoste ten tymes in one Psalme he repeteth the same prayer By whyche repetyng he priuely declareth wyth howe greate neede he is dryuen to praye it And that whiche he prayeth for himself alone Paule coÌ„monly vseth to praye for the churches We cease not sayeth he to praye for you and to desire that ye may be filled wyth the knowledge of God in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstandyng that ye maye walke worthely of God c. But so ofte as he maketh that thing the good gift of God let vs remember that he doth withall testifie that it lieth not in mans power And Augustine so farre acknoweleged this defaut of reson to vnderstande those thinges that are of God that he thinketh the grace of illumination to be no lesse necessarie for our mindes than the light of the sunne is for our eyes And not coÌ„tent with that he addeth a correction of that saying that we lifte vp our eyes to see the light but the eyes of our minde lie shutte vnlesse the Lorde open them And the Scripture teacheth that our mindes are not enlightened one daye alone that they maye afterwarde see by themselues for that which I euen now alleged out of Paule belongeth to continuall procedinges and encresinges And this doeth Dauid expresly set out in these wordes With my whole heart I haue sought thee make me not to straye from thy commaundementes For when he had ben regenerated and had not sclenderly profited in true godlinesse yet he confesseth that for euery moment he nedeth continuall direction leaste he should swarue from the knowledge wherewith he is endued Therefore in an other place he prayeth to haue the right spirite renewed which he had lost by his owne faulte bicause it belongeth to the same God to restore vnto vs the same thing beyng loste for a time whyche himselfe gaue at the beginnyng Nowe is Will to be examined wherein standeth the chiefe libertie of free choise for it hath ben already seene that choyse doth rather belong to Will than to vnderstandyng First that this thyng whiche the Philosophers haue taught and is receyued with coÌ„mon consent that is that all thynges by naturall instinction desire that whiche is good maye not seme to belong to the vprightnesse of mans will Let vs marke that the force of free will is not to be considered in such appetite as rather procedeth of the inclination of the essence than of the aduisement of the vnderstandyng minde For euen the Schoolemen do confesse that freewill hath no action but when reason turneth it selfe to obiectes whereby they meane that the obiect of appetite must be suche â–ª as maye be subiecte to choyse and goe before deliberation which prepareth the waye for choise And truely if a manne consider what is that naturall desire of good in manne he shall finde that it is coÌ„mon to him with beastes For they also desire to be well and when any shewe of good appereth that moueth their sense they followe it But man doeth neyther choyse by reason that he maye followe with diligence that thing which is in deede good for him according to the excellence of his immortall nature nor taketh reason to counsell nor bendeth his minde but without reason without counsel like a beast foloweth the inclination of nature This therefore maketh nothynge for the freedome of will if a manne by sense of nature be carried to desire that which is good but this is requisite that he discerne good by right reason and when he hath knowen it that he choose it and when he hath chosen it that he followe it But leaste any man shoulde doubte there is to be noted a double Sophisticall argument For Appetite is not here called the proper maÌ„ner of will but a naturall inclination and Good is called not as of vertue or iustice but of estate as we saye This man is wel or in good case Finally although a man â—o neuer so much desire to attain that is good yet he foloweth it not As there is no man to whome eternall blessednesse is not pleasant yet is there none that aspireth vnto it but by the mouing of the holy ghost Wherfore sithe the naturall desire in men to be well maketh nothing to proue the fredome of wyll no more than in metalles and stones doth the affection inclinyng to the perfection of their substaÌ„ce lette vs consider in other thinges whether Will be so infected and corrupted in all partes that it engendreth nothing but euell
without the directyng grace praieth God to create a newe heart within hym to renewe a righte spirite within his bowelles doeth he not acknowledge that all the partes of his heart are full of vnclennesse and hys spirite writhen wyth croked peruersenesse and in callynge the cleannesse whyche he prayeth for the creature of God doeth he not attribute it wholly to God But yf anye manne take exception and saye that the verye prayer is a token of a godly and holy affection oure aunswere is ready that though Dauid were by that time somewhat come to amendement yet doeth he still compare his firste state with that sorrowefull fall that he had felte Therefore takyng vpon hym the person of a manne enstranged from God he for good cause prayeth to haue geuen hym all these thynges that God geueth to his electe in regeneration And so beyng like a dead manne he wisheth hym selfe to bee created of newe that of the bondeslaue of Satan he maye bee made the instrumente of the holyghoste Maruellous and monstrous surely is the luste of our pryde God requyreth nothyng more earnestly than that wee should moste religiously kepe his Sabbat that is in resting from our owne workes but of vs nothyng is more hardly obteyned than bidding our owne workes farewell to geue due place to the workes of God If sluggishnesse hindered not Christe hath geuen testimonie euident enough of his graces to make them not to bee enuiously suppressed I am sayeth he the Uine you bee the branches My Father is a husbandeman As the branche can not beare fruite of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Uine no more can you vnlesse you abide in me For without me you can do nothyng If we beare fruite none otherwise than a braunche buddeth beyng plucked out of the grounde and without moysture we neede no more to seke what is the aptnesse of our nature to goodnesse And this is a playne cōclusion Without me ye can do nothing He doeth not saye that we are to weake to be sufficiēt for our selues but in bryngyng vs to nothyng he excludeth all opinion of power be it neuer so little If we beyng graffed in Christe beare fruite lyke a Uine whiche taketh her efficacie of liuelinesse both from the moisture of the earth and from the deaw of heauen and from the cherishyng of the sonne I see nothinge remayne for vs in doyng a good worke yf we kepe whole for God that whyche is his That fonde suttle deuise is alledged in vayne that there is a iuyce already enclosed wythin the branche and a certayne power to bryng forth frute and that therefore it taketh not all from the earth or from the firste roote bycause it bringeth somewhat of her owne For Christe doeth meane nothing els but that we are a drye sticke and nothing worth when we be seuered from him bicause by our selues beyng separate we haue no power to doe well as also in an other place he sayeth Euery tree that my father hath not plāted shal be rooted vp Wherfore the Apostle ascribeth all the whole vnto him in the place alredy alleged It is God sayth he that worketh in vs bothe to will and to performe The firste parte of a good worke is will the seconde is a stronge endeuour in doyng it the authour of bothe is God Therefore we steale it from God if we take to our selues any thinge eyther in will or in effectuall workyng If it were sayde that God doth help our weake will then somewhat were lefte for vs. But when it is sayde that he maketh will nowe all the good that is in it is set out of vs. And bicause the good will is yet still oppressed with weight of our fleshe that it can not rise vp He sayde further that to ouercome the hardenesse of that battell there is ministred vnto vs stedfastnesse of endeuour euen to the effect For otherwise it coulde not stande together whyche he teacheth in an other place that it is God alone that bryngeth to effect all thynges in all wherein we haue before taught that the whole course of spirituall life is comprehended For whyche reason Dauid after he had prayed to haue the wayes of the Lorde opened vnto hym that he mighte walke in his trueth by and by addeth Unite thou my heart to feare thy name In whyche wordes he signifieth that euen they that are well minded are subiecte to so many withdrawynges of minde that they easily vanish or fal awaye if they bee not stablisshed to constantie For whiche reason in an other place after he had prayed to haue his steppes directed to kepe the worde of God he requireth also to haue strength geuen him to fight Lette not any iniquitie sayeth he beare rule ouer me After this sorte therefore doeth the Lorde bothe beginne and ende good worke in vs that it maye all be his worke that wil conceyueth a loue of that whiche is right that it is enclined to the desire thereof that it is stirred vp and moued to endeuour of followyng it And then that our choyse desire ▪ and endeuour fainte not but do procede euen to the effecte laste of all that manne goeth forward constantly in them and continueth to the ende And he moueth the will not in suche sorte as hath in many ages ben taught and beleued that it is afterwarde in our choyse eyther to obeye or withstande the motion but wyth mightyly strengthnyng it Therefore that muste bee reiected whyche Chrysostome so ofte repeteth whome he draweth he draweth beyng willyng Wherby he secretly teacheth that God doeth only reache out his hande to see yf wee will be holpen by his ayde We graunte that suche was the state of manne whyle he yet stoode that he might bowe to eyther parte But sithe he hath taught by his example howe miserable is freewill vnlesse God bothe will and can in vs what shall become of vs yf he geue vs his grace accordyng to that small proportion But rather wee dooe obscure and extenuate it with our vnthankefulnesse For the Apostle doeth not teache that the grace of a good will is offred vs yf we doe accepte it but that he will performe it in vs whiche is nothyng els but that the Lorde by his spirite dothe direct howe and gouerne our heart and reigneth in it as in his owne possession Neyther doeth he promise by Ezechiel that he will geue to the electe a newe spirite onely for this ende that they maye be able to walke in his commaundementes but to make them walke in deede Neyther can Christes sayeng euery one that hath hearde of my Father cometh to me be otherwyse taken than to teache that the grace of God is effectuall of it selfe as Augustine also affirmeth Whyche grace God vouchesaueth not to geue to all menne generally without regarde as that sayeng as I thynke of Occam is commonly spoken among the people that it denieth nothyng to hym that doeth what lieth in him
and also partaker of all one nature with vs therefore it is not lawefull for vs to searche any further For who so euer is tickled with desire to knowe any more he beyng not contented with the vnchangeable ordinance of God doth shewe also that he is not contented with the same Christ that was geuen vs to be the price of our redemption But Paule not only reherseth to what ende he was sente but also climbyng to the hye misterie of the predestination he very fitly represseth all wantonnesse and itchyng desire of mans wit The father chose vs in Christ before the creation of the worlde to make vs his sonnes by adoption according to the purpose of his will and he accepted vs in his beloued sonne in whom we haue redeÌ„ptioÌ„ by his bloud Truely here is not the fal of AdaÌ„ set before as though it were formost in time but is shewed what God determined before all ages when his will was to help the miserie of maÌ„kinde If the aduersarie obiecte againe that this purpose of God dyd hang vpon the fall of manne whiche he did foresâ—ent is enough and more for me to saye that they with wicked boldnesse breake forth to fayne them a newe Christ who so euer suffer themselues to searche for more or hope to know more of Christ than God hath foreapointed them by his secret decree And for good cause did Paule after he had so discoursed of the proper office of Christ whish to the Ephesians the spirit of vnderstanding to coÌ„prehend what is the length heygth bredth and depth euen the loue of Christe that surmounteth al knowledge euen as if of purpose he would set barres about our mindes that when mention is made of Christ they should not be it neuer so litle swarue from the grace of reconciliation Wherfore sithe this is a faithfull sayeng as Paule testifieth that Christ is come to saue sinners I do gladly rest in the same And whereas in an other place the same Apostle teacheth that the grace whiche is nowe disclosed by the Gospell was geuen vs in Christe before the times of the worlde I determine that I ought constantly to abide therein to the ende Agaynst this