farre aboue all earthly richesse Thus much haue I said hetherto touching restitution of which other men haue left very ample discourses I for my part do see that to a godly minde this worke of restitution is short and plaine enough and therefore haue I spoken of it so shortly as I haue For a godly and well disposed man doeth with al his hart desire and seeke to obey the lawe of God and therefore by calling to God for ayde he shall easilie finde a way to woorke iustice equitie As for those whose desire is rather to seme iust men than to be iust in deede and do loue this world more than it becommeth them to doe they with their ouer many questions and innumerable Perchaunces and Put cases do make the treatise of restitution so tedious and intricate that no man shall euer bee able to make it so plaine that they will vnderstand it I wil not therefore aunsweare them any more but onely warne them to examine their owne conscience see what that doth bidde them doe Now I would haue that cōscience of theirs to be settled in and be mindfull of the generall lawe which saith Whatsoeuer thou wouldest haue done to thee selfe that doe thou to another and whatsoeuer thou wouldest not haue done to the selfe that doe not thou to an other After this now I will somewhat freely discourse vppon the iust possessing vsing or disposing of well gotten earthly substance First of all no man must put any confidence in richesse which are in deede things transitorie and doe quickly decay wee must not settle our minds vpon nor be in loue with them but by all meanes take heede that they driue vs not to idolatrie nor hinder the course that we haue to passe Heauen is the goale wherat we runne Here againe we must all giue eare to the diuine and heauenly woords vttered by the Prophete Dauid who said Put your trust in God alwayes powre out your heartes before him for God is our refuge As for the children of men they be but vaine the children of mē are deceitfull vppon the weightes they are altogether lighter than vanitie it selfe Truste not in wronge and robberie giue not your selues to vanitie if riches increase set not your hartes vppon them The Apostle Paule beeing indued with the same spirite biddeth vs to vse the world and worldly thinges as though we vsed them not Againe hee calleth couetousnesse the worshipping of idolls and chargeth rich men not to put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the lyuing god who ministreth to all creatures lyuing sufficiently enough And therefore the Lord in the Gospell forbiddeth to heape vpp treasures vppon earth Now on the other side we are not bidden by the Apostles to spend oure goods prodigallie in riot and wantonnesse For wee may not abuse the wealth that the Lord hath lent vs in pride and luxurie as many doe who lash out al in dieing sumptuous building straung clothiong excessiue drinking and ouer deyntie banquetting The end and destruction of such kind of people the Lord doeth verie finely though not without terrour to them that heare it set downe in the parable of the rich glutton who after his delicate fare coastly apparell was after this life tormented in hell with vnspeakeable thirste toasted there with vnquencheable fire Therefore these temporall goods must be rightly holilie and moderately vsed without excesse Euerie man must acknowledge these terrestriall goods to be the meere and free giftes of our bountifull and heauenly father and not to be giuen for our deserts or gottē by our might For wee haue of Gods liberalitie all thinges necessarie to mainteyne oure liues It is the Lord which blesseth and doth prosper our labour Finallie they are not euil but the good gifts of God which he giueth for the maintenaunce of our liues and not to our destruction the fault is in our selues that riches are a snare to bring many men to euill ends Moreouer the Lord himselfe requireth and in his woord commaundeth vs to be thanckful vnto him for his good benefits bestowed on vs to vse them with thankes giuing to praise his name for al things and to reioyce in his fatherly goodnes shewed vnto vs For thus doth Moses the seruaunt of God in Deuteronomie charge the Israelites When thou hast eaten therefore and filled thee selfe then thancke the Lord thy God in that good land which hee hath giuen thee Beware that thou forgett not the Lord thy God that thou wouldest not keepe his commaundementes his lawes and ordinances which I commaund thee this day yea and when thou hast eaten filled thee selfe and hast built goodly houses and dwellest therein and when thy beastes and thy sheepe are waxen many and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied and al that thou hast is increased then beware least thine heart rise and thou forgett the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and from the house of bondage Say not then in thine heart my power and the might of mine owne hand hath prepared mee this aboundance Remember the Lord thy GOD for it is hee that giueth thee power to gett substance c. Moreouer Paule the Apostle saith that al the creatures of God are good created to the good and preseruation of vs men and biddeth vs vse them with the feare of God and giuing of thanckes And againe Whether yee eate or drincke or whatsoeuer ye do do all to the glorie of God. And in another place Let your maners bee farre from couetousnes and bee content with the thinges that yee haue For he hath said I do not forsake nor leaue thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper I wil not feare what man can doe vnto mee Let earthly goodes also serue our necessitie Nowe necessitie requireth a commodious dwelling place so much victualls as are sufficiente comely apparell and honeste company keeping wyth oure neighbours and equalls Let euery man measure and esteeme these circumstaunces first by his owne personne then by his familie or household For an householder must warely prouide and foresee that no necessarie thinge be wanting in his familie Of this care of the househoulder there are sundrye testimonies of Scripture extant but especiallie that of Saint Paule in the fifth Chapiter of his first Epistle to Timothie And here note that by necessitie all thinges are mente which the body or life of man doth necessarily require and stand in néede of and finally whatsoeuer the honestie and beséeming of euery man doth craue or demaunde And thus farre verily and to this ende or purpose it is lawfull for any man to lay somewhat vp in stoare against yeares to come The man whose charge is much in keping a great house hath néede of the more to maintayne it withall and hée whose familie is not so bigge néedeth so much the lesse as his house is the smaller And one
holie ghost c. 872 1 He which sent me to baptise with water the same sayde vnto me Vppon whom so euer thou shalt sée the holie Ghost c. 1033 1 I am not Christ but am sent before him to beare record of him c. 578 1 Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world c. 365. 568 2 Away with these thinges from hence make not my fathershouse an house of merchandize c. 586 3 He that commeth from on high is aboue al He that c. 527 983 3 I am the voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse make streight the waye of the Lord c. 983 3 Ye your selues are witnesses that I saide that I am not the Christe c. 867 3 If I haue tolde you of earthly things and ye beléeue not c. 964 3 This is condemnation bycause the light came into the worlde c. 546 3 He whom God hath sent dothe speake the words of god For God giueth not the spirite by measure vnto him c. 627 3 God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. 48. 546. 549 3 He that beléeueth in the sonne of God is not condemned c. 779 3 And as Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse c. 48. 549 3 No man hath ascended vp into heauen but he that came downe froÌ„ heauen c. 696 3 Verily I say vnto you Except a man be borne of water and of the spirite c. 501. 1046. 1049 3 The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof c. 714 3 Hée that beléeueth not is condemned alreadie bycause hâ—e hath not bâ—léeued in the name c. 643 4 God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and truth c. 416 427. 715 4 I knowe that the Messiah shal come which is caled Christ c. 539 4 Iesus him selfe did not baptise but his disciples c. 1056 4 The home coÌ„meth when ye shal neyther in this mounteine neither at Ierusalem worship c. 1004 4 He whiche drinketh of this water shall thirst againe c. 1002 5 They that haue done good shall come foorth vnto the resurrection of life c. 747 5 The father hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that al might honour the sonne as they honour the the father c. 661. 686. 920 5 Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kill him not onely bycause he had broken the Sabbaoth daye c. 59. 683 5 Who so hath the sonne hath life who so hath not the sonne of God hath not life c. 643 5 My father worketh hetherto I worke c. 638 5 Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father there is one that accâ—â—eth you c. 402 5 There is one which accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye hope c 376 5 The Lord conueyed him selfe away while the people woulde haue made him a king c. 218 5 We know that the sonne of god is come hath giuen vs a mynde that we should knowe him c. 685 6 The words of our lord touching the eating of his body make muche for the meaning of the wordes vsed in the sacramental supper c. 54 6 He that eateth me shall liue by me c. 49 6 I am the liuely bread that came downe from heauen c. 684 6 Exâ—ept ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you c. 1049 6 My fleshe is meaâ—e in déede and my bloud is drinke in déed c. 696 6 He that cateth my flesh drinketh my bloud dwelleth in c. 825 6 No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father drawe him c. 589 6 This is the wâ—l of him that sent me the â—ather that euery one which sâ—â—th the sonne and beleueth in him shoulde haue euerlasting life c. 48 643 6 Lord to whome shal we go thou hast the wordes of eternall life and we beleeue and knowe c. 569 6 Doth this offend you What therefore if you shall sée the sonne of man c. 69 7 The holy Ghoste was not yet there bicause Iesus was not yet glorified c. 430 7 If any man thirst let him come vnto me drinke c. 706. 725. 825 8 I am the light of the world He that followeth me doth not walke in darknesse 686. 833 8 The diuell was a murtherer froÌ„ the beginning and abode not in the truth c. 485. 746 8 We are not borne of fornication we haue one father eueÌ„ god c 683 8 If ye abide in my sayinge ye shal be my disciples in déede and ye shal knowe the truth c. 676 8 Verily I say vnto you before Abraham was I am c. 678 8 He that is of God dothe heare the word of God c. 822. 827 8 Abraham was glad to sée my daye and he saw it and reioyced c 433 8 Verily verily I say vnto you c. if the sonne therfore shall make you frée c. 444. 591 9 Maister who sinned this man or his parentes that he was borne blinde c. 293 9 Doest thou beléeue in the sonne of God c. 59. 652 10 I am the doore c. 662 10 Many good works haue I shewed you from my father for which of these good works do ye stone me c. 683 10 I and my father are one Then the Iewes tooke vp stones c. 59 10 How long doest thou make vs doubt c. 538 10 I haue power to forgiue â—innes to raiâ—e to life whome I will and to giue righteousnesse c. 696 10 My shéepe heare my voyce I knowe them and they follow me c. 645. 822. 827 10 I giue vnto my shéepe euerlasting life neyther shall they perish for euer c. 683 11 I am the resurrection and the life he that beléeueth in me c 68 12 My soule is heauie euen vnto the death c. 64 12 I when I shal be lift vppe from the earth will drawe c. 64 12 Verily verily I say vnto you vnlesse the séede of corne c. 65 13 Verily verily I say vnto you He that receiueth whome so euer I shall send receiueth me c. 1104 13 About the end of the Supper the diuell entred into Iudas c. 80. 515. 1108 13 Verily I say vnto thée the cock shall not â—â—â—we till thou hast denyed me thrise c. 564 13 He that is washed néedeth not saue to washe his feete c. 772 13 The Apostle or messinger is not greater than he that sent him c. 877 13 A newe commandement I giue vnto you that ye loue one an other as I haue c. 826 14 Ye beleeue in God beleeue and in me c. 692 14 That comforter whiche is the holie Ghost whome the father will send in my name c. 627. 724 14 I will praye the father and
hindereth the saluation of men soweth infinite 〈◊〉 in the church of god And truely the Hebrues cal him sathan whom we call an aduersarie That worde is translated vnto men For in that Peter set himselfe against the counsel and purpose of God he heareth this voyce of the lord Get thee behinde me sathan And Dauid also said to his nephue Abisai the sonne of Zeruia What haue I to do with you ye sonnes of Zeruia that this day ye should be aduersaries vnto me For Abisai gaiâ—e said the counsell and decrée of Dauid The diuell is called Daemon tâ— wit knowing craftie and cunning in many things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies I know For Plato truly in Craâ—ylo according to the opinion of Hesiodus doeth thinke that diuells whome wée commonly call by this word Daemones are called and as it were named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is wise prudent knowing Héerevnto the word serpent must be referred The serpent saith the Scripture was subtiler than all the beastes of the fielde Therefore did the diuell choose the serpent to be his dwelling place by whome he might put his guileful deuises in practise deceiue our firste pareÌ„ts For he is called the deceiuer the beguiler seducer of the world the olde serpent dragon For what seducing soeuer there is in y worlde what wicked deuises and deceitfull practises they flow froÌ„ this one fouÌ„tein of all his mischief In prophane writers this word is vsed in a farre contrarie significatioÌ„ For Socrates in Plato saith I affirme that euery maÌ„ is DaemoÌ„ that is to say wise whosoeuer is good that he is Daemoniacus that is to say wise happie both aliue and dead Wherfore it is a thing verie much and often vsed of Homer to adorne noble personages with this name But in the historie of the gospel Demoniaci are such as are possessed with a diuel Paule in his first epistle to Tuno reduceth draweth the whole body of deceits doctrins coloured with a shew of false wisedoÌ„e vnto this hed S Peter saith Be sober watch for your aduersarie the diuel as a roring lion walketh about seking whom he may deuour whom resist stedfastly in faith By the Lion he shadoweth out vnto vs the nature or dispositioÌ„ of the diuel For the diuel hath excéeding great streÌ„gth he is ful of gréedy raueny most cruel fiercenesse whervpoÌ„ he is also called of some a cruell beast The Lorde calleth him a murtherer For he inspired into Cain and all mansâ—ears horrible murthers at this day also he soundeth the alarum to all warres to all broyling battels to al slaughters and seditions to be short he kindleth wrath he soweth hatred nourisheth enuie He is named a tempter For he is alwayes egging men to mischîefe sparing nothing whatsoeuer he thinketh can entice and drawe vs to thinges most wicked In the historie of the gospell and in the writings of the Apostles the diuell hath wel nigh the name of an vnclean of a mischiefous or malignant of a filthie wicked spirite For he fell not froÌ„ his purenesse onely through his owne fault in which he was first created of that most pure god but euen now also he is delighted with vnpurenesse allureth al men to vncleanesse From this maister of mischief procede al filthy lusts al whoredoÌ„es adulteries al excesse drunkennes surfeting all beastlines vanitie pride arrogancie c. Now the diuel also in the gospel is called Beelzebub bicause that sometime they of Accaron in Palestine thinking they worshipped God worshipped in very déede the diuell S. Paule saith What agreement hath Christ with Belial he setteth Belial against Christ to wit the diuell against god But Moses put y cogitatioÌ„ of Belial for a wicked euill thought Therfore the diuell is wicked vngodly rebellious obstinate against god For they say that Belial signifieth altogether as much as if a man would say lawlesse without yoke without discipline There are some also which think that in the boke of Iob the diuell is figured or signified by Behemoth Leuiathan Iob. 40. and 41. chapter S. Paule giueth the diuels diuers names saâ—ing that the godly haue battaile against principalities and powers against worldly gouernours of th darcknesse of this worlde against spierituall wickednesse in heauenly places against the gouernour that ruleth in the aire against the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience whome also in an other place hee calleth The God of this worlde And as God exerciseth his power in the worlde and in the good for the moste parte by good angels who for that cause I saide are called principalities and powers so because the same GOD of his iuste iudgemente doeth suffer the diuell to haue rule ouer the wicked they are rightlie called principalities and powers Not that GOD deliuereth vnto him the méere and chiefest rule for all power belongeth to God onelie but because hee suffereth him to execute his tyrannie For he plainely saithe that he is the Prince of the worlde to witt of the wicked For by interpretation it followeth He is the Prince of the darcknesse of this worlde And who knoweth not that in the Scriptures darcknesse doeth signifie ignorance blindenesie vnbeliefe vngodlinesse and wickednesse and to bee short vngodly men which are drowned in these vices And againe there is added that whiche declareth the true meaning Which worketh in the children of disobedience Therefore the faithfull and obediente who are in the kingdome of Christe not in the kingdome of the diuel are exempted from this rule gouernmeÌ„t Neither is sathan called God vpon any other consideration for there is added of this world For in very déed the diuell is not a God but because there are fouÌ„d in the world certaine mad meÌ„ who take him for god he hath the name of God The 〈◊〉 father Augustine expounded this no otherwise For in his treatise vpoÌ„ Iohn 25. he saith God forbid we should think the diuell were so called the prince of the world that we should beleue that hee is able to rule ouer heauen and earth but the worlde for he is called the prince of this world is said to be in wicked men which are dispearsed throughout the whole compasse of the earth And againe the same August in his firste chap. De agone christiano saith The prince of this world is cast out not that he is cast out of y world but out of their mindes which cleaue to the worde of god and loue not the world whereof he is Prince because he hath dominion ouer them whiche loue teÌ„poral goods which are conteyned in this visible world not for that he is Lord of this worlde but prince of those concupiscences whereby euery thing is coueted that is transitorie By this concupiscence the diuell reigneth in man and holdeth his hart in possession The same Doctor in his treatise vppon
haereticorum THe rule of faith is that we out of hande professe openly what our beleefe is which is that in deed wherby we beleeue that there is one God onlie not any other beside the maker of the worlde whiche by his worde sent out firste of all brought foorth all thinges of nothing That worde beeing called his Sonne beeing seene after sundry sortes of the Patriarches beeing alwayes hearde in the Prophetes and lastly by the spirit and power of God the father beeing brought into the virgin Marie beeing made fleash in her wombe and borne of her became Iesus Christ which afterwarde preached the new law and the new promise of the kingdome of Heauen wrought myracles sate at the right hande of the Father was nayled to the crosse roase againe the thirde day was taken into the heaueÌ„s sitteth at the right hand of the Father sent the power of the holie Ghost to gouerne the beleeuers in his owne steed shall come with glorie to take the saintes into the ioy of eternall life and heauenly promises and to condemne the wicked to euerlasting fier when both the parties are raysed vp and haue their fleash restored againe This rule as it shall be prooued beeing ordeyned by Christ hath among vs no doubtes at all but those which heresies bring in and which make men become heretiques The Creede of the blessed Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria taken out of his bookes WHosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessarie that he holde the Catholique faith Which faith exeept euery one do kepe holy vndefiled without dout he shall perish euerlastingly And the Catholique faith is this that we worship one God in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the persons nor diuiding the substance For there is one person of the Father another of the Sonne and another of the holy Ghost But the godhead of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost is all one the glory equall the maiestie coeternall Such as the Father is such is the Sonne and such is the holy Ghost The Father vncreate the Sonne vncreate and the holy Ghost vncreate The Father incomprehensible the Sonne incomprehensible and the holy Ghoste incomprehensible The Father eternall the Sonne eternall and the holie Ghost eternall And yet they are not three eternalls but one eternall As also there be not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the Father is almightie the Sonne almightie and the holie Ghoste almightie And yet are they not three almighties but one almightie So the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holie Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods but one God. So likewise the father is Lord the Sonne Lord and the holie Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lordes but one Lord. For like as we be coÌ„pelled by the Christian veritie to acknowledge euerie person by him selfe to be God and Lorde So are we forbidden by the Catholique religion to say there be three Gods or three Lordes The father is made of none neither created nor begotten The sonne is of the father alone not made nor created but begotten The holie Ghost is of the father and of the sonne neyther made nor created nor begotten but proceeding So there is one father not three fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy ghost not three holy ghostes And in this Trinitie none is afore or after other none is greater or lesse than other But the whole three persons be coetâ—rnall together and coequall So that in all things as is aforesaid the vnitie in trinitie and the trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped He therefore that will be saued must thus thinke of the trinitie Furthermore it is necessarie to euerlasting saluation that he also beleeue rightly in the incarnation of our Lorde Iesus Christ For the right faith is that we beleeue and confesse that our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is God and man. God of the substance of the father begotten before the worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the worlde Perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall to the father as touching his godhead and inferior to the father touching his manhood Who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by the conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God. One altogether not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ Who suffered for our saluation descended into hell rose againe the thirde day from the deade He ascended into heauen he sitteth on the right hand of the father God almightie from whence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead At whose comming all men shall rise againe with their bodies and shall giue account for their owne woorkes And they that haue done good shall goe into life euerlasting and they that haue done euill into euerlasting fier This is the Catholique faith which except a man beleeue faithfully he can not be saued The Creede of the blessed Damasus bishop of Rome taken out of the seconde Tome of S. Hierome his woorkes WE beleeue in one God the father almightie and in one Iesus Christ our Lorde the sonne of God and in the holy ghost We worship and confesse God not three Gods but the father the sonne and the holy ghost one God one God not so as though he were alone nor as one which is himselfe father to him selfe and sonne him selfe also but him to be the father which begot him to be the sonne which was begotten but the holy ghost to be neither begotten nor created nor created nor made but proceeding from the father and the sonne coeternall coequal and working together with the father and the sonne because it is written By the worde of the Lorde the heauens were established that is by the sonne of God and by the breath of his mouth all the powers thereof And in another place Sende forth thy breath and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth And therfore vnder the name of the father of the sonne of the holy ghost we confesse one God which is the name of the power and not of the propertie The proper name of the father is the father and the proper name of the sonne is the sonne and the proper name of the holy ghost is the holy ghost In this trinitie of persons we worship one god in substance because that which is of one father is of one nature with the father of one substance and one power The father begat the sonne not by will or necessitie but by nature The sonne in the last time came downe from the father to saue vs and to fulfill the scriptures who neuerthelesse neuer ceassed to be with the father And
liued without lawe c. 502 7 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death c. 409 7 With the mynde the same I or euen I doe serue the Lawe of God c. 515 7 Wee knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne c. 405. 496 7 I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there is no good c. 482 589. 594. 7 I knewe not sinne but by the lawe for I had not knowne lust except the lawe c. 325. 401 7 I finde when I would doe good that euill is present with by and in me c. 515 8 Those which he knewe before he did also predestinate that they should be like c. 894 8 It is God that iustifieth who is he that can condemne c. 662 8 Who spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs all howe can it be that he shoulde not also with him giue vs allthings c. 644 8 You haue not receiued againe the spirite of bondage vnto feare but you haue receiued the spirite of adoption c. 565. 660 8 If any haue not the spirite of Christ the same is none of his c. 660. 925. 1055 8 As many as are led by the spirite of GOD they are the sonnes of God c. 718 8 They that are in the fleshe can not please God c 728 8 Bâ—cause ye are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your hearts c. 723 8 Who shall separate vs from the loue of GOD shall tribulation c. 93. 311 8 The affection of the flesh is death but the affection of the spirit is life c. 325 8 The lawe of the spirite of life through Christe Iesus hath made mée frée c. 446 8 Wée are saued by hope but hope that is séene is no hope For howe can a man c. 305 8 What the Lawe could not do in as much as it was weake through the flesh c. 407 8 We sufferwith Christ that with him we may be glorified For I am c. 310 9 It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie c. 644 9 They are not all Israelits whiche came of Israel neither are they c. 820 9 Which is God in all thinges to be praised for euer c. 685 10 Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the woord of god c. 827 10 With the heart man beléeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth c. 974 10 But how shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beléeued c. 660 10 If thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beléeue in thine heart c. 1007 10 The same Lord ouer all is rich to all them that call vppon him c. 546. 11 Wée say that faith was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse c. 1011 11 I haue left vnto me selfe 7000 men in Israel who haue neuer bowed c. 855 11 O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. 642 12 I beséeche you brethren by the mercies of god that ye giue vp your bodies a liuely sacrifice c. 668 12 Dearely beloued reuenge not your selues but rather giue place vn to wrath c. 197 12 For as we haue manâ— meÌ„bers in one body and all members haue not c. 826 13 Owe nothing to any man c. for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the Lawe c. 98 13 The magistrate is Gods minister giue therefore to all men honour to whome honour belongeth c. 650 13 Wée must not obey the magistrate for anger onely but for â—onscience sake c. 220 13 Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. 170. 755 14 Let vs followe the things that make for peace and al things wherby we may one edifie c. 426 14 Him that is weake in faith receiue ye not to strifes of disputations c. 451 14 All thinges are lawfull for mée but all thinges are not expedient c. 449 14 The kingdom of GOD is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace c. 699 16 Phebe a woman deacon of the Church of Cencrea c. 879 ¶ Out of the first Epistle of S. Paule to the Corinthians 1 THe Lord sent me to preache the Gospel and not to baâ—tise c. 1055 1 Were ye baptised in the name of Paule c. 627 1 I thancke God that I baptised none of you but Crispus and Gaius c. 1033 1 Nowe we sée in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then we shall sée face to face c. 608 1 After that in the wisedome of God the world through their wisedome knewe not God c. 619 2 God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges c. 728 2 Had they knowen it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie c. 695 2 My preaching was not in the enticeing words of mans wisedom but in the shewing of the spirite c. 603. 825 2 I was among you CorinthiaÌ„s in weakenesse and in feare and in much trembling c. 831 2 The natural man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of GOD c. 500. 589 3 As a skilfull buildes I haue laid the foundation c. 860 3 For wee together are Gods labourers ye are gods husbandrie c. 860 3 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is layed which is c. 861. 862 3 He which watereth is nothing nor he which planteth c. 20. 3 Who is Paul And who is Apollos but the ministers by whom ye beléeued c. 860. 873 983. 1137 3 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God that the spirit of God dwelleth in you c. 717. 723. 861 3 Not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues c. 646 3. 4. Ministers are fellowe labourers with God and disposers of the secretes c. 873 4 Let a man so estéeme of vs as the ministers of Christ and disposers c. 881 4 For it is required in the disposers that a man be found faithfull c. 895 4 I begat you in Christe Iesu thorough the Gospell c. 827 5 God was in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them c. 555. 569. 5 If any man that is called a brother be a théefe or a whoremonger c. 819. 1131 5 Therefore let vs kéepe the feast not in the old leauen nor in the leauen of malice c. 367 6 Yee are bought with a price become therefore the seruants c. 60 446. 1138 6 The holy and pure vse of the body seuearely requâ—red without all fâ—lthy and vncleane c. 426 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the members of Christe c. 235 6 Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temple
c. 949 1 Let euery man be swift to heare slowe to speake c. 238 1 Pure religion and vndefiled before God the father c. 475. 668. 2 Abraham was not iustified by faith onely c. 465 2 Séest thou how faith was made perfect by workes c. 461 2 Let him aske in faith nothing wauering c. 922 2 Abraham and we are iustified by workes c. 28 2 If a brother or sister be naked destitute of daily foode c. 97 3 Touching the properties of the tongue c. 238 3 For the tongue is a little meÌ„ber and boasteth great things c. 319 4 Ye aske and receiue not because ye aske amisse c. 918 4 There is one law giuer which is able to saue and to destroy c. 905 5 Behold the hyre of labourers whiche haue reaped downe your fields c. 272 5 How the faithful should behaue themselues towards c. 1080 5 Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed c. 574. 580 5 Ye haue liued in pleasure vppon earth and beene wanton c. 299. 300. 509. 5 If any be sicke amonge you let him send for the elders c. 1139 ¶ Out of the first Epistle of S. Peter 1 YE are redéemed not with gold and siluer c. 60. 770 1 We are borne a newe not of corruptible seed c 21 827 1 The prophets did search at what moment or minute of time the spirite c. 363 1 Hope perfectly in the grace which is brought vnto you c. 305 2 Feare God honour the king 151. 2 Christ his owne selfe bare oure sinnes in his body vpon the c. 568 2 Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood c. 1106 2 ChristiaÌ„s are called priests 879 2 As frée and not as hauing the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse c. 448 2 The foundation of the church is Châ—isâ— c. 861 2 Submit your selues to all manner ordinance of man c. 107 3 The eyes of the Lord are vppon the iust c. 521 3 Touching the manner and ordering of womens apparel c. 239 3 That the Lord went in the spirit and preached vnto the spirits c. 66 3 Baptisme saueth vs not the putting away of the filth of the flesh c. 983. 989 4 Dearely beloued thincke it not straunge that ye are tryed with fire c. 294 4 Sée that none of you be punished as a murtherer c 296 4 As euery man hath receiued the gift euen so minister y same c. 905 4 The Gospâ—ll was preached also to the dead c. 765 4 Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes c 584 4 The time is that iudgment must begin at the house of God c. 298 5 Be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuel c. 749. 751 5 The elders that are among you I beséech c. 867 ¶ Out of the second Epistle of S. Peter 1 THe prophecie came not in old time by the will c. 10. 26. 717. 1 No prophecie in the scripture is of any priuate interpretation 907 2 God spared not the angels whiche sinned c. 745 2 The Lord knoweth how to deliuer his from temptation c. 174 2 There were false Prophetes among the people euen as c. 587 2 These are wells without water c. 449 3 In the Epistles of Paule many things are hard to be vnderstood c. 23. 24 ¶ Out of the Epistle of S. Iude. THe Angels which kept not their first estate c. 745 Iude saith that the Angel fought with Sathan the diuel c. 747 ¶ Out of the fâ—â—st Epistle of S. Iohn 1 That which we haue séene and heard we declare vnto you 81 1 The bloud of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from euery sinne c. 82. 552 2 If we say we haue no sinne wée deceiue c. 401. 496. 917 2 They went out from vs but they were none of vs c. 604. 819. 820. 2 Annoynting annoynted c. 180 2 And the annoynting whiche ye haue receiued of him c. 707. 726 2 By this we know that he dwelleth in vs by the spirit that he gaue c. 825 2 My babes these thinges write I vnto you c. 664 2 If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him c. 482. 483 2 Who is a lyar but hee that denieth that Iesus is Christ c. 629 3 Now are we the sonnes of god and yet it doth not appeare c. 727 3 We knowe that when he appeareth we shal be like vnto him 608 3 If we receiue y witnesse of men c. 550 3 Who so hath this worlds good séeth his brother haue c. 289. 1124 3 He that committeth sinne is of the diuel c. 485 3 My babes let vs not loue in word nor in tongue but in déede 96. 4 Beléeue not euery spirite but try the spirites c. 715. 839 4 Whosoeuer coÌ„fesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God c. 463. 825 4 Euery one that loueth him that begat c. 55. 826 4 By this we know his loue because he gaue his life c. 150. 825 4 Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God c. 688 4 Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome in you c. 727 4 God is loue he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God c. 825 5 If any man sée his brother sinne a sinne which is vnto death c. 519 5 He that beléeueth not God maketh him a lyar c. 48 5 For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the world c. 54. 709 5 This is the loue of God that we kéepe his commaundements 409 5 And this is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske c. 54 ¶ Out of the Apocalypse of S. Iohn 1 FEare not I am the first and the last c. 836 1 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end c. 608 1 Iesus Christ prince of the kings of the earth loued vs c. 708 1 Iohn was banished into the Isle of 〈◊〉 c. 873 2 Remember from whence thou art fallen c. 593 2 To him that ouercometh I will giue to eate c. 863 3 These things saith he that is holy and true c. 836 4 And I saw another angel flying through the middst of heauen c. 653 6 Howe long 〈◊〉 thou Lord which art holy true c. 757. 766 7 After this I â—awe and behold a great companie c. 813 14 And I heard a voyce from heauen saying vnto me Write Blessed are the dead c. 780 17 Great Babylon the mother of whoredomes c. 869 18 Go out of her my people c 859 19 And I fell downe before the féeâ—e of the angel to worship him c 653 21 The fearefull and vnbeléeuing
sayinges euen as it were siluer cleansed in the fire and seuen times fined from the earth This you shal more fully perceiue dearely beloued if I speake somewhat more largely of the cause or beginning and certaintie of the worde of god The worde of God is trueth but God is the onely welspring of trueth therefore God is the beginning and cause of the worde of God. And here in déede God since he hath not members like to mortall men wanteth also a bodily mouth yet neuerthelesse bycause the mouthe is the instrument of the voice to God is a mouth atributed For he spake to men in the voice of a man that is in a voice easily vnderstood of men and facioned according to the speach vsually spokeÌ„ among men This is euidentlye to bée séene in the things wherein he dealte with the holy fathers with whome as with oure parents Adam and Eua Noe and the rest of the fathers he is read to haue talked many and often tymes In the mount Sina the Lord him selfe preached to the great congregatioÌ„ of Israel rehearsing so plainly that they might vnderstand those tenne Commaundementes wherein is contained euerye poynt of godlinesse For in the. 5. of Deut. thus we reade These words meaning the. 10. CommauÌ„dements spake the Lorde with a loude voyce from out of the middes of the fire to the whole congregation And in the 4. Chapiter A voice of wordes you hearde but no similitude did you see beside the voice God verily vsed oftentimes the meanes of Angels by whose ministerie he talked with mortall men And it is very well knowne to all men that the sonne of God the father being incarnate walked about on the earth and being very God and man taught the people of Israell almost for the space of 3. yeares But in times past and before that the Sonne of God was borne in the worlde God by litle and litle made him selfe acquainted with the hartes of the holy Fathers after that with the minds of the holy Prophets and last of all by their preaching and writinges he taught the whole worlde So also Christe our Lorde sent the holy ghost which is of the father the sonne into the Apostles by whose mouths words writings he was knowen to all the world And al these seruants of god as it were the elect vessels of God hauing with sincere harts receiued the reuelation of God from God him selfe first of all in a liuely expressed voyce deliuered to the worlde the Oracles and worde of God whiche they before had learned and afterward when the world drewe more to an ende some of them did put them in writing for a memoriall to the posteritie And it is good to know how by whom all this was done For by this narration the true cause certaintie and dignitie of the word of God doth plainly appeare There are not extant to be séene the writings of any man from the beginning of the worlde vntill the time of Moses whiche are come to oure knowledge although it be likely that that same ancient and first world was not altogether without all writings For by S. Iude the Apostle and brother of S. Iames is cited the written prophesie of our holy father Enoch which is read to haue ben the seuenth from our father Adam Furthermore the writing or historie of Iob séemeth to haue bene set foorth a great while before But howe soeuer it is all the Saintes in the Churche of God giue to Moses the faithfull seruant of God the first place amoÌ„g the holy writers From the beginning therefore of the worlde God by his spirit and the ministerie of Angels spake to the holy fathers and they by word of mouth taught their children and childers children and all their posteritie that whiche they had learned at the mouth of God when they verily had hearde it not to the intent to kéepe it close to themselues but also to make their posteritie partakers of the same For God oftentimes witnesseth that He will be the God of the fathers and of their seed for euermore This is most plainly to be séene in the historie of Adam Noe and Abraham the first and great grandfathers In the. 19. of Genesis verily we reade that the angell of God yea and that more is that eueÌ„ the Lorde him selfe did say to Abraham And shall I hide from Abraham what I minde to doe since of Abraham shall come a great and mightie people and al the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him And this I knowe that he will commaunde his children and his posteritie after him to keepe the way of the Lorde and to do iustice iudgement and the rest Abraham therfore a faithfull and zealous worshipper of God did not euen as also those olde fathers of the firste world did not waxe negligent at all herein but did diligently teache men the wil iudgemeÌ„ts of God whervpoÌ„ of Moses yea of God him selfe he is called a prophet That deuout liuely tradition of the fathers from hande to hand was had in vse continually euen from the beginning of the world vntil the time of Moses Moreouer God of his goodnesse did prouide the no age at any time should be without most excellent lightes to be witnesses of the vndoubted faith and fathers of great authoritie For the worlde before the deluge had in it 9. most excellent most holy and wise men Adam Seth Enos Kenam Malaleel Iared Enoch Methusalem and Lamech The chief of these Adam and Methusalem doe beginne and make an end of all the. 1656 yeares of the world before the deluge For Adam liued 930. yeres He dieth therefore the. 726. yeare before the floud And Methusalem liued 969. yeres He dieth in the very same yere that the floud did ouerflowe and he liued together with Adam 243. yeres so that of Adam he might be aboundantly inoughe instructed as concerning the beginning of things as concerning God the fall and restoring againe of mankinde and all things else belonging to religion euen as he was taught of God him selfe These two fathers with the rest aboue named were able sufficiently inoughe to instruct the whole age in the true saluation and right wayes of the Lorde After the deluge God gaue to the world againe excellent men and very great lightes The names of them are Noe Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Palec Reu Saruch Nachor Thaâ—e Abraham Isaac and Iacob Here haue we 13. most excellent Patriarches among whom the first two Noe and Sem are the chiefe nexte to whome Abraham Isaac and Iacob were more notable then the rest Noe liued 950. yeares in all He was 600 yeares olde when the floud drowned the worlde He therefore sawe and hearde all the holy fathers of the firste world before the deluge thrée only excepted Adam Seth and Enos And also he liued manye yeares together with the other whiche had both séene and heard them so that he could be
so haue we the most lightsom testimonies sentences examples decrees of the most excelleÌ„t ancient holy wise greatest meÌ„ of al the world touching all things which séeme to appertaine to true godlynesse the way how to liue wel holily These bookes therefore founde a ready prepared entraunce of beliefe among all the poâ—â—eritie as bookes which are authentical and which of them selues haue authoritie sufficient and which without gainsaying ought to be beléeued of all the world Yea and that more is our Lord Iesus Christe the only begotten sonne of God doth referre the faithfull to the reading of Moses yea and that in déede in the chiefest pointes of our saluation The places are to be séene Iohn 5. Luke 16. In the. 5. of Mathew he saythe Doe not thinke that I am come to destroy the law and the prophetes sor I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them For verily I say vnto you though heauen and earth doe passe one iot or title of the lawe shall not passe till all be fulfilled Who so euer therefore shall vndoe one of the leaste of these commaundementes and shall teache men so he shall be called the leaste in the kingdome of heauen There haue verily some bene founde that haue spoaken against Moses the seruant of God But God hath imputed that gainsaying as done against his diuine Maiestie and punished it most sharply The proofes hereof are to be séene in Exodus 16. and Numerie the. 12. And first of the people murmuring against Moses theÌ„ of Marie Moses sister speaking against her brother But to the people it was sayde Not against the Ministers but against the Lorde are your complaintes As for Marie she was horribly strucken with a Leprofie Theotectus was strucken blinde Theopompus fel to be madde bicause he had vnreuerently touched the word of god For althoughe the worde of God â—e reueled spoken and written by men yet doth it not therefore cease to be that whiche in deede it is neyther dothe it therefore beginne to be the worde of men bicause it is preached and heard of men no more then the King his commandement whiche is proclaimed by the Criar is said to be the commaundement of the criar He despiseth God with God al the holy Patriarchs whosoeuer doth coÌ„temne Moses by whom God speaketh vnto vs and at whose hands we haue receiued those things which the Patriarches from the beginning of the world by tradition deliuered to the posteritie There is no difference betwéene the woord of God whiche is taught by the liuely expressed voyce of man and that whiche is written by the penne of man but so farre foorthe as the liuely voice and wryting doe differ betwéene themselues the matter vndoubtedly the sense and meaning in the one and the other is al one By this dearely beloued you haue perceiued the certaine hystorie of the beginning of the word of God. Now let vs go forward to the rest that is to adde the hystorie of the procéeding of the word of God by what meanes it shined euer and anon very cleare and brightly vnto the world By and by after the departure of the holy man Moses out of this world into heauen the Lord of his bountifulnesse gaue moste excellent Prophetes vnto his Churche whiche he had chosen to the intent that by it he might reueale his word vnto the whole world And the Prophetes were to them of the olde time as at this day amongst vs are Prophetes Priestes wisemen Preachers Pastours Bishops Doctors or Diuines most skilfull in Heauenly thinges and giuen by God to guide the people in the faith And he whosoeuer shall read the holy hystorie will confesse that there flourished of this sorte no small number and those not obscure euen vntill the captiuitie at Babilon Amongst whom are rekoned these singular and excellent men Phinées Samuel Helias Heliseus Esaias and Ieremias Dauid Solomon were both Kings and Prophets In time of the captiuitie at Babilon Daniel Ezechiel were notably knowen After the captiuitie flourished among the rest Zacharias the sonne of Barachias Here haue I reckoned vp a few amoÌ„g many who although they florished at sundrie times and that the one a greate while after the other yet did they all with one consent acknowledge that God spake to the world by Moses who God so appointing it left to the Churche in the world a breuiarie of true diuinitie and a most absolute Summe of the word of God conteined in writing All these Priestes Diuines and prophets in al that they did had an especiall eye to the doctrine of Moses They did also refer all men in cases of faith and religion to the bookes of Moses The lawe of Moses which is in déede the Lawe of God is moste properly called Thora as it were the guide and rule of faith and life they did diligently beate into the mindes of all men This did they according to the time persons and place expound to al men For al the Priests and Prophets before the incarnation of Christ did by word of mouth teache the men of their time godlines and true religion Neither did they teache any other thing then that whiche the Fathers had receiued of God which Moses had receiued of God and the fathers and straight wayes after committing it to writing did set it out to all vs which folow euen vntill the end of the world so that now in the Prophets we haue the doctrine of Moses and tradition of the Fathers and them in all and euery point more fully and plainely expounded and polished being moreouer to the places times and persâ—ns very fitly applyed Furthermore the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes haue alwayes béen of great authoritie among all wise men throughout the whole world For it is well perceiued by many argumeÌ„ts that they tooke not their beginning of the prophets theÌ„selues as chief Authours but were inspired froÌ„ God out of heaueÌ„ by the holy spirit of god For it is God which dwelling by his spirite in the mindes of the Prophets speaketh to vs by their monthes And for that cause haue they a most large testimonie at the hands of Christ his elect Apostles What say ye to this moreouer that God by their ministerie hathe wrought miracles and wonders to be marueiled at and those not a fewe That at the least by mightie signes we might learne that it is God by whose inspiration the Prophetes doe teach and write whatsoeuer they left for vs to remember Furthermore so many common weales and congregations gathered together and gouerned by the Prophetes according to the worde of God doe shewe moste euident testimonies of God his trueth in the Prophets Plato Zeno Aristotle and other Philosophers of the Gentiles are praised as excelleÌ„t men But whiche of them could euer yet gather a Churche to liue according to their ordinances And yet our Prophetes haue had the moste excellent and renowmed common
weales or CongregatioÌ„s yea and that more is the most flourishing Kingdomes in all the world vnder their authoritie All the wysemen in the whole worlde I meane â—hose whiche liued in his time did reuerence Solomon a King and so great a Prophet and came vnto him from the very vtmoste endes of the worlde Daniel also had the preeminence among the wisemen at Babilon being then the moste renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde He was moreouer in great estimation with Darius Medus the Sonne of Astyages or Assuerus and also with Cyrus that moste excellent king And here it lyketh me well to speake somewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets and moste assured foreshewing of things which were to come after many yeares passed And now to say nothing of others did not Esaias most truly foretell those things which were afterward fulfilled by the Iewes in our Lord Christ Not in vaine did he séeme to them of olde time to be rather an Euangelist then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréescore yeares at the least before that Cyrus was borne Daniel also was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche knewe muche For he did foretell those things whiche are and haue béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almost and among the people of God from his owne time vntil the time of Christ and further vntill the last day of Iudgement so plainely that hee may séeme to haue compiled an hystorie of those thinges whiche then were already gone and past Al these things I say doe very euidently proue that the Doctrine and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God with whiche name and title they are set fooâ—the in sundrie places of the Scriptures Verily Peter the Apostle saithe The prophecie came not in old time by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghoste And although God did largely clearly plainely and simply reueale his woâ—d to the world by the Patriarchs by Mâ—ses by the Priestes and Prophetes yet did he in the laste times of all by his Sonne set it forth moste clearely simply and aboundantly to al the worlde For the very and onely begotten Sonne of God the father as the Prophetes had foretolde descending from Heauen doth fulfill al what soeuer they foretolde and by the space almoste of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlinesse For saith Iohn No man at any time hath seene God the only begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hathe declared him The Lord himselfe moreouer saith to his Disciples Al things which I haue herd of my Father haue I made knowne to you And again he saith I am the light of the world whosoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life Our Lord also did teache that to him whiche would enter into Heauen and be saued the heauenly regeneration was néedeful bicause in the first byrth man is borne to death in the second to life But that that regeneration is made perfect in vs by the spirit of God whiche instrueteth our hartes in faith I say in faith in Christ who died for our sinnes rose againe for our iustification He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iustified that out of the same faith doe growe sundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie to the bringing foorthe wherof he did most earnestly exhorte them He taught furthermore that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets and did also approue and expound the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes To doctrine he ioyned diuerse miracles and benefites wherby he declared that he him selfe was that light of the world and the mightie bountifull redéemer of the world And to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde he chose to himselfe witnesses whome he called Apostles bicause he purposed to sende them to Preache throughout the world Those witnesses were simple men innocentes iust tellers of trueth without deceipt or subtilties and in all pointes holy and good whose names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation The names of the Apostles are these Peter and Andrewe Iames and Iohn Philippe and Bartholomevve Thomas Mathevv Iames the soÌ„ne of Alphe Iudas his brother vvhose surname vvas Thaddaeus Simon and Iudas Iscariot into whose roome because he had betraied the Lord came Saint Matthias These had he by the space almoste of thrée yeares hearers of his heauenly doctrine and beholders of his diuine workes These after his ascension in to the Heauens did he by the holy ghost send downe from Heauen instruct with all kinde of faculties For as they were in the Scriptures passing skilful so were they not vnskilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue And being once after this manner instructed they depart out of the Citie of Ierusalem and passe through the compasse of the earthe preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the sauiour of the world the Lord Iesus Christ And when for certaine yeares they had preached by woord of mouth then did they also set downe in writing that whiche they had preached For some verily writ an hystorie of the words and deeds of Christ and some of the wordes and déedes of the Apostles Other some sent sondrie Epistles to diuers Nations In all which to confirme the trueth they vse the Scripture of the lawe and the Prophetes euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did Moreouer to the twelue Apostles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world Iohn Baptiste then whom there was neuer any more holy borne of women and the chosen vessel Paule the greate teacher of the Gentiles Neither is it to be merueiled at that the forerunner and Apostles of Christ had always very great dignity and authoritie in the Churche For euen as they were the embassadours of the eternall King of all ages and of the whole worlde so being indued with the spirit of God they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes And the Lord by theyr ministerie wrought great myracles thereby to garnishe the ministerie of them and to commend their doctrine vnto vs And what may be thought of that moreouer that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compasse of the world which verely by mans counsell and wordes they had neuer béene able to haue brought to passe To this is further added that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine as a doctrine giuing life did not refuse to die Besides that how many soeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Gospell they were not afraide through water fire swordes to cutte of this life and
the Virgin Marie by Iosephe or by any seede of man but by the holie ghoste not that the holy ghoste was in place of the seede For nothinge is begotten of the spirite but what is spirituall Neyther hath our Lorde a phantasticall but a very true body and of the same substance with vs So then our Lord was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin by the holie ghost For the holie ghost by his eternall power did bring to passe that the virginitie of the Virgine mother beinge vncorrupted shee I say being made with child cōceiued of her owne bloud and gaue a pure and verye humane bodie to the sonne of god As is declared at large by the Angell Gabriel in the first cap. after S. Luk. Of which place because I meane to speake else where more largely I do now passe it ouer vntouched God himselfe streight wayes after the verie beginninge of the worlde did foretel that such should be the manner of that cōception For he said not the seede of the man shal tread downe the Serpents heade but the seede of the woman Moreouer the Lord by the Prophets sayth I will rayse vp seede to Dauid But Moses law for the raysinge vp of seede to the brother departed is wel knowne For if the brother died without issue of Children his brother remayning aliue was compelled to marrie the deceassed brothers wife and of her to beget childrē which were called and counted not by the name of him that was liuinge but of the deade brother Wherefore when there was not to be found amā of Dauids lyne that was sufficientlie meete to begett on the Virgin the sonne of God the fauiour of the world God himself raiseth vp seede to Dauid and by his holy spirite maketh the Virgin with childe who although she were not with child by a man of Dauids lyne yet because shée was a daughter of Dauids stock and because God so workinge shée of her owne substaunce gaue substaunce to the sonne of God this her childe Christe both is and is called the sonne of Dauid What doth that argue moreouer that Dauid in the 110. Psalme sayth In the mightie power of holines the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wombe of the morning Or the deaw of thy birth is to thee of the wōbe of the morninge in the mightie power of holines That is to say By a certaine mightie power of holines meruaylous meanes shalte thou bee borne For thy birth shal be like vnto the ingendring of the deaw which cōmeth of the pure morning as it were a child borne of the wombe For as in the day time the Sūne draweth out of the earth a vapour which by reason of the smallnes of the heat which draweth it vpwarde is by the coldnesse of the tēperat night or euenings drawn downe againe and resolued into water So God the is the Sunne of righteousnes tooke blood of the earth that is of the bodie of the vntouched Virgine Marie and by a wonderfull meanes did holilie and purely bring to passe that of her vnipotted wombe shoulde be borne and conceiued the most holie sonne of God. The causes whie this conception of the sonne of God in the wombe of the holie Virgine is most pure are these Hée that is conceiued in the wombe of a Virgin is God but God is a consuming fire which cannot take or suffer any vncleannesse in it self An other cause is this God came to cleanse our vncleannesse that is the vncleannesse of vs men hée himselfe verilie oughte to be exempte from all originall spots in all pointes most holie to the ende that being the onely vnspotted Sacrifice offered vp for the sinnes of all the world he might cleane take away all the sinnes of the world For that which is it selfe defiled cannot cleanse the thing that is defiled but rather the spot or filthines doth double his vncleannesse by the comminge too of that other vncleane thing The seconde member of this thirde Article is Hée was borne of the Virgin Marie The Lord was borne of Marie his mother and yet shée a Virgine still Hec is therefore very man which is borne of Woman Moreouer his byrth is pure For hee was borne of the Virgine so that together shée was a mother and yet a Virgine too For Esaias sayth Beholde a Virgine shall conceiue and bringe forth a sonne A Virgine sayth hee shall do both Conceiue and bringe foorth so that neuerthelesse shée may remaine a Virgine still The birthe therefore of the sonne of God is moste pure Also his birthe is a true birth verilie and in deede For hee taketh fleshe of the substaunce wombe of the Virgin. In which signification also our Lorde Iesus Christe is called the sonne of Dauid Hee coulde not bee called Dauids sonne vnlesse hée had taken verie humane substaunce of Marie a mayde or daughter of the stocke of Dauid Which that the Apostle Iohn mighte most properly signifie and expresse he sayth The Woord was made fleshe And the Apostle Paul sayth He doth no where take on him the Angells but the seede of Abraham And in the same place againe he affirmeth That the Lorde was made like to his bretheren in al things sinne excepted To the Philippians hee saith When hee was equall with God hee made himselfe of no reputation taking on him the forme of a seruaunte and made in the likenesse of men and founde in figure as a mā Againe the Apostle Iohn beareth witnesse sayth Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christe is come in the flesh is of God and euerie spirite which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is com in the flesh is not of God. Luke in his 2. Cap. hath at large set forth the manner of his Natiuitie And I do meane elsewhere to speake of it at the full Let vs therefore confesse that Iesus Christe was conceiued by the holie ghoste and borne of the Virgin Marie The fourth article of Christiā faith is this Hee suffered vnder Pōtius Pilate was crucified dead buried hee descended into hel In this fouth article is declared the end vse chiefeste comodity of the Lord his incarnation For he became man that he might suffer and dye and by dying suffering might redéeme vs from eternal death the torments of hell make vs beinge once clensed heyres of life euerlasting For this is the end of the Lorde his death as I will by by shew you and as Paule doth at large declare in the 9. chapter to the Hebrewes This article also is diuided into his partes First wée confesse that oure Lord suffered in very deede not phātastically to the appearaunce onelye that he suffered verily the calamities and myseries of this world and after that againe the tormēts of the slaughtermen and death it selfe in most bitter panges Hée suffered therfore both in soulde and bodye yea and that too in many facions For Esaias sayth He is a man of sorrowes
hath felte calamities Hee beareth our infirmities and hath carryed our sorrowes For the Lorde himselfe also in the Gospell said My soule is heauie euen vnto the death But verily hée suffred all this for vs For in him was neyther sinne nor any cause else whye hée shoulde suffer Secondarily in this article is noted the time Pontius Pilate the iudge vnder whom the Lorde dyed and redéemed the world from sinne death the deuil and hell Hée suffred therefore in the Monarchie of the Romanes vnder the Emperour Tiberius when as now according to the Prophecie of Iacob father of Israell the Iewishe people obeyed forreine kings because there were no more kinges or captaynes of the stocke of Iuda to haue the rule ouer them For hée foretold that then the Messias should come What may be thought of that moreouer that the Lord himselfe oftener then once in the Gospell did foreshew that hée should be deliuered into the handes of the Gentiles and by them be put to death In the thirde point of this article wée do expreslye declare the maner of his death For wée adde Hée was crucifyed and dyed on the Crosse But the death of the Crosse as it was most reprochfull so also was it most bitter or sharpe to be suffred yet tooke hée that kinde of death vppon him that hée might make satisfaction for the worlde and fulfill that which from the beginning was prefigured that he should be hāged on the tree Isaac was layde on the pile of woode to be offered vp in sacrifice Moses also stuck the Serpent on the stake of woode and lift it vp to be behelde And the Lord himself said I when I shal be lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto mee Finally hée dyed on the Crosse géeuinge vp his Ghoste to god For hée dyed verily and in déede as you shall streightway perceiue Where I haue briefly to declare vnto you what the fruite of Christe his death is First wée were accursed because of sinne hée therfore tooke our curse vppon himselfe beinge lyft vp vppon the Crosse to the end he might take our curse away and that wée might be blessed in him Then also the heritage bequeathed to vs by Will could not come vnto vs vnlesse hee which bequeathed it did dye But God bequeathed it who that hée might die became mā and dyed according to his humane nature to the ende that wée might receiue the heritage of life In an other place againe Paule sayth Him that knewe not sinne did God make sinne for vs that wee by him mighte bee made the righteousnes of God. Our Lorde therefore became man by the sacrifice of himself to make satisfaction for vs On whō as it were vppon a Goate for sinne offring when all the sinnes of the whoale worlde were gathered together and layd hée by his death tooke awaye and purged them all so that nowe the onely sacrifice of Christ hath satisfied for the sinnes of the whole world And this verily is the greatest comoditie of Christ his death taught euery where by the Apostles of Christe Next after that also the death of Christe doth teach vs patience and the mortification of our fleshe yea Christe by the participation of himselfe doth by his Spirite worke in vs that sinne may not reigne in vs Touching which thing the Apostle Paule teacheth many thinges in the sixt Chapter to the Romanes The Lord in the Gospell sayth If any man will follow mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow mee These and a few more are the fruites of the Lord his passion or the death of Christe Fourthly in this Article is added Hee was buried For our Lorde dyed verilie and in deede vppon the Crosse The very truth of his death was proued by the Souldiour which thruste him through the syde After that hée was taken downe from the Crosse and layde in a Sepulcher In the Gospell are expressed the names of them that buryed him Ioseph and Nicodemus There is also shewed the manner how they buried him The fruite of this his buriall the Sauiour himselfe hath taught in these woords Verilie verily I say vnto you vnlesse the seede of corne cast into the earthe doe dye it remayneth alone But if it dye it bringeth forth much fruit Whervppon the Apostle exhorteth vs to be buried with Christe in his death that wée may rise againe in the newnesse of life yea that wée maye liue reigne with him for euermore If therefore our bodies also be buried at any time let vs not therefore be troubled in minde For the faithfull are buried that they maye ryse with Christe againe The fift part of this fourth article some do put seuerallie by it self for the fift article of our fayth I for my part do see no cause whie it should be plucked from that that goeth before nor whie it should make by it selfe a peculiar article of our fayth The woords are these Hee descended into hell Touchinge this there are sondrie opinions among the expositors of the holie Scriptures Augustine in his booke De fide symbolo doth neyther place these woordes in the rule of beliefe nor yet expound them Cyprian sayth thus It is to be knowne verilie that in the Creede of the latin Church this is not added Hee descended into hell nor yet is this clause receiued in the Churches of the Easte but yet the sense of that clause seemeth to be all one with that where it is sayd He was buried This sayth hée So then Cyprians opinion seemeth to be that To descende into hell is nothing else but to be layd in the graue accordinge to that sayinge of Iacob Yee will bring my gray heares with sorrow to hell or the graue But there are some that thincke this assertion to be without lawful proofe For it is not lykelie that they would wrappe a thinge once alreadie plainly spoken immediatlie after in a darker kinde of speach Nay rather so often as two sentences are ioyned together that signifie both one thing the latter is alwayes an exposition of the firste But in these two speaches Hee was buried and hee descended into hell the first is the plainer and the latter the more intricate Augustine in his 99. Epistle to Euodius turmoyleth himselfe pitifullie in this matter To Dardanus de Dei praesentia he writeth that the Lord went into hell but that hee felt no torment Wée shall more agreably to the truth seeme to vnderstande this article if wee shal thincke that the vertue of Christe his death did flow euen to them that were dead and profited them too that is to saye that all the Patriarches and holie mē that died before the coming of Christ were for the death of Christe preserued from death euerlastinge As S. Peter also maketh mention That the Lord went in the spirite preached vnto the Spirits that were in prison For verilie they by the death of Christ were made to knowe the sentence of
vs which iudge very fondly of them and bestow on them the honour due to God in worshipping and calling vpō them as we should worship and call vpon our tutours and defenders The very deuils and deuilish men shal be straunge Gods if we for feare shall stande in awe of them more then of God to whō in déede our feare is due The starres the Planets and signes in the firmament shall be strange Gods if we being deceiued with the Mathematicals shall wholy hang on them and in all our doings euermore haue regarde to the impressions of the skie directing euery minute of oure liues to the course of the starres Likewise if we shall honour and loue money or men with honour or loue due vnto God then shal this money and men of ours be imputed to vs for straunge Gods. King Asa is blamed 2. Paral. 7. for putting too muche confidence in Physicke and Physicians Physicke and Physicians therefore may be abused and made strange Gods. The Iewes are rebuked by the Lord in Esay cap. 30. for trusting too much in the Egyptians their confederates Confederates therefore may be abused and made straunge Gods. But most of all are condemned here the leagues and couenaunts made with the deuill by witchraft to haue him at commaundement Those blessings also whiche of right ought rather to be called cursings I meane superstitious exorcismes or coniurations are vtterly to be reiected wherin also this is blame-worthy that the name of the moste high God is horribly abused and takē in vaine But what is he that can exactly reckō vp euery particular thing wherein this firste commaundement is transgressed considering that in it is taught the perfect rule of godlynesse whiche is the inward worship done to God to wit to acknowledge God to beléeue him to thinke rightly of him to call vpon him to cleaue vnto him and in all things to obey him The second precept of the ten Commaundementes is Thou shalt not make to thee selfe a grauen Image nor any likenesse of those thinges which are in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them I am the Lorde thy God strong and iealous visiting the fathers sinnes in the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy vnto thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my Commaundements In the first commaundement the Lorde did teache and drawe out before our eyes the patterne of his inwarde worship and religion nowe here in the seconde he amendeth that which might be amisse in the outward rites and ceremonies If we coulde haue rightly iudged of God and haue kept as deuouth as we shoulde the firste Commaundement then should there haue bene no néede of the seconde but bicause God knew our disposition nature he doth therfore expresly forbid the thing that otherwise we would haue done For many there are whiche thinke that God ought to be portraied in some similitude or likenesse and to be worshipped with some bodily or visible reuerence in offering golde siluer pearles yuorie and precious thinges of price Wherefore the generall ende of this commaundement is to drawe them from those grosse imaginations and carnal worshippings of God who as he is an incomprehensible power and an eternall spirit so can he not be resembled to any corruptible similitude he will be worshipped in spirite and holinesse Vnder the name of the Ivole or imagined likenesse is conteined all the outwarde reuerence done therevnto when therefore the Idols are forbidden together with them is also forbidden all outward honour irreligiously exhibited to the true and very god For whersoeuer an Idole is there muste the Idolaters set him vp a pillour place him in a seate erect him an altar and builde him a temple And all these againe require kéepers and ouerséers Ministers or Priestes sacrifices and offerings ceremonies furnitures holy dayes cost and labour that will neuer be ended In this sense did the Prophetes say that Idolatrous images were endlesse labours and infinit miseries For after images are once receiued there is no ende or measure of expences and toyle This doth experience teache to be true Nowe to procéede this commaundement standeth of thrée seuerall partes For first of all God flatly forbiddeth to make a grauen image or other kinde of Idole that is God doth vtterly forbid to set vp or hallow to him any image of what shape or substance soeuer it be For as God will not so in déede he can not be expresly represented in any manner of likenesse Nowe in this commaundement are reckoned vp in a manner al the similitudes of those things whervnto we are wont in portraying to liken our pictures Thou shalt not sayth he fashion like vnto God any shape or figure of those things which are in heauen which are I say aboue vs Aboue vs are the celestial bodies the Sunne the Moone the Planets the Starres and diuers birdes of sundry fashions In all whiche figures and shapes almost no smal number of the Gentiles did solemnly honour and reuerently worship the name of god Thou shalt not liken vnto God saith he any shape or fashion of those thinges that are in the earth In the earth are men beasts hearbes shrubbes trées and such like Nowe it is manifest that the Gentils worshipped God vnder the likenesse of men and beastes Cornelius Tacitus writing of the Germanes sayth But by the greatnesse of the visible celestiall bodyes they doe coniecture and verily thinke that the Gods are neyther inclosed in walles nor yet in fauour resembling mens visages and therefore doe they hallow woods and groues calling that hidden mysterie by the name of the Gods which with outwarde eyes they see not but with inward reuerence alone Lo here our auncestours worshipped God in the likenesse of trées and woods whiche neuerthelesse men are forbidden here to doe euen as also we are prohibited to worship our God in the likenesse of any thing that is in or vnder the water The Philistines worshipped God in the image of a fishe For Dagon their God bare the shape of a fishe Egypt honoured God in the similitude of Serpents All which and many other Paule knitteth vp together in the first to the Romanes where he argueth againste the Gentiles and saith Their foolishe heart was blinded when they counted them selues wise they became fooles and turned the glory of the incorruptible God vnto the likenesse not only of a mortall man but also of birdes and of fourefooted beastes and of creeping beastes Against this madnesse is the first part of the lawe directly giuen But nowe the cause why God wil not be represented in any visible or sensible image is this God is a spirit God is vnmeasurable incomprehensible vnspeakable all ouer and euery where filling heauen and earth eternall lyuing giuing life vnto and preseruing all things and lastly of a glorious maiestie exalted
orderly procéeded in euery point and taught euery thing so euidently and plainely that there is nothing whiche ye doe not very well perceiue and vnderstand Let vs now prayse the Lord and thanke him for his goodnes for shewing vs his ways and let vs praye that we walking rightly in them may at the last come to his eternall ioyes Amen Of the thirde precept of the tenne Commaundementes and of Swearing ¶ The thirde Sermon THE thirde Commandement of the first Table is thus worde for worde Thou shalte not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Bycause the Lorde will not let him goe vnpunished that taketh the name of the Lorde his GOD in vaine In the seconde Commaundement the Lord did set down the worship that he would not haue that he misliked of and did flatly forbid to wit a worldly earthly and carnall kinde of honour a base and vile kinde of worship a seruice that is directly contrarie to the spirite nature and maiestie of God that is to think that God will in shape resemble a man or any other creature made of earth or corruptible stuffe or matter and then againe to worship him vnder those shapes and figures with corruptible thinges that were first ordeined and created for the vse and behoofe of men and not of god For God is an eternall spirite which goeth all ouer and preserueth euery thing whom all the most excellent creatures of the whole world if they were ioyned together in one are not able to resemble nor yet to represent the least iote of excellencie in the liuing god God is so farre from lacking any corruptible thinges that he him selfe supplyeth the want of all our necessities It is a mere follie therefore to set vp a percher a taper or a smoakie torch before the maker and giuer of light It is a very toy to offer flesh of beasts to that eternall spirite who in the Psalmes sayth All the beasts of the woods are mine and the cattel in a thousand hilles I know all birdes vpon the mountaines and in my power are all the beastes of the fielde if I be hungrie I neede not to tell thee since the world is myne and all that is therein Now therfore in this thirde Commaundement the Lorde doth very exquisitely although very briefly declare the manner hâ—w he will be worshipped that is in holy reuerencing of his holy name The names wherby god is called are God Gods Maiestie Gods truth Gods power Gods iustice Now the charge of this commaundement is not to abuse the name of God and not to vse it in light and trifling matters but to speake to thinke and iudge honourably reuerently holily and purely of God and godly things But the pithe and effect almost of the whole lyeth herein that he sayth the name of the Lord thy god to wit which is thy chief goodnesse felicitie thy creator thy redéemer thy tender father Now note that the Lorde doth not barely forbid to vse his name but he chargeth not to vse it lightly or in vaine that is beyond necessarie vse or our behoofe and beside the honour and glory of god Let vs sée therefore howe we ought to sanctifie the Lordes name and howe we maye deuoutly vse the name of God and last of all so worship him as he him selfe hath appointed vs to do Firste of all we haue to thinke of God as of the chiefe felicitie and infinite treasure of all good thinges who loueth vs excéedingly with a fatherly affection alwayes wishing and by all means desiring to haue vs men saued and to come to the perfect knowledge of the very truth whose iudgements are true and iust whose workes for their excellencie are wonderfull and whose words are most true and truth it selfe Then must this holy name of God continually be called vpoÌ„ in praiers néede and requestes By that alone we must looke to obtaine whatsoeuer is néedful for our bodies or souls We must neuer cease to giue thanks to that for all the good benefites that we do or shall receiue For what good soeuer men haue and inioy that haue they not from else where than from God the fountaine and giuer of all This glory must euer be giueÌ„ to god If we be nipped with any aduersitie let vs not by an by murmur againste Gods good pleasure and his secrete iudgements but rather suffering and submitting ourselues vnder his mightie and fatherly hande let vs say with the Prophet Dauid It is good for me Lorde that thou haste chastened me Let not vs appoint God what he shal doe but wholy alwayes submit our selues to his good will and holie pleasure Let vs in al things giue God the glory in praysing openly and plainely professing his name and doctrine before Kings and Princes yea and in sight of all the world so often as occasion shall be giuen and the glory of God shal séeme to require Let vs not be ashamed of God our father of his truth and true religion Let vs not be ashamed of Christ our redéemer nor yet of his crosse But let vs be ashamed of errours idolatrie of the world and vanitie of lyes and iniquitie Let vs holily reuerently and deuoutly both speake and thinke of God his workes and his word Let the law of God be holy to vs let his Gospell be reuerend in our eies let the doctrin of the Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles be estéemed of vs as that which came from God him selfe Let vs not take the name of the Lord our God into our mouthes vnlesse it be in a matter of weight Let vs not blaspheme curse nor lye in the name of the Lorde Let vs not vse nay rather abuse the name or worde of God in coniuring iuggling or sorcerie For in these thinges the name of God is most of all abused Let vs precisely and holily kéepe the othe whiche we haue made by the name of the liuing and eternall god Let vs in al things tell truth and lye not that when this world that will not sée shall be inforced to see so great a reuerence and deuotion in vs to the name of our God it may be compelled thereby to glorifie our father which is in heauen And this verily is the godly vsing of the Lordes name and the religion wherin our God is very well pleased Nowe note by the way that there are sundry wayes whereby we abuse the name of God and first of all we abuse it as often as our harts are with out all reuerence to God him selfe when we do vnreuerently filthily wickedly and blasphemously speake of God of his iudgements of his word and of his lawes when we doe with scoffing allusions apply Gods wordes to light matters and trifles by that meanes turning and drawing the Scriptures into a prophane and vnhonest meaning Moreouer we do disgrace that name of the Lord our God wheÌ„ we call not vpon his name but turne our selues rather to I knowe
God and the hallowing of his holy name but yet it bendeth somewhat to the outward honour although neuerthelesse it frameth to the inward religion For the Sabboth doth belong both to the inward and outward seruice of god Let vs sée therefore what we haue to thinke that the Sabboth is how farre foorth the vse therof extendeth and after what sort we haue to worship our God in obseruing the sabboth Sabboth doth signifie rest and ceassing from seruile worke And this here I thinke worthy to be noted that the Lord saith not simply Sanctifie the Sabboth but Remember that thou kéepe holy the Sabboth daye meaning thereby that the Sabboth was of olde ordeined and giuen first of all to the auncient fathers and thē againe renued by the Lorde and beaten into the memorie of the people of Israell But the summe of the whole Commaundement is Kéepe holy the Sabboth day This summe dothe the Lorde by and by more largely amplifie by reckoning vp the the very dayes and particular rehearsing of the whole houshold to whome the kéeping of the Sabboth is giuen in charge The Sabboth it selfe hath sundry significations For first of all the scripture maketh mention of a certaine spirituall and continuall Sabboth In this Sabboth we rest from seruile worke in absteining from sinne and doing our best not to haue our owne will found in our selues or to worke our owne workes but in ceassing frō these to suffer God to work in vs and wholy to submit our bodyes to the gouernment of his good spirit After this Sabboth foloweth that eternall Sabboth and euerlasting rest of which Esaie in his 58. and. 66. Chapters speaketh very much and Paul also in the fourth to the Hebrues But God is truely worshipped when we ceassing from euill and obeying Gods holy spirit do exercise our selues in the studie of good works At this time I haue no leasure neyther do I thinke that it is greatly profitable for me to reason as largely or as exquisitely as I coulde of the allegoricall Sabboth or spirituall rest Let vs rather my brethren in these our mortall bodies do our indeuour with an vnwearied good wil of holinesse to sanctifie the Sabboth that pleaseth the Lord so well Secondarily the Sabboth is the outwarde institution of our religion For it pleased the Lorde in this commandement to teache vs an outward religion and kinde of worship wherein he would haue vs all to be exercised Nowe for bycause the worshipping of God cā not be without a time Therefore hath the Lord appointed a certaine time wherein we shoulde absteine from outwarde or bodilye works but so yet that we should haue leasure to attēd vpō our spiritual businesse For for that cause is the outward rest commaunded that the spirituall worke should not be hindered by the bodily businesse Moreouer that spirituall labour among our fathers was chiefly spent about foure things to wit about publique reading and expounding of the scriptures and so consequently about the hearing of the same about publique prayers and common petitions about sacrifices or the administration of the sacraments and lastly about the gathering of euery mans beneuolence In these consisted the outward religion of the Sabboth For the people kept holie day and met together in holy assemblies where the Prophetes read to thē the word of the Lord expounding it and instructing the hearers in the true religion Then did the faythfull iointly make their common prayers and supplications for all things necessarie for their behoofe They praysed the name of the Lord and gaue him thankes for all his good benefites bestowed vpon them Furthermore they did offer sacrifices as the Lorde commaunded them celebrating the mysteries and sacraments of Christe their redéemer and keping their faith exercised and in vre they were ioyned in one with these sacraments and also warned of their duetie which is to offer them selues a liuely sacrifice to the Lord their god Lastly they did in the congregation liberally bestow the giftes of their good will to the vse of the Church They gathered euerie mans beneuolence therewith to supply the Churches necessitie to mainteine the ministers and to relieue the poore and néedie These were the holy workes of God which while they hauing their hartes instructed in fayth and loue did fulfill they did therein rightly sanctifie the Sabboth and the name of the Lord that is they did on the sabboth those kinde works which do both sanctifie the name of God become his worshippers and also are the workes in déede that are holy and pleasing in the sight of god If any man require a substanciall and euident example of the Sabboth or holy daye thus holily celebrated he shall finde it in the eight Chapter of the booke of Nehemias For there the Priestes do reade and expounde the worde of God they praise the name of the lord they pray with the people they offer sacrifice they shew their liberalitie and doe in all points behaue them selues holily and deuoutly as they should Now least any peraduenture might make this obiection and say Ease brée deth vice Or else I must labour with my handes to get my liuing least I dy with hunger and my familie perishe he aunswereth The Lorde alloweth thée time sufficient for thy labour for thée to worke in to get a liuing for thy selfe and thy houshold For sixe dayes thou maist worke but the seuenth day doth the Lord chalenge and require to be cōsecrated to him and his holy rest Euery wéeke hath seuen dayes But of those seuen the Lord requireth but one for him self Who then can rightly complain I beséech you or say that he hath iniurie done vnto him More time is allowed to work in thē to kéep holy the Sabboth And he that requireth to haue this sabboth kept is God the maker the father Lord of al mākind Furthermore the Lord doth precisely cōmand and giue a charge to plant and bring in this holy rest this discipline and outward worship into the whole familie of euery seuerall house Whereby we gather what the dutie of a good housholder is to wit to haue a care to sée all his familie kéepe holy the sabboth day that is to doe on the sabboth day those good workes which I haue before rehearsed And for bycause the Lord doth know that mans naturall disposition is where it hath the maistrie there for the most parte to rule and reigne ouer haufily and too too Prince like therfore least peraduenture the fathers or maisters shuld deale too hardly or rigorously with their housholds or hinder them in obseruing of the sabboth he doth in expresse words exquisite steps of enumeration commaund them to allowe their familie and euery one in their familie a resting time to accomplish his holy seruice He doth not exempt or except so much as the straunger He will not suffer nor allow among them the exāple of such dulheads as say Let faith and religion be free to all