modestie Osiander carpeth vniustly whiche hath agayne in this time vnhappily stirred this question before lightly moued by a few He accuseth them of presumption that saye that the sonne of God shuld not haue appered in the flesh yf AdaÌ„ had not fallen bycause this inuention is confuted by no testimonie of Scripture As though Paule did not bridle froward curiositie when after he had spoken of redemption purchaced by Christ he by and by coÌ„maundeth to auoyde foolish questions The madnesse of some dyd burst out so farre that while they disordrely coueted to seme witty they moued this questioÌ„ whether the Sonne of God might haue takeÌ„ vpon him the nature of an Asse This monstruousnesse which all the godly do worthyly abhorre as detestable let Osiander coâ—fute with this pretense that it is neuer expressely confuted in the Scripture As though when Paule accompteth nothing precious or worthy to be knowen but Christ crucified he doth therfore admit an Asse to be the authour of saluatioÌ„ Therfore he that in an other place reporteth that Christ by the eternal couÌ„sel of his father was ordeined to be a head to gather althinges together wil neuer the more acknowledge an other that hath no office of redemyng apointed him But as for the principle that he braggeth of it is very triflyng He would haue it that man was created after the image of God bicause he was fashioned after the paterne of Christ to come that he mighte resemble him whom the father had alredy decreed to clothe with our fleshe Whereupon he gathereth that yf Adam had neuer fallen froÌ„ his firste and vncorrupted originall state yet Christ should haue ben man Howe triflyng this is and wrested all menne that haue sounde iudgement do easily perceiue of themselues In the meane time first he thinketh that he hath seene what was the ymage of God that forsothe the glorie of God did not onely shyne in those excellent giftes wherewith he was garnished but also that God himselfe essentially dwelt in him But as for me although I graunt that AdaÌ„ did beare the image of God in so much as he was ioyned to God whiche is the true and hyest perfection of dignitie yet I saye that the likenesse of God is no where els to bee sought but in those markes of excellencie wherewith he had garnisshed Adam aboue other liuynge creatures And that Christe was then the image of God all menne doe graunt with one consent and therefore that what so euer excellencie was grauen in Adam it proceded from this that by the onely begotten sonne he approched to the glorie of his creatour Therefore manne was created after the image of God in whome the creatours will was to haue his glorie seene as in a lookynge glasse To this degree of honour was he aduauÌ„ced by the benefite of the only begotteÌ„ sonne But I saye further that the same sonne was a common head as well to Angels as to menne so that the same dignitie that was bestowed vpon manne did also belong vnto Angels For when we heare them called the children of God it were inconuenient to denie that there is somethyng in them wherein they resemble their father Nowe yf his will was to haue his glorie to be represented as well in Angels as in menne and to be seene in bothe natures Osiander dothe fondely trifâ—e in sayeng that the Angeles were then set behinde menne bicause they did not beare the image of Christ. For they could not continually enioye the present beholdyng of God vnlesse they were like hym And Paule teacheth that menne are no otherwise renewed after the image of God but if they be coupled with Angels that they maye cleane together vnder one head Finally yf we beleue Christ this shal be our laste felicitie to be made of like forme to the Angeles when we shal be receyued vp into heauen But if Osiander will conclude that the originall paterne of the image of God was in Christ as he is man by the same reason a manne maye say that Christ muste needes haue ben partaker of the nature of Angels bicause the image of God perteineth also to them Therefore Osiander hath no cause to feare that God shoulde bee found a lier vnlesse it had ben firste stedfastly and vnchangeably decreed in his minde to haue his sonne incarnate bycause yf the integritie of Adam had not fallen he should with the Angels haue ben like vnto God and yet it should not therfore haue ben necessarie 〈◊〉 the sonne of God should be made eyther man or Angel And in â—ame he feareth that absurditie least vnlesse the vnchangeable counsell of God had ben before the creation of man that Christ should be borne not as the redemer but as the first man he should haue loste
appeareth sufficiently though it were but by this that while we muste liue in warfare vnder the crosse during the whole course of oure life our estate is harde and miserable what then sholde it profite vs to be gathered together vnder the dominion of a heauenly kinge vnlesse we wer certaine to enuy the frute therof out of the state of this earthly life And therefore it is to be knowen that whatsoeuer felicitie is promised vs in Christ it consisteth not in outward coÌ„modities that we shold leade a merry and quiet life florish in wealth be assured from al harmes flowe full of those deliteful thinges that the flesh is wont to desire but that it wholy belongeth to the heauenly lyfe But as in the worlde the prosperous desired state of the people is partly mainteyned by plentie of good thinges and peace at home and partely by strong forceable defenses wherby it maie be safe against outward violence so Christe also dothe enriche his with all thynges necessarie to eternall saluation of soules and fortifieth them with strength by whiche thei mai stande inuincible against al assaultes of spiritual enemies Whereby we gather that he reigneth more for vs than for himself and that both within without that being furnished so farr as God knoweth to be expedient for vs with the gyftes of the spirite wherof we are naturally empty we maie by these fyrste frutes perceaue that we are truely ioyned to God vnto perfect blesednesse And then that bearinge vs bolde vpon the power of the same spirit we may not doubt that we shall alwaie haue the victorie against the Deuell the worlde and euery kinde of hurtfull thinge To thys purpose tendeth the a unswer of Christe to the Pharises that bicause the kingedome of God is with in vs it shal not come with obseruation For it is likely that bicause he professed that hee was the same kinge vnder whome the souereigne blessinge of God was to be hoped for they in scorne requyred hym to shewe fourth his signes But hee bycause thei who otherwise are to muche bent to the earth shoulde not foolishly rest vpon worldly pompes byddeth them to enter into their owne consciences bycause the kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and ioye in the holy ghosâ—e Hereby we are breefely taughte what the kingedome of Christ auayleth vs. For bycause it is not earthly or fleshly subiecte to corruption but spirituall he lifteth vs vp euen to eternall lyfe that we maie patienth passe ouer this life in miseries hunger cold coÌ„tempt reproches and other greues contented with this one thinge that oure king will neuer leaue vs destitute but succoure vs in oure necessities till hauing ended oure warre we be called to triumph For suche is his manner of reigning to communicate with vs all that he hathe recâ—iued of his father Nowe whereas he armeth and furnisheth vs wyth power and garnisheth vs with beautie magnificens enricheth vs with wealth hereby is ministred vnto vs moste plentyfull matter to glorie vpon also bold courage to fight without feare against the Deuell sinne and death Finally that clothed with hys righteousnes wee may valiantly ouercome al the reproches of the world and as he liberally filleth vs with his giftes so we againe for oure parte may bring forth frute to his glorye Therfore his kingly anointing is set forth vnto vs not done with oyle or ointmeÌ„tes made with spices but he is called the anointed of god bicause vpoÌ„ him hath rested the spirit of wisdome vnderstaÌ„ding couÌ„sel strength and feare of God Thys is the oyle of gladnesse wherewpth the Psalme reporteth that he was annoynted aboue his fellowes bicause if there were not suche excellencie in hym we shoulde be all needy and hungry For as it is already saide hee is not priuately enriched for hym selfe but â—o poure his plentie vpon vs being hungry and drie For as it is sayde that the father gaue the spirite to his sonne not by measure so there is expressed a reason why that all we shoulde receiue of his fulnesse and grace for grace Oute of which fountaine floweth that liberall geuinge whereof Paule maketh mention whereby grace is diuersly distributed to the faithful according to the measure of the gyfte of Christe Hereby is that whiche I saide sufficiently confyrmed that the kyngedome of Christ consisteth in the spirite not in earthly delytes or pompes and therefore we muste forsake the woorlde that we maye be partakers of it A visible signe of this holy anoyntinge was shewed in the baptisme of Christe when the holy ghooste rested vpon him in the lykenesse of a doue That the holy ghooste and hys gyftes are meante by the woorde Anoyntinge oughte to seeme neither noueltie nor absurditie For we are none other waie quickened specially for so muche as concerneth the heauenly lyfe there is no droppe of lyuely force in vs but that whiche the holy ghoste poureth into vs whyche hathe chosen his seate in Christe that from thense the heauenly rychesse mighte largely flowe oute vnto vs whereof wee are so neady And whereas bothe the faythfull stande inuincible by the strengthe of their king also his spiritual richesse plenteously flow out vnto them thei are not vnwoorthyly called Christians But this eternitie wherof we haue spoken is nothynge derogate by that sayeng of Paule Then he shall yelde vp the kyngdome to God and the Father Againe â–ª the sonne hym selfe shall be made subiecte that God maye be all in all thynges for hys meaninge is nothynge els but that in that same perfect glorie the administration of the kyngedome shall not bee suche as it is nowe For the father hathe geuen all power to the sonne that by the sonnes hande he maye gouerne cherishe and susteine vs defende vs vnder hys sauegarde and helpe vs. So whyle for a lyttle time we are waueringe abroade from God Christ is the meane betweene God and vs by lyttle and lyttle to brynge vs to perfect conioyning wyth God And truely whereas he sytteth on the right hande of the father that is as muche in effecte as yf hee were called the fathers deputee vnder whome is the whole power of his dominion bycause it is Gods will to rule and defende hys Churche by a meane as I maie so call it in the person of hys Sonne As also Paule dothe expounde it in the fyrste chapiter to the Ephesians that he was sette at the ryght hande of the father to be the heade of the Churche whyche is his body And to no other meanynge tendeth that whyche hee teacheth in an other place that there is geuen hym a name aboue all names that in the name of Iesus all knees shoulde bowe and all tongues confesse that it is to the glorie of God the Father For euen in the same woordes also hee setteth oute in the kingedome of Christe an ordre necessarye for oure presente weakenesse So Paule gathereth ryghtely that God shall then bee by