are practised and put in vre vpon the sabboth dayes especially to the intent that we may be sanctified of god who is the only sanctifier of vs all Hitherto haue I declared vnto you dearly beloued as briefly as I could the first table of Gods commaundements wherein we haue very exquisitely layd downe before vs the worship due to the name of god But for bycause they are not the children of God which know his mynde but they that doe it let vs beséech our heauenly father so to illuminate our myndes that we may faithfully and in déede worship our Lord and God who is to be praised world without end Amen Of the fift precept of the second table which is in order the fifte of the tenne Commaundements touching the honour due to parents ¶ The fifte Sermon NOwe followeth the second table of Gods lawe which by the good helpe of Gods holy spirite I will declare as briefly vnto you as I haue already gone through the first And as the first conteined the loue of God so doth the second teach vs the charitie due to our neighbour instructing all men what they owe euerie one to his neighbor and howe we may in this world liue honestly ciuily and in quiet peace among our selues For our good God woulde haue vs to liue well and quietly But we that will not knowe how to liue well nor yet obey his good commaundements doe with our sinnes and iniquities neuer cease to heap vpon our own pates an infinite multitude of miserable calamities This table conteineth sire coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts the first whereof is Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lord thy God shall giue thee Very well and rightly doth the Lorde beginne the second table with the honoring of our parents For after our dutie to God the next is the reuerende loue that we owe to our parentes of whome next after God we haue our life and by whom we are from our infancie brought vp with incredible care and excéeding great labour Now the very order of nature doth require that the most excellent and dearest things should alwayes haue the firste and chiefest place And that this commaundement may the more easily be vnderstood I mean to diuide my treatise therof into thrée parts In the first whereof I will declare what degrées and kindes of men are comprehended vnder y name of parents Secondarily I will search out what kinde of honour that is and howe farre it extendeth which the Lorde commaundeth to giue to our parents And lastly I will both touche the promise made to godly children and therevpon coniecture gather the punishment appointed for the vngodly and disobedient ofspring There is none so ignoraunt but knoweth what parents are The Lord our God hath giuen vs them for vs to take of them our beginning of life that they might nourish and bring vs vp and that of rude almost brutish things they might make vs veâ—â—e men Greater are the good turnes that parents do for their children greater is the cost labour that they bestowe on them greater is the care grief trouble which they take for them thaÌ„ any man how eloquent soeuer he be is able to expresse And here is not the name of the father only but also the name of the mother in expresse words set downe in the law least she peraduenture should séeme be contemptible without any offence to God bycause of the weaknes of her fraile sexe The godly vertuous mothers doe feele abide more pain grief in the bearing bringing vp nourishing of their children than the fathers do For no smal cause therfore haue we the name of the mother precisely expressed in this coÌ„maundemeÌ„t We do also comprehend herein the grandfather and grandmother the great grandsire great grand-dame all other like to these In the second place we do contein euery maÌ„s countrie wherin he was borne which fed fostered adourned defended him Thirdly we take Princes and Magistrates into the name title For the Senators and Princes are in the holy scriptures called the fathers and pastors of the people XenophoÌ„ was persuaded that a good Prince did differ nothing from a good father Fourthly ther are to be reckoned vnder the name of parents those gardians which are vsually called ouerséers of fatherlesse children or orphans For they supply the place of departed parents taking vpon theÌ„ the charge defence of their children whom they must for that affection ought to be in them bring vp defend aduance euen as they would do to their owne those that they theÌ„selues did once beget Among whome also we must make account of suche masters and workmen as teach them an Art or occupation For of theÌ„ yong men and striplings learne some honest science for euery one to get his liuing honestly and by them they are taught good manners being thereby after a certaine sort out of rude vnpolished stuffe made perfect séemely meÌ„ Fiftly the ministers doctors pastors of the Churches are taken for parents whom Paule him selfe did call by the name of fathers not so much for the care loue wherwith they are affected toward the disciples shéepe of Christ his flocke as for bicause we are by theÌ„ through the gospel begotten in Christ In the sixte place we must thinke of our cousins and kinsfolkes brother sister nephues and néeces mother in lawe and daughter in lawe father in lawe and sonne in law who are by alliance knit together as the members of the body are fastned with sinewes Finally in the last place olde folkes widowes fatherlesse children and impotent weake persons must be reputed among our parents whose cause and tuition the Lorde hath in more places then one commended vnto vs So then my brethren here ye haue hearde who they be that in this firste precept of the second table we haue to take for our parentes and who and howe many are comprehended and commended to vs vnder that name and nowe shall ye heare what honour we owe to them and what the honour is that we shuld attribute vnto them To honour in the scriptures is diuersly taken but in this treatise it signifieth to magnifie to worship to esteeme well and to do reuerence as to a thing ordeined by god and also to acknowlege to loue and to giue praise as for a benefit receiued at Gods haÌ„d and as for a thing giuen from heauen that is both holy profitable and necessarie To honour is to be dutifull to obey so to obey as if it were to God him self by whom we knowe that our obedience is coÌ„maunded and to whom we are sure that our seruice is acceptable Otherwise we haue not in any case to obey either our parents or magistrates if they theÌ„ selues shall do or else coÌ„maund vs to do the things that are wicked and vniust For
Christianitie but since they were in authoritie and bare the names of magistrates what let is there I pray you whie a true Christian man may not beare that office of a magistrate in his coÌ„mon weal What may be thought of this moreouer that in the new Testament certaine notable men are well reported off who when they were in authoritie were not put beside their offices because they were Christians and of a sound religion Touchinge Ioseph of Arimathea thus we read in Luke And behold there was a man named Ioseph a counsellour Marcke saith a noble Senatour who was a good man a iust the same had not consented to the counsel and deede of them which was of Arimathea a citie of the Iewes which waited also for the kingdome of God. Marke here I beséech you how notable a testimonie this man hath here Ioseph is a counsellour or Senatour yea and that more is a noble senatour too he sate in the Senate and amonge those Iudgâ—s which did coÌ„demne our sauiour christ but because hée consented not to their déede and iudgement he is acquited as guiltlesse of that horrible murder The same is said to haue béene a good man and a iuste and of the number of them that looke for the kingdome of God that is of the number of those which of Christ are called Christians and yet neuerthelesse he was a counsellour or senatour and that too in the Citie of Ierusalem A Christian therfore may lawfullie beare the office of a magistrate Hereunto belonge the examples of the Aâ—thiopiaÌ„ treasurer Actes 8. of Cornelius the Centurion Acts 10. and of Erastus the Chamberleine of Corinth Rom. 16. 2. Tim. 4 But oure desire is to haue the Anabaptistes proue and declare out of the Scriptures that which they obiecte here in saying that these men beinge once conuerted to that faith did streightway put off their roabes of estate and lay aside their magistrats sword For wée haue a litle before by the wordes of S. Augustine vpon Iohn Baptists answere who did himself also preach the Gospel alreadie proued that the souldiers that were baptised were not put beside their office nor coÌ„maunded by Iohn to giue ouer armour and ceasse to be souldiers They obiecte againe that the Lord conueyed himself priuilie away when the people were minded to haue made him a king which say they he would not haue done but because by his example hée would commend humilitie to all Christian people and as it were thereby to commaunde them not to suffer the charge to rule any common weale to be laid on their necks They adde moreouer these sayinges of the Lorde My kingdome is not of this world Againe Kings of nations haue dominion ouer them but ye shal not be so But they vnderstande not that the cause whie the Lord conueyed him selfe away was for the fond purpose of the foolish people which went about by making him a kinge not to doe the wil of God but being blinded with affections to séeke to bring those thinges to passe that were for the ease and fillinge of their bellies For in so much as hée had fedde them miraculously a little before therefore they thoughte that he would be a king for their purpose who was able to giue his subiectes meate without any coste or labour at all Furthermore oure Lord came not to reigne on the earth after the maner of this world as that Iewes imagined and as Pilate feared who dreamt that Messias should reigne as Salomon did and for that cause the Lord doth rightly say My kingdome is not of this world For hée is ascended into heauen and sitteth at the righthand of his father hauinge subdued all kinges to himselfe and all the world beside wherein hée reigneth by his word and his spirite and which hée shall come to iudge in the ende of the world And although Christe denieth that his kingdome is of this world yet notwithstanding hée neuer denied that kinges and Princes should come oute of the world into the Church to serue the Lord therein not as men alone but as kinges and men of authoritie But kinges cannot otherwise serue the Lord as kinges but by doing the thinges for which they are called kinges And vnlesse that Christians when they are once made kinges should continue in their office and gouerne kingdoms according to the rule and lawes of Christe how I beséech you should Christe be called kinge of kinges and Lord of Lords Therefore when hée said Kinges of nations haue dominion ouer them but so shal not ye bee hée spake to his Apostles who stroaue amonge themselues for the chiefe and highest dignitie as if hee should haue said Princes which haue dominion in the world are not by my doctrine displaced of their seates nor put beside their throanes for the magistrates authoritie is of force still in the world and in the Church also The kinge or magistrate shall reigne But so shall not yée yée shall not reigne yée shall not be Princes but teachers of the world and ministers of the Churches Thus briefely I haue aunsweared to the Anabaptistes obiections which in other places also I haue many times confuted somewhat more largely By this that héere I haue saide I thincke I haue sufficiently proued that a Christian man cannot onelie but ought of duetie also to take vpon him the office of a magistrate if it be lawfully offered vnto him Now before I make an end of the discourse of this place I will briefly adde what the duetie of subiectes is and what euerie man doth owe to his magistrate First of all the subiectes duetie is to estéeme honestly reuerently and honourably not vilely nor disdainfullie of their magistrates or Princes Let them reuerence and honour them as the deputies and ministers of the eternall god Let them abroade also giue them the honour that is vsuallie accustomed in euerie kingdome and countrie It is a foule thinge for subiectes to behaue themselues vndeceÌ„tly towards their Lords and men of authoritie But a false a lighte or ill opinion once conceyued bréedeth a contempt of the things and persons touching whom that opinion is once taken vppe Some euidente testimonies of Scripture therefore must bée gathered and graffed in euerie mans heart that thereby a iuste estimation and worthie authoritie of magistrates and officers may bée bred and brought vpp in al peoples minds Here by the way let Princes and magistrates take héede to themselues that by a spotted and vnséemelie life they make not themselues contemptible and laughinge stockes and so by their owne defaulte loose all their authoritie amonge the common people The Lord oure God verilie voucheth safe to attribute his owne name to the Princes and magistrates of the people and to call them gods Exod. 21. Psalm 82. The Apostles called them the deputies and ministers of god â— Peter 2. Rom. 13. But who will not thincke wel of godds and them which are the deputies and ministers of god by
good will towarde the faithful to be a type of Christ and partely also to gather all the partakers thereof into the fellowship of one bodie and to put them in minde to be thankfull and innocent This Sacrament was first ordeined by God him self and not by man For Moses deliuered to the children of Israel whatsoeuer he receiued at the Lordes hande as is to bee séene at large in the 12 Chapter of Exodus And he instituted that ceremonie euē at that verie time when he brought y Israelites from out of Aegypt Now since this ceremonie came firste from God it followeth consequently that all the passeouers which followed euen vntil that passeouer whiche the Lorde did holde with his disciples a little before his death were holie and diuine actions To fleshe and worldly wisedome many pointes I may saye all the partes of this sacrament do séeme to be méerely absurde and altogether néedelesse but faith whiche looketh vp to God the author of this sacrament hath a great respect vnto reuerenceth greately all the mysteries conteined therein For euen as God is the chiefe and moste absolute wisedome so are all his ordinances moste absolute and passing profitable Here now is noted the time when this Sacrament was first deliuered to the church of Israel to wite in the foure hundreth and thirtéeth yeare counting from the promise made to Abraham or from the time that hée departed frō his countrie firste which was the 2447 yeare from the beginning of the worlde 791 yeares after the generall floud The time is also appointed when the passeouer shoulde be holden to wite euery yere in the moneth Nisan which taketh parte of our March and parte of April Moreouer the verie day is named that is the fourtéenth of the moneth beginning their accompt at the spring times Equinoctiall For on the tenth daye they chose the Lambe that should bee eaten and on the fourtéenth day they killed it There is also set downe the houre of the daye when it should bée slaughtered that was about euen tyde to wite betwixt thrée and fiue of the clocke in the after noone according to the course of our dialles and as the Iewes were wont to reckon the houres of the daye it was to bee killed betwixt nine and eleuen a clocke And in that killing of the Lambe at euen tyde did this meaning lye hidde that Christ should be slaine in the latter dayes of the worlde yea the verie houre and moment wherein Christe should dye was therein foretolde For he gaue vp the ghoste about the ninth houre Whereupon Sainct Peter saith that the Prophets did search at what moment or minute of time the spirite of Christ which was in them did signifie that Christ should come and suffer Furthermore there was a certein appointed place assigned to this Sacrament In Aegypt verily they did eate it by companies here and there in seuerall houses But when they were once come into the land of promise it was not lawful to hold passeouer in any place but at the Tabernacle of appointment and after that at the temple in Hierusalem Being diuided therefore into seuerall houses at Hierusalem they did eate it by companies as is to be séene in the 22. Chapter of S. Lukes gospel And that was a type that Christe which was to be offered but once vppon the mount of Caluerie should bee effectuall for euer to cleanse the sinnes of all his people There was also appointed who they should be that shoulde holde the passeouer to wite the whole circumcised congregation of Israel béeinge assembled by houses and families in so greate companies as were sufficient to eate a Lambe For as Christe is the Sauiour of vs all so all sinners for wée all are sinners are the cause whie Christ our Lord was offered vppon the altar of the Crosse Moreouer there is great diligence vsed in describing the manner of killing eating the Lambe First they chose to them selues this Lambe frō among other Lambes and Kiddes the fifte daye after they cut the throate therof and saued the bloud in a platter which with a bushe of Hysope made like a holie water sticke they sprinckled vpon the two sides and vpper postes of the doore The Lambe it self they did eate publiquely not boyled with water but rosted with fire and that whole also I meane bothe head and féete and purtenaunce too and with it they did eate letuce or sower hearbes and vnleauened bread And while they were at it they stoode about it with their loynes girded with shooes on their féete and staues in their handes They did eate it in haste they neither brake nor cast a bone of it vnto the dogges but burnt the bones with fire From euening vntil morning no man did set one foot out of dores All these ceremonies had their endes whereunto they tended conteined greate mysteries and bare a verie euident signification of thinges past things present and thinges to come They did also ioyne the whole congregation or Iewish churche into one bodie and profession of one religion and did also warne all those that did eate of the Lamb to be thankfull to God and zelous in religion as I will by partes touch and teach you as briefely as I can For first of all the Lordes wil was to kéepe in memorie and as it were for euer to prolong the remembrance of that great benefite which hee did once for his people of Israel in preseruing merueilously his chosen flock when he slewe in one night all the first borne of the Aegyptians and the next day after led his elect from out of Aegypt where they had a long time susteined greate miserie in bondage This benefite he woulde not haue onely to bee preached by woorde of mouth for it is certeinly sure that in that feast were made moste effectuall Sermons touching Gods benefites grace shewed to their fathers but woulde haue them also layde before their eyes by an holie action and ceremonie as it were by a looking glasse liuely picture euen as though their déede were newely in dooing againe before their faces For the visible action did after a sorte make a Sermon to their eyes and other senses Wherfore Moses when he did interprete y ceremonie and holie action did saye When your children shall saye vnto you what meaneth this worship of yours ye shall saye vnto them this sacrifice is the passinge ouer of the Lorde who passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Aegypt whē he slewe the Aegyptians and deliuered our houses But this ceremonie was the signification of a thinge alreadie past and therefore it should haue little auailed that age of man which followed to celebrate a benefite which did nothing at all belong vnto them vnlesse the Lorde had applyed it to euery age and season God therefore woulde haue this to be as a testimonie to the posteritie of his fauour goodnesse and perpetual assistance to put them
Wherevppon wée doe fréely confesse that the lawe doeth properly make manifeste our infirmitie but that the Gospel giueth a medicine a remedie to that which was almost past hope And now here we must thinke that our holy ancestors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of sinne nor Moses to doe nothing else but kill and slay nor that Moses was giuen to wound them but to heale them that not by his owne power or vertue but by the guiding of them to him that chéerisheth the contrite in heart and healeth all their sorrowes that is Christ Iesus who also wrought by the ministerie of Moses For we must not thincke from the beginning of the world nor from Moses his time till the comming of Christe that the bare letter was preached onely and that the grace and spirite of God was idle wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull For in that the law doth shewe vs and inuincibly proue to vs that in vs I meane in our flesh y perfection is not which the most holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vs it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde not by the vertue of it selfe but by the power of the quickening spirite of Christ from confidence of the fleshe as that wherin there is no health nor iote of perfection and so coÌ„sequently doeth giue vs occasion to turne our selues to Christ our mediatour who is alone our sanctification perfection And so for this occasion the law is a path and readie way and as it were a scholemaster giuen by God to vs men to drawe vs from all confidence in our owne strengths from all hope of our owne merites and from y trust in any kinde of creatures and to lead vs directly by faith to Christ who was made by God as I said eueÌ„ now our righteousnesse sanctification and redemptioÌ„ without whom there is no saluation vnder the sunne Therefore Moses did not onely vrge the lawe but did also preach Christ life in Christ For the Lord in the Gospel saith to the Iewes Thinke not that I will accuse you to my father There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whome ye trust For if ye had beleued Moses ye would vndoubtedly haue beleued mee For he wrote of mee And Paule to the Galathians saith If there had beene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubt righteousnesse should haue beene by the lawe but the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should bee giuen vnto them that beleeue But before faith came wee were kept vnder the lawe and were shut vp into the faith which should afterward be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our scholemaster vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith Loe what could bée said more plainly then that the lawe hath concluded all vnder sinne But to what end That the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should bée giuen vnto them that do beléeue And againe Before faith came that is before he came to whom our faith is directed and vppon whoÌ„ it is grounded we were kept vnder the lawe How forsooth being shut vp vnto the faith that was to bee reuealed Therefore our fathers were shut vpin the law that they should not breake out at any time séeke for life and saluation any where else but in Christ alone Wherefore the lawe did lead vs by faith directly vnto Christe And yet more plainly hée saith The lawe was oure scholemaister vnto Christ Loe here againe the law doth bring vs to Christ And againe he addeth That we should bee iustified by faith Therefore the lawe setteth forward the true doctrine of iustification teaching plainly that we are iustified by faith in Christ and not by the merits of our owne workes In whiche point it is opeÌ„ly like vnto the Gospel and taketh to it selfe the office of the Gospell and no meruaile since to many men through their owne fault the Gospell doth become and is made the letter Furthermore the same Apostle doth in an other place say that in sacrifices they called their sinnes to remeÌ„brance we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of sinns Therfore eueÌ„ the ceremonial lawes also led them to Christ testifying teaching them that he alone doth clense vs from all our sinnes Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the lawe both was is to opeÌ„ to vs our sinne iudgment yet not to condemne vs only but also by occasion to lead vs to Christ By which we learne also that the law doth not only teach vs the first principles and rudimentes of righteousnesse but the very true absolute righteousnesse For Moses doth expresly say that he taught a most perfecte absolute kind of doctrine as that wher in both life and death doth wholie consist And the Apostle saith that the law leadeth vs by the hand to Christ that we should be iustified by faith Now the righteousnesse of faith is the most perfect righteousnesse Therfore wher as the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudimeÌ„ts of the world that is for two especiall causes The first wherof is because the lawe is as it were the first instructioÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts which when the doctrine of the Gospel commeth is finished and giueth place to it as to more absolute principles The latter cause is because ceremonies are taught vnder outward thinges or signes when as in those outward things they do prefigure and set forth to be séen y inward things euen Christ himselfe his holy mysteries And out of that which I haue hetherto said we may also learne that the ancient saints which liued vnder the old testament did not séeke for righteousnesse saluation in the workes of the lawe but in him which is the perfectnesse end of the law euen Christ Iesus therfore that they vsed the law the ceremonies as a guide and scholemistresse to lead them by the hande to Christe their sauiour For so often as they heard that the lawe required perfect righteousnesse at their hands they did by faith through grace vnderstand y in the lawe Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousnesse to whom all men ought to flie for â—he obtâ—ining of righteousnesse So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies which God had ordeined they did not looke vppon the bare figures only nor thincke that they did please God and were purged from their sinnes by that externall kinde of worshipp but they did cast the eyes of their minds of faith vppon the Messiah to come who was prefigured in al the Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe They therefore did abuse the lawe who thoughte that they were acceptable to God and that they serued him as they should because they were busie in those Ceremoniall workes For those thoughtes and persuasions the Prophets
priest hath consecrated all the faithfull to be Kinges and Priestes vnto himselfe And yet notwithstanding he doth ordeine ministers of the Church by doctrine and examples to instructe the Church and to minister the sacraments I meane not those old auncient ones but those which the Lord hath substituted in steed of the old ones What doctrine they must teach hée doth expressely declare The mysticall attyre and garmentes of the priesthood hee neither did commend to his Apostles nor leaue to his Church but toke them away with all the Ceremonies that are called the middle wall betwixte she Iewes and Gentiles The Lord himselfe and his Apostle Paule will haue the pastours of the people cladd with righteousnesse and honestie and do precisely remoue the ministers of the Church from superioritie and secular affaires They doe also appoint stipendes for the ministers to liue vppon yet not those which the law allowed them but such as were most tolierable and conuenient for the state and condition of euery Church The Lord left the place to serue and worshipp God in frée without exception or binding to any one prescribed or peculiar place when in the Gospel after Iohn he said The houre shall come and is alreadie when the true worshippers shall worshipp the father neither in this mountaine nor at Hierusalem but in the spirite and in truth For such the father requireth to worship him God is a spirite and they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in truth The Apostle followed the Lord in this doctrine and said I will that men pray in euerie place lifting vp pure hands without anger Neither did the Lord in â—aine as I shewed you eueÌ„ now sufâ—â—r the temple to bee vtterlye ouerthrowne considering that at his death hée had rent the vaile therof And yet for all that the Ecclesiasticall assemblies are not thereby condemned Of whiche I spake in the exposition of the 4. precepte RemeÌ„ber that thou keepe holy the sabboth day Verily y tabernacle the temple bare the type of the catholique Church of God out of which there are no prayers noroblations acceptable to the lord But the Church is exteÌ„ded to the very ends of the world And yet it followeth not theruppon that all are in the Church which are in the world they alone are in the Churche whiche thorough the Catholique faith are in the fellowship of Christ Iesus and by the agréement of doctrine by charitie by the participation of the Sacramentes vnlesse some great necessitie hinder them are in the coÌ„munion of the holy Sainctes But they burne incense sacrifice in highe places whosoeuer séek after any other sacrifice than the one and only oblation of Christ Iesus or looke for any other to offer their prayers to God the father than Christ alone as they are taughte by the mouth of the Pastour sincerely preaching the word of god Moreouer the Church of God hath no néed now of any arke any table any shewbread any golden candlestick any altar either of incense or burnt offeringes nor yet of any braseÌ„ lauer for Christ alone is all in all to the catholique Church which Church hath all these things spiritually and effectually in Christ Iesus and can séek for nothing in any other creatures insomuch that if it perceiue any man to bring in againe either these or such like Ceremoniall instruments it doth sharpely rebuke bitterly curse him for his vnwarranted rashenesse blasphemous presuÌ„ption in the church of Christ For what néede hath the churche of shadowes and figures when it doeth nowe enioye the thing it selfe euen Christ Iesus whose shadowe and figure the ceremonies bare Moreouer the church hath signes enough in that it hath receiued of Christ two Sacramentall signes wherein are conteined all the things which the old church did comprehend in sundrie and verie many figures Furthermore he hath leaft the holy time to worship God in frée to our choice who in the Gospel saith The Sabboth was made for man not man for the Sabboth therefore the sonne of man is Lorde also of the Sabboth And the Apostle Paule saith Let no man therefore iudge you in meate or drinke or in parte of an holie daye or of the new moone or of the Sabbothes which are the shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ Of the Christian Sabboth I spake in the exposition of the fourth Commaundement As for the newe moones they are not solemnized by the churche of Christ in so much as it is taught by Christ to attribute to God not the beginning of Moneths onely but the whole yeare also and the commoditie thereof with the light of the Sunne the Moone and all the starres in heauen Moreouer the Christians do celebrate their passeouer more spiritually then bodily euen as also they doe solemnize their Pentecoste or whitsuntide For as he sent his spirite vppon his disciples so doth hee daily sent it vppon all the faithfull And that is the cause that in the faithfull the alarme is striken vpp to incourage them as souldiours to skirmish with their enimies For the fleash lusteth against the spirite and the faithfull are daily assaulted and prouoked to battaile by the world and by the deuil the prince of the world Furthermore the feast of propitiation being once finished vppon the crosse endureth for euer neither do the Sainctes any more sende out a scape goats to beare their sinnes into the desarte For Christ our Lord came once and was offered vp and by his sacrifice tooke awaye the sinnes of all the worlde Finally since the faithfull doe daily consider beare in their mindes that they haue no abydinge place in this transitorie worlde but y they looke after a place to come they néede not as the Iewes did once a yere to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles In like manner the faithfull do no more acknowlege any yeare of Iubilie For Christe came once and preached vnto vs y acceptable yeare euen the Gospell whereby it is proclaymed that all our sinnes and iniquities are clearely forgiuen vs For so doth Christ himselfe interprete it in the fourth of Sainct Lukes gospell takinge occasion to speake of it out of the sixth Chapter of Esaies prophecie And thus the holy time and festiuall dayes are abrogated by Christ in his holy Church which notwithstanding is not leafte destitute of any holy thing or necessarie matter But nowe because this present yeare wherein this booke is firste of all printed is the yeare of Grace one thousand fiue hundred and fiftie and according to the Romish traditioÌ„ is called the yeare of Iubilie I am therefore compelled as it were of necessitie to make a little digression speake somewhat of the Romish Iubilie I do therfore call it the Romish and not the Christian Iubilie because as I shewed you euen now the church of Christe after oure redemption wrought by Christ and preached by the gospel doth neither acknoledge nor receiue any
haue For euen they also cried to God as to their father although they obteined it not by the lawe which terrifieth but by the grace of the Messiah Againe the same Apostle saith Whosoeuer are led by the spirite of God they are the sonnes of God. Which sentence we may thus conuert say that the sonnes of God are led by the spirite of God. But there is none vnlesse it bee such an one as neuer read the scriptures which will denye that the auncient fathers were the sonnes of God and were so called bothe by the Lorde him selfe and also by his seruaunt Moses What may be thought of the moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and priestes and so consequeÌ„tly a royall priesthood and a priestly kingdome which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Christ Iesus Nowe such a kingdome and priesthood cannot be or consist without the vnction of the spirite The holy apostle Iohn I confesse in his Gospell sayde The holy Ghoste was not yet beecause Iesus was not yet glorified But as hee spake not of the substaunce of the holye Ghoste which is coeternall with the substance of the father and of the sonne so he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghost For in that place he speaketh of the excellent gifte which after the ascension of the Lorde was powred out vpon the people that did beléeue For Iohn him selfe interpreting him selfe doeth immediately before saye These wordes who so euer beleeueth on me out of his belye shall flowe riuers of water of life spake hee of the holye Ghoste which they that beleue on him shuld receiue The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoste was not at that time when the Lorde spake those words so commonly and plentifully powred vppon all men as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Iesus And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not haue so precisely and eâ—pressely foretolde all the mysteries of Christe the church which the Euangelistes and Apostles do testifie to be nowe accomplished fulfilled vnlesse in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie same spirite wherewith the Apostles were afterward instructed For it is a wicked thing for vs to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what and speake suche woordes as they them selues vnderstoode not Abraham sawe the daye of Christe and was gladde of it for by that spirituall sight of his he had and felt with in him selfe a certeine kinde of spirituall ioye Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Psalmes testifie that the seruice of God and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte which wordes he vttered not so much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies but for that he did by the spirite and by faith beholde in those ceremonies the true Messiah and Sauiour of the world And since it is euident that our forefathers were iustified by the grace of God it is manifest that that iustification was not wrought without the spirite of God through which spirite euen our iustification at this day is wrought and finished Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie same spirite that we of this age are directed by Of this opinion was sainct Augustine whose wordes dearely beloued I meane to recite vnto you worde for word out of his seconde booke de Peccato orig contra Pelag. et celest Cap 25. Things to come saith he were foreseene of the prophets by the same spirite of faith by which they are of vs beleeued to be alreadie finished For they whiche of verie faithfull loue could prophecie these thinges vnto vs coulde not choose but bee themselues partakers of the same And whereuppon is it that the Apostle Peter saith why temptye God to laye vppon the Disciples neckes the yoke that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shal be saued euen as they Whereupon is I saye that Peter saith this but for because they are saued by the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christe and not by Moses lawe by which doth come not the saluing but the knowledge of sinne But nowe the righteousnesse of God is without the lawe made manifest witnessed by the lawe and the prophets Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifest then must it needes bee that it was beefore although as then it were hidden The hyding whereof was prefigured by the vaâ—le of the temple which when Christe died was rent in pieces for a signification that it was then reuealed And therefore this grace of the onely mediatour of God and man the man Christ Iesus was then in the people of God but it was hidden in theÌ„ as it were rayne in a sliece which God doth separate vnto his inheritaunce not of duetie but of his owne voluntarie will but nowe that sliece being as it were wroung out that is the Iewish people beeing reprobated it is openly seene in all nations as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place Thus much out of Augustine Nowe also there was sett beefore the eyes of Israel a earnall and temporall felicitie whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon For in that externall and transitorie felicitie was shadowed the heaueÌ„ly and eternall happinesse For the apostle in the fourth eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues saith that the fathers out of that visible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuisible and euerlasting heritage Neither was Christe to any other ende so expressely promised them nor the blessing and life in Christe for any other purpose so plainly layde defore them nor Christe him self almost in all their ceremonies so often prefigured for any other intent but that they thereby might bee put in hope of the verie same life into which wee are receiued through Christ our redéemer For the Lorde in the Gospell saith that wee shal bee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the same glorie with Abraham Isaac and Iacob But here is an obiection made that life and saluation was promised onely and not perfourmed vnto the fathers but that they being shut vp in prison did looke for the comming of Messiah I for my parte do not finde any thing in the scriptures to bee written of such a prison whereinto the holie Patriarches were fast locked vpp Peter verily maketh mention of a prison but in that prison hee wil haue the disobedient not the obedient spirites to be But if any man obiect that Christe descended to them belowe we verily do not denye it but yet we say withal that he desceÌ„ded to the departed saincts that is that he was gathered to the companie of the blessed Spirites whiche were not in the place of punishment that is in torments but in the ioyes of heauen as the Lorde him self coÌ„firmeth the same when being readie to descende to them belowe
the second parte where wee haue to shewe you that GOD the father hath faithfully perfourmed to vs that which he promised to our forefathers in giuing to vs his onely begotten Sonne who is that true and looked-for Messiah that is to bee blessed world without ende In making this matter manifest the Euangelistes and Apostles of oure Lord haue taken great paines and set it forth so well and faithfully that it cannot be bettered They shewe that Christ doth come of the stocke of Dauid descending lineally of the séede of Abrraham they tell that his mother was the Virgin which did conceiue by the holie Ghost and being a Virgin still brought him into the world They note the time wherein Christ was reuealed in all points correspondent to the Prophets prophecies They add that the place of his natiuitie was aunswerable to that whiche Micheas foretolde In the Easte there appeareth a starre whiche moueth the Princes or wisemen to goe and salute the newe borne Kinge They come therefore and euen in Hierusalem doe openly professe that the Messiah is borne and that they are come out of the Easte to worship and honour him According to their woordes so were their déedes For when by the leading of the starre they had once found him they fall downe before him and doe by offering to Christ the giftes that they brought not obscurely declare howe ioyfull they were and how much they set by their Lord and Sauiour In the verie citie of Hierusalem the most iust man Simeon with great ioye of heart and godly gratulation doeth in the temple openly testifie that God according to his eternall goodnesse and constancie had giuen to the world his onely begotten sonne whome hee had promised vnto the fathers therewithall protesting that hee was willing to die He addeth the cause For that saith hee mine eyes haue seene thy saluation to witt that Schilo the Sauiour whome thou O God hast determined to set before al people a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glorie of thy people Israel that is that hee shaking off al darckenes should bring the light of trueth life vnto the Gentiles to lighten them withall and that hee should bée the glorie and life of the people of Israel Herevnto also belongeth the testimonie of that notable man Zacharie the holie priest of God saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for hee hath visited and redeemed his people hath raised vp a horne of saluation for vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid As hee spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets whiche haue beene since the world began And so forth as is to be séen in the first of Lukes Gospel Moreouer Iohn the sonne of this Zacharie syrnamed the Baptist than who we read not that any one more holie was euer borne of women did with his finger pointe at Christ Iesus and openly declare that hee is that looked for Messiah whome all the Prophetes promised and that God by giuing him vnto the woorld hath done that hee promised and wholie powred himselfe with all his benefites into and vppon all faithful beléeuers And as the people wayted saith Luke and thought in their heartes of Iohn whether hee were verie Christ Iohn aunswered saying to them all In deed I baptise you with water but one stronger than I commeth after me whose shoes latchet I am not worthie to vnloâ—se hee shall baptise you with the holie Ghost and with fire And in the Gospel after S. Iohn wee read The next day Iohn seeth Iesus comming vnto him and sayeth Beehold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the world This is he of whome I said After mee commeth a man which is preferred before mee because he was before mee and I knewe him not but that hee should be declared vnto Israel therfore am I come baptising with water And immediatly after hee sayeth I sawe the spirite descending from heauen like vnto a doue and it aboad vpon him And I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptise with water the same said vnto me vpon whom thou shalt see the spirite descending tarying still on him the same is hee whiche baptiseth with the holie Ghost And I sawe and bare record that this is the sonne of God. Againe when the disciples of Iohn did enuie the happie successe of Christ that it gréeued them to sée their maister Iohn as it were neglected in coÌ„parison of Christ Iohn said to his disciples Ye your selues are witnesses that I said I am not Christ but I am sent before him Hee that hath the bride is the bridegrome but the friend of the bridegrome whiche standeth and heareth him reioyceth because of the bridegrome Therfore this my ioy is fulfilled hee must increase but I must decrease The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all thinges into his hand He that beleeueth in the sonn hath life euerlasting hee that beleeueth not in the sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth vppon him These testimonies are firme cleare and euident enough and might suffice for the confirmation of this cause But let vs yet of a many moe picke out and add a fewe whiche may declare that Christ is alreadie exhibited vnto vs Therefore our Lord himselfe whome wee beléeue to bee Messiah when hee had a great while béene verie greatly commended by the testimonie of Iohn doeth at length come abroad preach the woord of life But it is not read that in any age before or since there was euer any y taughte with so great grace And therewithall hee shewed almost incredible and wonderfull miracles which do easilie argue who hée was and were sufficient to winne such a man with whome no woordes might possiblie preuaile Hee was louing and gentle to sinners repeating still and beating into their heads that hee was come to saue them and call them to repentance Therefore when the disciples of Iohn did once come vnto him saying Art thou hee that should come or shall we looke for an other Hée aunsweared Goe ye and tell those thinges to Iohn whiche ye see and heare The blinde receiue their sighte and the lame walke the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised to life and to the poore is preached the glad tydinges of the Gospell Nowe by these his doctrine I meane and his woorkes or miracles his minde was to shewe that hee was exhibited the true Messiah vnto the world and that none other is to be loked-for Moreouer in the Synagogue at Nazareth where hee read and expounded Esaies prophecie of the comming of Messiah he declared there that that Scripture was in himselfe fulfilled And to the historie is immediatly annexed And all bare record vnto him and wondered at the gratious sayings that proceded froÌ„ his mouth Againe in the tenth Chapiter of S. Iohn his Gospell The Iewes came round about the Lord and said How longe doest thou make vs to doubt If thou