with the same Spirit ioyned with the Father but also according to his person of mediator bicause if he had not had that power he had come to vs in vaine After whiche meaning he is called the seconde Adam geuen frō heauen to be a quickning Spirit whereby Paule compareth the singular life that the sonne of God breatheth into them that be his that thei may be alone with hym with the natural life that is also common to the reprobate Likewise where he wissheth to the faithful the fauoure of Christ and the loue of God he ioyneth withall the common partaking of the Spirit without which no man can tast neither of the fatherly fauoure of God nor of the bountifulnesse of Christe As also he saith in an other place The loue of God is poured out into oure heartes by the holy Spirite that is geuen vs. And here it shal be profitable to note wyth what titles the Scripture setteth out the holy Spirite where it entreateth of beginninge and whole restoring of oure saluation Fyrste he is a called the Spirit of adoption bicause he is a wytnesse vnto vs of the free goodwil of God wherewyth God the Father hathe embraced vs in hys beloued onely begotten Sonne that he might be a father vnto vs and doth encourage vs to praie boldly yea and dothe minister vs wordes to crie with oute feare Abba Father by the same reason hee is called the earnest pledge and seale of our inheritance bicause he so geueth life from heauen to vs wandringe in the worlde and being like to deade men that we maie be assured that oure soule is in safegarde vnder the faithefull keping of God for which cause he is also called life by reasō for righteousnesse And forasmuch as by his secret watering he maketh vs frutfull to brynge forth the buddes of righteousnesse he is oftentimes called water as in Esaie All ye that thyrste come to the waters Againe I will poure out my spirit vpon the thyrsty and stoodes vpon the drie land wherewith agreeth that sayeng of Christ which I did euen now allege If any thyrste let him come to me Albeit sometime he is so called by reason of his power to purge and cleanse as in Ezechiell where the Lord promiseth cleane waters wherwith he wil washe his people from fylthinesse And forasmuch as herestoreth norisheth into liuely quicknes them vpō whom he hath poured the liquore of hys grace he is therefore called by the name of oyle and anoyntement Agayne bycause in continually seethynge oute and burninge vp the vices of oure luste hee setteth oure heartes on fyre wyth the loue of God and zeele of godlynesse he is also for thys effect worthyly called fyre Finally he is described vnto vs as a fountaine from whense do flowe vnto vs all heauenly rychesse or the hande of God wherewyth he vseth hys power bycause by the breathe of hys power he so breatheth diuine lyfe into vs that wee are not nowe styrred by oure selues but ruled by hys styrringe and mouynge so that yf there bee any good thynges in vs they bee the frutes of hys grace but oure owne gyftes wythout hym bee darkenesse of mynde and pereuersnesse of hearte Thys poynte ys sette oute playnely enoughe that tyll oure myndes bee bente vpon the holy ghoste Christe lyeth in a manner idle bycause we coldely espye wythout vs yea and farre awaye from vs. But wee knowe that hee profyteth none other but them whose heade hee ys and the fyrste begotten amonge brethren and them whyche haue putte on Hym. Thys conioynynge onely maketh that as concernyng vs he is come not vnprofytably wyth the name of sauioure And for proofe hereof serueth that holy mariage whereby we are made fleshe of hys fleshe and bones of hys bones yea and all one wyth hym but by the Spirite onely hee maketh hym selfe one wyth vs by the grace and power of the same Spirite wee are made hys membres so that hee conteyneth vs vnder hym and wee agayne possesse hym But forasmuche as faithe is his principall woorke to it are for the moste parte referred all those thynges that we commonly finde spoken to expresse his force and working bicause he bryngeth vs into the light of the Gospel by nothyng but by faith as Ihon baptiste teacheth that this prerogatiue is geuen to them the beleue in Christ that thei be the childrē of God which ar borne not of flesh blood but of God wher setting God againste fleshe and bloode he affirmeth it to be a supernaturall gift that thei receiue Christe by faith whoe otherwise shoulde remaine subiect to their owne infidelitie Like where vnto is that answer of Christe Fleshe and bloode hathe not reueled it to thee but my Father whiche is in heauen These thinges I do nowe but shortly touche bycause I haue already entreated of them at large And lyke also is that saieng of Paule that the Ephesians were sealed vp with the holy spirit of promisse For Paule sheweth that he is an inwarde teacher by whose workynge the promyse of saluation pearceth into oure mindes whiche otherwise shoulde but beate the ayre or oure eares Likewyse when he saith that the Thessalonians were chosen of God in the sanctification of the spirit and beleuing of the truth by whiche ioyning of them together he brefely admonisheth that faythe it selfe proceedeth from nothing els but from the holy spirit whych thyng Ihon setteth out more plainely saieng We knowe that there abideth in vs of the spirit whiche he hathe geuen vs. Againe By this we knowe that we dwel in him and he in vs bicause he hath geuen vs of his spirit Therfore Christ promised to his Disciples the Spirit of truthe whiche the worlde canne not receiue that thei might bee able to receiue the heauenly wisedome And he assigneth to the same spirit this propre office to put them in mynde of those thynges that he hadde taught them by mouthe Bicause in vaine shoulde the light shewe it selfe to the blinde vnlesse the same spirit of vnderstanding shoulde open the eyes of their minde so as a man may rightly call the holy spirit the keye by which the treasures of the heauenly kingdome are opened vnto vs and may call his enlightning the eyesight of oure minde to see Therefore doth Saint Paule so muche commend the ministerie of the spirit bycause teachers shoulde crie without profiting vnlesse Christ himselfe the inwarde maister shoulde drawe them with his spirit that are geuen him by his Father Therefore as we haue sayde that persecte saluation is founde in the person of Christ so that we may be made partakers therof he doth baptize vs in the holy spirit and fyre lightning vs into the faith of his Gospell and so newe begetting vs that we maie be newe creatures and purging vs from vnholy fylthynesse doth dedicate vs to be holy temples to God The seconde Chapiter Of faithe wherein bothe is sette
Mediator yet his godlynesse is praised Cornelius a Gentile a Romaine could scarcely vnderstand that which was knowen not to al the Iewes yea that very darkely yet his almes praiers were acceptable to God And the sacrifice of Naaman by the Prophets answer allowed Whych thing neither of them coulde obteine but by faythe Lykewise yt maie be sayde of the Ennuche to whome Philppe was carried why the yf he hadde not had some faythe woulde not haue taken vpon him the trauayle and exspenses of so longe a iourney to worshippe Yet we see when Philippe examined him how he bewrayed his ignorance of the Mediator And truely I graunte that theyr faythe was 〈◊〉 vnexpressed not only concerning Christes person but also concerninge his power and the office committed vnto him of the Father Yet in the meane time it is certaine that thei were instructed in suche principles as gaue them some taste of Christe althoughe but very small Neyther ought this to seeme strange For neither wold the Eunuche haue come in haste to Ierusalem from a farre countrie to worship an vnknowen God neither did Cornelius when he had ones embraced the Iewish religion spende so much time without being acquainted with the first groundes of true doctrine As for Naaman it had ben to fonde an absurditie for Elyzeus when he taught him of small thynges to haue saide nothinge of the principal pointe Therefore although there were among them a darke knoweledge of Christ yet it is not likely that ther was no knowledge bicause thei did vse them selues in the sacrifices of the lawe whiche must haue been discerned by the very ende of them that is Christe from the false sacrifices of the Gentiles But this bare and outward declaration of the word of God ought to haue largely sufficed to make it be beleued if our owne blyndenesse and stubbournesse did not withstande it But oure minde hath suche an inclination to vanitie that it can neuer cleaue faste vnto the trueth of God and hathe suche a dulnesse that it is alwaie blinde and can not see the light thereof Therefore there is nothynge auailably done by the worde without the enlightninge of the holy ghoste Whereby also appeareth that faithe is farre aboue mans vnderstanding Neither shal it be sufficient that the minde be lightned with the spirit of God vnlesse the hearte be also strengthened and stablished with his power Wherein the Schoolemen do altogether erre whiche in considerynge of faithe do onely take holde of a bare and simple assent by knowledg leauinge out the confidence and assurednesse of the heart Therefore faith is both waies a syngular gyfte of God bothe that the mynde of man is cleansed to taste the trueth of God and that his hearte is stablished therein For the holy ghoste not onely is the beginner of faythe but also by degrees encreaseth it vntil by it he bring vs to the heauenly kingdome That good thinge saith Paule whiche was committed to thy keping kepe in the holy ghoste which dwelleth in vs. But howe Paule saithe that the holy ghoste is geuen by the hearing of faythe we may easily dissolue it If there hadde ben but one onely gyfte of the holy ghoste then it had ben an absurditie for him to call the holy ghost the effect of faith whyche is the author and cause of faithe But when he maketh report of the gyftes wherewyth God garnysheth his Churche and by encreasinges of faithe bryngeth it to perfection it is no meruell if he ascribe those thynges to faithe whiche maketh vs fitt to receiue them This is reckened a moste strange conclusion when it is saide that no man but he to whome it is geuen can beleue in Christ. But that is partely bycause they do not consyder either howe secrete and hye the heauenly wysedome is or howe greate mans dulnesse is in conceiuinge the misteries of God and partly bycause they looke not vnto that assured and stedfast constantnesse of hearte that is to saye the cheefe parte of faith But if as Paule preacheth no manne is wytnesse of the wyll of manne but the spirite of manne that is within him then howe shoulde man be sure of the will of God And if the truth of God be vncertaine among vs in those thinges that we presently beholde with our eye how shold it be assured stedfast among vs ther wher the lord promiseth such thinge as neither eye seeth nor witt comprehendeth But herein mans sharpnesse of vnderstanding is so ouerthrowen faileth that the fyrste degrees of profitinge in Gods schoole is to forsake his owne wit For by it as by a veile cast before vs we are hyndred that we can not atteine the misteries of God whiche are not disclosed but to little ones For neither dothe flesh blood disclose nor natural man perceiue those things that are of the Spirit but rather to him the learning of God is foolishnesse bicause it is spiritually to be iudged Therfore herin the helpe of the holy ghost is necessarie or rather herein his force onely reigneth Ther is noman that knoweth the minde of God or hath ben his counseller but the holy Spirit searcheth out all thinges euen the depe secretes of God by whome it is brought to passe that we know the minde of Christ No man saith he can come to me vnlesse my father that sent me drawe hym Euery one therfore that hath heard learned of my father commeth Not that any man hath seen the father but he that is sent to God Euen as therfore we can not come vnto Christ but being drawen by the Spirit of God so when we be drawen we are lifted vp in witt minde aboue our owne vnderstanding For the soule enlightned by hym taketh as it wer a new sharpnes of vnderstanding wherwith it maye beholde heauenly misteries with brightnes wherof it was before daseled in it selfe And so mans vnderstanding receiuing brightnesse by the lighte of the holy ghost doth neuer till then truely beginne to taste of those thinges that belong to the kingdome of God being before altogether vnfauourie and without iudgment of tast to take assay of them Therfore when Christ did notably set out vnto two of hys Disciples the misteries of his kingdome yet he nothing preuailed vntill he opened their senses that they might vnderstand the Scriptures When the Apostles weare so taughte by his Godly mouth yet the Spirit of truth must be sent vnto them to poure into their mindes that same doctrine whiche they had hearde with their eares The worde of God is like vnto the sunne that shineth vnto all them to whome it is preached but to no profit amonge blinde men But we are al in this behalfe blind by nature therfore it can not pearce into our minde but by the inward master the holy ghoste making by his enlightning an entrie for it In an other place when we had to entreat of the corruption of natur we haue