hee is not regenerate and is yet without the true light of Gods moste holie Spirite For in another place the Apostle saith We are not able to thinke any good as of our selues but all our abilitie is of God. And therefore it is that wée do so often in the Scriptures finde mention of Inlightening or I lumination which shoulde without cause be expressed or named if so bee mannes vnderstanding were cleare of it selfe not darke and mistie There is therefore borne togeather with all men a blindenesse of heart mynde a doubting in the promises of God and an vnbeléefe and peruerse iudgement in all heauenly thinges For albeit that man hath at Gods hand receiued vnderstanding yet by reason of his owne corruption ignoraunce is a peculiar and proper heritage belonging vnto him For he is then in his kingdome when he is blynd when he doth erre when he doth doubte when hee doth not beléeue nor vse the gifts that God hath giuen him rightly as hee should that is to his owne saluation and the glorie of his maker Let vs nowe sée what the will of the olde man is able to doe Therefore since this will doeth followe a blynde guide God wote that is to say corrupt affection it is vnknowen to no man what foolishe choyce it maketh and wherevnto it tendeth And although the vnderstanding bee neuer so true and good yet is the will like to a shippe tossed to fro with stormie tempestes that is of affections For it walloweth vpp and downe with hope feare lust sorrowe and anger so that it chooseth and followeth nothing but euil For the holie Apostle speakinge of him selfe doth saye I knowe that in mee that is in my fleash there dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that whiche is good For the good that I woulde doe I not but the euill which I woulde not that do I. But nowe since the Apostle spake this of him selfe when he was regenerate what I praye you shall wee saye of the will of the olde man The olde man willeth all thinges whiche God willeth not and breakinge into all kinde of wickednesse doeth foulie fulfill his filthie lustes that is to say hee giueth his members seruauntes vnto vncleannesse and wickednesse from one iniquitie vnto another We haue of this verie many examples exhibited vnto vs bothe by the holie Scriptures and daily experience Let vs nowe against this oppose or set the newe man that is the man which is regenerate by the spirite of GOD through the faith of Iesus Christe Nowe regeneration is the renuing of the man by which through the faith of Iesus Christe we whiche were the sonnes of Adam and of wrath are borne againe the sonnes of God and do therefore putt off the olde man and put on the new which bothe in vnderstanding and wil doeth fréely serue the Lorde This regeneration is the renuing of the minde not of the bodie as we hearde in an other place out of the thirde Chapter of Sainct Iohns Gospell The author of this regeneration is the holie Ghost which is from heauen giuen vnto man I meane to a faithfull man For the gifte of the holie Ghoste is giuen for Christe his sake and that too vnto none but those that do beléeue in Christe This spirite of God doeth testifie with our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God and therefore the heires of his kingdome Wee are therefore a newe creature repayred nowe according to the image of GOD and indued with a newe nature or disposition whereby it commeth to passe that wee doe dayly put off that olde man and putt on the newe whiche thinge is done when we walk not in concupiscence after the Carnall inclination of the fleshe but in newenesse of sense according to the woorkinge of the holie Ghoste by whome wee are regenerate The same substaunce forme of the bodie abideth still the minde is chaunged the vnderstanding and wil renued For by the spirite of God the vnderstandinge is illuminated faith and the vnderstanding of God and heauenly thinges is plentiousely bestowed and by it vnbeleefe and ignoraunce that is the darkenesse of the olde man are vtterly expelled according to that saying of the Apostle Through Christe ye are made riche in all thinges in all speeche knowledge Againe Wee haue not receiued the spirite of the worlde but the spirite which is of GOD to knowe what thinges are giuen of Christe to vs. And againe We haue or know the spirite or mynde of Christ And againe ye haue no néede that any man teache you but as the verie annoynting doth instruct you of all thinges and is true abide ye in it And in this regeneration of man the will also doth receiue an heauenly vertue to do the good whiche the vnderstandinge perceiued by the holie Ghoste so that it willeth chooseth and woorketh the good that the Lorde hath shewed it and on the other side nilleth hateth and repelleth the euil that the Lorde hath forbidden it For Paule saith I knowe to be humble and I knowe to exceede I can doe all thinges through Christ who strengtheneth mee And againe to the Philippians he saith To you it is giuen for Christe not onely to beléeue in him but also to suffer for him And againe yet he doeth more plainly say It is God that worketh in you bothe to will and to performe according to the good purpose of the minde But now note this that what soeuer they doe whiche are regenerate by the spirit of God they doo it fréely not by compulsion nor against their willes For like as God requireth a cheerefull giuer so where the spirit of the Lord is there is frée libertie and hartie goodwil And Zacharie the Father of Iohn Baptist saide That we beeing deliuered from the handes of our enimyes might serue him without feare in holinesse and righteousnes before him all the dayes of our life Yea and our Lorde him selfe in the Gospel saith If ye abide in my sayings ye shal be my Disciples in deede and ye shall know the trueth and the trueth shall make you free And againe If the sonne set you at libertie or make you free then shall ye be free in deede Touching this libertie of the sonnes of GOD I haue alreadie discoursed in the ninthe Sermon of my first Decade This libertie of the sonnes of God wée doe willingly acknowledge and fréely confesse but the arrogant disputations of some blasphemous praters concerning frée will as thoughe it were in our power of our selues to doe any heauenly thing wee doe vtterly reiecte and flatly denye And yet wee doe not make man subiecte to fatall necessitie nor turne vppon GOD the blame of iniquitie As we haue else-where more at large declared And S. Augustine in his controuersie with the Pelagians did so attemper his disputation that hee attributed the good to the Grace of God and the euill vnto our nature so that
diligence to correcte that which is amisse Verily out of carelesse loosenesse doeth arise invred custome to committ sinne and negligent securitie Penitents doe not stande in defence of their sinnes but make their supplicant apologie to God to haue them remitted Hypocrites excuse themselues and seeke out shiftes and starting holes not coÌ„fessing fréely their sinns and offences nor praying to God to haue them forgiuen He which repentâ—th truely in verie déed is angrie with him selfe because of his wicked manners and life alreadie lewdly spent The punishment which he doth exercise vpon him selfe preuenteth and turneth awaye the reuengeing and imminent wrath of God. Moreouer with feare he doeth take heede howe hee sinneth any more For the contempte of GOD is the originall of mischiefes and bonde of an impenitent life Furthermore he which doeth truely repent is rauished with the passing vehement desire or loue of GOD and heauenly thinges hee burneth with zeale whereby it commeth to passe that hee neither foadeth off from daye to day nor yet doth coldly nor slackely go about that whiche hee hath learned by the word of God to be required at his hand to be done and performed Briefly what soeuer he doth he doth it with al his minde euen from the very bottome and roote of his heart For so sayeth the great Prophete of God the holy man Moses If thou wilt turne to the Lord thy God and hearken vnto his voice with all thy heart and with all thy soule the Lord thy God also shall turne thy captiuitie and shewe pitie vpon thee in the bowels of mercie Thus much touching the fruits of Repentaunce Nowe vppon all the premisses we inferre this consequent that Repentaunce whose onely scope whereto it tendeth is the renouation by the spirit of Christ of the image of God whiche was by Adams fall of old defiled is not a worke of a day or twaine or of a prescribed number of yeres but a coÌ„tinuall obseruaunce of our whole life and so coÌ„sequently a daily putting off and renuing of the old man for euer For they that are regenerate by the holy spirite of God are neuer so purged that they féele no motions of the flesh of sinne and of carnal affections There is alwayes obiecte to the eyes of the faithful this sentence of s Paul that cannot by any meanes be pluckt out of their minds I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For to will is preseÌ„t with mee but I finde no meanes to perfourme that which is good For the good that I would I doe not but the euill that I would not that doe I. For wee beare about the reliques of the flesh thorough all our life Wherevppon it commeth that in the Saincts there is a perpetuall and very sharpe battaile For they doe partly obey the spirite and are partly weakened of the flesh By the spirite they are lifted vp to the contemplation desire of heauenly thinges But by the flesh they are thrust downe to earthly thinges troubled with the allurements of this naughtie world For euen the Apostle féeling that combat in himselfe sayed The flesh lusteth contrarie to the spirite and the spirite contrarie to the flesh For they are so at enimitie beetwixt theÌ„selues that what ye would ye cannot doe And in an other place he sayth Euen I the same doe in the minde serue the lawe of God but in the flesh the lawe of sinne And to help the matter forward withal there lackes no deceipt no craft and a thousand temptations of the subtile crafts maister our enimie the diuell Therefore the labour and perill of the true penitent that is of a Christian man is farre greater than that our prayers are comparable vnto it But now who doeth not here perceiue how great watching abstineÌ„ce constancie fortitude and patience are néedeful for those y doe repent What great néede they haue of earnest and continuall prayers Let vs in this sharpe conflict lay before our eyes the instruction of that valiaunt champion the Apostle Paule For that which he sayeth may be to vs in stéed of a large and ample commentarie For he will in fewe wordes passingly instruct vs how to behaue our selues in this troublesome combate how to vanquish howe to triumphe when the victorie is gotten In his Epistle to the Ephesians thus he sayth Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on al the armour of God that ye may stand against the assaults of the diuel For wee wrestle not against flesh and bloud onely but against rules against powers against worldly gouernours of the darckenesse of this world against spirituall subtiltis in heaueÌ„ly things Wherfore take vnto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all thinges to stand fast Stand therfore hauing your loynes girt about with the truth hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse your feete shodd in the preparation of the Gospell of peace Aboue all taking the shield of faith wherwith ye may quench al the sierie dartes of the wicked take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirite which is the word of god Praying alwayes in al prayer supplication in the spirite and watching for the same wth all instance And so as followeth in the 6. to the Ephesians Here therfore are also to be rehearsed y outward exercises of repentance or rites of penaunce wherewith the Sainctes do exercise themselues partly to tame and kéepe vnder the motious of flesh and partly to testifie their repentaunce vnto the congregation Those exercises are carelessenes of the flesh teares sighes sackcloth fastings wéeping lamenting neglecting hatred of deintie diet trimming of the body and also of allowable pleasures which although they be done and yet do not procéed from the very heart and from true faith are notwithstanding nothing auaileable to him that vseth them But it is best héere to learne as it were in a painted table to behold them pictured in the word of god The Prophete Ioel sayth Turne ye to me sayth the Lord with all your heartes with fasting with weeping and with mourning and rent your heartes and not your garmentes and turne to the Lord your God for he is gratious mercifull slowe to anger and of great goodnesse he wil repent him of the euill Who knoweth whether the Lord wil returne take compassion and wil leaue behind him a blessing Blowe vp a truÌ„pet in Sion proclame fast call an assemblie sanctifie the coÌ„gregation gather the people gather the elders assemble the children and sucking babes Let the bridegrome come forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet Let the priests the Lords ministers weepe betwixte the porch and the altar and let them saye Spare thy people O Lord and giue not ouer thine heritage vnto reproch that the heathen should rule ouer them Wherfore
verily a detestable impietie to leaue this catholique and true rule of faith and to choose follow one newly inuented There are euen at this daye extante most godly and learned books of Ecclestasticall writers wherin they haue declared and defended this catholique faith by the holy scriptures against all wicked and blasphemous heretiques There are extant sundrie symboles of faith but all tending to one end set forth published in many synodall asseÌ„blies of bishops and fathers There is at this day eâ—tant learned and rehearsed of the vniuersal Church and all the members thereof both learned and vnlearned of euery sexe and age that Créed commonly called the Apostles Créed wherin we professe nothing else than that whiche wee haue hetherto declared namely that we beléeue in one God to wit the father the sonne and the holy Ghost And forbecause this consent of all the Sainctes concerning this true faith hath béene euer since the beginning of the world so sure and firme it was very well and godly prouided of auncient kinges and princes that no man should once dare be so bold either to cal into doubt or with curious questions and disputations to deface or make intricate this beléefe concerning the vnitie and Trinitie of the Almightie god Hée of old amonge the Israelites was stricken throughe and slaine which passed beyond the bounds that the Lord had limitted out And wee also haue certeine appointed boundes about the knowledge of god whiche to passe is hurtfull vnto vs yea it is punished with assured death God graunt that wee maye truely knowe and religiouslye worshippe the high excellent and mightie God euen so and such as he him selfe is For hetherto I haue as simplie sincerely and briefely as I could discoursed of the wayes meanes howe to know God which is in substaunce one and thrée in persons And yet wée acknowledge and doe fréely confesse that in all this treatise hetherto there is nothing spoken worthie of or comparable to his vnspeakeable maiestie For the eternall excellent and mightie God is greater than all maiestie and than all the eloquence of all men so farre am I from thincking that I by my woords doe in one iote come néere vnto his excellencie But I doe humblie beséech the most mercifull Lord that hée will vouchsafe of his inestimable goodnesse and liberalitie to enlighten in vs all the vnderstanding of oure mindes with sufficient knowledge of his name thoroughe Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour Amen ¶ That GOD is the creatour of all thinges and gouerneth all thinges by his prouidence where mention is also made of the good-will of God to vs ward and of Predestination ¶ The fourth Sermon DErely beloued it remayneth now for mée in this dayes Sermon for a coÌ„clusion to that whiche I haue he-ther-to spoken concerning God briefly to add somewhat of that creation or worke of God whereby hée being the maker of all thinges hath to mankindes commoditie wholsomely created all things both visible and inuisible doth now as alwayes most wisely gouerne order the same For by so doing wee shall obteine no small knowledge of God and many things shal be more openly layed forth vnto vs which we in our last treatise did but touch and away In the searching out considering setting forth of the creation of the whole and the partes thereof all the diligence of all wise men hath béene sett on woorke doeth labour and shal be troubled so longe as this world indureth For what is he though he were the wisest the cunningest and diligentest writer of the naturall historie that leaueth not many thinges vntouched for the posteritie to labour in and beate their braines about Or what is he at this day which although hee vse the ayde industrie of most learned writers is not compelled to wonder at more and greater thinges than either they euer did or hee euer shall atteine vnto you The most wise Lord will alwayes haue wittie men that are inriched with heauenly giftes to bee alwayes occupied and euermore exercised in the searching out and setting forth the secretes of nature and of the creation But we doe simplie by faith conceiue that y worldes were made of nothing and of no heape of matter of God thorough the woord of God and that it doeth consist by the power of the holie Ghoste or spirite of god For so did king Dauid and Paule the teacher of the Gentiles both beléeue and teache But although the order of y who le and the manner of the creation cannot bee knitt vpp or declared in fewe woordes yet will I doe my endeuour to vtter somewhat by which the summe of thinges maye partly appeare to the diligent considerer And héere I choose rather to vse an other manns woordes than mine owne especially because I suppose this matter cannot be more liuely expressed than Tertullian in his booke De Trinitate setteth it foorth as followeth GOD hath honge vp heauen in a loftie height he hath made the earth massiue with a lowe and pressed-downe weight hee hath powred out the seas with a leuse and thinne liquor and hath planted all these beeing decked and full with their proper and fit instruments For in the firmament of heauen hee hath stirred vpp the dawning risings of the Sunne hee hath filled the circle of the glittering Moone for the comforte of the night with monethly increasings of the world and hee lighteneth the beames of the starres with sundrie gleames of the twinckling lighte the night he meaneth and hee would that all these should by appointed courses goe about the compasse of the world to make to mankind dayes monethes yeares signes times and commodities In the earth also hee hath lifte vpp high hilles aloft depressed downe the valleyes belowe layed the fieldes out euenly profitablie ordeined flockes of beastes for sundrie seruices and vses of men Hee hath made the massiue oakes of the woodes for the behoofe of man hee hath brought foorth fruite to feed him withal he hath vnlocked the mouthes of springs and powred them into running riuers After all whiche necessarie commodities beecause hee would also procure somewhat for the delight of the eyes hee cladd them all with sundrie colours of goodly flowers to the pleasure delight of those that beheld them In the sea also althoughe for the greatnesse and profite thereof it were very wonderfull hee framed many sortes of liuinge creatures some of a meane and some of a monsterous bignesse which doe by the varietie of the woorkemanshipp giue speciall notes of the woorkemans witt And yet not beeing therewithall content least peraduenture the rage course of the waters should with the damage of the earthes inhabitauntes breake out and occupie an other element hee cloased vp the waters limitts within the shoares that thereby when the raginge waues and foaminge water did rise vpp from the depth and chanell it mighte turne into it selfe againe and not passe beyond the boundes
appointed keeping still the prescribed course to the ende also that man might bee so much the more readie to keepe Gods Lawes when hee perceiued that euen the very elements did obserue keepe them Last of all hee setteth man to bee Lord ouer the world whome he made to the likenesse and Image of GOD to whome hee gaue reason witt and wisedome that hee mighte imitate God whose bodie althoughe it were made of earth was yet-not-withstanding inspired with the substaunce of the heauenly breathe and Spirite of god To whome when hee had put all thinges in subiection he would haue him alone to bee free without subiection And least that libertie beeing let loose at randon might come into perill againe hee gaue a commaundement by the meanes of whiche commaundement it could not be said that euill was out of hande or by-and-by present in the fruite but should then be in it when once he perceiued in the will of man the contempt of that commaundemente For both hee ought to bee free least the Image of GOD should seeme to bee bonde bond vndecently and also a lawe was to bee giuen least at any time the vnbrideled libertie shuld breake out to the contempt of him that gaue the libertie that he might consequently receiue either due rewards of obedience or merites of punishment for disobedieÌ„ce hauing that giuen him to whether part he was willing by the motion of the minde for to incline whereby the enuie of mortalitie doth returne to him who when by obedience he might haue escaped it did yet runne headlonge into it while hee made too much hast to become a god c. The same add in the partes aboue the firmament whiche are not now to be beheld of our mortal eyes that first there were ordeined Angels then there were ordered spirituall vertues then there were placed thrones and powers and many other vnmeasurable spaces of the heauens and that many works of holie things were there created c. Thus farre Tertullian Now the summe of all this is God did by his power create of nothinge heauen earth and the sea whiche hee did immediately adorne and enriche with all kindes of good thinges And into this world which taketh y name of the furniture that is in it as in a most sumptuous palace well furnished with all sort of excellent necessaries it pleased him to bring man to whome he did put all thinges in subiection as Dauid doeth with wondering merueyling set it forth where he sayth O Lord our gouernour how excellâ—t is thy name in all the world For thy glorie is lifte vpp aboue the heauens Out of the mouthes of verie babes and sucklinges hast thou ordeined strength beecause of thine enimies that thou mayest destroy the enimie and the auenger For I will consider the heauens euen the works of thy fingers the moone and the starres whiche thou hast ordeined What is man that thou art so mindefull of him or the sonne of man that thou hast care ouer him Thou madest him somewhat lower than the Angels or than God thou crownest him with glorie and honour thou madest him to haue dominion of the workes of thy handes Thou hast put all thinges in subiection vnder his feete sheepe and oxen and the beastes of the field the foules of the ayre and the fishes of the sea which walke thoroughe the pathes of the sea O Lord our gouernour howe excellent is thy name in all the world Psalme 8. The same againe in an other place doeth say The heauens are thine O God the earth is thine thou hast layed the foundation of the rounde world and all that therein is The day is thine and the night is thine thou hast ordeined the lights and the Sunne thou layedst al the borders of th' earth thou hast made both Summer and winter Nowe who is so very a sot as that he doeth not by these proofes easilie gather howe great our GOD is howe great the power of God is how good riche and liberall to man who neuer deserued any such thinge at his hand our GOD is whiche hath created so great riches so exquisite delights and such furniture as caÌ„not be sufficiently praised for man alone and hath made them all subiecte and will haue them all to obey man as their Lord and maister But héere by the waye in the creation of the world we haue to consider the preseruation and gouernement of the whole by the same GOD. For neither doeth the worlde stand and endure by any power of it owne neither doe those things moue and stirre of their owne accord or as wee saye at all aduentures whiche are stirred or moued howe so-euer For the Lord in the Gospell sayeth My father woorketh hetherto and I woorke And Paule sayeth God by his sonne hath made the worlds and doeth rule and vphold them with the word of his power And againe By God we liue and moue and haue our being And againe God left not himself without witnes in that he shewed his benefites from heauen giuing vs raine and fruitefull seasons filling our hearts with foode and gladnesse And Theodorete De prouideÌ„tia sayeth It is a most absurd thinge to saye that God hath created all thinges but that hee hath no care of the thinges which he hath made that his creature as a boate destitute of a steirsemaÌ„ is with coÌ„trarie winds tossed to fro and knockt crackt vppon shelues and rocks Therfore in this place we haue to say somewhat of Gods prouidence and gouernment which all the wicked together with the Epicures doe at this daye denie saying in their hearts Is it likely that he that dwelleth in heauen shuld regard the things on earth And doth the Almightie obserue and marcke the very smallest of our words and works He hath giuen to all creatures a certeine inclination and nature which he hath made their owne and so leaueth them now in the hand of their owne counsell that they of their owne nature maye moue increase perish and do euen what they lust Tush God neither knoweth nor doeth greatly trouble himselfe about these toyes Thus do the wicked reason very wickedly but the Scripture dothe expressely in many places pronounce proue that God by his prouidence doeth care for and regard the state of mortall men of all the thinges that hee hath made for the vse of mortall men And therefore here it is profitable and necessarie to cite some testimonies out of the holy scriptures for the proofe of this argument Dauid in his Psalmes sayth The Lord shal reigne for euer and his kingdome is a kingdome of al ages and his dominion froÌ„ generation to generation Loe The kingdome of God sayeth he is a kingdome of all ages and his dominion throughout all generations Therfore God hath not onelye created the world and all thinges that are in the world but doth also gouerne and preserue them at this daye and shall
God in whome God might dwel and reigne and that he should therefore acknowledge God reuerence adore call vppon and worship and also be ioyned vnto God and liue with him eternally And first of all I will speake of adoreing God nexte of calling vppon God lastly of seruing god Wherevpon we shall perceiue without any trouble at all whiche is the true religion or which is the false The places truly propounded are verie plentiful but in fewe wordes I will comprehend what the scripture doth teach vs concerning them howbeit not euerie one particularly but the chiefest and so muche as séemeth sufficient for our saluation and sound knowledge To adore or worship in the holie scriptures doeth signifie for honours sake to vncouer the heade to bend the body to incline or bowe the knée or with the whole body to lye prostrate vpon the grounde to fall flat on the face at ones féete after the fashion of suppliants or petitioners in token of humilitie submission and obedience and it is referred chiefly to the gesture or habite of the body The Hebricians vse one only word Schahah whiche all interpreters haue expounded by this word Adorare to adore bende bowe and lye along with the face downward The Grecians haue expounded it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I bowe the knées I vncouer or make bare the head I humbly beséech or adore And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adoration is so called either of kissing or of mouing the hat For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth I kisse And that a kisse was sometimes a signe of worshipping reuerencing or adoreing it is to be gathered out of the 31. of Iob. What and is it not a fashion verie much vsed euen at this day for honour and reuerence sake to kisse the hand Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a hat a bonâ—et or a cap so that to adore is to make bare and vncouer the heade for reuerence sake The Latinistes also peraduenture had an eye to the habite of the bodie For Orare to pray signifieth both as well to craue as to speake a thing He therefore doth adore that casting his countenaunce vpon a man doeth craue somthing suppliantly Likely it is that the Germanes also had a respect herevnto For they turne Adorare to adore by this word Anbatten Whiche might moreouer haue ben turned Zu fussen fallen In the ninth of Matthewe thou doest reade Beholde a certeine ruler came to Iesus and worshipped or adored him But Marke writing the same historie And beholde saith he there came one of the Princes of the Synagogue whose name was Iairus and when he sawe him he fel downe at his feete and besought him instantly or muche thus expounding to vs what to adore is to wit to fall downe at ones féete and to submit and beséeche like a suppliant For so we reade in the olde testament of Iacob Israel our father And he going before them bowed him selfe to the ground seuen times vntill his brother Esau approched and drewe neare Of Dauid and Abigael thus we reade in Samuel When Abigael sawe Dauid she hasted and lighted off her Asse and fel before Dauid on her face and worshipped gâ—ound she â—ell 〈◊〉 his â—â—ete saying Let that iniquitie bee counted mine my Lord c. Likewise of Nathan the Prophete it is 〈◊〉 thus written And wheÌ„ he was 〈◊〉 in â—o the king he worshipped or made obeysaunce vppon his face on the ground For GOD communicating this honour doeth allowe the same vnto men either for their old age their authoritie or worthinesse sake For man is the liuely image of God. And it pleaseth God himselfe to call men that excell other in authoritie Gods. Wherevppon the Apostles of Christe Peter and Paule instructing the people of God taught them Hee verily Feare God honour the king and This the magistrate is Gods minister Giue therfore to all men honour to whom honour belongeth feare to whome feare is due In the lawe the Lord sayeth In presence of a hoare head rise vp And Honour thy parents In consideration of this commaundement of God y godly do reuerence the aged their parentes and magistrats and please God also with faithful obedience But to adore worship or honour images what representation or likenesse soeuer they beare the Lord doeth no where like or allowe For hee sayeth in the Lawe Thou shalt not bow downe nor worshippe them And by his Prophete Isaie None sayeth he considereth with him selfe of this matter and sayeth One peece of the woode I haue burnte in the fire I haue baked bread with the coales thereof I haue roasted fleshe therewithall and eaten it should I now of the residue make an abhominable idole and fall downe and worship a rotten peece of wood In the same Prophete thou readest with muche indignation pronounced Their land is fâ—l of vaine Gods or idols before the woorkes of their hands haue they bowed themselues and adored it yea euen before the thing that their owne fingers haue made There kneeleth the man there falleth the man downe before them therfore forgiue them not Therefore that auncient writer Lactantius inspired with a propheticall spirite disputing against the Gentiles hath thus lefte it written The images themselues whiche are worshipped are representations or counterfects of dead men And it is a peruerse and an absurde thinge that the image of a man should bee worshipped of the image of GOD to witt man For he worshippeth the thing that is worser and weaker Besides that the very images ofsainctes whiche most vaine men doe serue are voyde of all sense and féeling béecause they are earth And where is hee that vnderstandeth not that it is a wicked and sinnefull acte for an vprighte and streight creature to be bowed downe and to adore and worship earth whiche to that end is vnder our féete that it should be troden vppon and not adored of vs who therefore are made to goe vppright and looke vppward that wee should not lye groueling downeward that wée should not cast this heauenly countenaunce to the earth but thither looke and directe our eyes whither the coÌ„dition of their nature hath guided them Whosoeuer therfore endeuoureth to mainteine the mysterie of mans creation and to hold the reason of his nature let him raise vp himselfe from the ground and with a raised minde bende his eyes vnto heauen Let him not séeke a God vnder his féete nor digge from vnder his footesteps that which hee may adore or worship Beecause whatsoeuer lyeth vnder or is subiect to man the same must néedes be inferiour vnto man But let him séeke aloft let him séeke in the highest place because nothing can be greater than man but that which is aboue man But God is greater than man hee is therefore aboue not beneathe neither is he rather to be sought in the lowest but in the highest region or roome Wherefore there is no doubt but
that wheresoeuer an image is there is no religion For if religion consist in diuine thinges and that nothinge is diuine vnlesse it be amonge heauenly thinges than doe images lacke religion Because in that which is made of earth there can bee no heauenly thing Whiche matter euen by the very name it selfe may appeare bee manifest to a wise man For whatsoeuer is counterfecte that must néeds be false neither can that which hath a representation or glose of truth at any time take vnto it the name of truth If then not euery representation or coūterfect be not a thing in earnest but as it were a toy a sport religion is not in images but there is lesse religion where they bée That whiche is true therefore is to be preferred before all things that are false Earthly thinges must bee troden vnder foote that we maye get or obteine heauenly thinges These words not vnaduisedly haue wee cited hetherto out of Lactantius We returne nowe to our purpose But because the outward gesture or habite of the bodie is commonly framed according to the inward qualitie of the minde and the outwarde habite of his body which adoreth submitteth yealdeth and maketh subiect him that worshippeth to him whiche is worshipped therefore adoration is translated likewise to the inner man so that to adore is to reuerence and respecte God to bequeath oure selues wholie vnto him and to cleaue inseparably vnto him vppon him only and alone to hange in all thinges and to haue recourse vnto him in all our necessities whatsoeuer Furthermore the outward adoration doth immediatly when it is néedfull and abilitie graunted followe a minde rightly indued with true faith and holy feare of god For adoration is two-fould or of two sortes one of the minde or spirite which is inward sound sincere and true another of the bodie whiche is outward vnsounde counterfecte and false whiche maye procéede from him in whome there is no sparckle of religion True adoration is the fruite of true faith and holy feare of God namely a lowly or suppliant yéelding and humble consecrating whereby we bequeath oure selues yeald and submitt oure selues vnto our God whome as wee vnderstand to be our best and most merciful father so to be our most highe and Almightie God vppon him therefore alone we do wholie depend and to him onely wee haue respecte whiche also forthwith so soone as occasion is ministred vnto vs wée expresse and testifie by outward adoration All this wée shall the better vnderstand by these testimonies of Scripture following Dauid sayth O come let vs singe vnto the Lord let vs hartily reioyce in God our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thanckesgiuing and shewe our selues ioyfull in him with Psalmes For the Lord is a great GOD and a great king aboue all Gods because in his hand are the corners of the earthe and the highte of the hilles are his For the sea is his and he made it and his hands fastened the drie land O come let vs adore or worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord that hath made vs Beecause hee is the Lord our GOD and we are the people of his pasture and the sheepe of his handes Thou perceiuest therfore that we must adore or worship God and that wee must cleaue vnto him and singe praises to his name because hee is the most mightie GOD creatour of all thinges yea our creatour our father and our shéepeheard Likewise in the Gospell according to Matthewe adoration doeth followe faith and doeth as it were growe out of it and by it is nourished For after that the disciples béeing taughte by myracle beléeued that Iesus was Christ they came sayeth Matthewe and adored or worshipped him saying Thou art truely the sonne of God. Againe thou readest in Iohn that the Lord asked the blinde man that was excommunicate or caft out of the Synagogue whome he restored to his sight saying Doest thou beleeue in the sonne of God And that the blinde man aunswered Who is hee Lord that I might beleeue in him And that Iesus aunsweared and sayde Thou hast both seene him and hee it is that talketh with thee Moreouer vppon this by and by followeth in the historie But hee said I beleeue Lord and he worshipped him Hetherto nowe belongeth that whiche the Lord sayed to the Samaritane in the Gospell The true worshippers shall worship the father in spirite and in trueth For the Lord doth allowe spirituall and inward adoration or worshipping not that outward counterfecte or hypocriticall worshipping but that whiche procéedeth from a minde regenerated by fayth through the holy Ghost and that tendeth sincerely towardes one god For wee read in the historie of the old testament that those princes worshipped in trueth whiche consecrated and made holy themselues vnto one God with their whole heart and on him onely depended againe that they worshipped not the Lord with their whole heart which beeing destitute and voide of sincere faith depended also vppon creatures Nowe a reason of this adoration or worshipping the Lord adioyneth in the Gospel Worshipp sayeth he ought in all poincts to agree with him that is worshipped But God that is worshipped is spirite and trueth and is delighted with spirituall worshipp and vnfeigned fayth in spirite and trueth therefore hée must bée worshipped Wherefore the Sainctes haue a speciall care and regard that the inward worship of the minde be sound and that first of all they worshippe in heart and truely with a sincere faith and a reuerence of Gods Maiestie and whiles they are inwardly so occupied they doe no lesse outwardly falling on their faces with humilitie and doe worship in Gods presence For the outward worship is a companion of the inward and followeth it Hypocrites also worshippe God in body suppliantly and lowly enoughe but because their mindes goe a woll-gathering and neither with faith nor reuerence cleaue vnto the Lord they heare this spoken of the Lord by the Prophete This people honoureth mee with their lippes but their heart is farre from mee but in vaine doe they worship me teaching doctrines precepts of mē And this verily is the counterfecte and false worshipping And that worshipping also is false nay it is most wicked and abhominable wherwith the creatures are worshipped either with GOD or for God or without god And to saye sooth they doe not worship God at all whiche neither feare God neither beléeue in God nor yet depend or hange onely vppon God. All men truely confesse that God must bee worshipped but euery one doeth not surely acknowledge and cōfesse that God onely and alone is to bee worshipped It remayneth therefore to be declared that God only and alone is to be worshipped of men Adoration or worshipping is ioyned with true faith and perfecte or sincere reuerence of Gods maiestie whiche séeing they are due to GOD alone it followeth that god alone is to be worshipped and therefore is