the guidynge thereof Whoe can choose but be astonished at these monstruous thinges Yet it is a common learnyng amonge them whiche blynded wyth madnesse of lustes haue put of all common reason but what Christ I beseche you doe they frame vnto vs and what spirite doe they belche out For we reknowledge one Christ and his only Spirit whome the Prophetes haue commended whom the Gospell geuen vs doth preache of whome we there heare no such thyng That Spirit is no patrone of manslaughter whoredom droÌ„kennesse pride coÌ„tentioÌ„ couetousnesse gutle but the author of loue chastitie sobrietie modestie peace teÌ„peraÌ„ce truth It is not a giddy spirit and runneth hedlong without consideration through right and wrong but is ful of wisedome vnderstanding that discerneth rightly betwene iust and vniust It stirreth not vnto dissolute and vnbridled licentiousnesse but maketh difference betwene lawefull and vnlawfull and teacheth to kepe measure and temperance but why doe we labour any longer in confutynge this beastly rage To Christians the Spirit of the Lord is not a troublesome phantasie whiche eyther themselues haue brought forth in a dreame or haue receyued beyng forged of other but they reuerently seeke the knoweledge of him at the Scriptures where these two thynges be taught of hym First that he is geuen vs vnto sanctificatioÌ„ that he might bryng vs into the obedience of Gods wil beyng purged from vncleannesse defilinges whiche obedience can not stand vnlesse lustes be tamed and subdued wherunto these men would geue the bridle at libertie Secondly we are taught that we are so cleansed by his sanctification that we are still besieged with many vices and much weakenesse so longe as we are enclosed in the burden of our bodye whereby it coÌ„meth to passe that beyng farre distant from perfection we haue neede alwaye to encrease somewhat and beyng entaÌ„gled in vices we haue neede dayly to wrastle with them Whereupon also foloweth that shakynge of slouth and carelesnesse we muste watche with heedeful mindes that we be not compassed vnware with the snares of our fleshe Unlesse paraduenture we thinke that we haue proceded further than the Apostle which yet was weried of the Angel of Satan that his strength might be made perfecte with weakenesse and whiche did vnfaynedlye represent in his fleshe that diuision of the flesh and of the spirit But whereas the Apostle in describynge of repentance reckeneth seuen eyther causes or effectes or partes thereof he doth that of a very good cause and these they be endeuour or carefullnesse excusyng indignation feare desire zele punishement Neyther ought it to seme any absurditie that I dare not certainely determine whether they ought to be compted causes or effectes For both may be defended in disputation They maye bee also called affections ioyned wyth repentance but bicause leauynge out those questions we maye vnderstande what Paule meaneth we shal be content with a simple declaration of them He sayth therefore that of the heauinesse whiche is accordynge to God ariseth carefulnesse For he that is touched with an earnest felynge of displeasure bycause he hath sinned agaynst his God is therewithall stirred vp to diligence and heedefulnesse to winde himselfe clerely out of the snares of the Deuell to take better heede of his snares to fall no more from the gouernance of the holy ghost not to be oppressed wyth securitie Nexte is Excusyng whiche in this place signifieth not the defense whereby a sinner to escape the iudgement of God eyther dothe denye that he hath offended or diminisheth the hainousnesse of his faulte but a purgation whiche standeth rather in crauyng of pardon than in defense of his cause Lyke as the children that are not reprobate when they acknowledge and confesse their faultes doe yet vse entreatynge and that it maye take place they protest by all meanes that they can that they haue not cast awaye the reuerence that they owe to their parentes Finally they so excuse them as they goe not about to proue themselues righteous and innocent but only that they maye obteyne pardon Then foloweth Indignation wherby the sinner fretteth inwardly with hymselfe quareleth with hymselfe is angry with hymselfe when he recordeth his owne peruersnesse and his owne vnthankfulnesse to God By the name of feare he meaneth that tremblynge that is stryken into our mindes so ofte as we thynke bothe what we haue deserued and howe horrible is the seueritie of Gods wrathe agaynste sinners For we muste needes then be vexed wyth a maruellous vnquietnesse whiche bothe instructeth vs to humilitie and maketh vs more ware agaynst the time to come Nowe yf out of feare doe sprynge that carefulnesse whereof he had spoken before then we see with what lynkyng they hange together It semeth to me that he hath vsed this worde Desire â—or diligence in our dutie and redy cherefulnesse to obeye whereunto the acknowledgynge of our owne faultes ought chiefely to prouoke vs. And thereunto also belongeth zele which he ioyneth immediatly next vnto it For it signifieth a feruentnesse wherwith we be kindled when we be spurred forwarde with these pryckyng thoughtes what haue I done whether had I throwen my selfe hedlonge yf the mercie of God did not help me The last of all is punishment for the more rigorous that we be to our selues and the streightlier that we examine our owne sinnes so much the more we ought to trust that God is fauorable and merciful vnto vs. And truely it is not possible but that the soule beyng striken with horrour of the iudgement of God muste needes do some execution in the punishyng of it self Truely the godly hoâ—â—e what punishmeÌ„tes are shame confusion mourning lothyng of theÌ„selues other affections that spring out of earnest acknowleging of sinnes But let vs remeÌ„ber that there is a measure to be kepte that sorrow do not swallow vs vp bicause nothing more redily happeneth to fearefull consciences than fallyng to despeire And also by that crafty meane whom so euer SataÌ„ findeth ouerthroweÌ„ with dreade of God he more and more drowneth them in the gulfe of sorrowe that they maye neuer rise vp againe Truely the feare can not be to great which endeth with humilitie and departeth not from hope of pardon But alwaye as the Apostle teacheth the sinner must beware that while he moue himselfe to the lothyng of himselfe he despeire not oppressed with to great feare for so doe we flee awaye from God whyche calleth vs in him by repentance Upon whiche point this lesson of Bernarde is very profitable Sorrowe for sinnes is necessarie yf it bee noâ— contâ—nuall I counsell you sometime to returne your faute from gâ—â—nous and paynefull remembrance of your owne wayes and to 〈◊〉 vp to the playne grounde of cherefull remembrance of benefites of God Let vs mingle honye with wormâ— wood that the holsome â—â—tternesse may bring vs health when it shal be dronke tempered wâ—â—â— swetenesse And if ye thinke of your selues in humilitie thinke also of the
about and beyng drawen out of heauen is pressed downe to the earth I meane by this that it must be lifted vp aboue it selfe that it maye not bryng into the sight of God any of those thinges whiche our blinde and foolish reason is wont to imagine nor may holde it self bound within the compasse of her owne vanitie but rise vp to purenesse worthy for God Bothe these thinges are specially worthy to be noted that whosoeuer prepareth himself to pray shold thereto applie al his senses and endeuors not as men are wont be diuersly drawen with wandering thoughtes bicause there is nothyng more contrarie to the reuereÌ„ce of God thaÌ„ such lightnesse which is a witnesse of to waÌ„ton liceÌ„tiousnesse and lose from al feare In which thing we must so much more earnestly labor as we find it more hard for no man can be so bent to praye but that he shal fele manye biethoughtes to crepe vppon him either to breake of or by some bowing and swaruing to hinder the course of his praier But here let vs cal to minde how great an vnworthines it is when God receiueth vs vnto familiar talke with him to abuse his so great gentelnesse with minglyng holy and profane thinges together when the reuerence of him holdeth not our mindes fast bounde vnto him but as if we talked with some meane man we do in the middest of our praier forsaking him leape hether and thether Let vs therfore know that none do rightly and wel prepare theÌ„selues to prayer but they whom the maiestie of God pearceth that they come to it vncumbred of earthly cares and affections And that is ment by the ceremonie of lifting vp of handes that men should remeÌ„ber that they be farre distant from God vnlesse they lifte vp their senses on hie As also it is said in the Psalm To thee haue I lifted vp my soule And the Scripture oftentimes vseth this maner of spech to lift vp praier that they which desire to be hard of God should not sit stil in their dregges Let this be the summe that how much more liberallye God dealeth with vs gently alluring vs to vnlode our cares into his bosome so muche lesse excusable ar we vnlesse his so excellent and incomparable benefit do with vs ouerwey al other thinges and draw vs vnto it self that we may earnestly apply our endeuors senses to pray which can not be done vnlesse our mind be stroÌ„gly wrastling with the hinderances do rise vp aboue theÌ„ An other point we haue set forth â–ª that we aske no more than God geueth leaue For though he biddeth vs to poure out oure hartes yet he doth indiffeÌ„rently geue loose reynes to folyshe and froward affections and when he promiseth that he will do according to the wil of the Godly he procedeth not to so tender bearing with them that he submitteth himself to their wil. But in both these pointes men do commonly much offend For not onely the most part of meÌ„ presume without shame without reuerence to speake to God for their follies and shamelesly to present to his throne whatsoeuer liked theÌ„ in theyr dreame but also so great folishenes or senlesse dulnesse possesseth theÌ„ that they dare thrust into the hearing of God euen al their most filthy desires wherof they would greatly be ashamed to make men priuie Some profane men haue laughed to scorne yea and detested this boldnesse yet the vice it selfe hath alwaye reigned And hereby it came to passe that ambitious men haue chosen Iupiter to be their Patrone couetous men Mercurie the desirous of learning Apollo and Minerua warriâ—rs Mars and Lechorous folke Uenus Like as at this day as I haue euen now touched men do in prayers graunt more licence to their vnlawful desires than when they sportinglye talke with their Egalles But God suffreth not his gentlenes to be so mocked but claiming to himselfe his right maketh our praiers subiect to his aucthorite restraineth theÌ„ with a bridle Therfore we must kepe fast this saying of Ihon This is our affiance that if we aske any thynge according to his wil he heareth vs. But forasmuch as our abilities ar far froÌ„ being sufficient to performe so great perfection we must seke a remedie to helpe vs. As we ought to bend the sight of our mind to god so the affection of the heart ought also to followe to the same ende But bothe doe staye far benethe it yea rather doe faynt and fayle or be carried a contrarie waye Therefore God to succour this weakenesse in our prayers geueth the spirite to be our Scholemaister to instruct vs what is right and to gouerne our affections For bicause we knowe not what we ought to praye as we ought the spirit commeth to our succour and maketh intercession for vs with vnspeakeable groninges not that it in deede eyther prayeth or groneth but stirreth vp in vs affiance desires and sighynges whiche the strength of nature were not able to conceyue And not without cause Paule calleth them vnspeakeable groninges which so the faithful send forth by the guidyng of the Spirit bicause they whiche are truely exercised in prayers are not ignorant that they be so holden in perplexitie with blinde cares that they scarcely finde what is profitable for them to speake yea while they goe about to vtter stammeryng wordes they sticke fast encombred Wherupon it foloweth that the gift of prayeng rightly is a singular gift These thinges are not spoken to this purpose that we fauoryng our owne slouthfulnesse should geue ouer the charge of prayeng to the Spirit of God lie dull in that carelesnesse to whiche we are to muche enclined as there are heard the wicked sayenges of some that we must lie negligently gapyng to wayte vntill he preuent our mindes occupied els where but rather that we lothyng our owne slouthfulnesse and sluggishnesse should craue suche helpe of the Spirit Neyther doth Paule when he biddeth vs to pray in Spirit therefore cesse to exhort vs to wakefulnesse meanyng that the instinct of the Spirit so vseth his force to frame our prayers that it nothyng hindereth or slacketh our owne endeuor bicause God will in this behalf proue how effectually fayth moueth our heartes Let also an other law be that in prayeng we alway fele our owne wante and that earnestly thinkyng howe we stande in neede of those thinges that we aske we ioyne with our prayer an earnest yea feruent affection to obteine For many do slightly for manners sake recite prayers after a prescribed forme as though they rendred a certayne talke to God and although they confesse that this is a necessarie remedie for their euels bicause it is to their destructioÌ„ to be without the help of God which they craue yet it appereth that they do this dutie for custome for asmuch as in the meane time their mindes are colde and do not weye what they aske The generall and confuse felyng in deede of their necessitie leadeth