vppon any other than that GOD who liueth euerlastingly world without end For the Lord himselfe by Asaph sayeth In thine extremities and troubles O Israel thou calledst vppon mee and I deliuered thee Also Dauid saith Our fathers hoped in thee they hoped in thee and thou deliueredst them Vnto thee they cryed were deliuered In thee they trusted and were not coÌ„founded Now add vnto all these the commaundement of Christ our Lord When you pray say Our Father c. Add also the wordes which followe in Luke 11. and Matthew 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you And so forth Wée conclude therefore that the true liuing and euerlasting God ought of all meÌ„ in all their necessities to be called vppon But to no purpose peraduenture I take paines in this poinct séeing that there are but a fewe or none at all whiche denie that God is to bee called vppon This séemeth to require a more diligent declaration that God onelye and alone is to bee called vppon For many doubtlesse doe call vpon GOD but together with God or for God certeine chosen patrones wherevpon insueth that they call not vppon God onely and alone Now that hee alone is to be called vppon in this sort we declare By inuocation or calling vppon we require helpe or succour either that good thinges may be giuen to vs or that euill things may be turned away from vs Whiche néedeth no further proofe séeing it cannot be denyed of any that is ruled by his right wittes Now God only and alone is our helper who only giueth good things taketh away euil things For the Lord sayth in the Gospel There is none good but one to wit God where One is taken for only and alone Againe in the lawe by the mouth of Moses the Lord sayth Behold that I am God alone and that there is none other God beside mee And againe by Isaie Haue not I the Lorde and there is none other God beside me a iust God and a sauiour there is none beside me And Dauid Who sayth he is God besides the Lorde and who is mightie or a rocke saue our God In verie euill part therefore did the worshippers of God take it so often as men asked of them those thinges which are in the Lordes handes onely to giue Rahel sayde to Iacob Giue me children or else I dy But the scripture by and by addeth And Iacob being angrie said Am I in Gods stead which hath denied thee or withholden from thée the fruite of the wombe So when the king of Syria desired besought Ioram the king of Israel a king I wisse not so godly that he wold heale Naaman who was infected with the leprosie Ioram sayth Am I a God that I shoulde be able to kill and to giue life For he sendeth to me that I should heale a man from his leprosie Wherefore most certeine it is that to God only it belongeth to giue good thinges and to turne away euill thinges Wherevppon it doth consequently followe that God only and alone must be called vpon For if these patrones whome they call vpon as their helpers and succourers that doe not call vpon the onely God be able either to giue those things that are good or to turne away those thinges that are euill then certeinely there is not one onely god For those shoulde likewise be Gods. But Gods they are not bycause there is but one God who onely and alone giueth or bestoweth good things and taketh away or remoueth euill things God only and alone therefore is to be called vppon Patrones are not to be called vppon in so much as they are able to do vs neyther good nor harme As touching that whiche of their owne heades some doe here obiect that Patrones doe vs good and harme not of them selues but of God it is doubtfull yea it is most false For the Lord him selfe by the Prophete sayth I am the Lord Hu This or Being is my name and my glory I will not giue to an other neither my praise to grauen Images So that all glorie belongeth to God bycause he is onely and alone not onely the wel-spring of all good graces whiche is neuer drawne drye but also a most iust and equall distributer of the same and for that cause he is called vpon worshipped and serued of men Psalme 50. Furthermore in so muche as we ought to sacrifice vnto none but to one God certeine it is that we muste worship but one onely god The Lord cryeth in the lawe He that offereth vnto other Gods than to the onely God let him be rooted out And therefore Paule and Barnabas when the people of Lystra were preparing sacrifices to offer vnto the Apostles they rent their clothes thereat as at intollerable blasphemie For in the law of the Lord we reade againe Who so euer shall make for him selfe a composition or perfume of incense to smell thereto he shall be cut off from among his people But the sacrifices of the godly are prayers thankesgiuings and inuocations on Gods name For Dauid sayth Vnto thee wil I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise and I will call vpon the name of the Lord. And againe Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of my handes as an euening sacrifice Paule likewise sayth By Christe we offer the sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto God that is the fruite of lippes which confesse his name For the Prophete Osée biddeth vs offer y calues of our lips For so much therefore as one onely God is to be sacrificed vnto therefore one only God is to be called vpon Neither is it possible that they whom such as call not vppon the onely God name heauenly patrones woulde if they be Saintes require of men such maner of inuocations Nay rather both against God and against the Saintes do these offend ascribing that to such which no blessed spirites do acknowledge S. Augustine saith that they are not the Angels of the good God but wicked diuels whiche will haue not the onely and most high God but themselues to be wâ—rshipped and serued with sacrifices Besides that the blessed spirites or Saintes during the time that they lyued in their mortall bodies prayed Thy wil be done as in heauen so in earth therefore being nowe deliuered and set frée from all corruption they doe muche more fully yea moste perfectly agrée vnto the will of God which commaundeth all men to worship and call vpon the onely God. Againe he that looketh into and séeth the harts of them that call vpon him heareth their petitions or requestes and is able to fulfill the desires of all men liuing he I say is lawfully and fruitfully called vpon And surely it is requisite and necessarie that he knowe all thinges that he be almightie and the searcher of heartes Wherefore séeing the onely God is he the only God without further question ought to
busie them selues Let vs also first of all note that which expressely he doth adde That come vnto God by him by him I say that is our Mediatour Prieste and Intercessour Christe For by him onely and alone the way lyeth open for vs to goe to the father Vnto which also is annexed that hee liueth and for this end he liueth to make intercession for vs. The heauēly Saintes also doe line in the kingdome of God with Christe but they liue for them selues or for their owne benefite not for vs or our aduauntage Christe liueth for vs and maketh intercession for vs therefore he alone maketh intercession Saintes do not make intercession These reasons do proue vnto vs most manifestly I thinke that the Apostle speaketh of the mediation of intercession not of redemption Laste of all hee requireth in an intercessour such manner of marks or properties as a mā can not finde in any saue in Christe the Lorde onely and alone For although the Angels be innocent and harmelesse yet notwithstanding they are not higher than the heauens The heauenly Saintes although they be nowe purged and made cleane from sinnes yet for all that by nature they are not separated from sinners neyther are they made higher than the heauens as being Lordes ouer Angels and ouer euery creature Onely the sonne is suche a one and for him this glory is reserued and kept he alone therefore is the intercessour of the faithfull with the father Vnto these testimonies of Paule we wil yet ioyne one of Saint Peter and an other of the moste blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Saint Peter doth teache that the Saintes that is we whiche are faithfull in this worlde are layde as liuely stones by faith vpon Christ the liuely stone and that we are made a spirituall building or house and an holy priesthood to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christe Loe we are layde not vpon Saints but vpon Christ the liuely stone by whom we are both quickened and preserued in the building We are made a spirituall house and an holy prtesthood for this ende that we should offer not sacrifices of beastes but spiritual sacrifices to wit our owne selues and our prayers vnto God by Iesus Christe not by Saintes For they also are the spirituall house with vs the liuely stones layde vpon Christ and liuing through Christ Furthermore Iohn writeth My babes these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not and if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe the iust or the righteous And he is the propitiation or reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world I doe not think that any thing could be deuised or spokē more agréeable to our purpose more euident more strong or better than this We heare that Christe is appointed and made vnto vs of God not onely a mediatour of redemption once to redéeme but to be an euerlasting mediatour yea of intercession who so often standeth an aduocate before God the father howe often sinfull man offendeth and hath néede of his helpe and defence vnto whō also the guiltie may boldly haue accesse cōmit vnto him their cause to be pleaded before god If any man sinne sayth Iohn we haue an aduocate with the father Loe Iohn calleth him an aduocate whome the defenders or mainteiners of the partroneship of Saintes doe call a mediatour of intercession For Aduocatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an aduocate signifieth a Tutour a defender a fauourer a comforter a patrone or a proctour whiche pleadeth or hath our cause in handling But marke whome he defineth and setteth foorth to be our aduocate not the holy virgine not Peter or Paule not him selfe or Stephan but Iesus Christe If he had thought or beléeued that the patroneship of heauenly Saintes had béene ouer and besides necessarie and wholsome for men then woulde he haue ioyned thē with Christ the lord now he setteth forth vnto vs Christ alone He addeth The iust or the righteous As if he had sayde There is no cause why any shuld distrust or stand in doubt of his patroneship or thinke him a patrone not in his fathers fauor loue He is the sonne He is Christe He is the iustor righteous therefore he is highly in his fathers fauour and most acceptable who in the presence of the most iust God may appeare for vs that are vniust Such righteousnesse is not found in any one of Adams children But it is required in an intercessour Indéed he doth communicate his righteousnesse to the Saintes by fayth but that righteousnesse is imputed to the Saintes and it is imputatiue In Christe righteousnesse is natural and as it were borne in him yea it is properly his owne For Christe Iesus he is the onely righteous in heauen and in earth who néedeth not first for his owne sinnes and then for the offences of the people eyther to pray or to offer sacrifice For he onely hath no sinne and he is the righteousnesse of all He therfore maketh intercession with the father bycause none naturally and properly is righteous but Christ alone And it is not amisse in this place first of al to marke that Christ is called a propitiation or satisfaction not for sinners or people of one or two ages but for all sinners and all faithfull people throughout the whole worlde One Christe therefore is sufficient for all one intercessour with the Father is set foorth vnto all For how often thou sinnest so often thou haste ready a righteous intercessour with the father Not that we should imagine in Heauen as in a courte the Father vpon his throne to sit as a iudge and the sonne our patrone so often to fall downe on his knées and to pleade or intreate for vs as we sinne and offende but we vnderstande with the Apostle that Christe is the aduocate and the vniuersall prieste of the churche and that he only appeareth in the presence of the father bycause as the power force of his deth albeit he die not daily so the vertue of his intercession is alwayes effectuall Let vs therefore drawe neare and come to God by Christe the onely mediatour of our redemption and intercession our onely intercessour and aduocate We can not but be acceptable vnto God the father if we be commended vnto him by his only begotten sonne Furthermore weake are the argumentes wherewith the maynteiners of the heauenly patrones goe about to establish their patroneshippe or intercession The spirite saye they maketh intercession for vs according to the doctrine of the Apostle therefore Christ alone doth not make intercession I answere that Paule speaketh not of an other intercessour in heauen but of the spirite of man praying in this worlde which being inlightened and kindled with the spirite of God groneth and maketh intercession for the Saints The words of the Apostle are playne These men do yet adde We reade in scripture
otherwise serue their Lord and king than Kings that is in doing those thinges whiche Kinges ought to doe namely to execute iudgement and iustice For albeit these be in the worlde yet râ—le they not after the worlde because they are now gouerned by the spirite of their king Christe and directe all their doings to the prescripte rule of Gods word and in all things yéelde them selues to be guided by the spirite of God and so farre surely their kingdome is not of this worlde Of these things I haue else where cited much out of S. Augustine acording to the scripture And our king Christe defendeth his Churche and his ministers sometime by the aide of Princes sometimes he preserueth and spreadeth abrâ—ade the same lying open to persecutions through infirmitie and weakenesse For it is pressed downe but not oppressed or kepte vnder still Christe the mightiest Prince alwayes reigning and ouercomming in those that â—ee his Nowe the bounds of this Earthlie kingdome of Christe reache vnto the vtter-moste partes of the Earth For all the kingdomes of the worlde and all nations perteine vnto the kingdome of Christ Héerevnto belong all the testimonies of the Prophets touching the calling of the Gentiles whereof thou maist finde verie manis in Esay and Zacharie who excellentlye describe the kingdome of Christe in Earth Wherevppon the Iewes tooke occasion to feigne I wot not how great glorious things of the maiestie and victeryes of the Messias whiche neuerthelesse long since were aboundantlye fulfilled in Christe but more spiritually than carnally But they while they dreame of and looke for carnall things loathe spirituall and loose bothe But the faithfull through the bountifulnesse and liberalitie of Christe their king most aboundauntly obteine those good thinges whiche the Prophetes promised namely plentifull peace bothe with God and men and all kinde of felicitie alwayes to bée blessed alwayes to be safe though they fight continuallie from all enimyes as well visible as also inuisible and to inioy euerlasting saluation Which things the Prophetes in their writings haue set foorthe in a moste large kinde of style yet vnderstandinge nothing else than as euen now we said that the faithfull shall be moste happie and shall possesse in Christe all good gifts bothe of soule and bodie as much indéede as is necessarie and healthfull for the Saincts And this is that kingdome now we vnderstand bothe as well that of grace as this of 〈◊〉 which that Ioseph of Aramathia iust Simeon and Anna y Prophetisse with other Saints awaited and loked for This same kingdome Philippe the Deacon preached to them of Samaria and Sainte Paule the Apostle to them of Rome which thinge Luke doeth testiffe in the Actes of the Apostles Chapter 8. and 28. But the seate or throne and palace of our king is Heauen For hee ascended a conquerour into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from theÌ„ce â—â— y Sunne of righteousnesse hee shineth to all which liue in his Churche or in his kingdome yea and he â—hâ—â—sâ—th the harts of the faithfull to him selfe wherein he may dwell Furthermore that we may vnderstande ouâ— King though not corpâ—rally presente in earth but ascended into Heauen not therefore to be absent from his kingdom he verily in his word compareth himselfe to the head and vs to the bodie or the meÌ„bers Now therefore as the bodie is neuer without the head so the kingdome of God is not without Christ the prince And as the vitall spirite from the harte and the power or vertue of féeling and mouing froÌ„ the head is powred into the bodie so are we quickened or made aliue by our Prince Christe he iustifying preseruing comforting confirming and defending vs from all euill As all the members are ruled by the head so all the faithful in the kingdome of Christe are gouerned by their King Christe Paule therefore saithe God raised Christe from the dead set him on his right hand in heauenly places farr aboue all rule and power and might euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to coÌ„e And hath put all things vnder his féete gaue him to be the head ouer all things to the Church which is his bodie y fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Of which kinde there are very many other to be found in the writings of the Apostles first of all that Christ is the head of the church and he it is which giueth saluation to the body for he gaue him selfe for the church to sanctifie it when he had cleansed it in the founteine of water in the worde that he might present it vnto him selfe a glorious church c. And thus much hetherto of the kingdoÌ„e of Christ in earth which is bothe called the kingdome of grace and the Church militant Moreouer the kingdome of God is called the kingdome of heauen and of glory for that occasion because those whome our Lord king hath sanctified on earth and guided with his spirit yea and also iustified béeing deliueied from the fleshe and taken out of this world he glorifieth in heaueÌ„ and recâ—iueth thâ— into ioy into the fellowship both of himselfe and of all the saints For the souls of the faithful eueÌ„ as soone as they depart out of their bodies are foorth with receiued into heaueÌ„ to reigne with Christ the euerlasting king for euer to reioice with all the Saincts But in the laste iudgemeÌ„t wherewith we beleue that the quick and dead shall be iudged of Christe our king the bodies of the Sainctes shall be raised vp clarified coupled againe to their soules and how many soeuer haue cleaued vnto Christ their king from the beginning of the world shal liue for euer reigne in glorie together with Christe their king and prince Of this kingdoÌ„e of the Saints the Prophets Apostles haue spoken muche and chiefelye the Apostle Sainte Iohn in his Reuelation Some haue called this kingdome the Church triumphant This kingdome of GOD or of Christe is an euerlasting kingdome For as euen to the worldes end the Church shall be on earth howsoeuer this worlde and the Prince of the worlde doe rage so the faithfull after iudgement shall liue and reigne with Christe happie for euer bothe in bodie and soule For the Lord saith in the Gospell The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church Also the last times shall be as the dayes of Noe were wherein thoughe the wicked did farre in number excéede the Churche of the faithfull yet Noe and his were saued in the Arke but the wicked were destroyed with the floud in such sort surely shal iniquity by all means preuaile in the end of the worlde but in the meane while those that are elected into the kingdome of Christe shall be saued by Christe whome they shall looke for to be their Iudge and shall sée theire redéemer comming in the cloudes of
Heauen Daniel also in his Prophecie describeth the rysing and fallinge of all kingdomes of Antichrist also but attributeth no end to the kingdome of the Saincts or holie people but witnesseth that it shall be euerlasting The same doeth the Prophet Zacharie also in his 12. chapter For the Sainctes reigne on the Earthe by Christe and béeing translated from the Earth into Heauen they shall reigne together with theire kinge Christe for euer And the Scripture is woont oftentimes to speake of one of these kingdomes onely Of bothe these kingdomes wee vnderstande many places of Scripture first of all that which is spoken by our sautour WheÌ„ ye pray say O our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come For we pray y he would reign in vs while we liue on earth that we also may reigne ouer the world and the Prince of the worlde and that we be not ruled by Sathan neither that sinne reigne in vs but rather that we here béeing gouerned by him self may in time to come reigne with Christ in Heauen Contrariwise what manner of kingdome the kingdome of the world is it appeareth by considering the head or the king and prince therof which is the diuel the Authour of sinne of vncleannesse and of death He reigneth in the worlde the Prince doubtlesse of the kingdome of darcknesse Not that God and his Christe is not king of all things but because vnfaithful apostataes thrugh their owne proper malice reuolting from God to the diuell doe appoint him for their prince to whome euen of their owne accorde they submitt and yéelde them selues to be gouerned liueing in all vngodlynesse wickednesse and vncleannesse framing them selues like to their head the diuell with whome they shall be punished euerlastingly in the worlde to come as in this worlde they haue suffered them selues to be gouerned of him doeing his will. This prince of this worlde else where also called The GOD of this worlde hath Christe the true Kinge and Monarche of the worlde ouercome and hath destroyed his kingdome not that hee should not be as long as this worlde indureth but that he should not hurt the elect Sathan doeth liue and shall liue for euer how be it in miserie which life in very â—eâ—e is death but he hath no power against them y be redéemed by Christ the prince He hath and shal haue a kingdome euen vnto th' end of the world but in the children of vnbelief this kingdoÌ„e also in this world is in decaying as it were momeÌ„tany for a short time For the world passeth away all worldly things perish but all the elect of God are very strauÌ„gers froÌ„ this kingdoÌ„e yea they are as it were sworn enimies of this kingdome Neither can the prince of darcknes by his power pul away the partakers of the kingdome of Christ into his kingdome of iniquitie Truly he goeth about this diligently and with diuerse tentations vexeth the elect but those ouercoÌ„e through him which in time past vanquished the false King prince of théeues and taught vs that despising this filthy prince the world and the lustes of the world giuing our mindes to innocencie we shuld yéeld our selues to the good spirit to be gouerned These things haue I thus far declared as briefly as I culd touching the king Christ his onely and euerlasting kingdome And now Christ our Lord is a Prieste yea that chiefest only and euerlasting priest whom the high priestes of the olde people did prefigure shadowe out For Dauid in his song altogether diuine saith The Lord sware will not repent him thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedek Which words the blessed Apostle alledging and expounding in his Epistle to the Hebrues hath left these words written The forerunner saith he is for vs entred into heauen after the order of Melchizedek made a Prieste foreuer For this Melchizedek Kinge of SaleÌ„ priest of the most high god who met Abraham coÌ„ming froÌ„ the slaughter or kings blessed him to whome also Abraham gaue the tenthes of all things who first indeed is caled by interpretation the king of righteousnes theÌ„ also king of Salem whiche is king of peace of an vnknowen father of an vnknowen mother of vnknoweÌ„ kin neither hauing beginning of dayes nor end of life but likened to the soÌ„ne of God remaineth a prieste for euer Surely our Lord Iesus Christ is both a righteous and peaceable king and the righteousnesse and peace of the faithfull and he is that euerlasting Prieste who according to his humanitie is beléeued to be borne of the virgin without séede of man therefore of an vnknowen father and according to his diuinitie begotten of the father therefore of an vnknowen mother and vnspeakably begotten from euerlasting and therefore of vnknowen kin hauing neither beginning nor end of life For albeit according to his humanity he was dead and buried yet according to his diuinitie he remaineth God immortall euerlasting The selfe same which is a king is also acknowledged a priest not according to the order of AaroÌ„ but according to the order of Melchizedek For as the scripture remeÌ„breth this one a priest so one Christ remaineth priest for euer hauing an euerlasting priesthood But high priestes in time past were caled annointed they did not thrust theÌ„ selues into such an office by force or deceipt Wherevpon the Apostle said No man taketh the honor to him self but he that is called of god as was Aaron so also Christ took not glorie to himself to be made high Priest but is made coÌ„firmed of him who said vnto him thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee As he saith also in another place Thou art a priest foreuer after the order of Melchizedech But thou doest no where read that that our Priest was annointed with visible oile for hée was annointed with inuisible oile namely with the fulnesse of the holie Ghost as the prophet witnesseth Thy god hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes And againe The spirite of the Lord vppon me for the Lord hath annointed me sent me to preach good tidings vnto the poore Furthermore wheÌ„ we read that the office of Priests in times past was to serue in the tabernacle to teach the people to make intercession betwene God men to pray for the people and to blesse them to sacrifice also and to coÌ„secrate or sanctifie that now it is manifest that Iesus Christ is the lawful priest it is certeine y he is tied to the self same offices but indede to so much more excelleÌ„t thaÌ„ these by how much he hath obteined a more excellent priesthood Those priestes after the order of Aaron serued in the corruptible figuratiue tabernacle but our Lord béeing takeÌ„ vp into the true tabernacle heauen it selfe ministreth to all the saincts of god For
manifest that this godly inuentioÌ„ of those men who liued holily in the time of Abraham which of late by the doctrine of Christe is preached to all nations is the first moste auncient and eldest of aâ— Thus much Eusebius Furthermore if we behold our selues in this looking-glasse of a Christian name we shal see that very few at this day are worthie of this name Truly all of vs are commonly so called we will be all named christians but fewe of vs liue a life worthie of our profession We are named christians of holy annointing The holy annointing is the holy ghost himself Vpon whom shal my spirit rest saith the Lorde Euen vppon him that is poore and of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my wordes But we set light by the word of God we haue very troublesome heades we are corrupt with euil affections and lewde lusts we swel with pride therfore we want the oyntment of holy oyle or are voide of the holy ghost Who therefore can say that we bée Christians We are all of vs in maner ruled by wicked desires by the flesh the world and the prince of this worlde fewe of vs rule the world the flesh and those thinges which are in them Therefore not the spirite of God but the spirite of the world and the fleshe beareth rule in vs The diuel the world and the fleshe haue dominion ouer vs for in them wee liue and them we doe obey wherevppon being estranged and let loose froÌ„ all righteousnesse and holines we are beecome flaues seruing a most vile filthie slauerie For we not desiring to be deliuered do neither séeke a redéemer nor being impatient of their tyrannie rise rebell against them but like faint-harted cowardes wée yéeld our selues to be brought in subiection and to be kept vnder their tyrannie nay it repenteth and yrcketh vs of our labours watchinges prayers of all duties of Godlines béeing carelesse wee lie lurking as in a place of voluâ—tuousnesse But who would 〈◊〉 â—uch swine the most holy name of a Christian but he that is bothe exceeding foolish and wicked No maruel theÌ„ iâ— such be thrust down into hell there eternally to burne and there eternally to be yoked vnto him whom they haue moste wickedly chosen to themselues to follow And now what one of vs is there y doth teach admonish exhort those that boast brag of this Christian name I speak nothing heere concerning the Doctors or teachers of the Church but my talke doth touche the office dutie of a christian man Truly the most part of vs are slowe in instructing our families and felowe-brethren For either it grieueth vs to take the paine or else we feare daunger Therefore we turne the office of admonishing instructing vpon the publique ministers of the church as though nothing at all of this matter were required of vs For this cause speaches in a maner vnséemly to be spoken are heard vttered of men I haue not the office of a minister I am no Pâ—aff priest why therefore should I 〈◊〉 â–ª why should I admonishe And these care not howe blasphemous and filthie things be spoken either at home or abroade For they liue to themselues and thinke that the glorie of God and the soules-healthe of their neighbour belongeth nothing vnto them But what sacrifices offer wee worthie of God and our name where are prayers and thanksgiuings where is the mortification of our fleshe and the denying of this world where is compassion or well-doing where is an holy and harmelesse life The contrarie if néede so required I coulde reckon vppe in a long bead-rowe but to what ende were it to make a large discourse of those thinges that are manifest vnto all men For who I pray you doth denie that the life of this presente age of men I meane whiche bragge and boaste of their Christian name is filthie stincking and pestilent Whiche thinges since they bee too too true and euident I haue nothing done amisse in saying a litle before that at this day there are fewe Christians They that are wise and desire to bee according to their name let them heare our Sauiour speaking in the Gospel of Matthew Striue to enter in at the streight gate for wide is the gate and broade is the waye that leadeth to destruction and many there be whiche goe in thereat Because streight is the gate and narrowe is the way whiche leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it Furthermore they whiche thing ought first of al to haue béen spoken doe verie greatly offende against religion and Christian profession whiche as they doe not sincerely acknowledge the priesthoode kingdome of Christ so they boast theÌ„selues to be chiefly praise worthie coÌ„mendable catholike because they coÌ„mit those things which by al meanes obscure darken the kingdome priest hood of Christ Christians being content with this only title name doe not ambitiously séeke after or admit another name But these men as thogh the name of a christiaÌ„ were but a light trifling name neuer rest vntil they be also called by other names as though they were babtised into the name of BrioÌ„ Benet Robert or FrauÌ„cis Christians cleauing only to their lawgiuer maister teacher Christ do not acknowlege the voice of strauÌ„gers neither goe a strawes breadth from the diuine scriptures But these men charge thée with heresie vnlesse thou receiue and woorship for heauenly Oracles al kinde of constitutions of the Romish Church though they be flat contrarie to the wordes teaching of Christ Christians acknowlege themselues to haue one king one deliuerer one sauiour one head in heauen These men worship his vicar in earth and attribute saluation not onely to triâ—â—ing things but to verie stinking loathsome thinges Christians put all their trust in God to whome they offer all their vowes and prayers by Iesus Christ whome they beléeue to be the only highe priest and most faithfull patrone and aduocate of all that beléeue They make their prayers to creatures and mens imaginations and choose to themselues so many patrones and intercessours as there doe liue saintes in heauen Christians know that the sacrifice of Christ once offered is alwayes effectuall to make satisfaction for all the sins of al men in the whole worlde and of all men of al ages But these men with often outcries say that it is flatte heresie not to confesse that Christ is daily offered of sacrificeing priests consecrated to the purpose Therfore the name of a christian is common to al but the thing signified ment by the name is common to the faithfull only who cleaue vnto one Christ Nowe I conclude my whole discourse of Christ a king and a priest with these words of saint Augustine The sonne of God whiche made vs is made among vs and beeing our king ruleth vs therfore we are Christians because he is Christe He is
called Christ a Chrismate that is to say of annointing Kinges also and priestes were annointed he was annointed king and priest Beeing a king hee fought for vs Beeing a priest he offered himselfe for vs When he fought for vs he was as it were ouercome yet by right hee hathe ouercome in verie deede For he was crucified and on his crosse whereon he was nailed he slewe the diuell and then was hee our king But wherfore is he a priest because he hath offred himselfe for vs Let a priest haue somewhat to offer What could man finde to giue A cleane sacrifice what sacifice what cleane thing can a sinner offer O wicked sinner O vngodly wretch What so euer thou shalt bring it is vncleane Seeke within thy selfe what to offer thou shalt find nothing Seeke out of thy selfe what to offer hee is not delighted in rammes or goates or bullockes They are all his though thou offer them not Hee found nothing cleane among men whiche he might offer for men therfore he offered himselfe a cleane offering an vndefiled sacrifice Therfore he did not offer that whiche we gaue vnto him but that which he tooke of vs and that he offered pure cleane He tooke fleshe in the wombe of the virgin that hee might offer pure and cleane flesh for vs that were vncleane He is a king he is a priest In him let vs reioyce To him be glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Of the holie Ghost the third person in Trinitie to be worshipped and of his diuine power ¶ The eighth Sermon IT remaineth that after wee haue expounded the mysteries of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we consequētly speake of the holy Ghost and of his diuine power and operation For vnlesse he inspire our minds and rule our tongue wee shall neuer bee able worthily or profitably either to speake or heare any thing concerning him For as no man knoweth those things which are of God but the spirite of God so men fetche the vnderstanding of heauenly thinges and the knowledge of the holy ghost from no where else than from the same spirite of god Let vs therefore pray and beséech God the father that by his sonne Iesus Christe hee would vouchsafe to inlightē our darke and mystie mindes by sending this his holy spirite into our hearts and to direct vs in the sincere waye of trueth according to the holy Scriptures And first of all it séemeth not vnprofitable to expound the woord spirite because in the scripture it is diuerslie taken and very often vsed so that not séeldome times hee shall greatly erre which is ignoraunt of the force of that word Spirite properly is the signification of an element signifying aire winde breath In that signification we read this spoken of our Sauiour The winde bloweth where it lusteth and thou hearest the sounde thereof but canst not tel whence it commeth whither it goeth And Paule saith If I pray with an vnknowen tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is made vnfruitefull Loe the Apostle vseth spirite for the breath or voice For he ioyneth it to the tongue and setteth it against the minde By a Metaphore it is translated to euery bodilesse substance and is set against the body Spirite therefore signifieth an Angel either good or badd For the Prophete whose wordes Paul hath also rehearsed sayth Which maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire And againe Are they not all ministring spirits These testimonies are vnderstoode of good Angels when the scripture speaketh of euil Angels commonly it addeth somewhat as an euill spirite or an vncleane spirite Wée call also spirites or ghostes whiche haue taken some shape that cannot well be discerned spirits So the Apostles not beléeuing that the Lord was risen againe with his true bodie when they sawe him they thought they had séene a spirite To whom shewing his féete and his handes hee sayeth A spirite hath not fleshe and bones as ye see mee haue Againe spirite is taken for the breath of life as with the Latines to breath is to liue to leaue breathing is to die Dauid sayeth When thou giuest it them they gather it when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good When thou hydest thy face they are troubled when thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust And the Lord in Moses sayeth I will destroy all flesh wherein there is breath of life The reasonable soule also of man is peculiarly called spirit in so much that spirite is verye often taken in the holy scripture for the resonable soule of man For in the Gospell thou doest read Iesus when hee had bowed downe his head gaue vp the ghost or the spirite And thou doest read of the holy martyre Stephan They stoned Stephan calling on and saying Lord Iesu receiue my spirite For Solomon said before The dust shal be turned againe vnto earth from whence it came the spirite shall returne vnto GOD who gaue it And sometimes spirite signifyeth the affection and motion readinesse and prouocation of the minde For Solomon sayeth A man that refraineth not his appetite or spirite is like a cittie whiche is broken downe Thou mayest oftentimes finde in the Scriptures the spirite of pride anger luste or enuie taken for a proud angrie lustfull or enuious affection Also in Luke the 13. the verie sore disease or force of sickenesse is called the spirite of infirmitie The spirite also signifieth those spirituall motions which the holie Ghost stirreth vp in the heartes of the Saincts yea and the verie gifts powred into the hearts of men by the spirite Whiche in euery place in Paule is to be séene Else-where spirite is opposed against the letter the bodie the figure the type or shadowe and is vsed for a more highe or mysticall meaning and for the very pithe of the thing as when Paule sayeth The circumcision of the heart is the circumcision which consisteth in the spirite not in the letter And againe The lord hath made vs able ministers of the new testament not of the letter but of the spirite For the letter killeth but the spirite giueth life Therefore thou mayst finde spirite to be taken for inspiration reuelation and doctrine For Iohn sayeth Beleeue not euerie spirite but proue the spirites whether they bee of God or not And againe Quench not the spirite despise not prophecies Last of all God is called that vnmeasurable and vnspeakeable power of the spirite God sayeth our Lord is a spirite they that worship him must worship him in spirite and in trueth By this meanes the word spirite is common to al the persons of the reuerend Trinitie howbeit it is peculiarlie applied to the third person in Trinitie of whom we make this sermon And albeit the holie Ghoste forsomuch as hee is God can be compassed within no limits for by
nations together but some into Asia some into Scythia other dispersed into other natiōs according to the dispensation of the holye Ghost whiche they had with them euen as they also heard the Lord saying I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world Herevnto doeth that also agrée Ye shal be wittnesses vnto mee euen vnto the vttermost partes of the world If therefore they being sent into the furthest parts of the earth to beare wittnesse of the Lord were seuered one from another with a very great distaunce of place and yet had present with them the holy Ghost dwelling within them whose substance is not limitable it is manifest that the power of Angels doeth farre differ from this power of the spirite For to vse an example the angel whiche was present with the Apostle when he prayed in Asia could not together at the selfe same time bee present with other whiche were abiding in other partes of the world But the holy Ghost is not onely present with men being seuered one from another but is also a continuall dweller in euerie Angel principalitie throne and dominion c. Now who cannot hereby gather that the holy Ghoste is true and very God The selfe same authour hath gathered very many argumentes of the true godhead of the holy ghost and next him the holy father Cyrill and holy Athanasius hath absolutely discoursed vpon that matter Lib. de Trinitate 11. to Theophilus These fewe testimonies thus farre rehearsed wée thinke shal suffice those that obey and loue the trueth They that stedfastly beléeue these things are not moued with any straung opinions and questions curiouslye yea wickedly brought in about this matter by ill occupied persons For some are reported to haue denied the holy Ghost to be lord For they haue taught that he is a minister and as it were a certeine instrument of the father and the sonne But Christ oure Lord ioyned the holy ghost to himselfe and to the father when hee deliuered the fourme of baptisme For he sayth Baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghost And yet it is manifest that a creature is not ioyned to the creatour in baptisme neither that there is any seruile condition in the Godhead Therefore the counsell of Constantinople in their créede giue to the holy Ghost certaine termes whereby they might destroye certaine errours calling him lord giuer of life for when he calleth him Lord he maketh him equall to the sonne and excludeth the condition of a seruaunt or minister beside that he denieth that he is their instrument For there is one Lord there are not many Lords And the sonne is not Lord of the holy Ghoste but the Lordshipp is common to the thrée personnes whiche are onely one lord And séeing the holy Ghost is the Lord surely he is not appointed to a seruile ministerie but indued with Lordly authoritie nether is he an vnderseruaunt to doe the worke but is a ioynt worker with the father and the sonne yea and he himselfe doth worke as Lord. Againe certaine other are reported to haue taught that the holy ghost is not a substance or a person but as it were an accident that is to saye a stirring vp a prouocation or a motion of a Godly and renued minde And in very déed our minde being illuminated with the holy Ghoste is oftentimes called spirite but we must wisely distinguishe the creature from the creator and the accident from the substance The blessed Apostle distinguished our spirite from the holy spirite of God when he said As many as are ledd by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of god The spirite it selfe beareth wittnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of God. And the same Apostle saith The flesh lusteth cōtrary to the spirite the spirite cōtrarie to the flesh And who vnderstandeth not that the mind of man instructed of the holy Ghost is héere called the spirite not the third person himselfe in the reuerend Trinitie And that minde as touching illumination is not of it selfe but procéedeth from the holy Ghoste illuminating it neither commeth it from any other thā from him which is the third person in Trinitie but that minde is not the very person of the holy Ghoste as imagination procéedeth from the soule and yet it is not the soule it selfe That stirring of the spirite in vs is an accident but GOD is not an accident neither is mingled with the accident We must therefore confesse according to the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is a person subsisting coequall in nature or essence with the father and the sonne and therfore to be worshipped and glorified of vs as very God and creatour againe that a godly and holy motion stirred vpp in the mindes of holy men by the spirite is the effecte and woorking of this holy spirite and is called a holy spirite but after a certeine manner proper to it Otherwise we denie not that the holy Ghoste him selfe beeing promised is communicated vnto vs but after our capacitie and as he will. For what is hée amongest men that is able to comprehende the fullnesse of the eeuerlastinge and incomprehensible GOD Furthermore touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost from the father and the sonne the Diuines haue curiously subtily and busily disputed For the question is asked whether he procéed from the father alone or from the sonne also In which question the Latinistes séeme to disagrée verye much from the Grecians The question is also asked what maner of procéeding this is Wée omitting many curious questions wil briefly declare those thinges vnto you whiche are wholsome and agréeable with the holy Scriptures For who shal be able to canuasse out al the questions of curious men and all the bould and vncleane thoughtes of idle heads without offence to good men and especially of the simple hearers That the holy Ghost procéedeth from the father and the sonne the scripture manifestly teacheth which most plainly sheweth that hee is the spirite of either or both of them For hée it is of whome the Apostle sayeth Beecause ye are sonnes God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your heartes And the sonne speaking of the same spirit sayeth For it is not you that speake but the spirite of your father hee it is which speaketh in you Againe the same sonne sayeth of the holy Ghost Whome I will sende vnto you from the father And againe he sayeth else where Whome the father will sende in my name Therefore hée procéedeth from both as well from the father as from the sonne For although this bee read else-where to bee spoken of the holy Ghoste Whiche proceeded from the father yet it is not denyed that he procéedeth from the substance of the sonne also But that more is Cyrill a Gréeke writer expounding the Gospell of S. Iohn and interpreting this selfe same place Lib. 10.