in cōfidence by the faith of Christ. We must therfore holde fast with bothe handes thys assurednesse to obteine what we ask sith both the lord with his own voice so cōmaūdeth vs al the holy ones teache it by their example if we wil praie with frute For the only praier is pleasing to God whiche springeth oute of such a presumptiō of faith as I may so call it is groūded vpō a dredlesse certaintie of faith He might haue ben cōtent with the bare name of faithe but he not onely added cōfidence but also furnished the same with liberty or boldnesse by this marke to put differēce betwene vs vnbeleuers which do in dede also praie to God as we do but at aduenture For which reasō the whole Church praieth in the psalme Let thi mercy be vpō vs as we put our trust in thee The same cōdition is also spoken of in an other place by the prophet In what day I shal crie this I know that God is with me Again In the morning I wil direct my self to thee I wil watch For of these words we gather that praiers ar in vaine cast into the ayre vnlesse hope be adioyned frō whense as out of a watchtoure wee may quietli waite for the lord Wherw t agreeth the order of Paules exhortatiō For before that he moue the faithful to praie in spirit at al times with wakefulnes diligence he first of al biddeth thē to take the sheld of faith that helmet of saluatiō the swerd of the spirit whiche is the word of God ▪ Now let the readers here cal to remēbrance which that I haue before said that faith is not ouerthrowē where it is ioyned with acknowledging of our miserie nedinesse filthines For with how heauy weight so euer of euell doings the faithful fele thēselues to be ouerloden or greued the thei bee not only voide of al things which may procure fauoure with God but also that thei be burdened with many offenses which may woorthily make him dreadful to thē yet thei cesse not to present thēselues neither doth this feling make thē so afraide but that thei still resort to him forasmuche as ther is no other waie to come to him For praier was not ordeined wherby we shold arrogantli aduance our selues before God or esteme at great value any thing of our own but wherbi cōfessing our giltines we shold bewaile our miseries to him as childrē do familiarli opē their cōplaints to their parēts But rather the vnmeasurable heape of our euels ought to be ful of spurres or prickes to prick vs forward to praie As also the prophet teacheth vs by his exāple saieng Heale my soule bicause I haue sinned against thee I grant in dede that in such saiengs shold be deadli prickings vnlesse god did helpe but the most good father of his incōparable tender kindnes hath brought remedie in fit season wherby appeasing al troble assuaging al cares wiping awaye feares he mighte gently allure vs to hym yea and takinge awaie all doubtes much more all stoppes he might make vs an easy waie And first whē he cōmaundeth vs to pray he doth by the very same commaundement accuse vs of wicked obstinacie vnlesse we obey him Nothing could be more precisely cōmaunded than that which is in the psalme Cal vpō me in the day of troble But forasmuch as amonge all the dueties of godlines the scripture cōmendeth none more often I nede not to tarry longer vpō this point Ask saith our master ye shal receiue knock it shal be opened to you Howbeit here is also with the cōmaundement ioyned a promise as it is necessarie For though all men cōfesse that the commaundement ought to be obeied yet the most part would flee frō God when he calleth vnlesse he promised that he wold be easy to be entreated yea wold offer himself These two thinges being stablished it is certaine that whosoeuer make delaies that thei come not streight to god ar not only rebellious disobedient but also are proued gilty of infidelitie bicause thei distrust the promises Which is so muche more to be noted bycause hypocrites vnder the color of humilitie modesty do as wel proudly despise the cōmandemēt of God as discredit his gentile callinge yea defraud him of the chefe part of his worship For after that he hath refused sacrifices in which at the time al holines semed to stande he declareth that this is the chefe thing most precious to him aboue al other to be called vpō in the day of nede Therfore wher he requireth his owne encourageth vs to cherefulnesse of obeing ther ar none so gay colors of doubtting that may excuse vs. Wherfore how many testimonies ar cōmōly foūd in the scriptures wherby we ar cōmaūded to cal vpō God so many stāddardes ar set vp before our eies to put affiance into vs. It were rushenesse to rushe into the sight of God vnlesse he did preuēt vs with calling vs. Therfore he openeth vs the way with his own voice saieng I will saye to them Ye ar my people thei shal say to me the art our God We se how he preuenteth them the worship him willeth them to follow him and therefore it is not to bee feared that this shoulde not bee a very swete melodie which he tuneth Specially let this notable title of God come in our minde whervpon if we staye wee shall easily passe ouer al stoppes Thou God that hearest prayer euen to thee shall all fleshe come For what ys more louely or more allurynge than that God bee granyshed wyth thys tytle whyche maye ascertayne vs that nothynge ys more propre to hys nature than to graunte the desire of humble suters Hereby the prophet gathereth that the gate standeth open not only to a fewe but to all men bicause he speaketh euen to all in this saieng Cal vpon me in the day of trouble I wil deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me According to this rule Dauid laieth for himself that a promise was geuen him that he may obteine what he asketh Thou lorde hast reueled into the eare of thy seruant therefore thy seruaunt hath found his heart to pray Wherupon we gather that he was feareful sauing in so much as the promise had encouraged him So in an other place he armeth himselfe with this general doctrine He wil do the will of them that feare him Yea this we may note in the psalmes that as it were breaking his course of praieng he passeth ouer sometime to the power of God somtime to his goodnesse somtime to the truth of his promises It might seeme that Dauid by vnseasonable thrusting in of these sentences made mangled praiers but the faithful know by vse experience that feruentnesse fainteth vnlesse thei put new nourishmentes vnto it and therfore in praieng the meditatiō bothe of the nature of God of his word
expediente also to pray in other places but he sheweth that prayer is a certaine secrete thing whiche bothe is chefely placed in the soule and requireth the quiet therof farr from all trobles of cares Not wtout cause therfore the lord himselfe also when he was disposed to apply himselfe more earnestly to prayer coÌ„ueied himself into some solitarie place farr froÌ„ the troblesome coÌ„pany of meÌ„ but to teach vs by his exaÌ„ple that these helps ar not to be despised by which our minde being to slippry of it self is more beÌ„t to earnest applyeng of praier But in the meane time eueÌ„ as he in the middest of the multitude of men absteined not from praying if occasion at any tyme so serued so should we in al places where nede shal be lift vp pure handes Finally thus it is to be holden that whosoeuer refuseth to praye in the holy assemblie of the godly he knoweth not what it is to pray apart or in solitarinesse or at home Againe that he that neglecteth to pray alone or priuatly how diligently soeuer he hauÌ„t publike assemblies doth there make but vaine prayers because he geueth more to the opinion of men thaÌ„ to the secrete iugement of God In the meane time that the common prayers of the Chirch shoulde not growe into contempte God in olde tyme garnished them with glorious titles specially where he called the temple the house of prayer For by thys sayeng he both taught that the chefe part of the worshipping of hym is the dutie of prayer and that to the ende that the faythful should with one consent exercise themselues in it the teÌ„ple was set vp as a standard for them There was also added a notable promise There abideth for thee O God prayse in Sion to thee the vow shal be payed By which wordes the Prophet telleth vs that the prayers of the Chirch are neuer voyde because the Lord alway ministreth to hys people mater to sing vpon with ioy But although the shadowes of the law are cessed yet because the Lordes wil was by thys ceremonie to nourish among vs also the vnitie of fayth it is no doute that the same promise belongeth to vs which both Christ hath stablished with hys owne mouth and Paule teacheth that it is of force for euer Now as the Lord by hys worde commaundeth the faithful to vse coÌ„mon prayers so there must be common temples appointed for the vsing of them where whoso refuse to communicate their prayer with the people of God there is no cause why they should abuse thys pretense that they enter into their chamber that they may obey the commaundemente of the lord For he that promiseth that he wil do whatsoeuer twoo or three shall aske being gathered together in hys name testifieth that he despiseth not prayers openly made so that bosting and seking of glory of meÌ„ be absent so that vnfained true affectioÌ„ be present which dwelleth in the secret of the hart If this be the right vse of temples as truely it is we must againe beware that neither as they haue begon in certayne ages past to be accoÌ„pted we take them for the propre dwelling places of God from whense he may more nerely bende hys eare vnto 〈◊〉 â—ayne to them I wote not what secrete holinesse whiche maye 〈…〉 prayer more holy before God For sith we our selues be the 〈◊〉 teÌ„ples of God we must pray in our selues if we wil cal vpon God in his own holy temple As for that grossenesse let vs which haue a commaundement to call vpon the Lord in Spirite and truth without difference of place leaue it to the Iewes or the Gentiles There was in dede a temple in olde time by the commaundemente of God for offring of prayers and sacrifices but that was at such tyme as the truth lay hydde figured vnder suche shadowes which being now liuely expressed vnto vs doth not suffer vs to sticke in any materiall temple Neither was the temple geuen to the Iewes themselues with this condition that they shold enclose the presence of God within the walles therof but wherby they myght be exercised to beholde the image of the true temple Therefore they which in any wise thought that God dwelleth in temples made with handes were sharply rebuked of Esay and Stephen Here moreouer it is more than euident that neither voice nor song if they be vsed in prayer haue any force or do any whit profite before God vnlesse they procede from the depe affectioÌ„ of the hart But rather they prouoke his wrath against vs if they come only froÌ„ the lippes and out of the throte forasmuch as that is to abuse his holy name and to make a mockerie of his maiestie as we gather out of the wordes of Esay which although they extende further yet perteine also to reproue thys fault Thys people sayth he cometh nere to with their mouth and honoreth me with their lippes but their hart is farr froÌ„ me they haue feared me with the commauÌ„dement and doctrine of men Therfore beholde I will make in this people a miracle great and to be wondred at For wisedome shall perish from their wise men and the prudence of the Elders shal vanishe away Neither yet doo we here condemne voice or singyng but rather doo hyely commende them so that they accompany the affection of the mynde For so they exercise the mynd and hold it intentiue in thynkyng vpon God which as it is slippery and rollyng easily slacketh and is diuersly drawen vnlesse it be stayed with diuers helpes Moreouer wheras the glorie of God ought after a certaine maner to shine in al the partes of our body it specially behoueth that the tong be applyed and auowed to this seruice both in singing and in speaking which is properly created to shew fourth and display the praise of God But the chefe vse of the tong is in publike prayers which are made in the assemblie of the Godly which tend to thys ende that we may all with one common voice and as it were with one mouth together glorifie God whoÌ„ we worship with one Spirite and one Faith and that openly that all men mutually euery one of hys brother maye receiue the confession of Fayth to the example wherof they maye be bothe allured and stirred Is for the vse singyng in Chirches that I may touche this also by the waie it is certaine that it is not onely most auncieÌ„t but that it was also in vse among the Apostles we maye gather by these wordes of Paule I will syng in Spirite I will syng also in mynde Agayne to the Colossians Teachyng and admonishing you mutually in hymnes psalmes and spirituall songes singyng with grace in your harts to the Lorde For in the first place he teacheth that we should syng with voice and harte in the other he commendeth spirituall songes wherewith the godly doo mutually edifie themselues Yet that it was not vniuersal Augustine