Christe And Paule the Apostle sayeth Seeing then wee haue the same spirite as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken wee also beleeue and therefore speake Vppon which testimonie Tertullian inferreth and no doubt soundlie It is one and the selfe same spispirite therefore whiche was in the Prophetes and the Apostles He promiseth that the selfe same spirite shal be alwayes in the Church They erred therefore yea foulye they erred who so euer among them of old feigned one God and spirite of the olde Testament and an other of the newe Testament Didymus Alexandrinus the bright light in his age of all the Grecian Churches in his first booke intituled De Spiritu sancto saith Neyther ought we to thinke that the holy Ghost is diuided according to substaunces bicause he is called the multitude of good graces For he can not suffer he can not be diuided neyther yet be chaunged but according to his diuers maners of workings vnderstādings he is called by mny names of good graces bycause he doth not indue his partakers with his cōmunion after one and the selfe same power c. Furthermore the holy ghost hath increasing or fulnesse and diminishing and want in man not that in God who as it is commonly and truely sayde neyther receiueth more or lesse there is any chaunge to be founde but bycause man according to his capacitie receiueth the spirite plentifully and liberally or measurably sparingly euen as it pleaseth the holy ghoste The portion of the spirite of Helias was giuen double from heauen to Heliseus And it is sayde of our Sauiour that the father gaue him the spirite not by measure For the Lord himselfe elswhere saith Whosoeuer hath to him shall be giuen and hee shall haue more aboundance but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken away euen that he hath Saule had receiued excellent graces but bicause he did not vse exercise them the good spirite of God departed from him and the euill spirite succéeded and tormented him And the spirite of God departeth euen as it commeth also at one instant For when we are forsaken of the Lorde the spirite of God departeth from vs Wherevppon we reade that Dauid prayed Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirite from me And againe Stablishe me with thy principall spirite Next after these things it séemeth y we must diligently search out what the effect what the power of the holy Ghost is The power of the Almightie and euerlasting God is vnspeakable therefore no man can fully declare what the power of the holie ghost is Yet somewhat I will say making those things manifest which he worketh chiefly in men For otherwise the father by the spirit worketh all things by him he createth susteyneth moueth giueth life strengtheneth and prescrueth al things by the selfe same he regenerateth his faythfull people sanctifieth and indueth them with diuers kyndes of graces Whervpon in the description aboue mentioned of him cōprising in foure members his principall powers and effectes which shewe them selues by their working in men I sayde that he doth illuminate regenerate sanctifie and fulfill the faithfull with all good graces Which things that they may the better be vnderstoode it shal be good first of all to declare as well as we can the appellatiōs or names of the holy ghost which the holy scripture giueth him and then to recite one or two places of the old and new Testament to set foorth declare the power of the holy Ghost First he is called the holy spirite of God bicause all creatures as many as are sanctified are sanctified by him The heauenly father sanctifieth with his grace but throughe the bloud of his beloued sonne and sanctification is deriued into vs and sealed by the spirite Therefore the holie trinitie being one God doth sanctiūe vs It is a wicked thing therefore to attribute sanctification to straunge and forreine things It is a wicked thing to translate purification and iustification from the Creator vnto the Creature Moreouer he is called holy to make a difference of him from other spirites For we reade in the Scriptures that there was and is a spirite of the worlde a spirite of infirmitie a spirite of fornication and vncleannesse and a spirit of pride From all these the holy ghost is separated which inspireth into vs the contempt of this worlde whiche openeth vnto vs the Scriptures and confirmeth vs in trueth whiche purifieth our heartes and maketh oure mynds chast and so preserueth them finally whiche maketh vs lowly and gentle and driueth away from vs all maliciousnesse The same holy Ghost is called the spirite of God and of the sonne Of God to make a difference betwéene it and the spirite of sathan And it is called the spirite of the sonne bicause it is the proper and naturall spirite of the sonne which he also communicateth vnto vs that we also might be the sonnes of god For Paule sayth Ye are the temple of God and the spirite of God dwelleth in you Againe If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And againe Bicause ye are sonns God hath sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Moreouer our Lorde him selfe in the historie of the Gospell calleth the holy Ghost a comforter saying I will pray the father and he shal giue you an other cōforter that he may abide with you for euer euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bycause the worlde seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a comforter a stirrer vp or a prouoker an exhorter an aduocate or patrone which pleadeth the cause of his client For the holy Ghoste is the mouth the eye the heart the counsel the hande and the foote of all the faythfull Didymus in his worke intituled De spiritu sancto sayth Christe Giuing the holy ghost a name answerable to his working calleth him the comforter Bycause he doth not onely comforte those whō he findeth worthy of him and setteth them frée from all heauinesse and trouble of mynde but giueth vnto them a certeine incredible ioy and gladnesse in so muche that a man giuing God thankes bycause he is counted worthy of suche a guest may say Thou hast giuen me gladnesse in my heart For euerlasting ioy and gladnesse is in the hearte of them in whome the holy Ghost dwelleth The holy ghost verily alone maketh the consciences of men voyde of care quiet and at peace before God in the matter of iustification and in all temptations of the worlde Paule sayth This only I desire to learne of you whether ye haue receiued the spirite by the workes of the lawe or by the preaching of faith The Apostles being beaten with roddes when they were indued with the
fully drawne out of the onely founteine of the holy ghost Paule the apostle in his epistle to the Romans describing the wonderfull force of the holie Ghost working in vs being new borne sayth They that are in the fleshe can not please god But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirite if so bee the spirite of God dwell in you If any man haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his And if Christe bee in you the body is deade bycause of sinne but the spirite is life for righteousnesse sake But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus from the deade dwell in you euen hee that raysed vp Christe from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodyes bycause that his spirit dwelleth in you The same Apostle in his Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth that by the reuelation of the holie Ghoste the mysterie of the kingdome of God is verie manifestly opened vnto vs God sayth he hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirite For the spirite searcheth all thinges yea the deepe things of god For what man knoweth the things of man saue the spirite of man which is in him Euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of god And we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirite which is of God that we might knowe the thinges which are giuen to vs of Christe Hetherto perteyne these woordes of oure Lorde and Sauiour out of the holie Gospell I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away that comforter will not come vnto you but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And when he is come he will rebuke the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of iudgement Of sinne bicause they beleeue not on him Of righteousnesse bicause I goe to the Father and ye see me no more Of iudgement bycause the prince of this world is iudged already And it is euident that in all these clauses the whole summe of religion is conteyned whiche the holy Ghoste most plentifully hath deliuered vnto the Churche Which we also touched in the exposition of the names of the holy Ghost It followeth in the Gospell I haue yet many thinges to say vnto you but ye can not beare them away now Howbeit wheÌ„ he is come which is the spirite of trueth he will leade you into all truth He shal not speake of him selfe but whatsoeuer he shall heare that shall he speake hee will shewe you thinges to come And since it is certeine that the holie Ghoste is come it is euident that he led the Apostles into all trueth in so muche that what so euer agréeth not with their writings is worthily suspected of a lye Otherwise I doubt not but he at this day speaketh in the Church by those which are his but it is without controuersie that the holy Ghoste doth not gainesay him selfe And that things to come were reuealed to the Apostles by the spirite we haue touched in the exposition of the names of the holy ghost Neither is it doubtful but at this day he reuealeth many thinges to the Saintes in the Church euen those things which perteine to the preseruation of the Gospell of Christ and the Saintes Againe we reade in the Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians The manifestation sayth he of the spirite is giuen to euery man to profite withall for to one is giuen by the spirite the woorde of wisedome to an other the woorde of knowledge by the same spirite to an other is giuen faith by the same spirite to an other the giftes of healing by the same spirite to an other power to do miracles to an other prophecie to an other discerning of spirites to an other diuers kindes of toungs to an other the interpretation of toungs But all these worketh that one and the selfe same spirite diuiding to euery man seuerally euen as he will. All these things are manifest neyther néede they any further exposition These are greate and euident giftes of the holie spirite vnto which also if we add those words which the same Apostle hath set down concerning the same spirite of God we will make an end The fruite of the spirite sayth he is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnes faith meeknesse temperaunce These I say and all other vertues the holie Ghost which worketh all good things in all men graffeth planteth preserueth defendeth and bringeth vnto ful ripenesse in the minds of the faithfull To all these we wil nowe adde in steade of a conclusion the most notable treatise of Tertullian touching the holie Ghoste The same is this Bycause the Lord was departing into heauen he did necessarily giue to his disciples a comforter least he shoulde leaue them in a manner orphanes which was not conuenient and forsake them without a certeine aduocate and tutour For it is he that strengthened their myndes and vnderstaÌ„dings which distinguished the sacraments of the gospel which was in them the giuer of light in heauenly things by whom doing stâ—eâ—gtheâ—ed and established thâ—y neythâ—â—â—earâ—d imprisonments nor chaines for the name of the Lorde but â—athâ—r set at nought the very powers and tormeÌ„ts of this world being nowe armed and emboldened through him hauing in them the giftes which this selfe same spirite doth distribute and direct as it were certeine ornamentes to the Church which is the spouse of Christ For it is he that appointeth prophets in the church instructeth the teachers guideth toungs worketh myracles and giueth health bringeth to passe wonderfull workes sheweth the discerning of spirites establisheth gouernements indueth with counsell ministreth and ordereth and disposeth all other spirituall giftes and therefore maketh the Church of God on all sides and in all things perfect and absolute It is he whiche in the likenesse of a Doue after the Lorde was baptised descended and remayued vpoÌ„ him dwelling only in Christ fully and wholy not maymed or minished in any measure or portion but plentifully receiued into him with his whole aboundance that others might obteine from him a certeine distribution of giftes the founteine of the fulnesse of the holie Ghost wholy remayning in Christe that from him might be deriued veynes of gifts and myracles the holy Ghoste moste aboundantly dwelling in Christ For Isaie prophecying the same sayde And the spirite of wisedome and vnderstanding the spirite of counsel strength the spirite of knowledge and godlinesse resteth vppon him And the spirite of the feare of the Lord filled him The like and selfe-same saying he hath also in an other place in the person of the Lorde him self◠〈…〉 to â—reâ—che thâ— Gospell to the poore hath he sent me Likewise Dauid Wherfore thy God hath annoynted thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Of this spirite the Apostle Paule speaketh For he that hath not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his
And where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie This is he which by water woorketh the second byrth or regeneration being a certeine seede of heauenly generation and he that consecrateth the heauenly natiuitie being a pledge of the promised inheritance and as it were a certein hand writing of euerlasting saluation who maketh vs the temple of God and bringeth to passe that wee be his dwelling house who perfourmeth the office of an Aduocate maketh intercessioÌ„ for vs in the hearing of God with sighes that can not be vttered And pouring foorth his gifts of defence is giuen to be a dweller in our hearts and a worker of holinesse who exercising that in vs bringeth oure bodies vnto euerlastingnesse and vnto the resurrection of immortalitie while hee accustometh them to bee partakers in him of his heauenly power and to bee coupled with the heauenly eternitie of the holy Ghost For our bodies are trayned vp in him by him to proceede to immortalitie whilest they learne to behaue them selues moderately according to his ordinaunces For it is he that lusteth contrarie to the flesh bycause the fleshe fighteth against him It is he which bridleth insatiable lustes which tameth immoderate coÌ„cupiscences which quencheth vnlawful desires which vaÌ„quisheth flaming affections whiche abhorreth drâ—nkennesse whiche banisheth 〈◊〉 which abandoneth 〈◊〉 bâ—nkettings which knitteth the knot of loue and charitie which subdueth the affections driueth awaye sectes sheweth the rule of truth conuinceth heretiques casteth out the wicked is a dâ—fence to the gospell Of him the apostle also saith For we haue not receiued the spirite of the world but the spirit which is of god Of this spirit he triumpheth saith And I thinke verily that I haue the spirite of god Of him he saith And the spirite of the prophets is subiect to the prophetes Of him he saith againe Nowe the spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shal depart froÌ„ the faith giuing hede vnto spirits of error and doctrines of diuels which speake false in hypocrisie hauing their conscience scared with an hote yron No man beeing guided by this spirit calleth Iesus execrable no man denyeth that Christe is the sonne of God or forsaketh god the Creator no man vttereth any of his own words against the scriptures neither doth any maÌ„ establish other wicked decrees no man coÌ„mandeth contrarie lawes Whosoeuer blasphemeth against this spirite shall neuer haue forgiunes neither in this world nor in the world to come It is he that in the Apostles beareth witnesse to Christ that sheweth constant faith of religioÌ„ in martirs that planteth maruelous continencie of assured loue in virgines that kepeth the lawes of the Lords doctrine vncorrupted and vndefiled in others that confoundeth heretikes reformeth the froward reproueth the vnfaithful reuealeth dissemblers and punisheth the wicked and preserueth the church chaste and vnstained in purenesse of perpetuall virginitie and holinesse of trueth Thus farre Tertul. Thus farre not without trembling we haue intreted of the moste holie mysterie of the reuerend Trinitie the father the sonne and the holie ghoste which we haue learned out of the scriptures and here nowe we will stay humbly worshipping this vnitie in trinitie and trinitie in vnitie And let vs kéepe in mind and acknowledge this distinction or diuision most manifestly declared in the scriptures and the vnitie also coÌ„mended vnto vs with excéeding great diligence For in the scripture the beginning of doing and the flowing founteine and welspring of al things is attributed to the father wisedome counsel the verie dispensatioÌ„ in doing things is ascribed to the sonne y force effectual power of working is assigned to the holy ghost Howbeit let vs take heede least through the distinction we separate the vnitie of the substaunce of god For there is but one God in whome those properties are It is but one fire thoughe there be thrée things séene in it light brightnesse and heate For these rise together and cease all at once The light goeth not before the brightnes 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 before the heate And though onâ— thing â—e â—â—â—â—â—buted to â—he light an other thing to the brightnesse and a third thing to the heate yet they worke vnseparably Therefore when we reade that God created the worlde we vnderstande that the father from whome are all things by the sonne by whom are all thinges in the holy ghoste in whome are all thinges created the worlds And when we read that the sonne became flesh suffered died and rose againe for our saluation we beleue that the father and the holy ghost though they were not partakers of his incarnation and passion yet notwithstanding that they wrought that our saluation by the sonne whom we beléeue neuer to haue bene separated from them And when sinnes are said to be forgiuen in the holy ghoste we beléeue that this benefite and all other benefites of our blessednesse are vnseparably giuen and bestowed vpon vs from one onely true liuing and euerlasting God who is the father the sonne and the holie ghoste To whome be peayse and thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen Of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of God and of diuels or euill spirits and of their operations The ninth Sermon NExt vnto this sermon of the holie Ghost I will adde a treatise of good and euill spirites that is of the holie Angels of god and of diuels or wicked spirites and of their operations Of whome since the holy scripture deliuereth vs an assured doctrine and in all pointes profitable it séemeth that we ought not lightly to regard it but with as much faith and diligence as we can to bring it vnto light It were a foule fault in him that studieth after godlinesse to be ignorant of the dispositions of good and euill angels of whome so often mention is made in the holy scriptures yea it were a thing most dangerous not to know what maner of creatures the diuels are which vnder that 〈…〉 spoyle vs â–ª But firâ—â— we will speake of holy angels and then 〈…〉 The worde Angel some sâ—y to â—e a name of office not of 〈…〉 common to the 〈◊〉 and Gréeks of whome it is borrowed and it signifieth an embassadour or legate and therefore it hath a larger signification For the preachers of the truth are called Angels as in Malachie and in the Apostle Paule For they are the embassadours or messingers of the Lord of hoastes S. Peter also calleth euill spirites Angels as Paule also doth saying that the faithful shal one day iudge the Angels and that the Angel or messinger of Sathan was sent vnto him howbeit the scripture peculiarly calleth Angels the blessed spirites of God Ministers and messingers and heauenly armies But the Saduceis denied that there be angels For Luke in the Actes of the Apostles sayth The Saduceis say that there is no resurrection neyther Angel nor spirite but the
was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome To this also nowe séemeth that saying of Daniel to belong As I was yet a speaking making supplication and confessing mine owne finde and the sinne of my people Israel and pouring foorth my prayers before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my god Yea while I was yet speaking in my prayer the man Gabriel whom I had seene before in the vision came flying hastily vnto me Loe our soules are carried vp into heauen by the Angels whiche notwithstanding are elsewhere sayd at an instant to be taken vp into heaueÌ„ Afterwarde as soone as Daniel had prayed vnto the Lorde the Angel without any longer delay flying spéedily for so the Scripture speaketh for our capacitie is present with him that prayeth and sheweth him that he is heard of god Angels therefore are swift and passing spéedie being kept downe with no weight neyther hindered or stayed from perfourming those things for which they are sense from heauen albeit they are conteyned in place as creatures though not limited and art moued with a certeine order and manner agréeable to that spirituall nature This treatise requireth peraduenture that somthing also be spoken of the might power and strength of Angels But what néede many wordes in a manifest matter For since the Lorde who sendeth foorth his Angels is Almightie there is nothing but that angels can doe it in those their embassages ministeries There is nothing in the whole course of nature that is able to withstande the ministers of the Almightie god For Angels are not called powers and vertues for nought I will shewe one example among many and yet not the chiefest One Angel in one night without any furniture or much adoe slâ—e in the tenâ—es of the Assyriâ—ns at the wals of Hiâ—râ—salem a hundred fourescore and fiue thousande of the valiantest souldiers In Daniel we haue such a description of an angel wherby both the power and excellencie of angels may be gathered His body saith he was like the Turkishe or Iasper stone his face to looke vppon was like lightening his eyes as lampes of fire his armes feete were like in colour to polished brasse and the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude So that it is not needefull to make a long discourse of the knowledge wisedome of angels For this is not a thing that passeth capacitie séeing Angels are creatures But in so much as perteyneth to their embassages and ministeries surely they are moste wise in al points furnished and in no part diminished For he that sendeth them is euerlasting wisedome it selfe and he furnisheth his Embassadours moste perfectly Furthermore touching the multitude and order of angels certeine Diuines haue wittily and wisely inough disputed The Scripture simply affirmeth that angels are innumerable For Daniel sayth A thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousandes stood before him It is also read that Christ sayde to Peter Thinkest thou that I can not praye vnto my father and he shal send vnto me more than twelue legions of Angels Paulâ— also sayth Ye are come into the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Hierusalem and to an innumerable companie of Angels Many distinguishe that innumerable multitude into nine companies and these again they bring into thrée hiâ—raâ—chies or holie principalities of which they affirme that eache of them haue thrée orders the first Seraphim Cherubim Thrones the seconde Lordshippes Vertues Powers the third Principalities Archangels and Angels They adde in what they differ betwéene them selues and what is proper to euerie one of them But S. August in his Encheir cap. 58. saith Wherin lordships principalities and powers do differ betweene them selues let them tell that can if yet they are able to proue that they say I confesse my selfe to be ignorant of these matters And the same Augustine Ad OrosiuÌ„ coÌ„tra Luscillianistas saith Truely the Apostle sayth Whether seates threnes whether lordships whether principalities whether powers And therefore that there are seates Lordships principalities and powers in the hoastes of heauen I stedfastly beleeue and that they differ somewhat betweene them selues I hold it for an vndoubted truth but what they are and what they differ betweene them selues I knowe not Neyther truly do I thinke my selfe for the ignoraunce therof to be indaungered as I am for disobedience if I neglect the Lordes commaundements And anon in the same place he sheweth that we must not busily and curiously searche after these things Whose counsel we doe willingly obey perceiuing that the scriptures which minister vnto vs al things necessarie and healthfull haue set downe nothing concerning them Yet this we can not deny that those names or if you will so call them orders of Angels are expressed in the holie Scriptures wherevpon for our weaknesse it is méete after a forte to expounde them as we may These blesseâ— spirites of heauen séeme generally and simply to be called Angels bycause they be the messingers embassadours of the moste highe GOD who it appeareth are called Archangels when they besent in message in Gods greatest matters to shewe or doe thinges altogether hard and heauenly For so we read in Paule that The Lord himselfe shal deseend from heauen in a shout and in the voice of an Archangel and in the trumpe of God. For that we may compare smal thinges with great we sée that kings and princes in weightie affayres appoint none to bee their embassadours but noble meÌ„ It appeareth that they are called Thrones because they staÌ„d alwayes at the throne of God or else because God is read in the Prophets to haue made and placed his owne seate in Angels and to bee carried of them as it were in the coche of a king as Dauid sayeth He bowed the heauens and came downe and there was darâ—knes vnder his feete He rode vppon the Cherubims or was carried vpon the Cherubims and did flie hee came flying vppon the winges of the winde Furthermore the description of the charriot and throne of God in Ezechiel is knowen They séeme to be called Lordshipps principalities and powers beecause God executeth his gouernement and exerciseth his owne power in the world by the ministerie of Angels For so also they are called powers and armies or the hoast of heauen For they incompasse the Lord round as his guard and hee who is called the God of Sabbaoth or of hoastes the Lord I saye of all Angels spirits and creatures whose ministerie hee vseth when where how and as much as it pleaseth him vseth them also as his souldiers S. Hierome thinketh they are called Cherubims of their excéeding knowledge Other expouÌ„d them swift Seraphims haue their name of feruentnesse Or else because they are compared to most pure and cleare fire Or for that they are burning in the loue of god By these names in the meane while are shadowed
whole scripture and all Godly wise men as many as haue liued from the beginning of the world euen vnto this day haue confessed that there are euil spirits or diuels Nowe what thing diuels are it is no lesse harde and doubtfull exactly to define 〈…〉 than I 〈…〉 difficult to dâ—scribe fully the nature of Angels howbeit I will shadow them out by one or other kinde of description to the end I may entreate of them in a certeine order Euill angels are corrupt and wicked spirites and for their reuolting or falling away euerlastingly condemned subiect in déede they are to God but yet neuerthelesse aduersaries to God and men for that they turne all their traueileâ— and studies to the contempt and despiâ—ing of God and to the deceyuing and destruction of men First that the diuell is a creature hereby it is manifest béecause there is but one creatour onely to wit that God in Trinitiâ— Vnitie He created all spirits but the diued also falleth in the reckoning of spâ—rites We said before that the time of their creation is not set downe in the sâ—ripture when as we shewâ—d that it was no where expressed at what 〈◊〉 whether before man or after man Angâ—ls were created Herevnto we 〈…〉 add that euil angels became euil not by creation but by their owne reuâ—lting and falling away For all things whiche God created were and are excéeding good all angels therefore as men in like manner were naturally created good But they continued not stedfast in this goodnes granted giueÌ„ and graffed in them of God but they beeing corrupte with their owne malice as men also are fell and were by the most iust god throwne out of heauen as out of the felicitie or happines which was giuen them Now when or at what time this was done the scripture doth not againe expresse howbeit it seemeth to haue béen done before the fall of man For the diuel by the serpent egged our parentes to sinne drewe them into miserie and death 〈…〉 particularly shâ—w y 〈◊〉 how 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 out of 〈◊〉 Iâ—â—â—yth gâ—â—â—rally y there 〈◊〉 â—â—lly or 〈…〉 â—ound in the angels that therefore they were throwne downe headlong into hâ—ll For we read in the booke of Iob Behold he found no truth in his seruaunts and in his angels there was follie or wickednes S. Peter nothing disagréeing from this said That God spared not the angels which sinnâ—d but cast them downe into hell deliuered them into chaines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgment But 〈◊〉 also the brother of Iames the Apostle of the Lord syrnamed ThaddÄ™us rehearâ—â—ng the same sentence in a manâ—r said The angels whiche kept not their first estate to witt the nature wherein they were created but left their owne habitation to witt their 〈◊〉 their officâ— and their faith the Lord hath reserued in euerlastinge chaines vnto darcknes vnto the iudgment of the great day â–ª What doth not our lord and â—â—uiour Christ speaking of y diuel say thus He was a murtherer from the beginning abode not in the truth For herevppon we maye gather that the diuel sometime abode or was in the truth but shruncke and forsooke it by faithlesse falling awaye Those testimonies which witnes that an angel sinned by reuolting was throwen down headlong into hell are sufficient for godly minds and such as are not curious Furthermore out of Esaie and Ezechiel there are recited of others testimonies making for the same matter which as we reiect not so we doubt not but that by an Allegorie they are applied vnto these of ours That which is alledged out of Luke I fawe 〈…〉 property expounded of the â—â—rst full of Angels for there is another fal of the diuell towâ—tt whâ—reby thy he fell by his owne â—y 〈◊〉 whereby he haâ— possessed the minds of men and 〈◊〉 them with wickednesse and sinne thorough the comming of Christ into the world through the sincere preching of the gospel Nowe thereis no dâ—ubt that all Angels were created good and that the euil fell through theâ—â— owne not thorough Gods faulteÌ„ and foâ—lie whereof I spake somwhat also in the 10. Ser. of the. 3. Decade where I intreated of the beginning of 〈…〉 To which I wil now 〈…〉 and euident declaratioÌ„ of 〈◊〉 bishop of Cyrus taken out 〈…〉 of the scriptures who in his 〈◊〉 decret saith Let vs coÌ„sider whether the diuels iustly sâ—â—er punishment since they receiued of him that made the a nature like his 〈◊〉 can he which is good be called the creator of wickednesse And howâ— is he 〈◊〉 righteous iust that punish◠〈…〉 which can do nothing y 〈◊〉 but is tied bound with fetters oâ— wâ—ckednes and vice But we know that the God of al things and the 〈◊〉 of iustice righteousnes is righâ—â—ous and iust Therefore he wil not punish the diuels vniustly And we knowe that god was their guide and captein and that the good angels are his workmanship that he is called good of all such as are rightly minded He therefore made not the nature which could do no thing that is good traueling bringing foorth wickednes only dooing things contrary to his will minde If God therefore did neither make the euill nature for he is the maker and worker of all good things as hee him selfe is good then doeth he not so much as 〈…〉 or 〈…〉 he wil punish y 〈◊〉 â—uch also as serue are vnder him Therfore â—he diuell of his owne wil accorde is euil they y take his part For as god made man good in y beginning with frée will of minde these 〈◊〉 to wit good angels kept their nature whiche they receiued pure vncorrupt but those to wit men declined sel into the worse corrupted their heauenly shapes they that were like vnto God made theÌ„ selues brâ—tish so also y diuel rout of diuels which were with other bodilesse creaâ—â—â—â—s 〈◊〉 not folow the goodwil of them 〈…〉 â—he Lord God but béeing puâ—t vp with y disease of hautines pride 〈◊〉 them selues vnto y which was the 〈◊〉 fel froÌ„ their former state 〈…〉 Thus farre he With Theodoâ—â—â— â—oâ—h S. Augustine agrée 〈…〉 De vera relâ— ca 13 〈◊〉 The diuell in as much as he is 〈…〉 not euil but in asmuch as he 〈…〉 wicked of his wil for setâ—â—â—g more by him self than by god he woâ—ld not be in subiection vnto him but swelling through pride he fel froÌ„ his chiefe essence excellent beeing And againe in his tretise vpoÌ„ Ioh. 42 〈…〉 demauÌ„d froÌ„ whence the 〈◊〉 froÌ„ thence doutles froÌ„ wheÌ„ce also th' other angels are but th' other angels constantly coÌ„tinued in their obedieÌ„ce he by disobedience pride sell froÌ„ an angel became a diuel Now that which I affirmed touching those wicked spirits who for their reuolting falling away are adiudged to daÌ„nation I see it denied
of some who promise to condemned spirits redeÌ„ption from their punishments a little before the iudgment day But against these very many doctors of the church haue disputed all and euery one of theÌ„ condemning with one voyce an opinion which the 〈◊〉 longe ago condemned For the iudge in the ende of the world 〈◊〉 definitiue sentence against 〈◊〉 than al the wicked shal say Depart â—rom me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the diuell and his â—ngels And by by the Apostle holy Euangelist a witnesse of the truth doth â—dde And these shal go into euerlasting â—unishment but the righteous into life euerlasting For in Marke the lord also â—aid In hell their worme dieth not and â—he fier is not queÌ„ched And in Iohn in more plaine pithie wordes he saith They that haue done good shall come forth vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done euil vnto the â—esurrection of condemnation He doth not â—ay they shal go either into life or into condemnation but into the resurrection either of life or condemnation that is to remaine euerlastingly in life or death For Daniel of whom the Lorde borowed these wordes hath said And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt For Iohn the Apostle saith that the smoke of those that are condemned thrown headlong in to hel for euermore shal ascende vp It is certeine therefore that the condemnation of the wicked shal be altogether without ende and euerlasting Furthermore in calling the reuolting Angels spirits we doe not vnderstand by spirite the wicked affection of the hart or the qualitie or passion of the minde or corruption and sinne For the world is not without some which thinke the the diuell is nothing els but a mischefous man or a mischiefous sinnefull â—oÌ„motion or outrage of the minde By spirits therefore we vnderstand spiriâ—uall substances indued with féeling â—nderstanding For in the first chapter of 〈◊〉 sathan came shewed him self among the children or seruaÌ„tâ— of god speaking with the lord The gospel 〈◊〉 reporteth vnto vs that diuels béeâ—â— cast out of a man entred into the herd of swine â— drowned them iâ— the 〈◊〉 of the sea or lake of Gaderen Moreouer the gospel recordeth that the diuel sinned from the beginning that he coltinued not in the truth that he is a lier a murtherer Iudas maketh mentioÌ„ that the angel fought with the diuell In Marke the diuels cry out and say What haue we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs but yet for al that our sauiour beinâ— alredy appointed made iudge shal say to the diuels Go into the euerlasting fier Al which testimonies agree to substances by them selues subsistine not to qualities Diuels therfore arâ— spirituall substances But what bodieâ— they be which they often times take in which they appeare vnto men nâ— man I thinke can perfectly tell whicâ— also we tolde you a little before when we entreated of the bodies which good angels toke For truly that diuels puâ— on bodies shapes differing from their owne the historie of Samuel raised vp by a witch manifestly proueth It was not Samuel that was raised from the dead but the capteine-coyner of lyes counterfeiting Samuel deceiued king Saul And Paul witnesseth that sathâ— doth transforme himselfe into an angel of light Histories also declare that the diuel is a maruelous iugling deceiuer in taking on him diuers forms shapes And as I saide of good angels that they are spéedy in their ministerie without burden or lets so there is no doubt that diuels in their kinde worke are well prepared For the scriptures declare that they haue a thousand shiftes wonderfull craftinesse subtiltie and that their knowâ—edge is 〈…〉 reacheth very farre Finally that they are very ready and neuer weary to attempt performe althings They passe through the whole world with excéeding swiftnesse they handle all their matters very craftily and therefore are maruelous names shadowing out their force power allotted vnto them For he is called Sathan the olde serpeÌ„t a deceiuer the prince of this world the prince of darknesse which hath power ouer the aire a roaring Lion. Of which and of other not vnlike I will speake anon more at large when I haue firste tolde you this that there are an infinite route of diuels For vij diuels are cast out of Marie Magdalen That diuell of whom Matthew speaketh being no sooner cast out museth consulteth howe he may be wholy restored againe taking to him vij other spirites worse than himselfe Moreouer in Marks gospell there is mention made of a legion For the vncleane spirit being asked of the lorde what his name was answered My name is legion because we are â—any Therefore when there is mention made of sathan also where in hoâ—ie scripture it is not so to be taken as â—hough there were either but one subâ—â—ance or person of y diuel â–ª For they arâ— comprehended as the members vnder â—he head as particularities vndâ—r geâ—eralities The scripture truely elsewhere maketh mention of the prince of the diuels For the enimies of Christe do often cry out He casteth out diuels by the prince of diuels but yet that saying doth not expresse what manner of principalitie that is whether orderly among them selues those euill spirites be distinguished And it is certein that all the vngodly are vnder one head as all the godly are vnder one Christe the lord It is certein that all the diuels are o◠〈…〉 corrupt 〈…〉 their force only to this end to 〈◊〉 aduersaries vnto god hurtfull enimies to men But of y operations works or effects of diuels I wil speak wher I shal by the way exposid their names or attributes Corrupt wicked spirits generally are called diuels which is asmuch as if you should say slaunderers or false accusers For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Gréekes signifieth slaunder c. And the worde diuel is fetched froÌ„ the Grecians For he soweth slaunders in accusing men vnto god in setting men at variance betwene themselues that now I say nothing how he goeth about to bring god his works into suspicioÌ„ among men Therfore he is elsewhere called a lier the author of lies and the father of al hypocrites therefore the spring of all 〈◊〉 heresies wickednesses And bicause Iudas was an hypocrite a lyer a 〈…〉 traitor the lord rightly gaue him the name of a diuell The Apostle Peter called the diuell an aduersarie For the lord also himselfe called him The enuious man which sowed tarâ—â— in the lords field For he is the 〈◊〉 of God men setting himselfe against the wil of God whose glory also he laboureth to take away