to be propre to his Father that our Faith may be stayed in hym then that we may be certainly persuaded that he is not carelesse of our safetie because he vouchesaueth euen to vs to extende his prouidence With whiche introductions Paule prepareth vs to pray rightely For before that he hiddeth our petitions to be opened before God he sayth thus Be ye carefull for nothyng the Lorde is at hande Wherby appeareth that they doutefully and with perplexitie tosse theyr prayers in their mynde whiche haue not this well settled in them that the eie of God is vpon the righteous The firste Petition is That the name of God be hallowed the neede wherof is ioyned with our greate shame For what is more shamefull than that the glorie of God should be partly by our vnthankefulnesse partly by our maliciousnesse darkened and so muche as in it lyeth by our boldenesse and furious stubbornesse vtterly blotted out Though all the wicked wolde burst themselues with their wylfulnesse full of sacrilege yet the holynesse of the name of God gloriously shineth And not without cause the Prophet crieth out As thy name O God so is â—hy praise into al the endes of the earth For wheresoeuer the name of God is knowen it can not be but that his strengthes power goodnesse wisdome righteousnesse mercie and truthe must shewe foorth themselues whiche may drawe vs into admiration of him and stirre vs vp to publyshe his praise Sithe therfore the holynesse of God is to shamefully taken from hym in earth if we be not able to reskue it we be at the least commaunded to take care of it in our prayers The summe is that we wishe the honor to be geuen to God whiche he is worthye to haue that men neuer speake or thinke of hym without moste hye reuerence wherunto is contrarie the vnholy abusyng whiche hath alway been to common in the worlde as at this day also it rangeth abroade And hereuppon commeth the necessitie of this petition whiche if there liued in vs any godlynesse though it were but little oughte to haue ben superfluous But if the name of God haue his holynesse safe when being seuered from all other it breatheth out nothyng but glorie here we are commaunded not only to pray that God wil deliuer that holy name from al contempt dishonor but also that he wil subdue al mankind to the reuereÌ„ce of it Now wheras God discloseth hymself to vs partly by doctrine partly by workes he is no otherwise sanctified of vs than if we geue to him in both behalfes that which is his so embrace whatsoeuer shal come from hym and that his seueritie haue no lesse praise among vs than his mercifulnesse forasmuche as he hath in the manifolde diuersitie of his workes emprinted markes of his glorie which may worthily drawe out of all tonges a confession of his praise So shall it comme to passe that the Scripture shall haue full authoritie with vs and that no successe shall hynder the blessyng whiche God deserueth in the whole course of the gouernyng of the worlde Agayne the petition also tendeth to this purpose that all vngodlynesse whiche defyleth this holy name may be destroyed and taken away that whatsoeuer thynges doo darken and diminishe this sanctifieng as well sclaunders as mockynges may be driuen away and when God subdueth al sacrileges his glorie may therby more and more shine abroade The seconde petition is that The Kyngdome of God may come which although it conteyne no newe thyng is yet not withoute cause seuered from the fyrst because if we consyder our owne drewsynesse in a thyng greatest of all other it is profitable that the thyng whiche oughte of it selfe to haue ben most well knowen be with many wordes ofte beaten into vs. Therfore after that we haue ben commaunded to pray to God to bryng into subiection and at length vtterly to destroye whatsoeuer spotteth his holye name nowe is added a like and in a maner the same request that his kingdome come But although we haue alredy sett fourth the definition of this kingdome yet I now brefely rehearse that God reigneth when men as wel with forsaking of themselues as with despising of the world and of the earthly life do so yelde themselues to his righteousnesse that they aspire to the heauenly lyfe Therfore there are twoo partes of this kyngdome the one that God correcte with the power of his Spirite all corrupt desires of the fleshe which do by multitudes make warre against hym the other that he frame all our senses to the obedience of hys gouernement Therfore none do kepe right order in thys prayer but they which beginne at themselues that is to say that they be cleansed from all corruptions which troble the quiet state of the kingdome of God and infect the purenesse therof Now because the worde of God is lyke a kyngly scepter we are here commaunded to pray that he wil subdue the myndes and hartes of al men to willing obedience of it Which is done when with the secret instinct of hys Spirite he vttereth the effectuall force of hys worde that it may be auaunced in such degree as it is worthi Afterward we must come down to the wicked which do obstinatly and with desperate rage resist his authoritie God therfore setteth vp hys kyngdome by humbling the whole world but that in diuerse maners because he tameth the wantonnesses of some and of other some he breaketh the vntamed pride Thys is daily to be wished that it be done that it may please God to gather to hymselfe Chirches out of all the coastes of the worlde to enlarge and encreasce them in number to enriche them with his giftes to stablishe right order in them on the other side to ouerthrowe all the enemies of pure doctrine and religion to scatter abrode their counsels to cast down their enterprises Wherby appeareth that the endeuor of daili proceding is not in vaine commaunded vs because the maters of men are neuer in so good case that filthinesse bring shaken away and cleansed full purenesse florisheth and is in liuely force But the fulnesse of it is differred vnto the last comming of Christ when Paule teacheth that God shal be al in al. And so thys prayer ought to withdrawe vs from all the corruptions of the world which do seuer vs from God that hys kyngdome should not florishe in vs and also to kindle our endeuor to mortifie the flesh finally to instruct vs to the bearing of the crosse forasmuch as God will in this wise haue hys kyngdome spred abrode Neither ought we to take it miscontentedly that the outward man be destroyed so that the inwarde man be renewed For thys is the nature of the kingdome of God when we submitt our selues to the righteousnesse therof to make vs partakers of his glorie Thys is done wheÌ„ brightly setting fourth his light and truth with alway new encreasces wherby the darkenesse and
the iugement of God It is in dede to be wished yea and to be earnestly endeuored that we hauing performed all the partes of our dutie may truely reioyse before God that we are cleane from all spott but forasmuch as it pleaseth God by litle and litle to make againe his image in vs that there alwaye remayneth some infection in our fleshe the remedie ought not to haue been despised If Christ by the authoritie geuen to him of hys Father commaundeth vs throughout the whole course of our life to fle to crauing of pardoÌ„ of our giltinesse who shal be able to suffer these new maisters which goe about with this imagined ghost of perfect innoceÌ„cie to dasel the eyes of the simple to make them to trust that they may be made free froÌ„ all faultâ— Which as Ihon witnesseth is nothing ells but to make God a lier And withal one worke these lewde men by cancilling one article do feare in sonder and by that meane do weaken from the very fundation the whole couenant of God wherin we haue shewed that our saluatioÌ„ is coÌ„teined so as they be not only robbers of God because they seuer those thinges so coÌ„ioyned but also wicked cruel because they ouerwhelme poore soules with despeire and traytors to themselues and other that be like them because they bryng themselues into a slouthfulnesse directly contrary to the mercy of God But wheras some obiect that in wishing the coming of the kyngdome of God we do also aske the putting away of synne that is to childishe because in the firste table of thys prayer is set forth vnto vs most hye perfection but in this part is set fourth our weakenesse So these twoo thinges do fittly agree together that in a spring toward the marke we despise not the remedies which our necessitie requireth Finally we pray that we may be forgeuen as we our selues doe forgeue our dettors that is as we do forgeue and pardon al of whomsoeuer we haue ben in any thing offended either vniustly handled in dede or reprochefully vsed in worde Not that it lyeth in vs to pardoÌ„ the giltinesse of the fault and offense which perteineth to God alone but thys is our forgeuing of our owne willingnesse to lay away out of our mynde wrath hatred and desire of reuengement and with voluntarie forgetfulnesse to treade vnder fote the remembrance of iâ—iuries Wherefore we may not aske forgeuenesse of synnes at the hande of God if we doe not also forgeue their offenses towarde vs which either do or haue done vs wrong But if we kepe any hatreds in our hartes and purpose any reuengementes and imagine by what occasion we may hurt yea and if we do not endeuor to come into fauor againe with our enemies and to deserue well of them with all kynde of frendly doinges and to winne them vnto vs we do by thys prayer beseche God that he do not forgeue vs. For we require that he graunt to vs the same forgeuenesse whiche we graunt to other But this is to pray that he graunt it not to vs vnlesse we graunt it to them Whoso therfore be such what doe they obtein by their prayer but a more greuous iugemeÌ„t Last of al it is to be noted that this condition that he forgeue vs as we forgeue our dettors is not herefore added for that we deserue his forgeuenesse by the forgeuenesse which we graunt to other as if that cause of forgeuenesse to vs were there expressed but by thys worde partly the Lordes will was to comforte the weakenesse of our Fayth for he added this as a signe whereby we may be assured that he hath as surely grauÌ„ted to vs forgeuenesse of our synnes as we surely knowe in our conscience that we haue grauÌ„ted thesame to other if our mynde be voyde and cleansed of al hatred enuye reuengement and partly by thys as it were by a marke he wipeth them out of the number of his children that they may not be bolde to call vpoÌ„ him as their Father which being hedlong hasty to reuenge and hardily entreated to pardon doe vse stiffly continuing enmites and doe cherishe in themselues the same displeasure towarde other which they pray to be turned from themselues Whiche is also in Luke expresly spoken in the wordes of Christ. The sixt petitioÌ„ as we haue sayd answereth to the promise of engrauing the lawe of God in our hartes But because we doe not without continual warrfare and hard and great striuinges obey to God we do here pray to be furnished with such wepons and defended with suche succor that we may be able to get the victorie whereby we are warned that we stande in nede not only of the grace of the Spirite whiche may soften how and direct our hartes to the obedience of God but also of hys helpe wherby he may make vs vnuicible against bothe al the trayterous entrappinges and violeÌ„t conflictes of Satan But now of tentations there are many and diuerse sortes For both the peruerse thoughtes of minde prouoking vs to trespassing against the law which either our owne luste doth minister vnto vs or the deuell stirreth vp are tentations and also those thinges which of their owne nature are not euell yet by the craft of the deuel are made tentations wheÌ„ they are so set before our eyes that by the occasion of them we be drawen awaye or do swarue from God And these tentations are either on the ryghte hande or on the left On the righte hande as richesse power honors which commonly do with their glistering and shewe of good so dasel the sight of men and catche them with the bayted hoke of their flatterings that beyng entrapped with suche deceites or dronke with suche swetenesse they may forget their God On the left hande as pouertie reproches despisinges trobles and suche other that they being greued with the bitternesse and hardnesse therof may be vtterly discouraged caste away Fayth and hope and finally be altogether estranged from God To these tentations of both sortes which fighte with vs eyther being kindled in vs by our owne luste or being set against vs by the craft of Satan we pray to our heavenly Father that he suffer vs not to yelde But rather that he vpholde vs and rayse vs vp with his hande that being strong by his strength we may stande fast against all the assaultes of the malicious enemie whatsoeuer thoughtes he put into our mynde then that whatsoeuer is sett before vs on either side we maye turne it to good that we neither be puffed vp with prosperitie nor throwen downe with aduersitie Neither yet doe we here require that we may fele no tentations at al with which we haue great nede to be stirred vp pricked and pinched least by to muche reste we growe dull For not in vaine did Dauid wishe to be tempted and not without cause the Lord daily tempteth hys electe chastising them by shame pouertie troble and other
whom in dede the Lord published new oracles to be added to the law but yet not so new but that they cam out of the law and had respect vnto it For as touchyng doctrine they were only expositors of the law and added nothyng vnto it but prophecies of thyngs to come Those excepted they vttered nothyng els but a pure exposition of the lawe But because it pleased the Lord that there shold be a plainer and larger doctrine that weake consciences might be the better satisfied he cōmaunded that the Prophecies also shold be put in writyng and accompted parte of his worde And hereunto were added the histories whiche are also the workes of the Prophetes but made by the endityng of the Holy ghost I recken the Psalmes among the Prophecies because that which we attribute to the prophecies is also cōmon to the psalmes Therfore that whole body cōpacted of the law prophecies psalmes histories was the word of the Lord to the olde people by the rule whereof the prestes and teachers euen vnto Christes tyme were bounde to examine their doctrine neither was it lawfull for them to swarue either to the right hand or to the left because all their office was enclosed within these boundes that they should answer the people out of the mouth of God Which is gathered of a notable place of Malachie where he biddeth them to be mindful of the law to geue hede to it euē to the preaching of the Gospell For therby he forbiddeth them all new found doctrines and graunteth them no leaue to swarue neuer so little out of the way which Moses had faithfully shewed them And this is the reason why Dauid so honorably setteth out the excellence of the law reherseth so many praises of it that is that the Iewes should couete no forein thyng without it sith within it was all perfection enclosed But when at last the Wisdome of God was openly shewed in the flesh that same Wisdome with ful mouth declared vnto vs al that euer can with mans wit be cōprehēded or ought to be thought cōcerning the heuēly Father Now therefore sins Christ the fōne of rightousnesse hath shined we haue a perfect brightnesse of the truth of God such as the clerenesse is wōt to be a mid day when the light was before but dimme For verily the Prophet meant not to speake of any meane thing whē he wrote the God in old time spake diuersly many waies to the fathers by the prophets but that in these last daies he began to speake to vs by his beloued Sonne For he signifieth yea he openly declareth that God wil not hereafter as he did before speake somtime by some and sometime by other nor wil adde Prophecies to Prophecies or reuelations to reuelations but that he hath so fulfilled al the partes of teaching in the Sonne that they must haue thys of him for the last and eternal testimonie After whiche sort al this time of the new Testament wherein Christe hath appeared to vs with the preaching of his Gospell euen to the daie of iugement is expressed by the last houre the last times the last dayes to the ende verely that contented with the perfection of the doctrine of Christe we should learne neither to fayne vs any new beside it or receiue it fained of other Therfore not without cause the Father hath by singular prerogatiue ordeined the Sonne to be our Teacher commaunding hym not any man to be heard He did in dede in fewe wordes sette oute hys scholemaistership vnto vs when he said heare him but in whiche there is more weight force than men commonly thynke For it is as muche in effect as if leading vs away frō al doctrines of men he should bring vs to him only and commaūde vs to loke for al the doctrine of saluation at him alone to hang vpon him alone to cleaue to hym alone finally as the very wordes do sounde to harkē to the voice of hym alone And truely what ought there now to be either loked for or desyred at the hand of man when the very worde of lyfe hath familiarly and openly disclosed himselfe vnto vs Yea but it is mete that the mouthes of al mē be shut after that he in whom the heauēly Father willed to haue al the treasures of knowledge and wisdome to be hidden hath ones spoken and so spokē as became both the wisdome of God which is in no part vnperfect and Messias at whoe 's hand the reuelation of al thinges is hoped for that is to say that he left nothing afterwarde for other to be spoken Let this therefore be a stedfast principle that there is to be had no other worde of God wherunto place should be geuen in the Chirche than that which is conteined first in the law and the Prophetes and then in the writinges of the Apostles that there is no other manner of teaching rightly but according to the prescription and rule of the word Hereupon also we gather that ther was no other thing graūted to the Apostles but that which the Prophetes had had in olde tyme that is that they should expounde the olde Scripture and shewe that those thinges that are therein taught are fulfilled in Christ and yet that they should not do the same but of the Lorde that is to saye the Spirite of Christe going before them and after a certaine maner enditing wordes vnto them For Christ limited their embassage with this condition when he commaunded them to goe and teache not such thinges as they themselues had rashly forged but al those thynges that he had cōmaunded them And nothing could be more playnly spokē thā that which he saieth in an other place but be not ye called maisters for onely one is your maister Christe Then to emprint this more depely in their minde he repeteth it twise in thesame place And because their rudenesse was such that they could not cōceiue those thynges that they had heard and learned of the mouth of their maister therfore the Spirite of trueth is promised them by whō they should be directed to the true vnderstanding of al thinges For the same restrayning is to be diligētly noted where this office is assigned to the Holy ghost to put them in minde of al those thinges that he before taught them by mouth Therfore Peter who was very wel taught how much he might lawfully do leaueth nothing either to himselfe or other but to distribute the doctrine deliuered of God Let him that speaketh saieth he speake as the wordes of God that is to say not doutingly as they are wont to tremble whoe 's own cōscience misgeueth them but with sure cōfidēce which becōmeth the seruāt of God furnished with assured instructiōs What other thing is this but to forbidde al inuentions of mans minde frō what hed soeuer they haue proceded that the pure word of God may be heard learned in the Chirch
than eche one seuerally neither is it my meaning that thys is so spoken in common to the faithful as though they were al alike endued with the Spirite of vnderstanding and doctrine but because it is not to be graunted to the aduersaries of Christ that they should for the defense of an euill cause wrest the Scripture to a wrong sense But omitting this I simply cōfesse that which is true that the lord is perpetually presēt with his ruleth them with his Spirite And that this Spirite is not the Spirite of error ignorance lyeng or darkenesse but of sure reuelation wisedome trueth light of whō they not deceitfully may learne those thinges that are geuē them that is to say what is the hope of their calling what be the richesse of the glory of the inheritaunce of God in the saintes But wheras the faythful euen they that are endued with more excellent giftes aboue the rest do in thys fleshe receiue onely the firste frutes a certaine tast of that Spirite there remaineth nothing leeuer to them thā knowing their own weakenesse to hold themselues carefully within the boundes of the worde of God least if they wander farr after their own sense they by by stray out of the right waie in so much as they be yet voide of that Spirite by whoe 's only teaching truth is discerned from falshode For all men do confesse with Paule that they haue not yet atteined to the marke Therfore they more endeuor to daily profiting than glory of perfection But they wil take exception say that whatsoeuer is particularly attributed to euery one of the holy ones the same doth throughly fully belong to the Chirche it selfe Although this hath some seming of truth yet I deney it to be true God doth in dede so distribute to euery one of the members the giftes of his Spirite by measure that the whole body wanteth nothing necessarie whē the giftes are geuē in cōmon But the richesse of the Chirche are alway such that there euer wāteth much of that hiest perfection which our aduersaries do bost of Yet the Chirche is not therefore so lefte destitute in any behalf but that she alway hath so much as is enough For the Lord knoweth what her necessitie requireth But to holde her vnder humilitie and godly modestie he geueth her no more than he knoweth to be expedient I know what here also they are wont to obiecte that is that the Chirche is clensed with the washing of water in the worde of life that it might be without wrincle and spot and that therfore in an other place it is called the piller and stay of truth But in the first of these two places is rather taught what Christ daily worketh in it than what he hath allredy done For if he daily sanctifieth purgeth polysheth wypeth from spottes all them that be his truely it is certayne that they are yet besprinkled with some spottes and wrincles and that there wanteth somwhat of their sanctificatiō But how vayne and fabulous is it to iudge the Chirch alredy in euery part holy and spottlesse wherof all the members are spotty and very vncleane It is true therefore that the Chirche is sanctified of Christe But onely the beginning of that sanctifieng is here seen but the ende and full accomplishment shall be when Christe the holiest of holy ones shall truely and fully fill it with his holinesse It is true also that the spottes and wrincles of it are wiped awaye but so that they be daily in wiping awaye vntill Christe with his comming dooe vtterlye take awaye all that remaineth For vnlesse we graunt this we must of necessitie affirme with the Pelagians that the righteousnesse of the faithfull is perfect in this life and with the Cathani and Donatistes we muste suffer no infirmitie in the Chirch The other place as we haue ells where seen hath a sense vtterly differing from that which they pretende For when Paule hath instructed Timothee and framed him to the true office of a Bishop he sayeth that he did it to this purpose that he should knowe how he ought to be haue himselfe in the Chirch And that he should with the greater religiousnesse and endeuor bend himselfe thereunto he addeth that the Chirch is the very piller stay of truth For what ells do these wordes meane but that the truth of God is preserued in the Chirch namely by the ministerie of preaching As in an other place he teacheth that Christ gaue Apostles Pastors and Teachers that we should no more be caried about with euery winde of doctrine or be morked of men but that being enlightened with the true knowledge of the Sonne of God we should altogether mete in vnitie of Faith Wheras therfore the truth is not extinguished in the world but remayneth safe that same cōmeth to passe because it hath the Chirche a faithful keper of it by whoe 's helpe ministerie it is susteined But if this keping standeth in the ministerie of the Prophetes and Apostles it foloweth that it hangeth wholy herupō if the word of the Lord be faithfully preserued doe kepe hys puritie But that the reders may better vnderstande vpon what pointe thys question chefely standeth I wil in fewe wordes declare what our aduersaries require and wherin we stande against them Where they say that the Chirche can not erre it tendeth herunto thus they expounde it that forasmuch as it is gouerned by the Spirite of God it may goe safely without the worde that whether soeuer it goeth it can not thinke nor speake any thing but truth that therfore if it determine any thing wtout or beside Gods worde the same is no otherwise to be estemed than as a certaine Oracle of God If we graūt that first point that the Chirche can not erre in thinges necessarie to saluation this is our meaning that this is therfore because forsaking al her own wisdome she suffreth her selfe to be taught of the Holy ghost by the word of God This therfore is the difference They set the authoritie of the Chirch without the worde of God but we wil that it be annexed to the worde and suffer it not to be seuered from it And what maruel is it if the spouse and scholar of Christ be subiect to her husbande scholemaister that the cōtinually and ernestly hāgeth of his mouth For this is the order of a wel gouerned house that the wife should obey the authoritie of the husbande thys is the rule of a wel ordered schoole that the teaching of the scholemaster alone should there be heard Wherfore let the Chirche not be wise of her selfe not thinke any thing of her selfe but determine the ende of her wisdōe where he hath made an ende of speaking After thys maner she shal also distruste all the inuentions of her owne reason but in those thinges wherin it stādeth vpō the word of God she shall wauer