Iohn 52. asketh the question Whether sathan were not cast out of the mindes of the prophetes and patriarchs since it is reported in the gospel that he is cast out by Christ And he maketh answere Verily he is cast out quite How therefore is it saide He shall now be cast out How think wee but because that whiche came to passe in verie fewe menne is euen now foretolde that it shall come to passe shortly in manie and mighty people As that saying but the holie ghoste was not yet giueÌ„ Because Iesus was not yet glorified may haue the like question the like answere For that abundance of spirituall grace was not giuen as yet whiche afterwarde was giuen Thus farre he Furthermore when the Apostle saith That we sight against spiritual wickednesses in heauenly places by heauenly he meaneth not heauenly ioyes placeing the diuels in heauen againe but the aire that is the lower parte of the world yea and the worlde it selfe For he saith elsewhere According to the spirite that ruleth in the aire And truelie the Princes of this worlde are in the aire aboue beneath and aboute vs assaulting vs on euery side Otherwise neither heauen nor the lower region of the aire is subiecte to the rule of diuels that therein they may doe what they wil or abuse it as they list but so farre foorth as God of his iust iudgement shall permit For in this disputation we muste alwayes holde for a confessed and vndoubted trueth that our Lord God is Kinge and gouernour of all creatures and that he kéepeth still his dominion ouer all creatures and exerciseth the same after a moste iuste and equall maÌ„ner And although out of all these thinges might bee gathered howe great and what manner of operation the diuels is yet therevnto wil I ad somewhat more least any thinge should séeme to bee wanting in this matter In the description of the diuell I drewe into two heads all his effects worke or operations For diuels are aduersaries to God enimies to men whose whole endeuours driftes tend to the despising of God and to the deceiuing and destruction of men The suÌ„me therefore is this They bend all their force to the contempt of God and destruction of men And that their power to hurte is not small and their vnderstanding also quick to bring all their purposes to effect we haue heard once or twise alreadie That they haue a wil to doe hurt there is no cause why any man shuld dout For that Lord said to his disciples in the gospel Beholde sathaÌ„ hath earnestly desired to sift you as it were wheat And again Watch pray lest ye enter into tentation And S. Peter saith Your aduersarie as a roring lion rangeth vp downe seeking whom he may deuoure And that he withstandeth God and with continuall labour gaine-sayeth God and stirreth vp all creatures to the hating and despising of God that scripture doth euery where testifie He did wickedly instill into the mindes of our first parentes an opinion altogether vnworthye of God as though maliciously hee did enuie at their blessed state For hee said by the serpent Hath God said ye shall not eate of that tree And anon Ye shall not dye the death For God doth knowe that the same day that ye eate thereof your eyes shal be opened and ye shal be as gods knowing good and euill Vnto whiche deceiptfull wordes when they gaue credit they them selues perished drew with them the whole worlde into ruine and destruction Neither at this day verily ceasseth he so slauÌ„der and speak euil aswel of God him selfe as also of his works to th' intent that he might draw vs together with him into y hating of God into distrust desperation and to euerlasting destructioÌ„ For he enuyeth vs our saluation where vnto we are ordeined by Christ But it is better to speake somewhat more distinctly of this thing SathaÌ„ hurtes men in their mindes in their bodies in their goods For he enticeth and prouoketh our minds to sinne Furthermore he also troubleth y mindes of men driueth them into an outrage and béeing out of quiet in this their outrage he miserably vexeth tormenâ—eth 〈…〉 them â—â—â—â—vpon thou maist read that some physicians call this madnes or outrage an euil spirit or wicked diuel But he diuersly plagueth their bodies chiefly with diseases We haue that most holie man Iob for an example In the gospel after S. Luke it is said that that woman which was bowed together was bound by Sathan xviij yéeres Againe in the gospel according to S. Mark we read of a childe which had a dumb spirit And when soeuer he taketh him he teareth him and hee someth and gnasheth with his teeth and pineth away and casting him selfe on the ground lieth groueling This self same euil spirit taketh away froÌ„ men their goods wasteth and diminisheth their substance and wordly wealth Which thinge againe is manifest in the historie of Iob of the gospel For Iob is spoiled of all his substance sathaÌ„ so ordering y matter by souldiers robbers The herd of swine also béeing drowned strangled in the sea wrought greate losse to the Gergesites béeing violeÌ„tly caried away of that diuels were tumbled headlong into the sea Furthermore this mischefous miscreaÌ„t in accoÌ„plishing these things doth soÌ„ewhat by him self by wicked angels his fellowes somewhat by other creatures By him self he worketh outwardly inwardly by teÌ„pting prouoking meÌ„ For he casteth before our eies counterfait deceiptfull shapes chaunging him selfe into an angel of light he windeth him self into the mindes of men He speaketh vnto vs setting before vs gay promises most greuous threatnings howbeit all of them coloured with deceiptes and lies For oftentimes he bringeth reasons probable indéede apparant yea places of Scripture at a blushe very agréeable but yet maliciously wreâ—â—ed to his owne purpose And by this meanes he either hindereth and maimeth true faith in the mindes of men or else he taketh it away vterlie ouerthroweth it and by and by he possesseth theÌ„ wholy driueth them into most certeine perdition So it is said that wheÌ„ he had entred into Iudas hart he cast him wholy headlong into euerlasting destructioÌ„ The hart of man is open vnto God only for he only is the searcher of the harte and reines But the diuell by circumuenting men with his guileful practises and by putting wicked persuasions into their hartes is said to enter into mens harts And he worketh against maÌ„ by other creatures also as by elements when he raiseth fire windes waters haile suche like calamities against vs Furthermore he stirreth vp meÌ„ against vs our frends to vexe and betray vs our enimies to consume bring vs to our end w persecutions battels bloudsheds The history of Iob yet again bereth witnes of these things Wherevnto thou maist reckon persecutions laid vpon the worshipers of
manner one it is For first wee confesse that there hath béene and is a Church of God and that it shall continue for euer Then professing what it is wée add this The communion of Sainctes That is to say Wée beléeue the Church to bee nothing else but the companie of all those Sainctes that are haue béene and shal be as wel in this present age as in the age to come who enioye all good thinges in common granted vnto them by god Also wee declare what manner one it is in calling it holy I say the spouse of Christ cleansed and blessed For S. Paule calleth them holy whiche are cleansed with the spirit and bloud of oure God of whiche a great part haue receiued crownes of glorie the residue labour heere vppon earth hoping to receiue them in heauen And truely in consideration of the Church the chiefest matter is that thoroughe the Grace of God wee be made the members of Christes body and partakers of all heauenly gifts with the Angels For wée confesse none to be more holy than our owne selues Or else it may be taken more largly and then it doeth comprehende not onely them that are the very faithfull and holy in déede but also them who althoughe they beléeue not truely or vnfeignedly neither be cleane or holy in the conuersation of their life yet do they acknowledge and professe true religion with the true beléeuers and the holy men of God yea they speake well and allowe of vertues and reproue euill neither doe seauer themselues from the vnitie of this Militant Church In whiche consideration not so much as the wicked and hypocrits such as wée read to haue béene in the Church in the time of Christe and the Apostles as Iudas Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus also Demas Hymenęus Alexander and many other are excluded and put from the church which Church maye well be called the outward and visible Church But this Church whereof wee speake is to bée accompted off either by reason of some part thereof or else of the whole For it is to be considered generally particularly And the particular Church is that whiche is comprised in a certeine number is knowen by some sure and certeine place For it is named of the place being called after the names of cities as the Churches of Zuericke and Bernes c. The Gréekes called those particular Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche wee commonly call Parishes And we call that a parish which hath dwelling houses and streates ioyned together in neighbourhoode But in cities and townes vnto certeine portions are vsually ascribed both Churches and parish priestes to serue them and the whole circuite is called a parishe In the Dutche tongue Ein Barchi oder pfarkirch oder ein kirchhory And in the old time the parish priest was a prouider For hee prouided and gaue necessaries to straungers and chiefly salt and wood Some called him the maker of the feast other cal him a preparer of Virgins Therefore because the pastours of Churches were preparers of Virgins for the redéemer and head of the Church whiche is Christe bringing vnto him a chast and vndefiled virgin to be short because they themselues prouided things most necessarie for the people of God and also prepared heauenly meates and banquets the pastours of the Lords flocke are very well called parish priestes or the curates of soules The Lord speaking in the Gospel of the particular Church said If hee that offendeth the Church will not regard when hee is warned complaine vnto the Church But it is not possible that the vniuersall Church through the whole world should assemble come together that the rebellious and obstinate should be brought before it wherfore iudgment is referred to be giuen on that stubborne by the particular Churches To conclude the vniuersal Church consisteth of al the particular Churches through out the whole world and of all the visible partes and members thereof This is the same which we drue forth euen nowe when wée spake more at large thereof But the catholique Church of God doeth abide with vs as wée began to tell a litle before cōtinually from age to age from the beginning and is at this time dispersed thorough out the whole world both visiblye and inuisiblye and the Lords people and God his house shall continue vppon earth vnto the worlds end For there was neuer yet any world neither shal be any age wherein God hath not or will not sanctifie some vnto himselfe wherin he will dwell and that they shall be his flocke and holy house For the testimonies of auncient Prophets doe record that the Church is perpetual For thus wee finde it written in the 132. Psalme The Lord hath chosen Sion hee hath chosen her for an habitation for him selfe This is my resting place for euer and euer heere will I dwell because I haue chosen her And againe I haue sworne vnto Dauid in my holinesse his seede shall remaine for euer and his seate shall continue before mee as the Sunne But who knoweth not that all this is to be vnderstode of Christ the sonne of Dauid and of his seate and spirituall Sion which is the Church He also signifying the continuaunce of the Church sayeth in the Gospell I will remaine with you continually vnto the ende of the world And againe I will aske of my father and hee shall giue you an other cōforter the spirite of truth that he may abide with you for euer To this belongeth also that saying in the Gospel And the gates of hell shal not preuaile against the Church Whiche saying truely is a great comfort to the faithfull in so many and so great persecutions intended to the vtter destruction and ouerthrowe of the Church As Christ had alwayes his Church héere vppon earth hath now and for euer shall haue So likewise the diuel as longe as the world shall continue shall neuer want his people in whom hee maye reigne This Church of the diuel toke her first beginning of Cain and shall continue to the last wicked person comprehending also all those euill peoples that haue beene in the meane time and shal be betwixte the beginning and the ending But they liuing héere on earth haue societie and common with them that are tormented in hell For as all that bee Godly béeing vnder one head Christ do make one body so all the wicked vnder one head sathan are one incorporate body This maye right worthily be called that wicked Church Sodome and Gomor Babylon the cōgregation of Chora Dathan Abyron a synagogue a schole and a stewes of the diuell the kingdome of antichriste or any other of like sort In this Church are reckoned vpp all such as are wicked and and infidels separating themselues from the societie of oure holy mother the Church or forsaking the communion thereof and specially such as are mockers of God and his holy woord blasphemers
in the ministerie it selfe and what god He verily for his excéeding goodnesse and mercy toward vs coueteth to poure him self wholy into vs which I thinke good to repeate often that it may be the déeper rooted in oure hearts and that we also may bethink our selues what we owe vnto God that we may bothe be strengthened and blessed in him and may perfectly vnderstand his will to vswarde and finally our duetie whereby we be bound vnto him As he therefore furthereth our saluation verie diligently in all thinges so least there shoulde be any thing wanting to true doctrine he him selfe commeth foorth to instruct men But such is our weaknesse and corruptioÌ„ through sinn we can not abide the méeting of his eternall wonderful maiestie Which is apparant by muche communication of God had with our fathers but especially at his meting with the whole Churche of Israel in mount Sina For when he came downe on the mount not without glorie and heauenly maiestie and vttered with his owne mouth a briefe summe of his whole religion and of all the lawes which summe we call the decalogue or tenne commaundements the people being astonnyed with his diuine maiestie said vnto Moses Talk thou with vs and we will heare but let not God talke with vs least we dye And God receiuing this offer sayde I haue heard the voice of the wordes of this people which they haue spoken vnto thee they haue well sayde all that they haue spoken Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would feare me c. In so much that this maner of teaching by men whiche men them selues haue chosen for them selues God will haue to be perpetuall and neuer to be broken so as when he sent his sonne into the world he cloathed him with flesh that he might after that manner speake vnto vs by him God in déede might by the secrete illumination of his spirite without mans ministerie as his power is tyed to no creature regenerate the whole world and gouerne the church it selfe but as he despiseth not his creatures nor destroyeth the worke of his owne handes and doth all thinges in order euen so from the firste beginning he foorthwith spake to the worlde by patriarches then by Prophetes afterwarde by Apostles neyther at this day ceaseth he to giue vnto the worlde doctours and pastours So that it becoÌ„meth vs not to tempt God that is not to looke for a secrete inspiration with the heretiques Enthusiastae but to acknowledge a iust order and that God him selfe speaketh vnto vs by men of whome he woulde haue vs to learne religion The Eunuch of Candace Quéene of Aethiopia did reade the holy Scriptures and the Lord could haue taught him by secrete inspiration the mysterie of faith but he giueth him Philip to be a teacher and an interpreter Likewise Paule the doctour of the Gentiles taken vppe into the thirde heauen and instructed by Christ him selfe not by men of all the principles of our religion is neuerthelesse referred ouer vnto a man called Ananias The Angel of God is sent to Cornelius capteine of the Italian band being at Caesarea which might haue instructed him in all pointes of true religion but he willeth him to call for Peter the Apostle He sayth the Angel will tell thee what thou must do For this cause ministers are called Sauiours they are sayde to conuert men their worde is called not the word of man but the worde of God he whiche despiseth them séemeth to despise God him selfe It is also sayd that they them selues doe binde and loose and reteine and forgiue sinnes For Abdias the Prophete sayth that Sauiours shal ascend into the mount Sion whiche many interprete of the Apostles Paule pleading before king Agrippa and rehearsing the wordes of God whicâ—â— came vnto him in a vision sayth â— send thee vnto the Gentiles to open their eyes that they may bee turned from darkenesse to light c. And Gabriel the Archangel sayd before that speaking of Iohn Hee shall go before the Lorde with the spirite and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the iust men Moreouer the Apostle to the Thessal We thanke God sayth he bycause when ye had receiued of vs the worde of the preaching of God ye receiued it not as the word of men but as it is in deede the word of God which worketh also in you that beleeue Againe He therefore that despiseth these things despiseth not man but God who hath euen giuen you his holy spirite For the Lorde sayth in the Gospell He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth mee And againe What so euer ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen and what so euer ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen And againe Whose sinnes so euer ye remit they are remitted vnto theÌ„ and whose sinnes so euer you doe reteine they are reteined But some wresting these places of the holy scripture against the natural sense do giue the ministers an equall power in a manner with Christ and that which only perteineth vnto him they communicate also vnto them But they say that by such meanes the ministerie must be set out lest it wax vile and of no estimation among prophane men Othersome againe so speake of the inwarde drawing of the spirite that they séeme as it were to make superfluous or to take cleane away the outward ministerie and to attribute nothing at all vnto it Therefore the ministerie must be limited with his boundes leaste it be drawne hither and thither with the affections and lustes of men and either too much or too little be attributed vnto it Let the ministerie in déed be beautified and kept in authoritie but let it be done without the dishonouring of god Neyther in déede becommeth it vs vnder the pretence of the ministerie to attribute that to mans labour which is only Gods office on whome all men ought to depend and vnto whome as the onely welspring and giuer of all goodnesse they ought to haue respect Therfore the faithfull ministers of the Lorde Iesus ought only to haue regard herevnto that they may kéepe the glorie and authoritie of Christ vnblemished and his priesthoode sound vnto him selfe in euerie point For the Lorde Iesus him selfe sitting at the righte hande of the father in the true taberâ—acle which God pight and not man remaineth a priest yea the onely high priest of his church for euer executing as yet all the dueties of a priest in the Church For he as the onely teacher and maister in the Churche teacheth his disciples that is the Churche or congregation of the faithful induing them with the holy ghoste regenerating and drawing them sanctifying and making them frée from their sinnes Which thing the scripture in euerie place plainely teacheth This glory this power he
Lord fled into the wildernes wheÌ„ the people thoght to make him a king He knewe the HelisÄ™us by most wholesome counsel refused the reward of NaamaÌ„ the prince And the Giesi his seruant to his euerlasting reproche and ouerthrowe of his owne health required it afterward at his haÌ„d S. Peter would not take vppon him the charge of the poore least he should thereby with lesse diligence attende vppon prayer and preaching of the word of God whiche thing the Actes of the Apostles do witnesse who therefore thincketh it likelye that hee casting aside the office of Apostleship would haue receiued the Empire euen of the whole world Hée denieth that one man can both happily execute the charge of the ministerie of the word and also minister vnto the necessitie of the poore But what Pope wil they giue vnto vs that hath the spirite more fully than Peter had Which can performe that which Peter could not Whiche cannot onely now both serue at tables but also can gouerne the whole world Therefore they are trifles which they rehearse to vs touching the donation of ConstaÌ„tine Constantine was more sounde than that he would frame such a donation which he knew was repugnant to the doctrine of Christ Syluester was more vppright than to receiue that which he knewe could not be receiued without the vtter ouerthrowe of the ministerie of the word But if Constantine gaue that altogether which he is said to haue giuen that Syluester did not refuse his donation both of them offended Because both delt against the word of God. I sawe what of late yeares Augustine Steuchus a man otherwise well learned of much reading hath written touching Constantines donation against Laurentius Valla but he bringeth no sound arguments though hee wonderfully rage and put all the force of his eloquence in vre and finally doe buisily heape together from all places whatsoeuer by anye manner meanes maye seeme to further this cause And truely that booke séemeth better worthie to be troden vnder foot than to bee occupied in good menns hands For that I make no wordes that he calleth that ecclesiastical kingdome of Rome oftentimes eternall whereas the kingdome of Christ and the sainctes is onely eternall doeth hée not most manifestly place the Pope in the seate of Christe our Lord For after he had recited the testimonie of one Pope Nicholas hee forthwith addeth Thou hearest that the highe bishop of Constantine is called God couÌ„ted for god This verilie was done when hee adorned him with that famous edicte hee worshipped him as God as the successour of Christe and Peter As much as he could hee gaue diuine honours vnto him hee worshipped him as the liuelie Image of Christ Thus farre he in the 67. section of his booke Neither hath he written that whiche is vnlike vnto this 28. section For hee remembring certeine imaginations of his owne conceiued of the Pope he feigneth I cannot tell what fruite would come thereof if it were made knowne among the furthest Indians that all the kingdomes of the world are gouerned by the Popes becke that kings worship him as being a thinge very well knowen to them that he is the successour of Christe and therefore that they receiue him not so muche a mortall man as God himselfe in him who hath substituted him in his roome in earth and therefore wee oughte to absteine from reprochfull words if he sinne in any thinge as a man because in him they worshipp the Sonne of God. These wicked reioycinges these flattering or rather sacrilegious voyces would Peter haue suffered think you who lifted vpp Cornelius when hee fell downe before him and would haue worshipped him and said Arise I my selfe also am a man. We read also that the Angel himselfe said vnto Iohn whiche fell downe and would haue worshipped at the Angels féete See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruaunt and of thy brethren the Prophets It is also written of Herodes Agrippa because he repressed not the flattering voyces of the people whiche cryed when he had ended his oration It is the voice of a God not of a man that therefore hee was stricken of the Angel of God and hee rotted away being eaten of wormes Therefore we since wee knowe that Christ himselfe the sonne of God doth reigne as yet in the churche as to whome onely all glorie and power is giuen and hath not substituted any man on the earth in whom he wilbée worshipped and serued wee worship and serue Christe Iesus the sonne of God oâ—ely and vtterly abhore the Pope as antichriste and a dounghill God or if you wil a God of the iakeshouse together with his sacrilegious clawbackes and blasphemous flatterers The Lord in verie déed said to S. Peter Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will build my Church I wil giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. But what make these sayinges to establish the monarchie prerogatiue and dignitie of the Pope Peter is commended of the Lord for the constancie of his faith wher vpon also he receiued his name béeing called Peter A petra that is of the rocke wherein hee settled himselfe by a true faith Christ is that rock wherevnto Peter stayed He heareth that this shal be the perpetuall foundation of the churche that all shal be receiued into the fellowshippe of the church who with a true faith confesse with Peter that Iesus Christ is the verie sonne of God and rest vppon him as the onely rocke and saluation Moreouer the keyes of the kingdome of God are promised vnto Peter but when they are deliuered they are not giueÌ„ to Peter alone but to all the Apostles For The keyes are not as these men imagine a certein dominioÌ„ iurisdiction but the ministerie of opening and shutting the kingdome of heauen to lett into the church and to shutt out whiche is wrought by the preaching of the Gospell as it shall anon be said more aboundantly After the same manner when Christ said to Peter Feed my sheep he did not giue vnto Peter the monarchie of the whole world and dominion ouer all creatures but committed vnto him a pastorall cure Of whiche thing I haue spoken in my last sermon as also else where both often and largely against the supremacie of the bishop of Rome Vnto the auncient writers of the church which they obiecte vnto vs testifying I knowe not what of the supremacie of Peter we wil aunswere in one word that we care not so much what the old writers thought herein as what Christe the sonne of God instituted and what the Apostles whose authoritie doth farre excell the iudgement of the old writers practised and what they haue left both in their writing examples for vs to iudge and sollowe Whereof I haue also spoken in the 2. Sermon of this Decade Wée haue almost gone further than wee determined therefore that we may draw to an end we haue spoken of
thinges of a fatherly affection with a good courage constancie and wisedome Wherevnto if there be ioyned not an hypocriticall but a holy and vpright life in déede together with honest modest and comely behauiour all wise men shall perceyue that there is sufficient authoritie thereby proued to a godly minister I woulde not yet the Donatistes or Anabaptistes shoulde hereby clayme any kynde of defence or protection were it neuer so small They contende that the ministerie of the worde and Sacramentes executed by a minister whose lyfe is vncleane becommeth thereby of no value But albeit a holie life be requisit in a minister yet their ministerie becōmeth not of no value through the ministers vnhonest life so his doctrine be sounde and perfect For the Lorde in the Gospell commaundeth to heare them that teache in Moses chaire but he forbiddeth to follow their doinges for they teache good thinges but doe them not Of this matter I haue spoken in the seconde Sermon of this Decade Nazianzen very properly sayth The printe of a seale is all one whether it be grauen in yron or in golde And it is one and the same Gospell it is one and the selfe same heauenly treasure sent of the father whether it be brought by a good messinger or a bad But in the meane space the vnhonest lyfe of the ministers of the church ought not to be winked at but to be chastened and suche as are past cure ought to be put out of the ministerie least through their continuall offence they make the holie ministerie infamous But many will say Why handle you these thinges in publique preaching These thinges were to be tolde the ministers priuately I answere that the verie lawes whiche properly perteyned to the Priestes were in times past communicated to the magistrates and gouernours of the people and read before the people them selues Moreouer it is manifest that Christe our Lorde handled those thinges in publique Sermons whiche properly perteyned to the Doctours and Pastours of the people Herevnto may be added that Saint Paule speaking of Elders or Ministers saythe Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest also may feare The holie Scripture with greate diligence describing good and faythfull shepeheardes and teachers with no lesse faythfulnesse and diligence doth painte out the false teachers and false shepheards or wolues to the end all men may knowe them and take héede of them These thinges are euery where to be séene in the writings of the Prophetes and Apostles Yet singular places if any man wold knowe are to be séene Deut. 13. and and 18. Isaic 56. Iere. 23. Ezech. 34 Dan. 11. Math. 7. and 23. The Epistles of Paule in describing and confuting of them are very plentifull And Sainte Peter in ouerthrowing of suche men spendeth a greate part of his latter Epistle The testimonies and examples of the same Prophetes and Apostles do shew that godly ministers faithfull Pastours shal be vexed with al kynds of afflictions persecutions Yet the very same neuerthelesse doe witnesse euidently that the ministerie shal neuer be vtterly oppressed but that the ministers shall continually haue the victorie yea euen when they are slayne For the Lorde alwayes giueth ministers vnto his Church who though they be tried as golde is in the fire yet they ouercome throughe him which hath ouercome the world and the Prince of the worlde The last times shall be verie wicked as we reade the times of Noe and Loth were but as then also in that vttermost corruption those two most excellent men with a fewe other singular men in all godlinesse and true worshippers of God are read to haue florished and done their duetie euen so vnto the verie ende of the worlde the ministerie of the worde shall also indure and worthy doctours and pastours shall flourish striuing against and persecuting all vngodlinesse and loosenesse of life Let the enimies of the truth ceasse to hope for the ouerthrowe of the ministerie and ministers of the worde of god I will sayth the Lord in the Gospell be with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He can not lye who hath spoken this He shall consume Antichriste sayth the Apostle with the spirite of his mouth and shall abolishe him with the brightnesse of his comming vnto iudgement There shall be therefore ministers in the Churche and preachers yea in despite of the gates of hell rage they neuer so horribly euen vnto the ende of the world These thinges hetherto haue I comprehended as briefly as I coulde touching the ministerie of the worde and the ministers of the Churches of Christe But it is not in our power to frame or giue suche Pastours By the grace and goodnesse of God good Pastours are giuen and the wicked are taken away Let vs all therefore call vppon God praying him to giue vs faythfull and godly ministers whereby his name may be alwayes sanctified and the Church of God may be happily gouerned to the saluation of all those the beléeue Of the fourme and manner howe to pray to GOD that is Of the calling on the name of the Lorde where also the Lordes prayer is expounded and also singing thanksgiuing and the force of prayer is entreated The fift Sermon AFter the ministerie of the woord of God in the churche of Christ handled mee thincketh I haue conuenient place to entreate of the prayer of the faithfull wherevnto godly ministers neuer leaue to stirre vp the church The word prayer is verie largely taken amonge writers and in daily vse At this present we vse it after the same maner y Dauid the Prophete vsed it saying Heare my prayer O God and let my crie come vnto thee For prayer is an humble and earnest laying forth of a faithfull mind wherby we either aske good things at gods handes or els giue him thanckes for those things which we haue receiued And of prayer chieflye there are two parts inuocation or asking thanks giuing By petition we lay open vnto God the requestes and desires of dure heart beséeching him to giue vs good thinges and that he will turne from vs euill thinges as may be to his glorie and good pleasure and according to our necessitie In inuocation or petition we comprehend obsecration whiche is a more vehement prayer also intercession wherby we cōmend other mens matters to the lord For we offer prayers to the Lord our God not onely for our selues but also for our brethren and for their manifold necessities for them that are distressed with perils for those that ve sicke for them whiche suffer persecution or are in a manner oppressed with other calamities and afflictions Neither do we exclude beséechinges whereby we earnestly desire euils to be turned away from our selues or frō others There are also complaints whereby the Saincts in their prayers do holily expostulate with God. Thanckesgiuing comprehendeth both dunne praises and also celebrateth with a ioyfull spirite God his noble power
bee able to doe all Therefore to his goodwill to vs ward which in these woords Our father wée haue expressed wee do now ioyne knowledge of all thinges and power to do althings adding Which art in heauen By these wordes the faith of them that pray is stirred vpp and confirmed Nowe there doe followe in order sixe petitions The first is Hallowed be thy name Wée haue called God our father and our selues his sonnes But it is the part of sonnes to honour or glorifie their father and therefore immediatly vppon the beginning we desire that the name of the Lord God and our father might be sanctified or hallowed That truely is holy and vndefiled alwayes in it selfe neither is it made any whitt the better or the worse by vs Wherevppon we pray that that which is and remaineth holy in it selfe should be acknowledged of vs to bee such and alwayes sanctified of vs. A name is the definition of any thing whatsoeuer and names are inuented to make a difference of one thinge from another whereby they mighte bée knowen amonge themselues But GOD is infinite and vnmeasurable moreouer hee is one therefore hée hath not a name whereby to bee defined hee néedeth not a name whereby to be discerned from other Gods. Therefore those names that are attributed vnto him in the Scriptures are attributed for our infirmitie to the end that by some reason and comparison wee mighte vnderstand somethinges that are spoken of him that is vnmeasurable and infinite Therefore the name of GOD in verye deede is GOD him selfe with all his Maiestie and glorie To Sanctifie or Hallowe otherwhiles signifieth to separate thinges from a prophane vnto an holy vse In this place it signifieth to magnifie to praise and to glorifie Wée desire therefore that GOD himselfe who of his owne nature is a good holie and for euer blessed gentle bountifull and a mercifull father might as hée is in himselfe bee acknowledged and magnified of all vs that all nations leauing their errour and heresies mighte consecrate them selues in trueth to this one onely father and God that all thinges which defile the name of the Lord of whiche sort are wicked deceiptes or practises vngodlinesse Epicurisme an vncleane life and especially corrupte and antichristian doctrine may bee taken awaye that béeing inlightened wee mighte sanctifie or hallowe the name of the Lord. Wherefore in this petition we desire the holy ghost the verie onely authour it selfe of all true sanctification Wée pray for true faith in GOD by Christ thoroughout the whole world Wée pray for holy thoughtes and a pure life wherewith wée might glorifie the name of the Lord whiche is done while euerie one doeth his owne duetie while Sathan the authour of al vncleannesse is cast out while corrupt doctrine is taken awaye and deceipt ceasseth while the filthinesse of the world is banished This petition the most excellent king and Prophete Dauid setteth forth in these wordes GOD be mercifull vnto vs blesse vs shewe vs the light of his countenaunce and bee mercifull vnto vs that thy way may be knowen vppon earth thy sauing health amonge all nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee And as followeth in the thréescore and seuenth Psal. To this belongeth the whole prayer of oure Sauiour described by S. Iohn in the 17. Chapiter of his Gospel The second petition is Thy kingdome come For the name of God and our father cannot bee sanctified or hallowed vnlesse hee reigne in vs There is one kingdome of GOD another of the diuel Furthermore one kingdome of God is said to bee of glorie and another rightly of grace The kingdome of glorie is not of this world but of another world The kingdome of Grace is the kingdome of Christe in this world wherein Christ reigneth by the holy spirite in his faithfull ones whiche of their owne accord submit themselues vnto him to bee gouerned saying and doeing those thinges which beautifie and beséeme christians The diuell also reigneth in the children of vnbeléefe which yeeld themselues vnto him to be gouerned according to his vngodlinesse and wickednesse doeinge those thinges which are not onely delightfull to the flesh but whiche turne to the reproch of Gods maiestie whom after this life by the iust iudgement of God the diuel the king of the vngodly catcheth vnto hell into the kingdome of death and iudgement there continually to burne Moreouer the earthly kingdome which princes of this world gouerne is called either the kingdome of God or the kingdome of the diuell euen as it shall fashion frame it selfe to one of the twaine All these things wée do knit vpp in fewe words because wée haue more plentifully entreated of them in another place Wherefore we pray in this second petition that Christe might reigne and liue in vs and wée in him that the kingdome of Christ might be spread abroad and inlarged and preuaile thoroughe the whole world that Doctours or teachers and ecclesiasticall magistrates finally that princes also yea and scholes too and whosoeuer may further the kingdome of Christe béeing annoynted and watered with his graces may flourish ouercome and triumphe furthermore we pray that the kingdome of the diuel and antichriste maye bée broken and vanquished least it hurte and annoye the Sainctes that with with the kingdome of the diuell all vngodlinesse may be dasht and troden vnder foote to be short that all the weapons and armour of Antichristianisme may be broken into shiuers and come to naught Lastly we pray in this second petition that after we haue sayled out of the tempestuous gulfe of this worlde we might be receiued and gathered vnto Christ and all the Saintes into the euerlasting kingdome of glory For as we desire the kingdome of God to come vnto vs and God to reigne in vs so we praye to come or to be receiued into his kingdome and to liue for euer with him most holily The thirde petition is Thy will be done as wel in earth as it is in heauen God reigneth not in vs vnlesse we be obedient vnto him therefore after his kingdome we desire the grace of perfect obedience For we desire not that God do what he will. For continually Gods will is done albeit we neuer pray for it and though we wrestle and striue against it with all our might For the Prophet sayth Our God is in heauen he hath done whatsoeuer pleased him in heauen and in earth We aske therefore that what he will the same he maye make vs both to will and to do For his wil is alwayes good but our wil through the corruption of sinne is euill Therefore we pray him to be present with vs with his grace that our will may be regenerated and framed to the good wil of God that of it own accorde it yealde it selfe to the holie Ghoste to be framed that his grace will that which he inspireth that he finish in vs that which
all things vnto God and the father in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ And againe he saith By him wee offer sacrifice of prayse alwayes to God that is the fruite of lippes confessing his name But that we may be thankefull for all the benefites of God and offer continuall thankesgiuing vnto God it is néedefull firste to acknowledge and well to weigh with oure selues the benefites of god For these being not yet knowne or rightly weyed our mynde is not set on fire to gyue God thankes for his benefites And these are indéede diuers yea they are infinit For they are priuate publique generall and speciall spirituall corporal temporal and eternall ecclesiasticall and politicall singular and excellent But who can reckon vp all their kindes and partes God created beautified garnished and made this worlde fruitfull for man To the ministerie of this he seuerally appointeth angelicall spirites whom hee had created ministers for him selfe He giueth vs soules and bodies which he furnisheth and storeth with infinite gifts and abilities and that which farre passeth all other benefits he loosed man being intangled in sin he deliuered him being a bondslaue to the diuell For the sonne of GOD setteth vs frée into the libertie of the sonnes of God by dying he quickeneth by sheading his bloud he purgeth and cleanseth he giueth vs with his spirite whereby we may be guided and preserued in this banishement vntill we be receiued into that oure euerlasting and true countrie They that consider these thinges with a true fayth can not choose but be rapte into the prayse and setting foorth of Gods â–ª goodnesse and into a wondering at a thing doubtlesse to be maruelled at that the gratious and mightie God hath suche a special care of men than whome this earth hath nothing either more wretched or miserable Here the Saints of God are destitute of words Neither haue they words méete enough for this so great a matter Dauid cryeth O Lorde our God howe woonderfull is thy name in all the worlde for that thou hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens and as followeth in the eight Psal. And againe the same Who am I O Lorde God and what is the house of my father that thou hast brought me hitherto or so aduaunced me And what can Dauid say further vnto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy seruant and so foorth as followeth in the 2. booke of Samuel cha 7. The same Dauid hath set downe a moste notable forme of blessing or praising or giuing thankes vnto God in the 103 Psal. whiche beginneth thus Blesse the Lorde O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Blesse the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thy wickednesse And so forth But what néede any more wordes The Lordes prayer may be a moste perfect forme of praysing God and giuing thankes to God for all his benefites serue in stead of many For as the preface and all the petitions do call vnto our remembraunce and absolutely set foorthe vnto vs Gods greatest benefites most liberally bestowed vpoÌ„ vs also vpoÌ„ al other so if we consider that it is our dutie â—o giue thanks to God for euery one of these and by and by beginne euen at the beginning of the Lordes prayer to weighe this chiefly with our selues that God the father of his vnspeakeable mercie to vs ward hath adopted vs miserable sinners into the number of sonnes by whome he will be sanctified and in whom he wil reigne and at the laste also translate vnto his euerlasting kingdome that I maye speake nothing of other petitions what plentifull matter of praysing God and giuing thankes vnto him shall be ministred But these thinges are better and more rightly vnderstood by good godly and deuout exercise than by preceptes thoughe neuer so diligent And the Lord doth so much estéeme this thankes giuing offered vnto him with true humilitie of mynde and also faith that he receiueth it and counteth it for a most acceptable sacrifice Of this thing there is very often meÌ„tion in the olde Testament as when it is sayde Who so euer offereth me thankes and prayse hee honoureth me I will not reproue thee bycause of thy sacrifices I will take no bullockes out of thy house nor goates out of thy fouldes Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse and paye thy vowes vnto the most highest And call vpon me in the day of trouble I will heare thee and deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Againe I wil offer vnto thee the sacrifice of thankesgiuing and I will call vppon the name of the Lorde And Oseas also sayth Take these wordes with you and turne ye to the Lord and say vnto him O for giue vs all our sinnes receiue vs gratiously Nim recht fur gut and then will we offer the calues of our lippes vnto thee After which maner Malachie also hath left written I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoastes neyther will I receiue an offering at youre hande For from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same my name is greate among the Gentiles and in euery place incense and a pure offering shall bee offered to my name for my name is greate among the Gentiles sayth the Lord of hoastes Furthermore this Pure offering al the old interpreters with great coÌ„sent Irenaeus chiefly Tertullian doe interprete Eucharistia that is to say prayses and thankesgiuinges and prayer procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfeigned fayth Truely for no other cause haue the auncient fathers called the Euchariste or mysticall Supper of Christe a sacrifice than for that in it prayse and thankesgiuing is offered vnto god For the Apostle Paule sheweth that Christe was once offered and that he can not be offered often or any more For great is the worthinesse power and vertue not onely of prayse or thankesgiuing but also of prayer wholy I meane of inuocation also it selfe Whereof although I haue already spoken somewhat where I declared that our prayers are effectual yet do I adde these fewe words The Saintes truely had a most ardent desire of praying bycause of the wonderfull force of prayer For that I maye say nothing of those moste auncient fathers before and anonafter the floud did not Abraham praye when he receiued the promises and as often as he chaunged his dwelling did not he call vppon God At his prayer king Abimelech is deliuered from death and barrennes whiche the Lord being displeased layed vppon his house is cured Iacob powred forth most ardent prayers vnto God and receiued of him inestimable benefits In Exodus Moses prayeth not once but often and taketh away the plagues from the AegyptiaÌ„s which the Lord by his iust iudgement had brought vppon them At the prayer of Moses the Amalechites turne their backes and when he ceassed or left off the Israelites