them he maketh them partakers of hymselfe when in the meane tyme these fellowes driuing them farre away do adiudge them to death For if they say for a shift that infantes do not therfore perishe if they be accompted the children of Adam their error is abundantly confuted by witnesse of the Scripture For where as it pronounceth that all do dye in Adam it foloweth that there remaineth no hope of life but in Christe Therefore that we maye be made heires of lyfe we must communicate with him Agayne when it is written in an other place that by nature we are all subiecte to the wrath of God and conceiued in sinne wherunto DamnatioÌ„ perpetually cleaueth we must departe oute of oure owne nature before that the entrie be open to vs into the kingdome of God And what can be more playnely spoken than that fleshe and blood can not possesse the kingdome of God Therfore let al be doone away what soeuer is ours which shall not be done withoute regeneration then we shall see this possession of the kyngdome Finally if Christ say truely when he reporteth that he is life it is necessarie that we be graffed into hym that we may be deliuered out of the bondage of death But saye they how are infantes regenerate which are not endued with knowlege neither of good nor of euyl But we answer that the worke of God is not yet no worke at all althoughe it be not subiect to our capacitie Moreouer it is nothyng doutefull that the infantes whiche are to be saued as verily of that age some are saued are before regenerate of the Lorde For if they bryng with them from their mothers wombe the corruption naturally planted in them they must be purged therof before that they be admitted into the kyngdome of God whereinto nothyng entreth that is defiled or spotted If they be borne synners as bothe Dauid and Paule affirme eyther they remaine out of fauor and hatefull to God or they must nedes be iustified And what seke we more when the iudge himself openly affirmeth that the entrie into heauenly life is open to none but to them that bee borne agayne And to put suche carpers to silence he shewed an example in Iohn the Baptist whome he sanctified in his mothers wombe what he was able to doo in the rest Neither dooe they any thyng preuaile by the shifte wherewith they here mocke that that was but ones done wherupon it dothe not by and by folow that the Lorde is wonte commonly to doe so with infantes For neither do we reason after that maner onely our purpose is to shew that the power of God is by them vniustly and enuiously limitted within those narrowe boundes within which it suffreth not it selfe to be bounde Their other by shift is euen of as great weight They allege that by the vsuall maner of the Scripture this worde from the wombe is as muche in effecte as if it were sayd from childhode But we may clerely see that the Angell when he declared the same to zacharie meant an other thyng that is that it whiche was not yet borne shoulde be filled with the Holy ghoste Lette vs not therfore attempt to appoynt a law to God but that he may sanctifie whom it pleased him as he sanctified this childe forasmuche as his power is nothyng minyshed And truely Christ was therfore sanctified from his first infantie that he might sanctifie in himself his elect out of euery age without differeÌ„ce For as to do away the fault of disobedience which had ben committed in our fleshe he hath put on the same fleshe vpon himselfe that he might in it for vs and in our stede performe perfect obedience so he was conceiued of the Holy ghost that hauyng the holynesse therof fully poured into hym in the fleshe which he had taken vpon hym he myght poure foorth the same into vs. If we haue in Christ a most perfect paterne of all the graces which God continually sheweth to his children verily in this behalfe also he shall be a profe vnto vs that the age of infantie is not so farre vnfitt for sanctification But howsoeuer it be yet this we holde out of controuersie that none of the electe is called out of this present life which is not fyrst made holy and regenerate by the Spirit of God Wheras they obiect to the contrary that in the Scriptures the Spirite acknowlegeth no other regeneration but of incorruptible sede that is of the worde of God they do wrongfully expounde that sayeng of Peter wherin he comprehendeth onely the faithfull which had ben taught by preaching of the Gospell To suche in dede we graunt that the word of the Lorde is the onely sede of spirituall regeneration but we denye that it ought therupon to be gathered that infantes can not be regenerate by the power of God which is to him as easy and ready as to vs it is incomprehensible and wonderfull Moreouer it shoulde not bee safe enough for vs to take this awaye from the Lorde that he maye not be able to shewe hymselfe to bee knowen to them by whatsoeuer waye he will But Faith say they is by hearyng wherof they haue not yet gotten the vse neither can they be able to knowe God whom Moses teacheth to be destiâ—ute of the knowlege bothe of good and euill But they consider not that the Apostle wheÌ„ he maketh hearyng the beginnyng of faith describeth onely the ordinarie distribution of the Lorde and disposition whiche he vseth to kepe in calling them that be his but appointeth not to him a perpetuall rule that he may not vse any other way Which way verily he hath vsed in the calling of many to whome he hath geuen the true knowlege of himselfe by an inwarde maner by the enlightening of the Spirite wtout any preaching vsed for meane thereof But whereas they thinke it shal be a great absurditie if any knowlege of God be geueÌ„ to infantes from whom Moses taketh away the vnderstaÌ„ding of good and euil I beseche them to answere me what danger is there if they be sayd to receiue some part of that grace wherof a litle after they shal enioye the ful plentifulnesse For if the fulnesse of lyfe standeth in the perfect knowlege of God when many of them whom in their very first infantie death by and by taketh away doe passe into eternall life truely they are receiued to beholde the most present face of God WhoÌ„ therfore the Lord wil enlighteÌ„ with the ful bryghtnesse of hys lyghte why maye he not presently also if it so please hym sende out to shyne vppon them some small sparcle therof specially if he do not first vncloth them of ignorance before the he take them out of the prison of the flesh Not that I meane rashly to affirme that they be endued with the same Faith which we fele in our selues or that they haue altogether lyke knowlege of faith which I had
Chirch these men allow no anointer but the pety sacrificing Prest Wheras they expounde in Iames presbyteros the Elders to be Prestes and fondly say that the plurall number is there set for comlynesses sake that is but trifling as though the Chirches at that tyme abounded with swarmes of sacrificing Prestes that they mighte goe in a long pompous shewe to carrie a pageante of holy oyle When Iames simply biddeth that sicke men be annointed I vnderstande by it none other annointing but of common oyle and none other is founde in markes rehearsal These men vouchesaue to haue none other oyle but that which is hallowed of the Bishop that is to say warmed with much breathing on it enchaunted with much mumbling and with the knee bowed nine times saluted in thys maner thrise Haile holy oyle thrise Hayle holy chresme thrise Hayle holy balme Oute of whom haue they sucked such coniurations Iames sayth that when the sicke man is annointed with oyle and prayer hath ben pronounced ouer hym if he be in sinnes they shal be forgeuen hym namely that the giltinesse being taken away they may obteine release of the peine not meaning that sinnes are put away with fat liquor but that the prayers of the faithful wherby the afflicted brother is commended to God shal not be vaine These men do wickedly lye that by their holy that is to say abhominable annointing sinnes are forgeuen Loe how gayly they shal preuaile when they haue ben at large suffred to abuse the testimonie of Iames at their pleasure And least we should nede to trauaile loÌ„g in profe hereof their own chronicles do discarge vs of this hardnesse For thei report that Pope Innocentius which in Augustines time gouerned the Chirch of Rome ordeined that not only Prestes but also all Christians should vse oyle to annoint for their own necessitie and others Author hereof is Sigebert in his Cronicles Of ecclesiasticall Orders The fourth place in their register hath the Sacrament of Order but the same so fruteful that it bredeth out of it selfe seuen litle Sacramentes But this is very worthy to be laughed at that wheras they affirme that there be seuen Sacramentes wheÌ„ they go about to rehearse them they recken vp thirtene Neither can they allege for themselues that they are but one Sacrament because they tende all to one Presthode and are as it were certaine degrees vnto it For sith it is euident that in euerye one of them are seuerall Ceremonies and they theÌ„selues say that there be diuerse graces no maÌ„ can dout but that they ought to be called seueÌ„ Sacramentes if their opinioÌ„s be receiued And why striue we about it as though it were a thing doutefull forasmuch as they themselues doe plainly and seuerally declare seuen But first we wil brefely knitt vp by the way how many and how vnfauorie absurdities they thrust in vnto vs when they goe aboute to commende to vs their Orders in stede of Sacramentes then we wil se whether the Ceremonie which Chirches vse in ordering of ministers ought to be called a SacrameÌ„t at al. They make therfore seueÌ„ ecclesiastical Orders or degrees which they garnish with the name of a Sacrament Those be dorekepers Reders Exorcistes Acoluthes or folowers Subdeacons DeacoÌ„s Prestes And vii they say that they be for the seuenfolde grace of the Holy ghost wherew t they ought to be endued that are promoted vnto them But it is encreased more largely heaped to them in their promotion Now the nuÌ„ber it selfe is hallowed with a wroÌ„gful expouÌ„ding of Scripture wheÌ„ they think that thei haue red in Esai vii vertues of the Holy ghost wheras both in dede Esay there rehearseth but six also the prophet meÌ„t not to coÌ„preheÌ„d them al in that place for he is ells where as wel called the Spirite of lyfe of sanctification of adoption of the children as he is in the place called the Spirite of wisdome of vnderstanding of couÌ„sel of strength of knowlege of the feare of the Lord. Howbeit some sutteler meÌ„ make not seuen orders but nyne after the likenesse as they say of the Chirche triuÌ„phing But among them also there is strife because some would have the shauing of the clergie to be the first order of al Bishoprike the last other some excluding shauing altogether recken Archebishoprike among the orders I sidore otherwise diuideth them For he maketh Psalmisâ—es Reders to be diuerse he apointeth the Psalmists for soÌ„ges the Reders to the reding of the Scriptures wherw t the people may be instructed And thys distinctioÌ„ is kept by the canons In so great diuersitie what wil they haue vs to follow or flee Shal we say that there be seueÌ„ orders So teaceth the master of the schole but the most illuminate doctors do otherwise determine Againe they also disagree among themselues Moreouer the moste sacred canons call vs an other way Thus forsoth do men agree when they dispute of Godly maters without the worde of God But thys excedeth all follye that in euery one of these they make Christ fellow with them First say they he executed the office of dorekeper when he did with a whip made of cordes dryue the byers and sellers oute of the temple He signifieth himselfe to be a dorekeper when he sayeth I am the dore He toke vpon hym the office of Reader when he red Esay in the Sinagoge He did the office of an Exorcist when touching the tong and eares of the deff and dumme man he restored to hym hys hearing He testified himselfe to be an Acoluthe or folower in these wordes He that foloweth me walketh not in darkenesse He executed the office of Subdeacon when beyng girded with a linen cloth he washed the disciples feete He did beare the persone of a Deacon when he distributed hys body and blood in the Supper He fulfilled the office of Preste when he offred himselfe vpon the crosse a sacrifice to his Father These thinges can not so be heard wtout laughing that I maruel that they were written wtout laughing if yet they wer meÌ„ that wrote them But moste notable is their sutteltie wherewith they play the Philosophers about the name of Acoluth calling him a Ceroferar a taper bearer with a worde as I thynke of sorcerie truely such a one as was neuer heard of in al nations and languages wheras Acoluthos in Greke simply signifieth a folower Howbeit if I shold earnestly tarry in confuting these men I should my self also worthily be laughed at they are so trifling and very mockeries But that they may not be able yet stil with false colors to deceiue eueÌ„ very silly women their vanitie is by the way to be vttered They create with great pompe and solemnitie their Reders Psalmistes Dorekekers Acolutes to execute those offices wherunto they appoint very children or those whome they call lay men For who for the most part lighteth the candels who poureth wine and water into