whole world and all the counsels in the world all the kinges and princes yea if all the Angels and Saintes should commaund vs to beléeue that Christ is here or there corporally yet the commaundement of our only redéemer Iesus Christe the sonne of God the father of wisedome by whome all thinges were made who forbiddeth vs to beleue the same ought to be of that authoritie among all the godly that they may knowe that they muste not beléeue as creatures commauÌ„d them but as the creatour hath commaunded them Yea moreouer the Lorde vouchsafeth in this verie same place of the Gospell to giue vs a reson of his doctrine For why must we not beléeue that Christe is conuersant or bodily present vpon the earth but inuisibly Bycause like as the lightening goeth foorth of the East and appeareth in the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be Which is as much as if he had sayde The Sonne of God came once humbly into the earthe to redéeme vs throughe his humilitie and death on the crosse which thing being finished he forsooke the earth and ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the father from thence he shall not returne into these our regions but to iudgement But then shal he appeare glorious noble to be séene of all men as it were the moste cleare sunne yea rather like a lightning right terrible to all the wicked And therefore there is no cause why from the time of his ascension vntill his comming to iudgement we shuld looke for him to come inuisibly and to remayne with vs corporally present S. Hierome expounding the same place sayth This also must be sayd that the second comming of oure sauiour shall not be shewed in humilitie as before but in glory It were a foolishe part therefore to seeke him in a little corner or in some secrete place who is the light of the whole world Thus farre he But least I may séeme to stay my self vpon some humane authoritie I will rehearse that whiche S. Paule teacheth vs in his Epistle to the Hebrues saying Christ appeared once before the end of the worlde to put away sinne by offering vp of him selfe And for as much as it is appointed to men once to dye and after this commeth the iudgement euen so Christe being once offered vp to take away the sinnes of many shal the second time be seene of them withoute sinne who looke for him to their saluation Bicause therefore our Lorde came once into the worlde hee was once offered vp but he shall come againe or the second time at the ende of the world truely he commeth not againe euerie day into the worlde And bycause he hath forbidden vs to beléeue if any man should shewe him present here or there vnto vs in this worlde it must néedes followe that he may be shewed present here or there 〈◊〉 â–ª in all places where the Sacrament of thankesgiuing is celebrated if wee will vnderstand the wordes of the Supper according to the letter therfore it followeth without all contradiction by conference of places that the wordes of the Lordes Supper ought not to be expounded according to the letter I thinke herewith I haue satisfied such as be not of a contentious disposition For vndoubtedly their meaning is that we shoulde speake of the sacramentes sacramentally and that sacramentall speaches ought to bée expounded sacramentally Besides that wee ought to beéeue nothing that is repugnaunt to the rule of beliefe But the myracles and the omnipotencie of God brought foorth and alledged in this place for the setting oute and persuading of an euill matter they do no good at all after so many and manifest arguments of truth Myracles are ioyned vnto the worde as it were seales whiche thing the Lorde God him selfe testifieth in S. Marke If then they be repugnaunt to the worde and affirme that whiche the worde altogether denyeth who will not perceiue them to be of that kynde of myracles whereof the Apostle speaketh in the second chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and wherof we haue heard now that the lord gaue vs warning in the Gospell that we should in no case beleue them The lord can do al things but therefore he doth not all things The Prophete sayth What so euer the Lord would do that he did both in heauen and in earth Moreouer he will not do such things as are contrarie to his worde and his fayth therefore he can not do that he will not do Theodoretus in his thirde Dialogue intituled Polymorphus sayth The Lorde God will doe nothing that is not in him of his owne nature but he can doe what euer he will but he will doe suche things as are fit and agréeing to his nature Therfore sith God of his owne nature is true he can not doe that whiche is contrarie to his worde Other sounde writers doe adde Not that hee can not doe all thinges but that he will not doe that which is contrarie to his nature and bycause it doth not become to doe against him selfe In the meane season I do expresly professe that I condemne not or flatly am against all manner of Christes presence in the Church and in the action also of the supper For I am flatagainst that bodily presence of Christ in the breade which the Papistes defende and enforce vppon the Churche of god But I confesse and acknowledge with open mouth and sincere heart that spiritual diuine and quickening presence of oure Lorde Christe both in the Supper and also out of the supper wherby he continueth to powre him selfe into vs not by sings lackiÌ„g life but by his holy spirit to make vs partakers of all his good graces to iustifie quicken nourishe susteine and satisfie vs whiche presence we doe also féele in our selues through fayth by the whiche we are both susteyned nourished and satisfied For Christe is the heade of his Churche and we haue fellowshippe with him But howe should a liuing bodie be without his heade Howe should we be partakers of Christe if we should not féele him present yea liuing and working in vs But of these matters wee haue also intreated more at large in place coÌ„uenient Some there are I knowe well enoughe who otherwise are not iniurious to the trueth which gainesay these things crying out that by this reason the manner of Christes presence in the Supper is not fully enough expressed especially since hée him selfe also hath sayde elsewhere Beholde I am with you continually vnto the worldes ende I saythe he wholy not my power or diuinitie not my spirit nor my strength Moreouer it is a hazaâ—dâ— least we should séeme to teare Christe in péeces séeing that he cannot be wholy with vs vnlesse he be present with vs as well in body as in diuinitie But we woÌ„der what is in their heades Do they not vnderstand that the Lord in that diuine talke spoken both in the verie Supper and also immediately
of him that sent mee that who soeuer shall see the sonne beleeue in him may haue euerlasting life I wil rayse him at the later day Lo héere thou haste againe these wordeâ— to eate Christes flesh to drink his bloud and to beléeue in Christe all in one sense Againe the Lord sayeth I am the liuely bread which came downe from heauen And againe he saith Verilie I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Whosoeuer shal eate of this bread shall liue for euer Then to eate Christe and to beléeue in Christe are all one And againe he saith Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me I in him Moreouer Iohn in his Canonicall epistle saith Who soeuer shall confesse that is to say shal beleue that Iesus is the sonne of God God abideth in him and hee in God. Againe Verily verily I say vnto you vnlesse you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drink his bloud you can haue no life in you And the same Lord saith also in the 8. chap. of Iohn If you doe not beleeue that I am yee shall dye in your sinnes And againe Verilie Verilie I say vnto you whoso keepeth my sayinges he shall neuer see death Againe the Lord saith Like as the liuing father hath sent me and I liue by meanes of the Father so likewise whoso eateth mee shall also liue by meanes of me And Iohn in the â— cha sayeth Like as the father hath life in himself so hath he giuen to the sonne to haue life in him felfe And likewise in his Canonicall epistle hee sayeth Whoso beleeueth in the sonne of God hath a testimonie in him selfe And Whoso hath the sonne hath life Vnto these most euident testimonies of God we wil now ioyne y testimonies of men whiche doe say the very same that to eate Christ is nothinge else but to beléeue in Christ and to abide in Christe S. Augustine in his 2â— treatise vpon Iohn expounding these wordes of the Lord saith This is the worke of God that you should beleeue in him whome he sent as he left written This is therefore to eate the meate that perisheth not but which remaineth vnto â—uerlastinglife Why then doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy belly Beleeue and thou haste eaten The same againe in his 26. treatise saith To beleue in him this is to eate the bread of life Whoso beleeueth in him eateth inuisibly and is filled bicause he is borne inuisibly And again in y same treatise he saith This is to eat that meat drink that drink to abide in Christ and to haue Christe abiding in him by this meanes who so abideth not in Christ in whome Christe doeth not abide doubtles hee neither eateth spiritually his fleashe c. The same Augustine Lib. de Doctrina Christiana Cap. 16. shewing when a figuratiue speach is to be admited and wheÌ„ not sayth If it be an inioyning speach or forbiding some heynous offence or trespasse or commaunding some profite or good deed to be done it is not figuratiue But if it seeme to coÌ„maund some heynous offence or trespasse or to forbid some profite or good deede then is it figuratiue Vnlesse you eate the fleashe of the sonne of man and drink his bloud you can haue no life in you this seemeth to command an heynous offence trespasse therefore it is figuratiue willinge vs to bee partakers of the Lords passion and sweetely and profitably to keepe in memorie that his fleash was crucified and wounded for vs. Thus said Augustine who doubtlesse set downe not onely his owne meaninge héerein but also the meaning of the whole eatholique Church which was at that time Let our aduersariâ—s therefore take héede what they dâ— who will driue all y faithful to this wickednesse offence to wit that we should corporally eate Christs bodie Furthermore héervnto is to be added that which by reason of the perspicuitie plainnesse thereof doeth almoste surpasse all that wee haue alleadged before which the Lord himselfe aunsweared to those that woondred or rather murmured saying How can he giue vs that his fleash to eate after that hee had declared the summe of that true faith Doth this offend you sayeth hée that I saide I would giue you bread whiche came from Heauen euen my fleash to be meate to all beléeuers I suppose that offence shall take no iust place when you shall sée me ascend into heauen froÌ„ whence I came down vnto you where I was with my Father before all beginning then shal ye perceiue by my diuine ascension that I am the heauenly bread the naturall sonne of God and the life of the worlde ye shal perceiue moreouer that my fleash is not to be eaten bodily and to bee consumed and torne in morcels but is carryed vpp into Heauen for a pleadge of the saluation of mankinde And shortly after this he sayeth further It is the spirite that quickneth the flesh auaileth nothing And yet more manifestly he speaketh The words which I speake vnto you are spirite life Certeine it is y Christes flesh auayleth very much is more profitable to the world than any tonge yea the moste eloquent can expresse Yea the Lord hath warned vs before hand that we shall haue no life vnlesse we eate his fleash Then doeth the Lord deny that his fleash auayleth vs any thing at all if so be it be eaten as the Capernaites vnderstoode that is to say bodily For béeing bodily eaten it auayleth nothing but beeing spiritually eaten it quickeneth and the Lord hath plainely professed that he spake of the spiritual eating in which consisteth life These thinges béeing declared and confirmed after this manner we gather such thinges into a shorte summarie wherein we think sufficient aunswere is made vnto our aduersaries obiection The proposition is true whiche holdeth that the Lorde doeth certeinely perfourme that which hée hath promised But the second proposition is false which saith that the Lorde by his words in the 6. Chapter of Iohn by breade meant the materiall breade of the sacrament and that hee promised that he would conuerte the same into his fleash For by bread he ment not the materiall breade of the Sacrament but meate to liue withall according to the proprietie of the Hebrue tonge yea his very flesh which was deliuered to the death to be meate I say that we might liue through Christes death Thus therefore should the argument haue béene framed That whiche GOD promiseth he perfourmeth but he promiseth that he will giue vs his fleash for bread that is to say to be meat and life for vs Therefore hath he giuen his fleshe to be meate that is to say hee hath giuen ouer him self to the death that by his death wee mighte liue Whiche béeing so surely the meate wherof the Lorde speaketh is no bodily meate although the Lorde him selfe haue a true humane and naturall body of like substaunce to ours
not onely the sacramentes of the bodie and bloude of Christ We answere that Paule saieth thus in plaine wordes Who soeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of the Lords cup. c. Marke this he sayeth Who so eateth this bread drinketh of this cup vnworthily hee saith not Who so eateth the flesh and drinketh the bloud vnworthily For they whiche eate the Lorde are not without faith and Christe dwelleth in them and they in him If thou yet meruaile how the vnbeléeuers can bée guiltie of the Lordes body and bloud being eaten but sacramentally learne this out of other places of the Scripture The Lord saith in Iohn Verilie verilie I say vnto you he that receiueth whomsoeuer I shall send receiueth me and whoso receiueth me receiueth him that sent mee Wherfore whose receiueth not an apostle trespasseth not against y Apostle but against God himself although in y mene while he hath not séene god nor will not séeme to haue repelled him Wee read how y the iudge will say to them that are on his left hand Departe from me you wicked into euerlasting fire For I was hungrie and you gaue me no meat I was thirsty you gaue me no drink c. But harkeÌ„ now how the reprobate wil make exceptions againste thus sentence of the Iudge Lord when did we se thee hungrie or thirstie and ministred not vnto thee TheÌ„ heare again what the iudge wil answere Verily I say vnto you in that yee did it not vnto one of the least of these ye did it not to mee wherfore like as he that sinneth against a minister or a begger sinneth agaiÌ„st Christ himselfe although in y meane while he hath not hurt Christes person in any point so is he also giltie of the body bloud of Christ whosoeuer receiueth the sacrament of the body bloud of Christ vnworthily although in the meane seasoÌ„ he haue not receiued the very body bloud of the lord Paul saith in another place that reuolters do crucifie againe vnto them selues the sonne of god He also denieth in an other place by all manner of meanes that it is possible for Christe to be crucified or to dye any more Therefore Christ cannot be crucified againe by the Apostataes or reuolters how beit their shamefull falling away from him is so estéemed of as if they had crucified the Sonne of God. Although therefore the wicked doe not eate the Lordes verie bodie nor drinke his bloude neuerthelesse they are guiltie of betraying the Lords body and bloud as farre as in them lyeth If a rebell treade vnder his foote y seale or letters of the Prince or Magistrate although hee touche not the Magistrate him selfe nor treade him vnder his foote yet is hee sayde to haue troaden the magistrate vnder his foote and is accused not for hurting the seale or defiling the letters but hee is charged of treason and accused for treading the Prince vnder his féete What meruaile then if we heare it said that they which do eate the Lords bread vnworthily are guiltie of the body and bloud of Christ For the bread and the mysticall cup are a sacrament and seale of it Hetherto haue we disputed of the eating of the bodie of Christe and of drinking of his bloud haÌ„dling euery one point therof with asmuch breuitie as we could Now we go to knit vp the other endes of the Lords supper béeing placed in the description of the supper We said that the supper was instituted by the Lord that it might represent visibly the gifts of God vnto the Church and lay them foorth before the eyes of all men But we haue learned by the whole discourse of this matter that Christ him selfe is a most full rich treasure of all the giftes of God as namely froÌ„ whom béeing deliuered for vs vnto death we haue all things belonging to life remission of sinnes life euerlasting Since these things be inuisible gotten by faith they be also visibly that is to say by sacraments represented almost vnto all the senses to the sight to hearing to tasting and to féeling to the intent that man béeing wholy therwith moued bothe in body and soule may celebrate this moste comfortable mysterie with greate reioycing in heart Héere vnto now apperteyneth that analogie whereof I haue spoken before in the 7. Sermon of this Decade whereby I would haue these things to be better learned Furthermore we haue said that the supper was instituted of the lord that he might visibly gather together into one body all his members which were in a maÌ„ner dispersed throughout all parts of the world Whervppon we haue said that the holie men some where else did call the supper a league or confederacie We are knitt inuistbly with Christe and all his members by vnitie of faith and participation of one spirit but in the supper we are ioyned together euen by a visible coÌ„iunctioÌ„ For now not by words but by déedes also but by mysterie but by sacrament we are very néerly knit and ioyned together opening and declaring to all men by celebrating the supper that we are also of the number of them that beléeue that they are redéemed by Christ and that they are Christes members and people But we binde our selues together vnto Christe and the Church bothe that we will kéepe the sincere faith and promising that wee will vse good déedes and charitie towards all men Looke for more touching this matter in the seuenth Sermon of this Decade Héerevppon truely did S. Paule proue that it is not lawfull for them whiche receiue together at the Lords table to eate of meate offered to Idols and to take parte of prophane sacrifices Which thing if at this day many would rightely weigh and consider they would not séeme to be séene so busie in straunge and for reigne sacrifices We said also that the Lord instituted the Supper that thereby hee might kéepe his death in memorie so that it should neuer be blotted out with obliuion For Christes death is the summarie of all gods benefits He wold haue vs therfore to kéep in memorie the benefite of his inâ—arnatioÌ„ passion redemption and of his loue And although the remembrance of a thinge that is past bee celebrated to wit of his death yet the same belongeth greatly vnto vs quickneth vs. Neither most we thinke that this is the lest end For there is none so diligently expressed as this is For the Lorde repeateth this saying Doe this in the remembraunce of me But the holy rite or holy actioÌ„ béeing ioyned with the word or with the preaching of Christes death the redemption of mankind how mauelously doth it renue from time to time that benefit and suffereth it not to be forgotten Last of al we said that the supper was ordeined of the lord that therby we might be admonished of our duety praise thanksgiuing It is our dutie to be sincere in the faith of Christ to imbrace all our brethren
comforting the sicke person prepareth him to die by makeing firste his confession of sinnes to God which he pronoūceth out of the word of God to be forgiuen if he doe stedfastly beléeue He requireth of him also that he forgiue and bée in loue and charitie with all men and that hée kéepe no olde grudge or malice in his hart After this sōe publique prayer is made to God by the sicke person by those that are about the partie that is at the point of death Hée is also admonished of sundrie thinges hée is confirmed in the fayth hée is called to patience hée is instructed according as his goodes and euerie thing else requireth and he is taught that at his departing out of this worlde he commend his soule into the hands of God the father according to the doctrine and example of our redéemer who at the very pointe of death cried aloud saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirite This discipline haue wee learned of the Apostles of our LORDE Christe For the Apostle Saint Iames saieth If any bee sicke among you lette him sende for the elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him anoynting him with oyle in the name of the Lorde And the prayer whiche is made in fayth shall deliuer the sicke And the Lorde shall rayse him vp againe And if he bee in sinne they shal be forgiuen him Confesse your sinns one of you to another pray one for another that you may bee safe for the heartie prayer of the iust is of greate force c. This is the Apostolique discipline But if you say vnto mée Where is the oyle I answere that in Saint Iames the Apostles time and certeine ages after there remained yet in the Churche the miraculous gifte of healing the sicke Of this wée reade in Saint Markes Gospell And the disciples going foorth preached the gospell that they mighte repent and they cast out many diuels they annoynted many with oyle that were sick and healed them And again in the same place saieth Moreouer These signes shal follow them that beleeue In my name they shall cast out diuels c. And anon he sayth They shall lay their handes vppon the sicke and they shall be healed And because this benefite remayned yet in the Church Saint Iames biddeth vs vse oyle and to vse it in the name of the Lorde as the Lorde had commaunded But seing that gift is now ceassed in the Churche and wée finde by experience that oyle doth no good to the sicke according to the time and as our duetie bindeth vs we do the best we can to assuage and cure the diseases of the sicke by medicines most conuenient for the sicknes being applied in the name of Christ I knowe howe by this testimonie of the Apostle the Papistes go about to set out and cōmend their extreame vnction or last annoyling but they labour in vaine But to let passe that Saint Iames speaketh nothing of the hallowed oyle and that they do not admit this medicine but in verie extremitie where S. Iames commaundeth to annoynt euery on that is sick how I pray you can they defend out of Saint Iames wordes that which the priest demaundeth of the sick person Doest thou beleeue that the Lord will heare our prayers for the merites sake and prayers of the Saintes The sick man answering I do beléeue He then saith Let vs therefore pray to God and his Sainctes Or where I beséech you hath Saint Iames or any other Apostle of Christe taught that which they bring in their annointing In the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost I annoynt thee with holy oile that by this anointing thou mayest receiue full remission of thy sinnes What scripture I pray you teacheth vs that full remission of sinnes is obteined by that anointing These thinges are done manifestly against the principall article of our religion whiche teacheth that we are purged from all our sinnes onely by the bloud of Christ and that most fully To him onely is the glory due not to the oyle nor to any creature in the whole worlde Moreouer the Church of Christe doth not reiect the bodies of the dead as if it were a deade dogge For it acknowledgeth that their bodies haue béene the Temples of the holy ghoste which hath dwelt in them It acknowledgeth that they are buried in hope of resurrection and glorie of life euerlasting wherefore the Churche doeth in moste reuerent manner take the bodies windeth them in a shéete and couereth them verie decently and béeinge put into the coffine carefully carrieth them vnto the place of buriall or churchyard y neere friends neighbours and brethren following after and accompanying the corse While the bodie is set downe and laid in the earth there are publique prayers made by them that brought the corse For they giue thankes vnto God for that he hath called the partie deceased out of this world in the true faithe and they pray also that it may please the Lorde to take them likewise vnto him spéedily beeing lightened with the true faith Moreouer the name of the dead brother or sister is recited in the publique assemblie of the Churche with honour and all the people are put in minde of their own destinie and spéedily to prepare them selues to die And after this manner we read in the scriptures that the ancient fathers buried their dead yea the moste holie of them We reade nothing of canonizating of woorshipping of reliques of monethes and yeares mindes for the dead which are offered to the ende the soules of the departed shoulde be deliuered from the paynes of purgatorie There be certeine burialles described vnto vs in the olde Testament as the buriall of Abraham Sara Isaac Iacob and Ioseph Aaron Marie Iosua Samuel and Dauid c. And in the new Testament of Iohn Baptiste and Stephan but they were all sparing and without all manner of superstition In that Iosephes bones were carried forth they were carried in a mysterie that the Israelites might gather thereof that they shoulde bee brought into the Lande of promise Wherevnto also that belongeth that the Patriarches chose a buriall in Hebron Otherwise the place auayleth nothing to purchase the better or worse spéed to the bodie that is buried in it We must thinke that the place by reason of the bodies of the saintes and holy men which are there buried is after a maner sanctified or at the least wise called holie not that the bodies do gett any holinesse or safetie by the grounde Therefore vnlesse it séeme good otherwise to the diuine prouidence of God the saints would gladly lye with their auncestours in the selfe same place of buriall But if it please God otherwise they acknowledge that they are notwithstanding receiued into the same earth without any exception and that they are not separated from their auncestours by distance of place Wherefore there is no superstition in the Churche
obserued For to go about ouer curiously to inquire after search out and séeke the very eternall Being of God is both perillous and also flatly forbidden SolomoÌ„ crieth As it is not good to eate much honie so he that is an ouercurious searcher out of Gods Maiestie shal be confounded of his glorie Before that singular and notable communication where-in oure God in the mounte Sinai talked with the whole people of Israel it is sayd to Moses Set boundes vnto the people round about the mountaine and say vnto them Take heede to your selues that ye goe not vpp into the mount or touch the border of it Whosoeuer toucheth the mount let him die the death c. Loe heere it was present death to passe the limites or boundes prescribed Therefore our studies are and ought to be definite not infinite Truly we read in many places of the holye Scriptures that the most entire and excellent friendes of God stood amazed trembling so often as God in any outward shewe did of his owne accord offer himselfe vnto their eyes I neede not to busie mée selfe too much in reckoning vpp examples Ye know howe Abraham behaued himselfe in the talke which hée had with God Gen. 18. Ye knowe what the parents of Gedeon said in the booke of the Iudges And what Helias spake 3. Reg. 19. Peter after that hee by the miraculous taking of the great draught of fishes did vnderstand that Christe was more than a man cryed out saying Goe out from me O Lord for I am a sinnfull man Therefore the Saincts if in any other matters beloÌ„ging to God than in this especially are humble modest and religious vnderstanding that his eternall and incomprehensible power and vnspeakable maiestie are altogether vncircumscriptible caÌ„not be comprehended in any name whatsoeuer Very eloquently truely and godly doeth Tertullian in his booke De Trinitate say The proper name of God cannot be vttered because it caÌ„not be conceiued For that is called by a name that is conceiued by the condition of it owne nature for a name is the significant notifying of that thing which may be coÌ„ceiued by the name But wheÌ„ the thing which is handled is of such sort that it cannot be rightly conceiued by our very senses and vnderstanding howe shall it bee rightly named by an apt terme and fit nomination which while it is beyond vnderstanding must néeds also be aboue the significancie of the terme whereby it is named so that when God vppon certeine causes or occasions doeth annexe or declare to vs his name in woords wee may thincke and knowe that the very propertie of the name is not expressed so much in wordes as a certaine significancie is set downe to which while men in prayers do runn they may séeme to be able by it to call vppon and obteine the mercie of god And againe hee sayeth Concerning God and those things that are of him and in him neither is y minde of man able to conceiue what they bee howe great they be and of what fashion they be Neither doth the eloquence of mans mouth vtter in speach woords in any point aunswerable vnto his maiestie For to the thincking vppon and vttering out his maiestie all eloquence is mute and dumbe and the whole minde is too too little For it is greater than the minde neither can it bée conceiued howe great it is because if it can be conceiued than must it néedes be lesse than mans minde wherein it may be comprehended It is also greater than all speach and cannot be spoken Because if it may be spoken then is it lesser than mans speach by which if it be spoken it may be compassed and made to bee vnderstanded But whatsoeuer may bee thoughte of him shall still be lesse than he whatsoeuer in speach is shewed of him being compared with him shall be much lesse than he For in silence to our selues we may partly perceiue him but as he is in woordes to expresse him it is altogether impossible For if you call him Light then doe you rather name a creature of his than him but him you expresse not Or if you call him Vertue then do you rather name his power than him but him you declare not Or if you call him Maiestie then doe you rather name his honour than him but him you describe not And why should I in ruÌ„ning through euery sâ—uerall title prolong the time I will at once declare it all Say all of him whatsoeuer thou canst and yet thou shalt stil rather name some thing of his than him himselfe For what canst thou fittlye speake or thincke of him that is greater than al thy words and senses Vnlesse it bee that after one maner and that too as we can as oure capacitie will serue and as oure vnderstanding will let vs we shall in minde conceiue what God is if wee shall thinke that he is that which cannot bâ—e vnderstoode nor can possiblie come into oure thought what kinde of thinge and how great it is For as at the seeing of the brightnes of the Sunne the sight of our eyes doeth so dazell and waxe dimme that oure sighte cannot beeholde the very circle of the same by reason that it is ouercome of the brightnesse of the beames that are obiecte against it euen so fareth it with the sight of our minde in all oure thoughtes of God and by howe much more shee settleth herselfe to consider of GOD by so much more is she blinded in the light of her cogitation For to repeate the same thinge againe what canst thou fittly thincke of him that is aboue all loftinesse higher than all height déeper than al depth lighter than al light clearer than all clearenesse brighter than all brightnesse stronger than all strength more vertuous than all vertue fayrer than all fairenesse truer than all truth greater than all greatnesse mightier than all mighte richer than all richesse wiser than all wisedome more liberall than all liberalitie better than all goodnesse iuster than all iustice and gentler than all gentlenesse For all kindes of vertues must néedes be lesse than hée that is the father and God of all vertues so that God maye truely bee said to be such a certeine Being as to which nothing may bee compared For hee is aboue all that may bée spoken Hetherto haue I cited the woordes of Tertullian Althoughe nowe these thinges are so and that no tongue either of Angels or of meÌ„ can fully expresse what who and of what manner God is séeing that his Maiestie is incomprehensible and vnspeakeable yet the scripture which is the word of GOD attempering it selfe to our imbecillitie doeth minister vnto vs some meanes formes and phrases of speach by them to bring vs to some such knowledge of God as maye at least wise suffice vs while wee liue in this world so yet notwithstanding that still we should thincke that the thinge that is incomprehensible cannot bee defined but that by those
phrases an occasion is onely giuen by whiche wee are to bee brought to greater thinges throughe the illumination of the spirite and that wée should in this disputation haue stil before the eyes of our minde that true and assured sentence of the eternall GOD vnto his seruaunte Moses saying Thou canst not see my face For no man shall see mee and liue For when wee are once departed out of this life and are vnburthened of this mortalitie and mortall frailetie then shal wee sée the Maiestie of god For the Apostle S. Iohn sayd Wee knowe that when hee appeareth wee shall bee like vnto him for wee shall see him as hee is And to these let vs annexe the woordes of the Apostle Paule where he sayeth Nowe wee see in a glasse euen in a darcke speaking but then wee shall see face to face Therefore let no man goe beyonde the limited boundes or preuent the time appointed nor yet presume by wicked boldenesse and curiositie in this life to behold the face that is the very Essence or being of god Let that reuelation of God suffice euery one whiche GOD him selfe voucheth safe in his woorde to open vnto vs namely so much as hée of his goodnesse thincketh necessarie and profitable for vs to knowe And I doe heere with warraunt saye that that wisedome is the true wisedome which will not in this matter go about to knowe or sauour more thā the eternall wisedome doth teach to knowe The first and chiefeste waye to knowe God is deriued out of the very names of God attributed vnto him in the holy Scripture Those names are many and of sundrie sortes beecause his vertue his wisedome I meane his goodnesse iustice and power are altogether infinite I will reckon vpp and expound vnto you accordinge to my skill the most excellent and vsuall amonge the rest Amonge all the names of GOD that is the most excellent whiche they call Tetragrammaton that is if wee may so saye the foure lettered name for it is compounded of the foure spirituall letters and is called IEHOVAH It is deriued of the Verbe substantiue Houah before whiche they put Iod and make it IEHOVAH that is to saye Beeing or I am as hée that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Béeing of him selfe hauing his life and Being not of any other but of him selfe lacking no-bodies ayde to make him to Bée but giuing To Bée vnto all maner of thinges to witt eternall God without beginning and ending in whome wée liue wée moue and haue our Béeing To this doe those woords especiallie belonge whiche wée finde to haue passed betwixte God and Moses in the thirde Chapiter of Exodus And Moses said to GOD Beholde when I come vnto the children of Israel to whome thou doest now send mee and shall saye vnto them The God of your fathers hath sente mee vnto you and they shal aske mee saying What is his name What aunswere shall I make them And God said to Moses I am that I am or I wil bee that I wil bee And he said Thus shalt thou saye to the children of Israel I am or Beeing or I wil be hath sent mee vnto you That is I am God that wil be and he hath sent mée who is him selfe Beeing or Essence and God euerlasting For their future tense conteineth thrée sundrie times Hée that is Hée that was and Hée that will be hath sent mée Truely the Euangeliste and Apostle Iohn séemeth in his Reuelation to haue had an eye to these woordes of the Lord whiche also hée wente about to interprete saying in the person of GOD I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ende or the first and the laste sayeth the Almightie Lord whiche is and whiche was and which shall be Some there are which obserue this for a note that in all tongues almost euen of the barbarous sort the name of God is written with foure letters Concerning his name in Hebrue it is assuredly so And in the Gréeke Latine and Germane tongues it is so also For God in Gréeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Deus and with vs Germanes he is called Gott They add moreouer that the Persians call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Aegyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by contraction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the foure letters the Cabalists saye that there are wonderfull mysteries conteyned Of whiche as other haue written very diligently so I haue leifer héere not to stand vppon them or trouble your patience with them Like to this also are these names of GOD Iah and Hu. Whereof the first is oftener found in the Psalmes than once For Dauid sayeth Hallelu-Iah that is Praise ye the Lord. The later is also mentioned by Dauid saying Hu that is hee I say God the Being and creatour of al thinges spake the worde and it was done Hu he cōmaunded and it was In Esaie the Lord sayeth I am the Lord Hu is my name and my glorie will I giue vnto none other Now those words also are deriued of Being and do teach vs that God is alwayes like himselfe an Essence which is of it selfe eternally and whiche giueth To be vnto all things that are as he by whome in whome and to whome all thinges are being himselfe a perpetuall and most absolute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perfect hauingnesse But the Hebrues doe not read or expresse the fourelettered name of God by calling it Iehouah but in stéede of it they vse the word Adonai For they say that Iehouah must not be vttered Now al interpreters in their translations where they turne it into Latine doe call it Dominus that is lord For GOD is the Lord of all things both visible and inuisible Neither is there in all the world any other Lord but this one and hee alone to whome all thinges in the world are subiecte and do obey For he hath a most méere dominion and absolute Monarchie ouer all his creatures And therefore for plainnesse sake sometime the word Sabbaoth is annexed to the name of God whiche some translate the Lord of Powers and some the Lord of hostes For God being Almightie doth by his power or strength shewe forth and in his hoste declare what mightie thinges he is able to doe and of howe greate power and might hée is For since that he is the GOD of all creatures and that he doth dispose and vse them as a Capiteine doeth his souldiers to worke mightie and meruelous thinges he doth euen by small things declare how great he himselfe is and how great his power is In the hoste of God are all the Angels of whome Daniel said Thousande thousandes and hundred thousands did minister vnto him One of which Angels did in one night kill in the Assyrians campe vnder the banner of the most puissaunt king Senacherib one hundreth foure-score fiue thousand souldiers In the hoste of God